ID: 65001
Title: Thermal regimes, age and sex modulate feeding attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Author: Uzma Afaq, Gyanendra Kumar and Omkar 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. 125 (7) 771-776 (2023)
Subject: Thermal regimes, age and sex modulate feeding attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Keywords: Age, biocontrol, food, sex, temperature, Zygogramma bicolorata.
Abstract: Feeding attributes of phytophagous insects are greatly influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. Therefore, we assessed the combined effect of temperature, age and sex on food consumption and utilization efficiencies of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister. This Mexican beetle is known as one of the most promising candidates for the biocontrol of Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus, a noxious weed of barren, grazing and farming lands. Temperature, age and sex influenced food consumption, its utilization and ecological efficiencies of the beetle. Temperature between 27°C and 30°C was found optimal for 20-day-old adults of Z. bicolorata to convert and utilize the food biomass to body mass. Above and below the optimal temperature and age, the feeding attributes declined. Young females kept at 27°C consumed more food and laid more number of eggs compared to other females at different temperatures. This study reveals that females are more voracious feeders than the males regardless of temperature regimes. The present findings can be helpful to mass-multiply Z. bicolorata in the laboratory for the biocontrol of Parthenium weed in fields and agricultural farms. The results also suggest that global climate change may affect the biocontrol potential of the insect, but field investigations are needed to support the present findings.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Barros-Bellanda, H. C. H. and Zucoloto, F. S., Effects of intraspecific competition and food deprivation on the immature phase of Ascia monuste orseis (Lepidoptera, Pieridae). Iheringia – Ser. Zool., 2002, 92, 93–98. Karsai, I. and Hunt, J. H., Food quantity affects traits of offspring in a paper wasp, Polistes metricus. Environ. Entomol., 2002, 31, 99–106.
Literature cited 2: Moreau, J., Berney, B. and Thiery, D., Assessing larval food quality for phytophagous insects: are the facts as simple as they appear? Funct. Ecol., 2006, 20, 592–600. Kiggundu, A., Host–plant interactions and resistance mechanism to banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) in Ugandan Musa germplasm. M.Sc. thesis, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontain, South Africa, 2000.


ID: 65000
Title: Incubation study of kinetics and mineralization rate of nitrogen in organic sources of Ultisol
Author: Lumbini Kalita, N. J. Singh, Lala I. P. Ray and A. K. 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. 125 (7) 765-770 (2023)
Subject: Incubation study of kinetics and mineralization rate of nitrogen in organic sources of Ultisol
Keywords: Incubation study, kinetics, nitrogen mineralization, organic sources, traditional farming practice.
Abstract: Age-old traditional farming practices are generally followed by tribal inhabitants using locally available organic sources of plant nutrients. The aim of the present study was to determine the kinetics and rate of mineralization of different local organic sources of North East region of India. An incubation study of 100 days was carried out using locally available organic sources, i.e. farmyard manure (FYM; T1), poultry manure (T2), pig manure (T3) and vermicompost (T4) at the rate of 120 kg N/ha (considering recommended dose of fertilizer of rice as 120 kg N/ha). Bulk soil sample of Typic kandihumultis at 0–15 cm was collected from the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Umiam, Meghalaya research farm and treated with organic sources and kept in an incubator at field capacity soil moisture and 25°C temperature. Observations were taken at 10 days interval up to 100 days of incubation (DOI). A control treatment (T0) of no organic source was used for comparison. The results showed that the average nitrogen mineralization rate (Nmin) of T3 was highest (64.88%), followed by T2 (57.77%), T4 (42.98%) and T1 (35.24%). The highest Nmin rate of T3 and T2 was noted at 60 DOI as 79.37% and 76.10% respectively. At 50–60 DOI, total nitrogen, available nitrogen and nitrogen fractions (ammonical nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen) released were the highest irrespective of the organic sources. R2 (coefficient of determinate) of first-order kinetics of all organic sources was found to be: 0.91 (T3) > 0.90 (T2) > 0.89 (T4) > 0.88 (T1), while R2 of second-order kinetics was: 0.66 (T3) > 0.65 (T2) > 0.64 (T1 and T4). It has been concluded that T3 is the best organic nutrient source among the treatments considered for this study.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Murugan, A. V. and Swarnam, T. P., Nitrogen release pattern from organic manures applied to an acid soil. J. Agric. Sci., 2013, 5(6), 174–184; ISSN 1916-9752, E-ISSN 1916-9760. Grzyb, A., Wolna-Maruwka, A. and Niewiadomska, A., Environmental factors affecting the mineralization of crop residues. Agronomy, 2020, 10(12), 1951.
Literature cited 2: Risch, A. C. et al., Global impacts of fertilization and herbivore removal on soil net nitrogen mineralization are modulated by local climate and soil properties. Global Change Biol., 2020, 26(12), 7173–7185. Braos, L. B., Ruiz, J. G. C. L., Lopes, I. G., Ferreira, M. E. and da Cruz, M. C. P., Mineralization of nitrogen in soils with application of acid whey at different pH. J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr., 2020, 20(3), 1102–1109.


