Genetic Variability Studies for Yield and Yield Contributing Traits in Rabi sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) in Relation to Drought Tolerance

Genetic variability studies were useful for effective selection in a crop species. Presence of desirable variation and the amount of that variation which is heritable is the primary requirement of any breeding program for the crop improvement. Therefore any breeding program for crop improvement depends majorly on the knowledge pertaining to genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance. The genetic variability study was carried out for yield and yield contributing traits in thirty-seven genotypes of rabi sorghum with three checks namely M 35-1, Phule Suchitra and CSV-22-R at Sorghum Research Station, V.N.M.K.V., Parbhani during rabi 2019. A randomized block design was used with three replications and these treatments were evaluated and data pertaining to eleven traits were recorded with the objective to estimate the genetic variability for the quantitative traits. This investigation revealed presence of highly significant differences among the genotypes indicating presence of large amount of variability in all the eleven characters studied. The study indicated presence of higher estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) for all the traits when compared to genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and these estimates are of lower magnitude. Among the forty genotypes studied VJV 107, VJV 106, PEC 30, RSV 1921, RSV 1945 and RSV 1984 were considered as the superior genotypes as these recorded better performance. Higher estimates of GCV and PCV were recorded for the traits; days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, panicle length, panicle width, fodder yield per plant, biological yield per plant, harvest index and grain yield per plant indicating selection for higher values of these traits of sorghum would be effective. Whereas high heritability coupled with moderate to high genetic advance was observed for traits like plant height, fodder yield per plant and total biomass per plant.

Phenotypic correlation and regression of hydroponics maize fodder as influenced by seed rate, nutrient sources and spray schedule

The experiments were carried out at AICRP on Dry Land Agriculture, University of Agricultural Science, GKVK, Bengaluru to study the “Phenotypic correlation and regression of hydroponics maize fodder as influenced by seed rate, nutrient sources and spray schedule” during 2017-2018. The results of revealed significantly positive correlation between fodder yield per kg seed and yield parameter like total fresh weight of fodder per kg seed (r=0.95**), total dry weight per kg of seed (r=0.86*), growth parameters like shoot length (r= 0.90**), root length (r=0.85*) and seedling vigour (r=0.84*), physiological parameters like water use efficiency (r=0.86*), relative water content (r=0.91*) and SPAD (r=0.92**). With respect to nutrition study correlation coefficients of traits with fodder yield revealed positive correlation growth components like shoot length (r=0.90**), root length (r=0.74**), seedling vigour (r=0.86**) and dry matter accumulation (0.97**), yield parameters like Total fresh weight of fodder (r=0.96**), individual fresh weight of plant (r=0.95**) and individual dry weight of plant (r=0.97**), physiological parameters like SPAD (r=0.78**) and WUE (r=1.00**), quality parameters like nitrogen content, crude protein, crude fibre and total carbohydrates (r=0.927**, 0.927**, 0.770* and 0.905**, respectively). The study revealed significantly higher fodder yield with two combined sprays of urea and MOP each @ 1 per cent at 3rd and 10th Days after sowing (DAS) with 2.5 kg m-2 under hydroponic conditions.

Determining Economical Irrigation Depths in a Sandy Field Using a Combination of Weather Forecast and Numerical Simulation

Advancement of modern technologies has given numerical simulations a crucial role to effectively manage irrigation. A new numerical scheme to determine irrigation depths was incorporated into WASH 2D, which is a numerical simulation model of crop response to irrigation. Based on two predicted points of cumulative transpiration—water price and quantitative weather forecast—the scheme can optimize an irrigation depth in which net income is maximized. A field experiment was carried out at the Arid Land Research Center, Tottori, Japan, in 2019, to evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme on net income and crop production compared to a tensiometer-based automated irrigation system. Sweetcorn (Zea mays L., Amaenbou 86) was grown in three water balance lysimeters per each treatment, filled with sandy soil. The scheme could achieve a 4% higher net income, due to a 7% increase in green fodder yield, and an 11% reduction in irrigation amount, compared with the automated irrigation method. These results indicate that the numerical scheme, in combination with quantitative weather forecasts, can be a useful tool to determine irrigation depths, maximize net incomes which are farmers’ targets, and avoid large investments that are required for the automated irrigation system.

