Ber (Ziziphus spp.) is an important fruit crop in arid and semi‑arid regions of India, valued for its nutritional, medicinal, and ecological significance. The Kachchh region of Gujarat, characterized by saline soils and extreme drought, provides a natural laboratory for studying adaptive traits in wild ber populations. Despite its importance, systematic evaluation of agro‑morphological and biochemical diversity in this germplasm has been limited. We hypothesized that wild ber landraces evolving under these extreme conditions possess unique morphological resilience and biochemical diversity. To test this, we assessed agro‑morphological variation among 30 collected germplasm Kachchh region of Gujarat using multivariate techniques. Germplasm were sampled across a spatial distance of 170 km mapping the Central and Western Kachchh ber-growing belt. Seventeen morphological and quality traits, including plant height, canopy spread, branch number, leaf area, fruit dimensions, weight, and total soluble solids (TSS), were measured. Descriptive statistics showed broad phenotypic dispersion: plant height ranged from 144 to 455 cm; canopy volume varied from 0.58 to 8.34 m3; leaf area from 1.38 to 9.76 cm2, and TSS ranged from 3.40 to 17.50°Brix. Fruit length, width, and 5-fruit weight displayed moderate variability. Principal component analysis reduced the 17 traits to four components, explaining 85.55

Powdery mildew (PM), caused by Erysiphe pisi DC ex. Saint-Amans, poses a major constraint in pea cultivation, underscoring the identification of resistant genotypes for effective disease management. The current study employed in-vitro, in-vivo, and molecular screening methods to assess the PM reaction behaviour of 11 pea genotypes aiming to identify reliable resistance source. Field assessments during two crop growth phases were carried out at two locations namely Hawalbagh (Almora) and Mukteshwar (Nainital). Among the genotypes tested VP-2020-101 and VP- 2024-55 were categorised as resistant and showed the lowest disease severity at both locations, with significantly limited Disease Incidence (DI) and Percent Disease Index (PDI). These results were corroborated by detached leaf method assay conducted under polyhouse (spore proof chamber) and incubator conditions, where VP-2020-101 and VP- 2024-55 consistently showed minimal sporulation macroscopically and sparse mycelial development microscopically. Molecular validation with gene-specific SCAR markers revealed the presence of resistance genes viz. er1, er2, and Er3 in VP-2020-101, while VP- 2024-55 carried only er1. Marker ScOPE-161600 relaibly tracked er1, while ScOPX-171400 and ScW4637 confirmed the presence of er2 and Er3, respectively. Integrating phen-c and geno-typic data strongly supports VP-2020-101 as a promising donor genotype for pyramiding powdery mildew resistance in the popular garden pea cultivars/genotypes. These findings demonstrate the importance of integrated disease screening approaches to precisely identify robust sources of durable resistance facilitating their effective deployment in future pea breeding programs.

Purple blotch, caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cifferi, is one of the most destructive fungal foliar disease of onions globally. Development of cultivars exhibiting enhanced genetic resistance to biotic stressors is the most effective, economical, and environmentally sustainable way of management. Nonetheless, very few efforts have been undertaken to identify or delineate a purple blotch resistant region within the onion genome. A single dominant gene, named ApR1, has been identified as responsible for conferring resistance to purple blotch disease. Markers like SSRs (AcSSR7) STS (ApR-450), and SNPs (ApRsnip5, ApRsnip21, and ApRsnip23) have been documented being associated with resistance genes across various mapping populations. Genetic markers associated with the disease resistance gene enhance the breeding process, facilitating the implementation of Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) to achieve comprehensive purple blotch resistance in onions. For the complete understanding of the disease resistance, transcriptomic investigation is necessary to identify purple blotch resistant genes by gene annotation and mining, for crop enhancement.

The genetic diversity of Cyclanthera pedata was assessed through agro-morphological, mineral composition and biochemical traits. Field surveys across India documented its wide ecological distribution (18.66 degrees-31.02 degrees N, 78.05 degrees-83.27 degrees E, 131-3665 m AMSL) in Andhra Pradesh and northwest Himalayan region. Field evaluations were conducted during Kharif 2021 and 2022 at ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora (1250 m AMSL). Significant genotypic variation was observed in fruit yield (195-1505 g/plant), fruit numbers (36-364 per plant), chlorophyll content (0.49-2.61 mu g/g) and antioxidant activities (16.02-39.04 mM Trolox equivalent/g DW). Notable genotypes included RK-40 (highest yield of 1505 g/plant), RK-01 (early flowering) and RK-33 (early fruiting). High coefficients of variation (>23%) were noted in total chlorophyll, carotenoids and FRAP values. Genotype RK-42 excelled in antioxidant activities and carotenoids. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the germplasm into four clusters based on critical traits independent of geographic origin. In contrast, principal component analysis identified traits like polyphenols, antioxidants, seed weight and fruit yield as significant contributors to phenotypic variation. The biplot revealed relationships between traits, such as positive correlations between fruit yield, fruit and pulp weight, and biochemical traits like DPPH and ABTS. Genotypes such as IC 430006, IC 356007, IC 393261, IC 393308, UKAl 1 and IC 361297 display distinct profiles. These findings highlight critical traits for breeding and conservation efforts, particularly for enhancing fruit yield and biochemical attributes in C. pedata germplasm.

