Enter records

ID: 64525
Title: Grid-based NES Monitoring - Belgaum district, Karnataka, Central Western Ghats
Author: T V Ramachandra Karthik Naik Bharath Setturu
Editor: None
Year: 2023
Publisher: Energy &Wetlands Research Group
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Grid-based NES Monitoring - Belgaum district, Karnataka, Central Western Ghats, SCS:119, ETR: 191 Pg No: 1-77
Subject: Grid-based NES Monitoring - Belgaum district, Karnataka, Central Western Ghats
Keywords: Grid-based NES Monitoring - Belgaum district, Karnataka, Central Western Ghats
Abstract: The landscape consists of a mosaic of ecosystems, driven by the natural and human interactions leading to changes in the physical, biological, and cognitive assets. Landscape dynamics can be understood by assessing land use and land cover (LULC) changes. Land cover (LC) characterizes physical features on the earth's surface (non-vegetation and vegetation). Land use (LU) indicates how a particular land is being transformed for human activities and other economic aspects. Ecosystems maintain dynamic equilibrium provided LULC transitions are within the threshold (Mensah et al., 2019). Assessment of landscape dynamics helps to understand the LU changes, fragmentation of forests, etc., which are essential for the sustainable management of natural resources (Ramachandra et al., 2020a; 2018a). Detailed assessment of LULC patterns acts as a knowledge base, which aids in framing developmental plans and evaluates the magnitude of land conversion and the associated environmental degradations (Tiwari et al., 2021). The dominance of humans with unplanned developmental activities has converted biodiverse-rich landscapes into dense built-up environments that often lack basic amenities and infrastructure. The transition of native forests into exotic monoculture plantations, agriculture, built-up, open areas has altered hydrologic regime, evapotranspiration changes, land surface temperature, and variation in monsoon pattern (Devaraju et al., 2015; Ramachandra et al., 2018b; 2020b; Tran et al., 2021), etc. Landscape health is governed by its structure (vegetation cover, quality, etc.) that decides the functional aspects. The current trends of declining forest cover across the globe through LULC changes are hampering the ability of ecosystems to adapt to changing conditions and thus resulting in the erosion of goods and services (Bellard et al., 2012), which necessitates understanding LULC dynamics through assessment of spatial data acquired through space-borne sensors at regular intervals.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ahmed, F., Kilic, K.: Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process: A performance analysis of various algorithms. Fuzzy Sets Syst., 362, 110–128 (2019). Aithal, B.H., Setturu, B., Durgappa, S., Ramachandra, T. V.: Effectiveness of landscape Spatial Metrics with reference to the Spatial Resolution of Remote Sensing data. In: Proceedings of India Conference on Geo-Spatial Technologies & Applications, (2012).
Literature cited 2: Araya, Y.H., Cabral, P.: Analysis and modeling of urban land cover change in Setúbal and Sesimbra, Portugal. Remote Sens., 2, 1549–1563 (2010). Arsanjani, J.J., Helbich, M., Kainz, W., Darvishi Boloorani, A.: Integration of logistic regression, Markov chain and cellular automata models to simulate urban expansion. Int. J. Appl. Earth Obs. Geoinf. 21, 265–275 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2011.12.014

