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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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20231
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Subject: Soil Sciences × Author: KACHHAP, AANCHAL ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of NPK, FYM and Zn application on transformation of Zn, biological properties and nutrient availability under rice-wheat cropping system in calcareous soil
    (RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) KACHHAP, AANCHAL; Kumar, Vipin
    The present study aimed to investigate the effect of NPK, FYM, and Zn application within a RWCS in calcareous soil on various aspects, including yield, nutrient uptake, chemical properties, and biological characteristics of post-harvest soil of second wheat crop in the year 2023. Additionally, the study examined different fractions of zinc in the soil and their correlations with each other, as well as with yield, nutrient uptake, and available zinc content. The research was conducted as a field experiment that commenced during the kharif season of 2021 at the Pusa Research Farm of RPCAU Samastipur, Bihar. The experimental layout followed a randomized block design comprising ten treatments replicated three times. These treatments included a range of conditions: T1 as the absolute control, T2 with RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizers), T3 with RDF and FYM @ 5 t ha-1, T4 with RDF and foliar spray of 0.5% ZnSO4, T5 with RDF and 5 kg Zn ha-1, T6 with RDF and Geoxol.com @ 40 kg ha-1, and T7, T8, T9, T10 similar to T2, T3, T4, T5, respectively, but with an increased RDF level of 125%. Among these treatments, T10 (125% RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1) exhibited the highest yield of 5.21 t ha-1 and 4.64 t ha-1 with grain yield response of about 6.3 to 27.1 and 0.21 to 0.90 per cent in rice and wheat crop respectively. However, when considering nutrient uptake, T8 (125% RDF + FYM @5 t ha-1) showed the greatest total nutrient uptake, and it was statistically similar to treatments involving increased fertility levels in combination with organic supplementation and zinc sources. Remarkably, substantial nutrient availability (N, P, K, S, and Zn) was detected in treatments with enhanced fertility levels, both independently and in various combinations. Moreover, treatment T8 demonstrated noteworthy dominance in biological properties, indicating that FYM and higher fertilizer levels played a pivotal role in stimulating microbial growth. This heightened response was most pronounced in treatments involving 125% RDF, either alone or in combination, mainly due to the initial nutrient deficiency of the soil. Analyzing different zinc fractions in the post-harvest soil indicated that the water-soluble and exchangeable forms were minimal, while the residual form was predominant revealing that the majority of total zinc resided in the residual form. Interestingly, positive and significant correlations were observed among yield, nutrient uptake, and available zinc content. The order of dominance of different zinc fractions in the soil was: Residual-Zn > Organically bound-Zn > Zn bound to crystalline oxide > Zn bound to amorphous oxide > Complexed-Zn > Water soluble plus exchangeable-Zn. These findings inform agricultural practices and soil management strategies to farmers by emphasizing the benefits of balanced NPK fertilization with organic supplementation and zinc for improved crop yields. They underscore the importance of addressing micronutrient deficiencies, particularly zinc, and highlight the role of organic matter in enhancing soil health. Additionally, the study offers insights into nutrient build-up and zinc distribution, guiding more efficient soil fertility strategies. Overall, these findings promote a holistic approach to soil and nutrient management, enhancing sustainability in agriculture.