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ThesisItem Restricted DELINEATION OF CADMIUM CONTAMINATED SOILS AROUND BUDDAH NALLAH (LUDHIANA) AND REMEDIAL MEASURES OF AFFECTED SOILS(PAU Ludhiana, 2011) Dharamvir Singh Kambo; MPS., KHURANACadmium is potentially toxic metal and is highly carcinogenic that enters the food chain from the soil through crop uptake resulting from various anthropogenic activities. The surface sewage irrigated soils collected laterally around Buddah Nullah irrespective of the sites had DTPA extractable cadmium 5.2 times more than the adjoining tube well irrigated soils. Considering the threshold value of 3 mg Cd kg-1 soil, about 11.3 per cent soils have crossed this limit and needs cleanup operation. However management option to rehabilitate such soils depends on pools of Cd responsible for phyto-toxicity and use of amendments able to influence these pools. A screen house experiment was conducted to assess the effect of (0, 2.5, 5 10, 20 and 40 mg Cd kg-1 soil) and CaCO3 (2.5 and 5%), FYM (1 and 2 %) and Phosphorous (20 and 40 P2O5 mg kg-1 soil) on the growth of pigweed on soil having DTPA-Cd 0.36 mg kg-1 soil. Dry matter yields decreased as a consequence of phytotoxic effect of Cd emanating from increased availability of Cd in soils and plants. The rate at which significant declined occurred was 10 mg kg-1. However application of different amendments viz (Calcium carbonate, FYM, Phosphorus) exhibited variable behavior as far as their remediation potential was concerned. Application of CaCO3, FYM and phosphorous at their highest rate reduced DTPA- Cd by 52.6 percent, 37.1 percent and 45.1 percent respectively. Consequently maximum enhancement in dry matter yields was observed with application of 5% CaCO3 among other amendments. The upper critical toxic level in soil and shoots of pig weed was found to be 4.38 mg kg-1 soil and 14.6 μg g-1 dry matter respectively. The interaction of Cd with Zn and Fe was found to be rate dependent. Cu and Mn in both shoots and roots was negatively correlated to the added Cd. All the fractions of Cd in soils increased significantly with cadmium application. Amendments decreased the EX+WS fraction, the maximum depressing effect observed with 5% CaCO3 because of concomitant increase in CARB fraction. FYM application decreased the CARB fraction where as it encouraged both OM-Cd and oxide bound fractions. Phosphorus application was effective in transforming Cd in to oxide bound fractions with little influence on carbonate and organic fractions.ThesisItem Restricted COMPETITIVE ABILITY OF DIFFERENT WHEAT VARIETIES AGAINST Phalaris minor (Retz.) IN RELATION TO CROP GEOMETRY(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2011) Neeraj SharmaA field investigation was conducted at Students’ Research Farm, Deptt. of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi 2010-11 to study the competitive ability of different wheat varieties against Phalaris minor (Retz.) in relation to crop geometry. The experiment was conducted using Split Plot Design with four replications. Three spacings (15cm, 22.5cm and 22.5cm × 22.5cm) and two weed control methods (sprayed and unsprayed) were kept in main plots and four wheat varieties viz: PBW 550, DBW 17, PBW 621 and WH 542 were kept in sub plots. The weed count (118 and 130/m2) and weed dry weight (22.6 and 24.0q/ha) was found to be significantly less at harvest under bi-directional (22.5cm × 22.5cm) sowing and closer (15cm) sowing, respectively as compared to normal 22.5cm sowing which resulted in increased grain yield i.e. 56.5q/ha and 52.5q/ha in bidirectional and closer sowing respectively. The plots sprayed with herbicide showed significantly less weed count (112/m2) and weed dry matter (21.5q/ha) at harvest which resulted in increased grain yield in sprayed plots (57.9 q/ha) as compared to unsprayed plots (45.3q/ha). Among four wheat varieties, PBW 621 and PBW 550 were at par with each other in terms of grain (57.1 and 55.4 q/ha) and straw (86.5 and 78.8 q/ha) yield due to more number of effective tillers/m2 (445 and 416), ear length (8.7 and 7.7cm), numbers of grains per ear (53.7 and 50.5) and thousand grain weight (39.1 and 38.2 g) respectively. The weed count (120 and 126/m2) and weed dry matter (22.4 and 23.2 q/ha) was found to be significantly less at harvest for wheat variety PBW 621 and PBW 550, respectively due to more leaf area index and number of tillers/m2 recorded at different growth stages of wheat and proved more competitive against Phalaris minor as compared to DBW 17 and WH 542.ThesisItem Restricted GROWTH, QUALITY AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY OF AUGUST SOWN MAIZE AS AFFECTED BY PLANTING METHOD, MULCH AND IRRIGATION REGIMES(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2011) Manvir KaurThe field experiment entitled “Growth, quality and water productivity of August sown maize as affected by planting method, mulch and irrigation regimes” was conducted at Students’ Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, during