A pot experiment in a plastic house proceeded in 2022 at the Karma Ali site of the Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, Iraq. The experiment aimed to investigate the impact of mineral sulfur and organic matter addition, leaching requirements, and irrigation water salinity on the physical properties of soil cultivated with Zea mays L. (maize) plants. This study administered two organic residues (cow and alfalfa), three levels of mineral sulfur (0%, 0.8%, and 1.6%), three levels of leaching needs (15%, 25%, and 35%) more than the field capacity, and two levels of irrigation water salinity (4 dSm^-1 and 8 dSm^-1). The organic residues and mineral sulfur mixture with the soil incurred incubation for 60 days. Yellow maize (Zea mays L.) planting followed incubation, maintaining the soil moisture at field capacity fertilization, and carrying out irrigation operations according to the above treatments. Soil bulk density and mean weighted diameter measuring ensued at the end of the experiment. The results showed the ability of organic residues to reduce bulk density and increase soil stability (mean weighted diameter). The decrease in bulk density was more evident in the alfalfa residues, which amounted to 1.25 μg m^-3 soil and 0.62 mm, respectively. The leaching requirement level of 35% exceeded in reducing the bulk density of soil compared with the other two levels, which amounted to 1.25 μgm^-3 soil. The 1.6% sulfur and irrigation water salinity of 4 dSm^-1 reduced the soil’s bulk density and increased the mean weighted diameter of the soil (1.31 μgm^-3 soil and 0.79 mm, respectively).

Keywords: Organic residues, leaching requirements, mineral sulfur, soil bulk density, mean weighted diameter, salinity

Key findings: Using organic residues, leaching requirements of 35%, mineral sulfur addition of 1.6%, water salinity of 4 dSm^-1, and the interactions between these factors in improving the soil’s physical properties proved possible. Alfalfa residue and sulfur excelled in reducing soil bulk density and increasing soil stability compared with cow residue. Moreover, mineral sulfur enhanced the physical properties of the soil.

The fungal species isolated from infected seedlings showed the appearance of root rot fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina. The evaluation of two biological control agents, Trichoderma viride and Trichoderma harzianum, showed their ability to inhibit pathogenic fungi, and as per Bell’s scale, the inhibition percentage ranged from 1% to 2%. Both biological controls, T. harzianum and T. viride, significantly reduced the incidence of infection caused by the fungi. T. harzianum reduced the incidence of R. solani (20%), which was at par with T. viride (33.33%) reduction of R. solani, and a reduction in M. phaseolina and F. solani with T. viride amounted to 30.00% and 33.33%, respectively, compared with the control treatment inoculated with the fungus only (80.00%). Results also revealed that these two types lessened infection severity, where the highest decrease in infection severity with F. solani was 0.30 and 0.20 for T. viride and T. harzianum, respectively. In addition, both biological controls also positively affected the plant growth characteristics. T. harzianum with M. phaseolina increased shoot height (22.20 cm) compared with the pathogenic fungus treatment (16.46 cm), respectively. Moreover, the T. harzianum with M. phaseolina treatment significantly raised root length and dry weight compared with the control treatment.

Keywords: Cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.), F. solani, M. phaseolina, R. solani, T. viride, T. harzianum

Key findings: In cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.), the root rot infection caused by fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina, gained significant reduction and control by bioagents fungi (Trichoderma viride and Trichoderma harzainum).

Various diseases harm the maize crop, but stalk rot has significantly reduced crop yield. The susceptible stalk requires identification by pathologists to apply the precise dose of fungicide to the crop. Farmers in developing nations faced challenges for their timely hiring. Furthermore, differences in pathologists’ professional competencies result in inaccurate diagnoses. In this paper, the convolutional neural network (CNN) utilization helped classify the severity levels of stalk rot as elaborated in Hooker’s scale. The field experiment commenced at the Maize and Millet Research Institute Yousafwala, Sahiwal, using a smartphone to get images of resistant and susceptible lines fed to the proposed model for evaluation into six severity scales. The model’s overall accuracy was 83.58%. Recording of the recall ratio of highly susceptible, susceptible, moderately susceptible, highly resistant, resistant, and moderately resistant had scores of 1.000, 0.766, 0.966, 0.800, 0.733, and 1.000, respectively, with an average of 0.877. Precision for highly resistant was 1.000, resistant was 0.785, moderately resistant was 0.789, moderately susceptible was 0.805, susceptible was 0.958, and highly susceptible was 1.000, with an average of 0.889. Highly significant (P < 0.01) results from the chi-square test exhibited significant differences between traditional and deep learning approaches. The results of the proposed model showed less confusion than the visual-based method. The proposed approach is a vital source of detection of resistant lines against stalk rot disease by developing country farmers. The suggested model eliminates the need for pathologists, making it a valuable tool for identifying stalk rot resistant lines. It aids farmers in finding resistant lines for breeding projects and estimating the fungicide dose against stalk rot. It also helps minimize the production cost and environmental pollution.

