eChapters

This chapter presents the conclusions of the research study. Based on these conclusions, recommendations relating to the effective implementation and management of Cyber Reference Service (CRS) in agricultural libraries in Maharashtra are made.

6.1 Introduction

The overall aim of this research was to investigate and analyze CRS in the Agricultural College and University libraries of Maharashtra. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach by combining quantitative and qualitative methods to achieve its aims and objectives. 

The present research focuses on studying the Entrepreneurial Communication of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) Members: The Process, Impact, and Innovation. The study was conducted in selected blocks of West Bengal, with a comparative analysis being carried out.

Fifteen Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) located in Uttar Dinajpur and Nadia districts of West Bengal were chosen. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the research area, a pilot study was conducted to explore the geographical landscape, understand the local population, assess relevant institutions, analyze communication channels, and evaluate the extension systems.

With the help of CBBO, an exhaustive list of FPOs was prepared to ensure a representative sample. From this list, a random sampling method was employed to select seventy-five respondents for the study. Primary data were collected using structured interview schedules conducted through personal interviews.

The main objective of this research is to gain valuable insights into the entrepreneurial communication practices of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) members and assess their impact on entrepreneurship. Additionally, the study aims to explore potential avenues for innovation within FPOs. By conducting a comparative analysis of various FPOs in West Bengal, this research seeks to shed light on their communication processes, effectiveness, and contributions to the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. The findings of this study have the potential to significantly enhance entrepreneurial communication practices within FPOs, promoting innovation and facilitating the growth of agricultural entrepreneurship in the region of West Bengal.

7.1. Summary
The planet rise at this moment cannot endure and conjure up any further stress and distress created by un-mindful modernization of agriculture. This situation has gone further complex with the unabated rate of urbanization. The natural resources which looked plenty some 50 years back, now is coming up something scant and degraded. We have to protect this planet; hence, we have to protect our agriculture by placing ecological resilience with its perfect balance and dynamics. In doing so, we need to manage and recycle energy, water, and biodiversity in such a way that the operating agro-ecosystem can perform for another centuries. This is a herculean task, it will only be possible when farmers and other citizens are participating elegantly and equally into the process, because farmers are not producing food for their own, rather they are feeding the entire civilization. Every year 15-20 tonnes of top soils are being eroded, the highest anytime; the sea level is rising at the rate 5-10 mm again it has become highest over the last decades and the prediction for rate of changes in rainfall and temperature contributing to global warming has been accelerate like anything. In addition to this, we need to feed 950 crores of population by 2050, while lands are getting fragmented, resources are fragile, and water is getting increasingly contaminated. Thus, CA is the only option to create a perfect balance between productivity with increase of ecological resilience, even within the cropping system by introducing crop diversification with leguminous crops and this is specially so when the biodiversity is also getting eroded. Water harvesting is the need of the hour as we can make our farm more energy parsimonious, we have direct whatever crop residues are produced in the soil echelon and making this concept a revolution into a reality we have to go in a massive way with bring awareness, creating policies, and mobilizing community to make our agriculture ever- green and ever- resilient.
On this context the present research has been conducted with the following objectives:

Twenty four crossbred cows in second to fourth lactation with most probable production ability (MPPA) of average approximately 2300 liter milk production per lactation for each group were selected from the herd maintained at RCDP on Cattle. The experimental animals were randomly divided into four treatment groups of 6 in each. Control group (T₀) was fed with 2/3 DM through roughages (2/3 from dry roughages and 1/3 from green roughages) + 1/3 DM from concentrate mixture (Conc. Mix includes 20% GNC (untreated). T₁ group was feed with 2/3 DM through roughages (2/3 from dry roughages and 1/3 from green roughages) + 1/3 DM from concentrate mixture (Conc. Mix includes 20% GNC treated with formaldehyde (FA) @ 1.0 g FA/100g CP).

The contribution of dairy sector in the Indian economy has tremendous impact on the country’s GDP. India being the world’s highest milk producing country, dairy industry has a major role in changing the twin problem of the nation that is poverty and unemployment. Dairy sector also involves the under privileged group, especially the dairy farm women. There are many success stories regarding the life changing experiences gained by the farm women, who had taken dairy farming as a means to sustain their livelihood. In the area of gender equality, dairy sector has proved to be a women centric enterprise. Most of the activities pertaining to dairy farming are mostly carried out by the farm women. The dairy farming activities carried out by the farm women are tedious and in major cases their contribution remains unnoticed. They are usually carrying out activities, where most of their energy is drained, resulting in drudgery. Matters related to decision making, their opinion about adopting new technologies, starting an enterprise are not given importance by their family members. This leads to a greater setback in the emergence of success of dairy sector. Therefore, empowerment of farm women in dairy sector is one of the important criteria for the dairy industry to reach a greater height and for overall development of nation.

