To study the response of sweet corn to varied fertilizer doses and planting geometry, a field experiment was conducted at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during kharif 2018.Four planting geometries (60 × 25 cm, 60 × 30 cm, 75 × 25 cm and 75 × 30 cm) were assigned to main plots, while three doses of NPK (120+60+40, 150+75+50 and 180+90+60 kg N+P2O5 +K2O/ha) were allocated to sub plots with in a splitplot design. The results revealed that the narrowest planting geometry, i.e., 60 × 25 cm, exhibited significantly higher husked cob yield (13325 kg/ha) and dehusked cob yield (10327 kg/ha) compared to the widest geometry of 75 × 30 cm, although it remained comparable with the other geometries. Planting geometry did not significantly affect the uptake of N, P and K. Notably, the 60 × 25 cm geometry resulted in significantly higher gross returns (Rs. 199875/ha), which were on par with the 60 × 30 cm geometry. Similarly, the net returns (Rs. 150176/ha) and BC ratio (3.02) were maximum under the 60 × 25 cm geometry, although differences were not significant. Regarding nutrient levels, the application of 180+90+60 kg N+P2O5 +K2O/ha resulted increase in husked cob yield (12687 kg/ha) and dehusked cob yield (10351 kg/ha), but the differences were not significant. However, crops fertilized with 180+90+60 kg N+P2O5 +K2O/ha exhibited significantly higher nutrient uptake. Gross returns, net returns and BC ratio did not significantly differ among different nutrient levels
The field experiment was carried out during the Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 at experimental block, School of Agricultural Sciences, Shri Guru Ram Rai University (SAS-SGRRU), Pathribagh, Dehradun, Uttarakhand to study the effect of various nutrient management approaches on NPK content, NPK uptake and protein content in wheat. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three organic nutrient management treatments in main plots i.e., organic farming practices (vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + seed inoculation with Azotobacter and PSB + 2 sprays of vermiwash at 30 & 45 DAS); Natural farming practices (sieved cow dung @ 2.5 t ha-1 + seed treatment with Bijamrit + Jeevamrit @ 200 l ha-1); and absolute control. The sub-plots comprised 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), 75% RDF, 50% RDF and 25% RDF. The experiment had three replications. The results revealed that the integration of organic farming practices, natural farming practices and different doses of NPK fertilizers influenced all the quality parameters in wheat grain during both the years. Organic farming practices exhibited 15% and 12% increment in protein content during 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively, compared to the absolute control; and 12% and 8% increase over natural farming practices. However, 75% RDF secured 10% and 7% more protein over 100 % RDF, 13% and 11% over 50% RDF and 19% and 10% over 25% RDF during both the consecutive years, respectively. Furthermore, NPK content and uptake by grains and straw were found to be higher in organic farming practices and 75% RDF as compared to other treatments. Thus, adoption of organic farming practices coupled with application of 75% NPK is recommended for enhancing protein, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash content, thereby sustaining nutritional quality of wheat in the western Himalayan zones of Uttarakhand.
Characterization and Fertility capability classification was carried out on some soils in the rainforest zone of Edo state to assess the native fertility status of the soil. Different soil types were identified through rigid grid soil survey procedure that produced two mapping units in each of the site studied (Sites A and B). Each mapping unit was represented by a modal class profile, which was sunk, described, sampled and analyzed using standard laboratory methods. The results revealed that the entire study area had a sandy top soil (0 - 20cm) with sand fraction of particle size ranging from 660 to 960 gkg- ¹, silt ranged from 10 to 44 gkg- ¹ and clay had values ranging from 30 to 320 gkg- ¹. Soil pH ranged from very strongly acidic (4.86) to slightly acidic (6.38); nutrient reserve was equally low as expressed by the low potassium values (K <0.2 cmolkg-¹) which ranged from 0.01 to 0.29 cmolkg-¹; and low Organic Carbon values (1.30 to 23.13 gkg-¹). The mean values ranged from 787gkg-1- 886gkg-1 for sand, 15 gkg-1 - 26.8gkg-1for silt and 88gkg-1- 190gkg-1for clay. The result of Fertility capability classification (FCC) showed that mapping units 1A (site A) and 1B (site B) were classified as FCC unit SSa-n-Kem; mapping units 2A (site A) and 2B (site B) were classified as SLa-n-Kem. This indicates that the soils of the study area are quite fertile and application of soil amendments, such as Organic fertilizers would enhance cation exchange capacity; biochar application would help to prevent high leaching rate of nutrients prevalent in the area and improve the inherent soil fertility.
