Benefit Ratio Research Articles

Effect of Trichoderma viride and Botanical Extracts on Alternaria Leaf Spot Disease of Cabbage (Brassica oleraceae var. capitata L.)

Cabbage is most important vegetable crop. This vegetable has leaf spot disease from bacteria, fugal and virus. Therefore, the present investigation on “Effect of Trichoderma viride and botanical extracts on alternaria leaf spot disease of cabbage (Brassica oleraceae var. capitata L.)” was carried out in Rabi-2023-24 under field conditions. The effect of treatments were evaluated on different growth parameters, disease intensity (%), yield and cost benefit ratio of cabbage. The significantly effective in reducing disease intensity (%) was obtained in combine treatment of Trichoderma viride with Neem leaf extract at 45 days after transplanting (17.27 %), 60 days after transplanting (22.66 %) and 75 days after transplanting (27.34 %), with highest C:B ratio (1:2.32) followed by Trichoderma viride with Eucalyptus leaf extract at 45 (17.87 %), 60 days after transplanting (23.31 %) and 75 days after transplanting (28.72 %), with C:B ratio (1:2.13) and least disease intensity was recorded in Trichoderma viride with Garlic bulb extract at 45 days after transplanting (19.54 %), 60 days after transplanting (25.67 %) and 75 days after transplanting (33.64 %), with least C:B ratio (1:1.21) as compared to control at 45 days after transplanting (23.35 %), 60 days after transplanting (31.33 %) and 75 days after transplanting (45.38 %), with lowest C:B ratio (1:0.86). The treatment of Trichoderma viride with Neem leaf extract resulted in maximum number of leaves at 45 days after transplanting (14.20), 60 days after transplanting (25.47) and 75 days after transplanting (36.27), head diameter (14.20 cm), head weight (0.69 kg) with highest yield (25.45 t/ha) followed by Trichoderma viride with Eucalyptus leaf extract at 45 days after transplanting (13.13), 60 days after transplanting (23.33) and 75 days after transplanting (33.73), head diameter (13.05 cm), head weight (0.65 kg) with yield (24.03 t/ha) and least number of leaves was recorded in Trichoderma viride with Garlic bulb extract at 45 days after transplanting (8.93), 60 days after transplanting (14.80) and 75 days after transplanting (23.33), head diameter (8.20 cm), head weight (0.49 kg) with least yield (17.99 t/ha) as compared to control at 45 days after transplanting (7.53), 60 days after transplanting (12.00) and 75 days after transplanting (20.73), minimum head diameter (7.05 cm), head weight (0.38 kg) with lowest yield (14.22 t/ha).

Effect of various plant extracts against major insect pests and natural enemies in rice Oryza sativa L.

AbstractExtracts from Azadirachta indica, Lantana camara, Nerium oleander, Aegle marmelos, Allium sativum, Citrus limon were compared with two checks viz. Azadirachtin 1 EC and Acephate 95 SG for their efficacy against Nilaparvata lugens, Orseolia oryzae and natural enemies in cultivated rice during two consecutive wet seasons from 2022 to 2023. It was revealed that, mean rice yield was significantly higher in the A. indica and Acephate 95 SG treatments compared to the control. The A. indica treatment emerged as the best treatment against O. oryzae whereas, the A. marmelos treatment was found most promising against N. lugens. All the studied botanicals had less impact on natural enemies than synthetic chemical. The cost economics of major insect pests' management in rice revealed that Acephate 95 SG treatment recorded the highest Incremental Cost Benefit Ratio (1: 4.65) followed by A. indica (1: 3.74) and A. marmelos (1: 3.41).

Effectiveness and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in Black patients versus White patients in a US national health system: a retrospective cohort study.

