Thermoplastic Epoxide Resin in the Presence of Polyethylene Glycol as Hot-melt Adhesive in Clean Technology

Pollution caused by the process involving handling of solvents is considered as one of the most serious ecological problems. In this perspective, thermoplastic epoxide resins were synthesized from the controlled reaction of bisphenol A, epichlorohydrine, and 3,5 dimethylaniline with a view to prepare ingredients for hot melt adhesive) was designated as HMA/(Subscript)35' Addition of polyethylene glycol (20 Wt per cent) of molecular weight 6000 (PEG6K) in the blend was found to be optimum towards providing maximum tensile lap shear strength with reference to aluminium/adhesive/aluminium bonding with a value of 5.05MPa. The matrix of the blend remains optically transparent till the content of PEG6K remains up to 20 Wt per cent; however beyond 20 Wt percent of PEG6k, the matrix becomes opaque with the appearance of spherulities due to presence of excess PEG6K in the blend. Interestingly, blends containing <= 20 Wt percent PEG6K showed no endotherm below 100 (Degree)C even though the melting point of pristine PEG6K is 55 (degree)C. FTIR data revealed the interactive role of PEG6K with the epoxide resin

Evaluation of interspecific oil palm hybrids for dwarfness

Inter-specific hybridization is taken up for introgression of desirable traits, mainly dwarfness, from Elaeis oleifera (HBK) Cortes into the cultivated species Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Two inter-specific hybrids ISH-1 (360Egx13Eo) and ISH-2 (361Egx11Eo) developed with E. guneensis as female parent and E. oleifera as male parent were evaluated along with normal Dura x Pisifera (Tenera). There was significant variation for vegetative growth and yield parameters between as well as within the hybrids. This indicated scope for selection within as well as between the hybrids. The shortest was palm 20 of ISH-1 with 210 cm height after 12 years. With respect to bunch characters, mean bunch weight, number of fruits and average fruit weight showed significant variation among the hybrids. Palm height as well as height increment was having high heritability, whereas bunch index showed low heritability. Subsequently, a selection index constructed based on discriminant function analysis by considering the most important traits of height increment and FFB yield. As a result, eight promising palms were shortlisted, five from ISH-1 and three from ISH-2. They are used for back crossing with recurrent parent to develop dwarf genotypes in oil palm

Effect of Mn Concentration on Magneto-mechnaical Properties in Directionally Solidified Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Ni-Mn-Ga Alloys

Heusler type alloys Ni50Mn25+xGa25-x  (x=2,3,4 and 5) based on near stoichiometric Ni2MnGa compositions were directionally solidified using modified Bridgman method. The alloys thus prepared were characterized for their chemical composition, crystal structure, microstructure, phase transformation, magnetic  and magneto-mechanical properties. The directionally solidified Ni50Mn30Ga20 alloy rod exhibited maximum magnetocrystalline value of 95 kJm-3 and lowest detwinning stresses for martensite phase of about 5MPa. The reversible room temperature magnetic field induced strain of 0.2% under external magnetic field of 0.6T and 0.05kN bias load was obtained for the directionally solidified Ni50Mn30Ga20 alloy

Characterization of doping levels in heteronuclear, gas-phase, van der Waals clusters and their energy absorption from an intense optical field

A simple mass spectrometric method has been developed to quantify dopant levels in heteronuclear clusters in the gas phase. The method is demonstrated with reference to quantification of the water content in supersonic beams of water-doped argon clusters. Such doped clusters have assumed much importance in the context of recently-reported doping-induced enhancement in the emission of energetic charged particles and photons upon their interaction with intense laser pulses. We have also measured the energy that a doped cluster absorbs from the optical field; we find that energy absorption increases with increasing level of doping. The oft-used linear model of energy absorption is found to be quantitatively inadequate.Comment: To appear in Chemical Physics Letter

Initial performance of ten oil palm cross combinations under three agro-climatic conditions in India

