Muhammad Faheem¹*, Asif Sajjad², Rana Muhammad Shafique¹

¹CABI Central and West Asia, Data Gunj Buksh Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi

²Sustainable Agriculture Programme, World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Wheat aphids have attained the status of regular insect pests and cause economic losses at national level. Nutrient management can be an effective strategy in controlling cereal aphids. Little is known about how aphids respond to different doses of fertilizers under diverse agro-ecological conditions of Punjab, Pakistan. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash (N-P-K; 46-0-0, 69-0-0, 69-46-0, 69-0-25 and 69-46-25 kg/acre) fertilizers on aphid populations and yield parameters of wheat. A trial was conducted at four Adaptive Research Farms of Agriculture Extension Department located in four different agro-ecological zones of Punjab during wheat growing season of 2010-11. Schizaphis graminum was the most abundant aphid species followed by Sitobion avenae and Rhopalosiphum padi at all the four locations. Aphid populations behaved similarly at all the study sites; it was the minimum in the treatment that included nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium i.e.  69-46-25 kg/acre. Yield improved significantly in treatments with phosphorus while potash had no impact on it. Positive correlation was found between populations of aphids and their natural enemies. It suggests that balanced use of fertilizers (69-46-25 kg/acre) can significantly lower aphid infestations on wheat crop and increase its yield.

Keywords: Balanced fertilizers, cereal aphids, wheat, yield

Imran Bodlah^1*, Junaid Ali Siddiqui¹, Muhammad Akram² and Muhammad Naeem¹

¹Laboratory of Biosystematics, Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. ²Plant Protection, Pest warning and Quality control of Pesticides, Chakwal, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Vespula flaviceps is reported for the first time from different localities of Murree hills Punjab Province of Pakistan during 2014-15. The main identification characters, measurements of various body parts, distribution range supported by GPS positions and micrographs have been given for future field and research identification.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Vespula flaviceps, Murree

Mirza Waqar Ahmed Azad, Muhammad Naeem, Imran Bodlah* and Ata Ul Mohsin

Laboratory of Biosystematics, Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah

Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

ABSTRACT

Four species of Chrysomelidae belonging to 4 genera have been reported for the first time from different localities of Pothowar tract of the Punjab Province of Pakistan. The main identification characters, distribution range supported by GPS positions and micrographs have been given for future field and research identification.

Keywords: Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Pothowar, Pakistan

Muhammad Asif Aziz*, Hira Zameer, Imran Bodlah, Muhammad Naeem and Ghulam Shabbir

Biological Control Laboratory, Department of Entomology,

PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different application levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash (NPK) on the population of aphids and their natural enemies on wheat crop at research farm of Department of Entomology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan during 2013. Population of Rhopalosiphum padi was the maximum in N: P: K=75:60:60 (kg/ha) while it was the minimum in 90:60:75 treated plots. Population density of Sitobeon avenae was the maximum in 0:0:0 and the minimum in 105:60:60 and 90:60:60. Population of Schiazphis graminum was the maximum in 75:60:60 and the minimum in 90:60:75 and 90:60:45. Population of mummified aphids remained the maximum in 75:60:60 and 0:0:0. Chrysoperla carnea larvae were the most abundant in 75:60:60. Population of lady bird beetles was the maximum in 75:60:60 and the minimum in 105:60:60. The maximum C. carnea to aphids, lady bird beetle to aphids and parasitoid to aphids ratios were recorded in 75:60:60, 0:0:0 and 90:60:45, respectively. Since the population of S. avenae was very low as compared to R. padi, the treatment 90:60:45 seems to be more suited for the farmers to manage the aphids and get healthy wheat crop. Therefore the treatment 90:60:45 seems to be more suited for the farmers to manage the aphids and get healthy wheat crop. It is evident from the current study that use of balanced fertilizer is very important to manage the population of aphids in arid zone. Over application of fertilizer should also be avoided because it do not help in pest control, conversely it may cause stress on plants particularly in case of delay in rains. The treatment 90:60:45 is almost comparable with the recommended dose in arid zones and present studies confirms its usefulness on wheat in Pothwar region of Punjab.

