Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Diversity of zooplankton in Dekhu reservoir from Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Get PDFZooplanktons by their heterotrophic activity play a key role in the cycling of organic materials in aquatic ecosystems and are used as bioindicators of environmental quality. The present study was carried out from February 2009 to January 2010 which deals with diversity and abundance of zooplankton in Dekhu reservoir from Aurangabad district. A total 25 species of zooplankton were recorded in which rotifers were more abundant with 11 species followed by copepods and cladocerans 6 species each and 2 species of Ostracods. Results indicated that Dekhu reservoir is more productive
Soil degradation due to heavy metal accumulation under long term fertilization of paddy (Oryza sativa L.)
Get PDFLong term fertility experiment (LTFE) under double rice cropping system was investigated in Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai, India with two varieties (ADT 43 and ADT 45) in two seasons (Kharif and Rabi) under six fertilizer treatments to study the heavy metal accumulation in soil and its impact on paddy. There was a significant variation in physico-chemical properties of soil due to different fertilizer treatments. The surface soil (0-15cm soil depth) in all the treatments showed relatively higher heavy metal accumulation than subsurface. In thelong run, there was a build up in the total heavy metal content in soil and it was found to be relatively high in phosphatic fertilizer applied treatments than others. Total Cd and Pb was found high, but the availability was below detectable limit indicated that Cd and Pb were found in unavailable forms, while Cu and Zn were slightly in mobile forms which had been translocated into grain and straw of paddy. The DTPA (Diphenyl Triamine Penta Aceticacid) extractable Cd and Pb in the soil was low, but there was heavy increase in Cu and Zn comparing with initial period. The rate of increase in Cd and Pb content was lower in N alone and control plots. This might be due to the long term application of phosphotic and zinc sulphate fertilizers. Cd and Pb were evenly distributed at low concentrations in grain and straw under various treatments. In case of Cu and Zn, it was relatively higher in grains and paddy strawamong various fertilizer treatments. There was no significant difference among the varietal (seasons) treatments for the accumulation of heavy metals in grain and straw
An approach to mathematical models as a tool for water and air quality management
Get PDFInteractions between mathematical and biological sciences have been increasing rapidly in recent years. The use of system analysis and mathematical model for formulation and solving the environmental pollution is of relatively recent vintage and has been used widely since last three decades. These models can be used to conduct numerical experiments, test hypothesis and help to understand the response of environmental pollution. A mathematical model acts as a bridge between study of mathematics and application of mathematics in environmentand other fields. Modeling is an abstraction of reality and its ultimate objective is to explore the complexity of functions and structure of the system under study. Today, a wide variety of models belonging to different nature and category are available to understand the processes of the environment around us. Various models such as WASP, CE-QUAL-ICM, QUAL W2, AQUATOX, QUAL2K, IITAQ, PEARL, GRAM, UGEM, and IITLT etc. related to water and air quality are developed so far along with their principles, intended use and applications. These models generally simulate the basic physical, chemical and biological processes. In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the concept and utilization of mathematical models in air and water quality management
A study on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus mastitis in dairy cows
Get PDFMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a serious problem in dairy animals suffering from mastitis. The study was carried out to evaluate the incidence of Methicillin resistant S. aureus from clinical mastitis milk samples and their antibiotic resistance profile and characterised with respect to the molecular features that contributed to the resistance in these pathogens. Isolation and identification of Methicillin resistant S. aureus were performed from acute clinical mastitis samples. The isolates were tested using agar disc diffusion method for their antimicrobial susceptibility and modified resazurin assay micro dilution technique for MIC to 8 different antimicrobial drugs. A total of 235 clinical mastitis milk samples from dairy cows were cultured for incidence of S. aureus. Methicillin resistant S. aureus was isolated from a total of 12 (44.25%) of the 116 S. aureus samples. Based on the antimicrobial sensitivity and MIC results, MRSA isolates were found sensitive to gentamicin, enrofloxcain, amoxicillin+sulbactam, ceftriaxone and resistant to amoxicillin, oxytetracycline, penicillin G and oxacillin. Most of MRSA isolates were found to be multi-drug resistant. MRSA alert kit test and mecA and blaZ target gene PCR were found to be useful in the confirmation of MRSA
