Crop Physiology

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of leaf leachates of invasive weed Ageratum houstonianum Mill. on two crop plants viz. Raphanus sativus L. and Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper in both petri-plates and pots culture. In petri-plates, the leachate had no effect on seed germination of R. sativus. However, in V. mungo, germination was reduced by higher concentrations of leachates. The leachates also reduced root and shoot length and biomass. In pot experiment, shoot and root growth, leaf number and biomass were reduced in both species. The phytotoxic effects of A. houstonianum on both crops suggested that the weed has potential threats to agro-ecosystems where these plants are cultivated. As the allelochemicals responsible for these effects were not identified due to resource limitations, further research should concentrate on identifying the key allelochemicals responsible for the effects on specific plants and on exploring management strategies to mitigate the impact of this invasive species.

Introduction

Agriculture is the largest consumer of fresh water in the whole world. Currently, almost 11% of the Earth’s total land surface is arable, which is expected to reach 13% by 2050. Roughly 17% of these lands are subject to modern form of irrigation management, which constitutes about 30-40% of the gross agricultural output. Reducing water consumption and increase water productivity in agriculture, requires a correct understanding of the biological response of crop to water. The ever-increasing growth of the population and the limitation of fresh water resources have led irrigation experts to new and efficient approaches in making decision to increase water productivity. The lack of scheduling in irrigation or their incompatibility with weather conditions, soil, irrigation system, agricultural restrictions and different phenological stages of crop, has caused severe losses in irrigated fields. Crop modeling and field data measurement can help irrigation experts improve irrigation scheduling in field and reduce water losses. Coupling in-situ measurement and crop modeling during the growing season is one of the useful solutions to improve irrigation scheduling in different farm conditions. In this paper, AquaCrop was calibrated for maize (Zea mays L.) in research farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with comprehensive dataset. Variations of soil water content at different depths and also different growth indices was monitored during one growing season. The main novelty of this research is the targeted use of AquaCrop software to reduce water consumption by knowing the phenologically sensitive stages.

Materials and Methods

In-situ and in-lab measurements along with plant modeling, have been the two main parts of this research. First, the input files of the AquaCrop software were prepared and calibrated for maize during one growing season. The outputs of software including variations of moisture, biomass produced during the growing season and final yield were compared with the values measured in the field. After ensuring the accuracy of calibrated software, an improved irrigation scheduling was investigated. Subsequently, by means of crop modeling, the sensitive intervals of the crop to soil water stress as well as the thresholds of yield reduction in different stages of growing season were determined with the aim of improving irrigation scheduling in maize field. Biomass reduction, dry yield production, and the changes in water use efficiency during the growing season were investigated according to different amounts of moisture reduction in root zone, and irrigation scheduling was fulfilled by applying stress to less sensitive stages. The software was first run in Net Irrigation Requirement mode. Then, different amounts of drought stress were applied to each of the growth stages of the crop, and the other stages were kept constant in non-stressed condition. Dry yield and biomass reduction as well as water productivity changes were obtained for each stage. According to the threshold values and the amount of yield reduction at each stage, it is possible to fine-tune the time and amount of applying stress to crop. Furthermore, according to the moisture profile of the root zone, the drained water was significantly reduced in field. In this research, in order to increase accuracy in moisture measurement and prevent errors, an equation was developed to convert the mV output of sensor to volumetric moisture. At each moisture measurement, the PR2 sensor reports a number in mV for each depth, which is converted to volumetric moisture using device's conversion equation. This equation can vary according to field and soil condition. To develop the conversion equation, six same pots with a height of 40 cm and diameter of 30 cm were filled with the desired field soil, and the access tubes were placed horizontally inside them. The soil inside these pots was completely saturated and exposed to air for drying. During the drying period of the pots, the soil moisture was measured regularly using PR2 sensor and at the same time by weight method. After these measurements, calibration curves for PR2 sensor were obtained using the alpha mixing method for different depths.

Results and Discussion

The Pearson correlation coefficient for measured and simulated moisture by software, was 0.84 and the root mean square error was 12 mm. Also, the value of Pearson correlation coefficient for measured and simulated values of biomass was equal to 0.99 and mean square root of error was 1.3 ton/ha. The results showed that the vegetative stage of crop was sensitive to drought stress and caused a significant yield reduction at the end of the growing season. The stage of germination and flowering were less sensitive, such that the decrease of moisture up to 12.3% compared to the Net Irrigation Requirement mode would not change the final yield of the crop. The improvement made in the field resulted in no change in the amount of biomass and dry yield (0.38% increase in biomass and 0.52% increase in dry yield), at the same time 26.6% decrease in depth of irrigation water, 85.6% decrease In drainage and increasing the efficiency of evapotranspirated water, it has increased from 4.66% to 4.67% kg/m3 compared to condition before modify. Before modify, the farm was managed in traditional way.

Conclusion

More research in the field of irrigation scheduling and providing comprehensive instructions to farmers in different weather conditions and different irrigation systems, taking into account different management approaches in allocating water to different parts of the farm along with investigating the effects of saline water irrigation, can be topics for the next research should be for experts in this field.

The collection of landraces from farmers’ fields has received significant attention as a strategy to conserve the genetic diversity of food security crops in farms, villages, or countries. In Burkina Faso, the two cultivated rice species, O. glaberrima and O. sativa, are grown in farmers’ fields. To preserve this diversity, a broad collection of rice landraces was acquired in the four main rice growing regions of the country: Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, HautsBassins and Sud-Ouest. Three hundred and thirty rice landraces were collected from farmers’ stocks. The collection was evaluated in a field with 20 quantitative and 30 qualitative agro-morphological traits. Fourteen traits were found to distinguish the entire collection, which was dominated by O. sativa relative to O. glaberrima varieties. The diversity assessment revealed that O. sativa accounted for 86% of the collection and was split into four sub-groups. The application of the Shannon Weaver diversity index, to compare the ...

Tillage, organic sources and nitrogen play a great role in improving soil fertility and crop productivity. To investigate the impact of organic sources and nitrogen levels on the productivity and profitability of wheat under tillage systems, a field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar, during winter 2015. The design used was randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement, using three replications. The results showed that the treatments had significant effect on the productivity of wheat. Among the organic sources, application of poultry manure improved yield components (spike m, grains spike and thousand grains weight), grain yield and net returns (poultry manure>sheep manure>cattle manure). Application of N at the rate of 125 kg N ha (urea) was more beneficial in terms of yield components, grain yield and net returns (125≥ 150 >100 >75>0 kg N ha). Similarly, the plots ploughed with deep tillage sy...

Drought and salinity are among the most prevalent abiotic stressors limiting crop productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where they often co-occur. While many studies have examined these stressors independently, their combined effects remain insufficiently quantified. This
meta-analysis synthesizes findings from 22 peer-reviewed experimental studies, yielding 48 trait-level comparisons across 14 crop species and
diverse agroecological zones. Using Hedges’ g as the standardized effect size under a random-effects model, we evaluated the impact of combined
drought and salinity stress on key physiological and agronomic traits, including yield, photosynthetic efficiency, water status, ion regulation, and
antioxidant enzyme activity. Results revealed strong overall negative effects on grain yield (mean Hedges’ g =−4.6) and chlorophyll content,
especially in cereals grown in temperate climates. Traits such as proline accumulation and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio showed more variable, crop-dependent
responses. Subgroup analyses indicated that climatic zone, crop type, and stress application protocol influenced effect sizes, with crops from arid
environments exhibiting greater physiological tolerance. Simultaneous stress application was associated with more pronounced effects than
sequential exposure. Due to limited replication per trait, publication bias could not be formally assessed. This synthesis identifies ion homeostasis,
antioxidant defense, and root traits as key targets for improving crop resilience. It also highlights knowledge gaps, including underrepresentation of llegumes, inconsistent trait reporting, and limited field-based studies. These findings offer quantitative evidence to guide future research and breeding strategies aimed at enhancing tolerance to multiple abiotic stressors under climate variability.

