eChapters

1. Introduction

For the last years, Peru’s GDP has been continuously growing, and in 2010 the agricultural sector has played a significant role in this process. According to the National System on Agricultural Innovation, the sector has an important contribution in economic and social aspects.Regarding the former, national agrarian production represents 8% of global GDP.
 
Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture of Peru show that the agricultural sector includes 31% (3 million people approximately) of the country’s Economically Active Population (EAP), and 65% of the EAP in rural areas. The latest agrarian census indicates that almost 5.5 million hectares are used for agricultural activities, which accounts for 15% of the total surface.

Abstract

The contribution of agriculture to the Tanzania’s economic growth has not been fully realized due to the sector’s’poor performance. This is attributed to a combination of constraints, which are often aggravated by lack of access to timely, relevant and reliable agricultural information. The traditional approach of delivering agricultural information through extension services has been criticized widely as there are weak information flows amongst agricultural actors.

Abstract

With the evolution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Agriculture as the major employer of Ugandans population with over 82% of the population, agricultural information is a key component in improving small-

A mobile phone often referred to as a cellular phone or cell phone is an electronic telecommunication device that can make and receive telephone calls through radio wave or satellite transmission whilst moving around a wide geographic area. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), short range wireless communication (Infrared, Bluetooth), business applications, gaming, photography and internet services such as web browsing and e-mail. Mobile communication technology has become the world’s most common way of transmitting voice, data and services, and no other technology has ever spread so fast. The mobile phone is especially important for India because it is growing here faster.

ABSTRACT

In 21^st century, the world has turned into a global village. This herculean task has been made possible with the advent of ICT tools. When we think of ICT, the most omnipresent tool that comes in our mind is mobile phones. With the increasing rate of mobile phone penetration in the urban as well as in rural areas, it is now possible to connect the farmers leaving in the far-flung areas with the institutes, who are working for the betterment of farming community. Today, mobile phones play a significant role in everybody’s life, besides being an efficient way to stay connected with the family; it also paves a way to bridge the gap between the availability and delivery of agricultural inputs and agricultural infrastructure. Mobile phones provide basic connectivity, mobility and security to owners, it works using the radio spectrum, so no need to rely on physical infrastructure, requires basic literacy only, also its services are available in local language; short message service (SMS), multi-media service (MMS) and voice communication are the added benefits. It allows transfer of data which can be used in the context of applications for the purpose of health, education, commerce and governance. Mobile phones are increasingly affordable due to factors like increased private sector competition and innovative payment methods. Due to high access, its reach, good adoption and real-time interaction mobile phones offer efficient solutions to governments’ communication challenges. Mobile phones helps the farmers in agriculture decision making, as they provide information related to crops, weather forecasting, seeds, fertilizers, bio-pesticides, soil fertility, pest and disease diagnosis, demand and supply of agricultural products, different schemes and technologies. Mobile based initiatives like SMS services related to weather forecast, disease forecast, and market information are issued to farmers by different organizations like IFFCO Kissan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) and Reuters Market Light (RML). Farmers can raise queries related to agriculture and allied sectors using their mobile phone to a farmer call centre which has been operating in every state of India. There are many such initiatives, which are working to provide valuable services, and also it provides opportunities to further explore the potentialities of mobile phones as a tool for transforming the farming scenario of India.

