The effectiveness of beneficial microbes in improving soil fertility and crop productivity may vary with soil organic matter and nitrogen contents. For this purpose, field trials were conducted at the Agronomy Research Farms of the University of Agriculture Peshawar to evaluate the effect of beneficial microbes, organic and inorganic N ratios and N levels in spring maize and mung bean cropping system in semi-arid alkaline calcareous soil condition of Peshawar during 2014 and 2015. Maize was sown in spring followed by mung bean in summer. The experiment was consisted of three factors i.e., beneficial microbes (BM) (with BM and without BM), organic and inorganic N sources (R) (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0), desired nitrogen (N) levels (100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) and control. The experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. Plot size was 4.2 m x 4 m having six rows in maize and 12 rows in subsequent mung bean. Row to row distance for maize and mung bean was 70 and 35 cm respectively. Mung bean was sown without application of the cited treatments for carry over only. Based on the average results of the two years, BM significantly enhanced plant height (220 cm), SPAD value (62.53), days to tasselling (63.3 d), silking (66.9 d), maturity (101 d), leaf rea (437 cm2), LAI (3.47), ears m-2 (7.0), grains ear-1 (576), thousand grains weight (269 g), biological yield (16543 kg ha-1), grain yield (5438 kg ha-1), harvest index (32.9 %), soil organic matter (1.04 %), stover N (0.77 %), grain N (1.64 %), grain protein (10.23 %), stover N uptake (76.3 kg ha-1), grains N uptake (89.8 kg ha-1), total N uptake (127 kg ha-1) and N use efficiency (24.5 kg grains kg-1 N supply). Higher soil mineral N (47.7 mg kg-1) was observed without application of BM. Application of organic and inorganic N in 50:50 R significantly improved plant height (222 cm), SPAD value (63.68), days to tasselling (63.1 d), days to silking (66.9 d), days to maturity (100 d), leaf area (456 cm2), LAI (3.61), ear m-2 (7.0), grains ear-1 (554), thousand grains weight (266.3 g), biological yield (16792 kg ha-1), grain yield (5732 kg ha-1), harvest index (34.1 %), stover N (0.81 %), grain N (1.68 %), grain protein content (10.5 %), stover N uptake (81.06 kg ha-1), grains N uptake (97.17 kg ha-1), total N uptake (131.9 kg ha-1) and N use efficiency (25.9 kg grains kg-1 N supply). Higher soil organic matter (1.21 %) was observed with application of full dose of N applied from organic source. Soil mineral N (50.2 mg kg-1) and soil total N (0.085%) were observed with application of organic and inorganic N in 75:25 R. Application of N @150 kg ha-1 significantly increased SPAD value (61.9), leaf area (445 cm2), LAI (3.59), ears m-2 (6.9), grains ear- 1 (548), thousand grains weight (266.2 g), grain yield (5228 kg ha-1), harvest index (32.7 %), grain N (1.63 %), grain protein (10.19 %) and grains N uptake (85.82 kg hav 1). Higher plant height (220 cm), days to tasselling (63.9 d), silking (67.3 d), and maturity (102 d), biological yield (16589 kg ha-1), soil organic matter (1.21 %), soil total N (0.082%), stover N (0.89 %), stover N uptake (93.13 kg ha-1) and total N uptake (144.03 kg ha-1) were observed with application of 200 kg N ha-1. Similarly, N use efficiency (26.13 kg grains kg-1 N supply) were recorded with application of N @ 100 kg ha-1. In mung bean, higher pods m-2 (214), grains pod-1 (11), thousand grains weight (50.8 g), grain yield (918 kg ha-1), biological yield (5896 kg ha-1) and harvest index (17.12 %) were observed with the residual effect of BM. However, more pods m-2 (231), grains pod-1 (11.2), thousand grains weight (50.8 g), grain yield (927 kg ha-1) and biological yield (6141 kg ha-1) were obtained with the residual effect of organic and inorganic N in 75:25 and 50:50 R while higher harvest index (17.7 %) was observed with organic and inorganic N in 50:50 R. Higher grains pod-1 (10.8), thousand grains weight (51.24 g), grain yield (917 kg ha-1) and biological yield (5935 kg ha-1) were observed with the residual effect of 150 kg N ha-1 while higher harvest index (17.12%) was observed with residual effect of 100 kg N ha-1. On the basis of above results, it was concluded that BM in combination with N @ 150 kg N ha-1 in organic and inorganic ratio of 50:50 performed better and are, therefore, recommended for higher productivity in spring maize-mung bean cropping system in the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar Pakistan.
Rotifers are zooplanktons that react more sharply to the environmental changes. Objective: To better understand the community composition of rotifers in Safari Zoo Lake, Lahore, PakistanMethods: wecollected 16 water samples on monthly basis, dividing lake into four major sites: northern, southern, eastern, and western sites. Each of these was further subdivided into four locations, for a total of 16 sampling sites. A total 23 rotifer species were recorded from the lake with Brachionus calyciflorus having maximum abundance. A species abundance curve was plotted between months and number of species of rotifers indicating their lowest and highest abundance through the study period. Results: A Cluster Analysis yielded three main groups of closely related species including species like Brachionus quadridentatus, Synchaeta stylata and Brachionus calyciflorusetc. We used a Principal Component Analysis (I and II) to study variation in the rotifer community on a seasonal basis and among sampling sites. A biplot of Principal Component Analysis (PCA I) reflected the relationship of rotifers with the months. Some of the species showed a positive positive relationship, while others showed negative one. PCA II was plotted between months and physico-chemical parameters showing their negative and positive relations. Conclusions: We conclude that a lesser replacement of fresh water, increased density of waterfowl, reptilia and solid waste left overduring boating has resulted in eutrophication of lake leading to overall low diversity of rotifers observed
This study is anattempt to determine the extent to which the English language textbook, “English for Class 8”(taught at grade VIII) by the Punjab Textbook Board fulfills the needs of the students‟ learning English as foreign language in Pakistan. The study aimed to analyze: mechanical practice, meaningful practice, and above all communicative (oral) practice as used in the current English language textbook. This textbook is currently used in public sector schools across Punjab. Interpretive research paradigm had been employed for this study, which implies that principally it is a qualitative study; however, quantitative method were also used to investigate the main aspects of the research study. The main qualitative methods included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The only quantitative method used were the survey questionnaires. The purpose of this study was to investigate as to what extent the suggested textbook facilitates language acquisition and its meaningful application. For this purpose, grade VIII English language textbook was selected to see as to what degree it includes communicative tasks, and in this respect, how it encourages the development of Communicative Competence (CC, Oral proficiency). The participants of this research were selected from public sector schools and organizations including teachers, policymakers, curriculum developers, subject specialists, and students to examine the effectiveness of English language textbook (grade VIII) on students‟ performance with special reference to Oral CC. For content analysis, an evaluation checklist was developed as the main tool to measure the efficiency of the textbook (in developing oral Communicative Competence) under focus. It allowed a more in-depth evaluation of the textbook in reference to a set of generalizable evaluative criteria. Based on the review of the literature on the textbook evaluation checklists, the researcher developed a point five Likert scale to suit the purpose of present research. Data analysis for quantitative portion used descriptive statistics illustrated through tables, and figures, whereas for the interpretation of qualitative data, themes were developed, coded and summarized in a descriptive mode. In the end the researcher offers a model (teaching unit) to be followed by the policy makers and practitioners in order to make the existing English language textbook more effectives in terms of oral CC and language skill development. The results of this study reflect that the relevant textbook does not cater to the target learners‟ future academic and professional language needs because the tasks/activities offered ,do not focus on sociolinguistic and discourse- level of the target language. Besides, many activities present in the textbook offer meaningless and discrete-point exercises which do not contribute to any skill development. There is limited oral interaction presented in the form of “oral skill development”.