Assessment of precision nitrogen management strategies in terms of growth,yield and monetary efficiency of maize grown in Western India

Abstract

Blanket fertilizer recommendations, especially for nitrogen can lead to the overuse of fertilizers, pollution and increased cost of cultivation. This necessitates the development of measures to increase crop production while reducing cultivation costs and improving the monetary efficiency of crops. Field investigations were laid during 2015 and 2016 at Anand, India, to find critical threshold values of leaf greenness as measured by the LCC (Leaf Color Chart) and CCM (Chlorophyll Content Meter) for framing approaches for fertilizer N management in maize. The absolute growth rate at 60–90 DAS (g day^?1) and crop growth rate (g m^?2?day^?1) recorded at different intervals found to be superior under N application based on LCC critical value 5 and CCM critical value 40 and did not differ significantly with other treatments except CCM 30 and LCC 3 throughout the years. Assessment of the threshold leaf greenness revealed that fertilizer N management using LCC 5 resulted in increased maize grain yield to the tune of 12.30 and 12.25 percent during 2015 and 2016, respectively over blanket recommendation. Net profit from the maize under LCC 5 was up to 16.37 percent higher compared to the blanket (100% RDF) application. The study revealed that in maize cultivation, N fertilizer can be more effectively managed by applying N dose based on leaf color as measured by LCC or CCM compared to the blanket recommendation.     

Structures,Properties and Applications of Alginates

Alginate is a hydrocolloid from algae, specifically brown algae, which is a group that includes many of the seaweeds, like kelps and an extracellular polymer of some bacteria. Sodium alginate is one of the best-known members of the hydrogel group. The hydrogel is a water-swollen and cross-linked polymeric network produced by the simple reaction of one or more monomers. It has a linear (unbranched) structure based on d-mannuronic and l-guluronic acids. The placement of these monomers depending on the source of its production is alternating, sequential and random. The same arrangement of monomers can affect the physical and chemical properties of this polysaccharide. This polyuronide has a wide range of applications in various industries including the food industry, medicine, tissue engineering, wastewater treatment, the pharmaceutical industry and fuel. It is generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing or feeding practice. This review discusses its application in addition to its structural, physical, and chemical properties.     

Evaluation of a quadrivalent inactivated vaccine for the protection of cattle against diseases due to common viral infections

Efficacy of an inactivated quadrivalent vaccine containing infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus, parainfluenza type 3 (PI3) virus, bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) was assessed in naive bovine calves to evaluate short-term (4-18 weeks) and long-term (24-38 weeks) protection following the basic intramuscular vaccination regime of 2 inoculations a month apart. Vaccination was staggered between the long-term and the short-term groups by about 5 months so that both groups, along with a matched group of 6 unvaccinated (control) calves, could be challenged at the same time. Sequential challenges at intervals of 3-8 weeks were done in the order: IBR virus (intranasally, IN), PI3 virus (IN and intratracheally, IT), pestiviruses (IN) and BRSV (IN and IT). The IBR virus challenge produced febrile rhinotracheitis (FRT) in control calves but both the severity and the duration of FRT was significantly reduced in both vaccinated groups. The amount and the duration of IBR virus shed by the vaccinated groups was significantly reduced compared to the control group. Although PI3 virus, pooled pestivirus and BRSV challenges did not result in a noteworthy disease, challenge virus shedding (amount and duration) from the upper (all 3 viruses) and the lower (BRSV) respiratory tracts was significantly reduced in vaccinated groups. After pestivirus challenge, sera and leukocytes from all control calves were infectious for 6-9 days whereas virus was recovered only from leukocytes in vaccinated calves and only for 1.6-2.7 days. Thus a standard course of the quadrivalent vaccine afforded a significant protection against IBR virus, PI3 virus, BVDV and BRSV for at least 6 months.