Effect of polyamines and natural growth substances on the growth and flowering of rose (Rosa hybrida) cv. Samurai under protected conditions

Investigations were conducted to study the effect of different polyamines and natural growth substances as a pre harvest foliar spray on greenhouse rose cv. Samurai. The study involved preharvest foliar spraying with polyamines like spermine (10 ppm) and spermidine (10 ppm); natural growth substances like enriched banana pseudostem sap (1 per cent) and cow urine (2 per cent). All the treatments improved the vegetative and flowering characters over control. However, among different treatments, foliar spray of spermine 10 ppm, followed by spermidine 10 ppm were highly significant in influencing all vegetative parameters like plant height (79 cm), number of branches per plant (3.73), stem girth (10.69 mm), number of leaves per plant (91.33), leaf area (14.68 cm2) and leaf chlorophyll content (36.96 mg/g). Further, flowering parameters like flower stalk length (61.24cm), bud length (2.70mm), flower diameter (6.50 cm), number of petals per flower (55.90) and vase life (6.63 days) were significantly maximum in plants sprayed with spermine 10ppm. The treatment of foliar spray with spermine and spermidine almost doubled the flower production and improved the flower quality in tems of bud size and vase life as compared to control

Studies on Fruit and Yield Traits in Indigenous Coloured Varieties of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) in South Gujarat, India

An investigation on fruit descriptors and yield in twelve mango varieties was conducted under South Gujarat conditions. Maximum fruit length was recorded in cv. Totapuri (16.23cm). Vanraj showed the highest values for fruit width (11.67cm), fruit circumference (37.37cm), fruit weight (729g), fruit volume (575.59cm3) and fruit pulp (78.93%). Maximum TSS (21.20%), acidity (0.42%) and fruit firmness (7.00 rating) was observed in cvs. Deshi-1, Deshi-3 and Makaram, respectively. 'Totapuri' had maximum total shelf-life (21.33 days), number of fruits per tree (383.00) and fruit yield (236.80kg/tree). The varieties had green to yellow ground-colour of peel. All the varieties had red-blush peel colour, excepting cvs. Dadamio, Makaram and Swarnarekha which were purplish-red. Similarly, pulp colour ranged from light yellow to light orange. Based on overall performance, cvs. Alphonso, Deshi-1, Deshi-2, Kesar, Khandesi Borasio, Totapuri and Vanraj proved to be superior to the other varieties

Thyroid dysfunction in patients of depression and anxiety and response to therapy

Background: Depression and anxiety are the most common psychiatric presentation in thyroid dysfunction. Aim of the study was to determine the thyroid profile in patients with depressive and anxiety symptoms and to determine the change in symptoms with correction of thyroid profile.Methods: This longitudinal observational study was conducted in patients presented with depressive or anxiety symptoms who visited the psychiatry out patient department (OPD) first time. Two groups were made based on the serum thyroid profile. First group, (n=27) was patients with depression and anxiety with hypothyroidism (experimental group) and second was (n=123) without hypothyroidism (control group). Experimental group, (n=27) was then exposed to thyroxine, 15 patients came for first follow up and 11 patients came for second follow up.Results: The 63% of patients in the experimental group and 62.6% of patients in the control group were of female gender, 66.7% and 33.3% of patients in the experimental group had depressive disorder and anxiety disorder respectively. TSH level of 11 patients of experimental group had significantly less value in first follow up compared to entry point (p=0.002). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) 7 scores were significantly lower in first and second follow up than that of the entry point in 11 patients of experimental group (p=0.008, 0.016 respectively).Conclusions: Many patients of the clinical diagnosis of depression (17.6%) and clinical diagnosis of anxiety (18.75%) had hypothyroidism during the first visit to the psychiatry OPD. There was significant reduction in the hypothyroid patients of the serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) value and anxiety scores during the follow up after treatment with levothyroxine

Effect of various levels of nitrogen on quantitative and qualitative parameters of Rose var. “Top Secret” under poly house condition

