Inventaire et distribution spatio-temporelle des macroinvertébrés bioindicateurs de trois plans d’eau du bassin de la Volta au Burkina Faso

Une étude des macroinvertébrés dans deux lacs de barrages hydro- agricoles (Bama et de Boura) et dans le lac naturel de Bala a permis de mettre en évidence la distribution spatio-temporelle des macroinvertébrésbioindicateurs de la qualité des eaux. La collecte des échantillons a été inspirée de la méthode conventionnelle de la Directive Cadre sur l’Eau de l’Union Européenne (DCE). L’étude a permis d’identifier 26405 individusde macroinvertébrés répartis en 71 espèces et 33 familles au total sur les trois sites de Bama (25 familles), Boura (23 familles) et Bala (30 familles). Les polluo-sensibles ont été décrites au lac naturel de Bala : des crustacés de l’ordre des Cladocères et 7 familles d’insectes (Gyrinidés, Pleidés, Baetidés Ephémérélidés, Tabanidés, Cératopogonidés et Canaceidés). L’étude a noté la présence de l’espèce Hydrocanthus ferruginicollis (Notéridés) particulièrement dominante dans les retenues hydro-agricoles de Bama (30,52% des Coléoptères) et Boura (27,32% des Coléoptères) ; tandis qu’elle ne représente que 7,51% des Coléoptères récoltés dans le lac naturel de Bala. Cette étude considère que les polluo-sensibles et les polluo-résitants décrits respectivement à Bala et à Bama et Boura peuvent être considérés comme de potentiels bioindicateurs des plans d’eau du bassin de la Volta.Mots clés : Macroinvertébrés, distribution, bioindicateurs, petits plans d’eau, bassin de la Volta, Burkina Faso

A biogenic amine and a neuropeptide act identically: tyramine signals through calcium in drosophila tubule stellate cells

Insect osmoregulation is subject to highly sophisticated endocrine control. In Drosophila, both Drosophila kinin and tyramine act on the Malpighian (renal) tubule stellate cell to activate chloride shunt conductance, and so increase the fluid production rate. Drosophila kinin is known to act through intracellular calcium, but the mode of action of tyramine is not known. Here, we used a transgenically encoded GFP::apoaequorin translational fusion, targeted to either principal or stellate cells under GAL4/UAS control, to demonstrate that tyramine indeed acts to raise calcium in stellate, but not principal cells. Furthermore, the EC(50) tyramine concentration for half-maximal activation of the intracellular calcium signal is the same as that calculated from previously published data on tyramine-induced increase in chloride flux. In addition, tyramine signalling to calcium is markedly reduced in mutants of NorpA (a phospholipase C) and itpr, the inositol trisphosphate receptor gene, which we have previously shown to be necessary for Drosophila kinin signalling. Therefore, tyramine and Drosophila kinin signals converge on phospholipase C, and thence on intracellular calcium; and both act to increase chloride shunt conductance by signalling through itpr. To test this model, we co-applied tyramine and Drosophila kinin, and showed that the calcium signals were neither additive nor synergistic. The two signalling pathways thus represent parallel, independent mechanisms for distinct tissues (nervous and epithelial) to control the same aspect of renal function

Effect of potassium and zinc fertilizer on crop yield, nutrient uptake and distribution of potassium and zinc fractions in Typic Ustipsamment

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of potassium and zinc fertilizer on status and content of potassium and zinc fractions and their effect on crop yield, nutrient uptake and nutrient availability in the soil. Significant increase in grain yield, straw yield, K uptake, and different K fractions in the soil (exchangeable K, water soluble K, Morgan’s extractable K, lattice K and total K in the soil) were recorded with increase in K levels from 0 to 60 kg K/ha. Zinc fertilization in wheat also significantly increased crop yield and Zn uptake but interaction between K and Zn was not found to be significant in respect of yield, uptake, and various K and Zn fractions. Water-soluble K showed significant and positive correlation with exchangeable K (r= 0.928), Morgan’s extractable K (r= 0.983) and lattice K (r= 0.969), indicating rapid equilibrium establishment between these forms. Step wise regression analysis using different pools of K revealed the importance of water soluble K and lattice K influencing crop yield, K uptake by wheat. Similarly, application of 9 kg Zn/ha increased the Zn fractions present in soil and correlation data indicated that these fractions are in a state of dynamic equilibrium with each other. In the present study, DTPA-Zn accounted for 65% and 70% of the variation in grain yield and Zn uptake by wheat, indicating that DTPA-Zn was efficient in providing Zn nutrition to wheat

