Wheat is the most crucial crop cultivated in India. Black point disease of wheat imparts qualitative losses to the growers. Hence, with a view to generate scientific information pertaining to symptomatology of black point disease, the investigation was carried out. The seed samples of popularly cultivated wheat varieties viz., GW 496, GW 366 and Lok- 1 were collected from various districts of Gujarat viz., Anand, Ahmedabad, Kheda and Vadodara. Alternaria alternata was found to be frequently isolated pathogen from infected seeds. Critical microscopic observation of black point infected wheat seeds revealed brown to black discoloration on pericarp, ventral crease and brush end regions. Precise stereoscopic observation of vertical section of infected seeds evidenced brown to black stains on endosperm tissues. Moreover, blatant mycelial growth appeared on pericarp tissues. Flour quality was significantly impaired as compared to healthy seeds. The infected seeds found relatively bolder and heavier.

Absence of resistant/tolerant genotypes against diseases and insect pests in urdbean (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) are one of the main reasons for their low yield in India. During the summer and Kharif season, yellow mosaic disease epidemically damages the crop in most of the urdbean growing areas of India. Identification of resistant genotypes is one of the most important aspects in the management of viral diseases, which might be the best possible solution to the viral disease problems. For the purpose of identifying resistance/tolerance in urdbean germplasm, field screenings were conducted for four consecutive seasons during summer and Kharif, 2013 & 2014, comprising of 100 test entries. Screening was done under natural environmental field conditions against yellow mosaic disease (YMD). Out of 100 entries tested, only one entry, NDU 12-1 was found to be disease free, nine genotypes (IPU 10-23, KUG 586, Mash-338, NDU 12-300, PU 09-35, UH 07-06, Uttara, VBG 10-008, and VBN 6) found to be highly resistance and four genotypes (Kopergaon, RUG-44, VBG 09-005, and NDU 11-201) showed resistance consistently in both the seasons over two year. However, out of 100 genotypes, only four genotypes i.e. VBN (BG) 7, IPU 2-43, KUG 586 and KUG 503 were found to be superior for seed yield as well as resistant to MYMV.

Twenty seven hybrids in rice were generated during Kharif-2011 by crossing 9 lines and three cytosterile lines in a line x tester fashion and analyzed over two diverse environments during Kharif 2012. Out of 27 test crosses evaluated, 10 restorers, 8 partial restorers, 3 maintainers and 6 partial maintainer were categorized on the basis of degree of pollen fertility and spikelet fertility. Three genotypes K-08-61, K-08-60 and PS-5 were found as most effective restorers. Heterosis over better parent and standard check was computed on fourteen metric traits only for fully restored cross combinations. There was a wide range of heterotic patterns for all the traits studied. Six out of 10 fully restored cross combinations indicated significant heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for grain yield plant-1. The three promising combinations for grain yield and other economic traits were SKAU 7A x PS-5, SKAU 11A x K-08-60 and IR-68888 x K-08-61.Similarly significant and desirable heterotic combinations were reported for yield components and other traits.

A set of six cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile lines as female parents and thirteen diverse male parents used as testers and their respective hybrids generated in line x tester fashion were evaluated for their performance for eleven yield and its component characters. The highest superior performance for seed yield per hectare showed by the cross ICPA-2098 x Asha. The maximum number of pods per plant and seed yield per plant recorded by cross ICPA-2098 x M-3 (GRG-2009). The hybrids showed high performance for seed yield also recorded significant mean for other yield attributing characters also. Parents Asha, BSMR-736 and WRP-1 recorded superior performance seed yield per plant and the line GT-307A and tester BSMR-736 for seed yield per hectare. The high mean performance reflect their ability to produce heterotic hybrids, Hence, these superior parents could be used derive heterotic hybrids in pigeonpea.

Agricultural modernization means improvement in farming system, infrastructure facilities, promotion of cultivation practices, crop diversification and value addition process. Agricultural modernization is not purely technological or economic problem. It is frequently dependent on an understanding of the society in which it is to take place, a knowledge of the social and cultural factors that condition farmers responsiveness to technological change is essential. To measure the agricultural modernization of the farmers a teacher made test was developed. The teacher made test of agricultural modernization of the farmers was consisted of major thirteen criteria and each criteria was given score by conference method of the teachers. Then, total 200 score of agricultural modernization test was determined. The majority of the tribal (84.55%) and non-tribal (85.46%) of the respondents having low to medium extent of AMI. The tribal farmers differ significantly from non-tribal farmers with respect to their extent of AMI. The independent variables viz., age, size of family, land holding, livestock possession and cosmopoliteness were found significantly related with AMI of tribal respondents, In case of non-tribal respondents all 10 selected independent variables were found to be significantly associated with AMI.