Highest Fruit Yield Research Articles

Foliar application of natural products reduces population of two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch on parthenocarpic cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under protected environment

The indigenously prepared natural products namely; cow urine, Darekastra, fermented buttermilk, Panchgavya, Tamarlassi, vermiwash and biopesticide formulations i.e. Azadirachtin 0.15 EC and Eupatorium 5 EC possessing acaricidal activity were evaluated for their bioefficacy against Tetranychus urticae and their effects on cucumber fruit yield under protected environment. After 85 days of transplanting, preventive spray of bioacaricides, vermiwash (15.36 mites/leaf) and Darekastra (16.22 mites/leaf) resulted into lower mite population per leaf whereas curative spray of Darekastra significantly reduced mite population levels (112.53 mites/leaf). The effect of bioacaricide application in the form of spray was also quantified in terms of cucumber fruit yield. The bioacaricides applied as preventive sprays enhanced the cucumber fruit yield. High fruit yield was observed after preventive spray of bioacaricides viz. Tamarlassi (1660.67 g/plant), vermiwash (1656.50 g/plant) and Darekastra (1626.0 g/plant). As curative spray, Darekastra resulted into high fruit yield (1446.33 g/plant). Among the biopesticide checks, Azadirachtin 0.15 EC performed best in managing mite population levels and enhancing the fruit yield under both management measures.

Heterosis and combining ability for related traits in tomato

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) yields have continued to plummet in Kenya due to biotic stresses and reliance on low yielding varieties. This study aimed at determining heterosis and combining ability for fruit yield and yield components among tomato genotypes and select F1 hybrids combining high fruit yield and other market demanded traits under Kenyan conditions. Ten parental genotypes and their 45 F1 hybrids were studied using 10×10 half diallel mating design, excluding the reciprocals and the self’s. The experiment was set up in Kiambu and Kirinyaga Counties in Kenya. Out of 45 F1 hybrids evaluated, 89% had reduced (negative heterosis) days to 50% flowering and 11% days to maturity, compared to their better parents. Higher heterosis (-9%) was recorded on days to flowering in AVTO1429 x Cal J VF) and -5% for maturity in Roma VF x AVTO1314. All the F1 hybrids had positive heterosis for number of trusses per plant and fruit yield. F1 hybrid AVTO1429 x AVTO1314 had the highest positive heterosis of 114.39% for fruit weight per plant yield. The results showed high significant difference among the ten genotypes for general and specific combining ability effects (male x female) for all the traits evaluated. There was additive and non-additive gene action for the traits, which are important aspects in developing a tomato breeding programme.

Identification of Metabolites Changes and Quality in Strawberry Fruit: Effect of Cultivation in High Tunnel and Open Field.

Strawberry has gained increasing popularity all over the world due to its fruit properties. This popularity is due to the phytochemicals that strawberries have. The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of cultivation in open field and high tunnel on agromorphological and biochemical properties of strawberries. In this study, fruit yield and fruit quality characteristics of some strawberry varieties grown in open field and high tunnel were investigated. The highest fruit yield, fruit weight and titratable acidity were obtained in high tunnel grown Albion cultivar (542.743 g/plant, 14.927 g/fruit and 1.047%, respectively). While there was no statistical difference between cultivars and treatments in terms of soluble solids content and pH, fruit count was higher in Albion and Kabarla cultivars in both treatments compared to other cultivars (p < 0.05). Among the phenolic compounds, gallic acid was determined to be higher (between 9.246–31.680 mg/100 g) than other phenolics. Considering the organic acid content, malic acid was determined as the dominant organic acid in Kabarla cultivar (870.729 mg/100 g). In addition, in terms of vitamin C content, Rubygem cultivar stood out in both applications. Phenolic compound and organic acid contents varied in terms of varieties and applications. As a result, strawberry fruit, which is an important fruit in terms of fruit quality and consumption diversity, has been found to have high phenolic compounds and organic acid content, although it varies in all varieties and applications.

Effect of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

The application of organic and inorganic fertilizer on agricultural farming as a management practice has tremendously brought about a great boost to crop yield due to improvement in soil fertility. The thrust of this experiment was to compare the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer on the growth, yield and nutritional qualities of cucumber (cucumis sativus). The research was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti in 2019 using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatment consisted of sole application of NPK fertilizer, sole application of goat manure, sole application of poultry, NPK + goat manure, NPK fertilizer + poultry manure and control. Parameters assessed include vine length (cm), stem girth (cm), number of leaves, fruit weight (g), length of fruit (cm), fruit diameter (cm) and number of fruit plant-1. The results revealed that poultry manure (PM) significantly influenced all the agronomic parameters and yield of cucumber than other treatments. There were significant differences among the agronomic parameters measured including yield in all the treatments except the number of fruits plant-1. Poultry manure had the highest fruit yield followed by goat manure, NPK fertilizer and poultry manure respectively. For the proximate test, it was observed in the results that there were slight differences in the composition of the proximate of cucumber based on the treatments, suggesting that fertilization can influence the proximate of fruit and vegetables. The overall assessment of the research suggested that poultry manure is the best fertilizer for cucumber growth and yield performance.

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 induces drought tolerance during fruit ripening in tomato

The current study investigated the effects of Pseudomonas putida strain KT2440 on the drought tolerance of tomato plants during fruit maturation. Plants at the ripening stage of the mature-green were not watered for 20 days to promote drought stress. Concentrations of photosynthetic pigments were determined. Bacteria-soaked tomato plants (BSS) had higher levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids than non-soaked plants (DWS) under stress conditions. Compared to the DWS, stomatal conductance, lipid peroxidation, and hydrogen peroxide content in the BSS plants decreased under drought stress. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activities increased in BSS plants compared to DWS under drought stress. Furthermore, the number and weight of fruits in both DWS and BSS plants was reduced by the stress, but the reduction in BSS plants was lower than in DWS plants. These results showed that bacteria treatment conferred tolerance to drought stress in tomato plants by reducing the peroxidation extent of polar lipids (PLs), increasing photosynthetic pigment content, and activities of the antioxidant enzymes in the leaves. Therefore, P. putida KT2440 has supported high fruit yield under drought stress as a biotic tolerance elicitor for this plant stress.

Effect of Different Manures on Growth, Yield and Profitability of Small Scale Brinjal (Egg-Plant) Cultivation in Gunny Bag

Brinjal, being a long duration vegetable crop, requires appropriate supply of proper nutrition for sustainable and quality yield. Besides, adverse climatic and inadequate cultivable land add a problem for commercial or even subsistence farming with eggplant especially in the ecologically vulnerable southern region of Bangladesh. Therefore, an experiment on small scale brinjal cultivation in gunny bags (60 cm × 50 cm) was undertaken. The study on variation in growth and yield parameters in brinjal (cv. Muktokeshi) under different organic manures, fertilizers and their combinations was carried out during October 2017 to June 2018 at the Germplasm Center of Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna. The experiment consisted of seven treatments and was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with seven replications. The treatments were T0 (Control), T1 (100% Cowdung), T2 (100% FYM), T3 (50% Soil+50% Recommended Fertilizers), T4 (50% Soil+ 50% WH), T5 (50% Soil+50% CD), T6 (50% Soil+50% FYM), T7 (50% WH+50% CD), T8 (50% WH+50% FYM), T9 (50% FYM+50% CD). Healthy and disease free 30 days old seedlings were transplanted at 15 days after bag preparation. Statistically significant differences among the treatments were noted in respect of all the growth parameters including yield and yield attributing characters. Maximum plant height (60.04 cm) was recorded in treatment T6 (50% Soil+50% FYM) followed by (50.04 cm) in T5 (50% Soil + 50% CD) at 90 days after transplanting (DAT). Superiority was also showed by the treatment T6 (50% Soil+50% FYM) in terms of producing the highest number of branches (15.21 branches/plant) and leaves (40.21 leaves/plant) at 90 DAT. Manures had marked influence on flowering behavior on brinjal. The earliest flowering was occurred in T6 (50% Soil+50% FYM) treatment (23.49 days) followed by T5 (50% Soil + 50% CD) treatment (31.07 days). While control plants and plants treated with 50% Soil+50% RD required longer period for flowering (44.0 days and 45.07 days, respectively). Again, significantly maximum number of fruits per plant, the heaviest fruit and the highest fruit yield per bag were registered in plants under T6 (50% Soil+50% FYM) treatment (42.0, 104.6 g and 4.39 kg, respectively) which was statistically followed by T5 (50% Soil + 50% CD) treatment. In addition an increase in yield of 164.68 % and 169.02 % over control was also noticed in treatment T5 and T6, respectively. Though maximum net return per bag (BDT 89.68 Tk.) was incurred in the treatment T6, statistically similar but with the highest BCR value was observed in T5 due to the higher purchase cost of FYM than others (a BCR of 3.18, 3.57 and 3.13 in T4, T5 and T6, respectively). So, Cowdung, Farm yard manure and Water hyacinth can be mixed with soil for small scale and profitable brinjal cultivation in bag.

