Course Content
Unit 1 –
Agriculture significantly contributes to the national economy. Key principles of crop production focus on efficient soil, water, and nutrient management. The cultivation practices of rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, tomato, and mango are vital. Understanding major Indian soils, the role of NPK, and identifying their deficiency symptoms are essential for crop health. Fundamental biological concepts like cell structure, mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian genetics, photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration are crucial for crop science. Biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and vitamins play significant roles in plant metabolism. Effective management of major pests and diseases in rice, wheat, cotton, chickpea, and sugarcane is critical. Rural development programmes and the organizational setup for agricultural research, education, and extension support agricultural growth. Basic statistical tools, including measures of central tendency, dispersion, regression, correlation, probability, and sampling, aid in agricultural data analysis.
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Unit 2
The theory of consumer behavior explains decision-making based on preferences and budget constraints. The theory of demand focuses on the relationship between price and quantity demanded, while elasticity of demand measures demand responsiveness to price changes. Indifference curve analysis shows combinations of goods yielding equal satisfaction, and the theory of the firm examines profit-maximizing production decisions. Cost curves represent production costs, and the theory of supply explores the relationship between price and quantity supplied. Price determination arises from supply and demand interactions, and market classification includes types like perfect competition and monopoly. Macroeconomics studies the economy as a whole, while money and banking analyze monetary systems and financial institutions. National income measures a country's total economic output, and agricultural marketing includes the role, practice, and institutions involved in distribution, along with crop insurance, credit, and cooperatives. Capital formation, agrarian reforms, globalization, and WTO impact Indian agriculture by influencing credit access, investments, and global trade policies.
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Unit 3
Farm management involves principles of farm planning, budgeting, and understanding farming systems. Agricultural production economics focuses on factor-product relationships, marginal costs, and revenues. Agricultural finance includes time value of money, credit classifications, and repayment plans. Credit analysis incorporates the 4R’s, 5C’s, and 7P’s, with a history of agricultural financing in India, led by commercial banks and regional rural banks. Higher financing agencies like RBI, NABARD, and World Bank play key roles in credit access, capital formation, and agrarian reforms in India.
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Unit 4
Extension education focuses on the principles, scope, and importance of agricultural extension programs. It includes planning, evaluation, and models of organizing extension services, with a historical development in the USA, Japan, and India. Rural development addresses key issues and programs from pre-independence to present times. It involves understanding rural sociology, social change, and leadership, while promoting educational psychology and personality development in agricultural extension. The Indian rural system emphasizes community values, structure, and adult education.
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Unit 5
Communication involves principles, concepts, processes, elements, and barriers in teaching methods, with various communication methods and media, including AV aids. Media mix and campaigns, along with cyber extension tools like internet, cybercafés, Kisan Call Centers, and teleconferencing, play a key role. Agriculture journalism focuses on the diffusion and adoption of innovations through adopter categories. Capacity building of extension personnel and farmers is essential, with training for farmers, women, and rural youth. Effective communication and extension methods are crucial for agricultural development.
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Topic Wise Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
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Practice Set for JRF
JRF Social Science (ICAR) Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Cultivation of Pigeonpea (Arhar/Red Gram/Tur)

Scientific Name: Cajanus cajan
Family: Papilionaceae
Origin: South Africa
Chromosome Number: 2n = 22
Pollination: Often cross-pollinated
Protein Content: 25%

 

Key Features

  • Growth Habit: Deep-rooted, C3, short-day plant.
  • Mini Fertilizer Crop: Fixes atmospheric nitrogen.
  • Flowering & Pod Setting: Produces many flowers, but only 10% set pods.
  • Seedcoat Dormancy: Requires thermal energy to break seed coat.
  • Harvest Index: 19% (lowest among pulses).
  • Importance in India: Second most important pulse after gram.

 

Global and National Status

Global Leader in Area & Production: Area and Production: India > Myanmar. India’s Share: 90% area, 85% production worldwide.

Production (India): Maharashtra (30%). Karnataka

Productivity (India): Bihar. Uttar Pradesh

 

Classification of Pigeonpea

  1. Cajanus cajan var. bicolor (Late Maturing):
  • Perennial, tall, much-branched.
  • Late maturity, 4-5 grains/pod.
  • Grown in North India.
  1. Cajanus cajan var. flavus (Early Maturing):
  • Annual, short plant.
  • Early maturity, 2-3 grains/pod.
  • Grown in South India.

