A manually operated onion grader was designed, developed and evaluated at I.I.H.R., Bangalore for Rose onion verities commonly cultivated in Bangalore into three grades based on geometric dimensions of the selected variety. The linear dimensions like polar diameter, equatorial diameter and thickness of Rose onions were found in the range of 21.92-54.54 mm, 15.83-59.13 mm and 16.52-50.22 mm, respectively. The angle of repose of Rose onions were found as 54.5°, and coefficient of static friction for onions on different surfaces like galvanized iron 0.402, for stainless steel 0.414, for aluminum 0.386, for mild steel 0.522 and for plywood 0.366, respectively. Experiments were conducted with three types of slopes, at each slope three different feed gate opening lengths and two swing directions. The statistical analysis showed that the standardized parameters were slope 4°, length wise swing direction and feed gate at full opening. The grader has a grading capacity 1105 kg/h at overall grading efficiency 75 per cent and required grading efficiency 75 per cent. The operation cost of machine was 6 times less than manual operation cost.

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An Experiment was conducted on the effect of different levels of vermicompost on growth of different varieties of bush pepper under Prayagraj agro-climatic zone. The experiment was laid out with 10 treatments replicated thrice in randomized block design. Ten treatments including three different varieties of bush pepper in three different concentrations of soil and vermicompost are taken. The present investigation revealed that Soil and vermicompost 50% each for the variety Panniyur-2 followed by soil and vermicompost 50% each for the variety Sreekara are the best in terms of growth parameters. Hence it is concluded that the Panniyur-2 planted in 50% of soil and vermicompost is the most suitable for Prayagraj agro-climatic zone.