Yield and Quality Evaluation of Direct Seeded Basmati Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under Different Irrigation and Nitrogen Regimes

Management practices need to be developed for successful cultivation of good quality aerobic basmati rice. Field experiments were conducted at Ludhiana, India during the summer seasons of 2011 and 2012 to ascertain the optimum irrigation schedule and dose and timings of nitrogen application to direct seeded basmati rice cultivar Pusa Basmati 1121. Three irrigation schedules (irrigations at 30, 50 and 70 mm CPE), three nitrogen levels (40, 60 and 80 kg N ha–1) and two modules of nitrogen splits (3 splits, i.e. application at 3, 6 and 9 weeks after sowing and 4 splits, i.e. application at 0, 3, 6 and 9 weeks after sowing) were tested in randomized block design with four replications on a loamy sand soil. The maximum grain yield, protein content, brown, milled and head rice recovery were obtained with irrigations at 30 mm CPE and these were significantly better than 50 and 70 mm CPE irrigation schedules. Among nitrogen levels, the significant increase in grain yield as well as quality parameters, viz. protein content, brown, milled and head rice recovery was recorded only up to a nitrogen dose of 60 kg ha–1. In Indian Punjab, good quality direct seeded basmati rice can be produced by following the irrigation schedule of 30 mm CPE and with the application of 60 kg N ha–1 applied in 3 splits (3, 6 and 9 weeks after sowing)

Grain quality assessment of direct seeded basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) under different irrigation regimes in Indian Punjab

Irrigation water, being a scarce resource, requires proper management for good quality aerobic basmati rice production. Field experiments were conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to evaluate the effect of different irrigation schedules on grain quality of direct seeded basmati rice ‘Pusa Basmati 1121’. Ten treatments comprising of conventional puddled transplanting and nine in direct seeding were tested in randomized block design with four replications. Direct seeding treatments comprised of combination of withholding first irrigation for 6, 9 or 12 days after sowing and follow up irrigations at 30, 50 or 70 mm cummulative pan evaporation (CPE). The milling quality characters of rice like brown, milled and head rice recoveries were highest in conventional transplanting (81.4, 70.9 and 52.4 %, respectively) statistically at par with irrigation schedule of withholding first irrigation for 6 days and subsequent irrigations at 30 mm CPE (80.3, 69.9 and 51.1 %,respectively) significantly better than rest of the treatments.The other quality characters like protein content, minimum cooking time, elongation ratio etc. were also significantly affected by different irrigation schedules at 5 % level of significance. The maximum values of protein content (7.26 %) and minimum cooking time (23.5 minutes) were obtained in irrigation schedule of withholding first irrigation for 6 days and subsequent irrigations at 30 mm CPE whereas elongation ratio was maximum in conventional transplanting (1.87). In Indian Punjab, good quality direct seeded basmati rice can be obtained by holding the first irrigation for 6 days and then irrigating at 30 mm CPE with yields comparable to transplanted rice

Calibration, validation and application of AquaCrop model in irrigation scheduling for rice under northwest India

A lot of research work regarding irrigation scheduling in rice has been carried out at global level with the objective of increasing irrigation water productivity (IWP) and sustaining grain yield. Under natural conditions rain disturb the planned irrigation treatments. One way to overcome this problem is to use rain shelters which is a costly affair, crop growth simulation models offer a good scope to conduct such studies by excluding the effect of rain. Very limited studies are available where FAO’s AquaCrop model has been used to develop irrigation schedule for crops. Therefore, a study was conducted using FAO AquaCrop model to develop irrigation schedule for rice having higher IWP. The model was calibrated and validated using the experimental data of field experiments conducting during 2009 and 2010, respectively. The model underestimated the above ground dry biomass at 30 days after transplanting (DAT) in the range of 21.60 to 24.85 %. At the time of harvest the model overestimated the above ground dry biomass within the range 11.58 to 14.34 %. At harvest the values of normalized root mean square error (15.54%) suggested a good fit for the above ground dry biomass and an excellent agreement (3.34%) between observed and model predicted grain yield. The model suggested to irrigate rice transplanted in puddled loamy sand soil on every 5th day to get higher IWP coupled with statistically similar grain yield as obtained with daily irrigation schedule

Does the AIDS Epidemic Really Threaten Economic Growth?

