Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Antifungal activity of essential oils and their volatile constituents against respiratory tract pathogens causing Aspergilloma and Aspergillosis by gaseous contact
Get PDFAspergillosis is an acute chronic and rapidly fatal disease which is not contagious. Invasive Aspergillosis is often found in severely immuno-suppressed patients, and is characterized by invasion of blood vessels which can result into dissemination to other organs. Aspergilloma is a fungal ball that develops in previous cavitary lung lesions. Essential oils and their volatile constituents have been used as antifungal, anti-infectious and antimicrobial agents. Inhalation of vapours of the essential oils kill invaders attached to the inner respiratory lining and worksynergistically with the body defences. In this study, 16 essential oils were used against Aspergillus niger and A. fumigatus of which about 14 oils proved to be effective. Results showed that the most effective oils against both Aspergillus species were found to be of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Cinnamon), Syzygium aromaticum (Clove), Carum carvi (Caraway), Cymbopogon citrates (Lemongrass), Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) and Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg). Moderately effective oils were of Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen), Pinus palustris (Turpentine), Sesamum indicum (Sesame), Trachyspermum ammi (Ajowain) and Origanum vulgare (Oregano). The oils of Lavandula augustifolia (Lavender), Elletaria cardamomum (Cardamon) and Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella) showed minimum activity. Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Linum usitatissimum (Linseed) showed no activity giving no inhibition zones
Status of plankton diversity and biological productivity of Sahastradhara stream at Uttarakhand, India
Get PDFThe present contribution encompasses on plankton and biological productivity as ecological indicator for identifying the ecological quality of Sahastradhara stream (between 27 km stream stretches), located in the Doon Valley of Garhwal region in India. Monthly sampling from all the sampling sites was made for a period of 12 months (May 2009 – April 2010) at 9:00-11: 00 AM. A total of 40 taxa from different classes of plankton and zooplankton were reported. The phytoplankton (32 sp.) was found being the most abundant taxa than zooplankton (9 sp.) inSahastradhara stream. Fluctuation in the phytoplankton density was recorded highest (1536 unit/l) during winter and lowest (20 unit/l) during monsoon. Zooplanktons were reported to be maximum (147 unit/l) during summer and minimum (3 unit/l) during monsoon. The total diatoms were reported highest (1022unit/l) during starting the winter and lowest (4 unit/l) during monsoon. Green algae and blue green algae were reported to be maximum during winter and minimum during summer. The Shannon-wiener diversity index calculated for the density ofBacillariophyceae (0.2180-0.366), Chlorophyceae (0.208-0.367) and Cyanophyceae (0.391-0.366) and correlation was made between Plankton biomass and physico-chemical parameters to analyses the relative features of the both variables. The density of plankton and biological productivity were influenced by disturbances in the photic zone and indiscriminate anthropogenic activities for tourist development resulted aquatic habitat degradation in stream ecosystem
Present and past status of fish fauna of river Basantar, an important tributary of the river Ravi, in Samba district, Jammu (J&K)
Get PDFIcthyofaunal study of river Basantar, an important tributary of river Ravi in Samba district, Jammu (J&K) has revealed the existence of 35 fish species belonging to 5 orders, 10 families and 25 genera. There is dominance of Cypriniformes (18 spp.) followed by Siluriformes (10 spp.), Perciformes (4 spp.), Synbrachiformes (2 spp.) and Osteoglossiformes (1 sps.). Present record of 35 fish species when compared with the earlier report of 59 fish species reveals a decline in fish diversity and is caused by environmental factors and anthropogenic pressure
Agronomic efficacy of compost manure and NPK fertilizer on some soil chemical properties and maize production in an ultisol environment
Get PDFStudies were conducted as an on-farm trial at Evboneka in 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons to estimate the effect of soil amendments in enhancing soil fertility status and relative agronomic efficacy of maize yield in humid ultisol environment. Effects of compost was investigated at application rates of 20 and 40 t ha-1 while NPK and organo-mineral fertilizer effects were investigated at 200 kg/ha and a combination of 100 kg/ha NPK and 20 t/ha compost manure (organo-mineral fertilizer) with maize TZEE-W cultivar resulting in five treatments and replicated three times. The results obtained revealed that the tested soil was low in organic matter, total N, available P, moderately acidic and low cations (Ca, Mg and K). The compost manure was rich in N, P, Mg, K, organic carbon and Ca concentration. The application of compost manure and NPK to the soil improved the soil fertility status. The highest maize height (132.70 cm), greatest total dry weight (0.63 t ha-1) and relative agronomic efficacy (%) were obtained from plots treated with 40 t/ha-1 compost manure while the plots treated with organo-mineral had the greatest LAI (2.75)
In vitro study of baseline sensitivity of important fungi against different fungicides
Get PDFBaseline sensitivity values of important phytopathogenic fungi were studied against fungicides. ED50, ED90 and MIC value of propiconazole for, Colletotrichum capsici, and Gloeosporium ampelophagum was in the range of 0.020-0.04 ?g/ml. ED50 values of tebuconazole for Alternaria alternata was 30.0 ?g/ml. Azoxystrobin was also tested for its ED50, ED90 and MIC values against Alternaria alternata, C. capsici, G. ampelophagum and Botrytis cinerea where the values were in the range of 0.019-50.0, 0.03-60.0 and 0.2-100.0 ?g/ml respectively. Baseline sensitivity values are important for the management of plant diseases and resistance development
Evaluation of the mutagenic potential of propoxur and methyl parathion using polytene chromosomes of Anopheles stephensi
Get PDFThe mutagenicity of two pesticides, propoxur and methyl parathion was evaluated by using polytene chromosomes of Anopheles stephensi. The results were based on the frequency of various structural aberrations encountered in the polytene chromosomes of the larvae treated with LC20 of propoxur and methyl parathion separately. Propoxur induced a total of 67 aberrations as against 15 in the controls while methyl parathion induced 53 aberrations as against 13 in the controls. These aberrations were dominated by inversions, translocations, deletions, ectopic pairing, asynapses, breaks, fusions and induced puffing. The frequency of propoxur induced aberrations was highest in chromosome 3R followed by 2R, 3L, 2L and X-chromosome. Methyl parathion induced highest number of aberrations in 2R followed by 2L, 3R, 3L and X-chromosomes. This study suggests that larval polytene chromosomes are sensitive indicators of pesticide genotoxicity in which both propoxur and methyl parathion are significantly chromotoxic for the genome of a mosquito taken as an experimental insect
Study on eggs of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) during incubation in the controlled laboratory conditions
Get PDFStudy on newly laid eggs of Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica was undertaken for a period of 18 days on incubation in controlled laboratory conditions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in egg weight, shell weight, yolk weight and embryo weight throughout the period of incubation. It had been found that as the embryo grows, the egg weight slowly goes down while embryo weight goes on increasing day by day. The study inferred that the shift or reduction in weight of egg is attributable to the progressive growth of embryo which utilizes its yolk contents for its growth. Apart from this, the shell weight also reduced from first day to last day in order to facilitate hatching of the embryo
Vegetation condition index pattern (2002-2007) over Indian agro-climate regions, using of GIS and SPOT sensor NDVI data
Get PDFThis study describes the Vegetation Condition Index in the near-real-time with help of SPOT based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for Agro climatic-region of India and gave the development pattern in last six year (2002-2007) over the study area of India using decadal time data set from SPOT satellite sensor for 2002-2007 time periods. The each Agro-climatic region of study, 1°x1° degree in area, part of India agro-climate regions, has been taken for analysis using remote sensing and Geographical Information System (RS and GIS)methods, SPOT satellite sensor NDVI data, and from processed data set (geo-referenced data set), cut out 1°x1° degree of area by preparing a layers representing Agro-climatic region of India as base mapping units (BMU),The results indicated that NDVI index is only water stress over vegetation while VCI is an appropriate index for vegetation pattern monitoring over study area. As satellite observations provide better spatial and temporal coverage, the VCI based system will provide efficient tools for management of the improvement of agricultural planning. This system will serve as a prototype in the other parts of the world where ground observations are limited or not available
Partial purification and characterisation of some low molecular weight á - amylases from Dolichos biflorus
Get PDFDolichos biflorus, a commonly used legume in Uttarakhand, produces alpha amylase enzyme for conversion of starch present in its cotyledons to glucose, so that this glucose can be further utilized for the life controlling processes, glycolysis and Kreb’s cycle. Yield of this á - amylase isolated from the germinating legume comes out to be 27.7 IUml-1. Maximal amylase production occurs at pH 6.1 at 45O C. The enzyme was purified two fold, first with ultra-filtration and then with Ion-exchange chromatography. Ultra-filtration revealed size of amylase to be between 10 kDa and 30 kDa, against larger sizes of other bacterial amylases. The pH and temperature optima for purified enzyme were 6.1 and 45OC respectively. The Km for starch came out to be 1.95 mgml-1. This finding of generating one more new and low-price source of á - amylase is a great advancement in biotechnology
Photoperiod-modulated instar-specific clock-shifting in the circadian protein and amino acid rhythms in the larval segmental muscle of Bombyx mori
Get PDFThe photoperiod-modulated clock-shifting in the circadian protein rhythm was studied in the segmental muscle of Bombyx mori. The analysis of phase response curves of the fourth instar rhythm revealed that the muscle tissue completes six protein synthetic cycles (PS cycles) under normal 12 hr light and 12 hr dark cycle (LD), 8 cycles each under continuous light (LL) and continuous dark (DD) conditions. The fifth instar protein rhythm showed seven PS cycles each under LD and DD conditions, but only six under LL. The protein rhythm gets clock-shifted in instarspecific and photoperiod-specific fashions. In the fourth instar, both LL and DD conditions advanced the 24 hr free running time of the rhythm by six hours and set it at 18 hr, but in the fifth instar it is delayed by 4 hr and set at ~28 hr under LL, but remained unchanged under DD. Comparative analysis of protein and amino acid profiles shows that the photoperiod modulates the protein rhythm by altering the rate of amino acid mobilization