ID: 66244
Title: Efficient Gaussian Sugeno fuzzy vector with bidirectional lucidity network for gas turbine
Author: Ravindra S. Surase, K. Rama Krishna and Ramchandra P. Chopade
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 802-817 25 April (2025)
Subject: Efficient Gaussian Sugeno fuzzy vector with bidirectional lucidity network for gas turbine
Keywords: Azeotropic mixtures, catalyst deactivation, combined gas turbine plant, condenser system, exergy destruction, selective catalytic reduction systems
Abstract: In the realm of power generation, the integration of
gas turbine technology with complementary components in a combined gas turbine (CGT) plant demands
meticulous examination of exergy destruction and NOx
reduction to ascertain its pivotal performance metrics.
Hence, a novel Gaussian Sugeno vector network with a
bidirectional lucidity network has been introduced. In
the condenser, azeotropic mixtures in the working fluid
reveal different heat-transfer characteristics which
affect condenser effectiveness and contribute to higher
exergy destruction. Thus, a novel Gaussian–Sugeno–
Swarm vector network has been implemented, which
mitigates the complexities introduced by azeotropic
mixtures, reducing exergy destruction and significantly
improving the overall effectiveness of the condenser.
Furthermore, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems exhibit non-linear behaviour due to catalyst deactivation, causing incomplete NOx reduction due to
difficulty in predicting and controlling temperature
changes. So, a novel bidirectional niching fuzzy lucidity
network has been introduced, which provides a comprehensive solution to address the limitations of current control algorithms, ensuring a complete reduction in
NOx emissions in SCR systems. The proposed method
demonstrates excellence in condenser and SCR systems
by achieving a high prediction accuracy of 0.94, precision of 0.96, NOx reduction of 0.97 and low heat loss of
0.02.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Latif, A., Hussain, S. M. S., Das, D. C. and Ustun, T. S., State-of the-art of controllers and soft computing techniques for regulated
load frequency management of single/multi-area traditional and renewable energy based power systems. Appl. Energy, 2020, 266,
114858.
Hashmi, M. B., Majid Mohd A. A. and Lemma, T. A., Combined
effect of inlet air cooling and fouling on performance of variable
geometry industrial gas turbines. Alexandria Eng. J., 2020, 59(3),
1811–1821.
Literature cited 2: Ahmad, N., Ghadi, Y., Adnan, M. and Ali, M., Load forecasting
techniques for power system: research challenges and survey. IEEE
Access, 2022, 10, 71054–71090.
Moradzadeh, A., Mohammadi-Ivatloo, B., Abapour, M., AnvariMoghaddam, A. and Roy, S. S., Heating and cooling loads forecasting for residential buildings based on hybrid machine learning applications: a comprehensive review and comparative analysis. IEEE
Access, 2021, 10, 2196–2215.
ID: 66243
Title: Ionomic analysis of citrus scion–rootstock combinations: implications for sodium chloride stress tolerance
Author: Kripa Shankar , O. P. Awasthi, V. K. Sharma , N. Devachandra , Sandeep Kumar and Ashok Kumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 789-795 25 April (2025)
Subject: Ionomic analysis of citrus scion–rootstock combinations: implications for sodium chloride stress tolerance
Keywords: Citrus, correlation, ionomics, PCA, salinity, scion–rootstock.
Abstract: The objective of the present study was to assess the
impact of 30 and 60 mM of sodium chloride (NaCl)
stress on sweet orange cultivar Pusa Sharad (PS)
grafted on 11 different citrus rootstocks, i.e., Jatti
Khatti (JK), X-639 (X9), CRH-12 (C12), NRCC-1
(N1), NRCC-2 (N2), NRCC-3 (N3), NRCC-4 (N4),
NRCC-5 (N5), Troyer citrange (TC), CRH-47 (C47)
and Cleopatra mandarin (CM) compared with control
treatment. The nitrogen (N) concentration in leaves
and roots decreased by 10–40%, phosphorus (P) by
11–34%, potassium (K) by 7–49%, calcium (Ca) by 4–
43% and magnesium (Mg) by 8–29% as the NaCl in
the irrigation water spiraled from control to 60 mM of
NaCl stress depending upon the sensitivity of rootstocks. The PS grafted on C12 and JK, N4 and N2 had
greater Cl− and Na+ in the root as compared to leaf.