ID: 64524
Title: SCENARIO-BASED ASSESSMENT OF POLICY INTERVENTIONS IN KARNATAKA STATE
Author: Ramachandra T.V., Bharath Setturu, Vinay S and Bharath H Aithal
Editor: T.V. Ramachandra
Year: 2022
Publisher: Energy &Wetlands Research Group
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: SCENARIO-BASED ASSESSMENT OF POLICY INTERVENTIONS IN KARNATAKA STATE, SCR: 118, ETR:188, Pg No: 1-123
Subject: SCENARIO-BASED ASSESSMENT OF POLICY INTERVENTIONS IN KARNATAKA STATE
Keywords: Scenario-based assessment ,Policy interventions, Karnataka state
Abstract: The landscape is a mosaic of ecosystem elements, which changes in size, shape, spatial arrangement, and quality of the patches/elements due to the complex, multiscalar processes, which influence the ecosystem's biotic components. The changes in the abiotic and biotic assets of a landscape are referred to as landscape dynamics. Changes in the structure of the landscape will have implications for ecosystem functions and processes. Landscape transitions leading to deforestation in the landscape due to widespread land use land cover (LULC) changes have been acknowledged as prime agents towards contributing to global warming with the enhanced emissions and loss of carbon sequestration potential. LULC changes have been eroding ecosystem services evident from the decline of biodiversity, alterations in the hydrologic regime, etc., which has affected the sustainability of natural resources (Vose et al. 2004; Polasky et al. 2011; Bharath et al. 2013; Vinay et al. 2013; Ramachandra et al. 2021d). This will profoundly impact land surface climate feedback by altering the exchange of heat, moisture, and albedo at local, regional, and global scales. Clearing large-scale forests will contribute to releasing the carbon stored in vegetation and soils by altering their physical and chemical properties, which affects the global climate by increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, decreasing evapotranspiration and hydrological cycle (Ramachandra and Bharath 2019a, b, 2021; Ramachandra et al. 2020a).
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Aithal BH, Ramachandra T V (2020) Urban Growth Patterns in India: Spatial Analysis for Sustainable Development. CRC Press Axtell R (2000) Why agents?: on the varied motivations for agent computing in the social sciences
Literature cited 2: Batty M (2005) Agents, cells, and cities: new representational models for simulating multiscale urban dynamics. Environ Plan A 37:1373–1394 Batty M, Xie Y (1994) From cells to cities. Environ Plan B Plan Des 21: S31--S48

ID: 64523
Title: Valuation of Ecosystem Services, Karnataka State, India
Author: Ramachandra T.V., Vinay S, Bharath Setturu, and Bharath H Aithal
Editor: T.V. Ramachandra
Year: 2022
Publisher: Energy &Wetlands Research Group
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Valuation of Ecosystem Services, Karnataka State, India, SCR: 117, ETR: 187 Pg No.: 1-253
Subject: Valuation of Ecosystem Services, Karnataka State, India
Keywords: Valuation of Ecosystem Services, Karnataka, India
Abstract: Humans depend on the environment for their basic needs, such as food, fuel, minerals, water, air, etc. In developing countries, nearly 80% of the labor force is engaged in agricultural or resource-based activities, contributing significantly to the GDP (World Bank 1998, 2001). The dependency on the natural resources, over the years, has led to their degradation and depletion owing to the unsustainable practices involved in their extraction. Burgeoning unplanned development activities to cater to the demands of the increasing population have put tremendous pressure on the natural resources, leading to environmental degradation (Kulkarni and Ramachandra 2009). An increased surge in developmental and technological activities over the last two decades, with no regard to their ecological implications, has led to indiscriminate disposal of wastes (liquid and solid), contributing to the degradation of the natural ecosystems. This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth (MEA 2005). And yet, unsustainable utilization of land and other natural resources persists, despite the increasing understanding of the impacts that human activities have on the environment, (Euliss Jr et al., 2010). Linkages between the health of the environment and the sustenance of humankind make it imperative to maintain a balance considering the carrying capacity of the environment and the availability of natural resources. Conservation of natural ecosystems has long-term benefits for humans in utilitarian terms through their provision of food, timber, minerals, and a variety of valuable resources that have provided the backbone for economic development. Going beyond utilitarian values, natural ecosystems have also been a source for maintaining gene pools, biodiversity, and other potentially useful factors that are of indirect use to humans. Hence, ecosystems’ intrinsic, anthropocentric, instrumental, and relational values should be considered in the policy design and consider resources exploited for human settlement, food, and energy production.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: AGRICOOP (2020) Farmers Portal. In: Dep. Agric. Coop. Farmers Welf. Minist. Agric. Farmers Welfare, Gov. India Amirnejad H, Khalilian S, Assareh MH, Ahmadian M (2006) Estimating the existence value of north forests of Iran by using a contingent valuation method. Ecol Econ 58:665–675
Literature cited 2: Aswathy N, Narayanakumar R, Harshan NK (2014) Marketing costs, margins and efficiency of domestic marine fish marketing in Kerala. Indian J Fish 61:97–102 Badola R, Hussain SA, Dobriyal P, et al (2017) Assessment of recreational services of natural landscapes in third world tropics using the travel cost method. Wilderness Wildl Tour 17

