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A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Rice, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3 during Kharif season, 2017. The objective of the experiment was to study the influence of Zinc nutrition on growth, physiology, ZUE, yield and grain Zn content of rice genotypes at two stages of crop. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. The results of the field study revealed the maximum total tillers per plant were observed in the rice genotype IR93354:19-B-12-21-9-1RGA-2RGA-1-B under 0.5% ZnSO4 condition at the grain filling stage. However the higher total dry matter production recorded in the genotype IR15M1266 under 0.5% ZnSO4 treatment. Regarding zinc use efficiency indices, the maximum zinc use efficiency (42.2%) was observed in the foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4 in rice genotype IR14M117 followed by BPT5204 (39.0%). The higher spikelet fertility was observed in BPT5204 (98.2%) under foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4 was followed by Kalanamak (97.3%) on par with Chittmutyalu (97.2%) was under 0.5% ZnSO4 application. The treatment 0.5% ZnSO4 had recorded higher grain yield (8870.0 kg/ha) in IR95097:3-B-16-11-4-GBS which was on par with IR14M124 (8800 kg/ha). To conclude, when foliar sprayed with zinc sources such as 0.5% ZnSO4 and 0.5% Zn EDTA at boot leaf and grain filling stage in rice genotypes like IR15M1003, IR95097:3-B-16-11-4-GBS, IR95040:12-B-3-10-GBS, IR15M1341 and IR95097:4-B-2-18-8-GBS showed significant changes in growth, physiology and zinc grain content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the rice genotypes for nitrogen use efficiency at the Department of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during Kharif, 2017. Forty rice genotypes were used for this study with two nitrogen levels viz., 50% Recommended Dose of Nitrogen (RDN) and 100% RDN and the experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two replications. The rice genotypes were subjected to 100% RDN and 50% RDN and various morpho-physiological, biochemical and yield traits were observed. Among the genotypes, IRGC 6386-1 showed higher photosynthetic rate at 100% RDN and 50% RDN followed by WAS 169. Similarly, higher grain yield per plant was noticed in IRGC 6386-1 at 100% RDN (60.22 g) and 50% RDN (58.41 g). From the results, it is evident that the increased amount of nitrogen could enhance the growth dynamics and yield attributes of rice genotypes. However, the present study demonstrated that certain genotypes had performed better even at 50% RDN in terms of growth characters and yield attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the certain morphological and physiological traits influencing the grain yield potential of small millets under irrigated condition. Out of six cultivated small millets, five of them viz., finger millet (CO15), little millet (CO 4), barnyard millet (CO 2), foxtail millet (CO 7) and kodo millet (CO 3) was taken for the study. The experiment was conducted during Rabi, 2015 in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. The results indicated significant differences among the small millets in plant height, number of tillers per plant, LAI and LAD. The gas exchange parameters differed significantly among the crops leading to significant variation in total dry mater accumulation. However, the productivity was not only dependent on higher values of physiological traits but also on partitioning efficiency and test weight. Leaf area indices at different stages of growth were significantly higher in barnyard millet and it was followed by foxtail millet. Leaf area duration between vegetative to flowering stages was maximum in foxtail millet (48.54 days) and the minimum was observed in kodo millet (15.32 days). The barnyard millet, finger millet and foxtail millet had higher values for most of the physiological traits and yield components leading to higher grain yield when compared to other small millets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon fertilization on physiological parameter and yield of hybrid maize under irrigated and rainfed conditions during Rabi, 2017-18 at eastern block farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The treatments comprised of two factorsviz., three irrigation strategies and two silicon sources as seed priming and foliar application. The results of the study indicated that adequate irrigation strategy registered significantly higher physiological parameters, grain yield (6679 kg/ha) and stoveryield. Silicon application as seed priming with 1.5 mM of sodium meta silicate and foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2% at knee high and tassel initiation stages was recordedhigher physiological parameter like SPAD meter value and Relative Water Content (RWC) and grain (6130 kg/ha) and stoveryield. It was comparable with foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2% at knee high and tassel initiation stages alone in registering higher growth and yield of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the yield traits under reproductive stage drought in selected small millets viz., finger millet (CO 15), little millet (CO 4) and barnyard millet (CO 2). The crops were imposed with drought during their flowering stage by withholding irrigation till the soil moisture reaches below 20 per cent. Barnyard millet performed better under drought at reproductive stage over other small millets, such as finger millet and little millet, in terms of more number productive tillers (11.16 plant-1), ear heads (12.99 plant-1), lesser reduction in ear head length (13.35%), ear head weight (21.66%) and 1000 grain weight (14.93%) compared to well watered control plants. Little millet recorded the highest reduction in ear head length (19.01%), ear head weight (39.64%) and 1000 grain weight (23.26%) whereas finger millet recorded the lowest number of productive tillers (9.41 plant-1) and ear heads (9.71 plant-1) under drought over control. Regarding the grain and straw yields of small millets subjected to water stress, it was evident from the results that the impact of water deficit at reproductive stage was prominent in little millet compared to barnyard millet and finger millet. Barnyard millet recorded the highest grain yield (18.94 g plant-1) and straw yield (42.12 g plant-1) followed by finger millet (14.48 and 33.14 g plant-1). Little millet recorded the lowest grain yield (11.31 g plant-1) and straw yield (26.01g plant-1) under drought condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]