Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Study on soil organic carbon dynamics and its different pools in maize crop (Zea mays L.) under different agricultural practices in semiarid region of Punjab, India
Get PDFThe soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital resource whose presence or absence can determine the quality of soils. The sustainability potential of soils can be unlocked with the presence of SOC. The present study aimed to evaluate the implications of different agricultural field practices on the soil organic carbon, its various fractions, and the soil organic carbon stocks in the semiarid region of Phagwara (Punjab) with a maize variety (Suvarna NMH-589). Soil samples were collected from all the treatments (T0, T1, T2, T3, …, T9) at two soil depths, ‘a’ (0-15 cm) and ‘b’ (15-30 cm), during the experimental period of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Analyses were performed on the soils collected at 0 DAS (days after sowing), 45 DAS and 90 DAS. A pooled mean data of the analysis revealed that the total organic carbon (TOC) was maximum in the straw mulching treatment T1 (7.87, 9.40, 11.50, along with increasing DAS). Values of TOC ranged from 5.48-11.05 g kg-1 and 4.16-7.93 g kg-1 at the surface and subsurface layers during the experimental periods. The oxidizable soil organic carbon (SOC) ranged from 3.67-6.07 g kg-1 and 2.62-4.63 g kg-1 at soil depths ‘a’ and ‘b’, respectively. There was the suggestive notion that the incorporation of organic matter and its decomposition has a positive effect towards increasing the organic carbon content in soils. The SOC stocks also fluctuated in a range of 7.26- 11.51 Mg ha-1 and 9.69-19.23 Mg ha-1 at the different soil depths ‘a’ and ‘b’. Differential accumulation of biomass in the surface and subsurface layers was the driving factor for such a range in the values obtained. The carbon fractions also fluctuated during the experimental periods. It was concluded that different agricultural practices greatly influenced the organic carbon dynamics in soil. The agricultural practices that could boost SOC could improve crop productivity, improve nutrient transformation, and act as a sink for CO2 in the soil.
Enhancing efficacy of microbial bioremediation by intervention of nanotechnology and metabolic engineering: A review
Get PDFEver since the start of the Industrial Revolution, environmental pollution has significantly increased. The prominent cause of most diseases in humans, animals, and plants is the presence of toxic materials, pollutants, contaminants, and hazardous compounds released by industries. One of the major factors is the presence of heavy metals in the air, water bodies and soil. Heavy metals have biomagnification and bioaccumulation characteristics, making them hazardous for flora and fauna on a large scale. Recently, biological sources such as bacteria, fungi, algae, etc., have been used to bioabsorb these heavy metals. The microbial properties of these cell walls are utilized for effective and low-cost absorption of metals. Bioaugmentation, biosorption and biostimulation are effective strategies for reducing the toxicity of hazardous contaminants in the soil and facilitating bioremediation. The mechanism of biosorption is mainly based on ions and functional groups present in the microbes. Fungal species are advantageous over bacteria as they are easier to handle, cost-effective and, most importantly, non-pathogenic, making them ideal candidates for biosorption. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various microbial strains utilized in bioremediation. Further, the review highlights the application of nanotechnology and metabolic engineering approaches to improve the efficacy of Biosorption, Biostimulation and Bioaugmentation. It provides insights on the role of microbial nanoparticles in bioremediation and prospects in the forte of microbe-assisted bioremediation.
Productivity and profitability of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. and Coss.] under varying levels of sulphur and boron application methods
Get PDFNearly 50.1 and 80.8% of soils in Odisha are deficient in sulphur and boron, respectively. These two nutrients play multiple roles in the nutrition of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. and Coss.] crop. The rapeseed and mustard productivity in Odisha is lower than the national average due to non-application of these two nutrients. Hence, an experiment was conducted at Bhubaneswar, India, during rabi season of 2021-22 to assess the effects of sulphur levels and boron application methods on the productivity and profitability of the crop. The treatments comprising four levels of sulphur (S0: 0, S1: 20, S2: 40 and S3: 60 kg ha-1) assigned in the main plots and four boron application methods (B1: 0.5 kg B ha-1 basal, B2: B1 + one foliar spray of boron 0.02%, B3: B1 + two foliar sprays of boron 0.02% and B4: 1.0 kg boron ha-1 basal) assigned in the sub plots were tried in split plot design replicated thrice. The application of 60 kg S ha-1 recorded the maximum mustard seed yield (1275 kg ha-1), which was at par with 40 kg S ha-1 (1262 kg ha-1). Among boron application methods, 50% RDB basal + two foliar sprays of boron (0.02%) recorded the maximum seed yield (1170 kg ha-1) and proved better than other methods. The combined application of 40 kg S ha-1 + 50% RDB basal with two foliar sprays of boron (0.02%) produced the maximum mustard seed yield (1283 kg ha-1), net return ( ₹ 26,470 or 330.88 USD ha-1) and B: C ratio (0.64).
