Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Analysis of feeding behaviour and gastro-somatic index (GaSI) during different phases of breeding cycle of Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) from Meghalaya, India
Fresh water mud eel (Monopterus cuchia) is considered as a highly nutritious food fish having therapeutic value. Therefore, a study has been conducted to acquire information on the food and feeding habit of this species in relation to reproductive cycle. Relative Length of the Gut (RLG), Gastro-Somatic Index (GaSI) and Analysis of gut content have been studied. It was observed that insect larvae and zooplankton comprised the major part of Gut content. GaSI values of 2.70 (Spent), 3.14 (Pre-Breeding), 2.13 (Breeding) and 2.56 (Post-Breeding) was observed to be different from all the four stages. Moreover, GaSI value was lowest during breeding period and highest during pre-breeding period. Lowest GaSI value of 2.13 indicates period of low feeding intensity which coincides with breeding period. Based on the obtained results, Monopterus cuchia was considered as a carnivorous fish since the RLG value is less than 1
Egg laying pattern and the egg morphology of an ischnoceran louse, Goniocotes jirufti (Ansari, 1947) parasitizing black partridges, Francolinus francolinus (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera)
The present report furnishes information on the egg laying sites, the pattern of egg laying and the nature of egg shells of an ischnoceran louse Goniocotes jirufti parasitizing black partridges, Francolinus francolinus. The louse prefers to lay eggs on the feathers belonging to back and breast region of the host. The eggs are laid on lateral plumulacious portion of the vane. The egg shell is ovoid in shape and the egg chorion is free from sculpturing and apophyses
Impact of intercropping on yield, fruit quality and economics of young Kinnow mandarin plants
Intercropping practices in orchard not only generate an extra income but the practice also helps to check the soil erosion through ground coverage and improves the physico-chemical properties of the soil.. The effect of intercrops on vegetative performance and quality of 5 years old Kinnow mandarins raised on Rough Lemon rootstocks at 6x6m spacing was studied at RRS, Bathinda during the year 2011-12 and 2012-13. An intercropping experiment comprising of seven treatments such as T1: guara (Summer) + wheat (winter), T2: guara (summer) + barley (winter), T3: guara (summer) + fenugreek (winter), T4: moong (summer) + wheat (winter), T5: moong (summer) + barley (winter), T6: moong (summer) + fenugreek (winter) and T7: control (fallow: no intercrop) was laid out in Randomized Block Design with four replications to assess the effect of various intercrops on the performance of Kinnow in arid irrigated region of Bathinda, Punjab. The results of the study revealed that guar + wheat intercropping system exhibited better performance which has been reflected in the form of plant height (3.31 cm), gross income (Rs. 41180/-), fruit number (175) and Total Soluble Solids(TSS) per cent (10.8) of Kinnow fruit. The work concludes that intercropping in Kinnow mandarin helps to improve yield, fruit quality and economic aspect. 
