Erode District Research Articles

Usability of monthly ERFS (Extended Range Forecast System) to predict maize yield using DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer) model over Erode District of Tamil Nadu

Extended Range of Forecast Service (ERFS) is highly useful for planning of cropping season and midterm correction at the farm level. The medium-range and long-range forecast validation have many studies, whereas ERF has less that needs to be studied. Maize is an important field crop in India after rice and wheat. Therefore, the prediction of maize yield has significant importance. In the present study, ERFS data were validated by correlation analysis using monthly observed rainfall frequency and intensity. This data was imported to DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer) to simulate maize yield of Erode district of Tamil Nadu. The model output and actual yield data from Erode were compared. Forecasted monthly total rainfall was correlated at a rate of 0.97r value with that observed. Yield simulation of maize was done using DSSAT by integrating ERFS data and the observed monthly data. Mean per cent deviation among the yields of observed weather and the disaggregated one tended to be -15.7 %. The average deviation between the yields of ERF forecasted weather data and actual yield was very high ( -29.7 % ) for Erode. Mean % deviation between the yields of observed weather and the actual yield was -14.7 %. Downscaled and accurate weather forecasts could be facilitated for yield prediction of crops by DSSAT model. Yield prediction by the model under observed weather was convenient and usable. Model under-predicted the yields when using ERF data. Both model and ERF forecast need to be improved further for higher resolution.

Knowledge Level of Turmeric Farmers in Erode District of Tamil Nadu, India

The study was focused on “Knowledge level of turmeric farmers in Erode district of Tamil Nadu” for studying the relationship between knowledge level of turmeric farmers with the profile of the respondents. For this study, Kodumudi block in Erode district of Tamil Nadu was identified. One hundred eleven respondents were selected from five villages by using proportionate random sampling method. The data were collected with the help of a well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule. Analysis was done with simple correlation and multiple regression. A positive significant relationship between occupation and knowledge level was found at five per cent level of significance. R2 value of 0.543 revealed that fifteen independent variables explained 54.30 per cent of contribution in knowledge level. As evident from the results that the values of regression co-efficient of the variables, trainings undergone had positive and significant at one per cent level of probability. A unit increase in trainings undergone would increase the knowledge level of the turmeric farmers on recommended turmeric cultivation practices by 0.649 units respectively.

Intervention of Screening Programme for Hypertension and Lipid Profile on Prescribing Pattern of Antihypertensive and Antihyperlipidemic Agents

The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of screening programme for the patients visiting community pharmacies and factors influencing the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive and/ or antihyperlipidemic agents. The study was designed as a prospective cohort study conducted between December 2017 and November 2019. Data were collected from the hypertensive patients visiting regularly in the 5 selected community pharmacies located at 5 Taluks of Erode district, Tamil Nadu, India. The required data were collected either from the patient’s record or interview. Data were collected from 946 (75.68%) patients of 1250 patients visited the selected community pharmacies.49.4% and 50.6% of patients were randomly allotted to the control (group I) and intervention (group II) groups respectively.In this study 50.56% and 46.67% of males were in group I and II respectively. Average SBP was measured as 151.5 ± 11.8 mmHg and 168.1 ± 13.6 mmHg for the patients in group I and II respectively whereas 92.9 ± 9.3 mmHg and 92.6 ± 9.5 mmHg were the DBP readings among the patients in group I and II respectively. Average total cholesterol was measured as 253.66 ± 33.67 mg/dL and 271.04 ± 39.91 mg/dL for the patients in group I and II respectively. The difference in the prevalence is 0.7 and 2.05 for the antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic agents respectively whereas the incidence was observed as 4.75 and 2.5 for the antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic agents respectively. The odds ratio of SBP and DBP is 1.12 and 0.99 respectively in the group II. The values of multivariate analysis showed that there is an agreement between intervention and utilization pattern of antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic agents. It is to conclude that the preliminary screening of blood pressure and lipid profile showed many patients were not visiting regularly for consultations. The screening programme has resulted in good improvement in the utilization pattern of antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic agents. The age, lipid levels and comorbid conditions were main factors among the individuals which have determined the prescribing pattern of agents.

