bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of boron and zinc application on growth, seed yield and seed quality of water spinach (Ipomoea reptans Poir.) under terai region of West Bengal
Authors: Sarkar R. K. , Jana J. C. , Datta S.
Published: April 2018

The field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal to study the effect of boron and zinc application on growth, seed yield and its quality of water spinach (Ipomoea reptans Poir.). The study consisted of borax @ 0 (B0), 25 kg/ha through soil (B1) and 1.5 g/litre twice through foliar sprays at 15 days interval (B2) and ZnSO4 @ 0 (Zn0), 15 kg/ha through soil (Zn1) and 1.5 g/litre twice foliar sprays at 15 days interval (Zn2) and their nine treatment combinations (viz. B0 Zn0, B1 Zn0, B2 Zn0, B0Zn1, B1 Zn1, B2 Zn1, B0Zn2, B1 Zn2 and B2 Zn2. The results revealed that application of boron and zinc at all rates alone and as combinations markedly influenced all growth, seed yield and its quality parameters as compared with the control. Soil application of borax @ 25 kg/ha and ZnSO4 @ 15 kg/ha alone and as combination recorded maximum number of flowers/hill (282.6, 275.1 & 311.5), number of capsules/hill (238.2, 220.7 & 257.8), seed yield (1.22 t/ha, 1.21 t/ha & 1.32 t/ha), shelling percentage (67.14%, 67.06% & 68.76%), 1000 seed weight (38.05 g, 38.25 g & 41.16 g), germination percentage (86.6%, 86.3% & 90.0%), seedling vigour index (6.20, 6.26 & 6.63) and seedling growth rate (0.123, 0.123 and 0.127 g/plant/day), respectively over control. Maximum vine length, number of nodes per plant, average internode length and chlorophyll content of leaf were found in twice foliar sprays of bo-rax @ 1.5 g/litre (B2) and twice foliar sprays of ZnSO4 @ 1.5 g/litre (Zn2) individually as well as their combination (B2Zn2). Considering the benefit : cost ratio (B: C ratio), combination of both soil application of borax @ 25 kg/ha and ZnSO4 @ 15 kg/ha (B1Zn1) was found most economical (2.60).
Character association studies in grape accessions selected from Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Dolkar Tsering , Sharma M. K. , Kumar Amit
Published: April 2018

Characters association and path analysis was studied in fifty genotypically diverse grape (Vitis vinifera L.) accessions for 20 important quantitative characters. The genotypic and phenotypic association of yield was signifi-cantly positive with most of the studied characters except yield efficiency, berry weight and chemical characters. Yield was positively and significantly correlated (r) with bunch length (0.652), bunch breadth (0.584), bunch weight (0.946), number of bunches per vine (0.289), number of berries per bunch (0.672), berry length (0.337), berry breadth (0.363) and number of seeds per berry (0.612). Direct and positive effect was observed between yield and bunch and berry characters. Bunch breadth (1.538), number of bunches per vine (0.708), berry weight (1.112) ex-hibited a good amount of direct effect on yield and its correlation with yield was also positive. Hence it is clear from the present study that for selection of any accession in the crop due emphasis must be given on the yield and the associated characters which have direct and positive effect on the yield.
Screening for pod shattering in mutant population of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)
Authors: Vairam N. , Lavanya S. Anandhi , Vanniarajan C.
Published: April 2018

Mungbean, (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) occupies a unique position in Indian agriculture and has been grown under various agro-ecological conditions. It is cultivated in 1.61mha with production of 3.38MT and productivi-ty of 474kg/ha in India. Mungbean pods are thin and brittle when dry, so shattering is a major problem. The loss of seeds by pod dehiscence is one of the major reasons for low yield in mungbean; thus, reducing the frequency of pod dehiscence is an important objective in mungbean breeding. Induced mutations, have offered a single and short alternative to conventional breeding including isolation, screening, selection and testing generation after generation. In this study, variability was induced by gamma rays and Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) in two greengram geno-types viz., CO (Gg) 7 and NM 65. Screening for pod shattering was carried out in M2 and M3 populations of green-gram. The scoring for shattering was recorded at physiological maturity of the pod. The shattering percentage ranged from 14.56 (400 Gy) to 93.45 per cent (20 mM). A total of 100 shattering tolerant mutants were selected from field based on visual observation. These mutants were again scored under laboratory condition as per IITA method. A total of 12 mutants of CO (Gg) 7 and 10 mutants of NM 65 which were tolerant to pod shattering were identified in M2 generation and forwarded to M3 generation. These mutants were scored for pod shattering under laboratory con-dition and nine mutants viz., M26, M44, M46, M58, M70, M71, M84, M92 and M98 were found to be tolerant in M3 generation. This study on identification and screening of the mutants tolerant to pod shattering with high yielding potential will help to increase the production of the pods to a greater extent.
Studies on development and storage stability of dehydrated pumpkin based instant soup mix
Authors: Dhiman Anju K. , Vidiya Negi , Surekha Attri , Preethi Ramachandran
Published: April 2018

