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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: Prasad, Satya Narayan × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2016 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Physiology of mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss) genotypes under salinity and high temperature stress at seedling stage
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar), 2018) Prasad, Satya Narayan; Kavita
    Rapeseed-mustard is considered to be the second largest edible oilseed crop in the world after soybean. However, this is sensitive to salinity stress that adversely affects growth and yield. The crop also faces high temperature at seedling stage when sown late. The present investigation was carried out to screen mustard genotypes against salinity and high temperature stress conditions and to study physio-biochemical response in two contrasting genotypes under salinity and high temperature stress condition at seedling stage. The salt solution was prepared by using NaCl: CaCl2 in the ratio of 7:2 (w/v) and its electrical conductivity of different salinity levels (4.0 dSm-1 and 6.0 dSm-1) were maintained by direct reading conductivity meter. Twenty one genotypes viz., CS-52, CS-56, CS2002-61, CS2002-189, CS2002-195, CS2004-105, CS2004-106, CS2004-114, CS2004-191, CS2005-124, CS2005-125, CS2009-105, CS2009-145, CS2009-256, CS2009-261, CS2009-332, CS2009-347, CS2013-10, CS2013-19, CS2013-27 and CS1013-41 were subjected to primary screening at different stresses sown in seedling trays filled with soil. The treatments comprised of (a) Control (1.2 dSm-1) (b) 1.2 dSm-1 + High temperature (40℃) (c) Salinity of EC = 4.0 dSm-1 (d) Salinity of EC = 6.0 dSm-1 (e) Salinity (EC = 4.0 dSm-1) + high temperature (40℃) (f) Salinity (EC = 6.0 dSm-1) + high temperature (40℃) that were compared with control (1.2 dSm-1). The contrasting set of genotypes identified were used to study the physio-biochemical changes in 15-day old seedlings. On the basis of physiological parameters viz., survival percent, seedling length, dry weight of seedlings, vigour index-I and vigour index-II of contrasting set of genotypes were identified. Survival percent, seedling length, dry weight of seedlings, vigour index-I and vigour index-II declined in all the genotypes in different treatments over control, however, the decline was less in genotypes CS2009-347 and CS-52 whereas it was more in CS2009-256 and CS2009-145. The genotypes CS2009-347 and CS-52 were identified as relatively tolerant, whereas CS2009-256 and CS2009-145 were found to be susceptible genotypes. Stress application resulted in decline in membrane stability index, relative water content, chlorophyll content and soluble protein content; however, the decline was less in tolerant genotypes. Contrary to this, carotenoids content, proline content, catalase activity, peroxidase activity were found to increase, the increase being more pronounced in tolerant genotypes. Total free amino acids and protease activity also enhanced with the percent enhancement being more in susceptible genotypes. Results of this study will be helpful for finding salinity and high temperature tolerant genotypes for mustard improvement programme.