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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Yield and its components in groundnut under partial shade in coconut garden
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1988) Rajasree, M R; KAU; Gopimony, R
    A study on the parameters of variability, heritability and genetic advance and correlation of pod yield with other components were undertaken in thirtyone varieties of groundnut to select genotypes having good yield and adaptability under partially shaded conditions of coconut gardens. The study was conducted during kharif 1987 at the Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, by raising the varieties in a randomised block design with four replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among varieties for the characters like plant height, first date of flowering , flowering duration, pod yield per plant on fresh weight basis, pod number per plant, mature to immature pod ratio, pod yield per plot on fresh and dry weight basis, 100 pod weight, 100 kernel weight, shelling percentage, halum yield per plant and per plot on fresh and dry weight basis, harvest index, photosynthetic efficiency at reproductive phase, leaf area index at reproductive phase and Cercospora leaf spot disease score. Analysis of variance for chlorophyll-a, b and total pigments revealed that there was no significant difference among the varieties with respect to chlorophyll pigment content. Analysis of variance for shade intensity measured in each plot during vegetative and reproductive phase indicated the presence of uniform shade in the experimental field. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, heritability and genetic advance were observed for hundred pod weight and mature to immature pod ratio, suggesting the reliability of these characters during the selection programme for the improvement of this crop. Correlation analysis of dry pod yield per plot with twentyfour characters revealed that fresh pod yield per plot, fresh and dry pod yield per plant, pod number per plant, halum yield per plot on fresh and dry weight basis, harvest index and photosynthetic efficiency during reproductive phase showed relatively high genotypic correlation with dry pod yield per plot. The study indicated that for selecting an ideal plant type of groundnut for partially shaded conditions we have to look for the tallest, earliest flowering and vegetatively maximum vigorous individual plant.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Potential for drought tolerance in cowpea
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1989) Magie, Mereena; KAU; Sreekumar, S G
    A research programme was carried out at the department of plant breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum during 1988 with sixteen varieties of cowpea for studying the potential for drought tolerance. The date on twentysix characters and soil moisture percentage in different plots were collected and subjected to analysis of variance/covariance. The genetic variability and correlations were estimated for the characters contributing to drought tolerance, yield and its components. The path analysis was conducted using yield as the effect and seven components contributing to drought tolerance as causes. Analysis of variance for twentysix characters revealed that significant differences existed among varieties for all the characters except for root spread at vegetative period. The analysis of variance for soil moisture percentage showed no significant difference among experimental plots indicating uniform soil moisture status in all the plots. High genotypic coefficient of variation, moderate to high heritability and high genetic advance was shown by characters such as leaf area index at vegetative, flowering and harvest periods, number of pods per plant, hundred grain weight, and proline content. Harvest index also had moderately high heritability and genetic advance. This indicates the reliability of the above components during selection programmes for the improvement of yield. Grain yield per plot showed positive genotypic correlation with leaf area index at vegetative and flowering period, root spread at harvest period, number of pods per plant, root/shoot ratio at vegetative period, grain filling period, and plant height at maturity. Path analysis revealed that harvest index and leaf area index at vegetative period had maximum positive direct effect on yield. Based on the studies on variability, correlation and path analysis it can be concluded that a plant type. Suited to drought conditions should be early flowering with deep and wide spread root system, high root/shoot ratio and leaf area index at vegetative period, low proline content, few number of stomata, long grain filling period and medium duration resulting in the production of more number of pods per plant and high harvest index. The cowpea varieties UPC-124, DPLC-198 and DPLC-216, satisfying the above plant type can be considered as drought tolerant.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Heterosis for yield and resistance to bacterial wilt in brinjal
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Jameela Thomas; KAU; Gopinathan Nair, V
    Bacterial wilt of brinjal (Solanum malongena L.) caused by Pseudomonas colanacearum E.F Smith is a serious threat to brinjal cultivation all over India. Most of the commercial varieties are highly susceptible to this disease and hence unsuitable for cultivation in wilt endemic areas. Farmers in many places have been forced to abandon cultivation due to heavy incidence of bacterial wilt. Fine cross combinations were made between three resistant varieties (Pusa purple cluster, SM-6 and SMI-10) as ovule parents and each of three commercialbut susceptible varieties (Black beauty, Puma purple long and Puca purple round) as pollen parent , with a view to combine the wilt resistance of the former and high yield potential of the latter. The bacterial pathogen causing wilt in brinjal was isolated. Based on the cultural and physiological characters it was identified as Pseudomonas solanaecearum.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cross compatibility between Sesamum indicum L. and S. malabaricum