Climate Smart agricultural practices improve soil quality through organic carbon enrichment and lower greenhouse gas emissions in farms of bread bowl of India

Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to NEWS India-UK for providing the first author Fellowship during the study. We are also grateful to CCAFS-CIMMYT for allowing us to collect soil samples from climate smart villages of Karnal, Haryana. The help received from Kartar Singh during soil analysis, and Kapil, Rakesh, Rajinder and Anil during field survey and sample collection is gratefully acknowledged. We are grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments which significantly improved the quality of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin

Central nervous system tumors: a histopathological study

Background: Brain tumors can originate in almost any type of tissue, cell or mixture of cell types in the brain or spinal cord. Tumors in different areas of the central nervous system may be treated differently and have a different prognosis.Methods: In the period between 2011-2015, we studied on 59 patients diagnosed with CNS tumors according to the World Health Organization’s diagnostic criteria. Patient data were retrieved from the archives of the department of Pathology, Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner. The diagnosis in all the cases were made on hematoxylin & eosin stained slides of processed tissue.Results: Patients ages ranged from 3.5-65 years with a mean age of 41.2 years and a male to female ratio of 1.8:1. Majority of tumors had intracranial location (55 cases, 93.23%). 91.5% tumors were solid in consistency. Frontal lobe (37.3%) was the predominant affected region. Most tumors were originated from neuroepithelium (67.8%) followed by meninges (22.03%). When examining the data pertaining to specific types of tumors, most frequent type of CNS tumors was astrocytoma (31 cases, 52.5%), followed by meningioma (13 cases, 22%).Conclusion: The most frequent type of CNS tumours in this study was astrocytoma, followed by meningioma. Males are at much higher risk of developing CNS tumour in comparison to females (1.8:1). WHO Grade IV lesions were more common in our institutional set up. The exact histological diagnosis of CNS tumors is essential to predict the prognostic factors.

Three decades of using of gypsum under sodic water irrigation in coarse textured soils

The aim of this study was to determine the long term use of sodic waters and gypsum on physico-chemical properties of coarse textured loamy sand soil. The study consisted of three natural occurring underground sodic waters and amendment gypsum in various cropping systems. The results demonstrated that sodic water irrigation significantly decreased infiltration rate (1.46 & 1.09 cm hr-1) and soil porosity (35.66 & 33.26 %) and increased soil strength (17.49 & 17.67 kg cm-1), pH (9.52 & 9.66), exchangeable sodium percentage (48.00 & 55.00), sodium adsorption ratio (45.14 & 54.10 (mmol/l)1/2) and calcium carbonate content (2.15 & 2.44 %). The gypsum application significantly improved infiltration rate (2.20 cm hr-1) and soil porosity (38.7 %) and reduced soil strength (16.74 kg cm-1), soil pH (9.35) exchangeable sodium percentage (39.00), sodium adsorption ratio (36.93 (mmol/l)1/2) over a period of thirty years. A significant CaCO3 build up in soil was also observed with gypsum application (3.28 % 4.56 %) as compared to its content at the start of study. Thus, it is concluded that in coarse textured soils of North west India, sodic waters up to RSC 12.0 me l-1 could safely be used crop production in combination with gypsum in loamy sand soil without any adverse effect on the physico-chemical characteristics of soil

Floral biology studies of Egyptian clover, Trifolium alexandrinum L.

Floral biology studies of Egyptian clover, Trifolium alexandrinum was studied at Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2012 and 2013. T. alexandrinum flower head of cultivar HB-2 consisted of numerous yellowish-white flowers that measured 22.7+1.3 mm in length and consists of a mean of 70.5+1.70 florets. The mean length of a floret, sepals, petals and stamen were 12.3±1.9, 4.4+0.6, 4.1+2.2 and 3.4+0.5 mm, respectively.  On an average a floret, remained in bud stage (A+B+C) for a longer period of 80.4+1.2 hours during 2012 than in 2013 (69.7+7.7 h). The overall mean duration of bud stage A (petals concealed in bud) was the longest (35.6+5.4 h) as compared to stage B when petals became visible but not expended (26.2+3.0 h) and C (24.8+2.0 h) when petals expended but anthers were not visible. The bud stage (A+B+C) lasted for a mean duration of 75.1+3.9 hours. The overall mean duration of the anthesis stage (D1+D2) was 63.1+5.6 hours (range 45-87 hours) and that of post anthesis at 37.8+6.9 (range 30-51) hours. The life cycle of T. alexandrinum flowers on an average was completed in 186.8±7.0 hours

