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ThesisItem Embargo Standardizing supplemental lighting for improved strawberry cultivation in soilless media under protected cultivation(Punjab Agricultural University, 2023) Pardeep Kaur; Mahesh Chand SinghA study was carried out at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to standardize the supplemental lighting for improved strawberry cultivation in soilless media inside a naturally ventilated greenhouse. For supplemental lighting, full spectrum LED grow lights were used. The experimental treatments included three levels of supplemental lighting viz. 235, 169, 132 μmol m-2s-1, and 3 levels of photoperiod viz. 12, 14 and 16-h. The treatments were replicated thrice in a factorial CRD layout. After transplanting, the strawberry plants were fertigated with fresh nutrient solution throughout the growing season using drip irrigation system. Electrical conductivity and pH of the nutrient solution were maintained in the range 1.5-2.7 dSm-1 and 5.5-6.5, respectively. Crop related data (plant height, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf area index, etc.) were recorded at weekly interval. Climatic data (mainly light, temperature and relative humidity) were recorded continuously at a 5-minute interval through development of a low-cost IoT-based real-time climate monitoring system. The fruit related data (fruit diameter, fruit weight, number of fruits and yield per plant) were recorded at the time of each harvesting. The quality parameters viz. titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid and phenol content were analysed twice in the growing season (7th February and 25th March, 2022). The performance of strawberry was significantly affected by time-differential supplemental lighting in terms of its effects on different plant growth parameters, fruit parameters and yield. The supplemental lighting of 132 μmol m-2s-1 for a photoperiod of 16-h recorded the highest fruit yield of 450.0 g/plant with an average value of 408.9 g/plant. The results indicated a significant increase in yield, WUE and FUE of Camarosa strawberry with decrease in supplemental lighting from 235 to 132 μmol m-2s-1 and an increase in photoperiod from 12 to 16-h. The average benefit-cost ratio (B:C) was obtained as 2.35 and 2.27 with and without subsidy, respectively. Supplemental lighting of 132 μmol m-2s-1 for a photoperiod of 16-h resulted in highest B:C value of 2.74 with 50% subsidy and 2.68 without subsidy. Thus, subjecting strawberry plants to light in the range of 362.5-430.6 μmol m-2s-1 including supplemental light of 132 μmol m-2s-1 for about 16 hours in a day is desired to record the optimal plant growth, fruit yield and quality of camarosa strawberry, when cultivated in soilless media inside a naturally ventilated greenhouse.ThesisItem Embargo Evaluation of tapering fertigation schedules for dripirrigated potato crop(Punjab Agricultural University, 2023) Koundal, Nitesh; Thaman, SudhirA research experiment was carried out at University Seed Farm Ladhowal of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, during the Rabi season of 2021-2022 to study the effect of basal fertilizer dose and tapering fertigation schedules on growth and yield attributes of the drip-irrigated potato crop. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD), consisting of seven treatments with three replications. All treatments had the equivalent recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), i.e. N: P: K :: 150: 50: 50 kg ha-1. The treatments comprised seven fertilizer application schedules, viz. T1: FYM + 25% RDF as basal + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 75% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.05X; T2: FYM + 25% RDF as basal + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 75% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.1X; T3: FYM + 25% RDF as basal + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 75% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.15X; T4: FYM + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 100% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.05Y; T5: FYM + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 100% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.1Y; T6: FYM + fertigation in 18 tapering splits with 100% RDF, tapering at a difference of 0.15Y; T7: FYM + fertigation with 20 % RDF in 7 equal splits + 80% RDF in 13 equal splits (Control). X and Y are 18 equal splits of 75% and 100% RDF, respectively. The same irrigation depth was applied to all treatments on the basis of the Penman-Monteith method. The data of the field experiment was analysed statistically using CPCS1 software