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Reading is not only limited to students in boundary wall institutions, where all individuals cannot access easily. People belongs to poor family backgrounds cannot reach to these institutions for learning and reading while reading is for all, for the better understanding of life. Reading has its value being a source of knowledge and every individual has a right to get knowledge. Book reading does not mean to read only course related books which students are bound to attend classes in boundary wall institutions for passing exams. It has various reading materials like magazine, story books, comic books, newspaper and general knowledge for broadening students' minds at all levels. Distance learner plan to increase their knowledge of these things at home or nearest to home places without the restrictions of boundary wall. Young students' engagement in reading is valuable in their future success. All distance learners in Bahawalpur region in year 2017 were the population of this study. Students participating in distance learning workshops were contacted. The students who were willing to participate in survey were selected as sample. Hence convenient sampling technique was used. Total 1100 students participated in the survey conducted in this regard. Data was collected through a questionnaire and correlation between facilities and reading interest was measured. It is found that students' interest is correlated with fathers' reading interest and available books at home or nearest place to their home. It is recommended that students may be provided with reading material at nearest place and parents should also show interest in reading so that children may follow them accordingly.

The significance of root exudates has long been under estimated, presumably of being concealed in nature. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and compost inhabiting bacteria (CIB) interact with plant to regulate root exudation. Present study was conducted at Biochemistry Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan during the year 2018 to check antifungal effect of PGPR and CIB tested against fungal pathogen, (Fusarium oxysporum) with maize crop. Root exudates were collected and analyzed by high performance laquid chromatography (HPLC) to get an insight of their chemical composition. Our results indicated that conidial germination of pathogen was significantly decreased while bacterial population enhanced by exudates of those plant roots which were treated with bacterial consortium. Analysis of root exudates revealed that composition of root exudates of co-inoculated plants, differ not only from the exudates of pathogen free plants but also from the un-inoculated controls referring to only pathogen inoculated plants. Salicylic acid (upto 83%), chlorogenic acid (upto 46%) and caffeic acid (upto 61%), along with higher quantities of malliec acid (upto 24%) were found in exudation of bacterial treated plants. The increase in concentration of specific secondary metabolites might have a role in inducing systemic resistance in the maize against seedling blight (Fusarium oxysporum). In conclusion, this study illustrates the disease resistance mechanism on the basis of plant-microbe communication and helps to devise suitable strategies against fusarium-mediated blight of maize plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is facing scarcity of water worldwide. Scientists are busy in searching such techniques which may overcome the problem to some extent. Keeping in view this contest an experiment was conducted at the field area of Soil Bacteriology Section, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute (ABRI), Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad in year 2013-14, to evaluate the potential of PGPR on wheat, facing drought stress at booting and milking stages. Inoculum of PGPR having colony forming unit (CUF) 106 mL-1 was applied as seed coating at sowing. Drought stress was given at two sensitive stages (tillering and grain filling). Fertilizers (100-100-60 kg NPK ha-1) were applied as Urea, single super phosphate and sulphate of potash to all the treatments, following randomized complete block design. Results revealed that PGPR inoculation produced more grain yield 4.95 t ha-1 where water stress was given at milking stage compared to 4.51 t ha-1 having water stress at booting stage. Number of tillers (582), thousand grains weight (40.3 g) and spike length (18.4 cm) were more with PGPR where water stress was given at grain filling stage compared to 499, 37.7g and 18.3 cm respectively where drought was given at booting stage. So, it is concluded that drought is more harmful at booting stage than at milking stage and stress can be evade to some extent by inoculation with PGPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was conducted in Soil Bacterology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan to study the role of Rhizobium in heavy metal remediation in two consecutive years (2013-14 and 2014-15). Growth and yield of chickpea, under metal contaminated soil, was evaluated. At the time of pot filling copper was applied as CuSo4.5H2O @ 50, 100,150 and 200 mg kg-1 soil in all the treatment. In these treatments, chickpea seed was inoculated with peat based Rhizobium inoculums. Fertilizers @ 30-60 kg NP ha-1 were applied at sowing. The trial was laid out according to CRD having four repeats. The results revealed that post-harvest soil carried lower Cu contents compared to pre-sowing soil even without inoculation. However, Rhizobium inoculation decreased the Cu contents upto 73-98%. Significant increase in grain yield (16.8 g pot-1) was observed by Rhizobium inoculation at Cu concentration of 50 mg kg-1. The physical parameters of the plants like root/shoot length, biomass, dry weight, nodular mass and number of nodules plant-1 were also increased significantly at all Cu levels combined with Rhizobium inoculation. It is concluded that rhizobial inoculation exerted positive effect on growth of crop in metal infected soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of Azotobacter and indole acetic acid (IAA) on symbiosis and growth parameters of lentil was studied in pots at Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan during the year 2008-09. Inocula were tested on lentil cultivar Masoor-93 at two levels of fertilizers (12- 30 and 24-60 kg NP/ha). Data showed that co-inoculation of Rhizobium and Azotobacter significantly excelled in biomass (27.67g/pot), number of nodules (68.6/plant), nodular mass (1.95 