Loading...
Thesis
Browse
10 results
Search Results
ThesisItem Restricted Development and Evaluation of Strip Till Seeder for Simultaneous Tillage and Sowing of Wheat in Paddy Residue Conditions(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Chaleka, Ashley Tafadzwa; Manpreet SinghA Strip-till seeder (STS) was developed to sow wheat in paddy residue conditions, and a study was conducted to evaluate and compare the performance of the machine with the already existing direct seeding machines i.e. Happy seeder (HS) and Super seeder (SS). Three levels of straw load (4.2, 5.2 & 6.0 t ha-1), three levels of forward speed (2.1, 2.6 & 3.2 km h-1) and two levels of machine rotor speed (127.5 and 137.2 rpm) were selected. Ratio of forward speed and rotor speed was expressed as speed index. Optimal combination of variables was selected on the basis of fuel consumption, effective field capacity, wheel slip, plant germination, weed emergence and grain yield. Effect of straw load was more pronounced on dependent variables than the effect of speed index. The STS performed best at a forward speed of 2.6 km h-1, rotor speed of 127.5 rpm and straw load of 6 t ha-1. Average fuel consumption using STS was between that of HS and SS. Weed density (30 DAS) in STS treatments was 36.7 and 53.7 % lower compared to HS and SS respectively. Plant germination was also comparatively higher in STS treatments. Average grain yield in STS-sown wheat was 12.7 and 18.9 % significantly higher than SS and HS, respectively. The STS performed better than the existing direct seeding machines. Therefore, strip tillage seeding technique proved to be a better option for in-situ straw management and it has the potential to combine benefits of residue mulching and incorporation.ThesisItem Open Access Development and optimization of pectin-based smart coating for fresh guava (Psidium guajava L.)(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Japsimran Kaur; Preetinder KaurPresent study was undertaken with an objective to extract and to develop smart pectin-based coating from the guava fruit. Selection of guavas for extraction of pectin was done on the basis of different physio-chemical properties as influenced by harvesting season (rainy, winter) and maturity stages (immature green, mature, over-ripe yellow and infested). To develop pectin-based coating, pectin was extracted from mature green guavas and mixed with different plasticizers (glycerol, sorbitol, polyethylene glycol) with optional anti-microbial agent (Turmeric powder). The effect of different pectin to cellulose ratio (50:50, 60:40; 70:30), plasticizers with or without addition of turmeric for various coating properties was investigated and found to be significant (p<0.05). At best combination of pectin to cellulose ratio (50:50), plasticizer (glycerol) with turmeric, the corresponding values of moisture content, thickness, weight, color, tensile strength, density, viscosity, surface tension, water vapor transmission rate were 0.95%, 0.385 mm, 1.7 g, L:48.11, a:19.41, b:33.13, 4.10 MPa, 6.88 g/cc, 0.23 Pa.s, 26.42 N/m, 61.17 gm-2d-1, respectively. On the other hand, pectin coating without turmeric showed moisture content, thickness, weight, color, tensile strength, density, viscosity, surface tension, water vapor transmission rate as 0.99%, 0.353 mm, 1.4g, L:73.76, a:6.34, b:13.46, 4.20MPa, 6.24 g/cc, 0.25 Pa.s, 26.96 N/m, 63.44 gm-2d-1, respectively. The developed pectin-based coating with and without turmeric had melting point of 134.280C and 138.210C, respectively. The coatings having turmeric exhibited enhanced antimicrobial properties against E. coli, Yersinia, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibro sp .and campylobacteria sp. The shelf-life of guavas coated with developed pectin (50:50; glycerol; with and without turmeric) was assessed under ambient conditions (22OC,78% RH), retail market temperature (15OC, 85% RH) and low temperature conditions (5OC and 80% RH). Results indicated significant enhancement in quality with extended shelf-life of guavas upto 15 days and 12 days under low temperature conditions for coating with and without turmeric, respectively.ThesisItem Restricted Computer Vision to recognize maturity level of Peach cv. Punjab Nectarine(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Pawanpreet Kaur; Derminder SinghAgriculture plays a key role in India's economic growth. Many new technologies need to be develop to place the agriculture sector at the frontline. Even now in India, human experts conduct the maturity inspection of fruits. It is really laborious and time-consuming process. In assessing agricultural produce, meeting quality standards and increasing