Days After Sowing Research Articles

Impact of Hydrogel Polymer on Water Productivity, Weed Control Efficiency and Yield of Broadcast-Seeded Rice

A field study was investigated at the Experimental Farm of Rice Research Department, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt during summer seasons of 2020 and 2021 to study the capability of hydrogel polymer application under different irrigation intervals and chemical weed control on water conservation and weed control under Egyptian broadcast-seeded rice (Giza 179 cv). A strip spit design with three replicates was used during the study. Three irrigation intervals (irrigation every 5 days (I1), 10 days (I2) and every 15 days (I3) were randomly devoted in horizontal plots, hydrogel polymer at rate of 20 kg ha-1 as compared to normal soil (zero hydrogel) were assigned in vertical plots, while three weed control treatments (thiobencarb at 2.38 kg ai ha-1 at 9 days after sowing (DAS) followed by (fb) bispyribac-sodium at 0.038 kg ai ha-1 + halosulfuron-methyl at 0.036 Kg ha-1 applied at 25 DAS (W1), Thiobencarb at 2.38 kg ai ha-1 fb cyhalofop-butyl at 0.286 Kg ai ha-1 + halosulfuron-methyl at 0.036 Kg ha-1 applied at 25 DAS (W2) as compared to un-treated weedy check plots (W3) were allocated in endo/sub-sub plots. Results showed that irrigation every 10 and 15 days saved about 26.4% and 35.8% of applied water, respectively, while the yield reduced by 31.8% and 56.1% respectively compared to irrigation every 5-days as average of the two seasons. The lowest dry weights of grasses and total weeds were recorded of I1, while C. difformis weed was absent under I3 during 2020 and 2021 seasons. Hydrogel polymer application conserved about 14.8% of applied water and improved rice grain yield by 16.5% as well as increased water productivity to be 0.48 kg m-3 compared to 0.32 kg m-3 for without hydrogel treatment. Hydrogel encouraged C. difformis appearance while decreased grasses and total weeds compared to without hydrogel. Sequential herbicides application W1 recorded the best weed control against grasses, C. difformis and total weeds in addition to higher WCE (91.9%) against total weeds consequently produced the highest values of rice dry matter, yield and its attributes during both seasons of study. The interaction of I1 x hydrogel x W1 achieved the highest grain yield (10.11 t ha-1) with same significance for I1 x without hydrogel x W1 (9.75 t ha-1), while I2 x hydrogel x W1 recorded the highest water productivity (0.78 kg m-3) and produced 7.63 t ha-1 of rice grain yield by increasing of 20.7% than I2 x without hydrogel x W1 as average for 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Chemical Control Against Aggressive Broad Leaves Weed Ipomea sp. in Drill Seeded-rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Two field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Farm of Rice Department, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt throughout 2020 and 2021 summer seasons to identify an efficient chemical control program against Ipomea sp. as perennial Convolvulaceae weed in drill seeded-rice. The experimental design was split-plot with three replications. Three times of herbicidal application at 20, 30 and 40 days after sowing (DAS) were allocated randomly in main plots, while in sub-plots, six weed control treatments were randomly distributed included three single herbicides application (bentazone at rate of 1.714 kg ai ha-1, fluroxypyr at rate of 0.0952 kg ai ha-1 and bensulfuron-methyl at rate of 0.0714 kg ai ha-1) in addition to two herbicide mixtures were bentazone + fluroxypyr (1.344 kg ai ha-1 + 0.0952 kg ai ha-1) and bensulfuron + fluroxypyr (0.0714 kg ai ha-1 + 0.0952 kg ai ha-1) as compared to un-treated (weedy check) plots. Chemical control at early stage (20 DAS) achieved the best Ipomea control and recorded the lowest values of tillers number m-2, fresh and dry weights during 2020 and 2021, consequently recorded the highest rice dry matter, panicles number m-2, panicle weight and grain yield during both seasons. The results also showed that herbicide mixtures exceeded single application of herbicide in controlling Ipomea as broad leaf weed, bentazon + fluroxypyr ranked first in weed control efficiency percentage and recorded the lowest weed density m-2, fresh and dry weights of Ipomea during the two seasons of study as well as achieved the best values in rice dry matter, panicles per square meter, panicle weight and grain yield during 2020 and 2021 seasons, while the mixture of bensulfuron + fluroxypyr ranked second in this respect. The combination of bentazone + fluroxypyr sprayed at 20 DAS recorded the best Ipomea chemical control efficiency (95.4 %) and recorded the best rice grain yield (9.322 t ha-1) as an average for Giza 178 cv under drill seeded-rice conditions.

