A field experiment was conducted to estimate residue persistence of fluopyram and its metabolite benzamide in cucumber fruits and soil and their risk assessment in humans and soil environment. Fluopyram (Kafka, 400 SC) was applied as soil drench twice at the interval of 15 days at the rate of 250 (standard dose) and 500 (double dose) g a.i. ha (active ingredient per hectare). Cucumber fruits were collected at 0 (1 h), 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50 days after second application. Soil samples were collected on 15th day after second application. Drench application resulted in detection of residues on the third day in standard dose at the levels of 0.056 mg kg in cucumber fruit. The residue level increased until 20 days reaching 0.092 mg kg followed by decrease to 0.068 mg kg on 30th day after application. In double dose, the residues started accumulating from 0 day with initial levels of 0.093 mg kg and persisted until 30th day. The levels varied between 0.123 and 0.184 mg kg until 15th day of application followed by decrease to 0.127 mg kg by 30th day. The residues reached below determination level (< 0.05 mg kg) on 40th day in both the doses after second application. The residue of metabolite benzamide was below determination level (< 0.05 mg kg) at both the doses. Hazard quotient (HQ) for residues levels at 15th and 30th day was less than one (HQ < 1). Hence, a pre-harvest interval of 15 days is suggested. Present data can be used to establish maximum residue limit (MRL) in India. The residue of fluopyram in soil on 15th day and the data on soil adsorption coefficient of fluopyram from literature suggests moderate mobility of fluopyram in soil. However, residues of metabolite of benzamide were not detected in soil. Further studies on translocation of fluopyram in soil over the time can be conducted for better understanding of environmental risk. To our knowledge, this is the first report on residue levels of fluopyram in any crop when applied as soil drench.

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood is an important parasite of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Four chickpea genotypes were evaluated for tolerance to M. javanica in naturally infested fields at three locations. Each genotype was evaluated for number of galls, gall size, root area covered with galls and number of egg masses produced. All the cultivars were susceptible or highly susceptible. Seed yield, weight of 100 undamaged seeds, total dry matter and plant height were compared with checks. Chickpea cultivar Annigeri and a local check were used as nematode susceptible checks in all locations. The four promising nematode tolerant genotypes produced significantly greater yield and total dry matter than the checks in fields naturally infested with M. javanica at three locations. These M. javanica tolerant lines represent new germplasm and they are available in the chickpea genebank at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) bearing the identification numbers ICC 8932, ICC 11152, ICCV 90043 and ICCC 42.

Phytonematodes are one of the major constraints in arid zone pomegranate cultivation under light to medium soil which cause severe yield loss to the tune of 17.3 %. Besides several plant parasitic nematodes, root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is predominant species threatening the pomegranate crop area by severe incidence of root-knot disease. It is known that Meloidogyne spp. are most active at moderate temperatures (22.0 to 35oC) and optimum field capacity (about 50-60%) by which the congenial moisture conditions during entire crop period favours the rapid multiplication of nematodes which finally results in wilting of plants. The nematode population is influenced by both biotic and abiotic stresses. Since, the systemic studies on seasonal incidence of root-knot nematodes under nematode sick microplot condition, assessment of avoidable loss due to root-knot nematode and use of potent bioagents with desire strength of cfu persistence in soil after application in pomegranate were yet not reported around the world.

The study was conducted to know the effect of exogenous application of different plant growth regulators on grain and sex expression of bitter gourd. The treatments comprised of plant growth regulators viz., NAA @ 50 mg L-1 and 75 mg L-1 , ethereal @ 50 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 , spermine @ 5 mg L-1 and 10 mg L-1 , putrescine @ 20 mg L-1 and 40 mg L-1 and control (water spray) were applied at 2 and 4 leaf stage of bitter gourd crop. All the treatments significantly increased flowering and thereby yield over control. However, foliar spray of NAA 75 mg L-1 followed by spermine @ 10 mg L-1 were found most significant in influencing maximum vine length, number of branches per vine, number of days taken for first male and female flower, number of male flowers, number of female flowers with highest yield of 2.25 kg/vine.

:The present investigation was undertaken with the main objective of effect of different levels of vermiwash spray on growth and yield of radish cv. LOCAL VARIETY. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Completely Block Design with five treatments and four replications. The experiment consists of five treatments involving application of water and vermiwash in the proportion of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 and control were imposed and the foliar application was made by using knapsack sprayer in the evening hours twice at 15 and 30 days after sowing seeds. The data clearly revealed that the yield obtained with treatment T 4 (100 % RDF as fertigation and vermiwash foliar twice times spray 1:4 at 15 and 30 days after sowing seeds) was significantly higher than all other treatments in growth and yield attributes such as root diameter (10.41 cm), length (23.79 cm), weight (85.21 g), yield/plot (17.04 kg), yield/ha (56.80 t/ha) and marketable yield (49.25 t/ha) of radish cv. LOCAL VARIETY. Thus, it can be concluded that foliar spray of vermiwash (1:4) effective than control.