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The data on different biometrical characters of large scale varietal trial having 21 genotypes of bajra were collected from regional research station, Anand for present study. The experiment was conduct in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. The characters for grain yield (kg/plot) (X1), 1000 seed weight (gm) (X2), ear head length (cm) (X3), ear head girth (cm) (X4) and effective tillers/plant (X5) were used for this analysis. The selection index technique was employed to study the crop improvement using different characters giving different weights to each character. Selection index for individual character, combination of two characters, three characters and so on can be calculated and the combination which provides the higher relative efficiency is selected. Selection index for single or combination of characters which provides the high per cent relative efficiency (PRE) is selected. The genotypic correlation and phenotypic correlation were worked out between yield and yield contributing characters. Selection indices were worked out taking five biometrical characters and were constructed taking all possible combinations of the characters. Total 31 selection indices were constructed using equal weight (W1) for all characters. The genotypic correlation coefficients (W2), phenotypic correlation coefficients (W3), direct effects of biometrical characters based on genotypic (W4) and phenotypic correlations (W5) as weight for different characters. The expected genetic gain and PRE of different indices were calculated. The results indicated that in general PRE with equal weight was higher than rest of the weights in all combinations of indices. The rank correlation among different methods for selection score values were positive and highly significant indicating agreement with all methods except equal weight. Therefore index based genotypic correlation taken as weight is considered better than all other indices.

High cost of chemical fertilizers and poor nutrient content in conventional organic sources (manure, compost, charcoal etc.) can be addressed through development of enriched organic amendments. However, there is a need to evaluate enriched organic amendments as a potential alternative of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, an effort was made to prepare enriched organic amendments through blending distillation waste of aromatic plant biomass (DWB) with naturally available low-grade rock phosphate (RP) and waste mica (WM). Enrich compost (ENC) was produced from DWB in a natural composting process, blended with mineral powder, whereas biochar fortified mineral (BFM) was prepared by blending biochar, derived from DWB through hydrothermal reaction, with mineral powder. The main aims of the present study were to investigate the impacts of ENC and BFM applications on soil properties, and herbage yield and quality of a medicinal herb Senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.). The performances of ENC and BFM at two different rates (2.5 and 5 t ha−1) were compared with the application of conventional farmyard manure (FYM, 5 t ha−1) and chemical fertilizers (CF, NPK 60-40-20 kg ha−1) in two different soils in a pot experiment. Both, ENC and EBC improved soil quality and fertility by increasing soil organic carbon, available nutrients, microbial biomass and enzyme activity. The ENC and BFM increased total herbage yields by 21 and 16.3 % compared to FYM. In both soils, the CF treatment produced the maximum dry herbage yields (32.7–37.4 g pot−1), which however were comparable to ENC (31.9–33.7 g pot−1) and BFM (30.7–35.1 g pot−1) treatments. Bioactive compound (sennoside) production in senna was significantly improved by ENC and BFM compared to CF. The present study indicates that ENC and BFM could not only help to overcome the limitation of conventional FYM, but also have the potentials to substitute costly chemical fertilizers, particularly in medicinal plant cultivation.

Improving yield is the main aim of plant breeders. In the case of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), a major challenge in this regard is genotype–environment interactions, and a knowledge of these is required to successfully select high-yielding genotypes. In this study, graphical and numerical approaches of diallel analysis have been used to reveal such interactions. Ten different wheat genotypes were crossed using a half-diallel approach. The parents, hybrids, and standard checks were evaluated at the Regional Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, Anand, India under both standard and late-sown conditions in two separate years (E1 and E2 (normal-18 November 2018 and late sown-10 December 2018, respectively, Rabi 2018–2019), E3 and E4 (normal-18 November 2019 and late sown-10 December 2019, respectively, Rabi 2019–2020)). For each sowing, ‘t2’ values were calculated for eleven phenotypic characteristics: days to 50% heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of effective tillers per plant, length of main stem, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike, grain yield per main spike, grain yield per plant, 1000-grain weight, and harvest index. Components of the gene effect revealed that the number of spikelets per main spike in E2 and E4, and the number of grains per main spike in E2 were governed by both additive and dominance gene action across the environments. Other characteristics were the greater influence of the dominance gene effect, except for days to 50% heading in E1, E2, E3, and E4; days to maturity in E2, E3, and E4; grain yield per main spike in E4. Many characteristics exhibited overdominance, an asymmetrical distribution of positive–negative, dominance–recessive genes, and narrow-sense heritability in all environments. In graphical analysis, regression value ‘b’ was unity for days to 50% heading (E1 and E4) and 1000-grain weight (E3 and E4), which revealed an absence of digenic interactions for these characteristics in the respective environments. Therefore, a given population may be improved to isolate superior recombinants for the development of desired parents in future breeding programs.

