Volume 30, Number 1 (July, 2005)
ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted during kharif season of 2002 at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore to test the effect of direct and residual fertility on maize. There were two direct fertility treatments and 12 residual fertility treatments. Among direct fertility treatments recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) recorded significantly higher grain, stover and protein yield compared to soil test crop response (STCR) approach. Among residual fertility treatments, composted poultry manure, sewage sludge and enriched urban garbage compost recorded higher yields. Residual effect of composted poultry manure, sewage sludge and enriched urban garbage compost alongwith NPK fertilizers which were applied based on soil test crop response (STCR) recorded higher net returns and benefit : cost ratio. ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted to study the response of fertility levels on sorghum productivity during kharif 1999 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur. Genotype SPV 1430 recorded the minimum days to flowering, grain as well as dry fodder yields than check CSV 15. In case of hybrid genotype SPH 837 recorded minimum days to flowering (58.4 days) and grain yield, while SPH 1037 recorded the highest 1000-grain weight and in case of dry fooder yield SPH 981 (187.30 q/ha) maintained its superiority over rest of the hybrid genotypes and check CSH 16, respectively. Application of 80 kg N+40 kg P2O5/ha gave the minimum days to flowering, 1000-grain weight and dry fodder yield than lower levels of fertility. ABSTRACT A 2-year (1994-95 and 1995-96) field investigation showed that grain yield of wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] was significantly higher under various organic manures (farm yard manure, green manure, press mud and vermicompost) than no organic manure applied to the preceding kharif fodder crop. Application of 100% NPK on soil test basis, being at par with 120 and 160 kg N ha-1, produced significantly higher grain yield of wheat than no fertilizer–control, 60 kg N ha-1 and 90 kg N ha-1+Azotobacter. After the harvest of each of the crops in the crop cycle, the available N and P in soil improved due to application of organic manures to preceding kharif crop and application of 100% NPK on soil test basis to kharif as well as rabi crop. Per day productivity of grain on 11 rice hybrids tested over three environments was subjected to the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis. The combined analysis of variance showed that the environment, genotype and G x E interaction terms were highly significant, suggesting a broad range of genotypic diversity and environmental variation. Furthermore, biplot from AMMI 1 parameters provided the comprehensive understanding of the pattern of the data. Three hybrids (CORH 2, KRRH 1 and PHB 71) were identified as having general adaptability, while two hybrids (ADTRH 1 and PSD 1) as with specific adaptability to the environments tested. The AMMI (biplot) analysis characterized the E 1, namely, Paddy Breeding Station, Coimbatore, as the ideal environment for the expression of this trait in general. A field trial was conducted during kharif season of 2003 at J. A. U., Junagadh on pigeonpea in clayey soil to evaluate the effect of different tillage practices and mulches on growth and yield of crop as well as on moisture conservation. Among the different tillage practices, 30 cm deep ploughing by tractor plough (T4) registered significantly higher plant height, spread as well as grain and straw yield of pigeonpea. T4 also recorded higher soil moisture content at flowering and pod formation stage, indicating more conservation of rain water under deep tillage. In case of mulch treatment, wheat straw mulch @ 5 t ha-1 (M2) and groundnut shell mulch @ 10 t ha-1 (M3) were found equally effective and produced more plant height, spread as well as grain and straw yield as compared to other treatments. Numerically higher soil moisture content at different growth stages was found under wheat mulch treatment. Interaction effect between tillage and mulches was found to be non-significant. ABSTRACT A field investigation was carried out during the winter season of 2000-01 to examine the effect of integrated nutrient management on uptake and use efficiency of nitrogen and sulphur in Indian mustard on an inceptisol. The study revealed that the incorporation of treatments 100% NS and 25% FYM N+75% N+100% S significantly enhanced the uptake of N and S in both seed and stover of crop. Highest use efficiency of N and S was noticed in 25% FYM N+75% N+100% S followed by the treatments 100% NS and 50% FYM N+50% N+100% S, respectively. The effect of different organic manures on organic carbon and nutrient availability was studied in a field experiment during summer seasons of 2002 and 2003. Organic manures viz., FYM, composted poultry manure, urban garbage compost, enriched urban garbage compost and sewage sludge were applied to groundnut at the rate equivalent to recommended nitrogen. The organic carbon and available NPK status declined in control (no manure application), while application of organic manures improved organic carbon and available NPK status significantly in two seasons compared to initial soil fertility. ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Department Farm, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (M. S) to evaluate the influence of irrigation and sulphur levels on yield, quality, concentration, uptake and availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) hybrid PKV SH-27. Irrigation applied at 0.75 IW : CPE ratio produced significantly highest seed yield, oil content, protein and oil yield, concentration and availability of sulphur and total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur. While the protein content, concentration and availability of N and P were recorded significantly highest with the application of irrigation at 0.50 IW : CPE ratio. With increasing levels of sulphur, all the characters in sunflower increased significantly. Application of 40 kg S ha-1 produced significantly highest seed yield, protein and oil content, protein and oil yield, concentration, uptake and availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur of sunflower. Twelve F1 hybrids of scented rice and their seven parents involving induced mutants and basmati varieties were evaluated for eight important panicle characters. The values of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, heritability and genetic advance were high for panicle weight, secondary branches per panicle, spikelet number per panicle, test weight and grain yield per panicle indicating important role of additive gene action for the expression of these traits. Character association analysis revealed significant positive association of all the panicle traits, except test weight, with grain yield per panicle. Path coefficient analysis revealed that panicle weight had highest positive direct effect followed by panicle length and secondary branches per panicle. Hence, selection on higher panicle weight and higher number of secondary branches per panicle could be effective for yield improvement in scented rice. Eleven rice hyrbids were evaluated in six different environments for their stability. The data were analysed using Eberhart and Russell (1966) approach for yield and its contributing characters. Significant mean sum of square due to genotypes, environments and G x E interaction was observed. Both linear and non-linear components of G x E interaction were important for the expression of most of the traits; however, linear component was larger in magnitude than the non-linear component. The hybrid CORH 2 was found to be stable for maximum of five characters. Among the six environments, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai (kharif 2000) was the most suitable environment for the expression of most of the characters. ABSTRACT Nineteen genotypes of Aman rice were studied for their genetic divergence using Mahalanobis’s D2 statistic for 12 characters. Based on D2 values, the genotypes were grouped into six clusters. Cluster I was the largest with eight genotypes followed by cluster II with four genotypes. Intra-cluster distance was highest in cluster VI and lowest in cluster IV. The maximum inter-cluster distance was found between clusters IV and VI suggesting wide diversity between these groups. The major part of total divergence was imparted by single trait i. e. 1000-grain weight and panicle length, grain length and plant height were also very important in this regard. Heterosis in bread wheat was studied for bread making quality, yield and component characters in 45 crosses developed from 10 parents using diallel mating design. Heterosis over better parent for grain yield per plant was recorded 66.09% in P 7 x Kundan. The high manifestation of heterosis in F1s for grain yield per plant was found associated with 1000-grain weight, number of effective tillers per plant and ear length. Two crosses P 768 x P 7 and P 768 x Kundan showed high per se performance and heterosis over better parent for yield and quality traits. The study was undertaken to examine the nature and magnitude of association of single plant yield with other attributes viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight, seed protein content, methionine content, tryptophan content and trypsin inhibitor content. The single plant yield exhibited a high order of positive and significant correlation with number of pods per plant, 100-seed weight, number of clusters per plant, plant height and number of seeds per pod. Seed protein content had negative and significant association with methionine content. Path analysis showd that number of pods per plant had high positive direct effect on single plant yield. Number of clusters per plant and 100-seed weight exhibited high indirect effect on single plant yield via number of pods per plant. ABSTRACT The genetic variability of growth characters of pod and seed was investigated using 11 cultivars/varieties of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] at different developmental stages (as indicated by days after anthesis). Variations due to genotype and developmental stages were significant. The developmental stages contributed maximum to the total sum of squares of moisture content of husk, seed and pod, whereas genotype contributed maximum to pod length. Genotype and developmental stage contributed equally to total sum of squares for fresh and dry weight of husk, seed and pod. Genetic variance components for the growth parameters of pod and seed were highly significant for each developmental stage. The heritability (broad sense) was very high for all the characters except the moisture content of seeds, but coefficient of variation in the heritability for all the characters except moisture content of seeds was sufficiently low. This indicates stableness in genetic variability over different developmental stages. ABSTRACT The studies on correlation and path coefficient analysis in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) showed that yield per plant was positively and significantly correlated with plant height, head diameter, number of leaves per plant, number of filled seeds per head, seed filling per cent, 100-seed weight, leaf area index, total dry matter per plant and harvest index. These characters also recorded maximum direct effect on yield per plant indicating that yield was a function of both growth and yield components. The results of the study revealed that the characters viz., filled seeds per head, 100-seed weight, total dry matter per plant and leaf area index could be given emphasis for isolation of desirable genotypes, with high genetic potential for seed yield coupled with high physiological efficiency. ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during the rabi seasons of 1999-2000 and 2000-01 to study the response to foliar application of micronutrients on yield and quality of cabbage. Application of 0.5% borax recorded the highest yield (43.47 t/ha) and harvest index (69.01%) of cabbage. The highest quantity of protein (1.36 g/100 g) and vitamin C (40.46 mg/100 g) content were found by spraying 0.5% borax and 0.5% ammonium molybdate, respectively. However, foliar application of 0.5% manganese sulphate recorded the highest chlorophyll (0.61 mg/g) content of head. The experiments were conducted to study the effect of herbicides and their combinations on the economics of cabbage production. Amongst the herbicidal treatments, oxadiazon at 1.0 kg ha-1 resulted in the highest number of total heads per plot (26.67), marketable heads per plot (18.83), average head weight (0.632 kg), marketable yield (141.97 q ha-1) and thus, the maximum returns (Rs. 26,517) per hectare. ABSTRACT A field trial was conducted at Research Farm of Vegetable Science Department, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to find out the effect of planting dates and fertility levels on growth and fruit yield of brinjal cv. BR-112 during kharif season of 1999-2000. The crop planted on 26 May produced the tallest plants and recorded maximum plant height and number of branches per plant, while crop planted on 10 July produced the shortest plants. The higher fertility level i. e. N150P75K95Zn25 kg/ha delayed the flowering in plots where the crop was planted on 26 May. The number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per hectare were recorded statistically higher when the crop was transplanted on 10 June and supplied with nitrogen 125 kg, phosphorus 62.5 kg, potassium 62.5 kg and zinc sulfate 25 kg/ha. ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted at Department of Horticulture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during the kharif season of 2002-03 to study the five levels of nitrogen viz., 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1 and four varieties of okra viz., AKOV-97-16, Parbhani Kranti, Arka Anamika and Pusa A-4 on growth and fruit yield of okra. The results indicated that the higher levels of nitrogen significantly influenced all the characters under study except the diameter of the fruit. Among the varieties, Parbhani Kranti recorded better performance in respect of yield and quality of okra followed by the Dr. PDKV, Akola’s newly evolved okra variety viz., AKOV-97-16. The teliospore germination was tested at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% concentrations of glucose, sucrose and fructose. All the three concentrations of sugars increased the spore germination significantly over control except 1.5% fructose. However, glucose showed maximum germination (44%) when used at 1.5% concentration. To see the effect of pH, spore suspension was spread on petri plate having 2% water agar medium with pH 4.0, 7.0 and 9.2. Maximum germination was recorded at 4.0 pH. Germination of teliospores decreased with increase in pH. Lignin is a polymeric constituent of the plant cell wall. It is most abundant organic compound in the biosphere second only to cellulose. Peroxidases are widely believed to catalyze the last enzymatic step in the biosynthesis of lignin. Study of the peroxidase isoenzyme pattern is considered an important tool to understand the genetic relationship among the plant characters and to effect identification of jute hybrids that would prove to be advantageous in this regard. In the present study, analysis of peroxidase isoenzymes was carried out using vertical slab poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in five jute strains (CMU-010, JRO-524, CMU-010 x JRO-524, JRC-212, White Stem-B) to understand their genetic relationships. Out of the three isoenzyme bands obtained for peroxidase, PO-I was present in all the strains used. There were extra two bands (PO-II and PO-III) present in White Stem-B. It was found that CMU-010, JRO-524, CMU-010 x JRO-524 and JRC-212 possessed identical monomorphic gene loci for this enzyme system as evidenced by the banding pattern. On the other hand, White Stem-B appeared to be possessing polymorphic nature of gene loci for the same. ABSTRACT Present study attempts to determine a possible technique to improve Avage germination and seedling growth. Preliminary tests were made to look for a technique to accelerate germination rates. Red filter and darkness were chosen for further tests on A. stricta, A. salmiana with two varieties manso and lisa and A. spp. However, it was proved that germination was not affected by light in this species. Red filter and darkness showed highest germination and germination speed. On the other hand, experiments showed that seedling development was affected under different lights. It was observed that green and red filter decreased weight increase in Agave. The results on the effects of different lights indicated that green filter and red filter light inhibited growth, on the other hand, yellow filter had no effects over seedlings. ABSTRACT denomination as hard fibres such as Agave have their limited industrial potential despite their great importance for low scale usage by the local farmers in Mexico. Though several species of Agave thrive in Mexico, their potential for fibre is not exploited. Through a maceration process, 17 species of Agave fibres were extracted and macerated and numerically analysed for other uses. Large variations occur among the species in the fibre cell morphology, length, breadth and wall thickness of fibre cells. Determining the length/breadth indexes and according to their cell wall and lumen width some recommendations are made. On the basis of analysis, paper production and cordage and brush production, and hand crafts are among the other possible industrial uses of the fibres of some Agave species. A field experiment was conducted to determine suitable row spacing for Nigella sativa. Yield characters were selected