late kharif 2010-11. The crop was sown on August 27, 2010 and harvested on January 7, 2011. The soil was loamy sand with 0-180 cm soil profile’s field capacity and 15 bar values of 43.9 and 10.48 cm, respectively, normal in reaction, low in organic carbon and available N, medium in available P and K. The field experiment comprised of 18 treatment combinations from six combinations from method of sowing (flat, ridge and bed) and mulch (no mulch and mulch @6t ha-1) as main plot treatments and three irrigation levels as sub plot treatments (irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The grain yield for bed planting was 78.2 q ha-1 which was significantly higher than ridge (74.8 q ha-1) and flat (70.6 q ha-1) planting while the water-use-efficiency (was higher for bed (215.4 kg ha-cm-1) planting as compared to ridge (204.5 kg ha-cm-1) and flat (190.4 kg ha-cm-1) treatment. Various growth parameters and nutrient uptake was higher for bed planting compared to flat and ridge planting. Crop took more days to attain dough stage and physiological maturity under flat (114.3 & 125.7 days) planting in comparison to ridge (111.1 & 122.0 days) and bed (108.0 & 119.8 days) planting. Mulch application had no significant effect on various growth and yield attributing characters viz. plant height, number of leaves per plant, LAI, DMA, root density, number of grains per cob, test weight, cob length etc. Higher water-use-efficiency (208.0 kg hacm -1) was observed for mulch @6 ha-1 than no mulch treatment (197.94 kg ha-cm-1). Quality parameters such as oil, starch and total sugars content remained unaffected under different mulch levels. The grain yield under irrigation regime I1.00 (7 irrigations) was 80.3 q ha-1 which was significantly higher than the grain yield observed under I0.75 (5 irrigations) and I0.50 (3 irrigations). However, water-use-efficiency and water-expense-efficiency were found to be higher under I0.50 (228.6 kg ha-cm-1 & 165.7) and I0.75 (209.1 kg ha-cm-1 &148.9) in comparison to higher irrigation regimes of I1.00 (179.3 kg ha-cm-1 &129.4). Protein content (%) of grains increased while starch and total sugars content (%) decreased with increase in irrigation frequency. Nutrient uptake by crop i.e. N, P and K was also higher at higher irrigation regimes.ThesisItem Restricted Influence of nitrogen levels and its split application on the productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) planted with happy seeder(2011) Khushwant SinghThe field experiment entitled “Influence of nitrogen levels and its split application on the productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) planted with happy seeder” was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 2009-10. The different levels of nitrogen did not affect significantly on grain yield of happy seeder sown wheat. However, the higher grain yield was recorded with 150 kg N ha-1 which was 5.2 and 12.1 per cent higher than 125 and 100 kg N ha-1, respectively. The treatment T3 produced significantly higher grain yield which was at par with T7 and T8 as compared to other treatments comprising of two or three splits. The interaction effects on grain yields were found significant due to nitrogen levels and split application of nitrogen. The nitrogen application at 125 kg ha-1 with 1/4 nitrogen at sowing, 1/4 nitrogen after 1st irrigation and 1/2 nitrogen after 2nd irrigation (T8) gave higher grain yield which was at par with 100 kg N ha-1 x 1/3 nitrogen at sowing, 1/3 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and1/3rd nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T3), 125 kg N ha-1 x 1/3 nitrogen at sowing, 1/3 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and1/3rd nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T3), 150 kg N ha-1 x 1/3 nitrogen at sowing, 1/3 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and1/3rd nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T3), 150 kg N ha-1 x 1/2 nitrogen at sowing, 1/4 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and 1/4 nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T5), 125 kg N ha-1 x 1/2 nitrogen at sowing, 1/4 nitrogen after 1st irrigation and 1/4 nitrogen after 2nd irrigation (T6), 125 kg N ha-1 x 1/4 nitrogen at sowing 1/4 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and 1/2 nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T7), 150 kg N ha-1 x 1/4 nitrogen at sowing 1/4 nitrogen before 1st irrigation and 1/2 nitrogen before 2nd irrigation (T7) and 150 kg N ha-1 , 1/4 nitrogen at sowing 1/4 nitrogen after 1st irrigation and 1/2 nitrogen after 2nd irrigation ( T8) than the other treatment combinations.ThesisItem Open Access PERFORMANCE OF KHARIF MAIZE UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FARMYARD MANURE AND NITROGEN(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2011) Bhadra ParijaThe field experiment entitled “Performance of kharif maize under different levels of farmyard manure and nitrogen” was carried out at Research Farm, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif 2010. The crop was sown on June 25, 2010 and harvested on October 8, 2010. The soil was loamy sand, normal in reaction, low in organic carbon and available N, medium in available P and K. The field experiment comprised of 20 treatment combinations from four main plot treatments (farmyard manure @ 0, 10, 15 and 20 tonnes/ha) and five nitrogen levels as sub plot treatments (0, 75, 100, 125 and 150 kg N/ha). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The grain yield under farmyard manure level FYM20 (20 tonnes/ha) and FYM15 (15 tonnes/ha) was observed to the tune of 62.1 and 58.3 q/ha, respectively, which were statistically at par with each other but significantly higher than the grain yield observed under FYM10 (10 tonnes/ha) and control.. The days taken to dough stage and physiological maturity were more under higher farmyard manure levels (FYM20 and FYM15) as compared to lower farmyard manure level and control. Protein content (%) of grains was increased while starch and total sugars content (%) decreased with increase in farmyard manure level. Nutrient uptake by crop i.e. N, P and K was also higher at higher level of farmyard manure. Among nitrogen levels, N150 gave significantly higher grain yield over N125, N100, N75 and control. Similar trend was also observed for growth and yield attributing characters viz; plant height, number of leaves per plant, LAI, DMA, leaf chlorophyll content, number of grains per cob,1000 grain weight, cob length etc. Quality parameters such as oil, tryptophan, mineral matter, starch and total sugars content (%) remained unaffected under different nitrogen levels whereas protein content (%) was increased with increase in nitrogen level. Crop took more days to attain dough stage and physiological maturity under higher nitrogen level in comparison to lower nitrogen levels. Total N, P and K uptake was also maximum at N150 which was significantly higher than other nitrogen levels.ThesisItem Restricted Intercropping of baby corn (Zea mays L.) with varying plant densities under different planting techniques of spring planted sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2011) Gurdeep SinghA field experiment entitled “Intercropping of baby corn (Zea mays L.) with varying plant densities under different planting techniques of spring planted sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)” was conducted at Sugarcane Experimental Area, Ladhowal, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during spring 2010. The soil of the experimental site was loamy sand, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and available N, medium in available P and K. The field experiment consisting of 10 treatments was conducted in randomised block design with four replications. The treatment comprised of intercropping of baby corn (as per row arrangement of 1:1 and 1:2) in sugarcane planted at 75 cm, in paired row trench and at 90 cm row distance. The sole sugarcane in each planting technique and a sole baby corn as per conventional planting were kept as check. Significant higher number of tillers (181thousand/ha), number of millable canes (106.3 thousand/ha), plant height (192.7 cm) and cane yield (86.20 t/ha) were recorded in sole sugarcane planted in paired row trench planting (30:90 cm) method. However, other growth parameters like cane girth, Number of internodes and single cane weight remain unaffected. The cane quality in terms of brix, pol percent and CCS percent too were not influenced by the intercropping of baby corn in sugarcane. The maximum plant height (151.0 cm) of baby corn, barreness percent (4.03) and harvest duration (18 days) was recorded in sole baby corn. However the girth of baby corn and days to harvest initiation remained uninfluenced with baby corn intercropping in sugarcane planted with different techniques. The increase in planting densities of intercropped baby corn from single row to double rows in sugarcane under different planting techniques registered significant decline in number of baby corns per plant. But the yield with husk (54.7 q/ha) and without husk (12.3 q/ha) and fodder yield (302.1 q/ha) were highest in sole crop of baby corn. Among the intercropping system sugarcane planted in paired row trench (30:90 cm) + baby corn (1:2) recorded 10.35 q/ha of baby corn yield which was at par with sugarcane planted at 90 cm rows apart + baby corn in 1:2 row ratio. However the cane equivalent yield (105.3 t/ha) was maximum in sugarcane planted in paired row trench method accommodating only one row of baby corn. Sugarcane in paired row trench (30:90 cm) + baby corn (1:1) fetched maximum gross return (Rs 2,10,500/ha), net returns (Rs 1,03,765/ha) and B: C (0.97). It was further followed by sugarcane in paired trench (30:90 cm) intercropped with baby corn in 1:2 row arrangement. Hence highest profitability and productivity in spring sugarcane - baby corn system can be obtained under sugarcane planted in paired row trench (30:90 cm) intercropped with single row of baby corn.
