Northwestern Zone Research Articles

Evaluating the Efficacy of Insecticide on the Management of Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci, Lindemann) in Northwestern Zone of Tigray

Ethiopia has enormous potential to produce the onions throughout the year both for domestic use and export market. It is also the most cultivated and high market value of vegetable crops in Tigray Northern Ethiopia. However, the productivity of onion is highly constrained such as insect pests, diseases, lack of improved verities, lack of improved management practices etc. The major insect pest of onion is Onion thrips and important pests especially in areas where onions are grown under irrigation. The purpose of this study was to test the insecticide chemicals application and application frequency on the Onion production technologies. Therefore, field experiment was conducted to evaluate the insecticide chemical applications with frequency application in 2017 and 2018 under irrigation conditions. Thirteen treatments were used three different insecticide types namely Karatae 5% EC, Dimethote 40%EC, Profit72%EC with four different spraying frequency and untreated (control) laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The current findings showed that the profitable yield was obtained Karatae 5% EC (1st spray) (14.25 t ha-1) followed by Profit72%EC (4th spray) that is (20.25 t ha-1) and the obtained profit was 128053 &181788 birr per ha with the maximum Marginal Rate of Return of 3025 & 2417% respectively in Tselemti woreda. In Medebaayzana woreda also, the profitable yield was obtained Karatae 5% EC (1st spray) (25.79 t ha-1) followed by Karatae 5% EC (4st spray) at (27.75 t ha-1) & Dimethote 40% EC (3rd spray) at (25.78 t ha-1) and 231976, 249463 & 231544 birr per ha obtained profit with the maximum Marginal Rate of Return of 2634, 2395 & 2311 % respectively. Therefore, Karatae 5% EC (1st spray) in Tselemti & Medebayzana woreda & Profit72%EC (4th spray) in Tselemti woreda and Dimethote 40% EC (3rd spray) in Medebayzana woreda was profitable preventive Onion Thrips for Onion production in the studies area.

Application of remote sensing/GIS in the appraisal of geotechnical stability of civil engineering structures in cretaceous sedimentary units in Gombe, Northeastern, Nigeria

The increasing urbanization in Gombe township has necessitated the need for a city-wide assessment of the area to ascertain its spatial geotechnical stability. In this study, the geotechnical stability of Gombe township and environs, Northeastern, Nigeria, was appraised using the geospatial approach. Four different thematic maps (lithology, lineament, elevation, and slope) were generated in a GIS environment. Weights were allocated to the subclasses of the thematic maps based on their contribution to the stability of engineering structures. The thematic maps were integrated using ArcGIS 10.3 software to generate a geotechnical stability model of the study area, which was validated through an on-site inspection of the structures in the area. The study area was delineated into three zones: unstable (17.24%), moderate (77.2%), and stable (4.74%). The moderate zones characterised by medium elevation and slope, average lineament density, and underlain by sandstones were the predominant zones in the area. However, the stable and the unstable zones predominate in the western and eastern parts of the study area respectively. The stable zones that occur in the northwestern and southwestern zones of the study area are underlain by the Kerri-Kerri Formation while the poor and unstable areasare underlain by argillaceous materials of the Pindiga Formation. The validation of the model revealed numerous cracked buildings and bridges and a failed bridge in the unstable zones. The moderate stability zones suffer a mixed fortune, having some stable structures in some parts and failing structures in other parts. The buildings in the stable zones, however, are generally devoid of structural cracks.

Bulb Yield and Economic Return of Onion (Allium cepa L.) as Influenced by the Application of Integrated Nutrient Management at Selekleka, Northwestern Zone of Tigray, North Ethiopia

