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Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana- 141 004, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.20

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Abstract: The present study was conducted to standardize the pruning technique in recently released grape hybrid H-516 for processing purpose. The grapevines trained on bower system of training were pruned at 2, 3, 4 and 5-bud level during last week of January. The maximum per cent fruitful buds were recorded at 2-bud level followed by 3, 4 and 5-bud pruning level. The significantly higher number of bunches per fruitful bud (2.23 at 4^th node) were observed in pruning done at 4-bud level. The yield per vine was highest (15.2 kg yield per vine) in pruning treatments where 4-buds were retained. Bunch weight and size did not differ significantly with various pruning levels. Anthocyanin (52.24 mg/100g) and total soluble solids content (18.13%) was maximum whereas, acid content (0.53%) was minimum with 4-bud pruning treatment. Present study suggested that in grape hybrid H-516, at the time of pruning, 4-buds per cane should be retained for better yield and improved fruit quality.

Sathyabama University, Chennai, Jaya College of Arts & Science, Chennai. National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.21

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Abstract: Seed set in Musa spp. is known to vary greatly among seed-fertile cultivars, but germinate at an intractably low rate in soil thus making breeding of plantains and bananas difficult. Hence, there is an increased interest in in vitro germination of both intact seeds and excised zygotic embryos. The present work deals with the influence of maturity and hormonal factors on germination and regeneration of Musa ornata seeds through embryo culture and embryo rescue. Embryos extracted from seeds harvested at various maturity stages were cultured in MS media with different concentrations of plant growth regulators. Good embryo recovery was seen in seeds from 80 and 100% mature fruits. Maturity status of embryos played a key role in direct and indirect regeneration. Medium rich in auxins led to callus (M₈) formation at all maturity levels, leading to indirect regeneration. Good direct regeneration was observed from 100% mature embryos, in media supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (M₄). Study revealed that zygotic embryos of M. ornata could be rescued and regenerated through callus when harvested at 80% maturity and media augmented with Kinetin (M6) gave the best regeneration. In general, medium rich in auxins led to callus formation at all maturity levels. Therefore, in vitro embryo culture and embryo rescue provide a potential tool for recovery and perpetuation of wild Musa species.

Department of Basic Sciences, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230 (HP), Department of Biotechnology, Punjabi University, Patiala (Punjab).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.22

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Abstract: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are commonly used as inoculants for improving the growth and yield of agricultural crops. The use of PGPR is steadily increasing in agriculture and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides and supplements. Thus the present study focuses on the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of potent PGPR isolates with multiple plant growth promoting (PGP) traits and antifungal potential against different phytopathogenic fungi. Biochemical, molecular and phylogenetic characterization of four effective PGPR isolates (CKMV1, CKMV2, CKMV3 and CKMV4) of Valeriana jatamansi demonstrated that three strains belonged to genus Bacillus spp. and one belonged to Aneurinibacillus spp. The strain CKMV1 identified as (Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus) on the basis of 16S rDNA homology showed a considerable antifungal potential against different phytopathogens along with multiple PGP traits like phosphate solubilization, IAA production, HCN production, siderophore production. Significant growth inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi by CKMV1 was obtained in the order Sclerotium rolfsii > Rhizoctonia solani > Phytopthora cactorum > Alternaria spp. > Fusarium oxysporum. Thus, the secondary metabolite producing A. aneurinilyticus strain CKMV1 exhibited innate potential of plant growth promotion and biocontrol activities in vitro which can further be used as biofertilizer as well as biocontrol agent.

Division of Entomology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Main Campus, Shalimar, Srinagar-190025, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Division of Pomology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Main Ca

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.23

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Abstract: Soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of stone fruits viz., peach, plum, apricot, cherry and nut fruits viz., almond and walnut from three year old nurseries at five different localities of Kashmir valley and processed to assess the population density of phytonematodes at each locality. Ten species/ genera of plant parasitic nematodes viz., Pratylenchus penetrans, Paratylenchus juglansi, Meloidogyne hapla, Tylenchorhynchus spp., Criconema spp., Rotylenchus spp., Xiphinema basiri, Longidorus spp., Hoplolaimus spp. and Helicotylenchus indicus were recorded. The most common nematode species which was frequently found in the rhizosphere of the surveyed fruit crops were Pratylenchus penetrans and Helicotylenchus indicus. Meloidogyne hapla was also common in all the fruit crops except peach and walnut. Paratylenchus juglansi was reported from the rhizosphere of walnut only. Absolute frequency of P. penetrans and Tylenchorhynchus spp. in almond and H. indicus in walnut was 100% in three different localities. Absolute density and prominence value of H. indicus was highest i.e. 665 in walnut followed by 623 of P. penetrans in cherry and 618 of Tylenchorhynchus spp. in almond at separate localities of the survey. Presence of varying densities and types of plant parasitic nematodes associated with stone and nut fruits reveal that plant parasitic nematodes form an important component in temperate fruit ecosystem which needs to be investigated for assessing the role of relative virulence of a particular species, host specificity and tolerance level in host.

Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608002, Tamil Nadu, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.24

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Abstract: The study was undertaken on osmotic dehydration of banana varieties viz., Poovan (AAB) and Dwarf Cavendish (AAA) to investigate the effect of temperature, sample thickness and osmotic time on the rate of osmosis. The results revealed that the maximum water loss and solid gain after osmosis were 57.9 and 15.5 per cent in Poovan and 53.1 and 11.8 per cent in Dwarf Cavendish. The moisture content of Poovan slices reduced from 2.03 kg H₂O kg^-1 dry matter (DM) to as low as 0.31kg H₂O kg^-1 DM when osmosed in 60 ºB syrup at 75 ºC. In case of Dwarf Cavendish, the moisture content reduced from 2.84 to 0.38 kg H₂O kg^-1 DM under similar conditions. Subsequent air dehydration resulted in further loss of moisture and the moisture content was reduced to a range of 0.03 to 0.18 kg H₂O kg^-1 DM after 4 to 8 h of drying.

Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.25

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Abstract: A study was undertaken to analyze the variation, heritability and correlation for vegetative and fruit characters for forty seven genotypes of pear at PAU, Ludhiana. Highest range of variation was recorded in fruit weight (70.0-213.0), TSS/acid ratio (19.7-69.0) and acidity (0.2- 0.5) with the mean of 151.11g, 43.70, and 0.29%, respectively. The PCV and GCV were observed maximum for the fruits number per spur, acidity, fruit weight and TSS/acid ratio. Heritability estimates were observed high for fruit weight (100%), flower number per spur (99.95%), TSS/acid ratio (99.79%), leaf breadth (99.73%) and fruit breadth (99.24%). A highly significant positive genotypic and phenotypic correlation was observed for fruit length with fruit weight (0.7463 and 0.7439), fruit breadth (0.5345 and 0.5318), TSS (0.2684 and 0.2667) and low significant with TSS/acid ratio (0.1796 and 0.1740). Similarly, positive significant genotypic correlation of fruit number per spur and flower number per spur was recorded with leaf breadth (0.2816 and 0.2814) and leaf length (0.5823 and 0.3598), respectively.

Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Wadura Campus, Sopore (Jammu & Kashmir)-193 201, India. Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Rangreth, Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir)-190 005, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.26

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Abstract: A field experiment was conducted on direct and residual effect of integrated nutrient management on crop productivity and physico-chemical characteristics of allfisols in okra-pea cropping system in Kashmir valley. The okra was grown as main crop and pea as residual crop. The experiment was laid out in simple square lattice design having 25 treatments with two replications. The pooled data revealed that integrated nutrient management significantly influenced the productivity of main as well as residual crop, physico-chemical properties and microbial activity of experimental soil. Among various treatments under study, treatment T₂₄ (FYM, sheep manure, poultry manure and vermicompost (3, 2, 0.5, 0.6 tonnes ha^-1, respectively) along with biofertilizers (Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria; both as seed inoculant @ 1.0 kg ha^-1 and as soil inoculant @ 2.5 kg ha^-1) and 50 % recommended dose (RDF) of fertilizers (N:P₂O₅:K₂O, 60:30:30 kg ha^-1, respectively) resulted significantly maximum fruit yield of okra (272.71 q ha^-1) and pod yield of pea (123.56 q ha^-1). The physico-chemical characteristics of the soil under study showed an improvement with organics application as compared to initial, control and RFD. Soil under the treatment T₂₄ showed lowest bulk density, particle density and pH; and highest porosity, EC, and organic carbon content. Available nutrients in soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphar) and microbial population (fungi and bacteria) were also recorded maximum with treatment T₂₄.

Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, HC& RI, TNAU, Coimbatore-641003, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.27

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Abstract: Pollen studies were conducted in ten single type genotypes of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) viz., Shringar (Mexican Single x Pearl Double), Prajwal (Shringar x Mexican Single), Phule Rajani (Mexican Single x Shringar), Calcutta Single, Hyderabad Single, Kahikuchi Single, Mexican Single, Pune Single, Navsari Local and Variegated Single at TNAU, Coimbatore, India. Studies revealed that pollen grains were round in shape, pollen viability in acetocarmine stain was 96.73% in the genotype ‘Variegated Single’ and the germination was maximum (99.21%) in 15% sucrose solution with other chemicals. Pollen tubes grew to a length of 1234.949 microns 24 hours after the dehiscence of anther. Among the genotypes under study, the highest fruit set was 89% under natural open pollination and 0% under artificial self pollination.

Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur-342003, Rajasthan, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.28

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Abstract: Carissa carandas, native to India is an underutilized fruit crop with tremendous phyto-therapeutic and nutritive importance. Seven diverse accessions and a released variety were evaluated for morphological, biochemical and molecular diversity. The test accessions varied significantly with regard to all the morphological characters except plant height and number of stipules per node. The accession, CZK2011 and CZK 2031 recorded 30 and 3% higher fruit yield over the variety Pant Manohar while other accessions gave almost equal fruit yield to variety Pant Manohar. The accessions CZK2012, CZK2021 and variety Pant Manohar were found precocious due to first fruiting at three years of age. Seven primers detected low intra-specific variation amounting to 25 % polymorphism and exhibited 11.1 to 57.1% polymorphism in banding pattern indicating narrow genetic base in the available germplasm. The accessions CZK2011, CZK2022 and CZK2031 may be recommended for cultivation in arid zone on account of their higher yield and bigger sized fruits.

