Journal of Agricultural Research (JAR) .
Directorate General Agricultural Information
OPTIMIZING TRANSPLANTING DATES FOR EXCELLENT GRAIN QUALITY IN BASMATI RICE OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
The timing of transplanting rice crop significantly impacts the grain quality of Basmati rice varieties. This study was conducted during the 2021 to 2024 cropping seasons at the Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku, Punjab, Pakistan, to determine the optimum transplanting time for achieving superior grain quality. Four transplanting dates (June 03, June 24, July 15, and August 06) were evaluated across five indigenous Basmati varieties, namely Super Basmati, Super Basmati 2019, PK 1121 Aromatic, PK 2021 Aromatic, and Vital Basmati. Results revealed that transplanting on July 15 recorded the highest head rice recovery (63–65%), kernel length (7.6–7.9 mm), and elongation ratio (1.85–1.92), thereby ensuring excellent milling quality. In contrast, transplanting on August 06 improved aroma scores (7.8/9) but reduced milling recovery (<55%). Early transplanting (June 03) resulted in comparatively lower physical grain quality and milling recovery. The findings suggest that to achieve optimum Basmati rice grain quality and ensure better economic returns, transplanting should ideally be completed by mid-July.
Copyright (c) 2026 Farah Shamim, Mohsin Ali Raza, Muhammad Shahid Munir, Muhammad Ijaz (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EFFECT OF NITROGEN SOURCE AND APPLICATION SCHEDULE ON PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY OF BLACK CUMIN (NIGELLA SATIVA L.)
Efficient nitrogen (N) management through its appropriate source and timing of application is essential for enhancing crop yield. A field study was conducted during the winter growing seasons 2021–22 and 2022–23 at Agronomic Research Station, Khanewal, Punjab-Pakistan to most suitable source and application time of N on growth and yield of black cumin. Ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and urea were used as different N sources and whole N application at sowing, 1/2 N at sowing + 1/2 N at branching, 1/3 N at sowing + 1/3 at branching + 1/3 at f lowering as varable N application timings. Results showed that ammonium sulfate consistently outperformed all other N sources. Relative to urea, ammonium sulfate increased plant height by 18% and 4%, branches per plant by 33% and 25% during 2021–22 and 2022–23, respectively. The number of capsules per plant improved by 8% and 7% in the respective years. Likewise, ammonium sulfate increased the number of seeds per capsule by 12% and 5% and boosted seed yield by 7% and 9% across the two years. Among N split-application treatments, the three-split application of 18.3 kg N ha⁻¹ at sowing, branching and flowering proved the most effective. Compared with the control, said treatment increased plant height by 90% and 18% during 2021–22 and 2022–23, respectively. The number of branches per plant improved by 150% and 57%, while the number of capsules per plant increased by 17% and 33% across the two years. Similarly, said treatment enhanced the number of seeds per capsule by 94% and 16%, and increased 1000-seed weight by 84% and 53% in the respective years. Seed yield was also substantially higher, with gains of 67% and 50% over the control. A significant interaction between N source and N split-application was observed. Among all combinations, ammonium sulfate applied in three splits produced the highest values. Compared with the lowest-performing combination; urea with no N application (control); this treatment increased plant height by 114% and 23% in 2021–22 and 2022–23, respectively. The number of branches per plant increased by 200% and 67%, while the number of capsules per plant improved by 22% and 44% across the two years. Thousand-seed weight was enhanced by 112% and 49%, and seed yield was boosted by 70% and 68%, respectively. Economic analysis revealed that ammonium sulfate applied in three splits gave the highest net income (Rs. 301044 and 301044 during 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively) and benefit-cost ratio (2.41 and 1.99) during respective years. It is concluded that the application of ammonium sulfate in three equal splits at sowing, branching, and flowering is the most effective N management strategy for black cumin.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Iqbal, Saba Iqbal, Asmat Ullah, Naveed Akhtar, Arbab Jahangeer, Muhammad Arshad, Tahira Tabassum, Ali Zohaib, Farhat Bashir, Siraj Ahmed (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
FORESTATION: THE ULTIMATE REMEDY FOR NATURAL DISASTER, AN EVALUATIVE STUDY
The research study aimed to analyze the participation of the governmental and non-governmental sectors in Billion Tree Project, and to assess the involvement of agricultural extension agents. This study was carried out in the Faisalabad district. The research population comprised the employees of forest department, school education department, agriculture extension office in Faisalabad, and local communities. The research population was comprised of 50 agricultural extension agents, 33 teachers from 3 government schools, 50 employees from the forest department, and 50 local residents. This was survey-type research. Quota sampling was used. The sample was 183 respondents by using www.surveysystem.com with a confidence interval of 5% and 95% confidence level. A well- structured questionnaire was developed for the collection of data. The frequencies, averages, standard deviation, weighted score and chi-square were employed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results show that there was a need for plantations in urban areas to control the temperature. The research indicates the role of government that contributes in different perspectives. The teacher has spread awareness in various ways that people recommend 44% maximum in a medium-range. Research results indicated that increase in the income of local people variable mean is 3.38 and the standard deviation is 0.976, agricultural extension agents highly participated to create green Pakistan. It was crucial in ensuring pay availability for jobless laborers and providing employment for farmers in nursery development, while simultaneously serving as a significant source of income. This approach fosters significant motivation for tree planting, resulting in reduced pollution levels, diminished deforestation, and contributions to the forest afforestation. These initiatives positively impacted our surrounding environment. Therefore, we should refer to plantations that will be able to meet more demand because of technological advancement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Aqeela Saghir, Sadia Ijaz, Khalid Bashir³, Ijaz Ashraf, Rafay Muzamil, Saba Javed (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
YIELD PERFORMANCE AND DISEASE RESPONSE OF NOVEL TOMATO HYBRIDS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS
The study was conducted at the at vegetable research area of Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan, during 2024–25 to develop and evaluate newly developed tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hybrids for yield performance and disease tolerance. Eleven new hybrids, including a commercial check (Marjan), were tested in a randomized complete block design with three replications under field conditions. Significant differences were observed among genotypes for vegetative, reproductive and yield traits. Hybrid NBH-714 produced the highest yield (3.0 kg plant-1; 34.3 t ha-1), followed by NBH-715 and NBH-691. Standard heterosis varied from -0.73 to 66.6%, indicating strong hybrid vigor in several crosses. All hybrids were susceptible to early blight, while NBH-721 showed the lowest late blight index (29.7%). Yield-related traits contributed most to genetic variability based on principal component analysis. Overall, NBH-714, NBH-715 and NBH-691 exhibited superior yield potential and are recommended for commercial evaluation and breeding improvement under local agro-climatic conditions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ariba Shamail, Abdul Rehman Khan, Amjad Hameed, Saba Akram, Khalid Pervaiz Akhtar, Madiha Shafique (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
