Level of Awareness, Adoption and Constraints of Jasmine Growers

The Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) and Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu state were purposively taken for studying objectives viz., profile, awareness, adoption and constraints faced by the jasmine growers. The sampling technique was multi-stage purposive sampling and the research design adopted was descriptive method. A total sample size of 160 (jasmine growers). The secondary data was collected through structured interview schedule. The frequency and percentage were worked-out to quantify the secondary data. PRA preference ranking/problem ranking matrix methodology was used to rank the production and marketing led constraints based on the perceived level of severity by the jasmine growers. Likewise to study the determinants of awareness and adoption with that of the profile, the correction and regression co-efficient was used. It was evident that, there was cent percent awareness and adoption of variety, planting season. Though there was cent percent awareness on pruning technique, only 88.13 % adopted the practice. Very least awareness level (7.50 % & 14.38 %) was observed with respect to post harvest management practice like enhancing shelf-life and off-season flowering technology respectively. The proportion of non-adopter were high with respect to bio-fertilizer application (78.13 %), use of bio-stimulant (81.88 %), off-season flowering spraying (90.63 %) and enhancement of shelf-life through boric acid (100 %). Majority (71.88 %) of farmers were having only medium level of awareness, similarly little more than half (58.75 %) of the farmers had only medium level of adoption. The score obtained through problem matrix ranking revealed that, labour shortage during peak flowering season with highest mean score of 35.50 was ranked as foremost constraint in production and Price fluctuation /market risk with highest mean score of 37.50 was perceived as the foremost constraint in marketing of jasmine.

Farmer’s Perception towards Mitigating Climate Change through Adoption of Soil Carbon Sequestration Practices: A Review Analysis

Climate change is one of the most severe global environmental issues. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases (F) are the principal greenhouse gases (GHGs) whose atmospheric concentrations are escalating. According to [1], agricultural soils have the ability to mitigate GHG emissions by 89% through the sequestration of carbon and an additional 2% and 9% through the mitigation of N2O and CH4, respectively. The process of capturing and long-term stabilisation of CO2 in the soil is known as soil carbon sequestration. Increased food production, better soil health, diversified ecosystem services, and reduced environmental footprints are all the benefits of practices increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). These techniques include planting woods, managing nutrients by using compost, sludge and green manure, and mulching [2]. Additionally, they have the ability to reduce GHG emissions by up to 8% by mitigating around 18 Mg C ha-1 C year -1 (0-15 cm soil layer). Farmers and society as a whole may benefit from this approach [3]. Supporting campaigns and initiatives to boost soil C sequestration is crucial, both on a policy level and through programmes. Additional studies needs to be done to determine the benefits of C sequestration on soil quality precisely, which encourages farmers to adopt more C-positive agricultural practices that improve productivity, as well as water and air quality [4].

An Analysis of Constraints Faced by Organic Farmers in the Cauvery Delta Zone of Tamil Nadu, India

Aim: This study examines the multifaceted challenges encountered by organic farmers operating within the Cauvery Delta Region of Tamil Nadu.Study Design: Ex-post facto research design was used to investigate and reveal the challenges that organic farmers have encountered over the preceding years.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Cauvery Delta Zone of Tamil Nadu. Five districts were selected for the study namely, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Tiruchirapalli. Respondents were interviewed during the period of June 2023 – July 2023.Methodology: The study aimed to include 40 organic farmers from each district, resulting in a collective sample size of 200 respondents across these districts, facilitated through snowball sampling technique. A well – structured interview schedule which included the major constraints faced by organic farmers of the CDZ was developed based on review of past literatures and discussion with experts in the area of organic farming. Based on the ranks given by the respondents to the constraints, the data was analyzed and conclusive results were obtained using the Rank Based Quotient (RBQ) technique. Constraints were studied in 7 different dimensions namely, labour, technical, service and supply, credit and economic, environmental, cropping and marketing constraints. Results: The prime constraints with a higher RBQ values identified in these dimensions were, Labour scarcity due to MGNREGA (93.13), Cumbersome (Slow and complicated) certification process (79.90), Lack of supportive institutions for organic farming (91.80), Inadequate subsidies for organic agriculture (92.75), Use of polluted river water for irrigation (93.90), Lack of inputs specifically for weed management (96.63), Challenge in finding proper marketing channel (90.38). In addition to this, some minor issues were also identified as constraints in the study area.Conclusion: Through an in-depth exploration of these challenges, the study aims to provide insights that can guide policy makers, practitioners, and stakeholders in devising strategies to overcome the obstacles faced by organic farmers in the Cauvery Delta Zone which could have a threshold effect in boosting up the organic productivity of the state.

