Protective role of antioxidant enzymes in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes under high temperature stress

Four chickpea genotypes differing in their sensitivity to high temperature stress were taken and grown in growth chambers in the phytotron facility of IARI, New Delhi. The plants were maintained at 18/23°C (control) and 25/35°C (temperature stress) night/day temperature after maximum tillering. In all chickpea genotypes high temperature stress increased membrane injury index (MII), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), malic acid and slightly decreased the activity of glutathione reductase (GR), relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Under the HT stress, the tolerant genotypes Pusa-1103 and BGD-72 exhibited higher RWC, chlorophyll and carotenoid, activity of SOD, APX, GR and, and less decrease in MII as compared to susceptible genotypes Pusa-256 and RSG-991. Antioxidant enzymes showed positive correlation (r) with chlorophyll content, RWC and negative with MII under high temperature stress. From the results it is apparent that the antioxidant defence mechanism plays an important role in heat stress tolerance of chickpea genotypes

Denoising of Natural Images Using the Wavelet Transform

A new denoising algorithm based on the Haar wavelet transform is proposed. The methodology is based on an algorithm initially developed for image compression using the Tetrolet transform. The Tetrolet transform is an adaptive Haar wavelet transform whose support is tetrominoes, that is, shapes made by connecting four equal sized squares. The proposed algorithm improves denoising performance measured in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) by 1-2.5 dB over the Haar wavelet transform for images corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) assuming universal hard thresholding. The algorithm is local and works independently on each 4x4 block of the image. It performs equally well when compared with other published Haar wavelet transform-based methods (achieves up to 2 dB better PSNR). The local nature of the algorithm and the simplicity of the Haar wavelet transform computations make the proposed algorithm well suited for efficient hardware implementation

India's Strategic and Economic Perspective in Maritime Affairs: A New Horizon

The research paper “India’s Strategic and Economic Perspective in Maritime Affairs: A New Horizon” delves into India’s evolving role in the maritime domain, both from a strategic and economic viewpoint. Situated at the crossroads of vital sea lanes and with a vast coastline, India is uniquely positioned to influence maritime affairs. The paper explores India’s multi-dimensional approach to maritime challenges, focusing on the blue economy, regional initiatives, and geopolitical significance. It also examines India’s participation in global platforms like the G20 and its efforts to balance economic development with sustainable practices in the maritime sector. Through a comprehensive analysis, the paper argues that India is at a pivotal juncture, with the potential to shape a new horizon in maritime affairs that could have significant implications for regional stability, global trade, and environmental sustainability

EFFECT OF NITROGEN LEVELS ON GROWTH ATTRIBUTES, YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF DIFFERENT RICE (Oryza sativa L.) VARIETIES UNDER THE TRANSPLANTED CONDITION

Rice is very responsive to nitrogen fertilization under transplanted conditions; however N use efficiency and uptake by different varieties may vary. A field study was conducted during the rainy season of 2017 to assess the effect of four nitrogen levels in three rice varieties under the transplanted condition at Agricultural Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was carried out in a split-plot design (SPD) with three replications. The total number of treatments was twelve involving three rice varieties (V1- BPT-5204, V2- Rajendra Kasturi and V3- HUBR 2-1) in main plots and four nitrogen levels (N1- 100, N2- 120, N3- 140, and N4- 160 kg ha-1) in sub-plots. Rice variety BPT- 5204  recorded significantly higher growth parameters viz. leaf number hill-1(37.17), SPAD value (chlorophyll content 31.83), the higher number of days taken to 50 percent flowering (103 days), maturity (130.17 days), grain yield (50.73 q ha-1), biological yield (112.90 q ha-1) and harvest index (0.45) as well as NPK uptakes by grain (60.96, 13.01 & 10.95 kg ha-1) and straw (29.72, 7.15 & 101.55 kg ha-1) as compared to other varieties. However, straw yield (62.17 q ha-1) was reported higher under HUBR 2-1 as compared to the rest varieties. Among the nitrogen levels, N4-160 kg N ha-1 was recorded significantly higher above the same parameter as compared to other nitrogen levels. Hence, the application of N @ 160 kg ha-1 along with rice variety BPT- 5204 can be recommended for achieving higher rice yield, nutrient uptake, and efficiency in Eastern Uttar Pradesh