Volume 59, Number 5 & 6 (September & November 2024)

1. Anurethaa R, Syed Abul Hassan Hussainy* and Durai Singh R [Evaluating the performance of traditional paddy (Oryza sativa L.) landraces under floating cultivation techniques in southern Tamil Nadu]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 181-189 (2024). Department of Agronomy. Agricultural College and Research Institute Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai-625 104 (Tamil Nadu), India *(e-mail: thesyedhussainy@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Floating rice cultivation, a novel method, is essential for boosting crop yields and resilience amid climate change using flood-prone and water-saturated environments. This approach leverages aquatic resources such as lakes and reservoirs, enhancing agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. This study was conducted in 2023 at the Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai to assess the suitability and production potential of cultivating traditional paddy varieties viz., Chinnar and Chithiraikar under floating conditions. Various substrates including soil, coir pith, wooden chips, sugarcane trash, thermocol, leaf compost, and jute bags were levelled out over paddy seeding trays (60 × 30 cm) and placed over bamboo rafts (120 × 120 cm) which served as the float base. Various parameters viz., germination (%), leaf area index (LAI), vigour index, plant population, dry matter production (g/m2), grain yield (kg/ha) and straw yield (kg/ha) were analysed. Results revealed that better crop establishment and crop growth were highly influenced by nursery and conditions with coconut coir outperforming other substrates. However, findings indicated that thermocol substrate is more productive in realizing higher yield attributes and yield (9.83 g/plant, 9.90 g/plant, respectively) of both Chinnar and Chithiraikar landraces of rice. Thus, floating rice cultivation offers a sustainable way to enhance productivity and adaptability, with traditional paddy varieties suitable for soilless media, though further research is needed to optimize its effectiveness.

2. M. S. RESHMA, S. JAWAHAR*, C. KALAIYARASAN AND K. SUSEENDRAN [Evaluating the effect of organic NPK granules on yield, nutrient uptake, post-harvest soil fertility and soil microbial population in rice (Oryza sativa L.)]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 190-195 (2024). Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University Annamalai Nagar-608002, Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu), India *(e-mail: jawa.au@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Rice is the most important and staple food crop for more than two third of population of India. India is the second largest rice producing country in the world after China. Although, rice planted area in India is 40 per cent higher than in China, Indian rice production is 30 percent below Chinese production because of lower yields. Among several constraints of production, nutrient management plays a key role in realizing sustainable yield from any given cultivation practices. Integrated nutrient management system plays a vital role in balancing the soil fertility and plant nutrient supply to an optimum level through the judicious and efficient use of chemical fertilizers, green manure, FYM and biofertilizers leading to an eco-friendly approach and economically viable solution for this problem. Continuous integrated use of organic manures with chemical fertilizers would be quite promising in assessing the sustainability of a cropping system vis-à-vis monitoring the soil properties. To investigate further, a field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu from June to September 2023 with a key objective of evaluating the effect of combined application of graded levels of conventional fertilizers along with organic NPK granules in lowland rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments comprised of different levels of conventional fertilizers along with organic NPK granules. Among the nutrient management evaluated, all the yield attributes of lowland rice viz., grain yield, straw yield, uptake of nutrients and post-harvest soil available nutrients were significantly influenced by the application of 70% NPK through synthetic fertilizers and 30% NPK through organic granules. Combining conventional fertilizers along with organic NPK granules improved nitrogen use efficiency via metabolite production, enzyme activity stimulation, and microbial rhizosphere interactions significantly enhancing the yield attributes and yield.

