Observation of electroweak production of Wγ with two jets in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

A first observation is presented for the electroweak production of a W boson, a photon, and two jets in proton-proton collisions. The W boson decays are selected by requiring one identified electron or muon and an imbalance in transverse momentum. The two jets are required to have a high dijet mass and a large separation in pseudorapidity. The measurement is based on data collected with the CMS detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The observed (expected) significance for this process is 4.9 (4.6) standard deviations. After combining with previously reported CMS results at 8 TeV, the observed (expected) significance is 5.3 (4.8) standard deviations. The cross section for the electroweak W$_{γjj}$ production in a restricted fiducial region is measured as 20.4 +/- 4.5 fb and the total cross section for W$_{γ}$ production in association with 2 jets in the same fiducial region is 108 +/- 16 fb. All results are in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions. Constraints are placed on anomalous quartic gauge couplings in terms of dimension-8 effective field theory operators

Measurement of B_c(2S)⁺ and B∗_c(2S)⁺ cross section ratios in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The ratios of the B_c(2S)⁺ to B⁺_c, B∗_c(2S)⁺ to B⁺_c, and B∗_c(2S)⁺ to B_c(2S)⁺ production cross sections are measured in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13  TeV, using a data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 143  fb⁻¹. The three measurements are made in the B⁺_c meson phase space region defined by the transverse momentum p_T > 15  GeV and absolute rapidity |y| < 2.4, with the excited B^((*))_c(2S)⁺ states reconstructed through the B^((*))_c⁺π⁺π⁻, followed by the B⁺_c → J/ψπ⁺ and J/ψ → μ⁺μ⁻ decays. The B_c(2S)⁺ to B⁺c, B∗_c(2S)⁺ to B⁺_c, and B∗_c(2S)⁺ to B_c(2S)⁺ cross section ratios, including the unknown B^((*))_c(2S)⁺ → B^((*))_c⁺π⁺π⁻ branching fractions, are (3.47±0.63(stat)±0.33(syst))%, (4.69±0.71(stat)±0.56(syst))%, and 1.35±0.32(stat)±0.09(syst), respectively. None of these ratios shows a significant dependence on the p_T or |y| of the B⁺_c meson. The normalized dipion invariant mass distributions from the decays B^((*))_c(2S)⁺ → B^((*))_c⁺π⁺π⁻ are also reported

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2011- 12 to 2012-13 to study the interactive effect of irrigation and nitrogen (N) fertilizer on yield, grain protein content, and water and N use efficiency of wheat. The design of the experiment was split-plot with irrigation (I0: rainfed, I2: two irrigations, I3: three irrigations, I5: five irrigations) as main plot and N (N0: 0 kg N ha-1, N30: 30 kg N ha-1, N60: 60 kg N ha-1 and N120: 120 kg N ha-1) as sub-plot treatment. Averaged across the years, I5 treatment registered 4, 33 and 192 per cent higher grain yield compared to I3, I2 and I0 treatments, respectively. Similarly, N120 treatment registered 19, 42 and 93 per cent higher wheat grain yield compared to the N60, N30 and N0 treatments, respectively. The I0 irrigation treatment registered 23, 25 and 16 per cent lower water use efficiency (WUE) compared to the I2, I3 and I5 treatments, respectively. The I5 irrigation treatment registered 3, 32 and 200 per cent higher partial factor productivity of N (PFPN) compared to I3, I2 and I0 treatments, respectively. Thus, wheat may be grown with three irrigations at crown root initiation, tillering and flowering stages with 120 kg N ha-1 for higher yield, grain protein content and WUE in the semi-arid environment of Delhi.Not Availabl

Land Shaping Models for Enhancing Agricultural Productivity in Salt Affected Coastal Areas of West Bengal – An Economic Analysis

The management of agricultural land to improve farm income in coastal saline areas is quite challenging because, firstly, most of the agricultural area is characterised by monocropping with low-yielding rice varieties during kharif season. Under such fragile environment sustaining the livelihoods of these resource poor farmers become a real challenge both for technology developers as well as policy makers. To increase the farm income under the coastal saline environment, strategies have been taken up to increase the adoption of the salt resistant crop varieties and more importantly harvesting, storing and appropriate management through different kinds of land shaping technologies. The study pertains to primary survey on farm households, in South and North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The sample farmers were drawn from two blocks, six villages and total sample size of 180 farm households of which half were the beneficiary farmers and the rest was non-beneficiary farmers. In the coastal area the land shaping technique, particularly farm pond and paddy-cum fish models, are unique technology for addressing the key challenges like land degradation (salinity), drainage congestion and scarcity of fresh water for irrigation and in turn have the potential to enhancing production, productivity, income and employment. These techniques particularly farm pond and paddy-cum-fish are a financially viable and attractive proposition for the coastal region. However for larger adoption of these technologies need to address some key issues like socio-economic constraints, some of which can be addressed by research level (e.g. land configuration, soil quality) some other at policy level (e.g. financial incentives)

