An experiment was conducted at the Division of Vegetable Crops, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, aimed tocharacterize 480 indigenous and exotic brinjal accessions received from the National Genebank, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi. A lot ofvariability was observed for agro-morphological traits recorded such as mean plant height (88.80 cm), plant spread (53.25 cm),number of primary branches 5.0, leaf length 19.26 cm, leaf width 13.03 cm, days to fifty per cent flowering 50.00, fruit length 11.18 cm,fruit breadth 4.83 cm, number of fruits per plant 14, average fruit weight 80.15 g, yield per plant 1.13 kg and 100 seed weight 0.5 g. ThePrincipal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated 100% of the total variation based on 12 phenotypic traits. There was a significantpositive relationship found among the fruit characters. The majority of the characters studied had high PCV, GCV, heritability, andGAM levels. The brinjal accessions, such as EC316273-X, EC-396492, EC-467275, IC-0090851, IC-0090891-Z, IC-0090858, IC-0090898,EC-384615, IC-0090762, IC-0090774 and IC-090922-X had shown high variability for quantitative characters.
Traditional aromatic and quality rice (Oryza sativa L.)landraces from eastern India harbour valuable grain quality traits, yet their agromorphological diversity and fragrance genetics remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated 183 accessions from theIndian National GeneBank to characterize phenotypic variation and assess allelic diversity at the BADH2 fragrance locus. Twenty-twoagro-morphological traits were recorded, aroma was assessed using the KOH test, and allele-specific PCR was employed to detect the8-bp functional deletion in exon 7 of BADH2. The accessions exhibited wide phenotypic variation, particularly in grain length, grainwidth, kernel shape, and pigmentation traits. Aroma profiling classified 42% of accessions as strongly aromatic and 36% asmoderately aromatic. Multiple-factor analysis and clustering showed weak state-wise structuring, indicating considerable overlapamong accessions, likely reflecting historical seed exchange. Genotyping showed that 31% of accessions carried the homozygousaromatic allele; however, a substantial proportion of aromatic accessions lacked the deletion, suggesting that additional geneticfactors may contribute to fragrance in this germplasm. These findings highlight the diversity of agro-morphological and aroma-related traits in eastern Indian rice and provide a useful baseline for future genetic studies and quality-oriented breedingprogrammes, as well as for the conservation and utilization of the aromatic landraces.
The adoption of genetically modified canola in 1995 in Western Canada was done to improve the control of weeds during cropproduction. Thirty years later, Western Canadian agriculture has witnessed a complete transformation, whereby the use ofsummerfallow as the leading form of weed control has virtually disappeared, to be replaced by continuous cropping, zero orminimum tillage land management practices. Of course there are trade-offs. The removal of tillage practices has increased soilmoisture conservation and reduced soil erosion, but it has also resulted in an increase in herbicide applications. However, theenvironmental impact from the current suite of herbicides applied are considerably lower than previous ones, which often requiredsoil incorporation instead of foliar application. All food production practices have impacts on the environment and biodiversity,however, the key is to identify best practices that contribute to increased production coupled with a lower environmental footprint.This article reviews the transition that Western Canadian agriculture has undergone over the past 30 years, highlighting the benefitsfor the environment and biodiversity.
Code Paroda, narrated by Dr Rajendra Singh Paroda to authors Sanjay Kumar and Arun Tiwari, is at once a personal memoir, an institutional history, and a sustained meditation on the purpose and practice of public agricultural science in India. Organised in four parts — “Making of the Man,” “At the Helm,” “Ascend,” and “Legacy” — the book covers, across 422 pages, a professional life that began in the agrarian landscape of Rajasthan in 1942 and has engaged with nearly every significant institution and policy development in Indian agricultural research across seven decades. It is a book that will reward readers at multiple levels: agricultural scientists and students will find in it both a career model and a map of the research ecosystem; historians of science and policy scholars will find rich primary material on institutional decision-making across a formative period; and general readers with an interest in India’s development trajectory will find it an illuminating account of how a postcolonial nation built, tested, and gradually transformed its scientific infrastructure for food and agriculture.
