Gandhigram Rural Institute

Background: Problem-Based Learning (PBL) promotes higher-order thinking, but in cell biology its implementation often produces cognitive overload because students must coordinate abstract organelle structures, invisible intracellular processes, and interconnected metabolic pathways across multiple representations. Existing studies rarely integrate structured problem design and task sequencing to address these specific cognitive demands. This study addressed that gap by combining the 3C3R and 4C/ID frameworks within a PBL environment. Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate an integrated PBL-3C3R-4C/ID instructional model for cell biology in terms of validity, practicality, and effectiveness in managing students’ cognitive load. Methods: Using a Research and Development approach based on Hannafin and Peck, followed by a pretest-posttest control group design, the study involved 231 secondary school students. Cognitive load was measured through a multidimensional scale covering intrinsic, extraneous, and germane load. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Results: The model demonstrated high validity and strong reliability (α = 0.91). Post-intervention results showed significant improvement in learning outcomes, accompanied by reduced extraneous load and increased germane load. Conclusion: Integrating 3C3R and 4C/ID within PBL offers a theoretically grounded and empirically supported approach for teaching complex cell biology while managing students’ working memory demands more effectively.

Rice feeds nearly half of the global population as a staple food crop worldwide. However, rice is susceptible to various forms of deterioration during storage. Parboiled rice is relatively more resistant to spoilage, whereas non-parboiled rice deteriorates easily due to the presence of fat and its susceptibility to oxidative rancidity. One of the major challenges associated with rice is storage. Every year, about 30–50% of the total paddy production is stored by farmers, during which losses caused by storage pests pose a serious threat to rice quality and food security. To address this issue, organic methods using different plant extracts can effectively help control storage pests. Bio-powder is a plant-based formulation prepared from neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), notchi (Vitex negundo), garlic bulbs (Allium sativum), and chilli fruits (Capsicum annuum). These botanicals were selected for their well-known insecticidal, repellent, and antifeedant properties. Although many studies are available on individual biorepellents derived from these plants, research on their combined use is still limited. Therefore, this review aims to create awareness among the scientific and farming communities about controlling storage pests in rice using naturally occurring plant products in the form of bio-powder.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is well recognised as one of the most significant oilseed crops cultivated worldwide, known for its high quality. A good crop of sunflowers can be grown in areas with rainfall of 300-500 mm. Sunflowers possess the potential to mitigate the prevailing shortage of edible oil due to their significant role in emergency crop management strategies. The current study aims to assess the impact of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) with organic manure of farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, poultry manure and inorganic fertilisers on the yield of sunflower. A field experiment was conducted with 10 treatments, viz. 3 types of organic sources, viz. FYM, poultry manure and vermicompost, inorganic nutrients and growth regulators in the spring season 2022– 2023 at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design. After analysis, the data clearly showed significant differences among treatments in sunflower yield. Among the entire treatments, Maximum capitulum diameter (22.7 cm) was recorded with 50% N through vermicompost + seed dressing and foliar application of manganese sulphate, respectively, @ 1.0% and 0.5% at 40 and 60 DAS. The Permanent Manurial Experiment at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, was established to evaluate the effects of continuous application of organic and mineral fertilisers on crop yield and soil quality. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) comprising seven treatments, each replicated three times. The application of 50% N through vermicompost + seed dressing and foliar application of manganese sulphate, respectively, @ 1.0% and 0.5% at 40 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) is thus recommended for sunflower cultivation in sandy loamy soils, considering the yield of sunflower (Gahlot & Singh, 2023). The results indicated that the integrated application of 100% NPK with farmyard manure (FYM) at 12.5 t ha⁻¹ (INM) significantly increased sunflower seed yield to 1,879 kg ha⁻¹ and straw yield to 3,916 kg ha⁻¹ compared to the control. Maximum seed yield (2156.67 kg ha-1) was recorded in 50% N through vermicompost + seed dressing and foliar application of manganese sulphate respectively @ 1.0% and 0.5% at 40 and 60 DAS which was at par with 50% N through poultry manure + seed dressing and foliar application of sodium molybdate @ 0.2% at 40 and 60 DAS and 50% N through FYM + seed dressing and foliar application of manganese sulphate respectively @ 1.0% and 0.5% at 40 and 60 DAS with 2076.67 and 2056.67 kg ha-1 respectively. The study concludes that it is expected to offer an environmentally sustainable, scientifically sound, and economically feasible approach.

