Heterotic groups for identifying of suitable combiners in sunflower using top-cross

The study was conducted in order to identify the suitable parental inbred lines using top cross method for improvement of new sunflower F1 single cross hybrids at research field of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Karaj, Iran during two Crop season (2018 and 2019). Experimental materials consisted of 31 restore lines and 43 cytoplasmic male sterile lines which were crossed with A1221 and R14 as the testers respectively. The developed F1 hybrids were evaluated for GCA of three breeding objectives i.e. flowering time, plant height and grain yield during two years replicated trials. Cluster analysis revealed two heterotic groups in which the restorer lines; R22, R24 and R38 (Grain yield of 33, 32 and 31 g head-1 respectively) and three CMS lines; A32, A370 and A110 (Grain yield of 47, 44 and 43 g head-1 respectively) were identified as the suitable restorer and cytoplasmic male sterile line for improvement of new sunflower single cross hybrids. Evaluation of specific combing ability of the resulted combinations will reveal the efficiency of this selection in the following generation.

Detection of basmati rice using microsatellite markers

Basmati rice is a fine and aromatic rice grown mainly in certain areas of Punjab province in Pakistan. It has high demand in the international market and a source of earning foreign exchange via export. Adulteration of non-basmati rice grains is a major challenge to secure its export standards. Hence, the development of a simple and cost-effective method is necessary to screen the basmati and non-basmati rice samples. In this study, we have validated the efficiency of different molecular markers by screening seven unknown rice samples. Our results demonstrated that three markers namely RM1, RM19 and RM225 proved to be efficient microsatellite molecular markers that could be used to screen basmati and non-basmati rice samples. Further, these results are validated based on expression pattern of Badh2 gene among the basmati and non-basmati rice. Thus, this study provides a contribution towards development of a simple and cost-effective method for rapid screening of basmati rice.

Genetic studies of different agronomic, quality and yield contributing traits in Gossypium hirsutum L.

An experiment of 4 × 4 diallel was carried out to study the gene action of different yield and yield contributing traits of four advanced cotton cultivars using Mather and Jinks approach. Significant variation was present for all the characters (P< 0.01). The data on recorded parameters revealed that most of the traits were fully or partially fit for genetic interpretation. Additive gene action (D) was significant and pre-dominant for all the characters while seeds per locule showed dominance effect of H1& H2, and it was confirmed by the value of degree of dominance (H1/D 0.5). The value of H2/4H1 and h2 (measures the direction of dominance) demonstrated asymmetrical division of dominant genes for all traits, except ginning out turn (G.O.T) percentage and fiber length, in parental material. All the studied traits showed high value of narrow sense heritability (h2NS), however seeds per locule possessed low heritability. The genetic analysis revealed that all the characters could be improved by progeny and pedigree selection, whereas hybrid dynamism could be exploited in the trait like seeds per locule.

Description of new high yielding forage Avena Sativa L. cultivar ‘Super Green Oats’

Oat [Avena sativa (L.)] cultivar “Super Green Oats” was developed through conventional breeding methods by the Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha, and released as general cultivar in 2020. Commercial cultivar is an advanced line of “FRI-03” which is derived from cross of parental accessions (No. 668 × No. 632) and subsequent selections in various segregating populations (F2 - F6), through pedigree methods having uniformity > 99%. Cultivar had 9% and 15% forage yield advantage over commercial check “Sargodha-Oat 2011” during 2014 and 2015 station trials while it gave 9% higher fodder yield during 2016-17 during zonal trials over commercial check.. It is green, tall, multi-tillering, with slight later in maturing cultivar and produce light brown seed. It has many desirable forage quality traits, including high palatability (82%), protein content (10%) and had resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. It flower about 10 days later than standard check variety. Moreover, it has higher stability (coefficient of regression bi = 1.06) calculated over 3 environments for 2 years. Its robust yield combine with high palatability and high protein contents than standard check and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress show that Super Green Oat will be highly useful cultivars in both irrigated and arid region of Punjab Province. Moreover, the cultivar will be potential parent for the development of new pedigrees for the genetic improvement of oat germplasm.