This study examines the claim that the AIDS epidemic will slow the pace of economic growth. We do this by examining the association, across fifty-one developing and industrial countries for which we were able to assemble data, between changes in the prevalence of AIDS and the rate of growth of GDP per capita. Our analysis uses well-established empirical growth models to control for a variety of factors possibly correlated with AIDS prevalence that migt also influence growth. We also account for possible simultaneity in the relationship between AIDS and economic growth. Our main finding is that the AIDS epidemic has had an insignificant effect on the growth rate of per capita income, with no evidence of reverse causality. We also find evidence that the insignificant effect of AIDS on income per capita is qualitatively similar to an insignificantly effect on wages of the Black Death in England and France during the Middle Ages and an insignificant effect on output per capita of influenza in India during 1918-19

The AIDS Epidemic and Economic Policy Analysis

Economists have a vital role to play in helping public health officials and policymakers understand the AIDS epidemic and design efficient policies to limit its impact. AIDS is first and foremost a public health problem, but it is a problem with deep economic roots and potentially devastating economic consequences. The main purpose of this article is to document this assertion

Relationship of Preparedness and Burden among Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients in India

Introduction: Caregiving is a demanding physical and emotional journey, but most family caregivers assume the role with limited caregiving skills and few resources that may lead to increased levels of stress and feelings of inadequacy causing caregiver to view their role as burdensome. In an effort to understand the negative consequences of caregiving, the present study is aimed at finding the relationship of preparedness for caregiving and burden among family caregivers of cancer patients. Methods: An exploratory, co-relational, cross sectional survey assessed 225 eligible family caregivers of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy in selected hospital of Punjab. Measures involved Socio demographic Data Sheet, Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), and Preparedness for Caregiving Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation. Results: Preparedness for Caregiving had moderate negative correlation with burden at 0.01 level of significance (r= -0.531**). Female caregivers and those having sufficient unpaid help in caregiving responsibility had high level of perceived preparedness for caregiving. Burden was high in those caregivers who had no help in caregiving responsibility and belonged to other district (more distance from treatment center). Conclusion: Study concluded that low perceived Preparedness for Caregiving results in high burden. Oncology nurses should take the measures to increase the preparedness for caregiving among family caregiver of cancer patients. Study findings also warrant early assessments of caregiver preparedness so that supportive interventions may be targeted to the caregivers who are at risk of poor outcome. Keywords: Preparedness for Caregiving, burden, family caregiver, cancer

ACOG Junior Fellow Activity

The junior fellows in the Iowa section have had an exceptionally successful year. Section Chair Dr. Rachel Mejia and Vice Chair Dr. Amandeep Mahal attended the Annual District Meeting for District VI. The junior fellows worked with other representatives within the district to develop and promote medical student recruitment, networking, transition to practice, and fundraisin

Integrated continuous bioprocessing: Costs of goods versus cost of development

A significant benefit of continuous manufacture is the potential to provide higher productivities compared to traditional batch processes. Smaller facilities with single-use technology could become preferable offering reductions in the capital expenditure. Hence, continuous bioprocessing could offer savings in the cost of goods (COG). However there are other cost factors that need to be considered when evaluating bioprocess facilities in addition to the COG. The cost of development (COD) is a key cost driver that could affect the decision to adopt new manufacturing methods. This study aims to carry out a holistic financial assessment of introducing continuous bioprocessing strategies by considering both the COG and the COD. To be able to perform this level of analysis a decisional tool was developed at University College London to evaluate the cost of implementing traditional batch or continuous bioprocessing (end-to-end and hybrid) at various stages of the drug development pathway. A range of scenarios investigated the economics of different manufacturing strategies at various demands, company sizes and stages of manufacture (pre-clinical, clinical and commercial). Therefore, through the analysis it was possible to determine whether the apparent benefits of continuous bioprocessing translate into cost savings, focusing on the development and commercialisation of monoclonal antibodies

Pulse radiolysis study of 2-mercapto-benzothiazole-a corrosion inhibitor

Pulse radiolysis of 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) has been undertaken in aqueous solution. The semi-oxidized species formed at pH 4.5 due to the reaction of OH•, Br2 •- and N3• and at pH 10.5 with OH• yielded a spectrum with λmax = 348 and 595 nm. These semi-oxidized species were able to oxidize phenothiazine drugs (E°=0.8 V). Reducing species such as eaq-, CO2 •- and H• atoms react with 2-MBT resulting in the formation of a transient having λmax = 350 nm and reducing in nature. Kinetic and spectroscopic data of interest are reported

Complexes of Some Transition Metal with 2-Benzoyl thiobenzimidazole and 1,10-Phenanthroline and Studying their Antibacterial Activity

Mixed ligands of 2-benzoyl Thiobenzimiazole (L1) with 1,10-phenanthroline (L2) complexes of Cr(III) , Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions were prepared. The ligand and the complexes were isolated and characterized in solid state by using FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, 1H, 13C-NMR, flame atomic absorption, elemental micro analysis C.H.N.S, magnetic susceptibility , melting points and conductivity measurements. 2-Benzoyl thiobenzimiazole behaves as bidenetate through oxygen atom of carbonyl group and nitrogen atom of imine group. From the analyses Octahedral geometry was suggested for all prepared complexes. A theoretical treatment of ligands and their metal complexes in gas phase were studied using HyperChem-8 program, moreover, ligands in gas phase also has been studied using Gaussian program (GaussView Currently Available Version (5.0.9) along with Gaussian 09 which was the latest in the Gaussian series of programs). The antibacterial activity of the prepared complexes have been determined and compared with that of the ligand and the standard metronidazole