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On Farm Trials (OFT) Portfolio

OFT on Mango Anthracnose & Die-Back Diseases (2019 – 2020)

Title
To assess the productivity increase of Mango by using appropriate fungicide along with proper cultural practice against fungal diseases (Die-back and Anthracnose) of mango.
Problem Diagnosed
Decreasing the quality and quantity of Mango due to Die-back and Anthracnose.
Technology Assessed
Need based and proper use of fungicides along with appropriate cultural practice.
Technologies Tested
Farmers’ Practice (FP)
Indiscriminate and improper spraying of inappropriate fungicides viz. Carbendazim.
Technology Option-I (TO-I)
Fungal disease management by pruning of dead woods up to 5-10 cm green portion and with Copper oxychloride @ 4g/L (2 times) and Sulphur @ 2g/L.
Technology Option-II (TO-II)
Fungal disease management with Carbendazim + Mancozeb @ 1g/L (2 times).

Source of Tech
SAU
Final Recommendation
Fungal disease management by pruning of dead woods up to 5-10 cm green portion and with Copper oxychloride @ 4g/L (2 times) and Sulphur @ 2g/L showed highest yield (289.99 and 393.70 q/ha) as compared to Tech. Opt. 1 (256.79 and 369.30 q/ha) and FP (236.63 and 288.90 q/ha). It recorded maximum yield increase over control (22.55% and 39.79%) and lower avoidable yield loss (18.40% and 25.73%) with a B:C ratio of 1.73 and 3.18.
Constraints & Feedback
No such practice due to lack of knowledge about fungal disease infestation among farmers.

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Anthracnose on leaf, inflorescence and fruit in FP
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Inflorescence without disease symptom in TO-I & TO-II
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Spraying of fungicides
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Application of copper oxychloride on cut end

OFT on Mustard Aphid Management (2020 – 2021)

Title
To assess the productivity increase of Mustard by application of proper insecticides at appropriate time against Mustard aphid.
Problem Diagnosed
Reduction in productivity of Mustard due to decreasing the quality and quantity of Mustard oil caused by mustard aphid.
Technology Assessed
Need based and proper time to use of insecticides along with optimum sowing time.
Technologies Tested
Farmers’ Practice (FP)
Indiscriminate and improper spraying of inappropriate pesticides viz. Lamda-cyhalothrin, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Acephate.
Technology Option-I (TO-I)
Sowing of seeds within 15th October to 15th November + Spraying of Thiacloprid @ 1 gm/L and Acetamiprid @ 0.5g/L alternatively at 10-15 days interval + Yellow Sticky Traps @ 10/acre.
Technology Option-II (TO-II)
Sowing of seeds within 15th November to 15th December + Spraying of Acephate @ 1g/L and Neem oil 10,000 ppm @ 1.5ml/L alternatively + Yellow Sticky Traps @ 10/acre.

Source of Tech
ICAR-IARI
Final Recommendation
Sowing seeds within 15th October to 15th November combined with alternating sprays of Thiacloprid and Acetamiprid alongside Yellow Sticky Traps (TO-I) yielded the highest results (13.58 and 14.65 q/ha) with an optimal B:C ratio of 2.09 and 2.03.
Constraints & Feedback
No specific sowing time followed due to lack of awareness regarding infestation cycles.

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Infestation of Aphid at flowering (FP)
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Installation of yellow sticky traps
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Mustard field in full flowering (TO1 & TO2)
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Full pod (siliqua) stage (TO-1 & TO-2)

OFT on Maize Fall Army Worm (2021 – 2022)

Title
To assess the productivity increase of Maize by controlling Fall Army Worm.
Problem Diagnosed
Reduction in productivity of maize due to decreasing quality and quantity caused by Fall Army Worm (FAW).
Technology Assessed
Need based and proper time to use of microbial insecticides as appropriate IPM component against FAW.
Technologies Tested
FP: Indiscriminate spraying of Lamda-cyhalothrin, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, etc.
TO-I: Dry sand to leaf whorl + 3 Sprayings of Neem oil 10,000 ppm @ 1.5 ml/L.
TO-II: Dry sand to leaf whorl + 3 Sprayings of Thiodicarb 75% WP @ 1 g/L.
TO-III: Dry sand to leaf whorl + 3 Sprayings of Spinosad 45% SC @ 0.2 ml/L.
TO-IV: Dry sand to leaf whorl + 3 Sprayings of Novaluron 5.25% + Emamectin benzoate 0.9% SC @ 2 ml/L.

Source of Tech
ICAR-IARI
Final Recommendation
TO-IV showed the highest yield performance (7.03 and 7.67 t/ha) over control with a maximum percentage yield increase of up to 97.17% and ICBR index values of 2.31 and 3.1.

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FAW infestation on leaf (FP)
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Sand application in leaf whorl
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Maize field under TO-IV
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Fresh and healthy cob

OFT on Rice Brown Plant Hopper (2022 – 2023)

Title
To assess the productivity of Rice by controlling BPH through appropriate IPM component.
Problem Diagnosed
Reduction in productivity of Rice due to sucking of plant sap leading to hopper burn caused by BPH.
Technologies
FP: Spraying of OP and SP insecticides at improper doses.
TO-I: FP + Skip 2 lines after every 8 lines of rice during transplanting.
TO-II: Skip 2 lines after every 8 lines + Spraying of Pymetrozine 50% WG @ 300 g/ha.

Final Recommendation
TO-II is recommended. It achieved highest seed yield (70.77 and 69.32 q/ha), lowest infestation (7.71%), and highest protection metrics.

