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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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ThesisItem Open Access Study of soil-water dynamics through HYDRUS 2D model under different planting and irrigation methods for wheat crop(RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) KUMAR, NIRAJ; Jain, S K.The studies on soil-water dynamics under different irrigation and planting methods for wheat crop were analyzed using the Hydrus 2D model during 45-75 DAS the crop growth period . The treatments were: furrow irrigation in raised bed (T1), sprinkler irrigation in conventional tillage (T2), flood irrigation in conventional tillage (T3), sprinkler irrigation in zero tillage with residue (T4), flood irrigation in zero tillage with residue (T5), sprinkler irrigation in zero tillage (T6) and flood irrigation in zero tillage (T7). Results on these practices showed that raised bed and zero tillage with residue reduced surface and sub-surface bulk density (BD), increased field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and improved soil water retention significantly over CT and ZT without residue. For simulating water flow and RWU, hydraulic input parameters along with measured field saturated hydraulic conductivity (KS), Soil water content measured on the first day of simulation period as initial condition along with the atmospheric boundary conditions: potential evaporation (Ep), potential transpiration(TP) and amount of rain/ irrigation applied and root parameters : vertical & horizontal root spread along with the diameter of primary roots were specified before running the model. Validation of the model was done by comparing the predicted SMC with experimentally measured MC. In comparison to flood irrigation system, the simulated cumulative RWU in RB with furrow irrigation system and sprinkler system were higher. The maximum root growth in sprinkler irrigation vertically up to 30 cm and horizontally up to 13 cm; where as in flood irrigation vertically up to 35 cm and horizontally up to 10 cm. In comparison to flood irrigation, wheat crops are grown with sprinkler irrigation had more roots or roots with greater density at soil depths between 0 and 30 cm. The water movement at the depth of 0-45 cm varies from 17.4 -35.9 %. Maximum moisture content at depth of 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm were 34.8 % in treatment T4, 35.9 % in treatment T1 and 35.2 % in treatment T2 respectively. In flood irrigation maximum cumulative drainage was recorded which were 8.00, 7.64 and 4.31 cm in T7, T3 and T5 treatments respectively. Results of validation of Hydrus 2D model for prediction of SWC showed satisfactory performance (RMSE = 0.016 cm3cm-3 and R2 = 0.86). Data showed that raised bed with furrow irrigation followed by sprinkler irrigation method had a good impact on wheat root development metrics and yield. Sprinkler irrigation has been effective at suppling irrigation water to plant roots while preserving optimal production. Hence it was concluded that furrow irrigation in raised bed (T1) practice should be adopted for wheat cultivation, as these practices modified soil water regime in root zone, enhanced root growth and improved radiation interception, LAI and RWU. The Hydrus 2D can satisfactorily simulate the temporal changes in water balance components in the root zone during the crop period; hence it may be adopted for evaluating different management practices in terms of improvement in water use.ThesisItem Open Access Effect of packaging material on shelf-life of Watermelon Jaggery(RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) REDDY, CHEPA TARUN TEJA; Kumar, VishalThe current research on the "Effect of Packaging Materials on the Shelf-Life of Watermelon Jaggery" was conducted to select suitable packaging materials and storage conditions for enhanced shelf life of watermelon jaggery based on physico-chemical properties, microbial count, and organoleptic attributes. This was done to assess its storability under the ambient (12-43°C) and refrigerated conditions (5±1°C) for commercial viability. Watermelon jaggery was prepared using different proportions of rind content (14.33% w/w), binding agent (9.86% w/w), and sweetening agent (12.50% w/w). Then it was stored in HDPE, LDPE, aluminum foil, glass jars, and hermetic pouches under ambient and refrigerated conditions and the quality analysis was carried out over a 160-day storage period at 20-day intervals. Quality parameters changed significantly with increase in storage period. By the end of storage under ambient condition, the moisture content decreased from 16.54% to 11.53%, pH decreased from 6.42 to 6.19, TSS increased from 74.4°Brix to 83.80°Brix, reducing sugars increased from 