Increasing evidence shows that cadmium (Cd) toxicity causes severe perturbations on growth performance, physio-biochemical and molecular processes in crop plants. Molybdenum (Mo), an essential trace element, plays key roles in oxidative stress tolerance of higher plants. Hence, the present study has been conducted to investigate the possible role of Mo in alleviating Cd-induced inhibitions in two fragrant rice cultivars namely Guixiangzhan (GXZ) and Meixiangzhan-2 (MXZ-2). The results revealed that Mo application enhanced the plant dry biomass by 73.24% in GXZ and 58.09% in MXZ-2 under Cd stress conditions, suggesting that Mo supplementation alleviated Cd-induced toxicity effects in fragrant rice. The enhanced Cd-tolerance in fragrant rice plants prompted by Mo application could be ascribed to its ability to regulate Cd uptake and reduce Cd-induced oxidative stress as evident by lower hydrogen peroxide levels, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde contents in Cd-stressed plants. The ameliorative role of Mo against Cd-toxicity also reflected through its protection to the photosynthetic pigments, proline and soluble protein. Mo also induced antioxidant defense systems via maintaining higher contents of glutathione and ascorbate as well as enhancing the ROS-detoxifying enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities and up-regulating transcript abundance in both fragrant rice cultivars under Cd stress. Conclusively, Mo-mediated modulation of Cd toxicity in fragrant rice was through restricting Cd uptake, maintaining photosynthetic performance and alleviating oxidative damages via the strong anti-oxidative defense systems; however, GXZ cultivar is comparatively more Cd tolerant and Mo-efficient as evident from the less growth inhibition and biomass reduction as well as enhanced Mo-induced Cd stress tolerance and less oxidative damage than MXZ-2 fragrant rice cultivar.

Background: To better inform conservation biological control of aphids multitrophic interactions between aphids, coccinellids and their parasitoids in natural and managed plant systems were examined over 4 years. Methods: Coccinellid larvae found naturally feeding on aphids on two non-crop plants growing in agricultural landscapes in Pakistan; Aphis nerii (Boyer de Fonscolombe) feeding on Calotropis procera L. and Nerium oleander L.; and four crop host; Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt) feeding on Eurica sativa Mill. and Brassica campestris L., Uroleucon compositae (Theobold) feeding on Carthamus tinctorius L., and Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) feeding on Hordeum vulgare L.; were collected throughout the aphid season and reared on their respective aphid-plant combination in the laboratory to identify coccinellid species, their parasitoids and performance (survival and pupal weight).Results: Coccinellid pupal weight on different host plant-aphid combinations varied from 3.4±1.8 to 11.2±0.9 mg (mean ± SE), as did mortality of coccinellid larvae due to diseases and unknown causes (5±2.2 to 31±3.8%). Parasitism of coccinellid larvae by Homalotylus flaminus (Dalman) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) ranged from ca 10±2 to 30±3% in B. campestris and E. sativa, respectively. Parasitism of coccinellid pupae by Oomyzus scaposus (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) ranged between 17±2.7 (C. procera) to 41±2.9% (B. compestris). One Dinocampus coccinellae Schrank (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was reared. Conclusions: Coccinellids were host plant and aphid selective. Some coccinellids were never or rarely recorded on a particular aphid-plant combination, suggesting that their prey selection more specific than often assumed. Management decision and conservation biological control cannot be based on superficial categories such as “aphids” and “coccinellids” but needs to be plant and species specific.

Population fluctuation and weight losses caused by khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium everts on different wheat varieties.

Current study was carried out for adaptability and response of newly introduced jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) variety in desert area of district Umerkot, Sindh with poor quality groundwater (>3500 ppm TSS). Aim of the study was to acclimatize this variety under harsh conditions to uplift the socio-economic situation of local population. The study was carried out for five consecutive fruiting seasons viz. flowering and fruiting season 2013-2014 to 2017-2018. The results revealed that during first fruiting season 2014-15, there were only three branches plant-1, 154 to 239 fruits branch-1, 462 to 879 fruits plant-1, 25.5 to 46.7 g fruit weight, 8.4 to 9.2 mm fruit size, 4.1 to 7.7 kg fruit yield plant-1 and 442.8 to 831.6 kg fruit yield acre-1. But from the third year to onwards i.e from 2015 to 2018 a continuous increase was observed for all characters studied like number of branches plant-1 increased from 5 to 8, number of fruits branch-1 increased from 339 to 375, total fruits plant-1 increased from 1695 to 2538, weight of fruit was increased from 58.6 to 107.15 g, size of fruit increased from 9.2 to 9.8 mm, yield plant-1 was increased from 11.0 to 31.45 kg, yield acre-1 was increased from 1188 to 3396 kg and water use efficiency increased from 2.7 to 10.6 kg m3. Considering the above results, it was concluded that Ziziphus fruit yield, weight and size increases from third year to onwards significantly on brackish water and soil of arid areas of Thar. Pruning each year after fruit harvesting was found to be essential. As this plant with stands in harsh climate of Thar desert successfully, so it provides food in the form of fruits, fodder through leaves and wood for fuel and shelter for humans and animals, thus it will be helpful to the people of Thar in terms of malnutrition, food scarcity and climate change, as well.

Effect of Bt. and non-Bt. cotton variety was investigated on biological parameters of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella. In biological parameters, maximum larval duration of 4.5±0.07 days were recorded in the first instar on non-Bt. cotton and minimum 2.00±0.06 days in fourth larval instar on Bt. cotton. The larval weight was higher (20.24±1.74 mg) on non-Bt. and minimum on Bt. cotton (13.84±1.34 mg); meanwhile the maximum pupal weight of 23.46±0.55 mg was weighed on non-Bt. cotton and minimum 17.41±0.44 mg on Bt. cotton. A total period of 18.44±0.55 day’s adult female lived on non-Bt. cotton and15.44±0.43 on Bt. cotton. The overall maximum mean numbers of 119±1.99 eggs were observed on non-Bt. cotton as compared to Bt. cotton. Similarly, ovipositional rate was also higher (8.04±0.19 eggs/ female/day) on non-Bt. cotton. The maximum larval duration (11.36±0.30 days) was higher on non-Bt. cotton and minimum on Bt. cotton (8.03±0.43 days); meanwhile the maximum pupal period of 9.73±0.29 days were calculated on Bt. cotton and almost similar days of pupal period on non-Bt. cotton crop, respectively. The highest mortality percentage of all stages was found on Bt. cotton with maximum mortality percentage of 24.59% at 1st larval instar.