Studies on the Extent of Genetic Contamination in Seed Production of Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula Roxb.)

Studies were conducted during 2002-2005 (Rabi season) to evaluate the extent of genetic contamination in round fruited ridge gourd (recessive) vehen grown for seed production under open field conditions. The round fruited ridge gourd was sown at 200 m, 400 m, 600 m and 800 m distance from Arlia Sumeet (long fruited) which acted as the local marker (dominant). The highest percentage of genetic contamination was recorded at a distance of 200 m from the contaminator (Arka Sumeet) (28.62% and 88.1%, respectively, in the years 2003 and 2005). It was also observed that there was a gradual reduction in contamination level with increasing distance from 28.62 to 17.44% at 600 m distance in 2003 and 88.11% at 800 m to 74.23% in 2005. The lowest percentage of contamination was recorded at the highest isolation distance (at 600 m, 17.44% in 2003 and at 800 m, 74.24% in 2005), although it is not within the prescribed maximum permissible limit of genetic contamination (1 and 2% for foundation and certified seed respectively). In the present study, in all the isolation distances studied, the level of contamination is well above the permissible minimum seed certification standards (99 and 98 % genetic purity for Foundation and Certified seed respectively). Hence, any reduction in the isolation distance from the prescribed (800 m) isolation would drastically affect the genetic purity of ridge gourd for seed production under open field conditions

Phase transfer catalysis: chemistry and engineering

Phase transfer catalysis (PTC) uses catalytic amounts of phase transfer agents which facilitate interphase transfer of species, making reactions between reagents in two immiscible phases possible. PTC is used widely in the synthesis of various organic chemicals in both liquid-liquid and solid-liquid systems. Existing literature on PTC is chemistry-intensive and a mere handful of recent articles constitute the entire information on engineering analysis. This article reviews the field comprehensively by combining the existing knowledge from chemistry with insights into mechanistic and kinetic analysis and mathematical modeling of soluble and insoluble PTC. By its very nature, PTC involves a series of equilibrium and mass-transfer steps, beside the two main reactions. Neglect of mass-transfer effects can grossly overpredict the conversion of a PTC mediated reaction. A practical way of using PTC, which enables easy separation, is to immobilize the catalyst on a solid support. Mass-transfer limitations and higher costs, however, have precluded its commercial use so far, requiring further analysis of mass-transfer limitations in these complex three-phase systems. The use of PTC, combined with other rate enhancement techniques like sonochemistry, microwaves, electroorganic synthesis, and photochemistry, is being increasingly explored. Applications in this area in the manufacture of organic intermediates and fine chemicals seem almost unlimited

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of novel series of 2-(benzylamino)-2-oxoethyl]-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-3-carboxamide derivatives

406-419A novel series of benzopyran-3-carboxamide derivatives have been designed and synthesized using a smooth and linear multistep synthesis. Amidation of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid with glycine ethyl ester in the presence of EDC.HCl and HOBt as coupling agent followed by the hydrolysis results in the formation of key synthon, [(2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-3-carbonyl) amino] acetic acid 7 which is further coupled with substituted aryl amines using HATU in combination with Hünig’s base to get the target compounds 8(a-h). The synthesized compounds have been screened for their in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activity and the results are expressed as MIC and IC50 values respectively. Further, the binding ability of synthesized compounds with different proteins have been examined by molecular docking studies

Studies on Parental Synchronization in Flowering for Hybrid Seed Production in Onion (Allium cepa L.)

An experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, in Rabi season during 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 to study the flowering of Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Lines CMS (A) and pollinator lines (C) of onion cv. Arka Lalima for working out effective synchrony in hybrid seed production. Results indicated that days to 100% flowering and days to complete flowering in a plant varied significantly in the parental lines and C line was found to be earlier than A line by 12 days and 25 days, respectively. The duration of flowering in a plant was also less in C line (23 days) than in A line (29 days). Due to lack of floral synchrony between parental lines, pollen availability becomes a limiting factor in hybrid seed production in cv. Arka Lalima. Delay in planting of C lines by a week after planting A lines resulted in synchronised flowering of parental lines at peak flowering stage. This also resulted in higher fruit set (80%) and hybrid seed yield (15g/plant) as against planting of A and C lines simultaneously (29.54% and 0.38g, respectively)

ETHNOBOTANY IN RELATION TO LIVELIHOOD SECURITY IN DISTRICT BASTAR OF CHHATTISGARH STATE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NON -TIMBER FOREST PRODUCES

In present study ethnobotany in relation to livelihood security in district Bastar of Chhattisgarh state with special reference to non timber forest produces were found to collect variety of plant produces from forests, for their livelihood security. Those collected plant produces were non timber forest produces (NTFPs).In this research total 44 plants producing NTFP were noted to be collected by tribals in 20 villages of Bastar district.Plant and plant produce collected  by the tribals from the plants were seeds of 11 plants, fruits of 11, roots of 03, Rhizomes of 04,flowers of 04, secretory products from 03 plants, while 04 whole plants.Lakh and cocoons were also collected by the tribals from the forest.Beside collection of NTFPs,69 potential market place in Bastar district, where marketing of NTFPs was found maximum were also identified for the selling of plant produces

