World Journal of Agricultural Research

Bolting tendency in sugar beet is a complex trait has been shown to be controlled by various environmental cues, including prolonged periods of cold temperatures over winter (vernalization) and photoperiod, and multiple genetic factors. Three loci (B, B2 and B4) which trigger bolting in the absence of vernalization were identified and genetically mapped in beet. B4 is linked to the B locus and promotes annual bolting independently of B. Here, genetic analysis of a large segregated F2 population derived from a cross between a biennial sugar beet and an annual beet accession phenotyped for bolting tendency under three environmental conditions, i.e., long day after vernalization, long day without vernalization and shortening daylength revealed the presence of a major gene which is linked to the gene B and suppresses bolting under unfavorable daylength (shortening daylength) and negatively affects bolting time.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015, 3(5), 179-184. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-5
Pub. Date: October 09, 2015

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Fertility of Libyan Barbary Sheep Treated with Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) in Different Seasons

by Aboulgasem Elmarimi, Najmi Mariol, Jamil Ahmed, Mokhtar.F. Sassi and Abdurraouf Gaja

Original Research

Bearing in mind the objectives of this study to investigate the Barbary sheep fertility under our climatic conditions and to evaluate the efficiency of the prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) injection in induction of fertile estrus in different seasons. For these objectives some experiments were performed during the period from July 2008 to March 2009. A total number of 300 Libyan Barbary ewes (3 – 6 years old weight 40 – 60 Kg) was used in this experiment. Ewes were kept in privet farms fed and managed similarly. Ewes were divided to four season groups (summer, autumn, winter and spring groups) each season group was divided into treated and control. Animals in the treated groups were injected with double injection of 125μg of prostaglandin F2α intramuscularly (IM) 11days apart. While those in the control groups were injected with two injections of 1.0 ml of 0.9%NaCl saline solution simultaneously with the treated ewes. At the same day (day 11) rams wearing painted sponges on their briskets regions were introduced for natural mating. Treated groups showed shorter estrus response time than control groups in all seasons (P<0.05). Estrus duration was longer in winter and spring than in summer and autumn (P<0.001) but no difference was found between treated and control groups inside seasons. Treated group showed higher pregnancy rate (P<0.001) in winter season than control group. Percentage of ewes lambed in winter was significantly high (P<0.001) among treated ewes than control (80% Vs 38%). Lambing rate differed significantly (P<0.001) among treated groups in all seasons. Data were collected and calculated statistically using SPSS system for percentages, means, standard deviation (mean ±SD) analyses of variance (ANOVA), Chi squire and Duncan's test were used accordingly. Other values were measured, calculated and analyzed similarly.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015, 3(5), 174-178. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-4
Pub. Date: October 08, 2015

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Effect of Mulching and Different Doses of Phosphorous in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) Yield and Residual Soil Chemical Properties at Bhairahawa, Nepal

by Anish Sapkota, Sanjok Poudel, Udaya Subedi, Ruchi Shrivastav, Janma Jaya Gairhe, Subodh Khanal and Keshab Raj Pande

Original Research

A research was carried to identify the production performance of catch crop cowpea at subtropical climatic condition of Nepal (Rupandehi) during dry to wet season transition period April to July 2014 using 6 different treatments with 4 replications in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Significant result at 5% level of probability with moisture retention of 14.463% in case of mulching and 12.970% in case of no mulched was observed. Similarly highly significant (at 1% level of probability) result was found for plant height at 13 days after sowing with plant height of 17.498cm in case of mulching and 14.459cm in case of no mulching. The result shows highly significant result for effect of mulching in cowpea yield yielding 5.706 ton/ha in mulched field and 4.215 ton/ha in no mulched field. Effect of mulching shows significant result at 5% level of probability in case of pod length. The length of pod recorded in mulched plot was found to be 43.651 cm and 39.531 cm in no mulched plot. Similarly, significant results (at p ≤ 0.05) in interaction of both mulching and recommended doses of phosphorous shows maximum pod length recorded of 46.920 cm and minimum of 38.497 cm when control dose of phosphorous interacted with no mulching condition. Since organic matter formation and change in soil chemical properties is long and gradual period no significant results are found in soil chemical properties. Significant results of phosphorous solely are not achieved during this short research duration. Data from economic analysis revealed that Mulching leads to significant high yield as compared to non-mulching with B: C ratio calculated 1.58 and 0.99 respectively in mulched and no mulched condition. Cowpea yield shows significant difference between mulching and no mulching effect and was successfully harvested within the short period. So it is beneficial to crop cowpea with mulching to have better yield of cowpea and aid soil nutrients during dry to wet transition season in Rice-Wheat cropping systems of Nepal.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015, 3(5), 163-173. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-3
Pub. Date: September 28, 2015

