Nutritional content, performance and ratooning ability of four sorghum genotypes

Sorghum is a grain plant that is a source of food, biofuel and feed, which can be produced using the techniques of ratoon cultivation. The objective of this study is to assess the nutrition content, the performance of the four sorghum genotypes and the vegetative characteristics of the sorghum ratoon. The research was carried out from December 2020 to July 2021 at the Ciawi Research Garden, the Livestock Research Institute. The study employed four treatments (genotype) and three replications of random block design. The range of protein content, crude fat crude fiber and ash in the four genotypes of sorghum was 7.91-9.30, 1.91-2.69, 33.41-37.57 and 8.25-9.11%, respectively. Genotype significantly affected P<0.05 on plant height, stem height, leaf width, internode length, flag leaf width and fresh weight, but not significantly different P>0.05 on leaf length, stem diameter and flag leaf length on the main plant. Genotype had no significant effect (P>0.05) on plant height, number of tillers, leaf length, leaf width and fresh weight of ratoons. It was concluded that the ability of ratoon in sorghum was not affected by the genotype of sorghum.

Relationship between Yield and Yield Contributing Traits in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench]

Knowledge about the association between grain yield and yield contributing traits is important for sorghum development programs. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine correlations and path-coefficients between grain yield per plant and yield contributing traits. The experiment was conducted during Kharif 2019 in the Department of millets, TNAU, Coimbatore, India by using nine parents and twenty hybrids to study the genotypic correlations on the basis of seventeen traits. Analysis of variance evinced significant variation for all the traits under study. In correlation studies, the grain yield was positively associated with plant height (0.603), leaf length (0.613), leaf area index (0.501), flag leaf length (0.529), panicle length (0.608), panicle weight (0.930) and hundred seed weight (0.643). In path analysis, the traits leaf length, flag leaf length, panicle length, panicle weight and hundred seed weight exposed highly direct and indirect effects. Selection for a trait is effective when both the correlation and direct effect are higher and positive as this indicates its true association. Hence this investigation revealed flag leaf length, panicle length, panicle weight and hundred seed weight exhibited positive association and direct effect on grain yield, which indicates that the selection towards these characters will improve the yield.

The Effect of Cereal-legume Intercropping Systems on the Cereal Grain Yield under Semi-arid Conditions

Background: The aim of this study is to ascertain the response of dual exploitation of intercrops systems their ability to produce forage and grain. Thus the efficiency of the cereal-legume intercropping on the qualitative and quantitative improvement yield of cereals. Methods: The experiment was conducted at the Setif University Experimental Farm during the years of 2019-20. The experiment was laid out in completely randomize block (CRB) design with three replications. Three cereals namely triticale, oats and barley in association with forage pea and other mixtures with (Vesce commune) were studied. The measure focused on accumulation of dry matter accumulation (DMA), plant height, flag leaf length (FLL), grain yield (GY) and thousand kernels weight (TKW). Result: The results indicate that capacity of intercropping system systems to produce more dry matter than their mono cropping systems, as well as the intercropping systems significantly improved the qualitative and quantitative yield of cereals in all the tested intercropping systems. A positive significant correlation between SH and FLL r = 0.78 in the peas/oats intercrop. Thus use like this positive significant correlation between DMP GY r = 0.94, while the tritical / pea and barley / pea intercropping are characterized by the best DMP, GY and TKW among different tested cropping systems.

Morpho-Physiological Diversity and Its Association with Herbicide Resistance in Echinochloa Ecotypes

The genus Echinochloa constitutes some of the most prominent weed species found in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production worldwide. The taxonomy of Echinochloa is complex due to its morphological variations. The morpho-physiological diversity and taxonomic characteristics of Echinochloa ecotypes infesting rice fields in Texas are unknown. A total of 54 Echinochloa ecotypes collected during late-season field surveys in 2015 and 2016 were characterized in a common garden in 2017. Plants were characterized for 14 morpho-physiological traits including stem angle; stem color; plant height; leaf color; leaf texture; flag leaf length, width, and angle; days to flowering; panicle length; plant biomass; seed shattering; seed yield; and seed dormancy. Principal component analysis indicated that four (plant height, flag leaf length, seed shattering, and seed germination) of the 14 phenological traits characterized here had significantly contributed to the overall morphological diversity of Echinochloa spp. Results showed wide inter-population diversity for the measured traits among the E. colona ecotypes, as well as diverse intra-population variability in all three Echinochola species studied, including barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.], junglerice [Echinochloa colona (L.) Link], and rough barnyardgrass [Echinochloa muricata (P. Beauv.) Fernald]. Taxonomical classification revealed that the collection consisted of three Echinochloa species, with E. colona being the most dominant (96%), followed by E. crus-galli (2%), and E. muricata (2%). Correlation analysis of morpho-physiological traits and resistance status to commonly used preemergence (clomazone, quinclorac) and postemergence herbicides (propanil, quinclorac, imazethapyr, and fenoxaprop-ethyl) failed to show any significant association. Findings from this study provided novel insights into the morpho-physiological characteristics of Echinochloa ecotypes in rice production in Texas. The morphological diversity currently present in Echinochloa ecotypes could contribute to their adaptation to selection pressure imposed by different management tools, emphasizing the need for a diversified management approach to effectively control this weed species.

