Genotypic, phenotypic variability and evaluation of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] genotypes for yield components

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] is India's major vegetable crop, accounting for 60% of exports. Comparatively, Tamil Nadu has a small area of cultivation and production. Hence, the present study involves the utilizatization of simple measure of variability and genetic variance to develop new varieties. The experiment was conducted with 60 genotypes of okra crop using 20 quantitative traits. The analysis of variance found that genotypes were significant (P 0.05 and P 0.01) for all of the traits tested. The fruit yield plant-1 ranged from 176.40 to 438.40 g, with 347.42 g being the average. In all the traits studied, the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). The closeness of PCV and GCV values suggested that the environment had little influence on manifestation of the characters under examination. GCV (1.89-13.98) and PCV (4.06-16.61) levels were found to be moderate (10-20) and low (<10), respectively, in the study. Heritability ranged from 21.73 (days to first fruit harvest) to 97.19 (plant height) percent. At 5% selection intensity, the genetic advance (GA)% mean ranged from 1.82 (days to first fruit harvest) to 27.38 (plant height). Plant height (13.68, 13.48), internodal length (16.61, 13.98), first fruiting node (13.00, 10.89), number of fruits plant-1 (13.19, 11.91), number of marketable fruits plant-1 (13.36, 11.97) and fruit yield plant-1 (13.75, 12.29) showed high heritability and high GA% mean. Thus, the above-mentioned characteristics are additive genetic control and direct selection in okra has good potential for improvement in fruit yield

Understanding Barriers and Opportunities for Adoption of Conservation Practices on Rented Farmland in the US

Agricultural conservation programs often focus on farm operators when promoting conservation practices. However, much of U.S. farmland is owned by landowners not directly involved in farm operations. Rental arrangements on these lands can dis-incentivize the adoption of conservation practices that could improve soil health, water quality, and land values. To date, agricultural conservation policy has largely ignored the role of non-operating landowners (NOLs) and rental arrangements. We help improve the evidence-base for policy by identifying barriers to adoption of conservation practices on rented farmlands. Analysis of forty interviews with NOLs, operators, farm managers and university extension personnel in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana revealed five categories of barriers: cash rent lease terms, rental market dynamics, information deficits/asymmetries, cognitive/interpersonal, and financial motivations. Some barriers, such as risk aversion and farm aesthetics were expressed by both NOLs and operators, while other barriers, such as status quo bias and annual renewal of leases were only expressed by NOLs and operators, respectively. To overcome barriers to conservation, interviewees recommended improving communication between NOLs and operators and modifying cash rent lease terms in order to build in flexibility for equitable sharing of risks and rewards. Agricultural conservation programs could readily apply these results—possibly working with intermediaries (e.g., farm managers, lawyers)—to offer communication and lease tools and assistance to NOLS and operators. Future research should evaluate the efficacy of these conservation interventions and how intermediaries affect the balance of power between NOLs and operators