This study evaluated the genetic diversity of Indian long-day garlic genotypes based on agro-morphological and biochemical traits. A significant variation was observed across 23 traits, indicating high genetic diversity. Key traits such as bulb weight and 20-clove weight, leaf thickness, and clove showed substantial variability and antioxidant properties highlighted the potential for developing high-quality garlic varieties. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 94 genotypes into four clusters based on key traits, emphasizing their utility for breeding programs. Genotypes VGS-55 and VGS-43 excelled in growth traits, while VGS-51 and VGS-49 demonstrated superior biochemical content. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first two components accounted for 40.73% of the total variability, with yield-promoting traits dominating PC1 and biochemical traits influencing PC3. Trait association studies indicated strong positive correlations between bulb yield and traits like bulb weight (r=0.97 ***) and equatorial diameter (r=0.73 ***), whereas no significant association was observed between bulb yield and biochemical traits. These findings underscore the immense genetic potential within Indian garlic germplasm for breeding programs targeting higher yields and improved biochemical traits, catering to the increasing demand for both bulbs and fresh garlic leaves in India.

Understanding phenotypic diversity and identifying male-sterile lines in different genetic backgrounds are crucial for onion hybrid breeding. Molecular markers specific to male sterility and pollen viability assist in the accurate identification of male-sterile lines for effective hybrid development. Forty-three onion genotypes were evaluated for agro-morphological variation, pollen viability, and molecular characterization of cytoplasm type and Ms locus. Substantial variability was observed for traits such as bulb weight (30–58.61 g), neck thickness (0.5–1.31 cm), TSS (10–19.6°Brix), days to maturity (125–148), and total yield (94.20–355.22 q/ha). VLRP 39 exhibited the highest yield among all genotypes. Mahalanobis D² and k-means clustering grouped genotypes into two major cluster and three clusters respectively. indicating diverse genetic backgrounds. Molecular analysis using the OSN/Cob marker showed variation in cytoplasm type, 11 genotypes had normal (N), 18 had sterile (S), and 14 genotypes had both N and S types. Genotyping of the Ms locus using the OPT marker identified 31.63

The study assessed the effectiveness of scientific cultivation techniques for sesame using improved varieties GT-4 and GJT-5 during 2021–2022 in Anjar, Bhuj, and Nakhatrana talukas of Kachchh district, Gujarat, India. Conducted over 11.6 hectares through 29 demonstrations by ICAR-CAZRI and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhuj, India. The demonstration trials addressed the region’s saline-alkaline sandy soils with pH levels ranging from 8.5 to 9.2 and significant nutrient deficiencies. Sesame was sown between mid-February and early March and harvested from late April to early May. Improved practices included using high-yielding varieties, seed treatment, timely sowing, line sowing, recommended fertilizer application, and integrated pest management. The demonstrations achieved a 17.18% increase in seed yield, with 941 kg ha-¹ compared to 803.5 kg ha-¹ from farmers’ traditional practices. Technological gaps of 300 kg ha-¹ over two years highlighted the need for better soil management, irrigation, and seed quality to achieve potential yields. Extension gaps, ranging from 124 to 151 kg ha-¹, emphasized the importance of farmer education in adopting advanced agricultural methods. The technology index declined to 17.49%, reflecting improved feasibility and adoption of the innovations over time. Economic analysis showed demonstration plots had higher net returns (` 44,406 ha-¹) and a superior benefit-cost ratio (2.85) compared to local practices (` 30,133 ha-¹; B:C ratio 2.57). Post-demonstration, significant adoption of improved practices such as field preparation, fertilizer application, and pest management was observed. This study underscores the role of CFLDs in enhancing sesame productivity, economic returns, and farmer adoption of modern agricultural practices in challenging agro-climatic conditions.

