Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science

Rehabilitation of agro biodiversity in Karnali river basin of Nepal

Janak Pant

Loss of biodiversity has been one of the major challenges of Karnali river basin. So, an experiment and discussion were conducted to determine various methods in rehabilitating agricultural biodiversity in Mugu and Jumla districts of Karnali basin from January 2021 to January 2024. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) method was used to make comparison between indigenous versus modern method of seed conservation, climate smart versus modern method of farming, water resources in soil: cement tank versus cement tank, compost manuring versus chemical fertilizer, crop diversification versus single cropping, improved shed versus non-improved shed and use of traps versus chemical pesticides. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was carried to determine information in local seed promotion (seed bank, seed treatment). Eco-farming (Ecosystem balancing, Perma-garden), socio-ecological management, agro-biodiversity promotions, and policy interventions. Indigenous or climate smart farming methods or seed conservation, application of internal resources such as composts, promotion of local seed through seed banks or seed treatment, socio-ecological biodiversity management including promotional intervention of agricultural biodiversity and strengthening government policies have found viable and effective method to rehabilitate agricultural biodiversity in Karnali river basin of Nepal.

The Assessments and identification of major insect pests on sweat orange (Citrus sinensis) in the field at Darasalaam District, Somaliland.

Jamaal Barre

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is one of the most important fruit crops in the Darasalaam District. However, in the study area, biotic factors like insect pests have contributed to the decreasing production of sweet oranges per unit area. Hence, a field survey was carried out in 2024 to assess major insect pests of sweet orange in the field in order to develop an effective and safe insect control strategy for the orange fruit farms in the Darasalaam District. Among three extensive sweet orange-growing villages namely Maluugta, Horri-Haadlay, and Kal-Qoray were selected based on Citrus sinesis production potential and the importance of insect pests. During the survey, a total of 214 sweet orange orchards were assessed. 102 farmers were selected from Horro-Hadley, 65 farmers were selected from Maluugta and, 47 farmers from Kal-Qoray. Non- probability sampling, especially the purposive sampling technique was used. In order to quantify qualitative phenomena related to the ranking of the main insect pests on sweet orange orchards, indexing was carried out. Survey data from the questionnaire, interview and focus group discussions were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. At the end, data was coded and subjected to SPSS version 20 computer software. According to the survey result, a total of six insect pests were reported as key insect pests. Leaf miners, mealybugs, brown scale insects, citrus black flies, fruit-sucking moths, and pysllids were identified as major pests on all range farms. These major insect pests were ranked by individual respondents of farmers’ surveys with 6 as the highest rank and 1 as the lowest rank. Weightage was given for the ranked position as 1.6, 1.1, 0.79, 0.42, 0.20, and 0.06 for first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and six positions respectively. Likewise, according to major reasons for insect pest incidence, climate change received an index of 1.40, placing it in the first rank, followed by poor management practices with an index of 0.41, lack of knowledge regarding the types of insects was assigned an index of 0.19, ranking it third, while the weak planting material and poor fertility status of the soil ranked four and five, with indices of 0.08 and 0.02, respectively. This study provides benchmark information about major insect pests of sweet oranges in the field in order to develop an effective and safe insect control strategy for the orange fruit farms in the Darasalaam District.

Key words: sweet orange, insect pests, infestation, decreasing of production, incidence

EVALUATION OF INTERCROPPING LEGUMES AND GREEN MANURING ON SOIL PROPERTIES IN MAIZE FIELD

Crop failure, due to moisture shortage in the soil is very common due to high evaporation. Therefore, using the advantage and opportunity of covering legumes as an intercrop simultaneously solves the problems, improving soil nutrient balance. A field experiment was conducted at the Lamjung campus, Sundarbazar from March to July of the year 2023 to evaluate the effect of different legumes and green manuring on soil moisture improvement. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with five treatments (Maize, Maize+Cowpea, Maize+Frenchbean, Maize+Soybean, and Maize+Green manuring) and 4 replications. The results revealed that incorporating green manuring +maize had significantly (2.34 times) better soil moisture than control after the harvest (at p<0.05), while the bulk density has an inverse relation to soil moisture observing higher value in control. It is due to the natural mulch layer created by green manure on the soil's surface and also, because of the high organic matter produced due to decaying of the leaf. The findings also revealed that the green manure has a 1.17 times lower temperature as compared to the control. Comparing, the organic carbon content among different treatments, green manure fixed 2.21 times more than control. The maximum ear length of 20.72cm and a larger diameter of 3.22cm were observed in green manure than control, as green manure fixes more nitrogen (2.25%), which is essential for cell division and elongation. The study hence suggests that green manuring would be more beneficial owing to better maize yield and enhancing soil physical properties.

GENETIC DIVERSITY AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) LANDRACES IN NEPAL

Sixty 60 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces were evaluated for the genetic diversity and morphological characterization at the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre (Genebank) in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, with the objective of identifying high-yielding genotypes and understanding their genetic variability. In these accessions, both qualitative and quantitative traits were investigated for days to heading, plant height, spikelet density, thousand grain weight, yield per hectare, and seed dimensions. Significant genetic variation was observed across most traits, suggesting considerable potential for genetic improvement through direct selection and conservation. Cluster analysis divided the accessions into two distinct groups, with Cluster 1 (including NGRC07999, NGRC02556, NGRC00158, NGRC02584) showing superiority in traits such as plant height and spikelet density, while Cluster 2 (NGRC06285, CO15013) excelled in yield-related traits. The principal component analysis revealed that the first five components accounted for over 70% of the total variation, highlighting traits such as plant height, spike exertion, and thousand grain weight as key contributors. These findings underscore the importance of conserving genetic diversity and utilizing landraces for future wheat improvement programs.

Probiotics in Aquaculture: A Pathway to Safer and Healthier Fish Farming

Rakibul Islam

Aquaculture benefits greatly from probiotic bacteria, which are also very helpful in preventing a number of infectious diseases. They can be use in place of antibiotics and antimicrobials. Fish that take probiotics have stronger immune systems and grow faster. They aid in the elimination of heavy metals in addition to fostering fish development. Although probiotics can be extracted from a variety of sources, the fish's own stomach is the best source for probiotics. The source of putative probiotics is the same as that of the organism ingesting them. Potential probiotics can flourish in the fish gastrointestinal tract since they are already acclimated to the conditions of the fish gut. Numerous bacteria have been used as probiotics in various experiments, primarily as a feed supplement at varying concentrations. Fish treated with probiotic bacteria have shown positive effects such as improved growth with lower production costs, improved reproductive performances, improved immunology, and disease resistance. When utilized in place of commercial antibiotics and antimicrobials, which can lead to resistance against bacterial species when overused, probiotics can be advantageous for fish farmers.

Environmental and Human Factors Affecting Indian Major Carps' Spawning in Halda River

Dr. Nirmal Chandra Roy

The spawning success of Indian major carps (IMCs) depends on favorable environmental conditions, and any inconsistency can significantly reduce spawning. This research aimed to identify the reasons behind the recent decline in IMC spawning in Halda River to ensure sustainable management. Four main sites were investigated, revealing a sharp decline in egg and fry production in 2021, with an 8,580 kg egg yield and 105.73 kg fry yield—a 66% and 73.3% drop, respectively, from the previous year. The analysis attributed this decline to rising temperatures, high conductivity, saline intrusion, and increased turbidity. Key climate-related factors included rising temperatures (90%), reduced rainfall (86%), lower hill water runoff (84%), and saline intrusion (76%). Additionally, anthropogenic factors like pollution (76%), river bend cutting (80%), rubber dams (78%), and abandoned sluice gates (84%) further impacted spawning. The study recommends mitigating human interventions to restore natural spawning conditions and enhance IMC seed production in Halda River.

Econometrics analysis of Consumers’ Willingness to purchase organic fruits and vegetables in Kathmandu Valley.

Susan Thapa

The number of people interested in environment-friendly products and becoming health-conscious has increased. Similarly, the tendency of consumers to buy organic fruits and vegetables is growing gradually. Nevertheless, the number of people consuming organic fruits and vegetables is low in the case of Nepal due to its high price. As a response, a study was conducted among 159 people who were randomly surveyed consumers of Kathmandu Valley to determine the various factors affecting the willingness of consumers to pay for organic fruits and vegetables. A general linear regression model was applied to determine the consumers’ willingness to purchase organic vegetables and fruits. The analysis shows that 46 percent of consumers are willing to pay up to 24 percent for conventional products. The study showed the factors like Income, and Education as significant factors in determining the willingness of consumers to pay for organic vegetables and fruits. Consumers' health awareness is critical in determining the attitude, intention, and frequency of purchasing organic vegetables and fruits (Magnusson et al., 2003). However, this study shows that in underdeveloped nations like Nepal, health issues and environmental issues are not significant factors in consuming organic products, whereas higher income plays a significant role in purchasing organic products.

Isolation and identification of Azotobacter from saline and non-saline soils of Bangladesh

Md. Rafiq Uddin

Nitrogen is the most important mineral nutrient required for plants growth and
development. Microbial inoculants have the potential to augment and reduce reliance on
expensive nitrogenous fertilizers specially Urea, while maintaining crop productivity. Urea
fertilizer not only expensive but also destroy our environment by nitrate pollution. The
capability of soil microorganisms such as Azotobacter to capture nitrogen from the
atmosphere is crucial for stimulating the development of plants and enhancing agricultural
yields. The investigation was carried out for the isolation and characterization of nitrogen-
fixing Azotobacter from coastal soils of Bangladesh for sustainable croup production as
well as ecofriendly environment. Isolation was done by serial dilution techniques under
class-II biosafety cabinet. Nine Azotobacter isolates were selected based on their nitrogen
fixing abilities (6.95 to 9.89 mg N/g). Among them, isolate NFA3 was the best nitrogen
fixer (9.89 mg N/g). These isolates could grow the neutral to slightly saline soils and
tolerate higher temperature. Isolates were identified based on their morphological and
biochemical attributes. They have plenty of potential for application as biofertilizers to
improve soil fertility, enhance plant growth and yield.

Mr. Tillage and Leaf Colour Chart-Guided Nitrogen Management: Key to Growth and Yield Improvement of Winter Maize in Chitwan, Nepal

Dinesh Timilsina

Maize requires efficient nitrogen management to maximize productivity and sustainability. The research aimed to establish critical Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) values for maize under Zero Tillage and Conventional Tillage. This research also focuses on evaluating LCC-based nitrogen management versus recommended practices. The experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2016/17 at the National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was performed using a strip plot design with three replications. The main plot factor included two tillage methods (conventional and zero tillage), while the sub-plot factor comprised six nutrient management practices, namely nitrogen omission, recommended dose of nitrogen, nitrogen application at leaf color chart (LCC) values 3 (45 kg N/ha), LCC value 4 (88.33 kg N/ha), LCC value 5 (119.7 kg N/ha), and LCC value 6 (140 kg N/ha). Standard split nitrogen application and LCC-based nitrogen management at LCC 4, 5, and 6 critical values resulted in statistically similar LAI during all dates of observations; however, it was high at 90 days after sowing (DAS). Total dry matter accumulation was significantly higher under LCC-5 at 90 DAS. Grain yield was strongly influenced by nitrogen management, with LCC-5 achieving the highest yield (4814 kg ha⁻¹), followed by LCC-6 (4511 kg ha⁻¹). Conventional tillage slightly outperformed zero tillage in grain yield. According to the study, LCC threshold 5 is useful for real-time nitrogen application in maize. Maize farmers are encouraged to embrace LCC-based split nitrogen application rather than following standard nitrogen fixed schedules for sustainable and profitable production.

Responses of potato to different methods of Zinc and Boron application in midhills of Nepal.

Abstract

Micronutrients are as important as macronutrient in crop production and they play a critical role to achieve the potential crop yield. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the foliar and soil application of Zinc, Boron, and agriculture lime in enhancing potato yield and changes in soil properties. The experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2079 and 2080) at Nepal Agriculture Research Council, Khumaltar. Seven fertilizer treatments, namely T1: only NPK; T2: NPK+Zinc+Borax; T3: NPK +Boron +Ag-Lime; T4: NPK +Zinc +Ag-Lime; T5: NPK +Zinc +Boron +Ag-Lime; T6: NPK +(Zinc +Boron) foliar Spray; T7: NPK + foliar Spray (2%Urea +2% K) were arranged in a randomized complete block design. Foliar Spray were applied twice, once at 40. DAP and again after 60 DAT. Among seven treatments, T6 (NPK +(Zinc +Boron) foliar Spray) showed a significant impact on yield (31.84 t/ha) and its parameters, Vigor, uniformity and Ground Cover of potato followed by T5 (28.81 t/ha) and T7 compared to the treatments without Zn and Boron. Foliar sprays of ZnSO4 and Borax, rather than only ZnSO4 or Borax application, significantly improved germination, vigor, sizes and number of tuber and total yield. These findings cover how essential are the zinc and boron to obtain the potential potato yield.

Assessment of Phenological and Physicochemical Characteristics of Peach (Prunus persica L.) Varieties in Mustang, Nepal

Peaches are precocious, the second most produced temperate fruit crop in the world following apple and pear fruit. This study was conducted at Temperate Horticulture Development Center (THDC) from February to September 2023 to study phenology and evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of five different peach varieties (Surprise, Benedict, Peregrine, Local Khallya and Early Red). The flowering phenology of varieties was studied by dividing the developmental stages of a flower into eight different stages: first-swelling, calyx-green, calyx-red, first-pink, first-bloom, full-bloom, petal-fall and fruit-set. Physical characteristics were encompassed on individual fruit length, fruit volume, fruit size (length and width), stone weight, stone size (length and width) and mesocarp thickness and in chemical characteristics pH, Total Soluble Solids (TSS), Titratable Acidity (TA) and TSS/TA ratio were included. The study of flowering phenology revealed that Early red was found to be the earliest (60.50 DARD) and Local Khallya (84.00 DARD) took the most time to reach the fruit set. The highest fruit weight (153.85 g) and size (length 6.37 cm and width 6.67cm) was seen in Benedict; whereas the lowest fruit weight (46.5 g) and size (Length 4.02 cm and Width 4.36) were measured in Early Red. Chemical analysis of the fruits revealed that pH was found highest in Surprise (5.06) and lowest in Benedict (3.5). Finally, TSS/TA was found that pH was maximum in Benedict (12.38) and minimum in Early red (6.03). Among the varieties, Benedict was found to be the superior variety in terms of sweetness and size in Mustang.

The Effects of Organic Fertilizers on the Macropropagation, Vegetative Growth, and Pest Infestation on Plantain (Musa ssp.)

Ekwa Monono

One of the major constraints to the expansion of plantain cultivation has been the scarcity of healthy planting material. Following macropropagation technology, stimulation of lateral bud development and plantlet production was accomplished through decapitation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of decortication in Musa sp using organic fertilizers to maximize the potential growth of plantain plantlets in propagators and in the nursery. The experiment was carried out at both the macropropagators' level and in the nursery. The experiment was laid out using the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments (Control, T1 – Biozyme, T2 – Radix Tim, T3 – Compo, and T4 – DI Grow) with 10 replicates in three blocks. All plants were administered equal amounts of each treatment. The results at the bud incubation level revealed that bud initiation was not significantly dependent on the treatment. Although not significant, the Biozyme^® treatment had the highest mean number of plantlets (46 plants). The organic fertilizers had significant effects (P < 0.001) on the vegetative growth of nursery plants. The maximum vegetative growth (plant height 7.86 cm, girth 10.6 cm, number of leaves – 4, leaf area 144cm²) was recorded with plants treated with T2 – Radix Tim® (50 ml/7.5 L of water). Snails were the only nursery pests identified, and plants treated with T3 (Compo®) were more susceptible to snails, with a mean of 0.04. Net profit margin results for the different treatments were high for T1 (60) and lowest for T2 (24). In conclusion, organic fertilizers have significant effects in improving the vegetative growth of plantains. Radix Tim® and DI Grow® were the best treatments for the production of healthy, vigorous nursery plants.

Agronomic Performance and Farmers' Preferences of Twelve Spring Rice Genotypes Under Participatory approach at Kailali , Nepal

The low adoption of spring rice varieties in Nepal is due to exclusion of farmers as partners in variety evaluation and relying solely on on-station evaluation trials. To address this issue, an experiment was conducted from February to June, 2023 at Khaira, Bhajani Municipality in Farmer’s Field School with the objective to evaluate spring rice genotypes for high grain yield and yield attributing traits along with farmer preference in participatory approach. The experiment was laid out in RCBD design, with three replications, testing twelve rice varieties involving 37 small holder farmers. The individual plot size was 10m×2m with plant spacing maintained at 20cm×20cm. MS excel and R-studio were used for data arrangement and analysis. Results revealed that yield and yield attributes along with days to maturity were statistically different among genotypes. Maximum grain yield was found in Chaite-5 (10.75 t/ha) followed by IR16L1831 which was statistically at par with genotype IR10L118, while local check variety Chaini-Local demonstrated a sub-par grain yield (6.77 t/ha) and Chaite-4 (5.77 t/ha) was inferior compared to others. The maturity date of the breeding lines ranged from 113 to 139 days. The findings showed that SVIN-191 and Hardinath-5 had the highest duration to reach maturity across all phenophases. In contrast, the Chaini-Local variety had the shortest time to maturity, taking only 113 days, while Chaite-4 and IR10L152 required 119 and 122 days, respectively. On participatory varietal selection, the farmer preference score was found maximum in genotype IR10L152 followed by a check popular variety Chaite-5 which signifies these genotypes may have certain traits of farmer preference. The research suggests the local community or relevant stakeholders to focus on growing the identified promising genotypes.