Keywords: CNN, deep learning, severity classes

Key findings: The proposed model identified the Hooker’s severity scales more accurately than farmers’ assessments. It can be an essential tool for resistant line identifications. The study results will help to minimize the cost of production and environmental pollution.

In the context of marketability, economic value, and agricultural effectiveness to meet the feed demand of animal husbandry, it is necessary to create a solid forage base in the Kyzylorda region, Kazakhstan. The thriving solution to increased livestock and animal husbandry productivity in ecological conditions of the Aral Sea region principally depends upon the timely procurement of feed and the establishment of industrial-based feed production. Producing enhanced high-quality feeds can be the outcome of introducing high-yielding varieties, using new resource-saving cultivation and harvesting technologies, organizing optimal cultivation and production processes, and increasing the efficiency of various technical means. Of all the harvested types of feeds, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has the best effect on increasing the livestock’s milk and meat yield. All farm animals can also consume the green mass of alfalfa much faster. In feeding cattle with alfalfa, its utilization rate is 92.6%. On biochemical composition, alfalfa hay surpasses various other feeds, and 100 kg of alfalfa hay contains 11.6 kg of digestible protein, 1.77 kg of calcium, 0.22 kg of phosphorus, and 4.5 g of carotene. In conditions with rice crop rotation and according to its biological characteristics, alfalfa is indispensable in agrotechnical and reclamation relations, especially in saline soils. The economic value of alfalfa lies in its broad ecological plasticity, high productivity, and ability to grow back quickly after mowing.

Keywords: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), timing of haymaking, animal husbandry, growth dynamics, fodder yield, biochemical composition, quality

Key findings: Under the environmental conditions of the Kazakhstan Aral Sea region, for the preparation of a highly nutritious alfalfa haylage with a high digestibility, its mowing must be “from the beginning of budding to the beginning of flowering,” in which the duration of mowing should not exceed 10 days with an optimal cut height of 4–6 cm.

The analysis of a soil-ecological base commenced on the existing mountain-forest cinnamon soils in the New Shamkirchay Reservoir Basin, which play a vital role in developing the agricultural economy in the Western region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Thus, cleaning the area, increasing the fertility of mountain-brown soils, water-retaining capacity, and developing an action plan to ensure better productivity are among the most urgent processes to eliminate water shortages in areas with historical irrigation systems. The presented article discusses the research on the mountain-forest brown soils formed in the Shamkir region territory. This research area’s formation comprised an area of 2,498.43 ha. The current analysis based on the morphological and chemical descriptions with diagnostic indicators of six soil profiles (Sections 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, and 54) progressed during 2018–2021 in the targeted areas. The prime diagnostic indicators studied were humus, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, granulometric composition (for sand, dust, silt, and clay fractions), soil reaction (pH), carbonate content (CaCO₃), and their statistical analysis. Specifications for the six sections of the different soil profiles relied on modern tools through the determination of geographical coordinates. Determining geographical coordinates of soil samples employed the Garmin GPS map 62s. Based on the digital elevation model (DEM file), interpolating the elevation points obtained from topographic maps of previous years resulted in a new digital elevation model with low distortion. Likewise, the study has built a new relief model (in ArcGis 10.3).

Keywords: Mountain-forest cinnamon, fertility parameters, morphological descriptions, granulometric composition, soil hydrogen index, diagnostic parameters

Key findings: Mountain-forest cinnamon is one of the widespread soil types in Azerbaijan. The vital factors of that soil are fertility parameters like humus (%), nitrogen (%), CaCO₃ (%), and the sum of absorbed bases (SUB, mg-ekv), which can sustain plant growth and optimize the crop yield in that specified soil. The soil also contains elementary particles of different sizes (1-0.25, 0.25-0.05, 0.05-0.01, 0.01-0.005, 0.005-0.001, <0.001, <0.01 mm, quantity in %). The granulometric composition’s expression of the soil is the percentage of the weight of the arid soil.

