Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Genetic analysis of agronomic and biochemical variables among different tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions
Get PDFIn the present study, thirty accessions of tomato were evaluated for estimation of correlation and path analysis among various quantitative and qualitative characters related to fruit yield. There were highly significant differences among the accessions for all the characters studied as per the analysis of variance. Genotypic correlation coefficients were generally similar in nature and higher in magnitude than the corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficients. The results revealed that the fruit yield plant-1 was significantly and positively correlated with number of fruits plant-1 (0.3119 and 0.3184) followed by fruit set percentage (0.2434 and 0.2499), fruit weight (0.6766 and 0.6731), polar diameter of fruit (0.4687 and 0.4635) at genotypic and phenotypic level, respectively, indicating that effective improvement in fruit yield plant-1 through these characters could be achieved. Fruit weight showed positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation with fruit yield plant-1 by having greatest positive direct effect (1.1298 and 1.1116) on fruit yield plant-1 at both levels, indicating the true relationship between them and the feasibility to exploit the potentiality of this trait for effective direct selection to improve fruit yield plant-1
Deficiency of magnesium in maize (Zea mays L.) induced by high potassium level in a micaceous soil of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India
Get PDFA field observation was undertaken in a farmer’s field sown with maize at Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand to record whether K rich micaceous soil can cause Mg deficiency. The crop was fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus only. The visible effect of Mg-deficiency initiated after 20-25 days of maize sowing as interveinal chlorosis in older leaves along the margins running the full length of the leaves parallel to the veins. In later stage, necrosis of older leaves occurred particularly at the tip of the leaves. The leaf and soil sample collected at 45 days after sowing (DAS) revealed an extremely low content of Mg in soil (4.32 mg kg-1) and plant (0.11%). The soil analysis also revealed that the soil was acidic in nature (pH 5.07) with low cation exchange capacity (9.7 cmol kg-1). However, the soil was having a very high level of water soluble (18.2 mg kg-1), exchangeable (262.3 mg kg-1) and available K (280.5 mg kg-1), which has resulted in an imbalanced exchangeable K: Mg ratio (60.7:1) rendering reduced uptake of Mg by maize. Therefore, it was concluded from the study that magnesium deficiency can occur in maize in conditions like acidic, sandy, mica rich soils with high level of K combined with low Mg content, even without K fertilization. Hence, the farmers may use dolomitic lime and/or Mg-containing fertilizers to correct Mg deficiency under such conditions for sustainable agricultural production systems
Impact of resource conservation technologies on soil health and productivity of wheat in rice-wheat cropping system
Get PDFA field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of resource conservation technologies on soil health and productivity of wheat in rice-wheat cropping system in split plot design with three replications. The physico-chemical parameters of the soils like pH and EC both maximum decreased almost significantly over control under treatments T2 (Ploughing twice by Cultivator, allowed to decompose weeds for a week then puddling by cross ploughing and planking), T3(Summer ploughing onset of monsoon by mould bold plough to invert the soil once in three years followed by subsequent ploughing by cultivator to puddle the soil) and C5 (GM + Paddy straw @ 50 q/ha) and C6 (GM + Rice husk @ 50 q/ha). Soil data revealed a highly significant increase in organic carbon content along with available N, P2O5 and K2O content under treatments T3 and C6 and their interactions(T3×C6)over control. This might be attributed to the improvement in physico-chemical properties of the soils. The significant (P<0.05) increase in yield attributes and yields of wheat grain and straw over control was observed under influence of the treatments T3 and C6 and their interaction except height and length of ear head. These observations were confirmed by the positive and highly significant correlation of yield of wheat grain with available N (r=0.74**), available P2O5 (r = 0.64**), and available K2O (r = 0.52**). Deep ploughing and green manuring in addition with other organic residues (GM+ rice husk) individually and/ or in combination improved the soil health significantly
Regeneration of Indian maize genotypes (Zea mays L.) from immature embryo culture through callus induction