Wheat is one of the main cereals. At this time, the crucial difficulty in improving nutritional traits is the influence on genotypes of different environments. Selecting superior genotypes on the basis of a gene effects analysis for varying environments is demanded. In this study, 10 different genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were used. Parents, hybrids, and two standard checks were evaluated in a complete randomized block design with three replicates in four environments: E1 and E2 (normal and late sown, Rabi 2018-19) & E3 and E4 (normal and late sown, Rabi 2019-20). The analysis of the components of the gene effect revealed that most of the characters were governed by additive and dominant gene actions in the environments; for gluten, the wet gluten (E2) and starch (E3) content were the only dominant components (H1 and H2) with a significant gene effect. Overdominance, asymmetrical distribution of positive–negative and dominant–recessive genes, and narrow-sense heritability were observed in most of the characters in all environments. In a graphical analysis, the regression value b was observed to be in unity among protein content (E1 and E3), sedimentation value (E1, E2, and E3), and starch content (E1), indicating the absence of digenic interactions. Based on the intercept of the regression line on the Wr axis, the degree of dominance for protein content (E1 and E3), sedimentation value (E1, E2, and E3), and starch content (E1) was depicted as overdominance. Therefore, a given population may be improved to isolate superior recombinants for the development of desired parents in future breeding programs.

Background: Background: There is a need of universal hearing screening instead of focusing only on high-risk neonates. This study was done to study otoacoustic emissions (OAE) in neonates admitted in NICU at tertiary care hospital. Aims: To estimate the occurrence of abnormal hearing screening results in full term and preterm neonates admitted and screened at tertiary care hospital. To correlate maternal, intranatal and postnatal risk factors with OAE results. Methods: This is a cross sectional study done over a period of 1 year including 100 neonates admitted in NICU and level one care. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) was used for primary screening upto 1 month of age. Presence of OAE response in both ear was considered as pass. Absence of OAE response in either ear was considered as 'Refer'. The 'Refer' neonates underwent a 2nd screen within 4 weeks of 1 st screening. BERA was used to confirm the hearing loss if neonates failed 2nd screening. Various details of patient like age, gender, birth weight, gestational age, maternal, intranatal and postnatal risk factors for hearing loss were noted. Results: Out of 100 neonates 26 had 'REFER' on initial screening, out of which 19 were preterm and 7 were full term. In 2 nd screening 5 neonates failed, out of which 3 were preterm and 2 were full term neonates. They were advised BERA, out of which 1 neonate was diagnosed with hearing loss. High 'REFER' rate was observed in early preterm in comparison to late preterm (p value-0.015). Out of the 26 neonates which failed initial screening, the most common risk factor was prematurity (73%) followed by prolonged NICU stay (42%), followed by sepsis (31%), followed by hyperbilirubinemia and maternal diabetes (15%). Conclusion: There is a need to incorporate universal neonatal hearing screening in all health care facilities, for identification of all newborns with hearing loss before 6 months. Even Anganwadi workers can be trained to administer this test and refer to higher centre if required. Comparing the prevalence's of hearing loss in 2 groups of 'At risk 'and 'not At risk 'group, the difference was statistically insignificant. Thus applying only high risk strategy for neonatal hearing screening can miss significant number of children with hearing loss among 'not At risk 'group. BERA should be used to confirm hearing impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progenies developed through North Carolina Designs (NCD I, II and III) in F2 populations of okra viz., HRB-55 x Kamini (cross 1) and BO-13 x Parbhani Kranti (cross 2) were used to study the genetic variances. The results indicated that none of the additive variances was found significant in NCD I in both the crosses. Additive gene action was observed for plant height, number of nodes/plant, inter-nodal length, fruit length, number of fruits/plant and average fruit weight in NCD II for both the crosses, and fruit length and average fruit weight for cross 1 in NCD III. None of the dominance variances was significant in NCD I and NCD III in both the crosses. Dominance gene action was important for fruit girth in both the crosses, for fruit yield in cross 1 and for fruit length in cross 2 in NCD II. Considering the significance, signs and SE of genetic variances, NCD II was found to be the most reliable matting design for the study of genetic variances among NC Designs.

