1 | P a g e

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and special
thanks to my guide teacher Dr.Sandeep Kumar for his constant support,
encouragement and direction, also for his valuable suggestions are
acknowledged without whose help it would not have been accomplished.
I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to all the members
in SARS especially Senior Agronomist Sir Baharul Majumder who has given us
the opportunity to do our project in SARS and for his inspiration. I also like to
thank our RAWE programme incharge Soma Deb who guided us constantly to
different units without whose help it would not have been a successful one.
I cordially would like to thank our chairman Sir D. S. Choudhary and our
principal Dr. R.R Dwivedi and my entire agriculture faculty for their support
and help during the RAWE programme.
I wish to express my heartfelt thankfulness to all the Unit
incharge who taught us willingly inspite of all the days work, motivating us and
helping us to do our work smoothly all through the programme. I would like to
mention the venerable time given by the incharge of Mushroom Lab-
Mousami Sharma who imparted us the training for Mushroom cultivation and
guided us at every step of the work.
At last not the least I would like to express my sincere gratitude
to my parents and other family members for their support, motivation and
financial help all through the project work. I am deeply thankful to them for
everything that they have done for me and nurturing me to be a good human.
With sincere thanks,
NI KI DEWAN.
B.Sc. Agri, 8
th
Semester.
(2010- 2014)






2 | P a g e

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
UNIT- I
ATTACHMENT WITH AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
INSTITUTE (SARS)
1. Introduction
2. Functions in SARS in agronomy unit
I) Evaluation on soil fertility status.
II) Evaluation on date/age of transplanting seedlings.
III) Evaluation on weedicide application.
IV) Evaluation on different spacing.
3. Soil testing laboratory
A) Lab reagent preparation for quick method of estimation
I) For k
2
O estimation.
II) For P
2
O
5
estimation.
III) For N
2
estimation.
IV) P
H
estimation.








3 | P a g e

B) Procedure for estimation
I) Organic carbon.
II) Observation.
III) Phosphorus estimation.
IV) Observation.
V) Potassium estimation.
VI) Observation.
VII) P
H
estimation.
VIII) Observation.
UNIT- II
ATTACHMENT WITH AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT (SRI)
1. Introduction.
2. Objective.
3. Four Novel Practices.
4. Nursery Management.
5. Seed Rate and choice of varieties.
6. Field preparation.
7. Transplanting of seedlings.
8. Wide spacing.
9. Water Management.






4 | P a g e

10. Weeding.
11. Nutrient Schedule.
12. Organic Inputs.
13. Harvest.
14. Why does SRI work?
15. Is SRI Sustainable?
16. Table Agronomic Comparisons of SRI data.
17. Conclusion.
UNIT- III
MUSHROOM CULTIVATION (OYESTER)
IN TRIPURA


1. Introduction.
2. Food value of Mushroom.
3. Types of Mushroom.
4 Objective.
5. What is spawn?
6. Media preparation.
7. Steps of spawn production.
8 Hygiene Maintenance.
9. Life cycle of Mushroom.






5 | P a g e

10. Mushroom cultivation.
11. Chemical sterilization.
12. Nutritive value of Pleurotus sp.
13. Composition of cultivated Mushroom and common
vegetables.
14. Disease & Pest.
15. Recipies.
UNIT- IV
AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY
1. Seed processing plants & industries.
(a) Introduction.
(b) Advantages of seed processing.
(c) Objective of project.
(d) Seed processing unit.
2. Fruit preservation & processing industries.
(a) Introduction.
(b) Method of preservation.
(c) Importance of post harvest management.
CONCLUSION
REFERENCE






6 | P a g e


I NTRODUCTI ON
RAWE is a Rural Agriculture Work Experience. In
this Programme we stay in villages and work with the farmers to get
opportunity to understand rural life and problems they are facing in
their day today life in Agriculture and allied activities. Through these
programme we teach by technologies to the farmers and also gain
knowledge from them. RAWE is a basis for developing an agriculture
graduates competence in functioning as an effective teacher,
researcher or extension professional in the transfer of agricultural
technology to the farmers.
In this RAWE programme I have worked in the State
Agriculture Research Station, Arundhuti Nagar. We have seen how the
trials are being done in the field before release as a variety or a method
in the Agronomy Unit. In the Soil testing laboratory we have done soil
testing ourselves. The Lab usually do the soil analysis send by the
farmers from different places of Tripura before taking up any crop, so
that they can use the fertilizers according to the soil conditions.
In Mushroom Cultivation we studied the cultivation of
Oyester mushroom in Tripura, preparation of media, production of
spawn and maintenance of hygiene during the cultivation period.






7 | P a g e

Mushroom can be cultivated in two methods in propylene bags or in
wooden cube.
UNIT- I
ATTACHMENT WITH AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
INSTITUTE (SARS) ARUNDHUTI NAGAR
SARS was established in the year 1969 with the initiation of the Agriculture
director. At the start of the research station only few units were functioning Viz.
The agronomy unit, plant breeding unit, soil testing lab etc. It is the only Research
station in Tripura. Here various trials are performed based on plant breeding, pest
Management, Agronomic practices etc. Generally at present there are 11 units they
are -
Soil testing laboratory.
Agronomy unit.
Pest management unit.
State seed testing laboratory.
Chief seed certification unit.
Regional Bio-fertilizer production centre.
Bio-control unit.
Pesticide testing lab/unit.
Processing plant unit.
Agro poly clinic unit / Information unit.
FUNCTIONS OF SARS IN AGRONOMY UNIT






8 | P a g e

Evaluation / trials for soil fertility status in SRI method
In this trial the fertilizers are given in different doses in different plot in split plot
design to check its best performance.
F
1
- N: P: K: 80: 40: 40 kg /ha.
F
2
- N: P: K: 40: 20: 20 kg/ha.
F
3
- N: P: K: 20: 1: 10 kg/ha.
F
4
- N: P: K: 40: 20: 20 + Azotobacter + Aspirilum + PSB.
F
5
- N: P: K : 20 : 10 : 10 Aspergillus + PSB.
F
6
- 15 tonnes of FYM.
F
7
- 10Mt of FYM.
F
8
- PSB + Azotobacter.
F
9
- Nothing / used as check field.
F
10
- Vermicompost, FYM, Green manure and Paddy straw.
THE SPLIT PLOT DESIGN
1
st
plot 2
nd
plot 3
rd
plot 4
th
plot
F
1
F
4
F
2
F
6

F
2
F
8
F
5
F
9

F
3
F
2
F
8
F
2

F
4
F
6
F
1
F
5

F
5
F
10
F
3
F
8

F
6
F
3
F
6
F
1







9 | P a g e

F
7
F
5
F
9
F
4

F
8
F
7
F
4
F
7

F
9
F
9
F
7
F
10

F
10
F
1
F
10
F

This trial is done to check at which dose the SRI method response well, to know
the exact quantity of fertilizer to be applied for its cultivation.
1. Evaluation on Date / Age of seedlings / Transplanting in SRI method
Variety : Tapaswini
N:P:K - 20 : 10 : 10
Spacing - 25 x 25 cm
This trial is generally practiced to observe the performance of the seedlings
transplanted in the main field according to the age.
First field :- F
1
- 10 days after sowing
F
2
- 15 days after sowing
F
3
- 20 days after sowing
In this trial, it is observed that the younger seedlings are more vigorous in growth.
The growth rate is faster whereas the older seedlings are slower in growth and
even the tillers is less in number as compared to the younger seedlings.
2. Evaluation on weedicide application in SRI method
Variety: Krishna Hamsa
N: P: K: 20: 10: 10
Spacing: 25 x 25 cm






