Dairy farmers bear the flagship of the mammoth total of milk production, therefore, their preference for the bovine which includes cattle and buffalo, must be counted. The liking or preference is affected by a range of factors. Bovine preference can be referred to as the greater liking for one dairy animal over another or other dairy animal. &nbsp;This includes certain major factors as economic, climatic, animal or bovine trait, marketing, governmental support, traditional aspects, technical support, infrastructure and so on. For the study, South-Bihar Alluvial Plain Zone was selected purposefully from where two districts and under each district, two blocks and from each block two villages were selected randomly. From each village, twenty respondents were selected randomly, which constitute the total sample size of 160 respondents. The study, revealed that economic factor was found to be most (92.7 %) influencing factor and ranked 1st among various factors followed by climatic factor (92.3 %) ranked 2nd, marketing factor (91.8 %) ranked 3rd, trait factor (85.6%) ranked 4th, governmental factors (78.5 %) ranked 5th, traditional factors (76.9 %) ranked 6th, technical factors (74.4 %) ranked 7th , infrastructural factor (70.1 %) ranked 8th, socio-psychological factor (61.7 %) ranked 9th and NGOs factor (60.4 %) ranked 10th among above said factors.

Factors affecting the preference of bovine by dairy farmers&nbsp;in the South-Bihar Alluvial Plain Zone

<div>Background: The pathogens associated with diarrhoea in small ruminants include Escherichia coli, Rotavirus, PPR virus and Salmonella spp. either singly or in combination. Many researchers have worked on E. coli strains of goats almost in all agro-climatic zones of India but most of the studies were limited to only small study areas and no study has been conducted on E. coli prevalence in goats in Eastern Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

<div>Methods: The study was conducted in eight district of Eastern Plain zone of Uttar Pradesh including goat farm of ANDUAT, Kumarganj, Ayodhya which comes under Agro-climatic zone IV (Middle Gangetic Plain region). Faecal samples were collected for one year (September, 2021 to August, 2022) from dead goats having history of diarrhoea.</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

<div>Result: The overall prevalence of E. coli isolates on PCR analysis was 52.27%. The prevalence was highest in Varanasi district as 63.63% (7/11) while lowest was reported in Ghazipur district as 36.36% (4/11). The occurrence of E. coli isolates was higher in Age Group I (79.31%) followed by Age Group II (41.17%) and Age Group III (36.00%). The E. coli isolates revealed higher positivity in female (57.69%) than male (44.44%). The occurrence of E. coli isolates was highest in summer (75.86%) followed by rainy (42.42%) and lowest in winter (38.46%) season. The obtained PCR amplicons on sequencing was identified as Escherichia coli strain U 5/41 16S ribosomal RNA as it showed highest similarity of 98.96 % with accession no. NR_024570.1</div>

Prevalence and Phylogenetic Analysis of E. coli in Diarrhoeic Goats in Eastern Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh

Background:&nbsp;Being a cool season crop, lentil is very sensitive to temperature during its growth stages. It is found that delayed harvest of the preceding crop which is most frequently rice causes the majority of the country&rsquo;s lentil sowings to be postponed in India. As a result, the late-sown crop suffers during the seed-filling stage due to the rising high temperatures in most of its cultivated areas and results in lower yield. Therefore, there is a need to work out the optimum sowing time for realizing maximum yield potential as well as the selection of varieties suitable for normal as well as late sown condition of the crop. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was carried out in the new alluvial zone of West Bengal at the District Seed Farm of BCKV, Kalyani during the two subsequent rabi seasons (November-March) of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to examine the difference in yield between normal and late seeding conditions for various lentil cultivars. There were a total of ten genotypes evaluated, with each one being planted at one of two different times (15th Nov and 30th Nov). 
 
