An experiment was conducted at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal to find out the growth and yield performance of  oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) in Completely Randomized Design (CRD).The treatment includes the four different substrate i.e. paddy straw (100%), maize cob+ paddy straw (1:1), sugarcane bagasses+paddy straw (1:1) and sawdust+ paddy straw (1:1). The parameters taken for the observation during the experiment were colonization period, fruit initiation period, length of stalk, diameter of stalk, diameter of pileus, fresh weight of the first and second flush of mushroom and also the biological efficiency (BE) of various substrates. Among the used substrates, the time for colonization and fruit initiation was found to be shorter in case of the paddy straw i.e.18.25 days and 21.75 days respectively. However, the length of stalk was highest in sugarcane bagasses+paddy straw (1:1) i.e.6.10 cm, but the diameter of stalk and pileus were highest in paddy straw i.e.0.80 cm and 7.90 cm respectively. Similarly, the biological efficiency was found to be highest in case of the paddy straw (96.29688%) followed by maize cob+paddy straw (1:1), sugarcane bagasses+ paddy straw (1:1) and sawdust+ paddy straw (1:1) respectively.Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(3): 215-219

A field experiment was carried out in garlic (Allium sativum L.) in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications and five treatments in horticulture farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal to find out the efficacy of different combination of poultry manure and Urea as nitrogen fertilizers in its yield and yield attributes. The five treatments used for experiment were designed altering the recommended nitrogen dose through different sources i.e. (T1) 100% Urea, (T2) 7% Urea and 25% poultry manure, (T3) 50% Urea and 50% poultry manure, (T4) 25% Urea and 75% poultry manure and (T5) 100% poultry manure. The data regarding to the plant height, number of cloves, diameter of bulbs and fresh bulb weight were taken. In case of plant height, non-significant result was found between various treatments. The number of cloves was found highest in T5 (24.69±1.30), the diameter of bulb was found highest in T2 (3.93±0.39 cm), fresh bulb weight was found highest in T2 (14.32±0.39 gm) and total bulb yield was found highest in T2 (7.16±0.19 t/ha) which were significant at 5 % level of significance. The total bulb yield was found positively correlated (r=0.53) with diameter of bulb at 1 % level of significance. The benefit cost (B/C) ratio was found highest in T2 (1.54) and lowest in T3 (1.28). So 75% Urea and 25 % Poultry Manure stood one of the best combinations of nitrogen fertilizers providing higher economic yields.

A study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of different essential oils in the management of post-harvest fruit rot of banana. It was carried out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications and six treatments at Nepal Plant Diseases and Agro Associates (NPDA). The each of six treatments: cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum verum), mustard oil (Brassica oleracea), castor oil (Ricinus communis), neem oil (Azadirachta indica), coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) and control were used at concentrations 200ppm, 500ppm and 1000ppm respectively. The radial growth of mycelium (mm) and percent growth inhibition (%) of Colletotrichum spp. was recorded. The decrease in the radial growth and increase in the percent growth inhibition was found in all the treatments except control as their concentration was increased, in which the lowest radial growth and the highest percent growth inhibition was found at 1000 ppm concentration. At 1000 ppm concentration, cinnamon oil shows the lowest radial growth and the highest percent growth inhibition (1.67mm and 98.15%) followed by mustard oil (54.00mm and 40.00%), neem oil (55.17mm and 38.70%), castor oil (55.83mm and 37.96%), coconut oil (61.17mm and 32.04%) and control (90mm and 0.00%) respectively.Thus, cinnamon oil is considered as a good essential oil in regards to a management of post-harvest disease of banana. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(3): 187-192.

To study the effects on nodulation and yield of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata), a research had been conducted in the sandy loam soil of the horticulture farm of Agriculture and Forestry University in 2018. The experiment was laid out in factorial 2×5 Randomized complete block design with ten treatments and 3 replications which consists; 1st factor-mulched and un-mulched condition, 2nd factor-Rhizobium inoculation (R) at 1gm/ 16.66 gm seed, Phosphorus (P) at recommended dose of 120kg/ha ,use of R plus P(RP),RP plus Molybdenum (RPMo) at 2 gm Molybdenum per kg seed and control with no such application. The analysis of the findings showed that mulched and RPMo treatment were found significantly superior than other treatments in case of main effects of yield attributes like plant height, canopy diameter and stem number. The highest fresh weight of pods per plant i.e. 312.61 gm and 312.53 gm and no of nodules per plant i.e. 121.63 and 129.33 were found in mulched and RPMo treatment, significant at p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively. The rise in number of nodules had higher significant positive correlation (p<0.01) with yield and yield attributes. There were no any significant interaction effects between the two factors.

A field experiment was carried out using sweet sensation variety of strawberry to check the efficacy of different botanical extracts and organic compounds to manage leaf spot disease. The study was done using ten treatments viz; ginger (T1), turmeric (T2), garlic (T3), ginger + turmeric + garlic (T4), cow urine (T5), cow urine+ ginger + turmeric + garlic (T6), compost tea (T7), compost tea+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic (T8), SAAF (mancozeb 63 % + carbendazim 12%) (T9) and control (T10), which was replicated thrice. The parameter observed during experiment were plant height, leaf number, disease leaves, stem lesions, yield, percent disease incidence, disease severity percent and percent disease control. At 75 days of transplantation, the highest plant height, leaf number (24.60) and yield (1391.67 gm/plot) were observed in treatment compost tea (18.14 cm), cow urine+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic and garlic respectively and lowest in treatment control (16.19 cm, 23.27 & 566.67 gm/plot). The disease leaves and stem lesions were observed highest in treatment control (3.40&3.23) and lowest in treatments garlic (3.0), and cow urine+ ginger+ turmeric+ garlic (1.83) respectively at 75 days after transplantation. Moreover, the highest percent disease incidence and disease severity percent were observed highest in treatments control (28.94% & 84.81%) and percent disease control in treatment garlic (42.36%) at 75 days of transplantation. Therefore, it is suggested to use garlic extracts as a measure to control leaf spot disease of strawberry. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(3): 193-202.