Maximum rainfall was received in the month of June (412.5mm) followed by July (380 mm).
Relative humidity was more in the morning hours
WEATHER
Air temperature (0C) Relative Humidity (%) Rainfall (mm) Rainy days
max min 8 hrs 14 hrs
19.41-34.7 6-25.7 69.5-82.7 43.5-64.8 2621.7 120
(25.68) (15.64) (75.28) (52.18)
than in the afternoon and it varied from 69.5%
(May) to 82.7% (Feb) in the morning hours and 43.5% (Jan) to 64.8% (Dec) in the afternoon period.
RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS
CROP SCIENCE
RICE
Effect of cultural management practices under low input production system for wet land rice
Four rice varieties viz. Lachit, Puja, VL-61 and VL-225 and three cultural management practices were tested.The treatments were; (i) One spading at the time of transplanting (ii) Two spading (1st before 20days of planting and other at the time of transplanting). (iii) Puddling with power tiller.
Transplanting was done at spacing of 25cmX10cm.
Plot size was 4mX4m. The FYM was applied @ 5t/ha at the time of field preparation and 20 kg nitrogen/ha was given at the time of panicle initiation stage. The observations were taken for growth, yield attributes, yield and weed biomass.
The maximum yield was recorded by VL- 61+puddling (4.24 t/ha), Lachit+puddling (4.2 t/
ha), Puja+puddling (3.9 t/ha), and VL- 225+puddling (1.5 t/ha) followed by VL-61+2 spading (4.08 t/ha), Lachit+2 spading (3.8 t/ha), Puja+2 spading (3.7 t/ha) and VL-225+ 2 spading (1.14 t/ha).The highest weed biomass was recorded by VL-225+ one spading (21.33 kg/plot) followed by Lachit+one spading (19.00 kg/plot) and VL-61+
one spading (17.66 kg/plot). Lachit was highly susceptible to leaf and neck blast. Highest infestation was observed by rice gundhi bug.
Evaluation of organic sources of nutrients supplied for rice-pea cropping system in wetland condition
A field experiment was laid out in 30 plots and size 4mx3m with the use of organic sources and rice-pea cropping system under wetland rice cultivation at ICAR, Basar. Two varieties of rice viz. Luit and Vandana and two varieties of pea viz.
TRCP 9 and Azad P1 were evaluated with FYM, green manures of Tephrosia candida, Crotolaria tetragona, and weeds. All the organic manures
were applied @ 80 kg N/ha on the basis of respective nitrogen percent content (T . c a n d i d a= 3 . 5 7 % ,C . t e t r a g o n a
=3.23%,weeds=1.87% and FYM=0.52% N). All green manure crops were chopped into pieces and applied before 15 days of transplanting. FYM was also applied at the same time.
The maximum grain yield was recorded by Luit+ Tephrosia (4.8 t/ha)-green pods TRCP 9+
Tephrosia (4.7 t/ha) followed by Luit+ Crotolaria 4.1 t/ha)-TRCP 9+ Crotolaria (4.5 t/ha) and Luit+weeds (4.0 t/ha)-TRCP 9+weeds (3.8 t/
ha).The lowest grain yield was recorded by Vandana+FYM (3.0 t/ha)-greenpods Azad P1(2.5 t/ha). However Luit+control yielded (2.2 t/ha)- TRCP 9 (2.5 t/ha) followed by Vandana+control (1.9 t/ha)-Azad P1+control (1.8 t/ha).
RICE PATHOLOGY
Screening nurseries for host plant resistance against leaf blast
The National Screening Nursery 1 (NSN 1) comprised of 140 test entries drawn from 13 advanced varietal trials of 2007 was included with national, regional and local test check for comparison. These entries were evaluated against leaf blast under uniform blast nursery (UBN) pattern and disease pressure was moderate at Basar condition with location severity index (LSI 4.5).
In 0-9 scale, 29 entries scored 9 scale and 15 entries
recorded 1 scale, 42 entries in 2 scale, 23 entries in 3 scale and 57 entries in between 4-8 scale.