 

Germination Type: Hypogeal germination.

 

Varieties of Pigeonpea

  1. i) Short Duration Varieties (110-125 days):
  • Prabhat
  • UPAS-120 (earliest variety)
  • ICPH-8: First hybrid (developed at ICRISAT, Hyderabad, 1991)
  • Pragati, ICPL151, ICPL87
  1. ii) Medium Duration Varieties (150-180 days):
  • BDN1, BDN2, C-11
  • Mukta (wilt resistant), Sharda, Paras

iii) Long Duration Varieties (180-300 days):

  • PUSA-9, Laxmi, Bahar

 

Soil Requirements

  • Type: Light-textured, well-drained soil.
  • pH Range: 5-8 (sensitive to saline soils >8 pH).

 

Agronomic Practices

Seed Rate:

  • Early varieties: 15-18 kg/ha.
  • Late varieties: 10-15 kg/ha.
  • Bund planting: 2 kg/ha.

Spacing: 60 x 15 cm.

 

Plant Population:

  • Kharif crop: 55,000 plants/ha.
  • Winter crop: 3.33 lakh plants/ha.

 

Sowing Time: 1st fortnight of June.

 

Fertilizer Application (kg/ha):

  • N: 20-25
  • P: 50-60
  • K: 20-35

 

Weed Management:

  • Pre-emergence: Alachlor, Pendimethalin.
  • Post-emergence: Basalin.

 

Yield

  • Irrigated Conditions: 25-30 q/ha.
  • Unirrigated Conditions: 15-20 q/ha.
  • Proportion of Seed to Pod: 50-60%.

 

Climate Requirements

  • Temperature: Optimal: 26–30°C for vegetative growth. Sensitive to frost during flowering and pod setting.
  • Rainfall: Requires 600-1000 mm annually.
  • Photoperiod: Short-day plant; day length influences flowering.

 

Growth Stages and Duration

  1. Germination: 7-10 days.
  2. Vegetative Phase: 40-60 days.
  3. Flowering: 60-80 days.
  4. Pod Formation: 80-150 days (varies by variety).
  5. Maturity: 120-300 days depending on the variety.

 

Intercropping System

Commonly intercropped with:

  • Cereals: Maize, Sorghum, Pearl millet.
  • Oilseeds: Groundnut, Soybean.
  • Other Pulses: Green gram, Black gram.

Benefits:

  • Enhances soil fertility.
  • Reduces pests and diseases.

 

Cropping Systems

  1. Mono-cropping: Sole crop of pigeonpea.
  2. Intercropping: Mixed with shorter duration crops (e.g., maize + pigeonpea).
  3. Relay Cropping: Grown after an early-maturing cereal or pulse.
  4. Agroforestry: Planted along field bunds or as a border crop.

 

Pests and Diseases

Major Pests:

  1. Pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera): Control: Spray Neem oil or apply Chlorpyrifos.
  2. Pod fly (Melanagromyza obtusa): Control: Dimethoate spray during pod development.
  3. Aphids: Control: Use systemic insecticides like Imidacloprid.
  4. Termites: Control: Treat seeds with Chlorpyrifos before sowing.

 

Major Diseases:

  1. Wilt (Fusarium udum): Control: Grow resistant varieties (e.g., Mukta). Seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2g/kg seed.
  2. Sterility Mosaic Disease (SMD): Control: Use resistant varieties like ICP 8863.
  3. Phytophthora Blight: Control: Ensure proper drainage and apply Mancozeb sprays.

 

Water Management

Irrigation:

  • Critical stages: Flowering and pod development.
  • Avoid waterlogging as pigeonpea is sensitive to excess moisture.

Rainfed Conditions: Use soil moisture conservation practices like mulching.

 

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Practices

  • Harvesting Time: When 75-80% of pods turn brown.
  • Methods: Manual harvesting or sickles.
  • Threshing: Pods are sun-dried and threshed manually or mechanically.
  • Storage: Dry seeds to 10-12% moisture content. Store in airtight containers to prevent pest infestation.
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