Knowledge and Adoption Level of Improved Technology among Rural Women owing to Extension Programmes

The study has assessed the impact of extension programmes on the adoption level of improved technologies in agriculture and animal husbandry in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh for the agricultural year 2002-03. A significant difference has been observed in the knowledge and adoption levels among SHG-beneficiary and non-beneficiary groups. The study has revealed that the importance or ranking attached to various agricultural practices has been almost the same by both the groups, though with a significant gap in the extent of their adoption. In cereals, timely harvesting, followed by seed selection and seed treatment are the most adopted practices by beneficiary group while seed selection, followed by timely harvesting and timely sowing are the preferred practices by non-beneficiaries. Chemical weed control, pre-sowing soil treatment, sowing in lines at proper spacing have been the most ignored practices, although the level of their adoption has been found higher among beneficiaries than non-beneficiaries. In the case of vegetables, use of HYVs and sowing in lines are commonly practised by both the groups. Seed treatment, soil treatment and proper spacing are the practices where maximum chasm has been observed among the two groups. Similarly, in the case of animal husbandry, a significant gap in the adoption level of various practices has been observed among both the groups. The study has inferred that the extension programmes organized by various extension agencies for SHGs constitute appropriate educational tools for the transfer of technology and raising the socio-economic status of rural people.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Evaluation of IPM modules for the management of fruit borer and fruit rot diseases in tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller

Among, five IPM modules tested against tomato fruit borer and fruit rot on tomato, the IPM module (M3) consisting of use of pheromone traps (@ 12 traps/ha) just after transplanting the tomato crop , Lycopersicon esculentum Miller for monitoring the population of Helicoverpa armigera . followed by three foliar sprays commencing with a mixture of lamba-cyhalothrin 5EC @ 0.8ml/L(0.04%) and Dithane Z-78 (Zineb) @ 2.5g/L (0.25%) after 10 days of appearance of moths in the traps (after 30 days of transplanting) followed by spray with a mixture of Helicide (Ha NPV) 100 LE @ 0.5ml/L+ Indofil M-45 @ 2.5g/L (0.25%) + Gur (0.05%) + Tween 80 (0.05%) after 15 days of first spray followed by spray with a mixture of lamba-cyhalothrin 5EC @ 0.8ml/L(0.04%) and moximate (cymoxanil + mancozeb) @ 0.25% after 15 days of the second spray was found to be most effective in minimizing the infestation of fruit borer and fruit rot diseases with 50.00% and 63.45% reduction over control, respectively. This module was also found to be most economic resulting in highest marketable fruit yield (255.94q/ha) and maximum net returns (Rs.10.36) per rupee spent. The present findings are of immense utility as there will be reduction in number of sprays resulting in the cost of production of tomato crop

Network analysis of water-related ecosystem services in search of solutions for sustainable catchment management: A case study in Sutlej-Beas River systems, India

Hydrological processes and ecosystem interactions are instrumental in sustaining local populations by providing various water-related ecosystem services (ES). Numerous studies gave priority to the theories and methods of building networks that emphasized different stakeholders. However, little study has examined the complex relationships among water-related ES themselves and how relevant human activities affect ES networks. To narrow this gap, in this study we quantified four critical water-related ES (flood mitigation, hydropower production, soil retention, and water conservation), set up six ES network types based on the synergy relationship, and further explored the effect of human activities on these networks. The results showed that among six ES network categories, networks with four fully linked ES occupied a large percentage of 23.20% while the network with one central ES linking two others accounted for the lowest percentage (9.28%). Compared with other ES, soil retention tended to be less centralized within the networks. In addition, land use intensity was found to greatly influence the ES networks compared with other indicators, especially for less complex networks. Our results highlighted the importance of network analysis in searching solutions for sustainable catchment management