ID: 64999
Title: Data envelopment anaylsis in estimating economic efficiency of farm credit for adopting good agricultural practices in mango cultivation in Tamil Nadu, India
Author: B. Kavitha , M. Uma Gowri and K. Muthulakshmi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 758-764 (2023)
Subject: Data envelopment anaylsis in estimating economic efficiency of farm credit for adopting good agricultural practices in mango cultivation in Tamil Nadu, India
Keywords: Data envelopment analysis, economic efficiency, farm credit, good agricultural practices, mango cultivation
Abstract: Good agricultural practices (GAPs) in mango production are essential to enable farm produce to be internationally competitive with sufficient institutional credit. Economic efficiency of 0.45 and 0.68 respectively for conventional and GAP farms in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, India implies that there is scope to increase mango output by 55% and 32% respectively, by optimum allocation of resources. The highest return invested by GAP borrowers might be due to efficient use of resource and GAPs. The extension workers should develop strategies to increase income through adoption of GAPs, efficient use of resources and strengthening the loan delivery mechanism to enhance mango production.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GoI, Horticulture sector can play an important role in doubling farmers’ income. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, 10 May 2021; https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1717447. Tiwari, A., Afroz, S. B. and Kumar, V., Market vulnerabilities and potential of horticulture crops in India: with special reference to top crops. Indian J. Agric. Mark., 2021. 35(3), 1–20.
Literature cited 2: Kumar, A., Singh, D. and Kumar, P., Performance of rural credit and factors affecting the choice of credit sources. Indian J. Agric. Econ., 2010, 62(3), 297–313. Satyasai, K. J. S. and Tiwari, A., Rural credit: can we make it more inclusive? In 23rd Annual Conference of SSCA, ICAR National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, Telangana, Special Proceedings: ISBN: 978-81-950383-0-5, 2021, pp. 143–160; https://www.nabard.org/auth/writereaddata/tender/2609- 223632can-we-make-rural-credit-inclusive.pdf


