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The major nutrients viz., N, P and K are supplied to the crop through soil application which decreases the nutrient uptake efficacy due to various losses and fixation in soil. Hence, a study was carried out in order to explore the response of foliar nutrients on harvest index and conserved nutrients of potato (cv. Kufri Surya) at Vegetable Research Centre of GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during rabi season of 2017-18. The experiment having eleven treatments with replicated four times. The results indicated that there was an increase in harvest index with the foliar feeding and maximum harvest index (83.82 %) was observed in treatment T8, which is 5.9% more harvest index than T1 (100% Recommended Dose of Fertilizer). The maximum value of nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) content and uptake by haulms, tubers and plants was obtained from different foliar treatments, whereas, treatment T11 (75% N of RDF as basal + 2% foliar spray of 20:20:20 water soluble fertilizer at 30 & 45 DAP) was recorded 24.91%, 37.93% and 33.46% more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake in tubers over than recommended practices, respectively. The conclusion comes out from this experiment that, application technique of foliar nutrients significantly affected the harvest index and nutrient uptake by haulms, tubers and plants of potato.

An experiment was conducted at Vegetable Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, during 2021 and 2022 to determine the nutritional quality, variation and its effect on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Heterosis for nutritional quality in 30 F1 of cucumber obtained by L×T method involving 10 gynoecious and 3 monoecious cucumber, was studied and significant difference was found in all the characters. Based on per se performance, PPCUC-6 (gynoecious) followed by PPCUC-3 (gynoecious) are best performing parents and PPCUC-7 × PCUC-8 (monoecious) is best performing hybrid for most of characters. The cross combination PPCUC-10 × PCUC-28 (monoecious) based on mid parent, PPCUC-10 × PCUC-28 (monoecious) and PPCUC-12 × PCUC-28 (monoecious) based on better parent and PPCUC-12 × PCUC-28 (monoecious) based on standard parent are found best hybrids for maximum traits. PPCUC-3 (gynoecious) and PCUC-28 (monoecious) were best general combiner for most of characters, which can be used as a parents in improvement of nutritional quality. PPCUC-12 × PCUC-28 (monoecious) was best specific combiner for most of characters. Information of gene actions obtained from the study indicates the predominance of dominant gene action which is highly desirable to develop hybrids in cucumber with better nutritional quality.

The continuous rice–wheat cropping system in South Asia has caused irreversible environmental damage, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the region’s agricultural systems. To address this issue, farm experiments were conducted for two successive years (2019–20 and 2020–21) to assess the impact of different cropping systems under conservation agriculture (CA) practices on the yield, productivity, and profitability of wheat. Results showed that the highest grain yield of wheat was observed in scenarios Sc6, Sc4, and Sc2, which involved full CA permanent-bed soybean (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB), full CA permanent-bed maize (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB), and partial CA puddled transplanted rice–Happy Seeder wheat–zero-till summer moong (ZT). Additionally, the highest irrigation water productivity (IWP), wheat grain macronutrient uptake, net return, and benefit–cost ratio (B:C ratio) were recorded under Sc6, full CA permanent-bed soybean (PB)–permanent-bed wheat (PB)–permanent-bed summer moong (PB) compared to farmers’ practice puddled transplanted rice (PTR)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong (Sc1) during both years. The system productivity also increased in scenarios Sc2, Sc4, and Sc6 (by 9.72%, 9.65%, and 14.14% in the first year and 10.68%, 14.14%, and 15.55% in the second year) compared to Sc1—farmers’ practice puddled transplanted rice (PTR)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong, Sc3—farmers’ practice fresh-bed maize (FB)–conventional-till wheat–summer moong, and Sc5–farmers’ practice fresh-bed soybean (FB)–conventional-till wheat (CT)–summer moong. The findings suggest that the conservation agriculture soybean–wheat–summer moong (Sc6) on permanent-bed cropping systems with inclusion legumes can be a potential option to enhance yield attributes, productivity, and profitability, as well as the sustainability of natural resources in the region while decreasing environmental footprints.