A Prospective Antimicrobial Prescription Audit in the Inpatient Department of Pulmonology in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic usage is increasing rapidly day by day with or without prescription. Irrational prescription usage, negligence of standard guidelines and antimicrobial resistance are increasing complexity in the therapy and the desired outcome. High-volume prescription of antibiotics in primary health care is a major factor contributing to antibiotic resistance. Educating physicians and patients can lower prescribing errors and the aim of this study was to do a prospective observational prescription audit in inpatient department of pulmonology in a tertiary care hospital and limiting the inappropriate use of antimicrobials. The primary objective of the study is to determine the Antibiotic prescription, find out the inappropriate drug selection, dose selection, dosage form and course of antibiotics to monitor the culture test as well as antibiotic sensitivity and resistance and also to analyze the drug interaction, allergic medication prescribed and omission of the dose. The study was conducted with 234 patients in Erode district, Tamilnadu. The study conducted by strictly observing the antimicrobial prescription in the inpatient pulmonology department in a tertiary care hospital, limiting the inappropriate drug selection, dose selection, dosage form, course of antibiotics and hence decreasing the antibiotic resistance. The prescribing and administering details were collected in a data acquisition form; the collected data were interpreted with Sanford and GOLD Standard Guidelines and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The study found that irrational use of medication was high (53.41%) and a highly significant medication error also reported. The major concomitant disorder was Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (21.79%) and most administered drug was Ceftriaxone (20.51%) (Third generation Cephalosporins). Culture test (32.90%) as well as antibiotic sensitivity and resistance test were done in very less cases, empirical therapy dominates over targeted therapy which affects rationality.

Evaluation of Anti-Parkinson Activity of Aqueous Extract of Barleria prionitis

AIM- The aim of the preset investigation is Evaluation of Anti-Parkinson Activity of Aqueous Extract of Barleria prionitis. MATERIAL & METHODS- The whole plant of Barleria prionitiswere collected from the surrounding areas of Erode district, Tamilnadu, India during the month of December. Coarsely powdered whole plant of Barleria prionitis were extracted with water for 48 hours at room temperature. After extraction the extracts were evaporated by using rotary evaporator and dried at room temperature. The obtained crude extracts were weighed and stored at 4ᵒC for the further analysis. Male Swiss albino mice 3 month of age, and 25-30 g body weight were offered. All the rats were kept at room temperature and allowed to acclimate in standard conditions less than 12 hr light/ 12 hr dark cycle in the animal house. The MPTP was purchased from sigma chemicals, Mumbai, India and was stored according to the manufacturer label (370C) to prevent its decomposition. The length of time (duration) the animal stay on the rod without falling, gives a measure of their coordination, balance, physical condition and motor-planning. RESULTS- The grip strength of treated rats were found to be increased in the rats as compared to untreated rats. Similarly, Locomotor activity were also significantly increased in the rats treated in rats as compared to untreated rats. DISCUSSION- From the results the Actophotometer readings (locomotor activity) of animals of vehicle-treated control group (Group I) was found to be 386.33±1.56 and 396±1.15 counts/5 min for all 7 days of treatment. MPTP treatment to animals of Group II showed a significant reduction in locomotor activity every week. The actophotometer readings decreased to 186±2.30 counts/ 5 min. on the 7th day, went down to 145.33±0.23 counts/5 min. Thus, there was a significant decline in the locomotor activity of rotenone treated control animals (Group III) when compared to vehicle-treated control group (Group I). CONCLUSION- From the present study, it can be considered that the aqueous extract of Barleria prionitis exhibited significant anti-parkinsonism activity in MPTP model in mouse and rats respectively.
 KEYWORDS- Anti-Parkinson Activity, Aqueous Extract, Barleria prionitis, Parkinson Disease, Muscular rigidity, Bradykinesia

Visiting Indian Hospitals Before, During and After COVID

The prevailing COVID-19 situation has brought in temporary and permanent changes in the attitude and lifestyle of people. Starting from Hand sanitizers and face masks, it extends to online classrooms and work from home culture. In case of visiting hospitals and medications, people with pre-existing medical conditions and minor health issues tend to delay or avoid visiting hospitals due to fear of infection, which is dangerous. Further, people or patients tend to access several alternatives and precautions. The alternatives include home remedies, ayurvedic medication, yoga and meditation. On the other hand, hospitals are trying to adapt online consulting and telemedicine. Besides, Cancellation or delay of nonemergency surgeries became inevitable in the lockdown phase. This survey conducted among the people of Erode district, Tamilnadu to study the perception of people concerning visiting hospitals for health issues. The results show that fear of infection, financial and transportation difficulties are the major factors which affected people from visiting hospital. Also, changing trends like Telemedicine and home remedies are likely to be permanently opted by people. In Brief, the outcomes reveal the changing attitude of people towards medication and hospital visiting habits.

