Managing Risk in Agriculture under Drought Situation in Uttar Pradesh: A Case Study

From a case study under the village level study (VLS), it has been found that in the drought agriculture year 2002-03, the farmers of Uttar Pradesh followed their best choice and own outlook for risk aversion and invariably preferred those crops and techniques which involved damage control and low investment and provided insurance against loss. The water harvesting for irrigation, intercropping, growing of low-value crops, high concentration for fodder and grain rather than grain alone, and preferential low-use of monetary inputs are some of the means commonly used by the farmers during droughts. It has been concluded that rainfall probability analyses would be a component of agricultural managing/ reducing risk while large area of the Indo-Gagetic plains is falling in the state. The major weakness in generating this type of information and analysis is that it provides no specific information about the upcoming season with which the farmer must deal. Some suggestions have been given to mitigate risk in agriculture. Need has been pointed out for preparing a draught vulnerability index for different districts. It has been realized that the IMD’s monsoon forecast methodology needs some serious re-thinking. The intensive climate information /farmer interface intensification of watershed programme; tighter agriculture risk management, and sustained crop diversification will have to be considered. It has been suggested that the preparedness measures can be taken by two different agencies: the assisting agency, and the drought-prone areas themselves. Drawing on field information assembled from drought relief performance, state government may develop a way of drawing inference from experience. A particular activity in drought situation should be analyzed and assessed by degree of success, with the region given for the results. These judgments may be recorded and filed in a retrieval system called ‘lessons learnt’; which could be used as a useful reference source in deciding such question as what quantities are required to care for a particular number of people under a particular kind of environment or situation. The contingency plan for drinking water, irrigation water, food security, cropping system, drought warning system and research on drought- resistant varieties of crops may be updated.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Embankment damaging marine organisms and their control measures using calcium carbide

Five species of crabs and three species of fishes were the main marine organisms found damaging embankments owing to their burrowing nature. Among crabs, Scylla serrata was in the highest percentage, while among fishes, Boleopthalamus dussumieri was recorded in maximum percentage calcium carbide 10-15 per burrow was effective in eradicating the crabs

Adoption and Impacts of Zero-Tillage in the Rice-Wheat Zone of Irrigated Haryana, India

This study documents the adoption and impacts of zero-tillage (ZT) wheat in the rice-wheat systems of India’s Haryana State primarily drawing on a detailed empirical survey of 400 rice-wheat farmers. Our random stratified sample revealed 34.5% to be ZT wheat adopters and a quarter of the wheat area in the surveyed communities to be under ZT. The study suggests the potential for further diffusion but also flags the issue of disadoption (10%). ZT adopters, non-adopters, and disadopters differ significantly in terms of their resource bases, with adopters typically showing the most favorable values. ZT drastically reduces tractor operations in farmers’ ZT wheat fields from an average of 8 passes to a single pass, implying a saving of 6 tractor hours and 36 liters of diesel per hectare. At 4.4 tons per hectare, ZT achieved the highest wheat yields in the survey year, a significant 4.0% yield increase over conventional tillage. The higher yield and lower water use resulted in significantly higher water productivity indicators for ZT wheat. ZT did not have any significant spillover effect on the subsequent rice crop. The combination of a significant “yield effect” and “cost-saving effect” makes ZT adoption worthwhile and is the driving force behind its rapid spread and widespread acceptance, providing a much needed boost to economic returns to wheat cultivation. Based on these findings, the study provides a number of recommendations for research and development in Haryana’s rice-wheat systems.Wheat, Rice, Agricultural development, Innovation adoption, Drilling equipment, Farming systems, Zero tillage, Production costs, Credit, Income, India, Crop Production/Industries, E16, F08,

An L-methionine—D,L-sulfoximine-resistant mutant of the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum showing inhibitor-resistant γ-glutamyl-transferase, defective glutamine synthetase and producing extracellular ammonia during N2 fixation

AbstractThe role of γ-glutamyl-transferase in regulation of N2-fixation and ammonia assimilation in Nostoc muscorum was examined by isolating mutants in which the enzyme was resistant to L-methionine—D,L-sulfoximine. Mutant and wild-type were compared with respect to nitrogenase activity, extracellular production of nitrogenase-catalysed ammonia, γ-glutamyl-transferase activity and growth in N2 and glutamine media. While the production of inhibitor-resistant enzyme with defective γ-glutamyl-transferase activity fully explains the inhibitor-resistant growth phenotype, the present results also suggest close metabolic linkage between γ-glutamyl transferase, nitrogenase and assimilation and extracellular production of N2-derived ammonia

