The field studies were conducted in the research farm of the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Raichur during the kharif seasons of 2013 and 2014 to determine the effects of traditional and laser land leveling techniques on weed population in groundnut production. Pooled mean of number of weeds per m2 indicated that number of weeds per m2 was significantly lesser compared to traditionally levelled plot and the plot with no leveling. The control plot recorded the highest number of weeds per m2. Laser land levelling facilitated in uniform moisture distribution in the entire field, crop stand and growth resulting in lesser weed infestations.

The present experiment was conducted the prime objective, to generate and estimate the curve number for runoff and also to develop autoregressive (AR), for the prediction of rainfall, from the study area and estimate the parameters of runoff. Autoregressive (AR) models of orders 0, 1 and 2 were tried for annual stream flow series. Parameters were estimated by the general recursive formula proposed by [24]. The adequacy of models and goodness of fit were tested by Box-Pierce Portmanteau test, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and by comparison of historical and predicted correlogram. The AIC value for AR (1) model (141.855) was lying between AR (0) (142.764) and AR (2) (152.749) which is satisfying the selection criteria. The mean forecast error was also very less. On the basis of the statistical test, Akaike Information Criterion, AIC the AR (1) model with estimate model parameters, estimated for the best future predictions in Upper Sewani watershed. This is graphical representation between historical and generated correlogram, where in runoff there was a very close agreement. The performance comparison of both the models was made with the coefficient of determination (R2) which was 0.988 in case of SCS- Curve Number and 0.946 in case of Autoregressive Time Series Model. On further comparison it shows that autoregressive is giving much better results than the Curve Number method, so it can be more trust worthy.

The investigation was conducted in ten selected villages of Katwa Block- I under Burdwan district to know the role of rural SHGs and non-SHGs on the empowerment of rural farm women in ten selected villages of Katwa Block- I under Burdwan district. Data were collected through interviews scheduled for 200 rural women (100 SHGs and 100 non-SHG members) during 2014. Analysis was conducted on the extent of various levels of empowerment achieved by the members through their participation in SHGs. Findings revealed that majority of respondents (59%) were young women in the age group between 20 to 35 years. The samples were collected predominantly on nuclear families type. Most women respondents (98.5%) were from Hindu Scheduled caste and tribe. Mostly literate women sampled in this study engaged in various activities such as agriculture farming and farm labour. Among the sampled women, levels of empowerment such as social status, greater participation in democratic institution, greater participation and power of decision making in community and village, monthly savings, performing bank transaction, speaking during public meetings etc. increased after joining the SHGs. The significant differences between the SHG and Non-SHG women in relation to empowerment in social and economic aspects suggest that SHGs have great impact on rural farm women’s empowerment.

The effect of acute lethal toxicity of phorate (ALTP) on the histopathology of gills of the fresh water fish Cyprinus carpio (C. carpio) was investigated in the present study. Lethal concentration (LC50) of phorate to C. carpio was determined by the Probit method of Finney and the LC50/96 hours (0.71 ppm/l) of phorate was taken as lethal concentration for acute toxicity study. Fish were exposed to ALTP (LC50/96 hours-0.71 ppm/l) for one day and 4 days and the differential acute toxicity tests were carried out under laboratory conditions. On exposure for a period of 1 day to the acute toxicity of phorate (ATP) no significant pathological changes were observed in the gills of the fish except indications of the initiation of degenerative changes. Further, on exposure for a period of 4 days to ATP, the pathological changes observed in the gills of the fish C. carpio were significant structural degeneration of primary gill lamellae, secondary gill lamellae and pillar cells along with epithelial lifting and desquamation. There was hypertrophy in the gill lamellae, erosion of surface epithelial cells and loss of lamellar structures in the gill due to atrophy of the gill lamellae. In the exposed fish, respiratory distress and abnormal behaviour were observed. On exposure to ATP, though initially caused a mild damage to the gill of the fish at day first, but further exposure to ATP for 4 days; it caused an irreversible damage.

Forty five hybrids were developed by diallel mating design excluding reciprocals along with ten parents and were studied for the estimation of combining ability variances and its effects. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that mean square values due to parents were significant for all the characters except for kernel length. Likewise, mean square values due to hybrids were significant for all the characters except for spike density and kernel length, which revealed that existence of differences among the parents and hybrids. Significance of both s2GCA and s2SCA for the characters days to 50% heading, days to maturity, length of main spike, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike, grain yield per main spike, test weight, spike density, protein content and sedimentation value suggested that importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects for the inheritance of these characters. The values of potence and predictability ratio showed presence of additive genetic variance for the characters days to 50% heading, days to maturity, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main and spike, density. The value of average degree of dominance was less than one for the characters days to 50% heading, days to maturity, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike and spike density which revealed partial dominance behaviour of interacting alleles for these characters. The parent GW 2002-51 was good general combiner for the characters length of main spike, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike, grain yield per main spike, test weight, protein content and sedimentation value. Whereas, the crosses GW 2007-77 x GW 1276 and HI 8725 x GW 1 were good specific combiners for days to 50% heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of effective tillers per plant, peduncle length, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike, grain yield per main spike, grain yield per plant, test weight, biological yield per plant, and spike density.