Result: The experimental findings revealed that lentil sown on 15th November recorded higher seed yield (2.34 t ha-1) compared to 30th November sown crop (1.63 t ha-1). Among the ten varieties, unreleased genotype C23E21 recorded the highest seed yield (2.25 t ha-1), followed by ILL 10802 (2.18 t ha-1). According to the results of this study, delaying the sowing window from the middle to the end of November can reduce yields by as much as 27.77%. Therefore, it is prudent to encourage the lentil farmers in the new alluvial zone region of West Bengal to sow their crops no later than the 15th of November of the Rabi season, to prevent a drop in production.

Evaluation of Lentil Genotypes in Different Sowing Windows in the New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal

<div>Background: Pulses are leguminous crops which not only increase the soil fertility, its fitness and maintain soil health but also essential to meet the nutritional demand of burgeoning human population particularly in developing countries. Mungbean is a major pulse crop of Zone IIa (Transitional Plain of Inland Drainage Zone) of Rajasthan state. Farm profitability can also be enhanced by augmenting farm productivity. Selection of high yielding genotypes may play a vital role to achieve sustainable high agricultural yield at farmer&rsquo;s field. Therefore, it is prerequisite to identify the suitable genotypes for this zone since the available varieties were not tested for its adaptability. The current study was aimed to evaluate twelve mung bean genotypes for seed yield with four checks in Zone IIa of Rajasthan. 
 
Methods: The mung bean crop was raised during Kharif 2018 and 2019 at Agricultural Research Station, Fatehpur- Shekhawati, Sikar (Rajasthan). Seed yield and its ancillary characters have been observed by following standard protocols. Present experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. The material was sown in a four row plot of 4 m length with a spacing of 30 cm between rows and 10 cm between plants. 
 
Result: The performance of genotypes RMG 1098, RMG 1132, RMG 1134, RMG 1139 and RMG 1147 were superior to the zonal, state checks and other tested genotypes. The selected high yielding mung bean genotypes can increase farm output per se and farm profitability by sustaining soil health, fitness and productivity of this region.</div>

Evaluation of Mung Bean Germplasm [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] for Yield in Transitional Plain of Inland Drainage Zone of Rajasthan, India

Background: At new alluvial zone of WB, milk production has not received adequate attention and this has been a major obstacle in dairy development.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Experiment was conducted on 14 Jersey crossbred cows to compare 2 milking operation viz. flat-parlor machine (group-I)&nbsp; and full-hand (group-II) milking at NDRI, ERS (WB).&nbsp; 
 
Result: The statistically analysed data of 280 milk samples revealed that milk quantity was significantly higher in group-I as compared to group-II but SCC, CMT, SFMT were significantly lower in group-I than group-II. Other quality parameters (MBRT, fat, SNF, TS, protein, FPR) were varied non-significantly between groups. The time required for milking/animal was significantly higher in group-II than group-I but milk extraction rate significantly lower in group-II than group-I. BCS of animals of both groups varied non-significantly with in a normal range. Significantly higher milk quantity was recorded during morning than evening milking session in both groups. Non-significant variation of SCC, CMT, SFMT, MBRT, fat, SNF, TS, protein, FPR were found in between two milking sessions of each group. The milk extraction rate was significantly lower during evening than morning whereas time required for milking/animal was higher in morning than evening session in both groups. It can be concluded that higher quantity and quality of milk can be produced in flat-parlor machine milking operation in comparison to full-hand&nbsp; &nbsp;milking operation in Jersey crossbred cows at new alluvial zone of West Bengal.

Elucidating Milking Operation in Jersey Cross-bred Cow for Higher Quantity and Quality of Milk at New Alluvial Zone

<div>Background: Swine tuberculosis (TB) is a highly progressive granulomatous infectious disease. The cases usually go undiagnosed and become a potent source of infection to other animals and humans. In Ayodhya and Sultanpur districts, no such study has been conducted so far. Keeping in view the zoonotic importance of this disease, the present study was, therefore, designed to study the prevalence of generalized swine tuberculosis in middle gangetic plain zone of Eastern Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Forty-two (42) pigs were presented for postmortem at Department of Veterinary Pathology, C.V. Sc. &amp; A.H., ANDUAT, Ayodhya from nearby villages of Ayodhya and Sultanpur districts from April 2017 to February 2020. Pigs were screened for typical lesions of tubercles throughout the body during postmortem examination. 
 
