• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.81-90
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• 2016

The core purpose of the paper is to explore perceptual displays of rural India towards the role and impact of ICT in transforming the lives through education and telecommunications. After meticulous review of pertinent literature on ICT, and its policy framework, the researcher administers both quantitative and qualitative field data collected from the villages of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu with a sample of 250 from each state. More than 90 percent of respondents from the four southern states in India clearly thought that the role and impact of ICT is very momentous. Predominantly, cent percent respondents from Kerala evinced that ICT is the major reason for achieving the tag of "100% Literacy State". And also in the remaining three states viz., Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the literacy rate has crossed mind-boggling figures only because of ICT's reinforcement. Even in the arena of telecommunications, these four states average telecom density is more than the country's average. The paper concentrated only on how ICT function empirically to build human capacity in rural south-India through the sectors of only education and telecom. This study is first of its kind and precious to all stakeholders of the ICT sector like educational institutional, telecom firms, customers, employees, and governments, etc.

• Agribusiness and Information Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2016

India is largest producer of banana in the world producing 29.72 million tonnes from an area of 0.803 million ha with a productivity of 35.7 MT ha-1 and accounted for 15.48 and 27.01 per cent of the world's area and production respectively (www.nhb.gov.in). In India, Tamil Nadu leads other states both in terms of area and production followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. In Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, Kurnool district had special reputation in the cultivation of banana in an area of 5765 hectares with an annual production of 2.01 lakh tonnes in the year 2012-13 and hence, it was purposively chosen for the study. On $23^{rd}$ November 2003, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has commenced a comprehensive project called 'Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP)', first of its kind in the world so as to promote water use efficiency. APMIP is offering 100 per cent of subsidy in case of SC, ST and 90 per cent in case of other categories of farmers up to 5.0 acres of land. In case of acreage between 5-10 acres, 70 per cent subsidy and acreage above 10, 50 per cent of subsidy is given to the farmer beneficiaries. The sampling frame consists of Kurnool district, two mandals, four villages and 180 sample farmers comprising of 60 farmers each from Marginal (<1ha), Small (1-2ha) and Other (>2ha) categories. A well structured pre-tested schedule was employed to collect the requisite information pertaining to the performance of drip irrigation among the sample farmers and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was employed to analyze the performance of drip irrigation in banana farms. The performance of drip irrigation was assessed based on the parameters like: Land Development Works (LDW), Fertigation costs (FC), Volume of water supplied (VWS), Annual maintenance costs of drip irrigation (AMC), Economic Status of the farmer (ES), Crop Productivity (CP) etc. The first four parameters are considered as inputs and last two as outputs for DEA modelling purposes. The findings revealed that, the number of farms operating at CRS are more in number in other farms (46.66%) followed by marginal (45%) and small farms (28.33%). Similarly, regarding the number of farmers operating at VRS, the other farms are again more in number with 61.66 per cent followed by marginal (53.33%) and small farms (35%). With reference to scale efficiency, marginal farms dominate the scenario with 57 per cent followed by others (55%) and small farms (50%). At pooled level, 26.11 per cent of the farms are being operated at CRS with an average technical efficiency score of 0.6138 i.e., 47 out of 180 farms. Nearly 40 per cent of the farmers at pooled level are being operated at VRS with an average technical efficiency score of 0.7241. As regards to scale efficiency, nearly 52 per cent of the farmers (94 out of 180 farmers) at pooled level, either performed at the optimum scale or were close to the optimum scale (farms having scale efficiency values equal to or more than 0.90). Majority of the farms (39.44%) are operating at IRS and only 29 per cent of the farmers are operating at DRS. This signifies that, more resources should be provided to these farms operating at IRS and the same should be decreased towards the farms operating at DRS. Nearly 32 per cent of the farms are operating at CRS indicating efficient utilization of resources. Log linear regression model was used to analyze the major determinants of input use efficiency in banana farms. The input variables considered under DEA model were again considered as influential factors for the CRS obtained for the three categories of farmers. Volume of water supplied ($X_1$) and fertigation cost ($X_2$) are the major determinants of banana farms across all the farmer categories and even at pooled level. In view of their positive influence on the CRS, it is essential to strengthen modern irrigation infrastructure like drip irrigation and offer more fertilizer subsidies to the farmer to enhance the crop production on cost-effective basis in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. This study further suggests that, the present era of Information Technology will help the irrigation management in the context of generating new techniques, extension, adoption and information. It will also guide the farmers in irrigation scheduling and quantifying the irrigation water requirements in accordance with the water availability in a particular season. So, it is high time for the Government of India to pay adequate attention towards the applications of 'Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its applications in irrigation water management' for facilitating the deployment of Decision Supports Systems (DSSs) at various levels of planning and management of water resources in the country.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.203-205
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• 2003

