Wajid Ali Jatoi

Diallel analysis is a mating design used in quantitative genetics to find superior genotypes for hybridization and selections programmes. This competition evaluated 15 F1 hybrids and their six parental lines for a range of morphological and physiological traits, including days to 50% heading, days to 75% maturity, plant height (cm), grains per spike, grain yield per plant (g), grain filling duration, cell membrane thermostability (%), leaf area (cm²), SPAD chlorophyll content, and relative water content (%). At the Botanical Garden of Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, the experiment was conducted using a factorial design with two sowing regimes: an ideal sowing date and a late sowing date. Under both normal and late sowing conditions, the variances for general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were found to be significant for nearly all the traits under study. This suggests that both additive and non-additive gene actions were supporting the traits under investigation. Three parents like TD-1, Benazir, Kiran-95 and TJ-83 were found exceptionally high general combiners by manifesting higher GCA estimates for yield and physiological characters studied; therefore such parents are expected to prove excellent in the improvement of bread wheat, specifically with regard to heat stress environments. Concerning SCA effects, the F1 hybrids such as TD-1×Kiran-95, NIA-Sarang × TJ-83, Benazir × AS-2002 under heat stress circumstances, AS-2002, TD-1 × Kiran-95, NIA-Sarang × Benazir, and TJ-83 × AS-2002 shown rewarding SCA effects for the characteristics under study; they could be chosen for use in next wheat breeding programs

Background: Water stress is crucial factor limiting wheat seedling's, nutritional, growth parameters, and development, ultimately limited production. Objectives: The aim of present study was to assess the potential of water stress treatments such as under normal watering (T0), under polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) at 0.5 MPa solution (T1), and under PEG 6000 at 0.75 MPa solution (T2) on quantitative wheat seeding traits such as shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), root fresh weight (RFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and root dry weight (RDW), of five winter wheat cultivars and their ten advance (F2) lines, under In situ condition, result indicated that the maximum shoot length (SL) of wheat line TJ-83 × Sarsabz was 19.53 cm under PEG-6000 at 0.5 MPa treatment. Methods: The present study was performed under control condition at Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam Pakistan, along with a completely block design with split-plot along with three replication. Results: The highest root length (RL) of wheat line TJ-83 × Sarsabz was noted by 26.60 cm under normal watering. The maximum shoot fresh weight (SFW) of wheat cultivar, NIA-Sarang was noted up to 1.62 g under normal watering. The root fresh weight (RFW) of TD-1 cultivar was significantly increased by 1.38 g under normal water condition. The shoot dry weight (SDW) of wheat line TJ-83 × Kiran-95 was dramatically increased by 1.44 g under PEG-6000 at 0.5 MPa treatment. Similarly, shoot dry weight (SDW) of wheat line TJ-83 × Sarsabz was noted by 1.44 g under normal water condition. The root dry weight (RDW) of wheat line TJ-83 × Kiran-95 was significantly increased by 1.26 g under PEG-6000 at 0.5 MPa treatment. Conclusion: Overall results revealed that wheat cultivar NIA-Sarang, wheat advance line, TJ-83 × Kiran-95, and TJ-83 × Sarsabz showed drought tolerance, which could be utilized in future breeding scheme of developing drought tolerant wheat genotypes.

The genetic analysis indicated significant differences between treatments, inbred parents, F1 hybrids and parents versus hybrids for yield and oil traits. The noteworthy variances between parents vs. hybrids indicated the importance of heterosis breeding whereas line × tester revealed the prominence of specific combing ability and involvement of dominant genes. General combining ability of lines and testers indicated that lines, HO.1, Mehran and Thatta and from testers UC-666 and B-2 were good combiners for oil traits were regarded as best general combiners, thus these inbreds may be crossed to produce prolific hybrids. Specific combining ability and heterotic estimates are essential genetic parameters presenting worth of F1 hybrid expansion. The hybrids like Thatta × UC-666, Mehran × Peshawar-93 and Ho.1 × B-2, on the basis of SCA and heterotic effects were found as potential hybrids for yield and oil parameters in both the environments. These results are suggested that such lines, testers and their F1 hybrids may be utilized in breeding programme for the development of more recombinants

