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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: Fruit Science × Author: NAIK, DESAVATH AKASH × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2023 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of pomological potential and standardization of propagation methods in Elephant apple (Dillenia indica L.)
    (RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) NAIK, DESAVATH AKASH; Mukhim, C.
    The present experiment entitled “Assessment of pomological potential and standardization of propagation methods in Elephant apple (Dillenia indica L.)” was carried out in shade net of Hi-tech nursery unit of Department of Horticulture, PG College of Agriculture, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar) during the year of 2022-2023. The biochemical parameters were taken in biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Botany, Physiology and Biochemistry, RPCAU, Pusa. The study aimed to investigate the pomological potential of elephant apple (Dillenia indica) and establish standardized propagation methods for this fruit. The research encompassed two primary objectives: evaluating the time taken for fruit development and assessing various parameters related to fruit quality, seed characteristics and propagation techniques. Five distinct collections of elephant apple fruits, labeled EC 1 to EC 5, were subjected to analysis. The duration from flowering to fruit set was measured, with EC 4 displaying the longest period (75.55 days) followed by EC 5 (66.89 days). Conversely, EC 2 demonstrated the shortest duration (56.30 days) and EC 1 fell in between (65.62 days). The fruit count varied among collections, with EC 2 containing the most fruits (498.26) and EC 5 having the fewest (11). Moreover, EC 4 exhibited the highest fruit weight (577.37 g), while EC 5 had the lightest fruits (402.40 g). Fruit dimensions were also scrutinized, revealing EC 4 to possess the greatest fruit length (12.53 cm) and EC 5 to have the smallest (8.63 cm). EC 4's fruit breadth measured 9.91 cm, whereas EC 5's was 9.14 cm. EC 4 was statistically on par with EC 1, EC 2 and EC 3 in terms of these parameters. Specific gravity was highest in EC 1 (408.05) followed by EC 4 (384.60) while EC 5 had the lowest (326.36). Shelf-life analyses indicated EC 2 as having the longest (33.75 days) and EC 5 the shortest (25.75 days), with EC 2 comparable to EC 1, EC 3 and EC 4. Ascorbic acid content ranged from 11.79 mg/100 g to 13.35 mg/100 g. EC 5 exhibited the highest level, whereas EC 3 displayed the lowest. Maximum titratable acidity was recorded in EC 1 (2.53%) and minimum in both EC 3 and EC 5 (1.99%). Total phenol content was highest in EC 4 (368.95 mg GAE/100g) and lowest in EC 5 (222.62 mg GAE/100g). EC 2 showcased the highest antioxidant activity (72.31%), while EC 5 demonstrated the lowest (65.18%). TSS content varied from 6.59 to 13.09 °Brix, with EC 3 having the highest and EC 5 the lowest values. The number of seeds per fruit ranged from 84.25 in EC 5 to 200.75 in EC 3, with seed color varying among collections. Furthermore, the investigation delved into propagation methods for elephant apple through cuttings and seed germination. The study focused on various treatments involving IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) and GA3 (gibberellic acid) at different concentrations. The time taken for sprouting and root development was measured, along with other growth parameters. For instance, stem cuttings treated with T4 IBA @ 2000 ppm exhibited the shortest duration to first sprouting (6.90 days), while T1 IBA @ 500 ppm and T2 IBA @ 1000 ppm demonstrated the longest (9.02 days). Stem cuttings treated with T4 IBA @ 2000 ppm, T5 IBA @ 2500 ppm and T7 IBA @ 3500 ppm displayed the maximum number of leaves (2.72), while T7 IBA @ 3500 ppm had the minimum (1.66). T4 IBA @ 2000 ppm resulted in the longest shoot length (3.19cm) and T2 IBA @ 1000 ppm had the shortest (2.02cm). The investigation also encompassed seed germination using GA3 treatments. T3 GA3 @ 600 ppm exhibited the shortest time for germination initiation (31.36 days) and T4 GA3 @ 800 ppm showed the highest germination percentage (69.88%). Plant growth parameters, such as primary root length, secondary root count, plant height and leaf number, were also assessed under different treatments.