Enhancing the production potential of transplanted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under a semi-arid environment

Field experiments were conducted during the rabi seasons of 2021 to 2022 at the Research farm of V.O. Chidambaranar Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Tamil Nadu, Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu, to assess the suitable planting methods and optimize the age of seedlings to enhance the productivity and profitability of transplanted sesame. The experiment comprised nine treatment combinations having two planting methods (Ridge planting and Flat planting) and four ages of seedlings (12, 16, 20, and 24 days old seedling) along with line sowing (30 x 30 cm) as control were laid out in randomized block design(RBD) and replicated thrice. It may be inferred that ridge planting of 20 days sesame seedlings for transplanting practice gave significantly higher growth, yield parameters, and maximum yield viz., plant height (121.0 cm and 130.0 cm), LAI (4.16 and 4.26) and DMP (2765 kg ha-1 and 3010 kg ha-1 ), Number of branches plant-1 (9.1 and 9.8), number of capsules plant-1 (93.4 and 96.0), Number of seeds per capsule (55.2 and 56.0), seed yield (892 kg ha-1 and 910 kg ha-1 ) and B: C (2.59 and 2.65) as compared to all other treatment combinations. The findings emphasize the potential of this technique for enhancing the productivity of transplanted sesame, and it is profitable to the farmers of semi-arid regions of southern India

Novel fungicidal management for basal stem rot disease of coconut: In vitro and in vivo perspectives

Basal stem rot (BSR) disease, a lethal disease of coconut crop, induced by Ganoderma lucidum is prevalent and endemic in the East Coast region of the Tamil Nadu. The prolonged use of a single fungicide and the emerging issue of fungicide resistance raised concerns regarding disease control in this region. An integrated disease management strategy, incorporating new generation fungicides could help resolve these challenges. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-AICRP on Plantation Crops (All India Co-ordinated Research Project) investigated different fungicides of single along with combination types against G. lucidum at three different concentrations (100, 250 and 500 ppm) in an in vitro study. Thirteen fungicides were screened and was found that hexaconazole 4 % + carbendazim 16 % SC, hexaconazole 5 % + validamycin 2.5 % SC as well as azoxystrobin 11 % + tebuconazole 18.3 % SC W/W were most effective in controlling G. lucidum even at lower concentrations. In field trial, two novel combination fungicides azoxystrobin 11 % + tebuconazole-18.3 % SC W/W and hexaconazole 5 % + validamycin 2 % SC, were utilized. In comparison to other treatments, treatment (T6), which consists of root feeding hexaconazole 5 % + validamycin-2.5 % SC @ 4 mL in 100 mL of water as well as drenching the soil with hexaconazole 5 % + validamycin-2.5 % SC @ 2 mL/L (15 L/palm) every three months, was the most successful in controlling the disease. This treatment reduced the BSR disease index by 12.43 % compared to the initial disease index and resulted in a 58.49 % increase in nut yield compared to the control

