World Vegetable Center

Aim: To assess genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance for key yield and processing-related fruit quality traits in tomato, along with the association patterns among these traits, was investigated through correlation studies. Study Design: Randomized complete block design with two replications Place and Duration of Study: At the College of Agriculture, Navile, Shivamogga, during summer 2024. Methodology: Twenty tomato genotypes were evaluated for yield and fruit quality traits relevant to processing. Results: Analysis of variance showed significant differences among tomato genotypes for all traits, indicating substantial variability in growth, yield and quality attributes. High genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance for ascorbic acid, lycopene, ripening index, pericarp thickness, fruit firmness, fruit weight, and locule number. In contrast, plant height and fruit yield showed moderate heritability, influenced more by environmental factors. Quality traits such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and pH exhibited high heritability but moderate genetic advance, suggesting potential for gradual improvement. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships among key yield traits. Days to fifty per cent flowering correlated with days to maturity, plant height, total soluble solids, ripening index, and fruit number. Fruit weight and diameter were negatively correlated with flowering time but positively associated with yield and cluster size. Processing quality traits were interconnected: total soluble solids strongly correlated with lycopene and ripening index but negatively with titratable acidity, pH, and fruit size. Lycopene content was inversely related to ascorbic acid, pulp recovery, and locule number. Ascorbic acid was positively correlated with fruit pH but negatively with fruit count, whereas pericarp thickness increased firmness, pulp recovery, and fruit weight but reduced ripening rate and fruit number. Conclusion: Study of genetic parameters describing variability revealed the potential for gradual improvement. Correlation results highlight key trade-offs between yield and quality traits crucial for breeding processing-oriented tomato genotypes.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a major Solanaceous crop of Asian origin, but genomic resources remain limited compared to related species. Here, a core collection of 368 accessions spanning global diversity of S. melongena and wild relatives is phenotyped for agronomic, disease resistance and fruit metabolomic traits and resequenced. Additionally, 40 chromosome-level assemblies of S. melongena, its progenitor S. insanum and the allied species S. incanum enable the construction of two graph-based pangenomes, capturing broad genetic variation. We demonstrate the power of these datasets by identifying major loci controlling prickliness and resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae, driven by SVs affecting the LONELY GUY 3 gene and a resistance gene cluster, respectively, as well as a mutation in a GDSL-like esterase/lipase gene altering the levels of dicaffeoyl-quinic acids. These findings provide a cornerstone for pangenome-assisted breeding, enabling detailed analyses of genetic diversity, domestication history, and trait evolution in eggplant.

The present study was conducted at Plant Protection Laboratory, World Vegetable Center, ICRISAT campus, Hyderabad in the year 2024, aimed to assess the resistance level of selected Vigna genotypes against Callosobruchus species using a no-choice bioassay. Four genotypes (NM94, V2709, AVMU1601, and AVMU1605) were evaluated for resistance against major bruchid species, including Callosobruchus analis (F.), C. chinensis (L.), and C. maculatus (F.), under artificial infestation conditions. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes for parameters such as percent adult emergence, seed damage, and seed weight loss. The highest seed damage (96.66%) was recorded in NM94 and the highest seed weight loss (35.12%) in V2709 when infested with C. analis, while NM94 exhibited the highest adult emergence (69.34%) under C. chinensis infestation. Results indicated that genotypes (V2709, AVMU1601 and AVMU1605) resistant to C. chinensis and C. maculatus were susceptible to C. analis, with none of the genotypes showing full resistance to this species. These findings underscore the need for further investigation into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying resistance, which could inform strategies for effective storage pest management.

The study was conducted during Rabi 2024–25 at the College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar, Telangana, to assess genetic variability, trait associations and divergence among 20 brinjal genotypes. Considerable variability was observed among genotypes with respect to stem colour, leaf morphology, corolla colour, fruit colour, fruit distribution and presence of prickles. Stem colour ranged from green to purple 1green, while leaf colour was predominantly green across all genotypes. Variations were evident in corolla colour, which included purple, light purple and white, whereas fruit colour exhibited a wide spectrum such as green, purple, shiny purple, dull green, milky white and purple black with either uniform or striped distribution. Fruit shapes were categorized into round, oblong and long types, with differential expression of prickles on stem, midrib, epicalyx, leaves and petioles across genotypes. In addition, quantitative evaluation of ten morphological traits revealed wide genetic variability across genotypes. Plant height ranged from 70.92 cm to 100.91 cm, while days to 50% flowering varied from 25 to 50.50 days. Significant differences were also recorded for fruit length (4.53–13.63 cm), average fruit weight (34.15–76.93 g), number of fruits per plant (18.60–40.43) and total yield per hectare (19.37–61.00 t/ha). The genotype IC-354511 showed maximum yield potential, while IC-104076 and IC-111018 were identified as early maturing with long fruits and prickle-free traits. The observed variability suggests potential for direct selection and hybridization programs aimed at improving yield and market-preferred qualities in brinjal.

Low fruit and vegetable intake is a significant nutritional issue in low- and middle-income countries, where resolving all forms of malnutrition remains a pressing challenge. Nutritional status is influenced by many dietary factors, and enhancing fruit and vegetable consumption offers significant health benefits and contributes to overall dietary quality. The study aimed to examine the policy landscape for fruits and vegetables across the food system in four low-middle income countries (Benin, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the Philippines) and identify opportunities to strengthen food systems policies to enhance fruit and vegetable consumption as part of a comprehensive strategy to improve nutrition outcomes. A comparative qualitative analysis of policy documents (n = 14 [Benin], 18 [Sri Lanka], 30 [Tanzania], 55 [the Philippines] relevant to fruits and vegetables at the national and subnational levels, framed by a food systems framework, was conducted. A modified SWOT analysis was then conducted to formulate strategic policy recommendations to improve consideration of fruits and vegetables in policies tackling food system aspects. The analysis revealed specific opportunities for strengthening policy prioritization of fruits and vegetables across the food system such as multisectoral collaboration, policy integration between the national and subnational level, sustainability and resilience, and inclusion and equity. By addressing factors influencing fruit and vegetable intake within a dynamic food system, these countries and others facing challenges to the consumption of fruits and vegetables can effectively promote diet quality, improve food security, and address all forms of malnutrition through better policy design and particularly implementation.

