Loading...
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

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Physiology of mungbean [Vignaradiata(L.)Wilczek] under salt and high temperature stress condition
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2018) Kumari, Shikha; Kumar, Shailesh
    Many agricultural lands affected by salinity, the influence of salt stressis aggravated by the simultaneous action of high temperature. Recent studies revealed that the response of plants to a combination of two different stresses is specific and cannot be deduced from the stresses applied individually. Here, we report on the respons1e of mungbean seedlings to individual and combination of salt and high temperature stress. The present study entitled “Physiology of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] under salt and high temperature stress condition” was conducted with three objectives (1) Screening of mungbean genotypes for combined salt and high temperature stress to identify contrasting sets of mungbean genotypes on the basis of physiological traits(2) To study physiological and biochemical mechanisms of tolerance of mungbean genotypes subjected to independent, and combined salt and high temperature stress condition.(3) To study the ionic and nutrient homeostasis in contrasting sets of mungbean genotypes subjected to independent, and combined salt and high temperature stress condition. Entirestudies were performed in 8 days old mungbean seedling grown in petriplate. For screening of contrasting sets of genotypes, experiments were performed with thirty one mungbean genotypes. Germination percentage and growth parameters (seedling dry weight, root length & seedling length, seedling vigour I & II, germination relative index) and physiological traits (chlorophyll contents measured in terms of SPAD units), were recorded in 8 days old mungbean seedling, and on the basis of growth performance under combined stress condition, two sets of contrasting mungbean genotypes were identified (TMB-37 & Pusa 1501, relatively tolerant for combined stressand MH-1314 & MH- 1315, relatively susceptible for combined stress). Second experiment was conducted to compare the changes occurred due individual and combined stress on physiological and biochemical traits.Results showed that combined stress severely reduced the photosynthetic pigment contents, carotenoids contents, SPAD value, chlorophyll stability, relative water contents, membrane stability compared to individual stress. Reduction was more in susceptible group compared to tolerant group of genotypes. In tolerant group the levels of antioxidant enzyme activity (peroxidase, CAT and SOD) and proline were higher compared to susceptible group both under individual and under combined stress conditions. Compared to individual stress the antioxidant enzyme activity (peroxidase, CAT and SOD) and proline were higher under combined stress conditions. Lipid peroxidation (estimated in terms of TBARS content) were also significantly high in combined stress compared to individual stress. In third experiments ionic and nutrient homeostasis estimated by analyzing the content of Na, K, and Zn and Fe in shoot and root of contrasting sets of mungbean genotypes subjected to independent, and combined salt and high temperature stress condition. Results indicated that tolerant genotypes maintained high K-Na ratio in both shoot and root compared to susceptible genotypes under individual and combined stress conditions and produced more dry matter compared to susceptible genotypes. Reduction in K-Na ratio both shoots and roots were more in combined stress compared to individual stress. Zn and Fe mobilization was severely affected under stress condition in all genotypes under individual and combined stress conditions, however tolerant genotypes able to maintain more Zn and Fe content in their shoot and root compared to susceptible genotypes. From Pearson Correlation Matrix it is clear that the endogenous seed Zn contents was positively correlated with dry weight, germination percentage, total chlorophyll, RWC, SPAD value, Fe & Zn content of shoot and root, and K-Na ratio. Therefore, seed Fe & Zn can also be used trait for screening of genotypes under individual & combined stress conditions during seedling stage.