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In cotton growing areas, short duration sunflower hybrids are desired. The sunflower hybrid ORISUN-675 was developed as short duration sunflower hybrid with better yield in 2016. ORISUN-675 was the outcome of hybridization between CMS line ORI-01 and a restorer line RL-72. The initial cross was attempted during 2016 at farm area of Oilseeds Research Institute, Faisalabad. Later on, this hybrid was tested at various levels like on station trial and multilocation trails for yield and stability evaluation and proved its worth against Hysun-33, NKS-278 and AGSUN-5264. The Station Yield Trial was conducted during 2017 at Oilseeds Research Institute, Faisalabad and Micro Yield Trial during 2018 at various locations in Punjab. National Uniform Sunflower Yield Trials were conducted during 2019 and 2020 at different ecological zones of Pakistan under the supervision of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. All yield trials showed outstanding results of ORISUN-675 in terms of yield and quality against check hybrids. Mean yield of sunflower hybrids showed that ORISUN-675 had the highest average seed yield of 2636 kg/ha under various locations with the highest seed yield of 3367 kg/ha at Rajanpur district followed by the district D.I. Khan with the seed yield of 3248 kg/ha. It also showed good results against disease infestation and attack of insect pests. It has a very good oil quality with excellent ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Stability studies at various locations of Pakistan also showed the worth of this hybrid. Moreover, this hybrid showed very good results at southern Punjab (Cotton zone) which makes it suitable for cotton sunflower cotton cropping scheme. On the basis of yield and stability evaluation, ORISUN-675 was recommended by the Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) during 2020 for general cultivation in whole Pakistan whereas it is approved by Punjab Seed Council (PSC) for general cultivation in Punjab during 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata) is a destructive pest of citrus fruits. Use of synthetic insecticides against fruit fly infestations has created different ecological problems such as the development of insecticide resistance, eradication of beneficial fauna and human health hazards. This situation necessitates looking for alternate biorational fruit fly management tools such as botanical insecticides. This laboratory study was aimed at determining the toxicity of some selected plant extracts (i.e. Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Nigella sativa L. and Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad) alone and as binary combinations against B. zonata adults. The study was conducted in the at Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, Pakistan in July to September, 2019. Bioassay results showed that aqueous extract of A. indica was most toxic to B. zonata adults with a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 383.3 μl/g of artificial diet, followed by C. colocynthis and N. sativa with LC50 values of 656.3 and 734.2 μl/g of artificial diet, respectively. Bioassays with binary combinations revealed that A. indica with C. colocynthis (ratio 1:1) showed a synergistic effect exhibiting a LC50 value of 293.1 μl/g of artificial diet. However, all other treatment combinations showed an antagonistic effect. It is suggested that the mixture of botanical extracts should be used carefully as they may sometimes reduce the efficacy of each other upon mixing. These results can thus be used in the development of potential botanical formulations against insect pests such as fruit flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan developed the ever first variety of barley as Jau-17 in Pakistan. Barley variety performed best in a series of irrigated and rainfed yield trials conducted at Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad and outstation yield trials throughout the Punjab province during 2008-2019. In the yield trials for three consecutive years from Preliminary to Regular and Advanced Yield Trials, it had out-yielded the check variety Haider-93 by an average of 23.34% while in outstation yield trials throughout the Punjab province, it produced 11.40% higher grain yield than commercial check variety Haider-93. Jau-17 had medium to tall stature of about 99 to 110 cm length, growth habit was semi erect and had medium-length-awned ear which had yellowish white color. It took 90 to 100 days to complete heading and matured in 140 to 145 days with tillering capacity (154-160 per m²). The seed is amber in color with 1000-grain weight of upto 42 gram. For quality trait evaluation it had good quantity for protein (12 to 13.7%) and test weight (52.7 to 58 kg/hl) along with opaque seed surface. Its malt making quality was excellent for industrial uses. In 2019 Jau-17 was approved by Punjab Seed Council for general cultivation due to its superior performance over the years for better grain yield, resistance against rusts and nutrition quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out at Cotton Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad Pakistan during the year 2013 to determine the cause and effect of some morphological traits viz. number of leaves per plant, number of sympodial branches per plant, number of bolls per plant and plant height on seed yield per plant in upland cotton. Seventy two cotton genotypes at F5 generation were sown in a RCBD with three replications. The results indicated that number of leaves (0.2334), sympodial branches (0.4859) and number of bolls per plant (0.3722) had exerted positive and significant to highly significant correlation at genotypic level with seed cotton yield per plant. The data also revealed that number of leaves showed positive and highly significant correlation with sympodial branches (0.3427"") plant height (0.6924"") and bolls per plant (0.4238""). Number of leaves, bolls per plant and sympodial branches showed positive direct effect on seed-cotton yield per plant. Direct effect of sympodial branches on cotton yield was very high and positive. However, number of leaves showed positive indirect effect via sympodial branches, bolls per plant and plant height. Similarly sympodial branches had shown positive indirect effect on seed yield per plant via number of leaves and bolls per plant. Direct effect of number of leaves on seed-cotton yield per plant was low while indirect effect via number of bolls per plant was positive. The number of bolls per plant also showed positive indirect effect via number of leaves, sympodial branches and plant height but effect of plant height on cotton yield was negative via number of bolls and sympodial branches. The results conclude that sympodial branches per plant influenced the cotton yield per plant to greater extent. Hence selection based on this trait may lead to development of genotypes having high seed cotton yield potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first 2-rowed barley variety Sultan-2017 was developed at Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2019 and released for marginal as well as irrigated areas of Punjab, Pakistan to replace existing older and rust susceptible barley varieties. The elite genotype was screened-out from International Barley Crossing Block (IBCB) and received from International Center for Agriculture Research and Dry-land Areas (ICARDA) Egypt, during 2008-09 having genetic parentage HML-02/ARABIABIAD//ER/APM/3/ BELFORTBARLEY/CARBEN//MS2375 and pedigree ICB89-0014-5LAP-1AP-0TR-0AP-5AP-0AP-4AP. Further, it was evaluated with a variety code of B-09006 for yield performance in preliminary, regular and provincial uniform barley yield trials during 2010 to 17. It performed better than commercial check variety of Haider-93 by producing 22.12, 38.20, 4.0, 14.8 and 24.82% high grain yield in provincial yield trial during 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively. Its rust resistance was excellent against yellow rust and leaf rust. The stature of this genotype was medium to tall (95 to 105 cm), semi erect in growth habit and medium-length-awned ear with yellowish white in color. Its auricle was not hairy and showed weak anthocyanin pigmentation. It takes 90 to 98 days to complete heading and matures in 140 to 145 days and bears good tillering capacity (157 per meter squar). The seed was amber coloured with good 1000-grain weight i.e. 36.81 g. Its protein content ranged (11.4%) and test weight (58.4 kg/hl) along with opaque seed surface. It produced higher grain yield for consecutive five years (2012 to 2017). The elite genotype (Sultan-17) was approved in 2019 by Punjab Seed Council (PSC) for marginal and irrigated areas of Punjab for general cultivation due to promising stable performance over the years for better grain yield, nutritional quality and resistance against rusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]