Indian State Of Karnataka Research Articles

Assessment of LULC change dynamics and its relationship with LST and spectral indices in a rural area of Bengaluru district, Karnataka India

In recent decades, rural areas in the surroundings of metropolitan cities have undergone substantial development in India. This has resulted in changes in land use and land cover (LULC) patterns having a significant impact on hydrological processes and climate change. Therefore, comprehending such modifications is critical for the decision-making process, and the development of a sustainable environment. The current study focused on comprehending the spatio-temporal dynamics of LULC changes and their repercussions on variations in Land Surface Temperature (LST) profiles over a two-decade period in the Dodballapur Taluk, Bengaluru Rural District of Karnataka State in India. The study also investigates the relationship between LULC changes, Land Surface Temperature (LST), and spectral indicators such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). Landsat 7 ETM + satellite images acquired in the years, 2001, 2010, and 2019 were used in the study. The Supervised Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) technique was adopted to classify images and assess spatio-temporal LULC changes and analyse transformations of several LULC classes viz. barren land (BL), built-up land (BUL), crop land (CL), pasture (P), uncultivated land (UCL), shrub land (SL), and water bodies (WB). The accuracy assessment ensured the veracity of the image classification. The results showed that a) built-up, crop, and shrub land have been increased by 75.54%, 38.18%, and 52.57% respectively, b) barren, pasture, and uncultivated land have been increased by 22.94%, 4.89%, and 50.62% respectively; and c) the area covered with surface water bodies has been significantly reduced by 635.58%. The analysis of LST changes revealed a 2.09 °C increase in mean LST with a variance of 2.75 °C, showing considerable fluctuations in cold and hot weather conditions. The regression study of scatterplots for LST-NDVI revealed triangular space (R2 = −0.234), LST-NDBI revealed right-angled triangle space (R2 = 0.567), and LST-NDWI also exhibited right-angled triangular space (R2 = −0.533). Intriguingly, the relationship between NDVI and NDBI exhibited a crescent shaped scatterplot with R2 value of −0.448. The findings of the study can assist policymakers and decision-makers in developing and implementing policies for sustainable rural development and water resource management.

A Study on Challenges and Suggestions of Farmers to Promote Agro Tourism Centres in Karnataka State in India

Agriculture in India is facing acute problems from production till marketing of the produce. Hence, it is needed to supplement the income of rural folk and the Indian farmers should find an alternate means of livelihood and agro tourism is one such approach. It also has the capacity to generate a marginal or supplementary source of income and also creates employment opportunities to the farmers. The study was conducted in four selected districts viz., Bangalore, Chikmagalur, Hassan, and Madikeri districts of Karnataka state. In total 120 farmers were interviewed personally with an objective to understand the challenges the farmers face in promotion of ATC and also sought their suggestions to overcome the challenges. Expost facto design was used for the study. The study revealed that, high cost of labour (83.33%) was the major financial challenge it is due to fact that the most of the labourers were from outside their locality that comes in the search of job and demand more than the localities. Lack of mindset for commercial approach (83.33%) and weak communication skills of the farmers (75.00%) were human resource challenges this is due to the reason that organised efforts are seems to be lacking in this. insufficient literature for agro tourism practice (87.50%) was a major technical challenge, less tourists during peak agricultural activities (80.00%) and Lack of governmental support (89.16%) were the situational and policy challenges faced by the farmers respectively, The probable reason for the above mentioned challenges might be that, since, the concept has emerged in the recent past, the proper research works have not been undertaken the policy recommendations have not been put forth before the government. Complete tourism package should be provided to encourage ATC (79.16%), ministry of tourism should support and promote ATC (75.83%) and provide sales and marketing support (75.00%) were few of the suggestions given by the farmers to overcome the challenges. The government need to come up with the price policy mechanism with respect to tour packages in order to prevent loss to farmers. If ATCs are promoted and widely adopted, it will provide supplementary income to the farmers and helps in generating the employment at the rural ecosystem.