However, The PS grafted on CM and X9 had least Na+
and Cl− concentration in leaf and root at 30 and
60 mM of NaCl concentration thus suggesting that
CM and X9 rootstocks are more tolerant to salt stress
than JK, C12, N4 and N2 and have potential for imparting tolerance in the sweet orange scion cv. Pusa
Sharad.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: MoAFW, Area and Production of Horticulture Crops (2nd Advance Estimate), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
Government of India, Directorate of Economics and Statistics,
New Delhi, India, 2023.
Storey, R. and Walker, R. R., Citrus and salinity. Sci Hortic.,
1999, 87, 39–81.
Literature cited 2: Alam, A., Ullah, H., Attia, A. and Datta, A., Effects of salinity
stress on growth, mineral nutrient accumulation and biochemical
parameters of seedlings of three citrus rootstocks. Int. J. Fruit Sci.,
2020, 20(4), 786–804.
Banuls, J., Legaz, F. and Primo-Millo, E., Salinity-calcium interactions on growth and ionic concentration of citrus plants. Plant
Soil, 1991, 133, 39–46
ID: 66242
Title: Identification of admixtures in Melia dubia germplasm as revealed by Bayesian analysis
Author: Neha Singh Panwar, Ashok Kumar and Ravindra Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 785-788 25 April (2025)
Subject: Identification of admixtures in Melia dubia germplasm as revealed by Bayesian analysis
Keywords: Admixture, Bayesian, membership likelihood, Melia dubia, mixing
Abstract: Melia dubia, an important agroforestry tree species,
although it has its diversity hotspot in north-eastern
states of India, it has been found to be dispersed in
various other states as well. Therefore, to detect gene
flow between populations, 185 genotypes from different geographical origins were sampled to identify and
study the occurrence of admixtures using 60 Simple
Sequence Repeats (SSRs) generating definite and reproducible bands. Bayesian structure analysis grouped
genotypes into 6 (best ∆K = 6) genetic groups. Through
membership likelihoods (Q >/< 0.60), admixture analysis revealed 175 genotypes to be highly pure, whereas
the remaining 10 were mixed indicating genetic mixing. The present study highlights the efficiency of SSRs
for the molecular portrayal of M. dubia and assessing
its genetic diversity for genetic improvement through
effective breeding schemes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Porras-Hurtado, L., Ruiz, Y., Santos, C., Phillips, C., Carracedo, A.
and Lareu, M. V., An overview of STRUCTURE: applications,
parameter settings, and supporting software. Front. Genet., 2013,
98(4), 1–13; https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2013.00098.
Khan, M. M. H., Rafii, M. Y., Ramlee, S. I., Jusoh, M., Mamun, M.
A. and Halidu, J., DNA fingerprinting, fixation-index (Fst), and
admixture mapping of selected Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) accessions using ISSR markers system. Sci.
Rep., 2021, 14527(11), 1–23; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-
93867-5.
Literature cited 2: Kumar, A., Shrivastava, P., Sharma, S., Dobhal, S., Rana, A. and
Kumar, R., Development of high yielding varieties of Melia dubia
Cav. Indian Forest., 2017, 143(11), 1203–1206.
Daryal, U., Dobhal, S., Kumar, A. and Panwar, N. S., Genetic diversity of Melia dubia as revealed by molecular markers. Res.
Square, 2023, preprints; https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2430522/v1
ID: 66241
Title: Optimisation-based weighted ensemble algorithm for predicting prices of spices
Author: Ankit Kumar Singh , Md Yeasin , Ranjit Kumar Paul, H. S. Roy, Prakash Kumar , A. K. Paul and Anita Sarkar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 755-757 25 April (2025)
Subject: Optimisation-based weighted ensemble algorithm for predicting prices of spices
Keywords: Accuracy, ensemble, forecasting, machine learning, spices
Abstract: India plays a significant role in global agriculture production, including spices. Spices play an important role
in cultural significance and economic trade relations
while providing nutritional and medicinal benefits.
