Enter records

ID: 63858
Title: Predicting the area and production of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India using neural networks
Author: P. Dinesh Kumar
Editor: Aarti Chaudhary
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 500 -504 (2023)
Subject: Predicting the area and production of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India using neural networks
Keywords: Back propagation, multilayer perceptron, neural network, nonlinear stochastic data, sugarcane area and production.
Abstract: Sugarcane is a major cash crop in India, grown in almost 5 million hectares with a production of 339 million tonnes. Tamil Nadu contributes significantly to the production of sugarcane. Data from the past year show a huge fluctuation in the area and production of sugarcane in the state. Predicting the area and production employing traditional modelling techniques fails because the assumptions are never attained in the field. To overcome this, soft computing techniques like artificial neural networks (ANNs) are used. In this study, a multilayer perceptron neural network (MLP-NN) with back-propagation was used to predict the area and production of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu. The MLP-NN (2,2) model predicts the area with minimum mean absolute error (MAE; 18.139) and root mean squared error (RMSE; 23.058) values and with high accuracy (99%). For production, the MLP-NN (2,1) model estimates minimum MAE (24.875) and RMSE (31.199) values with high accuracy (99%). So, MLP-NN (2,2) and MLP-NN (2,1) are the best ANN models to predict the area and production of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu respectively. Additionally, ANN models perform better in predicting nonlinear stochastic data.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Suresh, K. K. and Krishna Priya, S. R., Forecasting sugarcane yield of Tamil Nadu using ARIMA models. Sugar Tech., 2011, 13, 23– 26. Solomon, S., Sugarcane agriculture and sugar industry in India: at a glance. Sugar Tech., 2014, 16, 113–124.
Literature cited 2: . Bala, B. K., Ashraf, M. A., Uddin, M. A. and Janjai, S., Experimental and neural network prediction of the performance of a solar tunnel drier for drying jackfruit bulbs and leather. J. Food Process Eng., 2005, 28, 552–566. Ehret, D. L., Hill, B. D., Raworth, D. A. and Estergaard, B., Artificial neural network modelling to predict cuticle cracking in greenhouse peppers and tomatoes. Comput. Electron. Agric., 2008, 61, 108–116.

ID: 63857
Title: Substitution rate estimation of molecular markers to evaluate evolutionary aspects in ladybird beetles
Author: Chandni Verma, Geetanjali Mishra and Omkar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 491 -499 (2023)
Subject: Substitution rate estimation of molecular markers to evaluate evolutionary aspects in ladybird beetles
Keywords: Evolutionary topology, ladybirds, molecular markers, phylogenetic analysis, substitution rates
Abstract: In this study, we examined the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers and mtDNA markers for their use in the prospecting of 480 ladybird species belonging to 14 tribes to assess the evolutionary topology and substitution rates. Substitution patterns of the respective markers were estimated using a cascade of algorithms such as pairwise sequence comparisons, maximum likelihood estimates of the substitution matrix, transitions/transversions (ti/tv) and gamma parameters with a suitable substitution model. Maximum likelihood (ML) estimates showed that COI (R = 1.16) and COII (R = 1.36) were more biased towards transitions. COI has a higher ti/tv ratio indicating more substitutions and less divergence among the species in the phylogenetic tree, though it had moderate bootstrap support. ML and Bayesian analysis were used to construct the morphology character matrix and molecular datasets in order to establish the evolutionary relationship. All the characters of male and female genitalia supported mophyletic topology. The phylogenetic results of molecular datasets suggest that most of the taxa significantly support monophyly. Phylogenetic analysis depict COI consists of more substitution as it shows less divergence among species.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Vandenberg, N. J., 93. Coccinellidae Latreille 1807, American Beetles (eds Arnett Jr, R. H. and Thomas, M. C.), CRC Press, 2002, vol. 2, pp. 371–389. Seago, A. E., Giorgi, J. A., Li, J. and Slipinski, A., Phylogeny, classification and evolution of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) based on simultaneous analysis of molecular and morphological data. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 2011, 60
Literature cited 2: Poorani, J., Coccinellidae of the Indian subcontinent. In Indian Insects, CRC Press, 2019, pp. 223–246. Szawaryn, K., Bocak, L., Ślipiński, A., Escalona, H. E. and Tomaszewski, W., Phylogeny and evolution of phytophagous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: epilachnini), with recognition of new genera. Syst. Entomol., 2015, 40(3), 547–569.

