Effect of nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh

The main goal is to investigate the effect of crop nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh. Two factors experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Factor A was two varieties of tomato namely, V1: BARI 2 and V2: BARI 15. Factor B was different types of fertilizer like F0 (Farmers practices), F1 (vermicompost), F2 (inorganic fertilizer), F3 (combined fertilizer: 3/4 vermicompost+ 1/4 inorganic fertilizers), F4 (control, no fertilizer). Soil characteristics and climatic conditions were recorded. Plant growth, flowering and fruit characters, and yield were found significantly different (p<0.05). The highest plant height, flowering and fruit characters related to higher production were found in BARI 15 (V2) variety influenced by combined application of fertilizer F3 (3/4 vermicompost + 1/4 inorganic fertilizers). The maximum number of flower clusters per plant (9.66), fruit clusters per plant (8.13), individual fruit weight (117.7 g), fruit numbers per plant (51.17) were found in V2F3 and the same parameters were the lowest in V1F4. The results showed the highest production (95.50 t/ha) in V2F3 followed by V2F0 (81.70 t/ha), V2F1 (72.17 t/ha) and V2F2 (68.06 t/ha), and the lowest yield (27.70 t/ha) in V1F4. The highest fruit yield ((95.50 t/ha) found in V2F3 showed 80.84% higher compared to the V1F4 (27.70 t/ha) treatment. Considering the variety, the highest yield (74.05 t/ha) was found in V2 which was 40% higher yield compared to V1. Combined application of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers performed best as the nutrient management and BARI 15 was found as a suitable variety for the CHTs climatic condition. Hence, the similar type fertilizers proportion can be applied for the other vegetables production in the farmers field for the healthy and eco-friendly environment achievement.

Reproductive phenological shifts and other phylogenetic trait changes in the Arbutoideae (Ericaceae) in the context of drought, seed predation, and fire.

Phenology is an ecologically critical attribute that commonly is coordinated with other plant traits. Phenological shifts may be the result of evolutionary adjustments to persistently new conditions, or transitory, varying with annual flux in abiotic conditions. In summer-dry, fire-prone Mediterranean-climates, for example, many plant lineages have historically migrated from forests to more arid shrublands resulting in adaptive trait changes. These shifts in habitat abiotic conditions and biotic interactions influence morphology of flowers and fruits and will interact with phenological timing. The Arbutoideae (Ericaceae) is one lineage that illustrates such modifications, with fruit characters evolving among genera from fleshy to dry fruit, thin to stony endocarps, and bird to rodent dispersal, among other changes. We scored herbarium collections and used ancestral trait analysis to determine phenological shifts among the five Arbutoid genera found in semi-arid climates. Our objective was to determine if phenology shifts with the phylogenetic transition to different reproductive characters. Our results indicate that phenological shifts began with some traits, like the development of a stony endocarp or dry fruits, but not with all significant trait changes. We conclude that early phenological shifts correlating with some reproductive traits were permissive for the transition to other later character changes.

Yield Performance of Non-spiny Brinjal Variety VRM (Br)2 in Northern Zone of Tamil Nadu, India

Aim: To identify the yield performance of non-spiny brinjal variety VRM (Br)2. Study Design: Non-spiny brinjal variety VRM (Br)2 was developed by hybridization between Senur local x spiny brinjal VRM (Br) 1 followed by pedigree method of selection. Place and Duration of the Study: The present study was carried out at northern districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Thiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri during 2015-2016. Methodology: VRM (Br) 2 was evaluated under different trials during 2017-2020 at various locations along with ruling check variety VRM (Br) 1.The observations were recorded at yield and yield characters. Results: VRM (Br) 2 recorded highest fruit yield of 46.35 t/ha as compared to check variety VRM (Br) 1 (32.85 t/ha). It was 41.00 % higher fruit yield over check variety VRM (Br) 1 and moderately resistant to major insect pests. viz., epilachna beetle, whiteflies and shoot and fruit borer. Conclusion: All the plant and fruit characters are similar to spiny brinjal VRM (Br) 1, whereas the spines are absent in the variety VRM (Br) 2. Due to it’s non-spiny nature, intercultural operations viz., harvesting, packing, storage and transport are easy to do.

