Residual Effects of Chemical Fertilizers, Organic Manure and Biofertilizers Applied to Preceding Gobhi sarson Crop on Summer Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.)

Background: Inclusion of legume crops in multiple cropping systems has become crucial to increase the sustainability of agroecosystems. Short duration mung bean can be easily fitted into many cropping sequences which also turns the farming highly remunerative along with strengthening the sustainability. The current study was aimed to evaluate residual effect of nutrient management on performance of summer mung bean in a gobhi sarson - summer mung bean sequence. Methods: During the period of 2016-17 and 2017-18 different doses of chemical fertilizers (NPK), combination of FYM with chemical fertilizers and different biofertilizers alone as well as their combination were evaluated to find out their residual effect on summer mung bean grown after the gobhi sarson crop. The data on growth parameters, yield attributes viz; plant height, dry matter accumulation, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100- seed weight were collected. The seed and biological yield from different treatments was also evaluated. Result: All growth parameters, yield attributes, seed and biological yield of summer mung bean were affected significantly with chemical fertilizers, their combined application with FYM treatments as well as different biofertilizers treatments applied to preceding gobhi sarson. Growth and yield significantly improved with each incremental dose of chemical fertilizers i.e. from 0 to 50% RDF, 50 to 75% RDF, 75 to 100% RDF while 50% RDF + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 being the best treatment. The treatment with consortium showed significantly maximum yield and growth parameters followed by combined application of Azotobacter + PSB, PSB alone, Azotobacter alone and no inoculation treatments, respectively.

Line × tester Study in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for Important Biochemical and Morphological Traits

: Using line × tester analysis, the current research analyses parental genotypes and their combinations in normal conditions and identifies the genes influencing yield characteristics. In the present study, 15 diverse genotypes, including 10 lines, 5 testers, and 50 F1s hybrids, were evaluated for 13 morphological and 2 biochemical traits. A suitable location was taken to study the effect of 15 characters. The results exposed that ability mean squares were significant for all studied additive and non-additive components. In this direction, the general combining ability of PBW-343, DBW-39, K-402, K-1317, KRL-210, and K-68 were higher than the remaining parents. For morphological traits like yield, the top five crosses were described based on SCA effects, namely, HD-3086 × HD-3171, K-402 × K-9107, K-1317 × K-9107, HD-2967 × K-0307 and K-402 × K-68 in F1 generation. In addition, the high value of heritability was estimated for plant height (77.32%), spike length (32.26%), biological yield/plant (59.52%), and grain yield/plant (68.76%). However, the moderate values of heritability were estimated for days to maturity (22.78%) and phenol color reaction (18.00%). The higher genetic advance was not found for recorded characters; however, a moderate genetic advance was recorded for grain yield per plant (13.15%) and harvest index (11.72%). High heritability coupled with moderate genetic advance was recorded for two characters grain yield per plant and harvest index in F1 and F2 generations.

Performance of double grained rice cultivar under different plant spacing

Plant spacing ensures uniform and optimum plant population and facilitates sufficient natural resources for crop growth which, in turns influences the crop yield positively. An investigation was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, during July to December 2017 to study the influence of plant spacing on the yield of double grained rice cultivar. The study comprised five spacing viz. 25 cm × 15 cm, 25 cm × 10 cm, 20 cm × 15 cm, 20 cm × 10 cm and 15 cm × 15 cm and two rice cultivars viz. a double grained rice cultivar and BRRI dhan49 and a double grained rice cultivar. It was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The double grained rice cultivar produced taller plant (155.65 cm), longer panicle (23.93 cm), higher 1000-grain weight (25.96) and higher straw yield (6.90 t ha-1), though the higher grain yield (3.68 t ha-1) was found in the test cultivar (BRRI dhan49). Planting at 20 cm × 15 cm produced the highest grain yield (3.70 t ha-1) which was at par with 25 cm × 15 cm, 25 cm × 10 cm and 20 cm × 10 cm while planting at 15 cm × 15 cm produced the lowest grain yield (3.13 t ha-1). The interaction of the double grained rice cultivar with all spacing combinations produced taller plants than the spacing combinations with BRRI dhan49. The higher grain yield (3.52 t ha-1) was found in the double grained rice cultivar with 20 cm × 10 cm spacing which was at par with the spacing of 20 cm × 15 cm and 25 cm × 15 cm, respectively; although BRRI dhan49 always produced the higher yield. The lowest grain yield (3.08 t ha-1) was recorded at the double grained rice cultivar with 25 cm × 10 cm spacing, however, the same treatment produced the highest biological yield (11.23 t ha-1) due to the highest straw yield (8.15 t ha-1). Hence, the spacing 20 cm × 15 cm might be recommended for the higher grain yield in the double grained rice cultivar Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.8(3): 273-279, December 2021

Effect of sowing methods and weeding regimes on the yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University to observe the effect of sowing methods and weeding regimes on the yield of sesame. The experiment comprised of two factors. Two methods of sowing i.e., broadcasting and line sowing (S2), and six weeding regimes- control (T0), weed free (T1), one hand weeding at 15 DAS (T2), two hand weedings at 15 and 30 DAS (T3), three hand weedings at 15, 30 and 45 DAS (T4) and application of Panida (Pendimethalin) herbicide (T5) at 3 DAS. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Almost all the yield characters of sesame were affected significantly due to sowing methods, weeding regime and their interaction. Result showed that the l ine sowing showed better performance regarding plant height (100.40 cm), number of branches (4.983) plant–1, number of capsules plant–1 (47.82), number of seeds capsule–1 (69.66), 1000–seed weight (2.96 g), seed yield (956.90 kg ha–1), stover yield (2167.0 kg ha–1), biological yield (3123.00 kg ha–1) and harvest index (31.45%) than that of broadcasting method. Also weed free treatment had the highest plant height (101.90 cm), highest number of branches (5.00) plant-1, highest capsule (47.08) plant–1, heaviest 1000–seed weight (3.28 g), highest number of seeds capsule–1 (76.22), highest seed yield (974.30 kg ha–1), stover yield (2947.0 kg ha–1) and biological yield (3922.0 kg ha–1) as compared to other treatments while unweeded plot had least significant effect among the whole yield and yield attributes of sesame. In case of interactions, both weed free treatment and herbicidal effect with line sowing methods produced the highest plant height, number of branches and capsules plant–1, seeds capsule–1, seed yield, stover yield and biological yield (109.80 cm, 5.967, 56.57, 81.53, 1054.0 kg ha–1, 3139.0 kg ha–1 and 4193.0 kg ha–1, respectively) as compared to other interaction combinations. The results of the study reveal that the weed free treatment along with line sowing would be the proper technique for higher production of sesame. But line sowing along with application of Panida herbicide would be the best combination for obtaining higher yield of sesame since it is not feasible for the farmers to keep their field weed free throughout all the growing periods. Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.8(3): 291-299, December 2021

Role of beneficial microbes with nitrogen and phosphorous levels on canola productivity

A research was conducted to evaluate the impact of various nitrogen and phosphorus levels along with beneficial microbes to enhance canola productivity. The research was carried out at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar in winter 2016-2017. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block factorial design. The study was comprised of three factors including nitrogen (60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1), phosphorous (70, 100 and 130 kg ha-1) and beneficial microbes (with and without BM). A control treatment with no N, P and BM was also kept for comparison. Application of beneficial microbes significantly increased pods plant, seed pod, seed filling duration, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield as compared to control plots. Nitrogen applied at the rate of 180 kg ha-1 increased pods plant-1, seed pod, seed filling duration, seed weight, biological yield and seed yield. Maximum pods plant-1, seed pod, early seed filling, heavier seed weight, biological yield, seed yield, and harvest index were observed in plots treated with 130 kg.ha-1 phosphorous. As comparison, the combine treated plots have more pods plant-1, seeds pod-1, seed filling duration, heaviest seeds, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index as compared to control plots. It is concluded that application of beneficial microbes with N and P at the rate of 180 kg ha-1 and 130 kg ha-1, respectively, increased yield and its attributes for canola.

