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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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20143
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Subject: Soil Science × End date: 2014 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Screening of maize varieties to zinc stress in calcareouus soil.
    (Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2014) Rupali; Kumar, Vipin
    A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2012-13 in highly calcareous sandy loam soil, deficient in available Zn (0.56 mg kg-1) at Research Farm, Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa to study the screening of maize varieties to zinc stress in calcareous soil. The experiment was laid out in split plot design assigning Zn levels ( 0, 5 and 10 Kg Zn ha-1 ) in main and twelve maize varieties ( Shaktiman 1, Shaktiman 2, Shaktiman 3, Shaktiman 5, Laxmi, Swan, Devki, Hemant , NK 6607, Raja 909, Rasitopless and Rasi 3022) in sub plot and replicated thrice. The varieties responded differently to Zn application with respect to grain and straw as well as concentration and their uptake of zinc nutrition. The average grain yield at 5.0 and 10.0 kg Zn ha-1 were statistically at par in composite varieties, but in case of hybrid and quality protein maize 10 kg Zn ha-1 has optimum. Hence, 10.0 kg Zn ha-1 was rated as optimum level for most of the varieties, only for the composite varieties may be rated 5.0 kg Zn ha-1 level for maize production. On the basis of percent response (figure in Parenthesis) to grain yield the relative susceptibility of maize varieties to Zn stress were as follow. Shaktiman 5 > (32.9) Rasi 3022 > (27.5) Raja 909> (26.5) Rasitopless > (26.3) NK 6607 > (24.5) Shaktimn 1 > (19.9) Shaktiman 3> (17.7) Shaktiman 2> (16.9) Devki > (16.5) Laxmi > (12.3) Swan > (10.8) Hemant (10.0) The varieties giving highest magnitude of response were rated to be most inefficient and those giving least response were classified as most efficient. On the basis of Zinc efficiency index and Zinc efficiency, out of twelve maize varieties screened under zinc stress and sufficient condition the Laxmi, Swan, Devki and Hemant were found to be efficient and Raja 909, Shaktiman 5, NK 6607, Rasi 3022 and Rasitopless varieties were found to be inefficient.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of Bio-methanated Distillery effluent on soil fertility, yield and quality of sugarcane in Calciorthent
    (Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2014) Kumar, Raju; Alam, M.
    Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is one of the most important cash crops grown in all tropical and subtropical countries of the world and most efficient living collector of solar energy in the form of fibre and fermentable sugars. It provides employment not only to agricultural but also to industrial labourers in the sugar factories. Productivity of sugarcane in Bihar is 56.8 tonnes per hectare. Sugar factories generate many by-products viz. bagasse, molasses, press mud and waste materials. Molasses is used in distillery industry as a raw material for the production of alcohol and distilleries discharge waste water called as spent wash. Its direct use in agricultural fields is generally not considered safe because of its high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) i.e. 40,000-50,000 mg l-1 and 90,000 -100,000 mg l-1, respectively. The spent wash contains 30-35% C; 2.31% N; 0.82% P and 9.25% K. There was a remarkable reduction in BOD, COD and salinity after bio-methanization process using methane gas and utilizing methogenic bacteria. The manurial value of the effluents can profitably be used as supplement to fertilizer and organic matter. Keeping this in view present investigation was carried at the experiment was conducted at pusa farm on calcarious sandy loam soil having pH 8.15, low in organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphrous and medium in potassium in Randomiged Block Design, replicated four times to evaluate the effect of bio-methanated distillery effluent (BMDE) on soil fertility, yield and quality of sugarcane in Calciorthent. The experiment involved seven treatments integrating BMDE and levels of NPK (T1: 100% NPK, T2: 150 m3 ha-1, T3: T2 +100% NPK, T4: T2 +75% NPK, T5: T2 +50% NPK, T6: T2 +25% NPK, T7: Control). The cane yield of sugarcane was significantly increased by 53.4% over control with the application of BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1 along with 100% RDF. However, Juice quality viz. Brix, Sucrose, Purity and CCS was not influenced with BMDE and nutrient application but BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1 along with 100% RDF had greatly enhanced the NPK uptake by 52.22%, 67.46% and 58.23%, respectively over control. Application of BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1 along with 100% NPK greatly reduced the bulk density and increased the porosity and infiltration rate. Maximum availability of NPK was recorded with the application of recommended dose of NPK and BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1. Whereas, higher availability of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu was obtained with the application of BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1. Because BMDE is a rich source of micro nutrients and their interactions with chemical fertilizer decrease the availability of micronutrients. Similarly, soil microbial population as well as enzymatic activities were also increased under treatment T3 (150 m3ha-1 BMDE+ 100% NPK). Initial application of BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1 along with 100% RDF was statically at par with 75% NPK dose along with 150 m3 ha-1 BMDE performed best in improving cane yield, juice quality and soil health of sugarcane. Thus initial applications BMDE @ 150 m3 ha-1 could save 25% NPK.