Percentage Of Fruit Set Research Articles

Influence of organic manures on yield parameters of guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Lucknow 49

The present investigation on “Influence of organic manures on yield parameters of guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Lucknow 49” was conducted in a farmer’s field located at Suthamalli village under Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu during 2023-24. The study aimed to evaluate the application of organic manures, specifically combinations of farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, and neem cake significantly enhanced the yield parameters of guava cv. Lucknow 49 compared to untreated control conditions. The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design in three replications with fourteen treatments. The treatments were designed by combination of FYM, vermicompost, poultry manure and neem cake at different levels. The results of the present study indicated that the yield parameters viz., number of flowers/tree (162.16 and 173.36), number of fruits/tree (151.97 and 163.52), fruit set percentage (93.71 % and 94.32%), fruit length (6.71 and 6.98 cm), fruit diameter (6.89 and 7.10 cm), fruit weight (189.22 and 193.27 g) and yield/tree (29.83 and 34.18 kg) was found to be the highest in two successive crops, the treatment which received soil application of FYM 10 kg + vermicompost 5 kg + poultry manure 2.5 kg + neem cake 5 kg/tree followed by vermicompost 5 kg + poultry manure 2.5 kg + neem cake 5 kg/tree. The least values for all the yield parameters were noticed in the untreated control.

Vanilla planifolia: Artificial and Insect Pollination, Floral Guides and Volatiles

The natural pollinator of the major species of commercially-grown vanilla, Vanilla planifolia, is unknown, and the crop requires hand pollination to achieve significant levels of fruit set; however, the traditional technique (using a toothpick) is costly, as it requires skilled personnel. To overcome this problem, two native Australian bees, Tetragonula carbonaria and Austroplebeia australis, and the blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, were trialled as pollinators. Three alternatives to the toothpick method were also trialled. The appearance of vanilla flowers under ultraviolet radiation was examined to determine the presence of cryptic pollination guides, and the chemical composition of nectar from extrafloral nectaries and aroma volatiles from the flowers were characterised. None of the three insects effected pollination due to their small size and behaviour; other insect pollinators need to be identified. The alternative mechanical methods of pollination trialled resulted in fruit set; however, the percentages of fruit set were lower than the traditional toothpick method, and the fruit were of inferior quality. The nectar produced predominantly consisted of sucrose and melezitose. Melezitose is a strong attractant of various ant species, which may explain the concentration of ants around the nectaries and the apparent lack of nectar production in part of this study. The aroma volatiles included monoterpenoids, terpenes, sesquiterpenoids, aromatics, nitrogen-containing compounds and fatty acids, the most abundant being a-pinene and eucalyptol. Illumination of the flowers with UV-A radiation revealed fluorescence from the stamens, the column and the callus, which is located on the labellum. These observations may aid the identification and use of potential pollinators.

An efficient and easy-to-use protocol for induction of haploids in cucumber through parthenogenic embryo development

BackgroundCucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a model crop to study cell biology, including the development of haploids and doubled haploids in vegetable crops. In plant breeding, haploid and doubled haploids are valuable tools for developing pure homozygous inbred lines and accelerating genetic progress by reducing the time required for breeding cycles. Besides, the haploids are also valuable in genomic studies. We are reporting the induction of haploids in cucumber involving gynoecious and parthenocarpic genotypes for the first time. This study aimed to assess the efficient induction of haploids through pollination with gamma-irradiated pollen in cucumber. The effect of gamma irradiation dose on pollen viability and germination, fruit setting percentage, seed development, and haploid embryo development in cucumber hybrid genotypes were studied in detail. The goal was to utilize this information to produce haploid plants for genomics and transformation works in this model vegetable crop.ResultsPollination was done on six cucumber genotypes using varying doses of gamma rays (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 Gy). Genotypes, doses of irradiation, and embryo developmental stage influenced the successful generation of in-vitro haploid plants. The optimal timeframe for embryo rescue was found to be 25 to 30 days after pollination. Haploid embryos were effectively induced using irradiated pollen at 400 to 500 Gy doses. Parthenogenetic plantlets were analyzed, and their ploidy level was confirmed through stomatal physiology, cytology (mitosis), and flow cytometry methods.ConclusionThrough parthenogenic embryo development, it is possible to induce a large number of haploids in cucumber. This technique’s power lies in its ability to streamline the breeding process, enhance genetic gain, and produce superior cultivars that contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security.

