Phosphorus and potassium application improves fodder yield and quality of sorghum in Aridisol under diverse climatic conditions

Fodder yield and quality must be improved for sustainable livestock production. A lack of or low application of phosphorus (P) and potassium (P) are among the leading constraints of lower fodder yield and quality of sorghum [most cultivated fodder crop during kharif season (crop cultivation in summer and harvesting during winter] in Aridisol of Pakistan. Therefore, this two-year field study evaluated the role of different P and K levels on fodder yield and quality of sorghum cultivar ‘Ijar-2002’ planted in Multan and Okara districts, Punjab, Pakistan. Seven P-K (kg ha−1) levels, i.e., T1 (40–0), T2 (80–0), T3 (0–40), T4 (0–60), T5 (40–40), T6 (80–40), T7 (60–80) and an untreated T0 (control) were included in the study. Results indicated that individual effects of years, locations and P-K levels had a significant effect on fodder yield and quality. All treatments received an equal amount of nitrogen (i.e., 120 kg ha−1). Application of P-K in Aridisols at both locations significantly improved fodder yield, dry matter yield, and ether contents during both years. The T6 (80–40 kg ha−1) significantly improved yield and quality traits of sorghum fodder except for crude fiber (CF) and acid and neutral detergent fiber (ADF and NDF) at both locations during both years of study. Moreover, fodder harvested from Multan observed significantly higher CF, ADF, NDF, cellulose and hemicellulose contents than Okara. However, sorghum grown in Okara harvested more fodder yield due to more plant height and ether contents. In conclusion, planting sorghum in Aridisols, fertilized with 80–40 kg ha−1 P-K seemed a viable option to harvest more fodder yield of better quality

The impact of boron seed priming on seedling establishment, growth, and grain biofortification of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in yermosols

Boron-deficiency in Yermosols is among the major constraints to mungbean productivity and grain biofortification in Pakistan. However, agronomic strategies such as boron (B) seed priming have potential to improve mungbean yield and grain biofortification. Moreover, deficiency to toxicity range for B is very narrow; therefore, it is pre-requisite to optimize its dose before field evaluation. A wire house experiment was planned out to reconnoiter the impact of seed priming with B on growth and quality of two cultivars of mungbean, i.e., ‘NM-2011’ and ‘NM-2016’. Four different B levels were used as seed priming, i.e., 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% and 1.0% B, (borax Na2B4O7.10H2O, 11.5% B) were tested, whereas hydropriming was regarded as control. Seed priming with 0.01% B significantly (p≤0.05) lowered time taken to start germination and time to reach 50% emergence, whereas improved mean emergence time, emergence index, final emergence percentage, number of leaves, dry and fresh weight of root, shoot, and total weight, root length, plant height, chlorophyll contents, number of pods and 100-grain weight, seeds per plant, grain yield per plant, B concentrations in stem and grain, grain protein, carbohydrate and fiber in both cultivars. Boron seed priming proved beneficial under a specific range; however, deficiency (hydropriming) and excess (above 0.01% B) of B were detrimental for mungbean growth and productivity. The cultivar ‘NM-2016’ had significantly (p≤0.05) higher yield due to prominent increase in yield related traits with 0.01% B priming as compared to ‘NM-2011’. In conclusion, B seed priming (0.01% B) seemed a feasible choice for improving mungbean growth, yield related traits and grain-B concentration of mungbean on Yermosols

Problems of Export Documentary Letters of Credit that Face Jordanian Banks During Corona-Virus Pandemic (Covid-19) “A Field Study”

The main objective of this study is to explore problems of export documentary letters of credit that face Jordanian banks during Corona-Virus pandemic (Covid-19). Other minor objectives include testing the relationship between these problems on one hand and each of the banks’ size (big / medium / small) and their type (Islamic / traditional) on the other hand. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire was designed. This questionnaire was distributed to all publicly listed Jordanian banks. The results indicated that all (16) tested problems were proved to be significant. The most important problems were governmental closures hamper export activities, existence of negative reflections upon trading between countries, and closure of some countries to their borders caused decrease in exports. Also, the results indicated that there were no significant differences among banks neither with different sizes nor with different types. The exception for that was the significant differences noted between banks of different sizes related to closure of borders during the pandemic which found to cause lateness of documents arrival to importers and lateness of their payment

Exploring the micromorphological diversity of palynomorphic flora from lesser Himalaya biodiversity hotspot

