Search

The present investigation was conducted at the experimental farm of SASRD: NU, Medziphema, Nagaland during kharif season 2019. Fourteen genotypes were procured from the three states of northeast for the present study. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design. Observations were recorded as average of five randomly sampled plants from each plot. The corms were sown during the month of April 2020. Quantitative characters such as plant height, leaf length, number of leaves, number of corms and corms yield per plant were recorded. Quantitative characters were subjected to statistical analysis. The analysis of variance showed significant difference among genotypes for the studied traits. High GCV (33.881) and PCV (52.349) were registered for corms yield per plant. High estimates of heritability and genetic advance were recorded for number of leaves and plant height. Thus, these traits may be used as selection criteria in breeding programme. Plant height and leaf length showed significant positive correlation with the yield per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic level. Path coefficient analysis revealed that plant height and leaf length exerted positive direct effect and also exhibited significant positive correlation with yield per plant at genotypic level indicating a true relationship among the traits. This suggested that the direct selection for plant height, leaf length and number of leaves would likely be effective in increasing yield per plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elephant foot yam and taro are the two important aroids of tropical tuber crops, considered as underutilized in the context of climate change and food security. The present study focused to quantify the future climate suitability of aroids for future climate scenarios 2030, 2050, and 2070 for the two representative concentration pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). The district-wise future climate suitability of elephant foot yam and taro using MaxEnt across India is quantified. The percentage increase in climatically suitable area for taro is 49% and the same for elephant foot yam is 46% which is higher compared to those of tropical root crops. A total of 218 districts are identified as highly suitable for the cultivation of elephant foot yam for different RCPs across India. A total of 209 districts are observed as highly suitable for taro cultivation across India for the two RCPs. The information about the districtlevel suitability can assist decision-makers to understand the possible shifts in the climate suitability of aroids in India in the context of food security as they have higher productivity compared to other major food grain crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment was conducted on taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) during 2017, 2018 and 2019 with three spells of irrigation (irrigation for 2 months and remaining period under stress, irrigation for 4 months and remaining period under stress, irrigation for 6 months) and four levels of drip irrigation, viz. 75%, 100%, 125% and 150% of water requirement of the crop (ETc) in factorial design. Pooled analysis of three years data revealed significant difference in growth and yield as well as water-use efficiency under stress and non-stress conditions. Moisture stress two and four months after planting resulted in reduction in leaf area index (-21 and -19%), number of tillers (-27 and -6%), root to shoot ratio (-60 and -43%), cormel to corm ratio (-69 and -53%), cormel yield (-58 and -28%), water-use efficiency (-32 and -36%) and increase in corm yield (+34 and +52%) respectively, compared to no stress. Drip irrigation for six months @ 100% ETc recorded optimum growth, cormel yield (21.08 tonnes/ha) with water-use efficiency (0.4 g/L) in upland condtion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott, Araceae), an ancient root and tuber crop, is highly polygenic, polyphyletic, and polygeographic in nature, which leads to its rapid genetic erosion. To prevent the perceived loss of taro diversity, species discrimination and genetic conservation of promising taro genotypes need special attention. Reports on genetic discrimination of taro at its center of origin are still untapped. We performed DNA barcoding of twenty promising genotypes of taro indigenous to the northeastern hill region of India, deploying two chloroplast-plastid genes, matK and rbcL, and the ribosomal nuclear gene ITS2. The secondary structure of ITS2 was determined and molecular phylogeny was performed to assess genetic discrimination among the taro genotypes. The matK and rbcL genes were highly efficient (>90%) in amplification and sequencing. However, the ITS2 barcode region achieved significant discrimination among the tested taro genotypes. All the taro genotypes displayed most similar sequences at the conserved matK and rbcL loci. However, distinct sequence lengths were observed in the ITS2 barcode region, revealing accurate discriminations among the genotypes. Multiple barcode markers are unrelated to one another and change independently, providing different estimations of heritable traits and genetic lineages; thus, they are advantageous over a single locus in genetic discrimination studies. A dynamic programming algorithm that used base-pairing interactions within a single nucleic acid polymer or between two polymers transformed the secondary structures into the symbol code data to predict seven different minimum free energy secondary structures. Our analysis strengthens the potential of the ITS2 gene as a potent DNA barcode candidate in the prediction of a valuable secondary structure that would help in genetic discrimination between the genotypes while augmenting future breeding strategies in taro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted for two kharif seasons during 2018–2020 to study the effect of inorganic fertilizers and organic manure on soil quality, yield, and proximate composition of colocasia (Colocasia esculenta L) in an Alfisol. Significantly highest mean cormel yield of colocasia (24.27 t ha−1) was recorded due to integrated application of 10.0 t ha−1 farmyard manure (FYM) combined with ½ NPK fertilizers. Application of 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1 of potash (K2O) registered a mean yield response of 41, 56, and 63% over control, respectively. The biochemical constituents (starch, total sugars, and dry matter) in the cormels of colocasia were found to be higher (12.92, 1.26 and 24.67%, respectively) due to balanced application of 80–30-80 kg ha−1 of N, P2O5, and K2O at par with FYM+½NPK. Integrated application of FYM+½NPK has recorded higher total counts of fungi (57x104 cells g−1) and actinomycetes (53x105 cells g−1) and showed a significant relationship with yield (r = 0.90** and 0.87**, respectively). Higher soil enzyme activities with respect to dehydrogenase (DHA) (1.582 µg TPF hr−1 g−1), fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis assay (FDA) (2.356 µg g−1 hr−1), urease (303.2 µg NH4-N g−1 hr−1), acid phosphatase (69.36 µg PNP g−1 h−1), and alkaline phosphatase (49.76 µg PNP g−1 h−1) were observed due to conjoint application of FYM+½NPK. Fungi had a highly significant relationship with DHA, FDA, and urease activities (r = 0.87**, 0.85**, and 0.84**, respectively), whereas actinomycetes showed a significant relationship with acid and alkaline phosphatase activities (r = 0.88** and 0.93**, respectively). Applications of organic manure combined with ½NPK not only sustained the soil quality but also enhanced the productivity of colocasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphophallus oncophyllus Prain ex Hook. f. synonym A. muelleri Blume is the main source of glucomannan that is used as a food additive and dietary supplement. The crop has become a favorite in several parts of Indonesia. The plant has been known to have several pests and diseases that can cause significant losses. This review aims to highlight the importance of pests and diseases of konjac and its control strategy. Several pests and diseases attacking the konjac plant have been identified, such as mealybug, scale insect, dry and soft root, collar rot, bacterial blight, leaf spot, and mosaic. The majority of them are seeds or soil born and could be carried from the field to storage. Understanding the causal agents and their ecology is critical in formulating integrated pest management (IPM). Cultivating healthy seeds and mixed cropping with nonhost food crops (maize and rice), or as a second crop under estates' and industrial forests' conditions, as well as biological control, are the most applicable IPM. No specific regulation has been formulated for minimizing pests and diseases of konjac; however, it could adopt general protocol from other crops, such as taro (Colocasia esculenta) in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to study granular and molecular structures, physicochemical, and functional properties of the starch extracted from a novel, dasheen type of taro conserved, and cultivated by several generations of Kunabi tribes of Joida, Karnataka, India. Further, an enzymatic (oxalate oxidase) and chemical (phosphoric acid) treatment processes are evaluated for reducing total oxalate content in the starch extracted from the taro flour. The total oxalate content of the taro flour is found to be 2344 mg 100 g−1, and the starch yield is about 45% in all the methods. The oxalate oxidase (OxO) and phosphoric acid treatment reduced the total oxalate content by 98.37% and 98.03%, respectively. The residual