Quantification of yield gaps in rain-fed rice, wheat, cotton and mustard in India

Rainfed farming / Crop yield / Simulation / Rice / Wheat / Cotton / Mustard / India

Biotoxic effects of the herbicides on growth, seed yield, and grain protein of greengram

We studied the effects of atrazine, isoproturon, metribuzin and sulfosulfuron on plant vigour, nodulation, chlorophyll content, seed yield and protein content in seeds, in greengram inoculated with Bradyrhizobium sp. (vigna). The pre-emergence application of the four herbicides at 400 µg kg-1 of soil adversely affected the measured parameters. The average maximum increase of 10 % in seed yield occurred at 200 µg kg-1 of sulfosulfuron, while atrazine at 200 and 400 µg kg-1 of soil decreased the seed yield by 25 % and 40%, respectively. The average maximum chlorophyll content of 1.2 mg g-1 was obtained at 200 µg kg-1 of sulfosulfuron which declined consistently for all herbicides and increasing dose rates. Sulfosulfuron at 200 µg kg-1 increased the number of nodules found per plant by 7 % at 45 days after seeding the greengram. In contrast, the tested dose rates of atrazine, isoproturon and metribuzin significantly reduced the nodulation (nodule number and dry mass). The average maximum grain protein of 182 mg g-1 was obtained for sulfosulfuron at 400 µg kg-1, while minimum grain protein was obtained at 400 µg kg-1- of isoproturon (124 mg g-1) and atrazine (125 mg g-1) application. Among the herbicides tested, atrazine and metribuzin showed a large degree of phytotoxicity to the crop, inhibiting its vegetative growth and was thus incompatible with greengram. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 10(3) 2006: 141-14

Chorioangioma with pre-eclampsia and IUGR: a case report

Chorioangioma is a non-trophoblastic benign tumour of the placenta, arising from the primitive chorionic mesenchyme with an estimated incidence of 0.6% diagnosed antenatal on ultrasound imaging. Small chorioangiomas are often asymptomatic with a frequency of about 1%, giant chorioangiomas more than >5 cm in diameter, are rare seen in 1:3500 to 1:16000 births and are associated with maternal and fetal complications. We report a case of 23-year-old, primigravida 36.4 weeks of gestation with pre-eclampsia with asymmetrical intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), ultrasound suggestive of large placental chorioangioma 8×6.8 cm. This patient despite having large tumour and being diagnosed late at 35 weeks had a favourable maternal and fetal outcome. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis

Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for sustainable crop production

Climate change is the main environmental problem facing humanity. Evidences over the past few decades show that significant changes in climate are taking place all over the world as a result of enhanced human activities through deforestation emission of various greenhouse gases and indiscriminate use of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane and Nitrous Oxide are the major greenhouse gases. CO2 enters the atmosphere mostly through burning fossil fuels. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and Nitrous Oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities. Global atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased from pre-industrial level of 280 parts per million (ppm) to 408 ppm in Feb 2018. Global projections indicate higher temperature of 1.5 to 4.5°C by the year 2050 as a result of enhanced greenhouse gases. There is medium confidence in that the Indian summer monsoon circulation weakens but this is compensated by increased atmospheric moisture content leading to more rainfall. There is medium confidence in an increase of Indian summer monsoon rainfall and its extremes throughout the 21st century under all RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) scenarios

Studies on biological decomposition of wheat straw. 4. Incorporation of wheat straw and its microbial decomposers on yields of groundnut followed by wheat.

The incorporation of undecomposed wheat straw in the soil together with the microorganisms for its decomposition increased the yield of a groundnut crop. An increase of 37% in yield was recorded when wheat straw was inoculated with Penicillium digitatum and C:P ratio was adjusted to 65. Inoculated treatments of a narrower C:P ratio gave a higher yield than wider C:P ratio treatments inoculated with the same cultures. N uptake by groundnut plants increased due to incorporation of straw + the microorganisms. The organic C and N content of the soil increased with all treatments except the control. The highest increase in soil organic C and N was with a treatment of wheat straw of 65 C:P ratio inoculated with Staphylotrichum coccosporum. The yield of wheat after the groundnut was significantly more with several treatments than in the control plots. The highest increase of 79% in grain yield of wheat was in the plots which had previously received wheat straw of 200 C:P ratio

Studies on Biological Decomposition of Wheat-Straw II. Screening of Wheat-straw Decomposing Microorganisms under Field Conditions

The straw decomposing ability of microorganisms which were previously screened under laboratory conditions was evaluated under field conditions. Out of sixteen microorganisms tested Aspergillus sp., Cytophaga rubra, mixed inoculation with all cultures, Cellulomol1as uda, Bacillus macerans and St'rratia kiliensis decomposed wheat straw within sixty days after inoculation. A gradual decline in total nitrogen and organic carbon contents was observed during decomposition period of 120 days. The inoculat ion of straw with different microorganisms had no significant effect on total phosphorus and potash content of compost, whereas humic aci

Changes in temperature and pH of wheat straw during its decomposition

Temperature and pH are some of the important regulative factors in 1he break down and synthesis of organic matter in soil and in manures. Temperature and pH affects the rate of chemical, particularly enzymatic reaction and it influences in part elective1y, the development of micro-organisms. The effect of temperature on the decomposition. of organic maHer in soil was studied by Aliev (1962) and Elkan.(1960)..

Mineralization of Nutrients During Biological Degradation of Wheat Straw

Mineralizing activities cf different inoculated microorganisms during degradation of straw were studied. The inoculated microorganisms showed an increased release of ammonical and nitrate nitrogen during degradation. Inoculation has proved its special role in mineralization of phosphorus. Penicilliltm sp. was found to be most active in releasing available phosphorus. The amount of potash declined as the degradation progressed

Alfisols of the Semi-Arid Tropics: Problems and Potentials

Alfisols are the third most important soil order in the world, covering 13.1% of the world area. In the semi-arid tropics, Alfisols cover a much larger area of potentially arable and grazable lands than Vertisols, which have until now received far more attention from ICRISAT researchers. About 62% of the world’s Alfisols are located in West Africa and Indi

Influence Of Tillage Practices And Residue Management Practices on Yield Attributes And Yield Of Maize In Maize-Based Cropping Systems Under Semi-Arid Tropics

A field experiment was conducted during kharif and rabi in 2016-17 and 2017-18 at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics, Patancheru, Hyderabad to study the influence of tillage practices and residue management practices on yield attributes and yield of maize in maize-based cropping systems under semi-arid tropics. The field experiment was laid out on broad-beds and furrows in a split-split design with four replications under rainfed conditions. Main plot consisted of two tillage practices (minimum tillage and conventional tillage), sub-plot of two crop residue management practices (residue addition and no-residue addition) and sub-sub plot of two cropping systems (Maize-chickpea sequential cropping and maize+pigeonpea intercropping system). The results revealed that yield and yield attributes of maize did not vary significantly due to tillage practices, however, minimum tillage led to considerable yield losses. Among the residue management practices, addition of crop residue recorded significantly higher yield and yield attributes (cob girth, number of grain rows and test weight) as compared to no residue addition. Yield attributes and yield remained non-significant among the two cropping systems