Black patients were severely under-represented in the clinical trials that led to the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for all cancers. The aim of this study was to characterise the effectiveness and safety of ICIs in Black patients. We did a retrospective cohort study of patients in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system's Corporate Data Warehouse containing electronic medical records for all patients who self-identified as non-Hispanic Black or African American (referred to as Black) or non-Hispanic White (referred to as White) and received PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4, or LAG-3 inhibitors between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2023. Effectiveness outcomes were overall survival, time to treatment discontinuation, and time to next treatment. The safety outcome was the frequency of immune-related adverse events; assessed among a random sample of 1000 Black patients and 1000 White patients, 892 pairs were matched on the basis of baseline characteristics using 1:1 exact matching without replacement. After manual chart review, patients who did not receive ICI therapy or who had inadequate follow-up were excluded. The adjusted effect of race on each effectiveness outcome was assessed in the whole ICI-treated cohort with propensity-weighted Cox regression with robust standard errors. Immune-related adverse events outcomes were analysed in the random matched sample with multivariable Cox regression, adjusting for baseline characteristics. We identified 26 398 patients, of whom 4943 (18·7%) patients were Black, 21 455 (81·3%) were White, 895 (3·4%) were female, 25 503 (96·6%) were male, 11 859 (45%) had non-small-cell lung cancer, and 26 045 (98·7%) received PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. As of data cutoff (Aug 28, 2024), median follow-up was 40·3 months (95% CI 38·3-42·3) for Black patients and 43·9 months (43·0-45·1) for White patients. Compared with White patients, Black patients had longer time to treatment discontinuation (2-year unadjusted rates 10·7% [95% CI 9·8-11·7] for Black patients vs 8·6% [8·2-9·0] for White patients; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0·91, 95% CI 0·87-0·95, p<0·0001), similar time to next treatment (23·5% [22·3-24·8] for Black patients vs 25·6% [25·0-26·2] for White patients; 1·00, 0·95-1·05, p=0·96), and slightly improved overall survival (36·5% [35·2-38·1] for Black patients vs 36·5% [35·8-37·1]; 0·95, 0·90-0·99, p=0·036). 1710 patients (n=862 Black and n=848 White) were analysed for safety outcomes. Compared with White patients, Black patients had a reduced risk of all-grade immune-related adverse events (unadjusted 2-year rate 33·1% [95% CI 28·9-37·1] vs 44·1% [95% CI 39·1-48·7]; adjusted HR 0·75, 95% CI 0·62-0·90, p=0·0026), immune-related adverse events requiring treatment with systemic steroids (0·61, 0·46-0·81, p=0·00051), and immune-related adverse events resulting in permanent ICI discontinuation (0·58, 0·44-0·78, p=0·00024). In exploratory analyses of irAE subtypes, a significant risk reduction in Black patients was found for colitis (0·46, 0·27-0·76, p=0·0026) and hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism (0·63, 0·44-0·90, p=0·011), and no significant differences were found for any other immune-related adverse event subtypes analysed. Similar results were found in analyses using a steroid-based definition of immune-related adverse events among the entire ICI-treated cohort. Compared with White patients, Black patients had similar ICI effectiveness and lower toxicities among those treated in the national VHA system, potentially reflecting an important difference in the therapeutic ratio (ratio of benefit to harm) of ICIs. Our findings of decreased toxicity among Black patients require further investigation to assess their generalisability. Million Veteran Program, Office of Research and Development, Veterans Health Administration and the LUNGevity foundation.

The Impact of Coverage Forms of Exterior Vertical Greening Walls on the Thermal Environmental Benefits of Buildings in Hot and Humid Regions

Architectural vertical green walls can mitigate the urban heat island effect, provide shade and cooling, reduce energy consumption, improve a microclimate, and increase indoor comfort. However, an excessive pursuit of high coverage may diminish the benefit ratio and adversely affect ventilation and lighting. Field measurements were conducted in the hot and humid Guangzhou area to investigate the thermal benefits of external vertical green walls with varying green coverage and diverse layouts, encompassing effects such as shading, insulation, cooling, and humidification. Analyses were conducted using ENVI-met, orthogonal experiments, and SPSS to quantify the moderating effects of planted green coverage (PGC), leaf area density (LAD), and air interstitial layers on the environmental thermal benefits. The results indicated that the cooling and humidifying effects of 100% PGC and 75% PGC were comparable and superior to those of 50% PGC, yet 75% PGC outperformed 100% PGC in terms of indoor humidification. Among the layout modes, the horizontal layout was the most effective for cooling and humidification, followed by the point layout, with the vertical layout being the least effective. A global sensitivity analysis revealed that PGC had the greatest impact on wall cooling and outdoor humidification, LAD significantly influenced humidification, the width of air interstitial layers had a minor impact, and the two architectural vertical greening design ratios of 75% PGC × 4.60 LAD and 75% PGC × 2.70 LAD were particularly effective for cooling and humidification. Incorporating horizontal or point-like layouts can enhance façade design diversity while preserving the desired environmental thermal benefits, thereby contributing to the overall aesthetics of a building.

