Growth analysis of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija) under three agronomic practices

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to investigate the growth of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija) under three agronomic practices. The study comprised of two nursery seeding densities viz. 40 and 80 g seeds m-2, three ages of seedlings viz. 20, 30 and 40-day old, and three levels of seedlings hill-1 viz. 2, 4 and 6 seedlings hill-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. For individual treatment effects, the highest plant height, number of tillers hill-1, total dry matter, leaf area index and crop growth rate were found when seedlings were raised @ 40g seed m-2 and 30-day old seedlings were transplanted @4 seedlings hill-1. In interaction, the highest number of tillers hill-1 (13.00) and total dry matter (22.93 g) at 45 DAT, and crop growth rate (6.71 g m-2 day-1) at 15-30 DAT were obtained from the interaction among 40 g seed m-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill-1. On the other hand, the tallest plant (73.27 cm) at 45 DAT was found from the interaction among 80 g seed m-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill-1, while the highest leaf area index (2.87) was recorded from the interaction of 40 g seed m-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 2 seedlings hill-1 at 50 DAT. Considering both the significant individual and interaction treatment effects on the growth parameters, the use of 40 g seed m-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill-1 could improve the growth performance of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija). Therefore, a nursery seeding density of 40 g seed m-2 and 30-day old seedlings transplanting with 4 seedlings hill-1 appears as the promising combination in respect of growth performance of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija)

Ecological Interactions of Invasive Insects and Native Plant Species in Changing Climate

Invasive insects pose a significant threat to native plant species and ecosystems, particularly in the context of changing climates. Understanding these interactions is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of invasive species on native plant communities. Invasive insects often establish and proliferate in new habitats due to the absence of natural enemies and the availability of suitable resources. As climate change alters the distribution and phenology of plants, it can influence the susceptibility and resilience of native plant species to invasive insects. In some cases, rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns may favour the spread and population growth of invasive insects, leading to increased herbivory, reduced plant fitness, and ultimately, altered community dynamics. Furthermore, changing climates can disrupt the synchrony between native plants and their pollinators or beneficial insect populations, further exacerbating the impacts of invasive insects. As native plants and pollinators respond differently to shifting climatic conditions, their interactions may become disrupted, potentially reducing the reproductive success and long-term survival of native plant populations. However, it is important to note that climate change can also create novel opportunities for both invasive insects and native plant species. In certain instances, invasive insects may benefit from warmer temperatures and expanded ranges, while some native plants may exhibit adaptive responses and resilience to changing climatic conditions. These complex interactions highlight the need for a comprehensive understanding of the ecological dynamics between invasive insects and native plant species under various climate scenarios. The ecological interactions between invasive insects and native plant species in changing climates have far-reaching consequences for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning. As climates continue to evolve, it is imperative to further investigate these interactions and develop adaptive strategies to mitigate the impacts of invasive insects on native plant communities. By doing so, we can strive to preserve and restore ecological balance in the face of ongoing environmental change

Piezoelectic Materials for energy harvesting and sensing applications: roadmap for future smart materials

Piezoelectric materials are widely referred to as “smart” materials because they can transduce mechanical pressure acting on them to electrical signals and vice versa. They are extensively utilized in harvesting mechanical energy from vibrations, human motion, mechanical loads, etc., and converting them into electrical energy for low power devices. Piezoelectric transduction offers high scalability, simple device designs, and high-power densities compared to electro-magnetic/static and triboelectric transducers. This review aims to give a holistic overview of recent developments in piezoelectric nanostructured materials, polymers, polymer nanocomposites, and piezoelectric films for implementation in energy harvesting. The progress in fabrication techniques, morphology, piezoelectric properties, energy harvesting performance, and underpinning fundamental mechanisms for each class of materials, including polymer nanocomposites using conducting, non-conducting, and hybrid fillers are discussed. The emergent application horizon of piezoelectric energy harvesters particularly for wireless devices and self-powered sensors is highlighted, and the current challenges and future prospects are critically discussed

Development and Evaluation of Active Case Detection Methods to Support Visceral Leishmaniasis Elimination in India.

As India moves toward the elimination of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as a public health problem, comprehensive timely case detection has become increasingly important, in order to reduce the period of infectivity and control outbreaks. During the 2000s, localized research studies suggested that a large percentage of VL cases were never reported in government data. However, assessments conducted from 2013 to 2015 indicated that 85% or more of confirmed cases were eventually captured and reported in surveillance data, albeit with significant delays before diagnosis. Based on methods developed during these assessments, the CARE India team evolved new strategies for active case detection (ACD), applicable at large scale while being sufficiently effective in reducing time to diagnosis. Active case searches are triggered by the report of a confirmed VL case, and comprise two major search mechanisms: 1) case identification based on the index case's knowledge of other known VL cases and searches in nearby houses (snowballing); and 2) sustained contact over time with a range of private providers, both formal and informal. Simultaneously, house-to-house searches were conducted in 142 villages of 47 blocks during this period. We analyzed data from 5030 VL patients reported in Bihar from January 2018 through July 2019. Of these 3033 were detected passively and 1997 via ACD (15 (0.8%) via house-to-house and 1982 (99.2%) by light touch ACD methods). We constructed multinomial logistic regression models comparing time intervals to diagnosis (30-59, 60-89 and ≥90 days with =90 days compared to the referent of <30 days for ACD vs PCD were 0.88, 0.56 and 0.42 respectively. These ACD strategies not only reduce time to diagnosis, and thus risk of transmission, but also ensure that there is a double check on the proportion of cases actually getting captured. Such a process can supplement passive case detection efforts that must go on, possibly perpetually, even after elimination as a public health problem is achieved

