Relationship Between Knowledge Level and Characteristics of Pulses Seed Growers

The study was undertaken to study the relationship between knowledge level and profile characteristics of pulses seed growers. A sample of 90 pulses seed growing farmers was selected from 3 blocks of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu. The blocks were Kinathukadavu, Thondamuthur and Karamadai. For the study 30 farmers from each of the three blocks, where the highest number of farmers cultivating pulses for seed production were selected by employing simple random sampling technique in each block. Collection of data was done with the help of semi structured interview schedule. The study revealed that experience in seed production, social participation, urban contact and information seeking behaviour would increase the knowledge level of seed growers. The variables experience in seed production was contributing more than 75 per cent of the variation inthe knowledge level.

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF CHROMOBACTERIUM SP. FROM DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS

ABSTRACTObjectives: The study was aimed at isolating and identifying violacein-producing bacteria from the different ecosystems.Methods: The violet color pigment (violacein) producing bacteria was isolated and identified morphologically and genomically.Results: A total of ten bacterial Chromobacterium sp. were isolated from different sources such as soil and water. The violacein productivity wasscreened by the total isolates and the selected two strains were identified as Chromobacterium violaceum CV4 and Chromobacterium vaccinii CV5 bymorphologically and genomically.Conclusion: In the present study, the two isolate was morphologically and genomically identified as Chromobacterium violaceum CV4 andChromobacterium vaccinii CV5, last one was found to be the novel strain from natural sources which possess a high violacein producing capability.Keywords: Chromobacterium sp., Violacein, Pigment production

Antimicrobial Activity of a Rarely Known Species, Morinda citrifolia L.

Morinda Citrifolia is one of the most important traditional Polynesian medicinal plants. This small evergreen tree is native from South Eastern Asia to Australia and now it has a Pantropical distribution. It has antifungal, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and antiviral activities. Morinda citrifolia L. was studied for its antimicrobial activity. The leaves of this plant were dried, powdered and different extracts were prepared using different solvents like benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. Four organisms, namely E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger, were used for investigation. The activity of each solvent extract was checked on each organism by disc diffusion method and then the zone size of each was measured. The results of our antimicrobial assay revealed that plant extracts showed inhibitory activity against the tested organisms

Stock assessment of soldier catfish Osteogeneiosus militaris along the northwest coast of India

Value of length growth parameters L∞, K and t(sub)0 from age-length relation obtained from length-frequency analysis for the soldier catfish stock were estimated to be 47.6 cm, 0.51 per year and 0.03 year respectively. The age at recruitment (t [sub]r) was 0.58 year and the age at first capture (t[sub]c) 0.83 year. The total mortality (Z) was 0.88 including the present natural mortality (M) of 0.84 and fishing mortality (F) of 0.04. The total stock of this fish along the Northwest coast of India was assessed to be 32,413 tons and the MSY 5,426 tons which is much higher than the current catch of 863.8 tons. The potential yield (P[sub]y) of 38.7 g per recruit could be obtained at the optimum of exploitation (t[sub]y) of 2.84 years

Antibacterial Activity of \u3cem\u3ePunica granatum\u3c/em\u3e L. Against Gastro Intestinal Tract Infection Causing Organisms

The pericarp of Punica granatum Linn. has been commonly employed as a crude drug in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea as well as for use as an astringent, antihelminthic, asphrodisacs, laxative, diuretic, stomachic, cardiotonic and refrigerant. Antibacterial activity of P. granatum pericarp extracts was evaluated against ten Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT) infection causing bacterial strains using paper disc agar diffusion method. The result indicated that the extracts obtained from P. granatum pericarp exhibited antimicrobial activity against all organisms except the crude extract used against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanol extract has exhibited maximum antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae Serotype 1. Methanol extract shows significant activity against tested bacterial strains when compared to other extracts used in the study. Our findings suggest that an appropriate bioactive compound(s) may be developed from P. granatum pericarp as complementary alternative medicine for the treatment of GIT infection causing bacterial strains

