Identifying suitable zones for surface water storage and groundwater recharge is needed to enhance irrigation water availability. This study was undertaken to map rainwater harvesting (RWH) potential ...zones using geospatial tools and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The suitable locations for RWH were also mapped using the Boolean logic concept. The surface runoff is a vital factor to demarcate the appropriate zones for RWH. The curve number approach was used to estimate the surface runoff potential. The runoff coefficient (RC) map was generated based on rainfall and surface runoff depth. Weights have been allocated to selected themes of RC, drainage density, and slope. The themes were integrated using geographic information system (GIS) and AHP to demarcate the suitable zones for RWH. The derived RWH potential map was categorized into zones like “very good,” “good,” “moderate,” “poor,” and “very poor” with an aerial extent of 14.3%, 24.7%, 28.3%, 20.2%, and 12.6%, respectively. The area suitable for farm ponds was found to be about 9% (408 km
2
), 13% (329 km
2
), and 4% (244 km
2
) in Mirzapur, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra districts, respectively. Furthermore, 22, 15, and 21 locations were found suitable for check dams in Mirzapur, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra districts, respectively. At a large scale, effective planning of water management strategies based on multicriteria decision analysis and GIS offers increased availability of surface and groundwater resources and may help for enhancing the agricultural land use options. The higher resolution maps may be further utilized to plan RWH strategies at village level.
Exercising complementary roles of polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles for precise drug delivery and image contrast agents has attracted significant attention in biomedical applications. The ...objective of this study was to prepare and characterize magnetic nanoparticles embedded in polylactide-co-glycolide matrixes (PLGA-MNPs) as a dual drug delivery and imaging system capable of encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. PLGA-MNPs were capable of encapsulating both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs in a 2:1 ratio. Biocompatibility, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, membrane potential, and apoptosis were carried out in two different cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and PANC-1). The molecular basis of induction of apoptosis was validated by Western blotting analysis. For targeted delivery of drugs, targeting ligand such as Herceptin was used, and such a conjugated system demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake and an augmented synergistic effect in an in vitro system when compared with native drugs. Magnetic resonance imaging was carried out both in vitro and in vivo to assess the efficacy of PLGA-MNPs as contrast agents. PLGA-MNPs showed a better contrast effect than commercial contrast agents due to higher T2 relaxivity with a blood circulation half-life ∼ 47 min in the rat model. Thus, our results demonstrated the dual usable purpose of formulated PLGA-MNPs toward either, in therapeutics by delivering different hydrophobic or hydrophilic drugs individually or in combination and imaging for cancer therapeutics in the near future.
•Water stress in wheat has been characterized using spectral indices.•Validation of spectral index model was done for prediction of grain and biomass yield of wheat.•Models based on the spectral ...indices, NWI-1 and WI recorded at milk stage can predict the grain and biomass yield of wheat.
There is a need to characterize the water stress in wheat using suitable indices, which will help us to find out the water stress sensitive period for efficient use of irrigation water. Recently indices based on canopy spectral reflectance, which are non destructive, fast and reliable, are being used effectively to characterize the water stress. A field experiment was carried out during the year 2010–2012 in split plot design with four levels of irrigation (irrigation at 0.4 IW/CPE, 0.6 IW/CPE, 0.8 IW/CPE and 1.0 IW/CPE, IW=6cm) as main plot factors and three sources of nitrogen (100%N from urea, 50% N from urea and 50% N from farmyard manure (FYM) and 100% N from FYM) as subplot factors. The objective of the study was to find out the water stress indices best correlated with wheat grain and biomass yield, to determine the optimum growth stage for measurement of water stress indices and to predict the grain and biomass yield of wheat based on water stress indices. The canopy reflectance was measured in the spectral range of 350–2500nm with 1nm bandwidth with the help of hand held ASD FieldSpec Spectroradiometer at seven phenostages, viz., crown root initiation (CRI), tillering, booting, flowering, milk, soft dough and harvesting stage. Then different water stress indices were computed as: water index (WI)=R970/R900, normalized water index-1 (NWI-1)=(R970−R900)/(R970+R900), normalized water index-2 (NWI-2)=(R970−R850)/(R970+R850), normalized water index-3 (NWI-3)=(R970−R920)/(R970+R920), normalized water index-4 (NWI-4)=(R970−R880)/(R970+R880), where R and the subscript numbers indicate the light reflectance at the specific wavelength (in nm). It was observed that spectral reflectance based water indices recorded at the milk stage, WI and NWI-1 were significantly negatively correlated with the grain yield and NWI-1 and NWI-3 were significantly negatively correlated with the biomass yield of wheat, having maximum correlation coefficients. Validation of regression model based on NWI-1 could account for the maximum 87.5% variation in the observed grain yield and the regression model based on WI could account for maximum 89.2% variation in the observed biomass yield of wheat with minimum root mean square errors. So the regression models based on NWI-1 and WI recorded at milk stage can be successfully used to predict the grain and biomass yield of wheat in advance.
Moyna of Purba Medinipur district is widely known as an aquaculture hub of West Bengal, India. Though very good production is achievable from this fish culture system, management practices are ...inappropriate, which could create the sustainability problem of this culture system. The present study was thus undertaken for the estimation of plankton population, water quality, carbon footprint and carbon sequestration of this intensive aquaculture practices. Information on spawn to fry, fry to fingerlings and grow-out culture were collected through the structured questionnaire from the fish farmers. The plankton density, primary productivity, carbon footprint and carbon sequestration were analyzed using standard procedures. The phytoplankton, zooplankton and primary productivity were maximum at the stocking period and minimum during the middle of culture period. The lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was noticed with the minimum amount of feed applied in the pond. The CO
2
-e emission ranged from 0.56 to 4.89 kg CO
2
-e/kg fish (av. 2.13) for the production levels of 5.0 to 10.7 t/ha/yr. The pond water developed salinity and ammonium-N increased from 0.01 to 0.50 mg/l. The ponds with high feed loading (28 to 32 t/ha/yr) had the highest average sediment accumulation rate (11.0 ± 3.0 cm/yr) and carbon sequestration (704 ± 30 g C/m
2
/yr).
Efficient, cost effective and easy to use tools are needed for site specific management of soils for increasing the crop productivity. Currently nutrient management recommendations for rice in the ...study are typically uniform without consideration of spatial heterogeneity of nutrient content in soil. This study has emphasized the use of management zones (MZs) as an efficient method for variable application of fertilizers. Rajnagar Block of Kendrapada District in India was selected as the study area for the present study and 225 soil samples were collected on 1.5kilometer grids. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorous, available potassium DTPA extractable micronutrients i.e., iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Spatial variability of these soil properties was analyzed and spatial distribution maps were generated using geostatistics and ordinary kriging technique. Further, principal component analysis and fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm were performed to delineate the management zones based on optimum clusters identified using fuzzy performance index (FPI) and normalized classification entropy (NCE). The results revealed that the optimum number of MZs for this study area was three and there was heterogeneity in soil nutrients in three MZs. The delineated MZs provide a basis of information for site-specific fertilizer management in the rice cultivated fields in the study area.
•Spatial variability of soil properties was quantified using geostatistics.•Fuzzy clustering was used to divide study area into three management zones (MZs).•There was heterogeneity in soil nutrients in three MZs.•MZs may be an efficient method for variable application of fertilizers in rice.
