International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

Effect of Foliar Spray of Different Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), Micronutrients and Seaweed Extract on Vegetative Growth, Flowering, Fruit Yield and Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Rajan Srivastava — 2026-08-13

An experiment was conducted during 2025–2026 at the Central Orchard (Horticulture Research Farm), Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate foliar applications of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari. Eight-year-old, uniform trees of pomegranate cv. Kandhari were used for the study. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with eleven treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised foliar applications of plant growth regulators (GA₃ and NAA), micronutrients (ZnSO₄ and borax), and seaweed extract, applied individually and in different combinations. The first foliar spray was applied in September 2025. The results revealed that treatment T₁₀ (GA₃ at 100 ppm + NAA at 40 ppm + seaweed extract at 5 ml L⁻¹ + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) produced the maximum vegetative growth and was the most effective treatment. However, T₆ (NAA at 40 ppm + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) was found to be the most economically viable treatment. The study indicates that integrated foliar application of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract can significantly improve vegetative growth, total number of flowers, number of fruits per plant, and fruit weight (g) in pomegranate under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions.

Study of Different Rooting Media Compositions and Germination Rate of Papaya Seedlings var. Red Sun (Dwarf) under Prayagraj Agro-climatic Conditions

D. T. Rochu — 2026-08-14

The experiment was conducted at the research field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute (NAI), Faculty of Agriculture (FoA), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (India), during the kharif season in 2025. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRD), consisting of a total of 16 different treatment combinations, including the control, with each treatment replicated thrice. Treatment T15: Soil + FYM + Vermicompost + Cocopeat (1:1:1:1) + GA3 (200 ppm seed treatment) recorded germination (96.67%), days taken for completion of germination (13.40 days), seedling height (28.51 cm), number of leaves per seedling (17.46), diameter of seedling (13.93 mm), leaf area (105.77 cm²), chlorophyll content (SPAD value: 64.16), length of the longest tap root (7.55 cm), fresh weight of shoots (18.55 g), dry weight of shoots (2.51 g), fresh weight of root (5.54 g), dry weight of root (1.31 g), shoot:root ratio (0.52), Seed Vigour Index (I) (2756.53), Seed Vigour Index (II) (369.06), survival (94.4%), and mortality (5.5%), and was significantly superior overall to the other treatments. This study provides a practical approach to papaya seed germination and the production of healthy seedlings using suitable rooting media compositions with appropriate proportions of organic amendments, such as farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, and cocopeat, to improve nutrient availability, aeration, and moisture retention, together with GA₃ (200 ppm seed treatment). The findings may also provide a foundation for future research on rooting media, germination, and growth regulators for papaya and other horticultural crops under diverse agro-climatic conditions.

Morphological and Yield Trait Variability in Eight Cultivars of Gboma Eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L.) in Burkina Faso

Pingawindé Sawadogo — 2026-08-14

Gboma eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L.) is an important leafy and fruit vegetable in Africa, but information on cultivar-level morphological and yield variation under Burkina Faso conditions remains limited. This study assessed eight cultivars in the North-Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso between July and October 2024. A randomized Fisher block design with four replicates was used, and six qualitative and 17 quantitative traits were recorded. Qualitative observations showed variation in stem, flower, and fruit colour, whereas all cultivars had an upright growth habit, wavy leaf margins, and round fruits. The quantitative traits also varied among cultivars. Days to 50% flowering ranged from 53.50 days for Gb7 to 63.00 days for Gb5. Cultivar Gb5 recorded the greatest leaf blade length (31.14 cm), the largest fruit diameter (8.19 cm), and the highest leaf yield (6,437.50 kg/ha). Cultivar Gb2 produced the highest fruit yield (10,458.33 kg/ha), whereas Gb8 recorded the lowest fruit yield (5,958.33 kg/ha). Positive associations were observed between collar diameter and average fruit weight, fruit diameter and plant height, and fruit yield and the number of fruits per plant. The observed variability indicates that the evaluated cultivars contain useful morphological and agronomic differences. Gb5 may be considered for combined leaf and fruit production, whereas Gb2 is promising for fruit yield. Multi-season and multi-location evaluations are required before breeding or production recommendations are made.

