Probability of occurrence of drought in various sub-divisions of India

There are many studies dealing with interannual variability of rainfall in India. There are also studies available dealing with the reduction of food grain production during various drought years in India, Hence, there is along felt need to know about chances whether the next year will be a drought year. It is also seen that during last 11 years when the country as a whole experienced normal rainfall, there were few sub-divisions almost in each year facing a drought situation. The objective of this paper is to find out with the help of nearly 125 years data the probability of occurrence of drought in various sub-divisions of India and the probability of a sub-division facing two or more consecutive droughts, many studies deal with deficiency in all India summer monsoon rainfall and their linkage with El Nino. Effort has also been made in this paper to find out if there is any linkage between El Nino events in Pacific and meteorological drought in various sub-divisions of India. It is seen that eff~t of El Nino on each sub-division of India is different. It is also noticed that all El Nino years are not drought years and all drought years are also not El Nino years. During last 124 years there were 29 El Nino years. Out of these only 14 were drought years. Similarly there were 25 drought years during last 124 years out of which 11 drought years were not connected with El Nino.

Farm typology of smallholders integrated farming systems in Southern Coastal Plains of Kerala, India

Adoption of an integrated farming system (IFS) is essential to achieve food and nutritional security in small and marginal holdings. Assessment of IFS to know the resource availability and socio-economic condition of the farm household, farm typology plays a critical role. In this regard, a sample survey of 200 marginal households practicing mixed crop-livestock agriculture was conducted during 2018–2019 at Southern Coastal Plains, which occupies 19,344 ha in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Farming system typology using multivariate statistical techniques of principal component analysis and cluster analysis characterized the diverse farm households coexisting within distinct homogenous farm types. Farming system typology identified four distinct farm types viz. resource constrained type-1 households with small land owned, high abundance of poultry, very low on-farm income, constituted 46.5%; resource endowed type-2 households oriented around fruit and vegetable, plantation crop, with a moderate abundance of large ruminant and poultry, high on-farm income, constituted 12.5%; resource endowed type-3 household oriented around food grain, extensive use of farm machinery, with a moderate abundance of large ruminant, low on-farm income, constituted 21.5%; and resource endowed type-4 household oriented around fodder, with high abundance of large ruminant, medium on-farm income, constituted 19.5% of sampled households. Constraint analysis using constraint severity index assessed the severity of constraints in food grain, horticulture, livestock, complementary and supplementary enterprises in each farm type, which allowed targeted farming systems interventions to be envisaged to overcome soil health problems, crops and animal production constraints. Farming system typology together with constraint analysis are therefore suggested as a practical framework capable of identifying type-specific farm households for targeted farming systems interventions.

Standards of freshness and shelf life of food grain of wheat

Приведены результаты изменения показателя кислотного числа жира (КЧЖ) продовольственного зерна пшеницы урожаев 2015 и 2018 гг. при длительном лабораторном хранении в условиях пониженных (+10 °С), умеренных (+20 °С), повышенных (+30 °С) температур и стандартной влажности для зерна пшеницы (не выше 14 %). Доказана возможность использования этого показателя для установления сроков безопасного хранения и годности зерна. Для определения норм свежести и годности продовольственного зерна пшеницы по нормам значения КЧЖ, разработанным ранее для пшеничной муки, были отобраны 35 проб зерна пшеницы с широким диапазоном значений КЧЖ и произведены лабораторные помолы муки высшего сорта. Установлена взаимосвязь показателя КЧЖ муки после созревания от показателя КЧЖ исходного зерна. По результатам статистической обработки полученной зависимости авторам удалось определить нормы свежести и годности продовольственного зерна пшеницы, которые составили 29 мг КОН на 1 г жира и 50 мг КОН на 1 г жира соответственно. The results of changes in the indicator of the acid number of fat (FAV) of food grain of wheat of the harvests of 2015 and 2018 are presented during long-term laboratory storage under conditions of low (+10 °C), moderate (+20 °C), high (+30 °C) temperatures and standard humidity for wheat grain (not higher than 14 %). The possibility of using this indicator has been proven to establish the terms of safe storage and shelf life of grain. To determine the norm of freshness and shelf life of food grains of wheat according to the norms of the FAV value developed earlier for wheat flour, 35 samples of wheat grains with the FAV values of 9.1 to 53.4 mg KOH per 1 g of fat were taken and laboratory grinding of the premium flour was made. The relationship between the FAV index of flour after ripening and the FAV index of the original grain has been established. Based on the results of statistical processing of this relationship, the authors were able to determine the norms of freshness and shelf life of food grain of wheat, which amounted to 29 mg KOH per 1 g of fat and 50 mg KOH per 1 g of fat, respectively.

Coping strategies for extreme weather in dryland agriculture

Dryland areas account for 48% of area under food crop and 52% under non-food crop cultivation and contribute about 42% of total food grain production in India. Drought is the predominant weather extreme influencing the socio-economic structure of not only dry land regions but also the entire country. Various drought monitoring techniques and mechanisms aim at mitigating the drought impacts at different spatial scales. They are discussed briefly here with strategies to cope up this weather anomaly at different time scales. Dry land districts that are prone to frequent hail episodes are identified and measures to minimize damage to agriculture are also discussed.

Panel Data Modelling for Indian Food Grain Production

The present investigation was carried out to study the food grain production trends in different states in India based on Panel Regression Model for the period 2001-02 to 2020-2021. The results reveal that between state-to-state food grain production is highly significant the highest food grain production was registered in Uttar Pradesh followed by Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Very lowest was registered in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. The findings reveal that the highly significant fixed effect model was found to be suitable to study the trend and this model explains the 82% of variations in food grain production. Over all increasing in food grain production is noted.