New host plant record, first report of natural parasitisation, report of ‘parasitoid guarding’ behaviour with notes on biology and identification of Thyrassia virescens (Hampson, 1892) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae)

ABSTRACT Caterpillars of Thyrassia virescens (Hampson, 1892) were collected from a newly recorded host plant Cissus quadrangularis Linnaeus, 1767 (Vitaceae) in Chikaballapura district of Karnataka State in India from June to September 2021. Larvae were reared in room condition to study the life cycle. The total larval period was found to be 18–22 days with four instars. The pupal period was found to be 10–12 days. Parasitisation by Cotesia sp. (Braconidae: Hymenoptera) on the caterpillars of T. virescens has been documented for the first time. While there was no parasitisation occurred during the first generation, the second and third generations showed 93.3% and 18.18% parasitisation respectively. Notes on the identification features such as the male and female genitalia have been described. An interesting ‘parasitoid-guarding’ behaviour has been documented, in which the caterpillars seem to protect the parasitoid cocoon from hyper-parasitoids and other enemies until the emergence of parasitoid adult.

Changing Employment Pattern amongst Coffee Plantation Workers in Karnataka, India

This paper studies the impact of mechanisation on employment patterns in coffee plantations in the Indian state of Karnataka. This study attempts to highlight the fact that farm employment in developing countries decreases with agricultural mechanisation, particularly for women workers. To measure the impact of technology on coffee workers in Karnataka, unit level data from employment-unemployment survey was collected from National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) for two time points of 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 based on the usual principal status of employment. Changes in the division of labour in plantations occurred due to the introduction of mechanical dryers. The latest technological component, mechanical dryers, coupled with other factors reduce female employment by fifty-four percent whereas the number of male workers increased by seventy percent due to increased numbers of male actors in the value chain. Technical efficiency was achieved at the expense of unequal employment opportunities for coffee plantation workers of India.

Prevalence and distribution of rice blast disease in different rice ecosystems of Karnataka, India

Rice is the most widely consumed cereal staple food for a significant part of the world, particularly in Asia. The Karnataka state of India is one of the highest rice producers, and it has a varied rice ecosystem from irrigated plains to rainfed hilly areas. The rice blast occurs at different severity in these ecosystems causing significant losses each year. The roving survey was carried out in the 120 villages of 18 districts distributed under five irrigated and two rainfed ecosystems of Karnataka during Kharif -2019. Within the irrigated ecosystems, the highest PDI was observed in the Kavery (50.85), followed by Varada (45.89), Bhadra (45.82), Tungabhadra (11.13), and Upper Krishna (10.58) command areas. In a rainfed ecosystem, the highest PDI was observed in the hilly ecosystem (53.38) and the least in the coastal ecosystem (3.73). Within 18 districts, the lowest PDI was observed in the Gadag district (1.68) of the Thungabhadra ecosystem, and the highest was observed in the Chikkamagalur district (81.60) of the hilly ecosystem. The disease was severe in the rainfed hilly ecosystem, followed by an irrigated and rainfed coastal ecosystem. This information is helpful in formulating the management strategies of rice blast in different rice ecosystems of Karnataka.

Study on Customer Motivation in Choosing Resort Hotels (Using Push-Pull Theory), during Covid-19 Pandemic: Case of Karnataka