Grapes are a worldwide significant fruit, important for the wine industry, trade, and health benefits. Despite its significance, grape cultivation in India faces numerous biotic and abiotic challenges. Traditional breeding in this crop is very expensive, time-consuming and presents many technical obstacles. Since the plant has reproductive sterility, creating variability for these characteristics is possible only through induced mutation. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of gamma irradiation (0, 5, 15, 20 & 25 Gy) on morpho-physiological and biochemical traits of four in vitro raised wine grape genotypes (Pusa Navrang, H-76-1, Pearl of Csaba and Julesky Muscat). The gamma-irradiated shoot cultures were evaluated under in vitro and ex vitro conditions. All irradiation treatments affected growth traits. However, response was found to be genotypic and dose-dependent. The growth of irradiated cultures was stimulated at dose (5 Gy) less than LD50 dose, whereas, treatment of cultures with a dose higher than 15 Gy, reduced the growth and caused deformation in cultures. Based on plant growth and survival traits, 10 Gy was identified as LD50. Among the genotypes tested, Pusa Navrang exhibited good final recovery (10.43%) at high dose (20 Gy). However, genotype H-76-1 was found to be the most sensitive genotype to the higher dose (>15 Gy) of gamma irradiation. Amount of proline, total phenols and total sugars increased, while chlorophylls and carotenoids decreased irrespective of genotypes in response to gamma irradiation (>15 Gy). The results of present study will be very useful for future improvement of grapevine scion cultivars.

This study explores the influence of pollinator diversity, behavior, and species interactions on seed yield of coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L. [Umbelliferae Apiaceae]) over three consecutive years (2022–2024) at the Experimental Farm, ICAR‐VPKAS, Almora, Uttarakhand, India. A total of 46 insect pollinators from five orders were documented, with hymenopterans and dipterans emerging as the most diverse and dominant groups. Diversity and dominance indices, such as the Shannon and Simpson indices, were calculated to quantify the biodiversity, revealing a moderately diverse pollinator community with low species dominance. The open control treatments, where pollinators had unrestricted access to the flowers, recorded the highest seed yield, showing a 163% increase over closed controls, highlighting the critical role of insect pollinators in enhancing crop productivity. The synergistic interaction between Andrena spp. and Apis cerana indica Fabricius 1798 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) resulted in a significant yield enhancement of 117.1%, demonstrating the potential benefits of targeted pollinator management. Additionally, polyhouse studies utilizing A. c. indica showed that controlled pollination could achieve comparable yield improvements to field conditions, proving the feasibility of such approaches. Finally, the study highlights the importance of maintaining diverse pollinator communities and strategically leveraging species interactions to maximize coriander yield, offering valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices.

Sesame is one of the most important oilseed crops which play a major role in increasing the income of small and marginal farmers of the Kutch region of Gujarat. To promote the improved cultivation technology of sesame with high yielding variety ‘GT4’ and ‘GJT5’, 123 cluster front line demonstrations (CFLDs) were conducted in 63.2 ha area during summer, at ICAR-CAZRI, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kukma, Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat during summer 2017 to 2020. The four years data revealed that the average yield increased to 16.34% over the existing practice due to adoption of improved practice. The average technology gap, extension gap and technology index were 270.5 kg/ha, 121 kg/ha and 24.95%, respectively. Furthermore, the economics of the demonstrations and farmers practice showed an increased net return of ₹39,319/ha with benefit: cost ratio (BCR) of 2.47 in demonstrated plots over conventional plots where it was ₹30,700/ha and 2.19, respectively. By conducting front line demonstration of the proven technologies, yield potential of sesame crop could be enhanced to a greater extent with increase in the income level of the farming community.

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] is an often cross-pollinated crop with up to 19–42% of cross pollination assisted by insects and planned pollination may improve the economic fruit yield and biological parameters. The present study was carried out during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2021 and 2022 at Research Farm of ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Hawalbagh, Almora, Uttarakhand to assess the pollinator diversity and possible results (both biological and economical) of planned bee pollination. The study on floral visitors of okra recorded 28 insect spp. belonging to four insect orders, among which five spp., viz. Apis cerana indica (Fabricius) 1798, Apis mellifera (Linnaeus) 1758, Bombus haemorrhoidalis (Smith) 1852, Lithurgus atratus (Smith) 1853 and Xylocopa latipes (Drury) 1773 were predominant. The foraging activity and pollination behaviour showed that two non-Apis bee species (X. latipes and B. haemorrhoidalis) were swift flyers and visited more numbers of flowers per unit time. It was noticed that, peak period of pollinator’s visitation was between 9.00–11.00 h accounting to 113.76±7.65 insects/m2/10 min, during which stigma receptivity and pollen germination were at its peak. Assessment of yield related parameters of insect pollinated flowers showed superior quality fruits with better capsule length (17.4–20.9 cm), capsule girth (6.56–7.84 cm), seeds/capsule (51.4–60.6), test weight of 100-seeds (7.05–8.38 g) and even the seed yield (1.86–3.04 tonnes/hectare) than closed control and hand pollination (emasculated and cross pollinated). In conclusion, ecological engineering of okra fields enhances the pollination rate and ultimately the yield and seed quality.