Estimation of Standard Heterosis in Indian Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.]

Sonu Dhakad — 2026-08-17

The present study evaluated standard heterosis for seed yield and 15 associated traits in 40 cross combinations of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.]. Crosses developed during Rabi 2025 were evaluated during Rabi 2026 at the Experimental Farm, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India, in a randomized block design with three replications. The zonal check Maya and national check Kranti were used for comparison. Considerable variation in standard heterosis was observed across the 16 traits. For seed yield per plant, standard heterosis ranged from −55.62% to 54.07% over Maya and from −59.46% to 40.75% over Kranti. Vasundhara × PM-26 recorded the highest positive standard heterosis for seed yield per plant over both Maya (54.07%) and Kranti (40.75%). Pusa Bold × Pusa Vijay, Varuna × NPJ-253, Varuna × PM-28, Kranti × NPJ-253, Rohini × PM-28, Maya × Pusa Vijay and Pusa Bold × PM-28 also expressed significant positive heterosis over both checks. Different cross combinations showed desirable heterosis for earliness, reduced plant height, branching, siliquae number, seeds per siliquae, siliquae length, test weight, biological yield and harvest index. The results identify promising hybrid combinations for heterosis-based improvement of Indian mustard. Their performance should be confirmed through multi-location and multi-season evaluation before their use in further breeding or cultivar-development programmes.

Effect of Potassium Mobilizing Bacteria on Growth, Yield, Nutrient Uptake, and Nutrient Use Efficiency of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Suresh Kumar Saran — 2026-08-18

Aims: The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the influence of potassium mobilizing bacteria (KMB) on growth, yield, nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Study Design: The experiment was conducted in a Randomised Block Design comprising eight treatments with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Latur, Maharashtra, India, during the Rabi season of 2025–26.

Methodology: Eight nutrient management treatments involving recommended fertiliser doses, reduced potassium levels, KMB seed treatment and KMB drenching were evaluated. Observations on growth, yield attributes, seed and straw yields, nutrient content, nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency were recorded using standard analytical procedures. The experimental data were subjected to analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared at the 5% level of significance.

Results: Significant differences among treatments were observed for most of the studied parameters. Treatment T₇, comprising 100% recommended nitrogen and phosphorus, 75% recommended potassium, KMB seed treatment and KMB drenching at 20 and 40 days after sowing, recorded the highest numerical values for plant height (48.24 cm), leaf area (375.36 cm² plant⁻¹), number of pods plant⁻¹ (71.27), seed yield (23.15 q ha⁻¹) and straw yield (45.50 q ha⁻¹). T₇ also recorded the highest numerical values for total uptake of nitrogen (177.31 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (34.44 kg ha⁻¹) and potassium (139.85 kg ha⁻¹). For nutrient use efficiency, T₇ recorded 54.42% nitrogen use efficiency, 27.21% phosphorus use efficiency and 54.42% potassium use efficiency.

Conclusion: Under the conditions of the present investigation, integration of KMB with 75% of the recommended potassium dose showed potential to improve nutrient utilisation and crop performance while reducing potassium fertiliser input by 25%. Further evaluation across multiple seasons, locations and contrasting soil potassium levels is required to establish the wider applicability of this nutrient management strategy.

Assessment of the Effect of Soil Conservation Practices on Sustainable Crop Production in Ngororero, Rwanda

Azalie Bazambanza — 2026-08-18

Aims: This study assessed the effectiveness of soil conservation practices (SCPs) in controlling soil erosion and examined their contribution to sustainable crop production, using the Food Basket Sites (FoBaSi) programme of Ngororero District, Rwanda, as a case study.

Study Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive-explanatory research design combining quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted between 2025 and 2026 across 50 Food Basket Sites in the 13 sectors of Ngororero District, an East African highland agricultural landscape in Western Province, Rwanda.

Methodology: Cross-sectional mixed-methods was employed for the study of 367 farming households (Yamane's formula, stratified sampling) plus 39 key informants across Ngororero District. Data came from household surveys, field observations, interviews, and secondary records. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression in SPSS; qualitative data were analyzed thematically.