The volatility and complexity of the price of spices require improved forecasting methods to support informed decision-making in agricultural markets. Recently,
researchers have focused on using the traditional time
series model as well as machine learning (ML) model
to forecast the price of agricultural commodities. Using
a standalone model struggles to capture the complex
pattern in time series data. To overcome this challenge,
ensemble machine learning approaches based on fixed
weight (FW-ensemble) have been proposed. The ML
models like artificial neural networks (ANN), random
forest (RF), k-nearest neighbours (kNN), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), support vector regression
(SVR) and the stochastic model, e.g. autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model have been
used. The outputs of these models are ensembled using
optimised fixed weights. In this study, the prices of two
important spices, namely turmeric and coriander, from
2010 to 2024, collected from AGMARKNET (https://
agmarknet.gov.in/) were considered. The MCS algorithm was used to select the better-performing model.
The empirical performance of the ensemble method
was compared with that of the stochastic model
(ARIMA), ML techniques (ANN, RF, kNN, XGBoost,
SVR) and deep learning techniques, e.g. long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit
(GRU), based on several accuracy measures. It revealed that the FW-ensemble approach significantly outperformed the other candidate models in terms of
prediction accuracy.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Zhang, Y. and Na, S., A novel agricultural commodity price forecasting model based on fuzzy information granulation and MEA‐
SVM model. Math. Prob. Eng., 2018, 1, 2540681.
Mitra, D. and Paul, R. K., Hybrid time-series models for forecasting agricultural commodity prices. Model Assist. Stat. Appl., 2017,
12(3), 255–264
Literature cited 2: Paul, R. K. and Garai, S., Performance comparison of waveletsbased machine learning technique for forecasting agricultural
commodity prices. Soft Comput., 2021, 25(20), 12857–12873.
Sankaran, S., Demand forecasting of fresh vegetable product by
seasonal ARIMA model. Int. J. Oper. Res., 2014, 20(3), 315–330.
ID: 66240
Title: Life in transit: habitat use, behavioural profile and feeding ecology by Nilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii) in a fragmented evergreen habitat of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India
Author: Sarmistha Ojha , Aritri Chatterjee , Santanu Mahato, K. S. Chetan Nag, Honnavalli N. Kumara and Mewa Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 766-775 25 April (2025)
Subject: Life in transit: habitat use, behavioural profile and feeding ecology by Nilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii) in a fragmented evergreen habitat of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India
Keywords: Daily path length, habitat usage, resource availability, socioecology, time activity patterns
Abstract: Primates in fragmented habitats show behavioural
flexibility and adaptive changes in response to ecological
challenges in the search for food resources within their
home range. Nilgiri langurs (NL, Semnopithecus johnii),
endemic to the Western Ghats, face anthropogenic
pressures, including habitat modifications. To understand its behavioural profile, feeding ecology and habitat use in such habitat conditions, we observed NL in a
forest fragment in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, India.
Their daily path length, though shorter in the dry season, did not significantly vary seasonally. The home
range in the dry season, though smaller than in the wet
season, was more intensively used in the dry season,
indicating the patchy distribution of food sources. They
fed on resources from 23 plant species, largely from
Elaeocarpus munronii, Ficus sp. and Cullenia exarillata,
with leaves being their primary diet. Most of the time
the langurs spent on resting which is a typical trait of
folivorous colobines to digest the leaves with the cellulose wall. In response to disturbances such as firewood
extraction and increased tourism, they shifted habitat
use from the understorey and middle canopy to intensive use of the upper canopy (>15 m). These findings
suggest management interference in these forest fragments and highlight the need for a proper conservation
plan.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mittermeier, R. A., Rylands, A. B. and Konstant, W. R., Primates
of the world: an introduction. In Walker’s Primates of the World
(ed. Nowak, R. M.), Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,
USA, 1999, pp. 1–52.
Mittermeier, R. A., Rylands, A. B., Konstant, W. R., Eudey, A.,
Butynski, T., Ganzhorn, J. U. and Rodríguez-Luna, E., Primate
specialist group species. Species, 2000, 34, 82–88
Literature cited 2: Marsh, L. K. and Chapman, C. A., Primates in Fragments, Springer
New York, NY, 2013, pp. xxii + 539.
