Spatial Distribution of Surface Soil Acidity,Electrical Conductivity,Soil Organic Carbon Content and Exchangeable Potassium,Calcium and Magnesium in Some Cropped Acid Soils of India

Land degradation is a global problem. Best management of degraded land can be done by evaluating the spatial variability of soil properties including chemical properties of degraded land and mapping such variations. Since, a significant portion of arable land in India is chemically degraded due to soil acidity; the present study was conducted to study the spatial variability of soil acidity (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (OC) content, exchangeable potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) contents in some cropped acid soils of India. A total of four hundred (one hundred from each series) representative surface (0–0.15 m depth) soil samples were collected from arable soils representing four soil series namely Hariharapur, Debatoli, Rajpora and Neeleswaram situated in Orissa, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala states of India, respectively, and were analyzed. Soil acidity (pH between 3.90 and 6.45) showed a low variability, in contrast to other soil properties, which showed moderate variability. The coefficients of variation varied from 32.4 to 74.3, 31.2 to 50.9, 45.6 to 100, 71.9 to 93.0 and 59.0 to 79.8% for EC (mean between 0.05 and 0.09 dS m⁻¹), OC (mean between 0.29 to 1.86%), exchangeable K⁺ (mean between 39.1 and 77.7 mg kg⁻¹), Ca²⁺ (mean between 148 and 293 mg kg⁻¹) and Mg²⁺ (mean between 111 and 191 mg kg⁻¹), respectively. Soil pH and OC content were positively and significantly correlated with exchangeable K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ content. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the best fit models were gaussian, exponential and spherical for different soil properties with moderate to strong spatial dependency. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of gibberellic acid on sprouting,growth of internodes,tuber shape and yield in different varieties of potatoes

Summary Sprouting was hastened by one week by treatment for 5 min, with gibberellic acid (GA) at a concentration of 25 p.p.m. in newly dug potatoes ofUp-to-Date andVoran. A similar effect was noted inRoyal Kidney treated at a concentration of 50 p.p.m. Although some sprouting occurred within 7 days in treated tubers, 100% sprouting had not occurred until 21–36 days after treatment. There was increased extention of internodes following treatment with GA at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 p.p.m. Treatment at 100 p.p.m. resulted in the greatest extention of internodes. At the higher concentrations the maximum extension occurred between internodes 4–6 inRoyal Kidney andVoran, and 4–7 inUp-to-Date. Treatment with GA had a depressing effect on leaf indices inRoyal Kidney andUp-to-Date whereas inVoran it had the reverse effect. In all varieties, yield in pot experiments was increased by treatment with GA at 100 p.p.m. for 90 min. All treated seed invariably produced deformed tubers the numbers of which increased with the concentration of GA.

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Zusammenfassung Das Auskeimen von frisch geernteten Kartoffeln der SortenUp-to-Date undVoran (Abb. 1 b und c) wurde durch Behandlung mit Gibberellins?ure (GA) (Eintauchzeit 5 Minuten, Konzentration 25 ppm) um eine Woche beschleunigt. Eine ?hnliche Wirkung konnte bei der SorteRoyal Kidney festgestellt werden, die mit GA in einer Konzentration von 50 ppm (Abb. 1 a) behandelt wurde. Obwohl einige der behandelten Knollen nach 7 Tagen austrieben, wurde 100%ige Keimung erst 21–36 Tage nach der Behandlung erreicht. Die Behandlung mit GA in Konzentrationen von 25, 50 und 100 ppm bewirkte eine Verl?ngerung der Internodien. Die Konzentration von 100 ppm verursachte die gr?sste Ausdehnung der Internodien. Bei der h?chsten Konzentration lag die gr?sste Verl?ngerung zwischen den Internodien Nr. 4-6 beiRoyal Kidney undVoran, zwischen 4–7 bei der SorteUp-to-Date (Tabelle). Behandlung mit GA hatte bei den SortenRoyal Kidney undUp-to-Date eine Verkleinerung des Blattindexes zur Folge, w?hrend beiVoran eine umgekehrte Wirkung hervorgerufen wurde (Abb. 2). Topfversuche ergaben nach Behandlung mit GA in einer Konzentration von 100 ppm und einer Eintauchzeit von 90 Minuten bei allen Sorten h?here Ertr?ge (Abb. 3). Alle Behandlungen führten zu Knollendeformationen, deren Anzahl sich mit der st?rker werdenden Konzentration von GA erh?hte (Abb. 4).

