S.S. Taha1, A. Abdel-Wahab1*, A.M.M. Gabr2 and A.M.A. Abd Elgayd3
1Department of Vegetable Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. 2Department of Plant Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo-12622, Egypt.. 3Regional Development Center,Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, New Valley Governorate, Egypt. Corresponding e-mail: ahmed2hoba@agr.cu.edu.eg
Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate whether organic fertilization alone or with some ameliorative substances could replace mineral fertilization in minituber potato production to increase the quantity and quality of two cultivars (Cara and Hermes) of potato minituber produced in vitro. Two pot experiments were conducted at the greenhouse of the Regional Research Center located in New Valley Governorate during the winter seasons of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 in Egypt. The experiment included twelve treatments: 100% compost; 100% seaweed; 100% compost + vinasse; 100% seaweed + vinasse; 75 kg K2O/fed; 100 kg K2O/fed; 120 kg K2O/fed; 50% compost + 50% NPK; 50% seaweed + 50% NPK; 25% compost + 75% NPK+ vinasse; 25% seaweed + 75% NPK+ vinasse; and 25% compost + 75% NPK (control). The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replicates. The results indicated that plant height, average minituber weight, minituber weight/pot and starch% in both seasons, chlorophyll reading in the first season as well as leaf area in the second season, were significantly higher in Cara cv. than Hermes cv., whereas shoot weight in both seasons, chlorophyll reading in the second season as well as stem number of potato plant only in the first season were significantly higher in Hermes cv. than Cara cv. On the other hand, the treatment of 120 kg K2O caused a significant increment of plant height, leaf area, shoot weight, stem number, starch% and chlorophyll reading, 90 DAP, followed by 100 kg K2O. Moreover, the mixture of 25% compost + 75% NPK+vinasse gave the highest values of tubers number, average minituber weight and minituber weight/pot.
J.R. Valenzuela-García1,2, A.I. Luna-Maldonado1*, M.A. Méndez-Dorado2, M. Cadena-Zapata2, J. Arredondo-Valdez³, J.A. López-López2, M.G. Valenzuela-Carrizales2, B.E. de la Peña- Casas2 and H.E. Gonzalez-Ramirez2
1Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Agronomía, Departamento de Ingeniería Agrícola y de los Alimentos, Francisco Villa S/N, Ex-Hacienda El Canadá, General Escobedo, Nuevo León, 66050, Mexico. 2Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro. Departamento de Maquinaria Agrícola. Calz. Antonio Narro 1923. Buenavista, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. 3Instituto Tecnológico de Saltillo, Departamento de Mecatrónica. Blvd. Venustiano. Carranza. Saltillo, Coahuila. Mexico. Corresponding e-mail: alejandro.lunaml@uanl.edu.mx
Abstract: Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is a vital species in arid and semi-arid regions due to its economic, nutritional, and ecological benefits. As droughts become more severe, food production is increasingly threatened. This study aimed to assess the impact of water stress on the growth and productivity of OFI under various irrigation treatments in the semi-arid region of Coahuila, Mexico. The experimental design included four irrigation treatments with different soil moisture levels (T1: 31.67%, T2: 27.05%, T3: 19.37%, and a control irrigated to saturation) using the Atlixco variety. The variables measured—humidity percentage, plant temperature, OFI cladodes temperature, soil temperature, and NDVI—showed no significant differences. However, cladode thickness, particularly at the tip and middle sections, increased under higher stress treatments, suggesting an adaptation to water scarcity. Cladode yield was significantly higher in T2 (5.71 kg) compared to the other treatments, indicating that OFI can sustain productivity under water-limited conditions.
