Soil quality and crop productivity under 34 years old long-term rainfed rice based cropping system in an Inceptisol of sub-tropical India

IntroductionSoil quality deterioration with the introduction of modern agriculture is a major threat to agricultural sustainability and food security and the problem is more aggravated specially under rainfed agriculture. Asessment of soil quality is a tortuous task as it can not be measured directly. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of long-term fertilization and manuring on soil quality and identify the most sensitive indicators of assessing soil quality under rainfed rice based system.MethodsSoil samples were collected from selected six treatments viz. control, 100%NPK, 50%NPK, 50%FYM, 100%FYM and 50%NPK+FYM of 34 years old long-term fertilizer experiment with rainfed rice-lentil cropping system situated at BHU Varanasi, India.Results and discussionResult revealed that continuous organic manure application along with inorganic fertilizer increased soil organic carbon by 54.1% over control treatment.Principal component analysis (PCA) was done to screen out key indicators and mean weight diameter, available Fe, available N, potentially mineralizable N, available Zn, FDA hydrolase activity and Clay were selected as key indicators of soil quality. The highest soil quality index (SQI) of 0.95 was found in 50% NPK+FYM treatment. Regression analysis showed better agreement of equivalent rice yield and SQI (0.87). Therefore, the balanced fertilization with organic and inorganic fertilizers is important for sustainability of the rainfed rice-lentil cropping system and this practice may be recommended for rainfed rice based system of Indian Inceptisol

Investigating the Health of a Rice Field Ecosystem Using Thermodynamic Extremal Principles

This study investigates the dynamic behaviour of a rice field ecosystem and aims to define its integral features using the stability concept of an ecological goal function. This function is based on the extremal principles of thermodynamics, which assume that certain energetic processes of ecosystems—such as the rate of exergy destruction—are directed by the self-organizing informatics of the systems towards maxima or minima.  In our study, we exploit the availability of substantially long time-series data relating to a rice field ecosystem to gain an evocative understanding of its growth trajectory in light of the thermodynamic principles. We accomplished this by constructing a model based on the STELLA 9.0 software and calculating the extremal values of growth rates (storage) and those of exergy destruction and entropy creation. The results showed that the values of both maximum dissipation and maximum exergy progressed apace with that of maximum storage till the maturation of rice and became stable thereafter, whereas maximum residence time and maximum specific dissipation values initially decreased before their asymptotic rise. A similar pattern was also observed for the maximum specific exergy. However, the maximum power dissipation curve followed a highly fluctuated course before becoming stable on the maturation of rice

Impact of conservation agriculture on humic acid quality and clay humus complexation under maize (Zea mays)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan)-wheat cropping systems

An attempt was made to study the humic acid (HA) quality and clay humus complex in order to generate valuable information regarding soil carbon (C) and recalcitrant carbon variations under conservation agriculture (CA) practices. It is worthwhile to mention that CA has got wider acceptance among researchers and farmers nowadays. A field experiment was conducted in an Inceptisol with three treatments, namely conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT) without residue and zero tillage with residue (ZT+R) in a maize (Zea mays L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (M-W) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.)-wheat (P-W) cropping system at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, with a view to characterize the HA by E4/E6 ratio and total acidity, and to specify the functional groups of clay humus complex. In ZT+R based treatments, lower E4/E6 ratio and total acidity of extracted HA showed higher degree of humification and stability of humic acid carbon (HA-C). The FTIR spectroscopy of the clay-humus complex (as extracted from soil) displayed the presence of a large number of functional groups in ZT+R treatment followed by ZT and CT. It was also observed that the yield of crops was also significantly higher in ZT+R than CT in both the cropping systems except in wheat crops in the M-W system. Therefore, it can be concluded that ZT+R has the potential to enrich the organic carbon (C) quality in soil and increase the aromaticity of HA, leading to carbon stabilization in soils

Weed dynamics, wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield and irrigation water-use efficiency under conservation agriculture

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impacts of a 12-year old conservation agriculture (CA)- based pigeon pea-wheat system on weeds, wheat crop, and resource use during winter (rabi) 2021–22. Results indicated that surface retention of residue irrespective of ZT permanent bed and N dose led to significant reduction in weed interference at 60 DAS. CA-based systems reduced weed density and dry weight considerably than CT. CA- based systems led to significantly higher wheat grain yield (by 11.6–14.9%) and net B:C (by 24.0 –28.0%) than CT, and PFBR100N and PBBR100N were slightly superior to others. PBBR100N and PBBR75N had lower irrigation water use and significantly higher irrigation water productivity than CT. Contrast analysis showed that wheat yield and water productivity were comparable between 75% N and 100% N in CA, indicating a saving of 25% N under CA

