Zonal Velocity Bands and the Solar Activity Cycle

We compare the zonal flow pattern in subsurface layers of the Sun with the distribution of surface magnetic features like sunspots and polar faculae. We demonstrate that in the activity belt, the butterfly pattern of sunspots coincides with the fast stream of zonal flows, although part of the sunspot distribution does spill over to the slow stream. At high latitudes, the polar faculae and zonal flow bands have similar distributions in the spatial and temporal domains.Comment: To appear in Solar Physic

Ethnobotanical investigations among tribes in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu (India)

BACKGROUND: An ethnobotanical survey was carried out to collect information on the use of medicinal plants in Southern Western Ghats of India (Madurai district, Tamil Nadu). Information presented in this paper was gathered from the paliyar tribes using an integrated approach of botanical collections, group discussions and interviews with questionnaires in the years 1998 – 1999. The informants interviewed were 12 among whom 4 were tribal practitioners. RESULTS: A total of 60 ethnomedicinal plant species distributed in 32 families are documented in this study. The medicinal plants used by paliyars are listed with Latin name, family, local name, parts used, mode of preparation and medicinal uses. Generally, fresh part of the plant was used for the preparation of medicine. CONCLUSION: We observed that the documented ethnomedicinal plants were mostly used to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders. The results of this study showed that these tribal people still depend on medicinal plants in Madurai district forest areas

Detection and Removal of Noise from Images using Improved Median Filter

Noise is any unwanted component in an image. It is important to eliminate noise in the images before some subsequent processing, such as edge detection, image segmentation and object recognition. This work mainly concentrates on automatic detection and efficient removal of impulse (salt and pepper) noise. For automatic detection of impulse noise, a method based on probability density function is proposed. The basic idea of automatic detection is that the difference between the probabilities of black and white pixels will be small. After detecting the presence of impulse noise in an image, we have to remove that noise. For the removal of impulse noise a new efficient impulse noise removal method (Modified SDROM filter) is proposed. The Modified SDROM consists of two parts 1) Impulse detector and 2) Filter. The results show that this method has higher performance than other methods in terms of PSNR values and SSIM-Index values

Vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption of prime ice analogues of Pluto and Charon

Here we present the first Vacuum UltraViolet (VUV) photoabsorption spectra of ice analogues of Pluto and Charon ice mixtures. For Pluto the ice analogue is an icy mixture containing nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4) and water (H2O) prepared with a 100:1:1:3 ratio, respectively. Photoabsorption of icy mixtures with and without H2O were recorded and no significant changes in the spectra due to presence of H2O were observed. For Charon a VUV photoabsorption spectra of an ice analogue containing ammonia (NH3) and H2O prepared with a 1:1 ratio was recorded, a spectrum of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) was also recorded. These spectra may help to interpret the P-Alice data from New Horizons

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems II. Leaf area index and dry matter accumulation

Experiments were laid out at Bhavanisagar and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) to study the influence of intercropping on leaf area index and dry matter accumulation in whole plants of turmeric (Curcuma longa), maize (Zea mays) and onion (Allium cepa) when grown in intercropping and sole cropping systems. Maize was intercropped with turmeric in two proportions (50 and 100 per cent of the recommended population levels). Onion was also introduced as additional intercrop with maize with 23 per cent of the population of sole crop. These crops were also raised as sole crops. Leaf area indices and dry matter accumulation of maize and turmeric at different stages were influenced significantly by intercropping systems, in both locations. Intercropping maize in turmeric significantly reduced the growth of the latter. This effect was quite obvious where maize was raised as intercrop at 100 per cent of the recommended population. Sole cropping of turmeric resulted in higher leaf area indices than turmeric raised as intercrop. Raising onion as additional intercrop did not influence dry matter accumulation of component crops appreciably. &nbsp

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems. I. Yield and land use efficiency