Performance of Post-Emergence Herbicide Combinations on Weed Management and Crop Yield in Direct Seeded Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Direct-seeded rice (DSR), an innovative alternative to traditional transplanting, has gained popularity for its cost-effectiveness and labour-saving attributes. Weeds pose a significant threat to DSR. In this study, the effectiveness of various weed management methods, including hand weeding and herbicide applications, was evaluated. Hand weeding proved most effective in controlling weeds, while specific herbicides, such as bispyribac sodium + pyrazosulfuron (T2) and triafamone + ethoxysulfuron (T6) applied at 16 days after sowing (DAS), demonstrated superior weed control efficiency, improved growth parameters, and enhanced yield. Paspalum distichum was effectively controlled by penoxsulam + cyhalofop-butyl (T7). The study emphasizes the importance of customizing weed control to local conditions, with the choice of suitable herbicides and practices aligning with prevalent weed biotypes in the specific farming system. Understanding the nuanced impacts of post-emergence herbicides is crucial in navigating the intricate landscape of weed management in direct-seeded rice.

Effect of Diverse Production Systems on Growth, Yield and Economics of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss) Varieties

An agronomic experiment to study the effect of diverse production systems on growth, yield and economics of Indian mustard varieties was conducted in the research farm of Division of Agronomy, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India during rabi season of 2021. The field experiment was laid-out in split-plot design in fixed layout with three replications. The field experiment comprised four main plot treatments (Production systems: Organic Management System (OMS), Integrated Crop Management (ICM), Conventional System (CS) and Conservation Agriculture (CA) and three sub-plot treatments (Mustard varieties-PM 26, PM 28 and PDZ 1). The results revealed that the plant height (cm), Dry matter accumulation (DMA), Leaf area index (LAI) of different varieties of Indian mustard under diversified production scenarios was significantly (p<0.05) influenced at 30, 60 90 days after sowing (DAS). There was almost 14% increase in seed yield was recorded under ICM compared to CS. Among the mustard varieties, PM 26 resulted in maximum seed yield (2206 kg/ha), closely followed by PM 28 (2123 kg/ha), while least seed yield was recorded under PDZ-1. Under OMS and ICM higher harvest index i.e., 0.23 and 0.24 respectively was observed which was higher than CS (0.22) and CA (0.20). The maximum net return (NR) was obtained under ICM (Rs 76583/ha) and among the varieties, PM 26 gave maximum NR of Rs 76060/ha. ICM and CA resulted in higher B:C ratio (2.87 and 2.97 respectively) compared to CS and OMS, while among the varieties maximum B:C ratio was from PM 26 (2.87) and least was from PDZ-1 (2.18).

Evaluation of new molecules against thrips of green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

The field experiment, conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, SOADU, Binjhagiri, Khordha, during summer 2021, aimed to assess the efficacy of new insecticides against thrips in green gram and their impact on crop yield. Treatments applied at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS) demonstrated superiority over the control. Diafenthiuron 50 WP at 250 g a.i./ha exhibited the highest efficacy, resulting in more than a 80% reduction in thrips population. Other highly efficacious treatments included thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 25 g a.i./ha, spiromesifen 240 SC @ 150 g a.i./ha, fipronil 5 SC @ 50 g a.i./ ha, and imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 25 g a.i./ha, each contributing to nearly 70% reduction in thrips population. Clothianidin 50 WDG @ 125 g a.i/ha was identified as the least effective, providing nearly 65% reduction in thrips population. All tested newer insecticides effectively reduced sucking insect pests in green gram.

Mass spectrometry imaging of Arabidopsis thaliana with in vivo D2O labeling.

