B.R. Nahata Smriti Sansthan Agricultural Extension Journal (AEXTJ)

A Note on “Weather and Climate” and “Global Warming and Climate Change”: Their Mutual Interactions

Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy — 2024-06-15

Earth’s climate is dynamic, and it is always changing through the natural cycles. What we are experiencing now is part of this system only. Furthermore, general circulation patterns over different parts of the globe are part of this. They are highly region-specific systems. We discussed the differences between weather and climate, global warming and climate change, and their mutual interactions. Furthermore, we discussed some clarifications on these two parameters. In fact, the World Meteorological Organization, an intergovernmental panel on climate change, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change presented definitions for the word “climate change”. However, these institutions rarely adhere to their own definitions. The weather and the climate describe the same thing, the state of the atmosphere, but at different time scales. The weather is what you experience. The climate is the average of the weather patterns in a location over a longer period of time, usually 30 years or more. Climate change refers to long-term patterns of temperature and rainfall that are quite different from averages, namely the climate. Global warming is a component of climate change in terms of the trend in temperature. The rainfall has no trend but presents natural cyclic variation that varies from region to region and country to country, but the global average has no meaning. In the case of Indian temperature data, minimum temperature presented a linearly increasing pattern due to the urban heat island effect, while maximum temperature presented depression during 1931–1960. This is associated with the 60-year rainfall cycle, wherein 1931-1960 is above the average rainfall part of the cycle, which is a wet period. The temperature pattern followed in opposition to the rainfall. In the case of temperature, Australia’s sea surface temperature and surface air temperatures presented a 120-year cycle. The surface air temperature presented a trend of 0.63°C for 1951–2100. 50% of it is global warming, which is given as 0.313°C, which is less than the global average annual temperature trend part of global warming (0.45/0.40°C), and thus the Northern Hemisphere value is higher than the global value. The sea surface temperature hasn’t presented a trend and thus shows zero global warming.

Exploring the Relative Economics of Mustard Plant under Various Treatments

Foumy N. Rafeeq — 2024-06-15

All the major plant nutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, play an important role in increasing the production of mustard. A major part of the fertilizer nitrogen applied is lost as NH3 through volatilization. The optimum supply of phosphorus to the plant stimulates root development and growth, thereby helps to establish seedlings quickly, and also reduces the harmful effect of excess nitrogen in plants. Potassium helps in maintaining a normal balance between carbohydrates and proteins.

Yield and Profitability Analysis of Orange Flesh Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) Varieties at Different Rates of Blended NPSB Fertilizers at Central Ethiopia

Ibrahim Mehdi — 2024-06-15

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is one of the economically important and food securing root crop in Ethiopia. Fertilizer has a greater effect on the yield of sweet potato crop. A field experiment was conducted at Qebena Woreda, Rekaboka kebele to evaluate the effect of four different rates of NPSB fertilizers (0, 75, 150, and 225) kg/ha on the yield of the three orange fleshed Sweet potatoes varieties (OFSP) (Kebode, Alamora and Dilla). The experiment was arranged in 3 x 4 factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. The analysis of variance revealed that the interaction effect of the varieties and NPSB rates were highly significantly influenced the vine number, internode length, shoot fresh and dry weight, and total tuber number per plant. However, a number of leaf per plant, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, total tuber number per plant, root fresh weight, and root dry weight were resulted significantly the highest difference due to the main both effect of both variety and fertilizer (P < 0.01). Statistically, the highest number of leaf per plant was obtained from Dilla combined with 225 and 150 kg/ha (659.72 and 632.22), respectively. The Dilla variety with 225 kg/ha resulted significantly highest difference in both shot fresh and shoot dry weight (1526.10 and 6466.67 kg). Kebode with 150 kg/ha resulted significantly highest difference in root fresh and dry weight (22762 kg) and (20524.7 kg), respectively. The Kebode, which received 150 kg/ha of NPSB scored the highest marketable tuber number (5.00) and the least unmarketable tuber number (1.22). Significantly, highest different total tuber number was scored in the Dilla with no NPSB fertilizers application (8.22). Root fresh weight was significantly the highest different in Kebode, which received 150 kg/ha (22762 kg), and followed by the kebode variety with 225 kg/ha. The Root dry weight was significantly the highest in the Kebode × 150 kg/ha (20524.7 kg), 225 kg/ha NPSB (17978.4 kg), respectively. The Total tuber yield was significantly the highest in the Kebode with 150 kg/ha (20.52 tonha). The analyzed partial budget for the average of the whole treatments was resulted in the highest MRR at the Kebode, Dilla, and Alamora, which received 150 kg/ha with 238.57%, 125.29%, and 144.49%, respectively. The highest marginal rate of return 238.57% was obtained in Kebode with150 kg/ha. The Overall 150 kg/ha NPSB was recommended with the Kebode in terms of yield per hectare for the highest significant yield. However, further studies should be needed for the remaining OFSP varieties for yield improvement with respect to the different rates of NPSB fertilizer.

