83 Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis Studia Naturae, 5: 83–95, 2020, ISSN 2543-8832 DOI: 10.24917/25438832.5.6 Bent Al-Hoda Asghari1, Mohsen Yousefi2, Katarzyna Możdżeń3, Joanna Puła4, Peiman Zandi5,6*, Wang Yaosheng6 1Department of Agronomy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Agronomy, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran 3Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Krakow, Podchorążych 2 St., 30-084 Kraków, Poland 4Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland 5International Faculty of Applied Technology, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, 644600, P. R. China 6Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P. R. China; *peiman.zandi@yibin.edu.cn Agronomic performance of autumn- and winter-cropped Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) in response to varying levels of nitrogen fertiliser Introduction Currently, a huge gap in supply and demand for oilseed calls for a considerable in- crease in oilseed crop production around the globe (Radha Kumari et al., 2004). Based on reports by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2019), the world average yield of oilseed crops is 350 Mt, which is 875 times more than Iran’s oilseed production (400,000 t). Generally, oilseed crops are grown in many countries, and in Iran they are especially cultivated for oil production (Shirani Rad, Zandi, 2012). Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern) is an opportune crop for regions with short seasons and low rainfall (Burton et al., 1999), and its use and cultivation are increasing in the world as a medicinal plant with oily seeds and high nutritional val- ue. �e noted mustard-growing countries are India, Canada, China, Pakistan, Poland, Bangladesh and Sweden (Iraddi, 2008). Currently, Iran has insu�cient agronomic knowledge for mustard (locally known as Khardal) production, and this problem has restricted its conventional production; yet, it can be found as a wild plant throughout a wide range of the country. Proper sowing time is a climate-dependent factor that provides su�cient growth and development and plays a central role in the satisfactory production and productivity of any crop (Pandey et al., 1981; Verma et al., 2012), as it provides optimum growth conditions such as temperature, light, humidity and rainfall (Gul, Ahmad, 2007; Iraddi, 2008). �e role of sowing time in mustard growth has been investigated by many researchers, as shown in table 1. Most of them concur that sow- B en t A l-H od a A sg ha ri, M oh se n Y ou se fi, K at ar zy na M oż dż eń , J oa nn a P uł a, P ei m an Z an di , W an g Y ao sh en g 84 ing time is crucial for mustard production (Rahman et al., 1988; Ra�ei et al., 2011). Early sowing of crops in semi-dryland conditions, like the Takestan region, may be confronted by drought stress; however, the risk of frost loss increases if sowing is de- layed in autumn cultivation. A later sowing date for mustard can reduce the adequate growth period due to high temperatures during the reproductive phase, which can subsequently decrease yield (Radha Kumari et al., 2004), especially in winter-sown crops. Various sowing dates and varieties provide variable environmental conditions within the same region in terms of crop growth and development and yield stability (Daneshian et al., 2008). Bhuiyan et al. (2008) pointed out that environmental condi- tions a�ected the seed yield and maturity of mustard to a large extent. Tab. 1. �e recommended proper sowing dates for mustard production Growth qualitative and quantitative parameters Sowing dates for optimum crop performance Plant height August 30 (Ra�ei et al., 2011), 10th and 30th October (Angrej et al., 2002), October 14 (Singh, Singh, 2002), October 16 (Panda et al., 2004), 2nd and 3rd week of October (Singh et al., 2001), No- vember 15 (Aziz et al., 2011), and November 17 (Kurmi, 2002) Number of siliques per plant August 30 (Ra�ei et al., 2011), September 25 and October 5 (Shivani, Sanjeev, 2002),10th and 30th October (Angrej et al., 2002), October 14 (Singh, Singh, 2002), October 16 (Panda et al., 2004), 2nd and 3rd week of October (Singh et al., 2001), November 15 (Aziz et al., 2011), and November 17 (Kurmi, 2002) Seed yield August 30 (Ra�ei et al., 2011), During II fortnight of September (Iraddi, 2008), October 1 (Radha Kumari et al., 2004), October 