Research on the Resource-Allocation-Optimization Strategy for Offshore Wind Power Construction Considering Complex Influencing Factors

The construction process of offshore wind farms involves multiple complexities, which is very complex to be scheduled manually, and the coordinating and optimized scheduling not only decreases project construction costs but also increases the construction speed. The impact of meteorological conditions on offshore wind power construction has been considered, and optimizing resource-allocation strategies under complex influencing factors has been analyzed. Then, a comprehensive strategy optimization index system is developed, which includes key indicators, such as the minimum working hours, resource-allocation-optimization rate, window period utilization rate, and cost–benefit ratio. Additionally, an offshore wind power resource-allocation-optimization model is formulated based on discrete event simulation (DES). A statistical analysis of each optimization index was performed using this model to assess the impact of resource-allocation strategies. The simulation results demonstrate that the model can not only simulate the construction process of offshore wind farms and monitor the state of wind turbines, personnel, and meteorological conditions in real time but also accurately calculate key indicators, such as the minimum working hours, resource-allocation-optimization rate, window period utilization rate, and cost–benefit ratio. This strategy effectively enhances resource-allocation efficiency during the wind farm installation phase and improves the overall construction process efficiency.

Intergenerational risk sharing in pay-as-you-go pension schemes*

Population ageing undermines traditional social security pension systems that combine pay-as-you-go and defined benefits (DB). Indeed, demographic risk, if guaranteed benefits remain unaltered, will be borne entirely by workers through increases in the contribution rate. To avoid a substantial increase of the contributions and in order to maintain simultaneously the financial sustainability and the social adequacy of the public pension system, risk sharing and automatic balancing mechanisms need to be put in place. We present a two-step convex family of risk-sharing mechanisms. The first shares the risk between contributors and retirees through adjustments in the contribution rate, used to calculate the global covered wage bill, and the benefit ratio that represents the relationship between average pensions and wages. The second step studies how the retirees' risk should be shared between the different retirees' generations through adjustments in the replacement rate and a sustainability factor that affects pension indexation during retirement. We perform a detailed study of the effect of social planner's targets and solidarity weight between various generations in a deterministic and stochastic environment.

Effects of Bio-Agents and Selected Botanicals on Alternaria Leaf Spot Caused by Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler in Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.)

A field experiment was conducted at the research plot of the Department of Plant Pathology, SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh in Rabi season of 2023 to evaluate eight treatments viz., T1– (Pseudomonas fluorescens (S.T) @ 2%, T2– Trichoderma viride (S.T) @ 2%, T3– Pseudomonas fluorescens (S.T) @ 2% + Ocimum sanctum (F.S) @ 10 %, T4- Trichoderma viride (S.T) @ 2 % + Allium sativum (F.S) @10%, T5– Trichoderma viride (S.T) @ 2% + Ocimum sanctum (F.S) @ 10%, T6 - Pseudomonas fluorescens (S.T) @ 2% + Allium sativum (F.S) @ 10 %, T7 – Carbendazim @ 0.1% (F.S) (treated control) and control T0 (untreated control) with three replications in Randomized Block Design (RBD) for management of alternaria leaf spot of broccoli. Study on disease intensity of alternaria leaf spot of broccoli in field conditions revealed that the Minimum percent disease intensity (%) was recorded in T4 – 28.17% Trichoderma viride @ 2% (S.T) combined with Allium sativum @ 10% (F.S) as compared with the untreated control T0 – 38.31 % and treated check T7 – 24.42 % (Carbendazim @ 0.1% (F.S). PDI recorded in broccoli with maximum cost benefit ratio per treatment was recorded 1:1.915 in T4 - Trichoderma viride @ 2% (S.T) combined with Allium sativum @ 10% (F.S) in broccoli.

