Volume 60, Number 1 & 2 (January & March 2025)
1. Satybhan Singh, Shivam Kumar Saini and Virendra Singh* [Effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of maize (Zea mays L.)]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 1-6 (2025). School of Agricultural Sciences & Engineering IFTM University, Uttar Pradesh 244 102, India *(e-mail: virendra.singhed@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on growth, yield and nutrient uptake in maize. Therefore, investigation was carried out at the Agronomy research farm, IFTM University, Uttar Pradesh, India during the kharif season of 2023. Twelve treatments comprising varying combinations of recommended doses of fertilizers with organic sources such as biogas slurry, vermicompost, farmyard manure, poultry manure, and green manuring with Sesbania spp. were evaluated replicated thrice in a randomized block design (RBD). Maize variety VHM-53 was planted with 50 × 20 cm spacing. Results revealed that different levels of nutrients and organic manures significantly improved the growth, yield attributes, yield and NPK uptake of maize. Highest grain yield was recorded with T9 (75 % RDF + 25 % N through Poultry manure) in which significantly increased all growth attributes viz., plant height, number of leaves, dry weight, leaf area index as well as on yield attributing such as number of cobs/plant, number of grains/cobs, seed index. Grain yield (5200 kg/ha) and NPK uptake was also highest in T9 which was significantly higher over rest of the treatments.
2. KAYALVIZHI. G* AND KUMARIMANIMUTHU VEERAL. D [Effects of integrated nutrient management (INM) practices on physiological and yield traits of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrid NK 7328]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 7-11 (2025). 1Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture Annamalai University, Chidambaram-608 002, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu *(e-mail: dhaskayal@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
Maize is a major global cereal crop with high yield potential and diverse uses in food, feed, and industry. However, its intensive nutrient demand necessitates efficient fertilizer management for sustained productivity. Integrated nutrient management (INM), combining organic and inorganic fertilizers, enhances soil fertility, crop physiology, and yield. Optimizing INM strategies is essential to improve maize productivity while maintaining soil health. A field study was conducted in the Experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India during July 2024 to study the effects of integrated nutrient management on the physiological and yield traits of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprised of nine treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments included different combinations of recommended fertilizer doses (RDF) with organic amendments such as FYM, poultry manure, vermicompost, EM solution applied through soil application and fish amino acid applied through foliar spray. From the results, it was revealed that (T5 – 100% RDF + FYM @ 12.5 t/ha + Fish amino acid @ 0.5 % Foliar spray at 30 DAS) was significantly recorded maximum growth parameters like plant height (196.6 cm), Leaf area index (6.7), Dry matter production (9065.6 kg/ha) and yield parameters Cob length (24.9 cm), No. of grains per cob (511.3), grain yield (7642 kg/ha).
3. SABYASACHI DAS, SAGAR MAITRA, LALICHETTI SAGAR*, MATTA BALAJI, ANGARA PAVAN, MASINA SAIRAM AND RANJEET SINGH BOCHALYA [Effect of split nitrogen application on yield attributes and grain yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 12-17 (2025). M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha-761211, India *(e-mail: lalichetti.sagar@cutm.ac.in)
ABSTRACT
In recent times, climate change is one of the major challenges threatening global food security. In this scenario, cultivation of climate-resilient crops such as pearl millet is gaining momentum. The productivity of pearl millet mainly depends on efficient nitrogen management with optimum split application schedule. The growing popularity of nano urea across the world highlighted its importance in inclusion into split application schedules targeting efficient nitrogen management, leading to an increase in pearl millet yield. In this backdrop, the present research was conducted at Post-Graduation Research Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha during rabi season of 2023-24. The experiment consisted of eight treatments with three replications laid out in randomized block design. The treatments included different nitrogen application schedules, combining basal and split doses with or without foliar spray of nano urea at various growth stages. The results revealed that that the application of 75% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) (50% at basal + 50% at 20 DAS) + foliar spray of nano urea (FSNU) @ 4ml/L at 40 days after sowing (DAS), 50 DAS, and 60 DAS and 75% RDN (50% at basal + 50% at 20 DAS) + FSNU @ 4ml/L at 40 DAS and 50 DAS resulted in comparable yield and yield attributes with 100% RDN of pearl millet. Therefore, 75% RDN (50% at basal + 50% at 20 DAS) + FSNU @ 4ml/L at 40 DAS and 50 DAS could be recommended for inclusion in the package of practices for pearl millet cultivation in South Odisha, India.
