Uttar Pradesh is the most populous and one of the main food grains producing state of the country. The Department of Agriculture, U.P. is responsible for transfer of improved agriculture technologies to the farmers and also assist them in timely availability of agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides etc. with a view to demonstrating the technical feasibility, economic viability and social acceptability of location. Specific agro techniques to the farmers, it has established 177 agricultural farms popularly known as seed multiplication farms in different agro climatic regions of the state. A three stage stratified random sampling techniques has been used to select the division, district and govt. agricultural farms. 15 Govt. Agricultural farms were selected and categorized as general, usar, pathari and problematic. The selected 15 Govt. Agricultural farms fall under different categories by viz. general (7), usar(3), pathari(3) and problematic (2). The main crops like wheat, paddy, mustard/toriya and gram/pea were grown on the general farms. In this categories, wheat accounted the highest percentage being 33.17 to the total cropped area followed by paddy 21.53 percent, mustard/toriya 8.74 percent and gram/pea 3.62 percent. The cropping intensity on general farm, it varied from 166.74 to 219.44 percent with an average of 200.48 percent. On usar farms, it varied from 153.21 to 200.00 percent with an average of 182.06 percent. On pathari farms, it varied farm 100 to 198.13 percent with an average of 142.84 percent. On problematic farms, it varied from 175.58 to 198.39 percent with an average of 187.19 percent. The main constraints to low productivity on these farms were fertilizer management, less knowledge of plant protection and herbicides, late sowing of crops and late irrigation respectively. The excess of chanas and labour, poor labour efficiency and availability of labour respectively were the economic problem of the sample farm. Unavailability of imprest money, excess of inspection officer, wild animals, local pressure of leaders and untimely inspection respectively were the administrative and other problem of these farms.

The present study was carried out at the Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology ICAR-IARI and at the Division of Genomic Resources, NBPGR, New Delhi during 2013-15. Total 33 genotypes including six species and 28 varieties per genotypes of Psidium guajava were used for molecular characterization. DNA markers systems namely, SSR were used for the genetic diversity analysis among guava germplasm. Total of 39 SSR primers were used to characterize the guava genotypes. Out of 39 primers 26 primers were reproducible. The SSR data were used for analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). In AMOVA and PCoA three hierarchical levels, individual, population and their group. The analysis was performed by using GenAlEx software. Analysis of molecular variance shows variation at three levels, among individual total variance is 59 %,among population is 1% and within individual its percentage is vary upto 40%. Prinicipal co-ordinate analysis distribute all 33 genotypes of guava in two co-ordinate based on their area of collection, all 33 genotype are divided into six population. This six population are naming based on their area of locality. All population does not show any significant differences among the individual population, which varies only 1%. The result of AMOVA and PCoA are correlated with each other.

The combining ability studies involving 50 hybrids generated through Line x Tester mating of 10 lines and 5 testers was conducted at SKRAU, Bikaner.The combining ability analysis of 15 parents and their 50 F1s revealed the presence of significance differences for general combining ability for all the characters. GCA and SCA variances significant for days to maturity, plant height, number of primary branches per plant and seed yield per plant. The parents RGN-298, RGN-303, RGN-236, were found to be good general combiner for seed yield and some other contributing characters. The cross combination RGN-298 x Kranti showed high per se performance as well high SCA effects for seed yield and yield contributing characters

The present investigation was conducted to find out suitable organic manures for quality flower production of Chrysanthemum cv. Dolly white. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications and 11 treatments. This included viz; control, FYM, Vermicompost, Forest litter, Goat manure, FYM + Vermicompost, FYM + Forest litter, FYM + Goat manure, Vermicompost + Forest litter, Vermicompost + Goat manure and Forest litter + Goat manure. The results of the study revealed that the treatment T10 Vermicompost (2 t/ ha) and Goat manure (25 t/ ha) significantly recorded maximum Plant height (95.46 cm), Number of primary (5.93) and secondary (24.00) branches, earliest Number of days taken to bud initiation (81.63), Days taken to 1st opening of flower (15.63), Number of days taken to 50% (31.60), 100% (45.16) flowering, maximum number of ray florets (186.40) and Flower weight (1.68). The treatment T10 Vermicompost (20t/ha) and Goat manure (25t/ha) also recorded the highest number of flowers/ plant (70.93), highest number of flowers/ plot (638.37) and highest number of flowers/ hectare (6384000) and highest C: B ratio (1:6.61).Thus, it can be concluded from the findings that application of Vermicompost (2 t/ ha) and Goat manure (25 t/ ha) can be recommended for commercial cultivation of chrysanthemum cv. Dolly white.

The effects of nitrogen nutrition modification in Murashige and Skoog’s medium during in vitro phase on the production of microtuber was studied to find out whether it enhance their effects on the weight and size of microtuber. The results reported that the reduction in total nitrogen by nitrate concentration in media gave better response for microtuberisation. The reduced level in nitrogen helps to obtain maximum weight and size of microtuber. Varietal differences were also reported and Kufri Chipsona-1 gave highest weight of its microtuber followed by Kufri Pukhraj and Kufri Badshah in the reduced level of nitrogen treatment. However, average effect showed that Kufri Pukhraj was best followed by Kufri Chipsona-1.

The physical properties of grains are necessary for effective design of processing and storage machinery. Various physical properties of paddy, brown rice and head rice were determined for Hamsa variety of rice at 9.61% wet basis (w.b) and the milling characteristics of rice were found at 8, 10 and 12 % (w.b) moisture content (m.c) of brown rice. Geometric mean diameter, sphericity, test weight, true density, porosity and angle of repose for paddy were3.54 mm, 0.39, 22.09 g, 1160 kg.m-3, 48.19 % and 31.44°, respectively. The corresponding values 2.88 mm, 0.46, 19.31 g, 1510kg.m-3, 38.90%, and 30.22° were for brown rice and 2.86 mm, 0.47, 17.32 g, 1430kg.m-3, 44.43% and 30.16° for head rice, respectively. For this variety, the maximum degree of polishing of 15.08% was obtained at 8% m.c of brown rice polishing for 60 s and the maximum head rice yield of 89.05% was obtained at 8% m.c of brown rice for polishing time of 15s. The head rice yield decreases and broken content increases with the increase in m.c and polishing time.

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional-cum-Research (ICR) farm, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-13, Assam during kharif 2015. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design replicated thrice with four sowing dates in main plots viz., 1st May (D1), 11th May (D2), 21st May (D3) and 31st May (D4) along with two methods of sowing viz., direct seeding (M1), transplanting (M2) and two nutrient management practices viz., RDF (F1) and INM package (F2) in sub-plots. Results revealed that May 31st (D4) recorded significantly higher in N,P2O5, K2O content followed by May 21st (D3). Between the two methods of sowing, direct seeding (M1) resulted superior in regards of fertility content but there was no statistical significance. In nutrient management practices, INM (F2) resulted in higher available N, P2O5, K2O content than that in RDF (F1).

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pattukottai during rabi season of 2010-11 to evaluate the weed management practices on growth and yield of groundnut. The results of this study showed that especially pre emergence herbicide as oxyfluorfen @ 250 g/ha at 3 DAS + hand weeding at 40 DAS registered lower weed density (30.5/m2), weed dry weight (38.2 g/m2) and higher weed control efficiency (93.2 per cent). All the growth and yield parameters were significantly improved with application of oxyfluorfen @ 250 g/ha at 3 DAS + hand weeding at 40 DAS and it was closely followed by application of pendimethalin @ 750g/ha at 3 DAS along with hand weeding at 40 DAS was provided a weed free situation by timely control of weeds during the critical period of crop weed competition. However, higher net return ( 21760/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.90) was obtained in pre emergence application of oxyfluorfen @ 250 g/ha at 3 DAS along with hand weeding at 40 DAS. Based on the results, it can be concluded that pre emergence herbicide as oxyfluorfen or pendimethalin along with one hand weeding at 40 DAS enhance the weed free situation, which was led to improving the growth and yield of groundnut.