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Résumé Un traitement pendant 5 minutes à l'acide gibberellique (G.A.) à une concentration de 25 p.p.m. a avancé d'une semaine la germination de tubercules nouvellement récoltés des variétésUp-to-Date etVoran (Fig. 1, b et c). On a obtenu un semblable effet avecRoyal Kidney traitée à une concentration de 50 p.p.m. (Fig. 1 a). Quoique quelque germination apparaissait endéans 7 jours chez les tubercules traités, la germination à 100% ne se manifestait que 21 à 36 jours après le traitement. Un allongement des entre-noeuds suivait le traitement avec G.A. aux concentrations de 25, 50 et 100 p.p.m. Le traitement à 100 p.p.m. causait le plus grand allongement des entrenoeuds. Aux concentrations les plus élevées, l'accroissement maximum se manifestait entre les entre-noeuds 4 et 6 chezRoyal Kidney etVoran, et 4 et 7 chezUp-to-Date (Tableau). Le traitement au G.A. a un effet dépressif sur les indices foliaires chezRoyal Kidney etUp-to-Date, tandis que chezVoran l'effet est inverse (Fig. 2). Chez toutes les variétés, la production dans les expériences en pots est accrue par le traitement avec G.A. à 100 p.p.m. pendant 90 minutes (Fig. 3). Tous les plants traités produisent invariablement des tubercules déformés dont le nombre augmentait avec les concentrations de GA (Fig. 4).

     

Heat shock protein 70 expression in different tissues of Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) following heat stress

Members of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) are highly conserved proteins of about 70 kDa and play important roles in protein folding. Levels of these proteins increase when cells are under stress. Environmental temperature influences both the basal and induced levels of HSPs. However, studies on HSPs in fishes from a tropical country such as India are lacking. In the present study, Indian major carp (IMC) Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) acclimatized at 25±2°C had high levels of HSP70, viz., 1.2–1.3 ng μg^?1 total protein in kidney and gill and 4.2–5.3 ng μg^?1 total protein in liver and brain tissues, indicating the presence of biochemically significant levels of stress. However, maintenance of acclimatized fish at 17°C for up to 48 h did not lead to a significant decrease in stress protein levels. A heat shock at 37°C for up to 48 h resulted in only two to threefold increase in HSP70 levels in these organs. Although the increase in HSP70 levels was apparent from the first hour of heat stress in all these tissues, the increase was significant from the second hour in the brain, the sixth hour in liver and kidney and the 20th hour in the gills.     

Explaining the latitudinal distribution of sunspots with deep meridional flow

Sunspots, dark magnetic regions occurring at low latitudes on the Sun's surface, are tracers of the magnetic field generated by the dynamo mechanism. Recent solar dynamo models, which use the helioseismically determined solar rotation, indicate that sunspots should form at high latitudes, contrary to observations. We present a dynamo model with the correct latitudinal distribution of sunspots and demonstrate that this requires a meridional flow of material that penetrates deeper than hitherto believed, into the stable layers below the convection zone. Such a deep material flow may have important implications for turbulent convection and elemental abundance in the Sun and similar stars.     

Monitoring of Phytotoxicity of Lead and Mercury from Germination and Early Seedling Growth Indices in Two Rice Cultivars

Treatment of seeds of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (Ratna and IR36) separately with 10^-5and 10^-4M PbCl²and HgCl²decreased germination percentage, germination index (GI), shoot and root length, tolerance index (TI), vigour index (VI) and dry mass of shoot and root but increased percentage difference from control (% DFC) of germination and percentage phytotoxicity in both the cultivars. It was observed from these indices that the phytotoxic effect of mercury was greater than lead at identical concentrations and that IR36 appeared more tolerant than Ratna to these metals. Among the monitoring indices examined, TI, VI, and % phytotoxicity seemed to serve as good biological monitoring methods for evaluating the relative toxicity of lead and mercury to rice cultivars.

