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Now an app to help farmers practice precision agriculture

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Now an app to help farmers practice precision agriculture

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]~By T V Venkateswaran

New Delhi, June 14 (India Science Wire): Engineering students at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee have developed a mobile app that can help farmers practice precision agriculture, particularly in application of precise amounts of fertilizers.

By determining health of the crops using hyperspectral imaging of crop leaves, the app could help in rational use of fertilizers. The development has won IIT Roorkee students the Ericsson Innovation Award 2017. Over 900 teams from 75 countries participated in the global contest for developing innovative ICT ideas on the theme of ‘Future of Food’.

Farmers apply fertilizer based on their experience rather than on any rational input. Therefore, if they chose not to apply fertilisers, perhaps they may be taking a risk and suffer economic losses. On the other hand, excessive application spoils the soil and damages the environment. “If only the farmers can know the health status of the plant, then they can make a more rational choice. The app developed by our students would be handy to the farmers. They would be able to know if the crops need fertilisers or not in just a snap,” says Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee.

Named SNAP, the app uses a precision agriculture technology to determine the optimum fertiliser inputs for the crop and works on the principle of hyperspectral imaging of plant leaves. Spectral lines are like fingerprints that indicate presence or absence of a chemical by studying the light reflected by the leaf. Hyperspectral imaging combines conventional spectroscopy with imaging techniques to acquire both spectral and spatial information simultaneously for detecting physical, chemical, and biological attributes of the samples.

When the sunlight falls on a leaf, the reflected visible light and the near-infrared rays contain specific signals that tell about its chemical constituents. Water content, amount of macronutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), as well as micronutrients such as sulfur (S), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) and so on can be effectively measured using the hyperspectral imaging technology.

“The app uses mobile phone camera as the imaging device and hence could be profusely used in the field by the farmers,” pointed out Prof Chaturvedi.

The award winning team included Ekdeep Lubana, Anisha Godha Ankit Bagaria and Utkarsh Saxena with diverse expertise of electronics and communication, chemical and metallurgy. After an intense global competition, the team was one of the three global finalists to compete at Noble Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. The low-cost handheld imaging device for optimising fertiliser use in agricultural was declared the global winner and the team were awarded 25,000 Euro.

The jury was chaired by Sara Mazur, Head of Ericsson Research, had Caleb Harper, MIT Media Lab, Dr Catherine Mulligan, Imperial College London, Mattias Fyrenius, CEO Nobel Media, and Johan Jörgensen, Founder Stockholm FoodTech as members.

India Institute of Technology Delhi’s ICT product ‘Enigma’ that seeks to reduce weevil infestations in rice crop storage won the second place while  students of Aalto University, Finland who developed  ‘Foodgrid’, an attempt at minimizing the distance between farm and table by building a social and commercial platform to connect urban farmers, landowners with green space, and consumers won the third place. (India Science Wire)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Salman Khan house firing case: NIA interrogates arrested shooters Sagar Pal, Vicky Gupta for three hours

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The investigation into the shocking firing incident that took place outside Salman Khan’s house on April 14 keeps bringing new updates with every passing day. In this case, Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, the two suspected shooters, have already been taken into custody.

The two shooters have reportedly been questioned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), according to a new development. Every day that goes by, more information is revealed about the inquiry into the shocking firing incident that happened outside Salman Khan’s house on April 14. Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, the two accused shooters, are being held in custody after their first arrests.

It was recently discovered that the two shooters were questioned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

NIA has reportedly begun questioning Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, who were detained a few days ago for firing openly outside Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, according to a recent update posted on their X (Twitter) account. NIA has interrogated shooters Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, arrested in the firing case, the tweet said.

According to the reports, two Punjabi residents were taken into custody by the Mumbai Crime Branch yesterday on suspicion of being involved in the recent shooting incident outside the house of Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

The two men, Sonu Subhash Chander and Anuj Thapan, provided guns to Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, the shooters, according to information released by the Mumbai Crime Branch. It was also reported that they had communication with the Bishnoi gang. For those who don’t know, hours after the incident, Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, allegedly took credit for the firing in a Facebook post.

The shooters’ custody has been extended by Mumbai’s Esplanade Court until April 29.

Meanwhile, on the workfront Salman Khan was last seen in Tiger 3 alongside Katrina Kaif.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi calls for high voter turnout in second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024, says your vote is your voice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges citizens to participate in record numbers during the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media as the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha Elections of 2024 got underway across the country to encourage voters to cast votes in huge numbers. PM Modi emphasized in his speech the value of voting in preserving democracy and notably urged women and young people to cast votes.

Taking to social media X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi wrote, urging everyone in constituencies to participate in record numbers in today’s second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He said our democracy is strengthened by high voter turnout. He especially urged female and youth voters to cast votes in large numbers. Your vote is your voice, he added.

It is important to remember that 88 Lok Sabha constituencies—spread among 13 states and Union Territories—are presently holding polls. Twenty seats in Kerala, fourteen in Karnataka, thirteen in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, six in Madhya Pradesh, five in Assam and Bihar, three in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one in each of Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, and Manipur are currently up for election. Notably, the untimely death of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate has resulted in the Madhya Pradesh constituency of Betul being spared from voting on April 26.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized the thorough planning that has taken place over the previous two years and reassured the public of careful security measures at every voting place. They have been preparing for the last two years, he said. At each booth, the arrangements are ready. Everything has been prepared for the voters, including fans and drinking water. Voters must turn out to cast their votes. Safety has been considered. There is zero information available anywhere regarding violence. However, there will be forces at every booth.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma campaigns for her father Ajit Sharma in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

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Bollywood actor Neha Sharma’s recent participation in a roadshow in Bihar has taken the internet by storm. Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Crook, was seen supporting her father, Ajit Sharma, who is contesting from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. The roadshow came amid speculations that the actor might enter politics. But, it is now clear that she was just campaigning for her father.

neha sharma

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

The actor received a warm reception and love from a large crowd in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon during her roadshow. She wrote on Instagram that it is said when someone gives one a place in their heart, then they live there forever. She said her heart is full of all the love and support she was receiving from the people. She thanked the people for the warm welcome she got in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon. Aapka pyar sar ankhon par.

Another video, circulating on social media showed the actor actively participating in her father’s election campaign in Bhagalpur. The election to the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat is set to take place in the 2nd phase on April 26. Ajit Sharma is representing the Congress and is up against JDU’s Ajay Kumar Mandal in this seat.

Earlier, there had been rumours and speculations that Neha Sharma might join politics. But many reports have clarified that she is not making her political debut yet. The Bollywood actor had been offered the opportunity to join politics by her father Ajjit Sharma but she is currently focusing on her acting career.

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