MUTATIONS IN THE RPOB GENE OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS IDENTIFIED BY SEQUENCING METHOD

ABSTRACTObjective: To identify the mutation in the rpoB gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), using by sequencing method from pulmonary specimensof presumptive TB patients belonging to the districts of Tamil Nadu.Methods: A total of 8697 clinical specimens of presumptive MTB patients were collected from various districts of Tamil Nadu. Smear microscopy wasperformed by light emitting diode fluorescent microscopy and all the smear positive samples were tested using line probe assay (LPA) to detect thepercentage of drug resistance pattern and to identify the missing mutation in LPA by the sequencing method.Results: Among 4897 smear positives subjected to LPA method; 407 (8.3%) MTB was not detected and 16 (0.3%) showed invalid result; 4473 (91.4%)strains showed MTB positive; 3695 (82.6%) were sensitive for both rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) drugs; 502 (11.2%) were resistance for INH;73 (1.6%) resistant for RIF; 203 (4.5%) were resistance for RIF and INH. Totally, 52 (1.2%) strains results cannot be confirmed by LPA and reportedas sensitive for RIF, because of the faint and the missing bands in both wild type and mutation. These strains were sequenced and 39 (75%) strainsshowed resistant to RIF.Conclusion: Hence LPA may be the molecular technology for the rapid, feasible and reliable method for the detection of multidrug resistant mutationbut few confusion bands cannot be reported as resistance, which should be confirmed by either conventional phenotypic drug susceptibility testingor by sequencing method.Keywords: Line probe assay, Sequencing, Mutation, Multidrug resistant tuberculosis

Biochemical substitution of fungal xylanases for prebleaching of hardwood kraft pulp

Xylanase enzymes of three fungi, Aspergillus indicus, A. flavus and A. niveus, were purified and characterized. The enzymes are used in the pretreatment of Hardwood kraft pulp prior to conventional alkali extraction and conventional chlorine extraction sequence (EDED process) normally used forbleaching of pulp. In the enzyme pretreated pulp when subjected to alkali extraction process the kappa number was reduced to a maximum of 5.0, 6.2 and 6.8 from 18.60 and the brightness was increased to a maximum of 43.12, 42.20 and 45.19 ISO units, respectively, from 19.83 by xylanases of A. indicus, A. flavus and A. niveus. Whereas, in the enzyme pretreated pulp, when subjected to EDED process, the maximum reduction in kappa number of 6.7, 7.2 and 7.1 and a maximum increase in brightness of 41.28, 41.06 and 41.07 ISO units, respectively, were observed in case of A. indicus, A. flavus and A. niveu

Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Aqueous and Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Two Medicinal Plants against Bovine Mastitis Bacterial Pathogens

Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv is extensively used in Indian traditional and folklore medicines to cure various human ailments. Tridax procumbens Linn is a tropically distributed medicinal plant. Antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of two plants were investigated by agar disc and well-diffusion method against bovine mastitis bacterial pathogens. The plant extracts showed inhibitory activity against the tested organisms. Phytochemical screening of the plant revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids. The study scientifically validates the use of plant in traditional and ethnoveterinary medicine

Isolation, identification and screening of potential xylanolytic enzyme from litter degrading fungi

Consortia of litter degrading fungal species were developed from different baiting substrates collected in and around Western ghat forest ecosystem, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. Fifty-three litter degradingfungal species were isolated by nylon litterbag technique. The production of endo-b-1,4-xylanase (1,4-b-D-xylan xylanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.8), b-D-xylosidase (1,4-b-xylan xylanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.37) and protease was studied using oat spelt xylan as carbon source. Results showed that all fifty-three fungal species isolated from various litter samples produced fairly good xylanolytic enzyme activity. The xylanase and b-D-xylosidase activity ranges from 4.41 to 132.20 U and 48.72 to 1510.32 U, respectively. Growth was determined in terms of mycelial dry weight, which ranged between 0.209 and 1.047 mg/ml. The protease enzyme activity was from 19.7 to 60.8 U. This is the first report concerning xylanolyticenzyme production by the litter degrading fungi, isolated from litter samples

Antidiabetic activity of water extract of Solanum trilobatum (Linn.) in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats

The antidiabetic potential of the water extract of Solanum trilobatum L. (Solanaceae), a medicinal plant widely used in the traditional Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus was evaluated in the alloxan monohydrate induced diabetic model. Graded doses of the water extract were administered to normal and experimental diabetic rats for 10 days. Significant (p < 0.05) reduction in fasting blood glucose levels were observed in the normal as well as in the treated diabeticanimals. Serum insulin levels were not stimulated in the animals treated with the extract. In addition, changes in body weight, serum lipid profiles and liver glycogen levels assessed in the extract treated diabetic rats were compared with diabetic control and normal animals. Significant results wereobserved in the estimated parameters, thereby justifying the use of the plant in the indigenous system of medicine