Keywords: Wheat, aphid, parasitoid, predators, NPK

Zahid Iqbal^1*, Aamir Ali Khan², Ibadullah Jan³, Muhammad Aamer Mehmood⁴, Ijaz Javed⁵

¹Department of Pharmacology, Al-Nafees Medical College, Isra University Islamabad Campus, Islamabad, ²Department of Pathology, Nishtar Medical College, Multan, ³Department of Animal Health, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, ⁴Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, GC University, Faisalabad, ⁵Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

ABSTRACT

Ciprofloxacin is second generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic which is being used to treat various infectious diseases of man and animals. Due to wide-spread use of this antimicrobial in veterinary clinics, but little information regarding its disposition, this project was carried out to determine the PK and optimal dosage regimen of ciprofloxacin in Nili/Ravi buffalos. Eight healthy adult buffalos of Nili/Ravi breed (average ± SE weight of 368 ± 44 kg) were maintained under same conditions of environment and management. A dose of 5 mg/Kg was administered in the neck muscles of each animal through injection. After injecting drug, samples of blood were taken at various times and kept in centrifuge tubes having heparin. In every animal, a control sample of blood was drawn before injecting drug. HPLC was used to determine drug concentration in the samples. The value for half life elimination (t1/2 ß) was 3.05 ± 0.20 hours. Mean ± SE value for volume of distribution (Vd) was 1.09 ± 0.06 L/kg, for AUC was 20.28 ± 1.13 µg.hr/ml and for total body clearance (CL) was 0.25 ± 0.02 L/hr/kg. An optimal dosage regimen for intramuscular administration of ciprofloxacin in Nili/Ravi buffalos was calculated using these parameters which was 17.86 mg/kg, recommended to be given after every 24 hours. We came to conclusion that our calculated dose in local buffalos was significantly higher than the recommended dose of manufacturer and to avoid antimicrobial resistance, this locally investigated dosage regimen should be strictly followed in local buffalos.

Keywords: Ciprofloxacin, Buffalos, Dosage regimen, Pharmacokinetics, HPLC

Kashif Mehmood¹, Shahid Hussain², Naveed Mustafa¹, Imran Bodlah¹ and Munir Ahmad¹*

¹Non-Apis Bees Laboratory, Department of Entomology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi

²(Plant Protection) Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan  

ABSTRACT

Insect pollinators community on avocado (Persea americana) and citrus (Citrus limon) at Horticulture orchard of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan was assessed during March-April, 2013. Eight insect pollinator species viz. Apis florea, Xylocopa sp, Pieris brassicae, Danaus plexippus, Papilio demoleus, Papilio hyale, Eumerus tuberculatus and Musca domestica were observed visiting regularly on fruiting trees. Foraging activity of pollinating insects from Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera was observed during flowering season both fruit trees at four time intervals viz., 0800-0900, 1100-1200, 1400-1500 and 1700-1800 hours. Foraging activity of insect pollinators was highest at 0800-0900 and lowest during 1700-1800 hours. Hymenopteran pollinators were higher in numbers (42%) followed by Lepidopterans (33%) and Dipterans (25%). A. florea, E. tuberculatus, and P. demoleus were consistent and frequent visitor on both fruit plants.

