<div>Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the important cereal crop and its demand is increasing due to its versatile use but the productivity in India is still low. The basic requirement for improving the crop productivity is soil fertility and it is highly related with soil organic matter. Due to unavailability of organic manure and their higher cost, cheaper the organic source available at farm should be explored to meet the requirement. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at College Agronomy Farm, B.A. College of Agriculture, AAU, Anand during summer-kharif seasons of years 2017 and 2018 to examine the impact of legume crop residue and nitrogen levels on maize crop. Experiment comprised of three legume crops grown in summer season viz., green gram, groundnut and cluster bean, two residue management treatments viz., residue removal and incorporation and three nitrogen levels in kharif maize viz., 100%, 75% and 50% recommended dose of nitrogen. 
 
Result: Results indicated that cluster bean-maize sequence provided the highest leaf area and leaf area index at 60 days after sowing, chlorophyll content and dry matter production at 30 and 60 days after sowing and crop growth rate for of maize crop. Incorporation of legume residues also had significant effect on plant height, dry matter production and chlorophyll content; leaf area and leaf area index at 60 days after sowing and crop growth rate and absolute growth rate of maize crop. Application of 100% RDN beneficially affected all the growth parameter and indices. Overall, summer legume cropping with their residue incorporation and higher nitrogen levels favourably impacts on various growth parameters and growth indices of maize crop.</div>

<div>Effect of Legume Crop Residues and Nitrogen Management on Growth Parameters and Growth Indices of Maize (Zea mays L.)</div>

Background: At the present situations, sole croppingand generalized fertilization recommendations could not produce advantageous results for neither profitable crop production nor for a sustainable environment. Therefore, the study focuses on evaluating the response of pearl millet to various cropping systems and different nutrient management techniques for enhancing crop productivity and sustaining soil fertility.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The field trial took place at the instructional farm of Karunya Institute of Technology and Science in the Coimbatore district of western Tamil Nadu, India. The trial spanned over two growing seasons and followed a factorial randomized block design, with 2 factors: cropping systems and nutrient management, replicated three times. The design resulted in a total of 12 treatment combinations, comprising 3 levels of cropping system viz., sole cropping of pearl millet, pearl millet with black gram and cowpea intercropping systems; and 4 levels of nutrient management comprising different doses of fertilizer levels in combination with biofertilizers such as Azospirillum and PSB and foliar sprays of 2% urea and 3% Panchagavya.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The experimental findings indicated that intercropping treatment, Pearl millet + Black gram at a 1:1 ratio, exhibited superior results in enhancing plant growth, improving the crop nutrient uptakeand enriching soil fertility. In the case of nutrient management treatments, application of 75% of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) + Azospirillum and phosphate solubilizing bacteria + foliar application of 2% urea at 15 and 35 days after transplanting (DAT) resulted in producing higher plant height, enhanced dry matter production, efficient crop nutrient uptake, improved soil fertility status for sustainable agriculture.&nbsp;

Evaluation on the Influence of Cropping Systems and Nutrient Management Practices in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Growth, Crop Nutrient Uptake and Soil Fertility Status

In the present study, an attempt has been made to analyze the growth on the basis of secondary data in area, production and productivity of major crops in Jammu region for the period from 1984-85 to 2013-14. The comparison has been made over the time to examine the trends and it was observed that in Jammu region rice, maize and wheat crop dominated the area and these crops together occupied more than 84 per cent of gross cropped area during the last three decades. The entire period 1984-85 to 2013-14 found that rice, maize, wheat, millets, condiments and spices, fruits and vegetables, fodder crops had positive area growth while pulses, barley, jawar, bajra, sugarcane, oilseeds and fibers had negative area growth. The production was positive for rice, wheat and pulses and negative for maize whereas as yield was recorded positive for rice, wheat and pulses and negative for maize crop. The study concluded that most of the cultivated land is dominated by cereals groups, therefore, need for crop diversification which ultimately leads to protection of soil health, regular returns, employment opportunities as well as better and balanced diet for the local people in the region.

Status of growth in area, production and productivity of major crops in Jammu province of J&amp;K State 
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<div>Background: The year round green forage supply for better health and productivity of the animals can be ensured by mixed cropping of cereal and legume forages along with proper nutrient management. Keeping these facts in mind an experiment was carried out to analyse growth, productivity and profitability of fodder sorghum and clusterbean as influenced by mixed cropping and nutrient management. 
 