Department of Horticulture, Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture, Manakkadavu, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pollachi,-642 103. Department of Horticulture, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.29

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Abstract: In grain amaranthus (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) ten genotypes were evaluated for twelve characters under four plant density levels viz., very high-30 × 20 cm (D₁), high-30×30 cm (D₂), normal-45×20 cm (D₃) and low plant density-45×30 cm (D₄) levels to study the different selection parameters for grain yield and its eleven contributing morphological and quality traits. The study was conducted at College Orchard, Department of Horticulture, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, TNAU, Karaikal during rabi 2007. The results revealed that the GCV was maximum in high plant density when compared to very high, normal and low plant density levels for the characters viz., fresh weight of the inflorescence, length of the rachis per inflorescence, grain yield per plant and total carbohydrates. In all the four plant density levels, leaf area at 50 per cent flowering, fresh weight of the inflorescence, number of secondary branches per inflorescence and total carbohydrates recorded high magnitude of genetic variability in combination with high heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean.

Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada L2S 3A1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i02.15

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Abstract: The possible influence of vine water status on grapevine yield components was studied in ten Vitis vinifera L. Cabernet franc vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario from 2005-2007 using geomatic techniques. Soil texture, soil chemical composition, soil moisture and leaf water potential (?; vine water status), were determined on ? 80 sentinel vines in each vineyard. Water status zones were identified in GIS-generated maps using leaf ? and soil moisture measurements. Areas of low soil moisture and low vine water status were negatively correlated linearly and spatially with vine size, yield, and berry weight. The frequency of relationships between variables was vineyard- and vintage-dependent. Spatial variability in soil moisture was temporally-stable in all vineyards across the three vintages (8-10 sites; 2005-06, 2006-07, 2005-07), while vine size (6-7 sites), berry weight (2-7 sites) and yield (2-5 sites) were likewise moderately-stable, but leaf ? was not (two sites). These data suggest that low soil moisture and low vine water status zones in vineyards are related to corresponding areas of low yield and vine size. These data further suggest that precision viticulture techniques may be utilized in this region to delineate yield-based or vine vigor-based vineyard sub-zones that relate to differing quality levels.

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangalore 560 089, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i01.02

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Abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate the response of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to foliar applied glycinebetaine (GB) under water stress condition. Three varieties of hot pepper e.g. Arka Lohit, Pusa Jwala and Arka Haritha were subjected to water stress at flowering stage. The plants applied with GB had the greater plant height, leaf area, fruit fresh and dry mass under water deficit conditions. GB application increased the P_N under water deficit condition. It was attributed to an improvement in stomatal conductance under water stress. There was a varietal difference in invertase activity and total sugar contents to GB application under water stress. Higher yield and better water use efficiency (WUE) were found in GB applied plants. The plants treated with GB 10 days before and at the time of imposing water stress (T2) responded better. The results suggested that exogenous GB ameliorates the negative effects of water stress in hot pepper.

Christmas Tree Research Center, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Canada, B2N 5E3.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i01.03

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Abstract: Balsam fir trees are the most popular choice for Christmas trees in Atlantic Canada and a major export commodity, despite postharvest needle abscission challenging the industry's viability. The objective of this study was to determine if any needle or branch biophysical and/or morphological characteristics may be linked with needle abscission resistance (NAR) in balsam fir. A total of 17 different parameters were measured in branches of clones that belonged to low, medium, or high needle abscission resistant groups. Of the parameters measured, branch diameter, initial mass, needle density, break strength, and needle retention duration were significantly (P < 0.05) different between genotype groups. It was found that high NAR genotypes had a 9.1% smaller diameter, 25.0% lower initial mass, 33.2% lower needle break strength, 32.4% lower needle density, and 91% longer needle retention than low NAR clones. Of these factors, needle density was the best predictor for needle retention duration (R² = 47%). Identification of these parameters is an important first step to understand physiological and genetic linkage for development of Christmas trees with high NAR.

Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada L2S 3A1.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i01.01

Department of Biology, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA-22802.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i01.04

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Abstract: To ascertain optimal soil conditions for creating an organic and sustainable blueberry operation, 160 highbush blueberry plants representing five different cultivars (Duke, Bluecrop, Jersey, Chandler, and Bluegold) were planted at Knoll Acres Farm, Harrisonburg, Virginia in 2009 within four soil treatment plots (horse manure, sheep manure, pine straw, and Planters Choice mulches). To define optimal growth conditions, selected soil characteristics and plant vigor assessments including photosynthesis and respiration activities as well as plant growth measurements were recorded. Statistical analyses indicated that soil treatments of pine straw and Planters Choice mulches produced significantly higher plant growth values than horse and sheep manure mulches. Among the five cultivars, Chandler bushes thrived the best, based on growth parameters except for bush height. Including cost/benefit considerations, pine straw mulch was the most economical and effective treatment among four mulches tested.