Background: The use of alternate feed resources like tree leaves is key element in addressing the problems derived from climate change and food shortages that demand establishment of sustainable feeding system for ruminants. 
 
Methods: A study was conducted on 36 Nellore cross ram lambs (6-7 months; 18.48&plusmn;0.29 kg BW) randomly allotted to six dietary treatments to evaluate the effect of 20% dietary inclusion of moringa (MOR) subabul (SBL) and guava (GVL) leaves either sole or in combination (MS and MG mixture incorporated at 60:40 and 40:60, respectively) in concentrate mixture on nutrient utilization, plane of nutrition and nitrogen balance. The control group concentrate mixture contained maize, de-oiled rice bran, cotton seed cake and soybean meal as major ingredients and in the 5 experimental concentrate mixtures, de-oiled rice bran and soybean meal were partially replaced with moringa (MOR20), subabul (SBL20), guava (GVL20), moringa and subabul mixture (MS20) and moringa and guava mixture (MG20), by including them at 20%. Animals were fed with respective concentrate mixtures to meet about 80% of protein requirements and sorghum stover was offered ad libitum to meet the nutrient requirements of lambs for maintenance and growth as per <a href="#icar_2013">ICAR (2013)</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Dietary inclusion of tree leaves had no effect on the intake of various nutrients viz. DM, OM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, NDF,ADF, Hemicellulose and cellulose and&nbsp; were comparable (P&gt;0.05) among the six dietary groups. The crude protein and crude fibre digestibility improved (P&lt;0.01) in tree leaves included diets compared to control, while ether extract (EE) digestibility was lower (P&lt;0.01) in tree leaves included diets compared to CON. The DCP, TDN (%) and ME content was higher (P&lt;0.05) in MS20, MG20 and&nbsp; MOR20 groups compared to CON. The N intake (g/d), excretion through faeces and urine (g/d), total N excretion and total N balance (g/d) was comparable among the different dietary groups.

Effect of Moringa, Subabul and Guava Leaves Either Sole or in Combination on Nutrient Utilization, Nitrogen Balance of Ram Lambs

<div>Background: Weeds are major factor that leads to increase crop-weed competition and adversely effects of on growth, quality and yield of urdbean during kharif season. In urdbean the critical period for crop weed competition was the first 25-30 days; yields can be reduced by 50-90%, if weeds were not controlled during this period. As a result, successful weed management strategies to achieve increased growth and yield. Due to the ease, lower cost, timeliness and success controlling weeds, the progressive transformation of agriculture involving intensive use of herbicides has gained traction in recent years. 
 
Methods: During kharif season 2019, a field experiment was undertaken at the Agricultural Research Station of&nbsp;Ummedganj, Kota, comprising ten weed management strategies, laid out in a randomised complete block design with three replications. 
 
Result: Two hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAS recorded significantly lower weeds dry matter, higher weed control efficacy, ultimately culminating in improved yield attributes and yield, compared to weedy check. This treatment was at par with pendimethalin 30% EC @ 1 kg a.i. ha-1 fb propaquizafop 2.5% w w-1 @ 33.3 g a.i. ha-1 + imazethapyr 3.75% w w-1 (pre mix) ME @ 50 g a.i. ha-1 at 20 DAS resulting in significantly higher pods plant-1 (13.67), seeds pod-1 (6.33), test weight (28.47 g), grain (827 kg ha-1), straw (1393 kg ha-1), biological (2221 kg ha-1) and harvest index (37.26%) of urdbean over the other chemical based treatment.</div>

​​Improved Herbicide Efficacy through Sole and Sequential Application of Herbicides for Higher Productivity of Urdbean (Vigna mungo) in Indian Semi-arid Tropics

