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Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran, Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran, ³Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.12

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Abstract: ‘Granny Smith’, a variety of apple is susceptible to superficial scald. Superficial scald is one of the most controversial post-harvest physiological disorders. At the moment there is no complete documented information about the pre-harvest factors responsible for its induction, symptom development and control methods. Accordingly, this study was to examine the possible link between the disorder and qualitative indicators of environmental changes, particularly humidity during early fruit growth and cell division. The study was conducted in a commercial orchard in Abyek region, Alborz-Iran in 2014. Examined trees were 7 year-olds and grafted onto seedling rootstocks. On-tree water spray was done during full bloom, 17 May till 6 June, in four levels including 0-day, 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day water spray. Fruits were harvested 160 days after full bloom (DAFB) and stored in a commercial chamber (5±2?C) in four levels including: 0-day (before storage), 30-day, 60-day and 90-day of cold storage. Superficial scald severity in the 0-day water spray samples was 91.7 % after 60- and 90-day storage, while all three water spray treatment regime significantly reduced it after 60- and 90-day storage. The 14-day water spray was significantly more effective in reducing the incidence of superficial scald which was 91 % after 60-day and 75 % after 90-day storage. The highest firmness (9.5 kg cm^-2) was observed before storage. The highest SSC was observed in the 7-day water spray and before the storage. Interestingly, on-tree water spray considerably decreased superficial scald and/or delayed its severity during mid- and long-term storage.

Department of Olericulture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani 695 522, Kerala, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.13

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Abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of different levels of fertigation and drip irrigation on yield and quality of watermelon. Fertigation treatments were 75, 100 and 125 % recommended dose of fertilizer (RD). Irrigation treatments were 0.6 and 0.8 evapotranspiration (ET) rates. One control was taken with surface irrigation and conventional soil application of fertilizers. Levels of fertigation and irrigation exerted significant influence on number of fruits plant^-1 and yield plant^-1. Total yield was highest at 100 % RD (91.1 t ha^-1) compared to 125 % RD (80.13 t ha^-1). Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded highest number of fruits which was on par with 125 % RD. There was increase in number of fruits plant^-1 and fruit yield with increase in irrigation level from 0.6 to 0.8 ET. Fertigation at 100 % RD recorded the highest yield of 8.51 kg plant^-1. Fertigation and irrigation levels had no influence on fruit weight. TSS, lycopene, ascorbic acid and sugar contents did not increase with deficit irrigation of 0.6 ET.

Departement of Agroecotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.14

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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the pepper yellow leaf curl disease (PepYLCD) caused by begomovirus at different elevations on the percentage of growth and yield reduction in chili (Capsicum annuum L.) plants. The study was conducted in farmer’s field at Lambeugak (lowland) with the latitude of 30 meter above sea level (m asl) and Saree (middleland) with the latitude of 485 m asl of Aceh Province, Northern Sumatera, Indonesia. The samples selection was obtained using the Purpose Sampling method. Data collection were devided into 2 clusters where the first cluster samples were choosen randomly from 600 plants (300 plants for lowland and 300 plants for middleland) for the disease incident percentage and second cluster samples were choosen randomly from first cluster, each field consisted of 30 plants (15 virus-symptomatic plants and 15 non-virus symptomatic plants) for the reduction of growth and yield percentage. PepYLCD incidence in lowland reached 100 % at 120 day after transplanting (DPT), whereas in middleland it occurred at 150 DPT. At 45 DPT virus-symptomatic plants at lowland encountered higher reduction percentage of growth than the middleland plants, including height of plant (43.6 %) and stem diameter (31.1 %). The yield of virus-symptomatic plants in lowlands encountered higher loss than the middleland plants, including the number of fruits per plant (53.6 %) and productivity (72.6 %). The reduction of growth and yield was also suspected to be the impact of temperature differences that the average and maximum temperatures of lowland (27.68 and 35.53 ^oC) was higher than the middleland (25.36 and 30.17 ^oC) during the experimental period. Our present study showed that the escalation of PepYLCD incidence was affected by environmental factors which reduced the growth and yield of chili plants.

Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari - 396 450, Gujarat, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.15

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Abstract: The stability analysis of 26 diverse genotypes of marigold (Tagetes spp.) carried out over three different environments, revealed that the differences among genotypes and environments were highly significant for all the characters when tested against both pooled error as well as pooled deviation. The analysis further revealed that component of G x E (linear) had most contribution for plant height, number of secondary branches per plant, days to first flowering, flower diameter, flower weight, number of flowers per plant and flower yield per plant indicating significant differences among the genotypes for their regression on environmental indices. Considering the three stability parameters, Local Selection 13 for flower yield (414.40 g/plant); F₁ White Dwarf, Local Selection 2 and Namdhari African Orange for earliness and Local Selection 9, Local Selection 14 and Local Selection 13 for individual flower weight were identified as promising genotypes for further improvement programme.

Agribusiness and Rural Development (ARD) Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah City 46011, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah City 46011, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.02

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Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of different fertigation levels and intervals on growth, yield and flower quality of red cut rose (hybrid tea rose) under a semi-controlled condition at the Horticulture Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani. The experiment was laid out in RCBD design with six fertigation treatments, each with three replicates. The fertigation treatments comprised of 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g/L of compound fertilizer (NPK+micro-nutrients) with two intervals (1 and 2 weeks). The results indicated that fertigation rate of 1.5 g/L and 1 g/L increased the flower yield and quality of flower significantly. Additionally, the main and interaction effects of fertigation rates and intervals was clearly observed in this study.

Department of Botany, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli - 620 024, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2020.v22i01.16

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Abstract: This study demonstrates the morphogenic potential of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb, a traditional medicinal plant of the family Fabaceae/ Caesalpinaceae. The present study was designed to examine the effect of phytohormones on plant regeneration from epicotyl and hypocotyl explants of C. bonduc. The dormancy of the seeds was overcomed by acid scarification._. Of the two explants tested, 92 percent frequency of shoot regeneration and maximum number of shoots (3.6 ± 0.3), were noticed from the epicotyl explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 6-benzyladenine (BA) 3.0 mg/L, Indole– 3- acetic acid (IAA) 1.0 mg/L and Poly vinyl pyrrolidone 100 mg/L at pH 5.8. Elongated shoots were individually rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L Indole -3-butric acid (IBA) and exhibited 93 % frequency of root development. The in vitro raised plantlets were potted and acclimatized under culture condition for four weeks and transferred to the green house. This efficient protocol will be helpful for propagation of woody climber plants belongs to the family Caesalpinaceae and could be used for genetic transformation study.

Department of Nano Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641003, India. Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet-Dagan 5025001, Israel.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.29

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Abstract: Abscission of plant organs is a key process during plant life cycle and prerequisite factor involved in limiting the spread of disease, shedding of un-pollinated flowers and facilitates dispersal of seeds. In agricultural context, abscission may become a major limiting factor for crop productivity. The organs abscise at a specific position called abscission zone (AZ) and it is one of the prime traits to be manipulated during the crop improvement process towards the selection of reduced abscission lines. The tomato abscission polygalacturonase (TAPG) genes are abscission induced polygalacturonases and specifically induced in the AZ, which plays a major role in AZ separation. The current study had accentuated to identify the entire polygalacturonase gene families in tomato AZs, through AZ specific customized microarray. The results revealed that TAPG1, 2, 5, 7 and TPG6, PS2 genes were specifically induced and continuously over-expressed linearly along with abscission progression in tomato flower AZ. Similarly, the same set of genes were up-regulated upon abscission induction at the early hours (24 h) in the leaf AZ, indicating potential involvement in organ abscission. Our study provides new insights for the regulation of the early events in the process of tomato organ abscission and a novel trait for molecular breeding.

Mahyco Research Centre, Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company Private Limited, Aurangabad-Jalna Road, Dawalwadi, Jalna, Maharashtra, 431203, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.30

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Abstract: Brinjal is a popular vegetable crop in India and widely used in culinary, pickle and industrial purposes. Double haploid technique is used in vegetable crop improvement thus, reducing lengthy conventional breeding timelines to develop new improved varieties. A study was conducted to develop a robust double haploid (DH) protocol in brinjal. Six genotypes and six media combinations were tested. Two media types showed DH production in brinjal ranging from 0.34-9.27 %. Consequently, MSB-6 is recommended media for brinjal DH in light of the obtained results. Similarly, five out of six genotypes showed DH responsiveness. The genotype-wise responsiveness to anther culture ranged from 2.29 - 7.40 %. DH technique complements the plant breeder’s effort to bring new varieties in the shortest time. Therefore, the relevance of improvement in tissue culture assisted double haploidy and continuous improvement of available protocols remain relevant even after six decades of its original discovery.

