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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: Singh, Ajit × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2020 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Tech. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development of real time soil EC sensing system
    (DRPCAU, Pusa, 2020) Singh, Ajit; Patel, S. K.
    Productivity and production of the major crops has increased many folds since the independence. Simultaneously, the use of chemical fertilizers has also increased which have caused negative impact the on-soil‘s health. The extensive use of chemical fertilizers can be reduced by their precise application. Nitrogen is one of the most important among chemical fertilizers. Some researchers have found that nitrogen fertilizer can be applied on the basis of soil‘s electrical conductivity. Mostly, the soil‘s electrical conductivity is measured in laboratory which takes more time. If EC is managed to be measured within the field on real time basis then it can be employed at the time of sowing the crop. Therefore, a project on development of real time soil EC sensing system was taken. Four electrodes were used to measure electrical conductivity of soil. Out of four electrodes, outer two electrodes were used for current flow in the soil which is kept 6 cm deep and voltage (potential difference) between inner two electrodes were measured which was also at same depth. Two methods i.e. soil-salt and salt-water were used to vary the EC of soil as well as water. Two relationships i.e. EC vs V were developed for soil-salt and salt-water which were used for the calibration equations. The coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.849 for EC vs V (soil-salt method) and 0.793 for EC vs V (salt-water). The Pearson‘s coefficients of correlations were 0.921 and 0.891 for the same which were significant. A multiple regression equation (EC, V and MC) was also determined. The coefficient of determination was 0.793 for the same which was also significant. Using above equation program was written to measure EC in real time. The developed sensor was validated in actual field condition. To validate the developed sensor, sensing system was operating in the field and measure EC in real time. Simultaneously, soil samples were also collected to measure EC in lab. The measured data by sensor was validated lab data. The coefficient of determination was 0.651 Therefore, the developed sensing system is very simple, easy to use to measure EC in real time which will reduce the time and drudgery substantially.