Key message Wheat blast resistance in Caninde#1 is controlled by a major QTL on 2NS/2AS translocation and multiple minor QTL in an additive mode. Abstract Wheat blast (WB) is a devastating disease in South America, and it recently also emerged in Bangladesh. Host resistance to WB has relied heavily on the 2NS/2AS translocation, but the responsible QTL has not been mapped and its phenotypic effects in different environments have not been reported. In the current study, a recombinant inbred line population with 298 progenies was generated, with the female and male parents being Caninde#1 (with 2NS) and Alondra (without 2NS), respectively. Phenotyping was carried out in two locations in Bolivia, namely Quirusillas and Okinawa, and one location in Bangladesh, Jashore, with two sowing dates in each of the two cropping seasons in each location, during the years 2017-2019. Genotyping was performed with the DArTseq® technology along with five previously reported STS markers in the 2NS region. QTL mapping identified a major and consistent QTL on 2NS/2AS region, explaining between 22.4 and 50.1% of the phenotypic variation in different environments. Additional QTL were detected on chromosomes 1AS, 2BL, 3AL, 4BS, 4DL and 7BS, all additive to the 2NS QTL and showing phenotypic effects less than 10%. Two codominant STS markers, WGGB156 and WGGB159, were linked proximally to the 2NS/2AS QTL with a genetic distance of 0.9 cM, being potentially useful in marker-assisted selection.

Wheat blast caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT) is an emerging threat to wheat production. To identify genomic regions associated with blast resistance against MoT isolates in Bolivia and Bangladesh, we performed a large genome-wide association mapping study using 8607 observations on 1106 lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre’s International Bread Wheat Screening Nurseries (IBWSNs) and Semi-Arid Wheat Screening Nurseries (SAWSNs). We identified 36 significant markers on chromosomes 2AS, 3BL, 4AL and 7BL with consistent effects across panels or site-years, including 20 markers that were significant in all the 49 datasets and tagged the 2NS translocation from Aegilops ventricosa. The mean blast index of lines with and without the 2NS translocation was 2.7 ± 4.5 and 53.3 ± 15.9, respectively, that substantiates its strong effect on blast resistance. Furthermore, we fingerprinted a large panel of 4143 lines for the 2NS translocation that provided excellent insights into its frequency over years and indicated its presence in 94.1 and 93.7% of lines in the 2019 IBWSN and SAWSN, respectively. Overall, this study reinforces the effectiveness of the 2NS translocation for blast resistance and emphasizes the urgent need to identify novel non-2NS sources of blast resistance.

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Zinc (Zn), boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) are essential to increase the productivity of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) and help to maintain the soil fertility but mostly ignored. Hence, an experiment was conducted during the years of 2016 and 2017 to know the impact of Zn, B and Mo on mungbean yield, nutrient uptake, economics and soil fertility improvement. The experiments were planned in randomized complete block design including of eight treatments with three replications. The treatments were T1 = Control, T2 = Zn 2 kg ha-1, T3 = B 1.5 kg ha-1, T4 = Mo 1 kg ha-1, T5 = Zn2B1.5, T6 = Zn2Mo1, T7 = B1.5Mo1 and T8 = Zn2B1.5Mo1. The other fertilizers, N, P, K and S at 20, 20, 30 and 10 kg ha-1, respectively were used in all treatments. The results indicate that the highest seed yield (1522 kg ha-1) was obtained from T8 treatment followed by T7. The highest percent seed yield increment (51.6%) over control was achieved in T8 treatment. Most of the growth and yield contributing characters of mungbean were recorded highest in T8 treatment. The maximum nodulation (37.6) and highest amount of protein (24.3%) was also obtained from T8 treatment. The T8 treatment contributed positively to attain higher total uptake of N, P, K, S, Zn and B by mungbean. The combination of Zn, B and Mo is showed more productive compare to sole or couple use of these micronutrients. The T8 (Zn2B1.5Mo1 kg ha-1) treatment exhibited helpful effects on soil organic matter, total N, available P, Zn and B. This treatment also showed economically better on the basis of net return. Results of the present study suggest that the combination of Zn, B and Mo applied at 2, 1.5 and 1 kg ha-1, respectively could be recommended for mungbean cultivation.