With a globalized world going into complete or partial lockdown, owing to COVID-19 pandemic situation, overall impact on economic growth, human-life, and businesses are difficult to analyze, both in short and long-term. Nearer home, Indian hospitality sector has been struggling due to low demand and few future bookings. However, there is still hope for Indian hospitality industry to recover from this unprecedented situation by tailoring strategies according to customer’s motivation to choose a certain tourism product or service, which will drive hotel sector’s demand. This paper aims to establish these customer motivation factors: push and pull motivation factors (based on push-pull theory). A choice shift from traditional hotels to resorts, especially during a pandemic, where social distancing has become essential when stepping out of homes. Study region in Indian State of Karnataka, with a prerequisite of choosing a sample of respondents, who either have traveled or are willing to travel locally during an ongoing pandemic and choose resort hotels as their lodging option. Research methodology used in this study are exploratory factor analysis to determine push and pull motivation factors, which drive customers to choose resort hotels during their travel amidst ongoing pandemic, Descriptive factor analysis, which presented a resort-hotel guest profile, and reliability modified push-pull factors based on variables dependent on COVID-19 situation. Timely knowledge and awareness of motivation factors will enable hoteliers to develop appealing right positioning and apt points of differences for their offering during COVID-19 pandemic situation to help in revival of this sector which has been worst affected mammoth of a crisis.

Molecular detection and characterization of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) infecting Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Karnataka State of India.

Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVd) is a non-coding, infectious, small, circular RNA known to cause disease in agricultural and horticultural plants. In the present work, an investigation was conducted in the southern districts of Karnataka state to assess the possible pospiviroid infections on tomato plants that are considered natural hosts for viroids. A total of 83 tomato samples showing disease symptoms (virus or viroid-like) along with healthy ones were collected and subjected to viroid detection by conventional Reverse Transcriptase Polymer Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) using universal (Pospi1-RE/Pospi1-FW) and a specific set of primers (3H1/2H1). The study confirmed the presence of PSTVd in one of the samples of tomato collected from Banghatta village of Mandy District, with an expected amplicon of ~ 361bp. The bioassay conducted on tomato plants (cv. Rutgers) proved the association of PSTVd, which was further confirmed by RT-PCR. The amplicons were cloned, sequenced, and the representative sequences were deposited in the NCBI GenBank. The sequence alignment and secondary structure analysis of the isolated viroid with other reference sequences revealed the variations in the pathogenicity, central conserved region, and Terminal right domains. The variations observed between the isolated PSTVd with that of other Indian isolates support that viroid may have been transmitted among the crop plants, possibly through seed or mechanical means.

Not Merely a Game of Cat and Mouse: Regulatory Categorization of Contemporary Entrepreneurial Firms

Regulatory categorization is a process which sets legal limitations to the production and sales of products or provisions of service within the jurisdiction of a regulator. Extant literature on the process is very limited and the few studies that have explored the process do not engage with contemporary entrepreneurial firms. Studies on the regulation of contemporary entrepreneurial firms suggest multiple actors influence their regulation and the dynamics between the local and central state regulatory authorities plays a significant role in how these firms navigate the process. Adopting an institutional work theoretical perspective in line with extant work, we study in detail the case of regulatory categorization of ride hailing app-based firms at the subnational level in the state of Karnataka in India. The preliminary analysis suggests that the process is a multi-actor contested negotiation unlike extant work which suggests it to be a contest between firms and regulator. We identify two sets of actors - ‘stakeholders’ and ‘third-party actors’ who engage in category work, and maintenance work on their own. This is a departure from extant work which emphasizes the agency of the firms in activating other actors to influence the regulator.

Ethical implications of COVID-19 surveillance in Karnataka using Nancy Kass Framework

Numerous public health hurdles, including pandemics such as COVID-19, have led to concerns about community health practices in relation, necessitating the application of an ethical perspective. International research ethics guidelines are only used in a restricted range of contexts of public health. As a result, a variety of frameworks have been established to assist ethical analysis of public health concerns. In this study, we have used the Nancy Kass framework for analyzing COVID-19 surveillance in Karnataka state of India, which is a six-step approach that can assist public health practitioners in evaluating the ethical consequences of interventions, policy initiatives, services, and so on. In order to supervise the compliance of home quarantine, the government of Karnataka mandated uploading selfies as a digital tracking surveillance measure for the COVID-19 outbreak. However, these measures raised several ethical questions, especially related to an individual’s privacy, confidentiality, autonomy, and liberty. An established state surveillance mechanism with includes enforced measures for data security along with the moral duty of an individual to protect the health of the community can probably balance the principles of ethics.

Performance of artificial intelligence-based breast cancer screening in a community setting: a real-world evaluation study

Despite improvements in treatment strategies, breast cancer survival rates in India remain low because of poor awareness and advanced stages at presentation. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the survival rates of patients with breast cancer. A population-based breast cancer screening programme with mammography is often not feasible in resource-constrained settings. Thermalytix, a novel breast cancer screening technology, applies artificial intelligence algorithms over thermal images to generate an automated interpretation report indicating breast health. The Thermalytix testing equipment is portable, requires minimal skills to operate, and operation is 20 times less expensive than a mammography. The test has been used to screen women in community settings in India. This study was done to assess the performance of the Thermalytix test in identifying women suspicious of breast cancer in community settings. Women who underwent Thermalytix tests in community-based screening camps in the Indian states of Karnataka and Maharashtra between Aug 12, 2017, and May 31, 2021, were included in this study. The Thermalytix test captured five thermal images in multiple views from each participant and the tool automatically generated a triage report. A more detailed report with annotations of probably abnormal regions and an overall breast health score ranging from 0 to 5 (B-score) was also generated. A B-score of 4 or 5 on triage indicates a high level of concern and prompts a recommendation to follow-up with breast ultrasonography. A B-score of 3 prompts a recommendation to repeat the Thermalytix test after 3 months. A B-score of 1 or 2 indicates thermal patterns of low level, usually prompting a recommendation to continue routine screening. Participants with B-scores of 4 or 5 on the Thermalytix test were followed-up with a telephone call to obtain information about their subsequent tests, such as mammography, ultrasonography, or histopathological examination. Women with a follow-up report were categorised as having "Normal", "Abnormal-Benign", or "Abnormal-Malignant" findings (as per their Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score of 1, 2 or 3, or 4 or 5, respectively). 13 932 women were included in the analysis. 775 women complained of a breast lump, 625 (4·5%) of whom were given B-scores of 4 or 5 after Thermalytix testing and were referred for follow-up breast ultrasonography. 117 (18·7%) of these 625 women underwent standard follow-up investigations. Abnormalities were detected in 78 of the 117 followed-up women (74 benign and four malignant breast lesions), indicating that Thermalytix has a positive predictive value of 66·7% in detecting benign and malignant breast lesions. In resource-constrained countries where systematic screening programmes with mammography is not scalable or feasible, the portable, radiation-free Thermalytix test is a promising option for affordable and accessible breast cancer screening. This screening test is not resource-intensive and can be set up in remote locations and operated with minimal training. The Thermalytix test can be used to triage women for referral for further evaluation in secondary or tertiary health-care centres, which makes it a logistically and economically feasible option for breast cancer screening in low-income and middle-income countries. This programme was sponsored by Niramai Health Analytix and was executed in collaboration with National Health Mission, Maharashtra, India, and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Municipal Corporation of Bangalore City, Karnataka, India.

An observational study of compliance with tobacco-free school guidelines in Udupi district, Karnataka (India)

Background: National tobacco-free school guidelines were introduced in India in 2009. We assessed compliance with these guidelines across both government, government-aided, and private schools in Udupi district of Karnataka state in India. Methods: We visited 915 upper primary and high schools across Udupi district and used a standardized checklist for visual inspection of the school environment and interviews with a school representative to ascertain compliance with guidelines (display of a tobacco-free school/institution board, presence of no smoking signage, no tobacco sale within 100 yards, presence of a Tobacco Control Committee, integration of tobacco control activities into the school health program, and availability of a copy of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act). Results: A tobacco-free school board was displayed at the main entrance of 73% of schools, and there was no evidence of tobacco products on sale within 100 yards of 96% of schools. However, only 5% of the schools reported having the Committee; 4% reported having a copy of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 with the school, and no smoking signage was observed in < 1%. Integration of tobacco control activities into the school health program was reported in 91% of schools. Conclusions: Compliance with tobacco-free school guidelines in Udupi was far from complete, indicating the need for enhanced implementation and monitoring.