Experiments were laid out at Bhavanisagar (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1989 - 90 and at Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1990 - 91 to determine land use efficiency, yield and yield attributes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in various jntercropping and sole cropping systems. Turmeric, maize and onion (Allium cepa L.) were raised as sole crops adopting recommended package of practices. Maize and onion were intercropped with turmeric in two proportions (50 and 100 per cent of the recommendedpopulation levels). Onion was also introduced as additional intercrop with maize with 23 per cent of the population of sole crop. Turmeric yields were reduced from 9 to 25 per cent when intercropped with maize. Turmeric yield reductions due to intercropping were associated with reduction in number of tillers, mother rhizome, primary and secondary rhizomes. Maize yields were higher with intercropping than with sole cropping. Even though yield of turmeric was reduced by intercropping, turmeric - maize and onion intercropping resulted in 17 to 34 per cent greater land use efficiency for the 9 months growing season than in· the sole cropping systems. This is important in developing countries where available per capita arable land is low. &nbsp

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems. I. Yield and land use efficiency

Experiments were laid out at Bhavanisagar (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1989 - 90 and at Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1990 - 91 to determine land use efficiency, yield and yield attributes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in various jntercropping and sole cropping systems. Turmeric, maize and onion (Allium cepa L.) were raised as sole crops adopting recommended package of practices. Maize and onion were intercropped with turmeric in two proportions (50 and 100 per cent of the recommendedpopulation levels). Onion was also introduced as additional intercrop with maize with 23 per cent of the population of sole crop. Turmeric yields were reduced from 9 to 25 per cent when intercropped with maize. Turmeric yield reductions due to intercropping were associated with reduction in number of tillers, mother rhizome, primary and secondary rhizomes. Maize yields were higher with intercropping than with sole cropping. Even though yield of turmeric was reduced by intercropping, turmeric - maize and onion intercropping resulted in 17 to 34 per cent greater land use efficiency for the 9 months growing season than in· the sole cropping systems. This is important in developing countries where available per capita arable land is low. &nbsp

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems. IV. PAR interception

Experiments conduded at Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) to study the pattern of interception of photosynthetically active radiation in intercropping systems with turmeric (Curcuma longa) - maize (Zea mays) and onion (Allium cepa) indicated that with a high maize population, the mixed canopy could effectively intercept more of available photosynthetically active radiation throughout the growing season, than the sale crop of turmeric, maize or onion. &nbsp

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems. III. Nutrient uptake

Experiments were conducted at Bhavanisagar and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) to determine uptake of nutrients as influenced by intercropping systems with turmeric (Curcuma langa) - maize (Zea mays) and onion (Allium cepa), and to study nitrogen uptake pattern by various plant parts of turmeric in such situations. The results revealed that nutrient uptake by the intercropping systems was higher than the uptake of either of the sole crops of turmeric, maize and onion. The total uptake of nitrogen by various intercropping systems varied from 61 to 80 per cent more than the uptake of nitrogen by the sole crop ofturmeric at Bhavanisagar and 57 to 77 per cent at Coimbatore. Similarly it varied from 82 to 104 per cent more than the sole crop of maize at both the locations. A similar result was obtained in onion also. Similar trends were observed in uptake of phosphorus and potassium in the intercropping systems. The results indicated that for sustainable production of intercropping systems, meeting the combined nutritional requirements of component crops is essential. &nbsp

Turmeric - maize and onion intercropping systems. I. Yield and land use efficiency

Experiments were laid out at Bhavanisagar (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1989 - 90 and at Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu, India) during 1990 - 91 to determine land use efficiency, yield and yield attributes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in various jntercropping and sole cropping systems. Turmeric, maize and onion (Allium cepa L.) were raised as sole crops adopting recommended package of practices. Maize and onion were intercropped with turmeric in two proportions (50 and 100 per cent of the recommendedpopulation levels). Onion was also introduced as additional intercrop with maize with 23 per cent of the population of sole crop. Turmeric yields were reduced from 9 to 25 per cent when intercropped with maize. Turmeric yield reductions due to intercropping were associated with reduction in number of tillers, mother rhizome, primary and secondary rhizomes. Maize yields were higher with intercropping than with sole cropping. Even though yield of turmeric was reduced by intercropping, turmeric - maize and onion intercropping resulted in 17 to 34 per cent greater land use efficiency for the 9 months growing season than in· the sole cropping systems. This is important in developing countries where available per capita arable land is low. &nbsp