Black sooty mould fungus was observed on the upper side of the mulberry leaves caused by the Capnodium sp. This fungus develops with the utilization of the honeydew dropped by the whiteflies. Few selected insecticides like Monocrotophos, Chloropyriphos and Nuvan were tried to control the whitefly incidence and followed by the application of Maida (wheat flour paste) and Starch solution separately to control the incidence of the Capnodium on mulberry. It is found that a significant control of the whitefly incidence with the application of Nuvan (2 $m\ell$/L) and followed by Chloropyriphos (2 $m\ell$/L) and Monocrotophos (1.6 $m\ell$/L) and also a significant control of sooty mould infection were recorded with Starch and Maida application.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.5-11
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• 2012

The core objective of this research article is to investigate different challenges and opportunities in management as well as start-ups of small businesses in India. The prudence behind this research is to examine various problems in front of the small businesses and to offer vital support and cooperation to overcome those with the support of concerned institutions through consultancy and training programs. The researchers have an intention to make available the research results to the governmental agencies, concerned small business institutions and also to the educational institutions which are continually design plans, programs, policies and strategies to upgrade the managerial and technical dexterities of the small business Indian operators. After thorough revision of relevant literature on small businesses and its management, the researchers used a well structured questionnaire and in-depth personal interviews with 586small business operators selected from manufacturing, trading (retailing and wholesaling), finance, servicing/repair businesses which are located in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in India. The researchers have used convenience sampling and collected data was analyzed with the support of Microsoft Excel and frequency distribution. Noticeably, majority of the small businessmen in India are facing myriad number of challenges both in management and at the time of establishment of their business operations. In particular, 72.47 percent of small businesses operators' have substantiated their strong opinion towards the challenges they are facing particularly finance, marketing and other problems while managing their businesses. The researchers also attempted to get the opinions on problems of the various categories of small businesses while starting their operations. A staggering 68percent of respondents identified the problems related to preparation of business plan, location selection, marketing and other problems like lack of proper credit facilities, skilled manpower, and other infra related problems while setting up of their businesses. On an average, 64.62 and 63.51 percent of small businesses are facing various kinds of problems both at the time of day-to-day management as well as start-up of their businesses respectively. The present research confined with the opinions of only four categories of small business operators particularly from the manufacturing, finance, trading (retailing and wholesaling), and servicing/repair which are continuing their business operations from the nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in India. The present study emphatically provides concrete information required to the business community for identifying an assortment of challenges faced by different small business operators in managing and at the time of their inception. This research paper is first of its kind from this part of the world by offering extensive and credible information required for prospective entrepreneurs in facing the dynamic challenges in managing their business. Furthermore, this research presents invaluable inputs to the stakeholders like all types of governments, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and educators' about the various impediments faced by the small business community in India.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2002

