Analysis of Yield and Technological Gaps of Potato Production in Bihar

The existence of large yield and technological gaps in different crops is a major problem faced by Indian agriculture. Potato being the most important vegetable of the country, also faces similar problem where actual yields are far below the potential yield. This study was attempted to analyze the yield and technological gap in potato production in Bihar. Data was collected from 90 farmers of Vaishali and Saran districts of Bihar using a structured interview schedule. The results revealed that the overall yield gap of 43.4 per cent existed in potato production in sampled area, which was largely due to the wide scale adoption of a local red skinned potato variety, Bhura aloo. The yield gap was maximum for marginal farmers (48.57%) followed by small farmers. Intensity of adoption was highest for this local variety i.e. Bhura aloo (33.01%) followed by Kufri Sindhuri (27.7%), Kufri Pukhraj (12.64%), Kufri Jyoti (6.83%) and Lal Gulab (5.53%). Large technological gap was observed with respect to the use of recommended dose of NPK fertilizers and pesticides by the farmers. Overall gap in input use per unit area was highest in case of potassium fertilizer (35.4%) followed by nitrogenous fertilizers (27.6%). This yield and technological gaps can be bridged by motivating and supporting farmers to adopt high yielding improved varieties and provision of effective extension services to enable farmers to use recommended level of fertilizers and pesticides

An Economic Analysis of Marketing of Potato from Shimla Hills of Himachal Pradesh

Potato is an important cash crop of Himachal Pradesh. Although, potato production in the state is very less, it fetches higher price than potato from plain areas due to its off seasonality. The study of potato marketing in hilly region is necessary to find out the share of profit made by farmers and other intermediaries in the marketing channel. Therefore, current study was attempted to find out marketing cost, margins, price spread and marketing efficiency of potato produced in Shimla hills. The interview schedule was used to collect primary data from 40 potato growers from Shimla and wholesalers as well as retailers from Chandigarh market. The collected data were analyzed by using suitable tools of statistics and economic measures. The findings indicated that majority of potato was sold to wholesalers at Chandigarh market through commission agent. The marketed surplus of potato was nearly 80 per cent of total produce and 15 per cent was retained by farmers for seed purpose. The average cost of marketing of 1 quintal of potato was found to be one fourth of consumer price. More than half of total marketing cost was borne by the farmer. The producers share in consumer rupees was found to be 66 per cent. The marketing efficiency was estimated to be 1.95 by Acharya and Agrawal method. Higher transportation cost and shortage of labour for post-harvest operation were major constraints. In order to reduce marketing cost borne by farmers, cooperative marketing should be initiated in Shimla hills. Farmers need to be grouped as Farmer Producer Society (FPOs) to increase their share in consumer rupees

Livestock Sector in North-Eastern Region of India: An Appraisal of Performance

Although agriculture is the prime source of livelihood for a majority of rural population in the North-Eastern region (NER) of India, dependence on livestock as an alternative source of income is significant. Responding to the burgeoning demand for livestock products in a sustainable manner is a big challenge. The widening gap between the demand and supply of livestock products can be met through bringing out changes in the production structure or opening up the international trade. In this context, an analysis of performance and factors influencing development of the livestock sector in NER has been carried out. The growth of livestock sector has been found slower in the NER than at the national level. However, a significant proportion of landless labourers, small and marginal farmers have access to livestock resources and acceleration in the growth of livestock in NER offers significant opportunities for household income augmentation and employment generation. Several factors identified to influence households’ decision to rear livestock include availability of labour, occupation, caste, farm-size, availability of irrigation, and access to information sources. The study has shown that the NE states should take technical, institutional and policy initiatives for the improvement of breeds, feed availability, disease control and food safety of livestock.Livestock Production/Industries,

Ultrazvučni pregled promjena vimena uzrokovanih strojnom mužnjom mliječnih krava križanki između holštajnsko-frizijske i sahival pasmine

