Effect of conservation agriculture on soil organic and inorganic carbon sequestration and lability: A study from a rice–wheat cropping system on a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains

Increasing soil carbon (C) in arable soils is an important strategy to achieve sustainable yields and mitigate climate change. We investigated changes in soil organic and inorganic carbon (SOC and SIC) under conservation agriculture (CA) in a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The treatments were as follows: conventional-till rice and wheat (CT-CT), CT rice and zero-till wheat (CT-ZT), ZT direct seeded rice (DSR) and CT wheat (ZT-CT), ZTDSR and ZT wheat without crop residue retention (ZT-ZT), ZT-ZT with residue (ZT-ZT+R), and DSR and wheat both on permanent beds with residue (PB-PB+R). The ZT-ZT+R had the highest total SOC in both 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil layers (20% and 40% higher (p < .05) than CT-CT, respectively), whereas total SIC decreased by 11% and 15% in the respective layers under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. Non-labile SOC was the largest pool, followed by very labile, labile and less labile SOC. The benefits of ZT and residue retention were greatest for very labile SOC, which showed a significant (p < .05) increase (~50%) under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. The ZT-ZT+R sequestered ~2 Mg ha⁻¹ total SOC in the 0–15 cm soil layer in 6 years, where CT registered significant losses. Thus, the adoption of CA should be recommended in calcareous soils, for C sequestration, and also as a reclamation technique.     

Silage and total mixed ration hygienic quality on commercial farms: implications for animal production

Implications of silage hygienic quality for animal production were investigated on forty‐five dairy farms in South West England. Samples of grass and maize silages and of total mixed rations (TMR) were obtained together with information on silage technology, herd size and animal production. Samples were analysed for mycotoxins, bacteria, yeasts, moulds and chemical composition. Thirteen mycotoxins were assayed, but none were detected in the samples of grass silage. However, mycotoxins were found in 0·9 of all maize and other silage samples, with deoxynivalenol and zearalenone predominating. There was no relationship between total mycotoxin concentration and mean lactation milk yield per cow. Enterobacteria counts tended to be higher in maize silage than in grass silage and higher still in TMR – a cause for concern. There were no relationships between mould counts and mycotoxin concentrations in silages, implying that mycotoxins may have been produced in the field pre‐ensiling.     

Influence of crop establishment methods on yield,economics and water productivity of rice cultivars under upland and lowland production ecologies of Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains

A field study on assessment of crop establishment methods on yield, economics and water productivity of rice cultivars under upland and lowland production ecologies was conducted during wet seasons (June–November) of 2012 and 2013 in Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The experiment was laid-out in a split-plot design (SPD) and replicated four times. The main-plot treatments included three crop establishment methods, viz. dry direct-seeded rice (DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and puddled transplanted rice (PTR). In sub-plots, five rice cultivars of different groups like aromatic (Improved Pusa Basmati 1 and Pusa Sugandh 5), inbreds (PNR 381 and Pusa 834) and hybrid (Arize 6444) were taken for their evaluations. These two sets of treatments were laid-out simultaneously in two production ecologies, upland and lowland during both years. In general, lowland ecology was found favourable for rice growth and yield and resulted in 13.2% higher grain yield as compared to upland ecology. Rice grown with SRI method produced 19.4 and 7.0% higher grain yield in 2012 and 20.6 and 7.1% higher in 2013, over DSR and PTR. However, PTR yielded 13.1 and 14.5% higher grain over DSR during 2012 and 2013, respectively. On an average, Arize 6444 produced 26.4, 26.9, 28.9 and 54.7% higher grain yield as compared to PS 5, P 834, PNR 381 and IPB1, respectively. Further, the interaction of production ecologies × crop establishment methods revealed that, in upland ecology, SRI recorded significantly higher grain yield as compared to PTR and DSR, but in lowland, grain yield resulting from SRI was similar to the yield obtained with PTR and significantly higher than DSR. The latter two methods (PTR and DSR) yielded alike in lowland ecology in both study years. The production ecologies × crop establishment methods × cultivars interaction on grain yield showed that the growing of Arize 6444 cultivar using SRI method in upland ecology resulted in the higher grain yield (8.87 t/ha). But the cost of production was also highest in SRI followed by PTR and DSR across production ecologies and cultivars. Cultivation of hybrid (Arize 6444) involved higher cost of production than all other cultivars. Irrespective of crop establishment methods and cultivars, gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio were significantly higher in lowland compared to upland ecology. Owing to higher grain yield, SRI method fetched significantly higher gross returns and net returns over PTR and DSR. Average increase in net return with Arize 6444 was 68.8, 41.0, 37.7 and 33.1% over IPB 1, PNR 381, P 834 and PS 5, respectively. There was a saving of 30.7% water in SRI and 19.9% in DSR over PTR under upland ecology. Similarly in lowland ecology, water saving of 30.2% was observed in SRI and 21.2% in DSR over PTR. Due to higher yield and saving on water, SRI returned significantly higher total water productivity (TWP) (5.9 kg/ha-mm) as compared to DSR (3.5 kg/ha-mm) and PTR (3.6 kg/ha-mm) under upland ecology. In lowland ecology, also SRI (6.2 kg/ha-mm) resulted in higher TWP as compared to other two methods. However, DSR gave significantly higher TWP as compared to PTR. Among cultivars, hybrid Arize 6444 recorded the highest TWP in both upland and lowland production ecologies across crop establishment methods. Hence, growing of hybrid Arize 6444 with SRI method can enhance rice productivity and water-use efficiency in lowland and upland production ecologies of Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains and in other similar regions.     

Alteration in important quality traits and antioxidant activities in Brassica oleracea with Ogura cybrid cytoplasm

In vegetable brassicas, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system is the most preferred mechanism for hybrid seed production and Ogura cybrid cytoplasm is the only source used widely. Effects of the alien cybrid cytoplasm on important quality traits need to be understood for their effective use in breeding programme. In analysing 38 Ogura cybrid cytoplasm‐based cauliflower CMS lines, it was revealed that introgression of Ogura cytoplasm resulted in significant alteration in important quality traits. Cupric reducing antioxidant activity and ferric reducing ability of plasma values were increased up to 5–10 times in different genotypes. Among 38 analysed CMS lines, concentration of plant pigments such as anthocyanin, total chlorophylls and ascorbic acid was reduced in 21, 17 and 32 genotypes, respectively. However, the concentration of total carotenoids and β‐carotene was elevated in most of the CMS lines and total carotenoid was increased up to 20 times in the CMS line, Ogu13‐85‐2A. The results indicate the role of nuclear–cytoplasmic interaction and mitochondrial genome in determining concentration of different quality traits.     

Fusarium wilt of chickpea: physiological specialization, genetics of resistance and resistance gene tagging

Chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is one of the major yield limiting factors in chickpea. The disease causes 10–90% yield losses annually in chickpea. Eight physiological races of the pathogen (0, 1A, 1B/C, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) are reported so far whereas additional races are suspected from India. The distribution pattern of these races in different parts of the world indicates regional specificity for their occurrence leading to the perception that F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris evolved independently in different regions. Pathogen isolates also exhibit differences in disease symptoms. Races 0 and 1B/C cause yellowing syndrome whereas 1A, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 lead to wilting syndrome. Genetics of resistance to two races (1B/C and 6) is yet to be determined, however, for other races resistance is governed either by monogenes or oligogenes. The individual genes of oligogenic resistance mechanism delay onset of disease symptoms, a phenomenon called as late wilting. Slow wilting, i.e., slow development of disease after onset of disease symptoms also occurs in reaction to pathogen; however, its genetics are not known. Mapping of wilt resistance genes in chickpea is difficult because of minimal polymorphism; however, it has been facilitated to great extent by the development of sequence tagged microsatellite site (STMS) markers that have revealed significant interspecific and intraspecific polymorphism. Markers linked to six genes governing resistance to six races (0, 1A, 2, 3, 4 and 5) of the pathogen have been identified and their position on chickpea linkage maps elucidated. These genes lie in two separate clusters on two different chickpea linkage groups. While the gene for resistance to race 0 is situated on LG 5 of Winter et al. (Theoretical and Applied Genetics 101:1155–1163, 2000) those governing resistance to races 1A, 2, 3, 4 and 5 spanned a region of 8.2 cM on LG 2. The cluster of five resistance genes was further subdivided into two sub clusters of 2.8 cM and 2.0 cM, respectively. Map-based cloning can be used to isolate the six genes mapped so far; however, the region containing these genes needs additional markers to facilitate their isolation. Cloning of wilt resistance genes is desirable to study their evolution, mechanisms of resistance and their exploitation in wilt resistance breeding and wilt management.     

