GIS-based Fertility Assessment and Mapping for Agricultural Research Station, Tandur, Telangana, India

This study was conducted to determine the soil fertility status of the Agricultural Research Station, Tandur of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), Vikarabad District, Telangana. To identify the soil sampling points, GPS device was used and collected total of 60 soil samples on grid-based method at a depth of 0–15 cm. The collected samples were analyzed for pH, EC, OC, N, P2O5, K2O, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn status by following standard methods in the laboratory of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Palem, PJTSAU, Nagarkurnool District of Telangana, and Arc-GIS software was used further to prepare soil fertility maps. Around 37.5% of samples fall in neutral pH, whereas 62.5% samples were found as moderately alkaline reactions and entire farm soils were non-saline. Among the analyzed soil samples, 37.29% samples were in low organic carbon content, and rest of the samples i.e.,62.71% have medium organic carbon content and total samples were low in available N content (< 280 kg ha-1). The analyzed farm samples were medium to high in available phosphorus and potassium (28.67 & 71.33 % of P2O5 and 16.96 & 83.04 % of K2O respectively) content. In contrast, the micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe & Mn) exceeded their sufficiency level and suggested for amelioration measures to enhance research efficacy in the farm and to build future research strategies based on the determined soil fertility status.

Assessment of Inter-varietal Cross Lines of Gladiolus on Vegetative and Floral Traits for Selection and Promotion in Nepal

Artificial crossing between species and varieties has been effective in producing new gladiolus cultivar with desirable traits. The seeds obtained from the total of twelve inter-varietal cross lines were raised in nurseries in 2013. The corms and cormels were selected yearly from the first phase to the fourth phase of selection. Forty seven inter-varietal cross lines and one check genotype were assessed in preliminary non-replicated trial in 2017 in the field of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lumle, Nepal. A total of twenty five inter-varietal cross lines of gladiolus was selected, and assessed to develop new productive and attractive varieties of gladiolus on the basis of sixteen traits: the first spike emergence, complete spike emergence, the first floret loosening, maximum number of floret opening at a time, floret diameter, number of florets /spike, days to the seventh floret wilting, flower life, plant height, spike length, rachis length, number of spikes/ mother corm, number of marketable spikes /mother corm, number of filled capsules/spike, number of unfilled capsules/spike and total number of capsules/spike. Forty six inter-varietal cross lines were selectively reduced to twenty five inter-varietal cross lines after they had been assessed in the preliminary trial. Eventually ten cross lines: HRSDG-013-2.17(A), HRSDG-013-7.4(B), HRSDG-013-7.8(A), HRSDG-013-7.8(B), HRSDG-013-8.5(A), HRSDG-013-8.16(A), HRSDG-013-9.12(A-2), HRSDG-013-10.24, HRSDG-013-11.7(B) and HRSDG-013-11.17(B-2) are likely to be promoted for replicated trial so as to develop new desirable varieties in future.

INBREEDING LINES OF MAIZE – DONORS OF VALUABLE CHARACTERISTICS

The article presents the results of estimating the donor characteristics of 16 lines of maize selected by the Transcarpathian State Agricultural Research Station of NAASU. 7 samples have been singled out that are donors of high productivity, viz.: ЗК 106/1, ЗК 315, ЗК 318, ЗК 326, ЗК 343/2, ЗК 347, ЗК 348. These lines were involved in tester interbreeding for further hybridization of maize of various groups of ripeness with an array of valuable economic characteristics. Keywords: maize, line, donor, characteristic, productivity, analyser, hybrid test

Validation of Target Yield based Fertilizer Prescription for Rabi Castor in Alfisol

Field experiments were conducted from 2015-16 to 2017-18 on a Typic Rhodustalfs (Alfisol) soils of Telangana at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Palem, Nagarkurnool, Southern Telangana Zone, India to validate targeted yield based fertilizer prescription equations which developed for hybrid castor by adopting eight treatments viz., Blanket recommendation (100% RDF:80:40:30 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1), Blanket+5 t ha-1 of vermin-compost (VC), STCR-Target yield with NPK alone at 25q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with IPNS at 25q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with NPK alone at 30q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with IPNS at 30q ha-1, Farmer’s practice (40:20:0kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1) and Absolute control (without inorganic and organic fertilizers). The findings of these test verification trials clearly revealed that the percent achievement of the aimed yield target was within + 10 percent variation confirming the validity of the equations. Using STCR-NPK@25 and 30q ha-1 recorded significantly higher seed (20.74 and 22.30q ha-1) and stalk (24.63 and 26.36q ha-1) yield over blanket recommendation (19.40 and 23.13 q ha-1), while STCR-IPNS at 25 and 30 q ha-1recorde relatively higher seed (20.98 and 22.69q ha-1) and stalk (25.88 and 27.13q ha-1) yield over STCR-NPK alone treatments. The magnitude of built-up was higher with STCR-IPNS treatments as compared to STCR-NPK alone, blanket recommendations, farmer’s practice and absolute control.