Introduction

The past decade has witnessed a revolution in the use of ICT in Developing countries. Many people and offices as well as rural farmers own ICT facilities such as personal computers and mobile phones. The largest increases in the use of ICT has been in mobile telephony where subscriptions in developing countries increased from about 30 percent of the world total in 2000 to more than 50 percent in 2004 and to almost 70 percent in 2007 (Cieslikowsk, Halewood, Kimura, & Zhen-Wei Qiang, 2009). While internet use has not increased as rapidly as mobile communication, it increased tenfold in developing countries in the same period (Cieslikowsk et al., 2009). Other ICT facilities such as telecast, radio FM and information centres have also increased in number remarkably during the same period. A study by Farrell & Isaacs, (2009) on ICT in 53 African countries revealed the wide use of ICT in the region with countries such as Algeria, Egypt, South Africa and Botswana leading in ICT use. In East Africa, Rwanda is probably the most advanced country in terms of ICT use with 65% of its population being covered by mobile telephony. The country has also a high level of internet use and access to television and radio broadcasts. In Kenya, Uganda and Burundi the use of ICT is also well advanced, especially for mobile phone subscribers, TV and radio listeners (Farrell & Isaacs, (2009). This high use of ICT is likely to stimulate economic development in developing countries, including the agricultural sector where a high proportion of the African population derives their livelihoods. Before 1990, ICT use in Tanzania was mainly limited to radio and landline telephones. New ICT started in the mid-1990s, and by 2001 it was estimated that Tanzania’s ICT industry had generated USD 300-350 million per year. There are now a number of ICT development initiatives in the country funded by the government, donor countries and the private sector. Such initiatives range from telecentres and mobile phones in rural Tanzania to e-Government initiatives being implemented in the major cities and towns of Tanzania.

7.1 Introduction

The evolution of the digital landscape has been nothing short of revolutionary, shaping the way we live, work, and interact with one another. Since the inception of the ARPANET military experiment in 1968, which laid the groundwork for the internet as we know it today, the world's digitization has been accelerating at an unprecedented pace. What started as a military endeavor has evolved into a global network connecting billions of people across geographical boundaries, giving rise to virtual communities, and fundamentally transforming the way information is accessed and disseminated. As we navigate through this digital age, characterized by rapid technological advancements and an ever expanding digital ecosystem, the role of individuals in this landscape has evolved significantly.

Today, in many countries mobile phones are being used by farmers, not only as a person voice communication medium but also to provide access to  information through sending message service (SMS), multimedia messages service (MMS) and access to the internet. Across the developing world, there are programmes that give farmers access to research and best practices, weather information and market prices via SMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or call centers.

Introduction

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have marked their presence across India by executing various scientific as well as institutional reforms for the agrarian mass of our country. Right from its beginning in 1970s, farmers were actively trained for adopting different innovative tools and methods and were also provided with proper assistance in implementing them. The farmers were adapted to technical know-how of an introduced technology and produced significant results in the real f ield conditions.

KVKs provided proper training programmes on need-based curriculum in order to cater to the local and regional needs. This has also led to need assessment of various training needs and efficacies to make improvement in policies and future interventions. KVK can be instrumental in nurturing the process of gender empowerment by inviting and involving the farm women in the process of technological adaptation, adoption and socialization. There are methodological innovations as to how we can involve the farm women by employing and applying gender-sensitive KVK technologies as suitable for their job environment and climate. Especially in areas of value addition, rural crafts, women crafts, f ishery, horticulture and micro-finance, their roles are becoming more prominent and decisive. This is positive achievement in making them free from gender discrimination and impoverishment.

The knowledge score gained by respondents after training was more satisfactory in all aspects (58.33% had medium and 48.67% had high level of knowledge). The socio-economic factors of the participants viz. Education level played a significant positive role on the knowledge gain of the participants. (Upamanya et.al., 2020) Most of the farmers, i.e., 66.67 per cent with theoretical knowledge suggested that more field visits can be arranged, 63.33 per cent of the respondents suggested the training should be conducted in their own villages because the farm women cannot able to come to KVK by leaving their children and their regular household work and around sixty per cent (60.83 per cent) of the respondents suggested that organizing continuous and frequent training programmes for effective participation and retention of knowledge. (Chakkaravarthy and Balakrishnan, 2020)

Horticulture includes fruits, vegetables, floriculture, spices, tubers, plantation crops, medicinal and aromatic plants and mushrooms. The sector has established its importance in improving land use, promoting crop diversification, generating employment and above all providing nutritional security to the people. Even though India is the second largest producer of horticulture produces in the world, our per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables are very low.

