eChapters

Sun’s radiation corresponding to that of a black body temperature is
about
(A) 50000 K           (B) 60000 K
(C) 70000 K           (D) 140000 K

Introduction and History

Niger, Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass. [Asteraceae] is commonly known as nigerseed [English]; noug, guizotia oléifère [French]; verbesina da Índia, abisin, negrillo, ramtilla [Spanish]; ramtil, nigersaat [Dutch]; [Amharic];[Chinese]; Ram-til[Hindi]; Gurellu [Kannada]; Verri-nuvvulu (Telugu) Karalle[Marathi] and Jhusetil [Nepali] Niger’s other synonym is Guizotia oleifera DC., Polynya abyssinica L. f.

Niger (Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass.) is an oilseed crop cultivated in Ethiopia and India for its edible oil. Niger plant is originated in highlands of Northern Ethiopia (Weiss, 2000). The crop is reported to have been introduced into India from Ethiopia during around2000BC. The Ancient Agau people of Ethiopia had a well-developed agriculture, who traded with Egypt which facilitated the exchange by barter that included Niger too (Weiss, 2000). Currently, Niger is an important oilseed crop of Ethiopia. Ground niger seeds and chillies are the main components of the traditional stew known as wat of Ethiopia. Niger is the most important oilseed crop of Ethiopia contributing to 50% of the country’s oilseed production. Although the crop is grown throughout the country, the main production centres are Begemdir, Gojam and Welaga (Weiss, 2000). Since the Ethiopian government actively supports the oilseed industry, production was on steady increase till 1974. With the fall in the production post-civil war in 1974, most of the niger produced is consumed domestically and the exports got dwindled.

16.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the definition of plastic, its types and characteristics. For each type of plastic, its molecular structure, properties, advantages and disadvantages and applications are presented.
16.1.1 Origin of Plastic
Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization, a process that increased rubber’s elasticity and resilience, in 1839, which resulted with the discovery of plastic. One of the earliest known polymer combinations was the creation of Charles Goodyear. Celluloid, or Parkesine was discovered in 1855 by Alexander Parkes. This substance is a blend of cellulose nitrate and camphor/lime. Additionally, it was the first thermoplastic to become rigid when cold and flexible when heated. In the years that followed, several noteworthy discoveries were made, such as the separation of PVC in 1835 by the French physicist Victor Regnault, the invention of the first synthetic polymer (or industrial plastic) in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, and the introduction of transparent food packaging in 1900 by Edward Brandenberger.
16.1.2 Plastic and its Constituents
Plastic is a class of materials that is utilised in electronics, construction, medical equipment, packaging, etc., because of its extreme versatility. This synthetic or semi-synthetic material can be moulded using a variety of methods. It is created from petrochemicals or natural materials like cellulose or starch. The basic components are chemically altered to create polymers, which are lengthy sequences of molecules. Then, these polymers can be moulded using blow, extrusion, or injection moulding techniques to create a variety of shapes. Another name for some plastics is resins. Based on their chemical makeup, plastics can be divided into two primary categories, viz. thermoplastic and thermoset/ thermosetting plastic. The thermoplastics can be moulded, melted, and remoulded repeatedly. Thermoset/ thermosetting plastic cannot be heated again. Polymers come in a variety of forms, both synthetic and natural. Among the materials most frequently used in the creation of plastic are coal, natural gas, cellulose, starch, crude oil, and salt. Plastics are mostly made by two processes that call for certain

Nitrate - Nitrite Poisoning
Sources
Accidental ingestion/grazing of Plants which are Nitrate accumulators 

