Optimizing the transplanting window for higher productivity of short and medium duration rice cultivars in Punjab,India using CERES-Rice model

The CERES-Rice(V4.7.5)model was used to identify the optimum transplanting window for higher productivity of rice in Indian Punjab.The model was first sensitized for 11 genetic coefficients and then these values were used for calibrating and validating the model for rice cultivars.The Normalized Root Mean Square Error was in excellent range(<10%)for all the parameters—the coefficient of determination(R2)for CVS.PR126 and PR127 for days taken to anthesis and maturity were 0.94 and 0.89−0.96,respectively while grain yield and LAI(leaf area index)were 0.89−0.98 and 0.87−0.89,respectively.The optimum transplanting window of 24−30 June for PR126 and 20−26 June for PR127 simulated the grain yield/LAI ranging from 8,425−8,473 kg·ha^(−1)/4.23−4.24 for PR126 and 8,298−8,356 kg·ha^(−1)/4.20−4.21 for PR127.The early transplantation of rice cultivars on 7th June resulted in the lowest yield/LAI of 6,702 kg·ha^(−1)/3.8 for PR126 and 6,865 kg·ha^(−1)/3.9 for PR127.The deviation for the grain yield and HI(harvest index)of PR126 was between−14.2%to+8.2%and−15.1%to+10.5%,respectively,and of PR127 varied between−11.2%to+8.1%and−14.2%to+10.6%,respectively.The decline in the yield/HI from the average was observed during early transplantation in 2^(nd)week of June(before the 15^(th)of June for PR126 and the 13^(th)of June for PR127)as well as late transplantation in the 1st week of July(after 11^(th)July for PR126 and 6^(th)July for PR127)for rice cultivars.The negative effect on yield and HI of both varieties during early and late transplantation could be due to unfavorable climatic conditions.

Variation,inheritance and correlation of growth characteristics of Populus deltoides Bartr.at various ages in the central-plain region of Punjab,India

The growth performance of twenty poplar （Populus deltoides Bartr.） clones, planted in the central-plain region of Punjab in north-western India, was evaluated using a randomized block design with three replications and plot size of four plants. Significant differences among clones were observed for diameter at breast height （DBH）, height and volume per tree at age five, six and eight years. Clone L-48/89 recorded significantly superior volume than the control （G-48） at all ages, with superiority of 51.4, 43.9 and 48.5 per cent at age five, six and eight years, respectively. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were the highest for volume （26.55-34.66% and 15.84-26.00%） and the minimum for tree height （8.43-12.13% and 4.71-7.59%）. The broad sense heritability was relatively higher for DBH （0.42-0.55） and genetic advance as per cent of mean was highest for volume （19.48-40.18）. All genetic parameters increased with age. All traits showed significant positive correlation with each other.

Assessment of Day Time Anthesis Warming on Rice Cultivars under Varying Textured Sites of South-Western Punjab, India

Rice production is highly influenced by the prevailing weather conditions, physico-chemical properties of the soil, the yielding potential of cultivars besides, several crop management practices and inputs. To understand the performance of the tiller production of various paddy cultivars under varying soil texture sites of the south-western Punjab, four rice cultivars viz., PR121 (V1), PAU201 (V2), PR128 (V3) and PR129 (V4) were grown at three different locations having soil texture from light to heavy. Sowing of nursery was completed between May 15, 2019 and May 23, 2019 however, seedlings were transplanted in the well prepared field during 05-20 June, 2019. Results of the present study clearly depicted the role of weather parameters on plant height, effective tillers, grain yield and spikelet sterility in the rice crop. High temperatures have detrimental effects on fertility of rice varieties, regardless the transplanting time. Among different rice cultivars, sterility was the lowest (17.8%) in PR121 and the highest 42.6% in PR129. Apart from the varietal differences, the lowest sterility 28.4% recorded in medium textured soil was lowered by 21.5% and 27.8% than light and high textured soils. Cultivar PR121 produced 3.9%, 7.7% and 15% higher grain yield than PR128, PAU201 and PR129, respectively. The response of anthesis period thermal stress on spikelet sterility should be considered to develop the temperature tolerant varieties for addressing the climate change issues.