Thammasat University, Thailand. Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh. Nanjng Agricultural University, China.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.31

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Abstract: Shortage and inefficient use of resource in agricultural activities in Bangladesh are emphasizing to measure efficiency for increasing productivity with the highest efficiency and make sure of sustainable agricultural development. The motive of the study was to estimate technical efficiency by using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) of brinjal and bottle gourd cultivation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Tobit regression was applied to determine the elements affecting the efficiency and Cobb-Douglas production model was applied to pick out elements affecting the gross return of bottle gourd and brinjal. 100 (50 Brinjal +50 Bottle gourd) farmers were selected randomly as well as interviewed for collecting information through one set of questionnaires. The result revealed that bottle gourd and brinjal farmers were not perfectly efficient in Bangladesh. The mean efficiency of bottle gourd and brinjal observed 0.79 and 0.81, respectively. According to mean efficiency, farmers can be efficient in bottle gourd and brinjal farming through increasing 21 and 19 % output, respectively with on-hand resources and technologies. Tobit model suggests that the education level of farmer, training program, choosing high yielding variety and the size of the farm have an effect on farmers� efficiency positively and significantly. In addition, we observed that human labor cost, seed cost, irrigation cost, fertilizers cost, and pesticides and insecticides cost have a significant positive impact on bottle gourd and brinjal production.

Department of Botany, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India- 620 024.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.32

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Abstract: It is believed and essential that efforts should be made to develop protocols for vulnerable medicinal plants so as to develop new or more safe drugs. In this study, a rapid efficient plant propagation through direct shoot tip explant of Celastrus paniculatus Willd, a medicinal vulnerable plant (belonging to the family Celastraceae), was undertaken. Half strength Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with GA₃ showed maximum percentage (82.4 ± 0.50) embryo response through embryo rescue method. Shoot tip explants were transferred from cotyledonary node and inoculated to shoot induction medium supplemented with cytokinin (BAP, TDZ and Kin) and highest response (87 ± 0.70) with 3.8 shoot number was achieved in BAP 1.0 mg L^-1. Shoot multiplication was achieved with combination of BAP (1 mg L^-1) with meta - Topolin (1 mg L^-1) showed highest response (91.0±1.10) with 10.2 shoots within 10 days after inoculation. The in vitro regenerated shoots were transferred carefully to the half strength and full-strength MS medium supplemented with GA₃ (0.1 to 0.5 mg L^-1) for the elongation. The in vitro elongated shoots were treated with different auxins (IAA, IBA and NAA) individually for early rooting and treated shoots were transferred to the half strength MS medium. At the concentration IBA (0.3 mg L^-1), 91 % rooting was observed. The regenerated plantlets were acclimatized in pots containing sterilized soil and sand in 3:1 ratio and plantlets were then transferred to the field conditions. Ninty percent of the regenerants survived well. The result of the present study reveals the pioneer report on in vitro plant regeneration of C. paniculatus Willd. by using shoot tip explants.

Department of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 641 003, India Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Kudumiyanmalai - 622 104, India. Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore- 641 003, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.33

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Abstract: Use of effective microorganisms as a pre-sowing seed treating agent is considered to be ecologically sound and beneficial to both seed and environment. Therefore to ensure the benefits, studies were conducted in tomato seeds with different liquid microbial cultures. The results revealed that the tomato seeds treated with liquid cultures viz., Azospirillum, phosphobacteria and Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotroph (PPFM) have showed significant increase in germination and vigour. The seeds soaked in equal volume of Azospirillum @ 1:50 dilution for 24 h or phosphobacteria @ 1:50 dilution for 12 h or PPFM liquid culture @ 1:100 dilution for 18 h have registered the higher germination and vigour. Among these microbial cultures, PPFM has performed well in enhancing the seed germination and seedling vigour. Also, the viability and vigour of the inoculants infused seed were not much affected in three months storage. However, consortia of these microbial cultures showed antagonistic effect in seed germination and seedling vigour. In addition, the seeds infused with PPFM @1:100 dilution for 18 h followed by polymer coating @ 5 ml and carbendazim fungicide treatment @ 2 g kg^-1 of have recorded significant improvement in seed germination and vigour with minimal reduction in the microbial population. Therefore, it would be possible to infuse the beneficial microbes into the seed through liquid cultures and also storing such seeds without much reduction in the microbial population. Therefore, it is beneficial if the seeds treated with the effective microorganisms which favour better seed germination and seedling growth. Also, the microbes can easily be added into the soil along with the seed which may reflect on better coloization of the microbes in plant root zone.

