Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

• Quantification of long-term post-seismic deformation using GNSS and InSAR data. • Spatial and temporal variation of post-seismic slip along the ramp and the MHT. • Analysis of temporal and spatial correlation between aftershocks and afterslips. • Importance of post-seismic deformation of the seismic hazard assessment. Deformation in the western Himalayas is characterized by out-of-sequence fault activity and significant deformation along the Balakot-Bagh thrust, north of the Main Frontal Thrust, as shown by the 2005 Mw 7.6 earthquake. Using GNSS, Envisat, and Sentinel-1 InSAR data over varying time periods in the past two decades, we study the post-seismic deformation that occurred after this main shock. Displacement time series reveal a heterogeneous spatial and temporal distribution of post-seismic deformation. Inverting the surface displacements enables us to estimate the slip distribution and identify afterslip along the crustal ramp affected by the main shock, as well as two slip zones along the Main Himalayan Thrust, one to the northwest and one to the southeast of the rupture zone. This asymmetry coincides with the distribution of aftershocks, especially the strong concentration of deformation and aftershocks at the northwestern end of the rupture area. The clear relationship between the temporal decrease of aftershocks and the geodetic time series indicates that the main mechanisms of post-seismic deformation are afterslip and slow slip events. The northwest-southeast segmentation of slip seems to be linked to tectonic features influencing the slip distribution. We estimated that the total amount of co-seismic and post-seismic moment released is approximately 4.70 × 10²⁰ N·m, equivalent to an Mw 7.7 earthquake. However, it amounts to a very small fraction, only 30 % of the strain accumulated since the last surface rupture of that fault, which is estimate to ∼2000 years ago from paleoseismology (Kondo et al., 2008).

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a leafy herb that contains many useful nutrients, allowing it to easily overcome the threats to food security in countries of the Global South by adding fiber/bulk, folate and other available nutrients. In 2020, almost 220 metric tons of lettuce was produced in Pakistan. This high production needs attention to meet the demand. Southern Pakistan is facing water crises and the hydroponic system is one revolutionary technique which can allow the region to meet its food demand. In this experiment, different treatment combinations were used to study their effects and evaluate the best combination of nutrients to get the maximum production of lettuce. Results are concluded on the basis of last-week (5th week) production of shoot and root mass. Treatment one (T1) performed outstanding overall out of all four treatments across all parameters. Maximum average root and shoot length (RL, SL) was observed in treatment one (T1) at 5.94 cm and 15.50 cm respectively. Shoot length is directly proportional to production of the head of the plant. For root and shoot weight (RW, SW) treatment 1 (T1) is more effective than treatment 2 (T2). For treatment 1, root weight (RW) was recorded at 0.09 g and shoot weight (SW) was 0.22 g. The hydroponic system demands huge capital investment, which can be compensated by high production of crops. To increase the efficiency of the system, there is a dire need to calculate optimum nutrient combinations for application to the crop for a sound food security plan.