The study was carried out to develop and standardize Instant Soup Mix (ISM) from dehydrated pumpkin powder and to evaluate nutritional (moisture, sugars, protein, ?-carotene, fat, fibre and water activity) and sensory qualities (colour, texture, flavour and overall acceptability) for determining its shelf-life during a period of six month. It was packed in aluminium laminated pouches and was analyzed periodically for changes in quality. Among various recipes optimized for the development of soup mix, soup mix containing 20g pumpkin powder, 5g moong dhal, 15g tomato powder, 11.4g spices (salt and black pepper) and condiments (onion, garlic and ginger powder), 2g dried pea, 2g dried spinach, and 2g dried carrot was selected as base recipe for addition of different starch source viz. rice, corn and potato @ 10 g. From the nutritional analysis, it was observed that corn based Instant Soup Mix had higher ?-carotene (7.01 mg/100 g) and protein (12.65 %) content, while fibre (2.09 %) was higher in soup mix containing rice starch. It was observed that on the basis of sensory evaluation corn based soup mix was more acceptable. Therefore, results of nutrition and sensory evaluation indicated that a good quality ISM can be prepared by using corn starch. During the six month of storage, there was about 5.49 per cent increase in moisture, 3.16 and 5.27 per cent decrease in protein and ?-carotene, respectively, along with slight losses in total sugars, fat and sensory quality. Further, the product was stable for 6 months under ambient condition.
Genetic variability in CMS backcross generations and their maintainers in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: Garcha Karmvir S. , Dhatt A. S. , Sidhu M. K.
Published: April 2018

Twelve genotypes of eggplant in BC3, BC4 and BC5 generations of CMS-lines derived from Solanum ae-thiopicum × Solanum melongena cross along with their maintainers were evaluated for eighteen quantitative charac-ters at Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana. Analysis of variance depicted significant variation (P ? 0.05) for all the characters in all generations. High PCV and GCV values were observed for fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, number of fruits plant-1 and yield plant-1 in all generations indicating high variability in the germplasm. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was found for peduncle length, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, number of fruits plant-1 and yield plant-1 in all generations indicating the predominance of additive gene action for these traits. Thus, selections can be made from present germplasm for the development of improved CMS inbred lines with varying fruit traits.
Effect of storage periods and packaging materials on the proximate and chemical properties of frozen blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) at different exposure time
Authors: Odiko A. E. , Joseph E.
Published: April 2018

This research seeks to determine the effect of storage periods and packaging materials on the proximate and chemical properties of frozen blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) at different exposure time – 0 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours, on arrival at the laboratory. Frozen M. poutassou were bought and stored in a commercial cold room for 12 weeks at -10oC and packed in different packaging materials (Ziploc bag, foil paper and carton) with un-wrapped samples for analysis which lasted 90 days and was conducted every 14 days to measure the moisture, protein, fat, ash, fibre and nitrogen free extract (NFA) content of the fish sample as well as iodine value, peroxide value, saponification value, acid value, free fatty acid and hydroxyl value of fish oil. The result clearly reveals that during storage, the different packaging materials showed significantly (p<0.05) decreasing trend in protein, lipid, ash, fibre and NFA content with increasing storage period and time of analysis except for the moisture content that showed opposite trend. For the chemical properties, the saponification value, peroxide value, free fatty acid, acid value and hydroxyl value showed significantly (p<0.05) increasing trend in the different packaging materials with increasing storage period and time of analysis. While the iodine value decreased with increasing period of storage and time of analysis; the iodine, saponification, peroxide and hydroxyl values were not within the acceptable limits.
Impact of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature on wheat production under sub temperate climate in north western Himalayas, India
Authors: Rana Ranbir Singh , Pathania Ranu , Ramesh Ramesh , Sharma Sanjay Kumar , Thakur Shivani
Published: April 2018

Wheat is the second most important cereal crop and plays a key role in food and nutritional security. The study examines the impact of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature under limited irrigations on wheat crop using crop growth simulation models under sub temperate climate. The Info Crop model was validated using the historical data generated by the research trials of All India Coordinated Research Improvement Project at Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The model was run for 20 years from 1991 to 2010 for Palampur weather station. The results revealed 3.6 to 4.0 percent and 1.7 to 7.5 percent increase in simulated crop yield with 420 and 470 ppm CO2 respectively. The elevated maximum and minimum temperature by 1 and 20C with 370 ppm carbon dioxide reduced the anthesis period by 5-7 and 9-11 days respectively over the sowing window of November 15th to December 30th. Similarly, days to maturity also reduced by 4-5 and 7-8 days with 1 and 20C rise in temperature respectively. The simulated crop yield showed increase by 17.9 to 63.0 and 33.2 to 133.4 percent with 1 and 20C rise in temperature at 370 ppm CO2 under limited irrigations. The simulated grain yield at 420 ppm CO2 showed an increase of 23 to 69.7 percent with 10C and 39.5 to 123.5 percent with 20C whereas at 470 ppm CO2 level the increase was 27.9 to 76.1 at 10C and 46.4 to 133.0 percent with 20C rise in maximum and minimum temperatures respectively. Hence, simulated results of elevated temperature and CO2 levels proved to be beneficial in rabi wheat with adaptations strategy of limited irrigations under sub temperate climate of North Western Himalayas
Nanotechnological innovation for the production of daughter less Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Joshi Harshavardhan D. , Tiwari V. K. , Sharma Rupam , Gupta Subodh , Lakra W. S. , Sahoo Upasana
Published: April 2018