The transition to sustainable agriculture necessitates identifying fertilization strategies that are both ecologically sound and economically viable for farmers. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. 'Sultan F1') performance under various organic fertilization regimes compared to conventional inorganic fertilization and a no-fertilizer control. The experiment, conducted under the climatic stress of an El Niño season in Maguindanao, Philippines, was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with ten treatments, including Korean Natural Farming (KNF) concoctions, vermicompost-based applications, and their combinations. Results demonstrated that all organic treatments significantly improved plant growth, yield, and postharvest quality over the control. The combination of KNF and vermi-based fertilizers produced the highest marketable yield (9,700 kg/ha), nearly meeting industry standards and suggesting that integrated organic systems can effectively bridge the yield gap. Critically, all organic treatments significantly enhanced postharvest performance, extending storage life and reducing weight loss by up to 16% compared to the inorganic treatment. From an economic standpoint, the KNF-only treatment, utilizing low-cost, on-farm inputs, yielded an exceptional Return on Investment (ROI) of 192%, far surpassing the inorganic fertilizer treatment (113%) and all other organic combinations. This highlights a crucial distinction between maximizing yield and maximizing profitability. These findings provide robust empirical evidence that low-cost organic systems like KNF are not only agronomically effective, particularly in enhancing postharvest quality, but also represent a highly profitable and accessible pathway for smallholder farmers to achieve sustainable and resilient crop production.

Maize (Zea mays) is a major crop used as food, feed, fuel and a source of carbohydrate, oil, protein and fiber. The maize plant produce 8 to 20 leaves that may form are arranged spirally on the stem, and they occur alternately in two opposite rows on the stem. These leaves produce shade one to another. As a result solar radiation cannot penetrate to the lower leaves which reduce photosynthetic rate of green leaves. The defoliation treatments led to clear differences in the transmission of light to lower leaf strata of the canopy at the mid-filling stage. Increased levels of leaf removal consistently caused significant increases in light transmission at the level of the ear leaf strata, indicating that defoliation above the cob markedly improved light conditions within the canopy. Reduction of photosynthetic rate affect the growth rate and grain yield. Various ways of leaf clipping have influences on dry matter accumulation and grain yield by affecting on canopy photosynthesis and changing the sink and source relationship. Most studies have found that partial defoliation enhances the net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of the remaining leaves. Net photosynthetic rate was enhanced in all defoliation treatments between 0 and 13 d after anthesis. It was observed that full leaf clipping treatment made the most decrement of canopy photosynthesis and changing the sink and source carbohydrates and the percentage of soluble sugar in different parts of plant such as grains during crop growth, removal of all leaf blades below the cob showed less adverse effect on grain yield and yield parameters and the leaves so removed can be used as green fodder. These leaves has been used as animal fodder since long. The fodder quality of green maize is considered best among non-legume forage crops. Maize is considered ideal forage because it grows quickly, produces high yields, is palatable, is rich in nutrients, and helps to increase body weight and milk quality in cattle.

Raising quality hybrid potato true seedlings -derived from hybrid true potato seeds (TPS) -for field transplanting is a critical aspect contributing to the success in cultivating field-transplanted hybrid potato seedling-based crops. Various critical seedling vigour attributes must be defined and enhanced to improve plant performance as well as plant response and adaptation to field conditions after field transplanting. Moreover, additional attributes besides leaf number and stem length should be defined to design selection criteria for "transplantability" of potato seedlings. To assess these attributes and their robustness under different environmental conditions, seedlings of hybrid genotypes were raised under contrasting daylengths, light intensities and temperature regimes, and combinations of these factors, and the effects of these factors (or factor combinations) on seedling vigour and its attributes were quantified. Increased light intensity and daylight integral (DLI) enhanced leaf parameters and increased biomass under long-day conditions, but seedlings did not show conclusive responses under short-day conditions in most attributes. Higher temperatures increased biomass and constant day and night temperatures enhanced compaction of shoot architecture as did higher light intensities -to a greater extent. These results highlight additional seedling vigour attributes including leaf area parameters and seedling biomass which should be utilised to determine "transplantability" of hybrid potato seedlings. Additionally, the results provide a starting point for further research on optimising hybrid seedling production for field transplanting.

Celem pracy była ocena niedoboru i nadmiaru opadów w okresie wegetacji średnio wczesnych odmian ziemniaka, uprawianych w Polsce. Wykorzystano dane z czternastu stacji COBORU (1971–2013) dotyczące miesięcznej sumy opadów atmosferycznych (V–IX). Charakterystyki zaspokojenia potrzeb opadowych dokonano na podstawie różnic między wartościami miesięcznych sum opadów występujących w latach badań i wartościami uznanymi za optymalne. Na obszarze całego kraju niedobór opadów, z częstością przekraczającą 50%, występował w maju i sierpniu, a nadmiar w czerwcu. niedobory opadów najczęściej występowały w Kawęczynie, Szczecinie Dąbie oraz Chrząstowie. Nadmiary opadów najczęściej notowano w Karżniczce i Jeleniej Górze. Najwyższe średnie wartości niedoboru opadów notowano w sierpniu. Największy nadmiar opadów występował w czerwcu i wahał się od 6 mm w Kawęczynie do 24 mm w Jeleniej Górze. Największy niedobór opadów, w okresie wegetacji średnio wczesnych odmian ziemniaka w Polsce, notowano w ostatnim...

Yield and quality characteristics of three potato cultivars, that is Aster, Muza, and Ania, were examined in an experiment conducted in years 1999-2001. Total tuber yield, starch content, dry matter content, and vitamin C content were determined. Data analysis was based on multidimensional methods, that is interprofile analysis and cluster analysis. The levels of both the yield and component contents were different depending on the cultivar and growth conditions. It was confirmed by means of the profile lines of the examined cultivars, which had different courses in each year of study. Coefficients of similarity rc indicate that the profiles of the cultivars were not similar (comparisons were made between pairs). The most dissimilar were the profiles of Aster and Ania, influenced by the conditions of the 2000 growth season, as well as of Muza and Ania in the year 1999. Cluster analysis revealed that Muza and Ania formed one cluster (were the most similar) in the years 1999 and 2000,...

Micropropagation of Coffea arabica cvs. Oudayni, Hammady and Dawaeiry from Yemen were initiated from seeds. Seeds were surface sterilized and inoculated into media supplemented with different salt strengths and germinated under dark. Seeds germinated on agar medium gave high hypocotyl length, high root length and full cotyledonary leaves expansion after 120 days of culture. Proliferation of these cultivars was experimented on MS media supplemented with different levels (0.0, 2.0, 4.0. 6.0 or 8.0 mg lG) of 1 N6-Benzyladenine (BA), Thidiazuron (TDZ), 6-furfurylaminopurine (Kinetin), 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2butenylamino) purine (Zeatin) or 6-((,(-Dimethylallylamino) purine (2ip). Highest proliferation for all cultivars was obtained when BA was used at the highest level (8.0 mg lG). Satisfactory proliferation rate in the three 1 cultivars was achieved at 8.0 mg lG kinetin and 6.0 mg lG TDZ. Zeatin and 2ip were both failed to promote 1 1 proliferation at any used level. Rooting was experimented on half-strength MS media supplemented with different levels (0.0, 2.0, or 3.0 mg lG) of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or 1 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Highest root number and length was achieved at 3.0 mg lG IAA or IBA for 1 all cultivars. Rooted plantlets were transferred to 1 peat: 1 perlite mixture and ex vitro acclimatization gave 100% survival.

