Background: The weather, especially rainfall, has a major impact on agricultural production. Accurate and timely rainfall monitoring is crucial for efficient farm management. Farmers may make more informed decisions about crop protection, irrigation, and general land management with the aid of a sustainable rain alarm sensor. Rain sensors are gadgets made to recognize when there is rain or other precipitation and to initiate an action, such as setting off an alarm. The rain sensor project is a small model project used to sense rainfall, and it is used to inform by sounding an alarm to store rain water for irrigation.
Methods: Rain may be consistently and precisely detected using a variety of technologies and methods, including conductive, optical, capacitive, and auditory sensors. The flow study illustrates the procedures required to operate the coconut shell rain sensor. The coconut shell is used to characterize the rain sensor. When the rain sensor detects precipitation, the motor activates, and the surface water level is utilized to remove surplus runoff and rainfall water from the farmed land's surface. This allows rainwater to be stored for use in the circuit later on. If this is the case, it is used to gauge the quantity of water in the soil and is required to gauge the field's water level. The pump will start working, and the alarm will sound if there is an excess of water detected.
Results: Rainwater flow in the field might occur after a period of intense rain, which would impact crop development and yield. The issue here is that the sensor uses sound to signal rain in order to prevent erosion and excessive water overflow via the channel. The sensor is used to subtract rain based on time. With the aid of the Rain Alarm Sensor, this research offers a pump to release extra water through the appropriate route. The analysis conducted with this data demonstrates how the sensor functions as a flow chart study, and the comparison of various technologies reveals that, out of the three sensors we have put up for review, Sensor A (sensitivity at 0.1 mm/hr, A has the quickest reaction time, at 100 ms, Sensor A at 95%) is the top performer. Out of all of them, sensor A displays the finest performance.
Conclusion: This experiment may be used to find out what is more helpful to farmers when it rains. It is also extremely helpful to find out the field's surface water level in case any extra water runs off and lowers the water level in the cultivated region.
Background: Cassava is an industrial tropical tuber crop and it is used for human and animal consumption: but also used as a raw material for various agro-based industries. Cassava is commercially propagated by using stem cuttings. These stem cuttings are often infected with viral and bacterial diseases which affect yield adversely. With this background, the present experiment was taken up to identify an elite virus free planting material with improved yield and qualitative characters in two promising cultivars of tapioca viz., H 226 and CO 2 using tissue cultured plants and different types of setts from field grown plants as planting materials.
Methods: An experiment was carried out to assess the effect of planting materials on the growth, yield and quality of Cassava varieties viz., H 226 and CO 2. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with four treatments in two varieties and three replications. Observations were recorded on various growth, yield and quality attributes of the crop.
Results: Significant results on plant height, stem girth, number of branches and number of leaves are recorded with tissue cultured plants. There is no significant difference among the treatments for starch, HCN and protein contents. There is a significant difference in starch content among the varieties. The variety CO 2 possessed more starch content than H 226.
Conclusion: Among the four treatments (different kinds of planting materials) followed in this study, the treatment T1 Tissue cultured plants recorded lesser incidence of cassava mosaic virus, more number of fibrous roots, highest values for plant height, stem girth and tuber yield. Among the varieties, CO 2 showed the least incidence of cassava mosaic virus. The CO 2 tissue culture plants could give better yield in the field conditions.
Background: The use of plant growth regulators through foliar spraying proves beneficial where roots fail to supply the required nutrients. The plant growth hormones supplementation through foliar sprays enables the direct and efficient utilization of nutrients by plants, manifesting observable effects within a short period which ultimately increases seed quality and seed yield in okra.
Methods: The present study on “Effect of foliar application of plant growth regulators on growth, seed yield and quality of okra” was conducted at Department of Agril. Botany Farm, Agriculture College, Pune and laboratory studies was conducted in STRU, MPKV, Rahuri. The field trial was conducted in randomized block design (RBD) having nine treatments including control with three replications and lab experiment was conducted in completely randomised block design (CRD). The treatments comprise of different plant growth regulators such as GA3 at 100 ppm, 200 ppm, 250 ppm, NAA at 100 ppm, 200 ppm, IBA at 100 ppm, 150 ppm, Kinetin at 200 ppm including control (No spray control). Two foliar sprays of each plant growth regulator treatment were applied at 30 and 45 days after sowing.
Results: The plant growth regulator GA3 at 250 ppm foliar spraying was found to be the best treatment for plant growth, seed yield and quality characters of okra variety Phule Vimukha viz., days to 50% flowering (40 days), plant height (89.83 cm), number of leaves (25.50), number of branches (3.92), moisture content (16.50 %), germination (93.33 %), seedling length (24.20 cm), root length (9.23 cm), shoot length (15.27 cm), shoot root ratio (1.80), seedling dry weight (29.26 g), seed vigour index (2258), hard seeds (2.50), dead seed (3.50), electrical conductivity (1.07 dS/m), number of fruits per plant (15.00), fruit length (19.53 cm), fruit diameter (2.00 cm), number of seeds per fruit (52.00), 100 seed weight (7.87 g), seed yield per plant (58.05 g).
Conclusion: Application of plant growth regulator GA3 at 250 ppm treatment as two foliar sprayings at 30 and 45 DAS was found more promising in increasing growth, yield and quality characters of okra variety Phule Vimukha as compared to the untreated control treatment.
Sweet gourd (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.), commonly found in Vietnam and parts of India is a nutritionally rich crop known for its high carotenoid content, particularly lycopene and β-carotene. These nutrients contribute to the fruit's antioxidant properties, anticancer activity, and provitamin A content, which can boost human immunity. The fruit is gaining attention due to its potential to enhance health and well-being, alongside its economic benefits for farmers. To improve the cultivation and propagation of sweet gourd, various techniques have been developed, including seed germination methods, propagation by cuttings, and agrobacterium-mediated leaf explant protocols. Additionally, micropropagation techniques have been employed to facilitate the mass production of grafted plants, addressing the fruit's historically poor horticultural potential. Furthermore, advancements in processing technologies are being utilized to maximize nutrient retention, extend shelf life, and enhance the efficacy of sweet gourd in food and beverage products. India has made significant strides in cultivating and processing sweet gourd, with successful cultivation across various states and the potential for high market returns. The promotion and widespread cultivation of this crop can meet the growing demand for nutritionally rich foods, offer farmers a new source of income, and contribute to improved health outcomes. Sweet gourd holds promise as a nutraceutical crop that can contribute to both health and economic well-being. By leveraging improved cultivation and processing methods, there is significant potential for its introduction and expansion in India, offering substantial benefits in terms of nutrition, agriculture, and market opportunities.
