eChapters

ABSTRACT

Indian farming community is facing a multitude of problems to maximize crop productivity. In spite of successful research on new agricultural practices concerning crop cultivation, the majority of farmers is not getting upper-bound yield due to several reasons. One of the reasons is that expert/scientific advice regarding crop cultivation is not reaching farming community in a timely manner. It is true that India possesses a valuable agricultural knowledge and expertise. However, a wide information gap exists between the research level and practice. Indian farmers need timely expert advice to make them more productive and competitive. In this paper, we made an effort to present a solution to bridge the information gap by exploiting advances in Information Technology (IT). We propose a framework of a cost-effective agricultural information dissemination system (AgrIDS) to disseminate expert agriculture knowledge to the farming community to improve the crop productivity. Some of the crucial benefits of AgrIDS are as follows. It is a scalable system which can be incrementally developed and extended to cover all the farmers (crops) of India in a cost effective manner. It enables the farmer to cultivate a crop with expertise, as that of an agricultural expert, by disseminating both crop and location specific expert advice in a personalized and timely manner. With AgrIDS, the lag period between research effort to practice can be reduced significantly. Finally, the proposed system assumes a great importance due to the trend of globalization, as it aims to provide expert advice which is crucial to for the Indian farmer to harvest different kinds of crop varieties based on the demand in the world market.

Abstract

The objective of the study is to build a framework of Geo-spatial Information System for effective decision making by empowering all the stake holders with spatial and non-spatial data. The Interface of this information system is developed as a deployable windows application using Map Objects in Visual Basic programming language with MS Access database. The practical utility of the proposed information system was explained with a case study in Aquaculture. This geo-spatial information system provides required information through maps based on spatial and attribute quarries. These dynamic maps help in taking effective decisions.

1.0 Introduction

Computer based information systems proved to be very efficient and effective tools for managing data and information to aid in decision making . FAO (2000) proposed agricultural knowledge and information system for rural development (AKIS/RD) to link rural people and institutions to promote mutual learning and generate , share and utilize agricultural technology , knowledge and information. This serves as vehicle for sharing ideas and principles with various stake holders addressing the problems and seeking solutions to rural development. Although the rural development planning is top-down prescriptive approach , in reality the decisions are made by the stake holders based on their perspectives, knowledge and priorities. Problems particularly related to environmental impacts are location specific and contextual. Geo-spatial technologies may serve as better vehicle to store and share all kinds of location specific data and information. The state of mapping and management of geospatial data changed during the recent years with the diffusion of modern geospatial information technologies such as GIS(Geographic information system), GPS(Global positioning system) and image analytical system for remote sensing(RS) data. Adinarayana et al., (2008) proposed a geographical information and communication technology (Geo-ICT) based information system called Grama Vikas( rural development) to assist the user in analyzing the rural information for rural development, planning . During the recent years there is a paradigm shift in GIS applications for rural development particularly in developing countries, by way of integrating top-down approach with bottom-up approach by the stake holders who stand to be affected by the decisions based on these technologies. Emerging concepts include “ community - integrated GIS”, “GIS in participatory research” and ‘participatory GIS”. (Abbot et al., 1998)

Abstract

On the basis of symptoms, samples from seven localities within Solan district (H.P.) at varying altitudes ranging from 600-1650mts comprising Nalagarh (600-750m), Badghal (850m), Dilchab (950-1000m), Shaya (1200m), Solan (1300-1450m), Bajhyana (1520m) and Tikari Pajahali (1650m), were collected and used for serological detection by DAS ELISA. It was found that all the isolates except Nalagarh, reacted positively with the antisera to ToLCV, thus substantiating the results on the identity of the present isolates. Out of the seven isolates under study, Dilchab and Shaya isolates did not show any PCR amplification for Rep gene indicating the variability in the regions flanking the Rep gene. Likewise, no amplification result in case of Nalagarh sample proposes the attack of some other pathogen producing similar symptoms.

Abstract

Genomics is playing an increasing role in generating new tools and databases with the rapid advances in genome technology which increases the eficiency and precision of crop improvement. With the emergence of new high-throughput technologies like next-generation sequencing (NGS) and reduction in their costs are bringing many more plants within the range of genomic and post genomic data along with the integration of information from the related fields of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics. Translating the vast abundance data produced by genome technologies requires large generic databases which hold specific data types for a broad range of species, which act as a resource for the crop improvement. The development of custom bioinformatics tools and advanced databases has become an expanding challenge which systematically helps in storing, organizing, manipulating and analyzing large amounts of biological information computationally. In this review, we outline some recent advances in the features of plant genome databases and various platforms with the recent advances in technology.

This chapter is based on literature reviews on urban regeneration with the intention to record and appreciate the perception of urban regeneration as reflected by the experiences of regeneration attempts in Europe and the United States. Since India owes much of her urbanization characteristics of the contemporary era to the colonial days, a special focus is on the experiences of U.K. The chapter also deals with early civilization and understanding of Urbanism, Impact of industrial Revolution and discusses Cities of South Asia. This attempt acts as a window to view cities as centres of power and performance, the assets of a city are discussed and the declining factors observed, a view necessitated out of the exercise is to look at cities on their own merits, demerits and policies, the programme for renewing would stem out of these inherent qualities which make these cities stand apart. The third and concluding part discusses some of the successful efforts of regeneration in the West and specifies on the strategies drawn for regeneration as a product of declining factors, the capacity to withstand change and available resources.

Soon after completing masters in Veterinary Pathology, Dr Chauhan joined as Teaching Associate in the department of Microbiology and Public Health in Pantnagar and taught BVSc &AH students systemic Bacteriology, meat hygiene and milk hygiene. However, this period was very short of only few months as he joined as Assistant Professor/ Assistant Disease Investigation Officer in HAU Hisar (1983-1996) and was entrusted disease investigation besides teaching of UG and PG students. He taught hygiene to BHSc students, and Epidemiology, Zoonosis, Livestock and Poultry Disease Investigation courses to masters and doctoral students. He also guided several masters and doctoral thesis research on pesticide toxicity, reoviral infection, and protozoan parasite infections. He has written a book on “Text book of Veterinary Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis which was released by Hon’ble Central Education Minister Km Shailja ji. Students were fond of Dr Chauhan because of his teaching skills, easy to learn process and friendly behaviour; among them are Dr Naresh Jindal, Dr NK Mahajan, Dr SK Khurana, Dr Rajsh Khurana, Dr RK Vaid, Dr Devendra Bist etc.
In Feb1996 he joined at Pantnagar as Associate Professor and was given responsibility of Veterinary Pathology teaching to BVSc&AH, MVSc and PhD students. The teaching skills of Dr Chauhan were appreciable and were very useful to the students. He prepared power point presentation of each and every topic with photographs, line drawings, video and graphs/ bar diagrams etc to make it more understandable to the students. Particularly Dr Chauhan’s teaching include the Indian perspectives including animal diseases which showed the right things present in the field. Many disease conditions are different in India in comparison to other countries; some important diseases present in India are mentioned in the books of foreign writers and similarly many diseases occurs in other countries are not having any presence in India. So it is very important to impart education to students in right perspective which they will face in the field. Dr Chauhan always discusses the epidemiology part of the disease whether the disease in present in India or not; if present then what is the magnitude of disease. Such information is not available in literature, it comes by virtue of experience.