market value, grading of fruits is necessary. Computer vision system and image processing techniques have been found to be highly useful in the food processing industry in recent years, particularly for quality check and sorting of agriculture produces. In the proposed work, digital image processing techniques are used to detect maturity level of Peach cv. Punjab Nectarine fruit using digital images of fruit taken at different stages of fruit development. Various image pre-processing techniques are applied on images. K-means clustering technique is used to divide datasets into 5 clusters and it performs color-based segmentation that is color based ROI. It finds out number of points in an image. After that, SURF algorithm is implemented to check what features are present in an image and then extracts that features from an image and store them in database in the form of key points. Its accuracy rate is more as compared to SIFT (Scale-Invariant Feature Transform) algorithm, takes less time for processing and extracts global data from an image. It extracts features like color, size, contrast, Mean, SD, Entropy, Homogeneity, Energy, and Correlation etc. using MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory) software. After that, the machinelearning algorithm MSVM is applied to classify image according to maturity level of fruit using various parameter values obtained. Results indicated that color and shape characteristics of fruit are important for visual inspection. The fruit size and color values calculated from desktop application are compared with manual readings to check accuracy of software. When the length and breadth computed from application were compared with the manual readings, the error percentage was less than 2.3% and in terms of L,a,b values the error percentage between manual and software results was less than 10.82%. Therefore, it is computed that software accurately detects maturity level of fruit with faster speed and performance. Method used in present software that is SURF+MSVM has high accuracy rate and fast computing speed. As per the past manual practice, maturity is calculated with a naked eye whereas this software will help in detecting maturity with quantitative value as compared to manual process.ThesisItem Restricted Development and evaluation of tractor operated bund former for mulched field(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Sood, Ashish; Dixit, Anoop KumarIn paddy-wheat crop production system, managing paddy straw fields is a cumbersome process. In these mulched fields bund forming is one of the major problem due to handling of loose as well as standing stubble of paddy straw. To deal with this a tractor operated bund former for mulched fields was developed and evaluated in the actual field. It performs three operations such as straw removing (up to 1.25 m width) followed by soil pulverization and trapezoidal shaped soil bund forming simultaneously in one pass. Field evaluation of the developed tractor operated bund former for mulched fields was conducted in harvested paddy field at University Seed Farm, Ladhowal, PAU, Ludhiana, Punjab. The effect of independent parameters such as three rotor speed ratio (3:1, 4:1 and 5:1), three opening width of bund forming plates (27, 34 and 41 cm) and two straw loads (4.0- 4.5 and 6.0 -6.5 t ha-1) was observed on the dependent parameters namely height of bund, width of bund, pulverization index, fuel consumption and field capacity. The effect of rotor speed ratio, opening width of bund forming plates and straw load was found significant (p<0.05) on height of bund, width of bund, pulverization index, fuel consumption. The best results were obtained at rotor speed ratio 4:1 and opening width of bund forming plates 34 cm under both straw loads. This combination gave optimum height of bund (27.76 cm), width of bund (72 cm), pulverization index (12.76 mm) and fuel consumption (7.05 l h-1) under both the straw loads. The effective field capacity of developed tractor operated bund former was found to be 1.17 ha h-1 at forward travel speed of 1.5 km h-1. The operational cost of the developed bund former machine was found to be Rs 1921.86 ha-1 while cost of forming bund per metre length was Rs 1.45 m-1. There was 77.78 % saving in labour over the conventional bund forming method.ThesisItem Open Access Evaluation of Fertilizer Efficiency of Wheat Under Subsurface Drip Irrigation(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Jha, Ayushi; Siag, MukeshAn experiment on nitrogen fertigation of wheat under sub-surface drip irrigation was conducted for two years, 2018-19 and 2019-20, at PAU, Ludhiana. Treatments were laid out in a