Informatics Publishing Limited

M. K. Kalarani ¹, D. Raja ², R. Sivachandran ³, R. Premavathi ⁴

Affiliations
1 Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur, Salem (T.N.), IN
2 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Santhiyur, Salem (T.N.), IN
3 Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur, Salem (T.N.), IN
4 Department of Agricultural Extension, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimatore (T.N.), IN

Abstract

Groundnut is a major oilseed crop grown under rainfed condition in Salem district. The majority of the farmers could not able to get high yield. Even sometime severe yield loss and cent per cent failure of crop occurred in some areas due to occurrence of severe drought and poor awareness on drought management technologies. Considering the importance of groundnut and other constraints, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Salem facilitated front line demonstration (FLD ) funded by ICAR (TOT) New Delhi with performing improved technologies in different villages of Salem district during 1995-2007. 372 front line demonstrations were conducted in 90 hectares. Farmers were selected randomly and demonstration done in their field itself. Critical inputs were distributed to the farmers. In case of local check plots existing practices being used by farmers were followed. During the period under study, it was observed that the average yield of demonstration was significantly higher (1748kg/ha) than local check plots (1430kg/ha). However, fluctuations were observed mainly an account of variation in rainfall in terms of percentage yield improvement in demonstration was recorded from 14.7-29.5 % over local check. In field days, FLD farmers well explained the drought management practices followed for groundnut and experiences also shared among the farmers. Groundnut yield potential can be increased to a great extent by conducting effective front line demonstrations with proven technologies. The technologies suitable for the Tamil Nadu similar to Salem district of Tamil Nadu should be evolved and brought to the access of farmers transfer centres like KVKs.

Keywords

Groundnut, Drought, FLD, Field Days, Yield.

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R. Sivachandran ¹, M. K. Kalarani ¹

Affiliations
1 Topica and Castor Research Station, Yethpur, P.G. Palayam, Salem (T.N.), IN

Abstract

With the view to imparting resistance to major lepidopteran pests of rice, attempts were made to transform elite indica genotype ASD16 and IR64 with cry2Ac gene. Agrobacterium and particle bombardment-mediated transformation were carried out using the vector pS2AcP2 harbouring cry2Ac gene, the selectable marker gene, hph and the scorable marker gene, gusA. In Agrobacterium-mediated transformation experiment with mature seed derived calli, two lines in ASD16 were regenerated with a regeneration frequency of 1.1 per cent. In particle bombardment-mediated transformation experiments with immature embryos, 15 lines in IR64 were regenerated with a regeneration frequency of six per cent. Presence of transgenes in these lines could not be demonstrated through PCR.

Keywords

Rice, Agrobacterium tumifaciens, Bacillus thuringiensis, Stemborer, Leaffolder, Cry2ac Gene, Biolistic Gun.

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