Early growth of Cotton is affected by increasing concentration of fresh leaves extract of Calotropis procera

An experiment was conducted to explore the effects of C. procera fresh leaves extract on cotton growth and vigor during seedling and early establishment stage. The trial was carried out in randomized complete block designed (RCBD) with 3 replications and 4 treatments viz., distilled water, 15%, 30% and 45% solution of Calotropis procera fresh leaves extracts. Data regarding the cotton seedling vigor and growth was collected and mean value of each trait were statistically compared through HSD Tukey’s test (P ≤ 0.05). The highest shoot length seedling-1 (252.25 mm), root length seedling-1 (98.33 mm), stem diameter seedling-1 (0.35 mm) and dry weight of the shoot seedling-1 (0.85 g) was noticed in distilled water treatment. Leaf extract treatments caused significant reduction in seedling vigor and growth. The highest reduction was noticed when treated with 45% aqueous extract of C. procera. The above-mentioned treatment caused significant reduction in various seedling traits, which may hinder early establishment of cotton crop. Therefore, the farmers should remove the dense population of C. procera around cotton fields to avoid allelopathic effects of weed and to reduce damaging effects on early growing cotton plants.

Technical Efficiency Analysis of Wheat Crop in Arid Region of Punjab, Pakistan

The present study aims to estimate the possible effects of credit on production of wheat crop in Chakwal. The research was based on primary data gathered from 120 farmers, selected by using random sampling technique belonging to two tehsils i.e. Talagang and Chakwal. SFA (Stochastic Frontier Analysis) model was adapted to analyze the data and the results show the mean technical efficiency of the wheat crop was 82 percent for borrowers and 76 percent for non-borrowers. The results proposed that the technical efficiency of wheat growers can be increased by increasing loan disbursement in the area.

Fruit drop in cotton: some causes

Various aspects of fruit abscission in cotton have been reviewed in the past. Recent advances in this field thus permit consolidation of review of the current research. A major concern among cotton growers is heavy fruit drop, that leads to direct yield loss, which occurs at the expense of squares and young bolls. Shedding of fruiting forms in cotton is the combined consequence of plant itself like hormonal imbalance, plant nutritional status, age relation, and environmental stresses like water deficit, waterlogging, high temperature, dim light, salinity, insects and diseases. These stresses result in prominent signaling modifications like hormonal imbalance. Ethylene is claimed to play a key role in abscission apparently by activating the production of cell wall degrading enzymes such as cellulases and polygalacturonase. The premature dropping of fruiting bodies can significantly increase due to these environmental stresses, which result in severe loss in cotton yield. This article is focused on both internal and external factors that leads to fruit abscission, mechanism of fruit abscission at the physiological, hormonal, and molecular level and trying to point out the missing links on different aspects of plant hormones and environmental stresses regarding fruit abscission. This article also focused on the missing pieces of the very complicated puzzle of fruit abscission process in cotton and elucidation of the mechanism by which plants perceive abscission signals and trigger phytohormone–mediated signal transduction cascades is crucial to devise fruit shedding related breeding and transgenic approaches.

In-vitro Response of Cereal Aphid Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae) against some Selected Botanical Extracts

Cereal aphid, Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae), is one of the destructive pests of wheat and other crops around the globe. Irrational utilization of highly toxic synthetic chemicals against this particular pest has led to several issues of health and environment. In such case, there is a need to find out the control measures, which are less toxic and friendly to environment. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aqueous extracts of four indigenous plants, i.e. akk (Calotropis procera), lemon (Citrus limon), neem (Azadirachta indica) and dhatura (Datura alba), against S. avenae in laboratory conditions. Toxicity bioassays were conducted according to Completely Randomized Design using 2% aqueous extracts with three replications. Results showed a differential response of aphids to all botanical extracts. Aphid mortality increased with the exposure time with maximum values (i.e. 39.52, 31.75, 26.76 and 24.07% for A. indica, C. procera, C. limon and D. alba extracts, respectively) recorded at 72 h posttreatment. Similarly, A. indica extract exhibited minimum fecundity (2.67 offspring per adult) and adult body weight (340.09 µg) and maximum nymphal development time (9.32 days), followed by C. procera, C. limon and D. alba. Overall study results suggest that A. indica and C. procera extracts would be effective botanical options for combating aphid infestations on wheat and other cereal crops