10 | P a g e

This trial is done on the weedicide application. New weedicide is tried to
check the performance in the rice field in SRI method.
F
1
- Glyphosate
F
2
- Butachlor
F
3
- Bensulphurate
F
4
- No weeding
F
5
- Hand weeding
F
6
- Glyphosate + Butachlor
Generally the trials are made to see how this SRI method response to the
weedicides in compared to check (no weeding). Accordingly they suggest the
weedicide for the SRI Method.
3. Evaluation trial on different spacing in SRI field.
Variety: Krishna Hamsa
N:P:K : 20 : 10 : 10
This trial is done on different spacing to check the performance or
response of the seedling or paddy in SRI method field. The trial field is in the split
plot design or in random plot design.
Field (F1) - Spacing 25 x 25 cm
F2 - 20 x 20 cm
F3 - 15 x 20 cm
OBSERVATION






11 | P a g e

In this trial, it is seen that the field F
1
response well to the
recommended spacing as the spacing is quite sufficient for the growth of
roots both in row - row and plant to plant whereas in other field F2 the
response is little less to the spacing and in F3 the response is quite low. There is
not much growth in tillers.

Soil testing laboratory/unit
In this laboratory soil analysis is done. Soil samples are brought by the
farmers from different districts for soil testing before cultivation of any crop.
These soils are analysed for the content of the fertilizers or p
H
present in it. It is
estimated on K
2
O content, P
2
O
5
content, p
H
, organic carbon etc.
For K
2
O estimation:-
Morgan's solution (5 liter) : 500 gm sodium acetate + 150 cc glacial acetic
acid (water 5 liter)
Alcohol mixture : Isopropyl alcohol + methyl alcohol in 1: 1 ratio
Sodium cobalt Nitrate solution : Cobalt nitrate (50kg) + 300g sodium
nitrate (first mix with little water in 1 liter flask) + 25 ml glacial acetic acid.
Add 500 ml of distilled water, shake it until fumes comes out and keep it for
24 hours. Next day add more water to make it upto1lt.
For P
2
O
5
estimation:-
Bray No. 1 solution (20 liter capacity): Ammonium flouride 20.2 g + 40.4
ml of concentrated HCL volume it upto 20lt by adding distilled water.






12 | P a g e

Stainer's Chloride 5g + 12.5 ml conc. HCl, fumes come out after mixing
and heating.
Ammonium Molybdate solution: Ammonium Molybdate 15g + 3.0 + 304
ml concentrated HCl. Ammonium Molybdate mix with distilled water first
and volume it upto 1lt in a measuring flask, then pour 304 HCl in the flask,
steer constantly.
Dilution of Stainers Chloride solution: 1ml Stainers chloride + 65ml of
distilled water.

For N
2
estimation

Organic carbon 1(N)

P
H
ESTIMATION
Chlorophenyl red indicator preparation for 250 ml chlorophenol 0.1 gm + 2.4 ml
sodium hydroxide the mix, volume it up to 250ml. Preparation NaoH : Mix
40gm NaOH in 1lt of distilled water NaOH stock solution 1ml + 9ml distilled
water.
PROCEDUCER FOR ESTIMATION
1. ORGANIC CARBON ESTIMATION
i. Take 1 gm soil in a 50ml beaker.
ii. Add 5ml of K
2
Cr
2
O
7
solution.
iii. Add 10ml of concentrated H
2
So
4.

iv. Compare the colour in the colour chart.






13 | P a g e


COLOUR CHART
Organic carbon
i. Light brown - Very low
ii. Slight greenish - Medium
iii. Deep green - High
OBSERVATION
The soil sample is light brown which indicates very low content.

2. PHOSPHORUS ESTIMATION
1. Take 5 gm of soil.
2. Add 40 ml of bray's solution.
3. Shake and filter.
4. Take 2ml filtrate in 25ml volumetric flask.
5. Add 2ml Ammonium Molybdate solution to it.
6. Add 1ml diluted Stainers Chloride solution to it.
7. Compare the colour with colour chart.
Colour chart for P
2
O
5

1. Dark blue - High.
2. Medium dark blue - Medium.
3. Light blue - Low.
4. Colourless - very low.






14 | P a g e


OBSERVATION
The soil sample in the lab is colourless which indicates very low content
of phosphorus in the soil sample.
3. POTASSIUM ESTIMATION
1. Take 5gm of soil.
2. Add 25ml of Morgans solution.
3. Shake and filter.
4. Take 2ml alcohol mixture in a test tube.
5. Add 5 drops of cobalt Nitrate solution.
6. Add the filtrate up to 10ml mark.
7. Shake and allow standing for few minutes.
8. Compare the colour with colour chart.
COLOUR CHART OF K
2
O
1. Transparent low.
2. Non - transparent high.

OBSERVATION
The sample of analysis is transparent in colour. It is therefore low in
potassium content.
4. P
H
ESTIMATION
1. Take 1gm soil in a test tube.






15 | P a g e

2. Add a pinch of barium sulphate .
3. Add water up to the mark of the tube.
4. Add 5 drops of chlorophenol red indicator.
5. Shake and allow standing for few minutes.
6. Take reading in p
H
meter (lovi bon comparator).
P
H
COLOUR RANGE
1. Light colour - 6
2. Deep violet - 6.5

OBSERVATION
The soil sample for analysis is light colour. This indicates that the P
H
is 6. It is
acidic in nature. The soil samples are sent to the lab from different districts. The
samples have sample lot in it. The samples come from many farmers. These
samples are analysed 50-60 samples at a time. At the time of analysis the person
working in the lab keeps records of all the soil samples. After the analysis the
respective results are sent to the farmers. Depending upon the report, necessary
fertilizers are applied or given according to the necessity of the field soil.











16 | P a g e


UNIT II

ATTACHMENT WITH AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT

ON

SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION

(SRI)

INTRODUCTION :- SRI, A method of raising rice that produces
substantially higher yields with the planting of far fewer seedlings and the use of
fewer inputs than either traditional method or more modern method with more
water, chemical fertilizer or agro chemicals. It involves using different practices
for plant, soil, water and nutrient management.






