This study investigated the biochemical impact of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and initial explant size on the in vitro morphogenesis of five Citrus species: C. aurantifolia, C. limon, C. sinensis cv. Mosambi, C. reticulata cv. Kinnow, and C. reticulata Blanco cv. Nagpur mandarin. Mature embryos were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium integrated with varying cytokinin gradients (0–3 mg/L BAP). Our data reveals a significant species-specific threshold for germination, with C. limon and C. reticulata cv. Kinnow achieving 100% efficiency at an optimal concentration of 2 mg/L BAP. Conversely, concentrations exceeding this limit (3 mg/L) induced an inhibitory effect, likely due to supra-optimal hormonal signaling. Furthermore, a positive correlation was established between explant dimensions and regenerative capacity; larger embryos (7.0–11.0 mm) consistently outperformed smaller cohorts (<5 mm), with C. limon reaching a peak germination rate of 98.46%. These findings provide a refined biotechnological protocol for embryo rescue, essential for overcoming reproductive barriers and accelerating genetic improvement programs in polyembryonic Citrus cultivars.
Tamarind is a nutritious and drought tolerant wild fruit that is underutilized in most of the countries including India. An experimental study was carried out to develop and optimize a spicy sauce derived from raw tamarind pods of the DTS-1 variety, with subsequent evaluation of its physicochemical, nutritional, sensory, and microbial parameters. The study was conducted to formulate and optimize nine formulations with varying levels of sugar, salt, vinegar, and pectin, which were evaluated during 90 days of ambient storage. Results indicated significant differences among treatments regarding color, taste, odour, consistency, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total phenols, and microbial load. Treatment T7 (1.5 g salt, 25 g sugar, 1 ml vinegar, 0.5 g pectin) showed excellent sensory acceptability, color retention, and microbial safety. The study concludes that the optimized raw tamarind spicy sauce possesses potential characteristics for commercial production, providing a value-added product with improved shelf life and consumer preferences.
Biostimulants have rapidly emerged as a new frontier in sustainable agriculture, enhancing crop performancewithout the harmful effects of chemicals. Though known for some time, their systematic use and scientificvalidation are recent, making them a widely adopted and still-emerging technology in modern horticulture. Theexperiment was conducted at a farmer’s field in Vellore to evaluate the impact of various biostimulants on theyield and quality parameters of the guava cv. Allahabad Safeda. The experiment was laid out in a RandomisedBlock Design (RBD) with ten treatments comprising foliar applications of three biostimulants at variousconcentrations, viz., seaweed extract (1%, 2%, 3%), humic secret (1%, 2%, 3%), and Wilbond (0.1 g/L, 0.3 g/L, 0.5g/L) along with a control, and replicated thrice. The biostimulants were applied twice: once at the pre-floweringstage and again at 30 days after fruit set. Among the treatments, the foliar application of Wilbond at 0.5 g/Lrecorded superior quality attributes such as total soluble solids (12.43 ºBrix), ascorbic acid content (197.76mg/100 g), total sugars (14.37%), reducing sugars (3.05%), and non-reducing sugars (11.32%). The result clearlyindicates that foliar application of Wilbond at 0.5 g/L (T6) was found to significantly enhance and maintain theoverall quality characteristics in guava cv. Allahabad Safeda, thus offering a promising approach for improvingproductivity in commercial guava cultivation.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate twelve seeded grape genotypes, including three white (B-27-1, Italia and Sauvignon Blanc) and nine colored (Cardinal, Carolina Black Rose, Chasan-B, H-144, H-27, Kyoho, Muscat Hamburg, Punjab MACS Purple and Pusa Navrang). The seeds were separated manually to ascertain the potential of natural antioxidants and finding out the suitable genotype for cultivation. Among the evaluated coloured and white genotypes, the highest total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins (2.15 mg/100 g), hydroxyl radicals scavenging activity (57.29 %) and total antioxidants (76.21 %) were found in the seed extracts of Pusa Navrang. Further high nutraceutical properties of seeds were recorded with Pusa Navrang followed by H-27 due to the teinturier trait of berries, whereas other genotypes had pale juice color and lacked anthocyanins in the pulp and seeds. Pusa Navrang, Kyoho, and Sauvignon Blanc exhibited the highest enzymatic activities for phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase respectively. The high correlation coefficient (R²) between phenolic content and antioxidant activity was also recorded. This study valuable insights into the nutraceutical potential of various grape genotypes, offering opportunities to repurpose juice and wine industry byproducts into nutraceutical products. Such initiatives could enhance the economic benefits for grape growers.