Character Association and Path Coefficient Analysis in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Background: Correlation analysis informs us about the relative importance of the breeding traits and quite useful for plant breeders to formulate their breeding and selection strategies. Path coefficient analysis splits the correlation coefficient into the measures of indirect and direct effect. It identifies the indirect and direct influence of different autonomous genotype on a dependent trait. Present study aimed to determine major seed contributing components affecting seed yield and also to know the relationship among these components. Methods: Present investigation was carried out on 147 advanced breeding lines to know the correlations and path coefficient for 12 yield and yield contributing traits. The material was evaluated in augmented block design with 07 blocks, each block having 21 lines. A set of three check varieties were repeated in each block. Observations were recorded on number of primary branches/plant, number of secondary branches/plant, plant height (cm), silique/plant, fruiting zone length (cm), main shoot length (cm), number of seeds/siliquae, siliquae length (cm), biological yield/plant (g), seed yield/plant (g), harvest index and test weight. Result: The seed yield per plant showed positive and significant correlation with primary branches per plant (0.273), secondary branches per plant (0.280), siliquae per plant (0.627), biological yield per plant (0.744), harvest index (0.188), test weight (0.212) and oil content (0.225). Biological yield per plant (0.5747) had maximum direct effect on seed yield per plant followed by siliquae per plant (0.2438), harvest index (0.127), oil content (0.118) and test weight. These characters have positive and significant association with seed yield per plant. The study thus indicated that biological yield per plant, siliquae per plant, harvest index and test weight are the important characters which should be considered in selection programme in Indian mustard.

Assessment of deficit irrigation impact on agronomic parameters and water use efficiency of six chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.) cultivars under Mediterranean semi-arid climate

Six kabuli chickpea genotypes (Cicer Arietinum L.) were evaluated under three water levelss at the open field during February -June 2018. This study was conducted to evaluate the chickpea water stress, on soil water dynamic, agromorphological traits, and water use efficiency to estimate variability levels between varieties and to identify the varieties of chickpea adaptable on semi-arid bioclimatic stage. For this purpose, a trial was conducted at the Higher Agronomic Institute of Chott Mariem (Tunisia). There is no effect of the treatment on the height, biological yield, and branching number. The seeds weigh, PCG, seed yield, harvest index, and water use efficiency relative to seed have the highest value in T1 (100% of ETc) when water use efficiency relative to biological yield, number of pods and of seeds recorded the highest values in T3 (50% of ETc). Univariate analysis showed highly significant differences between genotypes for many traits. Principal Component Analysis was performed for all traits and allowed to define two axes. The first one explains 49.30% of the variability of the total trait and was formed by genotypes ‘Beja’, ‘Nayer’ and’ ‘Rebha’. Genotypes forming this axe are closely related to each other according to their common morphological characters like height (r=0.88), biological yield (r=0.93), bringing the number (r=0.53), seed yield (r=0.81), WUE relative to seed (r=0.75), harvest index (r=0.65) and WUE relative to biological yield (r=0.94). The second clustered genotypes ‘Bochra’ and ‘Nour’. This second axe (27.99%) is represented by pods number (r=0.87), seed number (r=0.87) and PCG (r=0.78).

Impact of vermicompost based nitrogen management and plant spacing on the performance of short duration transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija)

