The Journal of Horticultural Sciences (ISSN 0973-354X eISSN 2582-4899) is a Global Diamond Open Access Journal - free-to-read and free-to-publish Open Access journal. Published biannually by the Society for Promotion of Horticulture hosted at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Bengaluru 560089, India. The current year (2025) NAAS rating is 6.4. Expect on average 6 weeks from submission to publication. There are NO PUBLICATION FEES (Article Processing Charges or APCs) to publish with this journal.
Authors retain copyright. Articles published are made available as open access articles, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. This journal permits and encourages authors to share their submitted versions (preprints), accepted versions (postprints) and/or published versions (publisher versions) freely under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license while providing bibliographic details that credit, if applicable.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of brinjal prices and arrivals: A case study of theterai region markets in West Bengal
The study examined the trends and market dynamics for the prices and arrivals of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) in the Terai region of West Bengal, employing robust and novel statistical methodologies to address challenges in agricultural market predictability. The research highlighted the impact of seasonality, perishability, and demand supply imbalances on price volatility. Standardized Innovative Polygon Trend Analysis, a non-parametric approach previously unexplored in horticultural studies, provided a comprehensive analysis of the intricate cause effect relationships between price and arrivals, capturing seasonal shifts, inter-period transitions, and non monotonic trends overlooked by conventional methods. Increased arrivals during winter and spring caused price deflation, while summer and autumn saw reduced arrivals and corresponding price inflation. Monsoon uncertainties led to irregular arrival fluctuations and elevated prices. November and December exhibited significant price changes. In Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, arrivals followed an increasing trend except in winter, whereas Cooch Behar and Toofanganj showed consistently declining arrivals. The study demonstrated that S-IPTA could unravel seasonal behaviors and offer practical insights for farmers and policymakers to regulate production and supply chains effectively. By bridging research gaps, this pioneering use of S-IPTA can serve as a robust tool for analyzing agricultural market trends and improving decision-making.
Copyright (c) 2025 A Pooja, D S Gupta, P Basak, M K Debnath, R Chatterjee, T K Hath, O J Sujayasree (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Evaluation of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) genotypes for drought toleranceusing high throughput PEG induced drought indices
Cucumber is highly sensitive to drought due to its high-water requirement. Identifying genotypes that can tolerate early-stage moisture stress can reduce mortality and improve survival during drought. In this study, 16 genotypes were evaluated for seedling stage drought stress (SDS) tolerance using PEG8000 (18%). Five traits namely germination percentage, germination index, germination energy, shoot length (85.26% reduction) and root length were recorded and analyzed using five selection indices, namely arithmetic mean productivity (AMP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean productivity (HMP), stress tolerance index (STI) and membership function value (MFV). The indices were applied to assess the variability among genotypes and identify those tolerant to drought stress. Among the indices MFV and AMP were determined to be most desirable due to the better discriminating ability and strong correlation with mean shoot length. Based on the indices, the genotypes G9, G2 and W4 were identified as the most tolerant to PEG induced drought stress at seedling stage. Thus, the identified genotypes can be used in further breeding program of cucumber improvement.
Copyright (c) 2025 K N Poornima, V Hegde, K S Shivashankara, K V Ravishankar, M Pitchaimuthu, S Shyamalamma (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
First record of Archips micaceana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) onpeach, Prunus persica (Linnaeus) Batsch in India
Over the last few decades, an expansion in the geographic range along with host range of insect-pests has been observed. In this study, we aimed to report the first record of tortrix, Archips micaceana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on peach from India. The list of possible host crops and its distribution both worldwide and in India has also been discussed. About 30 per cent fruit infestation was observed in peach variety, Shan-e-Punjab during 2012 to 2024. The critical scrutiny of literature revealed that this is the first report of occurrence of A. micaceana on peach in India.
Copyright (c) 2025 S Singh, K S Matharu, P C Pathania, R K Sandhu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Antioxidant profiling in bael (Aegle marmelos Correa.) genotypes
The present investigation was undertaken to characterize the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activities among 18 bael genotypes. Amongst the bael genotypes, highest marmelosin was observed in ‘Pant Bael-1’, at par with ‘Pant Bael-15’ and ‘Pant Bael-14’. The maximum enzymatic antioxidant activity of SOD and CAT was obtained in ‘Pant Shivani’, while, maximum POD enzyme activity was recorded in ‘Pant Bael-1’. The maximum DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed from ‘Pant Shivani’. The correlation study showed positive correlation of non-enzymatic antioxidant content and enzymatic antioxidant activity with DPPH free radical scavenging activity (%). Principal component analysis revealed that out of nine principal components axis, four had eigen values greater than one and all together account for 77.22 of the total variability.
Copyright (c) 2025 A KHOLIA, K K MISRA, R Rai, N Singh (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Influence of potting medium, pot type and growing structure on vertical farming of Dendrobium orchid cv. Emma White
Vertical farming is emerging as a sustainable and innovative approach for cultivating high-value crops like Dendrobium orchids. The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of potting medium, pot type and growing structure on growth and flowering of Dendrobium cv. Emma White, during 2022-2024. Plants cultivated on vertical frames with potting medium comprising coconut husk, charcoal and tile bits (1:1:1 v/v) in netted pots exhibited the highest pseudo bulb count (4.40), pseudo bulb length (23.35 cm) and internodal length (5.25 cm). However, plants grown in charcoal medium in netted pots on vertical frames recorded maximum number (5.18), length (13.78 cm), width (4.94 cm) and area (55.99 cm2) of leaf as well as enhanced flowering attributes, such as the earliest spike initiation (175.33 days), maximum spikes plant-1 (8.88), florets spike-1 (7.67), spike length (49.38 cm), floret diameter (6.30 cm), spike longevity on plant (62.33 days) and vase life (42.00 days). In contrast, plants cultivated on horizontal benches in 6-inch pots using tile bit and potting medium exhibited the lowest vegetative and flowering performance. Pearson correlation results indicated positive correlation of incident PAR (79.30%) with spike production. The findings underscore that orchid cultivation in charcoal medium in netted pots on vertical frames registered higher production of flower spikes with a favourable cost benefit ratio of 3.77. Vertical farming of Dendrobium orchids can thus ensure higher productivity and enhanced income from unit area compared to conventional horizontal farming.
Copyright (c) 2025 S Chandana, S A Nair, G R Smitha, R H Laxman (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Breeding potential of multi-parent derived populations in chilli(Capsicum annuum L.)
Selection from multi-parent (MP) derived populations is most likely to fix a greater number of alleles governing complex traits compared to two parents’-derived populations which result in fixation of only two alleles. It is hypothesized that more than two-parents’-derived populations harbour greater variability than those derived from two-parents’. To test this hypothesis, ten multi-parents’ (MP) populations (8 parents) were field evaluated for average fruit length and fruit weight, fruits plant-1 and green fruit yield plant-1. Breeding potential of these ten MP populations was assessed in terms of means, standardized range (SR), phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and frequency of transgressive segregants (TS). The MP populations with greater trait mean, SR, PCV and TS are interpreted as those with high breeding potential (BP). When each statistical criteria considered separately, the results suggested that BP of the MP populations differed. Hence, a rank-sum method, which combines all the statistical criteria into one criterion was used to identify MP populations with high BP. MP populations designated as D5×D2, D4×D2 and D6×D2 with lower rank-sum were considered to possess high BP. These MP populations are suggested for preferential use to isolate new inbred lines to develop new hybrids
Copyright (c) 2025 C B Siddu, Channabasava, P Ganesh, B Susmitha, M P Kalpana, A M Rao, S Ramesh (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Effect of bio-stimulant on production and quality ofthe kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) cv. Allison
Although growing in popularity in developed countries, organic kiwifruit production still has several operational challenges, including limited availability of organic growth regulators, organic nutritional inputs, and organic insecticides. In this research, eleven treatments viz., T1: water spray (control), T2: 5% KA sap (Kappaphycus alvarezii), T3: 10% KA sap, T4: 5% GE sap (Gracilaria edulis), T5: 10% GE sap, T6: 5% AN sap (Ascophyllum nodosum), T7: 10% AN sap, T8: 5% vermiwash, T9: 10% vermiwash, T10: 5% humic acid and T11: 10% humic acid were used as foliar spray to study their effects on production and quality of kiwifruit cv. Alison, during 2020 to 2023. Results revealed that treatment T8, T2 and T6 were found to be best for improving growth attributes, while, treatment T2, T11, T8 and T5 for fruit quality attributes of kiwifruit cv. Allison. For antioxidant content, T8 was best for DPPH assay and T10 for ABTS assay. Therefore, it can be concluded that application of biostimulants like seaweed extracts and humic acids can be one of the options for increasing the quality and yield of organic kiwifruit production.