14 (Singh, Singh, 2002), October 15 (Awasthi et al., 2008), Octo- ber 16 (Panda et al., 2004), 2nd and 3rd week of October (Singh et al., 2001), 3nd week of October (Gajendra, 2001; Raj Singh et al., 2001), October 17 (Yadav et al., 1999), October 20 (Khichar et al., 2000; Khan, Tak, 2002; Yadav Yogesh et al., 2011), October 24 (Khushu, Singh, 2005), 30th October (Bhuiyan et al., 2008) and November 15 (Aziz et al., 2011) Biomass yield October 5 (Singh et al., 2002), October 14 (Singh, Singh, 2002), October 15 (Sihag et al., 2003), October 16 (Panda et al., 2004), October 18 (Jadhav, Singh, 1992) and October 24 (Khushu, Sin- gh, 2005) Oil content October 10 (Bishnoi, Singh,1979), 10th and 30th October (Angrej et al., 2002), and October 27 (Das, 1998), November 17 (Kurmi, Kalita ,1992) �e di�erences between the reported dates may come from the various environmental regions under which these experiments have been undertaken Nitrogen management is one of the critical focal points in the cropping system (Maresma et al., 2019). It is o�en a demanding task to strike a balance between levels su�cient for normal plant growth and those that are approved for human consumption (Maereka et al., 2007). Usually, plants take up nitrogen through fer- 85 A gronom ic perform ance of autum n- and w inter-cropped Indian m ustard (Brassica juncea L.) in response to varying levels of nitrogen fertiliser tiliser application. Allen and Morgan (1972) stated that rapid growth, increased seed and fruit production and enhanced leaf quality in oilseed crops are, together, highly dependent on nitrogen supply. Long-term �eld experiments on mustard revealed that su�cient levels of nitrogen progressively led to an increase in crop performance (Yadav et al., 1994; Bhalerao, 2001; Garg et al., 2001; Premi, Manoj, 2004; Mckenzie et al., 2006; Verma et al., 2012). Nitrogen application during the sowing and �ower- ing stages resulted in rapid leaf area development; prolonged life of leaves; improved duration of leaf area a�er �owering; enhanced number and weight of siliques, seeds and �owers per stand and increased overall crop assimilation, which as a result led to increased seed yield and quality in most stand crops (Wright et al., 1988; Geetha et al., 2011). It was also shown that increasing available nitrogen prolonged the veg- etative growth and increased dry matter accumulation (Šidlauskas, Tarakanovas, 2004). However, a considerable decrease in physiological yield potential and slowing of the �nal growth stage through bending stems (or lodging) was noticed by Wright et al. (1988) in response to crop supplementation with a large amount of nitrogen fertiliser. �is paper aims to evaluate the e�ects of �ve levels of nitrogen fertiliser, supplied in the form of urea, during two planting seasons, on the growth parameters, seed yield and agronomic properties of Indian mustard in the agro-climatic conditions of Takestan (Iran). Materials and methods Study site �e �eld experiments were conducted at the research station of Takestan Azad Uni- versity in south-west Qazvin plain (36°03ʹN; 49°42ʹE) from 2009 to 2010. �is site is 1,283.4 m above sea level, accentuated by a thermo-Mediterranean (semi-arid) cli- mate, according to De Martonneʹs classi�cation, which is summarised as hot and dry summers and cool and wet winters. �e average from a 30-year climatic data record shows a mean annual rainfall of 312 mm with uneven distribution during the year, which is mostly concentrated in late autumn and early spring. In the region, the winter temperature can fall below 8.2°C and in the summer it can rise above 38.7°C. Me- teorological data records were acquired from the agrometeorological station in the University. �e total precipitation that occurred during the study (October 2009–July 2010) was 326.3 mm. Moreover, during the 2009 mustard-growing period, the total rainfall was lower than 2010 (56.2 mm and 270.1 mm, respectively), especially during the vegetative phase for the �rst sown treatments (Fig. 1). B en t A l-H od a A sg ha ri, M oh se n Y ou se fi, K at ar zy na M oż dż eń , J oa nn a P uł a, P ei m an Z an di , W an g Y ao sh en g 86 Soil properties Tab. 2. Physical and chemical analysis of soil of the experimental �eld (2009–2010) Physical properties Soil texture 0–60 depth [cm] Clay Loam Clay [%] 29 Silt [%] 45 Fine sand [%] 26 Chemical analysis [mg/1000 g soil] Exchangeable K 330 