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The experiment was conducted during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 at farmers’ field situated at Binuria village (23 o40’N and 87 o37’E) of Birbhum district of West Bengal under the red and lateritic belt of West Bengal.The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replication and twelve treatments in both during kharif and boro season. The plot size was 5m x 4m and the treatment combinations are T1-N80P40K40Zn25S20, T2-N40P40K40Zn25S20, T3-N0P40K40Zn25S20, T4-N80P20K40Zn25S20, T5-N80P0K40Zn25S20, T6-N80P40K20Zn25S20, T7-N80P40K0Zn25S20, T8-N80P40K40Zn12.5S20, T9-N80P40K40Zn0S20, T10-N80P40K40Zn25S10, T-11,N80P40K40Zn25S0 and T12 -Control where as in boro season the treatment combinations are T1-N120P60K60Zn25S20, T2-N60K60Zn25S20, T3-N0K60Zn25S20,T4-N120P30K60Zn25S20,T5-N120P0K60Zn25S20, T6-N120P60K30Zn25S20, T7 N120P60K0Zn25S20, T8-N120P60K60Zn12.5S20,T9-N120P60K60Zn0S20,T10-N120P60K60Zn25S10,T11-N120P60K60Zn25S0, and T12- Control. The high yielding varieties (HYV) rice during Kharif season was MTU 7029 (Swarna) and hybrid variety used in Boro season was Arize 6444 GOLD. The study concludes that application of N80P40K40Zn25S20 (T1) during kharif and N120P60K60Zn25S20 (T1) in boro season during the two season of experimentation was essential for improving growth attributes, yield components and productivity of high yielding variety (HYV) and hybrid rice. The treatments positively influenced the crop efficiency factors, improved physico-chemical properties and fertility status of the soil and paid highest gross and net returns from the rice cultivation. The study suggests the application of ample dose of fertilizer for better growth, higher productivity, profit and sustainability of rice in the lateritic soil of west Bengal.

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Farm, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal on sandy loam soil during pre- kharif season 2018 to study the effect of weed management practices on yield, quality and economics of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment comprising of eight treatments was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Among the different herbicides, application of Flumioxazin 50% SL 125 g ha-1 at 1 DAS resulted significantly higher pod yield (2991.02 kg ha-1), haulm yield (2949.18 kg ha-1), oil content (46.27%), gross return ( 143569 ha-1), net return ( 109161 ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (3.22) over all other herbicidal treatments although weed free check was found most effective to control weeds in groundnut and recorded highest yield and gross return but lower the net return and benefit-cost ratio.

Background: Biofertiliser formulations are available as carrier based and liquid based. Liquid formulations are known to have better shelf life, viability and higher cell count. Little is known about the comparison between the two formulations in field condition. The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of seed treatment of carrier or liquid-based formulations of biofertilisers (Rhizobium and PSB) when integrated with different doses of inorganic fertilisers. Methods: A field experiment was conducted in randomised block design during the summer seasons of 2018 and 2019 on green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in the red laterite soil of West Bengal. Ten treatment combinations were replicated thrice. Growth attributes, yield components, yield, soil characteristics, nutrient uptake and economics were studied. Result: The results revealed that application of recommended doses of fertilisers (RDF) + liquid based Rhizobium + PSB registered significantly highest growth, yield, nutrient uptake in plants, economic return as well as improved soil characteristics. Economic return in plants treated with 75% RDF + Liquid based Rhizobium + PSB was found at par with plants applied with RDF + Carrier based Rhizobium + PSB, RDF + Liquid based PSB and RDF + Liquid based Rhizobium.

