Journal of Crop and Weed

13-25

Authors: A.A. KHONJE

Malawi is a land locked country which lies on the southern end of the Great Rift Valley between 9o25'S and 17o08'S latitude, and 32o40'E and 35o55'E longitude. It has a total area of 118,480 km2, a total land area of 94,079 km2 and the remaining 24,401 km2 (20%) is covered by mountains (third tallest mountains in Africa) and surface water resources, dominated by lake Malawi and Shire river. It shares boundaries with Tanzania on the north, Zambia on the North West and Mozambique on the South-West, South and South-east (DREA, 1994; EAD, 2002; Kachule and Franzel, 2009).

32.35

Authors: A. RANAWAT, S. K. SINGH, R. SINGH, P. K. BHATI AND A. SHARMA

D2 statistics used to measure the genetic divergence among the genotypes has been successfully utilized by the breeders to analyze the morphological diversity. Hybridization is one the tools to create variability. One may create more variability through hybridization when parents are diversed. Hence, genetic diversity in the parents is a prerequisite for crop improvement programmes. All the genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) were grouped into three clusters on the basis of the morphological diversity using Mahalanobis D2 statistic. Maximum intra-cluster distance was observed in cluster II (15.44) whereas, maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster II and III (25.46). The analysis of divergence indicated significant differences among parental lines for all the agro-morphological characters. On the basis of results obtained in the present investigation, it was concluded that the allelic diversity can be used for future breeding program. The traits under study are also major yield contributing traits and are largely associated with each other. Therefore, these traits should be taken into consideration either simultaneously or alone for selecting a high yielding maize genotype.

39-43

Authors: J.K. DAS, 1K. PRADHAN, G. MAZUMDER AND 2R. GHOSAL

In the era of globalisation, there is a need to concentrate upon the value added product from the available resources to go with the global market with the help of supply chain management system for the upliftment of the livelihood status of the ultimate stakeholders. The present study was conducted to estimate the socio-economic attributes of the mango growers embedded with the economy of the mango enterprise at the Malda district of West Bengal, India. This study was conducted using multistage sampling with purposively selected villages Dhantola, Kalyanpur, Arapur, Govindapur and Ganipur in the English Bazar block of Malda district. The dependent and the independent variables were operationalised and measured with the help of structured interview schedule. For analyzing and interpretation of the data statistical tools like co-efficient of correlation, regression and path analysis were used. The study revealed that the age, secondary occupation, education, size of orchard, age of orchard, family composition, experience of growers, percentage of variety grown, return from orchard, primary income and secondary income found to be associated with the total income, total expenditure and total savings of the family and the fourteen predictor variables had contributed to explain total family income 57 percent, total yearly expenditure 49 percent and yearly savings 83 percent variations embedded with the predicted variables.

50-56

Authors: L. TZUDIR, S. MAJI, 1S. BASU, 1P. S. BERA, 1R. NATH AND 2P. K. CHAKRABORTY

A two year experiment on four mungbean varieties sown on three different dates has been conducted at the BCKV research farm (22°56' N latitude, 88°32' E longitude). The wind speed at 11:30 h at the initial phase was higher under 15th February and 1st March sowings but the later phase recorded higher wind speed in case of 15th March sowing. The later phase recorded higher wind speed at 15:30 hour irrespective of dates of sowing. Wind speed over the crop was maximum when the leaf area index (LAI) was approximately 0.50. Dry matter accumulation and plant height significantly reduced the wind speed over the crop canopy. Wind speed declined when the LAI exceeded 1.15 under 15th February and 1st March sowings and 1.75 under 15th March sowing. Height over 40.8cm reduced the wind speed of late sown crops. Biological parameters were found to be the polynomial functions of wind speed.