Influence of Panchagavya foliar spray on the growth attributes and yield of baby corn (Zea mays) cv. COBC 1
Get PDFField experiments were conducted at experimental farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Chidambaram during July to September (2008) and January to March (2009) in two seasons to study the effect of foliar spray of Panchagavya on the growth and yield of Baby corn cv. COBC 1. The experiments were laid out in Randomized Block Design with fourteen treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments included foliar spray and inorganic nutrient application at various stages of baby corn. The results revealed that application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) [N150: P60 (P2O5): K40 (K2O)] and 4 sprays (15, 25, 35 and 45 DAS) of 3 % Panchagavya recorded the highest growth attributes and yield of fresh Baby corn and this was followed by application of recommended dose of fertilizers (100 %) along with 3 sprays (15, 25 and 35 DAS) of 3 % panchagavya during both the seasons. The least growth and yield parameter were recorded in 3 sprays of 4 % Panchagavya without use of inorganic fertilizers. The increase in growth and yield of baby corn was mainly attributed by greater availability of nutrients through soil application (100 % RDF) and foliar spray of panchagavya at various stages of crop growth
Vegetative propagation of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) through stem cuttings
Get PDFThe selected healthy branches of Jatropha curcas were cut into 15 cm and 25 cm length having 4 to 5 nodes in each category of apical portion (thickness < 1cm), middle portion (1.0 to 1.5 cm) and basal portion (1.5 to 2 cm). The base positions of apical, middle, basal portions of cuttings were dipped in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 ppm of IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) and IBA (Indole-3-butyric acid) respectively for four hours. After which the cuttings were planted in the polypots filled with rooting media consists of sand, soil and farm yard manure (FYM) in the ratio of 1:2:1. Maximum sprouting (100%) was observed in 25 cm as well as 15 cm length cuttings of different portions. In case of 25 cm length different sections like apical cuttings when treated with 200 ppm, 800 ppm IAA and 400 ppm IBA, basal cutting with 800 ppm IAA and 200, 400 ppm IBA and middle cuttings with 200 ppm IAA, similarly 15cm length basal portion cutting treated with 400 ppm IAA produce 100 per cent sprouting. Other characters like rooting percentage (93.33%), root length (37.66cm), fresh biomass (73.21g) and dry biomass (34.06g) were observed maximum in apical portion cutting of 25 cm length treated with 100 ppm IBA, 800 ppm IBA, 100 ppm IAA and 100 ppm IAA respectively where as root number (17.0) found maximum in middle portion cutting of 15cm length treated with 1000 ppm IAA. It showed that the apical portion of 25 cm length cuttings treated with IAA and IBA resulted in maximum sprouting, rooting percentage, root length, fresh biomass and dry biomass production
Trend analysis of annual and seasonal rainfall to climate variability in North-East region of India
Get PDFGlobal warming, climate change and its consequences are major threat for the global agriculture. The agriculture in the North-East region of India is supposed to more in danger due to its topographic features. Agriculture in the state of Arunachal Pradesh is dependent on rainfall and variability in rainfall due to climate change is expected to threaten the food production in future. This study examines the impact of climate change on rainfall using the trend analysis technique for the four districts of Arunachal Pradesh. For this purpose temporal trends in annual and seasonal rainfall were detected using nonparametric Mann-Kendall test at 5% significance level. The daily time series rainfall data for the period 1971-2007 were analyzed statistically for each district separately. The results of Mann Kendall test showed decreasing trend in annual mean rainfall in east Siang, upper Siang and lowers Dibang valley and no trend in the west Siang district over the period of 1971-2007. In case of east Siang, upper Siang and lower Dibang valley districts, decreasing trend of rainfall was observed in the post monsoon season with slope magnitude of 3.01 mm/yr, 3.32 mm/yr and 3.95 mm/yr respectively. Decreasing pattern of rainfall in post monsoon season may affect the vegetable and fruit production in the winter season
