Pulsed electromagnetic field - a cultivation practice used to increase soybean seed germination and yield

The aim of the research was to test the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on soybean seed germination and yield depending on specific field conditions, years of study, exposure duration and frequency. Field trial was conducted on an experimental field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2010-2013. Seeds of the soybean (Glycine hispida (Moench)) medium-early cultivar. Valjevka 'were exposed to the PEMF therapy using the impulse generator and strip. Low-frequency (16, 24, 30 and 72 Hz) PEMF was used in the duration of 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Research results indicate that this method can increase seed germination up to 8.00% and yield by 960.5 kg, or 21% in field conditions, which is a significant increase and a solid basis to introduce this practice, primarily in organic production with a very limited use of seed treatment preparations. However, the practice can have an inhibitory effect under an unfavourable combination of exposure duration and frequency. The obtained data were processed using the analysis of variance of three-factorial trials considering all years of study. Due to different meteorological conditions in the study years, analysis of variance was conducted for each year of study and correlations between the tested traits were examined

Assessment of carbon loss related to Soil loss in the tropical watershed of Maharashtra, India

Soil carbon pools have a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and soil erosion caused by natural or human activities is one of the main drivers of changes in soil carbon sequestration. The present study aimed to estimate the carbon loss associated with soil loss in the watershed using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The study was carried out at the Central MPKV Campus Watershed, Rahuri, located in the rain shadow region of the Maharashtra state, India. The soil loss from the watershed was estimated using USLE model. The soil loss and carbon loss from the watershed were estimated before the implementation of conservation measures and after the implementation of conservation measures. It was found that the average annual soil loss from the watershed before and after conservation measures was 18.68 t/ha/yr and 9.41 t/ha/yr, respectively. Carbon loss was determined by soil loss rate, organic carbon content and the carbon enrichment ratio. The carbon loss from the watershed before and after conservation measures was 348.71 kgC/ha/yr and 205.52 kgC/ha/yr. The findings revealed that soil and carbon erosion was very severe on steep slopes without conservation measures and with limited vegetation cover. It was found that by reducing the carbon loss associated with soil loss, soil conservation measures not only aid in the conservation of natural resources but also serve as a climate change mitigation measure

Effect of Pre-harvest Sprays of Insecticides/Botanicals for Control of Pulse Beetle Infestation and Seed Weight Loss in Mung Bean during Storage

Field-cum-laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of pre-harvest spray of insecticides and botanicals for control of pulse beetle in mung bean at Seed Technology Research Unit, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, during kharif 2020 and summer 2021 with four treatments of pre-harvest spray of insecticides and botanicals and two genotypes of mung bean (Phule Vaibhav and BM 2003-2). The results noticed that, pulse beetle infestation and seed weight loss differed significantly due to pre- harvest spray of insecticides. The lowest number of pulse beetle infestation (%) and seed weight loss (%) were recorded in treatment Emamectine Benzoate@ 0.3 ml/L followed by Neemazal 10000 ppm @ 4 ml/L. In case of genotypes lower number of Pulse beetle infestation and seed weight loss were recorded in Phule Vaibhav as compared BM 2003-2. Among the interaction effect significantly lowest pulse beetle infestation as well as seed weight loss was observed with pre-harvest spraying of Emamectine Benzoate@ 0.3 ml/L in Phule Vaibhav to check the infestation of pulse beetle during storage up to 270 day