Seed Quality Improvement in Okra through Specific Gravity Separation

A study was conducted to assess the efficiency of specific gravity separator in removing partially filled/chaffy seeds of okra during 2007 and 2008. Bulk seed, after extraction, was first subjected to an air screen cleaner with three screens. Then, the good seed fraction obtained was subjected to specific gravity separation. Three fractions were obtained, viz., heavy, medium and light and they were assessed for quality, along with ungraded seed. Test weight, germination percentage, first count, seedling vigour indices I&II and field emergence were significantly higher in the heavy seed fraction than in ungraded seed. Black seed content in heavy seed fraction was significantly low, thereby improving seed quality. Rejection percentage in terms of light and medium seed fractions put together was 3.5% and 12% in 2007 and 2008, respectively. By removal of these fractions, percentage of field emergence improved from 63% to 82% in 2007, and 62.8 to 76.4% in 2008, respectively

Efficient absolute aspect determination of a balloon borne far infrared telescope using a solid state optical photometer

The observational and operational efficiency of the TIFR 1 meter balloon borne far infrared telescope has been improved by incorporating a multielement solid state optical photometer (SSOP) at the Cassegrain focus of the telescope. The SSOP is based on a 1-D linear photo diode array (PDA). The online and offline processing schemes of the PDA signals which have been developed, lead to improvement in the determination of absolute telescope aspect ($\sim$ 0\farcm8), which is very crucial for carrying out the observations as well as offline analysis. The SSOP and its performance during a recent balloon flight are presented here.Comment: To appear in the February 2000 issue of the PAS

Towards single-molecule nanomechanical mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry provides rapid and quantitative identification of protein species with relatively low sample consumption. The trend towards biological analysis at increasingly smaller scales, ultimately down to the volume of an individual cell, continues, and mass spectrometry with a sensitivity of a few to single molecules will be necessary. Nanoelectromechanical systems provide unparalleled mass sensitivity, which is now sufficient for the detection of individual molecular species in real time. Here, we report the first demonstration of mass spectrometry based on single biological molecule detection with a nanoelectromechanical system. In our nanoelectromechanical–mass spectrometry system, nanoparticles and protein species are introduced by electrospray injection from the fluid phase in ambient conditions into vacuum, and are subsequently delivered to the nanoelectromechanical system detector by hexapole ion optics. Precipitous frequency shifts, proportional to the mass, are recorded in real time as analytes adsorb, one by one, onto a phase-locked, ultrahigh-frequency nanoelectromechanical resonator. These first nanoelectromechanical system–mass spectrometry spectra, obtained with modest mass sensitivity from only several hundred mass adsorption events, presage the future capabilities of this approach. We also outline the substantial improvements that are feasible in the near term, some of which are unique to nanoelectromechanical system based-mass spectrometry

Plants used by kamar, gond and halba tribe of Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh for relief of sickle cell disease

In Chhattisgarh state sickle cell disease is reported in many tribal communities. Some of these tribes reside in Jawwara, Dugali, Nagari, Sihawa, which are the remote forest areas of Dhamtari. They totally dependent on forest and forest produce for their livelihood and ailments. Gond is the dominant tribe of C.G. as well as of India, Halba is an advance tribe and Kamar tribe is declared as one of the most primitive tribe of India in sixth five year plan. During Ethnobotanical survey it was observed that for cure ailments they used their traditional herbal medicines and use wild vegetables fruits and foods such as under ground rhizome of Curcuma angustifolia (Tikhur) fresh tuberous roots of Abelmoschus crinitus (Dotokand) flowers of Indigofera cassoides (Ghirgholi) and boiled seeds of Dolichos biflorus (Kulthi), unriped fruits of Carica papaya (Papita) and Musa paradisica (Kela) to improve their general health conditions. In traditional herbal medicines the whole plants as decoction of Andrographis paniculata. (Bhuineem) dried roots of Scoparia dulcies boiled, tubers of Dioscorea sps, dried powder of Chlorophytum tuberosum (Safed Musli) are used for general health problems. In the present study 20 sickle cell homozygous patients (identified during screening process of sickle cell project coordinated by Department of Biochemistry. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College. Raipur, C.G.), are taken under consideration to check the level of fetal haemoglobin and haemoglobin after giving traditional herbal treatment by traditional medicine man for further six months because most of the health problems are managed by local traditional healers. After the stipulated time the fetal hemoglobin and hemoglobin status will be seen so as to see the role of traditional herbs taken by the tribal people.  Â

Studies on Physiological and Biochemical Changes in Relation to Seed Viability in Aged Onion Seeds

Rapid loss in viability of onion seeds during seed storage is a major problem. Not much information concerning the physiological and biochemical changes is available. In the present investigations, seeds were aged artificially by exposure to 45°C+75% RH for a period of fifteen days. Samples were collected at three day intervals and physiological and biochemical changes in the aged seeds were compared to those in fresh seeds. Results revealed that ageing affected seed viability and vigour significantly and this effect was more pronounced with increase in duration of exposure to artificial ageing. Marked reduction in germination to an extent of 4,16 and 75% was noticed in three, six and nine day artificially aged (DAA) seeds, respectively, when compared to fresh seeds. Further increase in ageing duration to twelve and fifteen days resulted in total loss of germination. Increase in ageing duration decreased a amylase and dehydrogenase activities but increased peroxidase activity up to nine days of ageing. Lipid peroxidation increased consistently with increase in duration of ageing. At 15 DAA, 26.2% increase in malondialdehyde content over the control was observed. SDS PAGE protein profile and esterase zymograms of aged seeds showed alteration in banding pattern when compared to that of fresh seeds