The trial was carried out to identify suitable potato genotypes for high hills of Karnali province of Nepal. The genotypes were received from International Potato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru through National Potato Research Program (NPRP) and evaluated for two consecutive years 2017 and 2018 at Horticulture Research Station (HRS), Rajikot, Jumla, Nepal (2396 masl). Nine nutrient dense potato genotypes with two checks i.e. Desiree and Jumli Local in on-station trial were tested in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Fertilizer was used at the rate of 100:100:60 kg NPK/ha and 20 t/ha compost. Well sprouted tubers of seed size (25-50 g) were planted at a spacing of 60cm x 25cm. The effects of different genotypes were recorded for both vegetative as well as yield parameters. There is a significant difference among tested genotypes for vegetative (emergence percentage at 30 days after planting & 45 days after planting, uniformity, ground coverage, plant height, number of main stems) as well as yield parameters (total number of tubers and tuber yield per ha). The highest tuber yield (46.93 t/ha) was recorded from genotype T 304351.109 followed by genotype T 304368.46 (41.46 t/ha) and genotype T 302498.7 (32.69 t/ha) among the nutrient dense potato genotypes. Similarly, late blight scoring was minimum (score 1) in all these three genotypes. The results of both years showed that potato genotypes T 304351.109, T 304368.46 and T 302498.7 are promising for cultivation in high hills of Karnali province to combat the malnutrition as well as ensure nutritional security.

A field experiment was conducted at National Citrus Research Program (NCRP), Paripatle, Dhankuta to standardize the time and method of grafting and to assess the success and growth of mandarin saplings. Scions taken from 'Khoku Local' mandarin were grafted onto one-year-old trifoliate orange seedling rootstocks by shoot tip and veneer methods in eight different dates starting from 29 th October, 2009 to 12 th February, 2010 at 15 days interval. The grafts were planted inside closed tunnel of jute and plastic sheet at 10×10 cm spacing in 50×60 cm 2 experimental plots in two factorial split-plot design with three replications per treatment, containing 30 grafts per plot. The grafting methods were allotted on main-plots and the dates on sub-plots randomly. The success and growth of sapling was significantly affected by the dates while the methods had no effect. Study results showed that the highest success (96.11 %) was found on 13 th January, followed by 28 th January (91.11%) and the least (51.67%) on 29 th October grafting. The mortality of sprouted grafts was the lowest (0.17%) in 29 th December grafting, while it was observed higher in earlier and late season grafting. Observation on growth taken at 180 days after grafting in successful grafts showed that 29 th October had the highest number of primary branches (2.2); 14 th November had the highest number of leaves (48.47) and secondary branches (2.505); 29 th December gave the maximum sapling height (32.86 cm); 13 th January produced the lowest number of leaves (21.93) per sapling and 28 th January produced the lowest number of primary (1.533) and secondary branches (1.172) per sapling. From the study it was revealed that in Dhankuta, the most appropriate time of grafting was 2 nd to 4 th week of January.

Advance Yield Trial on different Bhote type garlic genotypes collected from different districts of Nepal was carried out at Horticultural Research Station, Rajikot, Jumla for two consecutive years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to evaluate garlic genotypes suitable for the Karnali region of Nepal. Minimal work has been done in past on garlic, almost all of which centered at terai and mid hills that's why this study was carried out to select suitable bhote type garlic genotypes for high hill. Eleven different garlic genotypes were tested on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replication. Tested genotypes differed significantly for vegetative as well as yield parameters. During 2013, the highest bulb yield (47.41 t/ha) was recorded from ARM 01 followed by Mugu Local (47.01 t/ha), ARM 04 (46.98 t/ha), Kathmandu Local (45.41 t/ha), Chinese (37.91 t/ha) and the lowest from ARM 08 (20.1 t/ha). Similarly, during 2014/15, the highest bulb yield was observed from ARM 01 (50.32 t/ha) followed by Mugu Local (49.91 t/ha), Kathmandu Local (41.62 t/ha), Chinese (29.60 t/ha) and the lowest from ARM 05 (12.51 t/ha). Based on the average result of both years, ARM 01, Mugu Local, Kathmandu Local, ARM 04 and Chinese showed the better productivity ranged from 29.6 t/ha to 50.32 t/ha which are the promising garlic genotypes for the Karnali region of Nepal.

A field experiment was conducted at National Citrus Research Program (NCRP), Paripatle, Dhankuta to determine the best grafting height for the highest success of grafting and the maximum growth of saplings during 1st January to 30th December, 2010. Scions were collected from the mother plant ‘NCRP-49’ grown under screen house and grafted onto one-year-old trifoliate orange seedling rootstocks by shoot-tip method at 4 cm, 8 cm, 12 cm, 16 cm and 20 cm height from the collar region as the treatment. The grafts were planted inside the closed tunnel made from bamboo splits, jute and plastic sheet at 10×8 cm spacing in 64×100 cm experimental plots laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications containing 80 grafts per plot. Treatments were allotted on the experimental plots randomly. The success of grafting was not affected by the height of grafting, however, growth of sapling was found significantly affected by the height of grafting. Observation taken on saplings after one year of grafting revealed that the maximum scion height (42.13 cm), the highest number of leaves per sapling (47.50), the highest growth of scion diameter (55.61%), maximum length of primary branches (31.19 cm), maximum number of secondary branches per sapling ((3.24), the highest length of secondary branches (11.59 cm), the highest canopy volume (15440 cm3) and the highest graft spread (24.35 cm) were found on the sapling grafted at 16 cm height of the trifoliate orange rootstock. Hence, from the study it is concluded that the most suitable height of grafting acid lime on trifoliate orange rootstock was 16 cm. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njst.v14i2.10412   Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 14, No. 2 (2013) 25-32

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