17 | P a g e

SRI involves the use of certain management practices which together provide
better growing conditions for rice plants, particularly in the root zone, than
those for plants grown under traditional practices. SRI was developed in
Madagascar in the early 1980s by father Henri de laulanie, a Jesuit priest who
spent over 30 years in that country working with farmers. In 1990 Association
Tefy Saina (ATS) was formed as a Malagasy NGO
,
s

to promote SRI. Four
years, later, the Cornell International Institute for food, Agriculture and
development (CIIFAD), began cooperating with Tefy Saina to introduce SRI
around the Ranomafana National Park in eastern Madagascar, supported by the
U.S. Agency for International Development. It has since been tested in China,
India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with positive
results.
The results with SRI methods are remarkable. In, Madagascar, on some of the
poorest soil to be found and where yields of 2 tons/ha were the norm, farmers
using SRI are now averaging over 8tons/ha, with some getting 10 to 15 tons/ha. A
farmers have even got over 20 tons/ha. In other parts of the country, over a five
year period, hundreds of farmers averaged 8 to 9 tons/ha.
SRI methods have at least doubled the yield of any variety of rice that has been
tried No external inputs are necessary for a farmer to benefit from SRI. The
methods should work with any seeds that are now being used. However we do
need to have an open mind about new methods and a willingness to experiment.
With SRI, plants are treated as the living organisms that they are, rather than as






18 | P a g e

machines to be manipulated. The potential within plants is drawn out by giving
them the best possible conditions for their growth.
At first, the practices that constitute SRI seem somewhat counterintuitive. SRI
challenges assumption and practices that have been in place for hundreds, even
thousands of years. Most rice farmers plant fairly mature seedlings (20-30 days
old) in clumps, fairly close together,
With standing water maintained on the field for as much of the season as possible.
These practices seem to reduce the risk of crop failure. It seems logical that more
mature plants should survive better, that planting in clumps. Will ensure that some
plants will survive transplanting that planting more seedlings should result in more
yield and that planting in standing water means the plants will never lack water and
weeds will have little opportunity to grow.
1. OBJECTIVE :
Tripura has been striving hard to attain self sufficiency in food
grains and food security Adoption of modern seed-fertilizer irrigation technology.
Popularly known as HYV technology has more than doubled the production of
food grains during the last there decades. However the yield growth of rice has
level out. Yield response to modern inputs like chemical fertilizers and to water






19 | P a g e

has declined soil and environmental, degradation is accelerating. Profitability of
rice growing for farmers has declined due to increasing prices of inputs and
relatively stable produces price for rice. As an alternative technology to attain a
breakthrough and increase rice yields, hybrid seeds are being tried. But this
technology is heavily dependent on high cost modern inputs and has the associated
problems of soil and environmental degradation. Another alternative may be to
explore the potential of biotechnology for evolving new higher yielding rice
variety by overcoming the complex problem of disease and pest incidence
increasing tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and also improving rice quality.
But this technology will also be heavily dependent upon costly modern inputs
while at the same time it is a debatable technology with apprehensions about
possible health and environmental hazards.
The objectives / aims of the initiatives are as below:-
Substantial and sustainable increase in rice yeild, and the release of surplus
land for production of higher value crops.
Reduction in costs of production and rise in profitability of rice production.
Reduced need for high cost modern inputs like fertilizer, irrigation water
and insecticides.
Promotion of environment friendly sustainable agriculture.






20 | P a g e

1. FOUR 'NOVEL' PRACTICES IN PARTICULAR ARE KEY IN SRI
THEY ARE- i. Seedlings are transplanted early
ii. Less seed rate.
iii. Seedlings are planted singly
iv. Wide spacing (25m x 25m)
SRI method can be followed both in Kharif and Rabi season.

2. NURSERY MANAGEMENT
Rice seed is sparsely sown in beds prepared by mixing soil, cow dung, rice
hull/burned husk mixture forming 1.5 to 2 cm thick layer at the top of the nursery
bed. The rate of seedling should not exceed 20gm/m
2.
Immediately after sowing of
the sprouted seeds the seed beds should be covered by the thin layer of the soil
mixture prepared by mixing soil, cow dung rice hull/burned husk. Nursery beds
should be covered by paddy straw at least for 2days to keep the moist condition of
the beds which needs removal from the bed after emergence of the seedling
Usually the seedlings get ready for transplanting within 8-10 days after sowing.













21 | P a g e









Materials required for nursery bed preparation Nursery bed
preparation
4. SEED RATE AND CHOICE OF VARIETIES:-
The rate of seed is 5kg per hectare. In case of the finer grains the rate is
lowered down depending upon the grain type. All the paddy varieties i.e.
traditional, HYV, Hybrids can be adopted with SRI. At least 50% yield advantage
over tradition method is observed in all the varieties in the farmers field.
5. FIELD PREPARATION:-
The field should be ploughed 3-4 times before transplantation. At first
ploughing bio-fertilizers /cow dung may be used. At 2nd ploughing the soil should
be incorporated with chemical fertilizers in the recommended dose (N: P: K: 20:
10: 10kg/ha) Again during 3rd plough bio-fertilizer may be applied. Then the field
should be well level with plunker. For easy transplanting the field should be
carefully prepared with proper planting space. We can place sticks at appropriate






22 | P a g e

intervals along the edge of the field, then stretch strings between them. The strings
should be marked at the same intervals so that we can plant in a square pattern.
Water channels 25 cm wide should be made after 10-13 rows of seedlings.
This is to drain out excess water when not needed and to bring the water to the
field when needed.

6. TRANSPLANTING OF SEEDLINGS:-
Rice seedlings are transplanted early-when only the first
two leaves have emerged from the initial tiller or stalk, usually when they are
between 8 to 15 days old. The seedlings are carefully removed from the nursery
bed with a trowel and keep them moist. Do not let them dry out. The seed sac
should be kept attached to the infant root, because it is an important energy source
for the young seedling. Seedlings should be too transplanted as soon as possible
after being removed from the nursery within half an hour and preferably within 15
minutes. When placing seedlings in the field carefully lay the roots sideways in the
soil with a horizontal motion, so that the root tip is not inadvertently left pointing
upward. Careful transplanting of seedlings when they are young reduces shock and
increases the plant's ability to produce numerous tillers and roots during their
vegetative growth stage
SEEDLINGS ARE TRANSPLANTED SINGLY RATHER:
Then in clumps of two or three or more. This means that individual plants
have room to spread and to send down roots. They do not compete as much with
other rice plants for space, for light, or for nutrients in the soil. Root systems
become altogether different when plants are set out singly.






23 | P a g e

7. WIDESPACING:-
Rather than in tight rows, in SRI seedlings are planted in a square pattern
with plenty of space between them in all directions usually at spacing of 25cm x
25cm. The general rule is that plants should have plenty of room to grow. Leaving
wide spaces between each plant ensure that roots have adequate room to grow and
the plant will be exposed to more sunlight, air and nutrients. The result is more
root growth and more tillering. The square pattern also facilitates weeding.