IMPACT OF EXOGENOUS NICKEL APPLICATION ON MUNGBEAN PRODUCTION AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS
Nickel (Ni) is an essential micronutrient present in urease enzyme of plants and microorganisms required for overall plant growth especially in nodule forming crops. To assess the nickel role for crop growth attributes of mungbean, two year field trial were conducted on different treatments of 1 nickel by using Randomized Complete Block design at the farm area of Soil Chemistry Section, AARI, Faisalabad for two consecutive years. Nickel Sulphate as Ni treatment was applied @ 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kg ha-1 to the soil as basal along-with recommended dose of NPK fertilizers. The increasing trend of shoot length, No. of pods plant-1 and No. of grains pod-1 with the application of increased Ni rate was observed. The maximum grain yield of mungbean (473.17 & 498.14 kg ha ) was observed where 10 kg ha-1 nickel was applied and minimum grain yield (429.52 & 441.21 kg ha-1) was observed in control in 1st and 2nd year of mungbean, respectively. The application of Ni also showed the increased Ni content in grains with the maximum content of 4.74 & 4.91 µg g-1 in 1st and 2nd year, respectively, where 10 kg ha-1 Ni was applied. The phosphorus content (0.481 & 0.514 µg g-1) was observed maximum where (NPK+ 10 kg ha-1 Ni) as compared to control and T2 (NPK+ 2 kg ha-1). It was concluded that the application of Ni to the growth medium improved the growth and grain yield and should be considered as beneficial micronutrient. The research clearly shows that nickel fertilization to the soil can improve mungbean growth, yield, and nutrient uptake, especially in soils low in nickel.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ifra Saleem, Qudsia Nazir, Nisa Mukhtar, Rimsha Nazir, Ana Aslam, Amina Kalsom, Farah Rasheed, Raheela Naz, Hina Javed, Allah Nawaz, Abid Niaz, Sarfraz Hussain, Alamgir Alvi (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE PADDY WEEDER DESIGN USING MSC Adams, EDEM, AND ANSYS
The growing demand for sustainable and efficient weed management practices in paddy cultivation has led to the need for eco-friendly mechanical alternatives to chemical herbicides. This study is performed in 2025 to demonstrates the comprehensive virtual prototyping approach towards sustainable design of a walk-behind inter-row paddy weeder using MSC Adams, EDEM, and ANSYS software integration. A 3D model of the weeder was prepared in the SolidWorks software and analyzed using multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation in MSC Adams to determine the kinematic behaviour, which shows a relative error of less than 2% between the simulated and theoretical values. The validated model was co-simulated together with the EDEM to develop a virtual digital twin that provided a realistic representation of soil-tool interactions, from which dynamic forces were extracted for static structural analysis in ANSYS. Among the three blade designs (D1 , D2 , D3 ), the structural integrity was best in design D2 , with minimal deformation (0.18 mm), the equivalent stress was low (63.3 MPa), and the safety factor was 1.26 compared with the excessive stress of D1 (651.04 MPa, FOS 0.38). The developed virtual prototyping framework greatly reduces the need for physical prototypes and field trials, which greatly decreases the cost and time of development. This simulation-driven design offers a low-cost and long-term energy-efficient alternative for sustainable management of paddy weeds. The results highlight the potential of digital engineering tools to drive the adoption of climate-smart agricultural machinery.
Copyright (c) 2026 Aftab Khaliq, Ibrar Ahmad, Fiaz Ahmad, Muhammad Faheem, Badar Munir Khan Naizi , Hafiz Sultan Mahmood, Mahmood Ali (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GREEN EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WASTE AS A PRECURSOR OF NUTRACEUTICALS
The global population is experiencing rapid growth, resulting in significant challenges related to disease prevalence, food security, healthcare systems, and nutrition. The processing of fruits and vegetables generates vast quantities of agro-waste. The disposal of agro-waste represents both a cost to the processor and poses potential negative impacts on the environment. The valorization of these waste materials into the extraction of bioactive compounds with nutraceutical potential serves as a new pathway for sustainable utilization. The present study was aimed to prepare the aqueous extracts of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) waste, grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfad) peels and pea (Pisum sativum) pods using different methods such as extraction at room temperature and boiling for determination of various bioactive compounds. Quantitative analysis revealed that cabbage extracts contained the highest phenolic contents (161.62 mg GAE/g) among the other extracts. Grapefruit peels demonstrated the highest tannin contents (33.56 mg tannins/g), while pea pod extracts were notable for flavonoid contents (31.83 mg QE/g). Cabbage extracts also exhibited substantial reducing sugar (136.96 mg glucose/g) and total sugar (560.2 mg glucose/g). However, there were no significant variations (p > 0.05) among the bioactive compounds in cabbage waste, grapefruit peels, and pea pods , when compared with each other. So, aqueous green extracts of these plant material could be used as saver nutritional agent as compared to the other conventional non-greener extracts. These could be a stimulator for sustainable and economical nutraceutical future.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hadiqa Shahzad, Hina Akram, Javeria Nadeem, Sofia Nosheen (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COTTON CROP PRODUCTION AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF FARMING COMMUNITIES IN TEHSIL KHANPUR, RAHIM YAR KHAN, PAKISTAN
This study investigates the relationship between cotton crop production and the socio-economic conditions of rural communities in Tehsil Khanpur. It explores how challenges such as high input costs, small landholdings, limited access to credit, lack of awareness about modern agricultural practices, and market uncertainties affect the production and usage of cotton income among farmers. The data was collected through structured questionnaires of 125 cotton growers in the most cotton cultivated five Union Councils of tehsil Khanpur. The results showed that a majority of farmers (68%) were not well educated and 18.4% were illiterate due to which 52% farmers were not aware of modern agriculture technologies, while 89% of the farmers reported that these technologies were too expensive to adopt. During this study, it was also found that 68% farmers had not enough financial resources for crop cultivation and 74% identified that there were lack of micro credit facilities. The outcome of this study stated that better cotton production revealed the significant and positive impact on socio-economic status of the farmers. The majority of the farmers (63%) reported that cotton crop production increased their family income. Among them, 90% of the farmers responded that they used this income on the marriages of their siblings. A majority of farmers (63% and 90%) stated that they adopted better health and educational facilities, respectively for their family. The results of the model indicated a positive impact of better cotton crop production on wellbeing of the cotton farmers. The study suggests the need for policy measures that strengthen extension services, provide timely input delivery, improve credit access, and ensure better market linkages to support rural development through cotton farming.
