Effect of variety and planting date of rice on population of natural enemies of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal)

The present study on the effect of variety and planting date of rice on population of natural enemies of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) showed that during August, the mean population of spiders was statistically on par on CSR 30 and PR 114. The population differed with dates and was significantly (p=0.05) higher (9.0/10 hills) in D2 during 2011 only. There was no significant difference in the population of spiders on two varieties and dates of transplanting during September 2011 only. However, significantly higher population of spiders was recorded in variety PR 114 (21.65/10 hills) and D2 (20.52/10 hills) than on CSR 30 (13.67/10 hills) and D1 (14.80/10 hills) during September, 2012. The mean population of spiders did not differ significantly with the dates during October, 2011 and 2012. However, it was significantly higher on variety PR 114 (27.65/10 hills) than on CSR 30 during both the crop seasons. Mirid bugs did not appear in the month of August, 2011 and 2012 whereas during September 2011, the variety CSR 30 and D1 registered significantly higher population than other variety and date. However, a reverse trend was observed with varieties and dates during 2012. The mean population of coccinelid, carabid and staphylinid beetles remained very low on both the varieties in the month of August during 2011 and 2012. However, the population of these predators was influenced significantly by the varieties and dates during 2012. The population of nymphal-adult parasitoids also remained very low during both years and was not influenced by varieties and dates

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was carried out at Sardarkrushinagar Dantewada Agricultural University (SDAU), during two consecutive winter seasons of 2006-07 and 2007-08 to study effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and biofertilizer on growth dynamics, productivity and nutrient uptake of fenugreek. The experiment consisting of sixteen treatment combinations with two levels each of nitrogen (N) (10 and 20 kg N/ha) and P2O5 (20 and 40 kg P2 O5/ ha) and four levels of seed inoculation with bio-fertilizers (no seed inoculation (control), seed inoculation with Rhizobium alone, seed inoculation with phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB) alone and seed inoculation with both Rhizobium+ PSB) was laid in factorial randoblized block design (FRBD) with three replications. Application of 20 kg N and 40 kg P2 O5/ha significantly increased dry matter accumulation per plant (DMA), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) at all the growth stages as well as seed yield, straw yield, net return, benefit cost ratio (BCR) and, N, P and K uptake by crop over their respective lower levels. Inoculation of seed with both Rhizobium and PSB gave the highest DMA, CGR, RGR and NAR over their sole application as well as control. Seed and straw yield as well as, net return, BCR and, N, P and K uptake by crop was also recorded significantly higher with Rhizobium + PSB seed inoculation followed by Rhizobium alone. Thus, higher seed and straw yield as well as net return and BCR of fenugreek can be realised with the application of 20 kg N/ha, 40 kg P2O5 / ha and seed inoculation with Rhizobium and PSB both.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was carried out at Sardarkrushinagar Dantewada Agricultural University (SDAU), during two consecutive winter seasons of 2006-07 and 2007-08 to study effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and biofertilizer on growth dynamics, productivity and nutrient uptake of fenugreek. The experiment consisting of sixteen treatment combinations with two levels each of nitrogen (N) (10 and 20 kg N/ha) and P2O5 (20 and 40 kg P2 O5/ ha) and four levels of seed inoculation with bio-fertilizers (no seed inoculation (control), seed inoculation with Rhizobium alone, seed inoculation with phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB) alone and seed inoculation with both Rhizobium+ PSB) was laid in factorial randoblized block design (FRBD) with three replications. Application of 20 kg N and 40 kg P2 O5/ha significantly increased dry matter accumulation per plant (DMA), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) at all the growth stages as well as seed yield, straw yield, net return, benefit cost ratio (BCR) and, N, P and K uptake by crop over their respective lower levels. Inoculation of seed with both Rhizobium and PSB gave the highest DMA, CGR, RGR and NAR over their sole application as well as control. Seed and straw yield as well as, net return, BCR and, N, P and K uptake by crop was also recorded significantly higher with Rhizobium + PSB seed inoculation followed by Rhizobium alone. Thus, higher seed and straw yield as well as net return and BCR of fenugreek can be realised with the application of 20 kg N/ha, 40 kg P2O5 / ha and seed inoculation with Rhizobium and PSB both.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during 2008-09 and 2009-10 post-rainy seasons at Navsari, Gujarat to evaluate the effects of land configuration, fertilizers and farm yard manure (FYM) application on productivity, water use efficiency, nutrient uptake, soil fertility status and the economics of green gram ( Vigna radiata L.) cultivation. The raised bed method of planting was found superior as was evident from significant increase in growth and yield attributes, grain (0.93 t/ha) and stover yield (2.27 t/ha), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake, net returns ( 37.6 × 103/ha) and B:C ratio (3.9) and decrease in plant mortality percent. Application of 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (20 kg/ha) and phosphorus (40 kg P2O5/ha) recorded significantly higher growth and yield attributes, grain and stover yield, IWUE, NPK uptake, available NPK in the soil, net returns and B:C ratio over the application of 75% of recommended dose of N and P. Similarly, the application of FYM at 5t/ha recorded statistically higher growth and yield attributes, grain and stover yield, IWUE, NPK uptake, available NPK in the soil after harvest, net returns and B:C ratio and decrease in plant mortality percent over no FYM application.Not Availabl

Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Use of Postnatal Care in India

OBJECTIVES: First, our objective was to estimate socio-economic inequalities in the use of postnatal care (PNC) compared with those in the use of care at birth and antenatal care. Second, we wanted to compare inequalities in the use of PNC between facility births and home births and to determine inequalities in the use of PNC among mothers with high-risk births. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Rich-poor ratios and concentration indices for maternity care were estimated using the third round of the District Level Household Survey conducted in India in 2007-08. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the socio-economic inequalities associated with use of PNC after adjusting for relevant socio-economic and demographic characteristics. PNC for both mothers and newborns was substantially lower than the care received during pregnancy and child birth. Only 44% of mothers in India at the time of survey received any care within 48 hours after birth. Likewise, only 45% of newborns received check-up within 24 hours of birth. Mothers who had home births were significantly less likely to have received PNC than those who had facility births, with significant differences across the socio-economic strata. Moreover, the rich-poor gap in PNC use was significantly wider for mothers with birth complications. CONCLUSIONS: PNC use has been unacceptably low in India given the risks of mortality for mothers and babies shortly after birth. However, there is evidence to suggest that effective use of pregnancy and childbirth care in health facilities led to better PNC. There are also significant socio-economic inequalities in access to PNC even for those accessing facility-based care. The coverage of essential PNC is inadequate, especially for mothers from economically disadvantaged households. The findings suggest the need for strengthening PNC services to keep pace with advances in coverage for care at birth and prenatal services in India through targeted policy interventions