8. WATER MANAGEMENT:-
With SRI, farmers use less than half of the water they would use if they
kept their paddies constantly flooded. Soil is kept moist but not saturated during
the vegetative growth period ensuring that more oxygen is available in the soil for
the roots.
Occasionally the soil should be allowed to dry to the point of cracking. This will
allow oxygen to enter the soil and will also induce the roots to grow and
"SEARCH" for water. After all when the soil is flooded roots have no need to
grow and spread and they lack enough oxygen to grow vigorously. Unflooded
conditions, combined with mechanical weeding result in more air in the soil, and
greater root growth means that the rest of the plant will have access to more
nutrients. When the soil is saturated air pockets (parenchyma) form in the roots of
submerged plants in order to transport oxygen. These air pockets take up to 30 -
40% of the root's cortex and probably impede the transport of nutrients from the
roots to the rest of the plant. More water may be applied before weeding to make
the process of weeding easier. Otherwise, water is best applied in the evening, and






24 | P a g e

any water remaining on the surface is drained in the morning. This leaves the field
open to both air and warmth during the day, flooded fields will reflect a good part
of the solar radiation reaching them and absorb less of the warmth which helps
plants grow. With SRI, unflooded conditions are only maintained during the
period of vegetative growth. Later, after flowering 1-3 centimeters of water can be
kept standing on the field considering possibility of acute moisture stress at grain
filling stage as is done with traditional practices. The field is drained completely
25 days before harvesting.
9. WEEDING:
Weeding is done by hand or with a simple mechanical tool. Farmers have
been supplied with thousands of Japanese paddy weeder and they find it
advantageous both in terms of reducing labour and of increase yield to use a
mechanical hand weeder. It has vertical rotating toothed wheels that churn up the
soil as the weeder is pushed down and across the alleys formed by the square
formation of planting. Weeding is labours intensive, it may take upto 25 days of
labour to weed one hectare but the increase in yield and ultimately greater income
to the farmer.






25 | P a g e




The first weeding should be done 10-12 days after transplanting and the second
weeding within of 14 days. At least 2-3 weeding are recommended, but another 1or
2 weeding can significantly increase the yield, adding 1-2 tons/ha. Probably more
important than removing weeds, this practice of churning the soil seems to improve
soil structure and increase aeration of the soil.
10. NUTRIENT SCHEDULE:-
In SRI, 70% of chemical fertilizer is replaced by organic fertilizer. Rice can be
cultivated with or without chemical fertilizer. But the field trials and
demonstrative experiments in the farmers field shows that SRI performs under
organic source of fertilizer. FYM, Bio-fertilizer, green manure, bay manure etc are
the organic fertilizers used in SRI practice. But the availability or organic fertilizer






26 | P a g e

is a problem for farmers of Tripura. Considering this problem we have
recommended the nutrient management schedule blending chemical and organic
fertilizer Nutrient schedule for Tripura condition.
N: P: K: 20: 10: 10 kg / ha as basal dose during Kharif.
N: P: K: 20: 10: 10 kg / ha as basal dose during Rabi
Bio-Fertilizer:
Azospirilum @ 4 kg / ha
Azotobacter @ 4 kg / ha
Phosphate solubilizing bacteria @ 4 kg / ha
FYM : cow dung / FYM /Neem oil / compost etc @ 10-15 mt/ha.
Bio-fertilizers are applied either before or after chemical fertilizer as it does not
Work together (12-15) days of interval during field preparation or after
transplanting.

11. ORGANIC INPUTS:
Initially SRI was developed with chemical fertilizer to increase field on the
every poor soils of Madagascar. But subcidies were removed in the later 1980s
and recommendations switched to use of compost and even better results were
observed. The compost made from any biomass (e.g.-rice straw, plant trimmings
and other plant materials) with some animal manure added is used. Banana leaves
also add potassium, cuttings from leguminous shrubs add nitrogen and other plants
such as Tithonia diversifolia and Aframomum angustifolium increase the
phosphorus content. Compost adds nutrients to the soil slowly and can also






27 | P a g e

contribute to a better soil structure. It seems fairly intuitive that some form of
nutrient input is necessary on poor soils if chemical fertilizer is not added.
Applying organic manure during initial land preparation along with
th
of the
recommended dose of chemical fertilizer increases the yield of following SRI)
TABLE: Showing response to organic manure:
Variety organic manure No. of panicle yield of paddy
ton/ha-1 per hill (ton ha-1)
NDR-359 5 42 6.75
Do Nil 38 6.25
12. HARVEST:
In SRI method, rice is harvested normally as in the case of conventional
method. When the grains become golden yellow, they are harvested by sickles or
by harvesting machine. 1-2 week before harvest the water should be removed from
the field. The moisture content of the rice grains should be 20-25% during
harvesting.
13. WHY DOES SRI WORK?
The concept of synergy appears to help explain why SRI works so well.
Here synergy means that practices used in SRI interact in positive, reinforcing
ways so that the whole is more than the total of its parts. Each of the management
practices used in SRI makes a positive difference in the field, but the real potential
of SRI is seen only when the practices are used together.
Rice plants under SRI have many more tillers, greater root development and
more grains per panicle. In order to tiller, plants need to have enough root growth
to support new growth above ground. But roots require certain conditions of soil,






28 | P a g e

water, nutrient, temperature and space for growth. Roots also need energy from
the photosynthesis that occurs in tillers and leaves above the ground. Thus, the
roots and shoots depend on each other.
SRI field look terrible for a month or more after transplanting because the
plants are so thin and small and widely spaced. In the first month, the plant is
preparing to tiller. During the second month, serious tillering begins. In the third
month, the field seems to explode with rapid tiller growth. To understand why, we
need to understand the concept of PHYLLOCHRONS, a concept that applies to
members of the grass family including cereals like rice, wheat and barley.
It is the period of time between the emergence of one phytoner (a set of
tiller, leaf and root which emerges from the base of the plant) and the emergence
of the next. The length of phyllochrons is determined particularly by temperature
but it is also affected by things like day length, humidity, and soil quality,
exposure to light and air and nutrient availability.
If conditions are good, phyllochrons in rice are five to seven days long,
though they may be shorter at higher temperatures. Under very good conditions,
the vegetative growth phase of a rice plant may last as long s 12 phyllochrons
before the plant begins initiating panicles and starts its reproductive phase. This is
possible and when the rate of biological growth is speeded up, so that many
growth intervals are completed before panicle initiations.
This is why it is best to transplant seedlings during the second and third
phyllochrons, so as not to disrupt the rapid growth which begins in the fourth
phyllochrons.








29 | P a g e

14. IS SRI SUSTAINABLE? HOW CAN WE GET SUCH HIGH YIELDS:
Little systematic evaluation has yet been done by plant or soil scientists.
However, here are few proposed explanations for:-
I) BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION (BNF)
Free living bacteria and others microbes around the roots of rice
may fix nitrogen for the plants. The presence of such bacteria has been
documented for sugar cane, which is in the grass family along with rice where
nitrogen fertilizer had not been applied, microbial action fix 150 - 200 kg of
nitrogen / ha for the cane. However, less nitrogen fixing occurs where chemical
fertilizers have previously been applied. It is known that about 80% of the bacteria
in and around rice roots have nitrogen fixing capability, but this potential will not
be realized where inorganic 'N' has been applied or possibly in anaerobic, water
logged soils.
II) OTHER RESEARCH
Suggest that plants can grow very well with extremely low concentrations of
nutrients, as long as these nutrients are supplied evenly & consistently over time.
We know that compost furnishes a low, steady supply of nutrients.
III) PLANTS WITH EXTENSIVE
Root growths have better access to whatever nutrients exist in the soil.
Extensive root growth can result when the roots of young seedlings have lots of
space and oxygen, and when the water and nutrient are scarce enough that roots
need to "go looking" for them. Such extensive roots may be able to extract more






30 | P a g e

balanced nutrients from the soil, including some scarce but necessary micro
nutrients.







