eChapters

Jack bearing the largest edible fruit in the world, is a tropical evergreen tree belonging to the family Moraceae. Previously, it was known as Artocarpus integrifolia.It is an indigenous fruit crop, probably originated in Western Ghats of India (Santapau, 1966) and is widely cultivated in South Asia, East Indies and other warm areas of both the hemispheres. Jack tree is commonly grown in Burma, Malaysia and Brazil. It is hardly recognized as a commercial fruit crop in India even though it is widely distributed in Southern states viz,. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andra Pradesh. It is also cultivated in other states like Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal. It is an invariable component of Kerala’s homesteads and also grown as a shade crop in coffee, arecanut and cardamom plantations. It is also grown as a standard crop in pepper plantations. The crop has got a rare distinction of being used as the staple food of Kerala tribals and also in some African countries like Uganda.

Genetic Analysis of Diseases

A genetic basis for a human diseases may be suggested from a variety of observations

Inheritance patterns of human diseases may be determined via pedigree analysis

Many genetic disorders are heterogeneous

Genetic testing can identify many inherited human diseases

Prions are infectious particles that alter protein function posttranslationally

Abstract

The present study discusses the cropping pattern changes in Andhra Pradesh agriculture will leads to crop diversification and crop concentration using with Geographical Information System (GIS). Crop data were compiled for the triennium ending period 1980-81, 1990-91, 2000-01 and 2004-05 from various statistical abstracts of Andhra Pradesh. For measuring the crop diversification indices, we have used the Herfindahle index and for crop specialization is measured by using the Location quotient method. The level of crop diversification in the some districts of the state in the eighties is very high. However with the advent of green revolution, there had been a moderate crop unification or crop concentration in the eighties. This trend of crop unification is found to be reversed after 1990-91, though the magnitude of the change is not very striking. The crop diversification is observed to differ across the districts. The level of crop diversification is high in the agricultural backward regions of Rayalaseema and Telangana districts and low in the agriculturally progressive Coastal Andhra districts. During the period 1990-91 to 2004-05, the major trends in crop concentration are increase in the concentration of rice in the districts where it is popularly grown and decline in the concentration of coarse cereal crops, pulses and oilseeds. The concentration of spice crops and fruits and vegetables are also on an increasing trend, which they are popularly grown in their respective districts.

Keywords : Cropping Pattern, Diversification, Location Quotient, Andhra Pradesh, GIS

1. Ideotype : It is a biological model which is expected to perform in a predicted manner in a defined environment.

2. Shuttle breeding: Growing of segregating generation in different environments.

Abstract

The sires have been evaluated and ranked on the basis of solutions obtained through univariate and multivariate REML using animal model and BLUP value for sire effects under mode l 8. The data considered from 1214 animals descendent from 110 sires of chokla sheep maintained at CSWRI, Avikanagar, Rajasthan. The traits were considered birth weight, weaning weight, 6 months weight and first greasy fleece yield for the present study. Three solutions were used: Best linear unbiased Predication (BLUP1) values of Model 8, and univariate (BLUP₂) and multivariate (BLUP₃) solutions of REML animal models. Less than half of the sires were superior to the populations mean under BLUP₁ for the traits studied. The corresponding values were above 60% under BLUP₂, which was much higher than BLUP₁.

Gamboge tree Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.), is a member of the Clusiaceae family. It is a botanical cousin of Garcinia indica Choisy. It is a cross pollinated crop. It is called as Kodumpuli in Kerala. It is native of Tropical Asia. It thrives best in the ever green forests of Konkan, stretching from southward to the Kerala coast and Western Ghats upto 1800 m min the Nilgiris (CSIR, 1956). In Kerala, majority of the populations occur naturally in the central districts of Kerala, of different altitudes ranging from sea level to 200 m.

It is one of the potential under-exploited fruit crops. Now, it is gaining momentum for its commercial, industrial and medicinal importance. The dried rind is sold in the market at the rate of Rs. 200 per kg (Muthulakshmi et al.,1999). It is used as a food preservative, spicy source with astringent taste. It is meant for its good flavour, taste and keeping quality. The fruits are too acidic and cannot to eaten raw. The dried rind has unique use in fish curries for imparting its delicate flavour (Sarah, 1998). Dried rind can also be used for polishing gold, silver and coagulating rubber latex. Hydroxy citric acid (HCA) is a very rare natural components being extracted from the rind and is marketed in the name of ‘citrin’ and ‘citrimax’. It has high export value and fetches considerable foreign exchange. In foreign countries, it is used as a herbal medicine against cardiac diseases and for weight management through blocking fat synthesis. The derivatives of acid are potent metabolic regulators of obesity. The unique acid, lowers the blood lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides by triggering the fatty acid oxidation in the liver through thermogenesis.

