eChapters

Abstract

In view of the fast depletion of ground water reserves, uncertainty of rains and growing food demands due to human population explosion, efficient use of water available for crops has become highly relevant. In recent years, the use of superabsorbent polymers (saps) has been viewed as an innovative tool to improve water use efficiency in agricultural operations. Pusa Hydrogel, an indigenous superabsorbent hydrogel technology, has been developed for improving water use efficiency of agricultural and horticultural crops. They can absorb a minimum of 400 times of their dry weight of pure water and gradually release it according to the needs of the crop plant. So, it is used as soil moisture conservator and reduces number of irrigation. Because of their neutral ph, they do not affect nutrient availability, soil chemical composition, action of other agro chemicals, viz. fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc. Pusa hydrogels are found to improve the physical properties of soils. Increase in porosity results in improvement in seed germination and rate of seedling emergence, root growth and density, and reduced soil erosion due to reduction in soil compaction. It also increases biological/microbial activities in the soil, which increase oxygen/air and nutrient availability in root zone of the plant. So, ultimately it is helpful for increasing crop productivity. 

HOUSING

Dogs are kept in cages and they are tied with a chain in one corner of the house or left free in the house → but hair falling will be seen throughout → allergy.

House in wire mesh all round and wooden flooring → gives warmth to animal. Roof can be made of asbestos sheet.

Cage → 2 ft LX 3 ft BX4 ft H. This should be kept in a cool place.

With cement covering all round with mesh door asbestos roofing.

Dog is always chained. This should be long enough and strong enough to withstand pulling of animal. Along with this collar is provided with strong buckles.

Docile animals can be left free in the house → Pomerian, Dash hound, Dobberman should be chained.

Petting too much leads to transmission of diseases → parasite and allergy.

Aim

To design a belt conveying system

Theory

The design of belt conveying system is based on available space, horizontal conveying length, conveying lift, characteristics of the materials to be conveyed and capacity requirement.

On the basis of overall requirement and information, the belt width, belt speed, required horsepower, maximum belt tension and breaking strength of the belt, diameter of the pulleys and idlers and quantity of belt (thickness) are determined to design a belt conveyor (Fig.32.1).

1.0. Objectives

• To demonstrate meaning, definition, importance, essentials of the précis writing
• To impart the technique how to write the essence of texts
• To make readers develop an objective approach

2.0 Precise

“Precise may be defined as a concise and clear statement embodying in a connected and readable shape the substance of a longer passage.”

The word “Precis” is a French term PRECISE which means summary. Thus it conveys the brief statement of the longer texts.

3.0 How to Write a Precise

It is difficult to define ‘stress’ precisely. In engineering and the physical sciences, it is usually defined as the force applied per unit area. But as far as in biology, stress it is usually described more loosely as any factor that disturbs normal functioning of an organism. Any environmental factor potentially unfavorable to plant is termed as stress.

The effect of stress on plant condition is called strain. Stress is the action, whereas strain is the reaction. Stress may be defined as external conditions that adversely affect growth, development and productivity. Stress may further classified as:

• Zero stress: This is the level of exposure of plants to environmental factors that leads to neither injury nor reduction in growth and yield of crops.
• Stress escape: Capacity of the plant to complete its life cycle during wet season before onset of stress.

Farming-based livelihood systems are complex and variable, influenced by a wide range of factors that can pose risks to agricultural production and the well-being of farming communities. Here are some key risk factors:
Environmental Risks
1. Climate Change: Increased temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events (droughts, floods, hurricanes) can dramatically affect crop yields and livestock health.
2. Soil Degradation: Erosion, loss of soil fertility, and contamination can reduce agricultural productivity over time.
3. Water Availability: Both the scarcity and pollution of water sources can impact irrigation and livestock, leading to reduced yields and livestock health.
4. Pest and Disease Outbreaks: Invasive insects, diseases in crops or livestock, and a lack of pest management practices can threaten production.
Economic Risks
1. Market Fluctuations: Volatility in prices for crops and livestock can affect farmers’ income stability. Dependence on a single crop can exacerbate risks.
2. Access to Credit: Limited access to financial services can hinder the ability to invest in necessary inputs or recover from crop failures.
3. Rising Input Costs: Increases in costs for seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery can affect profit margins.
4. Trade Barriers: Changes in policy, tariffs, and trade agreements can affect market access and profitability.

