ID: 66079
Title: Impact of climate change on water requirement and yield of tomato over different agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu
Author: V. Guhan, V. Geethalakshmi , K. Bhuvaneshwari , N. Kowshika , V. Vinothkumar , S. Nithila and M. Marimuthu
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1330-1334 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: Impact of climate change on water requirement and yield of tomato over different agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu
Keywords: AquaCrop, climate change, tomato yield, water-use efficiency, water requirement.
Abstract: The AquaCrop model was utilized to assess the impact
of climate change on tomato cultivation in different
agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu. The study examined
variations in water requirement, yield and water-use
efficiency (WUE) from 1980 to 2022. Results indicated
that rising temperatures led to decreased tomato yield,
with a 9% average decrease at a 2°C temperature increase, highlighting the crop’s sensitivity to heat stress.
Furthermore, areas with lower rainfall demonstrated
higher WUE, emphasizing the importance of efficient
water use. The study underscores the need for adaptive
strategies such as developing heat-tolerant varieties
and optimizing irrigation practices to address the challenges of climate change on tomato cultivation
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Suzuki, N., Rivero, R. M., Shulaev, V., Blumwald, E. and Mittler,
R., Plant responses to heat stress: physiology, transcription, noncoding RNAs, and epigenetics. New Phytol., 2020, 22(1), 117.
Deuter, P., White, N. and Putland, D., Critical temperature thresholds
case study: tomato. Agriscience Queensland, 2012, 1, 54–61.
Literature cited 2: FAO, Agricultural production statistics, 2000–2020. FAOSTAT
analytical brief series no. 41, 2022.
Haider, S. et al., Unfolding molecular switches in plant heat stress
resistance: A comprehensive review. Plant Cell Rep., 2022, 41(3),
775–798.
ID: 66078
Title: Comparative studies on heat and stress build up in jointed and intact granites at depth of 220 m, Bhima Basin, India
Author: Binu Kumar, R. K. Bajpai and T. N. Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1322-1329 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: Comparative studies on heat and stress build up in jointed and intact granites at depth of 220 m, Bhima Basin, India
Keywords: Geological disposal system, granite, jointed granitic rock mass, smectite clay, thermo hydro mechanical.
Abstract: Two-dimensional simulation of heat transfer through a
granite rock mass forming part of Proterozoic granites
in Bhima Basin (BB) and associated groundwater flow
and bulk stress distribution is carried out using structural geological features joints, fractures, etc. measured
in field and laboratory evaluated mechanical, thermal
and hydraulic parameters of 56 rock samples coupled
with prevailing in situ stress field. The modelled rock
mass (20 m × 10 m) consists of D-shaped opening at
220 m depth containing cylindrical heat source
(500 Watt) and clay buffer with two sets of joints dipping
at 90° and 45°. The intact rock mass under combined
thermal and overburden stresses registers a maximum
19.77 MPa stress while it is 23.34 MPa in jointed rock
mass due to additional stresses imposed by groundwater
in the joints resulting in maximum displacement,
groundwater flow and temperature of 4.46 mm, 1.93 ×
10–8 m/s and 78.21°C respectively. The present study
produces database on response of BB granites to applied
thermal in situ-groundwater stresses.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Naithani, A. K., Underground rock caverns for strategic crude oil
storage in India – nature of studies, design and construction. Curr.
Sci., 2012, 103(5), 490–496.
Nilsen, B., Norwegian oil and gas storage in rock caverns – technology based on experience from hydropower development. J. Rock
Mech. Geotech. Eng., 2021, 13(2), 479–486.
Literature cited 2: Verma, A. K., Gautam, P., Singh, T. N. and Bajpai, R. K., Discrete
element modelling of conceptual deep geological repository for
high-level nuclear waste disposal. Arab. J. Geosci., 2015, 8, 8027–
8038.
Bajpai, R. K., Recent advances in the geological disposal of nuclear
wastes worldwide and Indian scenario. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2004,
63(3), 354–356.
ID: 66077
Title: Synthesis and application of curcumin-based zinc complex for corrosion inhibition of mild steel in alkaline media
Author: V. Nayana Senan , K. S. Beena Kumari and O. Lekshmy
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1315-1321 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: Synthesis and application of curcumin-based zinc complex for corrosion inhibition of mild steel in alkaline media
Keywords: Adsorption, corrosion, curcumin, metal complex, weight loss method.