J. Dharani1, J. Aneesha2*, A. Heena Afrin1, M. Vignesh3, K. Udhaya Kumar4, A. Fathima1, K. Anchana1 and M.R. Manjusha5
1Department of Fruit Science, HC and RI, TNAU, Periyakulam – 625604, Tamil Nadu, India. 2Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture and Animal Science, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul – 624302, Tamil Nadu, India. 3Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Technology, Theni – 625562, Tamil Nadu, India. 4Department of Horticulture, RVS Padmavathy College of Horticulture, Dindigul – 624707, Tamil Nadu, India. 5Department of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Wayanad – 673593, Kerala, India. Corresponding e-mail: aneeshaj017@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i03.93
Key words: Genotypes, Japanese mint, open field, quality, vertical structure
Abstract: Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis L.), a member of the family Lamiaceae, is a perennial, herbaceous, aromatic plant that holds significant economic value. It serves as a leafy vegetable and, more importantly, as a primary source for natural menthol. This dual utility, along with its valuable metabolites, is driving the growing demand for Mentha products. However, global population growth and urbanization are rapidly reducing cultivable land, making it difficult to produce fresh, high-quality vegetables. In this context, vertical farming has emerged as a promising alternative, utilizing controlled environments that enable the year-round production of quality vegetables, regardless of the climatic conditions. In this study, nine genotypes of Japanese mint viz., Kosi (V1), CIM-Kranti (V2), Himalaya (V3), Kalka (V4), MAS-1 (V5), Saksham (V6), Gomti (V7), Seelayampatti local (V8) and Bangalore type (V9) under open field (G1) and vertical A-frame structure (G2) were evaluated. Among them, Saksham (V6) and Gomti (V7) showed an increase in quality parameters in both growing conditions. Saksham in vertical A-frame structure (G2V6)recorded maximum protein content (1.99 mg 100 g-1), total phenol content (22.86 mg 100 g-1) and calcium content (9.62 %) and Gomti (G2V7)recorded maximum vitamin C content (27.5 mg 100 g-1) and potassium content (2.17 %) when grown in vertical A frame structure. These findings underscore the immense potential of vertical farming, particularly A-frame structures, to not only mitigate land scarcity but also significantly enhance the nutritional and phytochemical quality of economically important crops, such as Japanese mint. Therefore, adopting vertical farming is crucial for consistently supplying high-quality mint products to meet growing global demands.
G. Suba1, S.K. Mathanghi1, Rita Narayanan2 and B. Murugan3
1Department of Food Processing Technology, College of Food and Dairy Technology, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Sciences University, Chennai- 600 052. 2Department of Livestock Products Technology (Dairy Science), Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Sciences University, Vepery, Chennai- 600 007. 3Department of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, College of Food and Dairy Technology, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Sciences University, Chennai- 600 052. Corresponding e-mail: mathanghisoma@gmail.com
Abstract: Elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius), often referred to as the “King of Tuber Crops” due to its high nutritive value and low cost, has recently gained attention for its valorization into a novel ready-to-cook product enriched with health-beneficial phytochemicals. Ready-To-Cook (RTC) valorized convenience product was prepared from elephant foot yam and packed in vacuum-pack frozen form. From the phytochemical analysis, flavonoid was detected on the ethanol extracts of the raw yam and the valorized frozen product of aqueous extract, but phenolic compounds were found on the raw and frozen as well as fried forms. Raw yam chloroform extracts did not have terpenoids, while frozen valorized chloroform extracts did not contain cardiac glycosides. Most extracts also revealed no detection results concerning tannins, except for two, whereas saponins were positive for approximately half of the extracts tested, and most were not detected for phlobatannins. Quantitative analysis of the changes showed a decrease of phenol (29.6 %), tannins (22 %) and phytic acid (15.79 %) in RTC Elephant foot yam valorized product after frying when compared to the fresh frozen product. The DPPH assay revealed a notably high potential for health benefits (IC50 value - 75.28 µg/L). The phytochemicals and antioxidants it contains are key elements in preventing disease and maintaining health. The other additional benefits were that this product contains 2.35 g/ 100 g of dietary fibre and a total protein value of 17 g/100 g.
Omar Thaer Kamil1, Ahmed Adnan Mohammed1, Ahmed Abdelhady Rashedy2*, Wael Mohamed Eldeeb3 and Hamed Hosny Hamed2,4
1Department of Medicinal and Industrial Plants, College of Medicinal and Industrial Plants, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq. 2Pomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. 3Energy and Environment Research Center, Tabbin Institute for Metallurgical Studies, Egypt. 4Organic Crop Production Department, Faculty of Organic Agriculture, Heliopolis University, Egypt.Corresponding e-mail: ahmed.rasheedy@agr.cu.edu.eg
Abstract: Vegetative propagation is crucial for maintaining genetic integrity in the production of commercial olive planting material. However, poor rooting makes it difficult to grow cuttings from specific varieties. Nitric oxide (NO), a signalling molecule that has been shown to enhance root initiation in various plant species, may help overcome this barrier. This study evaluated the effect of nitric oxide (NO) at concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 µM on the rooting of Pendolino olive cuttings. NO at 100 µM produced the highest rooting percentage (52.24%), number of roots (10.8), and root length, alongside significant increases in catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, and a marked reduction in indole-3-acetic acid oxidase (IAAox) activity. In comparison to the control (0 µM NO + 4000 ppm IBA), 100 µM NO elevated CAT, POD, and PPO activities by 52%, 85.22%, and 88.51%, respectively, while reducing IAAox by 44%. At this concentration, NO also decreased total phenols by 9.14%. The dose-dependent pattern of the effect of NO concentration on roots could be distinguished. Rooting was significantly inhibited by the highest concentration of NO (8000 µM). These results indicate that neither suboptimal nor supraoptimal NO concentration can promote effective adventitious rooting, highlighting the importance of a precise concentration range for improved rooting in challenging olive cultivars.
