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20203
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End date: 2020 × Start date: 2020 × Type: Thesis × Rating Count: 5 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Influence of different agroforestry tree species on soil properties and their potential for carbon sequestration in tarai region of Uttarakhand
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2020-11) Melkani, Suraj; Singh, Veer
    A field study was carried out during 2019-2020 at Agroforestry Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, to study the influence of different agroforestry tree species on soil properties and their potential for carbon sequestration in tarai region. The experiment comprised of nine agroforestry tree species viz., Anthocephalus cadamb, Pterospermum acerifolium, Delonix regia, Terminalia chebula, Chukrasia tabularis, Dillenia indica, Bambusa vulgaris, Lagerstroemia indica and Pithecellobium dulce along with a control in randomize block design with three replications. Soil samples were collected prior to the commencement of the monsoon season at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depth. All soil properties were significantly affected by the tree plantations and except bulk density, pH and electrical conductivity of soil all other parameters decreased at 15-30 cm depth of soil compared to 0-15 cm. There was slight decrease in the pH of soil under tree covers, whereas no appreciable change in EC was observed. Compared with control (fallow land), all the soil properties found to be improved under different tree covers at both the depths. Among the different agroforestry tree species, Bambusa vulgaris planted soil showed the higher values of most of the soil properties however lowest values were found under other tree species. Different agroforestry tree species stored 47.18-101.77, 2.39-6.43 and 19.10-35.21 kg ha-1 more available N, P and K, respectively, over the fallow land at soil surface layer where maximum accumulation was found with Bambusa vulgaris for available N and Anthocephalus cadamba for available P and K. Very labile carbon fraction was observed about four and two times higher than less labile and labile and non labile carbon fraction, respectively, where highest amount of non labile carbon fraction was obtained under Dillenia indica plantation soil while other carbon fractions under Bambusa vulgaris plantation at both soil depths. Soil microbial biomass carbon, soil organic carbon content, SOC stock, carbon sequestration rate were higher under Bambusa vulgaris which was 45.08-149.21 μg g-1 of soil, 0.52-3.08 g kg-1 soil, 0.66-3.55 Mg C ha-1 and 0.098-0.586 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, respectively, more than other treatments. Compared to the initial level of 16 years back, available N, P and K, soil organic carbon content and SOC stock in terms of per cent were found to increase and was in the order of available P > SOC content > available N > available K > SOC stock. All the correlations between the soil properties in general were observed as significant. Highest significant positive and negative correlations were observed between SOC and SOC stock (0.991**) and soil bulk density and available N (-0.955**), respectively. Therefore, it is evident from the present study that agroforestry is a suitable land-use system in improvement of soil carbon storage, carbon sequestration as well as for the overall improvement of soil health through improvement in soil properties. The adaptation of Bambusa vulgaris in the agroforestry plantation system in tarai region may be beneficial.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Varietal evaluation of Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis L.) under tarai conditions of Uttarakhand
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2020-12) Dhyani, Ajay; Pal, Anju
    The present investigation entitled “Varietal evaluation of Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis L.) under tarai conditions of Uttarakhand” was carried out at the Model Floriculture Centre, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar during 2019- 20. The experiment was laid out in complete randomized block design with three replications involving 10 genotypes. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate these ten different varieties of Dahlia on the basis of their growth and flowering parameters. Present findings revealed that among all the varieties of Dahlia cultivar Jishu showed highest plant height (113.22cm), plant spread (62.67 cm) and internodal distance (15.12 cm) whereas maximum number of leaves was found in cultivar Sohini (135.44). Matungini cultivar of Dahlia has maximum number of primary branches (10.11) and leaf diameter (11.78 cm). Maximum number of flowers per plant was observed in cultivar Matungini (14.78). Maximum flower diameter was recorded in the cultivar „Tenzin‟ i.e. 19.44 cm. The maximum fresh flower weight was observed in cultivar „Jishu‟ that was (55.90 gm). Maximum vase life was observed in the cultivar „Shanti‟ (6.6 days). It was observed from the experimental results that Jishu and Matungani variety was well suitable for cultivation in tarai regions of Uttarakhand during winter season period whereas the cultivar Kenya Yellow can be found well suited for pot culture purpose. The flowering in Kenya Yellow was very late as compared to all other cultivars. The plant height, number of branches and number of leaves were also found to be significantly correlated with the bud formation in the Dahlia plants. Overall performance of all the cultivars was the influence of its heritability and environmental conditions.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Eco-friendly management of gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on chickpea
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2020-07) Bisht, Dheeraj; Tiwari, Ruchira
    Field and laboratory experiments based bioassay studies were made to evaluate the efficacy of cow urine based natural formulations, such as desi cow urine @20 percent, agniastra, neemastra dashparni, jivamrit and panchgavya @3 percent, and the effectiveness of homemade jaggery-based sweet traps at different concentrations against H. armigera on chickpea during the rabi crop season of 2018-19 at NB Crop Research Centre, Pantnagar, Uttarakhad. The field studies showed that, agniastra, dashparni, neemastra, desi cow urine and jivamrit were effective against H.armigera with mean larval population, pod damage and grain yield ranged from 1.89 to 4.17larvae/10 plants, 13.43to 22.33 per cent and 7.32 q/ha to 11.95 q/ha, respectively in comparison with untreated control which was significantly different r than these treatments (10.05 larvae/10 plants, pod damage-38.70 per cent and grain yield-6.44 q/ha). These cow urine based natural formulations were also found safe for the natural enemy, Campoletus chloridae during field study with the mean cocoon population ranged from 1.50 to 3.00/10 plants in comparison to insecticide, indoxcarb (0.67/10 plants). The efficacy of the jaggery based sweet baited traps was also evaluated to trap the adult moths of H. armigera on chickpea crop. The jaggery solution @ 50% and 75% were found to be the best to trap the moths of H. armigera (17.78 adults/ trap) and (20.67 adults/trap), respectively which was at par with Helilure pheromone trap (24.11 adults/trap) with trappings of lesser numbers of non-target insects in the chickpea crop environment. Laboratory based bioassay studies on the growth regulatory effect of various cow urine based natural formulations again demonstrated the effectiveness of agniastra, dashparni, and neemastra against H. armigera caused 100% mortality of neonate larvae, while desi cow urine, panchgavya and jivamrit gave very less growth index values (0.452, 0.521 and 0.842) compared to untreated control (2.546). The studies conducted on antifeedant activity of cow urine based formulations against 4th instar larvae of H. armigera categorized agniastra and neemastra with strong antifeedant action with a preference index of 0.50, each. Among the other treatments, desi cow urine, dashparni and jivanrit with a preference indices ranged from (0.55 to 0.73) were found to be moderately antifeedant action while panchgavya (076) was recorded with slight antifeedant action against the test insect. On the basis of the above findings, the present study clearly showed that the tested cow urine based natural formulations and homemade jaggery based sweet traps were found very effective against H. armigera on chickpea crop system. On the other hand, the growth regulatory and antifeedant activity of these cost effective, easily made and eco-friendly cow urine based natural formulations showed their negative effect on feeding behavior, growth and development of H. armigera. Thus, it can finally be concluded that these eco-friendly approaches can easily be incorporated in an integrated pest management programme of H. armigera on chickpea.