Opportunities of Doubling Indian Farmers Income by Post Harvest Value Addition to Agricultural Produce

The governments across the developing countries are facing a challenge of steadily increasing population,maintaining balance in demand and supply of food and upliftment in socio-economic status of farming community.Among the leading developing countries,India has successfully increased agricultural crop production by fourfold,thus having at most potential for adoption of secondary agriculture practices after harvest of farm produce.Post-harvest processing of agricultural produce like milling of cereals and pulses,extraction of oil from oilseed crops,development of value added ready to eat and ready to serve food product etc.not only facilitate efficient utilization of crop produce but also check losses fetching better returns to the farmers/entrepreneurs.Post-harvest processing operations at the production catchment area helps in minimizing post harvest losses,helps in generating employment opportunities in rural areas,purity assured products in turn open window for the developed products to qualify for wider market.

Fertilization and Soil Ploughing Practices under Changing Physical Environment Lead to Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics under Conservation Agriculture in Rice-Wheat Cropping System: A Scoping Review

Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the loss of soil-organic-carbon (SOC), which further enhances soil fertility. Different fractions of SOC pools react to the alterations in management practices and indicate changes in SOC dynamics as compared to total C in the soil. Higher SOC levels in soil have been observed in case of reduced/no-till (NT) practices than conventional tillage (CT). However, between CT and zero tillage/NT, total SOC stocks diminished with an increase in soil depth, which demonstrated that the benefits of SOC are more pronounced in the topsoil under NT. Soil aggregation provides physical protection to C associated with different-sized particles, thus, the improvement in soil aggregation through CA is an effective way to mitigate soil C loss. Along with less soil disturbance, residual management, suitable crop rotation, rational application of manures and fertilizers, and integrated nutrient management have been found to be effective in not only improving soil C stock but also enhancing the soil health and productivity. Thus, CA can be considered as a potential method in the build-up of SOC of soil in rice-wheat system.

ROS and oxidative burst:Roots in plant development

Reactive oxygen species(ROS)are widely generated in various redox reactions in plants.In earlier studies.ROS were considered toxic byproducts of aerobic metabolism.In recent years,it has become clear that ROS act as plant signaling molecules that participate in various processes such as growth and development.Several studies have elucidated the roles of ROS from seed germination to senescence.However,there is much to discover about the diverse roles of ROS as signaling molecules and their mechanisms of sensing and response.ROS may provide possible benefits to plant physiological processes by supporting cellular proliferation in cells that maintain basal levels prior to oxidative effects.Although ROS are largely perceived as either negative by-products of aerobic metabolism or makers for plant stress,elucidating the range of functions that ROS play in growth and development still require attention.

Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and GC-MS analysis of juice and peel oil of grapefruit varieties cultivated in India

Citrus family especially Grapefruit,has attained considerable attention due to the presence of a number of essential components that have cardiovascular and anti-hypertensive properties.The juice and essential oil extracted from eight recently released grapefruit cultivars were used to study physicochemical and antioxidant properties.The total soluble solids(TSS),titratable acidity(TA) and pH of juice samples extracted from various grapefruit varieties differed significantly.The refractive index,specific gravity and optical rotation values for the oil varied from 1.473 to 1.396,0.863 to 0.847 and +93 to +86,respectively.The percent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical activity(% DPPH activity) and ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP) values for grapefruit juice and peel oil varied from 24.06 to 18.79,2.91 to 1.44 mmol g^–1 and 84.87 to 74.73,7.76 to 5.73 mmol g^-1,respectively.There were significant differences in physicochemical,antioxidant properties and volatile profiles of extracted juice and oil.The oil exhibited higher DPPH and FRAP values than the juice.Among different components identified which accounted for over 99% of the volatile fraction,limonene,myrcene,and benzopyran were major components in all oil samples.

