Effect of precision land leveling and permanent raised bed planting on soil properties, input use efficiency, productivity and profitability under maize (Zea mays) – wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system

Precision land leveling with permanent raised bed planting with recommended dose of NPK can be used to improve crop yield,water and nutrient use efficiency over the existing traditional land leveling with flat beds planting with recommended dose of NPK practices. The objective of present study was to establish an understanding of maize (Zea mays L.) -wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation yield and input use efficiency can be improved and how land leveling and crop establishment practices can be modified to be more efficient in water use through precision conservation crop management techniques. A farmers participatory field experiment was conducted during 2009- 2011 in the jurisdiction of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, UP. Multi crop planter with inclined plate seed metering device machine were given to the farmers and crops were sown on permanent raised beds in maize-wheat cropping system.The data collected from the farmers participatory field experiment showed that there was about 20.4% (295.8 mm/ha for wide beds, i e 107 cm furrow centre gap) water saving and about 16.5% (310.3 mm/ha for narrow beds, i e 37 cm furrow centre gap) with grain yield increase about 13.5% (5.13 and 4.44 tonnes/ha) for wheat crop and 11.8% (4.33 and 3.82 tonnes/ha) for maize crop with precision land leveling raised bed planting compared to traditional land leveling with flat beds planting. The agronomic efficiency (AE) of N (23.4 and 30.4 kg grain/kg N for maize and wheat) and uptake of N, P and K (103.85, 25.6 and 110.7 kg/ha for maize and 112.95, 19.49 and 112.96 kg/ha for wheat) were significantly improved under precision land leveling with raised bed planting technique compared to other practices

Eco-Friendly Cellulose Nanofiber Extraction from Sugarcane Bagasse and Film Fabrication

The development of cost-effective cellulose fibers by utilizing agricultural residues have been attracted by the scientific community in the past few years; however, a facile production route along with minimal processing steps and a significant reduction in harsh chemical use is still lacking. Here, we report a straightforward ultrasound-assisted method to extract cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from fibrous waste sugarcane bagasse. X-ray diffraction-based crystallinity calculation showed 25% increase in the crystallinity of the extracted CNF (61.1%) as compared to raw sugarcane bagasse (35.1%), which is coherent with Raman studies. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images revealed thread-like CNF structures. Furthermore, we prepared thin films of the CNF using hot press and solution casting method and compared their mechanical properties. Our experiments demonstrated that hot press is a more effective way to produce high strength CNF films; Young’s modulus of the thin films prepared from the hot press was ten times higher than the solution casting method. Our results suggest that a combination of ultrasound-based extraction and hot press-based film preparation is an efficient route of producing high strength CNF films

d-PET coupled ESIPT phenomenon for fluorescent turn-on detection of hydrogen sulfide

A d-PET coupled ESIPT based probe has been designed and synthesized for the selective detection of H₂S, among the other ions and various sulfur species such as cysteine and glutathione, in aqueous media via the hydrogen sulfide induced reduction of nitro functionalities, and has further been utilized for the imaging of H₂S in intracellular systems

Not Available

Not AvailableSoil fertility and yield on sustainable basis may improve by conservation tillage and nitrogen management. This study was aim to appraise impact of 3 tillage viz. zero (ZT), reduced (RT) and conventional tillage (CT) without or with residue retention/incorporation and 5 N rates (0, 80, 120, 160, and 200 kg·N·ha-1) on yield, grain quality and soil health i.e. soil organic matter (SOC), bulk density, infiltration rate and microbial biomass carbon of wheat. Nitrogen rates was significantly exaggerated yield and quality where highest values recorded at 200 kg·N·ha-1. Mean maximum grain yield (46.13 and 47.18 q ha-1 and protein % 11.1 to 12.1%, gluten 10.6% and starch 63.5 to 67.5%) could be attained at 160 kg·N·ha-1. The use of ZT with residue retention and RT with residue retention for two crop cycle increased soil organic carbon by 54.68% and 54.22% more than that of conventional tillage (CT), respectively. The SOC, WSOC, POC and MBC were highest under ZT as against reduced (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Nevertheless, tillage × N interactions were not significant for most of the parameters under this study, the general influence of ZT with 160 kg·N·ha-1 on sandy loam soil seemed to be most positive than RT and CT. Thus, results advise that ZT with 160 kg·N·ha-1 was finest and sustainable approach to attain more yield and also to improve SOC and MBC of subtropical IndiaNot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableSoil fertility and yield on sustainable basis may improve by conservation tillage and nitrogen management. This study was aim to appraise impact of 3 tillage viz. zero (ZT), reduced (RT) and conventional tillage (CT) without or with residue retention/incorporation and 5 N rates (0, 80, 120, 160, and 200 kg·N·ha-1) on yield, grain quality and soil health i.e. soil organic matter (SOC), bulk density, infiltration rate and microbial biomass carbon of wheat. Nitrogen rates was significantly exaggerated yield and quality where highest values recorded at 200 kg·N·ha-1. Mean maximum grain yield (46.13 and 47.18 q ha-1 and protein % 11.1 to 12.1%, gluten 10.6% and starch 63.5 to 67.5%) could be attained at 160 kg·N·ha-1. The use of ZT with residue retention and RT with residue retention for two crop cycle increased soil organic carbon by 54.68% and 54.22% more than that of conventional tillage (CT), respectively. The SOC, WSOC, POC and MBC were highest under ZT as against reduced (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Nevertheless, tillage × N interactions were not significant for most of the parameters under this study, the general influence of ZT with 160 kg·N·ha-1 on sandy loam soil seemed to be most positive than RT and CT. Thus, results advise that ZT with 160 kg·N·ha-1 was finest and sustainable approach to attain more yield and also to improve SOC and MBC of subtropical IndiaNot Availabl