ROLE OF IRRIGATION WATER IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION: SOME RESOURCE USE ISSUES1

ABSTRACT: A partial production function for corn that considers the time and amount of water applications is determined. Examples are worked out by using data on site specific parameters for nine soil sites in the Great Plains Region repesenting various combinations of water holding capacity, pan evaporation, and average rainfall. It is found that soils with a low water holding capacity are more water and energy intensive in crop production and thus more vulnerable to fluctuations in net returns due to declining water tables or energy shortages. Despite this, farmers of low water holding capacity soils are likely to opt for irrigation. This points to the existence of a necessary, but sufficient, condition for socially inefficient use of ground water resources. This calls to question the property right concept in water created through the appropriation doctrine and the “law of capture.” This paper indicates the type of analysis that must be undertaken in order to make appropriate changes in laws governing water use.     

Metals concentration associated with respirable particulate matter (PM10) in industrial area of Eastern U.P. India

The present study deals with the assessment of ambient air quality with respect to respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM or PM10 < or = 10 microm) and trace metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr Ni, Cd, Mn and Pb) concentrations in RSPM at five locations of Renukoot, an industrial area of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The 24 hr mean concentrations of PM10 ranged between 69.3 to 118.9 microg m(-3), which is well within the permissible limit (150 microg m(-3)) of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) but found higher than the prescribed annual daily limit of US EPA (50 microg m(-3)). The ambient air was mostly dominated by the Fe and least by the Cd among the metal analysed. Murdhawa, a commercial place influenced by vehicular population, is found to be the most polluted area of Renukoot and Dongia nalla (forest area) the least. The ambient air of Murdhawa is rich in Cu and Ni, indicating contribution of mobile sources. The Rammandir a residential place near the industry, is rich in Cd and Cr suggesting contribution of point sources. The Ni concentration is found to be alarmingly high in the air at all the locations except Dongia nallah, when compared with the EC (European Commission) limit (20 ng m(-3)). The Cd concentration is found to be higher only at Rammandir as compared with the EC limit (5 ng m(-3)). Mean concentrations of Zn, Pb and Mn are found to be almost equal in the ambient air of all the locations, suggesting the significance of sources contributing to presence of these metals. Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni having a significant correlation with PM10 indicate the same source contributing these metals as well as PM10. The present study has focused on the quantitative variation in different metals in the PM10, which is extremely harmful due to their toxic and carcinogenic nature.     

Spectrophotometric determination of sulphur dioxide

Sulphur dioxide, an important industrial gas and air pollutant, is usually estimated using mercury salts. The authors have developed a method in which hazardous mercury salts are avoided. Sulphur dioxide is trapped in aqueous morpholine and mixed with the excess of dichromate solution in acidic medium. The hexavalent chromium in dichromate is reduced to trivalent chromium by sulphur dioxide and the excess of hexavalent chromium is determined with diphenylcarbazide which yields a soluble red-violet complex with an absorption maximum at 540 nm. The decrease in the absorbance values of the red-violet complex formed after reduction, when compared to that of a reagent control, is proportional to the concentration of sulphur dioxide used for reduction. Beer's law operates between 0.4 and 4 microg ml(-1) concentration of sulphur dioxide in solution.     

Leaching behaviour of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soils derived from dredged sediments

Leaching of heavy metals from land-disposed dredged sediment spoils is a potential environmental hazard. The leaching behavior of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soils sampled from abandoned dredged sediment disposal sites was assessed. Using simple mass-balance calculations, the significance of the leaching test results with respect to metal migration into underlying clean soil was appraised. The potential leachability, defined as the amounts released at constant pH 4, decreased in the order (% of total contents): Zn (58%) approximately equal to Cd (49%)>Cu (5%) approximately equal to Pb (2%). The kinetics of metal release were determined in a cascade shaking test using de-mineralized water acidified to pH 4 (HNO(3)). Metal concentrations in the leachates were low and metal migration was, assuming uniform convective flow, predicted to be of no environmental concern. It is emphasized that any long-term prediction of metal migration is uncertain.     

Development and evaluation of air pollution–linked quality of life (AP-QOL) questionnaire: insight from two different cohorts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, the air pollution–related quality of life (AP-QOL) questionnaire was carried out in two geographically and economically different...     

