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ThesisItem Embargo Synthesis of boron and phosphorous doped graphene fabricated with magnesium ferrite – bentonite nanocomposite for the remediation of pollutants(Punjab Agricultural University, 2022) Manpreet Kaur; Manpreet KaurGraphene oxide (GO) doped with heteroatoms are gaining interest in depollution of water because of their large surface area. The boron-doped GO (B-GO), phosphorous-doped GO (P-GO) and boron and phosphorous co-doped GO (BPGO) in different w:w ratios were synthesized and fully characterized using analytical techniques viz. FT-IR, XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, BET, Mössbauer and XPS. In order to impart magnetic features to doped GO materials, magnesium ferrite-bentonite (MGF-B) was used to fabricate nanocomposite of MGF-B and BPGO having hierarchical nanoflowers like morphology (HNFs). TEM of co-doped GO showed more wrinkled surface than doped GO, whereas in case of HNFs, chiffon-like BPGO nanosheets were wrapped on the MGF-B surface, resulting in a porous flower-like morphology. The synthesized materials were explored as adsorbents for the removal of Pb(II) and As(III) ions and as photocatalysts for the degradation of martius yellow, p-nitrophenol and malathion from synthetic waste water. The trend for the percentage removal of heavy metals by adsorption and degradation of organic pollutants by photocatalysis in the descending order was found to be: HNFs > BPGO-1:1 > BPGO-1:5 > BPGO-1:0.2 > MGF-B > P-GO > B-GO > GO. The adsorptive and photocatalytic potential of HNFs was greater as compared to pristine, doped and codoped GO due to high surface area, remarkable charge transfer ability and layered structure of codoped GO sheets. The HNFs possessed appreciable saturation magnetization than doped and co-doped GO layers, which led to its easy separation and reusability. Box-Behnken design was utilized for exploring the simultaneous effects of the independent variables on removal of metal ions and degradation of organic pollutants (as dependent variable) using HNFs. The adsorption and photocatalytic mechanism was proposed on the basis of adsorption isotherm, thermodynamic, kinetic and quenching studies. Enhanced activity of HNFs with adsorption of heavy metal could be defined by the electronic structural properties of elements. The best adsorbent and photocatalyst were also tested for spiked solution containing different metal ions and real life industrial water matrices.ThesisItem Restricted Value orientation among adolescents: status and determinants(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2021) Manpreet Kaur; Kang, Tejpreet KaurThis study entitled "Value Orientation among Adolescents: Status and Determinants" was conducted in Ludhiana and Kapurthala districts of Punjab state. This study was designed to assess the value orientation of urban and rural adolescents. It attempted to determine the relationship between value orientation and internet use, home environment, perceived school environment and perceived peer pressure. The sample was randomly selected from four Government Senior Secondary Schools located in both urban and rural areas of Ludhiana and Kapurthala districts. The sample included 480 adolescents between the ages of 16-18, who were studying in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. The sample was split to include equal number of rural and urban boys as well as girls. To assess adolescents' value orientation, Personal Value Questionnaire developed by Sherry and Verma was used. School Environment Inventory by Mishra was used to measure psychosocial climate of the school. Home Environment Inventory by Mishra was used to measure adolescents‟ perception of their home environment. Internet Usage Scale by Saini and Kaur was used to assess the patterns/trends of internet usage. Different statistical tools were used to analyze the data. Results showed that rural respondents had a lower aesthetic value than urban respondents when it came to value orientation. Rural respondents had higher internet usage than urban respondents. A significant proportion of rural respondents had medium levels of cognitive encouragement in school environment. Rural respondents were significantly more likely to have low levels of conformity at home. Urban respondents were more likely to feel the influence of their peers. Significant positive correlation between economic, knowledge, hedonistic, family status, health value and peer pressure existed among female respondents. There was a significant negative correlation between aesthetic value, family prestige, overall values and internet usage. A significant positive correlation was observed between democratic, aesthetic and rejection. There was also a significant negative correlation between power and rejection, economic value, permissiveness, social value, and total home environment in rural respondents. On the basis of contribution of each factor, an educational module was prepared for teachers, parents and adolescents to encourage inculcation of positive values.ThesisItem Restricted Mapping and transfer of higher grain length and multiple rust resistance from T.dicoccoides to cultivated wheat(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2022) Manpreet