The Enigmatic Monsoons - Welcome to a fascinating exploration of one of Earth’s most powerful and life-giving atmospheric phenomena: the
Monsoons. More than just seasonal winds and rains, monsoons are intricate dance performances between land, sea, and atmosphere, shaping the climate, ecology, and very fabric of life across vast stretches of our planet, particularly the Indian subcontinent.
The word “monsoon” itself, derived from the Arabic word “mausim” meaning season, hints at the fundamental characteristic of these weather systems: a seasonal reversal of wind direction. This seemingly simple shift, however, unleashes dramatic transformations. Imagine landscapes parched and brown under the relentless summer sun suddenly bursting into vibrant green as lifesustaining rains arrive. Picture bustling cities and serene villages alike adapting their rhythms to the ebb and flow of the monsoon’s arrival and departure. This is the profound influence of the monsoons.
This chapter will delve deep into the heart of these dynamic systems. We will unravel the complex interplay of factors that lead to the birth, progression, and eventual retreat of monsoonal winds and the associated precipitation. We will journey through the scientific understanding of the mechanisms driving these large-scale atmospheric circulations, exploring the roles of differential heating of land and sea, the influence of global pressure belts, the impact of the majestic Himalayas, and the intricate dynamics of atmospheric currents like the Jet Stream.
Beyond the scientific mechanics, we will also explore the profound impact of monsoons on the regions they dominate. For billions of people, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, the monsoon is not just weather; it is life itself. It dictates agricultural cycles, influences cultural traditions, and shapes economic activities. A good monsoon can bring prosperity, while a weak or erratic one can lead to hardship and even disaster.

Lilium is a popular genus of ornamental bulbous plants, belonging to family Liliaceae. Lilium is originated from a Greek word “li” meaning whiteness. It is an herbaceous perennial plant having scaly bulb. Despite the range of forms and their popularity as garden plants, there are two main groups of commercial importance as cut flowers i.e. Asiatic and Oriental Hybrids. They are the result of interspecific hybridization. However, intraspecific and interspecific hybridization face the hurdles like interspecific incompatibility, embryo abortion, degeneration of ovule, poor seed set and pollen sterility. There are several breeding methods and techniques which have been used to overcome these hurdles.

Key words : GPS, GIS, DSS, SDSS, RS, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Ground Water Exploration, Conjunctive Use of Surface and Ground Water, Digital Terrain Modeling (DTM).

Introduction

Water is one of the most precious gifts of nature to living beings and particularly to the mankind. On account of erratic distribution of rainfall both in time and space, the country is subjected to cycles of floods and droughts. With the increase in demand for water for various purposes and to mitigate the twin problems of floods and droughts faced by the country, a coordinated approach for optimum utilization and proper management of this precious resource is of prime importance. In addition, proper development and management of both irrigation and drainage systems are essential. This would require integrated management of surface water as well as gorund water. All the water related problems whether mitigating droughts or floods or better irrigation management practices, dictate for adoption of state of the art water management practices. Water management deals with the control, distribution and allocation of water flows and the treatment of rivers and catchments, consequently, solutions to many of the problems in water management require the knowledge and expertise from diverse sources.

Q. 1 In which of the following tractor components, the speed reduction takes place? 
(A) Gear box        (B) Differential
(C) Final drive       (D) All of the above

1. Tea require months from plantation to reach plucking is:
    (a)    18-20     (b)    22-24     
    (c)    36-40     (d)    30-34
2. Fruit of coffee is:
    (a)    Pome     (b)    Drupe     
    (c)    Berry     (d)    Aggregate

Preliminaries and Test Based on N. P. Lemma
    
More on Testing of Hypothesis

Introduction

Entrepreneurship has a significant impact on the country’s economic growth and standard of living. As a start-up founder or small business owner, the person contributes not only towards oneself but also towards the local community, state, region, and country. Starting a new venture requires resources and facilities. Small scale enterprises generally find it difficult to have these resources and facilities of their own. Adequate finance is life and blood to start and run enterprises as it facilitates an entrepreneur to have enough funds to procure land, labour, materials, plant, machinery etc. Recognizing it, the government has come forward to support small entrepreneurs by providing them funds and other needed facilities.

6.1 Introduction
Our journey through remote sensing has, thus far, focused on the remarkable capabilities of various platforms and sensors to observe Earth’s atmosphere and surface. From the localized, high-resolution insights provided by groundbased instruments like Wind Profilers and SODARs, to the expansive, global coverage offered by an array of satellite-borne imagers, sounders, radars, and lidars, we’ve seen how a continuous stream of invaluable meteorological data is acquired.
However, the mere act of collecting this data, no matter how sophisticated the technology or comprehensive the observations, represents only the initial phase of its lifecycle. The true power and utility of remote sensing data are unlocked only when it can be efficiently organized, securely preserved, and readily available to the diverse community of meteorologists, climate scientists, researchers, and operational forecasters who rely on it daily. This necessitates a profound understanding of the principles and practices governing data formats, data storage, and data access.
The sheer volume, velocity, and variety of remote sensing data pose significant challenges. Petabytes of information are generated annually, requiring robust infrastructure and standardized methodologies to ensure its integrity, interoperability, and long-term usability. Without effective strategies for managing this deluge of information, the potential of remote sensing to enhance weather prediction, advance climate science, and inform critical decision-making would remain largely untapped. 