Get PDFCallus induction and regeneration ability of five maize genotypes UMI 757, UMI 615, UMI 112, UMI 285 and CO 1 and one promising maize hybrids COH(M) 5 were investigated using 14 days old immature embryos as explants. Callus induction depends on genotype, explants (age and size of explants), medium, type of auxin and their concentration. Explants grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l 2, 4 - D (2,4 – dichloro phenoxy acetic acid), 0.3 mg/l kinetin with 30 g/l maltose showed the highest percentage of embryogenic callus induction. Among the six genotypes tested, COH(M) 5 maize hybrids have highest percentage of embryogenic calli. The embryogenic calli incubated on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l BAP (Benzyl Amino Purine), 0.2 mg/lNAA (Naphthalene Acetic Acid) with 1.0 mg/l kinetin was found to give the highest organogenesis response and regeneration of plantlets
Growth and ectomycorrhization of banj oak plants co-inoculated with Scleroderma bovista and mycorrhizosphere bacteria
Get PDFEffect of composite treatment of ectomycorrhizal fungus (EMF), Scleroderma bovista, along with mycorrhizosphere bacterial inoculants was studied for nine months on Quercus leucotrichophora plants grown in nursery glasshouse. Seven treatments comprising of one uninoculated control; two bacterial controls, Bacillus subtilis MB14 and Pseudomonas fluorescens MB 9, respectively; EMF control, S. bovista; two combinations of two bacterial treatments with EMF and one triple treatment of two bacteria with EMF, were used in the study. The ninth month of sampling showed that triple treatment of two strains of bacteria with EMF maximally enhanced root length (38.86 cm), dry weight (6.746 g), short roots (351.6), lateral roots (24.8) and EMF colonization (34.8%) of banj oak plant, which was fairly higher than uninoculated and bacterial controls. Bacteria treated plants showed no plant growth enhancement, whereas EMF treatment fairly enhanced plant growth. The co-inoculation practice can help oak plant in achieving the mycorrhization rate even with lower EMF doses. These findings will be beneficial for achieving the effective banj oak replantation in the Himalayan region
Bio-friendly management of Guava fruit fly (Bactrocera correcta Bezzi) through wrapping technique
Get PDFFruit fly (Bactrocera correcta Bezzi) is the major pest of Guava grown in Baruipur region of West Bengal, contributing upto 90% yield loss. The present study was undertaken during 2011-12 at farmers’ field to validate the wrapping of individual fruits at tree and to standardize the wrapping material and the correct technique of wrapping. Performance of nine different types of wrapping materials (butter paper bag, polypropylene bag of 20? gauge with and without paper piece inside, non-woven poly fabric bags of white, green and blue colour with 20 gsm and 40 gsm thickness) along with two chemical approaches were studied against untreated control. Fruit fly infestation varied between 1.32 % and 17.31% in all treatments using wrapping materials and 13.14% in case of combined use of pheromone trap (Bacu lure) and Dichlorvos spray as compared to 21.71% in sole use of Dichlorvos and 66.67% in control plots. Wrapping resulted in increased weight of individual fruits (112.58 g in butter paper bag compared to 68.40 g in control). Wrapping with transparent polypropylene bags (20? gauge) with partial paper cover inside, resulted in lowest yield loss (1.66%), earlier fruit maturity, better fruit quality (in respect of colour and glossiness), highest market price (`30 per kg) and highest net profit (`1.357 lakh/ha). This material is durable enough to be reused for 4-5 times. The partial paper cover helped to prevent scorching injury to the fruit as well as to control the humidity inside the polypropylene bag
Seed treatments for sustainable agriculture-A review
Get PDFSeed treatment refers to the application of certain agents physical, chemical or biological to the seed prior to sowing in order to suppress, control or repel pathogens, insects and other pests that attack seeds, seedlings or plants and it ranges from a basic dressing to coating and pelleting. Introduction and ban of arsenic (used from 1740 until 1808) is the key milestones in the history of modern seed treatment till then a continuous research and advancement in this technology is going on. The technological advancement prepared a roadmap for refiningexisting seed treatment technologies and future work on technologies like fluid drilling as a way to sow germinated seeds where gel can also serve as a delivery system for other materials, seed priming advances the early phase of germination without redicle emergence. Another advanced technology, solid matrix priming (SMP) has been evaluated as a means to advances the germination of seeds and serve as a carrier for useful material too. Physical and biological seed treatments alone an alternative to chemicals or in combination with a chemical treatment are being used worldwide because of their environmental safety and socioeconomic aspects. Biological seed treatments are expected to be one of the fastest growing seed treatment sectors in the near future, in part because they are easier to register at Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Lack of awareness to seed treatments at farmer’s level is one of the limiting factors in disease management and hence, efforts should be made at farmer’s level to adopt the technology. Keeping the all above facts in mind, selected seed treatment technologies with their improvement and significance will be discussed in this review
