Editor’s Exordium
Research diversity in horticulture

“Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use
the editorial ‘we’” (Mark Twain, 1835-1910)

‘WE’, in the Editorial Board of this JOURNAL, are continuously striving hard to
raise the standards bar, by putting ‘YOU’, the readers, as our cynosure. To achieve this, we
are constantly upbringing in measures and means; as somebody says ”one step forward at a
time”. Content and quality remain the prime moving force. Considering this, THIS ISSUE
indeed addresses a wide and diverse of subjects in the field of horticultural sciences. Articles
on vegetable crops (5), fruits (4), flower crops (1), medicinal and aromatic crops (1), economic
analysis (1) and techno-engineering (1), appear IN THIS ISSUE. These articles discuss topics
in breeding and crop improvement (2), agronomy (or can we coin ’hortonomy’?) (3),
engineering (3), nutrient management (2), post-harvest technology (1), economics (1) and
biochemistry (1). THIS ISSUE, therefore, truly imbues a sense of gratification in its wider
coverage and diversity.

Tomato is an important vegetable crop of the world. However, biotic and abiotic
stresses create havoc and severely reduce the crop yields globally, including in India.
Sadashiva  et al. review the progress towards identification and gene pyramiding-based
tomato improvement through domestication of wild and feral resistance genes from tomato’s
ancestral alley, Solanum habrochaites LA-1777 ecotype. In the process, the researchers have
also improved various quality parameters too. This research group successfully symbolizes
a ‘mission mode’ approach to crop improvement.

Dhatt et al. discuss plastic tunnel and mulch on various parameters in brinjal, another
important solanaceous vegetable crop, for enhancing production and profitability. Mounika
et al. study the effects of Azospirillum, phosphate solubilizing bacteria and micronutrients on
coriander, a green leafy vegetable. Continuing in vegetable crops, while Sudha et al. assess
the importance of storage behaviour of five Kufri potato varieties under Nilgiris conditions,
Jat et al. analyze the inheritance of the much desired parthenocarpy in a gynoecious cucumber
line to be under the regulation of an incompletely dominant gene.

In fruit crops, Singh  et al. carry out investigations on the impact of pruning on
growth, yield and quality parameters of  Dashehari mango (now, its that delicious season of
enjoying the “King of the fruits” labor!). Shivashankara  et  al., speaking of the season, use

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the biochemical approach to identify the best times for maximum volatile accumulation and
corresponding harvest of banana cultivars, albeit under Kerala conditions. Manjunath
et  al. report the standardization of the partial root zone drying technique of irrigation in
papaya for enhanced water productivity and water use efficiency. In grapes, Sharma et al.
evaluate commercial dipping oil and other potassium salts for the production of good quality
raisins.

While Bhuvaneswari and Sangama reveal that arecanut sheath cup is a better
ecofriendly package in tuberose, Baraa AL-mansour et al. recommend better integrated
nutrient management techniques in French Basil for increased profitability.

Taking the ICAR-IIHR campus as a paradigm, Bhanu and Ramaswwamyreddy
exhaustively analyze extant landscape data points and offer technological solutions and
interventions of rainwater harvesting, while finally Indhushree  et  al. identify key constraints
in exporting of horticultural products and subsequent measures to be taken in sustaining
growth of exports internationally.

The Editorial Board of  JHS heartily acknowledges the erudite assistance received
from various referees nationally, who selflessly and meticulously perused the manuscripts,
offered their valuable comments and helped building the two issues in this year.

ICAR-IIHR celebrated its year-long Golden Jubilee commemorations, ending with
an International Symposium on Horticulture, on its 50th Foundation Day. A glimpse of the
various scholarly events is presented in the closing pages  IN THIS ISSUE, along with
salient varieties and technologies of this Institute. The  JOURNAL offers best wishes to the
quinquagenarian IIHR. Readers, may please suggest other horticultural institutions for similar
recognition in this  JOURNAL  and “WE” will duly consider it.

Vageeshbabu S. Hanur
Associate Editor

Journal of Horticultural Sciences

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