Journal Of Applied Horticulture ISSN: 0972-1045



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horticultureresearch

C. Thangamani and L. Pugalendhi

Department of vegetable crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, India

Key words: Momordica charantia L., diallel mating, diverse parents, relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis, standard heterosis, earliness, yield and quality

Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2013, volume 15, issue 1, pages 47-56.

Abstract: Evaluation of ninety hybrids of bitter gourd resulting from full diallel mating of ten genetically diverse genotypes for earliness, yield and quality characters had revealed the presence of heterotic vigour. Fifty nine hybrid combinations were found to exhibit negative significant heterobeltiosis for days to first female flower appearance and the hybrid CO-1 x GL had registered favourable values for this trait. The hybrid CO-1 x MC-105 registered negative significant relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for node at which the first female flower appears. The heterosis for sex ratio was found to be in the desired direction in UB x GL and seventy six hybrids showed significant negative heterobeltiosis for sex ratio. The highest significant relative heterosis (KR x UB) and heterobeltiosis (MC-10 x KR) for fruit length was also observed. The highest positive and significant standard heterosis was observed in the hybrid Priyanka x GL for fruit length. The estimate of heterobeltiosis for fruit weight had shown positively significant value for fifteen hybrids, and it was the highest in KR x USL. Among the ninety hybrids, sixteen hybrids had registered positive and significant heterobeltiosis values for number of fruits per vine, and the hybrid Preethi x MC-30 had the highest value for this trait. The highest positive heterobeltiosis for yield of fruits per vine was recorded in KR x USL followed by Preethi x MC-30. However, the estimates of standard heterosis for fruit yield revealed that the hybrid Preethi x MC-30 had the highest positive significant value followed by the hybrid KR x USL. In order of merit the hybrids viz., Preethi x MC-30, KR x USL and MC-105 x MC-10 were noted to be the top performing hybrids with respect to yield and quality parameters since they had showed significant heterotic values.



Journal of Applied Horticulture
*********** Effect of different growth media on the growth and flowering of beefsteak begonia (Begonia erythrophylla).html Effect of different growth media on the growth and flowering of beefsteak begonia (<i>Begonia erythrophylla</i>)
Journal Of Applied Horticulture ISSN: 0972-1045



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horticultureresearch

Henry A. Akintoye, Olusola O. AdeOluwa, Olukemi Y. Akinkunmi

Floriculture Improvement Programme, National Horticultural Research Institute, P.M.B.5432, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key words: Flowers production, plant characters, responses, rooting, beefsteak begonia

Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2013, volume 15, issue 1, pages 57-61.

Abstract: Experiments were conducted over a two-year cropping season to determine the effect of growth media on rooting, growth and flowering. Nine growth media viz., river sand (RS), topsoil + poultry manure (T+P), topsoil (T), river sand + poultry manure (RS+P), sawdust (S), topsoil + river sand + poultry manure (T+RS+P), topsoil + sawdust (T+S), sawdust + river sand (S+RS), topsoil + poultry manure + river sand + sawdust (T+P+RS+S) were used for the study. It was found that growth media significantly (P>0.05) affected the number of branches and branch length per plant; number of leaves and number of flowers per plant. The quantity of flowers produced per week varied according to each growth media as follows: Begonia planted in topsoil + poultry manure (4:1) produced the highest number of flowers per plant, while sawdust + river sand (3:1) produced the least number of branches per plant, branch length per plant, number of leaves per plant and number of flowers per plant in the two years of the experiment. The slow growth, poor development and late blooming in soil + sawdust (4:1) and sawdust + river sand (3:1), could be as a result of inadequate nutrients in the substrates. Topsoil + poultry manure (4:1) growth medium (with or without river sand), appeared to be the suitable growth medium that will significantly enhance early rooting, establishment, growth and development of beefsteak begonia and sustain flower production for a good length of time.



Journal of Applied Horticulture