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Basmati rice is a fine and aromatic rice grown mainly in certain areas of Punjab province in Pakistan. It has high demand in the international market and a source of earning foreign exchange via export. Adulteration of non-basmati rice grains is a major challenge to secure its export standards. Hence, the development of a simple and cost-effective method is necessary to screen the basmati and non-basmati rice samples. In this study, we have validated the efficiency of different molecular markers by screening seven unknown rice samples. Our results demonstrated that three markers namely RM1, RM19 and RM225 proved to be efficient microsatellite molecular markers that could be used to screen basmati and non-basmati rice samples. Further, these results are validated based on expression pattern of Badh2 gene among the basmati and non-basmati rice. Thus, this study provides a contribution towards development of a simple and cost-effective method for rapid screening of basmati rice.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF0102012

The study was conducted in order to identify the suitable parental inbred lines using top cross method for improvement of new sunflower F1 single cross hybrids at research field of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Karaj, Iran during two Crop season (2018 and 2019). Experimental materials consisted of 31 restore lines and 43 cytoplasmic male sterile lines which were crossed with A1221 and R14 as the testers respectively. The developed F1 hybrids were evaluated for GCA of three breeding objectives i.e. flowering time, plant height and grain yield during two years replicated trials. Cluster analysis revealed two heterotic groups in which the restorer lines; R22, R24 and R38 (Grain yield of 33, 32 and 31 g head-1 respectively) and three CMS lines; A32, A370 and A110 (Grain yield of 47, 44 and 43 g head-1 respectively) were identified as the suitable restorer and cytoplasmic male sterile line for improvement of new sunflower single cross hybrids. Evaluation of specific combing ability of the resulted combinations will reveal the efficiency of this selection in the following generation.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF020202

An experiment of 4 × 4 diallel was carried out to study the gene action of different yield and yield contributing traits of four advanced cotton cultivars using Mather and Jinks approach. Significant variation was present for all the characters (P< 0.01). The data on recorded parameters revealed that most of the traits were fully or partially fit for genetic interpretation. Additive gene action (D) was significant and pre-dominant for all the characters while seeds per locule showed dominance effect of H1& H2, and it was confirmed by the value of degree of dominance (H1/D 0.5). The value of H2/4H1 and h2 (measures the direction of dominance) demonstrated asymmetrical division of dominant genes for all traits, except ginning out turn (G.O.T) percentage and fiber length, in parental material. All the studied traits showed high value of narrow sense heritability (h2NS), however seeds per locule possessed low heritability. The genetic analysis revealed that all the characters could be improved by progeny and pedigree selection, whereas hybrid dynamism could be exploited in the trait like seeds per locule.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF030202

Various aspects of fruit abscission in cotton have been reviewed in the past. Recent advances in this field thus permit consolidation of review of the current research. A major concern among cotton growers is heavy fruit drop, that leads to direct yield loss, which occurs at the expense of squares and young bolls. Shedding of fruiting forms in cotton is the combined consequence of plant itself like hormonal imbalance, plant nutritional status, age relation, and environmental stresses like water deficit, waterlogging, high temperature, dim light, salinity, insects and diseases. These stresses result in prominent signaling modifications like hormonal imbalance. Ethylene is claimed to play a key role in abscission apparently by activating the production of cell wall degrading enzymes such as cellulases and polygalacturonase. The premature dropping of fruiting bodies can significantly increase due to these environmental stresses, which result in severe loss in cotton yield. This article is focused on both internal and external factors that leads to fruit abscission, mechanism of fruit abscission at the physiological, hormonal, and molecular level and trying to point out the missing links on different aspects of plant hormones and environmental stresses regarding fruit abscission. This article also focused on the missing pieces of the very complicated puzzle of fruit abscission process in cotton and elucidation of the mechanism by which plants perceive abscission signals and trigger phytohormone–mediated signal transduction cascades is crucial to devise fruit shedding related breeding and transgenic approaches.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF040202

