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Increasing salinization is a real threat to food security by diminishing the performance of glycophyte staple crop wheat. To tackle salinity, one option is to identify and use salt-tolerant germplasm but salinity tolerance is a multigenic trait which is conferred by a large array of interacting physiological and biochemical processes. Keeping this in mind, (eighteen) physiological indices were used to appraise salt tolerance of 20 bread wheat genotypes and specifically evaluated the effect of sodium exclusion on seed yield of salt-stressed wheat genotypes in pots. Significant statistical difference was found between the genotypes, at different salinity levels for physiological, biochemical, and yield-related attributes. Under salt regime (15 dS m−1), the performance of all wheat genotypes was significantly affected as compared with those of the plants grown in control conditions (1.41 dS m−1). Among the 20 genotypes, Kharchia 65 produced maximum grain yield followed by V-03094, V-02156, LU26S, PVN, V0005, and TURACO, which was linked to lower Na+and higher K+accumulation in the leaf. Moreover, these genotypes also maintained higher K+/Na+ratios in their leaves under saline stress. Furthermore, significant increase in leaf proline content was found in all genotypes growing in salt regimes as compared with those in plants grown under non-saline conditions. Chlorophyll fluorescence such as non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (NPQ) and electron transport rate (ETR) were markedly higher in saline environment in all wheat genotypes as compared with those in plants grown in control. Of the 20 genotypes, V-0005 followed by V-02156, V-03094, V-04181, and PVN were found to be salt-tolerant as they showed enhanced exclusion of Na+and maintained the high K+/Na+ratio. These genotypes also showed improved plant water relations and gas exchange characteristics and less cell membrane injury. While genotypes PBW343*2, PUNJAB 85, FRET2, and TAM200/TUI were found to be salt-sensitive genotypes. Better yield was strongly linked with sodium exclusion, stable membranes, and protected oxygen-evolving complex (PS II).

Foliar spray of growth promoters significantly ameliorated the harmful effects of environmental warming and nutrient deficiency on growth, development and yield of major field crops. So, the current experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential effects of five growth promoting substances, including Moringa leaf extract, Polydol, Multisol, Classic and Asahi star along with water and no spray on growth indices, dry matter assimilation, seed cotton yield and related traits as well as chlorophyll scores of cotton var. MNH-886 under a semi-arid environment of Pakistan. On average bases, the results indicate that exogenous spray of growth promoters enhanced leaf area index by 20.0–26.0%, growth rate by 15.0–21.0%, dry matter partitioning by 15.0–21.0%, sympodial branches by 22.0–33.0%, harvested bolls by 46.0–48.0%, boll weight by 28.0–30.0% and total chlorophyll contents by 15.0–25.0% relative to control treatment. Due to improved morphological and yield contributing traits, the exogenous spray of promoters also increased the seed cotton yield by 21.0–33.0% and net benefit by 50.0–68.0% as compared to control. In conclusion, the MLE, being a cheaper source, could ameliorate the damages imposed by environmental warming and nutrient deficiency, leading to high cotton productivity. The farmers across the world can get high yield of cotton by foliar spray of MLE.

Byline: Hafiz Abdul Wajid Bhatti, M. Bilawal Junaid, Aqib Mahmood and Dr. Irfan Afzal WITH AN increasing global population demands high crop production to meet the food requirements, timely sown [...]

Maize grain quality is dependent on seed moisture content as high seed moisture leads to attack of stored grain by pests and to contamination by aflatoxin. Dry Chain is an economically viable and environmentally friendly option to overcome these problems. Dry Chain implies an initial drying of a commodity to low moisture and maintaining the low moisture throughout the supply chain. The quality of maize grain was experimentally evaluated after 4 months storage at 8, 10, 12 and 14% seed moisture content (SMC) in traditional packaging materials (paper, woven polypropylene, jute and cloth) and in hermetic bags (Super Bags) at Faisalabad, Pakistan. Results revealed significant changes in moisture content of grain stored in traditional packaging materials with varying environmental relative humidity, but moisture contents remained stable and low in the hermetically-sealed bags. Grain stored in Super Bags with 8% and 10% moisture content maintained high germination (93% and 88% after 2 and 4 months storage, respectively) and high starch and crude protein content. Higher concentrations of malondialdehyde (a measure of oxidative damage) and aflatoxins were observed in seeds stored at 14% SMC in both the sealed Super Bags and traditional packaging materials. The main benefit of the hermetically-sealed bags was reduction in incidence of the lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica). Damage and storage losses caused by the borer over a period of 4 months were 10% higher in conventional storage bags. In conclusion, insect populations and associated storage losses, and deterioration of maize seed quality with respect to loss of germination, food reserves and increased aflatoxin contamination can be controlled by maintaining the Dry Chain through hermetic storage of maize grain at 8% and 10% SMCs.

Potential of seed priming treatments in improving the performance of early planted maize was evaluated against timely planting. Seeds of maize hybrid FH-810 were soaked in water (hydropriming), CaCl2(2.2%, osmopriming), moringa leaf extracts (MLE 3.3%, osmopriming) and salicylic acid (SA, 50 mg L−1, hormonal priming) each for 18 h. Untreated and hydroprimed seeds were taken as control. Seeds primed with SA took less time in emergence and had high vigor in early planted maize. Amongst treatments, hormonal priming, reduced the electrical conductivity, increased the leaf relative and chlorophyll contents followed by osmopriming with CaCl2at seedling stage. Likewise, plant height, grain rows and 1 000-grain weight, grain and biological yield and harvest index were also improved by seed priming; however hormonal priming and osmopriming with MLE were more effective in this regard. Improved yield performance by hormonal priming or osmopriming with MLE in early planting primarily owed to increased leaf area index, crop growth and net assimilation rates, and maintenance of green leaf area at maturity. In conclusion, osmopriming with MLE and hormonal priming with SA were the most economical treatments in improving productivity of early planted spring maize through stimulation of early seedling growth at low temperature.

AbstractEight parental cultivars and 56 hybrids of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) were grown in normal and nitrogen-deficient conditions in the field to investigate the effect of nitrogen regime on the oil and protein contents and their combining ability. The mean oil and protein contents of the parental cultivars greatly varied with the nitrogen regime, which indicated their nitrogen sensitivity. The genetic variability of oil and protein contents was low in the same nitrogen regime, but was high in the comparison between the normal and nitrogen-deficient conditions. The nitrogen regime affected not only the oil and protein contents and ranking of parental cultivars, but also the combining ability. A normal nitrogen level was found to be more useful for selecting the additive type of gene action in breeding of cotton.