Effect of Co-doping Calcium and Scandium on Strontium Hexaferrite: Structural, Magnetic and Mossbauer Study.

M-type hexaferrite such as barium hexaferrite (BaM) and strontium hexaferrite (SrM), have a wide range of applications because of its high saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanance values. The magnetic properties of such materials can be altered for better performance by replacing either magnetic or non-magnetic ions at different lattice sites. The presence of Sr1-x/12Cax/12Fe12-xScxO19 (x = 0.0 to 2.0) hexaferrite (SrM) compounds. The samples were prepared via a facile auto-combustion technique followed by sintering. X-ray powder diffraction patterns show the formation of the pure phase of M-type hexaferrite for all x. Lattice parameters, both a and c of the compound increased with the substitution. The magnetic property of these compounds is explained based on Sc3+ occupancy in M-type magnetoplumbite structure. Both saturation magnetization and coercivity decreased with x. The temperature and field-dependent mangetization study (10-300K) revealed spin reorientation transition and change in magnetic anisotropy energy. The curie temperature dropped to 580K at the maximum substitution of x=2. The room temperature Mossabauer spectral analysis confirmed the preferred occupancy of Sc3+ at the 4f2 site and influence of Ca2+ on the isomer shift values of the 2b site. Changes in magnetic properties and hyperfine parameters are discussed in light of the preferred occupancy of Sc3+ at the spin-down 4f2 site

Factors Affecting the Productivity of Coffee in Gulmi and Arghakhanchi Districts of Nepal

Coffee is one of the major potential cash crops with lucrative export value grown in mid-hills of Nepal. Nepalese coffee production has suffered long by low productivity. Research was conducted from February to May, 2019 to analyze the factors affecting the productivity of coffee in Arghakhanchi and Gulmi districts of Nepal. These two districts were, purposively selected for this study taking account of comparative advantage and past studies recommendations for coffee sector. Altogether, 100 coffee growing households 50 from each, Arghakhanchi and Gulmi, were sampled by using multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the primary information while secondary information was collected reviewing the relevant publications. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model was used to determine the factors affecting the productivity of coffee. The study revealed that the number of active family members involved in coffee production (0.000), adoption of income diversification through intercropping (0.005), training (0.072) and technical assistance (0.021) had positive and significant effect on coffee productivity. Encouraging the household to have coffee production as their primary occupation, providing technical assistance on rational land utilization and intercropping and strengthening the skill and knowledge of farmers through trainings could significantly support in increasing the productivity of coffee

Factors affecting the productivity of coffee in Gulmi and Arghakhanchi districts of Nepal

Coffee is one of the major potential cash crops with lucrative export value grown in mid-hills of Nepal. Nepalese coffee production has suffered long by low productivity. Research was conducted from February to May, 2019 to analyze the factors affecting the productivity of coffee in Arghakhanchi and Gulmi districts of Nepal. These two districts were, purposively selected for this study taking account of comparative advantage and past studies recommendations for coffee sector. Altogether, 100 coffee growing households 50 from each, Arghakhanchi and Gulmi, were sampled by using multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the primary information while secondary information was collected reviewing the relevant publications. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model was used to determine the factors affecting the productivity of coffee. The study revealed that the number of active family members involved in coffee production (0.000), adoption of income diversification through intercropping (0.005), training (0.072) and technical assistance (0.021) had positive and significant effect on coffee productivity. Encouraging the household to have coffee production as their primary occupation, providing technical assistance on rational land utilization and intercropping and strengthening the skill and knowledge of farmers through trainings could significantly support in increasing the productivity of coffee

Bio-fertilizer activity of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens as growth and yield promoter for maize

Saabunud / Received 01.06.2020 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 16.09.2020 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 19.09.2020 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Bikram Nepali [email protected] bio-fertilizer potential of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens on growth and yield performance of open-pollinated maize variety Rampur Composite was studied at the research farm of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the winter season of 2018/19. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with seven treatments (T1: recommended dose of NPK (120:60:40 kg NPK ha–1), T2: T. viride only, T3: P. fluorescens only, T4: T. viride + 50% NPK; T5: P. fluorescens + 50% NPK; T6: T. viride + P. fluorescens + 100 % NPK, T7: control) and replicated thrice. The package of agronomic practices was followed as per national recommendation. The result revealed that T. viride + 50% NPK enhanced most of the growth components like plant height (103%), leaf number (9.77%), stem diameter (73.98%), root length (40.57%), leaf area index (173.28%), leaf biomass (83.36%) and stem biomass (127.72%) of maize compared to the control. Similarly, the higher cob biomass (641 g), yield (5708 kg ha–1) and thousand kernel weight (295 g) were recorded in the plot applied to P. fluorescens + 50% NPK. The use of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens with a half-dose of recommended fertilizers may increase the vegetative growth and yield of maize and may also help to reduce the rate of chemical fertilizers in maize

In vitro evaluation of different fungicides against Rhizoctonia solani and Alternaria citri infecting citrus

