Knowledge about the soil fertility status and mapping their spatial distribution play a crucial role for sustainable planning of particular area. Thus, a study was conducted to assess the soil fertility status of the Agricultural Research Station, Bijayanagar, Jumla, Nepal. The farm is situated at the latitude 29.273656°N and longitude 82.180967°E as well altitude 2370masl. The total 18 samples were collected randomly at a depth of 0-20 cm by using soil sampling auger. A GPS device was used for determination of geographical position of soil sampling points. The collected samples were analyzed following standard analytical methods in the laboratory of Soil Science Division, Khumaltar. The Arc-GIS 10.1 software was used for the soil fertility distribution mapping. The observed data revealed the structure was sub-angular blocky, whereas colour were dark grayish brown and very dark brown. The sand, silt and clay content were ranged 27-47%, 33.10-61.10% and 11.90-23.90%, respectively and categorized loam and silt loam in texture. The soil pH was moderately acidic to moderately alkaline (5.45-7.66) and very low in available boron (0.01-0.28 mg/kg) and sulphur (0.59-6.23 mg/kg). Moreover, very low to very high available iron (15.90-300.50 mg/kg), very low to high available manganese (1.46-12.88) and low to high organic matter (2.07-6.53%). Similarly, medium to high total nitrogen (0.14-0.23%), available potassium (40-255 mg/kg) and zinc (1.12-8.26 mg/kg). Correspondingly, high available calcium (1632-2880 mg/kg) and magnesium (98-456 mg/kg), and very high available phosphorus (64.2-257.2 mg/kg) and copper (2.58-12.16 mg/kg). The determined soil test data can be used for sustainable soil management as well as developing future research strategy in the farm.

This study was conducted at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Vijayanagar, Jumla Nepal comprising fifteen genotypes of cold tolerance rice during regular rice growing season of high hill in 2015 in RCBD (Randomized Complete Block Design)  with three replications to observe genetic variability, correlation, heritability, genetic advance and clustering of genotypes in relation to yield and yield associated traits and selection and advancement of early maturing, high yielding, disease resistant, and cold tolerance genotypes for high mountain area. Analysis of variance revealed that all characters except number of panicle per hill were significantly different indicating presence of variation in genetic constituents. Phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) for all the corresponding traits under study indicating environmental influence for the expression of the traits. Higher PCV and GCV value were obtained in grain yield (Yld), number of grain per panicle (NGPP) and number of panicle per hill (NPPH). Higher heritability coupled with higher genetic advance (GA) was obtained in NGPP, NPPH and Yld, high heritability and medium GA was obtained in thousand grains wt (TGW), plant height (Pht) and panicle length (PL) indicating additive gene action indicating direct selection may be a tool for varietal development. Positive and significant correlation was obtained between all characters except DM and Pht, PL and PHT and TGW and PPH. Total three clusters were obtained in eighty percent euclidean similarity clustering indicating genetic closeness/distances among the genotypes. Culture 1 carries the superior five genotypes including NR-10638-B-B-4 and NR-10695-B-B-B. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(4): 445-452

Three hundred finger millet genotypes (295 landraces from 54 districts and five released varieties) were evaluated for leaf, finger, and neck blast resistance under natural epiphytotic conditions across three hill locations in Nepal, namely Kabre, Dolakha (1740m); Vijaynagar, Jumla (2350 m); and Khumaltar, Lalitpur (1360 m) during the summer seasons of 2017 and 2018. The highest incidence of leaf, neck, and finger blast was observed at Lalitpur, followed by Dolakha and Jumla, whereas the overall disease incidence was higher in 2018 compared to 2017. Combined analysis over environments revealed non-significant differences among accessions for leaf blast, but the difference was highly significant for neck and finger blast. Correlation analysis suggested that there was a strong positive correlation between neck blast and finger blast (r = 0.71), leaf blast (seedling stage) and neck blast (r = 0.68), and leaf blast (seedling stage) and finger blast (r = 0.58) diseases. Among 300 accessions, 95 had lower scores for finger blast, 30 for neck blast, and 74 for leaf blast than the score of Kabre Kodo-2, the latest released variety in Nepal. Genotypes NGRC04798, NGRC03478, NGRC05765, NGRC03539, NGRC06484, NGRC01458, NGRC01495 and NGRC01597 were found the resistant genotypes for finger blast (2.1-2.3) and neck blast (1.5-2.3) based on pooled mean scores. This study shows the variable reactions of finger millet genotypes against blast disease in various environments and reports the promising landraces having field resistance to leaf, finger, and neck blast, which ultimately serve as important donors for blast resistance in finger millet breeding.