Genetic variability estimation was conducted in twelve genotypes of peas during growing season 2011-12. Analysis of variance was highly significant for all characters studied except plant height present high scope for selection. The highest genotypic and phenotypic co-efficient of variation were recorded for pod per plant (31.62, 31.99) followed by seed yield per plant (22.87, 23.65), cluster per plant (18.81, 20.21) and lowest was noted for days to maturity (1.88, 2.15). High heritability with high genetic advance as percent of means was recorded for pod per plant (0.98, 64.37%) followed by seed yield (0.94, 45.56%). The lowest was observed for plant height (0.35, 13.80%). The study indicates that emphasis should be given to these characters for yield improvement.

Drought-induced xylem embolism is a key process closely related to plant mortality during extreme drought events. However, this process has been poorly investigated in crop species to date, despite the observed decline of crop productivity under extreme drought conditions. Interspecific variation in hydraulic traits has frequently been reported, but less is known about intraspecific variation in crops. We assessed the intraspecific variability of embolism resistance in four sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) accessions grown in well-watered conditions. Vulnerability to embolism was determined by the in situ flow-centrifuge method (cavitron), and possible trade-offs between xylem safety, xylem efficiency and growth were assessed. The relationship between stem anatomy and hydraulic traits was also investigated. Mean P was -3 MPa, but significant variation was observed between accessions, with values ranging between -2.67 and -3.22 MPa. Embolism resistance was negatively related to growth and positively related to xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity. There is, therefore, a trade-off between hydraulic safety and growth but not between hydraulic safety and efficiency. Finally, we found that a few anatomical traits, such as vessel density and the area of the vessel lumen relative to that of the secondary xylem, were related to embolism resistance, whereas stem tissue lignification was not. Further investigations are now required to investigate the link between the observed variability of embolism resistance and yield, to facilitate the identification of breeding strategies to improve yields in an increasingly arid world.

Although,chickpea isnitrogen fixing crop but water scarcity under rain-fed condition reduces its nodulation process severely and nutrients use efficiency too. An experiment was carried out regarding the combined effect of nipping as well as foliar applied fertilizers on yield and yield components of chickpea under rain-fed conditions. Nipping and foliar application of nutrients significantly improved number of pods plant-1, biological yield (kg ha-1), harvest index (%) and final grain yield (kg ha-1). However, non-significant influence was seen in 1000-grain weight and number of grains pod-1. Foliar application of N PK (20:20:20) @2.5 kg ha-1 × nipping was found to be the best interaction among others which significantly increased number of branches plant-1 (11.30), number of pods plant-1(115.36), plant height(59.48cm) and grain yield(2338.9 kg ha-1) as compared to the control treatment. Nipping along with foliar application of NPKcan be practiced in chickpea for higher profitability.