Metal and metallic dynamics in soil affect the ecosystem services and mediated the food chain contamination over a period. Industrialization of a country boost the economic growth, whereas waste generation during the different process poorly manage will be the source of pollution. Dumping of industrial effluents in natural resources reach the human body via food chain contamination is a major challenges in-front of researcher and policy makers. Different type of remediation methods are practicing, among them, phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and cheaper. Selection of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) for phytoremediation is well established and popular practice in many countries. It is having the higher biomass and poor translocation of heavy metals from shoot to edible part. Research and development activities have been improved the greater biomass and crop yield in metal contaminated soils also. Long- term cultivation of mustard crop on contaminated soil improved the soil health parameters and reduces the metal concentration in soil solution. Use of mustard crop as a phytoremediation is a good practice without compromising the agricultural crop production in metal toxicity areas.
The present study was undertaken to analyze the constraints faced by rural women in dairy farming and to understand their socio-economic profile. The study was conducted on a sample of 154 respondents selected from the study area using appropriate sampling techniques. Data were collected through a structured interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Garrett ranking technique. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents belonged to the middle age group, were primarily engaged in farming and allied activities, and had a moderate level of education. Most of the respondents were from nuclear families and belonged to the marginal farmer category, indicating limited access to land and resources. The income distribution further showed that a large proportion of respondents fell under the low-income category. The Garrett ranking analysis indicated that household responsibilities were the most severe constraint faced by rural women in dairy farming, followed by high cost of feed and fodder and inadequate availability of water. Other major constraints included low price of milk offered by dairy centres, lack of training facilities, and inadequate veterinary services. Limited awareness about government schemes and lack of access to improved breeds and disease management practices were also identified as important challenges. The study concludes that rural women face multiple interrelated constraints that hinder their effective participation in dairy farming. Therefore, there is a need for targeted interventions such as capacity building programmes, improved extension services, better access to veterinary care, and enhanced awareness of government schemes. Such measures can significantly improve productivity, income, and empowerment of rural women in the dairy sector.
The field experiment was conducted during 2021-2022 at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S Nagar, Uttarakhand, India to evaluate the impact of diversification and intensification in rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) on productivity and profitability. The experimental field soil was loam in texture, high in organic carbon, low in available nitrogen, high in phosphorus and medium in potassium with neutral pH. Ten cropping sequences were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. The study formed part of a long-term trial initiated in 2017–18 under AICRP–IFS. Results revealed that the rice–vegetable pea–mentha cropping sequence recorded the highest system productivity (239.7 q REY/ha), production efficiency (66.4 kg REY/ha/day) and relative production efficiency (148.1%), outperforming the conventional rice–wheat–fallow sequence. Napier grass + fodder cowpea–napier grass + berseem–napier grass + fodder cowpea cropping recorded the highest land use efficiency (99.4%), where as nutrient productivity was recorded highest in rice–vegetable pea–black gram and rice–vegetable pea–mentha cropping systems mainly due to higher productivity of vegetable pea (133.4 and 121.5 q REY/ha, respectively The presence of high-value crops (mentha and vegetable pea) contributed to the superior performance of diversified systems. Overall, diversification of conventional RWCS with legumes, vegetables and fodder crops substantially enhanced productivity, system efficiency, resource use efficiency and economic profitability. Under the Tarai conditions of Uttarakhand, the rice–vegetable pea–mentha sequence proved to be the most productive and remunerative option among the tested cropping systems.