Adilabad district is endowed with rich agro-biodiversity, and several heirloom cultivars of vegetables, such as Kashi tomato, are still cultivation to a limited extent. Compared to modern hybrids, realizing the full potential of the Kashi heirloom tomato cultivar requires a thorough understanding of its specific needs, particularly regarding plant support and nutrient management, as it is more susceptible to fruit rot and physiological disorders such as cat face, blossom end rot, sun scald, and radial cracking. A field experiment was conducted using different plant support systems, graded levels of organic manures along with recommended doses of fertilisers to improve fruit yield and quality. The study demonstrated that keeping heirloom tomato plants off the ground through staking or trellising enhances fruit yield and quality. The trellis plant support system, with the application of 25% Nitrogen (N) through Farm Yard Manure (FYM) + 75% of the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (RDF), resulted in a significantly higher fruit yield of 7.15 kg per plant and reduced the non-marketable fruit yield to 0.25 kg per plant furthermore, fruit quality improved with the application of 50% N through FYM + 50% RDF, showing enhanced fruit size and total soluble solids.
Phalsa an underutilized fruit-bearing shrub of the family Malvaceae, possesses immense potential for diversification of sustainable horticulture and nutritional security, particularly in marginal and degraded lands yet remains neglected in mainstream horticulture. The present study assessed the potential climatic suitability of phalsa cultivation in India using Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) based on the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm integrated with DIVA-GIS. Seventy-five geo-referenced occurrence points were collected from six districts of Telangana, representing semi-arid agro-ecosystems, and analyzed with nineteen bioclimatic variables derived from WorldClim data. The results identified extensive regions in central, southern, and eastern India particularly Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha as highly to moderately suitable for phalsa cultivation. The most influential environmental variable was precipitation of the driest month (Bio14). The findings provide a scientific basis for crop diversification, regional planning, and conservation strategies aimed at promoting phalsa cultivation in India’s changing climatic context.
The research was carried out to assess the quality of Darjeeling Mandarin fruits through various morphological, physicochemical and biochemical parameters in a comparative manner. Mandarin samples were collected from farmer’s orchards located in places of Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills such as Mirik, Mungpoo, Sittong, and Samsing. Comparatively, samples from Silugaon, Mirik had the superior fruit weight, pulp weight, juice volume and vitamin C; Mungpoo samples showed higher peel weight, number of segments, number of seeds, total soluble solids (TSS) and total phenolic content; while lower values of such parameters were recorded for Sittong-1 samples. Peel thickness is an important character of citrus fruits that determines the mechanical protection and flavor. In this study, the peel thickness was measured to be in a range of 1.82 – 2.97 mm. TSS was found in a range of 9.61º-13.8ºBrix which is quite acceptable as per previous reported standard (>8ºBrix). The recorded pH values (3.95 – 4.14) were not satisfactory which revealed a higher acidic level in fruits as per consumer acceptability (>4.35 pH). Significantly higher phenolic content was recorded for samples collected from Mungpoo, Darjeeling. The location-based correlation analysis showed that all samples were positively correlated (>96% similarity) with each other. Principal component analysis revealed clear location-specific differentiation among the mandarin samples, identifying Labda for superior nutraceutical traits and Sittong-1 for yield-related attributes, thereby supporting targeted breeding and site-specific cultivation under the Himalayan conditions.
Cabbage though nutritionally rich, often lacks adequate micronutrient enrichment under conventionalcultivation. A field experiment conducted during rabi 2020 and 2021 at the College of Horticulture, Bidar (UHSBagalkot), evaluated foliar application of ZnSO4, FeSO4, MgSO4 and calcium nitrate under a Randomized CompleteBlock Design (11 treatments, 3 replications). Micronutrients were applied individually and in combinations at 30,45 and 60 days after transplanting along with recommended fertilizers. Results showed significant improvementsin growth, yield, quality and economic returns. The combined application of ZnSO4 + FeSO4 + MgSO4 + calciumnitrate at lower concentrations (T9) recorded the highest head yield (32.41 t ha-¹), vitamin C (35.17 mg 100 g-¹),protein (5.57%) and net returns (₹1.27 lakh ha-¹). Among individual treatments, FeSO4 at 1% (T6) producedsuperior yield (27.13 t ha-¹). The study confirms that foliar-based agronomic biofortification effectively enhancesproductivity, nutritional quality and profitability of cabbage.
The study evaluated 24 indigenous cashew genotypes along with the check variety Vengurla-4 in the Bastar Plateau region of Chhattisgarh, India, to assess genetic variability, heritability, and trait associations for yield and quality improvement. Significant genotypic differences were observed for vegetative, reproductive and nut quality traits over two consecutive years (2023–24 and 2024–25). Moderate genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation were recorded for nut weight (20.84%, 20.98%), apple weight (25.71%, 26.35%) and nut yield tree-1 (20.01%, 20.61%), indicating substantial genetic variability. Broad-sense heritability was highest for nut weight (98.60%), apple weight (95.20%) and shelling percentage (98.00%), suggesting strong additive gene effects. A significant genetic advance as percentage of the mean was noted for apple weight (51.66%), nut weight (42.62%) and nut yield (40.03%). Nut yield tree-1 showed a strong positive correlation with number of nuts panicle-1 (r = 0.925) and fruit set (r = 0.789), while nut weight was positively associated with apple weight (r = 0.709). The study identified key traits like nut weight, kernel weight, shelling percentage and canopy size as ideal for direct selection to improve nut yield and nut quality. Indigenous genotypes having potential traits with high heritability and genetic advance can serve as potential donors for breeding plan targeting, high nut yield, bold nut and high-density planting for sustainable cashew cultivation in plateau regions.
The investigation was carried out during 2023-24 and 24-25 at the Fruit orchard, Department of Fruit Science, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda to find out the effect of spray of plant growth regulators and micronutrients on growth, yield and fruit quality of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco.). The experimental design was set up in RBD having ten treatments and three replications. Among all the treatments, treatment T9 - [2,4-D (15ppm) + ZnSO4 (0.4%) + FeSO4 (0.4%)] recorded maximum increment in plant height (61.70 cm), increase in trunk girth (2.91 cm), increase in shoot diameter (1.36 cm), LAI (9.78), fruit set (69.54 %), fruit retention (75.28%), fruit yield (51.32 kg/plant), average fruit weight (191.45 g), fruit width (7.99 cm), TSS (13.89 oB), reducing sugars (5.59 %), non-reducing sugars (5.10 %), total sugars (10.95 %), ascorbic acid content (48.40 mg/100g), juice content (49.73%), and minimum fruit drop (24.51%), rind thickness (3.06 mm), rind weight (50.52 g/fruit) and titratable acidity (0.56%). However, the earliest time of bud break (2-10 February), time of fruit set (3-14 March) and maximum fruit length (6.53 cm) were observed with the treatment T10 - [GA3 (15ppm) + ZnSO4 (0.4%) + FeSO4 (0.4%)]. Based on the findings, the combined application of 2,4-D (15 ppm) + ZnSO4 (0.4%) + FeSO4 (0.4%) can be recommended for improving overall productivity and fruit quality of kinnow mandarin under similar agro-climatic conditions.