3. R. REX IMMANUEL* AND M. MIRUNA [Quantifying chlorophyll content index for efficient nitrogen management in rice (Oryza sativa L.)]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 196-201 (2024). Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002 (Tamil Nadu), India *(e-mail: rrximmanuel@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Applying nitrogen fertilizer strategically enhances rice productivity in nitrogen-deficient soils. Splitting fertilizer doses across growth stages optimizes nutrient use efficiency. Monitoring chlorophyll levels correlates closely with leaf nitrogen content, crucial for assessing crop health. Non-destructive chlorophyll content meter techniques, such as the Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI), allow for precise nitrogen management adjustments in the field. However, its critical value may differ depending on crops and varieties. Hence, to find out the critical CCI value for rice cv. ADT 43, observational trials were conducted at the Experimental Farm of Annamalai University during two seasons Kuruvai (June-Oct 2023) and Navarai (Dec-March 2024). The pooled data of the present study indicated that the average LNC (maximum tillering, panicle initiation and booting stages) has a linear relationship (R2=0.8545) with the yield of rice crop. The corresponding higher yield (>7t/ha) coincided with LNC of 3.1%. Likewise, the average CCI has a linear relationship (R2=0.9031) with the LNC of rice plants. The corresponding LNC (>7t/ha) was matched with the CCI value of 29. This CCI value of 29 is considered as the critical CCI value. CCI can be used as a decision-support tool for N-fertilization of short duration rice crop, and when CCI reduced below this critical value the farmers can fertilise the field with adequate N.

4. DIVYA MALVIYA, SHREE PRAKASH TIWARI AND RAJESH SHARMA* [Isolation and characterization of alginate producing Azotobacter sp., isolated from rhizospheric soil of Oryza sativa (L.) and Triticum aestivum (L.)]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 202-208 (2024). Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science V. B. S. Purvanchal University, Jaunpur-222003, Uttar Pradesh, India *(e-mail: rajeshdbtpu@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Alginate as biopolymer consisting of -D Mannuronic acid and -L Guluronic acid monomer residues linked by (1-4) glycosidic bond. Brown seaweeds mostly Laminaria sp, Ascophyllum nodosum, Eclonia maxima, Sargassum sp. and Macrocystis pyrifera were earlier used for commercial alginate production. Major drawback of using sea weeds for alginate production were high production cost, impurity issue and safety concerns includes the reasons behind discovery of novel bacterial sources to make an efficient alginate production system. Later two bacterial genera Pseudomonas and Azotobacter were reported for alginate production. However, due to pathogenicity, and quality issue associated with some Pseudomonas strains, Azotobacter sp. was found to be most reliable and prioritized bacterial sources for alginate production with appreciable qualities which will be ready to be used for industrial applications. Therefore, current research aims to isolate and characterize a new strain of Azotobacter sp. with alginate-producing ability. Two different soil samples were collected from two places Deokali and Parsurampur, Jaunpur district in the spring (06 August 2022) and winter (06 February, 2023) seasons from Oryza sativa and Triticum aestivum rhizospheric region respectively. Azotobacter sp. was isolated by using Nitrogen Free Burk’s medium and alginate production was confirmed by gel formation assay method in the presence of CuSO4 and CaCl2 solutions. The carbohydrate qualitative test was done by using Molisch’s Test. Two novel strains Azotobacter chroococcum PU-RSD01 and Azotobacter chroococcum PU-RSD02 were isolated on the basis of high alginate producing ability. Morphological, biochemical and molecular techniques further characterized the isolates.

5. Girish Chandra*, Anita Trivedi, Kamla Dhyani And Shagun Gupta [Evaluating chickpea varietal performance under different levels of phosphorus application]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 209-214 (2024). School of Agricultural Sciences SGRR University, Dehradun-248001 (Uttarakhand), India *(e-mail: girishctiwari24@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Chickpea, a vital legume crop, faces yield limitations due to factors like climatic conditions, nutrition deficiency in soil etc. Therefore, the knowledge of adoptive varieties to prevailing climatic conditions and enhancement yield by nutrient management is essential. The present investigation was carried out to assess the effect of varying levels of phosphorus on growth and yield of chickpea, at Agricultural Research Farm of SGRR University, Dehradun during Rabi season of 2022-23. The treatments of experiment comprise two chickpea varieties viz., PG-186 (V1) and Type 9 (V2) and five levels of phosphorus application i.e., 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg P2O5/ha which were replicated thrice in factorial randomize design. The growth and yield parameters were recorded during different crop growth stages to get the response of treatments. The recorded data shows that the variety Type 9 perform better than variety PG-186 in most of the growth and yield attributing characters. Among the phosphorus doses the application of 45 kg P2O5/ha was perform best among all other treatments. The interaction effects of variety Type 9 with 45 kg P2O5/ha (V2T4) showed maximum growth and yield attributing characters over the other treatment combinations like plant height (46.66 cm), number of branches per plant (5.67), dry matter accumulation in plant (30.67 g), 1000 seeds weight (140.00 g) and seeds yield per hectare (14.30 q/ha). Based on experimental findings it can be concluded that variety Type 9 with application of 45 kg P2O5 /ha is best among all other treatments for higher yield of chickpea at Doon valley of Uttarakhand.

