ABSTRACT OF RESEARCH PAPERS OF 35 (2), 2007
PART I : PLANT SCIENCES

Effect of Nitrogen and Irrigation Management on Yield of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. ) and on Soil Fertility

V.SUMATHi,  D.S.KOTESWRA RAO AND D.SRINIVASULU REDDY
Department of Agronomy, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati-517 502

Seed and stalk yield, nutrient uptake of the crop and post harvest soil fertility status of soil was significantly enhanced with successive enhancement of irrigation frequency from 0.6 to 1.0. Among nitrogen management practices, supply of recommended dose of nitrogen through fertilizer significantly increased the seed and stalk yield and uptake of nutrients, which was on par with supply of 75 per cent N through fertilizer and 25 per cent N through FYM. The post harvest soil fertility status was higher when proportion of substitution of nitrogen through FYM was increased. In conclusion, the investigation revealed that supply of 75 per cent N through fertilizer and 25 per cent N through FYM with irrigation schedule of 1.0 IW/CPE ratio resulted in higher production on par with supply of entire dose of nitrogen through fertilizer, besides improving the soil fertility status.

Effect of Puddling, Water and Weed Management on Yield and Nutrient Uptake in Transplanted Rice and Associated Weeds

D.SUBRAMANYAM, C.RAGHAVA REDDY and D.SRINIVASULU REDDY
Department of Agronomy, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati-517502

Intensive puddling with continuous submergence recorded the lowest dry weight and nutrient uptake by weeds, which resulted in higher grain yield over normal puddling with irrigation at one day after disappearance of ponded water. Among the weed management practices, pre emergence application of oxadiargyl @ 75 g ha-1 supplemented with one hand weeding at 40 DAT recorded the highest grain yield due to lower dry weight and nutrient uptake by weeds, which was comparable with hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAT. On an average, unchecked weed growth drained 16.06, 6.61 and 17.88 kg ha -1 of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium respectively.

Variability and Relationship Studies of Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Diverse lines of International Irrigated Observational Nursery of Rice    (Oryza sativa L.)

R. P. SINGH, M. SURESH KUMAR AND L. MADHAVILATHA
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, U.P-India.

Significant genetic variation was found among the lines for all yield traits. Grains per panicle exhibited high heritability coupled with high genetic advance suggesting selection can be exercised for these characters to improve grain yield. Correlation and path analysis revealed that the number of effective tillers per plant and panicle length directly affects the yield.

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Weight of The Suckers on Establishment and Subsequent Growth of Aloe
(Aloe vera Tourn. ex. Linn.)

I.VIJAY KUMAR, R.CHANDRA SEKHAR, M.RAJ KUMAR
Department of Horticulture, College of agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad

PART II : SOCIAL SCIENCES

Adoption Impact of Package of Practices in Sunflower Crop

T. RAJARATNAM AND M.  SREENIVASULU REDDY
Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture,
Rajendranagar , Hyderabad 500030

More than half of the respondents both in before and after implementation of OFEDs had medium extent of adoption of recommended package of practices of sunflower crop. It was also observed that there was a significant difference between before and after implementation of OFEDs on adoption level of recommended package of practices.

Analysis of Influence of Selected Independent Variables on Knowledge of Rice Farmers on Eco-friendly Technologies

T .S. PRASAD REDDY, K. PRABHAKAR AND P.GIDDA REDDY
Extension Education Institute,  Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30

Correlation analysis revealed that all the selected independent variables except exposure to electronic media and extension participation were significantly related to knowledge of rice farmers. Regression analysis revealed that all the independent variables put together explained the variation in knowledge to the extent of 73.00 per cent.  The computed  F value for R2 was found to be significant(P<0.05).Step down regression analysis upto 14 steps revealed that the seven independent variables ( X3,X4,X6,X7,X9,X10 and X20)explained about 70.00 per cent variation in knowledge of rice farmers on eco-friendly technologies.

A Standard Test to Measure Knowledge of Farmers about IPM Practices in Cotton

S. MADHAVI lATHA, D.RAMACHANDRA REDDY AND  S.V.PRASAD
 Department of Agricultural Extension,
S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati.

Sixty one items of knowledge about latest integrated pest management practices were edited and selected from a large number of item pool collected through a pilot study based on a standard criteria and in consultation with master trainers and finally 46 items were taken for interview schedule from the responses given by 30 respondents.

Critical Analysis of Knowledge Possessed by Cotton Farmers on IPM Practices

R.VASANTHA and B.BUCHA REDDY
Extension Education Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.

The results on knowledge on IPM indicated that majority of them were under medium knowledge category. It was also observed that there was a significant difference between knowledge levels of small and big farmers. Majority of farmers of all the categories were found to give correct response for the statements of most effective chemicals for management of Helicoverpa, while majority of them gave incorrect responses for the items that excess nitrogen fertilizer application increases pest population in cotton.

Impact of Training on Knowledge Gain of TANWA Trainees-
A Critical Analysis

K. RAMAKRISHNA AND D. RAMACHANDRA RADDY
Department of Extension Education,
S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati

Majority of the farm women had medium level (57.50 per cent) of knowledge gain.  There was significant difference between low and high groups of knowledge gain by trained farm women at one per cent significant level.

Input and Infrastructure Utilization Behavior of Farmer’s Categories
A.Sakunthalai and K. Ramakrishnan

Item Analysis of Extent of Adoption of Package of Practices of Sunflower Crop by the Farmers

T. RAJARATNAM AND M.SREENIVASULU REDDY
Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture,
Rajendranagar , Hyderabad 500030

The item analysis of practices revealed that after implementation of OFEDs, selection of suitable variety/hybrid , securing good quality seed, normal sowing schedule and nitrogen should be applied in two equal splits one at basal and another at 30 days of sowing. Whereas, majority of the respondents had not adopted the use of recommended herbicides.

Sources of Information Utilized by Cotton Farmers of Guntur District in the Various Stages of Innovation Decision
 Process for Adopting IPM

R.VASANTHA  and B.BUCHA REDDY
Extension Education Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.

Majority of the small farmers utilized formal sources, whereas medium and big farmers utilized informal sources in all the stages of IDP, while mass media sources have been utilized least by all categories of farmers in all the stages.