No abstract

Lepidium sativum an important medicinal plant with immense pharmacological properties has been observed to be generally affected by many fungal pathogens in India particularly Alternaria alternata characterized by the appearance of brown necrotic spots on the leaf margin affecting the herb yield. Root colonizing PGPF (plant growth promoting fungi) have been reported to produce substances such as plant hormones to allow plants to utilize decomposing organic matter through mineral solubilization and to suppress plant pathogens in the rhizosphere by antagonistic mechanisms, such as the production of hydrolytic enzymes, aggressive mycoparasitism, competition for saprophytic colonization, and the induction of plant systemic resistance. The effect of six species of Trichoderma isolated from different crops of rhizosphere and their efficacy was assessed under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Under in-vitro conditions, they were screened for their qualitative traits viz., IAA production, phosphorus solublizing activity and ammonia producing activity. Biomass determination and bioefficacy tests were performed against Alternaria alternata. The six Trichoderma species viz., T. koningii, T.ressei-1 and T.longibrachiatum produced higher quantity of IAA. The tri-calcium phosphate solublization activity was recorded only with T.asperellum and T. harzianum. The T. koningii and T.ressi-2 medium ammonium producer while rest four Trichoderma species were minimum ammonium producer. Out of six species of Trichoderma highest suppression was recorded with T.ressei-2 towards the Alternaria alternata. However, the highest inhibition was recorded by metabolite of T. asperellum isolates that corresponds to 38.75 percent reduction in mycelia growth when growth medium was non-amended with znso 4. Similarly, the highest inhibition was recorded in metabolite of T.ressei-2 isolates when growth medium was amended with znso 4. The highest biomass production of T. ressei-2 was recorded with znso 4 amended medium while the highest biomass of T. ressei-1 was recorded with non znso 4 amended growth medium. The effect of inoculation of fungal bioagent along with FYM and znso 4 was found significant on relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, membrane stability index (MSI) and disease index under in-vivo conditions. The minimum disease incidence of Alternaria leaf blight was recorded with the soil application of either T.ressei-2+FYM + znso 4 or T.ressei-1+FYM + znso 4 .

A study in value chain of mango in Saptari district of Nepal was conducted during January 2019 to June 2020 in Surunga municipality, Khadak municipality, Balan Bihul rural municipality, Rajbiraj municipality, Agni Sair rural municipality, Shambhunath municipality and Kanchanrup municipality. The study sites were purposively selected as these sites were command areas of PMAMP PIU, Saptari. Total 61 mango growers and 7 traders were randomly selected for the survey. Household survey, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informants Interviews were primary sources of data from which information was analyzed and concluded. By the virtue of increasing trend of mango production, farmers were able to produce large quantity of mango despite eminent problems of irrigation and diseases and insects. But, due to middlemen monopolized market system and negligible efforts for value addition practices like storage facility, packaging, cleaning and other processing technology, farmers were compelled to receive lower farm gate price yet retail prices of those produces were high. However on small scale, mango growers were involved in production of diversified products like Aamil, chutneys, achaar, amot etc. of which 37.7% of mango growers sold them in the market. Producers share in short distance market was higher (45.12 %) while it was lower (31.02%) in distant market. Likewise, marketing margin in distant market was higher (Rs. 55.18) than in short distance market (Rs. 30.18). Farmer added value worth Rs. 9.76 in both proximity markets and distant markets, wholesalers added Rs. 10.18 in proximity market and Rs. 12.68 in distant market and retailers added Rs. 20 in proximity market and Rs.35 in distant market to existing value of mango suggesting immense disparity in value addition. Having immense scope for value addition, it was required to strengthen marketing system, establish processing industries, and mobilize resources to increase bargaining power of mango growers in Saptari.