1. Introduction

Atalantia monophylla (L.) DC. is a small tree belonging to the family Rutaceae; resembles Citrus in general aspects and is considered a close wild relative of Citrus. The species is commonly called as wild lime, in Malayalam it is called as Kattunaragam and in Tamil Katuuelumichai. A. monophylla is used in Ayurveda, Folk and Siddha systems of medicine. It is used for the treatment of rheumatoid pain and glandular swelling (Sankaranarayan et al., 2010). The root is believed to be antispasmodic (Kiritikar and Basu, 1999), the leaves are often applied for itching and other skin complaints (Panda, 2004) and acridone alkaloids isolated from roots were reported to have anti-allergic activity (Chukaew et al., 2008). The chloroform extract of leaves has shown antiviral activity (Chansakaow et al., 1996). Besides its medicinal value A. monophylla leaves are used as flavoring agent, berries are used for making pickles, juice of berries are used for dyeing purpose and wood as timber. It is also useful as a rootstock for breeding new cultivars of Citrus Linn. (Guha Bakshi et al., 1999). This species has high medicinal value and the natural population is under threat due to habitat destruction, use of wood as firewood, collection of fruits for making pickles and harvesting of leaves, roots for medicinal purposes by the local communities. Hence there is a need for developing an appropriate conservation strategy for this species.

What is Nursery?

Nursery is a place, where seedlings, samplings, trees and other plant material are grown and maintained until they are planted in permanent place. Setting up of a horticultural nursery is a long term venture and needs proper planning for good return.

Establishment of Nursery

To be a viable venture, the nursery should be established in such an area where cultivation of fruit crops is on sizeable area and there is need for a nursery, having demand for saplings. In such area/region, following considerations need to be observed for selecting an appropriate location.

A sample is just a part of a population selected according to some rule or plan. Following are some of the methods of sampling.

1. Simple Random Sampling

The simplest and the most commonly used type of probability sampling is simple random sampling. In this kind of sampling, each member of the population has the same probability of being included in the sample. Simple random sampling may be with or without replacement.

The disease i s seen at all crop growing stages. The fi rst symptoms appear at the time of emergence of seedlings, when the cotyledons are attacked. They become yellow and turn brown followed by wilting and drying of the affected seedlings. In the fi eld, the wilting symptoms appear in patches. First of all, the older leaves become yellow, loose their turgidity, wilt, turn brown and droop.

Introduction

Microbes like all other living beings require suitable nutrients as well as favourable environment like pH, osmotic pressure, temperature, humidity etc. for growth. The substrate/food base which fulfills any of these requirements and supports the growth of an organism is called culture medium. Selection of a medium to grow a particular type of microorganism is extremely important, as the microbes vary in their nutritional requirements. Thus, different media are used for different groups of microbes. The following are the main types of media:

a) Natural/Empirical media: These are made up of natural substrates, such as herbaceous or woody stems, seeds, leaves, corn meal, wheat germ, and oatmeal etc.The exact chemical composition of this media is not known. e.g. Nutrient agar

b) Semi-synthetic media: 

Introduction

The Arecanut palm is cultivated primarily for its kernel obtained from the fruit, which is chewed when it is tender, ripe or processed. Despite being native to the Malayan Archipelago, the Philippines, and other East Indian Islands.Only in India is it under scientific cultivation. India is the world’s largest producer of arecanut, contributing nearly 74 % of world production. India is the world’s largest consumer of arecanut (accounting to 89 % of world production). Other uses for arecanut other than chewing are negligible. Its export prospects are also very limited. Therefore, the present policy is not to expand the area under arecanut but to adopt intensive cultivation and take up replanting of the aged and unproductive gardens. Inter and mixed cropping in arecanut gardens is advocated to augment the income from the existing arecanut groves. Alkaloids present in arecanut, Arecoline is the main and physiologically most active alkaloid present to an extent of 0.07 to 0.1 per cent.

Fungus is member of group of eukaryotic organisms that includes yeasts and molds. The fungi are heterotrophs and they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules by secreting digestive enzyme in the environment. It is present in common place in the environment and some are normal inhabitants of the skin, gastrointestinal tract and other mucous membrane surfaces. Generally if birds immunity is intact and fully operational then it will overcome the fungal infection in most situations, In case of compromised immune system it will cause development of serious infections. Paramount to properly managing fungal infections in avian species is the ability to recognize infection early in the course of disease, to administer appropriate antifungal medications for the location and severity of infection, and to continually assess a patient’s response to therapy.

