Krishan Kumar Vashist

Nitrogen Nutrition and Efficiency of Seed Reserve Mobilization during Germination in Winter Maize cv. ‘Buland’

Winter maize (Zea mays L.) (cv. Buland) was field-grown under different nitrogen levels, viz., 175, 200, 225, 250 and 275 kg ha−1. Maximum reserves, estimated from the seeds harvested, were obtained from the crop supplied with 275 kg N ha−1. The harvested seeds were germinated under laboratory conditions to determine their vigor and efficiency of reserve mobilization. The maximum germination percentage and seedling vigor was found among the seeds harvested from the crop that had been supplied with 275 kg N ha−1. After 10 days, the germinated seeds were separated into shoot, root and the residual seed and their dry weights recorded. The seed metabolic efficiency (SME), the amount of dry seed weight that is respired for producing 1 g of dry root and shoot was highest among the seeds obtained from the plants grown at 175 kg N ha−1 and least in seeds obtained from the plants grown at 275 kg N ha−1. The higher value of SME implies lower efficiency of seeds, as more seed reserves would be used for the production of roots and shoots.

Evaluation of Pressmud Cake as Source of Phosphorus for Rice-Wheat Rotation

ABSTRACT Efficient utilization of P from pressmud cake (PMC) in rice-wheat rotation is critical in reducing the costs of fertilizer P and improving soil fertility. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of variable rates of PMC and fertilizer P on yield and soil fertility under rice-wheat rotation on a silt loam (Aquic Ustorthent) soil in the flood plains of Punjab, India. Phosphorus responses in rice were obtained at 13 kg P ha−1. Application of PMC at 51 ha−1 was as efficient as 13 kg P ha−1 in increasing grain yield of rice. Wheat responded to direct application of 26 kg P ha−1 when rice received zero or 13 kg P ha−1. In the presence of PMC at 5 t ha−1 applied to rice, grain yield responses were obtained up to 13 kg P ha−1, but no response to P was observed when 10 t PMC ha−1 was applied. Application of PMC helped to raise the yield potential of rice and wheat when compared with application of chemical P fertilizer. Application of PMC increased the organic carbon and available P contents in soil.

Intercropping studies in spring planted sugarcane under flood plain conditions

Results revealed that vegetables such as cabbage, onion, bell pepper, summer squash and tomato can be grown successfully to make the spring planted sugarcane more profitable. However, better results were achieved with cabbage and bell pepper, since these caused the lowest reduction in cane yield.

Rabi Onion-intercropping in Autumn Planted Sugarcane

The pure stand of autumn sugarcane gave the maximum cane yield (593.2 q/ha) which was at par with cane yield (588.1 q/ha) obtained from sugarcane: Onion (1:1) planting method. Net profit too followed the same trend. However, both the cane yield and the net profit decreased significantly when the number of onion rows planted in-between sugarcane rows were increased to either two or three in comparison to one.