M illions of people in the world feeding on cereals like wheat and rice (FAO, 2012). After wheat, rice is utmost imperative essential crop of Pakistan. It contributes approximately 0.6 percent in GDP. During 2018-2019 rice was sown on 2810 thousand hectares with production of 7202 thousand tons (Pakistan Economic Survey, 2018-2019). World's population increasing day by day, therefore, food need is also increasing, while the natural resources are same (United Nations, 2012). Malnutrition is a very popular issue of poor communities and due to reduced bioavailability, micronutrients deficiency is also becoming serious issue (Huang et al., 2002). In the soils of Zinc (Zn) deficient areas, Zn deficiency Abstract | Zinc (Zn) is an important microelement not only for animals, plants but for humans as well. Its importance cannot ignore for the plants to improve overall quality and yield. The overall physiology, quality and biochemical parameters also enhanced with optimum application of Zn. By keeping in mind, the facts, it was hypothesized that the use of ZnO (a cheap source of Zn) impregnated urea for rice may enhance grains (paddy) yield. Three types of urea were prepared including Zn coated, bio-activated Zn coated and Zn blended urea at the 1.5% rate of formulate. The bio-activated Zn coated urea was prepared by inoculating the powdered organic material with Zinc solubilizing bacterium and then this material was mixed with ZnO. This bio-active Zn was coated on urea at 1.5% rates to formulate. Moreover, Zn blended urea was prepared by mixing powder ZnO with urea. The comparative efficacies of different types of Zn impregnated urea were compared with ZnSO 4 to grains yield, physiology and biochemistry of rice under field conditions. The results showed that 1.5% bio-activated Zn (ZnO) coated urea performed better in promoting yield and biochemical parameters. About 15 to 20% increase was observed in yield physical, biochemical and quality parameters. This suggests that the application of bio-activated Zn coated urea @ 1.5% is greatly active in enhancing quality and yield of rice crop.

Environmental stresses such as drought, temperature, salinity, air pollution, heavy metals, pesticides, and soil pH are major limiting factors in crop production because they affect almost all plant functions. Soil salinization is a serious stress condition causing major problem for crop productivity. To combat this salinity stress, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is considered as innovative, effective and ecofriendly approach. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have various direct and indirect mechanisms which can be correlated with their ability to form biofilms, chemotaxis, and the production of exopolysaccharide, indole-3-acetic acids (IAA) and aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase Investigations on the interaction of PGPR with other microbes and their effect on the physiological response of crop plants under different soil salinity regimes are still at an incipient stage. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of PGPR on lowering down the salt stress. Treatments were control (T1), Salt tolerant isolate KH-1 (T2), Salt tolerant isolate KH-2 (T3), Salt tolerant isolate KH-3 (T4), PGPR-I (Pseudimonas) (T5), PGPR-II (Azotobacter) (T6). Rice was sown under saline conditions at Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian. With the inoculation of salt tolerant PGPR, plant growth and yield was improved. Result showed significant increase in plant height, biomass and yield over control. Inoculation of salt tolerant isolate KH-2 produced maximum grain yield in rice (4267 kg/ha) followed by PGPR-II and it was statistically significant from all other treatments along with control. It is concluded that with the application of salt tolerant isolate (KH-2), there is significant increase in rice production.

Elevated use of agrochemicals has been the backbone of sustainable crop production. However, the environmental hazards, soaring cost and stagnant production are the foremost issues affiliated with them. Exploitation of stumpy cost and environment friendly plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has certain encouraging results regarding sustainability in agricultural production. A glass house study was conducted at Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad to check the efficacy of different PGPR for growth and yield of okra (Abelmoshuses culentum). Treatments were control, Azotobacter sp inoculation, Azospirillum sp inoculation, Bacillus sp inoculation, Pseudomonas sp inoculation and Rhizobium sp inoculation. Results revealed that there was significant effect of all inoculants on growth and yield of okra crop. An increase of 23.5% and 21.0% in green pod yield was recorded with Pseudomonas sp and Bacillus sp, respectively. Positive consequence was observed in all other parameters where Pseudomonas inoculation was applied as compared to no inoculation. This study suggests that PGPR may be a dynamic biofertilizer to boost the yield of okra and other agricultural crops.

For growth or development of pulses, biotic and abiotic environmental factors are more conspicuous under stress conditions. For the survival against abiotic stresses, salicylic acid (SA) is reported a universal remedy. At the Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, a pot study was conducted to monitor the role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Salicylic acid in chickpea under salt stress. Eight treatments including control PGPR inoculation and Salicylic acid with their different combination were used. Results revealed that positive response of PGPR on productivity of chickpea but more enunciated response about grain yield was observed with the combined application of SA and PGPR compared to control. Growth parameters i.e root length, root mass, number of nodules and shoot mass were highly affected where SA was applied along with PGPR. From the study, it is proposed that under salt stress the combination of SA + PGPR can be a suitable practice for more production of chickpean Pakistan.