Effect of different durations of water-logging at different growth stages on seed yield of mustard

Short- and long-term water-logging conditions impact crop growth and development, preventing crops from reaching their true genetic potential. This experiment aimed to determine the level of water tolerance of conventional mustard varieties. The specific objective was to study the effect of different durations of water-logging on the seed yield of mustard. Three mustard varieties were grown in 2022 under ambient sunlight and temperature conditions. Water-logging durations of 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours were imposed at 55-60 days after sowing (DAS). Data on plant height, branches plant^-1, and siliquae plant^-1 were taken from 10 randomly selected plants from each plot. The maturity period was counted when 90% of siliquae matured. The seed yield of each plot was recorded after harvest. The data from this study improve our understanding of how mustard reacts to increasing water-logging durations. Treatment T₂ for V₂ (water-logging for 24 hours at 55-60 DAS for Binasarisha-11) produced the highest seed yield (1.51t ha^-1) among the treatments. Treatment T₂for V₁ (water-logging for 24 hours at 55-60 DAS for Binasarisha-9) showed statistically almost the same result on seed yield (1.46t ha^-1). Treatment T₁ for V₃ (no water-logging for BARI Sarisha-14) showed the highest result on seed yield (1.47t ha^-1) among other treatments implied on BARI Sarisha-14.

Integrative approaches to understanding Mercury Toxicity in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants: Linking growth, biochemistry and antioxidant mechanisms

Vijay Mani

Mercury is a widely studied toxic metal all over the world due to its ability to easily enter into the food chain. Even exposure to small quantities, causes adverse effects on various biochemical and physiological processes. This study aimed to investigate the integrative approaches to understanding mercury toxicity in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants by linking growth, biochemistry and antioxidant mechanisms. Experimental common bean plants were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 served as control, received normal nutritional and water support, while Group 2, 3 and 4 were treated with mercury concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg respectively. The results revealed that mercury treated common bean plants exhibited a significant decline in several key growth and physiological parameters, including germination percentage, root length, shoot length, fresh weight, dry weight and vigor index. Moreover, mercury treatment leads to reduction in carbohydrate and protein contents, as well as reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase and superoxide dismutase. These findings underscore the significance of further research to identify strategies for alleviating mercury-induced toxicity and enhancing plant resilience, with the goal of contributing to the development of sustainable agricultural practices that enhance the crop resilience in polluted environments.

Determination of phosphorus and nitrogen optimum fertilization rate for Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in the Kofele, South-eastern Ethiopia

Nimona Fufa Hunde

Because of unbalanced application of fertilizers, soil fertility depletion is one of the greatest challenges to sustained agricultural productivity, particularly in developing countries. Maintaining soil fertility demands a well-balanced application of inorganic nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the most critical and influential elements for the production of potato in most Ethiopian soils. Consequently, the experiment was conducted at Kofele sub-site in south-eastern Ethiopia during the 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons to evaluate different rates of N and P fertilizers on tuber yield performance and economic profitability of potato production. The treatments used consisted of four levels of nitrogen (0, 46, 92, and 138 kg ha^-1) and phosphorus (0, 46, 69, and 92 kg ha^-1) combined with factorial arrangements and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that almost all parameters were significantly affected by the main effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer rates, but their interaction did not show significant effect. As a result, in both seasons, the highest marketable tuber and total tuber yield were obtained at the combined application of 138 kg N with 92 kg P₂O₅ha^-1. However, the partial budget analysis indicated that the combined application of 92 kg N and 69 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 gave the highest net benefit with an acceptable marginal rate of return (MRR) of 492.93%, followed by 92 kg N and 92 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, which might be taken as a profitable rate for the tested area. The economic recommendations may be subjected to changes based on the cost of fertilizers and price of the product (potato). Therefore, on the basis of economic performance, it can be concluded that the application of combined 92 kg N ha⁻¹ with 69 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ fertilizer rates is more economical and recommended for potato production in the Kofele area.

Effects of Different Traditional Ripening Methods on Quality and Shelf Life of Bananas in Chitwan, Nepal

Binisha Paudel

This study examines the effects of traditional ripening methods on the shelf life and quality of bananas, focusing on key traits like weight loss, pulp-to-peel ratio, firmness, TSS, TA, pH, and TSS/TA ratio over 10 days. The experiment, conducted in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications, included a control, gunny bag, rice straw, tomato, and ethephon (500 ppm). All data were collected at the horticulture lab, AFU. Ripening was maintained at 23-27°C with 50-70% relative humidity. The observations were weight loss, TA, TSS, TSS: TA ratio, pH, pulp to peel ratio, firmness. The data collected revealed notable differences in TSS and physiological weight loss among the various ripening techniques. TSS and physiological weight loss were highest in the ethephon and tomato treatments, indicating a faster ripening process whereas bananas packed in gunny bags showed the least weight loss, indicating suitability for longer storage. Furthermore, assessments of the firmness showed that the bananas treated with ethephon and tomato had the greatest loss of firmness, which was corresponding to advanced ripening stages. Control and gunny bag methods maintained intermediate firmness levels throughout the study. Future research should explore alternative natural ripening agents and conduct repeated trials for deeper insights into ripening dynamics and shelf life extension.

PERFORMANCE OF LATE SOWN WHEAT GENOTYPES TO DROUGHT STRESS AT KHAJURA, BANKE, NEPAL

Prabhat KC

Wheat is the third most cultivated cereal in Nepal after rice and maize due to its numerous uses. It is typically grown during the winter season, which coincides with the drier months of the year. Being a rain-fed crop, it is particularly vulnerable to drought. In the western part of Nepal, where rainfall is low due to the shortened monsoon season and the shifting of wheat cultivation times to the lowland terai, drought has been reported as a major problem during the winter season for this crop. Drought and high temperatures during the anthesis and grain filling stages are key constraints on wheat production. The primary aim of this study is to identify wheat genotypes that are tolerant to drought and terminal heat stress under late-seeded conditions, using stress tolerance indices. The research was conducted with 18 genotypes, including checks, using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the Directorate of Agricultural Research, Lumbini Province, Khajura, Banke, under simulated drought conditions (using a rainout shelter) and normal irrigated conditions. Yield traits were recorded, and stress susceptibility and tolerance indices were estimated. The research showed that the average grain yield of all tested genotypes decreased by 58.8% under stress conditions (̅Ys) compared to normal irrigated conditions (̅Yp). There was a highly significant difference (<0.01) in grain yield across genotypes when grown under both irrigated and stress conditions. The genotype NL 1488 produced the highest grain yield of 3725 kg/ha, followed by Banganga (3693.67 kg/ha), NL 1447 (3550.33 kg/ha), NL 1423 (3454.67 kg/ha), NL 1444 (3426 kg/ha), and NL 1445 (3224.67 kg/ha) under irrigated and late-sown conditions. Similarly, the genotype NL 1447 produced the highest grain yield of 1547.33 kg/ha, followed by NL 1415 (1541.67 kg/ha), NL 1444 (1442.33 kg/ha), NL 1345 (1349.33 kg/ha), NL 1446 (1338.33 kg/ha), and NL 1451 (1328.33 kg/ha) under late-sown drought conditions. The highest values of MP, GMP, and STI were obtained in genotype NL 1447, followed by NL 1444, NL 1415, NL 1451, and NL 1446. These genotypes exhibit high yield potential under both irrigated and drought conditions, making them suitable candidates for use as donor parents in varietal improvement programs focusing on drought stress tolerance.

On Farm Participatory Evaluation and Demonstration of Improved Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) Varieties under Irrigation condition in South-Eastern Ethiopia

Nimona Fufa Hunde

In Ethiopia, tomatoes are one of the most economically important vegetable crops. However, a number of factors, including a lack of improved and adapted tomato varieties, limit their productivity and production. A field study was conducted during the 2020 -2021 cropping season at Arsi areas, Tiyo, and Zuway Dugda districts and aimed to evaluate the performance of released tomato varieties, on-farm demonstrations, and varietal selection based on farmers’ preferences. Six released tomato varieties, Chali, Melkashola, Melkasalsa, Eshete, ARP-D2, and Fetan were used. Data were collected on growth, yield and yield related traits from the mother trials and farmers perception on the demo varietal trials. The analysis of variance revealed that the tested varieties had significant differences (P≤0.05) in yield and yield-related traits. As a result, Gelilema variety had significant marketable yield (55.91 t ha^-1) and total yield (65.24 t ha^-1), followed by Melkashola variety with marketable yield (47.42 t ha^-1) and total yield (59.12 t ha^-1). Total fruit yield correlated positively and significantly with marketable yield (0.89), average fruit weight (0.87), number of fruit per cluster (0.65), number of cluster per plant (0.97), and was negatively associated with plant height (-0.05). Farmers' preferred traits, such as higher fruit yield, better disease tolerance, fruit size, shape, transportability, and higher market demand, were used to rank the most preferred varieties at both distinct areas. At Golja kebele, Gelilema was the most preferred and best-performing variety, followed by Melkashola. At Zuway Dugda, Melkashola and Melkasalsa were selected as the first and second choices, respectively. As a result, the area of study and others with comparable agro-ecologies should be suitable areas for scaling up these selected varieties.

Introduction, Establishment and Expansion Factors of Emerging and Re- Emerging Fungal Plant Diseases of National and International Significance and Their Management

Dr. Muluken Getahun

Abstract

Diseases are qualified as emergent when they have recently become a cause for concern due to an increase in virulence, infection of a novel host and/or occurrence in a new area. Pathogenic fungi, in particular, have caused emerging plant diseases. Re- emerging plant diseases are those diseases that have been previously controlled but once more a major problem. Alien fungal infections can be introduced through the trade of vegetables, germplasms, plant-propagating material, or complete living plant parts. International seed trafficking is a particularly important vector for pathogen introduction and dissemination. Human activity, host susceptibility, wind and extreme weather condition and pathogen adaptation are intensifying fungal disease dispersal by modifying natural environments and thus creating new opportunities for evolution. Fungal infections will cause increasing attrition of biodiversity, with wider implications for human and ecosystem health, unless steps are taken to tighten biosecurity worldwide. There are several ways that fungal pathogens pollution can occur, but, in each case anthropogenic change results in a pathogen crossing an evolutionary boundary, such as geographical and or ecological separation. The production of crops is impacted by both established and newly emerged diseases. An epidemic induced by fungal plant emerging infectious disease infecting new hosts with little resistance or tolerance to emerging pathogens can be especially damaging. Emerging diseases represent a growing worldwide problem accompanying global environmental changes, and there is tremendous interest in identifying the factors controlling the appearance and spread of these diseases. In addition to Integrated disease management approach better global monitoring and control, attention must also be turned to increasing our understanding of the interactions between hosts, pathogens and the environment, across regional and global scales. Integrated techniques that include theoretical and applied epidemiology, climate predictions, surveillance, and monitoring.

OPTIMUM SUGAR SYRUP FEEDING INTERVALS FOR Apis Cerana Fab. DURING THE WINTER DEARTH PERIOD IN THE SUB-TROPICAL AREA OF NEPAL

Dipak Khanal

Sugar syrup is fed to bee colonies as an artificial nectar supplement during the winter dearth period, with different feeding intervals to ensure colony survival and maintenance. Artificial nectar supplementation with sugar syrup at the best feeding interval can supply carbohydrates required by honeybee colonies for survival and maintenance. The experiment was conducted in an apiary in the subtropical area of Nepal to determine the best sugar syrup feeding interval in the winter for optimal sealed brood area, sealed honey area, egg laying, and pollen collection. Sugar syrup of 1:1 concentration was applied at intervals of 7 days, 10 days, 15 days, and 20 days, as well as a control, with each replication consisting of five beehives. Data for each parameter was gathered at 7-day intervals by counting pollen cells and eggs hatched by the queen bee and measuring the area covered by sealed brood and sealed honey. At the end of the experiment, beehives fed at 15-day intervals had the highest sealed brood area, honey storage, eggs laying by the queen bee, and pollen cells among all the treatments. Hence, if colonies are fed at intervals of fifteen days, beehives will be in optimum condition in terms of reserved honey, the egg-laying activity of the queen bee, total pollen cells, and the total brood area, which are crucial for colony survival, maintenance, and overall performance. This experiment concludes that fifteen-day intervals of sugar syrup feeding practice seems prudent for bee apiaries during the winter dearth period in sub-tropical areas of Nepal.

Production and Marketing of RUDRASHA

The study was conducted to analyze the production and marketing of Rudraksha in

Shadanand Municipality of Bhojpur district of Nepal during the year 2023. A survey was

conducted to collect information from Rudraksha growers by taking purposively a

representative sample size of 140 firms. The required information was obtained through a

pretested questionnaire and group discussions. The average land under Rudraksha plantation

in study area was found 6.18. The cost of production was found NRs.3931.47 and benefit cost

ratio was found 3.381 which showed that the Rudraksha cultivation was profitable enterprise.

The variables cost of Rudraksha plantation was important factors contributing to the total

return. Collector, trader/intermediate, processor, retailers and consumers were mainly

involved in marketing of Rudraksha. Contract system of selling of Rudraksha was the most

common in the study areas. Producers were mainly sold their products from farm to trader

and on farm to the retailers or consumers. Majority of producers sold it in raw form. The

farmer of this area was practiced mixed cropping off Rudraksha with cardamom, ginger, tea

etc. The result showed that the farmer was facing the problems of inadequate market

information, poor technical knowledge, disease and pest, limited inputs and middleman in

production and marketing of Rudraksha. Although the cultivation of Rudraksha in the

Bhojpur district seems to be a successful endeavour, it is imperative to overcome the stated

problems in order to continue and enhance the sector.

EFFECT OF MICRONUTRIENTS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD PARAMETER OF SPRING MAIZE IN GAURADAHA, NEPAL

Asmita Tamang

Micronutrients, required in trace amounts, are crucial for crop growth and metabolic activities. Maize, particularly sensitive to micronutrient deficiencies, shows hidden hunger symptoms when lacking nutrients. An experiment at Gauradaha Agriculture Campus, Jhapa, from Jan 2023 to June 2023, evaluated the effects of zinc (Zn), boron (B), and sulfur (S) on maize (Variety TX-369). The study used a single factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven treatments and three replications. Results showed that the combined application of micronutrients with the recommended dose of NPK significantly improved maize growth and yield. Treatment T6 (Zn10 + B6 + S7 kg/ha with RDF of NPK) yielded the highest leaf area, ear length (19.56 cm), ear diameter (62.4 cm), kernel rows per ear (15.72), grains per row (44.25), ear weight (17.65 tons/ha), biological yield (34.80 tons/ha), grain yield (12.68 tons/ha), and stover yield (3.39 tons/ha). T4 (S40 kg/ha with RDF of NPK) showed the highest test weight (438.33 gm). Micronutrients did not significantly affect plant height or number of leaves. Applying 10 kg/ha of Zn, 6 kg/ha of B, and 7 kg/ha of S with RDF of NPK significantly enhances maize yield and suits the local soil environment.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT GERMINATION MEDIA ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum) IN BHOJPUR, NEPAL

To optimize circumstances for better tomato performances, the study looked at how different germination conditions affected tomato seed germination and seedling growth in Bhojpur, Nepal. A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) in a plastic tunnel with three replications was used. Soil, Cocopeat, Vermicompost, Soil + FYM (1:1), Soil + Cocopeat (1:1), Soil +Vermicompost (1:1), Cocopeat + Vermicompost (1:1), Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost (1:1:1), and Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost (1:1:1) are the nine distinct growing media compositions. Tomato seeds of the Srijana kind were planted in a plastic tray. For seven days, germination metrics like vigor index, germination speed, energy, and percentage were tracked for seven days in a row. At 20, 25, and 30 days following seeding, growth metrics such as fresh seedling weight, dry seedling weight, number of leaves, root length, shoot length, and stem diameter were measured.The growth parameters and germination parameters differed significantly. As a growth medium, Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost + FYM (1:1:1:1) produced the highest germination percentage (100%), maximum seedling vigor index (2329), root length (10.967cm), and number of leaves (20.87cm). However, using soil + cocopeat + vermicompost (1:1:1) as a growing medium resulted in the highest recorded shoot length (12.847 cm), maximum stem diameter (0.310 cm), and maximum fresh weight (1.540 gm). The equal amounts of soil, cocopeat, vermicompost, and FYM were shown to promote the best growth in tomato seedlings.

