Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss) is a major oilseed crop with more than 90% share in the acreage of oilseed brassicas grown in India. White rust is one of the major diseases that hamper the productivity and production to a considerable level. One collection (GP-11-222) from village-Van, Block-Dewal of district Almora (Altitude 7612 msl, Longitude 790 37.454; Latitude 300 11.45) grown in the field during 2011-12 showed segregation for several traits including reaction against white rust disease. The crop season during 2011-12 at Pantnagar was highly congenial for development of white rust disease therefore, helped in screening of germplasm for the diseases under natural conditions in the field. As a result of which 22 plants showing resistance to white rust were selected. Screening of descendants of selections from 2011-12 to 2016-17 in the field under artificially inoculated condition resulted into 14 promising lines. During 2015-16 and 2016-17 these 14 selected lines were screened in the field as well as in the glasshouse under controlled condition by the pathologist. All the 14
lines were found completely free from white rust infection in field condition while at cotyledonary stage four progenies have shown immune reaction and six progenies have shown resistance reaction. At true leaf stage only four progenies have shown resistance reaction. Out of these four progenies, only one progeny had also shown at par performance in terms of morphological traits. Genetic study indicated presence of single dominant gene conferring resistance against white rust. Allelic study showed presence of a different source of resistance gene in the identified line. Further studies on its molecular verification need to be done.
Even though there are abundant rice genetic resources, only a fraction is used in breeding programs leading to a narrow genetic base for improved varieties. In order to develop superior cultivars, each crop breeding programme must have genetic variability. In the present investigation, fifty rice genotypes were used to estimate the genetic variability, heritability, and
genetic advance for yield and yield-related traits. The experiment was conducted using RBD with two replications. In the current investigation, analysis of variance revealed significant difference among the 50 rice genotypes studied for various quantitative traits. Phenotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 7.66 to 23.01 %. Highest value obtained for number of
effective tillers (23.01%) followed by leaf length (19.77%) and lowest value obtained for panicle length (7.66%). Genotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 3.69 to 19.47%. Highest value obtained for number of effective tillers (19.47%) followed by leaf length (18.27%) and plant height (13.23%). PCV is higher than GCV but there was a small difference between value of GCV and PCV which indicated low impact of environment. Heritability in broad sense ranged from 23.2 to 97.8 %. High heritability
obtained for plant height (97.8%) followed by days to maturity (95.7%) and days to 50% flowering (94%) and lowest value was obtained for panicle length (23.2%) followed by yield per plant (30.3%). Genetic advance percentage of mean ranged from 3.66 to 34.80 %. Genetic advance percentage of mean was highest for leaf length (34.802 %) followed by number of effective tillers (33.94%) and plant height (26.96 %). In present investigation, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance obtained for
plant height, days to 50% flowering, leaf length and number of effective tillers. This revealed presence of additive genetic variance and hence selection for above mention traits may be effective. Furthermore, genetic materials used in the current investigation exhibited adequate genetic variability which can be utilized in crop improvement programs.
The primary production of an ecosystem is primarily dependent upon net photosynthesis (Pn). Furthermore, rapid and non-destructive techniques for the assessment of Pn are needed to monitor the plant growth and development. Hence, we evaluated the hyperspectral measurements to estimate the Pn under different nitrogen treatments in rice crop. Other variables like photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and chlorophyll content index (CCI) were also measured simultaneously at three different growth stages of rice. Vegetation index (VI) was calculated using the hyperspectral measurements to develop a model based on VI, PAR, and CCI to estimate Pn. The response of Pn to the normalized difference vegetation index developed at 700nm (NDVI700) was found better in comparison to the other VIs. Furthermore, the model with CCI x NDVI x PAR (R2 = 0.77) was found best among all the models tested to estimate the net photosynthesis.
This paper presents insights into integrated farming systems (IFS) of crops with livestock and allied enterprises, implemented in on-station situation. Research studies have demonstrated the technical feasibility and economic viability of
integrated farming systems. Compared with traditional cropping system (rice-wheat), the proposed 1.0 ha IFS model (crops+dairy+horticulture/agroforestry+fisheries+ vermin-compost/biogas+ kitchengarden) brought increased productivity, revenue and better resource recycling. The productivity in rice equivalent grain yield (REGY as t /ha/yr) and net returns from inclusion of
allied enterprises in IFS were about 31.34t REGY/ha/yr and Rs 234730, respectively as compared to 9.5 t REGY/ha/yr and Rs 94,800 respectively in case of rice-wheat cropping system. Besides facilitating cash income, integrated farming system generates additional employment of 250 workdays for family labour. It also sustains soil productivity through the recycling of organic nutrient sources (50.8%) from the enterprises involved.
The field experiment was carried out during spring season 2019 at Forage Block, Instructional Dairy Farm, Nagla, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand). The aim of the study was to find out the effect of mulches and irrigation schedules on productivity and water use efficiency of spring sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Mollisols of Uttarakhand. The results indicated that straw mulch produced taller plants and more number of leaves/plant and remained statistically at par with polythene mulch. However, polythene mulch had higher dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, head diameter, seed weight/plant, 100 seed weight and seed yield was 4.6 and 18.5% higher than straw mulch and control, respectively. The irrigation scheduled at 1.2 IW/CPE was superior to all other irrigation schedules with the highest values of growth and yield attributes and also produced seed yield 5.4, 11.1 and 14.8% higher than irrigation schedules 1.0 and 0.8 IW/CPE and critical growth stages, respectively. The polythene mulch and 1.2 IW/CPE gave higher water use efficiency. The net
return was 4.4 and 6.8% higher under straw mulch than polythene mulch and control, respectively, while irrigation scheduled at 1.2 IW/CPE had 5.9, 13.79 and 15.12 % higher net return than irrigation scheduled at 1.0, 0.8 IW/CPE as well as critical stages, respectively. It is therefore concluded that sunflower may be grown with application of straw mulch @ 6 ton/ha and irrigation scheduled at 1.2 IW/CPE ratio for higher productivity, net return as well as water use efficiency during spring season in Mollisols of Uttarakhand and may also be replicated in similar agro-ecological zones of India.
