STAMP: Simultaneous Training and Model Pruning for Low Data Regimes in Medical Image Segmentation

Acquisition of high quality manual annotations is vital for the development of segmentation algorithms. However, to create them we require a substantial amount of expert time and knowledge. Large numbers of labels are required to train convolutional neural networks due to the vast number of parameters that must be learned in the optimisation process. Here, we develop the STAMP algorithm to allow the simultaneous training and pruning of a UNet architecture for medical image segmentation with targeted channelwise dropout to make the network robust to the pruning. We demonstrate the technique across segmentation tasks and imaging modalities. It is then shown that, through online pruning, we are able to train networks to have much higher performance than the equivalent standard UNet models while reducing their size by more than 85% in terms of parameters. This has the potential to allow networks to be directly trained on datasets where very low numbers of labels are available.

The unique and extreme vineyards of Santorini Island (Cyclades)

Own-rooted and phylloxera-free vines have been cultivated on the volcanic soil of Santorini for thousands of years. All this time, vines have been cultivated by using two traditional training systems, the ‘Κouloura’, and the ‘Κladeftiko’, which are well-adapted to the specific climatic conditions of the island. This first report aims to share the scarce existing knowledge on Santorini’s training and pruning systems, looking at some important quantitative and qualitative ripening parameters over four consecutive seasons (2017-2020) and revealing similarities regarding their adaptation to climate conditions on the island.

CONSTRAINTS FACED BY THE KIWI FRUIT FARMERS IN ILAM MUNICIPALITY AND SANDAKPUR RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF ILAM DISTRICT

The survey research entitled “Constraints faced by Kiwi fruit farmers in Ilam Municipality and Sandakpur Rural Municipality of Ilam District” was conducted to access the problem faced by kiwi fruit farmers of Ilam district. For the study, 80 households were selected using simple random sampling method. 40 households each from Ilam Municipality and Sandakpur Rural Municipality were selected. The study shows that the production is in slightly increasing rate in both Ilam Municipality and Sandakpur Rural Municipality. In both Sandakpur and Ilam areas, 25 and 20 percent farmers are producing seedlings in their own nursery respectively and rest of seedlings requirement is met from other nursery. The major problem was wild animal Kala at Ilam and Sandakpur. Unavailability of quality saplings, lack of male and female plant management in field, lack of modified storage and lack of refrigerator van were major constraints of Ilam Municipality. Lack of cemented support system, lack of training and pruning knowledge, lack of modified storage and poor connectivity of road were major constraints of Sandakpur Rural Municipality. Overall constraints of Ilam was technical factors whereas of Sandakpur was disease and pest constraints. Despite of all these constraints, the B:C ratio was 2.67 and 2.53 in Ilam and Sandakpur respectively, which means that the kiwi cultivation is profitable.

Orchard management.

Commercial production from a guava orchard begins on the third year after planting and cropping may continue for 40 years or more. The performance of an orchard depends on its management, which includes water and nutrient management, selection of the correct cultivars, planting technique, canopy management for flowering and fruiting, and improved light efficiency through pruning to optimize the quality of young and bearing trees. This chapter provides information on planting system, planting density, training and pruning, intercropping, and weed control in guava orchards.

Sweet cherry pruning fundamentals.

This chapter focuses on the fundamentals of pruning sweet cherry orchards. The fundamentals of training and pruning contemporary sweet cherry orchards usually incorporate plant materials or techniques that promote: early fruiting for a more rapid return on investment; optimization of light interception and distribution, with minimal intra-canopy shading; greater precision in, and/or simplification of, canopy development for balancing yields with fruit size and quality, as well as ease of teaching to less experienced labor forces; and systematic processes for annual renewal of fruiting wood to maintain consistent yields of high fruit quality as trees age.

