Socioeconomic conditions of traditional fishermen of Vitava village in Thane district

Maharashtra stands third in fish production in India, with an estimated annual landings of 3.32 lakhs tonnes (1986-87). About 45% of the fishermen are directly involved in fishing. Mechanisation has boosted fish production resulting in gainful employment and higher incomes to fishermen. However, traditional fishermen along Thane creek and who entirely depend on fishing for their livelihood are comparatively poor due to their dependence on subsistence fishing and reduction of fish stock due to pollution of the creek. Conservation of the resources, proper monitoring of pollution and financial assistance and guidance will help the fishermen improve their living conditions

Indigenous construction of fishing boats at Versova village in Maharashtra State

Versova, one of the 23 fishing villages in the district of Greater Bombay, is a major fishing centre. During the last three decades mechanisation of fishing boats received a tremendous boost in the state specially in and around Bombay resulting in higher income and gainful employment to fishermen. Indigenous construction of fishing boats at Versova contributes to the marine fisheries development. Inspite of certain constraints in construction activities, training of artisans in boat construction would ultimately help in the economic growth of the village

Socio Economic Development of Coastal People Through Kappaphycus alverzii Farming Using Different Cultivation Methods in Tamil Nadu, Southeast Coast of India

Kappaphycus (a kappa carrageenan yielding red seaweed) cultivation was initiated in 1960 and by 1969 a farm was established by Marine colloids and MS Doty in Tawii Tawii province of Philippine waters. Following the success of its cultivation in Philippines, the same had been expanded worldwide. Kappaphycus alvarezii along with Kappaphycus striatum has been introduced in more than 20 tropical countries. Kappaphycus alone had been introduced in 26 countries. Its commercial cultivation is successfully going on in China, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Philippines and Tanzania. In India, a scientist from Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI-CSIR), Bhavnagar, Gujarat was brought this alga from Japan though its original origin is from Philippines during 1984 for research and cultivation after following the necessary quarantine and introduction procedures. K. alvarezii was introduced in September 1995 at Thonithurai (Mandapam near Pamban Bridge), in the Gulf of Mannar waters, Tamilnadu, India. After repeated domestication and experimentation at Mandapam cultivation technology was transferred to PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon in 2001 and expanded the same on the Palk Bay side of the Bay of Bengal. This cultivation was taken up by self-help groups (SHGs) for their livelihood. The present study deals with comparison of different cultivation methods of this alga and its economics in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India. The income with the respective mean annual crop yield was calculated (US$=Rs. 66.00). It would be Rs 18257/- (US$ 277), Rs.16063/- (US$243) , Rs. 18217/- (US$ 276) and 20900/- (US$317) per month/ person in net enclosed open culture, raft culture, tubular culture and net bag culture respectively during the loan period and with the respective income of Rs. 19257/- (US$ 292) , Rs.18063/- (US$274), Rs. 19217/- (US$ 291) and Rs. 22400/- (US$ 339) per month/ person once the loan period (of three years) is over. In view of the commercial cultivation, we recommend net enclosed open culture in the shallow water, raft culture in the moderate wave motion areas and tubular culture & net bag culture in the open sea after analyzing the infra cost, replacement of the infra, cultivation operation, carrageenan yield and net income. The income might increase if the farmers maintain the farm well coupled with per kg cost increase by the buyer.Keywords: Kappaphycus alvarezii, Crop yield, Income, Coastal people, Seaweed, Cultivatio

Kinetics of oxidation of toluidine blue by periodate: Catalysis by water pools of CTAB

Kinetic study of oxidation of toluidine blue (TB+) by periodate was carried out in aqueous medium and also in the cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) reverse micellar medium. In both the media reaction obeys first order kinetics with respect to each of the reactants. In the reverse micellar medium, the reaction is forty times faster compared to aqueous medium under identical experimental conditions. The pronounced acceleration is accounted for by the lower micro polarity and the concentration effect present in the bound water of reverse micelles. In CTAB reverse micellar medium, the pseudo first order rate constant (k’) of the reaction is almost constant at all values of W, {W=[H2O]/[CTAB]} indicating that the reaction takes place on the micellar surface and results were explained by modified Berezin pseudo phase model.

New dienol phytoalexins isolated from Arachis hypogaea leaves infected with Puccinia arachidis Speg.

Two dienol phytoalexins, 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic methyl ester and 13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic methyl ester were isolated from groundnut leaves infected by P. arachidis. Extraction, purification, characterization and antifungal activity of these compounds are described and their possible role in host defences against pathogenic infections is discusse