Journal of Applied and Natural Science
Not a member yet
2928 research outputs found
Sort by
Efficiency of letrozole loaded PLGA nanoparticles on sex reversal of Poecilia reticulata (Peters, 1859)
Get PDFMales of Poecilia reticulata showed extreme diversity in color, particularly of their fins, while the females lack the bright colors and are largely whitish. Such extreme variability of color and finnage lead to demand of males in the markets. The aim of present work was to develop a new Letrozole (LTZ)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles for effective delivery of the masculinization drug, letrozole, as an alternative to commercially available masculinization agents. The LTZ-loaded PLGA NPs were prepared by solvent displacement technique. The particle size of LTZ-loaded PLGA NPs was analyzed using LICOMP particle size analyzer and was found to be in the range of 72 nm to 520 nm with average size of 221.5±63.3 nm. Zeta potential was estimated to be about 21.35 mV with loading efficiency of 43.63±4.63 %. In the present study, a series of experiments were carried out to induce masculinization using LTZ-loaded PLGA nanoparticles during the sex differentiation period. Guppy (P. reticulate) fry were treated with LTZ-loaded PLGA nanoparticles at dosages 5, 25, 50 and 100 ppm/kg diet for 10, 15 and 30 days. The gonopodium index and GSI showed increasing order in male and female respectively with dose of LTZ-loaded nanoparticles. The results indicated an increase in the proportion of males with dosage and duration of treatment. This has been done for the first time using nanotechnology efficiently which has shown an increase in the male population of Poecilia reticulata with lesser dose of nano-encapsulated Letrozole (LTZ)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles drug as compared with naked control Letrozole (LTZ) drug delivery
Comparative study of medicinal plants on feeding behaviour of seven day old larvae of Tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) and Bihar hairy caterpillar, Spilarctia obliqua (Walk.)
Get PDFEight medicinal plants viz., Sinduri, Bixa orellana (Bixaceae); Dalchini, Cinnamomum zelanicum (Lauraceae); Camphora, Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae); Gular, Ficus racemosa (Moraceae); Arjun, Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae); Nagkesar, Messua ferrea (Calophyllaceae); Sarpgandha, Rauwolfia serpentina (Apocynaceae); Putranjeeva, Putranjeeva roxburghii (Euphorbiaceae) at 5% and 10 % concentrations were tested for the feeding against larvae of Spodoptera litura and Spilarctia obliqua. At 10% conc. C.camphora (hexane, diethyl ether, and acetone) was found extremely antifeedant against the larvae of both insects (S.litura and S.obliqua) while C.zeylanicum (hexane, diethyl ether, and acetone) and P.roxbughii (diethyl ether, and acetone), B.orellana (Acetone) showed extremely antifeedant activity only against the larvae of S.litura. At 5% concentration, the same plants were also effective against the larvae but their efficacy was less than at 10% concentration. The observation showed promising results with these plant extracts against the feeding and management of these two insect pests of agricultural importance
Variability in yield traits of TILLING population of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Get PDFMutagenesis is one of the powerful genetic strategies for crop improvement programmes. A chemically induced mutated genetic resource for detecting novel variations by Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING) has been developed in recently released bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivar DPW621-50. A total of 3,478 M2 plants were evaluated for plant height, number of tillers/plant, thousand grain weight, number of seeds/spike and grain yield/plant. A large variation was observed for all the traits. The highest frequency (52.2%) of lines had similar height between 91-100 cm to the non-mutagenized DPW 621-50 control followed by 28.9% of lines with height between 81-90 cm. A large variation was observed in number of tillers/plant which ranged from 1-35 tillers/plant. The highest frequency (32.09%) lines had 31-40 seeds/spike followed by 29.84% lines with 41-50 seeds/spike. Few lines (0.35%) had more than 70 seeds/spike with normal seed size as their thousand grain weight ranged between 34.82-43.82g. Chlorophyll deficient, grassy type and sterile mutants were also observed. This population may serve as new genetic resource for functional genomics studies and novel variants for different traits in elite germplasm can be made available to the plant breeders for wheat improvement
Enhancement of post harvest fruit quality and leaf curl disease tolerance in tomato through hybrid breeding
Get PDFDevelopment of hybrids tolerant to leaf curl virus disease along with good post harvest/processing traits is the major thrust areas in tomato breeding now-a-days. A study was undertaken following 7 × 7 half diallel mating design utilizing four exotic and three indigenous lines to identify potential donors and crosses, to study the extent of heterobeltiosis and dominance behaviour, and to assess the genetic control of post harvest quality traits along with disease tolerance in tomato. Breeding strategies to improve characters governed by different types of gene action are discussed. Two parental lines, CLN 2777F and CLN 2777E could be utilized further in tomato breeding programme as they were identified as the most promising general combiners for fruit yield, processing quality and ToLCV tolerance. The maximum extent of heterobeltiosis (104.17%) was found in pericarp thickness followed by fruit yield plant-1 (63.57 %) and PDI of ToLCV disease (-60.00 %). The hybrids also exhibited various degrees of dominance effects. The study could also able to identify a promising cross ‘CLN 2777E × CLN 2777F’ which could be recommended for commercial exploitation after critical study in leaf curl disease prone areas of the tropics and sub-tropics