Agronomic Performance of Passion Fruit Genotypes in the Federal District, Brazil

Brazil stands out as the largest producer and consumer of passion fruit in the world. However, this fruit specie still faces some production problems such as lack of genetic materials with high yield, disease resistance and fruit quality, due mainly to the lack of research work in the breeding area. In order to contribute to the development of new passion fruit cultivars, this study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of passion fruit genotypes in the Federal District, Brazil, as well as to estimate genetic parameters for use in breeding programs. The experiment was carried out with 48 genotypes, in a simple layout (arrangement) of randomized block, with four replications and six plants per plot. The following characteristics were evaluated during fifty-four crops: fruit yield (kg/ha), number of fruit per hectare, average fruit weight (g) and sorting fruit on the equatorial diameter (mm) in five categories (1st, 1B, 1A, 2A and 3A). Higher fruit yields and number were observed in the genotypes MAR 20 # 41, MAR 20#41 pl 1, Gigante Amarelo pl 1 and MAR 20 # 39. Consdering fruits of 1st, genotype MAR 20 # 39 pl 2 produced the highest number of fruits per hectare. High values of heritability and CVg/Cve ratio were observed for total number of fruits per hectare in the first classification.

Growth, Fruit Yield, and Bioactive Compounds of Cherry Tomato in Response to Specific White-Based Full-Spectrum Supplemental LED Lighting

Supplemental artificial light in greenhouses is fundamental to achieving sustainable crop production with high yield and quality. This study’s purpose was to investigate the efficacy of supplemental light (SL) sources on the vegetative and reproductive growth of cherry tomatoes. Four types of light sources were applied, including high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS), a narrow-spectrum LED light (NSL), and two specific full-spectrum LED lights (SFL1 and SFL2) with a shorter blue peak wavelength (436 nm) and/or green peak wavelength (526 nm). The control was the natural light condition. Shoot fresh and dry weight and leaf area in the SFL1 and SFL2 treatments were greater than those in the control. The HPS and NSL treatments also enhanced tomato growth, but they were less efficient compared to the SFL treatments. The SFL1 and SFL2 treatments showed higher fruit yields by 73.1% and 70.7%, respectively, than the control. The SL sources did not affect the effective photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (Y (II)). However, they did trigger the increased electron transport rate (ETR) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). The SFL treatments enhanced tomato growth, fruit yield, and efficient use of light and energy, suggesting that the specific full spectrum based on the short-wavelength blue and/or green peak can be successfully applied for the cultivation of cherry tomato and other crops in greenhouses.

