[en] The performance of 24 exotic cowpea genotypes at higher altitude of NWFP was studied at the Agricultural Research Institute (North), Mingora, Swat during kharif 2006. Genotypes were evaluated for days to maturity, plant height, seed pod-1, 100-seed weight and seed yield. The genotype viz., SADANDY was found the early maturing genotype which took 97 days to maturity, while 3 CCP 915 was the late maturing (124 days). Maximum plant height (236 cm) was recorded for check cultivar Malakand Kulat-II, while minimum plant height (52 cm), for genotype 4 CCP927. Maximum number of seed pod-1 were counted for 4CCP 928, while fewer number of seed pod-1 (7) were recorded for 4CCP 930. Maximum pod length was measured for CP 231 (38 cm), whereas minimum pod length for 4 CCP 928 (10 cm). Highest seed weight (23 g/100 seed) was for 3 CCP 927, while least seed weight (14g/100 seeds) was for 3CCP905, 4CCP 931 and 4 CCP 926. Maximum seed yield of 3550 kg ha/sup -1/ was recorded for CP 140 while minimum of 317 kg ha-1 was recorded for 4CCP 931. The genotype CP 140 ranked first by producing higher yield and was early maturing than other genotypes and check varieties. Genotype CP 140 is therefore recommended to the farmers for getting maximum yield under the climatic conditions of Swat. (author)

[en] This study determined how supplementing bahiagrass hay (Paspalum notatum Fluegge cv. 'Pensacola') with soybean (Glycine max) meal or warm-season legume hays affected intake, digestibility, and N utilisation by lambs. Dorper x Katadhin crossbred lambs (30.6 ± 5.5 kg; n = 42) were fed bahiagrass hay ad libitum and supplemented with nothing (control), soybean meal, or hays of annual peanut (Arachis hypogaea), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata), pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan), or soybean. Legume hays were supplemented at 50% of diet dry matter (DM); soybean meal was supplemented at 4.25% of diet DM to match the average crude protein (CP) content (10.8%) of the legume hay supplemented diets. Cowpea, pigeonpea, and soybean were harvested at maturities that maximised DM yield and nutritive value, and peanuts were first cuttings. Diets were fed to six lambs per treatment for two consecutive 21-d periods. Supplementation with annual and perennial peanut, cowpea, and soybean hay increased (P < 0.01) DM intake versus control, but apparent DM digestibility was only increased (P = 0.03) by supplementation with either peanut. Nitrogen intake, digestibility, and retention were increased (P < 0.01) by supplementation particularly with annual or perennial peanut hay. Ruminal ammonia concentration was increased (P < 0.01) by all legume hay supplements versus the control. Microbial N synthesis and ruminally degraded organic matter (OM) were increased (P = 0.03) by perennial and annual peanut hay supplementation, but the efficiency of microbial synthesis was not different (P = 0.52) among diets. Annual and perennial peanut hays were the best supplements for the bahiagrass hay in this study. (author)

[en] Boron (B) toxicity has been recognized as a serious problem in arid and semi arid regions of the world. This study was aimed to determine critical levels of B by studying phenotypic variation for B-tolerance/ toxicity at the germination and seedling stage in three mung bean (Vigna radiata) cultivars; M-6, M-8 and 96009. Boron levels ranging from 0-20 ppm were applied using Boric acid. Germination, growth and photosynthetic attributes were significantly (p<0.001) influenced by varying B levels. However, the cultivars were significantly invariable for germination, seedling height and leaf number. B levels (5-10 ppm) appeared to be nutritionally critical whereas, 15-20 ppm induced B toxicity. The toxicity was expressed in terms of reduction in plant's growth as well as by visible symptoms which included chlorosis and necrosis of the foliage. The present study also demonstrated variation in B tolerance at the seedling stage in these cultivars. Among the tested cultivars, M-6 and M-8 exhibited better growth responses as compared with 96009. Fresh biomass and shoot: root ratio appeared to serve as selection criteria for B tolerance. The study further suggested screening of cultivars/ accessions on a large scale to explore more diversity of traits as well as the use of biochemical markers for mechanistic understanding of B tolerance. (author)

No abstract available

[en] The main aim of the present work was to find out the persistence of some pesticide residues in some vegetable crops and to investigate the effect of pesticide on soil count. Edible parts of green gram, Mustard green and Kale were extracted and analyzed for the presence and degradation of applied pesticide residuse in relation to time. The pesticide residue concentration in plant samples were analyzed by UV spectrometry. According to UV result data, Acephate pesticide in stored green gram seeds was rapidly declined from 2.91mg/kg (two weeks after application) to 0.96mg/kg (three weeks after application). But, four weeks after application, Acephate residues were not detected in the seeds of green gram. In the seeds of green gram, Dimethoate pesticide residues were detected from 1.26mg/kg (one week after application) to 0.89mg/kg (four weeks after treatment). In Mustard green and Kale, Malathion pesticide residues were detected at day seven after application. But Chlorpyrifos pesticide residues were detected in both mustard green and kale at day three after application. Beyond day three, chlorpyrifos pesticide residues were not detected. The respective chemical residues have been partially identified by IR Spectrometry. These can be confirmed with IR absorption peaks that the residues are the utilized chemicals. According to IR data, it can be predicted whether pesticide residues remained or not in the samples.