Not Available

Not AvailableConservation Agriculture (CA) has been identified as a promising technology for sustainable crop intensification worldwide. But in India sufficient work has not been done on the subject except remarkable work being done in irrigated rice-wheat zone across the Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with the support of international development agencies since last few years. Thus, there is need to focus more on dryland production systems where the applicability of CA is even more considering their higher vulnerability to climate change effects and need to reverse the process of soil degradation in drylands which are expected to play more crucial role in food security of the nation in days to come. In this review, attempt has been made to present the potential benefits of CA on resource conservation with particular focus on soil and water, soil quality, stable crop yields, input use efficiency, benefits at ecosystem level, farm profitability and crop resilience to climate change effects. Besides, the major challenges that need to be overcome to promote CA and the tradeoffs with livestock production at regional and trans-regional have also been discussed.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableSoil physical properties are so dynamic that they rapidly change with climate, farm management practices like tillage, residue application and intercropping. Soil physical properties like soil moisture, soil and canopy temperature, soil compaction affect groundnut peg penetration, pod development, root growth and nutrient acquisition. So, measuring soil physical attributes gives an in-depth insight into the interplay of management practices with soil physical properties, which in turn effect crop growthNot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during summer 2015 on black calcareous soil of the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU), Junagadh to study the efficacy of nutrient sources and solubilizers in summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment comprising of four levels of nutrient sources namely recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF - 25:50:50 kg ha-1), 5 t FYM ha-1, 1 t neem cake ha-1, and 1.5 t enriched compost ha-1 and three levels of nutrient solubilizers (PSB @ 1 L ha-1, all-nutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1, and micronutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1) in sub-plots was carried out in a split plot design with three replications. Highest number of branches per plant, root length, root volume, root fresh and dry weight, number of root nodules per plant, fresh and dry weight of root nodules per plant, pegs per plant, weight of mature and immature pods per plant, biological yield, pod yield, kernel yield, total uptake of N, P K, by pod and haulm were recorded with recommended dose of fertilisers comprising of 25 kg N + 50 kg P2O5 + 50 kg K2O ha-1. Highest uptake of S, Fe, Mn, Zn and B by pod + haulm was recorded with FYM treatment of 5 t ha-1. Growth attributes, yield attributes and yields of groundnut were maximized with application of all-nutrient solubilizers @ 2.5 L ha-1. Total uptake of N, P, K and S by pod and haulm was significantly higher under all-nutrient solubilizers treatment while the uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn and B by pod and haulm was significantly higher with micro-nutrient solubilizers over that with PSB inoculation. Pod and kernel yields were statistically at par with different organic manures. Maximum net return (Rs. 66,500) was obtained with 5 t FYM ha-1and 2.5 L ha-1 of all-nutrient solubilizers.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe present study on the effect of variety and planting date of rice on population of natural enemies of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) showed that during August, the mean population of spiders was statistically on par on CSR 30 and PR 114. The population differed with dates and was significantly (p=0.05) higher (9.0/10 hills) in D2 during 2011 only. There was no significant difference in the population of spiders on two varieties and dates of transplanting during September 2011 only. However, significantly higher population of spiders was recorded in variety PR 114 (21.65/10 hills) and D2 (20.52/10 hills) than on CSR 30 (13.67/10 hills) and D1 (14.80/10 hills) during September, 2012. The mean population of spiders did not differ significantly with the dates during October, 2011 and 2012. However, it was significantly higher on variety PR 114 (27.65/10 hills) than on CSR 30 during both the crop seasons. Mirid bugs did not appear in the month of August, 2011 and 2012 whereas during September 2011, the variety CSR 30 and D1 registered significantly higher population than other variety and date. However, a reverse trend was observed with varieties and dates during 2012. The mean population of coccinelid, carabid and staphylinid beetles remained very low on both the varieties in the month of August during 2011 and 2012. However, the population of these predators was influenced significantly by the varieties and dates during 2012. The population of nymphal-adult parasitoids also remained very low during both years and was not influenced by varieties and dates.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableIn India, among the nine oilseed crops, groundnut ranks third in area and production (5.33 Mha and 7.40 M tonnes) after soybean and rapeseed and mustard, but second in productivity (1374 kg/ha) next only to castor (average of 2010-11 to 2013-14, IIOR). However, productivity of groundnut in India is much lower when compared with USA (4537kg/ha), China (3573kg/ha) and world average (~1700 kg/ha). Cultivation of groundnut in less fertile soils under rainfed conditions, lack of proper management practices like non-adoption of good quality seed of varieties recommended for the region, optimum plant stand, plant nutrition, plant protection measures, harvest losses in heavy soils, less favourable climatic conditions etc. are among the major reasons for low yield of groundnut in India. Gujarat has largest area and production of groundnut in India, but yield levels are moderate mainly due to unsuitability of soil, and moisture deficit stress at different growing stages of crop. To exacerbate these effects, climatic variabilities are becoming increasingly conspicuous mainly in the form of unpredictable rain pattern and temperature regimes affecting groundnut yield in the country. This underlines the need to make available suitable technologies to the farmers to make production systems climate resilient. With the sincere efforts of scientists, technicians and field staff a number of technologies have been developed in the country which are helpful in minimizing the adverse impacts of climate variabilities on groundnut. Besides, farmers also follow innovative approaches based on their experiences and local conditions. There is need to bring together this important information and make available to farming community through all means of extension. With this objective, authors have attempted to bring together scattered pieces of knowledge on the subject in the form of this technical bulletin. Hope it will be useful to the farmers in their efforts for sustainable intensification of groundnut based cropping systems in the country in the face of ever increasing evident climate variabilities.Not Availabl