Effects of Biochar, Lime, and Compost Applications on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Yield of Pomelo (Citrus grandis Osbeck) in Alluvial Soil of the Mekong Delta

Soil acidity is an important factor affecting crop productivity in the tropics. The soil of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta has high acidity, deficient levels of exchangeable bases, and low fertility. This study aimed to evaluate soil amendments’ role in improving soil fertility, soil acidity, and pomelo yield cultivated in raised beds. The field trial was carried out in Hau Giang Province consecutively over 3 years from 2018 to 2020. Four treatments were used, namely control, biochar (5 ton·ha−1·year−1), lime (2 ton·ha−1·year−1), and compost (5 ton·ha−1·year−1). All treatments applied the same amount of NPK fertilizers at rates of 400 kg·N, 300 kg·P2O5, and 400 kg·K2O·ha−1·year−1. Physicochemical properties of the topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm) and fruit yield were investigated. The results showed that biochar or compost application increased soil pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and exchangeable cations and decreased soil bulk density (BD), improving soil fertility and fruit yield in the raised beds. Applications of biochar or compost resulted in about 1.5-fold higher fruit yield than that of chemical fertilizer alone. The average profit increased to USD 1,672 ha−1 after applying biochar and compost in the three-year experiments. Biochar and compost amendments have a positive effect on reducing soil acidity and soil BD, elevating SOM, supplying available Ca2+ and Mg2+, improving soil fertility, enhancing fruit yield, and increasing profit.

Effect of zinc and boron foliar application on growth, biomass production and yields of spring-summer okra

Micronutrient study (Zn and B) in okra was carried out at Vegetable Farm of P.G. College, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Treatment comprised of two foliar spray of Zn (50 and 100 ppm) and Boron (25 and 50 ppm) solely or in their combinations. Thus, a total of 9 treatments including control (water spray) were replicated thrice. Micronutrient sprays were done twice at 30 and 45 days after sowing.The highest values for plant height (66.50cm),total drymatter production (51.30 g), root area (234.34 cm2) and root length density (1486.87 cm/cm3),fruits/plant (24.33), fruit yield (38.22 g/ plant or 102.56 q/ha) were recorded for combination spray of Zn(50ppm) + B(25ppm). This treatment registered 23.18% higher fruit yield over control.

Residual Effect of Preceding Rice Herbicide on Weed Control, Growth and Productivity of Succeeding Okra in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu

An experiment was conducted at Agricultural College &amp; Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai during rabi2016 with a view to study the residual effect of preceding rice herbicide on weed control efficiency, growth and productivity of succeeding okra. Rice herbicide residue exerted significant difference in grasses, sedges and broad leaved weeds density at 20 DAS. In grass, the lowest weed density of 11.67 weeds/m was registered under residual effect of butachlor at 1.25 kg ha on 3 DAT HW on 40 DAT in rice + HW twice at 20 2 -1 fb and 40 DAS in okra. Similar trend was also observed in sedges and broad leaved weeds. The same treatment recorded higher plant height of 21.7, 53.1 and 92.7 cm and DMP of 624, 3296 and 9481 at 30, 60 and 105 days respectively and the fruit yield of 15.37 t ha were kg ha-1 -1recorded. It is registered 83.0 and 97.8% higher fruit yield than residual effect of oxadiargyl loaded with zeolite on 3 DAT and oxadiargyl loaded with biochar on 3 DAT respectively.

LEAF AREA AND YIELD OF Physalis angulata L. AS A FUNCTION OF POPULATION DENSITY AND SLOW-RELEASE UREA

The genus Physalis includes species used for food, medicinal and artisanal purposes. The wild tomato (Physalis angulata L.), which is common in the mixed maize cultivation called “the milpa”, is cultivated in some localities of Jalisco because of its importance in the preparation of sauces. It is hypothesized that the management of planting density and fertilization application can improve the yield of this tomato. The objective of this study was to evaluate the leaf area and yield of P. angulata L. as a function of slow-release urea doses and planting densities, under open-field rainfed conditions. Nine treatments were evaluated, resulting from the combination of three planting densities and three fertilizer doses. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with factorial arrangement. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance and the means of the treatments were compared with Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). The relationship between yield and study variables was estimated with simple linear regressions. The results indicated that with 2.5 plants m-2 the highest yield was obtained (6.4 Mg ha-1); while with 140 units of slow-release urea the average yield was 5.76 Mg ha-1. The interaction effect showed that with densities of 2.0 and 2.5 plants m-2 and with 120 kg of slow-release urea, the highest fruit yields were obtained, 6.44 and 6.87 Mg ha-1. For each unit increase in the variables leaf area, leaf area index, number of fruits per plant and fruit weight per plant, fruit yield increased as well. The yield of P. angulata responded differently to planting densities and slow-release urea doses. The best yield could be obtained with the planting density of 2.5 plants m-2 and with the application of 30.4 g m-2 slow-release urea.