[en] N fixed in 16 cultivars of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] inoculated with effective Bradyrhizobium strains collected from the West African MIRCEN culture collection was measured by 15N isotope dilution technique. In all plant parts, significant differences in the percentage of N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) and the amount of Ndfa occurred between the cultivars. Ndoute variety exhibited the highest %Ndfa (74.33% in shoots; 60.90% in roots) and accumulated more fixed N (960 mg N plant–1 and 38 mg N plant–1 in shoots and roots, respectively). Therefore this cultivar should be selected as the highest N-fixing cowpea cultivar. It also should be used in a breeding programme to contribute to the development of cultivars that could stimulate an intensive use of cowpea in many different cropping systems in Africa with a view to maintaining soil fertility. (Authors)

[en] Salt stress is the most obvious limiting threat to the production of Vigna radiatadue to the shortage of irrigated lands throughout the world. Thus, current investigation was conducted to appraise the growth performance and seedling survival of 96 hours old NM-92, NM-98, NM-51, NM13-1 and NM19-19 seedlings against salt stress. The whole study was planned in complete randomized design (CRD) in Petridishes (n=4). Imbibed seeds (24 h) from all genotypes have received 72 hours of 0, 50, 150, 250 and 350 mM NaCl stress. All the five levels of salt gradually enhanced hydrogen peroxide (H/sub 2/O/sub 2/), and malondialdehyde (MDA), decreased seedlings length (SL), fresh biomass (BIO), and relative water content (RWC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), and catalase (CAT). Among genotypes, the maximum increase in growth and antioxidant enzymes were found in NM-92 seedlings at each concentration of NaCl. Additionally, NM-92 showed lowest H/sub 2/O/sub 2/(10.1 μM g/sup 1/FW), and MDA (11.2 μM g/sup 1/FW) accumulation in its seedling tissues under 350 mM NaCl level. Compared with NM19-19 was shown least improvement in SL, BIO, RWC, SOD, POX, CAT, and greatest in H2O2, and MDA at five stress levels of NaCl. Hence, NM-92 could be designated as the salttolerant genotype of Vigna radiata, and expected to give optimum yield over saline irrigated lands. (author)

[en] Two mungbean (Vigna radiata [L.] Wilczek cultivars, NM-51 and NM-92, were compared for plant growth and root nodulation during development at different nitrogen regimes (0, 2, 5 and 10 mM) in sand cultures. Dry weight of plants, after 5,8 and 10 weeks of sowing, increased in both cultivars at all the nitrate levels. The maximum increase in dry weight, however, occurred at 5 mM nitrate for NM-51 and at 2 mM nitrate for NM-92. The two cultivars were comparative in reproductive growth since number of flowers per plant, number of pods per plant and fresh weight of pods per plant generally increased with increasing nitrogen levels. Nodule development in both the cultivars was stimulated in the presence of 2 mM nitrate but was increasingly depressed by the higher levels of nitrate. Nitrate levels of 5 and 10 mM decreased nodule number and nodule fresh weight. Cultivar NM-92 showed increased growth and nodulation at all nitrate levels compared to NM-51. Also, nodulation of Nm-92 was more tolerant to nitrate compared with NM-51. (author)

[en] Urdbean leaf crinkle virus (ULCV) is a common, wide spread, destructive and economically important disease causing systemic infection in blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper), resulting in extreme crinkling, curling, puckering and rugosity of leaves, and yield reductions. Effect of viral infection was investigated on total soluble proteins and antioxidant enzymes activity in two genotypes viz., Mash-88-susceptible and CM-2002-resistant, at different growth stages under both the inoculated and un-inoculated conditions. ULCV infection resulted in significant increase in total soluble protein contents of the leaves in both genotypes. In healthy plant, super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (PO) showed similar activity levels. In inoculated plants of Mash-88, SOD and PO activities decreased and increased non-significantly at all growth stages, respectively. The activities of PO and SOD increased and decreased significantly after 15 and 30 days of inoculation in resistant genotype, respectively. No significant changes in catalase (CAT) activity were detected in ULCV-infected leaves over the control. It was concluded that the super oxide dismutase and peroxidases might be associated with resistance/susceptibility to ULCV infection. (author)

[en] Green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilkzec) an important legume crop in India is grown in 33.4 lakh hectares. India accounts for ∼ 60% of the world's green gram area but contributes only 47% of its production. Major constraint in storage is the pulse beetle Callosobruchus maculatus Fab. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), which may cause damage upto 100%. It is widespread throughout tropics and sub-tropics with wide host range and also has different strains. Fumigation with methyl bromide (MB) has been the most widely applied management practice for its control. However, the ozone depleting effect of MB has led to restrictions in its use. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative strategy for controlling the pests. Irradiation, an approved technology by International Plant Protection Convention, seems to be a viable non-chemical, residue-free strategy. Therefore, present studies were conducted to see the efficacy of electron beam (EB) irradiation as quarantine disinfestation treatment against green gram seeds infested with different stages of the target pest, C. maculatus