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Theses

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1985 - 19893
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Subject: Spices, Plantation and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1984 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of ocimum lines for herbage yield oil content and eugenol
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1988) Maya, S Nair; KAU; Sreekandan Nair, G
    Investigations on “Evaluation of Ocimum lines for herbage yield, oil content and eugenol” was carried out at the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1985-86. Twentyfour Ocimum lines collected from different places from the state and the country along with one strain (Clocimum) released from RRL-Jammu were evaluated adapting simple lattice design with the following objectives. 1) To select better types based on leaf colour aroma and flavour, 2) To study the growth and flushing behaviour of each type and to isolate superior ones having better flushing characters; 3) To select a purple coloured O. sanctum line for the Kerala homesteads; 4) To select eugenol rich strains to undertake large scale cultivation of Ocimum for essential oil production; 5) To explore the possibility of growing Clocimum under Vellanikkara conditions. The crop was raised adopting the standard package of practices recommendations. The main growth parameters studied were plant height, spread, height at first branching, total number of branches per plant, number of days to blooming, intervals of flushing and leaf area. The yield parameters studied were herbage yield per plant, herbage yield per hectare, oil content, oil yield per hectare. An attempt was also made to relate leaf colour and aroma with the eugenol content of different Ocimum lines. The results indicated that the plant height increased with the age of plants. The plant spread and total number of branches per plant were maximum during July-August and afterwards a definite pattern was not observed. Clocimum and O. gratissimum lines branched at lower heights compared to O. sanctum lines. In general, all the lines tested took more time to initial flowering after transplanting, than after first or second harvests. Clocimum and O. gratissimum lines exhibited a tendency for quick flushing but took more days for flowering after each harvest compared to O. sanctum lines. O. gratissimum lines including Clocimum have higher leaf area. The studies on yield parameters revealed that Clocimum was most superior with regard to herbage yield, oil content and eugenol followed by O. gratissimum lines. Clocimum produced a herbage yield of 59.36 tonnes/ha/year. While the highest yielder of O. sanctum produced only 22.93 tonnes/ha/year. The different lines in general, produced maximum herbage and oil yield during second harvest, followed by the third and first harvests, whereas the oil content was maximum during the third harvest followed by the second and first harvests. The percentage of eugenol was maximum in Clocimum (71.82 per cent) followed by a purple coloured O. sanctum line (59.05 per cent) collected from Nellankara, near Trichur. Clocimum produced maximum eugenol per hectare followed by O. gratissimum lines. The scoring on leaf colour and aroma with respect to eugenol content revealed that, green leaved lines had better aroma than purple leaved with one purple coloured line as exception. Here also Clocimum proved its superiority. Economics of cultivation and distillation of different ocimum lines revealed that cultivation of Clocimum is more profitable than all other Ocimum lines evaluated. When we consider the various characters of 25 different Ocimum lines, it is very well clear that Clocimum can be groomed as a commercial crop under Kerala conditions. If there is a preference for purple coloured type of O. sanctum (Krishna Thulsi) the line from Nellankara can be recommended especially for the homesteads. Hence, further investigation to probe the possibilities of growing these promising lines as pure and mixed crops in Kerala and techniques for identifying valuable chemical constituents other than eugenol is suggested.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Deficiency symptoms of mineral nutrients in clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. and Perry).
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Nazeem, P A; KAU; Sivaraman Nair, P C
    Experiments were conducted at the College of Horticulture on nutritional aspects of clove, to study the nutrient deficiency symptoms as well as the distribution pattern of nutrients in starved clove plants. The deficiency symptoms were induced in clove seedlings in sand culture. The distribution pattern of P, S (anions) and Ca (cation) were studied in the nutrient-starved seedlings employing radio isotopes. Besides, the annual nutrient removal and the seasonal fluctuations in the foliar nutrient concentration were studied in bearing clove trees. Older leaves were the first to exhibit 'hunger signs' due to the stress induced by N, P, K and Mg starvation whereas the symptoms, were manifested on the younger growth due to deficiency of Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B. General yellowing of the older leaves and early defoliation were the symptoms expressed by N-starved plants. Phosphorus stress resulted in small brownish spots to appear on older leaves of clove seedlings which later coalesced to form necrotic patches.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Flower bud differentiation in piper sp.
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1985) Rajan, P S; KAU; Mohanakumaran, N
    Studies were undertaken at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1983-’84 in Panniyur-1 and Karimunda varieties of pepper to collect information on the factors influencing flower bud differentiation and on the histological aspects of the process. Among the climatic factors maximum and minimum temperature during the preceding summer as well as the monsoon showers exhibited significant positive correlation with flower bud differentiation process. Among the nutritional factors studied, carbohydrates and C/N ratio were found to be high prior to the peak differentiation period. However, these failed to show significant statistical correlation. Significant accumulation of nitrogen was found in the shoots prior to differentiation. Phosphorus and potassium contents were not correlated with the process. Inhibitor content of the shoots prior to differentiation was found to negatively influence the process. Peak period of differentiation was observed from the middle of June to the end of July in Panniyur-1, while it was a little advanced in Karimunda (from the beginning of June to the middle of July). There were no fundamental differences in the histological aspects of flower bud differentiation between the two varieties. The bud which was conical during the vegetative phase changed into a dome shaped structure during the transition. Afterwards, this grew into a cylindrical structure on the sides of which bract and flower primordial developed in aeropetal succession. Differentiation and development of ovary wall, integuments, ovules, pollen sacs, pollen grains etc. followed. The whole process of differentiation was completed within about 25 days of its commencement.