eChapters

Abstract

Apple productivity of Himachal Pradesh with effect from 1995 to 2004 varied from 6.99 t/ha to 0.82 t/ha.  Climatic variables such as effective chill units (ECU) and growing degree hours (GDHoC) were estimated at different stages of dormancy and their relationships with productivity was studied. The duration of rest period had negative correlation (r = -0.716) indicating that the increase in the rest period duration decreased the productivity in the corresponding year.  ECU accumulations during peak winters had significant positive correlation (r =+0.642).  However, the GDHoC accumulations during rest period  (r = -0.679) and peak winters (r = -0.771) had significant negative correlation. During the period of rest completion to full bloom, the GDHoC accumulations showed significant positive correlation with productivity (r =+0.645). Total snowfall recorded during winters was also significantly correlated. However, no significant correlations were observed with respect to rains and productivity of apple

Abstract

In the present study, effect of phloroglucinol on the rooting behaviour of three Pyrus rootstocks viz. wild pear [P. pyrifolia (Burm F.) Nakai], kainth (P. pashia Buch. Ham.), shiara (P. serotina  Rehd.) and two scion cultivars viz. Patharnakh (P. pyrifolia (Burm F.) Nakai) and Punjab Beauty (P. pyrifolia x P. communis?) was studied. Supplementation of rooting medium (solid or liquid) with phloroglucinol (PG) had a stimulatory effect on the rooting response of wild pear, but on liquid medium the plants were vitrified with very small roots.  However, in solid medium fortified with NAA + IBA (0.25 mg l-1 each) and PG (160 mg l-1), 86.29 per cent rooting was obtained.  In kainth, Punjab Beauty and shiara supplementation of solid medium with PG had inhibitory effect on root induction.  In liquid medium, PG stimulated root initiation in kainth at 40 and 80 mg l-1, but at 160 mg l-1, it was ineffective.  In Punjab Beauty and shaira, liquid medium fortified with 40 mg l-1 PG was ineffective, whereas, at higher levels (80 and 160 mg l-1), it inhibited root induction.  Patharnakh failed to root at any of the PG level. One week culture of kainth microshoots on ½ MS solid medium supplemented with IBA (0.5 mg l-1) and PG (160 mg l-1) in dark followed by transfer to ½ MS basal liquid medium for three weeks in light resulted in 76 per cent rooting.  While, 58.70 per cent rooting was obtained in Patharnakh with similar treatment, except when IBA (0.5 mg l-1) was replaced by NAA (0.5 mg l-1).

Abstract

Apple plantations in Himachal Pradesh have been ravaged by a unique hitherto unknown problem of premature leaf fall for the last one decade. In this study, the disease survey revealed 21.3 per cent disease incidence of premature leaf fall in July, 2001 which increased to 63.6 per cent by the month of September. Whereas in 2002, this disease appeared in August and the disease severity was 30 per cent in the September month. The pathogenic fungus Marssonina coronaria was isolated in pure culture and its pathogenicity was proved. Considerable number of conidia were formed in over wintered apple leaf litter with 22.7 per cent germinability. Ascosporic stage Diplocarpon mali was also encountered in the infected over-wintered leaves collected from Charna locality in Sirmour district. The sour tasting pollinizer cultivars Rus Pippin, Granny Smith, Tydeman’s Early Worcestor and King Pippin were rated tolerant in the field. Protective sprays of mancozeb, propineb, carbendazim, thiophanate methyl etc. were effective in controlling the disease. An integrated spray schedule was recommended to the growers.

