Plant growth regulator and micronutrients has great impact on quality and quantity of tuberose, an experiment was designed at Ranchi (Jharkhand) during the year 2012 and 2013 on foliar spray of PGR (plant growth regulator) and micronutrients in tuberose under protected and open conditions. The experiment consisted of twelve treatments i.e.T1-GA3 (Gibberellic acid),T2-MH (Maleic hydrazide),T3-(Boron),T4-(Zinc),T5-(GA3+Boron), T6-(GA3+Zinc), T7-( MH+Boron), T8-( MH+Zinc), T9-( Boron+Zinc), T10-( GA3+Boron+Zinc), T11-( MH+Boron+Zinc) and T12 (water spray). Vegetative growth characters such as leaf length (65.02cm and 56.92cm, respectively), leaf number (62.61 and 57.61, respectively) leaf breadth (2.22cm and 2.08 cm, respectively) and flowering characters as spike length (117.59cm and 87.38cm, respectively), number of spikes per plant (2.70 and 1.33, respectively), number of florets per spike(59.10 and 40.57, respectively) were recorded maximum with foliar spray of GA3 (100ppm) +B (100ppm) +Zn (10ppm). However, maximum chlorophyll content (0.219 and 0.192, respectively) and diameter of florets (5.14 cm and 4.18cm, respectively) in polyhouse and open conditions were with foliar application of MH (500ppm) +B (100ppm) +Zn (10ppm).

This study was conducted to assess nutritional status and its effect on IQ level of adolescent ranging from 13 to 17 years, a total of 300 (193 boys and 107 girls) adolescent were randomly selected from three schools of Palanpur, Banaskantha district. Mean height and mean weight of adolescent was compared to ICMR standard value. The nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements and categorized according to Water low’s classification. There was no significant difference in mean height and weight of boys and girls, in age group of <14 and 14-15 years found highly significant difference was found in mean height of >15 years boys but no significant difference was found in their mean weight. The results further, highlighted that 48.66 % adolescent had normal nutritional status, while 32 % adolescent belonged to wasted category, 7.33 % adolescent were stunted and 12 % adolescent belonged to wasted and stunted category. Nutritional status was positively and highly significantly correlated (0.21**) with level of intelligence. Majority of the malnourished adolescent fell in lower level of intelligence. On the other hand, reverse trend was observed in case of normal adolescent who represented better level of intelligence. Thus, it can be concluded that the improved nutritional status increases the level of intelligence.

Seed viability and seed vigour are the most important factors affected during deterioration. However, viability and vigour are not affected at the same rate. In the present study attempt was made to assess the pattern of loss of vigour and viability of two groundnut varieties (CO 7 - Dormant variety and TMV 13 non dormant variety) when stored as kernel and pod in different storage environment viz. ambient storage, cold storage and atmosphere with 40% of CO2 concentration. The groundnut kernels were dried to 8 % moisture content with the care of not over drying and gradual reduction of moisture. Ten kg of ground nut kernel and pods (untreated), were packed in gunny bag (farmers practice - Moisture vapour pervious) and 700 gauge polyethylene container (Moisture vapour proof) and placed in ambient condition and also in cold storage (100 C + 40 % RH) with three replications. The same were kept in a container were 40 % CO2 concentration was maintained throughout the study period. The CO2 concentration was measured and maintained on weekly basis. The results in the present study revealed that the pattern of vigour and viability loss was found to endorse the already established trend of decline in vigour and viability i.e., the decline in vigour occurs much more rapidly than the decline in viability. At the same time, the pattern of loss in vigour and vibility varies with the different patterns of seed handling in storage. Pods packed in 700 gauge polyethylene bag and stored at 10 0 C + 40 % RH (storage environment) maintains better vigour and viablity for 12 months, 1224 and 76 % in TMV 13 and 1158 and 72% in CO7 respectively, compared to gunny bag storage under ambient condition, where a vigour and viability of 858 and 43 % in TMV 13 and 664 and 47 % in CO 6 was recorded. A kernel stored in 100 C in polyethylene bag was on par with pods stored in cold storage. After 12 months of storage it recorded a vigour and viability of 1218 and 75 % in TMV 13 and 1210 and 76 in CO7, respectively. The storage insect - Ground nut seed borer (Carydon seratus) - was observed under ambient storage alone, that too only in TMV 13 but not in CO7. The seeds and pods stored in a storage atmosphere comprising of 40 % of CO2 concentration maintained a vigour and viability 1220 and 81 % in TMV 7 and 1196 and 78 % in CO7, respectively after 12 months of storage, which was an par with kernel or pod storage in cold storage. Hence storing the pods or kernels of groundnut dried to the moisture content of 8 percent and stored either in the storage environment of 100 C + 40 % RH or 40 % CO2 concentration can maintain the vigour and viability as per the Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards upto 12 months of storage.

Water scarcity is a major problem in arid and semi-arid areas. Climate change and its outcomes on precipitation and water resource is the other problem in these areas. It is necessary to know the sequence of dry and wet periods for successful agricultural management and planning of soil and water conservation measures. Probability analysis is a very useful tool for making important decisions in agricultural operations. In this study, Markov chain model has been extensively used to study spell distribution. For this purpose a week period was considered as an optimum length of time. In this study, probabilities of occurrence of wet week (Pw), Dry week (Pd), wet week preceded by wet week (Pww),dry week preceded by dry week (Pdd), two and three consecutive wet and dry weeks (P2w,P2d,P3w and P3d) at a threshold rainfall limit of 20 mm/week is calculated. In this analysis, daily rainfall data was converted to weekly period for 30 years from 1986 – 2015 for Kumulur, Trichy district, Tamil Nadu. Markov chain model has been utilized to derive the probability of dry or wet weeks and also forward and backward accumulation of rain water suitable for crop production. This analysis can be helpful to find out different cropping pattern including intercropping and sequence cropping suitable during that period

Utilization points of view, dried mushroom powder used in the formulation of mushroom mixed maize, jowar and rice soups showed that upto the level of 25% could be fortified without changing sensory quality characteristics. Maize soup gave better consumer preference and nutritionally had higher amount of ash and fibres. In vermicelli, mushroom powder could be supplemented upto the level of 10%in refined wheat flour for enhancing the nutritional quality of the product. At higher percentage, product was poor due to changes in textural quality. Cooking time was also decreased on supplementation of mushroom powder. The utilization of fresh mushroom in warri and pickles showed that warri could be made with good sensory quality characteristics by using 30 per cent blackgram, 20% per cent fresh mushroom and 50 per cent ash gourd. The product contained good amount of all the nutrients specially ash and fibre. These products could be well stored both in plastic jars and polypropylene bags upto 6 to 8 months without any deleterious effect. Mushroom pickles with lemon juice could be stored for 10 months in comparison to pickle prepared in oil. All the sensory quality characteristic was also good in pickles with lemon juice.