The commonly used analytical tools for metabolomics cannot directly probe metabolic activities or distinguish metabolite differences between cells and suborgans in multicellular organisms. These issues can be addressed by in-vivo isotope labeling and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), respectively, but the combination of the two, a newly emerging technology we call MSIi, has been rarely applied to plant systems. In this study, we explored MSIi of Arabidopsis thaliana with D2O labeling to study and visualize D-labeling in three classes of lipids: arabidopsides, chloroplast lipids, and epicuticular wax. Similar to other stress responses, D2O-induced stress increased arabidopsides in an hour, but it was relatively minor for matured plants and reverted to the normal level in a few hours. The D-labeling isotopologue patterns of arabidopsides matched with those of galactolipid precursors, supporting the currently accepted biosynthesis mechanism. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MSI was used to visualize the spatiotemporal distribution of deuterated chloroplast lipids, pheophytin a, MGDGs, and DGDGs, after growing day-after-sowing (DAS) 28 plants in D2O condition for 3-12 days. There was a gradual change of deuteration amount along the leaf tissues and with a longer labeling time, which was attributed to slow respiration leading to low D2O concentration in the tissues. Finally, deuterium incorporation in epicuticular wax was visualized on the surfaces of the stem and flower. The conversion efficiency of newly synthesized C30 aldehyde to C29 ketone was very low in the lower stem but very high at the top of the stem near the flower or on the flower carpel. This study successfully demonstrated that MSIi can unveil spatiotemporal metabolic activities in various tissues of A. thaliana.

The Manual, Chemical, Cultural, and Integrated Weed Management in Soybean Production

A field experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, from December 2021 to April 2022 to study the effect of weed management practices in soybean (Glycine max L.). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized three-Complete Block Design (RCBD) with twelve weed management treatments- no weeding (Control), two hand weeding (at 15 and 30 DAS), pre-emergence herbicide (Herbilin 33% EC @ 400 ml ha-1), post-emergence herbicide Irish EC @ 1200 ml ha-1, pre + post-emergence herbicide, pre-emergence + 1 hand weeding {40 days after sowing (DAS)}, post-emergence herbicide + 1 hand weeding (40 DAS), pre + post-emergence herbicide + 1 hand weeding(40 DAS), straw mulching, intercrop with Amaranthus dubius, and Zea mays, and weed-free. The experimental result showed among seven different weed species found, Cyperus rotundus was the most prevalent weed, with the highest weed density (123 and 128.67 m-2) and relative weed emergence (43.16 and 38.79 %) in the control plot at 30 and 60 DAS. The treatment pre + post-emergence herbicide + 1 hand weeding (40 DAS) showed the longest pod length (4.16 cm) and number of seeds pod-1 (3.89). The weed-free treatment resulted in the highest 1000-seed weight (111.00 g), seed yield (1.86 t ha-1), stover yield (2.16 t ha-1), biological yield (4.03t ha-1), and harvest index (46.35 %). However, the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.85) was obtained under post-emergence herbicide (Irish EC) treatment. Therefore, applying Irish EC was the best broad-spectrum effective herbicide to manage the various weed floras in soybeans for profit. SAARC J. Agric., 21(2): 195-206 (2023)

Effect of Seed Priming on Germination, Seedling Emergence and Development of Spring Rice Var. Hardinath-1

Poor germination percentage and non-uniform seedling emergence and establishment are major causes of low rice yield in water-deficit arid ecosystems. A seed priming study with a low concentration of MoP, DAP, urea, vitamin C, ZnSO4, sucrose, NaCl, and hydro priming was conducted to assess the seed germination, seedling emergence, establishment, and seedling growth of the spring rice variety Hardinath-1. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replications. Two test sets of experiments were carried out using blotting paper rolls and separate sand trays. Germination was observed at intervals of 24 hours up to 7 days, and germination and growth parameters were monitored. The results showed that germination (88.67%) and seedling emergence (88.67%) were high in vitamin C at 7 days after sowing (DAS). Germination energy (81%), germination speed (91.78%), and vigor index (91.78) were higher with seed priming of MoP. The lowest germination (56.44%) was observed with the priming of urea. At 30 DAS, the longest shoot length (19.93 cm) and longest root length (11.79 cm) were observed with the priming of ZnSO4. The highest seedling fresh weight (0.75 g) and dry weight (0.16 g), the highest number of leaves (3.57), and the longest leaf length (11.97 cm) were found with the priming of MoP, NaCl, and ZnSO4, respectively. However, the lowest seedling growth parameters were observed in the control priming. The overall results revealed that seed priming with MoP is an effective tool to enhance the germination percentage and seedling establishment of rice. SAARC J. Agric., 21(2): 81-93 (2023)