A comparison of behavioural models explaining cervical cancer screening uptake

BackgroundCervical cancer represents a very high burden of disease, especially in Low- and Middle-income economies. Screening is a recommended prevention method in resource-poor settings. Cervical cancer screening (CCS) uptake is influenced by various psycho-social factors, most of which are included in behavioural models. Unlike demographic characteristics, these factors are modifiable. While few studies have compared these models in terms of their capacity to predict health behaviour, this study considers three health behaviour theories to assess and compare the predictors of CCS behaviour and intention.MethodsA survey was conducted among 607 sexually active women in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Data was collected regarding socio-demographic factors, health literacy, knowledge on CCS, and the socio-cognitive factors related to CCS that are represented in the Health Belief Model (HBM), Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Theory of Care-Seeking Behaviour (TCSB). Logistic regression analyses tested to what extent each of the theoretical models explained cervical cancer screening (CCS) intention and regular screening behaviour, comparing the variance explained by each of the models.ResultsCCS intention was best explained by the TPB, followed by the HBM. Of the constructs included in these models, positive attitude towards the screening procedure and perceived benefits contributed most significantly to screening intention, followed by fear, anxiety or embarrassment related to the disease or screening procedure, and context specific barriers.ConclusionHealth behavioural models such as the TPB and HBM can help to identify the main socio-cognitive factors explaining the intention of women to participate in CCS. As such, they can inform interventions to target specific determinants of screening intention and behaviour, and enhance their effectiveness by addressing women’s screening attitude, perceived benefits, and emotions as well as reducing context specific barriers to screening.

Understanding factors associated with continuation of use of injectable contraceptives in Karnataka and Maharashtra, India: a cross-sectional household study

The Government of India has worked to expand access to injectable contraceptives through the introduction of a three-monthly injectable contraceptive MPA under the ‘Antara’ program in 2017. However, the uptake of injectable contraceptives has remained low, and few studies have investigated the experiences of public health facility injectable clients in India. We examined factors associated with continuing, discontinuing, and switching methods among injectable users obtaining services from public health facilities in the Indian states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The study team recruited respondents (N=1009) that had received their first injectable dose from in public sector facilities between February – May 2019 and conducted a follow-up visit at their residence in December 2020. We used multivariate logistic regression to study the association of the demographic characteristics, service quality, satisfaction with services, follow-up visits, and decision-making on injectable continuation and switching to other family planning methods. Injectable usage rates declined significantly, with 44% of clients receiving a second dose and only 16% receiving a third dose. Over half of women (54%) cited problems related to periods as the reason for discontinuing injectable use after the first dose. Respondents were more likely to continue their method at third dose if they were older (25-35 years) (OR:1.68, p<0.05) and had received a reminder for a follow-up dose (OR: 2.41, p Our results also highlight the importance of addressing side-effects experience by women, which may be better managed by community-based follow-up visits and high-quality counselling services.

Selected Environmental Impact Indicators Assessment of Wind Energy in India Using a Life Cycle Assessment

This study focuses on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of an onshore wind farm in India. The study is conducted on 10 Vestas 1.65 MW wind turbines situated in the Karnataka state of India. Following the ISO 14044 standard, SimaPro LCA software is used to model the process. The functional unit is chosen as 1 MWh sent out electricity. The results of the life cycle-based emissions of wind farm are compared with those of the coal power plant. The global warming potential is found to be 11.3 g CO2-eq/MWh for wind power, which is 98.8% lower than that for the coal power plant. A comparison of data available in SimaPro LCA software was carried out with data in GaBi software. There is a small difference between the two databases. This may be due to different boundary and inclusion of input items. Steel, aluminium, and concrete contributed 86%, 84%, 84% and 85% of total CO2, NOx, SO2 and PM2.5 emissions, respectively. Recycling the materials of a wind turbine at the end of its life can reduce the environmental impact. Higher capacity factors can increase the electricity generation with reduced environmental impact. A 22% increase in capacity factor can reduce environmental impact by 19%. In addition, the increase in the life of wind turbines reduces the environmental impact, as a wind turbine only has a few moving parts and requires minimum regular maintenance.

