Innovation in traditional organic nutrient management practices for better soilhealth and higher productivity of brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.)

This study was conducted at Medicinal Plants Research and Development Centre (MRDC) of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, District Udham Singh Nagar, India, to examine the effect of Jeevamrit (Bioenhancer) on soil health and herbage yield of brahmi crop (var. CIM- Jagriti) and to optimise its rate of application. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design (RBD), replicated trice. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam in texture, neutral in reaction, having pH 6.9, medium in organic carbon (0.64%), low in available nitrogen (180.78 kg ha-1) and medium in both available phosphorus (20.14 kg ha-1) and potassium (200.64 kg ha-1). Jeevamrit enhances soil nutrient content, improve bulk density and biodiversity by increasing beneficial soil microbes which mineralise the nutrients present in soil and increase their availability. Jeevamrit 4000 l ha-1 can be used as a nutrient source in place of chemical fertilisers and expensive bulky organic manures under organic nutrient management

Engineering nucleotide specificity of succinyl-CoA synthetase in blastocystis: the emerging role of gatekeeper residues

Charged, solvent-exposed residues at the entrance to the substrate binding site (gatekeeper residues) produce electrostatic dipole interactions with approaching substrates, and control their access by a novel mechanism called "electrostatic gatekeeper effect". This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the nucleotide specificity can be engineered by altering the electrostatic properties of the gatekeeper residues outside the binding site. Using Blastocystis succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS, EC 6.2.1.5), we demonstrated that the gatekeeper mutant (ED) resulted in ATP-specific SCS to show high GTP specificity. Moreover, nucleotide binding site mutant (LF) had no effect on GTP specificity and remained ATP-specific. However, via combination of the gatekeeper mutant with the nucleotide binding site mutant (ED+LF), a complete reversal of nucleotide specificity was obtained with GTP, but no detectable activity was obtained with ATP. This striking result of the combined mutant (ED+LF) was due to two changes; negatively charged gatekeeper residues (ED) favored GTP access, and nucleotide binding site residues (LF) altered ATP binding, which was consistent with the hypothesis of the "electrostatic gatekeeper effect". These results were further supported by molecular modeling and simulation studies. Hence, it is imperative to extend the strategy of the gatekeeper effect in a different range of crucial enzymes (synthetases, kinases, and transferases) to engineer substrate specificity for various industrial applications and substrate-based drug design

Response of potato crop to vrikshaayurveda based herbal kunapajala against black scurf and early blight disease

239-244Potato is susceptible to diseases like early blight and black scurf caused by Alternaria solani (Ellis and Martin) and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, respectively which are known to reduce the quality, yield and price of the tubers. Since ancient times in India, cultivation of plants using fermented liquid organic fertilizers and amendments had been practiced which are well documented in various scriptures and books. One such formulation is the kunapajala mentioned in Vrikshayurveda which was prepared by fermenting animal remains. It was used not only to stimulate plant growth but also protect them from pests and diseases. The potato cultivar Kufri Bahar was used against early blight and black scurf disease under field conditions during the rabi season of 2020-21 at VRC, Pantnagar. The results revealed that 10 per cent solution of KJ2 (50% nettle grass + 50% seasonal local weed based KJ) at 2000 L/ha dose and KJ3 (seasonal weed based KJ) at 1000 L/ha were found effective against black scurf and early blight disease of potato, respectively showing 12.37 and 35.79% reduction disease severity over control, respectively. It was also found that kunapajala treated tubers were statistically at par in terms of germination per cent and tuber yield with the control treatment in which recommended dose of fertiliser was applied suggesting that kunapajala treatment as mentioned above effectively provided the nutrients required by the growing tubers

Innovation in traditional organic nutrient management practices for better soil health and higher productivity of brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.)

670-676This study was conducted at Medicinal Plants Research and Development Centre (MRDC) of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, District Udham Singh Nagar, India, to examine the effect of Jeevamrit (Bioenhancer) on soil health and herbage yield of brahmi crop (var. CIM- Jagriti) and to optimise its rate of application. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design (RBD), replicated trice. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam in texture, neutral in reaction, having pH 6.9, medium in organic carbon (0.64%), low in available nitrogen (180.78 kg ha-1) and medium in both available phosphorus (20.14 kg ha-1) and potassium (200.64 kg ha-1). Jeevamrit enhances soil nutrient content, improve bulk density and biodiversity by increasing beneficial soil microbes which mineralise the nutrients present in soil and increase their availability. Jeevamrit 4000 l ha-1 can be used as a nutrient source in place of chemical fertilisers and expensive bulky organic manures under organic nutrient management

Curious Catalytic Characteristics of Al–Cu–Fe Quasicrystal for De/Rehydrogenation of MgH₂

The present study reports the curious catalytic action of a new class of catalyst, quasicrystal of Al₆₅Cu₂₀Fe₁₅ on de/rehydrogenation properties of magnesium hydride (MgH₂). Catalyzed through this catalyst, the onset desorption temperature of MgH₂ gets reduced significantly from ∼345 °C (for ball-milled MgH₂) to ∼215 °C. A more dramatic effect of the above catalyst has been observed on rehydrogenation. Here, 6.00 wt % of hydrogen storage capacity is observed in just 30 s at 250 °C. Improved rehydrogenation kinetics has been found even at lower temperatures of 200 and 150 °C by absorbing ∼5.50 and ∼5.40 wt % of H₂, respectively, within 1 min and ∼5.00 wt % at 100 °C in 30 min. These are some of the lowest desorption temperatures and rehydrogenation kinetics obtained for MgH₂ through any other known catalyst. The storage capacity of MgH₂ catalyzed with the leached version of Al₆₅Cu₂₀Fe₁₅ quasicrystalline alloy degrades negligibly even after 51 cycles of de/rehydrogenation. The feasible reason for catalytic action has been described and discussed on the basis of structural, microstructural, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies