A study was conducted from February to May 2020 to analyze the cost-benefit economics analysis and resource use efficiency of carrot production in Chitwan, Nepal. Altogether 70 households producing carrot were selected randomly and surveyed through the pre-tested semi-structured interview-based schedule. Data was entered and coded using SPSS 25 and analyzed using STATA 12.1. The study revealed that the total variable cost per hectare for carrot production was US $1803.1 and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.81 was estimated. Cobb-Douglas production function models the relationship between production output and production inputs . Production function analysis including seven explanatory variables, showed a significant positive effect of seed cost, tractor cost and human labor cost (P<0.01), fertilizer and manure cost (P<0.05) on gross return but herbicide cost, packaging cost, vitamin and micronutrients cost were found insignificant. The return to scale was found to be 1.42. According to estimated allocative efficiency indices, it is suggested to increase the seed, fertilizer and manure, tractor labor and  human labor costs by approximately 45%, 74%, 67%, and 79% respectively and reduce the herbicide and packaging costs approximately by 116% and 246% respectively. The adoption of modern technologies with adjustments to resource use should be suggested to maximize the productivity and profit from carrot production.

Red pumpkin beetle, fruit fly, flea beetle, whitefly, squash bug, melon aphid, etc. are the major insect pests of summer squash resulting in a huge loss in quality and quantity to farmers A field trial was conducted to find out the comparative efficacy of various insecticides against the major insect pests of summer squash from January to June 2020 in Dhading district, Nepal. The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four different insecticides i.e. Imidachloropid 17.8 SL @1.5ml/l, Spinosad 45SC @1ml/L, Azadiractin (Nimbecidine) 500ppm @ 5 ml/L, Jholmol @ 1:5 concentrations, and normal water spray as control as five treatments. The treatments were replicated four times and ‘Anna 303’ variety of summer squash was used under study. The results revealed that, among all the insecticides evaluated at all the four sprays, Imidachloropid recorded the maximum reduction in the population of red pumpkin beetle (RPB) (about 90%), other insects (about 88%) and also showed minimum leaf infestation % (28.5%), and leaf damage % per plant (15.63%) and Spinosad being at par with Imidachloropid followed by Azadirachtin and Jholmol respectively. Imidachloropid and Spinosad also showed comparatively lower fruit infestation by fruit fly i.e. 18.5% and 20.5 % respectively than other insecticides. Both Imidachloropid and Spinosad treated plots were statistically (p<0.05) similar and significantly superior over other treatments for yield (52.11 and 50.31Mt ha-1 respectively), for fruit length (37.62 and 37.12cm respectively) and fruit diameter (26.78 and 26.51cm respectively). A negative and strong correlation was found between yield and mean population of RPB and other insects, leaf infestation % per plant, leaf damage % per plant, and fruit infestation % per plant whereas fruit length and diameter showed a positive correlation with yield. The benefit-cost ratio was highest for plot treated with Imidachloropid (4.21) followed by Spinosad, Azadiractin, Jholmol, and Control. Thus, Imidachloropid was the most effective and economic in controlling the major insect pests of summer squash.

The research was conducted at Beltari Sandhikharka-10, Arghakhanchi district to study about the effect of various doses of boron on growth and yield attributing characters of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) during off-season from February to June in 2020. Five treatments; B0 (control/no application), B1: 2kg/ha, B2: 4kg/ha, B3: 6kg/ha, B4: 8kg/ha which are the different doses of boron application were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 replications. The growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves per plant leaf length and leaf breadth of largest leaf were recorded multiple times with 15 days interval. Days to curd initiation and Days from curd initiation to harvest were recorded by regular field observation. The yield parameters; curd weight with leaves, Marketable curd weight, average curd yield, incidence of hollowing were recorded during harvest. The economics from application of boron doses in cauliflower production was obtained in terms of cost of cultivation, gross returns, net returns, and benefit cost ratio. The result showed that the growth and yield attributing characters of cauliflower were significantly affected by application of boron in which the value of these parameters was found significantly higher in B1 followed by other treatments. The average curd yield of cauliflower in B1 was found to be 12.39 mt/ha which was 48.92% higher than that of B0 with curd yield 8.32 mt/ha. Similarly, the net return was found significantly the highest in B1 and the lowest in B0. The result showed that application of boron in the range of 2-4 kg/ha is preferred to control and higher doses in respect of both productivity and economics.

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