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A field experiment was conducted for two years (2007-08 and 2008-09) at NBPGR, New Area Farm, IARI, New Delhi during rabi seasons to developed improved wheat and soil production system through integrated nutrient management (INM) and efficient planting system (EPS)in split plot design (SPD) with 20 treatment combinations. Treatments were consist of two planting systems (conventional and FIRB) and 10 fertility treatments viz., control, RDF, 75% RDF + FYM, 75% RDF + FYM + Zn, 75% RDF + FYM + Biofertilizer (BF) , 75% RDF + FYM + BF + Zn, RDF + FYM, RDF + FYM + Zn, RDF + FYM + BF and RDF + FYM + BF + Zn. The yield contributing characters of wheat viz., number of spikes / plant and number of grains/ spike were recorded significantly higher when the crop was supplied with combined application of RDF or 75% RDF along with FYM, biofertilizer and zinc over control and treatment receiving RDF only. In case of wheat yield, 10.8 and 11.3 per cent higher yield were registered with FIRB planting system over conventional system during 2007-08 and 2008-09. However in case of integrated nutrient management, RDF + FYM + BF + Zn treatment produced 50.39 and 52.73 q/ha wheat yield respectively. The grain and straw yields increased significantly with treatment RDF + FYM + Zn over control and RDF alone. The increase in grain yield with application of RDF + FYM + BF + Zn over RDF alone was 16.8 and 14.1 per cent during 2007-08 and 2008-09, respectively. The treatment receiving fertilizer showed a higher harvest index over unfertilized control. No significant difference between planting systems was recorded in respect of available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon status of soil after harvest of crop during both the years of investigation. However, a higher net positive NPK balance under FIRB planting was observed over conventional planting system. A lower bulk density in the surface soil was observed under FIRB planting system as compared to conventional planting system during both years of field study. Although, lower bulk density surface soil were observed under treatment receiving combined application of inorganic fertilizer and organic manures, the differences were no significant during the years, 2007-08 and 2008-09. The FIRB system of planting and combined application of RDF or 75% RDF along with FYM, biofertilizers and zinc not only gave higher productivity and profitability of wheat but also have positive effect on soil physico-chemical properties which resulted into better rhizospheroc environment.

Plant genetic resources, the source of genetic diversity provides a broad genetic foundation for plant breeding and genetic research, however, large germplasm resources are difficult to preserve, evaluate and use. Construction of core and mini core collections is an efficient method for managing genetic resources and undertaking intensive surveys of natural variation, including the phenotyping of complex traits and genotyping of DNA polymorphisms allowing more efficient utilization of genetic resources. A mega characterization and evaluation programme of the entire cultivated gene pool of wheat conserved in the National Genebank, India was undertaken. Wheat accessions with limited seed quantity, were multiplied in the off-season nursery at IARI Regional Station, Wellington during rainy season 2011 and the entire set of 22,469 wheat accessions were characterized and evaluated at CCS HAU, Hisar, Haryana during winter season 2011–12 for 34 characters including 22 highly heritable qualitative, and 12 quantitative parameters. The core sets were developed using PowerCore Software with stepwise approach and grouping method and validated using Shannon-Diversity Index and summary statistics. Based on Shannon-Diversity index, PowerCore with stepwise approach was found better than PowerCore with grouping. The core set included 2,208 accessions comprising 1,770 T. aestivum, 386 T. durum, and 52 T. dicoccum accessions as a representative of the total diversity recorded in the wheat germplasm. The core set developed will be further validated at different agro-climatic conditions and will be utilized for development of mini core set to enhance the utilization by wheat researchers and development of climate resilient improved varieties.

Cowpea and mung bean were subjected to three irrigation schedules during summer dry months (May–June). In general, cowpea had higher rates of net photosynthesis (Pn,Figs. 1, 2), dark respiration (Rd,Table 1), absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, Table 2), and growth (Fig. 7) than mung bean. Mung bean reflected more PAR and maintained a slightly cooler canopy than cowpea (Table 2). Moisture stress decreased Pn, Rd,absorption coefficient of PAR, evaporative cooling and growth in both the species. However, the reductions in Pnrates of stressed leaves were more than the decreases in Rd.Restoration of water supply to stressed cowpea resulted in a more rapid recovery of growth as compared to mung bean.