Effects of foliar application of melatonin on gas exchange and certain biochemical characteristics broccoli cv. Palam Samridhi

Considering the rich nutritional status and possibility of broccoli in improving the profitable yield, and wide role of Mel in regulating the plant physiological process, an investigation was carried out at the division of Basic Sciences and Humanities during 2017 to investigate the effect of foliar application of Mel on leaf photosynthetic and biochemical attributes broccoli. Thirty days old and uniform seedlings of broccoli cv. Palam Samridhi were transplanted in the field at a spacing of 45 × 45cm. Different concentrations of Mel, viz. 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 ppm were sprayed on the plant foliage at 15 days after transplanting (DAT) replicating each treatment four times. Leaf gas exchange and biochemical attributes were tested following the standard procedures. The Results showed the lowest stipulated rate of photosynthesis (10.87 µmole.m-2.sec-1), stomatal conductance (301.44 mole H2O.m-2ses-1) and leaf transpiration (1. 14 mole H2O.m-2ses-1) in untreated plants.  Different doses of Mel significantly increased the values of these attributes and the highest values of photosynthesis (18.63 µmole.m-2.sec-1), stomatal conductance (324.37 mmole.m-2.ses-1) and leaf transpiration (3.23 mmole.m-2.ses-1) with Mel 60 ppm were recorded. The alterations in different biochemical attributes were also evident due to foliar application of Mel and maximum leaf sugar (77.0 and 85.9µg/g), protein (56.9 and 77.3 µg/g), total phenols (260.1 and 339.9 mg/100g), antioxidants (142.8 and 159.9 mg GAE /100g DW) and MSI (94.89 and 97.43 percent) values with Mel 60ppm at 30 and 60DAT, respectively. Therefore, the present study signifies the useful effects of Mel in regulating the physio-biochemical properties of broccoli

Exploring the development of natural biopolymer (chitosan)-based proton exchange membranes for fuel cells: A review

Fuel cells use proton exchange membranes (PEMs) to transform chemical energy into electricity. PEMs are selective barriers that permeates protons, obstructing gases and other species like electrons. A polymer electrolyte containing both positively and negatively charged ions forms a PEM. Nafion, a perfluorinated sulfonic acid membrane, is the most popular polymer membrane used as PEM. It exhibits good chemical stability, strong mechanical qualities, and high proton conductivity. However, it has several issues, one of which is its propensity to degrade with time, especially at high temperatures and in the presence of pollutants. The other draw backs associated with perfluorinated based membranes are that they are expensive and non-eco-friendly In order to address these issues, researchers are looking into new materials and methods to form a PEM so that the performance and durability are enhanced .Chitosan (biopolymer) based PEMs have demonstrated great potential to be used in fuel cells. They are environmentally friendly and economical. However, the key challenge in using chitosan in fuel cells is their relatively poor ionic conductivity. Researchers have developed various strategies to improve their conductivity, such as doping with conductive materials or incorporating functional groups that enhance charge transfer. Overall, chitosan has shown promise as renewable and sustainable material for use in fuel cells. The review summarizes the current development and evolution of chitosan-based PEMs