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No-tillage and raised beds are widely used for different crops in developed countries. A field experiment was conducted on an irrigated maize-wheat system to study the effect of field layout, tillage and straw mulch on crop performance, water use efficiency and economics for five years (2003–2008) in northwest India. Straw mulch reduced the maximum soil temperature at seed depth by about 3 °C compared to the no mulch. During the wheat emergence, raised beds recorded 1.3 °C higher soil temperature compared to the flat treatments. Both maize and wheat yields were similar under different treatments during all the years. Maize and wheat planted on raised beds recorded about 7.8% and 22.7% higher water use efficiency than under flat layout, respectively. Straw mulch showed no effect on water use and water use efficiency in maize. The net returns from the maize-wheat system were more in no tillage and permanent raised beds than with conventional tillage. Bulk density and cumulative infiltration were more in no tillage compared with conventional tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction and Objectives Many people with severe asthma experience frequent debilitating symptoms and treatment side effects, both of which can have a significant impact on their quality of life. While previous qualitative studies have investigated attitudes to healthcare usage among people with severe asthma symptoms, there is relatively little evidence about how people with ongoing severe asthma cope with its broader impact on their lives. This study sought to examine how people with severe asthma and their families view the impact of the condition and how this affects their approach to its management. Methods Eight focus groups were held in five tertiary centres around the UK in 2010. Participants were grouped into young people with severe asthma (N=8), adults with severe asthma (N=26) and parents of children with severe asthma (N=17). Discussion guides were initially structured around the revised health belief model (Rosenstock IM, Strecher VJ and Becker MH. Social Learning Theory and the Health Belief Model. Health Educ Behav 1988;15:175-183) which suggests that health behaviours are driven e by perceptions in four areas: illness threat, costs and barriers to action, self-efficacy and value of reduced threat. A grounded theory approach was adopted, with concurrent data collection and analysis and adaptations made to the discussion guide in line with emerging themes (Charmaz K. Constructing Grounded Theory. London: Sage, 2006). Results Many people felt relatively powerless to improve their ongoing health-related quality of life, because the perceived threats to it posed by their asthma were closely matched by perceived threats of treatment side-effects. Coping strategies to improve quality of life were therefore often targeted at social interactions, rather than improving asthma control. The revised health belief model appeared to be relevant to people affected by severe asthma. Conclusions Social support for people with severe asthma may facilitate improved quality of life and interventions that deliver this should be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]