4. Nagarajan Kiruthiga, Sundarasamy Dhanapal, Lakshmanan Archana Devi, Chinnappan Deepa Joan of Arc, Asmath Baig Shabeena Begum and Krishnagowdu Saravanan* [Exogenous ascorbic acid priming for mitigation of salinity stress in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cv. Indira Soy]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 18-27 (2025). Post Graduate and Research Center in Biotechnology Arignar Anna College (Arts and Science), Krishnagiri-635 115, Tamil Nadu, India *(e-mail: saravanankrishnagowdu95@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
Soil salinity, a pressing issue in arid and semi-arid regions, severely limits agricultural productivity and threatens food security. Exploring effective strategies to enhance crop resilience is crucial, particularly using natural compounds like ascorbic acid, known to mitigate stress and improve plant performance under adverse conditions. This study investigates the role of ascorbic acid in improving salt stress tolerance in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) by analysing morpho-physiological, and biochemical parameters. Soybean seeds (cv. Indira soy) were primed with ascorbic acid at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 mg/L and inoculated into MS medium supplemented with 100 mM NaCl-induced salinity stress. Significant enhancements were observed in treated plants compared to untreated controls. Morphological improvements included a 45% increase in shoot length and a 33% rise in root biomass at 50 mg/L concentration. Photosynthetic efficiency, indicated by chlorophyll and carotenoid content, improved by 28% and 35%, respectively. The antioxidant defence was significantly enhanced, with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities increasing by 35 and 47%, respectively, while lipid peroxidation was reduced by 48%, indicating lower oxidative damage. Furthermore, osmolyte accumulation, including proline (52%) and soluble sugars (43%), contributed to better osmotic adjustment and stress resilience. The results exhibit that ascorbic acid effectively mitigates salt-induced stress in soybean by improving growth, physiological parameters, and oxidative defence mechanisms. This study underscores the potential of ascorbic acid as a cost-effective, sustainable strategy to enhance crop resilience in saline conditions, offering a promising avenue for improved agricultural productivity.
5. K. R. HEMASREE, MASINA SAIRAM, SAGAR MAITRA*, SUMIT RAY, NORI MAHESWARI, DINKAR J. GAIKWAD AND SANTOSH D. T. [Effects of sulphur and zinc on growth and productivity of summer cowpea under conditions of southern Odisha]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 28-34 (2025). Department of Agronomy and Agroforestry M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi-761211, Odisha, India *(e mail: sagar.maitra@cutm.ac.in)
ABSTRACT
Cowpea is a climate-smart crop that can be grown in various conditions, such as drought and sandy soils and it is one of the important grain legumes in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In legume crops like cowpea, N, P, K, sulphur and zinc play a crucial role in plant metabolism. Sulphur is essential for synthesizing amino acids and proteins, bolstering plant defence mechanisms against environmental stresses such as drought and heat. Zinc is crucial for various plant physiological functions, including enzyme activation and protein synthesis. Considering the above facts, the present study was carried out at the Post Graduate Research Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Odisha during the summer of 2023-24. The Experiment was laid out in factorial RBD with 12 treatment combinations consisting of 4 sulphur doses (control, 10 kg, 20 kg and 30 kg) and 3 levels of zinc foliar application (0.1 %, 0.2% and 0.3%) at 30 and 50 DAS. The result revealed that the application of 30 kg/ha sulphur recorded the highest growth parameters, yield attributes and yield. However, the application of zinc 0.3% recorded the highest growth parameters, yield components and yield. From the study, it may be concluded that the application of sulphur at the rate of 30 kg/ha and foliar zinc application 0.3% at 30 and 50 DAS can be applied for obtaining higher productivity of cowpea during summer.