Heat stress is a major constraint in barley production. In the present study, 92 genotypes of barley along with 8 checks were evaluatedfor heat tolerance at the seedling stage under in vitro conditions at three temperature regimes viz., 25°C (control), 30°C and 35°C. Thegenotypes were assessed for germination indices viz., germination percentage, speed of germination and seedling traits viz., rootlength, shoot length, seedling vigour index I and II. Tolerant genotypes exhibited higher germination percentage, root length, shootlength, seedling vigour index I and II at 30 and 35°C. Based on the hierarchical cluster analysis, nine heat-tolerant genotypes viz., BL1515, BL 1729, BL 1780, BL 1784, BL 1786, BL 1792, BL 1794, BL 1797 and IBYT-E24 and three heat-sensitive genotypes viz.,BL 1723, IBON23 and IBYT-E15 were identified. These heat-tolerant genotypes can be used as potential donors for developing heat-tolerant barley varieties in future breeding programs.
Dry direct seeded rice (DSR) grown in sub-tropical northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India is often exposed to multiple environmental stresses during germination phase, leading to poor crop establishment and productivity. Seed priming may help overcome these stresses by ensuring better crop germination and establishment. Present study was carried out during 2022 and 2023 to assess the effectiveness of priming agents viz. hydropriming, nanopriming (25 ppm ZnO nanoparticles), hormonal priming (50 ppm GA3), halopriming (1% KNO3) and ascorbic acid (100 ppm) priming in two rice cultivars under laboratory as well as dry direct seeded field conditions. All priming agents significantly improved seed germination and seedling growth, seedling length and seedling vigour under laboratory conditions and stand establishment of the crop in the field. Hormonal priming was found to be significantly superior to all the other treatments under laboratory conditions but all the priming agents were equally effective under field conditions. The priming increased number of panicles/m2 and ultimately grain yield of field crop significantly over the unprimed control obviously due to improvement in crop stand (number of plants/m2).
Pran is a condiment vegetable of the Kashmir region and belongs to family Alliaceae.Indigenous landraces of Alliums represent animportant reservoir of nutritional and functional diversity; however, they remain poorly characterized in many mountain agroecosystems. Pran also known as Kashmiri shallot (Allium x cornutum clementii ex vis.), is widely cultivated for its distinctive pungency and culinary value, yet comprehensive information on its biochemical attributes is not available. The present study aimed to characterize the antioxidant potential, nutritional composition, and quality traits of indigenous Pran genotypes collected fromdiverse agro-ecological regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Thirty Pran genotypes along with a commercial check were evaluated forantioxidant activity (DPPH radical scavenging), vitamin C, total phenols, dry matter, total soluble solids (TSS), pyruvic acid, and totalsugars. Significant genotypic variation (p≤0.05) was observed for all traits studied. Antioxidant activity ranged from 49.57 to 71.12%,vitamin C from 2.93 to 3.51 mg 100 g⁻¹, and total phenolics from 3.12 to 9.12 mg 100 g⁻¹. Dry matter and TSS varied from 13.20 to23.89% and 9.79 to 22.14 °Brix, respectively. Pyruvic acid content ranged from 4.34 to 5.33%, while total sugars varied between 5.71and 8.77%. Several genotypes exhibited superior performance across multiple biochemical and quality parameters, significantlyoutperforming the check. The pronounced biochemical diversity observed in Kashmiri Pran highlights its potential as a valuablegenetic resource for nutritional improvement, the development of functional foods, and the sustainable utilisation of Prangermplasm. The identified elite genotypes may serve as promising candidates for breeding programmes and conservation initiatives in temperate and high-altitude regions
Assessment of genetic diversity is pivotal to identify genotypes for the crop improvement programme in chilli. Therefore, the presentstudy was carried out to identify and characterise genetic variation among 45 chilli genotypes using Start Codon TargetedPolymorphism (SCoT) markers. Out of 18 primers, ten markers revealed significant polymorphism among the chilli accessions studied,with amplification ranging from 280 bp to 2.0 kb. A total of 81 alleles were obtained, ranging from 5 to 10 alleles, with an average of 8.1alleles per primer. Out of 81 alleles, sixty-two (76.54%) were found polymorphic in nature. The genetic similarity among the analysedgenotypes ranged from 24.2 to 100%. The UPGMA dendrogram was constructed to establish the genetic relationship among the chilligenotypes using Jaccard's coefficient. Cluster analyses grouped 45 genotypes into two major groups, which was also supported byprincipal coordinate analysis (PCoA). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed a significant estimated value at a degree of 999permutations. The percentage of variability was higher among populations (55%) than within populations (45%). The mean Nei'sgene diversity (h) was 0.2233 and the mean Shannon's Information Index (i) was 0.3470, with the highest of both given by the SCoT-7marker. The SCoT marker-based distinguishable genetic variation in the chilli genotypes may serve as a potential aid in chilliimprovement programme. It demonstrates the utility of SCoT markers for estimating molecular diversity and genotype identificationin chilli. This study also suggests the potential of SCoT markers in further association studies in chilli.
