Jagmohan Singh

Evaluation of press mud cake as a source of nitrogen and phosphorus for rice–wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic plains of India

Press mud cake (PMC) is an important organic source available for land application in India. Adequate information regarding availability of nitrogen and phosphorous contained in PMC to rice–wheat (RW) cropping system is lacking. In field experiments conducted for 4xa0years to study the effect of PMC application to rice as N and P source in RW system, application of 60xa0kg N ha−1 along with PMC (5xa0t ha−1) produced grain yield of rice similar to that obtained with the 120xa0kg N ha−1 in unamended plots. In the following wheat, the residual effects of PMC applied to preceding rice were equal to 40xa0kg N and 13xa0kg P ha−1. Immobilization of soil and fertilizer N immediately after the application of PMC was observed in laboratory incubation. The net amount of N mineralized from the PMC ranged from 16% at 30xa0days to 43% at 60xa0days after incubation. Available P content in the soil amended with PMC increased by about 60% over the unamended control within 10xa0days of its application. The P balance for the no-PMC treatment receiving recommended dose of 26xa0kg P ha−1 year−1 was −13.5xa0kg P ha−1 year−1. The P balance was positive (+42.3 to 53.5xa0kg P ha−1 year−1) when PMC was applied to rice. Application of PMC increased total N, organic carbon, and available P contents in the soil.

Need-Based Nitrogen Management Using Leaf Color Chart in Wet Direct-Seeded Rice in Northwestern India

Abstract Wet direct-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.) (DSR) is an attractive alternative to transplanted rice, as it saves the drudgery of raising seedlings and transplanting, reducing labor and cost of cultivation. As DSR stays in the field for a longer duration than transplanted rice and water management differs considerably, particularly during early growth stages, need-based fertilizer N management in DSR using chlorophyll meter (SPAD meter) and leaf color chart (LCC) was investigated vis-à-vis fixed-time N application schedules. Applying fertilizer N following sufficiency index approach that ensures maintaining intensity of the color of the uppermost fully opened rice leaves at 90% or more of the intensity of the color of the leaves in the over-fertilizer reference plot, resulted in application of only 70 kg N ha−1. It resulted in grain yield of rice equivalent to that produced by applying 80 or 120 kg N ha _1 in four equal split doses. Since rice farmers may not be able to follow the sufficiency-index approach, two experiments were conducted to find the critical color shade on the LCC to guide need-based fertilizer N application to DSR. Application of 30 kg N ha−1 whenever intensity of the color of the uppermost fully opened leaf of the rice plant was less than LCC shade 3 (LCC3) resulted in higher yields than application of 80 and 120 kg N ha−1 in four equal split doses at fixed times. As higher fertilizer N-use efficiency was recorded with need-based N management using LCC3 rather than LCC 4 as critical color shade, this study suggested that to obtain high yields and N-use efficiency, fertilizer N application should be guided by LCC3.

Relative performance of neem (Azadirachta indica) coated urea vis-à-vis ordinary urea applied to rice on the basis of soil test or following need based nitrogen management using leaf colour chart

Neem coated urea (NCU) applied to rice can result in high N use efficiency as it contains nitrification inhibition properties. Field experiments were conducted for three years (2005–2007) at Ludhiana (sandy loam soil) and Gurdaspur (clay loam soil) for evaluating the relative performance of NCU vis-à-vis ordinary urea as a source of N for transplanted wetland rice. Along with a no-N control, the two N sources were tried at three N levels––40, 80 and 100% of the recommended level of 120xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1. Different doses of N were applied in three equal split doses at transplanting, 21 and 42xa0days after transplanting (DAT). For need based site specific N management for improved N use efficiency, the two sources of N were applied using leaf colour chart (LCC). In this treatment a basal dose of N at the rate of 20xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1 was applied after 7 DAT and LCC readings were recorded at weekly intervals starting 14 DAT. Whenever the intensity of green colour of the first fully opened leaf from the top was less than shade 4 of the LCC, N was applied at the rate of 30xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1.The application of N through NCU and ordinary urea increased the rice grain yield significantly with increasing levels of N at both the locations. The application of NCU at recommended rate (120xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1) produced significantly higher rice grain yield than the yield obtained with ordinary urea at Ludhiana. The differences were not significant at Gurdaspur. Need based N management using LCC revealed that rice required only 110xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1 at Ludhiana and 80xa0kgxa0Nxa0ha−1 at Gurdaspur, irrespective of the N sources. The application of NCU using LCC produced significantly higher (8.6%) rice grain yield than ordinary urea at Ludhiana but increase was not significant at Gurdaspur. The superiority of NCU over ordinary urea at Ludhiana was accompanied by spectacular increase in N uptake and nitrogen use efficiencies when applied on soil test basis or using of LCC.

A Study to Evaluate Spatial Gait Parameters in Patients of Osteoarthritic Knee

Osteoarthritis is a slowly evolving articular disease, which appears to originate in the cartilage and affects the underlying bone, soft tissues and synovial fluid. Quantitative gait analysis is an important clinical tool for quantifying normal and pathological patterns of locomotion, and has also been shown to be useful for prescription of treatment as well as in the evaluation of the results of such treatment. The objectives of this study was to evaluate spatial gait parameters variations in patients with osteoarthritic knee as compared to normal healthy individuals. 100 subjects were included in the study, 50 normal healthy subjects and 50 subjects with bilateral knee osteoarthritis with age group of 40-60 years based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Before gait analysis, all subjects were given informed consent as advised by the Institutional Ethical Committee. Gait analysis was done for both groups with same protocol. Following gait parameters was measured individually for each subject: Step length (m), Stride length (m), Normalised stride length (%), Step width (m) and Foot angle (degree). Paired and unpaired t- test will be used for the analysis of data. The study concluded that there was significant difference is spatial gait parameters in patients with osteoarthritic knee as compared to normal healthy individuals.

TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING ON DYNAMIC EQUINUS DEFORMITY AND GAIT IN CHILDREN WITH SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by static lesion to a developing nervous system that primarily affects motor function. Spastic motor involvement is characteristic of most of these individual.Dynamic equinus is a common deformity that worsens the ambulatory ability of both diplegic and hemiplegic conditions. The use of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback has been suggested as a training tool to improve the ability to increase activation of weak and partially paralyzed muscles and to decrease the activation of muscles affected by spasm or spasticity without regard to specific diagnosis. However, very few studies have reported the effects of EMG biofeedback on ankle function among children with spastic cerebral palsy .Objectives of the study was to increase the activation of tibialis anterior and to improve the functional ambulation.40 subjects were made part of the study on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria divided into two groups group A and B.Group A received traditional physical therapy exercises and electromypgraphic biofeedback and group B received only exercise program. The treatment duration was for 4weeks 3 sessions a week. The results were analysed using statistical tests that were paired and unpaired t-test and mann whitney test.The results showed significant improvement in the pre and post treatment. The conclusion of the study lended a favourable outlook to use biofeedback training in treatment of CP children, to improve functional ambulation and gait.