Northwest India Research Articles

Food, Gender, and Social Status in Rural Parts of North-West India: A Case Study of Rajasthan

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between eating habits, gender roles, and social status in rural areas of North-West India, with a particular emphasis on the part that women play in the production and consumption of food. This study investigates the ways in which cultural and social standards influence food practices and preferences among women and men of different social and economic backgrounds by conducting ethnographic research and in-depth interviews with rural households in different regions of Rajasthan. According to the findings of this research, women's eating behaviours are frequently restricted by gender roles and expectations, which in turn restricts their access to food resources and their ability to make decisions regarding the food that they consume. In addition, it was discovered that social standing and caste play a significant role in shaping food practises and preferences, with households of higher castes typically consuming more expensive and nutritionally dense food items. In its conclusion, the study highlights the necessity of interventions that are culturally appropriate and gender-sensitive. These interventions should address the underlying social and cultural factors that contribute to gender and social disparities in food access and consumption in rural areas of Rajasthan.

Dust source tracing and their transport mechanisms before monsoon season from three glaciers at the Tibetan Plateau: revelations from REE analysis and an indirect tracing approach.

Understanding the origins of Tibetan Plateau (TP) glacier dust is vital for glacier dynamics and regional climate understanding. In May 2016, snow pit samples were collected from glaciers on the TP: Qiyi (QY) in the north, Yuzhufeng (YZF) in the center, and Xiaodongkemadi (XDK) in the south. Rare earth element (REE) concentrations were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and near-surface PM10 concentrations were extracted from a dataset of Chinese near-surface PM10. Two tracing approaches were used: direct REE tracing and an indirect approach combining potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT). Both methods yielded consistent results. Pre-monsoon, TP surface soils, Taklimakan Desert, and Qaidam Basin contributed to glacier dust. Notably, central and southern glaciers showed Thar Desert influence, unlike the northern ones. Taklimakan and Thar Deserts were major contributors due to their substantial contribution and high dust concentration. Taklimakan dust, influenced by terrain and westerly winds, affected central and southern glaciers more than northern ones. Westerlies carried Thar Desert dust to the TP after it was uplifted by updrafts in northwest India, significantly affecting southern glaciers. Furthermore, comparing the two tracer methods, the indirect approach combining PSCF and CWT proved more effective for short-term dust source tracing.

Two native andrenid bee pollinators face severe population declines in the semi-arid environments of Northwest India

Pollinator declines at the global level are the major concern of ecologists. Two ground nesting native andrenid bee species are important part of the pollination services of Northwest India. These include, Andrena savignyi Spinola an important wild pollinator of some major oilseed crops of the family Brassicaseae, and Andrena leaena Cameron an important wild pollinator of some spices crops of the family Umbelliferae, and vegetable crops of the families Brassicaceae, Apiaceae and Leguminoseae. Their importance in the agroecosystems of Northwest India notwithstanding, the actual status of their populations in such habitats is not known. The purpose of this study is to explore the latter aspect of these bees in Northwest India. A survey was conducted on the abundances of two andrenid species foraging on their respective host plants from 1990 to 2015 at an interval of 5 years. I counted the number of foraging bees of the two species on two crops viz. Andrena savignyi on a winter-flowering crop, raya (Brassica juncea) and Andrena leaena on a summer-flowering crop, carrot (Daucus carota). In 25 years, the foraging populations of Andrena savignyi declined from 4.16±0.168 bees/m2 in 1990 to 1.2±0.09 bees/m2 in 2015 and of Andrena leaena from 5.24±0.156 bees/m2 in 1990 to 1.4±0.11 bees/m2 in 2015. This decline in the numbers of foraging bees seemed to be caused by the habitat loss and poisoning of these bees due to the excessive and indiscriminate use of weedicides in the wheat and rice crops grown in this region. Viewing the importance of these bees in the pollination of crops, it is suggested that, habitat of these bees be conserved and, if at all necessary, weedicides safe to the soil nesting bees be used

