Category Archives: b_original_articles

Maqshoof Ahamd¹, Azhar Hussain*¹, Muhammad Fakhar-U-Zaman Akhtar¹,

Muhammad Zafar-Ul-Hye², Zafar Iqbal¹, Tayyaba Naz³, Muhammad Mazhar Iqbal⁴

¹Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

²Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan

³Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

⁴Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Chiniot, Department of Agriculture, Government of Punjab-Pakistan.

 Abstract

The present study was conducted in Bahawalpur, which is characterized by extremely dry and harsh desert conditions with very little rainfall and water availability. Due to less availability of water, the production of food crops is unpredictable that is not enough to feed the local population. To cope with the shortage of cereal grains and water, it is need of the hour to arrange some alternate food sources that can be produced with limited water. Chickpea can be successfully grown under water limited conditions. Biofertilizers have the ability to improve the growth and nodulation of chickpea enables it to withstand the periods of drought. The study was involved evaluation of multi-strain biofertilizer (developed from novel strains of Mesorhizobium cicri, Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp.) effectiveness in combination with organic sources for improving the productivity of chickpea in Cholistan desert area of Bahawalpur. Four field trials were conducted in different villages of Bahawalpur. Biofertilizer along with enriched compost and farmyard manure were applied under field conditions with three replications. The combined application of farm yard manure and biofertilizer improved nodules formation, plant growth, yield and chemical parameters as compared to control. It can be concluded that the use of biofertilizer in combination with farm yard manure is significantly effective in improving the productivity and profitability of chickpea. So, the farmers of Cholistan area should be recommended to adopt the biofertilizer technology along with organic manures that will not only enhance the grain yield but also rejuvenate the soil health.

Keywords: Biofertilizer, ACC-deaminase activity, Water scarcity, Food security

Syed Usama Zameer, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Imran Fazal, Asif Sajjad*

Department of Entomology, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences,

The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

 Abstract

To study the pollinator community of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and the best pollinators for radish production in terms of their foraging behavior, an experiment was performed at the research farm of University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. A total of 771 individuals of insects were observed, 51 percent of which were the flies (Diptera) and remaining 49 percent were the bees (Hymenoptera). The most abundant species was Episyrphus balteatus followed by Andrena sp., Apis florea, A. dorsata, Eristalinus aeneus and E. laetus. The maximum visitation rate was recorded in case of E. balteatus and Andrena sp. The maximum stay time was recorded in case of E. aeneus and E. laetus. The maximum number of pollen grains was deposited on stigma by A. dorsata (196.32 pollen grains) followed by Andrena sp. (155.47), E. laetus (143.47), A. florea (108.47), E. aeneus (102.74) and E. balteatus (62.63). Only A. florea and E. balteatus exhibited nectar robbing behavior i.e. 86% and 28% nectar robbing events, respectively. All the pollinators except A. florea came in contact with stigma and fed either for pollen or for both nectar and pollen. Apis florea mostly (82% of its visits) fed for nectar alone. All the bees preferred feeding on both nectar and pollen while all the flies preferred feeding on pollen alone. Conserving and enhancing these pollinators may boost the R. sativus production in Pakistan.

 Keywords: Raphanus Sativus, Pollinator Community, Pollination Behavior, Effective Pollinators

Sehrish Akram¹, Shakil Ahmad Khan², Fakhar- un- Nisa¹, Mubashar Hussain*³, Maimoona Kanwal³, Fatima Zafar³

¹Govt. College Women University Lahore, Pakistan, ²Sericulture Research Laboratory, Lahore, Pakistan

³University of Gujrat, Pakistan 

Abstract

The impact of different levels of the Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D₃) supplementation on silkworm larvae was evaluated by rearing under controlled conditions of temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod (25 ± 1 °C, 75 ± 5 % and 16:08 h of light to darkness ratio, respectively) at Sericulture Research Laboratory, Lahore, Pakistan. Larvae were fed on mulberry leaves of “Chinese Husung” variety supplemented with vitamin ‘D₃’@ 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 % solutions. The significant increment in larval length (2.81, 4.17 and 5.91 cm in D_{3 (2%)} as compared to 2.69, 3.79 and 5.56 cm in control) were recorded in 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th instars, respectively. The results also delineated significant variations in larval weight (0.39, 1.0 and 2.81 g in D_{3 (2%)} as compared to 0.28, 0.78 and 2.54 g in control, during 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th instars, respectively). Larval food consumption recorded during 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th instars showed significantly higher mean values (2.63, 3.23 and 4.43 g in D_{3 (2%)} as compared to control (2.26, 2.60 and 2.74 g), respectively. The dietary supplementation also affected cocoon weight (1.39 g) and Shell Weight (0.33 g) and consequently Cocoon Shell percentage (23.74 %) recorded in D_{3 (2%)} in comparison with 1.25 g, 0.24 g and 19.2 % in control, respectively. The results indicated improvement in better food consumption, larval weight and length and cocoon production when mulberry leaves supplemented with D_3. The study highlighted the significance of dietary supplementation with vitamin D₃ of “Chinese Husung” mulberry variety for rearing of silkworm.

