Nature of gene action for kernel yield and its component traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

Towards understanding the nature of gene action for kernel yield and its components traits, a set of 45 F1 hybrids generated by adopting diallel mating design (Method IV and Model I) involving 10 inbred lines were tested across three seasons for their performance and combining ability. Combining ability analysis revealed that the mean sum of squares due to general and specific combining ability were significant indicating the contribution of both additive and non-additive gene action in controlling days to 50% flowering, days to 50% silking, anthesis-silking interval, days to maturity, plant height, SPAD chlorophyll meter reading, specific leaf area, cob length, cob girth, number of kernel rows per cob, number of kernels per row, 100 kernel weight, harvest index and kernel yield. Estimates of components of variances (σ2GCA and σ2SCA) and ratio of σ2GCA/σ2SCA indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the characters studied. Among the inbred lines, BML 2, DFTY, Heypool and PDM 1474 were found to be the best general combiners across seasons for kernel yield and most of yield components as well as developmental characters. DFTY, Heypool, PDM 1452 and PAM 1474 were identified as good general combiners for earliness. Among the top 20 best performing hybrids, BML 15 × PDM 1452, BML 15 × PDM 1474 and BML 7 × DFTY were rated as promising hybrids based on their superior performance and sca effects for kernel yield and most of the yield components. These hybrids could be recommended for commercial cultivation after extensive testing in multilocation trials

Contribution of two-photon and excited state absorption in 'axial-bonding' type hybrid porphyrin arrays under resonant electronic excitation

Two-photon absorption (2PA) and excited state absorption (ESA) properties of 'axial-bonding' type hybrid porphyrin arrays are investigated in the picosecond regime under single-photon resonant excitation condition. A crossover from reverse saturable absorption (RSA) to saturable absorption (SA) and back to RSA is observed with the increase of excitation intensity. In the corresponding intensity ranges, third- and fifth-order phase conjugate signals from degenerate four wave mixing are observed. These observations are explained using rate equations for population densities in a three-level energy scheme. At higher intensities, 2PA is found to be dominant contributor to nonlinear absorption compared to ESA

Nonlinear absorption properties of 'axial-bonding' type tin(IV) tetratolylporphyrin based hybrid porphyrin arrays

The nonlinear absorption properties of 'axial-bonding' type hybrid porphyrin arrays based on a tin(IV) tetratolylporphyrin (SnTTP) scaffold are studied with picosecond and nanosecond pulses. The effect of different central metal atoms substituted adjacent to the tin(IV) porphyrin in the oligomer structure is discussed. In the picosecond regime the lifetimes of the excited singlet states and two-photon absorption (TPA) processes dominate leading to interesting switching of nonlinear absorption behaviour. The TPA cross-section (σTPA) is found to be as high as 396 × 10-46 cm4 s photon-1 molecule-1, for an oligomer with Sn and Ni porphyrin macrocycles. However, in the nanosecond regime the optical limiting performance has increased considerably with increasing number of porphyrins in the array and excited state absorption is found to play a major role

Enhanced optical limiting and nonlinear absorption properties of azoarene-appended phosphorus (V) tetratolylporphyrins

Optical limiting performance, third-order nonlinearity X(3), and nonlinear absorption properties have been investigated in a new class of azoarene phosphorus (V) porphyrins with charge transfer (CT) states. The introduction of axial azoarene groups into the phosphorus porphyrin structure is found to reduce the limiting threshold by a factor of 2 and lead to a rise in the second hyperpolarizability by 1 order of magnitude in the picosecond time regime and by 2 orders of magnitude in the nanosecond regime. The experimental data show reverse saturation of absorption in the nanosecond time regime and a saturation of the nonlinear absorption above a fluence of 0.5 J/cm2 in the picosecond regime. The presence of the CT state reduces saturation of excited-state absorption (ESA) in the S1 → Sn transition through the S1 → CT transition. Faster CT → T1 transition increases the ESA from T1 → Tn states in the nanosecond regime. A self-consistent theoretical analysis based on rate equations is used to estimate the high-lying excited-state lifetimes and absorption cross sections from the experimental results

Growth performance of litopenaeus vannamei in biofloc treatments grown with different carbon sources