Abstract: A metal complex was prepared from zinc acetate dihydrate and curcumin by using the reflux method. The
corrosion inhibition behaviour of the zinc–curcumin
complex in 1 M NaOH on a mild steel sample was evaluated by conventional weight loss method and potentiodynamic studies. Through SEM analysis, the shape
of the layer adsorbed on the mild steel surface was
studied. Through EDX analysis, the adsorbed film’s
elemental composition was determined. The greatest
result 98% was reached at 150 mg l
–1
, indicating that
inhibition efficiency increases as the inhibitor’s concentration rises. The Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm
is followed by adsorption nature of the complex over
the sample surface
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Harsimran, S., Santosh, K. and Rakesh, K., Overview of corrosion
and its control: a critical review. Proc. Eng. Sci., 2021, 3, 13–24.
Oyekunle, D. T., Agboola, O. and Ayeni, A. O., Corrosion inhibitors as building evidence for mild steel: a review. J. Phys. Conf.
Ser., 2019, 1378, 032046.
Literature cited 2: Yüksel, İ., Yüksel and İsa, A review of steel slag usage in construction industry for sustainable development. Environ. Dev. Sustain.,
2017, 19, 369–384.
Hossain, N., Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, M. and Kchaou, M., An
overview of green corrosion inhibitors for sustainable and environment friendly industrial development. J. Adhes. Sci., 2020, 35,
673–690
ID: 66076
Title: From evolutionary relics to diabetic mellitus sentinels: a Mendelian randomization study of endogenous retrovirus group V member 1
Author: Mingtong Wei , Xiangyi Bu, Anmin Wang , Juanzi Gao , Haoyuan Tan and Weidong Jia,
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1310-1314 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: From evolutionary relics to diabetic mellitus sentinels: a Mendelian randomization study of endogenous retrovirus group V member 1
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Mendelian randomization, polyproteins, retroviru
Abstract: Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are retroviral
elements that have integrated into the human genome
during evolution and have various effects on human
health and disease. Diabetic mellitus (DM) is a common
metabolic disorder that affects millions of people
worldwide. The causal relationship between HERVs and
DM is unclear and controversial. In the present study,
we used Mendelian randomization (MR) to infer the
causal effect of HERV group V member 1 envelope polyprotein (HERVV-1 Env) expression on three types of DM:
type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), type 2 diabetes mellitus
(T2DM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We
found that HERVV-1 Env expression had a significant
protective effect on T1DM and GDM, albeit not on
T2DM. The reverse MR analysis showed that the three
subtypes of DM did not affect HERVV-1 Env expression. Our findings illuminate the intricate relationship
between HERVV-1 Env expression and varying DM
subtypes, highlighting distinct underlying mechanisms.
This pioneering study into the potential causal ties between HERVs family members and DM onset offers a
new perspective on the significance of HERVs in human health and pathology.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Jakobsson, J. and Vincendeau, M., SnapShot: human endogenous
retroviruses. Cell, 2022, 185, 400.
Mangeney, M. et al., Placental syncytins: genetic disjunction
between the fusogenic and immunosuppressive activity of retroviral
envelope proteins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2007, 104, 20534–
20539.
Literature cited 2: Frank, J. A. et al., Evolution and antiviral activity of a human protein of retroviral origin. Science, 2022, 378, 422–428.
Kremer, D. et al., pHERV-W envelope protein fuels microglial
cell-dependent damage of myelinated axons in multiple sclerosis.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2019, 116, 15216–15225.
ID: 66075
Title: Ces: a new stellar spectral noise reduction algorithm
Author: Yang Jiaming , Tu Liangping , Liu Hao and Zhao Jian
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1301-1309 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: Ces: a new stellar spectral noise reduction algorithm
Keywords: Empirical mode decomposition, line index, multi-scale fuzzy entropy, singular value decomposition, stellar spectrum.