Alternative Methods to Detect Gravitational Waves

Abstract Currently the only method that has been used to detect gravitational waves is based on measuring the infinitesimal stretch and squeeze in space using LASER Interferometry when gravitational waves from celestial events such as mergers of black holes or neutron stars passed through the arms of the Laser Interferometers at LIGO and Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories. This paper presents other possible methods to detect gravitational waves. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last two years gravitational waves were detected in the Laser Interferometers at LIGO and Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories by using the concept that a spatial change will occur when gravitational waves pass through space. However gravitational waves which are ripples in spacetime also have a time component besides the spatial component. Based on this fact it is expected that when an event is measured in space when the gravitational waves are passing through that space the event would be subjected to either a time dilation or contraction corresponding to a spatial squeeze or stretch. The infinitesimal change in the time of an event can be measured indirectly. There are also other indirect methods to detect a spatial change when gravitational waves pass through space. 2. METHODS TO DETECT GRAVITATIONAL WAVES A. The infinitesimal change in time (time dilation or contraction) can be measured by using an atomic clock with Cesium or strontium similar to that used in NIST where the atomic clock is placed in a chamber cooled to near absolute zero placed alongside the arms of the gravitational wave Observatories and energy of radiation from the atomic clock measured for an infinitesimal time and see if there is a slight decrease or increase in the energy when gravitational waves pass through the arms of the gravitational wave Observatories and the spatial squeeze or stretch has been detected. B. Create a Bose-Einstein condensate from bosonic atoms or photons and measure any cycles of very small temperature variations when gravitational waves pass through the condensate. This method is better suited if the violent events generating the gravitational waves can be predicted to occur in advance since sustaining the condensate for a longer period will not be practical and feasible. C. In a nuclear reactor or particle accelerator, keep very unstable radioactive nuclei and look for a very slight increase or decrease in radioactivity or even jets of particles being produced from the unstable nuclei when gravitational waves pass through the unstable nuclei. When the space in the proton or neutron is changed even by a small strain there is a high probability that the strong force particle gluon will notice the change and restore the spatial change in the process creating and emitting a particle. This repeats for every squeeze and stretch in the space. This can happen even from stable nuclei but having unstable nuclei there is a higher probability of detecting an increase or decrease in radioactivity if the decay rate was changed as well from time dilation or contraction effects of the gravitational waves. D. Generate Lasers at different frequencies in a device and determine any sharp increase in their frequencies expected when Lasers are in resonance with the frequency of gravitational waves passing through the device. The frequency of the Laser is its natural frequency and can resonate when its frequency matches the frequency of gravitational waves. This method is more feasible if the events generating the gravitational waves can be predicted to occur and the frequency of the gravitational waves as they reach the earth calculated in advance so the frequencies of the Lasers can be set accordingly. The device with the generated Lasers can be compact and in a laboratory setting without the need for very long detectors.   3. CONCLUSIONS Detection of gravitational waves presently rests on determining the infinitesimal stretch and squeeze in space when these waves pass through LASER Interferometers increasing and decreasing the path of the light for a brief period. This short paper aims at presenting that there are other alternative methods that can be researched further, tested for practicality and implemented in laboratories and gravitational observatories for detecting gravitational waves using the concept that gravitational waves being ripples in spacetime can produce an infinitesimal change in time of an event that is occurring when these waves pass. A new detection method can be an independent source of detecting the same gravitational waves to calibrate both methods for improved accuracy. Detection of gravitational waves is now restricted to the realm of astronomy and astrophysics and with alternative methods such as being able to measure these waves using ultracold bosonic atoms or photons in a Bose-Einstein condensate in a laboratory or using radioactive nuclei in a nuclear reactor transforms the detection to broader areas of research to include atomic, molecular and particle physics. Currently gravitational waves have been detected for merger events involving black holes and neutron stars using LASER Interferometry at the gravitational wave observatories. Using the currently available method no stochastic gravitational waves or gravitational waves from supernovae have been detected. Exploring alternative mechanisms and methods to detect gravitational waves would be able to bridge the gap in making such detections possible. With new methods being developed and available to detect gravitational waves from most distant supernovae a better approximation to the distance of the supernovae and thus an accurate indicator to the acceleration in the universe can be obtained as compared to their electromagnetic counterpart that are subjected to gravitational lensing, gravitational red and blue shift effects.</p

