MDU Resources

Abstract: The main objective of the present paper is to analyze the effects of fractional order parameter, diffusion, velocity of moving load and time on wave propagation in a two dimensional generalized thermoelastic half-space. Medium is assumed to be unstrained and unstressed initially and has uniform temperature. The governing equations of the fractional generalization of Lord-Shulman model for an isotropic and homogeneous medium are solved by means of the Laplace–Fourier transforms. By employing a numerical inversion technique, the distributions of different fields like displacement, stresses, temperature, concentration and chemical potential are computed numerically and displayed graphically for copper material. All the physicals fields are found to be significantly affected by the above mentioned parameters. The problem of generalized thermoelasticity with diffusion has been reduced as a special case of our problem.

Abstract: Testing the significance of observed trends in hydrological time series has received a great attention recently, especially in connection with climate change. The changing pattern of runoff deserves urgent and systematic attention over a basin for planning, development, utilisation and management of water resources. Therefore, one large catchment i.e. Indian part of Satluj River Basin is selected for the present study. The daily data of runoff were converted to monthly and then computed to seasonal and annual series. The missing values in the data were computed by using average method. For better understanding of the observed trends, data were computed into standardised runoff indices (SDI). These standardised data series were plotted against time and the linear trends observed were represented graphically. The records of runoff were subjected to trend analysis by using both non-parametric (Mann-Kendall test) and parametric (linear regression analysis) procedures.Trend analysis results of runoff show that out of 8 annual trends 2 (25%) are statistically insignificant increasing and 6 (75%) are decreasing in nature where 2 (25%) are statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Apart from annual, the changes were investigated for the four seasons: winter (December-March), pre-monsoon (April-June), monsoon (July- September) and post-monsoon (October-November). The analysis of annual as well as seasonal runoff for the Satluj River Basin indicates significant changes from 1984 to 2010. There is a clear contrast in the runoff pattern of river between the high altitude mountainous region and the lower reaches where it changes as a result of contribution from rainfall, especially during monsoon season. Although the runoff at majority of stations showed decreasing trend, but very few are statistically significant. Such studies help us to resolve potential issues associated with availability of water for agriculture, industry, hydropower, domestic use etc.

Abstract: Cultivation of apple has become the main occupation and major source of economy to the farming community of Himachal Pradesh, India. The production and supply of healthy apple nursery is key factor in the establishment of healthy orchard. The nursery production can be carried out at lower elevation at an altitude of 1,200–2,500 m. One-year-old seedlings embrace the price tag of ₹ 30–70. It can be a good prospective for small farmers with limited input. The biocontrol agent Trichoderma viride (at the rate 100 g/m2) and its combined use with other soil amendment, viz. Vitex leaves (at the rate 1 kg/m2), soil heating by burning and soil solarization, influences the soil microflora and growth parameters of seedling in apple nursery. The experiment was conducted during the year 2009–2010 to compare effects of various nonchemical methods and recommended chemical methods on the growth of seedlings raised through seeds in Karsog valley of Himachal Pradesh at farmer’s field. Apple saplings growth parameters, health, vigorous, population of soil micro flora, pH, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon/matter contents were affected by soil amendments in nursery at all experimental sites.

Abstract: An efficient technology capable of cloning superior Jatropha curcas germplasm through grafting on large scale was standardized. This technique overcomes the bottlenecks associated with conventional seed and cutting raised plants. This is a novel technique being capable of establishing well-rooted pure strands of superior genotype utilising stock–scion concept and also explores possibilities for the improvement of existing inferior strands into high yielding and superior varieties. Among the various grafting methods tried, top cleft grafting was found to be most successful. The ideal stock–scion diameter and grafting height was found to be 3–4 cm and 40–60 cm, respectively. Top cleft grafting was more successful, stable and strong in comparison to other grafting methods, exhibiting 92.0 and 94.09 % success during spring and monsoon seasons, respectively. Side cleft grafting proved to be the second best method resulting in 80.0 and 82.23 % success during spring and monsoon seasons, respectively.