Online) An Open Access

ABSTRACT Pot culture experiments were conducted to study the effect of most commonly used selected agrochemicals viz., carbendazim (0.2%), chlorpyriphos (0.25%), pendimethalin (0.66%) and zinc sulphate (0.2%) alone and in combination with amendment gypsum (2%) on the biocontrol efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum (Th 4 ) as seed treatment/ soil application against collar rot of chickpea caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. Among all seed treatments, seed treatment with Th 4 -chlorpyriphos-S. rolfsii had shown the highest per cent germination (96.75), high plant stand per cent (55.93) and high colony forming units (cfu) recovery (20.67× 10 6 cfu/g soil) and from among all soil application treatments, soil application with Th 4 -chlorpyriphos-S. rolfsii recorded the high per cent germination (83.07) and soil application with Th 4 -chlorpyriphos-gypsum-S. rolfsii had shown high plant stand per cent (25.42) and high cfu recovery of 20.67 × 10 6 cfu/g soil

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Not AvailableGillnets are commonly used in inland lakes due to their simplicity in construction and operation, efficiency, and low energy usage. The Vembanad lake is one of the most prominent lakes in Kerala, contributing significantly to the small-scale and artisanal fisheries, in which gillnets are the predominant gear. There have been studies on the effect of gillnet panel colour on the selective capture of fish species, primarily in the open ocean and rivers. Although a considerable number of studies exist on the species profile and fish catching methods in the lake, the efficiency of coloured webbing for gillnets is not available. The efficiency of coloured webbing for gillnets is not documented, which, if available, would be a crucial input for implementing gearbased technical measures for conservation in gillnets in the lake. In this regard, a study was conducted along Vembanad lake and the lower reaches of the Muvattupuzha river to compare the catch efficiency and species profile of transparent gillnets typically employed in the region with gillnets fabricated using blue and green coloured webbing. The results demonstrated a considerable increase in CPUE for green-coloured gillnets (708.9±12.8 grams per operation) compared to blue and transparent gillnets, which had CPUE values of 397.9±80.2 and 293.7±70.6 grams per operation, respectively. Significantly higher catches of Horabagrus brachysoma and Etroplus suratensis were obtained with the green-coloured gillnets than with the control (Transparent). Lengthwise data showed that green-coloured nets captured larger individuals of E. suratensis, but significant difference was not observed in other species. The number of E. suratensis captured in each gillnet contributed to the most dissimilarity in all comparisons, followed by Gerres sp. and H. brachysoma, according to similarities percentage analysis conducted to comprehend the species assemblage structure. This is the first report on the effect of gillnet colour on the catch efficiency of gillnets in Vembanad lake, and the results, which indicate species-specific differences in capture, will be one of the many inputs necessary for implementing gear-based technical measures in the gillnet fishery in the lake.Not Availabl

Policy of foreign direct investment liberalisation in India: implications for retail sector

This study has analysed the impact of liberalisation of Indian economy and FDI policy on the retail sector since its implementation in the 1990s. It also further analyses sub-categories by investigating its impact on the unorganised retail sector and the flow of FDI in single-brand retail and multi-brand retail sectors. A comprehensive and critical review of the existing evidence on the subject was carried out, and descriptive statistical analysis of data from 1991 to 2013 was performed which leads to conclude that the policy of FDI liberalisation has proved to provide diversification and sustainable development to the Indian economy and specifically retail sector which is considered to be one of the significant pillars of economy. Furthermore, for continuous growth of the economy, it seems vital to encourage more investment in other sectors by liberalising the restrictive policies

Screening of recombinant inbred lines for resistance to bacterial leaf blight pathotypes in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

In the present investigation 16 recombinant inbred lines (RIL’s) developed from the intra-specific cross between YH3 and AKDRMS 21-54 through Marker Assisted Pedigree Breeding Method were screened along with their parents and the checks, namely, BPT 5204, TN1 and Improved Samba Mahsuri (ISM) against IxoPt-20 pathotype at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad during Rabi 2021-22 and a new pathotype of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causing Bacterial Leaf Blight disease in rice at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Maruteru during Kharif 2022 to identify pathotype specific resistant sources.  Morpho-Molecular screening was adopted to evaluate the recombinant inbred lines over two locations in the consecutive seasons of Rabi 2021-22 and Kharif 2022. Based on per cent diseased leaf area, the genotypes were scored and categorised as per the Standard Evaluation System (SES) scale provided by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The results revealed all 16 RIL’s to be either resistant (10) or moderately resistant (6) to IxoPt-20 pathotype. However, only five RIL’s were found to be resistant, while four RIL’s were moderately resistant for the new virulent pathotype. Seven RIL’s with resistant to moderately resistant reaction for IxoPt-20 pathotype, showed moderately susceptible reaction for the new virulent pathotype.  Among the resistant RIL’s identified for each pathotype, BPT-1901-72-10-6, BPT-1901-108-4-1 and BPT-1901-111-3-2 were found to be uniformly resistant, while, BPT-1901-45-8-6 and BPT-1901-163-1-18 were uniformly moderately resistant to both IXoPt-20 and the new virulent pathotype at Hyderabad and Maruteru, respectively, indicating their potential as genetic stocks for development of new cultivars resistant to bacterial leaf blight disease

Demarcating circulation regimes of synchronously rotating terrestrial planets within the habitable zone

We investigate the atmospheric dynamics of terrestrial planets in synchronous rotation within the habitable zone of low-mass stars using the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). The surface temperature contrast between day and night hemispheres decreases with an increase in incident stellar flux, which is opposite the trend seen on gas giants. We define three dynamical regimes in terms of the equatorial Rossby deformation radius and the Rhines length. The slow rotation regime has a mean zonal circulation that spans from day to night side, with both the Rossby deformation radius and the Rhines length exceeding planetary radius, which occurs for planets around stars with effective temperatures of 3300 K to 4500 K (rotation period > 20 days). Rapid rotators have a mean zonal circulation that partially spans a hemisphere and with banded cloud formation beneath the substellar point, with the Rossby deformation radius is less than planetary radius, which occurs for planets orbiting stars with effective temperatures of less than 3000 K (rotation period < 5 days). In between is the Rhines rotation regime, which retains a thermally-direct circulation from day to night side but also features midlatitude turbulence-driven zonal jets. Rhines rotators occur for planets around stars in the range of 3000 K to 3300 K (rotation period ∼ 5 to 20 days), where the Rhines length is greater than planetary radius but the Rossby deformation radius is less than planetary radius. The dynamical state can be observationally inferred from comparing the morphology of the thermal emission phase curves of synchronously rotating planets

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

Background: Free-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods. Results: Ticks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade. Conclusions: The findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.Fil: Kazimírová, Mária. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Hamšíková, Zuzana. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Spitalská, Eva. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Minichová, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Mahríková, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Caban, Radoslav. Široká ; EslovaquiaFil: Sprong, Hein. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Fonville, Manoj. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kocianová, Elena. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; Eslovaqui

Prediction of outcomes in acute exacerbation of COPD with DECAF score and BAP 65 score in a rural population

Background: Prognostic research in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring hospitalization has been limited and there appears to be little common ground between predictors of mortality in stable disease and during AECOPD. Furthermore, none of the prognostic tools developed in stable disease have been tested on hospitalised patients, and most require clinical measurements not routinely available at hospital admission. This study intends to test dyspnoea, eosinopenia, consolidation, acidemia, and atrial fibrillation (DECAF) and biological assessment profile (BAP) 65 Scores on Indian patients in a tertiary care set up and validate the same to be used as a routine and effective score in predicting the outcome in AECOPD.  Methods: Hospital based prospective observational study was carried out in 100 patients with AECOPD who was present to general medicine. DECAF and BAP-65 Scores were calculated. Data was analyzed using SPSS 22 version software.Results: In our study both DECAF score and BAP‑65 score performed equally well for prediction of need for Mechanical Ventilation. The AUROC for need for Mechanical Ventilation was 0.77 (95% CI=0.67–0.84) for DECAF score and 0.77 (95% CI=0.67–0.85) for BAP‑65 score. The AUROC for prediction of mortality for DECAF score was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.74–0.89) and for BAP‑65 score was 0.79 (95% CI=0.69–0.86).Conclusions: DECAF and BAP-65 are good and also equal in predicting mortality as well as need for mechanical ventilation. Both scores can be easily applicable in AECOPD patients, so that death during hospitalization for AECOPD and need for mechanical ventilation can be minimized.

