Effect of Phosphorus Solublizing Bacteria (PSB) on Growth and Yield in Tomato

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of phosphate solublizing bacteria (PSB) on growth and yield of tomato. PSB culture was applied through soil and seedling root dip before transplanting with two levels of phosphorus fertilizers, i.e., 75% and 100% of recommended P, and compared. Results revealed that application of 100% P with seedling dip in PSB 1:10 solution recorded significantly higher plant height (86.30cm), leaf area index (3.52), number of fruits/plant (16.32), fruit weight (77.75g), fruit yield/plant (1125g) and yield (392.26 q/ha) compared to other treatment combinations, except 100% P with 5kg/ha soil application of PSB. The same treatment also recorded the highest (3.41) cost:benefit ratio. However, no significant difference was noticed in 100% recommended P with seedling dip in PSB solution, or soil application

Yield and Economic Viability of Coriander under Frontline Demonstration in Bundi District of Rajasthan

A study was conducted in Bundi district of Rajasthan to analyze yield and economics of coriander under frontline demonstration. Results of the study revealed that yields in coriander were substantially higher over the Local Check (Control), fetching the participating farmers a higher price for their produce. A majority of the respondent farmers expressed high (44.32%) to very high (37.50%) level of satisfaction with extension services and performance of the technology under the demonstration

Analysis of role performance of women in farm activities

ABSTRAC

Recent approaches in nitrogen management for sustainable agricultural production and eco-safety

Among plant nutrients, nitrogen (N) is the most important. Its importance as a growth- and yield-determining nutrient has led to large and rapid increases in N application rates, but often with poor use efficiency. Nitrogen management requires special attention in its use so that the large losses can be minimized and the efficiency maximized. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) has been found especially useful to achieve the goals of improved productivity and higher N use efficiency (NUE). Leaf color charts and chlorophyll meters assist in the prediction of crop N needs for rice and wheat, leading to greater N-fertilizer efficiency at various yield levels. Crop simulation models can be used in combination with field information and actual weather data to make recommendations to achieve higher NUE. Remote sensing tools are also used to predict crop N demands precisely. At the same time, traditional techniques like balanced fertilization, integrated N management (INM), use of nitrification inhibitors and slow-release nitrogenous fertilizers (SRNF), split application and nutrient budgeting, among others, are also used to supplement recent N management techniques to attain higher productivity and NUE, and reduce environmental pollution through the leakage of fertilizer N

Neuronal circuitry for pain processing in the dorsal horn

Neurons in the spinal dorsal horn process sensory information, which is then transmitted to several brain regions, including those responsible for pain perception. The dorsal horn provides numerous potential targets for the development of novel analgesics and is thought to undergo changes that contribute to the exaggerated pain felt after nerve injury and inflammation. Despite its obvious importance, we still know little about the neuronal circuits that process sensory information, mainly because of the heterogeneity of the various neuronal components that make up these circuits. Recent studies have begun to shed light on the neuronal organization and circuitry of this complex region

CGRPα-Expressing Sensory Neurons Respond to Stimuli that Evoke Sensations of Pain and Itch

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRPα, encoded by Calca) is a classic marker of nociceptive dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Despite years of research, it is unclear what stimuli these neurons detect in vitro or in vivo. To facilitate functional studies of these neurons, we genetically targeted an axonal tracer (farnesylated enhanced green fluorescent protein; GFP) and a LoxP-stopped cell ablation construct (human diphtheria toxin receptor; DTR) to the Calca locus. In culture, 10–50% (depending on ligand) of all CGRPα-GFP-positive (+) neurons responded to capsaicin, mustard oil, menthol, acidic pH, ATP, and pruritogens (histamine and chloroquine), suggesting a role for peptidergic neurons in detecting noxious stimuli and itch. In contrast, few (2.2±1.3%) CGRPα-GFP+ neurons responded to the TRPM8-selective cooling agent icilin. In adult mice, CGRPα-GFP+ cell bodies were located in the DRG, spinal cord (motor neurons and dorsal horn neurons), brain and thyroid—reproducibly marking all cell types known to express Calca. Half of all CGRPα-GFP+ DRG neurons expressed TRPV1, ∼25% expressed neurofilament-200, <10% contained nonpeptidergic markers (IB4 and Prostatic acid phosphatase) and almost none (<1%) expressed TRPM8. CGRPα-GFP+ neurons innervated the dorsal spinal cord and innervated cutaneous and visceral tissues. This included nerve endings in the epidermis and on guard hairs. Our study provides direct evidence that CGRPα+ DRG neurons respond to agonists that evoke pain and itch and constitute a sensory circuit that is largely distinct from nonpeptidergic circuits and TRPM8+/cool temperature circuits. In future studies, it should be possible to conditionally ablate CGRPα-expressing neurons to evaluate sensory and non-sensory functions for these neurons

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants’ interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses

Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships between verbal anchors from different dimensions that are assessed (e.g. thermal sensation and comfort) do not change. Another inherent assumption is that such scales are independent of the context in which they are used (climate zone, season, etc.). Despite their use worldwide, there is indication that contextual differences influence the way the scales are perceived and therefore question the reliability of the scales’ interpretation. To address this issue, a large international collaborative questionnaire study was conducted in 26 countries, using 21 different languages, which led to a dataset of 8225 questionnaires. Results, analysed by means of robust statistical techniques, revealed that only a subset of the responses are in accordance with the mentioned assumptions. Significant differences appeared between groups of participants in their perception of the scales, both in relation to distances of the anchors and relationships between scales. It was also found that respondents’ interpretations of scales changed with contextual factors, such as climate, season, and language. These findings highlight the need to carefully consider context-dependent factors in interpreting and reporting results from thermal comfort studies or post-occupancy evaluations, as well as to revisit the use of rating scales and the analysis methods used in thermal comfort studies to improve their reliability

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants' interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses

Inorganic Polyphosphate Modulates TRPM8 Channels

Polyphosphate (polyP) is an inorganic polymer built of tens to hundreds of phosphates, linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. PolyP forms complexes and modulates activities of many proteins including ion channels. Here we investigated the role of polyP in the function of the transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) channel. Using whole-cell patch-clamp and fluorescent calcium measurements we demonstrate that enzymatic breakdown of polyP by exopolyphosphatase (scPPX1) inhibits channel activity in human embryonic kidney and F-11 neuronal cells expressing TRPM8. We demonstrate that the TRPM8 channel protein is associated with polyP. Furthermore, addition of scPPX1 altered the voltage-dependence and blocked the activity of the purified TRPM8 channels reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers, where the activity of the channel was initiated by cold and menthol in the presence of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2). The biochemical analysis of the TRPM8 protein also uncovered the presence of poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), which is frequently associated with polyP. We conclude that the TRPM8 protein forms a stable complex with polyP and its presence is essential for normal channel activity