Available Mn++ 2.90 Cu++ 0.90 Fe++ 7.80 Zn+ 1.20 P 26.60 Total nitrogen N [%] 0.089 Organic carbon C [%] 1.03 EC [dS/m/25°C] 1.43 pH [H2O] 8.10 �e presented data are the mean values for two soil depths of ‘0–30’ and ‘30–60’ cm; EC – electrical conductivity Fig. 1. Monthly minimum temperature (Tmin), maximum temperature (Tmax) and rainfall during the �rst (October 2, 2009–2010 to June 15, 2010) and the second (March 1, 2009–2011 to July 16, 2010) crop cycle of mustard 87 Soil samples to a depth of 60 cm were collected from 15 cores in each block prior to cultivation, and the composite samples were prepared for soil fertility analysis. �e soil had a low content of both nitrogen (N) (0.08–0.09%) and organic carbon (OC) (1.03%), was slightly alkaline (pH (H2O) = 8.10) and had a soil textural class of clay loam (Tab. 2). Experimental design A split-plot trial arrangement based on a randomised complete block design with four replicates was established, with two planting seasons (PS1 = October 2, 2009 and PS2 = March 1, 2010) as the main plots and nitrogen levels (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha–1), supplied as urea, as subplots. Each subplot consisted of 8 rows, 30 cm apart and 4 m long × 3 m width (plot size: 27.5 m long × 4 m width). �e trial �eld was initially irrigated and, at the stage of soil puddling, it was ploughed once deeply via a mouldboard plough. Next, to fragment clods and to create uniform soil conditions, a perpendicular disk was used. �is was followed by use of a harrowing thrice and smoothing with a wooden board to supply a �ne seedbed – the furrows and ridges were constructed with a furrower and the distance between the ridges was 30 cm. For treatment, a standard dose of phosphorus, i.e. 70 kg ha–1 single super phos- phate along with one-third of the nitrogen treatment, was incorporated and added to the soil at the time of �nal land preparation prior to drilling by disking. Pre-sowing watering was done to ensure normal germination and isomorph plant stands. Irri- gations was provided when required to preserve the soil’s moisture at an optimum condition. �e mustard cultivar ‘Landrace’ was used in the trial. �e pre-soaked seeds were sown using a single row hand drill with a seeding rate of 5 kg ha–1 at 2 cm depth in rows with 30 cm spacing. A thinning operation was performed about two weeks a�er sowing to leave more vigorous stands and to �nally maintain plant-to-plant distance at 5 cm. �e weeds were eradicated by hand-hoeing as necessary. A basal half dose of non-applied nitrogen was given at the 4–6 leaves phase and the remaining dose was top-dressed at the start of �owering. All other recommended crop management prac- tices were carried out uniformly and regularly for all of the treatment groups during the probationary period to ensure proper crop growth. �e plots were harvested in late spring (10 to 15 June, 2010) and early summer (11 to 16 July, 2010) for the �rst and second seeding dates, respectively. �e shoots of �ve randomly selected and tagged plants belonging to subplots were hand-harvested at the end of the growing period and the plant height and the number of siliques per plant were recorded. �e mean height of �ve randomly selected plants from the base to the tip of the main stem was measured and expressed in centimetre (cm). When the majority of stands were at full maturity in all plots, an area of 3.6 m2 (the inner �ve rows) was evaluated to determine the biomass and seed yield. Simultaneously, the quadrate samples were cut by hand A gronom ic perform ance of autum n- and w inter-cropped Indian m ustard (Brassica juncea L.) in response to varying levels of nitrogen fertiliser B en t A l-H od a A sg ha ri, M oh se n Y ou se fi, K at ar zy na M oż dż eń , J oa nn a P uł a, P ei m an Z an di , W an g Y ao sh en g 88 at approximately 5 cm above the ground and le� in the �eld for sun drying until they reached a constant weight. A�er one week, when the plant water content was less than 12%, the samples were weighed and recorded as biomass yield [t ha–1] per subplot. Next, they were threshed using a Kurt Pelz stationary thresher and hand-cleaned. �e separated seeds were air-dried to 10–12% humidity and weighed with a digital balance (Kaifeng Group Co., Ltd., China). �e seed yield was then determined and expressed in kg seed ha–1. A sample of 100 seeds was taken from every seed lot related to