Mode of Action of Fungicides

Most fungicides function outside of the host, which is referred to as “protection.” A fungicide that acts outside of the host is referred to as a “protectant fungicide.” This category includes the majority of older fungicides applied on leaves and fruit. “Therapy” refers to chemical action within the host. Fungicides, for example, are locally systemic and enter the plant at the point of deposition. Several triazole fungicides have several days of therapeutic action against wheat leaf rust and also inhibit the development of viable spores (spores that can grow).

The majority of protectant fungicides are relatively stable on their own. They are generally insoluble in water and resist removal or chemical alteration by water, but they must be toxic to fungus.

The mode of action is the overall manner in which a herbicide affects a plant at the tissue or cellular level. The mode of action is the way in which the herbicide controls susceptible plants. It usually describes the biological process or enzyme in the plant that the herbicide interrupts, affecting normal plant growth and development. Herbicide may act on the life process of plant and dislodge the normal functioning of plants resulting in the death of plants. Herbicides  do damage of plants by inhibiting the biological process of plant as follows:

Mode of Action

The term mode of action refers to the sequence of events from absorption into plants to plant death. The mode of action of the herbicide influences how the herbicide is applied. For example, contact herbicides that disrupt cell membranes, such as acifluorfen (Blazer) or paraquat (Gramoxone Extra), need to be applied post emergence to leaf tissue in order to be effective. Seedling growth inhibitors, such as trifluralin (Treflan) and alachlor (Lasso), need to be applied to the soil to effectively control newly germinated seedlings.

To be effective, herbicides must 1) adequately contact plants; 2) be absorbed by plants; 3) move within the plants to the site of action, without being deactivated; and 4) reach toxic levels at the site of action. The application method used, whether pre-plant incorporated, pre-emergence, or postemergence, determines whether the herbicide will contact germinating seedlings, roots, shoots, or leaves of plants.

Mode of Action of Herbicides

Herbicides perform a vital role in the management of weeds. As the name indicates, herbicides are chemicals that kill or control vegetation. Although the ultimate effect of most herbicides is the same (usually death of weed), the way they control weeds is vastly different. Physiologists use the term mode of action to describe the way the herbicides affect weeds. It includes the entire sequence of events that occur from the time the weed absorbs the herbicide to the final plant response (usually death). The term mode of action is the broad term under which all aspects of herbicidal action including the mechanism of action is included, while the mechanism of action refers to only the biochemical and biophysical responses of plants that appeared to be associated with herbicidal action.

Thus, mode of action includes absorption, translocation to an active site, inhibition of a specific biochemical reaction, degradation or breakdown of the herbicide in the plant and soil and the effect of the herbicide on plant growth and physiology.

Although two herbicides may differ chemically, they may still possess the same mode of action example trifluralin (a dinitroaniles herbicide) and propanamide (an amide herbicide) are inhibitors of microtubule/spindle apparatus. Each herbicide family (class or group) has a primary site of action which may be different in its action from others example sulfonylureas herbicides are ALS or AHAS inhibitors while glyphosate and sulfosate are ESPS inhibitors. Some may have more than one site of action, but the mostinhibitory of these will be affected first. The other site(s) may be considered secondary. Fluometuron, a urea group herbicides act by inhibiting photosynthesis at photosystem II and carotenoid biosynthesis.

6.1 Introduction

The process by which living beings give rise to the progeny of similar kind is called reproduction. Reproduction allows both multiplication and maintenance of a genotype/line/cultivar/species. So, the process of reproduction is also called propagation, and the plant part used for this purpose is called propagule. The way progeny originate is known as mode of reproduction (also called breeding system or reproductive system). The mode of reproduction of a crop determines its genetic composition which, in turn, is the deciding factor to develop suitable breeding methods. Knowledge of mode of reproduction is also essential for its artificial manipulation to breed improved types. The methods to be adopted for multiplication and maintenance of improved cultivars are also governed by the mode of reproduction. Especially in undertaking breeding investigations with new plants the nature of reproduction must be known before efficient breeding plans can be developed. The mode of reproduction has been well established for most of our important crop species.

