Influence of insecticides alone and in combination with fungicides on enzyme activities in soils

Two insecticides, monocrotophos and chlorpyrifos alone and in combination with two fungicides, mancozeb and carbendazim, respectively, were assessed for their effects on the activities of arylamidase (as glucose formed from sinigrin), dehydrogenase (in terms of triphenyl formazan formed from triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) and myrosinase (as β-naphthylamine formed from l-leucine β-naphthylamide) in vertisol and laterite soils collected from a fallow groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) field. The influence of selected pesticides, alone and in combination on enzyme activities was concentration dependent; the activities increased with increasing concentration of the pesticides up to 2.5 kg ha^?1, whereas application of monocrotophos alone showed maximum enzyme activities up to 5.0 kg ha^?1, in both soils. However, higher concentrations (7.5 and 10 kg ha^?1) of the pesticides were either innocuous or toxic to the enzyme activities. The significant stimulation in the activities of arylamidase, dehydrogenase and myrosinase, was associated with 2.5 kg ha^?1. The maximum stimulation in arylamidase and myrosinase activity was observed at 20-day incubation, and the enzyme activities decreased gradually at 30 and 40 days of incubation. Significant increase in dehydrogenase activity was observed at 21-day incubation, and the enzyme activity decreased gradually at 28 and 35 days of incubation in both vertisol and laterite soils. The results of the present study thus, clearly, indicate that application of the insecticides alone or in combination with fungicides, in cultivation of groundnut, at field application rates improved the activities of arylamidase, dehydrogenase and myrosinase in soils.     

Hydrogeomorphological and groundwater prospects of the Pageru river basin by using remote sensing data

Hydrogeomorphology and lineament studies have been completed by using satellite data for the Pageru river basin, Cuddapah district, Andhra Pradesh, India through visual interpretation of IRS-1B-LISS II FCC (57J/6, J/7, J/10 and J/11) on a 1:50,000 scale. The area has been visually interpreted to delineate various hydrogeomorphic units and lineaments for the development of groundwater. From these studies, various geomorphic units were classified as favourable, moderately favourable and poor zones of groundwater. The integration of geomorphology and lineament studies reveal that shallow groundwater occurrence is controlled by geomorphological characteristics whereas faults/fractures control the yield of groundwater at intermediate depths.     

Evaluation of EGM 2008 with EGM96 and its Utilization in Topographical Mapping Projects

Precise terrain elevation information is required in various remote sensing and Engineering projects. There are many technologies to derive the terrain elevation information like GPS, ground surveys, LiDAR, Photogrammetry. GPS is the most widely used technology to obtain information due to its ease of operation. However the usage of ellipsoidal heights, i.e. with respect to WGS84 has limited usage in hydrological applications. GPS heights must be converted into orthometric heights for use in hydrological applications, and this requires geoid undulation information. These geoid undulations can be deduced from earth gravity models. There are various earth gravity models available for ready usage like EGM96, EGM2008, GFZ96 in the public domain. This paper discusses the improvements observed in deriving orthometric heights using EGM2008 over its predecessor model EGM96. The utilization of the new model in topographical mapping projects are also presented.     

Gravity inferred subsurface structure of Gadwal schist belt, Andhra Pradesh

Detailed gravity data collected across the Gadwal schist belt in the state of Andhra Pradesh show an 8.4 mgal residual gravity anomaly associated with meta-sediments/volcanics of the linear NNW-SSE trending schist belt that shows metamorphism from green schist to amphibolite facies. This schist belt is flanked on either side by the peninsular gneissic complex. The elevation and slab Bouguer corrected residual gravity profile data were interpreted using 2-D prism models. The results indicate a synformal structure having a width of 1.8 km at the surface, tapering at a depth of about 2.6 km with a positive density contrast of 0.15 gm/cc with respect to the surrounding peninsular gneissic complex.