Crop-coefficients of tomato as derived using monolithic weighing type lysimeter in mid hill region of Meghalaya

Crop coefficients (kc) was determined for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) with the help of UMS-GmBH cylindrical field lysimeter of 30 cm diameter and 120 cm deep and Penman-Monteith FAO-56 model. Eight other models viz. Modified Penman Method, Hargreaves equation, Samani-Hargreaves equation, Thornthwaite equation, Solar Radiation Method, Net Radiation Method, Blaney-Criddle Method and Radiation Method were also used for estimation of ET0­ and compared with Penman-Monteith model to find out the accuracy of prediction with limited weather parameters. Scatter plot and paired t-test were used for comparison. Out of all these models, Blaney-Criddle method, Solar and Net Radiation method were found to yield similar results as given by Penman-Monteith model. The values of crop evapo-transpiration (ETc) were varying from 2.54 mm d-1 to 6.70 mm d-1. The crop-coefficients (kc) for three growth stages of tomato viz., initial, mid and maturity were found to be 0.55, 1.07 and 0.78, respectively.

Evaluation of Efficacies of Some Insecticides against Major Insect Pests of Brinjal and Cabbage in Mid Hills of Meghalaya

The experiments were conducted at ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, India to evaluate of some insecticides against major insect pests of brinjal and cabbage under field condition. All treatments viz. indoxacarb 14.5 SC (75 and 150 g a.i. ha-1), chlorfenapyr 10 SC (100 and 200 g a.i. ha-1), chlorpyrifos 20EC (200 and 400 g a.i. ha-1) and control (water spray) were applied thrice in brinjal and twice in cabbage at 15 days intervals. Shoot infestation in brinjal was counted from randomly selected five tagged plants from each replication before spray and on 7 and 14 days after application of insecticides. Fruits infestations were counted during harvesting only. In cabbage, larval population was counted from five randomly selected tagged plants from each replication on 1 day before and on 1, 3, 7, 14 days of each spray. Results revealed that the mean shoot infestation of brinjal was lowest in indoxacarb at double the recommended dose (4.82%) followed by indoxacarb at recommended dose (6.65%) with 80.19 and 72.66% reduction respectively over control check. The lowest brinjal fruit infestation (8.25%) also recorded at double the recommended dose of indoxacarb followed recommended dose (11.48%) of same insecticide. In cabbage, pooled of two years results revealed that indoxacarb @ 150 g a.i. ha-1 was very effective treatment with lowest number of larvae (0.98 larvae plant-1) followed by indoxacarb @ 75 g a.i. ha-1 (2.21 larvae plant-1) with higher marketable yield at both these treatments.

Abiotic Factors Effect on the Distribution and Density of Species of the Families Unionidae, Pisididae, Euglesidae and Corbiculidae in High Mountains of the Kashkadarya Riverside Zone

As a result of the study, it has been identified that the water temperature in the Kashkadarya River is 18–24 °C, the water clarity is 0.51–0.62 m and the water flow rate is 0.72–0.84 m/sec. The species of bivalve mollusks Sinanodonta gibba, S. orbicularis, S. puerorum, Colletopterum cyreum sogdianum, Corbicula cor, C. fluminalis, C. purpurea, Corbiculina tibetensis, C. ferghanensis are widespread in the region. The abiotic factors discussed in the paper play an important role in the distribution of mollusks. There are 13 species of bivalve mollusks in the mountainous region, which is the head part of the river, 9 species in the middle part of the hill region of the river and 6 species in the lower desert region.

Dynamics in C, N, and P stoichiometry and microbial biomass following soil depth and vegetation types in low mountain and hill region of China

Changes in soil carbon (C):nitrogen (N):phosphorus (P) stoichiometry have great significance on understand regulatory mechanism and restoration of ecosystem functions. However, the responses of C, N and P stoichiometry to soil depth and different vegetation types remains elusive. To address this problem, the study aims to explore the effects of soil depth and vegetation types on soil C, N, and P stoichiometry, and their relationships with microbial biomass in low mountain and hill region of China. The results indicated that soil SOC and TN concentrations in oak forest were markedly higher than those in grassland, and the vertical distribution of SOC and TN concentration showed an inverted triangle trend as the soil deepens. However, there was no significant change in soil TP concentration among 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm. Soil C/N among different layers (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) is narrower fluctuation margin, and its value is basically stable within a certain range (11–14.5). Both soil C/P and N/P showed significant variability in different vegetation types, and soil N/P decreased with soil layers deepen. Both the microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) showed a decreasing trend with the increase of soil depth, and three soil layers from high to low was: oak forest > pine forest > grassland. Our results will potentially provide useful information for the vegetation restoration and forest management and great significance to enrich the scientific theory of ecological stoichiometry.