oxalate content in the resultant starch is within the threshold limit (71 mg 100 g−1). The study of characteristic properties of enzyme‐treated (ET), phosphoric acid‐treated (PT), and native starch (NT) revealed minor changes in ET and PT compared to NT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports the potential of carbon (C) storage in traditional agroforestry systems (i.e., a set of age-old agroforestry systems) under waterlogged environmental conditions from north-eastern India. An experiment was conducted in a farmer's field and further used CO2FIX model, allometric equations, and destructive sampling methods to know the potential of C sequestration. In this study area, agroforestry system is dominated by woody perennials like Areca catechu, Cocos nucifera, Mangifera indica, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Melocanna baccifera, and Colocasia esculenta as annual crop component. Need-based management of the drainage system has been built-up by making broad/narrow bunds for maintaining water levels at different stages of plant growth. The total annual carbon storage potential of this traditional agroforestry system was estimated as 103.760±8.630 t ha−1year−1. The highest annual carbon storage potential (97.900±8.090 t ha−1year−1) was recorded in annual crop components (i.e., Colocasia) followed by trees and its underlaid soil (4.250±0.340 t ha−1year−1) and lowest for bamboos (1.610± 0. 200 t ha−1 year−1). However, the estimated carbon stored, annually, was 24.992±1.502 t ha−1 year−1 in which Colocasia share maximum contribution (19.600±1.080 t ha−1 year−1) followed by trees + soil (3.798±0.229 t ha−1 year−1) and the minimum contribution from bamboos (1.594±0.193 t ha−1 year−1). Moreover, total carbon loss from harvesting of this system was 78.768±7.128 t ha−1 year−1. The study, therefore, recommends this agroforestry system for other waterlogged ecosystems at regional and/or global scale under a warm per-humid climate for both livelihood opportunities and environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is a mixture of noxious stimuli with sensation. It is commonly observed to be associated with toothache, migraine, inflammation, infection, increased ocular pressure, burn, wound, reduced blood supply to heart, intestinal colic, renal colic, parturition, and various diseases like renal calculi, cancer etc. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid analgesic are normally used in the treatment of pain but can cause a lot of adverse effect. Therefore herbal drugs can be potential source to replace them. Every year a lot of plants form traditional medicinal system has been screened for their potential analgesic activity but only few of them only included in health care system after clinical research. Colocasia esculenta is important medicinal plant in India and it is used in various treatment of disease. In this paper, The analgesic activity of Hydroalcoholic extract of Colocasia esculenta was evaluated through hot plate and tail flick models. In this studythe animals were treated with Colocasia esculenta (200mg/kg & 400mg/kg), and standard Diclofenac sodium (5mg/kg). The Hydroalcoholic extract of Colocasia esculenta of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg exhibited significant analgesic activity in the hot plate method (p<0.01) by increasing the pain reaction time (PAT) of the rats to sec 34.24±3.015**and 37.28±3.006** respectively at 90 min after treatment in comparison to control (40.26±5.055). In tail Flick Method Hydroalcoholic extract of Colocasia esculenta of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg exhibited significant analgesic activity (p<0.001) by increasing the pain reaction time (PAT) of the rats to sec 4.30±0.025*and 6.13±0.031** respectively at 90 min after treatment in comparison to control (4.26±0.055) The results of the study concluded the Colocasia esculenta plant exhibits analgesic activity and further studies of Colocasia esculenta plant were suggested to isolate the active principles responsible for the analgesic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro {Colocasia esculenta) is a major tropical tuber crop widely cultivated in India. Post-harvest loss of C. esculenta root and tubers had emerged as one of the major constraints in the production of taro and might have detrimental effects on food security. Our study on storage rot of C. esculenta tubers revealed that Fusarium oxysporum was mostly responsible for the post-harvest loss of the crop. Pathogenicity test confirmed its role as the causal agent of storage rot in taro. The pathogen was further confirmed based on molecular identification by amplifying ITS region of the rDNA using ITS1 and ITS4. Based on BLST analysis it showed maximum homology (95-99%) with F. oxysporum. Efficacy of