Assessment of Morpho-biochemical Traits in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Cultivars Across Staggered Sowing Intervals Under the Agro-climatic Conditions of Assam, India

An experiment was conducted in the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to study the effect of time of sowing on growth, yield and quality of the fruit and standardize the optimum time of sowing in watermelon. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomised Block Design with two varieties- Saraswati (V1) and Kiran (V2) and five different time of sowing- October(M1), November (M2), December (M3), January (M4) and February (M5). Observations on growth, yield and quality parameters were recorded at 60, 90 and 120 days after sowing. Results revealed that the variety Kiran sown in November recorded significantly the highest female flowers per plant (11.33), fruit set percentage (27.98 %) and fruit retention percentage (44.04 %). In addition this treatment combination was also able to register the maximum number of fruits per plant (2.67), fruit weight (4.32 kilogram), yield per plant (9.77 kilogram), yield per ha (44.58 tonnes), Total Soluble Solids (9.97 0 Brix), total sugar (9.12 %) and ascorbic acid (7.03 milligram per 100 gram). Thus, it may be inferred that watermelon variety Kiran sown in the month of November was the best treatment combination in terms of yield and yield attributing parameters and quality parameters as well.

Effect of Soil Application of Organic Amendments on Flowering and Yield Parameters of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

The present investigation was conducted at Department of Plant physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period from January 2023 to May 2023 with an objective to evaluate the effect of soil application of organic amendments on flowering and yield parameters of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). Research was conducted to identify the best organic soil amendment suited to the chilli variety, Vellayani Athulya. Work consisted of 8 treatments and 3 replications with the design simple CRD. The treatments were T1-Control 1 [KAU Organic POP (OPOP) (2017) with FYM (25 t ha-1)], T2-Control 2 [KAU POP (2016)], T3-FYM substituted with vermicompost (12.5 t ha-1) as per KAU OPOP (2017), T4 -FYM substituted with goat manure (1t ha-1) as per KAU OPOP (2017), T5 -T1+ Rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w), T6- T2+ Rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w), T7- T3+ Rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w ) and T8- T4+ Rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w). The results revealed that the treatment T8-FYM substituted with goat manure (1t ha-1) as per KAU Organic POP(OPOP) (2017)+ rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w) resulted in better flowering and yield attributes in chilli. Also the same treatment showed superior performance in terms of number of flowers plant-1 (44.67), days to first flowering (22 days), days to first harvest (41 days), percentage of fruit setting (64.18%), number of fruits plant-1 (28.67), fruit length (15.30cm), fruit girth (9.30cm), fruit weight (17.70 g fruit -1) and yield (507.41 g plant-1). Thus, the combined application of goat manure (1t ha-1) as per KAU OPOP + rice husk biochar (0.5% w/w) proved to be a better soil organic amendment for chilli variety Vellayani Athulya.

Floral biology and breeding behaviour of Melia azedarach L.: imperative for hybridization

Abstract Melia azedarach L. commonly called Maha Neem is an economically and industrially important tree species with global significance. Although species possess versatile importance worldwide, information on reproductive biology and breeding system is scarce and limited for eastern coastal plain of India. Therefore, current study provides a detailed report on reproductive biology of M. azedarach. Maha Neem was found to bear violet to whitish violet, slightly fragrant, 14.99 ± 0.05 mm. long and 17.01 ± 0.08 mm. wide flowers. This tree commenced opening of floral buds during March and continued until May with a peak during March-end. The anthesis of species peaked between 08:00 and 10:00 am, which coincides with insect activity. Anthers were observed to dehisce during or shortly before anthesis; however, stigma started receptivity before anthesis and continued invitation up to 12 h after anthesis. Pollen viability ranged from 96.67 ± 1.6% to 98.26 ± 1.2 at the time of anthesis; after that decreased rapidly. Pollen: ovule ratio of 1096.38 ± 108.70 indicated the possibility of autogamy. The breeding system of M. azedarach revealed that fruit sets under natural pollination (NP) were significantly higher than Xenogamy. However, substantial difference was not reported in fruit set percentage under natural pollination and Autogamy, which is strong evidence in favour of self-pollination. Moreover, Maha-Neem is entomophilous with frequent visits by Apis and Syrphid flies. Current findings will be helpful in designing potent conservation strategies and planning successful breeding programmes.

