Influence of 36 years of integrated nutrient management on soil carbon sequestration, environmental footprint and agronomic productivity of wheat under rice-wheat cropping system

A long-term field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different combinations of integrated nutrient management (INM) on carbon sequestration and wheat yield in a rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment consisted of 11 treatments that were replicated three times. The organic manures used in the study included farmyard manure (FYM), wheat straw (WS), and green manure (GM) with Sesbania aculeata. The results of the experiment revealed that the application of 50% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) along with 50% nitrogen (N) through FYM during rice cultivation, and RDF during wheat cultivation, led to a significant increase in soil organic carbon (SOC). Specifically, the SOC content was enhanced by 46.4% (18.29 Mg ha-1) compared to RDF in rice and wheat, resulting in a C sequestration rate of 0.22 Mg ha-1 year-1. These increases were higher in treatments that combined organic and inorganic inputs. Additionally, the application of 50% RDF and substituting 50% of the nitrogen with FYM during wheat cultivation resulted in a 24.7% increase in grain yield compared to RDF in rice and wheat. The INM treatments, showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher agronomic efficiency (AE) of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), partial factor productivity (PFP) of N, P and K, and carbon pool index (CPI) compared to the application of inorganic fertilizers at the recommended dose. Moreover, the INM treatments also exhibited lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity. Application of neither chemical fertilizers nor organic manure (T1) resulted in maximum GHG emission intensity (328.1 kg CO2 eq Mg−1 yield). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the combined use of inorganic fertilizers and organic manures significantly increased crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration while reducing GHG emissions in a rice-wheat cropping system in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (EIGP) of India

Impact of Different Fertilizer Sources under Supplemental Irrigation and Rainfed Conditions on Eco-Physiological Responses and Yield Characteristics of Dragon’s Head (Lallemantia iberica)

The effects of the irrigation regime and different fertilizer sources on the eco-physiological responses and yield characteristics of dragon’s head were explored in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments and 3 replications in the 2019 growing season. The treatments included six different fertilizer sources (animal manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, biofertilizer, chemical fertilizer, and control) and two irrigation regimes (rainfed and supplemental irrigation). The results indicated the positive effects of supplementary irrigation and the application of vermicompost, poultry manure, and animal manure by increasing the absorption of nutrients (phosphorus and potassium) and improving relative water contents, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and the fixed oil percentage of dragon’s head. The activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase decreased in the rainfed plants, whereas organic fertilizer application increased the antioxidant enzyme activity. The highest grain yield (721 kg ha−1), biological yield (5858 kg ha−1), total flavonoids (1.47 mg g−1 DW), total phenol (27.90 mg g−1 DW), fixed oil yield (200.17 kg ha−1), and essential oil yield (1.18 kg ha−1) were noted in plants that were treated with vermicompost under supplemental irrigation. Therefore, it is recommended that organic fertilizers such as vermicompost and poultry manure be used to substitute chemical fertilizers. These practices can help popularize organic crops using rainfed and supplementary irrigation

Weed dynamics and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under various tillage and weed management practices

The reduced yield under conventional tillage is due to more crop-weed competition and more dry matter accumulation by the weeds (Kumar et al. 2018). Due to zero weed competition, weed-free treatments yielded the highest grain yield of all weed management practices. In contrast to this, the lowest grain yield was obtained in weedy treatment due to season-long weed competition. Maximum yield under W8 is due to broadspectrum activity of these herbicides (Sharma et al. 2014, Sunil et al. 2021). The use of zero tillage reduced weed incidence and suppression, leading to higher grain yields. Therefore, zero tillage and metsulfuron 20% wp 4 g a.i./ha + clodinafop propargyl 15% wp 60 g a.i./ha should be practiced for minimizing weed growth and maximizing the yield

Productivity, water use efficiency and soil properties of sugarcane as influenced by trash mulching and irrigation regimes under different planting systems in sandy loam soils

