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Not AvailableTo physiologically categorize drought tolerance characteristics of post-rainy sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], 21 sorghum genotypes were evaluated under well watered and water deficit stress conditions for 2 years. Water deficit stress showed mixed effect among the genotypes for days to flowering, while other traits were adversely affected. Over 35 % reduction in grain yield was recorded due to post-flowering drought. Retention of green leaf area (GLA) during grain filling stage was found to be associated with drought tolerance. Loss of GLA started earlier and faster among high susceptible lines compared to tolerant lines. Based on stability analysis and drought susceptibility indices IS 23514 and Phule Chitra were identified as stable drought tolerant lines. Identified lines can be used in post-rainy sorghum breeding and molecular studies in future. The study also suggests that easily scorable physiological traits such as retention of green leaf area can be combined with stability analysis and DSI to identify drought tolerant genotypes.Not Availabl

Distribution, Demography, and Conservation of Lion-tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus) in the Anamalai Hills Landscape, Western Ghats, India

The status of the endemic and endangered lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) has not been properly assessed in several regions of the Western Ghats of southern India. We conducted a study in Parambikulam Forest Reserve in the state of Kerala to determine the distribution, demography, and status of lion-tailed macaques. We laid 5km2 grid cells on the map of the study area (644km2) and made four replicated walks in each grid cell using GPS. We gathered data on lion-tailed macaque group locations, demography, and site covariates including trail length, duration of walk, proportion of evergreen forest, height of tallest trees, and human disturbance index. We also performed occupancy modeling using PRESENCE ver. 3.0. We estimated a minimum of 17 groups of macaques in these hills. Low detection and occupancy probabilities indicated a low density of lion-tailed macaques in the study area. Height of the tallest trees correlated positively whereas human disturbance and proportion of evergreen forest correlated negatively with occupancy in grid cells. We also used data from earlier studies carried out in the surrounding Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Nelliyampathy Hills to discuss the conservation status in the large Anamalai Hills Landscape. This landscape harbors an estimated population of 1108 individuals of lion-tailed macaques, which is about one third of the entire estimated wild population of this species. A conservation plan for this landscape could be used as a model for conservation in other regions of the Western Ghats