6. SANTOSH D. T., PANKAJ UPRETI*, SAGAR MAITRA, MASINA SAIRAM AND DINKAR J GAIKWAD [Impact of fertigation and plastic mulch on yield, economics and fruit quality of guava]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 35-44 (2025). Agricultural and Food Engineering Department Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India *(e-mail: pankaj.upreticot@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
Fertigation and plastic mulch are advanced agronomic practices that enhance nutrient use efficiency, soil moisture retention, and overall crop productivity. A field experiment on the cultivation of guava was carried out on sandy clay loam soil of the Kharagpur region of India and studied the response of guava under drip fertigation and plastic mulch. This study’s aim was to optimize the amount of water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) application through the drip. Four treatments were 100, 80, 60 and 40% of the recommended amount of soluble fertilizer application through the drip at 80% of crop water requirement, and two treatments of solid fertilizer application as side dressing to plants, irrigation through drip with and without plastic mulch. Quality analyses of guava fruit were performed to study the influence of different treatments. Economic analysis was done to know the economic feasibility of using drip fertigation and black plastic mulch for the cultivation of guava. Fruit quality analysis showed that there was no definite trend obtained for the weight, volume, true density, and the dimension of fruits. The peel: pulp: seed ratio, ascorbic acid, total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar, reducing sugar content and TSS to acid ratio were highest and the pH of fruit and ash content were lowest for treatment 80% fertilizer requirement with drip fertigation (T2). The yield of guava crop has significantly increased under drip fertigation as compared to solid fertilizer application as side dressing. The yield of guava was highest for the treatment T2 as 26.48 t/ha. Economic analysis showed that the B-C ratio, net income, and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) were higher with treatment T2, i.e., fertigation through drip and plastic mulch (0.8 FDM) as compared to other treatments. Based on the economic analysis, treatment T2 (0.8FDM) resulted in the highest net income from 1 ha area with INR 401717 and B:C ratio of 4.0 followed by T5 (3.9), T3 (3.9), T4 (3.5), T6 (3.3) and T1 (3.1) in that order.
7. Anil Kumar Acharya*, Durga Mani Gautam, Bhim Bahadur Khatri, Puspa Raj Poudel and Kishor Chandra Dahal** [Effect of gibberellic acid application on berry yield and quality of grapevine cv. Cabernet Sauvignon]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 45-52 (2025). Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal (e-mail: *acharyanilku@gmail.com; **kishor.dahal@iaas.tu.edu.np)
ABSTRACT
Nepal imports vast amounts of fresh and dried grapes every year and the trend is increasing. The massive gap in demand and production shows a great scope to expand the production of quality grapes. Gibberellic Acid (GA3), an important plant growth regulator, is used to cluster (bunch) loosening, thinning berries, and increasing berry sizes for better yield and quality of berries, however, the timing and stages of application are crucial. This study was carried out to assess the effect of GA3 doses and identify the suitable berry stage for its application in cv. Cabernet Sauvignon during 2023 and 2024 in a commercial vineyard at Patleban Vineyard and Winery, Dhading, Nepal. Experiments were carried out in randomized complete block design with two factors i.e., three doses of GA3 (0, 5 and 10 ppm) and three stages of application (post-flowering, 4-5 mm size berry and both post-flowering and 4-5 mm berry stage). The applied GA3 doses along with different stages of its application had no significant effect on the yield and quality attributes of berry. In 2023 and 2024, berry transversal and longitudinal diameters partially influenced berry weight variation. On average, the transversal diameter accounted for 30.56% of the variation, while the longitudinal diameter explained 24.33%. Sizing spray (i.e. post-set berry) of GA3 after berry set is ineffective for improving yield in Cabernet Sauvignon. However, due to variability among grape cultivars, its application may benefit other wine grapes. Further, cultivar-specific research is recommended to optimize GA3 use.