The objective of this study was to compare different testing strategies of pigs involving direct measurement of feed efficiency in pig. Using simulated data software, we collected individual information for FCR and grouped trials into direct and indirect measurement. The direct FCR included measurement of FCR in both sexes (100M-100F), in boars only (100M), in 50% of boars and 50% of gilts (50M-50F), and in only 50% of boars (50M-0F). Direct measures of FCR (0M-0F) in indirect selection were not used. The highest and the lowest genetic regression responses in FCR were observed for 100M-100F and indirect selection scenarios (0M-0F). Among direct selection, the increase in genetic progress was directly related to the percent of pigs tested for FCR. Using FCRs records more than 50% (50M-50F or 100M) can raise response higher than 80%. Meanwhile, 0M-0F showed a loss in genetic gain more than 50% when compared with 100M-100F. These results suggest using direct measurements on at least 50% of all pigs for genetic evaluation in FCR. &nbsp; 
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Testing strategies of pigs for measurement of feed efficiency: relative improvement in feed efficiency from relying solely on indirect selection compared to indirect selection for faster growth rate and higher percent lean

Background: The field experiment was conducted to check the optimization of fertilizer requirement for napier grass and cowpea intercropping system at the farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab during kharif season 2022.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Study was conduct on total twelve treatment combinations, I1 (Sole napier with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I2 (Sole Cowpea with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I3 (Napier grass + cowpea intercropping in 1:2 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF) and I4 (Napier grass + cowpea intercropping in 1:3 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF) replicated thrice in Factorial RBD design.&nbsp; 
 
Result: All the growth parameters and yield in intercropping with cowpea were found significantly superior over sole napier grass. Maximum plant height (253.6 cm) and number of leaves (16.13) of napier were seen in intercropping with cowpea I4F3 (1:3 ratio + 125% RDF) which were at par with I3F1 (1:3 ratio + 100% RDF) and I3F2 (intercropping in 1:2 ratio + 125% RDF). There was a significant main effect of intercropping on green fodder yield of Napier grass with a higher yield in (75.69 t ha-1 in mixture and 60.65 t ha-1 sole) recorded in the intercropping ratio of 1:3 with 125% RDF (I4F3). The minimum yield of 24.41 t ha-1 was found in I1F2 (sole napier with 75% RDF) followed by 29.41 t ha-1 in I1F1 (Sole napier + 100% RDF) in 1st cutting. Intercropping napier with cowpea enhanced the overall growth and green fodder yield as compared to sole napier.

The Effect of Cowpea Intercropping and Different Fertilizer Levels on Growth and Yield of Napier Grass

<div>Background: Intercropping and mixed cropping based on two or more different crops have been widely used in Insect Pest Management to manage the population density of insect pests in various crops like maize with soybean, sorghum with soybean and sunflower with soybean. Genotypic diversity is the mixture or combination of various varieties/lines/genotypes of a crop. It decreases the insect-pests population by unfitness of crop to them due to intraspecific diversity such as mixture of susceptible and resistant varieties. Also, it increases the natural enemy population more due to longer period of flowering, availability of wide diverse food, more movement of herbivores etc. This concept has also been used successfully to manage insect-pests in maize, wheat and potato. In India, this connect is used in very small scale in crop. The objective of this study was to determine effects of genotypic diversity by comparing the population densities of major insect pests between monoculture of single variety and mixture of varieties. 
 
Methods: To test the effects of genotypic diversity on soybean insect-pest and their natural enemy population an experiment was laid in kharif 2018 and 2019 at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore. All recommended agronomic package of practices were followed for raising of crop. Randomized block design with three replication having plot size of 9 rows of 5 meter row length was used. Totally 20 treatments were chosen for this experiment and out of 20 four treatments namely, T1, T6, T11 and T16 were the treatments of four varietal mixture treatments of almost similar maturity duration and agronomic traits and rest of treatments were of sole varietal treatments. Observations were made on insect-pests from 10 selected plants in each plot on three leaves selected at top, middle and lower portion of plant. 
 
Result: Effects of genotypic diversity in soybean revealed that for whitefly management T11 (NRC-86, JS-335, JS-2098 and RKS-45) was found most effective treatment. In case of mite, thrips and treehoppers management T1 (JS-9560, JS-20-34, MAUS-47 and MAUS-1460) was found most effective treatment. For leafhopper and mealy bug T6 (JS-9305, JS-2029, RVS-2001-4 and Dsb-28-3) was found most effective treatment. While for spittlebug T16 (NRC-37, JS-9752, RSC-1046 and RKS-113) was found most effective treatment. So, genotypic diverse treatments were found more effective than their respective sole varietal treatments.</div>

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​Effects of Genotypic Diversity on Insect-pests of Soybean

<div>Background: The field experiment was conducted to check the optimization of fertilizer requirement for napier grass and cowpea intercropping system at the farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab during kharif season (2022).&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Three replications of factorial RBD design with 4 cropping patterns (I1, I2, I3 and I4) and 3 fertilizer levels (F1, F2 and F3) were set up. Study was conducted on total twelve treatment combinations, I1 (Sole napier with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I2 (Sole Cowpea with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I3 (Napier grass+cowpea intercropping in 1:2 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF) and I4 (Napier grass+cowpea intercropping in 1:3 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF). 
 
