Influence of NPK levels on growth and yield of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under hills of Uttarakhand

66-72A field experiment was carried out at CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research Centre Purara, Bageshwar, Uttarakhand, India during 2014 and 2015 in sandy loam soil on Influence of NPK levels on plant growth and yield of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under lower hills of Kumaon Uttarakhand were tested in a randomized block design with factorial concept in three replications. Four harvestings were taken in a year. Stevia were treated with three doses of nitrogen (100,200,300 N kg/ha), three doses of phosphorus (60,120,180 P2O5 kg/ha) and two levels of potassium (80,160 K2O kg/ha). Pooled results indicated that significantly higher dry leaf yield was obtained with nitrogen @ 300 Kg/ha (45.68 t/ha) and it was on par with 200 kg/ha (43.76 t/ha). Phosphorus @ 180/ha recorded significantly highest dry leaf yield (40.68 t/ha) and it was on par with 120 kg/ha (43.40 t/ha). Potassium @ 160 kg/ha recorded dry leaf yield of 43.12 t/ha and it was comparable with potassium @80 kg/ha (41.84 t/ha). The growth parameters viz., plant height (cm), number of branches per plant and number of leaves per plant were significantly higher with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium @ 300 kg/ha, 180 kg/ha and 160 kg/ha, respectively which were on par with 200 kg/ha, 120 kg/ha and 80 kg/ha respectively. In pooled data nitrogen N3 i.e., 300 kg/ha recorded the highest B:C (4.60) which was on par with nitrogen @ N2 i.e., 200 kg/ha (4.34), but significantly higher than N1 i.e., 100 kg/ha (3.38). Phosphorous P3 i.e., 180 kg/ha resulted in higher B:C (4.61) which was on par with P2 i.e., 120 kg/ha (4.50). Potassium level influenced the B:C non-significantly. Significantly lowest B:C was recorded with absolute control in pooled data (2.19). Nutrient level of 300:180:160 kg/ha NPK applied in equal splits to four harvestings in a year has been considered as an economically optimum level of nutrients for stevia

Influence of NPK levels on growth and yield of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under hills of Uttarakhand

A field experiment was carried out at CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research Centre Purara, Bageshwar, Uttarakhand, India during 2014 and 2015 in sandy loam soil on Influence of NPK levels on plant growth and yield of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under lower hills of Kumaon Uttarakhand were tested in a randomized block design with factorial concept in three replications. Four harvestings were taken in a year. Stevia were treated with three doses of nitrogen (100,200,300 N kg/ha), three doses of phosphorus (60,120,180 P2O5 kg/ha) and two levels of potassium (80,160 K2O kg/ha). Pooled results indicated that significantly higher dry leaf yield was obtained with nitrogen @ 300 Kg/ha (45.68 t/ha) and it was on par with 200 kg/ha (43.76 t/ha). Phosphorus @ 180/ha recorded significantly highest dry leaf yield (40.68 t/ha) and it was on par with 120 kg/ha (43.40 t/ha). Potassium @ 160 kg/ha recorded dry leaf yield of 43.12 t/ha and it was comparable with potassium @80 kg/ha (41.84 t/ha). The growth parameters viz., plant height (cm), number of branches per plant and number of leaves per plant were significantly higher with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium @ 300 kg/ha, 180 kg/ha and 160 kg/ha, respectively which were on par with 200 kg/ha, 120 kg/ha and 80 kg/ha respectively. In pooled data nitrogen N3 i.e., 300 kg/ha recorded the highest B:C (4.60) which was on par with nitrogen @ N2 i.e., 200 kg/ha (4.34), but significantly higher than N1 i.e., 100 kg/ha (3.38). Phosphorous P3 i.e., 180 kg/ha resulted in higher B:C (4.61) which was on par with P2 i.e., 120 kg/ha (4.50). Potassium level influenced the B:C non-significantly. Significantly lowest B:C was recorded with absolute control in pooled data (2.19). Nutrient level of 300:180:160 kg/ha NPK applied in equal splits to four harvestings in a year has been considered as an economically optimum level of nutrients for stevia

ZnO quantum dots a novel nanomaterial for various applications: Recent advances and challenges

1190-1198Globally, in the recent era of 22nd century, ZnO quantum dots has gained huge attention of researchers towards its various applications in nano-biotechnology industry. This review article provides substantial approach on several aspects of ZnO quantum dots,its properties, synthesis process, factors affecting the synthesis process. Recent advances and challenges in QDs synthesis and their applications. Though the use of ZnO QDs has shown huge progress, but still so many challenges are there at present like economically cheaper level commercialization of quantum dots, proper in vitro and in vivo application of ZnO quantum dots, so that it can fulfil the need of the industry for various applications