This study aims to evaluate the enhancement of phytoextraction of heavy metals Pb, Cd and Zn by species M. cuneatum, S. arabica and V. speciosum, through EDTA amendment. Assisted phytoextraction pot experiments were performed at different EDTA dosages (0, 1, 3 and 5 mmol kg-1 soil). Generally, applying EDTA decreased pH and increased EC, while no significant effect was observed on organic matter, nitrogen, and exchangeable K and P. Also the activity of soil dehydrogenase enzyme was inhibited at 5 mmol kg-1 EDTA. The phytoavailability of Cd, Pb and Zn increased significantly in the presence of EDTA, followed by the contents of them in the tissues of all three studied species amplified. Resulting from oxidative stress caused by the accumulation of metals, the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased, when chelating agent was added. EDTA showed fluctuating effect on malondialdehyde (MDA) content and i...

A biotic stresses such as salinity and drought stress remain one of the most significant constraints to crop production worldwide (Ali et al., 2019, 2020). Drought stress is one of the most important limiting factors for the growth and yield of crops, which affects 40 to 60 % of the world's agricultural lands (Ardestani et al., 2011). Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, cold, light intensity, inadequate nutrients, and soil acidity have been reported to cause a decrease in crop yield ranging from 54% to 82% (Ali et al., Abstract | Water stress severely affected soybean growth, development, and production in semi-arid regions. Developing new soybean cultivars with high efficiency and ability to drought resistance is very important. The field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of irrigation regimes at different growth stages (Full irrigation, irrigation regimes at vegetable growth, flowering, and pod full stages) on yield and yield components of two soybean varieties (1448 and Egyptian) under semi-arid regions. The results indicated that irrigation regime applications had a significant effect on most of the traits except the weight of the plant. The pod full stage is more affected by the drought than other stages on most of the parameters tested. Irrigation regimes at pod full stage reduced the number of pods plant-1 by 38.4% and 26.0%, the weight of pods plant-1 by 23.7% and 53.6%, the number of seeds plant-1 by 29.0% and 28.8%, seeds weight plant-1 by 17.2% and 38.8%, 100-seeds weight by 35.3% and 38.1% for 1488, respectively. Irrigation regimes at the flowering stage decreased the weight of the plant by 57.5% and seed yield by 24.4% and 31.2% for 1448 respectively as compared with the same variety at full irrigation. Varieties had significant differences in plant weight, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, harvest index, and seed yield. In this study, the soybean cultivars exhibited high sensitivity to water stress. Based on the study, the 448 cultivar is recommended due to its higher seed yield and yield components under the given conditions.

In order to evaluate the effects of sowing date and intra rows spacing on yield, yield components and some phytochemical characteristics in Roselle, a field experiment was conducted as a split plot layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications in 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. Five sowing dates were considered as the main plots (11th and 30th of March, 14th of April, 5th and 22th of May) and three intra rows spacing were considered as the subplots (50, 75 and 100 cm). The results indicated that delayed sowing date significantly reduced plant height, number of bolls, number of branches per plant, calyx dry weight, calyx yield, seed yield and biomass yield. Plant height, calyx yield, seed yield and biomass yield were increased by reducing intra rows spacing. Reducing the intra rows spacing caused decrease in number of branches, number of bolls, seed weight, calyx and plant dry weights. Anthocyanin and vitamin C were significantly reduced by delaying in sowin...

In spitefulness of the increase in land areas under maize production, yield is still low due to declining soil fertility because of un-appropriate use of fertilizer rates and placement methods. Therefore this study was conducted to determine P fertilization rates and the relative effectiveness of different placement methods on the yield, P uptake of maize and concentration of P in the soil. The experiment was carried out at Bedele district. Four level of P fertilizer (0, 23, 46 and 69 P 2 O 5 kgha -1 ) and three placement methods of P application (broadcasting P and seeds, surface banding P to the side of the seeds, and deep band P fertilizer below the seeds) were implemented as treatments with three replications in randomized complete block design. Dry biomass, grain yield, straw yield, harvest index, residual soil P, and total P in grain were highly significantly (P<0.01) influenced by effect of P fertilizer rates and placement methods. Total P in the soil significantly (P<0.05) influenced by placement methods. Mean plant height, total N in the grain and total N in the stalks highly significant (P<0.01) influenced by effect of P fertilizer rates and its placement methods. The mean days to maturity highly significantly (P<0.01) influenced only by P fertilizer rates. The highest grain yield (78.40 qt ha -1 ) and biomass yield (142.11 qt ha -1 ) were noted from surface banding of P fertilizer to the sides of the seeds at application of 69 P 2 O 5 kg /ha respectively when compared with the no P 2 O 5 application. However, P and N uptakes by Maize ranged from 0.84% with no P 2 O 5 to 1.32% at the rate of 69 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 and 0.656% with no P 2 O 5 to 1.04% at rate of 69 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , respectively. Also, the residual soil P after harvest of the maize ranged from 1.312 with no P 2 O 5 to 11.79ppm was recorded at application of 69 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 . Therefore, using surface banding P fertilizer to the sides of the seeds with 69kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 to increase the production of maize over increase the efficiency of P uptake.

Background: Black gram (Vigna mungo L.), a vital legume crop, frequently encounters growth challenges due to environmental stress, leading to reduced yield and productivity. This study aimed to determine the impact of putrescine and cadaverine on the morpho-physiological growth of the black gram variety MASH 1008. Methods: The present piece of work was executed on the Research Farm of Lovely Professional University in the summer season of 2022-2023 in a randomized block design with a total of 8 possible combinations of polyamines i.e. Putrescine and Cadaverine with 3 replications. Result: Among the treatments, the most effective treatment was T 3 , i.e. putrescine (1.5 mM)  cadaverine (1 mM), which was observed as a statistically highly significant at p<0.05% for most of the parameters, resulting in maximum plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), leaf area duration (LAD), chlorophyll index and total chlorophyll content,

This study evaluated the impact of six nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization regimes on maize growth and yield characteristics. Results demonstrated significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent improvements across all measured parameters with increasing nutrient application. The highest application rate (T6: 180 kg N + 50 kg P/ha) produced optimal results: maximum plant height (207.10 cm), largest leaf area (206.10 cm²), highest cob count (1.26/plant), grain yield (513.76 grains/plant), 100-grain weight (327.10 g), stem diameter (3.62 cm), green fodder yield (6.12 t/ha), harvest index (38.25%), chlorophyll content (38.30 SPAD units), and dry matter yield (10.12 t/ha). These values represented improvements of 135.3%, 73.2%, 24.8%, 28.7%, 15.9%, 45.4%, 58.1%, 90.3%, 105.9%, and 116.2% respectively over the control (T1). Critical thresholds appeared at T3 (90 kg N + 20 kg P/ha) for chlorophyll content (+78.4%) and T4 (120 kg N + 30 kg P/ha) for most yield parameters. Strong linear relationships (R² >0.95) between fertilization rates and: dry matter yield, plant height, and harvest index. Plateau effects were observed for chlorophyll content beyond T5 (150 kg N/ha). All treatment differences exceeded LSD values (0.05), confirming statistical significance. The results suggest that while maximum yields require full fertilization (180 kg N + 50 kg P/ha), economically optimal production may be achieved at 120-150 kg N/ha with 30-40 kg P/ha, delivering 70-90% of maximum gains. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing maize productivity through balanced nutrient management.