In the present study, undertaken in 2021-23 at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, fifteen guava orchards were selected based on variation in soils properties and guava crop dominance from five districts viz. Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukahetra, Karnal and Kaithal from North-East region of Haryana. Representative pedons were excavated and morphological features were examined systematically in situ in the field, and horizon wise samples were collected and analyzed in the laboratory for physico-chemical properties. Results indicated that soils of the study area were placed under three orders i.e., Inceptisols, Entisols, and Alfisols and taxonomically classified as coarse loamy, calcareous, Typic Ustorthents/Ustochrepts for recent alluvial plains, Typic Haplustepts, and Typic Natroustlf for old alluvial plains. Also, the results differentiated the soils into two land capability classes (II and III), three land suitability classes (S1, S2, and S3), and three land irrigability classes (S1, S2, and S3) due to soils, pedogenic processes, and topographic limitations. Thus, the results indicated that the variation in geomorphic units affects soil properties. The information generated in the study would be useful for effective management of the guava-growing soils in the study area, and further mapping of the suitable areas may pave the way for effective implementation of policy decisions for the development of a particular area for a specific purpose.
Capsicum annuum Linn. plants were raised in pots containing soil, treated with various concentrations of Cd and Pb for assessment of impact of heavy metals on growth, quality and yield parameters. In pot experiment, the graded doses of Cd and Pb exerted significant influence on the morphological characters like leaf area, number of branches and leaves, plant height, fruit yield, above ground biomass (AGB) and dry root weight. Highest dose combination of Cd40Pb200 exerted maximum adverse influences. The highest doses of Cd40 and Pb200 resulted in minimum leaf area (10.35cm2), number of branches (2.19), number of leaves (190.00), plant height (40.06cm), fruit yield/plant (343.2g/plant), AGB (16.39g) and dry root weight (1.39g/ plant). This high dose treatment combination also caused 49.15% reduction in fruit yield and 21.81% decrease in the above ground biomass. The lowest chlorophyll contents were found (1.706mg/g) in Cd40Pb200 combination as compared to 2.059mg/g in control. Ascorbic acid content in fruits was increased considerably with increase in levels of Cd and Pb which ranged between 113.19 to 120.31mg/100g. Mycorrhizal fungi inoculations for bio-remedified of toxic effect of Cd and Pb, resulted in lower build-up of these metals in soil and various plant parts of capsicum.
A field investigation was carried out at the experimental farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, CSKHPKV, Bajaura (Kullu), Himachal Pradesh during kharif, 2022. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications comprising 12 treatment combinations of NPK fertilizers, biofertilizers (Azotobacter and PSB), organic and natural farming on chilli variety ‘Him Palam Mirch-2’. Different nutrient management practices significantly influenced different horticultural traits. The results revealed that treatment combination of 100% NPK + 10 tonnes vermicompost + Azotobacter + PSB recorded maximum plant height (75.1 cm), number of primary branches per plant (4.90), number of secondary branches per plant (11.11), number of fruits per plant (173), fruit length (8.66 cm), fruit girth (3.60 cm), average green fruit weight (5.50 g), fruit yield (581.33 g), fruit yield plot-1 (9.30 kg), fruit yield ha-1 (258.37 q), number of seeds fruit-1 (64.03), dry stalk weight (36.57 q ha-1) and dry fruit yield (46.13 q ha-1). The maximum B:C ratio of 4.24 was recorded with the application of 100% NPK + 10 tonnes vermicompost + Azotobacter + PSB and it also gave significantly the highest gross (₹ 5,16,740) and net (₹ 4,18,168.69) returns. Natural farming practice showed least performance for all the traits while organic farming practice found better than natural farming. Therefore, can be concluded that the combined application of NPK fertilizers and organic inputs coupled with biofertilizers proved the best for increasing fruit yield, quality and best utilization of nutrients supplied
The trend analysis of the different weather parameters had been assessed for the Tarai region of Uttarakhand namely, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours and evaporation by using non-parametric test i.e., Mann-Kendall test together with Sen’s slope estimator for assessing actual change in the magnitude which has already occurred and this will further help in future predictions. The present study focuses on detecting the trend in different weather parameters from 1981-2021 on an annual and seasonal basis and comparison being made with the last 5 years trend i.e., from 2017-21.
