Utilization of textile industrial effluent for raising Azadirachta indica A. Juss seedlings in Indian desert

A field experiment was conducted during 1993–1995 to study the effect of industrial effluent on the initial growth of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem) in arid region. The effluent released from textile industry had high pH, EC, SAR and RSC. Various treatments were: irrigation with effluent only (W1), effluent mixed with canal water at 1:1 ratio (W2), gypsum‐treated effluent (W3), gypsum‐treated soil (W4) and wood ash‐treated soil (W5). W5 was the best treatment where neem attained 218 cm height, 118 cm crown diameter and 11.2 cm collar circumference at 28 months of age; followed by W1 treatment, where trees were on an average 186 cm tall and had 104 cm crown diameter and 9.4 cm collar circumference. Growth of the seedlings was the poorest in W2 treatment. Increase in biomass accumulation over W2 treatment (1.89 kg tree−1) was 3.6 fold in W5, 2.1 fold in W1, 2.0 fold in W4 and 1.4 fold in W3 treatments. Though effluent application increased soil organic matter, electrical conductivity and in some cases pH also, but gypsum‐ and wood ash‐ treated soil ameliorated the pH by 0.25 units in comparison to the initial data. These results suggest that industrial wastewater can be effectively used to boost up establishment and growth of Neem (Azadirachta indica) in arid zone. Addition of wood ash improves the rate of growth. Irrigation with industrial effluent caused slight increase in electrical conductivity and decline in the soil pH. Tekstilės pramoninių nuotekų naudojimas Azadirachta indica A. Juss sodinukams auginti Indijos dykumose Santrauka. Eksperimentas vyko 1993–1995 m. siekiant ištirti pramoninių nuotekų poveikį Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem) sodinukų augimo pradžiai sausringuose regionuose. Tekstilės pramonės išleidžiamų nuotekų didelės pH rodiklio reikšmės, elektrinis laidumas, natrio adsorbcijos santykis ir natrio karbonato liekana. Tiriant taikyti įvairūs dirvožemio apdorojimo būdai: drėkinta tik nuotekomis (W1), nuotekos maišytos su kanalo vandeniu santykiu 1:1 (W2), nuotekos veiktos gipsu (W3), į dirvožemį dėta gipso (W4) ir dirvožemis tręštas medienos pelenais (W5). Efektyviausias buvo W5 apdorojimo būdas. 28 mėnesių augalai siekė 218 cm aukštį, jų vainiko skersmuo buvo 118 cm, žiedo perimetras – 11,2 cm. Stebint W1 apdorojimo tipą, medžiai buvo vidutiniškai 186 cm aukščio, vainikas – 104 cm skersmens, žiedai 9,4 cm perimetro. Blogiausiai sodinukai augo apdorojant W2 būdu. Nors naudojant nuotekas dirvožemio organinių medžiagų kiekis, elektrinis savitasis laidumas ir kai kuriais atvejais pH reikšmė padidėjo, tačiau gipsu ir medienos pelenais apdorotame dirvožemyje pH padidėjo per 0,25 vienetus, palyginti su pirminiais duomenimis. Šie rezultatai rodo, kad pramoninės nuotekos gali būti efektyviai naudojamos Neem (Azadirachta indica) želdinti ir auginti sausose teritorijose. Medienos pelenai pagerino augimo spartą. Drėkinimas pramoninėmis nuotekomis lėmė nežymų elektrinio savitojo laidumo augimą ir dirvožemio pH sumažėjimą. Reikšminiai žodžiai: miško želdinimas, sausringos teritorijos, biomasė, augimas, medžių sodinukai, dirvožemio savybės, nuotekų naudojimas. Применение стоков от текстильной промышленности для выращивания рассады Azadirachta indica A. Juss в пустынях Индии Резюме. Экспериментальное поле возделывалось в 1993–1995 гг. с целью изучить воздействие промышленных стоков на начало роста Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem) в засушливых районах. В стоках от производства текстиля высоко значение pH, электропроводимость, соотношение адсорбции натрия и остаток карбоната натрия. Применялись разные способы обработки почвы: орошение только стоками (W1); смесью стоков с водой из канала в соотношении 1:1 (W2); стоками, обработанными гипсом (W3); обработка почвы гипсом (W4) и удобрение древесной золой (W5). Наиболее эффективным способом оказалась обработка древесной золой. Высота растений в возрасте 28 месяцев составляла 218 см, венчик в поперечнике – 118 см, цветок – 11,2 см. После обработки почвы по типу W1 растения достигали 186 см в высоту, венчик в поперечнике – 104 см, цветок – 9,4 см. Наименее эффективным для растений способом оказалась обработка почвы по типу W2 . Несмотря на то, что при применении стоков количество органических веществ в почве, электропроводимость и в некоторых случаях значение pH увеличилось, однако при обработке почвы гипсом и древесной золой pH увеличилось более чем на 0,25 единиц по сравнению с начальными данными. Эти результаты показали, что промышленные стоки могут эффективно применяться для озеленения и выращивания Neem (Azadirachta indica) на засушливых территориях. Древесная зола ускоряла рост растений. Орошение промышленными стоками способствовало незначительному увеличению электропроводимости и уменьшению в почве pH. Ключевые слова: озеленение лесов, засушливые территории, биомасса, рост, рассада, свойства почвы, использование стоков. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