Scope of ornamental fisheries in snow fed rivers of Uttarakhand - Overview
Get PDFUpland rivers of hills of Uttarakhand are unique in its ecosystem and biodiversity. These waters possess various varieties of ornamental fishes. The present study focuses on Scope of ornamental fisheries in snow fed rivers of Uttarakhand, along with challenges and opportunities. Besides the availability of resources peoples are not that much aware of ornamental fisheries of this region and these resources are yet not developed. The use of destructive fishing methods, habitat destruction leads to diversity destruction of hills stream fishes. As theseresources does not comprise fisheries of commercial importance due to sparse biota and low thermal scale, slow growth and very low natural food availability So, Directorate of Cold Water Fisheries is actively working in the field of survey and brood stock management of ornamental fish resources of cold water. Four hundred live cold water fishes including exotic gold and koi carp are being maintained at DCFR main complex for study and breeding trials. The recreational activities by fisheries department like ranching, sport fisheries development and development of ornamental fisheries of this region can lead to socioeconomic upliftment of hilly people and development of cold water ornamental fisheries in the state
A field survey on abundance of biofuel plant species in Alur Taluk of Hassan District, Karnataka, India
Get PDFThere are more than 150 species of plants that could be used for biofuel production. Important among them in Karnataka are Honge (Pongamia pinnata), Neem (Azadiracta indica), Hippe (Maduca latifolia), Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) and Simarouba (Simarouba glauca). A field survey was conducted in Alur taluk of Hassan District, (75º 9´ to 12º 9´) Karnataka, to know the abundance of biofuel plant species and to estimate resource availability for extraction of oil and production of Biodiesel. The number of Households in the study villages ranged from 120 to 600 with population ranging from 60 to 2,500 and number of productive Honge trees varied from 3 to 2,000 trees/village yielding on an average around 2 to 10 kg seeds per tree with very few Neem and Hippe trees but Jatropha plants were present in every village with very low yielding potential (50-100 grams per plant). Majority of the biofuel plants present were in vegetative stage and few were yielding. The yield of biofuel plant species is quite promising and the process of seed for oil extraction is possible and provides employment to the rural youth in the taluk. The substantial demand has been noticed in Alur taluk for Honge and Neem oil cakes and the availability is meager. Substantial scope is available for growing of biofuel trees, seed collection, processing and marketing providing additional employment to rural people. There is an increased demand for the biofuels and by utilizing the available resources the rural youth can start their own enterprise
Role of glucose in enhancing life and potency of Cirrhinus mrigala spermatozoa during cryopreservation
Get PDFCryopreservation of fish gametes is an emerging technology and breeding with cryopreserved gametes is advancement in fish seed production. Success of cryopreservation is evaluated by the post - thaw motility of the spermatozoa, an for which energy is required. Cryopreservation is known to cause changes in the seminal plasma that would alter the energy supply for the motility of the spermatozoa. Therefore, energy supplementation is found to be useful during cryopreservation. Cirrhinus mrigala spermatozoa were cryopreserved along with glucose as a co-cryoprotectant after 1:100 dilutions with 0.85% physiological saline as extender and Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) as cryoprotectant (85:15). The diluents contained glucose at four different concentrations, viz., T1 (0.25%), T2 (0.5%), T3 (0.75%) and T4 (1%). The diluted milt was equilibrated for 10 min at 5? C and loaded into 0.25 ml straws. The loaded straws were then frozen with LN2 vapour for 5 min and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Observations were made once in 7 days for 42 days on motility parameters based on which the duration, score, pattern and percentage were determined. The spermatozoa cryopreserved with glucose at 0.5% concentration showed the highest motility duration of 204±3.6 s whereas Control group showed motility duration of only 83.33± 4.5 s on 42nd day. The difference in motility duration was statistically significant (P>0.025).The present study revealed the benefits of adding glucose a t0.5% during cryopreservation as it could help in maintaining the motility duration and survival of spermatozoa
Genetic diversity assessment using RAPD primers in insecticide resistant populations of diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Linn.)