Citrus peels contain high concentration of bioactive compounds, particularly phenols and flavonoids that have a positive impact on human health. In this study, phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant potency composite index (APC Index) of fresh citrus peels (kinnow, orange, mosambi, hill lemon, and malta) were assessed. DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays were done to determine the APC Index of the peels. The study findings showed that, among fresh citrus peels, orange flavedo was found to contain the highest total phenols (15.11 mg GAE/g dw) whereas, kinnow flavedo had highest flavonoid (5.86 mg QCE/g dw). Highest APC Index was found in kinnow followed by orange, malta, hill lemon and mosambi. Therefore, it can be concluded from the present study that kinnow fresh peel had highest antioxidant potential as compared to other citrus peels taken in this study. It was also noted that the fresh peels of various citrus species have enormous source of bioactive compounds and high antioxidant capacity which has tremendous potential to be utilized in functional foods and as nutraceuticals.
The super grain quinoa has high protein content with a balanced amino acid profile, as well as high fiber content, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Studies suggest that it can help diabetic people in managing their blood glucose levels and may prevent other diseases. The goal of the current study was to examine the physical, functional, and nutritional quality of quinoa and to elucidate how quinoa-incorporated biscuits affected blood sugar levels. The physical properties of quinoa grains showed that thousand kernel weight, thousand kernel volume and hydration capacity were 2.433g, 2.46 ml and 0.012 g, respectively. Pericarp color of quinoa grain was pale yellow and bulk density of quinoa grains was 0.750 g/cc. The functional properties of quinoa flour revealed that water absorption capacity, fat absorption capacity, emulsifying capacity and emulsion stability were 136 %, 43 %, 76 % and 40%, respectively. According to the proximate composition of quinoa flour, its moisture, total ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, carbohydrate and physiological energy values were 10.28%, 2.19%, 13.52%, 5.25%, 3.44%, and was 362 kcal/100g. Biscuits incorporating quinoa were found to contain 4.75% of moisture, 2.33% of total ash, 8.51% of crude protein, 3.12% of crude fat, and 21.3% of crude fiber, 59.9% of carbohydrate and 465 kcal/100g of physiological energy. The corresponding values for control biscuits made with refined wheat flour were 4.32%, 1.24%, 5.86%, 22.1%, 1.2%, 65.28%, and 482 kcal/100g respectively. Using refined wheat flour, the glycemic index of the biscuits was 61.7, whereas using quinoa, it was 46.1. Low glycemic index of formulated biscuits indicates its suitability in prevention and control of diabetes.