Effect of foliar spray of micronutrients (zinc and boron) on performance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cv. Srijana under polytunnel in Buddhanilkantha, Nepal

Prabina Bhujel

This research was conducted in Budhanilkantha, Nepal, from February to June 2023. The experiment employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments: control (T0), two levels of chelated zinc (30 ppm - T1 and 60 ppm - T2), and two levels of borax (30 ppm - T3 and 60 ppm - T4), applied 15 and 35 days after transplantation (DAT). Data on morphological traits, flowering, fruiting, and yield were collected at 60 DAT. The results showed that chelated zinc at 30 ppm significantly enhanced plant height (86 cm), leaf number (52.47), branch number (8.21), fruit clusters (19.32), fruit number (22.73), fruit diameter (5.58 cm), fruit weight (59.71 g), and yield (56.56 t/ha). Borax at 30 ppm promoted early flowering (23.70 days). Higher concentrations of both micronutrients resulted in reduced growth and yield. The findings suggest that foliar application of 30 ppm chelated zinc and borax can optimize tomato growth and yield, offering a practical recommendation for tomato growers. The study highlights the potential of these easily accessible micronutrient sources to significantly enhance tomato productivity under polytunnel cultivation.

Farmers’ adaptation strategies towards soil salinity effects in sunflower cultivation: a gender-based analysis of some selected south-central coastal areas in Bangladesh

Rising salinity levels in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, driven by climate change, significantly affect agricultural productivity. Adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of salinity are crucial for increasing crop production. This paper examines the adaptation strategies employed by male and female sunflower farmers in response to salinity intrusion in the south-central coastal zones of Bangladesh. Data were collected through a household survey involving 50 men and 50 women, supplemented by interviews and focus group discussions with farmers. The probabilistic sampling method was used to determine the sample size. The questionnaire included open-ended and closed-ended questions and was pretested with farmers before the final interviews were conducted. For analysis of gender choice to adapt to salinity, this study used two distinct regression models. Results showed that significant (p<0.05) variables determining adaptation strategies for male sunflower farmers included age, communication exposure, and training experience. For female sunflower farmers (p<0.01), the major variables were age, communication exposure, training experience, and the area cultivated for sunflowers. Both regression models demonstrated a good fit. Moreover, our findings indicate that the primary adaptation strategies for both male and female farmers were the application of fertilizers and pesticides. Therefore, information from this study will aid policymakers in developing future farm-level adaptation plans.

Climate-Smart Agriculture: Sustainability, Resilience and Food Security

Sunil Regmi

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach that discover, examine, create, and enlarge technologies and practices to address the challenges posed by climate change ensuring agriculture productivity and sustainability. CSA aims to reduce disparities in production costs and farm income providing economic benefit to CSA adopters as compared to conventional farmers. This article presents CSA's core objectives: sustainably boosting agricultural productivity, constructing resilience to climate change, lessen GHG emissions from agriculture. Additionally, CSA targets the fulfillment of three principle criteria: climate change mitigation, adaptation to climate change, and food security. This paper highlighted several approaches to CSA that involves agroforestry, conservational agriculture, water saving irrigation tech, crop diversification and rotation, improved livestock management, soil carbon sequestration, etc. Despite its enormous advantages, adoption of CSA practices and strategies faces several challenges like insufficient funds, limited cropland, land rights issues, insufficient knowledge about CSA. The effective adoption and dissemination of CSA technical breakthroughs is a critical issue due to lack of expertise, and resources needed to implement new CSA practices. CSA offers a visible pathway to sustainable agriculture and to achieve that, investment on research needs and future directions are important exploring multiple cropping patterns, crop diversification techniques, and no-till agriculture. CSA emphasizes real-time decision-making using the Internet of Things (IoT), which improves communication, collaboration, and technology analytics, resulting in more efficient and adaptive agricultural methods. Moreover, CSA focuses on water-efficient irrigation systems like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Semi-Dry Cultivation (SDC) for better operation, better administration, and more effective use of irrigation water.

A Review on the impact of commonly used Pesticides on Biology of Earthworms

Earthworms are considered as important bio indicators of chemical toxicity in the soil ecosystem. Being an important component of soil ecosystem earthworms play a vital role in the soil ecosystem functioning and maintenance of soil fertility. The present review encompasses the diverse effects of pesticides on earthworm biology considering both direct toxicity and indirect impacts on ecosystem functions. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, we assess the varying impacts of different classes of pesticides on earthworms. Several studies included in this review shed light on how pesticide exposure affect earthworm behavior, reproduction, regenerative capacity, gut microbial and nutrient transition, histology which consequently affects the soil ecosystem dynamics. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of these findings for agricultural practices, soil health, and biodiversity conservation. This study adds to our understanding of the intricate relationships that exist between soil organisms and pesticides, emphasizing the need of sustainable pest management techniques to preserve the productivity and adaptability of ecosystems.

Determination of benefit cost ratio for BARI tomato-4: A popular summer tomato variety in Bangladesh

Md. Nazmul Hasan Mehedi

An experiment was conducted at the department of Horticulture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh to evaluate the benefit cost ratio of summer tomato variety BARI tomato 4. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications by maintaining a spacing of 60 cm x 40 cm. It comprised of two cultivation method as main plot viz. Open cultivation (P₀) and Cultivation under poly tunnel (P₁) and nine levels of growth regulators as sub-plot viz. T_{0 (}Control), T₁ (GA₃@30 ppm), T₂ (GA₃@60 ppm), T₃ (NAA @30 ppm), T₄ (NAA @60 ppm), T₅ (MH @30 ppm), T₆ (MH @60 ppm), T₇ (Tomatotone @30 ppm) and T₈ (Tomatotone @60 ppm). Tomatotone @ 60 ppm gave the highest yield per hectare (5.38 and 20.82 t), respectively. Higher values in respect of economy were obtained from the plants cultivated under poly tunnel. Application of growth regulators was influenced in all studied parameters over control. Majority of the parameters responded better with the increased concentration of growth regulators. Despite of poly tunnel was being costly to establish (41% of total input cost), it gave 3-4 times higher economic return. In open and poly tunnel condition, tomatotone @ 60 ppm showed the highest profitability and benefit cost ratio 1.16: 3.19, respectively. Therefore, tomatotone @ 60 ppm can be used as potential treatment for summer tomato cultivation under open and poly tunnel conditions.

Evaluation of hybrid rice varieties for growth and yield traits under irrigated transplanted conditions in Lumbini Province, Nepal

Mahesh Paudyal — 2024-11-06

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of early- to medium-maturing hybrid rice varieties for growth and yield traits under irrigated transplanted conditions in Lumbini Province, Nepal, and identify varieties with high yield potential and favorable agronomic traits. A field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications during the summer seasons of 2022 and 2023. Twenty-five hybrid rice varieties were tested, with Arize 6444 as the standard check. Key agronomic traits, including grain yield, tillers per plant, plant height, and thousand-grain weight, were measured and analyzed statistically. The hybrid variety LG94.2 recorded the highest average grain yield (6603 kg ha^-¹), followed by SH 4613 (6338 kg ha^-¹) and F1 9446 (6062.7 kg ha^-¹). Thousand-grain weight (r = 0.72) and tillers per plant (r = 0.65) were positively correlated with grain yield. The findings suggest that LG94.2, SH 4613, and F1 9446 are the top-performing varieties. LG94.2 showed the best performance, with high grain yield and favorable traits, making it a strong candidate for improving rice productivity in Nepal. The study confirms that hybrid rice varieties such as LG94.2 and SH 4613 have the potential to significantly increase rice yields in Nepal's subtropical regions, offering a sustainable solution to meet the country’s rising food demand.

Assessment of Soil Suitability for Rice Cultivation Potential in the Coastal Region of Bangladesh: A GIS-Based Approach for Sarankhola Upazila

Md. Anisul Kabir

Rice is the staple food in Bangladesh. However, soil degradation in coastal land hinders rice production there. This study aims to assess the suitable area for rice production in Sarankhola, a coastal region in Bangladesh. This study uses SRDI’s physiochemical and nutrient data as a secondary data source. The data was interpolated and weighed overlay in the Suitability modeler in ArcGIS Pro v3. The findings show that some parameters, like OM, N2, P, Cu, and Mn, are close to or within their optimal ranges suggested by SRDI, for rice production in Bangladesh. On the other hand, EC, S, Ca, Mg, and Fe are much higher than their optimal values. The correlation analysis shows strong positive correlations between organic matter and nitrogen, moderate positive correlations between EC, S, and K, and significant negative correlations between pH, organic matter, and nitrogen. The spatial distribution of soil physiochemicals and nutrients reveals varying suitability for agriculture, with some regions showing optimal conditions while others face significant nutrient deficiencies. The land suitability analysis for rice production reveals that 40–50% of the area, mainly in the Dhansagar and parts of Khontakata unions, is "suitable" for rice cultivation. Meanwhile, 20–30% of Rayenda, Southkhali, and parts of Khontakata are "moderately suitable," necessitating additional inputs. The remaining 30-40%, particularly in Rayenda and Southkhali, are "marginally suitable." The results suggest that Dhansagar and Khontakata unions in Sarankhola are potential areas for rice production naturally, without using hybrid seeds.

A comparative Study of Standard Plate Count (SPC) in Milk: Effects of various Methods of milking, Container Types, and Chilling Durations

Sagar Paudel

This study was carried out to evaluate the quality of raw milk measured by Standard Plate Count (SPC). Individual raw milk for the Colony Forming Units (CFU) study was carried out in the National Cattle Research Program Rampur Chitwan, Nepal. Milk from Jersey and Holstein cows with two types of milking (hand and machine milking) in collecting three types of containers (Plastic, Aluminum, and Steel). Milk had different chilling durations (0, 4, 8,12,24,48 and 72 hours). Altogether, 252 milk samples for SPC were examined at farm levels. Results showed significant variability in SPC throughout the study period. The lowest Colony Forming Units (CFU) was observed in Holstein cows (80.49±4.83 × 10⁴), while the highest was found in the Jersey breed (122.88±4.69 × 10⁴). Similarly, the lowest CFU count was recorded in milk from machine milking (92.42±4.69 × 10⁴), whereas the highest CFU count was observed in milk from hand milking (110.95±4.83 × 10⁴). For three Milk collecting and transporting containers, the CFU count was lowest in the steel container (90.09±5.82×10⁴) compared to the Aluminum container (102.42±5.82×10⁴) and Plastic Container (112.55±5.82×10⁴). The results of mean CFU for the chilling duration effects at farm 0, 4, 8,12,24,48 and 72 hours were (114.33±8.11×10⁴, 108.21±10.28×10⁴, 107.71±10.28×10^4, 106.75±10.28 ×10⁴, 104.07±6.36 ×10⁴, 94.79±8.11×10⁴, and 75.94±8.11×10⁴). CFU count in hand and machine milking milk differed significantly (P<0.01) from each record of the same date at the farm level. The CFU in milk from different containers was significant (P>0.05) for the overall experimental period. Steel containers showed a low CFU count compared to Aluminum and plastic containers. The highest number of CFU (114.33×10⁴) was observed in the 0-hour chilling, which was significantly (P <0.05) different from the rest of the chilling duration. The results obtained from the study indicated that the current situation is critical and needs real improvement from farm to chilling centers. The findings could guide dairy producers in adopting effective strategies to enhance milk quality, minimize bacterial contamination, and ensure safer dairy products for consumers by using these results.

Urban Heat Island Relation with Land Use Land Cover Change in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City Nepal

Bikram Singh

Urban areas are expanding globally at the expense of natural productive land which affects the quality of life of urban residents. Hetauda sub-metropolitan city of Nepal has been undergoing rapid urban growth for the last few decades causing local climatic effects such as land surface temperature (LST) variation. Thus, exploring spatio-temporal change of land use land cover (LULC) and urban heat island (UHI) analysis could be an effective means to expose local environmental issues caused by anthropogenic activities. Development in thermal Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) has enabled the monitoring of spatial LST, UHI, and its correlation to LULC. We executed supervised classification and change detection for the years 1995, 2008, and 2018. The spatial pattern of LST was obtained using a thermal band of Landsat images. Regression analysis was applied to explore the relationship between LST, LULC types, and LUCL indices. The LST was higher for urban/built-up and cultivated land use types. There was approximately 4°C mean LST variation for all three studies years. The regression analysis showed a positive correlation of urban/built-up with the Normal Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) while a negative correlation with the Normal Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) which implies that green structure weakens the UHI effects while urban/built-up areas strengthen the UHI. Overall, the study can be useful for urban planners in sustainable urban planning and management as well as to raise public awareness of climate change and the warming effect.

Keywords: Spatio-temporal, Remote sensing, GIS, NDVI, NDBI

A review on tillage system and no-till agriculture and its impact on soil health

Bronika Thapa — 2024-09-25

Soil tillage is a fundamental agriculture practice aimed at preparing the soil for planting, managing crop residues, controlling weeds, preparing the ground for the next crop, integrating leftover crops and nutrients into the soil, and enhancing soil structure. However, tillage practice significantly influences activities like soil moisture, temperature, aeration, and mixing the crop residues within the soil. This article explores the impacts of traditional tillage methods and alternative approaches to reduce production costs, environmental consequences, and safeguard soil for sustainable crop production through the secondary source of results as published research papers, documents, government official and institution reports. Traditional tillage method involves the mechanical disruption of soil, which affects critical factors such as moisture retention, temperature regulation, and aeration. While use of such heavy machines can improve short-term productivity, its long-term impacts include soil compaction, erosion, and loss of organic matter, leading to environmental degradation and declining soil health. In contrast, No-till and reduced tillage practices offers a promising solution to contemporary challenges such as global climate change, water conservation, rapid soil degradation, and desertification. Under this system, wide range of crops can be grown effectively in low production cost by reducing fuel and labor requirements. No-tillage and minimal tillage is being adopted across a wide range of farm sizes, from small plots of land to vast expanses, in various countries around the world with promising sustainability.

Effects of feeding regime on growth, production, and economics of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in earthen ponds of Bangladesh

Mohammad Shadiqur Rahman — 2024-09-25

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding frequency on the growth, production, and economic aspects of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in nine earthen ponds for 120 days. Three different feeding regimes (T₁, T₂, and T₃) with three replications each were used. The stocking density was uniform across all treatments at 25,000 fish per hectare. The fish were fed a commercially available pelleted feed with the same feeding rate in all treatments, but the feeding frequency varied. The feeding rate was 10%, 8%, 7%, 6 %, 5%, and 4% which was consecutively adjusted after each fortnightly sampling and 3% for the last 4 weeks of the study period. Feeding frequencies were once a day for T₁, twice a day for T₂, and three times a day for T₃. The average weight gain of Oreochromine cichlids in T₃ (295±5 gm) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T₂ (240.67±6.66 gm) and T₁ (217.17±7.64 gm). The survival rates were 95.20%, 96.99%, and 97.33% for T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively. The net production of fish in T₃ (2882.00±62.00 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in T₂ (2413.00± kg/ha) and T₁ (2223±30.55). Furthermore, the highest net return (USD 1163/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.42) was achieved from T₃, followed by T₂ (USD 527/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.19) and T₁ (USD 270/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.09). The results demonstrated that increasing the feeding frequency has positive effects on the growth and production of Oreochromine cichlids.

Evaluating the characteristics, trends and challenges of marine fisheries in Iraq

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2024-09-25

The characteristics, trends and challenges of the marine fisheries of Basrah province, Iraq were studied in this study. Information on fish landings was gathered from the main landing site of the marine fisheries at Al-Fao port from January 2023 to December 2023. The total landing of marine fisheries was 29,446 tons for 28 fish species and two shrimp species. Threadfin bream constituted 10.87% of the landing, followed by Mullets (9.72%) and Emperor (9.39%). Shrimp formed about 13.87% of the total catches. The landings of Threadfin bream and Emperor, as well as shrimp, significantly increased in 2023, while the contribution of historically more important species such as the landing of river shad has decreased to the lowest level. Therefore, from a fisheries management perspective, it is crucial to manage the stock of various species, especially River shad by ensuring the right amount of water is obtained from the upper Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to marine waters through the Shatt Al-Arab River, implementing national fishing regulations to deter illegal fishing methods and safeguard the fish during their migration, reproduction, and in their nursery habitats in inland waters.

Purification of biodiesel-derived crude glycerol and its application in plasticizing cassava starch bioplastics

Ahimbisibwe Michael — 2024-09-25

This study focused on purifying crude glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, using acid-precipitation, methanol extraction, and adsorption with acid-activated charcoal. Among the acids tested—sulfuric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric—phosphoric acid proved most effective, producing the clearest glycerol with minimal salt deposition. The purified glycerol was then used to produce bioplastics, which were tested for mechanical properties. The results indicated that Phosphoric acid yielded the clearest glycerol with minimal salt deposition. The resultant salt, potassium phosphate (K₂PO₄), has potential as a fertilizer. The purified glycerol showed increased density and viscosity, indicating higher purity compared to crude glycerol. The density of the purified glycerol was closer to that of analytical-grade glycerol. Bioplastic 1 (using analytical-grade glycerol) exhibited the highest tensile strength, withstanding up to 4.3N and extending about 104mm before breaking. Bioplastic 2 (using glycerol purified with hydrochloric acid) withstood up to 4.1N, while Bioplastic 3 (using glycerol purified with acetic acid) endured the least stress, withstanding up to 3.8N and extending up to 87mm before breaking. The study demonstrates that phosphoric acid is an effective agent for purifying crude glycerol, significantly enhancing its quality. The purified glycerol, in turn, improves the mechanical properties of bioplastics, making them more durable and suitable for a range of applications. This process not only adds value to the biodiesel production by-product but also contributes to the development of stronger, more versatile bioplastics.