IntroductionIn the era of climate change, sugarcane used to face a problem associated with water shortage due to erratic rainfall patterns and lowered water tables. Improved water use efficiency using innovative crop management strategy is needed for sustainable sugarcane production. Trash mulching with different irrigation regimes can effectively modify the plant's hydrothermal micro-environment for increasing cane yield and water productivity.MethodsKeeping this in the background, a field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, RPCAU, Pusa, India, from 2016–17 to 2018–19 to investigate the effects of trash mulching and irrigation regimes on sugarcane productivity, water use efficiency (WUE) and soil properties in different planting systems. The field experiment comprised 12 treatments including four planting methods viz. conventional flat planting (CF; 75 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), CF planting (75 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1), paired row trench (PT) planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), PT planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1) and three irrigation schedules consisted of irrigation water (IW); cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) ratio of 0.60, 0.80, and 1.00 was laid out in strip plot design with three replications.Results and discussionThe cane yield (103.5 t ha−1) was found significantly higher in PT planting with trash mulching over the CF planting method with or without mulching. Concerning irrigation regimes using the IW/CPE ratio, it was found that the IW/CPE of 0.6 resulted in 16.9, 13.3% higher water-use efficiency, and 37.1, 40.7% higher water productivity over those under IW/CPE of 0.8, and 1.00, respectively. Furthermore, soil parameters like soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and dehydrogenase activity were increased by 12.5, and 17.5 % due to trash mulching with trench planting as compared to those under conventional flat planting without mulching. The results suggest that planting sugarcane in paired rows and irrigation scheduling at 1.00 IW/CPE with the adoption of trash mulching practices is effective for increasing profitability by way of higher sugarcane productivity and water productivity and also in sustaining soil health

Efficient regeneration of in vitro derived plants and genetic fidelity assessment of Phalaenopsis orchid

This study uses inflorescence stalk node as explants to establish an efficient and quick Phalaenopsis orchids cloning procedure for the most significant monopodial orchid in floriculture, without callus formation. The current study aimed to develop a rapid and easy regeneration process utilizing flower stalk nodes as explants, while also evaluating the clonal fidelity of the in vitro micropropagated plants through the analysis of RAPD markers. The tissue-cultured plantlets were grown on a solidified half-strength Murashig and Skoog (MS) base medium enriched with 15% coconut water (CW), 150 mg L−1 activated charcoal, and a mixture of 6-benzylaminopurine, BAP (cytokinins) and α-napthalene acetic acid, NAA and indole 3-butyric acid, IBA (auxins). After 14 weeks of growth, the early production of shoot bud was reported in ½ MS medium enriched with 2.5 mg L−1 BAP alone. Maximum shoot bud multiplication was observed in ½ MS fortified with BAP (2.5 mg L−1) + NAA (1.0 mg L−1), while the lowest was observed in 1.5 mg L−1 BAP + 0.5 mg L−1 IBA after 4 months of culturing. In this investigation, roots emerged simultaneously with shoot elongation from the axil, indicating the absence of a distinct rooting stage. The largest number of roots (3.25) was produced by BAP (2.5 mg L−1) + IBA (1.0 mg L−1) compared to NAA. Control, on the other hand, displayed no signs of root growth. Tissue cultured plantlets with well developed root systems while planted in a potting mixture of brick and charcoal (1: 1) resulted in a 70% survival rate during hardening. The clonal faithfulness of in vitro regenerated crop plantlets to the mother plant was demonstrated by the DNA extraction method with ten micropropagated plants’ young leaves as well as the mother plant using random amplification of a polymorphic DNA marker

ड्रोन प्रौद्योगिकी - भारतीय कृषि में इसका अनुप्रयोग

ड्रोन, जिसे मानव रहित हवाई वाहन (यूएवी) के रूप में भी जाना जाता है, इसमें देश की खाद्य सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करके भारतीय कृषि में क्रांति लाने की क्षमता है। ड्रोन नियम 2021 ने देश में नागरिकों और व्यवसायों के लिए ड्रोन का स्वामित्व और संचालन करना आसान बना दिया है तथा अनुमति प्राप्त करने के शुल्क को भी नाममात्र के स्तर तक घटा दिया गया है। ड्रोन में कई विशेषताएं हैं, जैसे कि मल्टी-स्पेक्ट्रल और फोटो कैमरा इत्यादि। यह कृषि के कई पहलुओं में भी उपयोग किया जा सकता है, जिसमें फसल तनाव की निगरानी, पौधों की वृद्धि, पैदावार की भविष्यवाणी करना और कीटनाशकों, उर्वरक और पानी का वितरण करना शामिल है। ड्रोन का उपयोग किसी भी वनस्पति या फसल के स्वास्थ्य का विश्लेषण साथ ही साथ खरपतवार, रोगों और कीटों से प्रभाविते क्षेत्रों और इन उपद्रवों से निपटने के लिए आवश्यक रसायनों की सटीक मात्रा का आकलन करने के लिए उपयोग किया जा सकता है

Nutraceutical properties and secondary metabolites of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): a review

ABSTRACTQuinoa is a food grain crop that has gained popularity in recent years due to its high nutrient content, phytochemical qualities, and health advantages. Quinoa grain has a high concentration of amino acids, fiber, minerals, vitamins, saponins, and phenolics that can help alleviate various biological diseases in the human body. It contains a variety of biological components and nutraceutical compounds that promote human health. It is an extremely nutritious, gluten-free wonder grain and has the potential to be utilized as biomedicine owing to the existence of functional chemicals that may aid in the prevention of various chronic illnesses. Quinoa has gained popularity in recent years due to its excellent nutritional content and as a component in gluten-free food. It could help to guide the population toward better health. Due to its higher nutritional and health benefits compared to traditional cereal grains, including its high protein concentration, tocopherols, fatty acids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, low glycemic index, and gluten-free status, it is a promising grain for human consumption and nutrition around the world. The present review paper has been undertaken to provide an overview of the nutrient composition and valuable nutraceutical properties of quinoa

Table_1_Productivity, water use efficiency and soil properties of sugarcane as influenced by trash mulching and irrigation regimes under different planting systems in sandy loam soils.DOCX

IntroductionIn the era of climate change, sugarcane used to face a problem associated with water shortage due to erratic rainfall patterns and lowered water tables. Improved water use efficiency using innovative crop management strategy is needed for sustainable sugarcane production. Trash mulching with different irrigation regimes can effectively modify the plant's hydrothermal micro-environment for increasing cane yield and water productivity.MethodsKeeping this in the background, a field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, RPCAU, Pusa, India, from 2016–17 to 2018–19 to investigate the effects of trash mulching and irrigation regimes on sugarcane productivity, water use efficiency (WUE) and soil properties in different planting systems. The field experiment comprised 12 treatments including four planting methods viz. conventional flat planting (CF; 75 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), CF planting (75 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1), paired row trench (PT) planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), PT planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1) and three irrigation schedules consisted of irrigation water (IW); cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) ratio of 0.60, 0.80, and 1.00 was laid out in strip plot design with three replications.Results and discussionThe cane yield (103.5 t ha−1) was found significantly higher in PT planting with trash mulching over the CF planting method with or without mulching. Concerning irrigation regimes using the IW/CPE ratio, it was found that the IW/CPE of 0.6 resulted in 16.9, 13.3% higher water-use efficiency, and 37.1, 40.7% higher water productivity over those under IW/CPE of 0.8, and 1.00, respectively. Furthermore, soil parameters like soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and dehydrogenase activity were increased by 12.5, and 17.5 % due to trash mulching with trench planting as compared to those under conventional flat planting without mulching. The results suggest that planting sugarcane in paired rows and irrigation scheduling at 1.00 IW/CPE with the adoption of trash mulching practices is effective for increasing profitability by way of higher sugarcane productivity and water productivity and also in sustaining soil health.</p