Adolescent girls deal with several major nutritional issues that impair their growth and development and their ability to support themselves as adults. The COVID-19 pandemic may have brought out changes in the lifestyle behaviour of adolescent girls, such as their food habits. Given this effect, a cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the dietary intake of adolescent girls aged 13 to 18 years in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Percent adequacy of dietary intake was assessed using the 24-hour dietary recall method and the average daily dietary intake was compared to the RDA (2020) and RDI (2010). The results of the study found that almost all the girls consumed very less amount of milk and its products, pulses, and GLV’s along with cereals. However, there was adequate consumption of fruits, other vegetables, sugar, fats, and oils among both age groups. Intake of roots and tubers was adequate for girls aged 13 to 18 years but not for 16 to 18 aged girls. The average per adequacy nutrient intake of age group 13-15 and 16-18 years for energy, iron, calcium, vitamin B1, B2 , B3 , and zinc was lower compared to RDA. Intake of CHO was found to be higher, whereas the intake of vitamin C, protein, fat, and folate was found to be adequate in the diet of both age groups. The findings of the study revealed that there was inadequate dietary intake among adolescent girls during the COVID19 period, therefore it is important to promote the proper type of nutrition, and health education to avoid the development of unhealthy eating habits and thereby prevent the subsequent risk of degenerative diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular pathologies, etc.
The present study aimed to develop nutritious gluten free chapatti and to improve its nutritional value using underutilized millet and legume like barnyard millet and horse gram along with the rice flour and sesame seeds. The developed gluten free chapatti was subjected to nutritional and sensory analysis and compared with the control wheat flour chapatti. Nutritional composition analysis consisted of proximate analysis and estimation of iron content. The results revealed that ash (2.60%), protein (15.29%), fibre (4.21%), fat (2.91%) and iron (9.83mg/100g) content of gluten free chapatti was significantly higher than that of ash (1.57%), protein (10.29%), fibre (3.05%), fat (1.87%) and iron (2.85mg/100g) content of control wheat flour chapatti whereas the carbohydrate content (79.17%) of gluten free chapatti was significantly lower than that of wheat flour chapatti (86.14%). Although the sensory score for gluten free chapatti were significantly lower in comparison to control wheat flour chapatti but the sensory scores for gluten free chapatti were as well acceptable. This showed that gluten free chapatti with good nutritional and acceptable sensory properties can be prepared and could be a good alternative for people suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac disease
This study examines the possibility of improving the nutritional profile of conventional wheat chapatti by adding fresh pea shell paste. By incorporating 50% fresh pea shells into chapatti preparation, the nutritional value is enhanced as well as waste is minimized, thereby fostering sustainability. The fibrous coat of pea pods was removed, and the digestive layer was incorporated into chapatti recipes at levels ranging from 10% to 50%. The study findings revealed that the sensory attributes of the value-added chapatti received significantly higher mean scores from panelists, indicating strong preference. The nutritional profile of chapatti was improved with the incorporation of fresh pea shell paste. Comparative analysis revealed notable increases in protein content (from 11.74 to 12.25 gm/100gm), crude fiber (from 1.91 to 2.43 gm/100gm), and dietary fiber (from 4.76 to 6.22 gm/100gm) compared to control wheat chapatti. Moreover, significant enhancements were observed in magnesium and calcium levels, rising from 137.81 to 218.11 milligrams and 58.00 to 125.10 milligrams, respectively per 100gm. Conversely, the value-added chapatti exhibited a marked decrease in fat, energy, and carbohydrate concentrations. This study shows that valueadded chapatti offers significantly higher nutrients compared to regular wheat chapatti, thereby presenting an innovative way to the enhance nutritional profile and diversify staple food options.
Noodles and pasta were made using a blend of refined flour, pearl millet flour, and jamun seed powder. Pasta and noodles were made with varying amounts of jamun seed powder (5% to 20%) and a substantial proportion of pearl millet flour (40% to 50%). The findings indicate that adding jamun seed powder and pear millet flour affects the sensory characteristics. With up to 10% jamun seed powder in pasta and 5% in noodles, the taste is still acceptable. Jamun seed powder incorporation changed the amount of nutrients in pasta and noodles. There were notable differences in ash content, which ranged from 0.81% to 1.24% in pasta and 0.81% to 1.101% in noodles. Calcium levels varied between 52.46 to 68.05 mg/100g in pasta and 50.78 to 58.53 mg/100g in noodles. Zinc content ranged from 1.92 to 2.45 mg/100g in pasta and 1.97 to 2.25 mg/100g in noodles. Phosphorus levels were observed between 195.80 to 176.14 mg/100g in pasta and 198.86 to 188.70 mg/100g in noodles. Significant differences were noted in phytic acid and polyphenol content in pasta, while noodles showed non-significant variations. The digestibility of starch was not affected, but protein digestibility decreased in jamun seed powder incorporated in pasta and noodles. Products containing jamun seeds maintained their sensory profile in terms of taste, appearance, and texture during the storage study (90 days). The samples retained their color, appearance, texture, taste, and overall acceptability better than control samples. Additionally, the significant reduction in peroxide value and fat acidity in products incorporated with jamun seed powder suggested potential antioxidant and anti-rancidity properties. The development of noodle and pasta products incorporating pearl millet and jamun seed powder offers a healthier food alternative at the market level, providing nutritional benefits to consumers, while at the industry level; it fosters innovation and meets the growing demand for nutrient-dense products.