Copyright (c) 2026 Aatif Ramzan, Sabir Hussain Shah, Muhammad Fahd Bhatti, Muhammad Rafique Shahid, Muhammad Yaseen, Muhammad Ali (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVANCES IN AUTOMATION FOR PLUG SEEDLING CULTIVATION AND TRANSPLANTING IN GREENHOUSES: A REVIEW
The world food security needs the adoption of effective and sustainable agricultural practices, which is affected by factors like population growth, labor shortage, and rising production costs. Especially in vegetable farming that is an important source of nutrients is impacted. Plug seedling systems, where transplants are cultivated in regulated greenhouse conditions, have much to recommend them, such as lower establishment costs, more efficient resource use (water, nutrients, pesticides) and better uniformity of crops. However, cultivating and transplanting of these seedlings are laborious activities, which require precision. This review explores the critical role of agriculture automation technologies in solving such challenges. In particular, we review the results of the current automated solutions used along the plug seedling production chain, such as automatic seedling quality evaluation, machine vision-controlled robotics to monitor and grade quality, robotic, and automated transplanting systems. Analysis of the findings demonstrate that these technologies can be helpful in increasing productivity, maintaining high quality and greatly decreasing reliance on manual labor. Lastly, we recognize existing constraints and future trends in order to offer future research and development directions in the field of smart greenhouse automation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ibrar Ahmad , Aftab Khaliq, Bushra Saddique, Fiaz Ahmad, Mahmood Ali, Muhammed Shoaib (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
INNOVATION IN COTTON BREEDING: FH-416 AS A NEWLY DEVELOPED VARIETY FOR YIELD AND QUALITY ADVANCEMENT IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
ABSTRACT A novel Bt-cotton variety FH-416 produced higher seed cotton yield and fiber quality in different cotton regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Development of FH-416 was started in 2012 at Cotton Research Station, Faisalabad through hybridization between the parents like CIM-599(Bt) and FH-142(Bt). Selection of superior single plants started from F2 and superior single plants within superior progenies were selected in following generations (F3-F6) by using modified pedigree method. Evaluation phase for yield performance of advanced strains was started during 2019-20. The selected advanced strains evaluated in different trials including preliminary yield trial, advance yield trial, national coordinated varietal trial, agronomic trial, entomological trial and spot examination trial. Under preliminary yield trial, FH-416 produced 23.23 % higher seed cotton yield as compared to check variety. Under advanced yield trial, FH-416 showed maximum yield increased i.e., 31.10 % over the check/standard. Yield performance under national coordinated varietal trials, FH-416 revealed 13.41 % and 18.83 % higher yield with respect to check variety (CIM-600) and secured 1st and 2nd position during 2021 and 2022, respectively. FH-416 qualified the fiber quality standards with superior fiber traits including, staple length (28.92 mm), fiber fineness (4.28 µg/inch), fiber strength (32.03 g/tex) and ginning out turn (42.0 %). Amongst sowing dates, 16 March, 1st April and 16 April showed higher yield, predicting the best sowing window for FH-416 along with plant spacing 22.2cm and 30cm. FH-416 revealed tolerance for cotton leaf curl disease based on disease incidence recorded 1.03% and 1.29% during the year 2019 and 2020, respectively. FH-416 revealed moderate tolerance against infestation of insect-pests including whitefly, thrips, jassid and pink bollworm. Therefore, in the meeting of Punjab Seed Council during 2025, FH-416 a novel cotton variety approved for general cultivation in different cotton zones of Pakistan. However, FH-416 combines yield stability, fiber quality, and stress resilience, making it a promising option for Pakistan’s cotton revival.
