IPM is a knowledge-based technology. It involves integration of different methods of disease and pest management to manage an important disease or pest of a crop or to manage all the important diseases and pests of a particular crop. The present study was conducted in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Data were collected through pre-structured interview schedule. It was found that 47.92 per cent of the total respondents had medium level of knowledge about IPM in cauliflower cultivation. This study indicates that 63.37 per cent farmers were having very good knowledge about several IPM practices. Only 26.60 per cent farmers were having knowledge about bio-control practices, it indicates that farmers were having very poor knowledge about bio-control practices. Z value shows that farmers of Badgaon tehsil possessed more knowledge than farmers of Girwa tehsil about IPM practices. This article is helpful for extension person for transferring the technologies regarding IPM in this particular area.

The level of mechanization is increasing day by day in all aspects in Gujarat. The custom hiring is very useful method of having short term control of farm machinery particularly during the tillage operations, sowing and during their harvesting operations, etc. Efforts are made through this study to document the information about the economic status of the custom hiring services of farm machinery. The survey was made for the custom hiring in 7 villages of Junagadh taluka. About 50 farmers were interviewed for the survey and following conclusions were made. Although the use of plough is high but its break-even point is quite higher than that of annual usage. It was observed that profit per investment of combine harvester is maximum whereas it is minimum in case of weeder. Also the implements like rotavator, disc plough, tractor, thresher, cultivator provides good profit to the farmer. There are also some implements like weeder and plough which have negative values of profit per investment. This means that these implements cause loss on the initial investment. It was observed that the return on investment from a machine does not depend on its initial cost. It mainly depends upon the annual usage.

It seems worthwhile to determine the information needs of the groundnut growers. To conduct study, total 120 groundnut growers were selected by random sampling method with a condition that the farmers have cultivated groundnut at least last three years. The extent of information needs of groundnut growers was availed on a three-point continuum rating. Results of the study revealed that majority of the groundnut growers (68.33 per cent) were fall under medium group of information needs about groundnut production technology. While area specific information needs of groundnut growers were, information need about variety and seeds: Suitable high yielding variety for the area (ranked first), land preparation and sowing: soil treatment inputs (ranked first), fertilizer management : Price of fertilizer (ranked first), weed management and inter culturing: Chemical weed control (ranked first), water management : Method of irrigation (ranked first), Plant protection measure : Identification, nature of damage and control measures for insects/pests of groundnut (ranked first), post harvest technology: care after harvesting groundnut(ranked first), Marketing : Market price and in supportive facts: subsidies for groundnut cultivation (ranked first).

With a view to support larger group of groundnut growers with agricultural information in future, it seems worthwhile to determine the information needs of the groundnut growers. A good source of communication directly affects the adoption process. Without a suitable source or channel, it is not possible to convince all the farmers and rural citizen for the adoption of ICT. In India it is important that the extension administrators should decide the effective communication sources before development of any system for the higher adoption at a farmer’s level, in particular with this context it is necessary to develop a suggestive model for transfer of information for groundnut growers. The most important constraints faced by the groundnut growers were: Agricultural information is not available as and when required and information is not available at co-operative societies. The important suggestions offered by majority of groundnut growers’ were: Agricultural information centre should be established at village and required information should be available at co-operative societies.

Organic agriculture is one of the fastest growing sectors of agricultural production. Considering the potential environmental benefits of organic production and its compatibility with integrated agricultural approaches to rural development, organic agriculture may be considered as a development vehicle for developing countries like India, in particular with this context research study was undertaken for 90 farmers in capacity building through training on organic farming practices and 90 untrained farmers of Surendranagar, Jamnagar and Rajkot district of Gujarat state, where researcher observed that a majority of the respondents had medium level of knowledge about organic farming practices. It was also found that almost all the independent variables of trained farmers except size of land holding and annual income had significantly relationship with knowledge of organic farming practices. While in case of untrained farmers all the independent variables except social participation, mass media exposure, innovativeness, market of organic produce and heard size had significantly relationship with knowledge of organic farming practices.

Groundwater is under stress in almost all parts of India due to rapid development in agricultural activities, industrialization, urbanization, education, improved sanitation and increase in population. These scarcities of water make groundwater more precious. Faridabad district is also marred by off and on water crisis. All the districts of Faridabad are notified by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). Faridabad is situated on the Delhi– Mathura National Highway No.-2 at a distance of 32 km. from Delhi, at 28° 25' 16" north latitude and 77° 18' 28" east longitude. The close inspection of four hydrographs reveals that there is distinct pattern in hydrograph behaviour. Ballabhgarh and Bhopani indicates sharp decline in water level because these monitoring wells lies in urban area. Groundwater draft has been increased on the assumption that urbanization, increase in population and industrialization will result into increased groundwater draft. Accordingly, groundwater draft has been increased for 2025 and 2050.The results from numerical groundwater modelling shows that the rate of increase if groundwater draft will adversely affect availability of groundwater resources. The western part of the district comprising Bhankri, Bajri, Ghazipur, Nagla Gujran Faridabad, Sirohi, Fatehpur, Sarurpur, Tikri, Dhoj, Paota, Alwalpur, Alampur, and Zakopur, will face severe water shortage in 2025 and 2050.