OFT on Brinjal Fruit & Shoot Borer (2022 – 2023)

Problem Diagnosed
Drooping/wilting shoots and exit holes reducing marketable yields.
Technology Option II
Pheromone traps @ 25/ha from 25 DAT + 3 Sprayings of Novaluron 5.25% + Emamectin Benzoate 0.9% SC @ 875 ml/ha at 30 DAT.
Recommendation
TO-II recorded highest marketable fruit yield (109.29 q/ha) and provided up to 79% insect protection compared to FP.

OFT on Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus on Black Gram (2024)

Title
To assess productivity increase of black gram by controlling vector and yellow vein mosaic virus.
Technology Option III
Yellow sticky traps @ 90/ha from 30 DAS up to flower initiation + 2 Sprayings of Flonicamid 50 WG @ 450 gm/ha from 35 DAS at 15 days interval.
Recommendation
TO-III is recommended with a maximum seed yield increase of 72.15% over FP and the lowest YVMV incidence rates (4.5%).

OFT on Modern Training Methods vs Traditional (2021)

Assessed Options
Classroom Offline (TO-I) vs Video Conferencing (TO-II) vs Social Media/Film Based (TO-III).
Recommendation
Offline classroom training is definitively recommended as the most suitable method for rural setups. Face-to-face interaction generated a 95% satisfaction metric owing to instant resolution of real-time farm queries.

OFT on Agripreneurship Initiatives among Rural Farmers (2022 – 2023)

Yearly Phase Breakdown

Phase I (2022): Baseline diagnostic evaluation of 75 survey groups highlighted positive risk correlations directly tied to structured educational thresholds and mass media access factors.

Phase II (2023): Implemented strategic exposure tours and input-dealer interactive platforms.

Final Conclusion
FPOs (Collective models) and Independent Progressive Initiatives yielded far superior systemic resilience indexes over standard Farmers’ Clubs. Prioritize continuous capacity building and localized branding efforts inside functional FPOs.

Impact of Agricultural Initiatives on Livelihoods (NICRA vs Non-NICRA) (2024)

Study Location
Malda District, Ratua Block (Ramayanpur vs Paschim Rukundipur)
Evaluated Metrics
NICRA Beneficiaries: Higher Knowledge Mean (15.90) & Annual Income Average (₹68,200)
Non-Beneficiaries: Lower Knowledge Mean (13.02) & Annual Income Average (₹59,200)
Micro Recommendation
Replicate localized climate-smart adaptation packages across additional regional blocks. Focus prominently on soil-water resource engineering paradigms alongside dynamic weather broadcasting networks.

OFT on Mango Special Micronutrient Application

Technology Option II
4 applications of Mango Special (Twice before flowering & Twice after flowering) @ 5g/L.
Recommendation
TO-II yielded the highest performance metrics (88.44 q/ha) as compared to TO-I (62.09 q/ha) and FP (47.42 q/ha) with a high B:C ratio of 3.58.

Effect of Border Crops on Okra Productivity

Tested Setup
Okra with Maize as Border Crop (TO-I) vs Okra with Marigold (TO-II).
Recommendation
TO-I (Okra + Maize) is highly recommended, pushing yields to 197.64 q/ha with a clear optimization of the systemic B:C ratio (4.33).

Productivity Assessment of Capsicum using Mulching

Tested Setup
Paddy Straw Mulch (TO-I) vs Polythene Mulch with RDF 40:60:30 (TO-II).
Recommendation
TO-II (Polythene Mulch) produced the highest yield (187.66 q/ha) by systematically controlling seedling crop-weed competition.

Litchi Productivity Improvement via Bagging Materials

Tested Setup
Mosquito Net (TO-I) vs Pink/Brown Paper Bunch Cover Bag (TO-II).
Recommendation
TO-II (Pink Paper Bag) is highly recommended to eliminate physiological disorders and bird/pest infestations, producing 67.89 q/ha.

Brinjal Productivity Optimization via Proper Micronutrients

Tested Setup
Boron + Zinc @ 1g/L (TO-I) vs Arka Vegetable Special Formulation @ 5g/L (TO-II).
Recommendation
TO-II (Arka Vegetable Special) minimized micro-deficiencies optimally, elevating yields directly to 32.72 q/ha.

Cropping Systems Assessment via Resource Conservation Technology (RCT)

Evaluated Tech
Traditional Rice-Wheat-Jute vs Zero Tillage options including Mung and Maize rotations.
Recommendation
Tech Option II: Rice (short duration) – Wheat – Mung (via Zero Tillage) is explicitly recommended for local adoption to support soil nitrogen sustainability metrics, recording a B:C ratio of 2.59.

Rice Cultivation through Mechanical Transplanter Systems

Tested Methods
Traditional vs Zero Till Drill (TO-I) vs Mechanical Rice Transplanter (TO-II) / Un-Puddled Transplanted Rice (UPTR).
Recommendation
Mechanical Rice Transplanter (TO-II) provided significantly higher spikelet counts, peak effective tillers, and a premium B:C ratio return (1.81).

Rice Growth & Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) via Bio-Inoculants

Tested Options
RDF NPK 80:40:40 (TO-I) vs RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum & PSB (TO-II) vs RDF + Root Dipping (TO-III).
Recommendation
TO-II (RDF + Bio-fertilizer Soil Application) is recommended to maximize local crop yields (35.40 t/ha) and fix early root establishment constraints.

Natural Farming Components (Jeewamrita / Beejamrita / Ghanajeewamrita)

Maize (Rabi)
TO-II: Maize + Green Gram/Pea (4:2) with Jeewamrita water lines (@ 200L/ha) + 10% foliar spray generated superior yields (104.65 q/ha) and a 2.86 B:C ratio response.
Rice (Kharif)
TO-II: Seed treatment with Beejamrita + Ghanjeewamrita soil applications (@ 200kg/acre) + Jeewamrita doses at 30 & 50 DAT is strongly recommended to override soil lock-ins.