Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Taxonomic revision of the Genus Pieris Schrank (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) from India
Get PDFThe genus Pieris Schrank popularly called as garden whites are economically important species of family Pireridae, comprise 35 species world over and in India is represented by nine species. In the present manuscript, six species of genus Pieris Schrank i.e., i.e. P. brassicae (Linnaeus), P. canidia (Linnaeus), P. deota (de Niceville), P. extensa Poujade, P. melete Menetries and P. rapae (Linnaeus) have been treated taxonomically from India. Besides studying morphological characters, their male and female genitalia have been described in details and illustrated for the first time. The diagnosis of the genus and key to species has been updated using genitalic attributes. In the study of genitalia, it has been observed that in the male genitalia of the genus Pieris the uncus is undivided and aedeagus is short and thick, whereas in the female genitalia the signum is bifid and appendix bursae are well developed. In the present work, the male genitalia of scheduled species P. deota has been studied and illustrated for the first time. The male and female genitalia of dry season forms and wet season forms of species P. melete, and the subspecies and polymorphic forms of species P. canidia have been studied and compared. It has been observed that in all forms there were no genitalic variations within the species
Planting pattern of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) in intercropping systems - A review
Get PDFSince per capita availability of land is shrinking day by day and there is little scope for horizontal growth of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and thus vertical growth via intercropping can be a viable alternative to reduce the wide gap between the demand and supply of edible oils. Intercropping is an intensive land use system and a profitable venture especially for the small land holders as it fulfills the diversified demands at the farm level itself. Suitable planting pattern for greater light interception and transmission throughout the crop profile is pre-requisite for getting higher productivity. This paper reviews the information regarding role of planting patterns of oilseed rape on various aspects like growth, yield, competitiveness as well as productivity and profitability of intercropping systems. Different oilseed rape cultivars when intercropped with different crops viz., cereals, legumes, fodders or other oilseed crops prove to be more productive and remunerative as compared to their monoculture at different row proportions or spacings, which also varies with locations.
 
ARIMA and State-Space models for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) yield forecasting in Northern agro-climatic zone of Haryana
Get PDFAdvance estimates of significant cereal and commercial crops are given by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and the central Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare. However, the final estimates are released a few months after the actual harvest of the crops. In this study, ARIMA and State-Space models have been developed for sugarcane yield forecasting in Ambala and Karnal districts of Haryana. The above-mentioned models have been developed using yield data of sugarcane crop for the time period 1966-67 to 2009-10 of Ambala and Karnal districts. The validity of fitted models has been tested over the years 2010-11 to 2016-17. The forecasting performance of the developed models has been studied using percent deviations of sugarcane yield forecasts in relation to the actual yield, and root means squared errors. It has been observed that state-space models outperform the popular ARIMA models for forecasting of sugarcane yield in Northern Agro-climatic Zone of Haryana
Socio-economic upliftment of farmers through model irrigated village approach in East Champaran (Bihar), India: A case study
Get PDFIn India, the precious freshwater resources are becoming scarcer due to the climate change effect coupled with their inappropriate planning and management at the field level. Development of water resources and sensitization of farming community/irrigators towards effective utilization of these resources is need of the hour and it is one of the most important factors in conservation and preservation water resources for future requirements. This case study has highlighted the direct and indirect benefits derived by implementation of National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) scheme in Nawada, a village of the district East Champaran in Bihar state initiated by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Piprakothi, East Champaran under Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar. Two groups of farmers of the village was chosen to evaluate the benefits derived from this scheme. Under this scheme, tube-wells were developed to facilitate assured irrigation. This study revealed that the total savings of approximate Rs.10,000 ($140) per hectare to irrigate wheat crop three times in Rabi season was achieved over conventional irrigation system. This scheme has also resulted in other intangible benefits which included a reduction in pollution, an increase in the number of crops- rabi , kharif and zaid seasons and adequate time to carryout out other farm operations
Seasonal variations in proximate composition and metallic elements of three cyprinids from a Central Himalayan river Alaknanda in Garhwal Himalaya, India
Get PDFFish is an irreplaceable, highly nutritious aquatic food in a balanced diet. On the contrary, fish can also be a source of metal contamination when ingested in excess through food and water. The aim of the present study was to determine the seasonal variations in the proximate body composition and levels of Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Pb in the muscle tissue of three fish species namely, Schizothorax plagiostomus, Schizothorax progastus and Barilius bendelisis dwelling in Central Himalayan river Alaknanda at Srinagar (Garhwal) in Garhwal Himalaya. The protein (21.01-21.74%) and carbohydrates (2.31-2.69%) were found maximum in summer season in all the studied fishes while lipid was found to be highest during monsoon season in S. plagiostomus (2.73%) and S. progastus (2.70%) and lowest (1.62-1.68%) in the winter season. B. bendelisis showed a different pattern of variation in lipid content being highest (6.32%) during summer and lowest (3.34%) in monsoon season. Significantly (F=5.69, p<0.04) high content of lipid was found in B. bendelisis as compared to S. plagiostomus and S. progastus during the three seasons. Na, Ca, K, and Fe were detected highest during monsoon, Pb, and Cu during summer and Zn during the winter season. However, Pb was not detected in all the fish samples during monsoon season. B. bendelisis was significantly (p<0.001)rich in Na and Ca, S. plagiostomus in K (p<0.01), and S. progastus in Fe (p<0.001) content during all three seasons. Ca was rich among macroelements while Fe among microelements in all the studied fishes. The amount of Zn (1.48-4.55 mg/100g), Cu (0.429-0.869 mg/100g), and Pb (0.117-0.447 mg/100g) were within the permissible limits of International food safety guidelines. The seasonal variations in the parameters are attributed to food availability, temperature changes, fish metabolism, and prevailing environmental conditions. Thus, these cyprinid species were regarded as safe and useful for human consumption
Advancement and efficacy of plant growth regulators in Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk) - A review
Get PDFBer (Ziziphus maurtiana) is an important minor fruit crop of India. Over the years the crop is now widely domesticated and commercial orchards of Ber are now available. With wide commercialization, many physiological problems, i.e. flowers and fruit drop, embryo abortion, poor flowering and fruit setting, abnormal and small size fruits etc. were observed which cause huge loss to the growers. In order to minimize these problems, over the years many experiments and advancement have been done, and among them, usage of plant growth regulators is one of the most adopted methods and is utilized to improve flowering fruiting and yield with improved fruit quality. The current review discusses the role of different plant growth regulators and how they influence each fruit character. This information could be useful to the researchers in planning further advance research in this aspect and for the commercial growers to decide the proper treatments to mitigate the problems
Chicken feather waste degradation by Alternaria tenuissima and its application on plant growth
Get PDFThe use of chicken as food is rising day today and as byproduct 8.5 billion tons, poultry feathers are produced worldwide, whereas India contributes about 350 million tons per annum. It is a waste product of poultry industries, are considered a potential high-quality protein supplement owing to their crude protein content of more than 85%. In the present study Alternaria tenuissima a keratinophilic fungus was used for feather degradation in submerged state fermentation and soil. Total Protein releases were studied in submerged state fermentation by A. tenuissima are 122µg/ml and 238µg/ml in 15 and 25 days respectively. Lysine, Methionine, Cysteine and Valine were found 15.8, 6.8, 20.2, 7.5 µg/ml in 25 days, respectively. Chicken feathers were mixed with soil and inoculated with spore suspension for degradation of complex keratin protein into simpler organic forms. A. tenuissima degraded feathers in soil and enhances nutritional value. Five-gram feathers in 250 g soil mixtures were found better growth enhancers and increased height. This work will reduce the solid waste generated in the form of feathers from the poultry industry, and convert it into a simpler organic form that can be used by plants
