The improvement of crop yield in marginal environments using 'on-farm' seed priming: nodulation, nitrogen fixation and disease resisitance

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
pp. 1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Harris ◽  
W. A. Breese ◽  
J. V. D. K. Kumar Rao
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Individual Plant ◽  
Rhizobium Inoculation ◽  
Marginal Areas ◽  
Resource Poor ◽  
On Farm

On-farm seed priming with water is a low-cost, low-risk technology that is easily adopted by resource-poor farmers. It increases the yield of tropical and subtropical annual crops in marginal areas by a combination of better crop establishment and improved individual plant performance. The effects of seed priming, i.e. soaking seeds overnight in water before sowing, on plant growth and development are consequences of faster germination, emergence, and more vigorous early growth. Results from in-vitro, on-station and on-farm experiments are discussed. Recent work has tested opportunities for resource-poor farmers to use seed priming as a vehicle for applying biofertilisers (Rhizobia). Preliminary results from field experiments suggest that these interventions are very effective over and above the already demonstrated benefits of priming with water alone. In a pot experiment using chickpea, combining a Rhizobium inoculation with seed priming significantly increased nodulation but had little effect on yield. Nevertheless, the results confirmed that Rhizobium inoculation is compatible with on-farm seed priming. Observations in the field have shown that some primed crops show enhanced resistance to disease, either as a consequence of increased vigour, altered phenology, or due to some more fundamental mechanism associated with exposure of seeds to anaerobic conditions during priming. Priming seeds of a highly susceptible cultivar of pearl millet in water for 8 h before sowing significantly reduced the incidence of downy mildew in artificially infected seedlings from 80% to less than 60%.

ON-FARM SEED PRIMING IN SEMI-ARID AGRICULTURE: DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION IN MAIZE, RICE AND CHICKPEA IN INDIA USING PARTICIPATORY METHODS

1999 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Harris ◽  
A. Joshi ◽  
P. A. Khan ◽  
P. Gothkar ◽  
P. S. Sodhi
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Upland Rice ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Crop Failure ◽  
Rainfed Farming ◽  
Safe Limits ◽  
On Farm

Poor crop establishment was identified as a major constraint on rainfed crop production by farmers in the tribal villages of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh served by the Krishak Bharati Cooperative (KRIBHCO) Indo-British Rainfed Farming Project (KRIBP). On-farm seed priming with water was chosen as a low cost, low risk intervention appropriate to the farmers' needs. In vitro screening of the effects of priming on the germination of seeds of local and improved varieties of maize, upland rice and chickpea provided ‘safe limits’ – the maximum length of time for which farmers should prime seeds and which, if exceeded, could lead to seed or seedling damage. Recommended safe limits were 24 h for maize and rice and 10 h for chickpea, with only minor varietal differences. These recommendations were then tested in on-station trials in Dahod, Gujarat. Farmer-managed trials were conducted for chickpea in three villages in the rabi (post-monsoon) season in 1995–96; for maize and upland rice in eight villages in the kharif (monsoon) season in 1996; and for maize and chickpea in 15 villages in the 1996--97 rabi season. Farmers modified these recommendations to ‘overnight’ for all three crops. Evaluation of the technology by farmers involved focus group discussions, matrix ranking exercises and two workshops.Direct benefits in all three crops included faster emergence, better stands and a lower incidence of re-sowing, more vigorous plants, better drought tolerance, earlier flowering, earlier harvest and higher grain yield. Indirect benefits reported were earlier sowing of rabi crops because of the shorter duration of the preceding kharif crop, earlier harvesting of rabi crops that allowed earlier migration from the area, with better chance of obtaining off-season work, and increased willingness to use fertilizers because of reduced risk of crop failure. In matrix ranking exercises in four villages in the kharif 1996, 95% of farmers indicated that, even after only one exposure to the technology, they would prime seed in the following season. Similar exercises in four villages in rabi 1996–97 revealed that 100% of collaborating farmers intended to continue seed priming. From 21 villages, 246 farmers attended two workshops to share their experiences of seed priming and resolved to continue with the technology.

scholarly journals Using seed respiration as a tool for calculating optimal soaking times for ‘on-farm’ seed priming of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Javier Carrillo-Reche ◽  
Adrian C. Newton ◽  
Richard S. Quilliam
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Embryonic Axes ◽  
Seedling Vigour ◽  
Soaking Time ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Seed Respiration