Donors for Resistance to Brown Planthopper Nilaparvata lugens(St?l) from Wild Rice Species

Out of 1 989 wild accessions sown in seed boxes for screening, only 1 003 wild accessions with good germination were screened against brown planthopper(BPH), Nilaparvata lugens(St?l) under greenhouse conditions. The collection comprised of accessions from 11 wild species and African cultivated rice. The germplasm was screened for BPH following standard seed box screening technique in the greenhouse. As many as 159 accessions were identified as resistant during the year 2012 based on one year screening. A selected set of BPH resistant accessions were screened again during 2013. Based on the two years screening, seven accessions of O. nivara(AA), one accession of O. officinalis(CC), seven accessions of O. australiensis(EE), five accessions of O. punctata(BB and BBCC) and nine accessions of O. latifolia(CCDD) were confirmed to be resistant to BPH. So far no BPH resistance genes have been identified and designated from O. nivara and O. punctata, hence these may act as new sources of resistance.

Variation among poplar clones for growth and crown traits under field conditions at two sites of North-western India

We evaluated the growth and crown traits of 36 poplar clones at two distinct agro-climatic regions of Punjab （Ludhiana and Bathinda） in northwestern India, following randomized block design with three replications and plot size of four trees. Significant differences among clones （p〈0.001） were observed for diameter at breast height （DBH）, tree height, volume, crown width and number of branches under both the site conditions. Clones ‘G-3’, ‘25-N’ and ‘41-N’ at Ludhiana and ‘G-3’, ‘RD-01’ and ‘S7C8’ at Bathinda were found to be superior for volume production. All growth and crown traits registered significantly higher values at Ludhiana in comparison to those at Bathinda. Clone site interaction was also significant （p〈0.001）. For volume, clones ‘L-62/84’, ‘113520’, ‘25-N’ and ‘S4C2’ witnessed huge fluctuations in ranking between sites. The correlations between growth traits were positive and highly significant （p〈0.001） at both sites. The clonal mean heritability was moderate for DBH and volume both at Ludhiana （0.61–0.66） and Bathinda （0.61–0.62）. Across sites, the genetic advance was the highest for volume （49.76%） and the lowest （6.50%） in case of height.

Antixenosis and Tolerance of Rice Genotypes Against Brown Planthopper

Nine genotypes were evaluated under greenhouse conditions for antixenosis and tolerance against brown planthopper （BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stal）. In antixenosis studies, proportion of insects settled on a test genotype in relation to the susceptible control TN1 was recorded, with significantly lower proportion of nymphs （55.22%-59.18%）, adult males （60.33%-60.75%）, and adult females （80.56%- 79.26%） settled on RP2068-18-3-5 and Ptb33 in relation to those on TN1. Based on number of feeding sites, the test genotypes were ranked in order from the highest to the lowest as RP2068-18-3-5, Ptb33, MR1523, Rathu Heenati, Sinnasivappu, ARC10550, MO1, INRC3021 and TNI. The order was exactly reverse in terms of fecundity expressed as number of eggs laid per female. In tolerance studies, days to wilt, functional plant loss index and plant dry weight loss to BPH dry weight produced were recorded. RP2068-18-3-5, Rathu Heenati and Ptb33 performed better than the other test genotypes. These results helped in relative quantification of BPH resistance levels in the genotypes. RP2068-18-3-5, a new effective source of BPH resistance, can be used in resistance breeding after tagging of resistant genes/QTLs linked to different parameters of antixenosis and tolerance with selectable molecular markers.

Selenium Accumulation and Antioxidant Status of Rice Plants Grown on Seleniferous Soil from Northwestern India

Greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate selenium accumulation and its antioxidant response in two rice varieties （PR116 and Pusa Basmati 1121） grown on normal and seleniferous soils. The plant growth was reduced at early developmental stages and flowering was delayed by a period of 10 d on seleniferous soil. Selenium accumulation increased by 3-20 and 13-14 folds in leaves, 18 and 3 folds in grains from Pusa Basmati 1121 and PRl16 varieties, respectively. Selenium accumulation in leaves from rice plants grown on seleniferous soil resulted in significant increase in chlorophyll content, hydrogen peroxide, proline, free amino acids, total phenol and tannin contents. Lipid peroxidation levels and peroxidase activities in leaves increased whereas catalase activity showed a reverse trend. It is concluded that selenium accumulation decreased dry matter content in rice during crop development but these plants were able to combat selenium toxicity by inducing alterations in their defense system.