Abstract Ensuring food security goals through the provision of sustainable energy and food without compromising environmental sustainability is the current requirement amid threats from climate change, uncontrolled global population, and scarcity of natural resources. Increased agricultural dependence on chemical inputs to boost food productivity has become less ecologically efficient, threatening ecological balance. The utilization of favorable soil microbes as a key substitute for chemical fertilizers can prove a potential solution to this riddle. Cyanobacteria, a group of photosynthetic prokaryotes, have been considered as potential sources of various bioenergy forms (biogas, biodiesel, and bioethanol) due to their native abilities to efficiently harvest solar energy and convert it into biomass by simple dependence on CO 2 , nutrients, and water. Efficient application of cyanobacteria can mitigate climate change by lowering the greenhouse gas emissions and bioremediation of contaminated soil and water. This article reviews specific knowledge of the ecological mechanisms, including carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation efficiency, and soil microbial enhancement, about how these mechanisms can be further improved through the incorporation of cyanobacteria. This suggests that future research should focus on utilizing already available indigenous cyanobacterial strains and searching for new species to explore the symbiotic mechanisms executed with other beneficial soil microbes, from an environmentally friendly perspective, toward the management of the rhizosphere to encourage plant growth and development. Moreover, it is necessary to explore the composition, diversification, distribution, and environmental factors of cyanobacteria in rice ( Oryza sativa L.)‐based soils under different ecological conditions to better utilize the biotechnology tool.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an economically important cash crop in Pakistan; however, its productivity is severely constrained by insect pests, particularly aphids and budworms. Excessive reliance on synthetic insecticides has raised concerns regarding environmental safety, resistance development, and residue contamination, necessitating the evaluation of alternative pest management strategies. The present study was conducted during 2025 at Sikandari Dagi, District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to assess the comparative efficacy of a synthetic insecticide (lambda-cyhalothrin) and selected botanical extracts against major insect pests of tobacco. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with seven treatments and an untreated control, replicated three times. Treatments included lambda-cyhalothrin, neem oil, chongan, chinaberry seed, bakain leaf, and moringa leaf extracts, all applied at 5% concentration. Pest populations were recorded before treatment and at 24, 48, and 7 days after application, while plant height and cured leaf yield were also evaluated. Results revealed that lambda-cyhalothrin provided the most effective and consistent suppression of budworm populations, followed by moringa and neem extracts. Although botanical treatments exhibited comparatively lower efficacy than the synthetic insecticide, all treatments significantly reduced pest populations relative to the untreated control. Lambda-cyhalothrin also resulted in the maximum plant height (105.74 cm) and highest cured leaf yield (2097.7 kg ha⁻¹), whereas botanical extracts produced moderate but statistically significant improvements in growth and yield over the control. The findings suggest that while synthetic insecticides remain highly effective for rapid pest suppression, certain botanical extracts, particularly moringa and neem, hold potential as environmentally safer components of integrated pest management programs for tobacco cultivation.

Precision planting is critical for improving crop establishment and productivity in smallholder farming systems in Pakistan, where manual seeding remains labour-intensive, imprecise, and inefficient. The limited availability of suitable small planters and the impracticality of larger precision seeders for fragmented holdings further constrain mechanization. This study addressed these limitations by redesigning and enhancing a vertical-plate, single-row precision planter through the integration of a straight seed delivery path and shutter mechanism and evaluating it alongside three other manually operated precision planters. Laboratory experiments quantified the seed physical properties, metering accuracy, calibration performance, and seed damage, while field trials assessed the spacing precision, plant population, labour demand, field efficiency, and operating costs across 1000 m2 test plots. The punch-wheel planter exhibited the best performance, achieving a spacing precision coefficient of 6.79%, a field efficiency of 88.2%, and the lowest operating cost (PKR 799 acre−1), while the remaining planters also met acceptable operational standards. In comparison with manual sowing (20–25 man-hours acre−1), precision planters reduced labour to 6–8 man-hours acre−1, saving PKR 7000–9000 acre−1. Enhanced spacing uniformity improved the stand establishment and yield potential. These low-cost precision planters reduce drudgery, particularly for women farmers, minimize soil disturbance, and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations by promoting sustainable smallholder mechanization.

• CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton model fairly simulated cotton phenology, biomass, and yield. • Long-term simulations showed higher cotton productivity in core areas compared to non-core areas. • Irrigation at 70 % and 90 % plant available water resulted in maximum biomass and yield. • Medium-duration cultivars achieved the highest biomass, seed cotton yield, and WUE. • Planting dates had minimal impact on cotton yield. Cotton, the world’s most widely cultivated fiber crop, faces increasing challenges from climate change across many production regions. Optimizing cotton production requires aligning cultivar selection, irrigation, and planting dates, yet evidence and decision-support tools are lacking. The study aimed to evaluate the DSSAT-CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton to identify promising combinations of cultivars, irrigation regimes, and planting dates for core and non-core cotton growing areas of Pakistan. The model was calibrated and validated using an extensive dataset from twelve (short, medium, and long duration) cultivars and eleven sites across core and non-core cotton growing areas of Pakistan over two seasons. The model was then used to assess cotton production for 30 years on these sites, under three planting dates (25-Apr, 10-May, and 25-May) and four irrigation regimes (30 %, 50 %, 70 %, and 90 % plant available water). Calibration results showed satisfactory model performance for simulating phenology, biomass, and yield across cultivars and sites, with normalized root mean square error remaining below 20 %. Long-term simulations demonstrated superior performance with the highest biomass, yield, harvest index, water use efficiency (WUE), and WUE irrigation (WUE_irri) in core areas. Long-duration cultivars excelled in the harvest index, whereas medium-duration cultivars showed the maximum biomass, yield, WUE, and WUE_irri. 70 % and 90 % irrigation produced similar maximum biomass and yield, and WUE was highest at 50 % irrigation. Planting dates had no significant impact on yield. The findings offer useful insights to guide cotton growers to make informed decisions and improve productivity across Pakistan.