Evaluation of Phyto-extracts for the Management of Alternaria Leaf Blight of Cluster Bean (Cyamopsidis tetragonoloba L.) Caused by Alternaria cucumerina

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of selected phyto-extracts for the management of alternaria leaf blight of cluster bean (Cyamopsidis tetragonoloba L.) caused by Alternaria cucumerina under field conditions. Three replications of cluster bean were planted in a randomized block design at the research plot of the Central Research Field, Department of Plant Pathology, SHUATS, Prayagraj during Zaid season of 2023. Ginger rhizome extract @ 10%, onion bulb extract @ 10%, eucalyptus leaf extract @ 10%, neem leaf extract @ 10%, garlic clove extract @ 10% and mancozeb 0.2% were applied as foliar spray. All the treatments were found significantly reduced the disease severity and increased the yield. Among all the treatments garlic clove extract @ 10% was recorded minimum disease intensity (29.63) and maximum yield (2.50 t/ha). Neem leaf extract @ 10% was recorded maximum cost benefit ratio (1: 1.80), as compared to treated mancozeb @ 0.2%(treated) and T0 control.

Assessing the Origin and Mapping the Extension of Salinity Around Shrimp Culture Ponds in Rio Grande Do Norte (Brazil)

The increasing installation of shrimp farms in vulnerable coastal areas around the world generates an environmental impact and makes it urgent to develop methodologies and studies for assessing and scaling the potential risks and sustainability of these activities. One of the main hazards of these activities is that the prolonged inundation of excavated ponds for shrimp farming allows the percolation of saltwater in the surroundings, resulting in increasing groundwater salinity. Saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, accompanied by salinization of soils, causes a decrease in available freshwater resources, a decline in crop productivity and the deterioration of the natural ecosystem. The coastal aquifer of Rio Grande do Norte State (Brazil) where, for years, several shrimp farm factories have been operating, reported some issues related to aquifer and soil salinization. The present study aims to assess the origin of and delineate groundwater salinization in a sector of this coastal aquifer using a low-budget procedure. The integration of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization by drilling shallow piezometers, measuring the hydrostatic level and analyzing the major ion concentrations of the groundwater has made it possible to establish that the origin of groundwater pollution in the studied area is caused by saltwater percolation from shrimp farms. The joint use of both characterization techniques has been shown to have an efficient cost–benefit ratio and less-intrusive methodology, which can be applied in other areas with similar environmental concerns.

Assessment of Crop Loss Due to Elephant Crop Raids and Its Eco Friendly Mitigation

The crop raiding by elephants is one of the important concern causing loss of livelihood and affects the farmer’s economy. Hence a study was conducted to estimate the crop losses and to evolve an economically feasible mitigation measures. The studies were conducted in villages belonging to Kodihalli and Uyyamballi Hobli of Kanakapura Taluka, Ramanagara District, Karnataka which is surrounded by thick forest cover during 2022 to 2023. The estimation on crop loss revealed that the highest crop losses were recorded in banana (5.26 to 46.54%) plantations followed by maize (2.47 to 41.87%), ragi (2.31 to 38.95%), mango (1.28 to 32.54%), pigeon pea (1.31-21.41%) and cowpea (1.46 to 12.68%). The highest economic loss was recorded in banana and mango crops. The evaluation of mitigation measures in ragi and maize crop revealed the use of bioacoustics and predator deterrent lights provided better economical feasible mitigation measures with the cost benefit ratio of 1:2.9 and 1:3.5 respectively. The use of barbed wire fence and use of solar fence (Agri solar) was also found effective in mitigating the crop raids by elephants. However, these mitigation measures are short term and has to be used in vulnerable stages of the crop only.