Effect of foliar application of plant growth regulators on yield and yield attributes of okra in western arid region of Rajasthan

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), GA3 (Gibberellic Acid) and NAA (Naphthalene acetic acid) on yield and yield attributes of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) cv. Arka Anamikaat the Instructional farm, Agricultural Research Station, Jodhpur Rajasthan during kharif, 2020. Three treatments each of BAP @ T1-25, T2-50, and T3-75 (ppm), GA3 @ T4-25, T5-50, and T6-75 (ppm) and NAA @ T7-25, T8-50, and T9-75 (ppm) were used besides controls i.e. T0 with water spray. These three growth regulators were found to enhanced early fruiting and yield. Other yield parameters were also found to be increased by treatments with plant growth regulators in okra. Among the yield parameters, earliest (46.60 DAS) fruit picking, Broadest fruit diameter (1.72 cm), heaviest fruit weight (14.9 g), maximum number of fruits per plant (27.38), maximum number of marketable fruits per plant (25.70), highest fruit yield per plant and estimated fruit yield per hectare (369.65 g and 13.21 t/ha, respectively) were recorded with NAA @ 75 ppm. The fruit length (11.67 cm) observed with GA3@ 75 ppm was significantly higher as compared to control and rest of the treatments.

Integrating microirrigation with rainwater harvesting to improve yield, water productivity and profit in a citrus orchard*

AbstractIntegrated water resource management is key to sustainable citriculture. Keeping this in mind, a study was conducted to evaluate the techno‐economic feasibility of rainwater harvesting and use of harvested water by microirrigation in a citrus orchard. The prediction of runoff from rainfall data which may help in the planning and design of water conservation measures in citrus orchards has also been explored in the study. Three water conservation treatments, viz. continuous trench (CT), CT + rainwater harvesting tank (RWHT) + basin irrigation (BI) and CT + RWHT + drip irrigation (DRI) with rainfed treatment (RT), were compared in relation to productivity, water productivity and profit in a citrus orchard. The CT + RWHT + DRI produced 219% higher fruit yield with 298% higher net income (NI) and 130% higher net economic water productivity (NEWP) compared with RT (yield, 7.14 t ha−1; NI, 59 704 INR ha−1; NEWP, 15.75 INR m−3). The sustainable yield index (SYI) and energy use efficiency (EUE) were 49 and 87% higher, respectively, in CT + RWHT +DRI than RT. The regression model developed reasonably predicted (R2 = 0.84–0.94) the runoff from rainfall in a citrus orchard.

Performance and Genetic Variability of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) Genotypes in Ethiopia for Agromorphology and Biochemical Traits

No research has been done to assess the genetic diversity of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) genotypes in Ethiopia based on the combination of agromorphology and biochemical traits of the crop. Such an assessment would assist in the development of high fruit yield and nutritionally good cultivars. Therefore, 36 okra genotypes were evaluated for 29 agromorphological and biochemical traits at the Melkassa Agricultural Research Center (Ethiopia) during the 2018 main rainy season, using a 6 × 6 simple lattice design. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among genotypes for all the studied traits, except number of flower epicalyxes and fruit diameter. Genotypic coefficients of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation were high for number of branches, internode length, fresh fruit weight, number of mature pods, fruit yield per plant, fruit yield per hectare, seed yield per plant, seed yield per hectare, and seed protein content. Heritability values ranged between 33.63 and 99.81%, while the genetic advance as percentage of mean ranged between 4.29 and 95.45%. High broad sense heritability was coupled with high GAM for plant height, branch, internod length, fruit length, panicle length, fresh fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, number of mature pods, seed yield per plant, seed yield per hectare, and fibre and protein content. In conclusion, this study showed the presence of genetic variation among genotypes for fruit yield, seed yield, and nutritional content, indicating the potential success of developing okra varieties for high fruit yielding and good nutritional content.