2.8% to 4.81%, total sugars increased from 4.5% to 6.73%, hardness increased from 36.13N to 40.67N, the colour index decreased from 42.5 to 35.47, and overall acceptability scores were declined from 8.55 to 6.81. Meanwhile, under refrigerated conditions, the moisture content decreased from 16.54% to 13.10%, pH decreased from 6.42 to 6.21, TSS increased from 74.4°Brix to 81.93°Brix, reducing sugars increased from 2.8% to 4.53%, total sugars increased from 4.5% to 6.51%, hardness increased from 36.13N to 42.63N, the colour index decreased from 42.5 to 37.57, and overall acceptability scores were declined from 8.55 to 7.10. These experimental results were subjected to statistical analysis using a completely randomized design (CRD) in GRAPES online statistical software. The total microbial count was observed at the end of storage duration, but their population were within the safe limit for consumption for the watermelon jaggery stored in refrigerated condition. From the economic analysis, it was found that B/C ratio was 1.51 and payback period is 0.32 years indicate quick recovery of initial investment. This study not only advances academic knowledge by providing valuable insights into the production, storage, and economic feasibility of this unique product but also offers entrepreneurs a compelling commercial opportunity.ThesisItem Open Access Development of Single Row Vegetable Transplanter with Rotating Cup Type Metering Mechanism(RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) YADAV, ANAND MOHAN; Sinha, JayaThe role of vegetables in ensuring global food security is crucial due to their provision of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for a balanced diet. This study addresses the significance of vegetable cultivation, particularly in low-income countries, where they play a vital role in nutrition and economic well-being. Despite advancements in agricultural practices, challenges persist in terms of productivity, cost-efficiency, and sustainability. This research focuses on optimizing vegetable transplanting, a critical process in agriculture, by developing a battery-operated single-row transplanter with a rotating cup-type metering mechanism. Historically, vegetable sowing methods have evolved from traditional practices to modern technological advancements. This study concentrates on Indian vegetable cultivation, heavily reliant on manual labor. While semi-automatic transplanters have alleviated labor burdens, this research aims to further enhance efficiency through the development of an automatic transplanter. The research objectives encompass developing the metering mechanism, designing the transplanter, evaluating its performance and economic viability. This study involved several steps, including assessing seedling properties, designing the metering mechanism, fabricating the transplanter, evaluating its performance, and conducting cost analysis. The transplanter's specifications, power source, transmission system, and battery were detailed. Performance metrics, such as draft and power requirements, field capacity, transplanting rate, and survival percentage, were measured and analyzed. The cost economics of the transplanter were compared to manual methods. The results of field trials on Chilli and Brinjal crops indicated the transplanter's efficiency, achieving high field efficiency rates ranging from 43.61% to 55.55% across different speeds. ANOVA showed Actual Field Capacity is significant at the 1 percent level. Actual Field Capacity (AFC) increased from 0.02 ha/h at 0.5 km/h to 0.03 ha/h at 1.0 km/h. The transplanter exhibited transplanting rates ranging from 920.13 plants/hour to 1679.89 plants/hour, significantly reducing labor requirements. Cost analysis demonstrated the transplanter's cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, this research presents a single-row vegetable transplanter with a rotating cup-type metering mechanism that offers promising results in terms of performance, efficiency, and cost savings. The transplanter has the potential to revolutionize vegetable cultivation practices by streamlining transplanting operations and improving crop yields. Further validation and fine-tuning are recommended for different conditions and crops. This technology represents a significant advancement in sustainable and efficient agriculture.ThesisItem Open Access Development of fermentor for sugarcane juice vinegar production(RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) SINGH, SHABNAM; Amitabh, AnupamNaturally fermented vinegar is a byproduct of the two-step fermentation process, in which sugar is converted to ethanol and subsequently ethanol is converted to acetic acid. Brewed vinegar refers to a product produced by the fermentation of any suitable sugar-rich medium, such