Effect of processing on nutritional and antinutritional composition of bathua (Chenopodium album) leaves
Bathua (Chenopodium album) leaves were undertaken for different processing techniques and analyzed for their nutritional and anti-nutritional composition. Effect of processing on nutrient retention was assessed to attain the best processed form of leaves with maximum amount of nutrients. It was observed that the Cabinet dried processing improved the protein, fibre and ash content of leaves by 29.30, 5.74 and 16.42 percent respectively. Shade and cabinet dried technique improved the vitamin C and ?-carotene by 34 and 14323 percent respectively. Maximum retention of calcium and iron was found in cabinet dried technique. It also improved magnesium by 254.50 percent. Amino acid retention was found maximum in cabinet dried technique. Cabinet dried technique improved In vitro protein digestibility by 27.75 percent with a decrease of 116.15 and 85.30 percent in phytates and oxalates respectively. Maximum retention of nutrients was observed in cabinet dried technique
Varietal performance of garden pea (Pisum sativum var. hortense) under Terai zone of West Bengal
The present study was conducted during the rabi season of the years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 at the Instructional Farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar to evaluate the performance of twelve garden pea (Pisum sativum var. hortense) genotypes (Arkel, Azad P-1, Kohinoor-10, Nirali, PusaPragathi, PH 89, Sabuj Sona, Punjab 89, Azad P-3, Debratna-111, PAN 4009, Golden Pea Geetanjali) with respect to plant height (cm), days to flowering (days), pod length (cm), pod width (cm0, number of pods, yield(g/plant and tonnes/hectare), shelling per cent (%) and protein content (%) in terai region of West Bengal. The experiment was carried out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Farm yard manure (FYM) @ 15tonnes/ha was applied during land preparation and common fertilizer dose N:P:K @30:50:50 kg/ha was applied in each treatment. The results of the experiment revealed that the highest plant height (51.57 cm) and earliest flowering at 45.22 days after sowing (DAS) was obtained from Azad P-3 and Arkel respectively; whereas lowest plant height (35.62 cm) and most delayed flowering (53.61 DAS) were observed in Sabuj Sona.The higher magnitude of number of pods per plant(19.98), number of seeds per pod (7.27) ,yield per plant (69.34 g)and total yield per hectare(12.33 t/ha) were recorded in Kohinnoor-10.Regarding the quality parameters, Azad P-3 recorded the highest shelling percentage (48.93%) as well as the highest protein percentage (23.24%).Considering the yield parameters and yield Kohinnoor-10 may be selected; whereas with respect to quality parameters Azad P-3 may be superior for the terai region of West Bengal
Agronomic fortification of zinc in potato production in Indian context: A review
Micronutrient has received greater attention in crop production because the widespread deficiency of micronutrient is coming forward gradually. The key reasons for such deficiency are an intensification of cropping system, adoption of high yielding cultivars of crops and modern irrigation facilities. The greater use of high analysis chemical fertilizers instead of organic sources of plant nutrients (farmyard manure, composts etc.) is also another contributing factor to this problem. This modern technology of crop production causes a serious depletion of different micronutrients reserve in soil resulting in their severe deficiency in many countries. Potato is the widely cultivated vegetable crops throughout India. In potato cultivation, the application of some micro-nutrients (zinc/Zn, boron/B etc.) causes significant increase in foliage at the initial stage of crop growth, while the translocation of assimilates become higher in later stages, ultimately leads to higher yield. Zinc plays a very important role in increasing the production as well as the quality of potato tubers. Zinc loading in potato through foliar as well as soil-applied Zn increases Zn concentration in potato tuber up to 3-4 times which is quite higher than most of the commonly known crops. Zn fertilization has been found to increase ascorbic acid content, but it reduces the tyrosine and total phenol content in tubers, and thereby improves the processing quality. Finally, Zn-fortified potato can be a potential option for mitigating wide spread Zn-driven malnutrition in the Asian countries
Correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and its attributing traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell)