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Lali, K S; KAU; Gopinathan Nair, V
    Sesame is most valued annual oilseed crop of Kerala. Lack of varietieswith resistance to drought and diseases is the main problem confronting sesame cultivation in the state. The wild species Sesamum malabaricum shows tolerance to drought and most of the diseases. But this wild species appears to be non compatible with the cultivated S. indicum. An investigation was therefore undertaken to study cross compatibility between these two species. Eleven adapted varieties of S. indicum were crossed reciprocally with S. malabaricum. Capsule set was normal in direct as well as reciprocal crosses. In general it was more in reciprocal crosses . In general it was more in reciprocal crosses than in direct crosses. In spite of normal capsule set , these crosses failed to produce any normal seed. The seeds were either medium shrivelled or highly shrivelled. Failure normal seed development in a wide range of crosses confirm that these two species are noncompatible.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of the productivity of chilli hybrids
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1986) Elizabeth Philipose; KAU; Manikantan Nair, P
    A study was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, for evaluating the productivity of six intervarietal chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) hybrids obtained by crossing four inbreds in all possible combinations without reciprocals. Since the germination of the combination PR x PCl was poor, the other five hybrids along with four parents were evaluated in a 9 x 3 RED during 1984-85 and 1985-86. Observations on twenty quantitative and five five qualitative attributes were recorded. The statistical analysis included analysis of variance , pooled analysis and the estimation of genetic parameters, correlations among sixteen quantitative traits and three types of heterosis namely relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pollination, pod set and compatibility studies in open pollinated progenies of cocoa var. Forastero
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1984) Madhu, P; KAU; Kumaran, K
    Investigations were carried out at the College of Horticulture Vellanikkara, Thrissur, to study the polination , pod set and compatibility aspects of open pollinated progenies of cocoa, var. Forastero. It was found that eventhough cocoa flowered thoughout the year, maximum flower production was between November and April. The flower opening was a slow process starting from 2 to 4 pm and lasting upto 2 to 4 pm on the subsequent day . Maximum stigma receptivity was found between 10 am and 12 Noon. Natural pollination was through the agency of insects. By controlled pollination there was 48 per cent increase in the pod set. Hand pollination by forceps was found to be the best method of artificial pollination. A large number of pod set was not carried to maturity due to the incidence of cherelle wilt. The loss due to Cherelle wilt ranged from 37.04 percent to 70.37 per cent. Most of the trees studied were self-incompatible , while two of them were self compatible. The self - incompatibility in the materials investigated herein could be exploited for production of hybrid pods.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Reproductive mechanism in cardamom
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1982) Venkitaraman, S; KAU; Gopinathan Nair, V
    The study on the reproductive mechanism in cardamom was undertaken at the Cardamom Research Station, Pampadumpara in three popular cultivars viz., Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka, Laboratory studies were conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani. Different morphological characters of the panicle and flower, spread of flowering, time and mechanism of anthesis, pollen viability, stigma receptivity and self sterility were studied. The three cultivars were critically compared with respect to each of these characters
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cross compatibility between abelmoschus esculentus and abelmoschus manihot and hybrid sterility
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1986) Prabha, P; KAU; Gopakumar, K
    Observations made during 1985, while conducting a breeding experiment on interspecific hybridization in the genus Abelmoschus of family MALVACEAE, reveal that the virus caused Yellow Vein Mosaic disease susceptible bhindi varieties of the cultivated species esculentus cross readily with the resistant wild/ semi-wild species manihot. Absence of interspecific mating incompatibility is of advantage in programmes of breeding for evolving improved varieties of the crop with built-in-resistance. The first generation hybrids though do not produce viable seeds in profusion, are not totally sterile. The scanty viable seed recovery from the hybrids against the parents is suspected to be due to chromosomal differentation that could have taken place during speciation in the genus
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Progeny studies in west coast tall coconut palms of different yield groups
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1982) Bindu, M; KAU; Gopakumar, K
    Observations made during 1981-82, while conducting a Systematic Pedigree Progeny Analysis at the Coconut Research Station, Balaramapuram, on the coconutpalm, variety West Coast Tall, belonging to the categories of Low, Medium and High yielders, yielded valuable information so as to ensure realization of the desired effect in inducing an overall enhancementin the late stage seedling progeny performance standards. Earlier recommendations stressed the need for exercising phase protracted selection at the levels of the motherpalm population, seednuts and the seedling progeny stand in the nursery, on specified norms. The findings of this study help to develop a more reliable methodology for identifying distinctly, the vigorous from the less vigorous among the seedling progeny.