ID: 63856
Title: Trilobozoan (Tribrachidium and Albumares) Ediacaran organisms from Marwar Supergroup, Western India
Author: V. S. Parihar, Hukmaram, Pawan Kumar and Anshul Harsh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 485 -490 (2023)
Subject: Trilobozoan (Tribrachidium and Albumares) Ediacaran organisms from Marwar Supergroup, Western India
Keywords: Albumares, Ediacaran organisms, sandstone, Tribrachidium, trilobozoans.
Abstract: Here we describe the Tribrachidium and Albumares Ediacaran organisms belonging to phylum Trilobozoa in the Sonia Sandstone of Marwar Supergroup, western India. Between the two Ediacaran genera, Albumares brunsae was the first to be discovered in India, while Tribrachidium heraldicum was the first record from the Marwar Supergroup. T. heraldicum is soft-bodied, discoidal or disc-shaped (in plane view) and slightly conical-shaped (when found with up to 2 mm vertical relief) with three elevated lobes (arms) or ridges bounded by a well-defined peripheral ring. A. brunsae is soft-bodied, flattened, low-relief, circular to sub-circular and with a tri-lobed (three elevated arms/rays) shield having branching rays that radiate outward from the centre to the outer edge of the peripheral ring. Both Ediacaran taxa occur here as convex or positive reliefs with triradial symmetry on medium to fine-grained sandstone bedding planes in the Sursagar area and show the Flinders Ranges style of preservation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Narbonne, G. M., The Ediacara biota: neoproterozoic origin of animals and their ecosystems. Annu. Rev. Earth Plant Sci., 2005, 33, 421–442. Xiao, S. and Laflamme, M., On the eve of animal radiation: phylogeny, ecology and evolution of the Ediacara biota. Trends Ecol. Evol., 2009, 24, 31–40
Literature cited 2: Ivantsov, A. Y. and Fedonkin, M. A., Conulariid-like fossil from the Vendian of Russia: a Metazoan clade across the Proterozoic/ Palaeozoic boundary. Palaeontology, 2002, 45(6), 1219–1229. Glaessner, M. F., The Dawn of Animal Life: A Biohistorical Study, Cambridge University Press, 1984.

ID: 63855
Title: Differential loss of glacier stored water in the Indus River basin
Author: Ashutosh Kulkarni, Veena Prasad, A. R. Arya , Rajiv K. Chaturvedi , Sushil K. Singh and Sandip Oza
Editor: Aarti Chaudhary
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 478 -484 (2023)
Subject: Differential loss of glacier stored water in the Indus River basin
Keywords: Climate change, glacier stored water, improved accumulation area ratio, mass balance, river basin
Abstract: In this study, we assessed the glacier stored water (1,620  340 Gt) using a combination of ice dynamics modelling and volume–area scaling method and estimated glacier mass loss (6.4%) from 2001 to 2013 for the Indus River basin. Results indicate that the impact of climate change is not uniform across the basin, especially the stark difference between the Western Himalayan region where the glaciers are losing mass at the rate of –0.56  0.27 m.w.e. per annum and the Upper Indus where the loss is at –0.18  0.11 m.w.e. per annum.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Wester, P., Mishra, A., Mukherji, A. and Shrestha, A. B., The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People, Springer Nature, Switzerland, 2019, chapter 1, table 1.2, p. 5. Pritchard, H. D., Asia’s shrinking glaciers protect large populations from drought stress. Nature, 2019, 569(7758), 649–654
Literature cited 2: Mujumdar, P. P. and Tiwari, V. M., Water Futures of India: Status of Science and Technology, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, 2019. Abdullah, T., Romshoo, S. A. and Rashid, I., The satellite observed glacier mass changes over the Upper Indus Basin during 2000–12. Sci. Rep., 2020, 10(1), 1–9