Influence of Foliar Application of Boron on the Growth, Yield and Quality of Sesame (cv. BARI Til-4)

Foliar supplementation may be useful for boron to a crop when its demands are higher compared to the supply from soil. Boron is an important micronutrient which had a substantial impact on oil content, seed yield, and the components of the sesame yield. A field investigation was implemented to determine the impact of foliar application of boron on seed yield, growth and oil content of sesame cv. BARI Til-4. The investigation included four concentrations of boron viz. 0, 25, 50, and 75 ppm and three frequencies of boron application viz. one time at 30 days after sowing (DAS), two times at 30 and 50 DAS, and three times at 30, 50, and 70 DAS. The experiment was conducted following randomized complete block design, which was replicated thrice. At the vegetative stage, the highest plant height (107.3 cm), branches/plant (5.0) and shoot dry weight (45.20 g/plant) resulted in 75 ppm boron spray at 30, 50 and 70 DAS. However, the highest root dry weight (5.80 g/plant) was recorded in 75 ppm with one application of boron at 30 DAS. The plants with the highest plant height (112.1 cm), branches/plant (5.13), pods/plant (44.13), seeds/pod (54.33), seed yield (609.0 kg/ha), harvest index (30.65%), and oil content (42.33%) were also observed with the combination of 75 ppm boron spray with thrice application at 30, 50 and 70 DAS. The lowest seed yield (368.7 kg/ha) resulted in without boron application. Therefore, it can be inferred that the most efficient method for increasing the sesame seed yield and oil content is thrice (30, 50, and 70 DAS) foliar spraying of 75 ppm boron.

Study on the Mechanism of Carotenoid Production and Accumulation in Orange Red Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

In this experiment, orange‒red carrot at different development stages was used as material to observe the dynamic morphological structure of roots, and the displaying color stage of carrot was identified as 50 days after sowing (DAS). Metabolome and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) were jointly performed on carrot epidermis at the pale stage (30 DAS), starting accumulating carotenoids stage (50 DAS) and highest accumulation of carotenoids stage (115 DAS). A total of 37 kinds of carotene were detected, including 6 kinds of carotene, 10 kinds of lutein and 21 kinds of carotene ester. The main carotene of orange carrot was α-carotene, whose content reached 545.09 μg/g at 115 DAS. The content of α-carotene was 2.95, 2.45 and 2.27 times that of β-carotene at the three developmental stages, respectively. In addition, previously unreported echinenone, canthaxathin and apocarotenal and a large amount of carotenoid esters were detected in carrot epidermis. A total of 14466 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by RNA-Seq, and 62 DEGs related to carotenoid biosynthesis were screened. The transcription levels of GGPS4, PSY2, PDS, ZDS, Z-ISO, CRTISO2, LCYE, LCYB1 and BCH1 were positively correlated with carotenoid content in carrot epidermis, and the high expression of PSY2, LCYE and LCYB1 was the main reason for the synthesis of α-carotene and β-carotene, which resulted in the root color change in carrot. The expression of NCED1/2/3 was upregulated at first and then downregulated to almost no expression, which played an important role in carotenoid accumulation during root development. In addition, the expression level of LCYE was higher than that of LCYB1, which was speculated to be the main reason for the higher content of α-carotene than β-carotene in orange‒red carrot.

Response of Wheat to Farmyard Manure and Zinc Application in a Vertisol of Central India

