High Test Weight Research Articles

Effect of promising Indian varieties of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum ) on yield attributed, yield and its economics

India is known for seed spices country and also called seed bowl of the world. Fenugreek is the main crop among the seed spices. A research experiment was conducted on 18 varieties of fenugreek during Rabi season of 2017 at ICAR-NRCSS, Ajmer in DUS experiment. On the basis of result obtained, fenugreek variety Ajmer Methi-1given significantly highest plant height (52.2cm) followed by Gujarat Methi-2 (48.6 cm.), Hisar Sonali (46.7cm.), Lam Selection-1 (45.1 cm.). Highest primary branches were observed in Rajendra Kanti (5.3). Highest secondary branches were observed in Coimbatore-2 (6.3). Maximum average pod length was recorded in Ajmer Methi-1 (12.9 cm). Maximum pod per plant was recorded in Azad Methi-1(62.2). Maximum number of seeds per pod was recorded in Rajasthan Methi-143 (16.5). Highest test weight was recorded in Ajmer Methi-1(21.4g.). Among the yield of 18 varieties of fenugreek Rajasthan Methi -1 was obtained highest yield 33.3 q/ha followed by Rajasthan Methi -143(33.0) Gujarat Methi (31.3.0), Ajmer Methi -1(30.7) Ajmer Methi -2 (30.0) q/ha. The average yield was recorded 24 q/h and total expenditure per hectare was recorded Rs. 30,000/-. Total gross income Rs. 72,000/-, net return 32,000/- were recorded and B:C ratio was estimated 1:2.37. It means we spent one rupee and get 2 rupees 37 paise.

Consumer Knowledge and Horse Preference for Different Colored Oats

Oats (Avena sativa L.) are used for human and livestock consumption. Currently, the market prefers white hulled oats that have a high test weight, which historically were used for equine feed. Plant breeding programs in the Midwest United States produce both white and yellow hulled oats that meet industry standards; however, there appears to be a market preference for white hulled oats even though the hull is removed before processing for human consumption. The perception for this preference is that the horse industry demands white oats. This two-part study was conducted to determine if horse owners and managers, or the horses, had a preference for a specific hull color. To accomplish the first objective, a 13-question survey regarding oat use and preference among horse owners and managers was administered for 6 weeks through the University of Minnesota Horse Extension Team. The 801 survey respondents did not have a visual preference for white or yellow hulled oats (P = .89). For individuals who purchased oats, the most important quality was cleanliness, with color and test weight being the least important. The second objective consisted of two horse-feeding trials. The horses did express a preference for yellow hulled over white hulled oats (P < .0001). Although horse owners and managers did not indicate a color preference for oats, horses preferred yellow oats. The lack of preference from horse owners and managers suggests that others within the oat supply chain are driving the market to categorize white oats as the premium horse feed.

Impact of grain morphology and the genotype by environment interactions on test weight of spring and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) market grades and prices are determined in part by test weight (TW). Millers value high TW because it is typically associated with higher flour extraction rates and better end-use quality. Test weight is expected to be influenced by other directly quantifiable grain attributes such as grain length (GL), grain width (GW), shape, single-grain-density (SGD), thousand-grain-weight (TGW), and packing efficiency (PE). The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the primary morphological grain attributes that comprise TW measurements for winter and spring wheat classes; and (2) determine TW stability and genotype and genotype × environment interactions (GEIs) of the attributes that comprise TW. A market class representative group of 32 hard spring and 24 hard winter wheat cultivars was grown at several locations in South Dakota in 2011 and 2012. A regularized multiple regression algorithm was used to develop a TW model and determine what grain attribute reliably predicts TW. A GGE biplot was used for stability and GEI analyses whereas a linear mixed model was used for variance analyses. Data were collected on eight grain traits: TW, SGD, TGW, protein concentration, GW, GL, shape, size, and PE. Observations showed that in both spring and winter wheat, SGD accounted for over 90% of the phenotypic variation of TW. Cultivars with stable and high TW were identified in both wheat classes. Apart from TW; significant (p < 0.0001) genotype, environment, and GEI variances were observed for GW and SGD, a more direct measure of which could help improve genetic gain for TW.

AAC Bloomfield barley

AAC Bloomfield is a six-row spring feed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar with high yield, high test weight, high seed weight, and good lodging resistance. It performed well in the Maritime Six-Row Barley Registration and Recommendation Test (2013–2016) before being registered in 2017. AAC Bloomfield was developed by the Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON. AAC Bloomfield is recommended for barley growing areas in the Maritime provinces.

