Short-Term Effect of Forage Grasses on Carbon Sustainability, Fodder Security, and Soil Properties in Poor Soils of Semi-Arid India

Grasses are essential sources of fodder for livestock and provide options for climate resilience due to their broad range of adoption. They are also valuable resources for soil quality enhancement. Therefore, a six-year field study using nine grasses (2013 to 2019) was initiated in a semi-arid region of central India. The study aimed to assess the short-term impact of these nine grasses on soil carbon stock, selected soil physiochemical and biological properties, and green fodder yield. Results (after six years) revealed that a greater carbon stock (7.0 and 7.2 Mg ha–1), carbon sustainability index (71.6 and 89.3), and sustainable yield index for green fodder (0.89 and 0.91), respectively, were observed in lampagrass [Heteropogon contortus (L.)] and guineagrass [Megathyrsus maximus(Jacq.)]. These improvements could be due to the greater root length (1700 and 2220 cm plant–1) and root weight density of grasses in the upper soil layer (0–10 cm, 70%), and the higher green biomass production (~44.1 t ha–1 year–1). These beneficial changes might have further led to the lower soil bulk density (~1.05 g cm–3), higher water-filled porosity (14.7 and 16.1%), and soil organic carbon content (~0.67%) over other grasses and barren soil. Consequently, the highest total bacterial count (21.9 and 44.5 × 107 CFU g–1), soil microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activities such as acid phosphatase (17.7 and 22.6 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) and alkaline phosphatase (9.6 and 15.9 µg p-nitrophenyl g–1 h–1) were noticed in lampagrass and guineagrass rhizospheres. Therefore, cultivation of perennial grasses in the low fertile soils of semi-arid environments can be an eco-friendly approach to enhance soil fertility, green fodder supply, and soil carbon build-up

Calibration of a Neutron Polarimeter

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Experience of violence and adverse reproductive health outcomes, HIV risks among mobile female sex workers in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Female sex workers (FSWs) are a population sub-group most affected by the HIV epidemic in India and elsewhere. Despite research and programmatic attention to FSWs, little is known regarding sex workers' reproductive health and HIV risk in relation to their experiences of violence. This paper therefore aims to understand the linkages between violence and the reproductive health and HIV risks among a group of mobile FSWs in India.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data are drawn from a cross-sectional behavioural survey conducted in 22 districts from four high HIV prevalence states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu) in India between September 2007 and July 2008. The survey sample included 5,498 FSWs who had moved to at least two different places for sex work in the past two years, and are classified as mobile FSWs in the current study. Analyses calculated the prevalence of past year experiences of violence; and adjusted logistic regression models examined the association between violence and reproductive health and HIV risks after controlling for background characteristics and program exposure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately one-third of the total mobile FSWs (30.5%, n = 1,676) reported experiencing violence at least once in the past year; 11% reported experiencing physical violence, and 19.5% reported experiencing sexual violence. Results indicate that FSWs who had experienced any violence (physical or sexual) were significantly more likely to be vulnerable to both reproductive health and HIV risks. For example, FSWs who experienced violence were more likely than those who did not experience violence to have experienced a higher number of pregnancies (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-1.6), ever experienced pregnancy loss (adjusted OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.2-1.6), ever experienced forced termination of pregnancy (adjusted OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 2.0-2.7), experienced multiple forced termination of pregnancies (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.7-2.8), and practice inconsistent condom use currently (adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.4-2.0). Among FSWs who experienced violence, those who experienced sexual violence were more likely than those who had experienced physical violence to report inconsistent condom use (adjusted OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.4-2.3), and experience STI symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The pervasiveness of violence and its association with reproductive health and HIV risk highlights that the abuse in general is an important determinant for reproductive health risks; and sexual violence is significantly associated with HIV risks among those who experienced violence. Existing community mobilization programs that have primarily focused on empowering FSWs should broaden their efforts to promote reproductive health in addition to the prevention of HIV among all FSWs, with particular emphasis on FSWs who experienced violence.</p

A future application of pulse plating–silver recovery from hydrometallurgical bottom ash leachant

In the current study, electrodeposition-redox replacement was applied to a hydrometallurgical solution with the main elements of Ca (13.8 g L−1), Al (4.7 g L−1), Cu (2.5 g L−1), Zn (1.2 g L−1), Fe (1.2 g L−1), S (1 g L−1), Mg (0.8 g L−1), P (0.5 g L−1) and Ag (3.5 ppm). The solution originated from the leaching experiment of incinerator plant bottom ash, which was dissolved into 2 M HCl media at T = 30 °C. The resulting deposit on the electrode surface was analysed with SEM-EDS and the observed Ag/(Cu + Zn) ratio (0.3) indicated remarkable enrichment of silver on the surface, when compared to the ratio of these elements (Ag/(Cu + Zn)) in the solution (6.8 × 10−5). The enrichment of Ag vs. (Cu + Zn) could be demonstrated to increase ca. 4500 fold compared to the ratio of the elements in solution.Peer reviewe

Simulated impacts of rise in temperature on kharif sorghum genotypes in Northern Transitional Zone of Karnataka, India

Thoroughly calibrated and validated DSSAT–CERES sorghum model’s seasonal analysis tool was used to evaluate the sensitivity of four kharif sorghum cultivars across three dates of sowing to changes in temperature. Five temperature scenarios (no change in temp, +0.5 °C, +1 °C, +1.5 °C and +2 °C) were created using 32 years’ observed past weather data (1985–2016). The model was run for all four cultivars across three dates of sowing under standard package of practices recommended to Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka for 32 years under rainfed conditions. Average of 32 years’ model simulated outputs revealed that kharif sorghum yield is sensitive to changes in temperature. Among the genotypes tested, CSH-16 gave the highest grain yield in all temperature scenarios across dates of sowing, and was followed by CSV-17, CSV-23 and CSH-23. Among the dates of sowing, across all temperature scenarios, early sowing (15th June) gave the highest grain yield as compared to later sowings (i.e., 30th June and 15th July of 2011 and 2012). Among the cultivars tested, irrespective of dates of sowing, for every 0.5 °C increase in temperature, the average yield reduction was found to be the highest in CSV-23 (9.39%), followed by CSV-16 (7.51%), CSH-23 (7.26%) and CSV-17 (7.25%), which shows the diferential response among cultivars to rise in temperature. This study indicates that as part of adaptation to future climates manipulation in sowing date as well as choice of heat tolerant cultivars would be required