Appraisal of extended cane length and fruit thinning strategies on the performance of growth yield and quality of kiwifruit.

The kiwifruit has been identified as an enormous fruit for mid-hill horticulture due to its wider adaptability and diversification. The size and quality of kiwifruit were affected by its market. As a result, appropriate canopy management and orchard techniques are key components in its production. Pruning and hand thinning, especially in kiwifruit, have been observed to improve the size and quality of the fruit. Traditional pruning maintained shorter canes with 6-12 nodes and 4 fruits/shoots. However, this study extended cane length and retained loads of 20 nodes/cane and 6 fruits/shoot. Considering the above, a study was conducted to determine the effects of extended cane length and fruit thinning on kiwifruit growth, yield, and fruiting performance. Five pruning levels have been employed: 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 nodes/cane; 4, 6, and 8 fruits/fruiting shoot. The result revealed that the pruning of up to 12 nodes/cane coupled with thinning up to 6 fruits/fruiting shoot resulted in maximum cane diameter, leaf area, leaf: fruit ratio, advancement in flower initiation, bud break percentage (86.79 %), real fertility index, fruit yield and a proportion of grade "A" fruits. The highest leaf chlorophyll content (67.50), flowers per floral shoot, and productivity were recorded with pruning up to 16 nodes/cane coupled with thinning up to 6 fruits/fruiting shoot. The physico-chemical parameters such as fruit weight, diameter, volume, TSS, TSS: acid ratio, total sugars, and C: N ratio of the leaf and shoot were also found to be highest with pruning up to 12 nodes/cane coupled with thinning up to 6 fruits/fruiting shoot. This treatment also gave the maximum net return on a per-hectare basis, hence it was found to be the most profitable for the farmers.

Insights on Strain-Substrate Interactions and Antioxidant and Anti-Bacterial Properties of the Velvet Foot Medicinal Mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Agaricomycetes).

To study the best substrate for the Indian subcontinent, four different substrates (sawdust + wheat bran, wheat straw + wheat bran + corn cobs, sawdust + corn cobs and wheat straw + wheat bran) were screened for six different Flammulina velutipes strains. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties were studied for these strains. In study it was found that the strain DMRX-767 and DMRX-768 were the most promising for yield and biological efficiency in all substrates and wheat straw + wheat bran being the best with respect to BE. To corroborate the findings, the best strain and best substrate trails were repeated. DMRX-767 and DMRX-768 were the most promising for yield and biological efficiency in all substrates, with wheat straw+wheat bran were again found the best. The methanolic extract of strain DMRX-166 showed highest antibacterial properties as highest inhibition is found for Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas syringae. However, DMRO-253 inhibited Ralstonia solanacearum and Xanthomonas campestris. DMRX-768 has the best scavenging ability followed by DMRO-253.

Effect of Organic Manures on Growth, Yield, Leaf Nutrient Uptake and Soil Properties of Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa Chev.) cv. Allison.

In recent decades, organic kiwifruit farming has come up as a feasible method for high-quality kiwi production without using chemical fertilizers. The primary objective of this research was to investigate how the sole application of organic and the combined application of organic manures affected the growth, yields, and quality of Allison kiwifruit, as well as the soil's physicochemical characteristics. The field trial was conducted on cv. Allison to determine the efficacy of organic manures (OM) on growth, nutrient absorption, production and soil health. The experiment involved eight treatments, viz.: T1: 100% Dairy manure (DM); T2: 100% Vermicompost (VC); T3: 100% chicken manure (CM); T4: 50% DM + 50% CM; T5: 50% DM + 50% VC; T6: 50% CM + 50% VC; T7: DM + CM + VC in equal proportions; and T8: Recommended nutrients inorganic NPK + 40 kg DM. A randomized complete block design comprising three replicas was used in this investigation. The use of inorganic fertilizers (NPK) in combination with DM enhanced Spad Values Chlorophyll, fruit production, leaf number, leaf area, and stem diameter while also improving the soil's chemical characteristics. The flower initiation was recorded with DM and Vermicompost (50:50). Furthermore, when compared to inorganic fertilizer treatment, OM treatment significantly improved fruit quality by improving fruit chemical composition in terms of soluble solids contents and leaf nutrient status, as well as improving soil's physical properties with DM and Vermicompost (50:50). The study's outcome revealed that OM had a significant impact on flowering time, fruit SSC, leaf nutritional status, and soil physical characteristics. In comparison to organic treatments, recommended fertilizer dosages (NPK + DM) improved plant growth, fruit yield, and soil chemical characteristics.

Functional and textural properties of Indian nuggets assorted with mushroom for lysine enrichment.

Nuggets popularly known as warrian is the traditional household food item of India and prepared from black gram but deficit in essential amino acid, lysine. Present study conducted to prepare lysine enriched nuggets using white button mushrooms (WBM) that contain all the essential amino acids. Black gram paste was fortified with WBM 0 (T0) to 50 at 10 % increments (T1 to T5). Moisture, ash, crude protein and fat were increased in T0 to T5 ranged from 10.00 to 13.52 %, 4.00 to 4.18 %, 13.90 to 23.80 % and 0.37 to 1.00 %, respectively. The cooking weight, cooking losses and antioxidant activity (as DPPH) were increased with increase in WBM (lysine enrichment) in nuggets. In textural analysis, hardness decreased with increases fortification from 1.971 to 0.889 kg. Based on physico-chemical, cooking and textural properties, black gram to WBM ratio of 80: 20 was recommended.

Standardization of pre-treatments for the preparation of dried arils from wild pomegranate.

Pre-treatments for drying of wild pomegranate arils were standardized to check discolouration of dried arils. Steam blanching of arils for 30 s followed by sulphur fumigation at 0.3% for 60 min was found suitable as they took minimum time to dry a given tray load, and had minimum non-enzymatic browning, furfural, hydroxyl methyl furfural and moisture contents. The dried arils of the standardized pre-treatment recorded maximum scores for sensory characteristics like colour, texture, taste, aroma and overall acceptability.

Host plant nodule parameters associated with nitrogen fixation efficiency in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) cultivars.

Two cultivars of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) viz. contender and arka komal were planted in polythene bags containing sand and grown under glasshouse conditions. The nodulation status, shoot/root biomass, activities of several nodule enzymes, total soluble protein and leghaemoglobin contents were monitored over the entire growth period. Allantoinase activity in leaves was measured to monitor the ureide degrading capacity. Significant genotype difference was observed in both the cultivars. All the parameters showed a decline after flowering except uricase, which declined before flowering. Malate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase showed a constant decline throughout the growth period. Degree of decline varied with the genotype for all the parameters. Leghaemoglobin content, PEP carboxylase activity and ureide degrading capacity of leaves did not show an appreciable decline in contender and were significantly higher than in arka komal. These factors can be used to increase nitrogen fixation in French bean.