Laboratory experiments were carried out during August to September 2004 and 2005 at the Seed Technology Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh to determine the effects of harvesting stages on the seed quality of lentil. Lentil seeds of three varieties were harvested at three stages at 7-day intervals viz. i) when the pods were yellowish with a few yellow greens (H 1 stage), ii) when most of the pods were light brown with a few yellow (H 2 stage), and iii) when all the pods were completely brown and dry (H 3 stage). All the seeds were stored in earthen pot until conducting the laboratory study. Non-significant variation was observed in three varieties of lentil for most of the parameters studied. The highest germination percentage, root length, shoot length, seedling length and vigour index (vigour index-I and vigour index-Il) were observed in BARI Masur-4, and the lowest in BARI Masur-2. Harvesting stage had significant effect on some parameters studied. Seeds collected at the stage when most of the pods were light brown with a few yellow (H 2 stage) recorded the highest germination percentage, dry weight, root length, shoot length, seedling length and vigour index (vigour index-I and vigour-Il) in both the years. BARI Masur-4 seeds collected at H 2 stage recorded the highest dry weight and vigour index-I in both the years and vigour index-Il in 2004.

(2015) Effect of Rhizobium sp. BARIRGm901 inoculation on nodulation, nitrogen fixation and yield of soybean (Glycinemax) genotypes in gray terrace soil, Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 79:10, 1660-1668,

Two field experiments were carried out during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2002-03 and 2003-2004 at Farming System Research Site, Chabbish Nagar, Rajshahi (AEZ 11) with a view to assessing the effect of Rhizobium inoculation on four varieties of chickpea viz., BARI Chola-3, BARI Chola-4, BARI Chola-5 and BART Chola-6. Each variety was tested with and without Rhizobium inoculation. Each plot received basal application of 22 kg P/ha as TSP, 42 kg K/ha as MOP, 20 kg S/ha as gypsum and 5 kg Zn/ha as zinc oxide. Peat based rhizohial inoculurn (Rhizohium strain RCa-220) @ 1.5 kg/ha was used for seed inoculation. Inoculated plants gave significantly higher nodule number, nodule weight, stover yield and seed yield compared to uninoculated plants. Among four varieties, BARI Chola-3 produced the highest nodule number, nodule weight and stover yield, while the highest yield was obtained from BARI Chola-4.

Ray blight disease of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) is caused by Stagonosporopsis tanaceti, with infected seed being a major means of transmission of this fungal pathogen. The infection process of S. tanaceti in pyrethrum seed and seedlings was determined. Infection hyphae only infected the outer and inner layers of the seed coat and not the embryo of naturally infected pyrethrum seed. During the process of germination of infected seed, S. tanaceti from the seed coat infected the developing embryo and cotyledon, resulting in pre-and post-emergence death, depending on the level of infection in the seed coat. Pre-emergence death occurred due to disintegration of the infected embryo, which was replaced by hyphae and extracellular anthocyanin-like material (EAM) at 7 days after incubation (dai). Post-emergence death occurred after both epidermal and cortical tissues of infected cotyledons at the crown/hypocotyl region disintegrated due to colonization by hyphae. Moreover, most of the tissues of the vascular bundles and cortical tissues contained heavy depositions of EAM at 10-14 dai. In 6-week-old infected seedlings, hyphae were confined to the epidermis and the cortical tissues at the crown/hypocotyl regions; the vascular bundles of both infected and uninfected regions, and cortical tissues of the uninfected regions of the seedlings were completely free from infection hyphae and EAM. These findings provide a better understanding of the early stages of the disease cycle of S. tanaceti and will lead to improved control measures for seedborne infection using seed treatments.

Laboratory studies were conducted with leaf powder of three plants to show the preservative effect for maintaining the quality of lentil seeds in storage. After processing and drying, seeds were preserved with different botanicals and stored them in earthen pots for eight months. Botanicals, such as whole leaf powder of neem (Azadirachta indica), dholkalmi (Ipmoea sepiara), and bishkatali (Polygonum hydropiper) were used at a dose of 5% w/w (25 g botanical per 500 g of lentil seeds). The lentil seeds were stored till next planting time and seed quality, such as moisture content, germination capacity, root length, shoot length of the seedlings and vigour index were observed. The highest values for all these characters except moisture content were significant when the seeds were preserved with neem leaf powder and bishkatali. Among three botanicals, dholkalmi was less effective. Keywords: Lentil; botanicals; storage; seed quality DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v36i3.9266 BJAR 2011; 36(3): 381-387