In light of current challenges, there’s an urgent call for innovative solutions to not only ensure food security but also tackle the pervasive issue of malnutrition amidst mounting environmental pressures. Biofortification, the process of enhancing the nutrient content of crops, is a critical strategy to address malnutrition worldwide. Within this framework, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) play a vital role in biofortification by improving nutrient uptake, solubilizing insoluble nutrients, and promoting plant growth, thereby contributing to the development of nutrient-rich crops. In this investigation, bacteria were isolated from rhizospheric soil and screened for their potential to solubilize zinc (Zn). Among the isolated rhizobacterial strains, one demonstrated high Zn solubilization potential (48.33µg/mL) during quantitative estimation was selected for further study and identified as Serratia marcescens SCHN1 through molecular identification. Furthermore, selected isolate S. marcescens SCHN1 was found to be positive for multiple PGPR traits including phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore and ammonia (NH3 ) production. Subsequently, a pot trial was conducted with wheat seeds inoculated with the selected PGPR strain. Results showed that wheat plants inoculated with the S. marcescens SCHN1 exhibited significant increase in plant height by 11.99% over control. Moreover, the micronutrient content, including zinc (80 mg/kg) and iron (593.5 mg/kg) in wheat grains were significantly improved upon treatment over control group. These findings underscore the importance of PGPR in biofortification efforts aimed at enhancing crop nutrient content and overall plant growth, thus offering promising avenues for addressing global food security challenges.
Pyracantha crenulata (D. Don) M. Roem. (locally known as Ghingharu in Kumaun region) is a medicinally important wild fruit crop endemic to Himalayan hills. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant properties of methanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves and fruits of the plant employing 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant power (FRAP) and Anti-inflammatory assays. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also calculated. Highest antioxidant activity was observed in the leaves (methanolic extract) for which the DPPH scavenging activity had the lowest Inhibitory concentration50 (IC50) value (26.12 µg/mL) and FRAP activity was the highest (27.63 µg Gallic acid equivalents/ mg extract). The methanolic extract of leaves also showed the highest protein denaturation inhibition percent with the lowest IB50 value (44.77µg/mL). Moreover, the maximum phenolic (16.217µg Gallic acid equivalents/mg) and flavonoid content (24.487 µg/mg Quercetin equivalents/mg) were also possessed by the methanolic extract of leaves. The study concluded that the dried leaves of P. crenulata possess significantly higher antioxidant properties than the dried fruits. Hence, not just the fruits but leaves of P. crenulata can also be used for medicinal purpose.