Strier, K. B., Demography and the temporal scale of sexual selection.
In Sexual Selection and Reproductive Competition in Primates:
New Perspectives and Directions (ed. Jones, C. B.), American Society of Primatologist, Norman, USA, 2003, pp. 45–63
ID: 66239
Title: Rehabilitation of Melia azedarach L. in forest fire
Author: Sourav Ranjan Mohapatra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 763-765 25 April (2025)
Subject: Rehabilitation of Melia azedarach L. in forest fire
Keywords: None
Abstract: Forest fire being a persisting problem
throughout the world has elicited various
threats and has proved itself as a dynamic
factor in shaping vegetation and landscaping world forests over the years
. Globally,
it is estimated that 67 million hectares of
forest area is burnt annually in between
2003 and 2012 (ref. 2). Wildfires have seriously damaged almost 98 million hectares
area in 2015 (ref. 3). Annually, 19.8 million
hectares of forest has been demolished by
fires in 118 countries marking up to 65%
of the world’s forest cover. Major countries
facing losses through such environmental
hazard includes Chad, Australia, the United
States of America, India and Canada
. India
constitutes one of the mega biodiversity
zones of world with 80,276 sq. km of forest
area which is 24.56% of the total geographical area of the country.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Schmerbeck, J. and Hiremath, A., In Workshop Proceeding: Forest Fires in India, Madurai, 2007, pp. 41–45.
Van Lierop, P., Lindquist, E., Sathyapala, S.
and Franceschini, G., Forest Ecol. Manage.,
2015, 352, 78–88.
Literature cited 2: FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment
Update 2020, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, 2020.
FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment
Update 2010, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, 2010.
ID: 66238
Title: Distribution of rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) recorded from camera trap from Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India
Author: Stuti Anjaria Aritra Roy Omkar Nar Gayatri Bakhale Gaurav Shinde R. K. Khairwa Vinod Rai Ayan Sadhu, Qamar Qureshi Y. V. Jhala
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 762-763 25 April (2025)
Subject: Distribution of rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) recorded from camera trap from Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India
Keywords: None
Abstract: The rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is the world’s smallest wildcat
weighing between 1 and 1.6 kg, and prefers
a semi-arboreal habitat1
. This cat has distinct rusty spots (frequently lanceolate) on
its russet-grey coat, and prominent stripes
on the forehead. The tail is long and spotless, almost half of its body size2
. Rusty spotted cat is listed as ‘near threatened
(NT)’ in the IUCN Red List, and listed under the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife
Protection Act 1972 (ref. 3). Although
widely distributed in the Indian Peninsula,
this cat is facing increasing threats pertaining to habitat loss and conversion of wildlife habitat into human land uses, road kills
and disease
. The species uses forested
landscape as well as found in the human dominated landscapes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Pathak, B. J., J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.,
1990, 87(3), 445.
Silva, A. P., Björklund, M., Fernandes, C.
and Mukherjee, S., In International Biogeography Society – 7th Biennial Meeting
(eds Daniel, G. et al.), Bayreuth, Germany,
2015, vol. 6, p. 167
Literature cited 2: Mukherjee, S., Duckworth, J. W., Silva,
A., Appel, A. and Kittle, A., Prionailurus
rubiginosus, The IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species 2016, e.T18149A50-
662471; https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.
UK.2016-1.RLTS.T18149A50662471.en
(accessed on 4 February 2023).
Nowell, K. and Jackson, P., Wild cats: status survey and conservation action plan,
IUCN/Species Survival Commission
Cat Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland,
1996.