A new high yielding mulberry genotype, Victory-1 (V-1) was recommended to the field for irrigated areas by Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI), Mysore during 1996-1997. As K-2 and S-36 mulberry genotypes are already in the field, a study on the comparative performance of V-1, 5-36 and K-2 varieties, in terms of leaf yield, yield attributes, leaf moisture and moisture retaining capacity and their impact on silkworm rearing was carried out under Telangana conditions of Andhra Pradesh during 1999-2001. Among the three genotypes the leaf yield was found to be significantly (P < 0.01) higher in V-1 (64,130 kg/ha/yr) followed by S-36 (44,064 kg/ha/yr) and K-2 (23,990 kg/ha/yr). The maximum leaf moisture was also observed in V-1 (71.84%) compared to S-36 (66.86%) and K-2 (64%). The moisture retaining ability was more in V-1 (70.17%) followed by S-36 (66.20%) and K-2 (60.08%). The yield attributes were found to be significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced in V-1 over S-36 and K-2. Silkworm rearing results (bioassay) indicated a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in larval duration and improvement in larval weight, effective rate of rearing by number and weight, single cocoon and shell weights and shell ratio in the silkworm lots fed on V-1 variety followed by S-36 and K-2. Hence, in this study, V-1 was found to be superior among the three varieties studied.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2002

Andhra Pradesh is one of the major groundnut growing states in India. A total of 182 groundnut samples collected at harvesting from farmers fields in five districts, namely; Anantapur, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Kurnool, and Mahaboobnagar, during 1999 and 2000 rainy seasons were evaluated for the presence of mycotoxins (both aflatoxins and zearalenone) and toxigenic fungi. In samples collected from each district, average seed infection by Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium spp. was 11.9-18.3% and 5.6-12.8% in 1999, and 9.5-14.1% and 9.4-11.9% in 2000, respectively. Among the samples collected, 20.3% and 16.5% were contaminated with aflatoxin in 1999 and 2000, respectively, and in 11.4% and 8.7% of the seed samples collected in two seasons, the aflatoxin content was >30 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. An alarming aflatoxin content of 851.9$\mu\textrm{g}$/kg was found in samples collected from Anantapur district during the rainy season in 1999. Zearalenone was not detected in any of the samples collected in 1999, while 2 out of 103 samples collected in 2000 were contaminated with 35.1 and 129.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. Under in vitro cultural conditions, 35.8% of the 173 A. flavus isolates collected from the groundnut samples produced aflatoxins at concentrations of 94.3-1598.6 ng/$\textrm{m}{\ell}$ and 3% of the 266 Fusarium spp. isolates produced 98.1-847.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g of zearalenone. The results emphasize the need for a more systematic and regular monitoring of pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.472-477
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• 2012

A thermophilic $Alicyclobacillus$ $acidocaldarius$, which produces thermostable ${\alpha}$-amylase, was isolated from the hot water effluent of a boiled rice mill near Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. The effect of different culture conditions on the growth and production of extracellular ${\alpha}$-amylase by thermophilic $A.$ $acidocaldarius$ was investigated in laboratory scale. The results showed that the optimum conditions for the production of ${\alpha}$-amylase are a temperature of $60^{\circ}C$, pH of 6.0, and medium starch concentration of 1.0%, and yeast extract and tryptone of 0.2%. Surfactants, like Tween-20 and SDS, up to 0.02%, were found to increase the bacterial growth and enzymes. Further increase in their concentration resulted in significantly decreased enzyme production.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1931-1935
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• 2013

Background: This study was undertaken to identify the socio-demographic determinants of quit attempts among smokers and smokeless tobacco users to identify correlates of tobacco cessation behaviour in India Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study for the outcome of quit attempts made by current tobacco users in last 12 months in twelve districts in two states. Simple and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the odds ratios (ORs) of socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education, occupation, socio-economic status, community, area, type of family) and tobacco user status (smoker/smokeless). Results: In the combined analysis, a smoker had higher predicted probability of attempting quitting (OR-1.41,CI 1.14-1.90), in comparison to a smokeless tobacco user and a tobacco user in the state of Gujarat was less likely to attempt quitting than a user in Andhra Pradesh (OR-0.60, CI 0.47-0.78). The probability of making a quit attempt was higher among tobacco users who were more educated (OR-1.40, CI 1.04-1.94), having a higher socio-economic status (SES) (OR-2.39, CI 1.54-3.69), and belonging to non-agricultural labourer occupational group (OR-1.90, CI 1.29-2.78). The effects were maintained even after adjusting for all other variables. In disaggregated analysis, findings were similar except in smokeless as a separate group, education level was not significantly associated with quit attempts and with lower odds (OR-0.91, CI 0.58-1.42). Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to provide useful insight into potential determinants for quit attempts of tobacco users in India including smokeless tobacco users, exploring the socio-demographic patterning of correlates of quit attempts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.295-301
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• 1992