Kaur; Satinder KaurWild emmer wheat, Triticum dicoccoides, the progenitor of modern tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, is an important resource of new variability for disease resistance genes and grain yield traits. T.dicoccoides acc. pau14723 showed resistant to leaf and stripe rust races and was crossed with T.dicoccoides acc. pau4663 (susceptible to leaf and stripe rust) for studying the inheritance and mapping the genes for leaf and stripe rust resistance. Recombinant inbred lines were developed and screened against highly virulent Pt and Pst pathotypes at the seedling and adult plant stages. Inheritance analyses revealed that both the rust infections were controlled by dominant major single gene. For mapping these genes, the markers showing diagnostic polymorphism in the resistant and susceptible bulks were amplified on all RILs. The molecular characterization identified the genes to be present on 1A chromosome of wheat (short arm). MapDisto version 1.7.5. Beta 4 software was used to determining the linkage present between the genes governing resistance and the SSR markers Xbarc148, Xbarc240, Xwmc93, Xwmc818. A total map size of 9.7cM was obtained showing no segregation between Lr and Yr genes and the marker lying closest to the resistance genes was Xbarc148 at 1 cM distance from the resistance genes. The variation in the T. dicoccoides for the yield related traits was studied by crossing the accessions having longer and wider grains with the accessions having shorter grains resulting in three different crosses: T.dico.14723 and T.dico. 4663, T.dico.5219 x T.dico. 4663 and T.dico. TA1027 x T.dico. 5232. The RIL populations developed from these crosses were screened for different traits affecting the yield which include 100 grain wt. (100 Gwt.), spike length (SpL), spike length with awns (SpLWA), no. of spikelets/spike (Splts/Sp), grain length (GL), grain width (GW) and grain area (GA). The interaction between the traits and their contribution to grain yield was studied. The molecular and the phenotypic data was statistically analyzed for the significant contribution of marker alleles. The evaluation of allelic effects of the polymorphic markers for each trait using Kruskal–Wallis test showed that the phenotypic differences in the mean value of GL, GA and GWT were statistically significant for the three different classes of TaGASR7-A and TaGASR7-D. The study suggests the use of variation existing in T.dicoccoides germplasm for wheat breeding programmes.ThesisItem Open Access Processing suitability of chili varieties for value added products(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Manpreet Kaur; Sachdev, Poonam A.The present investigation entitled ―Processing suitability of chili varieties for value-added products‖ was carried out with the objectives to assess the physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Punjab Sindhuri and CH-27 chili varieties, development of chilli paste with enhanced shelf stability, drying characteristics of chili varieties and preparation of value added products with greater shelf stability and to extract oleoresins by using conventional and non-conventional methods. The CH-27 contained highest total soluble solids (5º Brix), total solids (20.7%), ash content (1.47%), total sugars (4.4mg/100 gm), crude fibre (9.81%), total phenolics (276 mg/100ml), ascorbic acid (132.17 mg/100 gm) and capsaicin (1.17%), while Punjab sindhuri contained highest total chlorophyll (10.43), carotenoids (12.05mg/100 gm), β-carotene (5.85mg/100 gm) and lycopene (3.2µg/100 gm). Among different drying techniques, freeze drying at -40ºC showed significantly highest retention of physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties in both chili varieties. During 8 months storage (room as well as refrigeration), honey chili sauce containing CH-27 (red) showed utmost retention of total phenolics (679.46mg/100ml), β-carotene (308 mg/100 gm), lycopene (4.59µg/100 gm), per cent inhibition of DPPH (52.02%), FRAP (3.43 mM/100 gm), while honey chili sauce containing Punjab sindhuri (red) significantly retained maximum total solids (84.49%) ascorbic acid (5.54mg/100 gm), color a value (4.84), ash content (2.86%) and total sugars (63.56 gm/100 gm). Red and green form of both chili varieties were processed into the paste and stored at the room as well as refrigeration temperature. The chili paste yield was found significantly higher for Punjab sindhuri (green and red) than CH-27. Treatment containing 0.2gm KMS + 0.2gm sodium benzoate + 1ml acetic acid + 5gm NaCl per 100 gm of chili paste was found to be effective for the better retention of physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant activity during 10 months duration of storage. Highest oleoresin yield i.e.7.1% from Punjab sindhuri red variety was observed with ultrasonication method.ThesisItem Restricted An analytical study of residential solar photovoltaic system in Punjab(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2019) Manpreet Kaur; Gill, Jatinderjit KaurThe present study entitled ‘An analytical study of residential solar photovoltaic system in Punjab’ was undertaken with the objectives: to study the socio-economic profile of the users of photovoltaic system for domestic