SANGEET RANGUWAL, RAJ KUMAR AND HARBIR SINGH
Department of Economics & Sociology
Punjab Agricultural university, Ludhiana-141 004 (Punjab), India
*(e-mail: sangeet@pau.edu)
(Received: 1 July 2025; Accepted: 28 September 2025)

SUMMARY

Livestock are a cornerstone of rural livelihoods. With fodder area being static, farmers have to rely on dry fodder and straw as a security feed for livestock. The declining economic value of wheat straw has further rendered its ex-situ management financially unviable. In this context, a comprehensive understanding of fodder pricing trends is crucial for stakeholders in the livestock industry. The present study aims to analyse and understand the market dynamics of wheat dry fodder in Punjab state. Prices of wheat dry fodder peaked at Rs 426 per quintal in 2022–23 but declined sharply to Rs 200 per quintal in 2023-24, primarily due to the increased use of alternative feed sources such as paddy straw bales and maize silage. Majority of the farmers prefer to store wheat straw over immediate post-harvest sales and their number increased with rise in price. Though sale of wheat dry fodder takes place throughout the year, yet major share of the surplus (18%) was sold during the mid-year period. A major portion of wheat dry fodder (59.06%) was utilized on-farm, while the remaining 41% constituted a marketable surplus. This surplus was primarily sold to traders, averaging 42.52 quintals per farm. Small and medium farmers used it mainly for their own livestock consumption while large farms had the highest share in sales to traders. Understanding the disposal of dry fodder is essential not only for promoting sustainable agriculture but is also crucial for ensuring food security, boosting livestock production, understanding resource management and exploring economic opportunities.

Key words: Dry fodder, farm category, livestock, price, sales, wheat

251-256

RAJENDRA NAGAR, RAJVEER AND DAYANAND
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Abusar (SKRAU, Bikaner) Jhunjhunu-333 001 (Rajasthan), India
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chandgothi (SKRAU, Bikaner) Churu-331305 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail: rajendranagar86@gmail.com)
(Received: 7 May 2025; Accepted: 10 September 2025)

SUMMARY

The current study was carried out by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chandgothi (Churu), in Rajasthan with the particular goals of analyzing the yield difference, economics, the level of farmer satisfaction, and the challenges experienced by the farmers in cultivating barley. 50 participants were chosen from the beneficiary farmers who participated in the front line demonstration (FLD) at their fields from 2018–19 to 2019–20. For both the farmers’ practise and the demonstration, the plot size was 0.4 hectare. The most recent recommended package of practises for barley was presented to the respondents before FLD. The FLD-demonstrated technology led to a 25.83 percent over-check increase in barley production. According to the experimental findings, there is a technology gap, an extension gap, and a technology index of 215.5 kg/ha, 906 kg/ha, and respectively. The economic performance of barley under FLD fetched an additional return of 12,269/ha. Further, on average, demonstration plots recorded a net return to the tune of 43976, with an Incremental B:C ratio of 18.35 over the years. However, under farmer’s practice the net return fetched was Rs. 31707/ha. Moreover, respondent satisfaction index (RSI) revealed that 50.30 per cent respondent farmers’ expressed high, 33.27 per cent respondent farmers’ expressed medium and only 16.40 per cent respondent farmers’ expressed low level of satisfaction.

Key words: Demonstration, Economics, Grain yields, Yield gap.

257-260

REKHA, RAKESH SANGWAN, TARUN VERMA AND ANIL JAKHAR
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Department of Plant Pathology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: vermatarun27@gmail.com)
(Received : 8 September 2025; Accepted : 28 September 2025)

SUMMARY

Chilo partellus is serious pest of sorghum causing heavy loss in grain and fodder yield. An experiment was conducted at research field of CCS HAU, Hisar to manage C. partellus through eco- friendly tactics including inter cropping and bio agents. Eight treatments were used. . In the first and second treatments, sorghum variety (HJ 541) and cowpea variety (CS 88) were intercropped in ratios of 4:2 and 4:1, respectively. The third and fourth treatments involved intercropping sorghum and cluster bean variety (HG 365) at ratios of 4:2 and 4:1. In the fifth treatment, Beauveria bassiana were applied at a rate of 2.5-3 kg/ha at 20 and 35 days after emergence. The sixth treatment included placing Trichogramma chillonis cards on the lower leaf surface of the plot’s central portion at 20 and 35 days after emergence to minimize interference with neighbouring plots. Pearl millet was planted along the border of the sixth treatment to monitor movement. The seventh treatment consisted of applying Bt formulation spray at 20- and 35-days after emergence. The results of this investigation showed that the treatment of Trichogramma chilonis @ 150000/ha resulted in the lowest percentage of dead hearts (7.5) and the lowest percentage of leaf damage (3.3) at 35 DAE followed by Beauveria bassiana treatment (1×108 CFU /g @ 2.5-3.0 kg/ha). Green fodder yield, plant height, and the total number of stalks were all counted at harvest. Maximal plant height (154.5 cm), total number of stalks/plant (13.9), and yield (350.3t/ha) were observed in the Trichogramma chilonis treatment plot @150000/ha. The plot exhibited the lowest levels of stem tunnelling (2.6), stalk damage (4.4), and larval number (0.3). Hence Trichogramma chilonis treatment plot @ 150000/ ha was found to be superior among all treatments followed by Beauveria bassiana treatment (1×108 CFU/g @ 2.5-3.0 kg/ha).