Physics Potential of the ICAL detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

The upcoming 50 kt magnetized iron calorimeter (ICAL) detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) is designed to study the atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos separately over a wide range of energies and path lengths. The primary focus of this experiment is to explore the Earth matter effects by observing the energy and zenith angle dependence of the atmospheric neutrinos in the multi-GeV range. This study will be crucial to address some of the outstanding issues in neutrino oscillation physics, including the fundamental issue of neutrino mass hierarchy. In this document, we present the physics potential of the detector as obtained from realistic detector simulations. We describe the simulation framework, the neutrino interactions in the detector, and the expected response of the detector to particles traversing it. The ICAL detector can determine the energy and direction of the muons to a high precision, and in addition, its sensitivity to multi-GeV hadrons increases its physics reach substantially. Its charge identification capability, and hence its ability to distinguish neutrinos from antineutrinos, makes it an efficient detector for determining the neutrino mass hierarchy. In this report, we outline the analyses carried out for the determination of neutrino mass hierarchy and precision measurements of atmospheric neutrino mixing parameters at ICAL, and give the expected physics reach of the detector with 10 years of runtime. We also explore the potential of ICAL for probing new physics scenarios like CPT violation and the presence of magnetic monopoles.Comment: 139 pages, Physics White Paper of the ICAL (INO) Collaboration, Contents identical with the version published in Pramana - J. Physic

Influence of time of sowing and nutrient management on yield and quality of table beet in Bangladesh

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh from November 2019 to March 2020 to find out the effect of date of sowing and nutrient management on the growth, yield and quality of table beet. The experiment comprised three dates of sowing, viz. 15 November 2019, 15 December 2019 and 15 January 2020, and five nutrient managements, viz. recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (RDF) N-P-K @ 60-100-60 kg ha–1, respectively, 75% RDF + cowdung @ 10 t ha-1, 25% RDF + cowdung @ 10 t ha-1, 75% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1, 25% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Growth traits, yield components, yield and quality were significantly influenced by date of sowing, nutrient management and their interactions. The highest shoot length and leaf number and were recorded in early sowing on 15 November fertilized with 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 5 t ha–1. The highest root girth, root length, root yield, TSS (%) and value of vitamin c were recorded when the crop was sown on 15 November. Yield components, root yield and grain TSS (%) gradually decreased due to delay in sowing. In case of nutrient, the highest root girth, root length, root yield and value of TSS (%) were recorded when the crop was fertilized with 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 5 t ha–1. The highest value of ascorbic acid was recorded when fertilized with 25% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1. Early sowing on 15 November fertilized with 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 5 t ha–1 was found to be promising practice for the cultivation of table beet under Old Brahmaputra Floodplain Soils of Bangladesh. [J Bangladesh Agril Univ 2023; 21(2.000): 144-151

Morpho-molecular, cultural and pathological characterization of Athelia rolfsii causing southern blight disease on common bean

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is a winter legume crop in Bangladesh and is considered an important vegetable with export potential. However, the production of common bean is severely affected by a newly reported soilborne fungal pathogen, Athelia rolfsii. This study aimed to characterize this new pathogen by morphological, molecular, cultural, and pathological analyses and determine the host range. The disease incidence in the affected field ranged between 6 and 13%. Initial disease symptoms were observed as brown sunken lesions at the point of infection and development of mycelia, followed by yellowing and quick wilting of the whole plant. A total of 10 fungal isolates were recovered from the infected plant samples, which were morphologically similar and produced white to brown mycelia and numerous brown sclerotia on the PDA medium. Two of them viz. BTCBSr3 and BTCBSr4 were used for the detailed study. Based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses of the sequenced data of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α), the pathogen was identified as A. rolfsii. Mycelial growth rate (3.6 cm/day) and fresh weight (107 mg) were higher in the PDA medium, whereas the number of sclerotia production (328/plate) was higher in OMA media. The isolates could grow in a wider range of incubation temperatures (15–35 °C) and media pH (3–9). In the cross-inoculation assay, both isolates were pathogenic on tomato, brinjal, and chickpea, but not on chili, soybean, and cowpea. This study has laid a foundation for further pathological research on the fungus in aid to develop an effective management practice against the pathogen

Wire Arc Additive Manufactured Mild Steel and Austenitic Stainless Steel Components: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Residual Stresses

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an additive manufacturing process based on the arc welding process in which wire is melted by an electric arc and deposited layer by layer. Due to the cost and rate benefits over powder-based additive manufacturing technologies and other alternative heat sources such as laser and electron beams, the process is currently receiving much attention in the industrial production sector. The gas metal arc welded (GMAW) based WAAM process provides a higher deposition rate than other methods, making it suitable for additive manufacturing. The fabrication of mild steel (G3Si1), austenitic stainless steel (SS304), and a bimetallic sample of both materials were completed successfully using the GMAW based WAAM process. The microstructure characterization of the developed sample was conducted using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The interface reveals two discrete zones of mild steel and SS304 deposits without any weld defects. The hardness profile indicates a drastic increase in hardness near the interface, which is attributed to chromium migration from the SS304. The toughness of the sample was tested based on the Charpy Impact (ASTM D6110) test. The test reveals isotropy in both directions. The tensile strength of samples deposited by the WAAM technique measured slightly higher than the standard values of weld filament. The deep hole drilling (DHD) method was used to measure the residual stresses, and it was determined that the stresses are compressive in the mild steel portion and tensile in austenitic stainless steel portion, and that they vary throughout the thickness due to variation in the cooling rate at the inner and outer surfaces