A dog’s skin is not only their largest organ but also a vital indicator of their overall health and well-being. Proper skin care and management are essential for keeping your furry friend comfortable, happy, and healthy. Here’s a comprehensive guide to maintaining your pet dog’s skin:

1. Regular Grooming

• Regular grooming is key to keeping your dog’s skin clean and free from debris, dirt, and excess oils. Brushing your dog’s coat helps distribute natural oils and prevents matting, which can lead to skin irritation.

• Use a grooming brush appropriate for your dog’s coat type and length. Long-haired breeds may require daily brushing, while short-haired breeds may need less frequent grooming.

2. Bathing Routine

• Bathing helps remove dirt, allergens, and bacteria from your dog’s skin and coat. However, over-bathing can strip away natural oils and lead to dryness and irritation.

• Use a mild, hypoallergenic dog shampoo specifically formulated for pets. Avoid using human shampoos, as they can be too harsh for your dog’s skin.

• Frequency of bathing depends on your dog’s breed, lifestyle, and skin condition. Generally, bathing once every 4-6 weeks is sufficient for most dogs.

The historical origins of diffusion research can be traced back over 200 years. In the early 18th century, French judge and sociologist Tarde wrote "The Laws of Imitation" (1903). He viewed the diffusion of innovation as arising from conscious and unconscious social imitations among individuals. Tarde introduced seminal diffusion concepts such as the S-curve, opinion leaders, and perceived compatibility.

Following Tarde, German political philosopher and sociologist Simmel published "Conflict and the Web of Group Affiliations" (1922). In this work, Simmel explored how the relationships in which individuals are embedded influence their responses to innovations. He also suggested that individuals outside a social system can introduce new ideas into that system.

In the 1920s, American cultural anthropologist Kroeber studied both the spread of innovations and how cultures recursively shape innovations. These early works contributed to the development of diffusion research in sociology during the 1920s and 1930s.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Recent advances in the field of regenerative medicine have opened up newer therapeutic modalities using cell-based and cell-free therapies, particularly stem cells, as potential candidates. As per the definition, stem cells are the undifferentiated progenitor cells that can regenerate and can also differentiate into various specialized cells (Hoang et al., 2022). They can be classified as embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and postnatal adult stem cells (Locke et al., 2009). Among postnatal adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a popular choice of candidate for therapeutics due to the relatively easy availability, simple isolation techniques, low risk of teratogenicity, minimal ethical and legal concerns unlike embryonic stem cells, hence, are easy to apply in clinical research and practice (Voga et al., 2020). Among MSCs of different origin, bone marrow and particularly adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADMSCs) received more attention and are one of the most common and promising stem cell types. These cells can be simply obtained from subcutaneous and omental fat or liposuction aspirates for the treatment of diverse clinical applications (Kim &Heo, 2014). These cells can also be expanded vigorously in vitro and differentiated into specific cell lineages such as adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and neurocytes and are even genetically stable in long-term cultures (Miana& González, 2018). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells possessing self-renewal ability (limited in vitro) and differentiation potential into mesenchymal lineages, according to the (ISCT) International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (Dominici et al., 2006).

Introduction

Intellectual Property emerged in new type of property referring to creation of the mind in today’s globalized world. While IP such as copyrights, patents, and trademarks are centuries old, but the extension of IPRs to living beings and knowledge related to them is relatively recent. Similarly Intellectual Property Rights (hereafter IPRs) mean legal protection to protect data from new inventions. In exchange for being required to reveal the formula or strategy underlying the technique, these rights enable the owner to stop imitators from commercializing the inventions or processes for a limited time. Biological Diversity refers to all kinds of living organisms found in an area which maintain balance and support life hence may be called as the cornerstone of sustainability of all living creations i.e. the hallmark of the life of living beings since origin. In general, all organisms, including flora and living things, microbes, and their ecosystems, are together referred to as biodiversity.

Introduction

Cyanobacteria are often called “blue-green algae”, this name is convenient for talking about organisms in water that make their own food, but does not ref lect any relationship between the cyanobacteria and other organisms called algae. Cyanobacteria are relatives to bacteria, not eukaryotes, and it is only the chloroplast in eukaryotic algae to which cyanobacteria are related. Some cyanobacteria are aquatic and photosynthetic, that is, they live in water, and can manufacture their own food. They are quite small and usually unicellular, though they often grow in colonies large enough to see. In fact, it may surprise you then to know that the cyanobacteria are still around; they are one of the largest and most important groups of bacteria on earth (Berry et al., 2008). The great contribution of cyanobacteria is the origin of plants chloroplast with which plants make food for themselves is actually a cyanobacterium living within the plant’s cells. Sometime in the late Proterozoic or in the early Cambrian, cyanobacteria began to take up residence within certain eukaryote cells, making food for the eukaryote host in return for a home. This event is known as endosymbiosis, and is also the origin of eukaryotic mitochondrion (Issa et al., 2002).

The recent earthquake in Nepal brings back memories of 26th January 2001. While the nation was busy in celebrating Republic Day, an earthquake shattered Gujarat especially Kutch and Saurashtra regions. A large number of buildings and houses collapsed within moments. Thousands were injured and many lost their lives and many more became homeless. Bhachau – Kutch soon after the earthquake in 2001 (Picture – 1) Kutch received quick responses from all over the world and a large number of individuals, institutions, government and semi-government bodies, professional experts, religious and social organizations etc. sprang into action to bring back some normalcy in the lives. However, long-term rehabilitation program based on scientific planning is most vital after such disasters. Since agriculture was the main source of livelihood of majority of Kutch people, a plan based on scientific agriculture and integration of the same with livelihood, nutritional and long term social considerations was required. It has also been observed that new and appropriate technology can be fast adopted even by small and marginal farmer women and men under such circumstances.