Methods: Experiment was laid out in factorial randomized complete block design with four seed rate combinations of sorghum and clusterbean (S1 - sole sorghum, S2 - sole clusterbean, S3 - 75% sorghum + 25% clusterbean and S4 - 60% sorghum + 40% clusterbean) along with six nutrient management treatments (N1 - 100% RDF, N2 - 100% RDF + PGPR, N3 - 100% RDF + seaweed extract, N4 - 75% RDF + PGPR, N5 - 75% RDF + seaweed extract and N6 &ndash; 50% RDF + PGPR + seaweed extract) in three replications. The growth of crops was evaluated in terms of plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of leaves, leaf stem ratio and stem girth which all together contributed towards the fodder yield. 
 
Result: In sorghum crop the growth was not statistically different between the treatments S1 and S3 but in clusterbean sole crop recorded higher growth yet the influence was not significant on all parameters. Among nutrient management N1, N2 and N3 treatments recorded higher growth and thus yield in both crops which was not statistically different from N5 treatment. The correlation study indicated that cumulative influence of these growth parameters resulted in higher green and dry fodder yield under sole crop. Whereas in mixed cropping S3 treatment recorded significantly at par fodder yield to S1. The evidence presented above shows that 75% sorghum + 25% clusterbean mixed cropping treatment with 75% RDF + seaweed extract served its purpose of fodder yield enhancement.</div>

<div>Growth, Productivity and Profitability of Fodder Sorghum and Cluster Bean as Influenced by Mixed Cropping and Nutrient Management</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Different concentrations of Moringa leaf extract were used to evaluate their effects on three leguminous crops (Alfalfa and Clitoria as forage crops and Mung bean as grain legume) Three independent experiments were carried out at King Abdulaziz University Experimental Station in Makkah province during 2015 and 2016. Treatments consisted of four concentrations of Moringa leaf extract (C1=1ml of juice+10 ml of distilled water, C2=1ml of juice+20ml of distilled water, C3=1ml of juice+30 ml of distilled water and C4=1ml of juice+40 ml of distilled water) and only distilled water as control. Results showed that the higher concentration C1 contained the highest concentrations of inorganic elements and growth hormones compared to the other concentrations. This&aelig; in turn&aelig; was reflected in significantly higher growth and forage yields of both alfalfa and clitoria and significantly higher growth and grain yield of mung bean. The highest concentration C1 increased number of pods, pod dry weight, seed dry weight, and shelling out turn of mung bean compared to the control in year 2015 by 85, 60, 47 and 92%, respectively. Corresponding increments in 2016 for the same characters were 40, 47, 27 and 94%, respectively.</div>

Effects of Moringa olifera leaf extracts on growth and productivity of three leguminous crops

<div>Background: Pigeonpea being highly branching and indeterminate growth habit responds very well to crop geometry. Hence to achieve potential yields, it is important to maintain optimum plant population which can effectively utilize available moisture, nutrients and solar radiation. The plant growth regulators are also known to enhance the source sink relationship and stimulate the translocation of photo assimilates, thereby increase the productivity. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at experimental farm of Agronomy Department, V.N.M.K.V., Parbhani during kharif season of 2018 and 2019. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four main plot treatments comprised of four crop geometries as 90 cm x 20 cm, 120 cm x 20 cm 60-120 cm x 20 cm and 75-150 cm x 20 cm and sub plot treatments were five treatments on foliar application of plant growth regulators i.e. NAA @ 40 ppm, Mepiquat chloride @ 50 g a.i. ha-1, Brassinosteroids @ 0.1 ppm, Chlormequat Chloride @ 75 g a.i ha-1 and control. 
 
Result: The crop geometry of 120 cm x 20 cm and 75-150 cm x 20 cm recorded higher values of all yield parameters followed by crop geometry of 60-120 cm x 20 cm. While the seed, straw and biological yield of pigeonpea as well as highest net realization of Rs. 72072 ha-1 was obtained with crop geometry of 60-120 cm x 20 cm followed by 90 cm x 20 cm. Among the plant growth regulators foliar application of Brassinosteroids @ 0.1 ppm (G3) tended to recorded higher yield parameters, seed yield and fertility coefficient of pigeonpea as well as highest net realization followed by foliar application of NAA @ 40 ppm.</div>

Production Potential of Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] as Influenced by Crop Geometry and Plant Growth Regulators

<div>Background: Low soil organic carbon is a constraint to cassava tuber formation. Some legume cover crops could be an alternative to provide organic matter on the cassava field as a source of soil organic carbon. The study was aimed to evaluate the growth of some legume cover crops under cassava and their effects on soil properties. 
 
