Faheem M.¹, A. Sajjad², R. M. Shafique¹, A. Rehman¹ and M. N. Aslam²

¹CABI Central and West Asia, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, ²University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Nine insecticides were evaluated against three wheat aphid species (Rhopalosiphum padi L., Schizaphis graminum Rond. and Sitobion avenae F.) and their Coccinellid predators at recommended field doses under field conditions during wheat growing season 2012-13. The insecticides were malathion (Malathion®), carbosulfan (Advantage®), imidacloprid (Confidor®), thiamethoxam (Actara®), pymetrozine (Plenum®), aliphatic hydrocarbons+mineral oil (Diver®), azadirachtin+salannin (Neemosal®), mineral oil (Foliol®), bifenthrin (Talstar®) at recommended field doses, i.e.,1235 ml, 1235 ml, 198 ml, 60gm, 988, 494 ml, 2470 ml, 4940 ml and 618 ml, respectively. Malathion, bifenthrin and thiamethoxam effectively reduced the population of S. graminum while bifenthrin and imidacloprid were more effective against S. avenae. All the insecticides were more effective against R. padi than for S. graminum and S. avenae. However, bifenthrin, malathion, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, pymetrozine and carbosulfan significantly lowered the population of R. padi. Aliphatic hydrocarbons+mineral oil, azadirachtin+salannin and mineral oil could not significantly lower the population of S. graminum and S. avenae. Imidacloprid proved to be effective against all aphid species yet it was the safest against coccinellids. Thiamethoxam showed the maximum decrease in coccinellid populations followed by malathion, pymetrozine and carbosulfan.

Keywords: Wheat aphids, field efficacy, Insecticides, coccinellids

Mashamba Philipo^1,*, Clara Mollay¹ and Susan Nchimbi-Msolla²

¹The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, Tanzania

²Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Improvement of groundnuts for drought tolerance could increase production in drought prone areas. This study aimed at determining the heritability estimates and relationship of HI and SCMR with yield and yield components using 30 groundnut genotypes planted under different watering regimes, so as to speed up the selection and breeding of groundnut genotypes tolerant to drought. A completely randomized design arranged in a split plot experiment with four replications was conducted in screen house in Morogoro, Tanzania. Data collection was done on plant height, number of pod/plant and pod yield/plant. Drought tolerant traits measured included, harvest index (HI), SCMR at 40, 60 and 80 DAS. Broad-sense heritability was calculated for HI, pod yield, number of pod/plant and SCMR. Results showed that number of pods/plant, SCMR at 60 DAS and HI were significantly related to pod yield in all watering condition. Heritability of the traits ranged from 0.22 to 0.59 with HI having highest value and number of pods lowest in WW while in WS condition heritability was generally lower from 0.04 to 0.45. Due to SCMR at 60 DAS, number of pods/plant and HI having moderate heritability and significant correlation with pod yield under water stress condition, these could be useful criteria in drought tolerance selection.

Keywords: Groundnut, SCMR, Water stress, Heritability, Pod yield.

Asghar, K.¹, Z.A Soomro^1*, S.N. Mari¹, T.A. Baloch², A.A. Rajper¹, U.A. Kasi¹ and F. Asghar³

¹Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam-70060, Pakistan

²Department of Agriculture Research, Government of Balochistan, Pakistan

³Department of Entomology, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam-70060, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

A research experiment was conducted to investigate the variability and heritability  in F₂ population of spring wheat at the experimental field of Sothern Wheat Research Station, Tandojam during 2014-15.The experimental material consisted of 8F₂ hybrid viz: Sassui x Anmol-91, WL-711 x Anmol-91, Sassui x Johar, Abadgar x SKD-1, Sassui x Abadgar-93, Marvi x Noori, Moomal- 2002 x Anmol-91, Marvi x Sassui and their parents were sown in Randomized  Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications. Genotype were highly significant at 0.01 level of probability for days to 75 % heading, days to 75% maturity, plant height, spike length and spikelets spike^-1. The highest heritability (95.39%) regarding spike length was displayed by cross WL-711 x Anmol-91. Spike length is the main contributors to the grain yield and may be kept as selection criteria for developing high yielding varieties. The F₂ population Sassui x Anmol-91 and WL-711 x Anmol-91 could be selected for higher yield in advanced generations.

Keywords: Heritability, genetic advance, genetic variability, segregating population 

Waqar Islam*¹, Asif Riaz², Madiha Zaynab³ and Wu Zujian¹

¹College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China

²University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

³College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China

ABSTRACT

Oyster mushrooms are fleshy edible fungi which acquire huge importance due to their nutritional and medicinal properties. These mushrooms are cultivated upon various substrates which directly affect the yield and time taken to reach the maturity. So the present experiment was designed to study different weeds, agricultural wastes and their mixtures for efficacy regarding time taken to achieve 100% mycelial growth and yield attributes. Our results illustrated that cotton waste showed better performance as substrate as it took minimum days i.e. 20.5 followed by Chenopodium album and mixture of cotton waste + Chenopodium album which relatively taken 24.5 days to reach maximum growth level. These substrates also provided better yield as compared to all other substrates by recording 650.36, 583.41 and 530.43 grams yield respectively. The performance of all other substrates was below power. Hence we conclude that Chenopodium album anonymously or mixture of particular weed and cotton waste can be utilized for efficient cultivation of mushrooms.

