eChapters

Abstract

Deduction of overindulgence fluoride (F)  from the water has been endeavor by numerous investigators by using different materials both natural and artificial. The objective of this paper was to attempt the fluoride removal by using the locally available natural materials such as red soil, untreated charcoal, local powdered brick, fly-ash from Neyveli (thermal power plant) and mineral serpentine were used, adopting column method. Maximum defluoridation occurs immediately after the experiment has started. The morality of fluoride removed per gram is more in red soil when compared to the other materials. Variation of fluoride removal with time was studied after the erection of the column /unit, the defluoridation setup was then connected to the public water supply from the overhead tank of 50,000L capacity. Higher F removal was noted when flow rate was lesser. An attempt on the regeneration of the fluoride adsorbed soil was also made.

ABSTRACT

Hydrogeochemistry of a region is a reflection of hydrodynamic process, composition of lithology and physical constraints. The water chemistry is the resultant of all biogeochemical processes and reactions, which have acted on water from the moment it has condensed in atmosphere till the time it is discharged. A case study has been carried out in a varied lithological terrain with Archean, Alluvium and Tertiary rocks to unravel the hydrogeochemical process. A geochemical model relays the distribution of mineral species in the groundwater. Geochemical modeling WATEQ4F has been carried out for pre-monsoon and monsoon period of various litho units in Gadilam river basin, Tamilnadu to find out the disequilibrium indices of carbonate (calcite, dolomite, magnesite and aragonite) and sulfate minerals (anhydrite and gypsum). The result of the model reveals that carbonate minerals show the over saturation state in monsoon period and the Sulfate minerals exhibit under saturation state in both the seasons.

Introduction

For capacity building of farming community, training plays a vital role. It helps in enriching the knowledge along with enhancement of essential skill required in performing certain practices in a specific crop cultivation. The skills required by a coconut cultivator need to be supplemented with additional skills in order to increase the yield of nuts. Government provide better support to the coconut growing farmers to improve their income, to reduce the risk involved in cultivation, implementation of quality agricultural practices and f inally enhancing the income of coconut grower in business mode. Training is a source of information, advice and influence in the decision making process. Training helps in enhancement of knowledge, improvement of skill, interaction with experts and to build confidence. Keeping this in view, the present study was conducted to know the training need areas of coconut growers in Gop block of Puri district of the state of Odisha.

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.

Environmental sustainability is pursued through various means such as ecosystem preservation, collaborative resource management, reducing food waste, advocating plant-based diets, managing fertility rates to curb population growth, and transitioning away from fossil fuels towards clean energy and innovative green technologies.

ABSTRACT

An Expert System also called a Knowledge Based System is a computer program designed to simulate the problem-solving behavior of an expert in a narrow domain or discipline. In agriculture, expert systems unite the accumulated expertise of individual disciplines, e.g., plant pathology, entomology, horticulture and agricultural meteorology, into a framework that best addresses the specific, on-site needs of farmers. Expert systems combine the experimental and experiential knowledge with the intuitive reasoning skills of a multitude of specialists to aid farmers in making the best decisions for their crops. The various expert systems were developed since evolution of Artificial Intelligence. This paper compares the availability of various expert systems in agriculture for last 30 years.

Introduction

Agricultural production has evolved into a complex business requiring the accumulation and integration of knowledge and information from many diverse sources. In order to remain competitive, the modern farmer often relies on agricultural specialists and advisors to provide information for decision making. Unfortunately, agricultural specialist assistance is not always available when the farmer needs it. In order to alleviate this problem, expert systems were identified as a powerful tool with extensive potential in agriculture.

INTRODUCTION

Libraries are undergoing rapid changes due to the developments in Information Communication Technology (ICT). Paper based resources are giving way to electronic resources. The dynamic linking capability of web has provided users unrestricted access to information. ICT has brought massive changes in distance mode of education. ICT has helped to introduce many virtual universities in the world, which are operated through Internet and other telecommunication technologies. The e-learning library should organize and present the e-learning resources and services in a way that help users to locate and retrieve materials needed efficiently.

At present e-portals of various organizations come across as gateway for the websites that aggregates information from variety of sources, providing access to information network and set of services through the web. For examples the libraries of National Research Centers of India, Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM). The approach of learning of these institutes doesn’t mean composed, organized and packaged e-information resources in a blogging pattern but it is comprehensive and fully accessible to the user as reader and writer. Undoubtedly, a study of e-library environment of these institutes immensely helps us in evaluate the potential of proliferation of digitalization of libraries in India.

