LEVELS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN HARYANA STATE 2012-2015

Today, India faces two most vital problems which are directly related to agriculture. The first one is to meet the rising demand for food and other agricultural products, and the second is the widespread poverty in rural areas. The good performance in agricultural sector can diminish levels of rural poverty and meet increasing demand of agricultural products (Ahluwalia, 1978). Agricultural productivity is a measure of the efficiency with which inputs are used in agriculture to produce an output. When a given combination of inputs produces a maximum output, the productivity is said to be at its maximum. The measurement of agricultural productivity enables a comparison of relative performance of farmers’ farms, the types of farming and geographical regions. The areas which experiences high land productivity may always have been leading agricultural regions. In the present study the measure adopted by the economists has been employed to compute the level of agricultural productivity (Bhalla 1989). The total output of selected crops is multiply by respective farm harvest prices. The figure of the output, us computed represented only the part of the total cropped area covered by the selected crops. This figure is multiplied by relevant multiplier (in ratio with area not covered by selected crops) and added to the original figure to get the total output in money terms for total cropped area. The total output is then divided by Net Sown Area (NSA) to obtain the level of land productivity in money terms (Rs/ha). To compute the land productivity for present study, the farm harvest price for 20015-16 is taken

The differential properties of certain permutation polynomials over finite fields

Finding functions, particularly permutations, with good differential properties has received a lot of attention due to their possible applications. For instance, in combinatorial design theory, a correspondence of perfect $c$-nonlinear functions and difference sets in some quasigroups was recently shown [1]. Additionally, in a recent manuscript by Pal and Stanica [20], a very interesting connection between the $c$-differential uniformity and boomerang uniformity when $c=-1$ was pointed out, showing that that they are the same for an odd APN permutations. This makes the construction of functions with low $c$-differential uniformity an intriguing problem. We investigate the $c$-differential uniformity of some classes of permutation polynomials. As a result, we add four more classes of permutation polynomials to the family of functions that only contains a few (non-trivial) perfect $c$-nonlinear functions over finite fields of even characteristic. Moreover, we include a class of permutation polynomials with low $c$-differential uniformity over the field of characteristic~$3$. As a byproduct, our proofs shows the permutation property of these classes. To solve the involved equations over finite fields, we use various techniques, in particular, we find explicitly many Walsh transform coefficients and Weil sums that may be of an independent interest

Atmospheric Aerosols Monitoring: Ground and Satellite-Based Instruments

Aerosols are submicron particles suspended in the atmosphere which affect Earth’s energy balance directly by scattering and absorbing the of solar radiation. In addition, they can indirectly affect radiation balance by changing the micro-physical and optical properties of the cloud. The difficulties in accessing the contribution of aerosols to radiative balance are caused partly due to incomplete knowledge of spatiotemporal variabilities in physicochemical and optical properties of aerosols on regional to global scale. Several state-of-the-art instrumentation techniques for ground-based measurements and satellite remote sensing technologies have been developed in past three decades to monitor physicochemical and optical properties of aerosols for a better understanding of radiative balance and feedback mechanisms. Satellite retrievals of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), ozone monitoring instrument (OMI), multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) are used for this purpose. Ground-based measurements of aerosol properties provide a basis for validation of atmospheric correction procedures and can be used for validation of aerosol models used in atmospheric correction algorithms. This chapter describes in details about the widely used ground- and satellite-based remote sensing instruments for aerosol monitoring

The second-order zero differential spectra of some functions over finite fields

It was shown by Boukerrou et al.~\cite{Bouk} [IACR Trans. Symmetric Cryptol. 1 2020, 331--362] that the $F$-boomerang uniformity (which is the same as the second-order zero differential uniformity in even characteristic) of perfect nonlinear functions is~$0$ on \F_{p^n} ($p$ prime) and the one of almost perfect nonlinear functions on \F_{2^n} is~$0$. It is natural to inquire what happens with APN or other low differential uniform functions in even and odd characteristics. Here, we explicitly determine the second-order zero differential spectra of several maps with low differential uniformity. In particular, we compute the second-order zero differential spectra for some almost perfect nonlinear (APN) functions, pushing further the study started in Boukerrou et al.~\cite{Bouk} and continued in Li et al. \cite{LYT} [Cryptogr. Commun. 14.3 (2022), 653--662], and it turns out that our considered functions also have low second-order zero differential uniformity

The second-order zero differential spectra of some APN and other maps over finite fields

The Feistel Boomerang Connectivity Table and the related notion of $F$-Boomerang uniformity (also known as the second-order zero differential uniformity) has been recently introduced by Boukerrou et al.~\cite{Bouk}. These tools shall provide a major impetus in the analysis of the security of the Feistel network-based ciphers. In the same paper, a characterization of almost perfect nonlinear functions (APN) over fields of even characteristic in terms of second-order zero differential uniformity was also given. Here, we find a sufficient condition for an odd or even function over fields of odd characteristic to be an APN function, in terms of second-order zero differential uniformity. Moreover, we compute the second-order zero differential spectra of several APN or other low differential uniform functions, and show that our considered functions also have low second-order zero differential uniformity, though it may vary widely, unlike the case for even characteristic when it is always zero

