Species diversity,regeneration and dominance as influenced by canopy gaps and their characteristics in tropical evergreen forests of Western Ghats,India

Canopy gaps play a significant role in maintaining structure and composition of tropical forests. This study was carried out in tropical evergreen forests of central Western Ghats in India to understand the influence of canopy gap size and the relationship of gap regime attributes to diversity measures and regeneration. The average gap size in the study area was found to be 396 m2 and around half of gaps were 4–8 years old. Gaps created by natural single tree fall were smaller in size but significantly higher in number. Diversity and regeneration of woody species were compared with canopy gaps and intact vegetation. Species richness and diversity was higher in gaps than in intact vegetation. Macaranga peltata, a shade intolerant species dominated gaps while intact vegetation was dominated by shade tolerant Kingiodendron pinnatum.Gap size significantly influenced species diversity and regeneration. Gap area and age were significantly and negatively correlated with diversity measures but positively correlated with regeneration. Among all the attributes of gaps, regeneration was significantly positively correlated with light intensity. Gaps maintained species diversity and favored regeneration of woody species. In addition to gap size and age, other gap ecological attributes also affected species diversity and regeneration.     

Influence of phosphate on cadmium sorption by calcium carbonate

Laboratory investigation was conducted to investigate the mechanism of cadmium sorption by pure calcium carbonate and to examine whether, reaction products of phosphate with calcium carbonate serve as a sink for sorption of toxic heavy metal cations like cadmium. The phosphatization of calcium carbonate (G.R) was carried out by treating it with orthophosphoric acid in Ca:P ratio of 5:3, 3:2, 4:3 and 1:1, representing the Ca–P ratios of carbonate apatite, tricalcium phosphate, octacalcium phosphate and dicalcium phosphate and then equilibrated for two months. The X-ray diffraction of the phosphate reaction products revealed that calcite along with monetite, brushite and carbonate apatite were present in each case. The cadmium was effectively retained on CaCO₃ by the mechanism of chemisorption at lower Cd²⁺ concentrations as the pH of the equilibrium system remained constant (8.6) up to initial Cd²⁺ concentrations of 10⁻⁴ mol, coinciding to 100% sorption of Cd²⁺ from the solution. At higher concentrations, precipitation of CdCO₃ on CaCO₃ surface or as a separate phase predominated. Enrichment of CaCO₃ with P reduced the Cd-sorption. The chemisorption of Cd probably involved the exchange of Ca²⁺ by Cd²⁺ from CaCO₃ surface. The Cd²⁺ concentration in equilibrium solution followed the solubility diagram of CdCO₃ at pH ≤ 8.6, whereas the concentration of Ca²⁺ started deviating from the solubility line at pH ≤ 8.2.     

Effect of aeration on generation and emission of hydrogen sulfide in wet wells of lifting stations

The aeration of waste water in wet wells of lifting stations was studied to control the generation and emission of hydrogen suulfide in waste water. The aeration unit comprises of a compressor, aeration pipe and a ceramic fine air bubble type diffuser. The capacity of compressor was to introduce 140 m³ h^?1 air at 147 kPa pressure in waste water. The operation of aeration system was interlocked with the operation of the screws/pumps, when the screws/pumps were shut off the compressor started working. During the project the interlock between compressor and screw/pump was removed and the operation of compressor was controlled manually. Five lifting stations were selected for the study. Three were Screw Conveyor type lifting stations while the other two were equipped with centrifugal pumps. The average daily flow of waste water in the selected lifting stations varied from 371 m³ to 18 436 m³. It was experienced that the operation of the aeration system does not dissolve sufficient oxygen to control generation of H₂S, on the other hand it increases the emission of malodorous hydrogen sulfide which reduces the concentrations of sulfides in dissolved form in the waste water. Thus it increases the nuisance of malodour emission in the wet wells and affects the areas in the vicinity of lifting stations. A theoretical assessment to evaluate the efficiency of aeration system for controlling generation of Fresh H₂S and in oxidizing the H₂S already generated in the waste water in the wet wells of lifting stations is also presented.     