Copyright (c) 2025 S K Dutta (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
In silico mining of banana circular RNAs in response to biotic andabiotic stress: Classification and their distribution on genome
Banana (Musa spp.) is highly susceptible to a range of abiotic and biotic stresses, leading to significant reductions in yield and productivity. Recent advances in molecular biology have highlighted the critical roles of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of gene expression and stress adaptation in plants. Among these, circular RNAs (circRNAs)—a class of covalently closed, stable RNA molecules—have emerged as important regulators of diverse biological processes, including plant stress responses. In the present study, circRNAs were systematically identified from transcriptome datasets of Musa acuminata subjected to various abiotic (cold, salt, osmotic and drought) and biotic (Mycosphaerella sp. and Fusarium sp.) stress conditions. A total of 1,114 circRNAs were identified under abiotic stress and 497 circRNAs under biotic stress. Notably, a high proportion of these circRNAs originated from intergenic regions, accounting for 80.7% (900) and 90.74% (451) of total circRNAs under abiotic and biotic stress, respectively. Chromosomal distribution analysis of abiotic and biotic circRNAs showed statistically significant variation across the 11 chromosomes of banana as determined by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test (0.75). These findings provide a foundational resource for understanding the landscape of stress-responsive circRNAs in banana. Further functional characterization and validation studies are warranted to elucidate their precise regulatory roles in stress tolerance mechanisms.
Copyright (c) 2025 D Elangovan, M Mathiazhagan, R. H Laxman, K V Ravishankar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Assessing resistance against Alternaria leaf spot in marigold genotypes(Tagetes spp.): A comprehensive in vitro and in vivo study
Marigold (Tagetes spp.) a member of the Asteraceae family, is a globally acclaimed flower crop owing to its significant industrial value. The present study devised an effective screening method utilising a dual approach study, both in vitro and in vivo, for identifying potentially resistant genotypes of marigold. Pathogen isolation from infected plants revealed that 7 out of 10 isolates belong to Alternaria, confirming its prevalent association with leaf spots in marigold. Pathogenicity assessment revealed isolate I-3 as the most virulent isolate, and hence, it was subsequently used for the dual screening programme. Molecular characterization of the virulent isolate based on Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region sequencing revealed its 100% homology with previously reported sequences of Alternaria alternata. Potato dextrose agar and Host-extract media (with dextrose) supported rapid mycelial growth and abundant sporulation. Among 60 genotypes of marigold screened under in vitro and in vivo conditions, AMS-48, AMS-123, Pusa Parv, Pusa Utsav and MGO 3 exhibited moderate resistance. At the same time, Pusa Basanti Gainda, Pusa Deep and Tagetes minuta selections were found to be highly susceptible. These findings were consistent under both conditions, validating the screening methods. The moderately resistant genotypes can be pivotal in marigold breeding programs for developing resilient marigold varieties.
Copyright (c) 2025 S Sharma, A Das, Bharti, K P Singh, S Panwar, A Talukdar, E Arzoo, A Singh, P Bisht, R Bhatia (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Seed dormancy in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.): Insights and interventions
Cucumber seeds that have been freshly extracted show dormancy. In the first experiment, cucumber var. Pusa Uday seeds were subjected to various treatments viz., running with tap water, GA3, benzyl adenine, ethylene, KNO3, HNO3 and control (dry seed). The results revealed that seeds treated with benzyl adenine at 150 ppm for 12 hr recorded the highest germination (5.5%). Second experiment was carried out to find out an effective method for breaking seed dormancy and also to study how long it persists when stored under ambient conditions. When the initial trial with chemical treatments failed to break seed dormancy, the seeds were exposed to varying durations of dry heat treatment. Results revealed that seed dormancy in fresh seeds of the cucumber var. Pusa Uday could be totally overcome by a four-day dry heat treatment at 70°C without impacting other seed quality parameters. Such seeds could be stored for 24 months under ambient conditions without any reduction in viability and vigour. Additionally, it was observed that seed dormancy was naturally broken within 4 months when seeds were stored under ambient conditions, without any specific treatment.
Copyright (c) 2025 N S Nagegowda, Yogeesha H.S, Pitchaimuthu M., G M Prashanth Kumar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Evaluation of pre-treatments for shelf life extension of minimally processedfenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.)
