In this study, an experimental heat pump dryer was designed. The specific moisture extraction rate and moisture extraction rate were used as performance indicators to explore the influence of environmental factors and the style of the hot air cycle on heat pump drying. The average temperature and humidity in Nanjing’s summer, winter, and throughout the whole year were taken as the experimental ambient temperature and humidity. Garlic slices 3 mm thick, with an initial moisture content of 66.714% w.b., were dried until the end moisture content was 10% w.b. Experimental results and thermal analysis showed that the open and semi-open heat pump dryers were greatly affected by ambient temperature and humidity. The closed heat pump drying system was greatly affected by the bypass air rate.

| The virulence of rust diseases in wheat crop like leaf, stripe and stem-rust declines the grain quality and productivity. Cultivars having a durable rust resistance is an effective method to control the spread of rust disease in cereal crops particularly in wheat. The experiment was conducted on fifty-two wheat lines comprised of forty-five double haploids of wheat along with seven wheat genotypes. Besides that, three positive checks and three SSR primers were also included in the study to check the durability i.e. Opata-85 Sr2/Lr27 check, Pavon-76 ( Yr-29/Lr-46 ) and Tukuru ( Yr18/Lr34) respectively. The molecular markers screening results indicated that the primer Sr2/Lr27 was present in almost all of the double haploids and genotypes except the Nesser and Tukuru varieties. The Yr29/Lr46 gene complex was present in all double haploids and genotypes except for Nesser, Opata-85, inqilab-91 and Tukuru. the gene complex Yr18/Lr34 was present in eight double haploids, and only one genotype showed its presence, however the rest of the genotypes lacked this gene complex. The obtained results intimated that the 8 double haploids 33, 34, 44, 45, 46, 48, 53, 54, and genotype weebil-1 contained all the slow rusting genes complex i.e. Yr18/Lr34 , Yr29/Lr46 and Sr2/Lr27 . Therefore, detection of slow rusting gene complex in these varieties with the assistance of molecular markers can be utilized for slow-rust resistance. Furthermore, the selected markers can be used as a primary choice for detecting rust resistance genes specifically in the wheat breeding population.

| Losses of quality parameters during sugar recovery process are of severe problems which are caused by delayed transportation with unfavorable storage conditions. Keeping the fact in view a study observing post-harvest losses of sugarcane was carried out at the Department of Farm Structures, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. Freshly harvested SPF-234 sugarcane variety was collected and stored for 10 days under two different methods i.e. one kept open and other covered with sugarcane trash. The samples of sugarcane were taken at an interval of 24 hours to determine different quality parameters i.e. cane weight, brix, pol/sucrose, purity, fiber and commercial cane sugar. The results revealed that weight loss and fibre content throughout increased with increasing storage period. However, a decrease was observed with increasing storage period for brix content, sucrose content, purity percentage and commercial cane sugar percentage under both storage conditions. The observations of results further revealed that sugarcane covered with trash provided better quality (i.e. low weight loss, higher percentage of brix, sucrose percentage and commercial cane sugar) as compared to sugarcane kept open. From the outcomes of current study, it is strongly suggested that local farmers should adopt sugarcane trash cover method which do provides a convenient and safe storage system.

Effects of plastic sheet on water saving and yield under furrow irrigation method in semi-arid region