Effect of nitrogen levels on growth and yield of popcorn maize (Zea mays var. everta) in Mid Hills, Parbat District, Nepal

Bamdev Regmi — 2024-09-25

A field experiment was conducted from March to July 2020 to investigate the impact of varying nitrogen levels on the growth and yield of popcorn maize in Parbat. The experiment was laid out in single factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) comprising nine levels of nitrogen: 0, 50, 75, 100, 120, 125, 150, 175 and 200 kg ha^-1 as treatment with three replications. "Lumle Yellow" variety was cultivated in an acidic (pH 4.9) clay loam soil with moderate levels of total nitrogen (0.19%), high levels of available phosphorus (126.6 kg ha^-1), potassium (427.68 kg ha^-1), and moderate organic matter content (4.36%). The findings showed that an increased N-level significantly increased plant height and the leaf area index, reaching a maximum at 175 kg N ha^-1. While number of cob plant^-1 and kernel row cob^-1 were non-significant, yield attributing parameters such as cob length, cob diameter, number of kernel rows^-1, thousand grain weight, and grain yield were significant and determined to be maximum at 150 kg N ha^-1. With subsequent increases in N to 175 and 200 kg N ha^-1, the yield-attributing features did not show an increase. The highest grain yield (4.97 Mt ha^-1) produced from 150 kg N ha^-1was 98 percent higher than the yield obtained from control (2.5 Mt ha^-1) and 28 percent higher as compared to lowest level of N (50 kg ha^-1). However, reduction in grain yield was found with increase in N levels above 150 kg ha^-1.

Association of Traits Analysis for Yield and Yield Related Traits of Durum Wheat (Triticum Turgidum L. var. Durum) Advanced Lines at Injibara, Northwestern Ethiopia

Besides the existence of genetic variation, the interaction between traits is crucial for the success of plant breeding. Therefore, understanding how yield-related traits influence overall yield is essential. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between grain yield and its contributing traits, as well as to assess the direct and indirect effects of these traits on grain yield in durum wheat. A total of 45 durum wheat genotypes were evaluated using a 5x9 alpha lattice experimental design with two replications at the Injibara substation of the Pawe Agricultural Research Center during the 202/2021 main cropping season. Fourteen quantitative traits, including the grain yield of durum wheat, were analyzed. Grain yield displayed significant positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations with the number of spikelet’s per spike (.83**, .80**), kernels per spike (.84**, .80**), thousand kernel weight (.47**, .34**), spike length (.44**, .43**), days to maturity (.73**, .67**), biomass yield (.43**, .31**), and harvest index (.82**, .81**). The genotypic correlations were generally more pronounced than the phenotypic correlations for nearly all studied traits. Path analysis of genotypic correlation revealed positive direct effects of kernels per spike (0.314), grain filling period (0.16), thousand kernel weight (0.058), and harvest index (0.043) on the grain yield of durum wheat. Therefore, to enhance durum wheat yield in breeding programs, selection and hybridization should focus on traits that exhibit significant positive correlation coefficients and direct effects on grain yield. Overall, it can be concluded that there is a favorable opportunity for achieving a high response to selection for improving yield and its components in durum wheat.

Varietal Screening of Blackgram Genotypes against Cercospora canescens

Siddhanta Shrestha

Screening of 12 blackgram genotypes against Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora canescens) was carried out in RCB design with 3 replications in research plot of Mid-West Academy and Research Institute, Tulsipur, Dang during September to January, 2023 B.S where the climate is similar to all other Terai region of Nepal. The blackgram genotypes were brought from Grain Legumes Research Program, Khajura, Banke. Disease severity was taken 3 times at 40, 47, and 54 days after sowing. Disease scoring was done as a percentage of leaf area infected on the individual plant at 7-day intervals and disease incidence, disease severity, mean AUDPC, and mean yield was calculated. Disease incidence was not significant among the tested genotypes. Disease severity at 40, 47, and 54 DAS was highly significant among the genotypes. Mean disease score and mean area under disease progressive curve (AUDPC) were also highly significant. Among the genotypes, 10 genotypes were categorized as moderately resistant and 2 genotypes (BLG 0066-1-1 and BLG 0035-1) were categorized as moderately susceptible. The highest Mean AUDPC value (324.1) was possessed by BLG 0035-1 followed by BLG 0066-1-1 (317.6). The lowest mean AUDPC value (175) was possessed by BLG 0069-1. A highly significant difference was found in yield among the black gram genotypes. The highest yield (799 kg/ha) by obtained by BLG 0068-2 followed by Rampur mas (769 kg/ha). The lowest yield (495 kg/ha) was obtained by BLG 0066-1.

Assessment of Biochar Quality and Agronomic Efficiency Produced from Rice-Husk and Saw-Dust at Different Temperature Regimes

This study assessed biochar produced from rice husk and sawdust at three different temperatures (200°C, 400°C, and 600°C) and its impact on kidney bean production. The highest biochar yield was obtained at lower pyrolysis temperatures (200°C) for both rice husk (40%) and sawdust (38.4%). Ash content was significantly higher in rice husk (33.6%) compared to sawdust biochar (5.8%) across all temperatures. Sawdust biochar had higher volatile matter (91%) than in rice husk biochar (61.5%). Fixed carbon content was greater at 200°C and 400°C for both rice husk and sawdust biochar. FT-IR result indicated loss of aromatic groups with increasing temperature. All Biochar at three temperatures was then used in a pot experiment to grow kidney beans and assess their agronomic effects. Seven treatments were tested: control (CK), rice husk biochar at 200°C (RH200), 400°C (RH400), and 600°C (RH600), sawdust at 200°C (SD200), 400°C (SD400), and 600°C (SD600) in a completely randomized design with 3 replications per treatment. Cattle manure was applied uniformly (25-ton ha^-1) across all treatments. Over 50 days, SD400 resulted in the tallest plants, SD600 produced thickest stem and RH600 had the highest number of leaves. SD200 was the first to be harvested at 45 days, while RH600 had the longest harvesting period of 19.3 days. No significant differences were observed in fruit weight and the number of fruits from biochar applications. The study indicated that good biochar can be produced from both sources and their use significantly increase legume yields in Nepal.

Study on the effect of drought and waterlogging conditions on yield and growth of three varieties of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Fatema Tuj Zohura

Bangladesh is experiencing extreme flood in its south parts and drought in its north parts regularly due to the climate change. Among other vegetables, different types of eggplants are grown in a large scale in Bangladesh. However, climate change causes substantial abiotic pressures like drought and waterlogging to diminish eggplant production every year in Bangladesh. The goal of this research is to look into the impact of waterlogging and drought stresses on the development and production of three indigenous eggplant varieties (Singnath, Nayantara, and Purple King). The experiments used a randomized complete block design (RCBD), and statistical analysis was performed. The results showed that both the waterlogging and drought conditions influenced significantly and reduced the growth and yield of the eggplants. Between them, waterlogged conditions affected the outputs more. While the Purple King displayed the opposite pattern, the Nayantara has been more negatively impacted by the treatments. In comparison to drought and waterlogging conditions, purple king was observed to exhibit larger plant height of 36.5 cm, SPAD value of 57.4, and fruit yield of 1.5 kg/pot when applying a control condition. In contrast, the Nayantara showed that under waterlogging conditions as opposed to drought and control conditions, plant height (23.1 cm), SPAD value (45.6), and fruit output (0.6 kg/pot) were all lower.

Ms Review on Effect, mechanism and management methods of drought stress in wheat

Smirti Sharma

Wheat is considered the most important cereal crop in the Poaceae family. Among all biotic and abiotic stress, drought is one of the most limiting factors for crop production and food security. The relevant reports related to the effect of drought stress and management in wheat were collected from the study of journal articles, research papers, books, and review articles, and major findings were summarised. Water unavailability in soil affects morphological, physiological, and biochemical phenomena. Morphological changes like seedling length, primary roots length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, shoot dry weight, and germination rate occur during drought conditions in the soil. Changes in physiological phenomena like cell growth pattern, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, evapotranspiration rate, membranous stability, and Relative water content occur due to water scarcity in soil. Biochemical changes in proline content, antioxidant enzymes defense system, osmotic adjustment, abscisic acid production, and lipid peroxidation occur during water-deficient periods in wheat. Despite all these causes four mechanisms of drought tolerance. Escape, avoidance, recovery, and tolerance are present in the wheat crop, which somewhat copes with drought dress. Secondary messengers like Ca2+, ROS, and ABA activate transcription factors, forming drought tolerance protein that reduces moisture stress in wheat crops. In addition, Drought-tolerant wheat cultivars need to be developed using modern approaches such as physiological trait-based breeding, molecular breeding, marker-assisted backcrossing, genome editing, and transcriptase factors for better productivity and food security which is considered to be the major aim of this review.

Effectiveness of pre-emergence herbicides on weed population and yield of boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan58) under different dose

Weed management is crucial for optimal crop performance in rice cultivation. In this respect, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory (AFL), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, from December 2019 to May 2020 to investigate the effectiveness of various herbicide treatments on weed management and crop performance in rice, explicitly using the variety BRRI dhan58. The study included a control group and various herbicide treatments: half the recommended dose (RD), RD, and a double dose of pendimethalin, bensulfuron methyl + acetachlor, bensulfuron methyl + bispyribac sodium, pretilachlor, and butachlor. Eleven weed species from six families infested the plots. The results showed that double doses of pre-emergence herbicides resulted in lower weed populations (WP) (m^-²), reduced weed dry weight (DW) (gm^-2), and higher weed control efficiency (WCE %). The highest weed control efficiencies at 30 DAT were 94.58% for Bensulfuron methyl + Acetachlor and 94.38% for Pretilachlor. The double dose of Bensulfuron methyl + Acetachlor achieved the lowest WP and DW and the highest WCE. Crop performance improved significantly with the double dose of Bensulfuron methyl + Acetachlor, resulting in the highest PH, a more significant number of effective tillers (NET) hill^-1, 1000-grain weight (TGW), grain yield (GY), straw yield (SY), biological yield (SY), and harvest index (HI). The second-highest GY was observed with the double dose of Bensulfuron methyl + Bispyribac sodium. The study concluded that the double dose of Bensulfuron methyl + Acetachlor was the most effective weed management strategy, leading to the highest grain yield in boro rice.

Biophysical and temporal factors influenced population dynamics of woolly aphid, codling moth and mealybug in apple (Malus domestica B.) production of southern Ethiopia

Zemenu Fentahun — 2024-09-25

Apple is one of the most popular fruit crops globally, including Ethiopia. However, its productivity is adversely influenced by many constraints. Insect pests, such as woolly apple aphids, codling moths, and mealybugs, are major damaging biotic constraints globally, including Ethiopia, and their population dynamics are significantly influenced by biophysical and temporal changes. Field surveys were conducted in the Chencha highlands of southern Ethiopia during the 2021 and 2022 main rainy and off seasons to determine the prevalence and incidence of these insect pests and the associations of biophysical and temporal factors with these pests’ population changes. Multistage random sampling approaches were followed for data collection, and consequently, 164 apple fields were inspected for insects’ occurrence. Logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association of independent variables with the incidence of each insect pest. Results showed that the prevalence (90.18, 75.61, and 50.45% in 2021 and 70.26, 54.15 and 36.48% in 2022, respectively), incidence, and number of individual insects per tree varied across years, seasons, and other biophysical factors. These parameters were higher in the off-season in 2021 than in the main rainy season in 2022. Accordingly, incidences of aphids, codling moths, and mealybugs were recorded at about 57.56, 54.93, and 33.29% in 2021, and 37.01, 40.78%, and 21.23% in 2022, respectively. Association analyses revealed that independent variables such as years, seasons, altitude, age of tree, growth stages, cropping systems, weed infestation, and tree management were significantly (P<0.001) associated with the incidences of all studied insects in the reduced multiple regression model. Apple cultivation at an altitude of ≤2500 m and main rainy season with recently planted trees (≤5 years), flowering to fruit development growth stages, high weed infestation, and tree management through composting and pruning had significant associations with low wooly aphids (≤15%), codling moths (≤40%), and mealybug (≤20%) incidence and can be considered as management options to reduce the aforementioned insects and associated yield losses to ensure apple production.

Comparative study of mash vs pellet feed on growth performance and feed utilization by goat

Sagun Malla — 2024-09-25

This study was conducted in Bharatpur-11, Chitwan, Nepal, to evaluate the effects of two feed forms (mash and pellet) on the growth performance and feed utilization in goats. Twenty Boer cross female goats, averaging five months in age, were assigned to either mash or pellet feed treatments, with 10 goats in each group, for a 90-day period, with two weeks of adaptation. The experimental animals were given concentrate feed at 1% of their body weight daily, along with ad libitum access to Napier grass and clean drinking water. Both feed types had a dry matter content of 90% and a crude protein level of 17%. Key parameters assessed included feed and forage intake, body weight changes, and feed wastage. Goats on pelleted feed showed a significantly higher average daily weight gain of 62.00 g/day compared to 26.11 g/day for those on mash feed. Final body weights were also greater in the pellet-fed group (28.88 kg) compared to the mash-fed group (25.04 kg). Additionally, pelleted feed led to higher intake of concentrate and forages and significantly reduced feed wastage, with pellet feed waste being 1.22 g/day versus 27.65 g/day for mash feed. These findings indicate that pelleted feed enhances growth performance, feed intake, and feed efficiency in goats. Therefore, this study indicated that pelleted feed is a more effective option for enhancing goat productivity and reducing feed wastage.

Impact and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): A review

Suchi Bhatt — 2024-09-25

Wheat is one of the major cereal crops preferred by world’s population. About 55% of world’s population depend on wheat to meet their 20% calorie requirement. Wheat being a winter crop grows best in 15-25 degree Celsius of temperature range. But due to increasing global warming climatic requirement of wheat is not fulfilled and suffer different abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, salinity, cold, excess water etc. Among which heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses faced by wheat. It has different morphological, biochemical and physiological consequences on wheat for instance poor grain quality, decreased grain number and weight, decreased photosynthesis due to disruption in chlorophyll structure and function, reduced starch content due to poor efficiency of enzyme required in biosynthesis. To cope up with all these impacts of heat stress wheat has developed various tolerance mechanisms such as release of heat shock protein, antioxidant defense mechanism, membrane thermostability, stay green, omics approaches etc. Heat shock protein helps to prevent death of cell, accumulation of denatured protein, refolding of protein, transmission of heat shock responses etc. While omics approaches help in gene profiling, protein identification etc. knowledge about both the effect and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat helps to develop heat tolerant varieties with collaborative effort of plant breeder, physiologist etc. that helps to maintain food security.

Impacts of submergence stress on rice plants and its adaptation: A review

Dipak Khanal — 2024-09-25

The main aim of this review is to convey information in summarized form by compiling and interpreting the major findings of recent studies on the impacts of submergence stress on rice and tolerance mechanisms. Published research papers available in Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Pub Med, mainly by Elsevier and SpringerLink, were critically analyzed and
summarized for the preparation of the manuscript. In rice, plant survival rates, growth, and development are adversely affected by submergence. Major findings documented that submergence alters the soil aeration and creates hypoxic and anoxic conditions, which results in low photosynthetic efficiency and sugar status in rice plants. Compared to a tolerant cultivar, a sensitive cultivar produces more ethylene and causes injury to the plant. Controlled underwater shoot elongation, higher conserved non-structural carbohydrates, and better hormonal regulation, especially ethylene and gibberellin, and abscisic acid, are the primary adaptive mechanisms of tolerant plants in submergence, which helps better recovery at the post-submergence stage, too. The Sub1 gene and the associated QTLs are crucial for the superior performance of tolerant cultivars in submergence. Any agronomic management practices that can reduce ethylene production and enhance the nutrient status of plants can alleviate the severity of submergence. Understanding the intricate relationship between submergence and rice plant response is essential, mainly how submergence affects the rice plant and its tolerance mechanism to develop resilient rice cultivars that can grow in flood-prone regions.

Performance of Rice Landraces for Yield and Yield-Related Traits in Rainfed Conditions

The primary staple crop in Nepal in terms of production and cultivated area is rice (Oryza sativa L.). This study evaluates agronomic performance of fifteen genotype of rice landraces under rainfed conditions in Krishnapur Municipality, Kanchanpur, Nepal, during the rainy season of 2023. The experiment was conducted on alpha lattice design with 2 replications. The study focused on the yield and yield related traits including tiller per plant, plant height, panicle length, days to 50% flowering, and grain length and width. ANOVA showed the significant variation among different genotype for various trait. Rai Manuwa showed the highest tiller per plant (9), plant height (146 cm), panicle length (27.5 cm), and grain yield per plant (16.63 gm.), indicating greater drought adaptability. Sarju also performed better as comparison to others. It showed high grain yields per plot (Sarju: 3.2 t/ha) and significant numbers of primary branches per panicle, indicating fair adaptability to drought. However, Sorali showed the lowest performance across most traits, indicating poor drought tolerance. The yield's trait association analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the average tiller per plant and the average panicle length, as well as between the total grain yield per plant and its contributing features. Therefore, yield could be increased by selecting for these traits. Fifteen different genotypes of rice landraces were grouped into four separate groups using the cluster analysis process. Genotypes in Cluster 2 (Rai Manuwa, Sarju) and cluster 3 (Taichin) were identified as potential genotypes and tiller per plant, panicle length and grain yield as potential trait for breeding program focused at improving drought tolerance.