The experiment was conducted during kharif 2019 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India to study the influence of sensor-based N management on performance of maize. Total eight treatments viz., 100% N (120 kg/ha), 33 % basal N + GreenSeeker based N at knee-height & tasseling stage, 60 % basal N + GreenSeeker based N at knee-height, 70 % basal N + GreenSeeker based N at knee-height, 60 % basal N + GreenSeeker based N at tasseling stage, 70 % basal N + GreenSeeker based N at tasseling stage, 30 % basal N + 30 % N at 25 days after sowing (DAS) + GreenSeeker based N at tasseling stage and 35 % basal N + 35 % N at 25 DAS + GreenSeeker based N at tasseling stage were tested in RBD. Significantly higher plant height, dry matter per plant, grain yield and net return as well as N saving were obtained in 30-35% basal nitrogen + GreenSeeker based N application. Grain yield under 100% RDN was at par with GreenSeeker based N treatments which had 30-35% basal N. Results indicated that GreenSeeker based nitrogen application in maize is not only productive but also saves nitrogen. Higher net return with less requirement of nitrogen can be obtained 30-35 % basal N + 30-35 % N at 25 DAS with GreenSeeker based N application at tasseling stage.
The present investigation was carried out during the Rabi season of 2022–23 to evaluate thirteen oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes for germination, seedling vigour, and their association with green forage yield. While seed quality parameters are routinely assessed in cereals, their potential as indirect selection criteria for green forage yield improvement in oat remains poorly documented, particularly for newly developed genotypes under north Indian agro-climatic conditions. The field experiment
was conducted at the Dairy Farm, Nagla, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, and the laboratory studies on seed quality parameters were carried out at the Seed Testing Laboratory, Breeder Seed Production Centre, GBPUAT, Pantnagar. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Ten genotypes (UPO-22-1 to UPO-22-10) along with three checks (UPO-212, UPO-10-2, and UPO-06-1) were evaluated for first
count (%), standard germination (%), seedling root length (cm), germination index (GI), mean germination time (MGT), mean daily germination, time to 50% germination (T50), seedling fresh weight (g), seedling dry weight (g), seedling vigour index-I, seedling vigour index-II, speed of germination (SOG), relative growth index (RGI), and green forage yield (kg/plot). Significant genotypic variation was recorded for all traits studied. Genotype UPO-22-6 recorded the highest first count (93.67%) and standard
germination (94.003%), while UPO-22-5 showed the lowest time to 50% germination (3.49 days) and UPO-22-9 exhibited the lowest mean germination time (3.94 days) and highest germination index (19.43), collectively identifying these genotypes as the most vigorous among those evaluated. Correlation analysis revealed that seedling fresh weight (SFW) was the only trait under given conditions with a significant positive association with green forage yield at both genotypic (r = 0.431*) and phenotypic (r = 0.431*) levels, while mean germination time showed a consistent negative trend with yield. Path coefficient analysis confirmed
that SFW exerted the highest positive direct effect on green forage yield at both genotypic (+0.758) and phenotypic (+0.691) levels, establishing it as the most reliable indirect selection criterion for forage yield improvement. These findings suggest that simultaneous selection for high seedling fresh weight, high standard germination, and low mean germination time particularly in genotypes UPO-22-5 and UPO-22-6 would be an effective strategy for developing high-yielding, vigorous oat varieties.
The present investigation was undertaken to study Genetic Divergence and Yield Trait Impact in French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The experiment was conducted at the Vegetable Research and Demonstration Block, Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand). A total of 24 genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. Genotypic correlation coefficients were estimated to determine associations among yield and its component traits, while path coefficient analysis was employed to partition correlations into direct and indirect effects on seed yield per plant. Genetic divergence among genotypes was grouped the genotypes into four distinct clusters, indicating substantial genetic variability. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between Cluster I (D² = 2.920) and Cluster III (D² = 5.571), reflecting the highest level of genetic divergence. Seed weight, number of primary branches per plant, and seed yield per plot exhibited strong positive direct effects on seed yield per plant and this shows their importance as selection criteria. The identified genetically divergent clusters and key yield-influencing traits can be effectively utilized in future French bean breeding programmes for yield improvement.