as fruits, malt (brewed solely from malted barley or other cereals), molasses, jaggery, sugarcane juice, etc, into alcohol and acetic acid. The developed prototype for the vinegar production can process the sugarcane juice for the production of vinegar in very short time. The developed fermentor had a fermentation efficiency of 81 per cent. Experiments were conducted using Box-Behnken design for the performance evaluation. The data obtained from the experiment was analysed using Design Expert 13 software. Multiple regression analysis was developed to build the response function and second-order model was fitted for each response. Numerical optimization of the processing parameters i.e., for the roller speed (64.438, rpm), concentration of acetobacter (8.285, % v/v), air flow rate (0.725 ft3/min) the corresponding values of dependent variables were yield of vinegar (81%), reducing sugar (0.255%), total sugar (2.637%), titratable acidity (5.127 %), acetic acid (3.960). The highest desirability as 0.866 was obtained.ThesisItem Open Access Impact of extrusion processing on physio-chemical and sensory attributes of broken rice - pearl millets and mushroom based extrudates(RPCAU, Pusa, 2023) Kumar , Mukesh; Sharma, P.D.The extrusion cooking process is a high temperature and short time process in which material is feed to the extruder for desired temperature, pressure, and residence time. Broken rice, Oyster mushroom and pearl millet was used to develop Ready- To-Eat (RTE) snack through extrusion cooking. Composite mixed flour was prepared using Broken rice flour, Oyster mushroom powder and Pearl millet flour. Broken rice and oyster mushroom powder proportion were fixed and only pearl millet flour in varying proportions. Extrusion cooking was carried out using a Twin-Screw Extruder. Extrusion cooking experiments were conducted employing CCRD for four independent variables with five level each feed proportion- 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30; feed rate-6, 8, 10, 12, 14 kg/h; screw speed- 300, 325, 350, 375, 400 rpm; Barrel temperature 105, 120, 135, 150,165°C. A total 30 combinations of these independent variables were formed to see the effect on different dependent variable like Moisture content, Expansion ratio, Bulk density (kg/m3), Total colour index (E), Hardness (N) and Overall acceptability (OA). During experiments the best combination was generated on the basis of optimization by response surface methodology (Liang et al., 2012). Second order multiple regression equations were developed for all the dependent variables which were optimized using response surface methodology. The best product was prepared at optimum solution such as feed proportion- Pearl millet flour percentage 24.99% Feed rate - 8 kg/h, Screw speed 307 rpm and Barrel temperature 150°C, produced the most acceptable extrudates. The experimental data for response were in close experiment with the optimized solution obtained from RSM. Moisture content 6.2 %, expansion ratio 3.6, bulk density 113.3 kg/m3, hardness 6.24 N total colour index 75.29 and 7.5 overall acceptability. The prepared optimized extrudates also had well balanced acceptable range of the nutrition (moisture content 6.20%, total carbohydrate 81.02%, protein 9.92, fat 0.87, fibre 2.10% and ash content 1.49%.ThesisItem Unknown Design Modification of Two Row Battery Operated Vegetable Transplanter(Dr.RPCAU, Pusa, 2022) KUMAR, NIRANJAN; Sinha, JayaVegetables are the essential part of diet in India. India is the second largest producer of the vegetables after China. Generally, in India vegetable is transplanted either by traditional manual method which requires high labour cost and high drudgery during transplanting. To reduce the drudgery and manpower requirement in transplanting operation mechanization in vegetable cultivation is needed. The mechanical transplanting of vegetable has been considered the most promising option, as it saves labour, ensures timely transplanting and attains optimum plant density that contributes to high productivity. Keeping this in view, the study was conducted to evaluate the field performance of CAET developed battery operated vegetable transplanter and modification was done as per requirement. The Modified Single Row Battery Operated Vegetable Transplanter (MSRBOVT) had main frame, DC motor, battery, power transmission unit, furrow opener, ski type furrow closing device, seedling delivery tube, seedling holding tray, escalator and motor controller. Field performance of Existing Two Row Battery Operated Vegetable Transplanter (ETRBOVT) and MSRBOVT was done with chilli and brinjal plug seedling. Both transplanter was ergonomically evaluated in terms of physiological cost of operator like subjects heart beat rate and energy expenditure rate during 