SUMMARYThe concept of water productivity (WP) or ‘more crop per drop’ has been revived recently in international water debates. Its application has notably been extended from single crops to mixed farming systems, integrating both crops and livestock, with the wider objective of reducing poverty. Using evidence from the Ganga Basin, India, we discuss the relevance of this concept as a tool to guide interventions for livelihood improvement and poverty alleviation. We argue that WP studies would benefit from greater attention to the role of capitals, inequities and institutions. Firstly, it is crucial to acknowledge the heterogeneity of capitals and capabilities of farmers to make changes in their farming systems and practices and avoid one-fix-all interventions. Identifying pre-existing inequities in water access within and among communities will support better targeting of poor communities. WP interventions can either reinforce or reduce inter-household inequities within communities. We stress the need for assessment of institutional impacts of WP interventions on water access and development.

Ginger crop is affected by various diseases. Among them rhizome/soft rot is the most damaging one and main production constraint in ginger growing areas. This disease is mainly caused by the Pythium spp. along with association of some others micro-organisms. The severity of Pythium soft rot disease is influenced by different factors related to seed, environment and soil. This study was focused on Pythium soft rot of ginger with special reference to different management strategies. Different cultural measures viz. seed rhizome treatment before storage and sowing, selection of disease free seed rhizome, sowing time, application of soil amendments, good drainage of soil, soil solarization etc. are the important measures for management of ginger soft rot. Seed treatment and soil drenching are the two options of chemical control of soft rot. Seed rhizomes treated with fungicides azoxystrobin 25%, tebuconazole 25.9%, copper oxychloride 50%, carbendazim 50%, propiconazole 25%, metalaxyl-M 4% + mancozeb 64%, metiram 55% + pyraclostrobin 5%, carbendazim 12% + mancozeb 63%, tebuconazole 25% + trifloxystrobin 25% and metalaxyl 8% + mancozeb 64% resulted in effective management. Different fungicide formulations viz. carbendazim 50%, copper oxychloride 50%, metalaxyl-M 4% + mancozeb 64%, metiram 55% + pyraclostrobin 5%, carbendazim 12% + mancozeb 63%, tebuconazole 25% + trifloxystrobin 25% etc. found effective for spraying. Seed treatment and application of Trichoderma spp. found suitable for effective biological management.

Purpose:The study aimed to investigate the impact of intensive in-service training in qualitative research methods on the research competencies of a cohort of rehabilitation professionals.Method: A series of three-day workshops was held on professional development in the promotion and utilisation of qualitative research in the field of disability and rehabilitation. It was organised at five centres across India for professionals working in that field. Data was collected through a survey of workshop participants, to ascertain the impact and efficacy of the training provided. Results:The results suggest that practitioners working in the area of disability and rehabilitation see considerable value in the application of qualitative research and are enthusiastic about its potential to improve the lives of those with whom they work. They believe that such an approach will provide useful data and increased knowledge in respect of the lives of individuals with disabilities and those interventions that provide them with greatest benefits. The survey revealed that the knowledge of qualitative research methods was limited even among professionals who had studied for research degrees. Conclusion:There is the need for more intensive training in qualitative methods in order to enhance the quality of research in disability and rehabilitation in India, and to assist in improving the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families, carers and those who work with them.

Stress like drought is an important production constraint that drastically reduces rice yield. The present study was conducted during kharif season of 2019 through the front line demonstrations in Malkangiri district of South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha to evaluate the performance of drought tolerant rice variety Swarna Shreya with recommended package (demonstrated technology) of practices. Rice variety Sahabhagi dhan was considered as local check (farmers practice). Performance of Swarna Shreya was better in terms of plant height (110.4 cm), number of tillers hill-1 (17.8), panicle length (23.5 cm), number of grains panicle-1 (162), test weight (23.4 g) with yield of 42.4 q ha-1. In terms of yield, it was 15.2% more with Swarna Shreya as compared to local check Sahabhagi dhan. Highest economic return with more B: C ratio (1.8) was also recorded with Swarna shreya. So, drought tolerant rice variety Sahabhagi dhan can be replaced with Swarna Shreya for more yield and higher economic return in rainfed upland ecosystem of South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha.