System of wheat intensification (SWI) – A new approach for increasing wheat yield in small holder farming system

Given the confluence of water scarcity, declining area under wheat and continuing increase in population, raising wheat productivity has become a serious concern to the wheat scientists. Yield contribution from irrigation is more significant in wheat. Increase in the irrigation management levels for wheat is probably more relevant and easier to improve water productivity. But transplanted wheat seems high water requiring and economically less feasible. Seedlings have usually poor survival rate, and are often more fragile than rice seedlings at the two leaves stage. Besides plants do not grow quickly and vigorously, and show a delay in development compared to the direct seeding treatment. All yield parameters are often lower compared to the direct seeding treatment due to transplanting of aged seedlings, greater shock of transplantation, high plant density, improper amount and timing of water deliveries. Therefore, applying SRI (system of rice intensification) practices is expected to have a positive impact on the wheat plants, similar to the impact on rice. SWI is a new concept and goes with the SRI principle. It can reduce weeding time to one-third and to one-half of the time needed for current weeding practice. Herbicide use is effective with SWI, but farmers are inventing or modifying tools that reduce the labour time required for weeding. Thus, SWI is a methodology aimed at increasing the yield of wheat, where all agronomic principles are put into practices to provide high wheat yield per drop of water and per kg of agricultural inputs like fertilizer, seed etc

Zinc Fertilization in Potato: A Physiological and Bio-chemical Study

Aims: More than 54% of soils in West Bengal are Zinc (Zn) deficient and therefore, Zn−fertilization is assumed to play a key role not only for increasing potato yield but also for combating wide spread deficiency of micronutrients (mainly Zn) in many potato growing areas of the state. Place and Duration of Study: A two-year field experiment was conducted during winter 2013-14 and 2014-15 at to assess the advantages of Zn nutrition in potato cv. Kufri Jyoti under alluvial soil (Entisols) of West Bengal, India Methodology: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) having five treatments and four replications The potato was fertilized with five zinc levels (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 kg Zn ha−1) through zinc sulphate heptahydrate i.e. ZnSO4, 7H2O (commercial grade Multi-Zn contained 21% Zn) at the time of planting. A uniform dose of NPK at 200:150:150 kg ha−1 RDF was applied in all the plots in the form of urea (46% N), single super phosphate (16% P2O5), and muriate of potash (60% K2O). Results: Application Zn fertilizer at 4.5 kg ha−1 recorded significantly higher germination %, plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation (DMA) and number of tubers hill−1. Total number and yield of tuber ha−1 were also changed significantly (P≤ .05) with the levels of Zn-fertilization. Quality parameters like total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity, ascorbic acid, starch and amount of total sugar contents of fresh potato tuber as well as organoleptic quality of chips (colour) also influenced significantly (P≤ .05) with varied levels of Zn fertilization. Conclusion: Results suggest that application of 4.5 kg Zn ha−1 in combination with recommended dose fertilizer (RDF) of NPK (i.e. 200:150:150 kg ha−1) is vital for optimizing yield components, yield and quality of potato (cv. Kufri Jyoti) in trans-Gangetic plains of West Bengal, India

Altered expression of DNA Methyltransferases in biomass using rural women in West Bengal

Unprocessed solid biomass such as wood, coal, dung and agricultural residues are still used in many rural households in India as main source of domestic energy for cooking, boiling water and heating. Combustion of biomass releases a considerable amount of particulate matters (PM) and toxic pollutants. Therefore, use of biomass as fuels causes very high level of indoor air pollution (IAP) in rural households and the women who do most of the daily household cooking with these fuels, receive the maximum exposure. Thus, the cells of the nasopharynx, oral cavity, airways and the lungs in these women get severely affected and undergo harmful changes. The present study is conducted to appraise the effects of IAP generated PMs and/or carcinogens on epigenetic changes in airway epithelial cells as little information is known about it. In the present study LPG using rural women were used as controls against biomass using rural women and both these groups comprise of non-smokers and non-chewer of tobacco and betel nut. Significantly enhanced production of ROS was evident in biomass fuel users with depletion of SOD, a major scavenger enzyme in comparison to LPG using control women. Furthermore, Immunocytochemical evaluation showed significantly increased expressions of DNMT1 and DNMT3a enzymes and reduced expression of SET7, an inhibitor of DNMT1, in airway epithelial cells of biomass-using rural women in comparison to LPG using control women. The findings indicate major epigenetic changes in airway epithelial cells of biomass users due to long-term exposure to particulate pollution which also increases the risk of lung cancer in these women