Copyright (c) 2025 Amjad Farooq, Jehanzeb Farooq, Muhammad Rizwan, Yasir Ramzan, Farrukh Ilahi, Amna Nazir (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
IMPLICATIONS OF ASIAN REGION RICE CONTRIBUTION TO GLOBAL SUPPLY IN THE CONTEXT OF GREEN REVOLUTION
This study determines the rank and relative contribution of top rice-producing Asian countries to global rice production using data from 1961 to 2023. The data sparsity and high degree of correlation among the predictor variables posed serious issues that were managed through correlated component regression. Absolute values of standardized regression coefficients determine each country’s share in global rice production, which is then used to compute the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. It analyzes the data between two periods: the first represents the Green Revolution Period (1966-1992) and the second indicates the post-Green Revolution Period (1993-2023). Empirical results show that all countries except Nepal and Cambodia (1966–1992) and Cambodia (1993–2023) had a positive and statistically significant impact on global rice production. During the Green Revolution period, India and China held the top two positions, accounting for nearly 45 percent of the total share. India accounted for 22.75 percent, while China accounted for 22.19 percent of the share. In the post-Green Revolution period, these two countries secured almost 52.19 percent of the share, with China alone holding a 30.03 percent share. A comparison between periods indicates that Myanmar experienced a significant improvement in ranking, moving up by +7 places, followed by Cambodia (+4), Thailand (+2) and Bangladesh (+2). On the other hand, Japan (-7 places) and Indonesia (-4) witnessed the largest declines in rankings. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index value was 1390 during the Green Revolution period; however, in the post-Green Revolution period, it was 1718, indicating a moderate increase of 328 points. The lower Herfindahl-Hirschman Index value (1390) during the Green Revolution period confirms that technological improvement and policy factors significantly contributed to greater geographical variation in the relative importance of each country’s contribution to global rice production. In contrast, during the post-Green Revolution period, the influence of such factors on geographic variation in relative importance seemed to be less pronounced. Our analysis further indicates that climate change variables, such as temperature, have inversely impacted rice production more in the post-Green Revolution period compared to the Green Revolution period. Based on the findings of this study, we recommend (i) policymakers should encourage advanced agricultural technologies and knowledge-sharing, especially in countries such as Nepal, Indonesia and Pakistan to increase their contribution to global rice production and (ii) policies should promote investment in underperforming regions and practice sustainability to minimize over-dependence on dominant producers such as China and India to minimize risks of food security and environmental impacts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Naveed, Anwar Hussain (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
UTILIZING POTATO PEEL WASTE FOR EXTENDING THE SHELF-LIFE OF FRESH-CUT APPLES
Fresh-cut apples are at high risk of browning, which makes them highly perishable. The growing demand for fresh-cut produce has made it essential to explore convenient methods to enhance the shelf stability of ready-to-eat produce. The current research was conducted to prolong the life of fresh-cut apples through edible coating formulated with potato peel extract (PPE). The effect of PPE coating in combination with chemical preservatives including ascorbic acid, oxalic acid and calcium lactate was studied on fresh-cut apple slices stored at 5°C. The treatments were designed based on three different concentrations of PPE i.e. 3%, 5% and 7%. Physicochemical analysis of weight loss, total soluble solids, firmness, titratable acidity, pH, browning index, vitamin C and sensory evaluation were conducted to determine the changes in quality characteristics over 9 days. It was revealed that with the increase in PPE, the browning index decreased along with better retention of other quality parameters. The treatment with the highest percentage of PPE (T4) also had the best score in sensory evaluation. Overall, the study demonstrated that edible coatings enriched with higher concentrations of PPE, particularly at 7%, successfully retained the acceptable quality and extended the storage life of fresh-cut apples.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rabiya Zulfiqar, Sidra Rashid, Hafiz Usama Noor, Hammad Naeem, Muhammad Hamdan Rashid, Irrum Babu, Bareera Shafiqe, Muhammad Abrar, Humaira Kausar, Saima Parveen (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EVALUATION OF COMPARATIVE RESISTANCE IN ELITE SESAME GERMPLASM AGAINST ITS INSECT PEST COMPLEX
Sesame crop is becoming very important due its export potential in Pakistan. Its oil is very important nutritional source as it contains 25% protein and 50% oil. It is a vital source of anti oxidants. In this study we evaluated ten sesame lines for their susceptibility to whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), Sesame capsule borer Antigastra catanalanis Duponchel (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) and mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Miridae: Hemiptera) under field conditions. The crop was sown in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) design with three replications for two consecutive years 2023-24 in June. Data was recorded fortnightly and averaged at the end of the crop season for statistical analysis. Results indicated that sesame germplasm has shown resistance to the insect pests. Minimum whitefly population was recorded on 19002 (1.63) sesame line as compared to check variety. Minimum mirid bugs population was recorded on 21005 (5.02) sesame line as compared to check variety. Least pod borer damage was recorded on 19002 (8.53%) sesame line. The results suggested that these sesame lines can be used in further breeding programs or these can be approved as new resistant cultivars. This would reduce insecticidal sprays on the crop as a result insecticide residue problem will be minimized which will be very beneficial to the environment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ijaz Haider, Muhammad Younas, Sikandar Ali, Hafiz Bashir Ahmad, Hafiz Saad Mustafa, Ejaz ul Hassan, Muhammad Rizwan Bashir, Ahmad Nawaz Gill, Dilbar Hussain, Asad Aslam, Muhammad Kamil Malik (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
FACTORS INFLUENCING FARMERS’ SATISFACTION AND ADOPTION OF MOBILE PHONE APPLICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
This systematic literature review aims to investigate the effects of mobile phone applications on farmers’ behaviour and satisfaction. Following PRISMA guidelines, this review incorporated 21 papers into the analysis, obtained by searching papers published between 2010 and April 2024. This review demonstrates that the use of mobile phone applications significantly enhances agricultural practices by providing various important types of information, improving market access, and increasing productivity. Specific apps, such as Ricult in Pakistan and e-Agri Finance in Malaysia, have improved profitability and operational productivity. Specific elements that directly determine satisfaction include usability and reliability, which consist of trustworthy appeal, and the composite nature of the beneficial quality, such as providing services like weather conditions and market analysis. Barriers include insufficient communication, technological support, and limited user-friendliness. Thus, the level of education, household income, and other socio-economic indicators can also influence the extent of application use and the level of satisfaction with them. Based on the literature review, the authors suggest that enhanced USE apps, improved extension services, enhanced technical support, stronger public-private partnerships (PPP), and addressing socio-economic factors may help optimize the use of mobile phone applications in agriculture.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GENDER PERSPECTIVE OF CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITIES IN THE AGRARIAN COMMUNITIES OF SEMI-ARID AREAS IN THE PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world due to extreme climate change events. However, it is important to know about the perceptions about climate change vulnerabilities in the rural areas from rural communities to overcome the climate changes related challenges. Gender remains an important social factor and the effects of climate change are felt in a different way for women and men therefore, adaptation intervention also need to be gendered. In this perspective, this study was conducted to find out the gender wise perception of climate change as well as vulnerability and adaptive capacity in the context of climate change. A cross-sectional survey of the male and female respondents was conducted from 24 villages of semi-arid areas of the Punjab, Pakistan. Data collection was conducted during 2023 in two semi-arid districts of Punjab Pakistan one from Layyah and other from Bhakkar district. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select a size of 360 households. Both male and female members of the households were interviewed to have a gender perspective. A total of 720 respondents (30 from each selected village: 15 Males and 15 Females) were taken as the study sample. This survey was supplemented with 25 key informant interviews. The data were analyzed descriptive statistical analysis used. For comparison, the independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean scores of both genders for a given variable. The results indicate that the female respondents perceived that in the past 10 years the summer heat waves have increased and rainfall has decreased as compared to their previous years experiences. Due to climate change impacts extreme cold wave have also increased which destroyed standing crops, vegetables and high risk of disease attacks plants and livestock. During drought and dry spell most of the crops were also destroyed due to shortage of water. Due to climate change impacts irregular rain fall also effected the seasonality of the crops and some crops could not be cultivated. Results also show that the sampled households get their food form their own farms to fulfill their basic food needs thus in case when any natural disaster occur they cannot fulfill the demand of food and face shortage of food. “Household got food from their own farmland” got mean values 4.07 and 3.31 for male and female respondents respectively. There was a significant difference between male and female respondents with t-value 7.764. During any natural disaster female member suffer more for collection of water from far areas. “Household with consistent water supply during natural disaster” had values 2.74 and 3.02 for male and female respondents respectively. The tendency for male respondents was rarely to sometimes, while for female respondents it was between sometime to often there was significant difference between male and female respondents with t-value 2.881. The overall results also indicate that most of the household rely on natural resources and they face difficulty during any natural climate change event occur.
