Influence of 36 years of integrated nutrient management on soil carbon sequestration, environmental footprint and agronomic productivity of wheat under rice-wheat cropping system

A long-term field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different combinations of integrated nutrient management (INM) on carbon sequestration and wheat yield in a rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment consisted of 11 treatments that were replicated three times. The organic manures used in the study included farmyard manure (FYM), wheat straw (WS), and green manure (GM) with Sesbania aculeata. The results of the experiment revealed that the application of 50% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) along with 50% nitrogen (N) through FYM during rice cultivation, and RDF during wheat cultivation, led to a significant increase in soil organic carbon (SOC). Specifically, the SOC content was enhanced by 46.4% (18.29 Mg ha-1) compared to RDF in rice and wheat, resulting in a C sequestration rate of 0.22 Mg ha-1 year-1. These increases were higher in treatments that combined organic and inorganic inputs. Additionally, the application of 50% RDF and substituting 50% of the nitrogen with FYM during wheat cultivation resulted in a 24.7% increase in grain yield compared to RDF in rice and wheat. The INM treatments, showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher agronomic efficiency (AE) of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), partial factor productivity (PFP) of N, P and K, and carbon pool index (CPI) compared to the application of inorganic fertilizers at the recommended dose. Moreover, the INM treatments also exhibited lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity. Application of neither chemical fertilizers nor organic manure (T1) resulted in maximum GHG emission intensity (328.1 kg CO2 eq Mg−1 yield). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the combined use of inorganic fertilizers and organic manures significantly increased crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration while reducing GHG emissions in a rice-wheat cropping system in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (EIGP) of India

Corn for Biofuel: Status, Prospects and Implications

Biofuel offers an alternative energy source to meet the energy demands of a growing population of 8 billion while minimizing environmental impact. Globally, around 3000 petajoules of biofuel are produced, diversifying energy sources from conventional to renewable. Corn, rich in starch that can be converted into ethanol, is widely used in biofuel production. Corn-based biofuels are popular due to their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, their biodegradability, and clean ignition, enhancing energy security. While the current state of corn as a biofuel source appears promising, increasing production requires breeding strategies like varietal crossing and cultivar selection to enhance biomass and starch content. Better agronomic practices and extension strategies are also necessary to improve yield and promote adoption among farmers. Using maize as a feedstock for biofuel production can boost the agricultural industry, create jobs in farming, processing, and transportation, and reduce reliance on foreign oil while preserving foreign exchange reserves. Technological advancements, viz., cellulosic ethanol production, have further expanded the potential use of corn for biofuels due to its abundance and convenience. However, the future of corn-based biofuels is uncertain. Therefore, ongoing innovation, exploration of alternative feedstocks, and cutting-edge technologies are necessary to overcome challenges

Impact of Different Fertilizer Sources under Supplemental Irrigation and Rainfed Conditions on Eco-Physiological Responses and Yield Characteristics of Dragon’s Head (Lallemantia iberica)

The effects of the irrigation regime and different fertilizer sources on the eco-physiological responses and yield characteristics of dragon’s head were explored in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments and 3 replications in the 2019 growing season. The treatments included six different fertilizer sources (animal manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, biofertilizer, chemical fertilizer, and control) and two irrigation regimes (rainfed and supplemental irrigation). The results indicated the positive effects of supplementary irrigation and the application of vermicompost, poultry manure, and animal manure by increasing the absorption of nutrients (phosphorus and potassium) and improving relative water contents, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and the fixed oil percentage of dragon’s head. The activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase decreased in the rainfed plants, whereas organic fertilizer application increased the antioxidant enzyme activity. The highest grain yield (721 kg ha−1), biological yield (5858 kg ha−1), total flavonoids (1.47 mg g−1 DW), total phenol (27.90 mg g−1 DW), fixed oil yield (200.17 kg ha−1), and essential oil yield (1.18 kg ha−1) were noted in plants that were treated with vermicompost under supplemental irrigation. Therefore, it is recommended that organic fertilizers such as vermicompost and poultry manure be used to substitute chemical fertilizers. These practices can help popularize organic crops using rainfed and supplementary irrigation

