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The experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2023 and 2024 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to assess 45 brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) genotypes for growth and yield related parameters. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The result showed high genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) values for plant height, number of primary branches/plant, length of fruit and weight of fruit and yield/plant. Whereas, the traits such as days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, fruit girth, fruit borer infestation and number of fruits/ plant exhibited medium GCV and PCV values. The registered high heritability values ranged from 94.29–99.49% and genetic advance as a percentage of the mean ranged from 19.25–70.25%. Correlation analysis on number of fruits/ plant showed positive and significant association with fruit yield/plant. Principal component analysis showed four principal components with eigen values of unity and accounted for 75.81% of total variance.

Field efficacy of botanical cakes and insecticides when evaluated in coconut against the rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhiniceros L., revealed that leaf damage reduced to 9.5% with botanical cake and paste. Palms treated with chlorantraniliprole 0.4% GR (10.5%) and neem cake admixed with sand (11.5%) were also effective compared to control (40.0%) at 30 months after treatment (MAT). The leaf damage was significantly low (14.2%) in chlorantraniliprole 0.4%GR treated palms, and the next best was botanical cake and paste (15.2%). The palms treated with the botanical cake and paste revealed the least spear leaf damage of 15.0%, compared to that of chlorantraniliprole 0.4% GR (18.5%) and naphthalene balls (20.0%). The overall mean spear leaf damage was significantly lower in chlorantraniliprole 0.4% GR treated palms (40.4%) followed by palms treated with naphthalene balls (42.9%) and botanical cake and paste (44.4%) compared to control (78.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present field experiment was aimed to evaluate the tolerance level to shoot, fruit borer infestation, and yield traits with 174 brinjal accessions at the University orchard, Department of Vegetable crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Among the evaluated accessions, the Acc- EC 490062, Acc - EC 144139-D and Acc - IC 344646 were identified as the best performers as they showed favorable effects for earliness to flowering and harvest, number of fruits per plant and yield. In addition, they recorded the lowest level of shoot and fruit borer infestation with a high marketable yield. The least incidence of shoot borer (13.97 %) was registered in the accession EC 144139-D, EC 490062 (14.35 %), followed by the accession IC 344646 (15.74 %). Whereas the minimum infestation of fruit borer was recorded by the accessions EC 490062 (13.18 %), EC 144139-D (13.52 %), and IC 344646 (13.67 %). The maximum marketable yield per plant (3.46 kg) was registered by the Acc - EC 490062 followed by Acc - EC 144139-D (3.80 kg) and Acc- IC 344646 (3.64 kg). The genotypes acknowledged in the current investigation can be explored as parents in future crop improvement programmes of brinjal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted in the Department of Vegetable Science, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to assess the performance of 39 monoecious cucumber land races. Number of primary branches were more in the local type Vennamuthupatti local (7.33) and the number of male flowers per plant was minimum in Amaravathi local (38.33). The maximum number of female flowers per plant was recorded in Periyakullappatti local (33.67). Number of fruits per plant was highest in Sankagiri local(11.20). Fruit length ranged from 12.62cm (Musiri local) to 54.83cm (Amaravati local). The fruit girth was lowest in Upilipalayam local (13.2 cm) which produced a slender fruit. Musiri local recorded a high fruit weight (1.65 kg). The maximum yield of 14.77kg/ plant was registered in Sathur local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An EC formulation of sweet flag (Acorus calamus) was tested for insecticidal activity against brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis. All the concentrations of formulation imparted an oviposition deterrence in the range of 48.85±2.86 to 56.79±1.50 per cent. The highest reduction in hatchability of 91.11 per cent was observed in 8.0 per cent concentration of Sweet flag EC. The 8.0 per cent concentration of formulation resulted in a mortality of 79.98 per cent on neonate larvae. Per cent pupation and adult emergence was also low in 8.0 per cent concentration. The increase in concentration of Sweet flag EC resulted in a decrease in per cent parasitisation as well as emergence rate of Trichogramma pretiosum and T. chilonis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]