ID: 63854
Title: Precise mosaicing of mouza plans for the preparation of digital cadastral map using GNSS
Author: Aniket Verma, Amar Prakash, Ajay Kumar, Sandip Oraon and Sujit Kumar Mandal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 467 -477 (2023)
Subject: Precise mosaicing of mouza plans for the preparation of digital cadastral map using GNSS
Keywords: Cadastral maps, digitization, georeferencing, mosaicing, satellite system.
Abstract: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), an advanced surveying system, is used to determine three-dimensional points accurately. The present study was conducted in Kasta East Coal Block of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL), India, focusing on data generation, establishing boundary coordinates and mosaicing of mouza plans using real-time kinematic approach. Base station and primary control points were established by the static method. It evaluates the geospatial information using GNSS and quantification of the accuracy of the geo-referenced cadastral map of kasta east coal block of WBPDCL. Scanned mouza plans were converted to vector format through AutoCAD, oriented and placed precisely with the help of established ground control points. The features of the cadastral map were tuned by superimposing the vector cadastral map of the study area. Assessment of the vector cadastral map showed better accuracy and less distortion in large-area parcels/khasras. More variations were observed in small-area khasras. Similarly, smaller mouzas showed more variation compared to larger ones. Distortions were due to manual error in digitization and technical error in scanning. The methodology of mosaicking presented here will be useful for updating the cadastral maps with improved precision in digital cadastral plan preparation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Prakash, A. et al., Evolution of DGPS data with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) using handheld GPS. In Modern Trends in Mine Surveying, Department of Mining Engineering, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, 2012, pp. 153–171. Roa, G. S., Global Navigation Satellite System with Essentials of Satellite Communications, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Co Ltd, 2010, pp. 1–478; ISBN: 9781283187107.
Literature cited 2: Li, X. et al., Precise positioning with current multi-constellation global navigation satellite systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Sci. Rep. 5, 2015, 8328, 1–14; https://doi.org/10.1038/ srep08328. Cheng, L. et al., Development of BeiDou satellite-based augmentation system. Navigation: J. Inst. Navig., 2021, 68, 405–417; https:// doi.org/10.1002/navi.422.

ID: 63853
Title: An inexpensive foldscopic approach for quantitative evaluation of the shape of sand particles
Author: Kunjari Mog and P. Anbazhagan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 457 -466 (2023)
Subject: An inexpensive foldscopic approach for quantitative evaluation of the shape of sand particles
Keywords: Foldscope, image analysis, particle shape, resolution, sand.
Abstract: Shape is a fundamental key property of any object and an important physical attribute that remains ignored, although its importance has been accepted for quite some time and is not accounted for in standard soil classification guidelines. One of the reasons for this could be the lack of inexpensive microscopic instruments or image scanners in most laboratories. This study quantifies particle shape characteristics using a costeffective foldscope approach. Four different types of sand were used in this study and results were compared against scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. In addition, the effect of the number of particles and resolution on the analysis is discussed. It was found that the foldscope-based approach yielded consistent results with SEM in measuring the aspect ratio and roundness parameter (except circularity). The variation between the two approaches was found to be less than 5% for both aspect ratio and roundness; however, a significant difference was observed in the case of circularity (more than 50%) due to the influence of resolution.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Yang, J. and Gu, X. Q., Shear stiffness of granular material at small strains: does it depend on grain size? Géotechnique, 2013, 63(2), 165–179. . Cho, G. C., Dodds, J. and Santamarina, J. C., Particle shape effects on packing density, stiffness, and strength: natural and crushed sands. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 2006, 132(5), 591–602.
Literature cited 2: Senetakis, K., Anastasiadis, A. and Pitilakis, K., Normalized shear modulus reduction and damping ratio curves of quartz sand and rhyolitic crushed rock. Soils Found., 2013, 53(6), 879–893. 4. Payan, M., Senetakis, K., Khoshghalb, A. and Khalili, N., Effect of gradation and particle shape on small-strain Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of sands. Int. J. Geomech., 2017, 17(5), 04016120

