Rice is a major food, contributing 67% of cereal consumption in Nepal. It is playing a substantial role in food and nutritional security. Rice production is not sufficient to meet domestic consumption, so its import has been increasing. This study aims to explore whether Nepal can be self-sufficient in rice production in the current context of increasing rice demand and changing climate. We assessed the degree to which Nepal can be self-sufficient in rice production by the years 2030, 2040, and 2050, evaluating 12 different scenarios of demand driven by production, population growth, income, and climate change effect. We used compound growth rate estimation for analyzing the growth of rice production and population growth over time. Auto-regressive regression model was used to analyze the relationship of rice import and demand with domestic production, income, and population. A significant (p=0.000) positive impact of income on the import of rice was estimated, whereas significantly (p=0.000) higher impact of production on demand was estimated compared to income. Based on current rice productivity growth of 1.47% and population growth of 1.3% per year over three decades, the country will not achieve self-sufficiency until 2050.The situation would be further worsened in climate change scenarios. However, integrating the population growth rate of the last decade (0.57% per annum) with two productivity growth rate scenarios (current and (ii) 5% annual increment), the country can be self-sufficient by 2040. Based on different scenarios, the estimated demand can be met by increasing current productivity by at least 27–43% by 2030 and 42–85% by 2050. The study identified major gaps and opportunities in the rice production systems of Nepal and provided evidence-based solutions to meet the future demands in the context of increasing population and income, declining land availability, and high vulnerability to climate change.
Heterosis has made a dramatic impact on the developing of breeding methods and high yields in many field crops during the 20th century. In general, heterosis is greatest in cross pollinated compared to self pollinated crops and thus widely exploited for hybrid cultivar development. Standard heterosis is one of the most important parameters in commercialization of maize hybrids. A new hybrid must be superior to the standard hybrids in terms of grain yield and other economic traits. We have analyzed four coordinated varietal trials of hybrids, 3 of which were conducted at NMRP, Rampur and another was tested at NMRP, Rampur and at ARS, Belachapi, Janakpur from 2006 to 2008 in order to determine the standard heterosis of the promising hybrids. The objective of this study was to evaluate hybrids under different production domains and to select superior hybrids for commercialization. Standard heterosis was calculated based on the best check hybrids and Indian commercial hybrids. The hybrids showed significant differences for grain yields and days to silking in all the trials. Standard heterosis of the tested hybrids ranged from - 39.4 to 47.8%. Most of the hybrids showed positive standard heterosis for grain yield. Hybrids namely; RML- 4/NML-2, RML-6/RML-8, NML-1/RML-8 in 2006 and RML-57/RL-174, NML-1/RML-6 and RL-197/NML-2 in 2008 had more than15% standard heterosis for grain yield evaluated at NMRP, Rampur. Hybrid between RML- 4/NML-2 had only shown positive standard heterosis in 2007 at NMRP, Rampur. RML-4/NML-2, NML-1/RL-17 and RL-111/RL-189 were superior hybrids, which had >15% standard heterosis across NMRP, Rampur and at ARS, Belachapi, Janakpur in 2008. Seed production aspect of these selected hybrids should be studied to develop a complete package of practices for F1 hybrid seed production. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajn.v1i0.7544 Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN) Vol. 1: 2010 pp.67-73
To identify superior quality protein maize genotypes for grain yield under different agro climatic conditions of terai and hill districts in Nepal, the coordinated varietal trials (CVT) were conducted at Dailekh, Doti, Salyan, Lumle and Pakhribas in 2013 and Salyan, Pakhribas and Kabre in 2014 during summer season and coordinated farmer’s field trials (CFFT) at Surkhet and Dailekh in 2013 and Salyan, Pakhribas and Khumaltar in 2014 during summer season. The experiment was carried out using randomized complete block design with three replications for CVT and CFFT. Across the locations and years the superior genotypes found under CVT were S01SIYQ, S01SIWQ-2 and Poshilo Makai-1 where as S99TLYQ-HG-AB, S99TLYQ-B and Poshilo Makai-1 were found superior genotypes under CFFT. The superior genotypes derived from CFFT will be promoted further for similar environments across the country. Journal of Maize Research and Development (2015) 1(1):21-27 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.34282
