No abstract

The present study aimed at assessing the extent and pattern of genetic diversity within a core set of soybean germplasm comprising of 98 accessions. A total of thirty-one morphometric traits were studied, among them qualitative traits viz., leaf shape, flower color, seed coat color, and hypocotyl colour showed a higher genetic diversity with higher diversity indices. The variability parameters like mean, range of variation, GCV, PCV, heritability and genetic advance were estimated for 18 quantitative traits. The differences between GCV and PCV estimates were narrow for most quantitative traits indicating less contribution of environmental factors in traits expression. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance were observed in all quantitative traits except for days to maturity. The traits with higher heritability and GA value may indicate their variability and high selective value. Expression of lines in biplots using the first four principal components explains 79.10% of total variation and says black and yellow seeded genotypes have higher and lower variability to exploit, respectively. Hence, selection pressure could profitably be applied to these traits for their improvement.

Agriculture in future can be expected to be competitive, knowledge-intensive and market driven. Modern frontier technologies involving systems approach towards efficient crop and input management, land and water use planning are essential for Indian agriculture to meet the challenges in the present context. Further, increasing the productivity level of a pollution free technological factor of production is inevitable. With this concern the present study was carried out in North Eastern parts of Karnataka state, where the precision farming technology was implemented. Hence, an attempt has been made through present paper to study the extent of usage of precision farming technologies at farm level. The technologies implemented were GPS, GIS, variable rate applications of inputs, crop sensors etc. Adopters were aware of benefits of management aspects like size of grid, soil sampling, soil analysis, variable rate of application of fertilizers, laser levelling and harvesting by grids. But still, precision farming has yet to take its firm ground in India by moving from its infant stage. This is possible by dissemination of technology and its benefits by bringing awareness among farming community through efforts of Department of Agriculture by using SAUs and NGOs as channels.

No abstract

Precision farming is an emerging, highly promising technology that helps in dealing with the present agricultural challenges by proper and effective management of soil and crop variability with the use of information technology. In order to initiate precision farming in India through state agricultural universities, the precision farming project in selected field crops was implemented in University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka. The objective of the study was to assess the financial feasibility of project implementation at farm level in paddy. Primary data was collected with the aid of a well-structured, pre tested schedule. Findings showed that the project of precision farming in paddy which was implemented by the University was economically viable and financially feasible. The cost incurred in cultivation of paddy by adopting precision farming practices was ` 75,825.35/ha and gross returns were ` 1,22,656.30/ha. Results of financial feasibility measures showed that the Net Present Value at 12 per cent discount rate, at the end of ten years was found to be positive, Benefit-Cost ratio was more than one and Internal Rate of Returns of the precision farming in paddy was more than discount rate (12 %). It was also revealed that payback period was 6.84 months and profitability index due to adoption of precision farming was found to be 8.83. Hence it was concluded that investment on precision farming in paddy at farm level was feasible to operate at farm level with the technical assistance from University. Considering the adoption strategy of precision farming and its benefits, there is a need to bring awareness among farming community by the joint effort of public and private sectors through the extension agencies, non-governmental organizations and state agricultural universities