ID: 66237
Title: Divergence dating and species authentication of the Indian rainbow trout stocks
Author: Walter Devaa Nithaniyal Stalin Vimal Panneerselvam, Ramesh Uthandakalaipandian
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 757-757 25 April (2025)
Subject: Divergence dating and species authentication of the Indian rainbow trout stocks
Keywords: None
Abstract: The endemic range of the rainbow trout
has been extended other American regions
and other continents (Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe) from the Pacific Ocean
and coastal regions of North America1
. In
India, rainbow trout were introduced in the
late nineteenth century and are highly preferred by anglers for recreational and sport
fishery and as an important aquaculture
species
. They are reared in the Indian uplands and significantly contribute to the
revenue and economy of Jammu and
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh. In Southern India,
trout fisheries were first introduced in
1863 in Ooty in the Western Ghats. Today
rainbow trout is found in a few hilly regions such as Ooty, Kodaikanal and Munnar of the Western Ghats of Southern
India
. Although Oncorhynchus. mykiss
have been successfully introduced and established in Southern India, presently they
are in an endangered state and suitable
conservative measures are underway
.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: MacCrimmon, H. R., J. Fish. Board Can.,
1971, 28(5), 663–704; https://doi.org/10.
1139/f71-098.
Crawford, S. S. and Muir, A. M., Rev. Fish
Biol. Fish., 2008, 18, 313–344; https://doi.
org/10.1007/s11160-007-9079-1.
Literature cited 2: Sehgal, K. L., In Fish and Fisheries at
Higher Altitudes: Asia, FAO Fisheries
Technical Paper No. 385 (ed. Petr, T.),
FAO, Rome, 1999, p. 304.
Devaa, J. W., Sharma, A. and Uthandakalaipandian, R., Asian Fish. Sci., 2021,
34(4), 344–354; https://doi.org/10.33997/j.
afs.2021.34.4.007.
ID: 66236
Title: Groundwater rights – from individual exploitation to community management
Author: Philippe Cullet
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (8) 755-757 25 April (2025)
Subject: Groundwater rights – from individual exploitation to community management
Keywords: None
Abstract: Groundwater is the most critical source of water, but its
regulation remains centred on the use rights of individual
landowners. Furthermore, the limited measures taken to
rapidly address the falling water tables and increasing
groundwater pollution remain structured around the ways to
control use rather than around protection measures at the
aquifer level.
The impending groundwater catastrophe has been identified for decades. Various regulatory measures have been
suggested since the 1970s to address the problems identified, and some laws and directives have been adopted over
the past three decades. Yet, none of the measures implemented have sought to address the principle at the roots of
the current crisis, which gives landowners near absolute
control over groundwater.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 66235
Title: Numerical study on submarine nose shape for drag reduction
Author: J. Suneela, Chandana Saran Venkata Amarnath Swamy , P. Sivabalan and Ashok Kumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 737-742 25 March (2025)
Subject: Numerical study on submarine nose shape for drag reduction
Keywords: CFD, drag, nose shape, RANS, submarine
Abstract: The configuration of submarine, is often divided into a
central body that is cylindrical and terminates with a
nose at the bow and a tail at the aft. A defence submarine must be able to perform its duties in a wider variety
of water depths. In order to conduct reconnaissance, a
submarine frequently needs to manoeuvre and snorkel
at shallow depths while remaining hidden when diving
to a greater depth. Submarines are utilised in combat,
research and underwater rescue operations. To validate the ideal geometric configuration of the submarine
drag must be studied. The present article describes the
numerical analysis of several nose forms to find the
best submarine hull for diving. The hull envelope equation was initially used to generate a reference hull,
referred to as the base model. To standardise the computational parameters, the findings of the reference
model were first compared with a model from the literature that had dimensions similar to those of the reference model. STARCCM+, a commercial CFD tool,
was then used to compare the reference hull to various
geometric configurations of the nose profiles. Since it
affected the flow entrance, the bluntness parameter
was defined to allow changes in the nose shape. The
configuration is further analysed by incorporating
changes to the submarine’s nose section, using additional parametric equations were used to optimise the
submarine design. For the sake of numerical examination, the parameters such as speed, L/D ratio and operating region were held constant. It was found that
there was about a 0.8% reduction in drag with a
change in the nose shape of the considered vessel.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Moonesun, M., Korol, Y. M., Nikrasov, V. A., Ursalov, A. and
Brajhko, A., CFD analysis of the bow shapes of submarines. J. Sci.
Eng. Res., 2016, 3(1), 1–16.
Renilson, M., Submarine Hydrodynamics, Springer Briefs in Applied Sciences and Technology, 2015, vol. 31, pp. 119–159; doi:
10.1007/978-3-319-16184-6.
