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An investigation was carried out for three consecutive years 2011-13 years to study the influence of Paclobutrazol (PBZ) on flowering, fruiting and yield of cashew cultivar ullal-3. The various doses of paclobutrazol i.e. 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g a.i., per plant was applied as soil drench annually, biennially and once in three years in the month of October before vegetative flushing of plants. The application of paclobutrazol @ 2.0 g a.i per plant found effective in improving flowering and fruiting parameters of cashew. The sex ratio ranged from 0.17 to 0.27 percent in treated plants while in untreated plants it was 0.15 to 0.21 percent. The number of flower panicles per plant ranged from 53.5 to 68.4 in treated plants while in untreated plants it was 53.5 to 62.7. The length and width of flower panicles ranged from 11.6 to 17.3 cm and 16.5 to 23.3 cm respectively, in treated plants while, in untreated plants, 17.1 to 18.1 cm and 22.8 to 23.6 cm respectively. The PBZ treated plants recorded nut length of 3.0 to 3.3 mm, nut width of 2.4-2.5 mm, nut weight of 6.63 to 7.56 g and nut volume of 6.84-7.74 cc while in untreated plants nut length of 3.0 to 3.2 mm, nut width of 2.4-2.5 mm, nut weight of 7.02 to 7.36 g and nut volume of 7.25-7.64 cc respectively. The average yield of treated plants ranged from 0.76 kg to 1.13 g/plant while, in untreated plants nut yield of 0.67 to 0.73kg per plant.

Multistorey cropping of mango with bay, black pepper, pineapple and ginger did not affect the yield of mango. Four combinations of these intercrops gave net returns of 91–143% over the monocrop. Ginger, bay leaf and pepper were effective in sustaining income especially during an ‘off’ year when mango is not bearing. By intercropping, farmers can generate income over a period of seven months. Copyright © 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd

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The protocol has been developed and standardized in two date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars. Protocol was cultivar and plant growth regulators dependant. Embryogenic callus from excised shoot tips was induced on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D 100 mg/l. A combination of ά-naphthalene acetic acid and 6-benzyladenine (NAA 0.1 + BA 0.05) in MS medium multiplied callus 3-4 times followed by abscisic acid (ABA, 0.5 mg/l) treatment matures callus and accelerated the initiation of somatic embryos in both the cultivars. Treatment combination of abscisic acid (0.5 mg/l) + indole-3-butyric acid (IBA, 0.05 mg/l) in medium found effective in maturation of somatic embryos. Somatic embryos germinated and converted into plantlets in half strength modified MS medium containing different concentrations of IBA @ 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 mg/l and NAA @ 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 mg/l. At a higher concentration (0.3 mg/l), in vitro roots and leaves (plantlets) were developed while at lower concentrations, response was comparatively poor. Secondary hardened plants after primary hardening were transplanted in the field for assessing their field performance. The findings of this paper indicate that enhanced production of somatic embryos and their conversion into plantlets can be a potential source of alternative mass propagation of date palm.

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