The weekly rainfall data of about 22 years (1993-2014) for the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh were analyzed to determine rainfall deficit or surplus for evaluating a strategy for contingency crop planning and water management practices to promote crop production in rain fed areas. The study showed that there were about 8 drought years when the rainfall was found deficit by more than 25 % during the period of 1993 to 2014 in Satna. The worst was experienced in the year 1993 that received 53.58% of the normal rainfall. It was interesting to observe a definite trend in drought periods, showing seven year interval between two successive drought years during the period under study. The month of April, May, November and December were found to be the most drought prone. All the three drought indices identified Satna as the drought prone area. The study also revealed that last week of June will be the best time for sowing kharif crops in the district for better crop germination, establishment and to combat drought. The early maturing rice varieties ’Vandana’ ’Kalinga’’JR-201’, ’Danteshwari’,’Samlesheari’ ’NDR-97’, and ’Sahbhagi’ and soybean varieties ’JS-95-60’ and ’JS-93-05’ may be grown in deep soils under the undulating terrain of the district. Crops like sorghum, maize, sesame, blackgram, greengram and vegetables (coriander, radish, spinach, cauliflower, tomato, chillies, cowpea, and okra), may be grown under rain fed conditions in well drained shallow soils of the undulating terrain and second crop is not possible because of short LGP. Clay soils with impeded drainage may be used under paddy varieties ’Pusa- 1509’. ’Pusa Sughandh-3’ ’Pusa Sughandh-5’ ’Pusa Sughandh-4’ ’Pusa Sughandh-2’’MR-219’ and ’WGL-32100’ maturing with in the 120-130 days duration. Whereas, in clay soils, medium duration paddy varieties maturing within 100-120 days duration ’IR-36’, ’IR-64’, ’Sonam’ ’Pant Dhan -10’, Pant Dhan-12’, ’JR-353’’JR-503’ and ’MTU-1010’ can be grown.

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of moisture stress on growth and yield of pigeon pea under deep black soil during the khariff season of 2013 and 2014. Results indicated that moisture stress imposed at flowering stage was recorded detrimental for growth and yield and the treatment T3 and T1 (control) imposed at flowering stage increased moisture content by 8.50 and 37.91 % over moisture stress at 50 % flowering stage, but the treatment T3 was at par with the treatment T1 in all the stages. The increased pod yield was recorded 2.24 % over the control at grain development stage. Treatment T3 and T1 imposed at flowering stage increased plant height (8.90 % and 8.65 %) and number of branches (5.00 % and 15.00 %) respectively, over 50 % flowering stage. Significantly treatment T1 had lower values for growth and yield parameters due to different reasons viz., moisture stress, pest attack, temperature effect the 70 % pods were damaged. The higher number of pods (6570 nos. ha-1) was recorded in Treatment T3 and exhibited its superiority over rest of the treatments. This indicated that among different growth stages, the flowering stage is most critical for irrigation in the pigeon pea crop.

A field study was conducted to study the effect of nitrogen levels alone and in combination with farm yard manure (FYM), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on mean grain yield of rice and wheat crop. In this study, seven treatment combinations were evaluated: T1 –Recommended fertilizer dose (RDF), T2– N120, P0K0, T3 – N157 P0K0, T4 – N100+ FYM, T5 – N137+ FYM, T6 – N120P30K0, T7 – N120P0K30. Results indicated that treatment, receiving nitrogen along with FYM produced a maximum grain yield of 73.4 in rice & 72.1 q/ha in wheat In T4&T5 treatments in both kharif and rabi season. The minimum grain yield was obtained treatment T6 & T7. Thus, the use of N and P or N and K in combination with farm yard manure (FYM), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) improved grain yield of both rice and wheat crop whereas, the use of N and P or N and K alone could not enhance the yield potential markedly.

The present investigation was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dewas for five consecutive years from 2011-12 to 2015-16 to find out the effect of Integrated Plant Nutrient Management (IPNM) on the performance of the onion crop during rabi season. Demonstration on IPNM were conducted by applying FYM (10 t/ha) + NPKS (130:50:50:20 Kg/ha) + Zinc (5 Kg/ha) + Azospirillum and PSB each @ 5 Kg/ha followed by dipping of seedling roots in 1% Azotobacter solution. The results showed that the growth, yield and yield attributing characters perform well under IPNM plots. The plant height, number of leaves per plant, neck thickness, bulb diameter and bulb weight was found highest in demonstration plots as compared to farmers practice. The average bulb yield recorded in IPNM practices was 303.89 q/ha which was more than local check plots (272.34 q/ha). The increment in yield over local check was 13.64 percent. The technology gap, extension gap and technology index was 21.11 q/ha, 31.55 q/ha and 9.54 percent respectively. An average of Rs.194805 per hectare net profit was recorded under demonstration plots while it was Rs. 169037 per hectare under farmers practice. The benefit cost ratio was highest in demonstrations (4.57) as compared to farmer’s practice (4.22).

