Background: Gypsum and organic amendments are potential ameliorants for reclamation of saline and/or sodic soil conditions to improve crop productivity and soil fertility. Application of gypsum at higher dose ( greater than 1 t ha-1) with organic amendments such as FYM, crop residue on soybean crop is largely unknown for salt affected soils. Impact of these soil amendments on soybean chlorophyll pigments, symbiotic traits, nutrient uptake, nutrient harvest index, carbohydrate equivalent yield, crop productivity and economic returns is not being addressed properly. This is particularly true for oilseed crop grown under saline conditions. Methods: A field experiment was conducted for two years (2017 and 2018) to assess the impact of amendments like gypsum, crop residue (CR), farm yard manure (FYM) with recommended dose of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (RNPK) fertilizer dose on soybean crop in degraded vertisol with eight treatments and three replications laid in randomized block design. Result: Results revealed that among treatments, phenological traits such as total chlorophyll (1.561 and 1.593mg g-1), carotenoid (0.156 and 0.154 mg g-1) at 30DAS (days after sowing), nodulation traits (33.6 and 32.4 nodules plant-1) and dry matter accumulation (26.2 and 23.9 g plant-1 at harvest) improved significantly in RNPK+Gypsum+CR+FYM and RNPK+Gypsum+FYM treatments respectively. Combined application of fertilizers with organic and gypsum amendments increased soybean yield by the magnitude of 49-53% compared to only fertilizer applied treatments. Higher biological yield (4169-4339 kg ha-1), carbohydrate equivalent yield (258.8-266.5 kg ha-1) and nutrient uptake (118: 8:47:11 -140: 9: 57: 12 kg ha-1N:P:K:S) were observed in RNPK+Gypsum+CR±FYM treatments. Economic analysis showed higher net returns and benefit-cost ratio in RNPK+Gypsum+CR (Rs 15247 and 1.48) and RNPK+Gypsum (Rs 14499 and 1.59) treatments.

Improving food grain production by enhancing plant nutrient availability is critical for meeting future production. In this line, degraded soils may have the potential to meet the food demand of future population. However, the key challenge is excessive concentration of salts. It adversely mediates the soil fertility parameters, physical properties and soil enzymatic activities. Addition of organic substances, such as farm yard manure (FYM) and pressmud (PM), may improve soil health parameters. An incubation experiment was conducted with graded application of FYM (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 t/ha) and PM (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 t/ha) to monitor the nutrient release pattern of FYM and PM; and its effect on soil physico-chemical properties and soil enzymatic activities. The results showed that soil pH and EC were reduced after the one year incubation period. It was also observed that available plant nutrients like N, P, K, S and soil enzymatic activities reported highest in treatment FYM and PM (each applied 10 t/ha) over control. The findings of this study suggested that organic amendments can improve soil fertility, mitigate salt ion toxicity, and enhance food production potential, particularly in arid and semi-arid soils.

In the present work, degradation mechanism in P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction photo-voltaic devices has been explored. For this purpose, the JV characteristics of eight P3HT:PCBM solar cell structures fabricated under identical conditions, were studied on hourly basis. Without exception, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells is found to fall off exponentially that saturates within six hours. The decay and rise time of the photo-current in the devices were also studied. The nature of the graphs negates the possibility of surface oxidation and generation of trap centers in the photo-active film. Thus, phase separation of P3HT and PCBM domains is expected to be the root cause of device degradation.

Modern boilers operating at high temperatures and pressures face a constant battle against wear, corrosion, and oxidation. These harsh conditions can rapidly degrade boiler steel components, leading to costly downtime and safety concerns. Carbide- and nitride-based thermal-sprayed coatings emerge as a powerful solution, extending the lifespan of boiler components and enhancing overall boiler efficiency. This review paper aims to provide an overview on various surface modification techniques. Thereafter, various erosion, corrosion and oxidation problems in boiler steels are discussed. Then, the role of carbide- and nitride-based thermal-sprayed coating to prevent failure of boiler steels is discussed. Subsequently, the distinct ways to improve the performance of carbide-based coatings are explored. Finally, the effects of post-treatment on the microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties are summarized. Overall, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how carbide-based thermal-sprayed coatings contribute to the protection of boiler steels against various failure mechanisms.

This study investigates the influence of TiC and TiN additions on the high-temperature corrosion resistance of Ni-20Cr coatings on T22 boiler steel in an actual boiler environment. Plasma and high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying techniques were used to deposit three types of coating: Ni-20Cr, 60

In the modern era, intensive agricultural practices such as agrochemicals are applied in excessive amounts to enhance agricultural production. However, imbalanced adoption of these chemicals has arisen in the dwindling of agriculture factor productivity and soil quality. To maintain soil fertility and production, these chemical fertilizers must be supplemented with organic inputs. Keeping this in the backdrop, a research trail was established during 2018–19 and 2019–20 years at Research Farm of Agriculture University, Kota, India. The treatment setup was comprised of 5 treatment modules viz., conservation tillage + organic management (CAOM), conservation tillage + chemical management (CACM), conventional tillage + chemical management (CTCM), conventional tillage + organic management (CTOM) and the package of practices (PoPs) with four replications. Results indicated that the highest organic carbon (0.68%), bacterial (29.11 × 107 cfu g−1), fungal (4.77 × 104 cfu g−1), actinomycetes populations (5.67 × 104 cfu g−1), acid phosphatase (44.1 µg g−1 h−1), urease (45.3 µg g−1 h−1) and dehydrogenase (23.3 µg triphenylformazan [TPF] g−1 h−1) activity in soil were found in the treatment of conservation organic system during both the years of study at each soil depth. In contrast to other parameters, the highest system productivity was observed with conservation chemical crop management approaches, with a soybean equivalent yield of 4615 kg ha−1 in a soybean–wheat system of production. Furthermore, the soil quality index (SQI) significantly varied from the lowest score (0.30) at 45–60 cm layer of soil in the package of practices to the highest score (0.92) at 0–15 cm layer of soil with regards to the conservation organic which shows, 206.67 percent enhancement through the soil profile of various crop management practices. The SQI variation from 0–15 to 45–60 cm soil depth was 130.0, 81.08, 60.0, 175.0 and 83.33 percent, respectively, for CAOM, CACM, CTCM, CTOM and PoPs. Amongst, different systems, the highest mean performance was noticed under the conservation organic systems for physical and biological properties. Hence, in line with the salient outcome, we may propose that the conservation chemical system needs to be followed to improve crop productivity, whereas, conservation organic seems a good option for soil health with long-term viability.

Phonon anharmonic interactions up to the fourth order and four-body interaction terms, with the consideration of the extra spin–lattice term, direct spin–spin interaction terms, and four spin coupling, are introduced in the earlier modified Ising type of pseudospin model Hamiltonian to account for the investigation of dielectric properties in arsenate-type family of KDP crystals. Cochran’s mode frequency and other ferroelectric properties like energy shift and width, electrical permittivity, spontaneous polarization, and loss tangent are investigated theoretically in the vicinity of T_c . We have expressed the equation of Dyson and decoupled the correlation function with the consideration of Zuberav’s statistical article and two-time temperature-dependent Green’s function approach to deduce the theoretical derivation of the above ferroelectric parameter. The thermal variations of the order parameters ⟨S^x⟩ and ⟨S^z⟩ that characterize the first-order phase transition phenomenon are also introduced. A comparison of the theoretical findings has been made with the experimental findings reported by earlier authors. Good agreement is observed for the above-mentioned ferroelectric properties in CsH2AsO4, RbH2AsO4, and KH2AsO4 crystals.

Soil salinity is a major environment stress impairing crop production and accelerating soil degradation. Use of soil amendments are practical solutions for altering soil quality to enhance crop productivity in these soils. Hence, we systematically evaluated the impact of soil amendments practices on crop productivity, nutrient use efficiency, soil properties, soil quality index, economics and energetics on soybean -mustard cropping system in sodic Vertisol. In this study, eight treatments comprising of various combinations of soil amendments such as gypsum (@2.5 t ha - 1 ), farmyard manure (FYM@10 t ha - 1 ), crop residue (CR@1.5 t ha - 1 of soybean residue during rabi and 3 t ha - 1 of mustard residue during kharif season) with recommended fertilizer doses (RNPK) was evaluated in randomized block design with three replications for four consecutive years in soybean -mustard cropping sequences (2016 - 2019). Results demonstrated that application of gypsum with CR and FYM recorded a significant drop in exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (45 - 48 %), and bulk density (BD) (3 - 6 %) than that of control. Organic amendment in conjunction with gypsum and chemical fertilizer significantly improved soil chemical, physical and biological properties than that under control and inorganic fertilizer alone treatments. Based on principal component analysis and correlation matrix, minimum data set identified ESP, pH, BD, organic carbon, available nutrients, biomass carbon, calcium content, dehydrogenase as the most important properties controlling soil quality. Integration of RNPK+Gypsum+CR and RNPK+Gypsum+FYM are found superior leading to higher crop yield in soybean (1.23 and 1.21 Mg ha - 1 respectively), mustard (1.43 and 1.39 Mg ha - 1 respectively), better nutrient recovery efficiency (77 and 53 % respectively), improved soil quality index (0.90 and 0.93 respectively), and higher economic return (benefit: cost ratio -2.88 and 2.1 respectively).Therefore, this study findings highlighted the conjunctive use of gypsum with organic amendments is effective in reclaiming salt stress, improving soil health and crop productivity under oilseed cropping sequence in degraded soils of semi -arid tropics.