Guava fruits, being climacteric, tend to be rapidly perishable due to their high respiration rate and consequently ripen faster after harvesting. Therefore, to maintain their physiological and metabolic activities, freshly harvested green mature guava fruits were surface-coated with 10% arabic gum alone, with 2% calcium chloride as a texture enhancer, and with 1% hydrogen peroxide as a biocide. All the treated fruits, including the control, were kept at ambient storage temperature. It was observed that most coating formulations significantly improved various postharvest quality characteristics compared with untreated control fruits over a 15-day storage period. Among treatments, 10% arabic gum incorporated with both 2% calcium chloride and 1% hydrogen peroxide was found to be more effective in reducing the rate of weight loss, decay, and firmness, while also maintaining levels of total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and organoleptic attributes during storage. As a result, it was revealed that the composite coating formulation of 10% arabic gum incorporated with 2% calcium chloride and 1% hydrogen peroxide performed best as compared to other coated treatments and could be used in delaying the ripening, maintaining the quality, and extending the shelf life of guava fruits by about three times as compared to uncoated control fruits.
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of four plant growth regulators (PGRs)-Gibberellic Acid (GA3), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA), Triacontanol (TRIA), and Catechol on the vegetative growth and flowering parameters of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L. cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda). Foliar application of different concentrations of these PGRs significantly influenced plant height, spread, number of branches, leaf count, and floral characteristics. The results revealed that treatments with Catechol at 500 ppm and GA3 at 200 ppm consistently promoted superior vegetative growth, including increased plant height, spread, branch number, and leaf count. In contrast, treatment with NAA at 30 ppm and NAA at 20 ppm suppressed vegetative growth. Recording the lowest plant height (48.00-51.12 cm and leaf count. Flowering parameters, such as fresh and dry flower weight, flower diameter, and the number of flowers per plant, were also significantly enhanced by Catechol and GA3 treatments, indicating that Catechol at 1500 ppm and GA3 at 200 ppm are effective promoters of growth and yield in African marigold.
Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) are major constraints to pulse crop production, causing significant yield losses and affecting crop productivity. The present study was conducted to evaluate the reaction of different pulse genotypes against natural infestation of M. incognita under screen house conditions. The experiment was carried out during 2021–22 using 30 genotypes of moong bean, 18 genotypes of pigeon pea, and 33 genotypes of chickpea. After 45 days of nematode inoculation, roots of all genotypes were examined to assess gall indices using a 1-5 scale. The results revealed that two genotypes of moong bean (MH 1762 and MH 2-15 (C)), eight genotypes of pigeon pea (AH 16-02, AH 18-48, AH 19-03, AH 19-17, AH 19-22, AH 16-37, AH 17-28, and PAU 881), and six genotypes of chickpea (H 10-22, H 12-22, H 13-36, H 16-22, H 12-55, and H 19-40) were identified as moderately resistant to M. incognita. The remaining genotypes exhibited susceptible to highly susceptible reactions. The identified moderately resistant genotypes may serve as potential sources for breeding programs aimed at developing nematode-resistant varieties in pulse crops.
An experiment was conducted on 500 Vanaraja eggs of different sizes viz. , T1 (40-45g), T2 (45-50g), T3 (50-55g), T4 (55-60g) and T5 (60-65g) to study the egg quality traits, fertility, hatchability and weight of day-old chicks in an organized farm. A minimum of 100 eggs per group were selected and incubated under optimum temperature, humidity and other conditions required for incubation was maintained in setter. Ten eggs from each group were selected to study different external and internal quality parameters. Candling was performed on 18th day of incubation to determine fertility of the eggs and fertile eggs were transferred to hatcher. Fertility (%) ranged from 71.30±4.67 per cent in T1 to 84.00±7.00 per cent in T4 group with significant (P≤0.05) differences and hatchability was also significant (P≤0.05) among the groups. The body weight of day-old chicks ranged from 27.67±1.49 in T1 to 42.34±0.85 g in T5 groups with significant (P≤0.05) differences among the groups. The dead germ (%) was significantly (P≤0.05) higher in T1 (7.33±0.67) group than all other groups. The dead -in- shell (%) was significantly (P≤0.05) lowest in T3 (14.50±1.50) and highest in T1 group (19.25±1.15). The egg specific gravity (mg/dL) was ranged from 1.073±0.02 to 1.092±0.03. The albumen weight ranged from 24.31±0.87 to 38.59±1.12g with significant (P≤0.05) differences. The Haugh unit scores among the groups differed significantly (P≤0.05). From the present study it is concluded that the size of egg has significant effect on fertility, hatchability and dead-in-shell of Vanaraja parent stock eggs. The body weight of day-old chicks significantly (P≤0.05) increased linearly as the egg weight increased.