Roadside vegetation diversity of Jodhpur district and its role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation

Roads are anthropogenicaly constructed ecosystem which support varying vegetation either planted or grown naturally and play an important role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. A study was conducted to monitor vegetation diversity and their relations to carbon storage in both soil and vegetation growing the along roadsides in forty five villages covering nine forest ranges in Jodhpur district. A total number of 140 plant species belonging to 35 families were recorded during field study. Most of them are ephemerals and annuals.  We observed significant positive relations between species diversity and species richness with both aboveground and belowground biomass. The enhanced species diversity and species richness of tree through plantation and sapling, shrubs and herbs through regeneration had positive correlation (P<0.05) with carbon storage in both biomass and soils. However, high diversity in topography, soils and better rainfall in Mandor and Osian enhanced, whereas high soil pH in Baap and Luni negatively affected plant diversity and carbon storage. Intensive farming and anthropogenic pressure in Bilara area affected carbon storage. Conclusively, effects of vegetation, nutrient status, texture, history of the site had important bearing on carbon storage. Roadside vegetation diversity played significant role in sequestering carbon in woody biomass as well as in soil. There is need to manage this man made ecosystem judiciously to enhance carbon sequestration and help mitigate climate change

Synthesis and structural characterization of the lanthanide(III) complexes of 2-acetylpyridine isonicotinoyl hydrazone

716-7202-Ace lpyridine isonicotinoyl hydrazone (2-ApINH) forms complexes of the types [M(2-ApINH)2Cl3] [M= La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Eu], [M(2-ApINH-H)3] [M'=La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm] and [Eu(2-ApINH-H)2(OH)], which are characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, electronic, IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectral techniques. The spectral parameters, , b1/2, δ (%) and η calculated from the absorption spectra of Nd(III) complexes, suggest a weak covalent metal-ligand bond formation. Infrared and NMR spectral data suggest a neutral tridentate nature of 2-ApINH in the addition complexes and uninegative tridentate behaviour in the deprotonated complexes. The absorption spectral profiles suggest a coordination number of nine around Nd(III) ion in the complexes

Spatial variations in floristic diversity and carbon storage in arid zone forests of western Rajasthan, India

Forests play important roles in conserving biodiversity and sequestering carbon. A study was conducted to monitor changes in vegetation diversity and carbon storage in six blocks (Panchayat Samiti) one in each six desert districts of western Rajasthan during 2013-2015. Thirty forest areas, five each from Aburoad, Bap, Baitu, Bali, Sanchor and Sankara blocks situated in Sirohi, Jodhpur, Barmer, Pali, Jalor and Jaisalmer district, respectively were selected for vegetation study and estimation of carbon storage in vegetations and soils. There were 78 plant species belonging to 31 families. Number of shrub and herbaceous species, population of trees, diversity and richness of herbaceous vegetation and standing biomass carbon were highest in Aburoad. Number of tree species, their girth and shrub height were highest in Sanchor block. Population and diversity of most plant habits were lowest in Bap block. Sankara block indicated lowest standing biomass carbon. Soil bulk density was lowest and per cent soil organic carbon (SOC) was highest in Bali block. Soil carbon stock was highest in Aburoad block and lowest in Baitu block. Rainfall was positively related (P<0.01) to total standing carbon, tree population, herbaceous diversity and richness and SOC stock. Conclusively, variation in rainfall (soil water availability) and soils conditions like bulk density, gravel content and soil texture between studied blocks strongly influenced vegetation composition, diversity and growth and carbon storage in both biomass and soils. These factors needs to be managed to increase forest composition and cover and enhanced carbon sequestration