BoBBLE: ocean-atmosphere interaction and its impact on the South Asian monsoon

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system. In particular,the southern BoB has cooler sea surface temperature (SST) that influence ocean-atmosphere interaction and impact on the monsoon. Compared to the southeast, the southwestern BoB is cooler, more saline, receives much less rain, and is influenced by the Summer Monsoon Current(SMC). To examine the impact of these features on the monsoon, the BoB Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE) was jointly undertaken by India and the UK during June–July 2016. Physical and bio-geochemical observations were made using a CTD, five ocean gliders, a uCTD, a VMP, two ADCPs, Argo floats, drifting buoys, meteorological sensors and upper air radiosonde balloons. The observations were made along a zonal section at 8◦N between 85.3◦E and 89◦E with a 10-day time series at 89◦E, 8◦N. This paper presents the new observed features of the southern BoB from the BoBBLE field program, supported by satellite data. Key results from the BoBBLE field campaign show the Sri Lanka Dome and the SMC in different stages of their seasonal evolution and two freshening events during which salinity decreased in the upper layer leading to the formation of thick barrier layers. BoBBLE observations were taken during a suppressed phase of the intraseasonal oscillation; they captured in detail the warming of the ocean mixed layer and preconditioning of the atmosphere to convection

An appraisal of rainfall estimation over India using remote sensing and in situ measurements

167-177The most important meteorological parameter Rainfall, shows high variability in space and time, particularly over Tropics / Monsoon region. Many new observational and analysis methods to observe / analyse them by remote sensing techniques (Satellites, Doppler Weather Radars) have emerged over the decades, besides the dense network of in situ rain gauges, Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) etc on ground. The scales of observations being vastly different for in situ and remote sensing methods, large discrepancies between different techniques are inherent. These problems have been brought out through various validation studies by many groups in the country. Even on the daily all India spatial scale, basically only the peaks and troughs from satellite estimates match reasonably well with in situ data. Results of a case study during an intense and long-lasting rain event over Chennai, from DWR, with different satellite products and ground truth are presented. The importance of DWR rainfall data in significantly improving the integrated products is emphasised. A simple two-way approach to establish Z – R relationship for the DWRs in the country is also suggested. A well-coordinated integrated programme to study the inter comparability of precipitation at various spatio- temporal scales in the context of our water resources, model validation, extreme rainfall events, Climate change, etc., is called for. The desired accuracies from satellite data vis a vis IMD gridded data for different applications have been summarised

Properties and physiological effects of dietary fiber-enriched meat products: a review

Meat is a rich source of high biological proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but it is devoid of dietary fiber, an essential non-digestible carbohydrate component such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, polysaccharides, and oligosaccharides. Dietary fibers are basically obtained from various cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and their by-products and have numerous nutritional, functional, and health-benefiting properties. So, these fibers can be added to meat products to enhance their physicochemical properties, chemical composition, textural properties, and organoleptic qualities, as well as biological activities in controlling various lifestyle ailments such as obesity, certain cancers, type-II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and bowel disorders. These dietary fibers can also be used in meat products as an efficient extender/binder/filler to reduce the cost of production by increasing the cooking yield as well as by reducing the lean meat content and also as a fat replacer to minimize unhealthy fat content in the developed meat products. So, growing interest has been observed among meat processors, researchers, and scientists in exploring various new sources of dietary fibers for developing dietary fiber-enriched meat products in recent years. In the present review, various novel sources of dietary fibers, their physiological effects, their use in meat products, and their impact on various physicochemical, functional, and sensory attributes have been focused