Study was conducted to find out the effect of various levels (100, 150, 200, 250,300 mg/plant/week) of nitrogen on growth parameters in terms of qualitative and quantitative traits of rose var. Top Secret. Plant growth in general increased with increase in nitrogen levels. Among various levels of nitrogen application, 300 mg nitrogen per plant per week significantly increased all vegetative growth parameters and showed maximum plant height (117.45 cm), leaf area (98.91 cm2 ) and a number of leaves (62.50). Further, flowering parameters like stalk length (83.53cm), bud diameter (2.45cm), bud length (2.55 cm), number of flowers per plant (7.30) as well as per square meter (53.05) were also significantly maximum in plants given nitrogen @ 300 mg per plant per week. Leaf N (2.94 %), P (0.19%), K (1.87%) and chlorophyll content in leaves (4.41mg/g) was also higher with 300 mg N per plant per week. Vase life (10 days) and anthocyanin content in petal tissue (2.09 mg/g) were found the maximum in plants given nitrogen @ 250 mg per plant per week, which was at par with the treatment of nitrogen @ 300 mg per plant per week. Nitrogen should be applied at the rate of 300 mg/plant/week under protected cultivation as the optimum dose for good plant growth and qualitative flower production in rose var. Top Secret under protected cultivation

Effect of strain on the phase separation and devitrification of the magnetic glass state in thin films of La<SUB>5/8-y</SUB>Pr<SUB>y</SUB>Ca<SUB>3/8</SUB>MnO<SUB>3</SUB> (y= 0.45)

We present our study of the effect of substrate induced strain on La5/8 - yPryCa3/8MnO3 (y = 0.45) thin films grown on LaAlO3, NdGaO3 and SrTiO3 substrates that show large scale phase separation. It is observed that unstrained films grown on NdGaO3 behave quite similarly to bulk material but the strained films grown on SrTiO3 show melting of the insulating phase to the metallic phase at low temperatures. However, the large scale phase separation and metastable glass-like state is observed in all the films despite differences in substrate induced strain. The measurements of resistivity as a function of temperature under a cooling and heating in unequal field (CHUF) protocol elucidate the presence of a glass-like metastable phase generated due to kinetic arrest of the first order transformation in all the films. Like structural glasses, these magnetic glass-like phases show evidence of devitrification of the arrested charge order antiferromagnetic insulator (CO-AFI) phase to the equilibrium ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) phase with isothermal increase of magnetic field and/or iso-field warming. These measurements also clearly show the equilibrium ground state of this system to be FMM and the metastable glass-like phase to be AFI phase

Effect of Different GA3 Concentration and Frequency on Growth, Flowering and Yield in Gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.) Cv. Lorenziana

The present experiment was conducted at the Horticultural Instructional Farm, Department of Horticulture, J.A.U., Junagadh during the winter 2004-05. The experiment comprised of ten treatments, viz., three concentrations of GA3 (50, 150, 250 ppm) at three frequencies (single, double and triple spray at 30, 45 and 60 days from transplanting) and control. Each treatment was replicated thrice in randomized block design. Of the different treatments, GA3 250 ppm single spray recorded maximum plant height and plant spread. Number of branches per plant was highest under double spray of GA3 at 50 ppm. Longest flowering duration, maximum flower diameter and maximum shelf-life were observed with single spray of 250 ppm GA3. It also registered maximum number and weight of flowers per plant besides highest flower yield

Performance of Banana Cultivars in Gujarat

Field experiments were conducted for three years to assess the performance and select the cultivar ideally suited to Saurashtra region in Gujarat. The cultivars evaluated were Basrai, Harichal, Robusta, Gros Michel, Gandevi Selection and Lacatan. Of these, Gandevi Selection proved superior, with regard to growth parameters, yield characters and its attributes. It also yielded the highest benefit cost ratio

Effect of Spacing and Crop Duration on Growth, Flowering and Bulb Production in Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) Cv. Double

Field experiments were conducted at Junagadh during 2002-05 to study the response of spacing (45 x 45, 45 x 30, 45 x 15, 30 x 30 and 30 x 15 cm) and crop duration (first year crop, first ratoon and second ratoon) on growth, flowering, cut flower yield and bulb production in tuberose cv. Double. The widest spacing (45 cm x 45 cm) registered the highest values for plant height (46.18 cm), number of leaves per clump (67.25), spike length (89.64 cm), spike diameter (0.95 cm), diameter of open flower (4.6 cm), rachis length (34.8 cm), number of spikes per clump (4.1), number of florets per spike (48.2), number of bulbs per clump (18.40) and number of bulblets per clump (31.60). It also induced early spike emergence and flowering. A planting distance of 30 x 30 cm realized the highest cut flower yield (2.72 lakh ha-1) and that of 30 cm x 15 cm recorded the highest bulb production (22 lakh ha-1). Ratoon crops showed higher plant height, number of leaves, bulbs, bulblets and spikes per clump and cut flower yield as well as bulb production over the first year crop. Early spike emergence and flowering was also noted in ratoon crops compared to the first year crop. However, spike and flower quality was inferior to that of first year crop with regard to spike length and diameter, number of florets per spike, diameter of open flower and rachis length