The productivity of Pothwar plateau is quite low which is mainly attributed to low soil fertility and soil moisture stress at critical plant growth stages. The suitability of soil for crop production depends on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of soil. Soil erosion affects the soil properties and crop production by reducing nutrient supply, water infiltration and water holding capacity. The crops like wheat, maize and sorghum are mainly grown in Pothwar rain-fed area and yields of these crops are less than their potential. The crop production strategies for increasing yields and sustaining them must include an integrated approach of soil nutrients management along with other complementary measures such as rain-water conservation. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of water conservation and soil fertility management practices on maize and wheat crop yields under rain-fed conditions of Pothwar at Fatehjang and Gujar Khan target areas and on sorghum yield in controlled conditions. This study consists of three experiments carried out during 2004-2007. The first study was a comprehensive survey for characterization of eroded land in Pothwar areas. Nine soil series viz. Missa, Pirsabak, Burhan, Rajar, Bahtar, Basal, Kufri, Khaur and Balkassar from Fatehjang area and eight soil series viz. Missa, Pirsabak, Guliana, Rajar, Balkassar, Rawalpindi, Chakwal and Satwal were sampled from Gujar Khan area. Data from the analysis of soil series elucidated that the soils at Fatehjang for both depths (0-15 cm and 30-45 cm) were alkaline (7.65-8.37) while at Gujar Khan the soil pH was slightly lower (7.36-7.94). Both area soils were free of salinity problem, however, on the average, soils of Gujar Khan target area had relatively lower free lime content than those from2 Fatehjang area. Organic matter contents were found higher in Gujar Khan than Fatehjang area. At Fatehjang deficiency of nutrients was 100 % (N), 100 % (P), 14 % (K), 100 % (Zn), 5 % (Cu), 38 % (Fe), 0 (Mn) and 100 % (B) for topsoil and for subsoil it was 100 % (N), 100 % (P), 29 % (K), 100 % (Zn), 12 % (Cu), 60 % (Fe), 0 (Mn) and 100 % (B). Similarly, at Gujar Khan area deficiency of nutrient was 97 % (N), 95 % (P), 32 % (K), 97 % (Zn), 0 (Cu), 20 % (Fe), 0 (Mn), 85 % (B), for topsoil and for subsoil it was 100 % (N), 100 % (P), 48 % (K), 100 % (Zn), 0 (Cu), 22 % (Fe), 0 (Mn), 90 % (B). The variability for studied soil characteristics at Fatehjang having coefficient of variance (CV) from 2 to 117 % and at Gujar Khan area the CV was from 3 to 155 %. Among soil series at both sites for both soil depths no specific trend of soil characteristics was related to soil erosion level. Simple correlation of organic matter, pH and free lime content (CaCO 3 ) with soil nutrient was observed. The second study was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated moisture conservation and fertilizer application on crop yield of wheat and maize. Field experiments were conducted on the selected soil series of Fatehjang viz. Missa and Rajar and Gujar Khan viz. Guliana and Rajar to study the effect of integrated rain water conservation and fertilizer application on crop yield. There were four treatments, which consisted of: control, no soil water conservation and farmer''s rate of fertilizer application (T 1 ), improved fertilizer application + no soil water conservation practices (T 2 ), soil water conservation practices, i.e., deep plowing, bund improvement, plowing across contour + farmer''s rate of fertilizers application (T 3 ) and soil water conservation + improved fertilizer application (T 4 ). Two year data of wheat and maize showed that integrated moisture conservation and fertilizer3 application treatment proved effective and gave the highest yield. Similarly, water use efficiency (WUE) and nutrient uptake were greater under this treatment. Economic analysis showed that farmers can get significant profit by adopting rainwater conservation practices along with the application of balanced fertilizer application according to soil and crop requirements. However, data on nutrient status after wheat-maize cropping system indicated that there was an increase in nutrients content (N, P, Zn and B) over that in the original soil, but despite of this little increase in nutrients, the soil still remained deficient in all the nutrients. The third study was conducted in a greenhouse to determine the impact of mulching and integrated nutrient management on water use and yield of sorghum. Sorghum is one of the most important crops of rainfed area. It is often a dual purpose crop with both the grain and stover considered as highly valued inputs. The greenhouse experiment revealed that mulch with integrated nutrient management (INM) is an effective measure to increase sorghum yield and WUE. Uptake of N and P was greater for the mulch treated plots than those without surface mulch, and uptake was highest for the N + P fertilizer, followed by the 1⁄2 N + P fertilizer + manure, and then from the 1⁄2 N + P fertilizer + compost treated soil. More amount of water was used by non-mulch treatments but yield produce was less than mulch treatments. Integrated nutrient management produced yield at par with N+P fertilizer treatment but the amount of water used was less, so higher WUE was recorded in mulch treatments with integrated nutrient management. It was concluded that the practice of moisture conservation along with supplying nutrients properly enhanced the crop as well as profitability in eroded soils of Pothwar plateau
روشؔ صدیقی افسوس ہے کہ گزشتہ مہینہ روش صدیقی نے دفعتہ انتقال کیا، مرحوم اپنے اوصاف اور خصوصیات میں منفرد تھے، جس کی مثال اس دور کے شعراء میں کم ملے گی، وہ جس درجہ کے شاعر تھے، اسی درجہ کے انسان بھی تھے، ان کی موت سے ایک باکمال شاعر ہی نہیں بلکہ اخلاق و شرافت کا ایک پیکر اٹھ گیا، ان میں مشرق تہذیب کی ساری خوبیاں اور وضعداریاں جمع تھیں، شاعری میں ان کا پایہ بہت بلند تھا، وہ صاحب طرز شاعر تھے، سیکڑوں شعراء میں ان کا کلام ممتاز نظر آتا تھا، وہ ان شعراء میں تھے جن سے شاعری کا بھرم اور وقار قائم تھا، ان کو نظم اور غزل دونوں میں یکساں قدرت حاصل تھی، ان کی نظموں میں تغزل کی لطافت و رنگینی اور غزلوں میں تغزل کے کیف و سرور کے ساتھ نظم کا شکوہ و تجمل ہوتا تھا، ان کی فارسی استعداد بہت اچھی تھی، اور اس کا سارا حسن ان کے کلام میں جلوہ گر تھا، ظاہری حسن کے ساتھ معنوی حیثیت سے اس میں بڑی بلندی اور پاکیزگی تھی، اور وہ ان من الشعر الحکمۃ وانٔ من البیان السحر کا مصداق تھا، مذہب میں راسخ العقیدہ اور عملاً پابند مذہب مرد مومن تھے، اس سے ان کو دنیاوی نقصان بھی اٹھانا پڑا، مگر اس کی انھوں نے مطلق پروا نہ کی، ان کی شخصیت بڑی دلآویز تھی، چھوٹا سا قد ہنستا ہوا شگفتہ و شاداب چہرہ اس پر اخلاص و محبت کی موجیں دل کو کھنچ لیتی تھیں، دارالمصنفین کے کارکنوں سے ان کو بڑا مخلصانہ تعلق تھا، جب اعظم گڑھ کے نواح میں آنا ہوتا تو ملنے کے لئے ضرور آتے تھے، ادھر ڈیڑھ دو سال سے ملاقات نہیں ہوئی تھی، ایک دن دفعتہ ریڈیو نے ان کی مرگ ناگہانی کی خبر سنائی، اس کو...