7.1. Summary of Findings

This study dealing with the examination of various advantages of commodity futures market to farmers, RMC traders and RMC officials along with the level of awareness about this market among these selected beneficiaries is presented in brief. This chapter summarizes the findings. It begins with the interpretation of the significant findings derived from both secondary and primary analysis. This is followed by suggestions, the section on major contributions of the present study to the existing body of knowledge, on the role of commodity futures market in agricultural development of the state.

Agriculture is a fundamental human activity that depends intrinsically on natural processes, including soil fertility, water recycling, and pollination, and both nature and agriculture are increasingly suffering the negative impacts of climate change (EEA, 2019). At the same time, unsustainable agriculture also poses a major threat to biodiversity (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2014), negatively affects the state of our soil and water, and is an important contributor to climate change (Jia et al., 2019).

Present work was aimed to determine the antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of active crude extracts of selected cyanobacterial species. Nine cyanobacterial strains viz. Anabaena variabilis, A. fertilissima, Nostoc muscorum, N. punctiforme, N. linckia, N. commune, Spirulina platensis, Westiellopsis prolifica and Hapalosiphon sp. belonging to family; Nostocaceae, Oscillatoriaceae and Stigonemataceae were selected from the herbarium of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, and maintained in BG-11 growth medium throughout the study in the laboratory.

This study examines how various socio-economic variables affect migration distance and happiness among toto-pullers in farm ecology, analysing 15 independent variables and their relationships with six dependent variables. The distribution patterns show moderate variability in family size, income, and material possessions, with notable variability in factors such as migration costs and water scarcity. Correlation analyses reveal that higher education, income, and land holdings are negatively correlated with migration distance, while larger family size, older average age, and better housing conditions correlate positively with longer migration distances. Regression analysis indicates that family size significantly influences migration distance, while higher education levels are associated with shorter distances. Stepwise regression confirms family size as a key predictor, explaining 20.7% of the variance in migration distance. Path analysis highlights that larger families directly increase migration distance, whereas higher education leads to shorter distances. In terms of happiness, material possession, house type, and income from livestock are positively correlated, suggesting that better living conditions significantly enhance happiness. Conversely, higher migration costs and lower education and income levels are negatively correlated with happiness. Overall, the findings underscore the critical roles of family size, socio-economic conditions, and material factors in shaping migration patterns and happiness, indicating areas for targeted interventions to improve migration outcomes and overall well-being among toto-pullers. The stepwise regression analysis identifies several key predictors of unhappiness, migration benefits, push factors, and pull factors. Material possession (x7) emerges with a negative coefficient of -0.224 and a t-value of -1.725, suggesting that while higher material possessions are somewhat linked to reduced unhappiness, this effect is not statistically significant. In contrast, total annual income from livestock per capita (x12) significantly reduces unhappiness, with a coefficient of -0.360 and a t-value of -3.826, reflecting a robust negative relationship. Family size (x1) also significantly influences unhappiness, with a coefficient of -0.299 and a t-value of -2.537, indicating that larger family sizes are associated with greater unhappiness. The model explains 51.6% of the variance in

Aim: To perform Sumpner’s test (back-to-back test) on a pair of similar transformer and thus calculating efficiency of operation.

Sumpner’s test givens an effective way, to actually see the performance of transformers of large rating without loading them, at full load. This back to back test allows heat run test so that temperature rise and its rate can be analysed.

The two identical transformers are connected back to back as shown in figure such that their polarities are in opposition. To do this, two terminals of the secondary winding are connected as shown and the voltages between the other two are measured by exciting primaries.

Introduction

The Heliantheae are the third-largest tribe in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). With some 190 genera and nearly 2500 recognized species, only the tribes Senecioneae and Astereae are larger. The name is derived from the genus Helianthus, which is Greek for sunflower.

This is one of the large and predominantly flourishing flowering botanical groups occurring in almost all parts of the world. Except for three species in South America, all other Helianthus species are native to North America and Central America i.e., Southwest United States-Mexico area (Heiser, 1976). The common name, “sunflower”, typically refers to the popular annual species Helianthus annuus, or the common sunflower, whose round flower heads in combination with the ligules look like the sun. This and other species, notably Jerusalem artichoke (H. tuberosus), are cultivated in temperate regions and some tropical regions as food crops for humans, cattle, and poultry, and as ornamental plants.

The species H. annuus typically grows during the summer, post summer rainy season and later in post-rainy season too with the peak growth during pre-summer season with temperatures ranging from 28^oC to 35^oC in India.

Domestication of sunflower started around 4,000 years ago in Eastern North America by the native tribes of American continent (Blackman et al., 2011). The current annual oilseed yielding sunflower was cultivated originally by local inhabitant tribes (Weiss, 2000), who used the seed as a source of food. The adaptations in annual sunflower to human cultivation include a dramatic increase in apical dominance, an increase in seed size, the loss of natural seed dispersal and seed dormancy, and the loss of self-incompatibility (Wills and Burke, 2007).

