Establishment of Crop Cafeteria and Assessment of Phenotypic Traits

Abstract

Agricultural students explore crop production within a cafeteria setting, focusing on fertilizer application and yield prediction. By analyzing phenotypic traits and applying Pearson correlation analysis, they identify key growth factors. The objective of this study was to assess the phenotypic characteristics of crops cultivated in the KARE crop cafeteria, with particular emphasis on plant height, number of harvests, and yield, and to examine the relationships among these variables using correlation heat maps and alluvial diagrams. Alluvial diagrams illustrate the relationships among traits, fertilizer types, and yield outcomes, providing insights that may enhance sustainable agricultural education in institutions. Kalasalingam School of Agriculture and Horticulture (KSAH), KARE, Krishnankoil, has established a 5-acre crop cafeteria comprising 50 horticultural crops categorized as leafy greens, climbers, pulses, millets, oilseeds, flowering plants, tubers, fruits, and fodder crops. Crops are grown seasonally (Kharif and Rabi), and characteristics such as height, habit, family, pollination nature, and yield are recorded. This study focuses on helping horticulture graduates learn crop cultivation by identifying key parameters, including plant height, number of harvests, and yield, and by statistically analyzing these parameters using correlation heat maps and alluvial diagrams. Correlation analysis revealed that plant height was positively correlated with yield (0.40) and harvest frequency (0.35), indicating its association with productivity. Yield was also positively correlated with the number of harvests (0.40) but showed weak associations with price. Visualization of plant height, harvest frequency, and yield patterns enables efficient analysis of crop data and supports a better understanding of cropping systems and resource optimization.