Background: Global climate change, accompanied by recurrent droughts in arid and semi-arid regions, necessitates the development of more effective approaches for regulating soil water regimes. Conventional hydrodynamic methods often perform poorly in soils with thick clay horizons and low permeability, where electrokinetic processes may provide alternative pathways for enhancing water movement. 
 
Methods: This study evaluated the parameters of hydrodynamic and electro-osmotic flow in irrigated meadow clay soils of Armenia. Laboratory experiments were conducted under controlled hydrostatic pressure gradients and applied electrical field gradients to characterize filtration behaviour and electro-osmotic response. 
 
Result: A strong curvilinear relationship was observed between filtration rate and pressure gradient (R = 0.983), indicating plastic-viscous behaviour of the soil solution. A similar curvilinear dependence was identified between the electro-osmotic coefficient and electrical field gradient (R = 0.884). Electro-osmotic effects substantially increased the water permeability when the electrical field strength exceeded 2.57 V cm-1. These findings demonstrated the potential of electro-osmotic phenomena to enhance water movement in heavy clay soils, offering promising applications for soil-water management under changing climatic conditions. 
&nbsp;

Peculiarities of Hydrodynamic and Electro-osmotic Flow of Water in Clay Soils

<div>Background:&nbsp;Cotton is globally important crop valued for its single cell trichome called fibre. Cotton fibre is popularly called as white gold or king of fibre crops. Cotton fibre or seed cotton yield per plant is the economically important traits which is dependent other yield attributing traits and also influenced by the fibre quality traits. So present study was focused on the association of yield and yield attributing and fibre quality traits. 
 
Methods:&nbsp;An experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vijayapur campus during late kharif season during 2020-21 to evaluate 145 advanced breeding lines of desi cotton along with checks using augmented design in 7 blocks for yield and yield attributing traits. The material used in the study was developed by College of agriculture, Dharwad at Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding. Correlation and path coefficient analysis was conducted for twelve yield and fibre quality traits. 
 
Result:&nbsp;Significant positive correlation of seed cotton yield per plant with boll weight, number of bolls per plant, ginning outturn and fibre fineness was reported, whereas negative significant correlation was reported by days to 50% flowering with seed cotton yield per plant. Path analysis revealed that highest positive direct effect on seed cotton yield per plant was shown by number of bolls per plant followed by boll weight and highest negative direct effect was shown by fibre fineness. Highest indirect effect on seed cotton yield per plant was contributed by. ginning outturn. The traits that are significantly positively correlated and having positive effect on seed cotton yield play a major role in the selection of high yielding seed cotton genotypes.</div>

Correlation Coefficients and Path Coefficient Analysis of Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Desi Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum)

Background: Perilla [Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton] commonly known as Bhangjeera, belongs to family Lamiaceae, is an annual plant contains significant phyto-constituents. This is traditionally used as an herbal medicine to treat various disorders. Despite the Perilla&rsquo;s huge potential, no concerted attempts have been undertaken to diversify for selection of parents in genetic improvement programme both globally and in our country. 
 
Methods: The experiment was arranged in a Latin square design with three replications on the experimental farm. Data were collected from five randomly selected plants in each plot, excluding border plants. The mean values were analyzed statistically to determine the analysis of variance for all the traits to decipher the nature and magnitude of genetic variability and other genetic parameters in Perilla. 
 
Result: The studies shows significant variation among the studied genotypes for all characters. Among the studied germplasm, PF 7 was found to be superior for most of oil yielding related traits followed by PF4 and PF2. All characters showed high heritability accompanied by low to high genetic advance as percent of mean. These characters showed medium to high GCV and PCV. Genotypic correlation co-efficient were found to be higher than their corresponding phenotypic ones. Path coefficient analysis revealed positive direct effect of plant height, length of petiole, leaf breath, stem girth, length of inflorescence and total phenolic content on seed oil yield. The direct selection for these traits will be beneficial in yield improvement program. Therefore, it was suggested that tall and bushy plants with thick stem with long inflorescence are likely to produce high seed oil yield with unsaturated fatty acids, beneficial for human health. 
&nbsp;

Genetic Variability, Correlation Coefficient and Path Coefficient Analysis among Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton Germplasm for Seed Oil Yield Related Traits in Uttarakhand, India

<div style="text-align: justify;">The orange is 5th most important tropical fruit in the world production. The juice or pulp is extracted from the oranges and preserved for further use. Whereas for fruits and vegetables, osmotic dehydration is considered as one of best method for preservation. Hence in the present research focus on optimize process conditions for osmotic dehydration of orange segments. Fresh orange fruits were peeled and segments were separated. These segments were osmotically dehydrated at different sugar syrup concentrations 40 to 700B, time 60 - 300 min. and fruit solution ratio 1:3 to 1:5. The observation recorded with respect to water loss (WL), solid gain (SG) and weight reduction (WR). The results showed 500 B sugar syrup concentration, 300 min. time, and 1:4 fruit to solution ratio were optimum conditions to obtain water loss of 44.49 %, solid gain 6.91 % and weight reduction of 51.40%. Osmotic dehydration can be one of the alternative methods for the orange preservation than the traditional methods of food preservations. Also, it will be helpful to preserve orange segments for the longer time, which will be beneficial to small scale entrepreneur to improve their socio- economical status. &nbsp;</div>

Optimization of processing conditions for osmotic dehydration of orange segments

<div>Background: The corriedale sheep breed was imported into J and K during sixties for use in improvement of local sheep and are maintained at Mountain Research Station of Sheep and Goat, SKUAST- K. The animals over the years were allowed to mate within the selected animals of the flock as there was hardy any fresh importation of exotic animals from last 49 years due to which closed flock population was established within the farm. This has led to apprehensions over the loss of genetic diversity through years. 
 