A set of five synthetic wheat lines were crossed with four well-adapted cultivars using a 5 × 4 Line × Tester scheme, during the Rabi 2021-22, resulting in the development of 20 F1 hybrids. These F1 hybrids along with their parental genotypes were evaluated in the Rabi 2022-23 at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan, to examine genetic variability, heritability estimates (broad- and narrow-sense) and expected selection responses for yield-related traits under two sowing conditions: normal planting (mid-November) and late planting (mid-December). Experiments were carried out in randomized complete design (RCBD) replicated three times. Broad-sense heritability values were generally higher under normal sowing compared to late planting. Narrow-sense heritability was notably greater for spike initiation and plant height under normal planting, whereas traits such as spikes per plant, spikelets per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield and grain yield exhibited moderate narrow-sense heritability under late sowing. In contrast, traits including spike initiation, plant height, spike length and grain yield adjudged low narrow-sense heritability in the late environment. The Expected genetic gains were consistently higher in normal planting as compared to late sowing with values recorded for days to spike initiation (3.70 vs. 0.25), plant height (3.62 vs. 0.17), spikes plant-1 (1.09 vs. 0.88), grains spike-1 (1.94 vs. 1.89), 1000 grains weight (1.62 vs. 1.12), biological yield (4.67 vs. 2.82) and grain yield (1.88 vs. 0.27). The prime objective of this study was to select the best genotypes considering high broad sense heritability to proceed further for the varietal selection and use as a parent in local hybridization scheme.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative joint disease in which early cartilage loss determines long-term functional trajectory. Vitamin D, beyond its classical skeletal role, modulates chondrocyte metabolism and joint inflammatory signaling through vitamin D receptor pathways; however, its cross-sectional association with radiographic cartilage preservation in early knee OA remains incompletely characterized. Objective: To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] sufficiency and medial tibiofemoral joint space width (JSW) as a radiographic marker of cartilage integrity in adults with early knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, enrolling 135 adults aged 40–65 years with Kellgren–Lawrence grade I–II knee OA. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay and categorized as deficient (<20 ng/mL), insufficient (20–29 ng/mL), or sufficient (≥30 ng/mL) per Endocrine Society guidelines. Standardized weight-bearing JSW was measured digitally by two blinded musculoskeletal radiologists (ICC = 0.91). WOMAC pain and function subscales provided secondary clinical outcomes. ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc testing, Pearson correlation with 95% CIs, and multivariable linear regression adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and symptom duration were applied. Results: Mean serum 25(OH)D was 26.7 ± 8.4 ng/mL. Sufficient participants demonstrated significantly greater JSW than deficient individuals (3.89 ± 0.57 mm vs. 3.11 ± 0.54 mm; mean difference 0.78 mm, 95% CI 0.51–1.05, p < 0.001). Serum 25(OH)D correlated positively with JSW (r = 0.41, 95% CI 0.26–0.54, p < 0.001) and inversely with WOMAC pain (r = -0.36, p = 0.002) and function (r = -0.33, p = 0.004). Associations remained significant after confounder adjustment (β = 0.023 mm/ng/mL, 95% CI 0.011–0.035, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D sufficiency was independently associated with greater radiographic joint space width and reduced symptomatic burden in early knee OA, supporting its evaluation as a modifiable nutritional target in early OA prevention.

