Reduction of a nilpotent intuitionistic fuzzy matrix using implication operator

A problem of reducing intuitionistic fuzzy matrices is examined and some useful properties are obtained with respect to nilpotent intutionistic fuzzy matrices. First, reduction of irreflexive and transitive intuitionistic fuzzy matrices are considered, and then the properties are applied to nilpotent intutionistic fuzzy matrices. Nilpotent intuitionistic fuzzy matrices are intuitionistic fuzzy matrices which signify acyclic graphs, and the graphs are used to characterize consistent systems. The properties are handy for generalization of various systems with intuitionistic fuzzy transitivity

Organic farming: Present status, scope and prospects in northern India

Organic agriculture has emerged as an important priority area globally in view of the growing consciousness for safe and healthy food, long term sustainability and environmental concerns despite being contentious in history. Green revolution although paved way for developing countries in self-sufficiency of food but sustaining production against the limited natural resource base demands has shifted steadily from “resource degrading” chemical agriculture to “resource protective” organic agriculture. The essential concept remains the same, i.e., to go back to the arms of nature and take up organic farming to restore the loss. Organic farming emphasizes on rotating crops, managing pests, diversifying crops and livestock and improving the soil. The rainfed areas particularly north-eastern regions where least or no utilization of chemical inputs due to poor resources provides considerable opportunity for promotion of organic farming thereby reflecting its vast but unexplored scope. However, significant barriers like yield reduction, soil fertility enhancement, integration of livestock, marketing and policy etc., arise at both macroscopic and microscopic levels; making practically impossible the complete adoption of ‘pure organic farming’; rather some specific area can be diverted to organic farming and thus a blend of organic and other innovative farming systems is needed. Adoption of Integrated Green Revolution Farming can be possible to a large extent, where the basic trends of green revolution are retained with greater efficiency and closer compatibility to the environment. This review paper attempts to present the recent global and regional scenario of organic farming particularly highlighting the scope, prospects and constraints in the northern areas

Relationship between incidence of Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee) and Chlorophyll content in leaves of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

The present study on biochemical basis of resistance against Leucinodes orbonalis infestation was conducted during the year 2011-2012. The results revealed that highest chlorophyll-‘a’- content of 0.497 mg/gfw was recorded in the susceptible genotype SHB-1.The lowest amount of 0.319 and 0.381 mg/gfw was observed in the resistant genotypes Brinjal-85 and Local long respectively, which were significantly different from other evaluated genotypes. The chlorophyll ‘a’content was positively correlated with the brinjal shoot and fruit borer infestation. Thehighest chlorophyll -‘b’- content of 0.442 mg/gfw was recorded at 70 DAT (days after transplanting). The amount of chlorophyll -‘b’- varied significantly among the genotypes at different ages and decreased with the age of crop. The average highest amount of chlorophyll -‘b’- was estimated in the genotype SBH-1 which was significantly at par with hybrid SBH-2. The lowest chlorophyll -‘b’- content was recorded at 40 DAT in the genotype Brinjal-85 followed by Local Long. The lowest amount of total chlorophyll was estimated in the resistant variety as compared to susceptible therefore exhibiting lowest level of infestation

Cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular characterization of Alternaria mali associated with Alternaria leaf blotch of apple

Alternaria blotch (Alternaria mali) causes severe foliar damage to apple trees in Kashmir. Twenty one (21) isolates of A. mali were collected from different locations and characterized for cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular variations. A. mali colonies varied in their cultural behaviour ranging from velvety to cottony, mostly appressed, with regular to irregular margins. Colour of colonies ranged between light to dark olivacious. Isolates impregnated media with colour ranging between grey to brown. Growth rate of isolates was between 5.86 to 8.21 mm/day with fast growth in isolate Am-13 and least in Am-5. Morphological variations in size, shape and septation of hyphae, conidiophore and conidia were observed in the isolates with significant variations in conidiophore and conidial septation. Average conidial size ranged from 21.36 to 31.74 x 8.34 to 14.48 μm. Isolates exhibited variations in incubation period, number and size of the lesions were produced. The dendrogram analysis, based on cultural, morphological and pathogenic studies, revealed variation within A. mali population. At 67% similarity matrix, all the isolates formed 2 clusters with 12 and nine isolates in cluster I and II, respectively. However, dendrogram on molecular (random amplification of polymorphic DNA, RAPD) basis revealed five clusters at 68% Dice similarity coefficient. There was no congruence between RAPD pattern and cultural, morphological and pathogenic characters. Isolates identical for one spectrum were often dissimilar for other spectrum. The results demonstrate existence of considerable variation in cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular characters of A. mali isolates prevalent in Kashmir valley.Keywords: Apple, Alternaria mali, variability, cultural, morphological, pathogenic, RAPDAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(4), pp. 370-38