Verminous pneumonia is an important parasitic respiratory disease of goats causing significant economic losses, especially under extensive grazing systems. The present case report describes the gross and histopathological findings of verminous pneumonia in a 2-year-old Gaddi goat. Grossly, the lungs showed multifocal, raised, whitish emphysematous nodules predominantly in the caudal lobes and failed to collapse on opening of the thoracic cavity. Frothy exudate mixed with slender lungworms was observed in the trachea and major bronchi. Microscopically, parasitic eggs were present within alveoli and bronchioles, surrounded by eosinophilic inflammatory exudate. These lesions demonstrate significant inflammatory and structural alterations in the lungs, compromising respiratory function. The findings highlight the importance of pathological examination for accurate diagnosis and reinforce the need for strategic deworming and improved management practices to control lungworm infections in goats.
This report describes a case of six-month-old male Labrador retriever presented for post-mortem examination at the Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pantnagar with a general appearance of overweight and oozing of blood-tinged fluid from nostrils. The owner reported that the dog was playing with his fellow dogs in the previous evening and died suddenly half an hour after the play after showing increased lethargy and occasional fainting episodes. Post-mortem examination revealed pale and irregular heart with dilated right ventricle. Tracheal mucosa was clear but there was sero-sanguinous frothy exudate in the tracheal lumen. All lobes of lungs were congested and dark red to purple colored. Sero-sanguinous frothy fluid was oozing from the cut surface of the lungs. Liver was enlarged and with dark reddish discoloration. Areas of necrosis were present on the surface of liver. Histopathological examination of liver revealed severe sinusoidal congestion throughout the parenchyma, a typical manifestation of the gross lesion, “Nutmeg liver”. There was centrilobular necrosis of hepatocytes with replacement by fibrous connective tissue typically known as Cardiac Cirrhosis. Cardiac muscle fibres showed thinning and fragmentation. Lungs showed severe congestion of inter-alveolar wall capillaries, atelactasis, giant alveoli formation, interstitial fibrosis, and bronchiolar epithelial loss. This case highlights the progressive nature of congestive heart failure in dogs, emphasizing the need for early detection, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, and long-term medical management.
Organophosphorus pesticides remain widely used in agriculture despite their documented toxic effects in non target species. The present study investigated the modulatory effect of piperine on subacute quinalphos (QNP) toxicity in male Swiss albino mice. Mice were orally administered QNP at 2.5% (0.375 mg/kg) and 5% (0.75 mg/kg) of its maximum tolerated dose (MTD; 15 mg/kg) for 28 days, with or without piperine (10 mg/kg). Parameters evaluated included body weight, relative organ weight, haematological indices, and histopathology of liver, kidney, lung, and bone marrow. QNP exposure resulted in dose-dependent haematological suppression, including significant reductions in total erythrocyte count (TEC), haemoglobin (Hb), and total leukocyte count (TLC). Histopathological examination revealed hepatic congestion, focal necrosis, tubular degeneration in kidneys, and pulmonary inflammatory changes. Co-administration of piperine partially ameliorated hematological alterations and reduced the severity of histopathological lesions. These findings suggest that piperine exhibits protective effects against QNP-induced subacute toxicity, likely through modulation of oxidative and inflammatory pathways. Co-administration of piperine with QNP resulted in a statistically significant improvement in haemoglobin (Hb) and total leukocyte count (TLC) at the higher dose (0.75 mg/kg) compared to QNP II alone (p < 0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed on total erythrocyte count (TEC). No statistically significant changes were observed with piperine co-administration at the lower dose (0.375 mg/kg). Histopathological evaluation showed a reduction in lesion severity in the piperine co-treated group; however, this effect was not statistically quantified. These findings indicated that piperine exerts limited, parameter-specific effects against QNP-induced subacute toxicity rather than a consistent protective effect.
