Harnessing the Recent Approaches in Postharvest Quality Retention of Fruits

Fruits are an important component of our diet. Postharvest quality retention during supply chain management is a major concern and has become a priority of today’s world. Owing to this, food security is a big challenge and, to mitigate this nutritional, security is a major task. The existing technologies have brought about several desirable changes in logistics of postharvest handling of fruits. As the trend has been changing, people are moving away from synthetic treatment agents; thus, these have been replaced with eco-friendly products. Since the last few years, introduction of some environmental and consumer friendly approaches like brassinosteroids, methyl jasmonates, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, edible coatings, biocontrol agents, irradiation, and cold plasma techniques has made this line more interesting across the globe. These agents work effectively and better over traditional synthetic chemicals. Application of these formulations has been found to be better to retain the quality and fresh like appearance during storage of fruits during supply chain and storage. Thus, there is urgent need to develop some novel technologies for better establishment of fruit growing industries and their maximum retention of quality. The use of these in an integrated manner could be a better way to minimize this huge loss and maximize the quality

Assessment of Malnutrition in Pre-School children visiting immunization clinic, Maharana Bhoopal Hospital, Udaipur (Rajasthan)

Background: The pre-school age groups (2-5years) were evaluated for growth and nutritional status at immunization clinic at Maharana Bhoopal hospital, Udaipur. Objectives: To study the malnutrition in pre-school children. Material & Methods: The cross sectional study had been carried out between august 2013 to November 2013 with 1080children at immunization clinic Maharana Bhoopal Hospital Udaipur. Body weight, height were recorded including with age, gender and also education and occupation and socio-economic status of mother by interviewing the mother at the time they attended the immunization clinic and by the help of MAMTA CARD. Result: The age and sex distribution of 1080 examined children revealed that 52.8% were males while 47.2% were females. The malnutrition in the subjects was determined as per World Health Organization child growth standards [1]. Data reveals that 4.2% of male children, 4.1% of female children were severely stunted and 10.7% of male children, 11.2% of female children were stunted. Whereas 3.1% of male children, 4.7% of female children were found to be severely wasted and 11.4% of male children, 12.3% of female children were wasted. Also found that 7.5% of male children, 7.6% of female children were overweight and 1.9% of male children, 1.0% of female children were obese. Conclusion: There is need of more education about nutrition and dietary habits to population including proper antenatal and postnatal care of mother to decrease the prevalence of malnutrition in children

Autonomous Visual Detection of Defects from Battery Electrode Manufacturing

The increasing global demand for high-quality and low-cost battery electrodes poses major challenges for battery cell production. As mechanical defects on the electrode sheets have an impact on the cell performance and their lifetime, inline quality control during electrode production is of high importance. Correlation of detected defects with process parameters provides the basis for optimization of the production process and thus enables long-term reduction of reject rates, shortening of the production ramp-up phase, and maximization of equipment availability. To enable automatic detection of visually detectable defects on electrode sheets passing through the process steps at a speed of 9 m s−1, a You-Only-Look-Once architecture (YOLO architecture) for the identification of visual detectable defects on coated electrode sheets is demonstrated within this work. The ability of the quality assurance (QA) system developed herein to detect mechanical defects in real time is validated by an exemplary integration of the architecture into the electrode manufacturing process chain at the Battery Lab Factory Braunschweig

Elucidating the interactive impact of tillage, residue retention and system intensification on pearl millet yield stability and biofortification under rainfed agro-ecosystems

Micronutrient malnutrition and suboptimal yields pose significant challenges in rainfed cropping systems worldwide. To address these issues, the implementation of climate-smart management strategies such as conservation agriculture (CA) and system intensification of millet cropping systems is crucial. In this study, we investigated the effects of different system intensification options, residue management, and contrasting tillage practices on pearl millet yield stability, biofortification, and the fatty acid profile of the pearl millet. ZT systems with intercropping of legumes (cluster bean, cowpea, and chickpea) significantly increased productivity (7–12.5%), micronutrient biofortification [Fe (12.5%), Zn (4.9–12.2%), Mn (3.1–6.7%), and Cu (8.3–16.7%)], protein content (2.2–9.9%), oil content (1.3%), and fatty acid profile of pearl millet grains compared to conventional tillage (CT)-based systems with sole cropping. The interactive effect of tillage, residue retention, and system intensification analyzed using GGE statistical analysis revealed that the best combination for achieving stable yields and micronutrient fortification was residue retention in both (wet and dry) seasons coupled with a ZT pearl millet + cowpea–mustard (both with and without barley intercropping) system. In conclusion, ZT combined with residue recycling and legume intercropping can be recommended as an effective approach to achieve stable yield levels and enhance the biofortification of pearl millet in rainfed agroecosystems of South Asia

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme in Asia (MAPPA); Final Technical Report

The project supported pilot projects through action research, building local capacities and capabilities. It shared information through networking to develop locally suitable practices including certified organic and quality production, and locally adaptable practices in sustainably managing medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) resources, helping support policy makers as well. Rural poor and marginalised groups in this region depend on medicinal and aromatic plants for primary health care. Adaptive management approaches enhanced capacities of local communities through community-based institutions like district-level Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), Forest Protection Committees (FPC), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and local NGOs

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Not AvailableThe present study was conducted on genetic diversity analyses among 24 pea genotypes during 2017–2018 to assess the molecular diversity of pea genotypes using SSR markers. Out of 62, eleven markers were found to be polymorphic and the polymorphic information content (PIC) of the simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers ranged from 0.19 to as high as 0.64. Molecular profiling of these genotypes using 11 SSRs distributed throughout the genome generated 32 alleles with a mean of 2.91 alleles per locus. The genetic dissimilarity based on simple matching coefficient for 24 genotypes ranged from 0.00 to 0.91 with an average of 0.52. Cluster analyses grouped 24 genotypes into two major clusters with one outlier and supported by principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) in which genotypes were distributed across four quadrangles. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant estimated value at degree of 1000 permutations. Percentage of variability was higher among individual (67%) than among populations (11%). Percentage of variability within individual was also higher (22%) than among populations (11%). Pop1 (I=0.707, He=0.446, and uHe=0.466) shows higher diversity than pop2 (I=0.630, He=0.381 and uHe=0.398). The percentage of polymorphic loci per population (PPL) ranged from 81.82% (pop2) to 90.91% (pop1) with an average of 86.36%. The present study demonstrates the utility of microsatellite markers for estimating molecular diversity as well as genotype identification in pea. This study also suggests a potential use of these markers in further association studies.ICA

Monte Carlo study of dosimetric parameters and dose distribution effect of inhomogeneities and source position of GammaMed Plus source

Background: The conventional treatment planning system (TPS) gives analytical calculations with approximately ±15?20% dose uncertainty, which may lead to over exposure of critical organs or under dose of target as well as the presence of inhomogeneities, and the position of source affects the exact dose calculation like in breast and intraluminal brachytherapy. Aim: To obtain dose distribution parameters of GammaMed Plus high dose rate (HDR) 192 Ir source using Monte Carlo (MC) EGSnrc and GEANT4 codes as well as to find the effect on dose distribution due to source position, and due to presence of air and cortical bone by using MC GEANT4 code, and to find the similarity of both studies with any past study of any HDR brachytherapy source for either as input to TPS or verification of TPS calculations. Settings and Design: It is done using different software of the computer, e.g., excel, MS word, etc. Materials and Methods: The source, source position for different studies, water phantom, water characteristics, points of measurements, air and cortical bone inhomogeneities, and position of inhomogeneities were simulated. Statistical Analysis Used: For uncertainties calculation, mean and probability are used. Results: The calculated dose rate constant, radial dose function, and 2D anisotropy function of the source show similarity with published data. Calculated dose distribution differences due to presence of air and cortical bone, and position of source in water phantom also show similarity with published data. Conclusion: These results can either be implemented in TPS or can be used for verification of TPS calculations