Molecular marker for characterization of traditional and hybrid derivatives of Eleusine coracana (L.) using ISSR marker

Background Finger millet is the most important food grain in the world for its nutritional benefits. Finger millet is genetically and geographically diverse and widely spread in the African and Asian sub-continent. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to analyze the genetic diversity using ISSR genetic markers using 15 ISSR primers. Results About 23 genotypes of widely cultivated finger millet cultivars of economically important ones were characterized and the ISSR markers were critically analyzed for their performance with parameters such as polymorphic information content (PIC), effective multiplex ratio (EMR), marker index (MI), and resolving power (RP). In this study, 175 loci were scored across the 23 cultivars of finger millet, and out of these 173 loci (98%) were polymorphic, revealing the suitability of these loci for genetic diversity analysis with ISSR marker. The average number of polymorphic loci per primer was 11.50 with varying sizes from 100 bp to 2500 bp. ISSR primers that showed higher polymorphism were found to have higher EMR and MI values up to 15.30 and 13.44, respectively. Conclusion High degree of polymorphism supported with distinct differences of all the marker parameters revealed the suitability of ISSR markers for determining the genotypic differences based on ISSR markers among the 23 genotypes of finger millet. The possible application of the ISSR marker in the conservation and management of finger millet genetic resources is discussed.

Fungal Spoilage And Its Economic Impact On Maize (Zea Mays L.) And Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) In West Shoa, Ethiopia

Food grains may be attacked by fungi in the field which can then develop rapidly during storage when conditions are suitable which result in losses in both quantity and quality in addition to decreasing nutritional value and mycotoxin production. Of the world’s grain harvest, lost during storage by microorganisms including insects, mites, and rodents is higher especially in developing countries. A study to assess fungal spoilage and contamination of two stored food grains of maize and wheat and its economic impact on the livelihood community were carried out in six localities, vis., Bako, Ejaji, Cheliya, Toke Kutaye, Ginde Beret and Holeta. A total of 120 samples (60maize and 60wheat) were collected using purposive and stratified random sampling. Isolation of fungi from collected food grains were done using dry inspection and incubation test (agar plate method) and identification was done based on cultural characteristics and microscopic features. Results of the current study indicated that the mean fungal contamination of the food grains had the highest levels of infection and contamination. Maize was infected by more than 11 different genera of 831 different fungi while the wheat seeds were also infected by 8 genera of 768 different molds. Across the study sites, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium and Alternaria were the most predominant fungal genera identified among the study sites. There was more mycotoxin producing fungal genera isolated from those samples of both maize and wheat with high level of contamination. Mycotoxin levels increased with storage time such that maize and wheat samples stored for more than six months may exceed the levels greater than the FDA/WHO regulatory limits. Hence, indicating that maize and wheat consumers in the study area are exposed to the danger of mycotoxin poisoning. Thus, there is the need for policy makers to establish and enforce food grain quality standards and regulations related to molds and mycotoxins across the country and specifically among study area to minimize health hazards related to consumption of contaminated foods.

Analytical Study of Kharif Food Grain Production in Odisha

The state of Odisha having an agrarian based economy depends largely on agriculture for the livelihood of its population. Food grains are important commodity of crop groups that provide high quality carbohydrates, protein and vitamins. A study on the compound growth rate of area, yield and production of food grains for kharif season in the districts of Odisha and the state as a whole has been attempted in the present study which would be helpful in visualizing the progress of the state with respect to food grain cultivation and proper framing of agricultural policies of the state. The study is based secondary data for the period of 1993-94 to 2017-18 to estimate the compound growth rate and Cuddy-Della Instability Index of area, yield and production of kharif food grains for the districts and the state as a whole. The districts are ranked on the basis of compound growth rate and Cuddy-Della Instability Index in decreasing order and increasing order of their magnitudes respectively. The rank correlation between Compound Growth Rate and Cuddy-Della Instability Index of area, yield and production of food grains during kharif seasons are studied. It is found that despite negative growth rate in area, the positive compound growth rate of yield leads to positive compound growth rate in production of kharif food grains of Odisha. Also it is found that despite stability of area, the instability of yield leads to instability in production of kharif food grains in the state of Odisha.

Teaching Individuals with Down Syndrome and Moderate or Severe Intellectual Disability with The Aim of Their Acquiring, Retaining and Recalling Knowledge: An Intervention Programme for Discovering and Understanding the Environment

<p class="p1">Three adults with Down syndrome (DS, hereafter) and moderate or severe intellectual disability were taught the growth stages of wheat (cultivation, tillage, threshing), the products that are derived from it<del cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:08">,</del> and how this staple human food grain is produced, with the aim of their acquiring knowledge, retaining it and being able to recall it from memory. A quasi-experimental baseline design was implemented. The participants were taught using questions and images, and their answers were examined and re-examined after withdrawing the initial training tools (questions and images) in order to show whether they were able to acquire, retain and recall the knowledge. The intervention program<ins cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:05">me</ins> lasted two months. In order to check the effectiveness of the intervention and the maintenance of the new information<ins cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T11:16">,</ins> as well as to draw the respective conclusions, evaluations were carried out before the intervention, <del cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:10">right </del><ins cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:10">immediately </ins>after it<ins cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:10"> and </ins><del cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:10">, but also </del>two weeks after its completion. The results showed that the three participants acquired knowledge about the growth stages of wheat, its products<del cite="mailto:reviewer" datetime="2021-10-24T06:10">,</del> and this staple human food, they retained that knowledge and were able to recall and narrate it in two subsequent probes conducted one and two weeks after the initial probe without the help of questions and images. The results of this intervention show that individuals with DS and moderate or severe intellectual disability can be educated and acquire knowledge, as well as retain and recall it. An additional important finding is that repeated recalling of knowledge promotes long-term retention.</p>