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Not AvailableArsenic (As) contamination in groundwater has become a geoenvironmental aswell as a toxicological problem across the globe affecting more than 100-million people in nearly 21 countries with its associated disease “arsenicosis.”Arsenic poisoning may lead to fatal skin and internal cancers. In present review, an attempt has been made to generate awareness among the readers about various sources of occurrence of arsenic, its geochemistry and speciation, mobilization, metabolism, genotoxicity, and toxicological exposure on humans. The article also emphasizes the possible remedies for combating the problem. The knowledge of these facts may help to work on some workable remedial measureNot Availabl

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Not AvailableIndia is the largest producer of the bananas in the world with an annual production of 29.72 million metric tons (FAO 2014). About 70% of the production is of the Cavendish cultivar Grand Naine (AAA). Recently, the area under the Grand Naine cultivar increased significantly in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. In June 2017, symptoms of Fusarium wilt of banana were observed in a block of Grand Naine in the Faizabad district in Uttar Pradesh (26.46379°N, 81.59987°E). The affected plants exhibited distinct yellowing symptoms of mature leaves progressing toward the younger leaves. The laminae of the emerging leaves were markedly reduced and shriveled. The leaves collapsed gradually, bending at the petiole. The pseudostem showed longitudinal splitting at the base with distinct vascular discoloration (reddish brown). By September 2017 approximately 42 ha was observed to be affected by the disease. Further survey confirmed symptoms of the disease in the regions of Kushi Nagar (26.73988°N, 83.88697°E) and Ambedkar Nagar (27.10120°N, 81.3112°E). Infected vascular strands collected from pseudostem tissues with vascular discoloration were subjected to morphological, molecular, and vertical compatibility group (VCG) identification. The infected strands were surface sterilized and plated on 1/4 strength potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium with 0.5% streptomycin sulfate (streptomycin sulfate 1.2 ml per 240 ml of PDA), an antibacterial agent. White hairy cottony colonies with aerial mycelium producing abundant microconidia were developed after 48 h of inoculation that phenotypically resembled Fusarium oxysporum (Leslie and Summerell 2006). The fungus was characterized mainly by nonseptate microconidia formed in false heads on short monophialide and chlamydospores with a smooth or rough wall. Molecular confirmation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was made using primers FocTR4-F (5′-CACGTTTAAGGTGCCATGAGAG-3′) and FocTR4-R (5′-GCCAGGACTGCCTCGTGA-3′) (Dita et al. 2010), which are specific for F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4). An amplification product of 463 bp specific for VCG 01213 (Foc TR4) was obtained, which on sequencing (MG458303) confirmed the identity as Foc TR4. VCG testing (Puhalla 1985) established that the fungal isolates obtained from isolated samples were compatible with VCG 01213/16, confirming the presence of Foc TR4 in India. In continuation, the isolates (CSR-F-1 and CSR-F-2) used for confirmation were analyzed for pathogenicity to fulfill Koch’s postulates on 50-day-old healthy tissue culture plantlets of Grand Naine under polyhouse conditions. Inoculum production, inoculation, and molecular diagnosis were analyzed according to the standardized protocol (Dita et al. 2010) The wounded roots of the plantlets were dipped for 30 min in 106 spores/ml of potato dextrose culture broth, and plants were then planted in pots of 3-kg soil capacity with sand media under 28°C (70% humidity). We used three replicates of the two isolates with five plants in each replicate in the study. Five plants treated with water, and five plants treated with F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici were also used in the study as a control. After 45 days of incubation, both isolates caused typical wilting and internal discoloration symptoms of Fusarium wilt. The Foc was reisolated from the infected plants on 1/4 strength PDA. All the symptomatic plants inoculated with Foc TR4 showed amplification of the diagnostic amplicon 463 bp in PCR analysis, confirming that Foc TR4/VCG 01213/16 was the causal agent, whereas the control sets remained asymptomatic. The entire experiment for pathogenicity confirmation from inoculation to the PCR amplification was repeated twice during July to October 2017 with an interval of 45 days per experiment, to validate the results. The isolates were processed and submitted to ICAR-National Bureau for Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Mau, India (authorized national repository). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Foc TR4 in India.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe disposal of coal combustion fly ash (FA) generated from thermal power plants is a worldwide problem. However, its low bulk density and presence of calcium and iron– aluminium sesquioxide make it a prospective ameliorant alternative to gypsum for amending degraded sodic soils. A field experiment consisting of eight treatments with variable doses of FA and gypsum along with green manure (GM) was conducted for evaluating the amelioration mechanism by measuring changes in pH, exchangeable sodium percentage, zeta (ζ) potential, and properties of meso‐aggregates (0.5– 2.0 mm). The results showed that compared with control, FA significantly reduced ζ‐potential, bulk density, and pH. The GM with FA further decreased ζ‐potential and increased hydraulic conductivity. The hydrolysis of iron and aluminium sesquioxide, present in FA, functioned to lower soil pH, whereas the reduction in exchangeable sodium percentage is attributed to bioavailable Ca (27.4%). A lower FA application rate produced better crop yields. FA 2.5% (w/w) alone, compared to the FA 5% (w/w), resulted in higher yield of rice (1.96 tonnes ha−1), whereas 25% gypsum requirement (25GR) + FA 2.5% (w/w) and 25GR + FA 2.5% (w/w) + GM provided wheat yield on par with 50% gypsum requirement (50GR). The study identifies that where gypsum is scarce, the recommended amendment is 25GR + FA 2.5% or 25GR + FA 2.5% + GM when applied for sodic soil to achieve a similar yield response to standard 50GR. If gypsum is unavailable, a one‐time application of FA 2.5% (w/w) alone will improve the productivity of degraded sodic soils corresponding to more exchangeable calcium and organic carbon, which were found to be higher for meso‐aggregates (0.5–2.0 mm).Department of Science and Technolog

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Not AvailableAn attempt has been made in the field conditions to evaluate the effect of atmospheric temperature rise on yield, ionic ratio (Na:K), and accumulation of antioxidative pigments in wheat in different growth stages under different soils. Five planting windows (PW) were classified, based on date of wheat sowing where the average temperature difference between a particular PW and PW-I varied from 1.33–4.24°C. Plant leaf area and root length density showed decreasing trend with increasing temperature. A low flag leaf water potential ( 1.14 MPa) in sodic soil and high solute potential ( 1.34 MPa) in saline-sodic soil was observed under PW-V, where high temperature difference (4.24°C) was recorded. The Na:K ratio was found to be highest in both straw and grain which were 1.802 and 1.126%, respectively, under saline-sodic conditions in PW-V. Proline and malondialdehyde concentration was highest under sodic conditions which varied between 2.82–2.95 mg g 1 fresh weight (FW) and 18.38– 30.18 nmol g 1 FW, respectively, under maximum temperature difference. An increase in temperature (>1°C) significantly reduced grain yield (>10%) that was negatively correlated with Naþ (r ¼ 0.78) but positively with Kþ (r ¼ þ0.62) concentrations under saline-sodic conditions, however under sodic conditions, it was positively correlated with Kþ (r ¼ þ0.63) concentration. Therefore, looking in to the climate change scenario, shifting planting window of wheat sowing may be helpful in mitigating the negative effects of heat and salt stress on wheat cropICA