Removal of phosphorus from aqueous solution using lignite fly ash

Phosphorus (P) is an important element in making a major contribution to agriculture and industrial development. However, its release to surface waters leads to serious pollution. The development of technology for P removal offers the opportunity for abatement of environmental hazards and recycling. Fly ash is widely available and a cheap adsorbent and its alkaline properties make it interesting for use in waste water treatment through precipitation of phosphates. An attempt was made to stuffy the P removal ability of lignite fly ash from Neyveli Lignite Corporation (Tamil Nadu). In order to determine the phosphate removal capacity of fly ash and the effect of adsorbent quantity (5 and 10g per 100mL), temperature (28 and 50°C), retention time (5 and 30 min) on P removal, sorption studies were conducted using phosphate solutions containing 20, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L P. The results showed that the LFA was able to remove even 100% of 20 mg/L at 10g adsorbent with 30 min retention time at 28°C. the P removal capacity decreased with increase in P concentration, the removal was 86.51% at 200mg/L P. The adsorbent quantity significantly influenced the P removal; the average removal was 94.81% at 5g and 97.5% at 10g. The data was also fitted into Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption equation. The Langmuir adsorption maximum was the highest for 5g fly ash 30 min equilibrium at 28°C (40.98 mg/kg). the adsorption maxima decreased with increase in temperature, however, the factor related to bonding energy has increased at 50°C. Altogether the study revealed that the LFA could be successfully used for instantaneous P removal at ambient condition, however other parameters like solid-liquid ratio, maximum carrying capacity, etc need to be yet optimized

Nanomaterial-Based Electrochemical Nanodiagnostics for Human and Gut Metabolites Diagnostics: Recent Advances and Challenges

Metabolites are the intermediatory products of metabolic processes catalyzed by numerous enzymes found inside the cells. Detecting clinically relevant metabolites is important to understand their physiological and biological functions along with the evolving medical diagnostics. Rapid advances in detecting the tiny metabolites such as biomarkers that signify disease hallmarks have an immense need for high-performance identifying techniques. Low concentrations are found in biological fluids because the metabolites are difficult to dissolve in an aqueous medium. Therefore, the selective and sensitive study of metabolites as biomarkers in biological fluids is problematic. The different non-electrochemical and conventional methods need a long time of analysis, long sampling, high maintenance costs, and costly instrumentation. Hence, employing electrochemical techniques in clinical examination could efficiently meet the requirements of fully automated, inexpensive, specific, and quick means of biomarker detection. The electrochemical methods are broadly utilized in several emerging and established technologies, and electrochemical biosensors are employed to detect different metabolites. This review describes the advancement in electrochemical sensors developed for clinically associated human metabolites, including glucose, lactose, uric acid, urea, cholesterol, etc., and gut metabolites such as TMAO, TMA, and indole derivatives. Different sensing techniques are evaluated for their potential to achieve relevant degrees of multiplexing, specificity, and sensitivity limits. Moreover, we have also focused on the opportunities and remaining challenges for integrating the electrochemical sensor into the point-of-care (POC) devices

Status of some soil trace elements and their potential human health resks around a coal beneficiations plant

The entire coal beneficiation process, starting from unloading the raw coal to the loading of processed coal, liberates particulate matter, which would ultimately settle on the soil at varying distances. This is likely to affect soil quality and possibly the health of the inhabitants. Soil samples collected from the sites of two coal beneficiation plants (CBPs), located in Dhanbad, India, and a control (CNT) site were analyzed for some trace elements like Cr, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Zr, Ba, Th, and U. The results showed that the CBP soils were enriched in Cr and Ni. In the absence of other sources of industrial pollutants, the enrichment of Cr and Ni is attributed to their input from the CBPs. However, the accumulation of Cr and Ni did not appear to reach health-risk levels, as the calculated lifetime human intake levels through different exposure pathways from the soil are within the USEPA’s reference dose (Rf D). Multivariate analyses like principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis showed that the association between the trace elements in CBP soils is distinctly different than the CNT, thereby suggesting a different origin of some of the trace elements in CBP soils

Impacts of opencast coal mine and mine fire on the trace elements' content of the surrounding soil vis-a-vis human health risk

Coal from its excavation, processing, and utilization creates environmental problems and health hazards. In these processes, the mobilization of potential organic and heavy metal contaminants affects the quality of soil and health of the inhabitants. Soil samples were collected from the nearby areas of an opencast coal mine (OCM) and a coal fire affected area (CFA) located in Jharia coalfield of Dhanbad, India. The control site was an abandoned land approximately 15km away from the sources of contamination. These samples were analyzed for trace elements including Cr, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Zr, Ba, Th, and U. The soils of OCM were enriched with Cr and Ni and this is attributed to the mining activities in view of the absence of other sources of pollutants. In case of CFA, the soils were enriched with Cr, V, Ni, and Zn. However, the concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Zn in both the soils were well below the USEPA soil screening levels for human health risk assessment. The levels of Co and V exceeded the soil screening limits. Human exposure risks were evaluated for Co and V. The total intake of V concentration exceeded the EPA’s reference dose, which may pose adverse health risks