Response of weed management practices on the Productivity of urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper)

A field Investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of hand weedings and herbicides on the weed flora, growth and yield of urdbean (Vigna mungo). The experiment was conducted during kharif season 2011 in loamy sand soil, to study the effect of different Ten weed management treatments comprising weedy check, weed free, one hand weeding (HW) at 20 days after sowing (DAS), two HW at 20 and 40 DAS, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha, imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha + HWat 30 DAS and imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS on urdbean. Results showed that the maximum plant height was recorded under weed free treatment at all the growth stages and the maximum dry matter accumulation of 108.88 and 159.31 g per metre row length at 50 DAS and harvest stages was obtained under imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS treatment that was significantly higher by 17.8, 21.8, 24.6, 31.8 and 56.0 per cent at 50 DAS and 20.4, 17.6, 25.4, 29.0 and 50.1 per cent at harvest stage over imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha, one HW at 20 DAS, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha and weedy check treatments, respectively.. Application pre emergence application of imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS was found the most effective treatment with regard of grain yield (1403 kg/ha) and net returns (Rs 34815/ha). Two hand weedings done at 20 and 40 DAS also produced grain yield of 1392 kg/ha with net returns of Rs 33469 /ha

Comparison of safety and efficacy of tamsulosin, tadalafil, combinations and deflazacort in lower ureteric orifice negotiation by large size uretero- scope (8/9.8 Fr) prior to intracorporeal lithotripsy

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of tamsulosin, tadalafil, deflazacort and combination of tamsulosin with tadalafil in lower ureteric orifice negotiation by large size ureteroscope (8/9.8 Fr) prior to intracorporeal lithotripsy.Patients and methods: In this prospective study, 180 patients presented with ureteric stone of size 8–15 mm were randomly assigned to 5 groups: tamsulosin (group A), tadalafil (group B), deflazacort (group C), combination of tamsulosin with tadalafil (group D) and placebo (group E). After 10 days of drug therapy 168 patients were underwent ureteroscopy and findings like endoscopic configuration of ureteric orifice, need for ureteric dilatation, ureteroscope negotiation, operating time, drug related side effect and procedural complication were noted in each group.Results: All four groups (A, B, C, D) were significantly better than group E in terms of ureteric orifice appearance (wide) during endoscopy. Negotiation of ureteric orifice was easy in group A (70.59%), B (58.82%) and D (78.13%) as compare to group E (31.43%) which was statistically significant. Group A (32.35%) and D (34.38%) were statistically better with group E (62.86%) in terms of ureteral dilatation. Operative time was less in all four groups as compared to group E. All patients well tolerated the drugs with no serious side effects.Conclusion: Both tamsulosin and tamsulosin with tadalafil helps in forward propagation of large sizeureteroscope as compared to other groups with less operative time without any significant complications.So, we can conclude that tamsulosin alone can be helpful for lower ureteric orifice negotiation duringintracorporeal lithotripsy with minimal side effects.Keywords: Hematuria; Negotiation; Ureteroscop

An Economic Assessment along the Jatropha-based Biodiesel Value Chain In India

The Government of India had launched the National Biofuel Mission in the year 2003 as an initiative to limit the country’s dependence on crude oil imports. An integral part of this mission is the Biodiesel Blending program and Jatropha, a tree-borne biodiesel yielding crop, is the cornerstone of the program. This study has been specifically designed to carry out economic assessment of the upcoming jatropha-based biodiesel value chain in the country. The study, based on primary data collected from three major jatropha growing states, has observed that jatropha cultivation is an economically viable proposition in the long-run as indicated by favourable values of net present value, internal rate of return and benefit cost ratio. Nevertheless, initial government support till attaining break even point is crucial to sustain the interest of the farmers. The jatropha seed processing industry has been found to be viable if operated at sufficient economies of scale, which in turn is determined by the level of backward integration with the seed market and a forward integration with biodiesel distribution channels. However, the existing biodiesel value chain in India lacks this integration and is characterized by under-developed seed markets, sub-optimal processing infrastructure and ill-defined biodiesel distribution channels. The involvement of corporate players to participate in processing and distribution activities has further delayed the program to take off. The study has cautioned that unless proactive orientation of all the stakeholders is ensured, the program may fail to meet its objectives, at least in the medium-term.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Effect of nitrogen and potash on Early shoot borer (Chilo infuscatellus Snellen) incidence in differently maturing varieties of sugarcane

It has been argued that fertilization may influence the susceptibility of insect pests, and thus, can increase the crop production by lowering the incidence of insect-pest. Here, the present investigation was carried out to study the influence of nitrogen and potash levels on the incidence of early shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus Snellen in sugarcane varieties at Regional Research Station CCSHAU Uchani farm, Karnal. The experiment was laid out in split-split plot design with three differently maturing varieties viz., Co 0238, CoH 119 and CoH 150 as main plot, three doses of nitrogen viz., 150, 200 and 250 kg per hectare (kg/ha) as sub plot and two doses of potash viz., 0 and 50 (kg/ha) as sub-sub plot. The early shoot borer mean per cent incidence recorded in April, May and June, 2015 was highest (7.68, 12.19 and 6.35, respectively) in Co 0238 while, lowest (5.16, 8.51 and 5.40, respectively) in CoH 119 followed by CoH 150 (6.29, 8.79 and 5.43, respectively). In relation to nitrogen application, maximum mean per cent incidence (7.12, 11.19 and 6.48, respectively) in April, May and June, 2015 of early shoot borer was recorded at 250 kg N/ha and the minimum (5.68, 8.57 and 5.23, respectively) at 150 kg N/ha. Application of potassium significantly reduced the shoot borer infestation with mean per cent incidence lower at 50 kg K2O/ha (5.90, 9.24 and 5.33, respectively) in April, May and June, 2015 compared to control i.e., no application of potassium (6.85, 10.42 and 6.12, respectively). Results revealed that application of potassium with optimum dose of nitrogenous fertilizer along with selection of suitable variety acted as preventive measures to avoid shoot borer infestation

