<div style="text-align: justify;">Vegetables are nutritionally rich, high-valued crops and remunerative enough to replace subsistence farming. However, vegetables are highly sensitive to climatic vagaries and sudden irregularities in weather factors at any phase of crop growth can affect the normal growth, flowering, fruit development and subsequently the yield. Grafting in vegetable has emerged as a promising surgical alternative over relatively slow conventional breeding methods aimed at increasing tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. It provides an opportunity to transfer some genetic variations of specific traits of rootstocks to influence the phenotype of scion. Thus, genetic potential of various rootstocks in vegetable crops has proven to be a better alternative to chemical sterilants against many soil-borne diseases. The higher physiological activities like antioxidant content, lipoxygenase activity, osmotic adjustment, membrane selectivity, development of adventitious root and aerenchymatous tissue in plants grafted onto potential rootstocks provide broad insight into stress response mechanisms and thus, grafting is proposed to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change on productivity and quality of vegetables crops.</div>

Vegetable Grafting: A Surgical Approach to combat biotic and abiotic stresses- A review

<div>Grafted vegetable seedlings have been used from the early 20<sup>th</sup> century. This technique has been utilized extensively in East Asia and the European countries where it has developed as a multimillion-dollar industry. The increase in land area under protected cultivation, intensive use of land, scarcity of production resources and changing climate leading to unpredictable weather has caused a rapid increase in the use of grafted vegetables. However, in Nepal, where the productivity of vegetable crops is quite low and the breeding activities are inadequate, use of grafted vegetables is still unexploited. Therefore, this technique can be an important intervention to improve the overall production system of Solanaceous and Cucurbitaceous vegetables. Methods of vegetable grafting, their current uses, research carried out in Nepal and the possible opportunities are discussed in this review paper. Cleft, splice, tongue approach, hole- insertion and pin grafting are the methods currently in use. Grafting can be used to overcome the problems caused by various soil borne disease and nematodes and abiotic stresses like, low and high temperature stress, water stress, salinity, metal and organic pollutants while increasing the yield and extending crop duration in vegetable production. In Nepal, few research have been carried out on vegetable grafting with majority of them on assessment of tolerance to soil borne diseases. Utilization of this technique in Nepalese conditions provide ample opportunities for researchers and academicians to conduct researches and for breeding companies to develop resistant rootstocks. By implementing this method, vegetable industry can improve the overall yield, its quality and reduce hindrances in production.</div>


<p>Vegetable Grafting: Methods, Uses and Opportunities for Nepal: A Review</p>


<div><strong>Background:</strong> Organic farming are degradation of organic materials and less use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Vermicomposting is the process of introducing earthworm species into the compost. It behaves as eco-friendly manure and gives good health to soil.<br />
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<strong>Methods:</strong> The present study was conducted at Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore over a period of 3 months from March to May 2019. There are 8 treatments namely T<sub>1</sub>-T<sub>8</sub> and control. The effect of incorporation of vegetable and fruit wastes biocompost on the vegetative parameters such as shoot length, root length, number of leaves, fresh weight and dry weight on 15, 35, 55 DAS and yield characters <em>i.e</em>. number of pods/plants, number of seeds/pods, pod length, weight of the seed, pod fresh weight and dry weight on 75 DAS in Lablab [<em>Lablab purpureus</em> (L.) Sweet] were analysed.<br />
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<strong>Result:</strong> The results from study revealed that T<sub>8</sub> treatment showed significant increase in shoot length (113.7, 124.5 and 135 cm), root length (13.2, 18.5 and 27 cm), number of leaves (22, 39 and 48), fresh weight (4.911, 15.693 and 21.244 g) and dry weight (0.652, 2.156 and 3.234 g) on 15, 35, 55 DAS and yield parameters such as number of pods/plants (40), number of seeds/pods (6), pod length (13 cm), weight of the seed (4.060 g), pod fresh weight (7.425 g) and dry weight (1.382 g) on 75 DAS in Lablab over control. The study concluded that T8 treatment is an effective manure which can be used to enhance plant growth, provide better yield which will be beneficial for farmers.</div>