The objective of present study was to analyse phytochemical constituents and antioxidant properties of aqua methanolic extracts obtained from the leaves of Mangifera indica, Azadirachta indica, Ocimum sanctum and Psidium guajava. In this investigation, phytochemical analysis for the important chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of extract was carried out. The phytochemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, tannin and non- tannin were determined quantitatively. The antioxidant property of the extracts was evaluated using in vitro assays i.e., 2, 2'-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS. +) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The total phenolic, total flavonoids and tannin contents were maximum in extract of leaves of Mangifera indica. The IC50 values was determined and revealed that Psidium guajava extract was better scavengers of ABTS and DPPH radicals.
Natural farming is an ecologically sustainable production system that relies on locally available biological resources to improve soil health, crop growth and agro-ecosystem resilience while minimising dependence on chemical inputs. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of selected natural farming inputs (NFIs), namely Panchagavya, Jeevamruth and Amritpani on the growth and development of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivar PG-186 under greenhouse conditions. Eleven treatments were assessed, and all NFI-based applications significantly enhanced plant growth compared to the control and farmyard manure (FYM). Among the evaluated inputs, Panchagavya proved most effective, resulting in superior biomass accumulation, nutrient uptake and biochemical attributes. Notably, Panchagavya application significantly increased plant height (54.51 ± 1.19 cm), fresh biomass (9.27 g) and dry biomass (3.05 g) over the control. Overall, the results highlight the potential of NFIs, particularly Panchagavya, as sustainable and efficient alternatives to conventional inputs for improving chickpea growth and productivity
Balancing interpretability, predictive accuracy, and temporal realism is essential for actionable crop analytics. This study integrates Bayesian calibration, Spatial Hierarchical Bayesian Regression (SHBM), latent-variable Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and Spatio-Temporal State-Space Modeling (ST-SSM) to explain and predict wheat yield across the Tarai Bhabar belt of Uttarakhand (Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Champawat, Haridwar). A 20-year panel (2005–2024) of agronomic, soil, and weather variables was analyzed under a time-aware split withholding the last 20 % years for testing. Bayesian calibration of sowing date and nitrogen rate produced posterior distributions subsequently embedded in SHBM and SEM. The integrated model achieved Test R² = 71% and RMSE = 0.120 t ha-1, outperforming single-model baselines. Outputs were translated into site specific agronomic and policy recommendations including optimal sowing windows, nitrogen management, and soil-organic carbon augmentation. This establishes a reproducible benchmark for sub-state crop analytics combining interpretability, uncertainty quantification, and temporal decomposition.
Moringa oleifera Lam., renowned for its diverse phytochemical composition and therapeutic properties, is increasingly recognized as a natural antioxidant and immunomodulatory agent. This study investigated the phytochemical profile, antioxidant potential and immunomodulatory action of an aqueous leaf extract of M. oleifera (MOE) using chicken splenic lymphocytes in vitro. Preliminary qualitative screening confirmed the presence of major bioactive constituents, including tannins, flavonoids and phenols. Quantitative estimation indicated substantial amounts of total phenolics (173.6 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (127.7 mg RE/g). The extract showed strong free-radical scavenging potential in the DPPH assay, with an IC50 value of 56.15 µg/ ml. Based on the MTT assay, the maximum non-cytotoxic dose (MNCD) for chicken lymphocytes was determined to be 250 µg/ ml. At this dose, MOE significantly promoted both T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogens (PHA, Con A and LPS), indicating pronounced immunostimulatory effects. Additionally, MOE treatment reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced intracellular antioxidant defences, demonstrated by elevated reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations along with increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These findings highlight that aqueous M. oleifera leaf extract exerts potent antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects, largely due to its high phenolic and flavonoid content, supporting its potential use as a natural immuno-antioxidant supplement in poultry health management.
