Economic Viability of Rainwater Harvesting by Renovating Village Ponds in Small Agricultural Watershed of Johranpur (HP)

The study has evaluated the benefits and financial structure of the project in the village Johranpur, district Solan (Himachal Pradesh) where a project under the NATP on ‘Rainwater Management on Micro Watershed basis’ was undertaken in the year 2000. It has also studied the extent of employment generated by the project and has assessed the changes in the land-use pattern in the project area. The results have revealed that technology of diverting run-off from agricultural fields to renovated ponds and its recycling to the same area with peoples’ participation and other technological interventions could produce remarkable results and have tripled the net agricultural income. The project was implemented at an initial cost of 9.21 lakhs and farmers incurred additional annual cost on inputs ranging from Rs 4963 to Rs 6346 per hectare due to supplemental irrigation, increased cropping intensity and higher input-use. The benefit cost ratio has been found as 1.71 using a discount value of 10 per cent for the project-life of 10 years. The project has also helped in generating additional employment opportunities on casual as well as regular basis.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Sustainable Agroforestry Systems for Livelihood Security and their Economic Appraisal in Indian Himalayas

Sustainable indigenous agroforestry systems are mainstay of rural agrarian economy coupled with livestock rearing in mountains of Himalayas. A 2B4D6-watershed was selected in Central Himalayas to investigate economic returns from agriculture based agroforestry systems. A detailed structured analysis revealed four types of agriculture based agroforestry systems are prevalent in the 2B4D6-watershed of Indian Central Himalaya. These agroforestry systems are profitable to farmers and can obtain more than two-fold returns from agriculture based agroforestry systems. The net return from these systems decreased in the order: Agrihorticulture > Agrihortisilviculture > Agrisilvihorticulture > Agrisilviculture. The highest benefit cost ratio from agroforestry systems was obtained at higher elevation E5 and it decreased with decrease in elevations in the order: E4 > E3 > E2 > E1. Thus, we conclude that agroforestry systems are not only sustainable but also are imperative for livelihood security of local inhabitants of Indian Central Himalayas

Role of Watershed Management in Bridging Demand – Supply Gap of Fodder for Enhancing Livestock Production in Shivaliks, Haryana

Watershed programme is an important intervention in dryland areas to improve livestock productivity through increased feed and fodder supply. The present study has focused on the impact of watershed interventions on crop-livestock linkages with particular emphasis on how the interventions have affected the quantity of stovers/straws as livestock feeding materials in bridging the demand-supply gap. The study has been carried out in three typical Shivalik foothill watersheds (two treated and one untreated) in the Panchkula district of Haryana state. The impact of watershed development programme has been estimated by adopting both with and without approach and before and after approach. The untreated watershed has derived 65 per cent of its total income from animal husbandry. On the contrary, this sector has contributed 42 per cent and 20 per cent in two treated watersheds. The availability of supplemental irrigation enabled the villagers to step up cropping intensity. The number of goats has reduced considerably in both treated watersheds and the number of stall-fed buffaloes has increased. Adult cattle units per household and per hectatre of cultivated area have been found to be highest in the untreated watershed. Green and dry fodder availability, both from cultivated lands and forest area, has increased as a result of implementation of watershed programme. Although the gap between requirement and availability has narrowed down in both the treated watersheds, significant gains could be realized in Sambhalwa watershed due to sufficient water availability to all the households. Bunga watershed has also shown effectiveness of watershed development programme in reducing demand –supply gap of fodder. This gap, however, widened after reaching the saturation point of watershed programme, i.e. after 22 years of its implementation.Fodder, Demand-supply gap, Watershed management, Livestock production, Shivaliks, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q01, Q15, Q25, Q28,

Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria: Trend of isolation rate and characteristics of NTM in Cambodia during 2011–2013