Abstract

Apple productivity is declining gradually. It is the high time to find out new rootstock for apple improvement. The crab apples can play a pivotal role for the improvement of apple through proper utilization of their potentiality. A number of crab apples have been found growing wild in the Himalayas. Apple accessions collected from Shillong (Meghalaya) i.e. Malus baccata (Shillong), was found completely resistant to woolly aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum) and the development of root rot (c.o. Dematophora necatrix) and powdery mildew (Podosphora leuchotricha) was significantly delayed as compared to well known source of resistance, Malus zumi.  It has shown field resistance to apple scab (c.o. Venturia inaequalis) also.  It has a very good propagation potential.

For the first time, the Quality Planting Material (QPM) production from aerial stem node cutting and its comprehensive growth parameters are being reported in Valeriana jatamansi (Jones) (family: Valerianaceae), a highly endangered medicinal plant and a natural habitat in North Eastern Himalayan Region in the high altitude ranging from 1000 to 8000m Above Sea Level (ASL). The present communication identified a novel avenue exploring the unused plant part, aerial node cutting for producing QPM in a continuous and exponential rate without scarifying the rhizome and root, enriched with active ingredients like Valerenic acid and Valepotriates. This method also assures 100% plant emergence and more than 91±5.56% plant survival in the different field conditions without requiring hardening process as an additional merit. This first-time report for QPM production of an endangered medicinal plant, Valeriana jatamansi through aerial node cutting without following the hormone supplemented MS based tissue culture, a high cost process required sophisticated instruments and aseptic environment. This present process will have potentiality to explore commercially for mass clonal-propagation even at farmer level.

1. Introduction

The materials widely used for food contact applications include paper and coated-paper products, cellulose products, cellophane, metals, ceramics, glass, rubber, plastics, and miscellaneous materials such as wood, fabric, etc. Most of these materials have been in vogue for several years. Among them plastics are widely used in the food industry as they offer many advantages due to their high cost-to-benefit ratio. However, food safety issues in terms of migration of additives is a cause of concern. Plastics contain a number of additives either deliberately added during their manufacture or inevitable due to technical requirement.

ABSTRACT

A rapid micropropagation technique have been established for Solanum trilobatum L., a medicinal plant from internodal explant. Callus formation was observed from both cut ends of explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D (3.0 mg/l). Direct shoot and multiple shoot formation were noticed from explants (proximal cut end) on BAP (2.0 mg/l) alone and BAP (2.0 mg/l) + NAA (0.5 mg/l). Root formation was directly produced from the basal cut end of explants cultured on IBA (1.0 mg/l). In vitro plantlet regeneration has been achieved on BAP (2.0 mg/l) + IBA (1.0 mg/l). Regenerated plants were transferred to sterile vermiculite and soil mixture (3:1). In vitro propagated plants were grew successfully under the field conditions. In vitro propagation can be a useful tool for the conservation of this medicinal species.

ABSTRACT

Assessment of groundwater potential has wide importance in the exploration, management and development of groundwater resource. The fact that geologic and topographic factors, such as, geomorphology, lithology, structure, soil and slope control the occurrence and movement of groundwater in a region has been made use of in satellite remote sensing to aid groundwater exploration. In hard rock terrains, due to lack of primary porosity, lineaments have greater importance as those can be zones of secondary porosity trapping groundwater in its pore spaces.

In the present study, an attempt has been made to delineate groundwater potential zones in the hard rock terrain in the Gayatri River basin in Kerala, India, using satellite data. The study area which lies between 10o 26’N and 10o 45’N latitudes and 76o 21’E and 76o 54’E longitudes covering an area of about 1000 square kilometers is a drought-prone area. Landsat 7 ETM image of Gayatri River basin has been interpreted visually in a digital environment using ERDAS Imagine software to create geomorphology and lineament maps. Further, with the help of ancillary data, various thematic layers like, lithology, soil, drainage density, etc. have been created and subsequently updated using information obtained from the satellite data. Slope map of the basin has been created using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data. Integration of the thematic layers has been done in Arc/Info GRID GIS environment by giving weights to various thematic layers according to their importance in terms of groundwater occurrence. Finally, groundwater potential map of the basin has been prepared by classifying groundwater potential zones as good, moderate and poor.

Abstract

The East Coast of Tamil Nadu exhibits a spectacular network of deltas formed by the easterly flowing river systems. The study of raw and digitally enhanced Landsat TM and IRS data shows, that these deltas were formed due to multivariate dynamic processes of fluvial, marine and aeolian actions. The wide fan shaped delta observed northwest and north of Madras city spanning out over an area of 700 sq.km is a feature, standing testimony to the PaleoCauvery river systems.

The regional slope and the overall arcuate arrangement of the crescent shaped lakes in the area and the tentacles of paleochannels show, that it is overall a fan shaped delta and its successive growth towards the sea might have been due to the constant progradation of lobes by continuous reworking of preceding lobes. The depressions in between successive concentric lobes have become the lakes. The absence of any beach ridges in such palaeo deltaic regime suggests that, it would be a sub aerial delta only. The overall arcuate shape of the shoreline in between Madras city in the south and Pulicat lake in the north is due to this fan delta. This feature once again symbolises the active river dominated delta. The Palar delta is a ‘cuspate’ one. The Ponnaiyar river has developed a linear delta, along a narrow depression found in between Tertiary uplands. While the avulsion phenomenon indicates the ancient shoreline near Villupuram, the east-west trending micro sandy uplands within the delta suggest, that it is a tide dominated delta.

Introduction

A biopolymer is defined as a polymeric substance obtained from any living organism (plant or animal) [1]. These polymers are organic compounds where simpler molecules are covalently bonded with each other [2]. Although biopolymers are strictly synthesized naturally by living cells but some of them are also synthesized from non-biomaterial as well. Natural biopolymers are of different types based on their chemical nature like carbohydrate based, protein based or lipid based. Biopolymers can be broken down by the action of naturally-occurring organisms which leaves organic non-harming by-products like water and carbon dioxide in the environment[3].

Bio polymers are gaining importance in the field of food packaging, medical application, commodity packaging etc. because of their have specific physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties. Wide ranges of natural or synthetic biopolymers capable of undergoing degradation hydrolytically or enzymatically are being investigated for many applications[1]. Bio polymers are mainly based on two properties: a) Biological origin b) Biodegradability.