Socioeconomic impact of livestock production in Gokuleshowor, Baitadi, Nepal

Dipak Raj Bist — 2024-09-25

The study was carried out at the Baitadi district's Dilashaini rural municipality. The study area was primarily based on agriculture. Farmers in the studied area adopted a complex type of farming system that includes livestock, crops, fruits, forestry, and vegetable farming. This study was mainly conducted to identify key problems faced by farmers and the socioeconomic importance of livestock farming. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to randomly choose respondents for a key informant interview. 61 households were randomly selected without the replacement method. The results showed that most of the households were headed by men (52 households). The primary occupation was agriculture (72%), followed by business (22%). A benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.65 was discovered. Milk was priced at 48.08
rupees per liter. We found feeding management to be the main problem. Farmers invest a huge amount of their income in managing feed for livestock. Natural breeding was largely prevalent in the study area (96%); artificial insemination was still rare. In the studied area, the dairy sector was profitable, so it emphasized improved breeding programs, improved feeding management, and the establishment of well-managed dairy cooperatives, which helped in the development of the rural economy and the lifestyle of farmers.

Determination of fertilizer requirement of Indonesian black rice in winter season under different plant spacing at Agro-ecological Zone-9 of Bangladesh

Jannatul Ferdos Shimu — 2024-09-25

Indonesian black rice is quite popular for its highly nutritive value and profitable production. The distinct knowledge about optimum fertilizer doses and plant spacing contributes to its promising yield. The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from December 2022 to May 2023 to find out the effect of fertilizer management and plant spacing on the growth and yield of Indonesian black rice in the winter season. The experiment was conducted with 5 treatments of fertilizer management viz., F₁(70% of recommended doses); F₂(80% of recommended doses); F₃(90% of recommended doses); F₄(100% of recommended doses) and F₅(110% of recommended doses) with 4 plants spacing viz., S₁(20 cm × 15 cm); S₂(20 cm × 20 cm); S₃(25 cm × 15 cm) and S₄(25 cm × 20 cm). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design where the fertilizer management was allocated in main plots and the plant spacing was distributed in sub-plots with three replications. The result revealed that the fertilizer doses and plant spacings along with the interaction effects significantly influenced the growth and yield parameters of Indonesian black rice. Regarding vegetative growth, plant height (79.3cm), total tiller plant^-1(21.27cm), and total leaf number plant^-1(58.47) were maximal at 100% recommended dose of fertilizer(F₄) at DAT 65. Similarly, S₂(20 cm × 20 cm) had better result in crop growth and yield attributes. The interaction effects of the treatments showed significant impact on plant height, total tiller and leaf number where F₄S₂gave satisfied results. The highest values for the yield parameters including the maximum number of grains panicle^-1(100.70), 1000-grain weight (28.33g), and grain yield (5.69g) were found from the combination treatment of F₄S₂. On the other hand, the lowest grain (3.68g) yield was found from F₁S_4. Therefore, observing the results of the experiment, the best consideration was F₄S₂at Agro-ecological Zone-9 in the winter season for the desirable growth and yield of Indonesian black rice.

Effect of stocking density on growth performance, survival and production of Monosex Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under nursery ponds in northern regions of Bangladesh

Maliha Hossain Mou — 2024-09-25

The present study was to assess and evaluate the culture potential of Tengra with short-cycle species in the seasonal water bodies of farmers’ fields and disseminate the cultural technologies in a different part of the country. The research study was evaluating the improvement of nursery management technique in drought prone area of Northern region in farmer field level. Before conducting research fish farmers of Different upazila were selected by departmental authority and pre training management. Growth, survival and production performances of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings were evaluated for 40 days in nine nursery ponds having an area of 20 decimal each with an average depth of 1.0 m. Three stocking densities such as 1000 dec^-1 (T₁=Treatment-1), 1200 dec^-1 (T₂= Treatment-2) and 1400 dec^-1 (T₃=Treatment-3) were tested with three replications. Fry were fed with commercial nursery feed (30% crude protein). The rate of feeding was 25% to 8% of the estimated body weight of fry. The physico-chemical and biological parameters of pond water were within the suitable range for fish culture. Growth in terms of final weight, final length, weight gain, length gain and specific growth rate was significantly higher in T₁ than those obtained from T₂ and T₃. The survival of fish fingerlings was higher in T₁(85.67%) than T₃(76%) and T₂(83%) respectively. Maximum of fingerlings was produced in T₂ than those in T₁ and T₃. Among the treatments evaluated, 1000 dec^-1 was the best stocking density considering the growth performance of the fingerlings of monosex Tilapia, O. niloticus in nursery ponds.

Physicochemical characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of enteric bacteria isolated from harvested rainwater (HRW) in Oraukwu, Anambra State, Nigeria

E.C.S. Okoye — 2024-09-25

infections temperature, colour, turbidity, DO, TDS, TSS, alkalinity, hardness, chloride, and some heavy metals of the water samples were examined using APHA method. Bacteriological analyses were performed using the membrane filtration technique. Colonies formed were counted and expressed in CFU/100mL. Enteric bacteria were enumerated and characterized by their morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. Axenic cultures of the isolates were further subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, based on the guidelines by CLSI. Results revealed that physicochemical parameters and some heavy metals were within acceptable limits, except for Fe (0.01-0.72 mg/L) and Pb (0.01-0.25 mg/L). Total bacterial counts ranged from 1.2×10⁴ to 6.8×10⁴CFU/100mL, indicating high contamination. Morphological characteristics revealed twelve (12) isolates of enteric bacteria, comprising Escherichia coli (41.67%), Salmonella sp. (33.33%) and Shigella sp. (25%). All the isolates exhibited 100% resistant to augmentin and tetracycline, but showed varying degrees of susceptibilities; E. coli to levofloxacin (60%), Salmonella sp. to ertapenem, imipenem, levofloxacin and nalidixic acid (100%), and Shigella sp. to ceftriaxone and ertapenem (100%). ‘First flush’ diverters are recommended to be installed within the water collecting system, in order to divert runoff from the rooftop after a period of no rainfall. Antibiotics which the isolates were susceptible to are recommended for the treatment of infections caused by these pathogens.

Effect of different organic manures on the growth and yield of Zucchini in Khotang, Nepal

Anuja Subedi — 2024-09-25

This experiment was conducted from February 2022 to May 2022 in ward no 1 of Diktel Rupakot Majuwagadi Municipality, Khotang district of Nepal to evaluate the efficacy of different organic manures in the growth and yield of zucchini in Khotang. We aimed to identify the most effective organic manure (goat manure, poultry manure, farm yard manure (FYM), vermicompost experiment, and control), and the research was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments and four replications. The Cheongma variety of zucchini was used as a test crop. The recommended dose of manure (goat manure at 20 t/ha, poultry manure at 15 t/ha, FYM at 20 t/ha, vermicompost at 6 t/ha, and control) was applied to each treatment. There is no significant difference observed between treatments and vegetative parameters but a significant difference was found in yield. Furthermore, results showed that the highest yield was obtained from the field treated with poultry manure (1.84 kg), followed by FYM (1.40 kg) and 1.38 kg on vermicompost, respectively. The minimum yield was recorded at 1.09 kg from control, followed by goat manure (1.29 kg). The study by (Farhan, 2021; Eifediyi, 2010) found that the application of poultry manure and FYM significantly increased fruit yield and our research study also demonstrated the same findings.

Seed germination and seedling development of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces under elevated salinity conditions

Pawan Chapagaee — 2024-09-25

Due to osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and nutrient imbalances, salinity is a common environmental problem that affects about 20.87% of agricultural land. It severely limits crop production, including wheat, by making it harder for seeds to germinate and for seedlings to grow. To study the effect of salinity stress on wheat landraces, we aimed to examine the seedling characteristics of wheat landraces under salinity stress. The study followed a two-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. Four different concentrations of NaCl (0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM, 75 mM) and five landraces (Bhartale, Jhuse, Rato Gahun, Mudule, and Aadhikhole) were used for investigation during the germination and early seedling stages of wheat landraces. The highest germination percentage (GP) (97.25%) and seed vigour index (SVI) (92886) were observed in Jhuse, whereas the lowest GP (60.50%) and SVI (11494) were observed in Rato Gahun. Rato gahun had the highest mean germination time (5.99 days), and Mudule had the lowest mean germination time (4.82 days). The maximum fresh weight (0.12 g) and dry weight (DW) (0.042 g) were recorded by Aadhikhole and Jhuse, and the minimum fresh weight (DW) (0.10 g) and DW (0.032 g) were observed in Mudule. The maximum shoot and root lengths were observed in Bhartale (3.05 cm) and Jhuse (3.54 cm), whereas the minimum shoot length (SL) (2.07 cm) and root length (RL) (2.41 cm) were observed in Rato Gahun. Above all, salinity stress negatively impacts wheat seedling characteristics, and Mudule shows some promising stress tolerance compared to others.

A review on genetic parameters estimation, trait association, and multivariate analysis for crop improvement

Punam Roka — 2024-09-25

This review paper aims to elucidate the critical genetic parameters essential for practical crop breeding, focusing on the nature and extent of variability, its inheritance, and the complexity of traits. By evaluating genetic parameters such as Genetic Coefficient of Variation (G.C.V.), Heritability, Genetic Advance as a percentage of the Mean (G.A.M.), correlation coefficients, path coefficient analysis, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis, the review provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing breeding strategies. Emphasizing higher G.C.V. values minimizes environmental effects while highlighting Heritability and G.A.M. aids in predicting trait transmission and potential genetic improvement. The review also underscores the importance of traits with high G.C.V., Heritability, and G.A.M. for effective selection and improvement. Additionally, cluster and principal component analyses are powerful tools for identifying genetically diverse parents and reducing trait dimensionality. The findings suggest that thoroughly understanding and applying these genetic parameters can significantly enhance decision-making in plant breeding programs, ultimately leading to more efficient and targeted genetic improvements.

Drought stress and its management in wheat

pratikshya pokhrel

Wheat is a major cereal and is considered a source of basic calories and protein for more than 80%of the world population. In Nepal, it is grown in a dominant rice-wheat cropping pattern. Regarding the global climate change in the past few decades, the impact of the water deficit on wheat is gaining concern worldwide. Drought stress causes a severe loss in wheat productivity in growing regions worldwide. Water deficit at the critical stage of wheat growth causes a significant loss in yield of wheat. Drought stress affects every aspect of wheat growth from germination to maturity. Morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular changes are seen as a result of drought stress in wheat. Wheat requires about 266.8-500mm of water for a normal attainable yield, but prolonged drought seriously affects photosynthesis as it hampers the carbon dioxide assimilation rate. Growing drought-tolerant varieties and applying agronomic management to create innovative water-use approaches are important for drought management. This review could be useful for wheat researchers and growers to make the right decision on drought management in wheat

The Impact of climate change on rice production in South Asia

Aayush Poudel

Rice production is the most important agricultural measure for economic stability and food security in South Asia. It accounts for almost 40% of the world's harvested rice area and is home to 74% of the population living on less than $2.00 a day. The climate change had a profound effect on rice production through the shifts in temperature anomalies, rainfall patterns and emissions of CO2 and CH4 gasses. I employed an econometric model; pooled regression analysis to analyze the effect of CO2, CH4 , temperature anomalies, rainfall, biological fixation and control variables as forest area and fertilizer consumption on rice production.

There is a significant relationship between methane emissions, rainfall, forest area while the effects of CO2 and temperature are less pronounced. CH4 and reduction in rainfall measures are associated with decrease in rice production whereas forest area, usage of fertilizer consumption and biological nitrogen fixation increase the yield.

The findings show the complexities of climate change and the need for adaptable rice production practices. The findings urges to incorporation climate resilience measures into agricultural production for food security and economic enhancement of rice production in South Asia.

Keywords: South Asia, Rice production, Climate Dynamics, Panel Data, Pooled Regression.

The Impact of climate change on rice production in south asia

The findings show the complexities of climate change as well as the need for adaptable rice production practices. The findings urges to incorporate climate resilience measures into agricultural production for food security and economic enhancement of rice production in South Asia.

Exploring economic viability: A study on profitability and resource efficiency in Polycarp production within the fish super zone of Dhanusha district, Nepal

Bipin Rijal — 2024-09-25

Dhanusha district of Nepal is recognized as a fish hub of the country still operative fish farming in a semi-commercial level. This study evaluated and analyzed the profitability and resources utilization efficiency in the Polycarp production within the fish super zone of Dhanusha district. Along with it, the study covers socio-demographic characteristic of respondent, determine the factor affecting fish production, rank such challenges based on farmer’s experience, and evaluate returns to scale fish production of this site. 64 farmers were randomly selected and surveyed through a semi-structured questionnaire. In order to collect primary data, pre-tested interview schedule, focus group discussion, key informant Interview, and field survey were conducted. Secondary data were collected by reviewing relevant publications. Analysis of socio-demographic data revealed a predominantly male participation rate (98.44%), with overall aged between 30 and 50 years, among whom the Yadav caste showed maximum engagement (27%). Regarding land ownership, the majority (68.76%) leased land for this activity. Carp polyculture exhibited an average water surface area of 1.55 hectares. The average yearly cost of producing carp fish was Rs.1069644.00, or Rs. 891370.00 per hectare of water surface, per year with fixed costs 15.55% and variable costs 84.45%. Notably, feed costs constituted the largest expense at 49.87%, followed by labor (15.52%) and fingerlings (9.40%). Silver carp emerged as the primary market contributor, comprising 22.96% of total production (6010 kg), followed by common carp, Grass carp, Rohu, Naini, Bighead carp, and Bhakur. Net returns per hectare was Rs. 2,24,348.87, with a resulting B:C ratio of 1.33, indicating economic viability. Challenges identified in the study area included the timely unavailability of fingerling, high feed cost and theft.

Impact of construction activities on the air quality of Agra city, Uttar Pradesh, India

Mukesh Ruhela — 2024-09-25

The current research work was carried out to comprehensively assessed the impact of construction activities on the air quality. Seven sites were chosen along the metro line construction in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, to meet the study's goals. The monitoring was performed for 24 hours at each site using the respirable dust sampler (RDS) with a gaseous sampling attachment. The raw data was processed to calculate the Air Quality Index (AQI). The data obtained indicate that all the examined sites had PM₁₀ (particulate matter having the diameter less than or equal to 10 micron) values above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQ) values of 100 µg/m³, while SS-05 and SS-06 had PM_2.5(particulate matter having the diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micron) values above the NAAQ values of 60 µg/m³. Values of CO, SO₂, and NO₂ were discovered to be lower than the NAAQ standard limits. Because PM10's sub index (Si) was found to be the greatest across all locations, it was determined to be the criterion pollutant among all the metrics. Based on the AQI value, the research area's overall air quality was determined to be moderately polluted. At every location, a variety of management techniques, including mist guns, water spraying, and planting, are regularly used to reduce air pollution. Effective implementation of applied air pollution control measures is required to make the air clean and safe for breathing.

EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATES ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF PURPLE TEA (Camellia sinensis(L) O. Kuntze) IN THE KENYAN RIFT VALLEY

The purple tea cultivar has attracted considerable attention owing to its high levels of anthocyanins that have immense health benefits. The effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application rates on the yield and quality of purple tea was investigated over a six-month period at two sites; Nandi and Kericho in the Kenyan Rift Valley. A randomized complete block design replicated three times was used with nine treatments consisting of three phosphate application rates; 0, 15 and 30 kg P ha^-1, in a factorial combination with three nitrogen rates; 0, 75 and 150 kg N ha^-1. Tea leaves were harvested after every fourteen days and their yield, N, P contents, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity determined. The was no significant effect of P rate on tea yield but the effect of N rate was significant, with yields generally increasing with N rate both sites. The effect of P rate on leaf N content was not significant. However, but there was a significant effect of N rate on N content in tea leaves in Nandi where the order of N content in the leaf was 0 < 75 > 150 kg N ha^-1. The anthocyanin content generally increased with increasing N and P rates at both sites. The P rate had no significant effect on antioxidant activity. However, N rate had significant effect on the antioxidant activity at both sites with the antioxidant activity in the control treatment being significantly lower than the other two N rates.