Literature cited 2: Jagadeesh, P., Murali, K. and Idichandy, V. G., Experimental
investigation of hydrodynamic force coefficients over AUV hull
form. Ocean Eng., 2009, 36, 113–118.
Suman, K. N. S., Rao, D. N., Das, H. N. and Bhanu Kiran, G., Hydrodynamic performance evaluation of an ellipsoidal nose for a
high speed under water vehicle. Jordan J. Mech. Ind. Eng., 2010,
4(5), 641–652.
ID: 66234
Title: Establishment of a free electron laser-based user facility for IR-THz spectroscopy at RRCAT
Author: M. K. Chattopadhyay, Bhaskar Biswas , Shilpam Sharma , Ashish Khandelwal , Sona Chandran, L. S. Sharath Chandra , Tushar Dave , R. S. Saini , Shankar Lal, Arvind Kumar , Umesh Kale , Saket Kumar Gupta , Ravi Kumar Pandit ,
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 710-717 25 March (2025)
Subject: Establishment of a free electron laser-based user facility for IR-THz spectroscopy at RRCAT
Keywords: Free electron laser, IR-FEL, micropulse, tunability, user facility.
Abstract: A unique user facility has been established at the Raja
Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT),
Indore for the Infrared-Terahertz (IR-THz) spectroscopy of materials under low temperature and high
magnetic field sample environment. In this facility,
studies can be performed using the intense, coherent,
monochromatic and continuously tunable electromagnetic radiation from an infrared free electron laser
(IR-FEL), or with broad-band radiation from low
power laboratory sources. The IR-FEL delivers an IR
beam with a brightness of ~1013–1014 photons/s/mm2
/
mrad2
/0.1% BW in the wavelength range of 12–54 µm
at a custom–built user station, where trial experiments
using this light have been started. A custom built Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, working in conjugation with a magneto-optical cryostat system has
been commissioned at the user station where the IRFEL light can be coupled. This is the only working FEL
in the country along with its user facility. The present
study highlights the latest results from the commissioning of the IR-FEL based user facility, the first-trial
experiments performed therein, and the future developmental ideas.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bhawalkar, D. D. et al., Synchrotron radiation sources INDUS-1 and
INDUS-2. Pramana – J. Phys., 1998, 50, 467.
Vitiello, M. S. et al., Quantum cascade lasers: 20 years of challenges.
Opt. Express, 2015, 23, 5167.
Literature cited 2: Lewis, R. A., A review of terahertz sources. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.,
2014, 47, 374001.
Pant, K. K. et al., First lasing in an infrared free electron laser at
RRCAT, Indore. Curr. Sci., 2018, 114, 367.
ID: 66233
Title: Current challenges and solutions for sustainability of Farmers Producer Organisations through grassroots organisational ecosystem
Author: Anirban Mukherjee , Shubhadeep Roy , Kausik Pradhan , V. K. Yadav, Kumari Shubha, Dhiraj Kumar Singh , Shreya Anand , Sukanya Barua , Shantanu Rakshit , Rohan Kumar Raman , Ujjwal Kumar , Banda Sainath , Ajeet Kumar Pal and Anup Das
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 699-709 25 March (2025)
Subject: Current challenges and solutions for sustainability of Farmers Producer Organisations through grassroots organisational ecosystem
Keywords: Farmers producer organisation, FPO ecosystem model, one district one product, sustainable
Abstract: India’s agricultural landscape is largely dominated by
marginal and small farmers, who constitute approximately 67% and 18% of the total farming community
respectively. This translates to a staggering 92 million
marginal farmers with less than 0.40 hectares of land
and 24 million small farmers with an average landholding of 1.42 hectares. Despite their higher productivity compared to large farmers, these smallholders
face significant resource constraints and market challenges. While the formation of Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) has partially addressed these issues,
newly established FPOs continue to encounter significant sustainability challenges. These include limited
volumes, low capital, low member engagement and a
subsidy-oriented rather than market-oriented approach.