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Analysis of Yield and Yield Attributing Traits of Maize Genotypes in Chitwan, Nepal

by Bikal Ghimire and Deepika Timsina

Original Research

Fourteen maize genotypes were evaluated at National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal with objective was to explore genetic variability and investigate yield and yield attributing traits from 22nd October, 2014 to 12th April, 2015. The experiment was designed in randomized complete block with three replication. Phenotypic observation was taken for important quantitative traits viz. Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) reading, days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, ear height, plant height, days to physiological maturity, ear length, ear girth, ear weight, number of kernel row ear-1, number of kernel row-1, five hundred kernel weight. The result showed that traits plant height, ear height, ear length, ear girth, ear weight, no. of kernel row per ear, no. of kernel per row exhibited positive and highly significant correlation with grain yield per hectare while SPAD reading and five hundred kernel weight given significant correlation. The analysis also indicated that days to 50% tasseling and days to 50% silking explained negative and highly significant correlation with grain yield per hectare. Similarly, days to maturity showed negative and non significant correlation with grain yield per hectare. The result also reflected that genotype ARUN-1EV has been found comparatively superior to ARUN-2 for major yield components. The genetic study revealed that days to silking, days to tasseling and grain yield per hectare were highly heritable (>0.6). Higher GCV and high GAM indicated efficient indirect selection for higher grain yield per hectare based on these traits. Thus, high GAM and GCV was observed in ear weight, grain yield per hectare and ear height. Correlation analysis revealed that the traits plant height, ear length, ear girth, number of kernel per row, ear weight were most yield determinative traits and hence, simultaneous selection for these traits might bring an improvement in grain yield. The research gave the finding that use of ARUN-1EV can be reliable for further research and breeding programs.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015, 3(5), 153-162. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-2
Pub. Date: September 24, 2015

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Determination of Suitable Agro Climatic Region and Optimum Harvesting Stage by Means of Total Phenolic Content, Total Flavonoid Content and Total Antioxidant Capacity of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (Lamiaceae) Grown in Sri Lanka

by R.M. Dharmadasa, K.W. Abeywardhana, D.C. Abeysinghe, A.M.L. Aththanayake, Bandara J and V.S. Bandara

Original Research

Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (Lamiaceae) is a industrial important medicinal plant,cultivated for its therapeutic values in many Asian countries. Even though the therapeutic properties of O. tenuiflorum is mainly depend on its secondary metabolites, presently required plant materials for Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine are collected from the wild without considering its age and therapeutic properties. Therefore, the present study is undertaken tp compare the important phytochemicals (total .phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC)) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), of different parts of Ocimum tenuiflorum.which were harvested at three consecutive pruning stages from two agro climatic regions in Sri Lanka. TPC, TFC and TAC were performed using colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu method, aluminum nitrate method and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay respectively. Data were analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) procedure of Minitab statistical package followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) for mean separation. Total antioxidant capacity of leaf, bark, flower and seed extracts were significantly (p=0.05) increased from first pruning to third pruning irrespective of agro climatic regions. Antioxidant capacity and Total flavonoid content of different parts of O. tenuiflorum cultivated in low country intermediate-Zone (IL_1a) and low country dry zone (DL_1b) was varied as leaf> bark> flower> seeds. Even though the TPC was significantly varied among different parts as well as pruning stages, remarkable relationship was observed neither agro climatic region nor pruning intervals. Results of the present study are vital important for the determination of suitable agroclimatic region, optimum harvesting stage for higher phytochemical, bioactivity and optimum therapeutic properties of O. tenuiflorum.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015, 3(5), 148-152. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-1
Pub. Date: September 20, 2015

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