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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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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on Sterility Mosaic Disease of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) and their management
    (Rajendra Agriculrural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2015) Maurya, Rahul Kumar; Kumar, Birendra
    Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) is one of the most important pulse in India. It is known to be affected by several pests and diseases however among these sterility mosaic disease is one of the most destructive disease and has become a major limiting factor for Pigeonpea cultivation. Present investigations were carried out to survey the status of the disease, to study the symptomatology of sterility mosaic disease, suitable mode of transmission, effect of sowing dates on incidence of Pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease, its integrated disease management and to find out the resistant source of Pigeonpea against sterility mosaic disease. The survey was undertaken in six districts of Bihar viz., Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Begusarai and Saran. Begusarai and Samastipur districts recorded maximum incidence of 15 per cent whereas, Saran district recorded lowest 1-5 per cent. Sterility mosaic disease infection produced the symptoms like stunting of plant, reduction in size of leaf, mosaic mottling of leaves, profuse branching, bushy appearance and pale green leaf color. The diseased plants do not produce flowers and pods. The virus was readily transmissible by mites but not by sap, seed or through dodder. Epidemiological study indicated the effect of weather variables on the progress of sterility mosaic disease. The progress of the disease was found to be highly influenced by weather variables prevalent under field condition. Maximum periodical increase was observed during first to second week of October when maximum temperature ranged 32.2 – 33.10C, minimum temperature ranged 22.9 – 23.50C with relative humidity morning more than 90 per cent and relative humidity evening more than 70 per cent. The shifting of the date of planting from normal to early or late has no significant effect on the total development of sterility mosaic disease.Disease progress was found significantly and negative correlated with maximum temperature, minimum temperature, wind velocity and rainfall while relative humidity morning and relative humidity evening were found significantly and positive correlated with disease progress in all three dates of sowing. Multiple linear regression equation for the production of the disease based on different dates of sowing with weather variables were developed. The minimum temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity explained the variability between 78-85 per cent in all three dates of sowing. Regression equation have been developed using different weather factors and these explained the variability upto 85 per cent. Many management practices taken up propargite @ 0.1% two spray (1st spray 25 days after sowing and 2nd spray 15 days after 1st spray) recorded least incidence of sterility mosaic disease (7.72 %) with highest yield 875 kg/ha followed by dicofol @ 0.2 % (1st spray 25 days after sowing and 2nd spray 15 days after 1st spray) were found effective in controlling mites in reducing disease incidence. Screening of Pigeonpea germplams under field condition during Kharif season 2014-15. AKTE 10-12, AKTE 12-01, AL 1758, AL 1932, AL 1933, BDN 2004-1, BDN 2010-1, BDN 2011-1, BRG 3, BRG 4, BRG 5, BRG 14-1, BRG 14-2, BSMR 2, BSMR 243, BSMR 571, BSMR 853, BWR 133, CO – 6, CORG 9701, CRG 2010-11, CRG 2013-10, GRG K-1 , GRG 82, GRG 140, GRG 160, GRG 2009-1, ICPHL 4989-7, IPA 13-1, IPA 15F, IPA 204, JKM 189, KPL 43, KA 12-2, KA-3, MA 6, MAL 13, Mahajeb 105, PA 419, PA 426, PUSA 2014, PUSA 2014-3, RVSA 07-10, RVSA 07-29, RVSA 07-31, RVSA 2014-2, WRG 242, WRG 244, WRG 246, WRG 248, WRG 252, WRG 256, WRG 292, Bahar, ICP 11376, ICP 12012, ICP 12728, ICP 12752, ICPL 20095, ICPL 20123, ICPL 20124, ICPL 20135, ICPL 87051, ICPL 96053, ICPL 96061, ICPL 99009, ICPL 99044, ICPL 99055, ICPL 99095, ICPL 99098, ICPL 99099, ICPL 99100 were found resistant and 27 germplasms viz., BAU 13-1, BDN 2, BSMR 579, JSA 28, PT 257, PUSA 2014-2, RVSA 07-22, RVSA 2014-1, TJT 501, Vipula, WRP 1, WRG 223, WRG 287, WRG 288, WRG 289, WRG 293, WRG 297, WRG 65, ICP 13361, ICPL 94062, ICPL 20119, ICPL 20136, ICPL 20137, ICPL 99008, ICPL 99048, BRG 1 and ICPL 99091 were recorded moderately resistant among 140 germplasms & having resistant to moderately resistant may either be used as donor parent in breeding programme for development of resistant varieties or if yield level is comparable with existing varieties it may be released for general cultivation.