Production, Marketing and Value Chain Mapping of 'Srijana' Tomato Hybrid Seed in Nepal

A tomato variety known as 'Srijana' developed by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) has been substantially popular among Nepalese farmers and entrepreneurs. To understand the seed value chain of the Srijana hybrid tomato, a survey was conducted in 2014/15 with public research and extension institutions, private seed companies/firms, non-governmental organization and community group including individual farmers, involved in Srijana tomato seed production. The survey covered random selection of 30 agro-vets and 30 farmers in Kathmandu valley, Kavre, Nuwakot, Dolakha and Kaski districts, Nepal where production of Srijana tomato seed is mostly concentrated. A focus group discussion was also conducted with commercial tomato farmers in each of the study districts. The study showed a total production of 293 kg Srijana seed having a value of around 47 million Nepalese Rupees (US $470 thousands) in year 2013/14. Private sector was the dominant actor sharing about 85$ 3,000) profit was estimated through the production of Srijana tomato seed in 0.05 hectares (500 m2) of land. Agro-vets (private sector seed dealers) were the major actors for supplying the seed from the producers to farms and received a higher profit margins. The farmers producing and selling the seed in technical assistance of public agencies received higher producer`s share (66.6%) than farmers producing and selling seed through own group (60%), technical assistance of non-governmental organization (53.3%), and in contract with private seed companies (26.7%). Majority of commercial tomato farmers had complaints on supply of poor quality seed in the market. As a result, there was declining faith on the quality of Srijana tomato seed. Limited access to parental lines and poor availability of skilled human resources were the key constraints to produce the quality Srijana seed. Therefore, it is recommended that there should be a provision of efficient quality control mechanisms, and development of human resources including public private partnerships for maintaining the genetic purity of parental lines and also improving the capacities of seed value chain actors for sustainable Srijana seed production in Nepal

Biotransformation of caffeoyl quinic acids from green coffee extracts by Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533

Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Nicole Page-Zoerkler and Olivier Mauroux for their technical assistant. We thank David Pridmore and Kimo Makkinen for critical reading of this manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

STUDY OF THE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MEASUREMENT OF DIAMETER OF ABDOMINAL AORTA IN NEPALESE

Background: The diameter of abdominal aorta (DAA) has its own importance in human body in diagnosing several abdominal aortic diseases. Its size is the diagnostic parameter for the abdominal aortic aneurysm which is the localized dilation of the abdominal aorta. Methods: The DAA of Nepalese was measured according to age and sex at three different levels, just superior to the celiac axis, at renal pedicle level and just superior to bifurcation by using Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. Also the DAA of the normal people was compared to those having hypertension, alcohol consumption and smoking habit. Study Sample: Altogether, 125 patients were included who came to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgung, Kathmandu, Nepal for abdominal CT scan. Among them 100 are normal population and 25 are the victim of hypertension, alcohol consumption and smoking habit. Results: The findings revealed that the DAA in most of the observed patients is less than the aneurysm limit i.e. smaller than 30mm except in one male patientof age 72 years. Conclusion: It is concluded that the diameter of abdominal aorta increases with ages and is pronounced more in Nepalese male population than in female. It is also higher in patients of both sexes having hypertension and smoking habit. KEYWORDS: Bifurcation; Celiac axis; CT scan, DAA; Renal pedicle level

STUDY OF THE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MEASUREMENT OF DIAMETER OF ABDOMINAL AORTA IN NEPALESE

Background: The diameter of abdominal aorta (DAA) has its own importance in human body in diagnosing several abdominal aortic diseases. Its size is the diagnostic parameter for the abdominal aortic aneurysm which is the localized dilation of the abdominal aorta. Methods: The DAA of Nepalese was measured according to age and sex at three different levels, just superior to the celiac axis, at renal pedicle level and just superior to bifurcation by using Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. Also the DAA of the normal people was compared to those having hypertension, alcohol consumption and smoking habit. Study Sample: Altogether, 125 patients were included who came to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgung, Kathmandu, Nepal for abdominal CT scan. Among them 100 are normal population and 25 are the victim of hypertension, alcohol consumption and smoking habit. Results: The findings revealed that the DAA in most of the observed patients is less than the aneurysm limit i.e. smaller than 30mm except in one male patientof age 72 years. Conclusion: It is concluded that the diameter of abdominal aorta increases with ages and is pronounced more in Nepalese male population than in female. It is also higher in patients of both sexes having hypertension and smoking habit. KEYWORDS: Bifurcation; Celiac axis; CT scan, DAA; Renal pedicle level

Survey on gender role in rice production by farmers of Nuwakot district, Nepal

Gender plays an important role in agriculture from managing work at the farm field to communicate with buyers. There is a significant division of labor among rice farmers in Nepal; thus, the study was conducted to identify the role of males and females in a farm field and also in decision making and other relevant activities. A random sampling survey was conducted where the respondents aged between 35-55 were highest and 85% of the respondents were males. The area was found to be dominated by the Brahmins. Female workers were found to be involved in highly unskilled work like transplanting, uprooting, weeding, and male workers were found to be involved in decision making, marketing, land preparation, pesticide application. Harvesting was done by females and then threshing by males. Equal involvement of males and females laborers was observed in the irrigation of rice crops. Women's less access to decision making was found to be due to lack of land ownership and lower level of education than those of males. Thus, the need for women empowerment is necessary for the area and also exposure of female labors to different skill-oriented training should be encouraged. The focus of NGOs/ INGOs should be headed to uplift the women's role in farming in Nepal

Potential for enriching next-generation health-promoting gut bacteria through prebiotics and other dietary components

The human intestinal commensal microbiota and associated metabolic products have long been regarded as contributors to host health. As the identity and activities of the various members of this community have become clearer, newly identified health-associated bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruminococcus bromii and Roseburia species, have emerged. Notably, the abundance of many of these bacteria is inversely correlated to several disease states. While technological and regulatory hurdles may limit the use of strains from these taxa as probiotics, it should be possible to utilize prebiotics and other dietary components to selectively enhance their growth in situ. Dietary components of potential relevance include well-established prebiotics, such as galacto-oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin, while other putative prebiotics, such as other oligosaccharides, polyphenols, resistant starch, algae and seaweed as well as host gut metabolites such as lactate and acetate, may also be applied with the aim of selectively and/or differentially affecting the beneficial bacterial community within the gastrointestinal environment. The present review provides an overview of the dietary components that could be applied in this manner

INDOOR RADON SURVEY IN NEPAL USING PASSIVE TECHNIQUE SOLID STATE NUCLEAR TRACK DETECTOR

Context: It has been proved from many epidemiological studies that the inhalation of the radioactive, inert gas radon (222Rn) is the main cause of lungs cancer after smoking. Objective: The survey was conducted to estimate the indoor radon concentration, the annual effective dose rate and the annual dose equivalent rate to the lung. Material and Methods: Altogether 50 dwellings were chosen randomly at 5 different districts of Nepal. The dosimetric measurements were carried out over a period of 3 months using time-integrated passive radon detectors, CR-39 based on type II Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) technique. The type of houses was concrete with plastered walls and mud house. Results: The minimum concentration of radon in the study areas was found to be <20Bq.m-3 and the maximum concentration was 110±20Bq.m-3. Also the corresponding values of annual effective dose and annual equivalent dose to the lung respectively varied from <0.60 to 3.30mSv.y-1 and 0.16—10-7 to 0.88×10-7 Sv.y-1. The uncertainty was measured at 95% confidence level. Conclusion: The indoor radon concentration varies considerably with the ventilation condition, lifestyle of the people, construction of the dwellings and climate of the areas. The measurements show that the radon concentrations were found to be well below the reference levels of ICRP. KEYWORDS: Indoor Radon; Annual Effective Dose; CR-39; Ventilation Condition; Dwelling

