Statistical media optimization studies for growth and polydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by Pseudomonas spp.

Using glucose as carbon source and mustard cake and yeast extract as nitrogen sources bacterial isolate Pseudomonas B2 exhibited a maximum PHB recovery of 0.620 (in terms of O.D.) and PHB weight of 0.27g/L in 96 h. To determine the possibility of growth potential of Pseudomonas spp., it was grown in different carbon sources like fructose, glucose, maltose, mannitol etc. and it was found that glucose yielded good growth and PHB production. In order to incorporate cost effective nitrogen and carbon source, mustard cake and cotton cake as nitrogen source and molasses as carbon were used in medium. Statistical media optimization design was used to optimize the culture conditions for maximizing the PHB production. A maximum of 0.37 g/L of PHB and 0.746 (O.D.) PHB recoveries were obtained using optimized concentrations. Batch kinetics can be used for model development, which will make possible simulation of nutrient limited cultivation(s) for over accumulation of PHB. FTIR studies confirmed the presence of PHB

Economic analysis of application of phosphorus, single and dual inoculation of Rhizobium and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus)

This study investigates the economic returns of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) by the use of phosphorus and biofertilizers [Rhizobium and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)] in Indian Punjab. The field experiments were conducted during Rabi 2013-14 and 2014-15 with combinations of four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 30 and 40 kg P2O5 ha-1) and two/four biofertilizer treatments [uninoculated control and Rhizobium (LLR 12) + PGPR (RB 2)] in 2013-14, and uninoculated control, Rhizobium, PGPR and Rhizobium + PGPR in 2014-15) by replicating thrice. The use of 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 provided the highest gross returns whereas net returns and B:C were highest at 30 kg P2O5 ha-1. The combination of Rhizobium + PGPR + 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 provided the highest gross returns (Rs. 45902) whereas Rhizobium + PGPR+ 20 kg P2O5 ha-1 provided the highest net returns (Rs 20620). Furthermore, the integrated use of Rhizobium + PGPR + 20 kg P2O5 ha-1 provided higher net returns (Rs 20620) and B:C (1.88) as compared to sole application of 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 (Rs 18792 and 1.72). Thus, there was a net saving of 20 kg P2O5 ha-1 with the use of Rhizobium + PGPR inoculation without sacrificing the economics returns

Response of Strawberry plant (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) to inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Trichoderma viride

The present paper represents the positive role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi as biofertilizers in strawberry. Experiments were carried out to assess the effectiveness of Trichoderma viride and AM fungi (Glomus mosseae and Acaulospora laevis) alone or in combination, on the growth and biomass production of strawberry. After 120 days, dual inoculation of A. laevis + T. viride showed maximum increase in plant height (30.5±0.3), fresh shoot weight (10.16±0.20), dry shoot weight (2.82±0.02), fresh root weight (6.70±0.10), total chlorophyll (0.841±0.05) and phosphorus content in root (1.13±0.02) as compared to control. However root colonization and AM spore number were maximum in G. mosseae + A. lavies (90.76±1.32) and in G. mosseae (211.16±2.56) respectively as compared to uninoculated plants. Triple inoculation of G. mosseae + A. laevis + T. viride (12.33± 057) was effective in increasing the leaf area

Study of the impact of tourists and local visitors / feeders on free-ranging Hanuman langur population in and around Jodhpur, Rajasthan (India)

The Jodhpur city of Rajasthan has many tourist places where Hanuman langurs habitually feed on the food given by the visitors to them. The interactions were studied between Hanuman langurs and the visitors in and around Jodhpur by means of interviewing the visitors and direct observations of the behaviour of Hanuman langurs and visitors. Most (82.2%) of the observed interactions involved the presence of food; only in 17.8% of the interactions we observed langurs threatening or chasing the visitors. Some differences, however, emerged between what the visitors reported in the interviews and what we observed. Most respondents (76.1%) reported in the interviews that hostile interactions were started by monkeys, whereas analysis of the direct interactions showed that 47.3% of such interactions were initiated by visitors and only 39.6% by Hanuman langurs. Moreover, 83.9% of the visitors affirm them to feed Hanuman langurs, while 70.2% of them report having seen other visitors feeding them. On the basis of the above results, it would be beneficial to establish an educational program, providing information about the behaviour of Hanuman langurs and the consequences that feeding them could have on their behaviour and on their interactions with visitors

Spatial distribution of Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) in Cabbage in mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh, India

Investigations were carried out during two consecutive Rabi seasons of 2014 and2015 at the Experi-mental Farm of the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and For-estry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India to study the spatial distribution of Brevicoryne brassicae in cabbage. One month old cabbage seedlings were planted in the field in the month of November during both the years. Distri-bution pattern of any insect population is an important aspect as it represents the interaction between individuals of the species and their habitat. Spatial distribution is useful for designing efficient sampling programmes for population estimation and development of population models. Spatial distribution is also important to understand the bioecology of the pest and to determine the sampling protocol for that species. In the present study variance to mean ratio (s2/X),mean crowding (X*), ratio of mean crowding to mean (X*/X), ‘k’ of negative binomial, Taylor’s power equation(s2 = 0.9099X1.55 during 2014 and s2 = 2.9861X1.1949 during 2015), Iwao’s patchiness regression and optimum number of samples (Nopt) required to achieve the desired precision were calculated for different densities. Cabbage aphid, B. brassicae appeared in the fourth standard week i.e last week of January( 26.2 aphids/ plant during 2014 and 0.30 aphids/ plant during 2015) and persisted upto thirteenth standard week i.e last week of April ( 18.4 aphids/ plant during 2014 and 18.2 aphids/ plant during 2015) and followed a negative binomial distribution during both years. Optimum number of samples (Nopt) required varied with mean density as well as precision level. The present study will serve as basic information to develop a sampling plan of B. Brassicae in cabbage for its monitoring and management