split-plot design with three levels of sub-surface irrigation and fourth level as surface drip irrigation. The treatments also included four levels of N fertigation including no fertilizer application as control treatment. Impact of the treatments on yield and uptake of N, P and K were analyzed. There was no significant difference in grain yield between irrigation at 100% and 80% ETc and N fertilizer at 100% and 80% RDF. However, the grain yield was significantly lower under deficit irrigation and fertilizer level of 60% ETc and 60% RDF. Higher irrigation and fertilizer levels positively impacted the N concentration in both straw and grains. Even though fixed doses of P and K were applied, increase in N fertilizer level positively impacted P and K concentrations and uptake by 15-18%. Significantly lower levels of N concentration under surface drip irrigation treatment were recorded, but this did not have a significant effect on the yield as compared to that under sub-surface drip irrigation. Additional uptake of N was significantly higher with increase in N fertilizer application, but it did not have a significant impact on additional grain yield between N fertilizer levels of 100% and 80% RDF. For sub-surface drip irrigated wheat, irrigation at 80% ETc and N fertilizer at 80% RDF results in 20% irrigation water and N fertilizer saving. This treatment was considered the best treatment for adoption in Punjab conditions.ThesisItem Restricted Catchment Landuse Change Impact on Runoff and Sediment Inflow to a Reservoir in Shivalik Foot-hills(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Prasad, Vishnu; Bhardwaj, AnilLanduse change in a catchment modifies the hydrologic processes and affects the capacity and life of water storage and conveyance structures in the downstream areas. In the present study, the impact of catchment landuse change on runoff and sediment inflow to Saleran reservoir located in Shivalik foothills of Punjab has been assessed using RS, GIS and SWAT model. The analysis of landuse maps generated in ArcGIS using Landsat satellite imageries for the years 1999, 2009 and 2019 indicated significant changes in landuse of Saleran catchment during the period of 20 years (1999-2019). Degraded land is the most expanded landuse that increased by 55.28% (78.71 ha) and mixed forests decreased by 12.48% (68.9 ha). The SWAT model was calibrated and validated on an adjacent training watershed (40.28 ha) before its application on the study catchment. The average annual catchment runoff and sediment inflow to the reservoir was simulated to be 14.2 mm and 3.1 Mg/ha (1995-1999), 13.2 mm and 2.9 Mg/ha (2000-2009), and 11.8 mm and 3.37 Mg/ha (2010-2019) per 100 mm of rainfall under the landuse 1999, 2009 and 2019, respectively. The Saleran reservoir filled to its full capacity for 60%, 50% and 40% of the years under landuse 1999, 2009 and 2019, respectively. The mean sediment inflow rate (1995-2019) was 35.55 Mg/ha/yr, which reduced the gross storage capacity of Saleran reservoir by 1.77%, annually. At this rate of sedimentation, the useful life of the dam/reservoir is estimated to be 45 years. The dead storage of the reservoir (29.88 ha-m) completely silted up by the year 2009 and thereafter sediment inflow is occupying and reducing the live storage capacity. The sedimentation has already reduced the live storage of the reservoir by 19.41% (17.49 ha-m) up to the year 2019, leaving only 72.63 ha-m (80.59%) of capacity for storing rainwater. The results of the study indicate that changing landuse have negative impact on the reservoir storage capacity and hence require urgent planning and execution of soil conservation measures in the Saleran catchment.ThesisItem Open Access Characterization and testing of metakaolin based geopolymer mortar containing corn cob ash along with carbon nano tubes(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Pawandeep Kaur; Jaspal SinghGeopolymer is a new concept in the construction technology which is synthesized by mixing the alumino-silicate sources with alkaline activating solution. It is an eco-friendly technique which utilized various materials as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement. Metakaolin (an alumino- silicate material) used as a source material, as it is suitable for geopolymerization. In this study, effect of corn cob ash and multi walled carbon nano tubes on metakaolin based geopolymer has been investigated. Seventy five mixes of geopolymer mortar were prepared with three different molar concentrations of alkaline activator (8M, 10M and 12M) and different proportions of corn cob ash (0% to10% @2.5% increment) as well as with the addition of multi walled carbon