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Background: Greengram Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek, is an important legume crop that serves as a low-cost source of protein. The bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) is a serious storage pest affecting greengram and other pulse crops. Thus, a study was designed to investigate bruchid resistance (Callosobruchus chinensis) in inter sub-specific derived lines of greengram and to identify chemical compounds responsible for resistance. Methods: The experimental material comprised of 200 inter sub-specific derived lines of F9 generation of VBN (Gg) 2 (susceptible to bruchid) × Vigna radiata var. sublobata/2 (resistant to bruchid) and a susceptible check variety. The bruchid screening experiment was carried out in completely randomized design and replicated twice with 50 seeds in each replication by adopting no choice test. Out of 200 lines evaluated for bruchid screening, seed damage due to bruchid was less than 20 per cent in 11 lines, identified as resistant. However, three resistant lines viz., GGISC 124, GGISC 140 and GGISC 150 were taken for further confirmation for bruchid resistance and GC-MS analysis to discover the chemical compounds conferring resistance (Clarus SQ 8C, Perkin Elmer). Result: In confirmation screening, seed damage due to bruchid (Callosobruchus chinensis) on 30th day was less than 20 per cent in three inter sub-specific lines viz., GGISC 124, GGISC 150 (17.00%) and GGISC 140 (18.00%), whereas the susceptible check [VBN (Gg) 2] reached 100 per cent adult emergence. The three inter sub-specific lines recorded susceptibility index of 0.046 (GGISC 124), 0.047 (GGISC 140) and 0.048 (GGISC 150) and classified as resistant. The susceptible check [VBN (Gg) 2] recorded the susceptibility index of 0.085. GC-MS study was carried out in resistant lines GGISC 124, GGISC 140, GGISC 150 and susceptible check VBN (Gg) 2. The results revealed that the existence of three compounds viz., 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester; Hexadecanoic acid, 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1, 2-ethanediyl ester and Hexadecanoic acid, 2-oxiranyl methyl ester in resistant lines conferred resistance against C. chinensis in greengram.

Background: Greengram is third most important pulse crop which is widely adapted and can improve soil fertility. The genetic variability and association studies help in selection which would increase the yield potential of greengram. Methods: Two hundred stabilized lines (F9) obtained from the cross VBN (Gg) 2 and Vigna radiata var. sublobata were evaluated. The yield and yield contributing traits were recorded to evaluate genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance as % of mean and correlation among the yield and its component traits. Result: Analysis of variance exhibited significant differences among the lines for all the ten quantitative traits indicating the presence of genetic variability. The high GCV values were found for the traits viz., single plant yield (30.18) and the number of pods per plant (26.80). High heritability combined with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for the number of pods per plant (90.19, 52.43), single plant yield (89.58, 58.84), the number of pods per cluster (79.28, 22.70) and the number of clusters per plant (69.50, 30.22) which indicates additive gene effects. In the present study, the number of pods per plant had a high positive direct effect (0.919) on a single plant yield. Therefore, the selection for these characters would improve yield in greengram.

More than half of the world’s population, especially women and children in the developing countries suffer from micronutrient malnutrition especially deficiency in iron and zinc. Micronutrient malnutrition problems increased the interest of researchers to increase the mineral contents (Fe and Zn) in cereals to ensure adequate attainment of dietary minerals. A lot of variability does exist for micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Vitamin A, etc.) content and bioavailability in many crops including rice. The current study was conducted to assess the variability for iron and zinc content in dehusked rice grains to identify mineral-rich families. This study was conducted with the major objectives of analysis of genetic variability for grain iron and zinc content.

Correlation and path analysis involving 35 genotypes of popcorn (Zea mays var. everta Sturt.) indicated thatdegree of popping alone exhibited positive association with popping expansion. The path analysis revealed thatcob weight showed very high positive direct effect on popping expansion followed by plant height, days tomaturity and days to 50% silking. Characters namely degree of popping, lesser cob length, cob girth and 100-kernel weight could be given greater emphasis while making selections for the improvement of poppingexpansion