Onion is an important crop as a condiment and income generation for smallholder farmers in northwestern Zone of Tigray. However, Continuous use of inorganic fertilizers and inappropriate soil fertility management practices are among the major factors limiting onion productivity in the North Western Tigray. Therefore, a field experiment was undertaken in selekleka district from October 2015 to June 2016 to assess the effects of integrated nutrient management on bulb yield and economic return of onion (Allium cepa L.). The treatments consisted of combinations of two rates of farmyard manure (FYM) (10 and 20 t ha-1) and two rates of vermicompost (VC) (2.5 and 5 t ha-1) each combined with three rates of nitrogen (25, 50 and 75) of recommended N fertilizers, RDF. In addition, 100% RDF N (69 kg N ha-1), 100% (5 t ha-1) of VC, 100% (20 t ha-1) FYM and zero rates (unfertilized treatment) were used for comparison. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. (ANOVA) revealed that combined application of 5 t ha-1 VC+50% inorganic N fertilizers recorded the highest bulb yield (35.13 t ha-1) and economic return (246,354 Birr ha-1). On the other hand, the lowest bulb yield (18.48 t ha-1) and economic net return (143,018 Birr ha-1) were obtained from the control. It could, thus, be concluded that, based on the partial budget analysis and bulb yield result the application of 5 t ha-1 vermicompost and 50 % recommended inorganic nitrogen was the appropriate combination for better onion production and economic return in the study area.

Evaluation of Newly Released Open Pollinated Tomato Varieties for Yield and Yield Components Performance in Northwestern Zone of Tigray

Tomato is one of the most important horticultural cash crops in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. However, tomato production and productivity is limited by several factors such as disease and pests, lack of improved varieties and poor agronomic practice. Therefore, field experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 irrigation season to select and identify the best and high yielder tomato varieties. Seven improved Open Pollinated Variety namely; Gelilama, Mersa, Sirinka-I, Woyno, Tekeze-1, Melkashola and Melkasalsa were tested for their yield and yield performance. Significant differences were observed among the varieties across locations. The current findings showed that the highest marketable yield was obtained from Gelilama (55.58 t ha-1) & (49.59 t ha-1) followed by Melkasalsa (49.42 & 45.81 t ha-1) in Tselemti and M/zana woreda’s respectively. Based on the current study Gelilama and Melkasalsa varieties had given higher yield in both locations. Therefore, Gelilama and Melkasalsa varieties should be recommended for demonstration and scale-up in the study areas.

Compositional peculiarities of the primary, mixed, and oxidized copper ores in gabbroids of the Volkovsky massif (Middle Urals, Russia)

The Ural type magmatic copper deposits in gabbro are assigned to a specific type of copper deposits which exploitation substantially depends on the oxidation degree of the ores, that is often not unambiguous. At the Volkovskoe Cu-Fe-V deposit (Middle Urals, Russia), three technological grades of the copper ores are known, the primary, oxidized, and mixed ones, that are distinguished based on the relative content of Cu2+ in the total copper balance. This paper presents petrological, petrochemical, geochemical, and mineralogical characteristics of natural varieties of the copper ores of the Northwestern zone of the Volkovskoe deposit. It is demonstrated that the criterion for distinguishing the technological grades of the copper ores by the relative Cu2+ content does not reflect the real degree of the supergene oxidation for the selected technological varieties. The results of our research suggest a necessity of studying the copper sulfides in more detail to clarify peculiarities of the redox conditions of the ore formation, to correct the indicators of the primary and supergene copper oxidation degree, which may provide new criteria to determine the boundaries between the technological grades of copper ores, using the Volkovskoe ore deposit as an example.

Detecting spatial clusters of human scabies in Tigray, Ethiopia from 2018 to 2023