6.2 Mode of Reproduction

Mode reproduction in crop plants may be sexual or asexual. In sexual reproduction (also called amphimixis), specialized reproductive cells called gametes are formed by the process of gametogenesis. Fusion of the male and female gametes leads to the development of an embryo and eventually the seed. In asexual reproduction, fusion of the male and female gametes does not occur, and new plants arise from unfertilized gametes (but not from zygote), or from specialized vegetative organs such as rhizome, tuber, bulb, corm, runner, sucker, stolon, bulbil etc., or by various artificial means of propagation such as rooting of stem and root cuttings, layering, grafting, gootee, etc., or tissue culturing.

The different modes of reproduction applied in vegetable crops are

Asexual

In this case the vegetative parts of the plants viz. rhizomes, corms, tubers, bulbs etc whole or part there off are utilized to produce new individuals. The typical examples are potato, sweetpotato, parwal, artichoke, colocasia, zinger, turmeric elephant foot yam, etc. There are some vegetative crops which can be reproduced through bcth vegetative part as well as seed e.g. asparagus.

Introduction

Agriculture is an important sector for countries like India, who have majority of its population, directly or indirectly depend upon agriculture. The sector which feeds the majority of population of any country needs special attention for its all round development. Marketing is such a crucial aspect related to agriculture that is probably not developed in any of such countries which largely depends upon agriculture. Underdeveloped and lack of resources are the main reasons behind the underdeveloped nature of agricultural marketing. In simple terms, agricultural marketing means the buying and selling of agricultural produce. The Indian council of Agricultural Research defined involvement of three important functions, namely assembling, preparation for consumption and distribution.

Introduction

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is the largest edible fruit in the world. It is a seasonal fruit found in almost all the humid tropical regions of the world. It is very popular all over India and is believed to be of Indian origin. Flesh of jackfruit is starchy and fibrous and is a source of dietary fiber. Varieties are distinguished according to characteristics of the fruit’s flesh. In Kerala, two varieties of jackfruit predominate: varikka and koozha. Varikka has a slightly hard inner flesh when ripe, while the inner flesh of ripe koozha fruit is very soft and almost dissolving. Strong aroma of the fruit accounts popularity of its processed products. Each year, approximately 30-50% of the total harvested fruit is spoiled because of lack of post-harvest processing in India

Jackfruit has more protein, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin and carotene than banana. Edible bulbs of ripe jackfruit are consumed for their fine taste and pleasant aroma. The fibre content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Fresh fruit has small amounts of carotenoid and flavonoid pigments such as ß carotene, xanthin, lutein and cryptoxanthin-ß. Together, these compounds play vital roles in antioxidant and vision functions.

Executive summary

The enclosed project report envisages the setting up of a modern rice mill complex with attached parboiling facilities having an average processing capacity of 16 MT of paddy per day. The initial investment of the project is estimated to be Rs 480.17 lakhs. Sales Realization is assumed as constant for all the 7 years; amounted Rs 1129.2 lakhs. Pay Back Period for the project is estimated as somewhat more than 3 years. Internal Rate of Return for the project is 31%. Net Present Value is Rs.367.92 lakhs which is a positive value. It indicates that present value of cash inflows is greater than present value of cash outflows. Projected working results of the project throws light on its viability.

1. Enzymes are made up of
a) Carbohydrates          b) Proteins
c) Fats                           d) Lipids
2. Immediate precursor of chlorophyll a and chorophyll b is
a) Protochlorophyllide  b) Haemoglobin
c) Biluribin                    d) Xanthophylls
3. Water soluble flavonoid pigments are
a) Lycopene                 b) Lutein
c) Anthocyanins           d) Carotene
4. Which enzyme is used for the production of maltose syrup
a) Destrin                     b) Fungal alpha-amylase
c) Ligase                      d) Dextrose

