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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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1991 - 199912010 - 20203
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Author: Kumar, Avinash × Start date: 1991 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic analysis in relation to Iron and Zinc accumulation in rice
    (DRPCAU, Pusa, 2020) Kumar, Avinash; Singh, N.K.
    The present investigation was carried out with 63 genotypes received under Harvest Plus Rice Project for the evaluation of extent of grain iron and grain zinc content by AAS method. Based on the data obtained 4 genotypes for high iron and 1 with low while, 4 genotypes for high zinc and 1 with low were selected. A total of 10 parents were identified. The identified parents were crossed in half diallel fashion during Kharif, 2017 to generate 45 F1 crosses. During off season (January, 2018), 2 crosses P1×P3 and P3×P5 (IR68144-2B-2-2-3-1 × TEVIRII and TEVIRII × KHUSISOI-RI-SAREKU) among 45 were taken to NRRI, Cuttack for generation advancement and for generation of backcross population. During Kharif, 2018 the identified promising parents, their 45 F1’s and 2 standard checks (Rajendra Nilam and Rajendra Mahsuri-1) were planted in Randomized Block Design with 3 replications at Rice research farm, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar with the objective to study the genetic diversity among parents, to estimate the extent of heterosis in F1’s over check i. e. economic heterosis, to study the relationship between parental diversity and heterosis, general and specific combining ability of parents and crosses respectively, to study the nature and magnitude of gene action and to identify the promising crosses for yield, yield attributing traits, high grain Iron and grain Zinc content. For generation mean analysis of 2 crosses viz. IR68144-2B-2-2-3-1 × TEVIRII and TEVIRII × KHUSISOI-RI-SAREKU, six generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2) were planted separately with 3 replications to study the nature and magnitude of gene action. Based on cluster analysis, parents were grouped into 3 clusters. Cluster I and II comprised of 4 and 5 genotypes respectively, while Cluster III was monogenotypic. Cluster II have maximum mean values for 4 traits including grain iron and grain zinc content. Cluster I have minimum mean value for grain iron while, cluster III have minimum mean value for grain zinc. Cluster III showed minimum mean values for earliness and dwarfness while, maximum mean values for 4 traits including grain yield per plant. Cluster II and cluster III showed maximum divergence for grain yield. Analysis of variance for different traits revealed that ample amount of genetic variability exists for these traits among genotypes.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    A diagnostic study of makhana production technology among the growers of Madhubani district
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, 2018) Kumar, Avinash; Singh, Ashok K.
    Makhana is grown in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, land depressions, jheel, swamps, ditches or wetlands having stagnant shallow water (4-6 ft) which are of perennial in nature. Makhana is an aquatic and floating leaf emergent macrophyte. It is an absolutely seed propagated plant and germination of new plant arises from fully matured seeds. In India, its production is spread over in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Eastern Odisha and Uttar Pradesh for its starchy white edible seeds. Bihar state has the monopoly in Makhana production in the country. Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Katihar, Purnea, Supaul, Kishanganj, Araria and Sitamari districts are major pockets for Makhana cultivation. These districts comprise an area of approx 15,000 ha under makhana cultivation with an average productivity of 1.5 t/ha. The current production of makhana in the state is pegged at around 25,000 tonnes per annum of which around 10,000 tonnes is being processed. At present, some fragmented information’s are available about the Makhana production, however, the crop is such important in nature that the in-depth scientific endeavour is required related with nature and traditional system of Makhana cultivation with the help of makhana growers who are the ultimate producers of this black diamond. Owing to richness in the nutritive contents and having a great potential for cash crop in order to make double the farmers income the present study has been planned, “A Diagnostic Study of Makhana Production Technology among the Growers of Madhubani District” with following specific objectives: 1. To know the demographical, socio-economic and personal characteristics of Makhana growers. 2. To assess the extent of knowledge related with Makhana Production Technology. 3. To examine the Traditional Wisdom related with different methods of Makhana cultivation. 4. To identify the constraints as confronted by Makhana growers. 5. To suggest the strategies for eliminating the constraints in order to enhance the Makhana production In the study four blocks namely Pandaul, Rahika, Kaluahi and Benipatti was selected of the Madhubani district. Out of the selected blocks 23 respondents were selected from Pandaul block, 31 respondents from Rahika, 25 from Kaluahi and 21 from Benipatti block. Thus, altogether a total sample size of 100 was taken for study. On the basis of extensive review of literature, discussion with concerned scientists, extension experts and members of advisory committee twelve independent and two dependent variables were selected for the purpose of study. The main independent variables were age, caste, education, family size, sources of livelihood, total income and debt status, earning from makhana, contact with extension agency, community participation, seasonal involvement (month wise), risk bearing ability and level of satisfaction while knowledge and Makhana production technology were served as the dependent variable in course of the study. It was found in the study that 29% makhana growers belong to the age group of 46-55 years and 98% of them belong to the same caste category, i.e. Sahni-Mallah. Majority of respondents (40%) were illiterate and 45% of the selected sample had a family size of 4-7 person further 52% respondent had makhana, fisheries combine with the agriculture as their sources of livelihood and 59% respondents having an annual income of `50,001-1 lakh. Majority (89%) of respondents don’t have any loan. 76% of respondents found an earning of `25,001-50,000 from makhana while, 61% of selected respondents earn the same amount from fisheries. The 77% of selected respondent were found to have membership of fisherman cooperative society as well as their contact with extension agency however, 79% respondents utilise television as their mass media information source. It was also found that 59% of respondents have medium level of risk orientation and 70% have medium level of satisfaction. In terms of knowledge and traditional wisdom it was found that they are still practicing the method of their forefathers due to lack of scientific knowledge. There were several constraints found during the course of study through open end question. Further they were categorized in four groups as: (i) Production constraints, (ii) Economic constraints, (iii) Technological (iv) Policy related.Which are enlisted on appropriate place with frequency and percentage score along with the suggestions reported by growers in order to eliminate them.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Estimation of groundwater recharge by water budget method in conjuction with water table fluctuation method.
    (Rajendra Agriculrural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2015) Kumar, Avinash; Jain, S. K.
    Estimation of groundwater is an effective tool for proper planned and optimal utilization of water resources in the context of future requirement. Our main purpose for the estimation of groundwater in Patna and Gaya district is to make a complete assessment of groundwater resources and produce information that can be incorporated for future requirement. The study was undertaken based on the recommendation of groundwater estimation committee, 1997 (GEC-97). Methodology used the estimation of annual groundwater recharge from rainfall and other sources including irrigation, water bodies and artificial recharge, determination of present status of groundwater utilization and categorization of assessment units based on the level of groundwater utilization and long- term water level trend. Water level fluctuation techniques and empirical norms were used for recharge estimation. The data collected for investigation were water table fluctuation, rainfall, cropping pattern, number of groundwater structures, geographical area, groundwater draft, ponds area etc. The study reveals that for Patna and Gaya district the total annual groundwater recharge is 123796.4 ha-m and 107866 ha-m, the net annual groundwater draft for all uses is 57933.2 ha-m and 54390.6 ha-m, the net groundwater available for future irrigation development is 59673.2 ha-m and 48082.1 ha-m respectively. The stage of groundwater development is 49.3% for Patna district and 53%for Gaya district which fall in safe categories for both districts. The surplus of groundwater available for future agriculture is 12583.7 ha-m and 7173 ha-m and the additional energy requirement for abstraction of surplus of groundwater available for future agriculture is 4.80 × 106 KWh and 1.55 × 106 KWh for Patna and Gaya district respectively.