Rice is the lifeline for more than half of the world population, and in India, in view of its huge demand in the country, farmers adopt a rice–rice cropping system where the irrigation facility is available. As rice is a nutrient-exhausting crop, sustainable productivity of rice–rice cropping system greatly depends on appropriate nutrient management in accordance with the inherent soil fertility. The application of an ample dose of fertilizer is the key factor for maintaining sustainable rice yields and nutrient balance of the soil. Considering the above facts, an experiment was conducted on nutrient management in a rice–rice cropping system at the university farm of Visva-Bharati, situated in a sub-tropical climate under the red and lateritic belt of the western part of West Bengal, India, during two consecutive years (2014–2016). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Completely Block Design with 12 treatments and three replications, with different rates of N:P:K:Zn:S application in both of the growing seasons, namely, kharif and Boro. The recommended (ample) dose of nutrients was 80:40:40:25:20 and 120:60:60:25:20 kg ha−1 of N:P2O5:K2O:Zn:S in the Kharif and Boro season, respectively. A high yielding variety, named MTU 7029, and a hybrid, Arize 6444 GOLD, were taken in the Kharif and Boro seasons, respectively. The results clearly indicated that the application of a recommended dose of nutrients showed its superiority over the control (no fertilizer application) in the expression of growth characters, yield attributes, yields, and nutrient uptake of Kharif as well as Boro rice. Out of the all treatments, the best result was found in the treatment where the ample dose of nutrients was applied, resulting in maximum grain yield in both the Kharif (5.6 t ha−1) and Boro (6.6 t ha−1) season. The corresponding yield attributes for the same treatment in the Kharif (panicles m−2: 247.9, grains panicle−1: 132.0, spikelets panicle−1: 149.6, test weight: 23.8 g, and panicle length: 30.6 cm) and Boro (panicles m−2: 281.6, grains panicle−1: 142.7, spikelets panicle−1: 157.2, test weight: 24.8 g, and panicle length: 32.8 cm) season explained the maximum yield in this treatment. Further, a reduction or omission of individual nutrients adversely impacted on the above traits and resulted in a negative balance of the respective nutrients. The study concluded that the application of a recommended dose of nutrients was essential for proper nutrient balance and sustainable yields in the rice–rice cropping system.

Nutrient management is critical for rice farming because the crop is grown under diverse conditions, and in most cases, the existing nutrient management practices fail to achieve an attainable yield target. During recent years site specific nutrient management gained importance for a target yield with maximum nutrient use efficiency. Sufficient research work has not been carried out in this direction so far in the rice–rice–pulse (black gram) sequential cropping system under the red and lateritic belt of West Bengal, India. A multi-locational field experiment was conducted from July 2013 to June 2015 at three different locations, namely, Guskara (Burdwan district) and Benuriya (Birbhum district) villages in farmers’ fields and at the university farm of Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. The performance of nutrients was tested by providing ample doses of N, P, K, S, and Zn compared to the omission of these nutrients. The growth parameters, such as crop biomass production, leaf area index, and number of tillers, and yield attributes and yield were influenced by nutrient management treatments. Application of 100% of N, P, K, S, and Zn resulted in its superiority to other nutrient management options studied, and a similar trend was also noted with the treatment in the expression of nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and nutrient response (NR). The available N, P, K, S, and Zn contents in soil increased steadily due to the increase in fertilizer application. The study concluded that optimization of NPK in the rice–rice–pulse cropping system on target yield along with need-based S and Zn application was beneficial for higher productivity.

Dermoscopic images carry rich information to identify the malignancy in patients at initial stage. Research initiatives in the domain of content-based image classification can be instrumental in identifying fatal diseases like skin cancer by exploring the dermoscopic image database. This paper has carried out feature dimension reduction for representation of significant content-based image descriptors to the classifiers. The approach has resulted in designing an early fusion based classification model with reduced computational overhead to enhance accuracy of malignancy detection at its inception.

