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Exploitation of Grafting for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management in Vegetable Crops: A Review
No full textGrowing vegetables is often impacted by various abiotic and biotic stresses that can hinder growth and yield. Abiotic stresses, such as salinity, water stress, and temperature fluctuations, and biotic stresses, including diseases, pests, and nematodes, pose significant threats to agriculture. Grafting, a horticultural technique, offers a promising solution to overcome these challenges. In cases of salinity stress, grafting with salt-tolerant rootstocks can limit the transport of harmful ions to the shoot and help store them in the roots, mitigating ion toxicity. Water stress, including drought and water logging, can be addressed by grafting with drought-tolerant rootstocks, which can reduce yield losses and enhance photosynthesis under adverse water conditions. Grafting can also improve nutrient uptake, translocation of water, and osmoregulation, thereby assisting plants in surviving under water stress. High and low-temperature stresses, which can disrupt plant metabolism, membrane stability, and growth, can also be addressed through grafting. Grafted plants with temperature-tolerant rootstocks may indirectly enhance tolerance to extreme temperatures. Additionally, grafted plants can adapt to varying temperature conditions by promoting root growth, nutrient absorption, and the production of specific compounds that protect against temperature-related damage. Heavy metal stress, which can contaminate crops and impact human health, can be alleviated by using rootstocks that control the uptake and transport of heavy metals, reducing their toxicity to plants. Furthermore, grafting can effectively combat biotic stresses. By selecting disease-resistant rootstocks, plants can be protected against soil-borne diseases, pests, and nematodes, thereby increasing yields and sustainability in agriculture
Sustainable Tea Initiatives with the Adoption of Inhana Rational Farming Technology to Address the Principles of Regenerative Farming for Crop Sustainability and Reduction of Pesticide Usage
No full textThe tea sector faces daunting economic challenges stemming from reduced yields due to climate impacts, increased pest and pesticide use, inferior quality and low tea prices, rising production costs and shifts in worker availability. Adoption of sustainable cultivation practices addressing the principles of regenerative farming can build resilience in tea production and also lessen the negative impact on the environment. A sustainable initiative was taken by Goodricke Group Limited in collaboration with Inhana Organic Research Foundation (IORF) towards restoration of soil quality, crop sustainability and reduction of pesticide usage. To meet the set targets Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) was the adopted as the crop technology, which focused on soil and plant health management. The study encompassed two time periods, i.e., the pre-COVID era (2013–2019) and post-COVID era (2020–2022), during which crop performance, pesticide usage and soil quality development were documented. The findings clearly showed the impact of sustainable initiative in terms of better crop performance, lowering of pesticide use and improvement of soil health (where ever soil management was continued). This study clearly indicated that an investment in the sustainability account not only ensures crop sustenance and improvement in the long run and enable a reduction in the requirement for agrochemicals, of higher importance is the regeneration of soil health and improvement of resilience towards climate impact, which is critical for both present and future sustenance of the plantation as well as better economic security
Music Therapy 101 for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of Current Trends and Future Directions
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) poses significant challenges to individuals, families, and healthcare systems globally. Currently, there is no cure for AD, and available therapies focus on managing symptoms and slowing disease progression. Given the limitations of pharmacological treatments in halting the progression of AD, there is increasing interest in non-pharmacological interventions such as music therapy. This review explores the therapeutic benefits of music therapy for AD patients, evaluating empirical evidence from clinical studies and exploring the underlying mechanisms that contribute to its effectiveness. Additionally, this review discusses the practical implications of integrating music therapy into treatment plans. It identifies future research directions to understand further and enhance its impact on AD patients’ cognitive functioning and quality of life
Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L) Peel