Psycho-physical representations of Sari among indian women in 2022

The history of the traditional uncut Indian garment, the Sari, can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which emerged during 2800-1800 BC in northwest India. Mention of the sari evolved from śāṭikā in Sanskrit, appearing in Hindu and Páli Buddhist literature during the 6th century BC as a female garment. The study relied on a random sample of 50 women, most of whom were working women, to assess their opinions on wearing a sari and to explore the various reasons that influence the purchase intention or frequency of use among Indian women. The study concluded that among women aged from less than 25 years old to 75 years old, most find pleasure in wearing the sari in various ways. The most important aspects are fabric purity and quality, while some women worried about movement/walking and repeated use. It is important to emphasize that the participants in this study appreciated the use of the sari and did not report significant problems regarding the way of wearing it in front of spectators. While 6% of women were unable to wear a sari, 96% said they would miss their sari if it went missing.

Phytochemical properties, antioxidant potential and fatty acids profiling of three dragon fruit species grown under sub-tropical climate

The physical, biochemical and antioxidant properties of one white pulped (Hylocereus undatus; DG-I) and two red pulped dragon fruit species (H. polyrhizus, DG-II; H. costaricencis, DG-III) grown under sub-tropical conditions of north-west India were determined. Fruit size, fruit weight, pulp weight and pulp: peel ratio was significantly higher in DG-III, though the fruit numbers and yield per pillar was significantly less than other species. The pH, TSS, acidity, total sugar, reducing sugars and moisture content in all the species varied between 4.78-5.72, 8.63-9.31 oBrix, 0.30-0.56%, 6.64-6.91%, 4.60-4.76% and 83.44-85.82%, respectively. Total phenols and flavanols content in DG-I was 24.04 mg GAE 100 g−1 and 14.54 mg RE 100 g−1, whereas in red pulped it was significantly higher; varying between 49.12-56.40 mg GAE 100 g−1 and 30.41-31.10 mg RE 100 g−1 fruit pulp, respectively. β-carotene values in red pulped species DG-II and DG-III were 47.48 and 43.82 µg 100 g−1, respectively compared to corresponding values of 1.96 µg 100 g−1 in DG-I, a white pulped dragon fruit. Similarly, DPPH-RSC, FRAP, CUPRAC and ABTS values for red pulped dragon fruit ranged between 238.98-262.04 µmol 100 g−1, 358.8-386.40 µmol TE 100 g−1, 830.40-917.0 µmol TE 100 g−1 and 571.4-589.60 µmol 100 g−1, respectively in DG-II and DG-III in comparison to respective values of 108.75 µmol 100 g−1, 192.6 µmol TE 100 g−1, 525.6 µmol TE 100 g−1 and 400.2 µmol 100 g−1 in DG-I. The β-lain, responsible for imparting red colour in DG-II and DG-III was absent in white pulped DG-I. Seed oil content in both groups of dragon fruit varied between 31.90-33.5% with highest proportion of an essential fatty acid, linoleic acid (46.32-47.96%). In conclusion, red pulped dragon fruit has a considerably higher antioxidative potential than white one and these species may play a vital role in ensuring nutritional security for millions of people in developing nations.

Temporal variability, meteorological influences, and long-range transport of atmospheric aerosols over two contrasting environments Agartala and Patiala in India.

The present study focused on the temporal variability, meteorological influences, potential sources, and long-range transport of atmospheric aerosols over two contrasting environments during 2011-2013. We have chosen Agartala (AGR) city in Northeast India as one of our sites representing the rural-continental environment and Patiala (PTA) as an urban site in Northwest India. The seasonal averaged equivalent black carbon (eBC) concentration in AGR ranges from 1.55 to 38.11µg/m3 with an average value of 9.87 ± 8.17µg/m3, whereas, at an urban location, PTA value ranges from 1.30 to 15.57µg/m3 with an average value of 7.83 ± 3.51µg/m3. The annual average eBC concentration over AGR was observed to be ~ 3 times higher than PTA. Two diurnal peaks (morning and evening) in eBC have been observed at both sites but were observed to be more prominent at AGR than at PTA. Spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) has been observed to be in the range from 0.33 ± 0.09 (post-monsoon) to 0.85 ± 0.22 (winter) at AGR and 0.47 ± 0.04 (pre-monsoon) to 0.74 ± 0.09 (post-monsoon) at PTA. The concentration of eBC and its diurnal and seasonal variation indicates the primary sources of eBC as local sources, synoptic meteorology, planetary boundary layer (PBL) dynamics, and distant transportation of aerosols. The wintertime higher values of eBC at AGR than at PTA are linked with the transportation of eBC from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Furthermore, it is evident that eBC aerosols are transported from local and regional sources, which is supported by concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis results.

Performance under multi-environment trial for quantitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes in North-West India (Punjab)

Performance under multi-environment trial for quantitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes in North-West India (Punjab)

Triple-Dip La Niña Contributes to Pakistan Flooding and Southern China Drought in Summer 2022

Abstract In the summer of 2022, a long-lasting La Niña entered its third year. In Asia, southern China was in the grip of a historic drought while heavy rainfall ravaged Pakistan. Using a climate model forced by observed sea surface temperatures (SST) over the equatorial Pacific, we show that the back-to-back La Niña events from 2020 to 2022 are a key contributor to the global SST pattern in 2022, including the negative-phase Pacific decadal oscillation and exceptionally strong negative Indian Ocean dipole. The model reproduces the observed precipitation pattern over South and East Asia, including enhanced rainfall over Pakistan–northwest India and reduced rainfall over southern China. Additional model simulations indicate that the negative Indian Ocean dipole combined with La Niña reduces southern China rainfall by causing anomalous subsidence and anticyclonic flows. These results highlight the dominant role of long-lasting La Niña in modulating rainfall over heavily populated monsoon Asia.

Growth, varietal development and cultivar diversity in seed production chain of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) in India

India with a contribution of about 90% to the global production ranks first in the world in cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba [L.] Taub.) production. It is an important feed, fodder, food and industrial crop grown in arid and semiarid regions of West and North-West India specifically, Rajasthan, accounted for about 87.7% of the production and 91.5% of the acreage during 2020–21. India is also the major exporter of guar gum or derivatives in the international market and during 2022–23, earned valuable foreign exchange worth US $617.14 million by exporting 0.41 million tonnes (mt) of guar gum. During 2020–21 area, production and yield were reduced by 34.6%, 34.0% and 17.1%, respectively, over that of the 2010–11. The compound annual growth rate during the last five years of the decade was-12.4%, -17.5 and -5.7% for acreage, production and yield, respectively. Despite negative CAGR for area during the last twenty years, the production and yield of cluster bean increased with a CAGR of 4.5 and 5.1%. A total of 39 forage or grain type varieties of cluster bean were released and notified during 1976–2023. Varieties HG 2-20 (14.1–45.2%; 8/8) followed by RGC 1038/Guar Karan (1.4–16.7%; 8/8); HG 365 (0.3–10.0%, 8/8) and RGC 1033 (14.9–62.0%; 7/8) were the major contributors with highest frequency of occurrence in the top-most five varieties in the seed chain. Seed requirement for the next five years was assessed. Timely availability of adequate quantityof quality seed at affordable price requires holistic approach involving researchers and developmental personnel responsible for production of seed from both public and private sector.

Changes in the mechanism of the South-Asian summer monsoon onset propagation induced by the pre-monsoon aerosol dust storm

A modeling effort is considered to understand the effect of dust aerosol storms in the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) onset propagation over the Indian subcontinent. The study found how the dust aerosol loading during the pre-monsoon period over the Indian subcontinent positively impacts the advancing ISM onset. The heavy loading of dust aerosol from middle east Asia to the northwest (NW) Indian region boosts the temperature gradient over the mid-troposphere. This sudden rise in the mid-tropospheric atmospheric temperature triggers the low-pressure belt over the monsoon trough. It amplifies the Elevated Heat Pump mechanism and loads enough dust for the dust storm over north India. The formation of the monsoon trough over the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) pulls the moisture-loaded wind towards the Indian subcontinent and the IGP, followed by the onset of monsoon over Kerala within a week. Due to this storm, the intense heat gradient in the troposphere also induces the monsoon propagation and the monsoon advancement from Kerala to BoB within a short time. However, it makes up for the naturally delayed monsoon on time. Plain language summaryStudy shows how the pre-monsoon dust storm modulates the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) propagation over the Indian region. The onset of the monsoon was delayed in a particular year, and the pre-monsoon dust storm over northwest India changed the regular monsoon mechanism and generated an entirely different mechanism. The elevated heat pump theory applies that pushes the monsoon advancement faster than usual. A dust storm over north India causes a sudden rise in the mid-tropospheric temperature gradient and more rapid monsoon advancement than usual.

