Pericarp browning is the major post-harvest problem of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn) fruit, resulting in reduced commercial value of the fruit. Control of postharvest pericarp browning of fruit using 9 different postharvest treatments were studied. The treated fruits were packed in transparent perforated (0.2% ventilation) low density polythene bags (100 gauge). On storage, pericarp browning increased irrespective of treatments with the decrease in pericarp specifi c activity, total pericarp phenol and total anthocyanin. Anthocyanin degradation index and polymeric colour increased during storage. Pre-cooled (10 0 C) fruits treated with 0.6% sodium metabisulphite solution for 10 min, air dried followed by dipping in 2% HCl for 5 min and packing in perforated LDPE bags recorded the lowest polyphenol oxidase specifi c activity (2.2 units/mg protein) with maximum retention of total anthocyanin (47.3 mg/100g) leading to the lowest pericarp browning after 9 days of storage with attractive red colour, freshness and enhanced shelf life of 9 days at ambient conditions (27.7 ± 1.2°C, RH 78 ± 4%).

An experiment was carried out during 2014-2015 at the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to study the effect of biofertilizer consortium on yield, quality and soil health of french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with seven treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments were T1: FYM 20 t/ha+ NPK @ 30:40:20 kg/ha (RDF), T2: Enriched compost @ 3 t/ha, T3: Enriched compost @ 3 t/ha + Consortium, T4: Vermicompost @ 3 t/ha, T5: Vermicompost @ 5 t/ha, T6: Vermicompost @ 2.5 t/ha+ Consortium and T7: Consortium (Rhizobium + Azotobacter + Azospirillum + PSB). The performance of french bean was greatly influenced by different treatments. Application of recommended dose of fertilizer in T1 recorded significantly higher yield attributing characters viz., pod/plant (28.57), pod length (15.07 cm), pod girth (0.96cm), seed/pod (6.73), pod yield(11.27 t/ha) and harvest index (67.67%) respectively. Similarly, T1 also recorded minimum dry matter content (6.87%); crude fibre content (7.15%) and maximum crude protein content (22.63%). Among the organic treatments, T3 reflected the maximum for all the yield attributing characters which was closure with T1; while T4 recorded significantly maximum ascorbic acid content (11.67 mg 100g/FW). Further, T3 also recorded the best for soil parameters viz., bulk density (0.83 g/cm3), pH (5.33), P2O5 (47.40 kg/ha), microbial biomass carbon (630.33ìg/g/24h), dehydrogenase activity (711.50 ìg TPF/g/24h) and phosphomonoesterase activity (442.43ìg p-nitrophenol/g/h) respectively. T5 recorded highest organic carbon (0.68%); while T1 also revealed maximum N and K (220.56 and 119.31kg/ha) content.

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Background: Brinjal is one of the most popular and important vegetable crops grown throughout the year in India and other parts of the world. Though a large number of brinjal genotypes are available in India, only a few have good quality and yield during kharif. Therefore, the current study was carried out to identify and/or superior varieties with high yield and better quality brinjal during kharif, 2017-2018 consisted of thirty brinjal genotypes obtained from different places of India.Methods: All the genotypes were evaluated for fifteen morphological and six biochemical characters viz., plant height (cm), plant spread (cm), number of primary branches per plant, leaf blade length (cm), leaf blade width (cm), number of leaf prickles, days to first flowering (days), days to 50% flowering (days), fruit pedicel length (cm), fruit length (cm), fruit circumference (cm), number of fruits per plant, fruit weight (g), fruit yield per plant (kg), fruit yield per hectare (t), moisture content (%, FW), crude fiber content (%, DW), crude protein content (%, DW), ascorbic acid (mg/100g FW), solasodine content (mg/100g DW) and total phenol content (mg GAE/g FW).Result: Mean performance of brinjal genotypes revealed significant variation for morpho-biochemical characters. This variation may be due to the effect of genotype, environment or their interaction. Morphological characters of brinjal genotypes revealed that among the thirty genotypes, eighteen genotypes viz., Kuchia, Brinjal-3, Khoruah-1, Brinjal-6, Brinjal-8, Brinjal-4, Seujia Bengena, Brinjal-1, Brinjal-9, Brinjal-2, Brinjal Long, Green Long, Boga Bengena, Kajala, Sagolishingia, Long Khoruah, Brinjal-7 and Koni Bengena were found to be the superior performers for fruits/plant, primary branches per plant, days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering and fruit yield during kharif. The mean performance for biochemical characters also revealed wide variability among the genotypes in respect to quality performance.

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