Results: Radical terracing (85%) and progressive terracing (78%) were the most widely adopted SCPs, whereas cover cropping (45%) and water harvesting (40%) showed relatively low adoption. Indicators of soil erosion remained prevalent, including bare soil patches (70%), rills (65%), and gullies (40%), suggesting inadequate maintenance and limited integration of biological conservation measures. Soil conservation practices were significantly and positively associated with crop yield, yield stability, land productivity, and household food security (p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that terracing, agroforestry, mulching, and cover cropping explained 68% of the variation in sustainable crop production (R = 0.825, R² = 0.680, Adjusted R² = 0.676; F (4,362) = 45.2, p < 0.001), with terracing (β = 0.45) and agroforestry (β = 0.35) being the strongest predictors. Furthermore, 80% of farmers reported increased and more stable crop yields, 65% reported higher farm income, and 74.1% perceived improved resilience to climate variability.

Conclusion: Integrated implementation of structural and biological soil conservation practices significantly enhances sustainable crop production despite persistent erosion challenges. Strengthening maintenance, expanding biological conservation measures, and improving extension support and financial access are essential to increase agricultural productivity and climate resilience in Rwanda's highland Food Basket Sites.

Floristic Diversity and Vulnerability of Plant Species Providing Non-Timber Forest Products in the Kabadougou Region, Northwestern Côte d’Ivoire

Ismaël Koné — 2026-08-18

Objectives: The high demand for wild plants has led to the overexploitation of several species. This raises the issue of conserving plant species in the face of risks of biodiversity loss and extinction. This study aims to promote the sustainable use of species providing non-timber forest products in the Kabadougou region.

Methodology and Results: Before the study began, institutional and local ethical approval was required. The interviews were voluntary and conducted after the participants had given their informed consent. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted with 137 participants through focus groups and individual interviews on the uses of exploited non-timber forest products (NTFPs). The analysis mainly focused on the use value (UV) and vulnerability index (VI) of the plants. It made it possible to identify 80 species belonging to 34 botanical families. The Fabaceae (29.88%) and Rubiaceae (9.47%) families were the most frequently mentioned. The majority of NTFPs were used for medicinal purposes (54.73%). Leaves (41.72%) were the most frequently used plant organ. Malaria (15.95%) and ulcers (12.16%) were the most frequently mentioned diseases. The study revealed that the most used species were Parkia biglobosa (UV = 0.26), Nauclea latifolia (UV = 0.22), and Diospyros mespiliformis (UV = 0.20), whereas the most threatened species were Pterocarpus erinaceus (VI = 3.17), Parkia biglobosa (VI = 3.08), and Khaya senegalensis (VI = 2.81). The Spearman correlation test between the UV and VI of the inventoried species showed a positive correlation (rho = 0.32; Pvalue < 0.05).

Conclusions and Application of the Results: The NTFP source species that are most in demand are also the most threatened in the Kabadougou region. Promoting these species could help improve sustainable and community-based management of these resources by local populations.

Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen and Sulphur on Productivity and Quality of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh, India

Divyanshi — 2026-08-18

Nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) are essential macronutrients that play pivotal roles in regulating crop growth, yield formation, and oil synthesis in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). A field experiment was conducted during the Zaid season of 2025 at the Crop Research Farm, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SAAST), Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate the effects of graded N and S levels on the productivity and quality of sunflower under the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh. The experiment comprised ten treatment combinations, including an untreated control (T₀) and nine combinations of N and S, with three replications, and was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) using sunflower cultivar DRSH-1. Among the treatment combinations, the application of N @ 120 kg ha⁻¹ + S @ 50 kg ha⁻¹ (T₉) resulted in the highest plant height (167.81 cm), number of leaves plant⁻¹ (29.3), dry matter accumulation (43.86 g m⁻²), head diameter (20.64 cm), seed yield (2108 kg ha⁻¹), stover yield (4365 kg ha⁻¹), biological yield (6473 kg ha⁻¹), and oil yield (853.33 kg ha⁻¹). In contrast, the maximum oil content (40.76%) was recorded with N @ 90 kg ha⁻¹ + S @ 50 kg ha⁻¹ (T₈). Overall, the application of N @ 120 kg ha⁻¹ + S @ 50 kg ha⁻¹ demonstrated superior performance in enhancing sunflower growth, yield attributes, seed and biomass productivity, and oil yield under the agro-climatic conditions of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh. The findings suggest that balanced N and S nutrition can substantially improve sunflower productivity and oil production in the region.

