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Authors: CAIPEEX Team The demands for more effective methods to increase precipitation over arid regions of India have been increasing over the past several decades. A scientific investigation of weather modification was conducted over the Indian rain shadow region of the Western Ghats (WG) Mountains to understand the efficacy of cloud seeding better and to develop a protocol. The study region, on average, receives ten times less rainfall than the windward side of the WG. The WMO peer-reviewed report (WMO, 2018) suggests a physical, statistical, and numerical investigation before operational seeding. The fourth phase of the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) was conducted in 2018 and 2019 with two instrumented aircraft, a ground-based dual-polarized C-band radar, a rain gauge network, radiosondes, and surface aerosol measurements. Among the significant results are tracking the seeding material by measuring hydrometeor residual with mass spectrometry, documentation of the chain of microphysical processes modified by seeding and complemented with the background aerosol, and seeding flare particle composition. The randomized experiment resulted in 276 cases with hygroscopic seeding. The seeded clouds lasted longer, grew deeper, and produced more rainfall. Over 5000 cloud passes were analyzed, providing consistent details about the convective cloud properties as the key indicators for a seeding strategy. The experiment suggests that cloud seeding can be effective when approached scientifically., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

One of the most promising tools for the control of fungal plant diseases is spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). In SIGS, small interfering RNA (siRNA) or double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting essential or virulence-related pathogen genes are exogenously applied to plants and postharvest products to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) of the targeted genes, inhibiting fungal growth and disease. However, SIGS is limited by the unstable nature of RNA under environmental conditions. The use of layered double hydroxide or clay particles as carriers to deliver biologically active dsRNA, a formulation termed BioClay™, can enhance RNA durability on plants, prolonging its activity against pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that dsRNA delivered as BioClay can prolong protection against Botrytis cinerea, a major plant fungal pathogen, on tomato leaves and fruit and on mature chickpea plants. BioClay increased the protection window from 1 to 3 weeks on tomato leaves and from 5 to 10 days on tomato fruits, when compared with naked dsRNA. In flowering chickpea plants, BioClay provided prolonged protection for up to 4 weeks, covering the critical period of poding, whereas naked dsRNA provided limited protection. This research represents a major step forward for the adoption of SIGS as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fungicides.

Ageing farming communities and youth abandoning agriculture are serious issues, with attracting and retaining youth in agriculture a key challenge. This article reports on a gender-sensitive study ...

Weather extremes which are accelerated by changing climate greatly decrease agricultural productivity, resulting in severe economic losses and losses of livelihood of the poorest marginal communities. The adoption of stress-tolerant rice varieties (STRVs) is recommended as a best technology fix for risk adaptation. Although STRVs provide better outcomes with no yield penalty, farmers' decisions to adopt new STRVs are influenced by a multitude of factors, most importantly information exposure. We used a sequential logit model to analyze the impact of information access and information quality on adoption decisions regarding STRVs in flood-risk areas. Over the years, we found that STRVs adoption has become scale neutral, but adopters have significantly higher access to information. The estimates showed that 48 per cent of the farmers having access to information decided to adopt STRVs. When information reaches 50 per cent of the rice farmers in flood-prone areas, the estimated additional annual income is US$235 million.

Seizures are the most common neurological illness in the pediatric population and account for 1% of all emergency department (ED) visits and 2% of all visits to children's hospital EDs. Pediatric epilepsy presents with various diagnostic challenges. Neuroimaging, especially structural neuroimaging and preferably MRI brain, plays an essential role in diagnosing, managing, and guiding pediatric epilepsy treatmentThe study was a hospital-based retrospective observational study. The hospital case records of all children belonging to the age group 1 month to 12 years with 'seizures' were reviewed for 5 years from Jan 2016 to Dec 2020. Clinicodemographic profiles and neuroimaging (CT/MRI) findings were obtained, and descriptive statistics were applied.A total of 838(11%) children in the age group 1 to 144 months (mean±SD: 32.57±32.65) presented with seizures, of whom 515(61.5%) were boys and 323(38.5%) girls. Of 596(71.1%) children under five years, 409(68.6%) had febrile seizures. Generalized onset-motor seizures were the predominant type of seizures seen in 666(79.4%) children, of whom 434(65.1%) had febrile seizures.Neuroimaging (CT/MRI) was normal in 335(40%) and abnormal in 124(14.8%) children. Perinatal insult (7%) was the most common abnormality, followed by CNS infections (2.8%).Neuroimaging, preferably MRI brain, is the most helpful tool for the etiological diagnosis of afebrile seizures.In our study, seizures secondary to perinatal insult/hypoxic insult followed by infections were major causes. Improvement in peripartum and perinatal care coupled with a targeted Tuberculosis control program may help in reducing these potentially preventable causes.

Paper# 18405

article i nfo This paper examines the role of direct compensation payments for agrobiodiversity conservation, using minor millet landraces in India as an example. The cost of farmer participation in a hypothetical 'payments for agrobiodiversity conservation services' (PACS) scheme is estimated using a stated preference valuation approach. Significant inter-crop and inter-varietal differences are observed with respect to consumption values, upon which the compensation demanded by farm households is shown to primarily depend. Drawing on a categorisation of consumption values and farmer preferences, the paper points to the importance of si- multaneously considering a range of potential interventions in order to conserve a priority portfolio of agrobiodiverse resources in predominantly subsistence-based agricultural systems.