Hydrogen sulphide (H2 S) has emerged as a gasotransmitter molecule that modulates several physiological functions in plants, specially, different biotic and abiotic stresses. Pointed gourd (PG) fruits start losing their soft texture and appealing colour within 2-3 days of harvest, resulting in poor marketability and shelf life. Here, the effect of exogenous H2 S (1 and 2 mm) application on lignification and other biochemical markers linked to ripening, shelf-life and edible quality of PG was assessed during cold (12 °C, 85-90% RH) and ambient (27 ± 2 °C, 55 ± 5% RH) storage. The synergistic effect of H2 S was recorded during simulated storage at ambient conditions. Postharvest H2 S treatment (1 mm) effectively delayed yellowing and chlorophyll loss (four-fold reduction) and maintained the phenolic content and higher antioxidant activity (36%). The H2 S-treated PG fruits had significantly lower lignification and membrane permeability i.e. 15% and 13%, respectively, than control samples. H2 S-treated fruit also maintained higher PAL and lower PPO activity. Therefore, postharvest application of H2 S (2 mm) could be effective in maintaining postharvest quality of PG fruits and extending the marketing period.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2 S) has emerged as a potential regulator of plant defence against different abiotic stresses. As a climacteric fruit, banana undergoes oxidative stresses shortly after harvest, resulting in faster ripening and senescence. This work examines the effects of vacuum infiltrated H2 S on ripening inhibition of banana. Banana fruits were vacuum infiltrated with 1 mm H2 S. Effects on oxidative stress markers, physiological changes, bioactive compounds and antioxidant potentials were examined during storage at 25 °C and 75-80% RH. Results indicate that treated fruits were less affected by oxidative stress, as evident by lower accumulation of ROS (superoxide and peroxide ions), elevated phenols content and antioxidant capacity. The ripening inhibitory effects of H2 S delayed chlorophyll loss and reduced ethylene and CO2 production. H2 S infiltration also reduced MDA accumulation and electrolytic leakage, resulting in longer shelf life. Vacuum infiltration with H2 S had a protective effect on postharvest banana through overcoming the deleterious effect of ROS and strengthening antioxidant potential. Thus, this method could be promising for enhanced preservation of banana during storage.

The variability affecting the main agronomic traits of 10 snake melon genotypes (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus L.) (three F1 hybrids, six breeding lines and the widely grown and consumed traditional cultivar Mornagui), grown under greenhouse conditions during 2014 and 2015 seasons, was examined and compared. Their resistance to powdery mildew was also checked. The main production-driving agronomic traits varied significantly (P<0.05) depending on the genotype. The major skin colour determined visually was different among the considered genotypes. The hybrids (H5 and H12) and the breeding lines (L1, L2, L5, L6 and L9) had dark green skin. The fruits of the hybrid H7 were dark and light green and the breeding line L4 has intense and dark green fruits whereas cv. Mornagui was characterized by medium light green fruits. Regarding fruit shape, the hybrids H7 and H5 produced straight fruits whereas the hybrid H12 and the breeding lines; L2, L4, L5, and L9 and the cv Mornagui had elongate fruits. However both breeding lines L1 and L6 were characterized by straight elongate fruits. The F1 hybrid H5 was the most productive (3.6 Kg/plant and ≈ 21 fruits/plant for total yield and number of fruit/plant respectively). These findings are useful for further breeding programs aiming to develop new powdery mildew resistant snake melon cultivars with satisfying agronomic traits.

This study reports the variability affecting the main antioxidant components and the antioxidant activities of three F1 hybrids (KP7, LP5 and XP12), six breeding lines (L1P3, L2P4, L4P18, L5P10, L6P4, L9P1) of snake melon ( Cucumis melo var. flexuosus L.) and the widely grown and consumed cultivar Mornagui grown under greenhouse during the seasons 2014 and 2015 . The functional quality varied significantly (P < 0.05) depending on the cultivar. The F1 hybrid LP5 was the richest cultivar in total phenols (47.6 mg GAE/kg fw). The breeding line L4P18 was characterized by a peak of total carotenoids (36.1 mg β-Ca. E/kg fw) and flavonoids (231.6 mg RE/kg fw), while L9P1 ranked first for ascorbic acid (AsA) (146.0 mg/kg fw), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) (231.2 mg/kg fw) and total vitamin C (377.2 mg/kg fw). The antioxidant activity of the hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions were greater in XP12 and L2P4 (˃215 µM Trolox/100 g fw) and L1P3 (458.2 µM Trolox/100 g fw) than all other genotypes. These findings are useful for 1) researchers targeting the development of snake melon cultivars with satisfying functional quality and 2) consumers searching for alternative sources of natural antioxidants.

