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Nickel is an essential micronutrient for leguminous plants. It has a large range between limiting and toxic levels. A pot experiment was conducted on two dominant soil series of Jharkhand i.e., Upl...

To establish a critical limit in soils and plant, an experiment was conducted in red and lateritic soil (Alfisols) of farmer’s field in tribal-dominated Panchayat Kurum, Palkot block, Gumla distric...

The aim of the present work was to study the effect of foliar application of micronutrients [Zinc: Zn 1 (0%); Zn 2 (0.5%); Zn 3 (1.0%) and Boron: B 1 (0%); B 2 (0.25%); B 3 (0.5%)] on the antioxidants and pungency of onion cv. “Sukhsagar” ( Allium cepa L.). In this experiment, it was suggested that the highest contents of total and free phenol was obtained by the highest dose of Zn (1%) in combination with 0% B, and single dose of Zn (0.5%) in combination with 0% B respectively. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was found to increase with respect to control following the highest dose of B (0.5%) alone. However, the peroxidase (POD) activity increased more with respect to control following the single dose of B (0.25%) rather than the double dose (0.5%). The highest Molybdate reducing antioxidant potential (MRAP) was observed in 0.5% Zn in combination with 0% B, whereas that of 2, 2-Diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPHRAC) was found in the interaction effect of the double doses of both Zn (1%) and B (0.5%), which also offered the lowest lipid peroxidation. The highest pyruvic acid development was observed by the interaction effect of 0% Zn and 0.25% B. Based on the average values of the biochemical parameters and the results of PCA, the treatment with Zn 1 B 3 (0% of Zn in combination with double dose of 0.5% of B) was proved to be most promising with respect to antioxidant properties.

In the present study, vitamin C, total phenols and antioxidant activity of some common cooking spices crops used in West Bengal were analyzed. Ten (10) spices (onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric, mustard seed, cumin seed, clove, cardamom and cassia leaf) were selected in order to determine the concentration of ascorbic acid (AA), total phenol (TP) and antioxidant activity as DPPH radical scavenging activity (DPPHRAC). The results obtained show that the values of different variables varied from 5.55 to 0.08 mg g-1 (AA), 21.55 to 7.67 GAE mg g-1 (TP) and 0.18 to 5.99 IC50 value: mg ml-1 (DPPHRAC), respectively. There were negative correlations between TPC and IC50 value of DPPHRAC. Key words: Vitamin C, total phenols, antioxidant, spices crops.

Humic acid promote the conservation of mineral nutritions and as well as stimulate the pungency usually being more prominent in the cloves of garlic bulb. The effect of humic acid application on accumulation of mineral nutritions and pungency in garlic (Allium sativum L.) cv. ‘Gangajali’ was studied. Here, we observed that the maximum concentration of Ca, Fe and S were shown when plants were treated with 400 ppm humic acid. While, in the case of Mg, P and Zn content, the maximum values were observed by application of 200 ppm humic acid. The maximum concentration of K, Cu, Mn were observed when plants were treated with 300 ppm humic acid. Regarding, pungency, content was determined as pyruvic acid development significantly increased with increase in concentration of humic acid applications. Our results also showed significant positive correlations between Mg and P, Mg and Zn, P and Zn, Cu and PAD, and S and PAD, respectively. Based on average values and ANOVA of overall variables, the highest result was observed by application of 300 ppm of humic acid followed by 400 and 200 ppm of humic acid, which may be the proper value addition in garlic bulb by enhancing the mineral nutritions and pyruvic acid development that needs to be studied in the future. Key words: Allium sativum L., humic acid, mineral nutritions, pungency.

The aim of the present work was to study the changes in antioxidants and pungency in response to foliar applications of Mn [manganese: Mn1(0%); Mn2(0.5%); Mn3(1.0%)] and Fe [iron: Fe1(0%); Fe2(0.5%); Fe3(1.0%)] in onion genotype Sukhsagar (Allium cepa L.); a field experiment in factorial randomized block design with three replications was conducted in research farm of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. In this experiment, we observed that the total and free phenol contents were significantly higher than control in both the single (0.5%) and double (1.0%) doses of Fe alone. Again, the activity of enzymatic antioxidant super oxide dismutase (SOD) increased with increasing doses of Fe alone, while the maximum peroxidase (POD) activity was obtained in the treatment combination of double doses (1.0%) of both Fe and Mn. The highest dose of Mn (1%) in combination with all doses of Fe (0, 0.5 and 1.0%) exhibited the highest set of values of catalase (CAT) activity. The activity of 2,2-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPHRAC) assay increased with increasing doses of Fe. The lowest degree of lipid peroxidation was observed in the case of 1% Mn in combination with 1% Fe, which also exhibited the highest pungency. The average values of all the parameters along with the results of PCA, the treatment Mn3Fe3 (the double dose or 1.0% both of Fe and Mn) was found to be the most efficient to ensure the antioxidant properties of the genotype Sukhsagar. Key words: Allium cepa L., manganese, iron, antioxidants, pungency.

Little is known about the antioxidant content of garlic (Allium sativum L.). Garlic cultivars were assessed for levels of enzymatic (peroxidase and catalase) and nonenzymatic (ascorbic acid and phenol) antioxidants and their activity in molybdenum-reducing antioxidant potential (MRAP), superoxide radical scavenging activity (SRAC), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (DPPHRAC), and lipid peroxidation (LP) assays. Total phenol (4.14 mg·g−1) was the most abundant nonenzymatic antioxidant compared to free phenol (1.12 mg·g−1) and ascorbic acid (0.15 mg·g−1). Enzymatic antioxidants such as peroxidase and catalase activities averaged 5.82 ΔA430·min−1·g−1 and 2.06 units, respectively. The highest antioxidant activity in terms of MRAP and DPPHRAC was found in cv. G-41, whereas that in terms of SRAC and LP the highest antioxidant activity was found in cv. G-323. The highest value of pyruvic acid development, the index of pungency, was found in cv. G-1. Based on the averages and princi...

Information on levels of antioxidants and pungency can be utilized for improvement of onion (Allium cepa L.) through selection or breeding. Several genotypes were evaluated for these criteria. Phenol (128.51 mg/100 g) was found to be the most abundant antioxidant followed by ascorbic acid (11.49 mg/100 g). Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities averaged as 4.80 mg·mL−1, 1.71 ΔA430·min−1·g−1, and 0.73 units, respectively. Antioxidant capacity, as determined by ascorbic acid and quercetin equivalents, was highest in ‘AVT-II(01)’ and ‘Sukhsagar’, whereas that determined by 2,2-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity was highest (i.e., the lowest IC50 value) in ‘AVT-I(05)’. Lipid peroxidation, an indirect measure of antioxidant capacity, ranged between 0.019 and 0.036 μmol of malondialdehyde/100 g of substrate. Pyruvic acid development, an index of onion pungency, was between 6.86 and 15.33 μmol·g−1. Based on averages and principal component analysis, genotype ‘AVT-I(03)’ foll...

Field experiment was conducted to assess the Zn content of rice grain and straw with and without Zn fertilizer application in a red and lateritic soil of Ranchi (Jharkhand). While, the grain yield of hybrid rice was considerably higher as compared to high yielding and indigenous rice cultivars, the response to added Zn in rice was not significant. Highest content of Zn (37.1 mg kg-1) was recorded in rice grain of indigenous rice cultivars, when Zn was applied @ 100 kg ha-1 of ZnSO4.7H2O (soil application) + 3 foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4.7H2O. Results suggested that indigenous and high yielding rice cultivars were more suited than hybrids in red and lateritic soil for agronomic bio-fortification. Content of Zn in rice grain of indigenous cultivars was higher (32.1 mg kg-1) followed by HYV (26.7 mg kg-1) and hybrid (24.1 mg kg-1) cultivars of rice. Total Zn removal by rice crop was 0.44, 0.65 and 0.63 kg ha-1, respectively when indigenous; HYV and hybrid rice cultivars were grown without any addition of Zn. Soil as well as soil + foliar application of Zn increased the Zn uptake by rice more than two times, compared to its non-application. Apparent Zn recovery in rice was low i.e. 1.99, 1.49 and 1.08 per cent only with soil application of 100 kg ha-1 of ZnSO4.7H2O, respectively by hybrid, HYV and indigenous rice cultivars. This was considerably higher i.e. 4.32% in hybrid, 3.19% in HYV and 2.53% in indigenous rice cultivars, when Zn was added through soil (100 kg ha-1 of ZnSO4.7H2O) + foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4.7H2O.

Studies on genetic variability, heritability, and inter-relationships between traits in eighteen diverse onion genotypes were carried out during rabi season for both quantitative and qualitative traits. The estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were greater than corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits. The proportion of genetic contribution to the overall phenotypic expression of most of the traits was very high. Heritability coupled with high genetic advance for all the traits except polar diameter of bulb is indicative of additive gene action and selection based on these parameters would be more reliable. The genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than their corresponding phenotypic ones for the most of the characters reflecting predominant role of heritable factors Strong phenotypic relationships were found for plant height (r = 0.949), numbers of leaf per plant (r = 0.914), equatorial diameter of bulb (r = 0.674) and marketable bulb weight (r = 0.704) with marketable bulb yield per plot. The present study revealed that all the quality traits (TSS, vitamin C, phenol and pyruvic acid contents) represent either weak or negative association with bulb yield of onion. Out of eleven yield component traits, plant height (0.533) followed by marketable bulb weight (0.457) exhibited highly positive direct effects on bulb yield per plot suggesting to give emphasis on such traits while imposing selection for amenability in bulb yield of onion. Low residual effect (0.140) suggested inclusion of maximum bulb yield influencing characters of onion in the present analysis.