Mandarin Growers Research Articles

Operational feasibility perception of contract farming in Nagpur mandarin

Nagpur mandarin orchards are concentrated mostly in the five districts of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The present study was carried out during 2014-15 in the Nagpur district of Maharashtra state with the objective of ascertaining the grower’s operational feasibility perception towards contract farming and find out the issues governing profitability. The total sample of 120 was derived from four talukas of Nagpur district using simple random sampling. The data collected through a structured interview schedule were analyzed using the t-test of significance of difference between sample and population means. The study revealed that education (t=3.406) showed significant relationship regarding the perceived feasibility of contract farming and the total annual income from citrus (t=2.007) at 5 per cent level of significance. The guaranteed and fixed pricing structures in contract farming system was perceived as the main reason which appealed to the maximum respondents (RBQ=340).The shield against market fluctuations ranked second (RBQ=328) in terms of relative advantages. The mandarin growers like any other farmers expected assured price to their farm produce and contract farming was perceived as a boon if it really commits as promised.

Chalcones to control Alternaria alternata in murcott tangor fruits

Alternaria brown spot (ABS), caused by the fungus Alternaria alternata pathotype tangerine, is one of the main phytosanitary problems for mandarin growers. About 15 applications per year of harmful fungicides are required for controlling ABS disease in citrus orchards. As chalcones seem to be less toxic to humans and environment than the commercial fungicides in use, this study initially aimed at synthesizing 137 chalcones through aldolic condensations between benzaldehydes and acetophenones. The resulting chalcones were screened for activity against A. altern ata through a fungal growth assay that was carried out in 96-cell polypropylene plates, using the same concentration to all studied substances. The four active chalcones underwent conidia germination and mycelial growth, which confirmed the antifungal activity of the compounds. These chalcones were then poured onto Murcott tangor fruit that had been inoculated with conidia of the fungus. All four chalcones reduced the ABS progress to values significantly smaller (P≤0.05) than that observed for the control. Statistical calculations showed that the best results were afforded by two compounds, bearing a 2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl group at position 3 of prop-2-enal and a 3-nitro- or 3-hydroxyphenyl group at position 1 of the aldehyde. Such compounds reduced the incidence of the disease in Murcott tangor fruit to values that did not differ statistically from those obtained with a commercial fungicide.

Production cost and market analysis of mandarin in Dhading District of Nepal

A study was conducted in 2010 to explore the value chain of the mandarin business in two VDCs; Nalang and Jogimara of Dhading district, Nepal. Information were collected through survey from 60 mandarin growers, 4 collectors, 2 agroinput traders, 2 fruit nurseries, 4 technical service providers, 4 dealers, 4 wholesalers, 4 retailers and 20 consumers. Different direct actors and organizations were found to be involved in micro, meso and macro levels of the mandarin value chain. The technical structure of the mandarin value chain was found as the input provision, mandarin production, intermediary trading, retailing, and consumption. The value chain was linked to different regions of the country. On an average, mandarin producers incurred total variable cost of NRs 10.40 per kg of mandarin. Their gross margin was NRs 8.44 per kg of mandarin. The cost of marketing of the traders, wholesalers, and retailers were NRs 3.56, 5.38 and 1.98 per kg of mandarin respectively whereas the margins of each of them were NRs 2.54, 2.36 and 5.01 per kg of mandarin respectively. The role of traders was found dominant in both purchasing of mandarin from producers and supplying to other districts. The majority of producers were not getting adequate training, support and supervision from concerned organizations. The major weakness in mandarin value chain was unorganized marketing system. Intermediaries and retailers were always found to be in profit. Therefore, the concerned organizations should bring policies in fixing the market price of mandarin based on cost of production. An upgrading strategy with the technology based processed mandarin production has a great opportunity to enter in the new value chain for further improvements in the existing mandarin business.

Study on the adoption of drip irrigation technologies by the kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulataBlanco) growers of Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan

The drip irrigation systems are the advanced methods of irrigation for overcoming various problems of water losses, labour, money, water management and quality of produce. The present paper attempts to determine the extent of adoption of drip irrigation technologies by the kinnow mandarin growers of Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan. A sample of 120 kinnow growing farmers was randomly selected from five Panchayat Samities of Sriganganagar district during 2013–14. Kinnow growing farmers were interviewed personally by well constructed interview schedule. The investigation revealed that 59.16 per cent of respondents of kinnow growers had medium level of adoption of drip irrigation system where as 31.16 per cent of respondents had high level of adoption and 9.16 per cent of respondents contained low level of adoption of drip irrigation technologies. Further in aspect wise adoption regarding operational techniques of drip irrigation, high level of adoption was found among kinnow growers regarding location of main line of drip irrigation system. With reference to aspect of adoption regarding maintenance of drip irrigation system, data revealed the high level of adoption of regular cleaning of drip irrigation system among kinnow growers was found. Thus, overall evaluation predicts a good level of adoption of drip systems among kinnow growing farmers of Sriganganagar district.

Predicted Changes in Locations Suitable for Tankan Cultivation Due to Global Warming in Japan

Researchers have predicted that most of the current satsuma mandarin-producing regions will become unfavorable for growing this citrus crop by the 2060s owing to global warming. To offer satsuma mandarin growers information for making replanting decisions, we estimated future changes in locations suitable for the cultivation of tankan (Citrus tankan Hayata), the leading subtropical citrus in Japan. The results of fruit-freezing experiments suggested that the threshold air temperature for the cold tolerance of tankan fruit is about −2°C. The locations suitable for tankan were simulated on the basis of future annual mean air temperatures evaluated by the MIROC3.2-HiRes climate model under the SRES-A1B GHG emission scenario and future annual minimum air temperatures calculated from future daily minimum temperatures evaluated by this climate model and the current air temperature variability. The results of the simulation showed that most of the Pacific coastal area from the Kanto Plain and to the west will become suitable for tankan cultivation during 2031–2050, and that coastal areas of the current satsuma mandarin-producing regions in Japan should be suitable for tankan production by 2050. The inland area of southern Kyushu Island, despite its proximity to current tankan-producing regions, is predicted to experience temperatures causing a high frequency of cold injury to tankan fruits even during 2051–2070. Therefore, if satsuma mandarin production becomes difficult on account of increased global warming, tankan could be produced as a substitute in coastal areas of the current satsuma mandarin-producing regions. However, we predict that it will be difficult to produce tankan in inland areas of the current satsuma mandarin-producing regions.