Indian oilseed sector : Need for self-sufficiency in oilseed production

Oil crops are an ideal component in the sustainable production system in Indian agriculture. But, the area under oilseeds has experienced a deceleration in general, due to their relative lower profitability against competing crops like maize, cotton, chickpea, etc. under the prevailing crop growing and marketing situations. Despite being the fifth largest oilseed crop producing country in the world, India is also one of the largest importers of vegetable oils today. The country now imports nearly 60 per cent of the annual consumption of 259.22 million tonnes. However, increasing demand for edible oils necessitated the imports in large quantities leading to a substantial drain on foreign exchange. Edible oil consumption in the country has been consistently rising faster than production due to growth in population, increasing income levels and the emerging dietary changes are driving increasing use of edible oils. An immediate action towards this sector is utmost required or the dependency on import will certainly increase in the days to come due to mushrooming population and increased per capita consumption. It is, therefore, necessary to exploit domestic resources to maximize production to ensure edible oil security for the country.

Effect of nano nitrogen on yield attributes of sweet corn (Zea mays Saccharata) and economics

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Farm, RCSM College of Agriculture, Kolhapur (M.S.), India during Kharif, 2020 in black Vertisol soil using split plot design with four replications. The main plot factors consist of time of application viz., T1: 15 days after sowing (DAS), T2: 30 DAS and T3: 45 DAS and sub plot factors consist of doses of nano nitrogen (N) fertilizers viz., N1: 1.00 litre per ha, N2: 1.25 litre per ha and N3: 1.50 litre per ha making total nine treatment combinations. The results of main plot showed that length of cob (20.56 cm), diameter of cob (19.71 cm), weight of cob per plant (222.29 g), number of grains per cob (402.07), green cob yield per ha (138.32 q), green fodder yield per ha (359.75 q), protein content in grain (9.74%) and crude protein in stover (5.18%) were significantly maximum when foliar spray was done at 15 days after sowing (DAS). The gross monetary return (Rs. 5,93,172.04 ha-1) and net monetary return (Rs. 3,78,016.10 ha-1) were significantly maximum with foliar spray at 15 DAS (T1) over later spraying at 30 DAS (T2) and 45 DAS (T3). While, in sub-plot length of cob (18.55 cm), diameter of cob (16.83 cm), weight of cob per plant (208.65 g), number of grains per cob (371.25), green cob yield per ha (125.96 q), green fodder yield per ha (344.39 q), protein content in grain (9.29%) and crude protein in stover (5.10%) were obtained from treatment N3 (1.5 litre ha-1) which was on par with treatment N2 (1.25 litre ha-1) and significantly superior over N1 (1 litre ha-1). The highest value of the gross monetary return (Rs. 5,80,827.23 ha-1) and net monetary return (Rs. 3,59,534.55 ha-1) were obtained from treatment N3 (1.5 litre ha-1) which was at par with treatment N2 (1.25 litre ha-1) and significantly superior over treatment N1 (1.00 litre ha-1).

Influence of seed invigouration and foliar spray on seed yield of semi dry rice

A study was conducted in Soil and Water Management Research Institute, Thanjavur with different combination of seed treatments and foliar spray on growth parameters of rice and its seed yield. Paddy variety Anna (R) 4 seeds were invigourated with different seed treating chemical/biocontroll agents viz., 1% Potassium Chloride, 750 PPM Gelatin (commercial grade), 2% Pigmented Facultative Methylotroph (PPFM) for 12 hours soaking and dried back to original moisture content of 13%. The seeds were dibbled with a spacing of 20 x 10 cm and other recommended package of practice was followed to all the plots. Foliar nutrition on 60 and 90 days after sowing was done with 2% DAP, 4 % cowpea sprout extract and 4 % horsegram sprout extract were applied. Seeds hardened with 2% Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotroph (PPFM) for 12 hrs and foliar spray with 4 % cowpea sprout extract on 60 and 90 days after sowing recorded significant enhancement in productive tillers, seeds /panicle, 1000 seed weight and 11 per cent higher seed yield than the control.