Trend of studies on carbon sequestration dynamics in the Himalaya hotspot region: A review
Get PDFThe present communication deals with the carbon dynamics in the Himalaya hotspot region. The Himalaya, a mountain range shared by Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, is one of the biologically richest regions in the world that play an important role as source and sink in global carbon cycle. The purpose of this paper was to review and provide available studies related to carbon sequestration in the Himalayas. The carbon in forest is stored in five different pools viz. above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, litter, deadwood and soil organic carbon. Estimates of biomass, carbon stock and soil organic carbon contents by almost all forest types including agroforestry systems and plantations in the Himalaya hotspot have been documented in this communication. The net rate of carbon sequestrated by forest was reported to be 2.4 ±0.4 Pg C yr-1 on a global scale. The Indian Himalayan Region constitutes about 5.4 billion tonnes of C and sequesters about 65 million tonnes of C yr-1. We analysed more than 135 peer-reviewed journal articles related to biomass and carbon sequestration. The review identifies that the studies estimated 3697.05, 3898.10 and 4235.05 tonnes carbon per hectare for Western, Central and Eastern Himalayan region respectively. The research on the biomass/carbon estimation received attention as early as 1980s, but increased gradually after 2001. These findings would contribute to policy-makers with useful information for mitigation of CO2 emissions
A new species of the genus Macrocentrus Curtis, 1833 from Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India
Get PDFThe genus Macrocentrus Curtis, 1833 is extensively dispersed with 238 species known worldwide. Including this new species, eight species of Macrocentrus are known from India. This genus is characterized by following characters: Antenna often about as long as or somewhat longer than the body (but sometimes distinctly shorter), with 24-61 segments, apical segment with distinct spine or without a spine. In the present study a new braconid, Macrocentrus hayati sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India. Specimens were collected from the grass (Cynodon) and weeds near the vegetables like brinjal, potatoes and beans through net sweeping. The collected material was transferred to glass vials containing 70% ethyl alcohol and brought to the laboratory for further studies.The study will help to boost the knowledge of Braconid parasitoids (living weapon) which play a key role in controlling the harmful pests, ultimately resulting in the increase of the yield of crops and other economic commodities like food grains
Impact of honey-enriched mulberry diet on the energy metabolism of the silkworm, Bombyx mori
Get PDFThe present study was taken-up with a view to clearly define the role of oxidative phosphorylation vis-a-vis transdeamination in Bombyx mori metamorphosis, under the influence of honey-enriched mulberry diet. Therefore, the study examined the accumulation and utilization patterns of carbohydrate (glycogen, trehalose, glucose) and non-carbohydrate energy reserves (proteins, amino acids) in its fat body during larval, pupal and adult stages. In accordance with Hutchinson’s investment principle, the energy reserves invested during larval stage are partly used in pupal stage and those invested during larval and pupal stages are used in adult stage. Their utilization patterns are correlated with the activity levels of succinate (SDH) and glutamate (GDH) dehydrogenases and aspartate (AAT) and alanine (ALAT) aminotransferases and changes thereof were interpreted in terms of glycolytic oxidative phosphorylation and non-glycolytic transdeamination. The trends in mass incorporation rates vis-à-vis enzyme activities indicated that the metabolism-related energy needs of all metamorphic events are majorly met through a gluconeogenetic mechanism called transdeamination, while the behavioural-related energy demands of larval and pupal stages are fulfilled through glycolytic-based oxidative phosphorylation. The activity trends further indicated that AAT plays major role in meeting the energy needs of larva and pupa, while GDH predominantly meets the energy requirements of reproduction in adults. The honey-enriched mulberry diet showed stage-specific and pathway-specific impacts on energy metabolism. It positively reinforced the energy metabolism in larval stage, but showed no significant effect in pupal and adult stages. Similarly, it showed more promising effect on glycolytic-oxidative phosphorylation and null or neutral effect on transdeamination