The goal-directed study sought to determine the effects of mineral fertilizers on the productivity of two rice cultivars in the Kyzylorda region, Kazakhstan. In 2015, with the constant flooding of rice crops, the growing of two rice cultivars (Anait – a Russian breed, and Tugusken – a national breed of Kazakhstan) sustained mineral fertilizers with rates of N₁₂₀Р₉₀K₆₀. In 2016, the field experiments continued on the norms of mineral fertilizer application. The highest density of rice herbage, tillering, and grain yield were visible on the fields with the rice cultivar Tugusken. In 2015, the low rice yield of 31.34–34.5 t/ha was evident, caused by severe soil salinization and insufficient mineral fertilizers. Therefore, in 2016, the following varied doses of mineral fertilizers gained scrutiny for rice on the degraded site: N₁₂₀Р₉₀K₆₀, N₁₅₀Р₉₀K₆₀, and N₁₈₀Р₉₀K₆₀. Based on the 2016 study results, for rice, the optimal dose of fertilizers N₁₅₀Р₉₀K₆₀ performed better, and the increased dose of nitrogen (180 kg) did not considerably enhance the rice grain yield (49.2-47.5 = 1.7 t/ha). With enhanced nitrogen dose, the rice growing season also lengthened, causing the appearance of empty grains in panicles.

Keywords: Rice, degraded soils, soil salinization, mineral fertilizer doses, growth traits, rice productivity

Key findings: Based on the study results in 2016, the identified optimal dose of fertilizers was N₁₅₀Р₉₀K₆₀ for better rice productivity. Increasing the nitrogen dose (180 kg) does not significantly increase the rice grain yield. Even with enhanced nitrogen dose, the rice growing season extended and led to the appearance of empty grains in panicles.

The article showcased experimental data on key stages of the propagation technology of four varieties of an organic strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) planting material in apical meristem culture, using molecular methods of virus identification and chimeras‘ absence, for the creation of central and reproductive mother plantations and accelerated introduction of the world collection‘s best varieties into production. The screening of newly introduced strawberry cultivars for five viruses by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), comprised the strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV), the strawberry crinkle virus (SCV), the strawberry mottle virus (SMV), the strawberry pallidosis-associated virus (SPaV), and the beet pseudo yellows virus (BPYV). The strawberry cultivars were free from any virus infection. At the introduction stage into tissue culture, sterilizing strawberry plants with active chlorine preparations ensued in sodium hypochlorite with different concentrations and exposures. Also, initiating environmentally safe growth regulators, amino acid proline, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and vitamin C-ascorbic acid at a concentration of 10 mg/L into the nutrient medium helped activate regeneration after the introduction of apexes into tissue culture. Plants introduced into in vitro culture attained propagation at a required amount on MS medium containing 1% Eleutherococcus extract instead of cytokinin-6-BAP at the proliferation stage and 1% alcohol extract from the bark of Salix weeping willow instead of auxin-IMC at the rhizogenesis stage. The time of introduction into tissue culture and regeneration helped determine the ascorbic acid effect on the reduction of phenolic oxidation of apexes. The medium induced with amino acid proline and ATP increased regeneration by 10%–15%. The inclusion of Eleutherococca increased the multiplication ratio to 1:3 per one passage with the Salix extract, which increased rhizogenesis by 75%–80%. All the obtained primary strawberry plants incurred testing for chimeras‘ absence using molecular markers.

Keywords: Organic strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), clonal micropropagation, in vitro, ex vitro adaptation, polymerase chain reaction, strawberry viruses, chimera

Key findings: The task sought to study environmentally safe growth regulators of plant nature in the biotechnological recovery process and clonal micropropagation of garden strawberries with the release of organic seedlings tested for the absence of viruses and chimeras. Planting a central nursery with eco-strawberry seedlings targets the production of organic plants, with the subsequent establishment of industrial plantations and organic berries manufacture.

Ten wheat varieties, Benazir, Hamal Fakir, TD-I, NIA Sunder, TJ-83, Marvi-2000, NIA Amber, Sarsabz, Kiran-95, and Imdad-05, sown in split-plot design (SPD) with three replications, underwent well-watered and water-stress influences at the time of anthesis, at the Botanical Garden, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during 2022–2023. The observed traits included days to 1st booting, days to 90% heading, days to 90% maturity, peduncle length (cm), plant height (cm), tillers plant^-1, spike length (cm), spikelets spike^-1, grains spike^-1, seed index (1000-grain weight, g), grain yield plant^-1 (g), biological yield plant^-1 (g), and harvest index (%). Based on drought tolerance indices, the result demonstrated that genotypes, treatments, and genotypes ×treatments significantly affected yield and its contributing traits. The genotypes, such as Imdad-05, NIA Amber, and TD-1, considerably exhibited drought tolerance, whereas Marvi-2000 and Kiran-95 were susceptible. The grain yield expressed positive and significant association toward other traits, such as days to 1st booting, days to 90% heading, days to 90% maturity, peduncle length, plant height, tillers plant^-1, spike length, spikelets spike^-1, grains spike^-1, seed index grain weight, grain yield plant^-1, biological yield plant^-1, and harvest index. Seven indices calculated grain yield in Yp and Ys appeared significantly and positively associated with the first three components mentioned at about 95.76% of the total variability and directly connected with the STI, GMP, TOL, and MP, namely, Imdad-05, NIA Sunder, and TD-1 considered as highly drought-tolerant; Marvi-2000 and Benazir, as moderately tolerant, and NIA Amber and Kiran-95 were the susceptible ones.