BackgroundScabies is one of public health concerns among communicable disease in Ethiopia, especially among disadvantaged and the poor. This current study aims to detect the spatiotemporal patterns of scabies in Tigray from 2018 to 2023 using scabies data aggregated at the zonal level. The study also examined the persistent patterns in the spatial variation of scabies incidence across the administrative regions during the study period.MethodWe collected scabies data using a weekly disease surveillance reporting format of the country from 2018 to 2023 across all accessible district health facilities in Tigray region, Ethiopia. We conducted retrospective analyses using both purely spatial and spatiotemporal scan statistic approaches, employing a discrete Poisson probability model to identify statistically significant clusters of high scabies rates throughout the Tigray regional zones in Ethiopia. Our methodology involved the use of Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistic software (SaTScan v10.1.3), R programming software version 4.3.1, and ArcGIS Pro for all analyses.ResultsA total of 101,116 cases of scabies were reported from 2018 to 2023. Our study indicated a spatial heterogeneity in the pattern of scabies across Tigray region as well as its localization among geographically contiguous zones across space, except for the Western zone of Tigray where no data was collected. The detected statistically significant spatial clusters \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:p-value<0.05$$\\end{document} persisted mainly in the Central, Eastern and Northwestern zones of Tigray over the six years of the study period. The highest relative risk (RR) was recorded in year 2021 (\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:RR=8.49,\\:LLR=6860.34,p-value=0.01)$$\\end{document}. The central zone had the major clusters of scabies at district level from 2018 to 2023. The heterogeneous distribution of scabies across Tigray could be due to the spatial variations in the determinants of scabies (such as socioeconomic status, demographics, and material deprivation) across the region.ConclusionAn enormous burden of scabies was reported over a period of six years. The present study found localized clusters of high scabies rates at district and zonal levels in Tigray, Ethiopia, possibly due to differences in various determinants of scabies such as access to WASH services. The findings could help the government and health authorities to develop and implement scabies control strategies in Tigray, with a focus on high-risk districts and zones to ensure optimal resource allocation.

Rainfall characteristics under changing climate in Sundergarh district of Odisha

Most pronounced signal of warming world is the increase in intensity and frequency of extremeevents worldwide. Many researchers have reported the nature of these events in coastal district of Odisha, but forSundergarh district which comes under North-western Plateau Agro-Climatic Zone, it still needed to be studied. Thepresent study was conducted with an objective to study rainfall characteristics - rainfall climatology, rainy days, trend -their deviation and resulting meteorological drought in Sundergarh district of Odisha at block level using 34 years ofdaily rainfall data (1988-2022). IMD classification for rainy days was adopted to determine the frequency of rainy days indifferent categories. SPI was computed using Climpact to determine the occurrence and severity of meteorologicaldrought and identify episodes of dry and wet events during the study period for each block. MK test and Sen’s slopeestimator was used for detecting trend in rainfall (annual and seasonal) and rainy days at 95% significance level. Longterm rainfall analysis reveals that the mean annual rainfall of the district is 1290 ± 314 mm, most of which is receivedduring SW monsoon (86%) followed by post-monsoon (6.2%), pre-monsoon (5.7%) and least during winter (2.1%).Rainfall received in the months of July and August together accounts for more than 50% of the total. Spatial distributionof rainfall indicated that mean annual rainfall varies from 1071 mm (Subdega) to 1578 mm (Bonai). Annually, rainfall isdependable in most of the blocks. However, during pre-monsoon, post-monsoon and winter, CV is very high, so therainfall is not dependable. Bulk of annual rainfall received in the district is contributed by rain events of light to moderatecategory. Direction and magnitude of the trend of rainfall amount and rainy days varies a lot in different blocks. SPI values calculated for the district as a whole shows that frequency of occurrence of these drought events were: mild (34% of months); moderate (7.6% of months); severe (3.3% of months) and extreme (3.2% of months). The present study provides pertinent information on the rainfall climatology and its trend under climate change over the Sundergarh district of Odisha. Finding of the study suggests that there is an urgent need to raise awareness about the climate resilient society, train personnels about sustainable development approaches and highlight the necessity of water harvesting techniques at community level.

The Effect of Season and Agro-Ecology on Physicochemical Properties of Cow’s Raw Milk in Central and North-Western Zone of Tigray

