Use of traditional inputs and advanced industrial technology in value-added within the pulp and paper industry in india

This paper exploits the information obtained in Annual Survey of Industries during 1999–2010 to gauge the degree of value-added owing to the use of traditional inputs (capital, labor, energy, indigenous materials, and imported materials) and advanced industrial production technology (services, information and communications technology, and pollution control equipment) in two main sub-sectors of the Pulp and Paper (P&P) industry in India categorized according to use of different types of raw material. The panel data econometric exercise confirms that the use of traditional inputs and advanced industrial technologies, and industry level determinants of the two sub-sectors have varied effects on value-added within them. These findings are important for promoting higher value-added production in different sectors within the resource-based industry.     

印度西部5种热带干落叶林中凋落物中生物元素和返回到绿叶中的季节性变化(英文)

本文对印度西部5种热带干落叶林中凋落物里生物元素的季节性变化和它们返回到新鲜叶中季节性变化进行研究。对5个树种:阿拉伯金合欢(Acacia nilotica L.)、金合欢(Acacia leucophloea Roxb.)、柚木(Tectonagrandis L.f.)、绒毛野独活(Miliusa tomentosa Roxb.)和紫矿(Butea mono-sperma Lain.)中凋落物的成熟叶、枝和再生部分的N、P、Ca、Mg、K和Na的浓度,以及老叶和幼叶中浓度间的关系进行调查。对这些树种的总干物质进行记录,并分析它们所含的N、P、Ca、Mg、K和Na的含量。其中阿拉伯金合欢叶子中N的含量最高,而金合欢的叶子里Ca和Mg含量最高。叶中含P最多的是阿托伯金合欢、金合欢和紫矿,而含P最少的是柚木和绒毛野独活。K和Na含量在这些树种中没有明显的区别。观察发现,N、P和K的浓度随季节变化大,但Ca和Mg则不然。唯有钾在所有树种中都是最稳定的,吸收N和P可以用于来年新叶的生长。从老叶和凋落物中吸收的营养会支持新叶的生长,并增加土壤的肥力。图1表4参30。     

Land-use effects on phosphorus fractions in Indo-Gangetic alluvial soils

Phosphorus (P) in soil exists both in organic and inorganic forms and their relative abundance could determine P supplying capacity of soil. Differential input of exogenous and plant-mediated phosphorus and carbon in soil under different land-uses could influence P availability and fertilizer P management. While the effect of land-use on soil organic carbon (SOC) is fairly well-documented, its effect on soil P fractions is relatively less known. We investigated the effect of different land-uses including rice–wheat, maize–wheat, cotton–wheat cropping systems and poplar-based agroforestry systems on soil P fractions and organic carbon accrual in soils. Total P concentration was the highest under agroforestry (569 mg P kg^?1) and the lowest under maize–wheat (449 mg P kg^?1) cropping systems. On the contrary, soils under rice–wheat had significantly higher available P concentration than the agroforestry systems, probably because of higher fertilizer P application in rice–wheat and prevailing wetland conditions during rice growth. In soils under sole cropping systems viz. rice–wheat, maize–wheat and cotton–wheat, inorganic P was the dominant fraction and accounted for 92.2–94.6% of total P. However, the soils under agroforestry had smaller proportion (73%) of total P existing as inorganic P. Among soil P fractions, water soluble inorganic P (0.13–0.26%) represented the smallest proportion inorganic P in soils under different land-uses. Agroforestry showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of SOC than the other land-uses. Soil organic C was significantly correlated with soil P fractions. It was concluded that poplar-based agroforestry systems besides leading to C accrual in soil result in build-up of organic P and the P supplying capacity of soil.     

Fodder grass productivity and soil fertility changes under four grass+tree associations in Kerala, India

Adapted tree+grass combinations make a valuable contribution to forage production in the Indian peninsula, but knowledge of the interactive effects between trees and grasses on their production is limited. We, therefore, conducted a field experiment involving combinations of four trees and grasses, besides monospecific grass controls, for seven years, to investigate grass productivity in association with leguminous and non-leguminous multipurpose trees (MPT) having disparate canopy architecture, and to assess the end-of-rotation soil fertility changes. Post rotation changes in herbage productivity were evaluated by growing teosinte (Zea mexicana) for three years. The four MPTs were Acacia auriculiformis, Ailanthus triphysa, Casuarina equisetifolia and Leucaena leucocephala. Grasses included Pennisetum purpureum (hybrid napier), Brachiaria ruziziensis (congo signal), Panicum maximum (guinea grass) and teosinte. Lower tree branches were pruned from fifth year. Understorey herbage production increased until three years in all tree+grass combinations, but declined subsequently, as tree crowns expanded. Overall, casuarina among MPTs, and hybrid napier and guinea grass among forage crops, were more productive than others. Pruning MPTs generally favoured greater herbage production. Understorey light levels for acacia, ailanthus, casuarina and leucaena were 17, 60, 55 and 55% of that in the open at five years. During the post-rotation phase, MPT plots were characterised by higher soil nutrient capital and consequently teosinte yields were higher than in the treeless control treatment. All previous tree-grass combinations showed an increasing trend till two years after MPT felling. Yield levels declined subsequently, despite at variable rates. Careful selection of the tree and grass components is, therefore, crucial for optimising herbage productivity in silvopastoral systems. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isolation of a deoxy lupane triterpene carboxylic acid from Finlaysonia obovata (a mangrove plant)

A deoxy lupane triterpene carboxylic acid, lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid (1), was isolated from the active chloroform extract of Finlaysonia obovata, a latex exuding mangrove plant. Its structure was evaluated on the basis of different spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid (1) has shown moderate antimicrobial activity, against some fish pathogens.     