CRISPR-Cas9 Precision Breeding for Climate-resilient Vegetable Crops: A Critical Appraisal of Evidence, Inference and Deployment

Manisha A. Kharat — 2026-08-14

Vegetable crops occupy a small share of global cropland yet supply a disproportionate fraction of dietary micronutrients, and their short life cycles, high water demand and thermosensitive reproductive stages make them unusually exposed to a warming and more variable climate. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) editing has been promoted as a route to climate-resilient vegetable cultivars, and the descriptive literature cataloguing edited targets has expanded quickly. This critical narrative review evaluates whether that literature supports the resilience claims made for it. Peer-reviewed studies published between January 2015 and June 2026 were identified through openly accessible bibliographic indexes and citation-metadata services, appraised for design adequacy, evaluation environment and evidence-claim alignment, and synthesised thematically rather than catalogued. Three findings dominate. First, the evidence base is heavily weighted towards single-gene loss-of-function alleles created in a small number of transformation-competent model genotypes, assessed under controlled conditions using physiological proxies rather than marketable yield, so that demonstrated gene function is repeatedly reported in language implying demonstrated agronomic improvement. Second, several loci yield directionally opposite phenotypes depending on the stress applied, which indicates that stress-specific reactive oxygen species thresholds and pleiotropy are poorly resolved and that resilience cannot be treated as a single transferable trait. Third, the small number of studies that combine allele-resolution editing of regulatory sequence with field evaluation and yield endpoints produce markedly stronger inference than the knockout literature, suggesting that the principal constraint is experimental design and delivery capability rather than nuclease performance. Regulatory divergence, patent uncertainty and uneven transformation capacity across vegetable species further separate laboratory demonstration from field deployment. Confidence in current claims of climate resilience remains low for most targets, and progress will depend on multi-environment field testing, yield-based endpoints, and extension of editing capability beyond the few genotypes that presently regenerate reliably.

Next-generation Site-specific Weed Management: A Critical Synthesis of Sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Precision Actuation

P Jayasree — 2026-08-18

Weed management is entering a transition from uniform field-wide treatment to spatially selective intervention at patch, row and individual-plant scales. This critical narrative review evaluates the technological and agronomic evidence underpinning site-specific weed management, with emphasis on the coupling of sensing, artificial intelligence, positioning, decision logic and precision actuation. The review focuses on peer-reviewed literature from 2000 to 9 June 2026, supplemented by foundational work within that interval that established practical sensor-based systems. Evidence was appraised for methodological quality, field realism, generalisability and the degree to which technical performance translated into weed-control efficacy, crop safety, input reduction and operational viability. The literature shows that sensing and computer vision have advanced rapidly, especially through high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle imagery and deep-learning-based crop–weed discrimination. Yet benchmark classification accuracy remains an incomplete predictor of field performance because domain shift, occlusion, weed growth stage, illumination, georeferencing error, latency and actuator footprint can propagate through the control chain. Targeted spraying currently has the strongest field evidence for preserving agronomic efficacy while reducing herbicide use when weeds are spatially heterogeneous, although savings are highly context-dependent. Camera-guided hoeing and robotic intra-row cultivation can reduce hand labour and herbicide dependence, but crop safety, soil conditions and work rate remain decisive constraints. Laser and electrical methods demonstrate credible biological mechanisms and increasingly realistic prototypes, but their large-scale energy, throughput, safety and economic performance remains less established. The central conclusion is that next-generation weed management should be judged as a closed-loop agronomic system rather than as an isolated detection algorithm or actuator. Research priorities therefore include multi-environment validation, uncertainty-aware decision thresholds, standardised field metrics, interoperable sensing–actuation architectures, resistance-aware treatment rules and transparent whole-system economic and environmental assessment.