Bor-Stickstoff-Derivate von reaktiven organischen Intermediaten

The boron-nitrogen derivatives of organic molecules have attracted the chemists’ attention due to their distinct chemical properties. This dissertation focuses on ways to access the diphenylaminoborylene (Ph2NB:) and 9,10-didehydro-9-aza-10-boraphenanthrene (E). The diphenylaminoborylene, is isostructural to vinylidene and that was intended to generate from bisazido(diphenylamino)borane [Ph2NB(N3)2] under matrix isolation condition. During sublimation an extremely dangerous and highly explosive triazidoborane [B(N3)3] was sublimed. Upon photolysis the corresponding photo product NNBN was identified. The BN derivative of o-benzyne is called 1,2-azaborine and 9,10-didehydro-9-aza-10-boraphenanthrene (E) is a higher analog of 1,2-azaborine. To obtain E, different routes have been followed: (i) thermolysis of azidoborane, (ii) thermolysis of silyl(silyloxy)aminoborole and (iii) base induced dehydrohalogenation. This research has produced a number of key findings: a new type of azidoborane is introduced and its cyclotrimerization due to high Lewis acidity is observed; formal dyotropic rearrangement of aminoborole to azaborine fragment is attained; dehydrohalogenation of appropriate aminoborane by suitable bases has been established.Die Bor-Stickstoff-Derivate von organischen Molekülen sind aufgrund ihrer einzigartigen chemischen Eigenschaften von wissenschaftlichem Interesse. Die folgende Doktorarbeit beschäftigt sich mit Wegen zur Synthese von Diphenylaminoborylen und 9,10-Didehydro-9,10-azaboraphenanthren (E). Das Diphenylaminoborylen ist isostrukturell zum Vinyliden, das Didehydro-9-aza-10-boraphenanthren ist als Vertreter eines 1,2-Azaborins isostrukturell zu Didehydrobenzol (Arin) bzw. Phenanthren. Es war beabsichtigt, das Diphenylaminoborylen unter Matrixisolationsbedingungen aus Bisazido(diphenylamino)boran [Ph2NB(N3)2] darzustellen. Während der Sublimation entstand jedoch das gefährliche, hochexplosive Triazidoboran [B(N3)3]. Nach Photolyse wurde das entsprechende Photoprodukt NNBN identifiziert. Um E zu erhalten, wurden drei Syntheserouten untersucht: erstens die Thermolyse von 9-Azido-9-borafluoren, zweitens die Thermolyse von Silyl(silyloxy)aminoborol und drittens baseninduzierte Dehydrohalogenierung. Im Zuge der Doktorarbeit wurden mehrere wesentliche Erkenntnisse gewonnen: Eine neue Klasse von Azidoboranen wird vorgestellt und deren Cyclotrimerisierung durch hohe Lewis-Acidität wird beobachtet; die formale dyotrope Umlagerung von Aminoborol zu einem Azaborinfragment wurde realisiert und die Dehydrohalogenierung von geeigneten Aminoboranen durch passende Basen konnte etabliert werden

The Landscape of Expressed Chimeric Transcripts in the Blood of Severe COVID-19 Infected Patients

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections has quickly developed into a global public health threat. COVID-19 patients show distinct clinical features, and in some cases, during the severe stage of the condition, the disease severity leads to an acute respiratory disorder. In spite of several pieces of research in this area, the molecular mechanisms behind the development of disease severity are still not clearly understood. Recent studies demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 alters the host cell splicing and transcriptional response to overcome the host immune response that provides the virus with favorable conditions to replicate efficiently within the host cells. In several disease conditions, aberrant splicing could lead to the development of novel chimeric transcripts that could promote the functional alternations of the cell. As severe SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported to cause abnormal splicing in the infected cells, we could expect the generation and expression of novel chimeric transcripts. However, no study so far has attempted to check whether novel chimeric transcripts are expressed in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. In this study, we analyzed several publicly available blood transcriptome datasets of severe COVID-19, mild COVID-19, other severe respiratory viral infected patients, and healthy individuals. We identified 424 severe COVID-19 -specific chimeric transcripts, 42 of which were recurrent. Further, we detected 189 chimeric transcripts common to severe COVID-19 and multiple severe respiratory viral infections. Pathway and gene enrichment analysis of the parental genes of these two subsets of chimeric transcripts reveals that these are potentially involved in immune-related processes, interferon signaling, and inflammatory responses, which signify their potential association with immune dysfunction leading to the development of disease severity. Our study provides the first detailed expression landscape of chimeric transcripts in severe COVID-19 and other severe respiratory viral infections

The Landscape of Expressed Chimeric Transcripts in the Blood of Severe COVID-19 Infected Patients

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections has quickly developed into a global public health threat. COVID-19 patients show distinct clinical features, and in some cases, during the severe stage of the condition, the disease severity leads to an acute respiratory disorder. In spite of several pieces of research in this area, the molecular mechanisms behind the development of disease severity are still not clearly understood. Recent studies demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 alters the host cell splicing and transcriptional response to overcome the host immune response that provides the virus with favorable conditions to replicate efficiently within the host cells. In several disease conditions, aberrant splicing could lead to the development of novel chimeric transcripts that could promote the functional alternations of the cell. As severe SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported to cause abnormal splicing in the infected cells, we could expect the generation and expression of novel chimeric transcripts. However, no study so far has attempted to check whether novel chimeric transcripts are expressed in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. In this study, we analyzed several publicly available blood transcriptome datasets of severe COVID-19, mild COVID-19, other severe respiratory viral infected patients, and healthy individuals. We identified 424 severe COVID-19 -specific chimeric transcripts, 42 of which were recurrent. Further, we detected 189 chimeric transcripts common to severe COVID-19 and multiple severe respiratory viral infections. Pathway and gene enrichment analysis of the parental genes of these two subsets of chimeric transcripts reveals that these are potentially involved in immune-related processes, interferon signaling, and inflammatory responses, which signify their potential association with immune dysfunction leading to the development of disease severity. Our study provides the first detailed expression landscape of chimeric transcripts in severe COVID-19 and other severe respiratory viral infections

Characterization of microfiber isolated from Hibiscus sabdariffa var. altissima fiber by steam explosion

In this work, the analytical and experimental study on isolation of microfibers from Hibiscus sabdariffa var. altissima fiber using the steam explosion technique is discussed. Structural and thermal analysis of fiber is done by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscope image confirmed that the diameter of the fiber is reduced to approximately 5 µm and defibrillation of the fiber after bleaching process is also observed. XRD analysis of H. sabdariffa fiber at raw and acid hydrolyses stage demonstrated that the crystallinity index is increased from 77.8% to 86.7%. FT-IR results indicated the devaluation of lignin and hemicellulose after the chemical treatment and enhancement of thermal stability can also be seen by TGA results