ID: 64998
Title: Effective elastic thickness of the continental lithosphere with particular reference to the India–Eurasia collision system
Author: V. H. Arjun, V. M. Tiwari and Sandeep Gupta
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 748-757 (2023)
Subject: Effective elastic thickness of the continental lithosphere with particular reference to the India–Eurasia collision system
Keywords: Continental rheology, effective elastic thickness, flexural modelling, isostasy, lithosphere
Abstract: The effective elastic thickness (EET) of the lithosphere is a measure of the lithosphere’s ability to flex under long-term geological and topographic loads. It is often estimated through analyses of gravity and topographic data. The EET has a significant role in regulating the geodynamic evolution of both the continental and oceanic plates. Estimates of EET derived from geophysical data are consistent with rheological models in the oceanic regions. However, there are extensive debates on the estimates of EET and rheological models over the continental areas; differences are probably due to the complex structure and history of the continental plates. For instance, according to one model of continental rheology, popularly known as the ‘Jelly Sandwich’, the mechanical strength of the lithospheric plate is distributed in the upper crust and the lithospheric mantle. In another model, dubbed as ‘Crème Brulee’, the lithospheric mantle is weak, and the mechanical strength of the lithosphere is limited to the upper portion of the crust. These model differences have arisen because of inconsistent results obtained using different datasets, e.g. the distribution of earthquakes, EET, gravity anomaly and rheology. This article discusses the evolution of these contrasting models and the critical necessity to resolve the model differences.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Barrell, J., The strength of the Earth’s crust – Part I. Geologic tests of the limits of strength. J. Geol., 1914, 22, 28–48. Le Pichon, X., Francheteau, J. and Bonnin, J., Plate Tectonics, Developments in
Literature cited 2: Watts, A. B., Crustal and lithosphere dynamics: an introduction and overview. In Treatise on Geophysics, Elsevier, 2015, pp. 1–48. Pratt, A. and Stokes, G. G., On the deflection of the plumb-line in India caused by the attraction of the Himalaya mountains and the elevated regions beyond, and its modification by the compensating effect of a deficiency of matter below the mountain mass. Proc. R. Soc. London, 1859, 9, 493–496


ID: 64997
Title: US News Global Ranking of Subjects 2022–23
Author: Gangan Prathap
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 743-747 (2023)
Subject: US News Global Ranking of Subjects 2022–23
Keywords: Engineering, global rankings, higher educational institutions, natural sciences, research performance
Abstract: The performance of Indian higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the US News 2022–23 Best Global Universities Rankings and Subject Rankings shows that engineering and natural sciences constitute most of the country’s research base. There are many areas in which no Indian school has distinguished itself.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Prathap, G., Shanghai Ranking’s global ranking of academic subjects 2018. Curr. Sci., 2019, 116(2), 232–238. Prathap, G., Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022. Curr. Sci., 20
Literature cited 2: Balaram, P., The Shanghai Rankings. Curr. Sci., 2004, 86(10), 1347– 1348. Virk, H. S., Shanghai Rankings and Indian universities. Curr. Sci., 2004, 87(4), 416.


ID: 64996
Title: Protected vegetable cultivation for climate resilience and nutritional security in Eastern Ladakh, India
Author: Sonam Spaldon, Anwar Hussain, Kunzes Angmo, M. S. Kanwar, Jigmet Laskit, Phunstog Tundup and Diskit Dolker
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 737-742 (2023)
Subject: Protected vegetable cultivation for climate resilience and nutritional security in Eastern Ladakh, India
Keywords: Climate resilience, extreme climatic conditions, nutritional security, organic products, protected vegetable cultivation
Abstract: Eastern Ladakh, India, experiences a harsh climate with temperatures dropping below zero, thus restricting agricultural activities for a short period. Therefore, the inhabitants depend completely on dairy products, packed and processed foods. Traditional farming practiced in the study region is purely indigenous and, by default, organic in nature. Therefore, the region has the potential to produce organic products under protected structures, which will be a source of income generation. The present study was conducted through frontline demonstrations at three locations, viz. Nyoma, Mudh and Tsaga in Ladakh for two consecutive years from 2019 under protected structures, viz. local greenhouse and low tunnel. A comparison of productivity levels between demonstrated variety and local checks was also made. A significant outcome was that the farmers have learned to produce quality vegetables not just to increase their income but also for nutritional security. There is a positive attitude among the locals on the importance of protected cultivation as a self-sustainable technology, nutritionally secure, and uplifting socio-economic conditions with climate-resilient features that will be a boon for this region despite extreme climatic conditions
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Namgail, T., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Mishra, C. and Bagchi, S., Pastoral nomads of the Indian Changthang: production system, land use and socioeconomic changes. Hum. Ecol., 2007, 35, 497–504. Angmo, K., Kumar, Y., Kanwar, M. S., Spaldon, S., Yatoo, S. and Ahmad, M. S., Technological intervention in alfalfa to combat fodder scarcity in 2. Changthang Ladakh, India. Pharma Innov. J., 2021, 11(3), 878–882.
Literature cited 2: Angmo, K., Kanwar, M. S., Dar, R. A. and Rawat, S. G., Recent Changes in yak herding practices in Eastern Ladakh and implications for local livelihoods. In Yak on the Move: Transboundary Challenges and Opportunities for Yak Raising in a Changing Hindu Kush Himalayan Region (eds Ning, Wu et al.), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2016. Miehe, G., Miehe, S., Kaiser, K., Reudenbach, C., Behrendes, L. and Schlütz, F., How old is pastoralism in Tibet? An ecological approach to the making of a Tibetan landscape. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 2009, 276(1–4), 130–147.