Performance of tomato cultivars grafted on root-knot nematode resistant Solanum torvum rootstock for growth and yield parameters

Aim: To study the grafting of tomato cultivars on root-knot nematode resistant Solanum torvum for plant growth, yield parameters and nematode damage under polyhouse conditions. Methodology: Three tomato cultivars viz., Arka Samrat, Saaho and SVTD8323 were grafted on Meloidogyne incognita-resistant S. torvum Sw. (IC618029) by cleft grafting technique. The experiment was conducted in a polyhouse using factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with two factors. The first factor was planting material with grafted and non-grafted tomato cultivars. The second factor was with and without nematode infestation. Observations on plant growth and yield parameters were taken. Results: Grafted and non-grafted tomato cultivars differed significantly in terms of flowering and yield parameters and nematode damage. Under nematode-infested conditions, grafted cultivars yielded significantly more number of flowers per cluster (4.22 to 4.47), flower clusters per plant (11.25 to 11.63), fruits per cluster (3.74 to 4.19), higher percentage of fruit set (89.78 to 94.00) and fruit yield per plant (2,984.6 to 3114.36 g), with less nematode damage (10.60 to 11.53 galls per root system) as compared to non-grafted cultivars (302.53 to 314.33 galls per root system). Interpretation: Tomato grafting with S. torvum rootstock can be utilized in root-knot nematode management, especially in protected cultivation. Key words: Meloidogyne incognita, Nematodes, Rootstock, Tomato grafting, Wild brinjal

The Role of Some Biostimulants in Improving the Productivity of Orange

One of the environmental problems that affects negatively orange productivity is drought because it greatly minimizes the growth attributes, photosynthetic process, water uptake, percentage of fruit set, and productivity; meanwhile, it raises the rates of respiration and transpiration, as well as the premature and preharvest fruit drop percentages. In addition, drought creates osmotic stress, affects the relationship between plants and water, reduces the amount of water in shoots, and prevents plant cell development and expansion. It is very important to search for a solution to minimize the effect of drought stress; therefore, the present study has investigated the effect of the application of humic acid (HA) at 0, 1 and 2 kg per tree and spraying of seaweed extract (SWE) at 0.2, 0.3 and 4% in combination with moringa leaf extract (MLE) at 2, 4 and 6%, respectively, on the productivity, fruit quality and nutritional status of navel orange cv. Washington during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The results proved that the application of the biostimulants individually or in combination significantly positively changed the vegetative growth, productivity, fruit quality parameters and leaf mineral content of macro- and micronutrients of the treated trees compared to untreated trees. The superior treatments which gave the best results were 2 kg HA + 0.4% SWE + 6% MLE followed by 2 kg HA + 0.3% SWE + 4% MLE over the rest of the applied treatments.

Studies on Self-incompatibility in Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Germplasm

The investigation was carried out during the period 2022-2023 at Mango Research Station, Nuzvid, Eluru District, Andhra Pradesh. In the present study among the genotypes evaluated, six genotypes viz., F-4 (47.22%), G-19 (39.38%), D-13 (30.98%), C-24 (25.35%), E-2 (25.13%) and H-16 (22.43%) recorded higher fruit set percentage than best check Chinnarasam (16.56%). Whereas the lower fruit set percentage was recorded in H-32 (2.23%).

Cooler Is Better: The Role of Temperature in the Reproductive Biology of Persian Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Studied in a Hungarian-Bred Cultivar

The aim was to determine the growth of pollen tubes throughout the transmitting tissue and the process of fertilization in open, optimal and over pollination on the 3rd, 6th and 9th day after pollination of pistillate flowers, together with apomixis. The experiment was carried out over 2 years in Lovasberény, Fejér district, Hungary, which differed in temperature conditions. The average number of pollen tubes in the locule of the ovary was significantly higher in 2017 (1.3%) than in 2019 (1%). A higher percentage of fruit set was recorded in 2017 compared to 2019. The percentage of apomictic fruits from variant of unpollination was higher in 2017 (10%) than in 2019 (3.7%). Based on these results it can be concluded that pollen tube growth and post-fertilization processes together with apomixis of cultivar ‘AK’ are better adaptable to lower temperatures. These findings may help us to move walnut production to the north or to higher altitudes, where the climate is more continental.

