Heat stress and effect of shade materials on hormonal and behavior response of dairy cattle: a review

In tropical countries, at high temperatures, several physiological rearrangements occur in cows as they attempt to facilitate heat dissipation and/or reduce metabolic heat production. Following exposure to heat, cattle appear to acclimatize within 2–7 weeks. The failure of homeostasis at high temperatures may lead to reduced productivity or even death. The situation is even worse when humidity adds to high temperature. Livestock with elevated body temperature exhibit lower DMI and growth with less efficiency, reducing profitability for dairy farms in hot and humid climates. Shading of feed and water also offers production advantages. Although several elaborate methods for reducing heat stress in cows have been reported, simple shade materials appear to be the most cost-effective methods that are currently applicable to tropical developing countries. Different materials are being used to provide shade during warm weather. The shade material determines the microclimate—it should be light, strong, durable, weatherproof, good looking and a bad conductor of heat, and free from tendency to condense moisture inside. This review discusses various shade materials and their advantages and disadvantages in different situations.     

Reaction of some wild and cultivated potato varieties to charcoal rot

With a view to select potato varieties possessing resistance to charcoal rot, laboratory tests were carried out at the Central Potato Research Institute, Simla (India). Five hundred and twenty six clones comprising tuber-bearing species ofSolanum and varieties and hybrids of potato were screened for their reaction toMacrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) Ashby. A high degree of resistance was observed in six clones ofSolanum chacoense and four hybrids withS. chacoense germ plasm, while moderate susceptibility was observed in another six clones ofS. chacoense, three clones ofSolanum tuberosum ssp.andigena and nineteen hybrids produced at the Institute.     

Induced morphological mutants in soybean [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis> (L.) Merrill]

The seeds of two soybean cultivars viz., Pusa-16 and PK-1042 were treated with 15, 30, and 45 kR of gamma rays, three concentrations of ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%), and their combinations. Various morphological mutants were recorded in M₂ and M₃ generations. These morphological mutants were named on the basis of the part of the plant body affected. Eight different morphological mutants, i.e., tall, dwarf, gigas, black pod, smooth pod, black spotted seed, bold seeded, and early maturing were isolated. Among them, early maturing and bold seeded mutants had the potential to be incorporated into breeding programs.     

Folklore medicinal plants of North Andaman Islands, India

The rural folk of North Andaman, India use the traditional medicine for their primary health care. Folklore medicinal uses of 72 interesting medicinal plant species along with botanical name, local name, family, habit, part used, disease for which the drug is administrated, mode of administration are presented. These 72 plant species which provide the crude drugs pertain to 67 genera and 43 families of Magnoliophyta from tropical rainforests. These plants used to cure 40 ailments. Most remedies were taken orally, accounting for 76% of medicinal use. Most of the remedies were reported to have been from trees (55.6%) and herb (22.2%) species. The most widely sought after plant parts in the preparation of remedies in the areas are the stem bark (33.8%) and root (23.9%).     

Cytological effects of different mutagens in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

The effect of gamma rays, ethyl methane sulphonate, and their three combinations on various cytological parameters in M1 generation was studied in two soybean cultivars, Pusa-16 and PK-1042. Combined treatments exhibited high meiotic abnormalities in Pusa-16 as compared with the individual treatments of ethyl methane sulphonate and gamma rays. In PK-1042 the highest frequency of meiotic abnormalities was exhibited by gamma rays, while in Pusa-16 the frequencies of univalents were high as compared with other meiotic abnormalities. Fragments/bridges, laggards, ring and rod bivalents were other types of meiotic abnormalities that were noticed in both the cultivars. The frequencies of irregular cells in the two cultivars were high in combined treatments followed by ethyl methane sulphonate and gamma rays. The highest percentage of pollen sterility was exhibited by the combined treatments and the lowest was exhibited by gamma rays. In Pusa-16, the increase in doses of gamma rays and ethyl methane sulphonate increased the pollen sterility percentage, while in the combined treatments, the increase was noticed up to the intermediate dose and then gradually decreased at higher doses. On the other hand, in PK-1042 the increase in ethyl methane sulphonate dose increased sterility percentage, while no definite trend was noticed in gamma rays and combined treatments.     

Studies on induction of chlorophyll mutations in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill

The phenotypic response of two soybean cultivars to a chemical mutagen (ethyl methane sulphonate, EMS), physical mutagen (gamma rays) and their combinations were studied in M1 and M2 generations and the frequency and spectrum of chlorophyll mutations were worked out. Combined treatment was found to be more effective in inducing chlorophyll mutations compared to individual treatments of gamma rays and EMS in both the cultivars. As far as the spectrum of chlorophyll mutations is concerned, a wider spectrum in both the cultivars was observed in 45 kR + 0.2% EMS combined treatment.