Total Pod Research Articles

Morpho-physiological and transcriptomic responses of field pennycress to waterlogging

Field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a new biofuel winter annual crop with extreme cold hardiness and a short life cycle, enabling off-season integration into corn and soybean rotations across the U.S. Midwest. Pennycress fields are susceptible to winter snow melt and spring rainfall, leading to waterlogged soils. The objective of this research was to determine the extent to which waterlogging during the reproductive stage affected gene expression, morphology, physiology, recovery, and yield between two pennycress lines (SP32-10 and MN106). In a controlled environment, total pod number, shoot/root dry weight, and total seed count/weight were significantly reduced in SP32-10 in response to waterlogging, whereas primary branch number, shoot dry weight, and single seed weight were significantly reduced in MN106. This indicated waterlogging had a greater negative impact on seed yield in SP32-10 than MN106. We compared the transcriptomic response of SP32-10 and MN106 to determine the gene expression patterns underlying these different responses to seven days of waterlogging. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between waterlogged and control roots were doubled in MN106 (3,424) compared to SP32-10 (1,767). Functional enrichment analysis of upregulated DEGs revealed Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with hypoxia and decreased oxygen, with genes in these categories encoding proteins involved in alcoholic fermentation and glycolysis. Additionally, downregulated DEGs revealed GO terms associated with cell wall biogenesis and suberin biosynthesis, indicating suppressed growth and energy conservation. Interestingly, MN106 waterlogged roots exhibited significant stronger regulation of these genes than SP32-10, displaying a more robust transcriptomic response overall. Together, these results reveal the reconfiguration of cellular and metabolic processes in response to the severe energy crisis invoked by waterlogging in pennycress.

Yield and Quality of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Cultivars from Successive Harvests in Spring and Fall Production Seasons in Oklahoma

Numerous studies have evaluated snap bean pod yield and quality at different pod maturities, but only a few have evaluated yield and pod quality across different seasons within the same year or for pods harvested at the same relative maturity successively from the same plants. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine if snap bean yield or pod sugar accumulation differed for pods at the same relative stage of maturity from plants harvested multiple times in spring and fall planting seasons in north central Oklahoma. Nine snap bean cultivars (seven green-podded and two yellow-podded) were field-grown in Spring and Fall 2022 and 2023. Pods were harvested weekly for 3 weeks from the same plants and at the same relative pod development stage. Pod yield and sugar concentration were measured. The total pod yield pooled across seasons and years of ‘Sybaris’ was lower (approximately 4100 kg⋅ha−1) than that of six of the other cultivars, which yielded between 7000 to 8600 kg⋅ha−1. In spring, pod yield increased from 900 to 1300 kg⋅ha−1 in the first harvest to 3500 to 3700 kg⋅ha−1 by the last harvest. In Fall 2022, the yield decreased from 1900 kg⋅ha−1 in the first harvest to 690 kg⋅ha−1 by the last harvest, whereas in Fall 2023 the pod yield remained steady at 2600 to 3000 kg⋅ha−1 at each weekly harvest. The Fall 2022 decrease in yield was likely caused by low temperatures during pod development and a freeze that shortened the harvest season. From the first to the last harvest, the total pod sugar concentration decreased from 145.5 to 107.2 mg⋅g−1, glucose decreased from 48.4 to 33.0 mg⋅g−1, and fructose decreased from 90.7 to 52.0 mg⋅g−1. However, the sucrose concentration increased from 9.2 to 21.9 mg⋅g−1. This decrease in the total and monomeric sugar concentrations, coupled with a disproportionally smaller increase in sucrose, is typical for overly mature snap bean pods, which are considered less desirable because of lower sweetness. Snap bean pods harvested later in the growing season in a successive harvest system at the same relative stage of maturity as earlier harvested pods had sugar concentrations resembling those of overly mature pods, indicating that snap bean plant age may influence the pod sugar concentration.

