Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important fiber crop and plays an important role in Pakistan's economy as a cash crop. Cotton crop is cultivated primarily for fiber. The main objective of all cotton breeders is the production of a new variety with high yield and fiber quality.  The current experiment was be conducted in the research area of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Crosses were made of four varieties AGC-999, IR-3701, VH-37 and AS-01 by full Diallel mating design in the greenhouse during winter season. Evaluation of 12 crosses and 4 parental varieties were proceeded in the field during Kharif season of 2019 under RCBD (Randomized completely blocked Design) design with three replications. The data for agronomic characters and yield related traits as plant height, number of branches, number of bolls, number of nodes, seed cotton yield, ginning out turn, seed index and lint index was recorded. Mean data of seed cotton yield for all the genotypes indicated that the parent AS-01 provided the maximum yield (93.73 grams) among the parents while AGC-999 × IR-3701 had the maximum yield (82 grams) among the crosses. While VH-37, VH-37 × AS-01 and AS—01 × AGC-999 had the minimum value among parents and crosses respectively. These genotypes

White fly and other sucking insect pests are considered the minor pests of sugarcane in Punjab-Pakistan. But in the last few years, the white fly of sugarcane has become a major trouble for the sugarcane growers to handle and for sugar industries to extract proper sugar. A field trial was conducted at the seed farm of Kashmir Sugar Mills (Lat. 30.9370, Long. 72.1105). Treatments were comprised of crysopera eggs cards and insecticide(s). The insecticide(s) was sprayed with tractor mounted Jecto sprayer at the grand growth stage of autumn planted sugarcane (8th-month-old crop). Pre and post-spray population counts of whitefly were recorded. The results were compared with the control with a curved polar bar chart in R using the 'ggplot2' package. It was observed that drenching of chlorantraniloprole @ 250 ml/ha made an excellent control (~88%) and 24.2% over the control treatment. The 2nd most efficient control (86%) (22.7% over control) was recorded in a blend of pyriproxyfen + bifenthrin @ 1250 ml + 1000 ml/ha, respectively than the individual use of said insecticide (61% and 69%, respectively). Very hot and dry weather in the month of May in plains of Punjab Province-Pakistan did not support the Lab. reared crysoperla eggs cards @ 15000/ha in the field. But a large number of natural bio control agents worked well and surpassed some treatments in % mortality of whitefly.

This comprehensive review paper explores the transformative role of CRISPR-Cas technology in addressing critical challenges faced by agriculture in the era of climate change. The exploration unfolds across four key headings. Firstly, under "Understanding CRISPR-Cas Technology," the paper provides a foundational understanding of the CRISPR-Cas systems, elucidating their intricate mechanisms of genome editing and tracing their evolutionary trajectory in agricultural research. Moving to "Climate-Responsive Targets in Crop Genomes," the review delves into the identification of genes associated with climate resilience, discussing strategies for precise CRISPR-Cas target selection. Case studies illuminate successful gene editing applications, showcasing the potential of this technology in fortifying crops against diverse climatic stressors. The section on "Challenges and Opportunities in Crop Engineering" critically examines hurdles such as off-target effects and navigates risk assessments. It explores the evolving regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations surrounding CRISPR-Cas, shedding light on the ethical dimensions of its implementation. The discussion extends to the innovative prospect of leveraging CRISPR-Cas for conferring multiple stress tolerance in crops, introducing a paradigm shift towards sustainable agriculture. The final section, "Towards Sustainable Agriculture: Future Prospects and Applications," envisions the future impact of CRISPR-Cas on global food security. It highlights the synergy between CRISPR-Cas and precision breeding, emphasizing the integration with conventional breeding programs. The prospective impacts on global food security and agricultural sustainability are explored, presenting CRISPR-Cas as a pivotal tool in developing resilient and high-yielding crops that can address the challenges of a changing climate. This review paper synthesizes insights from understanding the technology to addressing challenges and unlocking opportunities, envisioning a sustainable future where CRISPR-Cas plays a central role in advancing agriculture towards resilience, precision, and global food security.

Fusarium wilt is a devastating fungal disease. It is a threat to major fruits and vegetables including chili (Capsicum annum L.), reduces about 50% yield of major vegetables, and sometimes leads to complete crop losses. Fusarium wilt of chili, causing fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici, can survive in the soil for several years. The infected plant can be recognized by the yellowing of older leaves and downward curling of apical shoots, followed by plant wilting and ultimately the death of the plant. The pathogen can survive for many years in the field without a host.  Some important factors contribute to the epidemic nature of the disease development include warm soil temperatures, inadequate soil moisture, susceptible host plants, the presence of a virulent pathogen, and particular pH levels. The infection or disease development by pathogen is also assisted by some cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) and certain infectious proteins. These losses by disease and pathogen could be avoided by adopting certain physical, chemical, and biological approaches. The aim of the present study is to shed light on the pathogen profile, its mechanism of infection, and fruitful strategies for disease management. Although an adequate method to completely eradicate fusarium wilt has not been introduced so far, many new methods are under research to eradicate the disease.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a widely cultivated vegetable crop that is susceptible to various pathogens, including Fusarium oxysporum, which causes severe disease of wilt. Chemical control using fungicides currently poses risks to human and animal health. To find ecofriendly method, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different bio-control agents (BCAs) against Fusarium wilt in Okra for eco-safe management. Okra seeds were taken from Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute. Disease samples were collected, and the pathogen was isolated, purified, and multiplied by using potato dextrose agar media. Pure culture was used for the isolation of DNA and amplification of the ITS region was accomplished by using ITS-1 and ITS-4 primers. The fragments were visualized by running it on 1% agarose gel. The PCR product of F. oxysporum pv. vasinfectum was successfully confirmed based on size of fragment by comparing with 1 kb marker. It was verified that the selected primer pair specifically amplified the anticipated 18S rDNA fragment, measuring 500 base pairs in length. Moreover, in-vitro tests revealed that BCAs like Bacillus spp. inhibited Fusarium fungus by 41.2%, while Trichoderma inhibited it by 38.5%. Control groups exhibited no inhibition of pathogen growth. Taken together, this effort has important implications for the implementation of biological management strategies in Okra field to mitigate the impact of Fusarium wilt disease.