Seasonal Incidence of Head Borer, Hellula undalis Fabricius and Coccinellid Predators in Cabbage and Their Correlation with Weather Parameters

The investigation was conducted to study the seasonal incidence of cabbage head borer, Hellula undalis Fabricius at Regional Horticultural Research Station Farm, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India during 2021-22. The incidence of H. undalis on cabbage commenced from 48th Standard Meteorological Week (SMW) with its peak in the second SMW and then decreased gradually until 10th SMW, i.e., end of the crop growth period. The H. undalis larval population had highly significant negative correlation with maximum and minimum temperature and evaporation. There was 88.78 per cent association of the H. undalis population with significant weather parameters. Only coccinellid predators viz., Coccinella transversalis Fabricius and Cheilomenes sexmaculata Fabricius, were noticed in cabbage ecosystem during the crop growth period and none of the parasitoids were reported. The initial occurrence of coccinellids was noted during 48th SMW and the population increased gradually in successive weekly counts and reached the peak during second SMW and thereafter, population declined gradually until 10th SMW. The maximum and minimum temperature had significant negative correlation with the population of coccinellid beetles. The variation in abundance of coccinellids was contributed by significant abiotic factors by 85.30 per cent

A study of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome – Clinical profile, aetiology, and outcome

We aimed to study the clinical profile and etiology of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in a tertiary care centre of western India.All patients evaluated by the neurology department, who fulfilled the standardised case definition for encephalitis (given by International Encephalitis Consortium) over 2 year period were screened. Routine laboratory investigations, CSF, Neuroimaging and EEG were done in all patients. Short term follow-up of one month was done to see the outcome.: Out of total 85 patients of AES seen over two years; viral etiology was identified in 26 (30.5%) patients; 8 (9.4%) patients had autoimmune cause and in 53 (62.4%) patients, no specific ethology could be found. Long duration of symptom onset to hospitalisation, seizures, abnormal behaviour, involuntary movements (automatism, dyskinesia, or dystonia), and autonomic dysfunction favours a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. At one month, good outcome (mRS &amp;#60;2) was seen in 51(60%) patients and 34 (40%) patients had a poor outcome (mRS &amp;#62; 2), out of which 29(34.1%) patients expired. Viral encephalitis was the commonest cause of AES; followed by autoimmune encephalitis. Specific cause could not be ascertained in large number of patients, even after extensive evaluation. AES patients had prolonged hospital stay and significant morbidity and mortality.</jats:p