Donkeys support rural livelihoods and low-income farmer's family by providing economy at minimal maintenance cost. In India, donkeys constitute about 28% of total equine population but these are non-descript local donkeys without any breed characterization. This study describes phenotypic diversity among different donkey populations available in various agro-climatic regions in India including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, J&K, Haryana, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh for their phenotypic clustering as a distinct breed(s) by considering each population as a separate cluster.Biometric indices of seven local donkey populations were recorded and compared to French Poitou donkey breed which revealed that average body length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Baramati, Bihar, Haryana and Leh areas was 97. 09, 101.18, 97.60, 103.68, 96.31, 109 & 95.76 cm, respectively, while Poitou donkeys had significantly higher length(138.79 cm) than indigenous donkey populations. Further height at wither revealed that except leh donkey population, the rest of the donkeys prevalent throughout different agro-climatic regions met a "small standard' pattern. Donkey populations from Leh were fitted in 'Miniature' donkey pattern. All local donkeys were well adapted to their agroclimatic environment and ecology as they were totally dependent upon the grass cover and roughages available within their reach for meeting their nutritional requirement. Coat colour varied across different regions. Black and brown colours were prevalent in donkeys from cold desert regions including Leh and Spiti region. Face length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat and Baramati were at par with each other while donkeys from Leh had smallest face length. Cluster analysis based on biometric indices revealed that exotic Poitou donkeys is an out-group as it formed a distinct cluster while Indigenous donkeys belonging to various agro-climatic zones were grouped in three clusters namely, C1-miniature or near miniature donkeys (Leh, Spiti and Bihar regions), C2-small standard ones including donkeys from Rajasthan and Gujarat while cluster C3 having donkeys from Baramati and Haryana region. Poitou cluster was phenotypically different from Cluster 1 as Eucledean cluster distance was maximum with donkeys of this cluster, followed by cluster 2 and cluster 3. This information will be useful for breed classification of these local non-descript donkeys.

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of tillage, mulching and weed management practices on growth, yield and uptake of nutrients by chickpea during rabi 2010 and 2011 at MARS, UAS Dharwad, Karnataka. Conventional tillage increased various growth, yield parameters and chickpea yield and also nutrient uptake and nitrogen use efficiency over minimum and zero tillage practices. Significantly higher gross return, net return and B:C ratio were recorded in conventional tillage as compared to minimum and zero tillage practices. Mulching practice showed higher growth, yield and yield parameters of chickpea and also nutrient uptake and economics over minimum and zero tillage practices. Significantly higher growth, chickpea yield and yield parameters, nutrient uptake, gross return, net return and B:C ratio were recorded in application of pendimethalin as compared to other weed management practices.

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2010 and 2011 to study the effect of tillage (conventional tillage, zero tillage and minimum tillage), mulching (no mulch and with mulch) and weed management practices (unweeded check, atrazine, and atrazine followed by 2, 4-D spray) on rainfed maize in Karnataka. Tillage, mulching and weed management practices significantly influenced the growth and yield of maize. Maize grain yield (5.91 t/ha) was significantly higher in conventional tillage system as compared to other tillage practices. Application of atrazine followed by 2,4-D recorded higher grain yield (5.99 t/ha) than rest of the treatments. Minimum tillage with mulching and application of atrazine @ 1.25 kg/ha followed by 2,4-D @ 2.00 kg/ha recorded highest net returns (` 36985/ha). The combined effect of conventional tillage with mulching and application of atrazine @ 1.25 kg/ ha followed by 2,4-D @ 2.00 kg/ha and minimum tillage with mulching and application of atrazine followed by 2,4-D enhanced the vegetative growth, yield attributes and economics of maize compared to other treatments.

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Forecasting yield of crops is important for planners in taking tactical decisions for ensuring food availability. Crop simulation models are useful tool to forecast the crop yield. The CERES-wheat model calibrated and validated with experimental data was used to predict the district wise yield in Bihar. Based on the areas under different dates of sowing and crop cultivars, a correction factor was applied on simulated yield to predict the district wise and regional wheat yield. The simulated yield were higher than the actual yield in all the three agro-climatic zones, while the forecasted yields were very close to actual. The percentage deviation of the forecasted yield from the actual was ±4.0 %. The results clearly indicated that the CERES-Wheat model can be used to regional production estimates of wheat in Bihar.