Performance Evaluation of Groundnut Digger in Chhattisgarh, India

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), is a significant oilseed crop. It is grown in Chhattisgarh during rabi and kharif seasons, with traditional manual harvesting being labor-intensive and costly. To enhance efficiency, a study evaluated a tractor-operated groundnut digger in Chhattisgarh, focusing on factors such as crop size, shape, depth, spacing, and soil parameters like bulk density, true density, and moisture content. Performance metrics included exposed pod loss, buried pod loss, damaged pod loss, total pod loss, field efficiency, and digging efficiency. In this study found that at a 30° rake angle and 3.5 km h-1 speed, the maximum buried pod loss was 7.37%, exposed pod loss was 9.89%, and total pod loss was 23.79%. Conversely, the digger achieved a high digging efficiency of 96.92% with a 25° rake angle and 2 km h-1 speed. The operational cost was 972.57 Rs h-1, with a breakeven point of 100.42 hours per year and a payback period of 0.91 years. Compared to manual harvesting, which costs 37.5 Rs h-1, the tractor-operated digger significantly reduces time and costs, offering substantial improvements in harvesting efficiency.

Pruning and Chemical Manipulation Influence Leaf Physiological Parameters and Pod Yield Parameters of Perennial Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) cv. Kappalpatti Local During Off-Season

Understanding and controlling the physiological processes that regulate flowering is crucial for producing crops in off-season. To explore this, an experiment was conducted involving various pruning intensities and chemical sprays to induce off-season flowering and fruiting in moringa trees. The experiment followed a Factorial Randomized Block Design, with Factor I representing pruning at four levels: P-1 (No pruning), P-2 (Pinching off the previous year's growth of fruiting branches), P-3 (Light pruning, removing 33% of previous year's growth), and P-4 (Severe pruning, removing 66% of previous year's growth). Factor II involved chemical sprays at seven levels: C-1 (Control - water spray), C-2 to C-7 (Different chemical treatments). A total of 28 treatment combinations were tested with two replications each. Pruning was performed in the second week of July, and chemicals were sprayed twice, with the first application 30 days after pruning and the second 15 days thereafter. Various physiological parameters such as nitrate reductase activity, total carbohydrate content, nitrogen content, carbohydrate: nitrogen ratio, soluble protein, IAA oxidase activity, and gibberellic acid content in leaves were measured using standard procedures. Pod yield-related characteristics such as number of panicles per tree, number of flowers per panicle, number of pods per panicle, and total pod yield per tree were also recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted following Panse and Sukhatme's procedures (1985), revealing significant effects on various physiological parameters by pruning, chemicals, or their combinations. These alterations in physiological parameters induced flowering during the off-season in perennial moringa cv. Kappalpatti local. Notably, the interaction between pinching and foliar application of nitrobenzene at 0.5% (P2 × C7) resulted in 61.15 panicles per tree, while severe pruning combined with foliar application of paclobutrazol at 50 ppm (P4 × C2) led to 125.45 flowers per panicle. Additionally, the interaction between light pruning and foliar application of paclobutrazol at 50 ppm (P3 × C2) showed significantly higher mean numbers of pods per panicle (2.95) and pod yield per tree (14.14 kg).

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF PRECISION GROUNDNUT DIGGER-INVERTER

Conventional groundnut digger blades are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and have high yield losses (up to 30%). The objective of this study was to adopt a precision groundnut harvesting technology in the country to reduce groundnut harvesting losses and to compare its performance with the conventional digger blade. Agricultural Engineering Institute, NARC, PARC imported a precision groundnut digger-inverter from the USA. This machine was tested at farmer’s fields and its performance was compared with the conventional digger. Data from both machines were collected for total digging losses, viz exposed pod losses, unexposed pod losses, damaged pod losses, and undug pod losses from different locations in the Pothohar region of Punjab, Pakistan. Results revealed that total pod losses using an imported precision digger shaker harvesting machine were 4.76%, whereas the total losses of a conventional digger were 28.26%. The operational cost using a conventional digger was Rs. 4,400/a, which was reduced to Rs. 2,350/a using a precision digger-inverter. The net benefit in terms of recoverable losses was Rs. 14,050 per acre. It is concluded that a significant amount of losses is reduced and farmer profit increases by adopting precision groundnut digger-inverter. There is a need to upscale this technology in the country's groundnut growing areas to reduce harvesting losses.

Evaluation of arsenic phytoremediation potential in Azolla filiculoides Lam. plants under low pH stress conditions

The Azolla filiculoides plants were challenged with different arsenic (As) concentration under low pH stress conditions. The growth rate and doubling time of the plants were severely affected by higher As treatments at pH 5.00 when compared with stress pH 4.75 treatments. Hence, pH 5.00 was considered for further studies. In 10–30 μM As treated cultures, after 6 days, the relative growth rate (RGR) of Azolla plants was significantly reduced and in higher concentration of As, the RGR was negatively regulated. The root trait parameters were also significantly affected by increasing concentrations of As. Further, photosynthetic performance indicators also show significant decline with increasing As stress. Overall, the plants treated with 40 and 50 μM of As displayed stress phenotypes like negative RGR, reduced doubling time and root growth, browning of leaves and root withering. The total proline, H2O2, POD and Catalase activities were significantly affected by As treatments. Meantime, 30 μM of As treated cultures displayed 15 μg/g/Fw As accumulation and moderate growth rate. Thus, the Azolla plants are suitable for the phytoremediation of As (up to 30 μM concentration) in the aquatic environment under low pH conditions (5.00). Furthermore, the transcriptome studies on revealed that the importance of positively regulated transporters like ACR3, AceTr family, ABC transporter super family in As (10 μM) stress tolerance, uptake and accumulation. The transporters like CPA1, sugar transporters, PiT were highly down-regulated. Further, expression analysis showed that the MATE1, CIP31, HAC1 and ACR3 were highly altered during the As stress conditions.

The Potential of New Purple Yardlong Bean Varieties in Open-Field Organic Farming Compared with Chemicals Management under Plastic Net-House

The purple yardlong bean "Muang Rachamongkol" is a pure line variety and was improved under organic farming. To examine this variety potential, a randomized complete block design was planned with 4 replications of 20 plants each, in comparison with two varieties: “Sirindhorn#1” and “Laisua Jakkaparn”. These bean varieties were grown during September-November 2020 under 2 production systems; 1) organic system under open-field and 2) under plastic net-house. The results showed that the characteristics of the new variety such as flower, fruit, and seed characters differed from the comparative varieties. For plant growth including plant height and the number of branches, and the interaction between the production system and varieties during the 3rd-6th weeks after planting were found to be significantly different. Plants grown under a chemical system showed a higher plant height and number of branches than an organic system, and varieties “Muang Rachamongkol” and “Sirindhorn#1” showed the highest plant height in both conditions. In addition, the influence of the production system was observed with the chemical system which showed the high number of pods, total pod yield, and pod weight of 34.91 pod/plant, 815.11 g/plant, and 27.67 g/pod, respectively. “Muang Rachamongkol” showed 27.15 pod/plant, 611.83 g/plant, and 26.41 g/pod, which was similar to the responses of “Sirindhorn#1” for the growth, yield, uniformity score, and plant vigor score in both of organic and chemical conditions.

Fertigation of NaCl-stressed lentil and soybean plants with silica nanoparticles improves seed yield and nutritional attributes

Lentil (Lens culinaris) and soybean (Glycine max) are proteinaceous legumes susceptible to salinity stress. This study aimed to evaluate the fertigating potential of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in improving the physiochemical status, yield parameters, and seed nutritional qualities of the legumes exposed to salinity stress. Characterization of the synthesized SiNPs revealed amorphous, round-shaped particles, a size of 15–40 nm, and a surface charge of −6.18 mV. Different concentrations of SiNPs (0, 1, 5, 10 g/L) were applied to the plants in combination with four different concentrations of NaCl (0, 200, 400, 600 mM) during the reproductive phase of plants. The results indicated that the SiNPs (especially 10 g/L) efficiently reduced the negative impacts of salinity by improving the physiochemical parameters (growth, pigments, primary metabolites, antioxidant enzymes). Similarly, the improvement in yield parameters (pods per plant, pod length, seeds/10 pods, etc.) and seed nutritional attributes (protein, sugar, free amino acids, free fatty acid, polyphenol contents, etc.) were observed irrespective of the NaCl concentrations. Specifically, applying 10 g/L SiNPs enhanced the total pod numbers by 1.70, and 1.57 folds; and the total number of seeds/10 pods by 1.44, and 1.65 in lentil and soybean plants, respectively, compared to the control set (600 mM NaCl). Moreover, the seed protein content was augmented by 3.29, and 1.30 folds compared to the 600 mM NaCl stressed plants (lentil and soybean, respectively) when treated with 10 g/L SiNPs. Therefore, it can be concluded that SiNPs can be used sustainably to improve yield and nutritional attributes under stressed conditions.