Development and Identification of Novel Rice Blast Resistant Sources and Their Characterization Using Molecular Markers

To develop and characterize introgression lines for leaf and neck blast resistance, 326 introgression lines were developed using various accessions of six different AA genome wild species in the genetic background of elite Indian varieties like PRl14 and Pusa 44 and were screened for blast resistance. Stringent phenotyping coupled with genotyping using gene based markers led to the identification of four resistant introgression lines, which showed promising resistance and do not possess any of the tested genes. Furthermore, multi-location screening confirmed the field resistance of the four introgression lines to both leaf and neck blast. Molecular characterization of these introgression lines using genome-wide simple sequence repeat markers revealed the presence of small percentage of wild Oryza genome introgrssion. So these lines can be used for mapping and identification of novel leaf and neck blast resistance genes. Thus, these four introgression lines can be considered as new genetic resources for blast resistance.

Variation in Antioxidants, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Germinated and Ungerminated Grains of Ten Rice Cultivars

Present study was conducted to characterise ten rice(Oryza sativa L.) cultivars viz. IET-23466, Dhan-201, IET-23448, MAS-946, IET-23445, IET-23463, IET-23455, PR-123, PR-115 and IET-23449 based on antioxidants(total phenolics, flavonols and tannins), bioactive compounds(phytic acid, gamma amino butyric acid, tocopherol and reduced ascorbate) and antioxidant activity(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, free radical antioxidant power and total reducing power) with an aim to identify cultivars containing higher health promoting components after germination. Three cultivars IET-23466, IET-23463 and PR-123 performed better as revealed by higher level of antioxidants, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity before and after germination. Three cultivars MAS-946, IET-23445 and IET-23449 had moderate level of antioxidants, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Four cultivars Dhan-201, IET-23448, IET-23455 and PR-115 performed intermediately. Strong positive correlation was observed among total phenolics and the antioxidant activity. Phytic acid was found to be negatively correlated to the antioxidant activity. Our results highlighted that cultivars IET-23466, IET-23463 and PR-123 hold great potential after germination and would open up a useful opportunity for the functional food industry, and consumption of these cultivars after germination would afford health benefits to consumers since they contain higher level of antioxidants.

Selenium Alleviates Carbohydrate Metabolism and Nutrient Composition in Arsenic Stressed Rice Plants

This study reported the influence of selenium(Se)on carbohydrate composition and some related enzymes and nutrient compositions of arsenic(As)stressed rice plants.Rice plants of cultivar PR126 were grown on soil amended with As in a range of 25-100μmol/kg with and without 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg Se.Total soluble sugars(TSS)and reducing sugars(RS)increased in leaves of As stressed plants at the tillering and grain filling stages whereas sucrose and starch contents showed the reverse trend.Se supplementation to As stressed plants further increased TSS and RS,and enhanced sucrose phosphate synthase activity in rice leaves,thus improving sucrose content and the tolerance to As stress of the plants.Se alone or in combination with As resulted in lower As accumulation in rice husk and grains,and the highest reduction was observed in Se applied at 1.0 mg/kg compared to the corresponding As treatments alone.As may limit the accumulations of Na,Mg,K,Ca,Fe,Zn and Mn in rice grains,which are essential for humans.Binary application of different combinations of As and Se protected the plants against As and increased the mineral content in rice grains.Addition of Se in As treated soil significantly alleviated As stress by enhancing grain yields compared to the corresponding As treatment.It is concluded that Se induced amelioration of the toxic impact of As in rice either by modulating carbohydrate composition and/or nutrient uptake is one of the mechanisms to alleviate As stress in plants.