Effect of Planting Windows for Seed Production of Soybean (Glycine max L.) in off Season under Kaylan Karnataka Region

Aim: To identify the best planting time for obtaining higher seed yield and quality of Soybean in off season. Study Design: Randomized completely block design (RCBD) Place and Duration of Study: Agricultural Research Station, Halladkere, Bidar, Karnataka between 2016 and 2017. Methodology: A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Halladkere, Bidar to find out the best off season planting time for quality seed production of Soybean. The certified seeds of soybean varieties, JS-335 and Dsb-21 were sown with recommended package of practices at appropriate field condition from November to February at every fortnight with a spacing of 30 cm X 10 cm. The quality parameters related to seed were carried out in the laboratory of seed science department. Further, soybean seeds were treated with fungicide (carbendazim 25% + mancozeb 75%) at the rate of 3 gram per kg of seeds. Results: From the present investigation, it was observed that among the different sowing dates, soybean varieties (JS 335 and DSb 21) sown during 1st fortnight of November recorded significantly higher plant growth parameters as well as seed yield followed by 2nd fortnight of November during off season. Further, climatic factors like rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature and relative humidity played a major role in the off season to produce higher seed yield and quality of Soybean. Conclusion: Among various sowing dates, November 1st Fortnight sowing resulted in highest seed yield with better seed quality in both cultivars (JS-335 and Dsb-21) of soybean.

Evaluation of bio-efficacy of new fungicide molecule- Ametoctradin 300 g/l + dimethomorph 225 g/l sc against downy mildew of grapes in Northern Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ametoctradin 300 g/l + Dimethomorph 225 g/l sc against downy mildew disease of grapes for 2 seasons at Agricultural Research Station Bagalkot district. It was found that Ametoctradin 300 g/ l + Dimethomorph 225 g/l sc is highly effective in reducing the downy mildew disease in grapes. Further the phytotoxicity was not observed in the chemical Ametoctradin 300 g/l + Dimethomorph 225 g/l sc to the treated plots of grapevine even at high doses and also exhibiting an appreciable increase in grape berry yield.

DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATE CROPPING PATTERN AGAINST TOMATO-FALLOW- T. AMAN RICE IN MEDIUM HIGH LAND OF DINAJPUR

The experiment was carried out at the research field of Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Dinajpur during Mid December to end of November for two consecutive years (2017-18 and 2018-19) to develop an economically sustainable and profitable cropping pattern over existing pattern. Three alternate cropping patterns Tomato-T. Aus-T. Aman, Tomato-Summer onion-T. Aman, Tomato-Indian Spinach-T. Aman were introduced against the existing cropping pattern Tomato–Fallow–T. Aman rice. The experiment was carried out in RCB design with three replications. The highest REY (35.91 t/ha) was recorded from the cropping pattern Tomato-Indian Spinach-T. Aman followed by Tomato-Summer onion-T. Aman (31.26 t/ha) and Tomato-T. Aus-T. Aman (29.04 t/ha). The lowest REY (24.48 t/ha) was obtained from the cropping pattern Tomato-Fallow-T. Aman (Farmers practice). The gross return and gross margin were higher in the alternate cropping patterns compared to existing cropping pattern due to additional yield of T. Aus rice, Summer Onion and Indian Spinach. Therefore, farmers in Dinajpur region of Bangladesh could follow alternate cropping pattern in their medium high land where lands remain fallow after harvesting of Tomato for higher crop productivity and profitability.

Landscape Planning for an Agricultural Research Center: A Research-by-Design Case Study in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Effective planning at the landscape scale is a difficult but crucial task. Modern landscape planning requires economic success, ecological resilience, and environmental justice. Thus, planners and designers must learn to use a deliberative approach in planning: an approach in which decisions are made with the common understanding of stakeholders. This notwithstanding, there is a lack of localized and site-specific design examples for deliberative planning. One of the lacking examples is agricultural research station, which is unique because it balances economic, academic, and public uses. This study used a Research-by-Design Method to explore deliberative planning for an agricultural research station in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Field surveys, interviews, and archival search were conducted for database. Design decisions were delivered via linear-combination suitability analysis. We found that the site was viewed differently by different sets of users. The basic and safety infrastructure was the top priority, and clear direction of governance was crucial to move the site forward in the future. This study was one of the first recorded attempts to design an agricultural research center via the Research-by-Design process. The method and results of the research contribute to the growing body of evidence to support the need of evidence-based design and planning for all sites.