A field experiment was conducted during 2013-2014 to study the biochemical changes in the leaf of custard apple cv. ArkaSahan under different pruning with defoliation treatments during off-season flowering. Total phenols, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars, proline, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll concentrations were monitored before and after treatment application. Total phenols, non-reducing sugars and total sugars decreased in treated trees vs. before application of treatments and control, but reducing sugar were lower before treatment application than the control and treated trees, and proline, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll levels in leaves increased in the treated trees and control vs. before treatment application. Such biochemical changes within the custard apple leaves may have resulted in greater flowering and fruiting, giving rise to off-season flowering with yield of 19.6 kg per plant in the treatment of 25 per cent pruning + 1% orthophosphoric acid than the other treatments.

In the present study we evaluated the potential role of antioxidant enzymes and phenols in the defence response of five mango hybrids (Mangifera indica L.‘Mallika’, ‘Swarna Jehangir’, ‘Neeleshan’,‘Neelgoa’ and ‘Ratna’)to leafhopper infestation at two stages of leaf maturity (new flush and old leaves). Changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), glutathione reductase (GR), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and ascorbate oxidase (AO) and different biochemical parameters in infested leaves were observed as compared to healthy ones. Strong induction of peroxidase, glutathione reductase and polyphenoloxidase in new flush (88.14%, 89.53% and 78.99%) and old leaves 69.57%, 68.75% and 72.85%) was observed. The accumulation of phenols was preferentially enhanced (new flush-73.99% and old leaves-72.19%). Under infestation total chlorophyll and reducing sugar content were decreased in all the cultivars but to a varying degree. The antioxidant activities of mango leaves was significantly affected by leaf age with higher constitutive and induced levels in new flush as compared to old leaves. Mallika with the highest basal and induced antioxidant enzyme activities is indicated as the most tolerant hybrid whereas Ratna having the lowest is reported as the most sensitive hybrid to leafhopper infestation. Our results implicated that peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, glutathione reductase and phenols played an important role in integrated defence response of mango to leafhopper infestation and the hybrids with higher levels of tolerance exhibited higher capacity for up regulation of defensive enzymes.

An experiment were carried out at the Instructional cum Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) during the kharif 2014 and summer 2015. To study the relationships among 12 quantitative traits pertaining to growth, earliness, and yield characters and to help breeders to determine the selection criteria for breeding programmes for fruit yield improvement of three progenies of IVMM-3 x Punjab Sunheri (C: 4 x 7) with two replication of F5 and F6 generation of Muskmelon. Fruit yield had significant and positive correlation both at phenotypic and genotypic level was observed between fruit yield per vine and the yield contributing characters such as vine length, number of primary branches per vine, number of female flowers per vine, number of fruits per vine, average weight of fruit, average length of fruit, average diameter of fruit and average weight of pulp per fruit. While the characters like days required for first female flower appearance, node at which first female flower appeared and days required for first harvest of fruit were significantly and negatively correlated with average yield per vine, which were helpful relationships. Most of these characters were also found to be positively associated among themselves

A field experiment was conducted at F block, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, V.C. Farm, Mandya during kharif season of 2014 to study the effect of humanure, pit toilet sludge and sewage sludge application on growth and yield of maize. In the experiment, three fecal sludges as nutrient sources along with three levels of fertilizers (75, 100 and 150 percent of recommended dose of fertilizers) were compared with FYM alone, recommended dose of fertilizer alone and recommended dose of fertilizer along with FYM were evaluated with thirteen treatments, replicated thrice in RCBD design. The results revealed that better growth and higher yield of maize was recorded with higher levels of manure and fertilizer application. Significantly higher plant height ¬¬ (203.65 cm) and number of leaves per plant (14.25) were recorded with 150 % K through humanure + balance N and P through fertilizers to supply 150 % N and P and was on par with 150 % P through pit toilet sludge + balance N and K through fertilizers to supply 150 % N and K (189.26 cm and 13.24 respectively) and 150 % P through sewage sludge + balance N and K through fertilizers to supply 150 % N and K (183.23 cm and 12.74 respectively) at 90 DAS (days after sowing). The lower plant height (117.11 cm) and number of leaves per plant (8.19) were recorded in control. Similarly, the test weight (31.50 grams), grain yield (87.52 q ha-1) and stover yield (93.93 q ha-1) recorded were significantly higher in treatment which received 150 % K through humanure + balance N and P through fertilizers to supply 150 % N and P. The increase in grain yield was to the tune of 16.99 %, 34.34% and 88.90 percent over RDF (100 % NPK + FYM), RDF alone and FYM alone treatments. The test weight (27.29 grams), grain yield (38.96 q ha-1) and stover yield (42.55 q ha-1) were lower in absolute control.