Vineet Singh1, Ashish Yadav2, Sanket Kumar1*, Sampurna Nand Singh1,Mohd. Haris Siddiqui1, Vishambhar Dayal2 and Shailendra Rajan2**
1Department of Agriculture, Integral Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (IIAST) Integral University, Lucknow, India. 2Central Institute for Sub Tropical Horticulture Rehmankhera, Kakori- 226101, India. Corresponding e-mail: srajanlko@gmail.com
Abstract: Breeding of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in India has advanced from early selection of superior seedlings to a well-organized hybridization program, facilitating high productivity and quality cultivars for different agro-climatic regions. Major traits like regular bearing, dwarfing or semi-dwarfing habit for high-density orchards, fiber-free pulp with good total soluble solids (TSS), firmness to prevent during transportation and storage, protracted shelf life, resistance/tolerance to diseases and pests. Breeding goals have lately included mostly varieties with a red blush, satisfying consumer’s aspiring taste change and trendy export market need for better eye-appeal to go along with firmness, storable capacity, and sugar-acid ratio. Hybrids have been developed in various regions of India to enhance adaptation, increase productivity, and improve resistance to stress. Dramatic changes are anticipated in the near future, driven by genomics, precision phenotyping, and crop enhancement technologies, including bioactive compound enrichment, to develop the next generation of cultivars. This work has led to a new range of planted-out hybrids that have built up efficiencies in orchards, in both domestic and export markets, preserving livelihoods while maintaining this diversity through a large-scale customization approach. The review attempts to summarize progress in mango breeding in India, from selection to targeted crossing that combines red blush appeal, high TSS, firmness, and shelf life with regular bearing, compact canopies for high-density orchards, along with emerging genomics-driven, climate-resilient, nutrient-enriched cultivars adapted for diverse agroclimatic conditions and export markets.
S. Matsuyama*, K. Dosoand S. Sato
Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Rakuno Gakuen University. 582 Bunkyodaimidorimachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan. Corresponding e-mail: mashuhei@gmail.com
Abstract: The ornamental perennial Phlox subulata and its varieties are often affected by root-feeding Scarabaeidae larvae, leading to dieback. These larvae are harmful insects that are difficult to detect. The relationship between the horizontal distribution of root-feeding Scarabaeidae larvae and the aboveground condition of P. subulata was examined in the field. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effects of drought stress, root-cutting, and larvae introduction on the leaf chlorophyll index (LCI) in P. subulata. A field survey was also conducted, and the numbers of larvae were found to be higher in plots where P. subulata experienced dieback than in plots where the plants did not die, and in plots adjacent to dieback plots. This result indicates that the number of larvae corresponds to the aboveground condition of the plant. Both root-cutting and drought stress treatments significantly decreased the LCI and killed some of the plants, implying that drought stress and physical root injury changed the plants’ aboveground condition. The introduction of larvae also significantly decreased the LCI, in a manner similar to the drought stress treatment. The decreases in the LCI due to the drought stress and larvae introduction treatments were detected before the dieback of P. subulata in the experiment, which implies that constant monitoring of the LCI is an effective method for early detection of root-feeding larvae.