Potential of different pretreatments for shelf life enhancement and nutritional quality maintenance in minimally processed fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) leaves (MPFL) at 8°C storage were evaluated. Pretreatment agents such as calcium propionate, calcium chloride, kinetin, gibberellic acid, 1-methyl cyclo propene, neutral electrolysed water and sodium hypochlorite were used. The results have proven that a five minutes dip in kinetin solution (50 mg L-1) was the best among all tested pretreatments; and it resulted in achieving eight days shelf life compared to four days in control samples. Besides this, better maintenance of total antioxidants (1735 mg ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity kg-1) and proteins (44 g kg-1), at levels close to that of fresh leaves, could be achieved. Calcium propionate (1.5 g L-1) was identified as the second best treatment. It was also shown that minimally processed fenugreek leaves (MPFL) is a rich source of vitamins B1, B2, E and K. The B vitamins were susceptible to deterioration during storage, while their loss could be minimized with kinetin treatment. Sanitizers like chlorine (100 mg L-1 available chlorine) and neutral electrolysed water (100 and 200 mg L-1) have reduced the shelf life of MPFL indicating their phytotoxicity to FL. The results of the study open up the possibility of using kinetin as an effective pretreatment tool for MPFL in minimal processing industry.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ranjitha Kozhummal, Sudhakar Rao, Mhasizotuo, Vasudeva, Shivashankara K S (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Effect of seed soaking and drying on germination, growth andvigour of Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche)
Macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia) is among the world’s premium nuts and is gaining popularity in India due to its high market value. However, its germination is poor and slow owing to the presence of a hard seed coat, often delaying emergence for 5–6 months. The present study evaluated the effect of seed soaking and drying treatments on germination and early growth attributes. Seeds soaked for three days followed by oven drying at 40 °C for 18 hours exhibited significantly earlier germination (47 days) and higher germination percentage (88.13%) compared with the control. These treatments also enhanced seedling growth parameters, including plant height (16.16 cm), stem girth (0.47 cm), number of leaves per plant (11.22), fresh weight (10.73 g), dry weight (4.66 g), vigour index-I (1429.11 cm), and vigour index-II (411.40 g). Correlation analysis revealed that initiation of germination was positively associated with the time required for 50% and complete germination. Overall, soaking macadamia seeds for three days followed by oven drying improved germination efficiency, growth performance, and vigour of seedlings, and can be recommended for commercial propagation.
Copyright (c) 2025 B M Muralidhara, Anuradha Sane, G Nayan Deepak, S Rajendiran, G S Madhu, A T Rani, D Deekshith, P M Mithun (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Unveiling the genetic diversity in curry leaf (Murraya koenigii L. Spreng) genetic resources for nutritional traits
Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii L. Spreng), a widely used spice and medicinal crop, rich in essential oils, bioactive compounds, and nutrients. The present study aimed to evaluate 80 curry leaf germplasm ex situ, to explore genetic variability in mineral nutrient content and their interrelationships. The observed ranges of these nutrients on a dry weight basis were, calcium (0.30–5.97%), phosphorus (0.11–0.77%), potassium (0.09–3.52%), magnesium (0.10–0.78%), sulphur (0.06–0.41%), iron (51.7–439.16 ppm), zinc (4.55–42.60 ppm), boron (26.02–143.38 ppm), copper (2.26–47.41 ppm), and manganese (4.12–92.47 ppm). Correlation analysis revealed a positive association of calcium with manganese, copper, and magnesium. Manganese and copper also exhibited a positive correlation with iron, while, zinc was positively correlated with phosphorus and magnesium. Both phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were high for all traits studied. Furthermore, high heritability, coupled with substantial genetic advance, was observed, indicating the potential for improving these traits through breeding interventions. Principal component analysis demonstrated considerable population divergence in mineral nutrient composition, with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, and potassium contributing most to the overall variability. Hierarchical cluster analysis further revealed a significant regional pattern in mineral nutrient concentrations. The highest levels of calcium and iron were found in accessions collected from Karnataka, followed by those from Odisha and Himachal Pradesh.
Copyright (c) 2025 B R Raghu, G Chethankumar, S Rajendiran, K S Nandini, Priyanka Mahadappa (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Sensors and smart farming using IoT: A review on potential applications in horticultural crops
Horticulture farming is a subset of agriculture, contributing approximately 30% of the agricultural GDP in India. The nutritional benefits of horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms play an important role in daily life. With the ever-increasing demand for food, the horticultural industry faces new challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions. This has led to a significant shift towards technology-driven solutions to address the challenges of a growing population in a sustainable way. The Internet of Things (IoT), a promising technology in smart farming, greatly helps in real-time monitoring of plant growth status and facilitates faster decisions under challenging circumstances. Smart farming in horticultural crops relies on a range of components including sensors, actuators, microcontrollers, and cloud storage for the effective implementation of IoT. These components work together to collect and store data, which can be utilized to optimize the allocation of input resources. This review discusses how components of smart farming can improve resource management, crop yields, and the quality of production of horticultural crops, along with its applications and development in this area.
Copyright (c) 2025 M K Chandraprakash, P Hemamalini, K R Suneetha, R H Laxman (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Influence of floral and aromatic plant materialson incense stick preparation and properties
In India, floral waste is disposed of in rivers and water bodies annually, leading to significant pollution. However, this waste can be substantially reduced if utilized effectively. One promising application is the use of floral waste in the production of value-added products. This study specifically explores the potential of repurposing waste to manufacture incense sticks. Two experiments were conducted to identify the optimal combination of flower petal powder and adhesives for making incense sticks. In experiment 1, sixteen different treatments of flower petal powder and adhesive combinations were tested. The treatment consisted of rose petal powder 42.5% and marigold petal powder 42.5% mixed with 15% Jigat powder as adhesive was found to be the most effective, followed by a combination of marigold petal powder 85% and 15% Jigat powder as adhesive. In experiment 2, the two best treatments from experiment 1 were mixed with aromatic plant powder in various proportions to create naturally fragrant incense sticks. The mosquito repellent activity and olfactory evaluation of these incense sticks were assessed. It was observed that the combination of rose petals, marigold petals, Jigat powder, and 30% lemongrass powder yielded the best results.