Drought stress is a major threat to plant production in semi-arid and arid areas of the world. This research was laid out to asses the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a nitric oxide donor on growth, physiological and biochemical changes of in vitro-cultured Allium hirtifolium under polyethylene glycol (PEG) induced drought stress. Basal plate explants of A. hirtifolium were cultured on MS medium containing different levels of PEG (0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mM) and SNP (0, 10, 40 and 70 µM). After prolonged drought, growth responses, oxidative stress indicators, and phytochemical variations of regenerated plantlets with or without PEG and/or SNP treatments were recorded. Water limitation reduced regeneration potential of explants and consequently number of shoots per explant. Relative water content, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of regenerated A. hirtifolium plantlets decreased, but accumulation of malondialdehyde, H 2 O 2 and proline and the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and peroxidase enzymes increased with decreasing water availability. Total phenol and allicin contents were also increased in response to drought stress. Exogenous SNP in 10 and particularly in 40 µM was effective in enhancing regeneration rate and relative water content as well as protecting photosynthetic pigments under different levels of water availability. SNP also inhibited the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) accumulation and lipid peroxidation in cell membranes via increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase enzymes and accumulating proline and allicin. In general, these results suggest that exogenous SNP at 40 µM not only could somewhat protect A. hirtifolium from drought stress, but also can help to improve the propagation and allicin production of that plant under in vitro condition.

Increased atmospheric CO 2 and consequent increases in temperature are two prominent features of climate change, a major challenge to crops. Here, our objectives were to determine: (1) the responses of sugarcane during the first 90 days of elevated CO 2 (ECO 2) and elevated temperature (ETem), both individually and together, and (2) the genotypic variation of these responses. Eight varieties were grown both in open-top chambers in a factorial combination of ambient/ECO 2 concentrations (344-351/777-779 ppm) and ambient/ETem (34.9-35.6/36.6-38.4 C) and in open fields. Significant

The complex system of soil involves interactions between biological and physical processes. Numerous man-made and natural processes contribute to climate change, which alters soil's physical and chemical properties (Zheng et al. 2023). Among environmental changes, one of the most serious threats to agricultural fields is soil salinisation (El-Beltagi et al. 2024). According to Mahboob et al. (2023), excessive salinisation limits crop productivity by negatively affecting seed germination, root development, seedling growth, flowering, and fruit setting. Furthermore, the detrimental effects of salt stress on plant growth can be attributed to nutritional imbalance, oxidative stress induction, a particular ion effect, or osmotic impact (Atta et al. 2023). Plant performance may suffer because of these effects, and membrane stability may be compromised. Furthermore, the first threat that plants may encounter in a salinised condition is the decrease in medium water potential, which results in the dehydration of tissues (Zhou et al. 2024). Salinity

Cantaloupe is a high value crop growing in greenhouse. Economical crop yield reduction due to heat stress, caused by global warming is an emerging issue of cantaloupe. High temperature significantly decreases the plant performances and finally effect on the crop yield. Brassinosteroids (BRs) regulates cellular and physiological processes and environment response to abiotic stress of plants. To find out the best concentration of BRs for alleviate the high temperature stress of cantaloupe, plant physio-chemical behaviors and yield responses were evaluated after the application of four concentrations of exogenous BRs (24epibrassinolide, EBR) to cantaloupe plants grown under 47 ± 3 °C. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll content, rates of photosynthesis and transpiration, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO 2 concentration, proline and malondialdehyde contents, electrolyte leakage, catalase and peroxidase activity, fruit position, fruit yield, total soluble solid content and fruit firmness were significantly differed according to the type of cultivar and EBR concentration. EBR concentration at 0.1 -0.2 mg L -1 given significant results in order to reduce the impacts of high temperature under greenhouse environment. Higher EBR concentrations than 0.2 mg L -1 recorded negative effect on evaluated physiological and biochemical characters. Furthermore, EBR enhanced the early fruiting of cantaloupe.

Soil fertility and maximum crop production can only be achieved through proper fertilization. Proper and balanced fertilization have a considerably positive effect on plant growth and yield. Due to continuous use of chemical fertilizers, the organic matter and nutrient content of the soil decreased gradually. Therefore, in modern era, agriculture scientists are now engaged to establish an agricultural system, which can not only lower the production cost, but also conserve the natural resources. Soil, as a source of nutrients, must be protected from various kinds of external factors, especially from the addition of fertilizers in excessive rates. Any degradation in the quality of soil can significantly produce many undesirable changes in the environment and also reduces the overall crop yield. So, the concoction of organic and inorganic fertilization is an alternative and most effective method for sustainable and cost-effective management for maximum crop production, without effectin...

Global climate change negatively affects life, thus complicating the production of vegetables. In addition to this, very little is known about eggplant cultivation under different irrigation strategies. For example, although water use efficiency gives better results in some plant species and varieties without any decrease in yield when the partial root drying (PRD) technique is used, the PRD technique has not been adequately examined in eggplant cultivation. The potential reactions of grafted and ungrafted eggplant plants under different irrigation water levels (100%, 80%, 60% and 40%) with the use of the conventional and deficit irrigation and PRD technique were investigated in this study. The research was conducted in a glass greenhouse during two cultivation seasons in 2019 and 2020. Irrigation was applied equally to both grafted and ungrafted eggplant plants using the drip irrigation method. In the study were examined the growth, quality criteria, yield, yield components, WUE, IWUE, and ky of eggplant to determine the reactions of grafted and ungrafted eggplant plants under different irrigation applications. It was found in the study that the method and amount of irrigation water applied had a significant effect on the grafted and ungrafted eggplant plants. Irrigation water was applied in the first and second season respectively between 148.45 and 365.48 mm, 245.61 and 584.84 mm. The statistical differences were found in the level of importance of yield, evapotranspiration, water-use efficiency, LSD classification of irrigation water-use efficiency values p<0.01 and/or p<0.05. Regression analysis values between irrigation water and yield of grafted and ungrafted eggplant in both cultivation seasons were found to be at a fairly good level (0.80<R2). In addition, as an important finding, the regression analysis value of grafting in the second season was found to be at the highest level (R2=91). In general, grafted eggplant plants were found to have had a higher total yield than the ungrafted plants. As the amount of irrigation water applied decreased, the yield also decreased. In the first season, the highest yields were recorded statistically in FPRD100, I100 and FPRD80 (45.26, 44.01 and 39.26 t ha-1, respectively). Similarly, in the second season, the highest yields were obtained in I100 and FPRD100 (50.97 and 48.96 t ha-1, respectively) followed by FPRD80 (48.96 t ha-1). The advantages of the PRD technique over conventional and deficit irrigation have also been revealed. As a result of the research, it could be recommended that the cultivation of grafted eggplant seedlings is more suitable, and irrigation applications could be carried out using the PRD technique.

