Gene-for-gene relationship for resistance in wheat to isolates of Karnal bunt, Neovossia indica

Reactions to eight isolates of Karnal bunt, Neovossia indica, collected from seven different locations in northern India were studied on 13 host lines, including cultivars and breeding lines of Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum and Triticosecale in all possible combinations. The incidence of Karnal bunt varied from zero in PBW 34 and PBW 248 with isolates Ni8 and Ni2, respectively, to as high as 66.8% in a highly susceptible cultivar WL 711 with isolate Ni5. The differences in disease incidence among cultivars and isolates were highly significant. All the isolates could be distinguished on the basis of differential reactions on one or more of the host lines. Even the most resistant lines of durum (PDW 215), triticale (TL 1210) and wheat (HD 29) could be distinguished by the differential disease reaction with one or more of the eight isolates. The cultivar-isolate interaction for disease score was highly significant, indicating the probable existence of a gene-for-gene relationship in this host-pathogen system.     

Economic analysis of risk of gastrointestinal parasitic infection in cattle in North Eastern States of India

Gastrointestinal parasitic infection is highly prevalent in the North Eastern States (NEH) of India and accounted for significant economic losses across various livestock species. Productivity of cattle in terms of milk yield was estimated to be considerably higher (3,715, 3,590, and 3,154 L) due to strategic anthelmintic treatment as compare to control group (2,928 L). Based on the probability of occurrence of parasitic infection as well as increase in value of milk production, the possible economic gain at state level has been estimated to be Rs. 46 million, Rs. 35 million, and Rs. 14 million, depending upon the different strategic treatment. The government may take up the program to educate the cattle farmers on strategic management against parasitic infecion and simultaneously making available various anthelmintic medicines. This public responsibility of the government to minimize the risk and economic loss due to gastrointestinal parasite infection may reduce the private cost and thereby would increase the social benefits in North Eastern states of India.     

Differentiation of chloride and sulphate salinity on the basis of ionic distribution in genetically diverse cultivars of wheat

Sulphate (SO₄) salinity, in general, was found to be more injurious than chloride (Cl) salinity in all the four genetically diverse wheat cultivars—Triticum monococcum (Cl), T. aestivum cv. Chinese spring (C2), T. turgidum cv. langdon (C3) and amphidiploid (C4) obtained by a cross between T. aestivum cv. Chinese spring x Thinopyrum bessarabicum grown in hydroponic cultures containing iso‐osmotic saline treatments T1 (90 mM NaCl), T2 (45 mM NaCl+22.5 mM Na₂SO₄), T3 (15 mM NaCl + 37.5 mM Na₂SO₄), and T4 (45 mM Na₂SO₄). Among the cultivars, C4 followed by C2 and C3 appeared to be more salt resistant and Cl the most salt sensitive as far as various observations on osmotic potential and internal ion accumulation were concerned. Salt resistance could be ascribed to more exclusion of Na and Cl ions. Sulphate injury might be due to less effective sequestration or mobility of this ion towards some innocuous centres of plant tissues. Most of the interactive effects of cultivar versus salinity were prominently higher in cultivar C4 in treatment T1.     

Denitrification losses from puddled rice soils in the tropics

Summary Although denitrification has long been considered a major loss mechanism for N fertilizer applied to lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) soils, direct field measurements of denitrification losses from puddled rice soils in the tropics have only been made recently. This paper summarizes the results of direct measurement and indirect estimation of denitrification losses from puddled rice fields and reviews the status of research methodology for measurement of denitrification in rice fields. The direct recovery of (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N from ¹⁵N-enriched urea has recently been measured at sites in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. In all 12 studies, recoveries of (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N ranged from less than 0.1 to 2.2% of the applied N. Total gaseous N losses, estimated by the ¹⁵N-balance technique, were much greater, ranging from 10 to 56% of the applied urea-N. Denitrification was limited by the nitrate supply rather than by available C, as indicated by the values for water-soluble soil organic C, floodwater (nitrate+nitrite)-N, and evolved (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N from added nitrate. In the absence of runoff and leaching losses, the amount of (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N evolved from ¹⁵N-labeled nitrate was consistently less than the unrecovered ¹⁵N in ¹⁵N balances with labeled nitrate, which presumably represented total denitrification losses. This finding indicates that the measured recoveries of (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N had underestimated the denitrification losses from urea. Even with a probable two-or threefold underestimation, direct measurements of (N₂+N₂O)-¹⁵N failed to confirm the appreciable denitrification losses often estimated by the indirect difference method. This method, which determines denitrification losses by the difference between total ¹⁵N loss and determined ammonia loss, is prone to high variability. Measurements of nitrate disappearance and ¹⁵N-balance studies suggest that nitrification-denitrification occurs under alternate soil drying and wetting conditions both during the rice cropping period and between rice crops. Research is needed to determine the magnitude of denitrification losses when soils are flooded and puddled for production of rice.     

Responses of aerobically grown iron chlorosis tolerant and susceptible rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes to soil iron management in an Inceptisol

Iron deficiency is a serious nutritional disorder in aerobic rice, causing chlorosis, poor yields and reduced grain nutritional quality. The problem can be managed by complementing the use of Fe-efficient plant type with a suitable Fe management strategy. In the present paper, we report the effect of eight iron management practices to resolve the problem of iron (Fe) chlorosis through the use of an iron deficiency tolerant (IDTR) and iron deficiency susceptible (IDSR) rice genotype, i.e. Pusa 33 and ADT 39, respectively. Fe deficiency tolerance of these genotypes was related to the root release of PS which enabled a higher uptake of Fe in the IDTR than the IDSR under Fe deficiency. In general, IDTR performed better than the IDSR as evident from a significant increase in total iron, active iron, chlorophyll content and grain and straw yield. IDSR produced the highest grain and straw yield under slow iron release nano clay complex source. Grain Fe content of the IDTR and IDSR increased by 18.9 and 13.4%, respectively, under recommended dose of Fe. The results identified the most effective soil management strategies for the alleviating Fe deficiency chlorosis and improving Fe nutrition of both IDTR and IDSR genotypes.     

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.     

Influence of indigenous inputs on the properties of old alluvial soil in a mustard cropping system

Field experiments were conducted at the Crop Research and Seed Multiplication Farm of Burdwan University, Burdwan, West Bengal, India, to evaluate the influence of integrated nutrient management on soil physicochemical properties in a mustard (Brassica campestris cv. ‘B9’) cropping system. The experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 in old alluvial soil (pH 6–7). Seven different doses of biofertilizers (Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB)), vermicomposts, organic (cow dung), and chemical fertilizers were applied on mustard in both the experimental seasons. The results indicated an improvement in soil quality by increasing soil porosity and water holding capacity significantly, as well as gradual build-up of the soil micronutrient status after harvesting of the crop. Dual applications of biofertilizers and vermicomposts have contributed significantly to higher soil organic matter, available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents as well as micronutrient availability of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) and subsequently increased the soil health.