Adoption of Drones in Agriculture: Social, Economic and Personal Factors

Aims: The acceptance of drone technology is gradually rising up owing to its potential being understood by businesses. It is in this aspect that an outlook on the various factors that are responsible pertaining to the drone technology in the recent times has been carried out. Study Design: Ex-post Facto. Place and Duration of Study: Dindigul, Tiruppur, Erode and Namakkal districts of Tamil Nadu. Methodology: Simple Random Sampling was used to select the respondents and to find out the association between the different factors, chi-square test was used. Results: There was a highly significant association between all the factors such as economic, social and personal with that of the utilization of drones in agriculture since the calculated chi–square values are more than the table values. Conclusion: The perceived factors which has been discussed in this article are a positive sign and can be used as an eye-opener to develop more farmer-friendly drones at a reasonable cost for owning them by the farmers.

Analysing the Scope of Kitchen Gardens in Achieving Dietary Diversity and Food Security in Rural Households for Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems

Aim: The study aims to identify the scope of kitchen gardens or nutrition gardens in rural households in Tamil Nadu in achieving dietary diversity and food security. Currently, only a few existing studies analyse the link between kitchen gardens and dietary diversity. The study aims to address this gap.Study Design: Exploratory study.Place of Study: Tiruvallur and Coimbatore districts, Tamil Nadu, India during December 2022.Methodology: The study was conducted among 270 rural household heads selected through a stratified random sampling method. An index validated by Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and FANTA was used to measure Household Dietary Diversity.Results: The results show there was a significant decrease in dietary diversity among the households. It was also identified that promoting kitchen gardens among poor households can improve food security.Conclusion: The study suggests suitable policy measures tailored to the local agricultural system to scale up kitchen gardening as a viable model for a resilient food system. Future research could be done to assess the impact of nutritive gardens on household food consumption patterns and food security.

Breast Carcinoma- A Review

Breast malignancy has fast overtaken ovarian malignancy as the leading cause of death in women. A number of factors attribute to the rise in breast cancer,including obesity, food habits and carcinogen exposure. This article is a review of breast malignancy, and its pathological nature, and highlights the significance of axillary staging as a prognostic factor,and hence the importance of axillary investigation

Clinical evaluation of non-thyroidal neck swellings

Introduction: This study was carried out to study the findings of fine needle aspiration cytology in non-thyroidal neck masses, to study histopathological findings and to determine the frequency of cervical node involvement in malignancy. Materials and methods: This case series was conducted in the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Thanjavur on in-patients as well as patients attending the out-patient’s department during the period from November 2017 to October 2018. All histology proven benign, malignant, congenital and inflammatory non-thyroidal neck swelling were included in the study. A thorough clinical examination was carried out and physical findings were recorded in details. The FNAC and histological findings were noted. A Performa was prepared to asses no-thyroidal neck swellings. Results: A total of 100 participants were included in the study Neck swellings especially with tuberculous adenitis and secondaries were more common among the lower socio-economic status. Tuberculous adenitis was the commonest non-thyroidal swellings found in the neck followed by secondary metastatic lymph nodes. Conclusion: FNAC is a simple non-invasive and easy to perform diagnostic method and biopsy is to be avoided until full investigation of the mass is completed.

Role of antibiotic prophylaxis in open inguinal hernioplasty – A prospective randomized clinical trial.

Background: Inguinal hernia surgery is the most commonly performed surgery worldwide. Lichtenstein tension free repair using polypropylene mesh is the gold standard procedure for inguinal hernioplasty. Wound infection is the most common complication encountered in an surgical procedure. Antibiotic prophylaxis for open inguinal hernioplasty in minimizing wound infection has been a subject of debate since the beginning of mesh repair. We have conducted a randomized clinical trial in our hospital to analyze the usefulne hernioplasty. Material and methods: 60 patients were included in this prospective randomized control trial. 30 of them received 1 g of Injection Cefataxim half an hour before surgery and remaining 30 received injection Multivitamin infusion. Lichtenstein tension free hernia repair using polypropylene mesh was done. Superficial SSI was diagnosed according to CDC criteria. Results: Totally 5 patients developed SSI (8.33%). Out of the five, (6.67%) were in antibiotic group and remaining 3 (10%) were in placebo group (p = 0.64). Odd’s ratio was 0.6429 (CI=0.0995 to 4.1531). All 5 had only superficial SSI; there was no deep surgical site infection (SSI). 2 patients were managed with dressing alone and remaining 3 with antibotics. After 2 weeks, 2 had wound gapping and at four weeks wound was normal in all patients. 2 out of 5 were above 60 years of age and no SSI occurred >30 years of age (p value = 0.59). Conclusion: Routine use of antibiotics is not necessary in all open inguinal hernioplasty. Antibiotics can be reserved only for patients who are in high risk of SSI. Regularizing the use of antibiotics will have a good cost benefit and decrease the emergence of drug resistant organisms.

Spontaneous resolution of intramyocardial hematoma of the left ventricle.

A 40-year-old male with hematoma of the left ventricular myocardium is described. On echocardiography, the hematoma was initially diagnosed as a cyst-like structure located at the apex and adjoining anterolateral wall of the left ventricle. A contrast-enhanced computerized tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging further confirmed this lesion to be a hematoma. On follow-up, the hematoma gradually subsided and could not be seen on a repeat echocardiography and computerized tomography scan at four weeks.