of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, PAU, Ludhiana. Different tapering fertigation schedules had a significant impact on yield parameters, viz., average tuber weight and tuber yield per plant. The treatment T2 recorded the highest average tuber weight (28.4 g) and tuber yield per plant (317.6 g). Tuber yield in treatment T2 (24.4 t ha-1) recorded significantly higher tuber yield than other treatments except for treatment T1. The tuber yield in treatment T2 was 15.2% higher than in treatment T7 (control).ThesisItem Open Access Structural Stability Analysis of Naturally Ventilated Polyhouses(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2021) Lovepreet Singh; Kaushal, ArunThe research work on structural stability analysis of naturally ventilated polyhouses was carried out at Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. There were total 12 treatments which were combination of four different sizes of polyhouses i.e. 560 m2 (T1-T3); 1008 m2 (T4-T6); 2080 m2 (T7-T9); 4000 m2 (T10-T12), with three design wind speeds 100 km/hr, 150 km/hr and 200 km/hr respectively. Truss members, columns and foundation stability analysis was carried out by considering dead loads, live loads and wind loads. Support reactions were computed on truss and column joints. Member forces were computed by using force method. The economic analysis was carried out by computing benefit cost (B/C) ratio and payback period for raising capsicum under stable structures. For every 17 set of truss members four members (two in compression (small arc) and two in tension (truss bracings)) failed in treatments with 150 and 200 km/hr wind speed while two members (in compression, (small arc)) failed in treatments with 100 km/hr wind speed. Minimum structural GI pipe material requirement for structurally stable polyhouses was under treatment T1 (2407 kg) and maximum under treatment T12 (19550 kg). The maximum benefit cost ratio was obtained in treatment T10 (1.77, 2.33) and minimum was in treatment T3 (1.36, 1.84) with no and 50% Government subsidy, respectively. The minimum payback period was obtained in treatment T10 (3.29 years, 1.26 years) and maximum in T3 (7.54 years, 2.19 years) with no and 50% subsidy, respectively. For the structurally stable naturally ventilated polyhouses as the size increases the benefit cost ratio increases, while the payback period decreases and for wind speed it is vice-versa.ThesisItem Restricted Land Use and Land Cover Change Analysis in District Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar of Punjab Using Geospatial Technology(Punjab Agricultural University, 2023) Sohal, Jaskaran Singh; Kaushal, ArunLand use and land cover (LU/LC) is observed to be the primary factor of environmental change on a worldwide scale. Timely and accurate information on LU/LC is very important for efficient planning and management activities. The present study on “land use and land cover change analysis in district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar of Punjab using geospatial technology” was carried out at the Department of Soil and Water Engineering, PAU and PRSC, Ludhiana from 2021-2023 to classify LU/LC and to analyse decadal change in the study area from year 2012-2022. Satellite data of IRS P6 LISS-III (2012 , 2022) and IRS LISS-IV (2022) were analysed for LU/LC mapping using visual interpretation techniques. The study area was divided into seven LU/LC classes i.e.: agriculture, built-up, waterbody, forest/tree clad area, riverine sand, algae bloom and fallow land /barren land/waste land in which agriculture covers maximum while riverine sand covers minimum area. In decadal change the alterations encompass positive trends such as increased agricultural area (31.29 %), as well as negative trends including decreased algae bloom (59.82 %). Overall accuracy for LISS-III 2012, LISS-III 2022 and LISS- IV 2022 were 88.3 %, 86.66 % and 93.3 %, respectively with kappa coefficient value as 0.86, 0.83 and 0.91 , respectively. Hotspot areas with major changes were seen in Block Nawanshahr with major increase in built-up area, as well as in Block Saroya and Balachaur of study area with major decrease in Forest area. Highresolution data of IRS LISS-IV gives better accuracy as compared to IRS P6 LISS-III.ThesisItem Open Access Effect of different precooling methods and storage conditions on shelf life and quality of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. F) Nakai)(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2022) Mahajan, Kashika; Gupta, S.K.The present investigation entitled “Effect of different precooling methods and storage conditions on shelf life and quality of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. F) Nakai)” was conducted during the