Studies on biochemical mechanism of resistance for the management of Marssonina leaf blotch of apple caused by Marssonina coronaria (Ellis & J. J. Davis) J. J. Davis
Get PDFTo study the mechanism of resistance developed in three different cultivars of apple viz; Starking Delicious, Tydeman’s Early Worcester and Granny Smith against Marssonina coronaria , after treatment with SAR inducing chemicals salicylic acid (SA), dipotassium phosphate (K2HPO4) and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) contents of total phenol, reducing sugar, non -reducing sugar and activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) were assayed at three sampling periods (48,72 and 96 hours). The results revealed that SA treated leaves of cultivar Granny Smith recorded highest amount of phenol (49,53.66,57.33 mg/g), reducing sugar (16,16.33,17.66 mg/g), non-reducing sugar (2.90,3.13,3.53 mg/g) content, peroxidase (30,29.33,36) and polyphenol (26,30,34) activity in all the sampling intervals followed ASM and K2HPO4 treated plants. When compared among the cultivars maximum production was observed highest in cultivar Granny Smith which was followed by cultivars Tydeman’s Early Worcester and Starking Delicious. The present study showed that application of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) chemical can induce resistance in apple plants against Marssonina blotch caused by M. coronaria showing strong correlation between the ability of elicitors to enhanced plant disease resistance and elicitation of defence related enzymes. Thus, using SAR chemicals to induce resistance to apple against Marssonina blotch caused by M. coronaria, may provide a practical supplement to an environmentally friendly disease management when it is combined with appropriate integrated disease management practices
Effect of storage temperature and duration on sugar content and sensory acceptability of strawberry pulp
Get PDFExperiment was conducted to study the effect of different treatments on preservation of strawberry pulp at ambient and low storage temperature condition. The samples were pasteurized at 100°C for 15 minutes (T1), sodium benzoate 250 ppm (T2) and sodium benzoate 500 ppm (T3). The respective samples were stored for two months at room (25±5°C) and low (7±2°C) temperature conditions and reducing sugars; total sugar and sensory evaluation were recorded at three days of interval period. The results showed that the total sugar (%) increased in pulp sample maximum in T6 (5.9%) and minimum in T1 (4.8%), the maximum value regarding reducing sugars was recorded in T6 (4.9%) and minimum in T1 (1.4%) after 60th days of storage. However, reducing sugars and total sugar decreased in the stored pulp at room temperature and spoiled completely on 18th day of storage. The acceptability of organoleptic score decrease with the duration of storage in both ambient and low temperature. Among different treatments, sodium benzoate @ 500 ppm was found most effective and maintained the qualitative characteristics of preserved pulp at low (7±2°C) temperature condition. In future, these experimental results may prove very useful for storage of strawberry pulp for longer duration in better quality
Diversity, abundance and pollination efficiency of insect pollinators of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller) and effect of abiotic factors on insect pollinator activity
Get PDFBiodiversity of insect pollinators on fennel cv. HF-143 (Foeniculum vulgare Miller), was studied in Hisar, Haryana, India. Twenty-five insect species belonging to fifteen families of five orders were recorded from fennel flowers, in which, seven belong to order Lepidoptera, nine to Hymenoptera, five to Diptera, three to Coleoptera and one to Odonata. Among the insect pollinators, Apis florea F., A. cerana indica F., A. mellifera L. and A. dorsata F. were the most frequent visitors. Among different bee species, the maximum mean population observed in case of A. florea (9.23 bees/m2/5 min) followed by A. mellifera (3.62 bees/m2/5 min) and A. dorsata (3.21 bees/m2/5 min), whereas, the least abundance was observed in case of A. cerana indica, i.e., 1.82 bees/m2/5 min. The pollination index of A. dorsata was highest (19715210) followed by A. florea (13888381), A. mellifera (13845052) and A. cerana (5586381). Hence, it was observed that A. dorsata was the most efficient pollinator followed by A. florea, A. mellifera and A. cerana on fennel cv. HF-143 flowers under agro ecological conditions of Hisar (Haryana). Hence, insect pollinators were essential to get good returns in this seed crop. The activity of different bee species on fennel varied with different abiotic factors and had significantly positive correlation with bright sun shine hours (BSS) and temperature (TEMP) in different hours of the day during foraging but had negative correlation with relative humidity (RH). It was observed that the effect of wind velocity on foraging of different bee species was not significant. Thus, the impact of abiotic environmental factors may decide the foraging activity of different insect pollinators