Result: The results showed that in the interaction effect of intercropping and fertilizer levels the the highest value of pH and EC was found to be in I1F2- Sole Napier+75% RDF (8.04 and 0.42 mhos cm-1, respectively). Higher OC was found in I4F3- Napier+cowpea (1:3)+125% RDF (18.23%) as compared to sole napier. However, sole cowpea plots recorded highest OC (18.60 %) in I2F3- Sole Cowpea+125% RDF but lowest pH and EC. The lowest N, Pand K in soil were seen in I1F2- Napier grass+75% RDF (90.00, 10.93 and 124.4 kg ha-1, respectively) in interaction of intercropping and fertilizer levels among treatment combinations of napier grass. I2F3- Sole cowpea+125% RDF recorded (225, 20.68 and 214.93 kg ha-1) N, P and K, respectively, which was highest among all the treatment combinations. Highest net returns and B: C ratio of 3.37 was recorded from intercropping ratio 1:3 and 125% RDF which was followed by 100% RDF (3.13) and 75% RDF (2.77).</div>

The Effect of Napier Grass+Cowpea Intercropping and Different Fertilizer Levels on Soil Characteristics and Economics

<div>Background: Proximate analysis of fodder crop helps us to design a balanced ration for the livestock.&nbsp;Oat is major fodder crop in North India during the Rabi season. Chinese cabbage can be a potential fodder crop for increasing the quantity as well as nutrient content of the available fodder during the season. The present study was conducted at NDRI research farm for assessing the yield, economics as well as the proximate analysis content advantage in oats and Chinese cabbage intercropping.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A field trial was conducted during rabi season, 2020 at research farm of NDRI, Karnal. It consisted of seven treatments (Oats sole + RDF, Chinese Cabbage sole + RDF, Oats + Chinese Cabbage (1:1) + RDF, Oats + Chinese Cabbage (2:1) + RDF, Oats + Chinese Cabbage (1:2) + RDF, Oats + Chinese Cabbage (2:1) + 75% RDF+ FYM+ PGPR, Oats + Chinese Cabbage (1:2) + 75% RDF + FYM+ PGPR).&nbsp; 
 
Result: LER of intercropping was observed highest in the &ldquo;Oats + Chinese Cabbage (2:1) + 75% RDF+ FYM+ PGPR&rdquo; which was significantly higher than the other treatments. Yield of various quality parameters like crude protein, ether extract, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose for oats and Chinese cabbage solely were obtained in their sole treatment (Sole Oats+ RDF, Sole Chinese cabbage +RDF respectively) but the total yield of CP was recorded highest in the Oats + Chinese Cabbage (1:2) + 75% RDF+ FYM+ PGPR&rdquo; and the total yield of remaining quality parameters were reported maximum in the &ldquo;Oats + Chinese Cabbage (2:1) + 75% RDF+ FYM+ PGPR.&rdquo;&nbsp; Gross returns (₹ 72022/ha), net returns (₹ 50593/ha) were again reported maximum in the &ldquo;Oats + Chinese Cabbage (2:1) + 75% RDF+ FYM+ PGPR.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>

Effect of Nutrient Management on the Land Equivalent Ratio, Yield of Various Quality Parameters, Economics of Oats and Chinese Cabbage in Intercropping

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp] is the sixth most important food legume of the world and grown on about 5 million hectares globally in about 50 countries. India has the largest area (4 million ha.) under pigeon pea and accounts for about 80 per cent of area of the world. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2015-16 at Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna (M.P.) to find out the suitable pigeon pea based inter cropping system and their nutrient management. The 16 treatments were tested in split plot design in which 6 cropping system were kept in main plot and 2 fertility levels in sub plots. 
 
