Performance of Encased Silica-Manganese Slag Stone Columns in Soft Marine Clay

Stone columns are the most suitable and economical ground improvement technique for soft soils. Stone columns accelerate the consolidation process, thereby increase the stiffness of the soil. This increase may not be sufficient because of the less lateral confinement, which leads to excessive bulging. The strength of the composite soil can also be increased further by encasing the column with geotextile. In this paper, model tests were conducted on end-bearing stone columns with geotextile encasement and compared with the unreinforced (plain) stone columns. The stone columns were prepared by placing the silica-manganese slag, sand and were reinforced with geotextile with different encasement lengths of D, 2D, 3D, and 4D (D is the stone column diameter; i.e., 5 cm). The tests demonstrated that the engineering behavior of the soil was improved by introducing the silica-manganese slag (when compared with conventional stone columns) and also with encasement. Bulging can also be reduced by providing encasement beyond the zone of bulging

USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab: Global research in sustainable intensification

United States Agency for International Developmen

Exploring nitrogen limitation for historical and modern soybean genotypes

The United States (USA) and Argentina (ARG) account for over 50% of the global soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. Soybean N demand is partially met (50–60%) by the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) process; however, an unanswered scientific knowledge gap exists on the ability of the BNF process to fulfill soybean N demand at varying yield levels. The overall objective of this study is to explore the potential N limitation using different N strategies for historical and modern soybean genotypes. Four field experiments were conducted during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons in Kansas (USA) and Santa Fe (ARG). Twenty-one historical and modern soybean genotypes released from the 1980s to 2010s were tested under three N treatments: (i) control, without N application (Zero-N); (ii) 56 kg N ha–1 applied at R3-R4 growth stages (Late-N); and (iii) 670 kg ha–1 equally split at planting, R1, and R3–R4 growth stages (Full-N). Historical soybean yield gains, from the 1980s to 2010s, were 29% in the USA and 21% in ARG. Following the yield trend, seed N content increased for modern genotypes in parallel to the reduction on seed protein concentration. Regarding N treatments, Full-N produced 12% yield increase in the USA and 4% in ARG. Yield improvement was mainly related to increases in aboveground biomass, seed number (genotype effect), and to a lesser extent, to seed weight (N effect). This study suggests a potential N limitation for soybean, although there are still questions about the way in which N must be provided to the plant.EEA OliverosFil: Ortez, O.A. Kansas State University. Department of Agronomy; Estados UnidosFil: Salvagiotti, Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Enrico, Juan Martin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Prasad, P.V.V. Kansas State University. Department of Agronomy; Estados Unidos. USDA-ARS. Center for Grain and Animal Health Research; Estados UnidosFil: Armstrong, P. USDA-ARS. Center for Grain and Animal Health Research; Estados UnidosFil: Ciampitti, Ignacio A. Kansas State University. Department of Agronomy; Estados Unido

ADOPTING INNOVATIVE METHOD AND COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF SWETHA PARPATI MENTIONED IN AYURVEDIC LITERATURE

In Ayurveda, the study of the therapeutic uses and effects of drugs means Pharmaco-therapeutic is described under the branch of Rasashastra which mainly incorporates inorganic, herbo-mineral and metallic pharmaceutical preparations namely Khalviya Rasayana, Parpati Rasayana, Pottali Rasayana and Kupipakwa Rasayana. This article aims for the comparative assessment of Swethaparpati coming under Parpatikalpa mentioned as per reference of Sidhayogasangraha, AFI with another reference of Rasodharatantra. According to the first two references the ingredients used for the preparation are Suryakshara, Sphatika and Navasadara and as per the third reference ingredients like Tankana and Karpura are added. Here a detailed review of literature has been collected regarding the potential of the above mentioned individual ingredients along with the recent research updates regarding individual ingredients used in the production of Swetha Parpati according to both the references it also incorporate research updates on the formulation Swetha Parpati. This article also aims pharmaceutical standardization of standard method adopted in process of production of Swethaparpati with the alteration made from the usual method adopted in preparation of Parpati Kalpana that will help for developing new improved SOP regarding the formulation. This paper also aims in projecting the improved therapeutic value which could be generated by addition of new ingredients mentioned as per reference of Rasodharatantra

Testing of commercial inoculants to enhance P uptake and grain yield of promiscuous soybean in Kenya

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of commercial mycorrhizal inoculants and a rhizobial inoculant to improve soybean yield in Kenya. A promiscuous soybean variety was grown in a greenhouse pot study with two representative soils amended with either water-soluble mineral P or rock P to assess product performance. The performance of selected mycorrhizal inoculants combined with a rhizobial inoculant (Legumefix) was then assessed with farmer groups in three agroecological zones using a small-plot, randomized complete block design to assess soybean root colonization by mycorrhiza, nodulation, and plant biomass production in comparison to rhizobial inoculant alone or with water-soluble mineral P. Greenhouse results showed highly significant root colonization by commercial mycorrhizal inoculant alone (p < 0.001) and in interaction with soil type (p < 0.0001) and P source (p < 0.0001). However, no significant effect was shown in plant P uptake, biomass production, or leaf chlorophyll index. In field conditions, the e ects of mycorrhizal and rhizobial inoculants in combination or alone were highly context-specific and may induce either a significant increase or decrease in root mycorrhizal colonization and nodule formation. Mycorrhizal and rhizobial inoculants in combination or alone had limited effect on plant P uptake, biomass production, leaf chlorophyll index, and grain yield. Though some mycorrhizal inoculants induced significant root colonization by mycorrhizal inoculants, this did not lead to higher soybean yield, even in soils with limited P content. Our results are further evidence that inoculant type, soil type, and P source are critical factors to evaluate commercial inoculants on a context-specific basis. However, our results highlight the need for the identification of additional targeting criteria, as inoculant type, soil type, and P source alone were not enough to be predictive of the response. Without the identification of predictive criteria for improved targeting, the economic use of such inoculants will remain elusive

The effect of heat stress on fruit-set and fruit yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN027149 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Performance of active contour models in train rolling stock part segmentation on high-speed video data

Rolling stock examination is performed to identify the defects during train movements at speeds <30 kmph. In this study, this process was automated using computer vision models. Parts on a moving train were segmented using four types of active contour-level set models: Chan–Vese (CV), CV-based morphological differential gradient (CV-MDG), CV with shape priors (CV-SP), and CV with shape invariance (CV-SI). CV level sets with shape invariance model enables the adjustment of contour according to scale, rotation, and location of the shape prior object in the rolling stock frame. Train rolling stock video data were captured at a high speed of 240 fps by using a sports action camera with 52° wide angle lenses. The level sets yielded optimal segmentation results compared with traditional segmentation methods. The performance indicators of segmented parts from the proposed four algorithms are structural similarity index measure and peak signal-to-noise ratio (in dB). A total of 10 parts were extracted from a bogie by using the proposed models and compared against the ground truth models to test the performance of the methods. The train had 15 passenger cars with 30 bogies. Furthermore, the models were tested under various lighting conditions for five trains. The CV shape invariance model yielded more efficient segmentations both qualitatively and quantitatively