Earlier natural biopolymers such as cellulose, protein, starch have been used extensively for food applications. Recently, synthetic biopolymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and polybutylene succinate (PBS) are gaining more attention[4] for various applications. Natural biopolymers are more stereospecific and mostly hydrophilic having complex 3D structures as compared to the synthetic polymers[2]. Among the synthetic biopolymers some are microbiologically degradable in the environment whereas some are recyclable[1].

Introduction

Because of their incredible diversity of life and amazing distinctiveness, coral reefs are frequently referred to as the "Tropical Rainforests of the Sea". Reefs are vast biological treasure troves that provide millions of people throughout the world with a variety of economic and environmental services. Corals are useful and beautiful things that are members of the phylum Anthozoa. The massive reefs that are only visible at low tides are built by hermatypic corals and their symbiotic zooxanthellae. Corals are only found in the ocean and, taxonomically speaking, are part of the scleratinia order.

The solitary forms, known as ahermatypes, are both solitary and colonial and lack symbionts. Corals that form reefs are actively growing in the ocean's photic zone. Around the world, a belt of coral reefs can be seen in the tropical waters. Coral reefs are of immense importance, but due to both natural and man-made influences, they are rapidly degrading and disappearing at an alarming rate. By 2030, 90% of the reefs would be in danger if current rates of erosion are permitted to continue. It is crucial to comprehend the coral reefs' current state of health and the growing dangers to them. The study's goals are to examine management and conservation strategies and shed knowledge on the expanding issue of coral exploitation (Jhajhria, 2021).

The Cladocera, commonly known as ‘waterfleas’ form a primitive group of microcrustaceans. They play an important role in the aquatic food chain and also contribute significantly to the zooplankton dynamics and secondary productivity in freshwater ecosystem. Though most cladocera is filter feeders, they also feed on detritus, algae, small rotifers and copepod nauplii. They keep a check on eutrophication for which this group is also widely used as good indicators of ecosystem health and sentinels of environmental change (Eggermont and Martens, 2011; Padhye and Dahanukar 2015). At the same time, cladocera is the favorite food prey of many invertebrates and many vertebrates. Their characteristic jerky movements make them easily visible to the predators and that is why most of fish larvae were found to prefer cladocera over the prey (Mayer and Wahl,1971).

Cladocerans have a distinct head, a single compound eye, and a large mandible for grinding food particles. Cladocerans feed on algae, small rotifers, and copepod nauplii. Cladocerans reproduce mostly asexually via parthenogenesis. But they can also reproduce sexually based on the environmental conditions.

The distribution of cladocerans is affected by different factors including temperature, rainfall, water quality, nutrients, macrophytes, flood pulse etc. (Ghidini et al.,2009; Kiss et al., 2014). Their metabolic rate is variable with water temperature.

The order cladocera belongs to the subclass Branchipoda and includes minute crustaceans generally in the size range of 0.2 to 5.0 mm.

INTRODUCTION

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines aquaculture as the cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants by individuals or corporations. In aquaculture, interventions are made in the rearing process to enhance production. While aquaculture is a practice with origins dating back more than 3000 years, Aquaculture products have only recently been recognized by the United Nations Statistical Commission as distinct global commodities, despite the practice having origins dating back more than 3000 years. According to the FAO's "Global Aquaculture Production" database, the annual global production of aquaculture has increased at an average rate of around 8% over the past three decades (since 1980). Despite a recent slowing in global trends, growth remains higher than any other major animal food production sector. This rapid global increase in production is occurring alongside a slow decline in marine fisheries catches. There is a growing global focus, largely driven by demand from Western countries, on increasing the intensive production of omnivorous and carnivorous species farmed and harvested in maritime and brackish coastal environments, a practice known as mariculture. The farming of these species, such as salmon, groupers, seabasses, and prawns, typically relies heavily on inputs such as wild post-larvae and juveniles, fishmeal, fish oils, as well as significant amounts of water, land, and energy. As a result, mariculture has faced widespread criticism due to its often negative impacts on marine and coastal ecosystem health. Negative associations have been drawn between mariculture and its effects on marine capture fisheries and food security.

Introduction
Aquaculture is one of the food-producing industries with the fastest rate of growth in the world and is widely recognized for its substantial contributions to food security, revenue production, and poverty alleviation (Subhasinghe, 2003). The production of aquaculture has increased dramatically during the last 30 years, from less than 20 million tonnes in the early 1990s to 178.9 million tonnes in 2022. The aquaculture industry reported an average growth rate of 6.7% per year globally from 1990 to 2020 (FAO, 2022). In 2020-22, the global annual per capita fish consumption was 20.4 kg (FAO, 2022). In addition, 58.5 million people were engaged in this sector worldwide for their livelihood. Many new approaches and technologies have been developed to increase the production. However, aquaculture faces significant challenges, including environmental quality, quality seed availability, and disease management (Sitcha et al., 2020; Oglend, 2020). To address these issues, the aquaculture industry adopts new scientific and technological advancements. Among the recent advancements in science, nanotechnology is fast emerging as a novel tool for the next generation of aquaculture and fisheries development. Nanotechnology is rapidly becoming a new tool for the growth of aquaculture and fisheries in the next generation, among other recent scientific breakthroughs
(Shah et al., 2020).

Introduction

In shrimp farming practice, the production cost of shrimps mainly depends on the feed cost and its associated water quality management issues. Hence, the success of shrimp aquaculture is wholly depends on the feed input cost and this feed cost involved can be reduced to a greater extent by enhancing the organic productivity of the ponds, particularly by enhancing the plankton productivity, which include, the assemblages of phytoplankton and zooplankton.

Abstract

The best way to conserve the biological diversity is by involving the local community. It is popularly known as community-based biodiversity conservation (CBC). The conflict between the nature and local communities who have stakes and rights in their territory is a matter of great concern. Likewise, when there prevails the community diversity, what would be the role, participation, share, stake, management issues, equity parameters etc. are the factors that affect CBC. However, CBC is future of conservation of natural resources. It needs adequate focus of community-scale projects on biodiversity conservation implemented by different parties and NGOs. Similarly, empowering community people through adequate financial support and appropriate monitoring and evaluation are the key success factors of community conservation projects. Ethnicity, gender and wealth were the factors that predicted CBC. Hence, the CBC programmes must address these aspects with adequate emphasize. The conflict between human activity and biodiversity conservation, if handled very effectively, will be a productive strategy to highlight pragmatic problems that arise at the field level and creating equitable and sustainable solutions. The general threats as a result of conflict between human activity and biodiversity conservation are agricultural intensification, recreation and human activities and policy related threats. Hence, awareness creation must have an integrative and interdisciplinary approach including the bodies that administer social and natural movements as well as the interests and priorities of local communities. Governing biodiversity conservation measures through political processes by engaging the appropriate representatives has valid implications for the whole process of biodiversity conservation. Alienation of local community, lack of favorable legal framework and lack of addressing the conservation issues through political process may adversely affect the biodiversity conservation as a whole.