Population dynamics of citrus whitefly, Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) on Citrus reticulate (Mandarin) var. Kinnow as influenced by weather conditions

A field study on population dynamics of citrus whitefly, Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) on citrus mandarin (var. Kinnow) was carried out during 2014-15 at Centre of Excellence (COE) for Fruits situated in village Mangiana of district Sirsa, Haryana. The population of nymphs and adults of this pest was recorded from March 2014 to February 2015 at weekly interval. The nymphal population of the pest was observed only between 12th to 47th meteorological standard weeks (SW) with two major peaks i.e. one during 16th SW with a population of 83.44 nymphs/ 20 leaves and the second during 40th SW with a population of 133.22 nymphs/20 leaves. The above said population dynamics confirmed that this pest remained inactive in pupal stage during winter i.e. 48th to 11th SW. Similar trend was observed in respect of adult population. Nymphal population showed significant positive correlation with morning relative humidity (r = 0.329) and sunshine hours (r = 0.362), while adult population was found to have positive correlation with sunshine hours only (r = 0.332). Multiple regression analysis of the pest population with environment variables indicated that out of 45 per cent variability in nymphal population, 37 per cent was due to relative humidity and sunshine hours. Out of the total variability of 30 per cent variation in adult population, 20 per cent was due to evening relative humidity, while 10 per cent attributed to sunshine hours. The other weather parameters were found to have no significant correlation with the pest population. Although study of population dynamics of this study were conducted elsewhere but this is first study of its kind in the state of Haryana. The population dynamics revealed by this study have far reaching significance in pest management strategy as integrated control measures may be focused only during the period wherein population exceeds economic threshold level (ETL). The information on population dynamics of any insect pest in a given ecological niche should be considered as starting point for evolving eco - friendly pest management package

The Intentional Use of Service Recovery Strategies to Influence Consumer Emotion, Cognition and Behaviour

Service recovery strategies have been identified as a critical factor in the success of. service organizations. This study develops a conceptual frame work to investigate how specific service recovery strategies influence the emotional, cognitive and negative behavioural responses of . consumers., as well as how emotion and cognition influence negative behavior. Understanding the impact of specific service recovery strategies will allow service providers' to more deliberately and intentionally engage in strategies that result in positive organizational outcomes. This study was conducted using a 2 x 2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design. The results suggest that service recovery has a significant impact on emotion, cognition and negative behavior. Similarly, satisfaction, negative emotion and positive emotion all influence negative behavior but distributive justice has no effect

Spallation reactions. A successful interplay between modeling and applications

The spallation reactions are a type of nuclear reaction which occur in space by interaction of the cosmic rays with interstellar bodies. The first spallation reactions induced with an accelerator took place in 1947 at the Berkeley cyclotron (University of California) with 200 MeV deuterons and 400 MeV alpha beams. They highlighted the multiple emission of neutrons and charged particles and the production of a large number of residual nuclei far different from the target nuclei. The same year R. Serber describes the reaction in two steps: a first and fast one with high-energy particle emission leading to an excited remnant nucleus, and a second one, much slower, the de-excitation of the remnant. In 2010 IAEA organized a worskhop to present the results of the most widely used spallation codes within a benchmark of spallation models. If one of the goals was to understand the deficiencies, if any, in each code, one remarkable outcome points out the overall high-quality level of some models and so the great improvements achieved since Serber. Particle transport codes can then rely on such spallation models to treat the reactions between a light particle and an atomic nucleus with energies spanning from few tens of MeV up to some GeV. An overview of the spallation reactions modeling is presented in order to point out the incomparable contribution of models based on basic physics to numerous applications where such reactions occur. Validations or benchmarks, which are necessary steps in the improvement process, are also addressed, as well as the potential future domains of development. Spallation reactions modeling is a representative case of continuous studies aiming at understanding a reaction mechanism and which end up in a powerful tool.Comment: 59 pages, 54 figures, Revie

Quadrupole moment measurements for strongly deformed bands in Hf171,172

A lifetime experiment, using the Doppler-shift attenuation method, has been performed at Gammasphere to measure the transition quadrupole moments Q t of strongly deformed bands in Hf171 and Hf172. The measured value of Qt ~ 9.5 e b for the band labeled ED in Hf171 strongly supports the recent suggestion that this sequence and several structures with similar properties in neighboring Hf isotopes are associated with a near-prolate shape with a deformation enhanced relative to that of normal deformed structures. The measured values of Qt- 14 e b for the bands labeled SD1 and SD3 in Hf172 confirm that these sequences are associated with a prolate superdeformed shape, a property inferred in earlier work from other measured characteristics of the bands. Similar bands in Hf173-175 are also likely to be associated with superdeformed shapes. The observations are in contrast to predictions of cranking calculations performed with the ultimate cranker code