Rice Cultivation - A Way of Life for the People of North Eastern Hill Region of India

Being an amazing picturesque of land, the North Eastern Hill Region of India, consisting of more than 200 ethnic groups, has only about 2.27% of the total rice area and shares only 1.96% of the total rice production in the country. Whether profitable or not, the rice cultivation is a way of life for the people of North Eastern Hill Region of India. Till today, the production and productivity of rice in this region is below the national average because of its fragile ecosystem and the varied physio-graphic conditions pertaining to this region. Neither the wider recommendation of agricultural technology such as variety nor the use of a single technology or variety can solve this problem of low yield. However, the development of location specific high yielding rice variety using the existing land races prevalent in the area can be one of the promising technique for improving the production and productivity of rice cultivation in this region.

Features of the Dynamical Evolution of a Massive Disk of Trans-Neptunian Objects

Abstract— The dynamical features of a massive disk of distant trans-Neptunian objects are considered in the model of the formation of small bodies in the Hill region of a giant gas-dust clump that arose as a result of gravitational instability and fragmentation of the protoplanetary disk. The dynamical evolution of the orbits of small bodies under the action of gravitational perturbations from the outer planets and self-gravity of the disk has been studied for a time interval of the order of a billion years. It is shown that the secular effects of the gravitational influence of a massive disk of small bodies lead to an increase in the eccentricities of the orbits of individual objects. The result of this dynamical behavior is the creation of a flux of small bodies coming close to the orbit of Neptune. The change in the number of objects surviving in the observable region of distant trans-Neptunian objects (the region of orbits with perihelion distances of 40 < q < 80 AU and semimajor axes 150 < a < 1000 AU), over time depends on the initial mass of the disk. For disks with masses exceeding several Earth masses, there is a tendency to a decrease in the number of distant trans-Neptunian objects surviving in the observable region after evolution for a time interval of the order of the age of the Solar System, with an increase in the initial mass. On the other hand, for most objects, orbital eccentricities decrease under the influence of the self-gravity of the disk. Therefore, the main part of the disk is preserved in the region of heliocentric distances exceeding 100 AU.

Runoff, Sediment and Nutrients Loss from Two Small Watersheds in Eastern Plateau and Hill Region of India

Hydrologic behaviour of many small watersheds around the world are changing mainly due to alterations in land use land cover, and creating new regimes of hydrologic response by driving changes in runoff, sediment and nutrient dynamics. In this study, response of two small watersheds, Plandu and Keribanda, located in eastern plateau and hill region (EPHR) of India was assessed in terms of runoff, sediment and nutrient loss. Daily discharge at the outlets of watersheds was monitored, and water samples were collected at weekly intervals during the monsoon seasons of the years 2015, 2016, and 2017. Water samples were analysed for sediment, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) concentrations. The peak discharge rate from the Plandu and Keribanda watersheds ranged between 5.35 m3 .s−1 to 8.58 m3 .s−1, and 8.41 m3 .s−1 to 11.79 m3 .s−1, respectively. The Plandu watershed yielded 47.4 % higher sediment yields compared to the Keribanda watershed on account of extensive agricultural activities during the monsoon season. The Plandu watershed also recorded higher N (1.17 kg.ha−1.y−1) and P (0.19 kg.ha−1.y−1) losses; however, the K loss (22.92 kg.ha−1.y−1) was higher in the Keribanda watershed. Linear regression models were also developed between rainfall-runoff (R2: 0.86-0.89), runoffsediment yield (R2: 0.82-0.88), N, P, and K loss with runoff volume (R2: 0.82-0.94). The findings of this study would aid in devising informed policies for soil, water and nutrient management strategies at the watershed scale.

Modernization in Medical Practices in Rural Nepal: An Ethnographic Study of Hyolmos

This article attempts to investigate the modern medical practices and the major factors triggering the changes in views, attitudes, and practices among the Hyolmos, an indigenous people residing in high hill region, Helambu, the northeast of Sindhupalchok, central Nepal. This ethnographic study with the key informants' interview, participant observation and household census was employed during a year-long fieldwork. The collected data were thematically analyzed and interpreted. The finding shows that the major triggering factors bringing such changes are education, communication, and transportation that increased awareness among the people for choosing alternative opportunities. Tourism and foreign employment raised the economic level that created better financial options for treatment. Conservation of forest was limited to the performance of herbalists and Amchis. To some extent, inter-caste marriage practice and the urbanization process also increased awareness about the use of western medicine.