The present study aimed to standardize the time and method of grafting in custard apple cv. Balanagar under Bundelkhand conditions. The experiment was conducted at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, during 2022, using a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) with twelve treatment combinations and three replications. The study evaluated the effect of grafting time and method on graft success, vegetative growth, and biomass accumulation. Grafting performed in the 3rd week of February consistently resulted in superior performance, recording the highest graft sprouting (18.50), graft success (92.50%), and survival (81.67%), along with maximum shoot number, shoot length, leaf production, and leaf area (25.62 cm²) at 30, 60, and 90 days after grafting. Wedge grafting outperformed side grafting, showing faster sprouting (15.61 days), higher success (80.56%), and improved vegetative growth. The combination of wedge grafting during the 3rd week of February produced the best overall results with maximum graft success (93.33%) and vigorous shoot and leaf development. These findings suggest that wedge grafting in the 3rd week of February is the most effective strategy for achieving high graft success, survival, and growth of custard apple cv. Balanagar in the semi-arid Bundelkhand region.
This study investigated the effect of various pre-treatments on the physicochemical properties of dried wafers prepared from taro cultivars, commonly grown in wasteland areas. Various pretreatments like blanching with water at 80°C and steam for 4 minutes, and immersion in a 0.1% citric acid solution were applied, followed by drying at 50°C and 60°C, respectively in a cabinet dryer. All pretreated dehydrated slices exhibited moisture levels below (10%), which is satisfactory for prolonged storage. The best rehydration ratio (2.72) and the lowest reducing sugar (2.29%) were observed in the samples pretreated with hot water-blanching and dried at 60°C. On the other hand, the highest ascorbic acid and total phenol were found in the untreated (control) sample. As pretreatments before drying affect physical parameters of dried taro chips, the best pretreatment should be used to produce high-quality end products. Wafers that were treated with hot water blanching produced better results compared to the untreated (control) because water blanched helps with colour improvement and reduction of reduced sugar level. The sensory analysis of the fried wafers revealed that the hot water blanched sample received the highest overall acceptability score (8.14) on the 9-point hedonic scale, which was substantially higher in comparison to the control sample.
Tuberose is an economically important ornamental crop valued for its fragrant flowers used in the cut flower trade and perfume industry. The present study was conducted at the Horticulture Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur, from May 2022 to March 2023. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with four levels of vermiwash (0, 50, 100, and 150 ml/L) and four levels of potassium nitrate (0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%), replicated thrice. Foliar application of vermiwash at 150 ml/L combined with potassium nitrate at 1.5% significantly enhanced plant height, number of leaves, and leaf area at 50% flowering. This treatment also induced early spike initiation, floret opening, and flowering, and recorded the highest spike and floret yield. Floret length and diameter were also significantly improved. The combined treatment V4P3 proved most effective for improving growth, yield, and quality of tuberose cv. Prajwal
The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of integrated organic nutrient management practices on growth, flowering and yield attributes of guava. The result revealed that among the treatments, T₉ [Vermicompost (1 kg/tree) + Mulching with dry leaves + Panchagavya (5%) + PSB culture (50 g/tree) + Azotobacter (50 g/tree)] recorded maximum plant height increment (0.72 m), trunk girth (64.57 cm), shoot length (50.49 cm), number of leaves per shoot (48.83), fruit retention (51.93%) and yield per plant (53.80 kg/tree). Correlation analysis revealed strong positive association of vegetative growth traits and fruit retention with yield. Principal Component Analysis indicated that the first three principal components contributed 78.64 per cent of total variability, with plant height increment, trunk girth, shoot length, fruit retention and yield per plant contributing maximum towards PC1. The study concluded that integrated application of vermicompost, bioenhancers, mulching and biofertilizers significantly improved vegetative growth, flowering, fruit retention and yield of guava cv. L-49 under sustainable production systems.