Biochemical Dynamics and Quality Attributes of Strawberry Fruits across Maturity Stages with Respect to Different Preservation Methods

Strawberry is nutritious but perishable, and it is susceptible to quality flaws and infections after harvest. Objective: To examine strawberry biochemical changes with harvest maturity and preservation methods. Methods: The experiment was factorial with a completely randomized design (CRD). Strawberry cv. Chandler fruit was harvested at three color-based maturation phases (M1: 0% red, M2: 50% red, and M3: 100% red), frozen, and freeze-dried and analyzed for quality. Total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C, total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity, SOD, POD, CAT, and organoleptic characteristics were assessed for quality. Results: Due to harvest maturity, completely ripe strawberries displayed higher biochemical properties such as total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and TSS/TA than 50% and 0% of red strawberries. 100% red strawberries also had greater TPC and POD. Compared to strawberries picked during the green stage (0% red color), strawberries harvested at 100% and 50% red color had better aroma, color, and flavor. TSS, TSS/TA, Vitamin C, antioxidants, total phenolic content, and peroxidase were better in freeze-dried strawberries than frozen strawberries. Conclusions: The superior fruit aroma and color rating made frozen strawberries more popular than freeze-dried ones. The preserved fruit retained these qualities better for 7 months in dried storage. This study found that strawberry fruit should be harvested at 100% red and freeze-dried for commercial use.

Korelasi antar Karakter Hasil Lima Varietas Tanaman Kacang Panjang (Vigna sinensis) di Lingkungan Organik

This study aims to determine the correlation between the yield characteristics of the yard long bean yield, and the superiority of one of the varieties in an organic environment. This research was conducted at the Integrated Field Laboratory and Seed and Plant Breeding Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lampung in July 2021 – November 2021. This experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 replications and then continued with data analysis in the form of linear analysis, analysis of diversity , and significance test. The observed variables included flowering age, pod color, pod harvesting age, pod length, pod diameter, number of seeds per pod, sugar content, number of productive branches, number of good pods, total number of seeds, and distance between locules. The results showed that the pod length and the number of seeds per pod (r = 0.66). Total pod weight was positively correlated with the number of productive branches (r = 0.83), the number of good pods (r = 0.96), and the total number of pods (r = 0.96). The number of productive branches correlated positively with the number of good pods (r = 0.87) and the total number of pods (r = 0.86). The number of good pods variable has a positive correlation with the total number of pods (r = 0.98). The Cantonese Tavi variety has an advantage in the number of good pods produced in an organic environment. Keywords: Correlation, Organic Environment.

Effect of micronutrients, rhizobium, salicylic acid, and effective microorganisms in plant growth and yield characteristics of green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in Rupandehi, Nepal

Nepal has a very diverse topography and ecosystem, with mountains in the north and lush plains in the south. Despite the diverse ecology, the production of green gram is still in its minority. This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of micronutrients (Zn, B, Mo, Co, and Mn), rhizobium, effective micro-organisms, and salicylic acid in plant growth, yield, and yield attributes of green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in Rupandehi district of Nepal in March 2021. Pratikshya variety of green gram was used as a test crop. Different levels of ZnSO4 and Borax, Ammonium Molybdate, Cobalt Nitrate, MnSO4, effective microorganism, Mixture, Salicylic acid, and Rhizobia along with control constituted treatments. Various application methods were used for applying treatments including soil incorporation, seed priming, inoculation, and foliar application. The results revealed that leaf area index, number of branches, number of pods per plant, and yield were significantly different (P < 0.05). Among various treatments, the mixture was found most effective in the case of grain yield (1048.1 kg ha−1), stover yield (2472.7 kg ha−1), biological yield (3520.8 kg ha−1), harvest index (31.2%), and the number of primary branches (4.9). Likewise, the number of secondary branches (6.86) was better with Borax@10 kg ha−1. There was no significant difference in the plant height, number of pods per plant, pod length, pod weight, number of grains per pod, and test weight between different treatments. ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha−1 was found to have an impact on the number of mature, immature, and total pods per plant. Overall, the study concluded that the mixture of all micronutrients performed better in terms of grain yield while zinc sulphate had great potential for plant growth parameters which could improve the farmers’ livelihood. It is recommended to conduct multi-location trials in a larger domain.