1. The syndrome resulting from the ingestion of toxin in a mold contaminated food is
a) Aspergillosis              b) Enterotoxicosis
c) Mycotoxicosis            d) Neurotoxicosis
2. Patulin is toxic to
a) Mice                           b) Fishes
c) Cattle                         d) Human beings
3. Alimentary toxic aleukia isolated from grain is produced by
a) Alternaria                   b) Cladosporium
c) Fusarium                   d) All of the above
4. Mold nephrosis, a disease in pigs has been associated with
a) Aflatoxin                    b) Patulin
c) Citrinin                      d) Ochratoxin

1. Maize is deficient in
a) Methionine        b) Lysine
c) Tryptophan        d) None
2. Winterization is accomplished to remove.
a) Waxes             b) Cloudiness of Oils
c) SFA                  d) All the above
3. What do you mean from ‘Dhal’ ?
a) Whole dehisced pulse             b) Whole cleaned pulse
c) Dehusked and splitted pulse   d) All the above
4. The separation of the bran from the endosperm of which cereal grain in more difficult.
a) Rye             b) Wheat
c) Triticale       d) None of above

1. The food qualities such as taste, odour, colour etc. are measured in term of
a) Quick index            b) Organoleptic scale
c) Score card              d) Hedonic scale
2. In UV spectroscopy samples are typically placed in a.
a) Transparent cell     b) Cuvette
c) Silicon glass           d) Both a and b
3. A definite area or a space where some thermodynamic process takes place is known
as.
a) Thermodynamic law            b) Thermodynamic process
c) Thermodynamic system      d) Thermodynamic cycle
4. LMTD in case of parallel flow compared to counter flow would be.
a) More                       b) Less
c) Same                      d) Negative

1. Which the increase in temperature, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of material
a) Increase                     b) Decrease
c) Remains constant      d) None
2. Screens are used for mechanical reparation of
a) Solid liquid mixture     b) Solid gas mixture
c) Solid solid mixture      d) Liquid liquid mixture
3. Primary treatment of waste water in a plant will cause a drop of about ……… in the BOD.
a) 60%                           b) 50%
c) 30%                           d) 40%
4. Kicks assumed that the energy required to reduce the material in size was _____________ proportional to the size reduction ratio.
a) Directly                     b) Inversely
c) Equally                      d) None

1. Which acid is found in carbonated non alcoholic beverages?
a) Propionic acid         b) Acetic acid
c) Citric acid                d) Phosphoric acid
2. Ripening of cheese in presence of fungus penicillium roqueforti results change in
a) Texture                    b) Flavor
c) Colour                     d) Both a and b
3. Microorganism responsible for discoloration in fish during spoilage.
a) Alcaligenes             b) Flavobacterium
c) Pseudomonas        d) Rhodotorula
4. Common microbial contaminant is poultry (freshly dressed, eviscerated) food product in
a) Coliforms                b) Pediococcus sp.
c) Bacillus subtilis       d) Pseudomonas

1. Texture property of paneer can be best represented by
a) Hardness                    b) Gumminess
c) Springiness                 d) Chewiness
2. Electromagnetic radiation wave length for UV, VIS, NIR radiation should be
a) 300-400 nm, 400-765 nm, 765-3200 nm
b) 765-3200 nm, 400-765 nm, 300-400 nm
c) 400-765 nm, 300-400 nm, 765-3200 nm
d) 300-400 nm, 765-3200 nm, 400-765 nm
3. Voigt model (Kelvin model) consists of
a) Spring and dashpot in series      b) Spring absent
c) Dashpot absent                           d) Spring and dashpot in parallel
 

1. Speed of bucket elevator ranges from
a) 2.5 to 2.8 m/s                    b) 2.5 to 4.0 m/s
c) 3.5 to 6.0 m/s                    d) 5.0 to 10.0 m/s
2. The fundamental principle of pressure nozzle is the conversion of pressure energy into
a) Mechanical energy          b) Rotational energy
c) Kinetic energy                 d) Static energy
3. Which conveyer is used for transporting the large quantifier of materials over a very large distance at a low cost
a) Belt conveyer                  b) Chain conveyer
c) Pneumatic conveyer       d) Screw conveyer
4. …………………..conveyer is used to convey sticky materials.
a) Belt conveyer                  b) Chain conveyer
c) Pneumatic conveyer       d) Screw conveyer