The present article identifies critical challenges such as
limited capital, low member engagement and a predominant subsidy orientation. Currently, over 8875 FPOs
are registered nationwide, but only 16–30% are sustainable. A significant issue is the inability of the majority of
FPOs to raise more sizable amount of paid-up capital,
highlighting the urgent need for a robust grassroots organisational ecosystem. This study proposes an eight component ecosystem model for FPO sustainability,
encompassing market, policy, infrastructure, services,
inputs, HRD, finance and innovation. This model aims to
create a comprehensive support structure for FPOs,
facilitating better market access, financial resources,
member participation and innovative practices. The implementation of this model, along with suggestive measures for strengthening FPOs, is crucial for their long term viability in India’s evolving agricultural sector.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. All India Report on
Number and Area of Operational Holdings. Agriculture Census
2010–11, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, New Delhi, 2014;
http://agcensus.nic.in/document/ac1011/reports/air2010-11complete.
pdf (accessed on 30 April 2024).
Lipton, M., Can small farmers survive, prosper, or be the key channel to cut mass po
Literature cited 2: Thapa, G. and Gaiha, R., Smallholder farming in Asia and the Pacific: challenges and opportunities. Paper presented at the Conference
on New Directions for Smallholder Agriculture, International Fund
for Agricultural Development, Rome, 24–25 January 2011.
Mukherjee, A., Prioritization of problems in integrated agriculture:
a case of Rampur village in sub humid region of Eastern India.
Indian Res. J. Extn. Edu., 2016, 15(1), 53–5
ID: 66232
Title: AI-based channel infused coral identification and tracking algorithm for autonomous underwater vehicles
Author: Bala Naga Jyothi Vandavasi, Jaswanth Nidamanuri , P. S. S. Pavan Ganesh , Ramesh Raju , Vedachalam Narayanaswamy , K. Varun Teja and Ramesh Sethuraman
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 683-690 25 March (2025)
Subject: AI-based channel infused coral identification and tracking algorithm for autonomous underwater vehicles
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, autonomous underwater vehicle, coral, detection, tracking
Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped
with in-situ artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled image
processing capability could help understand the influence
of climate change on reef ecology, and evolve well informed policy decisions for sustaining coral reefs.
The recent focus is on developing technologies to collect
images of coral reefs autonomously over larger areas
using AUVs with AI-aided image processing capabilities.
This article presents the development of a computer
vision and deep-learning-based coral identification and
tracking algorithm trained on six distinct families of
coral images acquired from the Andaman Islands using a
remotely operated vehicle PROVe500 developed by the
National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai. The
YOLOv8-trained coral detection and classification
model, along with the ByteTrack, have been used to
identify and track the corals with mean average precision
and recall rates of 97.4% and 96.8% respectively. The
developed AI algorithm gives confidence in deploying
AUVs to identify and track corals of interest or anomalies in real-time over a large spatial domain
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Dove, S. G., Brown, K. T., Van Den Heuvel, A., Chai, A. and
Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Ocean warming and acidification uncouple
calcification from calcifier biomass which accelerates coral reef
decline. Commun. Earth Environ., 2020, 1(1), 55; https://doi.org/
10.1038/s43247-020-00054-x.
Novi, L. and Bracco, A., Machine learning prediction of connectivity,
biodiversity and resilience in the Coral Triangle. Commun. Biol.,
2022, 5(1), 1359; https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04330-8.
Literature cited 2: Schürholz, D. and Chennu, A., Digitizing the coral reef: machine
learning of underwater spectral images enables dense taxonomic
mapping of benthic habitats. Method Ecol. Evol., 2023, 14(2), 596–
613; https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14029.
Franceschini, S., Meier, A. C., Suan, A., Stokes, K., Roy, S. and
Madin, E. M., A deep learning model for measuring coral reef
halos globally from multispectral satellite imagery. Remote Sensing
Environ., 2023, 292, 113584; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2023.
113584.
ID: 66231
Title: Antimicrobial and antifungal activity of Aegle marmelos L. water extract for managing Solanum lycopersicum L. plant diseases
Author: Kruti Dave and Hardi Prajapati
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 677-682 25 March (2025)
Subject: Antimicrobial and antifungal activity of Aegle marmelos L. water extract for managing Solanum lycopersicum L. plant diseases
Keywords: Aegle marmelos L., antifungal activity, antimicrobial activity, control experiment, plant pathogen.