Retraction: Detection of the prevalent biofilm-producing bacteria in hearing aids and silico stimulation of effective anti-biofilm agents
Get PDFUpon thorough investigation, it was very evident and clear that the manuscript titled:"Detection of the prevalent biofilm-producing bacteria in hearing aids and silico stimulation of effective anti-biofilm agents" had several citations which were inaccurately represented, cited out of context, or included without sufficient relevance to the study\u27s content and conclusions. These issues compromise the scientific integrity and reliability of the article.
The authors were contacted by the editorial office to provide clarification regarding these citations but did not respond within the stipulated timeframe
In light of this, and in accordance with our commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards in publishing, the editorial has decided to retract the article to prevent any potential misunderstanding or misuse of the published work
Physicochemical evaluation of Olive (Olea europea) fruit, halophyte (Salicornia herbacea L) plant salts and bamboo (Bambos arundinaceae) silica salts based effervescent tablets with promoting edible organic acids and carbonates
Get PDFMaintainance of extracellular volume and water balance is important in cellular metabolism and these properties confer to sodium profile, but overconsumption of sodium causes risk to health. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate fast-dissolving effervescent tablets using a novel two-step wet granulation method, incorporating Olive (Olea europaea), halophyte marsh plant (Salicornia herbacea L.) and bamboo silica salts natural ingredients and edible organic acids viz. citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, apple cider vinegar powder, fumaric acid and alkalizing agents like sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous potassium carbonate, anhydrous sodium carbonate, potassium sulphate dodecahydrate as active ingredients to enhance bioavailability and dissolution. During the process, all active ingredients were milled separately and sifted through a number 40 mesh sieve, followed by blending for 10 min to create uniform wet mass and further, sieved through number 20 mesh to produce granules. Finally, the dried granules of the composition according to formulations were compressed into tablets with 12 mm diameter using a single punch tablet punching machine. The formulations adhered to pharmacopoeial quality standards, displaying favorable mechanical and physical properties. The results revealed that the effervescent granules in all the formulations exhibited excellent flow properties with Angle of Repose, Hausner’s ratio and compressibility index in the ranges of 26.10°-29.52°, 1.07-1.12 and 6.12%-10.51% respectively. Formulations F1 and F3 emerged as the most effective, with friability <0.5%, water content <0.05%, effervescence time <2.5 min and excellent solubility on the Likert scale. The findings open avenues for further research into effervescent technology and its application in drug delivery systems.
Combined influence of shoot bending and plant growth regulators on morphological traits of Guava cv. Allahabad Safeda
Get PDFGuava (Psidium guajava L.) is a widely cultivated tropical fruit crop consumed raw and also in the form of processed products. Winters in Punjab show a drop in temperature, which hardens the fruit. Therefore, manipulation of the flowering season is desirable. Hence, the present study aimed to select an adequate combination of plant hormones and branch bending to amplify the quantitative traits in Guava cv. Allahabad Safeda. For combinations, three months for branch bending viz., August, September and October and three plant hormones: Naphthaleneacetic acid, Ethrel, and Gibberellins, with two different concentrations each (NAA@100ppm, NAA@200ppm, Ethrel@200ppm, Ethrel@400ppm, GA3@100ppm, GA3@150ppm were selected. The experimental layout was planned in two two-factor randomized block design (RBD) with twenty-one treatments. In the case of branch bending months, (M1) August branch bending gained ideal values in comparison with (M2) September and (M3) October. Combination of NAA at the rate of 200ppm with August branch bending (T2) gave more pronounced results for almost all vegetative parameters, while amongst plant hormones NAA at 200 ppm (C2) enhanced results for Canopy spread (N-S), canopy spread (E-W), length of internode and days for the emergence of new leaf 0.837m and 0.803m, 14.1cm and 27.33 respectively. Results vividly provide a strong base for selecting a combination of NAA spray at 200ppm concentration and August month for branch bending to uplift morphological traits in guava. Thus, these findings will favour horticulture breeders and farmers in harvesting profitable gains for field parameters by selecting a better combination of PGR and crop regulation measures from the off-season.
Evaluation of Integrated nutrient management practices on growth, yield parameters and yield of improved traditional rice in the western zone of Tamil Nadu
Get PDFFarmers have recently relied on chemical fertilizers, particularly macronutrients, to boost rice yields. It leads to many problems, mainly rapidly declining soil fertility, soil and water quality, resulting in global environmental issues. With this view, a study aimed to evaluate different organic manures and inorganic fertilizers in an integrated manner and their effect on increasing rice (CO 57) yield. The study was conducted on Wetland farm, Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during Early kar, 2023. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design (RBD), and it had three replications and twelve treatments. The treatments included nutrient management practices and foliar spray of micronutrients. The results revealed that higher plant height (85.0 cm), total number of tillers m-2 (298), Leaf area index (4.99) and dry matter production (5298 kg ha-1), number of productive tillers m-2 (309), number of filled grains panicle-1 (176) and 1000 grain weight (22.00 g), grain yield (3972 kg ha-1) and straw yield (5798 kg ha-1) were recorded with the combined application of 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen through inorganic fertilizer + 50 % recommended dose of nitrogen through vermicompost + foliar spray of 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 1 % FeSO4 at tillering, PI and flowering stage (T11) compared to other practices. The use of inorganic fertilizers combined with organic sources applied to the soil enhanced plant quality and yield sustainably without harming the natural ecosystem. Integrated nutrient management (INM) in rice significantly improved overall crop response, leading to optimal growth characteristics and yield attributes.