Genetic Association and Path Coefficient Analysis for Grain Yield Characters in Elite Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Germplasm

The study was carried out to study the correlation and path coefficient analysis for grain yield characters in 36 rice genotypes including one check for 13 quantitative parameters. The experimental material was carried out during Kharif, 2020, in a randomized block design with three replications obtained from the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, SHUATS, Allahabad, U.P., India. Analysis of variance revealed that there is significant variability among the genotypes. Correlation coefficient analysis at genotype level and phenotypic level revealed that plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, number of tillers per hill, number of panicles per hill, number of spikelets per panicle, biological yield, and harvest index, showed positive significant correlation with grain yield per plant. Path coefficient analysis at both genotypic and phenotypic levels revealed that flag leaf length, number of panicles per hill, days to maturity, biological yield, harvest index and test weight had positive direct effect on grain yield per hill. Biological yield per hill (0.8481) exerted high positive direct effect as well as high positive significant association (0.809**) with grain yield per hill thus this character resulted as most essential direct yield character.

Variability, Heritability and Genetic advance of introduced upland rice genotypes at Fogera in North Western Ethiopia

Variability, heritability and genetic advance are basic in order to provide information for plant breeding programs. Forty nine upland rice genotypes were tested in 7*7 simple lattice design at Fogera in Wereta station of Adet Agricultural Research Center in 2012/13. The objectives of the study were to estimate the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance of the genotypes tested. Analysis of variance revealed that there was highly significant difference among the 49 genotypes for all the characters studied. Accessions IR 78937-B-3-B-B-1 and IR 78937-B-3-B-B-2 had the highest yield with a score of 5374.5 kg/ha and 5305.6 kg/ha respectively. The high yielding genotype IR 78937-B-3-B-B-1 had a yield advantage of 57% and 22.2%, respectively, as compared to standard checks Nerica-4 and Hidasie. Phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) values ranged from 2.5% for panicle length to 49.98% for number of spikelet per panicle. While the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) ranged from 2.4 % for panicle length to 47.6 % for number of spikelet per panicle. Number of tiller per plant (22.47%), number spikelet per panicle (49.98%), thousand seed weight (25.56%) and yield (23.93%) had higher PCV values. The PCV values for flag leaf length (14.79%), flag leaf width (16.12%), and culm length (16.42%) and number of panicle per plant (16.32%) were medium. Flowering cycle (7.81%), maturation cycle (2.9%), and panicle length (2.5%) had lower PCV values. GCV values were low for flowering cycle (7.21%), maturation cycle (1.82%) and panicle length (2.4%); medium for flag leaf length (14.26%), flag leaf width (15.39%), culm length (15.19 %) and number of panicle per plant (15.72%); high for number of tillers per plant (22.18 %), yield (23.07%), thousand seed weight (25.18%) and number of spikelet per panicle (47.60%). The high GCV values of these characters suggest that genetic impact is higher and environmental influence is lower. This study generally had indicated that there was significant genetic variability or divergence among the genotypes. Thus, the improvement program of the upland rice genotypes through direct selection rather than a lengthy crossing program is recommended.

Genetic variability, heritability for quantitative traits in upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes

The present investigation consists of 34 genotypes with one local check (NDR-359) grown at field experimentation centre at the Department of Genetic and Plant Breeding, SHIATS, Allahabad evaluated for thirteen quantitative characters. All the genotypes differed significantly with respect to all the quantitative traits. High to moderate estimates of GCV and PCV were found for number of panicle per plant, number of tiller per plant, plant height and number of spikelet’s per panicle, indicating these traits could be use for selection in crop improvement. Plant height, number of spikelet’s per panicle, test weight and flag leaf length exhibited high values for broad sense heritability. Number of spikelet’s and plant height showed highest genetic advance coupled with high heritability, which is also exhibited by number of panicle per plant, number of tillers per plant and plant height suggesting pre dominance of additive gene action in the expression of these traits.

Studies on Heterosis, Residual Heterosis and Inbreeding Depression for Yield and Related Traits in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

Background: Selection of genotypically superior parents is most challenging task for the development of potential hybrids. In conventional plant breeding, magnitude of heterosis and inbreeding depression has been proved very effective in identifying vigorous parental combinations. Methods: The present investigation was carried out to study the heterosis, residual heterosis and inbreeding depression of forty sorghum crosses (F1s and F2s) obtained by crossing of eight restorer lines with five cytoplasmic male sterile lines in Line x Tester mating design in 2013 and 2014. Observations were recorded on morphological traits viz. days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, panicle length, panicle width, panicle weight,1000 seed weight and grain yield per plant. Result: Among all crosses, ICSA467 x UPC2 and MR750A2 x UPC2 were found to be best for most of the characters. Inbreeding depression was recorded as significantly positive for plant height for most of the crosses indicates the occurrence of transgressive segregants in F2 generation.

Multi-variate analysis for yield evaluation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes

Field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology beside the screen house, to study yield evaluation in rice genotypes. The plot was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and the treatments replicated three times. Seven rice genotypes sourced from the department crop improvement unit were sowed in a plot size of 5×1m. The study was conducted in 2016/2017 planting seasons. Data were collected on yield component traits i.e. number of tillers, plant height, number of days to panicle initiation, number of days to maturity, panicle length, panicle weight, number of spikelet per panicle, number of grain per panicle, 1000 grain weight, grain yield per hill and flag leaf length. The result of factor analysis indicated that the first factor was positively loaded for yield component trait however; the first six principal components jointly accounted for 98.99% of the total variation among the genotype studied. High levels of variability expressed among the varieties suggested that further improvement in the varieties is possible.