Abstract

A survey of various wheat milling units (atta chakki) available around Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi was conducted to study the performance of these. The mills of various sizes (12", 16", 18", 20", 24" and 30" stone disc diameter) with horsepower ranging between 2 to 20 are in operation. Both horizontal and vertical disc types of mills are in use. The capacity of these units ranges between 10 kg/h to 200 kg/h. The stationary sieve, hand sieve, pedestal/exhaust fan are used for cleaning. The average wheat cleaning cost is Rs. 200 per ton. A small room of 8' x 10', 10' x 10' and 10' x 12' size is used for running the mills and storage of wheat grains. The grinding charges (Rs./q) of wheat, coarse grains (maize, sorghum, millet etc) and spices are 100, 200 and 1000, respectively. Sample of 500 g of wheat and flour were collected from each chakki and were analysed for wheat grain and flour quality. Infested, damaged grains were observed to be in 2-10% range. Sieve analysis of the flour was done and the average particle size, fineness modulus and uniformity index of the flour were calculated. Average particle size, fineness modulus and uniformity index were found in the range 0.1875 to 0.2023 mm, 1.052 to 1.297 and 0:1:9, respectively. Average particle size of the flour obtained from horizontal mills was found to be higher than vertical mills. Temperature of the flour at the outlet was observed in between 45 and 50°C at room temperature of 18.5°C.

Introduction

The phrase “sustainable” has been used so much in recent years-and frequently so imprecisely—that for many people, it has become meaningless or confused, more of a rhetorical chant than a source of useful advice. Lester Brown, the founder of the World Watch Institute, defined a sustainable society as one that can meet its requirements without compromising the opportunities for future generations. This definition is the one that we come across most frequently. Brown wrote this description in the early 1980s. The Brundtland Report, a 1987 United Nations report, addressed this issue and defined sustainable development as development that satisfies present demands without jeopardising the ability of future generations to satiate their own. Despite their obvious limitations speaking simply of human wants, for example, without reference to the natural world-these are significant moral exhortations. They do serve as a helpful reminder that it is our duty to provide our kids and grandkids with an equally abundant planet as we did, but they offer no guidance on how to truly create a sustainable society. When air, water, and minerals interact with living things to fill a specific region, it is referred to as an ecosystem (Tansley, 1935). This word was first used in 1935. Before then, the main goals of land management had been to provide a single item, like food or lumber, or to conserve a single, iconic species.

Introduction

Time series analysis is a powerful tool for detecting and describing sequential processes, and it has become increasingly important in water resource management, especially in the context of global warming and climate change. Statistical methods have been widely used for analyzing climatological time series, such as precipitation, air temperature, and evapotranspiration, and hydrological time series, such as streamflow and surface water quality. However, most of the linear time series models depend on strict assumptions, such as homogeneity, trend-freeness, stationarity, non-periodicity, and lack of persistence, which are often violated in real-world datasets. Therefore, there is a need to develop new models that are more flexible and can accommodate different types of data (Machiwal & Jha, 2006).

One of the most popular and widely used classical time series models is the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model, which has linear statistical properties and can be built using the Box-Jenkins methodology (Box and Jenkins, 1970). This model adoption is important for hydrological analysis because it can help in accurately characterizing and predicting the behavior of hydrological time series data. ARIMA models can capture complex patterns and trends in the data and can be used to forecast future values of the time series. This can help in better understanding the underlying processes that drive hydrological variability, such as changes in precipitation patterns or land use. Furthermore, hydrological data often exhibit seasonality and long-term trends, which can be accounted for in ARIMA modeling. ARIMA models can also be used for anomaly detection, identifying unusual events that may have significant impacts on water resources. Overall, ARIMA modeling provides a f lexible and powerful framework for analyzing and forecasting hydrological time series, which is essential for effective water resource management in the face of changing environmental conditions.

Introduction

The sacred chank, scientifically known as Turbinella pyrum (Xancus Pyrum - Linnaeus, 1758), is an extraordinary marine mollusk found in the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean and surrounding areas. Revered for its captivating beauty and symbolic significance, this large sea snail holds a prominent place in the rich tapestry of Indian culture and religious traditions. Devotional side and stories of sacred chank Turbinella pyrum is not new to Indian culture. It is as significant from a biodiversity standpoint as it is from a cultural perspective. 