Abstract: We propose a stellar spectral noise reduction algorithm
named Ces. The Hermitian interpolation algorithm is
utilized to replace the cubic spline interpolation module
in the empirical mode decomposition algorithm. Additionally, the shape of both upper and lower envelopes
are constrained by continuous spectrum information
from celestial spectra. The specific steps involved are:
(i) The continuous spectrum of stellar spectra is fitted
using a 10th-order polynomial. (ii) Calculate the derivative of the continuous spectrum at the extreme point
of the stellar spectrum. (iii) Input the calculated derivative into the Hermite interpolation algorithm, utilizing it as a fitting parameter to generate upper and
lower envelopes. Ces algorithm firstly decomposes and
reconstructs stellar spectra to achieve initial noise reduction effect. The singular value decomposition algorithm is used to process the initial noise reduction data
again to further remove the noise and recover part of
the spectral line information.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Cheng, L. et al., A new stellar spectrum interpolation algorithm and
its application to Yunnan-III evolutionary population synthesis
models. Mont. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 2018, 476(3), 4071–4084.
2. Oknyansky, V. L. et al., New changing look case in NGC 1566.
Month. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 2019, 483(1), 558–564.
Literature cited 2: Alderson, L. et al., A comprehensive analysis of WASP-17b’s transmission spectrum from space-based observations. Month. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 2022, 512(3), 4185–4209.
Sviatoslav, B. B., Igor, V. C. and Evgenii, V. R., New generation
stellar spectral libraries in the optical and near-infrared. I. The
recalibrated UVES-POP library for stellar population synthesis. Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser., 2023, 266(11), 2
ID: 66074
Title: How to make agricultural innovation and extension system effective in delivering agro-advisories
Author: Madhusmita Sahoo, Souvik Ghosh and Santosh Kumar Rout
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1279-1286 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: How to make agricultural innovation and extension system effective in delivering agro-advisories
Keywords: Agricultural innovation and extension system, convergence, extension advisory services, farm women, farm youths, pluralistic approach
Abstract: The Agricultural Innovation System is a network of various actors including research, extension,
and farmer organisations along with other stakeholders. This network along with supporting institutions and policies, bring new agricultural products, processes, and other innovations for social and
economic use. Farmers access to the latest advancements in agriculture is facilitated by Extension
Advisory Services (EAS). EAS have focused more on demand driven methods, for which many public
and private entities are prepared to meet the various demands of the farmers. Presently, institutional
issues are impeding the efficacy and efficiency of Agricultural Extension Systems since the institutions are operating at separate levels without any functional convergence at the local level. It is necessary to design and test convergence models for the implementation of various programmes that
meet the various needs of several type of clienteles.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Wambura, R. M., Acker, D. and Mwasyete, K. K., Extension systems in Tanzania: identifying gaps in research. Tanz. J. Agric. Sci.,
2015, 14(1), 43–56.
Swanson, B. E. and Rajalahti, R., Strengthening agricultural extension and advisory systems: procedures for assessing, transforming,
and evaluating extension systems. Agric. Rural Develop. Discussion Pap., 2010, 45, 1–87
Literature cited 2: Birner, R. et al., From best practice to best fit: a framework for designing and analysing pluralistic agricultural advisory services
worldwide. J. Agric. Educ. Exten., 2009, 15(4), 341–355.
Agwu, A. E., Dimelu, M. U. and Madukwe, M. C., Innovation system approach to agricultural development: policy implications for
agricultural extension delivery in Nigeria. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 2008,
7(11), 1604–1611.
ID: 66073
Title: The Chooralmala landslide: a comprehensive analysis of the 2024 Wayanad event
Author: R. Sajeev
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1277-1278 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: The Chooralmala landslide: a comprehensive analysis of the 2024 Wayanad event
Keywords: None
Abstract: On 30 July 2024, the Chooralmala region
(11.50°N, 76.16°E) in Wayanad, Kerala,
experienced one of the deadliest landslides
in recent history, caused by extreme rainfall. The region received over 140 mm of
rain in a single day, resulting in a massive
debris flow that left over 230 dead, hundreds displaced and numerous villages destroyed1,2. This scientific correspondence
analyses the geological, meteorological,
and human-induced factors that contributed to the landslide and stresses the need
for enhanced disaster mitigation strategies
in Wayanad, a highly vulnerable region
within the Western Ghats
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: World Weather Attribution (WWA), Oneday rainfall that triggered Wayanad landslides was Kerala’s third heaviest: study. The
News Minute, 15 August 2024; https://www.
thenewsminute.com/kerala/one-day-rainfallthat-triggered-wayanad-landslides-was-keralas-third-heaviest-study
ABP News, Wayanad landslide LIVE updates: Search and rescue, 31 July 2
Literature cited 2: Bhattacharya, R. N., Mukherjee, P. K. and
Ghosh, S., J. Soil Water Conserv., 2006,
61(2), 70–76.