Diurnal activity and resting time allocation of the West African giraffe in an agropastoral human-dominated landscape

Resting is an integral component of animal behavior, contributing to one’s fitness through careful optimization strategies. In large herbivores, resting periods are driven by availability of food, presence of predators, and thermoregulation. A combination of these drivers leads to high variability in resting behaviors and their time allocation throughout the day. However, these drivers are rarely evaluated in the wild. Megaherbivores, including giraffe (Giraffa spp.), adopt social resting strategies, which enable them to optimize the cost–benefit ratio, with rest and vigilance varying with group size and composition. We investigated resting behavior of the West African giraffe (G. camelopardalis peralta) living in a human-populated landscape dominated by agropastoralism activities in Niger. Through direct observation, we evaluated the influence of group size and composition, and presence of livestock and humans on giraffe resting behavior. We concluded that giraffe increased their resting time with shorter distance to other giraffe and livestock. Livestock did not negatively impact giraffe behavior; rather, they provided a kind of “safe environment”. Human presence resulted in only minor changes in vigilance of giraffe and did not significantly affect their resting time. Our findings highlight a positive instance of human–giraffe coexistence in a human-dominated landscape, attributed to the long-term benefits of conservation efforts.

Multi-UAV Cooperative Target Assignment Method Based on Reinforcement Learning

To overcome the problems of traditional distributed target allocation algorithms in terms of lack of target strategic priority, poor scalability, and robustness, this paper proposes a proximal strategy optimization algorithm that combines threat assessment and attention mechanism (TAPPO). Based on the distributed training framework, the algorithm integrates a threat assessment and dynamic attention strategy and designs a dynamic reward function based on the current hit rate of the drone and the missile benefit ratio to improve the algorithm’s exploration ability and scalability. Through an 8vs8 multi-UAV confrontation experiment in a digital twin simulation environment, the results show that the agent using the TAPPO algorithm for target allocation defeats the state machine with an 85% winning rate and is significantly better than other current mainstream target allocation algorithms, verifying the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Incremental Cost Benefit Ratio (ICBR) of Poly House and Open Field Conditions in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) after Chemical Intervention

This study evaluates the Incremental Cost Benefit Ratio (ICBR) between Poly house and Open field conditions in cabbage cultivation chemical intervention. The research aimed to compare the economic feasibility of adopting poly house technology over traditional open field methods, considering costs and benefits associated with chemical inputs. A comparative cost analysis was conducted to assess production expenses like costs for insecticidal treatments and labor charges. Yield data from both environments were collected to determine output differences and subsequent economic returns. Results indicate that Incremental cost benefit ratio of cabbage heads yields to the cost of treatments in poly house and open field presented as there was a significant superior difference in ICBR ratio of poly house with 1: 0.946 as compared to open field with 1: 0.639 of cabbage heads. The economic analysis revealed that the higher yields and quality achieved in poly house conditions due to less dissipation and undisturbed environmental factors on insecticide applied. Resulting in a favorable incremental Cost benefit ratio compared to open field cultivation.

Effects of high-speed rail on intercity travels, utility and social welfare in urban agglomerations: A game-theoretic perspective

This paper investigates the effects of newly built high-speed rail on urban performances in terms of intercity travels, utility and social welfare by extending the two-city system into a representative urban agglomeration system consisting of a hub city and two peripheral cities. A framework based on the Cournot model with three interacted games is developed to characterize competitions among HSR operators in the system. Introducing HSR between peripheral cities decentralizes the intercity travel demands from the hub city to peripheral cities, and it does not always induce more that for the urban agglomeration. We find that “weight” on social welfare, substitutability, gross benefits ratio, HSR accessibility and frequency would differentially impact the hub and peripheral cities. Numerical examples and a case study incorporating all factors based on Central Plains Urban Agglomeration in China are conducted to illustrate the model, together with some policy implications.