15. AGRONOMIC COMPARISONS: SRI
TRIALS VS FARMERS PRCATICE
(RABI SEASON) 2001-2004-05
SRI Practice 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 Average
Tillers per hill 43 58 52 58 52.75
Effective tillers 28 39 32 37 34.00
Length of Panicle (cm) 21 22 20 22 21.25
Weight of 1000 grains (g) 22 23 24 23 23.00
1cm filled grains 12 11 13 10 11.50
Yield (tons the) 6.12 6.95 7.89 8.10 -
Farmers practice
Tillers per hill 17 21 16 18 18.00
Effective tillers 09 12 08 07 9.00






31 | P a g e

Length of panicle (cm) 21 18 16 20 18.00
Weight of 1000 grain (g) 21 21 26 20 22.00
% unfilled grains 20 15 19 25 20.50
Yield (tons/ha) 4.07 4.31 4.82 4.49 -

16. CONCLUSION:-

The system of rice intensification SRI offers an interesting alternative to improve
rice productivity. It is a system of practices that can bring about improvements in
total factors of productivity of land, capital, and water and labour simultaneously.
At first SRI can take 50-100% more labour but over time it may even require
less labour. Once techniques are mastered and confident is gained. Since yields can
be two, three and even four times more than with current practices, the returns to
both labour and to land are much higher, justifying the greater investment of
labour. Farmers are skeptical of SRI's benefit almost like magic at first, though
there are good scientific reasons to explain each part of the process.









32 | P a g e

UNIT III
MUSHROOM CULTIVATION (OYSTER)
IN TRIPURA CONDITION







MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
1. INTRODUCTION:-
Mushrooms are a group of fleshy, macroscopic fungi or edible fungus.
They are very unlike green plants because they lack chlorophyll and therefore
depend on the performed food for their nutrition. Toadstool is poisonous
mushroom that cannot be eaten.
From the earliest times mushroom have been used for food and have always been
considered a delicacy. Among the many novel sources of protein to bridge the
protein gap, mushrooms offer themselves as potential sources. In the modern
world today mushroom consumption is gaining popularity rapidly because of the






33 | P a g e

growing consciousness of the food value of this unique item of food. Today the
mushroom is no longer wrapped in the mystery and superstition of the days gone
by and through long and fruitful work of scientists. Down the ages we are now in a
position to cultivate mushroom artificially.
As stated, mushroom is a good source of protein and amino acid.
Its protein content varies between 19 to 40% on dry weight basis. Mushroom
protein contains most of the essential amino acids. Mushrooms are an excellent
source of folic acid which is given when treating various forms of anaemia.
Mushroom is reported to be excellent source of riboflavin (B
2
) and
nicotinic acid (niacin) and a good source of pantothenic acid(vit-B complex). It
also contains appreciable amount of thiamine and ascorbic acid.
The presence of different mineral elements like calcium, iron,
copper, phosphorus, increases the food value. The carbohydrate, content and fat
content of edible mushroom are quite low. The absence of starch in mushroom
makes it an ideal food for diabetic patients and for persons not wishing to put
weight.
In addition to its food value there is nothing to waste since the
entire mushroom can be consumed.








34 | P a g e

1. FOOD VALUE OF MUSHROOM:
Mushroom provides a rich addition to the diet in the form of protein,
carbohydrates, valuable salts and vitamins. As food the nutritional value of
mushroom lies between meat and vegetable. Investigation indicates that 100-200 g
of mushrooms (dry wt basis) is required to maintain nutritional balance in a
normal human being weighing 70 kg.
Experiments prove that mushrooms are well suited to suppliment
diets which lack protein and rightly been called "VEGETABLE MEAT"
3. TYPES OF MUSHROOM:-
There are several types of Mushroom, they are:-
1. Button Mushroom (Agaricus sp)
2. Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus sp)
3. Paddy straw Mushroom (Volvariella sp)
4. Dhingri Mushroom (Pleurotus sp)
5. Milky Mushroom (Calocybe sp)
6. Wood ear Mushroom (Auricularia sp)
7. Shitake Mushroom (Lentinulla sp)
With the success in artificial cultivation of various types of
mushroom especially oyster (Pleurotus sp) and white milky mushroom (calocybe)
indica demand for fresh mushroom more among general message of Tripura, many
growers are growing mushroom in scattered way all over Tripura, collecting their






35 | P a g e

spawn from State Govt. lab. So it becomes difficult for individual growers to
collect spawn from far distance from their place of cultivation. Moreover, as fresh
mushroom is highly perishable in nature, so its quick marketing and continous
supply in their locality or nearby market will be possible if cultivation is done in
cluster (15-20) growers.
Keeping these in view an integrated scheme has been prepared to establish a low
cost spawn production unit in place of cultivation itself ensuring continuous
availability of the spawn to the growers.

4. OBJECTIVE:-
As there is fairly good demand for fresh mushroom in various parts of
the state, jobs hard to come by the unemployed youths and cultivators of the state
may be encouraged to venture into entrepreneurship by way of mushroom
cultivation as well as spawn production which may emerge as one of the best
method of self employment in the state. To develop entrepreneurship on
production of spawn and cultivation of mushroom in an integrated way, the
scheme has been formulated:-
a. Low cost small spawn production unit (10,000 spawn / annum
b. Annual profit from cultivation of mushroom.








36 | P a g e

A) LOW COST SMALL SPAWN PRODUCTION UNIT
Materials required for establishment of low cost lab for 10,000 spawn / annum.

NON - RECURRING METARIALS
Sl No. Materials No Rate
Approx Cost
1. Pressure cooker (22 lt capacity) 3 3500/-
10,500/-
2. Kerosine stub 3 1200/-
3600/-
3. Aluminium ring (3cm dia x 2cm depth) 1005/-
5000/-
4. UV lamp germicidal 1 2000/-
2000/-
5. Spirit lamp 2 50/-
100/-
6. Inoculation needle 2 50/-
100/-







37 | P a g e

7. Wooden / Steel table with 1 5000/-
5000/-
laminated top & overhead wood with
3sides glass board upto 2/4th
(used as inoculation table)
8. Wooden table with aluminium 1 2500/-2500/-sheet top 8 x 3 x
3ft
9. Plastic tray (grilled) 8 90/-
720/-
10. Wooden Rag white painted for 6 1000/-
6000/-
Keeping spawn (5shelf)
11. Wooden Rag (3 shelf) white painted 2 750/-
1500/-
For inoculation room
12. Milk bottle 50 5/-
250/-
13. Hand balance weight 1 500/-
500/-
14. Plastic bucket (50 lt) 4 75/-
300/-