8. Mannat Parbhakar, Praveen Guleria and Vineet Kumar* [Hydroponically exposed lead nitrate influenced growth, antioxidant and oxidative dynamics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus)]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 53-60 (2025). Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi G.T. Road Phagwara-144411, Punjab, India *(e-mail: vineetkumar22@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals affecting plant growth and development. Lead toxicity causes serious damage to plants, ranging from seed germination to productivity. Given this, the present study documents the significant reduction in morphological and biochemical parameters of cucumber treated hydroponically with 150, 250 and 500 µM of lead nitrate. The morphological parameters of cucumber, shoot-root elongation, and fresh weight were considerably decreased with an increase in the lead nitrate concentration. Likewise, the biochemical parameters of lead nitrate treated cucumber were significantly reduced than non-treated control plants. However, the stressed cucumber showed enhanced non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant parameters but were not able to regulate the oxidative stress. The present study, thus indicates the need of exploring sustainable solutions for agricultural productivity to target the abiotic stress.
9. CHANDRASEKHAR SAHU, DINKAR JAGANNATH GAIKWAD*, SATYABRATA NANDA, GOUTAM KUMAR DASH, SAGAR MAITRA, SUBASH CHANDRA MUNDA AND SANJANA MULLAPUDI [Comparative performance of lettuce cultivars Batavia and Romain in nutrient film technique under hydroponics system]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 61-67 (2025). Centurion University of Technology and Management Odisha-761211, India *(e-mail: dinkargaikwad02@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
Due to the impact of climate change, modern agriculture faces growing challenges demanding innovative and sustainable solutions like soilless farming. Hydroponic systems, particularly the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), have gained attention for their efficiency in water, nutrient and space management. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable known for its health-promoting nutrients and bioactive compounds, making it a key candidate for hydroponic cultivation. The experiment was conducted at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India, using an A-frame vertical NFT system with four tiers designed to hold 64 mesh pots. After preparation of the nursery in pro-trays, lettuce seedlings of Batavia and Romain were transferred into the NFT channels and grown in a circulating nutrient solution with slightly acidic pH (5.5-6.5) and electrical conductivity (1.0–2.4 dS/m) throughout the crop cycle. The cultivar Romain exhibited superior growth characteristics, including increased leaf area, plant height, root length, and chlorophyll content. Conversely, Batavia displayed higher fresh leaf weight, indicating its potential for applications prioritizing fresh weight. Notably, Romain’s leaves showed marginally higher nitrogen content, which correlated with its enhanced biomass and chlorophyll concentration.
10. SHANMUGAM BHUVANESWARI AND CHANDRASEKARAN SARUMATHI* [Influence of powdered chicken bone and eggshell on the growth and development of Solanum nigrum L.]. Crop Research 60 (1&2): 68-73 (2025). Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, Srinivasa Ramanujan Centre SASTRA Deemed to be University, Kumbakonam-612 001, Tamil Nadu, India *(e-mail: sarumathichandrasekaran@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
As the global population continues to grow, sustainable food production is essential to meet future needs while conserving natural resources and safeguarding the environment. Organic fertilizers like eggshells and chicken bones can enhance Solanum nigrum growth more effectively than urea. This study investigated the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil characteristics, along with the growth and yield of Solanum nigrum. The study was conducted between January and March 2024 (winter and early summer season) at SASTRA University, Kumbakonam. The experiment used five treatments, such as a control, 2g, 4g, and 6g of powdered chicken bone and eggshell, and 6g of urea. All treatments were replicated three times. Significant effects (P<0.05) were observed on yield parameters such as leaf count, root length, plant height, and fruit maturity. T3 (6g of powdered chicken bone and eggshell) showed the highest plant growth and increased nutrient availability. NPK content in 6g of powdered chicken bone and eggshell treated soil has significantly higher, with a notable increase from day 0 to day 60. These findings suggest that powdered chicken bone and eggshell organic fertilizer can enhance the vegetative growth of Solanum nigrum.
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