Response of nutrient management practices through organic substances on rice var. GR-11 in North Konkan Coastal zone of Maharashtra

The management of soil organic matter is crucial to maintain a productive organic farming system. No one source of nutrient usually fulfills to maintain productivity and quality control in organic system.In addition, the inputs to supplement nutrient availability are often not uniform presenting additional challenges in meeting the nutrient requirements of crops in organic system.With this concept, a field experiment was conducted at the research farm of ASPEE Agricultural Research and Development Foundation, Tansa Farm, At Nare, Taluka Wada, Dist. Palghar, Maharashtra, during Kharif 2016-17 in rice.Different treatments comprising organic amendments such as Azotobacter, Banana Pseudostem sap 2%, Vermiwash 2% and Panchgavya 2% each applied alone or in all possible combinations were tried in organic crop production.These treatments were compared with absolute control (No biofertilizer+ No Spray). Recommended dose of chemical fertilizer 100:50:50 kg NPK ha-1. A Rice variety ‘GR-11\u27 was taken.Results revealed a significant enhancement in grain yield of rice over absolute control due to the application of different organic amendments applied alone or in combinations. Rice grain yield increased by 35.5% over absolute control when organic amendments viz., Seedling deep in Azotobacter + Vermiwash 2% + Banana Pseudostem Sap 2% were applied together.The rice grain yield (5.7 t ha-1) obtained under combined application of above three organic amendments was at par with the yield recorded under seedling deep in Azotobacter + Vermiwash 2% + Panchgavya 2%.An interesting observation recorded was that there was no serious attack of any insects pest or disease in organically grown crop.The study revealed that addition of four organic amendments viz. seedling deep in Azotobacter, vermiwash 2%, Panchgavya 2% and Banana Pseudostem Sap 2% could give the optimum yield of organic rice var. GR-11

Interdisciplinary project-based learning: technology for improving student cognition

The article studies a way of enhancing student cognition by using interdisciplinary project-based learning (IPBL) in a higher education institution. IPBL is a creative pedagogic approach allowing students of one area of specialisation to develop projects for students with different academic profiles. The application of this approach in the Ural State University of Economics resulted in a computer-assisted learning system (CALS) designed by IT students. The CALS was used in an analytical chemistry course with students majoring in Commodities Management and Expertise (‘expert’ students). To test how effective the technology was, the control and experimental groups were formed. In the control group, learning was done with traditional methods. In the experimental group, it was reinforced by IPBL. A statistical analysis of the results, with an application of Pearson χ 2 test, showed that the cognitive levels in both IT and ‘expert’ experimental groups improved as compared with the control groups. The findings demonstrated that IPBL can significantly enhance learning. It can be implemented in any institution of higher or secondary education that promotes learning, including the CALS development and its use for solving problems in different subject areas

Epoxide opening-induced tandem 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane to 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane rearrangement-iminium allylation: synthesis of (+/-)-peduncularine.

An efficient Lewis acid induced nitrogen-driven rearrangement iminium-trapping cascade from an epoxytropinone 3 gives a 7-allylated 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-one 2, which is converted into the alkaloid (+/-)-peduncularine (1)