Nitrogen deficiency causes significant reduction in yield in maize. The objectives of present study was to evaluate the performance of various shoot traits in selected maize genotypes for tolerance to low nitrogen stress and to understand the morphological changes that take place in the plants under nitrogen stress condition. The intermated B73-Mo17 (IBM) recombinant inbred lines were used, because the parents differ in response to nitrogen stress while the recombinant inbred lines have been thoroughly genotyped. Ten IBM genotypes from the published Maize Genome Database database were evaluated in this study along with their parents B73 and Mo17. Plants were grown in Guterman Green House of Cornell University, USA. Two nitrogen treatments (solution with high N contained 65.79 g Ca (NO3)2 4H2O in 100L of 1X solution making 5.0mM NO3 and solution with low N contained 2.63 g Ca (NO3)2 4H2O in 100L of 1X solution making 0.2 mM NO3) were given to understand the effect of different nitrog...

Aims: To characterize the geo-distinct isolates of Ustilaginoidea virens for morpho-molecular and mating-type locus diversity. Methods and Results: Sixty-one isolates of U. virens collected from Southern India exhibited significant diversity in mycelial width (3Á45-5Á50 µm), colony colour (yellow, pale yellow, and white), and growth pattern (thick leather mat, raised-fluffy, flat-fluffy, and raised). Field-borne chlamydospores of each isolate were significantly smaller in size (3Á34-5Á26 µm 2 ) compared to those formed on culture media (18Á6-100Á89 µm 2 ). The phylogenetic study based on internal transcribed sequences revealed two clusters; however, most isolates (n = 54) were grouped in cluster-I, indicating common ancestral origin. We also identified 42 haplotypes; among them, Hap_3 has the highest number of isolates (n = 19). Mating-type locus (MAT1) analysis revealed all sixty-one isolates as heterothallic, wherein 37 and 24 isolates belonging to MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 heterothallic mating types, respectively. The microsynteny analysis of MAT1 loci of one of the Indian strain (Uv-Gvt) along with Uv-8b (China) strain revealed synteny conservation at MAT1 locus, which is flanked by conserved genes SLA2 and a hypothetical protein in the upstream and APN2, COX12 and APC5 in the downstream of the locus. Conclusions: Morpho-molecular study revealed the significant diversity among geo-distinct isolates, and MAT1 loci analysis indicated the distribution of heterothallic mating types in south Indian paddy fields. And also, complete synteny conservation between Indian and Chinese strain was observed at the MAT1 locus. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report describing the sexuality of Indian strains of the U. virens, which would help better understand the genetic diversity of the U. virens prevailing in Southern India and aid in developing resistant rice cultivars against this pathogen population.

Background: Drought stress is one of the most common and important environmental factors affecting crop growth and production. Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a temperate halophyte crop, but it is sensitive to water scarcity, which can reduce its growth and yield. Methods: To study the performance of tropical sugar beet under water deficit conditions, a pot experiment was conducted in January to May 2021, using a completely randomized design with three replicates. First and second cycles of drought stress were imposed on seven-week-old sugar beet plants (LS-6 tropical variety). The first phase of stress involved with 5, 10, 15 and 20 days of irrigation withholding to 8 treatments, followed by 15 days of normal watering. Then, half of the treatments were subjected to a second cycle of drought by imposing 3 days of stress. Drought effects were studied in terms of growth, physiological, biochemical and yield characteristics. Result: Water deficit hampered plant growth by reducing leaf area and leaf area index. A marked decrease in relative water content and chlorophyll stability index was also observed. Proline and total soluble carbohydrate content increased compared to the control, while starch content was decreased. However, after 15 days of watering under the second duration of stress, all parameters recovered against control, with a slight effect compared to single-stressed treatments. Yield reduction was observed under severe stress 20 days water withholding, whereas the drought effect was not significant on the harvest index.

Background: Blackgram is one of the important short duration pulse crop which is sensitive to high temperatures. The rising global temperatures are threatening the yield of blackgram by altering the physiological processes at cellular level. Keeping this in view, the present investigation was carried out for better understanding of genotypic variability and the physiological mechanisms governing heat stress tolerance which can help in identifying heat tolerant blackgram genotypes that can yield better under climate change scenarios. Methods: 30 blackgram genotypes selected from temperature induction response technique were evaluated for physiological efficiency under natural high temperature conditions during summer, 2022 and 2023. Field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College Farm, Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University, Agricultural College, Bapatla. Physiological and yield parameters were recorded at flowering and the data were analyzed statistically and pooled. Result: Significant genetic variability was observed among the blackgram genotypes with respect to all the physiological traits under high temperature stress conditions. Among the 30 genotypes tested for thermotolerance, the genotypes TBG-129, PU-1804, LBG-1015, PU-31 and TBG-104 were found to withstand high temperature stress at reproductive stage by maintaining higher total chlorophyll, carotenoids, chlorophyll stability index, total biomass production, cooler canopies resulting into higher canopy temperature depression, less membrane injury index values and higher yield. Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive correlation for all the physiological traits with seed yield except membrane injury index under heat stress conditions. The PCA results revealed considerable variability among the traits accounting for 82.65% of total variability. The genotypes TBG-129, PU-1804, LBG-1015 and TBG-104 can be potentially used as donors in the breeding programmes for the development of heat tolerant genotypes.

Dr. Sitesh Chandra Biswas is a distinguished scientist affiliated with BRAC, one of the world’s leading development organizations. With a strong academic background and a multidisciplinary approach to research and education, Dr. Biswas has significantly contributed to scientific knowledge both in Bangladesh and on the international stage.
He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kalyani in West Bengal, India, where he specialized in a field that continues to inform his work at BRAC. Over the years, Dr. Biswas has authored a considerable number of scientific papers, which have been published in reputable domestic and international journals, showcasing his commitment to rigorous and impactful research.
In addition to his contributions to peer-reviewed literature, Dr. Biswas is highly active on academic and knowledge-sharing platforms. He has uploaded numerous articles to platforms such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and SlideShare.net, making his work accessible to a broader global audience. His dedication to education and outreach is further evidenced by his personal YouTube channel, where he has published 205 educational and research-related videos. His photography skills have also gained recognition, with a rich collection of high-quality images featured on the professional photography platform 500px.
Dr. Biswas is not only a scientist but also an accomplished artist. He holds both the Pre Senior  Diploma and the Senior Diploma in Rabindra Sangeet from the Shastriya Sangeet Kala Parishad in West Bengal, India. His deep appreciation for music and culture complements his scientific pursuits, reflecting a well-rounded and holistic approach to personal and professional development.
Through his diverse accomplishments in science, education, media, and the arts, Dr. Sitesh Chandra Biswas continues to inspire and influence a wide spectrum of audiences across disciplines.

Born in Kantapara, Dinajpur, Bangladesh Dr. Sitesh Chandra Biswas completed his Ph. D course from University of Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal India and worked as a Scientist at BRAC Agricultural Research & Development Centre (BARDC) for 22 years. He has developed a good no. of crop varieties in his research career. He also developed a good no. of sustainable technologies mostly related to vegetable production. He has published a total of 27 scientific papers in the domestic and international level journals and also written a good no. of articles. He has uploaded near about 180 video's in the social media You tube as well.