purpose; to study the awareness, factors and the problems associated with use of solar photovoltaic system; to examine the economic viability of the photovoltaic system for domestic purpose. Proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 300 families from five major cities of Punjab (27 families from Jalandhar, 47 families from Patiala, 13 families from Mohali, 200 families from Ludhiana and 13 families from Amritsar) who were using photovoltaic systems at their residence at least from last one year. The data pertaining to awareness, factors, problems and the economic viability of the photovoltaic system used for domestic purpose was collected with the help of specially structured interview schedule. The Socioeconomic status scale developed by Meenakshi (2010) was used to study socio-economic profile of respondents. The results revealed that the users of domestic solar photovoltaic system in Punjab were of above average to high socio-economic status in terms of their family education, income, occupation, property, wealth and social status. They were aware of life span, cost, capacity, area required, working principle, net metering etc. of solar photovoltaic system. The use of photovoltaic system at domestic level was found to be increasing steadily over the period. A very high majority (91.00 %) of users preferred ongrid as compared to off-grid (9.00%). Respondents were satisfied with the amount of electricity produced and considered it as money saver, eco friendly, safe to use, require no technical knowledge, healthy and reduce power consumption. It was found to conserve energy, pollution free, safe and convenient to use, needed no protection from water and had low maintenance cost. The respondents differed significantly in their opinion on major constraints of solar photovoltaic system related to availability, economic, construction, technical and operational problems. They found economic problems such as the system being expensive coupled with lack of appropriate incentives leading to the problem of lack of capital to meet the high initial cost and construction problems like lack of technical knowledge, high cost of construction and need of space and surface area were major constrains to purchase solar photovoltaic system. Majority of the respondents were highly satisfied with the working, maintenance, installation and type of material of solar photovoltaic system. The cost also didn’t matter for most of the respondents in the view of the end benefits. The socio-economic status of respondents was found to be positively and significantly correlated with their overall awareness of solar photovoltaic system. The per kilowatt cost of solar photovoltaic system reduce with the increase in the total capacity of the system. The cost of solar photovoltaic system also reduced over the period and still reducing. The initial rate of return and payback period of solar photovoltaic system varied from 16% to 20% and between 5-8 years which indicated that the users of domestic solar photovoltaic system recovered their initial investment within the time period of five to eight years of its installation in terms of its saving on electricity bill and after that the saving on electricity bill till twenty five years of its life, contributed as saving. The benefit cost ratio of solar photovoltaic system greater than one indicated the usefulness of the investment on domestic solar photovoltaic system. The study proved the installation of solar photovoltaic system as economically viable and profitable in spite of its high initial cost.ThesisItem Restricted Determinants of perceived risk taking behaviour among adolescents(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2019) Manpreet Kaur; Kang, Tejpreet K.The present study entitled “determinants of perceived risk taking behavior among adolescents” was undertaken in the Ludhiana district of Punjab. The study was designed to assess the status of perceived risk taking behavior among rural and urban adolescents. It also assessed the contribution of parenting, peer pressure, impulsiveness and emotional maturity of adolescents towards perceived risk taking behaviour. The sample comprised of 300 adolescents aged 16-18 years drawn equally from rural and urban areas of Ludhiana district. The sample was further distributed equally over gender (150 girls and 150 boys). Respondents were selected from government senior secondary schools by using random sampling technique. A self structured interview schedule was prepared to document the socio demographic profile of adolescents. A scale developed by Gullone et al was used to assess the risk taking behavior of adolescents. Parenting scale by Bharadwaj, Sharma and Garg, Peer pressure scale by Singh and Saini, Impulsiveness scale by Rai and Sharma and Emotional maturity scale by Singh and Bhargava was used to measure the perceived parenting, peer pressure, impulsiveness and emotional maturity of the adolescents respectively. Results revealed that rural and urban boys and girls had significant differences in perceived risk taking behavior. Significant locale and gender differences were also observed in perceived peer pressure, impulsiveness and emotional maturity. Parenting, peer pressure, impulsiveness and emotional maturity