Role of non-timber forest products in sustaining forest-based livelihoods and rural households' resilience capacity in and around protected area- a Bangladesh study

People in developing world derive a significant part of their livelihoods from various forest products, particularly non-timber forest products. This article attempts to explore the contribution of NTFPs in sustaining forest-based rural livelihood in and around a protected area of Bangladesh, and their potential role in enhancing households resilience capacity. Based on empirical investigation our study revealed that, local communities gather a substantial amount of NTFPs from national park despite the official restrictions. 27 percent households of the area received at least some cash benefit from the collection, processing and selling of NTFPs, and NTFPs contribute as HHs primary, supplementary and emergency sources of income. NTFPs also constituted an estimated 19 percent of HHs net annual income, and were the primary occupation for about 18 percent of the HHs. HHs dependency on nearby forests for various NTFPs varied vis-a-vis their socio-economic condition as well as with their location from the park. Based on our case study the article also offers some clues for improving the situation in PA.Comment: To appear in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 201

Improvement in Organogenesis and the Development of a Transformation Procedure for Cucumber and Muskmelon

A comprehensive study was carried out to optimise and improve a direct shoot organogenesis system to facilitate the transfer of reporter genes (GUSINT and nptII into cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and muskmelon (C. melo L.) plants. The studies carried out were: (i) a comparative study on direct and indirect shoot regeneration (ii) the improvement of a direct shoot regeneration system by using an ethylene action inhibitor, silver nitrate and an ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, cobalt chloride (iii) identification of suitable strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes that are able to infect cucumber and muskmelon plants (iv) development of an intron containing gene transformation system for both cucurbit species through A. tumefaciens and (v) analysis of transformants. For the comparative study of direct and indirect shoot regeneration, four different types of explants from five elite commercial cucumber cultivars namely Spring Swallow, Suyo Cross, Suyo Long, Tasty Glory. Tasty Green and one muskmelon cultivar called Birdie were used. Explants from both species were cultured onto Murashige and Skoog medium containing different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine alone and in combination with either 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or naphthalene acetic acid. 6-benzylaminopurine alone at 1.0 or 2.0 mg/L significantly (p<0.05) induced shoot primordia from the largest number of proximal cotyledon and hypocotyl explants of all cucumber cultivars and muskmelon explants tested. However, the addition of either 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or naphthalene acetic acid to 6-benzylaminopurine, resulted in a reduction of the shoot primordia induction rate. Higher number of shoots induced from ex plants as well as high numbers of morphological normal shoots were obtained when explants were cultured on. medium containing 6-benzylaminopurine alone. Specific concentrations of indole-butyric acid and naphthalene acetic acid significantly (p<0.05) contributed to root initiation from the largest number of cucumber and muskmelon shoots, respectively. Dark treatment was sufficient to significantly induce root formation from the non-rooting cucumber and muskmelon shoots. The addition of either silver nitrate or cobalt chloride to the seed germination medium or shoot primordia induction medium caused a significant (p<0.05) enhancement of shoot regeneration rate from cucumber cv. SS and TG explants compared to the control. The regeneration rate was further enhanced when these two ethylene inhibitors were added to both SGM and SPI media. Furthermore, the number of shoots induced from explants of both Spring Swallow and Tasty Green cultivars was also enhanced upon the same treatment. However, muskmelon shoot induction and regeneration were reduced when the same treatment was employed