The choice of packaging materials is fundamental to the effectiveness, sustainability, and appeal of food packaging. Different materials offer distinct properties and functionalities, from providing a secure barrier against contaminants to enhancing convenience for consumers. Packaging materials are categorized based on their characteristics, including flexibility, rigidity, and barrier capabilities, each suited for particular types of food products and storage conditions. In recent years, there has also been a shift toward more sustainable materials, such as biodegradable and recyclable options, reflecting growing environmental concerns and regulatory pressures. This chapter explores the various types of packaging materials used in the food industry, examining their benefits, limitations, and applications. By understanding the unique properties of each material, we can better appreciate how they contribute to the protection, preservation, and presentation of food products.

Marine shrimp farming is a century-old practice. Until a decade ago, this commodity was generally considered a secondary crop in traditional fish farming practices. Shrimp fry trapped in salt beds, coastal paddy fields, or brackish water fishponds are allowed to grow to marketable size and harvested as a secondary crop. However, in recent years when higher income are derived from the harvest of shrimp than the principal crop, many farmers have converted their rice fields, salt beds and fishponds into shrimp farms.

In the traditional farming system, the ponds are stocked with fry either collected from the wild or concentrated through tidal water entering the ponds. Shrimp production is inconsistent and varies from year to year due to the dependence on seasonal supply of fry from the wild. Pond yield is also low (100–300 kg/ha/ year) because of inefficient control of predators and competitors, full dependence on natural food and inadequate pond depth.

Some improvements of the traditional farming methods have been made in the past years. The stocking density of shrimp ponds can be increased through the concentration of fry by pumping more tidal water into the pond. Pond depth is increased to minimize fluctuations of environmental parameters. As a result, pond yield has correspondingly increased. However, the expansion of the shrimp farming industry is still restricted due to the inconsistency in fry supply.

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Miller, 2n = 2x = 24, also known as Solanum lycopersicum, Family Solanaceae) has been the leading vegetable crop globally. Tomato genome is composed of approximately 950 Mb of DNA, more than 75% of which is heterochromatin and largely devoid of genes. The global production of tomato in 2017 has been 182 million tons from 5 million ha area giving a productivity of 36.4 tons/ha. Top 10 countries in tomato production in descending order are China, India, Turkey, USA, Egypt, Iran, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Brazil. Tomato is planted almost throughout the year in different parts of India in an area of 8 lakh ha (0. 8 million ha) with production of 20.8 million tons giving a productivity of 26 ton/ha. Tomato area in India is almost 10% of total vegetable area. The states accounting for major tomato production in India are Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh.

Out of total area, about 78% is planted with F₁ hybrid seed while remaining 22% of the area still goes to open-pollinated varieties. The average productivity of tomato close to 26 tons/ha is still very low compared with the global productivity of 36.4 tons/ha. However, with the introduction of high performing and disease resistant hybrids, the productivity and production are continuously improving. Most of hybrid tomato seed (95 tons) is sold by the private seed companies. There are more than 375 tomato hybrids in the commercial chain in India produced and marketed by different companies. About 50 hybrids out of these 375 hybrids are being grown on more than 80% of the area under tomato in India. Leading companies in tomato hybrid seed segment are Seminis (Bayer), Syngenta, Rasi HyVeg, and Namdhari (NHB, 2015; Kapur, 2016).

1. Introduction

Fish forms an integral component of the Indian food basket and it is more so for the population living in the eastern and north eastern States of India. The eastern states of India include States such as West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. As per a current estimate of 2023 (https://www.indiacensus.net), approximately a population of 31.66 crore, i.e. 22.15% of the country’s total, live in these four States. Due to the suitable geographical terrain, these states have been bestowed upon a large number of riverine stretches, a large number of natural reservoirs of varied sizes, beels and floodplain wetlands, and a huge plain terrain supporting ponds and tank resources. Due to the very nature of the land and the popularity of fish among the populace, these eastern Indian states have also served as the main stage for the development of fisheries and aquaculture during the last centuries in the country. Further, many of the epoch making technologies for the development of fisheries in the inland waters as well as aquaculture in the ponds have originated from this region.

