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The study was conducted in jute-growing areas of West Bengal (India) to explore the potential resource use efficiency for economic benefits of selected climate smart practices to marginal landholder farmers. Integrated crop management (ICM) practices as part of climate smart jute farming (CSJF) was practised by 170 randomly selected farmers in six villages. An estimation of cost of adoption, change in fibre yields, net returns and human development index (HDI) before and after ICM interventions was done. The mean HDI value increased by 38.85% and farm income by 31.5%. The net benefits of adaptation to climate smart jute technologies were estimated based on specific adaptation actions. Empirical scientific evidence of the study indicates that the livelihoods of marginal landholders can be improved using new crop varieties, changing planting dates and bringing necessary changes in other variable inputs for line sowing, intercropping, weeding, nutrients, water and retting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiment was conducted on alluvial soils (Typic Eutrochrept) of eastern India by adopting inductive cum targeted yield model to assess the fertility status, fertilizer requirements, and formulation with and without integrated plant nutrient supply fertilizer (IPNS) prescription equation for jute fiber, rice grain, and garden pea on soil-test and yield target bases. By using yields, initial soil-test values, uptake of nutrients, and fertilizer doses applied, the basic data [viz., nutrient requirement (NR) and contributions of nutrients from soil (Cs), fertilizers (Cf), and farmyard manure (Cfym)] were computed and used to develop fertilizer prescription equations for jute fiber, rice grain, and garden pea with and without IPNS under a jute–rice–garden pea sequence. The greatest nutrient requirement was observed in jute [2.88:0.97:5.07 kg nitrogen (N)/phosphorus (P)/potassium (K)] followed by rice (2.34:0.47:3.48 kg N/P/K) and garden pea (0.52:0.11:0.39 kg N/P/K) for the production of 100 kg yields of jute fiber/rice grain/green pod, respectively. It was found that soil has contributed the greatest percentage of N (20.6%) and K (47.29%) toward the total N and K uptake by rice followed in jute whereas the greatest percentage contribution of P (21.1%) occurred in jute. However, the greatest contribution of N, P, and K from the fertilizer was observed in jute, followed by rice and garden pea. Nitrogen contribution from fertilizer was 12.5 and 42.9% greater in jute than rice and garden pea, respectively. The greatest fiber and green pod yield in jute were recorded in the high-fertility gradient (strip III), whereas maximum rice grain yield was observed in the low-fertility gradient (strip I), which clearly indicated that high-fertility status favored the production of jute and garden pea but low-fertility status is suitable for rice production. By following ready table, a farmer can save N, phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), and dipotassium oxide (K2O) in amounts of 3.21, 9.93, and 10.94; 6.35, 7.00, and 9.15; and 34.0, 26.0, and 34.4% more as compared to without IPNS respectively in jute, rice, and garden pea. Application of farmyard manure (FYM) in different fertility gradients improved the organic carbon (C) and available N, P, and K with increasing fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of quality jute fibre primarily depends on the retting process of jute. However, the quality of retting water is of great concern because of the scarcity of available water bodies for retting. A study conducted on physico-chemical and microbiological changes in retting water (pre- and post-retting) from four intensively jute-growing districts namely Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly and South Dinajpur of West Bengal, India, during jute retting. The post-retting water samples recorded lower pH (6.22 to 7.08) and higher EC (electrical conductivity) (0.509 to 0.850 ds/m) compared with pre-retting water samples (pH 6.63 to 7.44; EC 0.197 to 0.330 ds/m) collected from all the four districts under study. The biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased several folds in the post-retting water samples indicating very high microbial growth and activities and depleted oxygen level compared with pre-retting water. The Ca + Mg (calcium + magnesium) content in pre-retting water was high (24.15 to 36.60 ppm) which raised further (61.30 to 103.67 ppm) in post-retting water, while the bicarbonate content also increased and ranged between 2.72 and 6.81 me/l in post-retting water compared with its status in pre-retting water (1.30 to 3.15 me/l). The post-retting water was found to be a rich source of nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) which increased substantially because of jute retting as compared with their status in pre-retting water. The population of pectinolytic, xylanolytic, cellulolytic and ligninolytic bacterial cfu (colony forming unit) increased by 1.5 times in post-retting water as compared with pre-retting water, because these specific bacterial population were involved in the degradation of pectin, xylan, cellulose and lignin during retting of jute. Thus, post-retting water can be judiciously used as a potent source of primary, secondary and micronutrients for succeeding crops besides having higher BOD and COD as a result of higher microbial growth related to jute retting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes towards violence against women among fourth (final) year baccalaureate nursing students and fifth (final) year medical students from two distinct educational institutions in India., Methods: Data were collected from 440 students using two questionnaires: the Student Exposure to Woman Abuse Questionnaire (SEWAQ), and the Inventory of Beliefs about Wife Beating (IBWB). Results were analysed based on gender, profession, and educational institution., Findings: Nursing students believed that they had received more classroom preparation and practical skills to better prepare them to assist abused clients than male and female medical students. Only 38% of the participants believed that they had acquired classroom knowledge on woman abuse through their respective educational programs, whereas 43% thought they had practical skills to care for victims. All participants were sympathetic toward abuse victims, but demonstrated varying attitudes about the justification for abuse against women, help given to victims, punishment of the offender and the effect of woman abuse. Female medical students believed more strongly than males and nursing students that wives do not gain from being beaten., Conclusions: Congruent with existing literature, the study demonstrated that health care students in India do not receive sufficient training, practical skills and classroom knowledge to effectively manage abuse against women.

Through in-depth, tape-recorded interviews, this qualitative pilot study explored the feelings and concerns of 10 HIV-positive women, aged 18 to 70 years, and the socioeconomic, spiritual, and family support available to them in Kolkata, India. A qualitative approach of continuous comparative analysis of themes revealed that although heterosexual contact was the main source of infection, poverty and sexual violence were indirect social factors. These women experienced markedly less socioeconomic, spiritual, and family support after contracting the disease. In addition to worsening physical symptoms, emotional and mental anguish forced them into isolation, negatively affecting their mental health. Social isolation infiltrated their spiritual lives, producing feelings of helplessness about the future of their children. The identification of this process is important to nursing practice, as it highlights key areas of concern in the implementation of prevention programs and future research.