Effect of Vermicompost and Inorganic Fertilizer on the Growth and Yield Performance of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Okra is a ubiquitous annual vegetable for its taste and dietary value. The field experiment pursued the effects of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizer on the growth and production of okra. We used three types of fertilizer in this study: control (T3); vermicompost (T1) [5 t/ha]; inorganic fertilizer (T2) [Urea: 80 kg/ha, TSP: 60 kg/ha, MoP: 60 kg/ha]; and two verities of okra, Super Shomy F1 (V1) and BARI Dherosh-1 (V2). Our experiment has some parameters like the height of the okra plants, the length, weight, and diameter of a single pod, the number of leaves, the length of the petiole, the length of the leaves, the days to first flowering, the total pods per plant, the weight of the pods per plant, and the total yield (ton/ha) that are related to vermicompost and inorganic fertilizer. Results showed that all growth and yield parameters were highest in the Super Shomy F1 variety compared to BARI Dherosh-1. Among fertilizer management treatments, vermicompost recorded significant results over inorganic fertilizer on all parameters except leaf number and days prior to first flowering. The control group yielded the lowest outcome across all parameters. As part of the fertilizer management treatment's interaction effect with variety, the highest yield (16.37 t/ha) was measured in V1T1 (Super Shomy F1 × vermicompost), followed by V1T2 (14.50 t/ha), and V2T1 (12.50 t/ha). V2T3 (BARI Dherosh-1 × control) showed the lowest performance (5.4 t/ha). The experiment suggests that applying vermicompost encourages okra to grow and yield more.

Assessing Morphological Trait Variability in Moroccan Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Ecotypes for Adaptive Breeding in Response to Climate Change and Sustainable Food Security

The study focused on the morphological diversity of pods and seeds from six ecotypes of carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.), originating from different regions of Morocco including Khemissat, Safi, Aït Attab, Berkane, Ouezzane, and Agadir. Thirty pods per ecotype were collected from 10 different trees. Measurements were taken to analyze the morphology of seeds and pods. The results revealed significant differences among ecotypes for most morphological characteristics such as pod length, pod width, pod thickness, total pod weight, pulp weight, total number of seeds in the pod, seed weight within the pod, seed length, seed width, seed thickness, single seed weight, and weight of 100 seeds. Correlation analysis revealed associations among different morphological measures, highlighting the influence of pod morphology on seed yield. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis confirmed the presence of two distinct groups of ecotypes: the first group comprising the ecotypes Agadir, Aït Attab, Safi, and Khemissat, while the second group included the ecotypes Berkane and Ouezzane. These results have significant implications for variety selection and improvement of carob tree cultivation, with significant potential to enhance food security in Mediterranean regions. By better understanding the impact of ecotype on morphological characteristics, selection efforts can be directed towards developing varieties better adapted to changing environmental conditions, thereby contributing to strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems face of climate change.

Influence of Farmyard Manure and NPS Fertilizer on Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Growth and Yield Variables at Western Ethiopia

Hot peppers are important vegetable crops widely grown in Ethiopia. Investigation into the economic, nutritive and therapeutic purposes of the pepper plant is extremely limited. Thus, a field trial was piloted to assess the influence of NPS (compound fertilizer containing three important plant nutrients of nitrogen, phosphate, and sulphur with the ratio of 19% N, 38% P2O5, and 7% S) and farmyard manure (FYM) fertilizer on hot pepper at the Dambi Dollo University research field for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) under rain fed. The finding was systematized in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three repetitions and variety of Marako Fana hot pepper was assessed. NPS fertilizer at four level (0, 100, 200, 300 kg N ha-1) and four FYM levels (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 t ha-1) were owed to the study area and a total of 20 treatments. The research results revealed that FYM and NPS mineral fertilizer interacts to affect positively (P&lt;0.05) maximum parameters without unmarketable harvest, which was influenced through the single effect of NPS and FYM. The highest marketable pod yield (2.28 t ha-1) and total pod harvest (2.72 t ha-1) was recorded through NPS rates of 100 kg ha-1 applied with 5 t ha-1 of farmyard manure. Consequently, it is likely to determine that hot pepper farmers can use NPS mineral fertilizer rate of 100 kg ha-1 with 5 t ha-1 of FYM that would expand yield of the hot peppers in the study area with similar agro-ecological conditions.