61-64

Authors: L. SOPHIE AND S. K. ACHARYA

Across the world, the problem of malnutrition has been perceived as the most dangerous and menacing factor towards ensuring a decent and secure livelihood. The problem of malnutrition has got social, political, technical and motivational dimensions as well. Education being the basic driving force for any economy and process per se, the school going children need to be focussed and attended comprehensively so that they can grow up themselves as healthy citizens having belligerent mind and body. The available research findings on child nutrition has proved that nutrition is basically a complex phenomenon and cannot be managed in a single intervention. Accordingly the present study was conceptualised with an aim to identify the correlates of school going children’s calorie consumption and nutritional level. The nutrition has been conceived as a composite configuration of food intake, calorie intake, high value food intake, sanitation and total calorie consumption. The study was conducted at Champhai district of Mizoram. It depicts that the predictor variables like age, training, family size, subsidiary income, parents education, crop yield, etc. have become predominant factors in making a discernable difference between high and low level of nutrition status among the respondents.

72-75

Authors: A. MANDAL, P. TARAI, S.K. KAUSHIK, A.C. MAHATA AND 1P. CHAKARBORTI

Allelopathy refers to the advantageous or detrimental effects of one plant on another plant by liberating the chemicals from its components through leaching, root exudation, volatilization, residue decomposition and others in natural and agricultural systems. The present study has been made to appraise the allelopathic action of Rauwalfia tetraphylla L. touching to the alteration of germination, exaggeration of seedling and biochemical actions in gram seed (Cicer arietinum L.). Various concentrations of (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200mg ml-1) aqueous extracts were prepared from root of R. tetraphylla L. and germination studies were conducted. The medium concentrations (50mg ml-1 and 100mg ml-1) of root extracts stimulated the seed germination, growth and biochemical constituents (total sugar, protein, amino acid and DNA and RNA concentrations) of gram. In higher concentrations a more or less stagnant nature was observed in all the parameters after T4. A significant variation is found among all treatments considering seedling parameters where, seed treatment is always better than control. In biochemical observations, the view is more or less same where T4 (100mg ml-1) is indicating highest performance excepting fresh and dry weight. The enhanced action in occurrence of root extract can be supportive for early establishment of seedlings especially in water stress location. Therefore, the said treatment can be considered as an invigoration treatment under seed/crop production programme.

81-83

Authors: S.N. GHOSH, 1S. ROY AND 1B. BERA

An investigation was made on 21 guava cultivars viz., Allahabad Safed, Lucknow-49, Harijha, S 1, F 1, S 8, Apple colour, Red Fleshed, Behat Coconut, Chittidar, Baruipur, Seedless, Supreme, Banarasi, Arka Amulya, Arka Mridula, Khaja, Almond Iskbala, Kairala Seedlings, Patialo and Florida Seedlings under irrigation condition in laterite soil. Results of four consecutive years of study indicated that Banarasi cultivar produced higher average yield (73.7kg plant-1 year-1) followed by Allahabad Safeda, (71.6kg plant-1 year-1) and Apple colour (69.5kg plant-1 year-1. Fruit weight was maximum in Almond Iskbala followed by Red Fleshed and Apple Colour. Fruit quality in respect of TSS/acid ratio was the best in Banarasi followed by Khaja while maximum ascorbic acid content was in Supreme followed by Seedless. Considering the overall performance, ‘Banarasi’ and ‘Apple Colour’ cultivars of guava are recommended for cultivation in red and laterite zone of West Bengal.

91-95

Authors: S. K. ACHARYA, S. BERA AND G. AHMAD

Energy is the driving force in the ecology which changes its forms while transferring from one trophic level to another and from one component of ecosystem to another component i.e. in between animate and inmate forms of life. While transferring from one component of ecosystem there is loss of some energy which is termed as entropy in thermodynamics. Keeping this energy and the energy losses in view the present study “Estimation of Farm Energy Balances of Small Farm Management: A Socio-ecological and Techno-managerial Analysis” has been selected to study the energy balances i.e., consumption and production in crop enterprises as well as in households and its overall impact on social, economic, ecological spheres of ecosystem. Crop Energy Balance (y) is defined as the difference between the energy equivalents of feed taken by the cattle and the energy equivalents of the output from cattle in the form of dung and milk per day per cattle. The variable Crop Energy Balance (y) is the dependent variable being predicted by a set of 14 independent variables. Study was conducted at Saharpara village of Haringhata,in district Nadia of West Bengal. The respondents have been 50 by count and have been selected through both the purposive and random sampling approaches to ultimately derive and elicit their behavioural traits in the energy balances of social, economic, physical and ecological setup. The results show that following new factors, Farm Economy Index, Personal Capacity, Family Resources, Family Motivation have led to consciousness about the energy balances in social ecology and impact of these energy balances on the ecosystem as whole. The Multiple correlation results show Age (X1) has positive significant correlation with Crop Energy Balance (y) whereas the variables Education (X2), Homstead Land Size (X9) and Age (X1) have had significant impact on the predictant y. All these analytical outcomes can be replicated to other enterprises as well to calculate energy balances. A comparative study can be adopted to conclude whether agriculture or fishery or cattle or poultry enterprises can be comparable with each other or all these enterprises can well be complemented to develop a complex model for energy management, so as to attain a balanced energy consumption pattern.