Sangomia, A., Down to Earth, 14 August
2024; https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/wayanad-landslides-withoutglobal-warming-rainfall-would-have-been11-less-intense-finds-attri
ID: 66072
Title: The growing threat of strokes in India
Author: Suman Ray
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1276-1277 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: The growing threat of strokes in India
Keywords: None
Abstract: Stroke, today, has become the leading
cause of mortality and disability amongst
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in
India. According to Global Burden of Disease study in India, stroke alone is responsible for 9.4 million fatalities and 28.5 million
Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)
lost1
. National Programme for Prevention
and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS),
released under the National Health Mission in 2019, is being implemented for up
to district level interventions. It includes
awareness generation for prevention,
screening, early detection, and referral for
treatment in an appropriate level institution.
The implementation of NPCDCS aims to
provide upstream and downstream integration of NCD prevention and control interventions. However, discrepancies at the
district level, primary health centre (PHC),
are reported. For example, a paper published in Lancet2 reports the case of PHC at
the Kheda village in Meerut district, Uttar
Pradesh was found to be locked during
weekday when a college student happened
to visit it. So are similar cases too. So what
is important? The availability of the PHC
to the public is the basic need prior to the
successful implementation of the NPCDCS
that has been recently launched under the
National Health Mission.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Lozano, R. et al., Lancet, 2012, 380, 2095–
2128.
Chatterjee, P., The Lancet, 2017, 390(10111),
2426–2427; doi:org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)-
32860-X.
Literature cited 2: Rangamani, S. et al., The Lancet Reg.
Health – Southeast Asia, 2024, 23, 100308.
Sharma, S., Padma, M. V., Bhardwaj, A.,
Sharma, A., Sawal, N. and Thakur, S., Neurol. India, 2016, 64, 934–940; 10.4103/0028-
3886.190243 27625232.
ID: 66071
Title: Critical zone studies for sustainable development
Author: K. Sreelash and N. V. Chalapathi Rao
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (11) 1274-1275 10 Dec. (2024)
Subject: Critical zone studies for sustainable development
Keywords: None
Abstract: Critical zone science is a rapidly expanding
area of research in Earth System Science
focusing on the part of the earth that goes
from the top of the canopy to the bottom of
the aquifers. Earth’s critical zone (CZ) is
experiencing ever increasing pressure from
the burgeoning human population and economic development. The CZ concept provides a powerful interdisciplinary framework
for quantifying the environmental flows of
goods and services that arise from them.
The growing population of India requires
more natural resources to meet the pace of
economic development. This will impose
added pressure on the ecosystem and its
resource base. Further, the Indian sub-continent is unique in terms of its lithological/
climatic variabilities as it is located in the
core of the monsoon domain. All these
warrant a better understanding of the earth’s
surface processes which can be addressed
through multi-disciplinary studies using a
network of Critical Zone Observatories
(CZOs) spread across different geo-environmental gradients. Realizing the importance
of environment-inclusive development to
meet the sustainable development goals
(SDGs) set by India, the National Centre
for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), Thiruvananthapuram, has initiated establishing a
network of CZOs in Peninsular India under
the theme TERRAIn (Tropical Ecosystem
Research Observatories in Peninsular
India) with an aim to understand the relativeinfluence of natural perturbations (climate
variability) and anthropogenic activities on
the hydrological and biogeochemical cycles
in different environmental gradients of
peninsular India and also synchronizing
the same with other global test beds for
furthering CZ studies on an international
perspective. NCESS has already set up
three CZOs in south India (Attappadi
(Bhavani River Basin), Munnar (Periyar–
Amaravati River Basin) and Aduthurai
(Cauvery Delta)) having distinct environmental gradients.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 66070
Title: Development and evaluation of a power-operated carrot harvester-cum-detopper for hilly regions
Author: T. Senthilkumar, S. Syed Imran, G. Manikandan and R. Sanjay Krishnan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1118-1123 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: Development and evaluation of a power-operated carrot harvester-cum-detopper for hilly regions
Keywords: Carrot harvester, design parameters, detopping, digging efficiency, hilly regions.