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is one of the major global nutrition concerns, particularly in regions where diets are cereal dominant. About 50% of soils poor in zinc have resulted in zinc deficiency in cereal grains. Farmyard manure (FYM) with Zn application is the way to meet the Zn needs of crops and to raise the Zn content of grain that is ultimately consumed by people. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted at the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of JNKVV, Jabalpur, in the Rabi season of 2020-2021 with three levels of FYM (0, 5.0, and 10 t ha-1) and three levels of zinc (0, 5 and 10 kg Zn ha-1) through ZnSO4.7H2O in a completely randomized design (CRD). Results revealed that the addition of 5 t FYM ha-1 + 10 kg Zn ha-1 produced significantly better results for the plant height compared to the control. The combined application of 10 t FYM ha-1 + 10 kg Zn ha-1 showed the highest SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development) meter reading at 21 DAS (Days after sowing), but it was the highest at the sole application of 10 t FYM ha-1 at 45 DAS. Significant enhancements in spike length (7.65 cm), weight and number of grains per spike (23.90), and DMP of 7.12 g pot-1 were recorded with the 5 kg Zn ha-1 sole application. However, the highest grain weight (2.50 g pot-1) was recorded with 5 t FYM ha-1 + 5 kg Zn ha-1, which was on par with 5 t FYM ha-1, 5 kg Zn ha-1, and 10 t FYM ha-1+10 kg Zn ha-1. The highest Zn content (48.95 mg kg-1) in wheat grain was recorded with 10 kg Zn ha-1, followed by 5 t FYM ha-1 + 10 kg Zn ha-1 (44.45 mg kg-1). The highest Zn uptake of 99.53 µg pot-1 by grain of wheat was recorded with 5 t FYM ha-1 + 5 kg Zn ha-1, which was significantly superior to all the treatments but on par with 5 kg Zn ha-1 (98.82 µg pot-1). Combined application of 5 t FYM ha-1 +10 kg Zn ha-1 maintain extractable zinc in soil as compared to control.

Assessment of Annual Leguminous Forage Varieties in Cotton Inter cropping: Evaluating Green Fodder Yield and Dry Matter Production

Intercropping is an agronomic technique and is considered to be an effective and potential mean of increasing crop production per unit area and time (Ahmad and Anwar 2001). Legume intercrops are included in cropping system due to their ability to reduce soil erosion, improving land productivity through soil amelioration, suppress weeds and fix nitrogen. Intercropping cotton is significant because of higher profit and stabilized yield advantage, especially under adverse climatic conditions (Aladakatti et al., 2011). In this aspect, intercropping of short duration legumes in cotton has no adverse effect on cotton performance but an additional yield of legume makes the system more profitable. Rochester et al. (2001) studied the contribution of legume crops such as faba bean (Vicia faba), field pea (Pisum sativaum) and lab-lab (Lablab purpureus) on nitrogen fertility of cotton cropping system. The present study was undertaken in order to develop a compatible, short duration legume fodder and to assess the feasibility of different annual legume fodders for higher green fodder production. The field experiments were conducted in Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Veterinary College and Research Institute Campus, Namakkal, under irrigated condition, during July-August of 2021-22 and 2022-23. Experimental procedures were adopted to analyze the effects of various fertilizer levels on green fodder yield of various leguminous fodder crops viz., fodder cowpea (var. CO (FC)-8), mothbean (var. TMV (mb)-1), horse gram (var. Paiyur-2) and pillipesera. The results indicated that green fodder yield recorded at harvest stage (55 Days After Sowing (DAS)) was influenced by various fertilizer levels of Bt cotton. With respect to green fodder yield fodder cowpea (17407 and 14431 kg ha-1), horse gram (4439 and 4662 kg ha-1), moth bean (10041 and 10010 kg ha-1) and pillipesera (3066 and 2720 kg ha-1) recorded higher yield with application of 150% RDF and it was followed by 125% RDF and 100 RDF during first- and second -year study. Similarly, application of 150% RDF (F3) recorded more dry matter production (DMP) value, for all leguminous fodder crops during first (184.8, 305.6 and 452.7 kg ha-1) and second year study (169.9, 291.2, 450.2 kg ha-1) at all growth stages viz., 20, 40 DAS and at harvest stage, respectively.

Physiological Response of Blackgram Varieties to Foliar Nutrition and Growth Regulators under Partial Shade in Coconut Orchard in Kerala