Palynology, a prominent field in plant systematics and biodiversity studies, plays a vital role in identifying and determining the plant species present in a specific region. The current study was performed to evaluate the micromorphological traits of pollen from flora of Lesser Himalaya. Pollen microstructural variations aid in the identification of species belonging to specific botanical families and various geographic habitats. Flowers of 24 selected species categorized into 16 families were collected, preserved and then acetolysis protocol followed. Pollen was examined under a light and scanning microscopy (LM and SEM) for palynomorph description. The palynomorphs characteristics such as size, shape, exine surface, and aperture orientation, were examined. Status of these plants show that herbs are being dominant (11 species), while shrubs (7 species), climbers (3 species), bulbous plants (2 species), small tree, sedge, weed (1 species each).  Pollen shape determined in equatorial view were; spheroidal, sub-prolate, oblate-spheroidal, prolate, spherical and sub-oblate. The variations were seen among pollen types; tricolpate, tricolporate and polyporate in most of the species. Exine stratification was observed mostly scabrate while echinate, cristate-reticulate, granulate, punctate, rugulate-perforate, striate-rugulate, verrucate, cristate-foveolate was visualized in each different species. Palynomorph apertural patterns were observed sunken, furrowed, slightly bulged, scabrate, granulate, slit like, and perforate. The largest polar diameter was measured in Hymenocallis littoralis (138.6 µm) whereas smallest in Parthenium hysterophorus (14.70 µm). Equatorial distance was calculated maximum for Cascabela thevetia (110.1 µm) and minimum for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (1.7 µm). P/E ratio was calculated largest in Hymenocallis littoralis (1.8) and lowest in Duranta erecta (0.89). The palynomorphs taxonomic characters investigated can be helpful in species level identification and provide a baseline to conduct more systematic research with respect to specific plant families and genera

Exogenous application of moringa leaf extract improves growth, biochemical attributes, and productivity of late-sown quinoa

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has gained significant popularity among agricultural scientists and farmers throughout the world due to its high nutritive value. It is cultivated under a range of soil and climatic conditions; however, late sowing adversely affects its productivity and yield due to shorter growth period. Inorganic and organic phyto-stimulants are promising for improving growth, development, and yield of field crops under stressful environments. Field experiments were conducted during crop cultivation seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18, to explore the role of inorganic (hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid) and organic [moringa leaf extract (MLE) and sorghum water extract (sorgaab)] phyto-stimulants in improving growth and productivity of quinoa (cultivar UAF-Q7). Hydrogen peroxide at 100 μM, ascorbic acid at 500 μM, MLE at 3% and sorgaab at 3% were exogenously applied at anthesis stage of quinoa cultivated under normal (November 21st and 19th during 2016 and 2017) and late-sown (December 26th and 25th during 2016 and 2017) conditions. Application of inorganic and organic phyto-stimulants significantly improved biochemical, physiological, growth and yield attributes of quinoa under late sown conditions. The highest improvement in these traits was recorded for MLE. Application of MLE resulted in higher chlorophyll a and b contents, stomatal conductance, and sub-stomatal concentration of CO2 under normal and late-sowing. The highest improvement in soluble phenolics, anthocyanins, free amino acids and proline, and mineral elements in roots, shoot and grains were observed for MLE application. Growth attributes, including plant height, plant fresh weight and panicle length were significantly improved with MLE application as compared to the rest of the treatments. The highest 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant were noted for MLE application under normal and late-sowing. These findings depict that MLE has extensive crop growth promoting potential through improving physiological and biochemical activities. Hence, MLE can be applied to improve growth and productivity of quinoa under normal and late-sown conditions

Molecular analyses of genetic diversity in thepopulation of Calligonum Comosum L. ‘Her in Hail region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This paper presents the first molecular study on Calligonum comosum L. ‘Her (Polygonaceae) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, due it’s known to be part of Saudi Arabia’s flora, as a famous medicinal plant, it has several other uses, as it is palatable as animal feed, and dune stabilization, and to increase soil organic matter content. And it has been included on the endangered species list due to its frequent use. Twenty-five C. comosum samples were collected from five different populations from their natural environment and screened using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Eleven ISSR primers amplified 975 reproducible bands of which 495 were polymorphic, and polymorphism of genetic variation between species was 50.8%. This ratio is considered high Among C. comosummembers from multiple populations, this ratio is an indication of the quality of genetic diversity within and between C. comosum populations, which is of great importance for the preservation of the plant. As considered ISSR markers are an effective tool to provide good information for the genetic diversity available in C. comosum inputs from different populations, and the results of this study will help to understand genetic variation and evolutionary dynamics in C. comosum and expand the genetic base for breeding wild species. That additional selection of inputs in each species to assess genetic diversity leads to more useful and reliable results.</jats:p