Genetic divergence studies for yield and its component traits in Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek)

The present investigation was carried out at Genetics and Plant Breeding (GPB) farm, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur during kharif 2021 using 60 genotypes of Mung bean. Mahalanobis D2 statistics was used to evaluate the diversity. A total of fourteen clusters were formed with maximum number of genotypes in cluster I i.e., 29 genotypes followed by cluster II with 17 genotypes, cluster XII with 3 genotypes, all the remaining clusters were mono genotypic. It was found that the pattern of genotype distribution into different clusters was random and unrelated to geographic diversity. Results on genotype diversity between clusters IV and IX revealed the greatest inter-cluster distances, whereas cluster XII had the greatest intra-cluster distances. The largest cluster mean for seed yield per plant was found in cluster IX. Further, maximum contribution towards divergence was by number of seeds per plant (52.49%) followed by seed yield (17.8%) and days to 50% flowering (7.34%), while minimum by pod length which had shown 0% contribution

Ultrasonic intensification as a tool for enhanced microbial biofuel yields

peer-reviewedUltrasonication has recently received attention as a novel bioprocessing tool for process intensification in many areas of downstream processing. Ultrasonic intensification (periodic ultrasonic treatment during the fermentation process) can result in a more effective homogenization of biomass and faster energy and mass transfer to biomass over short time periods which can result in enhanced microbial growth. Ultrasonic intensification can allow the rapid selective extraction of specific biomass components and can enhance product yields which can be of economic benefit. This review focuses on the role of ultrasonication in the extraction and yield enhancement of compounds from various microbial sources, specifically algal and cyanobacterial biomass with a focus on the production of biofuels. The operating principles associated with the process of ultrasonication and the influence of various operating conditions including ultrasonic frequency, power intensity, ultrasonic duration, reactor designs and kinetics applied for ultrasonic intensification are also described

Chloride (Cl-) ion-mediated shape control of palladium nanoparticles

The shape control of Pd nanoparticles is investigated using chloride (Cl-) ions as capping agents in an aqueous medium in the temperature range of 60-100 degrees C. With weakly adsorbing and strongly etching Cl- ions, oxygen plays a crucial role in shape control. The experimental factors considered are the concentration of the capping agents, reaction time and reaction atmosphere. Thus, Pd nanoparticles of various shapes with high selectivity can be synthesized. Moreover, the removal of Cl- ions from the nanoparticle surface is easier than that of Br-ions (moderately adsorbing and etching) and I-ions (strongly adsorbing and weakly etching). The cleaned Clion-mediated shape-controlled Pd nanoparticles are electrochemically characterized and the order of the half-wave potential of the oxygen reduction reaction in oxygen-saturated 0.1 M HClO4 solution is of the same order as that observed with single-crystal Pd surfaces

Sodium borohydride treatment: a simple and effective process for the removal of stabilizer and capping agents from shape-controlled palladium nanoparticles

The inherent property of palladium to form hydride is effectively exploited for the removal of adsorbed stabilizer and capping agents. Formation of hydride on exposure of Pd nanoparticles to sodium-borohydride weakens the metal's interaction with the adsorbed-impurities and thus enables their easy removal without compromising the shape, size and dispersion

Dielectric relaxations in phosphoric acid-doped poly(2, 5-benzimidazole) and its composite membranes

Poly(2,5-benzimidazole) (ABPBI)—a promising high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane—is characterized over a wide range of temperature (−50 to 220 °C) using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) to understand the various relaxation processes. The undoped ABPBI membrane shows two major secondary relaxations and a primary α relaxation. The effect of phosphoric acid (PA) and phosphotungstic acid grafted zirconium dioxide (PWA/ZrO2) nanoparticles on the chain relaxation and the proton conductivity is investigated. The phosphoric acid alters the relaxation trends, increases the number of free ions in the polymer matrix, and therefore the conductivity. The shift in the peak frequencies of different chain relaxation processes in the presence of PA and PWA/ZrO2 is attributed to the increase in free volume and the consequent easy motion of the polymer chains. The Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy of ABPBI and the acid-doped composites show all the relevant peaks corresponding to C[DOUBLE BOND]C, C[DOUBLE BOND]N stretching, and phosphoric acid/phosphates, confirming the formation of ABPBI and doping with PA. The proton conductivity of the membranes is estimated from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). To establish the effect of change in crystallinity on relaxations and proton conductivity, the undoped and PA-doped membranes are characterized using thermogravimetric analysis and in situ XRD at high temperatures

Photocatalytic setup for in situ and operando ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy at MAX IV Laboratory

Abstract The Ambient-Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (APXPS) endstation at the SPECIES beamline at MAX IV Laboratory has been improved. The latest upgrades help in performing photo-assisted experiments under operando conditions in the mbar pressure range using gas and vapour mixtures whilst also reducing beam damage to the sample caused by X-ray irradiation. This article reports on endstation upgrades for APXPS and examples of scientific cases of in situ photocatalysis, photoreduction and photo-assisted atomic layer deposition (photo-ALD)

Anisotropy of Radiation Emitted from Multi-Planar Wire Arrays and their new applications for radiation physics and ICF

International audienc

Dynamics of conical wire array Z-pinch implosions

International audienceA modification of the wire array Z pinch, the conical wire array, has applications to the understanding of wire array implosions and potentially to pulse shaping relevant to inertial confinement fusion. Results are presented from imploding conical wire array experiments performed on university scale 1 MA generators-the MAGPIE generator (1 MA, 240 ns) at Imperial College London [I. H. Mitchell et al., Rev. Sci Instrum. 67, 1533 (1996)] and the Nevada Terawatt Facility's Zebra generator (1 MA, 100 ns) at the University of Nevada, Reno [B. Bauer et al., in Dense Z-Pinches, edited by N. Pereira, J. Davis, and P. Pulsifer (AIP, New York, 1997), Vol. 409, p. 153]. This paper will discuss the implosion dynamics of conical wire arrays. Data indicate that mass ablation from the wires in this complex system can be reproduced with a rocket model with fixed ablation velocity. Modulations in the ablated plasma are present, the wavelength of which is invariant to a threefold variation in magnetic field strength. The axial variation in the array leads to a zippered precursor column formation. An initial implosion of a magnetic bubble near the cathode is followed by the implosion zippering upwards. Spectroscopic data demonstrating a variation of plasma parameters (e.g., electron temperature) along the Z-pinch axis is discussed, and experimental data are compared to magnetohydrodynamic simulations