Soil Aggregates, Organic Matter, and Labile C and N Fractions after 37 Years of N, P and K Applications to an Irrigated Subtropical Soil under Maize-Wheat Rotation

Abstract： Physical, chemical and biological soil properties in surface （0-5 cm） and subsurface soil （5-15 cm） were determined in a field experiment conducted with seven treatments consisted of different combinations of fertilizer N （0, 100 and 200 kg N ha^-1）, P （0, 22 and 44 kg P2O5 ha^-1） and K （0, 41 and 82 kg K2O ha^-1） applied both to summer-grown maize （Zea mays L.） and winter-grown wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） crops continuously for 37 years under irrigated subtropical conditions. Application of N, P and K significantly increased water stable aggregates and had profound effects in increasing the mean weight diameter as well as the formation of macro-aggregates, which were highest in both surface （81%） and subsurface （74%） soil layers with application of 100 kg N ＋ 22 kg P2O5 ＋ 41 kg K2O ha^-1 （N100P22K41）. The N100P22K41 treatment also enhanced total organic C （TOC） from 4.4 g kg^-1 in no-NPK control to 4.8 g kg^-1in surface layer and from 3.3 to 4.1 g kg1 in subsurface layer leading to the 20% higher TOC stocks in 0-15 cm soil. The labile C and N fractions such as water soluble C, particulate and light fraction organic matter, potentially mineralizable N and microbial biomass were also highest under the optimized balanced application of N100P22K41. Relatively higher increase in all labile fractions of C and N as proportion of TOC and total N, respectively suggested that these are potential indicators to reflect changes in management practices long before changes in TOC and TN are detectable. These results demonstrated that optimized balanced application of N, P and K is crucial for improving soil health ensuring long-term sustainability of farming systems in semiarid subtropical soils.

The Role of Cover Crops towards Sustainable Soil Health and Agriculture—A Review Paper

Cover crops are the plants which are grown to improve soil fertility, prevent soil erosion, enrichment and protection of soil, and enhance nutrient and water availability, and quality of soil. Cover crops provide several benefits to soils used for agriculture production. Cover crops are helpful in increasing and sustaining microbial biodiversity in soils. We summarized the effect of several cover crops in soil properties such as soil moisture content, soil microbial activities, soil carbon sequestration, nitrate leaching, soil water, and soil health. Selection of cover crops usually depends on the primary benefits which are provided by cover crops. Other factors may also include weather conditions, time of sowing, either legume or non-legume and timing and method of killing of a cover crop. In recent times, cover crops are also used for mitigating climate change, suppressing weeds in crops and increasing exchangeable nutrients such as Mg2+ and K+. Cover crops are also found to be economical in long-term experiment studies. Although some limitations always come with several benefits. Cover crops have some problems including the method of killing, host for pathogens, regeneration, and not immediate benefits of using them. Despite the few limitations, cover crops improve the overall health of the soil and provide a sustainable environment for the main crops.

辣椒雄性不育分子生物学研究进展

遗传定位、基因标记与克隆、标记辅助选择(MAS)等分子生物学技术在作物品种改良中发挥了重要作用。近年来,辣椒分子生物学研究取得了一定进展:(1)构建了一批分布广泛、覆盖整个基因组的种间或种内遗传图谱。(2)对C.annuum及其野生种C.annuum var.glabriusculum和C.baccatum的全基因组进行测序,明确了辣椒基因组的大小(3.48 Gb)为番茄(Solanum lycopersicum L.)基因组(900 Mb)的4倍。(3)开发了一批连锁标记,奠定了利用基因克隆和MAS技术培育优良品种的基础。(4)发现20个独立遗传的核雄性不育(NMS)基因,开发了与ms1、ms3、ms8、ms10、msk、msc-1和一个未命名基因的连锁标记,但除ms1、ms3、ms8和ms10外,其他的NMS基因尚未定位。(5)开发了与辣椒胞质雄性不育系(CMS)不育性相关的线粒体基因atp6的标记,鉴定了与育性恢复(Rf)相关基因,但Rf没能在遗传图谱中定位;鉴定和标记了影响CMS系育性恢复的相关核基因(pr)。综述了辣椒分子生物学研究进展,这些信息将对辣椒种质资源评价、利用MAS培育NMS系和提高NMS系选育效率、利用rf和Rf基因选育CMS的保持系和恢复系,以及杂交种子纯度鉴定等具有一定参考价值。