The aim of present work was to develop a new Fadrozole (FDZ)-loaded Poly (D,L-lactide-co– glycolide) lactide:glycolide (50:50)(PLGA) nanoparticles for effective delivery of the masculinization drug, Fadrozole, as an alternative to commercially available masculinization agents like testosterone (dietary supplementation of 17 ?- methyltestosterone) which are steroids and banned in most EU countries. The FDZ-loaded PLGA NPs were pre-pared by solvent displacement technique. The particle size of FDZ-loaded PLGA NPs was analyzed using LICOMP particle size analyser. It was found to be in the range of 60±66.7 nm to 560±66.7 nm with average size of 201.4±66.7 nm, where the Zeta potential was estimated to be about -20.82 mV, a series of experiments were carried out to induce masculinization using FDZ-loaded PLGA nanoparticles during the sex differentiation period. Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fry were treated with FTZ-loaded PLGA nanoparticles at dosages 5, 25, 50 and 100ppm/kg diet for 10, 15 and 30 days. The results indicated an increase in the proportion of males with dosage and duration of treatment. The male percentage was 92.35±0.86 for T7(50 ppm) at 10 days, 97.76±1.12 for T7 (100 ppm) at 15 days and 100 % for both T6 (50ppm) and T7 (100 ppm) at 30 days. This is first time done by using nanotechnology efficiently in Tilapia species which is very important Fresh water aquaculture species in present era. Which showed increase the male population with lesser dose of nano-encapsulated Fadrozole (FDZ) loaded PLGA nanoparticles drug as compared with naked control Fadrozole (FDZ) drug delivery.
Development of stripper harvester for paddy
Authors: Bhanage Girishkumar Balasaheb , Shahare P. U. , Aware V. V. , Dhandeand K. G. , Deshmukh P. S.
Published: April 2018

Konkan is the coastal part of Maharashtra between Western Ghat and Arabian seacoast. Rice is a major crop grown over 3.86 lakh hectares. Stripper harvesting technology, which strips only seeds and keeps straw erect-ed in the field present bright prospect for the development of small, light, efficient mechanism by reducing number of operation with increased capacity and lesser power compared to conventional cutter bar combine harvester. The big machines like combine harvester and high capacity threshers for harvesting and threshing have limitations. A proto-type of paddy stripper harvester was developed considering the limitation of Konkan like small, fragmented land, hilly, terrace farming and high rainfall. It consisted of stripping mechanism, grain tank, hydraulic system, steering system, gear box, engine, cage wheel and chassis. The arrangement of V-belt and set of pulleys were made to transmit power from gear box to stripper rotor. The effect of forward speed and peripheral speed on shattered and un-stripped grain loss was studied. The shattered grain loss was decreased with increase in forward speed whereas decreased initially and then increased with increase in peripheral speed. The un-stripped grain loss was decreased with increase in forward and peripheral speed. The performance of the developed prototype was found better at forward speed of 2.25 km/h and peripheral speed of 19.78 m/s. During final testing of prototype, shattered and un-stripped grain loss was found 5.95 and 1.89 %, respectively. The average field capacity and field efficiency of paddy stripper harvester machine was found 0.14 ha/h and 69.38 per cent respectively.
Morphological characterization of Ampelomyces spp., a hyperparasite of Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) powdery mildew
Authors: Athira K. , Ragupathi N. , Raguchander T.
Published: April 2018

Ampelomyces is a naturally occurring hyperparasite on powdery mildews. Survey was conducted in major bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) growing districts of Tamil Nadu during June 2014 to assess the incidence of powdery mildew and to collect different isolates of Ampelomyces spp. The results of the survey revealed that the disease incidence ranged from 15.54 to 63.45 %. Ten isolates of Ampelomyces spp. were collect-ed from surveyed areas of powdery mildew. Isolation of Ampelomyces spp. was done from powdery mildew infected bhendi leaf parasitized by Ampelomyces spp. using tissue segment method. All the isolates were identified by their morphological characters. The colour of the colonies in various medium was brownish black to greenish white. Most of the isolates showed radial and fluffy growth pattern with raised growth. The pycnidia of different isolates of Ampelomyces varied in their shape and were mostly ovoid, ellipsoid, cylindrical, pyriform to globose in shape. The size of pycnidia varied from 29.2-72.5×22.4-43.1 ?m. The number of pycnidia was found to be more in isolates viz., TNAU-AQ101 and TNAU-AQ103. Pycnidiospores are hyaline, unicellular and guttulate in shape. The pycnidial production was higher in TNAU-AQ101 and TNAU-AQ103. Application of agrochemicals is one of the oldest and most effective methods to manage powdery mildew disease. However, incessant use of these agrochemicals has many demerits such as development of resistance to pathogens, residual toxicity and environmental pollution. Hence, search for an alternative means for disease management is envisaged. The genus Ampelomyces are the major antagonists as an alternative of Erysiphales fungi being a significant group of phytopathogens.
Long-term application of fertilizers on chemical and biological properties of an Alfisol
Authors: Gowda R. C. , Veeranagappa P. , Gayathri B. , Hanumanthappa D. C. , Singh Muneshwar
Published: April 2018