Lowering Chemical Fertilizers Rate in ‘Black Amber’ Plum Orchard for Improving Sustainable Resource Management: Effect on Soil Health and Fruit Quality

ABSTRACT The combined application of chemical fertilizers and organic material is a transitional approach toward more sustainable and productive farming. This study aimed to investigate the response of low chemical fertilizer rates and supplementing with organic materials on soil health and fruit quality. In plum orchard, combination of reduced chemical fertilizer rates (R80; R70; R60) with organic manures (F; V) at varying levels based the loss in nitrogen requirement and microbial inoculants (Bf; J) were studied over the conventional approach (R100) on soil health and fruit quality in a 2-year experiment. Soil analysis showed soil physico-chemical properties and enzymes activity with application of R70+V10+Bf. Compared to integrated treatments R100 saw highest availability of soil potassium and calcium. Application of R70+V10+J resulted in maximum improvement in fruit weight, TSS and soluble sugar content. Fruit set percentage was higher in treatment R70+V10+Bf. Fruit yield showed significant changes with treatments R70+V10+Bf and R70+V10+J having similar yield to R100. Our results suggest that by reducing the amount of chemical fertilizer by 30% and partially replacing it with organic materials had a positive effect on soil health without affecting the fruit production and quality.

Responses of Nutritional Status and Productivity of Timor Mango Trees to Foliar Spray of Conventional and/or Nano Zinc

The management of mango orchards is beset with a number of issues, including micronutrient deficits and significant fruit drop, which both contribute to decreases in mango tree output. Among these micronutrients, zinc is vital for increasing agricultural productivity, ensuring crop sustainability, and improving plant nutritional status during the growing season. To overcome zinc (Zn) deficiencies, this study was carried out during two successive seasons in an expected “Off” year (2022) and an expected “On” year (2023) on mature mango trees cv. Timor. To ameliorate this Zn deficiency, the effect of zinc in three forms—zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), sulfate (ZnSO4), and chelated (Zn-chelated)—as a foliar sprayon leaves’ mineral, chlorophyll, total carotenoids, and total carbohydrate contents and productivity were studied. Ten spray treatments were used in this study, including nano zinc (100 ppm), zinc sulfate (0.1%), and chelated zinc (0.2%) on two occasions, 7 January and 4 weeks after the first application, either alone or in combination with each other as compared to the control. In both study seasons, the results showed that all the zinc forms in mineral, chelated, or nano form had a positive effect on the number of flowers per panicle, the percentage of fruit set, the number of fruits per panicle, and the number of fruits per tree, and it decreased the percentage of fruit drop. Furthermore, all zinc forms significantly increased the leaf N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, B, and Zn contents (%), and all the treatments improved the chlorophyll, total carotenoid, and total carbohydrate contents compared with the other treatments. The most effective treatment was two applications of nano zinc at 100 ppm in terms of the nutritional status and productivity of Timor mango trees.

Efficiency of Antioxidants on Physiological Traits and Growth Curve of Date Palm Fruit Cultivars Barhi and Zamli

The study aimed to investigate the impact of variety factor on the physiological characteristics and growth curve of date palm fruits in a private orchard in the Hartha district of Al-Masheeb, north of Basrah province. Two date palm varieties, Barhi and Zamli, were selected and antioxidants tocopherol and Glutathione were used at three concentrations (0, 75, 150 mg/L) for each. The interaction between these factors was studied in terms of physiological characteristics and growth curves. Results showed no significant differences between the varieties' physiological characteristics, but the spray treatments had a significant effect on the percentage of fruit set. The Glutathione spraying treatment had the highest rate of fruit set (86.60%), while the comparison treatment had the lowest drop rate (77.55%). The interaction treatments also had significant differences in drop rate and non-set fruit percentages. The Zamli variety showed the highest growth curve of physical traits (6 and 12 weeks after pollination), while antioxidant spray treatments had significant differences in the rate of physical characteristics. The interaction had a significant effect on the studied characteristics during the two growth periods

Evaluation of Bio-Stimulants for Active Growth, Yield and Shelf Life of Papaya cv. Red Lady

Bio-stimulants, which are natural substances aiding plant growth and resilience, are comprised of various organic and mineral compounds, serving as eco-friendly tools for sustainable farming. The research study was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Agriculture at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, during the years 2023-24. The study employed a randomized block design with seven treatments replicated three times. Bio-stimulants were sprayed at 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after planting (DAP) on papaya plants cv. Red Lady to evaluate its effect on various growth, quality and shelf-life parameters. Various growth parameters including plant height, stem girth, canopy spread, petiole length of leaves, as well as floral characteristics such as days taken for flowering, height at initial flowering, number of flowers per node, fruit set percentage and yield-related parameters were evaluated. The study found significant effects of different bio-stimulant applications on papaya growth, flower and fruit production, fruit quality and shelf-life. Treatment T4 (RDF + Diatomaceous earth) showed notable improvements in growth parameters, while treatment T5 (RDF + Panchgavya) resulted in enhanced productivity, fruit quality and shelf-life. Overall, the study suggests that the application of Diatomaceous earth alongside fertilizers promotes vegetative growth, while Panchgavya application enhances flowering, fruiting and quality attributes, offering insights for optimizing papaya cultivation practices for improved yield and quality.

Effect of Foliar Feeding of Plant Growth Regulator and Nutrients on Phenological Attributes of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv Apple Colour

Guava, (Psidium guajava L.), small tropical tree or shrub of the family Myrtaceae, cultivated for its edible fruits. Guava trees are native to tropical America and are grown in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Nutrients and PGR play a crucial role in flowering and fruit production and their deficiency can significantly impact the yield, productivity, and quality of fruits. Therefore, keeping these points in view, the present investigation was carried out on a 10-year-old guava plant in a high-density plantation (3x3) at the Fruit Research Station Imaliya, Department of Horticulture, J.N.K.V.V., Jabalpur (M.P.) during the mrig-bahar season of 2022-23. The study employed a Factorial Randomised Block Design (FRBD) with 20 treatment combinations involving Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) like salicylic acid and various nutrients, replicated three times. Results indicated that the combination of salicylic acid (200 ppm) + borax (0.5%) significantly influenced several phenological parameters. This treatment resulted in the earliest flower bud initiation (18.33 days) after foliar application, the highest average number of flower buds per shoot (7.05), minimum days to 50% flowering (33.67 days), maximum average number of flowers per shoot (6.95), the highest fruit set percentage (92.18%), the highest fruit retention percentage (81.23%), and the lowest fruit drop percentage (18.77%). The application of salicylic acid at 200 ppm in conjunction with borax at 0.5% (S2 M4) followed by salicylic acid at 300 ppm with borax at 0.5% (S3 M4) demonstrated exceptional efficacy in significantly optimizing phenological parameters when compared to the control.

DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTION CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF HOT PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUM L) GENOTYPE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

The hot pepper chilli, scientifically referred to as Capsicum spp., is globally recognized for its extensive use in cooking and industry. However, rising temperatures due to changing climate conditions are impacting crop yields by affecting pollen viability, as well as the setting and size of the fruit. To combat this, fifteen hot pepper genotypes were assessed to determine which one is most resilient to these climatic challenges. The results indicated that the VRIHP006 genotype exhibited the highest fruit setting and pollen viability percentage among the hot pepper genotypes, with an impressive 86% at optimal temperature and 36.4% under elevated temperatures followed by VRIHP001 and VRIHP004. The data of seed No. fruit-1, fruit length (cm), and fruit width (mm) manifested that genotypes that had less impact of temperature on fruit setting and pollen viability also maintained seed No. fruit-1, fruit length (cm) and fruit width. The Heat susceptibility indices also supported the above selection criteria.

Influence of Organic Inputs on the Performance of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv Festival

An experiment was conducted to find out the effect of organic inputs on yield attributing characters and quality of strawberry cv. Festival was carried out in Garo Hills region of Meghalaya, India during 2022-2023 at Department of Horticulture, North-Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with eight different treatments which were replicated thrice. Treatment T2 (vermicompost 250g/plant) was found to be superior over other treatments for parameters like number of shoots (6.67-11.00), number of leaves (9.33-26.00), leaf area (31.50 cm2-104.50 cm2), total numbers of runners (7.00) and yield parameters like number of fruit set (13.00), fruit set percentage (81.61%), fresh fruit weight (16.55g), fruit length × diameter (34.00 mm × 30.00 mm) and yield of the plant (495.26g). Whereas, T1(vermicompost 300g/plant) recorded the highest in number of flowers (2.66-4.00), duration of flowering (107.00 days) and minimum days taken for flowering (43.00 days). Meanwhile, it was also recorded that T2(vermicompost 250g/plant) was found to have maximum total soluble solids (TSS) (10.47°Brix), total sugar (4.38%), reducing sugar (2.33%), non-reducing sugar (2.05%), titratable acidity (1.80%), ascorbic acid (16.46 mg/100g) and anthocyanin content (23.92 mg/100g). The overall findings indicate the potential of vermicompost (250g/plant) in organic production of strawberry.