S alt stress is the most common and serious problem of agriculture. According to Ashraf et al. (2008) 40,000 ha area of arable land in Pakistan has been lost due to salinity and is increasing quickly each year. Due to high salinity toxicity, soil water potential is decreased, so plants become incapable to absorb sufficient extent of water from soil, ultimately reduction in plant growth rate occur (Tester and Davenport, 2003). Wilting occurs by constant salinity stress alike to drought symptoms, with waxed and thickened leaves and with a greenish blue color (Fraga et al., 2010). By the osmotic effects salt stress Abstract | In Pakistan many soils out of total lands are occupied by sodic soils which in turn is upsetting farmer's income and cause soil quality decline. This trial was led to appraise the toxic consequences of NaHCO 3 on growth as well as rice yield parameters. Various levels of NaHCO 3 or Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) were developed in the normal soil. This experiment comprised of 7 treatments that were repeated three times according to Completely Randomized Design (CRD). These treatments included; T 1 = Control, T 2 = 15 SAR, T 3 = 20 SAR, T 4 = 25 SAR, T 5 = 30 SAR, T 6 = 35 SAR and T 7 = 40 SAR. Subsequently NaHCO 3 was added to the soil as per treatment plan and adequate time was allowed to accomplish chosen sodicity levels. Later on, rice nursery was transplanted in all the pots. Various agronomical operations were carried out as per crop requirement. At maturity, rice was harvested from all pots. Various yield contributing components like plant height, fertile tillers, total biomass, straw and paddy yield were noted for all pots of the experiment. Statistical analysis of all collected data was accomplished. It was noted from the results that control (T 1 ) proved superior with regard to plant height, fertile tillers/pot, total biomass, straw and paddy yield. All these yield contributing components indicated a declining trend in all subsequent treatment. Treatment T 7 (40 SAR) proved inferior to all others in these regards.

Iron (Fe), being an essential micronutrient, is necessary for human health and to maintain the integrity and development of the plant. In Fe-limiting conditions, plants and plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) have a siderophore production mechanism. Inoculation with seed soaking of such siderophore-producing bacteria can be a cost-effective biofortification technique. The current study includes the collection of rhizobacterial isolates from wheat, maize, sorghum, millet, and maize rhizosphere soil of Rawalpindi and Sargodha divisions. The screening of bacterial isolates for siderophore production through CAS-shuttle assay (quantitative) and CAS-agar (qualitative) was done. Isolates were further characterized for Fe and phosphorus solubilization, indole acidic acid (IAA) equivalents, and organic acid production. The growth chamber and field study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of these isolates on the growth and yield parameters of wheat. Total bacterial isolates were 50, out of which 15 isolates were found significantly positive for the production of siderophore and solubilizing of nutrients. The (SPS10) produced a comparatively high percentage of 46.2 % siderophore units, as shown by results between positive isolates. Out of 15 positive, 7 isolates significantly improved root/shoot growth over control in the growth chamber study. Inoculation with siderophore-producing bacteria showed a significant increase in plant height, grain yield, spike length, grain weight, no. of tillers plant -1 , and wheat quality in a field trial. The results from the current study proposed that in the plant, rhizobacteria can also play a beneficial role in nutrient translocation to plants efficiently and nutrients uptake from the soil insoluble form.

No abstract

Research Articlethe country. Maize contributed 0.4% of GDP and 2.1% of total profits of national agriculture (Shah et al., 2014). About 99% of maize is mainly grown in Punjab and KPK provinces (Rehman et al., 2015). In Pakistan, production of maize was about 7000 thousand tons in year 2020 (GOP, 2020). Production of maize was 36581000 tons from 9 lac 81 thousand ha in 2010 in the country. Maize grains are rich Abstract | Deficiency of organic matter in Pakistani soils is well established fact. This deficiency of organic matter deteriorates soil physical properties and all related chemical processes in the soil. To overcome this issue, organic matter is added to these soils in so many forms like Farm Yard Manure (FYM), compost, green manure, rice husk and poultry manure. All these practices are favoured to enhance soil productivity level. Keeping in view the current scenario of country, this experiment was conducted. Experiment contained 11 treatments applied under completely randomized design (CRD) included, T1 = chemical fertilizers at recommended rate, T2 = chemical fertilizers at half recommended rate, T3 = poultry dung at the rate of 5 t ha -1 , T4 = poultry dung at the rate of 7.5 t ha -1 , T5 = poultry dung at the rate of 10 t ha -1 , T6 = T1 + T3, T7 = T1 + T4, T8 = T1 + T5, T9 = T2 + T3, T10 = T2 + T4 and T11 = T2 + T5. Maize was grown as test crop to evaluate efficiency of these treatments. At maturity, plant samples of maize were collected from all pots. Laboratory analysis for collected plant samples was carried out. Data were statistically analyzed. Results indicated that treatment (T8) produce maximum nitrogen (3.27%), phosphorus (1.0%) and potassium (2.85%) concentration in shoots of maize plants. The same trend of improvement was noted for maximum nitrogen (3.16%), phosphorus (0.92%) and potassium (2.88%) concentration in roots of maize plants.