Impacts of Blended NPSB Fertilizers on Growth and Phenology of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) at Central Ethiopia

Ibrahim Mehdi — 2024-06-15

Even though, sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L] Lam) is one of the most economically important crops, its production and productivity are very low in Ethiopia. Several factors as lack of know – how about the types, levels of fertilizers supply, and improved potato variety are among few. As a result, such an experiment, which was conducted on the field at Qebena special woreda, Reka-boka kebele for evaluating the effects of four different rates of NPSB fertilizers (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg/ha) on growth and phenology of three orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties (Kebode, Alamora, and Dilla). The experiment was arranged in a 3 × 4 factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. The study revealed that the rates of blended fertilizers NPSB highly significantly influenced the vine number, inter-node length, shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and total tuber number/plant. However, the vine number, inter-node length, number of leaves/plant, SFW, and SDW resulted significantly in the highest difference due to the effect of both variety and fertilizer (P < 0.01). Statistically, the highest vine length was obtained from the Dilla variety at 225 kg/ha (282.22). Alamora with 150 kg/ha rates of NPSB fertilizer resulted significantly higher difference in vine number (12.22). Dilla variety at 225 and 150 kg/ha resulted in the highest number of leaves per plant (659.72 and 632.22), respectively. The Dilla variety at 225 kg/ha, which resulted in significantly higher differences in both shot fresh and dry weights (1526.10 and 6466.67 kg/ha). Utilization of such selected OFSP variety with different levels of NPSB fertilizes for further studies needed at different parts of the country to improve. For the best variety and fertilizer responses.

Mass Media Exposure among the Farm Women in Sub-Himalayan Region of India

Ganesh Das — 2024-06-15

Mass media is the major agricultural information source and farm women are the major agricultural human resources in India. It is observed from the different studies that farm women were exposed to different mass media sources for different types of information. However, it is important to know the influence of these mass media sources on the agricultural information network output of the farm women. In light of this, a study was undertaken on the influence of mass media exposure on the agricultural information network output in terms of knowledge of the farm women. The study was conducted in the North Bengal region of West Bengal from 2017 to 2020. Ex-post facto research design and both purposive and random sampling methods were used for the selection of the respondents. It was found from the study that the majority of the farm women used a mobile phone for agricultural information, followed by TV, posters, exhibitions, advertisement boards, and agricultural literature. All the selected mass media sources, that is, newspaper, TV, radio, literature, mobile phone, exhibition, advertisement board, film show, and posters had a positively and significantly influence on agricultural information network output in terms of knowledge of the farm women.

Impact of Cluster Frontline Demonstrations on Chickpea for Productivity Enhancement and Dissemination of Technology in Hisar District of Haryana

Pooja Jangra — 2024-06-15

The present study was conducted at farmer fields in two clusters of district Hisar to demonstrate the production potential and economic benefit of improved production technologies comprising sowing method, nutrient management, chemical weed control, and insect pest and disease management in respect of integrated crop management (ICM) mode. A total of 50 demonstrations were conducted in 1-acre size plot and also maintained same size check plot. Sown the crop after seed treatment with fungicide and culture and applications of pendimethalin for effective controls of the weeds during rabi season 2019–2020. The finding of the study revealed that improved technology recorded an average yield of 7.66 q/ha which was 22.56% higher than obtained under farmer practice (6.25/ha). A higher net income of Rs. 17283/- per ha with a benefit–cost ratio of 2.00 was obtained with improved technology in comparison to farmer practices (10500/- per ha benefit–cost ratio was 1.62). The technology gap was observed at 1634 kg/ha between the potential yield of variety and the demonstrated plot yield. The technology index for demonstration in the study was 68.08 kg/ha in accordance with the technology gap. From the above findings, it can be concluded that the production and productivity of chickpea crops can be increased through cluster frontline demonstrations by motivating the farmers for the adoption of scientific production technologies which were demonstrated in cluster frontline demonstration plots.

Comparative Study of Level of Knowledge about Scientific Dairy Practices among Member and Non-member Dairy Farmers of Farmer Producer Company

V. K. Basunathe — 2024-06-15

An ex post facto research design was followed to study the comparison between knowledge of scientific dairy practices among members and non-members of purposively selected, Shri Kamdhenu dairy farmer producer company (FPC). In Nagpur district from two blocks, i.e., Katol and Narkhed total of 240 dairy farmers, comprising 60 members and 60 non-members from each of the two blocks selected randomly. The study revealed that 44.16% of FPCs members were middle-aged (30–50 years), with 40.00% young (up to 30 years) and 15.84% old (above 50 years), while non-members were primarily middle-aged (55.00%). A higher percentage of members were male (71.67%) compared to non-members (81.67%), indicating lower female participation. Members had higher educational attainment, predominantly small-to-medium landholdings, belonged mostly to nuclear families, and exhibited larger herd sizes and higher annual incomes. In addition, members had greater social participation and more experience in dairy farming, contributing to better productivity and economic conditions and a medium attitude toward FPC was higher in members than in non-members. Overall knowledge of scientific dairy practices in member respondents was medium (53.33%) and high, as compared to the higher percentage of non-members (25.83%) found in the low category of knowledge.