Esmeralda Peach (Prunus persica) Fruit Yield and Quality Response to Nitrogen Fertilization.

‘Esmeralda’ is an orange fleshed peach cultivar primarily used for juice extraction and secondarily used for the fresh fruit market. Fruit yield and quality depend on several local environmental and managerial factors, mainly on nitrogen, which must be balanced with other nutrients. Similar to other perennial crops, peach trees show carryover effects of carbohydrates and nutrients and of nutrients stored in their tissues. The aims of the present study are (i) to identify the major sources of seasonal variability in fruit yield and qu Fruit Tree Department of Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Pelotas 96010610ality; and (ii) to establish the N dose and the internal nutrient balance to reach high fruit yield and quality. The experiment was conducted from 2014 to 2017 in Southern Brazil and it followed five N treatments (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha−1 year−1). Foliar compositions were centered log-ratio (clr) transformed in order to account for multiple nutrient interactions and allow computing distances between compositions. Based on the feature ranking, chilling hours, degree-days and rainfall were the most influential features. Machine learning models k-nearest neighbors (KNN) and stochastic gradient decent (SGD) performed well on yield and quality indices, and reached accuracy from 0.75 to 1.00. In 2014, fruit production did not respond to added N, and it indicated the carryover effects of previously stored carbohydrates and nutrients. The plant had a quadratic response (p < 0.05) to N addition in 2015 and 2016, which reached maximum yield of 80 kg N ha−1. In 2017, harvest was a failure due to the chilling hours (198 h) and the relatively small number of fruits per tree. Fruit yield and antioxidant content increased abruptly when foliar clrCu was >−5.410. The higher foliar P linearly decreased total titratable acidity and increased pulp firmness when clrP > 0.556. Foliar N concentration range was narrow at high fruit yield and quality. The present results have emphasized the need of accounting for carryover effects, nutrient interactions and local factors in order to predict peach yield and nutrient dosage.

Dry Matter Accumulation, Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiencies in Polyhouse Grown Bell Pepper Under Deficit Water and Fertilizer Application

ABSTRACT A study was carried out to evaluate the influence of deficit levels of irrigation and fertigation on accumulation of dry matter and uptake of major nutrients in bell pepper as well as to understand water and fertilizer use efficiencies of the crop under a polyhouse. A two-factor randomized block design was employed with irrigation regimes at 40% (I1), 60% (I2) and 80% (I3) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) being the first factor and with the second factor being fertigation levels with 50% (F1), 75% (F2) and 100% (F3) recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (150:150:150 kg/ha NPK)] along with a control treatment comprising water replenishment with 100% ETc through drip and 100% RDF using conventional fertilizers as soil application. Significantly higher uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as total dry matter accumulation was recorded under I2 and F2 and their resultant interaction combinations. The performance of the crop under farmer’s practice treatment was poor in all respects, making it unsuitable for adoption in greenhouse crop cultivation. Water and fertilizer use efficiencies were higher with a decreased amount of applications as the combination of deficit levels of water (I2) and fertilizer (F2) was found superior in recorded parameters resulting in a higher fruit yield, which further helped in reducing the cost of the production as well as decreasing the pollution of the growing environment.

EFFICACY OF SOME BOTANICAL EXTRACTS AGAINST INFESTATION OF INSECT PESTS OF OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.)

The experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of some botanical extracts using Neem leaf extracts, Azadiracta indica, Moringa leaf extract Moringa oleifera, Jatropha leaf extract Jatropha gossypifolia and systemic insecticides (Cypermethrin) as treatments. The treatments were arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD), replicated three times. Data were collected on parameters such as, number of leaf, plant height, days to 50% flowering, fresh fruit weight and yield weight were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results showed that Moringa leaf extracts had the least insect pests’ damage (0.33), tallest plant height (44.00 cm), highest leaf number (8.00), heaviest fruits weight (46.94 g) and highest fruit yield among the botanicals used. Hence, the leaf of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) can be recommended to be used for managing insect pests of okra.

Agronomic Traits and Quality Screening of Superior &lt;i&gt;Camellia oleifera&lt;/i&gt; in Tropical Areas

In order to breed high-yield and high-quality&nbsp; Camellia oleifera &nbsp;varieties, promote the quality upgrade of Hainan camellia tea oil. In this study, through the investigation and analysis of different production areas of&nbsp; Camellia oleifera &nbsp;in Hainan, excellent single plants were selected from the main areas of Camellia oleifera planted in Hainan, focusing on the main botanical traits, main fruit traits, and differences in economic traits, tea oil fatty acid composition and content, the correlation between fatty acids and other aspects are analyzed specifically for the agronomic traits and tea oil quality of excellent individual plants. The results showed that the botanical characteristics are as follows: tree height is between 1.4 m and 8.4 m, crown width is between 1.1 &times; 1.0 and 8.0 &times; 7.3 m, the initial flowering period is generally from late October to early November, and the flowers are all white. The fruit maturity period is also between mid-October to early November, etc.; the fruit traits show that the horizontal diameter of the fruit is 38.67 ~ 55.32 mm, the longitudinal diameter of the fruit is 27.64 ~ 40.71 mm, and the fruit shape is peach-shaped or orange-shaped. Green or blue-brown, etc.; all indicators of economic traits are significantly different ( p &lt;0.01), mainly due to the differences in the agronomic traits of the excellent trees, resulting in different degrees of the economic traits of the fruits, and also affecting the yield and the quality of the excellent trees. The study found that the superior tree traits in Wuzhishan area are superior to other areas, and the oleic acid content and quality of tea oil in Ding&#39;an Shitang area are higher than other areas. The selected excellent single plant has better agronomic traits, high fruit yield, high oil content and strong disease resistance. This study specifically analyzed and evaluated the excellent individual plants in different producing areas of&nbsp; Camellia oleifera &nbsp;in Hainan, and revealed the differences in agronomic traits and tea oil quality in different areas of&nbsp; Camellia oleifera , and provided a reference for the breeding work of&nbsp; Camellia oleifera &nbsp;in Hainan.

Studies on Different Dilutions of Distillery Spentwash for Foliar Application and Its Effect on Soil Properties, Growth, Yield and Quality of Tomato

ABSTRACT A greenhouse experiment was conducted at GKVK Bengaluru, Karnataka during 2013 to decide the best dilution of distillery spentwash to be utilized as a foliar spray for tomato crop. Results revealed that a foliar application of 1:5 dilution of distillery spentwash resulted in higher growth parameters compared to other dilutions. Based on greenhouse experiment results, a two year field experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field at Mandya district, Karnataka during 2013 and 2014. Pooled analysis of two years of data (2013 and 2014) revealed that at 60 DAT, the treatment which received 100% RDF + 5 sprays of distillery spentwash at 1:5 dilution recorded significantly higher plant height (110.2 cm), SPAD meter reading (22.9) and higher fruit yield (7.14 kg plant−1 and 78.9 t ha−1) compared to other treatments. Lower plant height, SPAD reading and yield were recorded in the 100% RDF + water sprays (5 times). Also, significantly higher ascorbic acid content (54.2 mg 100–1) and lycopene content (14.0 mg 100–1) of tomato fruits were determined in the treatment receiving 100% RDF + 5 sprays of distillery spentwash at 1:5 dilution. After harvest of tomato crop, soil properties were higher in treatment which received 100% RDF + 5 sprays of undiluted distillery spentwash; but soil pH was higher in the treatment that received water spray.