Methods: The present study was to undertaken to evaluate the performance of Corriedale sheep under temperate climate and to estimate the inbreeding coefficient and its effect on growth and fitness traits of Corriedale sheep maintained at Mountain Research Centre for Sheep and Goat (MRCSG), F.V.Sc and A.H, SKUAST-K Shuhama, Kashmir. The information on performance and pedigree spanning over a period of 49 years (1969-2017) was collected and utilized for the study. The traits studied were birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6 months weight (6MW), 9 months weight (9MW) and 12 months weight (12MW) age at first lambing (AFL), litter size (LS), total lambs born per ewe (TLB) and survival rate (SR).&nbsp; 
 
Result: The averages estimates for BW, WW, 6MW, 9MW, 12MW, AFL, LS, TLB and SR were 3.72&plusmn;0.01 kg, 13.31&plusmn;0.07 kg, 18.65&plusmn;0.05kg, 22.15&plusmn;0.04 kg, 25.84&plusmn;0.06 kg 807.20&plusmn;4.34 days, 1.08&plusmn;0.00, 4.83&plusmn;0.03 and 80.76&plusmn;1.98, respectively. The overall inbreeding coefficient (F) and proportion of population inbred (per cent) for Corriedale sheep were 18.3 and 43.3, respectively. The increased inbreeding coefficient had negative impact and highly significant (p&lt;0.01) on all the traits under study except LS. The increased inbreeding coefficient (F) also had a negative impact on all the traits under study. With increase in the level of inbreeding there was a decrease in total body weight traits, lambs born per ewe and survival rate where as age at first lambing was increasing with the increase. he results indicated as decrease of 0.25 kg, 1.45 kg, 5.04 kg, 5.53 kg and 5.48 kg in body weight of the animals at birth, weaning weight, six months, nine months and twelve months from 1969-2017. To overcome the negative impact of inbreeding coefficient in the flock introduction of genetic variability through importation of Corriedale germplasm into the farm is highly recommended.</div>

Effect of Inbreeding Coefficient on Growth and Fitness Traits in a Closed Flock of Corriedale Sheep

<div>Background: Most of the plant characters are governed by polygenes and greatly influenced by environmental conditions. The progress of breeding is conditioned by the magnitude, nature and interrelationship of genotypic and non-genotypic variation. In most of the crop improvement programs, the improvement of one trait may cause advancement or deterioration in associated traits serves to emphasize the need for simultaneous consideration of all traits which determine the economic value of a genotype.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The present investigation was undertaken for Indian bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] to construct efficient selection indices for selecting best progenies. The experiment was conducted with 55 progenies with checks GNIB-21 and GNIB-22 in randomized block design (RBD) with 3 replications. An attempt was made to build a selection index by taking 3 different type of economic weights viz. equal weight [W1], genotypic correlation coefficients [W2] and genotypic path coefficients (Direct effect) [W3].&nbsp; 
 
Result: It has been seen that genetic gain of Indian bean of selected progenies observed higher with equal weight method as compared to weight assigned method with genotypic correlation coefficients and genotypic path coefficients (Direct effect). It has been concluded that the selection of progeny based on seed yield per plant, plant height, pod width and days to maturity provide higher genetic gain in Indian bean.</div>

​Construction of Selection Indices by using Different Economic Coefficients in Indian Bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet]

<div style="text-align: justify;">A multi-target (combination preservation) technique has been extensively applied to develop minimally processed and completely stabilized shelf stable food produces. A combination of irradiation and osmotic dehydration decrease the need for thermal treatments for enhancing the shelf life and microbial safety of cut fruits and vegetables. The present study aims at identifying combined effect of &atilde;-irradiation pre-treatment and osmotic dehydration treatment on guava. The guavas packed in LDPE pouches were irradiated at 0.25 kGy, and 1.0 kGy dosages at the dose rate of &nbsp;2.75 kGy/hr. The guava slices with and without irradiation were &nbsp;infused for osmotic dehydration process. Optimization of the process time (3,6 and 9 hr) was also investigated. Further, stored guava slices were analyzed for their physico &ndash; chemical, antioxidant and microbial analysis. Mass transfer kinetics of guava slices osmotically dehydrated in sucrose solutions were significantly affected by irradiation dosage and sucrose concentration and treatment duration. The evaluation of hurdle approach on guava slices showed that, combination treated slices were significantly less susceptible to nutrient and colour changes during storage. The synergy between the irradiation and dehydration also resulted in adequate microbiological stability of the slices.&nbsp;</div>

