SYSTEM DYNAMIC FRAMEWORK: INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY OF SUGARCANE TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION

Sugarcane as a raw material for producing sugar is a strategic agricultural commudity in economy and sugar industry. With the increase of population, the consumption and demand for sugar will also increase and this causes domestic sugar production to be unfulfilled. Some problem that arise in this commodity include sugarcane productivity and yields are not optimal, how to increase farmer’s income from the residue of the sugarcane harvesting. To achieve the basic need of domestic sugar, it is necessary to increase land productivity and sugarcane production in order to support the sustainable of sugarcane cultivation. The result of study show simulation scenario of intensification of the use of quality seeds, the productivity of sugarcane increased by 1.03% per year and increased sugarcane production in smallholder farmers’ gardens. PBN production increased by an average of 0.96% per year and PBS increased by an average of 1.52 per year. In addition, there is a scenario of utilizing residual crops in the form of silsage and biobriquette in year 2030. This study took a case study at PT. PTPN X Surabaya City which represents the East Java area. The harvested areas used in this study are People’s Plantation (PR), National Large Plantation (PBN) and Private Large Plantation (PBS). This study uses a key focus area of sugarcane cultivation to increase sugarcane productivity and production efficiency and support sustainable cultivation.

EVALUATION OF TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM IN CONTROLLING LATE BLIGHT OF POTATO

Evaluation of Trichoderma harzianum in reducing mycelial growth of Phytophthora infestans as well as in controlling late blight of potato was done in Microbiology and Biocontrol laboratory and Net-house, Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during 2019-2020, Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted using popular potato variety Diamant and native variety Challisha. T. harzianum was evaluated in net-house and in-vitro condition. Fungicide Indofil M-45 (Mancozeb) was used as positive check for comparison. In Net-house experiment, T. harzianum increased plant height, number of tubers and fresh weight of tubers over control treatment for the both of the varieties of potato. T. harzianum on late blight of potato (var. Diamant) showed a significantly better management over control treatment. In comparison to non-treated control treatment, reduced infection of late blight was found in the T.harzianum treated plants, whereas increase disease severity was calculated in control treatment. After harvesting, tuber infection in T. harzianum treated plants was not observed. Percent inhibition of tuber infection over control was 100%. Indofil M-45 suppressed Disease severity but comparatively less effective than T. harzianum in the long run. In case of variety Challisha similar trend of results were observed. In dual culture assay, T. harzianum showed highest inhibitory effect in suppressing mycelial growth of P. infestans. T. harzianum showed 86.67% inhibition of mycelial growth of P. infestans over control. Thus, it can be concluded that T. harzianum is effective to control late blight of potato and sometimes comparable to chemical fungicide in net-house condition.

A REVIEW ON WEED IN DIRECT-SEEDED RICE (DSR)

Oryza sativa, cereal crop grown worldwide which feeds 60% of world. DSR, feasible and resource conserving technique of rice cultivation is gaining popularity, but due to weed infestation, crop experience a yield loss from 15%-100%. Various journals were assessed and books were consulted with the objective of compiling the various weeds of DSR and their management strategies in a comprehensive single document. Weed can be manage by different methods but integration of all methods is the best and eco-friendly compared to chemical one. Biotechnological method for development of herbicide resistance varieties, biological methods are new and are best alternative options. Different pre and post emergence herbicides could be applied to kill or suppress in short period with recommended doses and stage of crop. No single method is perfect for killing all the weeds, integrating different strategies having different modes of action can reduce the weed density and resistance to herbicides.

