Indirect selection for resistance to Stenocarpella maydis and Fusarium graminearum and the prospects of selecting for high‐yielding and resistant maize hybrids

Stenocarpella maydis and Fusarium graminearum affect grain yield and quality as a result of mycotoxins produced. A negative association of yield with resistance to cob rots has been reported. The objectives of this study were therefore to investigate the influence of cob characteristics on the response to F. graminearum and S. maydis disease reaction and evaluate the prospects of direct selection for high‐yielding and resistant maize hybrids. In this study, the pathogens were directly introduced to the cob through toothpick inoculation. Correlation of husk cover to disease severity of each pathogen, separately toothpick inoculated, was significant (P < 0.01). However, the low r values (<0.45) of traits associated with the response to inoculation by S. maydis and F. graminearum imply that indirect selection would not be beneficial for obtaining the type of resistance shown under inoculation. Several hybrids combined good yields with at least moderate resistance to both pathogens.     

Influence of Dual Inoculation of AM Fungi and Rhizobium on Growth Indices,Production Economics,and Nutrient Use Efficiencies in Garden Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Field experimentation was conducted at Palampur, India during 2011–2012 in an acid Alfisol to quantify the influence of integrated use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Rhizobium and inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on growth, productivity, profitability, and nutrient use efficiencies in garden pea (Pisum sativum L.). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) replicated thrice comprising 13 treatments involving AMF (Glomus mosseae), Rhizobium (R. leguminosarum), and inorganic N and P fertilizers. The results revealed that dual inoculation of pea seed with AMF and Rhizobium enhanced the plant height, leaf area index, and dry matter accumulation significantly by 19.4 and 13.1, 10.7 and 10.7, and 16.6 and 16.7%, respectively at 60 and 120 days after sowing (DAS). Similarly, dual inoculation exhibited significant respective increases of 9.5 and 14.6% in absolute and crop growth rates over generalized recommended NP potassium (K) dose (GRD) during 60–120 DAS. The dual inoculation led to significant respective increases of 1.0 and 2.2, 1.06 and 1.74, 0.21 and 1.5, and 1.05 and 1.60 folds in partial factor productivity, crop recovery efficiency, physiological efficiency, and % recovery of applied N and P, respectively over GRD. The magnitude of increase in pea productivity, net returns, and boron to carbon (B:C) ratio following dual inoculation was to the tune of 20, 54.4, and 104.1%, respectively over GRD. Dual inoculation also exhibited significant increases of 19.4 and 53.1% in production and monetary efficiencies of pea over GRD. Overall, dual inoculation of AMF and Rhizobium with 75% soil-test-based N and P dose in pea has great potential in enhancing pea productivity, profitability, and nutrient use efficiency besides saving about 25% fertilizer N and P without impairing pea productivity in Himalayan acid Alfisol.     

Manure and Fertilizer Application Effects on Aggregate and Mineral-Associated Organic Carbon in a Loamy Soil under Rice-Wheat System

The study was conducted to investigate the aggregate stability and distribution of organic carbon (C) in different-sized aggregates and mineral fractions in a loamy soil under rice-wheat system with continuous application of fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), farmyard manure (FYM), N+FYM and NPK+FYM, compared with unfertilized control. Macro-aggregates comprised 37.1–49.3% of the total water-stable aggregates (WSAs), compared with 23.3–30.3% as micro-aggregates. Application of inorganic fertilizers and FYM significantly increased the proportion of macro-aggregates, which were linearly related to total organic C (TOC). Organic C concentration in coarse macro-aggregates (CMacA) was higher than the micro-aggregates (CMicA). Application of FYM significantly increased the concentration of organic C in different-sized aggregates and mineral fraction, compared with the unfertilized control. Averaged across treatments, mineral-associated C comprised 26% of TOC. Macro-aggregates, on an average, constituted 66–68% of C preservation capacity of WSA. The amount of TOC sequestered was higher when NPK+FYM was applied together.     

Agronomic evaluation of mulching and iron nutrition on productivity,nutrient uptake,iron use efficiency and economics of aerobic rice-wheat cropping system

Field experiments were carried out during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons (June–April) of 2008–2010 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, to study the productivity, nutrients uptake, iron (Fe) use-efficiency and economics of aerobic rice-wheat cropping system as influenced by mulching and Fe nutrition. The highest yield attributes, grain and straw yields (5.41 tonnes ha^?1 and 6.56 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake in rice was recorded with transplanted and puddled rice (TPR) followed by aerobic rice with Sesbania aculeata mulch. However, residual effect of aerobic rice with wheat straw mulch was more pronounced on yield attributes, grain and straw yields (4.20 and 6.70 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake in succeeding wheat and remained at par with aerobic rice with Sesbania mulch. Application of iron sulfate (FeSO₄) at 50 kg ha^?1 + 2 foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄ was found to be the best in terms of all the yield attributes, grain and straw yield (5.09 and 6.17 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake and remained at par with 3 foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄. Although residual effect of iron application failed to increase the yield attributes, yield and nutrient uptake nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P, K) except Fe. The highest system productivity, nutrient uptake, gross returns, net returns, B: C ratio and lowest cost of cultivation were recorded with aerobic rice with wheat straw and Sesbania aculeata mulch. Application of FeSO₄ at 50 kg ha^?1 + two foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄ was found better in respect of system productivity, nutrient uptake, gross returns, net returns, B:C ratio and cost of cultivation in aerobic rice-wheat cropping system. The Fe use efficiency values viz. partial factor productivity (kg grain kg^?1 Fe), agronomic efficiency (kg grain increased kg^?1 Fe applied), agrophysiological efficiency (kg grain kg^?1 Fe uptake), physiological efficiency (kg biomass kg^?1 Fe uptake), apparent recovery (%) utilization efficiency and harvest index (%) of applied Fe were significantly affected due to methods of rice production and various Fe nutrition treatments in aerobic rice and aerobic rice-wheat cropping system.     

Long-term manuring and fertilization influence soil inorganic phosphorus transformation vis-a-vis rice yield in a rice–wheat cropping system

A study on the rice–wheat cropping system was conducted at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India, to assess the effects of long-term manuring and fertilization on transformation of the inorganic phosphorus (P) fraction in soil after 22 years of the crop cycle. Soil samples were collected after Kharif from seven treated plots having different types of organic amendments like farm yard manure, paddy straw and green manuring with 50% substitution of nitrogen levels in rice crop only. The result showed that the yield trend of rice was maintained due to the buildup of P from various organic inputs. Although cultivation for 22 years without adding any fertilizer caused a significant decrease in almost all the forms of P viz. avail-P, saloid P, iron phosphorus fraction (Fe–P), aluminum phosphorus fraction (Al–P), calcium phosphorus fraction (Ca–P) and total P in control. Partial substitution of inorganic fertilizer N (50%) with organics, however, caused a significant increase in almost all the P fractions in soil over the control. The relative abundance of all the fractions of inorganic P irrespective of treatments was as follows: Fe–P > reductant soluble P fraction > occluded P > Al–P > Ca–P > saloid P. Saloid and Fe–P were the dominating fractions responsible for 92% variation of available P and total P levels, respectively.