g/plant), root length (39 cm), shoot length (26.3cm), root weight (7.2 g/pot) and shoot weight (6.8g/pot) at full dose of fertilizer. Biomass yield with Rhizobium (27.13 g/pot) at full dose of fertilizer was also statistically at par. Chemical analysis of soil depicted that coinoculation of Rhizobium and Azotobacter at full and half dose of fertilizer provided non-significant but the highest percentage of nitrogen viz. 0.050 and 0.047, respectively. Statistically significant concentration of available phosphorus (16.63 and 15.50 mg/kg) was also observed in co-inoculation at both levels of fertilizers. Chemical analysis of plant matter showed significantly high value of nitrogen (4.4%) due to co-inoculation followed by Rhizobium alone (4.21%) at full dose of fertilizer. Phosphorus percentage of plant matter was statistically non-significant in all treatments but was higher than control. Co-inoculation at full dose of fertilizer showed significantly higher uptake of nitrogen (1.217 g/pot) and phosphorus (0.139g/pot) by plant than all other treatments. The results further revealed that inoculation of seed by Rhizobium and Azotobacter alone had positive effect on growth and yield parameters but co-inoculation produced better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current experiment was conducted during 2017-18 at Biochemistry Section, Post Harvest Research Center, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan to evaluate the effect of seasonal variations on the recovery and chemical composition of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) gel. Samples of aloe vera leaves were collected four times in a year, in the months of January, April, July and October of 2017 and 2018, and analyzed for various quality parameters. Results of two years studies were compiled and average values were calculated. Results indicated that seasonal variation had no significant effect on the recovery of gel and its chemical composition. There was no significant variation recorded in quality parameters throughout the year. On an average, gel recovery was 64.6 ± 3.05, 35.4 ± 3.07%. Average value for pH of gel was 4.62 ± 0.33, total soluble solids (TSS) 1.00 ± 0.25%, vitamin C 2.86 ± 0.79 mg/100g and antioxidant potential of aloe vera was 66.50± 1.25% and dry matter ranged from 2.48 to 2.75%. Crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, Cu, Zn, Fe and Ca were determined in dried leaves and the mean value of these parameters were 14.6 ± 0.75 %., 0.45 ± 0.12 %, 0.14 ± 0.04 %, 0.15 ± 0.2 %,16.0 ± 2.73 mg/kg, 3.03 ± 0.8 mg/kg, 110.7±19.9 mg/kg and 247.1 ± 22.5 mg/kg, respectively. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) or available carbohydrate ranged from 84.48 ± 0.70 to 84.93 ± 0.82 % with an average value of 84.70 ± 0.80 %. It was concluded that seasonal variation had no significant effect on the aloe vera leaf biochemical components like TSS, crude protein, vitamin C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to assess the quality of carrot variety T-29 as affected by the application of potassium fertilizer. Potassium was applied @ 0, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 kg/ha and carrot was sown during the month of November of every year. The experiment was continued for consecutive three years i.e. 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 at research area of Biochemistry Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Pakistan. Yield data were collected and quality parameters pulp, juice, TSS, vitamin C, dry matter, total sugars and reducing sugars were determined. Results revealed that the application of K enhanced the yield and quality parameters. Root yield in various treatments ranged from 20.6 to 30.8 in 2017, 18.0 to 25.8 in 2018 and 17.5 to 27.8 t/ha in 2019, minimum in control and maximum at treatment where K was applied @ 120 kg/ha. Quality parameters like pulp, juice, mineral matter and vitamin-C did not affect significantly by the application of K while the total sugars were increased from 4.0 to 5.6, 4.7 to 5.5 and 5.5 to 6.8% (Minimum in control and maximum with 120 kg/ha K application) during the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively. Maximum antioxidant potential i.e. 75.2, 80.13 and 78.6 was found with potassium application of 120 kg/ha during all years. Pro vitamin A contents (3782 and 3706 μg/100g) were analyzed during 2018 and 2019, respectively where 100 kg/ha potassium was applied. In short, potassium application could be effective for carrot optimum yield and quality enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living organisms need essential macro and micronutrients received from their diet to sustain metabolism. Bio fortification is a significant technique to enhance trace minerals concentration in the grains, basically to improve the nutritional value of cereal and solve health issues in less privileged areas. Zinc (Zn) is widely involved in various human metabolisms and thus Zn deficiency has many harmful effects on human health and growth. In daily human food, bioavailability of zinc can be improved through an increase in zinc contents or Zn promoters (specific substances which support absorption of Zn in the body) or a decrease in anti-nutrients of Zn (that basically decrease absorption of Zn). Cereal grains contain Phytate which delays the absorption of Zn, Ca and Fe in human intestine. In specifically wheat grains, Zn concentration can be improved while phytate concentration reduced by application of Zn. By keeping in view the all stated facts a trial in the field was conducted during 2016-2018 at Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Isolation of zinc mobilizing bacteria was carried out in lab. Efficient isolates were selected for the experiment. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the bio fortification potential of wheat crop by exogenously applied micro nutrient (Zn) and PGPR (zinc mobilizing bacteria). Soil application with three Zn levels (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 kg ha-1 ZnSO4.7H2O) and PGPR (zinc mobilizing bacteria) were applied according to randomized complete block design (RCBD). Recommended dose of fertilizer was applied to all treatments. The results clearly indicate that biofortification of zinc with PGPR increases the yield (3456-4016 kg/ha) and also improves the plant height (104.7 - 105.7 cm) of wheat crop. By the application of zinc through soil has significant effect on nutrient availability and their amount in wheat grain, straw and hence on all growth parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]