In the current study 20 years time series data of area, production and productivity of sorghum used for the trend analysis using non parametric test, data collected from the ICAR-IASRI databook 2018. The average area under sorghum cultivation during study period was found to be 8.07 (Million Ha) with standard deviation of 1.70 with a production of 6.75 (Million ton). Mann Kendall test reveals that total area and production was found to decreasing trend and statistically significant.

A study was conducted on 120 MGNREGS beneficiaries in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, to study the association of profile of the beneficiaries with their direct changes observed due to the implementation of MGNREGS. Thirteen independent variables were selected as profile of the beneficiaries. The results revealed from the study were; out of thirteen independent variables, education, size of the family, experience& number of years benefitted, socio-politico participation, risk orientation, economic motivation and achievement motivation showed significant relation with direct changes. Other variables like age, gender, annual income, possession of assets, sources of information and level of aspiration showed non- significant relationship with direct changes. The Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) of all the thirteen selected variables put together explained 88.34 percent of variance in the direct changes experienced by MGNREGS beneficiaries, remaining 11.66 percent due to the extraneous factors.

In India, the implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) has influenced an entire economy with the help of many economic indicators. One of the major economic indicators affected by the GST is inflation. This article has made an attempt to assess the impact of the implementation of GST on inflation in India through an empirical study using the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) data from January-2013 to September-2018. Time series intervention analysis has done through transfer function-noise models and Box-Jenkins methodology. The empirical study shows that the implementation of GST has affected inflation positively.

The investigation was carried out during the year 2015-16 and 2016-17to find the effect of different 9 treatments i.e., combinations of 3 different levels of irrigation (I1-100 %, I2-75 % & I3-50 % ETr) and 3 levels of fertigation (F1-90%, F2-80% & F3-70% of RDF).The interaction effect of irrigation and fertigation was found significant on growth and yield of acid lime cv. Phule Sharbati.

The field experiment was carried out during rabi season of the year 2018-19 to study the effect of crop residues on soil fertility and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in loamy sand. Total eight treatments of crop residue were laid out in randomized complete block design. Highest number of spike per meter row length (80.5 cm), number of grain per spike (44.5), test weight (48.33), grain yield (5652 kg/ha) and straw yield (6961 kg/ha) were recorded under treatment T2- Castor shell @ 2.50 t/ha and remained statistically at pat with T5-Castor shell @ 1.25 t/ha +Mustard husk @ 1.25 t/ha, T6-Castor shell @ 1.25 t/ha + Cumin straw @ 1.25 t/ha, T7-Mustard husk @ 1.25 t/ha + Cumin straw @ 1.25 t/ha, T8-Castor shell @ 1.0t/ha + Mustard husk @ 1.0t/ha + Cumin straw @ 1.0 t/ha.

The adoption of integrated technologies in dairy farming greatly recognised in achieving higher milk productivity thereby income. However, adoption rate of suite technologies in developing country is very low despite the substantial efforts by concerned stakeholders and various government programmes. The study aims at assess the determinants of integrated dairy management practices (IDMPs) the extension related parameters (contact of extension personnel and dairy training programme) and area under fodder crop are positively significant in influencing the adoption intensity of IDMPs at 5% of significant. The farmers who adopted seven IDMPs realized highest milk productivity (4.85 Kgs/animal) as against 3.29 Kgs/animal who adopted 3 IDMPs. The tetra choric correlation coefficients among IDMPs silage making is positively correlated with balanced ration but negatively with mineral mixture. The extension service could be reached effectively by deploying the ICTs tools with more tailored and timely information to dairy farmers as a whole. There is a definite need to increase forage production per unit area through encouraging high yielding fodder crops and forages, in an integrated crop- livestock farming systems. Creating awareness among farmers use of non-conventional feed resources that can improve intake and digestibility of low-quality forages and support them in gaining the first-hand knowledge of these feedstuffs from various livestock extension agencies, thus providing nutritional security to animals.