The land–river interface: a conceptual framework of environmental process interactions to support sustainable development

peer reviewedRivers and their surrounding lands are focal points of human development in the landscape. However, activities associated with development can greatly affect river processes, causing significant and often unintended environmental and human impacts. Despite the profound and varied environmental impacts that development-related alterations cause through hydrological, geomorphic, and ecological processes, they are not widely acknowledged outside of river management and affect resource availability and hazard exposure to people. In this paper, we propose a novel, interdisciplinary conceptual framework of river–land process interactions to support sustainable management and development. We introduce the term ‘land–river interface’ (LRI) to describe areas of the landscape in which river processes affect land, vegetation, and/or fauna, including humans, directly or indirectly. The multiple links between LRI processes and factors at the river basin, valley, and river channel (i.e. reach) scale are synthesized and a conceptual zonation of the LRI based on the process is proposed to serve as a framework to understand the impacts of human activity. Three examples of development-related activities (urbanization, dams and aggregate mining) illustrate how alteration to the form and functioning of river basins, valleys, and channels cause a range of impacts to be propagated throughout the landscape, often spatially or temporally distant from the activity. The diversity and severity of these impacts on the environment and people underscore the need to incorporate river processes, as represented in the LRI concept, into broader environmental management to better anticipate and mitigate negative impacts and maximize positive outcomes to deliver the benefits of sustainable development across society

Glaucoma Research: A Scientometric Study of Indian Publications Output, 2002-11

Objectives: Analyses the Indian publications output in glaucoma research during 2002-11 on several parameters including contribution & citation impact of top most productive countries, India’s overall contribution, its growth pattern and citation impact, the share of international collaboration in India’s overall research output, contribution of leading countries and identification of leading foreign collaborating partners, Indian contribution & impact of different types of glaucoma, glaucoma research by sub-fields and glaucoma research output by different population age groups, productivity and impact of leading Indian institutions and authors and pattern of communication of Indian output in most productive journals. Methods: The Scopus Citation Database has been used to retrieve the data for 10 years (2002-11) by searching the keywords “glaucoma or intraocular pressure” in combined Title, Abstract and Keywords field. Results: The Indian publications output in glaucoma research consisted of 1078 papers during 2002-11, which increased from 61 papers in 2002 to 207 papers in 2011, witnessing an annual average growth rate of 18.29%. The average citation impact per paper registered by Indian publications in glaucoma research was 3.03 during 2002-11, which decreased from 3.87 during 2002-06 to 2.49 during 2007-11. The international collaborative share ofIndia in overall glaucoma research was 21.06% during 2002-11, which increased from 17.92% during 2002-06 to 23.09% during 2007-11 Conclusions: The glaucoma’s irreversibility, lacking of glaucoma specialists and patients unawareness demand for an economic and effective glaucoma diagnosis system for screening. Disease control and elimination require an adequately trained functional workforce with an enabling infrastructure and technology

World Cataract Research: A Scientometric Analysis of Publications Output during 2002-11

Objectives: The study analyses the global publications output in cataract research during 2002-11 on several parameters including contribution & citation impact of top 15 most productive countries, different types of cataract research, research output by different population age groups, subject-wise break-up of research output, relatedness of various diseases to cataract research, research contribution and impact of top 15 institutions and authors and productivity of the top 20 journals. Methods: The Scopus Citation Database has been used to retrieve the data for 10 years (2002-11) by searching the keywords “cataract” in the combined Title, Abstract and Keywords field. Results: The world publication output in cataract research consisted of 27053 papers during 2002-11, which increased from 2025 papers in 2002 to 3080 papers in 2011, witnessing an annual average growth rate of 4.89%. The average citation impact per paper registered by world publications was 6.94 during 2002-11, which decreased from 7.82 during 2002-06 to 5.21 during 2007-11 Conclusions: Cataract is a significant and increasing global problem. The challenges are to prevent or delay cataract formation and cure that which occurs. Preventive interventions must be identified, perfected and delivered through research changes in government policy and legislation and modification of community and individual behavior