The field experiment was carried out at the farmer’s field in Chella Kamarpara village, Chella G.P, Chella Mouza of Illambazar Block, Birbhum, West Bengal which is situated at 23o 37.374’latitude and 87o37.170’E longitudes with an average altitude of 58.9 m above mean sea level under sub-humid, sub-tropical belt under the prevailing climatic conditions of West Bengal during the Kharif season of 2013. The experiment consisted of the five levels of nutrient management i.e., N1: State recommendation (150:75:75), N2: Nutrient expert (NE) recommendation (120:34:51), N3: Farmers practices (80:40:40), and N4: Basal application of 50:75:75 with split N application on basis of LCC (leaf colour chart), N5:control and two level of varieties viz. V1: Sona and V2: Rajkumar, the total number of treatment combinations are ten, which were replicated thrice and was laid out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD). To evaluate the effect of nutrient management on the growth, productivity and economics of hybrid maize cultivation. Nutrient management has played an important role in achieving sustainability of grain production. The chemical fertilizer consumption coupled with their limited production, fertilizer cost, soil health and pollution have given rise to interest in precision nutrient management tools. It was the found that the Growth, productivity, nutrient uptake and economics of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by precision nutrient management which was significantly affected by different level of nutrient management and varieties. Whereas, LCC based application of fertilizer gave better result than all other treatment but it was also statistically at par with Nutrient expert based recommendation.

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Kappaphycus and Gracilaria based seaweed extracts (SWEs) to enhance the yield of rice in red and lateritic soils and also simultaneously assess the sustainability of the use of SWEs through life cycle assessment. A total of thirteen treatments involving combinations of recommended rate of fertilizers (RRF) 80: 40: 40 N: P 2 O 5 : K 2 O kg ha −1 and SWEs applied at concentrations (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 and 15%) were tested along with a suitable control (water spray + RRF) in a randomized block design. The efficacy of SWEs at 7.5% was also tested with lower dose of RRF (50% RRF). The SWEs were foliar applied 25, 50, and 70 d after transplanting of rice. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) for the production of fertilizers and SWEs required for 1ha of rice cultivation was carried out using ReCiPe Midpoint method and were expressed as impacts t −1 of rice production. Combined analysis of data of the experiment revealed that SWEs from Kappaphycus (KSWE) and Gracilaria (GSWE) when applied at 15% concentration significantly increased the grain yield of rice by 29% and 28%, respectively, over control; however, SWEs at 10% gave more net benefit per unit investment compared to the control. Notably, the grain yield in the treatments involving combination of SWEs with 50% RRF was statistically at par with control. LCIA revealed that in comparison to the control, maximum reductions of 11.4% and 14.8% in climate change (CC) impact category t −1 of rice were obtained in treatments involving combination of RRF with 15% KSWE and 10% GSWE, respectively. Interestingly, treatments involving 50% RRF + SWEs brought about at least 43% reduction in CC impact t −1 of rice, which amounts to savings of about 35 kg CO 2 -equivalents t −1 of rice. Similarly, reductions were also observed for other impact categories. SWEs offer great promise in global perspective towards mitigating climate change as well as other environmental impacts and sustainably increasing rice yield.

Image data has portrayed immense potential as a resourceful foundation of information in current context for numerous applications including biomedicine, military, commerce, education, and web image classification and searching. The scenario has kindled the requirement for efficient content-based image identification from the archived image databases in varied industrial and educational sectors. Feature extraction has acted as the backbone to govern the success rate of content-based information identification with image data. The chapter has presented two different techniques of feature extraction from images based on image binarization and morphological operators. The multi-technique extraction with radically reduced feature size was imperative to explore the rich set of feature content in an image. The objective of this work has been to create a fusion framework for image recognition by means of late fusion with data standardization. The work has implemented a hybrid framework for query classification as a precursor for image retrieval which has been so far the first of its kind.

A field experiment was carried out during kharif season of 2010 and 2011 at Sriniketan Research Farm, Visva-Bharati, West Bengal, India. The yield attributes and growth parameters were significantly higher in case of sole maize and intercropping treatments with legumes. The maximum total chlorophyll (chlorophyll a + chlorophyll b) was observed on sole maize, which was statistically at par with maize crop under intercropping system. In the middle canopy, highest light interception (%) was observed in maize + groundnut (2:4). The grain yield (2.48 t ha-1) and stover yield (5.07 t ha-1) of maize were significantly higher in sole maize than either of its intercropping systems with legumes. The legume yield was highest in maize + groundnut (1:2) followed by sole groundnut. The maize equivalent yield (7.06 t ha-1) was highest in maize + groundnut (2:4) followed by maize + groundnut (1:2). The highest benefit cost ratio maize + groundnut (1:2) closely followed by maize + soybean (1:2). The total N uptake by sole maize was significantly higher and under intercropping systems, the highest N concentrations in grain and straw, and protein content in grains were obtained in maize + soybean (1:2) and maize + groundnut (2:4) treatment. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v12i1.21118 SAARC J. Agri., 12(1): 117-126 (2014)

