HETEROSIS STUDIES FOR EARLINESS, FRUIT YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTING TRAITS IN CHILLI (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.)

A study was conducted in chilli to estimate the magnitude of heterosis for earliness, fruit yield and its eleven yield attributing traits. Thirty F1 hybrids were derived from crosses between ten female lines and three testers using line × tester analysis and these F1s along with parents were evaluated during kharif 2010-11 using Randomized Block Design. A wide range of heterosis over better parent was observed in F1 generation for yield per hectare and its attributing traits. Among 30 F1s crosses, crosses SC-304 × ArkaLohit and SC-277 × Local had revealed the highest significant desirable heterobeltiosis for early maturity. The crosses SC-502 × ArkaLohit was recognized as the best heterotic cross for fruit yield per hectare as it exhibited highest positive over better parent.Hence, they could be further evaluated to exploit the heterosis or utilized in future breeding programmes to obtain desirable segregates for the development of superior genotype

HETEROSIS STUDIES FOR EARLINESS, FRUIT YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTING TRAITS IN CHILLI (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.)

A study was conducted in chilli to estimate the magnitude of heterosis for earliness, fruit yield and its eleven yield attributing traits. Thirty F1 hybrids were derived from crosses between ten female lines and three testers using line × tester analysis and these F1s along with parents were evaluated during kharif 2010-11 using Randomized Block Design. A wide range of heterosis over better parent was observed in F1 generation for yield per hectare and its attributing traits. Among 30 F1s crosses, crosses SC-304 × Arka Lohit and SC-277 × Local had revealed the highest significant desirable heterobeltiosis for early maturity. The crosses SC-502 × Arka Lohit was recognized as the best heterotic cross for fruit yield per hectare as it exhibited highest positive over better parent. Hence, they could be further evaluated to exploit the heterosis or utilized in future breeding programmes to obtain desirable segregates for the development of superior genotype

Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Winter Wheat: Predicting Maximum Abundance of Metopolophium dirhodum

In Central Europe, the most abundant aphid infesting the leaves of small grain cereals is Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Annual variation in its seasonal dynamics was evaluated using a 25-yr series of standardized weekly censuses of winter wheat plots. M. dirhodum made up >50 % of the aphids on the foliage. Date of immigration (8 May–3 July), length of period of population increase (0–9 wk), and date of attaining maximum abundance (28 May–22 July) varied greatly. For the prediction, we regressed maximum numbers/tiller on numbers recorded in the first week after heading. The regression of maximum abundance on nonzero aphid counts revealed a critical number of ≥1.50 aphids/tiller, which if exceeded resulted in a harmful maximum abundance of ≥10 aphids/tiller at the peak. Zero aphid counts resulted in 10% of cases with a harmful maximum abundance. Using this regression for prediction will result in 18% of the recorded cases being false negatives and 9% false positives. Parallel annual variation in the average maximum numbers of M. dirhodum, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Homoptera: Aphididae), and Rhopalosiphum padi (Linné) (Homoptera: Aphididae) indicated the following factors that affected their abundance: temperature in winter and host plant quality. The predictions apply only in areas where M. dirhodum is holocyclic and aphids do not overwinter in wheat stands

Traditional food systems of Changthang, Ladakh

The food production, consumption, and preservation systems and most of the food products of Changthang region are unique to it due to its extra-ordinary conditions largely governed by the ethnic preference, agro-climatic conditions and socio-cultural and religious ethos. The uniqueness is well expressed from the rest of Ladakh also. The inhabitants lead nomadic, semi-nomadic and sedentary ways of life thus having different food systems. The nomads are solely dependent upon meat and dairy products for the nutritional requirement with very little consumption of other food material. They consume a lot of meat around the year, either fresh or in preserved forms. The semi-nomads consume meat, dairy products and other food products, almost in equal quantities. The permanent settlers mostly depend upon cereals and vegetables and consume comparatively less meat and dairy products. A semi-structured questionnaire containing open-ended questions, semi-structured interviews and on spot observations was used for gathering information. The various traditional foods and beverages of Changthang are gyuma, ruskhu and sha-spaqs (meat based products); nyakir and nyabon (fish based products); mar-khaqla, labo, churpe/chura, chura-narmo and thut (dairy products); kharyos, kholaq, paba and chang (barley based products); chu-tagi, paqtsa-markhu, timoq and tagi-skyurchuk (wheat based products) and zatsot, skoche and gege (wild vegetables). These times tested systems undergo change due to change in food habits and need to be preserved to maintain the cultural identity as well as the health and wellness of the people of the region. This paper is an attempt to document the traditional food systems practiced in Changthang and foods and beverages enjoyed by the inhabitants

