Visva-Bharati University

The study was conducted during kharif season (June–December) 2019 at Agriculture Farm, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan. The present investigation evaluated the yield-contributing traits of forty-six advanced-generation (M4) mutant families along with their mother genotype, with the aim of identifying promising lines for future improvement of this valuable aromatic rice cultivar. A yield assessment by applying RCBD was carried out on a population of forty-six advanced generation (M4) morphologically distinct induced mutants derived from the popular short-grain aromatic non-basmati cultivar ‘Badshabhog’ of eastern India. Replicated mean data of twelve quantitative characters of forty-six mutants along with parent were applied for statistical analysis by Windostat Version 9.2. The results revealed that high (>20%) GCV and PCV were observed for panicle exertion, number of productive tillers hill-1, spikelets panicle-1, and seed weight indicated low sensitivity in fluctuating environments. High estimates of broad-sense heritability accompanied with genetic advance as percentage of mean were observed for days to 50% flowering, culm length, panicle exertion, number of productive tillers hill-1, panicle length, number of spikelets panicle-1, seed weight and grain yield hill-1. These results suggested that selection for culm length, panicle exertion, productive tillers hill-1, spikelets panicle-1, and seed weight could effectively enhance grain yield. Grain yield hill-1 showed a significant positive association with productive tillers hill-1 and spikelet fertility (%) at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Overall, the findings indicated that high-yielding, short-stature, and early-duration mutants could be developed through simultaneous selection for more productive tillers, enhanced spikelet fertility, and balanced panicle- and leaf-related traits.

Beyond the confines of clinical environments, the developing threat to public health due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is also being affected by the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in agricultural soils. These genes are carried by bacteria found in the soil which receive a nutrient boost from large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer used in global agricultural production. However, there is still considerable uncertainty about the role of nitrogen fertilizer in altering the soil's genetic makeup and its ability to support resistant bacterial populations. Therefore, this systematic review examined the relationships between nitrogen (N) fertilization practices and the amount and type of antibiotic resistance genes present in agricultural soils using data from 47 relevant scientific publications that include field experiments, mechanistic studies, and metagenomics analysis. Using meta-analyses to compare the effects of various types of nitrogen fertilizers, differing application rates, and varying methods of fertilization on the characteristics of soil bacterial communities and their genetic resistance capacity, the results show that the use of either ammonium or nitrate forms of nitrogen affect the composition of the resistome in soil, promote the accumulation of multi-drug resistance genes, and increase the horizontal gene transfer capacity. Further, changes in the composition of soil microbial communities driven by nitrogen fertilizers provide an environment conducive to the accumulation and spread of resistance genes through mobile genetic elements. This review emphasizes that sustainable agricultural intensification will require an understanding of nitrogen's role as an environmental selective pressure that increases antibiotic resistance beyond clinical usage. The data provided here suggest that current fertilization practices are potentially generating an optimal environment for the proliferation of resistance genes with important implications for food security, environmental health, and human medicine.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have received both praise and condemnation in higher education. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) debuted in 2008, and the phenomenon quickly acquired global traction. The present study aims to increase understanding of the effects of MOOCs on higher education and teachers' attitudes towards this emerging type of education by analysing existing research and data. The current study is quantitative, and the survey method of data collection was chosen due to the nature of the study and its demand. The population of the study included all higher education teachers of West Bengal. The analysis shows that there is no significant difference in male and female teachers' attitudes towards Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), nor is there a significant difference in teachers' attitudes towards Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) based on teaching experience. The major findings show that MOOCs have a positive influence on the attitude of higher education teachers.

We employ a two-dimensional fluid simulation approach to study the nonlinear turbulent dynamics of internal gravity waves (IGWs) in the weakly ionized Earth’s ionospheric F-layer with the effects of Pedersen conductivity. We observe that the presence of Pedersen conductivity leads to the formation of intermediate-scale structures in the velocity potential, along with the development of small-scale density fluctuations. The characteristic turbulent energy spectrum exhibits a non-Kolmogorov scaling of k−2.40 in the presence of Pedersen conductivity, while a Kolmogorov-like k−5/3 scaling is observed when it is absent, where k denotes the wave number. Due to energy loss caused by Pedersen conductivity, the wave’s amplitude reduces gradually with time. The cross-field diffusion coefficient related to the velocity potential also reduces as Pedersen conductivity increases. The results in the F-layer are compared with those in the literature, where the Ampère force and hence the Pedersen conductivity effect were ignored compared to the pressure gradient and gravity forces, as relevant in the Earth’s D-layer.