Scope and future perspectives of phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is the plant-based technology that has emerged as a novel cost effective and ecofriendly technology in which green plants are used for extraction, sequestration and/or detoxification of the pollutants. Plants possess the natural ability to degrade heavy metals and this property of plants to detoxify contaminants can be used by genetic engineering approach. Currently, the quality of soil and water has degraded considerably due heavy metal accumulation through discharge of industrial, agricultural and domestic waste. Heavy metal pollution is a global concern and a major health threat worldwide. They are toxic, and can damage living organisms even at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain. The most common heavy metal contaminants are: As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn. High levels of metals in soil can be phytotoxic, leading to poor plant growth and soil cover due to metal toxicity and can lead to metal mobilization in runoff water and thus have a negative impact on the whole ecosystem. Phytoremediation is a green strategy that uses hyperaccumulator plants and their rhizospheric micro-organisms to stabilize, transfer or degrade pollutants in soil, water and environment. Mechanisms used to remediate contaminated soil includes phytoextraction, phytostabilization, phytotransformation, phytostimulation, phytovolatilization and rhizofiltration. Traditional phytoremediation method presents some limitations regarding their applications at large scale, so the application of genetic engineering approaches such as transgenic transformation, nanoparticles addition and phytoremediation assisted with phytohormones, plant growth-promoting bacteria and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation has been applied to ameliorate the efficacy of plants for heavy metals decontamination. In this review, some recent innovative technologies for improving phytoremediation and heavy metals toxicity and their depollution procedures are highlighted.

Field evaluation of Rot-fix for management of root rot disease of mulberry (Morus sp.)

Mulberry is cultivated throughout India as a host plant of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) reared for commercial production of silk. The quality of silk produced depends largely on the quality of leaf fed to silkworm. Various mulberry diseases limit quality and quantity of silk production affecting the economic return to the farmers. Among these, root rot caused by a group of fungi is a severe threat for mulberry leaf production, especially in southern states of India due to large scale mortality and enormous crop loss. Though many fungi are isolated from the infected root, Fusarium solani is the one frequently found associated with the disease. Chemical control with fungicides is not advisable due the environmental concern and toxicity to the soil and silkworm. Thus, recently a broad spectrum environment friendly formulation viz., Rotfix has been developed by the Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore and recommended after limited on-farm and field trials. However its efficiency has not been evaluated at the farmers’ level in large scale. The present study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of Rot-fix in large scale in four southern states of India. The Rot-fix has been applied to the infected plants and their recovery has been studied. There was a high recovery (86.76-91.96%) of the infected plants after application of Rot-fix. Though the leaf yield was significantly (P<0.01) lower (2.48%) in the recovered plants in first crop, by the second crop the plants were recovered completely and started giving yield the statistically on par with untreated healthy plants. The study therefore recommends the use of Rot-fix in large scale for control of root rot disease of mulberry.

Optimizing the nitrogen fertilizer requirement for prerelease short duration rice cultures in North Eastern zone of Tamil Nadu

Field experiments were conducted for two years during 2017 and 2018 at Rice Research Station, Tirur to optimize nitrogen fertilizer requirement for pre-release rice cultures TM10085, TM 07335, TM 07030 along with the check variety CO51. The trial was conducted in split plot design with three replications and the main plot consisted of three pre-released rice cultures along with one check variety. The sub plot consisted of three fertilizers doses viz., 150-50-50 NPK kg/ha, 175-50- 50 NPK kg/ha and 125-50-50 NPK kg/ha. In this experiment, the rice culture TM10085, along with fertilizer application of 150-50-50 NPK kg/ha recorded the highest grain yield of 5505 kg/ha during 2018. This treatment also registered highest growth, yield attributes and benefit cost ratio in Tirur, Tiruvallur district of North Eastern Zone, Tamil Nadu.