Nutrient management has played a crucial role in achieving self sufficiency in food grain production. Energy crisis resulted in high price index of chemical fertilizers. Coupled with limited production of fertilizer along with escalating fertilizer cost, reduced soil health and the problem of pollution gave rise to interest in precision nutrient management tools. Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of variety and nutrient management on the growth and productivity of maize under lateritic belt of West Bengal during kharif season of 2013 at the farmers' field located in Birbhum district of West Bengal, on sandy loam lateritic soil having low fertility status and acidic reaction (pH5.6). The experiment consisted of the five levels of fertilizer i.e, F1 = control, F2 = state recommendation (150:75:75 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha -1 ), F3= Nutrient Expert ® (120:34:51 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha -1 ), F4=farmers practices (80:40:40 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha -1 ), and F5= Basal application of 50:75:75 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha -1 with split N application on basis of LCC, and two level of varieties viz.,V1= Rajkumar,V2= Sona, thus making ten treatment combinations, which were replicated thrice and was laid out in randomized block design(RBD). The "Nutrient Expert ® " is a Decision support tool developed by IPNI (International Plant Nutrition Institute) & CIMMYT, Mexico. The values for growth parameter like plant height, dry matter, cob characters like length of cob, girth of cob, weight of cob, number of cobs per plant, number of grains per cob, grain yield, stover yield, harvest index were observed. It was found that the growth parameter as well as yield component and yield were significantly affected by different varieties and different levels of fertilizer. Among the two hybrid varieties, Rajkumar proved significantly superior over hybrid variety Sona with regard to growth attributes like plant height, dry matter accumulation. The result indicated that different schedules of fertilizer expressed significant effect on plant height, cob girth and length, grain per cob, grain weight per cob, test weight, Maize grain yield and stover yield at harvest. It was found that where fertilizer was applied on the basis of "Nutrient expert" recommendation gave highest yield and yield parameter values. The highest values for agronomic efficiency, physiological efficiency and recovery efficiency were also found where fertilizer was applied on the basis of "Nutrient expert ® " recommendation. Thus, it was observed that the application of nutrient on the basis of recommendation obtained from the decision support system like "Nutrient expert ® " and LCC based application proved superior over farmer's practice as well as State recommendation where much higher dose of nutrients were applied. So, it may be concluded that the "Nutrient expert" based recommendation and cultivation of Rajkumar hybrid may be helpful in improving productivity and profitability of Maize cultivation in the Laterite soils of West Bengal, India .

Dynamic Software Product Lines (DSPLs) are emerging as a latest methodology to develop software for Service Based System, Self Adaptive Systems, Self Managed Systems, Autonomous Systems etc which require runtime capabilities for flexible adaptation, reconfiguration, and post-deployment activities. The traditional Software Product Lines are unable to provide these facilities due to their static binding nature. Being a new technology with high post deployment activities DSPLs are facing several challenges and they are still not having a very mature architecture. This paper describes about the features of DSPLs that that make it a suitable for runtime or dynamic binding. The paper includes definition, evolution, development methodology, architecture, application areas of DSPLs highlighting its niche for dynamic binding.

