Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

20221
Reset filters
Subject: Plant Pathology × Author: KUMAR, DINESH × Start date: 2022 × Type: Thesis ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on White Rust Disease of Indian Mustard caused by Albugo candida Kuntze
    (DRPCAU, PUSA, 2022) KUMAR, DINESH; Choudhary, C. S.
    Oilseed brassica, often known as rapeseed mustard, is the second-most significant oilseed crop in the world after soyabean. With a productivity of 1187 kg/ha, Bihar produces 0.10 mt from an area of 0.08 mha. Because of its crucial human nutrition, an essential component for animal feed, and high yield efficiency, mustard is commonly referred to as the "queen of oilseeds." White rust is one of the most damaging disease, and it severely hinders the production of oilseed Brassicas. The fungus not only lowers production by causing crop foliar damage, but it also drastically reduces both seed (siliqua) as well as oil yield by harming siliqua during the pod-formation stage. Depending on the severity of both foliar and staghead phase of the disease, the per cent yield losses ranging from 23.0-89.8% in Indian mustard (B. juncea L.) in India (Lakra and Saharan, 1989). White pustules, or sori, appear in a range of sizes and shapes on leaves, stems, inflorescences, and pods. Sori start out as distinct regions but eventually blend to cover whole plant organs. The affected host tissue frequently swells and distorts forming staghead with downy mildew disease. Survey was conducted during Rabi 2021-22 in the adjacent districts of Pusa, they are Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Darbhanga. During survey it was found that infection prevailed in all the areas surveyed and incidence of the disease ranged in between 15.50- 20.34 per cent in which the highest incidence (20.34%) was recorded from Muzaffarpur district and lowest incidence (15.50%) was recorded from the Vaishali district. In the current study, 52 Brassica genotypes/entries were evaluated to find out the resistance reaction against the white rust disease. According to the disease severity scale (0-9), 24 entries was found to be immune to disease, followed by 7 as highly resistant, 3 resistant and 16 as moderately resistant and 2 entries were found to be susceptible. It was found that the typical white rust pustules appeared late on the mustard leaves of early sown crop while the disease appeared early on late sown crop. With the postponement in sowing, white rust incidence and severity increased. Weather factors like rainfall, temperature, and atmospheric humidity had a big impact on how the mustard develop white rust disease. Maximum temperature and relative humidity were found to be negatively correlated with the per cent disease severity. While positive correlations were reported between Minimum temperature and per cent disease severity. Light rainfall increases the disease while heavy rainfall causes reduction in the disease. Foliar spray of fungicides were found to be very effective against white rust disease. Among different fungicides, Metalaxyl 4% + Mancozeb 64%WP @ 0.25 was found to be most effective for reducing the disease with minimum per cent disease severity of 18.86% and causes 36.10% increase in yield. While Mancozeb 75WP @ 0.25% was found to be least effective for reducing the white rust disease. The highest incremental cost benefit ratio (1:7.46) was reported in treatment with single spray of Propiconazole 25 EC @ 0.1%.