Yellow mosaic disease in field bean caused by begomoviruses belonging to the family Geminiviridae is a major threat to the cultivation of crop in South India. Appearance of bright yellow mosaic symptom in emerging seedlings in farmers field was suggestive of seed transmission of the begomovirus associated with the disease which was investigated in the present study. The begomovirus causing yellow mosaic disease was identified as dolichos yellow mosaic virus (DoYMV) and the presence of DoYMV in matured seeds was confirmed by DAS-ELISA with OD value up to 3.268. In PCR with DoYMV specific primer (DoYMV-CP) the virus was detected in different parts of the seeds viz., seed coat, endosperm and embryo. In embryo the virus was detectable up to 100 per cent followed by endosperm (69.23%). When the non symptomatic leaves of 30 days old grow-out test plants were subjected to DAS-ELISA, the virus was detected up to 46.6%. This is the first evidence of seed transmission of DoYMV.

CMV (cucumber mosaic virus) is the most primitive virus infecting chilli (Capsicum annuum. L). The mosaic incidence with leaf filiformity, mosaic mottling and stunted growth was observed in major chilli growing regions of Tamil Nadu. CMV sap was inoculated on chilli, cowpea, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, banana, cucumber, Nicotiana and Chenopodium plants. Host range studies revealed that CMV produced localized infection on Nicotiana and systemic symptoms on most of the test plants. The occurrence of CMV was confirmed through DAC-ELISA and RT-PCR analysis. Host plant samples tested with DAC-ELISA showed strong reaction with 1.7 optical density. For molecular characterization, total RNA isolated from infected plants used in RT-PCR with CMV specific primers. The specific amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The complete genome sequencing depicts CMV-RNA1 consist of 3339 nucleotides (nt), RNA2 and RNA3 with 3052nt and 2027nt respectively. Phylogenetic and nucleotide sequence analysis showed TN CMV isolates closely associated with subgroup IB rather than subgroup IA and II. Comparative sequence analysis indicates replicase protein to be more variable among five genes. CP sequence analysis showed 97-98 per cent identity with subgroup IB strains, 92-93 per cent identity with subgroup IA strains and 81-82 per cent identity with subgroup II strains. CMV-RNA3 was predicted to have recombination with Indian black pepper isolate (KU947031) between 165-505nt and Egyptian tomato isolate (KX014666) between 165-506nt positions.

Nutritional composition of some selected leafy vegetables grown in vertical gardening namely Anethum graveolens (Dill), Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek), Amaranth spp (Green Amaranth), Amaranth cruentus (Red Amaranth) and Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) at their micro green stage were analyzed. The Vitamin C content of the samples ranged from 14.66 to 80mg/100g, Vitamin A was in the range of 0.63-0.66μg/g and Total Carotenoid content varied from 13.67-24.93mg/100g whereas Beta carotene was present in between 2.25-11.94mg/100g. Mineral element analysis showed that the micro greens had moderate level of Calcium (48.60mg/100g-81.50mg/100g), appreciable amount of Iron content in the range of 1.19-4.10mg/100g and little amount of Phosphorous (0.018-0.060%). Carbohydrate content was present in the range of 1.06 and 2.63 g/100g, Protein presence among selected micro green showed variation between 1.26-3.1g/100g. Crude fibre content varied between 14.2-27.88% whereas total phenols was showing difference in values between 58.32-84.74mg/100g. These results revealed that micro greens contain moderate amount of nutritional composition and can be included in daily diet to meet individuals RDA needed by the body.

A field experiment was conducted to find out the response of foliar application of micronutrients on growth, yield and economics of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) at collage orchard, Department of Vegetable Crops, HC & RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The treatments consisted of boric acid @100 ppm, ZnSo4 @ 100 ppm, ammonium molybdate @ 50 ppm, copper sulphate @ 100 ppm, ferrous sulphate @ 100 ppm, manganese sulphate @ 100 ppm, mixture of all, mixture of all without B, mixture of all without Zn, mixture of all without Mo, mixture of all without Cu, mixture of all without Fe, mixture of all without Mn, commercial formulation (Multiplex) @ 4 ml/lit and control (without spray). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. All the micronutrients were sprayed individually and in combinations on tomato in three sprays at an interval of 10 days starting from 40 days after transplanting. The results revealed that spraying of mixture of all micronutrients (T7 ) 3 times at an interval of 10 days starting from 40 days after transplanting resulted in the highest plant height (95.7 cm), number of fruits per plant (46.4), fruit weight (61.9 g), fruit yield per plot (63.5 kg), yield/ha (564.1 q) and benefit cost ratio (3.04) followed by the spray of commercial formulation (Multiplex).

No abstract