Publications by authors named "Zahoor Ahmed Dar"

Biochar is increasingly gaining popularity due to its extensive recommendation as a potential solution for addressing the concerns of food security and climate change in agroecosystems, with biochar application for increased carbon sequestration, enhanced soil fertility, improved soil health, and increased crop yield and quality. There have been multiple studies on crop yield utilizing various biochar types and application amounts; however, none have focused on the influence of diverse biochar types at various pyrolysis temperatures with different application amounts and the integration of fertilizer regimes in maize crops. Therefore, a two-year factorial field experiment was designed in a temperate Himalayan region of India (THRI) to evaluate the residual effect of different biochar on maize yield under different pyrolysis temperatures, various application rates and fertilizer regimes.

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Plant viruses are a major threat to legume production worldwide. In recent years, new virus strains have emerged with increasing frequencies in various legume cropping systems, which demands the development of cutting-edge virus surveillance techniques. In this study, we surveyed the common bean fields of Kashmir valley for virus infection using a total of 140 symptomatic and non-symptomatic leaf samples collected from different locations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Conventional agriculture relies on chemical fertilizers, particularly phosphatic fertilizers, to increase crop production, but phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE) is less than 30% for key cereals like maize, leading to significant environmental loss.
  • Rock phosphate reserves are limited and may deplete soon, raising concerns about food security and the sustainability of modern farming practices due to heavy reliance on these fertilizers.
  • Strategies for enhancing PUE, such as genetic modifications to develop maize cultivars better adapted to phosphate deficiency, show promise and involve exploring root architecture diversity, signaling pathways, and key candidate genes in maize research.
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Native germplasm resources are adapted to specific ecological niches. They have sustained over generations owing to the preference of local communities for their unique taste, the utility to particular dishes, and the low cost of cultivation. They may help eradicate malnutrition and act as a source for trait-linked genes.

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Article Synopsis
  • Maize is a vital crop globally, but the Turcicum leaf blight (TLB) disease can lead to over 50% yield loss, prompting a study on genetic resistance using 288 inbred lines and 89 SSR markers.* -
  • The study revealed a significant range in disease incidence among the lines (17% to 78%), with 47 SSR markers being highly informative and showing that the lines were largely genetically pure.* -
  • Analysis found strong clustering and genetic differences among populations, leading to the identification of 15 specific SSR markers associated with resistance to TLB, highlighting potential pathways for developing resilient maize varieties.*
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Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB) caused by Setosphaeria turcica, is one of the most important diseases of maize world-wide, and one of the major reasons behind yield losses in maize crop in Asia. In the present investigation, a high-resolution genome wide association study (GWAS) was conducted for NCLB resistance in three association mapping panels, predominantly consisting of tropical lines adapted to different agro-ecologies. These panels were phenotyped for disease severity across three locations with high disease prevalence in India.

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