Effects of different levels of soil salinity on yield attributes,accumulation of nitrogen,and micronutrients in Brassica spp.

The present study was conducted to assess the effect of soil salinity on yield attributes as well as nutrient accumulation in different plant parts of seven Brassica cultivars from two different species raised in pot culture experiment with two levels of salinity treatments along with control corresponding to soil electrical conductivity (EC) values of 1.65 (S₀), 4.50 (S₁) and 6.76 (S₂) dS m^?1. The experiment was consisted of twelve replications in a completely randomized design. Imposition of salinity stress affected various yield attributing characters including plant height, which ultimately led to severe yield reduction. However, tolerant cultivars, CS 52 and CS 54 performed better under salt treatment showing lesser yield loss. Salinity stress reduced the nitrogen (N) content in leaves of the Brassica plants, which reflected in decreased seed protein content. Reduced accumulation of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) was observed in leaf, stem and root at flowering and post-flowering stages, while CS 52 and CS 54 showed less reduction than susceptible cultivars under salinity stress.     

Integrated tillage-water-nutrient management effects on selected soil physical properties in a rice-wheat system in the Indian subcontinent

We studied few soil physical indicators after eighth cropping cycle of rice-wheat. The experiment was laid out in split-split plot design with two tillage (rice: puddling vs. non-puddling; wheat: conventional tillage vs. no-tillage), three water management (rice: submergence vs. drainage; wheat: five/three/two irrigations) and nine nutrient (N) management treatments (inorganic vs. integrated nutrient management). The bulk density (t m^?3) in non-puddled soil (1.33) was significantly less than puddled soil (1.59); while mean weight diameter (0.55 mm) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (0.43 cm h^?1) were higher in the former treatment. Irrigation after 3-days of drainage was found to enhance soil aggregation (0.54 mm) and moisture retention (71.6%) during rice. No-tillage in wheat had overall positive impact. Organic sources of nutrients increased soil water retention (biofertilizer for rice), water conductivity and aggregate stability (combined organics for rice and wheat). Interactions between (tillage × N), (water × N), (tillage × water) revealed crop-wise variations. The saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil aggregation for rice; and bulk density, water retention and saturated hydraulic conductivity for wheat were identified as sensitive soil physical indicators. We suggest an effective combination of no tillage and intermittent irrigation with integrated nutrient management for sustaining soil physical quality in rice-wheat rotation.     

Saccate thallus of the red alga Halosaccion glandiforme harbor diverse invertebrate fauna

International Aquatic Research - Rocky intertidal zones are biologically diverse environments with numerous physical stressors; as such, close associations between organisms often develop to...     

Improving the impact resistance of p-aramid fabrics by sequential impregnation with shear thickening fluid

A simple and effective method for impregnation of p-aramid (Kevlar^®) fabric with shear thickening fluid (STF) has been developed in this research. Kevlar fabric was impregnated with STF in two stages in a sequential manner. Three levels of pressure (0.5, 1 and 2 bar) were used in each stage of impregnation. It was observed that impact energy absorption by Kevlar fabrics, impregnated with STF in this newly developed method, increased significantly as compared to untreated Kevlar fabrics and Kevlar fabrics treated with STF in conventional way (single step impregnation). Better results were obtained when the first impregnation pressure was higher than that of the second, even with same combination of pressures. Such fabrics also showed a much higher STF add-on (~18 %) as compared to that of fabrics impregnated in single step (3-5 %). Low velocity ballistic tests also confirmed the advantages of the new method as sequentially impregnated fabric showed 124.8 % and 24.4 % increase in impact energy absorption compared to untreated and STF impregnated Kevlar fabrics in single step, respectively.     

Growth Model of a Plasmid‐Bearing Virulent Strain of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in Raw Ground Beef

The growth kinetics of virulence plasmid‐bearing Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (YPST) in sterile ground beef were studied at temperatures ranging from 0 to 30°C. In irradiated sterile ground beef, YPST replicated from 0 to 30°C, with corresponding growth rates (GR) ranging from 0.023 to 0.622 log CFU/h at 0–25°C, and the GR was 0.236 log CFU/h at 30°C. The maximum population densities (MPD) ranged from 8.7 to 11.0 log CFU/g. The growth and MPD of YPST were reduced significantly at 30°C. Models for GR and MPD of YPST in raw ground beef (RGB) as a function of storage temperatures were produced and displayed acceptable bias and accuracy. The models were validated with rifampicin‐resistant YPST (rif‐YPST) in sterile ground beef stored at 4, 10 and 25°C. The observed GR and MPD were within 95% of the predicted values. When compared to non‐sterile retail ground beef, the growth of rif‐YPST was not inhibited and displayed similar GR at 0, 10 and 25°C and MPDs as sterile ground beef at 10 and 25°C. Moreover, there was no loss of virulence plasmid in YPST during its growth in ground beef indicating that RGB contaminated with virulence plasmid‐bearing YPST could cause disease due to refrigeration failure, temperature (10–25°C) abuse, and if the meat was not properly cooked.     

Shattering or not shattering: that is the question in domestication of rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

The loss of shattering of rice has long been acknowledged as a crucial step sweeping the path of domestication. Here, we collated evidence from genetics, and anthropology to challenge this long-held view. Our discussion dwelt on arguments that (1) undermined the effect of a mutation in the key locus (sh4) which does not always confer non-shattering, (2) identified the involvement of other loci, (3) uncovered natural variation in shatterability still existing in domesticated landraces, and (4) relatively recent fixation of the mutation. Similarly, cultural attributes asserted a long tradition of naturally shattering wild rice cultivation and adaptive strategies of gathering which is still widely exercised in many parts of South and South-East Asia, Africa, and Australia. Altogether, it strongly suggests that primitive agriculture thrived largely relying on wild rice or semi-domesticated shattering phenotype but non-shattering emerged into conspicuity much later in the history.