Seasonal Variation of Fluoride, Nitrate and Boron in Ground Water of Hebbal and Challaghatta Basins, Bangalore, Karnataka

Present paper focuses on physico-chemical characteristics of Hebbal and Challaghatta basins, Bangalore with special reference to fluoride, nitrate and boron concentration. During the pre-monsoon of 2011, the NO^sub 3^^sup -^ content is as high as (100 mg/l) in 12% of wells having depth of less than 42 feet, whereas 88% of samples from wells having depth of more than 799 feet showed < 100 mg/l of NO^sub 3^^sup -^. The higher NO^sub 3^^sup -^ along shallow open wells is therefore attributed to sewage contamination. Pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultural activities are also contributing significant amounts of fluoride to the groundwater regime in Hebbal and Challaghatta aquifers. In the Hebbal and Challaghatta valleys, the industrial applications of boron that apparently could affect the groundwater system are washing powder and agricultural applications of boron-fertilizers and boron-pesticides. The high content of boron in several water sources is signal for restricting the use of washing powder containing boron

On continued culture trials of Lates calcarifer (Bloch) and Oreochromis mossambicus in the ponds of Kharland Research Station, Panvel, Maharashtra

Pond culture trials of Lates calcarifer (Bloch) were initiated in the ponds of Kharland Research Station, Panvel, from 1985 up to 1989 by adopting varying methods of inputs of commonly available organic substances comprising de-oiled cake of groundnut, rice bran and raw cattle dung. Although provision of zooplankton generated under phased fertilisation technique resulted in considerable yield level, subsequent trials in combination with direct feed methods gave higher yield. Trials during 1990-91 adopting similar feed input techniques were continued but by stocking the seed of both Lates and Oreochromis mossambicus with yield percentage around 72.23 for Lates and 27.73 for Oreochromis. Trials were further continued during next three years. In relation to the organic input levels the yields rate for seven months period was in the range of 119.4 kg/ha to 250.4 kg/ha for Lates. In case of Oreochromis the yield rate varied between 28.5 to 153.32 kg/ha indicating the influence of differential stocking rates and size of the seed of two species

Dietary Zinc and Cobalt Requirements of Fry of Seabass (Lates calcarifer) and Catfish (Clarias batrachus)

An 8-week experiment was conducted to determine the cobalt and zinc requirements of fry of seabass (Lates calcarifer) and catfish (Clarias batrachus). Fifteen diets for each fish were formulated with varying concentrations of cobalt and zinc, alone and in combination. The control diet was not supplemented with cobalt or zinc. The diets for L. calcarifer had 45% protein, while the diets for C. batrachus had 30%. The diet that produced the best growth for L. calcarifer (1100%) contained 2.5 mg Co + 45 mg Zn/kg diet and for C. batrachus (1149%) contained 5 mg Co + 30 mg Zn/kg. Growth in the control L. calcarifer was 738% and in the control C. batrachus was 428%. For both species, the food conversion ratios were best in the above diets, 1.17±0.52 for L. calcarifer and 1.40±0.62 for C. batrachus as opposed to 1.89±0.39 and 2.54±0.61 for the respective controls

A Survey on Comparisons of Cryptographic Algorithms Using Certain Parameters in WSN

The Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have spread its roots in almost every application. Owing to their scattered nature of sensor nodes, they are more prone to attacks. There are certain applications e.g. military, where sensor data’s confidentiality requirement during transmission is essential. Cryptography has a vital role for achieving security in WSNs.WSN has resource constraints like memory size, processing speed and energy consumption which bounds the applicability of existing cryptographic algorithms for WSN. Any good security algorithms has higher energy consumption by the nodes, so it’s a need to choose most energy-efficient cryptographic encryption algorithms for WSNs. This paper surveys different asymmetric algorithms such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman, DSA, ECC, hybrid and DNA cryptography. These algorithms are compared based on their key size, strength, weakness, attacks and possible countermeasures in the form of table

Economics and Marketing of Aromatic Rice - A Case Study of Chhattisgarh

In recent years there has been a serious concern among the farmers, scientists, policymakers and environmentalists regarding the continuous erosion of genetic biodiversity of rice cultivars in Chhattisgarh which has traditionally been known as bowl of scented rices in central India. In view of India’s potential competitiveness in aromatic rices in the international market, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of domestic trade in aromatic rice. In this study, marketing and price-spread patterns of aromatic rice in the state of Chhattisgarh have been examined. A few policy interventions have been suggested for promoting aromatic rices in the state.Crop Production/Industries, Marketing,