Muhammad Ansar

Late harvest associated with P and S fertilization enhances yield and quality of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), grown as a rainfed crop in Pakistan

-1 ), in combination with three levels of sulphur (0, 20 and 40 kg SO 4 ha -1 ), in combination with three harvest times (35, 45 and 55 days after emergence; DAE), were tested in a factorial randomized block design. At each harvest, morphological, functional, yield and quality traits were assessed on plant samples. Extending the growing season from DAE 35 to 55 enhanced almost all the traits and greatly benefited dry biomass yield (ca. +100%). The longer growth also determined a higher efficiency in the accumulation of dry biomass per unit time and land surface (crop growth rate ca. +30%), as well as per unit time and leaf surface (net assimilation rate ca. +100%). Quality traits also improved when plants were harvested at a more advanced maturity: leaf hydrocyanic acid content, a toxic component to livestock, decreased by ca. 30%; stalk soluble-solid content, an indicator of forage juiciness and palatability, increased by ca. 50%. On concluding, the combined effects of harvest delay, P and S fertilization on sorghum are deemed able to significantly increase forage production in warm, relatively dry areas of the world.

Foliar application of Zinc and Boron improved the productivity and net returns of maize grown under rainfed conditions of Pothwar plateau

Under rainfed conditions, farmers rarely use micro-nutrients for crop production, due to which soils become deficient especially in zinc (Zn) and boron (B). Secondly, farmers apply nutrients through soil application but scarcity/less availability of moisture make the nutrients unavailable for crop plants. Under such circumstances, foliar application of Zn and B may play a key role for better crop growth and yield. Therefore this field study was conducted to investigate the role of Zn and B application alone and in combination through seed, soil and foliar application methods on growth, yield and net returns of maize grown under rainfed conditions. Results showed that combined application of Zn and B on foliage improved relative water contents, SPAD chlorophyll values, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), and grain yield due to substantial expansion in entire yield related traits. Combined foliar application of Zn and B harvested 12% and 45% more yield compared with seed priming and control treatments, respectively. The foliar application of Zn and B in combination counteracted the low rainfall effect by producing higher relative water contents that helped in improving SPAD-chlorophyll values, LAI and CGR. Higher net returns and benefit: cost ratio was also obtained by foliar application of Zn and B in combination. In conclusion, combined foliar application of B and Zn improved maize yield due to significant expansion in allometric and yield related traits and thus improved net returns of maize grown under rainfed conditions of Pothwar plateu in Pakistan.

Tillage effect on partial budget analysis of cropping intensification under dryland farming in Punjab, Pakistan

A 2-year research experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with moldboard ploughing (MP, control) and minimum tillage (MT) as main plots and crop sequences as sub-plots. Summer-winter cropping sequences were fallow-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (FW, control), mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)-wheat (MW), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)-wheat (SW), green manure-wheat (GW) and mungbean-chickpea (MC) (Cicer arietinum L.). During 2010–2011, in summer, mungbean crop produced the highest above ground biomass in mungbean-chickpea sequence under MP tillage (4.24 Mg ha–1 mungbean) and in mungbean-wheat sequence under MT tillage (4.11 Mg ha–1 mungbean). In winter, chickpea gave the highest biomass in mungbean-chickpea sequence under both tillage systems. During 2011–2012, mungbean produced the highest above ground biomass in mungbean-wheat sequence under MT tillage (4.43 Mg ha–1 mungbean) and in both the mungbean-chickpea and mungbean-wheat sequences under MP tillage (4.24 and 4.17 Mg ha–1 mungbean, respectively). In winter, fallow-wheat sequence gave the highest biomass in both tillage systems. The differences in grain yields were statistically non-significant in both the years. The gross marginal benefit ranged between −190 and 548

Active Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Aggregate Stability Effected by Minimum Tillage and Crop Rotations on a Marginal Dryland Soil in Punjab, Pakistan

ha–1 in the first year and −165 and 1124

Weed and Wheat Dynamics Preceding Different Herbicides

ha–1 in the second year. The net benefit values were the highest in mung-chickpea sequence under both tillage systems (1008 and 596

Prediction of tillage operation strategies for dryland wheat production in a degraded loess soil

ha–1 under MP and MT, respectively), which gave cost–benefit ratios of 5.45 and 3.68, respectively. Use of legume-based cropping sequences is a sustainable and cost-effective practice in drylands of northern Punjab, Pakistan.

Seed bank density and weed flora dynamics of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) as affected by different tillage systems in rainfed wheat (Triticum aestivum).

