eChapters

Mango is the choicest fruit of tropical world. Originated in Indo-Malayan region (Mukherjee, 1985), more than one thousand varieties are under commercial cultivation in India (Mukherjee 1949). South Indian varieties of mango are distinct (Yadav and Singh, 1985).  Naik and Gangolly (1950)  described 135 South Indian varieties, taking fruit character as the main criteria. North Kerala experiencing humid tropical climate is an important zone of variability of mango (Kannan, 1982). Polyembryonic mango cultivars like ‘Vellaikolamban’, ‘Kurukkan’ and ‘Bappakkai’ are traditionally grown here. Over the years, there is erosion in  gene pool of rich varietal wealth due to deforestation, urbanisation and large scale rubber cultivation in Kerala. Establishment of field gene bank is an important ex situ conservation strategy. Systematic attempts to conserve  genepool  resulted  in collection of  more than 1266 varieties in various field gene banks in our country (Chadha, 1976). Field Gene Bank (FGB) has the advantage of being continuously evaluated and desired accessions can immediately be utilized directly or in breeding programmes. Field gene bank very often represents only a fraction of variability of the gene pool and  enrichment of the collection is always required for capturing  available diversity.

Botany:Snake gourd belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae native to Southeastern Asia and Australia but cultivated throughout the world for its curved and oddly shaped fruits that appear like snakes hanging on the supports or ground. This subtropical plant grows very fast in warm climates and produces lots of fruits for a long time. It is suitable for growing for home garden and fresh market.

Climate and soil: Snake gourd is adapted to wide variety of soil and climatic conditions. It requires a minimum temperature of 18^oC during early growth, but optimal temperatures are in the range of 24–27^oC. Snake gourd tolerates a wide range of soil but prefers a well drained sandy loam soil that is rich in organic matter. The optimum soil pH is 6.0–6.7, but plants tolerate alkaline soils up to pH

Varieties: CO1,CO2, PKM 1, PLR 1 and PLR 2.

Plant growth regulators are organic compounds occurring naturally in plants as well as synthetic, other than nutrients, which in small amounts promote, inhibit or modify any physiological process in plants.

Basically, PGRs are of two types

Botany: Bottle gourds belonging to the family cucurbitaceae is an annual vine having white flowers and smooth, large, hard-shelled gourds. Brownish seeds are numerous in a whitish green pulp. Each seed is somewhat rectangular in shape with grooved notches near the attached end. Grown most often in warmer climates, this squash grows from 6 to 36 inches long and 3 to 12 inches in diameter.

Seeds leaves, flowers and young stems are all edible. Helpful in shedding extra calories. It contains higher concentrations of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium, Manganese, Protein, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Selenium. A rich source of minerals and vitamins, bottle gourds contains many healing and medicinal properties. The cooked vegetable is not only easy to digest but also contains cooling, calming (or sedative), diuretic properties. It contains low calories also has iron, Vitamin C and B complex. Regular consumption of this vegetable provides relief to people suffering with digestive problems, diabetics and convalescents.

Digging and Filling of Pits

1.    Marking of pits and planting should always be done with the help of planting board.

2.    The guide pegs are installed at both the ends.

3.    One meter deep pits of one meter diameter should be dug.

4.    Top 30 cm soil should be kept on one side, which is used for refilling the pits as it is fertile soil.

5.    Bottom 70 cm soil should be kept on other side, which is discarded.

6.    The pits should be left exposed for a few days before actual planting.

7.    These pits should be refilled with mixture of topsoil, 2-3 baskets of silt and 2-3 baskets of well-decomposed farmyard manure.

8.    The refilled pits should be watered a few days before planting the tree. To each pit add carbofuron (25g) for control of white ants.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) is a well known and widely cultivated vegetable variety of the family Cucurbitaceae. The seed production can be done in summer season (February - March) and in rainy season (April - May). In Tamil Nadu, sowing during July – August is best for seed production.

Indian gypsy moth: Lymantria obfuscata: Lymantridae

Eggs are laid by the bulky adult female moth, which has only rudimentary wings and hence cannot fly.  Eggs are laid under the bark on the tree trunks or on fallen leaves. They feed on many shade trees and other trees also.  Feeding is gregarious and done during night. The trees are almost completely defoliated. Management involves spot application of contact insecticides at the beginning, when the larvae are small and before they disperse to the different leaves.

The different modes of reproduction applied in vegetable crops are

Asexual

In this case the vegetative parts of the plants viz. rhizomes, corms, tubers, bulbs etc whole or part there off are utilized to produce new individuals. The typical examples are potato, sweetpotato, parwal, artichoke, colocasia, zinger, turmeric elephant foot yam, etc. There are some vegetative crops which can be reproduced through bcth vegetative part as well as seed e.g. asparagus.