Methods: During September 2017-July 2018 legume cover crops (Calopogonium mucunoides, Centrosema pubescens, Pueraria javanica&nbsp;and the mixed) were planted under cassava variety of Mangu and UJ-5. The land coverage by the legume cover crops was measured monthly from 2 to 10 months after planting. Cassava growth was observed weekly from 8 to 32 weeks after planting. Soil properties were analyzed before planting and at harvesting of cassava. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Result: Pueraria javanica was tolerant toward cassava shading. The land coverage was linearly increased along with the growth of cassava. At the end of cassava growth, the land area coverage by this legume cover crop was 98.08%. It produced more organic matter and could maintain soil moisture content than other legume cover crops. P. javanica could consider being a suitable legume cover crop under cassava to improve soil quality.</div>

Growth of Legume Cover Crops under Cassava and Its Effect on Soil Properties

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Intensive cultivation with suitable crop geometry for optimum utilization of resources is one of the possible ways for increasing productivity of pigeonpea. Plant growth regulators have the capacity to stimulate and inhibit physiological processes, which directly or indirectly might affect crop yield and quality. This investigation was planned to study the influence of crop geometry and foliar application of plant growth regulators on production potential of pigeonpea. 
 
Methods: The field experiment was conducted at experimental farm of Agronomy Department, V.N.M.K.V., Parbhani, during kharif season of 2018 and 2019. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four main plot treatments and five sub plot treatments. The main plot treatments comprised of four crop geometries while thesub plot treatments were five treatments on foliar application of plant growth regulatorsalongwith control.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Various crop geometries shown remarkable effect on growth and developement of pigeonpea. The crop geometry of 60-120 cm &times; 20 cm and 90 cm &times; 20 cm recorded maximum plant height of pigeonpea as compared to other wider crop geometries. While in case of all the other growth attributes viz. number of functional leaves plant-1, leaf area, number of branches plant-1&nbsp;and dry matter accumulation plant-1 crop geometry of 120 cm &times; 20 cm and 75-150 cm &times; 20 cm were found superior as compared to other treatments and were at par with each other. The yield per hectare was increased at closer crop geometry 60-120 cm &times; 20 cm as the lower per plant yield was compensated by higher plant population. The crop geometry 60-120 cm &times; 20 cm produced significantly higher seed yield (1661, 1982 and 1821 kg ha-1 during 2018, 2019 and pooled mean respectively) over crop geometry of 120 cm &times; 20 cm and crop geometry 75-150 cm &times; 20 cm, but it was found at par with crop geometry 90 cm &times; 20 cm. Among the foliar application of plant growth regulators, growth characters viz., plant height, number of functional leaves, leaf area, number of branches and dry matter accumulation plant-1 as well as chlorophyll content were enhanced with the foliar application of Brassinosteroids @ 0.1 ppm and application of NAA @ 40 ppm during both the years of study. Foliar application of Brassinosteroids @ 0.1 ppm also recorded early flower initiation and significantly highest seed yield (1742, 2018 and 1880 kg ha-1 during 2018, 2019 and in pooled data, respectively), while it was at par with foliar application of NAA @ 40 ppm.&nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;​Morphophenological Characters and Productivity of Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] as Influenced by Crop Geometry and Plant Growth Regulators

<div>Background: Okra is an important vegetable crop in India, Method of fertilization also plays an important role in supplying the nutrient to the plants because, the efficacy of fertilizers applied in soil being low due to various losses and fixation, mainly in area of problematic soil. Water and fertilizers are the two important inputs which are used scientifically and judiciously through precision farming technologies to increase productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency in okra seed yield and quality.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The experiments were conducted during kharif 2016 and kharif 2017 to study the effect of precision farming technologies including fertigation and black polythene mulching to know the crop growth, yield, quality of seeds and root studies in okra seeds var. Arka Anamika and at ICAR-IIHR Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru. The experiment was laid out in RBD with three replication and four treatments each with mulch and&nbsp;on mulch&nbsp;viz., 100:50:75 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 100:50:100&nbsp; N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1&nbsp;T3-150:75:112.5 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 T4- 150:75:150 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 compared with soil application treatments. &nbsp; 
 