Abstract

Apple orchardist’s are adopting micro irrigation system for irrigation and application of  fertilizers. The feasibility of delivery of pesticides through micro irrigation for the management of diseases and insect pests was evaluated. The minimum root rot incidence (30.55%) was recorded at low fertigation dose + aureofungin (100ppm)+ copper sulphate (100ppm) at two-week intervals as compared to control (61.10%) and it also delayed the symptom appearance by one month. At higher fertigation dose + aureofungin (100ppm) + copper sulphate (100ppm) there was increase in disease incidence as compared to the control (without fertigation). Continuous maintenance of soil moisture at field capacity (FC) enhanced the disease incidence where the overall disease incidence was 63.88 per cent as compared to 27.77 per cent in irrigation at 40 per cent FC. Fungicides applied at bi-weekly interval recorded less disease incidence. The fertigation levels did not affect powdery mildew severity; however, irrigation levels influenced it.  Plants maintained at 40 per cent FC showed less disease severity as compared to those maintained at 100 and 60 per cent FC.  Plants receiving hexaconazole dose at weekly interval depicted less disease than 2 or 4-week interval. The number of colonies and population of woolly aphid were  less on the plants treated with chlorpyriphos.

Abstract

A considerable difference of gap has been observed between the generated technology and the technology available with the farmers. In order to find the possible causes or low production, a comprehensive bench mark survey of four Panchayats of Kandaghat block namely Sirinagar, Mahi, Kawarag and Bisha involving 500 farm families was done using PRA technique to ascertain the extent and gap in the generated technology and the technology adopted by the farmers. All the important components of the technology were assessed and the gap in adoption as well as the approximate cost of the gaps was estimated. In tomato and capsicum, it was observed that the farmers prepared their fields well, transplanted at the right time, performed the required intercultural operations and harvested the fruits at proper time. They however, did not treat the seed and the seed bed, applied sub-optimal/excess doses of fertilizes and adopted excessive plant protection measures against pests and diseases. In case of Cauliflower, the farmers used the recommended variety, prepared their fields well, transplanted at optimum time, adopted all cultural operations from time to time but they did not pay attention for protecting the crop against pest and diseases.They also applied ample quantity of fertilizers but did not follow proper spacing. If the farmers adopt the recommended practices, they are likely to gain around Rs 62,688/ha in tomato, Rs.55,563/ha in capsicum and Rs.54,188/ha in cauliflower.

Term rendering is generally used to recover the fat from animal material by heating. However, today rendering word is applied in broad sense in by-products industry to recover stock feed, fertilizers and fats from slaughter house offals, parts and condemned material from animal body. Today many products are recovered by rendering process and can be utilized in different ways. Some of them may be categorized as edible and inedible. The major examples are lard and tallow which may be edible and inedible depending on the processing. Other valuable products include chemicals, meat meals and bone meals. To get these valuable products, various animal by-products are processed like viscera, bones, trimmings, dead stock, feather and other poultry materials.

Blood is a first by-product of animal slaughter house. It accounts about 5-7 percent of animals live weight. It is highly nutritious material particularly rich in protein (17-18%) and essential nutrients. Blood is a rich source of amino acids like leucine, lysine, valine, phenylalanine, histidine etc. It is also rich in haem iron which is biologically most available form of iron. Protein efficiency ratio of plasma is 2.5 while 1.0 for globin. It contains about 80 percent water and responsible for effluent problems. It is a great source of pollution because BOD₅ of whole blood is 250000 mg/litre. It should be collected and processed as soon as possible because whole blood clots easily and is capable to clogs the drainage system, grease traps and septic tank of meat plant or abattoir.

Shearing is an operation of clipping the wool from sheep body. It is essential to get the wool from animals as well as to provide comfort to the sheep and enhance the economic status of sheep farm. The time of shearing is twice in a year preferably once at beginning of summer (march-April) and second at the start of winter (September – October). However, for veterinary reasons and other requirements of animals, shearing can be performed any time.

