Performance of strawberry cultivars in mid hill region of Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh

The present study was carried out to evaluate the performance of strawberry cultivars in mid hill region of Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh. For this purpose nine strawberry cultivars viz Addie, Belrubi, Brighton, Chandler, Dana, Etna, Fern, Pajaro and Selva were planted at spacing of 30 x 15 cm in double rows on raised beds of 1m × 3m size at Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station, Bajaura, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized block design. The maximum plant height (16.37cm) was recorded with cv. Belrubi and maximum plant spread was attained by cv. Fern (EW 23.27 cm and NS 21.03 cm), maximum leaf length (16.90 cm) was recorded by cv. Belrubi and minimum (10.00 cm) with cv. Dana. The maximum leaf area was recorded with Chandler (76.03 cm2). The maximum fruit weight (14.93gm), total soluble solids (12.00oB), reducing sugars (5.01%) and total sugars (5.44%) were recorded with cv. Chandler. The maximum fruit yield per plant was observed with cv. Belrubi (996.3g/plant) which was closely followed by cv. Chandler (966.7 g/plant). Thus from the above studies it is concluded that Strawberry cultivars Belrubi and Chandler were best for commercial cultivation in mid hill region of Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh

Waste management: a study on Raipur waste management private limited

Waste management: a study on Raipur waste management private limite

An implementation and evaluation of distributed information system based on the OSCA architecture guidelines

The concepts in this thesis discuss and evaluate the need for systems integration. As a conceptual architecture, the OSCATM architecture is investigated. A prototype of the CS Department distributed information system is built following the guidelines and standards of this conceptual architecture. This prototype is implemented in \u27C\u27. RPC (remote procedure call) is used for the communication channel to implement the distributed environment. Conclusions and results that were achieved by implementing this prototype are presented. The main outcome of this thesis is the introduction of the infrastructure to the GenSIF framework

Understanding cold acclimation in Medicago truncatula

Medicago truncatula is a close annual relative to alfalfa. Understanding cold acclimation (CA) is important for concurrently increasing autumn yield and winter survival in alfalfa. Such investigations are difficult because of its complex genetic makeup, and outcrossing with inbreeding depression. This study was conducted to understand CA in M. truncatula for determining if it could be used as a model to help dissect the genetic control of autumn yield and cold tolerance in alfalfa. Although M. truncatula has less agronomic value than alfalfa, its small genome and short generation time makes it useful as a model crop for legume genomics. Because M. truncatula is exposed to cool weather during the growing season in its native mediterranean region, it is plausible that it has evolved mechanisms to tolerate low temperatures. Assessing growth variation among M. truncatula accessions under autumn conditions is an important first step for identifying potential as a model to understand cold tolerance in alfalfa and as a winter annual forage crop. Wide variation in root and shoot dry matter accumulation revealed the presence of exploitable yield variation among M. truncatula accessions. The majority of the accessions produced higher dry matter in roots and shoots under the simulated autumn condition, patterned after 20-years Ames\u27s Iowa autumn temperature and photoperiod than in control. These results indicate that M. truncatula have considerable variation in cold tolerance abilities. Time to first flower, the only trait associated consistently with differences among geographical locations, was delayed by simulated autumn condition showing a plastic response with temperature treatments and proved a clear evidence for adaptation ability of the species to diverse locations. Cold acclimation is characterized as a biphasic process in M. truncatula based on the two distinct levels of freezing tolerance (FT) observed with response to temperatures, similar to what has been reported for winter hardy alfalfa. Simulated autumn conditions reduced stem length in M. truncatula , the response associated with fall dormancy in alfalfa. Jemalong-6 showed higher cold tolerance than W6 5018 with lower reduction in dry weights, stem length and number of leaves per stem and lower injury measured in CA compared to nonacclimation regimes. Differences in cold tolerance in M. truncatula may partly be related to cultivars differences in their ability to cold acclimation and indicate its possible use as a model for understanding genetics of cold tolerance in other legume crops, including alfalfa. Freezing injury occurs as a result of destabilized membranes from freeze-induced dehydration and thus, maintaining membrane stability is a key function of CA. Ion leakage test to assess injury in leaf tissues after freeze-thaw event was efficient for determining both, FT and CA ability differences in genotypes. The maximum FT was achieved with CA3 regime, the only regime that included subzero temperature, can be used to induce maximal CA. Quantifying CA capabilities among a large number of accessions is possible using this screening procedures in future. Time course of accumulation of sugar correlates well with development of freezing tolerance in many plants. Sugars, particularly, glucose, fructose, sucrose and total sugars increased in CA regimes, reached maximum in CA3 and correlated with FT suggesting that its contribution to membrane stability. Raffinose was only detected in cold acclimated tissues could be indicative of FT, but requires further studies to confirm if differences in its concentrations explain the genetic differences in FT among M. truncatula accessions