Result: The prevalence was 7.14% out of 42 pigs presented for postmortem examination. Eight pigs (19.04%) had nodules in either lungs or liver but these were diagnosed negative for TB on ZN (Ziehl-Neelsen) staining. Typical tubercles were evident in liver, spleen and lungs and were characterized by the presence of circumscribed yellowish white raised lesions of various sizes and numbers. Microscopically, granulomatous lesions revealed necrotic areas surrounded by mixed inflammatory cells including macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. The ZN stain reveals presence of acid fast bacilli in impression smear made from lung, spleen and liver.</div>

<div>Prevalence of Generalized Swine Tuberculosis with Special Reference to Pathological Study in Middle Gangetic Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: In India, rice covers largest area under cultivation. Among the biotic stresses weeds pose serious threat to rice if not controlled in its critical crop-weed competition period, reducing yield by 50%, in case of transplanted rice. The experiment was carried out to evaluate effectiveness of different herbicides and its combination with mechanical weed control methods in checking weed population in transplanted rice so as to maintain sustained production. 
 
Methods: The experiment was carried out in lower Gangetic plain zone during kharif season of 2018. It was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments replicated thrice. The treatments were&nbsp; pretilachlor 50% EC@ 1500 ml ha-1 (0-4 DAT), butachlor 50% EC @ 4000 ml ha-1 (0-4 DAT), bispyribac Na 10% SC @ 200 ml ha-1 (Post-emergence), Sesbania intercrop @ 25 kg ha-1 up to 30 DAT followed by mechanical incorporation followed by 1 hand weeding @ 50 DAT, pretilachlor 50% EC @ 1500 ml ha-1 (0-4 DAT) followed by bispyribac Na 10% SC @ 2000 ml ha-1 (25 DAT), two hand weedings at 25 DAT and 50 DAT and untreated control. 
 
Result: Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus difformis, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Ludwigia octovalvis, Echinochloa colona, Fimbristyslis sp. were the dominating weed species as per experimental findings. Among all treatments two hand weedings at 25 DAT and 50 DAT significantly reduced the total weed density (no.m-2) while total weed biomass (g m-2) as was found to be lowest in treatment of pretilachlor 50% EC @ 1500 ml ha-1 (0-4 DAT) followed by bispyribac Na 10% SC @ 2000 ml ha-1 (25 DAT). Highest growth characteristics in rice was observed in treatment of two hand weedings at 25 DAT and 50 DAT. Pre- emergence and post-emergence application of pretilachlor and bispyribac sodium, respectively, was successful in achieving highest yield attributes, yield (4.12 t ha-1) and economic return (Rs. 47438 ha-1).</div>

Response of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Weed Management Methods in the Lower Gangetic Plain Zone

<div>Background: Agricultural Land Suitability Analysis is one of the dependable method through which crop specific land suitability can be analyzed. Agricultural land suitability analysis for the pearl millet in the Arid Western Plain Zone of Rajasthan was the major focus of the present study.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Nine criteria viz. mean temperature in the growing season (&deg;C), total rainfall (mm), soil phosphorus (kg/h), soil texture, soil pH, soil organic carbon (%), salinity (dS/m), slope of the land (%) and landuse-landcover and their corresponding sub-criteria were selected. Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) was performed on the selected criteria through pair-wise comparison matrix and individual weights were determined and represented through Weighted Overlay Analysis (WOA).&nbsp; 
 