 Keywords: Larval Length, Cocoon Weight, D₃, Mulberry, Sericulture Pakistan

Dalia Sukmawati* and Mieke Miarsyah

Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Campus A,

Jl. Rawamangun Muka East Java. Hasyim Ashari Building, 9^th floor, Indonesia. 

Abstract

Some fungi associate with fruit and dead or dying plant tissues as pathogen on a wide range of agricultural plants. This work comprised the isolation, identification and pathogenic assay from citrus fruit plantations (Citrus nobilis), Tegal Wangi, Jember, Jawa Timur, Indonesia with 34 mold isolates obtained. Color of 7-day-old colonies cultures on PDA was dominated by white while the reverse was whitish to pale yellow. Based on the pathogenicity test, four representative mold isolates were identified as pathogenic fungi using the sequence of internal transcribed regions Spacer (ITS) in the region of ribosomal DNA selected. Molds were identified as UNJCC (D5) D5K3A (Fusarium equiseti with 98% homology bootstrap value 100%), UNJCC (D6) D6. K3.B (F. equiseti with 99% homology bootstrap value of 100%), and UNJCC (D7) D7.K2.B (F. equiseti with 99% homology bootstrap value 66%) and UNJCC (D8) D3.K2.B (F. equiseti with 99% homology bootstrap value of 55%). F. equiseti is a main source of trichothecenes, zearalenone and other mycotoxins which can cause serious disease in humans and animals. Present information regarding the Fusarium equiseti damage to citrus leaves can be used help identify the occurrence of pathogenic fungi in citrus fruit plantations.

 Keywords: Citrus nobilis, Fusarium equiseti, Pathogenicity, ITS rDNA region

Priscilla Hope Swann*, Florencia G. Claveria

Biology Department, College of Sciences, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Philippines

Abstract

This study was carried out to ascertain tick infestation of goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) grown in a small private farm in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Central Luzon, Philippines. Prevalence of infestation was assessed and ticks examined based on their developmental stages and sex were identified as Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Adult ticks displayed intraspecific polymorphic variations (ISPV). Male Rh. (Bo.) microplus manifested variations in the distinctness of the ventral anal plate spurs (88.2%), and in the visibility of these same spurs when specimens were viewed dorsally. ISPV was detected in the shape or contour of the genital aperture lips in 37.5% of female ticks. To our knowledge, this study represents the first documentation of Rh. (Boophilus) microplus infestation in Philippine goats vis-à-vis demonstration of intraspecific polymorphic variations between male and female individual ticks.

 Keywords: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Ticks, Intraspecific polymorphic variation, Goats, Philippines

Tugiyono^1*, Jani Master¹, Suharso²

¹Department of Biology, ²Department of Chemistry,

Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Lampung, Indonesia

 Abstract

In this paper we studied the isolation and identification of phytoplankton from aquatic ecosystems of Lampung Mangroves Center (LMC) as biology feed. The analysis of sea water quality parameters in the location of the study consisting of pH, salinity, brightness, water temperature, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate, revealed that all the parameters meet the quality standard, except for nitrates and nitrites. Isolation and identification of Phytoplankton taken from aquatic ecosystem of the LMC using net plankton ± 15 was carried out to obtain pure cultures in Live Feed Laboratory of the Center for Marin Culture Lampung, Indonesia. The Phytoplankton samples were isolated in the bacto agar and were added the fertilizers Conwy and Gillard to spur the growth of green and brown algae. The isolation of media was done by scratch method and cultured in a petri dish with upside down position for seven days, and observed every day for evaluating the algae growth. The results showed that there were 14 genera of phytoplankton identified. Six types of 14 genera of phytoplankton identified have potential to be developed as a biological feed: Thalassiosira, Cyclotella, Chaetoceros, Tetraselmis, Nannochloropsis, and Isochrysis, The isolates of phytoplankton produced can be stored in the refrigerator as pure stock cultures and can last for up to 6 months before being used in a medium culture or laboratory culture scale.

 Keywords: Aquatic Ecosystem, Phytoplankton, Isolation, Biological Feed.