Appendix - 1:
Physical Properties of Seed – bed / Puddled Soil

Tillage is the process of getting the soil ready for planting and maintaining it loose and weed-free while the crop is growing.  The main goal and core function of tillage are broken down into three phases:

1. Creating a suitable seedbed,
2.  Eliminating weed competition, and
3.  Enhancing the physical quality of the soil.

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a native of Brazil and was introduced in India by the Portuguese during the16th Century. It is grown in India, Brazil, Vietnam, Tanzania, Mozambique,
Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other tropical Asian and African countries. The crop is grown within the latitudinal belt of 27°N and 28°S of the equator experiencing the tropical climates for its growth and development. It is categorised under one of the plantations along the West and East Coasts. To a limited extent cashew is cultivated in Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The crop is mostly grown in low and midlands along the West and East Coasts of India in sandy and laterite soils. Since it is mostly grown along the Coast across the Country it is also known as the Coastal Tree. Cashew grows along the West and East Coasts of India from South to North, lying between 09°N and 23oN latitudes. Though it grows beyond 23°N latitude, its production is relatively low as the reproductive phase coincides with cold injury/low temperature during
winter (December-February). Being a tropical coastal tree, it cannot thrive under low winter temperature. There is significant yield variation in cashew among the different agroclimatic zones of the country. Year-to-year yield variation is also significant as the crop is weather sensitive. This crop may come up even in waste lands with specific crop management practices along the West Coast and as a shelter belt and wind break along the East Coast.

The Coconut palm, also known as the Cocos Nucifera L., is one of the most fascinating and beautiful palms in the world. The coconut is believed to have originated in southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines) or Micronesia. Coconut has been cultivated in India since ages and plays an important role in social, economic and cultural activities of the people. The palm is amenable to both plantation and homestead management and it can be either a major crop or a minor one in a homestead garden of mixed crops. While responding favourably to scientific management, the palm also tolerates negligent farming to a certain extent. Thus, it can adapt to the divergent farming situations and management practices that are prevalent in different agro-climatic regions. The coconut palm is usually found near the sea on sandy beaches where it can tolerate salt spray and brackish soils. It is also grown under different soil types such as loamy, laterite, coastal sandy, alluvial, clayey and reclaimed soils of the marshy low lands. The ideal soil conditions for better growth and performance of the
palm are proper drainage, good water holding capacity, and presence of water table within three metres and absence of rock or any hard substratum within two meters of the surface. The coconut palm can also grow well inland, within altitudinal limit of 600 m to 1000 m in the Tropics. It requires an equatorial climate with high humidity. A year-round warm and humid climate favours thegrowth of coconut. The palm does not withstand prolonged spells of extreme weather/climate variations under rain fed conditions. A welldistributed rainfall of 1300–2300 mm per annum is preferred. It is known as a coastal tree since it is grown along the Coasts and Islands and does not tolerate high diurnal temperature range, that is the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures.

Abstract

Pulse combustors provide an advantageous superposition of unsteady gas flow and high intensity sound waves. Such a combination does not only accelerate drying rates because of increased heat and mass transfer but also allows processing of liquids, pastes and agglomerated solids in a dispersed state due to aerodynamic impact from the high intensity sound wave. Over last decades, applications of pulse combustion in drying have been exploited continuously and different pulse combustion dryers have been designed and fabricated. In pilot tests and technical reports on these dryers, short drying time, high energy efficiency and product quality are generally reported, which cause that pulse combustion drying is regarded as a technology of the future in convective drying.

This chapter attempt to introduce basic knowledge and state-of the art about this emerging technology and summarizes some recent studies in pulse combustion drying and equipment design. Following a concise description of pulse combustion and pulse combustor, the basic types of pulse-combustion dryers are presented, including spray dryers, fluidized bed dryers, impinging dryers, and dryers of special design. The existing commercial applications and pilot test projects are described and potential applications are identified.