6. M. MUKESH VISHVA* AND D. KUMARIMANIMUTHU VEERAL [Impact of organic nutrient management on growth characteristics of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) var. Kaveri Champ]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 215-219 (2024). Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture Annamalai University, Chidambaram-608 002, Tamil Nadu, India *(e-mail: mukeshvishva17@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

As India’s sunflower production struggles to keep pace with rising consumption, enhancing crop productivity through sustainable practices becomes critical. Organic nutrient management offers a promising solution to this challenge, potentially improving yield while promoting environmental sustainability. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out in the Experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India in March 2024 to investigate the effects of organic nutrient management on the growth and yield attributes of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprised of nine treatments and replicated thrice.  The study assesses the effects of various treatments, including a control; application of FYM @ 12.5 t/ha, vermicompost @ 2.5 t/ha, and press mud @ 10 t/ha, each combined with 50% RDF and Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice; as well as enriched FYM @ 7.5 t/ha, enriched vermicompost @ 1.75 t/ha, and enriched press mud @ 5 t/ha, each with 50% RDF and Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice. Additionally, the effects of 100% RDF with and without Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice are evaluated. Panchakavya is used at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) where applicable. From the results, it was revealed that T6 – Enriched vermicompost @ 1.75 t/ha + 50% RDF + Panchakavya @ 3% (twice at 30 and 45 DAS) had significant effect on growth and yield attributes of hybrid sunflower.

7. Manoj Kumar*, Dinesh Mani, Vipin Sahu, Jeetendra Verma, Rupesh Kumar Ojha and Suraj Patel [Enhancing cadmium phytoremediation in contaminated soil using sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) with EDTA and vermicompost amendments]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 220-226 (2024). Sheila Dhar Institute of Soil Science (SDISS), Department of Chemistry University of Allahabad, Prayagraj-211002, Uttar Pradesh, India *(e-mail: manojkumar14895@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

The study hypothesis posits that EDTA, an effective chelating agent, can effectively mobilize cadmium from soil, augmenting the sunflower’s natural ability to absorb and sequester heavy metals. Concurrently, vermicompost, rich in organic matter and beneficial microorganisms, enhances soil health and supports plant growth, thereby fortifying the sunflower’s phytoremediative potential. The pot experiment was carried out as an overall completely randomized design (CRD) at the Sheila Dhar Institute (SDI) experimental farm, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, in the Kharif season during the years 2023-2024. Plants were cultivated in pots with soil (5 kg) that contained varying concentrations of Cd (0, 15, 30, and 50 mg/kg), vermicompost (0 and 10 g/kg), and EDTA (0 and 2.5 mmol/kg). Plants were also cultivated in containers with clean soil (T1) as control treatment. For analyzed heavy metal (Cd) in plants with a tri-acid mixture (15 ml) containing concentrations of HNO3, H2SO4, and HClO4 in 5:1:2 ratios, use the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The result showed that the combined Treatment (T3) pot of application of Cd 0+ EDTA (2.5 mmol/kg) and vermicompost (10 g/kg) was the maximum dry biomass (14.43 g/pot) of the sunflower plant. While the maximum dose combined treatment (T12) application of Cd 50 mg/kg+ EDTA 2.5 mmol/kg and vermicompost 10 g/kg is greater than before, the maximum accumulation of Cd in the shoot and root of Helianthus annuus L. by shoot 37.16% and root 31.16%, respectively as compared to the control treatment pot Cd-50. The results indicate that the combined application of EDTA and vermicompost significantly increased cadmium uptake by sunflowers compared to untreated controls, demonstrating their synergistic effect in improving phytoremediation efficiency.