Introduction

Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, filariasis, Japaneseencephalitis, chikungunya and dengue hemorrhagic fever cause extensive morbidity and take heavy toll of life in the developing nations particularly in the tropics. Every year about 300-500 million people are estimated to be affected by malaria alone (WHO report, 2000). In India around two million cases of malaria are being reported annually although real burden is many fold higher (Kumar et al. 2007). Similarly, lymphatic filariasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti affects about 120 million people worldwide. India contributes about 40%  to  the total global burden of filariasis and accounts for about 50% of the people at risk of infection (ICMR bulletin, 2002). Anopheles stephensi is recognized as a major vector for urban malaria in India (Kumar 1997).

Ralstonia solanacearum is a phytopathogenic bacterium belong ing to the b subdivision of the Proteobacteria (Yabuuchi et al., 1995) having a wide geographical distribution ranging from tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions (Liu et al., 2009). It has broad host range and infects around 54 plant families and 450 plant species (Hayward, 1991; Wicker et al., 2007). 

Early attempts to study the diversity present in the R. solanacearum species complex resulted in separate race and biovar systems. R. solanacearum has been phenotypically classified into 5 races based on the host range at the plant species level and into five biovars based on the metabolic profiles related to the ability to reduce three disaccharides and three hexose alcohols (Wicker et al., 2007).

PGPR have shown potentiality against pests and diseases oc curring on crop plants. Wilt and collar rot diseases are caused by soilborne pathogens viz., Fusarium oxysporum fsp. lycopersici (FOL) and Sclerotium rolfsii respectively in vegetables. An attempt was made to manage the diseases with PGPR microbes and 142 PGPR strains were isolated from different vegetable crops. Among them two isolates viz., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BA1) and B. subtilis (BS2) were found highly effective in controlling the diseases.  Apart from the disease control, the isolates BA1 and BS2 also registered enhanced crop growth and yield in cowpea under field conditions. Species level identification of BA1 and BS2 was done through PCR amplification and sequencing of 16s rRNA. Both BA1 and BS2 clustered with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis respectively.

BGA belong to a class of prokaryotic photosynthetic microorganisms also known, as cyanobacteria are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen aerobically. Most abundantly found in tropical zone, never form fibrous growth and are enveloped by a sheath. The trophic independence of algae for C and N makes them responsible for a natural fertility buildup of rice field soils. The nitrogen fixing ability of BGA was first recognized by Frank and Prantil in 1889. The occurrence of the BGA in the rice field was reported by FE Fritsch in 1907.

The acts for Environment Protection are :

        The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act
        The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act
        The Wildlife Protection Act
        Forest Conservation Act
        Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
        Citizens Actions and Action Groups
        Public Awareness and Awakening

1.1. History and Origins of Rabbits

The existence of rabbit with human being remained from time immemorial. Romans were the first to domesticate wild rabbits in the 5th century by the monks of the Champagne region in France as a readily available food source. Rabbits were introduced to Britain during the 12th Century, and during the Middle Ages, the breeding and farming of rabbits for meat and fur became widespread throughout Europe. Sources suggest that some women among the Medieval gentry even kept rabbits as pets. The selective breeding of European rabbits meant that distinct breeds arose in different regions, and the origins of many old breeds can be traced back several centuries.

Domestication of the rabbit is relatively recent and most of today’s breeds have been bred by man in the last 200 to 300 years.

The rabbit has been used as an experimental animal in genetics, reproduction and physiology since the beginning of the century, but it was not until 1950 that the first findings on quantitative genetics were published in Venge’s study of maternal influence on rabbit birth weight.

6.1. The Production Cycle

As ovulation in does is induced by mating and the females are generally kept in different cages from the males, it is the breeder who determines the reproduction rate of the unit. These rates vary from one or two litters a year under the most extensive management to eight to ten litters in an intensive management system. Does are remated either immediately after kindling (intensive system) or about ten days later (semi-intensive). In the semi-intensive system, the does are first presented to the buck at four and a half months. They are then mated 10 to 12 days after the birth of each litter. Weaning takes place at 30 to 35, or even 37 to 38 days. Extensive systems are characterized by a long delay between kindling and mating, and perhaps even until weaning. For example, the young may be weaned at 56 days and the doe mated after weaning.

Milk fermentation is process by which a change is produced in milk through the activity of microorganism. As milk leaves the udder it serves as a medium for the growth of many species and accordingly undergoes a series of changes, the processes producing these changes constitute the milk fermentation.

Fermentation of organic compounds, especially in the lack of oxygen leads to the rapid break-down of ‘biopolymers’ to produce ‘anaerobic food chains’.

Introduction

Numerous characteristics of food determine its acceptability to consumers and to regulatory officials. Before accepting a food for consumption, it must be attractively presented, must have desirable odour and flavour characteristics and other qualities and must be free from potential pathogens or their toxic products. The ultimate nutritive qualities, flavour and appearance have been preserved and no harmful organisms or substances are present to affect the consumer adversely. If the quality of the product is good, its keeping quality is also likely to be substantial. Conversely, there are more chances of spoilage of an inferior quality food product during storage.

The possibility of making genetic changes in the laboratory in plants, animals and microbes used in food started almost 10,000 years ago. Along with natural changes taken place during the evolution totally different species have come into existence. This has helped in increased food production with better taste and nutrition. The losses caused by biotic and abiotic stresses from fungi and bacterial pathogens have reduced.

Ambasankar, K. and Balakrishnan, V. 2011. Influence of protected sardine oil on in vitro rumen fermentation and nutrient digestibility of complete diet. Indian J.  Anim. Sci., 81(1): 
84-86.
Amrutkar, S.A., Thakur, S.S. and Pawar, S.P. 2014. Economics of supplementing rumen protected methionine and lysine in the ration of lactating crossbred cows. Indian J. Anim. Nutr., 31 (1) : 14-19.
AOAC, 2005. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis. Washington, DC.
Arewad, G. R., Thube, H. A., Pandya, P. R., Parnerkar S. and Shankhpal S. 2011. Effect of feeding bypass protein based total mixed ration on performance of growing crossbred calves. Indian J. Anim. Nutr. 2011.28 (3) : 303-308.

Introduction

India is a vast country comprised of different agro-ecological regions with diverse climate, natural vegetation resources, topography, possesses almost all domesticated animal species, landraces and crops with different production systems. Domestic animals provide a considerable amount of   food requirements for mankind. India ranks first in milk production with 112.5 million tonnes milk produced in 2010-11. As India is a tropical country, in summer the temperature hikes about 40-48°C in various parts of the country. Such a temperature is certainly not within the comfort range of animals and thus the animals respond to the stress imposed by temperature on them in various ways to combat the stress and to maintain the homeostasis.

Introduction

Over decades, improvement of domestic animal species has been done by selecting superior animals, mainly based on individual performance and their subsequent breeding to get progenies with higher production potential. Within the 20th century, understanding of inheritance of economic traits, factors influencing genetic potential and their interactions provided better criteria for selection and this has resulted into faster genetic gains. Several selection criteria which were composite ones based on the individuals as well as its relative performances were being used.

Poultry has been extensively used for various biological experiments and its contributions to science are impressive. Among poultry species, chickens have made fundamental contributions to our current understanding of many immunological processes and it ranks high in the biological world. It still serves as an animal model to investigate immunogenetic aspects of disease resistance and tumor regression. Among the major contribution from poultry, the first evidence for viral induced tumor came from chicken (Rous, 1911; Nobel prize, 1966), reverse transcriptase enzyme was isolated from Avian Leukosis virus (Tamin and Baltimore, 1963; Nobel Prize, 1975), oncogenes in virus are from host cells (Bishop & Harold Varmus; Nobel Prize, 1989) and major two arms of immune response i.e. the T and B cells were first discovered in chicken.

