An experiment conducted at PC Unit, Sesame & Niger, JNKVV, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh during Pre-rabi season 2020-2021. Experiment was laid out in variety was JNC-6. The correlation studies between meteorological parameters and population of whitefly showed that mini. temp. (r= -0.681), relative humidity morning (r= -0.607) vapour pr. mor. (r= -0.642) and evening (r= -0.626) had significant negative impact on the incidence of whitefly. The other weather variables had non-significant (±) impact the incidence of whitefly. Correlation studies carried out between meteorological parameters and population of Nezara bug showed that maximum temperature (r= -0.756) and evaporation (r= -0.791) had significant negative impact on the incidence of Nezara bug. The other weather parameters had non-significant (±) impact on the incidence of stink bug. Correlation studies showed that the sunshine hours (r =-787) showed significant negative correlation while wind speed (r =0.826) had significant positi...

An experiment was conducted at Project Coordinating Unit Sesame and Niger, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P.) during Pre-Rabi season in the year 2020-21, encompassed of 21 promising genotypes of Niger which were screened for resistance/susceptibility against whiteflies, leafhoppers, and capsule fly. The genotypes JNS-28, JNS-9, JNC-6, NRS-1805, IGPN-15-02 and NRS-1513 were found promising against whitefly. The genotypes JNS-2017-8, IGPN-15-02, NRS-1513, NRS-1511 and JNS-2017-1 were found promising against the incidence of leafhopper. The genotypes DNS-19-24, JNS-2017-8, JNS-2016-1115, NRS-1513 and NRS-1807 were found promising against capsule fly.

A field experiment was laid out with the three replications in IVT, four replications in AVT and single row of three meters each of two hundred Germplasms was conducted at the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on oilseeds at Niger Research Station (NRS), Vanarasi, Navsari, Gujarat on the screening of different elite materials against the two major diseases of niger crop (Guizotia abyssinica Cass). Significantly differences in resistance to all the diseases were found in the elite material tested under natural condition. Results revealed that all the lines of IVT, AVT and germplasms the disease score of Alternaria and Cercospora may vary between 1.0 to 3.0 grade respectively. This study concludes that screening of elite lines of Niger for resistance to diseases is an important factor in developing varieties/hybrids with improved resistance to different diseases.

It has been found earlier that during different seasons in a year, number of farmers seeking technical guidance regarding agriculture and allied fields varied to a large extent. Hence, efforts were made to diagnose farmers’ technological problems pertaining to insect pest, diseases and nutrient deficiency symptoms in rabi crops. During the last 3 years i.e. from 2013 to 2015, record of all the visiting farmers was maintained in the plant health diagnostic laboratory at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in which complete details of the farmer with address and contact number was maintained. The study revealed that out of 95 farmers who visited the KVK campus with queries pertaining to wheat crop, per cent farmers visited during the month of April, May, June, July, August, September and October were 10.4, 8.6, 2.3, 23.5, 15.2 and 40.1, respectively. It was found that 47.3 per cent farmers enquired about seed treatment in wheat and 9.1 per cent samples showed manganese deficiency symptoms. Twenty farmers visited KVK with samples infested with the attack of aphids. Among the diseases, wheat crop was found to be damaged by yellow rust only caused by Puccinia striiformis West and that too in the month of February and March. 33.3 per cent samples were brought by the farmers in the month of February and 65 per cent samples in the month of March. Like wheat, gram was also found prone to attack of insect pest and diseases. A total 62 farmers visited the KVK with queries pertaining to the gram crop during September to March months in which 75.8 per cent farmers enquired about seed treatment. Most common problem faced by the farmer was attack of H. armigera on the gram crop. Its population starts developing in the month of January and attained its highest peak in the months of February and March as was revealed by the number of samples received. Thus, it can be said that most important task was identification of the disease, attack of insect pest or deficiency symptoms of the nutrient so that proper remedial measured can be taken up timely. Key words: Diagnosis, Technological problems, Insect pest, Diseases, Wheat, Gram, Rapeseed

A survey was conducted in major crops of Assosa and Kamashi zones of Benishangul Gumuz Regional State during 2015 cropping season with an aim of identifying problematic diseases and providing baseline information on diseases of major crops in the study area. Disease assessments of major crops in both zones (except for Maize and Sorghum fields) were conducted by using 1m x 1m quadrate laid along diagonal of the fields. While, in Sorghum and Maize fields five plants per spot were randomly chosen along diagonal of the field for inspection. Moreover, plants with in the quadrants and/or the chosen plants per spots were thoroughly examined from base to the apex for diseases incidence and severity. A total of 63 farmers field were enclosed by this survey. It was founded that about 22 diseases of major crops of the study area were recorded from the field crops of the area. The result of this survey showed, major diseases of major field crops of Assosa and Kamashi zones in order of their importance were: 1) Colletotrichum sublineolum of Sorghum, 2) Xanthomonas campestris pv. sesami of Sesame, 3) Mycosphaerella graminicola of Soybean, 4) Brown spot of Finger millet, 5) Exserohilum turcicum of Maize, 6) Maize Streak Virus of Maize, 7) Cercospora sorghi of Sorghum, 8) Magnaporthe grisea of Finger millet and 9) Fusarium wilt of Hot pepper; respectively each with a magnitude of percentage disease severity index of 46.3, 42.58, 38.27, 38.10, 37.78, 37.33, 35.53, 34.13 and 31.48. Therefore, any intervention including direct research toward creating new or adopting an integrated disease management options must focus on those prioritized major diseases of the area; to have higher, good and quality agricultural produces. In addition, regular disease survey and/or surveillance must be conducted to identify possible challenging diseases of major field crops in the study area.

The objective of this study was to identify pathogenic diseases of economically important floricultural crops based on visual inspection and microscopic observation carried out during 2017-18 in and around Jorhat district of Assam. During the investigation, 3 diseases of chrysanthemum (2 fungal, 1 viral); 3 diseases of gladiolus (all fungal); 5 diseases of gerbera (all fungal), 2 diseases of rose (all fungal) and a fungal disease of marigold was identified. The diseases identified in chrysanthemum were alternaria leaf spot, sooty mould and mosaic disease. The diseases identified in Gladiolus were fusarium infection, alternaria leaf spot, curvularia leaf spot and corm rot. The diseases identified in gerbera were alternaria leaf spot, cercospora leaf spot, damping off, stemphylium infection and coniothyrium infection. Diseases identified in rose were alternaria leaf spot and cercospora leaf spot. In marigold, alternaria leaf spot was indentified causing infection to the crop. Overall pathogenic disease incidence of flower crops recorded as 60.41% in Chrysanthemum, 45.83% in Gladiolus, 55.55% in gerbera, 47.22% in rose and 45.83% in marigold. Area wise maximum disease incidence (61.11%) was observed in Borbheta area followed by Bahona(58.33%). Lowest disease incidence was recorded in Sungi (27.77%) in Jorhat district.

Field studies were carried out at Seed Farm, ZAHRS Brahmavar, Udupi, Karnataka during summer 2019 on effect of different farming systems on insect pests and natural enemies in groundnut and blackgram. Three days after first spray in groundnut, Package of practice recorded significantly lowest number of aphids per 2 cm shoot length per plant (2.32) whereas, the highest number of aphids was observed in Farmer's practice treatment (6.24 aphids per 2 cm shoot length per plant). The incidence of aphids on blackgram at three days after first spray revealed the lowest aphid count of 4.16 per 2 cm shoot length per plant in Package of practice, whereas, the highest in Farmer's practice (13.16 aphids per 2 cm shoot length per plant). Significantly higher number of coccinellids in groundnut and blackgram was observed in Natural farming which was on par with Organic farming after both the sprays.