The progenies developed through North Carolina Designs (NCD I, II and III) in F2 populations of okra viz., HRB-55 x Kamini (cross-1) and BO-13 x Parbhani Kranti (cross-2) were used to study the variability. The results of yield, plant height, number of nodes per plant, fruit girth and average number of fruits per plant was observed higher in NCD II for both the crosses. The value of CV was also higher in NCD II for yield, average number of fruits per plant and fruit weight in two cross. The test of significance between the means of progenies developed through North Carolina designs I, II and III for yield per plant, plant height, number of nodes per plant and intermodal length was observed significant in both cross. The average fruit length indicated significant difference in all the designs for both the crosses barring NCD I and NCD II in cross 1. The fruit girth was significantly higher in NCD II over NCD I in cross 1. The mean fruit weight was found more in NCD I for the cross 1 and NCD III for the cross 2. Early flowering was observed in NCD II for the cross 1 and it was significant with NCD I. The higher value of CV was observed in NCD II for the cross 1 and NCD III for the cross 2 for flowering.

The ability to detect Cu2+ ions in aqueous media was investigated using poly(AA-co-NVIm-co-AAm) sensor hydrogels (RVH-1 to RVH-6) that have been synthesized by free radical polymerization. Synthesized hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM–EDX, and TGA analysis. The swelling and rheological studies were performed to measure the maximum water retaining capacity of synthesized hydrogels and to understand the gel behavior. Among all the synthesized hydrogels, RVH-05 sensor hydrogel shows faster swelling with the highest swelling percentage (22,870%), which is responsible for the fast detection and enhanced adsorption of Cu2+ ions at a very low concentration. RVH-05 acts as a visual detector for Cu2+ ions by changing their color to blue with a limit of detection of 0.1 mg/L and also shows simultaneous removal capability with the enhanced adsorption of Cu2+ ions from their aqueous media. The effect of the removal conditions like contact time, pH, temperature, and initial metal ion concentration on the adsorption of Cu2+ ions has been tested and found maximum adsorption of 160 mg/g of Cu2+ ions. Adsorption isotherms were introduced and found Langmuir adsorption isotherm model best fitted for the chemical adsorption of the Cu2+ ions on the surface of RVH-05. RVH-05 shows fast detection, and effective adsorption of Cu2+ ions can reuse with high efficiency by simply soaking in a solution of disodium EDTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new copper sulphate anchored to an acrylonitrile-N-isopropylacrylamide-bisacrylamide based P(AN-NIPAM-MBAM) terpolymer support has been employed as a catalyst for the hydrogenation of varied substituted nitro-arenes affording corresponding amines with excellent yield. Application of hydrogen source from NaBH4 in combination with NaOH under water and/or methanol solvent system at 50-55°C has been investigated. The terpolymer and catalyst have been characterized by ICP-OES, FT-IR, TGA, SEM and EDAX analysis methods. Different parameters supporting chemoselective hydrogenation such as concentration of NaBH4, TP-CuSO4, assisting base and solvents have been investigated. Controllable vigorous H2 gas evolution, low-temperature requirement, feasibility under air atmosphere, low catalyst loading, use of non-toxic reagents and solvents, high isolated yield, easy work-up procedure, purification without involving tedious column or flash chromatographic separation techniques, makes this protocol highly significant from the implementation point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]