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In the present climatic scenario crop varietal/hybrid adaptation for a specific region is an eminent concern of agronomists. In this regard the current study aiming to evaluate different maize hybrids (PSHW-201910, PSHW-201911, PSHW-201912, PSHW-201913, PSHW-201914, PSHW-201915, PSHW-201916, PSHW-201917, 30K08 and CS-200) for higher grain yield was carried out at ARI-Tarnab, Peshawar during Kharif-2019. The study was conducted using randomized complete block design with three replications. The planting was done on ridges following recommended planting geometry of row to row distance of 75cm and plant to plant distance of 25 cm. Our findings revealed that plant height (cm), ear weight (g), grains ear-1, 1000 grain weight (g) and grain yield (kg ha-1) varied significantly (P=0.05) among different hybrids while no significant variations were observed in terms of emergence m-2, days to 50% emergence and ear length (cm). Our data revealed maximum plant height (245.00 cm), 1000 grain weight (363.00 g) and grain yield (5031.11 kg ha-1) for PSHW-201916. 30K08 produced maximum ear weight of 229.33 g and grains ear-1 of 379.33. Our findings revealed maximum 1000-grain weight (g) and grain yield (kg ha-1) for PSHW201916 when compared with other hybrids under traile. Similarly, maximum plant height was also noted for PSHW201916. Thus it is concluded that for higher grain yield PSHW-201916 is better options under the agro-ecological condition of Peshawar valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated management of nitrogen sources is vital for sustaining crop productivity. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated management of nitrogen sources on yield and yield components of wheat at Agricultural Research Station Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during 2015-16 and 2016-17. Experiments were laid out using RCBD with 3 replications. Winter wheat variety Pirsabak-2015, as a test crop, was sown on 12th November at same piece of land following same randomized layout each year. Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Poultry Manure (PM) were used as organic while Urea as inorganic sources of nitrogen. Treatments were N1 (Control), N2 (all added N from Urea), N3 (all added N from FYM), N4 (all added N from PM), N5 (½ of added N from Urea + ½ from FYM), N6 (½ of added N from Urea + ½ from PM) and N7 (½ of added N from FYM + ½ from PM). Nitrogen @ 120 kg ha-1 was computed according to lab analysis from each combination except N1 and incorporated once after final seed bed preparation each year. Based on mean data over two consecutive years, N6 resulted significantly maximum spike length (9.8 cm), spikes m-2 (303), grains spike-1 (43.1), 1000 grain weight (34.71 g) and grain yield (3917 kg ha-1) showing an increase of 122.2% in grain yield over the control. Significant improvements in abovementioned parameters were observed during 2016-17 as compared to 2015-16. It is concluded that integrated use of ½ of the added N from Urea and ½ from PM resulted higher performance of all investigated parameters, the efficiency of which further increased with passage of time and is recommended for improvement of wheat production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major sources of replenishing crop nutrients in soil are organic, inorganic and bio-fertilizers. The current experiments were conducted on "Effect of bio-priming, organic and inorganic nitrogen sources and beneficial microorganisms on growth and biochemical traits of wheat" for two years at Agricultural Research Station Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The experiments were laid out using three factors factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Bio-aab was used as a source of (BM) culture. Microbes present in this culture were species of photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Rhodobacter spaeroides), lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus lactis), yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisae, Candida utilis), actinomycetes (Streptomyces albus, Streptomyces griesus) and fermenting fungi (Aspergillus oryzae, Mucor heimalis). Farm yard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) were used as organic sources of nitrogen. Bio-primed (seeds soaked in 10% BM aqueous solution for 30 minutes just before sowing) and unprimed wheat seeds were tested under various nitrogen sources (NS) with and without BM. Nitrogen sources were NS1 (control), NS2 (full dose from Urea), NS3 (full dose from FYM), NS4 (full dose from PM), NS5 (half dose from Urea + half dose from FYM), NS6 (half dose from urea + half dose from PM) and NS7 (half dose from FYM + half dose from PM). Nitrogen @ 120 kg ha-1 was quantified from each combination except NS1. Seed bio-priming significantly increased emergence (9.6%), delayed heading (2.1%) and maturity (2.4%), increased leaves and leaf area tiller-1 (6.8 and 4.1%), increased LAI (9.6%), increased height (3.5%), enhanced crop growth rate (CGR) (8.6%) and increased chlorophyll a and b (9.8% and 8.5%). BM application significantly increased emergence (6.1%), delayed heading (2.3%) and maturity (3.04%), increased leaves and leaf area tiller-1 (9.1 and 14.1%), increased LAI (36.4%), increased height (8.65%), enhanced CGR (27.8%) and increased chlorophyll a and b (29% and 27.9%). Significantly earlier emergence (12 days), more leaves tiller-1 (4.9), delayed heading (114.6), greater leaf area tiller-1 (31.8 cm²), higher LAI (0.99), taller plants (89 cm), higher CGR (8.76 g m-2 day-1), delayed maturity (171 days) and more chlorophyll a and b (1.95 and 0.64 µg ml-1) were achieved while using NS6 as compared to other nitrogen sources. Significantly more leaves and leaf area tiller-1 (5.2 and 34.3 cm²), higher LAI (1.18), taller plants (93.8 cm), higher CGR (10.27 g m-2 day-1) and greater chlorophyll a and b (2.30 and 0.75 µg ml-1) were recorded while using NS6+BM as compared to same treatment without BM. Performance of the abovementioned parameters were significantly higher during subsequent year of study. It is concluded that seed bio-priming and NS6+BM should be used for better performance of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the problem of slow and erratic emergence in okra, two experiments, i.e., laboratory and field were carried out during 2013. In the laboratory experiment, okra seeds were primed in PEG-8000 (polyethylene glycol) and Mannitol solutions (0, -0.4, -0.8, -1.2, -1.6, -2 and -2.4 Mpa osmotic potential) for 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours while dry seeds were used as control. Same primed seeds were used in the field experiment. Priming proved effective in improving percent germination and reducing the mean germination time (MGT) as compared to unprimed seeds. Priming agents, its osmotic potential and duration significantly affected germination percentage, which increased as osmotic potential lowered from 0 to -1.2 Mpa while further lowering osmotic potential to -1.6 Mpa and below adversely affected germination. Similarly, germination percentage significantly enhanced as priming duration increased from 6h to 12h but further increase in duration from 12h to 18h caused insignificant increase in germination percentage. Increase in priming duration beyond 18h, however, resulted in non-significant decrease in percent germination. Amongst priming agents, PEG gave better germination than Mannitol, however, priming agents were ineffective in lowering MGT. Increase in osmotic potential from -2.4 to 0 Mpa and duration from 6h to 24h caused significant reduction in MGT. Field experiment results showed significant improvement in yield from primed seeds as compared to unprimed seeds. Seeds primed with PEG gave significantly a higher yield than Mannitol. Maximum yield was observed at -1.2 Mpa osmotic potential. Like MGT, days to 50% emergence in the field were unaffected by priming agent but significantly affected by osmotic potential, reduction in days to 50% emergence occurred as osmotic potential increased from -2.4 to 0 Mpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]