ID: 63852
Title: Effect of sub-lethal doses of thiamethoxam on the memory of Apis mellifera Linnaeus
Author: Ashok Kumar Karedla, Amit Choudhary*, Jaspal Singh and Pardeep Kumar Chhuneja
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 451 -456 (2023)
Subject: Effect of sub-lethal doses of thiamethoxam on the memory of Apis mellifera Linnaeus
Keywords: Apis mellifera, memory, proboscis extension reflex, thiamethoxam, sucrose concentration
Abstract: Honey bees forage owing to their remarkable ability to learn and memorize their cues. The effect of thiamethoxam on the memory of bees was studied through the proboscis extension reflex (PER). The bees that consumed higher doses of thiamethoxam (0.93–5.76 ng bee–1 ) showed lesser sensitivity to sucrose than those that consumed lower doses (0.03–0.64 ng bee–1 ). Bees sensitivity was least affected at the highest sucrose concentration (50% w/v). PER in trained and treated bees recorded after 2 and 24 h of consuming the various doses of thiamethoxam showed a significant reduction in memory (13.3–82.2% and 0.00–68.9% respectively). Field-level studies are required to validate the results and formulate strategies at the national level for safeguarding the bees.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Potts, S. G., Petanidou, T., Roberts, S., O’Toole, C., Hulbert, A. and Willmer, P., Plant–pollinator biodiversity and pollination services in a complex Mediterranean landscape. Biol. Conserv., 2006, 129, 519–529. Klein, A., Vaissiere, B. E., Cane, J. H., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S. A., Kremen, C. and Tscharntke, T., Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. B, 2007, 274, 303–313.
Literature cited 2: Bradbear, N., The importance of bees in nature. In Bees and their Role in Forest Livelihoods: A Guide to the Services Provided by Bees and the Sustainable Harvesting, Processing and Marketing of their Products, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 2009, pp. 13–16. Neumann, P. and Carreck, N. L., Honey bee colony losses. J. Apic. Res., 2010, 49, 1–6.

ID: 63851
Title: Dissipation and degradation kinetics of commonly used pesticides and their metabolites in/on okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench
Author: C. Meenambigai and K. Bhuvaneswari
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 442 -450 (2023)
Subject: Dissipation and degradation kinetics of commonly used pesticides and their metabolites in/on okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench
Keywords: Acephate, dissipation, dimethoate, emamectin benzoate, half-life, okra
Abstract: Based on the dissipation pattern and degradation kinetics study of pesticides in okra, the average initial deposit of dimethoate and acephate was comparatively higher than emamectin benzoate and flubendiamide. Acephate residues persisted much longer, while, emamectin benzoate persisted for a shorter time. Acephate metabolized to methamidophos on 1 day after treatment. Des-ido flubendiamide residues were not detected. Okra being harvested on alternate days, following a pre-harvest interval of 24 days after acephate application, is not possible. Thus, usage of acephate at the flowering stage in okra poses the risk of residue detection in the harvested produce. Following a pre-harvest interval of 3–11 days after spraying dimethoate, emamectin benzoate and flubendiamide are mandatory for the safe consumption of okra.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Singh, G. and Brar, K. S., Effect of date of sowing on the incidence of Amrasca biguttulabiguttula (Ishida) and Earias spp. on okra. Indian J. Ecol., 1994, 21, 140–144. Sastry, K. S. M. and Singh, S. J., Effect of yellow vein mosaic virus infection on growth and yield of okra crop. Indian Phytopathol., 1974, 27, 294–297.
Literature cited 2: Chaudhary, H. R. and Dadheech, L. N., Incidence of insects attacking okra and the avoidable losses caused by them. Ann. Arid Zone, 1989, 28, 305–307. Kumaran, N., Douressamy, S., Ramaraju, K. and Kuttalam, S., Estimation of damage and yield loss due to Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) on okra under artificial infestation. J. Acarol., 2007, 17, 4–6

