Cluster Frontline Demonstrations using IPM technologies were conducted on farmer fields’ during two consecutive years of both kharif (June-November 2017 and 2018) by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kampasagar, Telangana State, India. The results revealed that, 16.9% increased cotton yield was observed in demonstration plot (2234.0 kg ha-1) against farmers practice (1910.5 kg ha-1). The average gross returns, net returns, and benefit-cost ratios were higher in the demonstration plot as compared to the farmers’ practice. The average cost reduction was (Rs. 41402.0 ha-1) in the demonstration plot when compared to farmers’ practice (Rs. 46190.0 ha-1). Incidence of sucking pests and pink bollworm was low in demonstrations plots and adoption of IPM practices i.e. stem application in cotton at 30 and 45 days after sowing with Monocrotophos and water (1:4) ratio and 60 days after sowing with Imidacloprid and water (1:20) ratio minimize the sucking pests. Further erection of pheromone traps @ 10 ha-1 at 45 DAS to monitor pink bollworm population and spraying of need-based plant protection chemicals i.e. Azadirachtin 0.15% EC @ 2.5 l ha-1 and Thiodicarb 75% WP @ 1.5 g l-1 at early stages and Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 0.5 g l-1 at later stages effectively controlled pink bollworm. The average extension gap, technology gap, and technology index were 323.25 kg ha-1, 266.25 kg ha-1 and 10.65%, respectively. Hence, adoption of IPM technologies play a major role for controlling the pest complex and need arises to adopt and popularize this technology in the cotton farming to mitigate the wider extension gap between improved and farmers’ practices.

Fish diversity of a riverine ecosystem became reduced due to different manmade and natural calamities. This study investigated the present fish biodiversity status of the Dharla River located (25.8103° N, 89.6487° E) in the northern part of Bangladesh from January to December 2018. In this study, the existing fish biodiversity status of the Dharla River was estimated in terms of diversity indices and threatened status (both global and local). Data was collected from the three sampling sites of the river using different fishing gears and three selected fish markets located in the Kurigram district of Bangladesh. A total of 76 fish species were identified belonging to 8 orders, 26 families and 57 genera. The Cyprinidae was the most dominant family represented by 14 species followed by the Danionidae (13 species), Bagridae (8 species) and few minor families. Apart from the indigenous species, nine exotic fish species were also recorded. The Shannon-Weaver diversity (H), Pielous evenness (e) and Margalef richness (D) indices ranged from 3.00 to 3.71, 0.62 to 0.94 and 3.94 to 7.95, respectively. Out of 76 indigenous species, 28 species (37%) were identified as threatened in Bangladesh, which included critically endangered (4), vulnerable (9) and endangered (15) species. Indiscriminate fishing through poisoning and destructive fishing gears were identified as the major threats to fish biodiversity of the Dharla River. Thus, the river serves as considerable support for threatened indigenous fishes. Therefore, necessary steps are needed to stop destructive fishing, establish permanent fish sanctuaries and proper monitoring for maintaining sustainable biodiversity in the Dharla River.

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The present study was conducted during rabi season of 2017–18 and 2018–19 (November–April) to assess the performance of rice variety KNM 118 (Kunaram sannalu) over existing farmers’ popular variety MTU 1010 in fifty (50) number of farmers fields of Miryalaguda and Damaracherla mandals in Nalgonda District, Telangana, India under Tribal Sub-plan. Based on the collected data, per cent increase yield over the farmer’s practice, economics such as gross returns, cost of cultivation, net returns, additional costs, effective gain, additional returns and incremental benefit-cost ratio were worked out. The technology gap, extension gap and technology index were calculated. The results revealed that the average grain yield was 7297.5 kg ha-1 in improved practice which was a 12.1% increase over the farmer’s practice i.e. 6510.0 kg ha-1 during the study period. Mean of the extension gap, technology gap, and technology index were 787.5 kg ha-1, 202.5 kg ha-1, and 2.7%, respectively over the seasons. The average gross returns and net returns of ` 1,29,211.3 ha-1 and ` 76,812.8 ha-1, respectively were higher in demonstration plots as compared to farmer’s practices over the two seasons. The benefit-cost ratio recorded was 2.5 in improved practice, and 2.2 in farmer’s practices. The average sustainability yield index and sustainability value index in improved practice were 0.94 and 0.88 and in the farmer’s practice were 0.94 and 0.89 during the study period. The horizontal spread of the improved practice was increased from 107.5 ha to 1442.0 ha, which was 1222.8%.