Graded levels of potassium significantly influenced the growth, yield, quality, and economic returns of fenugreek, highlighting its critical role in optimizing crop productivity and profitability. The present investigation evaluated the impact of graded potassium levels on fenugreek growth, yield, quality, soil properties and economic returns during the Rabi season of 2023-24 at ICAR-KVK, Bangalore Rural (Karnataka). The field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block design with four replications having ten different combinations of potassium levels i.e. T1- [Absolute control]. T2- [PoP as per UAS (B)], T3- [T2 + potassium @ 10 kg ha-1], T4- [T2 + potassium @ 15 kg ha-1], T5- [T2 + potassium @ 20 kg ha-1], T6 – [T2 + potassium @ 25 kg ha-1] ,T7- [T2 + potassium @ 30 kg ha-1],T8- [T2 + potassium @ 35 kg ha-1],T9- [T2 + potassium @ 40 kg ha-1] and T10- [T2 + potassium @ 45 kg ha-1]. The results revealed that combination of recommended dose of fertilizers with 45 kg ha-1 potassium application (T10) significantly enhanced seed yield (1,745.75 kg ha-1), haulm yield (2,649.14 kg ha-1) and green leaf yield (6.72 t ha-1). Highest amount of crude protein (18.40%) and fibre content (7.85%) was observed with higher levels of potassium. Economic analysis revealed that T8 (35 kg ha-1 K) had the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.85) making it the most profitable treatment. The study underscores the vital role of potassium in optimizing fenugreek productivity and profitability.
This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of eight fruit species commonly grown in Vietnam, including guava, persimmon, banana, custard apple, longan, lemon, litchi, and mango. The results revealed substantial interspecific variation in nutritional components, amino acids, and minerals. Guava showed exceptionally high vitamin C (280.13 mg 100 g-¹) and protein (6.36%), while longan was remarkable for its vitamin B6 (24.42 mg 100 g-¹) and potassium (2.66%). Banana contained the highest starch (12.72%) and phosphorus (2.65%), confirming its role as an energy-rich fruit. Custard apple and mango exhibited higher lipid contents (6.32% and 7.98%), whereas litchi and custard apple were notable for cellulose (2.25% and 2.35%). Persimmon was rich in riboflavin (2.01 mg 100 g-¹), and lemon, despite its high-water content (92.98%), provided moderate vitamin C (67.32 mg 100 g-¹). Mineral analysis further identified guava and mango as valuable sources of calcium and iron, while longan contained the highest zinc (0.161%). These findings highlight the nutritional diversity of tropical fruits in Vietnam, emphasizing their complementary roles in human diets and their potential applications in community nutrition and functional food development.
A two-year field experiment (2022–23 and 2023–24) was conducted at HRS, Mondouri, BCKV, Nadia, West Bengal, India, to evaluate the effect of nano-formulated macro and micro nutrients integrated with conventional fertilizers in turmeric. The whole experiment was designed in RBD with three replications and eight treatments, including a control. Treatments involved three levels of N, P and K (100%, 75%, and 50%) combined with foliar application of nano NPK (0.4%) and nano Zn+Mn+Cu (0.4%) at 45 and 90 DAP. The maximum plant height (160.05 cm), tiller number (3.25), clump weight (442.40 g), plot yield (14.30 kg 3 m-2), dry recovery (24.45%), oleoresin (13.91%), and total phenols (72.14 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹) were recorded under application of 40% N + 75% P (basal) followed by 0.4% nano P at 45 DAP and 0.4% nano N+K+Zn+Mn+Cu at 45 and 90 DAP (T8). Plants receiving 40% N + 100% P basally with foliar 0.4% nano N+K+Zn+Mn+Cu at 45 and 90 DAP (T₄) recorded highest curcumin content (6.25%). The yield under control (100% NPK+ 0.4% nano Zn+Mn+Cu) was 10.57 kg 3 m-2. Based on the growth, yield and quality T8 is the best treatment.
