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to study the effect of different levels of irrigation and mulches on growth and yield of tomato. The experiment with 12 treatment combinations was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Main plot constitutes four irrigation levels (I1: 100%, I2: 80%, I3: 60% and I4: 40% cumulative pan evapotranspiration) and subplot comprised of three levels of mulches (M1: Without mulch, M2: Sugarcane mulch and M3: Polythene mulch). Irrigation was given based on cumulative pan evapotranspiration following alternate day irrigation schedule using drip irrigation. The treatment combination receiving drip irrigation at 80 per cent CPE along with polythene mulch (I2M3) was recorded with highest fruit yield per plant (2.74 kg), yield per plot (60.90 kg) and yield per hectare (51.83 t/ha). The same treatment combination was noticed with highest benefit cost ratio of 3.23. Whereas, highest water use efficiency was noticed under individual treatments of drip irrigation (I4) provided at 40 per cent CPE (255.44 kg ha -1 mm -1 ) and under polythene mulch (204.03 kg ha -1 mm -1 ). The highest soil moisture content was observed under the treatment combination with drip irrigation at 100 per cent CPE under polythene mulch (I2M3) at 30 and 60 DAT, whereas, at 90 DAT it was highest under I2M3. However, lowest weed density was noticed under all the four irrigation levels in combination with polythene mulch at all the monthly intervals.

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Momordica balsamina L. commonly known as the Balsam apple is an under-exploited cucurbit vegetable occurs wild type in nature which offers various dietary and nutraceutical properties. It is an annual to perennial, tendril-bearing herb, native to tropical regions of Africa. Since the crop occurs in wild forms, the variation exists among the genotype is limited. For the improvement of plant characteristics in diverse crops, mutation breeding has been extensively applied. In the present study, treated population was evaluated to study the extent of genetic variability and character association on growth and yield parameters in M1 and M2 generation of Momordica balsamina L. The results revealed that high heritability was exhibited by vine length at harvest, number of branches per plant at harvest, stem diameter, leaf area, number of fruits per plant, fruit girth, lycopene content, β-carotene content and ascorbic acid content. As per the character association studies, fruit yield per plant showed highly significant and positive association with number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit length and days to first flowering. Whereas, highly significant but negative association was revealed by number of branches per plant at harvest, stem diameter and days to 50 per cent flowering among mutant population. Whereas, vine length at harvest, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit length and fruit girth recorded highest positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant. While, number of branches per plant at harvest, stem diameter and days to 50 per cent flowering exerted negative direct effect on fruit yield per plant.