Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

20231
Reset filters
Author: KUMAR, MAHENDER × Start date: 2023 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    VARIETAL PREFERENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF SWEET POTATO WEEVIL (Cylas formicarius) THROUGH BIOPESTICIDES UNDER CHANGING CLIMATE
    (RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) KUMAR, MAHENDER; Alam, Tanweer
    The present investigation "Varietal Preference and management of sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius) through biopesticides under changing climate" was conducted during the Kharif season 2022 at the Research farm of Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The study focused on the evaluation of different varieties of sweet potatoes upon the attack of the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius, the effect of meteorological parameters as well as bio-physical characteristics of different varieties. Also, the effect of different bio-pesticide on sweet potato weevil had been studied. Among different varieties evaluated during this trial, Rajendra Shakarkand-07 (29.70 %) and Rajendra Shakarkand-47 (29.24 %) have performed well with lesser vine infestation as well as tuber infestation of weevil. In the first case, the Rajendra Shakarkand-5 (19.90 %) showed the least mean per cent vine infestation as well as tuber infestation whereas, the Cross-4 (46.13 %) variety showed maximum damage regarding mean per cent vine and tuber infestation. In the second case, the biophysical basis evaluation had been conducted. There no significant relationship between different plant and tuber characteristics had been established except tuber infestation with the depth of the tuber (-0.126*) and their neck length (-0.072NS). The shape of the tubers also affected the infestation of weevil in the tubers. Also, the girth of the vine or vine thickness is affected by the weevil damage or mean percent vine infestation. In the third case, the efficacy of various bio-pesticide along with conventional usage of chemical pesticides have been evaluated. Among the bio-pesticides, Beuvaria bassiana (61.42 %) gives the best output along with Heterorhabitdis bacteriophora (53.16 %). They also give the second and third highest benefit-cost ratio among all treatments. The conventional usage of chlorpyriphos 20 % EC (2.8:1) gives the best output, but in this case, the output of Beuvaria bassiana (2.4:1) and Heterorhabitdis bacteriophora (2.1:1) are comparable with the conventional usage. So, it may be used as an alternative to the conventional (2.8:1) or regular pesticides.