Among pulses, the mothbean is an important pulse crop of hot arid regions of India and adapts to extreme ecological niches,particularly extreme drought and hot climatic conditions. Being a pulse crop, it is a cheap source of vegetable protein for balancingthe nutritional deficiency, most commonly cultivated on less productive soils, on which, financially less equipped, a great portion ofpeople have been depending on their livelihood. A field experiment was conducted with 36 genotypes evaluated in a randomizedblock design, three replications during kharif 2020 at Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, to study thecorrelation and path coefficient analysis for seed yield and its component traits. Each genotype was sown in double rows of 3-meterlength and plant-to-plant distance at 12-15 cm. For each of the 26 traits studied, genotypes differed significantly. Seed yield per plantwas positively correlated with agro-morphological characters such as number of pods per plant and harvest index, as well asphysiological and seed characteristics such as chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll content, relative water content, bulkdensity, and particle/true density. Days to maturity, pod length, biological yield per plant, harvest index, bulk density, particle density,seedling vigour index at 40°C, and seedling dry weight at 40°C had a positive direct effect on seed yield in mothbean. This suggests astrong hereditary link between seed yield and these traits, indicating that selection for these features may improve mothbean yield.
Maize (Zea mays L.) landraces, meticulously selected and preserved by farmers over generations, represent invaluable reservoirs ofgenetic diversity, providing enhanced adaptability, superior quality traits, and resilience against various stresses. This study harnessedthe genetic potential of these traditional resources by collecting and evaluating 27 landraces, farmers' varieties, and cultivars fromdiverse agro-climatic regions. Key nutritional parameters, including protein, starch, and micronutrient content, as well as critical yieldrelated traits, were evaluated. The analysis revealed significant variation in grain colour, size, and nutritional composition, particularly for methionine, tryptophan, protein, starch, and β-carotene. Notable lines included HP Selection Kangra, Yellow op2 Composite, White op2 Composite, Kailer Solan, and Local 3, which exhibited superior levels of methionine (0.17%), tryptophan (0.052%), protein (11.95%), starch (69.62%), and β-carotene (6.24 ppm), respectively. Grain yield variability ranged from 0.42 to 4.78 t/ha, with significant differences observed in kernels per row (20–36) and thousand-kernel weight (139.80–359.83 g). Outstanding performers included JC 1455-1 for the highest grain yield (4.78 t/ha), Nadaun Selection for thousand-kernel weight (359.83 g), and JC 4 for kernels per row (36). These findings highlight the critical role of maize landraces as unique genetic resources for enhancing genetic diversity and trait improvement. The promising lines identified in this study offer a foundation for future genetic enhancement efforts, focusing on broadening the genetic base of maize and developing nutritionally enriched, high-yielding cultivars suited to diverse agro-ecologies.
An experiment was conducted during Kharif 2021 at Paddy Breeding Station (PBS), Coimbatore, Regional Research Station (RRS), Paiyur and Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (TRRI), Aduthurai and during Kharif 2022 at Paddy Breeding Station (PBS), Coimbatore to identify the stable donors and to determine the existence of maternal influence for grain protein content. The genetic diversity studies with a panel of 169 rice genotypes which included landraces and cultivated varieties revealed the significant variations for grain protein content in rice. The genotypes IG74, Gandhasala, Ponkambi samba, Purple puttu and Burma kavuni were found to be promising and stable genotypes with higher grain protein content (>10 %) across three locations. The genotypes IG74 and Gandhasala were found to be the best parents for breeding programme to enhance grain protein content together with grain yield. The maternal influence on grain protein content was observed which indicated that high protein donors could be recommended to be used as female parents.
Pulses are an important and affordable source of dietary protein, and the genus Vigna includes species with high agronomic and nutritional value. Seed dormancy, mainly controlled by seed coat hardness, is a key trait that affects germination, crop establishment, and management of genetic resources. In this study, we explored how macrosclereid length influences hard-seededness (Physical dormancy) in six Vigna species representing different levels of domestication: domesticated (V. mungo, V. radiata), semi-domesticated (V. stipulacea), and wild relatives (V. sublobata, V. silvestris, V. setulosa). We studied nineteen accessions for seed coat anatomy using a light microscope, and the data were analysed through ANOVA, Duncan’s test, and correlation analyses. We found a clear domestication-related pattern: domesticated species had smoother testa with shorter macrosclereids, wild species showed rough, thick-walled testa with longer macrosclereids, and the semi-domesticated species was intermediate. Macrosclereid length and seed hardness were negatively associated with germination. These results shed light on the structural basis of dormancy and provide guidance for germplasm conservation and breeding for improved seed permeability in Vigna.
The traditional cultivars need to be collected conserved and should be characterized to identify the desirable characters to be used in rice improvement. In this piece of study, 38 traditional rice varieties had been characterized based 18 quantitative traits following the guideline as outlined by PPV&FRA (2007) for rice. Quantitative characters showed high significant variations among the cultivars. The cultivars were classified into different categories for each quantitative character. Many cultivars were identified with desirable trait(s). KNS-2-D-3-1, KNS-2-D-5-1, KNS-2-D-11, KNS-2-D-5 and Kataribhog had high yield potential with many other advantageous traits. This study will be beneficial for breeders for selection of desirable cultivars for specific trait, researchers for conservation of different cultivars for further utilization in rice improvement and protection under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act (2001) and for farmers to select the appropriate traditional cultivars that possess multiple desirable characters for cultivation. Based on this DUS characterization, 10 traditional cultivars, namely Biru, Lal Bhog, Desi Pizam, Dhariyal, Dungru, Gujri Nunia, Kaishali, Lal Khaiyam, Lal Manshra, Loha Swarna, Mala Sundari, Nageswari, Sugandhi Dhepi, Swet Nunia have been submitted to PPV&FRA for registration.
A study was carried out to assess the genetic architecture of 36 genotypes of satputia. Fruit yield and fourteen yield contributing traitswere recorded from five plants at random. The mean performances of 36 satputia genotypes for yield and its attributing traits showedwide variation. The difference between the genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients was narrow for various traits. Thisindicates lesser influence of the environment in the expression of these traits and the presence of a strong inherent association among the traits. High heritability (%) estimates coupled with high genetic gain (%) were observed for fruit yield per plant (88.27, 72.08), number of fruits per plant (87.83, 53.60), average fruit weight (87.17, 45.41), number of primary branches (91.25, 46.73) and fruit diameter (79.15, 43.13), indicated that these traits are under additive gene effects, hence are more reliable for effective selection. The highest positive significant direct effect on yield was recorded by fruit length, followed by number of clusters per plant, node number of the first hermaphrodite flower and number of fruits/plant at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Therefore, direct selection for these traits would be worthwhile for the improvement of yield in satputia.
The performance of 23 sapota varieties/hybrids was tested for their ability to withstand seed borer Trymalitis margarias Meyrick atFruit Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Gandevi, Gujarat. The varietal deviation for five consecutive years (2015-16 to2019-20) showed that Kirthibarthi had a higher fruit infestation of 7.47% than the standard check Kalipatti (6.89%), as well as beingmore sensitive to DHS-2 (6.58%), CO-2 (6.56%), and Cricket balls (5.89%). In contrast, Chala collection-1, Chala collection-3, Chalacollection-2, Zumakhiya, CO-3 and CO-1, all exhibited infestation level less than 4%. Fruit damage intensity was highest during theinitial phase of fruit harvesting in December, reaching 8.64, 7.94, and 7.67% in Kirthibarthi, Kalipatti, and CO-2, respectively.Nonetheless, DHS-2 (8.54%) and Cricket ball (6.97%) suffered the most damage in February during the middle phase of fruitharvesting. However, a non-significant correlation was revealed between seed morphology viz., length, width and thickness, as wellas eight biochemical contents of the seed and pest infestation. Due to late flowering and ultimately fruiting initiation, escape-typeresistance was seen in less damaged sapota varieties/hybrids.
