Bactrocera cucurbitae, commonly known as the melon fruit fly, stands as a formidable threat to global agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of cucurbitaceous crops. The adaptability, high reproductive capacity, and broad host range of B...

This study evaluates the growth, yield, and biochemical quality of exotic and local apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) genotypes under the agro-climatic conditions of Mansehra, Pakistan. Despite favourable climatic factors, the region’s apricot productivity remains suboptimal, necessitating the introduction of high-yielding germplasm. Field trials at the National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute (NTHRI) compared exotic varieties (Moorpark, Castle Bright, Hunter) with local cultivars (Doghli, Trivet) using a Randomized Complete Block Design. Morphological parameters, including days to 50% fruit setting, fruit maturity, fruit count, yield, fruit weight, and seed weight, were measured alongside biochemical traits (total soluble solids, sugar content, acidity). Results revealed that exotic genotypes outperformed locals significantly: Moorpark and Hunter achieved 50% fruit setting 4-8 days faster, while Castle Bright matured earliest (63 days vs. locals’ 120+ days). Exotic Hunter produced the highest fruit count (968.73 fruits plant-1) and yield (Moorpark: 38.43 kg tree-1), surpassing locals by 40-50%. Biochemically, Castle Bright exhibited superior sweetness (47.83 °Brix, 10.48% sugar), whereas acidity remained uniform across all varieties (0.91-1.04%). These findings underscore the adaptability of exotic germplasm to Mansehra’s climate, offering enhanced productivity, marketable fruit quality, and resilience. The study advocates for integrating exotic cultivars into local breeding programs to bridge yield gaps, improve farmer livelihoods, and meet consumer demands for nutrient-rich apricots in temperate Himalayan regions.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of auxin and substrate composition on the rooting performance of bougainvillea Cuttings. The current study was organised in a completely randomised design (CRD) with two factors: growing media and auxin treatments. Five media combinations were tested: garden soil (control), silt + garden soil (1:1), FYM + garden soil (1:1), cocopeat + garden soil (1:1), and silt + cocopeat + FYM (1:1:1). Auxin treatments included auxin combined with various media: garden soil, garden soil + silt, garden soil + FYM, garden soil + cocopeat, and garden soil + cocopeat + silt + FYM. The results indicated a significant difference between the treatment means for rooting and growth parameters. It was observed that silt + cocopeat + FYM showed highest survival (92.31%), root number (18.9), root length (31.43 cm), and shoot parameters, while auxin combined with garden soil and cocopeat resulted in enhanced root and shoot development, with survival rate (90.72%), root length (33.11 cm), shoot length (10.71 cm), and leaf area (39.26 cm²). The results suggest that using silt, cocopeat, and FYM with auxin application in a garden soil + cocopeat mixture is most effective for optimising the rooting and growth of Bougainvillea cuttings.

La selección recurrente es un procedimiento de mejoramiento cíclico en el que la selección se realiza generación tras generación, con una reunión de plantas seleccionadas para producir una nueva población para el siguiente ciclo de selección. La población base de maíz (Zea mays L.) ‘PSEV3’ se desarrolló utilizando la selección recurrente de progenie autofecundada en las temporadas de cultivo de primavera y verano durante 2014 a 2016. Durante el verano de 2017, dos poblaciones de maíz mejoradas [PSEV3-(S1)-C1 y PSEV3-(S2)-C2], el genotipo original (PSEV3-C0) y tres variedades de control (dos OPV - variedades de polinización abierta - Azam y Jalal, y HV - variedad híbrida - Kiramat) se evaluaron para determinar los rasgos de rendimiento y sedosidad en cuatro entornos, incluidos dos fechas de siembra y dos sitios, es decir, el Instituto de Investigación de Cultivos de Cereales (CCRI), Pirsabak - Nowshera, y la Universidad de Agricultura (UAP), Peshawar, Pakistán. Los genotipos y fechas de siembra enunciaron diferencias significativas (p≤0,01) para la mayoría de los rasgos. Las poblaciones mejoradas de maíz (C1 y C2) enunciaron valores comparables con floración temprana y menor altura de mazorca en comparación con la población base y los genotipos de control. En promedio, PSEV3-(S2)-C2 fue el primero y exhibió valores medios máximos para los rasgos de rendimiento con rendimiento de grano mejorado con una siembra óptima en CCRI, seguido de PSEV3-(S1)-C1. Población base - Se observaron genotipos de C0 y control con retraso en la formación de estigmas y menor rendimiento de grano en todos los ambientes. La selección recurrente de la progenie autofecundada se estableció como un método de mejoramiento eficaz para mejorar las poblaciones base de maíz.