In the present study, Integral [QI(E)], Momentum transfer [QM(E)] and Total [QT(E)] cross-sections have been successfully determined for the elastic scattering of electrons with Neon (Ne) atoms in intermediate incident energy range (100 – 500 eV). The Partial Wave Analysis (PWA) method and modified absorption potential of Raj and Kumar, Phys. Letters A 282 (2001) 284 have been employed to investigate these cross-sections. The present results were compared with the existing experimental data and theoretical calculations for the different cross-sections. These results were in better agreement with the existing studies of cross-sections.

The concentration of salt ions influences the availability and plant nutrients dynamics in the soil. Proper management of these ions can enhance food grain production, helping to feed the growing population. In this experiment, nine fertility combinations were followed to enhance the soil organic carbon and reduce the salt toxicity and monitor the plant nutrient availability. An incubation experiment was conducted for the period of one year with different organic soil amendments in combinations including biochar (BC), pressmud (PM), and farm yard manure (FYM) as follow: T1-control, T2-RDF, T3-FYM (10 t/ha), T4-PM (10 t/ha), T5-BC (10 t/ha), T6-FYM (5 t/ha) + PM (5 t/ha), T7-FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha), T8-PM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha), T9-FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (2.5 t/ha) + PM (2.5 t/ha). Results showed that addition of organic substance (10 t/ha) significantly (p < 0.05) affected soil pH and electric conductivity. Plant nutrient availability (N, K, and S) was also influenced by application of organic substance (10 t/ha). Organic C and available N were recorded the highest in the treatment T7 (FYM—5 t/ha + BC -5 t/ha); whereas, the highest available K and S were observed in treatment T5 (BC-10 t/ha). The microbial soil fertility indicators (alkaline phosphatases, arylsulphatase, dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass carbon) were measured the highest in FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha) applied treatment. In conclusion, application of organic substance 10 t/ha (biochar alone or with FYM) improved the plant nutrient availability and soil microbial activities in saline soil. It could be a suitable option for enhancing the soil fertility in saline soils.

Context or problem: The extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in modern agriculture, particularly since the green revolution, has led to profound consequences for agricultural ecosystems. This approach, while initially boosting yields, has disrupted soil health, biodiversity, and environmental balance. Moreover, it contributes silently to global climate change by releasing greenhouse gases. These challenges underscore the urgent need for a shift towards sustainable agricultural practices to safeguard soil health, biodiversity, and human nutrition while mitigating the impacts of climate change. Objective or research question: The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of the long-term (seventeen years) application of organic nutrient management on the physicochemical properties of basmati rice soil and its nutritional quality. The study aims to understand the effectiveness of different organic nutrient management practices in mitigating the negative consequences associated with conventional agricultural practices. Methods: The experiment used a strip-plot design with three replications, assigning two cropping systems (basmati rice-wheat-green gram and basmati rice-wheat-sesbania) to vertical strips. Seven nutrient management practices, including control, farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, farmyard manure + crop residues, vermicompost + crop residues, farmyard manure + crop residues + biofertilizers, and vermicompost + crop residues + biofertilizers [nitrogen-fixing Azospirillum, phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), potassiumsolubilizing bacteria (KSB), and a cellulolytic culture (Aspergillus awamori, Trichoderma viride, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Aspergillus wululens)] were applied to the horizontal strips. Results: The findings show that the cropping system with sesbania green manure significantly improved soil physicochemical attributes, nutritional content, and basmati rice yield compared to the green gram-based system. Continued application of organic manures, crop residues, and biofertilizers notably enhanced soil fertility, grain quality, and basmati rice productivity. The combined use of vermicompost, wheat residue, biofertilizers, and sesbania green manure treatment increased organic carbon content by 78.7% over the control, and soil available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium by 38.3-54.9%, 57.6-143.8%, and 27.9-64.1%, respectively. Additionally, it augmented diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid extractable iron, zinc, manganese, and copper content by up to 44.2%, 28.5%, 57.9%, and 71.0%, respectively. Co-application of the above organic sources also significantly enhanced grain and straw yields by 74.5-80.1% and 46.1-50.0%, respectively, compared to the control. Conclusions: Enhancing Basmati rice yield and quality in the Indo-Gangetic Plains can be sustainably achieved through sesbania green manuring and organic practices. Positive correlations with key soil parameters emphasize the significance of organic farming for long-term sustainability. Implications and significance: The study suggests that adopting organic practices, including sesbania green manuring and combining organic inputs, can alleviate the adverse effects of conventional farming on soil health,biodiversity, and climate change. This aligns with the broader goal of establishing sustainable production and consumption in basmati rice -based cropping systems.