Data for the present investigation were collected from a history sheet of crossbred cattle at the Instructional Dairy Farm of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The data pertained to 1000 crossbred cattle with a total of 3583 calving records from 87 sires distributed over 32 years from 1988 to 2019.The average values for productive herd life, longevity, total calf production, total alive calves born, total female calves born, selective value, and CGR were estimated as 6.58±0.06 years, 9.78±0.06 years, 4.68±0.03, 4.44±0.03, 2.16±0.05, 1.45±0.04, and 0.72±0.02, respectively. The impact of the season was observed significant on productive herd life (PHL), longevity, total calf production, and the number of total alive calves born. However, the effect of season was found to be non-significant on the total number of female calves born, selective value, and calf-growth rate (CGR). The period has been found to have a highly significant effect on all the studied traits. The effect of the First Lactation Milk Yield (FLMY) group was found to have a significant impact on all the traits under study. Longevity had the heritability estimate of 0.32, while other traits such as PHL, total calf production, and total alive calves were also shown from lower to moderate heritability estimates. On the other hand, total female calves born, selective value, and CGR had relatively lower heritability estimates. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among productive herd life, longevity, and selective value and their components ranged from lower to very high. A long productive life of cows increases their life time milk yield and the number of calves born, which has an essential effect on production profitability. Therefore, the optimum lifespan of a cow should be the composite of breeding and economic results. Therefore, the future selection of dairy cattle for productive herd life and longevity breeding will require a fully integrated and balanced breeding model
Data for the present investigation were collected from a history sheet of crossbred cattle at the Instructional Dairy Farm of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The data about 1000 crossbred cattle with a total of 3583 calving records from 87 sires were distributed over 32 years from 1988 to 2019. The estimated average percentages for various parameters, including abnormal births, sex ratio (percent male birth), mortality and culling of female calves up to the age of first calving (AFC), and replacement rate (based on female calf and total calf), were 6.0%, 52.33%, 14.80%, 17.53%, 67.67%, and 30.32% respectively. The effect of the FLMY (first lactation milk yield) group was found to be non-significant on abnormal births, overall mortality rate, overall female calf culling, and replacement rate based on the female calf basis. However, there was a significant effect of the FLMY group on the sex ratio and the replacement rate based on the total calf basis. The heritability estimates for abnormal birth, sex ratio, female calf mortality, female calf culling, replacement rate from total female calf basis, and replacement rate from total calf basis were reported as 0.18±0.011, 0.045±0.056, 0.15±0.019, 0.08±0.078, 0.35±0.071, and 0.05±0.085, respectively. The lower values of heritability suggest a higher influence of environmental factors on these traits. Therefore, the future selection of dairy cattle for replacement and its components will require a fully integrated and balanced breeding model
Principal Component Analysis is a mathematical procedure employed to transform a set of correlated variables into a smaller set of uncorrelated variables, thereby reducing the dimensionality. By applying principal component analysis, a comprehensive data set comprising various production and reproduction parameters such as milk yield, age at first calving, and calving interval etc. can be effectively analyzed. The study aimed to analyze the principal component of production and reproduction traits in Frieswal cattle, data spanning from 2013 to 2021, comprising of production and reproduction traits of 1163 cattle across six different field units, were collected and subjected to PCA to explain the performance in Frieswal. Factor analysis with varimax rotation uncovered three principal components, collectively explaining 74.30% of the total variance. The first principal component accounted for 35.54% of the variance, followed by the second and third components, which explained 23.37% and 15.38% of the variance, respectively. The communality values ranged from 0.247 (average fat %) to 0.972 (calving interval) across all performance traits. These findings indicate that PCA can serve as a valuable tool in breeding programmes, allowing for a significant reduction in the number of production and reproduction traits while still effectively capturing performance trends in Frieswal cattle.
A total of 586 kidney samples from pigs were examined regardless of age group, gender, and breed during postmortem examinations conducted from November 2019 to December 2020. Out of these, 154 samples exhibiting gross lesions underwent histopathological examination. The overall incidence of histopathological lesions in pig kidneys was recorded at 15.58% (24 out of 154 samples with gross lesions). Microscopic analysis revealed degenerative lesions including cellular swelling, hydropic degeneration, fatty change, renal amyloidosis, and renal necrosis, with incidences of 6.49%, 1.95%, 1.30%, 3.25%, and 2.60%, respectively. Cellular swelling (6.49%) and fatty change (1.30%) were identified as the most and least prevalent conditions, respectively, affecting pig kidneys during the study period.
