Adoption of Integrated pests and disease management technologies on Pigeon pea was studies during 2014-15 crop seasons among 150 respondents of three categories (low, medium and high) in six villages of two developmental blocks of Sidhi district. Studies revealed that the 63.33 per cent respondents sown treated seed within recommended time of sowing (52%) where as 30.0 per cent area of respondent used croprotation practices. More than 25 % farmers prefer wilt disease resistant varieties and only 11.3 per cent respondents adopted inter cropping system with sorghum. In mechanical management practices, 12.66% respondent applied bird purcher for insect pest management in their standing crop whereas adoption of hand removal technique for pest management was only 6 per cent. None of the farmer used pheromone traps against pests. Biological method is very effective and ecologically save for disease and pests management but here only 14.66 per cent respondents was used Trichoderma species against soil borne diseases and 7.33% applied bio-agent (NPV and Bt)for management of pests. Whereas 17.33 per cent respondents were adopted chemical pesticides for disease and insect pests management in pigeon pea. Unavailability of effective and good bio pesticides, time tacking control process, proper time of their application and lack of knowledge about identification of beneficial insects are the important constraints in the use of biological management method

The field investigation on Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. & Fernand germplasm for yield attributes and suitability in Agroforestry system was carried out at ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India during 2014-2015. For the study 10 accessions collected from different parts of India were evaluated. Significantly higher fresh weight of leaves (24.20 g/plant) and dry weight of leaves (5.58 g/plant) were noted in safed musli accession C2. Fresh weight of single tuber/finger (1.88 g) and dry weight of single tuber/finger (0.49 g) were higher in safed musli accession C4. Significantly higher tuber yield was observed in safed musli accession C5 (11.85 g/plant). The interaction effect of various land use systems and accessions of safed musli was found non-significant for all yield parameters under study in respective years of investigation. However, in pooled analysis fresh weight of single tuber and dry weight of single tuber were found significant. BCR was recorded maximum in safed musli accession C5 when it was grown in open condition (1:2.69) as well as under moringa based Agroforestry system (1:2.76).

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) has been reported as major health problem amongst a large number of working population. As women are involved in many agricultural and allied activities, it leads to many health hazards mainly musculoskeletal disorders such sprain, strain, low back pain, pain in lower and upper extremities etc. Researchers need to focus on assessing risk for musculoskeletal disorders among farm women and recommend ergonomic interventions to improve their body posture and job design. This paper presents RULA case studies of farm women and reports their discomfort level while performing different agricultural and allied activities. It was found that none of the farm woman was working in an acceptable posture and it required changes. In exploring their discomfort level, lumber and lower limbs were found the most affected body parts due to poor posture and poor job design.

A field study was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in wetland during samba season (Aug 2014- Jan 2015) with an objective to study the effect of seedling age on growth and physiological parameters in rice landraces under irrigated rice ecosystem. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with three replications. The treatments in main plot were three age of seedlings viz., 15, 20 and 25 days old seedlings and in sub plot eight rice landraces viz., Chandikar, Kuliyadichan, Kuruvaikalanjiyam, Norungan, Nootripathu, Black Kavuni, Red Kavuni, Njavara and CO(R) 50 (one high yielding variety).Observations were recorded on growth parameters such as plant height, tiller numbers, dry matter production, and the physiological parameters like LAI, CGR and RGR. The yield attributes like productive tillers and grain yield were recorded at the time of harvest. The study concludes that 15 days old seedling in all the eight rice landraces and one high yielding variety, recorded higher growth and physiological parameters. In rice landraces, Red Kavuni recorded enhanced growth characters and yield compared to other rice landraces.

Experiment was conducted with an aim to know the effect of different organic manures and bio-fertilizers on morphological, floral and bulb traits on Narcissus (Daffodil) cv. “Salome”. Seven different nutrient combinations were tested with distinct range of organic manures viz. vermicompost (1.5 t/h,2.5t/h, 5 tones /ha,), Sheep manure (1.5t/ha, 2.5t/h, 5 t/h) and recommended dose of NPK without organic manures as control treatment. In addition to these manures, all bulbs were treated with Azotobacter and Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) before planting. It was observed that treatment T3 (Vermicompost 5t/ha+ Azotobacter+ PSB) resulted with earliness in bulb sprouting, bud initiation and to reach goose neck stage. However, the treatment T5 (1.25 t/ha vermicompost +1.5t/ha sheep manure+ Azotobacter+ PSB) resulted in delay of bulb sprouting, bud initiation and duration to reach goose neck stage. From qualitative parameters point of view maximum tepal length (34.61mm), spa the length (40.97cm), flower diameter (79.47mm) and duration of flowering (26.86 days) resulted with the treatment T3 and minimum values for all these traits were observed with treatment T5. Bulb weight was recorded maximum (24.48g) with treatment T3 (vermicompost 5t/h+ Azotobacter +PSB) and minimum (16.12g) with treatment T5 (1.5 t/h sheep manure+ Azotobacter +PSB) while as bulb diameter followed the same trend with maximum (33.21mm) with T3 and minimum (20.10mm) with T5.