Stress is described as the cumulative detrimental effect of a variety of factors on the health and performance of living beings (Rosales, 1994). Heat stress arises when there is an imbalance between heat production within the body and its dissipation. Homeotherms can maintain their body temperature within a relatively narrow range and both physiological and behavioural responses help in thermoregulation. Stress occurs when an animal suddenly faces a change in its environment. Heat stress during summer and post summer months in tropical countries is a problem of great concern among farmers and livestock producers as it costs both production and reproduction of animals.

Introduction

Agricultural lands in India have mostly low native soil fertility. On these soils there must be a regular application of nutrient inputs through chemical fertilizers and/or organic manures for a successful and sustained crop production to replenish soil nutrient reserves depleted by crop removal and other losses. It is essential to recognize that even in agricultural production systems with relatively low productivity level, the quantity of nutrients available for recycling through plant and animal residues is not enough to compensate the amount being removed by crops. Under these circumstances mineral fertilizers play a key role in those areas having low fertile soils by increasing agricultural production to meet out growing food demand. Chemical fertilizers are the major contributors as source of plant nutrients to enhance crop production and also to maintain soil productivity.

For efficient nutrient use, most important factors are the timely supply/recycling of adequate amount of nutrients to the production system and its retention and release by soil for timely and ready availability in the root zone for its mobility to the plant in the presence of optimum moisture content in the soil. For keeping the applied nutrients retained in the root zone one has to reduce the soil erosion and leaching losses through technologies available in hand which include direct measures of soil and water conservation and maintain the soil aggregation and porosity through suitable tillage and organic residue recycling. For movement of nutrients into plant system we need to ensure optimum soil moisture content through water management.

Nutrient use efficiency of crops is being improved through temporal and spatial management of the form and amount of nutrient inputs as being demonstrated by various agronomic practices. In addition, understanding of the genetic basis of nutrient efficiency would lead to the development of nutrient use efficient varieties thus reducing the application of nutrients. Earlier studies on genetics of nutrient use efficiency were limited as increasing productivity with heavy nutrient inputs was the main focus. But in the backdrop of environmental degradation due to the excessive nutrients and its impact in climate change, nutrient use efficiency in crops is need of the hour for sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture.

The diets of over two-thirds of the world’s population lack one or more essential mineral elements. This can be remedied through dietary diversification, mineral supplementation, food fortification, or increasing the concentrations and/or bioavailability of mineral elements in produce (biofortification) involving aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop biofortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iodine (I) and selenium (Se).

Introduction

The term nitrogen use efficiency, (NUE) is widely used in research to cover problems in use of N in crop production systems. It describes N input/output ratio at different scales starting from farm levels to regional levels. An analysis of of NUE is helpful to analyze possible options for improving NUE in different crops and cropping systems. NUE at crop scale may be defined as the ratio between the yield and the N uptake by the crop. This ratio is sometimes called as the physiological NUE or utilization efficiency. High NUE can be achieved by high harvest index and a high productivity of dry matter per unit N uptake. The second component of NUE is the ratio of plant N uptake to the potentially available N. This ratio is called uptake efficiency or available N use efficiency. Enhancing the uptake efficiency of the crop is possible through enhancing the physiological uptake efficiency of the roots, enhancing root length density and matching the N supply and demand of a particular crop.

Introduction

The soil is the largest terrestrial pool of organic carbon, about 1150 Pg (1Pg = 10¹⁵ g) compared with about 700 Pg in the atmosphere and 600 Pg in land biota (Lal and Kimble,1997). Organic carbon level of soils reaches a fixed equilibrium that is determined by a number of interacting factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil type, tillage, cropping systems, fertilizers, the type and quantity of crop residues returned to soil, and the method of residues management. In the temperate climate, it may take about 50 years for the organic carbon of soils to reach a new equilibrium level following a change in management. However, this period is much shorter in a semiarid and arid climate and also in tropical climate like India.