Resistance to disease in a host plants is a condition in which the plant conquer the pathogen’s attack and thus suffers small or no injury. Resistant hosts prevent or slow the development and reproduction of the majority of pathogen propagules that they come into contact with. Different plants defend themselves in different ways. Each kind of plant, probably, employ different defense mechanism against each of the pathogens that attack it. The defense barriers erected by plants are a co-ordinated system of molecular, cellular and tissue-based responses to pathogen attack.

There are various mechanisms of defense used by plants. For convenience, such mechanisms can be considered under two broads heads;

1. Pre existing or passive defense (Defense present on or inside the plant since beginning)

a. Pre existing structural defense

b. Pre existing biochemical defense

2. Post infection or active defense (Defense in response to attack by the pathogen)

a. Post infection structural defense

b. Post infection biochemical defense

ABSTRACT

Education begins at home, then in community and finally in the educational institutes. At present 90% of the children in the age group of 6-14 years are receiving free primary education. Education policy of the 11^th plan states that there should be free and compulsory secondary education for all. To meet this goal, additional schools have to be set up to cater to the 30 million students. To teach the 30 million students atleast one million teachers would have to be trained to ensure the 1:30 teacher– student ratio. How do we plan to meet this target?

The projected target has to be met by developing innovative teaching methods in the institutes of higher learning. These methods have to be technology based, as well as community based regional approach. Emphasis has to be given to Liberal Education where there has to be a close interaction between the teacher and learner. The Open and Distance Learning isone such System which can be compared to Liberal Education– where there is flexibility in time and pace of learning for the learners. Reforms and innovations have to be brought in this system of education with utmost caution so that there is no compromise on quality and ethics, since every age has its own ethical environment.

Ethics in this context means traditions and culture of the small communities. This is more so in the North Eastern Region where there is an intimate connection between large and small communities. This region is rich in its community based values, bioresources and cultures. Need based Vocational and Professional courses have to be designed for enriching the region with human resources infused with sophisticated skills, resulting in the economic growth for the region. This method is envisaged to take care of the social challenges, traditions and cultural ethos.

Distance Education coupled with Information Communication Technology plays a pivotal role in meeting the requirements of today’s knowledge society by cutting across the barriers of time and geographic isolation.

Introduction

Minerals are essentially required for growth maintenance, egg and meat production, health, nutrient metabolism, physiological function, reproduction, skeletal growth and development and maintenance of normal immune function. There are 25 essential minerals, seven are major minerals, as they are present in relatively higher amount in the body than the trace minerals and need to be supplemented in higher quantities in the feed. These major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, and sulphur. The micro minerals are present in small quantities in the body and their requirements in the diet are below 100 mg/kg. The 18 trace minerals are iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, tin, vanadium, fluorine, silicon, nickel, arsenic, aluminium, lead and rubidium. Among these, the first nine micro minerals have been identified to play a significant role in birds. Total minerals in diet include feed sources and supplementary sources. 

The Indian arid zone is one of the largest subtropical deserts in the world, of which 20% is arid and the rest is semi-arid. A hot arid zone is spread over 31.7 million ha and confined to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. The major part of the hot arid region of the country lies in western Rajasthan (19.62 million ha), followed by north-western Gujarat (2.16 million ha). It is characterized by a high aridity index, extremes of temperature, low and variable precipitation, very high wind velocity and dust storms, high soil pH, a high infiltration rate, and minimal availability of groundwater and saline ground irrigation water. Under such harsh climatic conditions, cultivating vegetable crops in open conditions results in meager and poor-quality yield, which fetches less return per unit area. By creating a suitable microclimate for plant growth throughout the year, vegetables can be cultivated under adverse climatic conditions. It is possible through protected cultivation, which has tremendous scope in peri-urban areas of the country. It is the best way to increase the productivity and quality of vegetables, especially cucurbits. India is the world’s second-largest producer of vegetables, next only to China.