Milk yield, composition, and lactation curve models of Bargur cattle under farmers' production system in their native habitat.

Milk yield and composition traits (fat (%) and SNF (%)) from 1229 test day records of 205 Bargur cattle maintained under a farmers' production system were studied. This breed is known for its adaptability to the hilly tracts of Erode District in Tamil Nadu. Performance recording was done in the natural habitat through the test-day milk yield from lactating cows in the farmers' herds. Effects of non-genetic factors like season, year, parity, stage of lactation, and days from calving were studied using mixed models with animal taken as a random effect. Estimated marginal means for daily milk yield (DMY, L/day), fat (%), and SNF (%) were 2.05 ± 0.03, 4.08 ± 0.03%, and 8.19 ± 0.01%, respectively. Stage of lactation was highly significant (P < 0.01) for DMY, fat, and SNF. Season and year were significant for DMY and SNF, where higher productivity was obtained in the monsoon season, but fat remained constant in all the seasons. Parity was significant (P < 0.05) only for SNF, and year was significant for DMY (P < 0.01) and SNF (P < 0.05). Persistency was 5.9% calculated using Wood's gamma function and 63.0% calculated using the ratio of predicted yields. This was slightly lower compared to dairy breeds of cattle. Thirteen different lactation curve models were used for fitting of Bargur cattle lactation curve, and the Parabolic exponential model was the best fitting model based on model diagnostic criteria.

An Economic Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Paddy Cultivation of Erode District in Tamil Nadu

The study made an attempt to identify the socio-economic characteristics of paddy cultivating farmers of various size groups selected from the sample, to examine the resource use pattern of paddy cultivating farmers of varying size groups, and to evaluate the farm level technical efficiencies in the production of paddy in Thadappalli ayacut of Erode District in Tamil Nadu. The study was confined to a sample of 150 paddy farmer households selected from 5 villages of Thadappalli ayacut in Erode District. A simple percentage, the stochastic production frontier function model of the Cobb-douglas type used to find the results. The findings of the study have policy implications since they not only provide empirical efficiency indicators that can be used to plan farm production, but they also assist us identify the potential for crop production improvement across diverse farming systems based on efficiency. The study’s findings also provide insight into long-term productivity improvement approaches that do not require more resources. Given that education has a considerable impact on technical efficiency, efforts should be made to popularise both formal and informal education among farmers in the area.

The Social Status of Panchala Workers in the Novel Dreams

The novel 'Dispersed Dreams' is a description of the social position of textile workers. 'KalaiKada Kanavukkal' by R. Vichalan has been described in the social situation of the people who go to the textile symposium in coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul and Erode districts. The novel also shows the large number of children in the society who go to the textile strip and the cruel tyranny of women in the name of the scheme. Society is a group of people living as a group. The social status of the community will change according to the change in the environment. Illustrates the life of the working community in the panchayats. Lack of rainfall causes agricultural damage. The middlemen are taking advantage of the poverty of the people. People join the plant to alleviate their poverty. Lets learn about the plight of working women staying in textile and their place of residence. The exploitation of workers' labor can also be seen.The novel 'Dispersed Dreams' highlights the problem of the life of textile workers.

A study to assess the effectiveness of antenatal Exercises in reduction of labour pain among primi mothers in selected hospital, Erode.

