No abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the grafting compatibility of different varieties of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) scions on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) rootstocks to develop a ‘pomato’ plant. In this study three potato varieties; Diamant (P1), Cardinal (P2) and Asterix (P3), and two tomato varieties; Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) tomato-2 (T1) and BARI tomato-11 (T2) were used to make the grafted combinations T1P1, T1P2, T1P3, T2P1, T2P2 and T2P3, designated G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6, respectively. Tomato seedlings aged 25 (S1) and 35 days (S2) were selected as scions. Graft compatibility was analyzed based on the growth and yield of the pomato plants. The results revealed that varieties and scion age had a significant effect on the pomato fruit and tuber yield. The initiation of flowering was not affected by the various graft combinations; however, plant height, leaf number, branch number, number of clusters per plant, number of fruit per cluster, number of fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, single fruit weight and total fruit yield per plant were higher in G5S1 among the combinations. On the other hand, the number of tubers per plant, single tuber weight, and tuber yield per plant were highest for a few combinations. Overall, it was concluded that Cardinal (P2) and Asterix (P3) potato were the most compatible for grafting with BARI tomato-11 (T2) at the scion age of 25 days (S1), based on vegetative growth and fruit and tuber yield of pomato plants.

Abstract:The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of organic manures and spacing on the growth and yield of cauliflower in summer season. In this study, the treatment consisted of three organic manures viz. F 0 : no organic manure, F 1 : cowdung, F 2 : vermicompost and three spacing viz. S 1 (60 × 30) cm, S 2 (60 × 40) cm, S 3 (60 × 50) cm. Two factorial experiments were laid out in the RCBD with three replications. Significant variations in all parameter were observed due to organic manure and spacing at different days after transplanting. For organic manure, highest yield of cauliflower (12.98 t ha -1 ) was obtained from F 2 and lowest (8.24 t ha -1 ) from F 0 . For spacing, highest yield of cauliflower (11.25 t ha -1 ) was obtained from S1 and lowest (10.57 t ha -1 ) from S 3 . For combined effect, highest yield of cauliflower (13.33 t ha -1 ) was obtained from F 2 S 1 and the lowest (7.91 t ha -1 ) from F 0 S 3 . The highest BCR (3.79) was found from F 2 S 1 and lowest (2.7) from F 0 S 3 . It is found from the experiment that growth and yield of summer cauliflower were positively correlated with organic manure and spacing. However, white beauty cultivars can be cultivated in summer season and use of vermicompost with 60×50 cm spacing would be beneficial for the farmers.

Stage of maturity often affects the yield, dry matter, specific gravity and color of potato tubers.

The condition of soil and microclimate are prerequisite for proper growth and development of a plant. The environment may be mediated by artificial filming with different colored polyethylene. The mechanism of lettuce growing under colored plastic film remains largely unknown. Thus, to investigate the impact of different plastic film on the growth environment, yield parameters and phytochemical properties of lettuce, the present study was performed. Five different colored polyethylene films viz. black, white, blue, olive and silver were used as a treatment factor, in filed condition. The results demonstrated that the soil pH, temperature and overall performance of lettuce, as well as the phytochemical composition, varied within the use of different films. The maximum soil pH and temperature were found under black filming plots. Additionally, the black colored plastic film exhibited the best values for most of the yield parameters studied over other plastic films, whereas the field with non-plastic film condition showed the worst data in the experiment. Phytochemical concentrations and nutritive value of lettuce were also significantly affected by the colored plastic treatments. Furthermore, the chlorophyll, anthocyanin, phenols and carotenoids contents were increased in plants grown in soil covered with black polyethylene. Vitamin C content was of 2.5 fold higher in the plants grown in the black film compared to control conditions. The application of plastic film led to elevated concentrations of macro and micronutrients in lettuce because of the direct effect of modified radiation under the plastic film. Taken together, it can be concluded that plastic filming could be used to enhance the yield and nutritional status of lettuce in natural plant production facilities.