Feed is a significant expense in raising small ruminants, accounting for 60% or more of total production costs. Nutrition is crucial for flock reproduction, milk production, and lamb and kid growth. Late gestation and lactation are critical periods for ewe and doe nutrition, with lactation having the highest nutritional demands. Nutrition levels determine the growth rate of lambs and kids, particularly protein requirements. Animals on inadequate diets are more prone to diseases and fail to reach their full genetic potential.
Small ruminants require energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water for optimal health. Energy is often the most limiting nutrient, while protein is the most costly. Imbalances in vitamins and minerals can affect animal performance and health. Fiber is essential for a healthy rumen environment and digestion. Water, though inexpensive, is often overlooked.
Feed intake percentage varies based on the animal’s size, with smaller animals needing a higher intake proportionally. Maintenance requirements increase with activity levels, environmental conditions, and life stages such as pregnancy, lactation, and growth. Sheep and goats can meet their nutritional needs with various feed sources as long as requirements are met. Feeding programs should consider animal needs, feed availability, and nutrient costs.
Comparative Feeding Behaviour and Digestive Physiology in Goats and Sheep
1. Goats excel in utilizing cell wall-rich and nitrogen-poor forages compared to sheep and cattle.
2. Goats have a longer retention time of feed in the digestive tract, higher cellulolytic bacteria concentration in the rumen, and efficient blood urea recycling.
3. In harsh conditions, goats consume less water and more dry matter than sheep.

The inspection of storage facilities and the food products they contain is crucial for preserving grain intended for human consumption. Stored grain is not simply a passive substance; it is a living, breathing organic entity that undergoes deterioration during storage. This deterioration can occur in terms of quantity, through dry matter loss (DML), or quality, with issues such as discoloration, mold contamination, sprouting, and caking caused by microorganisms, invertebrate pests (insects and arachnids), and vertebrate pests (rodents and birds). Additional weight loss happens during the handling, transportation, and processing of stored grains.
To gather accurate data on all forms of loss, regular and thorough inspection and sampling are essential. These inspections are crucial for making informed management decisions regarding remedial actions against biological deterioration agents or the disposal of grain, taking into account the condition of both the commodity and the storage environment. Regular inspections help maintain a storage environment that supports grain quality by keeping track of any significant pest population increases, grain temperature, moisture migration, spillage, and grain residues.
Such inspections also encourage the general upkeep of the storage structure and its surroundings, which helps to minimize pest access. By addressing cracks and crevices in the storage fabric and removing old, often infested, bags and equipment, the risk of pest infestation is significantly reduced.
The inspection should address several factors:
• The presence of pests, if any
• Identification of species, population densities, and locations
• Damage inflicted prior to inspection
• The growth potential of pest populations or whether they will die out if conditions remain the same

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a vital research technique that employs labeled antibodies to identify and locate antigens in tissue sections. It has recently gained widespread popularity in anatomic pathology research globally. This method combines immunological, histological, and biochemical approaches to detect specific antigens using antibodies designed for those antigens. Antigen-antibody reactions are visualized through various methods under a microscope. When this technique is applied to individual cells or involves labeling at the electron microscopic level (using the immunogold technique), it is called immunocytochemistry (ICC). The overall process of performing immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry is known as ‘immunolabeling.’
Basic Principle of Immunohistochemistry
Antibodies are crucial in triggering an immune response by precisely recognizing and binding to foreign molecules. This specific interaction between an antibody and an antigen leads to the formation of an antibodyantigen complex, which is fundamental to immune reactions. This principle forms the cornerstone of immunohistochemistry.

The analysis of community mobilization in natural farming requires a systematic framework that captures the complex dynamics of agricultural transformation, social change, and community empowerment. This framework serves as a lens through which to examine successful cases of natural farming adoption while identifying the critical factors that enable communities to transition from conventional agriculture to sustainable practices. Understanding these dynamics is essential for replicating successful models and scaling natural farming initiatives across diverse contexts and geographies. Contextual analysis forms the foundation of any case study framework, requiring comprehensive understanding of the social, economic, environmental, and political conditions that influence community receptivity to natural farming practices. This includes examination of agricultural history, farming traditions, economic pressures, environmental challenges, and existing social structures that shape how communities respond to new agricultural app

Summary

This chapter looks at the various approaches available to the farmer for the management of soil fertility. In general there are four approaches, namely, physical, biological and chemical approaches as well as the cropping systems or agronomic approach.This chapter discusses three approaches, physical, biological and cropping system or agronomic approaches. Chemical approach has been treated in chapter 7 of this book. Inoculation is an important technique in legume production. This chapter also looks at inoculation and how it is done.