ID: 64522
Title: Ecosystem Condition Account for Karnataka State, India
Author: Ramachandra T.V., Bharath Setturu, Vinay S and Bharath H Aithal
Editor: T.V. Ramachandra
Year: 2022
Publisher: Energy &Wetlands Research Group
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Ecosystem Condition Account for Karnataka State, India, SCR:116, ETR:186, Pg No: 1-183
Subject: Ecosystem Condition Account for Karnataka State, India
Keywords: Ecosystem Condition Account, Karnataka state , India
Abstract: Ecosystem condition accounts provide a structured approach for describing ecosystem assets' characteristics by recording and aggregating data describing the dynamics of ecosystem asset characteristics (SEEA EA). Ecosystem quality is measured in terms of its abiotic and biotic characteristics concerning an ecosystem’s composition, structure, and function, which, in turn, reflect multiple values across a range of temporal and spatial scales indicating ecological integrity. Ecosystem condition accounts record the condition of ecosystem assets in terms of selected characteristics at specific points in time and, over time, record the changes to their condition. These changes are mainly due to human activities with economic interventions.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Alix-Garcia J, Janvry AD, Sadoulet E (2005) A tale of two communities: explaining deforestation in Mexico. World Development 33(2):219-235. Ameztegui A, Brotons L, Coll L (2010) Land‐use changes as major drivers of mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Ram.) expansion in the Pyrenees. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19(5):632641.
Literature cited 2: Asner GP, Broadbent EN, Oliveira PJC, Keller M, Knapp DE, Silva JN (2006) Condition and fate of logged forests in the Brazilian Amazon. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103:12947–12950. Bennett A, Saunders D (2010) Habitat fragmentation and landscape change. In Sodhi NS, Ehrlich PR (Eds), Conservation biology for all. Oxford University Press, UK.

ID: 64521
Title: Ecosystem Extent Account for Karnataka State, India
Author: Ramachandra T.V., Bharath Setturu, Vinay S and Bharath H Aithal
Editor: T.V. Ramachandra
Year: 2022
Publisher: Energy &Wetlands Research Group
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Ecosystem Extent Account for Karnataka State, India, SCR-115, ETR-185,2022, Pg No.1-178
Subject: Ecosystem Extent Account for Karnataka State, India
Keywords: Ecosystem Extent Account, Karnataka, India
Abstract: Ecosystems (terrestrial, aquatic) are vital for the survival of humans on Earth. Ecosystems provide an array of goods (food, fodder, etc.) and services (remediation, clean air, water, etc.) that humans depend upon to sustain their lives. The stock of ecosystem resources (biotic and abiotic) that provide goods and services is referred to as natural capital. The services provided by these ecosystems support the economy and society. However, the contributions by the ecosystems or natural capital are often undervalued while making economic decisions. This necessitates the accounting of natural resources to minimize overexploitation, mismanagement, etc. The process of accounting stocks and flows of goods and services (natural resources) in a given ecosystem of a region is often termed natural capital accounting. In natural capital accounting, ecosystems are assets that provide ecosystem services to people.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Armenteras, D., Rudas, G., Rodriguez, N., Sua, S., Romero, M., 2006. Pattern and cause of deforestation in Columbian Amazon, Ecological Indicators, 6, pp. 353–368. Ball, J.B., 2001. Global forest resources: history and dynamics. In The Forests Handbook. Vol. 1, ed. J Evans, pp. 3–22. Oxford: Blackwell Sci. 418 pp.
Literature cited 2: FAO, 1995. Forest resources assessment 1990. Global Synthesis. FAO, Rome. Forman, R.T.T., Gordron,M., 1986. Landscape Ecology. JohnWiley & Sons, New York, ISBN 0-471-87037-4.

ID: 64520
Title: Deriving fuel from pine needles through pyrolysis, charring and briquetting and their GHG emission potential
Author: Sandip Mandal, Rajat Kumar Sharma and T. K. Bhattacharya
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 (10) 1210-1215 (2023)
Subject: Deriving fuel from pine needles through pyrolysis, charring and briquetting and their GHG emission potential
Keywords: Briquettes, charring, greenhouse gas emission, pine needles, pyrolysis
Abstract: The present communication presents an overview of generating renewable fuels from pine needles through pyrolysis and briquetting technology. Pine needles are the products of leaf shedding in the forests from pine trees and are considered potential fire hazards. Studies conducted in the last few years show that this biomass can be effectively utilized for the production of bio-oil, biochar and briquettes in an environment-friendly manner. Through pyrolysis, pine needles could be converted to 35% bio-oil with a calorific value of 28.52 MJ kg–1 , which can be a base material for other fuels and chemicals. The process also yields 25% biochar, which has a half-life of 600–1000 years and is a suitable material for soil carbon sequestration. The proposed pine needlebased energy centre can produce about 3.8 t briquettes, 1.2 t bio-oil, 1.6 t biochar and 1240 Nm3 pyrolysis gas from 10 t pine needles, with an energy efficiency of 87.2%. Greenhouse gas emissions were found to be considerably lower for charring and pyrolysis routes compared to forest burning.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kumar, A., Kumar, N., Baredar, P. and Shukla, A., A review on biomass energy resources, potential, conversion and policy in India. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2015, 45, 530–539. Mandal, S., Bhattacharya, T. K. and Tanna, H., Energy harnessing routes of rice straw. Curr. Sci., 2017, 113(1), 21–23.
Literature cited 2: Mandal, S. et al., Valorization of pine needles by thermal conversion to solid, liquid and gaseous fuels in a screw reactor. Waste Biomass Valorizat., 2019, 10(12), 3587–3599. Mohan, D., Pittman Jr, C. U. and Steele, P. H., Pyrolysis of wood/ biomass for bio-oil: a critical review. Energy Fuels, 2006, 20(3), 848–889.

ID: 64519
Title: Farmers’ perception of climate change and management strategies in the mid-Himalaya, India
Author: Kushagra Joshi, Ankita Kandpal, M. L. Roy, Anirban Mukharjee, A. Pattanayak, V. S. Meena and S. C. Pandey
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 (10) 1201-1210 (2022)
Subject: Farmers’ perception of climate change and management strategies in the mid-Himalaya, India
Keywords: Agriculture, adaptation, climate change, farmers’ perception, management strategies, small landholdings
Abstract: The Himalayan ecosystem is one of the most climate change-affected ecosystems in the world. The present study focuses on farmers’ perceptions of climate risks and adaptation strategies in Uttarakhand, mid-Himalaya, India. Using district-level long-term climate data along with village-level surveys, we explored the major trends in climatic variables with farmers’ perception and adaptation practices against climate change vagaries. Farmers noticed changes in the environment that were consistent with trends in the climate data. Farmers’ adaptation measures included changes in crop varieties, reduced number of livestock, shifting to non-farm activities, shifting planting dates and changing the cultivable land size. Stronger extension services, use of mobile advisory for increasing extension contact, inexpensive credit, community-focused agricultural training were the most important factors for effective climate change adaptation behaviour. Farmers’ perception was significantly influenced by number of crops grown, training experience and extension contact. This study emphasizes the need for policymakers to take into account local knowledge of climate change and strategies to speed up communities’ shift towards resilience and the extension mechanism must adapt their strategies for promoting resilience based on locally constrained and unconstrained measures.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mustapha, S. B., Sanda, A. H. and Shehu, H., Farmers’ perception of climate change in Central Agricultural Zone of Borno State, Nigeria. J. Environ. Earth Sci., 2012, 2(11), 21–27. Clarke, C., Shackleton, S. and Powell, M., Climate change perceptions, drought responses and views on carbon farming amongst commercial livestock and game farmers in the semiarid Great Fish River Valley, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Afr. J. Range Forage Sci., 2012, 29, 13–23.
Literature cited 2: Amjath-Babu, T., Krupnik, T. J., Aravindakshan, S., Arshad, M. and Kaechele, H., Climate change and indicators of probable shifts in the consumption portfolios of dryland farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: implications for policy. Ecol. Indic., 2016, 67, 830–838. Mukherjee, A. et al., Climate change risk perception, adaptation and mitigation strategy: an extension outlook in mountain Himalaya. In Conservation Agriculture, Springer, Singapore, 2016, pp. 257–292.

ID: 64518
Title: Effect of temperature on brown planthopper infestation in rice using hyperspectral remote sensing
Author: S. Sivaranjani, V. Geethalakshmi1, S. Pazhanivelan, J. S. Kennedy, S. P. Ramanathan, R. Gowtham and K. Pugazenthi
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 (10) 1194-1200 (2022)
Subject: Effect of temperature on brown planthopper infestation in rice using hyper spectral remote sensing
Keywords: Brown planthopper, hyperspectral sensor, plant stress, rice, vegetation indices.
Abstract: Hyperspectral remote sensing captures images in multiple wavelengths and is widely used to detect plant stress in agriculture. A study was conducted on brown planthopper (BPH) infestation in rice at various temperature regimes (15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C). The experimentation was done in the Environmental Control Chamber, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. The field spectroradiometer and vegetation indices were used to study the early and late infestations of BPH in rice. The results reveal that reflectance at certain wavelengths (550, 670 and 700 nm) indicates plant stress. Among the vegetation indices, MCARI performed better than NDVI, PRI, NDRE and SR for the detection of early and late infestation of BPH. Hence, hyperspectral reflectance from rice has been used to detect pest damage and improve management policies.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Oghaz, M. M. D., Razaak, M., Kerdegari, H., Argyriou, V. and Remagnino, P., Scene and environment monitoring using aerial imagery and deep learning. IEEE, 2019. Childs, N. and LeBeau, B., Rice Outlook, Report, FAO, 2022.
Literature cited 2: Saravanakumar, V., Lohano, H. D. and Balasubramanian, R., A district-level analysis for measuring the effects of climate change on production of rice: evidence from southern India. Theor. Appl. Climatol., 2022, 150(3–4), 941–953. 4. Min, S., Lee, S. W., Choi, B.-R., Lee, S. H. and Kwon, D. H., Insecticide resistance monitoring and correlation analysis to select appropriate insecticides against Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), a migratory pest in Korea. J. Asia-Pac. E

ID: 64517
Title: Does conservation agriculture promote sustainable intensification in the rice–wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains in India? Empirical evidences from on-farm studies
Author: Ankita Kandpal, T. M. Kiran Kumara and Suresh Pal
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 (10) 1188-1193 (2023)
Subject: Does conservation agriculture promote sustainable intensification in the rice–wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains in India? Empirical evidences from on-farm studies
Keywords: Carbon sequestration, climate change, conservation agriculture, food security, rice–wheat system
Abstract: The sustainability of rice–wheat (RW) production system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India is being threatened by climate change, and land and water degradation. Conservation agriculture practices provide a naturebased solution by addressing these challenges without affecting food security. In this study, a meta-analysis framework was employed to assess the on-farm economic and environmental impacts of CA in the RW system of the Indian IGP. Results show a higher on-farm yield response of CA in wheat (+5.6%) and a slight reduction in rice yield (–0.4%) compared to conventional tillage (CT). Nevertheless, the Eastern IGP witnessed a positive rice yield (+4.3%) under CA. Carbon sequestration potential of the RW system was found to be significantly higher (+22.70%) in CA. Implementation of CA practices resulted in a substantial reduction of carbon dioxide (–18.80%) and global warming potential (–23.26%). A significant amount of water was saved following CA practices on farms (+19.78%). From an economic point of view, CA practices were found to be more cost-effective with higher net returns compared to conventional tillage in the study region. Outscaling CA represents a win-win strategy for mitigating climate change without affecting food and livelihood security in the region. Providing payment for ecosystem services and developing cost-effective technologies are critical for the outscaling of CA in the IGP.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Regmi, A. P. et al., Yield and soil fertility trends in a 20-year rice– rice–wheat experiment. Better Crops Int., 2003, 17(2), 30. 2. Ladha, J. K. et al., How extensive are yield declines in long-term rice–wheat experiments in Asia? Field Crops Res., 2003, 81, 159– 180
Literature cited 2: Gupta, R. and Seth, A., A review of resource conserving technologies for sustainable management of the rice–wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP). Crop Prot., 2007, 26(3), 436–447. 4. Samal, S. K. et al., Evaluation of long-term conservation agriculture and crop intensification in rice–wheat rotation of Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia: carbon dynamics and productivity. Eur. J. Agron., 2017, 90, 198–208.

ID: 64516
Title: Comparative evaluation of reference evapotranspiration estimation models in New Bhupania Minor Command, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
Author: Venkatesh Gaddikeri , A. Sarangi, D. K. Singh1 , K. K. Bandyopadhyay3 , Bidisha Chakrabarti and S. K. Sarkar
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 (10) 1181-1187 (2022)
Subject: Comparative evaluation of reference evapotranspiration estimation models in New Bhupania Minor Command, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
Keywords: Canal command, climatological data, comparative evaluation, evapotranspiration estimation models, irrigated agriculture
Abstract: Accurate quantification of reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) plays a significant role in determining crop water requirements in irrigated agriculture. A plethora of methods for the estimation of ETo are available. However, the regional suitability of these methods needs to be assessed given the limited availability of meteorological data. In this study, daily estimates of 11 ETo models were selected and compared with the FAO-Penman–Monteith equation (FAO-PM). The selected methods were Blaney–Criddle (BC), Jaisen–Haise (JH), Hargreaves method (HM), McGuinness–Borndne (MB), Chapman (CM), Abtew model (AM), Turc method (TM), FAO-PM equation, Penman equation (PM), Priestley–Taylor (PT) and Matt–Shuttleworth (MS). Evaluation of these models was carried out during 2016–20 in the New Bhupania Minor Command of the Dulhera distributary, Western Yamuna Canal Command (WYCC), Haryana, India. The selected models were evaluated to find a substitute for the FAO-PM equation based on different statistical indices. It was observed that the PT method performed best and was in line with the FAOPM equation with correlation coefficient, root mean square error, mean absolute error, Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient and mean bias error as 0.92, 0.74, 0.48, 0.83, 0.171 respectively. Based on this study and statistical error indices values, the models can be ranked as PT > CM > TM > JH > AM > PM > MS > HM > BC > MB. Thus, we recommend using the PT model for the estimation of ETo in the study area with available meteorological parameters for irrigation scheduling
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Pandey, P. K., Dabral, P. P. and Pandey, V., Evaluation of reference evapotranspiration methods for the northeastern region of India. Int. Soil Water Conserv. Res., 2016, 4, 52–63. Shirmohammadi-Aliakbarkhani, Z. and Saberali, S. F., Evaluating of eight evapotranspiration estimation methods in arid regions of Iran. Agric. Water Manage., 2020, 239, 106243.
Literature cited 2: Djaman, K., Koudahe, K., Akinbile, C. O. and Irmak, S., Evaluation of eleven reference evapotranspiration models in semiarid conditions. J. Water Resour. Prot., 2017, 9, 1469–1490. Saggi, M. K. and Jain, S., Reference evapotranspiration estimation and modeling of the Punjab, Northern India using deep learning. Comput. Electron. Agric., 2019, 156, 387–398.

ID: 64515
Title: Radiocarbon analysis of the Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis L.) at Narora
Author: Roxana T. Patrut1, Arti Garg , Adrian Patrut, Stephan Woodborne , Laszlo Rakosy and Ileana-Andreea Ratiu
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 (10) 1175-1180 (2023)
Subject: Radiocarbon analysis of the Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis L.) at Narora
Keywords: Age determination, AMS radiocarbon dating, Ficus benghalensis, tree conservation, upper Ganga Ramsar site
Abstract: This article describes the radiocarbon analysis of the large Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis) at Narora, Uttar Pradesh (UP). It was discovered during floristic surveys in the Upper Ganga Ramsar site in UP and ranks as the tenth largest banyan tree in the world with its 4069 sq. m crown spread. The tree has a unique architecture, with just four prop roots supporting the main stem. The oldest sample was found to be 346 ± 40 years BP, which corresponds to a calibrated age of 430 ± 35 cal years. The radiocarbon dating results indicate an age of 450 ± 50 years for the Indian banyan at Narora. This age represents the oldest accurate dating result for the species. Several protection measures are included to ensure the long-term survival of this archaic tree
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Sinha, K. K., Figs. In Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (eds Caballero, B., Trugo, L. and Finglas, P. M.), Academic Press, London, UK, 2003, pp. 2394–2399. 2. Rahman, A. H. M. M. and Khanom, A., Taxonomic and ethnomedicinal study of species from Moraceae (Mulberry) family in Bangladesh flora. Res. Plant Sci., 2013, 1, 53–57
Literature cited 2: Murugesu, S., Selamat, J. and Perumal, V., Phytochemistry, pharmacological properties and recent applications of Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa. Plants, 2021, 10, 2749. 4. Plants of the World online catalogue; https://powo.science.kew.org/ (accessed on 3 May 2022).

ID: 64514
Title: Calcium carbonate activated biomass-derived carbon: insights on characterization and adsorption
Author: R. Sangeetha Piriya, Rajamani M. Jayabalakrishnan*, M. Maheswari, Kovilpillai Boomiraj and Sadish Oumabady
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 (10) 1167-1174 (2023)
Subject: Calcium carbonate activated biomass-derived carbon: insights on characterization and adsorption
Keywords: Agricultural waste, calcium carbonate activation, coconut shell, wastewater treatment
Abstract: Activated carbon made from coconut (Cocos nucifera) shells has the potential to be a valuable source for removing pollutants from wastewater. Recently, the use of calcium carbonate to activate carbon materials derived from agricultural waste has been gaining attention as an effective method for adsorption in wastewater treatment. In the present study, we have analysed the structural and functional properties of activated coconut shell biochar. Results show that calcium carbonate-activated carbon had a maximum adsorption capacity of 40.35 mg g–1 after 3 h of equilibrium when tested with 20 mg l –1 of malachite dye. The R2 value for this activated carbon was 0.822, and the best-fit model was determined to be pseudo-second-order kinetics, with intraparticle diffusion being the final rate-limiting step.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Putro, J. N., Ju, Y.-H., Soetaredjo, F. E., Santoso, S. P. and Ismadji, S., In Biosorption of Dyes, Elsevier, 2021, pp. 99–133; https://doi. org.10.1016/B978-0-012-817-742-6.00004-9. 2. Sadiq, A. C., Rahim, N. Y. and Suah, F. B. M., Adsorption and desorption of malachite green by using chitosan–deep eutectic solvents beads. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 2020, 164, 3965–3973; doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.029.
Literature cited 2: Man, L. W., Kumar, P., Teng, T. T. and Wasewar, K. L., Design of experiments for malachite green dye removal from wastewater using thermolysis – coagulation–flocculation. Desalin. Water Treat., 2012, 40(1–6), 260–271; doi:10.1080/19443994.2012.671257. Mourão, P. A. M., Laginhas, C., Custódio, F., Nabais, J. M. V., Carrott, P. J. M. and Carrott, M. M. L. R., Influence of oxidation process on the adsorption capacity of activated carbons from lignocellulosic precursors. Fuel Process. Technol., 2011, 92(2), 241–246; doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2010.04.013.

ID: 64513
Title: Mapping of soil test-based spatial fertilizer recommendations for paddy and maize using GIS, GPS and STCR approaches in a micro-watershed of Karnataka, India
Author: Basavaraj Biradar, H. M. Jayadev, Hanamant M. Halli and Manjanagouda S. Sannagoudar
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 (10) 1160-1166 (2023)
Subject: Mapping of soil test-based spatial fertilizer recommendations for paddy and maize using GIS, GPS and STCR approaches in a micro-watershed of Karnataka, India
Keywords: Fertilizer recommendations, micro-watershed, paddy, maize, soil nutrients, targeted yield.
Abstract: A case study was undertaken at the Honnavalli microwatershed of Hassan district, Karnataka, India, to prepare digital maps for site-specific fertilizer recommendations for the major crops (paddy and maize) using STCR approach. The map shows that the recommended dose of N fertilizer for paddy is 148, 111, 82, 54, 26, –8, –67 and –108 kg ha–1 for the soil available N status 500 kg respectively. Similarly, for maize it is 290, 286, 283, 281, 279, 276, 268 and 259 kg ha–1 for 500 kg ha–1 respectively. Therefore, the study has implications on reducing consumption of fertilizers (24–45% for N; 12–15% for P and 8–32% for K), thereby reducing the cost of cultivation besides achieving higher nutrient use efficiency.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: IFPRI, Global Food Policy Report, International Food Policy Research Institute, NW, Washington, DC, USA, 2011. 2. Nellemann, C., MacDevette, M., Manders, T., Eickhout, B., Svihus, B., Prins, A. G. and Kaltenborn, B. P., Environmental food crisis – the environment’s role in averting future food crisis. A UNEP Rapid Response Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme, 2009; GRID-Arendal.www.grida.no.
Literature cited 2: Halli, H. M., Angadi, S. S. and Patil, R. H., Water and nutrient use efficiency in agriculture and the role of cereals – a review. J. Farm Sci., 2016, 29(3), 299–306. 4. Johnston, A. M., Khurana, H. S., Majumdar, K. and Satyanarayana, T., Site specific nutrient management – concept, current research and future challenges in Indian agriculture. J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci., 2009, 57(1), 1–10.