Alternative Methods to Detect Gravitational Waves

Abstract Currently the only method that has been used to detect Gravitational Waves is based on measuring  the infinitesimal stretch and squeeze in space using LASER Interferometry when Gravitational Waves  from celestial events such as mergers of Black Holes or Neutron Stars passed through the arms of  the LASER Interferometers at LIGO and Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories. This paper presents  other possible methods to detect Gravitational Waves. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last two years Gravitational Waves were detected in the LASER Interferometers at LIGO and  Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories by using the concept that a spatial change will occur when  Gravitational Waves pass through space. However Gravitational Waves which are ripples in spacetime  also have a time component besides the spatial component. Based on this fact it is expected that  when an event is measured in space as the Gravitational Waves are passing through that space the  event would be subjected to either a time dilation or contraction corresponding to the spatial  squeeze or stretch. The infinitesimal change in the time of an event can be measured indirectly.  There are also other indirect methods to detect a spatial change when Gravitational Waves pass  through space. 2. METHODS TO DETECT GRAVITATIONAL WAVES A. In a Gravitational Wave Observatory using LASER Interferometer place two precise Atomic Clocks  one along each arm of the observatory as depicted in the schematic layout below with the clocks  positioned along the two perpendicular arms of the LASER Interferometer. Consider the vertical arm  to be the arm where the path of LASER is contracted and the horizontal arm where the path of LASER  is stretched. The time taken by LASER to pass through the entire length of the vertical arm will  contract and the time taken by LASER to pass through the entire length of the horizontal arm will  dilate when Gravitational Waves pass through the LIGO arms. Basically, the clock placed in the  vertical arm speeds up and the clock placed in the horizontal arm slows down when Gravitational  Waves pass through the LIGO arms. In general, many precise Atomic Clocks can be placed in different orientation in a Laboratory  without the need for LASER Interferometer and depending on the orientation of the Gravitational  Waves as they pass through the Atomic Clocks some clocks will experience an infinitesimal time  dilation and other clocks will experience an infinitesimal time contraction. B. Create a Bose-Einstein condensate from bosonic atoms or photons and measure cyclical patterns of  infinitesimal temperature variations that is expected when Gravitational Waves pass through the  condensate. This method is better suited if the violent events generating the Gravitational Waves  can be predicted to occur in advance since sustaining the condensate for a longer period will not  be practical and feasible. C. In a Nuclear or Particle Accelerator Laboratory, look for an infinitesimal change in  radioactivity or decay rate of a very unstable radioactive element when Gravitational Waves pass  through the element. This is due to an infinitesimal change in the time of an event when  Gravitational Waves pass through the space where the event is occurring. The event in this case is  the number of disintegrations of the radioactive element per second. D. In a Nuclear or Particle Accelerator Laboratory when Gravitational Waves pass through a proton  or neutron an infinitesimal change in space between the quarks in the proton or neutron will occur  and there is a high probability that the strong force particle Gluon will notice the change and  restore the spatial change in the process creating and emitting jets of particles that can be  detected. This process repeats for every squeeze and stretch in space between the quarks as the  Gravitational Waves pass through the proton or neutron. E. Utilizing the phenomena of Gravitational Wave resonance we observe celestial objects like normal  stars, pulsars whose rotational or orbital frequencies are at or near the frequency of  Gravitational Waves passing through them. When the rotational or orbital frequencies are in  resonance with the frequency of the Gravitational Waves the normal rotation and orbit of these  celestial objects would be perturbed, amplified and the deviation detected. These celestial objects  can be in the line of path between the source of Gravitational Waves and earth or located anywhere  in space. This method is better suited if the events generating the Gravitational Waves can be  predicted to occur and the frequency of the Gravitational Waves as they reach the celestial objects  known to choose appropriate test targets. F. Utilizing the same phenomena of Gravitational Wave resonance we generate Lasers at different  frequencies in a device and determine any sharp increase in their frequencies expected when Lasers  are in resonance with the frequency of Gravitational Waves passing through the device. The  frequency of the Laser is its natural resonant frequency and will resonate when its frequency is at  or near the frequency of Gravitational Waves. This method is more feasible if the events generating  the Gravitational Waves can be predicted to occur and the frequency of the Gravitational Waves as  they reach the earth known so the frequencies of the Lasers can be set accordingly. The device with  the generated Lasers can be compact and in a laboratory setting without the need for very long  detectors. G. When massive celestial objects such as Black Holes or Neutron Stars merge a part of their  combined mass is converted into the energy of the Gravitational Waves. These Gravitational Waves if  they have sufficient energy as they pass through space can create particles that can be detected in  a Nuclear or Particle Accelerator Laboratory. The probability of the particles being created and  detected in the Laboratory will be higher if the merged celestial objects that created the  Gravitational Waves were very massive and were at proximity to the earth. 3. CONCLUSIONS Detection of Gravitational Waves presently rests on determining the infinitesimal stretch and  squeeze in space when these waves pass through LASER Interferometers increasing and decreasing the  path of the light for a brief period. This paper aims at presenting other alternative methods that  can be researched further, tested for practicality and implemented in Laboratories and  Gravitational Observatories for detecting Gravitational Waves using the concept that Gravitational  Waves being ripples in spacetime can produce an infinitesimal change in time of an event that is  occurring when these waves pass. New detection methods can be independent sources of detecting the  same Gravitational Waves to calibrate the different methods for improved accuracy. Detection of  Gravitational Waves is now restricted to the realm of Astronomy and Astrophysics and with  alternative methods such as being able to detect these waves using ultracold bosonic atoms or  photons in a Bose-Einstein condensate or using radioactive element in a Nuclear or Particle  Accelerator Laboratory transforms the detection to broader areas of research to include Atomic,  Molecular and Particle Physics. Currently Gravitational Waves have been detected for merger events  involving Black Holes and Neutron Stars using LASER Interferometry at the Gravitational Wave  Observatories. Using the currently available method no stochastic Gravitational Waves or  Gravitational Waves from supernovae have been detected. Exploring alternative mechanisms and  methods to detect Gravitational Waves would be able to bridge the gap in making such detections  possible. With new methods being developed and available to detect Gravitational Waves from most distant supernovae a better approximation to the distance of the supernovae and thus an accurate  indicator to the acceleration in the universe can be obtained as compared to their electromagnetic  counterpart that are subjected to Gravitational Lensing, Gravitational Red and Blue Shift effects.  </p