Abstract A low-cost technique named ‘on-farm’ seed priming is increasingly being recognized as an effective approach to maximize crop establishment. It consists of anaerobically soaking seeds in water before sowing resulting in rapid and uniform germination, and enhanced seedling vigour. The extent of these benefits depends on the soaking time. The current determination of optimal soaking time by germination assays and mini-plot trials is resource-intensive, as it is species/genotype-specific. This study aimed to determine the potential of the seed respiration rate (an indicator of metabolic activity) and seed morphological changes during barley priming as predictors of the priming benefits and, thus, facilitate the determination of optimal soaking times. A series of germination tests revealed that the germination rate is mostly attributable to the rapid hydration of embryo tissues, as the highest gains in the germination rate occurred before the resumption of respiration. Germination uniformity, however, was not significantly improved until seeds were primed for at least 8 h, that is, after a first respiration burst was initiated. The maximum seedling vigour was attained when the priming was stopped just before the beginning of the differentiation of embryonic axes (20 h) after which vigour began to decrease (‘over-priming’). The onset of embryonic axis elongation was preceded by a second respiration burst, which can be used as a marker for priming optimization. Thus, monitoring of seed respiration provides a rapid and inexpensive alternative to the current practice. The method could be carried out by agricultural institutions to provide recommended optimal soaking times for the common barley varieties within a specific region.

scholarly journals Yield and performance of sugarcane in on-farm interface with rubber in Brazil

2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-255
Author(s):  
Luís Fernando Guedes Pinto ◽  
Marcos Silveira Bernardes ◽  
Antônio Roberto Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Saccharum Officinarum ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
And Performance ◽  
On Farm

Agroforestry systems are indicated as an alternative for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivation in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, however there are not many field experiments on plant performance under these conditions in the world. The objective of this work was to assess crop yield and partitioning in a sugarcane-rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) interface in on-farm conditions. The availability of irradiance for the crop along the interface was simulated and its effe ct over sugarcane dry matter production was tested. Crop yield was negatively affected by distance of the trees, but development and sucrose were not affected. Above ground dry matter increased from 16.6 to 51.5 t ha-1 from trees. Partitioning did not have a defined standard, as harvest index increased from 0.85 to 0.93, but specific leaf area was not significant along the transect, ranging from 13.48 to 15.73 m² kg-1. Light is the main factor of competition between the trees and the crop, but the relative importance of below ground interactions increases closer to the trees. Feasibility of the system depends on maturity of the trees and management strategies.

PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION BY FARMERS OF ON-FARM SEED PRIMING IN WHEAT IN INDIA, NEPAL AND PAKISTAN

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Harris ◽  
B. S. Raghuwanshi ◽  
J. S. Gangwar ◽  
S. C. Singh ◽  
K. D. Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Priming ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Wheat Seed ◽  
Saline Irrigation ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
Marginal Areas ◽  
Input Use ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Tribal Areas ◽  
Mean Time

The mean time for 50% germination at 20 °C of 12 Indian wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars was nearly halved, from 51 h to 27 h, by soaking seed in water for 8 h prior to sowing. A delay of 24 h without further soaking, intended to simulate postponement of sowing, reduced the time saved by priming to 16%. Priming had no effect on final germination percentage. These results were used in the design of 275 on-farm, farmer-managed, participatory trials of seed priming in wheat during the 1997–98 and 1998–99 rabi (post-monsoon) seasons. In forty-one trials in tribal areas of Bihar and West Bengal states of India, seed priming gave a 13% grain yield advantage for farmers growing wheat in marginal areas with low levels of agricultural inputs. Mean benefits from seed priming of wheat in nine trials in Chitwan, Nepal were 17%. In high potential areas of Gujarat, India, 205 trials had higher rates of input use. Yield benefit from priming in these trials averaged only 5% but constituted an extra 200 kg ha−1 grain at little or no cost. In 20 trials on marginal land, with slightly saline irrigation water in Ahmadwala, Pakistan, an average yield increase of 36% was obtained using seed primed with a 0.2% gypsum solution. Collaborating farmers reported that priming wheat seed overnight resulted in faster, more complete emergence, more vigorous early growth, better tillering, earlier flowering, larger ears, earlier maturity and higher yields. In addition, many farmers also reported that foliage in primed plots was a darker shade of green than that in non-primed plots, suggesting that primed plants may have been using nitrogen more efficiently. Seed priming was popular with farmers, most of whom reported that they would prime wheat seed the following year. A survey in Gujarat in 1998–99 of 63 farmers who had tested priming in 1997–98 showed that, while 65% had primed some of their own seed, none had primed more than 50 kg, suggesting that there were practical difficulties in priming larger volumes of seed.

scholarly journals Can ‘On-Farm’ Seed Priming and Chitosan Seed Treatments Induce Host Defences in Winter Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under Field Conditions?