Genomic Approaches for Improvement of Tropical Fruits: Fruit Quality, Shelf Life and Nutrient Content

The breeding of tropical fruit trees for improving fruit traits is complicated, due to the long juvenile phase, generation cycle, parthenocarpy, polyploidy, polyembryony, heterozygosity and biotic and abiotic factors, as well as a lack of good genomic resources. Many molecular techniques have recently evolved to assist and hasten conventional breeding efforts. Molecular markers linked to fruit development and fruit quality traits such as fruit shape, size, texture, aroma, peel and pulp colour were identified in tropical fruit crops, facilitating Marker-assisted breeding (MAB). An increase in the availability of genome sequences of tropical fruits further aided in the discovery of SNP variants/Indels, QTLs and genes that can ascertain the genetic determinants of fruit characters. Through multi-omics approaches such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics, the identification and quantification of transcripts, including non-coding RNAs, involved in sugar metabolism, fruit development and ripening, shelf life, and the biotic and abiotic stress that impacts fruit quality were made possible. Utilizing genomic assisted breeding methods such as genome wide association (GWAS), genomic selection (GS) and genetic modifications using CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenics has paved the way to studying gene function and developing cultivars with desirable fruit traits by overcoming long breeding cycles. Such comprehensive multi-omics approaches related to fruit characters in tropical fruits and their applications in breeding strategies and crop improvement are reviewed, discussed and presented here.

Analysis of Genotypic Variation and Selection of Superior Genotypes of Balanites roxburghii Planch. from South India

Balanites roxburghii is an important medicinal plant of India and is used in the treatment of various diseases and disorders. Seeds possess a high amount of oil and could be used in biodiesel production. This plant is also a source of diosgenin, a therapeutically useful compound. Domestication of this plant provides opportunities for the commercial production of those valuable products. Hence the present study was planned to assess the variability of B. roxburghii in Southern India and identifying the superior genotypes based on the morphological characterization. A total of 45 accessions from 35 populations were collected and variation in 9 quantitative and 3 qualitative morphological traits related to fruits was analyzed. Fruit weight showed the highest variation, ranging from 10.23 g in the accession KA-04C to 37.69 g in TN-03. Pulp weight was ranged from 1.71 g in KA-04C to 10.24 g in TN-03. Seed kernel weight was highest in TE-04 (3.87 g) followed by KA-04A (3.21 g) and TE-05A (2.98 g). PCA analysis showed that fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, pulp weight, rind weight, and endocarp weight were the major traits contributing to the diversity. Cluster analysis resulted in the formation of 4 groups and among them, 2 accessions of clusters 3 and 6 accessions of cluster 4 showed superior fruit characters by having the highest fruit weight, pulp weight, and seed kernel weight. Accessions of these groups could be considered in future domestication programs.

Xylopia maasiana (Annonaceae), a New Species from the Brazilian Amazon, and Taxonomic Notes on Xylopia nitida Dunal

Abstract— During a taxonomic and phylogenetic study of Xylopia from the Amazon River basin, South America, we examined collections from the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia, and Tocantins that resembled Xylopia nitida by some characteristics of the leaves, but differed consistently from the latter in a number of floral and fruit characters. On the basis of these specimens we describe here a new species, Xylopia maasiana. The new species is a small to medium-sized tree encountered mostly in riparian habitats across the southern Brazilian Amazon and in some transition areas between the Amazon forest and cerrado biomes in Central Brazil. In addition to the detailed description, we include a preliminary assessment of conservation status, taxonomic comments, illustrations, a distribution map of the new species, and comparison with X. nitida.