The present study evaluated the biochemical responses of the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio post sublethal exposure to triclosan. Fish were exposed to two concentrations of triclosan (0.242 mg/L and 0.484 mg/L) for 7, 14, and 21 days, followed by a 7-day recovery period under laboratory conditions. Biochemical parameters like glucose, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were analyzed to assess metabolic and hepatic stress responses. The results revealed significant, concentration- and time-dependent increases in glucose and cholesterol levels in the exposed groups compared to the control and solvent control groups. Similarly, the activities of hepatic enzymes AST and ALT showed marked elevations during the exposure period, suggesting possible liver dysfunction and cellular damage induced by triclosan. These biochemical alterations indicate disturbances in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism along with impairment of hepatic integrity. However, during the recovery period, most parameters showed a noticeable decline toward control values, indicating partial physiological recovery after removal of the toxicant. Overall, the findings demonstrate that triclosan exposure can induce significant biochemical disturbances in Cyprinus carpio and highlight the usefulness of biochemical biomarkers as sensitive indicators of aquatic pollution. This study underscores the potential ecological risks associated with triclosan contamination in freshwater ecosystems.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is one of the greatest financial inclusion scheme in India which was introduced in 2014 and intends to give everyone with access to banking, credit, insurance, and pension services. This study assesses respondents’ knowledge of PMJDY in Haryana. A semi-structured questionnaire was employed to gather primary data from 500 participants across eight districts of Haryana along with secondary data from sources was then added. The questionnaire included demographic variables and thirty statements pertaining to awareness, measured on a five-point Likert scale. We utilized IBM SPSS-22 software to analyze the data through descriptive statistical approaches, reliability analysis, and factor analysis. The results indicated that the surveyee possessed a moderate to a high level of awareness regarding the benefits of PMJDY, particularly its zero-balance feature; however, knowledge deficiencies were observed concerning specific provisions such as the facility for overdraft and insurance. It is indicated by factor analysis that there are two significant components of awareness: “awareness about facilities” and “promotional amenities.” The study is crucial for explaining the critical role of awareness in improving the success of financial inclusion. Integrating awareness campaigns and facilitating access to acquire information can assist PMJDY reach more individuals in rural and semi-urban locations. Policymakers, financial institutions and stakeholders working at the grassroots level can use these insights to come up with solid ideas to reduce knowledge gaps and make it easy for all individuals in Haryana to engaged in financial inclusion.
Agricultural entrepreneurship (Agripreneurship) has emerged as a critical pathway for rural youth employment, poverty reduction and national food security. Despite its transformative potential, youth perception in agri-entrepreneurship remains constrained by multifaceted barriers ranging from socio-psychological inhibitions to structural and institutional deficiencies. This study analyse various variables that affect the youth perception towards agri-entrepreneurship and key constraints that restricts the youth engagement and enterprise sustainability. Data were collected from 200 agricultural students using a structured questionnaire comprising of 50 statements-25 each for perception and constraints and factor analysis was employed for dimensionality reduction. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) adequacy value of 0.816 and 0.716, confirmed sampling appropriateness. Factor analysis of youth perception yielded seven dimensions- Prospects of agriculture, management of production, Agri entrepreneurship as a career, optimum utilisation of resources, success mantras, family involvement and modern technologies which collectively explains 63.54% of total variance. Similarly, seven constraint factors were identified, including Financial and institutional constraint, operational and marketing constraints, structural constraints, socio-psychological constraints, awareness and information gaps, household and resource constraints and enterprise development constraints accounting for 60.62% of total variance. The findings provide empirical evidence for targeted policy interventions, capacity building programmes and institutional reforms to foster sustainable agri-entrepreneurship among rural youth.