The Persistency of the India-Pakistan Conflict: Chances and Obstacles of the Bilateral Composite Dialogue

This article investigates the underlying causes for the persistency of the India–Pakistan conflict and, on this basis, the chances and obstacles of the bilateral composite dialogue initiated in 2004. In particular, it wants to provide a theoretically grounded account of the factors that facilitated and constrained the bilateral composite dialogue process. Drawing on the regional security complex theory, this article examines the rivalry between the two South Asian nuclear powers on four levels of analysis: the domestic, the regional, the interregional and the global level. The analysis shows that there have been some substantial changes on all four levels in the recent decade or so and that these changes have provided more beneficial conditions for a peace process. These changes include, inter alia, India’s new regional policy, the consequences of the 9/11 terrorist attacks for the region and India’s growing power capacities. However, major obstacles to the India–Pakistan dialogue and a permanent conflict resolution continue to persist: the dominant role of the military in Pakistan, conflicting national identities and the still partially contested nature of statehood in India and Pakistan, which is in the case of Pakistan linked to the growing power of Islamic fundamentalists

Characterization of Biocontrol Agents Isolated From Temperate Region of India

Trichoderma species are potential fungal bio-control agents used against a wide range of soil borne plant pathogens. In the present study a total of 20 Trichoderma isolates viz., AT1, AT2, AT3, AT4, AT5, AT6, AT7, BT1, BT2, BT3, BT4, BT5, BT6, BT7, BT8, BT9, BT10, BT11, BT12, BT13 were isolated from vegetable fields of Kashmir valley and their efficacy was tested by using various biochemical tests. Thirteen isolates of Trichoderma viz., AT1, AT2, AT3, AT4, AT5, AT6, AT7, BT1, BT7, BT8, BT10, BT11 and BT12 were found to be positive for ammonia production. Similarly twelve isolates viz., AT2, AT3, AT7, BT1, BT3, BT4, BT7, BT8, BT10, BT11, BT12 and BT13 were found to be positive as far as the chitinase activity is concerned. In the IAA production assay maximum IAA was produced by isolate BT9 (6.605 µg mL-1) followed by BT6 (5.278 µg mL-1), while minimum IAA was produced by isolate AT1 (1.538 ìg mL-1). Only five isolates viz., AT1, AT2, AT3, AT4 and AT5 metabolized lactose and sucrose while seven isolates viz., AT1, AT2, AT3, AT4, AT5, AT6 and AT7 were found to metabolize maltose. Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) was observed to be produced by only three isolates of Trichoderma viz., AT3, AT5 and AT7. Trichoderma isolate AT3 qualifying most of the biochemical tests were morphological characterized as Trichoderma harzianum

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Not AvailableInvestigations were carried out from 2012 to 2016 in walnut germplasm block of Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir to study the effect of training and pruning systems on various traits in walnut (Juglans regia L.). Grafted plants of walnut were planted during 2000–01. Walnut is a monoecious plant, but during investigation of floral traits, two genotypes were observed, that did not bear male catkins continuously from 2012 to 2015 and behaved as gynodioecious, but, produced negligible rudimentary catkins in 2016. There is no report in literature regarding this kind of behaviour in walnut. These plants can be important from breeding point of view, which is otherwise a very tedious job in walnut.Not Availabl

Genome-Wide Association Study of Anthracnose Resistance in Andean Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Anthracnose is a seed-borne disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, and the pathogen is cosmopolitan in distribution. The objectives of this study were to identify new sources of anthracnose resistance in a diverse panel of 230 Andean beans comprised of multiple seed types and market classes from the Americas, Africa, and Europe, and explore the genetic basis of this resistance using genome-wide association mapping analysis (GWAS). Twenty-eight of the 230 lines tested were resistant to six out of the eight races screened, but only one cultivar Uyole98 was resistant to all eight races (7, 39, 55, 65, 73, 109, 2047, and 3481) included in the study. Outputs from the GWAS indicated major quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance on chromosomes, Pv01, Pv02, and Pv04 and two minor QTL on Pv10 and Pv11. Candidate genes associated with the significant SNPs were detected on all five chromosomes. An independent QTL study was conducted to confirm the physical location of the Co-1 locus identified on Pv01 in an F4:6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Resistance was determined to be conditioned by the single dominant gene Co-1 that mapped between 50.16 and 50.30 Mb on Pv01, and an InDel marker (NDSU_IND_1_50.2219) tightly linked to the gene was developed. The information reported will provide breeders with new and diverse sources of resistance and genomic regions to target in the development of anthracnose resistance in Andean beans