Physiological attributes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) influenced by different sources of nutrients at foothill of eastern Himalayan region

The present investigation was aimed to assess the influence of different organic manures (Farmyard manure and vermicompost), inorganic fertilizers and Azophos biofertilizer on different physiological attributes of tomato. The field experiment was conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-07 at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya (UBKV), Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India by combining 14 treatments in randomized block design with 3 replications. The results revealed that nutrient sources significantly influenced different physiological attributes as the chlorophyll content of leaves and LAI (Leaf area index) kept on increasing and peaked at 60 DAT(Days after transplanting) and 75 DAT respectively and declined thereafter. The dry matter production was highest at 75 DAT. Again application of vermicompost (4 t/ha) with 75% of inorganic fertilizers inoculated with biofertilizer resulted in significant improvement of physiological attributes as well as yield. Vermicompost emerged as better organic nutrient source over farmyard manure. Inoculation with biofertilizer exerted more positive results over uninoculated treatments and benefits of biofertilizer application were more in presence of vermicompost as compared to farmyard manure

Effect of planting dates and varieties on growth, fruit yield and quality of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is highly sensitive to temperature variation and high temperature promotes flower drops and reduce fruit yield. An experiment was undertaken to identify suitable planting time of bell pepper and stable performed varieties for different plating dates during the winter season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 at U.B.K.V., Pundibari, West Bengal, India. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 3 replications. Three planting dates (15th November, 30th November and 15th December) were allotted in sub plots while 4 varieties (Mekong, California Wonder, JK Peeyali and Asha) were placed in main plots. Bell pepper responded differently with the changes in planting dates irrespective of years. The 30th November planting date emerged best in terms of different and growth and yield attributes. Among the varieties, Mekong emerged as superior in terms of more number of fruits (10.24), fruit weight (65.50 g) and yield (670.76 g/plant and 18.11 t/ha) while maximum beta carotene and vitamin C were recorded in the variety California Wonder (0.071 ?g/100g fresh fruits, 154.80 mg/100g fresh fruits, respectively). The interaction effect showed that variety Mekong transplanted on 15th December resulted in many fold improvement in the form of highest leaf area (8.79 cm2), maximum number of fruits/ plant, fruit weight (86.93 g) and fruit yield (854.69 g/plant and 23.08 t/ha). The result established that 30th November is ideal for bell pepper planting and the variety Mekong is the most stable performing variety with respect to the different planting dates

ADOPTION STATUS AND FIELD LEVEL PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT PROTECTED STRUCTURES FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION UNDER CHANGING SCENARIO

Vegetable crops are short duration in nature and sudden changes in climatic parameters at any developmental phase can affect the normal growth, flowering, pollination, fruit development and subsequently decrease the crop yield. Protected structures can play important role to minimize the impact of climatic change effect. Farmers are gradually adopting different protected structures to combat the climatic vagaries and emerging challenges in vegetable production. To understand adoption and utilization pattern of protected structures, an investigation was carried out during 2011-2012 through questionnaire survey in different vegetable belt of the district. The study revealed that habit of adoption of protected structures namely agro-shade net house, poly-tunnel, poly-house and pro-tray have increased during last 5 years. Poly-tunnel was the most used structure utilized for raising vegetable seedling during rainy season. Seedling rising in pro-trays and crop production inside agro-shade net also gaining popularity among the farmers. Although poly-tunnel was the most adopted structure but the performance of poly-house was emerged as best structure in field condition. Additional investment and lack of knowledge for proper utilization were the major factors hindering the large scale adoption of protected structures

IRON FORTIFICATION IN LEAFY VEGETABLES: PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

ABSTRACT          Iron is an essential micronutrient which carries oxygen in the blood. Iron deficiency anemia is a worldwide health problem especially for women and children. There are two forms of iron-heme and non-heme. The iron in meat is about 40 percent heme and 60 percent non-heme. Much of the iron in the vegetarian diet, however, is in the non-heme from. Vegetarian people, requires 1.8 times more iron compare to non-vegetarian people. Dark green leafy vegetables are the valuable sources of iron, even better on a per calorie basis than meat. Many local, wild and underexploited green leafy vegetables are the good supplier of iron and other valuable micronutrients. They are short duration in nature and accumulates higher amount of biomass within small life periods without much care and precaution. An increase in iron content of up to 3 mg/100 g was obtained in some bio-fortified leafy vegetable. This was about 40 times higher than the traditional leafy vegetable. The best ways for iron fortification in commonly grown leafy vegetables is through agronomic practices or breeding approaches. Increasing iron levels through supplementation of iron containing fertilizer, bio fertilizer or microbial inoculants is the widespread iron-acquisition strategy in plants. It is the safer and effective method to supplement iron and to prevent iron deficiency in different parts of the world. Identification, development and promotion of iron rich leafy vegetable varieties could increase the iron status and its bio-availability in daily diet which will help in reducing the emerging iron deficiency anemia among the women and children throughout the world.Key word: Iron deficiency, green leafy vegetables, iron bio-fortification

Evaluation of some promising indigenous brinjal genotypes under terai region of West Bengal