Current emphasis on food supply, market value, and therapeutic use of underutilised crops makes Grewia tenax suitable for commercial production. Therefore, flowering biology and fruiting phenology study were carried out on field-established G. tenax plants in Kachchh, Gujarat, from February - March 2018. Flowers are scented and cream-white with yellow stamens and composed of 5 petals and sepals, an ovary and a style, 2 anther lobes and many anthers (66.33 ± 7.51). Bud initiation started in the last week of February and anthesis was observed after 6.40 ± 0.18 days of bud initiation. Flower anthesis start at 1130 h and is completed at 1330 h, with peak anthesis during 1215-1230 h in February. On an average, 15.55±0.98 and 19.55±0.98 days are required for fruit maturity and ripening. The study revealed that the fruit traits of the white cross berries, including fruit length and diameter, varied within the ranges of 4.93-6.69 mm and 4.06-5.91 mm, respectively. As there is limited information available on this species, these findings provide a foundation for further genetic research on white cross berries. This study can serve as a valuable resource for future investigations aiming to enhance our understanding of the genetic makeup of this species and potentially improve its fruit traits through breeding programs.

A morphological and quality analysis of 64 global core collections of cactus genotypes was conducted using 30 growth and fodder quality traits. Results indicated a high coefficient of variation for primary cladode perimeter (91.0%), root fresh weight (50.8%), and number of cladodes per plant (47.7%). The length, width, and thickness of the primary cladode ranged between 14.4 to 53.9 cm, 5.0 to 13.7 cm, and 1.5 to 4.3 cm, respectively. Principal component analysis showed a 77.6% variation in the first 10 major components with an eigenvalue > 1.0. The first and second principal components explained 18.5% and 14.8% of the total variation, respectively. The fresh weight of the shoot was positively correlated with the dry weight of the shoot (0.72), dry weight of the root (0.48), root length (0.38), and fresh weight of primary cladodes (0.29). The dendrogram obtained using a Ward analysis confirmed the results of the PCA analysis. The cactus pear accessions were grouped into four major clusters with a further four sub-clusters, containing 6, 26, 17 and 15 genotypes, respectively. Genotypes, CAZRI-Kukma, Clone 1308, Jalpa, Mexico Unknown, Trunzara Bianca Bronte, Copena F1, CAZRI Botanical Garden, Piantra-25 and IPA-90-18 are positioned at a wider angle and are more diverse and useful genotypes for use as parent populations for developing new genotypes in future breeding programs.

Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori. belongs to the family Tiliaceae, an underutilized shrub in arid and semi-arid regions. The maximum distribution of G. tenax population was recorded in Nakhtarana (38%), Bhuj (32%), and Mandvi (15%). Morpho-physiological trait variation of germplasm viz., plant height ranged from 70 to 162.4 cm, canopy spread from 79.7 to 175.8 cm2, leaf area from 3.1 to 8. 3 cm2, relative water content from 33.3 to 72.4% and canopy temperature depression was ranged from 0.6 to 7.0ºC. The fodder traits such as above-ground biomass (AGB) varied from 0.4 to 2.9 kg/plant, with a lot of variation in crude protein (2.2- 15.2%), NDF (37.2- 64.2%), and ADF (12.0- 47.6%) contents. The fruit traits viz., fruit length ranged from 4.9 to 6.7 mm, fruit diameter 4.1 to 5.9 mm, pulp 24.0 to 46.0%, TSS 6.5 to 11.4°B, and pH 3.2 to 4.8. Based on the overall assessment, genotypes GT-2, GT-3, GT-14, and GT-15 were found the most promising. A high coefficient of variation was recorded for nitrogen (72.5%), AGB/plant (60.4%), crude protein (57.2%), and Canopy temperature depression (47.9%). Cluster analysis assembled the genotypes into two major clusters with two sub-clusters each, affirming the presence of a high amount of genetic variability between the tested genotypes. The principal component analysis revealed that first 10 Eigen PC explained 85.95% of the total variation. Biplot between PC1 and PC2 demonstrated that genotypes GT-15, GT-1, GT-3, GT-11, GT-13, GT-29, GT-32, GT-33 and GT-36 were much distinct from each other.

Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori commonly known as `Gangani', was studied to provide scientific information pertaining to taxonomy, distribution pattern, morphology, plant growth, phytochemicals and traditional utilization in hot arid region of western Rajasthan. The primary information on distribution pattern and traditional knowledge was collected from indigenous communities. The ripen fruits and fresh leaves samples were investigated for phytochemicals. The shrub exhibited good plant growth after three years of planting in the field under protected condition of Jaisalmer. Phytochemical results showed that G. tenax contained considerable amounts of total soluble protein, total antioxidant capacity, total phenols and total flavonoids. Therefore, it could be used as food and fodder for livelihood of local inhabitant and act as a promising candidate for utilization in rangelands or in alternate land use systems in hot arid region of western Rajasthan.

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the genetic diversity in gamma rays irradiated mutants of four grape genotypes based on RAPD and SSR markers. There were 36 mutants selected from in vitro mutated four grape genotypes, namely Pusa Navrang, H-76-1, Pearl of Csaba and Julesky Muscat on the basis of morpho-physiological and biochemical traits. These mutants and non-irradiated individuals were subjected to RAPD and SSR marker analysis to detect the genetic variation amongst them. Six RAPD and eleven SSR primers were employed for PCR amplification and total 63 distinct and easily scoreable bands were generated which ranged between 110 (SSR) and 2500 (RAPD) bp. All the bands were found to be polymorphic in nature and identified 13 solid mutants, among the initially selected 36 putative mutants. The distribution of mutants by cluster analysis suggested existence of high degree of difference at the genetic level in the mutants and non-irradiated control individuals. The mutants were largely grouped into the four major clusters based on the doses of gamma irradiation except some mutants from Julesky Muscat and Pearl of Csaba genotypes. Minimum similarity coefficient (0.37) was noted in mutants of Pusa Navrang and maximum (0.70) in Hybrid-76-1. Unique banding patterns were amplified by both the types of markers (RAPD and SSR). It was suggested that Julesky Muscat was amplified uniquely by RAPD-OPA01, OPP02, SSR-VVMD14, VMCIB11, VMC8G9 primers, H-76-1 by RAPD- OPA01 and SSR- VVMD 14 primers, Pusa Navrang by RAPD-OPP02 and SSR-VVMD-21 primers and Pearl of Csaba by RAPD-OPA01, OPP04, SSR-VMC8G9 primers. The result from this study suggests that OPA01 (RAPD) and VVMD14 (SSR) were the most informative primers and generated maximum numbers of reproducible bands. The combination of these primers will be very useful for the identification of solid mutants which could be evaluated in the field.

A field experiment involving four grasses and two legumes with total 14 treatment combinations was undertaken in a randomized complete block design with three replications during Kharif seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15. Data on plant height, number of tillers/branches, leaf-stem ratio, fresh and dry matter yield and land equivalent ratio were recorded. Grass-legume o intercropping treatments determined higher fresh and dry matter yield than their sole counterparts. Among intercropping treatments, Dicanthium annulatum based treatments recorded higher fresh herbage and dry matter yield. Thus, intercropping of grass-legume could be recommended for enhancing fodder yield in typical arid conditions of Kachchh, Gujarat.

AbstractCordia sinensis, locally known as ‘Goondi’ in India, is an underexploited multipurpose fruit species found in hot arid regions that is well adapted to drought, salt and hot conditions. The present study was undertaken to collect fruit samples from different locations in the Kachchh region of Gujarat, India, and to determine their field establishment for characterization, conservation and utilization. The maximum distribution of the species was observed in Bhuj (45%) and Mandvi (25%). Field boundaries (35%) and scrub forests (30%) had greater frequencies, whereas backyards had rarer frequencies (10%). The species most commonly occurred on levelled topography (60%) with a soil pH in the range of 8–8.5 (63%). Morphological data of three-year-old plants in the field gene bank showed a maximum coefficient of variation in the number of leaves per plant (66.6), followed by the number of branches per plant (45.62) and collar diameter (27.69). Wide variations were recorded in plant height (121.67–212 cm), spread (118–223 cm2) and the number of branches per plant (6–24.33). Specific accessions were identified for fodder (CBCG-12, CBCG-13 and CBCG-16), early flowering and fruiting (CBCG-12, CBCG-13 and CBCG-14), easier propagation by seeds (CBCG-12 and CBCG-13) and salt tolerance (CBCG-15 and CBCG-16). Preliminary findings and information provided about this species' utilization and other aspects might be useful for future research on its domestication, sole plantation and conservation aspects, improving the exploitation of this species by present and future generations.