Giving birth is a life-changing event, and the care that a woman receives during labour has the potential to affect her both physically and emotionally the short and longer term. Therefore, improving the quality of maternity care in both developed and developing countries is an important part of attempts made to decrease maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. In obstetric care, many interventions are complex, containing a number of different components which may have an effect on the impact of the interventions in healthcare settings. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of antenatal exercises in reduction of labour pain among primi gravida mothers in both the groups. Methodology: A quantitative approach and evaluate in nature and true experimental design where post test only with control group design. The study population were Primi mothers, 30(15 control and 15 experimental group) mothers attending antenatal OPD in private maternity Hospital, Erode District. Visual analog scale was used to assess the level of pain. Result: The findings revealed that after the antenatal exercise the visual analog pain scale score was reduced in experimental group compared to the control group among primi mothers. In control group there was no significant association between the level of labour pain and demographic variables. In experimental group there was no significant association between the level of pain and demographic variables such as age, family, living area, habit of regular exercise and previous source of information and highly significant association in education, occupation and income. Conclusion: The antenatal exercise was more effective in reduction pain during labour among the primi mothers in experimental group.

Biomethanated distillery spentwash application and its impact on soil health, growth and yield of Elephant foot yam

Agrobased industries are contributing socio-economic development of the country, distillery industries are using sugarcane molasses as a raw material for alcohol production. Every litre of alcohol production ten to fifteen litres of waste water generated named as spentwash. The disposal of spentwash is a seroious issue and looking for recycling option to enhance soil health.r Distillery Spentwashis important organic liquid manure contain high amount of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and sulfur and also it contains high amount of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, boron and molybdenum. Field experiment was conducted to study the efficiency of Biomethanated distillery spentwash, on improving the yield and quality of Yam at Research and Development farm of Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd., Modur, Sathyamangalamtaluk, Erode district. Distillery Spentwashwas applied in a field with the treatments from 10 to 60 KL/ha and soil samples are collected at initial, vegetative and harvesting stage of Elephant foot yam. The application of spent wash as manure was improved soil health and resulted in increasedroot and shoot length quality and yield of Elephant foot Yam. There was enhanced available N andK status of soil with the application of spent wash, particularly for K.The increase in yield and quality parameters was observed at harvest stage of Elephant foot Yam.Application of Biomethanated Distillery Spentwashat 50 KL/ha recorded higher yield of 38.20 t /ha. Elephant foot yam quality parameters like Carbohydrate, Vitamin C, Beta carotene were significantly increased when compared to control field.

Forecast of Drought Using Statistical Approach for Erode District

Drought plays a crucial role in agriculture, especially in farming and has a significant impact on the environment. The present study focuses on the forecast of drought using one of the hybrid artificial neural network namely the Adaptive NeuroFuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). For this study, 39 years of monthly precipitation value of Erode district are used. Firstly, using monthly precipitation values, Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) values are computed at three monthly scale since Erode district mainly depends on North-East Monsoon. Secondly, with computed SPI value and mean precipitation value of North-East Monsoon season, different ANFIS forecasting models are constructed with its precursory time period. Further, the outcome of the anticipated ANFIS model and observed values were collated using Root Mean Square Error and Mean Absolute Error values. The model with minimal RMSE value was termed as the best fit model.

Fear of COVID-19 among Staff Nurse Working in Tertiary Care Hospital, Erode, Tamil Nadu: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put a strain on healthcare workers, and the virus offers major personal and professional threats. Mental health has been affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, causing them to be fear of becoming sick. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care professionals have been psychologically impacted including fear, anxiety, and depression. Aim: To determine the level of COVID-19 fear among hospital nurses in tertiary hospital care hospital, Erode dristrict, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey study was conducted among employees of Government Erode Medical College Hospital and nearby Hospitals in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, India, from July 2020 to August 2020, to evaluated the fear of COVID-19 using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). It used a self-administered questionnaire (online Google form survey). It consisted of two parts, first was socio-demographic details and second was fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). The inclusion criteria of participants were all staff nurses working in COVID-19 ward, for minimum of three months in Erode district and willingness to participate. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) F-test and student Independent t-test analysis was performed to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and fear levels. Results: The study included a total of 277 staff nurses. The participant’s mean age was 32.25±6.45 years, with females accounting for 93.5% of the total. The scale's internal reliability was excellent, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.902. Overall, the mean COVID-19 fear score was (59.3%) 20.8 out of 35. The maximum fear score was for the statement "I am most afraid of Corona" (65%) and the minimum fear score was for "I cannot sleep because I am worried about getting Corona" (51.8%). Fear levels were higher in females (p-value=0.02), overweight people (p-value=0.001), those living in joint families (p-value=0.01), married individuals (p-value=0.03), participants with two children (p-value=0.001), and Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) staff (p-value=0.001). Conclusion: The survey found a high level of fear in staff nurses who work in COVID-19 wards. Steps must be taken to preserve their health, by providing adequate resources to relieve their worries and anxiety, enabling them to carry out their frontline duties in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic.