ID: 63850
Title: Three-dimensional point cloud segmentation using a combination of RANSAC and clustering methods
Author: Puyam S. Singh, Iainehborlang M. Nongsiej , Valarie Marboh , Dibyajyoti Chutia , Victor Saikhom and S. P. Aggarwal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 434 -441 (2023)
Subject: Three-dimensional point cloud segmentation using a combination of RANSAC and clustering methods
Keywords: Clustering, drone images, hierarchical model, three-dimensional point cloud, segmentation
Abstract: There are challenges in performing 3D scene understanding on point clouds derived from drone images as these data are highly unstructured with no neighbouring information, highly redundant making the processing difficult and time-consuming and have variable density making it difficult to group and segment them. For proper scene understanding, these point clouds need to be segmented and classified into different groups representing similar characteristics. The approaches for segmentation differ based on the distinctiveness of each data product. Although newer machine learning-based approaches work well, they need large amounts of standardized labelled data which in turn require extensive resources and human intervention to obtain good results. Considering these, we have proposed a hybrid clustering-based hierarchical model for effective segmentation of dense 3D point cloud. We have applied the model to local data having a mix of man-made and natural vegetation with variable topography. The combination of RANSAC, DBSCAN and Euclidean method of cluster extraction proved to be useful for precise segmentation and classification of point clouds. The performance of the model has been assessed using Davies–Bouldin dbIndex-based intrinsic measures. The hybrid approach is able to segment 91% of the point clouds precisely compared to the conventional one-step clustering approach.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Jiang, S., Jiang, C. and Jiang, W., Efficient structure from motion for large-scale UAV images: a review and a comparison of SfM tools. ISPRS J. Photogramm. Remote Sensing, 2020, 167, 230–251; ISSN 0924-2716, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2020.04.016. Leal-Alves, D. C. et al., Digital elevation model generation using UAV-SfM photogrammetry techniques to map sea-level rise scenarios at Cassino Beach, Brazil. SN Appl. Sci., 2020, 2, 2181; https://doi. org/10.1007/s42452-020-03936-z
Literature cited 2: Dey, T. K., Li, G. and Sun, J., Normal estimation for point clouds: a comparison study for a Voronoi based method. In Proceedings Eurographics/IEEE VGTC Symposium Point-Based Graphics, Stony Brook, New York, USA, 2005, pp. 39–46; doi:10.1109/PBG.2005. 194062. Zhao, R., Pang, M., Liu, C. and Zhang, Y., Robust normal estimation for 3D LiDAR point clouds in urban environments. Sensors, 2019, 19, 1248; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19051248

ID: 63849
Title: Fauna associated with wheat cultivation in high altitudes of the Nilgiris, India
Author: J. Berliner , J. Alfred-Daniel , Balaji Rajkumar , H. C. Hombegowda , B. Manimaran , Rashid Parvez, M. R. Khan , Priyank Hanuman Mhatre6 and Guru-Pirasanna-Pandi Govindharaj
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 426 -433 (2023)
Subject: Fauna associated with wheat cultivation in high altitudes of the Nilgiris, India
Keywords: Agroecosystem, animals, biodiversity, birds, nematodes, wheat.
Abstract: Wheat cultivation in southern India is unique as it is grown in high altitudes (1500 m amsl), surrounded by the pristine environment of the Western Ghats. Also, it can be grown throughout the year, unlike only once a year in India’s central and northern plains. The faunal pressure on wheat cultivation in southern India is different from the other wheat-growing regions in the country. However, information on faunal diversity associated with wheat crops in this unique ecosystem is meagre. Hence, the present study aimed to acquire knowledge based on the fauna associated with and their influence on wheat cultivation in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, South India. Our results indicated that the phylum Arthropoda dominated the ecosystem with 61 species, followed by the Chordata with 41 species, and the Nematoda with 22 species. The coleopterans were found to be dominant among arthropods followed by lepidopterans. In chordates, small birds such as spotted munia and common rosefinch were observed often, while among the Nematoda, the plantparasitic order Tylenchida topped the list. During different phases of cultivation, the overall diversity was highest during the early stages of the crop and least during the vegetative phase. This study also highlights the human– animal interaction in the context of agriculture, as it was observed that the damage caused by Nilgiri gaur, spotted munia and common rose finch was one of the major reasons for non-preference of wheat crops by the farmers besides the lack of cost-effective technologies to ward-off wild animals. This initiative may encourage researchers to perform more comprehensive studies on the faunal diversity of the entire crop-growing areas in the southern hill regions of India.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Agricoop, Annual Report 2020–21. Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Government of India, Madras, 2021, pp. 1–13; https://agricoop.nic.in/sites/default/files/Web%20copy%20of%20- AR%20%28Eng%29_7.pdf Francis, W., The Nilgiris Madras District Gazateers, The Superintendent, Government Pr
Literature cited 2: Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., da Fonseca, G. A. B. and Kent, J., Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 2000, 403, 853–858. Cobb, N. A., Estimating the nema population of soil, with special reference to the sugar-beet and root-gall nemas, Heterodera schachtii Schmidt and Heterodera radicicola (Greef) Müller. Agricultural Technology Circular. Bureau of Plant Industry, US Department of Agriculture, Government Print Office, USA, 1918.