In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Craniotome furcata

The aim of present study was, to investigate the essential oil of Craniotome furcata for its antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation of the flowering aerial parts of C. furcata. The oil was tested for its antimicrobial activity in vitro against four Gram-positive, four Gram-negative bacteria and three fungi, by using disk diffusion and tube dilution methods. The antioxidant potential of the essential oil was investigated by two different models DPPH free radical and ABTS free radical cation scavenging. The essential oil was effective against all the tested microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 4.11±1.44 to 0.30±0.10 mg/ml. The oil showed antioxidant activity in DPPH free radical and ABTS free radical cation scavenging model. The results of this study revealed that the essential oil of C. furcata possesses antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

New record of earthworm Eukerria kuekenthali (Oligochaeta: Ocnerodrilidae) from Sikkim, India

The earthworm genus Eukerria kuekenthali (Michaelsen 1908) is recorded for the first time from the Sikkimese soil. Inter/ intra specific variations have not been observed. Altitude plays a vital role in the distribution pattern of this species. The photographic descriptions with illustrations are provided

State space modelling and forecasting of sugarcane yield in Haryana, India

Box and Jenkins’ Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models are widely used for analyzing and forecasting the time-series data. In this approach, the underlying parameters are assumed to be constant however the data in agriculture are generally collected over time and thus have the time-dependency in parameters. Such data can be analyzed using state space (SS) procedures by the application of Kalman filtering technique. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the usefulness of state space models in sugarcane yield forecasting and to pro-vide some empirical evidence for its superiority over the classical time-series analysis. ARIMA and state space models individually could provide the suitable relationship(s) to reliably forecast the sugarcane yield in Karnal, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Panipat districts of Haryana (India). However, the state space models with lower error metrics showed the superiority over ARIMA models for this empirical study. The sugarcane yield forecasts based on SS models in the districts under consideration showed good agreement with State Department of Agriculture (DOA) yields by showing 3-6 percent average absolute deviations

Effect of combinations of four trace elements on cadmium bioaccumulation in a few tissues of male albino rats

The present study is designed to investigate the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in selected tissues such as liver, kidney, testis and small intestine of male albino rats treated for Cd and after combined supplementation with Zinc (Zn) + Iron (Fe) and Selenium (Se) + Copper (Cu). The wistar albino rats were treated with cadmium chloride(CdCl2)at a dose of 1/10th LD50 i.e. 22.5 mg / kg body weight for 7, 15 and 30 days(d) time intervals. After 15 d to Cd treatment, the rats were then supplemented with the above combination of two trace elements and thenobserved for accumulation of Cd at specific time intervals. These trace elements at a dosage of 1 mg/ kg body weight of Se, 16mg/kg body weight of Cu, 12 mg / kg body weight of Zn and 40 mg / kg body weight of Fe were given as supplements. There was significant Cd accumulation in liver and kidney among the selected tissues before to supplementation and there was significant decrease in the Cd accumulation levels in all the tissues after trace element supplementation. Moreover the 30d Zn + Fe supplemented rat kidney showed maximum decrease in Cd accumulation (8.327?g/g wet wt. of the tissue)

Composition variation of essential oil of Cymbopogon spp. growing in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India

The present study was aimed to find out the chemical constituents of essential oils of cymbopogon species,viz. Cymbopogon martinii var motia, Cymbopogon flexuosus Nees., Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt., growing in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillationand subjected to detailed Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis in order to determine the variation in their volatile constituents. Twenty seven compounds are ?-pinene, ?-myrcene, Limonene, Cis-b-Ocimene, pCymene ,Terpinolene,6-Methyl hept-5-en-2-one, Citronellal, Linalool, Linalyl acetate, ?-Elemene, ?-Caryophyllene, Citronellyl acetate, Neral, ?– Terpineol, Borneol,Gerainal, ?-Cadinene,Geranyl acetate, Citronellol,Nerol,Geraniol, Caryophyllene oxide,Germacrene—D-4-ol,Elemol, Epi-?-cadinol, ?-Cadinol representing 92.24 to 95.86% of the oil compositions as identified. While comparing the common constituents of three different species of cymbopogon taxa , the remarkable variation in compositions of essential oil was observed and it was in concentration of nearl (0.40;34.9;1.6), gerainal (nil;47.5;0.96) geraniol (82.5;4.5;20.15) , citronellol (T;0.2;12.39) , citronellal (0.1;0.5;36.19) , and linalool (0.8;1.6;0.96) for C.martini, C.flexuosus, C. winterianus respectivel