EFFECT OF VARIETIES AND DIFFERENT SOURCES OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER ON YIELD AND YIELD CONTRIBUTING CHARACTERS OF BABY CORN

Maize as well as baby corn is an exhaustive crop in terms of nutrient and water uptake from soil hence soil health become deteriorate easily and as different amounts and forms of nutrient supply in baby corn affect the productivity of baby corn so combination of organic and inorganic sources of nutrient is beneficial for soil heath and to maximize the productivity of baby corn thus an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during November 2017 to February 2018 to investigate the effect of varieties and sources of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield contributing characters of baby corn. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment consisted of two varieties viz., BARI Sweet corn-1(V1), Baby star (V2) and five sources of nitrogen fertilizer viz.,100% recommended N from urea(N1),75% N from urea + 25% N from cowdung (N2), 50% N from urea + 50% N from cowdung (N3), 75% N from urea + 25% N from poultry manure(N4),50% N from urea + 50% N from poultry manure(N5).Yield and yield contributing characters of baby corn were significantly influenced by variety, sources of nitrogen fertilizer and their interactions. The highest number of cob plant-1 (1.67), cob length (13.50 cm), cob girth(3.84 cm), cob yield with husk (14.66 t ha-1), cob yield without husk (3.52 t ha-1), and fresh fodder yield (42.50 t ha-1) were recorded when Baby star was fertilized with N2 (75% N from urea + 25% N from cowdung) treatment. Therefore, it may be concluded that Baby star is the promising baby corn variety when coupled with (75% N from urea + 25% N from cowdung) for maximizing baby corn production and improving soil health.

Effect of Different Combinations of NPK Fertilizer and Seed Quantities on The Yields of Green and Dry Fodder for Egyptian Clover (Meskawi)

A field experiment was carried out at Abu Al-Fadl Forest Nursery affiliated to Al-Diwaniyah Agriculture Directorate (2 km away from the city center), during the winter season (2020-2021). In order to determine the best combination of NPK fertilizer under influence of different seeding rates to shorten the life of cutting the first To increase cutting number during the growing season and to improvment the quantity and quality of green and dry fodder and seed yield, The experiment includes six combinations of NPK fertilizer are (0-0-0), (20-15-10), (40-30-20), (60-45-30), (80-60-40) and (100-75-50) kg ha−1, and four of seeding rates are (20, 40, 60, 80) kg ha−1, The experiment was applied according to the arrangement of the split plots and using R.C.B. Design with three replications. The combination of NPK fertilizer were placed in the main-plot and the quantities of seeds in the sub-plot. The results showed that NPK5 fertilizer level excelled the yields of green and dry forage for the fourth cutting (20.98, 2.28) ton ha−1 respectively, and The total green and dry fodder yields (60.87, 6.48) ton ha−1 respectively, While the fertilizer level NPK4 exceeded The ratio of leaves to stems for the fourth cutting (37.61%). As for the of seeding rates, the results showed that (80 kg h−1) excelled for the ratio of leaves to stems for third cutting (34.67%) yields of green and dry fodder for the first cutting (9.92, 1.03) ton ha−1 respectively, and the total green fodder yield (59.40 t.h-1), While the 60 kg h−1 excelled the yields of green fodder for the second, third and fourth cutting (13.04, 19.50 and 17.64) ton ha−1, dry forage yield of the second, third and fourth cutting (1.47, 1.94, and 1.90) ton ha−1sequentially. and the total dry fodder yield (6.25) ton ha−1.

Planting Methods and Number of Buds of Setts on Sprouting, Growth and Productivity of Vegetative Propagated Crops: A Review

Ever increasing demand for food and fodder due to growing population and livestock necessitates the urgency to improve productivity of the fodder crops. In this context, the concept of vegetative propagation technologies serves as an important tool for higher productivity. Conventionally, crops such as sugarcane, cassava, bajra napier hybrid grass and napier grass were cultivated by stem cuttings. This depends heavily on the quality of planting material and their availability. It is a huge barrier for the cultivation of fodder grass as the quality of planting material influences the sprouting, establishment, growth, tillering and fodder yield of grasses and also the higher requirement of planting material increases the overall cost of cultivation. Therefore, a more robust approach needs to be developed to address these limitations. Normally propagation by vegetative means assumes importance when desirable biotypes need to be multiplied in a short span of time. Also a suitable method of planting and number of buds reduce the cost of cultivation as well as transportation. Similarly one and two budded setts are ideal for optimum germination compared to larger seed pieces. Horizontal planting of stem cuttings is the most practical approach which increased sprouting and yield. Based on this ideology this paper reviews the various aspects of influence of planting methods and number of buds by vegetative propagated setts on sprouting, growth and productivity of fodder grasses.