ID: 63848
Title: Live transportation of food fishes: current scenario and future prospects
Author: Vishnu R. Nair, U. Parvathy, T. J. Jithin , P. K. Binsi and C. N. Ravishankar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 418 -425 (2023)
Subject: Live transportation of food fishes: current scenario and future prospects
Keywords: Aquaculture, anaesthetization, food fishes, live transportation, water quality
Abstract: Live fish has emerged as a highly in-demand commodity in the recent past due to the progressive quality concepts of seafood consumers. Live fish transportation depends on several internal and external factors which need to be considered critically for improving survival as well as quality during transportation. The lack of a systematic approach for live fish transportation, from on-farm handling to marketing, is the most significant issue faced by the stakeholders. This article provides an integrated insight into the current state of knowledge in the field of live transportation of food fishes emphasizing the significance, present status, challenges and exploration possibilities
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Fabinyi, M. et al., Luxury seafood consumption in China and the intensification of coastal livelihoods in Southeast Asia: the live reef fish for food trade in Balabac, Philippines. Asia Pac. Viewp., 2012, 53, 118–132. Prasad, S., Fish transportation and marketing in Dumraon and Buxar, South Bihar, India. Meander, 2020, 5, 10–65.
Literature cited 2: Harmon, T. S., Methods for reducing stressors and maintaining water quality associated with live fish transport in tanks: a review of the basics. Rev. Aquacult., 2009, 1, 58–66. Treasurer, J. W., Changes in pH during transport of juvenile cod Gadus morhua L. and stabilisation using buffering agents. Aquaculture, 2012, 330–333, 92–99.

ID: 63847
Title: Decision support framework for the management and conservation of wild edible plants in Maharashtra, India
Author: Poorva Joshi, Manali Rane and Aparna Watve
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 414 -417 (2023)
Subject: Decision support framework for the management and conservation of wild edible plants in Maharashtra, India
Keywords: Conservation, indigenous knowledge, sustainable development, wild edible plants.
Abstract: Wild edible plants (WEPs) are important in ethnobiological research in India. Maharashtra has been chosen as a case study to understand the state of knowledge about WEPs and their use for sustainable development. A total of 436 edible plants have been listed so far, but documentation of management practices is less and needs systematic research in the future. We suggest future action research themes and a decision-support framework for using WEPs in Maharashtra.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Meyer, R. S., DuVal, A. E. and Jensen, H. R., Patterns and processes in crop domestication: an historical review and quantitative analysis of 203 global food crops. New Phytol., 2012, 196(1), 29–48. Heywood, V., Use and potential of wild plants in farm households. In FAO Farm Systems Management Series 15, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, 1999, pp. 2–3.
Literature cited 2: Turner, N. J., Luczaj, L. J., Migliorini, P., Pieroni, A., Dreon, A. L., Sacchetti, L. E. and Paoletti, M. G., Edible and tended wild plants, traditional ecological knowledge and agroecology. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 2011, 30(1–2), 198–225. Carvalho, A. M. and Barata, A. M., The consumption of wild edible plants. In Wild Plants, Mushrooms and Nuts: Functional Food Properties and Applications (eds Ferreira, I., Morales, P. and Barros, L.), John Wiley, Chichester, UK, 2017, pp. 159–198.