Abstract

Cyanobacteria, the Gram-negative photosynthetic prokaryotes are able to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites. Some of these metabolites are of general concern due to their toxicity and known as cyanobacterial toxins. These cyanotoxins are reported widely due to human and animal health hazard. On the basis of their toxicological target, these cyanotoxins can be classified into five different groups: hepatotoxins, neurotoxins, cytotoxins, dermatotoxins and irritant toxins (lipopolysaccharides). Hepatotoxins constitute a family of cyclic peptide variants and are classified as microcystins and nodularins. These hepatotoxic peptides possess a high degree of cellular specificity to the hepatocytes with similar mode of action and act as potent inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A).

Abstract

Last few decades have witnessed an immense technological advancement in the education sector in India. With an advancement of technology, new gadgets are flooding the Indian market continuously bringing an immense opportunity for the education sector to improve upon the course delivery system. Higher education sector in India is adopting such new technologies in course delivery at a slow pace; however, there remains still a far way to traverse for the Indian education sector in order to achieve a perceptible and effective technology-infusion in the academic delivery arena. This paper is devoted to present an expository review on the usefulness of new gadgets, like smart phones, e-book reader as well as tablet PC, in both class-room education-delivery segments as well as in distance education sector in India.

Introduction

India is an agriculture-based country and it contributes most to the economy of the country. Different types of crops are cultivated in a wide range in different ecological regions based on different seasons. So, crop residue is also generated in an extended way by cultivation (Devi et. al 2017). Crop residue is the left over part of the crop after harvesting. In India, crop residue generates around 600 Mt and from which cereals are 70%, fibres 13%, oilseeds 6%, pulses 3%, sugarcane 2%, and others 6% (Jain et al., 2014). Corn production has increased more than 15 times from 1950-51 to 2016-2017. Rice, wheat, millet, barley, and maize are important cereal crops in Uttar Pradesh (Roy and Ahmad, 2015). Traditionally, Crop residue was used as cattle feed, animal bedding, cooking fuel, organic manure, etc. and some residues were used in making handicraft products by rural women. but still, a huge amount of residue is left without management and farmers have no option left except to burn it. About 90 to 140 Mt of crop residue burning in the field or households as fuels (Jain et al., 2014). In the process of harvesting and threshing, residues are left behind in the f ield. Farmers need to clear their fields early for the planting of the next crop so they do have not enough time and it is tough to clear the field at that time. Therefore, the farmers opt for the burning of residue in harvested fields due to a lack of access to user-friendly, cost- and time-effective options. The burning of crop residue creates many issues and effects on the environment and health badly. In a report of NAAS in 2017, it was estimated that in November 2016 at the period of rice residue burning, the NASA satellite images showed the intensity of rice residue burning in Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand was very high. It is doing an additional job of increasing air pollution with vehicles, chimneys, industries, etc. Crop residues release many gases by burning them and these gases are contributing to global warming.

2.1 Overview of the CDM Project Cycle

The ultimate governing body of the CDM is the Conference of the Parties/Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP). The COP/MOP is the annual meeting of the signatories to the Kyoto Protocol and is responsible for managing the CDM Executive Board and for overseeing its work. The Executive Board supervises the CDM process under the authority and guidance of the COP/MOP; it is fully accountable to the COP/MOP. The Board decides on rules for the implementation of the CDM, as well as making the final decisions about acceptance of methodologies, registration of projects and issuance of CERs. The Board is composed of 10 members and 10 alternates. The CDM Executive Board created an A/R Working Group to specifically oversee LULUCF under the CDM. The A/R Working Group provides guidance to LULUCF project developers and, using expert reviewers, makes recommendations on acceptance or rejection of LULUCF methodologies.

8.1 Introduction

The objective of this chapter is to develop a smart control for site-specific management of fixed irrigation system with Blynk app. Mobile app is designed to control the water management in field. The complete system comprises of two sections field device and mobile app. Field device comprises of Arduino, Node MCU, Power supply, LCD, Relay board, soil moisture sensor, temperature & humidity sensor, water level sensor, motor1, motor2. The system is designed to establish control and communication with specific agricultural field to take sensory data from the sensors and control the PUMP IN motor and PUMP OUT motor with the help of mobile app. Fig.8.1 shows a block diagram for a system.

Introduction

Pulse production in India has fluctuated widely with no long-term trend, leading to a steady decline in per capita availability per day, i.e. from 60.7 grams to 33.40 grams during 1951 to 2001, while its average requirement is about 65 gram per day per head. The pulses used to serve a low cost food to meet the protein requirement of a large sector of people in India. But, the pulses are becoming out of reach for the common people of country because of its continuing shoring prices. A Technology Mission on Pulse production was launched by Government of India in 1986-87 as a special drive to increase the pulse production in the country. The vision of Technology Mission of Pulse is attaining self reliance in pulses for household nutritional security and sustainability of the production system. The mission statement was to increase Pulse production from existing (IX plan) 131.4 lakh tonnes to 162 lakh tonnes; Productivity from 594 kg/ha to 702 kg/ha and per capita availability of pulses from 35 g to 40 g per day at affordable price. Unfortunately, the country has not been able to achieve self-sufficiency in the pulse production. During the last 40 years, the acreage under pulse crops and its production remained almost between 21-24 million hectares and 10-15 million tonnes, respectively. Consequently, the country has had to depend on import of pulses every year to meet the part of its shortage. The National Commission of Agriculture had estimated that the country should plan to produce about 25 million tonnes of pulses by the end of 2000, but we could achieve only about 14 million tonnes. Presently, the area and the production of pulse crops account for about 18.50 and 7.20 per cent (2003-04) of total area under foodgrains and total food grains production in the country, respectively.

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to assess the knowledge level of dairy Entrepreneurs of Patna District and to find the co-relation between the socioeconomic variables and the training needs. This study was conducted by personally interviewing 100 dairy farmers, sent for training at B.V.C. Patna by different Agencies. Majority of the respondents (58.20%) had medium level of knowledge flowed by 26% respondents with high level of knowledge, while some of the respondents (15.80%) had low level of knowledge about dairy entrepreneurship. The study of co-relation between socio-economic variables and training need of the respondents showed that variables like education (0.469), social participation (0.500) and the knowledge (0.734) were significantly and positively co-related with the training need. Whereas variables like age (0.063) family size (0.193) and land holding (0.072) were found to be positively but non-significantly co-related with the training needs while, the caste (-0.093) was found to be negatively and non-significantly co-related with the training needs at 0.05% level of probability. Therefore it is imperative on the part of change agency to utilize the variables gainfully so as to give needed push to knowledge level in the area of Dairy entrepreneurship development.