Impact of gamma irradiation and osmotic dehydration on quality characteristics of guava (Psidium guajava ) slices

<div>Background: Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench] is an important vegetable crop widely grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Okra is high yielding crop under a good cropping system. However, its yield potential has been grossly affected by poor cropping system, use of crude implement, poor soil and insect pest infestation. For improving okra through conventional breeding and selection, it is essential to have adequate knowledge of association that exists between yield and yield related characters for the identification of selection procedure. The knowledge of such mutual relationship between fruit yield and its contributing components can significantly improve the efficiency of a breeding programme through the use of appropriate selection indices.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A study of correlation and path analysis was undertaken in 18 genotypes of okra for fruit yield and its component traits at Vegetable Research Centre, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, (U.P) during summer and rainy season-2019.&nbsp; 
 
Result: It was observed that during summer season fruit yield per plant was positively and significantly correlated with leaf area, number of primary branches per plant and number of fruits per plant and in rainy season plant height, number of nodes and number of fruits per plant showed positive and significant association with fruit yield per plant at genotypic and phenotypic level. During both the season it was observed that estimates of genotypic correlation coefficients were in most cases higher than their corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficients. In the present study during summer season leaf area (0.760) had maximum direct contribution towards fruit yield per plant followed by number of fruits per plant (0.447). However, days to opening first flower exhibited highest negative direct effect (-1.109). During rainy season leaf area (3.274) had maximum direct contribution towards fruit yield followed by days to opening first flower (2.828). However, days to first harvesting (-4.630) exhibited highest negative direct effect. The study suggested that the improvement in yield per plant will be efficient if the selection is based on leaf area, number of fruits per plant, plant height, number of branches per plant and number of nodes per plant.</div>

​Studies on Interrelationship and Path Coefficient Analysis in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

<div style="text-align: justify;">Thirty wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated for 11 morphological and yield trait for analysis of character association (phenotypic and genotypic correlation coefficient), path analysis and cluster analysis. The experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2014-2015 in a randomized block design with three replication. Days to 50% heading showed positive and significant correlation with &nbsp;flag leaf area and number of spiklet per ear; flag leaf area showed positive and significant correlation with 1000 grain weight; Plant height &nbsp;showed positive and significant correlation with &nbsp;spike length; spike length &nbsp;showed positive and significant correlation with &nbsp;1000 grain weight. Phenotypic path analysis showed &nbsp;biological yield and number of grain per spike had highly positive and direct effect on grain yield. Direct and highly positive effect on grain yield was shown by number of productive tillers, plant height, spike length, number of spikelet per spike genotypic path coefficient. Biological yield and grains yield per plant show highly positive and direct effect on yield with number of productive tillers, plant height, number of spikelet per spike and spike length. In &nbsp;cluster analysis the intra cluster distance ranged from 1.61 (cluster II) to 2.37 (cluster III and VI ). Thus the member of cluster II were &nbsp;least divergent and similarly the &nbsp;member of cluster III and IV were most divergent &nbsp;The maximum inter cluster distance was between cluster II and III followed by cluster IV &nbsp;and V , cluster VI and &nbsp;III and cluster VI and &nbsp;V that order therefore the accessions grouped in the five pair of cluster may be considered as most divergent.</div>

Evaluation of wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) for assessment of character association, path coefficient and cluster analysis

Background: Correlation analysis informs us about the relative importance of the breeding traits and quite useful for plant breeders to formulate their breeding and selection strategies. Path coefficient analysis splits the correlation coefficient into the measures of indirect and direct effect. It identifies the indirect and direct influence of different autonomous genotype on a dependent trait. Present study aimed to determine major seed contributing components affecting seed yield and also to know the relationship among these components. 
 
Methods: Present investigation was carried out on 147 advanced breeding lines to know the correlations and path coefficient for 12 yield and yield contributing traits. The material was evaluated in augmented block design with 07 blocks, each block having 21 lines. A set of three check varieties were repeated in each block. Observations were recorded on number of primary branches/plant, number of secondary branches/plant, plant height (cm), silique/plant, fruiting zone length (cm), main shoot length (cm), number of seeds/siliquae, siliquae length (cm), biological yield/plant (g), seed yield/plant (g), harvest index and test weight. 
 
Result: The seed yield per plant showed positive and significant correlation with primary branches per plant (0.273), secondary branches per plant (0.280), siliquae per plant (0.627), biological yield per plant (0.744), harvest index (0.188), test weight (0.212) and oil content (0.225). Biological yield per plant (0.5747) had maximum direct effect on seed yield per plant followed by siliquae per plant (0.2438), harvest index (0.127), oil content (0.118) and test weight. These characters have positive and significant association with seed yield per plant. The study thus indicated that biological yield per plant, siliquae per plant, harvest index and test weight are the important characters which should be considered in selection programme in Indian mustard.&nbsp;&nbsp;