BRIDGING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE: GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AWARENESS AND TRAINING WILLINGNESS AMONG TOMATO FARMERS IN FUNAAB MODEL VILLAGES, SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA
The study was conducted to determine the awareness and willingness of tomato farmers to be trained on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) for sustainable production of tomato crops. The research was conducted in the university extension model villages in 2024. Probability (simple random) sampling technique was used to select 92 out of 118 registered tomato farmers across the study area. Interview guide was used to collect the data from the respondents. Data were analyzed with the aid of frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Chi square statistic and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings showed that the mean age of the respondents was 33 years and 78.3% had no formal education. The mean number of tomato harvested per production cycle was 1.02 tons/hectare. Furthermore, tomato cultivation practices used by the respondents was manual (100%), majority (88.0%) sourced their seed from retailers in local market. Result indicated that all (100.0%) of the respondents were not aware of GAPs. Also, all (100.0%) of the respondents indicated their willingness to be trained on GAPs for tomato production. Findings showed that there was significant associations (P≤0.05) between educational status ( =0.98); access to extension services ( =0.90) and willingness to be trained on GAPs. Also, significant relationships exist between age (r=0.86); years of tomato farming experience (r= 0.73) and willingness to be trained on GAPs. Furthermore, significant association (P≤0.05) exists between awareness ( =0.93) and willingness to be trained on GAPs. The study established that socio-economic characteristics such as age, education, access to extension agent, years of farming experience and awareness are key variables to be considered in designing framework model in training tomato farmers on GAPs. The study recommended that the extension arm of the university- Agricultural Media and Research Centre (AMREC), research institutions, State and Federal Ministry of Agriculture should deploy more extension agents to create awareness, educate and conduct regular training on GAPs for the tomato farmers for safe and sustainable production of tomato in Southwest, Nigeria.
CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF CITRUS SAUCE AS A VALUE ADDED PRODUCT
This study was performed during the year 2024 to evaluate the potential of locally available citrus varieties namely kinnow and musambi for the preparation of sauce as a value added product. Treatments were designed by blending pulp in different ratios. Firstly, physical attributes (fruit size, fruit weight, No. of seeds and peel thickness) of citrus cultivars were studied. Physicochemical analysis (pH, TSS, %Acidity and vitamin C content) and sensory parameters (color, taste, flavor and overall acceptability) of citrus sauce were analyzed during 90 days storage study. The research experiment was conducted under completely randomized design and data was statistically analyzed. The results showed decreasing trend in pH values and ascorbic acid content of citrus sauce samples from 3.88-3.65 and 48.41-24.54mg/100ml respectively during storage. Acidity was found to increase from 1.18-1.27% whereas TSS from 25.87-26.47°Brix during storage. Sensory attributes of citrus sauce were evaluated by trained panelists at Food Technology Section, Post-Harvest Research Centre, Faisalabad. All treatments showed acceptable scores but T5 i.e. sauce prepared with 50:50 blend of kinnow and musambi pulp showed best sensory attributes followed by T3 (70:30) throughout storage.
AGRONOMIC BIOFORTIFICATION OF DESI CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) WITH ZINC AND IRON
Pulses and grain legumes like chickpea are important contributor of plant protein in food chain. Biofortification is a tool by which nutritive value of Pulses can be enhanced either through genetic breeding approach, transgenic techniques, and agronomic measures, so it may help in reducing the malnutrition. In humans zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) deficiencies are commonly reported and these mineral deficiency-related health problems may be solved by improving their concentration in grain crops. The study was conducted at research area of Pulses Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad for consecutive three years 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 aimed to investigate the effects of soil applied and foliar sprays of Zinc and Iron on grain yield, grain weight and other agronomic attributes which increased under soil application of zinc and Iron as compared to foliar application. Chickpea crop did not respond well to the foliar application of zinc and Iron (T8 , T9 and T10 where Zn and Fe were applied @ 0.1% either alone or in combination) for agronomic parameters, growth and yield. Plant height (86.5 cm), Pods per plant (49.4), 1000 grain weight (245.4 gm) and grain yield (1560.4 kg/ha) increased in T7 where Zinc and Iron were applied in combination @ 5.0 kg/ha. Soil application of zinc @ 5.0 kg/ ha at sowing resulted in the highest Zn (32.02 mg Zn/ kg grain) followed by zinc application @ 2.5 kg/ ha where 30.39 mg Zn/ kg grain was obtained. Similar trend was observed for Fe content in grains. Protein content remained unchanged, significant over control with these treatments. However, crude fat and fiber contents were highest in T10 , where 0.1% foliar solution of Zn & Fe micronutrients was applied. Thus Biofortification of Zn and Fe can help in reducing malnutrition in mushrooming human population.