The complex terrain of lac production in India, a major non-wood forest product with several industrial uses, is examined in this research. With more than 50% of global production, India is the world's top producer and supplier of lac. The review describes the host plants and crop cycles of the two main lac insect strains, Rangeeni and Kusmi. It draws attention to the economic importance of lac farming as a vital supplemental source of income for rural populations and its contribution to forest preservation. The study includes an in-depth examination of production dynamics in Madhya Pradesh, highlighting a gain in absolute output but a minor drop in its national share, alongside a notable reduction in production instability, notably a favorable reversal in Kusmi lac growth. The once-leading producer Chhattisgarh, on the other hand, has witnessed a more notable drop in mean output and national share, with both Rangeeni and Kusmi lac seeing notable mean value declines, particularly in summer harvests. With an average net return of Rs. 103,744.97/acre and a Benefit-Cost Ratio of 1:1.84, an economic viability study from the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh shows significant profitability; nevertheless, this runs counter to the reported apathy of farmers as a result of sharp price volatility.To guarantee sustained growth in the lac industry, the results highlight the necessity of an all-encompassing, integrated strategy that prioritizes risk management, market stability, and technology diffusion.

Forest fires pose a significant threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, climate stability, and human livelihoods, particularly in fire-prone regions like India. This review study investigates the causes, socioeconomic and environmental effects, and current management techniques of forest fires in order to better understand their complicated dynamics. The frequency and intensity of fires are rising due to both natural and man-made factors, such as shifting farming, climate change, and uncontrolled resource extraction. In addition to lowering biodiversity, degrading soil quality, and upsetting forest-based economies, forest fires also emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases, which exacerbate global warming. The study emphasizes how forest fires affect tourism, endanger non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and worsen socioeconomic vulnerabilities, particularly in tribal groups. It also looks at how community-based forest management, remote sensing, and satellite data are being used more and more for early detection and reaction. This review, which draws from recent research and policy developments, highlights the necessity of integrated fire management strategies that combine community involvement, policy enforcement, and technology innovation in order to reduce the danger of forest fires and promote ecological resilience in India.

BackgroundHousehold gardening is a widely promoted strategy to address low levels of vegetable consumption and improve overall diets in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, existing studies reveal variable effectiveness across different contexts and program designs. This study uses a realist lens to, first, identify three common impact pathways of household gardening interventions from existing literature—production, income and knowledge pathways—and, second, elucidate causal configurations where specific mechanisms are triggered that motivate or demotivate households to follow these pathways of improving vegetable consumption through household gardening. Third, we discuss these findings to provide entrance points to make these interventions more effective in improving vegetable consumption and overall diets.ResultsThis study applies a Rapid Realist Review of published literature on household gardening in LMICs. A total of 24 studies were found that could be used in developing initial programme theories on household gardening. Using a realist approach to evidence synthesis, a total of 11 programme theories, written as intervention-context-mechanism-outcome (ICMO) configurations, were identified and mapped along the three impact pathways. An expert panel was convened, and key informant interviews undertaken to identify the most impactful and actionable configurations. Various mechanisms underlie the motivation of households to start and maintain household gardening, contingent on specific contextual conditions, such as the opportunity to be food secure and resolve household expenses, individual curiosity and experimental nature, social connectedness, self-efficacy, sense of responsibility, and opportunities for resource sharing and knowledge exchange.ConclusionsThis study contributes a deeper assessment of household garden interventions than has previously been available. The various identified ICMOs linked to the three impact pathways can be used in the design of programs to make them more cognizant of social and personal context, and effective in improving vegetable consumption in LMICs. Household gardening programs can consider leveraging multiple intervention components at the individual level, while consciously accounting for constraining personal, household, social and environmental contexts that impact motivation and ability to practice gardening. Continuing research is needed to advance agricultural interventions such as household gardening to improve diets and nutrition in LMICs.

Diplodia sapinea (Dothideomycetes) is a latent fungal pathogen with a global distribution that predominantly infects Pinus species. The impact of the fungus is increasing due to climate-driven range expansion and thus wide-scale disease outbreaks. With the aim of developing high quality genome resources, we generated chromosome-level genome assemblies for three D. sapinea isolates and low-coverage Illumina genome data for six additional isolates. By comparing these genome assemblies, we identified 14 core chromosomes and two accessory chromosomes (ACs) in the pathogen. The ACs encode 80 and 155 proteins, respectively, while 11374 - 11609 genes were identified in the core chromosomes. Both ACs had lower gene density and higher proportions of transposable elements compared to the core chromosomes. Sequence analysis indicated that genes on the ACs are rapidly evolving, suggesting they serve as evolutionary hotspots in the species. Sequence homology analyses suggested that the ACs were likely acquired horizontally, probably from a species in the Dothideomycetes. We designed PCR-based assays to aid in the detection of the ACs and applied these on a set of 37 isolates from 14 countries. One of the ACs was detected in 33 isolates from 13 countries, while the other AC was absent in all isolates tested. Pathogenicity trials on Pinus patula seedlings showed no correlation between the presence of ACs and isolate aggressiveness. The high-quality genomes provided here offer important resources for future research on this globally important pathogen, including the biological roles of the ACs.