Analysis and interdependence of morphometric characters in the Hill stream fish Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede) from Garhwal Himalaya

Study of morphometric characters is generally carried out for species identification in fish biology. It includes the measurements of all body lengths and their inter relationships in terms of ratios and percentages to the independent lengths (Total length, standard length and head length). Present paper deals with the analysis of various morphometric characters with species characteristics in Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede),  which is one of the most important eel like hillstream fish belonging to order Mastacembeliformes and family Mastacembelidae from river Western Nayar (290 45’ to 300 15’ latitude and 780 34’ to 790 12’ longitude ). Total length, standard length and head lengths were considered as an independent variables in ratio of which other lengths (caudal length, pre orbital length, post orbital length, maximum body depth, snout length and eye diameter) were analysed. The maximum size of fish was observed as 60 cm and the minimum being 10 cm. By using regression and correlation analysis, the modelling of data is presented to find out their interrelationship. The closest correlation was in between total length and standard length (r= 0.999) and the farthest between total length and caudal length ( r= 0.878). The linearity of regression was tested by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) which showed that all the relationships were significant at the level of 5 % significance. The multivariate analysis was also done by using cluster technique which sowed except caudal length rest all characters were forming a close cluster

Assessment of Genetic Fidelity of in vitro Raised Plants in Swertia chirayita through ISSR, RAPD analysis and Peroxidase Profiling during Organogenesis

ABSTRACT An efficient in vitro regeneration protocol for medicinally important herb Swertia chirayita was developed and the genetic fidelity was assessed using RAPD and ISSR markers. The best shoot regeneration was observed on MS basal supplemented with 1.0 mg/L Benzyl amino purine (BAP) in combination with Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (0.5 mg/L) that resulted in the increase by multiplication rate (7.65) with an average of 33.33 numbers of shoots and average shoot length of 2.70 cm. It was further enhanced by the addition of adenine sulfate (0.007%) that resulted in an average of 42 shoots per clum with 4.13 cm of average shoot length and the increase in multiplication fold to 9.75 that further resulted in the reduced use of other cytokinins and auxins. The rooting was nearly 100 % on 1/4 MS augmented with 1.0 mg/L Indole butyric acid with maximum average root length of 5.1cm. Plantlets were successfully acclimatized with 85-90 % survival rate. Ascorbate peroxidase activity increased with the maximum activity during the shoot multiplication. Clonal fidelity has been checked by two marker systems ISSR and RAPD and regenerated plants showed high clonal fidelity

<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">In vitro</span></i><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> antimicrobial activity of aerial parts extracts of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Aconitum heterophyllum</i> Wall.<span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic"> ex Royle </span></span>

504-507Antimicrobial activity of extracts of aerial parts of the plant samples of Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle was evaluated against different bacterial and fungal strains. It was observed that methanolic extract (50 mg/well) was the most potent extract which showed significant inhibition of the growth of Gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Antifungal activity was shown by two extracts against Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. Methanolic extract showed considerable antifungal activity while feeble antifungal activity was obtained with ethyl acetate extract even at higher concentrations. </span

FECUNDITY AND SEX RATIO IN A RARE HILL-STREAM FISH BOTIA DAYI HORA FROM GARHWAL HIMALAYA, UTTARANCHAL

The paper deals with reproductive capacity and sex ratio of a hillstream fish Botia dayi Hora collected from river Khoh in the foothills of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttaranchal. Fecundity of the fish varied from a minimum of 2225 to a maximum of 8840 in the fish measuring 10.1 cm to 14.5 cm respectively. Four linear relationships were traced out between fecundity and independent body parameters. Sex ratio was near to natural one. &nbsp