Studies on induced genetic variability in M1 generation for quantitative traits in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Mutations were induced in three chickpea genotypes, ICC-15936, BRC-1104-127 and C-108 using sodium azide (SA) as a mutagen. The immediate effects of mutagenic treatments were measured in terms of biological damage caused in M1 generation. All the mutagenic treatments brought reduction in seed germination, seedling length and plant survival. Such reduction, with an exception of plant survival, were found to be depended upon the dosage of the concentration.High GCV and PCV in chickpea germplasm were observed for number of effective pods per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, seed yield per plant, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, seed index, harvest index, biological yield per plant. High estimate of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was recorded for number of effective pods per plant, number of secondary branches, number of pods per plant and seed yield per plant. High values for heritability indicates that it maybe due to higher contribution of genotypic components. Traits exhibiting high heritability coupled with genetic advance as percent of mean suggest that the traits are governed by additive gene action, equal contribution of additive and non-additive gene action respectively.

Effect of different inoculum levels of P. arborescens in disease development and yield losses of opium poppy

Downy mildew (DM) caused by Peronospora arborescens is the most alarming disease of opium poppy which hampered the production of opium crop in major growing areas of India. The pooled data taken from Rabi 2016-17 and 2017-18 demonstrated that chemical protected un-inoculated plot had a minimum per cent disease severity (9.83) with maximum dry latex yield (31.25 kg ha-1), seed yield (801.31 kg ha-1) and husk yield (889.66 kg ha-1). However, plots inoculated with Peronospora arborescens at high inoculum density of 9×105 spores ml-1 had considerably higher per cent disease severity (67.00) and minimum dry latex yield (6.94 kg ha-1), seed yield (548.42 kg ha-1) and husk yield (590.86 kg ha-1) with maximum 77.79,31.56 and 33.58 per cent loss as compared to un-inoculated chemical protected plot, respectively. The severity of the downy mildew disease was found to rise in direct conflict with the level of inoculum concentration with significant reduction in dry latex yield, seed yield and husk yield.

Fundamentals on seaweed potential as a promising share of nutraceuticals in alleviating the obese problem

Herbal and non-herbal extracts achieve an increased and continuous welcome as nutraceuticals in Global market demand eg., Green tea for weight loss and cancer, Ginkgo biloba to improve cognitive activities and Glucosamine in arthritis. WHO reports as 80% of world’s population relies on traditional medicine, historically provided many novel drug leads and plays a pivotal role in the facet of drug discovery. Nowadays, seaweeds cultivation is becoming very essential, as there is an inadequate natural seaweeds stock to meet the industrial need. For more than thousands of years, the medicinal effects viz., treatment of burns, rashes and wounds, of seaweeds are well established. From the literature, the marine sponges do contain many chemicals and are the good sources of minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and fibers. However, the potential effects of these nature-based species, are awaiting exploration. These challenges can be overcome by the advent of new nutraceutical formulation, which do ensure a bio-enhancing, immune-stimulating and a drug adjunct effect in bioactivities. Edible seaweeds offer interesting possibilities to develop healthier drugs and are the formidable source of nutrients and bio-compounds with proven benefits against degenerative metabolic diseases and Obesity.

Influence of abiotic factors on incidence of thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood of cashew in Gujarat

A study was carried out on cashew variety Vengurla-4 at farmer’s field in hilly area of the Dangs district, Gujarat, India during 2017-18 and 2018-19 to examine the association of pest occurrence with abiotic factors like temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind speed and evaporation. Consistent weekly observations were recorded on the per cent incidence of thrips on three arbitrarily selected trees. The weather-related data was collected for the study from meteorological observatory located at Hill Millet Research Station, Waghai, the Dangs, Gujarat for the retro of two years. The damage by thrips on apple and nut was initiated in the month of January. After ward, damage found rising and it was maximum in the month of February. After the month of February, the damage went on lessening leisurely and almost absent by the end of April. Per cent incidence of thrips exposed non-significant correlation with temperature, relative humidity, sunshine, wind speed and evaporation.