Wasp mimicking Monoceromyia eumenioides (Saunders, 1842) (Diptera: Syrphidae) visiting flowers of the tropical tree plant, Bridelia retusa (L.) A. Juss. from India

ABSTRACT The wasp mimicking flower fly, Monoceromyia eumenioides (Saunders) is reported for the first time visiting flowers of tropical tree plant Bridelia retusa (L.) A. Juss. in April and May in Bangalore, Karnataka State India. Important identification characters of adult, male genitalia images and notes on the distribution, mimicry and its host plants are given.

Climate stress impacts on livestock health: Implications for farming livelihoods and animal disease in Karnataka, India

AbstractUnderstanding the impact of climate change on livestock health is critical to safeguarding global food supplies, economies, and farming livelihoods. We evidence, through exploration of secondary data informed by a rapid ethnographic assessment of farming livelihoods in Karnataka, India, that both precipitation and vapour pressure are key climate variables relating to outbreaks of haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS), anthrax (AX), and black quarter (BQ) across the Indian state of Karnataka. We then developed a risk classification tool that assesses how disease risk varies in Karnataka at present and in possible future scenarios. Temperature and maximum temperature are negatively correlated with HS, AX, and BQ, indicating that regions experiencing a cool (but still hot) climate with increasingly wetter, more humid conditions are at high risk of future outbreaks. Principal component analyses revealed the southwest India monsoon and winter periods to be the most strongly correlated with HS, AX, and BQ outbreaks. Vapour pressure, a proxy for humidity, has a positive relationship with these specific livestock diseases. Certain environmental conditions increase the incidence of some bacterial diseases and conditions that mimic their symptoms, and thus also risk driving up the use of antibiotics and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in regions under stress. This methodology can be replicated to investigate other diseases and regions, as long as the climate and epidemiological data cover similar time periods. This evidence highlights the need for greater synergies between climate change and One Health research and policy.One Health Impact StatementWe have taken a transdisciplinary approach, which expands out of One Health to include climate science and participatory research with farmers and livestock industry consultants, to investigate the relationship between factors related to climate (surface temperatures, rainfall, humidity) and outbreaks of livestock-related bacterial diseases. This is especially relevant to the One Health approach as it attempts to integrate findings between not only the science of disease but also the science of climate change as a driver of disease, and address problems that could arise within the public and private sectors (local farming, livestock health, government policy etc.). Providing spatial context to climate-associated disease risk across the Indian state of Karnataka will benefit: local farmers who may already be practising, or are transitioning to, more intensive livestock farming; policymakers; and private sector companies who are planning for future investments. Such expansion needs to be undertaken with full awareness of potentially heightened disease risk. Our transdisciplinary approach is borne from the observations of famers’ lived experiences of challenges to their livelihoods and facilitates the use of climate datasets that may not have been primarily collected for, or used by, disease-related studies to map long-term epidemiological risk. This demonstrates the pragmatic impact that such transdisciplinary projects can have, by providing interpretations of observed risks to animal health (highlighted by social scientists during engagement with practitioner communities) that Earth Scientists were then able to quantify, proving links that would otherwise not have been evidenced. The use of disease data sourced from local institutions, including the Government of India and research laboratories, can inform plans for the application of pragmatic solutions to local challenges by local farmers who are primarily impacted by the challenges highlighted in the research.