Milk at a normal state has unique physical, chemical, and biological characteristics that are used as quality indicators. The quality of milk is influenced by many factors and the components of milk are very sensitive indicators for milk production practices. Season and agro-ecologies have influences on physicochemical properties of cow milk. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the effect of season and agro-ecology on the physicochemical properties of cow's raw milk in Central and North-Western Zone of Tigray. The study was conducted in Aksum, Shire-Indaselassie, and Sheraro administrative towns. A two-stage sampling method was used to select both the study area and respondents. All towns in the Central and North-Western zones of Tigray were categorized into three agro-ecologies, and sample towns were purposively selected from each category based on accessibility and milk production potential. Sample respondents were then randomly selected from each agro-ecology. Agro-ecology categorization was based on altitude, temperature, and feeding practices, while seasons were classified according to rainfall and temperature. A total of 210 samples, comprising 35 samples from dairy farms and 35 samples from cafeterias within each agro-ecology, were analyzed to assess the physicochemical properties of cow milk across two different seasons. Physicochemical analysis including determination of fat, crude protein, solids not fat, density, lactose, salt, water added and freezing point was conducted in the laboratory of Mekelle University using Lacto scan, Bulgaria. The overall mean values of milk fat, solids-not-fat (SNF), protein, and lactose were 3.72±0.12%, 6.72±0.17%, 2.6±0.08%, and 3.72±0.09%, respectively. Specific gravity, salt content, water added, and freezing point exhibited mean values of 1.026±0.001g/ml, 0.53±0.01%, 19.33±1.8%, and -0.42±0.01oC, respectively. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in protein, solids-not-fat, lactose, and salt content among agro-ecologies, seasons, and sources of milk. Correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between specific gravity and solids-not-fat, protein, lactose, and total salt, while negative correlations were observed with water added and freezing point (p≤0.01). In conclusion, the physical and chemical properties of cow’s raw milk are influenced by agro-ecology, season, and the source of milk. Notably, milk adulteration, particularly with the addition of water, was more prevalent among cafeteria owners. Given the absence of established milk quality standards in Ethiopian conditions, it is imperative for the government to introduce quality standard measures, rules, and regulations to effectively control milk quality.

Flock Dynamics, Production Challenges and Opportunities of Indigenous Goat and Sheep Populations in North Western and Western Zones of Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Flock Dynamics, Production Challenges and Opportunities of Indigenous Goat and Sheep Populations in North Western and Western Zones of Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Battery Scheduling Optimization and Potential Revenue for Residential Storage Price Arbitrage

Residential energy storage systems offer significant potential for price arbitrage by capitalizing on fluctuations in electricity prices throughout the day. This study investigates the potential revenue from optimal battery scheduling for residential storage in different north-western European electricity price zones during 2023. Using Nord Pool day-ahead prices, we applied an optimization model to determine the revenue for two types of batteries: 5 kW/10 kWh and 10 kW/10 kWh. The analysis considered battery capacity, charging and discharging efficiency, and maximum charge/discharge rates. Our results show notable variations in potential revenue across different regions, with the Baltic states demonstrating the highest revenue potential. The findings indicate that while 10 kW batteries can generate higher total revenue, 5 kW batteries are more efficient in terms of revenue per cycle. These regional disparities underscore the need for targeted incentives and policies to enhance the economic viability of residential energy storage. The research results provide valuable insights into optimizing residential battery storage for price arbitrage, offering guidance for consumers, policymakers, and energy providers to maximize economic benefits in various electricity markets.

Heavy metals concentrations of traditional herbs consumed in Northwestern zone of Nigeria and associated health risks on humans

Herbal drugs have gained much popularity as alternative medicine among residents of the northern part of Nigeria, taking advantage of abundant medicinal plants in the region. This study therefore investigated the levels of some selected heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in five identified herbal drugs sold in Andaza town, Kiyawa local Government area of Jigawa State. Preparation of the samples was done using a wet digestion method with HNO3 and HCl as digestion acids and the metals were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The health risk assessment (HRA) for adults and children was done by using the estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR). The concentrations of heavy metals on dry weight (dw) basis in this study fell within the range (mg/kg dw, mean±SD)): Cd (0.156-0.312, 0.221±0.065), Hg (8.58-16.7, 12.7±3.78), Ni (0.960-2.74, 1.67±0.698), Zn (4.26-10.1, 6.17±2.34) and Pb (0.876-1.91). Pb was not detected in two out of the five samples and therefore the mean±SD of Pb was not computed. A comparison of the results with the World Health Organisation (WHO) maximum permissible limit showed that Hg levels were far above the permissible limit in all the samples; two samples had Cd values above the maximum limit. The concentrations of Ni, Zn and Pb in all the samples were within the recommended levels of WHO. Results of HRA showed that THQ were less than 1 in the analyzed metals except for Hg with relatively high values in both adults (70 kg body weight) and children (24 kg body weight) categories and this may pose a potential health risk to consumers. Results of the percentage non-carcinogenic risk (NCR) of each metal showed that Hg contributed more than 95% to HI (the overall NCR) in each sample. TCR of Pb indicates moderate to high cancer risk whereas, that of CD showed high to very high cancer risk if the samples are consumed for a long period of time. It is therefore important that consumption of these medicines should be monitored and regulated in order for consumers to avoid future health challenges.