The study was conducted to observe the internal post-milking teat tissue changes and to evaluate recovery to pre-milking conditions, using ultrasonography. Left-sided teats of Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal crossbred dairy cows (n = 20) were scanned six times: before milking, immediately after milking, and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after milking. Absolute and relative changes of teat canal length (TCL), teat diameter (TD), teat wall thickness (TWT) and teat cistern diameter (TCD) were measured. Machine milking significantly (P<0.001) affected all the measured teat parameters. There was a lengthening of the teat canal (19 - 25%), widening of the TD (19 - 20%), thickening of the teat wall (26 - 36%) and narrowing of TCD (51 - 52%). The time taken for the teats to return to their pre-milking state was significantly affected by teat position. The TWT, TCL and TD were recovered at 3 to 4 hours in the left front teats. In left hind teats, only TWT was recovered at 4 hours of milking. The deviations were highest immediately after milking for TD and TCD, and at 1 h after milking for TCL and TWT. We concluded that the time period of 4 hours is not sufficient for the complete recovery of the teats to the pre-milking state in Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal crossbred dairy cows.Ovo je istraživanje provedeno kako bi se ultrazvukom uočile promjene u tkivu sisa nakon mužnje i procijenio njihov oporavak te vraćanje u stanje prije mužnje. Lijeve sise mliječnih krava križanki između holštajnsko-frizijske i sahival pasmine (n = 20) šest su puta ultrazvučno promatrane: prije mužnje, odmah nakon mužnje te 1, 2, 3 i 4 sata nakon mužnje. Mjerene su apsolutne i relativne promjene dužine sisnog kanala (TCL), promjer vimena (TD), debljina stijenke sisnog kanala (TWT) i promjer sisne cisterne (TCD). Strojna mužnja znakovito je (P<0,0001) utjecala na sve mjerene pokazatelje. Uočeno je produženje sisnog kanala (19 - 25 %), povećanje promjera vimena (19 - 20 %), zadebljanje stijenke vimena (26 - 36 %) i suženje sisne cisterne (51 - 52 %). Na vrijeme potrebno da se sise vrate u stanje prije mužnje znakovito je utjecao njihov položaj. Tako su se vrijednosti TWT-a, TCL-a i TD-a vratile u prvotno stanje 3 - 4 sata kod sisa smještenih na prednjoj lijevoj strani vimena. U sisama smještenim na stražnjoj lijevoj strani vimena samo se TWT vratio u prvotno stanje 4 sata nakon mužnje. Odstupanja su bila najveća odmah nakon mužnje, i to kod vrijednosti TD-a i TCD-a te jedan sat nakon mužnje u slučaju TCL-a i TWT-a. Zaključeno je da je u mliječnih krava križanki između holštajnsko- frizijske i sahival pasmine vrijeme od četiri sata nedovoljno za potpuno vraćanje sisa u stanje prije mužnje

Dynamics of a camphoric acid boat at the air–water interface

We report experiments on an agarose gel tablet loaded with camphoric acid (c-boat) spontaneously set into motion by surface tension gradients on the water surface. We observe three distinct modes of c-boat motion: harmonic mode where the c-boat speed oscillates sinusoidally in time, a steady mode where the c-boat maintains constant speed, and an intermittent mode where the c-boat maintains near-zero speed between sudden jumps in speed. Whereas all three modes have been separately reported before in different systems, controlled release of Camphoric Acid (CA) from the agarose gel matrix allowed the observation of all the three modes in the same system. These three modes are a result of a competition between the driving (surface tension gradients) and drag forces acting on the c-boat. Moreover we suggest that there exist two time scales corresponding to spreading of CA and boat motion and the mismatch of these two time scales give rise to the three modes in boat motion. We reproduced all the modes of motion by varying the air–water interfacial tension using Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS)

Discrimination of Free Space and Subsurface Canonical Metallic Targets Using Hybrid E-Pulse Method

Abstract—Radar scattered time domain response can be modeled by natural poles using singularity expansion method (SEM) in resonance region. In this paper, limitation of the conventional Extinction pulse method is brought out, and a hybrid of conventional Extinction pulse and auto-regressive (AR) method is proposed for robust discrimination of radar targets. A new target discrimination number (TDN) is suggested, which gives very good discrimination margin for enhanced decision process. The Hybrid Extinction pulse technique is applied on the free space targets as well as subsurface canonical metallic targets and the result obtained shows good discrimination margin. The free space target response was obtained using FDTD simulation and the subsurface target response was obtained using frequency domain measurement done for the targets buried under dry sand. 1

molekularna epidemiologija bakterije Staphylococcus aureus izolirane iz mlijeka krava s mastitisom

The present study was aimed to understand the molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus (54 isolates), isolated from 422 milk samples obtained from 108 subclinical mastitis affected cows (CMT positive ≥1+ in at least one quarter). The molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus was studied using coagulase (coa) gene polymorphism, 16S-23S ribosomal spascer (RS-PCR) polymorphism and Staphylococcal protein A (Spa) typing. Staphylococcus aureus produced 7 coagulase genotypes and 8 RS genotypes respectively. Coagulase genotype GTIII (730 bp) was the most prevalent (35 strains) followed by GTV (900 bp, 7 strains) and GTIV (800 bp, 4 strains), whereas RS genotypes GTA accounted for the highest number of strains (31 strains), followed by GTB (11strains), GTH (4 strains) and GTE (3 strains). Coagulase genotype CTIII (730 bp) showed the highest diversity, as isolates within it produced 5 RS genotypes, the majority of them belonging to the RS genotype GTA (29 out of 31 strains). Forty out of 54 Staphylococcus aureus samples isolated in this study were correctly typed by spa typing, and were assigned to 21 known spa types, and one new novel spa type t18462. The study revealed high diversity within Staphylococcus aureus strains, consisting of 7 coagulase genotypes, 8 RS genotypes and 22 spa types.Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se razumjela molekularna epidemiologija bakterije Staphylococcus aureus. Ukupno 54 izolata iz 422 uzorka mlijeka dobivena su od 108 krava sa supkliničkim mastitisom (CMT pozitivni ≥ 1+ u barem jednoj četvrtini vimena). Molekularna epidemiologija S. aureus analizirana je upotrebom polimorfizma koagulaza-gena (coa), polimorfizma 16S-23S ribosomske regije razdvajanja (RS-PCR) i tipiziranjem stafilokoknog proteina A (Spas). Bakterija S. aureus proizvela je 7 genotipova koagulaza i 8 RS genotipova. Koagulaza genotip GTIII (730 bp) bio je najčešći (35 sojeva), zatim GTV (900 bp, 7 sojeva) i GTIV (800 bp, 4 soja), dok je kod RS genotipova najveći broj sojeva sadržavao GTA (31 soj), zatim GTB (11 sojeva), GTH (4 soja) i GTE (3 soja). Koagulaza genotip CTIII (730 bp) pokazao je najveću raznolikost jer su izolati unutar njega proizveli 5 RS genotipova, a većina njih pripadala je RS genotipu GTA (29 od 31 soja). Četrdeset od 54 uzorka bakterije S. aureus izolirana u ovom istraživanju bilo je ispravno tipizirano spas tipiziranjem, i pripisano 21 poznatom spas tipu te jednom novom spas tipu, t18462. Istraživanje je pokazalo veliku raznolikost sojeva bakterije S. aureus s obzirom na postojanje 7 koagulaza genotipova, 8 RS genotipova i 22 spas tipa

