Screening of certain Ayurvedic plants extracts against E. turcicum

The use of chemicals against pathogens is environmentally dangerous, so use of natural inhibitors for disease management is needed. In this work we screen botanical extracts from ayurvedic plants for their antifungal properties against economically important plant fungal pathogen. As a test fungal pathogen, we select E. turcicum, a potent fungal pathogen responsible for Northern leaf corn blight of Maize. This fungal pathogen was challenged by the leaf extract prepared from certain Ayurvedic plants and these observations have shown a promising future in biocontrol of fungus by using such environmentally friendly
antifungal agents

Energy Efficient CNTFET Based Full Adder Using Hybrid Logic

Full Adder is the basic element for arithmetic operations used in Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits, therefore, optimization of 1-bit full adder cell improves the overall performance of electronic devices. Due to unique mechanical and electrical characteristics, carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFET) are found to be the most suitable alternative for metal oxide field effect transistor (MOSFET). CNTFET transistor utilizes carbon nanotube (CNT) in the channel region. In this paper, high speed, low power and reduced transistor count full adder cell using CNTFET 32nm technology is presented. Two input full swing XOR gate is designed using 4 transistors which is further used to generate Sum and Carry output signals with the help of Gate-Diffusion-Input (GDI) Technique thus reducing the number of transistors involved. Proposed design simulated in Cadence Virtuoso with 32nm CNTFET technology and results is better design as compared to existing circuits in terms of Power, Delay, Power-Delay-Product (PDP), Energy Consumption and Energy-Delay-Product (EDP)

Comprehensive Notes on Commercial Utilization, Characteristics and Status of Steroid Yielding Plants in India

The present article provides comprehensive information on the species used largely as commercial steroids in India. Details regarding part(s) used, characteristics and commercial utilization of important steroid yielding plant species are given in the present communication

Effect of deficit irrigation and in situ moisture conservation on soil moisture content and frequency of irrigation in kiwifruit cultivar Allison

The effect of deficit irrigation and in situ moisture conservation in kiwifruit cv. Allison vines was studied during the years 2011 and 2012 in the Department of Fruit Science, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, HP, India. Soil moisture content and frequency of irrigation were investigated in kiwifruit in response to deficit irrigation and in situ moisture conservation techniques. Seven treatments viz., irrigation at 80 per cent Field Capacity (T1), 60 per cent Field Capacity (T2) and 40 per cent Field Capacity (T3), 60 per cent Field Capacity (FC) plus grass mulch (T4) or black polythene (T5) and 40 per cent FC plus grass mulch (T6) or black polythene (T7) were applied from March to October with three replications in Randomized Block Design (RBD). During the year 2011, the soil moisture content under kiwifruit vines was highest under the treatment T1 (15.3, 16.9) , followed by T5 (15.2, 16.8) and T4 (14.9, 16.6) at 30 cm and at 60 cm soil depth, respectively. Whereas, during the year 2012, the soil moisture content under kiwifruit vines was highest under the treatment T1 (14.9, 16.4), followed by T5 (15.0, 16.3) and T4 (14.6, 16.1) at 30 cm and at 60 cm soil depth, respectively. However,the least soil moisture content was, however, observed under T3 (11.0, 12.8) at 30 cm and 60 cm soil depth , respectively, during the year 2011, similarly, during the year 2012, the least soil moisture content was also observed under T3 (10.6, 12.7) at 30 cm and 60 cm soil depth, respectively. The frequency of irrigation was highest under T1 (16 irrigations) followed T2 (10 irrigations) while the least was recorded under T6 and T7 (7irrigations). Total numbers of irrigations applied were reduced from 16 (under T1) to 8 (under T5). The use of black plastic mulch may be beneficial as it helped to conserve moistureunder DI regime which is comparable to those in well irrigated vines. It may also reduce the high irrigation requirement of kiwifruit in areas where sufficient water is not available

Screening of efficient rhizobacteria associated with cauliflower (Brassica oleraceavar. botrytis L.) for plant growth promoting traits

In the current study, a total of 25 isolates were isolated from the rhizosphere and roots of cauliflower (Brassica oleraceavar. botrytis L.) from the vicinity of Una district of Himachal Pradesh. The isolates were tested in vitro for their ability to solubilise phosphorous and produce siderophore, indole acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and antifungal metabolites against the soil borne pathogens. Results revealed that out of 25, only 4 rhizospheric isolates (SB5, SB11, SB8 and SB10) have maximum plant growth promoting attributes. The isolates were identified as Bacillus sp. on the basis of Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology. The isolate SB11 recorded highest phosphate solubilizing efficiency in solid medium (109.09%) and in liquid medium (350?g/ml). Maximum production of IAA (51.96?g/ml), siderophore (91.41%) and HCN were also observed for the same isolate. Further-more, the isolate SB11 produced highest antifungal metabolite production against Rhizoctoniasolani(37.11%), Sclerotiniasclerotiorum(41.11%), and Pythium sp. (71.11%) causing root rot, stalk rot and damping off diseases in cauliflower, respectively. The selected isolate (SB11) showed optimum growth at a pH of 7.0, 35°C temperature and 2% NaCl. On the basis of multifarious PGP-traits the SB11 isolate has tremendous potential to be used as a bioferti-lizer/bioprotectant for growth promotion and natural protection of cauliflower under low hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Landscape Mapping and Tree Diversity Assessment of Pangi Valley: A Remote Tribal Area of Himachal Pradesh in Western Himalaya, India