Eight crop residues : 1, sorghum (Sorqhum bicolor) straw, 2, maize (Zea mays) straw, 3, cotton (Gossypium Sp.) straw, 4, sunflower (Helianthus Sp.) straw, 5, cotton (Gossypium Sp.) seed hulls, 6, groundnut (Archais hypogaea) hulls, 7, maize (Zea mays) cobs, 8, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) bagasse and two forest grasses 9, Heteropogan contortus dry grass and 10, Sehima nervosum dry grass were subjected to three physical processing 1, chopping (2-3 cm) 2, grinding (8 mm sieve) and 3, pelleting (10 mm die holes). The processed material was fed ad lib. Along with 250 g of concentrate mixture per head per day to 6 adult local goats and 16 adult Nellore rams in ten digestion experiments and finally assessed the nutritive value of the processed roughages by difference method. Grinding increased bulk density by 32.4 (cotton seed hulls, CSH) to 88.1% (Sehima dry grass) while pelleting of ground material increased bulk density by 53.9 (maize cobs) to 235.8% (maize straw). The average particle size ranged from $584.1/^U$ (sorghum straw) to $1467/^U$ (CSH). Modulus of uniformity ranged from 2:5:3 (sorghum straw) to 7:2:1 (CSH) while modulus of fineness ranged from 3.4 (sorghum straw) to 5.4 (CSH). Molasses absorbability was highest with cotton seed hulls and least with maize cobs. Pelleting increased DM intake of the residues except cotton seed hulls compared to grinding. Grinding of chopped material/unprocessed material increased DM intake on sorghum straw and cotton seed hulls. Sheep consumed more DM compared to goats on all the residues except sorghum and sunflower straws. Pelleting increased nutritive value of all the residues compared to grinding and chopping. However, no difference was observed in the nutritive value due to grinding and chopping. Goats performed better compared to sheep in utilizing the fibrous residues.

• Agribusiness and Information Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

The present study has aimed at analyzing the technical and scale efficiencies of credit utilization by the farmer-borrowers in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. DEA approach was followed to analyze the credit utilization efficiency and to analyze the factors influencing the credit utilization efficiency, log-linear regression analysis was attempted. DEA analysis revealed that, the number of farmers operating at CRS are more in number in marginal farms (40%) followed by other (35%) and small (17.5%) farms. Regarding the number of farmers operating at VRS, small farmers dominate the scenario with 72.5 per cent followed by other (67.5%) and marginal (42.5%) farmers. With reference to scale efficiency, marginal farmers are in majority (52.5%) followed by other (47.5%) and small (25%) farmers. At the pooled level, 26.7 per cent of the farmers are being operated at CRS, 63 per cent at VRS and 32.5 per cent of the farmers are either performed at the optimum scale or were close to the optimum scale (farms having scale efficiency values equal to or more than 0.90). Nearly 58, 15 and 28 percents of the farmers in the marginal farms category were found operating in the region of increasing, decreasing and constant returns respectively. Compared to marginal farmers category, there are less number of farmers operating at CRS both in small farmers category (15%) and other farmers category (22.5%). At the pooled level, only 5 per cent of the farmers are operating at DRS, majority of the farmers (73%) are operating at IRS and only 22 per cent of the farmers are operating at CRS indicating efficient utilization of credit. The log-linear regression model fitted to analyze the major determinants of credit utilization (technical) efficiency of farmer-borrowers revealed that, the three variables viz., cost of cultivation and family expenditure (both negatively influencing at 1% significant level) and family income (positively influencing at 1% significant level) are the major determinants of credit utilization efficiency across all the selected farmers categories and at pooled level. The analysis further indicate that, escalation in the cost of cultivation of crop enterprises in the region, rise in family expenditure and prior indebtedness of the farmers are showing adverse influence on the credit utilization efficiency of the farmer-borrowers.