Background: Coconut is one of the major plantation crops in Kerala which are planted at a wider spacing of 7.6 m ´ 7.6 m giving an ample opportunity for growing intercrops. To enhance soil fertility and productivity of crops inclusion of legumes is a viable option. Blackgram, though a shade sensitive crop performs well in partially shaded coconut gardens due to fast growing nature. The unique ability of biological nitrogen fixation, soil amelioration, carbon sequestration, low water requirement and capacity to withstand extreme drought, pulses have remained an integral component of coconut based cropping system. Since blackgram is a shade sensitive crop, to increase the productivity of blackgram in coconut garden, foliar spray of nutrients and growth regulators is a viable option. Under, shaded or stressed situations, nutrients and plant growth regulators provide optimum vegetative growth by regulating plant growth and architecture. The primary objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of foliar nutrition and growth regulator application on the physiology and yield of different blackgram varieties. Methods: A field trial was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala, India during rabi 2020 and summer 2020-21. To find the performance of five blackgram varieties. The treatments consisted of five performing blackgram varieties under partial shade viz; Sumanjana, DBGV 5, VBN 5, VBN 6, CO 6 and foliar sprays of nutrients (19:19:19 NPK, sulphate of potash) and plant growth regulators [naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and salicylic acid (SA)] alone and in combinations in split plot design at 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Result: The study identified Sumanjana and DBGV 5 as shade adaptive varieties with suitable physiological traits. In both seasons, a higher stomatal conductance and lower stomatal index were observed, indicating a more efficient allocation of resources towards the photosynthetic machinery. Foliar spray of 19:19:19 (1%) and NAA at 40 mg/L and SA at 100 mg/L at 45 and 60 DAS resulted in higher seed yield, dry matter production and also higher net income and benefit cost ratio for these two varieties.

Growth and yield response of winter blackgram (Vigna mungo) under high temperature and elevated CO2 conditions

Blackgram is the most important legume crop grown throughout India. It is mostly cultivated during the rainy and winter seasons in central and southern India. An investigation was carried out during winter 2021 to evaluate the effect of High Day Temperature (ambient+3oC) and Elevated CO2 (600ppm) (HDT and eCO2) and High Day and Night Temperature (ambient+3oC) and Elevated CO2 (600ppm) (HDNT and eCO2) on growth and yield of blackgram (Vigna mungo) under soil plant atmospheric research (SPAR) and ambient conditions with eleven treatments (T1 to T11). The results revealed that significant (P=0.05) increase in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, number of pods per plant and grain yield by 22.3%, 80.6%, 29.2%, 28% and 41.3%, respectively, under HDT and eCO2 conditions from 46 to 60 DAS (days after sowing) in comparison with HDNT and eCO2 and ambient conditions. The increase in chlorophyll index under HDT and eCO2 during 16 to 30 DAS by 12.9%. The significant increase in the number of flowers per plant and biomass of the blackgram was increased under HDT and eCO2 during 31 to 45 DAS by 7% and 38.1%, respectively. However, the plant height and leaf area index of the blackgram were found to have significantly increased under HDT and eCO2 during the early stage (1 to 15 DAS) by 29.3% and 44.5%, respectively. This experiment indicated a significant increase in crop growth, leaf photosynthesis and yield of blackgram under HDT and eCO2 at flowering stage to pod development stage (31 to 60 DAS) followed by HDNT and eCO2 and ambient condition. The overall findings of the study showed that increased temperature and CO2 levels would result in greater biomass production and increased yield for the black gram.

Relative performance of drip irrigation in comparison to conventional methods of irrigation in Indian mustard (<i>Brassica juncea</i>) in south-west Haryana

Application of water directly to the root zone through micro-irrigation system can reduce the water, fertilizer and labour requirements by improving their availability and use-efficiency. An experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) seasons of 2019–20 and 2020–21 at the research farm of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal, Haryana to study the relative performance of drip irrigation in comparison to conventional methods of irrigation in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.]. The experiment consisted 7 treatments, viz. two irrigations through flooding (as per state recommendation) at flowering and siliqua formation stage; two irrigations through sprinkler at flowering and siliqua formation stage; three irrigations through sprinkler at flowering, siliqua formation and seed development stage; and 6, 8, 10 and 12 split irrigations were applied from 30 days after sowing (DAS) through drip at 12, 9, 7 and 6 days interval, respectively. Volume of irrigation water under each treatment was same as under recommended practice of two flood irrigations (120 mm). Irrigation applied through drip at 6 days interval in 12 splits and at 7 days interval in 10 splits produced statistically similar seed yield to each other (22.51 and 21.94 q/ha, respectively) and significantly higher than recommended irrigation practice (18.92 q/ha) and sprinkler method of irrigation (18.62 and 19.32 q/ha) during 2019–20. The irrigation through drip in 12 splits (10 mm each) at an interval of 6 days between 30 to100 days after sowing also recorded the highest irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE) (188 and 181 kg/ha-cm in 2019–20 and 2020–21, respectively). Based on these findings, it can be suggested to apply irrigation in Indian mustard through drip in 12 splits (10 mm depth each) at an interval of 6 days between 30 to100 DAS to get higher yield and water use efficiency.