subplots, oven-dried at 105°C for 1.30 h and ground into �ne particles. �e oil con- tent in powdered samples [%] was determined using a soxhlet instrument with carbon tetrachloride as an organic solvent (250 cc; 1:1 ratio; at 70°C). Statistical analysis Data were analysed statistically using Proc GLM (SAS Inc., 2001) to detect signi�cant di�erences (p ≤ 0.05) among treatments and the comparisons of means were carried out applying the method of Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at a 5% level of sig- ni�cance. �e Ombrothermic diagram was drawn with MS Excel ver. 2007. Results and discussion Results revealed that the simple e�ect of cultivation season and nitrogen rate was signif- icant for plant height, biomass yield, the number of siliques per plant, seed oil content and seed yield (p ≤ 0.01). �e interaction of cultivation season and nitrogen rates also had a signi�cant e�ect on plant height and the number of siliques per plant (Tab. 3). �e means comparison of planting season and nitrogen rate interaction showed that 150 and 200 kg N ha–1 treatments were signi�cantly more e�ective than other treatments in terms of plant height, for autumn planting on October 2. �e lowest plant heights occurred with the zero dose of nitrogen in both the winter (81.7 cm) and autumn (99.5 cm) cultivation season (Tab. 3). Increasing nitrogen consumption increases the amount of protein in the cells, a subsequent increase in cell size and larger leaf area, resulting in greater photosynthetic activity and ultimately leading to an increase in plant height in rapeseed (Wysocki et al., 2007). Greater plant heights are due to having a longer in�orescence axis, or in other words, having the largest number of �owers and pods on the in�orescence of the stem. Additionally, leaf fall during the �lling of siliques with seeds requires plant photosynthesis to be maintained by the siliques and the stems. �erefore, having a longer stem means having a higher pho- tosynthetic surface and producing more metabolic material to �ll siliques and seeds (Norton et al., 1991). �e means comparison of planting season e�ect on the amount of biomass showed that the autumn planting season of October 2, with an average of 12.64 t ha–1, result- 89 ed in statistically higher levels of biomass than the winter planting season of March 1. �e results also showed that treatments of 150 and 200 kg N ha–1 resulted in the highest biomass yield, while the lowest amount of biomass was found for the control treatment (Tab. 3). Tab. 3. Plant parameters of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern) in response to di�erent cultivation seasons and rates of nitrogen fertiliser application (mean 2009–2010) Treatments Plant height [cm] Biomass yield [t ha–1] Number of siliques per plant [No.] Seed oil content [%] Seed yield [kg ha–1] Autumn cultivation 144.5a 12.64a 118.60a 42.57a 3394a Winter cultivation 116.2b 9.58b 89.00b 41.13b 2459b Nitrogen fertilisation (N) N1: 0 kg ha–1 (CK) 90.60d 8.26d 61.20e 41.25c 1506e N2: 50 kg ha–1 121.60c 10.46c 93.10d 42.59b 2549d N3: 100 kg ha–1 139.10b 11.81b 112.50c 43.51a 3162c N4: 150 kg ha–1 147.70a 12.40a 123.40b 41.86bc 3624b N5: 200 kg ha–1 152.70a 12.62a 128.80a 40.03d 3794a Planting season (PS) Autumn cultivation (PS1: October 2, 2009) N1 99.5e 9.93 72.6g 41.87 1985 N2 130.6c 12.00 107.2d 43.23 2976 N3 152.8b 13.23 127.4c 44.16 3562 N4 165.7a 13.94 139.2b 42.76 4123 N5 173.8a 14.12 146.6a 40.85 4325 Winter cultivation (PS2: March 1, 2010) N1 81.7f 6.58 49.8h 40.63 1026 N2 112.6d 8.93 79.0f 41.95 2122 N3 125.3c 10.39 97.6e 42.86 2761 N4 129.7c 10.86 107.6d 40.97 3125 N5 131.6c 11.13 111d 39.22 3262 Source of variations Analysis of variance PS ** ** ** ** ** 1N ** ** ** ** ** PS×N ** ns * ns ns C.V. [%] 4.72 2.35 2.77 1.46 3.88 Means with the same letters are not signi�cantly di�erent at p < 0.05; 1N: Nitrogen fertiliser as urea was applied in three equal portions: 1) at the pre-sowing stage, 2) on 4–6 leaves growing phase and as top-dress fertiliser 3) in the reproductive stage; PS×N: represents interaction terms between treatment factors; C.V. – coe�cient of variation; ns, F test not signi�cant, *F test signi�cant at p ≤ 0.05, **F test signi�cant at p < 0.01 Comparison of the mean e�ects of planting season and nitrogen levels showed that the application of 200 kg N ha–1 during autumn cultivation on October 2 resulted in the highest number of