Keywords: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), well-watered and stressed-conditions, drought, indices, yield-related traits

Key findings: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties, Imdad-05, NIA Sunder, TD-1, and Benazir, proved best performers against drought conditions that could benefit future breeding programs for hybrid crop development.

Screening genotypes based on grain yield stability in different ecological zones is a prerequisite for developing a widely adapted genotype. For this purpose, 16 chickpea desi genotypes’ evaluation through cooperative yield trial commenced during 2019–2020 at nine diversified locations across Punjab, Pakistan. Data underwent genotype by environment interaction (G × E) and mega environment analysis. Genotype plus genotype × environment (GGE) biplot view for yield depicted that G-4 (CH-21/13) was the ideal and superior genotype for stability and yield potential. GGE biplot ‘what-won-where’ for yield formed an irregular polygon showing interconnection among G-3 (CH-2016), G-4 (CH-21/13), G-8 (D-17003), G-11(D-17019), G-13 (TG-1427), G-14 (TG-1430), and G-16 (TG-1510), indicating these genotypes were comparatively more stable. Graphical representation of the mega environment analysis illustrated that E-1 (Pulses Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Pakistan) was ideal and most discriminating for genotype screening. Results also revealed that the first mega environment’s construction included the grouping of E-1 (Pulses Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Pakistan), E-2 (Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, Faisalabad, Pakistan), E-3 (Gram Breeding Research Station, Kallurkot, Pakistan), and E-4 (Gram Breeding Research Station, Kallurkot, Barani, Pakistan), with G-4 (CH-21/13) as the winning genotype. Biplot also depicted that G-3 (CH-2016) was best in the second mega environment made by E-6 (Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Pakistan), and G-8 (D-17003) was a winner in E-4 (Gram Breeding Research Station, Kallurkot, Barani, Pakistan). Combined analysis showed that G-4 (CH-21/13), G-8 (D-17003), and G-13 (TG-1427) were the most stable and high-yielding; therefore, these genotypes may considerably be widely adaptive across environments.

Keywords: Chickpea, GGE, stability, high-yielding, mega environment, polygon

Key findings: The experiment showed that G-4 (CH-21/13) was the ideal and winning genotype across all environments from all genotypes, and E-1 (Pulses Research Institute, Faisalabad) was the ideal and most discriminating environment for screening of genotypes.

In interaction with the environment, the melon (Cucumis melo L.) hybrids had a wide phenotypic performance regarding growth, morphology, and yield-related parameters. The appraisal of melon genotypes in the targeted environments through multi-environment trials (MET) depended on phenotypic performance. The objectives of the presented study were to evaluate the performance of melon hybrids obtained from full-diallel crosses under three different environmental conditions. The study ran from November 2022 to February 2023 at three locations (Pandaan, Karangploso, and Pujon), with varying altitudes in East Java (Indonesia). The breeding material comprised 38 selected hybrids (out of 90 diallel hybrids), with 10 parents and two commercial check cultivars (Madesta and Glamour), sustained evaluation in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at each location. Observations made on several yield characteristics of the fruit included weight, diameter, length, flesh thickness, and sweetness. At the Pandaan location, the melon hybrid H 18 performed better for fruit weight, length, and flesh thickness, and the hybrid H 19 for fruit diameter and sweetness than the melon’s check cultivars. In Karangploso location, the hybrid H 10 for fruit weight and diameter, H 34 for fruit length, and H 12 for fruit sweetness outperformed the melon commercial cultivars. At the Pujon location, the hybrid H 34 for fruit weight, diameter, and length, H 6 for fruit flesh thickness, and the hybrid H 32 for fruit sweetness outperformed the check cultivars. Overall, the leading performance across all the test environments appeared with melon hybrid H 15 for fruit weight and length, and H 19 for fruit diameter, flesh thickness, and sweetness.

Keywords: Melon, Cucumis melo L., genotypes, diallel hybrids, multi-environment trials, phenotypic performance, fruit yield and quality traits

Key findings: Diverse test environments influenced the performance of melon hybrids. The hybrid H 15 and H 19 were promising for yield and quality-related traits at all three locations.