A Paradigm Shift in the Saving Investment Pattern of Rural South India – With Specific Reference to Gobichettipalayam and Chennimalai, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India

A Paradigm Shift in the Saving Investment Pattern of Rural South India – With Specific Reference to Gobichettipalayam and Chennimalai, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India

Community Analysis of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Agriculture and Horticulture Crops in Erode District of Tamil Nadu

Community analysis of plant parasitic nematodes is an important criterion to determine their pathogenic potential in a particular region and to identify the nematode hotspots. This investigation involves the analysis of distribution, frequency and population of plant parasitic nematode genera associated with the rhizosphere of maize, tomato, mulberry, banana and sugarcane grown in Erode district, Tamil Nadu. Nematode genera viz., Tylenchorhynchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Criconemoides spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Xiphinema spp. and Longidorus spp. were recorded in the rhizosphere region of these crops. Assessment of community structure of plant parasitic nematodes associated with the above mentioned crops revealed variation in their frequency, density and diversity. In maize, Longidorus spp. was reported the predominant genus with the absolute frequency value of 100% and the prominence value of 2.87. Meloidogyne spp. was the most prevalent nematode in tomatoes, with an absolute frequency of 72.72% and prominence value of 6.29. Xiphinema spp. was the more frequently occurring nematode in mulberry, with the absolute frequency of 100% and prominence value of 21.06. In sugarcane, Hoplolaimus spp. was the most commonly occurring nematode with an absolute frequency of 90.90%. Pratylenchus spp. ranked highest in terms of density (absolute and relative) and prominence value in Banana.

A Study on Awareness of Startups Among Management Students in Erode District

A Study on Awareness of Startups Among Management Students in Erode District

Dietary Practices and Nutritional Awareness among Pregnant Women Living in Semi-urban City of Erode District, Tamilnadu, India

Dietary Practices and Nutritional Awareness among Pregnant Women Living in Semi-urban City of Erode District, Tamilnadu, India

Studies on the Occurrence, Distribution and Community Analysis of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Maize, Tomato, Mulberry, Banana and Sugarcane in Erode District of Tamil Nadu

Studies on the Occurrence, Distribution and Community Analysis of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Maize, Tomato, Mulberry, Banana and Sugarcane in Erode District of Tamil Nadu

Performance of High Yielding Promising Sugarcane Variety for Western Zone of Tamilnadu

Sugarcane is an important commercial crop cultivated in over 23,000 ha in Erode district of TamilNadu state. Attempts were made by researchers and extension workers to improve the productivity of sugarcane by adopting high yielding varieties and improved production technologies. The on-farm trials were conducted during Kharif 2017 and 2018 in five farmers’ field to assess the performance of high yielding promising sugarcane varieties suitable for Western Zone of TamilNadu. The varieties selected for trial were Co 86032 and Co 0212. The study revealed that Co 0212 recorded more number of productive tillers per plant (10.4), intermodal length (14.51 cm), stem girth (11.22) and individual cane weight (1.511 kg) which was superiorly higher than the existing variety Co 86032. Similarly Co 0212 recorded the yield of 127.5 ton / ha during 2017 which was 17.24 per cent higher yield than the existing variety and 138.86 ton / ha recorded and 30.68 per cent yield advantage was noticed in the ratoon crop. The highest benefit cost ratio of 2.44 was recorded in Co 0212 in ratoon crop and 2.05 in first crop where as 1.73 and 1.86 BCR observed in Co 86032 in first and ratoon crop respectively. Considering the above facts, Co 0212 would be identified as a better alternate variety suitable for the Western Zone of TamilNadu

Drug Utilization Evaluation of Antidiabetic Agents in Primary Care Clinics of a South Indian Rural Province

A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the utilization of antidiabetic agents among patients with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus in primary care clinics of a South Indian rural province of Erode district, Tamilnadu, India. The study was conducted for a period of one year using a structured validated questionnaire. There was a total of 487 diabetic patients residing in the rural area of a south Indian state were included in this drug utilization evaluation. Majority of the diabetic patients i