The National Screening Nursery Hills (NSN- H) included 54 entries drawn from AVT and IVT- Hill trial during 2007.The entries were evaluated in UBN pattern against leaf blast under Basar condition and showed moderate disease pressure with location severity index of 4.46 with 26 entries scored between 5-9 scale and 28 entries between 2-4 and none in 0-1 scale.
Screening of collected rice germplasm/varieties for blast resistance
One hundred twenty one rice varieties/ local germplasm from different agricultural institutes and local growers of N.E. States were collected and screened for blast resistance in UBN pattern. The disease pressure was moderate at Basar condition with LSI 4.43. Three varieties showed resistant reaction, 51entries recorded as tolerant, 47 entries observed were susceptible and 20 entries were highly susceptible.
Production Oriented Survey (POS) in Arunachal Pradesh during 2007
The survey was conducted in different altitude covering forty-eight farmers in eleven villages of Likabali and Basar block of West Siang district in kharif 2007. In the district, total rice area is 24,343 ha and of which irrigated area is 5,900ha. The crop suffered very adversely as the weather was very harsh with 22 rainy days only in the month of July’07 with a total 704.70 mm rainfall. During the survey, it was observed that most of the farmers are growing local traditional rice varieties like
Mipun, Mugme, Jangia, Alpana etc. because of nonavailability of HYV seeds in time suitable to their farming situations in time. The socio- economic conditions of the farmers are also not sound to adopt input intensive improved technologies for higher production and productivity and there were hardly any retail outlets in these two blocks for agricultural inputs. The farmers are also rigid in their belief and difficult to convince for adoption of new production technologies. The farmers grow only one rice crop and after harvest of rice keep the land fallow because of the problem of stray cattle. Mithuns are kept free for grazing.
The average rice yield in this region ranged from 900-1600 kg/ ha. In WRC fields, the optimum sowing time of seeds in nursery is April/ May and transplanting time is last week of May and June onwards. Most of the farmers used a seed rate of 60-80 kg/ha but some farmers used still higher seed rate of 90-100 kg/ha and 30-40 days old seedling for transplanting. Many farmers apply FYM/cow dung / pig dung @ 1-3 t/ha in the fields. None of the farmers applied any chemical fertilizers, fungicides or pesticides in the nursery or in the main fields. Transplanting was done mainly at random and there was a wide variation in the plant population per unit area which ranged from 30-90 /m2.
Among the diseases, blast was widespread in moderate to severe intensities (4-7 score in 0-9 scale) in most of the places. Other diseases like brown spot and grain discoloration were in low to moderate intensities. There was no record of any deficiency or toxicity of nutrients. Among the different insect pests, leaf folder was moderate with 35% intensity recorded in some of the places. Stem borer and Gundhi bug attack were also moderate with an intensity up to 25% in some places and other insect pests like GLH, horned caterpillar, mealy bug, leaf hopper and rat damage were low to moderate intensities. None of the farmers adopted any plant protection measures. Harvest and post harvest loss ranged from 9-27% during harvesting to threshing, cleaning, drying, bagging and storing.
Front line demonstration on rice
The FLD on rice was conducted with five varieties viz. Luit, Aghoni Bora, Chandrama, Anjali
and Vandana each with 20 numbers and on rice blast disease management 20 nos during kharif 2007. Luit recorded about 52 % yield advantage over the local varieties while the yield advantage of other varieties ranged between 10 and 16%. In rice blast disease management FLD, disease incidence was less in tolerant variety Luit combined with spray of Bavistin @2g/litre or Hinosan @2ml/litre water as compared with locally grown varieties. The blast disease management demonstration recorded a yield of 1.76 t/ha that is about 62% more than the farmers practice. This centre has undertaken these FLDs for the first time and executed in collaboration with the officials of state agricultural department.