Screening and selecting novel AM fungi and Azotobacter strain for inoculating apple under soil solarization and chemical disinfestation with mulch practices for sustainable nursery management

The objective of this study is to investigate the response of screening, and selection of novel indigenous AM fungal species and Azotobacter chroococcum strains for inoculating apple under different soil disinfestations and moisture conservation mulch practices for sustainable nursery management. Two local AM fungal species namely, Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerdemann) and Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.), and two strains of A. chroococcum viz., A. chroococcum strain-I (AZ₁) and A. chroococcum strain-II (AZ₂) were inoculated at nursery stage under soil solarization, chemical disinfestation and natural soil conditions at four different mulch materials namely, black plastic mulch (BPM), and organic mulches, i.e. grass mulch (GM); cover crops (CC); green manuring + clean cultivation (Gm + Cc). The comparative performance of the seedlings on the impact of local AM species and A. chroococcum strains on growth characteristics, microbial population, root colonization and leaf nutrient status was evaluated. The inoculation of seedlings to G. fasciculatum and AZ₁ increased all growth characteristics (plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and total root length), microbial consortium of the rhizosphere soil and leaf N, P, K and Zn content in all those plots where soil solarization and black plastic mulching was used followed by chemical disinfestations and natural soil conditions at all other mulch types used. These findings suggested that the soil inoculation of G. fasciculatum and AZ₁ strain to seeds and/or the saplings under soil solarization with black plastic mulch attained a desirable plant height and become ready for grafting which however saved a period of 1 year for nursery management compared to traditional nursery raising practice, and thus, it may be a viable and feasible approach to maintain soil productivity under nutrient limited soils for sustainable apple nursery production under temperate rain-fed conditions.     

Biochemical and histopathological studies to assess chronic toxicity of triazophos in blood, liver and brain tissue of rats

Triazophos, O,O-diethyl-1-H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl phosphorothioate, (TZ) is an organophosphorus pesticide which is extensively used in agriculture for controlling insect pests. Except a FAO/WHO report no study has investigated its short-term toxicity with respect to its potential to cause biochemical and histopathological alterations. The present study was designed to identify the effect of TZ at different doses (1.64, 3.2 and 8.2 mg/kg) on the oxidative stress parameters in blood as well as organs involved in xenobiotic metabolism (liver and brain) following chronic exposure for 90 days. Moreover, the study also delineates the effect of TZ on the histo-architecture of these organs. The results indicated a dose dependent induction (p < 0.001) of oxidative stress, as evident by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and compromised antioxidant defense including glutathione S transferase (GST) activity, glutathione (GSH) content and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) in blood, and increased MDA level with concomitantly decreased GSH content in tissues, following chronic exposure to TZ. The ratio of MDA: FRAP in blood was found to be increased following chronic exposure to TZ and may serve as a suitable indicator of severity of oxidative damage. Onset of such biochemical alterations is one of the early adaptive responses to TZ exposure which leads to histopathological alterations in terms of diffuse fatty changes expanding from mid-zonal area to whole lobule in liver. However, increased oxidative stress did not bring any morphological alteration in brain. The present study concludes that induction of oxidative stress, leading to subsequent histopathological alterations in liver, is an important mechanism underlying the TZ induced chronic toxicity.     

Effect of biocontrol agents and biofertilizers on root rot,yield, harvest index and nutrient uptake of cassava (Manihot esculanta Crantz)

Cassava is an important subsidiary food and industrial raw material in the tropics. Root rot disease, caused by Phytophthora palmivora, poses a serious threat to cassava cultivation in Tamil Nadu, India. Field experiments (2008–09) were conducted to study the effect of biocontrol agents (Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and biofertilizers (Azospirillum, vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria) on root rot, yield, harvest index and nutrient uptake of cassava at two NPK rates. The design of the experiment was a split plot with two NPK rates, recommended and 50% recommended rate, as the main plot treatments and five biocontrol agents and biofertilizers as subplot treatments. The results clearly indicated that use of a bioinoculants consortium significantly reduced root rot infection/disease incidence over uninoculated controls. Azospirillum significantly improved the yield of cassava at 50% of the recommended rate of NPK. NPK rates had no significant impact on harvest index of cassava and Trichoderma and vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi resulted in a higher harvest index even at 50% of the recommended NPK rate. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake was significantly improved when treated with biofertilizers and/or a consortium.