Constant Velocity Constraints for Self-Supervised Monocular Depth Estimation

We present a new method for self-supervised monocular depth estimation. Contemporary monocular depth estimation methods use a triplet of consecutive video frames to estimate the central depth image. We make the assumption that the ego-centric view progresses linearly in the scene, based on the kinematic and physical properties of the camera. During the training phase, we can exploit this assumption to create a depth estimation for each image in the triplet. We then apply a new geometry constraint that supports novel synthetic views, thus providing a strong supervisory signal. Our contribution is simple to implement, requires no additional trainable parameter, and produces competitive results when compared with other state-of-the-art methods on the popular KITTI corpus

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Not AvailableInformation has been described as the fifth most important need of mankind ranking after air, water, food and shelter.” - Kemp (1976) and we believe smallholder farmers are no different. In fact, in addition to other key inputs (such as improved seed variety, micro and macronutrients etc.) access to correct, timely and actionable information (in this case scientifically supported farming practices that include but are not limited to date of sowing, irrigation, harvesting, better price, market etc.) can be considered as a critical factor in achieving better yield and thereby higher profits. Source of this information is also a critical factor in acceptance and adoption of these information. For instance, a report published in 2005 by National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO, 2005), a government of India entity, highlights that most preferred source for agricultural information services for smallholder farmers are their fellow farmers. Reports suggest that participatory approach in video based agriculture extension has proved to be more effective as compared to traditional extension method but there is not much or limited evidence of same for audio based dissemination of agricultural information services (AIS). In the above backdrop and taking this fact into consideration a team of researchers at ICRISAT along with its partners conducted a research to study the effect participatory approach for delivering agricultural information services to smallholder farmers. Where in, improved and scientifically supported farming practices were recorded as small audio capsule in participating farmer’s voice and were periodically delivered to other farmers who were part of this research study. During the study, it was found that agricultural information services, to be delivered, when recorded in farmers own voice from the same farming community creates excitement for the fellow farmers and positively affects the listening pattern of those messages. This in turn translates into increased adoption, better yield and higher profit.Not Availabl

Novel KOH treated Li-CuO as anode for the Application of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithiated CuO (Li-CuO) micro-structures were synthesized by the hydrothermal method using KOH as a reactive solution. The structural properties of pure Li-CuO and other KOH-reacted CuO samples were analysed using XRD analysis. Various vibrational bands were observed by FTIR spectra analysis. The SEM images indicated the formation of Li-CuO hexagonal rods of 1-2 µm dimension. The cyclic efficiencies of pure Li-CuO and 12 M KOH surfactant Li-CuO microstructures were observed to be 78.5% and 91.2%, respectively. The battery discharge characteristics revealed that after 50 cycles, the specific capacity of the battery based on a pure Li-CuO microstructure electrode showed 97 mAh g-1 whereas KOH surfactant Li-CuO microstructures electrode showed 150 mAh g-1 at a constant current density of 17.79 mA g-1 with a 1.0–4.0 V vs. Li/Li+ potential range. The enhancement of specific capacity and its stability due to a well-defined hexagonal crystal structure leads to increased Li+ ion kinetics during the insertion and extraction processes of batteries

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Not AvailablePolished rice is a poor source of micronutrients and was reported to be responsible for malnutrition in the developing countries where rice is the major energy source. Biofortification for zinc (Zn) in polished rice is a promising and cost effective approach for the development of Zn-dense rice to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition. Several donors, especially landraces with >50 ppm in brown rice and >35 ppm in polished rice were identified and used in the development of breeding lines with high Zn and yield. The developed lines were evaluated under ICAR - All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project for their high yield and Zn across the locations and across the years and promising lines were identified and released as varieties. Five varieties since 2015 were released through Central Varietal Release Committee for high Zn in polished rice in IndiaICAR CRP Biofortificatio

Genetic Architecture, Studies to Identify the Selection Criteria for Yield in Long Duration Rice Lines (Oryza sativa L.)

The current study aimed to explore the genetic variability, narrow sense heritability, genetic advance, Intra and Inter character associations, path coefficient analysis and principal factor - component analysis of yield component traits in long duration varieties of rice. The goal was to identify keynote factor for grain yield promoting, in event on exposure to long duration vegetative phase and engaged in long photosynthetic duration. High heritability and genetic advance, along with strong correlations with yield, were observed for filled grains per panicle and total grains per panicle, suggesting their suitability for direct phenotypic selection to improve these traits. Test weight showed a genuine relationship with grain yield, indicating its effectiveness for direct selection. Principal component analysis noted four components, with eigenvalues higher than 1, explaining 86.5 percent of the total variability. Among these components, the highest variability was attributed to filled grains per panicle and total grains per panicle. Filled grains per panicle is identified with positive direct effect and noted positive significant correlation for the grain yield         per plant, making it an effective selection criterion for improving grain yield in long-duration rice crops

Transporter genes identified in landraces associated with high zinc in polished rice through panicle transcriptome for biofortification

Not AvailablePolished rice is poor source of micronutrients, however wide genotypic variability exists for zinc uptake and remobilization and zinc content in brown and polished grains in rice. Two landraces (Chittimutyalu and Kala Jeera Joha) and one popular improved variety (BPT 5204) were grown under zinc sufficient soil and their analyses showed high zinc in straw of improved variety, but high zinc in polished rice in landraces suggesting better translocation ability of zinc into the grain in landraces. Transcriptome analyses of the panicle tissue showed 41182 novel transcripts across three samples. Out of 1011 differentially expressed exclusive transcripts by two landraces, 311 were up regulated and 534 were down regu lated. Phosphate transporter-exporter (PHO), proton-coupled peptide transporters (POT) and vacuolar iron transporter (VIT) showed enhanced and significant differential expression in landraces. Out of 24 genes subjected to quantitative real time analyses for confirmation, eight genes showed significant differential expression in landraces. Through mapping, six rice microsatellite markers spanning the genomic regions of six differentially expressed genes were validated for their association with zinc in brown and polished rice using recom binant inbred lines (RIL) of BPT 5204/Chittimutyalu. Thus, this study reports repertoire of genes associated with high zinc in polished rice and a proof concept for deployment of tran scriptome information for validation in mapping population and its use in marker assisted selection for biofortification of rice with zincICAR CRP Biofortificatio