An investigation was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University to inspect the effect of vermicompost based nitrogen management and plant spacing on the yield performance of short duration transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija). The study comprised three spacing viz. 20 cm × 20 cm, 20 cm × 15 cm and 20 cm × 10 cm, and five nitrogen management viz. no nitrogen, 75 kg N ha-1, 55 kg N ha-1 + vermicompost @1.25 t ha-1, 35 kg N ha-1 + vermicompost @2.5 t ha-1 and vermicompost @5 t ha-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. At harvest, both the spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm and 20 cm × 15 cm produced the tallest plants, the highest number of total tillers hill-1 and effective tillers hill-1. The highest grain yield (3.59 t ha-1) was recorded in 20 cm × 15 cm spacing which was at par with the grain yield (3.52 t ha-1) in 20 cm × 10 cm spacing. The 20 cm × 10 cm spacing also produced the highest straw yield (4.88 t ha-1) and biological yield (8.40 t ha-1). The lowest grain, straw and biological yields were recorded at the wider spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm. In contrast, the highest grain yield (3.79 t ha-1), straw yield (4.99 t ha-1) and biological yield (8.79 t ha-1) were found in 75 kg N ha-1 which was as good as the yields of 55 kg N ha-1 N+ vermicompost @1.25 t ha-1. The highest number of total tillers hill-1 (14.11) and effective tillers hill-1 (12.67) were found in the interaction effect of 20 cm × 20 cm spacing with 75 kg N ha-1. The interaction between 20 cm × 15 cm and 55 kg N ha-1 N+ vermicompost @1.25 t ha-1 gave the highest grain yield (4.58 t ha-1), straw yield (5.71 t ha-1) and biological yield (10.29 t ha-1). The lowest grain yield (2.03 t ha-1), straw yield (3.49 t ha-1) and biological yield (5.52 t ha-1) were found in the interaction between 20 cm × 20 cm and no nitrogen. Therefore, usage of 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 55 kg N ha-1 + vermicompost @1.25 t ha-1 appeared as the promising practice of transplant Aus rice cv. (Parija) cultivation.

Formation of grain sorghum grain yield by different systems of shoots depending on crop fertilizer

The article highlights the main results of research conducted in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine on typical soils of the zone – dark gray podzolic coarse-grained light loam to study the productivity of sorghum grain variety Armida. The efficiency of seed treatment with biological preparation, mineral fertilizers, foliar fertilization and nitrogen fertilization during the growing season on crop productivity was established. The combination of these components provides an increase in crop yields. The fertilizer system, which provided for the introduction of N60P60K60, turned out to be optimal for sorghum cultivation. Crop productivity with this technology was 8,49 t/ha, and for sowing seeds treated with biological preparation – increased by 32%.The productivity of the crop increased by 30,6% and with complex application – seed treatment, application of N60P60K60 in the main and application of microfertilizer in foliar fertilization, compared to the option without seed treatment (7,74 t/ha).The percentage of grain of the main shoot, panicle and tillering shoots in the biological yield of the crop is determined. It is determined that the main panicle always has a higher percentage (62,8–70,4) in the formation of crop productivity. The growth of the role of the main shoot in the formation of the overall biological yield depends on the smaller number of side shoots.

Agronomic responses of diverse bread wheat genotypes to phosphorus levels and nitrogen forms in a semiarid environment

Increasing wheat production has become an urgent requirement to cope with rapid population growth and abrupt climate change. The management of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) is one of the most important factors for sustaining and increasing wheat production, particularly in semiarid environments. This 2-year field study, which aimed to investigate the effect of P levels (0, 35, and 70 kg P2O5 ha−1) and N forms (urea, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium nitrate) on the yield attributes of three diverse high-yielding commercial wheat cultivars (‘Shandawel-1’, ‘Sids-14’, and ‘Sakha-95’), was carried out at Om-Elzain Village, Zagazig, Egypt. The results indicated that increasing P levels was accompanied by a substantial increase in all evaluated traits, except spike length, and that high P level (70 kg P2O5 ha−1) was superior. Considerable genetic variation was detected among the evaluated cultivars for all studied traits. Cultivar ‘Sakha-95’, followed by ‘Sids-14’, presented the most vigorous growth and enhancements in most yield components, grain yield, and biological yield. Furthermore, ‘Sakha-95’ recorded the highest agronomic P use efficiency, followed by cultivar ‘Sids-14’. N forms did not significantly affect all of the tested traits except plant height, spike number m−2, and 1000-grain weight, during both seasons. Ammonium-containing fertilizer (ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate) resulted in the highest values for these traits when compared with urea. Accordingly, ‘Sakha-95’ and ‘Sids-14’ are recommended for commercial use under high P levels. N forms had a marginally substantial effect on grain yield and its attributes.