Introduction

The Himalayan Moutains that is relatively a younger formation and geologically a very complex occupies most of the Arunachal Pradesh. The mountain terrain covers an area of about 86000 sq. km with elevation ranging from 400 to 6000 m above mean sea level (Satapathy and Dutta 1999). The wet tropical and sub-tropical climate which prevails in most part of the Arunachal Pradesh, there is usual phenomenon of erosion and land degradation by the action of water. It is estimated by the application of USLE for Arunachal Pradesh that the total amount of about 669.35 million tones of soil is eroded annually with an average rate of 90.7 tonnes /ha/year (Singh, 1999).

Arunachal Pradesh falls under upper Brahamaputra river system constituted by 10 major river basins. They are Tawang, Kameng, Dikrong, Subansiri, Siang, Sesseri, Dibang-Tellu, and Tirap-Tiso. In Arunachal Pradesh, Dikrong river is named after joining of two main rivers Pachin and Para . In the catchments of Dikrong river light textured unstable soils with the prevalent practice of Jhum Cultivation makes the entire catchments susceptible to erosion. In every monsoon the river Dilrong carries tremendous amount of silt, gravel, small boulder and causes flood in some parts of the catchments susceptible to erosion. Singh (1999) observed that loss rate through Dikrong River was 100.98 tones/ha/year. This indicates serious threat to soil resources and there is need for urgent treatment for sediment control in Dikrong river bash.

Introduction

Horticulture crops cover large varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers and plantation and spices crops. Among these, vegetable cultivation is the major attraction to farmers as it is comparatively more remunerative the field crops. Vegetables not only provide maximum output but also give more income per unit area of land. Vegetable cultivation among small land holders has always been source of supplementary source of income and provides gainful employment through intensive cultivation and thus vegetable growers are normally more prosperous than those who grow cereals, because of higher returns.

Brinjal (Solanummelongena L) is a commercial vegetable crop belongs to the family of solanaceae. It is a nannual crop. It is mainly used for culinary purpose. Brinjal has been considered as one of the important vegetable crop. The brinjal growers can increase production of brinjal through adoption of new varieties and with improved technologies. A first-hand knowledge regarding existing status of adoption of improved technology helpful to the extension workers for concentrating their efforts to create favorable condition for better adoption of the innovations of brinjal cultivation. Arvind kumar singh (2017) revealed that more than half of the respondents belong to middle age group, educated up to higher secondary, had medium level ofland holding, medium level of annual income, sources of information and low level of material possession. Further headded, that he possessed low level of farm power.

Distribution channels are behind every product and service that consumers and business buyers purchase everywhere. Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. Usually, combination on institutions specializing in manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing and many other areas join force in Distribution channels. A Distribution channels are a set of inter-dependent organization involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption. Distribution channels decisions play a role of Strategic importance in the overall presence and success a company enjoys in the market palace.

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyze perceptions of individual investors on general terms, statements related to mutual fund and reasons for withdrawal of investors. This chapter analysed  the general awareness of individual investors on terms related mutual fund investment such as New Fund Offer (NFO), Systematic Investment Plan (SIP), Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP), Asset Management Company (AMC) and  Association of Mutual funds in India (AMFI) etc and its association with individual investment decision making. This chapter also covered perceptions of respondents on the statements such as Mutual Funds are useful for small investors, Mutual Funds give higher return than other investments, Mutual Funds are healthy for Indian financial environment, Private sector mutual funds are not good, ELSS schemes are good for tax saving, Mutual funds with large corpus perform better and Mutual funds having diversified portfolio gives better returns etc related to mutual fund investment and studied their perceptions towards mutual fund investment. The primary data also collected from the respondents relating to the withdrawal Behaviour of individual investors from mutual fund investment by taking the factors such as Lack of Performance, Lack of Involvement of companies, Lack of Capital appreciation, Low Dividend Payment ratio and Low NAV etc.

Abstract

Children today are playing an important role in family buying decisions like never before. They inform their parents regarding the modified use of products. Realizing this, marketers have changed the market into direct market for the children products. The children involved with their products are more likely to pay attention to their advertising, to evaluate their brands carefully and to become brand loyal. Children today are more brand conscious and have more awareness about the brands because the market for children products is rapidly growing. The media has affected the decision making role of the children and now they are more aware of new products because of media messages like advertisements but still final decision for buying a product is in the hands of parents. Advertisements produce brand consciousness among the children and they enjoy switching from one brand to another as it gives a feeling of adventure to them. Both parents and children agree that there is rapid growth in the market for children products over the last few years because marketers have come to know that children are the influencers of today but bread winners of tomorrow and hence, they are a force to reckon with.

Introduction

Women play a pivotal role in agricultural and rural economies in all developing countries. Rural India woman is facing Poverty and unemployment is the major problems. In India at the end of ninth five year span 26.1% of the population was living below poverty line. In the rural area 27.1% of the population was living under poverty. The overall unemployment rate is estimated to 7.32%. The female unemployment rate is 8.5%. The rate of growth of women unemployment in the rural area is 9.8%. A series of development programmes have been implemented for the development of economy in general ignoring women who constitute 50 percent of the total population. Role of women in development is an indispensable factor. Development programmes no longer can achieve their target without the participation and contribution of women. Women empowerment is multifaceted concept that extends to the psychological, economic, social, cultural, political and institutional spheres of women’s lives. The Government of India has launched and implemented a number of schemes towards poverty alleviation and women empowerment but it was observed that women in rural areas especially from the poor families could not be benefitted. Women empowerment is the most important instrument for the socio-economic development of a nation. In this context, SHGs have emerged as the tools that wield power to create a socio-economic revolution in the rural areas of our country. The empowerment of rural women is a key priority in the National Development Policy of India. In India, the organization of SHGs, especially those promoted by Non Governmental organizations (NGOs) is widely recognized as a development strategy for poverty reduction. NGOs also known as voluntary sector have become an irresistible global force today and it is growing in relation to its presence in developmental activities. Basically, an NGO or voluntary organisations are non-profit making agencies that are constituted with a vision by a group of likeminded people, committed for the uplift of the poor, marginalized, unprivileged, underprivileged, impoverished, downtrodden and the needy and they are closer and accessible to the target groups, flexible in administration, quicker in decision making, timely in action and facilitating the people towards self reliance ensuring their fullest participation in the whole process of development. SHGs are started by NGOs that generally have broad anti-poverty agendas. SHGs are seen as instruments for goals including empowering women, developing leadership abilities among poor people, increasing school enrollments and improving nutrition and the use of birth control. SHGs are small group of individual members who voluntarily come together and form an association for achieving a common objective. In most cases, SHGs are constituted by persons known to one another and coming from the same village community or neighbourhood. SHGs are small in size with membership ranging from 10 to 20 and are homogeneous. A strengthening development among women the nation over has been currently turned by quick advancement in SHG arrangement. The arrangement of SHGs isn’t conclusively a miniaturized scale credit venture however a strengthening procedure. The strengthening of women through SHGs would give advantage not exclusively to the individual women yet in addition for the family and network all in all through aggregate activity for improvement. Women constitute half of any country’s human endowment. All round development and harmonious growth of a nation would be possible only when women are considered as equal partners in progress with men.