Not Available

Not AvailableSoil salinization is of great concern in the irrigated arid, semiarid and coastal region due to its threat to sustainable agricultural productivity and thus there is need to closely monitor it. The measurement of electrical conductivity (EC) in saturated paste extracts (ECe) is the standard to which other salinity estimation methods are referenced. Since this method is laborious, the preparation of saturated pastes subject to bias, and salinity estimates by EC subject to chemical artefact, we evaluated the performance of an EC probe for measuring bulk soil EC. A calibration curve was developed between bulk soil EC and EC in saturation paste for coastal soils of West Bengal (r2 = 0.942). The bulk soil EC probe was used to measure the depth-wise soil salinity in conservation tillage experiment and it was found that no till plot was comparatively more saline than conventional and reduced tillage treatments. The bulk soil EC probe is a quick, reliable, easy to take soil measurement for the spatio-temporal characterization of soil salinity.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe coastal agro-ecosystem of the country occupies an area of about 10.8 million ha and are spread over the 8129 km long coastline along the Bay of Bengal in the East coast and Arabian sea in the West coast. The area is distributed among 9 States, 2 Union Territories and 2 group of Islands. The land and water resources of the coastal zone in India are rich, valuable and under-utilised. Enhancing agricultural production can improve the food security and contribute to poverty reduction. Current productivity of the farming systems including agriculture and aquaculture are far below the inherent potential of the region. Agriculture under this marginal environment of coastal salinity are typically charcterised with multi-faceted problems such as waterlogged condition (during kharif season) or high salinity building up (during rabi season). Farming operation often becomes risky due to natural calamities, which increases the risk of farming or restricted the farm operation and ultimately increases the instability of farm income. The strategies for improving the farming conditions in costal salt affected areas have been focused primarily on two ways first developing salt tolerant crop varieties and second rainwater harvesting through different land shaping models. Rice is the major crops grown in both seasons (kharif and rabi) and therefore, high focus has been given on developing and dissemination of salt tolerant rice varieties by research institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Several rice varieties have been evolved and continuous efforts are being made for larger adoption. It has been generally observed that farmers are more keen to change their rice varieties during rabi season as compared to kharif season. Preference of rice varieties during rabi (short, salt tolerant, short duration, high yielding and better quality) and kharif (tall, long duration, non-lodging) seasons are distinctly different. Besides developing improved rice varieties, several land shaping techniques have been quite successful in enhancing farm production in the region. Land shaping techniques are changing the configuration of land through soil excavation and making suitable for water harvesting, option for multiple cropping and also reducing the soil and water salinity. These land shaping techniques, particularly the farm pond and paddy-cum-fish models, are unique technology for addressing the key challenges like land degradation (salinity), drainage congestion and scarcity of fresh water for irrigation and in turn have the potential to enhancing production, productivity, income and employment. These techniques particularly farm pond and paddy-cum-fish are financially viable and attractive proposition for the coastal region. Some of the key impediments for large-scale implementation of such interventions were marginal land holdings that too divided into several parcels, high initial investment, and presence of acid sulphate soils near surface or at shallow depth at places. For larger adoption of these technologies need to address some key issues like socio-economic constraints, some of which can be addressed by research level (land configuration, soil quality) some other at policy level (incentives). Community based rainwater harvesting as well as common pool wasteland may be encouraged in this direction.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe agricultural productivity in the coastal ecosystem is generally lower than the country’s average. The land in the coastal region is vulnerable to degradation due to combinations of natural, hydrological and anthropogenic factors. Soil salinization, waterlogging and drainage congestion besides the climatic constraints are the major processes of land degradation in agricultural land in the coastal region. The restoration of degraded lands over large coastal areas is highly expensive and to be taken up by the Govt. / Govt. agencies, which has not yet been possible. Attempts have been made to alleviate the land degradation processes of salinization, waterlogging and drainage congestion through land shaping technology adoptable at farmers’ level. Different land shaping techniques like farm pond, deep furrow & high ridge, paddy-cum-fish, broad bed & furrow, three tire system, pair bed system have been implemented in disadvantaged areas in Sundarbans region of Ganges delta (West Bengal) and Tsunami affected Andaman & Nicobar Islands covering 32 villages in 12 Clusters in 4 districts (North 24 Parganas & South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and, South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar Islands).These techniques reduced the process of land degradation in coastal areas by alleviating soil salinity and waterlogging and drainage congestion problems. Raising of land and creating water harvesting facilities reduced the problem of drainage congestion and salinity build up in soil during dry months. Soil salinity was reduced by 40-65% due to these techniques. Reduction of salinity and drainage congestion and increase in availability of fresh water for irrigation helped the farmers to grow multiple and diversified crops round the year instead of mono-cropping with rice in monsoon season (Kharif). The cropping intensity has been increased up to 300 % from a base level value of 100% due to implementing the land shaping techniques in the study area. Compared to base line value the income of the farmers has increased by manifolds. Net return has been increased from Rs.22,000 to Rs. 1,00,000- 1,39,000 ha-1 in Sundarbans region. Farmers in degraded areas in Andaman & Nicobar Islands were realising net return of Rs. 1,47,000-2,21,000 ha-1 by implementing land shaping techniques compared to their income of Rs.24,000 before implementation of land shaping techniques. This technology has greater scope to create employment in own farm or in local area, e.g. in Sundarbans region, one hectare of land with this land shaping technique generated employment of around 400 man-days.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl