Malathion toxicity: Skeletal deformities in zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio,cyprinidae)

Toxicity tests reveal that the zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) is very sensitive to malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, and 24 to 96-h LC₅₀ values showed a gradual decrease as the exposure time was increased. Zebrafish exposed to long-term sublethal concentrations failed to spawn and invariably exhibited skeletal deformities. Possible causes of the reduced gonadosomatic index and skeletal deformities are discussed.     

Do socio-psychological factors matter in agroforestry planning? Lessons from smallholder traditional agroforestry systems

Most of the well planned rural development forestry programs of the 1970s, and agroforestry in particular, were either not adopted by the intended beneficiaries or failed to meet the needs and aspirations of the rural people, particularly in the developing countries. The reasons for non-adoption in some cases appear to be technical, bio-physical, social and economic (termed as rational reasons by the planners), but in other situations the reasons are not so easily recognisable and comprehended (termed irrational reasons). These irrational reasons are the perceptions and attitude of the farmer towards farm practices, and their role in agroforestry planning has remained almost completely neglected. The present study is based on a household survey of the farmers in traditional agroforestry systems of Western Himalaya and investigates the importance of perceptional and attitudinal aspects of the farmers with regard to agroforestry adoption and extension. In the present study, farmers’ perceptions of restrictions on felling of trees from their own land and attitudes towards agroforestry were the most important sociopsychological factors which influenced tree growing. This study implies a need to take into account the socio-psychological factors of the farmers for planning socially acceptable agroforestry programs. The importance of study of various de jure rules and regulations controlling the use of on-farm tree resources and related exemptions and their association with farmers’ perceptions and tree growing is highlighted to develop policies to encourage tree growing in agroforestry.     

Effect of botanical extracts on the biological activity of granulosis virus against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pieris brassicae</Emphasis>

A granulosis virus strain infecting Pieris brassicae (PbGV) was isolated from the dry temperate region of northwestern Himalayas as a potential microbial agent for its management. The effect of different botanicals (having insecticidal action against P. brassicae) on the bioefficacy of PbGV was evaluated under laboratory conditions using leaf disc bioassays on cabbage for improving the insecticidal performance of the PbGV. The synergistic action of different botanical extracts was evident in terms of reduction in LC₅₀ values against different botanical extracts. Among different extracts, petroleum-ether extract of neem seed kernel (NSK) when combined with PbGV resulted in maximum reduction of LC₅₀ value (4.39 × 10² occlusion bodies [OBs] ml⁻¹) followed by methanolic extract (7.38 × 10² OBs ml⁻¹) and aqueous extract (9.36 × 10³ OBs ml⁻¹) as compared with PbGV alone (1.85 × 10⁴ OBs ml⁻¹) for 2nd instar larvae of the test insect. These trends were found analogous in cases of 3rd and 4th instars of P. brassicae with different solvent extracts of NSK. The other botanicals evaluated, viz., Eupatorium and Artemesia, also resulted in reduction of LC₅₀ values for 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars as compared with PbGV alone when different extracts were combined with virus for bioassays. The studies suggest that the PbGV in combination with botanical pesticides could be more useful as a bio-pesticide against cabbage butterfly (P. brassicae) in IPM programs.     

Intergeneric hybrid of two rare and endangered orchids, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Renanthera imschootiana</Emphasis> Rolfe and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vanda coerulea</Emphasis> Griff. ex L. (Orchidaceae): Synthesis and characterization

Renanthera imschootiana and Vanda coerulea are two rare and endangered orchid species featuring in IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants as well as in Red Data Book of Indian Plants, and are renowned for their unique ornamental traits. Renanthera imschootiana and V. coerulea have different flowering periods and by taking opportunity of off-season flowering of V. coerulea which happened during the flowering season of R. imschootiana, the hybridization was effected by hand-pollination. Viable pollinia were present in the off-season flowers of V. coerulea and one out of four cross was successful when R. imschootiana was taken as female parent. Reciprocal cross was unsuccessful. The resulting immature hybrid embryos were germinated in vitro on Vacin and Went medium supplemented with 15% v/v coconut water. Best seedling growth was observed on half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium devoid of any plant growth regulators while the transplanted seedlings grew best on brick chips:charcoal pieces (2:1) potting mix in community earthen trays. First flowering of the hybrid seedlings happened four years ten months after transfer to ex vitro environment. RAPD markers generated by the decamer primer OPA1 convincingly confirmed the hybridity. Registration of the hybrid was made with the Royal Horticultural Society with the grex Renantanda Kebisana Shija.     