Grain yield is a complex quantitative trait and influenced by a number of attributes. To obtain higher yield information regarding association of these attributes with yield can serve as a basis in a breeding programme. The present experiment was undertaken to estimate correlation coefficients between grain yield and different contributing characters and divide this association into direct and indirect effects through path coefficient analysis. The experiment was laid-out with three replications in randomized block design using 51 bread wheat genotypes and data were recorded for fourteen metric traits. Results revealed that grain yield per plant possessed highly significant positive associations with biological yield per plant (0.787 and 0.606), number of spikelets per spike (0.565 and 0.358), number of tillers per plant (0.500 and 0.383) and spike length (0.320 and 0.297) at both genotypic as well as phenotypic level respectively. Biological yield per plant (1.125) exhibited highest positive direct effect on grain yield followed by harvest index (0.678), number of spikelets per spike (0.109), days to maturity (0.100) and spike length (0.060). Therefore, these characters can serve as a selection criterion for further improvement in grain yield of wheat
Population dynamics of early shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus Snellen on sugarcane as influenced by weather conditions
A field experiment on population dynamics of early shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus Snellen on sugarcane was carried out during 2016-17 crop season at the research farm of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Karnal. Studies on population dynamics revealed thathighest incidence (3.81 per cent in CoH 160, 4.60 per cent in CoH 119 and 3.12 per cent in CoS 767) of C. infuscatellus was recorded during 24th SMW. Correlation of C. infuscatellus population with various environmental factors revealed that there was a significant positive correlation with maximum temperature (Tmax.) and had a non-significant and positive correlation with minimum temperature (Tmin.) and sun shine hours (SSH) (r= 0.513, 0.287 and 0.452) on CoH 160, (r= 0.504, 0.321 and 0.431) on CoH 119 and(r= 0.537, 0.276 and 0.445) on CoS 767, respectively whereas it has non-significant and negative correlation with relative humidity (morning), relative humidity (evening) andrainfall (r= -0.172, -0.206 and -0.147) on CoH 160, (r= -0.147, -0.172 and -0.130) on CoH 119 and(r= -0.187, -0.223 and -0.160) on CoS 767. Multiple regression analysis of C. infuscatellus population with weather parameters showed that there was 77 per cent (CoH 160), 75 per cent (CoH 119) and 76 per cent (CoS767) variability in dead heart formation due to various environmental factors. The population dynamics revealed by this study have far reaching significance in pest management strategy as integrated control measures may be focused only during the period wherein population exceeds economic threshold level (ETL)
Usage of soil health card in crop management practices for doubling the farmers’ income
The data was collected from 15 selected villages from Sirsa district (Haryana), India during Rural Agricultural Work Experience program of B.Sc. (Hons.) Ag.(Final Year students) in 2017.Ninety farmers were selected, randomly. The study revealed that the 61.33 % of farmers were found aware about the SHC and farmers are found aware that ‘SHC studies soil health’ (56.34%), ‘it is a Govt. of India’s scheme’ (57.34%), ‘helped to reduce the input cost’ (53.67%), ‘give soil nutrient status’ (57.34%) and ‘it contain the soil type information’ (56.34%), ‘SHC contain the cropping pattern information’, ‘crop sequence information’ and ‘fertilizers dosages’ with 47.00 %, 47.34 % and 56.67 %, respectively. 53.66 % of farmers were aware ‘SHC helps to maintain the soil fertility’, ‘increases productivity of crops’ ‘judicious application of fertilizers’ and ‘soil-related constraints’with 53.00 %, 53.67% and 53.34 %, respectively. While, 47.00 % respondents were aware about the soil fertility map and SHC issued for three years with only 40.67 % of farmers. 56.67% of farmers had opinion that ‘SHC provides the dose of organic manure’ and ‘an idea of fertilizer’s usage pattern’ followed by ‘information about crop grown suited to soil type’ (54.44%). 53.33%farmers had opinion that ‘it helps to increase the organic matter in soil’, ‘timely management of fertilizers’ and ‘improve the quality of produce’. Further, 50.00% farmers had opinion that ‘provide the dose of farmyard manure (FYM)/ compost’ and ‘provides the dose of lime and gypsum’. These findings are of noval nature based on primary data collected directly from farmers. The study soil health is of very much importance for motivating farmers to use balanced fertilizers application for all field crops
Evaluation of Acorus calamus L. rhizome extract as a bio preservative against wood fungal decay
Wood is most preferred structural material throughout the world and is considered as a complex biological composite with ubiquitous nature. Throughout the world there is an immense pressure on primary durable timbers due to their ever increasing demand. To reduce pressure on the primary species like; Teak, Sal and Deodar etc. one has to look for the other lesser known or secondary species as an alternative. Durability of these species can be enhanced with application of different preservatives and for this one of the best approach is to use herbal based ecofriendly preservatives rather than hazardous chemicals. In this study, the antifungal activity of Acorus calamus rhizome extract was tested on less durable local wood species. The results showed that average growth of Polyporus fungus on taken wood samples were retarded up to 69.44% after applying 2% concentration of rhizome extract and act as suitable bio-preservative for non durable wood species