Object detection under fog, rain, and dust remains one of the hardest open problems in autonomous driving. Most existing detectors either collapse in poor visibility or treat near and far objects with equal priority — neither of which is acceptable for real-world deployment. This paper introduces a framework that tackles both problems at once. We propose a Weather Restoration GAN that cleans up degraded images in real time, and a Depth Fusion Gate that steers the detector’s attention toward the 0–20 m zone where collision risk is highest. Training follows a three-stage curriculum on the KITTI dataset. In dense fog the system reaches 78.2% mAP, a 25% gain over baseline, and 87.5% mAP in the near range, running at 30 FPS with 33 ms latency and a 6.5 GB memory footprint. Compared to LM-CNN-SVM, YOLOv4, and Bayesian Neural Networks, our approach is the only one that jointly handles weather degradation and range-specific prioritization.
Researchers have recently shifted their focus toward natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites due to their superior ecological friendliness and environmental sustainability compared to synthetic counterparts. Among the diverse sources of natural reinforcement, Grewia optiva (locally known as Bhimal) has emerged as a promising plant fibre. This study investigates the development of epoxy matrix composites reinforced with short, untreated Grewia optiva fibres at lengths of 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm. A key novelty of this research is the mechanical purification of the fibres extracted via the traditional water-retting method using an iron strand brush to remove the surface impurities without any chemical treatment. Experimental characterization revealed that these fibres possess an average density of 1.232 g/cm3. For composite fabrication, the epoxy resin and hardener were mixed in a volume ratio of 100:12. Mechanical testing indicated that a 5 mm fibre length and 30% volume fraction optimize the Ultimate Tensile Strength (62 MPa) and Flexural Strength (119.8 MPa), as this configuration ensures effective stress transfer without structural defects. Conversely, the minimum water absorption was achieved at 5 mm/20% due to reduced hydrophilic content, while the maximum elongation (4.67%) occurred at 5 mm/40%, where shorter fibres allowed for greater interfacial slippage. These findings highlight the critical role of optimizing fibre geometry and volume fraction in tailoring biocomposite properties for specific engineering applications.
This study examines the long-term trends in seasonal and annual rainfall, and temperature patterns across the Shipra River Basin in Madhya Pradesh, Central India, utilizing high-resolution gridded rainfall data spanning from 1901 to 2020 for rainfall and 1951 to 2020 for temperature. The primary aim was to evaluate changes in rainfall dynamics through the application of both parametric and non-parametric statistical tools, including the Mann-Kendall trend test, Sen’s Slope estimator. The findings revealed a positive trend in monsoon and annual rainfall at a rate of +1.12 mm/year and 1.06 mm/year, respectively. In contrast, pre-monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter rainfall exhibited statistically non-significant declining trends with rate of –0.020 mm/ year, –0.010 mm/year, and –0.030 mm/year, respectively. Temperature trend analysis (1951–2020) revealed statistically significant increases in annual maximum and minimum temperatures at rates of +0.006 °C/year and +0.006 °C/year, respectively. These findings highlight the emergence of hydroclimatic imbalance in the basin, necessitating the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices, sustainable water resource planning, and further integration of climate projection models for informed adaptation strategies.
The main study was the estimation of runoff using present day and previous days rainfall and previous days runoff as a daily input variable using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and wavelet-based ANNs (WANNs). Rainfall-runoff data were collected, standardized, and selected as inputs using the Gamma test. The methodology for runoff estimation and modeling using ANNs and WANNs was applied to the regions of Narsimhpur and Mandla in Madhya Pradesh. As the number of neurons was increased, the correlation between rainfall and runoff was initially improved and then reduced. Therefore, an optimum number of neurons was identified at which the best correlation was achieved. Better correlation coefficients, least root mean square errors, higher Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, and greater Willmott indices were obtained for WANNs models compared to ANNs models. These results can be utilized for runoff forecasting.