year 2021-22. Three methods of pre-cooling i.e; hydrocooling (HC), forced air cooling (FAC) and evaporative cooling (EC) were evaluated for postharvest quality of pear fruit under cold storage and ambient storage conditions. Two experiments were laid out viz (i) Optimization of precooling time of pear fruits using different precooling methods and (ii) Effect of precooling methods on storage life and quality of pear fruit under cold storage and ambient conditions. In the first experiment the data exhibited that HC took 130 minutes and FAC took 360 minutes to precool the pear fruits from 34.9oC to 5.2oC. However, the EC could not achieve the desired temperature to precool the pear fruit. In the second experiment the fruit were subjected to HC, FAC and EC treatments for requisite time period as determined in first experiment. The fruits were packed in corrugated fibre board boxes and stored in cold room (0-1⁰C temp and 90-95% RH) and at ambient conditions (28-32oC and 70-80% RH). The stored samples were evaluated periodically for various physiological and biochemical parameters. The data revealed that FAC was found to be the best precooling method to enhance the shelf life of pear fruits upto 60 days under cold storage conditions and 15 days under ambient storage conditions. The control fruits maintained the storage life upto 45 days under cold storage and 10 days under ambient conditions.ThesisItem Embargo Effect of different packaging films on storage life of tomatoes in consumer packages(Punjab Agricultural University, 2023) Pooja; Sharma, S. R.The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of different packaging films on storage life of tomatoes in consumer packages. Five packaging films HDPE (25μ), LDPE (25μ), PP (25μ), shrink (15μ) and cling (15μ) were used to wrap the consumer packages made of corrugated trays. These film wrapped consumer packages were evaluated for postharvest quality of tomato cv. Punjab Varkha Bahar 4 under ambient and cold storage conditions. The physico-chemical parameters measured to determine the storage life of tomato were PLW, spoilage, firmness, colour, gas concentration, TSS, titratable acidity, total phenols, ascorbic acid and lycopene content at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days of storage under ambient storage conditions (17.4-19 °C, 25-28% RH) and at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days of storage under cold storage conditions (10±1°C and 90-95% RH). Cold storage of tomato was found to be better than ambient storage. Tomato packed in cling film wrapped consumer packages were found to be best for 9 days of storage life with desirable physical and chemical attributes as compared to control packages which maintained the storage life up to 3 days only under ambient storage conditions. Tomatoes packed in cling film wrapped consumer packages proved to be the best for 21 days of storage life with minimum weight loss and spoilage, desirable fruit firmness, better colour and other quality parameters as compared to control packages which maintained the storage life up to 7 days only under cold storage conditions.ThesisItem Embargo Assessment of groundwater recharge potential of village pond using geospatial techniques(Punjab Agricultural University, 2022) Shinde, Ankita Prakash; Satpute, SanjayThe water table is depleting at an alarmingly fast rate of 54 cm/yr in the Punjab state. This ongoing decrease in the water table necessitates the rapid and efficient development of artificial groundwater recharge and use of available surface water sources for the groundwater recharge. Keeping this in view the study was planned to assess groundwater recharge potential of village pond using geospatial techniques. To achieve the objectives of the study, Sentinel 2 images for the month of March 2020 of Ludhiana district was used. Three spectral indices namely NDWI, MNDWI and NDPI were used to identify and demarcate the area of village ponds in each village of the district. The efficiency of these indices were compared with the manually digitized area of the village pond for the accuracy assessment. NDWI could identify about 370 village ponds, MNDWI could identify and extract about 1263 village ponds and to further extract the village ponds, NDPI was used and NDPI could extract about 1410 village ponds whereas manually about 1513 village ponds could be demarcated, Therefore, in NDPI more than 90% efficiency could be achieved for identifying the village ponds and for demarcating the village pond, NDPI efficiency was about 60-65%. The average depth of 2 m was considered for the volume estimation of the village ponds and using NDPI, the volume of 873.8 ha-m was estimated. During the field study, the infiltration