INDOOR RADON SURVEY IN NEPAL USING PASSIVE TECHNIQUE SOLID STATE NUCLEAR TRACK DETECTOR

Context: It has been proved from many epidemiological studies that the inhalation of the radioactive, inert gas radon (222Rn) is the main cause of lungs cancer after smoking. Objective: The survey was conducted to estimate the indoor radon concentration, the annual effective dose rate and the annual dose equivalent rate to the lung. Material and Methods: Altogether 50 dwellings were chosen randomly at 5 different districts of Nepal. The dosimetric measurements were carried out over a period of 3 months using time-integrated passive radon detectors, CR-39 based on type II Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) technique. The type of houses was concrete with plastered walls and mud house. Results: The minimum concentration of radon in the study areas was found to be <20Bq.m-3 and the maximum concentration was 110±20Bq.m-3. Also the corresponding values of annual effective dose and annual equivalent dose to the lung respectively varied from <0.60 to 3.30mSv.y-1 and 0.16—10-7 to 0.88×10-7 Sv.y-1. The uncertainty was measured at 95% confidence level. Conclusion: The indoor radon concentration varies considerably with the ventilation condition, lifestyle of the people, construction of the dwellings and climate of the areas. The measurements show that the radon concentrations were found to be well below the reference levels of ICRP. KEYWORDS: Indoor Radon; Annual Effective Dose; CR-39; Ventilation Condition; Dwelling

Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome with Polysplenia and Short Pancreas: A Case Report

Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome is a rare entity and usually presents with common symptoms of undescended testis and hernia. The syndrome is caused by an insufficient amount of Mullerian inhibiting substance or due to the insensitivity of the target organ to Mullerian inhibiting substance. Polysplenia is a rare congenital disease manifested by multiple small accessory spleens. The association of these two entities is rare and has not been reported in the literature. We reported a case of a 27 years old male presented with complains of right flank pain and nausea. Ultrasound showed right ureteric calculus with hydronephrosis and elongated soft tissue mass posterior to bladder. Contrast enhanced Computed Tomography showed soft tissue suggestive of infantile uterine structure with multiple splenculi and short pancreas. He was diagnosed as Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome with unilateral cryptorchidism, polysplenia and short pancreas, coincidentally detected while evaluating for ureteric colic.

Wheat Yield Trend and Soil Fertility Status in Long Term Rice-Rice-Wheat Cropping System

A long-term soil fertility experiment under rice-rice-wheat system was performed to evaluate the long term effects of inorganic fertilizer and manure applications on soil properties and grain yield of wheat. The experiment began since 1978 was laid out in randomized complete block design with 9 treatments replicated 3 times. From 1990 onwards, periodic modifications have been made in all the treatments splitting the plots in two equal halves of 4 x 3 m2 leaving one half as original. In the original treatments, recent data revealed that the use of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) @10 t ha-1 gave significantly (P≤0.05) higher yield of 2.3 t ha-1 in wheat, whereas control plot gave the lowest grain yield of 277 kg ha-1. Similarly, in the modified treatments, the use of FYM @10 t ha-1 along with inorganic Nitrogen (N) and Potassium oxide (K2O) @ 50 kg ha-1 produced significantly (P≤0.05) the highest yield of 2.4 t/ha in wheat. The control plot with an indigenous nutrient supply only produced wheat yield of 277 kg ha-1 after 35th year completion of rice-rice-wheat system. A sharp decline in wheat yields was noted in minus N, phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) treatments during recent years. Yields were consistently higher in the N:P2O5:K2O and FYM treatments than in treatments, where one or more nutrients were lacking. The application of P2O5 and K2O caused a partial recovery of yield in P and K deficient plots. There was significant (P≤0.05) effect of use of chemical fertilizers and manure on soil properties. The soil analysis data showed an improvement in soil pH (7.8), soil organic matter (4.1%), total N content (0.16%), available P (503.5 kg P2O5 ha-1) and exchangeable K (137.5 kg K2O ha-1) in FYM applied treatments over all other treatments. The findings showed that the productivity of the wheat can be increased and sustained by improving nutrient through the integrated use of organic and inorganic manures in long term.Journal of Nepal Agricultural Research Council Vol.1 2015 pp.21-2