A long term fertilizer experiment (30 years) at Bengaluru had been started during 1986 with eleven treat-ments and four replications in an Alfisol on finger millet (Elusine coracana) maize (Zea mays) cropping sequence. The results of the ongoing experiment after 27 cycles of finger millet and maize on changes in soil chemical proper-ties revealed that application of inorganics alone resulted in impaired soil fertility status (soil pH, organic carbon con-tent and available nutrients in soil were decreased) over balanced fertilizer application. There was a decline in soil reaction over the initial status and the maximum decrease was observed in 100 % NP (-1.46), 100 % N (-1.20) and other treatments. Application of 100 % NPK+FYM+lime maintained the soil pH (6.2) compared to all the other treat-ments. Organic carbon content of soil in all the treatments was higher (6.46 g kg-1) compared to the initial status; however, maximum increase in organic carbon content was registered on application of NPK+FYM. Application of 10 t ha-1 along with recommended dose of fertilizers and lime was found promising in term of sustaining crop and soil productivity.
Identification of heterotic cross combinations for various agromorphological and some quality traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Kumar Pradeep , Arya Vichitra Kumar , Kumar Ravi , Kamboj Gaurav , Kerkhi S. A.
Published: April 2018

A study was conducted to identify the best heterotic cross for various agromorphological and some quality traits involving 10 parents and their 45 F1s excluding reciprocals during 2012-13 and 2013-14. The higher magnitude of heterosis for all the agromorphological and quality traits was not expressed in a single cross combination. It varied from cross to cross due to diverse genetic background of their parents. The highest heterobeltiosis (35.68%, 11.11%, 11.44%), average heterosis (38.97%, 9.13%, 10.26%) and standard heterosis (31.09%, 7.84%, 10.41%) for grain yield, spikelets per spike and grains per spike respectively, was showed by HD 3095 x RAJ 4246 and this cross also showed highly significant (at <1% level of significant) heterosis for biological yield, flag leaf area, spike length and productive tillers. Whereas PBW 435 x RAJ 4246 were common for gluten content (8.52% and 7.72%), grain yield (33.11% and 33.64%), productive tillers (16.15% and 13.53%) and biological yield (36.27% and 21.98%) which showed superior average heterosis and heterobeltiosis respectively, therefore, these crosses may be exploit-ed in a national hybrid wheat breeding programme may offer genetic improvement in breeding for higher grain yield, agromorphological and quality traits in bread wheat. The presence of high heterosis for yield contributing compo-nents is not only for developing hybrids through exploitation of heterosis but also helps to produce transgressive segregants for developing of superior homozygous lines.
Effect of growth and yield parameters on Indian-mustard genotypes under varying environmental conditions in western Haryana
Authors: Kumar Yogesh , Singh Raj , Kumar Anil , Dhaka A. K.
Published: April 2018

An experiment was conducted in Rabi season of year 2014-15 at Research Farm, Department of Agril. Meteorology, CCSHAU Hisar, Haryana and field area was adjacent to agrometeorological observatory at 290 10' N latitude, 750 46' E longitude and altitude of 215.2 m with Split Plot Design as main plot treatments consisted of three date of sowing viz.26thOctober, 5thNovember, and 15th November and sub-plots consisted of three varieties (Kranti, RH 406 and RH 0749) with four replications. Various growth and yield parameters such as plant height, LAI, dry matter accumulation, partitioning and yield attributes were higher in 26thOctober sown crop as compared to 5th and 15th November at all the growth intervals. The crop sown on 26th October (1870.3 kg/ha) produced highest seed yield as compared to 5th (1525.5 kg/ha) and 15th November (1099.8 kg/ha). Among varieties, RH0749 recorded highest seed yield because LAI, biomass accumulates were performed better as compared to RH 406 and Kranti. There was significant interaction between growing environment and varieties with respect to growth and yield parameters. From the above study it was concluded that normal or early sowing of Indian mustard may be practisized for achieving higher seed yield and improved growth and yield attributes in western Haryana conditions.
A study on farmer’s perception on ill effects of agro chemicals in north eastern part of Karnataka
Authors: Shashidhara K. K.
Published: April 2018

The present study was conducted in Yadgir district of Karnataka to know about the perception of farmers on the ill effects of agro chemicals. One hundred and twenty farmers were interviewed personally with the help of pre-structured schedule. The results revealed that a large number of respondents had perceived delay in ripening (70.83%), less resistance to diseases (76.66 %), through emission of toxic gases (80.83%) and changes in soil organic matter decomposition (80.00%). Cent per cent respondents expressed resistance developed to pesticides by helicoverpa, spodoptera and parthenium and beneficial organisms like earth worms and predators were affected. Killing of natural enemies by pesticides affect Trichograma (80.00%) and lady bird beetle (75.00%), while handling agro chemicals cent per cent perceived it is going poison human body. The correlation indicates attitude towards chemical fertilizers, extension participation and mass media had shown positive highly significant at 1% level. Regarding factors influencing on agro chemicals land holding and education observe 50.63 per cent of variation. On the other hand farmers were suggested to make the availability of pest resistance variety by majority (83.33%) of the respondents.
Effect of chitosan and acetic acid on the shelf life of sea bass fillets stored at refrigerated temperature
Authors: Ahmed Nazrin Sultana , Dora K. C. , Chowdhury S. , Sarkar S. , Mishra R.
Published: April 2018