Evaluation of foliar fungicide programs in mid-Atlantic winter wheat production systems

Foliar fungicides are commonly used to manage foliar fungal diseases of soft-red winter wheat (SRWW) grown in the mid-Atlantic region, but data on the overall performance and utility of various products and application timings on yield and quality is lacking. Eight replicated experiments were conducted in Delaware and Maryland in 2015 and 2016 to evaluate the effects of 13 fungicide programs, consisting of five commercially-available fungicides applied at flag leaf emergence ([Zadoks growth stage (ZGS) 37], anthesis (ZGS 60), or in two-pass programs with the first application at green-up (ZGS 30) followed by applications at either ZGS 37 or ZGS 60, for utility on naturally occurring foliar diseases on the flag leaf and head, yield, and test weight compared to an untreated check. All fungicide programs reduced disease severity on the flag leaf and resulted in higher test weight and yield compared to the untreated check. Foliar disease on the flag leaf and glume blotch were best managed with ZGS 60 applications. Two-pass programs (ZGS 30 + ZGS 37 or ZGS 30 + ZGS 60) did not result in significantly lower disease severity compared to single applications at ZGS 37 or ZGS 60. Yield was highest within the ZGS 30 + ZGS 60 timing, and while significant, increases were small, ranging from 111 to 198 kg ha−1. Within a given application timing, Priaxor® (ZGS 37), Quilt Xcel® (ZGS 30 + ZGS 37), and Quilt Xcel® (ZGS 30) + Prosaro® (ZGS 60) provided the greatest yields. This information will help guide Integrated Disease Management (IDM) systems in the mid-Atlantic region and assist growers in avoiding unnecessary fungicide applications in SRWW.

Registration of ‘Silver’ Durum Wheat

‘Silver’ (Reg. No. CV‐1128, PI 668100) durum spring wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] was developed and released by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station in 2013. Silver durum was initially selected in 2000 as a single F2 head from a male sterile facilitated recurrent selection durum population maintained at the Montana State University, Eastern Agricultural Research Center near Sidney, MT. Final selection came from an F6 head row and was subsequently tested under the experimental name MT03012 in Montana and North Dakota from 2006 to 2012. Quality was evaluated in multilocation trials beginning in 2006. Silver is a day‐length insensitive, high‐yielding durum line with medium to high test weight, early heading date, short plant height, medium to high grain protein content, and acceptable semolina quality. Silver was released for its day‐length insensitivity, short stature and early heading date.

Registration of Oat Cultivar ‘Hayden’

Despite a significant decrease over the last 50 years, the production of oats (Avena sativa L.) presents both environmental and health benefits. When incorporated in crop rotations, oat has the potential to improve soil health and to break pest cycles in corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations. In addition, the presence of a soluble dietary fiber (β‐glucan) in oat grain can help prevent cholesterol, coronary heart diseases, and type 2 diabetes. The development of new oat cultivars with superior productivity and high test weight is required to improve the attractiveness of the crop to producers and to maintain or increase oat production in the United States. ‘Hayden’ (Reg. No. CV‐383, PI 676028) is a spring oat cultivar developed at South Dakota State University and released by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2014. The pedigree of Hayden is ‘Buckskin’//ND011054/SD020835. Hayden was developed using a modified bulk and single seed descent selection method. Hayden is a white hulled cultivar with mid‐to‐late maturity. Hayden was evaluated in the South Dakota Crop Performance Testing Oat Variety Trial from 2013 to 2015 and in the Uniform Mid‐Season Oat Performance Nursery in 2013 and 2014 under the experimental number SD111972. Hayden was released because of its excellent yield potential, good yield stability, and high test weight. It is resistant to smut and moderately tolerant to Barley yellow dwarf virus. Hayden also demonstrates good overall milling and nutritional quality.

High yielding and trait specific genotypes and genetic associations among yield and yield contributing traits in Jatropha curcas L.

Jatropha curcas L., an important oilseed crop of the family Euphorbiaceae is valued for its oil as a fuel oil and biodiesel/aviation fuel feedstock. The adaptability and robustness of the plant makes it eminently suitable for integrating into small farm agroforestry systems and as an intercrop, especially in marginal and drought-stressed areas. Profitable cultivation of the crop is hampered by the lack of cultivars with stable and high yield. Variance components, heritabilities and genetic associations of yield and its determinants were estimated in 57 accessions from nine countries. The accessions exhibited significant variation and the coefficient of variation showed higher PCV than GCV for all the traits. Broad sense heritability and genetic advance were high for seed yield and height from base to branching and low for kernel oil content. Pearson correlation coefficients showed positive significant correlation of fruit shape and number of female flowers per inflorescence with seed yield. Cluster analysis based on 20 mixed traits grouped the accessions into five clusters with all the non-toxic accessions forming a separate cluster while the toxic accessions were grouped in four clusters. Seed yield recorded over 5 years indicated a significant yield increase by the 5th year and the high yielding toxic accessions, JP47 and JP40 gave average seed yields (g plant−1) of 2574 and 1613 and maximum yields (g plant−1) of 2943 and 1940, respectively. This is a significant step towards identification of trait specific genotypes with high seed yield, high test weight, pistillate nature, dual purpose edible types, which could be successfully utilized for genetic improvement of the crop through selection and hybrid breeding.