Factors Influencing Performance of Capsicum under Protected Cultivation: A Review

Vegetables as the succulent pot herb are the most vulnerable to vagaries of climate change i.e. extreme weather events, such as elevated temperature, lengthy droughts, untimely rains, heavy rainfalls, violent storms, sea rising and resurgence of biotic stresses such as weeds, pathogens and their vectors, and insect pests. Adjoining to this, shrinking of cultivable land, limited natural resources, lower productivity, higher inputs cost, shortage of man power, low market price, hesitation among youth to choose farming as career etc. endorse the adoption of protected cultivation as the ultimatum to all these troublesome. In recent days, protected or greenhouse cultivation of high value vegetables like capsicum especially during offseason has been witnessed in increasing trends among small and marginal farmers as it is high value and low volume crop and produce higher yield in manifolds with superior quality. Protected structure not only delimits the abiotic and biotic stresses in capsicum cultivation but also accounts for higher economic remuneration to growers and provide a boost to their socio-economic development through adoption of improved package of practice such as mulching, drip irrigation, fertigation, training and pruning, better plant protection management, etc. Though, protected cultivation is remunerative but high initial investment, lack of technical guidance, non-availability of genuine building material for protected structure, torrential flood, cyclone etc. are major constraints and setbacks prevailed in developing counties like India for its adoption and commercialization. Therefore, this review covers all the aspects of protected cultivation in Capsicum to find an amicable solution through improved technologies.

Production Technology of Peach, Plum and Apricot in India

In this chapter production technology of peach, plum and apricot in India is elaborated in detail in relation to introduction, origin and distribution of crop, importance and uses, morphological features of tress, other related species involved, climate and soil requirement, varieties, propagation and raising of rootstocks, planting and planting densities, cropping systems, manure and fertilisers application, cultural practices, weed management, orchard floor management, after care training and pruning, pollination and pollinizers, flowering and crop regulation, use of growth regulators, fruiting in the crop, fruit thinning and drop, maturity and harvesting, post-harvest management, handling and storage, insects, pests and diseases, special production problems like low productivity, unfruitfulness and self-incompatibility, premature leaf fall, replant problem, alternate bearing and remedies and physiological disorders of the crop.

Thematic Areas for Training Needs of Cherry Growers- A Study in Baramulla District of Kashmir Valley

The study was conducted in horticulture zone Tangmarg of district Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir. Horticulture Zone Tangmarg comprises of 65 villages out of which 35 villages were under cherry cultivation, from 35 villages 06 villages were selected purposively on the basis of maximum area under cherry cultivation. From the selected 06 villages 120 cherry growers were selected through proportionate allocation method. It has been observed that the skills of cherry growers regarding expert guidance planning, layout planning, soil testing pest and disease management, nutritional management training and pruning etc. were low and as such majority (46.67%) of the cherry growers have high training needs. Integrated disease management receiving highest score was the most prioritized thematic area for training need followed by Soil testing, training and pruning techniques, integrated pest management etc. The training need for marketing technique, processing and value addition packing and grading was given lowest priority by the cherry growers. It was concluded that need based cost effective training programmes and strategies need to be tailored, so that human resource be put to effective use for achieving sustainable cherry production.

RESPONSE OF KINNOW CROP WITH RESPECT TO GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY TO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PRUNING

Pruning is a technique that is employed in orchards to control growth, remove dead or diseased wood, to stimulate formation of flower and fruit buds. It has in common the objectives of manipulating the vegetative or reproductive growth. some of the benefit traditionally attributed pruning had been called into question by field research in past few decades. A proper training and pruning program is essential for maintenance of a healthy and productive orchard. To quantify the pruning intensity and level on the quality and yield in Kinnow fruit crop was studied in the department of Citrus Research institute, Sargodha from 2013 to 2015 . The research trial was conducted according to the RCBD with five replications. Mature and fruit bearing trees of Kinnow mandarin were pruned as No-pruning (T1), light-pruning 10 % (T2) , medium-pruning 25% (T3) and heavy-pruning 35 % (T4). Fruit yield per tree in terms of number of fruits was highest in third year in all contestant treatments i.e. 979 in medium-pruning, 957 in light-pruning, 929 in no-pruning and 853 in heavy-pruning. Medium pruning in respect of quality parameters like average fruit weight and juice percentage excelled among all treatments with results 223g and 54.6% respectively. Conclusively Maximum yield and quality of Kinnow fruit crop was obtained in medium-pruning which appeared to be the best pruning methodology in Kinnow crop