Approximation by Basis Pursuit: Background and Application to the Construction of Efficient Spline Approximations

Basis Pursuit was developed primarily as a tool in the field of signal processing, beginning in the mid 1990’s. The idea is to model the behavior of discrete signals using a wide range of functional behaviors and scales and to obtain an accurate and efficient representation of the signal using a minimal number of functions from a large “dictionary” of possible behaviors. The key observation is by formulating the representation as an ℓ1 optimization, the problem can be posed as a linear program so that the optimal solution uses no more than the number of constraints - it must be a basic feasible solution. While the problem has been explored in signal processing, we are here interested in the possible application to approximation of functions as classically considered in analysis. We present a number of applications in approximation with a dictionary consisting of multiresolution cubic spline spaces, with varying objective functions, but optimizations that ultimately must minimize a linear objective function. While signal processing applications are concerned with efficient solution of very large linear programs, here we can limit the sizes of the problems and study the nature of the solutions themselves. We use interpolation, uniform approximation, and formulations involving blended approximation, with objective functions involving ℓ1 terms blended with uniform or quadratic penalty functions

ENERGY SECURITY: TODAY AND TOMORROW

Purpose:To emphasize the importance of renewable and alternative energy, as nations become increasingly reliant on increasingly less available conventional energy sources. Simultaneously, the long-term and detrimental effects of such reliance is explored and quanitified so as to better justify investments into renewable, widely available, and less polluting energy sources.Design/Metholody/Approach:Data is collected from a variety of publicly available sources and their relevance is explored through contrast and comparison. The graphs and data used primarily focus on energy and energy consumption such as fuel pricing and exporting as well as the rate of fuel exporting by various nations.Findings:Based on the data analyzed, through the continuous use of fossil fuels, a country faces multiple challenges: depletion of fossil fuel reserves, global warming, environmental concerns, geopolitical and military conflicts and, of late, a continued and significant fuel price rise. The authors conclude these problems create an unsustainable situation and that without converting their energy sector to at least be in part less reliant on hydrocarbons and similar fuels and more reliant on more widely available and less polluting energy sources such as sunlight or geothermal energy a nation will inevitably face a catastrophic collapse of their energy sector.Research Limitations/Implications:Without cooperation of the governments of leading energy consuming nations in redeveloping their energy sector based on this or similar research, little of what has been explored can be widely applied. Consequently, the conclusions of this paper represent a single step in the process of redefining worldwide energy consumption rather than giving an explicit answer. Further research will be needed in order to most fully present an effective argument to the public sector, the private sector, and the common citizen that energy habits must be changed.Originality/value:The conclusions reached are an essential part to understanding the wide reaching effects of the world’s current energy habits. With the ever increasing threat of global warming, emptying fuel reserves, and unnecessary polluting and waste habits of most nation’s energy sectors, this research, along with the cited data, can aid in the redirection of such energy habits before a point of no return.

The Impact of Technological Innovation on Income Inequality

This study investigates how technology innovation affects income inequality trends by analysing occupational and salary data via econometric methods and studying tech platforms through case studies. The results indicate that automation has greatly divided work opportunities, and skills gaps are a crucial factor contributing to the increasing salary differences for technical degrees. Tech platforms are showing winner-take-all consequences by concentrating half of the sector\u27s revenues. Innovation expands the economy, yet technological changes may still favour certain tiny groups. Specific policy measures focusing on skills development, institutional changes, and promoting competition are necessary to ensure that productivity increase benefits everyone

Performance of Regulated Markets in Odisha Under New Agricultural Marketing Reforms Regime

In the aftermath of introduction of major agricultural marketing reforms such as amendment of APMC Act, e-NAM in the state of Odisha, there was hardly any study assessing the performance of regulated markets in Odisha. Therefore present study was undertaken to study the performance of existing regulated markets, scope of e-NAM and various constraints faced by the farmers to market their produce in the state. Both primary as well as secondary data was collected from respective APMCs and AGMARK net portal. Trend analysis was employed to study the pattern of arrival and prices of major commodities. Garret ranking was done to study the constraints faced by farmers. Findings show that state is gearing up to establish the required infrastructure for implementation of e-NAM, arrivals showed mixed trend and lack of remunerative prices and lack of market information emerged as major constraints faced by farmers in the state