Wet season rice sown early by 20 June could out-yield subsequent delayed sowings by 69.18% (5 July) and 290.86% (20 July) under complete submergence. Straw yield also followed the similar trend. Harvest index of early sown rice was significantly superior over the corresponding indices of rice sown by latter two dates. Grain and straw yields were higher in cv. Pratikshya than Hybrid Ajay under post-flood agro-ecological situation. Among all treatment combinations, the highest grain yield could be harvested in Pratikshya sown early (20 June) under modified System of Rice Intensification (SRI) whereas Ajay sown late (20 July) under SRI had yielded the lowest grain.

Ninety genotypes along with three check varieties viz., JL TG37A, PM-2 and UG-5 were evaluated for association analysis at Instructional Farm, College of Technology and Engineering, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India during kharif 2014-15 in Augmented Design. Association estimates revealed that dry pod yield per plant showed positive and significant correlation at both genotypic and phenotypic levels with kernel yield per plant, 100-kernel weight, sound mature kernels and biological yield per plant. Correlation for dry pod yield per plant was divided into direct and indirect effects of different characters. Highest positive direct effect on dry pod yield was exhibited by kernel yield per plant (2.28) followed by days to maturity (0.57), oil content (0.31) and days to 50% flowering (0.22). This indicates that increase in kernel yield per plant, 100-kernel weight and sound mature kernels would improve the dry pod yield per plant of groundnut

An attempt has been made to estimate the trends in area, production and productivity of sapota fruit cop in Dharwad district of Northern Karnataka. Secondary data on area, production and productivity were collected from State Department of Horticulture. Compound growth rate analysis was employed to evaluate the objective of the study. The results revealed that the growth in area, production and productivity for sapota were found positive (7.45, 8.02 and 0.99 respectively). Factors contributing to variation of sapota fruit crop were studied using multiple linear regression analysis using time series data collected from State Department of Horticulture, District Statistical Office and various issues of Dharwad district at a Glance. The results revealed that the factors responsible for the changes in area under sapota fruit crop over the years were price, population, rainfall, net irrigated area, fertilizer, number of factories and number of commercial banks. The results revealed that major constraints faced by sapota growing farmers in production were adequate irrigation (water) facilities, rainfall, resources, non-availability of labour, irregular power supply and management. Major constraints faced by sapota growing farmers in marketing were storage, high commission charges, high transportation cost, lack of availability of adequate market information, markets far away from farm, low price and mutual understanding between commission agents and traders.

Indian coffee possesses an exotic full-bodied taste and a fine aroma. Indian coffee has created a niche for itself in the international market. Arabica plantation coffee is one of the important types of coffee produced in India. In this study ARIMA, ANN and Hybrid ARIMA-ANN models were used to analyse the past behaviour of a time series data, in order to make inferences about its future behaviour for Arabica Plantation species of Indian coffee. Finally, the forecasting performance of these models are evaluated and compared by using common criteria’s such as; Root Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Percentage Error. Key findings reveal the superiority of Hybrid ARIMA-ANN model than in other Models, for forecasting of Indian Arabica Plantation coffee price.

This study quantifies the direction of structural changes in area of major fruit crops. The markov chain analysis was attempted through linear programming method to assess the transition probabilities for major fruit crops. The results revealed that mango crop showed highest retention of area (99.23 %) in Dharwad taluk. In Hubli taluk also mango crop showed highest retention of area (86.44%). In Navalgund taluk, guava crop showed highest retention of area (93.69 %). In Kalghatagi taluk also guava crop showed highest retention of area (88.42%). In Kundgol taluk, sapota crop showed highest retention of area (86.95%).