Result: Application of water soluble fertilizer @ T4-150:75:150 NPK kg/ha through fertigation either mulch (14.05q/ha) or non mulch (11.83q/ha) recorded significantly higher seed yield than fertilizer through soil application (9.92 q/ha).Similarly significantly higher value of Absolute Growth Rate (AGR) Crop Growth Rate (CGR) and root character were observed in the NPK fertigation treatment with or without mulch than the soil application of fertilizers (NPK soil application @ 100:50:100kg per ha (T9) and NPK soil application @ 150:75:150kg per ha (T10). Significantly higher root parameter tap root length (21.03cm), average length of primary roots (64.63cm), number of primary roots (10.83 nos), fibrous roots arising from main stem (26 nos) and root dry weight (23.07 g/plant) were recorded in the T4-150:75:150 NPK kg ha-1 through fertigation (WSF) with mulch than the fertigation without mulch and fertilizer applied through soil.</div>

<div>Effect of Fertigation and Mulching on Root Studies and Crop Growth Indices for Seed Production in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]</div>

<div>Background: Freshwater in sufficient quantity and adequate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. To adequately feed 9.3 billion people in 2050, consumptive water use (i.e. transpired water) by all food and fodder crops needs to increase from its present estimated level of 7000 km3/year to 12,586 km3/year. However, fresh water resources are increasingly getting scarce because of increased competition among a multitude of users. Getting agriculture to perform with progressively smaller allocation of renewable water resources will remain a challenge on global scale. To meet the challenge there is an urgent need to improve the crop water productivity to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. 
 
Methods: An experiment was carried out at village Menawali, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan during both kharif and rabi seasons to assess productivity, economics, N-uptake and water use of different crops. An area of 187 ha comprising 25 farmers irrigated by common irrigation channels were selected to collect the information. The information required i.e. soil, crop management, growth, phonological, yields, water balance, N-uptake and water use efficiency of each crops were collected from 15 farmers. Bt-cotton and clusterbean of kharif and wheat and Indian mustard in rabi were prominent crops, cotton-wheat, cotton-mustard, clusterbean-wheat and clusterbean-mustard were major cropping sequences of the study region. 
 
Result: In kharif season, Bt-cotton gave higher economic yields than clusterbean and amongst rabi season crops, economic yields of wheat and mustard were 4255, 1778 kg/ha, respectively. The economic yield of cropping sequences varied from 3741-6514 kg/ha and were higher for cotton-wheat (6218 kg/ha), intermediate for clusterbean-wheat (5785 kg/ha) and lower for cotton-mustard (3741 kg/ha) and clusterbean-mustard (3308 kg/ha). The cotton-wheat (₹1181.2 mm) sequence had highest water use. Clusterbean-wheat cropping system recorded highest water productivity (16.5 kg/ha mm) followed by clusterbean-mustard (14.9 kg/ha mm). The clusterbean-mustard (₹456/ha mm) cropping sequence was most profitable and fetched highest net return followed by clusterbean-wheat (₹383/ha mm).</div>

Effect of Legume Crop Residues and Nitrogen Management on Growth Parameters and Growth Indices of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Evaluation on the Influence of Cropping Systems and Nutrient Management Practices in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Growth, Crop Nutrient Uptake and Soil Fertility Status

Status of growth in area, production and productivity of major crops in Jammu province of J&K State

Growth, Productivity and Profitability of Fodder Sorghum and Cluster Bean as Influenced by Mixed Cropping and Nutrient Management

Effects of Moringa olifera leaf extracts on growth and productivity of three leguminous crops

Production Potential of Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] as Influenced by Crop Geometry and Plant Growth Regulators

Growth of Legume Cover Crops under Cassava and Its Effect on Soil Properties

Morphophenological Characters and Productivity of Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] as Influenced by Crop Geometry and Plant Growth Regulators

Effect of Fertigation and Mulching on Root Studies and Crop Growth Indices for Seed Production in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

Assessing Crop and Water Productivity Performance of Different Crops and Cropping Systems