Functional constipation is a frequently reported gastrointestinal condition that can negatively influence overall health and daily well-being. However, information regarding its prevalence and associated determinants among Indian adults remains limited. The present investigation aimed to estimate the prevalence of functional constipation and examine its association with selected demographic and socioeconomic variables using the Rome IV diagnostic criteria. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 400 adults aged 20–60 years residing in Pantnagar and nearby areas of Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. Data related to gender, age, marital status, education, occupation, and socioeconomic status were collected using a structured questionnaire. Functional constipation was assessed according to Rome IV criteria, and the occurrence of individual symptoms among affected participants was documented. The association between constipation and selected variables was analyzed using the chi-square test. The overall prevalence of functional constipation was found to be 15.5%. A significantly higher proportion was observed among females (17.6%) compared with males (7.3%) (p = 0.022). However, no significant association was observed with age (p = 0.170), education level (p = 0.151), or socioeconomic status (p = 0.872). Among individuals experiencing constipation, the most frequently reported symptoms included a feeling of incomplete evacuation (96.77%), straining during defecation (91.94%), and sensation of anorectal blockage (79.03%). These findings suggest that functional constipation occurs at a moderate level in the population studied and is more common among women, emphasizing the importance of early detection and appropriate dietary and lifestyle management.
Child malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge in India, despite significant economic growth and health interventions over the past few decades. This study was undertaken to understand the district level prevalence and explore the correlates influencing the child malnutrition (0-5 years) in the districts of Madhya Pradesh, India in terms of four nutrition related outcomes, - stunting, wasting, underweight and anaemia with respect to sixteen identified contributing factors like mother’s health and education status, child feeding practices and Population and Household Profile. The present study constitutes a secondary data analysis of two round database of NFHSs (NFHS-4 and NFHS-5) with state and districts fact sheets of Madhya Pradesh published by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS). The data for the current study was acquired from the official NFHS repository, accessible through the designated Demographic and Health Survey Program website. From NFHS 4 to NFHS 5, per cent change in stunting, wasting and underweight are 15.55(↓), 26.27(↓) and 23.14(↓) respectively whereas anaemia among children increased by 4.14 per cent (↑). Stunting and anaemia among children under five had a positive (p<0.01) correlation with the anaemia among mothers, add to this, severe wasting and anaemia were all prevalent (p<0.05) with children of mothers with BMI<18.5 kg/m2. Population of stunted children could be checked (p<0.05) with “educated mothers (more than 10 years of education)”. “Exclusive breast feeding” had a significant negative (p<0.05) correlation with wasting and anaemia can be minimized by advocating adequate diet along with/without breastfeeding after six months of age(p<0.05). Sanitation was also considered as a driving force in affecting the nutritional outcomes. The findings of the study indicate that apart from diet and nutrition, socio-economic indicators are equally responsible for malnutrition among children less than five years of age. The study addresses an important public health and development issue—child malnutrition in Madhya Pradesh—which is highly relevant to agricultural, nutritional, and rural development research. The district-level analysis provides useful insights for localized policy interventions and aligns with national nutrition priorities
Tourism in rural areas has been recognized as one of the important strategies to promote sustainable rural development, create job opportunities, and preserve culture and traditions in rural areas. The State of Uttarakhand has vast possibilities to develop rural tourism due to its rich geographical and cultural heritage. However, it is important to understand what factors are responsible for the selection of rural tourism destinations by tourists to effectively plan and manage tourism in the region. The present study aims to explore the socio-economic characteristics and travel patterns of tourists, their awareness about rural tourism in Supi village in Kapkot tehsil in Bageshwar district in the State of Uttarakhand, and to identify the factors responsible for selecting the tourism destination in rural areas. The study was carried out in Supi village in Kapkot tehsil in Bageshwar district in the State of Uttarakhand. The sample size consisted of 120 tourists using a multi-stage sampling technique. The study found that natural beauty and environment, culture and traditions, and hospitality of local residents were the most important factors responsible for selecting the tourism destination in rural areas. These results indicate the need for preserving the natural landscape, culture, and basic tourism infrastructure in promoting rural tourism in the region. The study is found to be useful in providing insights to policymakers and tourism planners in promoting rural tourism in the Himalayan region.