Innovative Strategies for Controlling Sorghum Shoot Fly: Seed Treatments and Botanical Insecticides

Aim: To assess the efficacy of various treatments for managing sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani, and their effects on plant vigour, growth, yield, and Incremental Cost-Benefit Ratio (ICBR). Study Design: A field experiment with a Randomized Block Design, involving three replications and nine treatments. Place and Duration of Study: Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (29.1492° N, 75.7217° E), during the Kharif season of 2020. Methodology: Sorghum variety Swarna was sown in August 2020. Treatments included Imidacloprid 70WS, Thiamethoxam 30FS, Neem oil, Karanj oil, and their combinations. Treatments were applied at 7 and 17 days after emergence. Data on plant stand, egg counts, dead hearts (%), plant height, green fodder yield, and ICBR were analyzed. Results: Thiamethoxam 30FS @ 10ml/kg + neem oil @ 2% showed the best performance, significantly reducing shoot fly infestation (19.98%) and enhancing plant vigour (1.00), height (86.93 cm), and yield (309.60 q/ha). Neem oil @ 2% was more effective than Karanj oil @ 2%. Imidacloprid 70WS had the highest Incremental Cost Benefit Ratio (ICBR) (1:21), while Karanj oil @ 2% had the lowest (1:0.78). Conclusion: Thiamethoxam 30FS @ 10ml/kg + neem oil @ 2% was the most effective for managing shoot fly and improving crop performance. Imidacloprid 70WS offered the highest economic benefit, indicating its cost-effectiveness in pest management.

Effects of Metribuzin on Soil Microbiome and Weed Management Under Varying Planting Practices and Potato Seed Dormancy

AbstractWeed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers and environment, requiring sustainable intervention. This study aimed to determine (i) whether metribuzin application rate (0, 0.5, 1 (standard), 1.5, and 2 kg ai ha−1) has effects on soil microbes and soil nutrients in the short term using potted soil and (ii) the influence of potato seed dormancy (short; Shangi variety and long; Unica variety) and planting technique (surface, ridge, or furrow planting) on the efficacy of weed management practice (metribuzin (480 g L−1) herbicide and hoeing) in the field. Bacterial colony counts were recorded upon isolation from the potted soil. Soil nutrients were also analysed before and after metribuzin treatment. Data on crop growth (height and stem count), weed abundance, yield, costs, and revenues were recorded from a field experiment. Morphologically distinct bacterial strains were tested for Gram reaction and response to carbon utilization using analytical profile index kits (API 50 CH and 20 NE). In total, nine distinct bacterial strains were isolated and all were Gram positive, with variation in response to carbon substrates. Concentration of 2.0 kg a.i ha−1 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced bacterial count in the first day, followed by an increase in the subsequent incubation days, while 1.0 and 1.5 kg a.i ha−1 concentrations had the highest colony development index and species richness. Significant effects of metribuzin on soil pH, total N, and total organic C in the short term were revealed. Notably, weedy plots had the highest Shannon weed index. Weeds reduced stem count and height growth by 57% and 62% respectively. Plots with Shangi had 9.8% lower weed count than those with Unica and hence higher yield was recorded from the former. While surface planting had the lowest weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yield, furrow and ridge planting were not significantly different. Weed abundance and crop growth attributes in metribuzin and hand-hoed plots did not differ significantly, yet hoeing resulted in 5.30 t ha−1 above that obtained from plots managed using metribuzin. Higher dry matter and tuber yield were observed from hoed plots with Shangi planted in furrow or ridge. Use of metribuzin resulted in higher net benefit ratio and marginal rate of return than hand hoeing. The results reveal that use of metribuzin early and later in the potato growing phase can minimize weed infestation, but the efficacy depends on planting method and seed dormancy.

Trajectory-based breakup modelling for dense bubbly flows

A new model to predict the breakup of gaseous bubbles in a continuous liquid phase is developed. In the model each bubble is modelled as a spring–damper system, namely a Kelvin–Voigt element, while the outer force is derived by a Lagrangian analysis determining the largest stretching rate of the flow field below. The developed model is based on physical principles and no further arbitrary parameters have to be adjusted. Each bubble is observed on its way through the bubbly flow individually, taking into account its history along its respective path. With the implemented model numerical simulations in a wide range of scales are conducted, ranging from the laboratory scale of a vessel of 3L to the large industrial scale of 15m3. The simplicity of the model allows for a good cost to benefit ratio. In the present work, the achieved results are compared to experimental data obtained from optical measurements in a replica of a 200L aerated stirred tank reactor for various stirrer frequencies.

Nutrient requirements of non-basmati rice varieties in rice zone of Punjab, Pakistan

Among various agronomic practices, the balanced use of fertilizers is important to get maximum economic yields. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the economically optimum nutrient requirement for producing higher yields of non-Basmati varieties of rice. To achieve these objectives, experiments were conducted at 14 sites at farmers’ fields from 2016 to 2020. The levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potash (K) were N (0, 87,174, 261), P2O5 (0, 52, 104, 156) and K2O (0, 40, 80,120) kilogram per hectare respectively arranged in central treatment design with eleven treatments. Experiments were designed and conducted in the field under randomized complete block. Maximum paddy yield (6,223 kg ha) was obtained with 174-156-80 kg ha-1 on an overall basis. However, the maximum benefit cost ratio was observed with 174-0-80 kg ha-1 with a lower yield level. Marginal rate of return was higher for nutrient N due to its lower price but higher for P and K nutrients due to their higher prices. Based on the results, 174-156-80 kg ha-1 of N-P2O5-K2O may be used by farmers seeking maximum incomes whereas 174-104-0 may be used by farmers seeking maximum cost benefit ratio, however, total income of farmers in this case may be lower

Demonstration of IPDM Module for the Management of Major Defoliating Insect Pests and Wilt Disease of Chickpea in Prakasam District Andhra Pradesh

Background: A front line demonstration (FLD) on integrated pest and disease management for management of major defoliating insect pests and wilt diseases in chickpea was conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Darsi, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh during 2020-21 and 2021-22. Methods: The field trials were conducted in Bhodanampadu and Abbayapalem villages of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh in an area of 4 hectares in 10 farmer’s fields during 2020-21 and 2021-22. Result: The results revealed that mean larval population of H. armigera and S. exigua/ 10 plants of two years were 1.4 and 1.87 in IPDM module over 8.23 and 4.12 larval population/10 plants during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively in farmers practice. Mean wilt disease incidence of two years were 7.5 per cent in IPDM module over 18 per cent in farmers practice. IPDM plot gave an average yield of 13.78 q/ha as compared to farmer’s practices i.e 11.25 q/ha. The per cent increase in yield over control was 16.8 and 31.4 during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. The net returns were Rs. 44568, Rs. 24061 and Rs. 35675, Rs. 10875 in IPDM plot and farmers practice plot during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively. The average cost benefit ratio was 1:2.23 and 1:1.87 in IPDM and farmers practice plot, respectively.

Efficacy of Newer Insecticides against Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda on Maize

The effectiveness of various newer insecticides against fall armyworm was assessed. The different treatments were spray viz., flubendiamide 39.35 % SC, chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC, emamectin benzoate 5% SG, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, neem seed kernel extract, Bacillus thuringiensis and control. The overall mean of the two sprays revealed that the most effective treatment was chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC recorded the lowest larval population followed by emamectin benzoate 5% SG, Flubendiamide 39.35 % SC, Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, neem seed kernel extract. During the yield observation, it was observed that a significantly higher yield was obtained in chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC treated plots which is followed by emamectin benzoate 5% SG, flubendiamide 39.35 % SC, Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and NSKE 5 %. Maximum percentage increase in yield over control was obtained from chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC treated plots which are followed by emamectin benzoate 5% SG, flubendiamide 39.35 % SC, Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and NSKE 5 %. The economics of various treatments based on net profit and cost of plant protection revealed that the highest cost: benefit ratio was observed in plot treated with emamectin benzoate 5% SG followed by Beauveria bassiana, chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC, Bacillus thuringiensis, NSKE, Metarhizium anisopliae, flubendiamide 39.35 % SC.