Result: Temperature in the growing season (20.68%), total rainfall (15.90%) and landuse/ landcover (14.39%) depicted relatively higher weightage with consistency ratio of 0.087. Results obtained from WOA in GIS environment depicted four suitability category namely Highly suitable (S1), Moderately suitable (S2), Marginally suitable (S3) and Restricted (N). Significant percentage of area was categorized under S2 category while S3 category was associated with least area with limitations like relatively higher slope and higher salinity. The proposed model validation was performed with overall accuracy of 88.10% using confusion matrix.</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

Agricultural Land Suitability Categorization and Evaluation using GIS Assisted AHP in the Arid Western Plain Zone of Rajasthan, India

<div style="text-align:justify">The present investigation was undertaken to work out the economic performance and optimum cropping pattern based on alternative price scenarios in Arid-Western Plain Zone of Rajasthan state. In the present study, the unit-level cost of cultivation data of various crops for the triennium ending year 2013-14 which were collected from &ldquo;Comprehensive Scheme to Study the Cost of Cultivation of Principal Crops in Rajasthan state. The performance of different crops was assessed by calculating net returns under three alternative price scenarios i.e. (i) Market prices (MP) (ii) Economic prices (EP) and (iii) Net income based on natural resource valuation technique (NRV). This study has considered subsidy as a cost to society. Similarly green house gas emissions from the crops have been taken as cost to the society and nitrogen fixation by leguminous crops have been taken as gain to the society. Results from the study shows that groundnut-barley combination of crop sequence was found the most remunerative in economic return generated over the year of `59418 per hectare followed by groundnut-vegetables (`53930/ha) and groundnut-gram (`52879/ha) combinations. Net gain to the farmers based on the alternative price scenarios viz. market, economic and natural resource valuation prices were estimated as `114.38 lakh, `114.45 lakh and `138.82 lakh, respectively. The overall gain to society has increased at economic prices by `49.39 lakh whereas it was decreased by `93.24 lakh at natural resource valuation due to the lack of cultivation of legume crops. The optimal plan is suggested that more area under cultivation of legume crops like groundnut, clusterbean and gram because of they are less water intensive and more environment friendly and thus have a positive impact on natural resource valuation with the existing water availability.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Economic Performance and Optimum Cropping Patternbased on Alternative Price Scenarios in Arid-Western Plain Zone of Rajasthan State</div>

<div>Background: Low yields of pulses in India are mainly due to the use of poor-quality seeds, cultivation on marginal soils with low inputs, inadequate pest and disease management, moisture stress and unscientific post-harvest and storage practices. In this context use of alternative sources of plant nutrients such as bio-fertilizers and organic sources is the need of the time. 
 
Methods: The present study aimed to evaluate the response of biochar and biofertilizers on productivity and profitability of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) in Semi-arid Eastern Plain Zone of Rajasthan. A field experiment was conducted during kharif season (2021) on mung bean at SKN College of Agriculture, Jobner (Rajasthan). The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications, Consisted of four levels of biochar (control, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 ton/ha) and four treatment of biofertilizers (Control, Rhizobium, PSB and Rhizobium + PSB). 
 
Result: The results revealed that the application of biochar @ 4.0 ton/ha produced significantly higher number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod length, seed yield (1151 kg/ha), straw yield (2547 kg/ha) and biological yield (3816 kg/ha) and net returns (₹49910/ha) of mung bean over control and application of biochar @ 2.0 ton/ha. However, it was at par with 6.0 ton/ha biochar for almost all parameters. Further, the B: C ratio of mung bean decreased as biochar levels increased and highest B:C ratio was obtained in control. Results further showed that seed inoculation with Rhizobium + PSB significantly increased the number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod length, seed yield (1158 kg/ha), straw yield (2564 kg/ha) and biological yield (3722 kg/ha), net returns (₹57311/ha) and B: C ratio (2.36) of mung bean.</div>

Effect of Biochar and Biofertilizers on Productivity and Profitability of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) in Semi-arid Eastern Plain Zone of Rajasthan