15 minutes of working. For transplanting chilli and brinjal plug seedling by ETRBOVT at an average speed of 0.192 km/h the average field capacity and field efficiency was observed to be 0.015 ha/h and 86.10%. The transplanting efficiency and survival plant percentage was found 87.61% and 85.78% respectively. Row to row distance, plant to plant distance and depth of transplanting was found to be 0.45 m, 0.45-0.5 m and 0.04 m respectively. The average transplanting rate by existing transplanter was observed to be 692 seedlings per hour. For transplanting chilli and brinjal plug seedling by MSRBOVT at an average speed of 0.289 km/h the average field capacity and field efficiency was observed to be 0.016 ha/h and 92.82%. The transplanting efficiency and survival plant percentage was found to be 88.95% and 86.98% respectively. Row to row distance, plant to plant distance and depth of transplanting was found to be 0.6 m, 0.45-0.5 m and 0.05 m respectively. The average transplanting rate by modified transplanter was calculated 547 seedlings per hour. Average heart beat rate for operating the ETRBOVT for continuous working by Subject A, B, and C was measured to be 113, 136 and 119 beats/min respectively. Average energy expenditure rate for operating the ETRBOVT by Subject A, B, and C was found to be 19.65, 29.18 and 22.14 kJ/min respectively. The work load in operating modified transplanter shifted to “heavy work” to “moderate work” category. Average heart beat rate for operating the MSRBOVT for continuous working by Subject A, B, and C was found to be 100, 119 and 102 beats/min respectively. Average energy expenditure rate for operating the MSRBOVT for continuous working by Subject A, B, and C was found to be 14.11, 22.14 and 15 kJ/min respectively. Cost of operation per hectare with ETRBOVT was Rs.4249.33/ha. Cost of operation per hectare with MSRBOVT was Rs.3673.12/ha. Hence, developed MSRBOVT was better in terms of field performance, physiological cost, work load and economic point of view from ETRBOVT.ThesisItem Open Access STUDY OF GROUND WATER BALANCE AND CARBON EMISSION DUE TO GROUND WATER ABSTRACTION IN RPCAU CAMPUS PUSA(Dr.RPCAU, Pusa, 2021) SINGH, SACHINDRA KUMAR; Chandra, RavishGroundwater is the most preferred water source in various user sectors in India due to its near universal availability, reliability and low capital cost. Groundwater resource estimation is essential for planning and management and distribution of precious ground water resource and gives us insight to allocate groundwater to various sectors like agriculture, water supply, drinking water judiciously. There is an urgent need to study the annual ground water draft, annual ground water recharge to compute the complete evaluation of ground water resource and ground water balance for future possible corrections. Keeping the above things in mind a study in “Study of Ground Water Balance and Carbon Emission due to Groundwater Abstraction in RPCAU Campus Pusa” was undertaken to estimate annual ground water recharge, annual ground water draft, and annual ground water balance for Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University Pusa Campus. The study was conducted for three years (2018 to 2020). The GEC norms 1997 was used to estimate annual ground water recharge, annual ground water draft and ground water balance for the study area. This methodology uses the water table fluctuation technique and empirical formula for recharge calculation. The data collected for this investigation were water table fluctuation, annual rainfall, normal rainfall, number of tubewells, brand of tubewells, Power rating of tubewells, tubewell discharge, operating hours and other details of pumping system, hydrology of the area, specific yield, ground water draft, pond area etc. In the present study, the energy consumption and carbon emission through groundwater abstraction in the RPCAU Pusa campus were also studied. The energy required for groundwater abstraction was estimated as per the methodology provide by Rothausen and Conway, 2011. The carbon emission through pumping of groundwater was calculated by using the methodology given by Nelson and Rothausen, 2008.The annual ground water draft used for water supply was found to be 118.2 ha-m, 122.9 ha-m and 111.9 ha-m respectively for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020 and the annual ground water draft used for irrigation water supply was found to be 104.8 ha-m, 105.9 ha-m and 84.6 ha-m respectively for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020 The total annual ground water recharge for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020 was found to be 108.43 ha-m, 140.49 ha-m and 194.1 ha-m respectively. The stage of ground water development for the year 2018, 2019, and 2020 was