High temperature during May to July is a major hurdle for production of sorghum as fodder in Pakistan, ultimately resulting in a deficit with respect to the demand of meat and milk for increasing population. A field study was conducted to investigate the impact of exogenous application of natural plant growth-promoting substances on forage yield and quality of sorghum. Seed priming and foliar application (alone or in combination) with 1% sorghum water extract (SWE), 3% moringa leaf extract (MLE) and water were applied. Two foliar applications, the first at one month after sowing and the second at 45 days after sowing were carried out. Untreated seeds were used as control. The results indicated that priming and foliar spray performed best in combination as compared to priming or foliar application alone. All MLE applications (priming plus foliar application, priming alone, foliar spray alone) enhanced growth parameters and chlorophyll contents, which ultimately improved forage yield and total dry matter production of sorghum plants. An increase in crude protein and total ash and decrease in crude fiber was also recorded in plants treated with MLE. The results of this study revealed that exogenous application of MLE at 3% concentration (priming plus foliar application, priming alone, foliar spray alone) significantly enhanced the yield through improvement in sorghum growth.

Soil compaction due to field trafficking involves a complex interplay of machine-soil properties. In contrast to previous studies simulating worst field scenarios, this two-year field experiment investigated the effects of traffic-induced compaction involving moderate machine operational specifications (axle load, 3.16 Mg; mean ground contact pressure, 77.5 kPa) and lower field moisture contents (< field capacity) at the time of trafficking on soil physical properties, spatial root distribution, and corresponding maize growth and grain yield in sandy loam soil. Two compaction levels, i.e. two (C2) and six (C6) vehicle passes, were compared with a control (C0). Two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars, i.e. ZD-958 and XY-335, were used. Results showed topsoil (< 30 cm) compaction with increases in bulk density (BD) and penetration resistance (PR) up to 16.42% and 127.76%, respectively, in the 10-20 cm soil layer in 2017. Field trafficking resulted in a shallower and stronger hardpan. An increased number of traffic passes (C6) aggravated the effects, and the carryover effect was found. Higher BD and PR impaired root proliferation in deeper layers of topsoil (10-30 cm) and promoted shallow horizontal root distribution. However, XY-335, compared with ZD-958, showed deeper root distribution under compaction. Compaction-induced reductions in root biomass and length densities were respectively up to 41% and 36% in 10-20 cm and 58% and 42% in the 20-30 cm soil layer. Consequent yield penalties (7.6%-15.5%) underscore the detriments of compaction, even only in topsoil. In crux, despite their low magnitude, the negative impacts of field trafficking under moderate machine-field conditions after just two years of annual trafficking foreground the challenge of soil compaction.

A field experiment was conducted to study the forage yield and qualitative traits of different varieties of millet with different days of harvest during the summer, 2014 at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) under factorial arrangement having three replications. Pearl millet seeds of three varieties viz. BS-2011, Ghana White and MB-87 were grown in 30cm apart rows. Net plot size was 3.6m×8.0m. Three different harvesting times were adopted i.e. 55, 65 and 75days after sowing (DAS). Maximum plant height of pearl millet was recorded for cultivar BS-2011 at harvest time of 75DAS. Maximum leaf area per plant was observed for the cultivar BS-2011 when it was harvested 75DAS. Maximum dry matter percentage was also attained in cultivar BS-2011 where plots were harvested at 75DAS. The highest forage yield was obtained where variety BS-2011 was grown and harvested at 75DAS. Similarly, maximum dry matter production of BS-2011 was recorded in plots harvested at 75DAS followed by Ghana White and MB-87 harvested at 55DAS. Higher crude protein content was recorded where plots were harvested at 55DAS and cultivar BS-2011 was sown. Higher crude fiber and total ash percentage was also seen in BS-2011. Finally, cultivar BS-2011 proved best for cultivation with harvest time of 75 DAS under Faisalabad conditions to obtain higher forage yield and better quality

In direct seeded rice (DSR), flushes of weeds are encountered, and mostly subsequent herbicides need to apply to control weeds that appear later. A farmer friendly approach was hypothesized in present study to integrate the management strategies for water, soil and cost effective weed free rice production. Efficacy of various herbicides in weed control to improve the performance of aerobic rice grown under varying tillage and alternate water regimes was evaluated. Five weed management techniques (weedy check, weed-free, pendimethalin followed by manual weeding, pendimethalin + bispyribac sodium (BS) + bensulfuron (B) and pendimethalin + MCPA) were carried out within the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) regimes (15 and 20 cm depth) under two tillage systems (zero and conventional). All the herbicide treatments reduced the weed intensity as compared to weedy check, however minimum weed density and dry biomass was observed in pendimethalin at 40 and 60 days after sowing, respectively. Under conventional tillage, weed free plots showed maximum leaf area index, leaf area duration and crop growth rate. Maximum plant height, 1000-kernel weight and kernel per panicle along with less percentage of abortive, chalky and opaque kernels were recorded in pendimethalin followed by BS+B as compared to weedy check plots. Among the herbicides application, pendimethalin followed by BS+B gave highest benefit to cost ratio and net benefits under both AWD regimes. Overall, application of pendimethalin followed by BS+B is an efficient and economic approach to reduce weed infestation which results in improved yield of aerobic rice.