Sunflower was introduced as an oil seed crop in India in 1967. The crop is now widely cultivated in all parts of India and in any type of situation. Sunflower belongs to Compositae family and the cultivated species is Helianthus annus spp. macrocarpus. Apart from the edible oil species, there are non-oily types, other edible forms and ornaments. Helianthus tuberosus gives the edible tubers.

Sclerotinia Stem Rot
Diagnostic Symptoms
• Early symptoms of the disease are noticed forty days after sowing.
• Stem is usually infected at or near the soil line.
• Brownish lesion develops at the base of the stem and eventually girdles the plant. A white fan-like inoculum growth forms over the infected tissues and often radiates over the soil surface.
• Silky appearance of plants can be spotted from a distance and a row effect can be observed in heavily infected soil. Later the entire plant withers and dies.
• The lesion grows up the stem, destroying the cortical tissue and leaving the fibrous vascular strands as the tissues dry out.
• White cottony mycelium and mustard seed type sclerotial bodies are conspicuous on the affected stem near soil level. This also causes collar rot in the seedling stage (Fig.2).

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the fastest growing oilseed crop in India.
2. The inflorescence of sunflower is _____.
3. The tiny flowers (or) florets are attached on a platform called _____.
4. Sunflowers in bud stage exhibit _____.
5. _____ is a tuft of hairs on the fruit.

The plants wilt at the time of grain fi lling stage. A light brown water soaked area is seen at the stem base. Sclerotia can be seen on the outer region of stalk when the plants get older. White mycelial growth with large sclerotial bodies is seen over the stem pith. The stem often breaks down at the point of infection.

A. Diseases

1. Anthracnose

Occurrence & severity status

The Anthracnose [Fig. 14 (A-B)], also called as ‘Stem-break’, is one of the most serious diseases of sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea ) in India. It occurs in all sunnhemp growing areas of India (Mitra 1934; Kempanna et al., 1960; Kundu, 1964; Kumar et al., 2016). Apart from India, its occurrence in several countries of South Tropical Africa, like, Rhodesia (Whiteside,1955), Zimbabwe, and other tropical countries including Trinidad and Tobago (Damm et al., 2009), was also noticed as a major disease (Purseglove, 1974). In many places, the disease is considered as the second most serious disease of sunnhemp, causing wilt and weakening of the stem.

Sunstroke results from direct heat rays of the sun. The victim may be mentally confused and complain of a bad headache. He may become delirious. His blood pressure may fall to a low level and the pulse become rapid and weak. An abnormal condition due to exposure to excessive heat.

The predisposing cause is anything, which lowers normal resistance; the chief of which are worry, excitement, mental or physical fatigue, alcoholic excesses, and lack of nourishment etc.

The exciting causes are prolonged exposure under the direct rays of the sun, unusual exertion in a hot, moist, sultry, breezeless atmosphere. The occupations, which furnish most of the cases, are breakers, boiler tenders, soldiers on the march, masons etc.

Different stages, or forms or different degrees of severity of the same condition have produced different results and been given different names, viz., heatstroke, sunstroke, heat exhaustion, insulation, thermic fever, heat prostration.

Abstract

Drying remained at the centre stage since the initiation of the food processing due to its promise to preserve agricultural products economically and add functionality to a food product unlike other thermal as well as non-thermal food processing operations. However, many existing drying techniques have their own limitations like nutrient loss, damage of the organoleptic quality, high cost etc. Therefore, research for better drying technologies is going on. Supercritical drying (SCD) is one such technology which utilizes higher dissolving power of super critical fluids (SCFs) to dry food products. The current chapter illustrates the mechanism of SCD as well as current state-of-art and promise of the drying technology. Also, some modelling approach of SCD has been included in the discussion to facilitate new designs and optimization of SCD for various food products.

Introduction
 
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the functional foods because they can provide physiological benefits additional to nutritional and energetic, as for instance, antihypertensive, antioxidant or anti-inflammatory [1]. A functional food can be defined as a food that produces a beneficial effect in one or more physiological functions, increases the welfare and/or decreases the risk of suffering a particular disease. Furthermore, new types of products, derived from food, called nutraceuticals have recently been developed. These products, usually employed as food supplements, are marketed as tablets and pills, and can provide important health benefits.

The phenomenon and behavior of supercritical fluid (SCF) has been the subject of research right from 1800's and suggestion of supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) came in to exixtence in 1958. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) was first developed in 1960, and that time, it was considered as a science fiction chromatography and a revolutionary separation technique. But its reputation has slowly ebbed over the years and it is now moving forward by leaps and bounds as a stable analytical method with many advantages over the existing chromatographic methods. It is an unit operation that exploits the high dissolving power of fluids at temperature and pressurre above their critical values for extracting analytes from sample matrices.The first commercial packed column of SFC was made available in 1981 and the first commercial capillary column SFC instrument was introduced in 1985. Several refrences are useful for understanding the super critical fluid extraction and super critical fluid chromatography