1. Euricic acid containing group mainly contains which oil
a) Cocoa butter                         b) Groundnut oil
c) Rapeseed /mustard oil         d) Sesame oil
2. Other name of lecithin is
a) Phosphatidyl choline            b) Phosphatidic acid
c) Phosphatidyl ethyl amine     d) Phosphatidyl alcohol
3. Denaturation of proteins means
a) Loss of primary structure
b) Loss of three dimensional structures
c) De-polymerization
d) Copulation

1. In tea, fermentation, the micro organisms involved in
a) Fusarium                b) Aspergillus
c) Alcaligens               d) None
2. The content of CO2 in beer is about
a) 0.02 – 0.06 %         b) 1.78 – 2.01 %
c) 0.45 – 0.52 %         d) 0.60 – 0.92 %
3. Meat is irradiated to present the outbreak of
a) Shigella                  b) Salmonellosis
c) T.B.                        d) Fever
4. Egg quality is manually checked by seeing it through a temperature it is called
a) Lightening             b) Lamping
c) Sorting                  d) Candling

1. Pressurized packed foods are called
a) Baro foods      b) Aerosols
c) Aceituno         d) Barges
2. Fo value is F value when Z is equal to
a) 10                    b) 12
c) 16                    d) 18
3. Dole process is the example of
a) Heat- cool- fill               b) Bold sterilization
c) Batch pasteurization    d) Fast canning
4. Mustard oil is effective against
a) Saccharomyes cerevisae            b) Penicillium notatum
c) Clostridium botulinum                  d) All the above

1. Ascorbic acid is the chemical name of
a) Vitamin K               b) Vitamin C
c) Vitamin B               d) Vitamin A
2. In alkalimetric titrations, the titrant is
a) Iodine                    b) NaOH
c) EDTA                     d) Magnesium
3. EDTA is a
a) Tetradentate Ligand          b) Octadentate Ligand
c) Pentadentate Ligand         d) Hexadentate Ligand
4. The indicator used in the EDTA method is
a) Erichrome black T             b) Benzene
c) Phenopthalene                  d) Ethylene diamine

1. All microorganisms need
a) Nutrients                     b) Water
c) Specific temperature  d) All of above
2. Antioxidant in foods
a) Enhance shelf life             b) Prevent oxidation reaction
c) Decrease deterioration     d) All the above
3. Thermophilic bacteria grow at
a) Low temperature               b) High temperature
c) Medium temperature         d) All of the above
4. Preservation method which involves removal of water
a) Drying                           b) Canning
c) Sterilization                   d) Pasteurization

1. …………….. regulates that flow of substances in and out of the cell
a) Cytoplasm                b) Cellwall
c) Ribosome                 d) Cell membrane
2. Bacterial cell lack in which organelle?
a) True nucleus            b) Mitochondria
c) Chloroplasts             d) All
3. Bacterial cell wall is made of
a) Lipid                         b) Protein
c) Phospholipids          d) Peptidoglycan
4. Fungi cell wall is made of
a) Chitin                       b) Protein
c) Phospholipids          d) Peptidoglycan

1. The process preservation of fruits and vegetable with common salt and vinegar is
called
a) Fermentation               b) Pickling
c) Steeping                      d) Asepsis
2. The by product of apple is
a) Rags                           b) Peel
c) Pomace                      d) Stones
3. Fruit for making jelly should be rich in
a) Pectin and acids         b) Acids and protein
c) Protein and sugars     d) Sugars and acids
4. Sweetest sugar in fruit is
a) Sucrose                      b) Fructose
c) Glucose                      d) Galactose

