Popularization of improved maize (Zea mays L.) production technology through frontline demonstrations in semi arid zone IVA of Rajasthan

Front line demonstrations (FLD,s) on maize (Zea mays L.) were laid down at 661 farmers’ fields to demonstrate production potential and economic benefits of improved production technologies comprising high yielding varieties namely PM-3, PM-5, PEHM-2, Bio- 9681 and Mahyco 3765 in Rajsamand district of Semi Arid Zone IVa of Rajasthan state during kharif seasons from 2006 to 2012 in rainfed farming situation. The improved production technologies recorded an additional yield ranging from 2.50 to 15.78 qha-1 with a mean of 7.94 qha-1. The per cent increase yield under improved production technologies ranged from 33.17 to 68.16 (PM-3), 14.09 to 59.82 (PM-5), 46.61 to 66.97 (PEHM-2), 55.83 to 92.82 (Bio 9681) and 80.12 (Mahyco 3765) in respective years. The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index were 9.10 qha-1, 5.94 qha-1 and 20.08 per cent, respectively in different varieties of maize. The improved production technologies gave higher benefit cost ratio ranging from 1.28 to 3.00 with a mean of 2.45 compared to local checks (1.10) being grown by farmers under locality. The productivity of maize per unit area could be increased by adopting feasible scientific and sustainable management practices with a suitable variety. Considering the above facts, frontline demonstrations were carried out in a systematic and scientific manner on farmer’s field to show the worth of a new variety and convincing farming community about potentialities of improved production management technologies of maize for further adoption by the farming community

Financing the U.S. Health System: Issues and Options for Change

Explores key issues of health reform and options for financing health care -- redirecting funds to more effective uses, rolling back tax cuts, modifying tax exclusions for health benefits, an employer play-or-pay model, and a value-added tax

Structural, Magnetic and Magneto-caloric studies of Ni50Mn30Sn20Shape Memory Alloy

We have synthesized a nominal composition of Ni50Mn30Sn20 alloy using arc melting technique. Rietveld refinement confirms the austenite L21 structure in Fm-3m space group. Electrical resistivity has been found to clearly exhibiting two different phenomena viz. a magnetic transition from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic and a structural transition from austenite to martensitic phase. Thermo-magnetization measurements M(T) confirms ferromagnetic transition temperature TC at 222 K and martensitic transition starting at 127 K(MS). Magnetization measurement M(H) at 10 K confirms the ferromagnetic state. Frequency dependence of ac susceptibility \c{hi}' at low temperature suggests spin glass behavior in the system. The isothermal magnetic entropy change values have been found to be 1.14 J/Kg.K, 2.69 J/Kg.K and 3.9 J/Kg.K, with refrigeration capacities of 19.6 J/kg, 37.8 J/kg and 54.6 J/kg for the field change of 1, 2 and 3 Tesla respectively at 227 K.Comment: 16 pages text + Figs. Ni50Mn30Sn20 alloy: reasonable refrigeration capacity tunable to Room

Removal of hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) using activated carbon prepared from mango kernel activated with H3PO4

The present work reported the adsorption of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions on activated carbon prepared from mango kernel, a seasonal waste from mango fruits. Kernels from dried mango fruit shells were taken out and pulverized in a micro-pulverizing mill. The powder thus obtained was activated with 40% H3PO4 and carbonized at 600 °C for 1 hour in an inert atmosphere. Physico-chemical characteristics such as elemental composition, surface area, functional groups and surface morphology of the activated carbon were analyzed using elemental analyzer, BET surface area analyzer, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis respectively. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the effects of Cr (VI) concentration, carbon dose, pH, rate of agitation, time and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was found to be 7.8 mg g−1 at pH 2 and temperature 35 °C. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm best represented the equilibrium data and a pseudo-second order relation represented the adsorption kinetics

Electrical and Magnetic behaviour of PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 superconductor

The superconducting and ground state samples of PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 and PrFeAsO have been synthesised via easy and versatile single step solid state reaction route. X-ray & Reitveld refine parameters of the synthesised samples are in good agreement to the earlier reported value of the structure. The ground state of the pristine compound (PrFeAsO) exhibited a metallic like step in resistivity below 150K followed by another step at 12K. The former is associated with the spin density wave (SDW) like ordering of Fe spins and later to the anomalous magnetic ordering for Pr moments. Both the resistivity anomalies are absent in case of superconducting PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 sample. Detailed high field (up to 12Tesla) electrical and magnetization measurements are carried out for superconducting PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 sample. The PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 exhibited superconducting onset (Tconset) at around 47K with Tc({\rho} =0) at 38K. Though the Tconset remains nearly invariant, the Tc({\rho} =0) is decreased with applied field, and the same is around 23K under applied field of 12Tesla. The upper critical field (Hc2) is estimated from the Ginzburg Landau equation (GL) fitting, which is found to be ~ 182Tesla. Critical current density (Jc) being calculated from high field isothermal magnetization (MH) loops with the help of Beans critical state model, is found to be of the order of 103 A/cm2. Summarily, the superconductivity characterization of single step synthesised PrFeAsO0.8F0.2 superconductor is presented.Comment: 15 Pages Text + Fig

Phenological performance of groundnut varieties under sowing environments in hyper arid zone of Rajasthan, India

An experimental trial was conducted on groundnut during kharif seasons of 2009 and 2010. The experimental soil was loamy sand in texture. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications, assigning 32 treatments consisting of four date of sowing (20th April, 15th May, 9th June and 4th July) and two varieties (HNG-10 and TG-37A) as main-plot treatments and four fertility levels of nitrogen and phosphorus application (0, 20 N-40 P2O5, 30-60 P2O5 and 40 N-80 P2O5 kg/ha) as sub-plot treatments. The results showed that significantly higher plant stand was observed in 9th June and 4th July sowing date of the groundnut at harvest. 20th April sowing had significantly higher dry matter accumulation, CGR of 30-60 and 60-90 DAS of HNG-10 variety. Further delays in sowing significantly reduce growth parameters. However, growth parameters viz. dry matter accumulation, CGR, RGR etc. in all the sowing dates in TG-37A was statistically at par with each other. All the fertility treatments produced significantly higher dry matter, CGR, RGR etc. Application of 30 kg N-60 kg P2O5 / ha significantly enhanced the dry matter accumulation over 20 kgN-40kg P2O5/ha but statistically at par with 40 kg N- 80 kg P2O5/ ha