<div>Background: Understanding the biomass accumulation and growth rate of the forages to feed the animal throughout the year is critical for improved earnings and long-term livestock production. This was found in forage maize (Zea mays), forage millet (Echinochloa utilis), elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus). The experiment was place at Federal University Oye Ekiti in Ekiti State, Nigeria, in latitude N 07&deg; 48.308, longitude E 005&deg; 29.573 and elevation 548.4 meters above sea level, with an annual rainfall of 1778 mm. 
 
Methods: Planting four rows in a complete randomized design (CRD with four replications) was used to test the forage crops. Before planting, the soil in the experimental field had 49.96% organic matter and 33.59% after the crops were harvested. During the growth season, Pennisetum purpereum had the maximum plant height and sward height. 
 
Result: The Zea mays plant had the maximum leaf breadth (5.44 cm at 8 weeks) and the most leaves. Zea mays had the largest biomass accumulation (BC) of 113.80% after 8 weeks, followed by Andropogon gayanus with 67.15 per cent, Pennisetum purpureum with 56.24 per cent and Echinochloa utilis with 51.63%. Although there were no significant differences p&pound;0.05 in the crude protein levels of the different species, samples from the latest cuts (8th week) had the greatest crude protein content (11.88% in Andropogon gayanus). Crude protein levels were shown to rise in lockstep with grass growth. Although there was no significant difference between the grass species, the crude fibre content of the three grass species was discovered to vary with the growth phase. The greatest fibre content of 13.58% in Zea mays was reported during the 6th week, which might be attributable to lignin encrustation in grasses that were harvested late. All of the plant samples of crops showed the same irregular pattern in crude fiber, moisture content and fat content, with no significant variance.</div>

Growth Rate and Biomass Accumulation in Forage Maize (Zea mays), Forage Millet (Echinochloa utilis), Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Gamba Grass (Andropogon gayanus)

Background: Boron plays a crucial role in cell wall construction in plants and also facilitates the transfer of carbohydrates, which are essential for various physiological processes. The objective was to measure element concentrations in soil, water extracts and plant tissues (Zea mays) using Azomethine-H and ICP-MS within a controlled microplate assay.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A microscopic plate repeat test was used to analyze the concentration of boron in soil extracts and plant tissue ash from local Zea mays leaves, considering the global trend in environmental sustainability. Tests aimed to modify the azomethine-H microscopic approach to eliminate pH and chemical interferences in soil samples and plant tissues. Due to their ability to ensure sample repeatability and quality control, micro spectrophotometers are ideal for high-throughput analysis.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The microplate test has enhanced boron measurement in soil and plant tissue samples. Our improvements to the microplate B assay have resulted in more accurate boron measurements in these samples. Microplate B testing is effective and suitable analysis in modern research and laboratories, using 40 times less chemical reagent per sample than traditional spectrophotometry. Additionally, microplates enable simultaneous analysis and calibration of samples. The modified plate test significantly improves boron measurement in soil and plant tissue samples, using 40 times fewer reagents than traditional spectrophotometry. This method is cost-effective, ideal research, commercial analysis and making it a valuable tool for modern laboratories.

Using Microplates to Test Boron in Zea mays Leaf Plant and the Surrounding Soil

<div>Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most versatile emerging crops having wider adaptability under varied agro-climatic conditions. Nitrogen though an expensive input is very important as it is intimately involved in the process of photosynthesis and directly reflected in the total dry matter production.&nbsp;Phosphorus is involved in a wide range of plant processes from permitting cell division to the development of a good root system and for ensuring timely and uniform ripening of the crop. Potassium plays a vital role as macronutrient in plant growth and sustainable crop production. The current study aimed to study the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on yield, quality, nutrient content and uptake on hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) under south Gujarat condition. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of the year 2019-20 to study the effect of different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on yield, quality, nutrient content and uptake by hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). In this experiment twelve treatment combinations consisting of three levels of nitrogen fertilizer, two levels of phosphorus fertilizer and two levels of potassium fertilizer were tried in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The protein content and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium content and their uptake by seed and stover and available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium status in the soil after harvest of the crop were determined by different methods. 
 
Result: The result showed that quality parameter viz., crude protein content, crude protein yield, nutrient content and uptake by grain and straw of hybrid maize were increased with the increased in nitrogen (180 kg N ha-1), phosphorus (60 kg P2O5 ha-1) and potassium (30 kg K2O ha-1) level.</div>

Effect of&nbsp;Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Yield, Quality, Nutrient Content and Uptake on Hybrid Maize (Zea mays L.)

An efficient regeneration was developed using mature and immature embryos by using Maize (Zea mays L) variety &nbsp;MU 2092. Mature embryos are removed from surface sterilized seeds, slice them into halves and immature embryos are detached from seed endosperm. Both are used as explants to initiate callus on N6 medium supplemented with 2,4 D @ 4.0 mg.L-1. The induction frequency of primary calli i.e embryogenic callus was 90% in maize. The embryogenic calli on N6 medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) @ 0.5 mg.L-1 and kinetin @ 0.5 mg.L-1 was more effective in producing shoots. The culture expressed maximum plant regeneration potential with eight shoots per embryo on regeneration. Green shoots thus developed were successfully rooted within 20 days on MS media containing IBA (Indole-3-Butyric acid) 1mg L-1. Over 86 % of rooted plants grew well and produced seeds normally when transferred to green house. The important advantage of this improved method is shortening of regeneration time by providing an efficient and rapid regeneration tool for mature and immature embryos.