Anti-Urolithiatic Activity of Cassia Auriculata Ethanolic Seed Extract in Wistar Rats

Background: Urolithiasis is a medical condition that, despite substantial research in the field of urology, has yet to find a cure within the allopathic medical approach. The process of stone development, known as nephrolithiasis, can occur within the kidney or any segment of the urinary tract, encompassing the ureters and bladder. Material and Methods: The seeds of Cassia auriculata (Linn.) were obtained in June 2021 from Mettukadai hamlet, located in the Erode District of Tamilnadu, India. The herbarium of the plant was meticulously assembled, verified, and afterwards deposited as a voucher specimen. The voucher specimen was retained within the college premises for future reference. Results: The current investigation involved conducting a preliminary phytochemical analysis on the ethanolic seed extract of Cassia auriculata Linn. The research revealed the existence of many phytochemical constituents, including Alkaloids, Flavanoids, Carbohydrate, Sterols, Phytosterols, Phenols, Terpenoids, Amino acids, and Anthraquinones. The acute toxicity experiments revealed that rats exhibited tolerance to a maximum dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight, and no discernible alterations in behavior were detected across all experimental groups. Hence, fractions equivalent to one-fourth and one-eighth of the maximum tolerated dose of 200 mg/kg body weight were selected for subsequent investigations. Conclusion: In summary, the findings suggest that the application of an ethanolic seed extract derived from Cassia auriculata Linn effectively decreased the progression of urinary stone formation. Additionally, it appears that the efficacy of the treatment impact surpasses that of its preventative counterpart

Weed dynamics and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under various tillage and weed management practices

The reduced yield under conventional tillage is due to more crop-weed competition and more dry matter accumulation by the weeds (Kumar et al. 2018). Due to zero weed competition, weed-free treatments yielded the highest grain yield of all weed management practices. In contrast to this, the lowest grain yield was obtained in weedy treatment due to season-long weed competition. Maximum yield under W8 is due to broadspectrum activity of these herbicides (Sharma et al. 2014, Sunil et al. 2021). The use of zero tillage reduced weed incidence and suppression, leading to higher grain yields. Therefore, zero tillage and metsulfuron 20% wp 4 g a.i./ha + clodinafop propargyl 15% wp 60 g a.i./ha should be practiced for minimizing weed growth and maximizing the yield

Assessing The Issues of Honour and Violence Against Women: A Human Rights Discourse Framework for The Detection of Violence Against Women

The term 'Honour Killing' is conventionally used to denote a specific category of extralegal killings where the act of murder is seen to have been motivated by pre-modern affiliations/sentiments of some sort. Acts of violence committed against people for marrying outside of caste/religion/ethnicity or other similar infringements where they are seen by their actions to have besmirched the honour of the family and the larger community come under the broad rubric of honour crime. Implicit in using the term are assumptions that mark it as different from other crimes. Honour is defined in terms of women assigned sexual and familial roles as dictated by traditional family ideology. Thus, adultery, premarital relationships (which may or may not include sexual relations), rape, and falling in love with an "inappropriate" person may constitute violations of family honour. 'Crimes of honour' as a form of violence against women does not imply that men also are not subjected to such crimes. In cases of forced marriage or interference with the right of choice and whom to marry, pressure from older family members over younger members will apply to men as well as to women. However, women remain the victims and survivors of 'crimes of honour' and have fewer available remedies

Efficient regeneration of in vitro derived plants and genetic fidelity assessment of Phalaenopsis orchid