The present study made a modest attempt to compare the income of the mango farmers from different sources and estimate the costs and returns of mango production in the study area. Data was collected from ninety mango growers from six villages of Bhagalpur district of Bihar following multi-stage sampling technique. The cost of cultivation of mango was estimated adopted the standard methodology as per CACP. Discounted cash flow, NPW, B-C ratio and IRR technique was employed to evaluate the investment analysis of mango. Majority of the sample farmers (56.67%) earned their livelihood from non-agricultural and agricultural activities as well, whereas rest of them entirely dependent on agricultural and allied activities. The sample farm household earned Rs. 4.37 lakh/ annum on an average in last year in which Rs. 2.55 lakh (58.35%) was earned from agricultural activities and Rs. 1.82 lakh (41.65%) from non agricultural activities. The mango farmers generated net returns of Rs. 72,620 per acre on an average. The cost of human labour, amortized cost of initial investment, cost of irrigation and cost of plant protection chemicals were the major cost items contributing 31.69 , 21.58 , 14.21 and 12.57 per cent, respectively. The B-C ratio of mango production was 2.60 with an internal rate of return 27.13 per cent.

Statistical inference is basically drawing of valid statistical conclusions about the population characteristics on the basis of a sample drawn from the population in a systematic manner. Two important problems in statistical inference are: estimation and testing of hypothesis. A point estimator is a sample statistic, which is used to estimate a population parameter. A particular numerical value of the point estimator is known as the estimate of the population parameter. 'Completeness' of a statistic, in the context of a given probability family, is a property of the estimator that guarantees that the unbiased estimator is unique which may be written as a function of a sufficient statistic; this estimator is then automatically the Uniform Minimum Variance Unbiased Estimator. The method of maximum likelihood is widely regarded as the best general method of finding estimators. Moment method is easy to employ and usually provides consistent estimators for respective parameters.

The present work intends to put emphasis on the role of several auxiliary variables on both the occasions to improve the precision of estimates at current occasion in two-occasion successive sampling. Utilizing the readily available information on several auxiliary variables on both occasions and the information on study variable from the previous occasion, an efficient estimation procedure of population mean on current occasion has been suggested. Optimum replacement strategy and the efficiencies of the proposed estimator have been discussed. Empirical studies are carried out, and appropriate recommendations have been put forward for practical applications.

The problem of estimation of finite population mean on the current occasion in two-occasion successive sampling has been considered. Utilizing all the readily available information from first and second occasions, an efficient estimation procedure has been suggested. Optimum replacement policy relevant to the proposed estimation procedure has been discussed. A proposed estimator is compared with natural estimators and suitable recommendations have been made.

This paper considers the problem of estimation of the population mean of the study character under ratio method of imputation when some observations in the sample data are missing at random and the information on an auxiliary variable is readily available on both the occasions in two-occasion successive sampling. Estimator for the population mean on the second (current) has been proposed and the expressions of bias and mean square error are derived. Special cases and optimum replacement policies are discussed. Empirical studies are carried out and recommendations are made.

The present work shows the efficient use of exponential method of estimation of current population mean in two-occasion successive sampling. Utilizing the information on two auxiliary variables which are readily available on both occasions and have positive and negative correlations with study variables besides the information on study variable from the previous occasion, efficient estimators of population mean of study variable on the current occasion have been proposed. Behaviors of the proposed estimators have been studied and compared with the sample mean estimator when there is no matching from the previous occasion and the natural successive sampling estimator, which is a linear combination of the means of the matched and unmatched portion of the sample at the current (second) occasion. Optimum replacement policies are discussed and empirical studies are carried out to show the dominance of the proposed estimator.