Table 1. Front line demonstration on rice varieties
Technologies Local Check Area FLD Yield Check Yield % Yield
Demonstrated (t/ha) (t/ha) Advantage
Luit Local Varities 25.00 1.52 1.00 52.00
Aghoni Bora Local Varities 25.00 1.16 1.00 16.00
Chandrama Local Varities 20.00 1.16 1.00 16.00
Anjali Local Varities 15.00 1.13 1.00 13.00
Vandana Local Varities 15.00 1.10 1.00 10.00
Blast Disease Farmers’ practice 20.00 1.76 1.08 62.96
Management(IPM) (no care)
PULSES
AGRONOMICAL PRACTICES
Mungbean
Performance of mungbean
Four mungbean varieties viz. PU-99-125, HUM-12, Pusa-9531 and Pant M-2 with three treatments i.e., control, FYM 10t/ha+60 kg P2O5/ ha and vermi-compost 3t/ha+60 kg P2O5/ha were tested. The plot size was 4mx3m. The planting distance was 30cmx10cm.
The maximum grain yield 0.60 t/ha was recorded by PU-99-125+VC+60 kg P2O5/ha followed by PU-99-125+FYM+60 kg P2O5/ha (0.53 t/ha) and Pant Mung 2+VC+60 kg P2O5/ha (0.53 t/
ha).The lowest grain yield was found in Pusa
9531+control (0.35 t/ha).However, Pusa 9531+VC+60kg P2O5 yielded 0.48 t/ha and HUM- 12+VC+60 kg P2O5/ha gave 0.48 t/ha.
Varietals evaluation
Two varieties were sown on 07/04/07 at spacing of 30cm X10cm in 4mx3m plot size. Variety AAU- 34 recorded maximum yield 0.66 t/ha followed by Pratap (0.49 t/ha). AAU-34 and Pratap matured in 83 days and 81 days respectively. The highest test weight was recorded in Pratap (41.5 g) followed by AAU-34 (34.6 g).
DISEASES Lentil
Screening of lentil varieties against location specific diseases
Six entries received from VPKAS, Almora were evaluated at Basar during Rabi 2007-08 season.
Sowing was done on 5th October’07 in 3x2 m2 plots with30x10cm spacing. Three replications were maintained. All the test entries were found free from pests and diseases.
Though 50% flowering was observed in all the test entries during 28-30th January’08, in the entry VL 507 no seed setting was observed whereas highest yield was recorded in VL-126 (.2 t/ha) followed by VL –103 (.14 t/ha), VL-4 (.13t/ha), VL-125 (.1 t/ha) and lowest in VL-1 (.07 t/ha) Field pea
Evaluation of field pea varieties against location specific diseases
Two entries namely VL-40 and VL-42 received from VPKAS, Almora were sown on 6th October’07
in plots of 3x2 m2 with 45 cmx15cm spacing. The experiment was totally free from attack of any pest and diseases. 50% flowering was observed in VL- 40 on 20th November’07 and VL-42 on 22nd November’07 and average plant height in VL-40 was recorded 137.73 cm and in VL-42 was 143.5 cm. Yield of VL-40 was .34 t/ha and VL-42 recorded .33 t/ha
TUBER CROPS DISEASES
Evaluation of potato tuber varieties against location specific diseases
Seven potato tuber varieties namely, Himalini, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Giriraj, Kufri Megha, Kufri Sherpa, Kufri Chipsona and SSC-562 were collected from the Agronomist, Potato Seed Farm, Tawang, AP and planted in a plot size of 2.5 x 3.5 m2 in three replications on 31st October’07.
Appearance of late blight was first noticed in Himalini and disease severity was recorded in 0-9 scale in one month interval and final disease observation before harvest showed Himalini, Kufri Giriraj, Kufri Megha and Kufri Sherpa were with highest late blight incidence scoring 9 with all leaves, stems and tubers got infected while Kufri Jyoti showed disease score 6 and Kufri Chipsona and SSC-562 showed tolerant reaction with disease score 3. However it was observed that the disease severity had not much effect on yield and highest yield was recorded on Kufri Giriraj (10.21 t/ha) followed by Kufri Chipsona (7.43 t/ha), Kufri Megha (7.23 t/ha), Himalini (6.91 t/ha), Kufri Sherpa 6.86t/ha), Kufri Jyoti (4.94 t/ha) and lowest in SSC –562 (1.77 t/ha)