U–Pb geochronology and metamorphic history of gneissic rocks from Sarwar‐Junia Fault Zone, Rajasthan, NW India: Implications for the tectonothermal evolution of the Aravalli‐Delhi Mobile Belt

The gneisses of the Sarwar‐Junia Fault Zone (SJFZ), in the Mangalwar Gneissic Complex, a part of the Banded Gneissic Complex (BGC‐II) of northwest India recorded two phases of metamorphism. The pelitic gneiss from SJFZ mainly consists of biotite, sillimanite, garnet, quartz, K‐feldspar and plagioclase. On the other hand, the granitic gneiss from SJFZ mainly consists of quartz, plagioclase, K‐feldspar and biotite. From zircon and monazite geochronology, the protolith of pelitic gneiss was deposited on basement granitic gneiss and the metamorphism occurred at ca. 950 Ma affecting both the granitic gneiss and the pelitic gneiss. Estimation of the P‐T conditions of metamorphism and pseudosection modelling of the pelitic gneiss revealed that the peak stage metamorphic condition of M2 culminated at ~850°C and ~7 kbar pressure followed by a near‐isobaric cooling. Large garnet porphyroblasts in contact with retrograde biotite shows Fe‐Mg resetting close to the core region, which implies a slow cooling. Therefore, the possible exhumation during the subduction‐collision tectonics was very slow, if not completely ceased, at ca. 950 Ma. The shared tectonothermal history of the Sandmata Metamorphic Complex and Mangalwar Metamorphic Complex in the BGC‐II is now evident from the present study of the SJFZ, and confirms the presence of Grenvillian‐aged tectonothermal events in the eastern part of BGC‐II. The abovementioned near‐isobarically cooled and hydrated crust of the SJFZ records subsequent event(s) of shallow crustal brittle faulting as evident by the presence of pseudotachylyte veins and cataclastic fabric observed in the studied gneisses. Brittle faulting possibly occurred between ca. 905 Ma and ca. 750 Ma, as interpreted from the present geochronological data.

Once Forgotten Now Re-emerging: Scrub Typhus Infection in Pediatric Patients From North West India.

Background Scrub typhus is an important cause of acute febrile illness in children. It is one of the re-emerging infections in the Asia Pacific region. It is caused by the gram-negative bacteriaOrientia tsutsugamushiand is spread by the bite of trombiculid mites. The initial symptomatology is nonspecific with fever, headache, vomiting, etc. The presence of eschar is said to be pathognomic. It is a systemic illness, and vasculitis is the basic pathogenic mechanism. Materials and methods A retrospective observational study was conducted in two medical colleges and associated hospitals of western Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Rajasthan, India. Case files of 21 confirmed cases of scrub typhus admitted from April 2021 to October 2022 were reviewed. Scrub typhus was suspected in children with acute undifferentiated fever, and suggestive signs and symptoms were confirmed serologically with IgM enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Demographic and clinical details were noted. Results During the study period, a total of 335 cases of acute undifferentiated fever were seen, and 6.2% of them were diagnosed as having scrub typhus infection on detailed investigation. The most common symptom was fever in 100% of them, vomiting in 57.1%, abdomen pain in 42.8%, and diarrhea in 19%. Maculopapular, erythematous rash was present in 19% of cases. None of the patients had eschar. Microvascular leakage was the main complication in 28.5%.Unusual complications seen were empyema and valvulitis in 4.7% of patients. Conclusion Scrub typhus is also seen in urban setups and in dry arid areas like Rajasthan and North West UP. So, relevant investigations should be a part of the evaluation in pediatric patients with acute undifferentiated fever.Eschar can be absent, and empyema and valvulitis are some uncommon complications. A high degree of suspicion and early diagnosis are essential as an undiagnosed infection is rapidly fatal.

