The study was conducted to determine the factors affecting conidial germination of Erysiphe polygoni causing powdery mildew in fenugreek under controlled conditions. Result showed that maximum conidial germination of Erysiphe polygoni was recorded at 240C temperature, whereas at lower and higher than optimum temperature conidial germination was decreased significantly. All the levels of relative humidity favoured the conidial germination and maximum conidial germination was recorded at 90 per cent relative humidity. Combination of 240C temperature and 90 per cent relative humidity was best for maximum conidial germination. Maximum per cent conidial germination was recorded at 24C temperatures after 24 hours of incubation periods. Effect of darkness and light on conidial germination, highest per cent conidial germination was recorded in 10: 14 hours of darkness and light at 24°C after 24 hours of incubation period.

Pyricularia grisea (Cke) Sacc incites blast disease in finger millet and rice. An r-DNA region was amplified from the 12 isolates of P. grisea (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, B11 and B12) isolated from finger millet and rice, using the universal primers to form a phylogenetic tree revealed that the isolates fall in 3 different clusters. Where in, ITS1-5.8S – ITS5 sequences and Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA profiling of P.grisea isolates used in the study clustered into two main groups, in which the isolates B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B10 and B11 formed one group with approximately 12 per cent similarity coefficient between them and B12 was grouped in separate cluster. Molecular characterization of ragi blast pathogens in the study by RAPD markers analysis segregated the isolates into different clusters confirmed that the rice and finger millet-infecting P. grisea populations of India are clearly distinct.

A study was conducted during the kharif season of 2013 and 2014 for knowing the effect of new insecticides for the control of sucking pests in moong bean (PDM11). Population of thrips, jassid and white fly were recorded in natural field condition with crop age and found that the population of entire three pests such as jassid (6.19/6 leaves), thrips (7.39/6 leaves) & whitefly (10.54/6 plants) increased with increase the crop age up to 48 days after sowing. Reproductive stage was more vulnerable than vegetative and maturity stage. Among the insecticides, thiamethoxam was found more effective (0.83 jassid/6 leaves) Followed by imidacloprid (0.95/6 leaves) and acitamiprid (1.07/6 leaves) in the year 2013 against jassid. However, same trend of result was obtained in the year 2014. Imidacloprid significantly showed better effect to control the thrips population, which was 1.00 thrips /6 leaves in 2013 and 1.46 /6 leaves in 2014, respectively. White fly population significantly decreased by the application of thiamethoxam (2.83 and 1.69 /6 plants) followed by imidacloprid (2.94 & 1.88/6 plants) and acetamiprid (2.97 & 2.00 /6 plants) during the seasons 2013 and 2014. Highest population of all the three sucking pests was noted in Control plot. Significantly maximum yield in 2013 was found in imidacloprid treated plot (15.81 q/ha) followed by thiamethoxam(15.69 q/ha) in comparison to monocrotophos (12.73 q/ha ) and fipronil (11.51 q/ha). However, in 2014, thiamethoxam showed better performance in increasing the yield which was 15.47 q/ha followed by imidacloprid (14.15 q/ha). Neem oil and chloropyriphos had least effect on increase the yield in both the crop seasons. Effect of trizophos (12.63 q/ha), fipronil (12.58 q/ha) and monochrotophos (12.12 q/ha) in enhanced the productivity were at par in 2014. In control plot there was only 5.78 and 6.32 q/ha yield, respectively during 2013 & 2014 crop seasons.

The present investigation aimed to equip farm women technologically for reducing their drudgery and enhancing their productivity. Three villages were selected purposively from Dantiwada taluka near to the university. Total one fifty farm women were selected using simple random sampling technique, fifty from each. The study illustrated that farm women were involved in wide range of agricultural and livestock activities and most of them were perceived as difficult to perform by majority of the farm women. On comparing energy expenditure of farm women during performing agricultural activities in traditional practice and by using drudgery reducing tools, their energy expenditure decreased by using hand ridger (13.381 KJ/min) while it is same by using sickle (10.996 KJ/min) and maize sheller (6.703 KJ/min). Though energy expenditure increased by using groundnut decorticator (9.724 KJ/min), the outcome increased almost ten folds by using each tool.

According to Nutritional Intake Survey Series conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation, there has been steady decline in consumption of calories and protein, but the fat consumption has been increasing both in rural and urban India. Unlike calorie and protein, the difference in fat intake in rural and urban is pronounced. Across the states of the country, the north-east and eastern region states seem lagging in terms of nutrition –moving further away from desirable levels and are much below the national average too. In terms of calorie intake, 68 percent of country’s population remains undernourished and during 2004-05 and 2009-10, there was an increase of about 55 million people who registered to have deficient intake of calories. With rise in food expenditure among rural and urban masses, there has been less than proportionate increase in calorie and protein intake. However, a propensity to consume more of fat has been witnessed with rise in food expenditure.