This study examines the conservation practices employed by mango custodian farmers in Uttar Pradesh, specifically targeting thosewho cultivate a minimum of ten mango varieties in their orchards. Data were collected on various motivational factors (personal,social, economic, cultural, environmental and policy) influencing on-farm mango diversity conservation from 101 mango farmers in23 districts of India. Results indicated that economic and personal incentives were the most driving factors for the farmers to conserveand maintain mango diversity. This research underscores the essential contribution of custodian farmers to the conservation ofmango diversity and the necessity for supportive policies that acknowledge farmers' roles in these conservation initiatives.Comprehending these motivational factors enables stakeholders to formulate effective strategies for improving on-farm biodiversityconservation in mango cultivation regions of Uttar Pradesh.
The genus Punica to which pomegranate belongs also has a miniature pomegranate 'Nana', which produces orange red flowers withpink pigmentation in the new foliage and it is often used for decorative purposes. We developed a yellow variant of 'Nana' byintrogressing the gene for yellow pigment from edible 'Kabul Yellow' variety. “Yellow Nana” was evaluated for 46 characters, includingmorphological and physico-chemical traits in comparison with Nana. The results showed the morphological similarity between'Yellow Nana' and 'Nana' except for flower, fruit and aril colour. Most distinguishable characters of the 'Yellow Nana' are the dwarf plant stature (0.8 m), miniature leaves, profuse yellow flowers with white petals, small yellow fruits (9.45 g weight) with tiny light yellow highly acidic arils (5.19%) and hard seeds in comparison to 'Nana'. 'Yellow Nana' can grow as a new ornamental pomegranate variety as it is phenotypically similar to 'Nana' variety except for flower and foliage colour.
In the present investigation, 40 Tulsi (Ocimum basilicum) genotypes were grown in RBD in the Research Area of Medicinal, Aromaticand Potential Crops Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The observationswere recorded for 17 quantitative traits. All the genotypes were grouped into 10 different clusters, demonstrating the presence ofgenetic divergence among the genotypes studied. The maximum intra-cluster distance was recorded for cluster VII and maximuminter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster II and cluster X. Relative contribution of diverse traits towards genetic diversityanalysis revealed that 1000 seed weight contributed maximum (41.41%) towards genetic divergence followed by number of spikesper plant (17.31%), fresh herbage yield per plant (13.46%) and oil content (10.77%). Based on the maximum mean performance forseed yield, number of primary branches, fresh as well as dry herbage yield, oil content and seed vigour index-I & II, the genotypes EC338772, EC 388890 and IC 326732 may be exploited in the breeding program for the development of novel improved cultivars of Tulsifor higher oil content, seed yield, and other economic traits.
Characterisation and evaluation of native germplasm are fundamental for facilitating genetic improvement, safeguarding varieties,and conserving biodiversity. In this study, thirty-two dahlia (Dahlia variabilis L.) genotypes were evaluated over two consecutive years(2022–23) and (2023–24) at the Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station (RHRTS) Dhaulakuan, Sirmour (H.P).Morphological characteristics (51) were used for the identification and grouping of dahlia genotypes. A set of 51 morphological traitswas used to distinguish and classify the genotypes in line with the DUS (Distinctiveness, Uniformity, Stability) testing frameworkdeveloped by RHRTS, Dhaulakuan, Sirmour, in collaboration with BCKV, Kalyani (West Bengal) funded by PPV & FRA, India. The DUScharacteristic profile was developed for all 32 genotypes, enabling clear varietal grouping and identification.
Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), a potential minor cereal crop cultivated primarily under shifting cultivation (Jhum) in northeastern hill region (NEH) of India. At the same time, a declining trend in crop cultivation has been observed over the years due to various reasons. Keeping this in view, an ethnobotanical study was conducted to document the traditional knowledge associated with Job’s tears and to understand the reasons for erosion from the area. Forty-five respondents belonging to twenty-six tribes of five states were interviewed during the study. Based on the information obtained, the crop is mainly grown to fulfill the basic requirements of food, fodder, medicine and various other purposes including local beverage. In addition to these, a local festival 'Mimkut' and folktale ‘the story of two brothers’ is also celebrated among the Kuki tribe. As per the information gathered during the survey, the cropped area and its diversity is declining rapidly due to changes in consumer preferences and land use patterns as well as the adoption of Christianity by the majority of the tribal communities.