Very high particulate pollution over northwest India captured by a high-density in situ sensor network

Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) is a cause of concern in cities and major emission regions of northern India. An intensive field campaign involving the states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi national capital region (NCR) was conducted in 2022 using 29 Compact and Useful PM2.5 Instrument with Gas sensors (CUPI-Gs). Continuous observations show that the PM2.5 in the region increased gradually from < 60 µg m−3 in 6–10 October to up to 500 µg m−3 on 5–9 November, which subsequently decreased to about 100 µg m−3 in 20–30 November. Two distinct plumes of PM2.5 over 500 µg m−3 are tracked from crop residue burning in Punjab to Delhi NCR on 2–3 November and 10–11 November with delays of 1 and 3 days, respectively. Experimental campaign demonstrates the advantages of source region observations to link agricultural waste burning and air pollution at local to regional scales.

Water productivity of summer mungbean (Vigna radiata) in relation to irrigation, tillage and mulch in sandy loam and loamy sand soils

There is a growing interest among the farmers of the state to take an additional crop, i.e. summer mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in the window period of rice (Oryza sativa L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system with a little emphasis on the water productivity of summer mungbean. The present study was aimed to assess the water productivity of summer mungbean under differential irrigation regimes, tillage and mulch in sandy loam and loamy sand soils. A field experiment was conducted during the summer 2021 and 2022 with three irrigation regimes (based on irrigation water to PAN-E ratio of 0.75 (I0.75), 0.50 (I0.50), 0.25 (I0.25) in sandy loam and 0.8 (I0.8), 0.6 (I0.6) and 0.4 (I0.4) in loamy sand soils, two tillage systems, viz. deep tillage and conventional tillage; and two mulch rates (no mulch and application of rice straw mulch @6 t/ha). Irrigation regime, I0.75 and I0.8 resulted in higher crop biomass, however the seed yield and water productivity were highest under I0.50 and I0.6. Deep tillage with mulch resulted in higher seed yield and water productivity in comparison to conventional tillage with no mulch. Medium irrigated regime (I0.50 and I0.6) coupled with deep tillage and rice straw mulch was found to be effective in improving the seed yield of mung bean in loamy sand soils in north-west India.

Household and plot-level survey data on adoption, outcomes, and perceptions of early sown wheat and zero tillage in Northwest India

This study collected evidence on the use of early sown wheat varieties and complementary zero tillage technologies in Northwest India. Detailed information on farmers’ knowledge, adoption decisions, personal experience, and perceptions of early sown wheat and zero tillage technologies were collected at the household level using different survey tools. Additional information on agricultural practices during the Rabi Season 2021/22 were collected at the plot level and geocoded. Overall, the dataset comprises responses from 1206 wheat farmers in 70 villages across 7 districts in Punjab and Haryana that were collected between September and October 2022. The villages were selected using stratified random sampling based on a sampling frame of 1722 communities that had been identified as predominantly wheat growing areas based on remote-sensing data from satellite images. The dataset provides rich information that may be used for assessing the diffusion and impact of recently developed wheat varieties designed for early sowing, identifying barriers to the wider adoption of these technologies, and informing policy making aimed at improving adoption and usage decisions of agricultural innovations.