Considering the necessity on the use of chitosan and acetic acid as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agents, an attempt was made to study their effect on Asian sea bass fillets stored at refrigerated temperature of 4±1°C. The effectiveness of different antimicrobials (Chitosan and Acetic acid) were measured by disk diffusion method against five bacterial strains (E. coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas fragi) with 1% Acetic acid as (T1), 1% Acetic acid + 1% Chitosan as (T2), 1% Acetic acid + 2% Chi-tosan as (T3) and distilled water as control (C).T2 was more effective in inhibiting all the bacteria except Pseudomo-nas fragi. Treatment T1 was found to be more effective against it whereas the action of T3 on the bacterial strains was also effective but less than the other two treatments. Further, antioxidant property of the treatments were measured by DPPH method which indicated that T3 showed highest % of antioxidative activity (3.94%) followed by T1 (3.85%), T2 (2.62%), and C (1.788%).Thus, it is observed that the antioxidant activity was found to be increased with the increasing concentration of chitosan. Application of chitosan and acetic acid coatings on Asian sea bass ( Lates calcarifer) fillets successfully controlled the TVB-N values, PV and TBA values (p<0.05) when compared to control sample and among all the treatments T2 was found to be the best. Coating of chitosan and acetic acid on the fillets also resulted in improvement of sensory scores as well as acceptability under refrigerated condition.
Effect of altitude and seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) on soil properties in dry temperate region of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Sharma Abhay , Singh Virendra
Published: April 2018

Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is an ecologically and economically important plant species used for the enhancement of soil fertility, prevention of soil erosion and production of food and medicinal products in mountain ecosystem. Altitude and landuse are the major factors which conditions the nutrient status of soil. In the study six different altitudes (3390 m, 3520 m, 3560 m, 3615 m, 3790 m and 4040 m) above sea level in dry temper-ate region of Himachal Pradesh and three land use pattern viz., (seabuckthorn forest, willow forest and wasteland) were selected for the study and their impact was investigated on soil fertility. Soil properties such (pH, organic car-bon, available macronutrients N, P, K, S and exchangeable cations Ca, Mg) were determined following the standard procedures. The values of soil available nutrients under seabuckthorn varied as pH (8.2 to 7.8), organic carbon (1.05 to 2.35 per cent) N (125 to 205 kg ha-1), P (15 to 31 kg ha-1), K (94 to 284 kg ha-1), S (28 to 53 kg ha-1), ex-changeable Ca (8.56 to 10.20 cmol (p+) kg-1) and Mg (2.3 to 3.6 cmol (p+) kg-1), respectively. The soil nutrients in seabuckthorn forest were found much higher than willow forest and wasteland, especially organic carbon and availa-ble N contents. Soil nutrients were found to increase with increasing altitude and decrease with increasing soil depth. The results concluded that Hippophae rhamnoides had significant effects (p < 0.05) on soil nutrient conditions. Hence our study indicates that seabuckthorn has a big potential for soil conservation, ecological sustainability and restoration of Himalayan ecosystem.
Studies on biochemical constituents of sapota (Manilkara zapota L.) at different stages of ripening during storage
Authors: Bala Suman , Kumar Jitender
Published: April 2018

Sapota fruits (Var. Cricket Ball) of three different ripening stages i.e. mature(? 13 kg/cm2), half ripe (6-7 kg/cm2), and full ripe (2-3 kg/cm2), were packed with newspaper soaked with 3 dosages (1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 3000 ppm) of ethylene absorbent (KMnO4) along with control and stored at normal room temperature by packing in cardboard boxes. It was observed that specific gravity, ascorbic acid and total phenols decreased whereas cumulative loss in weight and malondialdehyde content increased with increasing period of storage. Fruits packed in different concentrations of KMnO4 soaked paper had less cumulative loss and retained more content of specific gravity, ascorbic acid and total phenols in all three stages. But less malondialdehyde content was observed. The effect of KMnO4 increased with increasing concentrations of KMnO4 in all three stages. As a result, more desirable content was noted in fruits packed with 3000 ppm concentration of KMnO4in mature fruits. This work relates to enhancement of shelf life of sapote so that it may be transported to far off places.
Sequential extraction of different pools of phosphorus in alluvial and acid soils of Uttarakhand
Authors: Pant Pawan Kumar , Ram Shri , Mishra Aakash
Published: April 2018

The sequencing and availability of inorganic and organic fractions of phosphorus at different days interval in two soils after the fertilizer (SSP) application was the objective of this investigation. The study helped to obtain the sequence of dominating pool of phosphorus at different days intervals and the rate of release in the soil. This sequential fractionation was used for two native soils i) Alluvial soil and ii) Acidic soil, with 0 to 80 ppm SSP/ 100 gm soil added in a pot experiment and the soil samples were analyzed at different days intervals started from 5 days to 60 days. The result revealed that amount of maximum total P fell in the range from 325.14 to 387.30 mg kg-1 and 284.60 to 330.25 mg kg-1 for alluvial soil and acid soil, respectively up to 30 days. In case of inorganic P fractions under alluvial soil the dominating species were like Ca-P > Fe-P > Al-P >Saloid-P, while under acidic soil the following order Fe-P > Al-P > Ca-P > Saloid-P was observed. These two observations also drew the concentration of organic-P fractions in soil. The work concluded that the availability of dominant phosphorus fraction up to 30 days received the maximum Ca-P concentration in alluvial soil and Fe-P up to 60 days in acidic soils, respectively.
A comparative analysis of phytoplankton diversity and abundance during monsoon season in selected beels (wetlands) of Assam, India
Authors: Kumar Jeetendra , Yadav A. K. , Bhattacharjya B. K.
Published: April 2018