ID: 64512
Title: A bird’s eye view on cellular dynamics in Huntington’s disease
Author: M. Saldanha and M. Tare
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 (10) 1151-1159 (2023)
Subject: A bird’s eye view on cellular dynamics in Huntington’s disease
Keywords: Cellular dynamics, excitotoxicity, gene therapy, mitochondrial dysregulation, neurodegeneration.
Abstract: Huntington’s chorea is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by the dominant inheritance of the mutated hunting tin gene, housing poly-CAG or polyglutamine repeats. It is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms ranging from chorea and hypokinetic movements to behavioural and cognitive decline, followed by dementia and inevitable death. Over the past 120 years, all available therapeutics has been for the symptomatic management of Huntington’s disease (HD) and requires supportive physiotherapy and counselling to maximize the efficacy of the treatment. Several animal models have been employed to help elucidate and decrypt the pathophysiology of the disease, and also screen potential therapeutic candidates. In the last few decades, a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular dynamics associated with HD has helped shed light on the mechanisms involved in disease progression. Genetic intervention for early detection, spreading awareness about HD and its symptoms, and training professionals in the nuances of the disease condition can significantly improve the lifestyle of patients. This article aims at summarizing the complex pathogenesis of HD at the cellular level using various disease models and available therapeutics.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Walker, F. O., Huntington’s disease. Lancet, 2007, 369(9557), 218–228. 2 Kirkwood, S. C., Su, J. L., Conneally, P. M. and Foroud, T., Progression of symptoms in the early and middle stages of Huntington disease. Arch. Neurol., 2001, 58(2), 273–278.
Literature cited 2: Feigin, A. S. and Anderson, K. E. (eds), SPEC – Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2017, vol. 144, pp. 47–48. 4. Vonsattel, J. P., Myers, R. H., Stevens, T. J., Ferrante, R. J., Paskevich, P. A., Richardson, E. P. and Bird, E. D., Huntington’s disease: neuropathological grading. In The Basal Ganglia II, Springer, Boston, MA, USA, 1987, pp. 515–531.

ID: 64511
Title: The landscape of world research on fertilizers: a bibliometric profile
Author: K. V. Praveen and Alka 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 (10) 1140-1150 (2023)
Subject: The landscape of world research on fertilizers: a bibliometric profile
Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, environmental cost, fertilizer, knowledge structure, research trend
Abstract: The environmental cost of increased fertilizer application is an emerging concern, worsened by farmers’ reluctance to adopt alternative fertilizer products. The right fertilizer must be applied at the correct rate and time at the right place for maximum benefit. However, empirical evidence from across the world suggests a deviation from these normative strategies. Considering the lack of a holistic overview of the knowledge structure of the growing literature on fertilizers, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using data extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection database. We identified the publication trend and the important authors, journals and countries contributing to research on fertilizers. In addition, the topics that have received research attention were also identified. We can locate that issues like nitrogen fertilizers and their effect on growth and yield will never lose relevance. Most importantly, researchers are now dealing more with topics related to the externalities of chemical fertilizer use. Our findings will help interested researchers to gain systematic insights into the knowledge structure of fertilizer research.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Sutton, M. A. et al., Our Nutrient World: The challenge to produce more food and energy with less pollution, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, 2013. 2. Benson, T. and Mogues, T., Constraints in the fertilizer supply chain: evidence for fertilizer policy development from three African countries. Food Secur. 2018, 10, 1
Literature cited 2: Jayne, T. S., Mason, N. M., Burke, W. J. and Ariga, J., Review: taking stock of Africa’s second-generation agricultural input subsidy programs. Food Policy, 2018, 75, 1–14. 4. Jayne, T. S., Mather, D., Mason, N. and Ricker-Gilbert, J., How do fertilizer subsidy programs affect total fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa? Crowding out, diversion, and benefit/cost assessments. Agric. Econ., 2013, 44, 687–703.