Assessing the Impacts of Sanctions on Iran's Tourism Zones Using the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods

This article examines the impact of Iran's tourism zones on sanctions and evaluates the role of each criterion in theintensity and severity of the impact. The research method was descriptive-comparative whose type was applied. Rankingwas done using the VIKOR technique and Expert Choice software by the four main criteria (attraction, advertising andmarketing, tourism and investment, and infrastructure) and ten sub-criteria. The results show that the northern zonewith a value of 0.00 has received the least effect from the international sanctions. The northwestern zone ranked thenext with a value of 0.224. Based on the Expert Choice output, the central zone with a value of 0.248 was in the first rankdue to the decrease in the number of foreign tourists and investments, which has suffered the most from the sanctions.The northern zone with a value of 0.236 has been less affected by the sanctions.

Molecular Characterization of Agents of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, Northwestern, Nigeria

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt This study identified Leishmania major as the predominant species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Dutsin-ma LGA, Katsina state, Nigeria, using molecular characterization techniques such as ITS rDNA gene amplification and RFLP analysis. The findings revealed that 85.7% of individuals with suspected CL lesions were confirmed to have Leishmania infections, with a higher prevalence in males (71.4%) and farmers (71.46%). These results highlight the endemic nature of CL in this region, emphasizing the need for targeted public health interventions and awareness programs to control the spread of this neglected tropical disease. Full Abstract Leishmaniasis is one of man's neglected tropical diseases (NTD), caused by a protozoan parasite of the Leishmania genus. The dixenous life cycle of Leishmania species consists of the vertebrate and vector stages resulting in the differentiation of metabolic processes, morphological forms, and remodelling of genes in the parasite. To identify the species of Leishmania responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Dutsin-ma LGA of Katsina state, Nigeria, a purposive sampling technique was employed. Samples were collected from individuals with suspected CL lesions and subjected to molecular characterization to confirm the Leishmania species. Questionnaires were also used to gather socio-demographic and behavioral data. Molecular characterization involved amplifying the ITS rDNA genes and applying the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique. The results revealed that 85.7% of the individuals screened had lesions associated with Leishmania infection, with a higher prevalence in males (71.4%) compared to females (14.3%). Among the infected individuals, 71.46% were farmers, and one was a student. The lesions were predominantly found on the legs (57.1%) and hand/arm (28.6%), with no lesions detected on other body parts. The ITS rDNA genes were successfully amplified from six patients, confirming Leishmania major as the predominant species causing CL through RFLP analysis. In conclusion, CL caused by L. major is endemic in Dutsin-ma LGA, Katsina state, in the Northwestern zone of Nigeria

Effect of zinc and boron on grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in north-western plain zone of India

An experiment was conducted to study the “Effect of zinc and boron on grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during the winter (rabi) season of 2018–2019 and 2019–20 at the agronomy research farm of IFTM University, Lodhipur Rajput, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Ten treatments, viz. T1 , Control (no fertilizer); T2 , zinc @ 5 kg/ha (SA); T3 , zinc @ 1 kg/ha (FA); T4 - zinc @ 1 + 1 kg/ha (2 FA); T5 , zinc @ 5 kg/ha (SA) + zinc @ 1 kg/ha (FA); T6 , boron @ 0.5 kg/ha (SA); T7 , boron @ 0.1 kg/ha (FA); T8 , boron @ 0.2 kg/ha (2 FA); T9 , boron @ 0.5 kg/ha (SA) and boron @ 0.1 kg/ha (FA) and T10-, zinc @ 5 kg/ha + boron @ 0.5 kg/ha (SA) were comprised in randomized block design (RBD) with the three replications. The results revealed that different levels and application methods of zinc and boron significantly improved the grain quality of wheat. Maximum Zn content (35.4 and 35.9 mg/ha) and Zn uptake (185.1 and 197.1 g/ha) in 2018–19 and 2019–20, respectively were recorded with Zn @ 5 kg/ha (SA) + zinc @ 1 kg/ha (FA). Moreover, maximum B content (58.5 and 59.5 mg/ha) and B uptake (361.9 and 376.4 g/ha) in 2018–19 2019–20, respectively were observed with B @ 0.5 kg/ha (SA) and B @ 0.1 kg/ha (FA). Maximum protein content in grain (12.6 and 12.7%) and protein yield (712.8 and 744.9 kg/ha) was recorded under Zn - 5 kg/ha (SA) + B 0.5 kg/ha (SA) in 2018–19 and 2019–20, respectively