Knowledge of structure is a basic element of biological research. Understanding structures of various degrees of complexity contributes to a better understanding of function, ontogenetic and physiologic processes, as well as phylogenetic relationships. In biological sciences, ultrastructure refers to the nanostructure of a biological specimen, such as a cell, tissue, or organ, at scales smaller than can be viewed with light microscopy. Electron microscopy (EM) has a great impact on our knowledge and understanding of ultrastructure.

AIR POLLUTION FROM AUTO EXHAUST

Motor vehicles are the major source of a number of pollutants, in particular carbon monoxide (CO),nitrogen oxides (NOx), unburnt hydrocarbons (HC),ozone (O3) and other photo chemical oxidants and lead (Pb) and, in smaller proportions Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and volatile organic compounds.

The response of plants to air pollution can be understood by analyzing the physiological and biochemical parameters of plants.

Physiological Parameters

The epidermal cells are the first to interact with the air pollutants and also lack chloroplast. Epidermal cells hence cannot remove excess sulphur through the production and release of H2S. Damage to plants by air pollutants depends upon the amount of pollutants entering the cells and their reactivity with cellular constituents. Plants regulate the entry of gaseous molecules through stomatal movement thereby affecting the photosynthesis and transpiration. Response of plants to gaseous pollutants varies from species to species. This is due to differences in the stomatal conductance, aperture size and permeability of plasma membrane (Yunus et al., 1996).

True /False

Q.1.    A diagnostic test enables the doctors to reach at a decision whether the patient is suffering from a particular disease or not.
Q.2.    The recent developments in the field by biotechnology have led to the development of many new medical tests.
Q.3.    The general principles in designing and conduct diagnostic test studies are not known well.

True/False

Q.1.    Demographic data and vital statistics are important tools for researchers, epidemiologists, health planners and health professionals.
Q.2.    The distribution of people across different geographic regions is known as population density.

SYNOPSIS

The availability of food is of paramount importance without which it is hard for human beings to survive. The recognized way of making food available is to produce but it is also equally important that food produced is utilized well without loss of edible food materials. The paper discusses on unused food, under- utilized food within and across countries, and puts emphasis on utilization and handling of food. In perspective, the paper highlights the steps to be taken up to save and utilize the food already produced.

SYNOPSIS

With the change of time, and the progressive development in life-style, the menu of food has undergone significant changes in communities, countries, regions and worldwide. This is influenced by the travel, migration of the people, and enhancement of the socio-economic status among the masses.

SYNOPSIS

There have been conflicting practices, recommendations regarding a healthy diet in human beings. Unscientific food habits are limitation to good health and active life. Because of various social, cultural, religious and economic factors human beings in the same climatic conditions and living situations, have been practicing different food habits leading to many health problems. What to eat, how much to eat and when to eat are not clear with the masses. This paper attempts to throw light on these aspects.

SYNOPSIS

Food and nutritional challenges continue to be tackled in East and Southern African countries. Prevailing rates of high malnutrition among children and often in adults in vulnerable geographical locations do suggest the need for appropriate interventions. Of several global nutrition interventions during the 1980s, successful implementation of nutrition programmes in Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Ethiopia have established strategies / approaches that are promising.  In Tanzania, the Iringa nutrition programme (WHO/UNICEF Joint Nutrition Support Programme) was implemented during 1983-1988.

Introduction

The Indian agriculture is very complex and carrying out multi-functionalities of providing food, nutrition and ecological security besides employment and livelihood for over 700 million people. Indeed, India has made a marvelous achievement in attaining self-sufficiency in food grain production after the introduction of Green Revolution which eventually resulted in maintaining all-time high buffer stock in warehouses of our country. Such rosy picture in production trends turned to be bleak in the past few years.

Introduction

“Non-monetary inputs are defined as those cultural operations which help to achieve high yield at no extra cost and whose cost does not change with the level of output”.
 