On farm validation of management of leaf curl disease of sunflower

Leaf curl is one of the important diseases causing huge yield losses in sunflower. One of the best treatments from the 3 year experimentation on management of leaf curl disease was validated in on farm validationexperiment along with farmers’ practice. It was concluded that the treatment i.e., seed treatment with imidacloprid 600FS @ 5ml/kg seed + foliar spray with diafenthiuron 50 WP @ 1.25 g/lit at 30 and 45 DAS (days after sowing)recorded less leaf curl incidence of 10.5% and less whitefly population of 1.75. Same treatment also recorded higher yield of 1798 kg/ha and B:C ratio of 2.4 when compared to control, which recorded more leaf curl incidence of 28.5and less yield of 1500 kg/ha. Hence, it was concluded that diafenthiuron is one of the best chemicals in management of leaf curl disease by acting on whiteflies.

Identification and validation of novel QTL associated with powdery mildew (Golovinomyces cichoracearum (DC.) V.P. Heluta.) resistance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.; 2n=2x=34) is an important annual oilseed crop cultivated worldwide. In the recent past, powdery mildew disease has evolved as a significant constraint for yield and quality production in sunflower crop. Hence, a F2 mapping population was developed from a cross COSF 15B x IR6 to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with powdery mildew resistance in sunflower. F2:4 recombinant lines of this population were screened along with parents and scored for powdery mildew resistance during Dec-Feb 2021-22. Per cent disease index (PDI) was calculated from the data taken 75 days after sowing (DAS) using a 0-9 score scale. Genetic linkage map was constructed with 92 SSR markers which covered 1053.3 cM. The QTL analysis resulted in the detection of one QTL in LG10 for PDI. It has 2.54 LOD and accounted for 12.25 per cent phenotypic variation. The flanking markers viz., ORS684 and ORS1110 have a flanking distance of 1.7 cM and validated with a set ofpopulation revealed that 24% and 28% PVE respectively. Hence, it may be concluded that markers ORS684 and ORS1110 can be effectively utilized for marker assisted breeding programme to develop the sunflower lines resistant to powdery mildew.

Fuzzy modeling of biometric variables development of tomato crop under irrigation and water salinity effects

Tomato is a demanding crop in terms of handling, mainly because irrigation has a strong influence on fruit production and quality. Salinity changes the absorption, transport, assimilation, and distribution of nutrients in the plant. In general, such effects are analyzed using statistical tests. However, fuzzy models allow simulations between points that are not verified in agricultural experimentation. Currently, systems with artificial intelligence have excelled in the field of applied sciences, particularly fuzzy systems applied to mathematical modeling. The objective of this research was to use fuzzy modeling to analyze the biometric variables during the development of hybrid tomatoes under two different conditions: the first concerning different water tensions in the soil and the second concerning different salinity doses in irrigation. To this end, two models were developed based on an experiment carried out at São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Both models sought to estimate the values of biometric variables of the tomato crop. Thus, two models were developed: Model 1 regarded water tensions and days after sowing (DAS), while Model 2 featured salinity and DAS. Fuzzy models provided results that verified the effects of irrigation and salinity layers. Two Fuzzy Rule-Based Systems (FRBS), an input processor with two variables, a set of linguistic rules defined from statistical procedures with percentiles, the Mamdani fuzzy inference method, and the center of gravity method to defuzzification were elaborated for this purpose. The range between −25 and −10 kPa (for Model 1) and between 0.08 and 3 dS m−1 (for Model 2) provided the development within the ideal parameters for the complete development of the plant cycle. The use of fuzzy logic has shown effectiveness in evaluating the development of tomato crops, thus showing potential for use in agricultural sciences. Moreover, the created fuzzy models showed the same characteristics of the experiment, allowing their use as an automatic technique to estimate ideal parameters for the complete development of the plant cycle. The development of applications (software) that provide the results generated by the artificial intelligence models of the present study is the aim of future research.