Nafeesa Zahid Malik¹, Muhammad Riaz², Qum Qum Noshad¹, Neelum Rashid¹,

Qurrat Ul Ain³ and Adil Hussain^2*

¹Department of Botany, Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), Pakistan

² Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, International Islamic University H-10 Islamabad, Pakistan

³Department of Biological Sciences, Karakoram International University Gilgit Pakistan

Abstract

This study was undertaken with the aim of analysing some morphological parameters, screening of important phytochemical compounds and the activity of Aloe vera leaf extracts against two fungal species viz; Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus. Morphological assessment of A. vera plant showed significant differences in leaf and root attributes including its color, length and weight under both dried and fresh form. Pendulous and yellow to whitish color flowers were found. Phytochemical analysis of glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, reducing sugar, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, carbohydrates, amino acid, tannins and saponin gave positive consequences and negative for cyanogenic glycosides in both the methanol and ethanol leaf extracts. Alkaloids were found only in the methanol extract but not in that of ethanol extract. Glycosides, reducing sugar, phenolic compounds, steroids, terpenoids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, saponins and tannins were present in the aqueous extract. Both methanolic and ethanolic extracts of A. vera showed significantly greater inhibitory effect whereas aqueous extracts were found with lesser inhibitory effect against Rhizopus and A. niger. This investigation strongly suggests A. vera plant leaf extracts with ethanol and methanol as better antifungal candidates.

 Keywords: Aloe vera L., Morphology, Phytochemical screening, Antifungal action.

Raheel Atif Hameed*¹, Shazia Ajum¹, Muhammad Naveed Afzal²

¹Cholistan Institute of Desert Studies, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

²Central Cotton research Institute Multan. Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Response of various post emergence herbicides at different levels i.e. Round up was applied as 4.75 lha^-1, 2.75 L ha^-1 and 1.75 L ha^-1 (Glyphosat), Gramaxone 20EC (Paraquat) as 2.55 lha^-1 and untreated (no spray) were field experimented against cotton cultivar CIM-473 under field condition at CCRI cotton research institute, Multan. Significant Control of weeds and increase in yield and yield contributing factors were observed. It was indicated that the highest significant yield, number of bolls, fresh weed biomass, dry weed biomass, plant height and weed control were obtained by using Round up (Glyphosate) @ 4.75 L ha^-1 as compared to other treatments including untreated (control). Average boll weight was not significant among treatments but significant against control. The highest net profit was obtained by the Round up 490 G/L when treated @ 4.75 L ha^-1 than all other treatments.

 Keywords: Cost benefit analysis, cotton, growth, Glyphosate, Paraquat, yield and yield Components

Abdul Rehman¹, Aurangzeb¹, Rafi Qamar^1*, Atique-ur-Rehman², Muhammad Shoaib³,

Jamshaid Qamar¹ and Farwa Hassan¹

¹Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

²Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

³Maize and Millets Research Institute, Yousufwala, Sahiwal, Pakistan

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the fodder quality of four maize cultivars; DK919, 30R50, 31R88 and 6621 as influenced by harvest time at Agronomic Research Area of University of Sargodha. Maize cultivars were harvested at three different times viz. 80, 90 and 100 days after sowing (DAS). Significant differences were recorded among the cultivars for plant height, acid and neutral detergent fiber contents, lignin and crude protein. Maximum acid detergent fiber content, neutral detergent fiber content and lignin were observed at 100 DAS while crude protein was maximum at 80 DAS. However, plant height was remained unaffected with respect to harvest times. Moreover, maize cultivars had distinct differences in plant height and fodder quality parameters. Maximum plant height and crude protein were recorded in cultivar 31R88. The cultivar DK919 showed maximum values of acid detergent fiber content and neutral detergent fiber while lignin content was higher in V6621. Fodder quality parameters of cultivars 31R88, DK919 and V6621 were superior than 31R88 under the present climatic conditions of Sargodha.

 Keywords: Harvest Time, Cultivars, Fodder Yield, Maize, Fodder Quality

Arslan Emmanuel, Kalim Ullah, Ruqia Mehmood, M. Zubair Anjum*

Department of Zoology and Biology, Faculty of Sciences, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Abstract

A 60 days growth experiment was conducted on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings fed with different diets having natural antioxidants i.e., vitamin A, vitamin E & commercially available vitamin premix as control. Growth parameters and meat analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of antioxidants on growth and meat quality of common carp.  The highest weight gain (14.69 ± 2.03 g) was observed by the fingerling fed with diet having vitamin E followed by vitamin premix (13± 1.67 g) and vitamin A (8.99 ± 1.07 g). Maximum increase (15.03 ± 0.18 cm) in length was recorded in fingerlings fed with diet having vitamin A followed by vitamin E (12.74 ± 0.47 cm) and vitamin premix (12.68 ± 0.77 cm). After feeding trial, random samples of ten fingerlings were collected from each aquarium fed with diets having different antioxidants for meat analysis. Moisture percentage (77.5%) and total fats (18.5%) were higher in fish meat fed with vitamin A. Crude protein (60.7%) and carbohydrates (56.3%) were higher in fish fed with vitamin E and the highest percentage of dry mater (22.8%) and total ash (0.23%) were recorded with vitamin premix diet. Dry matter, moisture, crude protein, total fat and carbohydrate were significantly different while total ash shows non-significance results for different antioxidants.  The results of current study showed that vitamin E has positive effect on growth and meat quality of common carp.

 Keywords: Antioxidants, Vitamins, Common carp, Fish Growth, Proximate composition