Cloud Computing and its Applications in Academic Library

Cloud Computing is a new concept of network based Computing method. It is used to share resources and services. The cloud computing models prompts powerful distribution of capabilities. It is now used in the libraries also. This article explains the conceptual framework of cloud computing, services, benefits and its applications in libraries. With cloud computing library services can have a new road and in future it will become effective, user centric and more beneficial for Library

“Warn Them” or “Just Block Them”?: Investigating Privacy Concerns Among Older and Working Age Adults

Prior work suggests that older adults are less aware of potential digital privacy risks compared to younger groups. We seek to expand on these findings by using drawmetrics with 20 older adults (60+) to visualize their experiences with digital privacy via drawing sessions. We further compared older adults with 20 adults of working age (18-59) with the goal of identifying both overlapping concerns and key differences that may be missed when viewing each group in isolation. We extended our evaluation with a survey with questions and themes derived from open-coding of the drawn images and confirmed three key differences between the age groups. These include older adults perceiving a greater threat from using online banking and e-commerce compared to working age adults, older adults exhibiting greater levels of concern about global scale threats, and working age adults showing more privacy-related concern regarding social media. Our findings can be used to potentially tailor applications to better accommodate privacy concerns for older adults

Optimizing Potassium Application for Hybrid Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) in Coastal Saline Soils of West Bengal, India

The present study assesses the response of hybrid rice (variety Arize 6444) to potassium (K) application during rainy (wet) seasons of 2016 and 2017 in coastal saline soils of West Bengal, India. The study was conducted at the Regional Research Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kakdwip, West Bengal. The soil is clayeywith acidic pH (5.91), saline (Electrical conductivity/EC 1.53 dS m&#8722;1) and of high K fertility (366 kg ha&#8722;1). The experimental plots were laid out in a randomized complete block design with five (5) K treatments (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg K2O ha&#8722;1) with four replications. Plant height, dry matter (DM) in different plant parts, number of tillers, and grain yield were measured in each treatment for the determination of optimum K dose. The study revealed that the stem, leaf, and grain dry matter production at 60 days after transplanting (DAT) and harvest were significantly (p &#8804; 0.05) higher at 90 kg K2O ha&#8722;1 application. The number of tillers hill&#8722;1 was also higher (p &#8804; 0.05) in plants fertilized with 90 kg K2O ha&#8722;1 over K omission. At harvest, grain K concentration improved (p &#8804; 0.05) with K fertilization at 90 kg K2O ha&#8722;1, 116% more than the zero-K. Omission of K application from the best treatment (90 kg K2O ha&#8722;1) reduced grain yield by 3.5 t ha&#8722;1 even though the available K content was high. Potassium uptake restriction due to higher Mg content in the soil may have caused reduced uptake of K leading to yield losses. The present study also showed higher profits with 90 kg K2O ha&#8722;1 with higher net returns (US$ 452 ha&#8722;1) and benefit:cost ratio (1.75) over other treatments from hybrid rice (var. Arize 6444). From the regression equation, the economic optimum level of K (Kopt) was derived as 101.5 kg K2O ha&#8722;1 that could improve productivity of hybrid rice during the wet season in coastal saline soils of West Bengal

Integrated nutrient management for okra in an inceptisol of eastern India and yield modeling through artificial neural network

Present investigation has been conducted to assess the efficiency of few selected and simulated options of integrated nutrient management and plant growth regulator in improving okra growth and increasing okra yield (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) in an inceptisol at Gayeshpur, West Bengal, India (23° N 89° E at 9.75 m above MSL). The experimental soils were neutral, non-saline, sandy loam, low in organic carbon, available N, DTPA extractable micronutrients, moderate in available P and medium in available K contents. The experiment was laid out in an asymmetric factorial design with seven different treatments of integrated nutrient management (INM) and two levels of gibberellic acid (GA). Okra yield, macro and micronutrients uptake by okra pod, available nutrient status in post-harvest soil were observed to increase significantly when chemical N and P were supplemented by organic manures and/or bacterial fertilizers along with application of GA. Application of 75% of NP + total K through chemical fertilizers along with Azospirillum, PSB, VAM and FYM restored highest soil nutrient availability and okra pod nutrient accumulation. Highest okra yield and best economic return could be achieved when PSB and FYM were used to supplement 75% of N, P + total K. Okra yield models, developed through artificial neural network (ANN), clearly indicated the manifest role of soil and okra pod N, P, Zn, Fe and Mn in increasing productivity under interventions of bacterial fertilizers (PSB and VAM)