<p>Effect of Vermicomposted Vegetable and Fruit Wastes on the Vegetative and Yield Parameters of Lablab [<em>Lablab Purpureus</em> (L.) Sweet]</p>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>Continuous rice cultivation has a negative effect on sustainable rice production. Crop rotation can increase the yield and soil quality. This study aimed to provide information on the morpho-physiological fingerprints of rice cultivars in different crop rotation systems.<br />
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<strong>Methods:</strong> Twelve rice cultivars were evaluated in terms of their morpho-physiological in three crop rotation systems, <em>i.e</em>., rice-rice-rice, maize-maize-rice (M-M-R) and vegetable-vegetable-rice, at the Agrotechnology Innovation Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada at Berbah District, Sleman Regency, Special Province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from December 2020 to June 2021.<br />
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<strong>Result: </strong>The results revealed an interaction between rice cultivars and the crop rotation system, with the effects observed on the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in the leaf tissue (NC, PC and KC, respectively), crop growth rate, total dry weight per clump, empty grain per clump (EG) and grain weight per clump (GWC). The increase in NC, PC and KC positively affected the increase in GWC. The GM 8 cultivar in the M-M-R crop rotation system showed lowest EG of 3% and highest GWC of 133.90 g clump<sup>-1</sup>.</div>


<p>Studies on Morpho-physiological Fingerprints of Rice Cultivars in Rice Crop in Rice-Rice-Rice, Maize-Maize-Rice and Vegetable-Vegetable-Rice Cropping Systems</p>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>Commercial cultivation of bitter gourd is affected by biotic stresses like mosaic disease, fusarium wilt and root-knot nematode as well as abiotic stress like drought. Grafting with resistant rootstocks can be a tool to control these problems. In vegetable production, grafting is exploited commercially in many parts of the world. The cultivated area of grafted solanaceae and cucubitaceae plants has increased tremendously in recent years because of the advantages of grafted plants. Commercial use of vegetable grafting is a relatively recent innovation in India and scientific information on grafting in bittergourd is meager. In this context, identification of suitable rootstocks and standardization of grafting techniques that do not have adverse effect on yield and fruit quality not only lay foundation for further evaluation on tolerance to different biotic and abiotic stresses but also enhance the area and production of bitter gourd especially in sustainable production systems.<br />
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<strong>Methods:</strong> Grafting in bitter gourd was carried out with three grafting methods such as hole insertion grafting, one cotyledon grafting and cleft grafting using growth regulators <em>viz</em>., alar and CCC to control height of rootstocks in order to identify suitable method, growth regulator and its concentration. The grafting experiment was done independently to four cucurbitaceous rootstocks<em> viz.</em>, sponge gourd, pumpkin, bottle gourd and bitter gourd using bittergourd var. Preethi as scion. Height and diameter of the rootstocks before grafting were recorded and then the growth regulators alar and CCC each at 10 mgL<sup>-1</sup> and 50 mgL<sup>-1</sup> along with distilled water as control were sprayed on rootstocks in order to prevent the lodging of the root stocks and then grafted using different methods. Days taken for graft union and percentage success were also evaluated after grafting.<br />
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<strong>Result: </strong>Our study of grafting bitter gourd scion into four cucurbitaceous rootstocks utilizing three methods and two growth regulators at two different concentration along with control exhibited significant difference in graft success among the methods as well as concentration of growth regulator in all four experiments. This work can be further utilized for imparting resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses in bitter gourd by selecting suitable rootstocks.</div>


<p>​Standardization of Grafting in Bittergourd (<em>Momordica charantia </em>L.)</p>