EVALUATION OF MANUAL FRUIT HARVESTERS AND STORABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF HARVESTED SWEET ORANGE UNDER ORDINARY ROOM STORAGE CONDITION

Harvesting is considered as one of the crucial and critical activities in fruit production, handling and storage and market cycle. Traditional harvesting and post-harvest technique are responsible for deteriorating the fruit quality and shortening the postharvest shelf-life. Hand-picking by climbing tree, tree shaking and stick biting are most common practices for majority of the fruit orchards in Nepal that is risky, labour and time-intensive practices as well as affects market quality and nutritive value of the fruits. Therefore, there is a need for simple manual fruit harvesting tools suitable for smallholder farmers to replace the manual picking of citrus. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the performance of different available models of manual fruit harvester along with the evaluation of post-harvest quality (physiological loss of weight, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, acidity and rot incidence) and shelf-life assessment of those harvested fruits during storage under ordinary room condition for 26 days. Nine harvesting treatments were investigated as follows: a) Farmer practice-hand-picking (FPground), b) Farmer practice tree climbing (FPclimb), c) Hand-shaking of the tree branch (TS), d) Secateurs (SEground), e) Secateur + tree climb (SEClimb), f) Pole mounted cut and hold type picking shears (CH), g) Telescopic Long reach fruit picker (LRF), h) Fruit picker harvester with basket and cushion (PHB), i) Metal fruit picker with cotton bag (PC). The harvesting capacity of FPground, FPclimb, SEground, SEClimb, LRF, CH, PHB, PC and TS methods were 98.4±5.84, 57.52±12.43, 94.7±38.14, 49.05±5.73, 79.14±6.15, 75.08±12.44, 49.88±17.48, 52.27±11.47 and 63.12±22.27 kg/hr, respectively.. The harvesting output of CH and LRF type harvester was 29.03 (591 nos/hr) and 15.93% (531 nos/hr) higher than FPclimb practice (458 nos/hr) and that of PHB and PC method was 20.96 (362 nos/hr) and 6.11% (430 nos/hr) lower than FPclimb. Regarding storability characteristics, shelf-life was found better in SEground, SEClimb, CH, LRF than TS and FP practices.SE and CH method found effective in prolonging the average shelf-life and maintaining the quality of sweet orange compared to TS and FP. The button or calyx on the harvested fruit in SE, CH and LRF method help to control and delay the sap oozing, physiological loss of weight and lateral infection that maintain fruit firmness, prolong the shelf-life and minimize the fruit damage and rot incidence during ordinary storage. Based on our findings, hand-held secateur, cut and hold type harvester and long reach fruit picker (twist and turn) are recommended as appropriate harvesting tools for sweet orange fruit picking.

EFFECT OF TWO STAGE DRYING EMPLOYING FLUIDIZED BED DRYING, TEMPERING FOLLOWED BY FIXED BED DRYING ON HEAD RICE YIELD OF BRRI DHAN28 RICE VARIETY IN BANGLADESH

Drying of high moisture paddy to achieve quality milled rice is an important issue in a paddy producing country like Bangladesh. This study has been conducted to investigate the impact of two stage drying technique namely, fluidized bed drying, tempering and followed by fixed bed drying method on quality of BRRI Dhan28 rice variety in terms of head rice yield (HRY). Moist paddy was dried in fluidized bed dryer (FBD) as first stage drying to reduce moisture from 25-27% to 18-19% using three drying temperatures of 120, 130, and 150°C at three bed thicknesses of 8, 10, and 12 cm. The first stage dried samples were immediately tempered for 30 minutes and dried in second stage drying by fixed bed dryer using 40±10C temperature maintaining bed thickness as 30 cm for the further reduction of moisture content to 13-14% (wb). Sun drying method was followed as complete drying of control sample. Control sample was used to compare the milling quality of rice dried in two stage drying technique. In addition, head rice yield was also compared to existing industrial paddy drying complexes. The results revealed that HRY of rice samples obtained from different drying methods was comparable. All the sets of drying parameters in two stage drying yielded better quality HRY than the control and even existing industrial drying method. The highest HRY (53.43%) of milled rice was obtained in the two-stage drying. On the other hand, the samples dried in the sun drying and industrial drying using Louisiana State University (LSU) dryer yielded 49.77% and 48.25% HRY, respectively. Therefore, the two-stage drying technique can be used for drying of high moisture paddy to obtain quality dried rice.