Rhizoctonia solani and Alternaria citri are major plant pathogens of citrus, causing considerable production losses. Chemical fungicides are widely used for disease control. Using the food poisoning technique under in vitro conditions, an experiment was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of several fungicides against those pathogens. To evaluate the effect on Rhizoctonia solani mycelial growth, five different chemicals, viz. SAAF (Carbendazim 12% WP + Mancozeb 63% WP), Bavistin (Carbendazim 50% WP), VACOMIL PLUS (Metalaxyl 15% WP + Copper oxychloride 35% WP), and Raze (Copper oxychloride 50% WP) were used at 100 ppm and 200 ppm concentration each. Similar chemicals were used for Alternaria citri except for additional Mancozab (Mancozeb 75% WP). Mycelial growth inhibition was measured until the fungus nearly covered the plate in control. All fungicides reduced the fungal growth compared to control. After 96 hours of incubation with Rhizoctonia solani, maximum inhibition (100%) was achieved at both concentrations of Bavistin, followed by SAAF @ 200 ppm (97.59%) and SAAF @ 100 ppm (88.25%), whereas VACOMIL PLUS and Raze had the minimum effect on the mycelial growth. Similarly, after 8 days of incubation of Alternaria citri, SAAF @ 200 ppm showed the highest inhibition (70.86%), followed by SAAF @ 100 ppm (65.11%), Mancozab @ 200 ppm (64.39%), and Mancozab @ 100 ppm (47.48%), but the effect of Bavistin, Raze, and VACOMIL PLUS had the lowest impact. The chemical proven effective against the pathogens should be trialed in pot and field experiments for further verification.&nbsp

Determinants of gross income from carp production in Bara district, Nepal

A study was conducted from March to June 2020 to analyze the determinants of gross income from carp production in the Bara district of Nepal. Altogether, 90 carp producers, 45 each from Simraungadh and Pachrauta municipality in equal basis were sampled by using cluster sampling technique. Primary information was collected through a pre-tested semi-structured interview-based schedule while secondary information was collected reviewing the relevant publications. Data was entered in SPSS 25 and analyzed using STATA 12.1. The results  revealed that the cost of labor, cost of feed, assistances and services, and training had significant positive effect on gross income from carp prodcuiton. Furthermore, lack of quality inputs was identified as the most severe production problems whereas Dhalta to be given was recognized as the most severe marketing problems. Thus, encouraging the carp producer to manage the cost of labor and cost of feed deliberately, rationally providing the assistance and services and strengthening the skills and knowledge of producer through training could significantly increase gross income from carp production

Economic analysis and resource use efficiency of carrot production in Chitwan district, Nepal

A study was conducted from February to May 2020 to analyze the cost-benefit economics analysis and resource use efficiency of carrot production in Chitwan, Nepal. Altogether 70 households producing carrot were selected randomly and surveyed through the pre-tested semi-structured interview-based schedule. Data was entered and coded using SPSS 25 and analyzed using STATA 12.1. The study revealed that the total variable cost per hectare for carrot production was US $1803.1 and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.81 was estimated. Cobb-Douglas production function models the relationship between production output and production inputs . Production function analysis including seven explanatory variables, showed a significant positive effect of seed cost, tractor cost and human labor cost (P<0.01), fertilizer and manure cost (P<0.05) on gross return but herbicide cost, packaging cost, vitamin and micronutrients cost were found insignificant. The return to scale was found to be 1.42. According to estimated allocative efficiency indices, it is suggested to increase the seed, fertilizer and manure, tractor labor and  human labor costs by approximately 45%, 74%, 67%, and 79% respectively and reduce the herbicide and packaging costs approximately by 116% and 246% respectively. The adoption of modern technologies with adjustments to resource use should be suggested to maximize the productivity and profit from carrot production

Isolation of Glucose Fermenting Nitrogen Fixing Gene (nifH) Containing Endophytic Bacteria from Seed and Roots of Wheat (Triticum aestivation l.)

The present study was conducted to study the nifH gene containing endophytic bacterial frequency in wheat seed and roots obtained from the soil of Chitwan and Kaski. One hundred and four isolates were studied for the presence of the nifH gene. There was a diversity in isolate characters obtained from root sample Root (R), direct seed sample (ds), and plant sample (P). None of the isolates from any sources showed indole-producing ability. About 18 isolates (15% of the total) contained the nifH gene through amplification of the gene by universal primers PolF and PolR. About 6 isolates from seed sample ds and 12 isolates from root sample R contained nifH gene. None of the isolates from root sample P manifested the presence of the nifH gene. Among 18 nifH- containing isolates, only 6 isolates manifested presence of cel3 gene of 400 bp, whereas, 11 isolates showed cel3 gene of 200 bp. All nifH gene containing isolates were confirmed to be bacteria by PCR amplification of 16s rRNA gene by universal primer 27F and 1492R and visualization of agarose gel matrix with bp range of approximately 530 under UV ray. Further research scope exists to use these microbes as a bio fertilizer in plant growth promotion studies by inoculation

Road traffic accidents in Kathmandu—an hour of education yields a glimmer of hope

After the Metropolitan Traffic Police, Kathmandu initiated a “No Drinking and Driving” policy in 2011 in which a major intervention for intoxicated drivers was mandatory 1-hour class to modify drunk driving behaviors, reports show that the number of road traffic accidents in the year 2012 decreased by 23 percent from the year 2011. The injury to fatality ratio decreased by 21 percent in this period. We remain encouraged by these statistics which confirm that increased enforcement of road traffic rules, combined with behavioral change programs, can have positive changes in LMICs which suffer considerably from the global burden of trauma