Conservation, diversity, and evaluation of Cassava landraces for northern Mato Grosso.

Agronomic Performance and Quality of SM2828-28, the First Industrial Cassava Variety Suitable for Extended Harvest in the Humid and Dry Caribbean of Colombia

Cassava is a crop of major socioeconomic and cultural importance in Colombia. One of the main challenges is production seasonality, driven by climatic conditions that constrain planting and harvesting periods. Currently, cultivated varieties exhibit a substantial reduction in root dry matter content (DMC) following the onset of the rains. This study evaluated the agronomic performance of genotype SM2828-28 under semi-commercial field conditions in the departments of Cesar, Bolívar, and Magdalena in the Colombian Caribbean region. This genotype exhibited greater stability and productivity, outperforming commercial checks. The genotype also showed high and stable DMC. Root quality and starch functional properties were also assessed. Starch from SM2828-28 exhibited numerically lower setback values and a relatively consistent rheological profile across harvest ages, indicating greater gel stability during cooling—an attribute desirable for industrial applications requiring consistent textural properties. The genetic progress achieved for key industrial traits highlights the potential of SM2828-28 for extended-harvest systems aimed at reducing seasonality in raw material supply for the cassava starch industry. These results suggest that genetic factors contribute to the stability of DMC under extended-harvest conditions and support the inclusion of this trait as a target in cassava breeding programs.

Rootstock influence on the characteriscs of Persian lime fruits

Agronomic evaluation of potential rootstocks for peach trees

Comparison of the Yield of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Varieties under the Climatic Conditions of Kabul

Buckwheat is gaining attention as a promising crop because of its nutritional value and ability to grow under diverse environmental conditions. This study investigated the performance of three buckwheat varieties Common Buckwheat, Devyadka, and Zyloni under the agro-climatic conditions of Kabul during the 2025 growing season. The field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kabul University, using a randomized complete block design with four replications across two contrasting field environments. Several growth characteristics, including plant height, leaf number, leaf width, and number of branches per plant, together with total biomass and 100-seed weight, were evaluated. The results revealed that plant height, leaf number, leaf width, and total biomass varied significantly among the varieties and between environments, with a clear interaction between genotype and environmental conditions. These findings indicate that the growth and productivity of buckwheat are strongly influenced by the environment in which each variety is cultivated. In contrast, the number of branches per plant and 100-seed weight remained relatively stable across environments, suggesting that these traits are less affected by environmental variation. Among the tested varieties, Devyadka produced the greatest vegetative growth and biomass under favourable conditions but showed greater sensitivity to environmental changes. Common Buckwheat maintained consistent performance across both environments, demonstrating strong adaptability and stable productivity, while Zyloni displayed moderate performance with reasonable stability. The study concludes that environmental conditions play an important role in determining buckwheat performance in Kabul. Considering both yield potential and stability, Common Buckwheat is the most suitable variety for cultivation under the variable agro-climatic conditions of the region.

Comparative Evaluation of Sugarbeet Varieties under Krishna Zone of Andhra Pradesh, India

Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) is being explored as an alternative sugar crop because of its relatively short duration, lower water requirement and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions. A field evaluation was conducted during the rabi season of 2024–25 at VIAT Lara Green Farm, Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research, Vadlamudi, Andhra Pradesh, to assess the performance of two sugarbeet varieties, Gustea KWS and Fadela KWS, under the conditions of the Krishna Zone. The varieties were evaluated for germination, plant establishment, biomass production, root yield, root quality, juice recovery, total soluble solids, pH, fibre content and the suitability of juice for jaggery preparation. Fadela KWS recorded a higher germination percentage (62.26%) than Gustea KWS (46.63%), indicating better field establishment under the study conditions. Fadela KWS also produced higher leaf biomass, root weight and total biomass during both harvest observations. The fresh root yield of Fadela KWS was 20.63 t ha⁻¹, whereas Gustea KWS recorded 6.48 t ha⁻¹. Dry root yield was also higher in Fadela KWS (3.00 t ha⁻¹) than in Gustea KWS (0.94 t ha⁻¹). Quality grading showed that Fadela KWS had a higher quantity of excellent-grade roots and a lower quantity of poor-grade roots. Gustea KWS recorded slightly higher juice recovery (50.90%), whereas Fadela KWS recorded higher fibre content (35.10%) and total soluble solids (13.10°Brix). The pH values were comparable between the two varieties. The jaggery preparation trial indicated that concentrated sugarbeet juice failed to solidify and developed a bitter taste and undesirable flavour. Overall, Fadela KWS showed better agronomic performance; however, further studies are required to improve processing methods and validate varietal performance across locations and seasons.

Responses of cassava varieties to harvest timing under rainfed conditions in the Agreste region of Alagoas, Brazil

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the growth, ecophysiological performance, and yield of cassava varieties as affected by harvest timing under rainfed conditions in the Agreste region of Alagoas, Brazil. The experiment was conducted from April 2023 to December 2024, using a 2 × 5 factorial scheme in a randomized block design with four replicates. Two cassava varieties (Caravela and Pretinha) were assessed at five harvest times (12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 months after planting), with agrometeorological, growth, physiological, and yield variables monitored throughout the cycle. Although the regional climate, characterized by adequate annual rainfall and mean air temperature, was generally favorable for cassava cultivation, summer droughts limited vegetative growth. The Pretinha variety showed greater shoot dry biomass accumulation, reaching 51.4 t ha-1 at 20 months after planting (MAP). By contrast, Caravela exhibited superior root performance, achieving higher fresh root yield (61.5 t ha-1), dry root yield (34.6 t ha-1), starch yield (18.7 t ha-1), and harvest index (0.7). Physiological evaluations revealed significant cassava plasticity in response to seasonal water deficit, with coordinated adjustments in photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration across harvest times. Overall, Caravela is more suitable for industrial purposes, whereas Pretinha is better adapted to production systems that require high shoot biomass.