Burning crop residue after harvesting of wheat crop to minimize obstruction in sowing of succeeding crop is a common practice of Malwa plateau being used in approximately one lakh ha in Shajapur, alone, which deteriorates soil health. Wheat is a main crop of Rabi after gram. Crop residues effect on yield of soybean were studied at farmers field under on farm trial (OFT) program in 2008 and 2009 with following treatments such as (a) in situ mixing of wheat crop residue by the rotavator (CRMR) and (b) burning of wheat crop residues in the field (CRB). Observation revealed that increasing pattern of organic carbon from 0.38 to 0.40 % in two years which is main source of microbial activity which ultimately enhances nutrient availability in field and produced higher grain yield in CRMR i.e., 38.93% higher than CRB.

A field experiment was undertaken during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the effect of integration of fertility levels with FYM and vermicompost on the growth, quality, productivity and profitability of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) under system of rice intensification. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 18 treatments combinations and replicated thrice. The results revealed that an application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) increased plant height (by 6.5%), LAI (7.6%) and also enhanced dry matter accumulation (12.60%), effective tillers/m2 10.1%), panicle length (6.9%), panicle weight (8.5%), filled grains/panicle (19.0%), test weight (11.0%), grain yield (19.0%) and straw yield (24.2%) over the 50% RDF. As regards on three levels of N (15, 30 and 45 kg/ ha) through organic sources, application of 45 kg N either through vermicompost or FYM gave higher values of growth parameters, yield attributes, grain and straw yield as compared to 30 kg N/ha either through vermicompost or FYM. Similar trend was observed in all the quality parameters like hilling (%), milling (%), head rice recovery, protein content and protein yield of rice. The integration of fertility levels and organic sources on monetary returns in which the maximum net return (₹59804/ha) was gain under 100%RDF along with 30 kg N/ ha through vermicompost was found to be most remunerative dose for rice hybrid ‘PHB-71’ under SRI.

The generation of doubled haploids in anther culture aims to accelerate the acquisition of pure lines within a short span of time. Selection of the desired traits can be done directly from anther culture resulted progeny at early generations. However, there is a possibility of segregation in doubled haploids lines in the future for which this experiment was taken up to determine the agronomic traits, uniformity and stability of the DH lines derived from a popular rice hybrid, BS6444G. The first experiment used 200 DH lines of the first generation of anther culture results (A1) following completely randomized design in two years showed each line has uniform agronomic traits; variation was observed in all 200 DHs. However, based on the better performance, 13 DH lines were selected for further evaluation along with the parent hybrid and two better checks in split plot for four seasons. The results showed that the progenies of individuals of 13 DH lines derived from the second to fifth generations showed no difference between generations for each agronomic trait of the same lines which were stable from generation to generation. Simultaneously, SSR markers also confirmed the stability of all the 13 selected DH lines showing homozygosity in all individual DH populations. Therefore, the selected DH lines could be efficiently used for the successful products in future. The 6 selected DH lines could reach the heterotic level over-yielding (5.4%- 41.9%) than the hybrid and better checks.

Before starting any breeding programme, it is there is need to know the inheritance of important economic characters. By studying the genetics of economic traits and the precise estimation of components of genetic variation, the convenient breeding strategy can be formulated for their improvement. The sixteen BIPs of two crosses, IC-274014 × Punjab Sunheri (Cross-I) and IC-274014 × MM-28 (Cross-II) were evaluated. For node at which first pistillate flower opens, the BIPS of Cross-I and Cross-II exhibited significant additive genetic variance while dominance variance was non-significant and average degree of dominance was less than one. In Cross-I, polar diameter of fruit showed significance at both additive genetic variance and dominance variance but additive genetic variance was more than twice of dominance variance. While in Cross-II, additive genetic variance was highly significant and dominance was non-significant and average degree of dominance was less than one. For equatorial diameter, additive genetic variance was significant and dominance variance was highly significant in Cross-II while additive genetic variance was highly significant and dominance variance was non-significant in Cross-I and average degree of dominance was less than one. In the characters where dominance variance is more than additive genetic variance the heterosis breeding can be suitable option for muskmelon improvement. However, in other cases where additive genetic variance is more than dominance variance along with high heritability, it can be fixed in the inbred lines and inbred lines can be utilized for making new hybrids. Therefore, the present investigation was aimed at the mode of inheritance of important horticultural traits in muskmelon by evaluating bi-parental progenies (BIPs) which were developed and statistically analyzed by North Carolina Design-III.

Field experiment was conducted during summer season of 2014-15 on farmers field to study the effect of different microbial cultures on nutrient uptake and quality of groundnut. The results emerged out indicated that significant increase in nutrient content and uptake after harvest of crop was found highest with RDF + Rhizobium + Pseudomonas striata. However, P content was recorded highest with RDF + Rhizobium + Bacillus megaterium. Quality parameters such as test weight, protein and oil content were also improved with the inoculation of RDF + Rhizobium + Pseudomonas striata over only RDF + Rhizobium.