Mohamed M. Shahein1, S. Sahar Taha1, T. Nady Abdala1 and M. Abdelwahab Mahmoud2
1Vegetable Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. 2Plant Physiology Division, Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza 12613. Corresponding e-mail: sahar.taha@agr.cu.edu.eg
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i03.98
Key words: Snap bean, nano micronutrient fertilizers, growth, yield and nutritional value
Abstract: This two-season field study evaluated the impact of foliar-applied nano and chelated micronutrient fertilizers (iron, zinc, and manganese), combined with standard NPK, on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) growth, yield, and nutritional quality under sandy soil conditions in Egypt. Using a randomized complete block design, nine treatments were assessed during 2022 and 2023. Results consistently showed that nano-fertilizer applications significantly enhanced vegetative growth parameters, including plant height, leaf count, and shoot fresh weight. Specifically, the combined nano (Fe+Zn+Mn) treatment proved most effective, leading to the highest total green pod yield (5.77 tons/fed in 2022; 6.33 tons/fed in 2023) and improved total soluble solids (TSS). Furthermore, nano-fertilizers notably increased the concentrations of macronutrients (N, P, K) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn) in both leaves and pods, indicating superior nutrient uptake and translocation efficiency. The study also revealed the positive effects of nano-fertilizers on key biochemical quality traits, including protein, fibre, fat, and ascorbic acid content. These benefits are attributed to the unique properties of nanoparticles, including their small size and high surface area, which facilitate enhanced nutrient bioavailability. This research highlights the promising potential of integrating nano-fertilizers into agricultural practices to significantly boost common bean productivity and nutritional value, thereby supporting more sustainable farming systems.
Khusnul Khotimah, Sri Darmanti* and Muhammad Luqman Hakim
Biology Department, Science and Mathematics Faculty, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. Soedarto, SH. Street, Tembalang, Semarang, Central Java 50275, Indonesia. Corresponding e-mail: darmantisri@yahoo.co.id
Abstract: Weeds are a group of plants which are undesirable because they can reduce the growth and productivity of horticultural crops. Weeds belonging to the Poaceae Family, such as Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P.Beauv., Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler, D. sanguinalis (L.) Scop., Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn, and Setaria plicata (Lam.) T.Cooke, have been reported to disrupt various horticultural cultivated fields. Leaf anatomy is a crucial aspect that requires study because it is closely related to adaptation, taxonomy, evolution, and the ability of a plant species to interact with horticultural crops. This study examined the anatomical characteristics of the leaves of these five weed species. Exploration methods were used to obtain leaf samples. Cross-section preparations were made using a semi-permanent method with free-hand sectioning techniques. The parameters studied were the leaf anatomy of the five weed species. The results showed that the leaf anatomy of the five species consists of epidermal tissue, mesophyll, xylem, phloem, bundle sheath cells, and sclerenchyma. All five species belong to the C4 group with Kranz leaf anatomy. Bulliform cells and stomata, as derivative epidermis, are found in all five weed species. Non-glandular trichomes were found in D. sanguinalis and S. plicata. The anatomical structure of the five weed species shows adaptations for efficient carbon use in dry environments. These findings support an integrated weed management approach by identifying key anatomical characteristics that can inform the development of weed control strategies in horticultural agricultural fields, such as efforts to enhance herbicide penetration efficiency.
Vaibhav Srivastava1, M. Srivastava1 and Shailendra Rajan2*
1Amity Institute of Information Technology, Amity University, Lucknow Campus, Uttar Pradesh, India. 2ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Rehmankhera, Lucknow, India.
Abstract: Mango leaf diseases threaten yield and quality, underscoring the need for early diagnosis and actionable monitoring. Addressing the absence of an integrated Visual Management System (VMS) in prevailing methodologies, this work introduces an enhanced VMS for real-time mango leaf disease analysis that unifies computer vision and language understanding. The framework employs Soft Root Sign–VGG16–Fast Dropout–ResNet50 (SRSVGG16FDResNet50) for visual classification and Generalized Canonical Correlation Multimodal Autoencoders (GCCMA) for cross-modal feature fusion. On the visual side, mango leaf images were preprocessed, followed by leaf color detection, superpixel segmentation, and feature extraction. In parallel, disease-related question–answer (Q&A) data were curated and preprocessed; keywords are extracted, entity–relation graphs were constructed, and textual features were derived. LeCun Bayesian BERT (LeCunBayBERT) generates embeddings for answers, questions, and keywords to enhance semantic representation. GCCMA was used to fuse the visual and textual to model crossmodal correlations and finally, the disease classification was done by SRSVGG16FDResNet50. With testing, the user is authenticated and provides images with queries via the VMS interface, and the system provides the predicted diagnosis as well as the natural language responses. The proposed framework outperforms existing methodologies for mango leaf disease detection, achieving higher accuracy (98.45%) while supporting interpretable, real-time decision support for orchard management. As a case study, we demonstrate the system’s effectiveness on anthracnose and sooty mold, illustrating end-to-end detection and interpretation.
