Morphological responses of pulse (Vigna spp.) crops to soil water deficit

The present experiment was conducted with two common pulse crops namely black gram (Vigna mungo L.) and green gram (Vigna radiata L.) with the objective to study the morpho-physiological changes that took place in response to low moisture stress. Parameters such as plant height, leaf number, leaf area and pod number were studied under moisture stress condition as well as subsequent recovery stages. At harvest, yields of these two crops were recorded and various yield indexes like drought susceptibility index, drought tolerance index, mean and productivity rate were calculated. The study revealed that moisture stress has a significant impact on all these parameters in both crops. The effect was more significant in green gram compared to black gram. From the findings it is observed that moisture stress during flowering stage is detrimental for yield of the pulse crops and re-watering does not have a significant impact on yield improvement. Black gram variety T9 and green gram variety Pratap were identified as drought-tolerant varieties

Impact of N fertilization on C balance and soil quality in maize-dhaincha cropping sequence

Excess N fertilization to achieve high crop yield is a grand old practice in developing countries. However, inorganic nutrient sources considerably replenish soil organic C (SOC). In the present study, we applied six different levels of N keeping P and K constant for maize, grown under maize (Zea mays) - dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) cropping sequence. We recorded high crop yield, profuse root biomass and SOC stock with increasing N fertilization. Moreover, water holding capacity, microbial biomass carbon and particulate organic carbon improved significantly with increasing levels of N. Conversely, bulk density, mineral associated organic carbon and pH decreased with increasing application of inorganic N. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was recorded between root biomass and soil organic carbon. A study of the sensitivity index showed particulate organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon to be good indicators of nutrient management practices. Dhaincha cultivation accelerated C and N mineralization in soil, which is reflected in increased biomass and crop yield. Hence, we conclude that inorganic N fertilization rate (7280 kg ha-1) in maize-dhaincha cropping sequence successfully maintains the SOC balance and optimize N stock in soil

A Critical Review of COVID 19 Vaccines: Past, Present and Future

In December 2019, the city of Wuhan in China witnessed the first episode of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), brought on by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV- 2). And after more than two years, it has become a global pandemic, crossing boundaries and spreading across countries and continents. Many nations have reported different Waves of COVID-19. As per World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of 9th February 2022, stood at 396,558,014 with 5,745,032 deaths globally and increasing with every passing hour. Various SARS CoV-2 variants have been recognized and categorized by the WHO as Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs). There is no stopping the rise in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients throughout the world, despite authorities announcing and following strict precaution, containment, and preventive measures. Antiviral therapeutic approaches have proven to be merely supportive and have shown limited efficacy. It has since been established that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection can potentially trigger several immune responses of the body and thus preventing the severity of COVID-19 infection. The race for the development and deployment of vaccines has already started, and this paper provides a discussion upon the bioethical angle of Covid vaccines – their development, deployment, and distribution ethics. There are also several ethical implications and concerns about issues like the necessity of vaccines, compulsory vaccination, and vaccine mandates. This paper also addresses some questions about the dilemma of the earliest developed and the most effective vaccines and also focuses upon the updated ethical concerns about the different kinds of Covid vaccines