The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the plum cultivar growing in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Among the seven different plum cultivars viz. Alaucha Yellow, Durado, Green Gauge, Formosa, Lamahatta, Santa Rosa and Victoria, the cvs. Formosa and Victoria mature early (end of June). The fruit set percentage was also highest in cv. Victoria (61.50%). The average fruit weight was highest in cv. Green Gauge (57.11 g). Maximum length (7.50 cm) and diameter (4.75 cm) of fruit were recorded in cv. Formosa. However, the yield per plant was recorded highest in cv. Victoria (72.42 kg) followed by Formosa (65.69 kg). The fruits of Green Gauge showed maximum amount of total soluble solids (13.50%), reducing sugar (3.61%) and a fairly higher amount of acidity (1.20%). The TSS/acid ratio of fruit was found highest in cv. Formosa (12.71). From the present investigation, it may be suggested that plum cv. Formosa is the suitable cultivar, which showed a high yield potential and good fruit quality in Darjeeling region.

A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of Nendran in the Terai Zone of West Bengal, at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari during September 2008. Amongst ten different treatment combinations of inorganic fertilizers were soil applied in split doses except phosphorus to evaluate their effects on the growth patternof Nendran. Data of the experiments revealed that fertilizer application rates significantly affected the growth of Nendran. Growth rate of Nendran gradually increased up to the shooting stage and the rate decreased afterwards. Moreover, positive effect of N with K has been observed on plant growth and maturity.The highest growth values of Nendran were obtained from treatment representing T6. Generally, it could be concluded that the treatment of T6seems to be the promising treatment which produced the highest vegetative growth at the foot of Himalayas.

The present investigation was carried out to study the quality attributes of rice grains in semi-dwarf and early mutants of White Ponni generated using gamma radiation. The results obtained from the study revealed that, identified mutants recorded high kernel length before and after cooking, L/B ratio before and after cooking and linear elongation ratio compared to wild type. Desirable semi-dwarf and early mutants exhibited intermediate amylose content and high gel consistency which showed rice grains remains softer when cooling. Most of the quality parameters exhibited higher variability, low to high heritability and low to high genetic advance as percent of mean where simple phenotypic selection is required to improvement of the these traits in rice. The trait kernel length after cooking exhibited positive correlation with L/B ratio before and after cooking and also showed significant positive correlation with linear elongation ratio in White Ponni mutants. The trait L/B ratio after cooking was positively correlated with linear elongation ratio and negatively correlated with breadth wise expansion ratio. Hence, selection based on these above parameters may reward in future quality-breeding programme in rice.

The physico- chemical characteristics of rice grains are important indicators of grain yield. Grain quality characteristics were studied for fifteen promising hybrids along with its parents. Hulling percent ranged between 68.75 % to 88.70 %. The hybrids namely TS09 22 X CO 43, TS09 22 X CB05/501, TS09 22 X T1408.10, TS09 410 X ADT 38 and TS09 410 X WGL 14 had the highest values of hulling, milling and head rice recovery percentage. Highest kernel length of 5.80 mm was observed in TS09 12 X CB05 911/884. The hybrids namely TS09 22 X T1408.10, TS09 28 X CO 43 categorized under the medium slender type. Cooking characters viz., Elongation ratio ranged from 1.24 to 1.57. Kernel length after cooking was high in the hybrid TS09 22 X G14. Among the parents, TGMS line TS09 22 had the medium slender type and G 14 had the highest L/B ratio and it falls under long slender type. Six hybrids namely TS09 22 X CO(R) 50, TS09 22 X CB05 /501, TS09 22 X T1408.10, TS09 22 X CB05 911/884, TS09 28 X CO 43 and TS09 410 X ADT 38 had the intermediate gelatinization temperature. Two hybrids exhibited soft gel consistency TS09 28 X CO 43 and TS09 410 X T360. GC ranged from 51.00 mm to 72.50 mm. Intermediate amylose content was seen in all hybrids. Rice hybrids with intermediate amylose content give soft and flaky rice. The hybrids TS09 22 X T1408.10, TS09 28 X CO 43, TS09 410 X ADT 38, TS09 22 X CB05 /501 had desirable quality parameters and appreciable grain yield.

An experiment on variability in vegetative and rooting parameters of Carrizo citrange cuttings was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University (Fruit Research Station - Jallowal) at four different stages of growth; stage I–90 DAP (Days After Planting), stage II–180 DAP, stage III–270 DAP and stage IV–360 DAP. A regular significant increase in length of longest main shoot was recorded with advancement of each stage of growth and it achieved the maximum value of 81.11 cm during stage IV. Maximum shoot diameter to the tune of 1.12 cm was registered during stage IV and was significantly higher than all other stages. Leave number per cutting also showed significant increase with advancement of each development stage. Maximum number of sub-shoots to the value of 10.78 was observed during stage IV. The data regarding length of longest sub-shoot failed to exhibit any significant effect on this parameter with maturity advancement from stage II to stage III and stage III to stage IV. Length of longest root was significantly affected by advancement in each stage of development, while number of primary roots exhibited non-significant variation between stage I & stage II and stage II & stage III. Maximum value to the tune of 3.89 g and 2.68 g for fresh weight and dry weight of roots respectively, was recorded during stage IV.

The field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2012-13 and 2013-14 to estimate the avoidable loss due to powdery mildew of fenugreek caused by Erysiphe polygoni. Two sprays of dinocap (0.1%), starting from disease initiation were applied at an interval of 14 days significantly reduced powdery mildew severity by 72.04 and resulted in seed yield over inoculated check. Grain yield loss of 47.91 per cent can be avoided by applying fungicides. Single spray of dinocap (0.1%) either 7th or 14th or 21st day of inoculation was also significantly increased grain yield indicating avoidable loss of 9.82, 19.99 and 21.98 per cent, respectively.

An experiment was two factorial design with a three set of genotypes viz., Annigeri-1, JG-11 and JG-14 were sown under different dates of sowing (D1, D2, D3 D4 and D5) from 40th standard meteorological week (SMW) to 48th SMW and a study was conducted to know the effect of temperature regimes on morpho-phenological character, flowering pattern and flowering duration and their contribution to yield of chickpea genotypes. Among the dates, D3 temperature regimes took significantly higher primary and secondary branches (9.6 and 12.0 respectively) with optimum phenological parameter like days to flower initiation (37.9 days), days to fifty per cent flowering (42.9 days) and more number of flowers per day per plant (172), with all these character which produces higher yield by minimizing flower drop and floral abortion under maximum of minimum temperature compare to other temperature regimes and the genotypes JG-11 recorded significantly higher yield (28.32 q ha-1) due to higher primary branches (9.1), took less number of days to flower initiation (36.1 days) and fifty percent flowering (40.7 days) with the optimum duration of flowering (26.2 days) and total number of flowers (156) and recorded higher yield. But the genotype, JG-14 is thermo tolerant recorded optimum yield under D3 temperature regime, which was having less number of flowers than the others and also there was no much variation in the yield from D1 to D5 temperature regime compared to other genotypes.