Adaptation to Variable Environments, Resilience to Climate Change: Investigating Land, Water and Settlement in Indus Northwest India

This paper explores the nature and dynamics of adaptation and resilience in the face of a diverse and varied environmental and ecological context using the case study of South Asia’s Indus Civilization (ca. 3000–1300 BC). Most early complex societies developed in regions where the climatic parameters faced by ancient subsistence farmers were varied but rain falls primarily in one season. In contrast, the Indus Civilization developed in a specific environmental context that spanned a very distinct environmental threshold, where winter and summer rainfall systems overlap. There is now evidence to show that this region was directly subject to climate change during the period when the Indus Civilization was at its height (ca. 2500–1900 BC). The Indus Civilization, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to understand how an ancient society coped with diverse and varied ecologies and change in the fundamental environmental parameters. This paper integrates research carried out as part of the Land, Water and Settlement project in northwest India between 2007 and 2014. Although coming from only one of the regions occupied by Indus populations, these data necessitate the reconsideration of several prevailing views about the Indus Civilization as a whole and invigorate discussion about human-environment interactions and their relationship to processes of cultural transformation

Adaptation to Variable Environments, Resilience to Climate Change: Investigating Land, Water and Settlement in Indus Northwest India

This paper explores the nature and dynamics of adaptation and resilience in the face of a diverse and varied environmental and ecological context using the case study of South Asia’s Indus Civilization (ca. 3000–1300 BC). Most early complex societies developed in regions where the climatic parameters faced by ancient subsistence farmers were varied but rain falls primarily in one season. In contrast, the Indus Civilization developed in a specific environmental context that spanned a very distinct environmental threshold, where winter and summer rainfall systems overlap. There is now evidence to show that this region was directly subject to climate change during the period when the Indus Civilization was at its height (ca. 2500–1900 BC). The Indus Civilization, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to understand how an ancient society coped with diverse and varied ecologies and change in the fundamental environmental parameters. This paper integrates research carried out as part of the Land, Water and Settlement project in northwest India between 2007 and 2014. Although coming from only one of the regions occupied by Indus populations, these data necessitate the reconsideration of several prevailing views about the Indus Civilization as a whole and invigorate discussion about human-environment interactions and their relationship to processes of cultural transformation

Adaptation to Variable Environments, Resilience to Climate Change: Investigating Land, Water and Settlement in Indus Northwest India

This paper explores the nature and dynamics of adaptation and resilience in the face of a diverse and varied environmental and ecological context using the case study of South Asia’s Indus Civilization (ca. 3000–1300 BC). Most early complex societies developed in regions where the climatic parameters faced by ancient subsistence farmers were varied but rain falls primarily in one season. In contrast, the Indus Civilization developed in a specific environmental context that spanned a very distinct environmental threshold, where winter and summer rainfall systems overlap. There is now evidence to show that this region was directly subject to climate change during the period when the Indus Civilization was at its height (ca. 2500–1900 BC). The Indus Civilization, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to understand how an ancient society coped with diverse and varied ecologies and change in the fundamental environmental parameters. This paper integrates research carried out as part of the Land, Water and Settlement project in northwest India between 2007 and 2014. Although coming from only one of the regions occupied by Indus populations, these data necessitate the reconsideration of several prevailing views about the Indus Civilization as a whole and invigorate discussion about human-environment interactions and their relationship to processes of cultural transformation

Evaluation of Insecticides against Cowpea Sucking Insect Pests in Madhya Pradesh's Gird Region

During the Kharif season of 2022–2023 at Research Farm, Rajmata Vijyaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, a field experiment was carried out to assess the effectiveness of seven treatments: T1 - Dimethoate 30 EC (1000 ml); T2 - Imidachloprid 17.8 SL (125 ml); T3 - Acetamiprid 20 SP (125 gm); T4 - Flubendiamide 48 SC (500 ml); T5 – Emamectin benzoate 5 SG (100 gm); T6 – Fipronil 15% SC (2000 ml); and T7 - Un-treated. The observations were made three, seven, and fifteen days after the first and second pesticide sprayings, respectively. The data indicated that Imidachloprid 17.8 SL @ 125ml ha-1 was the most effective insecticide out of the six, and that it was better at controlling the incidence of sucking insects in cowpea, such as aphids (Aphis craccivora (Koch)), thrips (M. distalis (Karny)), whiteflies (A. rachipora (Singh)), and jassids (E. kerri (Pruthi)). However, it was found that Acetamiprid 20 SP was least successful in controlling sucking insects

