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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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20184
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End date: 2018 × Start date: 2018 × Thesis Type: M.Tech. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Study of Osmotic dehydration of Pointed Gourd (Trichosanthesdioica)
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, 2018) Kumari, Nisha; Sharma, P. D.
    Fresh, good quality Swarnarekha variety of pointed gourds were procured from the local market of Pusa and washed under running water followed by cutting into discs of size approximately (30 mm diameter and 4 mm thickness). Osmotic dehydration experiments were conducted employing CCR Design for three independent variables with five levels each [Salt Concentration (SC) -5, 10, 15, 20, 25%; Solution Temperature (ST) -30, 35, 40, 45, 50oC; Immersion Time (IT) -30, 60, 90, 120, 150 min.]. A total 20 combinations of these independent variables were formed to see their effect on different dependent variables like Water Loss (WL, %), Solute Gain (SG, %) and Moisture content of osmo-dehydrated product (MC, %). Out of total 20 experiments, the best combination was selected on the basis of optimization by Response Surface Methodology. Second order multiple regression equations were developed for all the dependent variables which were optimized using Response surface methodology. A laboratory model tray dryer was used for drying pointed gourd discs. Three different samples of pointed gourd discs viz. untreated, blanched and osmosed (optimized) were taken for drying experiment at each level of drying air temperature (50, 60 and 70oC). Drying time, drying rate and moisture reduction were calculated later on the basis of observed data. The dehydrated pointed gourd discs were taken for quality evaluation by sensory method, rehydration and proximate composition analysis. Osmotic dehydration treatment facilitated better results with optimum solution of SC-10.27 %, ST- 45oC and IT- 120 minutes with an optimized yield as WL- 43.113%, SG- 8.304% and MC of osmo-dehydrated sample- 74.604 %. Drying of osmosed pointed gourd samples at 60oC drying air temperature provided shortest drying time to produce best quality dried product as compared to blanched and untreated pointed gourd samples. The drying time of osmosed sample was reduced to 480 minutes as compared to 600 and 840 minutes taken by blanched and untreated pointed gourd samples respectively. The above osmotically dehydrated pointed gourd samples showed best rehydration characteristics to yield good quality rehydrated sample which can be preserved and used during off-season.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of Fertigation and Plastic Mulching on Capsicum cultivation under Polyhouse
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2018) Kumari, Sadhani; Nirala, S. K.
    The research work entitled “Effect of Fertigation and Plastic Mulching on Capsicum cultivation under Polyhouse” was carried out under eighteen treatments with three level of irrigation, three level of fertigation with plastic mulch and without plastic mulch with three replications. Indra variety of capsicum was selected for experiment. The field layout design was done by using Randomized Block Design (RBD). The monthly crop water requirements was computed for the months of October, November, December, January, February, March and April, it was found as 2.17 cm, 1.8 cm, 1.24 cm, 0.93 cm, 3.36cm, 7.13cm and 9.0cm, respectively. Overall, in terms of the total depth of water requirement of capsicum during the entire crop period was estimated to be 25.63cm. The composite effect of irrigation, fertigation and mulching on vegetative growth, number of branches, yield parameter (number of fruit per plant, fruit weight, yield per plant) and quality of fruit(diameter of fruit, length of fruit) was found to be better in treatment T2(I1F1M1, i.e.,120 % RDF with 100% WR through drip with plastic mulch). The maximum diameter of capsicum fruit was recorded 8.37 cm, length of capsicum fruit11.72 cm, maximum number of fruits per plant 12.5, height fruit weight 168.00 gram, height yield (kg/plant)2.44 kg and height yield 93.74 t/ha in treatment T2. The maximum water use efficiency was found in treatment 62.49 (kg/ha-cm) and fertilizer use efficiency was found 101.67 in treatment T2.The maximum benefit cost ratio was estimated to the tune of 2.99 in treatment T2 followed by 2.21 in treatment T4.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Performance Evaluation of FAO-AquaCrop Model for Maize crop in Eastern Part of Indo-Gangetic Plain
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2018) Kumar, Vicky; Chandra, Ravish