High yielding hybrids can play an important role in increasing the productivity of oil in the oil palm. With a view to evaluate high yielding new oil palm cross combinations, a field experiment was conducted in different agro-climatic regions of India viz., Zone No-10 Southern Plateau and Hills (Gangavathi, Karnataka), Zone No-12 Western Coastal Plains and Ghats (Mulde, Maharashtra) and Zone No-11 Eastern Coastal Plains and Hills (Vijayarai, Andhra Pradesh) involving ten cross combinations of tenera oil palm (NRCOP 1-10). The data from three locations over two years indicated that, significantly higher annual rate of leaf production per palm was recorded in NRCOP-6 (21.7) compared to NRCOP-3 and it was on par with other hybrid combinations. Significantly higher sex ratio was recorded with NRCOP-4 (63.1%) compared to NRCOP-1 (54.6%) and NRCOP-6 (54.8%) and was on par with other hybrid combinations.The hybrid cross combination, NRCOP-4 recorded significantly higher fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) yield 12.5 t ha-1 compared to NRCOP-1, NRCOP-3, NRCOP-7 and NRCOP-9 and it was on par with remaining hybrids and a similar result in bunch weight and number of bunches per palm was recorded. Pooled data on FFB yield for 2013-15 indicated that the hybrid combination NRCOP-4 which recorded higher FFB yield (12.6 t ha-1) at Gangavathi and at Vijayarai (22.6 t ha-1) have better prospects for adaptation under Tungabhadra command area and coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. For Konkan region of Maharashtra, the hybrid NRCOP-8 recorded the highest FFB yield

Perception of farmers on the impact of lockdown due to Covid-19 on agriculture and oil palm cultivation in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India

A study was conducted to find the impact of lockdown due to the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on agriculture, in general, and on oil palm cultivation, in specific. Results revealed that the majority of the farmers contacted had 26-30 years of farming experience, were between 31-60 years of age, were educated up to high school level, with an average of four family members and possessed medium landholdings. The crops grown by these farmers include oil palm, maize, coconut, paddy, cocoa and vegetables. The majority of them had irrigated dry lands. All the farmers were aware about the reasons for the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Areas where lockdown impact was visible on agriculture, either directly or indirectly, include labour availability, high cost of labour, harvesting, transport, and market prices. Resources affected due to lockdown were labour, fertilizers, harvesting, transport etc. All cultural practices were adopted in oil palm. The majority of the respondents perceived that oil palm was not affected compared to other crops during the lockdown; they opined to have obtained a good market price for oil palm during the lockdown period. Most of them informed that they received oil palm cultivation related messages sent by ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi. They perceived to be aware of the technologies during the lockdown period. Messages (SMS) on oil palm irrigation, cultivation practices, and fertigation were adopted. The need for Government assistance during the lockdown period was felt in the following aspects for different crops, viz., marketing, cultivation assistance, and transport. Farmers perceived that lockdown might have long-term implications due to the non-availability of labour for harvesting crops. It is evident from the study that crops affected severely during the lockdown period require long term strategies to mitigate the problems faced. Farmers must be supported with minimum support price (MSP), transport facilities and ad hoc strategies to sell their products through the government purchase mechanism. A need for monitoring the increase in the prices of agricultural inputs was also felt

Lathyrus genetic resources network: Proceedings of a IPGRI-ICARDA-ICAR Regional Working Group Meeting, 8-10 December 1997, New Delhi, India

Neglected and underutilized crops ”have received relatively less attention in national or international priorities. IPGRI has recognized the potential importance of such crops, and in partnership with others around the world, has undertaken a series of activities to understand and promote the role of such crops in helping to achieve food security and agricultural sustainability through local peoples” maintenance of diversity and in realizing their potential for improvement. The potential of Lathyrus sativus (Grass pea) as a nutritious pulse with high quality grain and fodder, is well recognized in South Asia, Ethiopia and parts of Central, West and North Asia, where other species of this genepool also occur. The local types are tolerant to flood and drought conditions and possess unique adaptation as a post-rice crop across much of South Asia. Other cultivated species of Lathyrus are L. ochrus and L. cicera mainly grown in Central, West and North Africa as a fodder crop. These proceedings are the outcome of the first meeting of this Working Group. This meeting, which took place at NBPGR, New Delhi in December 1997, reviewed progress, reaffirmed the concern and interest of the participating countries in this crop and worked out on the modalities of the Lathyrus Genetic Resources Network (LGRN) - its proposed structure and functioning

Frequency dependence of Delta_nu of solar-like oscillators investigated: Influence of HeII ionization zone

Oscillations in solar-like oscillators tend to follow an approximately regular pattern in which oscillation modes of a certain degree and consecutive order appear at regular intervals in frequency, i.e. the so-called large frequency separation. This is true to first order approximation for acoustic modes. However, to a second order approximation it is evident that the large frequency separation changes as a function of frequency. This frequency dependence has been seen in the Sun and in other main-sequence stars. However, from observations of giant stars, this effect seemed to be less pronounced. We investigate the difference in frequency dependence of the large frequency separation between main-sequence and giant stars using YREC evolutionary models.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings series of the 20th Stellar pulsation conference held in Granada (Spain) from 6 to 10 September 201

Phenotypic assessment of groundnut response to key abiotic stress

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