Role of blue green algae biofertilizer in ameliorating the nitrogen demand and fly-ash stress to the growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants

Rice is a major food crop throughout the world; however, accumulation of toxic metals and metalloids in grains in contaminated environments is a matter of growing concern. Field experiments were conducted to analyze the growth performance, elemental composition (Fe, Si, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd and As) and yield of the rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. Saryu-52) grown under different doses of fly-ash (FA; applied @ 10 and 100 tha(-1) denoted as FA(10) and FA(100), respectively) mixed with garden soil (GS) in combination with nitrogen fertilizer (NF; applied @ 90 and 120 kg ha(-1) denoted as NF(90) and NF(120), respectively) and blue green algae biofertilizer (BGA; applied @ 12.5 kg ha(-1) denoted as BGA(12.5)). Significant enhancement of growth was observed in the plants growing on amended soils as compared to GS and best response was obtained in amendment of FA(10)+NF(90)+BGA(12.5). Accumulation of Si, Fe, Zn and Mn was higher than Cu, Cd, Ni and As. Arsenic accumulation was detected only in FA(100) and its amendments. Inoculation of BGA(12.5) caused slight reduction in Cd, Ni and As content of plants as compared to NF(120) amendment. The high levels of stress inducible non-protein thiols (NP-SH) and cysteine in FA(100) were decreased by application of NF and BGA indicating stress amelioration. Study suggests integrated use of FA, BGA and NF for improved growth, yield and mineral composition of the rice plants besides reducing the high demand of nitrogen fertilizers.     

Zinc tolerance and uptake by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera</Emphasis> grown in nutrient solution

Background, aim, and scope  

Zinc is an essential micronutrient element but its concentrations found in contaminated soils frequently exceed those required by the plant and soil organisms, and thus create danger to animal and human health. Phytoremediation is a technique, often employed in remediation of contaminated soils, which aims to remove heavy metals or other contaminants from soils or waters using plants. Arabidopsis (A.) halleri ssp. gemmifera is a plant recently found to be grown vigorously in heavy metal contaminated areas of Japan and it contained remarkably high amount of heavy metals in its shoots. However, the magnitude of Zn accumulation and tolerance in A. halleri ssp. gemmifera need to be investigated for its use as a phytoremediation plant.     

Spore inhibition-based enzyme substrate assay for monitoring of aflatoxin M1 in milk

A spore germination-based concept and its transformation into a field level prototype for monitoring aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) in milk was developed. Initially, 15 strains of Bacillus spp. procured from different culture collection were screened for AFM₁ sensitivity using spot assay and marker strain showing inhibition at 0.5 ppb was selected based upon maximum zone of inhibition. The selected strain B. megaterium 2949 was further screened for different enzymes activities and subsequently its spores were produced to an extent of 73.13% ± 3.197% in newly developed sporulation medium containing beef extract (0.0075% ± 0.0004%), yeast extract (0.015% ± 0.001%), peptone (0.0375% ± 0.0016%), and sodium chloride (0.0375% ± 0.0018%). A spore germination-based concept/ assay was optimized by immobilizing spores in eppendorf with pretreated milk (80°C/15 min) containing germinant and chromogenic substrate followed by incubation at 37°C. The appearance of sky blue color within real time of 45 min indicated spores germination and release of specific marker enzyme such as acetyl esterase and its specific action on chromogenic substrate which demonstrates absence of AFM₁ in milk. However, if there was no color change, presence of AFM₁ at 0.5 ppb MRL was denoted by Codex. The developed concept on AFM₁ detection was validated and a correlation of 0.97 was established with AOAC approved Charm 6602 and ELISA at Codex MRL with minimal false positive and negative results. The cost effective test has potential application in dairy farms, manufacturing, and R&D units for routine monitoring of AFM₁ in milk.     

People's Perception About Participatory Developmental Programs: Lessons from the Mountain Risk Engineering Program in the Indian Central Himalaya

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is suffering from environmental degradation due to population pressure and infra-structural needs. This is coupled with a natural setting, which creates problems of accelerated soil erosion and mass wasting. In view of these environmental difficulties and the growing concern for effective restoration, there has become an urgent need for multi-disciplinary coordinated improvement schemes. The mitigation of risk arising from hazardous mass wasting processes, through a careful and systematic approach, has helped in the development of the concept of Mountain Risk Engineering (MRE). The MRE practices involve an integrated approach to solving the infra-structural engineering problems of hilly and mountainous areas through environmentally conscious cost-effective and site-specific designs. However, the role of people's participation is extremely crucial for the success of such programs. This paper analyzes the perception of the local people about the approaches adopted in MRE participatory developmental programs and throws light on the intricacies of peoples' participation.