Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the major staples in Nepal providing the bulk of food calories and at least 30% of Fe and Zn intake and 20% of dietary energy and protein consumption; thus, it is essential to improve its nutritional quality. To select high-yielding genotypes with elevated grain zinc and iron concentration, the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth HarvestPlus Yield Trials (HPYTs) were conducted across diverse locations in Nepal for four consecutive years: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19, using 47 biofortified and 3 non-biofortified CIMMYT-bred, bread wheat genotypes: Baj#1, Kachu#1, and WK1204 (local check). Genotypic and spatial variations were found in agro-morphological traits; grain yield and its components; and the grain zinc and iron concentration of tested genotypes. Grain zinc concentration was highest in Khumaltar and lowest in Kabre. Likewise, grain iron concentration was highest in Doti and lowest in Surkhet. Most of the biofortified genotypes were superior for grain yield and for grain zinc and iron concentration to the non-biofortified checks. Combined analyses across environments showed moderate to high heritability for both Zn (0.48–0.81) and Fe (0.46–0.79) except a low heritability for Fe observed for 7th HPYT (0.15). Grain yield was positively correlated with the number of tillers per m2, while negatively correlated with days to heading and maturity, grain iron, grain weight per spike, and thousand grain weight. The grain zinc and iron concentration were positively correlated, suggesting that the simultaneous improvement of both micronutrients is possible through wheat breeding. Extensive testing of CIMMYT derived high Zn wheat lines in Nepal led to the release of five biofortified wheat varieties in 2020 with superior yield, better disease resistance, and 30–40% increased grain Zn and adaptable to a range of wheat growing regions in the country – from the hotter lowland, or Terai, regions to the dryer mid- and high-elevation areas.

Chickpea is one of the important winter legumes in Nepal. It is grown after rice or maize either as sole or mixed crop. In Nepal, chickpea is mostly grown as rainfed crop on residual soil moisture or sometimes under irrigation. Lack of irrigation results drought and heat stress which affects crop growth and development. Irrigation at proper time is one of the most important factors for achieving higher crop yield.  The experiment regarding use of supplementary irrigation time on chickpea was carried out at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Khajura, Banke, Nepal during the winter season of the year 2011 and 2012. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Seven different time intervals of irrigation was applied in the experiment for both years. Treatments differed significantly in terms of grain yield but showed non -significant difference in days to flowering and maturity over the years. The combined analysis of the experiments showed that the highest grain yield (2318 kg/ha) was produced when irrigation was supplied at vegetative stage followed by irrigation supplied at flowering stage (2298 kg/ha) and pod fill stage (2104 kg/ha) respectively.Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 3(3): 431-433

Coordinated Varietal Trials (CVT) of wheat were planted under rainfed conditions at Regional Agriculture Research Station Khajura in winter season of 2011/12 and 2012/13 and Initial Evaluation Trials (IET) were planted in 2012/13. Trials were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design and recommended cultivation practices were followed. In CVT, combined analysis of genotypes over the years revealed significant differences in terms of days to heading, maturity days, grains per spike, grain yield and straw yield. Significantly highest grain yield was obtained in genotype NL1094 followed by Bhrikuti. Correlation coefficient showed that days to maturity had highly positive correlation with days to heading. Similarly; in IET, tested thirty genotypes showed significant difference for grain yield and genotype NL1193 revealed the highest yield followed by BL 4406. Correlation coefficient computation showed that days to maturity had positively highest and highly significant correlation with plant height.

With the objective of identifying high yielding wheat varieties for irrigated condition of midwestern region of Nepal, Coordinated Varietal Trials (CVT) of wheat were planted under irrigated conditions at Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) Khajura in winter season of 2011/12 and 2012/13.  Trials were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and recommended cultivation practices were followed. Various phenological, morphological and yield attributing traits were recorded. Obtained data of both years were analyzed by using MSTATC software program. Correlation and path analysis for yield was conducted by using SPSS and MS-Excel. Combined analysis over year indicated highly significant differences among the genotypes in terms of days to heading, days to maturity, thousand kernels weight, grain yield and straw yield. The difference was significant for plant height but non-significant in terms of grains per spike. Among the tested entries included in the experiment, NL 1135 had late heading and maturity. In contrast, genotype BL 3978 was earliest. Genotype Gautam was obtained to be tallest and Thousand kernels weight was obtained highest in genotype BL3978. Grain yield was obtained significantly high over the years in NL1094 followed by NL 1135. Maximum straw yield was obtained in genotype NL 1094 followed by NL1135. Correlation coefficient computation showed that days to maturity had highest positive correlation (0.684**) with days to heading. Path analysis for yield revealed that thousand kernels weight had the highest positive value (0.732681) as compared to direct effect of other traits.

An experiment was conducted for response of nutrient omission to irrigation scheduling in hybrid maize during winter season of 2015 at farmer’s field  Khajura, Banke where intense summer and severe winter occurs. Soil is sandy loam and climatically humid sub-tropical with average annual rainfall of 1000-1500 mm. The experiment was replicated 3 times with split plot design having plot size of 3 x 3.6 m2. There were three irrigation level as main plot; (30 -35 DAS, tasseling stage), (30-35 DAS, tasseling, grain filling stage), (tasseling stage) and six level of fertilizer dose as sub-plot; farmer fertilization practice (27.6:27.6:18 N-P-K kg ha-1), recommended dose of fertilizer (160:60:40 N-P-K kgha-1), 50 percent above recommended dose (240: 90: 60 N-P-K kg ha-1), N0PK (60:40 P-K kg ha-1), NP0K (160:40 N-K kg ha-1), NPK0 (160:60 N-P kg ha-1). 3 level of irrigation increased the grain yield (4333 kg ha-1) by 33.7% than 2 level of irrigation (3240.6 kg ha-1) and 78.4% than single irrigation (2428.8 kg ha-1). Similarly, 182.4% grain yield could be increased with RDF (4994.9 kg ha-1) than N0PK (1768.6 kg ha-1). Grain nutrient uptake was recorded 80.4% N (56.3 kg ha-1), 79% P (18.8 kg ha-1), 88.8% K (15.1 kg ha-1) higher with three levels of irrigation than single irrigation N (31.2 kg ha-1), P (10.5 kg ha-1), K (8 kg ha-1) and 184% N (64.6 kg ha-1), 183.7% P (21 kg ha-1) and 188% K (17 kg ha-1) was recorded higher with RDF than (N0PK) N (22.7 kg ha-1), P (7.4 kg ha-1), K (5.9 kg ha-1). Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 8(3): 343-354