High Robusta coffee plant density is associated with better yield potential at mixed responses for growth robustness, pests and diseases: which way for a farmer?

Plant density in Robusta coffee is an unresolved issue in low volume producing countries especially when compared with leading producers. In this study, we aimed to compare the response of Robusta coffee to pest incidence, disease severity, growth and yield potential in two contrasting spacing regimes. Two spacing regimes of 3mx3m and 3mx1m were evaluated for selected parameters in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There was a highly significant difference in pest incidence between the spacing regimes (p<0.01) for all the pests except scales (p=0.126). The black coffee trig borer incidence was higher under close spacing of 3mx1m than for 3mx3m with a mean difference of 13.2%. There was no significant association between spacing regime and leaf rust disease incidence while the association was significant for red blister disease (χ2=33.56, df=1, p<0.001). Significant difference in growth response between spacing regimes (p<0.05) were also obtained for change in canopy height (dCAH), number of primaries, number of stems and leaf size. For instance, dCAH was higher under 3mx1m spacing than for 3mx3m spacing. A significant difference in yield potential existed between the spacing regimes (p<0.05) for average yield per tree and average yield per hectare (aYH). Close spacing produced a higher aYH (5.82 t cc/ha) than wide spacing (4.80 t cc/ha). Whereas yield potential is high at high tree densities, associated prevalence of biotic constraints calls for supportive stress management package for farmers.

Crick Wobble and Superwobble in Standard Genetic Code Evolution

Wobble coding is inevitable during evolution of the Standard Genetic Code (SGC). It ultimately splits half of NN U/C/A/G coding boxes with different assignments. Further, it contributes to pervasive SGC order by reinforcing close spacing for identical SGC assignments. But wobble cannot appear too soon, or it will inhibit encoding and more decisively, obstruct evolution of full coding tables. However, these prior results assumed Crick wobble, NN U/C and NN A/G, read by a single adaptor RNA. Superwobble translates NN U/C/A/G codons, using one adaptor RNA with an unmodified 5′ anticodon U (appropriate to earliest coding) in modern mitochondria, plastids, and mycoplasma. Assuming the SGC was selected when evolving codes most resembled it, characteristics of the critical selection events can be calculated. For example, continuous superwobble infrequently evolves SGC-like coding tables. So, continuous superwobble is a very improbable origin hypothesis. In contrast, late-arising superwobble shares late Crick wobble’s frequent resemblance to SGC order. Thus late superwobble is possible, but yields SGC-like assignments less frequently than late Crick wobble. Ancient coding ambiguity, most simply, arose from Crick wobble alone. This is consistent with SGC assignments to NAN codons.

Effect of Spacing and Nitrogen Level on Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Mid hill of Nepal

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of spacing and nitrogen level on growth and yield of maize in Parbat from February to July, 2019. The experiment was laid out in two Factorial Randomized complete Block Design (RCBD) comprising of spacing: 60×15 cm and 60×25 cm and nitrogen: 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg/ha level as treatment with three replications. “Arun-2” variety of maize was planted on clay loam and acidic soil (pH 5.3) having medium in total nitrogen (0.15%), medium in soil available phosphorus (48.1 kg/ha), medium in soil available potassium (218.8 kg/ha) and medium in organic matter content (2.92%). Result shows that yield was significantly increased with increment in N-level up to 90 kg N/ha. The grain yield (5.18 mt/ha) was significantly higher at 90 kg N/ha than at 30 and 60 kg N/ha but at par with 120 kg N/ha. Significant effect on grain yield due to spacing was observed. The grain yield (4.11 mt/ha) obtained at spacing 60×15 cm. Moreover, the highest grain yield showed that highest grain yield (4.33 mt/ha) was obtained under 90 kg N/ha plus 60×15 cm spacing. The result revealed that different spacing and nitrogen level significantly affect the plant height and leaf area index. The plant height and leaf area index were significantly high at close spacing (60×15 cm) and at 120 kg N/ha. Likewise, yield attributing characteristics like cob length, cob diameter, number of kernel/rows, number of kernel row, thousand gran weight were the highest at 90 kg/ha but as par with 120 kg/ha at close spacing (60×15 cm). This study suggested that maize production can be maximized by cultivating “Arun-2” maize fertilizing with 90 kg N/ha and maintaining 60×15 cm spacing.

Characterization of Single Event Cell Upsets in a Radiation Hardened SRAM in a 40 nm Bulk CMOS Technology

A large amount of data needs to be stored in integrated circuits when data are being processed. The integrated circuits contain a large amount of static random access memory (SRAM) due to its high level of integration and speed. SRAM units should be as small as possible to achieve higher storage density. In this work, the features of single cell upsets (SCUs) and multiple cell upsets (MCUs) in a full custom SRAM are tested for a 40 nm bulk CMOS technology node, and Ge (linear energy transfer (LET) = 37.3 MeV cm2/mg), Cl (LET = 13.1 MeV cm2/mg), Al (LET = 8.6 MeV cm2/mg), O (LET = 3.1 MeV cm2/mg), and Li (LET = 0.5 MeV cm2/mg) particles are used. The test results show that the total single cell upset events are 2,000,147, 1,124,269, 413,100, 311,311, and 47,815 under the irradiation of Ge, Cl, Al, O, and Li, respectively. Moreover, due to single event upset reversal mechanism, multiple cell upsets significantly decrease. The total multiple cell upset events are 10, 4, 0, 0, and 0 under the irradiation of Ge, Cl, Al, O, and Li, respectively. There are a lot of single cell upsets appearing under Ge, Cl, Al, O, and Li exposure. The number is increasing with increasing LET, which means that well contacts still need optimization in the full custom SRAM. Close spacing of well contacts or increasing contacts are the approaches used to drain the excess carriers quickly, and error detection and correction (EDAC) is used for SRAM technology. The features show that SCUs have become a major source of soft errors for the full custom SRAM. Combining close spacing of well contacts with error detection and correction (EDAC) and a well engineering scheme are used to reduce single cell upsets, although there are a few MCUs which are inevitable. Radiation hardened by design schemes needs to be further improved.

Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Fish-Like Robots Swarm

Artificial fish-like robot is an important branch of underwater robot research. At present, most of fish-like robot research focuses on single robot mechanism behavior, some research pays attention to the influence of the hydro-environment on robot crowds but does not reach a unified conclusion on the efficiency of fish-like robots swarm. In this work, the fish-like robots swarm is studied by numerical simulation. Four different formations, including the tandem, the phalanx, the diamond, and the rectangle are conducted by changing the spacing between fishes. The results show that at close spacing, the fish in the back can obtain a large wake from the front fish, but suffers large lateral power loss from the lateral fish. On the contrary, when the spacing is large, both the wake and pressure caused by the front and side fishes become small. In terms of the average swimming efficiency of fish swarms, we find that when the fish spacing is less than 1.25 L (L is the length of the fish body), the tandem swarm is the best choice. When the spacing is 1.25 L , the tandem, diamond and rectangle swarms have similar efficiency. When the spacing is larger than 1.25 L , the rectangle swarm is more efficient than other formations. The findings will provide significant guidance for the control of fish-like robots swarm.

Accuracy of Eddy-Current and Radar Methods Used in Reinforcement Detection

This article presents results from non-destructive testing (NDT) that referred to the location and diameter or rebars in beam and slab members. The aim of paper was to demonstrate that the accuracy and deviations of the NDT methods could be higher than the allowable execution or standard deviations. Tests were conducted on autoclaved aerated concrete beam and nine specimens that were specially prepared from lightweight concrete. The most advanced instruments that were available on the market were used to perform tests. They included two electromagnetic scanners and one ground penetrating radar (GPR). The testing equipment was used to analyse how the rebar (cover) location affected the detection of their diameters and how their mutual spacing influenced the detected quantity of rebars. The considerations included the impact of rebar depth on cover measurements and the spread of obtained results. Tests indicated that the measurement error was clearly greater when the rebars were located at very low or high depths. It could lead to the improper interpretation of test results, and consequently to the incorrect estimation of the structure safety based on the design resistance analysis. Electromagnetic and radar devices were unreliable while detecting the reinforcement of small (8 and 10 mm) diameters at close spacing (up to 20 mm) and of large (20 mm) diameters at a close spacing and greater depths. Recommendations for practical applications were developed to facilitate the evaluation of a structure.

Modeling Beta-Traces for Beta-Barrels from Cryo-EM Density Maps

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has produced density maps of various resolutions. Althoughα-helices can be detected from density maps at 5–8 Å resolutions,β-strands are challenging to detect at such density maps due to close-spacing ofβ-strands. The variety of shapes ofβ-sheets adds the complexity ofβ-strands detection from density maps. We propose a new approach to model traces ofβ-strands forβ-barrel density regions that are extracted from cryo-EM density maps. In the test containing eightβ-barrels extracted from experimental cryo-EM density maps at 5.5 Å–8.25 Å resolution,StrandRollerdetected about 74.26% of the amino acids in theβ-strands with an overall 2.05 Å 2-way distance between the detectedβ-traces and the observed ones, if the best of the fifteen detection cases is considered.

Influence of rhizobium inoculation, split nitrogen application and plantgeometry on productivity of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in an acid alfisol

A field experiment comprising of twelve treatment combinations was conducted for two years at Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, India. Crop geometry treatment comprising of two row spacings (60 cm × 10 cm and 45 cm × 10 cm) were allocated to the main plots and six nitrogen management practices namely, Rhizobium inoculation in conjunction with 75 and 50 per cent of recommended N either as basal or split application and recommended N (100 %) were assigned in sub-plots. Wider spacing resulted in significant higher seed yield (7.3%) over close spacing along with superior performance of component traits and nutrient uptake. The split applied nitrogen resulted in better performance of different parameters which together enhanced seed yield by 13.8 per cent over recommended N as basal application. Augmentation of nitrogen with Rhizobium culture positively improved growth and yield parameters leading to net saving of 25 per cent N fertilizers as evident from higher seed yield in treatment comprising 75 per cent split applied N + Rhizobium over recommended N. Interaction effects of split applied N at both row spacings resulted in better performance for seed yield, other related traits and uptake of NPK. Split applied 100 per cent N at wide spacing resulted in 15.5 and 23.6 per cent higher seed yield over recommended N at wider and close spacing, respectively. It could be concluded that Rhizobium inoculation could save 25per cent synthetic fertilizer N. Wider spacing (60 cm × 10 cm) and split applied nitrogen was a better preposition for enhancing productivity of pea in an acid alfisol under north western Himalayas.