Key words: Anthocyanins, Antioxidant activity, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Purple tea

Combined hot water extract of lentil and grass pea increase weed control efficiency and yield of boro rice

Mijanur Rahman — 2024-09-25

The agriculture sector is continuously adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to reduce the harmful effects of herbicides on crop production. In this context, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory (AFL), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, from December 2021 to May 2022, to investigate the effect of combined hot water extracts of lentil and grass peas (ELG) on weed control efficiency and yield performance of boro rice. The experiment involved four varieties of boro rice (BAU dhan3, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan81, and BRRI dhan96) and four treatments of crop residues. For most weed species, varieties and crop residue extracts significantly impacted weed population (WP) and weed dry weight (DW). The highest numbers of effective tillers (NET) hill^-1, numbers of spikelets panicle^-1 (NSP), 1000-grain weight (TGW), grain yield (GY), and straw yield (SY) were observed in the three-times hand weeding treatment. This was followed by the combination of hot water ELG applied as a pre-emergence treatment three days after transplanting and post-emergence ten days after transplanting, with the lowest values found in the no-extract treatment. Considering interaction effects, the highest GY (7.07 t ha^-1) and SY (8.23 t ha^-1) were observed with hand weeding combined with the variety BAU dhan3. The results of this study indicated that hand weeding, followed by the combined application ELG crop residue, showed potential activity to suppress WP and significantly affected the yield of boro rice.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF GINGER IN NEPAL

Bijaya Dangi

Nepal's diverse climatic zones—terai, hill, and mountain—offer significant advantages for agricultural production, with the agricultural sector contributing 24.1% to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fiscal year 2022/2023. Despite a decline in agriculture's GDP contribution over the years, the sector remains pivotal, with food crops, vegetables, and cash crops like ginger playing prominent roles. Ginger (Zingiber officinale), a high-value spice and medicinal plant, is crucial for Nepal’s economy, which ranks fourth globally in ginger production. However, the sector faces several challenges including low productivity, outdated farming practices, and inadequate infrastructure for quality control. This paper examines the status, production efficiency, and economic aspects of ginger farming in Nepal. It highlights that while ginger production has increased annually at a rate of 6.67%, actual yields are significantly lower than potential yields due to inefficiencies and traditional practices. Economic analysis reveals a disparity between production costs and market prices, exacerbated by price fluctuations and reliance on Indian markets. The value chain is characterized by fragmented farming practices, with farmers often lacking market information and facing challenges in value addition. Key findings indicate that improving production efficiency requires modernizing farming techniques, enhancing technical knowledge, and developing better infrastructure for quality control and processing. Addressing these issues could potentially uplift the socio-economic status of Nepalese ginger farmers. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy interventions and support programs aimed at increasing productivity, enhancing market access, and boosting the overall value chain of ginger in Nepal.

Ms Review on Effect, mechanism and management methods of drought stress in wheat

Smirti Sharma

The Poaceae family includes wheat, considered the most significant cereal crop. Drought is a major factor affecting crop yield and food security among biotic and abiotic stressors. Relevant reports on the effects of drought stress and management in wheat were collected from journal articles, research papers, books, and review articles, and major findings were summarized. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical phenomena are affected by soil water availability. Morphological changes such as seedling length, primary root length, seedling fresh weight, and germination rate, occur during drought conditions in the soil. Changes in physiological phenomena such as cell growth pattern, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, evapotranspiration rate, membranous stability, and relative water content, occur due to water scarcity in the soil. Biochemical changes in proline content, antioxidant enzyme defense systems, osmotic adjustment, abscisic acid production, and lipid peroxidation occur during water-deficient periods in wheat. Despite these factors, there are four mechanisms underlying drought tolerance. Escape, avoidance, recovery, and tolerance are present in wheat crops that can cope with drought stress to some extent. Reducing Oxygen Species, ABA, and Ca2+ are examples of secondary messengers that stimulate transcription factors. This ultimately results in the production of drought-tolerance proteins, which reduce moisture stress in wheat crops. In addition, drought-tolerant wheat cultivars need to be developed using modern approaches, such as physiological trait-based breeding, molecular breeding, marker-assisted backcrossing, genome editing, and transcription factors, to improve productivity and food security which is considered to be the major aim of this review.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF GINGER IN NEPAL

Bijaya Dangi

Nepal is the fourth largest producer of ginger in the whole world. It has been part of hilly farms from the ancestral period. With the traditional knowledge and favorable soil and climate, Nepal is the possible hub of organic ginger of world. Along with the tag of being 16^th largest exporter of ginger in the world, India being largest importer of Nepalese ginger also comes together. In Nepal, Illam is the largest producer of ginger followed by Salyan. Ginger is also the largest produced spice in Nepal. The present potential yield of ginger in Nepal is 24.5 ton/ha but the production is low with highly unstable market demand and price. Through value chain analysis in various papers, producer, collector/wholesaler, retailer and exporter are considered main actors in ginger market in Nepal. Ginger are sold in various forms to different part of the world, but the most profitable form is considered sutho. Even though farmers share in market price is around 50%, production cost of ginger is still higher than income. In Nepal, Kalimati is the biggest market for fresh ginger. Beside that other markets are scattered in various districts of terai region. Ginger is exported through three ports all over the world; Indian Port, Bangladesh Port and China Port. Dabur Nepal, Gorkha Ayurved, Singh Durbar Vaidyakhana, Male International, and Coffee Plantec are some big ginger consumer of Nepal but the traditionally prepared ‘sutho’ or dried ginger couldn’t even match the quality required by Dabur Nepal. Situation like this is mainly due to lack of storage and processing facilities, lack of laboratories for quality check and lack of scientific and technical advancement in the production methods. Overall, this article shows the status of ginger production and its marketing in Nepal

Citrus growers' knowledge, attitudes, and implementation towards Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Palpa, Nepal

Bidya Ojha — 2024-09-25

There is a high demand of citrus fruits in mid-hills region of Nepal. To increase its productivity, it is important to incorporate sustainable practices into orchard management. Therefore, the study was conducted in summer 2022 to understand commercial citrus farmers' knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and correspond production methods of GAP aware farmers with GAP standards in the Palpa, Nepal. Altogether, 64 commercial citrus growers were interviewed with pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires for the data collection. The farmers were categorized into GAP aware and unaware based on the criteria made by the group discussion with the leading farmers and GAP standards. The result revealed that out of ten selected standards, adoption of GAP standards by GAP aware farmers are positive in relation to orchard management practices (99%), plantation (90%), harvest and storage (90%), soil management and fertilization (63%), and hygiene and environment management (61%)— with human welfare (100%) adopted by all of the aware respondents and GAP related to documentation and records (25%) were found to be least adopted. The entire aware respondents agreed to the fact that GAP produced fruit have a better appearance and improved quality, satisfies national and international standards and enhances the export potential of fruits but 97% of respondents didn’t agree that adopting GAP helps in providing incentives or support from governmental organizations. The understanding of GAP among the citrus growers is limited and hence, it is crucial to organize awareness programs and provide supplementary training sessions to enhance their understanding and adoption of GAP practices.

Growth yield performance of different hybrid cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var. botrytis L.) cultivars in Dang, Nepal

Manoj Basnet — 2024-09-25

Cauliflower is commonly grown in terai and mid-hills during the winter season (September to December), thus known as mid-season cole crop in the context of Nepal. As this cropping period possess favorable environmental condition to grow, and the production cost is comparatively lower and productivity is higher as compared to early and late seasons crop. Farmers are cultivating various hybrid (F1) cultivars to increase the yield and income. Every year, several hybrids are being imported in Nepal and there needs a varietal trial before being recommended at farmer’s field. Thus, this experiment was conducted at horticulture farm of Campus of Live Sciences. Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022 AD) to evaluate the growth and yield attributes of five hybrid cauliflower cultivars. Cultivars viz. Snow Best, Snow Crown, Super White Top, Rami and Damy were treated as treatment and replicated four times in Randomized Complete Block Design. The experiment showed that cultivar Super White Top and Snow Crown had desirable vegetative characteristics, better yield, and higher harvest index as compared to other cultivars. Hence, Super White Top and Snow Crown could be promoted for cultivation in the agro climatic zones related to that of Tulsipur, Dang. Considering the economically important growth and yield attributes Super White Top and Snow Crown were found to be the suitable mid-season hybrid cultivars in Dang condition.

The Factors Affecting Milling Recovery in Rice Processing System; A Review Article

Melese Ageze Mihretu

Rice is the seed of the grass species (Oryza Sativa L.). It is a cereal grain widely consumed staple food for over half of the world's human population. This review aims to study and understand different types of rice processing methods, types of rice processing machines, the causes of rice milling loss, and the solutions recommended by the scholars. Rice processing is the extraction of edible grain from its paddy. The process of removal of the husk is known as de-husking or de-hulling or shelling. It is done by a de-husking machine which is either Engelberg (having steel roller) or SB series (having Rubber roller) machine. Rice milling is the process of removal of the bran. It is also called polishing. For advanced rice processing plants, polishing is the process of shaping or smoothening of the rough surface of milled rice. Many rice grain-producing countries have significant losses in post-harvest processing due to the poor physical properties of rice varieties, the poor performance of rice processing technologies, and the mal-operation of the machines. Therefore, rice processing needs great care and should be performed by skilled manpower.

The Effects of Parboiling on Cooking Qualities of Rice (Selam Variety) Grown in Ethiopia

Melese Ageze Mihretu

As a result of the parboiling procedure, where the starch in the grains is gelatinized and solidified when cooled, the husk may be removed from the grain during shelling with minimal harm. Nutrient loss while cooking the grain is also prevented as a result of gelatinization. Water was absorbed by the grain's empty spaces during the gelatinization and retrogradation processes. Hence, the absorbed water and nutrient molecules can't leave after the starch has swelled up and cooled. In this study, the Selam rice variety was subjected to three factors: soaking temperatures of 40, 60, and 80^oC; soaking times of 6, 12, and 24 hours; and steaming times of 15, 25, and 35 minutes. The control group, non-parboiled rice, was also subjected to the full factorial design, which had a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) arrangement. The samples exposed to the highest time-temperature combinations showed variations in cooking time, swelling ratio, water uptake ratio, and percentage of chalkiness that were statistically significant (P<0.05). The cooking duration varied between 8.13 to 12.37 minutes, whereas the control took 9.28 minutes. The swelling ratio varied from 1.04 to 1.57, while the control was 1.26. The water uptake ratio values weren't statistically different, though. The color value difference varied from 8.95 to 19.57. When the soaking and steaming periods were extended to 24 hours and 35 minutes, respectively, for the 80^oC soaking temperature, the amount of chalkiness in the grains drastically dropped from 99.48% of the non-parboiled rice to just 0.33%. The highest soaking temperature (80^oC), soaking time (24 hours), and steaming time (35 minutes) were generally the best combinations for achieving the best cooking quality of parboiled rice.

Yield performance of aromatic fine rice as influenced by nitrogen fertilization and weed control techniques

Muhammad Salim — 2024-09-25

Nitrogen fertilization and weed management is the major concern to yield maximization of rice. The study was conducted to assess the influence of nitrogen and weed control to yield improvement of aromatic rice BRRI dhan34. The experiment included three nitrogen levels viz. 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha^-1 as well as three weeding schedules viz. one hand weeding at 15 days after transplanting (DAT), two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT and three hand weeding at 15, 30 and 45 DAT. The experiment was conducted with randomized complete block design. The findings demonstrated important correlations between weeding techniques, nitrogen levels and yield components. When the crop was fertilized with 50 kg N ha^-1 the highest numbers of total tillers hill^-1 (8.53), effective tillers hill^-1 (7.51), grains panicle^-1 (128.0) and grain yield (3.97 t ha^-1) were resulted. Regarding weeding practices, two manual weeding carried out at 15 and 30 DAT reported the highest numbers of effective tillers hill^-1 (7.62), grains panicle^-1 (128.1) and grain yield (4.10 t ha^-1). The highest effective tillers hill^-1 (8.33), the most grains panicle^-1 (129.8), the grain yield (4.36 t ha^-1) and straw yield (6.40 t ha^-1) were found in two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT combined with 50 kg N ha^-1 and the lowest grain yield (3.53 t ha^-1) was obtained from one hand weeding given at 15 DAT along with 150 kg N ha^-1. Therefore, the study demonstrated that BRRI dhan34 can be fertilized with 50 kg N ha^-1 along with two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT to obtained higher yield.

Integrating climate-smart agriculture for sustainable agriculture: Opportunities, challenges and future directions

Bikalpa Neupane — 2024-09-25

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a valuable strategy to address the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and environmental degradation. This study assesses the impact of six key CSA practices: technologies including water smart, energy smart, nutrient smart, carbon smart, weather smart, and knowledge smart for farming regarding the increasing world population and decreased shift in arable land. This paper employs a literature review and case analysis to demonstrate how these practices improve resource utilization, worsen environmental impacts and strengthen agriculture production systems. Several studies carried out in agriculture have stipulated that water-smart practices can help achieve improvements in water use efficiency by at least 30 percent, nutrient-smart practices can help increase soil health by a range of 20 percent, and carbon-smart practices could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 15 percent. This brings us back to the question of the role that CSA can play in support of processes that are directed at realizing the Sustainable Development Goals SDG 2 (Ending Hunger) and SDG 13 (Taking Action on Climate Change) on development processes across the world. However, inefficient and insecure land rights, water deficits, and high initial investment hinder the widespread adoption of the technologies. The consequences are that policies concerning the matters, a well-developed institutional environment, and farmer’s knowledge should be introduced to eliminate these issues. As to further research, the continuous improvements of the models of CSA and the financing of the CSA also need future action research. Overall, CSA offers hope for establishing strong foundations for food security and climate-resilient agricultural systems.

The Effect of drought stress and its management in Wheat-A review

Wheat, a crucial cereal crop, serves over 2.5 billion people globally, with Asia
contributing 36.25% of its projected global yield in 2020. In Nepal, it ranks third in
cultivation land and productivity, with land covering of 716,978 hectares and 2,144,568
metric tonnes production, with Madesh province having the highest producing province
producing 628,909 metric tonnes in 2078/79. Abiotic stresses along with global climate
change are the primary element that restricts global wheat production. In Nepal
eastern and central region are seen more prone to
drought condition due to water scarcity. Variation in precipitation and temperature over
time, leads to annual and seasonal drought causing yield declination leading to lower
GDP of livelihood. Drought stress affect all parts of plants including morphology,
physiology and biochemistry of wheat plant. Germination rate, plant turgor, leaf area,
nutrient and water assimilation and various aspects are affected by drought. At
physiological level, decreased photochemical efficiency, increase in production of ROS
(Reactive Oxygen Species), enhanced proline production and decreased starch
accumulation are the condition due to drought stress in wheat. To solve the problem of
drought we need to follow interdisciplinary approaches like plant breeding, agronomy,
plant physiology and water engineering. Water management, nutrient management,
soil health, time of sowing, seed priming are major activities related to agronomy for
drought stress management. Beside agronomic ways, selection of drought tolerant
varieties, transgenic approaches, QTL mapping and breeding techniques are equally
important for drought management in wheat to sustain productivity and improvement in
AGDP of Nepal.

A review on abiotic stress vulnerability of wheat and its management in Terai, Nepal

Bisheshta Gyawali — 2024-09-25

Wheat being one of the most important crops of Nepal after rice and maize is prone to abiotic stresses like heat and drought stress. Climate change, increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation is found to be the major cause of drought and heat stress, especially making developing countries like Nepal to be most vulnerable to the negative impacts on productivity and sustainability. Abiotic stress imposes devastating changes on morphology, biochemistry and physiological processes of wheat. Loss in seed vigor, decrease in germination rate, poor crop stand and abnormal embryo are common impact seen due to combined Abiotic stress. Though many trial has been performed on effect of heat and drought, there is a need for trial imposing wheat to combined stress environment. This review especially deals with the impacts of Abiotic stress along with management including tolerant varieties such as Bhrikuti, NL1420, BL4669, NL1350 and NL1368 and agronomic techniques like mulching, use of early varieties, early sowing and incorporation of Biochar.

A review on seed priming to combat climate variability in agriculture

Janak Singh Rawal — 2024-09-25

Global agriculture faces immense challenges due to climate change, which causes unpredictable weather patterns, decreased agricultural productivity, and decreased food security. Seed priming is critical in combating climate variability because it has emerged as a promising method for improving seed germination and agricultural resilience. This review evaluates the efficiency of several seed priming techniques, including hydro-priming, halo-priming, osmo-priming, bio-priming, chemical priming, and hormone priming. These techniques improve seedling vigor, stress tolerance, and overall crop yield. Seed priming increases germination rates and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, such as salinity and drought, while improving agricultural output and disease resistance. Seed priming reduces the demand for chemical pesticides and fertilizers by increasing soil quality and nutrient absorption, which supports sustainable agriculture. This review highlights the potential benefits of seed priming as a practical, affordable, and practical strategy to reduce the negative effects of climatic variability on agriculture. Future studies should focus on developing the best priming
techniques for diverse crop varieties and conditions, as well as examining the combined impacts of various priming strategies. Seed priming will be crucial to preserving food security and agricultural sustainability in the face of ongoing climate change.

Integrated nutrient management improves the nutritional quality and yield of black rice

Md. Akhter Hossain Chowdhury — 2024-09-25

Integrated nutrient management combining inorganic and organic fertilizers is a promising approach to sustain crop production and soil health. As a premium rice type, integrated nutrients to cultivate black rice are rarely studied in Bangladesh. So, this research was conducted to identify the best combination of inorganic fertilizer (IF) and cow dung (CD) for maximizing the yield and nutritional quality of black rice. The experiment was conducted in the field laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh following a Completely Randomized Design with four replications. Six treatments with single and combining IF and CD viz., 0% IF + 0% CD (IF₀CD₀), 100% IF + 0% CD (IF₁₀₀CD₀), 75% IF + 25% CD (IF₇₅CD₂₅), 50% IF + 50% CD (IF₅₀CD₅₀), 25% IF + 75% CD (IF₂₅CD₇₅), and 0% IF + 100% CD (IF₀CD₁₀₀) were applied. A significant variation was found among different treatments concerning plant growth, yield contributing characters, yield, and nutritional composition of black rice. Overall, a better performance was obtained from the application of 75% IF and 25% CD (IF₇₅CD₂₅) concerning most of the studied parameters with few deviations. The highest number of tillers hill^-1(8.33), effective tillers hill^-1 (7.33), panicle length (25.97 cm), spikelet’s panicle^-1 (22.87), grains panicle^-1 (129.7), grain yield (4 t ha^-1), protein (9.71%), and potassium (0.58%) were found at the treatment IF₇₅CD₂₅. The overall results suggest that 25% cow dung combined with 75% recommended inorganic fertilizers can be applied to achieve maximum yield and nutritional quality of black rice in non-calcareous soil.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Tomato

Namrata Acharya

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of tomato. The effect of eight different types of nutrient sources were studied using randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on growth and yield parameters were taken from five randomly selected plants in each plot. The plant height was found higher in the treatment of integrated nutrient in all stages. Similarly, number of primary branches (11), number of flower (84.33), number of fruit clusters / plant (8.33) and number of fruits/clusters (9.66) was maximum with the treatment of integrated nutrient. Treatment of integrated nutrient has also produced the longest fruit length (4.64 cm) and highest fruit diameter (56.08 mm) at harvest. The fruit weight and yield / plot of tomato was maximum in the treatment of integrated nutrient 62.25 g and 75.35 kg respectively at harvest. Also yield / hectare was also maximum in treatment of integrated nutrients with 186.05 mt/ha. Growth parameters, plant height and number of branches were better performing in the application of integrated nutrient. Correlation analysis showed that traits like plant height, number of branches, number of flowers, number of fruit clusters/plant, number of fruit / clusters, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight of tomato was to be found positively and significantly correlated with yield of tomato. The result obtained indicated that the growth and yield of tomato is highly influenced by nutrient sources.

Effect of different packaging materials on banana ripening and shelf-life in Dang, Nepal

Dipak Giri — 2024-09-25

This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different packaging materials on the shelf life and banana quality (cv G9) at the laboratory, Campus of Live Sciences, Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal. The different packaging materials were used as high-density non-perforated polyethylene bags, low-density non-perforated polyethylene bags, low-density perforated polyethylene bags, fiber bags, jute bags, paddy straw with cardboard, and a control treatment (in open trays). The research was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The bananas were packed in different packaging materials after being treated with a 250 ppm ethephon solution. Parameters such as peel color, physiological weight loss, pulp-to-peel ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and Benedict test were assessed at two-day interval. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed highly significant differences for all the recorded parameters except TA. Unpackaged fruits lost 22.92% of their weight, while fruits packed in high-density non-perforated polythene (HDNP) and low-density non-perforated polythene (LDNP) bags lost 13.27% and 6.15%, respectively. Peel colour development from green mature to yellow was observed first in bananas packed in low-density perforated polyethylene (LDPP) bags followed by open trays, jute bags, and paddy straws. The lowest pulp-to-peel ratio was observed in HDNP and LDNP bags. It can be concluded that packaging bananas in high-density and low-density non-perforated polyethylene bags resulted in longer shelf life. The sweetness, aroma, and mouthfeel of bananas in jute bags, fiber bags, and paddy straws were highly accepted. Thus, LDPP bags were found effective in early ripening and uniform yellow colour development on bananas.

Optimizing seed priming techniques: Impact of halo priming with sodium chloride on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum L.) in germination and stress acclimatization

Yushika Subedi — 2024-09-25

Germination is a critical stage in plant development that determines the crop yield. Seed priming acts as a pre-sowing treatment that stimulates germination and activates metabolic process. Hydro-priming is widely practiced system which enhances germination but reduces seed storability whereas halo-priming enhances self-life and induces salinity tolerance. This study investigated the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) priming on the germination of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum L.) seeds under moisture stress conditions. Despite stress condition, seed priming can noticeably increase the germination. A lab experiment was therefore, performed to study the effect of NaCl priming on different levels of moisture stress. NaCl priming was done at 0 ppm, 2 ppm, 4 ppm and, 8 ppm subjected to priming duration of 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours. The result demonstrated 100% germination at 0 g for all durations (12, 24, and 36 hours), and similar outcomes were observed at 8 g for 12, 24, and 36 hours, and at 4 g and 6 g for 12 and 36 hours. While the mean germination time, coefficient of velocity of germination increased with increment in priming duration at 0 g and decrease with increment in priming duration in 8gm NaCl concentration. Halo-priming was found superior above hydro-priming for fenugreek germination as salinity induces changes in lipid metabolism towards accumulation of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in stressed plants. This research provides compelling evidence that NaCl priming can be used to promote germination and improves acclimatization of fenugreek seedlings under saline conditions.

MAIZE POST-HARVEST LOSSES AND ITS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ADOPTED BY FARMER IN GULMI DISTRICT

sweksha Pathak

The research entitled survey on maize post-harvest losses and its management practices of Gulmi was conducted in different wards of Satyawati rural municipality under PMAMP Gulmi from March to August 2023. The study aimed to identify the maize post-harvest losses and assess the level of knowledge about post-harvest management of maize among the farmers of Gulmi. A household survey was conducted with 90 respondents through a pretested questionnaire. Two-stage sampling procedure was followed and six out of 8 wards of Satyawati in the district was purposively selected in the first stage based on their predominance in maize production according to the information obtained from PMAMP, Gulmi. While in the second stage, there was selection of 15 active and contributing farmers from each ward. The data were obtained and analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS and Ms-excel. The study revealed that 62% of the respondents expressed their view on insects as a main problem in storage whereas 11% of the respondents indicated insects as main problem in the field condition. Farmers ranked maize weevil as a major damaging insect with index value 0.95. Improved variety had majority of weevil infestation (92.22%) in the storage condition. Degree of losses in post-harvest was expressed differently by respondents. About <10% post-harvest losses were reported by the majority of farmer (62.22%), while only 20-30% post-harvest losses were reported by about 32.22% respondents. Majority of respondents (100%) had not witnessed the occurrence of diseases. Most of the farmers store their cob with husk (73.3%) using open floor in upper stair “Aati”. Majority of the farmers (84.4%) had knowledge on the management of the field and storage pests. Around 73.3% of farmers adopted sun drying as their pest management techniques, 62.2% of the farmers used chemical pesticides against Storage pest. More training was being provided to farmers on production-related topics than postharvest management. Thus, the study area needs to receive technical support on the management of insect pests and diseases.

The PERFORMANCE OF SPRING RICE CULTIVARS AGAINST SOWING DATES AT WESTERN TERAI, NEPAL

Prakriti Ghimire

An on-station experiment entitled “Performance of Spring Rice Cultivars against Sowing Dates at Western Terai, Nepal” was conducted at the agronomy farm of Paklihawa Campus from January to July 2022. The trial was set up in a split-plot design consisting of three sowing dates: (January 30 (early), February 15 (mid), and March 1 (late)) as the main factor and four varieties (Hardinath-1, Black Rice Coarse, Chaite-5 & Black Rice Fine) as sub-factor, each replicated three times. Plant height was higher on the late sowing in the Chaite-5 cultivar at 60, 90, and 120 DAS. The number of tillers wasn’t significantly different among the sowing dates, however, a significantly higher value was recorded in Hardinath-1 at 60 DAS, Black Fine at 90 DAS, and Black coarse at 120 DAS. Early sowing dates and cultivars Chaite-5 and Black Fine had a longer duration for flowering and maturity. The yield and yield attributing parameters (panicle length, weight per panicle, spikelet per panicle, and biological yield) were recorded higher in late sowing in the Chaite-5 cultivar. However, grain filling wasn’t observed due to biotic stresses like insect and bird pest infestation. Future research and policy formulation about spring rice should emphasize the management of insect and bird pests.

Comparative analysis of manures and fertilizer on okra growth, yield and its economics in Baitadi, Nepal

Shiva Prasad Adhikari — 2024-09-25

Embracing organic techniques can minimize environmental impacts and promote practices that enhance soil and ecological health. A field experiment to study, “Comparative Analysis of Manures and Fertilizer on Okra Growth, Yield and its Economics in Baitadi, Nepal” was conducted at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College in 2023. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 7 treatments. The variety used in this experiment was ‘Arka Anamika’. The treatments used in the experiment were FYM, Goat manure, Poultry manure, Vermicompost, Sesame cake, RDF, and Control (no fertilizer). The fertilizer provided the necessary nitrogen, while the insufficient phosphorus and potassium were supplemented with single super phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. Results revealed that the application of different fertilizers significantly affected various vegetative and reproductive parameters such as germination days, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of branches, number of buds, number of open flowers, number of pods, pod’s length, girth of pods, weight of pods and yield. The results obtained were minimum germination days(4.64) for RDF. Maximum plant height(208.43cm), maximum stem diameter(9.4cm), and number of branches(24.27) were obtained by application of poultry manure at 60 DAS. A maximum number of buds, open flowers, and pods were recorded in poultry manure and RDF application at 75 DAS. The maximum length of the pod(12.52cm) in vermicompost and the maximum girth of the pod(1.59cm) in poultry manure were obtained while the maximum wt. of the pod(14.1gm) in sesame cake. The application of poultry manure obtained a maximum yield per hectare(15.51t/ha). Also in the B: C ratio, Poultry manure exhibited higher(2.65) as compared to other treatments. From this study, we can conclude that poultry manure could contribute to the higher yield and overall attributes of okra.

Comparative advantages of aqueous extract of mustard crop residues with herbicide to weed control and crop performance of wheat

Nazia Azrin Dola — 2024-06-25

The detrimental effects of excessive synthetic herbicide use on the environment and yield losses from weeds in low-input agricultural systems have made sustainable weed management imperative. In this respect, a field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory (AFL) of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, from November 2021 to March 2022, to explore the effects of mustard crop residue extracts on weed control and yield performance of wheat. The study considered three varieties: BARI Gom-32, BARI Gom-33, and BWMRI Gom-1 and six different treatment such as, no weeding (control), recommended dose of herbicide (RDH), 90% RDH + 1:20 aqueous extract of mustard (AEM), 80% RDH + 1:20 AEM, 70% RDH + 1:20 AEM, 60% RDH + 1:20 AEM. Three replications of a randomized complete block design (RCBD) were used in the experiment. The AEM and variety significantly influenced weed population (WP) and dry weight (DW), with BWMRI Gom-1 showing the highest WP and BARI Gom-32 the lowest. BARI Gom-32 also produced the highest grain yield (GY) and other yield-contributing characteristics. The best results, including the highest numbers of effective tillers (NET) hill^-1 (7.67), number of grains spike^-1 (NGS) (47.67), 1000-grain weight (TGW) (57.67g), GY (5.02 t ha^-1), and straw yield (SY) (6.93 t ha^-1), were observed in plots treated with the RDH and the BARI Gom-32 variety, followed by 90% RDH + 1:20 AEM. These findings suggested that aqueous mustard crop residue extracts could be an effectively source to suppress WP and enhance yield.

Status of farm mechanization and factor affecting its adoption among the rice (Oryzae sativa) farmers in Sarlahi district, Nepal

Dibash Khadka — 2024-09-25

This study aimed to investigate the degree of agricultural mechanization adoption and the factors influencing its acceptance in the Haripurwa municipality and Parsa rural municipality of Sarlahi district, specifically concerning rice agriculture using a multistage random sampling method. A total of 98 respondents were selected for the study, 52 were from Haripurwa municipality and 46 were from Parsa rural municipality. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, focal group discussion, and key informant interviews whereas secondary data were obtained through review of relevant literature. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, scaling and indexing, chi-square tests, T-tests, and the logit model. By analyzing the adoption index, 62.245% and 37.755% of respondents were under the adopter and non-adopter categories respectively. In contrast to 100% physical labor for transplanting, fertilizer application, and other intercultural tasks like weeding and harvesting, the study found that land preparation was done mechanically (100%). The two biggest obstacles to the use of agricultural machinery were small farms scattered terrain and poor infrastructure with index values of 0.845 and 0.843, respectively. Major factors influencing agricultural mechanization were respondents' educational status, gender, farmers' experience, participation in organizations, loan availability, and primary source of family income. Thus, it can be said that socio-economic determinants which had a significant association with adoption status and most needed farm implements for farmers can be considered by the concerned authority to increase the farm mechanization and enhance profitability from rice farming.

Comparative analysis of red and green lettuce microgreens under different artificial LED lighting conditions

Mousumi Jahan Sumi — 2024-06-25

This study investigated how LED light exposure influences the growth and nutrient content of two lettuce microgreens over 10 days in a randomized setup. Lettuce seeds underwent surface sterilization, germination in prepared soil, and exposure to different LED light conditions. Morphological parameters and pigment analysis, including stem length, petiole length, leaf area, plant height, root length, fresh weight, dry matter percentage, were evaluated. Green lettuce outperformed red lettuce in the studied morphological parameters, including stem length (2.74±0.22 cm), plant height (4.54±0.21 cm), and fresh weight (3.79±0.32 g/100 plants) under different LED. White light promoted taller plants with higher fresh weight (4.45±0.43 g/100plants), dry matter (4.84±0.38%), and leaf area (0.76±0.06 cm²) in both lettuce species. In contrast, red light reduced overall growth and development, as evidenced by a 54% decrease in leaf area, despite a 23.36% increase in plant height. Chlorophyll levels varied significantly among LED treatments, with white LED yielding the highest levels in both red and green lettuce. Highest chlorophyll a (146.37±6.27 µg/g FW), chlorophyll b (86.74±2.44 µg/g FW), total chlorophyll (233.11±8.69 µg/g FW) and relative chlorophyll (215.84±8.05 µg/cm²) content was found in green lettuce under white light condition. Similarly, green lettuce grown under white LED had the highest total carotenoid, β-carotene, and lutein. The study concludes that optimizing white LED illumination has the potential to improve the nutritional value of lettuce microgreens by enhancing growth and pigment content, particularly in green varieties. These findings emphasize the crucial role of LED light color in optimizing the nutritional quality of microgreens.

In-vitro evaluation of antifungal effects of botanical extracts against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum causing anthracnose of beans

Netra Prasad Pokharel — 2024-06-25

Anthracnose of beans caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is regarded as one of the most damaging diseases of legumes, producing major losses in productivity and quality every year. Several fungicides are available for control but are dangerous to the health of the environment and organisms, so developing organic solutions is imperative. The in-vitro study includes five botanicals namely neem, mugwort, garlic, ginger, and wild sage, to evaluate their capacity to inhibit the mycelial growth of C. lindemuthianum. Analysis was done with the poisoned food technique with four replications for each botanical used in a completely randomized design (CRD). The maximum growth inhibition (100%) was observed in garlic at 10% concentration, followed by ginger (81.15%), while the minimum growth inhibition (36.58%) was observed in wild sage at 10% concentration. Garlic, neem, and mugwort exhibited greater efficiency at lower concentrations, whereas ginger and wild sage demonstrated increased efficiency with higher concentrations. The in-vitro study needs to be tested in field conditions to determine the practical efficiency of the botanicals, and a focus should be made on using garlic and ginger to find organic solutions against the anthracnose of beans.

Factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization in Rupandehi, Nepal

Saroj Dhakal — 2024-09-25

Agricultural mechanization is pivotal in farmer’s fields as it functions more efficiently and helps increase farm productivity. Despite the massive involvement of people in agriculture, farm productivity is relatively low. One main reason for this is the staggered implementation of farm mechanization. This paper aims to explore the factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization using the Chi-square test and identify the major problems using relative frequency values. A total of 112 respondents, 28 each from 4 municipalities of Rupandehi district were interviewed based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that the adoption rates of various farm machinery were notably high, with tractors, cultivators, mills, and sprayers being universally employed by 93.75 % of the surveyed individuals. The government subsidies to only 7% of farmers facilitate machinery procurement. The size of the total cultivated land was found to be significant over the use of harvester, grass cutter, and power tiller, and owing of milling machine. The availability of subsidies and owning of mills were found inter dependent. The annual expenditures of farmers and their access to theCusto m Hiring Centre were found to be significant. Lastly, with index values of 0.402 and 0.393, the high costs of farm machinery and small land holdings were major problems in the adoption of farm mechanization. Therefore, addressing the high initial costs of modern farm equipment, providing targeted subsidies, innovative institution formation to provide better services to marginalized farmers, and expanding extension services are essential steps to promote the adoption of farm mechanization.

ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum) IN RASUWA DISTRICT, NEPAL

Sonam Kumari Kalwar

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the important cash crops of Nepal which contributes a lot to the rural livelihood of Nepal. It accounts for 5.52 percent to AGDP of Nepal. To study the economics of production and marketing attributes of potato farming, a study was conducted in Uttargaya rural municipality of Rasuwa district. Questionnaire-based household surveys along with field observations were conducted, taking in consideration a total of 60 potato farmers selected by simple random sampling method. Additionally, 10 traders were also selected to study about the marketing. Among the different varieties used by farmers, Cardinal was the most preferred (46.7%). The average cost of production was found to be NRs 209,238/ha with benefit-cost ratio of 2.02. The average productivity of potato in the study area was found to be 16.15mt/ha. The average gross margin per ha, market margin and producer’s share were found to be NRs 206,604, 28/kg and 53.33 percent respectively. Similarly, four types of marketing channels were particularly identified. Five-point scaling technique was used for ranking the production and marketing problems. It identified that high cost and lack of quality inputs (I=0.87), scarcity of irrigation water (I=0.72), disease/insect/pest (I=0.78) were the major production problems whereas wholesaler’s dominancy over the market (I=0.87), low market price (I=0.77) were the marketing constraints. Moreover, middlemen’s dominancy influenced the farm gate price. Technical, infrastructure, government support through subsidies if provided will surely enhance the production and profitability of potato enterprise with the advantage of climatic condition of the district.

Optimization doses of frozen maggot used as fish food for rearing stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)

Abdus Satter — 2024-06-25

This study was performed to evaluate growth performance of stinging catfish, (Heteropneustes fossilis) by applying different dozes of frozen maggot meal as a protein source and fish meal replacer. The experiment was carried out in 28 days at the Wet laboratory, Department of Aquaculture and laboratory of the Department of Animal Nutrition, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. The experiment was carried out in 15 glass aquaria with five different treatments, each with three replications. The frozen maggot as feed for H. fossilis post-larvae production was designed where five different diets of only frozen larvae such as T₁ (larvae 20%, crude protein 11.20%), T₂ (larvae 40%, crude protein 22.40%), T₃ (larvae 60%, crude protein 33.60%) and T₄ (larvae 80%, crude protein 44.80%) and a control diet T₅ (crude protein 30%) made with fish meal as sole source of protein. It was observed that T₃ (Diet 3) had the significantly highest (p<0.05) final weight (1.55g), followed by T₅ (1.50g), T₂ (1.35g), T₄ (1.25g) and T₁ (1.16g). Specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, apparent protein utilization and survival rate were also significantly higher in T₃ than other treatments. It is recommended to use the frozen maggot meal as a protein source at a dose of 60% in diet and fish meal replacer, which will be cheaper and profitable to aquaculture sector of the world.

Enhancing rice yields through foliar application of essential micronutrients: A study on zinc, copper, and boron nutrition in context of Nepal

Lokendra Nath Yogi — 2024-06-25

Quantitative data on the effects of essential micronutrients—boron, zinc, and copper—on rice (Oryza sativa L.) are limited, which hampers optimized crop management strategies. This study aimed to enhance rice yields through the foliar application of these micronutrients. Conducted in 2022 at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College using a randomized complete block design with three replications, the research tested different combinations of these
elements on the local rice variety Kaljade. The treatments included: T₁ (control), T₂ (zinc), T₃ (copper), T₄ (boron), T₅ (Zn + Cu + B), T₆ (Zn + Cu), and T₇ (Zn + B), with doses of 5 kg/ha for zinc and 2 kg/ha each for boron and copper. The results demonstrated significant effects of the micronutrient treatments on all parameters studied. Notably, the combination of zinc, copper, and boron (Zn + Cu + B) led to the most favorable outcomes. This treatment resulted in the shortest maturity duration (116.3 days after transplanting), the highest number of tillers (22.5), and the tallest plant height (107.7 cm). Additionally, Zn + Cu + B produced the greatest leaf area index (0.0724), the highest number of grains per panicle (22.6), and the heaviest thousand-grain weight (21.83 g). Furthermore, Zn + Cu + B achieved the highest biological yield (12.35 t/ha) and grain yield (5.9 t/ha), markedly higher than the control treatment (4.12 t/ha). These findings highlight the significant role of zinc, copper, and boron in rice cultivation. The study underscores the potential of foliar application techniques to optimize micronutrient availability, thereby enhancing rice yields. For future agricultural practices in the study area, focusing on zinc, copper, and boron nutrition is crucial to further augment crop productivity and ensure food security.

Effect of Different Doses of NPK Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Rice in Gokuleshwor Baitadi

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of NPK fertilizers in rice production of the Bahugunidhan-1 variety from June to October 2023 in the research field of Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College, Baitadi. Eight treatments with three replications were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The treatments were t₁ - control, t₂ - 100:30:30, t₃ - 120:30:30, t₄ - 80:30:30, t₅ - 100:10:30, t₆ - 100:50:30, t₇ - 100:30:10 t₈ - 100:30:50 kg NPK per hectare respectively. The parameters under study were dry matter production, plant height, leaf number, leaf area index, effective and non-effective tiller, panicle number, panicle length, and grain yield. The treatments positively influenced all the parameters. The investigation showed that the plant height at different growth stages varied with variations in fertilizer doses. Tiller numbers per hill were found to be highest under 100:10:30 and 100:30:30 treated plots. Leaf area index, panicle length, and effective tillers per hill were found to be superior under 100:30:30 NPK kg per hectare. Days required for 50% panicle initiation were longest in control. Grain yield was found highest (3.95 t/ha) under 100:50:30 which was also statistically at par with 100:30:30 and 120:30:3 while straw yield was found highest under 100:30:10 which was also statistically similar with 100:50:30 and 100:30:30 kg NPK per ha. These findings illustrate the significant impact of NPK dosages on growth and yield parameters of rice production in the Gokulehswor, Baitadi.

Molecular identification of biosurfactant-producing bacteria obtained from oil-polluted soil samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Anthonia Chinyere Nwachi — 2024-06-25

Several human activities have led to environmental pollution with crude oil and other related hydrocarbons. There are various technologies of remediating oil-polluted environments, but the use of biological agents such as biosurfactants are widely practiced, and are generally considered as safe and eco-friendly. This study aimed at isolating and identifying biosurfactant-producing bacteria obtained from oil polluted soil samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria using molecular techniques. Six waste oil-contaminated soil samples were collected from mechanic and generator repair workshops, and were analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Nine bacterial isolates were obtained from the waste oil-contaminated soil samples, and were suspected to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular identification of the biosurfactant-producing isolates was also carried out using PCR and the genes responsible for biosurfactant production targeted. Oil spreading technique was used to detect the oil displacement activity (ODA) of the isolates. The emulsification index (E₂₄) was calculated and the ability of the extracted biosurfactant to emulsify the hydrocarbons was determined. Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest ODA of 28.1 cm while Staphylococcus aureus had the least ODA of 5 cm. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed E₂₄of 70.1%, Bacillus subtilis 57.1% while S. aureus showed 32.5%. Hence, Pseudomonas and Bacillus species have good potentials for biosurfactant production, and can be harnessed and utilized in the cleanup of oil polluted soil.

Sheath Blight of rice: A review of host plant interaction and disease management

Ganesh G.C. — 2024-06-25

The devastating pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, which is responsible for significant quality and production losses worldwide, is discussed in this review article along with the symptoms, disease cycle, epidemiology which causes sheath blight disease in rice. R. solani Kuhn, poses a significant threat to tropical Asia's rice production, potentially reducing grain yield by 50%. The article also emphasises the numerous management techniques, such as cultural, biological, and chemical controls. It is a severe production bottleneck in high yielding rice varieties under intensive rice production techniques, monoculture methods, a dense canopy, and extensive nitrogen management. Disease propagation in fields is influenced by air temperature, moisture content, and leaf wetness, with 16-25 C temperature range and 90% humidity favoring growth. Vertical and horizontal spread are influenced by these factors. The article provides comprehensive insight on host plant interaction of pathogen R. solani.

Impact of IPM training on pest management practices in major vegetables in Palpa, Nepal

Mamata Adhikari — 2024-06-25

A study assessed the impact of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training on pest management practices in major vegetable crops in Palpa district. A total of 138 respondents were selected through purposive random sampling from Tansen municipality and the rural municipalities of Bagnaskali and Ribdikot. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews on prevailing IPM practices, pesticide handling, and challenges in IPM adoption. The analysis, employing descriptive and inferential statistics including chi-square tests, revealed that most trained respondents were from Tansen municipality, with more females than males receiving training. Although respondents preferred botanical methods, they predominantly used chemical pesticides due to availability, lack of biopesticides, high costs of IPM, social constraints, and the absence of block farming. Agro-vet stores were the main information source on pesticides. The level of pest control influenced chemical pesticide purchases, with low awareness of pest resistance. Both trained and non-trained respondents sprayed pesticides during pest outbreaks, with few reporting symptoms from exposure. Trained respondents exhibited greater awareness of the impacts of chemical pesticides on beneficial insects and soil health, the importance of waiting periods, safe pesticide disposal, and safety precautions. Significant associations were found between IPM training and chemical pesticide use, awareness of their impacts on beneficial insects, pesticide disposal methods, waiting periods, safety precautions, and perceptions of soil impact. The study highlighted the critical role of training in enhancing pest management practices and awareness of the adverse effects of chemical pesticides, underscoring the need for increased availability of biopesticides and support for IPM adoption.

Fish biodiversity status and threats of Chinadi Beel in Bangladesh

Mahmudul Hasan Mithun — 2024-06-25

This study examined the fish fauna of Chinadi Beel in Bangladesh in terms of diversity, quantity, and state of conservation. A pre-tested questionnaire and a direct catch evaluation survey were employed to conduct the study in the beel. In the examined beel, a comprehensive count of 3,360 fish specimens, encompassing 52 distinct fish species from 8 orders and 19 families, was documented. Cypriniformes was identified as the dominating order among the 8 orders examined, accounting for 51.49% of the total. Out of 52 fish species about 31 least concern (59.61%), 8 endangered (15.38%), 6 vulnerable (11.54%), 6 near threatened (11.54%) and 1 critically endangered (1.92%) species were observed according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The study utilized population diversity indices, specifically the
Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H'), Margalef species richness (d), Pielou's evenness index (J'), and Simpson dominance index (c), to assess the species diversity, richness, and evenness of fish which value were found to be 2.50, 4.30, 0.90, and 0.30, respectively. Chinadi Beel has the capacity to function as a significant reservoir of fishing resources and a repository of genetic information for many fish species. However, the present study emphasized several anthropogenic and environmental issues, such as unregulated fishing, agricultural pollutants, illegal or harmful fishing, the construction of infrastructure for development, and climate change. Hence, it is highly recommended to implement ecosystem-based fisheries management that actively involves the local population in order to guarantee the long-term preservation of these water bodies.

Dominance of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel on Ceratitis cosyra Walker (Diptera: Tephritidae) in orchards in Bujumbura, Burundi

Liévin Ndayizeye — 2024-06-25

The aim of this study was to investigate the population fluctuations of Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis cosyra in mango, citrus, and mixed orchards in Bujumbura city. Data was collected from six sites from December 2018 and December 2019 using trapping methodology. Two attractants (methyeugenol and terpinyl acetate), insecticide (dichlorvos DDVP 70%) and
tephri traps were employed to attract and kill flies. The results indicate that B. dorsalis was more abundant in all sites (97.91%) than C. cosyra (2.09%). Fluctuation peaks for B. dorsalis were observed in April, October and December. A significant difference was noted in the monthly catches of both species (p<0.05). For C. cosyra, significant differences were observed in catches across all sites (p<0.05), whereas for B. dorsalis no such differences were found (p>0.05). The population fluctuations of B. dorsalis were observed during the maturation of mango and citrus fruits. B. dorsalis dominated in all sites.

Assessing drought tolerance in advance wheat genotypes using stress tolerance indices

Ramesh Babu Rijal — 2024-06-25

Wheat, an important crop of Nepal, is significantly affected by drought, leading to severe yield losses. Thus, an experiment was conducted to assess effect of drought on wheat traits and to identify drought resilient genotypes comparing stress tolerance indices. Altogether seventy-two genotypes including checks were evaluated under drought and non-stress condition in an alpha-lattice design with two replications at the research block of National Rice Research Program, Hardinath, Nepal during winter of 2019/20. Analysis of variance revealed significant genotypic differences (p<0.01) in traits such as days to heading, anthesis, and maturity, plant height, flag leaf area, spike length, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield under both conditions. The combined analysis of variance showed that genotype, environment, and their interaction significantly influenced most traits. The environment was the dominant factor, accounting for 86.2% of the variation in grain yield, followed by genotype (9.5%) and genotype-environment interaction (4.3%). Among the nine quantitative traits assessed, grain yield was most severely affected due to drought, experiencing a substantial reduction of 63%. To assess drought tolerance, six indices (TOL, SSI, MP, GMP, HMP, and STI) were calculated based on grain yield data. Most indices identified genotypes NL1373, NL1308, NL1407, BL4868, and BL4947 as highly drought-tolerant. Among the indices, MP, STI, and GMP were the most reliable for measuring stress tolerance due to their strong positive correlation with yield under both conditions. These identified genotypes are promising candidates for breeding programs aimed at developing drought-resilient wheat varieties, thereby enhancing food security in drought-affected regions.

Revolutionizing onion preservation: A novel aerated storage approach

Abdullah-Al Muhit — 2024-06-25

The second goal of sustainable development is ending hunger, achieving food security improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. Improved storage system is a part of sustainable agriculture. This research aimed to design and develop an aerated storage system for onions and examined the extent of losses to assess the efficacy of the storage system. Unseasonal rainfall and adequate storage facilities result in quick sales and spoilage of onions. A huge amount of onion is damaged due to a lack of proper post-harvest actions like storage, transportation, temperature control, and humidity control in our country. In this study, 40 kg of onion inside the storage and 10 kilograms outside the storage were stored for four weeks from 12 October to 8 November to observe parameters like percentage of moisture loss, sprouting, deterioration, and marketable onion. Temperature as well as relative humidity was observed throughout storage. After completing the research, it was found that the appropriate temperature was 27˚C with 83% relative humidity resulting in minimum losses throughout four weeks of storage period. It was also observed that marketable onion bulbs for aerated storage systems was 97.536% on the other hand marketable onion bulbs for natural or open storage systems was 91.629% which was less than aerated storage systems. So, the aerated storage system is more effective for storing the onion than the natural or open storage system. Small-scale farmers will be benefited and the supply chain management will be maintained using this storage system. Additionally, stakeholders and families will benefit from reduced onion damage percentages when utilizing this storage solution.

Elevated salt stress level affected the productivity and chlorophyll content of Centella asiatica (L.)

Esita Karmaker — 2024-06-25

Salinity disrupts plant nutrient uptake, metabolism, and increases susceptibility to biotic stresses. This reduces nutrient use efficiency, leading to stunted growth and decreased productivity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the growth and yield performance of Centella asiatica L. under varying levels of salt stress. The research was conducted at the Germplasm Centre, Department of Horticulture, Patuakhali Science and Technology University. A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed, wherein five salt concentrations i.e., 0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM were applied in four replications on 20 pots. Data on various growth and yield parameters were taken in four installments: 21, 42, 63, and 84 days after transplanting. Results showed that the highest values for various parameters were observed in the control group (2.34 mM base value), with notable figures including number of leaves (258.5), number of runners (126.75), petiole length (9.38 cm), chlorophyll content (41.62 SPAD value), fresh weight of leaves (23.92 g), dry weight of leaves (7.97 g), fresh weight of shoot (1.84 g), and dry weight of shoot (0.61 g) at 84 DAT. Conversely, fresh weight and dry weight of roots peaked at 150 mM salt concentration (1.95 g and 0.65 g, respectively). The investigations revealed that as salinity levels increased, a gradual decline in growth parameters was observed, indicating a significant reduction in the growth and yield of C. asiatica. These findings highlight the sensitivity of C. asiatica to salt stress and underscore the importance of salinity management for optimal growth and yield.

From bytes to bushels: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Empowering Agriculture

Sudarshan Khanal

With a world population of around 8 billion people, a robust change in agriculture is required in the near future to fulfill the increasing demand. The technological advancement of the 21^st century in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has played a substantial role in enhancing numerous sectors of modern society, leaving almost no sector untouched, including agriculture. Although AI and ML have already influenced agriculture, few countries have incorporated their agriculture with AI and ML on a large scale. The use of AI and ML optimizes agricultural operations and contributes to protecting the environment’s sustainability by reducing the ecological footprint of agricultural activities. This review article portrays diverse sectors AI can have in powering agriculture, which includes the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision technology, chatbots, and image recognition software. This article presents how these technologies have been integrated to facilitate precision agriculture through weed control, fertilizer management, water management, weather prediction, disease detection, yield management, phenotyping, and livestock management. While showcasing the promising aspects of AI in agriculture, this article also discusses the challenges in its adoption and the potential drawbacks it may pose to human civilization and the environment.