A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of fly ash (FA) amended with farmyard manure (FYM) on the growth, floral attributes, and soil properties of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cultivated in partially sodic soil. Fly ash, an industrial by-product generated from thermal power plants, was integrated with FYM to assess its potential as a soil ameliorant and nutrient source. The combined application of FA and FYM significantly enhanced key floral parameters, including number of spikes per plant, rachis length, number of florets per spike, and flower yield per plant during both years of study. Soil chemical and biological properties were also evaluated to determine the impact of amendments on soil health. The manure-amended FA treatment significantly reduced soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), indicating improvement in sodicity and salt stress conditions. Furthermore, soil enzyme activities—dehydrogenase, β-glycosidase, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase—were markedly increased, reflecting enhanced microbial activity and nutrient cycling. The results demonstrate that FA enriched with FYM can effectively improve plant growth, floral yield, and soil biological activity in sodic soils. This integrated approach not only supports sustainable floricultural production but also promotes environmentally sound utilization of fly ash as a soil conditioner and reclamation agent.
Anthocyanidins, the sugar-free forms of anthocyanins, are key pigments responsible for red-to-blue colorationand antioxidant properties in fruits. Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace, a major by-product of wine production,consists largely of skin, seeds, and pulp residues, with the peel being a rich source of anthocyanidin pigments.These compounds play an important role in determining fruit colour and antioxidant activity in fruits. Therefore,this study was undertaken to analyse the anthocyanidin composition of the peel of seven grape genotypes. Theexperiment was conducted at KITS, Coimbatore, using a randomised block design with seven treatments, eachreplicated thrice. Significant variation in anthocyanidin content was observed among the studied genotypes.Manjari Medika recorded the highest cyanidin-3-glucoside (366.17 mg/L), delphinidin-3-glucoside (364.5 mg/L),and peonidin-3-glucoside (622.24 mg/L), while H-516 exhibited maximum malvidin-3-glucoside (566.29 mg/L),pelargonidin-3-glucoside (459.69 mg/L), and petunidin-3-glucoside (325.96 mg/L). These findings indicategenotype-dependent variation in pigment composition. This study demonstrates the potential of grape peel asa natural source of anthocyanidin pigments for applications in food processing and nutraceutical industries.
The present investigation was carried out during two consecutive years (2021-22 and 2022-23) on twelve mango (Mangifera indica L.) genotypes from an 8–10-year-old orchard to evaluate morphological and quality traits and assess genetic diversity. Fruits were harvested based on maturity indices such as skin color, flesh color and aroma, with undamaged fruits selected for evaluation. A total of 192 fruits representing 48 treatments were analyzed under a Randomized Block Design (RBD). The genotypes studied included Ambika, Pusa Arunima, Dashehari-51, Kesar, Pusa Surya, Mallika, Amrapali, Burma Surakha, Neelum Chausa, Mithua Malda, Rataul and Saurav. Multivariate analysis through Mahalanobis D² statistics and Tocher’s method was employed to classify genotypes into distinct clusters. Pooled data over two years revealed four clusters, with Cluster IV recording the highest mean fruit yield per tree (338.31 fruits), followed by Cluster II (268.15) and Cluster III (234.85). The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between Cluster IV and Cluster II (D=9.789), indicating substantial genetic divergence, while intra-cluster distance ranged from 0.01 (Cluster IV) to 3.114 (Cluster I). Cluster I, comprising six genotypes, exhibited the highest intra-cluster diversity. Based on inter-cluster distances, hybridization between Cluster IV (Amrapali) and Cluster II (Kesar, Burma Surakha and Rataul) is suggested to exploit heterosis and develop superior recombinants. The findings highlight significant genetic diversity among mango genotypes, providing useful information for selecting promising parents in breeding programs aimed at enhancing yield and quality attributes.
