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Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa

In the imperial Gazetteer of India 1878, Pusa was recorded as a government estate of about 1350 acres in Darbhanba. It was acquired by East India Company for running a stud farm to supply better breed of horses mainly for the army. Frequent incidence of glanders disease (swelling of glands), mostly affecting the valuable imported bloodstock made the civil veterinary department to shift the entire stock out of Pusa. A British tobacco concern Beg Sutherland & co. got the estate on lease but it also left in 1897 abandoning the government estate of Pusa. Lord Mayo, The Viceroy and Governor General, had been repeatedly trying to get through his proposal for setting up a directorate general of Agriculture that would take care of the soil and its productivity, formulate newer techniques of cultivation, improve the quality of seeds and livestock and also arrange for imparting agricultural education. The government of India had invited a British expert. Dr. J. A. Voelcker who had submitted as report on the development of Indian agriculture. As a follow-up action, three experts in different fields were appointed for the first time during 1885 to 1895 namely, agricultural chemist (Dr. J. W. Leafer), cryptogamic botanist (Dr. R. A. Butler) and entomologist (Dr. H. Maxwell Lefroy) with headquarters at Dehradun (U.P.) in the forest Research Institute complex. Surprisingly, until now Pusa, which was destined to become the centre of agricultural revolution in the country, was lying as before an abandoned government estate. In 1898. Lord Curzon took over as the viceroy. A widely traveled person and an administrator, he salvaged out the earlier proposal and got London’s approval for the appointment of the inspector General of Agriculture to which the first incumbent Mr. J. Mollison (Dy. Director of Agriculture, Bombay) joined in 1901 with headquarters at Nagpur The then government of Bengal had mooted in 1902 a proposal to the centre for setting up a model cattle farm for improving the dilapidated condition of the livestock at Pusa estate where plenty of land, water and feed would be available, and with Mr. Mollison’s support this was accepted in principle. Around Pusa, there were many British planters and also an indigo research centre Dalsing Sarai (near Pusa). Mr. Mollison’s visits to this mini British kingdom and his strong recommendations. In favour of Pusa as the most ideal place for the Bengal government project obviously caught the attention for the viceroy.

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Subject: Entomology × Author: DEY, AMIT × End date: 2023 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Bio-ecology and Management of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda S. on Kharif Maize
    (RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) DEY, AMIT; GIRI, GOURI SHANKAR
    The present study entitled “Bio-ecology and Management of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda S. on Kharif Maize” was conducted at the Research Farm of Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The research study focused on the population fluctuation of fall armyworm in relation to biotic and abiotic factors of the environment, biology, biophysical and biochemical bases resistance among genotypes against fall armyworm and management of its thorough some insecticides as seed treatment and foliar spraying. It was observed that the larva was first noticed during 30th SMW (0.20 larvae per plant) followed by adult moth during 31st SMW (2.00 moths per trap). The larval population as well as moth catches per trap reached its first peak during 37th SMW (1.45 larvae per plant and 4.50 moths per trap, respectively) during the vegetative stage and a second peak was observed during 40th SMW (1.35 larvae per plant and 4.50 moths per trap, respectively) during the reproductive stage of crop. Both larvae per plant and moth catches per trap had a positive and significant relationship with morning (r = 0.566* and 0.497*, respectively) and evening (r = 0.570* and 0.529*, respectively) relative humidity and a negative and significant relation with bright sunshine hour (r = -0.509* and -0.564*, respectively). Number of moths per trap had a positive and significant correlation with evaporation (r = 0.574*) while the larvae per plant had a negative correlation with evaporation (r = -0.748**). The predator population in maize ecosystem showed a positive and significant correlation with both trapped moths and larval population. Under laboratory conditions, the total lifecycle was completed within 32.02 and 34.47 days for male and female moth respectivelyu. The incubation period lasts for 2.60 days, larval period for 14.77 days, pupal period for 10.46 days. The lifespan of adult male was 4.18 days whereas for female adult moth it was 6.63 days. Out of 36 genotypes screened, 4 were found resistant, 22 were moderately resistant and 10 were found susceptible. Cob width had a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.335*) whereas number of husk layers had a negative and significant correlation (r = -0.820**) with per cent cob infestation. Trichome density had a negative and significant correlation (r = -0.861**) with per cent plant infestation. Biochemical parameters like total protein (r = 0.852**) and P/C ratio (r = 0.868**) had a positive and significant relation with per cent plant infestation whereas total carbohydrate (r = -0.875**), total phenols (r = -0.868**) and total chlorophyll (r = -0.836**) had a negative and significant relationship with per cent plant infestation. Plots where seeds were treated with Cyantraniliprole 19.8 % + Thiamethoxam 19.8 % @ 6 ml/kg of seed followed by application of Chlorantraniliprole 18. 5 % SC as spray @ 0.4 ml/litre at 4 weeks after germination was found most effective against fall armyworm as the per cent plant infestation (9.21 and 11.54 per cent, respectively), larval population (4.75 and 5.50 larvae per 10 plants, respectively) and mean Davis score (Davis score of 1.70 and 1.83, respectively) was found lowest in both vegetative and reproductive stage in those plots.