Certificate - Etheses - Saurashtra University

October. This period coincided with the fruiting phase or seed formation stage of
these crops. Pea seedlings were found damaged during the sowing period April-May,
and peas were damaged to maximum during June-July. Likewise potato seeds were
damaged at the time of tuber formation during September-October.
6.3.2.4 Extent of crop damage
In lower and upper Kugti village, affected crop fields were surveyed and farmers were
interviewed, and using random plot method, assessment of crop damage was carried
out in different crop fields. The results of this crop damage assessment were
comparable to the ones of ocular estimation. The crop damage assessment was carried
out in Tendei, Dalautu, Seri, Bharmani and agricultural lands near lower Kugti and
upper Kugti village during 2002-2004 (Table 7). Wheat, maize, barley, phulan,
bharesh, rajmash and vegetable crops were grown in these villages on rotational basis
in different years as shown in the table.
Although damage was recorded almost to all agricultural crops grown in this area, but
the quantum of damage varied considerably in different agricultural lands depending
on their locations. Agricultural crop field adjacent to forest and far away from the
village suffered greater losses than the crop fields located near the village. Amongst
all the crops, maize suffered highest level of damage by brown bear. Maize crop
suffered 10-35% damage by brown bears. Maximum damage to maize crop was 30%
that occurred in Seri agricultural land located about 2 km far from Kugti village, and
it was difficult to protect the crop especially during night time. Photograph 9 shows
guarding hut for protection of agricultural crops from depredation.
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