The seeds of 4 lines, 3 testers, and their 12 F1 hybrids were sown in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications at Botanical Garden, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam during Kharif 2019. F1 hybrids were raised for the estimation of heterotic effects, GCA and SCA for days to 1st squaring, days to 1st boll formation Bolls opened at 90 days after sowing, Sympodial branches plant-1, Bolls plant-1, Boll weight (g), Seed cotton yield plant-1 (g), 100-seed weight (g), Ginning outturn (%) and staple length (mm). Genotypes, parents, crosses, parent's v/s crosses, lines, testers and line × testers were significant for days to 1st squaring and days to 1st boll forming. Bolls unveiled their fissures precisely 90 days post-sowing, while parameters including sympodial branches per plant, bolls per plant, individual boll weight, seed cotton yield per plant, 100-seed weight, ginning outturn, and staple length underwent meticulous evaluation. The statistical scrutiny unveiled the insignificance of both lines and testers concerning the 90-day boll dehiscence. Similarly, the parental influence on boll weight, 100-seed weight, and staple length exhibited a lack of statistical significance. Line CRIS-134, Sindh, and tester FH-901 gave a higher mean performance for all the traits. Among the hybrids, Mehran × FH-901, Sindh-1 × CIM-602, CRIS-134 × CIM-602, CRIS-342 × Koonj, and CRIS-342 × CIM-602 gave a desirable mean performance and heterotic effect for all the traits. CRIS-342 × Koonj produced maximum SCA effects for bolls per plant. Mehran × FH-901 recorded higher SCA effects for seed cotton yield plant-1 and 100-seed weight, CRIS-342 × CIM-602 for lint percentage, and CRIS-342 × FH-901 for staple length. It is suggested that these lines and testers should be utilized in the breeding program to improve these traits.

Since the introduction of laser leveler for land leveling in agriculture, farming community has been discussing the comparative role of different leveling implements in enhancement of crop growth and yield. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the performance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) crop under three leveling implements, including planker, iron blade and laser leveler. The research was carried out at the “Students’ Experimental Farm” of the Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan, during winter season of 2021-22. The field experiment was thrice replicated in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD, factorial) on a net area of the plot (9 m2) per replication of each treatment, a total of 81 m2 per treatment. The results showed that land leveled under T3 (Laser leveler) resulted maximum growth and yield traits such as days to 50% germination (18.0), days to 50% flowering (47.53), days to 50% pod formation (77.53), plant height (72.63 cm), pods plant-1 (71.8), seed index (193.33 g), biological yield (4226.66 kg ha-1), grain yield (2550.0 kg ha-1) and harvest index (59.64 %), followed by T1 = Leveling with planker. While the minimum results recorded in T2 = Leveling with iron blade for all parameters. Therefore, land should be leveled with laser leveler to achieve the higher seed (grain) yield per unit area because it ensures uniform distribution of water, fertilizer, and ease in field operations.

Helianthus annuus L., a cultivated sunflower is very popular field crop for its quality in providing edible oil. Its seed contains 48-58% oil and 88% mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. In this experiment twenty sunflower genotypes were used like Corolla, Peshwar-93, Albania, FMC-0046, HO-1, PFS-025, Melabour, Charnika, Thatta, SH-3915, UC-666, A-2, TJ-1, N-17, Turkish, A-1, Ausi-gold, Mehran, ST-2 and B-2 through which genetically diverse characters and sources were evaluated and analyzed under well watered and water stressed conditions. By taking the calculation of mean squares revealed that irrigation treatments produced considerable impact on agronomic, seed yield and oil traits. Hence Genotypes performed significantly different for most of the yield and oil traits whereas, interaction of treatments with genotypes were also noteworthy for most of the characters other than days taken to 75% flowering and 75% maturity and stem diameter, inferring that genotypes responded variably under water stress conditions. Such interactions indicated that some genotypes may be picked-up which performed better in well watered, water stressed conditions and may be selected for both the environments simultaneously For different characters, female inbreds viz. Ho.1, Mehran and Thatta whereas from male parents UC-666 and B-2 recorded high performance early maturity, seed yield, oil and protein% in both the environments. Therefore such male and female inbreds may be involved in breeding programmes to develop potential breeding material with improved agronomic, oil and protein characters.