Combining ability analysis for seed yield and component traits in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss.]

The present investigation on combining ability analysis for seed yield and itscomponent characters in Indian mustard was carried out under two differentenvironments i.e. timely sown (E1) and late sown (E2) which revealed that both additiveand non-additive variances were present for the expression of all the characters studied inboth the environments and the former playing major role. The study of GCA indicatedthat the genotypes namely RH-9617, RH-9806 RH-9615 and were good combiners forearliness, siliqua length, 1000-seed weight, number of seeds/siliqua, primarybranches/plant and oil content. Hence, these parents could be used in crossingprogrammes for achieving further improvement. The study of SCA indicated that thecross combinations namely RH-9710 x RH-9806 and RH-9707 x RH-9806 should beexploited through heterosis breeding or should be used in recombination breeding forobtaining higher seed yield

Povezanost hromosti s ocjenom tjelesne kondicije, zdravljem vimena i kvalitetom mlijeka u krava križanki mliječnih pasmina

Three hundred and thirty-seven (337) crossbred dairy cows, at different stages of lactation and parity, from thirteen randomly selected dairy farms, were examined for locomotion score based on a five-point numerical scoring scale. Mild, moderate and severely lame cows were grouped together into the lame group and normal cows with locomotion score ‘0’ into the healthy non-lame group. Body condition score (BCS) in all the animals was also evaluated on a five-point scale ranging from 1 to 5. Cows having cow hock rear leg view (RLV) were assigned score ‘1’, and score ‘0’ for those with normal hocks. A quarter foremilk (QFM) and cow composite (CC) sample were collected from each cow maintaining aseptic conditions. QFM was used to determine the quarter health status of the cows, and CC for estimation of somatic cell count (SCC) and milk composition, in terms of fat, SNF, protein and lactose. It was concluded that lame cows had significantly (P<0.01) more milk SCC and poor quarter health status as compared to healthy cows. RLV increased with increasing lameness, although it did not affect milk SCC and composition. Likewise, milk composition was not affected by lameness. Lame cows had poor BCS, indicating a negative correlation with lameness.U istraživanje je uključeno 337 krava križanki za mlijeko, u različitim stadijima laktacije i s različitim paritetom. Krave su potjecale iz 13 slučajno odabranih farmi za proizvodnju mlijeka. Na temelju ljestvice do 5 bodova, kod krava je provedena procjena lokomocijske sposobnosti. Krave s blagom, umjerenom i jakom hromošću svrstane su u zajedničku skupinu hromih krava, a krave s ocjenom lokomocijske sposobnosti „0” u skupinu zdravih, nehromih krava. Ocjena tjelesne kondicije (BCS) u svih životinja također je procijenjena ljestvicom u rasponu od 1 do 5 bodova. Kravama s X-stavom stražnjih nogu (RLV) dodijeljena je ocjena „1“, a kravama s normalnim stavom stražnjih nogu dodijeljena je ocjena „0“. U aseptičkim uvjetima od svake je krave prikupljen uzorak iz pojedinačnih četvrti vimena (QFM) i zajednički, miješani uzorak mlijeka. QFM je korišten za određivanje zdravstvenog statusa krava, a CC za procjenu broja somatskih stanica (SCC) i sastava mlijeka s obzirom na mast, SNF, bjelančevine i laktozu. Zaključeno je da su hrome krave imale signifikantno (P<0,01) veći broj somatskih stanica SCC i lošiji zdravstveni status četvrti vimena u usporedbi sa zdravim kravama. RLV se povećao s povećanjem hromosti, iako nije utjecao na SCC i sastav mlijeka. Slično tomu, sastav mlijeka nije bio pod utjecajem hromosti. Hrome su krave imale slab BCS, što upućuje na negativnu povezanost s hromošću