Studies on the optimum protein to energy ratio of African catfish (Clarias batrachus Burchell)

A laboratory trial was conducted to determine the optimum dietary protein to energy (P/E) ratio of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. The experiment was carried out in a flow-through system for 6 weeks. There were 12 treatments each with two replicates having 10 fish each with a mean initial weight of 1.80 ± 0.02g. Twelve semi-purified diets were formulated with four digestible crude protein levels (23, 26.5, 30 and 33.5%) and three digestible energy levels (2.25, 2.75 and 3.25 Kcal/g). The fish were fed three times daily at satiation level. The results of the study showed that, diet containing 33.5% digestible protein and 2.75 kcal/g digestible energy with a protein to energy ratio of 121 .8 (mg protein/kcal) appeared to be best utilized for growth

Studies on the gonadosomatic index and fecundity of chapila (Gudusia chapra Ham.)

The study was conducted in pond to determine the fecundity and gonadosomatic index of chapila, Gudusia chapra. The male fish was found to attain sexual maturity at 7.7 cm and 7.41 g and that of the female at 9.3 cm and 14.65 g by standard-length and body-weight respectively. The investigated fishes were found to be male and female at the ratio of 1:3 and generally female was found to be larger than male. The fish was found to spawn for several months with two spawning peaks, one in April and another in August as indicated by the peaks of gonadosomatic index and ova diameter. Fecundity of the fish ranged from 25,220 to 154,528 with an average value of 72,383 and was found to increase with the increase in length and weight of the fish. The relationships between fecundity and standard-length, body-weight, gonad-length and gonad weight of the fish were found to be linear and significant

Impact of chapila (Gudusia chapra Ham.) on growth of carps in polyculture

The impact of chapila (Gudusia chapra) on the growth of carps was determined through introducing the fish in polyculture. A net average production with and without chapila were obtained at 467.11 and 889.54 kg/ha respectively (PO.OS). The highest level of dietary overlap occurred between chapila and catla followed by chapila and rohu (P<O.OS). The present study revealed that chapila reduces the net production at 47.49% in carps polyculture

IN VITRO BULB PRODUCTION IN HIPPEASTRUM (HIPPEASTRUM HYBRIDUM)

An in vitro experiment was conducted to find out the optimum hormonal supplement and sucrose level for the bulb production of Hippeastrum. Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with different hormone concentrations of BAP (0.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 mg/L) and CCC (0.0, 125, 250 and 500 mg/L) and sucrose levels (30, 60, 80, 90 and 110 g/L) were used in this study. Sucrose level at 90 g/L produced the maximum average weight as well as the highest regeneration percentage. The increasing rate of CCC increased the number and average weight of bulb. The maximum bulb formation observed in media supplement with 6.0 mg/L BAP and 500 mg/L CCC fortified with 90 g/L sucrose

Variability and Character Association in F2 Segregating Population of Different Commercial Hybrids of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

The F2 segregating generations of exotic tomato hybrids were studied to measure variability, character association and path coefficient analysis. Analysis of variance for each trait showed significant differences among the genotypes. Very little differences were observed between phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) for the traits days to first flowering (pcv=9.21, gcv=7.82), fruit length (pcv=17.14, gcv=14.84) and fruit diameter (pcv=17.10, gcv=14.92). High heritability (&gt;50%) was observed for all the yield contributing characters except flowers per cluster (47.83%). High heritability associated with high genetic advance was observed for fruit clusters per plant (105.11), fruits per plant (103.43), branches per plant (34.49), fruits per cluster (47.43), individual fruit weight (77.73) and fruit yield per plant (108.25). Selection for such traits might be effective for the fruit yield improvement of tomato. Significant positive genotypic and phenotypic correlation was observed between plant height at first flowering, flowers per plant, fruits per cluster, fruit clusters per plant, fruits per plant with fruit yield per plant. Fruits per plant showed the highest positive direct effect (1.096) on fruit yield per plant followed by individual fruits per plant (0.674). Direct selection may be executed considering these traits as the main selection criteria to reduce indirect effect of the other characters during the development of high yielding tomato variety. @ JASE

Chemically stable new MAX phase V2SnC:a damage and radiation tolerant TBC material

Using density functional theory, the phase stability and physical properties, including structural, electronic, mechanical, thermal and vibrational with defect processes, of a newly synthesized 211 MAX phase V2SnC are investigated for the first time. The obtained results are compared with those found in the literature for other existing M2SnC (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, and Lu) phases. The formation of V2SnC is exothermic and this compound is intrinsically stable in agreement with the experiment. V2SnC has potential to be etched into 2D MXene. The new phase V2SnC and existing phase Nb2SnC are damage tolerant. V2SnC is elastically more anisotropic than Ti2SnC and less than the other M2SnC phases. The electronic band structure and Fermi surface of V2SnC indicate the possibility of occurrence of its superconductivity. V2SnC is expected to be a promising TBC material like Lu2SnC. The radiation tolerance in V2SnC is better than that in Lu2SnC

AlH3 between 65-110 GPa: implications of electronic band and phonon structures

A first-principles density-functional-theory method has been used to reinvestigate the mechanical and dynamical stability of the metallic phase of AlH3 between 65-110 GPa. The electronic properties and phonon dynamics as a function of pressure are also explored. We find electron-phonon superconductivity in the cubic Pm-3n structure with critical temperature Tc = 37 K at 70 GPa which decreases rapidly with the increase of pressure. Further unlike a previously calculated Tc value of 24 K at 110 GPa, we do not find any superconductivity of significance at this pressure which is consistent with experimental observation.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures Keywords: AlH3, Electronic structure, Phonon dynamics, Superconductivity PACS number(s): 62.50.-p, 63.20.kd, 74.10.+v, 74.20.P

New Superconducting RbFe2As2: A First-principles Investigation

RbFe2As2 has recently been reported to be a bulk superconductor with Tc = 2.6 K in the undoped state, in contrast to undoped BaFe2As2 with a magnetic ground state. We present here the results of the first-principles calculations of the structural, elastic and electronic properties for this newest superconductor and discuss its behaviour in relation to other related systems. Keywords: RbFe2As2, Electronic structure; Elastic constant; Superconductivity. PACS: 74.70.Dd, 74.10.+v, 74.20.Pq, 75.25.LdComment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 3 table