The mean squares from analysis indicated significant differences was observed between treatments, inbred parents, F1 hybrids and F2 progenies for agronomic, oil and protein traits. The noteworthy variances between parents vs. hybrids indicated the importance of heterosis breeding. heterotic effects were found as potential hybrids for earliness, seed yield, oil and protein content in both the environments. The hybrids such as Thatta × UC-666, Mehran × Peshawar-93 and HO.1 × B-2 which have articulated high hybrid vigor in F1s for majority of the traits in normal and adverse conditions may be recommended for further commercial exploitation. The F2 progenies manifested high inbreeding depression for phenological traits and plant height signified that earlier maturing and dwarf plants resistant to lodging can achieved from filial generations.

Background: Plant breeders are more interested in genetic variance rather than phenotypic variance because that is more amenable to selection and brings further improvement in the desirable characters. Therefore the current investigation was laid out to estimate heritability and genetic advance among F2 progenies of cotton based on these parameters of cotton, i.e. days to 1^st boll formation, days to 1^st boll opening, boll formed at 90 days after sowing, plant height, sympodial branches plant^-1, bolls plant^-1, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield plant^-1 (g), GOT (%) and staple length.Result: The mean square of genotypes demonstrated substantial difference for most of the characters except plant height, sympodial branches plant^-1 and staple length. Based on average performance variety Mehran recorded better performance for most of the components while in F₂ progenies Mehran x Koonj and CRIS-508 x CRIS-510 were noted with superior result for various traits. In case of heritability estimation Bakhtawar x CRIS-508 showed maximum heritability (77.80%) for days to 1^st boll opening, (82.03%) heritability bolls formed at 90 days after sowing (84.89%) for staple length. Mehran x Koonj expressed maximum (88.78%) heritability for sympodial branches plant^-1 and (90.52%) for GOT (%). Koonj x CRIS-510 contributed high (82.83%) heritability for plant height, and Bakhtawar x CRIS-510 showed high heritability for seed cotton yield . considering genetic gain Mehran x CRIS-508 was noted with maximum genetic progression for plenty of the parameters. Conclusions: Mehran variety performed better for boll formation at 90 days after sowing, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield and staple length. Among the F₂ progenies Mehran x Koonj, Mehran x CRIS-508 and Bakhtawar x CRIS-508 recorded better mean performance for most of the traits. Regarding heritability estimation F₂ progenies Mehran x CRIS-508, Mehran x Koonj, Koonj x CRIS-510 and Bakhtawar x CRIS-510 showed high heritability and genetic gain for various traits that could be useful for further improvement.

Climate change is one of the major threats to wheat cultivation globally. Among abiotic stress, imposed by climate change, drought stress causes a drastic effect on yield and productivity of wheat. Based on this context, research was carried out on eight genotypes including WS-I (Water stress), WS-II, WS-III, WS-IV, WS-V, WS-VI, WS-VII and Khirman (check variety) to check the effect of water stress at the experimental field of Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam. The experiment was laid-out in a split-plot design (SPD) with factorial arrangement having four treatments i.e., T1 (normal six irrigations), T2 (one irrigation), T3 (two irrigations) and T4 (three irrigations) and three replications during Rabi season, 2019-2020 in order to assess the response of wheat genotypes under different water regimes conditions for vegetative, yield and yield-related traits. The results of analysis of variance results showed that genotypes were significantly different for all traits except spike length (cm). Similarly, a significant difference was observed among the treatments for all the traits except harvest index (%). While genotype x treatments interaction showed a significance level for most of the yield associated traits except few characters such as days to 75% heading, grain filling period, plant height (cm), peduncle length (cm), spikelets spike-1 and grains spike-1 indicating that genotypes perform similarly over the treatment. Maximum mean performance for all the traits was recorded under T3 treatment compared to the T2 and T1. Among the genotypes, WS-1V perform best for grains spike-1, grain weight spike-1 (g), 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield plot-1 and harvest index (%) under all treatments. However, WS-III also performed consistently under T2 and T3 treatment. Thus, genotypes like WS-III and WS-IV could be preferred for growing in those areas where growers face the problem of water shortage. Also, WS-III and WS-IV can be used as donor genotypes for developing drought tolerant varieties.