Different Silvi-pastoral systems for improving livestock production in rainfed areas of North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu

Different Silvi-pastoral systems for improving livestock production in rainfed areas of North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu

Indigenous Goat Populations in Northwestern and Western Zones of Tigray Region, Ethiopia: Characterization of Major Husbandry Practices and Kidding Patterns

The survey was conducted before the war (before October 2020) in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Goats are highly concentrated in the lowland areas than in the highlands of Ethiopia. Sample households of Begait (102), Hassan (106) and Arado (181) goats were randomly involved in the face-to-face interview. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used for data analysis. Illiterate respondents were in Begait (42%), Hassan (29%) and Arado (55%). Cattle and goats were the major economic sources in Begait (10.19±9.1 Tropical Livestock Unit (TLU), 4.30±2.8 TLU) and Arado (4.77±3.2 TLU, 1.27±0.9 TLU) respondents. The mean flock size of Arado goat population (12.65±9.9) was significantly (P&lt;0.005) lower than the mean flock sizes of Begait (43.02±28.1) and Hassan (70.29±52.6) populations. Animals went to water source in most respondents (100.0% of Begait, 67.0% of Hassan and 87% of Arado), and river was the major water source for the animals of about 47% of Begait, 43% of Hassan and 79.0% of Arado respondents. Animals of about 56% of Hassan and 57% of Arado respondents travelled a distance of 1-5 Kilometer (Km) to obtain water, and dry season daily watering frequency of once a day was dominantly practiced in about 88% of Begait and 83% of Hassan respondents. Diseases and external parasites were reported in Begait (96%, 85%), Hassan (98%, 90%) and Arado (67%, 87%) respondents which affected indigenous goat productivity. There was no access to veterinary service centers (VSCs) in about 47% of Begait, 65% of Hassan and 93% of Arado respondents, and some respondents in about 24% of Begait and 17% of Hassan travelled a distance of greater than 10 Km to reach VSCs. Own buck use for mating and buck birth in own flocks were exhibited in Begait (93%, 85%), Hassan (95%, 76%) and Arado (38%, 35%) respondents, respectively. Uncontrolled mating and buck use outside of own flock were practiced in Begait (70%, 73%), Hassan (43%, 65%) and Arado (100.0%, 100.0%) respondents due to most goats graze in communal lands, respectively. Unknown buck to does ratio was practiced in 41% of Begait and 39% of Hassan respondents. Unknown buck to does ratio and a ratio of one buck to all does in the flock were practiced in Arado (8%, 67%) respondents, respectively, and crossbreeding was highly practiced in Begait respondents (41%). The dominant kidding months of Begait and Arado goat populations were in September up to November whilst that of Hassan goat population were in October up to December. Castration and traditional castration method were practiced in Begait (54%, 54%), Hassan (39%, 37%) and Arado (70%, 64%) respondents, respectively. Community education, access to water, access to VSC, buck to doe ratio, kidding pattern improvement and castration to control inbreeding need critical attention.

Eco-Geographical and Botanical Patterns of Resistance to Lepidoptera Insects in Brassica rapa L.