Isolation of desirable mutants in safflower for crop improvement

The present investigation was undertaken to isolate mutants having promising traits for safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) improvement. Two varieties of safflower viz., AKS-207 and Bhima were mutagenised with ethyl methanesulphonate, sodium azide and gamma rays. All the mutagens decreased pollen fertility in M1 generation with the increase in their dose. The screening of M2 population led to the isolation of several putative mutants. The frequency of mutations varied according to the mutagen, its dose and the variety concerned. The evaluation of these putative mutants in M3 generation resulted in selection of early bolting, dwarf, highly branched, large head, high test weight, thin hull, high oil content and high oleic acid mutants on the basis of their utility in breeding for safflower improvement. Amongst the three mutagens used, sodium azide proved to be most effective and efficient mutagen for induction of mutations in safflower.

Response of Different Cultivars of Radish (Raphanus Sativus L.) to Alternaria Leaf Spot on Seed Production during Winter at Rupandehi Nepal

A field experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications and seven cultivars of Radish as treatments for screening against Alternaria leaf spot for seed production. Disease scoring was done as percentage of leaf area infected on individual plant at 7 and 10 days intervals on leaf and siliqua respectively for 3 times, and disease severity and mean AUDPC were calculated and yield was recorded. Disease symptoms appeared first in Long Chetki 22 DAS and last in Green Neck Miyashige 38 DAS. Maximum mean AUDPC (886.7) on foliage was recorded in Long Chetki while minimum mean AUDPC (690.7) was recorded in Green Neck Miyashige Similarly, highest and lowest total mean AUDPC on siliqua were seen on cultivars 40 Days (1080) and Green Neck Miyashige (66.67) respectively. Highest yield was recorded in Green Neck Miyashige (695.2kg/ha) and lowest yield was recorded in cultivar Long Chetki (477.4kg/hac). Similarly, highest test weight was recorded in cultivar Mino Early (10.28gm) and lowest was recorded in cultivar 40-Days (8.4gm). Cultivar, All Season Green Long failed inflorescence formation hence no evidence of siliqua formation therefore bears value 0 for seed yield. Similarly, highest biomass yield excluding root was found in cultivar Subhra-32 (613.3gm/m2) and lowest biomass yield was recorded in cultivar Green Neck Miyashige (341.7gm/m2). Green Neck Miyashige was found resistant to Alternaria leaf spot disease with maximum seed yield (695.2kg/ha). The cultivars Subhra-32 and 40 days were highly susceptible to Alternaria leaf spot disease with minimum seed yield.Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 4(3): 318-324

Registration of ‘Joe’ Hard White Winter Wheat

‘Joe’ (Reg. No. CV‐1119, PI 676270) hard white winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed at the Agricultural Research Center‐Hays, Kansas State University, and released by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station in 2015. Joe was selected from a single cross of KS04HW101‐3/KS04HW119‐3 made in 2005 at Hays, KS. The objective of this cross was to develop a hard white winter wheat cultivar with adaptation to dryland production in western Kansas. Joe was developed using a modified bulk breeding method. Joe is an F6–derived line with experimental number KS11HW39‐5‐4, and it was tested in yield trials from 2010 to 2015. Joe is medium late and medium tall with a medium high test weight and medium protein concentration. Its milling and baking quality is acceptable to good. Joe was released because of its high grain yield potential in western Kansas and its good resistance to stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Westend.), leaf rust (caused by P. triticina f. sp. tritici Ericks.), and Wheat streak mosaic virus.