Pangi valley in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is one of the remote tribal areas in Indian western Himalaya. The plant resources in its landscapes are flourishing under least anthropogenic conditions. For social upliftment of the tribals in this area, a number of developmental activities are being implemented by the government. A study was conducted for mapping of its landuse/landcover using satellite remote sensing to identify major forested landscapes in the region. It was followed by a detailed random stratified sampling of the forested landscapes for phytosociological estimation of its tree species. The 21.97 % of study area was estimated under forests followed by Scrublands and Grassy meadows (18.24 %). Majority of area (54.05 %) was Snow and Scree slopes. Among the forests, maximum area was occupied by Mixed Broad Leaved Forest LSE type (36.08%) followed by Cedrus deodara (26.94%) and Betula utilis (18.07%) forest LSE types. These species, owing to immense medicinal properties and value for their economic utilization, feature in threatened and endangered category list of plants. It is, therefore, recommended that the developmental activities may be implemented in scientific way, which may not pose threat to bioresources in this region

Reversing land degradation through grasses: a systematic meta-analysis in the Indian tropics

Although intensive agriculture is necessary to sustain the world's growing population, accelerated soil erosion contributes to a decrease in the environmental health of ecosystems at local, regional and global scales. Reversing the process of land degradation using vegetative measures is of utmost importance in such ecosystems. The present study critically analyzes the effect of grasses in reversing the process of land degradation using a systematic review. The collected information was segregated under three different land use and land management situations. Meta-analysis was applied to test the hypothesis that the use of grasses reduces runoff and soil erosion. The effect of grasses was deduced for grass strip and in combination with physical structures. Similarly, the effects of grasses were analyzed in degraded pasture lands. The overall result of the meta-analysis showed that infiltration capacity increased approximately 2-fold after planting grasses across the slopes in agricultural fields. Grazing land management through a cut-and-carry system increased conservation efficiencies by 42 and 63% with respect to reduction in runoff and erosion, respectively. Considering the comprehensive performance index (CPI), it has been observed that hybrid Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) and sambuta (Saccharum munja) grass seem to posses the most desirable attributes as an effective grass barrier for the western Himalayas and Eastern Ghats, while natural grass (Dichanthium annulatum) and broom grass (Thysanolaena maxima) are found to be most promising grass species for the Konkan region of theWestern Ghats and the northeastern Himalayan region, respectively. In addition to these benefits, it was also observed that soil carbon loss can be reduced by 83% with the use of grasses. Overall, efficacy for erosion control of various grasses was more than 60 %; hence, their selection should be based on the production potential of these grasses under given edaphic and agro-ecological conditions. The present analysis also indicated that grass must be used as a vegetative strip to maintain soil quality in sloppy arable areas (8.5 Mha) of Indian hilly regions. Similarly, due attention should be paid for establishing grasses in 3 Mha of degraded pasture lands and 3.5 Mha of shifting cultivation areas in India to reverse the land degradation

Socio-Economic Status of Tuberculosis on Patients and Family In Himachal Pradesh

Introduction: Long-term illnesses like tuberculosis lead to significant morbidity and mortality rates. The tuberculosis problem has not improved, even though the causal bacterium was discovered more than a century ago and nearly 100% effective treatment regimens are now available. The inadequate description of the disease's socioeconomic impact is one of the causes of this. Studies to determine the socioeconomic burden of diseases like tuberculosis have just lately been conducted. Methods: Approximately 80% of people in India reside in rural areas. Agriculture is the primary occupation, and salaries are paid on a daily basis. Most transportation infrastructure is subpar, and there are many dirt roads. Although there is good rail and road connectivity between urban centers, travel costs are greater there. Compared to a rural setting, the employment profile of the urban population is distinct; most people work for themselves or are salaried. In India, the prevalence of tuberculosis is comparable in rural and urban areas. Results: Family members on a salary made up 38.46% of the patient population, followed by wage earners (15.3%) and self-employed individuals (46.15%). 17.69% of patients had monthly incomes of less than 1000 rupees, 19.23% had incomes between 1000 and 2000, 43.08% had incomes between 2001 and 6000 rupees, and 20% had incomes exceeding 6000 rupees. Of the patients hospitalized, 60% were to government hospitals and 40% to non-governmental organizations. the percentage of total costs for GH and NGO patients that are made up of direct and indirect costs. 33.08% of patients were dependent on direct costs, while 66.92% of patients were dependent on indirect costs. Conclusion: The overall expenses were somewhat substantial, especially the indirect costs brought on by tuberculosis. Three months was the average amount of time lost from pay. Female patients' caregiving efforts drastically dropped, and one-fifth of pupils stopped going to school

Genetic and Multilocation Evaluation of High Yielding Provenances of Bhimal (\u3cem\u3eGrewia optiva\u3c/em\u3e) on Farmers’ Fields in North Western Himalayas

Agroforestry is the inclusion of woody perennial within farming systems, has been practiced as a traditional land use and livelihood option since time immemorial (FSI 2013). It is being practiced on agricultural lands for fuel wood and fodder (Khybri et al., 1992), as well as medicinal and fruit trees (Bijalwan, 2011; Rathore et al., 2014) enabling food security (Narain 1998), non timber forest products, timber and shelter etc. A number of different (185) agroforestry systems are popular among farmers in different agro-climatic regions (Solanki, 2006). Grewia optiva Drummond (Bhimal) is an important agroforestry tree species primarily grown for green fodder in the north west Himalayas (Khybri et al., 1992; Dhyani, 2009). It is distributed throughout the sub-Himalayan tract upto an altitude of 1800m. Therefore, the present study was envisaged to monitor the performance of three best provenances of Bhimal (Mehta et al., 2011) on farmers’ fields at four locations comprising middle hill elevations and valley zones and their effect on field crops