Oat is being cultivated as cereal and multi-cut forage crop in temperate and subtropical regions of the world. However, elite germplasm of oats was found susceptible to abiotic stresses including drought stress. Therefore, 15 oat accessions were evaluated for various traits using completely randomized factorial design under four irrigation levels, with depreciation of one irrigation at each level. Field was irrigated at 21, 33, 45, 57 and 70 days after sowing (DAS) under control condition (T1), while 2nd level received four irrigations at 21, 33, 45 and 70 DAS (T2), third level received three irrigation at 21, 35 and 57 DAS (T3) and fourth level received two irrigations at 21 and 35 DAS (T4). Data was recorded after 70 days of sowing for different physiological, growth and quality parameters. Significant variation (P ≤ 0.05) was detected among all accessions in response to various irrigational levels. There was continuous decrease in the studies due to depreciation of irrigation at each level. Control treatment had the highest growth and quality parameters. Shoot fresh biomass was decreased by decreased by 57% (T2), 60% (T3) and 69% (T4). Moreover, traits such as leaf area, number of tillers plant-1, and root biomass was also decreased by 38%, 55% and 85% respectively due to T4 treatment. Traits such as protein contents and neutral detergent fiber were not affected by water stress treatment. Three accessions such as G7, G9, and G11 were discriminated as drought-tolerant and three genotypes namely G4, G8, and G14 were drought-susceptible accessions. Identified accessions may be cultivated in drought prone areas or may be used as parents for development segregating populations. Keywords: Irrigation levels, seedling, traits, economical traits, QTLs

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF050202

Field experiments were conducted at three different locations in central Punjab, Pakistan to evaluate the efficacy of different granular insecticides on suppression of rice stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas & Scirpophaga innotata) and plant hopper (Nilapervata lugens & Sogatella forcifera ) for two years (2018 and 2019) during Kharif season. Treatments comprised different granular insecticides; Cartap 4% G, Fipronil 0.3 G, Mover Plus 4.3 % (fipronil 0.3 % + cartap hydrochloride 4%) and Virteko 0.6 GR (chlorantraniliprole 0.2 % + thiamethoxam 0.4 %) @ 22.0, 20.0, 11.0 and 10 kg ha-1 respectively. All the insecticides showed varied efficacy against rice stem borer and plant hopper in minimizing the symptoms of dead hearts, white heads and hopper burn. The highest suppression efficacy was recorded with the chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam followed by fipronil + cartap hydrochloride against plant hoppers and stem borers. Experimental units treated with chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam showed the lowest hopper infestation (9,11 and 8 hoppers per plant) as compared to control where 70, 75 and 68 hoppers per plant was recorded for location I, II and III, respectively. Granular insecticide i.e. chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam also reduced the stem borer infestation @ 76, 81 & 78 % at location I, II and III respectively. The experimental unit treated with chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam showed a 22% (4266.6 kg ha-1) and 23% (4288.3 kg ha-1) higher paddy yield than control for 2018 and 2019, respectively.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF060202

significant extent under changing climate scenarios. Drastic impact of climatic variability demands suitable solutions including adaption through climate-proof cropping system. Similar intervention was focused through the subject study conducted during winter 2019 to assess cultivation of exotic USDA safflower accessions under various environments of Punjab, Pakistan. Four locations i.e. Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Kasur and Rawalpindi were selected for cultivation of previously screened six safflower candidate lines in a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangements. Seed yield, oil quality and contents was calculated. Results revealed that the performance of safflower accessions of exotic origin perofmred variably under variety of climates. Safflower accession PI-198990 exhibited the highest seed yield at Kasur whereas, PI-199907reflected the least yield at Bahawalpur. High oil contents were estimated at Faisalabad when compared withother locations under study. However, the maximum accumulation of oleic acid was recorded in safflower planted at Bahawalpur. On the other hand, Rawalpindi sown safflower exhibited the maximum content of linoleic acid. As far the morpho-physiological attributes are concerned, positive and significant relationship of seed yield with number of branches, number of heads and thousand seed weight were recorded whereas, linoleic acid showed strongly negative correlation with oleic acid content. Therefore, it is concluded that environmental variation had significantly influenced safflower yield, oil and fatty acids contents.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF070202

Citrus is an important table fruit having refreshing taste and rich source of vitamin C. Citrus sinensis is an important species of citrus which is being consumed by large masses due to its peculiar taste and high sugar content and early availability in the fruit market. A study was conducted to identify the potential varieties of this commercial species. Commercial varieties were evaluated for yield related and biochemical traits. It was identified that commercial variety “Salustiana” had the fruit of largest mass, least number of seed, juice mass, volume and peel mass. Disease free nursery may be developed to commercial this variety in core area of Punjab and may also be used in molecular studies.

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF080202