Copyright (c) 2025 G S Dhakad, B Kashyap, S R Dhiman, P Sharma, S K Bhardwaj, S Pathania, A Kumar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Unlocking the potential of kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) pot cultivation:A Novel approach for fruit-bearing potted plant production by air layering
Kiwifruit potting is used extensively in ornamental plantations. However, the procedure of pot cultivation with fruit-bearing via air layering is still not yet developed. In this study, several treatments were used to induce rooting via air layering, including wounding, hormone use, and environmental conditions. The results showed that both wounding operations such as scraping and girdling, were effectively inducible for rooting in kiwifruit. Application of continued 100 mL ½ Murashige & Skoog (MS) + 0.5 mg/L Indole-3-butyric acid solution every 7 days can significantly enhance the rooting rate by up to 83.33% as compared to plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, which inhibited rooting. Finally, the rooting canes with fruiting were cut and transferred into the pot, the fruit grew well. Taken together, the developed method provides insight into an efficient way to produce kiwifruit potted plants with fruits in four months that are directly available for commercial sale and scientific research.
Copyright (c) 2025 A H Hafeez, Z Jingyi, L Tian, C Xiaoya, G Dayong, Z Yunliu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Hybrid analysis for ToLCV resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) andmolecular validation of Ty-3 gene
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are widely recognized as a nutritious food due to their rich content of essential nutrients. Their growing popularity in recent years is largely attributed to lycopene, a powerful antioxidant known for its anti-cancer properties. However, the tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) represents a substantial risk to tomato crops at global level resulting in 100% crop loss. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and screen the tomato hybrids for ToLCV resistance and validate the presence of Ty-3 gene.The study involved evaluating 12 parents, 8 hybrids and 7 double cross hybrids carrying Ty-3 genes, which underwent screening at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Assorted array of co-dominant sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers were utilised to assess the resistance genes linked with tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV), focusing specifically on Ty-3. The chosen markers P6-25, FLUW-25F and SCAR-1 demonstrated high reliability in distinguishing susceptible and resistant lines, facilitating the efficient identification of homozygous or heterozygous alleles relevant to ToLCV resistance. The screening resulted in the identification of three resistant parents (CBESL159, CBESL162 and CBESL169), two hybrids (H5-CBESL133×CBESL169 and H7-CBESL146×CBESL162) and two double hybrids (H5xH7 and H4xH5). These promising parents hold potential as parental materials for developing lines or hybrids with genes providing strong and enduring resistance against ToLCV and yield improvement. The double hybrids can be used for development of breeding lines.
Copyright (c) 2025 R Shanmugabhavatharani, T Saraswathi, M Kavitha, N Manivannan, N Seenivasan, S Harish (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Exploration and evaluation of root-associated endophytes against Meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato
The fungal endophytes play a key role in habitat adaptation of plants resulting in enhanced plant performance and withstand against biotic and abiotic stresses in the environment. The present study was conducted to isolate root-associated fungal endophytes from cultivated crops and evaluated for their efficacy against Meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato plants. Total 262 fungal root endophytes were isolated from 14 cultivated crops and classified and also grouped into 4 genera (Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp., Trichoderma sp.) based on morphological structure. The colonization rate of these isolates ranged from 0 to 100%; Shannon’s index (H) is 0 to 1.37; Simpson (1-D) is 0 to 0.74 and Dominance (D) is 0.4 to 1. Antagonism evaluation of fungal endophytic isolates on M. incognita revealed that 5 isolates caused 100 per cent juveniles (J2) mortality, 14 isolates caused mortality in the range of 90-99 per cent, 12 isolates caused 75- 89 per cent mortality, and remaining 26 isolates caused <75 percent J2 mortality. The isolates that caused 100 per cent J2s mortality were molecularly characterized based on ITS-1 and ITS-2 gene nucleotide sequences and identified as Aspergillus flavipes, Penicillium murcianum, Fusarium oxysporum, Trichoderma asperellum and Trichoderma viride. Thesefungal root endophytic isolates possessed plant growth promotion traits, effectively parasitized the eggs of M. incognita and significantly reduced the infection in tomato.
