Running Musharakah Product of Islamic Banks: An Alternative of Running Finance

Islamic banking system is growing day by day. The new era of Islamic banking is very successful as new products are being introduced by Islamic banks to cater the demands of customer under Shariah guidelines, there was demand of a product for working capital as an alternative to the conventional product of running finance. Running Musharakah Product has been introduced as substitute to Running Finance Product. In this paper the concept of Running Finance as well as Running Musharakah is described, the practical steps of running Musharakah are also illustrated to examine the viability of the product.

Influence of Micronutrients and Management Practices on Agronomic Traits of Sunflower Cultivars

There is instant need of enhancing sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) productivity being a potential cash crop for increasing edible oil requirement in the country. Its yield can be increased by balanced fertilization and adoption of the improved planting techniques. The studies were conducted with the objectives to find the efficient method of micronutents application for higher yield of sunflower and to assess the effect of varying levels of Zn, B and Fe alone as well as in combinations with varied NPK levels and to find out the interaction between plant spacing, cultivars and fertility levels on the growth and yield of sunflower. In this context, two experiments were carried out at Students Farm, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan (25o 40’N, 68o 43E. In 1st experiment entited “Effect of micronutrient levels and placement methods on the yield of sunflower cultivars” there were three sunflower genotyeps i.e. HO-1, Hysun-39 and Ausigold-62 tested under different micronutrients levels (0-0-0, 0-0.75-0.30, 0-0.75-0.30, 3-0.75-0.30, 5-0.75-0.30, 8-0.75-0.30 Z, B and Fe kg ha-1, respectively) and methods of placement i.e. placement and foliar application. The findings of the two years study showed that application of Zn, B and Fe at the rate of8-0.30-0.75 kg ha-1 resulted higher stem girth, head diameter, number of seeds head-1, seed weight head-1, seed index, oil content, seed yield, CGR, LAI, LAD, TDM,NAR, Zn content and uptake. The highest B and Fe uptake was recorded at 5-0.30-0.75 kg Zn-B-Fe ha-1. In case of micronutrientsapplication methods; taller plants, higher stem girth, head diameter, seed weight, seed index and oil content were recorded in foliar sprayed.The foliar spray of micronutrients had resulted in higher B and Fe content and uptake of Zn, B and Fe than placement. The foliar application substantially enhanced the uptake of Zn, B and Fe in sunflower thanplacement method of application. Comparing sunflower cultivars/hybrids, the hybrids HO-1 and Hysun-39 had taller plants, seed weight head-1, seeds head-1 and earlier flowering and maturity. However, the hybrid HO-1 was higher in germination,leaf area index and head diameter. The higher stem girth was recorded for the hybrid hysun-39. Flowering and maturity delayed by the hybrid Ausi Gold-62 with heavier seed index (g), oil content, TDM, NAR, Zn and B uptake . However, the seed yield was remained statistically similar for all the three cultivars. In 2ndexperiment entitled, “Response of sunflower cultivars to planting geometry under different fertility levels” consisted of three factors i.e. fertility levels (the combine application NPK and Z, B and Fe levels viz 0-0-0 and0-0-0, 60-45-45 and5-0.75-0.30, 90- 45-45 and5-0.75-0.30 and120- 45-45, 5-0.75-0.30 and150- 45-45 and 5-0.75-0.30 kg NPK and Z, B and Fe ha-1),sunflower cultivars(HO-1, Hysun-39 and Ausi Gold-62) and plant spacing of 15, 30 and 45 cm with a uniform row to row distance of 75 cm. The results revealed that the hybrid HO-1 had higher germination, attained taller height with maximum head diameter, seed weight head-1 and number of seeds head-1. The cultivar Ausi gold-62 had taken maximum days to flowering and had higher seed index and oil content. Higher stem girth, seed yield, TDM, uptake of studied plant nutrients was recorded for Hysun-39. In case of plant to plant distance, the highest agronomic, physiological, oil yield as well as contents and uptake of N, P, Zn, B and Fe was increased by spacing the plants at 45 cm followed by the plants spaced at 30 cm. Furthermore, higher agronomic, yield and oil traits were recorded in plots which received NPK + Zn-B-Fe at the rate of 150-45-45 and 5-0.75-0.30 kg ha-1, respectively.The physiological traits were found higher for the treatment (150-45-45 NPK and 5-0.75-0.30 Zn-B-Fe kg ha-1, respectively). The higher N, P, K, Zn, B and Fe contents was noted for NPK and Zn-B-Fe applied at the rate of 150-45-45 and Zn, B and Fe at rate of 5-0.75-0.30 kg ha-1. The higher uptake of N was received from 150-45-45 NPK and 5-0.75-0.30 Zn-B-Fe kg ha-1, respectively followed by N applied at rate of 120 kg ha-1 with the same levels of other nutrients. The P uptake was higher in treatment (60-45-45NPK and 5-0.75-0.30 Zn-B-Fe kg ha-1, respectively). Higher B and Fe uptake was recorded in plots which recieved NPK at the rate of 60-45-45 and Zn-B-Fe at the rate of 5-0.75-0.30 kg ha-1, respectively. It is concluded that micronutrients foliar application improved almost all agronomic, physiological and nutrients content and uptake in sunflower. The application of NPK (150-45-45 kg ha-1) and Zn, B and Fe (5-0.75-0.30 kg ha-1) was superior and optimum fertilizer for sunflower production. Row to row and plant to plant distance of 75 cm x 45 cm was found highly imperative for higher yield and yield components of sunflower. Thus, it is recommended that HO-1, Hysun-39 and AusiGold-62 can be fertilized with NPK at the rate of 150-45-45 kg ha-1 and Zn-B-Fe (8-0.75-0.30 kg ha-1) for increasing yield and maintenance of soil fertility under plant spacing of 45 cm with row to row distance of 75 cm.