One among Pakistan's most ambitious transit projects is the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit project, otherwise known as “Zu Peshawar” locally. Thus, through the provision of a long-awaited, health-based, and environmentally positive mass transit solution, it is expected to solve congestion-driven challenges to economic development posed for long by the city as well as particular population concerns for its burgeoning urban population. This transport route, developed as part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's reform program for its urban development, forms part of a broader socioeconomic sector program aimed at increasing accessibility and reducing commuting times and distances and linking remote residents to crucial urban centers of commercial and educational activity. Boasting 21st-century transport solutions such as intelligent transport systems, transit-exclusive roadways, and hybrid fuel technologies, such a project is expected to provide transport solutions for many millions of people.The paper reviews project management methodologies employed in planning, implementation, and operation during the rollout of BRT projects. Governance, procurement, institution building, capacity development, stakeholder management, financial management, and risk management practices are involved in this appraisal. Analysis of documentations, inspection outcomes, performance achievement, and financial analyses conducted in 2014 and 2015 have been incorporated in this paper. Analysis indicates there have been major success stories, including the introduction of environment-friendly vehicles, integration at large scales, and creation of an inter-modal transport authority, in addition to important managerial challenges encountered in the BRT.The major issues cited included corruption cases, contract irregularities, cost escalation and the lack of strong monitoring that made the process non-transparent and unaccountable. Financial sustainability a big challenge Still high (Even rising) revenue cost ratio, fat PSR and yet to be resolved vendor issues continue to trouble the long-term viability of Railways operationally as well as financially. Capacity weaknesses in relevant government agencies, inadequate inter-agency cooperation and politicization of project priorities further curbed the opportunity for effective governance. Issues technology related such as infrastructure upkeep, rolling stock replacement cycles and congestion spill in the feeder services continue to thwart deployment of quality of service methods and customer satisfaction.However the experiences of BRT system are also successful as a result of good things of projects. These include; the promotion of environmentally friendly modes of transportation, improved accessibility of services for women and other disadvantaged groups, automated ticketing and scheduling as well as pedestrian- centric infrastructure to support non-motorized modes. The paper closes with emphasizing the need to strategically plan transport policies on a large scale in these developing environments. These will include the accretion of good governance from independent regulatory scrutiny, strengthening institutional capacity, enacting transparent contract management systems and performance monitoring based on data as well as enhanced long-term financial sustainability to achieve less dependence upon subsidies. The BRT project in Peshawar can be a lesson and the construction of delivery infrastructure should synchronize with sustainable management structures that are resilient enough to not have any failure in service.

Rice production, a cornerstone of universal food security, is increasingly threatened by abiotic stresses. Among these, heavy metals and salinity have emerged as particularly severe constraints, significantly reducing yield potential and compromising grain quality. Owing to the limited understanding of the synergistic effects of these stresses, the grain quality in genetically distinct rice varieties from two key rice growing countries: Pakistan (Super Basmati [SB], Kala Shahkaku 282 [KS]) and Sri Lanka (Ambalanthota AT 362 [AT], Bathalagoda BG 94/1 [BG])was assessed. All the varieties were subjected to optimized concentrations of abiotic stress treatments like, salt (S; 150 mM NaCl), cadmium, (CD; 300 µM CdCl₂), arsenic (AS; 250 µM Na₂AsO₃), and their combinations (COM, S + AS, S + CD, CD + AS). The head rice yield was significantly reduced to 40–45% in KS and AT under combined stress, whereas the degree of milling increased to 42% in AT under combined stress. Among physical traits, average length (r = -0.90) and arithmetic mean of grain (r = -0.83) showed very strong negative correlations with sphericity, while L/B ratio (r = -0.92) exhibited a very strong negative correlation with aspect ratio. High susceptibility was observed in SB and BG for cooking and functional property traits. An increase in volume expansion from 1.6 to 4.5 cm3 and an elongation ratio 1.30 were observed under AS treatments in SB whereas COM increased elongation ratio to 1.35 in BG. Amylose content was strongly reduced by S + CD treatment to 8 mg/ml but increased to 40 mg/ml by S + AS compared with the control value of 30 mg/ml. Gel consistency in BG was also altered, shifting from soft (120 mm) to hard (30 mm) by COM, S + CD, S + AS, CD + AS compared with individual stress. Our study demonstrated that heavy metal and salinity stress differentially impaired the grain quality in economically significant rice varieties. Overall, KS displayed the notable stress tolerance and adaptability, while combined stress emerged as the most damaging treatment for grain quality parameters.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-29746-0.