Forecasting of growth rates of wheat yield of Uttar Pradesh through non-linear growth models

Wheat production in India is about 70 million tonnes per year which counts for approximately 12 per cent of world’s production. Being the second largest in population, it is also the second largest in wheat consumption after China, with a huge and growing wheat demand. Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar. All of north is replenished with wheat cultivation. Uttar Pradesh, the largest wheat growing region of the country, produces around 28 million tonnes of wheat and Bihar produces around 5 million tonnes. The usual parametric approach for growth rate analysis is to assume multiplicative error in the underlying nonlinear geometric model and then fit the linearized model by ‘method of least squares'. This paper deals with a critical study of wheat yield of Uttar Pradesh with a non-linear approach. The available data of rice during different years is taken into consideration and different statistical models are fitted for that. The time series data on annual yield of wheat in UP from 1970-2010 were collected from various sources. Growth rates are computed through non-linear models, viz. Logistic, Gompertz and Monomolecular models. Different nonlinear procedures such as Gauss-Newton Method, Steepest-Descent Method, Levenberg-Merquadt Technique and Do Not Use Derivative (DUD) Method were used in this study to estimate the nonlinear growth rates. The results showed that logistic model performed better followed by Gompertz and monomolecular

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableGuggulsterone is an aromatic steroidal ketonic compound obtained from vertical rein ducts and canals of bark of Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (Family - Burseraceae). Owing to its multifarious medicinal and therapeutic values as well as its various other significant bioactivities, guggulsterone has high demand in pharmaceutical, perfumery and incense industries. More and more pharmaceutical and perfumery industries are showing interest in guggulsterone, therefore, there is a need for its quantitative determination in existing natural populations of C. wightii. Identification of elite germplasm having higher guggulsterone content can be multiplied through conventional or biotechnological means. In the present study an effort was made to estimate two isoforms of guggulsterone i.e. E and Z guggulsterone in raw exudates of 75 accessions of C. wightii collected from three states of North-western India viz. Rajasthan (19 districts), Haryana (4 districts) and Gujarat (3 districts). Extracted steroid rich fraction from stem samples was fractionated using reverse-phase preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV/VIS detector operating at wavelength of 250 nm. HPLC analysis of stem samples of wild as well as cultivated plants showed that the concentration of E and Z isomers as well as total guggulsterone was highest in Rajasthan, as compared to Haryana and Gujarat states. Highest concentration of E guggulsterone (487.45 μg/g) and Z guggulsterone (487.68 μg/g) was found in samples collected from Devikot (Jaisalmer) and Palana (Bikaner) respectively, the two hyper-arid regions of Rajasthan, India. Quantitative assay was presented on the basis of calibration curve obtained from a mixture of standard E and Z guggulsterones with different validatory parameters including linearity, selectivity and specificity, accuracy, auto-injector, flow-rate, recoveries, limit of detection and limit of quantification (as per norms of International conference of Hormonization). Present findings revealed the role of environmental factors on biosynthesis of guggulsterone isomers under natural conditions.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted during winter season of 2014-15 at Tarnak Research Farm of Afghanistan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University (ANASTU), Kandahar, Afghanistan. Soil of the experimental site was sandy clay loam in texture with slightly alkaline (pH 8.3) in reaction having cation-exchange capacity of 80.58 meq 100g–1 and electrical conductivity of 0.21 dSm–1. The initial N, P and K contents were in low to medium range. The treatments consisted of seven nitrogen rates viz., 0, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 kg ha–1 was replicated thrice using a RCBD. Significantly higher growth parameters viz., plant height (85.1 cm), dry matter production (2882 g m–2), number of tillers m–2 (335) and number of spikes–1 (321) were recorded with application of 180 kg N ha–1 in comparison with other N rates. Yield attributing characteristics viz., spike length (12 cm), spikelets spike–1 (20.3), grains spike–1 (46.6), weight of single spike (2.5 g), grain weight spike (1.83 g) and 1000-grain weight (39.2 g) as well as grain yield (4.47 t ha–1), biological yield (10.9 t ha–1) and harvest index (41%) were significantly higher with application of 160 kg N ha–1 than other higher and lower N rates.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe present study was conducted to deduce the alteration in follicular dynamics, hormonal and biochemical profile across seasons in buffaloes. In this study, 14 cyclic buffaloes were selected for assessing the follicular dynamics, hormonal and biochemical profile, 7 each during summer and winter. Higher ambient temperature was observed in summer as compared to winter. Nonsignificant difference across seasons with respect to growth rate of follicles and duration of follicular waves was observed. Serum progesterone (P4) showed no significant difference across seasons but differed significantly with respect to days of the estrous cycle in both seasons. Cortisol level did differ significantly from day 4 to day 16 of estrous cycle across seasons. Follicular hormones, viz. estradiol and P4 were significantly higher irrespective of seasons as compared to peripheral level. Follicular biochemical parameters, viz. cholesterol, total protein significantly differed between serum and follicular fluid during summer. Similarly during winter, follicular glucose was higher as compared to serum. In conclusion, season has a significant effect on peripheral cortisol with nonsignificant alterations in follicular dynamics, follicular hormones (E2 and P4) and biochemical milieu across seasons in cyclic buffaloes.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableTomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is attacked by number of insect pests and is susceptible to a variety of diseases (Pandey et al. 2006; Reddy et al. 2007) and it consumes huge amount of pesticides. Large doses of pesticides are applied on tomatoes crop to prevent losses due to insect pests (Yardlm and Edwards 2003), which are harmful to environment besides uneconomical. This paper presents assessment of economics and Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) of indigenously prepared Biopesticide formulation (BPF) in comparison with organic, IPM and non-IPM programs of tomato crop. The BPF utilized was comprising Phyllanthus emblica (amla, 4%) fruit, Curcuma zedooria (turmeric, 6%), Allum (phitkari, 5%), Allium cepa (onion, 3.5%) bulb, Allium sativum (garlic, 4%) bulb, Calotropis procera (5%). Fresh cow-dung extract (3%), Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato, 6%) leaf extract, Ferula narthexboiss (2%), Azadirachta indica leaves (5.5%), Ocimum canum (tulsi leaves, 4%), cow urine (52%).Not Availabl