Geochemical evidence for west-flowing paleo-Yamuna River in northwest India during the late Quaternary and its implication for the Harappan Civilization

Like the paleo-Sutlej River, the paleo-Yamuna River has been hypothesized as a major tributary of the mighty Ghaggar-Hakra (Vedic Saraswati) River and its eastward migration to the modern Yamuna course linked to the deurbanization of the Harappan (Indus) Civilization that peaked ~4.0–3.9 thousand years before present (ka). Here we provide detrital Sr and Nd isotope variabilities in two ~48 m and one ~20 m deep cores drilled on the postulated paleochannel of Yamuna (Y2) and modern-day Yamuna bank, respectively, in the NW Indo-Gangetic Plain. Our isotopic records (87Sr/86Sr: 0.7358–0.7925, εNd: −14.6 to −21.2) suggest that these sediments were deposited at least since ~88 ka by the west-flowing paleo-Yamuna River, which migrated eastward to its current path shortly after ~18 ka. Therefore, no major fluvial activity was prevalent along the paleo-Yamuna channels during the Early and Mature Harappan phases (5.7–3.9 ka), questioning the widely popular river-culture hypothesis. However, the availability of sufficient water in the relict paleochannels due to intense Indian summer monsoon (ISM) precipitation during the early to middle Holocene, along with a stable landscape not prone to devastating floods because of the migration of paleo-Yamuna to its current course, might have helped the Harappan Civilization to flourish, and subsequently, the pronounced weakening of the ISM might have caused the demise of the Harappan Civilization.

CMIP6 models informed summer human thermal discomfort conditions in Indian regional hotspot

The frequency and intensity of extreme thermal stress conditions during summer are expected to increase due to climate change. This study examines sixteen models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) that have been bias-adjusted using the quantile delta mapping method. These models provide Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) for summer seasons between 1979 and 2010, which are regridded to a similar spatial grid as ERA5-HEAT (available at 0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution) using bilinear interpolation. The evaluation compares the summertime climatology and trends of the CMIP6 multi-model ensemble (MME) mean UTCI with ERA5 data, focusing on a regional hotspot in northwest India (NWI). The Pattern Correlation Coefficient (between CMIP6 models and ERA5) values exceeding 0.9 were employed to derive the MME mean of UTCI, which was subsequently used to analyze the climatology and trends of UTCI in the CMIP6 models.The spatial climatological mean of CMIP6 MME UTCI demonstrates significant thermal stress over the NWI region, similar to ERA5. Both ERA5 and CMIP6 MME UTCI show a rising trend in thermal stress conditions over NWI. The temporal variation analysis reveals that NWI experiences higher thermal stress during the summer compared to the rest of India. The number of thermal stress days is also increasing in NWI and major Indian cities according to ERA5 and CMIP6 MME. Future climate projections under different scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5) indicate an increasing trend in thermal discomfort conditions throughout the twenty-first century. The projected rates of increase are approximately 0.09 °C per decade, 0.26 °C per decade, and 0.56 °C per decade, respectively. Assessing the near (2022–2059) and far (2060–2100) future, all three scenarios suggest a rise in intense heat stress days (UTCI > 38 °C) in NWI. Notably, the CMIP6 models predict that NWI could reach deadly levels of heat stress under the high-emission (SSP5-8.5) scenario. The findings underscore the urgency of addressing climate change and its potential impacts on human well-being and socio-economic sectors.

Influence of residue management and simulated rainfall timings on pyroxasulfone efficacy and productivity of wheat in North West India

The adoption of new advanced technology for finest one pass sowing solution in residue in North West India has resulted in increased interest among weed scientists to improve weed management strategies due to herbicide resistant Phalaris minor and herbicide efficacy. A study was conducted over two consecutive crop seasons at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Muktsar, Punjab, India. The objectives of the study were to find out pyroxasulfone rate required as pre emergence (PRE) in residue removal and incorporation scenarios for weed control and to compare efficacy of PRE application under simulating rainfall at 2, 5 and 10 days after sowing (DAS) and its effect on wheat grain yield. Incorporation of paddy residue (RI) gave 3.8 & 3.7% and 1.8 & 5.1% higher grain yield than residue removal (RR) at Ludhiana and Muktsar during 2020–21 and 2021–22, respectively. At Ludhiana, pyroxasulfone 191.25 g ha−1 recorded significantly less Phalaris minor than pyroxasulfone 127.5 ha-1 but provided similar control of broad leaved weeds (Rumex dentatus and Medicago denticulata). However, both doses of pyroxasulfone recorded similar control of grass and broad-leaved weeds at Muktsar. Simulated rainfall increased the efficacy of pyroxasulfone and recorded less P. minor when given at 2 DAS than 10 DAS at Ludhiana but at Muktsar all simulated rainfall events did not affect weed density and biomass. Phyto-toxicity of pyroxasulfone was not observed on wheat crop when simulated rainfall was applied 2, 5 and 10 DAS in wheat sown under different residue scenarios at both the locations.