1. Introduction

Sustainability embodies an ecological vision aimed at fostering enduring human coexistence on Earth. Over time, its definition has evolved in literature and context, generating ongoing debate. Generally, experts frame sustainability around three pillars: social, economic, and environmental. While environmental concerns often dominate discussions, sustainability encompasses broader challenges like pollution, land degradation, biodiversity loss, climate change, and ecosystem service decline. This concept influences decision-making globally, politically, and personally.

Sustainable development, often used interchangeably with sustainability, is distinguished by UNESCO as a long-term objective versus the diverse processes and pathways to achieve it. Within the economic dimension, the tension between welfare and environmental preservation is explored through concepts like “weak and strong sustainability,” acknowledging the necessity of trade-offs. Ideal policies would aim to decouple environmental degradation from economic growth.

Introduction

A revolution is coming to the more than a century-old automobile industry. Electric vehicles (EVs) are viewed as a solution to a variety of problems, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fostering sustainable economic growth, improving air quality, and reducing the importation of fossil fuels. The demand for electric automobiles in India is rising. Incentives and programs have been launched by the federal and state governments to promote the usage of electric vehicles, and there are also regulations and standards in place. A consumer is a person or group that plans to purchase something, actually does so, or utilizes it for primarily social, family, domestic, or other non business or entrepreneurial activity-related objectives.

An asset that is an important criterion for evaluating the status of the consumer economy can be used to estimate consumer savings.

The concept of electric cars has been around for a while, but in the past ten years, it has gained a lot of attention due to the expanding carbon footprint and other environmental implications of fuel-powered cars. In contrast to an internal combustion engine, which generates power by burning a mixture of fuel and gases, an electric vehicle (EV) is propelled by an electric motor. When electricity was one of the favored sources of motor vehicle power in the late 19th century, electric vehicles (EVs) first made their appearance, providing a degree of comfort and usability that gasoline cars of the day were unable to equal.

Abstract

Agricultural development in India provides support to a large section of farmers who operate on small holdings and have very limited risk bearing capacity. Farmers are often exposed to natural vagaries, which adversely affect their agricultural production and farm income. Moreover, there is huge financial exclusion in rural sector of the nation. If there is a crop failure, farmers are crushed under the burden of debt. Farmers seek to avoid risk in terms of various managerial and institutional mechanisms. But it is widely believed that ‘Crop Insurance’ is the only institutional mechanism available against production risk in farming. Unfortunately, penetration of crop insurance schemes in India has been low in terms of the area of land insured and the number of farmers covered. There are the problems of low risk awareness and lack of insurance culture among the farmers. In this backdrop, the paper documents the findings of a survey of 140 farmers, which was taken up in some selected villages of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The study shows that likelihood of this awareness increases with increase in landholding size, education level, borrowing history and social participation of the farmers, whereas it decreases with the non-farm income and livestock of the farmers. The author proposes measures to promote and spread awareness of crop insurance among the farmers as a risk mitigation tool in farming, which will increase farm production and stabilize the fluctuation in farm income. The study provides valuable policy measures to the government in better designing of their crop insurance products and will also help the private agro-insurance business, which is recently taking off in the country.

Fish has a vital role to play in mitigating the protein deficiency in developing countries. Fish has been described as the meat of the third world, and fish contributes significantly in developing and developed countries as a source of employment, income generation and foreign exchange earnings. The minimum per capita consumption of fish of an average Indian should be 11 kg per annum, as recommended by the ICMR. However, the per-capita consumption of fish in India is only 5 kg per annum, whereas, per capita consumption of fish in Japan was 62.6 kg, China - 30 kg and Bangladesh - 35 kg (Goswami et al., 2012).

INTRODUCTION

The aquatic ecosystem is highly dependent on water quality and biodiversity. The water quality parameters play an important role in the biology and physiology of fish (Dhawan and Kaur, 2002). Fish communities are an important aspect of the aquatic ecosystem. Moreover, they also serve as an indicator of the quality of the aquatic ecosystem (Sharma et al., 2014). Ramsar Convention on wetlands in 1971, characterized wetlands as "Areas of Marsh, fen, peatland, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary with water that is static or flowing, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide should not exceed". At the surface, freshwater serves as a habitat for numerous species and comprises a substantial portion of Earth's biological diversity. Wetlands cover approximately 6.4% of the Earth's total surface area. Being a large biodiverse region, India accounts for 11.72% of the world's fish diversity and 40% of fish live in freshwater ecosystems (Kar et al., 2006, Balasubramanium, 2017). Fish are key species that determine the distribution and abundance of other organisms and have a significant impact on the ecosystem and are considered good indicators of water quality in the ecosystem (Moyle and Leidy, 1992). Assam, located in the northeastern region, possesses extensive and diverse freshwater resources, earning it recognition as one of the richest biodiversity sites in India. There are 2,500 species of fish in India; 930 of them live in fresh water and 1570 in the sea (Kar, 2003). The entire northeastern region, including Assam, has large and diverse freshwater resources and is considered one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of India. The NE region has unique topographic conditions and is blessed with large and varied water resources in the form of rivers (19,150 km); swimming pools (23,792ha); lakes and marshes (143,740 ha); ponds and mini-dams (40,808 ha) and shallow spawning systems paddy with fish farming systems (2780 ha) (Mahanta et al., 2003). This region of the country is very diverse in terms of fish. So far, 267 freshwater fish species belonging to 114 genera 38 families and 10 orders have been reported from the region (Mahanta et al., 2003). A total of 266 species belonging to 114 genera under 38 genera and 10 orders have been reported from the Northeast including Assam (Sen, 2010). A survey of the fish fauna of the Brahmaputra in Assam revealed 41 commercially important species (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991). Assam has 1,392 beels in over 100,000 hectares, which constitutes 61 percent of the state's lentic water supply. Water is one of the most important compounds in the ecosystem. Better water quality is characterized by its physical, chemical and biological characteristics.