found to be 205.7 %, 162.9 % and 101.2 % respectively. The energy requirement for municipal water supply was found to be 239186.5 kWh, 243770.2 kWh and 223198.8 kWh respectively for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020. The energy requirement for irrigation water supply was found to be 155571.6 kWh, 157235 kWh, and 125622.05 kWh respectively for the year 2018, 2019, and 2020. The total carbon emission due to ground water pumping was found to be 97.2 ton, 99 ton and 90.7 ton respectively for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020. The total carbon emission due to irrigation water was found to be 63.2 ton, 63.9 ton and 51 ton respectively for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020.ThesisItem Open Access Development of Gas Fired Portable Maize Roaster-cum-Boiler(Dr.RPCAU, Pusa, 2021) SINHA, RUPAM; Amitabh, AnupamIn India, the street vendors practiced the traditional method for roasting or boiling the sweet corn. As these roasted or boiled corns are among the most popular snacks enjoyed by the people. The unavailability of an integrated corn roasting cum boiling unit is mainly due to the huge gap between the affordability of Indian street vendors and the high cost of the machines for roasting and boiling. Apart from this, the Indian vendors also experience another drawback in the form of drudgery involved during roasting and boiling where they are constantly exposed to heat. In the traditional practices, the uneven roasting of corns effects its outer beauty or attractiveness, which are disliked by the people. The use of power driven and automated equipments are impossible for Indian street vendors due to their economic conditions. Therefore, developing of a corn roasting device with increased efficiency, productivity and with affordable price is very much needed in order to face the stress and limitations during roasting. In the view of this, a gas fired portable maize roaster-cum-boiler was designed and developed and its performance evaluation was evaluated. The developed roaster-cum-boiler can roast around 30 maize and can boil around 28 maize in an hour. The average heat utilization factor in full load condition was 0.254. An average thermal efficiency of 61.88% was obtained for the unit. The mean roasting efficiency of the developed corn cob roaster cum boiler was determined to be 95.07 per cent. Total cost of the functional prototype is Rs 20,735. The net present worth calculated for next 5 years was Rs 2,10,881, internal rate of return 294.30%, benefit cost ratio 1.37 and payback period 0.33 years inferring that the developed unit is economically viable.ThesisItem Open Access FIELD EVALUATION OF SELF PROPELLED POWER PADDY WEEDER(Dr.RPCAU, Pusa, 2021) THAKRE, ROHIT; Chandra, SubhashThe experiment was comprising of performance evaluation of power paddy weeder in local soil of Pusa at three moisture levels of soil and two stages of weed height. The performance of machine was compared with the manual weeding method as control treatment. The field capacity of machine was maximum (0.046 ha/h) in treatment T3 having dry soil. However, in treatment T2 (Wet soil) and T1 (Water inundated), the field capacities were 0.42 and 0.40 hectare per hour, respectively. The maximum field efficiency was reported to be 71.42 % in treatment T1 and minimum 67.64 % in treatment T3. Among all treatments, control treatment (T4) had registered maximum weeding efficiency both at 15 and 30 days after transplanting with values (98.15%) and (97.62%), respectively. Among mechanical weeding operations, treatment T1 had maximum weeding efficiency (78.68%) at 30 days after transplanting and the minimum in treatment T3 (74.29%) at the same time interval. The performance index of machine was reported maximum (185.50) in treatment T3 and minimum was (168.04) in treatment T1, respectively at 30 days after transplanting. The plots with mechanical weeding had edge over manual weeding method in respect of plant growth for all the treatments. The treatment T1 had registered highest plant growth (88.90 cm) at 60 days after first weeding. However, in treatment T2 and T3 plant heights were at par and ranging between 86.20 cm to 86.60 cm at the same time interval after first weeding, i.e. 60 days. In relation to the economics of operation, mechanical weeding for all the treatments were much economical than the hand weeding by khurpi, i.e. treatment T4. A saving of Rs.10137.60 was reported in treatment T3 followed by Rs.9402.32 in treatment T2and Rs.8947.32 in treatment T1 on per hectare basis in comparison to treatment T4 as the control treatment and farmers practice of weeding in paddy. All the crop and economic parameters had proved the superiority of power paddy weeder over hand weeding method for weeding in paddy crop.