38 | P a g e

15. Plastic bucket (100lt) 2 500/-
100/-
16. Jerry can for storing kerosine 1 300/-
300/-
17. Wooden stole for lab worker 4 300/-
1200/-
18. Lab table laminated with 2 3000/-
6000/-
big drawer (4 feet x 2-5 feet)
19. Construction of 1 inoculation 1 7500/-
7500/-
Chamber with plywood
20. Miscellaneous itmes like
3330/-
glass apparatus, beakers etc
Total =
57400/-
Recurring items :- (200gm each packet) for 10,000/annum
Sl. Items Quantity Rate(Rs) Cost(Rs)
1. Paddy grain 1500 kg 8/- 12000/-
2. Calcium carbonate 50kg 80/- 40,000/-
3. Calcium sulphate 15kg 80/- 1200/-






39 | P a g e

4. Spirit Methyl alcohol 10lt 40/- 400/-
5. Savlon (liquid) 10kg 20/- 200/-
6. Non - absorbent cotton 50kg 160/- 800/-
7. Rubber band 10kg 20/- 200/-
8. Marker pen 50 20/- 100/-
9. Kerosine 500lt 10/- 5000/-
10. Phenyl 10lt 80/- 800/-
11. Potassium Permanganate 2kg 150/- 300/-
12. Poly propylene bag 50kg 120/- 600/-
13. Formaline 10lt 100/- 1000/-
14. Miscellineous unseen 60,00/-
Item Total =
49000/-
Construction of lab house with 30 feet x 20 feet pacca floor half wall, tin roofing
with 1 cubical for inoculation = Rs. 119,000/-











40 | P a g e

B) ANNUAL PROFIT FROM CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOM:-
A small size Mushroom production unit:- 8 crops / yr / 1600 crude / bag
each.
I. NON RECURRING EXPENDITURE Cost
i) Bamboo structure for keeping bag or cube 6000/-
ii) Sprayer / bucket / chopper 2000/-

II. RECURRING EXPENDITURE
i) Rented house 600/-
ii) Paddy straw (2.5tonnes) 5000/-
iii) Spawn (1600 x 8) 12,800/-
iv) Polythene sheet / bag (1600 x 2) 3200/-
v) Chemicals etc 1300/-
Total cost =
36300/-
PRODUCTION
1600 bag x 0.75 kg / bag = 1200 kg
Annual total income (Rs) = 1200 x 100(Rs) / kg = 1,20,000/-
Net Profit = Rs. 120000 - 36300
= Rs. 83700/year






41 | P a g e

= Rs. 6975/month approx.


5. WHAT IS SPAWN?
The Propagating materials used by the mushroom growers for planting beds is
called spawn. The spawn is equivalent to the vegetative seed of higher plant.
Quality of spawn is basic for the successful mushroom cultivation.
6. MEDIA PREPARATION
PDA media preparation with sterilization
INGREDIENTS
Peel potato- 200g
Dextrose - 20 g
Agar Agar - 20 g
Distilled water- 1lt
PREPARATION
At first reel the potato and cut it into small pieces, then boil it for 20-25 minutes in
water and filter the potato boil water by a piece of cloth. Add dextrose and agar-
agar in it. Stir it continuously and boil it for another 10-15 minutes. Then take the
media in a beaker and then pour 10ml of PDA media in 20-25 cm long test tube.
Steal it with non-absorbent cotton and sterilize it in autoclave at 15psi at a






42 | P a g e

temperature of 121
0
c for 15-20 minutes. In absence of autoclave, pressure cooker
can also be used for sterilization. In pressure cooker it is done for 2 days. First day
for 1 hour and second day again for 2 hours.
After completion of sterilization bring it out and keep at a slanting
position, so that the media inside gets condensed. These condensed media is used
for the inoculation of the mushroom mycelia. The inoculation is done from the
culture with the help of lode. It is kept in BOD with required temperature from
media, the culture is again inoculated to spawn for making mother spawn.
7. STEPS OF SPAWN PRODUCTION
Preparation of spawn
i. Take healthy and clean cereal grains (rice grain).
ii. Boil grains in water for 30 minutes.
iii. Remove excess water on sieve.
iv. Dry grains in shade under the fan (12-16 hours).
v. Mix CaCO
3
and CaSO
4
at a ratio of 3:1.
vi. Fill 200g grains in polypropylene bag (heat resistant).
vii. Plug the bags with the help of PP Neck or aluminum rings with
non-absorbent cotton.






43 | P a g e

viii. Sterilize the bags in autoclave at 15 psi/sq inch at a temperature of
121
0
c
for 1.30 to 2 hours.
ix. On next day shake the bags.
x. Keep the bags on laminar flow under UV tube for 20 minutes.
. xi. Inoculate the bags by pouring 20 gm mother spawn to each bag.
xii. Incubate the bags in incubation room.
xiii. Spawn is ready in 10-20 days.
8. HYGEING MAINTAINING OF SPAWN PRODUCTION
I) During spawn production hygiene is maintained in the incubation
room
by potassium permanganate or by fumigation Formalin + potassium
permanganate.
II) 2% Formalin is used for sterilization of materials used for mushroom
cultivation.
IV) Washing of feet with potassium permanganate before entering the
cultivation room of the door.
V) If any infection is observed in the incubation room or cultivation, a
gap






44 | P a g e

should be maintained in the following year.
VI) Clean the room with savlon or phenol.























45 | P a g e

9. LIFE CYCLE OF MUSHROOM

Mature Mushroom Cap Gills

Hyminium
Immature mushroom
button stage
Immature basidium
(n+n) (karyogamy meiosis)

Mycellium with
button stage Germination of basidiospore
(n)


Secondary mycelium Germ tube


Primary mycelium


Clamydospore

Clamydospore







46 | P a g e


10. MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
Generally in Tripura, Pleurotus sp. is cultivated as it can be grown at
35
0
c. Mushroom can be cultivated in two ways
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE OF OYSTER MUSHROOM IN
TRANSPARENT
POLYPROPYLENE BAG:-
Materials Required
1. Spawn = 1 no.
2. Polypropylene bag = 1no.
(size = 18 x 22cm)
3. Straw = 1kg
4. Jute sutli = 6"
The fresh well dried golden yellow coloured chopped (5cm)
paddy straw soaked in cool water for 24 hours and subsequently 2 hours in hot
water (80
0
c). After soaking in hot water allow excess water to run off. Place 15cm
layer of presoaked straw inside bottom of the poly propylene bag and spread one
part of spawn uniformly. Place another 10cm layer of presoaked straw above the
spawn layer and spread another part of spawn, like this way place rest 3 layers
straw and 2 part of spawn. Press the straw from upper side. Tie the month of P.P.






47 | P a g e

bag by jute sutli or thread and make 3-4 holes into the P.P. bag. Keep the bag in
the dark and shady room and sprinkle water (250ml/bag) on every alternative day
if necessary. In about 15-20 days, the straw will be covered with white mycellial
growth, then open the P.P bag completely. The first flush of pin heads appears in
about 20-25 days of spawning. At this stage sprinkle water twice daily and harvest
when the tiny pin heads grow into full sized mushroom 3 to 4 days later.
A third harvest is also possible from the same bag if proper care and management
practice are as followed. An average yield totals to around 600-900g from each
bag.

