Indian Journal of Plant and Soil

 Allelopathy refers to the inhibition of growth of one plant by chemical compounds released into the soil from neighboring plants. The understory crop in an agroforestry system exoerience profound effect of tree residues in the soil besides the modified microenvironment. However under changing climatic scenarios agroforestry is being proved boon. There are several characteristics that could be identified as desirable attributes for trees in agroforestry system.The positive interactions at the tree-crop interface are microclimate modification and nutrient balance. Microclimate amelioration involvs soil moisture and soil temperature modification. This paper discusses the pros and cons of agroforestry systems.

Keywords: Crop Growth; Modified Microclimate; Agroforestry; Climate Change.

 The evolution ofPlant Nutrition (manuring ) conceptsfrom the early ones confined to application of organic wastes followed byinclusion of major nutrients N,P and K and thenof micro nutrients as and when their deficiencies occur and ,to the application of all nutrientsrequired for growth in ratios found in whole plant analysis and to the targeted productivity is traced .

Keywords: Plant Nutrition; Evolution over the years.

 Micro-climate requisites for tea bushes and their implications are discussed with reference to adaptive mechanisms developed during its evolution under humid ever green forest conditions.

Keywords: Tea shade; Microclimate

 Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and food is a physiological necessity for the survival of human being. One of the major factor for soil health degradation is imbalanced use of fertilizers. Low or negligible application of organic manures and nonreplacement of depleted essential nutrient elements over the years, caused widespread nutrient deficiencies and decreased soil fertility in many parts of the country. Presently, the number of nutrients deficient in Indian soils are about ten. The deficiencies grew from one with Nitrogen (N) (in 1950) to ten viz. Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), and copper (Cu). The widespread nutrient deficiencies and impaired soil health are the reasons for low nutrient use efficiency, stagnation or decline in crop productivity and profitability. The Government of India started a scheme called ”Soil Health Card” (SHC) from Sri-ganganagar district of Rajasthan (February 2015) to provide SHC to all farmers in the country for sustaining crop productivity without deterioration in soil health. The aim of scheme is to promote integrated nutrient management through judicious use of inorganic fertilizers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures and biofertilizer for improving soil health and its productivity. The SHC provide necessary information to farmers about present nutrient status of their soil/farm and recommendation for appropriate dosage of different sources of nutrient for improving soil health and its fertility. The utmost step in maintaining soil fertility and achieving sustainable crop production is possible through proper blend of knowledge of current soil nutrient status. It can be achieved by scientific soil sampling method, testing and recommendations. Thus, soil health card provides sound information or recommendations on integrated nutrients management through right source and right amount to be applied in soils in order to enhance soil health and crop productivity.

Keywords: Fertilizers; Organic Manure; Soil Health; Soil Health Card.

 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) plays a major role as a staple food supporting more than three billion people, and it comprises 50% to 80% of their daily calorie intake (Khush, 2005). Water is a highly limited resource (Wang et.al, 2012) which is important for yield and productivity of rice crop. Water deficit stress affects rice at morphological (reduced germination, plant height, plant biomass, number of tillers, various root and leaf traits), physiological (reduced photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, relative water content, chlorophyll content, photo system II activity, membrane stability, carbon isotope discrimination and abscise acid content), biochemical (accumulation of osmoprotectant like proline, sugars, polyamines and antioxidants), at molecular levels. A thorough understanding of these characters that govern the yield of rice under water stress condition is a prerequisite (Pandey & Shukla 2015). Excess water is a natural disturbance affecting crop and forage production worldwide, and it provokes on most terrestrial plants. Adaptive traits of plants enable survival under soil water logging or partial submergence. It leads to oxygenation of submerged tissues (i.e. parts of shoots and entire root system), while leaves above water continue with carbon fixation. Thus, a better comprehension of plant functioning under water excess would help to assist breeding programs as well as to define better management decisions for cultivation of crops and forage species in lands prone to flooding. The present paper attempts to focus light on the physiological responses of rice crop to both the water stress conditions in a mini reviewed form.

Keywords: Water stress; Drought; Submergence; Morphology; Physiology; Anatomy; Biochemical traits;Stress hormones; Tolerance mechanisms.

 Field experiment was conducted at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Center, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India during rabi season of 2013-14 to study the effect of planting geometry and nutrient management on quality production of baby corn (Zea mays L.). The experimental site was sandy loam in texture with neutral pH (6.85), medium in organic carbon (0.625), in available nitrogen (269.28 kg/ha), available phosphorus (24.56 kg/ha) and available potassium (226.64 kg/ha). The experiment consisted of 12 treatments having planting geometry (45cm × 15cm, 45cm × 20cm, 60cm × 15cm and 60cm × 20cm) and 3 nutrient management practices (N1 :120:60:40, N2 :150:75:50 and N3 :180:90:60 :: N:P2 05 :K2 0 kg/ha) was laid out in split plot design with three replication. The variety of baby corn was VL Baby Corn-1 developed from VPKAS, Almora. The crop was planted on 23-10-13 and 1st picking was taken on 4th January and last on 14th January 2014. The crop grown under 60cm × 15cm planting geometry had 22.32%, 9.65% and 14.98% higher cob yield than 45cm × 15cm, 45cm × 20cm and 60cm × 20cm planting geometries, respectively. Similarly baby corn yield was recorded significantly higher at 60cm × 15cm planting geometry with 1.9%, 17.3% and 24.7% higher than 45cm × 20cm, 60cm × 20cm and 45cm × 15cm planting geometries, respectively. Das et al. (2009) also reported similar results. The green fodder yield was recorded significantly higher under 45cm × 15 cm followed by 45cm × 20cm mainly because of higher plant population. The TSS and protein did not influence significant by planting geometries. Significantly higher net return and B:C ratio were also recorded at 60cm × 15cm followed by 45cm × 20cm planting geometry. application of 180 kg N+ 90 kg P2 O5 + 60 kg K2 O gave significantly higher values of Abstract Keywords cob and baby corn yield, quality attributes and also economics. Application of 180:90:60 gave 1.5% and 9.5% higher baby corn yield than 150:75:50 and 120:60:40, respectively. It also gave higher TSS, protein content, net profit and also B:C ratio. It is therefore recommended that planting of baby corn at 60cm × 15cm geometry fertilized with 180kg N+90kg P2 O5 +60kg K2 O /ha would have higher productivity, profitability and better quality of baby corn production.

Keywords: Baby Corn; B:C Ratio; Economics; Protein; TSS; Quality.