Forty-nine rice genotypes including three check varieties were evaluated in RBD with two replications in a field experiment during Kharif season at Regional Research Sub Station: Chakdaha, New Alluvial Zone of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. The analysis revealed significant differences among the genotypes against all the characters studied. In general, phenotypic variance was higher than the corresponding genotypic variance for all the characters studied. Characters like number of panicles per plant, panicle weight(g), number of grains per panicle and number of secondary branches per panicle recorded high phenotypic and genotypic variances simultaneous with PCV and GCV. High estimate of genetic advance was obtained for number of florets per panicle, plant height and number of grains per panicle. High heritability along with high genetic advance as percent of mean was obtained for number of primary branches per panicle, number of panicle per plant, plant height, grain length and kernel length breadth ratio. Grain yield per plant was significantly correlated with number of panicle per plant, panicle weight, number of florets per panicle, number of grains per panicle, harvest index and fertility percentage in positive direction. Path coefficient analysis revealed the high direct effect of number of panicles per plant, panicle weight, number of florets per panicle and floret fertility on grain yield.

The study on Attitude of Okra growers towards Public Private Partnership was conducted in Tapi district of Gujarat state during 2012-13. The number of respondents selected for the study was 100. The data was collected by personal interview method. Regarding attitude it was revealed that majority of the okra growers of PPP (65.00 per cent) had favorable attitude towards PPP followed by 19.00 and 16.00 per cent of them had less favorable and highly favorable attitude towards PPP respectively.

Exploration and collection of millet genetic resources from four districts of Koraput biodiversity hotspot was undertaken. Three districts in Andhra Pradesh viz., Srikakulam, Vizayanagaram, Vishakhapatnam and Rayagada district in Odisha state of India. Total of 72 accessions in various crops, finger millet (24 acc.), sorghum (18 acc.), foxtail millet (16 acc.), pearl millet (12 acc.), little millet (8 acc.), cowpea (6 acc.), rice (4 acc.), red gram (3 acc.), kodo millet (2 acc.), horse gram (1 acc.), and sesame (1 acc.) were collected. Comprehensive passport data was collected including the vernacular names and indigenous knowledge associated with the landrace. These accessions were evaluated and promising germplasm lines with more than one desirable trait were identified. In finger millet, ELS 112 (IC 0622040) was identified for high number productive tillers and grain boldness coupled with earliness. ELS 2 (IC 0621985) of Foxtail millet was identified for high number of internodes, plant height (150 cm), panicle length (27.5 cm) and grain yield (> 42 g per panicle). The little millet accession ELS 123 (IC 0622048) had three desirable traits, bold grain (>1.2 g per 500 seeds), long panicle (>33 cm) with grain yield >72 g. Grain yield and plant height per-se was high in ELS 39 (IC 0622002) accession of pearl millet.

Larval migration of late second instar tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera litura (Fab.), was observed in pure and mixed stands of nontransgenic and BG-II cotton, Gossypium spp. L., expressing an insecticidal protein Cry 1 Ac + Cry 2 Ab from a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner subspp. kurstaki. Three plots i.e., two mixed stands (Mallika and Bunny BG-II along with non Bt) and one pure stand(BG-II cotton) were evaluated. In case of mixed planting non Bt plants were infested with late second instar larvae at 60, 75 and 90 days after sowing of the crop. In pure BG-II cotton only selected BG-II plants were infested with late second instar larvae at 75 days after sowing of the crop. These data provide evidence of larval movement between plants in seed mixtures. Migration of S. litura larvae from non Bt to BG-II cotton hybrid in mixed stand and BG-II cotton to BG-II cotton within pure stand was observed at 60, 75 and 90 DAS. The larval migration was more in pure stand (BG-II cotton field) compared withmixed stand cotton. More number of larvae was observed on leaves followed by flowers, squares and bolls irrespective of pure and mixed cotton.

Vermicompost is a fine granular, dark brown/black coloured organic product prepared by earthworms by using animal dung and organic wastes which is much useful for soil health. It has biological properties as rich in population of soil micro-organisms compared with those in conventional composts. Vermicompost has adequate amount of micronutrient and macronutrients depending on sources of earthworm’s feedstock. Earthworm promotes soil fragmentation and increase aeration of soil by volume 8-30 per cent. Vermicompost has at least four times more plant nutrients than conventional cattle dung compost. Vermicomposting is a source of creating self employment and revenue generation. This is an easy and faster process of converting organic matter into compost than other conventional methods. A farmer, Shri Bhikhari Mehta opted vermicomposting for his livelihood and started from a very small scale and became a successful producer of quality product. He argued that his product is demanded by nearby farmers, NGO’s and government organizations of Bihar. Moreover, he is encouraging interested farmers to prepare this multifunctional quality product on their own farms so that farming community can be benefitted.