AbstractBackgroundThe evidence of increase in the prevalence of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) is being reported around the world. In Shanghai, China, it rose from 4% to 6% in the years between 2005 and 2008. Cambodia is one of the 22 high–tuberculosis (TB) burden countries. The NTM isolation rate among pulmonary smear-positive previously treated TB and new smear-positive non-converter at months 2 or 3 was 25% in 2011.ObjectiveTo determine the trend of the NTM isolation rate from presumptive multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases during the period 2011–2013 and their characteristics.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study which included all presumptive MDR-TB patients whose samples reached two main mycobacterial culture laboratories of the National TB Program during the period 2011–2013. Each of the two samples were examined by smear microscopy with Ziehl Neelsen, cultured with Lowenstein Jensen and BACTEC MGIT 960, and identified for mycobacteria with ICA test. Possible cases were defined as a single positive NTM isolate, and definite cases were defined as two positive NTM isolates. The NTM isolation rate and the relationship of NTM and smear result were analyzed.ResultsA total of 6115 sputum samples of 3,338 patients were cultured, of which 32.3% (n=1079) of the patients have at least one positive culture with a median age of 51years (IQR: 40–62) and 59.5% were males. Out of these, 36.9% (n=398) were NTM isolates with median age of 56.5years (IQR: 46–65) and 51.0% were males. Of these, 39.7% (n=158) were defined as NTM cases. The isolation rate of NTM among culture-positive of presumptive MDR-TB patients were 26.1%, 31.5%, and 46.9% in the years 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. This isolation rate was strongly correlated with a grade of smear result, but not TB treatment history. The proportion of NTM by grade of smear results were 62%, 53%, 27%, 15%, and 6% among smear-negative, scanty, 1+, 2+, and 3+, respectively, and the proportion of NTM by type of TB patients was 66.7%, 53.0%, 38.5%, 34.4%, 30.9%, 29.4%, and 2.7% among pulmonary TB smear-negative previously treated cases, non-converter of new smear-positive cases, symptomatic close contacts of known MDR-TB patient, failure, HIV/TB new smear-positive, relapse, and return after default, respectively.ConclusionsThe isolation rate of NTM in Cambodia among presumptive MDR-TB patients was found to be remarkably high and increasing over the last 3years and strongly correlated with the grade of smear result. Further studies and appropriate managements should be done for those patients

Validation of integrated pest management module against insect pests of pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan in Tarai region of Uttarakhand

Experiments on validation of integrated pest management (IPM) module against insect pest of pigeonpea in comparison with the Non-IPM (farmer’s practices) were conducted at N.E.B. Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar during Kharif 2014 and 2015. Adopted IPM module contained Seed treatment with Trichoderma spp. @10g/kg of seed, Sole crop, Bird perches @ 50/ha, need based insecticides spray (Chlorantraniliprole 18.5SC @ 30 g a. i./ha; Neem soap@10g/lit; Acetamiprid 20SP @ 20 g a. i./ha). The results indicated that minimum population of pod borers (Helicoverpa armigera,Maruca vitrata and podfly) and sucking insects (aphids, jassids, pod bug) was reported in IPM plots and maximum population of insects was observed in Non-IPM plots. Percent insect control over non-IPM was 50.98 % for H. armigera, 44.69 % for M. vitrata and 19.17 % for Maruca webbing were recorded. While, for sucking pest complex, insect control over non-IPM was 51.59 %, 40.36 % and 36.17 % against jassids, aphids and tur pod bug, respectively. Similarly, minimum pod borer damage (6.48 and 7.71 %) was recorded in IPM plots as compared to maximum pod borer damage (8.37 and 8.22 %) in non-IPM plots, respectively during 2014 and 2015. Whereas, pooled grain yield for IPM plots was 1286.5 kg/ha for both seasons as against 888 kg/ha in non-IPM plots with 1:2.89 benefit cost ratio. Hence, It is apparent that studied IPM module was able to increase the yield of pigeonepea with lower cost of production as against non-IPM thus it would be benefiting the farmers