Field Screening of Wheat Cultivars for Enhanced Growth, Yield, Yield Attributes, and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies

Optimizing nitrogen (N) inputs is crucial for maximizing wheat yield and ensuring environmental sustainability. Wheat’s economic significance in India calls for a comprehensive evaluation of its ecological implications to develop a resilient production system. This study aimed to identify and evaluate ten wheat cultivars for their yield and N-use efficiency under varying nitrogen inputs (control (N0), half of the recommended nitrogen (N75), and the recommended nitrogen (N150)) using the surface application of neem-oil-coated urea. All N inputs were applied in three splits, basal, crown root initiation, and tillering stages, and an experiment was conducted in a split-plot design. The application of N150 gave the highest dry matter accumulation (DMA) at harvesting stage (AHS) (871 g m−2), seed/spike (60), grain yield (GY = 7.4 t ha−1), straw yield (SY = 8.9 t ha−1), harvest index (HI = 45.2%), protein (12.5%), and total uptake of N (TUN) (223 kg ha−1) by the cultivar ‘HD 3249’, being closely followed by the cultivar ‘HD3117’. Six cultivars (‘HD 3298’, ‘HD 3117’, ‘HD 3249’, ‘PBW 550’, ‘HD 3086’, ‘HD 2967’) out of the ten cultivars evaluated responded well to different input treatments with respect to the grain yield efficiency index (GYEI ≥ 1). Regarding N input, N75 and N150 recorded the highest increases in plant height, AHS (16.5%; 21.2%), dry matter accumulation (DMA) at 30 days after sowing (DAS) (37.5%; 64%), DMA-60 DAS (42%; 53%), DMA-90 DAS (39.5%; 52.5%), TILL-30 DAS (19.8%; 26.4%), TILL-60 DAS (33.3%; 44%), TILL-90 DAS (37.2%; 47.2%), seed/spike (8%; 10%), 1000-grain weight (7.8%; 12.2%), and protein content (23.3%; and 33%) when compared with N0. Furthermore, the application of N75 and N150 improved GY (72.1%; 142.6%), SY (61.1%; 110.6%), BY (65.5%; 123%), and HI by 4.4% and 9%, respectively, over N0. Nitrogen addition (N75 and N150) also significantly increased total nitrogen uptake (104.7%; 205.6%), respectively, compared to N0. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association among most of the crop parameters. Overall, our research results suggest that the cultivars ‘HD 3249’ and ‘HD 3117’ have the potential to be effective options for improving N utilization efficiency, grain yield, and GYEI in North-West India.

Genome-wide analysis reveals distinct global populations of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella)

The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is one of the world’s most destructive pests of cotton. This invasive lepidopteran occurs in nearly all cotton-growing countries. Its presence in the Ord Valley of North West Australia poses a potential threat to the expanding cotton industry there. To assess this threat and better understand population structure of pink bollworm, we analysed genomic data from individuals collected in the field from North West Australia, India, and Pakistan, as well as from four laboratory colonies that originated in the United States. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a reduced-representation, genotyping-by-sequencing technique (DArTseq). The final filtered dataset included 6355 SNPs and 88 individual genomes that clustered into five groups: Australia, India-Pakistan, and three groups from the United States. We also analysed sequences from Genbank for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) for pink bollworm from six countries. We found low genetic diversity within populations and high differentiation between populations from different continents. The high genetic differentiation between Australia and the other populations and colonies sampled in this study reduces concerns about gene flow to North West Australia, particularly from populations in India and Pakistan that have evolved resistance to transgenic insecticidal cotton. We attribute the observed population structure to pink bollworm’s narrow host plant range and limited dispersal between continents.