ID: 64995
Title: A study on consumer awareness, perception and willingness to pay for biofortified products in Delhi, India
Author: M. L. Geetha, P. Venkatesh, Girish K. Jha, Dharam Raj Singh and V. Sangeetha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 728-736 (2023)
Subject: A study on consumer awareness, perception and willingness to pay for biofortified products in Delhi, India
Keywords: Biofortification, consumer awareness, malnutrition, perception, willingness to pay
Abstract: Malnutrition, which can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and ill health, will disproportionately impact people. Biofortification is an initiative to ensure improved nutritional outcomes in developing countries, where approaches to food supplements and commercially marketed fortified foods are limited. A primary survey was carried out in and around the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, India. A total of 134 respondents from urban and 123 respondents from rural areas were interviewed. The results revealed that the majority of respondents in urban areas (72%) presumed that biofortified products were higher in micronutrients than those in rural areas (49%). The findings reveal that age and gender negatively impact consumer awareness of biofortification, while education, food habits and income exert a positive and significant impact. The policy implications drawn should enable the development of consumer-based food products by creating a niche market and using an appropriate marketing channel to increase consumer acceptance and WTP.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: John, P., Tanzania recording steady progress against malnutrition. Online, 2009; http://216.69.164.44/ipp/guardian/2007/10/03/99636. html (accessed on 20 April 2010). WHO, WHO fact sheet on malnutrition, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2018.
Literature cited 2: Branca, F. and Ferrari, M., Impact of micronutrient deficiencies on growth: the stunting syndrome. Ann. Nutr. Metab., 2002, 46(Suppl. 1), 8–17. Ezzati, M., Vander Hoorn, S., Lopez, A. D., Danaei, G., Rodgers, A., Mathers, C. D. and Murray, C. J., Comparative quantification of mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected risk factors. Global Burden Dis. Risk Factors, 2006, 2, 241–396.


ID: 64994
Title: Localized eradication of mango stone weevil Sternochetus mangiferae (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in India
Author: Abraham verghese, M. A. rashmi, D. K. nagaraju, J. P. 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. 125 (7) 725-727 (2023)
Subject: Localized eradication of mango stone weevil Sternochetus mangiferae (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in India
Keywords: Localized eradication, mango stone weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae,Fabricius, Coleoptera, Curculionidae, India
Abstract: The mango stone (nut) weevil (Sternochetus mangiferae) is a monophagous pest of mango, Mangifera indica. It is found in almost all the mango-growing areas of the world, except Egypt, Italy, Israel and the Canary Islands . In India, it is found mainly in the south2 . The adults lay eggs on immature fruits of 2–4 cm diameter. The grubs that hatch bore into the core of the fruit and eventually get enveloped by the seed coat. The grubs pass through five instars and pupate within the seed. The adults that emerge from the seed burrow through the pulp and emerge through a hole in the rind3,4. During this process, they damage the pulp and contaminate it with their excreta, making it unfit for market, export and industry . The overall loss varies from 5% to 80% (ref. 5). Early infestation can also lead to fruit drop. The weevil is of quarantine significance in fresh fruit export.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: international Institute of Entomology (IIE), Distribution Maps of Plant Pests, CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 1995, Series A, No. 180 (3rd revision). Tandon, P. L. and Verghese, A., World List of Insect, Mite and other Pests of Mango, Technical Document No. 5, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore, 1985, p. 22.
Literature cited 2: Nagaraju, D. K., Ph.D. thesis, Kuvempu University, Karnataka, 2005. Woodruff, R. E. and Fasulo, T. R., July 2015; http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/beetles/mango_seed_weevil.htm (accessed on 6 July 2023)