Variability in Mucuna pruriens L. germplasm for L-Dopa, an anti parkinsonian agent

Mucuna pruriens L. (Fabaceae) is a popular Indian medicinal plant, which has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic system of Indian medicine for diseases including parkinsonism. The seeds of M. pruriens contain 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-dopa) as a major constituent, an intermediate precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. L-dopa extracted from seeds of Mucuna is more effective as drug than the synthetic counterpart. The plant is widely distributed throughout the India and in other parts of the tropics including Central and South America. The present study was aimed to screen thirty-eight accessions of Mucuna germplasm collected from different geographical regions of India for L-dopa content, an effective drug used for Parkinson’s disease. The L-dopa content in seeds of M. pruriens was quantitatively analyzed by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) at 280?nm wavelength. Results indicated wide variability among thirty-eight accessions of M. pruriens for seed characters like seed colour, size and shape. The L-dopa content in seeds of M. pruriens ranged between 3.29 and 5.44?% (on dry weight basis) among different germplasm collections augmented from various parts of India. Promising accessions identified having high L-dopa content were IC551549 (5.44?%), IC551514 (5.41?%), IC331536 (5.40?%), IC552857 (5.36?%), IC385844 (5.32?%) and IC439197 (5.32?%). Due to the economic importance of the drug, these promising M. pruriens accessions can be exploited for large scale cultivation for their pharmacological important constituents mainly L-dopa content.     

Seasonal effect on rooting behaviour of important bamboo species by culm cuttings

We investigated the influence of season on the rooting behaviour of eight important bamboo species viz., Bambusa balcooa, B.bambos, B. nutans, B. tulda, B. vulgaris, Dendrocalamus giganteus, D.hamiltonii and D. strictus. We collected 2 3 node culm cuttings in three growing seasons viz. spring (March), summer (June) and rainy (August)from superior candidate plus clumps (CPCs) centralized in the germ-plasm garden. Cuttings were placed horizontally in sand and were provided with intermittent misting at regular intervals. Bamboo species exhibited differential rhizogenesis behavior in different seasons. The study reveals significant variation in sprouting and rooting behaviour indifferent bamboo species. B. bambos had maximum rooting (78.89%),followed by B. vulgaris (74.44%). In general, the potential of different bamboo species for rooting was found to be in the order: B. bambos > B.vulgaris > B. balcooa > D. hamiltonii > B. tulda > D. strictus > D.giganteus >B. nutans. The maximum rooting was recorded in spring(56.67%), which was closely followed by summer (54.58%). In winter season, minimum rooting (36.67%) was observed. The interaction effect of species × season was also significant on sprouting and rooting parameters. In B. balcooa, B. nutans, B. vulgaris, D. hamiltonii and D.strictus, cuttings collected in summer season showed maximum sprouting and rooting, whereas, B. bambos, B. tulda and D. giganteus had maximum rooting in spring. The maximum number of roots developed per cutting was observed in B. tulda (43.8) during spring season.     

Prenatal development of retina in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The development of retina in Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) has not been reported previously. The aim of the present study was therefore to report the major landmarks and the time course in the development of retina. Serial histological sections of Indian buffalo embryos and foetuses were used as group1 (<20.0 cm CVRL), group2 (>20.0 but <40.0 cm CVRL) and group3 (>40.0 cm CVRL). Age estimation was made on the basis of crown vertebral‐rump length (CVRL), which ranged between 36 and 286 days (1.6–94.0 cm). The retina in Indian buffalo was developed in a similar manner to that of the other mammals with the principal differences in the time of occurrence of various layers of this nervous tunic. In 36 days (1.6 cm stage), the foetal retina was composed of pigmented layer and the layer of neuroblasts. Differentiation of layers was first observed in 47 days (4.0 cm CVRL) which became prominent in 52 days (5.1 cm stage). At 120 days (20.5 cm stage), the differentiation of inner plexiform layer and inner nuclear layer was evident. At 143 days (31.0 cm) foetal age, the faint line in neuroblastic layer was the first evidence of the future outer plexiform layer. In foetuses of group III, the retina was comprised of all 10 layers (eight cell layers and two membranes) viz. pigmented epithelium, layer of rods and cones, outer limiting membrane, outer nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer, ganglion cell layer, layer of nerve fibres and the inner limiting membrane.     

Identification and characterization of sources for photo‐ and thermo‐insensitivity in Vigna species

Cultivation of the same varieties of mungbean and blackgram across different seasons and locations is constrained by their photo‐ and thermo‐sensitive behaviour. Developing insensitive genotypes, which can fit well across all seasons, requires robust donors which would provide genes imparting this trait. This study was undertaken to identify such donors in the Vigna species. Forty‐eight accessions belonging to 13 Vigna species and eight released cultivars were evaluated under natural field conditions. Among these, two accessions, viz. V. umbellata (IC251442) and V. glabrescens (IC251372) were found photo‐ and thermo‐insensitive as these were able to flower and set pods at temperatures as high as 43.9°C and as low as 2.7°C. Pollen viability studies indicated viable pollen (>75% at 2.7°C and >85% at 41.9°C) and normal pollen tube growth at both the extremes of temperature. The identified V. glabrescens accession has long, constricted pods and dark green, mottled seeds while V. umbellata has smooth, curved pods and shining, oval, large seeds. Both these accessions can be utilized in developing photo–thermo insensitive genotypes in cultivated Vigna species.