Seed priming is considered as an important component that results in early establishment of crop seedling. Thus, the effect of seed priming with iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) on growth and yield components of groundnut (cv. BARI-2011) was evaluated by using different doses of Fe (0.1% and 0.3%) and Zn (0.5% and 1.0%) in RCBD design with two factors factorial arrangement having three replications. The crop was grown in April, 2016 at the Research Farm of PMASArid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, (Pothowar Pleatue) Punjab, Pakistan. Data revealed that plant height and number of plants were highest at 0.3% Fe in combination with 1.0% Zn. Similarly, numerical values for all measured yield components i.e., number of pods plant -1 , kernel weight (kg ha -1 ), 100 kernel weight (g), pod yield (kg ha -1 ), biological yield (kg ha -1 ), harvest index (HI) and shelling percentage were significantly higher at 0.3% Fe in combination with 1.0% Zn as compared to the control. The control plot resulted in the lowest values for all the parameters studied. It can be inferred from the results that seed priming at the rate of 0.3% Fe in combination with 1% Zn is recommended for obtaining higher yield of groundnut.

Seed treatment with fungicides and micronutrients provides an opportunity to control various seed borne diseases and boosts the yield of many crops in a cost effective and better way as compared to the foliar application. Thus, an experiment was conducted to explore the effects of fungicidal and micronutrients seed treatment on groundnut crop at the Research Farm of PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (Pothowar Pleatue) Punjab, Pakistan during the kharif season 2016. Groundnut variety BARI-2011 was subjected to 12 different treatments i.e. control, zinc (1% solution in distilled water), boron (0.1% solution in distilled water), Radomil gold @ 2.5 g, Topsim-M @ 2.5 g, Puslaan @ 3 g (all in 1 litre of distilled water), and the combinations of both micronutrients with 3 fungicides at same concentrations. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 2 factors factorial arrangement having 3 replications was implemented in the field. Results indicated that seed treatment with the combination of 1% zinc and Radomil gold @ 2.5 g/litre solution in water resulted in the maximum plant height (45.89 cm), number of pods per plant (50 Nos.), 100 kernel weight (64.39 g), kernel weight (1908 kg/ha), pod yield (2778 kg/ha), biological yield (4590 kg/ha), harvest index (41.56%), shelling percentage (68.69%). Moreover, the crop was least infected by the seed borne diseases (3.27%). These results suggest that seed treatment with the combination of 1% zinc and 2.5 g/litre of Radomil gold had effectively controlled the seed borne diseases as well as boosted the yield of groundnut by improving the yield components.

Despite of adoption of hybrid maize cultivation to a considerable level, maize yields in Pakistan are lower than other countries in the region. With others, maize cultivation under low soil fertility and without supplemental nitrogenous inputs is an important reason for low yields. This derives national maize breeding programs to develop low-nitrogen responsive maize cultivars. In this context, exotic maize open-pollinated varieties were introduced from CIMMYT for adaptability testing and subsequent adaptation. The trial including these OPVs was planted under zero nitrogen application. Correlation and path coefficient analysis was used to establish association of grain yield with its components to ascertain specific selection criteria which will be used to enhance efficiency of the future maize breeding and yield improvement programs using this germplasm. The results complemented with heritability estimates revealed that 100-kernel weight and shelling percentage together with kernel rows per cob can be utilized effectively for yield enhancement under nitrogen deficient conditions.