The yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is low due to incorrect or use of no magnesium (Mg). An experiment was conducted from October to March 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 to determine the effective dose of Mg to improve yield and quality, and assess nutrient uptake and use efficiency of tomato. Treatments were magnesium at 0 (control), 4, 8, 12, or 16 kg·ha⁻¹. Application of 12 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg produced the most fruit per plant (41.1), heaviest fruit (74.3 g), and greatest fruit yield (69.7 t∙ha⁻¹). Vitamin C content in fruit was best (39.6 mg/100 g) with application of 12 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg. The same treatment had the highest β-carotene (26.1 µg·g⁻¹), improved fruit firmness (1.06 kilogram-force), and had better protein content (18.8%) in mature tomato fruit. Uptake of nutrients was best with 12 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg. Recovery use efficiency of Mg was highest with 8 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg. The best gross margin (48.6%) and benefit-cost ratio (3.11) was with 12 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg. Application of 12 kg·ha⁻¹ Mg appears to improve the quantity, quality, and economics of tomatoes. Regression analysis indicated application of Mg @ 11.3 kg·ha⁻¹ could be optimum to improve the yield of tomatoes under controlled field conditions.

Incorporating crop residues into the soil is an effective method for improving soil carbon sequestration, fertility, and crop productivity. Such potential benefits, however, may be offset if residue addition leads to a substantial increase in soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study aimed to quantify the effect of different crop residues with varying C/N ratios and different nitrogen (N) fertilizers on GHG emissions, yield, and yield-scaled emissions (GHGI) in winter wheat. The field experiment was conducted during the 2018–2019 winter wheat season, comprising of four residue treatments (no residue, maize residue, soybean residue, and maize-soybean mixed residue) and four fertilizer treatments (control, urea, manure, and manure + urea). The experiment followed a randomized split-plot design, with N treatments as the main plot factor and crop residue treatments as the sub-plot factor. Except for the control, all N treatments received 150 kg N ha⁻¹ season⁻¹. The results showed that soils from all treatments acted as a net source of N₂O and CO₂ fluxes but as a net sink of CH₄ fluxes. Soybean residue significantly increased soil N₂O emissions, while mixed residue had the lowest N₂O emissions among the three residues. However, all residue amendments significantly increased soil CO₂ emissions. Furthermore, soybean and mixed residues significantly increased grain yield by 24% and 21%, respectively, compared to no residue amendment. Both soybean and mixed residues reduced GHGI by 25% compared to maize residue. Additionally, the urea and manure + urea treatments exhibited higher N₂O emissions among the N treatments, but they contributed to significantly higher grain yields and resulted in lower GHGI. Moreover, crop residue incorporation significantly altered soil N dynamics. In soybean residue-amended soil, both NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05). Conversely, soil NO₃⁻ content was notably lower in the maize-soybean mixed residue amendment. Overall, our findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how different residue additions from different cropping systems influence soil N dynamics and GHG emissions, offering valuable insights into effective agroecosystems management for long-term food security and soil sustainability while mitigating GHG emissions.

Strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) is responsive to boron (B) and zinc (Zn) fertilizer application. Hence, an experiment was conducted in winter season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to evaluate the effect of boron and zinc application on yield traits, yields, nutrient uptake and quality of strawberry. The experiment was planned with 16 treatment combinations involving four levels each of boron (0, 1, 2 and 3 kg ha⁻¹) and zinc (0, 2, 3 and 4 kg ha⁻¹) following factorial (4 × 4) randomized complete block design with three replications. As per results, application of B 2 kg ha⁻¹ and Zn 3 kg ha⁻¹ produced highest number of fruits (18.5) and most fruit yield (14.1 t ha⁻¹) with higher total soluble solids (7.50°Brix) and vitamin C (72.0 mg/100 g) and greatest B uptake (0.205 kg ha⁻¹) and Zn uptake (0.192 kg ha⁻¹).The interaction effect of boron and zinc was dominant. The result suggests that combined application of B 2 kg ha⁻¹ and Zn 3 kg ha⁻¹ can increase the quantity and quality of strawberry fruit. The present findings may have potential for the area where imbalance uses of boron and zinc fertilizer in strawberry cultivation.

Yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is affected by high day and night temperature and high humidity which can occur together. Plant growth regulators may minimize adverse environmental effects to increase tomato yield. A field experiment was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to evaluate effects of foliar-applied plant growth regulators gibberellic acid (GA₃) and 4-chloro phenoxy acetic acid (4-CPA) on growth, yield, and quality of tomato subjected to high day and night temperature (around 30°C) and high humidity, avg. 83%. Concentrations of GA₃ were 0, 25, 50, 100 or 125 mg GA₃∙L⁻¹, and concentrations of 4-CPA were 0 or 20 mg 4-CPA∙L⁻¹. Gibberellic acid was applied alone during pre-anthesis at 30 days after transplanting; 4-CPA was applied at anthesis and a second dose 7 days later. Application of 50 mg GA₃∙L⁻¹and 20 mg 4-CPA∙L⁻¹ produced the heaviest individual fruit (76.2 g) and greatest yield (46.1 t∙ha⁻¹) with higher total soluble solids (4.48 °Brix) and vitamin C (31.6 mg/100 g). Combined application of 50 mg GA₃∙L⁻¹ and 20 mg 4-CPA.L⁻¹ was economical and could be applied under high temperature and humidity to increase quantity and quality of tomato fruit.

Nineteen selected lines of field corn were crossed in a line × tester method with two testers to produce 38 hybrids during rabi 2018-2019. In the following year, all the hybrids were raised along with five commercial checks in an alpha lattice design with two replications. The lines E34, BML75, BML76, BML249, BIL106, CML465, CML481 and CML487 were better among the parents, showing GCA effects for yield and other traits could be used extensively in hybrid breeding program owing to increase yield. Furthermore, based on mean, SCA effects and standard heterosis of yield value, the crosses BML75 x BIL79, E34XBIL157, BML76 x BIL157 and BML249 x BIL157 were found to be better to increase the grain yield along with other traits and play pivotal role to development of commercial hybrid.

An experiment was carried out with North Carolina Mating Design II (NC II) derived F₁ progenies along with parents to know nature of gene action in regulating early maturity, yield and yield contributing traits. The principal objective of this research was to identify best parents and specific cross combinations based on combining ability analysis and estimation of heritability. Hybrids and their parents were arranged in a 8 by 8 partially balanced lattice design with two replicates. Kanchan, BARI Gom-25 × BARI Gom-21, BARI Gom-26 × Kanchan, Rawal × Kanchan, Rawal × BARI Gom-22 and BARI Gom-23 × Kheri showed earliness and BARI Gom-25 × BARI Gom-21 showed highest yield potentiality. The genotypes BARI Gom-28 and BARI Gom-30 were used as checks and the selected genotypes performed comparatively better than the checks. The genetic analysis exhibited significant additive and non-additive genetic variations for all the traits. For earliness and yield potentiality the variance due to SCA was highly significant than GCA. Heritability estimates revealed low broad sense heritability except the traits i.e. days to 50% flowering, days to 100% flowering, plant height and 100-grain weight, which exhibited medium heritability. Narrow sense heritability was low for all the traits. The GCA effect of 15 parental genotypes was insignificant for all the traits that were assessed. BARI Gom-25 x BARI Gom-21, BARI Gom-23 x BARI Gom-21, BARI Gom-25 x BARI Gom-27, BARI Gom-26 x Kanchan, BARI Gom-26 x BARI Gom-28, BARI Gom-25 x BARI Gom-27 showed significant SCA effects for earliness. BARI Gom-25 x BARI Gom-22, BARI Gom-26 x CB51 showed significant SCA effects for yield potentiality.