nano tubes at proportions of 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% and 1%. The compressive strength of geopolymer mortar was tested after 3, 7and 28 days of curing. Scanning electron microscope test was performed on powdered sample of mixes M1, M13 & M23. The powdered samples were collected from remnants of geopolymer after 28 days of compressive strength testing. Test results depicts that the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar increases at all ages of curing when the molar concentration of alkaline activator is enhanced from 8M to 12M but the proportion of corn cob ash and multi walled carbon nano tubes increases the strength up to a certain limit. Beyond that, there was reduction in the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar. The geopolymer mortar prepared using 12M concentration of alkaline activator and 5% proportion of corn cob ash including 0.50% of multi walled carbon nano tubes is recommended for the maximum compressive strength.ThesisItem Open Access Security issues and their resolutions in cloud based services(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-, 2020) Simranjit Kaur; Jain, LokeshThe use of cloud technology is surging high these days and it is capable of handling tremendous amount of business records and processes. It not only cuts the cost incurred by storing and handling data at a very minimal price, but also enables the users to stay connected to their data at any given moment just by connecting to the Internet. Although this added advantage encourages a lot of people to store their data in the cloud, the cloud still requires a deep analysis to eradicate the many issues it has. This research focuses on going through cloud security papers and surveys to find problems. A hybrid cryptographic scheme, Hybrid Elliptic curve Cryptography-Triple Data encryption Standard (ECC-TDES), has been proposed so as to increase the data security over cloud. Through these hybrid algorithms, the data not only gets added security, but it also gains immunity to certain malicious attacks that the cloud might face. For the test runs, audio, video, image and text files of size 10-100 KB were uploaded to a cloud-based web application encrypted with the proposed algorithm in order to record performance metrics like encryption time, decryption time and accuracy. The results were then put in comparison to both ECC and TDES algorithms, individually. The outcome of the comparison showed that even though ECC-TDES takes more encryption/decryption time, it manages to get the highest accuracy at 0.1 per cent error rate.ThesisItem Open Access Optimization of process parameters for mechanized preparation of maize flour based flatbread(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2020) Kathuria, Prerna; Sidhu, Gagandeep KaurThe present study was done to optimize the process parameters for mechanized preparation of maize flour based flatbreads. The whole maize kernels were procured from the farms of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The kernels were cleaned, processed into flour and sieved into fine and very fine flour particles. Maize flour was blended with wheat and gram flour in the blending percentage of 20, 30 and 40. Flour samples were tested for physicochemical properties like moisture content, protein content, crude fat, ash content, crude fiber, carbohydrates, titrable acidity, color, swelling power, water holding capacity and oil holding capacity. The blending percentage of gram flour and wheat flour had a significant effect on protein content, crude fat, crude fiber, carbohydrates, titrable acidity, color value, swelling power, water holding capacity and oil holding capacity. The optimization of process parameters was done using Box-Behnken design using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The three independent variables set were resting time of dough (0, 10 and 20 min), blending percentage of flour (20, 30 and 40%) and temperature of water to knead the dough (18°, 27° and 36°C). Optimum conditions obtained were 12.45 min resting time, 38.90% blending percentage and 31.47°C water temperature for blending with gram flour and for wheat flour blending, optimum conditions obtained were 20 min resting time, 20% blending percentage and 29.68°C water temperature respectively. Moisture content of flatbread decreases linearly with storage period in both the storage conditions respectively. Browning index increases linearly with storage period but the increase was more prominent in gram flour flatbread. After considering all the parameters, it was found that gram flour blended flatbreads were more acceptable than wheat flour blended.
