Three-layered electro-osmosis modulated blood flow through a micro-channel

Electrokinetic peristaltic multi-layered transport is considered in a micro-channel under the action of an axial electrical field. Three different layers i.e. the core layer, intermediate layer and peripheral layer are simulated with three different viscosities for each fluid layer. The unsteady two-dimensional conservation equations for mass and momentum with electrokinetic body forces, are transformed from the wave frame to the laboratory frame and the electrical field terms are rendered into electrical potential terms via the Poisson-Boltzmann equation, Debye length approximation and ionic Nernst Planck equation. The dimensionless emerging linearized electrokinetic boundary value problem is solved using integral methods. Closed-form expressions are derived for stream functions in the core, intermediate and peripheral layers. Expressions are also derived for the core-intermediate interface shape and the intermediate-peripheral interface shape. Maximum pressures are also computed. To study bolus migration, the range of the trapping limit is also determined in the peripheral layer. It is found that in the core layer larger boluses are computed in the case of lower intermediate layer viscosity relative to peripheral layer viscosity although the number of boluses is greater when the intermediate layer viscosity exceeds the peripheral layer viscosity. Furthermore, in the intermediate layer, stronger concentration of streamlines is computed in the lower half space with positive Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity. Also, negative Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity reduces the core layer (H1) interface shape whereas it enhances the peripheral layer (H) and intermediate layer (H2) shapes. At lower values of volume flow rate ratio, hydromechanical efficiency is maximum for positive Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity whether intermediate layer viscosity is less or greater than peripheral layer viscosity. Finally, greater with greater peristaltic wave amplitude and also for positive Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity there is an increase in time-averaged flow rate, whether intermediate layer viscosity is less or greater than peripheral layer viscosity. The analysis is relevant to electro-kinetic hemodynamics and bio-micro-fluidics

Performance evaluation of Border irrigation method for cotton field

Performance evaluation of Border irrigation method was carried out for cotton field in village Kirarkot, Sirsa (Haryana). Water application, storage and distribution efficiency were estimated using measurements of soil moisture (%), infiltration rate (cm/hr), water advance and recession time (minute) during different irrigation events. The advance time increased during the growing season due to increased infiltration rate and increased resistance to flow by the growing crops. The water application efficiency of cotton field was 100 per cent as average applied depth (8.26 cm for canal irrigation and 9.06 cm for tubewell irrigation) of irrigation was less than the average required depth (10.30 cm for canal irrigation and 10.98 cm for tubewell irrigation) throughout the field plots. The observed water storage efficiency in different cotton fields varied from 72.92 - 90.08 per cent indicating under irrigation. Water distribution efficiency of cotton fields (97.8 -99.2per cent) indicated a relatively high degree of uniformity of water application. Stratified soil profile (sandy loam: 0-30 cm and sandy clay loam: 30-120 cm) of the selected fields reduced the infiltration rate to relatively very low value after 10-15 minutes creating favourable condition for uniformity of water application under border irrigation

Inheritance of determinate growth habit in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Inheritance of determinate growth habit in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) was examined in six generations of the reciprocal crosses of HM 350 with NLM and HM 65. All the F1 plants had indeterminate growth habit in both the crosses. In F2, segregation was observed in 3 : 1 ratio for indeterminate and detenninate plant types revealing that determinate habit was under the control of a single recessive gene. The results were further confirmed by observing 1 : 1 ratio in back crosses involving HM 350 as one of the parents. &nbsp

Effects of leaf wetness duration, relative humidity, light and dark on infection and sporulation by Didymella rabiei on chickpea