The acute toxic effects of profenofos were studied at a single dose of maximum tolerated dose (90 mg/kg bw) at 1 h 40 min (peak effect), 24 h and 14 days post-treatment in three treatment groups along with their respective control groups. There was no significant change in body weight and relative body weight gain in 1 h 40 min, 24 h and 14 days post-treatment groups as compared to control groups. A significant increase in relative organ weight of liver and right testis in 14 days posttreatment group was observed as compared to control group. Significant increase in relative organ weights of left testis and right epididymis was observed in 1 h 40 min post-treatment group as compared to control group. Histopathological lesions were observed in liver, kidney, brain and testes, suggesting its acute toxicity to these organs. No histopathological lesions were observed in bone marrow during acute toxicity study.
Oilseed group is an important cash crop group in Indian agriculture. They are the source of edible oils for the country. The oilseed group is classified into nine oilseeds which are groundnut, sunflower, soybean, rapeseed mustard, sunflower, sesame, niger, linseed and castor. Linseed and castor are considered as inedible oilseed. India is a major producer and consumer of oilseeds and their products, and emerged as one of the world’s largest importers of edible oils in the late 1990s. Oilseed are imported to meet the consumption demand of the country because despite of their increasing production the oilseed sector has shown unstable performance. The present study has examined growth and instability in one of the important oilseed crop rapeseed and mustard in major producing states in India as well as in the country as a whole in the context of Technology Mission on Oilseeds (TMO) by estimating compound annual growth rates of area, production and productivity and by constructing Cuddy Della Valle indices, respectively, during the TMO period and prior to it.
In India, maize is the third most important food grain which constitutes around 10 per cent of the total volume of cereals produced after rice and wheat. As per 2021 -22 data leading producer state of maize is Karnataka with 5.2 million MT (15.53 % of India), followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The present study aimed to study the cost of and returns from maize cultivation to know its profitability across the farm size groups in more maize producing (Devanagere district) and less maize producing (Tumkur district) districts of the state of Karnataka. The primary data was collected for the year 2017(kharif) by personally interviewing 160 sample farmers. CACP concept was used to estimate cost of cultivation in the study. The results revealed that large farms are mostly substituting machine power to conventional bullock power for performing different operations in maize cultivation. Large farmers of Devanagere district are having more access to owned machineries compare to Tumkur’ large farmers, indicates Davanagere’ large farms are economically better than Tumkur’ large farms. As similar to Tumkur, the use of machine hour is highest at large farms, whereas use of bullock labour in marginal farm size group. The seed rate of Davanagere district is lesser than Tumkur but the overall cost of seed is higher in Davanagere (Rs. 3119). It may be due to use of high-quality seeds by marginal and small farms in Davanagere compared to same category in Tumkur. The net price received by farmer for main product sale in villages or mandis was lesser than MSP. This leads to negative returns at Cost C2 and C3 across the farm holdings. It indicates that the farmers are not getting any economic profit as it is not covering the costs incurred for providing managerial services by farmer himself. The return per rupee of investment at Cost C3 in Devanagere district was Rs. 0.87 on overall basis, whereas Rs. 0.82 in Tumkur district. There is a need of creating awareness among the farmers in case of crop insurance to mitigate drought, about MSP to increase bargaining power, regarding co-operative benefits to save cost in marketing and other farm works and use of high-quality seeds along with other developed techniques in increasing productivity of maize.
Newsletters have evolved into a vital tool for disseminating information among targeted audiences, serving as an effective means to communicate pertinent, accurate, and appropriate information on specific topics to a captive audience. This research aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a participatory newsletter on potato growers in a purposefully selected block in the US Nagar district of Uttarakhand. Adopting an experimental research design, a newsletter was first developed by the researcher using participatory methodology and then distributed to the selected respondents. The study involved 120 potato growers purposively chosen from three villages in one block (Kashipur). The effectiveness of the participatory newsletter was assessed by measuring knowledge gain through pre- and post- test method, employing a structured interview schedule for data collection. The study findings revealed a significant difference in the knowledge gained by the respondents after being exposed to the newsletter. Further, a substantial majority expressed higher satisfaction with various aspects of the newsletter, including its size, design, content, accuracy, readability, and the utility and accuracy of the information it contained.