Rice is economically very important in Ghana and West Africa. The lack of improved rice varieties, particularly upland varieties, is recognised as a constraint. The purpose of the project was: to analyse rainfall patterns and drought-spells in Ghana; to characterise the photothermal flowering responses of diverse varieties in order to understand adaptation; to understand farmers' indigenous technical knowledge of rice farming and varietal selection; to test and evaluate new droughtand weed-tolerant rice varieties with farmers using participatory techniques and formal replicated yield trials; and to disseminate participatory approaches to crop improvement in Ghana and West Africa. Long-term (30 years) daily rainfall data were analysed for selected locations in each of the forest, transition and moist and dry savanna zones. Rainfall patterns (start, end and duration of the growing season) and drought-spells were calculated. A Crop Performance Index (CPI) was used to examine the effect of toposequence on drought patterns. Photothermal flowering responses of 83 varieties were quantified from sowing date experiments in the field and a controlled environment experiment in the UK. PRA techniques were used to describe indigenous technical knowledge at two locations, Hohoe in the forest zone and Aframso in the transition zone. A Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) programme with 60-100 varieties was initiated at Hohoe, Aframso and at Nyankpala in the moist savanna. Replicated yield trials with High Input (fertiliser + weeding) and Low Input (low fertiliser + no weeding) treatments were planted at four locations in 1998 and 1999. Rainfall patterns covering the major upland rice zones have been analysed. This analysis has shown that the savanna zone (i.e. Northern, Upper East and West Regions) and forest zone (Volta, Western Region) is favourable for rice production, with a minimum of a 100d growing season even in very shallow upland soils. In contrast, rice production is much riskier in the transition zone (Ashanti, Brong Ahafo Regions) because of the bi-modal rainfall pattern and the consequent break in the rains in August. There was considerable variation in photothermal flowering responses and hence adaptation to different rice ecosystems among varieties. Photothermal characteristics were clearly defined in terms of a basic vegetative phase (BVP) and a photoperiodsensitive phase (PSP). The participatory process has shown that farmers have a considerable knowledge of varieties and their characteristics. Traits which contribute to weed competition and drought-tolerance are important, as are post-harvest traits. A PVS programme was successfully implemented with male and female farmers, traders and consumers. Male and female farmers made many similar varietal choices, the most notable difference being for grain characteristics; women selected grain types suitable for home consumption while men preferred grain types with a high market value. The market prefers long, white grains which are similar to those of imported grains. At Hohoe, almost all farmers selected the same variety, IDSA85, both in the PVS trials and from paired-comparisons on-farm. At Aframso a larger number of varieties was chosen, including interspecifics and improved upland japonicas. At Nyankpala, improved japonicas, interspecifics and local glaberrimas were selected. A Regional Workshop has helped disseminate project findings and promote the participatory approach throughout the West African region

Rice is economically very important in Ghana and West Africa. The lack of improved rice varieties, particularly upland varieties, is recognised as a constraint. The purpose of the project was: to analyse rainfall patterns and drought-spells in Ghana; to characterise the photothermal flowering responses of diverse varieties in order to understand adaptation; to understand farmers' indigenous technical knowledge of rice farming and varietal selection; to test and evaluate new droughtand weed-tolerant rice varieties with farmers using participatory techniques and formal replicated yield trials; and to disseminate participatory approaches to crop improvement in Ghana and West Africa. Long-term (30 years) daily rainfall data were analysed for selected locations in each of the forest, transition and moist and dry savanna zones. Rainfall patterns (start, end and duration of the growing season) and drought-spells were calculated. A Crop Performance Index (CPI) was used to examine the effect of toposequence on drought patterns. Photothermal flowering responses of 83 varieties were quantified from sowing date experiments in the field and a controlled environment experiment in the UK. PRA techniques were used to describe indigenous technical knowledge at two locations, Hohoe in the forest zone and Aframso in the transition zone. A Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) programme with 60-100 varieties was initiated at Hohoe, Aframso and at Nyankpala in the moist savanna. Replicated yield trials with High Input (fertiliser + weeding) and Low Input (low fertiliser + no weeding) treatments were planted at four locations in 1998 and 1999. Rainfall patterns covering the major upland rice zones have been analysed. This analysis has shown that the savanna zone (i.e. Northern, Upper East and West Regions) and forest zone (Volta, Western Region) is favourable for rice production, with a minimum of a 100d growing season even in very shallow upland soils. In contrast, rice production is much riskier in the transition zone (Ashanti, Brong Ahafo Regions) because of the bi-modal rainfall pattern and the consequent break in the rains in August. There was considerable variation in photothermal flowering responses and hence adaptation to different rice ecosystems among varieties. Photothermal characteristics were clearly defined in terms of a basic vegetative phase (BVP) and a photoperiodsensitive phase (PSP). The participatory process has shown that farmers have a considerable knowledge of varieties and their characteristics. Traits which contribute to weed competition and drought-tolerance are important, as are post-harvest traits. A PVS programme was successfully implemented with male and female farmers, traders and consumers. Male and female farmers made many similar varietal choices, the most notable difference being for grain characteristics; women selected grain types suitable for home consumption while men preferred grain types with a high market value. The market prefers long, white grains which are similar to those of imported grains. At Hohoe, almost all farmers selected the same variety, IDSA85, both in the PVS trials and from paired-comparisons on-farm. At Aframso a larger number of varieties was chosen, including interspecifics and improved upland japonicas. At Nyankpala, improved japonicas, interspecifics and local glaberrimas were selected. A Regional Workshop has helped disseminate project findings and promote the participatory approach throughout the West African region

The study was conducted to determine the effects of four different numbers of plants per stand on the performance of three cowpea varieties under rain-fed conditions. A field experiment was conducted for two successive rainy seasons (2007/08-2008/09) in sandy soil of North Kordofan State, Sudan. The three varieties of cowpea (BLedi, an old local cultivar and two recently improved cultivars, Haydoob and Eien Elgazal) were sown in four patterns (one, two, three and four plants per stand). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in four replications. The results showed that, plants/stand had a significant effect on most of the attributes measured. Increased plants/stand significantly increased grain yield per unit area and reduced the number of pods per plant, 100-grain weight, grain yield per plant and harvest index. The local cultivar was late in maturity and had heavier 100-grain weight, greater grain yield per plant, greater final grain yield (t/ha). The Ein Elgazal was earlier in maturity and scored the highest values of harvest index.

Background: Alfalfa often fails in continuous cropping due to its autotoxicity effect. Rotation is considered an effective way to mitigate autotoxicity; however, crop rotation is typically practiced between alfalfa and non-leguminous crops rather than among different alfalfa varieties. Therefore, understanding the germination and seedling growth of alfalfa after continuous cropping is of great significance to reveal the possibility of continuous cropping of alfalfa. Methods: The leaves of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv ZhongMu No.1) were collected to determine the seed germination rate, germination potential, germination index, vigor index, seedling growth and physiological characteristics, including malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar (SS), soluble protein (SP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), in four alfalfa varieties (XunLu, GongNong No.1, ZhongMu No.1 and JuNeng 995). Result: The germination rate, germination potential, germination index and vigor index of the four alfalfa varieties decreased with increasing concentrations of leaf extract from ZhongMu No.1. JuNeng 995 exhibited better germination conditions than the other three varieties. Similarly, JuNeng 995 demonstrated superior plant length compared to the other varieties. The alfalfa cultivar, extract concentration and their interaction significantly influenced MDA, SS, SP, CAT and POD levels. However, these effects varied inconsistently with respect to extract concentration or variety. Furthermore, while the extract inhibited germination and vigor, it promoted seedling elongation in the remaining plants. GI was found to be negatively correlated with seedling length. Conclusively, the continuous cropping barrier effect of alfalfa became more severe with increasing extract concentrations. Cultivar renovation was identified as a potentially effective strategy to reduce the autotoxicity of alfalfa in this study.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum) is considered as an important horticultural crop worldwide. But instead of using various technologies and cultivars the production rate of tomato is low. With the increasing demand on consumption of tomato as well as on consumption of organic crops, there is a great necessitate for using new and organic technologies to increase the yield and maintain the environmental health. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted with a target to increase more quantity of tomato with the application of yeast and ascorbic acid. In our study we have given foliar spray of yeast (5 and 10g/L) and ascorbic acid (0.1 and 0.2 ml/L). The experiment was laid out in five different plots including one control; each plot consists of six to ten replicas. The parameters taken was plant height, leaves number, branches number, flowers per plant, fruits per plant, chlorophyll and carotenoid content of leaves; protein, sugar, ascorbic acid and lycopene content of the fruit. The results showed ascorbic acid treatment shows better result in comparison to increase in yield and fruit number per plant in comparison to yeast treated plants. But lowest yield was recorded in the control group.

