Most of the farmers of irrigated areas cultivate their fields with simple cultivator which creates a hard pan in the subsoil due to tilling the soil at same depth with same implement which has adverse effect on crop growth and yield. In addition to tillage nitrogen management is a key factor for better crop growth and yield. Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the “impact of different tillage systems, nitrogen rates and time of application on growth, yield attributes, grain yield, quality and nitrogen uptake of hybrid maize” at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during 2008 and 2009. Both the experiments were laid out on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement using three replications, in a net plot size of 4.5m x 10m. In first experiment three tillage systems (conventional tillage, tillage with mouldboard plough + 2-cultivation and tillage with chisel plough + 2-cultivation) were kept in main plots and nitrogen levels (100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) in sub-plots. Different tillage systems significantly influenced soil physical properties, growth and yield characteristics as well as maize yield. Increasing tillage intensity resulted to improved soil porosity and reduced soil bulk density which led to higher crop yield. Chisel ploughed plots produced higher leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), leaf area duration (LAD), yield and yield components in comparison with other tillage systems. Maize yield with chisel tilled plots was 18% and 9% higher than mould board ploughed and conventionally tilled plots, respectively. Generally differences between different nitrogen application rates were more pronounced, increasing nitrogen application rate had positive impact on growth, yield components, yield and kernel quality. Increased LAI, CGR, grains weight per cob, 1000-grain weight and grain yield was recorded with 200 kg ha-1 nitrogen application. Maize yield with 200 kg ha-1 nitrogen application was 17% and 8.50% higher than 100 and 150 kg ha-1 nitrogen application respectively. The N uptake at 200 kg ha-1 nitrogen application was 240.88 kg ha-1 which was higher in comparison with other nitrogen treatments. Nitrogen application showed positive association with protein contents but negative association with grain oil and starch contents. In the second experiment different systems and nitrogen application timings were allotted to main plots and subplots respectively. Physiological, agronomic and qualitative traits in maize varied with nitrogen application timings. Physiological attributes like LAI and CGR was higher with nitrogen application in three splits i.e. 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 at knee height + 1/3 at tasseling, while the lowest was recorded with nitrogen application in two splits i.e. 1⁄2 at knee height + 1⁄2 at tasseling. The yield contributing parameters such as grains weight per cob and 1000-grain weight were found higher in plots fertilized with nitrogen in three splits. Similarly the highest grain yield was recorded in plots fertilized with nitrogen in three splits in comparison with other nitrogen treatments. The higher LAI, CGR and maize yield with nitrogen application in three splits was probably due to more availability of nitrogen at critical growth stages as compared to other nitrogen application timings. In addition to physiological and agronomic traits, nitrogen application at different growth stages also significantly affected the maize quality. Nitrogen application in three splits resulted to higher grain protein contents (8.23%) and (8.16%) during 2008 and 2009, respectively while the lowest grain protein contents recorded where all the nitrogen was applied at the sowing time. The higher protein contents in 2008 were probably due to drier environments at grain development as compared to 2009. Nitrogen uptake was also higher with nitrogen application in three splits while the lowest N uptake was recorded in sole application. Nitrogen uptake was higher during 2009, while lower during 2008 which might be attributed to nitrogen losses through leaching due to high rainfall at seedling stage during 2008. On the basis of economic analysis benefit-cost ratio (BCR) was calculated for both the experiments which showed that maize grown with nitrogen application @ 200 kg ha-1 in three splits by ploughing the soil with chisel plough was economical and gave more profit compared with other treatments. However, it is concluded that for obtaining higher maize yield and net income maize hybrid pioneer 31R88 should be grown with 200 kg ha-1 nitrogen application in three splits by preparing the field with chisel plough.