Crops ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-87
Author(s):  
Javier Carrillo-Reche ◽  
Adrian C. Newton ◽  
Francesc Ferrando-Molina ◽  
Richard S. Quilliam
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Winter Barley ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Seed Treatments ◽  
Hordeum Vulgare L ◽  
Disease Tolerance ◽  
On Farm

Enhancing host defences through induced resistance, disease tolerance, and/or escape, in combination with current disease management regimes may be a valuable strategy to reduce pesticide use. Since both ‘on-farm’ seed priming (OSP) and chitosan priming (CHP) have been reported to confer varying levels of host defence, this study sought to investigate their potential to deliver disease control as a strategy for sustainable management of foliar pathogens in winter barley. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of OSP and CHP at two different field sites using three different cultivars under fungicide/non-fungicide regimes. Overall, no evidence was found to suggest that CHP or OSP can induce effective resistance in temperate field conditions. However, these field trials enabled the identification of candidate traits to deliver disease tolerance (and escape) for the primary and secondary spread of powdery mildew, i.e., large canopies and rapid stem elongation respectively. Thus, these seed treatments may deliver disease tolerance and escape traits, but these benefits are dependent upon successful establishment and vigour first. The integration of seed treatments into sustainable crop protection may be better undertaken with spring crops or in semi-arid agriculture where the added vigour at emergence can help compensate for negative environmental interactions.

scholarly journals Field Performance of Three-way Cross Yellow and White Maize Hybrids in Nepal

2021 ◽  
pp. 24-33
Author(s):  
Mahendra Prasad Tripathi ◽  
Keshab Babu Koirala ◽  
Damodar Gautam ◽  
Subash Subedi ◽  
Jharana Upadhyay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Experimental Plot ◽  
Yield Gap ◽  
Maize Hybrids ◽  
Lattice Design ◽  
Wheat Improvement ◽  
Resource Poor

Maize hybrids can increase production, bridge the yield gap, and boost up domestic production in Nepal. Three-way cross hybrid introduces an alternative to produce low cost hybrid seed for resource poor farmers. A study was performed to identify promising yellow and white maize hybrids developed by International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT), Mexico in Rampur, Nepal. Nineteen three-way cross white maize hybrids with two checks and seventeen yellow maize hybrids with one check were tested in field experiments on 2017 and 2018. Treatments were replicated twice in α-lattice design with each experimental plot of 9.6-m2 (4-m × 2.4-m). AF17A-426-13/14, AF17A-426-1/2, AF17A-426-28/39, and AF17A-426-15/16 were the three-way cross white hybrids produced grain yield of more than 9000 kg ha-1. Similarly, AF17A-473-20/29 and AF17A-473-18/27 yielded about 9000 kg ha-1 among the three-way cross yellow maize hybrids. These hybrids have commercial potentials to increase maize yield in Nepal if the provided parents are successful in the seed production.

PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION OF HORSEGRAM (MACROTYLOMA UNIFLORUM) VARIETIES AND THEIR ON-STATION RESPONSES TO ON-FARM SEED PRIMING IN EASTERN INDIA

2006 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. VIRK ◽  
M. CHAKRABORTY ◽  
J. GHOSH ◽  
D. HARRIS
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Participatory Evaluation ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Crop Establishment ◽  
Macrotyloma Uniflorum ◽  
Using Data ◽  
On Farm

Horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is sown late in the rainy season by resource-poor farmers in marginal, drought-prone areas of India. Sowing and early crop growth coincide with declining rainfall so crop establishment is often poor and yields are low. Horsegram is a ‘neglected’ crop and farmers' choice of varieties to grow is limited to poor-yielding landraces or to modern varieties for which access to seed is limited. In on-station trials, we compared the yield and relative merits over three years of seven varieties potentially suited to conditions in Jharkhand State and sown with or without priming by soaking seeds in water prior to sowing. Yield stability of the varieties was tested using data from these and five additional trials. Farmers' opinions were recorded during six participatory exercises based on farmers' trials, and their rankings were compared with those from the on-station evaluations. Significant variety × year interactions were observed and yield was generally inversely proportional to drought. Both linear and non-linear genotype × environment interactions were significant for all varieties. Variety BK 1 was the most desirable with stable yields across environments and a higher overall mean grain yield. Variety VLG 1 was unresponsive to more favourable environments but yielded more in the low yielding environments. However, it was the earliest to mature and was identified as a promising variety, which farmers preferred for its grain and brown seeds. This could be used to diversify farming systems with additional options for farmers. Although soaking seeds for 12 h was most effective in increasing germination in an in vitro study, soaking for 8 h before sowing increased emergence and final stand by 11 % and grain yield by 10 % averaged over all varieties and years. Soaking advanced flowering by 1.3 d and maturity by 1.9 d. All varieties responded positively to soaking and did so in all three years, although the response was stronger in drier years.

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