Keywords: Oyster mushroom, Yield, Maturity, Effectiveness, P1 white strain

Aliya Noreen¹, Ghulam Raza¹, Haibat Ali¹, Khadim Hussain², Saif uddin¹, Qandeel Zehra², Babar Hussain^2*, Syed Waqar Hussain², Yawar Abbas², Rashid Alam³, Nadia Ali¹

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Karakoram International University Gilgit-Pakistan.

 ²Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency, Gilgit-Pakistan (GB-EPA).

⁴Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Anhui Agriculture University China.

ABSTRACT

To be acquainted with the essential nutrients for plants for the sake of their growth is an important aspect of successful production of crops. These macro nutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (C), and Magnesium (Mg). Elaeagnus angustifolia is a small tree and it is also called a large shrub. It has silvery leaves and thorny body. This species is tolerant to saline as well as alkaline soils and is hosted from Russia. This essential plant nutrient research will definitely help to solve such nutrient deficiency problems. This aim of present study was to explore the importance of essential nutrients for livestock and to assist farmers in the selection of fodder and forage. The results showed that concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the dry foliage of Russian olive were 3.75, 0.558, 4.37, 2.459 and 0.769 % respectively. It may be concluded from the results that the range of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the leaves of E. angustifolia was very close to sufficient range of plant N, P, K, Ca and Mg content.

Keywords: Essential nutrients, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Fodder and forage

Sultan Mahmood1, Saad Imran Malik1* and Mozamil Hussain2

1Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi.

2Maize, Sorghum and Millet Programme, NARC, Park Road, Islamabad.

ABSTRACT

To increase maize yields, exploitation of heterosis has been proven as highly effective and is widely used over the world to produce new and improved hybrids. Present study was undertaken to estimate combining ability and heterosis in maize hybrid combinations for ear traits, plant height and leaf area. Five inbred parents were crossed in a diallel fashion excluding reciprocals and fifteen genotypes including 10 hybrid combinations and 5 parents were tested during summer 2013. Statistical analysis revealed significant difference for kernel rows ear-1 (P≤0.05), and highly significant difference (P≤0.01) for days to silking, plant height, leaf area, kernels row-1, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield. Hybrid P3×P5 and P3×P4 was marked as suitable for breeding early maturing hybrids due to negative heterosis values. High heterosis for plant height was recorded for P2×P3 with significant SCA effects. P2 in combination with P3, P4 and P5 showed significant SCA for greater leaf area, however, a significant positive heterosis was obtained only for P2×P3. Maximum numbers of kernel rows ear-1 were counted in hybrid P3×P4; nevertheless, hybrid P1×P3 exhibited the highest MPH while P3×P4 was the only combination to have significant BPH. On the other hand P1×P4 had the highest number of kernels row-1. The highest 1000-kernel weight was obtained for the hybrid P2×P3 with highly significant heterosis and SCA. The grain yield remained highest in P2×P3 (4719 kg/ha) followed by P4×P5 (4616 kg/ha) and P3×P4 (4532 kg/ha). Hence the hybrid combination P2×P3 was marked as superior for the development of high yielding hybrids among 10 hybrids tested considering its significant and positive SCA for yield related traits and highest grain yield.

Keywords: Maize, Zea mays, heterosis, combining ability, diallel.

Ashrafullah Khan¹, Muhammad Mushtaq¹, Muhammad Sajid Nadeem¹,

Amjad Rashid Kayani¹ and Irfan Ahmed²

¹Department of Zoology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan,

²Vertebrate Pest Management Programme, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) is widely distributed and a serious mammal pest of trees, agricultural crops, orchards and vegetables in different environments of Pakistan. Trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of aluminium phosphide (phostoxin; 3 g tablets) against Indian crested porcupine, in the field conditions of Bannu district of Pakistan. Results reflected that in case of cropland fumigation trials, two tablets of phostoxin were not effective in reduction of porcupine burrow activity in small sized burrows, while 66.7% reduction could be achieved by applying four tablets. A 100% reduction in burrow activity was recorded in case of medium and large sized burrows, where 6 – 12 tablets were applied. In the non-cropland area, in case of small sized burrows, two tablets of phostoxin could not be effective in reduction of burrow activity, while in case of four tablets, only, 33.4% reduction could be achieved. Similarly, in case of medium and large sized burrows, 6 – 10 tablets were effective in 100% reduction of porcupine burrow activity. It is suggested that aluminum phosphide fumigation is effective in controlling porcupine population in the cropland and non-cropland areas, if the fumigation dose is optimized.

Keywords:  Porcupine control, burrow size, fumigation, cropland, non-cropland.