Effect of Nitrogen Levels on Forage Yield and Quality of Multi Cuts Oat Cultivars

A field experiment was conducted at Main Forage Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during rabi-2019-20 to study the effect of nitrogen levels on yield and quality of multi cut oat cultivars with aim to find out nitrogen levels on green fodder yield and quality of oat. There were total four varieties (V1: OL 1874, V2: JO-05-304, V3: UPO 212 and V4: RO 19) and four levels of nitrogen (N1: 35 kg N/ha, N2: 70 kg N/ha, N3: 105 kg N/ha and N4: 140 kg N/ha) was tested. Experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Experiments results revealed that significantly the highest green fodder yield was reported in RO 19 (V4) treatment, while average plant height and average number of tiller per meter row length were reported in V1: OL 1874 and V2: JO 05-304 treatment, respectively. Average plant height, Green fodder yield, average dry matter, average crude protein, total crude protein yield and dry matter yield were found highest by application of 140 kg N/ha. Average tiller per meter row length was higher in N4 (140 kg N/ha) and average dry matter was higher in N1 (35 kg N/ha). Response of nitrogen non-significant in case of average ADF and NDF content.

Influence of Plant Growth Regulators and Micronutrients on Growth, Yield and Quality of Sorghum under Temperate Conditions

A field experiment was conducted at Dry land Agricultural Research Station, Rangreth, Srinagar, SKUAST-K in Kharif 2020 to study the effect of Plant Growth Regulators and micronutrients on growth, yield and quality of sorghum. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of Plant Growth Regulators and micronutrients on herbage yield and quality. The treatments included; T1: Tricontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T2: Salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T3: 5 kg Zn/ha soil application, T4: 2 kg B/ha soil application, T5: 5 kg Zn + 2 kg B/ha soil application, T6: 5 kg Zn/ha (soil application ) + Triacontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T7: 5 kg Zn/ha (soil application) + salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T8: 2 kg B/ha (soil application) + Triacontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T9: 2 kg B/ha (soil application )+ salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T10: 5 kg Zn + 2 kg B/ha (soil application) + Triacontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray), T11: 5 kg Zn + 2 kg B/ha (soil application) + salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray) and T12: Water spray at the time of PGR application. Zn and B were applied at the time of sowing in the soil. The crop was raised with recommended package of practices. In treatments, where zinc was not a treatment, an amount of sulphur through gypsum equivalent to sulphate supplied with 5 kg ZnSO4 was applied to compensate. The crop was sown in 30.0 cm apart lines. The trial was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results indicated that all the treatments improved the green fodder yield over control. Among different treatments, T10: 5 kg Zn + 2 kg B/ha soil application + Triacontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS foliar spray and T11: 5 kg Zn + 2 kg B/ha soil application + salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS foliar spray produced maximum GFY (493.6 and 490.5q/ha) on locational mean basis. It was significantly superior to other treatments. These treatments improved the green fodder yields by 35.0 % and 34.2 %, respectively, over control (spray of water). In terms of dry matter, similar trend was noted and the improvement with T10 and T11 was to the tune of 36.8 % and 41.0 % over control. Tricontanol 10 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray) (T1) improved the green fodder yield and dry fodder yield by 13.6% and 14.3 % respectively over T12Water spray at the time of Plant Growth Regulator application. Similarly spray of T2: Salicylic acid 100 ppm at 30 DAS (foliar spray) improved the green fodder yield and dry fodder yield by 14.4% and 15.4% respectively over T12Water spray at the time of Plant Growth Regulator application. Similar trend was observed with respect to quality parameters (crude protein content and crude protein yield) of sorghum.