Plant regeneration through callus initiation from mature and&nbsp;immature embryos of maize (Zea mays L.)

<div>Background: Maize is referred to as the &ldquo;Queen of Cereals&rdquo; since it has highest genetic yield potential. So, Maize being a rainy season crop, suffers badly due to heavy weed infestation reducing the potential yield. Intercropping with legumes is the effective technique to control weed infestation. Therefore, this study is focused on to evaluate the legume intercropping for weed control efficiency in kharif maize (Zea mays L.) under Amritsar conditions. 
 
Methods: A field study was carried out to evaluate the effect of &ldquo;Legume intercropping for weed control efficiency in kharif maize (Zea mays L.) under Amritsar conditions&rdquo; at Student&rsquo;s Research Farm, P.G. Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Amritsar, during Kharif season 2021-2022. The experiment consists of six treatment combination which were tested in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The treatment consisted of T1 - sole maize, T2- paired row maize, T3- maize + green gram (1:1), T4- maize + green gram (2:2), T5- maize + black gram (1:1), T6- maize + black gram (2:2) and two weed management practices i.e. weedy check and pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha-1 (pre-emergence). 
 
Result: The results indicated that maize + green gram (1:1) intercropping system registered considerably lowest weed density of both monocot and dicot weeds at 25 DAS (58.14 m2) and 50 DAS (61.72 m2) and also significantly lower weed dry matter at 25 DAS (2.06 q ha-1), 50 DAS (4.58 q ha-1), 75 DAS (5.88 q ha-1). Maize + green gram (1:1) treatment also recorded considerably highest weed control efficiency (17.57 %) at 25 DAS and (16.38%) at 50 DAS. The highest maize grain yield (38.85 q ha-1) was achieved in maize + green gram (1:1) followed by (37.68 q ha-1) maize + black gram (1:1) and (33.41 q ha-1) maize + green gram (2:2). Maize grain equivalent yield and benefit-cost ratio significantly superior in all the intercropping systems than pure stand yield of crop. The highest maize grain equivalent yield (66.78 q ha-1) and benefits: cost ratio (3.6) was obtained in maize + green gram (2:2) followed by (3.31) maize + black gram (2:2) and (2.5) maize + green gram (1:1). Pre-emergence application of pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha-1 gave substantially lower weed density at25 DAS (56.05 m2), 50 DAS (57.97 m2) and weed dry matter at 25 DAS (2.16 q ha-1), 50 DAS (4.03 q ha-1) and 75 DAS (5.35 q ha-1) and significantly superior weed control efficiency at 25 DAS (30.97%) and 50 DAS (27.98 %) over weedy check. Significantly higher maize grain yield (36.94 q ha-1), legumes yield (8.87 q ha-1), maize grain equivalent yield (58.45 q ha-1) and benefits: cost ratio (3.19).</div>

Legume Intercropping for Weed Control Efficiency in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.) under Amritsar Conditions

Genetic divergence assessed in twenty diverse genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) using D2 statistics for eleven characters enabled grouping of all the genotypes in five clusters. Test weight, leaf number, harvest index, days to 50 percent flowering and plant height were the major contributors for genetic diversity among the genotypes. Cluster II was the largest contained 6 genotypes followed by cluster III which possessed 5 genotypes. The cluster I, V and IV possessed 4, 3 and 2 genotypes, respectively. Each cluster has different types of genotypes irrespective to their nature of genetic make up belonging to hybrids, composites and land races. The cluster III exhibited maximum intra-cluster distance (30.92), while maximum inter-cluster distance was noted between cluster I and III (91.55).

Assessment of genetic divergence in diverse maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes

The food security is a huge problem with the increase in population of the Pakistan. Maiz (Zea mays) is one of the major cereal crop and has the capability to compete with the production as well as supporting the controlling applications. As, the modern genotypes has the good potential to resist with the potassium (K) application into the field, an experiment was conducted on K levels with 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1. Maize genotypes viz MM-50, MM-44, ZMS-52, ZMS-51, ZMS-40, ZMS-06, GV-41, Kiramat-2C, 325-PW and Babar-1C were tested into the field. Our results concluded that K levels had a significant effect on grain yield and yield components. Application of K at 60 kg ha-1 showed good yield compared to all other levels of K applications. The tested genotypes also had a significant effect on the tested traits. The genotype (MM-50) showed maximum grains yield (3924 kg ha-1) and maximum yield components to all the genotypes. Maximum grains yield (4593 kg ha-1) and 1000 grain weight (260.4 g) were obtained from genotype (MM-50) at K level of 60 kg ha -1.

Enhancing production of Zea mays genotypes by K application&nbsp;in Peshawar, Pakistan

Background: Maize (Zea mays L.), commonly known as &ldquo;queen of cereals,&rdquo; The present study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara (Punjab), during the Kharif season of 2024-25. It was titled &ldquo;Assessment of relationships between growth and yield traits in kharif maize (Zea mays L.) under planting patterns, nutrient regimes and organic mulching.&rdquo; This study investigates the correlation of growth and yield parameter of Maize under different planting pattern cum nutrient levels and organic mulching enhanced productivity and sustainability. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design (SPD) with three replications. 
&nbsp; 
Result: The correlation matrix results show that plant height was significantly correlated with number of leaves, cob length, cob girth, grains/cob, test weight, grain yield and biological yield and Number of leaves was correlated with cob length, cob girth, grains/cob, test weight, grain yield and also biological yield. Tasseling and silking were correlated to each other and had a non-significant effect on growth and yield parameters. Cob length, cob girth and number of grains have a positive correlation with test weight, grain yield and biological yield and this positive effect is a key point for the production and productivity of maize crop. Test weight was also positively correlated with grain yield and biological yield. Grain yield and biological yield is perfectly correlated to each other. The correlogram result showed that earlier flowering, higher plant height, higher cob length and test weight significantly improved maize yield. These results highlight that optimized planting patterns, balanced nutrient management and organic mulching can improve maize production, productivity and sustainability in the Punjab region.

Assessment of Relationships between Growth and Yield Traits in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.) under Planting Patterns, Nutrient Regimes and Organic Mulching

<div>Background: Soil is important medium of all living beings. Due to the high doses of fertilizers application soil heath is getting deteriorated. Soil fertility variation restricts efficient fertilizer N management when broad based blanket recommendations are used in maize (Zea mays L.). Site-specific fertilizer nitrogen management (SSNM) could be the best management option to avoid excessive and untimely nitrogen (N) applications in maize.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at agronomy Farm, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara during kharif season of 2020 and 2021 to study the nitrogen management using leaf colour chart (LCC) and chlorophyll meter in maize (Zea mays L.). Colour (of the first top maize leaf with fully exposed collar) as measured by comparison with different shades of green colour on a leaf colour chart (LCC) and also by SPAD meter. Need based fertilizer application at LCC5 and SPAD 50 significantly improved growth and yield attributes viz., plant height, dry matter accumulation plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, stem diameter, number of internodes plant-1, leaf area index, cob length, cob girth, number of cobs plant-1, number of grains cob-1, grain weight plant-1 and 1000-grain weight along with higher grain and stover yields, grain protein content over fixed time application of 1200 kg N ha-1.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Evaluation of the established threshold leaf greenness revealed that fertilizer N management using LCC 5 and SPAD 50 starting from six-leaf stage to before silking stage resulted in improved agronomic efficiency in maize. There was no response to fertilizer N application at silking stage. The study concluded that in maize, fertilizer N can be more efficiently managed by applying fertilizer N dose based on leaf colour as measured by LCC than blanket recommendation.</div>

​On-farm Evaluation of Leaf Colour Chart and Chlorophyll Meter for Need-based Nitrogen Management in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.)

<div>Background: Zea mays (L.), commonly known as maize or corn, is a diploid (2n= 2x= 20) grain crop which belongs to the family Poaceae. It is important to protect and prevent unauthorized commercial usage of hybrids at large scale, which can be best done through molecular profiling. The present study was operated with the purpose to obtain specific simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers which can identify maize hybrids from their parental lines.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: For this work, seven maize hybrids viz. HM 5, HM 8, HM 9, HM 10, HM 11, HM 12 and HM 13 along with their ten respective parents were used. A total of 45 SSR primers, well distributed on all the 10 chromosomes of maize were used for polymerase chain reaction amplification. 
 
Result: Molecular study using SSRs resulted in 12 polymorphic and 24 monomorphic markers. Three SSR primers viz. pumc2246, pumc1020 and pumc1040 could clearly distinguish different hybrids and their parents. The study will be useful in detecting unwanted seed mixing with the hybrid seeds.</div>

Growth Rate and Biomass Accumulation in Forage Maize (Zea mays), Forage Millet (Echinochloa utilis), Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Gamba Grass (Andropogon gayanus)

Using Microplates to Test Boron in Zea mays Leaf Plant and the Surrounding Soil

Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Yield, Quality, Nutrient Content and Uptake on Hybrid Maize (Zea mays L.)

Plant regeneration through callus initiation from mature and immature embryos of maize (Zea mays L.)

Legume Intercropping for Weed Control Efficiency in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.) under Amritsar Conditions

Assessment of genetic divergence in diverse maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes

Enhancing production of Zea mays genotypes by K application in Peshawar, Pakistan

Assessment of Relationships between Growth and Yield Traits in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.) under Planting Patterns, Nutrient Regimes and Organic Mulching

On-farm Evaluation of Leaf Colour Chart and Chlorophyll Meter for Need-based Nitrogen Management in Kharif Maize (Zea mays L.)

Molecular Profiling for Identification of Zea mays L. True Hybrids