No full textThe present study was conducted to assess the nutri-chemical composition and antioxidant potential of rambutan fruit (Nephelium lappaceum L) peel. Red rambutan fruit peel was used in fresh as well as dried form for the study. The nutri-chemical profiling revealed, fresh peel had 24g/100g of carbohydrate, 2.5g/100g of protein, 0.17g/100 g of fat and 0.89g/100g starch. However, dried peel had 55.45g/100g carbohydrate, 5.25g/100 protein, 10.2g/100g fat and 1.00g/100g starch. Crude fiber content of the fresh and dried peel was 0.77g/100g and 0.068g/100g respectively. Moreover, the fresh peel had higher moisture (73%) content than dried peel (4.2%). Vitamin C being heat liable, was found higher in fresh peel (9.31mg/100g). Sodium and potassium levels was found higher in dried peel powder as 1.55mg/100g and 9.4mg/100g respectively. Phytochemical composition of rambutan peel revealed that total polyphenol was higher in dried peel (580mg/100g) when compared to fresh (310 mg/100 g), meanwhile saponin, tannin and terpenoid was found higher in fresh peel as 47mg/100g, 390mg/100g and 5.101mg/100g respectively. Flavonoid content was dominant in dried peel (20.51mg/100g) than that of fresh peel (9.6mg/100 g). The radical-scavenging activity was expressed as IC50, which reported dried peel (43.79μg/100 mL) had strong antioxidant potential than fresh peel (184.39μg/100mL). However, it is concluded that rambutan peel is a potent source of nutrients, bioactive compounds and antioxidants which in turn has immense therapeutic benefits. Furthermore, valorisation of agri-food wastes and by- products can enhance food security and promote sustainable development
Characteristics of Vibration Sources and Their Propagation Properties in Shield Construction
No full textThe vibration generated during the shield construction process may have an impact on the surrounding environment and structures, so it is particularly important to study the characteristics of its vibration sources and propagation properties. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the main vibration sources of the shield machine during the construction process, including the vibration frequency, amplitude distribution and so on. Through the literature research of various experts and scholars, the change rule of vibration sources under different working conditions is explored, and the propagation characteristics of vibration in the soil body are studied. This study can provide reference basis for vibration control and environmental protection during shield construction. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) the vibration during shield construction is mainly generated by the interaction between the cutter plate and the surrounding rock; 2) the frequency of vibration caused by shield construction is mainly in the range of 0~80Hz, and the amplitude is related to the nature of the excavated soil and the construction parameters; 3) the vibration tends to decrease with the increase of the distance, and the high-frequency vibration propagates faster than the low-frequency attenuation in the soil body
Efficient Handling of Non-response in Sample Surveys: Development of Ratio-type Variance Estimators
No full textThe present study has been under taken to address the issue of presence and absence of non-response problems in Sample surveys. We have developed some new efficient ratio-type variance estimators for the computation of the finite population variance in presence and absence of non-response, by incorporating Positional parameters as auxiliary information. The expression for mean square errors of proposed estimators has been derived up to the first order of approximation. To test the efficiency of new developed estimators, practical demonstration has been carried to ascertain the performance of suggested Estimators
Reptiles as Experimental Models: Uncovering Their Role in Drug Development and Health Research
No full textExperimental animal models are indispensable as they help to enhance the understanding of unknown diseases and contribute to new discoveries through their physiology, which facilitates the learning process and scientific dissemination. Consequently, the techniques applied to animal models require the development of guidelines that ensure respect for these animals and the reliability of the results obtained, in order to promote the advancement of scientific progress. With this in mind, the aim of the present study was to conduct a review on the use of reptiles as experimental models. The works were reviewed and selected based on their use of animals (reptiles) as experimental models and for having results relevant to the development of science and its various applications. In this context, analyzes that adhered to these principles were also considered, revealing that certain species of snakes, lizards, and turtles show promise for research in pharmaceuticals, the production of medicines and vaccines, as well as in seeking solutions to other problems related to animal health, for example, the study of baseline corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in rattlesnakes. Thus, we can conclude that, although these animals are not as commonly used in experimental research, reptiles hold an important position among vertebrates for investigating the progression of serious diseases, as well as for the development of vaccines and medications