Copyright (c) 2025 M Devindrappa, A Kumara, T G Manjunatha, T Prabhulinga, S H Thube (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Incidence of leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis and tea tortrix, Homona coffearia(Tortricidae: Lepidoptera) on litchi (Litchi chinensis) flowers in India
The litchi leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis, was reported to attack litchi foliage and the tea tortrix, Homona coffearia, on the bud and foliage of many fruit and plantation crops except litchi in India. The incidence of S. leucaspis and litchi as a new host plant for H. coffearia flowers was observed in two major litchi-growing states (Bihar and Jharkhand) of India during 2021 and 2022. A description of the species, their population dynamics and correlations with weather parameters is presented. Larvae of S. leucaspis and H. coffearia feed in inflorescences through webbing and feeding inside silken webs and tunnelling into immature fruits. The number of webs per inflorescence ranged from 1.58 to 2.05 at flowering to fruit setting phenophase of litchi during 2021 and 2022, respectively. During 2022, the percentage of panicle damage in experimental farms varied from 1.9 to 34.2% and 2.8 to 37.7% in farmers’ fields of Muzaffarpur, Bihar by S. leucaspis. The correlation analyses showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) with rainfall for the incidence of H. coffearia, and with temperature for the incidence of S. leucaspis. The studies suggest an urgent need to develop effective and pollinator-friendly management strategies against these additional flower feeder insect pests in litchi.
Copyright (c) 2025 Padmini Rayudu Sai, Jaipal Singh Choudhary, Vinod Kumar, Swati, Debjani Dey, Bikash Das (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Royal jelly as a novel bio-stimulant for asymbiotic seed germination andprotocorm development in Phalaenopsis
Orchid micropropagation is often limited by slow seed germination and early seedling development. This study evaluated the potential of royal jelly (RJ), a nutrient-rich organic substance, as a growth-promoting additive in the asymbiotic culture of five Phalaenopsis varieties viz., Nottingham, Dubrovnik, Andorra, Memphis, and Bucharest. A factorial experiment was conducted using two peptone concentrations (1/ gL{ 1 and 2/ gL{ 1) combined with four RJ levels (0, 150, 300, and 450/ ppm) in half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Results demonstrated that RJ significantly enhanced germination and seedling development in a concentration- dependent manner. The variety Nottingham cultured in 2/ gL{ 1 peptone medium supplemented with 300/ ppm RJ achieved the highest germination rate of 96.33%, reduced the time to protocorm formation by 2–3/ days, and increased leaf and root primordia numbers by 15–20% compared with the control. Higher RJ concentrations (450/ ppm) occasionally reduced germination and delayed early growth, indicating an optimal range for supplementation. These findings suggest that RJ can serve as an effective organic bio-stimulant for Phalaenopsis micropropagation, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional synthetic growth regulators. Future studies should isolate active compounds in RJ and assess its scalability across different orchid species.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fatemeh Bidarnamani (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Influence of gamma radiation on morpho-physiological and biochemical traitsof in vitro raised wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) genotypes
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.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rahul Dev, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Ajay Arora, A K Singh, R Asrey, M Alizadeh, V Dayal (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Assessment of physiological and quality traits of peace lily(Spathiphyllum wallisii) under coloured shade nets
Studies were carried out to evaluate the physiological and quality traits of peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) under different shade nets (50% shading) and control (tree shade). The results showed that plants grown under black-coloured shade nets recorded the maximum total chlorophyll content in leaves (79.02 SPAD units) and photosynthetic rate (1.64 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹), while white shade nets promoted early flowering. The number of flowers produced per plant (2.00), flower stalk length (43.23 cm), flower stalk diameter (3.58 mm), spathe length (15.10 cm), spathe width (6.09 cm), and vase life (2.44 days) were highest in plants grown under black-coloured shade nets. Peace lily grown under black shade nets also showed overall better performance in root and foliage quality parameters; therefore, black shade nets can be recommended for commercial cultivation of peace lily.
Copyright (c) 2025 N R Poojashree, T Suseela, A V D Dorajee Rao, P Subbaramamma, R V Sujatha (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Toxicity of selected insecticides to different stages of brown lacewing,Micromus timidus Hagen (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae)
Brown lacewings belong to the family Hemerobiidae and is the third largest family belonging to order Neuroptera. These are brown, small to medium-sized insects with moniliform antennae and are predators both in larval and adult stages, which feed exclusively on aphids. Investigation was made to study the sensitivity of Micromus timidus Banks to selected insecticides and the experiment was carried out in the Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. For the studies, five different insecticides (profenophos 50EC, imidacloprid 17.8SL, lambda-cyhalothrin 5EC, chlorantraniliprole 18.5SC and buprofezin 25SC) and a neem product (azadirachtin 10000 ppm) were selected based on the recommendation for aphid management in pulses. The toxicology studies were carried out by using the Potter spray tower and safety studies were carried out for all the four stages of M. timidus (egg, larva, pupa and adult). Control with water spray was maintained. For the egg and adult stages, imidacloprid 17.8SL at 0.5 mL/L was highly toxic causing 89.74 and 74.07 per cent mortality respectively, followed by profenophos 50EC at 3 mL/L (52.37 and 66.67 per cent mortality). The larval and pupal stages were very sensitive to profenophos 50EC at 3 mL/L causing 100 and 96.29 per cent mortality respectively, followed by imidacloprid 17.8SL at 0.5 mL/L (51.85 and 55.56 per cent mortality respectively). Azadirachtin 10000 ppm was found to be the safest insecticide to all stages of M. timidus, causing less than 20 per cent mortality, which was followed by buprofezin 25EC and chlorantraniliprole 18.5SC.