1. Defects in fresh egg include
a) Bloom                  b) Meat spots
c) Cracks                 d) All of them
2. Green rots in eggs is caused by
a) P. fluorescens                  b) P. graveolens
c) Achromobacterperolens  d) Paracolobactrum
3. Proteus causes spoilage of eggs by producing
a) Red rots               b) Colorless rot
c) Black rots             d) Pink rot
4. Hay odor in fishes is caused by
a) Sporotrichum       b) Enterobacter cloacea
c) P. fluorescens      d) Cladosporium

1. Which of the following states has nutrient use of < 100 kg/ ha?

(a) Madhya Pradesh                (b) Karnataka

(c) West Bengal                       (d) Uttar Pradesh

2. Which of the following is the leading state in maize production

(a) Bihar                                   (b) Uttar Pradesh

(c) Punjab                                (d) Gujarat

Rivers are the most important system for water, for irrigation and human settlement. Historically, civilizations always nucleated near rivers, and latter also had social and religious significance. Rivers in India are considered holy and play the most important part in the lives of people, fauna & flora and the future environmental system.

The Ganga Basin is the largest river basin in India which includes the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Ghagra, the Gandak, the Kaveri basin etc. Compared to these, the Vishwamitri River, situated between Mahi River in North and Narmada River in South in Central Gujarat is a small seasonal river but it is very important for the city of Vadodara and Central Gujarat region. This seasonal river originates from Pavagadh hills and flows east to west. It is a typical small river with the kind of problems in most rivers in India and other countries – liquid and solid wastes, enouncements, blocking of water ways, floods in monsoon months and dry dumping basin during most other months etc.

Rivers are the most important system for water, for irrigation and human settlement. Historically, civilizations always nucleated near rivers, and latter also had social and religious significance. Rivers in India are considered holy and play the most important part in the lives of people, fauna & flora and the future environmental system. The Ganga Basin is the largest river basin in India which includes the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Ghagra, the Gandak, the Kaveribasin etc. Compared to these, the Vishwamitri River, situated between Mahi River in North and Narmada River in South in Central Gujarat is a small seasonal river but it is very important for the city of Vadodara and Central Gujarat region. This seasonal river originates from Pavagadh hills and flows east to west. It is a typical small river with the kind of problems in most rivers in India and other countries – liquid and solid wastes, enouncements, blocking of water ways, floods in monsoon months and dry dumping basin during most other months etc.
RIVERS & THEIR REVIVAL
River basin planning and watershed management were the centerpieces of water resource planning at the dawn of the era. For most of the century, however, natural resource policies and pressures led to watershed degradation. Today, the resources value of watershed ecosystems are being rediscovered. Watershed management reflects the recognition that we can only sustain biodiversity by managing the future ecosystem.
VISHWAMITRI RIVER
In a well researched book ‘Vishwamitri Mahatmyam’ edited by Thaker of oriental Institute – Vadodara the history, glory and mythological details of the ancient river Vishwamitri has been brought out. It is said that the river

We visited The Model Sea Farm Project under the Royal Initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on 10/10/2023 at 1 pm It is a government farm located at Phetchaburi Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Center. The purpose of the visit was to learn more about seaweed production and zero waste aquaculture system.

1) Sea ranching

Species used for sea ranching was Banana shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis). 2 months old shrimps were collected from tank and used for ranching

Assumptions

    ·    Freshly calved animals in 1st or 2nd lactation are purchased in two batches of five animals each at an interval of 5 to 6 months.

    ·    Cost of rearing calves not considered as it will be nullified by their sale value or retention value.

    ·    Fodder cultivation considered in two acres and working capital for one crop / season considered. Two crops considered per year.
 
    ·    Manure is utilized for fodder cultivation.