rate at the undisturbed pond was found to be 41.5 cm/day and disturbed pond bottom, it was found to be 69.1 cm/day. Considering the daily infiltration rate from the pond, annually about 301.9 ha-m of water can be recharged after removal of the bottom layer. If the bottom layer is kept undisturbed, then the recharge rate of 181.3 ha-m would be achieved in village pond. After improving infiltration rate, about 65% recharge can be enhanced through village ponds over undisturbed pond bottom.ThesisItem Embargo Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in Muktsar district of Punjab using GIS based DRASTIC model(Punjab Agricultural University, 2023) Karmakar, Saikat; Garg, SunilGroundwater serves as a vast reserve of freshwater. The geogenic processes within the Earth's crust, combined with the infiltration of water through the surface, result in notable alterations in the quality of groundwater reserves. To effectively handle groundwater resources, assessing the vulnerability of aquifers through prediction and monitoring proves to be a valuable approach. The aim of this study was to employ DRASTIC model in GIS environment for estimating the groundwater vulnerability in Muktsar district of Punjab, which covers almost 2,615 km2 area. In this region, the vulnerability index of groundwater was modelled using both primary and secondary datasets, considering various input variables in ArcGIS software. The calculated DRASTIC index value ranged between 141 to 192 which were further classified in low, medium and high vulnerability classes. Results showed that the high vulnerability was at the northern part of the district with area share of 8.19%. Map removal sensitivity analysis was performed which showed depth to water table as the most influential parameter in vulnerability assessment with mean variation index of 2.63% followed by topography, net recharge and aquifer media. The weights of the model parameters were modified based on the variation indices and a modified DRASTIC model was obtained. The validation test revealed that the output of the modified model was better correlated with both historical and current Total Dissolved Solidss (TDS) concentration map of the study area compared to the conventional model thus making it preferable to assess groundwater vulnerability in the study region.ThesisItem Restricted Storage behavior of selected food grains in hermetic bag and cocoon bag(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2023) Yadav, Shubham; Mahesh KumarThe present study has been conducted to observe the storage behavior of selected food grains (paddy, wheat and canola) in hermetic bag and cocoon bag. Storage parameters like moisture content, bulk density, thousand grain weight, insect count, mould affected grains percentage, broken grains percentages, grain damaged percentage, level of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration inside cocoon bag, germination rate and internal environment conditions like temperature and relative humidity has been observed during the study. In case of canola oil seed, acid value of extracted oil has been examined. The techno-economic feasibility of stored grains under prescribed condition has been evaluated out using standard methods. The grains have been stored for 6 months in different types of plastic bags like 1-layer (HDPE), 2-layer (HDPE and PP), 3-layer (2-layer HDPE and PP), jute bag and cocoon bag. The cocoon bag has showed marginal effect on moisture content of food grains viz. 0.50 % variation for paddy, 0.31 % variation for wheat and 0.66 % variation for canola as compared to other storage bags. There was limited variation in bulk density of paddy 0.01 %, wheat 0.006 % and canola 0.0338 % while 1000 grain weight was changed with a very small variation of 0.1448 % for paddy, 0.1117 % for wheat, and 0.9918 % for canola in cocoon bag. After 6 month of storage, 4.6 % oxygen and 78.0 % carbon-di-oxide concentration were maintained inside the cocoon bag and no insect activity was observed in the cocoon bag stored grains and there was no mould affected grains. Broken grains percentages were changed with a very small range in cocoon bag 0.90 to 0.98 for paddy, 1.40 to 1.81 for wheat, and zero for canola. The acid value of canola oil was found to be in the range of 0.97 mg / 100 g of KOH to 0.99 mg / 100 g of KOH in cocoon bag. The profit margin has been worked out be highest in cocoon bag (12.13 %) due to minimum grain loss and limited changed in quality parameters followed by 3-layer hermetic bag with 2.65 % and 1-layer, 2-layer and jute bag has negative profit margin i.e., loss due to damaged grain by insects. Cocoon bag can be adopted through proper training and demonstrated for safe grains storage.