Present experiment was implemented under the Department of Vegetable and Spice Crops, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Coochbehar which situated at terai region of West Bengal during the autumn-winter season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 on 28 highly diversified brinjal genotypes on ten highly important yield and yield attributing traits to assess the extent of involvement of different genetic phenomena in manifestation of important yield related traits and to understand the inter relationship among them to design better selection criteria. Result revealed that there was close proximity in the magnitude among the component of coefficient of variation and these component exhibited high estimates coupled with high heritability for almost all the characters excepting days to first flowers and days to fruit maturity indicated less interference of the environmental factors in the manifestation of these traits. High magnitude of heritability coupled with genetic advance of mean for those character suggested possibility for selecting these characters based on phenotypic performance for further improvement at desired direction. Residual effect from path analysis was 0.1367 at genotypic level which suggested that contribution of the traits under study was approximately 86.5% on yield, argued for appropriate selection of traits for success of present experimental study. From character associationship and path coefficient it was found that expected yield was highly correlated in positive direction with average fruits per plant (0.68 and 0.801), average fruit weight (0.48 and 0.565), numbers of primary branches per plant (0.51 and 0.113); hence, these yield attributing traits were significantly positively related with each other which suggested that simultaneous selective breeding strategy considering these characters for improvement of yield could be rewarding due to  their probable conditioning by additive gene action

Population Testing for Cancer Predisposing BRCA1/BRCA2 Mutations in the Ashkenazi-Jewish Community: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Technological advances raise the possibility of systematic population-based genetic testing for cancer-predisposing mutations, but it is uncertain whether benefits outweigh disadvantages. We directly compared the psychological/quality-of-life consequences of such an approach to family history (FH)-based testing

Safe approaches for camptothecin delivery: Structural analogues and nanomedicines

[EN] Twenty-(S)-camptothecin is a strongly cytotoxic molecule with excellent antitumor activity over a wide spectrum of human cancers. However, the direct formulation is limited by its poor water solubility, low plasmatic stability and severe toxicity, which currently limits its clinical use. As a consequence, two strategies have been developed in order to achieve safe and efficient delivery of camptothecin to target cells: structural analogues and nanomedicines. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the design, synthesis and development of camptothecin molecular derivatives and supramolecular vehicles, following a systematic classification according to structure-activity relationships (structural analogues) or chemical nature (nanomedicines). A series of organic, inorganic and hybrid materials are presented as nanoplatforms to overcome camptothecin restrictions in administration, biodistribution, pharmacokinetics and toxicity. Nanocarriers which respond to a variety of stimuli endogenously (e.g., pH, redox potential, enzyme activity) or exogenously (e.g., magnetic field, light, temperature, ultrasound) seem the best positioned therapeutic materials for optimal spatial and temporal control over drug release. The main goal of this review is to be used as a source of relevant literature for others interested in the field of camptothecin-based therapeutics. To this end, final remarks on the most important formulations currently under clinical trial are provided. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (projects MAT2012-39290-C02-02 and SEV-2012-0267) is gratefully acknowledged. Dr. E.M. Rivero thanks the Cursol Foundation for a post-doctoral scholarship.Botella Asuncion, P.; Rivero-Buceta, EM. (2017). Safe approaches for camptothecin delivery: Structural analogues and nanomedicines. Journal of Controlled Release. 247:28-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.12.023S285424

Fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and idarubicin with gemtuzumab ozogamicin improves event-free survival in younger patients with newly diagnosed aml and overall survival in patients with npm1 and flt3 mutations

Purpose To determine the optimal induction chemotherapy regimen for younger adults with newly diagnosed AML without known adverse risk cytogenetics. Patients and Methods One thousand thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to intensified (fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and idarubicin [FLAG-Ida]) or standard (daunorubicin and Ara-C [DA]) induction chemotherapy, with one or two doses of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO). The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Results There was no difference in remission rate after two courses between FLAG-Ida + GO and DA + GO (complete remission [CR] + CR with incomplete hematologic recovery 93% v 91%) or in day 60 mortality (4.3% v 4.6%). There was no difference in OS (66% v 63%; P = .41); however, the risk of relapse was lower with FLAG-Ida + GO (24% v 41%; P < .001) and 3-year event-free survival was higher (57% v 45%; P < .001). In patients with an NPM1 mutation (30%), 3-year OS was significantly higher with FLAG-Ida + GO (82% v 64%; P = .005). NPM1 measurable residual disease (MRD) clearance was also greater, with 88% versus 77% becoming MRD-negative in peripheral blood after cycle 2 (P = .02). Three-year OS was also higher in patients with a FLT3 mutation (64% v 54%; P = .047). Fewer transplants were performed in patients receiving FLAG-Ida + GO (238 v 278; P = .02). There was no difference in outcome according to the number of GO doses, although NPM1 MRD clearance was higher with two doses in the DA arm. Patients with core binding factor AML treated with DA and one dose of GO had a 3-year OS of 96% with no survival benefit from FLAG-Ida + GO. Conclusion Overall, FLAG-Ida + GO significantly reduced relapse without improving OS. However, exploratory analyses show that patients with NPM1 and FLT3 mutations had substantial improvements in OS. By contrast, in patients with core binding factor AML, outcomes were excellent with DA + GO with no FLAG-Ida benefit