APPLICATION OF FINANCIAL AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATION CLUSTERS

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to study the issues of legislative regulation of innovation clusters in the system of financial and tax law. Methods: The authors proceeded from an interdisciplinary approach since the problem of the legal status of innovation clusters inevitably affects the subject of regulation of various branches of law and has both constitutional and legal, financial and legal, civil, administrative, and other aspects. Results: The article notes the underdevelopment of the legislative and legal field of clustering of the economy and the negative impact of the legislative factor on its full development. Legislation in the field of innovation (clustering) is not systemic, it is dominated by numerous disparate subordinate regulatory legal acts, including at the regional level. Conclusion: The main directions of financial and legal regulation of investment clusters include the budget vector, implemented through the effectiveness of the state as an investor through budget allocations. The tax regulation of innovation clusters, characterized by incentive-stimulating and mobilization orientation. The practical experience of the application of legislation in the field under consideration, as well as the most effective methods of stimulating innovation clusters, have been investigated

Experience-Based Reflections on the Blended Learning Pedagogical Approach in Higher Education

This chapter reflects upon the blended learning approach involving the delivery of a work-based, competency-focused programme in higher education. Based on their experience, the authors present the various approaches taken to deliver an optimal blended model for this programme type in the domain of Hearing Aid Audiology. Synchronous and asynchronous online learning are appraised and strategies to encourage learner engagement are explored. Advantages and limitations of the blended approach are considered, including the external factors which can influence outcomes in blended programmes. The chapter also discusses how the rapid, unplanned, upskilling of a high percentage of academic staff to deliver online programmes during the Covid-19 global pandemic has resulted in a cohort of highly experienced academics now proficient in online delivery. This upskilling has contributed to more efficient online delivery in the post-pandemic era. The impact of this upskilling of both the learners (through increased digital literacy) and academics has created an educational ecosystem with more universities embarking on the delivery of blended learning programmes or fully online programmes. This positive outcome in the post-pandemic era may have an impact on the future delivery of programmes in the WBL space, adopting a blended learning approach, and incorporating online learning

How earthworm and fungi can save us from global food crisis and land degradation: A review

The human population is expected to be more than 9 billion by 2050. In order to feed this huge population, we would require about additional 60-70% food which is one of the major challenges ahead of humankind as well as to researchers. Although biotic stresses in soil such as microorganisms, insects, parasites, weeds are major reasons for reduced food production, abiotic stresses such as extreme temperature, soil salinity, natural disasters, pH imbalance are  significantly affect the soil quality. There is not only degradation in soil quality but also a significant reduction in arable agricultural land in India affecting the productivity and nutrition values of the grains. Therefore, there is an urgent need to not only increase food production but also to maintain its nutritional quality.  In addition, excess use of chemical fertilizers, increasing soil pollution and metal toxicity is becoming a serious threat and are responsible for reduced crop yield, crop failures and loss in agricultural economy worldwide. Moreover, the arable lands are not only shrinking due to industrialization, modernization and urbanization, ~50% of all arable land will be impacted by salinity by 2050. Indian continent is primarily agricultural driven and per capita land cover is decreasing day by day. On top of it, unregulated uses of chemical fertilizers are adding even more stress on the soil as well as produces greenhouse gases like N2O. Therefore, management of resources for future needs is ought to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which are related to zero hunger, no poverty, good health and well being. This review describes agronomical transformation through organic manure, biofertilizer, vermicomposting and mycoremediation. These techniques are essential for maintaining the soil quality as well as can act to approach sustainability in agriculture. The ecological engineering using earthworms for enhancing and restoring soil fertility is discussed in detail along with Mycoremediation of toxins and salt by utilizing macro and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi

Estimation of reactive inorganic iodine fluxes in the Indian and Southern Ocean marine boundary layer

Iodine chemistry has noteworthy impacts on the oxidising capacity of the marine boundary layer (MBL) through the depletion of ozone (O3) and changes to HOx (OH=HO2) and NOx (NO=NO2) ratios. Hitherto, studies have shown that the reaction of atmospheric O3 with surface seawater iodide (I-) contributes to the flux of iodine species into the MBL mainly as hypoiodous acid (HOI) and molecular iodine (I2). Here, we present the first concomitant observations of iodine oxide (IO), O3 in the gas phase, and sea surface iodide concentrations. The results from three field campaigns in the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean during 2015 2017 are used to compute reactive iodine fluxes in the MBL. Observations of atmospheric IO by multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) show active iodine chemistry in this environment, with IO values up to 1 pptv (parts per trillion by volume) below latitudes of 40° S. In order to compute the sea-to-air iodine flux supporting this chemistry, we compare previously established global sea surface iodide parameterisations with new regionspecific parameterisations based on the new iodide observations. This study shows that regional changes in salinity and sea surface temperature play a role in surface seawater iodide estimation. Sea air fluxes of HOI and I2, calculated from the atmospheric ozone and seawater iodide concentrations (observed and predicted), failed to adequately explain the detected IO in this region. This discrepancy highlights the need to measure direct fluxes of inorganic and organic iodine species in the marine environment. Amongst other potential drivers of reactive iodine chemistry investigated, chlorophyll a showed a significant correlation with atmospheric IO (R D 0:7 above the 99 % significance level) to the north of the polar front. This correlation might be indicative of a biogenic control on iodine sources in this region