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an important technique for enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) content in the surface layer and improving structural stability. CA is not widely practiced in dryland soils of developing countries where marginal farming practices are extensively used. Therefore, a field study was conducted in dryland region of Punjab, Pakistan to compare minimum tillage and intensified cropping systems effects on active SOC fractions and aggregate stability. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design having moldboard plough (MP) and minimum tillage (MT) as main plots, and crop sequences as sub-plots. The latter comprised of fallow–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), (FW, control), mungbean ( Vigna radiate L.) –wheat (MW), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)–wheat (SW), green manure–wheat (GW) and mungbean-chickpea (MC) (Cicer arietinum L.). Tillage systems had more pronounced effects than cropping sequences on microbial biomass carbon (MBC), potentially minerlizeable carbon (PMC) and particulate organic carbon (POC). The PMC in second year was significantly more in the soil under MT than that under

Depth Distribution of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in Relation to Tillage and Cropping Sequences in Some Dry Lands of Punjab, Pakistan

W is the leading food grain of Pakistan and being the staple diet of the people and occupies a central position in agricultural policies. Wheat contributes 2.2% to GDP and 10.3% to the value added in agriculture. In 2013-14 area of wheat sowing increased from 8660 to 9039 thousand hectare, which is more than 4.4% over last year. Against the target (FCA) received during 2013-14 which was 25 million tons The production of wheat stood at 25.3 million tons during, which is 1.2% more than the Abstract | Wheat is the main cereal crop and a staple food in Pakistan. It is an important cereal crop of Potohar region. Weeds infestation is a major cause of low wheat yield. Synthetic herbicides are mostly used to control weeds. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the Chemical control of broad-leaved weeds in wheat at the Koont Research Farm, PMAS-Arid Agricultural University, Rawalpindi, during rabbi season, 2014. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications, with a plot size of 06 x 04 m2. Four different herbicides were applied as post emergence with three different doses each viz:,Ally max @ 34.58, 46.11 and 23.04 g ha-1, Lihua @ 53.34, 72.4 and 36.23 g ha-1, and Wheat Star @ 370.5, 494 and 247 g ha-1 and Buctril super 60% EC @ 741, 988 and 494 ml ha-1. An untreated control and hand weeded plot was also included in the trial. Wheat variety AUR-2009 was sown as a test crop and the herbicide was applied 65 days after sowing. All herbicides were sprayed as post-emergence. The best weed control was accomplished by Wheat star@ 494 gha-1 as profoundly lower weed counts m-2 (26), and higher percent weed control (27.9%) were noted after 25 days of its spray. Wheat growth parameters like plant height, number of tillers per m2, spike length and number of spikelets per spike remained statistically at par among various treatments. Significantly higher number of fertile tillers (172), Plant height (93.83 cm), spike length (7.4 cm) were noted with Wheat Star @ 370.5 g ha−1. Although treatments did not differ significantly with respect to wheat grain and biological yields, yet the highest grain yield (3295 kg ha−1) and biological yield (11173 kg ha− 1) were produced by Wheat Star @ 370.5 g ha−1. Based on better weed control and wheat yield, Wheat Star @ 370.5 g ha−1 and Buctril Super @ 741 ml ha−1 are recommended in similar areas where wheat fields are predominantly affected by drought and infested by broad leaved weeds. Muhammad Asad1, Safdar Ali1, Muhammad Ramzan Ansar2, Ijaz Ahmad3*, Muhammad Suhaib4 and Muhammad Khubaib Abuzar5

Growth response and plant water status in forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivars subjected to decreasing levels of soil moisture

ABSTRACT Conservation tillage systems are advocated worldwide for sustainable crop production; however, their favorable effects on soil properties are subject to the length of their use. The following study aimed at using the CENTURY agroecosystem model to simulate long-term changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Tillage systems include conventional tillage (CT, control), minimum tillage, chisel plow (CP) and zero tillage with (R+) and without residues (R−) in fallow-wheat system. The model validation with 2-year field experiment showed that the simulated results were strongly correlated with observed results for total organic carbon (r2 = 0.94), active soil carbon (r2 = 0.91), slow soil carbon (r2 = 0.84) and passive soil carbon (r2 = 0.85). Similarly, model simulations for biomass and grain yields were, respectively, 81% and 76% correlated with observed results. The long-term simulations predicted that SOC stock and its fractions will gradually build up, crop biomass and grain yield will enhance with crop residue retention, especially under chisel plough in comparison of existing CT system. The study concludes that CP and retention of crop residues have potential to improve SOC contents and ultimately crop production.

EFFECT OF CUTTING AND POST-CUTTING INTERVALS ON HYDROGEN CYANIDE IN SORGHUM FORAGE GROWN UNDER RAIN-FED CONDITIONS

Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) is a troublesome weed of rainfed areas. Seed bank density, weed population dynamics and crop productivity were studied in wheat crop under different tillage treatments in a field experiment carried out during summer and winter seasons of 2012‒2013 and 2013‒2014. Different combinations of tillage, integrated with glyphosate herbicide were used in the fallow period (summer season). Results showed that tillage systems along with glyphosate in summer season controlled the establishment of seed bank density as observed in conventional tillage treatment. There was a positive and very week correlation between tillage intensity and seed bank density of C. arvensis L. Similarly the weed population dynamics with reference to importance value index of weed was minimum in 1 Disc harrowing + 4 cultivations that was not significantly different from no-till + glyphosate. Tillage intensity integrated with glyphosate showed negligible but negative correlation with the weed population dynamics. In crux, no tillage integrated with glyphosate is recommended for economical reduction of seed bank density and weed population of field bindweed in rainfed wheat areas.