No infection occurred at less than 95% relative humidity (r.h.) when chickpea plants were dried after inoculation with conidia of Didymella rabiei. Infection was significant when the dry leaves were exposed to 98% r.h. for 48 h. When inoculated plants were subjected to different leaf wetness periods, some infection occurred with 4 h wetness, and disease severity increased with wetness duration according to an exponential asymptote, with a maximum value after about 18 h. Germination of conidia and germ tube penetration increased linearly with increasing wetness periods when recorded 42 h after inoculation. With a 24-h wetness period, germination of conidia was first observed 12 h after inoculation and increased linearly with time up to 52 h (end of the experiment). Dry periods immediately after inoculation, followed by 24-h leaf wetness, reduced disease severity; as the dry period increased the severity decreased. Disease severity increased with increasing periods of darkness after inoculation. The number of pycnidia and the production of conidia on infected leaves increased only slightly with high r.h. (either in the light or in the dark), but large increases occurred over an 8-day period when the leaves were kept we

Water and salt balances at farmer fields

In this chapter the agrohydrological model SWAP is used to analyse the water flow and salt transport at the measured farmer field

Yield losses due to powdery mildew disease in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

A field experiment was conducted at Hisar during winter (rabi) of 1998-99 and 1999-2000 to assess the reduction in growth and yield parameters of two susceptible fenugreek: (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) varieties (HM 65 and T 8) due to powdery mildew disease caused by Erysiphe polygoni DC. and Leveillula taurica (Lev.) Arnaud. The disease had no significant effect on plant height and number of branches even at more than 80 per cent disease intensity. However, more than 60 per cent disease intensity significantly reduced the number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and test weight. Reductions of 22.8-25.6, 16.2-18.8 and 14.3-17.2 per cent pods per plant, seeds per pod and test weight, respectively were recorded in both the varieties when disease intensity was more than 80 per cent. &nbsp

Biofortification: an approach to eradicate micronutrient deficiency

Micronutrient deficiency also known as “hidden hunger” refers to a condition that occurs when the body lacks essential vitamins and minerals that are required in small amounts for proper growth, development and overall health. These deficiencies are particularly common in developing countries, where a lack of access to a varied and nutritious diet makes it difficult for people to get the micronutrients they need. Micronutrient supplementation has been a topic of interest, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, due to its potential role in supporting immune function and overall health. Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), and selenium (Se) deficiency in humans are significant food-related issues worldwide. Biofortification is a sustainable strategy that has been developed to address micronutrient deficiencies by increasing the levels of essential vitamins and minerals in staple crops that are widely consumed by people in affected communities. There are a number of agricultural techniques for biofortification, including selective breeding of crops to have higher levels of specific nutrients, agronomic approach using fertilizers and other inputs to increase nutrient uptake by crops and transgenic approach. The agronomic approach offers a temporary but speedy solution while the genetic approach (breeding and transgenic) is the long-term solution but requires time to develop a nutrient-rich variety

An easily implemented agro-hydrological procedure with dynamic root simulation for water transfer in the crop–soil system: validation and application

Models for water transfer in the crop–soil system are key components of agro-hydrological models for irrigation, fertilizer and pesticide practices. Many of the hydrological models for water transfer in the crop–soil system are either too approximate due to oversimplified algorithms or employ complex numerical schemes. In this paper we developed a simple and sufficiently accurate algorithm which can be easily adopted in agro-hydrological models for the simulation of water dynamics. We used a dual crop coefficient approach proposed by the FAO for estimating potential evaporation and transpiration, and a dynamic model for calculating relative root length distribution on a daily basis. In a small time step of 0.001 d, we implemented algorithms separately for actual evaporation, root water uptake and soil water content redistribution by decoupling these processes. The Richards equation describing soil water movement was solved using an integration strategy over the soil layers instead of complex numerical schemes. This drastically simplified the procedures of modeling soil water and led to much shorter computer codes. The validity of the proposed model was tested against data from field experiments on two contrasting soils cropped with wheat. Good agreement was achieved between measurement and simulation of soil water content in various depths collected at intervals during crop growth. This indicates that the model is satisfactory in simulating water transfer in the crop–soil system, and therefore can reliably be adopted in agro-hydrological models. Finally we demonstrated how the developed model could be used to study the effect of changes in the environment such as lowering the groundwater table caused by the construction of a motorway on crop transpiration