Globally the forest area covers 3,999 million ha (30.6%) of land.About 299 million ha (7%) of this is planted forest which had been increased by 105 million ha since 1990 (FAO, 2016).T. grandis plantation forest constitutes about 4.346 million ha and represents 75% of high tropical hardwood plantation, 83% of which is in tropical Asia (IUFRO, 2018).Teak (Tectona grandis L.F., is a member of Verbenaceae family, one of the most important, widely planted, a valuable hardwoods spp.(Robertson and Reilly, 2006).The success of large scale plantation is mainly due to its relatively fast growth, fire resistance, non-browsability, high survivable rate (Robertson and Reilly, 2006).Besides, it is termite resistance and widely used for boat and ship, building construction, decorative veneer, furniture, handicraft, musical instruments and has been recognized for centuries as a king among timbers due to its durability, workability, attractiveness and strength (KFRI and ITTO, 2003; FAO, 2016, Thapa andGautam, 2007).For most of the countries like Nepal, T. grandis is an introduced species (Jackson, 1994), stands for a good opportunity to produce quality timber and is a major asset for the forest economy.In Nepal, T. grandis plantation had begun from 1960 in Chiliya, Rupendehi (Kayastha, 1974) followed by some block plantation in Sagarnath, Sarlahi and Ratuwamai by Forest Product Development Board.There was a serious problem of great decline suffering from die back in Dalbergia sissoo reported so T. grandis plantation came as alternative of D. sissoo ( Paudel and Sah 2003).T. grandis plantation has been prescribed for more than 60 years of rotation period for Nepal (Amatya and Shrestha, 2016).However, the growth performance is unknown.The growth is generally affected Abstract: The growth of any plant species is important characteristics which determine the yield of the plant.The growth performance of Tectona grandis was not so far assessed in Nepal.Therefore, this study was objectively carried out to assess the growth performance of T. grandis, show the relationship between the growth and soil nutrients and effect of spacing on the growth.Community and private plantations of this spp. in seven Tarai districts of Nepal were selected as study site.Altogether 215 samples were collected applying stratified random sampling.Particularly diameter and height of 8644 plants were measured and the spacing between plants was also recorded.The age of the plantation was noted from plantation report.Meanwhile, 102 soil samples were collected from 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm depths.The increment of basal area, volume, biomass and carbon were analyzed and N, P, K, C, pH and bulk density were evaluated in the lab.The result showed that mean annual stem volume was the higher 171.46 m³/ha in community plantation while it was only 92.61 m³/ha in private plantation.The average soil organic carbon in community plantation was estimated to be 38.29±6.05ton/ha whereas it was only 32.77±2.57ton/ha in private plantation.Total nitrogen was only 0.07% while P and K were 21.23 and 166.04 kg/ha respectively in community plantation.Similarly, carbon and Nitrogen were 0.84 % and 0.06% respectively in private plantation.The P and K were 53.29 and 171.55 kg/ha simultaneously.The pH was 6.50 for community plantation and which was 6.46 in private plantation.The R value of MABAI of T. grandis and carbon was low 0.49 but it was significant (p value = 0.00).It was found that the highest MADI at >3 m spacing with 1.33±0.028cm but it was the lowest at < 2 m spacing with 1.17±0.018cm.This study will be useful to see the rotation and effect of spacing and soil fertility on growth performance.
To identify superior quality protein maize genotypes for grain yield under different agro climatic conditions of terai and hill districts in Nepal, the coordinated varietal trials (CVT) were conducted at Dailekh, Doti, Salyan, Lumle and Pakhribas in 2013 and Salyan, Pakhribas and Kabre in 2014 during summer season and coordinated farmer’s field trials (CFFT) at Surkhet and Dailekh in 2013 and Salyan, Pakhribas and Khumaltar in 2014 during summer season. The experiment was carried out using randomized complete block design with three replications for CVT and CFFT. Across the locations and years the superior genotypes found under CVT were S01SIYQ, S01SIWQ-2 and Poshilo Makai-1 where as S99TLYQ-HG-AB, S99TLYQ-B and Poshilo Makai-1 were found superior genotypes under CFFT. The superior genotypes derived from CFFT will be promoted further for similar environments across the country.Journal of Maize Research and Development (2015) 1(1):21-27DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.34282
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the second most important staple food crop after rice and a major food crop of the resource poor people in the hills of Nepal. Prevailing normal maize (non-QPM) is deficient in two essential amino acids, lysine and tryptophan. The majority of hill farm families are suffering from protein malnutrition as their major diet is maize and cannot afford animal protein. QPM contains opaque-2, a single gene mutation that alters the protein composition of the endosperm portion and nearly double the essential amino acids concentrations than the normal maize grain. The biological value of protein in QPM maize is about 80%, that of milk is about 90% and in normal maize (non-QPM) is about 45% only. A series of experiments were conducted in RCB Design during 2004/2005 summer season and superior genotypes selected and promoted from Observation Nurseries to IYT and CVT (Coordinated Varietal Trial) respectively. CVTs were evaluated across mid-hills of Nepal. Based on four environmental mean results in CVT: the genotype S99TLWQ- HG-AB (QPM maize) produced the highest mean grain yield (4899 kg ha-1) followed by Population 44 C10 (4552 kg ha-1) and Manakamana-3 (4436 kg ha-1) respectively. However, most of the tested QPM genotypes were at par with improved check for grain yield production and significantly highest grain yielder than the farmres’ variety (local check). Concluding results revealed that the genotype S99 TLWQ-HG-AB performed very well across the mid hills. Findings of the present study will help to reduce protein malnutrition problem in the hills of Nepal.Key words: GGE-biplot; Genotype x environment interaction; Normal maize; Open pollinated varieties (OPV); Quality protein maize (QPM).DOI: 10.3126/njst.v10i0.2803Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Volume 10, 2009 December Page: 9-14
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