In the context of the widespread expansion of damage by herbivorous pests of Brassica crops, taking into account the requirements for minimizing pesticide pollution of the environment, it is important to have fundamental knowledge of the geographical features of the distribution of pests and about the botanical confinement of plant resistance in order to develop a strategy for creating new Brassica cultivars with complex resistance to insects. The relevance of our work is related to the study of the variability in the degree of resistance of the extensive genetic diversity of Brassica rapa accessions to the main herbivorous pests of Brassica crops in contrasting ecological and geographical zones of the Russian Federation (Arctic, northwestern, and southern zones). We have studied the distribution and food preferences of Lepidoptera insects (diamondback moth Plutella xylostella and cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae) on a set of 100 accessions from the VIR B. rapa collection (Chinese cabbage, pakchoi, wutacai, zicaitai, mizuna, and leaf and root turnips) in the field in three zones of the Russian Federation. We have found that the diamondback moth and cabbage moth are largely harmful in three zones of the European part of the Russian Federation, although the degree of damage to plants by these insects varies by year of cultivation. On average, for the set studied during the two years of the experiment, the degree of plant damage by both pests in the Arctic zone was low and almost low, and in the northwestern and southern zones, it was medium. It was noted that diamondback moth damage was greater in the northwestern zone in both years and in the southern and Arctic zones in 2021, while in 2022, the degree of cabbage moth damage was slightly higher in the southern and Arctic zones. Under the conditions of field diamondback moth damage, the accessions of Chinese cabbage, wutacai, and mizuna turned out to be the most resistant (the damage score was 1.92-1.99), whereas the accessions of wutacai and pakchoi were the most resistant to the cabbage moth (the damage score was 1.62-1.78). A high variability in the degree of resistance of Brassica crops to Lepidoptera insects from complete resistance to susceptibility was revealed. We have identified sources of resistance to insects, including complex resistance in all study areas, among landraces and some modern cultivars of Chinese cabbage, pakchoi, wutacai, and mizuna from Japan and China, as well as European turnips. The highest susceptibility to pests in the studied set was noted in the accession of root turnip "Hinona" (k-1422, USA) (average damage score of 3.24-3.53 points). We were not able to establish the morphological features of resistant plants or the geographical confinement of the origin of resistance of B. rapa crop accessions.

Understanding the Knowledge Level of Farmers towards Climate Smart Agricultural Technologies in Agro-climatic Zones of Tamil Nadu, India

Aims: Although farmers experience various technical, technological, production, labor-related and marketing constraints to carry out agricultural activities, climate change acts as the root cause of several other constraints. Climate change consequences drastically reduce agricultural yield by affecting critical changes of crop growth and questions food and nutritional security; additionally it also imposes economic loss to the country. Hence, to ensure food and nutritional security for the growing population and to ensure sustainable income for the farming community, a farmer has to tackle the consequences of climate change by adoption of CSA technologies Farmer’s knowledge level towards any technology, determine its rate of adoption. Hence, this study aims to assess the knowledge level of farmers towards CSA technologies in Agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu.&#x0D; Study design: Ex-post facto research design was employed in the study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in seven agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu viz., Villupuram district of North Eastern Zone, Namakkal district of North Western Zone, Coimbatore district of Western Zone, Tiruvarur district of Cauvery Delta Zone, Ramanthapuram district of Southern Zone, Kanyakumari district of High Rainfall Zone and the Nilgiris district of the Hilly Zone of Tamil Nadu during 2022-2023.&#x0D; Methodology: From each of Agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu, the vulnerable districts or the districts with NICRA project have been identified and the CSA technologies adopted by the farmers were documented. Thirty farmers who adopts CSA technologies from each agro-climatic zone were selected and interviewed personally to assess their knowledge level towards those technologies in a five point continuum ranging from ‘No knowledge’ (1), ‘Minimal knowledge’ (2), ‘Basic knowledge’ (3), ‘Adequate knowledge’ (4) and ‘Superior knowledge’ (5) respectively. The gathered responses were subjected to percentage analysis.&#x0D; Findings: The findings revealed that Villupuram, Coimbatore and Tiruvarur farmers had superior knowledge on precision based nutrient management, Namakkal farmers had superior knowledge on use of additives and supplements in livestock feed, Ramanathapuram farmers had superior knowledge on utilization of weather based agro-advisory services, Kanyakumari farmers had superior knowledge on adoption of moisture conservation practices and Nilgiris farmers had superior knowledge on adoption of improved seed varieties and use of biofertilizers.&#x0D; Conclusion: Villupuram, Coimbatore and Tiruvarur farmers had superior knowledge on precision based nutrient management; Namakkal farmers had superior knowledge on use of additives and supplements in livestock feed; Ramanathapuram farmers had superior knowledge on utilization of weather based agro-advisory services; Kanyakumari farmers had superior knowledge on adoption of moisture conservation practices and, The Nilgiris farmers had superior knowledge on adoption of improved seed varieties and use of biofertilizers. Thus, it can be concluded that farmers had superior knowledge on CSA technologies based on their perceived climatic change consequences and their accessibility to location specific technologies.