102-108

Authors: CH. S. KAR , D. K. BASTIA AND S. TRIPATHY

Field experiments were conducted during 2011-2013 in Organic Block of Central Research Station, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with twelve treatments and three replications in kharif season and all the corresponding treatments were the same in summer season except green manuring with Sesbania aculeata. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam with pH 6.35, BD 1.58 t m-3, PD 2.65 t m-3, high in organic carbon (9.7 g kg-1) and medium in available N-P2O5-K2O (375.0, 34.49 and 221.25 kg ha-1, respectively). Microbial population was highly influenced by organic nutrient management and Biozyme formulations during the crop growing period. Maximum microbial population (Bacteria 1.1 x 107 and 1.08 x 107, Actinomycetes 9.6 x 106 and 9.3 x 106, Fungi 9.6 x 104 and 9.3 x 104 cfu g-1 of soil) was observed at 90 DAT of crop and decreased thereafter. The bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes population during crop growing period had strong positive linear relationship with crop yield (R2 = 0.82 and 0.85, 0.95 and 0.95 and, 0.92 and 0.91 in kharif and summer, respectively). Organic nutrient management and Biozyme formulations expressed conspicuous effect on microbial population which, in turn, resulted in maximum rice yield for treatment receiving Dhanicha + FYM + Vermicompost + BSP + BG + BPPL in kharif (5.09 t/ha) and corresponding treatment receiving FYM + Vermicompost + BSP + BG + BPPL in summer (4.95 t/ha). Soil status after system yield (NP2O5- K2O 358, 36, 229 kg ha-1 ; OC 12.0 g kg-1; pH 6.6; EC 0.115 dSm-1; BD and PD 1.54 and 2.63 t m-3) was very close to or improved from those of initial status of soil.

113-114

Authors: S.DEBNATH AND A.K.BASU

The experiment was carried in District Seed Farm ‘D’ Block, Kalyani, Nadia with four varieties of safflower and four different treatments in four replication in split-plot design. The four treatments were: application of sulphur @ 20,40 and 60kg sulphu. ha-1 along with control i.e., without application of sulphur. Among the treatments application of sulphur @ 20 kg.ha-1 and 40 kg.ha-1 was found most effective for increment of seed yield and oil yield respectively for safflower.

122-127

Authors: S. ADHIKARY

The Agricultural farm of Indian Statistical Institute, Giridih, Chotonagpur Plateau region, is well maintaining the biodiversity of crops and soils. The present paper discussed the experience, policies adopted for conservation of biodiversity and results. Findings show that due to less effect of Green Revolution and World Trade Organization as well as contract farming in Jharkhand, a sustainable biodiversity is maintained in comparison to that of developed states of India. Regeneration of vast gravel land into fertile land and now sustained vegetation achieved adopting 20 years back aforestation program. Collection and identification have been done for a good no. of varieties of several crops practiced in Jharkhand and maintaining them since long period. Some traditional upland rice cultivars were identified as drought tolerant through drought susceptibility index. 40 germplasms of horsegram were collected from different farmers' age-old collections, tested the genetic variation at the seed storage protein level, grouped only into five broad groups. Under the rainfed farming system, cropping systems and cropping sequences had been developed to maintain crop biodiversity, land use and climatic ecosystems as well as production potential following traditional practices of this region. Numbers of wild species of the cultivated crops are found those could be used as genetic race in the breeding program.