Effect of organic manure and sulphur fertilization in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) + groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) intercropping system

There is large number of sulphur(S) sources available in the country and their efficiency need to be evaluated. In view of the meager information available on sulphur nutrition in a popular intercropping system of pigeonpea + groundnut. A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the response of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] + groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) intercropping system to FYM and S fertilization. Application of FYM at 5.0 t/ha significantly increased the yield and yield attributes, nutrient (NPK) uptake in pigeonpea and groundnut, system productivity (1.71 t/ha), net returns (Rs 18,287) and available S in soil after harvest (15.72 kg/ha). However, B: C ratio was higher with crop receiving no FYM. Intercropping failed to influence the yield attributes, yield and nutrient uptake in pigeonpea, however, system productivity, net income and B: C ratio was higher in pigeonpea + groundnut system. The available soil S after harvest of crop(s) was lower in pigeonpea + groundnut system (13.11 kg/ha) when compared with sole pigeonpea (17.06 kg/ha). Application of sulphur at 35 and 70 kg/ha, being on par, recorded significant increase in yield and nutrient uptake in pigeonpea and groundnut, system productivity and total net income over no S. The available soil S after harvest of crop (s) was higher with 70 kg S/ha. The S use efficiency indices were higher at lower i.e. 35 kg S/ha. Among the sources of sulphur, cosavet recorded higher yield and yield attributes, nutrient uptake and S use efficiency. However, the highest soil available S at harvest (19.34 kg/ha) was recorded with elemental S applied at 70 kg/ha, while the highest net income (Rs 20,431) and B: C ratio (2.0) were achieved with gypsum at 35 kg S/ha

Effect of different modes of pollination on quantitative and qualitative parameters of Egyptian Clover, Trifolium alexandrinum L.

The effect of different modes of pollination on quantitative and qualitative parameters of Egyptian clover, Trifolium alexandrinum L. was studied at Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2012 and 2013. Maximum seed setting (81.5%) was recorded in A. mellifera pollination with an 8 frame colony (BP-8F) followed by 4 frame colony (BP-4F) (75.1%), open pollination (OP) (73.8%) and 2 frame colony (BP-2F) (71.5%). Maximum seed yield (2662.3 seeds) was observed in treatment BP-8F followed by BP-4F (2373.8), OP (2316.3) and BP-2F (2235.5). Still lower yield of 2103.0 seeds was found in hand pollination (HP) treatment that was significantly higher than the without insect pollination (WIP) treatment (1114.2). Minimum 1000-seed weight was observed in WIP (2.64 g). The seed weight of BP-4F (3.30), HP (3.20), BP-2F (3.17) and OP (3.03), the heaviest seeds were recorded in BP-8F (3.62 g/1000 grains) and it was at par with the treatment BP-4F (3.30 g). Highest seed germination per cent was recorded in BP-8F (94.7) followed by OP (90.7%). Lowest germination was found in WIP (84.7%). Though some work has been done on this aspect in India but comprehensive pollination studies has not been worked out

Effect of Spacing and Crop Duration on Growth, Flowering and Bulb Production in Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) Cv. Double

Field experiments were conducted at Junagadh during 2002-05 to study the response of spacing (45 x 45, 45 x 30, 45 x 15, 30 x 30 and 30 x 15 cm) and crop duration (first year crop, first ratoon and second ratoon) on growth, flowering, cut flower yield and bulb production in tuberose cv. Double. The widest spacing (45 cm x 45 cm) registered the highest values for plant height (46.18 cm), number of leaves per clump (67.25), spike length (89.64 cm), spike diameter (0.95 cm), diameter of open flower (4.6 cm), rachis length (34.8 cm), number of spikes per clump (4.1), number of florets per spike (48.2), number of bulbs per clump (18.40) and number of bulblets per clump (31.60). It also induced early spike emergence and flowering. A planting distance of 30 x 30 cm realized the highest cut flower yield (2.72 lakh ha-1) and that of 30 cm x 15 cm recorded the highest bulb production (22 lakh ha-1). Ratoon crops showed higher plant height, number of leaves, bulbs, bulblets and spikes per clump and cut flower yield as well as bulb production over the first year crop. Early spike emergence and flowering was also noted in ratoon crops compared to the first year crop. However, spike and flower quality was inferior to that of first year crop with regard to spike length and diameter, number of florets per spike, diameter of open flower and rachis length