Media driven mass awareness about health and healthy lifestyles has generated peoples’ concern for balanced diet and nutritional aspects of daily intake. Consequently, the demand and consumption of fruits has gone up significantly across the entire social spectrum in India, thereby opening up new avenues for entrepreneurship in Horticulture sector. The state of Uttarakhand, nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, boasts a rich agricultural heritage and diverse agro-climatic conditions conducive to the cultivation of a wide array of fruits. With its unique topography and favourable climatic conditions, Uttarakhand holds immense potential for horticultural enterprises, particularly in fruit crop production. However, while the region offers abundant opportunities, hortipreneurs in Uttarakhand face numerous challenges. In this context, understanding the training needs of hortipreneurs in value addition and fruit crop production is paramount to unlocking the full potential of the horticultural sector in Uttarakhand. The present study was carried out with the objective of determining Training Needs of Hortipreneurs in Uttarakhand. Two districts (Nainital and Almora) were purposively selected in Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. The study sample comprised of 70 farmers, 35 each from one district, selected by snowball sampling method. Data was collected using a structured interview schedule. Borisch method of training needs assessment was utilised to identify the training needs of respondents. Results showed that respondents expressed training needs in the areas of value addition and processing. Besides, training need was observed in preservation and extended shelf life, essential oil extraction. Additionally, in fruit crop based enterprises, maximum training need was reported in the Micro Irrigation Techniques in orchards followed by Orchard Establishment and Management, Quality Planting Material, Plant Propagation techniques and Pre-harvest & Post-harvest Management. These findings could provide useful insights for policy formulation as well as promotion of Hortipreneurship in Uttarakhand
Mushroom cultivation is acknowledged as a technically viable and lucrative agricultural practice, acknowledged by both researchers and farmers as a means to generate substantial income, employment opportunities, and foster rural development. Initiatives aimed at employment generation and poverty alleviation play a pivotal role in fortifying the socio-economic status of marginalized populations, particularly rural women. Numerous agricultural universities, KrishiVigyan Kendras, and research centres have organized extensive training programs and workshops over time to equip women with the necessary skills for mushroom cultivation. Consequently, training initiatives have gained widespread acceptance as a strategy with significant returns on investment. The current research investigation was conducted at GBPUA&T, Pantnagar. Five training sessions on “Techniques of Mushroom production and value Addition†were organized under the Tribal Sub Plan project, funded by ICAR at MRTC, Pantnagar, with a total of 200 SC/ST farm women selected for data collection. Data was gathered through interviews and discussions. The findings from this study revealed that majority of respondents belonged to medium age (53 per cent), primary education (55 per cent), small family size (52.50per cent), Cosmopoliteness (14.50 per cent), medium level of extension contact (76%). Gain in knowledge was increased after implementation of training programme
Recent advances and significant changes in agriculture are aiming to produce enough food as well as to remain sustainable. With the introduction of modern precision farming technologies, farmers can optimize both farm productivity and profitability with real-time field information obtained from the field. Drone is one such emerging technology that brings revolutionary changes into farming. The study was intended to promote the recent advances in drone technology over the world and its economic reliability in Indian agriculture. Basic and primary agricultural operations that need attention in terms of efficiency and drudgery are listed. Each operation was described in such a way as to point out how better a UAV can perform in terms of precision and control, capability, spray utilization efficiency, adaptability and labour dependency. Recent and highly peer-reviewed articles that focuses on monitoring plant and soil health, application of chemicals, irrigation, farm surveillance, drone pollination, planting and seeding were discussed. Also the current scenario of aerial vehicles, their investment costs and how better a farmer can economically justify holding a drone were discussed. The Intervention of drone technology in Indian agriculture is a hard task as its capital cost is very high and its repair and maintenance require specialized trainee at the field level. With decreasing labour availability and increasing energy spent in the field, may be in the future, need for drone technologies may rise. Drone implication may interest and encourage young people to be involved in agriculture