138-141

Authors: M. CHANCHAN, J. K. HORE AND S. GHANTI

The investigation was conducted at Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidhyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal during 2009-11 to find out the effect of micronutrients on growth and yield of garlic cv. katki. Three concentrations of four micronutrients namely zinc sulphate (0.1, 0.25 and 0.50%), borax (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%), ferrous sulphate (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%) and manganese sulphate (0.1, 0.25 and 0.50%) were applied as foliar spray at 45, 60 and 75 days after planting. Maximum leaf number (9.45), number of cloves (29.23), weight of bulb (27.18g) and projected yield (7.13 t/ha) were recorded with borax @ 0.2%. Plants under zinc sulphate @ 0.25% recorded maximum plant height (61.72 cm), number of roots (102.56), length of cloves (3.05 cm) and neck thickness (1.08 cm). Borax @ 0.2% was found most effective for yield improvement of garlic followed by zinc sulphate 0.25%.

154-158

Authors: K. JANA AND G. K. MALLICK

Survey for predominance of weedy rice in different rice ecosystem in Western zone of West Bengal was conducted by Rice Research Station (Govt. of West Bengal), Bankura, West Bengal, India during kharif season of 2010 and 2011. Survey works were done in the farmers’ fields of Purulia, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts under red and laterite zone of West Bengal, India. Weedy rice species were noticed in the framers’ fields during survey work, but population was low. It was observed that population of weedy rice was more in Bankura and Purulia districts as compared to Paschim Medinipur district. The yield loss of rice due to weedy rice infestation was negligible in Western zone of West Bengal. Removing weedy rice’s panicles before they set seeds after rice planting when weedy rice is taller than the rice crop is most important control measure.

165-167

Authors: V. VISALAKSHMI, P. R. MOHANA RAO AND 1N. H. SATYANARAYNA

Three modules were evaluated against conventional farmers’ practice to manage pest problems in rice at farmers field of Ragolu village, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh during kharif 2008 and2009.Module III comprising of application of carbofuran 3G@1kg a.i/ha in nursery, pheromone trap with 5mg lure @20 per hectare and field releases of Trichogramma chilonis @1,00,000 t ha-1 five times from 15 days after transplanting at ten days interval found good with low incidence of stem borer (3.26 to 6.78% dead hearts,5.56to7.40 % white ears and 5.61 to8.20% silver shoots)with highest grain yield of 5.89 t ha-1during2008and5.95tha-1during2009withcost benefit ratios of 1:2.38 and 1:3.77during 2008 and 2009 respectively.

172-176

Authors: B. N. PANJA, 1M. K. PANDIT, 1S. B. CHATTOPADHYAY, 2D.MAJUMDER, 3A.K. SAHOO, 3P.PAL AND 4A.K. SENAPATI

This investigation was carried out with fifteen brinjal genotypes during 2008-10 to examine the direct and indirect effects of different growth and yield characters on yield of healthy and Leucinodes orbonalis infested genotypes through path analysis. Observations on growth and yield attributing characters viz. plant height, stem girth, number of twigs plant-1, number of secondary branches, total number of twigs plant -1, number of leaves plant -1, length of leaf, leaf breadth, fruit length, fruit breadth, fruit stalk length, fruit stalk diameter, fruit volume, number of fruits plant -1 and fruit weight plant -1 were recorded for the study. Simple correlation studies of these parameters with yield under two conditions revealed that fruit number per plant had the highest significant positive correlation followed by fruit stalk length and fruit length in both the cases. Partitioning of correlation values through path analysis study showed that fruit stalk length and fruit length in both the cases exhibited direct significant positive and negative effect on fruit yield, respectively. It was evident from the results that fruit stalk length and fruit number per plant should be given priority when selection for the varietal improvement would be taken up even from both fields.