Dear Editor,
Swallowing is an essential requirement for life. Eating is not only a practical act (i.e., obtaining the nutrition necessary for survival) but also involves social interaction. Having meals with family and friends is almost universally necessary for personal interactions1. Dysphagia is derived from the Greek Language "Dys" which means “difficulty or dysfunction" and "Phagia" means "to eat". However, it is defined as difficulty in processing or swallowing food from mouth to stomach2.
Present study on wheat was an attempt to study the genetic diversity in 187 wheat landraces/cultivars at different growth stages and to identify the most salinity sensitive growth stage in wheat. Total 187 genotypes included 130 landraces/cultivars from Pakistan, 24 from Iran, 13 from Syria, six from Egypt, six from Italy, two from USA, one from Brazil, one from Cyprus and four from Mexico were evaluated. In first experiment all (187) genotypes were tested at germination stage under 200 mM NaCl stress. On the basis of salt tolerance trait indices (STTIs) of various traits studied at germination stage and vegetative stage 48 landraces/cultivars were selected. These 48 genotypes were tested under 250 and 300 mM NaCl stress at germination stage. Genotypes showed greater reduction in germination rate index, plumule and radicle fresh and dry weights under high salinity stress. In 2nd experiment all (187) landraces/cultivars were tested at vegetative stage in hydroponic under 200 mM NaCl stress. Eighty nine landraces/cultivars were selected including 48 landraces/cultivars of first experiment. These landraces/cultivars were selected based on STTIs of root and shoot length, tillers plant -1 , and root and shoot fresh and dry weights. These 89 genotypes were tested under 250 mM NaCl stress. Root length, root and shoot dry weights showed considerable decline under NaCl stress compared to controlled conditions. These traits were also positively correlated with each other and other growth parameters studied indicating that these traits were strongly associated with salinity tolerance. In 3 rd experiment 150 genotypes were evaluated at two locations in saline field conditions during 2007-08. Previously selected 48 genotypes 12 were evaluated during 2008-09 at both salt affected locations. Total biomass, spikelets spike -1 , tillers plant -1 and yield were the most salt susceptible traits in studied wheat landraces/cultivars. In 4th experiment six cultivars (Local white, Pavon, Pasban 90, Frontana, Tobari 66 and Chakwal 97) differing in salinity tolerance were crossed in half diallel format to study the inheritance mechanism of wheat genotypes under salinity stress. Broad sense heritability estimates indicated that improvement in wheat genotypes for salinity tolerance does exist. Additive genetic effects were significant for days to heading and maturity, fertile tillers plant -1 , and plant height indicating that selection in early segregating generations could be useful. Dominance effects were significant for yield and yield contributing traits, indicating that selection for yield under NaCl stress would be effective in later generations. All the yield attributing traits had positive correlation at both genotypic and phenotypic level with yield plant -1 , indicating that all these traits contributed towards yield and yield can be used as selection criteria under NaCl stress. In experiment No. 5, 26 RAPD and 240 SSR markers were utilized to study salt tolerance at molecular level. Twelve SSR markers (cfd 1, cfd 9, cfd 18, cfd 46, cfd 49, cfd 183, wmc 11, wmc 17, wmc 18, wmc 154, wmc 432, and wmc 503) detected specific alleles in salt tolerant genotypes only. Genotypes 10807, 11299, 11383, Local white, Pasban 90 (Pak) Sakha-92 (Egypt) and Roushan (Iran) proved to be most salt tolerant. These genotypes can therefore, serve as donor parents for developing salt tolerant wheat varieties. It can be concluded that salinity stress had significant inhibitory effects on early germination, vegetative growth, grain yield and yield attributing traits. Morphological3 and molecular analysis revealed that considerable genetic diversity present in tested wheat genotypes for salinity tolerance. Survival rate and STTI values revealed that vegetative stage was most salt sensitive. Heritability estimates and gene action under 200 mM NaCl salinity revealed that potential for improving salinity tolerance in wheat does exist. Germplasm studied could be utilized in future breeding program to release salt tolerant wheat varieties.