The effect of spin speed on the orientation of the conjugated polymer chains has been examined by coating Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) on the glass substrates with varying rotation speeds. For this purpose, three different samples were prepared keeping spin rate as 6846, 8130 and 9700 rpm respectively. The X-Ray diffraction studies revealed that while samples fabricated at 6846 and 8130 rpm possess several intense peaks, the sample grown at 9700 rpm exhibited only one diffraction peak at (100). This is due to fact that at high spin rate, large centrifugal force acts upon polymer chains that tends to unfold them into highly oriented structures. These P3HT chains, thus, are free from twists, kinks and are not intermingled. The absorption spectra of the samples also revealed occurrence of a small absorption peak near 680 nm, which is an evidence of the fact that samples grown at higher speeds are highly oriented. The absorption peak at ≈ 480 nm, corresponding to intra chain transitions, is found to be maximum for sample made at 6846 rpm. This again indicates presence of twists and kinks in the polymer chains grown at lower spin rate. A similar trend of decrease in intra chain transitions (655 nm emission peak) with increase in spin rate has been observed in the photoluminescence spectra recorded for the samples.

Considering the potentiality of farmscaping on the diversity of major pestiferous insect and their natural enemies, present study was conducted at field level in randomized block design with farmscape treatments comprised of intercropping cabbage with coriander, onion, mustard, marigold; mustard as trap crop and cabbage sole was taken as control for comparison. The major pestiferous insects were aphid, diamond back moth, tobacco caterpillar painted bug and flea beetle who attained the pest status during the crop season. Associated key natural enemies included aphidiphagous coccinellids, syrphid flies and aphid parasitoids which were observed. The Shannon diversity (H’) index for key pestiferous insects was maximum on sole cabbage (0.75), while minimum in cabbage + mustard as trap crop (0.5). Maximum pooled seasonal population mean of major natural enemies was recorded in farmscaping treatment possessing cabbage + coriander (2: 1) with mummified aphids (36.03/plant) and relative density of 89.36 per cent; coccinellids (1.34/plant) with relative density of 3.31 per cent and syrphid fly larvae (2.96/plant) having a relative density of 7.33 per cent.

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal (India) to study influence of different integrated nutrient management (INM) modules on soil potassium (K) fractions. The experiment comprised with twelve treatments laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications under maize-chickpea cropping sequence. The treatments included general recommended dose (GRD), soil test crop response (STCR) dose; combinations of inorganic and organic inputs and only organic modules. The soil samples were collected at crop harvest and analyzed for various K fractions viz., water soluble-K, available-K, exchangeable-K, HNO3-K, lattice-K and total-K. The results indicated that potassium fractions were significantly (p = 0.05) affected by different treatments. Different INM modules significantly enhanced significantly K availability in soil. Among various INM modules studied, treatment 11 (application of 20 t ha-1 FYM in maize with 5 t ha-1 FYM every year in chickpea) proved most beneficial for improving the soil K fractions. Findings of this type are important for K fertilizer management during crop production in areas with low soil fertility.

In this article, we reports the structural and photoluminescence properties of biodegradable CS/r-GO polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) prepared by simple solution mixing/casting technique. The details of sample preparation along with the characterization results are discussed and analyzed. The structural property of the prepared nanocomposite has been analyzed by XRD (X-ray diffraction) technique which confirms the crystalline size of the order of ∼37 nm with micro-strain ∼2.50 × 10-3. The optical properties (Photoluminescence and optical bandgap) have also been studied. The peak intensity in PL spectrum was found at ∼380 nm (near visible region) and optical bandgap has the order of ∼3.19 eV. The Raman spectra of the samples have also been studied which show the characteristic peaks of pure CS and r-GO nanofiller at 1548 /cm and 1581 /cm, respectively.

Heavy metal use is playing a crucial role in economic development of a country. Another side, generated waste may be affected the quality of natural resources during unscientific disposal. This situation is grimmer in developing countries, where much effort is needed to scientific disposal of waste. Chromium (Cr), one of the heavy metals, is extremely important to the metal, leather, and wooden industries and releases a sizable amount of effluent into water or onto soil surfaces. Crop production potential and soil health indices were both decreased by higher Cr concentrations in the soil. It mediated metabolic activities in plants and organs functionality in human body. An excessive concentration in the human body can have a cancerous effect and shorten life. By the help of scientific tool and techniques, we can manage the Cr pollution prior to discharge in natural bodies. The removal of Cr using physical, chemical, and biological approaches can significantly increase crop production potential. Increase the people’s participation and awareness to reduce the Cr toxicity effect through food chain contamination are much needed. Many research and policy organizations are working on Cr toxicity issues to remove/immobilization process without affecting the environmental health. This chapter discusses the significance of Cr, its origins and chemistry in soil, as well as its toxicity to plants and people, effect on soil microbial count and diversity and management options for reducing the Cr toxicity in soil.