SUITABLE SUBSTRATE VOLUMES AND CULTIVARS FOR ENHANCING GROWTH AND IN-CREASING YIELD OF YARD-LONG BEAN IN URBAN ECOSYSTEMS

Yard-long bean, a favored vegetable known for its taste and nutritional value, holds economic importance. Its climbing nature and environmental resilience make it ideal for urban cultivation in pots and climbing frames. This study, conducted in a limited urban space, aimed to determine optimal pot size and cultivars for yard-long bean cultivation, emphasizing growth and yield. Two pot sizes were used: a larger one (30 cm diameter x 37 cm height, M1) and a smaller one (30 cm diameter x 30 cm height, M2), alongside three commercial cultivars: Kanton Tavi (V1), Camellia (V2), and Arafi (V3). Results indicated that a larger pot size increased pod number and total pod weight per plant, facilitating root development, vine growth, and enhanced yield. The larger substrate volume retained moisture and boosted plant biomass. Cultivar treatment affected branch length and flowering time, with Camellia exhibiting the longest harvest period (14 harvests). Hence, for Camellia varieties, cultivation using larger pots (30 cm diameter x 37 cm height) is recommended.

Effect of Liquid Organic Fertilizer Paitan Leaf Extract (Tithonia diversivolia) on the Growth and Yields of Soybean Plant (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) on Rainfed Land

Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) are the third main food commodity after rice and corn. Until now, soybean productivity at the farmer level is still low, with an average of 1.3 Mg ha-1 with a range of 0.6-2.0 Mg ha-1, while the potential yield can reach 3.0 Mg ha-1. This very large productivity gap provides an opportunity to increase production through increasing productivity at the farmer level. This research aims to determine the effect of POC of paitan leaf extract (Tithonia diversifolia) and the best concentration on the growth and yield of soybeans on rainfed land. This research was carried out in March – June 2021 in Gunung Panjang Village, Tanjung Redeb District, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Data analysis uses Analysis of Variance, if there is a significant difference, then continue using the Duncan’s Mutiple Range test at the 5% level. The research used a Completely Randomized Block Design with five treatments, namely t0 (control), t1 (25%), t2 (50%), t3 (75%), and t4 (100)% with 5 replications. The results showed that the concentration of Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract did not differ significantly on the number of productive branches, total pods, total branches, flowering time, filled pods, empty pods, weight of 100 grains, yield, and potential yield except plant height. The t2 concentration (50%) gives the highest average yield potential, namely 3.22 Mg ha-1.

Locally-selected cacao clones for improved yield: a case study in different production systems in a long-term trial

Ageing plantations, poor genetic material, soil degradation, pests and diseases are, among other factors, limiting cacao production. To meet the increasing demand for cacao in the absence of productivity gains, forests are cleared and the use of external inputs is generalised, with severe negative impacts on biodiversity and GHG emissions. The use of improved plant genetic material should support a sustainable increase of production. In this study, we evaluate and compare the yield performance of four locally-selected clones with those of four widely-used international clones in South America and four full-sib families (crosses of the same international clones). The research was conducted in a long-term trial in Bolivia with different production systems, including monocultures and agroforestry systems under organic and conventional farming and a successional agroforestry system without external inputs. Their cacao yields and the factors determining productivity (pod index, flowering intensity, pod load, pod losses, aboveground biomass, harvesting period) were assessed during 5 years. The cacao trees grown in the two monocultures had higher yields than those in the agroforestry systems. This was the result of higher aboveground biomass, flowering intensity and pod load, and similar pod losses due to cherelle wilt and fungal diseases in the former when compared with the latter. No differences between conventional and organic management were observed. We did not identify any genotypes performing better in a specific production system. On average, the local clones had twofold and five times higher yields than the international ones and the full-sib families, respectively. This was related to their higher total pod load, bigger pods and higher yield efficiency, i.e., higher yield per unit of tree biomass. However, the local clones had less flowering intensity, more cherelle wilt and similar losses due to fungal diseases to those of the international clones. This study clearly shows the need to invest in selection and breeding programmes using locally-selected genetic material to increase cacao production and support renovation/rehabilitation plans. Breeding genetic material that is adapted to low light intensities is crucial to close the yield gap between monocultures and agroforestry systems, and to further promote the adoption of the latter.