This study uses inflorescence stalk node as explants to establish an efficient and quick Phalaenopsis orchids cloning procedure for the most significant monopodial orchid in floriculture, without callus formation. The current study aimed to develop a rapid and easy regeneration process utilizing flower stalk nodes as explants, while also evaluating the clonal fidelity of the in vitro micropropagated plants through the analysis of RAPD markers. The tissue-cultured plantlets were grown on a solidified half-strength Murashig and Skoog (MS) base medium enriched with 15% coconut water (CW), 150 mg L−1 activated charcoal, and a mixture of 6-benzylaminopurine, BAP (cytokinins) and α-napthalene acetic acid, NAA and indole 3-butyric acid, IBA (auxins). After 14 weeks of growth, the early production of shoot bud was reported in ½ MS medium enriched with 2.5 mg L−1 BAP alone. Maximum shoot bud multiplication was observed in ½ MS fortified with BAP (2.5 mg L−1) + NAA (1.0 mg L−1), while the lowest was observed in 1.5 mg L−1 BAP + 0.5 mg L−1 IBA after 4 months of culturing. In this investigation, roots emerged simultaneously with shoot elongation from the axil, indicating the absence of a distinct rooting stage. The largest number of roots (3.25) was produced by BAP (2.5 mg L−1) + IBA (1.0 mg L−1) compared to NAA. Control, on the other hand, displayed no signs of root growth. Tissue cultured plantlets with well developed root systems while planted in a potting mixture of brick and charcoal (1: 1) resulted in a 70% survival rate during hardening. The clonal faithfulness of in vitro regenerated crop plantlets to the mother plant was demonstrated by the DNA extraction method with ten micropropagated plants’ young leaves as well as the mother plant using random amplification of a polymorphic DNA marker

Robust Image Embedded Watermarking Using DCT and Listless SPIHT

This paper presents a DCT-based (DCT: discrete cosine transform) listless set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) digital watermarking technique that is robust against several common attacks such as cropping, filtering, sharpening, noise, inversion, contrast manipulation, and compression. The proposed technique is made further robust by the incorporation of the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) encryption technique. Our scheme is compared with the recently proposed CRT-based DCT technique, CRT-based spatial domain watermarking, and DCT-based inter block correlation techniques. Extensive simulation experiments show better robustness in common image manipulations and, at the same time, the proposed technique successfully makes the watermark perceptually invisible. A better Tamper Assessment Function (TAF) value of 2–15% and a better Normalized Correlation (NC) is achieved compared to some of the above techniques. In particular, the proposed technique shows better robustness on compression attacks at moderate to higher compression ratios. It is possible to maintain the imperceptibility and low TAF for various values by doubling the capacity of the watermark

A study of the efficacy of skin needling and platelet rich plasma in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous preparation of platelets in concentrated plasma that may be useful in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Its action depends on the released growth factors from platelets. Skin needling is a technique that uses a sterile dermaroller to puncture the skin and release growth factors. The combination of Skin needling and PRP should enhance the efficacy of both modalities. Objective: To establish the effectiveness of the combined use of Skin needling and PRP in AGA treatment. Method: The study enrolled 10 patients of AGA. The hair pull test was performed before each treatment session. PRP therapy with skin needling was given to them at monthly intervals for 6 months. The effects of therapy were evaluated based on clinical examination, hair pull test, photographic assessment and patient’s satisfaction. Result: Before treatment, 80 % of our patients had a positive hair pull test with a mean number of 9 hairs which turned to be negative only after the third session. After 6 months, there was an overall improvement in hair density with the response of grade +2 in 8 patients and +1 in 2 patients on the standardised 7- point evaluation scale. 3 patients rated response as grade 4, 5 patients as grade 3 and 2 patients as grade 2 on patients’ subjective evaluation of hair growth. Pain during the procedure and sensible scalp afterwards were the major complaints which subsided in 2-3 days. Conclusion: PRP combined with skin needling is a safe and effective treatment and can be considered as an alternative for management of AGA

Comparative evaluation of single application of 2% whole turmeric gel versus 1% chlorhexidine gel in chronic periodontitis patients: A pilot study

Aim: To evaluate and compare the clinical effects of topical subgingival application of 2% whole turmeric gel and 1% chlorhexidine gel as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients suffering from chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients with localized or generalized chronic periodontitis with a pocket depth of 5-7 mm were selected. In each patient, on completion of SRP, three non-adjacent sites in three different quadrants were randomly divided into three different groups, that is, Group I: Those receiving 2% turmeric gel, Group II: Those receiving 1% chlorhexidine gel (Hexigel), and Group III: SRP alone (control site). Plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, and clinical attachment levels were determined at baseline, 30 days, and 45 days. Results: Group II as a local drug system was better than Group III. Group I showed comparable improvement in all the clinical parameters as Group II. Conclusions: The experimental local drug delivery system containing 2% whole turmeric gel helped in reduction of probing depth and gain of clinical attachment levels