Unraveling the potential: assessment of the effect of Azospirillum brasilense inoculated via seeds on the growth and production of Mombaça grass

Nitrogen fertilization in pastures is considered one of the primary limiting factors that significantly enhance forage biomass production. Traditional chemical fertilizers used in crop cultivation are derived from petrochemical and mining industries. These production chains have undergone continuous and consistent structural changes year after year, affecting the prices of these inputs for farmers, consequently escalating production costs and even rendering investment in livestock farming unfeasible. For this reason, research becomes crucial to evaluate alternative techniques that can complement or fulfill the nitrogen demand in forage crops. The bacterium Azospirillum brasilense has emerged as a viable alternative to reduce costs in pasture establishment and maintenance, serving as a nitrogen source when compared to traditional sources. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Azospirillum brasilense inoculation on the growth and production of Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça. The experimental design employed was a randomized complete block design with four treatments and four replications. Each plot consisted of three plants, resulting in a total of 48 experimental units. The treatments comprised: T1 - natural soil (NS), T2 - Azospirillum brasilense (BAC.), T3 - nitrogen topdressing (N), T4 - Azospirillum brasilense and nitrogen topdressing (BAC+N). Evaluations were conducted at 60 and 90 days after sowing (DAS), assessing the following variables: plant height (PH), number of leaves (NL), number of tillers (NT), aboveground green biomass (AGGB), aboveground dry biomass (ADBB), root fresh biomass (RFB), and root dry biomass (RDB). Significant effects (P<0.05) were observed for inoculation and nitrogen topdressing on the assessed traits: plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, aboveground green biomass, aboveground dry biomass, root fresh biomass, and root dry biomass. Notably, nitrogen topdressing either solely or in combination with seed inoculation of the forage yielded positive outcomes for all studied variables at both 60 and 90 DAS. A favorable impact on the development of Mombaça grass was evident across all parameters studied in samples receiving nitrogen topdressing and Azospirillum spp. inoculation.

Influence of Soil and Foliar Application of Nutrients on Growth and Yield of Black Gram (Vigna mungo L)

Aims: This study aims to scrutinize the intricacies of nutrient management to optimize the cultivation of black gram (Vigna mungo L.) during the Rabi season of 2022-2023 in Coimbatore. The primary objectives include evaluating the efficacy of various treatments, such as recommended doses of inorganic fertilizer (RDF), rhizobium, and Phosphobacteria microbial inoculants as soil applicants, as well as TNAU Pulse Wonder, nano urea, and DAP as foliar sprays.
 Study Design: A meticulous Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications was employed to explore diverse treatments. This design allowed for a systematic investigation into the impact of different nutrient management strategies on the growth and yield of black grams.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Coimbatore, and the Rabi season of 2022-2023 was chosen for its duration. The experimental setup was established at the research farm under the auspices of the Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences.
 Methodology: A total of ten treatments were tested, including various combinations of RDF (25:50:25), rhizobial culture, phosphobacteria, TNAU Pulse Wonder, nano urea, and DAP. Plant growth metrics, such as plant height and leaf count, were measured at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Yield attributes, including pod count, seeds per pod, and test weight, were also evaluated. Economic scrutiny included the calculation of the cost of cultivation, gross return, net income, and benefit-cost ratio.
 Results: Treatment T7, consisting of 75% RDF, rhizobial culture, phosphobacteria, and 1% TNAU Pulse Wonder, demonstrated substantial efficacy in enhancing plant growth metrics. At 60 DAS, this treatment exhibited an appreciable increase in plant height (39.89 cm) and leaf count (15.33). Moreover, T7 positively impacted crucial yield attributes, with elevated pod count (24.33), seeds per pod (9.33), and test weight (4.98 g). Economic scrutiny identified T7 as the epitome of economic viability, featuring a cost of cultivation at 30,240 INR, gross return of 125,587.80 INR, net income of 95,347.80 INR, and a commendable benefit-cost ratio of 4.15.
 Conclusion: These findings underscore the profound significance of strategic nutrient management paradigms for fostering sustainable and economically robust black gram cultivation. The identified treatment T7 stands out as a promising approach to optimize yields and economic returns in black gram cultivation, offering valuable insights for future agricultural practices.