This longitudinal study examines the relationship between liberal arts education and the development of critical thinking abilities among undergraduate students. The research tracked 2,156 students across 18 higher education institutions over four years, comparing students in liberal arts curricula with those in professional and pre-professional programs. Critical thinking was assessed using multiple measures including the Cornell Critical Thinking Test, the Collegiate Learning Assessment, and course-embedded assessments of analytical reasoning. The study examined curricular features including breadth requirements, writing-intensive courses, discussion-based seminars, and integrative capstone experiences. Findings demonstrate that liberal arts curricula emphasizing interdisciplinary breadth, intensive writing, and Socratic dialogue produced significantly greater critical thinking gains than narrowly specialized programs, with effect sizes of 0.47 standard deviations over four years. The research identifies pedagogical practices most strongly associated with critical thinking development, including argumentation analysis, perspective-taking exercises, and evidence evaluation tasks. Results also reveal that critical thinking gains transfer to novel domains and contexts beyond those in which skills were developed. The study contributes empirical evidence to ongoing debates regarding the value of liberal education and offers implications for curriculum design and pedagogical practice.

Groundwater is a vital resource for meeting domestic and agricultural water requirements in the semiarid region of Vathalagundu Firka, Nilakottai Taluk, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, encompassing an area of approximately 64.07 km². This study aims to delineate groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) using an integrated Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) approach. The methodology involved the preparation of thematic layers, including lithology, lineament density, land use/land cover, geomorphology, drainage density, and rainfall, derived from satellite imagery and ancillary data. These layers were assigned weights based on their relative hydrogeological importance and integrated using a Multicriterial Weighted Overlay Index (MWOI) model. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation was applied to generate spatial groundwater potential maps. The resulting groundwater potential zonation classified the study area into high-, moderate-, and low-potential zones. The analysis reveals considerable spatial variation, with moderate groundwater potential zones occupying 70.23% of the area, followed by high potential zones covering 1.56% while low potential zones are limited to 28.09%. High-potential zones are mainly associated with weathered and fractured formations, gentle slopes, low drainage density, and favourable land-use conditions, whereas low-potential zones correspond to areas characterized by steep slopes, high runoff, and relatively impermeable lithological units. The GWPZ map was validated using existing well yield data and field observations, which showed strong agreement between the predicted zones and observed groundwater conditions, confirming the study’s findings. This study clearly identified poor groundwater potential zones for future water recharge domains. The study demonstrates that RS–GIS, integrated with the MWOI model, is an effective tool for assessing groundwater potential. Future research may focus on incorporating time-series groundwater level data, machine learning techniques, and climate variability analyses to improve prediction accuracy and support sustainable groundwater management and artificial recharge planning.

In the semiarid Dindigul West firka of Tamil Nadu, groundwater serves as a vital resource supporting both domestic consumption and agricultural activities across an area of approximately 127.56 km². Dindigul West Firka is experiencing gradual peri-urbanisation, with villages transforming into semi-urban settlements. The expansion of housing, roads, and public infrastructure has increased pressure on land and water resources. Small-scale industries, commercial establishments, and service activities have expanded along major roads and settlement clusters. Drainage is primarily seasonal, with small streams and tanks connected to the tributaries of the Kodaganar River, which flows near Dindigul town. Dindigul West Firka experiences a tropical semi-arid climate. Groundwater potential zones were delineated through the combined application of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, and the resulting spatial patterns were validated using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation. Satellite data and ancillary maps were employed to develop thematic layers of lithology, geomorphology, lineament density, slope, soil type, land use/land cover, elevation, drainage density, NDVI, NDWI, and rainfall. Relative weightages were assigned for GIS analysis to develop a composite Groundwater Potential Zone (GWPZ). The resulting groundwater potential map is classified into three zones: high (40%), moderate (35%), and low (25%). The central and southern parts of the Firka showed higher groundwater potential due to favourable lithology, dense lineament networks, and gentle slopes. In contrast, the southwestern rocky uplands exhibited low potential. The outcome is validated in groundwater prospecting and suggests sustainable water resource management in Dindigul West Firka. Multitemporal multispectral satellite imagery was used to generate LULC maps and detect land-use changes using supervised classification and post-classification comparison techniques. Higher weights were assigned to the LULC map. Future research should integrate the study of long-term groundwater level trends, utilising high-resolution satellite data, artificial intelligence, and advanced machine-learning models to enhance the accuracy and sustainability of groundwater potential assessments.