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Background: Pigeonpea is second most important pulse crop grown after chickpea in India. Pigeonpea is versatile crop can be grown in vast agro climatic condition with low inputs. However, the yield is very low as compared to the potential yield as grown in rainfed condition, the drip fertigation and mulching can increase resource use efficiency. Both these techniques are resource saving and realized maximum yield by reducing the nutrient and water losses as compared to conventional practices. Methods: The experiment was laid out in factorial complete randomized block design and replicated thrice. The experiment consisted of two levels of irrigation (0.50 CPE and 0.75 CPE) as one factor and three fertility levels (100% RDF, 75% RDF and 50% RDF) as second factor and two levels of mulching (without mulching and with plastic mulching 25 micron) as third factor. Result: The results revealed that higher level of irrigation (0.75 CPE) with 100 per cent RDF and with plastic mulching recorded significantly higher growth rate, seed yield and uptake of nutrients by the pigeonpea crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millets are very important plant genetic resources for agriculture sector that extends food security to poor farmers having arid, marginal and poor lands especially in Asia and Africa. Millets are a group of small grain cereal food crops which are highly nutritious and are grown under marginal/low fertile soils with very low inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Indian agriculture is highly dependent on monsoon. Millets are also gaining popularity among farmers as climate-friendly, drought-resistant crops which can thrive even on barren soil. These crops are preferable choice of farmers for cultivation under various adverse environments - prone to climatic extremes. Millets are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index, making them a balanced and healthy diet for people suffering from diabetes. An intensive attempt to include millet crops in cropping systems, especially in vulnerable environments, is a positive step towards long-term sustainability. An effort has been made to expand global and regional scope and target for millet production, usage and in this regard, India's proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023 was approved by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) during 2018 and the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. In this esteem, the status of millets and their importance is compiled in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment entitled ‘Studies on yield, yield attributes and nutrient uptake of cowpea as influenced by integrated nutrient management’ was conducted during kharif-2020 at AICRP on Arid Legumes, Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. Experiment consists combined application of nutrients (Urea, SSP, MOP used as a NPK sources) along with the seed treatment at the time of sowing. Totally there are nine treatments replicated thrice in randomized block design. The yield and yield attributes were significantly varied with the combined application of 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB + 1 per cent 19:19:19 spray recorded higher number of pods plant-1 (27.1), pod length (17.0 cm) and number of seeds pod-1 (16.9) and it was on par with 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB + 2 per cent urea spray and 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB, respectively. Whereas, lower number of pods plant-1 (21.4), pod length (10.4 cm) and number of seeds pod-1 (10.3) were recorded with the application of 100 per cent RDF(Control). Higher seed yield, net returns and BC ratio (1384 kg ha1, Rs.38952 ha-1 and 2.53, respectively) recorded with application of 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB + 1 per cent 19:19:19 spray. Whereas, lower seed yield, net returns and BC ratio (735 kg ha-1, Rs.9584 ha-1 and 1.39, respectively) were recorded with 100 per cent RDF (Control). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pigeonpea is second most important pulse crop grown after chickpea in India. Pigeonpea is versatile crop can be grown in vast agro climatic condition with low input. Although the yield is very less as compare to the potential yield, so we need to increase the yield of pigeonpea using modern techniques such as drip fertigation and mulching. Both these techniques are resource saving and realized maximum yield as compare to conventional practices. Methods: The experiment was laid out in factorial complete randomized block design with three replications. The experiment consisted of two levels of irrigation (0.50 CPE and 0.75 CPE) as one factor and three fertility levels (100% RDF, 75% RDF and 50% RDF) as second factor and two levels of mulching (without mulching and with plastic mulching 25 micron) as third factor. Result: The results revealed that the combination of higher level of irrigation with 100 per cent RDF and with plastic mulching recorded significantly higher seed yield, water productivity and B.C ratio compared to the rest of the treatment combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment entitled 'Bio-efficacy of post-emergent herbicides on growth and yield of horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.)' was conducted at AICRP on Arid legumes field unit, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru during kharif 2020. The experiment consisted of eight treatments including the application of six post emergent herbicides (Quizalofop ethyl, propaquizafop, imazethapyr, haloxyfop r-methyl, chlodinafop propargyl and fenoxafrop-p-ethyl at 15 DAS), two hand weedings (20 and 40 DAS) and weedy check were replicated thrice in RCBD. Major weeds observed were Borreria hispida, Alternanthera sessilis, Euphorbia geniculata, Acanthospermum hispidum, Parthenium hysterophorus among broad-leaved weeds, Eleusine indica, Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Cynodon dactylon among the grassy weeds and Cyperus rotundus among sedges. The results revealed that hand weedings at two intervals (20 and 40 DAS) recorded significantly higher seed yield (1155 kg ha-1) and was found