    he present study was undertaken to study the response of different level of irrigation on crop growth, yield, biomass and water use efficiency of Rabi maize under North Bihar condition. A further field investigation was also undertaken to evaluate of FAO-AquaCrop model for Rabi maize under different level of furrow irrigation at experimental field of AICRP on Irrigation Water Management, Dr. RPCAU, Pusa (Samastipur), Bihar. Crop growth, yield, biomass and water use were measured under different treatments. The AquaCrop model was used to simulate Rabi maize yield and biomass under full deficit irrigation and rainfed treatments. Evaluation of AquaCrop model was accomplished using the observed values from field experiment during 4th Nov. 2016 to 13th April 2017 for Rabi maize. The biometric parameters like plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and canopy spread were significantly superior in treatment T1(control/full irrigation) compared to other deficit irrigation and rainfed treatments. The biometric parameters like plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and canopy spread for treatment T1(control/full irrigation) was 179.80 cm, 29.90 mm, 12 and 87.70 cm respectively. Rabi maize yield was highest for treatment T1 with a value of 11.12 t/ha, followed by treatment T2 (75% of CI) with a value of 10.98 t/ha and lowest for treatment T4 (Rainfed) with a value of 3.35 t/ha. Biomass was highest for treatment T1 (CI) with a value of 24.92 t/ha, followed by treatment T2 (75% of CI) with a value of 24.65 t/ha and lowest treatment T4 (Rainfed) with the value of 7.931 t/ha. The crop yield and biomass were significantly higher for treatment T1 (control/full irrigation) compared to other treatments. The water use efficiency of Rabi maize yield decreased with increase in irrigation level for all treatments of furrow irrigation. Water use efficiency was highest for treatment T3 with a value of 310 kg/ha-cm followed by treatment T2 with a value of 303 kg/ha-cm. The water use efficiency was significantly higher treatment T3 (50% of CI) compared to other treatments. The adapted values of canopy growth coefficient and canopy decline coefficient were 15.4% day-1 and 9.5% day-1 respectively for Rabi maize. The days of emergence, sowing to flowering, senescence and maturity were 6, 60, 142 and 161 days respectively. The adopted values of water productivity (WP) were obtained as 30.7 g m-2. The harvest index was obtained as 48%. The AquaCrop model evaluated for grain yield and biomass under different irrigation levels resulted in prediction error ranging from 2.25% to 9.59% and 2.44% to 11.84% respectively. The AquaCrop model was evaluated for simulation of grain yield and biomass of Rabi maize for all treatment with the prediction statistics 0.971 < E < 0.988, 0.221 < RMSE < 0.731, 0.987 < R2 < 0.997 and 0.421 < MAE < 0.806 t ha-1. The AquaCrop model predictions for grain yield and biomass of Rabi maize were in line with the observed data corroborated with E and R2 values approaching one. The AquaCrop model was more accurate in predicting the maize yield under full and 75% of CI as compared to the rainfed and 50% of CI.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Planning and Design of Surface Drainage System for Jhilli Chaur (Pusa Farm), Samastipur (Bihar)
    (Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur), 2018) Kumari, Shuchi; Bhagat, I. B.
    Waterlogging in chaur area is due to inadequate provision of outlets and continues for more than 2-3 months. Paddy and Sugarcane are the principle crops in the chaur land whose yield get affected by the waterlogging. It also causes delay in land preparation for Rabi crops. Proper planning of the drainage system was done for the Jhilli chaur. For this hydrological analysis of rainfall was done in order to find the maximum rainfall for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days and seven days. The maximum rainfall at seventy percent probability level was found to be 88.35 mm, 111.11 mm, 126.21 mm, 148.41mm, 164.52 mm, 175.757 mm, 189.52 mm for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days and 7 days, respectively for Pusa. Maximum evaporation was found to be 6.25mm/day in the month of May and minimum evaporation was 0.93 mm/day in the month of December. The average pan evaporation (3.66 mm/day) for the month of June, July, August, September and October had been used for calculating the drainage coefficient. - Double ring infiltrometer was used for calculating infiltration rate. The average infiltration rate for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days and 7 days was 0.68, 0.52, 0.41, 0.36, 0.32, 0.29 and 0.28 mm/h. The waterlogged area was divided as upland, medium land and low land according to the elevation obtained from contour map of the area. The contour map was obtained with the help of software Google Earth, TCX Converter, Arc GIS and Global Mapper. The total area of Jhilli chaur was 12 ha. Jhilli chaur was divided into two parts; Jhilli chaur-A and Jhilli chaur -B, having separate outlets. Total area of Jhilli chaur-A under upland, medium land and low land was 1.289, 2.321 and 1.235 ha, respectively while for Jhilli chaur-B it was 1.671, 4.705 and 2.033 ha, respectively. Seven days drainage coefficient of Jhilli chaur- A and Jhilli chaur- B has been found to be 4.63 cm/day and 2.34 cm/day, respectively. Water stagnation could takes place to an extent of 2.39 ha-m and 4.20 ha-m in Jhilli chaur -A and Jhilli chaur- B respectively. One lateral for Jhilli chaur-A and one lateral for Jhilli chaur- B is sufficient to drain excess water from the field. Total volume of earth work was computed as 118.51 m3.