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Potassium (K) mitigates the effect of high temperature on canola, especially during its later growth stages when sowing of canola is delayed. To explore the effect of K on high temperature tolerance and canola production a field experiment (2019 – 2021) was conducted. The experiment had two sowing dates (October 15 and November 1) and four K treatments, i.e. control, soil application (50 kg K ha^-1), soil application + 0.25% K foliar spray at pre- and post-flowering stages and soil application + 0.50% K foliar spray at pre and post-flowering stages. Application of 50 kg K ha^-1 as soil application along with 0.50% K-foliar sprays resulted in higher production of biochemicals (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and total soluble sugars) besides net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance along with less malondialdehyde production and relative cell injury in crops sown on November 1^st than untreated plants. Moreover, it also enhanced chlorophyll florescence and chlorophyll (a and b) contents of late- sown crops. Plants sown on November 1^st and received 50 kg K ha^-1 as soil application along with 0.50% K foliar spray also gave a higher yield components, yield and economic returns than control. Therefore, it is suggested to supply 50 kg K ha^-1 at sowing and a foliar spray of 0.50% K at the pre- and post-flowering stages to canola crops sown late in the season to achieve optimal and economical yield levels.
 

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Farmers in the Indus basin, Pakistan have generally switched to groundwater for additional water supplies due to the irregular supply of irrigation water; currently over 50% of the agricultural land in the basin is at least partially irrigated by tube-wells. These wells pump fresh groundwater, which essentially is the result of massive leakage from irrigation canals into the originally saltwater aquifer since the inception of modern irrigation around 1870. Resalinization of the aquifer now threatens long-term prospects of this new groundwater resource. Since building new dams has become ever more complicated, water resources planning now focuses on sustainable conjunctive use of surface and ground waters. The paper evaluates the raising of the Mangla dam, its effects on long-term groundwater balance and water-logging using an irrigation-economic model. It suggests guidelines to optimize the surface and sub-surface reservoirs by considering the farmers' action in response to government policies. Recently the Government of Pakistan decided to raise the height of the Mangla dam to substantially increase the storage capacity of the basin. This decision was based on basin-wide modelling of conjunctive use by using the General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS)-based Indus Basin Model Revised (IBMR), which was updated for this purpose in 2000 and supplied with new data in 2002. The results of the analysis reinforced the decision to raise the dam height by 9 m instead of 12 m, which would increase water availability by 68% in the basin. One of the objectives of raising the dam height was to increase the sustainability of beneficial groundwater use in the basin by saving about 2 km3/a of groundwater abstractions.

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The genus Cicadula Zetterstedt is reported for the first time from Pakistan with a newly recorded Cicadula simlaensis Viraktamath & Yeshwanth. In addition, Platymetopius fidelis (Distant) is also rediscovered from Pakistan and studied here. A brief diagnosis along with the digital photographs of the habitus and male genitalia of both species are provided. General distribution of these species in both Palaearctic and Oriental regions is also briefly discussed.