Onion is one of the oldest cultivated plant species. Onion forms the bulb in the first year and the seed in the second year. The leaves arise from a shortened crown stem. The sheaths of the older or outermost leaves enclose the younger ones. The basal portion of the leaves encircles the stem, and thickens to form the bulb. The stem elongates during the second year forming the flower stalk. The onion has a fibrous root system extending to a depth of over one meter, but most of them are found in upper surface about one-half meter area.

Ber fruit fly:  Carpomyia vesuviana :Tephritidae

Adult is a small fly with black spots on the thorax and dark spots on the wings. They have only one pair of wings typical of diptera. The attack by the insect causes rotting of fruits and fruit drop. The adult female lays eggs singly in cavities made on the fruit by the ovipositor.  One female can lay up to 22 eggs. Egg period lasts for 2-3 days and the emerging maggots feed inside the fruit for about 7-10 days. The fully grown maggot falls to the ground to pupate in soil.  Pupal period is around 5-30 days. There can be 2-3 generations /year.

Amaranth is an annual herb with erect growth and scarce to profuse branching habit. Flowers are borne terminally and in axils of leaves in clusters. Basic unit of inflorescence is called as glomerule. Flowers are small, unisexual and monoecious. Proportion of male and female flowers varies in an inflorescence. Each glomerule consists of a staminate flower and a number of pistillate flowers. The extent of cross pollination is governed by proportion of male and female flowers in an inflorescence and position of inflorescence in plant

Pollination : Transfer of pollen grains from anther to stigma is termed as pollination.

1. Self pollination

When pollen grains from an anther fallen to stigma of same flower or same plant is called self pollination or autogamy. In other word when pollen and pistil are from the same plant, often (but not always) from the same flower. In other word when transfer of pollen grain from anther to stigma of a same flower or same plant is called as self pollination. In which development of seed by self pollination is known as autogamy it is the closest form of breeding. Autogamy leads to homozygosity such species develop homozygous balance and do not exhibit significant inbreeding depression several mechanisms which promote autogamy.

Grapevine stem girdler:  Sthenias grisator : Cerambycidae

This is a pest that can also survive on mango, rose, cocoa, coffee, almond, and mulberry. The ovipositing adult causes wilting of branches and then the entire vine. Adults are medium-sized, grey coloured beetles with a white spot at the center of each elytron. They are active at night.

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 2-4, underneath loose bark of girdled branches. Eggs are oval and enveloped in a white parchment like covering. Adults emerge out and start ovipositing individual eggs at a point in the vine in a circular fashion so that the vine dries up above this point. Egg period takes about 8 days. The grub has dark brown head and mouth has a pair of prominent mandibles, each with two teeth. The grub continues its life as a semi saprophyte and pupates in the same tunnel. A single generation can occupy one year.

Origin and history : Ber is an ancient fruit crop of India and is relished for its sweet and sour fruits. It is an ideal fruit tree for arid and semi arid regions in tropical and subtropical climate. It is highly suitable for marginal land and hot arid region. It is distributed in tropical and sub tropical country in the world, including China, Pakistan, Australia and France. In India the major growing states are Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh etc. In Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi, Aligarh, Ayodhya, and Agra are the major growing region. Beside mauritiana other important species like Zizyphus rotundifolia, Zizyphus numuleria, Zizyphus rugosa, Zizyphus xylopyrus, Zizyphus micropyla is also commercially grown for rootstock purpose.

1.    Leaf spot or blight
        
2.    Cercospora leaf & fruit spot
        
3.    Alternaria fruit spot
        
4.    Bacterial leaf spot

Important diseases of vegetable crops

1. Damping off: (Phytophthora parasitica, Pythium sp. Rhizoctomia solani):This is a disease of the seedlings at the nursery stage. Due to the attack of this fungus seedlings rot at the ground level and collaps.

1.    Sooty mould
        
2.    Leaf spot
        
3.    Flat limb

Description of the important flowering trees

Origin and history: Pineapple is considered as one of the most popular tropical fruit, and is known as “Golden Queen” all over the globe. It can be grown as mixed crop in most of the orchards and also as hedge plant and as a pure crop. It is drought tolerant and suitable for marginal lands. Pineapple contain an enzyme Bromeline and volatile compound three methyl propionate ester. It is widely cultivated throughout the world and country is like Malaya, Hawaii, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, Mexico and India. In India it is cultivated in eastern part of the country like West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Description of the important foliage trees