<div>Cucurbit grafting has grown in favour among vegetable gardeners all over the world. The approach was originally developed to prevent soil-borne diseases, which remain still very important in today&rsquo;s intensive agriculture. Important diseases that can be controlled by utilizing cucurbit rootstocks include fusarium and verticillium wilt, bacterial wilt, phytophthora and root-knot nematode. Demand for vegetables has been tremendously increasing around the world and due to the scarcity of arable land, persistent cultivation of vegetables being done under unfavourable soil and environmental stress conditions, especially in protected cultivation. Hence to lessen the production losses brought on by such abiotic and biotic stresses in cucurbits be to graft them onto rootstocks. Cucurbit grafting has also resulted in the production of organic and environmentally safer produce by reducing the intake of unfavourable pesticide residues. However, due to recent developments, this strategy now multifarious and used for a multitude of things. Increased usage of grafted seedlings will surely be encouraged by the development of versatile rootstocks, effective grafting tools and methods in numerous nations. The current review work highlights numerous studies on cucurbitaceous crop grafting carried out globally on issues including abiotic and biotic stresses, growth, yield and quality of cucurbitaceous crops.Cucurbit grafting has grown in favour among vegetable gardeners all over the world. The approach was originally developed to prevent soil-borne diseases, which remain still very important in today&rsquo;s intensive agriculture. Important diseases that can be controlled by utilizing cucurbit rootstocks include fusarium and verticillium wilt, bacterial wilt, phytophthora and root-knot nematode. Demand for vegetables has been tremendously increasing around the world and due to the scarcity of arable land, persistent cultivation of vegetables being done under unfavourable soil and environmental stress conditions, especially in protected cultivation. Hence to lessen the production losses brought on by such abiotic and biotic stresses in cucurbits be to graft them onto rootstocks. Cucurbit grafting has also resulted in the production of organic and environmentally safer produce by reducing the intake of unfavourable pesticide residues. However, due to recent developments, this strategy now multifarious and used for a multitude of things. Increased usage of grafted seedlings will surely be encouraged by the development of versatile rootstocks, effective grafting tools and methods in numerous nations. The current review work highlights numerous studies on cucurbitaceous crop grafting carried out globally on issues including abiotic and biotic stresses, growth, yield and quality of cucurbitaceous crops.</div>


<p>Inevitable Role of Grafting in Improvement of Cucurbitaceous Crops: A Review</p>


<div>Nowadays, cacti and succulents are widely utilized in landscaping. These plants suit very effectively for both indoor and outdoor decorations. The family Cactaceae comprises of 130 genera with 2000 species and this is primarily divided into three tribes namely: Pereskieae, Opuntieae and Cereeae. Cactus flowers are very attractive and are diverse in size, number, form and color. The nocturnal flowers are always white, with light-yellow or red tones, whereas diurnal flowers are white, purple, yellow-orange, red or green. Basically, an areole is a transformed axillary bud situated over a tubercle with spines and often with hairs and trichomes. Due to their low maintenance requirements and their ability to withstand harsh environments, cacti are extremely popular as ornamental plants across the planet. Cacti can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, offsets and grafts. Grafted cacti are now regarded as one of the most admired ornamental indoor plants worldwide. In cacti, grafting has become a commercial method of propagation to accelerate and hasten the growth rate of slow growing species, to ensure the survival of the plants with poor root system, to ensure the survival of genetic aberration of variegated and bright coloured cacti (red and yellow caps) that lack chlorophyll, to accelerate the growth of plants for commercial use, in order to keep cristate and monstrose forms look attractive. Successful grafts have been obtained when the species like <em>Trichocereus spachianus, Trichocereus macrogonus, Trichocereus pachanoi, Hylocereus trigonus, Hylocereus undatus, Selenicereus grandiflorus, Opuntia bergeriana, Opuntia ficus-indica</em> are grafted onto <em>Nopalea spp</em>. The exogenous application of IBA has a positive effect on the vegetative growth of grafted plants using (<em>Gymnocalycium mihanovichii </em>scion grafted onto <em>Trichocereus spachianus</em> rootstock.</div>