Multiple regression analysis for adoption studies of potato growers in Jammu division
Get PDFThe research identified the significant and negative relationship between socio-economic parameters with the level of adoption of recommended crop production technologies reveals that such information could be useful to Department of agriculture, and concerned SAU who strive to maximize production and productivity levels of potato crop. They have to gear-up there extension wings for imparting correct and scientific knowledge of crop production. It also suggested to State Govt. officials to ensure adequate facilities for fertilizers to reap full benefits of this cash crop. The study on determining the correlation between socio-economic standards of potato growers with the level of adoption of the recommended crop production technologies was conducted in sub-tropical zone of Jammu division. Three districts namely Jammu, Kathua and Samba were selected purposively on the basis of maximum area under potato crop. Sample size of 225 potato growers was selected randomly from 15 villages from selected districts and their socio-economic standards were correlated with the level of adoption of crop production technologies as recommended by SKUAST-JAMMU, the concerned SAU. The study revealed that age, education, operational land holding, net income, mass media exposure and extension contact had significant correlation at p? 0.05 level of probability with the level of adoption. Studies revealed that 45.78% of respondents adopted recommended seed rate per hectare, whereas 57.33%, 40.89% and 8.89% respondents adopted recommended application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the crop. The study further highlighted highest adoption level for insecticide like dimethoate 30 EC (52.05%) and fungicide like metalxyl +mancozeb (57.38%) respectively
In vitro method for predicting the bioavailability of iron from Bathua (Chenopodium album) and Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) leaves in Indian cookies
Get PDFThis study was considered to determine the nutritional composition and in vitro bioavailability of iron of the prepared food products. The in vitro bioavailability of iron was determined in fresh and dehydrated bathua (Chenopodium album) and methi (Trigonella foenum graecum) leaves (in the ratio of 1:1) and their based product i.e. Indian cookies (paratha and laddoo) by using thiocynate method at pH 1.35 and 7.5, using pepsin. At pH 1.35 the soluble iron and ionizable iron were higher than pH 7.5. when pH was increased from 1.35-7.5 there was decreasing trend soluble as well as ionizable iron contents. There was highly significant (F< 0.05) difference between the control and treatments of products indicating that the addition of 20% of fresh and dehydrated leaves of bathua and methi improved the overall acceptability of products. The total iron content was found 11.69mg/100g in paratha incorporated with fresh GLVs whereas in vitro bioavailability of iron was found 2.16mg/100g in paratha. The total iron content was found 15.16mg/100g in laddoo incorporated with dehydrated GLVs whereas in vitro bioavailability of iron was found 2.78mg/100g in laddoo
Popularization of improved maize (Zea mays L.) production technology through frontline demonstrations in semi arid zone IVA of Rajasthan
Get PDFFront line demonstrations (FLD,s) on maize (Zea mays L.) were laid down at 661 farmers’ fields to demonstrate production potential and economic benefits of improved production technologies comprising high yielding varieties namely PM-3, PM-5, PEHM-2, Bio- 9681 and Mahyco 3765 in Rajsamand district of Semi Arid Zone IVa of Rajasthan state during kharif seasons from 2006 to 2012 in rainfed farming situation. The improved production technologies recorded an additional yield ranging from 2.50 to 15.78 qha-1 with a mean of 7.94 qha-1. The per cent increase yield under improved production technologies ranged from 33.17 to 68.16 (PM-3), 14.09 to 59.82 (PM-5), 46.61 to 66.97 (PEHM-2), 55.83 to 92.82 (Bio 9681) and 80.12 (Mahyco 3765) in respective years. The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index were 9.10 qha-1, 5.94 qha-1 and 20.08 per cent, respectively in different varieties of maize. The improved production technologies gave higher benefit cost ratio ranging from 1.28 to 3.00 with a mean of 2.45 compared to local checks (1.10) being grown by farmers under locality. The productivity of maize per unit area could be increased by adopting feasible scientific and sustainable management practices with a suitable variety. Considering the above facts, frontline demonstrations were carried out in a systematic and scientific manner on farmer’s field to show the worth of a new variety and convincing farming community about potentialities of improved production management technologies of maize for further adoption by the farming community