on par with post emergent application of quizalofop ethyl 5 per cent EC 50 g a.i. ha-1 (1121 kg ha-1) and imazethapyr 10 per cent SL 40 g a.i. ha-1 (1082 kg ha-1) without having any phytotoxicity on horsegram. The net returns and B:C ratio was recorded higher in the treatments receiving post emergent application of quizalofop ethyl 5 per cent EC 50 g a.i. ha-1 (Rs.21,874 ha-1 and 2.1, respectively) and imazethapyr 10 per cent SL 40 g a.i. ha-1 (Rs. 20,541 ha-1 and 2.0, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was conducted during summer 2021 at Zonal Agriculture Research Station (ZARS), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore to examine the response of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) to liquid biofertilizer consortium and its methods of application. Treatment which received 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment + soil application + seedling root dip with liquid biofertilizer consortium resulted in higher growth, yield parameters, grain and straw yields. However, the treatment was found on par with 100 per cent RDF + soil application, 100 per cent RDF + seedling rootdip and 85 per cent RDF + seed treatment + soil application + seedling root dip with liquid biofertilizer consortium. The grain yield with 100 per cent RDF + seed treatment + soil application + seedling root dip with liquid biofertilizer consortium and 100 per cent RDF + soil application was found significantly higher by 25.73 and 24.03 per cent, respectively over 100 per cent RDF. Similarly, respective increase in straw yield of these treatments were 24.08 and 22.62 per cent, respectively against 100 per cent RDF. The trend that was noticed in grain and straw yield was also noticed in various yield attributes viz., number of productive tillers plant-1, number of fingers earhead-1, ear head weight and grain weight earhead-1. It was found that there is a possibility of reducing fertilizer up to 30 per cent, since the result obtained at 100 per cent RDF was on par with 70 per cent RDF + liquid fertilizer applied either through soil application or seedling root dip or combination of seed treatment, soil application and seedling root dip. However, from economical point of view for higher net returns, 100 per cent RDF + soil application was found feasible than 100 per cent RDF + combined methods of application (seed treatment, soil application and seedling rootdip). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Febrile neutropenia is common with chemotherapy regimens in 25-40% of patient, especially in children and the severity which depends on the chemotherapy regimens. Neutropenic fever is an oncologic emergency that requires immediate treatment with antibiotics. Aim: To isolate and identify bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral aetiological agents causing infections in febrile neutropenic children with haematological malignancy and to identify the comorbid conditions. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Microbiology, Madras Medical College Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, for a period of one year from November 2012 to October 2013. A total of 112 paediatric patients with 129 febrile episodes were included in the study satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Under strict aseptic precautions samples were collected from patients with signs of infections after obtaining informed consent and were subjected to microbiological detection and identification by conventional culture methods. The data was expressed in terms of frequency and percentages and statistical results were analysed with Microsoft Excel. Results: Among the 129 febrile episodes microbiologically documented infections were 39.5% (51 out of 129 febrile episodes). Bacterial infections were predominant constituting 36.4% followed by fungal infection 3.1%. Bacteremia constituted to about 19.4% of febrile episodes, followed by urinary tract infection about 11.6%, respiratory tract infection 6.2% and oral infection 2.3%. Most of the gram negative isolates were sensitive to amikacin, cefaperazone sulbactam and piperacillin tazozobactam. Gram positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin, cotrimoxazole and erythromycin. Out of the four fungal isolates three Candida spp. were isolated from oral thrush and one Aspergillus flavus from respiratory tract. All the fungal isolates were 100% sensitive to antifungal agents. Overall mortality due to infection was 18%. Conclusion: In this study, the spectrum of bacteremia among febrile neutropenic patients, appear to be shifting towards gram positive microorganisms with multidrug resistant organisms being common. Emergence of multidrug resistance can be prevented by reviewing periodical modification of empiric antibiotic policy. Therefore, surveillance of antibiotic resistance pattern would be useful for deciding empiric therapy in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines Peer to Peer (P2P) lending in India, its growth and the way lending platforms have fared following the introduction of regulations by Reserve Bank of India. The paper analyses the transaction practices of these lending platforms, their margins and makes a comparison with the micro finance model of lending. The paper observes that there was an increase in the number of platform-based lending entities from 2010 to 2017. Subsequently, the growth of peer to peer lending platforms has been subdued following regulations introduced by the RBI. The paper finds that their operations belie their claim of being transparent. The desired lower cost to borrowers is yet to be witnessed in this novel segment of lending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromobacterium violaceum is a rare pathogen that can cause potentially fatal infections in humans. Till date, 150 cases are reported worldwide including 7 from India. We report a 6 month old infant who presented with high grade fever, respiratory distress and multiple vesicular skin lesions. Chromobacterium violaceum was isolated from blood, bone marrow aspirate and from skin lesions. Infant responded to treatment with piperacillin and ciprofloxacin, and is doing well on follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]