PIN HEADS OF MUSHROOM









48 | P a g e

CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE OF OYSTER MUSHROOM IN WOODEN
CUDE METHOD
Materials Required
1. Wooden would (size 45 x 22cm x 15cm)
2. Polythene sheet (1sq. meter)
3. Nylon rope
4. Fresh golden yellow coloured paddy straw
5. Press wooden board (42 x 20 cm)

Procedure
Select a protected shady place, chop straw into 1" long and dip in cold
water for 12-24 hours.
Drain out excess water and dip in hot water (80
0
c) for 2 hours and drain
out excess water and let it cool.
Place the wooden mould on smooth, clean surface, put nylon rope criss
cross inside the wood.
Place the nylon sheet over the nylon rope.
Divide one bottle / Packet of spawn into 5 parts and 6 kg wet straw
into 6 parts. Now place one part of straw and broadcast one part of spawn over the
straw layer and then place another layer of straw. Over the spawn layer inside






49 | P a g e

the wooden mould and press with the press board to make it compact. Continue
the placement of alternate layer of spawn and straw and press with the board. The
final layer will be of straw.
Wrap the material with polythene sheet previously placed and tie with
the nylon rope tightly.
Now take out the straw cube from the wooden mould thus prepared and
place on a rake.
After 10-15 days when the straw is completely covered with white
mycelial growth, remove nylon rope and the polythene sheet carefully
and place the straw crude in a shady place but never under direct sun
and water regularly so as to keep the straw cube always moist (avoid
excess watering)
Depending upon the species of mushroom and ambient temperature, the
first flush of pin head will appear from all sides of the cube in about 3-5
days after removing the polythene sheet.
Sprinkle water 2-3 times a day (but care should be taken so that pin
heads are not damaged.
With 2-3 days of appearance of pin heads the mushroom will be ready
for harvest.






50 | P a g e

After first harvest sprinkle water regularly to keep the straw cube just
moist. Second flush of rope appears in all out 10-12 days after 1st
harvest. A third harvest is also possible if proper care and management
practices are followed.
11. CHEMICAL STERILIZATION OF PADDY STRAW
Ingredients
i. 10 kg paddy straw
ii. 100 lt. water
iii. 12 ml formalin
iv. 5-7-5 mg Bavistin
v. 200 lit capacity water tank or any container (except iron)
METHOD
First take 10kg chopped (5cm) straw in the container. Pour 90lt water
in this container. Rest 10lt water has to be divided into two parts, in one part 5lt
water mixed with 125ml formalin & another part 5lt water mixed with 5-7.5g
Bavistin thoroughly. Pour both the water along with chemicals slowly above the
presoaked straw. Cover the straw with clean polythene sheet for 12-16 hours.
After 16 hours allow excess water to run off and dry the straw for half an hour in
sunlight. Divide this soaked straw in 10 parts, every past will contain 1kg straw.






51 | P a g e

Then cultivate mushroom by using each past, either in poly propylene bag or
wooden cube.
12. NUTRITIVE VALUE OF PLEUROTUS SAJ OR CAJ U I S GIVEN ON
DRY
WEIGHT BASIS
Ascorbic acid - 0.06%
Fat - 2.26%
Protein - 47.93%
Reducing sugar - 0.285%
Starch - 0.120%
13. COMPOSITION OF CULTIVATION MUSHROOM AND SOME
COMMON
VEGETABLES / 100G.
Name calories moisture fat carbohydrate protein%
dry wt basis
Beet root 42 87.6 0.1 96 (129)
Cabbage 24 92.4 0.2 5.3 18.4
Cauliflower 25 91.7 0.2 4.9 28.8
Green peas 98 74.3 0.4 17.7 26.1
Mushroom 16 91.1 0.3 4.4 26.9
Potato 83 73.8 0.1 19.1 7.6






52 | P a g e


14. DISEASE AND PEST OF MUSHROOM
i) Aspergillus sp.
Symptoms:- Powdery mass like charcoal
ii) Penicillicum sp:
Symptoms:- Green colour dustry
iii) Rhizopus sp -
Symptoms:- Spider net like structure
iv) Coprinus sp -
Symptoms:- The stalk becomes longer than usual and the cap
becomes
black.
MANAGEMENT
Discard the infected mushroom. It is because mushroom is a highly
perishable, it has to be consumed very soon, therefore it is not wise to
use the pesticides for controlling the diseases.
Pest
1. Sciarids
2. Phorids
3. Cecides






53 | P a g e

REMEDY : 1ml Endosulfan 35EC or Malathion 50EC 2 ml/lt water should
be sprayed. For Rodents zinc phosphate can be used.

15. RECIPIES
Mushroom is a nutritious, delicious and tasty dish. A number of
tasty dishes can be prepared out of mushroom. We can use mushroom by
preparing mushroom snacks, also by preparing different types of curry.
1. Mushroom ommellete
2. Mushroom pakora
3. Mushroom chop
4. Sauted Mushroom







Checking Moisture level of Paddy straw








54 | P a g e

UNIT-IV
AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY: SEED PROCESSING &
PLANT INDUSTRY FRUIT PRESERVATION
INDUSTRIES & FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES






AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY
As is known, Tripura's economy is predominantly agricultural. A large section
of our tribal people still practicing shifting cultivation. Because of the influx in
population and tremendous pressure on the plain land, there is massive
unemployment in the agricultural sector. To overcome this, modern horticultural
practices-under the Rehabilitation programme for providing productive
employment to the marginal farmers and shifting cultivators-will be continued
vigorously. Tripura grows one of the finest varieties of pineapple, jackfruit, orange,
guava etc. Recently, the tribal population has taken up vegetable cultivation also.
The food and fruit products have a very wide market, provided these are
scientifically preserved and processed. With adequate training programme, with






55 | P a g e

the active assistance of nutrition experts from the Government of India, food and
fruit processing and ventures will be given all encouragement. The existing
training centres will be strengthened and training facilities at new places will be
created. In consultation with the Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Forest
Departments, Special projects will be formulated for production of more foodstuff
for canning purposes. Preservation of fruits, fish, bamboo shoots and other fruit
products will be taken up under this programme.
Seed processing Industry:
(a) Introduction:- Seed has been an important agricultural commodity
since the first crop plant was domesticated by pre-historic man. For thousands of
years, man cleaned seed of his food crops by winnowing. This is still an important
process, but it is no longer adequate to supply the kind of seed needed by farmer.
Seed processing is a vital part of the seed production needed to move the improved
genetic materials of the plant breeder into commercial channels for feeding the
rapidly expanding world population. The farmer must get the quality seed that is
free from all undesired materials because farmers entire crop depends on it.
Seed can seldom be planted in the condition in which it comes from the growers.
In fact, many seed lots contain weed or crop seed or inert material that make them
unfit for sale without processing. Crop seed also frequently have stems, awns,
clusters or other structures, which prevent from flowing through the drill freely.
Seed processing is that segment of the seed industry responsible for upgrading seed
improving planting condition of seed, and applying chemical protect to the seed.
Undesirable materials removed during processing of seed are:






56 | P a g e

1. Raw seed 2. Inert material
3. Common Weed seed 4. Noxious weed seed
5. Deterioted seed 6. Other crop seed
7. Deteriorated seed 8. Other variety seed
9. Damage seed 10. Off size seed
An important factor to consider is the moisture content of the seed prior to
processing. Seed with moisture content above 15% are subject to excessive
damage in the processing line. In this case natural or artificial drying may be
necessary. Physical characteristics used to separate seed include size, length,
weight, shape, surface texture, colour, affinity for liquids and electrical
conductivity. Seed processing can broadly be divided into various steps as the seed
is received into the processing plant, it goes either directly into the cleaning
process or into storage to wait processing. Drying may be necessary. As processing
begins, the first phase (conditioning and pre-cleaning) consists of scalping,
debearding, shelling or any other operation necessary to make the seed flow easily.
The second phase (cleaning and grading) includes the removal of inert materials,
weed seed, other crop seed, and broken seed that are larger or smaller than the crop
seed and obtain the seed mass in the uniform size range of perforations of top and
bottom screen.
After the desired purity is obtained, seed enters the final processing phase
of separation based on specific characteristics like length, weight etc and treating
and packaging. Processed seed is stored for later sale.







57 | P a g e

(b) Advantages of seed processing
Make possible more uniform planting rates by proper sizing
Improve seed marketing by improving seed quality
Prevent spread of weed seed
Prevent crops from disease by applying chemical protectants.
Reduces seed losses by drying
Facilitate uniform marketing by providing storage from harvest time until
the seed is needed for planting.
(c) Objectives
The State Government has accorded high priority to the upliftment of rural
economy through the development of agricultural sector. Seed being vital input to
agriculture, continuous efforts are being made to ensure availability of quality
seeds to farmers in order to sustain the agricultural development.
In the present situation the demand of quality seeds is so high that any
government agency alone cannot meet the demand of quality seeds, which would
be required to fill by the private seed projects.
In view of above, the project has been formulated with the objective to
produce quality seed of paddy through scientific methods and adopting appropriate
processing through establishment of seed processing plant.
(d) Seed processing unit
i. Cleaning unit
ii. Grading unit






58 | P a g e

iii. Air separator unit
iv. Bagging unit
v. Electronic balance/weighing/ stitching unit

2. Fruit processing & preservation industries
(a) Introduction:
Tripura fruit processing industry is one of the principal small
scale industries that have mushroomed in the northeast Indian state. The climatic
conditions and topographical factors are conducive to the growth of myriads of
horticultural crops.
Several sweet and succulent fruits grow aplenty in the trees and bushes of the
orchards in Tripura. The state is famed for the production of pineapples,
particularly the "Queen" and "Kew" varieties. Oranges, cashew nuts and litchis are
also found in plenitude in the state. The fruits are fresh and juice and devoid of any
toxic chemicals.
In order to increase the state's revenue, fruit processing units
are being set up. These units, quite naturally will augment the net production of
fruits. Although the industry is not a very old one, it is rapidly burgeoning into one
of the state's major small scale units. The Government of India's NERAMAC has
set up a pineapple juice concentration plant at Nalkata in North Tripura District.
The plant is said to have an estimated capacity of 5760 TPA. The Tripura State






59 | P a g e

Government's venture, TSIC is also venturing into the fruit processing industry. In
fact, TSIC has opened up a fruit canning plant that produces fresh pineapple juice
and other pineapple plants with a net capacity of 400 TPA. The state has also
embarked into the dry fruit industry and set up units to process cashew nuts and
other dry fruit. In short, fruit processing is one of the major imminent industries in
Tripura that has tremendous potential for growth and development. The present
estimated annual production level of major horticultural crops is as under:





Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to
transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for
consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing
industry. Food processing typically takes clean, harvested crops or butchered
animal products and uses these to produce attractive, marketable and often long
shelf-life food products. Similar processes are used to produce animal feed
Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop
or slow down spoilage (loss of quality, edibility or nutritional value) and thus
allow for longer storage.
Pineapple 82,000 MT
Litchi 3000 MT
Orange 16,000 MT
Cashew 1,800 MT
Jackfruit 2,20,000 MT
Coconut 1,250 MT






60 | P a g e

Preservation usually involves preventing the growth of bacteria,
yeasts, fungi, and other micro-organisms (although some methods work by
introducing benign bacteria, or fungi to the food), as well as retarding the oxidation
of fats which cause rancidity. Food preservation can also include processes which
inhibit visual deterioration that can occur during food preparation; such as the
enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut.
Many processes designed to preserve food will involve a number of
food preservation methods. Preserving fruit, by turning it into jam, for example,
involves boiling (to reduce the fruits moisture content and to kill bacteria, yeasts,
etc), sugaring (to prevent their re-growth) and sealing within an airtight jar (to
prevent recontamination). There are many traditional methods of preserving food
that limit the energy inputs and reduce carbon footprint.
Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavor is an
important aspect of food preservation, although, historically, some methods
drastically altered the character of the food being preserved. In many cases these
changes have now come to be seen as desirable qualities cheese, yoghurt and
pickled onions being common examples.
(b) Method of preservation:
Heating to kill or denature micro-organisms (e.g., boiling)
Oxidation (e.g., use of sulfur dioxide)
Ozonation(e.g., use of ozone [O3] or ozonated water to kill undesired
microbes)
Toxic inhibition (e.g., smoking, use of carbon dioxide, vinegar, alcohol etc.)






61 | P a g e

Dehydration (drying)
Osmotic inhibition (e.g., use of syrups)
Low temperature inactivation (e.g., freezing)
Ultra high water pressure (e.g., Fresherized a type of cold pasteurization;
intense water pressure kills microbes which cause food deterioration and
affect food safety)
(c) Importance of post harvest management
The importance of post harvest management are as follows:-
To protect the crops from spoilage after harvest.
To add the values to the product for better economic return.
To make the produce available during off season.
Even distributions of food among the mankind.


















62 | P a g e

CONCLUSION
RAWE programme has been very great experiences for me. I have personally
learned many new indigenous techniques from the farmers which they adopt from
their own experience. In the Research Station we have seen how the trials are
been done in different patterns. Trials are usually made after the order from RRD
Hyderabad. At present the trials are done on SRI method.
It was a very exciting thing to know about SRI (System of Rice
Intensification) where only a single seedling is planted and about 64-72 tillers
develop from it. It was hard to believe for everyone although there were many
reasons to explain it. The ultimate result was extremely very big.

Mushroom itself is a very cute thing, so it was very pleasant & interesting
work. We had done the entire process /steps involved in mushroom cultivation
right from media preparation, spawn production to ultimate cultivation of
mushroom. These RAWE Programme was very much helpful. It improves our
confidence, sharpens our skills and makes us aware of the problems in the
agricultural field before we serve the people.









63 | P a g e

REFERENCE
1. Soil Science V.N Sahai, Dilip Kumar
2. Pedology- J.L. Sehgal
3. Mushroom cultivation J.N. Kapoor
4. Seed Technology- R.L. Aggarwal
5. Manual on Principals & Practices of S.R.I.-SARS--Agartala