INSECTICIDAL AND INHIBITORY POTENTIAL OF TWO CHITIN SYNTHESIS INHIBITORS, BUPROFEZIN AND LUFENURON ON OKRA SHOOT AND FRUIT BORER, EARIAS VITTELLA

In this laboratory study, insecticidal and inhibitory potential of two chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) viz. Buprofezin and Lufenuron were evaluated against okra shoot and fruit borer (OSFB). CSIs were applied on three days old larvae through different bioassay methods like topical or direct, okra-dip or indirect and combined (topical + leaf-dip). Data were collected on larval mortality, weight reduction and deformations of larvae and adults. Results showed that larval mortality and weight reduction were clearly dose, application methods and time dependent. In case of both CSIs, the highest mortality was found @ 1.0 ml/L that was followed by 0.75 ml and 0.50 ml/L respectively. Likewise, the highest body weight reduction was also found from 1.0 ml/L. In both cases, the concentration 0.5 ml/L was found less effective. In case of application methods, combined bioassay method was found superior than that of rest of the two methods. Moreover, a significant percentage of deformed larvae and adults were developed when 3 days old larvae were treated with either Buprofezin or Lufenuron @ 1.0 ml/L through combined bioassay method. The concentration 0.5 ml/L had very less efficacy on the development of deformed larvae or adults. Therefore, based on the laboratory findings Buprofezin and Lufenuron may be the potential component in IPM programmed, rather than their individual application, for controlling okra shoot and fruit borer as well as production of safe okra.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT OF MUSTARD APHID, LIAPHIS ERYSIMI (KALT.) ON RAPESEED CROPS IN GOKULESHWOR, BAITADI

An experiment was conducted at Gokuleshwor, Baitadi to evaluate the management practices of Lipaphiserysimi (Kalt.) during Rabi season in 2017/18.Field experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 5 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were:1) jholmol @250 ml/litre of water2) 2) Altineem @2.5ml/litre of water 3) Cow urine @250 ml/litre of water 4) Mustard cake @25kg/ha and 5) untreated (control). Each plot consists of 2m*2m (4m2). Field experiment showed that the highest reduction of Lipaphiserysimi (Kalt.) was achieved in jholmol followed by altineem but these two treatments were statistically at per during almost all the spray times. Thus, jholmol might be the best option in eco-friendly management of Lipaphiserysimi (Kalt).

EFFICACY OF CHITIN SYNTHESIS INHIBITORS IN ARRESTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OKRA JASSID, AMRASCA BIGUTTULA BIGUTTULA (ISHIDA)

Chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) are potential inhibitory chemical compound that disrupt molting process by interfering chitin synthesis and kill insects before attaining maturity. In this study, some chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) viz. Tacoma 40SC (Buprofezin), Heron 5EC (Lufenuron), Pyrifen 10.8EC (Pyriproxifen) and Chitosan 75WP were tested against okra jassid, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) to elucidate their potential effects in arresting body growth and development. The nymphs of jassids were exposed to selected CSIs through different application methods like topical, leaf-dip and the combination of both topical and leaf-dip. Weight data was collected at 7 days after treatment (DAT) application. Results showed that all of the CSIs except Chitosan had significant effect on the body weight reduction of okra jassid. Growth reduction was clearly concentrations and application method dependent. It has shown that higher concentrations were found to be more effective than lower concentrations. Bioassay study has showed that all the selected CSIs became able to enter in the insect body through contact as well as stomach action to disrupt molting process by inhibiting chitin synthesis that confirmed the contact and systemic actions of the selected CSIs. This study recommends that Tacoma 40SC @ 1.0 ml/L, Heron 5EC @ 1.5 ml/L and Pyrifen 10.8 EC @ 1.5 ml/L may be the potential alternatives of conventional neurotoxic insecticides in controlling jassids as they reduced 50-60% weight compared to untreated control. Moreover, protocols developed in this study for jassids collection and their safe transferring inside the petri dishes would be a useful and convenient approach for the researchers.