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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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20213
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Subject: Plant Physiology × End date: 2021 × Start date: 2021 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFICACY OF NANO ZINC OXIDE ON PHYSIOLOGY OF WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) UNDER NORMAL AND SALINITY STRESS CONDITION
    (DRPCAU, PUSA, 2021) M, SEETHALAXMI; Kumar, Shailesh
    Wheat, the king of cereals is the world’s important crop occupying major diet of the people. Salinity stress is the serious problem in arid and semi arid parts of the world. On a global scale, 20-33% of cultivated areas and 50% of irrigated area have been affected by salt stress. Wheat seedlings are more sensitive towards soil salinity. In order to increase the productivity of crop to meet out the growing population, nanotechnology have been proven as the emerging trend to alleviate salinity stress. ZnO nanoparticles due to its unique properties acts as fertilizer releasing Zn, a potential micronutrient through which adverse effects of salinity could be mitigated, thus promoting growth and development. Also, the efficiency of nanoparticles have been proved in comparison with their bulk form (ZnSO4). The current studies entitled, “Efficacy of nano Zinc oxide on physiology of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under normal and salinity stress condition” was performed with three objectives viz. to find out the adverse effects of salinity on growth and development of wheat seedlings, to recognize the ameliorating effect of ZnO nanoparticles on morpho-physiological traits and finally to prove the excellence and efficiency of nanoparticles over their bulk forms (ZnSO4). In first objective, thirty genotypes viz., WB 02, HPYT 424, RAU W 3001, BHU 31, RAU W 105, HD 2733, HPYT 452, RAU W 4041, HPYT 483, HD 2967, SONALIKA, RAU W 3060, RAU W 9010, HPYT 458, RAU W 9025, NEST 17-39, ESWYT 123, BHU 25, HD 2824, HPYT 405, NEST 18-5, NEST 18-25, NEST 18-16, RAU W 6007, HPYT 429, HPYT 480, RG 1, PBW 343, RAU W 7016 and NEST 18-33 were tested at a salinity level of 4.2 dSm-1 (EC). The genotype screening was performed based on emergence percentage, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour I and II in 15-day-old plants and a contrasting set of genotypes have been selected. Salinity have highly reduced the aforementioned parameters where the reduction percent in all the above metrics was high in ESWYT 123 and low in NEST 18-16. In second objective, seed priming have been done with seeds of selected set of genotypes with ZnO nanoparticles at different concentrations (50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 ppm). The genotypes were grown in both normal and saline soil conditions and morpho-physiological traits like emergence percentage, shoot and root length, shoot and root dry weight, seedling vigour I and II, SPAD value have been measured in 15-day-old seedlings of both the genotypes. The results revealed that ZnO nanoparticles at low concentrations have enhancement effect on those previously mentioned parameters at 50 ppm and 100 ppm concentrations in both normal and saline soil conditions. There was also a promoting effect with 250 and 500 ppm concentrations which were a bit less in efficiency than the former. Nanoparticles at high concentrations have exhibited negative effects indicating phytotoxicity. Thus, the maximum effect was observed with 100 ppm concentration, ameliorating the effects of salinity stress. In third objective, the efficacy of ZnO nanoparticles was compared with their bulk form (ZnSO4) on morphological (plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area and specific leaf weight), physiological (RWC, MSI, photosynthetic pigments, SPAD value, chlorophyll stability index, lipid peroxidation) and biochemical (antioxidant enzymes like SOD, peroxidase, catalase and proline) parameters of 30-day-old wheat seedlings of both the genotypes. Salinity stress had negative impacts on all those parameters stated above which could be alleviated or mitigated by both ZnO nanoparticles and ZnSO4. The alleviating potential was greater in nanoparticles when compared with their bulk form thus, proving their performance excellence. The present findings have concluded that salinity had adverse effects on seedling growth and development of wheat crop which could be alleviated by seed priming with ZnO nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles at 100 ppm concentration i.e. at low concentration had promoting effect on morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters of wheat. Also, nanoparticles have been proven to be more efficient than the bulk forms. Therefore, nanoparticles could be utilized as fertilizers or stress alleviators with better results in the near future.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Response of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss] to moisture stress and its amelioration by microbes
    (DRPCAU, Pusa, 2021) Mohan, Krishna; Kavita
    Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss] is an important oilseed crop belonging to family Brassicaceae (Syn. Cruciferae) which is sensitive to moisture and is adversely affected by moisture stress in terms of growth and yield. Inoculation of plants with microbes such as Trichoderma viride and Bacillus subtilis can enhance plant growth under moisture stress conditions, which is an eco-friendly approach to sustainable agriculture. The present investigation entitled “Response of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss] to moisture stress and its amelioration by microbes.” was conducted with two objectives viz., to identify contrasting set of mustard genotypes against moisture stress and to study the response of microbes on morpho-physiological and biochemical traits in contrasting mustard genotypes under moisture stress. For the identification of contrasting set of mustard genotypes to moisture stress, experiment was performed in Petri dishes with 30 genotypes of mustard viz., NPJ 214, LES 54, NPJ 210, NPJ 210, RB 100, 81J0117, RGN-444, DRMRHJ1118 (Hybrid), DRMRCI 95, NPJ-225, RH 1424, RH 1584, PM-29, PM-30, RB-102, TM 179, PDZ 9, RH 1555, NPJ 211, LES 57, NPJ 212, NPJ 216, RLC 7, DRMR 541-44, DRMRCI 114, RGN 229, DRMR CI70, Kranti, RGN 73, RCH 1## and RLC 3#. All the genotypes were subjected to control (0.0 MPa) and moisture stress (-0.6 MPa and -0.8 MPa) for 7 days and germination percent, seedling length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, vigour index-І and vigour index-II were recorded. Results showed that mustard genotypes on exposure to different moisture stress levels (-0.6 and -0.8 MPa) experienced significant reduction in germination per cent and seedling growth parameters (seedling length, dry weight of shoot and root and vigour index) over control. At maximum moisture stress i.e. -0.8 MPa, genotype NPJ-214 had the minimum reduction while TM-179 showed the maximum reduction in these parameters and hence rated as relatively tolerant and susceptible genotypes, respectively. These two genotypes were further used to study the response of microbes on morpho-physiological and biochemical traits Plant height, relative water content, membrane stability index, total chlorophyll content and leaf area remarkably decreased due to moisture stress and conversely increased in all the microbial treatments over control (without microbial inoculation), whereas lipid peroxidation, proline, antioxidative enzymes viz. catalase and peroxidase were remarkably increased due to moisture stress but decreased by microbial application. On the basis of present study it was concluded that, moisture stress adversely affected morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes of mustard genotypes. These parameters were best improved under control as well as moisture stress with the soil application of Trichoderma viride at 35 DAS. Hence, this treatment can be used in ameliorating moisture stress.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Response of mustard [Brassica Juncea (l.) Czern and Coss] to terminal heat stress and its amelioration by Brassinosteroid
    (DRPCAU, Pusa, 2021) Kumar, Deepak; Kavita
    Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss] is an important oilseed crop belonging to family Brassicaceae (Syn. Cruciferae) which is sensitive to heat and is adversely affected by terminal heat stress in terms of growth and yield. Brassinosteroid treatment of plants can enhance the growth under terminal heat stress condition, which is an eco-friendly approach to sustainable agriculture. The present investigation entitled “Response of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss] to terminal heat stress and its amelioration by Brassinosteroid.” was conducted with two objectives viz., to identify contrasting set of mustard genotypes against terminal heat stress, and to study the response of brassinosteroid on morphophysiological and biochemical traits in contrasting mustard genotypes under terminal heat stress. For the identification of contrasting set of mustard genotypes to terminal heat stress, experiment was conducted with two sowing dates i.e. normal and late sown at Research farm, Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar in RCBD, replicated thrice with 20 genotypes viz., NPJ-213, DRMR 15-9, DRMR 1191-2, DRMR 1C192, DRMR 2017-15, PRO 5222, RGN 368, JD 6, NRCHB 101, DRMR 2300, DRMR 1616-47, RH 749, DRMRIC16-39, RLC 7, RH 1599-41, DRMR 1153- 12, DRMR 2059, RH 919, RMWR 09-1 and LES 54. On the basis of percent reduction in seed yield, one set of mustard genotypes i.e. tolerant (DRMR 15-9) and susceptible (RH 1599-41) were taken for evaluating the effect of brassinosteroid on morphophysiological and biochemical parameters viz., plant height, number of branches per plant, relative water content, membrane stability index, total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index and antioxidative enzymes (catalase, peroxidase) and biochemical (proline) under normal and late sown conditions. The selected cultivars were sown in pots in CRD and foliar application of brassinosteroid (24- epibrassinolide) i.e. control, 10 ppm and 20 ppm were applied at flowering stage. Results showed that mustard genotypes on exposure to terminal heat stress, experienced reduction in quantity of yield at harvest. Genotype DRMR 15-9 had the minimum reduction in yield while RH 1599-41 showed the maximum reduction in yield and hence rated as relatively tolerant and susceptible genotypes, respectively. Morphological (plant height, number of branches per plant) and physiological parameters (relative water content, membrane stability index, total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index) remarkably decreased due to terminal heat stress and conversely increased in all the brassinosteroid treatments over control (without brassinosteroid), whereas biochemical (proline) and antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxidase) were remarkably increased due to terminal heat stress which was further increased by foliar application of brassinosteroid. On the basis of present study it was concluded that, terminal heat stress adversely affected morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes of mustard genotypes. These parameters were best improved under control as well as terminal heat stress with the foliar application of brassinosteroid @ 20 ppm during flowering stage. Hence, this treatment can be used in ameliorating terminal heat stress.