Copyright (c) 2025 S Bhavana, Vidya Mulimani, N Sumithramma, K Murali Mohan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Floral biology and pollen germination studies in China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees]
An investigation on ‘floral biology and pollen germination in China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees.] was carried out during two consecutive years 2020-2022. Results revealed that anthesis was observed in afternoon hours from 2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m. in China aster genotype Arka Aadya, whereas, in Arka Archana, Arka Kamini and Arka Poornima, it was 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Among genotypes, anther dehiscence was observed from forenoon till afternoon. Number of ray florets per flower head ranged from 29.53 (Arka Shashank) to 132.37 (Arka Poornima), while, disc florets per flower head ranged from 128.93 (Arka Shashank) to 238.93 (Arka Poornima). Hundred per cent pollen viability was recorded in Arka Aadya, Arka Archana, Arka Kamini, and Arka Shashank. Seed set was ranged from 24.55% (Arka Poornima) to 54.13% (Arka Kamini). Increased stigma receptivity among the genotypes was observed from bud stage to fully expand floret stage and declined in semi expanded tubular disc stage. Among genotypes, maximum pollen germination was observed in Arka Archana (17.67%) followed by Arka Kamini (14.10 %). Among different media, maximum pollen germination ranged from 5.13% (10% sucrose + 15% PEG +BK medium) to 17.07% (10% sucrose + 15% PEG + BK media). Among interaction effect, maximum pollen germination was recorded in 15% sucrose + 30% PEG +BK medium x Arka Kamini (70.50%) followed by 10% sucrose +15% PEG +BK medium x Arka Archana (44.33%) and 10% sucrose +15% PEG +BK medium x Arka Aadya (44.00%).
Copyright (c) 2025 Chetna Jyoti, R Kumar, S A Nair, H S Yogeesha, T U Barathi, M V Dhananjaya (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Genetic inheritance and identification of molecular markers linked tomale sterility in African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)
The demand for hybrid varieties of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is on the rise due to the increased productivity and uniformity exhibited by F1 hybrids. To develop hybrids in marigold, male sterile line is essential, as emasculation is complex due to the unique flower structure of marigold. Inheritance of petaloid male sterility was investigated in a seed propagated line across six generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2), that confirmed a single dominant gene governing petaloid male sterility over multiple seasons. The marker CPSSR-39 exhibited clear and consistent segregation, following a Mendelian ratio 1:1 in F1 which is in accordance with the genes governing petaloid male sterility. This is the first report of genic petaloid male sterility with a linked marker marking a significant advancement in heterosis breeding of marigold.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sumalatha Akkalareddy, D C Lakshmana Reddy, M Arivalagan, V V Bhaskar, Tejaswini Prakash (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Impact of staggered transplanting of pollen parents and repeated pollinationmethods in hybrid seed production of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)
Marigold is an important commercial flower crop of India and hybrids are in demand. However, the hybrid seeds are being imported due to the limited number of hybrids. Seed production of F1 hybrids needs to be enhanced to reduce the dependency on imported seeds. Therefore, the present study was initiated to work out the strategies for maximizing the hybrid seed production in four hybrid combinations. Seed parents exhibited delayed flowering with an extended duration ranging from 104.89 to 114.50 days, in contrast to the early-flowering pollen parents, which had a shorter flowering duration of 65.39 to 72.28 days. This discrepancy could be effectively addressed by staggered planting of pollen parents at multiple intervals, ensuring consistent pollen availability throughout the active flowering period of the seed parents. Irrespective of the hybrid combinations, repeated pollination for three-time registered higher seed setting percentage (49.56%), more number of seeds (112.79) and higher seed weight (250.67 mg) per flower compared to either one or two time pollinations. The study highlighted the potential for enhanced hybrid seed production through staggered planting of pollen parents combined with repeated pollination, ensuring maximum seed set per flower and optimizing seed yield per unit area of production.