Water collected from 8 selected floodplain wetlands (beels) of Brahmaputra valley basin were examined using both filtered method (FM) and sedimentation method (SM) for the assessment of phytoplankton diversity and abundance. A total 22 and 41 species were recorded by employing FM and SM, respectively. There was a significance difference (p<0.05) between FM and SM. Species and abundance of phytoplankton were lesser in FM than SM and it was due to exclusion of minute size (<25?) from net and maximum retention of species in sedimentation method. Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, Euglenophyta, Chrysophyta and Dinophyta were recorded during study period. Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta were dominant groups. Bacillariophyta was dominant group followed by Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta in FM while Chlorophyta was dominant group followed by Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta SM. Total phytoplankton densities were recorded from 35 cells L-1 to 3808 cells L-1 in FM while 1.55×104 cells L-1 to 12.33×105 cells L-1 to in SM. Diversity indices of phytoplankton were varied widely in FM and SM. Siligurijan beel and Bildora beels were considered more stable environment than other beels based on diversity indices.
Study on genetic variability in some agro-morphological traits of Brassica rapa L. (Brown sarson) germplasm characterized under rainfed conditions of Kashmir, India
Authors: Sultan Sheikh Mohammad
Published: April 2018

36 Brassica rapa L. (Brown sarson) genotypes were characterized during two successive seasons of 2013/14 and 2014/15 along with two national checks (Puas Kalyani and GSL-2) and one local check variety (Shalimar-1) to assess the extent of variability and amount of variation in agro-morphological traits of plant height, number of primary branches/plant, days to 50% flowering, number of seeds/siliqua, seed yield/plant and 1000-seed weight. Important traits of plant height varied from 58.35 cm - 95.36 cm, seed yield/plant from 3.840 g - 18.470 g and 1000-seed weight from 2.746 g - 4.377 g. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences at 0.05 level of probability among different genotypes for these characters during a particular year while differences were non-significant in all the traits excepting days to 50% flowering when data of the two years was compared. Highest variability, phenotypic coefficient of variation (33.89%) and genotypic coefficient of variation (30.99%) were recorded for the trait seed yield/plant. High heritability coupled with high to moderate per cent genetic advance was recorded for seed yield/plant and 1000-seed weight indicating that these traits can be improved through simple selection. Moderate heritability with low genetic advance was observed in all other traits suggesting greater influence of environment. Promising donor genotypes for all these traits have been identified for possible utilization in breeding programmes in the region.
Ecology and conservation of golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Authors: Ojha Aazad P. , Sharma Gautam , Rajpurohit L. S.
Published: April 2018

At north-west of India there is dry, semi arid region called as The Great Indian Thar desert. It lies between 24o and 35o 5’ N latitude and 70o 7’ and 76o 2’ E. Mammals of Thar desert includes the wolf (Canis lupus), the stripped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), golden Jackal (Canis aureus), the Indian desert fox (Vulpes v. pusilla), wild bore (Susscrofaspc.), black buck (Antilo pecervicapra), blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), chinkara (Gazella benneti), Hanuman langur (Semenopithecus entellus) etc. Golden Jackal is unique in distribution, occurrence, and survives at different environmental conditions in India including the hot desert. Present study has been carried out at Phitkasni village, situated south-east of Jodhpur city. Large population of golden Jackal has observed and data of their homerange, territory, inter-specific relation, conflict with human and mortality has been studied. It is concluded that regular monitoring and proper conservation management is needed in this area so Jackal and other carnivore like wolf, desert fox and hyena can also be conserved.
Into the Storm: Ecological and Sociological Impediments to Black Males’ Persistence in Engineering Graduate Programs
Authors: Burt Brian A. , Williams Krystal L. , Smith William A.
Published: April 2018

While much is known about how Black students negotiate and navigate undergraduate studies, there is a dearth of research on what happens when these students enter graduate school. This article presents the results of a study of 21 Black male graduate students in engineering from one highly ranked research-intensive institution. This article provides evidence of structurally racialized policies within the engineering college (e.g., admissions) and racialized and gendered interactions with peers and advisors that threaten Black males’ persistence in engineering. We argue for taking an anti-deficit approach to understanding Black males’ persistence in engineering. We conclude with implications for policy, practice, and research that could further improve the scholarship and experiences of Black males in engineering graduate programs.
Mechanical and metallurgical properties of pipeline steel manual arc welds dependent on cellulosic electrode coating
Authors: Cetinarslan Cem S. , Ozel Kaan , Tufan Mehmet
Published: April 2018