Experiments were conducted with three biofloc treatments and one control in triplicate in 1000 ltr capacity indoor tanks and water level filled up to 600 ltr. Enhanced shrimp growth was noticed in biofloc treatment tanks and a significant difference in the final average body weight of (15.92±0.07g) was found in the wheat flour treated shrimps than those of control group shrimp. The Feed Conversion Ratio differs significantly (P<0.05) between biofloc treatment group and control groups. Lowest FCR (0.5±0.07) was recorded in wheat flour as carbohydrate source biofloc treatment during the experiment. Highest Specific Growth Rate (4.59) was observed in the wheat flour treatment groups than that of other treatments and control groups. Wheat flour utilization as carbohydrate source to biofloc development for rearing of L. vannamei was proved to be the best option among all treatments. All the carbohydrate sources (wheat flour, tapioca flour and molasses) utilized for biofloc treatments indicated highest growth than control treatment

Effect of incorporation of detoxified karanja (Pongamia pinnata) and neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cakes in total mixed rations on milk yield, composition and efficiency in crossbred dairy cows

In the present study, neem seed cake (51.55% CP) and karanja seed cake (37.91% CP) were used as a partial replacement of soybean protein cake. Three iso-nitrogenous total mixed rations (TMR) were prepared namely T1-control where soybean meal was incorporated at 9.6% of TMR, in T -dNC and T -dKC, the cakes were incorporated at 3.85 and 5.85% of TMR and fed to eighteen crossbred cows in three groups for 90 days. Milk yield (kg/day) and FCM yield (kg/day) was found to be higher in dNC compared to dKC groups. After 90 days of feeding, both milk yield (kg/ day) and FCM yield (kg/day) increased in all the groups. The average milk fat was found to be lower in (P<0.05) in T3-dKC group (5.03) compared to T1-control (6.13). Total solids was found to be lower in T2-dNC and T3-dKC groups compared to T1 control. DMI (kg) required for kg FCM was same in all the groups (1.38 in T1-control; 1.30 in T2- dNC and 1.66 in T3-dKC). It was concluded that detoxified neem cake (dNC) and detoxified karanja cake (dKC) can be included in total mixed rations of medium producing dairy cattle (5–8 liters of milk per day) replacing standard soybean meal without adversely affecting milk composition and milk production efficiency

Design, Performance, and Calibration of CMS Hadron-Barrel Calorimeter Wedges

Extensive measurements have been made with pions, electrons and muons on four production wedges of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) hadron barrel (HB) calorimeter in the H2 beam line at CERN with particle momenta varying from 20 to 300 GeV/c. Data were taken both with and without a prototype electromagnetic lead tungstate crystal calorimeter (EB) in front of the hadron calorimeter. The time structure of the events was measured with the full chain of preproduction front-end electronics running at 34 MHz. Moving-wire radioactive source data were also collected for all scintillator layers in the HB. These measurements set the absolute calibration of the HB prior to first pp collisions to approximately 4%

Energy Response and Longitudinal Shower Profiles Measured in CMS HCAL and Comparison With Geant4

The response of the CMS combined electromagnetic and hadron calorimeter to beams of pions with momenta in the range 5-300 GeV/c has been measured in the H2 test beam at CERN. The raw response with the electromagnetic compartment calibrated to electrons and the hadron compartment calibrated to 300 GeV pions may be represented by sigma = (1.2) sqrt{E} oplus (0.095) E. The fraction of energy visible in the calorimeter ranges from 0.72 at 5 GeV to 0.95 at 300 GeV, indicating a substantial nonlinearity. The intrinsic electron to hadron ratios are fit as a function of energy and found to be in the range 1.3-2.7 for the electromagnetic compartment and 1.4-1.8 for the hadronic compartment. The fits are used to correct the non-linearity of the e pi response to 5% over the entire measured range resulting in a substantially improved resolution at low energy. Longitudinal shower profile have been measured in detail and compared to Geant4 models, LHEP-3.7 and QGSP-2.8. At energies below 30 GeV, the data, LHEP and QGSP are in agreement. Above 30 GeV, LHEP gives a more accurate simulation of the longitudinal shower profile

Synchronization and Timing in CMS HCAL

The synchronization and timing of the hadron calorimeter (HCAL) for the Compact Muon Solenoid has been extensively studied with test beams at CERN during the period 2003-4, including runs with 40 MHz structured beam. The relative phases of the signals from different calorimeter segments are timed to 1 ns accuracy using a laser and equalized using programmable delay settings in the front-end electronics. The beam was used to verify the timing and to map out the entire range of pulse shapes over the 25 ns interval between beam crossings. These data were used to make detailed measurements of energy-dependent time slewing effects and to tune the electronics for optimal performance