مولانا عبدالغنی پھولپوریؒ افسوس ہے کہ گزشتہ مہینہ مولانا عبدالغنی پھولپوریؒ نے کراچی میں انتقال فرمایا۔ مولانا مرحوم حضرت مولانا اشرف علی صاحب تھانویؒ کے اجل خلفاء میں تھے اور اس صوبے کے مشرقی اضلاع خصوصاً اعظم گڑھ میں ان کا علمی اور حافی فیض نصف صدی سے زیادہ جاری رہا، انھوں نے مرشد کی تعلیمات اور ملفوظات و مواعظ کو ایسا جذب کیا تھا کہ ان کی تحریر اور گفتگو میں اس کا عکس نظر آتا تھا، ان میں جذب و سلوک دونوں کی شاخیں تھیں، اہتمام شریعت اور مریدین متوسلین کی تعلیم و تربیت میں سالک تھے اور اپنی نجی زندگی میں مجذوب، ان میں عجیب سادگی اور دارستگی تھی۔ ضروریات زندگی میں سے کسی چیز میں بھی اہتمام نہ تھا۔ وہ صحیح معنوں میں زاہد تھے۔ ان کی سادگی بلکہ بے سامانی کو دیکھ کر ان کے ایک خواجہ تاش بزرگ نے ایک مرتبہ فرمایا تھا کہ ان کے یہاں نئی کیا پرانی روشنی کا بھی گزر نہیں ہے۔ مولانا نے عربی کے دو مدرسے قائم کیے تھے، ایک سرائمیر میں، دوسرا پھولپور میں، پھولپور کے مدرسے کی حیثیت اب مکتب کی رہ گئی ہے، مولانا کی تعلیم و تربیت عملی تھی، اس لیے تالیف و تصنیف کی طرف ان کی توجہ نہ تھی، آخر عمر میں چند رسالے اور ایک ضخیم کتاب معیت الٰہیہ کے نام سے لکھی تھی جو سالکین راہ طریقت کے لیے بہت مفید ہے، حضرت مولانا اشرف علیؒ صاحب سے حضرت سید صاحبؒ کی ادارت کے بعد مولانا مرحوم کو دارالمصنفین کے لوگوں سے خاص تعلق ہوگیا تھا اور وہ یہاں اکثر تشریف لایا کرتے تھے، دو تین سال ہوئے پاکستان چلے گئے تھے، چند مہینے ہوئے کہ فالج کا حملہ ہوا، اس کے اثر سے ۱۱؍ اگست کو کراچی میں انتقال فرمایا۔ نوے سال کے قریب عمر تھی۔
Race represents a specific caste, creed and a generation of a common ancestor. It has been a source of identification among different tribes and group of people, since humankind started life on this earth. With the passage of time different races have started using their racial backgrounds as negative sentiments which created superiority and inferiority complexes among people. Concepts of chosen people aroused in different races which created great gap, differences and hate in the society. The current research work is based upon the concept of superiority in Hinduism and Judaism, which will be further reviewed in the light of Islamic teachings.
Zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient and its adequate supply is considered indispensable for growth, development and normal functioning of plants. In plants, it plays a significant role in photosynthesis, DNA replication, cell division, membrane permeability and integrity, protein synthesis and enzymatic activity, specifically in carbonic anhydrase. Zinc is equally important for human diet and its deficiency affects the immune system, disrupts normal cell growth and reproductive system, and causes skin disorders. Being a co-factor for more than 100 enzymes in human beings, it also provides protection against cancer. Strategies must be employed to increase Zn contents of cereal grains to overcome the Zn deficiency in human beings. Recent reports depict that more than 70% of Pakistani soils are categorized as zinc deficient due to Zn deficient parent material, high soil pH, high calcareousness, more salts and waterlogged conditions and the deficiency passes on to crops as well. Decent amount of zinc is believed to be indispensable for growth and development of maize which is one of the important cereal crops of Pakistan. It is crucial to increase bioavailability of Zn in maize. Among the principal sources used for this purpose, ZnSO4, containing 33% of Zn, is commonly used, but only 4-8 % of the total applied zinc is available to plants while other gets fixed into soil. Furthermore, being expensive, it has economic implications for farmer’s community. Contrarily, zinc oxide (ZnO) is a cheaper and insoluble source which contains 80% of Zn. Bio-activation of insoluble source (ZnO) could be a cost effective method to improve Zn availability from it. Keeping in view the above said problem, the present study was conducted to formulate and evaluate bio-activated zinc for improving yield and quality of maize. For bio-activation purpose, several zinc solubilizing bacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of maize grown soil and quantified on the basis of zinc solubilizing potential and maximum pH reduction in broth medium by the bacterial isolates, finally selecting ten potential zinc solubilizing bacteria. The selected bacterial isolates, capable of solubilizing ZnO, were further screened for their plant growth promoting activity under axenic conditions. Out of ten bacterial isolates, AZ6 was selected for further experiments on the basis of maximum zinc solublization potential, pH reduction and improved growth of maize seedlings. The selected bacterium was later identified as Bacillus sp. AZ6 (Accession No. KT221633), on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The Bacillus sp. AZ6 was characterized for its plant growth promoting attributes. The results implied that Bacillus sp. AZ6 had 1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity and produced siderophores for the biocontrol purpose. Auxins production was also observed by inoculation of Bacillus sp. AZ6 in the presence and absence of L-tryptophan. Bacillus sp. AZ6 also has the ability to produce organic acids like cinamic, ferulic, caffeic, chlorggenic , syrirgic and gallic acids, which were detected on HPLC. These acids solubilized the insoluble source of zinc (ZnO) by lowering pH of broth media. Bacillus sp. AZ6 was used with the organic material (grinded orange peel) to bio-activate the insoluble ZnO with different formulations. Efficient formulations (BOZ1, BOZ2, BOZ3, & BOZ4) were evaluated for temporal release of zinc. With the application of bio-activated zinc formulations, zinc bioavailability was increased significantly as compared to available form (ZnSO4), on the 60th day of incubation. BOZ4 was the most efficient among all for the whole sampling duration (0, 12th, 24th, 36th, 48th, 60th and 72th day). Different combinations varied in their potential for enhancing Zn bioavailability in soil and they were further evaluated in pot and field trials. The pot experiment was conducted to evaluate and compare the different formulations of bioxviii activated zinc with the ZnSO4 on maize crop. Data were analyzed following completely randomized design. Sole application of insoluble source of zinc (ZnO) did not influence the growth, physiological, yield and quality parameters of maize whereas ZnSO4 improved these parameters significantly. Inoculations with zinc solubilizing bacteria also promoted these parameters in most of the cases as compared to control (without zinc) but results were at par with the control. Application of bio-activated zinc formulations had a significant effect on growth (fresh and dry root and shoot biomass), physiology (photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll contents and carbonic anhydrase activity), yield and quality (crude protein, crude fiber, ash, oil contents, dry matter and grain zinc concentration) of maize as compared to ZnSO4 in pot conditions. Among the bio-activated zinc formulations, application of BOZ4 and BOZ3 significantly promoted most of parameters as compared to available form of zinc (ZnSO4). BOZ4 improved grain yield 11% more as compared to ZnSO4. The results of pot trial were confirmed under field conditions by conducting experiments on maize in two seasons (Field trial I in March, Field trial II in July). The results implied that growth, physiology, yield and quality parameters were significantly improved by BOZ4 and BOZ3 formulations as compared to ZnSO4. Data were analyzed following randomized complete block design for field experiments. BOZ4 improved the grain yield in field trial I and II by 10% and 12% respectively as compared to ZnSO4. The combined use of organic material enriched with zinc source (ZnO) and zinc solubilizing bacteria seems to be an effective approach, yet, cost effective, less time consuming and environmental friendly as compared to other zinc sources. Concluding, bio-activation of ZnO is an effective strategy for economical supply of Zn for improving yield and quality of maize, ultimately the farmer’s community can get the maximum profit from their limited resources in addition to biofortification of crop produce with respect to Zn.