Implications of Indian Foresters’ Perspectives of Joint Forest Management

A study was conducted in Kullu district in the province of Himachal Pradesh in Indian Western Himalaya, to investigate the perceptions of Indian foresters about aspects of forest management relevant for effective Joint Forest Management (JFM). A lack of uniform understanding was found amongst forestry staff about almost all the studied issues pertaining to JFM. A need is identified to emphasise social aspects in the training of the foresters (including in-service training), along with the existing silvi-technical aspects. For JFM success, measures need to be devised to reduce the political interference in JFM, reduce hierarchical rigidity, and increase interaction between field staff and the administrative hierarchy. Strategies should be devised to make JFM participants as well as forestry staff equally responsible to honour their commitments with respect to JFM.

Assessment of the effectiveness of Ty genes in tomato against tomato leaf curl Bangalore virus

Tomato leaf curl Bangalore virus (ToLCBaV), a monopartite begomovirus transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, has become a major constraint in tomato production in the Indian subcontinent. Earlier breeding efforts in India led to the adoption of tomato cultivars carrying the resistance gene Ty-2. However, it has been observed recently that such cultivars/hybrids are susceptible to begomoviruses. This requires the identification of additional or new sources of resistance against ToLCBaV. The present study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of several Ty genes in providing resistance against infection by ToLCBaV. The kinetics of virus multiplication in different Ty resistance gene stocks of tomato were estimated and compared using quantitative PCR data. Accumulation of viral genomic units and symptom severity were lower in tomato lines carrying Ty-3 and Ty-2 + Ty-3 compared with those carrying Ty-2 alone. All tested lines carrying Ty-2 showed typical tomato leaf curl disease symptoms. Tomato lines carrying Ty-2 + ty-5 and ty-5 + Ty-6 combinations had a significantly higher disease severity index and viral genomic units compared to those carrying Ty-3 and Ty-2 + Ty-3 at 30 days postinoculation. The accumulation level of ToLCBaV genomic units serves as a good indicator for resistance selection along with other parameters of disease. We present here a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness of Ty-2, Ty-3, and ty-5 alone as well as the combinations Ty-2 + Ty-3 and Ty-2 + ty-5 against ToLCBaV.     

Classification of features selected through Optimum Index Factor (OIF) for improving classification accuracy

The present investigation was performed to determine if the features selected through Optimum Index Factor (OIF) could provide improved classification accuracy of the various categories on the satellite images of the individual years as well as stacked images of two different years as compared to all the features considered together. Further, in order to determine if there occurs increase in the classification accuracy of the different categories with corresponding increase in the OIF values of the features extracted from both the individual years’ and stacked images, we performed linear regression between the producer’s accuracy (PA) of the various categories with the OIF values of the different combinations of the features. The investigations demonstrated that there occurs significant improvement in the PA of two impervious categories viz. moderate built-up and low density built-up determined from the classification of the bands and principal components associated with the highest OIF value as compared to all the bands and principal components for both the individual years’ and stacked images respectively. Regression analyses exhibited positive trends between the regression coeffi- cients and OIF values for the various categories determined for the individual years’ and stacked images respectively signifying the prevalence of direct relationship between the increase in the information content with corresponding increase in the OIF values. The research proved that features extracted through OIF from both the individual years’ and stacked images are capable of providing significantly improved PA as compared to all the features pooled together.     

Development and characterization of interspecific hybrids of Trifolium alexandrinum×T. apertum using embryo rescue

This is the first report on the development of interspecific hybrids between Trifolium alexandrinum and T. apertum using embryo rescue and characterization of F₁ plants. T. apertum was used as the male parent and T. alexandrinum as the female parent. Development of interspecific hybrids under natural conditions is not successful and so embryo rescue was attempted. Of the several combinations tried, pollination 2 days after emasculation and embryos rescued 11 days after pollination was found to be the best. For embryo culture, EC3 medium consisting of MS basal supplemented with 2.3 μM kinetin and 3% sucrose was used. Germinated embryos were transferred to LSP3 medium 25 days after inoculation wherein most of the cultures showed multiple shoots that were split and subcultured on RL1 medium for rooting. After hardening, about 75% of hybrids were successfully transferred to the field. The hybrids, in general, showed morphological traits intermediate between the two parents; however, a few hybrids showed better growth than either parent. Some F₁ plants were almost 3 weeks later in flowering than the female parent. Pollen fertility among these plants ranged from 78 to approximately 100%. Chromosomal associations at diakinesis and isozyme banding patterns for acid phosphatase (ACP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase also confirmed the hybrid nature of the plants.