The Effect of Foliar Application with Naphthalene Acetic Acid and Potassium Nitrate on the Growth, Sex Ratio, and Productivity of Cucumbers (Cucumis sativas L.) under High Temperatures in Semi-Arid Areas

High temperatures in late spring, summer, and autumn are one of the main elements limiting cucumber production. Heat stress in cucumber plants leads to significant changes in sex expression and negative effects at the physiological stage, including decreased absorption of water and nutrients, decreased photosynthetic functions, and increased respiration, which in turn affects growth and production. Therefore, it is very difficult for cucumber plants exposed to heat stress to improve their productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Cucumber plants bear a variety of flower forms, including staminate, pistillate, and hermaphrodites that occur in different arrangements. In addition, maleness is considered the main problem in cucumber production, as it significantly reduces fruit yield. Recently, the growth, flowering, and productivity of plants have been controlled with the help of growth-regulating substances, and one of these substances is naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), which is of great importance in modifying sex in cucumber and various cucurbit crops. Two experiments were conducted during 2022 and 2023 during the summer season to study the effect of foliar spraying of two levels of potassium nitrate, 500 mg/L and 1000 mg/L, and two levels of NAA, 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L, individually and together, and the comparison treatment in nine treatments on growth traits, sex ratio, fruit traits and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativas L.) plants in three replicates in a completely randomized block design. The results indicated that applying the treatment containing 1000 mg/L KNO3 + 100 mg/L NAA led to obtaining the highest value in most vegetable growth, flowering, and production parameters, with a significant increase compared to the control and all other treatments. Followed by treatments consisting of potassium nitrate and NAA, which gave high values in the traits of sex ratio %, fruit setting %, fruit yield, and most other traits. This study showed the importance of spraying with both NAA and potassium nitrate, individually or in combination, and the high combined effect of both in the treatments that contained each of them in the vegetative growth traits and floral traits such as the number of female flowers, the sexual ratio, fruit set percentage, weight fruit, length fruit, and the fruit yield in cucumber plants grown in the summer season with high temperatures

Understanding the insect foragers and their foraging behaviour on the mangrove Bruguiera cylindrica (L.) Bl. (Rhizophoraceae)

The breeding system of Bruguiera cylindrica, its associated foragers, and their foraging activity were carried out from 2018−2021 in the mangroves of Chettuva, of Thrissur district in the State of Kerala. The flowering of B. cylindrica commences during October and found to cease by the end of January. Bagging experiment revealed that they prefer xenogamous mode (88%) of reproduction though they had a small percentage of fruit set via autogamy (16%).Thirty five species of insects were recorded on the flowers of B. cylindrica. Among them, eleven species were foraging on the flowers of B. cylindrica. The most abundant foraging species were Chrysomya megacephala, Apis florea and Campsomeriella collaris.C. megacephala had significantly higher visitation rate (7.52 flowers/min) whereas Dolichopus sp. recorded significantly higher handling time (11.71 s). The highest pollen load was obtained from Chrysomya megacephala (161.50 ± 4.90). The peak foraging activity was recorded during 10.00 hrs. − 11.00 hrs. in the morning and 16.00 hrs. − 17.00 hrs. in the evening. The findings of the study complement the role and significance of insect foragers in the breeding of mangrove species.

Reproductive biology of Capparis decidua (Kair): A potential underutilized multipurpose plant of arid and semi arid region

Foliation and flowering of Capparis decidua occurs three times a year i.e. from January to November months. Flowers are bracteate, pedicellate, complete, hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, hypogynous with slender pedicel, usually light red, scarlet red and yellow in colour. Anthesis was maximum between 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 PM and 6.00 to 10.00 AM. Pollen grains are prolate, tricolporate, trilobed, with costae, colpal membrane sparsely granulated. Anther dehiscence takes place after 20–30 minutes of anthesis at 6.00 to 8.00 PM by the time the flowers starts antehsizing, the anthers are almost mature. The viability of pollen grains ranges from 38–52%, and starts decreasing in the stored pollen. The percentage fruit set decreases with the collection time of the pollen grains and plant type. According to visual observation stigmatic surface change in the appearance i.e. green coloured stigma was considered receptive while dull and brown was accounted non-receptive. Pollen germination in-vivo showed 80 per cent stigma receptive and 90 percent of fruit set in the flowers pollinated on the time of anthesis. Pollen grains per anther were ranging from 331–369, fully developed and mature anthers differing significantly among the plant types. The mean number of pollen grains per ovule was 4309 thus the pollen-ovule ratio was 431:1. There is 17–23% fruit set observed under self pollination (autogamy and geitonogamy) and 52–72% as a result of cross pollination. The cross pollinated nature of C. decidua is due to entomophilic nature of flowers, insect visitors which play the main role of pollination are from Apidae and Papilionidae.