contributed significantly towards risk taking behavior among adolescents.ThesisItem Open Access Combining financial statement analysis and technical analysis to enhance stock portfolio performance: A study of Indian stock market(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Manpreet Kaur; Aggarwal, NavdeepThe study was undertaken to examine the performance of combined financial statement analysis and technical analysis vis-à-vis standalone financial statement analysis and technical analysis among high book-to-market (value stocks) and low book-to-market (growth stocks). To fulfil the objectives, the research was carried out for each of the FY ranging from 2008-09 to FY 2012-13. For each of FY all the listed companies of National Stock Exchange (NSE) were arranged in descending order of book-to-market (B/M) ratio using the CMIE database Prowess. The companies were then sorted into five quintiles. Top quintile (that is, highest book-to-market ratio) was chosen for high book-to-market companies and bottom quintile (that is, lowest book-to-market ratio) was chosen for low book-to-market companies. The financial statement analysis among high book-to-market stocks was carried out using Piotroski (2000) framework and that among the low book-to-market (growth stocks) was carried out using Mohanram (2005) framework. Technical analysis among both types of stocks was carried out by applying Jegadeesh and Titman (1993) and Lee and Swaminathan (2000) methodology. Results show that financial statement analysis based strategy for both value and growth stocks outperforms the market for all holding periods of 3 months, 6 months and one year. However using technical analysis based strategy this outperformance hold good only for 3 months and 6 months formation and holding periods. The combined strategy outperforms standalone technical analysis and financial statement analysis based strategy for 3 months and 6 months holding periods. However for longer holding periods (one year) this outperformance disappears. But the degree of outperformance on combining the financial statement analysis and technical analysis was greater as compared to standalone financial statement analysis or technical analysis based strategies. It can be concluded from the results that it is beneficial for investors to form their investment strategy by combining financial statement analysis and technical analysis; if he plans to hold the portfolio for not more than 6 months.ThesisItem Open Access Status of population and assessment of environmental contaminants on egg parameters and breeding biology of House Crow (Corvus splendens) in Malwa region of Punjab(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2017) Manpreet Kaur; Khera, K.S.Birds are the common inhabitants of the ecosystem and are well known as indicator species of the ecosystem health. Among these birds, the Indian House Crow (Corvus splendens), is the most wide spread subspecies of the corvidae family in India as well as in the world. Present study was undertaken to study the dynamics of house crow population in some pockets of Malwa region of Punjab. The present study on the status of population of House Crow was carried out in the 3 districts of Malwa region of Punjab (Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana and in selected villages of Sangrur and Bathinda), while study on assessment of environmental contaminants on egg parameters and breeding biology was carried out only in the 2 districts of Malwa region of Punjab (PAU, Ludhiana and in selected villages of Sangrur). It was observed that population of House Crow was significantly low at the Sangrur and Bathinda villages as compared to PAU, Ludhiana. In present study, breeding season of House Crow was observed to be from April to September. 99 nests were recorded during two breeding seasons in PAU, Ludhiana and 9 nests were found in two villages of Sangrur. Quantitative analysis of the nests of house crow was also done. Majority of the nests of the House Crow located on 17 different tree species. In the present study two types of nests were observed i.e. Active nests and Non-active nests. In PAU, Ludhiana, out of total 99 nests, 61 nests found to be active and 38 nests were remain in-active on 16 different tree species in both breeding seasons. In villages of Sangrur, all nests were found inactive on the 3 tree species used. Average egg length, breadth, shape index, egg weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight, albumen percentage, yolk percentage, shell percentage, egg shell thickness, CaCO3, egg volume and specific gravity which indicate hatchability of eggs were determined. In present study high levels of chlorpyriphos and few heavy metals were detected in feather samples collected from villages of Sangrur. Overall it was observed that the population at PAU, Ludhiana was higher as compared to selected villages of Sangrur and Bathinda. Analysis of feathers indicated higher levels of chlorpyriphos and some heavy metals in the feathers collected from villages of Sangrur. As birds are the visible indicators of the health and quality of the ecosystem in which they live, therefore, fixing priorities and developing strategies for their conservation needs further studies for a healthy environment.
