Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research

K. D. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension Education and Rural Sociology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, IN

Abstract

This study presents the status of seed policy, production and delivery mechanism for two major crops viz., rice and wheat in Himachal Pradesh. The adoption process of new variety of crop is influenced by the speed at which the breeder seed is multiplied to produce adequate quantity of foundation and certified seed. However, actual internal supply of certified seeds of these two main cereal crops in the state was found to fall short of the normative demand for 20% replacement showing low seed replacement ratio (8 to 10%). The production of foundation seed on State Seed Multiplication Farms (SMFs) not only decreased over the years but also showed wider year to year fluctuations. The production of certified seeds by registered growers also showed glaring year to year fluctuations bringing instability in the supply of seeds of improved varieties in the state. Therefore, number of certified seed growers and area under certified seeds should be increased (from the existing level of less than 1% to at least upto 2% of the cropped area).There are also no special efforts on the part of research institutes to popularize their released varieties and majority of the farmers were not aware of new varieties. Public R&D institutions need to forge public private partnership to integrate research, extension, seed production and marketing for better performance and seeddistribution. There is also a need to develop effective seed quarantine mechanism so as to check the supply of spurious seeds and the seeds of varieties which are highly susceptible to diseases. Moreover, private seed agencies and village level primary cooperative societies should also be encouraged to participate in the seed production and distribution programme.

Keywords

Seed Production, Seed Requirement, Seed Multiplication, Seed Village Scheme, Certified Seeds, Seed Replacement, Constraints and Strategies.

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Arti ¹, K. D. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension Education and Rural Sociology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur - 176 062, IN

Abstract

A regulated market is one which aims at the elimination of the unhealthy and unscrupulous practices, reducing marketing charges and providing remunerative prices to producers/sellers in the market. The present study pertains to the principal market yard Kangra and probes into the regulatory mechanism and performance of the market. The study is based on primary and secondary data collected from 50 vegetable growers, 30 traders selected randomly from the study market and office of market committee. The performance indices of APMC Kangra with respect to implementation of various provisions of APMC Act 2005 were found to be low to moderate though the degree of competition among traders has increased over time. The pertinent marketing problems faced by producers were unfair charging of commission, nonavailability of timely market information, non-remunerative prices, lack of availability of adequate packing material and indifferent attitude of commission agents/officials towards producers. The study suggested the need for proper implementation of various provisions of APMC Act for the benefit of producers.

Keywords

Principal Market, APMC Act, Degree of Competition, Performance Index, Problems and Constraints.

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A. K. Sarial ¹, K. D. Sharma ², Virender Kumar ², J. C. Rana ³, V. K. Sharma ³, V. Nath ³

Affiliations
1 CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, IN
2 Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension Education & Rural Sociology, CSKHPKV, Palampur, IN
3 HP CDP, JICA, Hamirpur, IN

Abstract

A Crop Diversification Promotion Project (CDP) was implemented in Himachal Pradesh (HP) with the collaboration of the Japan International Cooperation Agency-Official Development Assistance (JICA-ODA) in 2012. It lasted for 7 years with the objective to improve the socio-economic status of farm families. The operational area had 210 sub project sites spread over five districts viz., Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Una of the state. The project was implemented following a comprehensive package of multi-pronged strategy encompassing infrastructure development (such as irrigation, farm access roads, markets, etc.), inputs supply (seeds, fertilizers, farm machinery, etc.) supported by technical and capacity building programmes and strengthening of extension services and organized marketing. The impact study on socioeconomic status of farm families was carried out based upon the extensive review of information collected from the status reports and evaluation studies conducted by different agencies in the operational area. Study revealed that CDP project has been quite successful in improving the socio-economic status of farm families across project sites. There has been increase in the irrigated area and the area under vegetable crops. Cropping pattern changed resulting into 35-50 per cent of the farms being highly diversified with 50 per cent of the area under vegetable crops. In general, the extent of diversification was 9.69 per cent for vegetables crops in Mid and Low Hills under HPCDP-JICA project. Farm productivity and income increased by more than 3.5 times over the baseline income. In some cases increase in income was 5-6 times. The increase in income was attributed to several contributing factors and interventions carried out under HPCDP initiatives. Major contributors were found to be assured irrigation, capacity building programmes, introduction of improved varieties/ cultivation practices and proper/ balanced use of nutrients. Operational farm efficiency also registered improvement due to use of improved tools and machinery provided under the project. Overall, the project enhanced the cropping intensity, productivity, production and marketed surplus. Keeping in view, the impact on raising income and food security of farm families, it is advocated to expand the HPCDP domain to cover farm families in all districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Keywords

Crop Diversification, HPCDP Sub Project, Production of Vegetable Crops, Growth Rates, Gross Income, Impact Factors, Input-Output Ratio.

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Asma Jabeen ¹, Sanjay Chadha ¹, V. K. Sood ², Rajan Katoch ², K. D. Sharma ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Vegetable Science and Floriculture CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176062, IN
2 Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, CSKHPKV Palampur, IN
3 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, CSKHPKV, Palampur, IN

Abstract

The present investigation comprising of seventeen genotypes was carried out to evaluate the performance of newly developed cytoplasmic male sterile lines of cabbage for various quantitative traits. The analysis of variance revealed that mean squares due to genotypes were significant for all the traits, highlighting the presence of sufficient genetic variability among the CMS lines. Based on the per se performance with respect to marketable head yield and related traits, the best CMS line identified was II-105-CMS (231.48 q/ha) which was statistically at par with other two CMS lines namely II-M-CMS (215.92 q/ha) and III-105-CMS (210.37 q/ha). All these three CMS lines with respect to marketable head yield were also found quite promising in other important horticultural traits and from consumer’s point of view.

Keywords

Cabbage, Per Se Performance, Genetic Variability, CMS.

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T. D. Pote ¹, K. D. Sharma ¹, R. K. Salgotra ², R. Rathour ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, IN
2 School of Biotechnology Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu Chatha, Jammu-180 009 (Jammu & Kashmir), IN

Abstract

Rice blast is one of the world’s most damaging diseases attacking the rice crop. Functional or gene-based markers derived from the polymorphic sites within the nucleotide sequences of cloned R-genes are the potent tools for precise and speedy selection of resistance genes in marker-assisted breeding programmes. The Pi54 gene identified from a broad spectrum genotype Tetep is known to exhibit resistance to predominant races of pathogen in India thus making it a potential resistance source for breeding blast resistant varieties. The Pi54 gene has been cloned thus offering a scope for the development of gene-derived markers for this useful gene by using the sequence polymorphisms between the resistant and susceptible haplotypes/alleles of the gene. The development of a new gene-based Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) marker for Pi54 gene and its utility in the marker-assisted selection of this broad-spectrum resistance gene has been reported. The developed marker has been shown to be perfectly linked with Pi54 and works well for crosses where the previously known gene-based marker Pi54MAS fails to reveal polymorphism between the resistant and susceptible genotypes.

Keywords

Blast Resistance, CAPS, Gene-Derived Markers, Pi54, Rice.

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