Semi-Mechanized Harvesting Solutions for Cultivated Fodder Crops

In case of harvesting and threshing, the level of mechanization in India is 60-70 per cent for wheat and rice and less than five per cent for other crops (Mehta et al., 2014) that include fodder also. Herrmann et al.(2011) established that overall area capacities of machine decreased the by 4-24 per cent on taking finer chopping length of 4-6 mm compared to common chopping length of 8-10 mm in the ensiling chain of maize - establishing that finer work in ensiling commands less capacities and higher input costs. Since there is a strong correlation between effective field capacity and both crop yield and field area (Amiama et al., 2008), it is advisable to go for appropriate machine for fodder harvesting depending on the requirement of crop and field. Semi-automatic machines provide comparatively low cost workable solution in such conditions. In semi-mechanized harvesting of fodder, cutting of crop is done by machine and subsequent operations of collection, gathering, feeding to chaffing machines and feeding to animals are done manually. Such machines are discussed here

Nanocomposite cotton fabrics with in situ formed copper nanoparticles using citrus lemon leaf extract as reducing agent

Nanocomposite cotton fabrics (NCCFs) with in situ formed copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using aqueous extraction of citrus lemon leaves as reducing agent have been made. The NCCFs have been analyzed by SEM, FTIR, XRD and TGA techniques and antibacterial test. The CuNPS have been roughly spherical in shape with a mean size in the range of 82-114 nm. The OH and C-OH groups of leaf extract has played an important role in the generation of the CuNPs in the NCCFs as established by the FTIR spectral analysis. The XRD analysis has indicated that the formation of CuNPs in NCCFs lowered the crystallinity of NCCFs. The thermal stability of NCCFs has been lowered by the CuNPs. However, the NCCFs with in situ generated CuNPs exhibited higher antibacterial activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and hence can be effectively used as antibacterial wound dressing and hospital bed materials

Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline nano-fibers

207-209Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers were synthesized by polymerization of aniline in the presence of hydrochloric acid as a catalyst and ammoniumperoxidisulphate as an oxidant by the chemical oxidative polymerization method. The product powder was pelletized with the help of hydraulic machine to study the XRD, SEM and SANS. The XRD pattern indicates semi -crystalline nature of PANI with interplanar distance 4.210Ǻ and 3.774 Ǻ, respectively. The SEM pictures show fiber like nature of particles. SANS experiment is used to find different parameters of these crystalline polymer nano-fiber particles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies are performed to find the sizes of nano structured polyaniline. </span

Nanocomposite cotton fabrics with in situ formed copper nanoparticles using citrus lemon leaf extract as reducing agent

760-765Nanocomposite cotton fabrics (NCCFs) with in situ formed copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using aqueous extraction of citrus lemon leaves as reducing agent have been made. The NCCFs have been analyzed by SEM, FTIR, XRD and TGA techniques and antibacterial test. The CuNPS have been roughly spherical in shape with a mean size in the range of 82-114 nm. The OH and C-OH groups of leaf extract has played an important role in the generation of the CuNPs in the NCCFs as established by the FTIR spectral analysis. The XRD analysis has indicated that the formation of CuNPs in NCCFs lowered the crystallinity of NCCFs. The thermal stability of NCCFs has been lowered by the CuNPs. However, the NCCFs with in situ generated CuNPs exhibited higher antibacterial activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and hence can be effectively used as antibacterial wound dressing and hospital bed materials