Key words: Helicoverpa armigera, Evaluation, Weather parameters, Genotypes, Population dynamics, Pod damage

261-265

SHEETAL, BAJRANG LAL SHARMA*, DILIP KUMAR, KISHOR CHAND KUMHAR, SATPAL, PUMMY KUMARI AND NEERAJ KHAROR
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
Department of Plant Pathology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: bl_antela@rediffmail.com)
(Received: 12 August 2025; Accepted: 16 September 2025)

SUMMARY

Chilo partellus is serious pest of sorghum causing heavy loss in grain and fodder yield. An experiment was conducted at research field of CCS HAU, Hisar to manage C. partellus through eco- friendly tactics including inter cropping and bio agents. Eight treatments were used. . In the first and second treatments, sorghum variety (HJ 541) and cowpea variety (CS 88) were intercropped in ratios of 4:2 and 4:1, respectively. The third and fourth treatments involved intercropping sorghum and cluster bean variety (HG 365) at ratios of 4:2 and 4:1. In the fifth treatment, Beauveria bassiana were applied at a rate of 2.5-3 kg/ha at 20 and 35 days after emergence. The sixth treatment included placing Trichogramma chillonis cards on the lower leaf surface of the plot’s central portion at 20 and 35 days after emergence to minimize interference with neighbouring plots. Pearl millet was planted along the border of the sixth treatment to monitor movement. The seventh treatment consisted of applying Bt formulation spray at 20- and 35-days after emergence. The results of this investigation showed that the treatment of Trichogramma chilonis @ 150000/ha resulted in the lowest percentage of dead hearts (7.5) and the lowest percentage of leaf damage (3.3) at 35 DAE followed by Beauveria bassiana treatment (1×108 CFU /g @ 2.5-3.0 kg/ha). Green fodder yield, plant height, and the total number of stalks were all counted at harvest. Maximal plant height (154.5 cm), total number of stalks/plant (13.9), and yield (350.3t/ha) were observed in the Trichogramma chilonis treatment plot @150000/ha. The plot exhibited the lowest levels of stem tunnelling (2.6), stalk damage (4.4), and larval number (0.3). Hence Trichogramma chilonis treatment plot @ 150000/ ha was found to be superior among all treatments followed by Beauveria bassiana treatment (1×108 CFU/g @ 2.5-3.0 kg/ha).

Key words: Sorghum, Chilo partellus, intercropping, eco-friendly

266-272

THULASI BAI VADITHE, SEVA NAYAK DHEERAVATHU, SRAVANTHI G., KETHAVATH MADHUDEEPIKA, AVINASH S, SAIDA NAIK VADITHE, SRINIVAS A, USHA, T. N., MANASA V, BANDEPPA S. AND A. JYOTHI
ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad-500 030 (Telangana), India
ANGRAU-Agricultural Research Station, Jangameswarapuram, Palanadu-522 415 (Andhra Pradesh), India
Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Iruvakki, Sagara (Tq), Shivamogga (Karnataka), India577 412
Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad-500 030 (Telangana), India
5Department of Microbiology, Visakha Government Degree College for Women (A) Visakhapatnam-530 020 (Andhra Pradesh), India
*(e-mail: sevanayak2005@gmail.com)
(Received: 10 August 2025; Accepted: 20 September 2025)

SUMMARY

Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic factor that significantly impairs sorghum germination and growth of the seedling. In the present investigation, ten sorghum varieties were tested for salinity stress tolerance at seedling stage. Under control conditions exhibited high germination rates (up to 97% in CSV-21 and CSV-38F), germination percentage declined progressively with rising salinity, with no variety achieving 100% germination at 200 mM. Root-to-shoot ratio was also affected, peaking in CSV-32F (3.86) and CSV-38F (2.85) at 150 mM. Shoot and root lengths decreased significantly under salt stress, with CSV-21 exhibiting maximum shoot length (14.6 cm) and PC-615 recording the highest root length (5.83 cm) in controls. Seedling biomass was severely impacted, with fresh weight (0.23 g in CSV-38F) and dry weight (0.09 g in CSV-32F) declining markedly at 200 mM. Varieties CSV- 38F and CSV-32F demonstrated relative tolerance, suggesting potential for cultivation in saline- prone areas. These insights underscore the need for salt-tolerant sorghum genotypes to sustain productivity under abiotic stress.

Key words: Germination percentage, root to shoot ratio, salinity, sorghum seedling vigour index

273-279

DALVINDER PAL SINGH, KISHOR CHAND KUMHAR, SATPAL, NEERAJ KHAROR, RAVISH PANCHTA, SATYAWAN ARYA AND SWATI MEHRA
Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding
Department of Plant Pathology 3Department of Seed Science & Technology
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: dsingh4@gmail.com)
(Received: 2 August 2025; Accepted: 22 September 2025)

SUMMARY

Stem rot of berseem, caused by Sclerotinia trifoliorum, is a major constraint on forage production, resulting in significant yield losses. The study evaluated the efficacy of Trichoderma asperellum-enriched organic substrates in suppressing stem rot under field conditions. Results revealed that Trichoderma asperellum-enriched substrates, such as vermicompost and FYM, effectively reduced disease incidence and promoted better plant growth compared to untreated controls. The enriched substrates not only acted as carriers for Trichoderma but also improved soil health, thereby contributing to long-term disease suppression. This eco-friendly approach provides a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides and can be recommended as a component of integrated management practices for stem rot in berseem.

Key words: Trichoderma asperellum, organic substrates, stem rot, Biocontrol, FYM, vermicompost, Berseem

280-287