Cowpea is grain legume with high quality protein to supplement the protein required in human diet and it is therefore necessary to increase its production in a nutrient depleted soil. It was therefore necessary to evaluate the effect of soil amendments and mycorrhizal inoculation on two cowpea genotypes. A 2 x 3 x 2 factorial experiment laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicated carried out. The treatments were two cowpea varieties {TVU 6764 (V1) and TVU 6746 (V2)}; soil amendments {rumen washing from cow in liquid (R), cow blood mixed with water (B) and water (W)}; and mycorrhizal inoculation {with (M1) and without (M0)}. Data were analysed using ANOVA and mean separated with Duncan's multiple range test at P < 0.05. Cowpea varieties varied in their response to soil amendments and mycorrhizal inoculation. Number of leaves, leaf area, leaf dry matter, stem dry matter and root dry matter showed that although the cowpea varieties were similar in their responses to the treatments applied, however, V1 had a relatively higher number of leaves, leaf area, leaf dry matter, stem dry matter and root dry matter compared to V2. Higher response to mycorrhizal inoculation was observed in the V1 compared to the V2 cowpea variety and V2 had higher seed weight than the V1. The interactions of variety, soil amendments and mycorrhizal inoculation had no significant effect on vegetative dry matter, but highest dry matter weight in cowpea was obtained in V1 under R application. Seed weight in cowpea did not differ significantly, however, the highest seed weight was observed in V2WM1, while the lowest observed in V1RM1. The interaction involving TVU 6746, water and mycorrhizal inoculation was recommended for seed production while TVU 6764, rumens wash and without mycorhhizal inoculation was recommended for vegetative production.

Understanding the response of plant nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) economies in oilseed rape, as well as their role in defining phenotypic plasticity, is necessary for designing new strategies to optimize plant and canopy C assimilation to improve potential yield. This paper aims to elucidate the extent to which the interaction between N supply and plant population density alters N distribution in oilseed rape plant (Brassica napus L.) and whether this interaction changes plant investment in leaf area or leaf mass per area. Spring oilseed rape was grown at two rates of N supply (50 and 150 kg N·ha−1) and two plant population densities (50 and 150 plants·m−2). Photosynthesis, leaf area, leaf biomass, and N content of selected leaves were measured at 20% of flowers on main raceme open. The interaction between N supply and plant population density altered leaf N content per area, which is the main determinant of photosynthesis. This interaction also affected leaf mass per area, while N su...

The present study was conducted in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh during the year 2016-2017. During the study 10 villages of the block were selected, where 05 respondents from each village and total of 50 respondents were selected randomly from the entire block. The data were collected through personal interview method with the help of pre-structured scheduled designed questionnaire with the objective of finding out the knowledge and adoption level of soil health card based fertilizer application in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The study revealed that, the knowledge level of the farmers were high (66.00%) followed by medium (18.00%) and lowest (16.00%), whereas the adoption level of the farmers were high (74.00%) followed by medium (22.00%) and lowest (04.00%).

To investigate the effect of weed management and planting pattern on the growth and yield of two peanut cultivars, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Campus of Razi University, Kermanshah in 2021. The experimental factors include 1) cultivars NC2 and NC7, 2) planting pattern (row and plant spacing of 50 cm × 25 cm and 75 cm × 18 cm), and 3) two times weeding along with the use of Trifluralin 48% EC (796 g a.i.ha-1), Bentazon 48% SL (960 g a.i.ha-1) and Haloxyfop-r-methyl 10.8% EC (75 g a.i.ha-1), weeding two times along with the use of Trifluralin (1233 g a.i.ha-1), twice weeding together with the use of Haloxyfop-r-methyl and Bentazon, complete weeding and weed-infested treatment. The results showed that the weed control significantly increased the plant's dry weight. The kernels dry weight in the plant showed a significant increase in both studied planting patterns in weed control compared to no control. However, the impact of weed control treatments on the two studied planting patterns did not exhibit any significant differences, except for the complete weeding treatment. The kernels dry weight within plants subjected to complete weeding in the 50 × 25 cm planting pattern exhibited a 39.31% increase relative to those grown in the 75 × 18 cm. The response of dry weight of kernels and pods was high for cultivar NC2 in a planting pattern of 50 x 25 cm and for cultivar NC7 in 75 x 18 cm. In general, according to the obtained results, due to the high sensitivity of peanuts to weed competition, it is suggested to control weeds at the beginning of the growing season until about 60 days after planting, regardless of the type of planting pattern.

Agrochemicals are considered potent tools or magic bullets for increasing agricultural product output,
quality, and income. However, it has been shown that agrochemicals pose significant ecological risks
to agricultural products, soil, water bodies, and the atmosphere. Awareness is increasing of the need
to achieve a safe environment and human health thus, there is a paucity of research and policy
interventions with regard to the health and safety concerns of agrochemical usage in agriculture.
Agrochemicals are environmentally unfriendly if not used properly following prescribed protocols and
directions (manuals), it is necessary to adhere to regulations and standards for safety and efficiency in
the usage of agrochemicals in agriculture. It is also important to select the safest Agrochemicals that
will act effectively with the least risk to the ecosystem, and consumers of agricultural products. The safe
use of agrochemicals is determined by the care and attention given (pre-cautionary measures applied
before, during, and after the application). Agrochemicals users must ensure that they are properly
trained as sprayer operators. Users should receive adequate training that covers the basic aspects of
the application and potential risks of agrochemical usage. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly
investigate their molecular level of mechanism before and after usage this can be monitored directly by
governments’ authorities showing support for the manufacturing industries.
Keyword: Agrochemicals, Application, Efficiency, Food, Safety, Risks, Ecology

An experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2023, at BTC college of Agriculture and Research Station, Bilaspur, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. In this experiment, nineteen early duration rice genotypes comprising of four checks viz. CO 51, US 314, MTU 1010 and Sahbhagidhan were used. The research was conducted in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The major objective of research conducted was evaluation of genetic variability parameters among genotypes, estimation of correlation coefficient analysis for yield and among yield attributing characters, path coefficient analysis and estimation of genetic divergence among early duration rice genotypes. The analysis of variance reported the presence of ample amounts of variability among all genotypes for all traits studied. High to moderate estimates of GCV and PCV were observed for traits like yield per ha (q/ha) followed by, 1000 grain weight (g), number of tillers per hill and L/B ratio indicating the importance of selection for improving the grain yield. Further, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was also observed for 1000 grain weight (g), yield per ha (q/ha) and L/B ratio. These characters are assumed to be regulated by additive gene action and selection for these traits can be rewarding. Analysis of correlation coefficient indicated high positive and significant correlation of yield per ha (q/ha) with days to maturity, biological yield (q/ha), harvest index % and days to 50% flowering. Hence, these characters are helpful to determine the higher grain yield and can be used as selection criteria. Path analysis reveal that the traits like biological yield (q/ha), L/B ratio and grain width (mm) showed positive direct effect on yield per ha (q/ha). Thus, these characters can be used for improvement of grain yield in early duration rice genotypes. For genetic diversity analysis 19 rice genotypes were grouped in five clusters. Cluster I was the largest cluster. Cluster I had the longest intra cluster distance. Cluster II and V had maximum inter cluster distances, followed by cluster I and V. The maximum inter cluster distance revealed that using parents from these clusters in a hybridization programme will result in a higher frequency of better segregants or desired pairings, which is important for the generation of valuable varieties. The contribution of traits to divergence was greatest for yield per ha (q/ha), biological yield (q/ha), harvest index (%) and L/B ratio. Genotypes CRUBCKV-2235, HRI-214, UPLRH-181325 and JKRH-1601 were found to be the top four promising genotypes for yield and yield contributing traits. Hence, these genotypes can be utilized for further selection process.

Drought is one of the major factors limiting chickpea production in arid and semi arid regions. There is meagre information available regarding genotypic variation for drought tolerance in chickpea genotypes. Present investigation was carried out to find out the influence of salicylic acid (SA) on drought tolerance in four chickpea genotypes. Reduction in relative injury was observed in plants treated with SA @1.5 mM as compared to control seedlings. Relationship between relative water content (RWC), membrane permeability (MP), ascorbic acid (AsA), proline, lipid peroxidation (LPO), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was determined in order to find out whether these parameters can be used as selection criteria for drought tolerance in this crop. Results indicate wide variation in tolerance to drought stress amongst chickpea cultivars at both the critical stages i.e. pre-and post-anthesis. On the basis of growth and antioxidant activity better genotypes Tyson and ICC-4958 appear to be adapted to drought stress tolerance. Early drought stress (pre-anthesis drought) was found to be more damaging than the late drought stress (post-anthesis drought).

Forests hold a plethora of ecological functions, that are critical in the maintenance of biodiversity. For instance, the mistbelt forests are small and fragmented forest ecosystems, which are dominated by South Africa's national tree -Podocarpus latifolius or the 'real' Yellowwood. The Yellowwood trees are regarded as a priority species, because they support large communities of plants, birds and mammals, attributing to the maintenance of biodiversity. They also store carbon and provide habitat as well as resources for pollinators. Meanwhile, they produce durable, high quality timber which is harvested for cultural, medicinal and commercial use. Subsequently, the podocarps have been listed as endangered species owing to extensive logging. Current forest species productivity information is urgently required in the characterisation of forest condition, especially that of disturbed habitats which support a variety of indigenous species and contribute immensely to ecosystem resilience. Leaf area index (LAI) is a widely applied measure of photosynthetic capacity and productivity, that may reveal this information. Meanwhile, local level floral biodiversity and productivity is driven by topographic heterogeneity. Micro landscape level processes associated with topography are important in the determination of leaf area index, that may be applied as proxy measures of productivity. However, this is not well understood, especially for unique forest types such as the Afromontane mistbelt forest. Recently, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, have progressed to assume a pivotal role in the monitoring of vegetation, offering increased spatial coverage and modern, automated processing techniques. The applicability of digital elevation models such as the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission, facilitates the retrieval of objective topographic measurements, that can be used in the explanation of leaf area. Meanwhile, the onset of "new generation" sensors, such as Sentinel 2 Multispectral Instrument has provided opportunity for investigating leaf area index, which cannot be achieved using traditional field surveys. This progression is supplemented by the application of machine learning algorithms, in the modelling of ecological relationships. Applying these algorithms in this regard, has demonstrated strength in managing data of high dimensionality, with speed and accurate results. The study therefore set out to characterise the leaf area index of the Yellowwood within a southern African mistbelt forest, using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing techniques. Specifically, the study evaluated the role of Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission digital elevation model derived topographic variables, in the explanation of LAI, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and regression analysis. It also assessed the utility of Sentinel 2 imagery, in the estimation LAI, using the Random Forest (RF) regression ensemble. The stepwise linear regression analysis showed that topographic indices accounted for approximately 85 % of leaf area index variance (SEE = 35m 2 /m 2 ; R 2 = 0.85). Optimal topographic variables included the mass balance index and sky view factor. These can explain the micro landscape properties relating to ecosystem budgets and visible sky. Results also indicated that the backward elimination method optimally predicted the leaf area index of Yellowwood trees (RMSE = 0.48; R 2 = 0.59). Further, predictors derived from the Red Edge bands were the most influential variables in predicting leaf area index. The study demonstrated the applicability of remotely sensed data and Geographic Information Systems in the retrieval of forest productivity proxies, such as leaf area index. III.

An experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2003 and 2004 at Agronomy Research Farm, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-Deemed University to assess the response of rice and associated weeds to establishment methods, fertility levels and weed management practices. The experiment was laid out in three factor randomized block design comprising two establishment methods (direct wet seeding and transplanting), three levels of fertility viz., 80, 40, 40; 100, 50, 50 and 120, 60, 60 NPK kg/ha and four weed management practices viz., (W1) anilofos @ 0.4 kg a. i./ha, (W2) butachlor @1.5 kg a. i./ha, (W3) two hand weedings and (W4) weedy check. These comprised 24 treatments, which were replicated thrice. Results revealed that transplanting method of rice establishment recorded lowest number of weeds and weed dry weight resulting in significantly higher grain yield. The weed intensity and weed dry weight increased with the increase in fertility level and was maximum with 120, 60, 60 ...

To increase rice yields and feed billions of people, it is essential to enhance genetic gains.However, the development of new varieties is hindered by longer generation times and seasonalconstraints. To address these limitations, a speed breeding facility has been established and arobust speed breeding protocol, SpeedFlower is developed that allows growing 4–5 generationsof indica and/or japonica rice in a year. Our findings reveal that a high red-to-blue (2R > 1B)spectrum ratio, followed by green, yellow and far-red (FR) light, along with a 24-h long day (LD)photoperiod for the initial 15 days of the vegetative phase, facilitated early flowering. This isfurther enhanced by 10-h short day (SD) photoperiod in the later stage and day and nighttemperatures of 32/30 °C, along with 65% humidity facilitated early flowering ranging from 52to 60 days at high light intensity (800 lmol m
2 s
1 ). Additionally, the use of prematurelyharvested seeds and gibberellic acid treatment reduced the maturity duration by 50%. Further,SpeedFlower was validated on a diverse subset of 198 rice accessions from 3K RGP panelencompassing all 12 distinct groups of Oryza sativa L. classes. Our results confirmed that usingSpeedFlower one generation can be achieved within 58–71 days resulting in 5.1–6.3 generationsper year across the 12 sub-groups. This breakthrough enables us to enhance genetic gain, whichcould feed half of the world’s population dependent on rice.

Maize is more likely to have weed infestations due to its steady early growth rate and extensive row spacing, which favor weed development even before crop emergence. As a result, there prevails strong correlation between weed density and maize yield. An experiment was conducted at the Gauradaha Agriculture Campus, Jhapa, in the spring of 2022 to assess the effect of various weed control methods on maize yield. The experiment had three replications and eight treatments (control, cover crops, hand weeding at intervals of 15 days, botanical weedicides, inorganic weedicides, black plastic mulch, straw mulch, and small inter-row spacing). The number of cobs per hectare, sterility%, and shelling% were not significantly affected by various treatments. The use of black plastic mulching for weed management achieved significantly higher numbers of grain/cob (427.83), row/cob (13.40), weight of grain/cob (153.33gm), test weight, and yield (8.46t/ha). Similarly, the lowest test weight was reco...