Not Available

Not AvailableStones on the surface of the soil enhance infiltration and protect the soil against erosion. They are often removed in modern mechanized agriculture, with unfortunate side-effects. We evaluated experimentally the influence of surface stones on infiltration, runoff and erosion under field conditions using a portable rainfall simulator on bare natural soil in semi-arid tropical India, because modernization and mechanization often lead to removal of these stones in this region. Four fields with varied cover of stones from 3 to 65% were exposed to three rainfall intensities (48.5, 89.2 and 136.8mm/hour). Surface stones retarded surface runoff, increased final infiltration rates, and diminished sediment concentration and soil loss. The final infiltration ranged from 26 to 83% of rainfall when the rainfall intensity was 136.8 mm/ hour. The reduction in runoff and soil erosion and increase in infiltration were more pronounced where stones rested on the soil surface than where they were buried in the surface layer. The sediment yield increased from 2 g/l for 64.7% stone cover with rainfall of 48.5 mm/hour to 70 g/l for 3.5% stone cover with rain falling at 136.8 mm/hour. The soil loss rate was less than 2 t/ha/hour for the field with stone cover of 64.7% even when the rainfall intensity was increased to 136.8 mm/hour. The effects of stones on soil loss under the varied rainfall intensities were expressed mathematically. The particles in the sediment that ran off were mostly of silt size.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableSubsistence agriculture under rainfed conditions and declining or stagnant yields on irrigated farmland has raised concerns about resource management and long-term sustainability in the subtropical, semiarid region of India. Soil quality assessment has been recognized as an important step toward understanding the effects of land management practices within an agricultural watershed. Th is study addressed the spatial variability of soil properties and their quality at the watershed level using geostatistical methods. Soil samples from the 0- to 20-cm depth were collected from 118 locations on a 100- by 100-m grid across an 88-ha watershed at Sakaliseripalli village in the Nalgonda District in Andhra Pradesh State, India. Geostatistical analysis showed that most of the soil parameters were moderately spatially dependent. An assessment framework, including a minimum data set, linear scoring technique, and additive indices, was used to evaluate the soil quality index (SQI). Principal component analysis identifi ed cation exchange capacity, exchangeable Na percentage, DTPA-extractable Zn, available P, available water, and dehydrogenase activity as the most important indicators for evaluating soil quality. A kriged map of SQI was prepared for the watershed. Th e SQI was higher in irrigated systems (3.01) than under rainfed conditions (2.53), and it was 2.61 and 2.53 in fallow and permanent fallow fi elds, respectively. In this study, potential soil loss calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation and crop yield were identifi ed as the quantifi able management goals; the results indicated that good soils having higher soil quality indices were also productive and less erosion prone.Not Availabl

Compendium of Lecture Notes of ICAR-Sponsored Short Course on ‘Assessment of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in agriculture’

Not AvailableNot AvailableICA

Not Available

Not AvailableThe various abiotic stress such as drought, temperature extremes, high–light intensities, ultra–violet radiations, problematic soils (saline, alkaline, sodic and acidic) and flooding adversely affect the growth, development and yields of plants. The productivity of almost all the crops is limited by these environmental constraints. These impacts are further aggravated due to climate change and inter–and intra–seasonal weather aberrations. With the available knowledge and emerging tools and techniques, the impacts of droughts can largely be addressed, if not eliminated completely. Drought planning must be viewed as a dynamic process requiring a continued attention and can be tackled in a dual manner by: (i) drought coping practices in a season based on drought intensity, and (ii) drought amelioration on a permanent basis. Management of rainwater, soil, cropping systems, real–time contingency measures, land–use diversification and building resilience at agricultural landscape level are the major strategies for drought proofing. Agronomic management practices to control temperature extremes should be based on local territorial agroclimatic investigations. Adjusting sowing windows of field crops and other agronomic management practices are critical to mitigate heat stress and to realize optimal yields. Application of exogenous protectants and management practices like nutrient management are vital in improving the plant tolerance against cold stress. The practices such as soil management, crop management, and foliar application of nitrogen–containing compounds and suggested use of waterlogging–tolerant varieties reduced the impact of waterlogging/ flooding. Agronomic management of drought, thermal extremes and waterlogging/ flooding need future major long–term and short–term strategies such as micro–level climate–risk assessment in various crop–production systems, monitoring and forecasting of climatic extremes: creating virtual weather station at microlevel, use of geo–spatial, drought assessment and monitoring at different scales using advanced tools and techniques, and validation and dissemination of abiotic stress and crop–specific real–time contingency measures as 2–pronged approach, i.e. preparedness and real–time implementation.Not Availabl