Alternative Methods to Detect Gravitational Waves

Abstract Currently the only method that has been used to detect gravitational waves is based on measuring  the infinitesimal stretch and squeeze in space using LASER interferometry when gravitational waves  from celestial events such as mergers of black holes or neutron stars passed through the arms of  the Laser Interferometers at LIGO and Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories. This paper presents  other possible methods to detect gravitational waves. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last two years gravitational waves were detected in the Laser Interferometers at LIGO and  Virgo Gravitational Wave Observatories by using the concept that a spatial change will occur when  gravitational waves pass through space. However gravitational waves which are ripples in spacetime  also have a time component besides the spatial component. Based on this fact it is expected that  when an event is measured in space when the gravitational waves are passing through that space the  event would be subjected to either a time dilation or contraction corresponding to a spatial  squeeze or stretch. The infinitesimal change in the time of an event can be measured indirectly.  There are also other indirect methods to detect a spatial change when gravitational waves pass  through space. 2. METHODS TO DETECT GRAVITATIONAL WAVES A. The infinitesimal change in time (time dilation or contraction) can be measured by using an  atomic clock with Cesium or strontium similar to that used in NIST where the atomic clock is placed  in a chamber cooled to near absolute zero placed alongside the arms of the gravitational wave  Observatories and energy of radiation from the atomic clock measured for an infinitesimal time and  see if there is a slight decrease or increase in the energy when gravitational waves pass through  the arms of the gravitational wave Observatories and the spatial squeeze or stretch has been  detected. B. Create a Bose-Einstein condensate from bosonic atoms or photons and measure any cycles of very  small temperature variations when gravitational waves pass through the condensate. This method is better suited if the violent events generating the gravitational waves can be predicted to occur in  advance since sustaining the condensate for a longer period will not be practical and feasible. C. In a nuclear reactor or particle accelerator, keep very unstable radioactive nuclei and look for  a very slight increase or decrease in radioactivity or even jets of particles being produced from  the unstable nuclei when gravitational waves pass through the unstable nuclei. When the space in  the proton or neutron is changed even by a small strain there is a high probability that the strong  force particle gluon will notice the change and restore the spatial change in the process creating  and emitting a particle. This repeats for every squeeze and stretch in the space. This can happen  even from stable nuclei but having unstable nuclei there is a higher probability of detecting an  increase or decrease in radioactivity if the decay rate was changed as well from time dilation or  contraction effects of the gravitational waves. 3. CONCLUSIONS Detection of gravitational waves presently rests on determining the infinitesimal stretch and  squeeze in space when these waves pass through LASER interferometers increasing and decreasing the  path of the light for a brief period. This short paper aims at presenting that there are other  alternative methods that can be researched further, tested for practicality and implemented in  laboratories and gravitational observatories for detecting gravitational waves using the concept  that gravitational waves being ripples in spacetime can produce an infinitesimal change in time of  an event that is occurring when these waves pass. A new detection method can be an independent  source of detecting the same gravitational waves to calibrate both methods for improved accuracy.  Detection of gravitational waves is now restricted to the realm of astronomy and astrophysics and  with alternative methods such as being able to measure these waves using ultracold bosonic atoms or  photons in a Bose-Einstein condensate in a laboratory or using radioactive nuclei in a nuclear  reactor transforms the detection to broader areas of research to include atomic, molecular and  particle physics. Currently gravitational waves have been detected for merger events involving  black holes and neutron stars using LASER Interferometry at the gravitational wave observatories.  Using the currently available method no stochastic gravitational waves or gravitational waves from  supernovae have been detected. Exploring alternative mechanisms and methods to detect gravitational  waves would be able to bridge the gap in making such detections possible. With new methods being  developed and available to detect gravitational waves from most distant supernovae a better  approximation to the distance of the supernovae and thus an accurate indicator to the acceleration  in the universe can be obtained as compared to their electromagnetic counterpart that are subjected  to gravitational lensing, gravitational red and blue shift effects.  </p