A New Block S-Random Interleaver for Shorter Length Frames for Turbo Codes

In this paper, we have proposed a new design of interleaver based on S-random and block interleaver. The characteristics of both block and S-random interleaver are used by this proposed interleaver.  There is a large influence of free distance in turbo codes due to interleaving as it lowers the error floor. The free distance of turbo codes can be increased by designing interleaver with high spread. In this case, the overall spreading factor is increased significantly for smaller length frames also. The simulations results are compared with full S-random interleavers. The bit error rate performance of proposed interleaver for Turbo codes is much better than full s-random interleaver at the cost of small delay

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Screening of Novel Hydrazide Ligand & It’s Transition Metal Complexes

Published ArticleDifferent transition metal complexes were synthesized from novel 3-bromo-2-[1-(4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3- yl)ethylidene]hydrazide ligand (H2L) and characterized by spectral techniques. The synthesized ligand was found to act mono as well as di deprotonated (OH, NH) manner and stoichiometry of the ligand to metal ions was confirmed to be 1:1 in case of complex using metal chloride salts, whereas 1:2 in case of metal(II) complexes using metal acetate(II) salt. Structures of metal complexes were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, TGA, XRD, elemental analysis and UV technique which revealed that Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) complexes were octahedral geometry and those of Cu(II), Zn(II) showed square planner and tetrahedral geometry around metal ion respectively. Furthermore H2L and its metal complexes were screened for antimicrobial activity which showed that ligand enhanced its biological activity after coordination with metal ions. In particular, Cd(II) and Mn(II) complexes exhibited excellent antifungal activity

Role of Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND®) in Development of Indian Reference Materials for Quality Assurance of Products

The benchmark of life and quality infrastructure of a nation is mainly dependent on the measurement system of country. The growth of nation in addition to its science & technology is highly influenced by measurement of any physical quantities or policies. The ancient as well as modern sciences predominantly rely on the measurement procedure and its accuracy. One can say that science starts from measurements hence it can be considered as one of the basic aspect of science and its growth. To perform these measurements which are basis of life, simple to sophisticated equipment's are used. The results from these instruments may be not accurate and precise if it is not calibrated. With calibration there is need of comparable measurement to attain the unbroken chain of measurements. Now Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) played critical role in calibration of instrument and to get the comparable measurements which are traceable to national or world-wide standards. The outcomes of sophisticated instruments may be wrong without its calibration. So now it is the time for the scientific and new innovations world to calibrate the sophisticated instruments using these certified reference standards. These CRMs are generally produced and maintained by "National Measurement Institute (NMI)" of the country. In India, Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND®) division of National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is continuously working in developing the Indian Reference Materials (IRMs). Now these IRMs can be defined as those substances which are key factors for maintaining a healthy measurement system and to get very precise value. With this these are cost effective IRMs which will improve the quality of products and will help in economic growth of the country. In this article, we are discussing about that measurements which are attached to each steps of our life. But it is necessary that measurement should be accurate and precise and traceable to some true value. CSIR-NPL is continuously focused on the development of IRMs for calibration of instrument, improvement in quality of life, industrial production, global trade and to get accurate and precise measurements

Recent development and futuristic applications of MEMS based piezoelectric microphones

This paper presents a comprehensive literature survey of MEMS based piezoelectric microphones along with the fabrication processes involved, application domains, and methodologies used for experimentations. Advantages and limitations of existing microphones are presented with the impact of process parameters during the thin film growth. This review identifies the issues faced by the microphone technologies spanning from the invention of microphones to the most recent state-of-the-art solutions implemented to overcome or address them. A detailed comparison of performance in terms of sensitivity and dynamic range is presented here that can be used to decide the piezoelectric material and process to be used to develop sensors based on the bandwidth requirement. Electrical and mechanical properties of different piezoelectric materials such as AlN, ZnO, quartz, PZT, PVDF, and other polymers that has great potential to be used as the sensing membrane in development and deployment of these microphones are presented along with the complications faced during the fabrication. Insights on the future of these sensors and emerging application domains are also discussed