BIPINCHANDRA VAHUNIA, PUSHPENDRA SINGH, KRISHNA PARMAR, MITTAL PARMAR, KULDEEP PATEL AND PAYAL PATEL
Krushi Vigyan Kendra, Navsari Agricultural University, Waghai, Gujarat 394 730, India
Department of Plant Pathology, Navsari Agricultural University, Waghai, Gujarat 394 730, India
Department of Plant Pathology, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat 396 450, India
Department of Plant Pathology, Navsari Agricultural University, Bharuch, Gujarat 392 012, India
*(e-mail : bipinchandravahuniya@gmai.com)
(Received: 20 Februry 2026; Accepted: 23 March 2026)

SUMMARY

Leaf blight of sorghum caused by Exserohilum turcicum is an important disease affecting crop productivity. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the host range of the pathogen under controlled conditions. Five crop species were evaluated for their susceptibility through artificial inoculation. The results revealed that E. turcicum primarily infects members of the Poaceae family. Among the tested hosts, maize, Sorghum halepense and johnson grass exhibited susceptibility, showing typical leaf blight symptoms with variable latent periods. In contrast, wheat and oat remained symptomless and no pathogen could be re-isolated from inoculated tissues, confirming their non-host status. The findings indicate a restricted host range of E. turcicum, predominantly confined to certain grass species, which has important implications for disease management and crop rotation strategies.

Key words: Exserohilum turcicum, host range, latent periods, Sorghum bicolor, pathogen

538-541

GANDHIRAJAN. K.
P. G. Scholar, Department of Animal Nutrition
Veterinary College and Research Institute-Orathanadu, TANUVAS University (T.N.), India
*(e-mail: gandhirajan2807@gmail.com)
(Received: 14 March 2026; Accepted: 28 March 2026)

SUMMARY

Oxalates are important anti-nutritional constituents in tropical fodder grasses and may interfere with calcium metabolism in livestock when present at higher concentrations. The present study was conducted at the Veterinary College and Research Institute (VCRI), Orathanadu to evaluate the effect of harvesting days and species on oxalate content in different Napier grass varieties. Five species, namely Super napier, Red napier, CO-3, CO-4 and CO-5, were evaluated at three harvesting intervals (Day 30, Day 45 and Day 60). The experiment was carried out in a Completely Randomized Design with factorial arrangement and the data were analysed using two-way analysis of variance. Days and species affected oxalate content (p<0.001), whereas their interaction was not detected (p=0.788). Oxalate content decreased progressively with increasing harvesting interval. Higher oxalate values were observed on Day 30 (3.064 ± 0.011), followed by Day 45 (2.934 ± 0.011), while the lowest value was recorded on Day 60 (2.794 ± 0.011). Among species, Super napier recorded the highest oxalate content (3.317 ± 0.014), whereas CO-5 showed the lowest value (2.547 ± 0.014). Delayed harvesting reduced oxalate concentration in Napier grasses and CO-5 exhibited comparatively lower oxalate content, indicating better fodder suitability.

Key words: CO-5, cutting interval, Napier grass, oxalate, titrimetric method

542-547

V. GOYAL AND K. K. BHARDWAJ
Department of Soil Science
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: vishal_goyal11@rediffmail.com)
(Received: 31 January 2026; Accepted: 5 March 2026))

SUMMARY

The soil test crop response based fertilizer prescription equations under integrated nutrient supply for achieving the targeted yields of pearl millet were verified for irrigated farming areas at different farmers’ fields during kharif 2020 and 2021. Seven fertilizer treatments were implemented which included control; farmers practice (FP); generalized package recommendations (PR), STCR recommendations for 30 & 35 q/ha (TY-30 & TY-35) 3 grain yield target with fertilizers alone; and with fertilizer and FYM (TY-30 FYM & TY-35 FYM under irrigated conditions. The results showed that mean grain yield was highest for TY-35 FYM in irrigated for both the years followed by TY-35, TY-30 FYM, TY-30, PR, FP and Control. The response to fertilizer application also followed the same trend. Under irrigated conditions, the yield targets of 30 & 35 q/ha were achieved within deviations of -5.0 to +2.1 and -5.3 to +0.7 per cent, respectively. For integrated plant nutrient supply, it varied between -3.7 to + 3.2 and -3.6 to + 0.6 per cent for yield targets of 30 & 35 q/ha, respectively. These deviations (±10 %) in the yield indicated the validity of fertilizer prescription equations for targeted yields of pearl millet under irrigated farming areas of Hisar district. The economics of the fertilizer application also indicated that marginal B:C ratio of the two years varied between 3.42 to 7.22 and 4.63 to 5.49 for different farmers field locations and years (kharif 2017 and 2018) of Hisar district of Haryana under irrigated conditions, respectively. The marginal B:C ratio under different treatments are viable and remunerative. Therefore, farmers should go for 25 & 18 q/ha seed yield target under irrigated and dryland areas, respectively. Also, 20 & 15 q/ha seed yield target can be adopted under resource constraint situations.

