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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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20231
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Subject: Farm, Machinery and Power × Author: YADAV, ANAND MOHAN ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development of Single Row Vegetable Transplanter with Rotating Cup Type Metering Mechanism
    (RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) YADAV, ANAND MOHAN; Sinha, Jaya
    The role of vegetables in ensuring global food security is crucial due to their provision of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for a balanced diet. This study addresses the significance of vegetable cultivation, particularly in low-income countries, where they play a vital role in nutrition and economic well-being. Despite advancements in agricultural practices, challenges persist in terms of productivity, cost-efficiency, and sustainability. This research focuses on optimizing vegetable transplanting, a critical process in agriculture, by developing a battery-operated single-row transplanter with a rotating cup-type metering mechanism. Historically, vegetable sowing methods have evolved from traditional practices to modern technological advancements. This study concentrates on Indian vegetable cultivation, heavily reliant on manual labor. While semi-automatic transplanters have alleviated labor burdens, this research aims to further enhance efficiency through the development of an automatic transplanter. The research objectives encompass developing the metering mechanism, designing the transplanter, evaluating its performance and economic viability. This study involved several steps, including assessing seedling properties, designing the metering mechanism, fabricating the transplanter, evaluating its performance, and conducting cost analysis. The transplanter's specifications, power source, transmission system, and battery were detailed. Performance metrics, such as draft and power requirements, field capacity, transplanting rate, and survival percentage, were measured and analyzed. The cost economics of the transplanter were compared to manual methods. The results of field trials on Chilli and Brinjal crops indicated the transplanter's efficiency, achieving high field efficiency rates ranging from 43.61% to 55.55% across different speeds. ANOVA showed Actual Field Capacity is significant at the 1 percent level. Actual Field Capacity (AFC) increased from 0.02 ha/h at 0.5 km/h to 0.03 ha/h at 1.0 km/h. The transplanter exhibited transplanting rates ranging from 920.13 plants/hour to 1679.89 plants/hour, significantly reducing labor requirements. Cost analysis demonstrated the transplanter's cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, this research presents a single-row vegetable transplanter with a rotating cup-type metering mechanism that offers promising results in terms of performance, efficiency, and cost savings. The transplanter has the potential to revolutionize vegetable cultivation practices by streamlining transplanting operations and improving crop yields. Further validation and fine-tuning are recommended for different conditions and crops. This technology represents a significant advancement in sustainable and efficient agriculture.