A field experiment was conducted at 10 farmers field in 05 villages namely Kharka Busty, Balukhap Makaldara, Makaldara, Khani and Dolapchand in Kalimpong Block-I, Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India with four treatments and four replications to study the effect of soil health, nutrient management and STBD of lime on mulberry leaf yield (Morus alba L.). The soils are moderately deep to very deep in depth; dark yellowish brown (10 YR 4/4) to brown (10 YR 5/4 and 6/4) in colour; sandy loam to sandy clay loam texture; single grain to fine, medium, subangular blocky structure and clear to gradual smooth and gradual wavy horizon boundary. The pH of the soil was quite low with medium to high organic carbon and available nitrogen. The availability of NPK and S was low to medium. While analyzing the leaf yield data, it was found that, the maximum leaf yield was ranged from 5.41 to 7.03 mt ha-1 after the application of RD of nutrients and STBD of dolomite (T4) and minimum leaf yield range was 4.22 to 5.64 mt ha-1 with farmers existing practices (T1) in spring season. The cumulative leaf yield of T4 treatment was 20.87% higher over control. Likewise, in autumn season, maximum leaf yield was ranged from 4.49 to 5.91 mt ha-1 with T4 and minimum leaf yield ranged from 4.00 to 4.48 mt ha-1 T1 respectively. The cumulative leaf yield of T4 treatment was 19.18% higher than control. While analyzing the total leaf yield per annum, the maximum leaf yield among the farmers field was ranged from 9.96 to 12.94 mt ha-1 in T4 treatment followed by 9.68 to 12.35 mt ha-1 in T3, and minimum 8.33 to 10.012 mt ha-1 in T1 respectively. The total leaf of T4 was 20.08% higher over control.

The present investigations entitled “Studies on Floral biology, Pollination and Fruit set in Kiwi fruit [Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.)] under hilly conditions of Uttarakhand” was carried out at the near the P.G. Girls hostel at College of Horticulture, Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, from March to May 2016. The different parameters for floral biology, pollination and fruit set were recorded on the basis of time period. The results showed that kiwi plant shows simple dichasium type of bearing habit. Flowering period starts from first week of second week of April to first week of May with total duration of flowering of 32 days to complete 8 stages of floral bud development. Maximum anthesis of flower occurs between 6am-8am in male flowers and 8am-10am in hermaphrodite flowers. Maximum anther dehiscence takes place 15 minutes after the anthesis. From the above findings, it is concluded that for crop improvement and other programmes April third week to May first week is preferred under hilly conditions of Uttarakhand.

A field experiment was carried out at College Farm, N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat during summer season of 2015 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on summer pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) under South Gujarat condition.It can be seen that among the various treatments, the application of (T9) FYM @ 2.5 t ha-1 along with recommended dose of fertilizer (120 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) and seed inoculation with Azotobacter and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) isresulted in significantly higher growth characters (plant height at 60 DAS, 158.47 cm and at harvest, 174.28 cm and no. of total tillers plant-1 4.93), yield attributes (number of effective tillers plant-1 4.13, earhead length 24.99 cm, earhead girth 3.20 cm), test weight (9.76 g) and grain yield (3631 kg ha-1) and fodder yield (7492 kg ha-1). The maximum net return of (43435 ha-1) along with BCR value of (1.94) was recorded by the application of T9 (T1 + FYM 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + PSB).