Dr. Chauhan, a renowned figure in the field of veterinary science, has left an indelible mark on the discipline through his groundbreaking research, innovative teaching, and unwavering dedication to the advancement of animal health and welfare. Over the years, his exceptional contributions have earned him a multitude of prestigious awards, medals, and honors, making him a luminary in his field.
His illustrious career began to gain recognition with the Best Young Scientist Award in 1992by Indian Association of Veterinary Pathologists, an acknowledgment of his potential and early contributions to veterinary science in general and Veterinary Pathology in particular. This award marked the start of a journey filled with accolades that would underscore his relentless pursuit of excellence. Four years later, in 1996, he was honored with the IAAVR Award, further solidifying his position as a promising researcher and academic.
By 1999, Dr. Chauhan’s expertise and dedication had earned him the National Fellow Professor chair of ICAR, a prestigious recognition that highlighted his growing influence in veterinary research. Around the same time, he was conferred the title of Fellow NAVS (2000) and Fellow SIIP (2001), reflecting his significant contributions to national and international veterinary organizations. These fellowships were a testament to his role in advancing scientific understanding and his collaborative efforts within the veterinary community.
Dr. Chauhan’s profound impact on the field was also recognized with several specialized awards, including the K.S. Nair Memorial Award in 1999, the Vigyan Bharti Award in 2000, and the Dr. C.M. Singh Trust Award in 2002. These honors celebrated his ability to merge academic rigor with practical applications, benefiting both the academic community and the agricultural
sector. Similarly, the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award (2002) and the Shri Ramlal Agrawal National Award (2000) underscored his contributions to veterinary science in India.

Introduction

The study of spatiotemporal time series forecasting has gained significant attention in recent years, as it involves analyzing records of events that occur over both space and time. Spatiotemporal models group time- and location-specific discrete variables and are used in various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, meteorology, economics, disease mapping, sociology, environmental sciences, and ecology. However, the popular Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) (Box and Jenkins, 1970) model has two major flaws: it assumes linearity, which is not always the case in time series data that may exhibit nonlinear interactions, and it is a univariate model that cannot capture spatial linkages. Hence, when investigating time series data that are not perfectly linear and involve spatial correlation, the ARIMA model should not be used. Other multivariate time series models like VARMA have also been used to represent spatiotemporal data. However, VARMA models require more parameters, and the STARMA model introduced by Cliff and Ord has fewer parameters (Cliff and Ord, 1975). In previous literatures, the STARMA model was commonly used for modeling different spatiotemporal time series data (Kamarianakis, 2003). The STARMA model was previously employed to forecast the spatiotemporal data in different fields such as economics, disease mapping, climate modeling, agriculture, etc. (Pfeifer and Bodily, 1990; Lee, 2005; Rathod et al., 2018; Saha et al., 2020 and Rathod et al., 2021).

Objectives

1. To identify the morphological character of different spices and condiments.
2. To know the best variety of particular crop in that region.
3. To know the problems which are the main drawback of that region in the cultivation of spices and condiments.
4. To know the feedback of farmers.

General information of Institute

1. Name of Institute:
2. Address of the Institute:
3. Establishment year of the institute:
4. Director of the Institute:
5. Total area of the Institute:
6. Climatic condition of Institute:

Abstract

Soil quality assessment has been recognized as an important step towards understanding the long term effects of land management practices within agricultural watersheds. Potential soil quality issues include continued high rates of erosion, losses of organic matter, reductions in soil fertility and productivity, as well as chemical and heavy metal contamination. This case study addressed the spatial variability of soil properties and its quality at the watershed level using geostatistical methods. Soil samples from the 0- to 20-cm depth were collected on a 100- by 100-m grid across an 88-ha watershed at Sakaliseripalli village in the Nalgonda District in Andhra Pradesh State, India. Geostatistical analysis showed that most of the soil parameters were moderately spatially dependent. An assessment framework, that included a minimum data set, linear scoring technique, and additive indices, was used to evaluate the soil quality index (SQI). Through principal component analysis, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable Na percentage, DTPA-extractable Zn, available P, available water, and dehydrogenase activity have been emerged as the most important indicators for evaluating soil quality. A kriged map of SQI was prepared for the watershed. The SQI was found to be higher in irrigated systems than under rainfed conditions. In the study, potential soil loss calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation and crop yield were identified as the quantifiable management goals; the results indicated that soils having higher soil quality indices were more productive and less erosion prone.