Competing with Traditional Business Model: Zero Budget Natural Farming Against Chemical Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming or ZBNF is a set of farming methods, and also is a grassroots peasant movement, which has spread to various states of India. Padma shri Subhash Palekar is founder of this technique of faming ZBNF. It has attained wide achievement in south India, especially the south Indian state of Karnataka where it first evolved. A research was undertaken to study understand Zero Budget Natural Farming with reference to Pune District, Solapur District, and Ahmednagar District in Maharashtra State. 435 farmers were surveyed. The awareness about ZBNF is quite high with the farmers. No marketing strategy is used by ZBNF producers. However, the farmers are in favor of implementing a sound marketing strategy for the ZBNF products. 4Ps of the classic marketing mix can be identified with the ZBNF products like vegetables and fruits. ZBNF implementation can be a game-changer in the field of agriculture. Few farmers were found using ZBNF technique since last 25 years. It is a highly efficient and effective farming model as compared to be the traditional chemical farming.

Assessment of Spatial and Temporal Drought Severity: A Study in Transition Zone of Karnataka State in India

Rainfall data from 1979-2019 was analysed across the agro climatic zones in transition region of Karnataka. Rainfall Anomaly Index and Mean deviation methods are used to identify drought years and wet years over both spatial and temporal on time scale. The North Eastern Transition Zone can be considered as most vulnerable zone as it recorded for about 24 dry years values which indicates existence of persistence drought in this zone. The Northern Transition Zone is not vulnerable when compared to Northern Eastern Transition Zone as most of the drought year values are nearer to wet year values (RAI -0.3 to -1.2) which implies that this zone has moderate drought condition. The Southern transition zone has normal drought condition (RAI +0.3 to -0.3) which implies neither wet nor neither dry condition. But if proper conservations were not taken, this zone may come in the hit list of most vulnerable zone in near future which will harm the farming community.

Ethnic-Guided Soft Tissue Cephalometric Analysis on Lambani Indian Inhabitants for Forensic Facial Reconstruction.

Background: Forensic craniofacial reconstruction is a combination of both scientific technique and artistic skill that assist facial soft tissue approximation on the skull to obtain an image of an individual that varies in the different ethnic groups depending on genetic and environmental factors such as soft tissue norms.Objectives: The present study was aimed to evaluate the soft tissue norms for Lambani Indian tribes spread across the state of Karnataka in India and compare them with the local inherent ethnolinguistic Kannadiga population.Material and methods: Forty healthy individuals encompassing 20 Lambanis and 20 Kannadigas were selected using demographic information. Lateral cephalograms obtained were analyzed for various soft tissue landmarks that include facial angle, upper lip curvature, skeletal convexity, H angle, nose tip to H-line, upper sulcus depth, lower sulcus depth, upper lip thickness, upper lip strain, lower lip to H line, soft tissue chin thickness, and glabella.Results: It was observed that glabella thickness, upper sulcus depth, and lower lip to H line showed a significant difference between Lambani and Kannadiga populations. Lambani’s have a higher facial angle than the Kannadiga group though not statistically significant. Gender-wise comparison had shown a significant difference in variables on upper sulcus depth, glabella among females, and lower lip to H line, glabella among males.Conclusion: The differences obtained between the two ethnic groups in this study clearly suggest the need for separate soft tissue thickness norms for distinctive populations that could be vital in the facial reconstruction of an individual in the field of forensic investigation to narrow down the identification process.

Trend and Growth Rate Estimation of Principal Crops in Karnataka State in India

The study undertaken to analyse the growth rate performance of area, production, productivity of selected crops in Karnataka from year 1997 to 2019. At state level, it was found that, the productivity of cereals showed positive growth with 1.22 percent. The area under maize increased by 5.30 percent by displacing Jowar, Bajra, minor millets. The rice and maize became stable crops in cultivation due its assured support prices and procurement from government. The production of pulses increased by 4.17 percent. The area under oil seeds showed negative trend with -5.87 percent which may be due to its high cost of production and unremunerative prices where as the commercial crops has recorded positive growth rates of production (2.69 percent) and productivity (2.43 percent) despite of its 0.24 percent area growth. The farmers prioritised sugarcane, cotton because of less labour requirements, good market prices. The Technology mission on oilseeds and Pulses in post 1990’s could be reason for increased production and productivity of pulses.