Modeling phytonematodes is helpful in the investigation of several host plant interactions and may yield useful information to be exploited in the integration of management strategies and biological control. Modeling the phytonematodes density changes in a soil/root microcosm may allow the identification of main factors active in such systems (Ciancio et?al?, 2022). The multiple tri-trophic interactions linking roots, phytonematodes and antagonists, however, originate a very complex system. It requires knowledge about the many parameters describing the nematode life stages, the interactions with the antagonistic organisms present in the microcosm, as well as their capabilities for effective and durable host regulation. Descriptive variables should also account for the effects of roots and of other environmental factors at work in the tri-trophic interaction system. Models may provide benefits, including the possibility of identifying the best moment for the inoculation of a biocontrol agent, the optimal amount of its inoculum applied to maximize its biocontrol efficacy, as well as the possibility to simulate and thus investigate its behavior once introduced in soil.

Abstract

The increasing interest in polyphenolic compounds in industries has led to the exploration and exploitation of rich bio-compounds from natural sources, essentially plants and their by-products. Solid-liquid extraction is mostly applied for the recovery of these valuable compounds from plants. Since the extraction process is often difficult in a fresh matrix, a drying operation is needed to reduce the moisture content, and preserve the targeted valuable compounds. An uncontrolled drying operation will lead to product damage and hence, loss in quality, reason why, several studies have been carried out to understand and control the drying process. The present chapter aims to present some data on drying for bioactive compound recovery from plants and their by-products, mainly polyphenolic compounds. Our main interest is the mathematical tools used to model the drying process.

Abstract

There are several empirical models to describe deep bed drying dividing the domain into many thin layers. Empirical equations are seen as a resource that only serves to describe the thin layer drying kinetics of an agricultural product. Normally an empirical model is used to determine drying rate. The validity of following thin-layer drying models are accounted by coefficient of correlation (R2), standard error of estimated (SEE), root mean square error (RMSE). The properties of dried foods vary substantially depending upon the type of product, moisture content, drying type and ultimately drying conditions. To take care all above variables, a promising approach is to use Artificial Neural Network (ANN). In process control, the main objectives are food safety, high quality and yield at minimal costs. To obtain high quality products, on-line control techniques are required. Most food processes are highly nonlinear, with time varying dynamics, which complicates food automation. However, the recent developments in artificial intelligence based advanced control tools such as ANN to food processing have opened up novel possibilities for processing industries.

The UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change) has defined climate change as “a change in climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of global atmosphere which is in addition to natural climate variability” (UNFCCC, 2008). Ruminant animals, such as cattle, sheep, buffalo, and goats, are unique due to their special digestive systems which can convert otherwise unusable plant materials into nutritious food and fiber. This same helpful digestive system, however, produces methane (CH₄), a potent green house gas (GHG) that can contribute to global climate change. Livestock production systems can also emit other greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). The most important GHG?s are CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O, which have increased in the last 150 years and have different global warming potential. According to Sejian et al., (2011) and Solomon et al., (2007), the warming potential of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O are 1, 25, and 310, respectively. Taking into account the entire livestock commodity chain – from land use and feed production, to livestock farming and waste management, to product processing and transportation –Livestock?s Long Shadow attributes about 18 percent of total anthropogenic GHG emissions to the livestock sector (FAO, 2006). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), convened by the United Nations, has reported evidence that human activities over the past 50 years have influenced Global Climate through the production of GHG, which results in increased absorption in the atmosphere of infrared radiations emitted from the earth?s surface. The accumulation of GHG results in increased global temperature which in turn can increase annual precipitation in high rainfall regions and decrease precipitation in regions of low rainfall (Gerstengarbe and Werner, 2008). This will affect water supplies, distribution of deserts and wet areas, the range and number of pests that affect plants or diseases and biodiversity.

Abstract

Prediction of the occurrences of Landslides requires a set of complex analyses, involving multitude of factors which are to be studied systematically in order to evaluate the landslide vulnerability. The increasing availability of computer-based tools and data storage capabilities are found to be useful in landslide vulnerability mapping. One such significant tool in landslide studies is Geographic Information System (GIS). In this article some approaches were made to model the land slide hazard for Sirumalai Hills, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, India using Geographical Information Systems and the same is presented in this paper.