Fruit Quality Characters of Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Selections: Review of a Domestication Process

Interest in myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) by food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutic industries generated the integration of biomasses harvested from wild populations as raw materials with yields of cultivated orchards. The domestication process is reviewed considering shoot, fruit, and leaf biometric characters of selections obtained in three steps of the program. The first step started in Sardinia (Italy) in 1995 by the analysis of wild germplasm variability. Seventy accessions were the object of the first studied population of mother plants. Agamic propagation tests, as well quality evaluations of fruit and leaves, were integrated into the first step. In the second step, a field of comparison of forty-two agamically propagated cultivars functional to biomass production and to food uses was planted and evaluated for phenotypic characters. In the third step, a new population of twenty selections was obtained by open cross-pollination of some of the cultivars and further phenotypic selection in seedling population. In this review, the three populations are compared for biometric shoot, leaves and fruit characters, in order to verify the pressure of domestication process on these traits. Wild populations showed high variability only partially used during the first step, while the hybridization may create new variability for use in the genetic improvement of myrtle.

Hybrid Vigour Study of Yield and Yield Related Characters on Limmu Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Genotypes at South-Western Ethiopia

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most important crops cultivated worldwide and has a great economic impact in many countries including Ethiopia. Hybrid vigor (heterosis) breeding can enhance productivity of coffee. Hybrid vigor study was conducted on 5 x 5 half-diallel mating involving 17coffee genotypes (5 parents, 10 F1 hybrids and two checks) for yield and its related traits in 2018. The study locations include Jimma, Agaro and Gera research centers of south-western Ethiopia using randomized completely block design with three replications. There are significant differences among 17 genotypes and 15 diallel genotypes (checks excluded) for all traits; the crosses showed significant and positive average heterosis (mid parent) and heterobeltiosis (better parent) for all traits. Crosses showed significant variation in the expression of standard heterosis (SH) and useful heterosis (UH) for fruit length (FL), fruit width (FW), bean length (BL), bean width (BW), bean thickness(BT), and hundred bean weight (HBW) across locations. Heterobeltiosis ranged from -9.06 to 88.79% and -17.81 to 67.98% for yield at Jimma and Gera, respectively. Mean SH and UH was positive and between 5 and 10% for BL and BT and <5% for all fruit characters and BT across locations. Mean of SH and UH was 14.62% and 11.82%, respectively for HBW. Crosses P4 x P5, P1 x P5 and P2 x P5 increased yield by 25.13% (637.75 kg), 14.05% (356.64 kg) and 5.78% (146.59 kg) over commercial pure line variety across three locations, respectively. Based on heterosis and mean performance hybrids P4 x P5, P1 x P5, P3 x P5, and P1 x P2 found as promising hybrids for yield and bean characters. Thus, these hybrids should be advanced in the next breeding program and tested through incorporating other traits.

Fruit characters and yield of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) as influenced by different concentrations of gibberellic acid

The effect of gibberellic acid concentrations on fruit characters and yield of strawberry was studied on two varieties, namely ‘Sweet Charlie’ and ‘Winter Dawn’ during November, 2018 to March, 2019. Foliar application of three different concentration of GA3 viz. 50 ppm, 75 ppm and 100 ppm were done at 40 days and 60 days after planting. Experimental results showed that GA3 @ 75 ppm had the best effect to increase yield components and yield of both the varieties. Under GA3 @ 75 ppm, Winter Dawn exhibited higher fruit diameter (3.38cm) and fruit length (4.74cm) as compared to Sweet Charlie (3.28cm fruit diameter and 4.60cm fruit length). Though the fruit weight was slightly higher in Sweet Charlie (18.36g) as against Winter Dawn (17.90g) under the best treatment i.e. 75 ppm GA3 the yield recorded was higher in Winter Dawn (573.62g/plant and 24.04t/ha) as against Sweet Charlie (445.43g/plant and18.73t/ ha) due to higher number of fruits (32.44/plant) produced by Winter Dawn as compared to Sweet Charlie (24.94/plant). So, Winter Dawn variety produced 28.35% higher yield as compared to Sweet Charlie under GA3 @ 75 ppm treatment.