Several drought indices have been developed during the past decades for monitoring the onset, duration and intensity of drought in different agro-climatic regions. The present study attempts to ...monitor drought in two underprivileged districts, i.e., Mewat of Haryana and Dhar of Madhya Pradesh state of India, using the remote-sensing-derived Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), meteorological-based Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and hydrological-based Standardized Water Level Index (SWI). The time series SPOT VGT NDVI data of the rain-fed crop season (
kharif
) were used for a 13-year period (1998–2010) to assess the long-term vegetation conditions and compare with the meteorological and hydrological based drought indices. It was observed that the NDVI profile of the crop-growing season was remarkably shifted and shortened during drought years, indicating a delay in crop sowing. A detailed spatiotemporal analysis of drought dynamics was carried out using the VCI, which revealed the occurrence of a severe drought in Mewat and Dhar during the year 2002 and 2008, respectively. The correlation coefficient obtained between the VCI and SPI in Dhar (
r
= 0.55) and Mewat (
r
= 0.74) shows good agreement between satellite-derived and meteorological drought indices. However, it is also noteworthy that the correlation coefficient between the VCI and SPI is mainly region specific and varies with timescale. In spite of good agreement between these two indices during severe drought years, the drought estimates were found non-analogous during the years with moderate drought. The study also shows that hydrological drought may not correspond with agricultural drought in every year. There is an increasing tendency in both the pre- and post-monsoon SWI indicating a gradual increase in aquifer stress in the region. Although the years with distinct agricultural drought agree with the meteorological drought years, they do not correspond with hydrological drought in most of the years. However, the VCI based on real-time satellite data can be used for drought early warning, and thus it can be helpful for policy makers to reduce the adverse impact of drought.
•SWAP (Soil-Water-Atmospheric-Plant) model was calibrated and validated for prediction of soil salinity and relative yield of wheat using the experimental data of two years for four wheat varieties ...(i.e. three salt tolerant and one salt non-tolerant) under varying salinity levels.•Sensitivity of different model input parameters were obtained during the SWAP model calibration process.•SWAP model performed better for simulation of relative yield of salt tolerant wheat varieties as compared to the salt non-tolerant variety under irrigated saline regimes.•Soil salinity in the crop root zone profile of wheat at harvest was simulated with better accuracy using the validated SWAP model as compared to the calibration results.
Crop modelling has played an important role in formulating agricultural policies and measures to reduce yield losses. In this study, an effort was made to evaluate the SWAP (Soil Water Atmosphere Plant) model to assess its capability to simulate the salt dynamics and yield of three salt tolerant and one salt non-tolerant wheat varieties under varying saline water irrigation regimes. The experiment was conducted at the research farm of Water Technology Centre, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India located in a semiarid monsoon climatic region. Four irrigation treatments viz. ground water (S1) salinity varying from 1.45 to 1.7dSm−1, and saline water levels of 4dSm−1 (S2), 8dSm−1 (S3), 12dSm−1 (S4) were used for irrigating the crop. The model was calibrated and validated using the experiment generated data of rabi 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 cropping seasons, respectively. The model performance indicators i.e. model efficiency (ME) and degree of agreement (d) was 0.76 and 0.93 for root zone soil salinity and 0.96 and 0.99 for relative wheat yield of calibrated model, respectively. Furthermore, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) for prediction of relative yield during calibration was 4% and 3% and during validation was 9.6% and 8.3%, respectively. The validated model performed well for salt dynamics in root zone and relative yields that were corroborated by prediction error statistics R2 of 0.96 and 0.95, ME of 0.95 and 0.75 besides degree of agreement (d) of 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. It was observed that the model performed better for prediction of relative yield of salt tolerant varieties as compared to the salt non tolerant variety under different saline irrigation water regimes. Overall, the SWAP model could be used to simulate the salt dynamics in the crop root zone and yield of wheat with acceptable accuracy under irrigated saline environment.
•Annual net NEE was −7.47Mg C ha−1 in lowland tropical rice.•Cumulative annual net NEME was +419.68kg CH4 ha−1 in lowland tropical rice.•In lowland rice ecology, latent heat outweighed sensible ...heat.•Annual GWP-based C balance showed this ecology is a C sink.•Tropical lowland rice ecology has a good potential to store carbon (1.04Mg Cha−1).
This paper reports on the annual net ecosystem exchanges of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), sensible heat (H) and latent heat (LE) fluxes between tropical lowland rice and atmosphere as well as quantification of annual net ecosystem carbon (C) balance. This study included both wet and dry rice seasons and fallow periods as well. Cumulative annual net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) was −7.47Mg C ha−1 and net ecosystem CH4 exchange (NEME) was +419.68kg CH4 ha−1, respectively, which were higher than the reported values in the same ecology. The range of NEE was much wider in dry season compared to wet season. However, NEME did not vary considerably between the seasons. As a whole, integrated NEE was 52% higher in dry season, whereas, integrated NEME was 24% higher in wet season. In lowland rice ecology LE outweighed H. The NEME showed positive correlation with H and LE in dry season, but the relationship of NEME with LE in wet season was negative. That might be due to changes in processes driving the methanogenesis versus methanotrophy in relatively dry soil and or less transportation of CH4 from soil to atmosphere through rice. Annual global warming potential (GWP)-based C balance was done by considering net ecosystem production (NEP), rhizodeposition, algal biomass, root plus stubble biomass, ratoon and compost addition as ecosystem C input, whereas, NEME and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, C removal through harvest and dissolved organic C as ecosystem C outflux. Although (GWP)-based CO2C equivalent of CH4 and N2O emissions were sources of C loss from lowland rice ecosystem, but taking into account all the components of C balance within the system, this ecology reflected a good potential to store considerable amount of carbon (1.04Mg C ha−1) and hence, acted as net C sink. Future challenge is to quantify ecosystem carbon budgeting either by considering all sources of energy input and output and/or by using life cycle assessment method in lowland ecology and its up scaling.
The present study reports the synthesis (mixed oxide reaction route) and characterization (structural, dielectric and impedance spectroscopic) behaviour of cerium-modified bismuth samarium titanate ...(Bi
3
SmTi
3
O
12
) compounds. The room temperature X-ray diffractogram suggests orthorhombic symmetry. Micro-structures of the samples with cerium incorporation exhibit typical lamellar structures and overlapped grain boundaries with grain sizes in the range of 0.7–1.15 µm. Dielectric anomalies pertaining to heterogeneous electrical relaxations, Maxwell–Wagner polarization effects and phase transition are also discussed. The compound’s ac electrical conductivity response’s disagreement to universal Jonscher power law is understood from the jump relaxation and concept of mismatch and relaxation models. Reduction in activation energy values with increase in frequency also confirms decrease in barrier height. The potential for thermistor applications and the negative temperature coefficient of resistance behaviour of the sample is critically examined from impedance and temperature resistance study. Optical band-gap studies reveal a reduction in energy band gap from 2.91 to 2.29 eV. Further, the Nyquist plot of the compounds also corroborates the non-Debye nature of relaxation in the samples.
Enrichment of milking environment through music has been proposed to help animals to cope with divergent stressors. In sight of the above, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Indian ...instrumental music-based environmental enrichment played in
yaman raga
on milk production performance and behaviour in cattle. A total of 21 lactating dairy cattle (
Vrindavani
crossbred cows) having similar parity and stage of lactation were selected in three groups — T1, T2 and T3, each consisting of seven animals. The T1 and T2 groups were exposed to instrumental flute and sitar, respectively, 10 min prior to the start of milking and continued till completion of milking; while the T3 group served as control. Musical enrichment of the environment was done using recorded-tape of flute and sitar was played in
yamen raga
at 40–60 (dB) decibel intensity. The results revealed a non-significant difference in milk yield, rectal temperature, respiration rate, T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine) hormones. However, there exhibited a significant (
p
< 0.05) difference in milking time, milking speed, cortisol hormones and behavioural parameters such as milk let-down in the animals exposed to music compared to the control group. Thus, the results have significant implications relating to the behavioural fitness and welfare of dairy animals and reducing residual milk.