Impact of biopesticide formulation on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum): economics and environmental effects

Not AvailableN/ANot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiments was conducted during summer season of 2017 to determine the effect of moisture conservation and (INM) on growth and productivity of maize at Tarnak Farm of Afghanistan National Agriculture Sciences and Technology University (ANASTU), Kandahar province of Afghanistan. The experiment comprised of 12 treatment combinations viz., 3-moisture conservation practices (MCP) including flat bed (FB), raised bed (RB) and raised bed + mulch @ 3 t ha–1 (RBM) in mainplots and 4-INM options, control (no-nutrient application), 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF, 150:6040 NPK), 50% RDF + FYM (5 t ha-1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) and 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) in sub-plots. The treatments were set in a three-time replicated split-plot design. Results revealed that RBM recorded the highest values of growth and yield attributes, which consequently led to the highest grain and straw yields. Raised bed and RBM showed similar effect on growth, yield attributes and productivity of maize. Grain yield (5.22 t ha–1) with RBM was 14.5% higher over FB (4.56 t ha-1) whereas, RB without mulch produced 6.1% higher grain yield (4.84 t ha–1) over FB planting. The higher growth and productivity of maize with RBM was likely due to increased availability of moisture for a longer duration which might also have enhanced the nutrient utilization during dry and hot summer season. Among the INM options, 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) recorded the maximum values for growth, yield traits and grain yield (5.69 t ha-1). This INM option was at par with 100% RDF (5.44 t/ha) and significantly better than 50% RDF + FYM (5 t/ha) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) (5.06 t ha–1) and control (3.31 t ha–1). Thus, RBM and 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) were the most suitable MCP and INM option to obtain highest productivity of maize in Southern region of Afganistan.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of ICAR-Directorate of Groundnut Research, Junagadh for consecutive three summer seasons of 2013, 2014, and 2015 with the objectives of identifying optimum plant density and nutrient doses under check basin irrigation and drip fertigation for higher productivity and net returns. The treatments were; three plant densities viz., 3,33,333 plants/ha (100% of recommended plant density; P1); 4,16,666 plants/ha (125% of recommended plant density; P2), and 4,99,999 plants/ha (150% of recommended plant density;P3) in main plots, and three nutrient doses viz., 18.75–37.5–22.5 NPK kg ha_1 (75% of recommended nutrient dose; F1), 25-50-30 NPK kg ha_1 (100% of recommended nutrient dose; F2), and 31.25–62.5–37.5 NPK kg ha_1 (125% of recommended nutrient dose; F3) in sub-plots, and replicated thrice. The same sets of treatments were tested under both check basin irrigation and drip fertigation. The data were analyzed using split plot design. Pod yield, haulm yield, and net returns were significantly higher with P3 as compared to P1 under check basin irrigation but only haulm yield was found significantly higher with P3 under drip fertigation. Under check basin irrigation, NH4–N, NO3–N, and available P and K in soil were found in the order P1>P2>P3 (p<0.05) while in case of drip fertigation, differences were significant only for available K which was significantly higher in P1 over both P2 and P3. Under check basin irrigation, F2 i.e., application of 100 percent of recommended nutrient doses, being at par with F3, significantly improved pod yield, haulm yield and net returns over that with F1 however, differences were not significant under drip fertigation. NH4–N, NO3–N and available P and K in soil under both the irrigation systems were in the order F3>F2>F1 (p<0.05).Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailablePlanting is one of critical operations in agriculture. Ground wheel drives conventional metering mechanism, and results in improper placement of seeds because of skidding and vibration of the ground wheel. Electronically equipped seed metering system in the planter have potential to reduces losses associated with friction and wheel slippage. In this study, a retrofit type microcontroller based low-cost seed metering module was developed for commonly available cultivator. Basically, it can be called as mechatronics due to combination of both electronics and mechanical components. Seed metering plate’scell size was designed based on physical properties of black and green gram seeds. The microcontroller controlled motor's speed through Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) based on a signal obtained from a rotary encoder mounted on ground wheel. Under laboratory test, the developed module with a cell size of 5.5 mm found highest quality of feed index of 90 % for green gram and 86 % for black gram when operated at speed of 1.56 km/h. Average plant to plant distance was observed to be 6.73 cm, 6.55 cm for green and black gram during field evaluation. These observed spacing were close to desired spacing (6.28 cm) which intended in the precision metering mechanism. A unit's cost is approximately INR 2000. It facilitates sowing of pulse crop’s seeds without investing extra cost on purchasing separate planter required for it. This retrofit type proposed module will make cultivator as a precision planter suitable for sowing different crops at a very low cost.Not Availabl