Farming-based livelihood systems can be influenced by a variety of risk and success factors. Understanding these can help farmers and policymakers develop strategies to enhance sustainability and resilience in agricultural
communities. Here are key points outlining both risk and success factors.
Risk Factors
1. Climate Change and Weather Variability:
• Unpredictable weather patterns, droughts, floods, and shifting growing seasons can adversely affect crop yields.
2. Market Fluctuations
• Price volatility for agricultural products can impact income stability. Changes in demand and supply dynamics can also affect profitability.
3. Pest and Disease Outbreaks
• Infestations of pests or diseases can lead to significant crop losses and increased costs for farmers.
4. Access to Resources
• Limited access to land, water, credit, and agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, equipment) can hinder productivity.
5. Soil Degradation
• Poor soil health due to overuse of chemicals, erosion, or unsustainable farming practices can reduce agricultural output.

1 Broilers

The broilers are also called young meat chickens; generally attend a body weight of 2 kg at 35-38 days of age with a feed conversion of 1.5-1.8. This improvement in growth is equivalent to reduction of market age by one day per year. This fast growth is possible due to intense feeding good quality feed & growth promoters in less space. However, this type of rearing has challenges many welfare issues in broiler farming.

Early passage cell lines are relatively unstable and go through a period of adaptation to culture. However, between 5^th and 35^th generation (human diploid fibroblasts), the culture is fairly consistent although it varies from one cell to another cell. Finite cell lines should be preserved after adaptation but before senescence (getting older). Cells should be preserved to protect cell line instability, availability in case of contamination, incubator failure or accidental loss.

Objective: To separate protein fragments by using SDS-PAGE method.

Background information

Electrophoresis is the motion of dispersed particles relative to a fluid under the effect of limited uniform field of electricity (Dukhin, and Derjaguin, 1974). Ferdin and Frederic Reuss (Reuss, 1809) first time observed such phenomena of electrokinetic nature in 1807. They found that the clay particles move in the water by giving constant supply of current. It happened due to interface of charged particles surface and the surrounding media. The technique is used widely in chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology to separate different molecules based on difference in charge, binding affinity and size. Electrophoresis may be of two types viz., Anaphoresis and Cataphoresis. Anaphoresis is the electrophoresis of anions (-ve charged ions) while, Cataphoresis is electrophoresis of cations (+ve charged ions). Electrophoresis is a major analytical technique in biochemistry that is used for separation of macromolecules like protein, enzymes and nucleic acids. Electrophoresis is a technique used in laboratories in order to separate macromolecules based on size.

PAGE is abbreviated for Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that describes a technique widely used in biochemistry, forensics, genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology to separate biological macromolecules, usually proteins or nucleic acids, according to their electrophoretic mobility. Mobility is a function of the length, conformation and charge of the molecule.

Abstract 

A field investigation entitled, “Studies on growth and yield of aerobic rice in summer season under various moisture regimes and planting techniques in upland condition” was carried out at Regional Research Station, Gayeshpur, Nadia, West Bengal of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. The field experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications. The treatment consisted of three irrigation regimes in main plots viz., IW/CPE =1.0, IW/CPE =1.5 and IW/CPE = 2.0 and four treatments on planting techniques in sub plots viz., P1: Sprouted seeds, P2: Non-sprouted seed, P3: Soaking seeds overnight (12 hrs), P4: Soaking seeds overnight (12 hrs) followed by shade drying.

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek). Some are responsible for color and other organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and the smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance, for example antioxidants, but are not established as essential nutrients. Scientists estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome. The potential of the phytochemicals have large scale pharmacological and biological activities such as antioxidant constituents (hydrolysable tannins, phenolic acid and flavonoids) of the plant materials for the care of health and protection from coronary heart diseases, cancer, anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic effects. Varieties of herbaceous vegetables are protective against various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. These herbaceous plants and species are harmless sources for obtaining natural antioxidants. Antioxidant constituents can delay or inhibit the oxidation of lipids and other compounds by inhibiting the propagation of oxidation chain reaction (Hussain et al., 2011)

Primarily, antioxidant effect is due to phenolic compounds such as phenolic acid, flavonoids and phenolic diterpenes and their mode of action for antioxidant compounds is due to its redox reaction properties which can absorb and neutralize free radicals by quenching singlet and triplet oxygen. Vitamins are organic substances necessary for metabolism. Human diet does not always contain the required amount of vitamins for the normal growth and maintenance of the body function and as such cannot produce enough quantity for their body metabolism, so it can be obtained from fruits, vegetables and foods. Deficiency of vitamins can cause serious human health diseases and sometimes, very small concentrations are required for maintenance of good human health.