Key words: Pearl millet, target yield equation, verification, Economics, Haryana

548-554

POOJA GUPTA SONI, SATPAL, KANNOJ, NEERAJ KHAROR, RAJIV AGGARAWAL
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding (Forage Section)
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Indian Grassland and Forage Research Institute, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), India
*(e-mail: poojagupta.agri@gmail.com)
(Received: 31 January 2026; Accepted: 5 March 2026)

SUMMARY

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a vital fodder crop valued for its high biomass yield and nutritional quality, though it’s nutrient-exhaustive nature demands effective fertilization strategies. This study evaluated the effects of nano-urea foliar application on the productivity, quality, and economics of fodder maize during the Kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the Forage Research Farm, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 10 treatments [T₁: Control (without N); T₂:RDF (N:P:K @150:60:40 kg/ha); T₃ : 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 2 ml/litre of water; T₄: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 2 ml/litre of water; T₅: 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @4ml/litre of water; T₆: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 4ml/litre of water; T₇: 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water; T₈: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water; T₉:75 % recommended dose of N + Urea (2 % spray), and T₁₀: 50 % recommended dose of N + Urea (2 % spray)] and three replications. Results revealed that 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water (T₇) produced the highest plant height (245.6 cm), leaf-to-stem ratio (0.407), green fodder yield (493.9 q/ha), and dry fodder yield (141.3 q/ha), statistically at par with recommended fertilizer dose and 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 4ml/litre of water. Crude protein content (10.93%) and nitrogen uptake (247.1 kg/ha) were also maximized under T₇. Economic analysis indicated that 75% nitrogen with nano-urea at 4 ml/L of water achieved the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.12), followed closely by T₇ (2.10). These findings demonstrate that nano-urea foliar application can effectively substitute 25% of soil-applied nitrogen without compromising fodder yield or quality, offering a sustainable and economically viable approach to nitrogen management in fodder maize production.

Key words: Fodder maize, nano-urea, nitrogen management, crude protein, fodder yield, benefit-cost ratio

555-559

RAJENDRA NAGAR, BALBIR SINGH, DAYANAND AND RASHID KHAN
*Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Abusar (SKRAU, Bikaner) Jhunjhunu-333 001 (Rajasthan), India
**Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chandgothi (SKRAU, Bikaner) Churu-331 305 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail: rajendranagar86@gmail.com)
(Received: 1 March 2026; Accepted: 30 March 2026)

SUMMARY

Present investigation was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chandgothi (Churu), Rajasthan at farmer’s field in Dingli, Basmamraj and Kailash to analyze the effect of improved practices on productivity, economics, extent of farmers’ satisfaction, yield gap and constraints faced by the farmers’ with the cultivation of wheat. in growing barley. In this study, the selected 150 respondents selected were the beneficiary farmers conducted front line demonstrated (FLD) at their fields during 2018-19 to 2019-20. The plot size was 0.4ha for both the demonstration and farmers’ practice. Before conducting FLD, the respondents were made aware of the latest recommended package of practices for wheat. The demonstrated technologies under FLD resulted in an increase of in 23.5% in mean barley yield over farmer’s practice check. Thus, experimental results envisaged technology gap, extension gap, and technology index to the tune of 729 kg/ha, 2383 kg/ha, and 38.02 percent, respectively. The mean additional return of 12599/ha were fetched by demonstration plots. Further, on average, demonstration plots recorded a net return to the tune of 49,174/ha compared to 36,575/ ha with farmer’s practice with incremental B:C ratio of 10.96 over the years. The results also further indicated that 52.10 percent of the respondents expressed their high satisfaction towards the performance of FLD, followed by 33.25 and 14.65% who expressed medium and low satisfaction respectively.

Key words: Wheat, demonstration, economics, grain yields, yield gap

560-565