ID: 64993
Title: Designation of Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve: steps towards landscape level biodiversity conservation
Author: Kanchan puri, Ritesh joshi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 723-725 (2023)
Subject: Designation of Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve: steps towards landscape level biodiversity conservation
Keywords: Designation of Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiger Reserve, landscape level biodiversity conservation
Abstract: It is now widely acknowledged that landscape-level conservation is an important paradigm that addresses scaling up our conservation initiatives and actions, especially when the entire world, including wild species, faces the consequences of climate change, pollution and expanding linear infrastructure. Current conservation instruments, including the protected areas on which the species rely, are insufficient to halt biodiversity loss. Thus, conservation initiatives in the wider landscape surrounding protected areas are needed to achieve the impact required for reversing negative biodiversity trends1 . Landscape conservation facilitates bringing all the sectors and stakeholders in a single platform to collaborate their ideas on managing important biodiversity areas for long-term sustainability. As several ecological and evolutionary processes are associated with the management of an area, systematic conservation planning is needed to ensure sustainable developments of the area, including economic, cultural, social and economic developments. Over the last decade, Governments have been making efforts to consider the biodiversity-rich areas and management and conservation of species across the larger landscapes, not confining the conservation approaches to the protected habitats
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kleijn, D. et al., In the Future of Agricultural Landscapes, Part I (Advances in Ecological Research), Elsevier, UK, 2020, pp. 127– 159; doi:10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.004. Jhala, Y. V., Qureshi, Q. and Nayak, A. K., Technical Report, National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2020
Literature cited 2: Parveen, T. and Ilyas, O., Curr. Sci., 2021, 121(12), 1572–1583. Pawar, D. et al., CATnews, 2020, 71, 18–19.


ID: 64992
Title: Mangroves for sustainable social and economic well-being
Author: K. Kathiresan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 721-722 (2023)
Subject: Mangroves for sustainable social and economic well-being
Keywords: Mangroves, sustainable, social and economic well-being
Abstract: Climate change is a global emergency. All countries must remove 7.6% of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) per year from 2020 to 2030 so the temperature does not exceed 2°C. If this is not implemented, the impacts will be catastrophic, resulting in major disaster risks, according to the Paris Agreement 2015. In this critical situation, mangroves can provide a nature-based solution for climate change issues as they are a carbon-rich system that efficiently removes atmospheric CO2, generating higher carbon biomass than any other aquatic systems and also stores far greater carbon than any other ecosystem on the Earth1,2, making them indispensable for climate change mitigation
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Donato, D. C., Kauffman, J. B., Murdiyarso, D., Kurnianto, S., Stidham, M. and Kanninen, M., Nature Geosci., 2011, 4, 293– 297. Alongi, D. M., Science, 2020, 2, 57; doi:10.3390/sci2030057
Literature cited 2: Kathiresan, K. and Rajendran, N., Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci., 2005, 65, 601–606. Pelayo Menéndez, Iñigo, J., Losada, Saul Torres-Ortega, Siddharth, N. and Michael, W. B., Sci. Rep., 2020, 10, 4404; https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61136-6