ID: 63846
Title: Does India need a different rice ecosystem to harness the export advantages and manage the virtual water exports?
Author: Raka Saxena, M. S. Raman, Shivendra K. Srivastava, Md Arshad Khan and Rohit Kumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 407 -413 (2023)
Subject: Does India need a different rice ecosystem to harness the export advantages and manage the virtual water exports?
Keywords: Comparative advantage, rice, sustainable cultivation, virtual water exports
Abstract: The present study assessed the virtual water trade and comparative advantages in rice exports. It suggests realigning the Indian rice ecosystem based on the demand–supply gap, groundwater exploitation, productivity growth and untapped productivity potential. It also advocates the phased shifting of acreage under common (non-basmati) rice production to potential regions identified as suitable. The proposed shifting of cultivation will lead to achieving a sustainable rice ecosystem, conserving the natural resource base and reducing risk in terms of environmental and economic factors. Emerging practices such as dry direct-seeded rice, and the system of rice intensification could be effectively used for sustainable rice ecosystem in India
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Chapagain, A. K., Hoekstra, A. Y. and Savenije, H. H. G., Water saving through international trade of agricultural products. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 2006, 10(3), 455–468. Chapagain, A. K. and Hoekstra, A. Y., The global component of freshwater demand and supply: an assessment of virtual water flows between nations as a result of trade in agricultural and industrial products. Water Int., 2008,
Literature cited 2: Hoekstra, A. Y. and Chapagain, A. K., The water footprints of Morocco and the Netherlands: global water use as a result of domestic consumption of agricultural commodities. Ecol. Econ., 2007, 64(1), 143–151. Liu, J., Zehnder, A. J. and Yang, H., Historical trends in China’s virtual water trade. Water Int., 2007, 32(1), 78–90.

ID: 63845
Title: Avian botulism mass mortality from Sambhar Salt Lake, Rajasthan, Indi
Author: Kavitha Singh ,Monali Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (4) 403 -406 (2023)
Subject: Avian botulism mass mortality from Sambhar Salt Lake, Rajasthan, Indi
Keywords: Avian botulism, mass mortality,Sambhar Salt Lake, Rajasthan, India
Abstract: The first report of mass mortality in migratory birds was received by the Rajasthan Forest Department on 10 November 2019. A joint team of forest, revenue and animal husbandry officials visited the Sambhar lake area the same day, and samples were collected to test for bird flu. It was decided on the spot that carcasses would be collected and buried in deep pits with limestone due to the fear of disease spread. Due to the threat of bird flu, the local staff was advised to adopt appropriate prophylactic measures such as the use of masks and gloves during their field visits and while handling the carcasses. Preliminary findings gave a negative result for bird flu. Thereafter, water samples and biological samples were sent to multiple Government laboratories for further analysis.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Sangha, H. S., Indian Birds, 2009, 4(3), 82–97. Mehdi, S., Ward, B. S. and George, E. H., J. Wildl. Dis., 1984, 20(2), 86–89.
Literature cited 2: Gye-Hyeong, W. et al., J. Wildl. Dis., 2010, 46(3), 951–955. 4. Anza, I., Vidal, D., Feliu, J., Crespo, E. and Mateo, R., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2016, 82(10), 3092–3099.

ID: 63844
Title: Structural assemblage of avian community in Manasbal belt, Jammu and Kashmir
Author: Hameem Mushtaq Wani and Umer Nazir
Editor: Aarti Chaudhary
Year: 2020
Publisher: Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: The Indian Forester Vol. 146 (12) 1176- 1180 (2020)
Subject: Structural assemblage of avian community in Manasbal belt, Jammu and Kashmir
Keywords: Avifauna, Manasbal, Nesbal, Diversity, Hill, Evenness
Abstract: Manasbal belt, located in district Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir, serves as an attraction for different bird species due to the presence of good forest cover and the deepest fresh water lake of India (Manasbal lake).However, the area remains unexplored as far as avian diversity is considered. To know the status and diversity of birds in Manasbal belt of Jammu and Kashmir, a study was conducted from December 2019 to February 2020.The observations revealed that they are provides habitat for about 51 species of birds belonging to 14 orders and 25 families. The highest diversity was observed at study site II followed by study site III and study site i.e. Family Anatidae (n=8) has the highest number of species followed by Accipitridae (n=5), Corvidae (n=4), Muscicapidae (n=4) and so on.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Gaston A.J. (1975).Estimating bird population, Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 72: 271-283. Grimmett R., Inskipp C. And Inskipp T. (2016) .Birds of Indian Subcontinent. Bloomsbury publishing India.528 pp.
Literature cited 2: Hussain A., Rao R.J. and Singh H (2012) Diversity of Waterbird in Wular lake Jammu and Kashmir ,India, Advances in Bioresearch, 3 (3) : 81-86. Jan I., Shah G.M. and Jan U.(2016) .Diversity and Abundance of Avifauna of Haigam Wetland and its adjoining Areas, J &K, India, International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 5 (11) : 19485-19494.