The Sustainable Development Goals have set an ambitious target to end open defecation by 2030 by building private household toilets. These toilets are categorized based on quality indicators. However, toilets that are shared among households are considered “limited,” disincentivizing governments and implementers from investing in this infrastructure despite being more appropriate in certain contexts. Furthermore, unlike private toilets, shared toilets are not distinguished based on their quality. As such, there is a need to understand what attributes constitute well-managed shared toilets. These types of facilities could play an important role in helping people move up the sanitation ladder away from open defecation in certain contexts. Therefore, we conducted 41 one-on-one in-depth interviews with users of managed shared sanitation facilities. We found that maintenance and accessibility are key indicators of well-managed shared sanitation. Maintenance includes the provision of water for flushing and self-cleaning, cleaning, and high-quality built infrastructure. Accessibility is defined by the distance people have to walk to reach the facility, the amount of time they have to wait in line, and design features of the facility that encourage use. These findings could help distinguish managed versus unmanaged shared sanitation and could help inform global sanitation policies.

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Improper nitrogen management and declining soil fertility are major constraints of wheat production in Nepal. Limited information is available on optimum nitrogen levels and use efficiencies. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted on November 2018 at the Inner Terai to determine the effect of nitrogen on yield and improve the nitrogen use efficiency of wheat. Levels of five nitrogen, 0 kg ha-1 (Control), 60 kg ha-1,80 kg ha-1, 100 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1, were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. Observations on growth parameters such as plant height (cm), tiller m-2 and yield attributing characteristics such as thousand grain weight (g), spike length (cm), and grain spike-1, were found to be highest at a nitrogen level of 120 kg ha-1. Nitrogen at 120 kg ha-1 increases the grain yield, straw yield and harvest index. The grain nitrogen concentration at 120 kg ha-1 was statistically similar to that at 100 kg ha-1 and 80 kg ha-1 while nitrogen uptake was highest (114. 833 kg ha-1) at 120 kg ha-1 and lowest in control. Agronomic use efficiency is highest at 100 kg ha-1 and lowest at 60 kg ha-1. The apparent fertilizer N 96 recovery percentage was high (49.62%) at 120 kg ha-1, which is statistically similar to 100 kg ha-1 (46.97%) and lowest (31.76%) at 60 kg ha-1. However, observing agro physiological efficiency and the nitrogen harvest index did not show any significant difference among treatments. The application of nitrogen at 120 kg ha-1 was required to produce the preferable yield and the nitrogen use efficiency traits.

Inappropriate agriculture operation with dependent on mostly chemical fertilizers has led to acidification and dropping fertility status which directly affects crop productivity. The simplest method to recover these debase land is to amend with integrated nutrient management practices thereby improving the nutrient cycle. We experimented to study the effect of integrated plant nutrient management on yield and leaf nutrient status of broadleaf mustard on farmers' field of Kathmandu Valley from August 2017 to December 2017. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design. There was 9 treatment viz. T1(½ NPK +4 ton/ha Vermicompost), T2( ¾NPK + 2 ton/ha vermicompost), T3 (½ NPK+ 12 ton/ha FYM), T4(¾ NPK + 6ton/ha FYM), T5 ( ½ NPK+ 2 ton/ha Poultry Manure), T6 ( ¾ NPK+ 1 ton/ha Poultry Manure), T7 (½ NPK + 6 ton/ha Compost), T8( ¾NPK+ 3 ton/ ha Compost) and T9 (Control) with three replication. All the treatments were applied at the time of transplantation as basal application. In the study maximum plant height and leaves size observed in T5(½NPK+ 2 ton/ha PM) and yield per plot and yield per ha was observed in T6( ¾NPK+ 1ton/ha PM). Similarly, the maximum plant canopy volume was observed in T2 (¾ NPK+ 2ton/ha VC). The highest leaf Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and potash were found in the treatment T7 (1/2 NPK+ 6 ton/ha Compost), T5 (1/2 NPK+ 2 ton/ha Poultry Manure) and T2 (¾NPK+ 2 ton/ha VC) respectively.

Tomato is highly perishable in nature and incurred high post-harvest losses due to unsuitable packaging method. Experimentation was undertaken to find the effect of different polymeric film packaging on postharvest quality of tomato var. Manisha in a completely randomized block design (CRD). There was five treatment viz. open, ordinary plastic, Polypropylene (PP38,) Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE38) and 25) which was replicated four times. Destructive and non-destructive samples were prepared for each treatment, nondestructive samples were sealed completely and used for weight loss observation and destructive samples were tied with a rubber band and used for observation of Titratable Acidity (TA), Total Soluble Solid (TSS), pH and firmness every four days after packaging. Among the different packaging treatments, no packaging (open) showed the highest percentage of weight loss (13.25%), lowest firmness (3.35 kg), and highest TSS (4.33) at the final day of storage as compared to another plastic packaging. The plastic packaging creates a modified atmosphere for the packed tomatoes which slows down the physiological processes and delay ripening, causes minimum weight loss, delays a change in color, and lower TSS content of the tomato fruit. So, packing tomatoes in any type of plastic packs is suitable for increasing shelf life.