Identification of vegetable varieties for hot arid climate

Abstract

The scanty and un-certain rains during monsoon, extremes of high temperature from March to October and low temperature from November to February, and all these factors together create an environment where very few vegetable crops and their genotype produce marketable yield. Varieties developed in favourable agro-climate did not perform well under abiotic stressed conditions of hot arid region, and therefore ICAR–CIAH, Bikaner has identified three varieties during 2018 for commercial cultivation under resource poor environment. Palak – Thar Hariparna Palak (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis Roxb) variety TharHariparna is developed through selection and is an improvement over the native population. It is trait specific and produc excellent quality leaves and 7-9 pickings from October to March. It exhibited very good initial plant growth and first tender leaves harvesting start at 35–40 days with October sowing. Tender leaves at marketable stages are 9.81–12.54 cm length, 5.72–8.11 cm width, 1.748– 1.838 g weight and 100 leaves are 174.8–183.8 g in weight. Light-green to dark-green colour and bigger sized leaves are glossy, smooth, thick, soft and juicy. Marketable fresh leaf yield potential is 128.48–235.84 q/ha. Ivy gourd – Thar Sundari Ivy gourd or kundru variety Thar Sundari has been developed through clonal selection from regional diversity. The gynoecious plants are moderate in growth habit, prolific in bearing of female flowers and parthinocarpic fruit development. Short-perennial plants respond to pruning and re-sprouted with on-set of spring and monsoon season, and after re-sprouting it took 50- 55 days for first harvesting. For vegetable culinary, fruits are ready in 6.28–8.42 days from opening of femaleflowers. Tender fruits of the highest marketable quality (A grade) are 5.83–6.48 cm length, 1.54–1.89 cm diameter and 11.76–13.54 g weight. The elongated-long shape tender fruits are light green-green-dark green in colour with non-clear white stripe and soft. The genotype recorded tender fruit yield of 2.85–3.48 kg/plant/season and yield potential is 248.2–351.7 q/ha with varying production situations. Sponge gourd – Thar Tapish Sponge gourd variety Thar Tapish is developed through hybridization (parentage AHSG-4 x AHSG-16). It is trait specific and first time bred through use of nativemultigermplasm for better marketable fruit yield and moderate plants 2.43–2.62 m under abiotic stressed conditions. It exhibited superiority for days to first harvesting of tender fruits (49.2–52.4 DAS), number of fruits/plant (9.74–12.47) and marketable fruit yield/plant (1.18–1.42 kg). Green–dark green colour tender fruits (A-grade) at marketable stages are 110–115 g weight, 20–22 cm length and 3.2–3.4 cm diameter. Fruit yield potential is 142.2– 155.8q/ha with varying production situations.