Spiral welded pipes of 1016 mm diameter and 8.80 mm thickness, made of St 44.2 (DIN 17100) structural steel and commonly used for drinking water pipelines were joined via coated electrodes through manual arc welding. In the welding process, cellulosic electrodes of three different brands were used, after which non-destructive and destructive testing methods and metallurgical probing were carried out for the parts joined. In this study, welding metal, fusion lines, heat affected zones and base material micro structural variations were experimentally investigated as well as tensile, hardness and bending tests according to electrode brands used for welded parts and interpreted through existing literature on the subject.
Gas Antisolvent Fractionation: a New Method to Obtain Enantiopure Compounds, a Case Study on Mandelic Acid
Authors: Kőrösi Márton , Sedon Attila , Komka Kinga , Sohajda Tamás , Székely Edit
Published: April 2018

Micronization processes involving supercritical carbon dioxide are rapid methods to produce fine particles. They also might offer the possibility of using less organic solvent than conventional crystallization methods leading to an environmentally friendlier processing. The separation capabilities of such processes are now demonstrated on the diastereomeric resolution of mandelic acid using (R)-1-phenylethanamine as a resolving agent, utilizing the batch type gas antisolvent fractionation as the separation method. A detailed study was conducted on the effects of the operational parameters pressure (12-20 MPa), temperature (35-55 °C) and co-solvent concentration (33-99 mg/ml). At 12 MPa, 35 °C and 99 mg/ml methanol concentration, a selectivity of 0.52 and a diastereomeric excess of 62% was reached. The same operational parameters were applied during the investigation of the recrystallization-based further purification of the diastereomeric salts, applying the resolving agent in molar equivalent quantity to a non-racemic mixture of mandelic acid. It has been found that the more stable (R)-1-phenylethylammonium-(R)-mandelate salt can be purified to de>98% through four additional recrystallization steps following the initial, half-molar equivalent resolution step.
Labisia pumila improves wound healing process in ovariectomized rat model
Authors: Ahmad Shihab Uddin , Shuid Ahmad Nazrun , Mohamed Isa Naina
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine the wound healing effect of Labisia pumila in the ovariectomized rat model. Ninety-nine Sprague Dawley female rats equally divided into nine groups; where five were control groups, and four were treated groups. The dressing was changed daily, starting from the wound induction until complete healing. The percentage of wound contraction was measured on day 0, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Three rats were sacrificed from each group on day 2, 5 and 8 respectively for evaluating of histological assessments. Wounds dressed with extract showed considerable healing and significantly healed faster compared to all control groups (p<0.05). Moreover, histological analysis revealed remarkable reduction in the scar width correlated with the enhanced collagen content and fibroblast cells, accompanied by a reduction of inflammatory cells in the granulation tissues. In conclusion, L. pumila may promote wound healing in postmenopausal rat model.

Video Clip of Methodology:

Ovariectomy and punch biopsy: 3 min 11 sec:   Full Screen   Alternate
A Basic Architecture of an Autonomous Adaptive System With Conscious-Like Function for a Humanoid Robot
Authors: Kinouchi Yasuo , Mackin Kenneth James
Published: April 2018

In developing a humanoid robot, there are two major objectives. One is developing a physical robot having body, hands, and feet resembling those of human beings and being able to similarly control them. The other is to develop a control system that works similarly to our brain, to feel, think, act, and learn like ours. In this article, an architecture of a control system with a brain-oriented logical structure for the second objective is proposed. The proposed system autonomously adapts to the environment and implements a clearly defined “consciousness” function, through which both habitual behavior and goal-directed behavior are realized. Consciousness is regarded as a function for effective adaptation at the system-level, based on matching and organizing the individual results of the underlying parallel-processing units. This consciousness is assumed to correspond to how our mind is “aware” when making our moment to moment decisions in our daily life. The binding problem and the basic causes of delay in Libet’s experiment are also explained by capturing awareness in this manner. The goal is set as an image in the system, and efficient actions toward achieving this goal are selected in the goal-directed behavior process. The system is designed as an artificial neural network and aims at achieving consistent and efficient system behavior, through the interaction of highly independent neural nodes. The proposed architecture is based on a two-level design. The first level, which we call the “basic-system,” is an artificial neural network system that realizes consciousness, habitual behavior and explains the binding problem. The second level, which we call the “extended-system,” is an artificial neural network system that realizes goal-directed behavior.
Betalains in Some Species of the Amaranthaceae Family: A Review
Authors: Miguel Maria Graça
Published: April 2018

Natural pigments are largely distributed in the plant kingdom. They belong to diverse groups, with distinct biochemical pathways. Betalains with colours that range from yellow to red-violet can de divided into two main subgroups: betaxanthins and betacyanins. These types of pigments are confined into 13 families of the order Caryophyllales and in some genera of higher fungi (Amanita muscaria, Hygrocybe and Hygrophorus). The Amaranthaceae family includes diverse genera in which betalains are present: Alternanthera, Amaranthus, Beta, Chenopodium, Celosia and Gomphrena. The biosynthesis of betalains and their general biological properties were reviwed in the present work. In addition, the types of betalains present in some species of the aforementioned genera, their stability and production, as well as biological attributes, were reviewed.
Heat Transfer in Non-Newtonian Flows by a Hybrid Immersed Boundary–Lattice Boltzmann and Finite Difference Method
Authors: Wang Li , Tian Fang-Bao
Published: April 2018