a few microbial antagonists were tested against the pathogen in vitro which revealed that the treatment with combination of Trichoderma viride + Pseudomonas fluorescens + Bacillus thuringiensis showed highest inhibition of F oxysporum (94.05%) followed by treatment of T. viride alone (65.17%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigations were carried out at the Main Experimental Station, Vegetable Science, NDUAT, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India during Kharif 2006 and 2007 cropping season. Six taro genotypes were selected for studying leaf blight disease progress under field (epiphytotic) conditions. Disease showed a progressive increase and maximum terminal disease incidence in the 35th (03-09th September, 2006) standard meteorological week. The maximum disease incidence (100%) was recorded on the genotypes NDC-6 and NDC-50 while minimum on NDC-1 (42.50%) and PKS-1 (50.00%). The disease infection rate ('r') remained high at the initial stage but declined progressively due to adverse weather conditions and lack of availability of healthy tissues. All the genotypes showed more or less similar behavior in disease infection rate. The area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) pointed that disease pressure was more in year 2006 as compared to 2007. Multiple regression equation was drawn for the disease prediction based on data collected during the year 2006 and 2007 for all the six genotypes by taking the overall average of the disease incidence. In the year 2006, two weather parameters i.e. average relative humidity and cumulative rainfall explained maximum variability, whereas, in 2007, maximum temperature, average relative humidity and cumulative rainfall contributed in disease prediction with 100% precession. In all the genotypes, the predicted values lied in close proximity to the observed disease incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, 10 preferred traditional vegetables from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, were analysed for nutritional profiles. Moisture content in their edible parts ranged from 83.43 to 94.78%. Maximum ash content was recorded in Portulaca oleracea, crude protein in Colocasia esculenta, crude fibre in Eryngium foetidum and fat in E. foetidum. Phosphorus was maximum in Ipomea aquatica, potassium in C. esculenta, zinc, calcium and manganese in Centella asiatica, copper in Sauropus androgynous, sodium and iron in P. oleracea, magnesium in Amaranthus viridi and cobalt in C. esculenta. Maximum polyphenol was recorded in Hibiscus sabdariffa, carotenoids in A. viridi, ascorbic acid in Saursops androgynus, anthocyanin in C. esculenta and chlorophyll in S. androgynus. Antioxidant activity was maximum in P. oleracea. Positive correlation was observed between polyphenol and tannin content and also between antioxidant activity and photochemicals. The developed nutritional profiles is being used in health and nutrition related schemes in Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf blight and corm rot caused by Phytophthora colocasiae are the most devastating diseases of taro. Fourteen P. colocasiae isolates collected from different states of India were characterised for mating type, metalaxyl fungicide sensitivity and aggressiveness on taro. These organisms were identified as P. colocasiae based on morphological characteristics, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence homology and pathogenicity to taro plants. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) ITS regions of P. colocasiae isolates were examined, and compared with additional Phytophthora species. All isolates of P. colocasiae fell within a single cluster in phylogenetic trees, regardless of their geographic origins. These isolates were more closely related to Phytophthora capsici. All isolates except the isolate collected from Sikkim state of India (98-111) were sensitive to metalaxyl at 100 ppm and it was also scored for causing higher average foliar disease and tuber rot ratings. Isolates tested exhibited four growth patterns in cultures: cottony, rosaceous, petaloid and stellate. P.colocasiae isolates, including an IISR isolate (PC-73), with cottony growth pattern did not grow at 36°C. The mean oospore diameter of A1 mating type isolates was greater than that of A2 mating type isolates. Six of 14 isolates tested produced chlamydospores in V8-CaCO3 liquid medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the need for the conservation of the genetic diversity of Colocasia esculenta L. or taro, a tropical plant, in Mon in Nagaland, India. It says that taro ranka as a staple vegetable and is important to the Konyak tribe next to rice. It mentions that all the parts of the plant are used for making ethnic foods including anishi, tungrhak, and phaloou.