Keyword : Principal Component analysis, SQI, Watershed, Geostatistics, Potential soil loss

Accidental sampling: Accidental sampling as quota sampling is based upon the convenience in accessing sampling population. While quota sampling attempts comprise people possessing an obvious/visible characteristic, accidental sampling makes no such effort. Any person that comes across can be contacted for participation in the study. Collecting data are stopped when reaching the required number of respondents decided to have in the sample.

Abelia grandifolia Villarreal (Caprifoliaceae): Eng.- Glossy Abelia; Kash.– Abeel [NI]. A vigorous, arching, medium sized semi-evergreen shrub commonly grown in gardens for hedging. Leaves ovate, short petioled, entire, dark glossy-green. Flowers born in axillary cymes and terminal panicles, slightly fragrant, produced over a long period from June to October; sepals 2-5; corolla funnel form, white tinged pale- pink.

Abnormal milk: It is milk that is not smooth and homogenous but is flaky, ropy, stringy, slimy, watery, discoloured or bad flavoured (Plate 1 & 2).

Abrassive peeler: It is equipment comprising a rotating drum lined with carborandum (an abrasive material) in which certain vegetables like potato and ginger are tumbled and exposed to the abrasive action of the carborandum lining, thereby facilitating separation of peel from the vegetables (Plate 3).

Absinthe: It is green liqueur which is flavored with wormwood, anise, and other aromatic herbs (Plate 4). Its commercial production is banned in ma ny countries for health concerns.

Absolute alcohol: It is water free alcohol. It contains atleast 99 per cent pure alcohol by weight and obtained by digesting rectified spirit over quicklime and redistilling the same.

Absolute density: It is the ratio of weight of certain volume of a substance at 1oC to that of weight of same volume of water at 4oC.

Absolute humidity: Absolute humidity is defined as kg of water vapour per kg of dry air at a given temperature and pressure. Absolute humidity is the mass of water vapour divided by the mass of dry air in a certain volume of air at a specific temperature. The warmer air absorbs more water than cooler one. Absolute humidity is the measure of water vapour or moisture in the air, regardless of temperature.

Absolute pressure: It is equal to atmospheric pressure minus vacuum pressure (Plate 5).

Absolute zero: It is a theoretical temperature characterized by complete absence of heat and motion and equivalent to exactly -273.15°C or -459.67°F (Plate 6).

Abiotic stress: Unfavourable situation created by non-living factors to the growth and development of plants. Factors include water, temperature, soluble salts, heavy metals, etc.

Abscissic acid (ABA): A plant hormone belongs to isoprenoid compounds. It is also known as stress hormone since it has relevance in stress tolerance in plants. Some of the physiological effects of ABA are closing of stomata, synthesis of osmolytes and seed dormancy.

Abscission layer: Distinct layer of cells with weakened cell walls in abscission zone.

Abscission zone: A region near the base of petiole of leaf which contain abscission layer.

Present work was undertaken to study the effect of doxycycline and doramectin inmale rats. Following exposure to doxycycline hyclate orally for 28 days at dose rate of 10,16.50 and 33 mg/kg, rats of any doxycycline treated groups did not show any clinicalsigns, mortality or abnormal behaviour. Percent body weight gain was significantlyreduced in rats of group treated with doxycycline (16.50 and 33 mg/kg). A significantincrease in relative weight of left and right testes was found in rats exposed to doxycycline(33 mg/kg). Doxycycline did not produce any change in haematological parameters in ratsof doxycycline treated groups. Blood glucose level, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol andBUN levels was significantly increased in rats of group exposed to doxycycline (33mg/kg). Rats of group treated with doxycycline (16.50 mg/ kg) exhibited a significantdecrease in blood HDL cholesterol level. Hepatic SOD level was significantly increased inrats of group treated with doxycycline (33 mg/kg).

Present study was undertaken to investigate the modulatory effect of Eucalyptus citriodora leaves extract and Cefixime on inflammatory biomarkers in experimentally induced endometritis in Wistar rats. Uterine discharge of clinical and subclinical endometritis cases having history of repeat breeding (43%) and abortion (57%) were found to have E. coli (60%) Staphyloccocus aureus (40%). Eucalyptus citriodora leaves methanolic extracts exhibited promising antibacterial activity against both clinical isolates as determined by disc diffusion method. Rat endometritic model was developed by inoculating the mixture of E. coli (1? 106)and Staphloccocus aureus (1? 108)in to uterine horns during diestrus stage followed by cervical ligation and the model was confirmed based on presence of visible pus in the uterus, edematous uterine horn, thinning of endometrial lining and presence of large number of polymorphonuclear cells and bacterial load in uterine flushing.