Buffaloes are the backbone of the Indian dairy industry, where they contribute about 54.5% of the total milk production (Economic survey, Govt. of India 2008- 2009). Though anatomically the buffaloes are very similar to cattle, they are physiologically different in many aspects including early embryonic loss and high neonatal mortality (Banerjee, 1998) causing a heavy drain on economics of livestock production. A survey of 28 livestock farms spread in 14 states of the country depicted mortality rate of 27.03% in calves, 7.49% in young stock and 5.13% in adult bull (Rathore, 1998). Acharya (1988) reported 29.1% and 38.85% mortality in cattle and buffalo calves up to 3 months of age respectively. Ramakrishna (2007) reported higher mortality rates (51.8%) in buffalo calves below one month of age in Andhra Pradesh. Thus, higher neonatal morbidity and mortality are the major cause of economic loss in livestock production.
Pointed gourds are important vegetable crops for Indian grower; however, successful genotypic evolution is not easily achieved. Thus, an attempt has been made to generate and compile the relevant information on Genetic Variability studies on Pointed gourd. This book comprises variability in different genotypes and it will be of immense use to students and faculty of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUS), and to researchers and academicians of other teaching, research-and extension-related organisations of regional, national and international repute.
Vegetables are part of daily diet of people around the world. Therefore vegetables are important and need special attention in their cultural practices and production. There are numerous books available on production techniques of vegetable crops so I felt the need of single unique compressive source of information that includes different cultural practices of vegetable crops and this resulted in the Production Techniques of Vegetable Crops.