siliques (146.6) in the plant. However, a lack of nitrogen fertil- isation decreased the average number of siliques (49.8) for winter cultivation (Tab. 3). A gronom ic perform ance of autum n- and w inter-cropped Indian m ustard (Brassica juncea L.) in response to varying levels of nitrogen fertiliser B en t A l-H od a A sg ha ri, M oh se n Y ou se fi, K at ar zy na M oż dż eń , J oa nn a P uł a, P ei m an Z an di , W an g Y ao sh en g 90 It follows from the results that nitrogen application caused a signi�cant increase in the number of branches per plant (data not shown) (Raghuvanshi et al., 2018), and sub- sequently led to the production of more siliques in mustard (Bilsborrow et al., 1993). It has been reported previously that the main reason for a decrease in the number of siliques per plant is associated with a decrease in the number of sub-branches (Tayo, Morgan, 1979). Clark and Simpson (1978) argue that the numbers of branches in a plant, as well as the number of seeds in a small silique, are in�uenced by environmen- tal conditions. �e results showed that the autumn planting season of October 2 provided the highest content of seed oil, with an average of 42.57%, which was signi�cantly higher than the winter planting season. �e reason for the decrease in the percentage of seed oil in winter cultivation is likely due to temperature changes during the stage of seed �lling and a reduction in net photosynthesis (Daneshian et al., 2008). In this case, less overall material is produced, and those carbohydrates are converted to oil. �e longer the �owering to ripening period is, the greater the time for oil synthesis and, ultimate- ly, the percentage of oil increases (Gecgel et al., 2007). �e highest seed oil content was 100 kg N ha–1, with an average of 43.51% oil, fol- lowed by an increase in nitrogen application, which reduced seed oil content (Tab. 3). Seed yield results showed that the autumn planting season, with an average of 3,394 kg ha–1, had a signi�cant advantage over the winter planting season, with an average of 2,459 kg ha–1. Increasing the length of the growing season, along with the proper conditions for germination and optimal plant establishment, can increase seed yield. Planting date is an important factor that a�ects seed yield and seed oil content (Koutroubas, Papasoska, 2005). Johnson et al. (1995) compared di�erent planting dates in canola and concluded that the delay in planting date signi�cantly reduced seed yield, which was due to a decrease in the number of siliques in the plant and a decrease in harvest index. Increasing nitrogen consumption to 200 kg N ha–1 increased seed yield. �e treat- ment of 200 kg N ha–1 resulted in an average of 3,794 kg ha–1, the highest seed yield (Tab. 3). Kazemeini et al. (2010) showed that increasing nitrogen levels led to an in- crease in yield components and, ultimately, seed yield of rapeseed genotypes. Elewa et al. (2014) also examined new rapeseed cultivars at di�erent nitrogen levels and demonstrated that increasing the amounts of nitrogen increased the seed yield for the studied cultivars. Conclusions Cultivation season and nitrogen level signi�cantly a�ected plant height, biomass yield, number of siliques per plant, seed oil content and seed yield of Indian mustard (Brassi- 91 ca juncea L. Czern). �e mean comparison of the interaction between planting season and nitrogen level showed that 150 and 200 kg N ha–1 treatments resulted in higher and superior values for the parameters of interest, with autumn planting, than the other treatments. �e lowest values were observed in control plants. �e use of nitrogen had a positive e�ect on the growth and development of mustard. 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E�ect of sowing dates and irrigation schedules on yield and water use e�ciency of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). Indian Journal of Agronomy, 44(1), 145–150. Yadav, S.K., Chandar, K., Singh, D.P. (1994). Response of late-sown mustard (Brassica juncea) to irri- gation and nitrogen. �e Journal of Agricultural Science, 123(2), 219–224. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0021859600068489 Abstract Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern) cultivation is suggested for regions with short seasons and low rainfall. Although there have been many studies conducted on agronomic production of mustard in Iran, the information regarding the interactive impact of cropping seasons and nitrogen fertiliser on growth char- acteristics and yield quality of mustard plant is still insu�cient and requires further investigation. �is study focused on the possible implications of di�erent cropping seasons and di�erent nitrogen levels on selected agronomic traits in mustard. In this experiment, �ve di�erent doses of nitrogen and two sowing periods were used to assess for their combined e�ects on the growth parameters, seed yield and agronomic char- acteristics of mustard in the semi-arid climatic conditions of Takestan. �e results revealed that cultivation seasons and nitrogen rates had a signi�cant e�ect on plant height, biomass yield, number of siliques per plant, seed oil content and seed yield. Key words: Indian mustard, nitrogen fertilisation, planting season, seed oil content, seed yield Received: [2020.06.11] Accepted: [2020.09.07] Agronomiczna wydajność jesienno-zimowej uprawy gorczycy sarepskiej (Brassica juncea L.), w odpowiedzi na różne dawki nawozu azotowego Streszczenie Gorczyca sarepska = kapusta sitowata (Brassica juncea L. Czern), jest charakterystyczna dla upraw w regionach o krótkich porach roku oraz mniejszych opadach. Obecnie w Iranie brakuje wystarcza- jącej wiedzy rolniczej do wydajnej produkcji gorczycy. W artykule tym, będącym formą pracy prze- glądowej i badawczej jednocześnie, skoncentrowano się na produkcji gorczycy w półsuchym regionie oraz ocenie jakości jej oleistych nasion. Celem było również porównanie nawożenia pięcioma różnymi dawkami azotu (w  postaci mocznika), w  trakcie dwukrotnego wysiewu oraz zbadanie wpływu tych dawek na wzrost, plon nasion i niektóre właściwości agronomiczne gorczycy, w warunkach agrokli- matycznych Takestanu (Iran). Wyniki pokazały, że sezon uprawy oraz dawki azotu, miały znaczący wpływ na wzrost roślin, plon biomasy, liczbę owoców – łuszczyn przypadających na roślinę, zawartość oleju siewnego i  ogólny plon ziarna. Data sadzenia, warunki środowiskowe, nawożenie są ważnymi 95 czynnikami wpływającymi na jakość i wielkość plonów gorczycy. Słowa kluczowe: gorczyca indyjska, nawożenie azotem, sezon sadzenia, zawartość oleju w nasionach, plon nasion Information on the authors Bent Al-Hoda Asghari She studied at the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. During her master studies, she worked under direct supervision of associate prof. Dr Amir Hussain Shirani Rad. Particu- larly; she was investigating the interaction of cropping seasons and nitrogen fertiliser on some of the agronomic characteristics of Indian mustard. Mohsen Youse� https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4602-713X He has a PhD in Agro-ecology from the Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch. Currently he is an agricultural expert at the Jahad Agricultural Organisation of Qazvin Province. He is focusing on agro- nomic aspect of agricultural studies with giving special attention to fertlisers, planting dates and spatial density of crop plants. Katarzyna Możdżeń https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5695-4474 Her scienti�c interests concentrate on the e�ects of di�erent environmental factors (light, ozone, heavy metals, allelopathic extracts) on the morphology and physiology cultivated plants, protected and invasive species. Joanna Puła https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3672-5690 Her research is connected with agrotechnology in plant cultivation and plant ecology. Presently, she is interested in use of the biomass of plants and other organic fertiliser like biochar in agriculture. Peiman Zandi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3520-3994 He was deeply trained in agronomy (crop science) and specialising in stress physiology, biotic/abiotic stresses and agroecology. He is also interested in working in di�erent areas of agroecology, plant nutri- tion, bioremediation, botany, plant breeding and genetics. Wang Yaosheng https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2657-7057 He is interested in plant ecophysiology at di�erent levels molecular, tissue, organ, whole plants) under biotic and abiotic stress. �e main research aim is to utilise resources e�ciently and develop strategies and technologies. A gronom ic perform ance of autum n- and w inter-cropped Indian m ustard (Brassica juncea L.) in response to varying levels of nitrogen fertiliser