181-184

Authors: A. GHOSAL, M. L. CHATTERJEE AND 1A. BHATTACHARYYA

An experiment was conducted to observe the efficacy of some neonicotinoids against aphid of okra during pre- kharif season of 2010 and 2011 at Instructional Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 50 g a.i. ha-1 was found as a most effective neonicotinoid insecticide against aphid. It recorded least aphid infestation and 84.54 % reduction of population over control. To control aphid population of okra the other two neonicotinoids viz., thiamethoxam 25WG @ 50 g a.i. ha-1 and acetamiprid 20SP @ 40 g a.i. ha-1 were also found at par with imidacloprid and showed better result than acephate 75WP and dimethoate 30EC. Considering incremental cost benefit ratio acetamiprid 20SP @ 40g a.i. ha-1 was found most economic over other neonicotinoids. None of the neonicotinoids have adverse effect on natural enemies of aphid in okra ecosystem.

190-192

Authors: M. D. SURVASE, S. M. NAWLAKHE, S.G. JADHAV, S. K. NAYAK AND Y. M. WAGHMARE

An experiment was conducted at the Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Nagpur during kharif season of 2010-2011. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with six treatments and four replications. The lowest weed dry matter and highest weed control efficiency were recorded with two hoeing and two weeding at 20 and 40 DAT. The treatment also recorded highest grain yield and straw yield of rice.

196-197

Authors: VIVELA D. SHIRA, Y. SOMI SINGH AND F. K. BAURI

Banana (Musa paradisiaca) is one of the major commercial fruit crop of many tropical and subtropical regions of India. It is cultivated in an area of 830.0 thousand ha with production of 29780.0 thousand MT and productivity of 35.9 MTha-1 (Annon, 2011). Banana is a potassium loving crop and high potassium availability is important at fruiting stage. Any limitation in the supply of nutrients at the shooting stage affects bunch size and quality in banana. Among the several factors affecting fruit quality, adequate potassium application is considered to be of utmost importance in banana cultivation. Potassium is known to influence fruit yield in general and fruit quality in particular (Tandon and Sekhon, 1988).

201-202

Authors: P. B. BEHERE, V. H. SURVE, R.R. PISAL, 1P.R. PATIL AND V.C. RAJ

Sweet corn (Zea mays L) is one of the most important cereals, which ranks fifth in India for production. Maize is grown in 6.5 million ha in India and 45 per cent of the total production is consumed as food. It is used as food, feed and forage as well as in industry. India is the homeland of grain legumes including pulses which play vital role in cereal based Indian diet. Green gram (Vigna radiata L.) locally known as ’Moong’ in India covering an area of 3.1 million hectares with a total production of 1.1 million tonnes with the average of 425 ha-1 (Anon., 2004). Intercropping has been recognised as a beneficial system of crop production and is one of the potent means of better utilization of resources and higher crop production per unit time and area, which can provide substantial yield advantages compared to sole cropping. These advantages may be specially important because they are achieved not by means of costly inputs, but by the simple expedient of growing crop together (Willey, 1979). In new system, the modification of planting geometry may helps in accommodating the companion crop. By adopting the appropriate planting pattern the total productivity can be enhanced.

207-209

Authors: JAI KNOX AND M.S. PAUL

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is one of the worst weed for agriculture, the environment and human health. Parthenium is also known as ‘Congress grass’ and ‘Gajar ghas’ in India. It is a herbaceous, erect and annual plant belonging to family Asteraceae (Compositae). Parthenium was accidentally introduced in India through imported food grains in mid 1950’s (Dhawan and Dhawan, 1996). After noticeable occurrence of Parthenium in Pune (Maharashtra) it had spreads like ‘wild fire’ throughout India. Many methods ranging from manual uprooting, chemical herbicides to biological control agents have been proposed to limit the spread of this uncontrollable weed. Parthenium hysterophorus contain toxins from the chemical group of sesquiterpene lactone (C15 group) (Oudhia and Tripathi, 1998). The major component of toxin being parthenin and other phenolic acids such as caffeic, vanillic, ferulic, chlorgenic, p-hydrobenzoic acid, pcumaric acid and anisic acid are lethal to human beings and animals (Mahadevappa, 1998). Parthenium contains 35 lactones of the pseudoguaicinolide and xanthanolide skeletal types. Parthenin a major constituent is a sesquiterpenoid having a pseudoguaianolide structure. It contains an α-methylene γ-butyrolactone moiety (ring C) along with other functionalities and five chiral centers (Ramesh et al., 2004).