Wpływ Huty Miedzi Krompachy (Słowacja) na poziom emisji do atmosfery

The contribution deals with the evaluation of atmospheric deposition monitoring in 2009–2017 which was realised in the vicinity of the copper smeltery in Krompachy (Slovakia). The samples were collected from the seven sites, which are located from 1.2 to 10 km from the main pollution source. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of solid particles and elements (Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Cd, As) were determined separately for “water soluble” and “insoluble” fraction. The detailed analysis of deposition fluxes showed a significant effect of the copper smeltery. In addition to the expected high levels of deposition of copper (21–140), the above-average high deposition of lead (11–124), zinc (86–464) and cadmium (0.6–3.4 μg.m–2.day–1) were measured in comparison with different areas. The highest values of deposition fluxes of these elements were detected at sites near the copper smeltery. The level of zinc deposition disagrees with its registered emissions.Artykuł dotyczy oceny poziomu emisji pyłów do atmosfery spowodowanej przez Hutę Miedzi Krompachy (Słowacja) w latach 2009–2017. Próbki opadu pobrano z siedmiu miejsc, które znajdują się w odległości od 1,2 do 10 km od głównego źródła zanie- czyszczeń. Zbadano osadzanie się cząstek stałych i zawartości pierwiastków (Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Cd, As). Zawartości pierwiastków określono oddzielnie dla frakcji rozpuszczalnej w wodzie i nierozpuszczalnej. Szczegółowa analiza źródeł opadów atmosferycznych wykazała znaczący wpływ huty miedzi. Oprócz oczekiwanego wysokiego poziomu zawartości miedzi (21–140), stwierdzono wysoką depozycję ołowiu (11–124), cynku (86–464) i kadmu (0,6–3,4 μg.m-2 dzień-1). Najwyższe zawartości pier- wiastków w opadzie atmosferycznym wykryto w pobliżu huty miedzi. Stwierdzona zawartość cynku w opadzie nie odpowiada wielkości emisji

OXIDATION OF DRY HYDROCARBONS AT HIGH-POWER DENSITY ANODES

This work builds upon discoveries by the University of Pennsylvania and others pertaining to the oxidation of dry hydrocarbon fuels in high temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The work reported here was restricted primarily to dry methane and confirms that YSZ-based cells, having ceria in the anode as a catalyst and copper in the anode as a current collector, can operate on dry methane for extended periods. Thirty-three lab-scale cells of various designs were fabricated and operated under a variety of conditions. The longest-lived cell gave stable performance on dry methane at 800 C for over 305 hours. Only slight carbon deposition was noted at the completion of the test. A corresponding nickel/YSZ-based anode would have lasted for less than an hour under these test conditions (which included open circuit potential measurements) before carbon fouling essentially destroyed the cell. The best performing cell achieved 112 mW/cm{sub 2} on dry methane at 800 C. Several problems were encountered with carbon fouling and declining open circuit voltages in many of the test cells after switching from operation on hydrogen to dry methane. Although not rigorously confirmed by experimentation, the results suggested that air infiltration through less than perfect perimeter seals or pinholes in the electrolytes, or both gave rise to conditions that caused the carbon fouling and OCV decline. Small amounts of air reacting with methane in a partial oxidation reaction could produce carbon monoxide that, in turn, would deposit the carbon. If this mechanism is confirmed, it implies that near perfect hardware is required for extended operation. Some evidence was also found for the formation of electrical shorts, probably from carbon deposits bridging the electrolyte. Work with odorized methane and with methane containing 100-ppm hydrogen sulfide confirmed that copper is stable at 800 C in dry hydrocarbon fuels in the presence of sulfur. In a number of cases, but not exclusively, the performance life on dry methane with sulfur compounds was much longer than with dry methane alone. The effect of sulfur compounds in these cases appeared to correlate with inhibition of carbon deposition. Mixed results were obtained for the effect of the sulfur compounds on power density. Progress also was made in understanding the mechanisms involved in direct utilization of dry natural gas. Evidence was developed for three possible mechanisms for dry methane utilization in addition to the usually cited mechanism--direct oxidation of methane by oxygen anions. Further work is required at a fundamental level before the knowledge gained here can be translated into higher levels of performance