Availability of improved varieties of seeds is one of the important factors that bring about an increase in the agricultural production. The effect of such factors as irrigation facilities, manures and improved methods of cultivation on the agricultural production is favourable if improved seeds are sown. The improved seeds of different crops suitable to the tracts, therefore, are of great value, especially in view of the present scarcity of food-grains.

Government too has been making efforts at propagating the use of improved seeds. However, it has met with partial response from the farmers. A majority of them are still apathetic to the change. Government, on its part, has taken this partial failure as a challenge and is making vigorous efforts to meet it. Institutions like taluka seed farms have been established where improved seeds to be supplied to farmers are grown. Information as regards the use of such seeds is also given at these farms. Upto the end of 1966, Government gave subsidy to the extent of Rs. 89,300 for growing improved seeds.

There are 15 taluka seed farms with an area of 969 acres in the district. The Agriculture department has recommended the following improved strains of crops for the district:­

Rice--EK-70, LK-248, Hybrid-HB-1.

Bajri--Niphad-26/15.

Tur--T/84.

Wheat--Niphad-146, 345, 49, 81.

Rabi Jowar--Maldandi-35/1, Hybrid Jowar-CHS-1.

Cotton--Deviraj.

Grapes--Anabeshahi, Italian Eliquine, Selection 7.

Gram--Chapha.

Groundnut--Faijpur-1/5.

Sugarcane--CP/419, co/740.

The traditional method of obtaining good seed supply prevalent in the district is to preserve the good seeds from the produce of one season for the next sowing season. The selected ear-heads of healthy and vigorous plants are picked up at the time of harvest and are preserved for the next sowing season. Those who do not preserve, obtain such good seed supply either by exchange from those who preserve it or purchase from the Agriculture department of the Zilla Parishad. There are some registered seed-growers in the district who also sell good seeds to the farmers.

The Zilla Parishad, on its part, is encouraging farmers to grow hybrid varieties of seed. The use of such seeds helps increase the production to a considerable extent. The Zilla Parishad also under­takes to supply hybrid varieties of seeds to the needy farmers.

Manures: Manures are essential to maintain fertility of the soil. The land yields low returns after constant harvesting unless doses of manures are applied to it. Manures not only fill the void created by constant harvesting but also increase positively the agricultural production. However, the application of manures, especially chemical fertilizers, has to be accompanied, at least, by minimum water-supply.

Fertilizers are of two kinds, viz., chemical fertilizers and green manures. The former include ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, urea, potassium nitrate, etc. Compost manure, night-soil (sonkhat), cow-dung, farm refuse, etc, comprise green manures.

In olden days chemical fertilizers were hardly known. The com­monest manure was the cattle-dung. The people used to store cow-­dung in pits outside the villages, and it was allowed to rot. As many as forty cart-load were deemed sufficient for an acre of garden land. However, the supply was always short, and was usually eked out by gathering rubbish, burning it on the fields and ploughing in the ashes. For sugarcane and other rich crops, hemp was sown and when the plants were two or three feet high, the land was ploughed and flooded, and the hemp, left for about 20 days to rot, formed an excellent manure. To enrich the land by sheep droppings, shepherds were encouraged to graze their flocks in the open field. For one hundred sheep for a night, the occupant used to pay as much as Rs. 2. Night-soil (sonkhat) was much used in and around Nasik. Nasik Municipality used to auction the rotted sonkhat. However, it was used where there was a good water-supply. Manures were used universally far early dry crops and infrequently for cold weather crops.

The use of fertilizers in the district has increased considerably on account of the initiative of co-operative societies in supplying chemical fertilizers. Formerly, it was in the hands of Government department and authorised sales agencies. However, small land-owners, even now, find it difficult to apply manures due to insufficiency of indigenous manures and comparatively high prices of chemical fertilizers.

In the third plan period 60,500 tones of chemical fertilizers were distributed in the district. The compost manure prepared in rural area amounted to 3,36,000 tones and was applied to an area of 66,500 acres. In urban areas, 19,000 tones of compost manure was prepared and was used in 59,000 acres. In addition, green manuring was also en­couraged. It was practised by sowing tag seeds in June and burying their vegetative growth in the field, by means of a hoe. This added to the nitrogen contents of the soil. In the Third Five- Year Plan, green manuring was practised in 15,737 acres.

Agricultural Research and Education: Agronomic research is of prime importance for the planned development of agriculture. It is one of the fundamental pre-requisites of agricultural planning. Agricultural research helps in devising the proper methods of intensive cultiva­tion, crop rotation, protection of crops from pests and diseases, mode of cultivation and use of improved seeds and manures. Hence, agricultural development and research should go hand in hand.

In Nasik district, a number of agricultural research centres have been started. The details about the research centres existing in the district are furnished below:­

Agricultural Research Centre, Niphad: This centre was started in 1932, and is by far the oldest centre in the district. It has under its jurisdiction 65 acres of experimental farms. This centre has done valuable work in evolving pest-resistant hybrid varieties of wheat seed. The other commodities on which research is carried out are bajri, gram, tur, cotton, onion etc.

Rice Research Centre, Igatpuri: This centre was started in 1941 as a secondary research centre. It provides research facilities in rice cultivation as well as ragi and vari cultivation. The centre has under its jurisdiction 35 acres of land where experiments are carried out.

Sugarcane Research Centre, Lakhmapur (Taluka Baglan): This centre was started in 1940. It commands land admeasuring 60 acres. Improved strains of sugarcane are evolved and distributed among the agriculturists.            

One more centre has been started at Lakhmapur where experiments on wheat are carried on. It commands an area of 13 acres.

Vadner-Bhairava Research Centre (Taluka Chandvad): The centre is engaged in the research on pests and diseases of different crops and how they could be prevented or cured.

Grapes Research Centre, Pimpalgaon Basvant: Nasik district is famous for grapes. To explore the possibilities of the development of grape cultivation, a research centre has been started recently at Pimpalgaon Basvant.

Besides, there is one agricultural school at Malegaon and one soil conservation centre at Nasik where scientific training in soil conservation is imparted.

Taluka Seed Farms: Taluka seed farms have been started in all the talukas. They evolve improved strains of seeds after research and experiment. Such improved seeds are multiplied and distributed among the farmers. These seed farms are located at the following places:­

Location of the seed farm	Taluka	Location of the seed farm	Taluka
Makhmalabad	Nasik.	Yeola	Yeola.
Dindori	Dindori.	Chandvad	Chandvad.
Surgana	Surgana.	Pimpri	Niphad.
Sakora	Kalvan.	Pimpalgaon Basvant	Niphad.
Lakhmapur	Satana.	Musalgaon	Sinnar.
Umarane	Malegaon.	Igatpuri	Igatpuri.
Nandgaon	Nandgaon.	Harsul	Peint.

Cotton Development Scheme, Malegaon: The cotton development scheme is implemented in the district through the Cotton Development Officer posted at Malegaon who guides and renders all possible help, technical as well as material, to the needy farmers. In addition, there are two sub-divisional soil conservation officers who look after the work of prevention of the soil erosion.