8. JEETENDRA VERMA*, DINESH MANI, VIPIN SAHU, DEVI PRASAD SHUKLA, HIMANCHAL VISHWAKARMA, MANOJ KUMAR AND RUPESH KUMAR OJHA [Accumulation of Cd and Pb in soils irrigated with sewage and non-sewage water in Prayagraj, India]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 227-234 (2024). Sheila Dhar Institute of Soil Science (SDISS), Department of Chemistry, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj-211002 (Uttar Pradesh), India *(e-mail: jeetendravermajmv@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Unmanaged agricultural fields and the extended usage of sewage irrigation water can raise the concentration of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) in the soil, turning it into barren soil. The study was conducted during 2022-23 at four sewage and non-sewage irrigated sites in Prayagraj namely Naini, Baxibandh, Rasulabad and Draupadi Ghat. The representative soil samples were taken at depths of 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm. Di-acid mixture method was used for the estimation of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) in the soil sample by AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer) (AAnalyst600, Perkin Elmer Inc., MA, USA). Contamination factor (CF) and enrichment factor % (EF) of different sites showed various results which fulfill the basic criteria of present and future prospective of research. The highest concentration of Cd and Pb was found in the surface layer (0-15 cm) of sewage and non-sewage irrigated sites at Naini i.e., Cd (4.46±0.42 and 1.05±0.08 mg/kg) and Pb (6.53±0.62 and 1.18±0.12 mg/kg) respectively. The lowest concentration of Cd and Pb was found in the sub-surface layer (45-60 cm) of sewage and non-sewage irrigated sites at Draupadi Ghat i.e., Cd (1.02±0.09 and 0.16±0.01 mg/kg) and Pb (1.68±0.12 and 0.18±0.01 mg/kg) respectively. The concentration of heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) declined with soil profile depth in both sewage and non-sewage irrigated soils. The long-term persistence of heavy metal contamination in soil can lead to severe issues; therefore, regular monitoring of sewage-irrigated soils is necessary to minimize heavy metal pollution.

9. A. ARTHI* AND ARUMUGAM SHAKILA [Influence of organic manures on yield parameters of guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Lucknow 49]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 235-238 (2024). Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002, Tamil Nadu, India *(e-mail: aarthi16902@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

The present investigation on “Influence of organic manures on yield parameters of guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Lucknow 49” was conducted in a farmer’s field located at Suthamalli village under Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu during 2023-24. The study aimed to evaluate the application of organic manures, specifically combinations of farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, and neem cake significantly enhanced the yield parameters of guava cv. Lucknow 49 compared to untreated control conditions. The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design in three replications with fourteen treatments. The treatments were designed by combination of FYM, vermicompost, poultry manure and neem cake at different levels. The results of the present study indicated that the yield parameters viz., number of flowers/tree (162.16 and 173.36), number of fruits/tree (151.97 and 163.52), fruit set percentage (93.71 % and 94.32%), fruit length (6.71 and 6.98 cm), fruit diameter (6.89 and 7.10 cm), fruit weight (189.22 and 193.27 g) and yield/tree (29.83 and 34.18 kg) was found to be the highest in two successive crops, the treatment which received soil application of FYM 10 kg + vermicompost 5 kg + poultry manure 2.5 kg + neem cake 5 kg/tree followed by vermicompost 5 kg + poultry manure 2.5 kg + neem cake 5 kg/tree. The least values for all the yield parameters were noticed in the untreated control.