Plasposon mutagenesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates illustrates the role of ABC transporter in intrinsic resistance to antibiotics
Get PDFPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunist pathogen most commonly related to nosocomial infections. P. aeruginosa infection therapy poses a significant challenge due to its ability to resist various antibiotics currently available. As a result, excessive use of antibiotics during therapy expedites the development of multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa. Hence, this study aimed to identify novel genes involved in multiple antibiotic resistance using plasposon mutagenesis technique. One hundred and ten P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from various clinical sources involving urine, burns and wound’s pus. An antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed to detect their resistance to 18 antibiotics. Results showed that all isolates were resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline, and the highest resistance ras were detected for nitrofurantoin and sulfamethoxazole (99%), followed by amoxiclav, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone, and kanamycin (98%). While the lowest resistance rate was towards imipenem (49%). Plasposon mutagenesis was used to detect the genes involved in multi-antibiotic resistance. The pTnMod-Gm was introduced to the recipient P. aeruginosa PA4 isolate via triparental mating using E. coli HB101/ pRK2013 as a helper strain. Mutants were screened for resistance defects by plating them on nutrient agar supplemented with different antibiotics. Two mutants were identified; one (M1) exhibited susceptibility to tetracycline, cefotaxime, and ceftazidime, and the other (M9) to ceftazidime and ceftriaxone. The analysis of these mutants revealed the insertion of the plasposon into an open reading frame for the ABC transporter in P. aeruginosa, which plays a distinctive role in extruding antibiotics out of cells.
Evaluation of anticancer effect of Cladophora glomerata algae extract
Get PDFCladophora glomerata has numerous biologically active properties and is considered one of the most essential medicinal algae. The purpose of this research was to investigate the anticancer efficacy of Cladophora glomerata algae extract against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), human cervical carcinoma (HeLa), and normal mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell lines. The needed algae was found in the Hassan Al-Hamoud River , Baquba, Iraq. The chemical detection of some chemical components of the ethanolic extract of C. glomerata revealed that the extract contains a group of active compounds. The study showed significant variation (p<0.05) among inhibition percentages of cancer cell line HepG2, Hella, and MEF cell lines that were treated with different concentrations (15.1, 31.2, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, and 1000) μg/ml of C. glomerata extract. The outcomes showed that increased inhibition percentages of the above cell line were associated with increased concentrations. The inhibition percentage of HepG2, Hella, and MEF cell lines were 1.6 ± 30.88, 1.7 ± 14.10, and 1.2 ± 2.31 at concentration 15.1 (mg/ml), and was 3.8 ± 84.90, 3.6 ± 88.29, and 3.9 ± 23.2, respectively at concentration 1000 (mg/ml). The study concluded that the C. glomerata extract with different concentrations significantly inhibited cancer cell lines (HepG2 and Hela) and ME because they have antiproliferative and antioxidant activity against cancers. The extract\u27s inhibitory impact begins at low doses and increases with increasing concentration. The study would be beneficial to use macroalgae as new and sustainable sources of bioactive compounds against cancer.
Generation mean analysis in quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) for yield and quality attributes
Get PDFMaize (Zea mays L.), the world’s most significant cereal crop, provides a pivotal roles for the supply of food for humans and forage for livestock. The present study aimed to perform a Generation mean analysis of two quality protein maize (QPM) (Zea mays L.) crosses [(CML149 x CML330) and (CML143 x CML193)] in order to determine the genetic effects along with the nature of gene action controlling morphological and biochemical traits underlying inheritance. All four components of scaling testing revealed significant differences with the parameter model, indicating the importance of the additive, dominance and epistatic modes of gene action for the inheritance of physiological, biochemical, grain yield and its attributing traits. Dominance variance showed more importance than additive variance and the presence of duplicate form of non-allelic gene interaction was prevalent for all the characters studied except days to 50% silking in CML149 × CML330 ([h] = 2.064, [l] = 1.536) and membrane stability index in CML143 × CML193 ([h] = 4.055, [l] = 17.362) which showed complementary gene action. Characters with duplicate genes, grain yield per plant in CML149 × CML330 ([h] = 1545.776, [l] = -2126.616) and plant height in CML149 × CML330 ([h] = 113.336, [l] = -104.376) showed strong dominance and dominance x dominance gene action. The significant role of dominance variance and duplicate epistasis was noted in the inheritance of the aforementioned characters. Selection could be rewarding for consecutive populations, followed by a bi-parental mating design to improve these traits.