Optimizing chlorophyll meter (SPAD) reading to allow efficient nitrogen use in rice and wheat under rice-wheat cropping system in eastern India

Conventional agricultural practices that rely heavily on blanket fertilizer recommendation, eventually leading to deteriorated partial factor productivity and N use efficiency. We investigated the effect of SPAD-based N-management on productivity and N use efficiency of rice and wheat in eastern India. Here, in the experiment three SPAD thresholds (34, 36 and 38 in rice and 38, 40 and 42 in wheat) using three N levels (15, 25 and 35 kg N ha−1) in split were incorporated as real-time N management (RTNM), one fixed-time N management (FTNM), farmers’ fertilizer practice (FFP) and control (No fertilizer) were introduced in wet and dry seasons for rice and wheat, respectively, during the years 2010 to 2012. Topdressing with 25 kg N ha−1 at medium SPAD (S36 in rice and S40 in wheat) increased soil N availability, leaf N content and grain yield of rice (5215 kg ha−1) and wheat (4483 kg ha−1) over the grain yield recorded under a low rate of N topdressing at low SPAD. While saving 33.3% N in rice and 18.8% N in wheat, the agronomic N use efficiency (58.5% in both rice and wheat) and nitrogen recovery efficiency (32.2% in rice and 15.1% in wheat) can be increased when compared with conventional FTNM. The SPAD-based management strategy showed great promise in efficient management of N fertilizer, and we estimated the optimal SPAD threshold for rice and wheat as 37.5 and 41.8, respectively

DEVELOPMENT OF HERB BASED PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN UTTARAKHAND STATE

Uttarakhand has been known as a place for best medicinal plants since ancient times as referred in original Ayurvedic classics i.e. Charaka Samhita (1000 BC). In recent years the pharmaceutical industries have realized its potential medicinal flora because of diversified agro climatic zone as well as less environmental pollution as 63% of the land belongs to forest. Thus the state has immense potential area to cater the demand to produce best Ayurvedic products nutraceuticals, cosmoceuticals and Agro-chemical based industrial products. Herb based Pharmaceutical industry is having great potential and opportunities for development in future because of acetate demand of the medicinal plants & their value added products are well accepted in Domestic & International Market as Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha, Homoeopathic medicines, Herbal Nutraceuticals, Herbal Cosmoceutical, Herbal Health drinks, Dietary Health Supplements, Medicinal Plants / Crude Drugs, Herbal Extracts / Concentrates, Veterinary Medicines, Health Foods. Various issues & challenges of Herbal Pharmaceutical Industries in Uttarakhand need proper attention of policy makers in favour of small industries. If, the challenges & issues related to development of Herbal sector in Uttarakhand is addressed the State could be the capital of Herbs in India

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Not AvailableTractor seat design can be used as a means to modify loads on body structures to reduce operator’s discomfort. The overall comfort and performance of the tractor seating system consist oi fi-ame. cushion. covers. suspension and damping mechanisms. Vibration attenuation in a tractor seat is achieved by selecting the proper suspension and damping mechanism. The vibration characteristics of cushion materials are often overlooked. This paper describes a method of vibration characterisation of tractor seat cushion materials to improve operator’s comfort. Nine commercially available seat cushion materials of different density, thickness and composition were randomly selected for this study. Transmissibility data were obtained by measuring input acceleration values on the base plate and output acceleration values at mass at different frequencies from 1 to 7 Hz. It was observed that vibration transmissibilities at resonance and the resonance frequency were significantly affected by the thickness of cushion materials. In the frequency range above the resonance, especially at frequencies higher than 5 Hz, the thinner sample had a higher transmissibility than the thicker sample. In contrast, over the frequency range below the resonance, especially at frequencies lower than 4 Hz, thicker samples had a higher transmissibility than the thinner samples. The synthetic rubber foam cushion materials l.9D (thickness of 101 mm, density of 69.72 kg/m3 ) and D (thickness of 54 mm, density of 68.70 kg/m3 ) may be recommended for tractor seat pan and backrest cushion materials, respectively on the basis of vibration characteristics.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA large number of studies have been conducted and researchers have suggested several criteria for evaluating discomfort and the suitability of a tractor seat in a given working condition. The studies have led to various parameters, viz. the body pressure distributed under and supporting both the buttocks, thighs and the back of an operator, control of posture in static or dynamic condition, ride vibration, exposure time on task and other factors. But in the absence of a more de"nitive and the most logical criteria particularly from biomechanical viewpoint, the researchers will continue to design conditions and procedures to understand the seat dynamics and evaluate the seating discomfort. Therefore, this paper reviews the research information available in this regard and attempts to set the most appropriate procedure for assessment of seating discomfort during tractor drivingNot Availabl

Anthropometry and strength parameterization of lower limb disabled individuals pertinent to agricultural and allied sector applications

Limited anthropometric and strength data availability pertinent to lower limb disabled individuals (DI) restricts agricultural and allied sector application developments. In such pursuit, anthropometric and strength data pertinent to lower limb disabled individuals (DI) from the state of West Bengal (India) was acquired and analyzed. A total of 44 body dimensions and 8 strength parameters of such forty individuals were collected in sitting posture. Mean body weight and height of selected subjects were 52±13 kg (Mean±standard deviation) and 779±39 mm, respectively. Anthropometric parametrization identified twenty-nine body dimensions and four strength parameters to significantly correlate to other body dimensions (Pearson’s correlation [r]: ±0.31-0.52, p<0.01). Overall, thirty-three body dimensions were found deterministic for estimating 44 body dimensions through simple (SLR) and multilinear regression (MLR) analysis (Determination coefficient [R2]: 0.37-0.72), thereby minimizing the need for ergonomic efforts for data acquisition. Body dimension magnitudes of DI were significantly (p<0.01) lower than the abled individuals (AI) and had a higher variability possibly due to the extent of disability (2-27%). Inclusion of disabled individuals’ anthropometry could help develop suitable equipment and workplace for them in small scale systems for livelihood, especially in developing countries. A general workplace design for agricultural tractor and self-propelled machinery was also attempted in the study and limitations for control levers and recommendations are documented. The hand reach envelope developed for lower limb disabled individual identified the region to be enclosed within 372-499 mm horizontal and 212-499 mm vertical from seat reference point (SRP)