10. Dhaval Nirmal, Sagar Teraiya, Tanvi Baldha and Preetam Joshi* [Studies on the effect of polyamines supplementation on growth and biochemical parameters in rose micropropagation]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 239-246 (2024). Department of Biotechnology Atmiya University, Rajkot-360005, Gujarat, India *(e-mail: preetam.joshi@atmiyauni.ac.in)

ABSTRACT

Rose (Rosa hybrida L. cv. bush rose) micropropagules were cultivated on MS medium supplemented with polyamines (PAs) [Cadaverine (Cad), Spermidine (Spd), and Putrescine (Put)] to investigate its effects on growth and multiplication under in vitro conditions during 2023. Polyamines were added to the medium at different concentrations of 10 mM, 30 mM, and 50 mM via filter sterilization before autoclaving, to assess their impact on in vitro growth parameters, which indicate that a lower concentration of polyamines, specifically at 30 mM, significantly enhances biomass accumulation and overall plant growth, whereas higher concentrations (50 mM) tend to exert a diminishing effect. Biochemical parameters revealed that polyamines at 30 mM notably increased the levels of key biomolecules, including carbohydrates content, proteins content, and chlorophylls content, and also shows significant level of phenol content in the rose micropropagules. Furthermore, antioxidant activities, as measured by superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities, was markedly higher in micropropagules grown on medium supplemented with 30 mM polyamines These findings suggest that low concentrations of polyamines can serve as effective growth regulators, promoting enhanced growth and biochemical responses in rose micropropagation. Therefore, incorporating polyamines, particularly at optimal concentrations, could improve the efficiency and quality of rose micropropagation protocols, benefiting commercial production and conservation efforts.

11. R. REX IMMANUEL* AND S. M. NITHISH SURIYA [Assessment of land configuration techniques on in-situ soil moisture conservation and productivity of rainfed Bt. Cotton in semi-arid production systems]. Crop Res. 59 (5&6): 247-254 (2024). Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002, Tamil Nadu, India *(e-mail: rrximmanuel@gmail.com)

ABSTRACT

Rainfed agriculture is proving to be a significant contributor to cotton production. However, recent climate change characterizes a substantial threat to current rainfed agricultural production, and consequently to farmers’ livelihoods in semi-arid regions. Typical features of these areas are erratic rainfall to frequent dry spells that lead to frequent crop failure and lasting poverty. In-situ soil moisture conservation is an important climate resilience agricultural practice to enhance the productivity of crops in these regions including rainfed Bt cotton. It comprises agronomical land configuration techniques with several local modifications. The experiments were conducted in a field at Okkarai village (11o 22’ N latitude and 78o 53’ E longitudes), Thuraiyur Block, Tiruchirapallai District in the Northwestern Agro-climatic Zone of Tamil Nadu. It was undertaken during the Rabi season (North-East monsoon) of 2022 and 2023. The experiments were laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with 7 treatments with three replications. The treatments consist of different land configuration techniques viz., flat-bed, ridges and furrows, broad bed and furrows (BBF), raised bed, tied ridges, tied ridges (alternate rows) and tied broad beds (TBB). An analysis of pooled mean data of two years showed significant differences between the treatments. Among the land configuration techniques tested, tied ridges (alternate rows) registered the maximum soil moisture content during flowering and boll formation (90 DAS), boll development (120 DAS) and boll and fibre maturation (140 DAS) stages, and the increase was 34.4%, 31.8% and 15.74%, respectively over flat-bed method. Likewise, tied ridges (alternate rows) significantly enhanced the cotton growth characters viz., plant height (128.92 cm), leaf area index (4.52), dry matter production (5.19 t/ha), and yield attributes viz., number of squares (44.50/plant), number of bolls (43.73/plant), boll weight (4.76 g) and seed cotton yield (20.86 q/ha) and cost-benefit ratio (3.07). Tied ridges in alternative row served as low-cost micro catchment approach for trapping and holding water and its practice in semi-arid rainfed region has beneficial effects of reducing runoff and soil loss, increasing soil moisture and augment crop yield.

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