Indian Journal of Plant and Soil

The chickpea also known as Gram or Bengal gram, and it is the most significant and well recognized pulse of India; India, largest producer, contributing highest share in area as well as production. It is widely referred as an excellent beam of protein, especially in developing Nations and it is relatively of minor significance in global market but it is extremely good for local trade in numerous tropical and subtropical areas. A pot research experiment conducted during the ‘rabi’ season of 2023-2024 on chickpea cultivar (PUSA-334) in a net house of the Department of Botany (Agronomy), SVU, Amroha to access the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) on shoot dry weight (SDW), nitrate reductase activity (NRA), carbonic anhydrase activity (CAA) activity seed yield (SY) and seed protein as well as carbohydrate content. Sterilized seeds of variety, PUSA 334, soaked in four different concentrations viz., 0, 10-4, 10-6 and 10-8 M solution of GA for 6, 8, or 10 h and sown in these pots. The potted plants then analysed at 100 and 110 days after sowing (DAS) for SDW/ plant, NRA, & CAA. In addition, SY, seed protein and carbohydrate content estimated at harvesting time (120 DAS). All parameters reported significant and promoted by the soaking with different levels of GA, however, with highest stimulation reported for a 10-h soaking treatment (duration) with 10-6 MGA. The total seed protein and total carbohydrate content stimulated much greatly by this approach and results are better than still any other approach applied for chickpea growth and quality values enhancement.

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal, facultative parasitic fungus known as reishi mushroom. It produces fruiting body on different living and dead trunks. Different lignocellulosic agricultural wastes are also used as substrate for its artificial cultivation. Among the different factors, supplements play an important role in affecting its productivity. Therefore, five different supplements such as boiled paddy, boiled wheat, wheat bran, neem cake along with control were evaluated. During preparation of bags for G. lucidum, paddy straw was used as substrate along with different supplements. The bags were quadruplicated for each treatment and kept in different tiers following Randomised Block Design (RBD). Among five treatments maximum yield of 28.8g/bag with an average of 3.5 numbers of mushroom obtained from bags supplemented with boiled paddy followed by 27.0g/bag each as in case of boiled wheat and wheat bran. In contrast, neem cake supplementation resulted with the lowest yield, even below that of without any supplements i.e. control. However further study is required to elucidate about the bioactive components of mushroom among different treatments to determine the potential pharmacological variability.

Lentil (Lens culinaris) is a vital cool-season legume crop, widely cultivated for its nutritional and economic importance. However, its productivity is severely challenged by various abiotic stresses including heat, drought, cold, and salinity. These stresses disrupt physiological, biochemical, and morphological processes, leading to reduced germination, impaired growth, compromised reproductive development, and significant yield losses. Heat stress accelerates reproductive failure and diminishes seed quality, while drought stress affects water relations, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake, causing stunted growth and lower biomass. Cold stress, particularly during reproductive stages, hampers flowering and pod formation, resulting in decreased yield and quality. Salinity induces osmotic and ionic imbalances, adversely affecting germination, photosynthesis, and nutrient content. Effective management strategies, such as breeding for stress-tolerant cultivars, improved agronomic practices, and biotechnological interventions, are essential to mitigate these impacts and sustain lentil productivity under changing climatic conditions. This review not only discusses the diverse effects of these abiotic stresses on lentil but also explores current management strategies including breeding for stress-resistant genotypes, agronomic practices, and biotechnological tools aimed at enhancing lentil tolerance. Integrating these approaches is critical for improving lentil resilience under adverse environmental conditions, contributing to sustainable production and food security in the face of climate change

Background: Rice is the most important food crop of Arunachal Pradesh and Jhum rice constitutes a major traditional cultivation system. Infestation of armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker) was noticed in the form of an outbreak in several villages of West Siang and Lepa Rada districts of Arunachal Pradesh in the first week of July 2017. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the severity of the crop infestation during the outbreak and also the cause of its natural suppression. Objectives: The study was conducted with the objective to record the level of infestation of M. separata in Jhum rice along with the association of natural enemies, if any. Material: Surveys were conducted to record the level of infestation in the field. Observations were recorded on the number of larvae per plant as well as number of plants infested. Result: The level of infestation of paddy was recorded as 89.67±0.03 per cent with 6.37±0.61 larvae per plant which after 10 days, reduced to 78.7±0.03 per cent with 5.34±0.23 larvae per plant. Further, it dropped down to 14.7±0.05 per cent with 0.17±0.06 larvae per plant and ultimately to 6.3±0.025 per cent infestation with 0.07±0.03 larvae per plant. A braconid, Cotesia rufricus and a dipteran parasitoid were also found parasitizing the larvae of M. separata. Conclusion: The armyworm, M. separata has the tendency of emerging in the form of outbreaks causing heavy crop infestation. The parasitoids identified in the study could be of immense importance in managing such an outbreak in future.