Abstract: Carrot harvest is a major drudgery operation that includes manual digging using hand hoes and manual
detopping. It is a highly labor-intensive operation in
the Indian hilly regions. We have developed a power operated carrot harvester-cum-detopper suitable for
hilly areas. The design parameters of the harvester,
viz. blade height (100, 200 and 300 mm), conveying angle (15°, 25° and 35°) and catch height (20, 40 and 60 mm)
were considered to evaluate the machine in actual field
conditions. The optimum parameter values obtained
for field operation were blade height of 300 mm, conveying angle of 25° and catch height of 40 mm. The field
results of the power-operated carrot harvester indicate
an actual field capacity of 0.028 ha h–1
, digging efficiency
of 95.5%, conveying efficiency of 97.5%, detopping efficiency of 98.0% and damage percentage of 2.0. The
harvester performs well for carrots grown in raised
beds and single, narrow-row cultivation practices.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Anon., 2023; https://www.indiastat.com/data/agriculture/carrot
Shirwal, S. and Mani, I., Study on design parameters effecting mechanical carrot harvester. Int. J. Eng. Sci. Res. Technol., 2014, 3(3),
1664–1670.
Literature cited 2: Hagen, K. B., Jostein, H. and Ringdahl, K. H., Physiological and subjective responses to maximal repetitive lifting employing stoop and
squat technique. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol., 1993, 67(4),
291–297.
Oda, A. M., El-Wahab, A., Tawfik, M. A. and Wasfy, K. I., Evaluating of a prototype machine for carrot crop harvesting suitable for
small holdings. Zagazig J. Agric. Res., 2018, 45(1), 213–226.
ID: 66069
Title: Madtsoiid (Althinophidia) snake from the intertrappean beds associated with the oldest (>66 Ma) lava pile of the Deccan traps in India
Author: Anup Dhobale, Dhananjay M. Mohabey , Bandana Samant and Satish Sangode
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1114-1118 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: Madtsoiid (Althinophidia) snake from the intertrappean beds associated with the oldest (>66 Ma) lava pile of the Deccan traps in India
Keywords: Faunal biodiversity, intertrappean beds, lava flows, madtsoiid snake, volcanic eruptions
Abstract: The present study records the earliest occurrence of a
madtsoiid snake from the intertrappean sediments associated with the chronostratigraphically constrained lava
piles of the oldest Deccan trap eruptions in India. The
intertrappean sedimentary beds of the Malwa Group
occur at multiple stratigraphic levels in the two lowermost formations between the lava flows that erupted
during Maastrichtian C30n. The fossils described represent small-sized middle to posterior vertebrae assigned
to Madtsoia. Preservation of these earliest late Cretaceous snakes in India has great significance due to their
survival through the earliest Deccan volcanic eruptions.
The overall faunal biodiversity of the Malwa Group is
dominated by squamates and amphibians during the
early stage of volcanism, indicating that volcanism has
least affected the diversity of the snakes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mohabey, D. M., Samant, B., Deepesh, K., Dhobale, A., Rudra, A.
and Dutta, S., Record of charcoal from early Maastrichtian intertrappean lake sediments of Bagh valley, Madhya Pradesh: palaeofire
proxy. Curr. Sci., 2018, 114(7), 1540–1544.
Tholt, A. J. et al., Geochronological constraints on the evolution
and petrogenesis of the Malwa Plateau Subprovince of the Deccan
Traps. Geochem. Geophy. Geosyst., 2023, 24, e2023GC011137.
Literature cited 2: Mohabey, D. M., Samant, B., Dhobale, A. and Deepesh, K., Reptilian
vertebrates from Deccan volcanic associated sediments of Malwa
Plateau in context to reptiles across Maastrichtian–Paleogene volcanic eruptions in Main Deccan Volcanic Province, India. Global
Geol., 2019, 22(4), 250–257.
LaDuke, T. C., Krause, D. W., Scanlon, J. D. and Kley, N. J., A
Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) snake assemblage from the Maevarano
Formation, Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar. J. Vertebr. Paleontol.,
2010, 30, 109–139.
ID: 66068
Title: The hybrid feature incorporated dual deep learning architecture for the automatic jasmine plant disease detection and classification
Author: P. Maragathavalli and S. Jana
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1108-1113 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: The hybrid feature incorporated dual deep learning architecture for the automatic jasmine plant disease detection and classification
Keywords: Agriculture, convolutional neural network, crop, deep learning, general adversarial network.
Abstract: Agriculture is the strength of our nation, and its production rate is also important for feeding food to all.
The crop production rate is more significantly affected
by various diseases. Currently, these diseases are identified and classified using a visual inspection method,
which is not suitable for larger crop fields. Therefore,
a machine-based, systematic approach is needed to
identify various diseases that occur on the leaves of the
jasmine plant. The present article develops and proposes
a computer-based systematic approach to the detection
and diagnosis of jasmine plant diseases using the dual
deep learning method. The proposed classifier consists
of a general adversarial network (GAN) module and a
proposed convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture for diagnosing diseases in the jasmine plant.
The GAN module extracts the features from the data augmented jasmine plant leaf image, and the CNN
module performs the disease classification process. The
proposed CNN module contains both lower and higherorder kernels that produce the hybrid features, which
are further classified by the CNN architecture. The
proposed classification approach is validated on the set
of jasmine plant leaf images. The simulation is carried
out using MATLAB software, and the results of the
plant leaf classification system are compared with
state-of-the-art models in terms of crop sensitivity, crop
specificity and accuracy.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Fuentes, S., Yoon, S., Kim, S. and Park, D., A robust deep learning-based detector for real-time tomato plant diseases and pests’
recognition. Sensors, 2017, 17(9), 2022.
Quan, L. et al., Maize seedling detection under different growth
stages and complex field environments based on an improved faster
R-CNN. Biosyst. Eng., 2019, 184, 1–23.
Literature cited 2: Lu, Y., Yi, S., Zeng, N., Liu, Y. and Zhang, Y., Identification of
rice diseases using deep convolutional neural networks. Neurocomputing, 2017, 267, 378–384.
Kawasaki, Y., Uga, H., Kagiwada, S. and Iyatomi, H., Basic study
of automated diagnosis of viral plant diseases using convolutional
neural networks. In Advances in Visual Computing: Proceedings of
the International Symposium on Visual Computing, Springer, 2015,
pp. 638–645.
ID: 66067
Title: Production, trade and future prospects of tropical tuber crops
Author: P. Prakash, D. Jaganathan and Sheela Immanuel
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1100-1107 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: Production, trade and future prospects of tropical tuber crops
Keywords: Agricultural resilience, climate change, food security, production trends, trade dynamics, tuber crops.
Abstract: Tropical tuber crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes
and elephant foot yam play vital roles in global food
security and economic development, particularly in developing nations. The present study examines the current
scenario of tuber crop production and trade dynamics,
focusing on India’s role both as a producer and an exporter. Using empirical data from various sources including Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations and Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority, the study analyses
production trends, trade patterns and policy frameworks, to elucidate potential pathways for enhancing
productivity, sustainability and competitiveness in the
tuber crops sector. The analysis reveals significant
growth in cassava and sweet potato production globally,
with India emerging as a key player. However, climate
change, pests and diseases, soil degradation, and trade
barriers pose hurdles to the growth of the sector. This
study also recommends comprehensive strategies, including climate-resilient agricultural practices, integrated
pest management, soil health enhancement and infrastructure development, to address these challenges and
promote the sustainable growth of tuber crops.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: FAOSTAT, Statistics Division Data of Food and Agriculture
Organization, 2022; http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
Pearce, F., Cassava comeback. New Sci., 2007, 194(2600), 38–39.
Literature cited 2: Burns, A., Gleadow, R., Cliff, J., Zacarias, A. and Cavagnaro, T.,
Cassava: the drought, war and famine crop in a changing world.
