Increased light interception is considered the main factor explaining greater yield in narrow‐ compared to wide‐row spacing in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Controversy exists, as to when during the growth cycle the greater light interception of the narrow rows has an enhancing effect on yield. The objectives of this study were to analyze crop growth rate and yield components to determine the importance of greater light interception during vegetative (E‐R1), early reproductive (R1‐R5), and late reproductive (R5‐R7) periods to increased yield in narrow‐row culture. Field studies were conducted during 1989 and 1990 at a late (July) planting date with ‘Centennial’ soybean (determinate, Maturity Group VI) at row spacings of 100, 75, 50, and 25 cm. The test was conducted at Baton Rouge, LA on a Mhoon silty clay soil (fine‐silty, mixed, nonacid, thermic, Typic Fluvaquents). Yield increased with greater light interception as row spacing was reduced from 100 to 75 and 50 cm. Although greater light interception occurred throughout the growing season in narrow compared to wide rows, increased crop growth rate occurred only during vegetative and early reproductive periods. The main factors responsible for increased yield in narrow rows were greater fertile node production and increased pod per fertile node. These yield components are primarily determined during the vegetative and early reproductive periods. In conclusion, analyses of crop growth rate and yield components revealed that greater light interception during the vegetative and early reproductive periods was responsible for increased yield in narrow‐row culture.

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Background: Nutritional fibrous osteodystrophy may be developed due to dietary deficiency of calcium or dietary excess of phosphorus. Fibrous osteodystrophy (FOD) provokes hyperostotic distortion of cancellous bones, conjunctive tissue proliferation, and poor mineralization of bone. The objectives of this study were to report the clinical characteristics and therapeutic management of FOD in goats. Materials and methods: Four out of 8 Jamnapari goats developed fibrous osteodystrophy in a small scale intensive household farm in Chittagong. The age range of the affected goats was 4-5 months. The feeding history of goats was primarily wheat bran, gram and pea husk. Blood sample from all affected and non-affected animals and feed sample from household farm were collected for laboratory analysis. Fibrous Osteo-dystrophy was primarily diagnosed by observing clinical signs of mandibular and maxillary enlargement, pain on pressure at the enlarged bone, protruded tongue and dyspnea which was then confirmed by high level of phosphorus in serum evaluation. Results: The calcium and phosphorus contents in the sampled gram, pea husk and bran were 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.5%, and 0.71%, 0.49% and 0.61%, respectively. Most of the affected animals had increased serum levels of phosphorus, glucose and alkaline phosphatase and decreased level of calcium. Based on the clinical findings and the laboratory report, the cases were diagnosed as fibrous osteodystrophy due to nutritional imbalance in diet. The owner was advised strictly to stop providing any bran to animals (affected and healthy). Affected animals were additionally treated with calcium preparation vitamin ADE, ketoprofen, protein, and penicillin-streptomycin combination. Conclusion: Treatment of fibrous osteodystrophy required a long time recovery along with balanced ration. A combined therapy of calcium and vitamin D and protein preparation is effective for treatment along with adequate green grass and balanced rations.

The influence of different mulches and herbicides on the weed flora and marketable yield of chili was evaluated at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar. The pre-emergence herbicides (dual gold, stomp) were applied with various either alone or in combination with mulches of wheat's straw, transparent polythene, and black polythene. The interaction of mulches and herbicides and significantly affected the weeds flora of chili crop. The weedy control had the highest density of Java grass followed by Crab grass, Bindweed, spurge weed, Prostrate sandmate and pig weed. Whereas, herbicides and mulches decreased the density of weeds flora, the least density of Java grass was followed by Crab grass, Bindweed, spurge weed, Prostrate sandmat and pig weed, recorded in plots with stomp + black polythene mulch treatment, followed by stomp + transparent polythene mulch. The wheat straw mulch was superior in weed control but inferior to polythene mulches. The number of leaves per plant, canopy diameter, number of fruit per plant and marketable yield in control plants increased to the maximum in plot treated with stomp. The least mean number of leaves per plant, canopy diameter, number of fruit per plant and marketable yield in control plants also increased with mulching. However, the maximum number of leaves per plant, canopy diameter, number of fruit per plant and marketable yield was recorded with black polythene mulch. It can be concluded that black polythene mulch and Stomp application were the most effective treatments in decreasing density of different weeds and increasing marketable yield of chili crop.

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy research field of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur and at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Burirhat, Rangpur during Rabi season of 2013-14 and 2014-15 to find out optimum sowing date of sweet corn in potato + sweet corn intercropping system for getting maximum yield and economic return. Six treatments viz., simultaneous sowing of potato and sweet corn, sweet corn sown at 10 days after potato planting (DAPP), sweet corn sown 20 DAPP, sweet corn sown 30 DAPP, sole potato and sole sweet corn were tested in this study. Sweet corn sown at 20 DPP produced the highest potato equivalent yield (Joydebpur: 41.41 t ha-1 in 2013-14 and 42.22 t ha-1 in 2014-15 and Rangpur: 42.29 t ha-1 in 2013-14 and 42.52 t ha-1 in 2014-15). The highest gross return at Joydebpur Tk. 431050 ha-1 and at Rangpur Tk. 436248 ha-1, gross margin at Joydebpur Tk. 286805 ha-1 and at Rangpur Tk. 271985 ha-1 and benefit cost ratio at Joydebpur 2.99 and at Rangpur 3.01 were observed over the years in the same treatment. In this treatment, tuber yield was reduced 3.4-4.1% in Joydebpur and 7.8-8.4% in Rangpur due to intercropping. The result indicated that sweet corn sown 20 DAPP might be suitable intercrop combination for getting maximum yield and economic return.Bangladesh Agron. J. 2015, 18(2): 15-21