A hybrid immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann and finite difference method for fluid–structure interaction and heat transfer in non-Newtonian flow is presented. The present numerical method includes four parts: fluid solver, heat transfer solver, structural solver, and immersed boundary method for fluid–structure interaction and heat transfer. Specifically, the multi-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method is adopted for the dynamics of non-Newtonian flow, with a geometry-adaptive technique to enhance the computational efficiency and immersed boundary method to achieve no-slip boundary conditions. The heat transfer equation is spatially discretized by a second-order up-wind scheme for the convection term, a central difference scheme for the diffusion term, and a second-order difference scheme for the temporal term. The structural dynamics is numerically solved using a finite difference method. The major contribution of this work is the integration of spatial adaptivity, thermal finite difference method, and fluid flow immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method. Several benchmark problems including the developing flow of non-Newtonian fluid in a channel, non-Newtonian fluid flow and heat transfer around a stationary cylinder and flow around a stationary cylinder with a detached filament are used to validate the present method and developed solver. The good agreements achieved by the present method with the published data show that the present extension is an efficient way for fluid–structure interaction and heat transfer involving non-Newtonian fluid. The heat transfer around an oscillating cylinder in non-Newtonian fluid flow at Reynolds number of 100 is also numerically studied using the present solver, considering the effects of the oscillating frequency and amplitude. The results may be used to expand the currently limited database of fluid–structure interaction and heat transfer benchmark studies.
The Nuts and Bolts of Food Immunotherapy: The Future of Food Allergy
Authors: Anvari Sara , Anagnostou Katherine
Published: April 2018

Food allergies are on the rise and have a major impact on the quality of life of the food allergic child and their family. Currently, the mainstream treatment for food allergies is strict avoidance and elimination of the allergenic food(s) from the patient’s diet in order to prevent an allergic reaction. However, recent advances in research have presented new therapeutic options for food allergic patients that are potentially becoming promising alternatives to traditional treatment. Food immunotherapy is the most popular of these new emerging interventions and has been studied intensively over the last decade for various foods. In this review, we discuss this exciting new development that is aspiring to become part of the mainstream therapy for food allergy.
Realization of Graphene on the Surface of Electroless Ni–P Coating for Short-Term Corrosion Prevention
Authors: Wang Qin-Ying , Yu Jing , Xu Jiao , Fang Hao-Ming , Liu Shuang , Tang Yi-Rong , Xi Yu-Chen , Bai Shu-Lin
Published: April 2018

Graphene was first fabricated on the surface of an electroless Ni–P coating/carbon steel (Ni–P–G) to improve its corrosion resistance. Meanwhile, an electroless Ni–P coating (Ni–P) was heated (Ni–P–H) under the same condition as Ni–P–G for comparison. The morphological results showed that a wavy multilayer graphene was formed on the surface of Ni–P–G. The layer number of the graphene film was 5–10 according to the analysis of Raman spectra and observation by a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The ID/IG ratio calculated from the Raman spectrum revealed that the graphene growing at the grain of Ni–P–H had larger grain size than that growing at the grain boundary. The electrochemical results showed a higher Rp, a lower CPEdl, and a lower corrosion rate of Ni–P–G than Q235 steel, Ni–P, and Ni–P–H, indicating a higher corrosion resistance. In addition, the surface potential map achieved by a scanning Kelvin probe presented a more positive surface potential of Ni–P–G than Ni–P with the difference being around 375–750 mV, demonstrating a lower corrosion tendency of Ni–P–G.
Synthesized Mammography: Clinical Evidence, Appearance, and Implementation
Authors: Durand Melissa A.
Published: April 2018

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has improved conventional mammography by increasing cancer detection while reducing recall rates. However, these benefits come at the cost of increased radiation dose. Synthesized mammography (s2D) has been developed to provide the advantages of DBT with nearly half the radiation dose. Since its F.D.A. approval, multiple studies have evaluated the clinical performance of s2D. In clinical practice, s2D images are not identical to conventional 2D images and are designed for interpretation with DBT as a complement. This article reviews the present literature to assess whether s2D is a practical alternative to conventional 2D, addresses the differences in mammographic appearance of findings, and provides suggestions for implementation into clinical practice.
Novel Cathode Design to Improve the ESD Capability of 600 V Fast Recovery Epitaxial Diodes
Authors: Maresca Luca , De Caro Giuseppe , Romano Gianpaolo , Riccio Michele , Breglio Giovanni , Irace Andrea , Bellemo Laura , Carta Rossano , El Baradai Nabil
Published: April 2018

Silicon power diodes are used to design different types of electrical energy systems. Their performance has been improved substantially, as a result of a concentrated research efforts that have taken place in the last two decades. They are considered immune to electrostatic discharge (ESD) failures, since usually they withstand an avalanche energy one order of magnitude higher than that of the ESD. Consequently, few works consider this aspect. However, it was observed that during the mounting of power diodes in automotive systems (e.g., with operators touching and handling the devices), ESD events occur and devices fail. In this paper the ESD capability of 600 V fast recovery epitaxial diode (FRED) is analyzed by means of Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations, theoretical analyses and experimental characterization. Two doping profiles are investigated in order to improve the ESD robustness of a standard device and an optimized doping profile is proposed. The proposed design exhibits a higher ESD robustness and this is due to its superior capability in keeping the current distribution uniform in the structure in a critical condition such as the impact ionization avalanche effect. Both experimental and numerical results validate the proposed design.