Introduction

In the modern corporate landscape, the Glass Ceiling remains an enduring challenge, obstructing the path to leadership positions for qualified individuals based on gender. This study embarks on a comprehensive analysis of the persistent gender discrimination inherent in leadership roles within corporations.

With a primary focus on measurement, analysis, and assessment, the study seeks to quantify the current prevalence of the Glass Ceiling, elucidate the strategies adopted by large corporations in addressing bias, and evaluate the influence of personal factors in accelerating this phenomenon.

Grounded in empirical data and a commitment to factual precision, this research aims to contribute substantially to the ongoing discourse on gender equality in leadership. By revisiting the Glass Ceiling, this paper endeavours to not only shed light on the existing disparities but also provide nuanced insights that can inform corporate policies and societal endeavours to dismantle barriers obstructing the equitable progression of individuals within the professional realm.

The Revised ATMA Scheme provides for dedicated specialist and functionary support to take up training and extension initiatives at State, District and Block level. Besides this, improvement in extension outreach right down to the village level is expected to be achieved through Farmer Friend. The study mainly focused on farmer friend under ATMA scheme. The FF served as a vital link between extension system and farmers at village level (one for every two villages). The FF should be available in the village to advise on agriculture and allied activities. The FF  mobilized farmers’ groups and facilitate dissemination of information to such groups, individual farmers and farm women directly through one to one interaction individually or in groups and also by accessing information / services  on behalf of farmers as per need through Common Service Centres (CSC) / Kisan Call Centres (KCC). (Government of India, 2010).

Abstract

Our country is a place where people not only love the celebrities, but they worship celebrities, whether it is a Bollywood sensation like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bahchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif or a sportsperson like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Sania Mirza. In today’s scenario all the companies are coming up with celebrity endorsements to make their product different from the competitor’s product and also people can associate the brand/ product with specific celebrity and an easy way of remembering a particular product and creating demand. Different people have different perception about the advertisements they see and like this celebrity have created a good  reputation to the brands like many people perceive that the brands endorsed by celebrity are of good quality. whether the demographic variables play any role in forming the opinion of consumers so to take the view of people researcher have taken a sample of 1000 people consist of  different age groups, marital status, gender and different occupation to know  their opinion about celebrity with respect to FMCG sector. So, it is very important to know what impact it leaves on the consumer. For this purpose data has been collected through primary and secondary sources. The results of the report revealed that age is not significant in celebrity endorsement while other three parameters gender, marital status and occupation are significant.

Abstract

Amongst all types of major land-use change, extending irrigated agriculture using a surface-water source has the greatest influence on groundwater – both significantly increasing recharge and changing water quality as excess irrigation water infiltrates into shallow aquifers. Hence, in order to understand the impact of the landuse on the groundwater system the study has been aimed to understand the process by adopting geophysical, geochemical and microbial analysis of groundwater samples. The study has been conducted in Chidambaram taluk, with a total area of 92.51Sq.km. A total of 39 groundwater samples were collected for the analysis of major cation and anion along with the microbial analysis, like Total Coliform, Total Viable Counts, Fecal coliforms, Vibrio cholera and Total Streptococci. The geochemical studies reveal that there is no correlation between these parameters and the microbial population. The migration of the water from the elevated regions (urban region) is witnessed and the concentration of the microbial population is higher in these regions except in the southern region which has impermeable clay and this arrest the movement of water.

Introduction

Fisheries sector, a sunrise sector in India, has recorded a faster growth than that of crop and livestock sectors (Kumar et al., 2006). The sector contributes to the livelihood of a large section of economically-underprivileged population of the country. It has been recognized as a powerful income and employment generator as it stimulates growth of a number of subsidiary industries and is a source of cheap and nutritious food besides being a foreign exchange earner (Ayyappan and Krishnan, 2004).

With the changing composition pattern, emerging market forces and technological developments, it has assumed added importance in India. It is undergoing rapid transformation and the policy support, production strategies, public investment in infrastructure, and research and extension for fisheries have significantly contributed to the increased fish production. Particularly, after the mid-1980s, the development of carp polyculture technology has completely transformed the tradition backyard activity into a booming commercial enterprise. The aquaculture in the East Godavari delta region prospered with good yields and export driven demand. The paddy belt of the area rapidly converted into aquaculture hotspot owing to high economic benefits. But in recent years the dwindling of aquaculture and frequent losses caused and forced the farmers to withdraw from the once profit driven occupation. Apart from economic analysis, the motive behind this investigation is to find the efficiency of the farmers and the determinants. This will be useful in finding the lacunae in existing system of culture and will address necessities for shifting to new alternative.

Introduction

Virtual supply chain management is the digital representation of inventory data that the managers manage from anywhere in the world. In the 1980s, when the proliferation of computers gave more importance to the human resource, f inance, and manufacturing units communicating with each other for better quality work, that led to enterprise resource planning, and slowly each task of supply chain management started virtualizing in its full length.

A virtual supply chain has advantages such as better inventory control, shorter lead times, quicker order fulfilment, increased supply chain visibility, more accurate demand forecasts, and higher customer satisfaction. It gives businesses the ability to make the most use of their resources, cut expenses and lessen waste throughout the supply chain.

However, putting in place a virtual supply chain calls for thorough planning technology integration, and network-wide process alignment. Overcoming obstacles like data security, interoperability, and change management are all part of it. To fully reap the rewards of a virtual supply chain, businesses must also invest in technical infrastructure, training courses, and partnerships.

Abstract

Radon being the radioactive daughter product of Uranium; the interrelationship between U and Rn has been established in the present study. It is found that Radon coexist with Uranium in the region. A total of 61 samples were collected spatially from hand pumps and bore wells of the study area. Major ions such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, F^-, Cl^-, HCO^3-, NO^3-, H₄SiO₄,PO₄- and SO₄^2- and U, Rn were analysed. The lithological influence of U and Radon occurrence is also highlighted. Hard rocks especially Granites are the source for both U and Rn in the study area whereas the lack of correlation exist between U and Rn in sedimentary terrain can be attributed to difference in flow conditions and chemical properties of these elements. 

Key words: Radon, Uranium, Granite, Ground water, Source.