Evaluation of Various Bee Attractants on the Foraging Behavior of Indian Honey Bee (Apis cerana indica) and their Impact on the Seed Yield of Niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass]
No full textExperiment was done at the PC Unit Sesame and Niger Experimental Farm, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The study took place in during Kharif 2022. A total of nine treatments with three replications were arranged for the experiment using Randomized Block Design to check whether there was a result of bee attractants regarding attraction by Apis cerana indica and their effects on seed production of niger crops. The number of Apis cerana indica visits was found the highest at both the 10% and 50% blooming stages at which Madhuca longifolia flower extract 10% and rose water were 10% (16.50 Apis cerana indica/m2/5min), with 17.50 and 12.17 Apis cerana indica/m2/5min, respectively. This was followed by rose water 10% with 16.50 and (sugar solution 50%) 10.08 Apis cerana indica/m2/5min, respectively. The population of Apis cerana indica was received from controlled condition 5.67 and 2.92 Apis cerana indica/m2/5min at 10% and 50% flowering stage, respectively. This was followed by water spray (7.08 and 4.42 Apis cerana indica/m2/5min) at 10% and 50% flowering stage, respectively. The foliar spray of flower extract of Madhuca longifolia, sugar solution 10% and rose water 10% were found significantly superior over others in respect to record higher seed yield and recorded 6.90 q and 6.70 q/ha seed yield, respectively
Application of SEM and XRD in the Microstructure Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Corroded by Salt Solution
No full textIn order to study the damage law of salt solution erosion on the microstructure of concrete, the dry wet alternation method was used to conduct salt solution corrosion tests on the samples. The corrosion characteristics and mechanisms were analyzed from macroscopic experiments such as corrosion results, relative dynamic elastic modulus, and mass loss rate; Then, SEM and XRD were used to further demonstrate and explain the corrosion mechanism from a microscopic perspective. The conclusion drawn from the analysis: The observation and analysis of the erosion products and SEM and XRD microscopic characteristics of fiber-reinforced concrete indicate that in the initial state without erosion, the sample contains original cracks and pores, and the fibers are tightly bound to the cement slurry. Under the acceleration of dry wet cycles, sulfate erosion is mainly gypsum type erosion and ettringite type erosion, and the erosion products are columnar and needle shaped distribution of ettringite and gypsum crystals; In the later stage of erosion, the surface concrete deteriorates severely, the cement slurry gradually falls off, the internal pores increase, and cracks increase, resulting in partial separation of fibers from the cement slurry. At this time, the fibers rely on their own tensile strength to play a role in toughening and crack resistance
Development of Intelligest Yield Estimation System for Dragon Fruit Orchard Based on Image Processing
No full textDragon fruit, a tropical fruit renowned for its unique appearance and nutritional value, has gained significant popularity in recent years. The development of an intelligent yield estimation system for dragon fruit orchards can have broader implications for the agricultural industry. It can enable data-driven decision-making, improve supply chain management, and enhance market analysis. The system can also be integrated with existing farm management systems, precision agriculture technologies, and decision support systems to provide a comprehensive solution for farmers. The developed system has utilized advanced sensors and controllers to accurately count the number of fruits, measure their size, and calculate the yield. The detection performance was studied on the basis of accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, detection accuracy and yield estimation accuracy. The results obtained at different speeds of operation viz. 2 km/h, 3km/h and 4 km/h with different deep learning models viz. SSD, YOLOv2 and YOLOv3. The maximum size detection accuracy using SSD, YOLOv2, and YOLOv3 was 94.16 %, 92.69% and 94.74% respectively, observed at 2 km/h operating speed. The developed yield estimation system can estimate the yield of dragon fruit with an average 93.92 % yield estimation accuracy at 2 km/h operating speed and 70 cm distance of camera from the tree using SSD model