Polyhouse Technology for High-Value Crops: Variability in Practices and Outcome

The protected cultivation technology holds special significance for hilly states like Himachal Pradesh where arable land is scarce due to uneven terrain and holdings are small and fragmented. A number of polyhouses has been constructed throughout the state under Pandit Deen Dayal Kisan Bagwan Samridhi Yojna (PDDKBSY). The scheme involved huge investments but has not yielded the expected and desirable results. Also the benefits could not be sustained for desirable period because of some technological gaps in the management of polyhouses. In order to examine these technological gaps, a study was conducted in two blocks of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. A sample of 60 polyhouse farmers (33 small and 27 large) was selected by proportional allocation method. Department of Agriculture was reported to be the major motivational force behind the adoption of technology by the farmers however only 38 per cent of the beneficiaries had genuine interest behind the installation of polyhouses. Eighty-five per cent of the beneficiaries were trained but all after the installation of polyhouses. The average area under protected cultivation was 110.45 m2 on small category and 302.89 m2 on large category. Capsicum accounted for maximum area (37.91%) followed by tomato (32.52 per cent) and cucumber (29.57 per cent). On an average, the productivity of cucumber was highest (9.99 q/100m2) followed by tomato (7.12 q/100m2). Gaps in the output of different crops varied from 26-36 per cent. More than 40 per cent of farmers were in low (< 40 per cent) technical efficiency range. The total cost of cultivation per 100 m2 area on small farms was Rs. 13,939, 13,848 and 11,312, for capsicum, tomato and cucumber, respectively and on large farms it was Rs. 10,935, 10,672 and 8952, respectively. Net returns over variable costs were Rs. 21,800, 11,836 and 8,406 on small farms and Rs. 12,180, 7,754 and 6,524 on large farms for capsicum, tomato and cucumber, respectively. Significantly high gaps were observed in the management practices like seed and soil treatments, pinching/pruning, spacing and plant protection. The existing design and structure of sampled polyhouses was found to have yawning gaps w.r.t. site selection, shape and orientation of polyhouses, foundation security and quality of cladding material etc. Negative gaps were observed in case of the inputs, viz., seed, seedlings, composts, nitrogenous fertilisers, MOP and plant protection chemicals on different crops indicating excess use by average farmers. Thus, the gaps in yields of crops were contributed more by the faulty management practices, faulty construction/design of polyhouses and scant attention of farmers towards the precautionary measures. Some suggestions to ensure the success of protected cultivation are: selection of genuine farmers, prior training of the beneficiaries, proper construction of polyhouses and provision of efficient advisory services

Effect on Income and Employment of Diversification and Commercialization of Agriculture in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh

The study carried out in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh has examined the extent of changes in cropping pattern and their effect on income and employment over the period 1990-91 to 2002-03. Data collected through the three-stage stratified random sampling technique have been used to analyze the impact of diversification and commercialization over time. The average farm-size has reduced from 0.80 hectares to 0.59 hectares during this period. The cereal-dominated cropping pattern has been replaced by vegetable-based cropping pattern, the area under cereal crops being declined from 59 per cent to 5 per cent. The cropping intensity has increased from 197 to 225 per cent. Cauliflower, cabbage and tomato are the major crops occupying the total cropped area. As the vegetable crops are highly labour-intensive, the annual labour requirement has increased by about 49 per cent. The labour requirement during kharif, rabi and zaid seasons has increased from 98.9, 90.0 and 10.0 mandays in period-I (1990-91) to 115.5, 113.8 and 64.0 mandays, respectively in period-II (2002-03). The per farm annual income has increased more than three-times, from Rs 31,240 to Rs 1,35,160 over this period. The labour employment as well as the contribution to total income have been found highest in cauliflower, followed by cabbage and tomato, though pea is reported to be the most labour-intensive crop and tomato has turned out to be the most paying crop per unit of area. This hike in income level, which is due to agricultural diversification, has raised the living standards of the farmers of this area