Foliar Application of Benzothiadiazole and Salicylic Acid to Combat Sheath Blight Disease of Rice

A field study was undertaken to ascertain the effects of elicitors viz. benzothiadiazole （BTH） and salicylic acid （SA） on defense related enzymes viz. peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, superoxide dismutase, chitinase and 13-1,3-glucanase, and phenols in rice （Pusa Basmati I） plants. First foliar spray of BTH （50 mg/kg） and SA （50 mg/kg） was done at the maximum tillering stage and inoculation with Rhizoctonia solani was carried 24 h after elicitor treatment. Elicitors were further sprayed at every growth stage. Time course analysis showed peak accumulation of defense related enzymes and phenols in the rice leaves treated with BTH and SA, and accumulation was the highest at the flowering stage. Higher enzymatic activity was observed in elicitor treated plants inoculated with R. solani. Compared to the untreated control plants, application of elicitors before R. solani inoculation significantly elicited the defense related enzymes and phenols. Moreover, application of elicitors had a positive effect on yield and disease reduction. It is suggested that pretreatment of rice leaves with BTH and SA could be used to enhance the level of protection against sheath blight and to improve rice yield in the fields.

Evaluation of management tools for the control of poplar leaf defoliators (Lepidoptera: notodontidae) in northwestern India

Populus suffers from multiple insect damage throughout its distributional range in northwestern India. The evaluation of various management tools was done based on the hypothesis that manipulation of insect habitat can provide tangible results. Manipulation of cultural practices, ploughing of field during December, and growing of crops （wheat, Trifolium alexandrinum and others） results in lower adult emergence, reduced leaf infestation, number of larvae and pupae per meter branch length of poplar leaf defoliators （PLD）. Fallow plantations were more prone to attack of PLD than intercropped plantations. Higher incidence of Clostera restitura was recorded in southwestern dry zones due to unsuitability of the site, poor quality of irrigation water and dry weather conditions. Complete stripping of Populus trees does not occur in low temperature ＆ high humidity, submountaneous zones of Punjab. Chemical control studies were conducted in laboratory ＆ field conditions, and among the five insecticides tested, Profenophos 50 EC, Quinalphos 25 EC and Carbaryl 50 WP @ 0.05 and 0.1 percent concentration gave consistently high mortality of PLD larvae up to 21 days after spraying. Use of insecticides prior to peak activity periods ＆ during evening hours enhances the efficiency of management options.

Biomass and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Poplar-Wheat Inter-cropping System in Irrigated Agro-ecosystem in India

An attempt has been made to assess the productivity as well as the carbon sequestration potential of this mixture. The grain as well as straw yields were significantly lower in poplar block plantations than in the open （14 to 64% and 13 to 66% grain and straw yield, respectively under one to six year plantation）. The annual productivity of poplars was recorded maximum after fourth year and later the annual wood increment decreased （42.4, 39.8 and 35.6 m^3/ha/yr after 4^th, 5^th and 6^th year, respectively）. The enrichment of soil through litter and roots enhanced the organic carbon in the surface layer of soil （0-15 cm） under poplar blocks as compared to open fields with wheat crop only. The carbon storage potential in agroforestry system was recorded very high in comparison to sole crop. The carbon storage in agroforestry system increased with the age of the plantation and the major contribution came from the timber, roots and litter （37.30 mg/ha after six years）. However, wheat crop yield decreased under poplar but this may be compensated by the poplar trees in terms of biomass, economic returns and the carbon sequestration potential.