ID: 64991
Title: A pragmatic approach to formatting manuscripts of research papers
Author: Yateendra Joshi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 719-720 (2023)
Subject: A pragmatic approach to formatting manuscripts of research papers
Keywords: pragmatic approach, formatting manuscripts, research papers
Abstract: Are you annoyed by the insistence of some journals on exact formatting, such as ‘Do not put a period at the end of figure captions’ or ‘Use superscript numerals to indicate affiliations’? ‘Wish the journal would give greater attention to having my manuscript reviewed quickly than to such formatting trivia’, I hear you muttering. Research itself is difficult and costs money, time and effort, and writing an account of that research in the form of a publishable manuscript is not particularly easy either. By the time a manuscript is ready for submission to the chosen journal, its authors have exhausted nearly all the energy and attention they are willing to spend on that research – and need to keep plenty in reserve for addressing the reviewers’ comments, multiple revisions and proofreading. After uploading their manuscripts, authors would probably turn with relief to the next research project instead of wasting their time on checking whether ‘&’ is used instead of ‘and’ in parenthetical citations or whether the citation number is placed after – instead of before – the dot that ends a sentence.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kozlov, M., Nature, 2023; https://www. nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01846-9 Jiang, Y., Lerrigo, R., Ullah, A., Alagappan, M., Steven, S. M., Goodman, N. and Sinha, S. R., PLoS ONE, 2019, 14, e0223976; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223976
Literature cited 2: Allana, G., LeBlanc, A. G., Barnes, J. D., Saunders, T. J., Tremblay, M. S. and Chaput, J.-P., PLoS ONE, 2019, 14, e0223116; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223116


ID: 64990
Title: Weed management
Author: J. S. Mishra, V. K. Choudhary and Sushilkumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (7) 717-718 (2023)
Subject: Weed management
Keywords: Weed management
Abstract: An international conference was organized to tackle the enormous losses caused by weeds in different agroecosystems and to discuss the future weed management strategies. More than 500 delegates, including eminent scientists, academicians, students, personnel from the pesticide industry and progressive farmers, participated in it. The conference aimed to share knowledge and ideas on available technologies for managing weeds in different agroecosystems and gain input on addressing emerging challenges.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:


ID: 64989
Title: Real-time hybrid simulation in the Pseudo-Dynamic Testing Facility at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Author: Hironmoy Kakoty , Chinmoy Kolay, Shubham Raj and Kamal K. Kar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (6) 685-691 (2023)
Subject: Real-time hybrid simulation in the Pseudo-Dynamic Testing Facility at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Keywords: Adaptive time series compensator, earthquake response, numerical damping, real-time hybrid simulation, viscoelastic damper.
Abstract: Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is a state-of-the-art, accurate, affordable method for simulating seismic effects on structures with loading rate-dependent behaviour. In RTHS, a part of the system that cannot be accurately modelled numerically is simulated experimentally in the laboratory, and the rest numerically. The response of the hybrid system is obtained in real-time by solving the governing equations of motion. This communication demonstrates an implementation of RTHS in the Pseudo Dynamic Testing Facility at IIT Kanpur and its application to seismic response simulation of a two-storey reinforced concrete special moment-resisting frame building with in-house-built nonlinear viscoelastic dampers.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Rai, D. C., Jain, S. K., Murty, C. V. R. and Bansal, D., Large capacity reaction floor–wall assembly for pseudo-dynamic testing at IIT Kanpur and its load rating. Curr. Sci., 2014, 106(1), 93–100. Sharma, R., Pseudo-dynamic test on medium-scaled models of steel braces and frames with hysteretic dampers, M.Tech. thesis, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 2011.
Literature cited 2: Sharma, R., Sachan, A. and Rai, D. C., Correlation between pseudodynamic and shake table test on steel truss moment frames with hysteretic dampers. In 15th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Lisbon, Portugal, 2012. Kolay, C. and Ricles, J. M., Force-based frame element implementation for real-time hybrid simulation using explicit direct integration algorithms. J. Struct. Eng., 2018, 144(2), 1–13; doi:10.1061/ (ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001944


