Economic Evaluation of Investments in Micro Irrigation Structures in Kandi Area of Punjab

Three types of micro irrigation structures, namely small dams (SD), lift irrigation structures (LIS) and Makowal type structures (MTS) were constructed by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Govt. of Punjab, Hoshiarpur division in the Kandi area of Punjab depending upon the availability of water at site, during the period 1990-91 to 1996-97. The impact evaluation has shown that the cultivated area has increased by 9.5 per cent, 3.2 per cent and 9.8 per cent and irrigated area by 600 per cent, 1038 per cent, and 253 per cent for SD (from 1991-92 to 2003-04), LIS (from 1993-94 to 2003-04) and MTS (from 1994-95 to 2003- 04), respectively in the selected villages of these structures. The income of irrigated hectare has been found higher at Rs 14478 than un-irrigated hectare. Discounted cash flow technique has revealed that the financial internal rate of returns are as high as 20.56 per cent, 38.54 per cent and 27.95 per cent for SD, LIS and MTS, respectively, which are highly satisfactory and encourage more public investments on such type of irrigation structures to enhance the income of Kandi farmers.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Technical Efficiency in Crop Production: A Region-wise Analysis

The technical efficiency in crop production has been reported in different regions as well as in the state of Punjab to show how different regions have adopted the latest technology. Technical efficiency of individual farms has been estimated through stochastic frontier production function analysis. The production function estimates have pointed towards the presence of disguised unemployment in the sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state. The technical efficiency has shown a wide variation across regions. The average technical efficiency has been found maximum in the central region (90 per cent), followed by south-western and sub-mountainous regions. The main drivers of inefficiency have been identified as experience in agriculture and age of a farmer. The policy intervention to improve technical efficiency being not the same for all the regions, the study has observed that the state would benefit more if policy interventions are developed at the local level.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Technical Efficiency of Wheat Production in Punjab: A Regional Analysis

The study has analysed the technical efficiency in wheat production across different regions of the Punjab state. It is based on the cross sectional data collected from a random sample of 564 farm households comprising 58, 318, and 188 households from semi-hilly, central and south-western regions for the year 2005-06. The mean technical efficiency of wheat production has been found as 87 per cent, 94 per cent, 86 per cent and 87 per cent in semi-hilly, central, south-western and Punjab state as a whole, respectively. The results signify that farmers of the central region do not have much scope to increase productivity of wheat through technical efficiency improvement under the existing conditions of input-use and technology. In the semi-hilly and south-western regions, the yield of wheat can be improved to the extent of 13 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively through adoption of better practices of technology. Across different regions, wheat area has contributed positively and significantly, the coefficient being highest and only significant variable for the central region. The coefficient of expenditure on insecticides and pesticides has been found significant for the semi-hilly region, demanding boost in the expenditure on insecticides and pesticides to increase wheat production in this region. The coefficient of fertilizer nutrients has been observed positive and significant for the semi-hilly and south-western regions, indicating that there is scope for increasing production of wheat by enhancing the use of fertilizers in these regions. Further, the technical efficiencies are positively and significantly related to age, education and experience of a farmer and percentage area under the crop.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Antifertility effect of bait containing Carica papaya L. seed powder in male lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke)

448-457In rodent control exercise, after successful control with rodenticides, the surviving population often rebuild up themselves rapidly due to reduced competition and high rate of reproduction. In this context, here, we investigated the potential of papaya (Carica papaya L.) seed powder as a natural reproduction inhibitor for male lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke) in reducing the post control population rebuild up rate. Exposure of male B.bengalensis to cereal based bait containing 2, 3 and 5% papaya seed powder for 15 and 30 days durations in bi-choicelaboratory feeding tests resulted in the ingestion of total 7.14-18.15 and 13.74-41.25 g/kg body wt. of the active ingredient,respectively. Breeding performance of treated rats was 33.33 and 16.67% after treatment with 5% papaya seed powder for15 and 30 days, respectively. Autopsy of rats immediately after treatment withdrawal revealed a significant decrease inweights of testis, cauda epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate gland. Sperm motility, sperm viability and sperm countwere found reduced and sperm abnormality increased significantly in the cauda epididymal fluid of treated rats as comparedto untreated rats. The total proteins, 17β-HSD, 3β-HSD and testosterone levels were also found decreased in treated rats ascompared to untreated rats. All the changes observed in treated rats showed partial or no recovery after 30 days of treatmentwithdrawal. The study suggests the potential of papaya seed powder in regulating fertility of male B. bengalensis which maybe exploited as a component of integrated rodent pest management

Antifertility effect of bait containing Carica papaya L. seed powder in male lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke)

In rodent control exercise, after successful control with rodenticides, the surviving population often rebuild up themselves rapidly due to reduced competition and high rate of reproduction. In this context, here, we investigated the potential of papaya (Carica papaya L.) seed powder as a natural reproduction inhibitor for male lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke) in reducing the post control population rebuild up rate. Exposure of male B. bengalensis to cereal based bait containing 2, 3 and 5% papaya seed powder for 15 and 30 days durations in bi-choice laboratory feeding tests resulted in the ingestion of total 7.14-18.15 and 13.74-41.25 g/kg body wt. of the active ingredient, respectively. Breeding performance of treated rats was 33.33 and 16.67% after treatment with 5% papaya seed powder for 15 and 30 days, respectively. Autopsy of rats immediately after treatment withdrawal revealed a significant decrease in weights of testis, cauda epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate gland. Sperm motility, sperm viability and sperm count were found reduced and sperm abnormality increased significantly in the cauda epididymal fluid of treated rats as compared to untreated rats. The total proteins, 17β-HSD, 3β-HSD and testosterone levels were also found decreased in treated rats as compared to untreated rats. All the changes observed in treated rats showed partial or no recovery after 30 days of treatment withdrawal. The study suggests the potential of papaya seed powder in regulating fertility of male B. bengalensis which may be exploited as a component of integrated rodent pest management