Response of Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) Varieties to Application of Blended NPS Fertilizer in Bore, Southern Ethiopia

Low soil fertility influences plant establishment, growth, seed yield and the profitability of a field pea production in the study area. A field experiment was conducted in Bore on station of Bore Agricultural Research Centre with five levels of NPS (0, 50, 100 and 150) with three varieties of field pea (Arjo-1 and Bilalo) in randomized complete block design with three replications. The aim of the study were to evaluate the effect of blended NPS rates on the yield and yield components of field pea varieties and to identify economically feasible rates of blended NPS that increase the productivity of the field pea. Growth, Yield and yield components of field pea were significantly influenced by different rates of blended fertilizer treatments. Results showed significant effect of various levels of blended fertilizer on all tested parameters except on days to flowering, days to maturity and number of seed per pod. Variety Arjo-1 showed the highest plant height (182.1 cm), highest grain yield (5023 kg ha-1) and highest net benefit (152299.5 Birr ha-1) with application of 150 kg NPS ha-1. Likewise, variety Bilalo with application of 150 kg blended NPS ha-1 fertilizer scored significantly the highest hundred seed weight (271.3 g). The highest number of total pods per plant (89.67) was recorded at application rate of 100 kg NPS ha-1 variety Arjo-1 and same application of fertilizer gave the highest agronomic efficiency (1282 %) for Bilalo variety. Although, minimum value of those traits were obtained with 0 kg ha-1. Similarly, application of 50 kg NPS gave net benefit (132111.0 Birr ha-1) with the highest marginal rate of return (129686 Birr ha-1) with Arjo-1 variety. Therefore, production of field pea with the application of 50 kg NPS ha-1 was most productive for economical production.

Effect of rate of irrigation and brown bat manure on the growth and yield of castor (Ricinus communis L.) in Mokwa

This study determines the effect of rates of irrigation and brown bat manure on the growth and yield of castor. The experiment was conducted in Mokwa, Niger state. A completely randomized design (CRD) was set up potted with improvised drip irrigation system with five treatments replicated three times. The pots were spaced at 2m x 2m distance. The treatments were; T1 – 2 liters (Ls) of water per week (w), T2- 2 Ls daily for 2 days/w (4 liters per week), T3 – 2 L daily for 3 days /w (6 liters per week), T4 – 2 L daily for 4 days / w (8 liters per week) and T5 – one liter a week. The soil preparation was done by treating the soil with bat manure; 50 Kg bags were half filled with soil from the college orchard, each bag was mixed with 2 Kg of bat manure. The soil was moistened for three days and allow for partial decomposition. Soil physical and chemical analysis was done before treatment by taking sample from a pot at depth of 0 - 20 cm with soil augers. The plant parameters determined include; Seedling Emergence, Plant Height (cm), Number leaves, Number of branches, Days to 50% Flowering, total Pod Number and seed oil yield. From the trial conducted the following conclusions were drawn: although castor can tolerate moisture stress, it performs well with irrigation at 8 liters per week per plant. The appropriate rate of irrigation that gives a better growth and yield of Castor plant were determined to be 8 liters per every 4 days. No irrigation should be given during maturity stage because it delayed maturity and also influences new vegetative growth. Farmers can work with the recommended rate of 8 L/4 days for castor for optimum yield.

Productivity and Econometric Analysis of Leguminous Monkey-nut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as Influenced by Growth Retardant

Background: Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) holds significant importance as a staple food legume and a key economic crop, serving as a valuable source of edible oil and protein in India. However, its full yield potential is often hampered by excessive vegetative growth, which leads to suboptimal yields. With this background, a field experiment was conducted at the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Puducherry during 2020 and 2021. The objective was to investigate the influence of different concentrations and timing of paclobutrazol (PBZ) application on the growth and yield of groundnut. Methods: The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, six main plot treatments (Including PBZ concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 ppm and a control) and three sub-plot treatments (Involving single sprays at 30 days after emergence (DAE), single sprays at 50 DAE and double sprays at 30 and 50 DAE). Result: The results revealed that the application of paclobutrazol at different concentrations had a positive effect on reducing plant height during the later stages of growth, particularly when a double spray was applied at 30 and 50 DAE. Notably, the application of paclobutrazol at a concentration of 200 ppm in groundnut cultivation proved to be economically viable, resulting 29% increase in pod yield compared to the control group. Specifically, PBZ at 200 ppm, with a double spray, significantly boosted the total pod yield to 2724 kg ha-1. Furthermore, the correlation and regression analyses indicated a positive relationship between growth and yield.