     

Economic feasibility of goldfish (Carassius auratus Linn.) recirculating aquaculture system

Economic analysis of a goldfish (Carassius auratus Linn.) recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) with rearing tank capacity of 5 m³ (RT5) has been evaluated based on two culture period in 2009 and 2010. The stocking density of goldfish was kept at 100 numbers per m³ of rearing water volume. Furthermore, based on the data obtained from RT5, four more hypothetical RASs of rearing tank capacities of 10 m³ (RT10), 20 m³ (RT20), 50 m³ (RT50) and 100 m³ (RT100) were conceptualized for economic analysis that assess and compare the effects of economies of scale on profitability. The payback period, accounting rate of return (ARR), net present value (NPV), profitability index (PI) and modified internal rate of return (MIRR) were evaluated for the different water volumes (up to 100 m³) assuming project life to be 10 years. The economic analysis revealed that a goldfish RAS with rearing tank capacity 20 m³ onwards can be feasible with a payback period less than 4 years, accounting rate of return 54%, net present value of Rs 241820 and modified internal rate of return of 23%. Sensitivity analyses revealed that market price of fish was most sensitive followed by survival rate, labour, maintenance, FCR, initial investment, discount rate, electricity cost and feed cost respectively. Interestingly, feed cost was found to be the least sensitive one.     

Colchicine treatment of different varieties of potatoes in West Bengal

Summary Colchicine treatment of sprouted tubers before planting increased yield in 17 out of the 20 varieties reported. In some varieties this effect was maintained in the two succeeding years in which the tubers from the various treatments were grown, although no further treatment had been given. The optimum duration of treatment varied between varieties as did overall response. Treatment depressed yield in a few varieties, while in others yield increase was delayed. In 8 out of the 20 varieties abnormalities in tuber shape occurred. Treatment had no effect on maturation except in a few cases where a retardation of 2 or 3 days was recorded.

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Zusammenfassung Die Colchicin-Behandlung von vorgekeimten Knollen steigerte den Ernteetrag bei 17 der angeführten 20 Sorten. Bei manchen Sorten blieb diese Wirkung durch zwei aufeinanderfolgende Jahre in welchen die Knollen nach den verschiedenen Behandlungen gezogen wurden, erhalten, obwohl keine weitere Behandlung angewandt wurde. Die optimale Dauer der Behandlung war je nach den Sorten verschieden, ebenso das allgemeine Ansprechen auf die Behandlungen. Bei wenigen Sorten führte die Behandlung zu einer Ertragsdepression, w?hrenddem bei anderen die Ertragserh?hung verz?gert wurde. Bei 8 der 20 Sorten kamen Abnormit?ten der Knollenform vor. Die Behandlung hatte keine Wirkung auf die Reife ausser in einigen F?llen in welchen eine Versp?tung von 2 bis 3 Tagen verzeichnet wurde.

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Résumé Le traitement de tubercules germés à la colchicine avant la plantation a fait augmenter le rendement de 17 des 20 variétés étudiées. Dans certaines variétés, cet effet se manifesta pendant les deux années successives où les tubercules soumis aux différents traitements furent cultivés, bien que nul autre traitement ne f?t appliqué. La durée optimale du traitement variait d'une variété, à l'autre, de même que la réponse générale au traitement. Le traitement réduisit le rendement de quelques variétés, tandis que dans d'autres cas, l'augmentation du rendement se manifesta avec un certain retard. Dans 8 variétés sur 20, il fut constaté des anomalies de conformation des tubercules. Le traitement n'influen?ait pas la maturation, sauf dans quelques cas où il fut observé un retard de 2 ou 3 jours.

     

Design Characteristics of Spiral Aerator

In this study, the performance of a spiral aerator, a modified design of the paddlewheel aerator, was evaluated to determine its applicability in aquaculture ponds. The aeration characteristics of the spiral aerator were determined by conducting aeration experiments in a cement concrete tank of dimension 5 × 5 × 1.5 m. Nondimensional numbers related to oxygen transfer (E) and power consumption (Ne) were proposed and expressed as functions of geometric (number of handles per shaft, n) and dynamic (Froude and Reynolds number) parameters. Simulation equations for oxygen transfer and power consumption based on the Froude criterion were developed. The maximum brake power standard aeration efficiency was achieved at n = 13. Finally, an economic analysis was performed assuming a typical Indian major carp culture pond to determine the optimum rotational speed of the aerator at different pond volumes and dissolved oxygen concentration present in the pond at which the aeration cost is minimized. The results showed that the least aeration cost is achievable when rotational speed of the spiral aerator is only 70 rpm for pond volumes up to 700 m³ and from 120 to 220 rpm for pond volumes exceeding 700 m³.