<div>Taxonomy and Grafting of Ornamental Cacti: A Review</div>


<p>Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) is an important perennial spices of dioecious nature. Seed propagation leads to segregation into males and females in a ratio of 1:1. The unpredictability of nutmeg sex during the seedling stage drives vegetative propagation, which is the only viable method for commercial multiplication and conservation of elite genotypes. Many vegetative propagation methods like stem cuttings, approach grafting, epicotyl grafting, softwood grafting, patch budding, forket budding, in situ budding, air layering and top working, have been tried in nutmeg with varying degrees of success. Three species viz., M. fragrans, M. beddomei and M. malabarica are widely used as rootstocks for vegetative propagation. Research findings showed that the performance of nutmeg trees budded on self-rootstock (Myristica fragrans) is superior to that of plants budded on wild rootstocks in terms of growth and yield performance, irrespective of location and altitude. In this paper reviewed the nursery activities, propagation methods, establishment of budwood nursery and ideal rootstock for nutmeg. This reviews also guide researchers on the present condition in nutmeg propagation and scope for refinement in the techniques.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


<p>Vegetative Propagation and Rootstock for Nutmeg: A Review</p>


<div>India ranks second after China in vegetable production in the world. Vegetable transplantation is labor-intensive due to the requirement of transplanting practices. This makes it necessary to adapt the mechanization for vegetable transplantation to save money and time and increase the productivity to fulfill the food requirement of a huge population. In India, vegetables are grown in small plots. The research paper on the design development and performance evaluation of the various manual vegetable transplanters, semi-automatic vegetable transplanters, automatic vegetable transplanters are studied for the purpose to find out the most useful vegetable transplanter in Indian conditions. As per the land use pattern in India, the small and economical vegetable transplanters are beneficial. The articles in this section discuss vegetable transplanters and advances in vegetable transplanting technology used in India.</div>


<p>Vegetable Transplanters for India: A Review</p>


<p>Heavy metal (s) contamination of vegetables is an alarming and significant concern due to its potential health risks for consumers. Heavy metal contamination of vegetables has threatened both food security and human health. Contaminants like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and others can be added to vegetable tissues when present in the soil, water, or through other sources. Anthropogenic activities such as mining, industrialization&nbsp; and agricultural practices like pesticide, fungicide, as well as fertilizer use release heavy metals into the soil, water&nbsp; and atmosphere. Vegetables are essential to the human nutrition, which provide vitamins, minerals&nbsp; and fibres and also have beneficial anti-oxidative properties to maintain normal physiological functions. Vegetables absorb heavy metal(s) and store them in their bodies at levels that can lead to health issues. Even at low concentrations, heavy metals can be highly detrimental to the human body due to the lack of an efficient excretion mechanism. The research on review of heavy metal contamination of vegetable crops and their amelioration have been conducted from various secondary sources of published data. Heavy metal polluted soil leads to reduction in growth due to changes in physiological and biochemical activities which affect the growth and yield of vegetable crops. To mitigate heavy metal contamination, various strategies are soil testing, remediation of contaminated sites, improving agricultural practices&nbsp; and monitoring of water sources, etc. Remediation techniques for reducing heavy metal contamination in vegetables include immobilization using low-cost absorbents (soil amendments), physical and chemical approaches, phytoremediation/bioremediation, chelating agents, microorganisms, transgenic plants, nanotechnology&nbsp; and grafting, <em>etc</em>.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Vegetable Grafting: A Surgical Approach to combat biotic and abiotic stresses- A review

Vegetable Grafting: Methods, Uses and Opportunities for Nepal: A Review

Effect of Vermicomposted Vegetable and Fruit Wastes on the Vegetative and Yield Parameters of Lablab [Lablab Purpureus (L.) Sweet]

Studies on Morpho-physiological Fingerprints of Rice Cultivars in Rice Crop in Rice-Rice-Rice, Maize-Maize-Rice and Vegetable-Vegetable-Rice Cropping Systems

Standardization of Grafting in Bittergourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Inevitable Role of Grafting in Improvement of Cucurbitaceous Crops: A Review

Taxonomy and Grafting of Ornamental Cacti: A Review

Vegetative Propagation and Rootstock for Nutmeg: A Review

Vegetable Transplanters for India: A Review

Heavy Metal Contamination in Vegetables and Their Amelioration: A Review