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Mango malformation is one of the major factors causing significant fruit loss in Pakistan. To investigate the role of malformation a long-term field experiment was established on 15 years old mango orchard. Malformation inflorescences were removed and counted in last week of April and fruit were harvested in July every year starting from 1989. Malformed inflorescence varied from plant to plant however, during 1990, 1991 and 1992 it decreased considerably over the control year (1989). The malformation was 77% during control year 1989, 57% during 1990, 57% during 1991 and 50% during 1992. Mango fruit yields were significantly decreased due to non-bearing malformed inflorescences. The mean yield decrease was 83 % during 1989 which relatively improved in later years and were 58% in 1990, 53% in 1991 and 54% in 1992.
Abstract
Phaseolus coccineus was found to be cross-pollinated because of extrorse stigmas, hairs around the stigmas, and dehiscence of self-pollen on stylar hairs below the stigmas. Phaseolus coccineus was found to be self-fertile when self pollen was pushed through the stigmatic hairs onto the stigmatic surface. Application of White's nutrient solution to P. coccineus stigma surfaces prior to pollination with P. vulgaris pollen resulted in pollen germination and fertilization. Mature seed with viable hybrid embryos developed in pods with partially broken pedicels and in those removed from the plant and cultured in sealed ‘Ziploc’ bags. Use of these techniques open up new possibilities in bean breeding. Pollen viability was high in the F1 P. coccineus × P. vulgaris, but low in the reciprocal F1. Stigma shape of P. coccineus was dominant in the former F1 but not dominant in the reciprocal. Stigma shape, hairiness of stigma, and cotyledon position were inherited quantitatively in the cross P. vulgaris × P. coccineus, while discrete segregation for cotyledon position was observed in the reciprocal cross. Cotyledon position, stigma shape, hairiness and flower color were controlled by cytoplasmic as well as genic factors.
Squash is grown in the field and in tunnel type greenhouses in Saudi Arabia. To satisfy the demand for squash, additional production in controlled greenhouses would be desirable. The Jedida cultivar was treated with growth regulators. Seedlings were sprayed with Ethrel at 400 ppm. At flowering, six treatments were made: Agriton (60g/100L), sprayed at 10 day intervals; IAA (1%), IBA (1%), and Rootone, dusted on stigmas; hand pollination; and control. Fruits were harvested when they were 12 cm long. Ethrel increased the number of female flowers by 96% and changed the female: male ratio from 1:2 to 8:1. Highest marketable yield was obtained with the hand pollination, IBA, and IAA treatments. Yield in the Control treatment was low due to low insect activity. The results suggest that treatment with IAA or IBA will permit production of squash on a commercial scale in controlled greenhouses.
Abstract
Yield/plant of both stump-planted and offshoot-planted globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) decreased as spacing decreased, but total yield increased. Highest yields were obtained at intermediate levels of number and spacing of shoots: 6 shoots/location at 1.2 × 1.2 m and 3 shoots/location at 1.2 × 0.9 m. Early yield of offshoot-planted artichokes was 7× that of stump-planted artichokes. Production from offshoots occurs in 2 discrete periods, a moderate yield 4 months after planting and a heavy yield during months 9 and 10. Production from stumps increased very slowly, peaking during the last 3 months of the experiment.
The stability of yield and quality traits in nine orange-fleshed melon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes was studied over nine environments in south-central Texas (College Station, Uvalde, and Weslaco) over 3 years (2010, 2011, and 2012). Besides yield traits, fruit -quality components such as soluble solids content (SSC), β-carotene, and fruit firmness were also measured. Data were subjected to the combined analysis of variance and trait stability by GGE Biplot. The significant genotype-by-location interactions for yield traits demonstrated the potential to develop location-specific cultivars. However, the temporal fluctuations in productivity emphasized the need to select for stability over several years in potential cultivars for the target environments. Cultivar Mission was confirmed as the most stable and average performing genotype for marketable yield and quality traits at all locations. Uvalde was identified as the ideal location for selecting generally adapted genotypes for south-central Texas. Biplot analysis indicated that Orange Dew was the highest mean performing genotype for SSC. The hybrid Oro Duro, followed by TAMU 146, ranked highest for mean and stability of β-carotene content, but it ranked lowest for fruit firmness. TAMU Orange Casaba exhibited specific adaptation, producing the highest mean fruit yield at Weslaco, while Journey had the highest fruit yield at College Station and Uvalde. Understanding of genotype-by-environment interactions for multiple traits in melon is critical for developing cultivars with high mean performance and stability in target growing environments.
Butternut squash is a newly introduced crop in Saudi Arabia and is gaining very much popularity.
An experiment to evaluate the productivity of butternut squash using different plant spacings and trailed vs untrailed plants was conducted in tunnel greenhouse.
Results showed that trailed plants produced 100% more yield than the untrailed plants with better quality and uniformity in size. Among spacings, the plants in 120 cm produced 82% higher yield/plant than the plants in 40 and 80 cm. NAA increased yield by 14%. NAA treated or untreated trailed fruits had no seeds as compared to the untrailed fruits which did produce small amount of seeds.
Habanero peppers have become increasingly popular in the United States for supplying unique flavors and high levels of pungency. As consumption of this product increases, development of improved cultivars with elevated phytochemicals will likely result in additional demand from consumers. This study evaluated fruit size, capsaicinoid, and flavonoid concentrations in six Habanero (Capsicum chinense) genotypes grown at three different Texas locations: College Station, Uvalde, and Weslaco. Five of these Habanero experimental hybrids (H1-red, H2-orange, H3-orange, H5-dark orange, and H6-yellow) were developed at Texas A&M University with genetic improvement in numerous traits of interest, and Kukulkan F1 (Kuk-orange) was included as a commercial control. In general, H1-red had the largest fruits in these locations. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin (DHC) concentrations were highest in Kuk-orange followed closely by H5-dark orange and were lowest in H6-yellow. Fruit at Weslaco was larger and contained more capsaicin and DHC than those produced in Uvalde or College Station. Although flavonoid contents were variable and low in all genotypes and locations, H3-orange showed the most stability for use in future crossing schemes to compete against Kuk-orange for this characteristic. Our results suggest that variation in phytochemicals in fruit tissue of Habanero genotypes can be exploited by selecting in an appropriate environment.