Get PDFGenetic diversity in acephate, spinosad and Cry2Ab resistant Plutella xylostella collected from three states of India was assessed by RAPD markers. The DNA extracted from larvae was subjected to polymerase chain reaction using 10 RAPD primers. The highest number alleles (7) were produced by primer ABA-13, followed by six alleles each by primers ABA-2, 7, 8, 11, 14; five alleles each were produced by ABA-4, 9, 10, 12. UPGMA analysis clustered the acephate, spinosad and Cry2Ab treated P.xylostella populations into two groups with overall similarity level of 33%, 27% and 34% respectively. Cluster A consisted 11 samples while Cluster B consisted only F1 of acephate and spinosad treated Karnataka population. In Cry2Ab treated population Cluster B comprised 11 samples and Cluster A had out grouped singly i.e. F0 generation from Karnataka. The genetic variability between the acephate, spinosad and Cry2Ab treated populations ranged from 33 to 69%, 27 to 56% and 34 to 69% respectively. Acephate and spinosad treated F1 population and Cry2Ab treated F0 population from Karnataka were out grouped from rest of the populations
Assessment of manual load carrying and health status of women farm workers of district Sonipat (Haryana), India
Get PDFIn present study an assessment of manual load carrying and health status of women farm workers of Thana Kalan village, Kharkhoda tehsil in Sonipat district of Haryana was conducted. A total of forty women farm workers between 25-40 years age were selected with at least five year load carrying experience, involved in farm work, with no history of chronic disease and willingness to participate in the study. The women farm workers carried water, fodder, cow dung on daily basis and seed, fertilizer and other farm inputs and farm produce on seasonal basis. It was observed that preferable mode of load carrying was head. The quantum of load varied between 20-40 kg. Assessment of health status revealed that musculoskeletal disorder was prevalent in all the age groups. Musculoskeletal disorder namely lower back pain was observed in 87.5 per cent women workers, neck pain in 72.5 per cent women workers followed by knee (32.5%) and foot pain (25 %). The pain severity was mild in most of the women farm workers and nobody was bed ridden for back pain due to load carrying. The younger age women (25-30 years) preferred traditional way of oil massage and rest for relief from back pain and neck pain after load carrying, while older women (31-40 years) had to take rest for back pain relief. The issue of occupational health disorder associated with manual load carrying by women farm worker has to receive attention to reduce the potential health risk
Evaluation of Ganoderma lucidum strains for the production of bioactive components and their potential use as antimicrobial agents
Get PDFIn the present study, mycelial biomass of Ganoderma lucidum strains was produced in mushroom complete media under optimized culture conditions of temperature, pH, agitation and the fruiting bodies were raised on wheat straw supplemented with 5 per cent rice bran. Maximum biomass (16.39 mg ml-1) was recorded in strain GL-3 and minimum (10.99 mg ml-1) was observed in strain GL-1 after 28 days of incubation period. Maximum biological efficiency of 13.1 per cent was obtained in 57 days in GL-2 strain. Moreover, weight of fruiting bodies was highest (91 g bag-1) in 5 per cent wheat bran supplemented bags in strain GL-2. Polysaccharides were extracted, characterized and analysed. The maximum yield of polysaccharides was obtained from fruiting bodies (30.06- 63.70%), followed by mycelial biomass (7.61- 21.32%) and culture filtrates (0.86- 2.86%). Non-reducing sugars were the main fraction of sugars which constituted 69.82- 70.39 per cent in fruiting body extracted polysaccharides, 62.08- 83.39 per cent in biomass and 59.75- 77.54 per cent in crude extracts. The extracts from fruiting bodies and biomass of G. lucidum strains also exhibited antibacterial effect against some pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus sp. and Enterobacter sp. The present study clearly indicated that variations existed among G. lucidum strains with respect to the production of bioactive molecules, yield and antimicrobial activity. Bioactive components from G. lucidum strains are promising antimicrobial agents that can be harnessed as potent antimicrobial toxicant