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Sci., 2015, 111(11/12), 01–08
ID: 66066
Title: Habitat suitability and distribution range modelling for slender-billed vulture Gyps tenuirostris in Arunachal Pradesh, North East India using MaxEnt
Author: Talo Biju, Abprez Thungwon Kimsing, Jacob Ngukir, Gunjan Kumar Saurav and Daniel Mize
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1093-1099 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: Habitat suitability and distribution range modelling for slender-billed vulture Gyps tenuirostris in Arunachal Pradesh, North East India using MaxEnt
Keywords: Conservation, distribution range, Gyps tenuirostris, habitat prediction, maximum entropy.
Abstract: Determination of distribution range with the suitability
of available habitat is one of the important facets for
conservation planning on any threatened species. The
slender-billed vulture (SBV) Gyps tenuirostris is one of
the three critically endangered Gyps vultures found in
Arunachal Pradesh, North East India. Maximum Entropy
(MaxEnt) software was used to predict potential distribution range, habitat suitability and influence of environmental variables on the distribution of SBV. Analysis
showed that out of the total area of 81658.85 km2
,
95.88 km2 (0.12%) fell in the ‘extremely suitable area’
category. The prediction from MaxEnt was highly accurate, with a statistical AUC value of 0.994. The predicted
preferred habitat of SBV includes areas with low elevation, high temperature, high precipitation, and open
land with less vegetation cover. Elevation (63%) was
found to have the most significant influence on the distribution of SBV. The findings of the present study will
help in the implementation of any conservation initiatives
required in the future with respect to SBV population
protection or habitat conservation in Arunachal Pradesh.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Buechley, E. R. and Şekercioğlu, Ç. H., The avian scavenger crisis:
looming extinctions, trophic cascades, and loss of critical ecosystem functions. Biol. Conserv., 2016, 198, 220–228.
Swarup, D. P. et al., Safety of meloxicam to critically endangered
Gyps vultures and other scavenging birds in India. Anim. Conserv.,
2007, 10, 192–198.
Literature cited 2: BirdLife International, Gyps tenuirostris (amended version of 2016
assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017;
https://www.birdsofindia.org/#!/sp/1079/Gyps-tenuirostris (accessed on
30 January 2020).
Withaningsih, S., Iskandar, J. and Prawiradilaga, D. M., Conservation
and management strategies for the sustainability of raptors in a human modified landscape. Int. J
ID: 66065
Title: Spatial variability of sulphur fractions in soils of agro-climatic zone-II, Himachal Himalaya, India
Author: Deepika Suri , Vijay Kumar Sharma , Pardeep Kumar , Praveen Kumar, Munish Sharma and Nagender Pal Butail
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (9) 1083-1092 10 Nov. (2024)
Subject: Spatial variability of sulphur fractions in soils of agro-climatic zone-II, Himachal Himalaya, India
Keywords: Geostatistics, GIS mapping, kriging technique, spatial variation, sulphur fraction
Abstract: Estimating spatial variability of soil nutrients and
their fractions is important for understanding their
dynamic distribution under various pools. The present
study was carried out to examine the spatial distribution of soil sulphur (S) fractions in agro-climatic zoneII (mid hills sub-humid) of Himachal Himalaya, India.
The data were analysed with a classical and geostatistical approaches. The soil organic carbon varies from
2.8 to 22 g/kg and the S-fractions are positively correlated
with organic carbon. The total-S varies from 72.6 to
513.9 mg/kg with a mean value of 260.9 mg/kg. The descriptive analysis showed that the coefficient of variation
ranged from 8.5% to 52.9%. Semivariogram modelling
represents that the best-fitted model was exponential
and the nugget-to-sill ratio {(C0/C0 + C)} explains the
spatial dependency, suggesting a moderate spatial dependence. The principal component analysis represents
the three principal components that explain the 91%
variance in the dataset. The higher concentration of
sulphur is well correlated with soil organic carbon.
The present study provides information to understand
sulphur dynamics through their partitioning among
various pools for effective soil resource management.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kabata-Pendias, A., Trace Elements in Soils and Plants, CRC
Press, USA, 2001, 3rd edn.
Fageria, N. K., Baligar, V. C. and Clark, R. B., Micronutrients in
crop production. Adv. Agron., 2002, 77, 185–250.
Literature cited 2: Das, D. K., Introductory Soil Science, Kalyani Publishers, New
Delhi, 2015.
Tabatabai, M. A., Sulphur. Agronomy, 1982, 9, 501–538