After the advent of green revolution, nutrient management has received the significant attention by farmer as well as researchers; as a result of which and coupled with the requirement for high yielding varieties, consumption of plant nutrient (N, P and K) increased tremendously. Variability was observed in fertilizer consumption between the states. 

Introduction

Fertilizers in India, are mostly applied either through broadcasting, foliar application or using seed cum fertilizer drills. With the introduction of micro irrigation systems, the application of fertilizers along with the irrigation water became promising and is gaining momentum. The goal of fertilizer application through irrigation is to maximize the uptake rate of fertilizers in order to minimize the losses.

Agriculture is vital to the development of any nation, India being no exception. Development must include the youth and therefore the government seeks to encourage their participation in the agricultural sector. This effort seeks to change the negative perception the youth have of participation in agriculture as uneducated, unskilled, physical labourers with extremely low economic return. Modern agriculture is more than tilling the soil and animals. The sector today offers career opportunities in research, environment, financial management, engineering and other technical areas for the youth to explore. The introduction of the Youth in Agriculture is necessary and important to facilitate food and nutrition security for the sustainable development of the nation.

Agriculture is the key force in India and nearly two-third of the work force is directly or indirectly depends on agriculture to support their livelihood. In every day situation, farmers are facing complex problems viz., pest hazards, weed control, moisture insufficiency, soil fertility, farm credit, labor shortage, soil erosion, crop production technologies and so forth to improve the production and productivity. It is not sufficient to give agricultural related information to farmers alone and it is very essential to give information on newly released technologies to the people involving in the extension activities or extension personnel’s.

Technology adoption is mounting every day in the field of agriculture. The greatest need of the day is to effectively communicate the information related to farm technologies to the millions of farmers to educate and to adopt them in order to modernise their agriculture. Inspite of our best efforts, only 25 to 30 per cent of the modern agricultural technologies have reached farmers. This modern technology however has been restricted to favourable farming situation only.

Indian economy is basically an agrarian economy (Saxena, 2012) and the majority less literate and unskilled population living in rural areas does not fit into the employment market. Employing 55% of labour force, agriculture sector is a major employment provider (Chand, 2014). However, the seasonal nature of Indian agriculture leads to seasonal and cyclical unemployment. This situation can be altered by generating employment opportunities through nurturing entrepreneurship in agriculture (Rehman et al., 2012).

The prosperity and growth of a nation depends on the status and development of women as they constitute about 50.00 per cent of the human resource of the country. Women play a significant role in agriculture and allied fields. She also performs several management and decision making roles in farming and home making practices with her male counterpart and sometimes alone.(Sreenivasulu and Punna Rao, 2005). Khelkar (1995) found that 64.55 per cent had medium level of farm management followed by high and low 18.18 per cent and 17.27 per cent respectively.

The College of Food Technology was established in the year 1976 at Parbhani as one of the constituent College of VNMKV, Parbhani. Food Technology College involves the knowledge of application of different fields of food Science and also includes transfer of Food Science technology to the students to make them well equipped with knowledge and skills required for employment in public  and private sector.

Livestock sector plays a vital role in the welfare of India’s rural population by acting as an important source of income and employment in the rural sector (Dastagiri, 2004). India possesses the largest livestock population in the world and ranks first with (520.6 million), and accounts for the largest number of cattle (world share 16.1%), buffaloes (57.9%), second largest number of goats (16.7%) and third highest number of sheep (5.7%) in the world (FAOSTAT) and sustaining all these in less than 5% of world’s and one-third of Asia’s agricultural land area (MOA, 2003).

Rationale of the Study

Greens are the cheapest of all the vegetables within the reach of poor man, being richest in their nutritional value. The problem of malnutrition is assuming seriousness in the vulnerable groups viz., adolescents, pregnancy, lactation and school children, not because of poverty but because of ignorance, illiteracy and callousness of the people. The lack of knowledge especially on the nutritive value of these green leafy vegetables among the public in general is the main drawback in their lower consumption. (Jyoti, 2008)