Effect of Planting Date on Growth and Yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Semi-arid Tropics of Central India

The present experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (Regional Station), Gwalior (M.P.) during the Rabi season of 2021-22 to study the influence of planting dates on performance of potato crop. Total seven different planting date as treatments viz., D1- 15/09/2021; D2- 30/09/2021; D3- 15/10/2021; D4- 30/10/2021 (Timely planting); D5- 14/11/2021; D6- 29/11/2021 and D7-14/12/2021 were tested in randomized block design (RBD) with four replications. The potato (cv. Kufri Mohan) was planted with a seed rate of 3.5 t ha-1 and with a spacing of 60 cm x 20 cm. The recommended dose of chemical fertilizers viz., 180:80:120 kg ha-1 N:P2O5:K2O, respectively was applied to the crop. The various growth and yield attributes and yield viz., plant height, number of stem plant-1, haulm yield, tuber yield, biological yield and harvest Index were recorded. The results revealed that the timely planting treatment recorded 18.6-69.0% and 13.1-52.5% higher yield than early and late planting, respectively. Thus, the timely planting of potato (D4) showed significant positive effect on growth and yield of potato crop whereas the early (D2 and D2) and late planting (D6 and D7) treatments showed poor growth and yield performance

Copper(II) promoted hydrolysis of 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine: Synthesis, characterization and biological activities of the hydrolytic products

717-723The hydrolysis of 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (tptz) yield the compounds bis(2-pyridylcarbonyl)amide and 2-picolinamide. From these hydrolytic products, two copper(II) complexes viz,. [Cu(IDA)(2-pa)].2H2O (1) and [Cu(bpca)(H2O)2]NO3.2H2O (2) [where IDA = iminodiacetic acid, 2-pa = 2-picolinamide and bpca = bis(2-pyridyl-carbonyl)amido] have been isolated and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Both complexes belong to the triclinic crystal system having space group P-1. Complex (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">2) shows significant hydrogen bonding and non-covalent π…π stacking interactions. In complex (2), Bifurcated (three centered) hydrogen bonds have been detected. The electron paramagnetic mononuclear copper(II) complexes display X-band epr spectra in 100% DMSO at 77 K giving g > g   > 2.0023, indicating <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">dx2-y2 ground state in a square pyramidal geometry. In-vitro antibacterial study has been assayed against some selected microorganisms using agar disc diffusion method. The DNA cleavage activities of both complexes are also investigated by gel electrophoresis using pBR 322 DNA

Green Manure: Aspects and its Role in Sustainable Agriculture

Continuous cropping and frequent soil cultivation contribute to the breakdown of soil aggregates and the removal of organic matter, which reduces soil fertility and production. Green manuring is a low-cost and efficient approach for reducing the expense of inorganic fertilizers and preserving soil fertility. Due to the mounting problems facing agriculture, including climate change, extreme weather events, soil deterioration, and land contamination as a result of the overuse of chemical fertilizers, many farmers are adding green manuring into their methods to prevent soil erosion, improve soil structure, control weed growth, and most importantly increase the soil's fertility. The use of green manure has drastically decreased, raising concerns about the sustainability of soil fertility. Field crops may experience a temporary setback following the integration of organic residues with a high C-N ratio. By enhancing the soil's structure, fertility, and nutrient content, green manuring functions as a restoration factory to maintain the soil's fertility for sustainable agriculture. Green manure is therefore essential for growers that seek to decrease the use of dangerous chemicals for soil fertilization. Many farmers must use green manure in their operations to avoid the usage of chemical fertilizers in agriculture