To find out the suitable high yielding varieties of lentil for rainfed conditions of eastern Uttar Pradesh

The field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm of N.D.U.A. and T., Kumarganj, Faizabad during Rabi season of 2013-14 to study the performance of lentil varieties under rainfed condition in respect of growth and development, yield and yield contributing characters, quality and economics. Twelve varieties of lentil IPL-81, K-75, NDL-1, IPL-406, DPL-15, PL-5, PL-234, PL-4, DPL-62, PL-406, PL-63 and HUL-57 were tested in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The soil of the experimental field was silty loam in texture, having pH 8.3, organic carbon 0.35 per cent, available nitrogen 175 kg ha -1 , phosphorus 14.50 kg ha -1 , potassium 248.50 kg ha -1 and electrical conductivity 0.41dSm -1 . The performance of PL-406 variety of lentil was found significantly superior over rest of the varieties in respect of all growth, yield and yield contributing characters except plant height and test weight. The maximum plant height was recorded in IPL-406 variety while the higher test weight (g) was recorded in DPL-62 variety. The highest net return (Rs. 73743 ha -1 ) and B:C ratio (4.3) was obtained with PL-406 variety of lentil under the rainfed condition.

Conquer Red Spring Wheat

Conquer, an orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana Gehin) resistant hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), combines good agronomic performance with good resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust, and common bunt. Conquer had similar maturity, acceptable straw strength, and higher test weight as compared with check cultivars. Based on end-use quality analyses, Conquer has acceptable quality for the Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat market class.

Registration of ‘Harriman’ Low‐Phytate, Hulled Spring Barley

‘Harriman’ (Reg. No. CV‐358, PI 676261) is a hulled, low‐phytate barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar, the second to be developed and released by the USDA‐ARS. Compared to the previously released hulled, low‐phytate cultivar, ‘Herald’, Harriman has higher grain yield, higher test weight, higher inorganic phosphorus (Pi), and lower phytate phosphorus (P). This cultivar can contribute to animal production and sustainable agriculture by reducing or eliminating the need for P or phytase supplementation and by reducing the amount of P released into the environment from animal production facilities.

Genetic estimates and path coefficient analysis in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under normal and late sown environments

The research was carried out to determine selection criteria using correlation and path coefficient analysis in 25 chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes under two different environments during rabi 2008-09 at Palampur location. The genotypes showed highly significant differences for all the characters studied in both environments. Environment I (normal sowing) exhibited its excellent potential for the traits viz., seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant, pods per plant, primary branches per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and plant height, whereas environment II (late sowing) exhibited it for harvest index, per cent crude protein and 100-seed weight. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for seed yield per plant, pods per plant and 100-seed weight in environment I. Seed yield per plant was positively and significantly correlated with pods per plant (E1=0.767 and E2=0.647), harvest index (E1=0.767 and E2=0.745), biological yield per plant (E1=0.612 and E2=0.537) and primary branches per plant (E1=0.422 and E2=0.515) in both the environments. Path coefficient analysis revealed the high direct effect of biological yield and harvest index towards seed yield per plant, whereas primary branches per plant and pods per plant showed negligible direct effect, but their indirect contribution for it through biological yield and harvest index was high. The present study suggests that selection for high seed yield should be based on selecting high biological yield, pod per plant, high test weight and primary branches per plants in chickpea.

Effect of pinching of apical buds and chemical sprays on yield and quality of fenugreek seed

Among the various means of regulating the source-sink relationship of a plant, pinching of the apical bud and exogenous application of growth regulators and micronutrients has also been reported to be beneficial in enhancing plant productivity. Therefore, with a view to improve the yield and quality of fenugreek seed, anexperiment was conducted atthe Horticultural Research Farm of Amar Singh PG College, Lakhaoti, Bulandshahr, UP, during the rabi season of 2013–14. The plants were pinched at threestagesviz., P1-30 days after sowing (DAS), P2-40 DAS and P3-50 DAS, and three chemicalswere applied viz., C1-Paclobutrazol (50 ppm), C2-GA3 (100 ppm) and C3-Boron (0.1%), along with control. Nine parameters of plant growth, seed yield and quality were studied to assess the effects of the above treatments and their interactions. Results indicated that plants pinched at 30 DAS recorded significantly higher values for number of primary branches per plant (7.2), number of pods per plant (38.8), number of seeds per pod (18.6), test weight (4.3g), germination percentage (89.8%) and seed yield (9.8q/ha), compared to plants pinched at 35 DAS, 40 DAS and without pinching. Among the chemical sprays, application of GA3 (100 ppm) resulted in the production of tallest plants at harvest (57.4 cm), most number of primary branches per plant (7.1), number of pods per plant (39.0), number of seeds per pod (18.0), highest test weight (4.3g), germination percentage (90.3%) and seed yield (9.4q/ha), compared to other chemicals and control. While studying the interaction effects, pinching at 30 DAS along withapplication of GA3 (100 ppm) came out to be the best combination, which resulted in the production of maximum number of productive branches per plant (7.3), number of pods per plant (41.1), number of seeds per pod (18.8), highest test weight (4.4g), germination percentage (91.7%) and seed yield (10.3q/ha). Thus, it is evident from the present study that the yield and quality of fenugreek seed could be increased by pinching at early stage (30 DAS), followed by foliar spray of GA3 (100 ppm) at 50% flowering stage.

Genetic variability and genetic diversity in sunflower

One hundred and seventy four accessions of sunflower were evaluated in a randomized block design with two replications during Kharif 2010-11 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh to investigate the extent of genetic variability and genetic diversity. The Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits indicating considerable magnitude of genetic variability of the material used for the study. Low heritability coupled with high GAM was observed for seed yield per plant due to high environmental effects and selection is effective. The genetic divergence study infers the grouping of 174 accessions in 13 clusters which indicates prevalence of good extent of diversity in the material. Cluster I had more no. of genotypes followed by clusters IV, VII and VIII. Cluster X had higher mean value for plant height and head diameter, cluster XII had higher test weight and cluster XI had high seed yield per plant. The maximum inter cluster distance was recorded between cluster XI and XII followed by cluster X and XII and clusters V and XII. Hence, it is suggested that if the diverse accessions from these diverse groups are used in the breeding programme, it is expected to produce a wide range of genetic variability in the population. The traits, 100 seed weight, plant height and days to maturity were the major causing genetic divergence among the accessions.

Coleman hard red spring wheat

Spaner, D., Navabi, A., Strenzke, K., Iqbal, M. and Beres, B. 2015. Coleman hard red spring wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 1037–1041. ‘Coleman’ hard red spring wheat is an awned, hollow-stemmed cultivar of high yield potential adapted to the wheat growing regions of western Canada. Averaged over 30 site-years, during 3 yr of testing in the Parkland Wheat Cooperative Registration Test (2010–2012), Coleman was higher yielding than Katepwa (8.5%) (P≤0.05), AC Splendor (5.8%) (P≤0.05), CDC Teal (2.1%) and CDC Osler (2%), exhibited maturity, height and lodging resistance similar to, or in the range of the checks, had higher test weights than the checks and showed good resistance to leaf, stem and stripe rust. Coleman exhibited Fusarium head blight resistance greater than and DON contamination levels lower than the check cultivars. Coleman exhibited susceptible reactions to common bunt and loose smut. End-use quality attributes of Coleman meet the specifications of the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat market class.

Coleman hard red spring wheat

Spaner, D., Navabi, A., Strenzke, K., Iqbal, M. and Beres, B. 2015. Coleman hard red spring wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 1037-1041. ‘Coleman’ hard red spring wheat is an awned, hollow-stemmed cultivar of high yield potential adapted to the wheat growing regions of western Canada. Averaged over 30 site-years, during 3 yr of testing in the Parkland Wheat Cooperative Registration Test (2010-2012), Coleman was higher yielding than Katepwa (8.5%) (P≤0.05), AC Splendor (5.8%) (P≤0.05), CDC Teal (2.1%) and CDC Osler (2%), exhibited maturity, height and lodging resistance similar to, or in the range of the checks, had higher test weights than the checks and showed good resistance to leaf, stem and stripe rust. Coleman exhibited Fusarium head blight resistance greater than and DON contamination levels lower than the check cultivars. Coleman exhibited susceptible reactions to common bunt and loose smut. End-use quality attributes of Coleman meet the specifications of the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat mark...

Physical Properties and Chemical Characterization of Macro- and Micro-Nutriments of Elite Blue Maize Hybrids (Zea maysL.)

Five elite blue maize hybrids and two blue maize landraces were evaluated for various quality characteristics. Hybrids showed physical characteristics demanded by dry-millers and tortilla processors: above 290 g in one hundred-kernel weight test, higher test weight (76.1–78.5 kg hl−1) and lower flotation index (22–61%). Hybrid maize 613 × 27 (9.9%) and 611 × 8 (9.5%) contained the highest protein. Potassium, magnesium, manganese and zinc contents of hybrid maize were higher than landraces by 15, 30, 55 and 41%, respectively. Nutrimental profile showed linoleic acid contents above 50% in 503 × 67, 613 × 27 and 611 × 8 hybrid samples. Lysine levels of landraces and hybrids 503 × 67 (33.9 g kg−1 protein) and 631 × 27 (31.7 g kg−1 protein) were higher than reported for regular white corn (27 g kg−1 protein), as well as the highest tryptophan levels for Chalqueno (6.0 g kg−1 protein) and hybrid 503 × 67 (6.9 g kg−1 protein). Highest protein quality based on its digestibility was found in hybrid 503 × 67. Results indicated that elite blue maize hybrids could be an important source of nutrimental compounds with potential for functional food industries.