QS BERSEEM: A BREAKTHROUGH IN HIGH-YIELD AND CLIMATE-ADAPTED FORAGE PRODUCTION
Food security is among one of the sustainable development goals. In the scenario of adverse climatic conditions, food security is becoming a global challenge that impacts not only humans but also livestock. Currently, the biggest concern of the farmers of the country is the lack of climate adaptive fodder varieties and scarcity of green fodder during lean period. To address these critical challenges a new climate-resilient berseem variety “QS-Berseem” has been developed by the Fodder Research Sub-Station, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad which have high green fodder yield, crude protein, palatability, digestibility and nutritional quality. This variety is an outcome of composite selection from foundational parental population developed by pooling five high-performing accessions, three local BGP-30, BGP-43, BGP-77, and two exotic PI 343166 43, PI 343166 during 2013-2024. It proved its value in all yield trials and outperformed the current existing berseem varieties. It produced 5.9% and 3.8% higher green fodder yield in comparison to check varieties Anmol Berseem and Berseem Agati during 2021-22 & 2022 23 respectively, in National Uniform Fodder Yield Trials. Furthermore, it has 22.3% dry matter, 17.94% crude protein, 23.1% crude fiber, 2.15% crude fat and 11.9% ash, and good palatability. The new variety showed better tolerance against Root Rot, Crown Rot & Stem Rot diseases. Agronomic studies revealed that it aligns more efficiently with current agronomic practices. So, this variety could be a promising choice for farmers as it is capable of overcoming fodder shortage during lean periods while contributing to enhanced milk and meat production, improved animal health and overall livestock sector particularly under changing climatic conditions.
GGE BIPLOT ANALYSIS FOR THE SELECTION OF STABLE CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) GENOTYPES UNDER DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF PAKISTAN
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is reckoned as one of the most important pulse crops globally, valued for its high protein content. However, the productivity of chickpeas is often challenged by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Identifying and selecting stable genotypes is critical for addressing these issues and ensuring sustained chickpea yield. The GGE biplot analysis is a powerful tool for dissecting genotype-environment interactions and identifying stable genotypes across diverse environments. This present study was aimed to explore this tool for selecting stable chickpea genotypes by conducting field trials across multiple environments. Studied chickpea genotypes were tested at ten different locations in Pakistan. The experiments were carried out in a randomized complete block design using three repeats at each location. In the present study genotype by environment interaction effect was significant (P < 0.001) along with main effects of environment and genotype. GGE Biplot cumulatively explains 61.21 % of the total variation in the 1st year and 79.74 % in the 2nd year. Principal component 1 of the GGE Biplot contributed 35.62%, and 60.37% while principal component 2 contributed 25.59% and 19.37% to the total variation respectively in both years. Through GGE Biplot, G1(BRC-408), and G3 (15FCK16) were identified as highly stable and well-adapted genotypes that could be released as a variety for general cultivation throughout Pakistan in both years. For highly variegated environments or mega environments, specific genotypes that were well performed in these environments such as G2, (15KCC-112), G7(CH64/11), and G14(CH53/12) should be recommended.
EVALUATION OF CHINA AND BRAZILIAN SUGARCANE CLONES PERFORMANCE IN SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS OF FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN
We evaluated 14 sugarcane clones imported from China and Brazil under semi-arid conditions of Pakistan in adaptability trials conducted at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad, and compared with control clones HSF-240 and CPF-253. The studies were carried out in 2023-24 season following a randomized complete block design with three replications. Six biometric traits, along with resistance to major disease (red rot) were assessed. The comparative performance of all clones was analyzed using two-sided Dunnett’s Multiple Comparisons. The results revealed that certain clones, such as ZHONGZHE-6 and RB-867515 produced superior cane yield compared to control clones, while others showed poor adaptability to the local environment. Disease resistance screening indicated that some clones were resistant to red rot, whereas others were susceptible. However, despite higher cane yield, the sugar recovery percentage of most exotic clones was lower than local check varieties. Further multi-location trials are recommended to evaluate their stability, adaptability, and potential inclusion in the sugarcane variety development program.
NEEM AND SULFUR-COATED UREA ENHANCE GROWTH AND SUGAR YIELD OF SUGARCANE BY INCREASING NITROGEN USE EFFICINECY
The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is important for improving agricultural productivity, especially in the cultivation of sugarcane. Traditional urea, generally used as N source, has several limitations, including high nutrient losses and environmental pollution. Alternative urea forms, such as NCU (neem coated urea) and SCU (sulfur coated urea) have been investigated by researchers to overcome these issues. The purpose of this field experiment is to evaluate how SCU and NCU affect sugarcane production and N agronomic efficiency. Field trial was conducted during the year 2020 to 2022 at sugarcane farm area to compare the performance of this coated urea with traditional urea in sugarcane farming. In SCU treated field 12% and 10% higher sugarcane yield noted in plant and ratoon crop, correspondingly over traditional urea treatments. Similarly 15% higher sugar yield was recorded in SCU treatments as compared to traditional urea. The results indicated that SCU exhibited 25% in plant and 16% in ratoon crop higher N agronomic efficiency than traditional urea. These results suggest that the use of SCU can be a viable strategy to enhance sugarcane yield and improve the economic sustainability of the sugar industry while minimizing environmental impacts.