Date palm Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Mundra-Kachchh, Gujarat- 370421.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.34

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Abstract: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the subsistent horticultural crops of western India, where its commercial cultivation is concentrated in Kachchh district of Gujarat. Majority, of the plantation is raised through seedlings, hence exhibit, great diversity in fruits, however, by the research efforts of Date palm Research Station (DPRS), Mundra, cultivar Barhee has been recommended for commercial cultivation in the region during 2002, which has brought a dramatic change in the socio-economic profile of the date growers, due to increase in area and production. Variety Barhee is late maturing, with round yellow colored fruits, sweet at Khalal stage, with prolific productivity of 100-150 kg/palm for a period of 8-35 years. The roving survey under taken by the DPRS, Mundra during 2016, in various villages on Barhee orchards, brought to notice the unusual and unnatural bending of the crown of Barhee palm on many orchards. In the present investigation, it was attempted to understand the phenomena by observing different varieties, bending direction, height of the palm, number of bunches on different direction etc. Our observation indicated that it is varietal character as no other varieties in the region showed bending symptoms. Majority of the palms were bended towards East, presumed to be due to phototaxis, enhanced by severe wind velocity (West to East, av. Speed 11.2 km/hr). It was also observed that, the total number of fruit bunches were more in bending direction indicating the fact that, by keeping the fruit bunches in a balanced way may help to manage this phenomena. The bending symptom was observed on palms having a height more than 5m. Hence, this phenomenon is more predominant on older palms and severe bending may lead to uprooting causing economic loss to farmers.

Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur-416 004, (MS), India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.35

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Abstract: Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench was popularly known as okra or ladies finger or bhindi. It is an important vegetable crop cultivated mostly in tropical and subtropical countries. The present study aims to induce variability in this economically significant crop plant using gamma rays. Mature, dry and healthy gamma rays irradiated seeds were allowed to grow in the field along with control seeds. The effect of different concentrations of gamma radiations on different agronomic traits and yield contributing characters of okra including shoot length, root length, number of secondary branches, fruits per plants, seeds per fruits and 100 seed weight, etc. were recorded for M1 and M2 generations. The observed agronomic and yield based characters in the M2 mutants at various doses of gamma rays were found to be significantly correlated. The obtained M2 mutant is useful in development of improved variety of okra with agronomically significant traits.

ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, 191132, J&K, India. Division of Biochemistry, (SKUAST-J) Jammu, J&K, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.36

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Abstract: Onion (Allium cepa L.) an important vegetable and spice crop is susceptible to Stemphylium blight incited by Stemphylium vesicarium. It causes significant losses (up to 80 %) in seed as well as bulb crop. The synthetic fungicides are the only option available to farmers for its management, which in long run may result in resistance development in pathogen. So there is a need to find novel strategies for management of this disease, hence the present study was devised to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of plant extracts from eight medicinally important plant species. The test fungus S. vesicarium was isolated from symptomatic leaf samples and was identified by characteristics of spore from available literature. Methanolic extracts of selected plants at three different concentrations (0.1 %, 0.5 % and 1.0 %) were evaluated against S. vesicarium using food poison technique under in vitro conditions. The results showed that all plant extracts exhibited statistically significant antifungal efficacy from each other (P < 0.05). But Oreganum vulgare at 0.5 and 1 % concentration exhibited highest antifungal efficacy (68.23 % and 81.3 % respectively). The importance of the present study lies in, that the Oreganum extracts has the potential to manage the disease under field conditions after isolation of bioactive molecule and development of proper formulation. To the best of our knowledge this is a first kind of study conducted, where Oreganum has been reported to be effective against plant pathogen .

Study Program of Agro-ecotechnology, Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences, Diponegoro University.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2019.v21i03.37

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Abstract: Okra is often useful as a traditional medicine because it contains secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids. Young fruits and leaves may be consumed as they are rich in minerals and dietary fiber. The objective of this study was to assess the growth and quality of young okra at plant spacing and different litter dosage composts. Results showed that plant height, crop growth rate, yield, pod weight and, fruit circumference increased with the increasing dose of N compost. The highest NR on the row spacing interactions is 50 cm and 150 kg N ha^-1. Chlorophyll content of row spacing 75 cm was higher than row spacing 50 cm. Chlorophyll content was higher at 150 kg N than 0 kg N ha^-1, 50 and 100 kg N ha^-1. Level of antioxidants decreased with the increase of N given both in row spacing of 50 cm and 75 cm.