Root activity of young <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia mangium</Emphasis> Willd trees: influence of stand density and pruning as studied by <Superscript>32</Superscript>P soil injection technique

Initial spacing and pruning are silvicultural strategies that influence the resource acquisition capabilities of trees. A field study was conducted in the humid tropics of peninsular India to test the assumptions that: (1) high stand density of Acacia mangium induces greater root uptake capacity close to the stem and from the subsoil; and (2) crown pruning stimulates greater root uptake capacity at proximal points. Root activity pattern of two-year-old A. mangium was evaluated as a function of three population densities (1,250, 2,500 and 5,000 stems ha⁻¹), with, and without 50% crown pruning, using ³²P soil injection. The label was placed at 25, 50 and 75 cm lateral distances and at 30 and 60 cm depth. Low density stands (1,250 stems ha⁻¹) generally showed higher ³²P recovery (P < 0.01), which was exaggerated by pruning. Pruned low density stands had 34% root activity at 25 cm, as against 23% for unpruned. The low density stands also showed higher root activity at 75 cm, signifying greater root spread. We suggest that high stem densities favour restricted spread of absorbing roots and may facilitate competitive downward displacement of roots. Pruning the lateral shoots at low stem densities may simulate this to some extent. The net outcome of interactions, however, will depend on trade-offs between stem density and tree management over time.     

Genetic variation and gene flow estimation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nepenthes khasiana</Emphasis> Hook. F- A threatened insectivorous plant of India as revealed by RAPD markers

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were utilized for determination of diversity within and among the three populations of Nepenthes khasiana Hook f., a threatened insectivorous plant of Meghalaya (India). A total of 90 bands were generated from 10 random amplification polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers of which 71 were found to be polymorphic (78.89%). Nei’s gene diversity (h) ranged between 0.124–0.201 with overall diversity of 0.228 while Shannon’s information index I) values recorded between 0.187–0.308 with an average value of 0.352. The values of gene flow (Nm = 1.284) and the diversity among populations (0.280) recorded demonstrates higher genetic variation within the population. AMOVA analysis revealed a low level of genetic variation (21.96%) among the populations. This study indicates that some variation still exists within and between the existing populations of N. khasiana, thus, these populations could provide materials for re-establishing of this important rare and threatened species.     

Commercial viability of alternative cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility systems in pearl millet

Commercial viability of three cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterility (CMS) systems (A₄, A₅ and A_v) as potential alternatives to the most widely used A₁ system in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) was evaluated in terms of stability of complete male sterility of four isonuclear A-lines (81A₁, 81A₄, 81A₅ and 81A_v) and the level and stability of male fertility restoration of their 44 single-cross hybrids. Lines 81A₄ and 81A₅ had no pollen shedders (PS), and there were very low frequency of non-PS plants of these A-lines that had a maximum of 1–5% selfed seedset (SSS). In 81A₁ and 81A_v,there were, albeit low frequency (<1%) of PS plants, and relatively higher frequency of the non-PS plants in these two lines, the more so in 81A_v,had 1–5% and even greater SSS. Some hybrids made on each of the three A-lines (81A₁, 81A₄ and 81A_v) had high and stable male fertility, while others made on the same three A-lines displayed large variation in SSS across the environments, the more so in case of hybrids made on 81A_v. These results indicate that the A₄ CMS system provides a better alternative to the A₁ CMS system, while the A_v system does not. On the basis of highly stable male sterility and the highest frequency of pollinators behaving as maintainers, the A₅ CMS system appeared to be the best for A-line breeding. The commercial viability of this CMS system in breeding R-lines of grain hybrids, however, still remains to be ascertained as no hybrid on it was fully male fertile in any environment. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inheritance of resistance to spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana in spring wheat

Three F₁ progenies and their families in the segregating generations (F₃, F₄, F₅ and F₆), obtained after crossing resistant × susceptible wheat genotypes were studied in the field to determine the genetics of resistance to spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana. Spot blotch scores in the F₁ generation showed absence of dominance. Individually threshed F₂ plants were used to advance the generations. Progenies (200‐250) of resistant genotypes Acc. No. 8226, Mon/Ald, Suzhoe#8 crossed with susceptible ‘Sonalika’ were evaluated in the F₃, F₄, F₅ and F₆ generations under induced epiphytotic conditions. Based on disease score distribution in individual progeny rows, F₃ progenies were grouped into four classes: homozygous resistant, homozygous susceptible, segregating resistant and segregating susceptible. Resistance appeared to be under the control of three additive genes. The presence of three genes was also noted in the distribution of F₄ and F₅ lines. In the case of F₆ progeny rows, both quantitative and qualitative models were used to estimate the number of segregating genes based on a 2‐year trial. It appeared that resistance to spot blotch was controlled by the additive interaction of more than two genes, possibly only three.     

Genetic transformation of pigeonpea with rice chitinase gene

With a long‐term plan to develop transgenic pigeonpea with resistance to fungal disease, the transfer of a rice chitinase gene to pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is reported here. The rice chitinase gene harboured in the plasmid pCAMBIA 1302:RChit was delivered via the Agrobacterium‐mediated method to the cotyledonary node explants followed by subsequent regeneration of complete plants on selection media containing hygromycin. Putative transformed pigeonpea plants were recovered with stringent selection pressure and confirmed using molecular techniques. Stable integration and expression of the chitinase gene has been confirmed in the T0 and T1 transgenics through molecular analysis.