Field and pot experiments were conducted during kharif season of 2002 and 2003 at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the root characteristics of maize as influenced by various phosphatic chemical fertilizers and biofertilizers. The experimental design of the field experiment was randomized block design and in the case of the pot experiment it was completely randomized design. There were 12 treatments where various phosphatic sources were applied either singly or in combination with nitrogen and in one treatment only urea and no phosphatic source was applied. All these treatments were replicated three times. In both pot and field experiment the highest values of root growth parameters like root length, root volume, root dry weight, root length density, and root:shoot ratio were observed in the treatment where urea was applied at 120 kg N ha−1 along with rock phosphate at 30 kg P2O5 ha−1 and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza in maize. In the case of the pot experiment, more distin...

Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of weed management and biofertilizer on productivity of transplanted rice variety ‘MTU-7029 (Swarna)’. Experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with 24 treatments, comprising of twelve weed management practices and two nutrient management practices viz. No biofertilizer and biofertilizer (Azotobacter + PSB), replicated thrice. All the herbicidal treatment resulted in significant reduction in total weed dry weight and weed population than weedy check. The higher grain and straw yield was recorded in the plot where pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha fb bispyribac-sodium 50 g/ha was applied. In case of grain yield, it was statistically at par with application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha fb bispyribac-sodium 25 g/ha and weed free check during both the years. The highest net returns and benefit-cost ratio was realized under the application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha fb bispyribac-sodium 25 g/ha and also in biofertilizer applied plot.

To find out the efficacy of different integrated nutrient management a field experiment was conducted at Pulses and Oilseeds Research Station, Berhampore, W.B, during Rabi season of 2009–10 and 2010–11 on Rapeseed-Mustard. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice with three varieties viz. V1, Binoy (B-9);V2, Sarama;V3, Kalyan(WBBN-1) in main plots and five fertility management {F1= 100-50-50-30 N-P2O5-K2O, S kg ha−1 (recommended), F2=RD +5 t FYM ha−1, F3=RD+5 t FYM+Azotobacter, F4=RD+5 t FYM+PSB., F5=RD+5 t FYM+PSB.+Azotobacter} as sub-plot treatments. The highest plant height (cm), number of primary branches plant−1 and dry matter accumulation (g) were achieved in the crops receiving a combinations of fertility treatment with the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers along with FYM, Azotobacter and PSB during both the years. Significant increase in yield was found in Sarama variety followed by the variety Binoy and Kalyan. The application of RD+2 t FYM+PSB+Azotobacter resulted significant increase in Seed yield, biological yield and oil percentage in all Rapeseed-Mustard varieties. The highest net return of ‘ 22106.56 and ‘ 23262.11 ha−1 respectively during the two years of the experimentation were recorded from the rapeseed-mustard crop raised with the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers, FYM, Azotobacter and PSB together. The benefit cost ratio also indicated that the treatment R.D+2 t FYM+PSB+Azotobacter was more remunerative.

The results of field experiment conducted during summer season of 2004 and 2005 showed that continuous field saturation increased plant height, tillers production, LAI, DMA, CGR, panicle and grain production, and test weight that ultimately produced high grain (6025 kg ha−1) and straw yield (6296 kg ha−1) with high harvest index, gross return and net return. IR-36 recorded higher number of tillers m−2, LAI, DMA, CGR, greater number of panicles m−2 and test weight and finally produced higher grain (5671 kg ha−1) and straw (6001 kg ha−1) yields and paid greater gross and net return than those of Annapurna. The crop receiving 120 kg N ha−1 (RDN) increased plant height, tiller production, LAI, DMA, CGR, recorded higher number of panicles m−2 and grains panicle−1 and produced higher grain and straw yield with higher return. The crop at continuous saturation with RDN recorded greater tiller production, LAI and CGR during reproductive period over most of the other treatment combinations. It increased panicle and grain production and produced the highest grain (6299 kg ha−1) yield and paid very high net return (` 16818 ha−1) from summer rice. IR 36 receiving RDN produced greater number of tillers m−2, LAI and CGR during reproductive period, recorded the higher number of panicles m−2 and grains panicle−1 and produced the highest grain yield (5882 kg ha−1) of summer rice over most of the other treatments. IR 36 at continuous saturation with RDN improved growth attributes, increased yield components, produced high grain yield and paid high net return under the study.