The investigation was carried out for 20 years time series data of area, production and productivity of maize used for the trend analysis using non parametric test, data collected from the ICAR-IASRI databook 2018. The average area under maize cultivation during study period was found to be 7.83 (Million Ha) with standard deviation of 1.10 with a production of 17.36 (Million ton). Mann Kendall test reveals that total area and production was found to increasing over a period of time with a significant p - values.

Climate change remains a major development challenge for cities in the developing world due to their limited capacity to prepare for and to cope with its implications. It is recognized that the impact of this phenomenon will be distributed differently among regions, ages, and income groups. This study attempts to examine the livelihood vulnerability status of slum households from a gender perspective. Further, the study also tries to identify the main factors that are responsible for a higher degree of livelihood vulnerability at the district as well as the national level. The study uses household-level data of the 69th NSSO round and indicator approach. The findings suggest that female-headed households are highly vulnerable in many districts of states, viz., Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, and West Bengal. Seven indicators have major influence over livelihood vulnerability like, slum located in a fringe area, unserviceable Katcha house, Katcha road in the slum premises, Katcha approach road, untreated water for drinking, no facility of garbage collection, and distance of more than 5 km of a government hospital. The results provide useful guidelines for identifying region-specific vulnerable hotspots that need policy intervention in strengthening and securing livelihoods.

Bitter gall midge Lasioptera bryoniae was a pest of Momordica charantia. The objective of this work was to study the effect of different temperatures on Lasioptera bryoniae biology. Measurements included duration and viability of the egg, maggot and pupal stages, sex ratio, fecundity and longevity. The life cycle of L. bryoniae observed in three temperature regimes is completed in 17-26 days with 2-4 days for egg, 8-12 days for maggot and 4-6 days for pupa. At the temperature of 25ºC, the number of eggs laid by female of bryoniae was and 115.4 respectively. The fecundity decreased at higher temperature as compared to the optimum temperature of 25ºC.

Barnyard Millet is one of the preferred millet crops in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu. However, the productivity of barnyard millet is very low, due to lack of high yielding varieties and non-adoption of integrated crop management practices. MDU 1 Barn yard millet was released from Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2017 This variety has a duration of 95-100 days. To popularize the variety among the farmers of Madurai District, Front Line Demonstrations were laid out in the farmer’s fields at Thirumangalam, Usilampatti and Sedapatti blocks. Farmers were provided training programmes on improved crop management practices and value addition technologies of Barn Yard Millet which resulted in higher yield and enhanced income to the farmers. The yield increase percentage observed was 29.41 percent.

The present study was undertaken mainly to study the cost and returns of paddy under conventional and combine harvester methods and economic viability of Paddy combine harvester. Medak district in Telangana state was purposively chosen for the study as it has considerable area under paddy and more than 85 percent of paddy area is harvested with combine harvester. Three major mandals were selected purposively on the basis of area under paddy cultivation. One village from each selected mandal was chosen for the study. Paddy farmers from each village were randomly selected and made the total sample size to 30. The information pertaining to combine harvester was collected from the 10 combine harvester owners. Tabular analysis and discounted project evaluation techniques were used to study costs, returns of the paddy and economic feasibility of the combine harvester respectively. The problems were also ranked. The total cost expended per acre of paddy stood at Rs. 25850.18 and Rs. 22702.62 with manual and combine harvester methods of harvesting respectively. The gross and net income per acre were Rs.38770/- and Rs.12919.82/- respectively with Conventional method as against Rs.35770/- and Rs.13067.38/- respectively using Combine harvester method. The returns per rupee invested were higher in Combine harvester (1.58) compared to Conventional method (1.50). The net gain due to mechanized harvesting using combine harvester was Rs.147.56/- per acre. The net present worth was high and ranged from Rs.9, 69,426/- at 12 percent to Rs.8, 39,709.7 at 24 percent discount rates. The benefit cost ratio was more than unity at all the discount rates. The internal rate of return was found to be 23.79% which was much higher than the bank rate of interest (12 percent) on long term loans. The major problems encountered in farm mechanization in paddy cultivation were high investment on farm machineries followed by non-suitability for small sized holders. Fodder loss was another major problem due to use of combine harvester for harvesting. Custom hiring was the problem due to high hiring charges of farm equipment’s or machineries.