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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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Author: Bansod, Shashank × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2020 × Thesis Type: M.Tech. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development of laboratory calibration test rig cum sticky belt seed pattern device
    (DRPCAU, Pusa, 2020) Bansod, Shashank; Kumar, Manoranjan
    The mechanization era of Machineries are contributing to higher yield in current farming scenario of sowing and planting implements such as seed drill. The seed drill is the most commonly used machine to plant seeds in India. Increasing of productivity of any crop can be obtained by genetic improvement or by the use of efficient production practices or by the combination. Precise amount of seeds in rows is an important factor in crop production, which can affect growth and yield so this is to a great extent depends on the performance of the metering mechanism of the seed drill and planter. The important criterion in evaluating seed drill performance is seed spacing uniformity. A laboratory test for calibration of the seed drill was conducted on a test rig. Different rotational speeds (rpm) were selected for the seed metering drive shaft. Then simulating speed in the laboratory speeds of kmh-1 were chosen for the movement of the test rig. So testing of a seed drill/planter is an essential job to show the performance characteristics which affect seeding rate, seeding distribution etc. There are different factors like travelling speed, tire inflation, seeder drive wheel slippage; differences in the seeds affect the seeding rate. A uniform distribution of seeds provides maximum space for each plant and increases yields due to the reduction of intra-specific competition. It helps also in weed controls, Weeds are suppressed due to the prevention of misses. There would be benefits from improving the uniformity of seed distribution such as increase in the yield of cereals. The most astronomically immense part of the upsurge in spawning is credited to increased use of mechanical power and the development of widely effective machines and implements too. Between the machines that contribute to higher yields in today's agriculture are sowing implements such as the planter and seed drill. For the seeding purpose, seed drills are the most widely used machines for planting seeds in India as well as other countries too. An increase in the productivity of any crop can be obtained through genetic improvement or through the use of efficient breeding practices or through accumulation. In addition, the precise magnitude of seeds in rows is a consequential influencer in crop generation, which can affect growth and yield and this is highly dependent on the performance of the sowing implement i.e planter and seed drill measurement mechanism. Consequently, testing of a planter / seed drill is vital important roll work to show performance and properties that influence seeding distribution, seeding rate, etc. In addition, every element of a sowing implement such as planter or seed drill, including the furrow openers, pressure wheels ground wheel and seed metering device, disturb the support of the crop. Mounted the seed cum fertilizer drill on the developed test rig post and allow 10 meter long belt to travel under the furrow openers or seed tubes in such a way that the speed of the belt to the equal to running speed of the power drive wheel of seed cum fertilizer drill. Apply the sticky layer of grease to the belt to facilitate the proper embedding of seeds without any displacement. The tests were piloted with the support of the developed test-rig cum seed pattern device as stationary test happened. The test rig was definite horizontal travel (not slop at any directions). Operated the drill and observation were recorded the number of seeds dropped and the average distance between two seeds for each meter of belt length Repeated the test ten times. The laboratory experimental work and measurements were carried out in the Farm Machinery Testing Center, CAE, DRPCAU, Pusa. The Physical properties of wheat and paddy where the Bulk Density of wheat is average of 10 samples; it is 0.83 g/cm3. The 1000 g average weight of wheat seed was found 43.4 g. Similarly the average bulk density of paddy was recorded 1.5 g/cm2 and average weight of 1000 paddy seed was found 48.2 g. The dimensions of wheat and paddy seed of 100 samples were taken. The average dimensions of used seeds were length, width and thickness in wheat sample was 5.87 mm, 3.34 mm and 2.75 mm and in case of paddy it was observed 7.62 mm, 2.51 mm, and 2.17mm respectively. During sowing of seed by seed cum fertilizer drill,dropping of seed effect the speed. In seed cum fertilizer drill, seed dropping from seed metering mechanism to field by gravitational force hence dropping of seed in field does not effect on quantity of seed because when sowing in field the vibration occurred in the seed cum fertilizer drill due to this vibration neglect the effect of quantity of seed in the seed box. The spacing between seed to seed in case of wheat and paddy affects the speed of seed cum fertilizer drill. The in number of grain also affect the speed of grain. The speed of seed cum fertilizer drill will be more the dropping in number of seed will be higher and vice versa. 11 tyne seed cum fertilizer drill, fluted roller seed metering mechanism was not suitable for sowing of paddy seed. Recommended that 11 tyne seed cum fertilizer drill with fluted roller seed metering mechanism and inverted T type furrow opener is suitable for sowing of wheat for zero tillage. Not recommended for sowing of paddy seed due to very much damage in percentage.