Evaluation of the Development Level of Integration of Culture and Tourism in China’s Provinces under the Perspective of Spatial Interaction and Study of Influence Paths

In the new stage of the deep integration of culture and tourism, fully exploring its mechanism of action, spatial connection, and path of influence will be of great significance to the sustainable development of the integration of culture and tourism. In this paper, we analysed the mechanism of integration of culture and tourism with the help of systems theory, introduced the concept of spatial interaction to construct a new measurement model of integration of culture and tourism, and conducted empirical analyses with Chinese provinces as the target. We found that in the last decade, the tourism industry has been dominant, and most of the industrial elements have been clustered towards it. The centre of the spatial interaction network of culture and tourism is located in the area of the “North China Plain—Middle and Lower Yangtze River Plain” and moves towards the southwest over time. The northwestern and northeastern zones have become “desert zones” in the spatial interaction network of culture and tourism. The level of integration of culture and tourism peaked in 2018, with East China having a chronically higher level of integration. In addition, the deep integration of culture and tourism can be promoted through the combination of new development philosophies.

Nano Urea Fertilization for More Wheat Yield Under North Western Plains Zone for Irrigated Conditions Assessed by AMMI and BLUP Analysis

Highly significant variations due to treatments, locations and TxL interactions were observed for wheat yield by analysis of variance during field evaluation of nano urea formulations at number of locations in the north western plans zone of the country. First component of AMMI analysis shared of about 51.3% while second accounted for 29.9%. Significant variations due to locations, TxL interactions and treatments effects were observed for thousands grains weight. Around 82.9% of the interaction effects accounted by two significant components while total of significant components were up to 96.9%. Maximum yield was observed at Karnal followed by Hisar more over maximum yield for 56.1 was expressed by T3 treatment. ASV1 &amp; ASV measures based on 81.3% of interaction effects selected T5, T8 and T8, T5 treatments. Average of thousands grains weight found T3, T8, T9 treatments as suitable for maximum realization and as per MASV1 and MASV settled T6, T2 treatments for thousands grains weight. Adaptability measures corresponding to BLUP estimates of yield i.e. PRVG, PRVG*Gu, HMPRVG*Gu, HMPRVG measures found T3, T4, T2 treatments for yield. Superiority index measures considering average thousands grains weight and stability in 65 and 35 ratios for weighted average settled for T3, T7, T8 treatments formulation of nano urea in the study. Biplot analysis observed Pantnagar center had expressed strong bondage with superiority index measures while considering mean, GAI and HM of treatments based on fixed and random effects of treatments. WAASB, W3, W2, W5 had maintained direct association with MASV, MASV1 on right hand side and with ASV1, W1, IPC4 on left side for yield. Treatments T13, T5 and T4 would express unstable yield as compared to T11, T6, T7 placed near to origin of biplot analysis. Thousands grains weight found that Karnal, Hisar centers with IPV2 formed the first cluster while Gurdaspur with Gwalior joined hands with superiority index measures in second cluster of biplot analysis. Next cluster was of adaptability measures PRVG, HMPRVG, PRVG*Gu, HMPRVG*Gu, mean, GAI, HM with Jammu, Delhi and Ludhiana centres. Next cluster of IPC4, IPC6 with Pantnagar observed near to large cluster of adaptability measures PRVG, HMPRVG, PRVG*Gu, HMPRVG*Gu.