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdul Majeed (Translator); Naeem Iqbal, Muhammad Shahzad Afzal, Muhammad Akhlaq Mudassar, Abdul Khaliq, Mahmood-UL- Hassan, Muhammad Shafique, Babar Hussain Babar, Syed Saqlain Hussain, Naeem Fiaz (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A REVIEW OF THE POTENTIAL OF SOME NANOPARTICLES IN CONTROLLING PLANT FUNGAL DISEASES
The increasing threat of fungal diseases to global crop production necessitates innovative and sustainable control strategies. Fungicides used in conventional applications generate environmental pollution and create resistance challenges, making researchers pursue novel methods. This article investigates the utility of nanoparticles as plant disease protectors by examining their extensive protective range reduced vulnerability to resistance and their environmentally-friendly properties. The current evidence shows promising results although extensive research exists on their extended environmental impact alongside mechanisms of action and large-scale utilization limitations. The study evaluates new antifungal nanoparticle approaches combined with a review of sustainability challenges and future developments for agricultural uses in this field. The use of controlled release mechanisms for these agents enhances their effectiveness and reduces the overall quantity of chemicals required, thereby mitigating environmental impacts. Furthermore, nanotechnology has the potential revolutionized disease surveillance. By developing early detection techniques for rust and powdery mildew,It enable the detection of harmful spores in their initial stages, facilitating timely intervention and mitigating the development of severe illnesses. This proactive approach has the potential to substantially reduce the economic losses often associated with these diseases. Through the application of nanotechnology, the potential exists to confront the challenges posed by potato blight, tomato blight, root rot, rust, and powdery mildew. This approach holds promise for a future where plant diseases can be effectively managed with a high degree of precision, thereby reducing crop losses, decreasing reliance on chemical interventions and ultimately enhancing global food security.
STANDARDIZATION OF PRUNING INTENSITY OF POMEGRANATE FOR ITS QUALITY PRODUCTION
Pomegranate, being hardy fruit plant can grow well climatically in tropical to temperate region. Training of pomegranate is practiced to train the frame of the plant as single or semi multi-stemmed and to boost productivity subsequently. The current study was conducted on 3-stemmed trained plant having 5- year age to find out the best pruning intensity for better quality and yield of pomegranate (cv. Golden) during 2020-21 and 2021-22. Four different treatments viz T1 as control (unprunned) and the other contained pruning of side branches from tip to base upto 20 cm (T2 ), 40 cm (T3 ) and 60 cm (T4 ) was carried out during the 2nd fortnight of November, 2020 and 2021. It was concluded that all pruning levels (20-60 cm) significantly affected fruit productivity, quality and bio-chemical parameters. However, 60 cm pruning (T4 ) gave maximum values for averaged yield per plant (56 kg), fruit size (50 cm2), fruit weight (253g), number of arils per fruit (319), arils weight (170.4 g), rind weight (79.90 g), rind thickness (2.40 mm), total sugars (14.50%), total soluble solids (15.30 oBrix%), juice (39.90%) with minimum number of fruits per plant (186) and minimum fruit acidity (0.23%) from means calculated over two years’ data. Unpruned plants (T1 ) had minimum values for yield per plant (42 kg), fruit size (39 cm2), weight of single fruit (172 gram), arils in single fruit (262), arils weight (118.6 g), rind weight (52. 5g), rind thickness (1.90 mm), total sugars (13.2%), total soluble solids (14.1 oBrix), juice (36.1%) with maximum fruits on single plant (238) and the highest acidity of fruit (0.28%). Hence, 60 cm pruning (T4 ) of side branches from tip to base can be opted to boost fruit production and quality parameters of Golden variety of pomegranate under semi-arid region of South Punjab, Pakistan.
PAK-CAS ALFALFA: HIGH SEED YIELDING ALFALFA VARIETY OFFERING UNPARALLELED NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND BIOTIC TOLERANCE
Alfalfa seed production is a major challenge all over the globe and the research to combat this phenomenon of low seed yield is limited over the course of time. Its high seed yield, commercial distribution and delivery to farmers at a competitive price are critical issues in Pakistan. Seed yield is governed by complex interaction among genetic potential of a variety and its environments, pollinators, and crop management. Reduce biomass and nutritional value is another limiting factor in impacting the productivity and growth of livestock sector. Under this scenario, scientist of Fodder Research Substation has initiated an effort during the studied year 2013-2015 to develop a new variety of alfalfa (PAK CAS-Alfalfa) by mass selection. Diverse group of seven elite lines (No. 6316, No. 6450 and No. 6455) from local and foreign origin (No. 6433, NO. 34187 No. 9011 and No. 8004) were used to develop promising line FA-01-2019, which was later named as PAK CAS-Alfalfa (2024). This magical variety has proven as high forage yielder (9% higher yield in National Trials) along with high crude protein (22.4%) contents than existing alfalfa varieties. This variety is resistant to Rhizoctonia solani (moderately resistant), alfalfa weevil (3.7% and 3.4%), and stink bug (7.3% and 7.5%) which has deleterious impact on alfalfa fodder and seed yield. This variety (high-quality, nutritive fodder and strong adaptability) has the potential to overcome the constraints in alfalfa production and other fodder related quality parameters.