Synonyms : Bang’s disease, Contagious abortion, Infectious abortion, Enzootic abortion, Undulant fever, Malta fever, Mediterranean fever

Brucellosis, one of the most ancient diseases,  continues to be a problem for humans and animals throughout the world causing enormous economic losses and significant human morbidity in endemic areas. The bacterial pathogen is classified by the CDC as a category B pathogen that has the potential for development as a bioweapon. It is one of the important zoonotic disease and considered  as the most common laboratory acquired pathogen with >5 lakh human cases reported  annually  around the world. Brucellosis is a chronic infection which can result in infertility, delayed heat, interrupted lactation, loss of calves, wool, meat and milk production in animals and undulant fever in humans.

The requirements for a given nutrient is the minimum quantity of that nutrient that will maintain normal growth and reproduction, when all other nutrients are supplied in adequate quantities and at the same time, prevent the development of symptoms of nutritional deficiency.
 
The accurate way to express the nutrient requirements is in amount per day per animal. Poultry are fed in groups and hence, it is not practicable to express the requirements in amounts per day per animal. So, they are expressed in relation to energy content of the diet as poultry eats within limits to satisfy their energy needs. However, the estimation of energy content of the diet is not possible on routine basis and the calculated values may very much from estimated values. Because of these difficulties, the nutrient requirements of poultry are expressed on unit weight basis. 

ABSTRACT

With the increasing use of ground water for various activities, the fast decline in groundwater takes place. In order to prevent the aquifers from fast depletion, the ground water recharge is necessary. This study attempts to identify the favourable areas for groundwater recharge and suggest suitable recharge structures toaugment the aquifer system of the study area using Remote Sensing and GIS. The various thematic maps such as Geomorphology, Geology and lineaments, Soil, Slope, Land use, Drainage, Runoff, Depth to weathered zone, Groundwater level fluctuation and Water quality are used in the analysis. The favourable areas for groundwater recharge have been categorized into highly favourable, moderately favourable, less favourable and poor. To delineate areas favourable for recharge zone various themes are interpreted. The identification of ground water recharge zones for the study area is useful for improvement of water quality, quantity and better augmentation & management of Groundwater recharge.

Ornamental pot plants should be potted in small pots according to the size of the plants. Any kind of pot/container which can hold medium and provide aeration is suitable. The most common container is the plastic or clay pots. Plastic pots should be preferred because it retains moisture longer than mud pots. Plants should not be disturbed frequently and re-potting done only when absolutely necessary.

Potting media

Different types of growing media may be used for ornamental pot plant cultivation, but it is crucial that it must retain a certain amount of moisture and be well draining. Different plants require different substrate in which they would thrive. Conditions of the plant experiences in nature should think before choosing the media. Tropical plants require more water naturally compare to subtropical and temperate ones. For irrigating with sprinkling can or hose, it is better to use materials that drain well and decompose slowly while for drip irrigation heavy potting material should be used. The most important thing is to match watering habits to the potting material. Growing conditions play a most significant role in deciding on a medium. If there is no problem in providing a constantly humid environment due to climate or if growing in a greenhouse, the moisture retention on thepart of media is less of a concern. Ambient temperatures play a role here, as well, as warmer temperatures tend to increase the evaporation of water and along with the drying rate of the medium. The personal tendencies and how much time might be spending to water plants is another significant factor in choosing a medium. The combination of potting materials that will work best for garden plants mainly on Plant structure and root structures:

Introduction

Leadership as such has a broad connotation per se. It is an interesting social phenomenon. It could be stated that leadership is a part of the power structure and any form of group life can be traced back to some form of leadership. Stogdill (1950) said that the word “leader” originated back in the 1300s and the word “leadership” in the 1800s (Muhammad and Sameen, 2019). Different authors have given different definitions and outlooks at different times. “There are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept” (Bass, 1990).