Promising Combination Systemic Fungicides in Combating Basal Stem Rot Disease of Coconut

Basal stem rot disease is the most challenging disease in coconut crop, caused by Ganoderma lucidum. Combating the disease with new generation fungicides is a viable strategy for the promising disease control. Single and combination of new systemic fungicides in different commercial formulations were tested against the Ganoderma lucidum. Under in vitro study at 100, 250 and 500 ppm concentrations. The results revealed that Hexaconazole 4% + Carbendazim 16% SC, Hexaconazole 5% + Validamycin 2.5%SC and Azoxystrobin 11% + Tebuconazole 18.3% SC W/W were found superior in inhibiting the mycelial growth of Ganoderma as compared to other fungicides. Per cent inhibition indicated the effectiveness of potent fungicides against the pathogen even at lower concentration

Ganoderma wilt – A Lethal Disease of Coconut in Tamil Nadu Research Accomplishments and Future Thrust

Ganoderma wilt or Thanjavur wilt disease is the most lethal one, is caused by the fungus Ganoderma lucidum (leys) Karst and it is of major limiting factor in coconut production in nine coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. The high alarming of the disease alerted the government to launch the Ganoderma wilt research in the state in the yesteryear. Subsequently, more than five decadal researches done on this disease that provides preliminary, applied and advanced results and outcomes that are crucial and fruitful in the&nbsp; disease management. The endemic nature of the disease is evident and it has been witnessed with the severe spread of the disease in the east coast region of Tamil Nadu after the attack of Gaja cyclone urges the research efforts to contain the disease. The disease incidence ranges from 6.5 % to 50% in Thanjavur district followed by Nagapattinam and Thiruvarur districts is continuously reminds the threat of the disease to the coconut farmers in this region. In this juncture, It is indispensable to highlight the significant works on&nbsp; documentation of disease incidence, isolation of pathogen , pathogenicity, virulence study, disease index formula development,&nbsp; early and rapid detection methods, epidemiology, pathophysiology, agronomical, cultural, biological chemical disease control methods ,integrated&nbsp; disease management&nbsp; strategy etc., .done ,in the past&nbsp; and it is&nbsp; necessarily a boon to the current research work. Obviously, the brief review will make a corner stone and open up new discussion on the most important aspects of the disease management. This necessitates and leads the new line of research coping with the future thrusts will helpful in combating the lethal disease in the post Gaja cyclone scenario in the state