ID: 64988
Title: Copper–gold mineralization and associated hydrothermal alteration around Suwara area, southern part of the Bundelkhand craton, Central India
Author: S. N. Rana, S. K. Ahirwar, V. P. Gaur and P. 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. 125 (6) 678-684 (2023)
Subject: Copper–gold mineralization and associated hydrothermal alteration around Suwara area, southern part of the Bundelkhand craton, Central India
Keywords: Craton, granitoids, hydrothermal alteration, mineralization, quartz reefs.
Abstract: The structurally controlled copper–gold (Cu–Au) mineralization in the Suwara area in the southern part of the Bundelkhand craton, Central India, is hosted within quartz reefs traversing older granitoids. Mineralization is distinctly associated with hydrothermal alteration (potassic, chloritic and iron alteration in the ore zone and Kmetasomatism in the wall rocks). Field observations and laboratory evidence confirm the Fe–Cu–Au association in the study area. Sulphide mineralization is represented by pyrite, chalcopyrite, covellite, chalcocite and bornite occurring as disseminations, stringers and specks within the altered quartz veins, with gold occurring as fine isolated disseminations within quartz and iron oxides. Chemical analysis of surface and subsurface samples showed promising values for Cu (up to 1.0%) and Au (up to 450 ppb) content. Fluid inclusion studies indicated the occurrence of saline mineral fluids (Na– K–Cl-bearing) with the presence of H2O–CO2–CH4 in the mineral system. Overall characteristics of the mineralization and alteration patterns of the prospect indicate that it probably belongs to an iron oxide–copper–goldtype set-up for mineralization. The present study on Cu–Au mineralization from the southern Bundelkhand craton will have significant implications for further exploration and research in the area
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Basu, A. K., Geology of parts of Bundelkhand granite massif. Rec. Geol. Surv. India, 1986, 117(II), 61–124. Gaur, V. P. and Shahid, M., Geology and Mineral Resources of Bundelkhand Granitoid Complex (BGC), Special publication by Geological Survey of India, Central Region, Nagpur, 2021
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ID: 64987
Title: Identifying suitable digital elevation models and deriving features for landslide assessment in Idukki District, Kerala, India
Author: A. Shameem Ansar, S. Sudha and Suresh Francis
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (6) 665-677 (2023)
Subject: Identifying suitable digital elevation models and deriving features for landslide assessment in Idukki District, Kerala, India
Keywords: Digital elevation models, geomorphological and hydrogeological features, landslide, spot height, vertical accuracy
Abstract: This study compares the vertical accuracy of different digital elevation models (DEMs), such as Cartosat-I, ASTER-GDEM, SRTM-GL1, ALOS3D30 and FABDEM with a resolution of 30 m, to the toposheet-derived 264 spot heights of Idukki district, Kerala, India, obtained from the Survey of India. We quantitatively assess the vertical accuracy of these DEMs by analysing their accuracy against randomly selected topographic map spot heights. The study also validates the accuracy of the DEMs by evaluating the vertical accuracy separately for different elevation classes representing varying terrain characteristics of the Idukki district. Statistical measures are used to evaluate the performance of the DEMs. The results of the study show that FABDEM exhibits an RMSE of 41.79 m, which is lower than that of other models. The study utilizes FABDEM to derive a set of 12 geomorphological and hydrogeological features, including slope, aspect, elevation, profile curvature, plan curvature, distance to road, relative relief, ruggedness index, drainage density, height above near drainage, wetness index and stream power index. The characteristics of various parameters are analysed. The uniqueness of this study lies in its utilization of geomorphological and hydrogeological features derived from FABDEM that directly impact the susceptibility of landslides in the region. The study identifies that a combination of these dynamic and static parameters, which vary with elevation classes, plays a significant role in determining landslide occurrence in this region.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Daya Sagar, B. S., Digital elevation models: an important source of data for geoscientists. IEEE Geosci. Remote Sensing Mag., 2020, 8(4), 138–142. Coveney, S., Association of elevation error with surface type, vegetation class and data origin in discrete-returns airborne LiDAR. Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci., 2013, 27(3), 467–483.
Literature cited 2: Mesa-Mingorance, J. L. and Ariza-Lopez, F. J., Accuracy assessment of digital elevation models (DEMs): a critical review of practices of the past three decades. Remote Sensing, 2020, 12(16), 2630. Mohammed Al Balasmeh, O. I. and Karmaker, T., Accuracy assessment of the digital elevation model, digital terrain model (DTM) from aerial stereo pairs and contour maps for hydrological parameters. Appl. Geomat. Civ. Eng., 2019, 461–470.