Keywords: Avocado, Citrus, Foraging, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Pollination

Sana Ullah¹, Tariq Mehmood Khan², Usman Khan³, Khaista Rahman⁴, Naseer Ullah¹, Tauseef Ahmad*⁵

¹Department of Animal Sciences, ³Department of Anthropology, ⁴Department of Biotechnology,

Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.²Morgah Biodiversity Park,

Attock Refinery Limited, Morgah Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

 ⁵Department of Microbiology, Hazara University Mansehra,

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

This preliminary study was conducted in order to know the perception of local communities of tehsil Timergara, district Dir (Lower), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan towards climate change during September through November 2014. The study was aimed to identify the impacts of climatic changes on the lives of local people of the study area, based on the last few years or a decade or two. The study was conducted through administering a questionnaire to educated subjects while semi-structured interviews were conducted from illiterate ones. The local communities’ perception was assessed both quantitatively as well as qualitatively. All recruited respondents were of the opinion that climate change has visible changes in their lives. All the respondents pointed out a reasonable risk of climate change affected their lives and still continue. Their response demonstrated that change in climate is having an equitable risk to lives of Dirvis. The recruited subjects was more inclined towards the negativism (negative impacts of climate change) than positivism (positive impacts of climate change), as perceived by them. Mass awareness campaigns by government and environmental protection agencies is recommended in order to educate local communities regarding basic threats from climatic change through pollution. All those anthropogenic activities and sources that lead to trigger climatic changes, global warming, and greenhouse gases production should be addressed properly on priority basis.

Keywords: climate change, global warming, greenhouse effect, droughts, biodiversity

Ehsanullah¹, Umair Ashraf², Shakeel Ahmad Anjum^1*, Farrukh Ehsan³, Imran Khan¹ and Abdul Ghaffar¹

¹Deaprtment of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

²Department of Crop Science and Technology, College of Agriculture,

South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 P.R. China

³Deaprtment of Farm Machinery and Power, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

ABSTRACT

Adequate tillage practices and sowing of crops at suitable time with proper sowing methods are among the main factors that regulate the crop growth and ultimate yield. This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of different tillage practices and sowing methods on maize hybrid ‘32T16’ that was grown under field conditions where treatments were assigned in split plot arrangement by keeping tillage practices (conventional tillage, minimum tillage and deep tillage) in main plots while sowing methods (flat sowing, ridge sowing and bed sowing) in sub-plots and repeated thrice. Conclusively, tillage practices and sowing methods significantly improved maize growth, yield and yield contributing traits. Ridge sowing under deep tillage resulted in maximum grains and grain weight per cob, 1000-grain weight, grain and biological yield as well as harvest index. Regarding economics of the crop, maximum marginal rate of return (2232.79%) was recorded in ridge sown maize under conventional tillage.

Keywords: Maize, Tillage, Sowing methods, Growth, Yield

M. E. Morojele*¹, D. N. M. Mbewe²

¹Small Grain Institute, Private Bag X29. Bethlehem. 9700. South Africa.

²The University of Zambia, Lusaka. Zambia

ABSTRACT

Different cultivars of common bean are grown in Lesotho for home consumption originating from Zambia, South Africa and America. These have created a wide genetic diversity and duplication such that it is not easy to distinguish them. The study was conducted in Lusaka to distinguish the same common bean cultivars using morphological markers and to estimate their degree of similarity. A collection of 42 cultivars were included in the study. Seventeen morphological characters were used following International Plant Genetic Resource Unit descriptor (1982). Data collected were analysed using principal component and cluster analysis. Principal component analysis was used to identify the characters which caused major variation among cultivars. Out of 10 principal components generated from 17 characters, only the first three components which constituted 54.57% of the total variation were considered for analysis. The first, second and third components accounted for 23.23%, 16.80% and 14.54%, respectively. The characters responsible for separation along the first principal component and loadings (parenthesis) were plant height (0.57), growth habit (0.55) and seed pattern (-0.27).The characters influencing separation along the second principal component include number of flowers per node (0.50), number of locules per pod (0.44), seed colour (0.44) and leaflet length (0.30). Along the third principal component, cultivars were separated according to the pod colour (0.64) and flower colour (0.14).Thirty-five individual cultivars and two groups of cultivars were distinguished by cluster analysis.  One group consisted of three cultivars from Zambia, while the other group consisted of two cultivars from Zambia and two from Lesotho.

Keywords: Common bean, morphological markers, principal component analysis, cluster analysis