Copyright (c) 2026 Qamar Shakil, Amna Kanwal, Zohab Asif, Muhammad Humaiyon, Asif Ali Khan, Zulfiqar Ali, Atif Farhat, Shamsa Kanwal, Shakra Jamil, Asma Parveen (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GROUND WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT USING WATER QUALITY INDEX: CASE STUDY OF AYUB AGRICULTURE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN
Poor water quality index for groundwater in Pakistan is a pressing issue due to the increasing population, rapid urbanization, and industrialization. This has resulted in fertile and productive soil being converted to barren land, leading to significant reductions in infiltration rates and agricultural productivity. The aim of the study was to assess water quality monitoring in research areas of AARI using Water Quality Index (WQI) during the year 2023-24. Collected water samples (12 different sites) were analyzed at Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Faisalabad for WQI by using various physicochemical characteristics like EC, TDS, Cl, SAR and RSC. Electrical Conductivity (EC) for all 12 samples varied between 787 to 3529 µS/cm. On the basis of Fitness criteria water samples from only 2 sites S1 and S8 were under “fit” category, 3 sites (S4, S5, S12) were under “marginally fit” and remaining all samples were “unfit” for Irrigation because of high salt concentration (EC > 1250 µS cm -1 ). The WQI values obtained from the research areas ranged from 68.05 to 354.4. Samples were classified using the WQI classification criteria and it revealed that only 25% of the samples of the area were categorized as “good (WQI range 50-100),” 50% were rated as “poor” (WQI range 101-200), and the remaining 25% were classified as “very poor” (WQI range 201-300) quality water.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sumreen Siddiq, Muhammad Aleem Sarwar, Quais Affan, Zia Chishti, Hina Nazir, Faraz Anwar, Kamra Mehmood, Hafsa Zafar, Arfan-ul-Haq (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
DEVELOPING SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS (SES) SCALE FOR RURAL WOMEN IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA
Recent trend of the growing number of females headed households in most rural areas in Nigeria as a result of changes in their social and cultural practices as well as the large number of women that are involved in agricultural production and as bread winners call for a deliberate effort at developing a socio-economic status (SES) scale for the women folks. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 368 respondents for the study. The data were collected through an interview schedule and analyzed using the SPSS statistical tool. The review of previous work on socioeconomic status and focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted in some selected villages in the study area to compile items and other constructs that discriminate among the people. Thereafter, item analyses were conducted on the cultural and material possessions of the respondents to isolate the valid ones at 0.30 correlative coefficients (r-value). Twenty (20) items comprising of seven (7) cultural and thirteen (13) material possessions, self-assessment scores and participation scores were found as valid socio-economic status indicators in the study area and scores assigned accordingly. The valid cultural possessions were children that are graduate, glass plates, floor rug/carpet, land, wooden bed with mattress, number of sheep/goats, long metal spoon. While the valid material possessions were dining table, cushion chair, motorcycle, refrigerator, fans, cooking stove, television, blender, radio/ cassette player, generator, well, DVD, and decoder. Subsequently, these valid items with other constructs identified in the study were developed as the socio-economic status scale for rural women in North-central Nigeria. The standardized scores of the twenty (20) items, self assessment scores and participation scores when pooled together to gives the socio-economic status index (SES). This academic exercise also involved a step-by-step method used to develop the scale with empirical examples to drive home the point of developing the scale.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammed Kabiru Sanusi, Akinbile Luqman Abiodun (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Demand for fruit in Pakistan is increasing day by day due to change m consumption pattern and increased population. Guava is an important fruit crop of the central Punjab. It faces extreme price fluctuation due to seasonality and perishability. Being highly perishable in nature, guava is sold and consumed in a relatively short period of time. During surplus period. producers receive lower prices and during shortage consumers have to pay high prices. So, a study was conducted at Technology Transfer Institute (PARC). AARL Faisalabad during 2003. The objective was to identify the present marketing channels for guava existing in the marketing system and to quantify the marketing margins of producers and other marketing intermediaries. This study was carried out through a primary survey of guava producers and market intermediaries in Sheikhupura, Lahore and Faisalabad district. Due to the limitations of tune, finance and data management 40 guava producers, 10 contractors, 10 commission agents, 10 wholesalers, 10 retailers and 10 consumers were interviewed in each district. According to the survey results, lack of working capital among guava growers forces them to sell their orchard o contractors. Easy access to credit among guava growers in a necessary condition for more efficient guava production and for participation of guava growers in the marketing process. Producers share in consumer’s rupee was 15. Retailers had the highest share (44%), while commission agent and wholesaler had the lowest {5%). All market intermediaries achieved the highest net margin in late season and the lowest in mid-season except wholesalers. Retailers received the highest net profit margin of Rs. 79 per crate, so retailers received the highest percentage profit margin (83%). The other market agencies including producers, commission agents. wholesalers and contractors received 75, 62, 39 and 20 percent, respectively. The marketing system can be made more competitive by reducing retailer’s margin.
Copyright (c) 2004 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
WORKING OF MAJOR WHOLESALE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKETS IN THE PUNJAB
These studies were conducted at Technology Transfer Institute (PARC, AARIL Faisalabad during the year 2003 to assess the working of two major wholesale fruit vegetable markets e Faisalabad and Rawalpindi Islamabad. The survey was restricted to two markets due to limited finance and time. The particular managerial and operational aspects along with physical facilities, trade practices, presence of public and private sector institutions were thoroughly examined. According to the plan, 30 respondents. 25 from each market, were directly interviewed for the collection of requisite data. The results indicated that infrastructure physical facilities of sample fruit and vegetable markets were generally disorganized. having poor sanitation. inadequate protection from sun. faulty water supply and unfair distribution network. Frequent traffic jams and solid waste management. poor storage facilities and inadequate supply of services. (Restaurants, place for stay rest of visiting farmers. public toilets, communication. etc. were also observed during survey. The survey further revealed that internal management of markets was ineffective. High and illegal market charges reductions, delayed payment and non-transparent market operation was reported by the respondents on the part of commission agents and market operators. It was concluded that existing system is full of imperfections. which need w be rectified in the interest of producers and consumers.
TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENT OF BUTTON MUSHROOM AGARICUS BITORQUIS FOR MYCELIAL GROWTH ON THREE DIFFERENT COMPOSTS
These studies were conducted m the Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during 2003, Temperature requirement was assessed two strains of Agaricus hitorquis namely AS-64 and W-20 for best linear mycelial growth on three composts (wheat straw + urea + SSP, wheat straw =+ chicken manure and guar straw - chicken manure). Both the strains performed better on wheat siraw wez - SSP compost as compared with other composts. Strain AS-64 gave more linear growth as compared 10 strain W-20. The data further showed that wheat straw + urea + SSP gave maximum growth of mycelia followed by wheat straw + chicken manure showing medium mycelial growth. But guar straw + chicken manure did not show any sign of mycelial growth. Temperatures studies revealed that among the temperatures under study both strains showed maximum growth at 30°C on both composts followed by temperature 25°C showing medium growth while minimum growth occurred at temperature 35°C in such a way that strain ' W-20 showed no mycelial growth while strain AS-64 gave little mycelial growth at 35°C.