Result: Result showed that sole pigeon pea, sole black gram, sole green gram and sole sesame produced significantly higher seed and stover yield over intercropped mean. Under cropping system, yield attributes wear at par but the maximum grain yield of (744 kg ha-1) was recorded under pigeon pea + black gram (1:1) alternate rows but stover yield (3910 kg ha-1) in pigeon pea + sesame (1:1) alternate rows. As regards, the fertility levels, the yield contributing characters and yields were higher in 125% Recommended dose of Fertilizers (RDF). Intercropped black gram and intercropped green gram formed almost similar yield attributes and yields under both cropping system (1:1 and 2:2). The application of 125% RDF produced better yields attributes and yields of black gram and green gram. Intercropped and sole sesame produced and statistically equal yield contributes but seed and stover yields of sesame sole was significantly higher them intercropped sesame. Application of 125% RDF had superior yield attributes and yields of sesame. Pigeon pea + green gram (1:1 row ratio) with 125% RDF maximised the pigeon pea grain equivalent yield of 1505 kg ha-1, land equivalent ratio (1.65), net profit of ₹ 84826 per ha and benefit : cost ratio (4.68) followed by pigeon pea + green gram (2:2 row ratio) with 125% RDF.</div>

​Studies on Nutrient Management in Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] based Inter Cropping System

Background: A recent occurrence of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) a new invasive pest in Africa attained epidemic form in 2016.&nbsp; Consequently, researchers probed various ecofriendly methods to manage the pest. The effect of intercropping cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] with fodder maize (Zea mays L.) on the incidence of FAW was investigated.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The maize fodder was protected against FAW by intercropping with cowpea along with a biorational product, Brahamastra and compared with the recommended&nbsp; insecticide used to manage the insect by conducting field experiments during kharif 2020, 2021 and 2022 comprising the eight treatments viz. T1: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (unsprayed); T2: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (coragen @ 100 ml ha-1); T3: Maize + Cowpea 1:1 ratio (brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T4: Maize sole (brahamastra @ 7.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T5: Maize sole (brahamastra @ 10.0 litre ha-1 sprayed); T6: Maize sole (Brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed); T7: Maize sole (coragen 18.5 SC @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed as standard check) and T8: Maize sole (Unsprayed). The plot size for each treatment was 500 m2, demarcating 5 x 4 m2 for sampling with three replications in a completely randomized design (CRBD). 
 
Result: The treatments, Maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (Coragen @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed) and Maize sole (Coragen @ 100 ml ha-1 sprayed) though had significantly the&nbsp; lowest pooled pest incidence and the highest per cent reduction over control (PROC), the bio-rational applied on maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (brahamastra @ 12.5 litre ha-1 sprayed) encounted the&nbsp; lowest pest incidence, the highest PROC combined with the highest fodder yield and economic returns without any statistical singnificant difference with&nbsp; Maize + Cowpea (1:1 row) (unsprayed).

Impact of Cowpea-maize Intercropping and Bio-rational Product on Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) in Fodder Maize

A field experiment was carried out in the red and lateritic soil of Regional Research Station, Jhargram, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,West Bengal during the prekharif season of 2015 to evaluate the technological feasibility of mixed cropping of green gram with sesame under different seeding ratio. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with four replications. The treatments comprises for the experiment were T1-sole green gram, T2-sole sesame, T3-green gram: sesame -90:10, T4- green gram : sesame-75 : 25, T5- green gram : sesame-60 : 40 , T6 &ndash;green gram : sesame-50 : 50. Yield parameters like number branch/plant, number of pod/ plant, number of capsule/plant, pod length, number of grain per pod/capsule, grain weight etc. were studied. The highest grain yield for both crop was obtained from the sole cropping of green gram and sole sesame. The maximum land equivalent ratio(LER) of 1.18 was observed at &nbsp;green gram : sesame seeding ratio of 60 : 40.The highest green gram equivalent yield( 9.49 q/ha) was obtained from green gram : sesame seeding ratio of 60 : 40 . It was noticed that in all the mixed cropping systems, there was higher LER which indicates higher yield advantage over the sole crop.