Silicon is known to improve resistance against salinity stress in maize crop. This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of silicon application on growth and salt resistance in maize. Seeds of two maize genotypes (salt-sensitive 'EV 1089' and salt-tolerant 'Syngenta 8441') were grown in pots containing 0 and 2 mM Si with and without 50 mM NaCl. After detailed investigation of ion concentrations in different maize organs, both genotypes were further selected in hydroponic experiment on basis of their contrasting response to salinity stress. In the second experiment, pre-germinated seedlings were transplanted into nutrient solution with 0 and 60 mM NaCl with and without 2 mM Si. Both genotypes differed significantly in their response to salinity. Silicon addition alleviated both osmotic and oxidative stress in maize crop by improving the performance of defensive machinery under salinity stress. Silicon application also improved the water-use efficiency in both tested genotypes under both normal and salinity stress conditions. In conclusion, this study implies that the silicon-treated maize plants had better chance to survive under salinity conditions and their photosynthetic and biochemical apparatus was working far better than that of silicon-non-treated plants.

The trials were conducted in 2010 and 2011 rainy seasons at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Teaching and Research Dry Land Farm, Dundaye, Nigeria to determine the effects of variety and nitrogen levels on performance of  (SOSAT c-88 and Zango millet varieties). Data collected were on Stand count, tiller count, plant height and panicle length. Others included panicle weight and grain yield. All data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results SOSAT c-88 and Zango millet indicated that millet varieties have no significant effect on both stand and tiller production throughout the sampling periods though nitrogen levels has significant on tiller production at 6 weeks after planting of both 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons. Panicle length was affected by millet varieties and nitrogen levels in both cropping seasons. Improve millet variety Sosat c-88 gave higher grain yield while 80 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1produced significant higher millet grain yield hence should be practiced. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2020-01-04-04 Full Text: PDF

The present study was to assess the additive effects of cuscuta (akasbel) aqueous extract alone and in combination with full and reduced doses of commercially available weedicides against weeds in wheat crop during the year 2016-2017. The study was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The results showed that hand weeding and use of weedicides Allymax and Axial (full and half recommended doses) significantly controlled all prevailing weeds and increased yield and yield contributing parameters over the weedy check/control and sole application of cuscuta aqueous extract. Hand weeding and Allymax (full dose) showed minimum weed population, relative density, fresh and dry weed biomass and higher leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), crop growth rate (CGR), plant height, 1000 grain weight and grain yield while net assimilation rate (NAR), chlorophyll content, number of tillers, spike length, grains spike-1 and biological yield were maximum only in hand weeding. These findings suggest that in order to attain highest wheat yield, the field should be kept free from weeds by hand weeding (if labour is not a limiting factor) or use recommended dose of weedicide Allymax for efficient weed management in wheat.