Abstract: The present study targets the management of tomato
plant diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens through natural pesticides. The antimicrobial and
antifungal activities of water extract from Aegle marmelos L. were assessed in vitro at various concentrations. For antimicrobial activity, the zone of inhibition
(ZOI) was measured, revealing that at 100 mg/ml concentration, the plant extract exhibited a ZOI greater
than 15 mm for bacterial strains, Xanthomonas spp.
and Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis. For
antifungal activity, the percentage of inhibition was
measured at different concentrations of the plant
extract. At the highest concentration of 10 mg/ml,
complete inhibition (100%) was observed for Botrytis
cinerea, whereas 77.5% inhibition was observed for
Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica. Subsequently,
in vivo experiments were conducted where the plant
extract was used as a natural pesticide. Compared to
the control, the treated plots demonstrated a significantly higher survival rate. These findings suggest that
A. marmelos L. water extract can serve as an effective
natural pesticide, providing a viable alternative to
chemical pesticides in tomato disease management
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Waheed, K. et al., Tomato. In Medicinal Plants of South Asia.
Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2020, pp. 631–644.
Sen, Y. et al., Bacterial canker of tomato: current knowledge of
detection, management, resistance, and interactions. Plant Dis.,
99(1), 2015, 4–13
Literature cited 2: Scott, J. W., Cameron Somodi, G. and Jones, J. B., Resistance to
bacterial spot fruit infection in tomato. HortScience, 1989, 24(5),
825–827.
Benito, E. P. et al., Fungal and plant gene expression during synchronized infection of tomato leaves by Botrytis cinerea. Eur.
J. Plant Pathol., 1998, 104, 207–220.
ID: 66230
Title: Mine dump slope stability and failure behaviour analysis under geo-mining condition using hybrid numerical modelling
Author: Kapoor Chand and Radhakanta Koner
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 128 (7) 667-676 25 March (2025)
Subject: Mine dump slope stability and failure behaviour analysis under geo-mining condition using hybrid numerical modelling
Keywords: Geo-mining condition, hybrid numerical modelling, mine dump, progressive failure, slope stability.
Abstract: Dump slope stability and failure behaviour analysis
under actual geo-mining conditions is tedious for mining
engineers. Therefore, the present study presents a novel
hybrid numerical modelling for dump slope stability
and failure behaviour analysis, from initiation and
transport to overburden (OB) deposition. Mixed and
broken material matrix slope stability was analysed using finite discrete element method (FDEM). The present
study used absorbing boundary conditions under gravity
force. The shear strength reduction approach was used
for slope strength analysis. Newton’s second law is incorporated to simulate rock boulder kinematics accurately during the progressive failure. The results of the
present study indicate that hybrid numerical modelling
can evaluate dump stability and simulate the complete
failure process, including crack initiation, propagation
in slope, failure surface, OB transport and deposition.
Finally, the role of mixed materials (soil and rock
boulders) in the dump slope stability and failure behaviour was analysed. FDEM is a powerful visualisation
tool for solving a numerical model under real geomining conditions. This will be helpful for the safe
working distance analysis from the dump slope toe.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Vinay, L. S., Bhattacharjee, R. M., Ghosh, N., Budi, G., Kumar, J.
V. and Kumar, S., Numerical study of stability of coal pillars under
the influence of line of extraction. Geomat. Nat. Haz. Risk, 2022,
13, 1556–1570.
Dash, A. K., Analysis of accidents due to slope failure in Indian
opencast coal mines. Curr. Sci., 2019, 117, 304–308.
Literature cited 2: Yadav, D. K., Jayanthu, S., Das, S. K., Chinara, S. and Mishra, P.,
Critical review on slope monitoring systems with a vision of unifying WSN and IoT. IET Wireless Sensor Systems, Institution of Engineering and Technology, 1 August 2019, pp. 167–180.
Kumar, A., Das, S. K., Nainegali, L., Raviteja, K. V. N. S. and
Reddy, K. R., Probabilistic slope stability analysis of coal mine
waste rock dump. Geotech. Geol. Eng., 2023, 41, 4707–4724.