N. Jitsopakul1*, A. Chunthaworn1, U. Pongket2 and K. Thammasiri3
1Department of Plant Science, Textile and Design, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Surin Campus, Surin 32000, Thailand. 2Department of Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Surin Campus, Surin 32000, Thailand. 3Center for Gardening and Horticulture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan 666303, China. Corresponding e-mail: njitsopakul@hotmail.com
Abstract: Preservation of orchid pollinia is required for the intergeneric hybridization of species with different flowering times. Pollinia were collected from the flowers of three genera and fifteen species of male orchid plants. The pollinia were then refrigerated at 10 °C for a duration ranging from 4 d to 274 d, depending on the blooming period of Aerides, Rhynchostylis, and Vanda genera and eleven species of female parent plants. A total of thirty-six crosses of intergeneric hybridization were studied. Pod formation, the size and age of the hybrid pods, and in vitro seed germination were used to assess the capacity of the pollinia for fertilization. Results showed that pod formation (8.33% to 100%) was observed in twenty-seven crosses (75%), with the success of sixteen crosses of intergeneric hybridization (44%) having seeds with embryos that germinated into protocorms on modified VW (1949) medium or MS (1962) medium including, R. coelestis x A. falcata (48 d), V. liouvillei x A. houlletiana (4 d), V. liouvillei x A. multiflora (8 d), R. coelestis x A. multiflora (11 d), V. liouvillei x R. coelestis (18 d), A. rosea x R. coelestis (25 d), V. lilacina x R. gigantea “Alba” (47 d), V. lilacina x R. gigantea “Cartoon” (17 d), V. lilacina x R. gigantea “Red color” (23 d), A. multiflora x V. curvifolia (44 d), A. odoratum x V. curvifolia (44 d), R. coelestis x V. curvifolia (71 d), A. rosea x V. curvifolia (72 d), A. rosea x V. garayi (95 d), R. coelestis x V. garayi (95 d), and V. garayi x V. lilacina (53 d). All protocorms developed into plantlets after culturing on modified VW agar medium supplemented with 100 g L–1 banana, 150 mL L–1 coconut water, 20 g L–1 sucrose, 2 g L–1 activated charcoal, and 7 g L–1 agar. The intergeneric hybrid plantlets successfully survived in the greenhouse. Male pollinia can be stored at 10°C and utilized for the creation of orchid hybrids to progress orchid breeding and the preservation of Thai orchid species. The methods are uncomplicated and direct, needing no chemicals, tools, or complex procedures.
S.J. Prejith Raj, A. Sheena*, Beena Thomas, M. Rafeekher and Pratheesh P. Gopinath
Instructional Farm, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, 695522, Kerala, India. Corresponding e-mail: sheena2sa@yahoo.co.in
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i02.29
Key words: Hibiscus, SEM, pollen grains, pollen morphology, exine
Abstract: Pollen morphology of Hibiscus rosa sinensis cultivars ‘Playboy’ and ‘Gelia Castillo’ were studied under light and scanning electron microscope. The two cultivars exhibited spheroidal pollen with pantoporate aperture and spiny surfaces under a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The pollen diameter of the cv ‘Playboy’ and cv ‘Gelia Castillo’ were 116.0 ?m and 129.6 ?m, respectively. The pollen apertures of both the cultivars were similar with round shape but in the cv. ‘Gelia Castillo’, the aperture was partially covered with an exine layer. The cv ‘Gelia Castillo’ exhibited a pollen fertility of 93.84%, whereas the cv ‘Playboy’ exhibited a pollen fertility of 88.57%. This study offers important information regarding the pollen traits of H. rosa sinensis cultivars ‘Playboy’ and ‘Gelia Castillo’. Due to their attractive floral characters and high pollen fertility, both cultivars can be utilized as good male parents in crop improvement programs for breeding novel hibiscus varieties.
D. Mahesh Reddy1,2*, Kalkame Ch. Momin3, V. Bhargav2, Nancy Lego4, P. Chakradhar1, V. Siva Teja5, Urati Mahesh6
1Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Dr. YSRHU- College of Horticulture, Anantharajupeta, Andhra Pradesh- 516105, India. 2Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture and Forestry, CAU, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, 791102, India. 3Department of Horticulture, North Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Tura, Meghalaya. 4All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Betel Vines, College of Agriculture, CAU, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, 791102, India. 5Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, KAU, Thrissur, 680656, India. 6Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, Dr. YSRHU- College of Horticulture, Andhra Pradesh- 516105, India. Corresponding author: Maheshduggireddy1@gmail.com
Abstract: To assess the genetic variability, heritability, and association of 21 key quantitative variables in 15 distinct Dendrobium species, efforts were made to study the germplasm of Dendrobium orchids in different parts of Arunachal Pradesh between 2020 and 2022. Significant variance was found in every attribute in the study, indicating that there is sufficient genetic diversity to support breeding efforts. The most significant values of PCV and GCV were recorded for the number of flowers per inflorescence (136.13% and 135.35%, respectively) and the number of inflorescences per plant (136.18% and 133.94%, respectively). High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for inflorescence length (99.74%), the number of flowers per inflorescence (99.68%), flower width in the front view (99.41%), and flower length (99.25%). Selection based on these characteristics would be more effective for improving interspecific hybrids. Other characters exhibited moderate broad-sense heritability with low genetic advance. Plant height, internode number, number of leaves, and flower longevity showed positive and highly significant associations with the number of flowers per inflorescence and the number of inflorescences per plant at both the genotypic and phenotypic levels. However, correlation study revealed that selecting parents based on plant height, internode number, number of leaves, and flower longevity in plants would be helpful in breeding programs.
Mujeeb Ur Rehman1, Manisha Chaudhary1, Arvind Arya2 and Sandeep Kumar1*
1Department of Biotechnology, Shobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-University), NH- 58, Modipuram, Meerut, Delhi-NCR, Meerut-250110, (UP), India. 2Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering Technology, 19, Knowledge Park- II, Institutional Area, Greater Noida (UP), India. Corresponding e-mail: dr.sandeepkumar@shobhituniversity.ac.in
Abstract: Adansonia digitata L. (Kalpvriksha, Baobab) of the family Malvaceae is an endangered flora in India. The micropropagation of woody plants, adventitious root and shoot development remain some of the major problems due to their recalcitrance to in vitro handling. In the present study, an efficient protocol for in vitro shoot regeneration and propagation of recalcitrant baobab trees was developed. Shoot induction on nodal explants was evaluated using various concentrations of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (Kn) and Thidiazuron (TDZ) with NAA. The highest number of adventitious shoots per explants (3.2±2.33) and longest shoots (3.3±2.20) were recorded on 0.5mg/L BAP and 0.2mg/L NAA treatments. Three auxins, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were used in the induction of roots. The highest rooting was achieved with IBA-treated shoots at 1.0 mg/L concentration. Although A. digitata has previously revealed complexity in in vitro proliferation, the results proved efficient and reproducible. The 74% survival rates of plantlets was observed after three months.
T. Damodaran1, Prasenjit Debnath1&2*, Maneesh Mishra1* Ram Gopal1, Sangeeta1, Sukhen Chandra Das2, Debasree Podder2, Swapan Deb Roy2, Pinak Pani Datta2, Thingreingam Irenaeus2 and Niren Majumder2
1ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Rehmankheda, Lucknow-226101, India. 2College of Agriculture, Lembucherra, Tripura-799210, India. Corresponding e-mail: prasenjitdebnath2@gmail, maneeshmishra.cish@gmail.com
Abstract: Banana cv. Sabri (AAB), a traditional and highly demanded cultivar in Tripura, has been a profitable crop for farmers. However, in recent years, this well-known variety has been severely affected by Fusarium wilt (Race 1). The outbreak of the disease, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 1 (Foc TR-1), has not only led to a significant decline in yield but has also impacted its commercial cultivation in several hotspot regions of Tripura. The virulent nature of the pathogen limits the field level success of the control initiatives through chemicals, resistance breeding and biological control, providing serious threats for banana growers in the region. This study assesses the efficacy of the bio-immunized tissue culture raised Sabri banana plantlets and the periodical spray of ICAR-FUSICONT for the community based management of banana Fusarium wilt. The effectiveness of this integrated approach was critically assessed by evaluating the disease management aspects along with yield restoration in hot spot regions. Banana orchards adopting this combined technology revealed significantly lower disease incidence percentage (2.98 %) compared to non-adopted plantations (28.44 %). Further, these technological interventions increased the yield from 13.33 kg/plant to 16.58 kg/plant. The findings highlighted the potential of these technologies in the management of Fusarium wilt and improving Sabri banana yield in Tripura.
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