We report on a visible light-mediated cascade carbamoylation/cyclization of acrylamides using dihydropyridyl carbamoyl donors derived from alkyl amines. Diversely selected acrylamides including 2-cyano-N-arylacrylamides, indolyl-and benzimidazolyl acrylamides, and 2-alkynyl-N-aryl acrylamides participate in this reaction, providing products in good yields. The highlights of this photochemical method include the application of alkyl amine-derived carbamoyl donors, peroxide-free reaction conditions, and a broad scope.

Physical and engineering properties of paddy seeds plays a crucial role in designing and development of drum’s orifice shape and size in drum seeder. The physical and engineering properties of dry, soaked (12 hours soaking) and pregerminated (24 hours soaking + 12 hours incubation) paddy (Bsmati-370) seeds were studied to finalize these dimensions. The average value for; length, width, thickness and equivalent diameter (mm) varies from 9.95 to 10.55, 10.98 to 11.61, 12.01 to 12.53 mm; 1.95 to 2.12, 2.41 to 2.57, 2.67 to 2.90 mm; 1.70 to 1.74, 2.06 to 2.18, 2.29 to 2.48 mm; and 3.07 to 3.20, 3.55 to 3.68, 3.81 to 4.11 mm for dry, soaked and pre germinated seeds respectively. The aspect ratio and sphericity were found to be 0.19, 0.24, 0.28 and 30, 32.88 and 34.70% for dry, soaked and pregerminated seeds respectively. There was an increase in volume, aspect ratio and terminal velocity by 21, 26.31 and 15.31 % and 39.98, 47.36 and 18.91% for soaked seed and pre germinated seed over the dry seed respectively.

A power operated maize stalk harvester was designed and developed in the Dept. of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan during 2018-19.  The objective of this study is to optimize the operational parameters of the maize stalk harvesting by using the RSM techniques. The effects of independent parameters i.e., blade speed (2000, 4000 and 6000 rpm) and stalk moisture content (38, 42 and 46%) on cutting efficiency (%) and fuel consumption (l/h) were studied. To correlate the independent parameters with the dependent parameters, the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) method with a quadratic model was used. The findings indicated that the variations in blade speed and stalk moisture content affected the cutting efficiency (%) and fuel consumption (l/h). To assess the statistical significance of the model, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, which showed good agreement between the experimental data and data predicted by the model. The blade speed of 4000 rpm and stalk moisture content of 46.0% was found to be the optimum for power operated maize stalk harvester with the 96.52% cutting efficiency and 0.72 l/h fuel consumption.

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Background: Ergonomics is a science that focuses its study on improved design as a remedial measure to fatigue and discomfort in humans. Its objective is to optimize health, safety and productivity. Methods: In the current study, an ergonomic evaluation of walking type power operated maize stalk harvester was done with traditional system. Result: It was observed that the average working heart rate, working oxygen consumption rate, ODR, BPDS and, REBA score was 93.3 beats/min, 0.582 litre/min, 1.1 (uncomfortable), 23.5, 5.3 (medium risk) respectively. The working angles of different body parts like trunk, neck, leg, upper arm, lower arm and wrist were studied and are 9.1o, 7.3o, 41.8o, 23.6o, 48.2o and 7.9o for developed prototype respectively.