Copyright (c) 2025 R Veeresh Kumar, T U Bharathi, K Hima Bindu, R H Laxman, R Venugopalan, P V R Reddy, Tejaswini Prakash (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Interlinking soil, water and plant health status of mango orchards ofRamanagara and Srinivaspura regions for higher productivity
Interrelationship among soil, water and plant health and its influence on crop productivity of mango was investigated Soil, water and plant samples from mango orchards of Ramanagara and Srinivaspura areas of Karnataka, India were collected and analyzed. Soil quality (SQI), water quality (WQI) and plant health (PHI) indices were calculated adopting scoring procedure and interrelated. Few soils were eficient in organic C, available N, K, S, and Fe. Irrigation water of few samples had slightly higher bicarbonate, Cl- and sodium hazards. Most of the leaf samples had very less N and K contents. Soil quality and plant health status of study area were moderately poor to good and irrigation water quality was medium to very good. There was significant positive correlation existed between SQI and PHI, SQI and yield and PHI and yield. However, WQI did not show any significant relationship with SQI, PHI and yield. These results confirmed that soil health influences plant health and crop productivity. Therefore, maintenance of soil health through good cultivation practices is important to enhance plant health and mango productivity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rajendiran, S., Kalaivanan, D., Raghupathi, H.B. (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Effect of nitrogen and potassium inputs on cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.capitata) production and profitability in the terai region of West Bengal
A two years field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21 in factorial randomized design with three replications, consisting five levels of nitrogen (kg/ha) (75, 100, 125, 150 and 175) and four levels of potassium (kg/ha) (50, 75, 100 and 125) encompassing twenty treatments combination. The pooled analysis revealed that different doses nitrogen and potassium significantly influenced vegetative growth, yield and quality of cabbage. The combined application of nitrogen (175 kg/ha) + potassium (125 kg/ha) recorded the maximum plant height, stem diameter, head width, head weight, yield per plots and yield per hectare. From the economic analysis, the combined application of nitrogen (175 kg/ha) + potassium (125 kg/ha), and nitrogen (175 kg/ha) and potassium (100 kg/ha) recorded highest B:C ratio (1.95). From the above findings, it can be suggest that the combination of nitrogen (175 kg/ha) + potassium (125 kg/ha) will be profitable to the cabbage growers of West Bengal, India.
Copyright (c) 2025 S Golay, J C Jana, Adarsh Thapa, S Dutta, M Roy, S Chakraborty (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Optimization of bacoside A3 content in hydroponically cultivated Bacopa monnieri
Bacopa monnieri L. is a popular ayurvedic plant known for its cognitive properties. The active principle in B. monnieri responsible for its brain-stimulating character is a group of saponins, specifically, bacoside A (bacoside A3, bacopaside II, and bacopasaponin C). In this study, the impact of different nutrient formulations-Hoagland & Arnon (1938) (control), GL-L, Higro-Super, and Hoagland & Arnon (1950), and different light conditions viz., white LED lights (WL) & multi-spectral LED lights (ML) on the growth and bacoside A3 content of B. monnieri in a nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system were investigated. The data was analyzed using the ANOVA (p<0.05) and DMRT test. It was found that GLL+ML as a treatment showed the highest number of shoots/plant (51.2±3.6), number of leaves/plant (518±21.2), leaf area (1.28±0.04), fresh weight (28.82±5.7 g/plant), and dry weight (2.2±0.26 g/plant). Conversely, the Higro-Super+ML treatment illustrated the highest bacoside A3 content (3528 mg/kg) along with suitable growth, followed by Hoagland & Arnon (1938) +ML (3204 mg/kg). These research findings shed light on the importance of considering both light spectrum and nutrient availability in optimizing growth conditions for B. monnieri cultivation
Copyright (c) 2025 Mrunal Saste, Vikas Randhe, Sunita Singh, Vishal Warke, Girish Mahajan, Manish Raut, Uday Annapure, Gayatri Karri, Debjani Dasgupta (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Inheritance pattern of leaf and fruit traits in watermelon[Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Mansf.]
Rare traits can significantly contribute to the development of trait-specific genotypes and may also be effectively used as morphological markers in breeding. Most of the watermelon cultivars or genotypes are having lobbed leaves but YF 5-2-7 exhibiting non-lobed leaves along with yellow fleshed round fruits. The study was conducted during 3 seasons to develop F1, F2 and their evaluation along with parental lines. The breeding line AHW/BR-22 was used as a female parent and crossed with unique yellow fleshed watermelon genotype YF 5-2-7 to produce F1 and F2 generation to study the inheritance of leaf hape, fruit shape and flesh colour. Based on the segregation pattern of progeny, it is concluded that leaf shape and fruit shape did not follow monogenic inheritance, while, monogenic control was observed in flesh colour. This study provides valuable insights into the genetic basis of leaf shape, fruit shape and flesh colour in watermelon, which can have practical applications in breeding programmes, facilitating the development of improved watermelon varieties with desirable and unique traits.
Copyright (c) 2025 B R Choudhary, H Ram, J Rane, S Pandey (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0