Department of Plant Pathology and Nematology

About the Department of Plant Pathology:

The Plant Pathology Department owes its origin to Imperial Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa, Bihar in 1905.  Scientists like E. J. Butler “Considered as Father of Modern Plant Pathology” in India. After the establishment of Rajendra Agricultural University in 1970, the post graduate studies in Plant Pathology started with a full fledged laboratory and staff/students.  Eminent scientist like Dr. A. P. Mishra, Dr. P. P. Mehta, Dr. M. Mahmood, Dr. G. S. Dubey, Dr. K. L. Ojha, Dr. M. M. Jha and others gave their important contribution in present status of the department.  Former Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa has been upgraded into Central Agricultural University in the year 2016 and named as Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University.  Presently, Plant Pathology Department is in Post Graduate College of Agriculture with qualified teachers/scientists.

At present the Department has the intake capacity of 15 (2 in-service) students in Master degree and five students (2 in-service) in Ph. D programme.  Research, Teaching and Extension activities are running in Plant Pathology Department in full swing to fulfil the requirements of researchers, students, seed growers and farmers.

Vision:

• Increment in area and production under horticultural crops.
• Implementation of advanced technologies for production, improvement, protection and post harvest management of various horticultural crops.
• Varietal improvement against various abiotic and biotic stresses.
• Development of climate resilient varieties/technologies.
• Timely regulation of different all the three pillars, viz., teaching, research and extension activities to cater to the needs of students, farmers and other beneficiaries

Mandate:

Research:

• Survey & Surveillance of important diseases of major cereal crops, fruit crops, vegetable crops and important medicinal and aromatic plant under climatic change scenario.
• Development of weather based forecasting module for important diseases of major crops.
• Exploration on native bio-agent and botanical products for promotion of plant health.
• Development of biotechnological tool for study of variability in plant pathogens and development of transgenic plants for disease resistance.
• Development of IDM module for important disease of major crops,.
• Development of IDM module in vegetable, fruits and flowers under protected cultivation.

Teaching:

• Promotion of quality teaching and learning process through use of traditional teaching methodology in combination of modern pedagogy.

Extension:

• Counseling and diagnostic service to the farmers who visit the department for this purpose.
• On time/mobile advisory service to the farming to address their problem related to disease management in different crops.
• Frequent visit of farmer’s field to provide on the spot diagnostic service for diseases in standing crops.
• Farmer’s advisory service also through Kisan Mela, Kisan Gosthi, TV, Newspaper, magazines.

 Objectives/Goals:

• Release of varieties addressing against problems of the region.
• Providing technical guidance to ground level problems of farmers.
• Production and distribution of quality planting materials of various horticultural plants.
• Empowering students excel in various national and international level examinations.

About the Department of Nematology:

The Degree in M. Sc. (Ag.), Nematology was initiated in the year 1982 with the following objectives:

• To prepare the human resource for the researches and teaching in Nematology
• To do the researches in different crops, like vegetables, pulses, fruits, field crops and oilseeds in which the nematodes play a major role in causing 10-12 % losses on an average.
• To manage the diseases caused by nematodes directly as well as indirectly by inviting the secondary pathogens like bacteria and fungi increasing the disease intensity.
• Making aware the farmers and agriculture officials through different media about the nematode problems and the diseases they cause and also the eco friendly management of those nematodes

Facilities and Infrastructure: Adequate infra-structure are available like:

The Department of Plant Pathology has two smart classrooms with digital podium facility to conduct regular classes of M.Sc and Ph. D programme. Besides, the department has four well equipped laboratories, inoculation chamber and PHC to facilitate the research programme and practical classes.    Details of infra structure available in the Department is given below:

* Molecular work – Plant Breeding Lab, Entomology Lab. and AB & MB Lab.

The Details of infra structure available in the Department of Nematology are given below:

1. Class Room : One with smart teaching facility
2. Laboratories : Three (03)
1. Soil washing laboratory : having all facilities of soil washing and processing
2. PG laboratory : Full fledged PG laboratory having all the necessary equipments
3. Field laboratory : With screenhouse and microplots 

A. Department of Plant Pathology

Research Fields

Technology Released:

• Technology for Integrated Management of Panama Wilt disease of Banana released by 4th Group meeting of ICAR-AICRP on fruits at IIHR, Bangalore on 4-7 January, 2017 and 2ndRCM of RPCAU, Pusa – Dr. S. K. Singh
• Technology for Management of Panama Wilt diseases of Banana (Race 1 & 2) in Strict organic Farming Systemreleased by 4th Group meeting of ICAR-AICRP on fruits at IIHR, Bangalore on 4-7 January, 2017 and2nd RCM of RPCAU, Pusa – Dr. S. K. Singh
• Technology for Management of Papaya ring spot virus disease of Papaya under Agro-ecological condition of Biharreleased by 5th group meeting of ICAR-AICRP (fruits) at NRC, Banana at Trichurapalli, Tamilnadu for adoption in Tamilnadu, Gujarat and Bihar at national level in 2018 and 4thRCM of RPCAU, Pusa- Dr. S. K. Singh
• Technology for Management of diseases of Papaya under Agro-ecological condition of Biharreleased by 6th group meeting of ICAR-AICRP (fruits) at Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat in 2019 – Dr. S. K. Singh
• Package and Practices of Rajendra Gehun 1 released from 2nd Rabi Research Council Meeting (Rabi 2017) by Dr. R. K. Ranjan
• Nutrient Management in Betelvine by Dr. P. K. Jha
• Package and practices in Tulsi Cultivation. by Dr. Dinesh Rai

Faculty awards/ honours:

Research activities:

Publications:  Technical Bulletins: 15 / Text Books: 05 / Lab Manuals: 05

Teaching activities

Laboratories

Online Examinations (Seminar/Viva-Voce) 2020

Prof. P. K. Misra, Chancellor, Visited Department of Plant Pathology RPCAU, Pusa in 2017

B. Department of Nematology

Research activities

Technology Released

• Application of Paecilomycis lilacinus infected grain @ 30g per tree-basin over the control in citrus var. ‘Local Kagzi’.
• IPM of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in Betelvine bareja, the treatment with neem cake @ 500 kg/ha+ soil drench with carbofuran @ 0.1% plus three application of fungus, Paecilomyces lilacinus inoculated with neem cake @ 500 kg.
• Application of fungus, Paecilomyces lilacinus @ 8 g/ kg of soil significantly reduces root-knot disease and thereby increased the yield of Betelvine leaves.
• Application of neem leaves @ 40 g/ kg of soil was found to be the best followed by castor leaves for the nematode management.

Awards/Recognitions/Certificates:

Extension Activities:

1. Exhibition in Kisan Mela: Nematode related symptoms, losses and management
2. Kisan Goshthi in Kisan Mela: About nematode problems and their management
3. Farmers’ Training: Nematode problems in different crops
4. Nematode Awareness Programme: For the crop losses due to nematodes

Publications:

• Research papers: 60 • Book chapters: 20 • Manuals: 04 • Folders: 10 •Popular articles: 50 • Extension Publications: 10

UG Teaching
Field survey in UG and PG Practicals
PG Laboratory
Soil Washing Laboratory	Field Laboratory
Screenhouse
Smart Class
Survey in different fields for nematode-infested crops and training activities