as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, seed yield per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, essential oil rate and fatty oil rate. According to results, row spacings affected significantly plant height, number of branches, number of capsules, 1000- seed weight, seed yield, essential oil yield and fatty oil yield. And also, correlation between seed yield and number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight and seed yield per plant was found significantly important. The paper discusses the results about the traditional use and preliminary phytochemistry of nine species in high land valleys of Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico such as Turnera diffusa, Heterotheca inuloides, Marrubium vulgare, Ipomoea murucoides, Salvia officinalis, Mentha piperita, Pneumus boldus, Tecoma stans and Amphypteryngium adstringers. These species are used to alleviate various diseases. Different techniques are adopted to study a preliminary phytochemistry of the medicinal species. They showed a large variation among species in the contents of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, saponins, steroids, cyanogenic glycosides, Triterpenes, Cardiotonic glycosides, flavonoids and tannins. ABSTRACT Mediculture, the scientific cropping of industrially important medicinal plants, has become the need of the day to improve the productivity of the critical medical components. In this context, the cultivation of Senna (Cassia angustifolia) and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is becoming popular among the farmers. The major practical problem in the cultivation of Senna and Ashwagandha is the poor germination percentage and establishment at field level. The diazotrophic rhizobiocoenosis is an important biological process that plays a major role in satisfying the nutritional requirement of these crops and hence it becomes highly meaningful to test the efficiency of native diazotrophic bacteria such as Azospirillum and Azotobacter on the seed germination and seedling parameters of Withania somnifera and Cassia angustifolia. Significant difference in germination rate and percentage, root length, shoot length, dry matter production and vigour index between untreated seeds and seeds treated with Azospirillum and Azotobacter was observed both in C. angustifolia and W. somnifera. The maximum rate of germination (2.59) was noticed in Azotobacter treatment followed by Azospirillum (2.31). Similarly, the native isolates of Azotobacter and Azospirillum significantly increased the germination rate in W. somnifera which was 50% as against 20% recorded by untreated control. Likewise, in C. angustifolia the seed treatment with Azotobacter recorded the maximum germination percentage of 85 followed by Azospirillum (77%). The untreated control seeds recorded a germination percentage of 58. The Azotobacter treatment also registered the maximum root length (15.2 cm), shoot length (9.0 cm) and dry matter production (142 mg). There was significant difference in the population of total diazotroph Azospirillum and Azotobacter between rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of W. somnifera and C. angustifolia. V. L. K. VARMA, N. MANOHAR REDDY, K. KESHAVULU AND R. ANKAIAH [Characterization of maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes through seed protein electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)]. Crop Res. 30 (1) : 124-127 (2005). Department of Seed Science & Technology Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad-500 030 (A. P.), India. ABSTRACT Differences in banding pattern obtained from electrophoresis of seed proteins for 10 maize genotypes were investigated for their identification at laboratory level. The differences were either in the total number of bands present, location of bands or intensity of band or it can even be the presence or absence of four categories of bands, namely, very light, light, medium and dark intense bands. This technique was found more suitable to distinguish even among closely related genotypes and can be used by breeders to characterise differences and by seed certification agencies to make available good quality seed to the growers. Field trial was conducted in sandy loam soil with sorghum as test crop to evaluate the effect of organic matter with bio-inoculants (cellulolytic and phosphate solubilising micro organisms) on the yield and uptake of nutrients by sorghum. The organic tried was sugarcane trash. Application of FYM, composted sugarcane trash (CST), ST+decomposing cultures (DC) and ST+DC+phosphate solubilisers (PS) alongwith inorganics increased significantly the grain and straw yield of sorghum, available nutrient status of the soil and uptake of nutrients. A field trial was conducted at the instructional farm of N. D. University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad during the season of 2000-01 to test the influence of integrated nutrient management on productivity of Indian mustard on an inceptisol. Significantly higher seed yield was obtained with the application of treatments 100% NS and 25% FYM N+75% N+100% S. However, regarding the stover yield, protein and oil contents in seed, 50% FYM N+50% N+100% S were at par with the treatments 100% NS and 25% FYM N+75% N+100% S. Treatments receiving 0, 25 and 50% N through FYM alongwith 100% S were comparatively higher in agronomic efficiency (economic yield per unit of nitrogen applied) and harvest index, but lower in production efficiency (economic yield per unit of nitrogen absorbed) and N : S ratio of seed than the other treatments. Use of 50% FYM N+50% N+100% S significantly improved the availability of nutrients in the soil over 100% N. ABSTRACT Field experiment was conducted during kharif 1999 to evaluate some growth related traits in urdbean. Non-additive gene action controlled the expression of leaf area/plant, leaf growth rate, net assimilation rate and leaf area ratio.
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