Potential of Eucalyptus Oil as Repellent against House Rat, Rattus rattus

Rodent repellents are chemicals which by taste or odour or possibly by both will prevent animal from feeding or gnawing. Such substances may be used in protecting an area from rodent infestation or in protecting packaged food, packing materials, electric cables, and other important vulnerable materials. Mature and healthy house rat, Rattus rattus of both sexes, was exposed to 5, 10, and 20% eucalyptus oil applied as spray in laboratory pens in bichoice tests. Each concentration was applied through three different modes of application, that is, daily, once, and alternatively in a week. Repellent effect of the oil was assessed based on food consumption from treated and untreated sides for four days. In overall, food consumption was significantly (P<0.0001) low from treatment side compared to the untreated side indicating significant repellent effect of the oil at all the three concentrations tested. Repellent effect of the oil was, however, not found to differ significantly between the two sexes. Percent repellency in both male and female rats was apparently more with daily application of 5 and 10% eucalyptus oil. Present studies reveal the potential of eucalyptus oil in repelling away R. rattus; however, further studies may be conducted to enhance the persistence of repellent effect for longer period of time

Economic Evaluation of Investments in Micro Irrigation Structures in Kandi Area of Punjab

Three types of micro irrigation structures, namely small dams (SD), lift irrigation structures (LIS) and Makowal type structures (MTS) were constructed by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Govt. of Punjab, Hoshiarpur division in the Kandi area of Punjab depending upon the availability of water at site, during the period 1990-91 to 1996-97. The impact evaluation has shown that the cultivated area has increased by 9.5 per cent, 3.2 per cent and 9.8 per cent and irrigated area by 600 per cent, 1038 per cent, and 253 per cent for SD (from 1991-92 to 2003-04), LIS (from 1993-94 to 2003-04) and MTS (from 1994-95 to 2003- 04), respectively in the selected villages of these structures. The income of irrigated hectare has been found higher at Rs 14478 than un-irrigated hectare. Discounted cash flow technique has revealed that the financial internal rate of returns are as high as 20.56 per cent, 38.54 per cent and 27.95 per cent for SD, LIS and MTS, respectively, which are highly satisfactory and encourage more public investments on such type of irrigation structures to enhance the income of Kandi farmers

Interactive effect of planting dates and development stages on digestibility, qualitative traits and yield of forage oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes

This study provides insight into variation in nutritional composition and yield with staggered planting and growth stages. These variations offer the opportunity for the production of better quality forage oat. In the current investigation, the effect of staggered planting dates (Oct 9, Oct 24, Nov 13, Nov 26, Dec 11 and Dec 26) and growth stages (40, 50 and 60 DAS) was studied through field experiment during Rabi season (2018–19 and 2019–20) in oat. Two genotypes with differential growth potential were used, OL-10 being fast-growing with high regeneration potential and OL-11 the slow-growing single-cut variety. The optimum (Oct 24) and sub-optimum (Oct 9 and Nov 13) planting dates were characterized by higher dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and chlorophyll content in comparison with late planting (Nov 26, Dec 11 and Dec 26). However, crude protein (CP), non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) increased with delay in planting time. Meanwhile, the quality attributes except DM, ADF and NDF got declined with advancing maturity of vegetative fractions of plant. The multivariate regression model depicted 88.2% association between quality traits and digestibility. Yield and yield attributes got declined with delay in planting time during both the studied years. Overall, staggered planting and stage of harvest resulted in modifications in the nutritive value and crop yield in forage oat genotypes. OL-10 had higher yield potential and better nutritive value as compared to OL-11 genotype

Technical Efficiency of Wheat Production in Punjab: A Regional Analysis

The study has analysed the technical efficiency in wheat production across different regions of the Punjab state. It is based on the cross sectional data collected from a random sample of 564 farm households comprising 58, 318, and 188 households from semi-hilly, central and south-western regions for the year 2005-06. The mean technical efficiency of wheat production has been found as 87 per cent, 94 per cent, 86 per cent and 87 per cent in semi-hilly, central, south-western and Punjab state as a whole, respectively. The results signify that farmers of the central region do not have much scope to increase productivity of wheat through technical efficiency improvement under the existing conditions of input-use and technology. In the semi-hilly and south-western regions, the yield of wheat can be improved to the extent of 13 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively through adoption of better practices of technology. Across different regions, wheat area has contributed positively and significantly, the coefficient being highest and only significant variable for the central region. The coefficient of expenditure on insecticides and pesticides has been found significant for the semi-hilly region, demanding boost in the expenditure on insecticides and pesticides to increase wheat production in this region. The coefficient of fertilizer nutrients has been observed positive and significant for the semi-hilly and south-western regions, indicating that there is scope for increasing production of wheat by enhancing the use of fertilizers in these regions. Further, the technical efficiencies are positively and significantly related to age, education and experience of a farmer and percentage area under the crop

Technical Efficiency in Crop Production: A Region-wise Analysis

The technical efficiency in crop production has been reported in different regions as well as in the state of Punjab to show how different regions have adopted the latest technology. Technical efficiency of individual farms has been estimated through stochastic frontier production function analysis. The production function estimates have pointed towards the presence of disguised unemployment in the sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state. The technical efficiency has shown a wide variation across regions. The average technical efficiency has been found maximum in the central region (90 per cent), followed by south-western and sub-mountainous regions. The main drivers of inefficiency have been identified as experience in agriculture and age of a farmer. The policy intervention to improve technical efficiency being not the same for all the regions, the study has observed that the state would benefit more if policy interventions are developed at the local level