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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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20211
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Subject: Soil Sciences × Author: BHADANI, MEGHA × Start date: 1980 ×
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    SOIL ORGANIC CARBON POOLS UNDER SIXTEEN YEAR OLD FRUIT ORCHARDS IN CALCIORTHENTS
    (DRPCAU, PUSA, 2021) BHADANI, MEGHA; Das, Dipty Kumar
    Soil organic carbon (SOC) and its different fractions in three sixteen-year-old fruit orchards established at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Birouli, Samastipur (Bihar) were compared. Fruit orchards were Mango (Mangifera indica) var. Malda, Litchi (litchi chinensis) var. China and Aonla (Emblica officinalis) var. NA-7. Total SOC, oxidisable SOC, soil inorganic carbon (SIC), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), potassium permanganate oxidisable organic carbon (KMnO4-C), four pools of SOC, carbon management index (CMI), Bulk Density (BD), pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), sulphur, available macro and micronutrients were measured. All the orchards significantly improved SOC showing 13 to 44 % higher than that in open (without trees). The total SOC stock upto the soil depth of 0-30 cm in the soil profile was found to be higher in the fruit orchards as compared to the open (without trees) and followed the order: Aonla (31 Mg ha-1) > Litchi (29 Mg ha-1) > Mango (28 Mg ha-1). The SIC of the soil followed a reverse trend with the SOC. All the orchards had significantly lower SIC as compared to the open. Among the fruit orchards, Aonla orchard had significantly lower SIC followed by Litchi and Mango. Significant increase was recorded in KMnO4-C in all the orchards as compared to the open. The KMnO4-C increased in the range of 8% in Mango to 33% in Aonla orchard at the surface soil (0-15cm), whereas at the subsurface soil (15-30 cm) percentage increase was 17 % in Mango to 34 % in Aonla orchard. The MBC significantly increased under fruit orchards over the control. Maximum MBC (0.129 g kg-1) was found under Aonla orchard, while other two fruit orchards i.e. Litchi and Mango exhibited statistically at par with each other. Per cent contribution of SOC pools to the total SOC followed as: Non labile (47 %) > Very labile (25 %) > Labile (16 %) > Less labile (12 %).All the carbon fractions were found to be significantly higher in the surface soil (0-15 cm) in contrast to the sub-surface soil (15-30 cm). All the fractions including total SOC and MBC showed positive and highly significant correlation among themselves except SIC which showed negative and significant correlation with the SOC pools. The ‘r’ value of total SOC varied significantly with its different fractions and decreased in the order of VLC (r = 0.955**) > LLC (r = 0.952**) > LC (r = 0.896**) > NLC (r = 0.762**). The mean CMI ranked as Aonla orchard (149.9) > Mango orchard (138.1) = Litchi orchard (137.8) > Open (115.0). Increase in available N, P2O5 and K2O was observed under all the fruit orchards. Maximum build up was under Aonla orchard followed by Litchi and Mango. Irrespective of the soil depths, soil available sulphur increased by 7 % (Mango) to 32 % (Aonla) as compared to open. Increase in available Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and B was recorded under all the fruit orchards. Among the orchards, Aonla showed the highest and significant enhancement in all available micronutrients followed by Litchi and Mango. The values of the soil available micronutrients significantly reduced in the subsurface soil in contrast to the surface soil. Soil organic carbon showed significant and positive correlation with the Available Fe (r = 0.905**), Zn (r = 0.882**), Cu (r = 0.795**), Mn (r = 0.929**) and B (r = 0.924**). Thus, Aonla orchard may be considered as the best orchard production system to sequester carbon. Hence, its promotion and expansion as land-use practices in the calcareous belt of north Bihar will be helpful for food security and mitigating climate change.