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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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20171
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Subject: Plant Pathology × Author: Husain, Mohammad Akram × End date: 2017 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Eco-friendly management of Sclerotinia rot disease of oilseed brassica
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2017) Husain, Mohammad Akram; Choudhary, C. S.
    The oil yielding Brassica crops grown in India include rai or raya or mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.], and rapeseed (B. rapa sp. oleifera). Sclerotinia rot disease of oilseed brassica incited by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is the most ubiquitous, omnivorous, soil-borne and destructive plant pathogen distributed worldwide. Survey conducted at different locations showed its prevalence in Bihar with variable magnitude of incidence ranging from 25 to 47 per cent. Symptom first appeared on the leaf as water soaked spot then whole leaf got water soaked followed by drooping and hanging in air, the leaves showed blighting then ultimately dried. On the stem, first symptom of Sclerotinia rot was noticed as water soaked patches which soon turned into whitish brown, enlarged and finally girdled the stem completely. The pith of stem became hollow in which irregular sized sclerotia were observed. Isolation of the pathogen was made on PDA medium and identified as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. The fungus produced aerial mycelium, which was hyaline, branched well developed and appeared cottony with closely septate hyphae. The hyphae were 2.0-11.5 µm in width and contained dense granular protoplasm. The sclerotia were round to irregular in shape in culture and measured 1.5-7 mm in width and 2-15 mm in length. Apothecia were brown in colour and were round to globose type, measured 5-21 mm in length, 2-9 mm in diameter and 0-7 numbers arose from single sclerotium. The pathogenic behaviour of the fungus was also confirmed after test. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium among solid media and Richards’ medium among liquid medium were found most supportive for the growth and sclerotial formation of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Temperature 20-25⁰C and pH 4.5 to 5.5 are most suitable for the growth and sclerotial formation of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Out of ten entries, NDN-16-79 were found to be resistant against Sclerotinia rot disease. NDN-16-75, NDN-16-76, NDN-16-77 and NDN-16-81 were moderately resistant (MR). Highest seed yield of 1290 kg/ha was recorded when crop was sown timely on 30th October. Multiple regression between per cent disease incidence and weather variables indicated that the combined effect of different weather variables favoured the disease development causing up to 86 per cent variation in the Sclerotinia rot incidence. In management trial, the crop sown on 30th October recorded significantly higher yield, 1000 seed weight, stem diameter and lower disease incidence and intensity than early as well as late sown crop. Variety ‘Rohini’ recorded lower disease incidence, disease intensity, lesion length of the disease and recorded significantly greater stem diameter, 1000 seed weight and seed yield as compared to yellow sarson variety, 66-197-3. Seed treatment with carbendazim + foliar spray of carbendazim recorded lowest disease incidence, disease intensity and shortest lesion length of the diseased plants and highest stem diameter, 1000 seed weight, seed yield and highest (8.82) incremental benefit-cost ratio. This treatment was found best for the management of Sclerotinia rot of oilseed brassica.