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Sustainable and resilient cropping intensity is now a global focus to address the food demand and nutrition security of the growing population. For sustainable intensification, maintaining soil fertility is a key concern. The nutrient management for the recently developed four crop-based cropping system in Bangladesh has not yet been studied. Hence, field experiments were conducted on the nutrient management of the four crop-based cropping system [Aus (pre-monsoon rice), Aman (monsoon rice), lentil, and mungbean] in calcareous soil in Bangladesh during the years of 2016/17 and 2017/18 to determine the appropriate fertilizer management package to improve crop productivity and sustain soil fertility. The experiment had six treatments assigned in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments included T1 = control (without synthetic fertilizer), T2 = 50% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), T3 = 75% RDF, T4 = 100% RDF, T5 = 125% RDF, and T6 = farmers’ practice (FP). The results revealed that the 125% RDF significantly contributed to higher yields of all four crops. The rice equivalent yield (REY) was the highest for the fertilizer management of 125% RDF, which was 45.5%, 9.4%, and 12.2% higher than the control (T1), 100% RDF (T4), and FP, respectively. Considering the uptake of nutrients (N, P, K, S, Zn, and B) by the crops in the cropping system, the 125% RDF was superior to the other treatments. The nutrient management practices had a positive influence on the apparent nutrient recovery (ANR) efficiency of the cropping system. The fertilizer management of 125% RDF was also economically more profitable due to the increment in the cost–benefit ratio of 26.8%, 4.4%, and 4.9% over the control, 100% RDF, and FP, respectively. The results indicate that the current fertilizer recommendations and FP for aus, aman, lentil, and mungbean are not adequate for the change from the three crop to the four crop-based pattern, and an increased dose of fertilizer is required to increase the yield of each individual crop as well as the total system’s productivity. The fertilizer use efficiency is also higher for 125% RDF than the 100% RDF and FP indicating that to sustain the soil fertility in the four crop-based system, the current RDF and FP are not sufficient. This finding will help intensive cropping areas in preventing nutrient deficiencies that would lead to a reduction in the crop yield.

Zinc (Zn) fertilization is reflected a significant agronomic strategy for global food security. Deficiency of zinc in soils could be caused to decrease the crop yield. Hence an experiment was made over two years at the research farm of Pulses Research Sub-Station of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur and in the research farm of Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Ishwardi and Jessore, during Rabi season to assess the sensitivity of different varieties of lentil to Zn fertilization and evaluate the Zn in terms of yield and Zn mineral content in seed. There were 12 treatment combinations comprising six lentil varieties (V 1 = BARI Masur-2, V 2 = BARI Masur-3, V 3 = BARI Masur-4, V 4 = BARI Masur-5, V 5 = BARI Masur-6 and V 6 = BARI Masur-7) and two levels of zinc (0 and 2 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Results reveal that growth, yield attributes and yield varied positively by zinc level and variety. Among the varieties, BARI Masur-7 followed by BARI Masur-6 gave the highest seed yield. Interaction of variety and zinc the highest mean seed yield (1568 kg ha-1 at Gazipur, 2396 kg ha-1 at Ishurdy and 1639 kg ha-1 at Jashore) produced by the treatment V 6 Zn 2. The improved protein content (28.5% at Gazipur, 28.9% at Ishurdy and 29% at Jashore) and zinc content (70.2 ppm at Gazipur, 73.6 ppm at Ishurdy and 69.9 ppm at Jashore) was achieved in V 6 Zn 2 treatment. The result, suggest that 2 kg Zn ha-1 could be applied in any lentil variety for quality improvement and yield maximization in terrace and calcareous soils of Bangladesh. The current study recommended conducting another experiment for further monitoring and determining the appropriate Zn dose for lentil production through application of different zinc rates in Zn-deficient soils.