A field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications over 2 years to evaluate the effect of wheat cultivar and dual inoculation of Azotobacter chroococcum (Azc) and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF, Glomus fasciculatum) on root characters and AMF infection in three crosses of wheat. The experimental material comprised four wheat parents, WH‐147, WH‐157, WH‐542 and PBW‐175, and three F1 crosses, WH‐147 ×WH‐157, WH‐147 × WH‐542 and WH‐147 × PBW‐175. Comparison of treatment averages, i.e. control (mineral nutrients 60 kg N + 30 kg P2O5 + 12.5 kg ZnSO4 ha−1, as in other two treatments), AMF and AMF + Azc, revealed that inoculation of Azc led to an increase in AMF infection in roots. Maximum root biomass was obtained in F1 hybrids WH‐147 × WH‐157 in the AMF treatment and in WH‐147 × PBW‐175 receiving AMF + Azc. Total root length and AMF infection of roots was maximum in WH‐147 × PBW‐175 for all the treatments during both years. A positive association between AMF infection in roots and Azotobacter survival in the rhizosphere was apparent. Similarly, maximum A. chroococcum counts were observed 80 and 120 days after sowing in the AMF + Azc treatment in cross WH147 × PBW175.

Simazine and prometryne applied to the soil surface in pots at 1-6 and 3-2 kg/ha. 2 days after sowing, did not affect germination or early seedling growth of chickpea. Reductions were noticed under all treatments in the leaf dry weight after 28 days and in the length of the main stem after 42 days. Dry-matter accumulation in the shoot was drastically reduced with simazine but not with prometryne. All treatments retarded dry-matter accumulation in the roots with time. Prometryne reduced chlorophyll content during early growth stages and simazine during later stages.Growth of the rhizobial culture was reduced with increasing concentrations (1-20 mg/1) of both simazine and prometryne. Root nodule initiation was not affected by either of the herbicides but the later production of new nodules and growth of the nodules were reduced in different degrees by various treatments. Overall nodulation was drastically reduced with simazine. Reductions in nodulation with simazine and prometryne appeared to be primarily a case of general root growth reduction. The pink pigment, leghaemoglobin, did not develop at all in the nodules of simazinetreated plants and its concentration was not affected in the nodules of prometrynetreated plants. The N 2 -fixing efficiency (acetylene reduction) of the nodules was more in the case of prometryne-treated plants and was nil in the case of simazine-treated ones. INTRODUCTIONcontent 0-25 %), 3 kg/pot. The soil was brought to field capacity and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), Chickpea is one of the important pulse crops of cv. H-208, seeds inoculated with rhizobial strain arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Simazine Ca 164, were sown, ten per pot, at a depth of 3 cm. and prometryne are amongst the list of herbicides Two days after sowing, simazine and prometryne tried and have been found to control effectively were applied to the soil surface at 1-6 and 3-2 kg the main weeds in this crop. There are indications (a.i.)/ha. Filtered canal water was used for all that the concentrations of simazine and prometryne treatments as well as for irrigation. The experiment which reduce dry-matter production in crop plants was conducted outdoors under net house conditions also reduce the number and weight of the root using a completely randomized design, nodules (Elenkov et al. 1970; Hauke-Pacewiczowa, Germination counts were taken daily. Thinning 1970; Mishra & Gaur, 1974; Thomas & Hammond, was carried out from time to time to leave four 1968;Vagina & Latypova, 1972). However, none plants of similar growth in each pot. Three pots at of these studies showed whether the herbicide acted random from each treatment were sampled 14, 28, directly on the process of nodulation or indirectly 42 and 56 days after sowing. At each time, the root through general plant growth suppression. There-system was gently removed from the soil in running fore in the present investigations, an attempt was tap water without loss of any roots or nodules, made to study the process of nodulation as distinct The root system of plants ...

Biology of pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was conducted during 2015-16 in laboratories of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Karnal on HQPM 1 (hybrid) and HKI 1128 (inbred) for two generations at room temperature. Results on biology of S. inferens in the first generation revealed that incubation period varied from 10-14 days on HQPM 1 and 11-15 days on HKI 1128. The larval duration lasted for 21-37 days on HQPM 1 and 24-39 days on HKI 1128. The adult longevity of male and female ranged from 6-7 days and 7-8 days on HQPM 1 and 5-7 days and 6-7 days on HKI 1128, respectively. The total life span ranged from 63-72 days for female and 45-58 days for male on HQPM 1 and 65-74 days for female and 49-62 days for male on HKI 1128, respectively in the first generation. The total life span in second generation ranged 94-107 days for female and 83-96 days for male on HQPM 1 and 98-112 days for female and 86-101 days for male on HKI 1128. The biology of an insect pest is a condition precedent to find out its management strategies. The biology of S. inferens on maize has not yet been studied in north western part of the country. Having regards to the fact that no systematic work on this aspect has been carried out, studies were conducted on biology of this pest for developing efficient pest management strategies.

:The paper investigates the price behaviour of maize and market concentration in Nimbahera market of Rajasthan. In view of this the present study was undertaken by collecting monthly wholesale prices of maize in major maize markets of Rajasthan for a period of 12 years (2002 to 2013).The seasonal price index pro ides a measure of the month to month variation in maize prices. Price of maize was found to be highest during off season and lowest during harvest season. Since maize is a Kharif crop, the arrivals were high during October to January. The higher seasonal indices of prices were observed during April to August during which the arrivals were found to be low. The Lorenz ratio was less than 0.5 in Nimbahera market. it can be concluded that the moderate market competitiveness in markets as the arrivals were concentrated among few large traders. The Lorenz ratio 0.49 for maize in Nimbaheda market showing moderate market concentration.