Forest-based betel leaf and betel nut People in Bangladesh： approach Lawachara National Park （LNP） farming of the Khasia indigenous to biodiversity conservation in

An exploratory survey was conducted among the Khasia living in Lawachara National Parkt （LNP） to investigate their depend- ency on the protected area （PA） for livelihoods, betel leaf hill farming, traditional forest conservation and perceptions of the PA, Field data were collected by interviewing 48 household heads from two villages （punjis） located inside the LNP and visiting their farms.： The economy of the Khasia was forest-based. They were largely dependent on betel leaf hill farming in LNP and nearly 71% of their mean annual income was de- rived from this irrespective of farmer category. On average, about 14% of the incomes of the poorer farmers came from forest produce followed by 10% and 6% for medium and rich farmers respectively. Hills and forests were the foundations of their lives and livelihoods, and LNP was the life-blood of Khasia survival. As a sustainable production system, this farming practice plays a vital role in conserving biodiversity in LNP and might be replicated elsewhere.     

Molecular characterization and xenogenic application of wharton’s jelly derived caprine mesenchymal stem cells

Aim of the present study was in vitro expansion and characterization of caprine wharton’s jelly derived mesenchymal stem cells (cWJ-MSCs) to investigate their tissue healing potential in xenogenic animal model. Plastic adherent fibroblastoid cell populations with distinctive homogeneous morphology were isolated from caprine wharton’s jelly explants. These wharton’s jelly derived cells were found positive for the surface markers CD-73, STRO-1 and CD-105, whereas they were negative for hematopoetic stem cell marker CD-34. In vitro cultured cWJ-MSCs also showed differentiation properties into osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages as demonstrated by von Kossa, Oil Red- O and Alcian blue staining respectively, which was further confirmed and quantified by flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, these well characterized cWJ-MSCs were evaluated for the wound-healing potential in full-thickness skin wounds in rabbit model for 28 days. Caprine WJ- MSCs treated skin wounds showed significantly (P?<?0.05) higher percentage of wound contraction especially at the 21^st day post transplantation when compared to PBS treated control group animals. Further, we observed better healing potential of cWJ-MSCs in terms of histo-morphological evaluation, epithelialisation and collagenization with matured vascularization stage by day 28 as compared to control. In conclusion, cWJ- MSCs provide an alternative inexhaustible source of mesenchymal stem cells and also unravel new perspectives pertaining to the therapeutic use of these cells in different species.     

Effect of Climatic Variation on Yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) at Different Dates of Sowing

Although experiments have previously been carried out to determine the optimum sowing time of sesame, very few attempts have been made to determine the effects of macro and micro climatic variation on yield. Thus a field experiment was conducted at the University Research Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, India on an Entisol (alluvial, sandy loam) in the summer seasons of 1996 and 1997 to assess the effects of macro and micro climatic variations on yield of sesame for various dates of sowing. The number of seeds per capsule of sesame was highest in the crop sown on 19 February, although up to the 18 April sowing there was no significant variation. There was no appreciable variation in thousand-seed weight with date of sowing. Crops sown on 19 February and 1 March produced statistically similar yields. The average reduction in yield of sesame was 78.5 and 213 %, respectively, for crops sown on 10 February and 28 April, compared with the crop sown on 19 February. The cultivar Rama produced higher yields than B-67 and Kanke-1. Ambient temperature above 30 °C up to 100 % flowering had a direct positive effect on sesame yield. Crop exposure to 60–70, 70–80 and  80 % relative humidity up to 100 % flowering had a direct negative effect. Temperature profile at 50 days after emergence (DAE), relative humidity at 60 DAE, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at 30 and 40 DAE within the crop canopy had direct positive effects on yield. Regression models suggested that temperature profile and PAR within the crop canopy produced 72 and 35 % variation in yield, respectively.     

Remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soils using microbes and nanoparticles: A review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH) pollution is a global concern because of their toxicity to environment and ecosystem, which induces adverse effects on plants, animals, and humans. Hydrocarbons are mainly released from natural and anthropogenic activities, such as incomplete fuel combustion, leakages in oil pipelines, and the extensive use of pesticides; PAH contaminants include petroleum hydrocarbons(PHCs), halogenated hydrocarbons, chlorophenols, and pesticides. Bioremediation using microo...     

Internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA resolving complex taxonomic history in the genus Vicia L.

The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the 18S-28S nrDNA was sequenced in 49 Vicia species and subspecies selected from nine sections of the two subgenera to resolve taxonomic contradictions. Phylogenies derived from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences strongly support the view that both Vicia faba and Vicia bithynica are distant from the Narbonensis species complex (NSC) in section Faba. V. faba is more closely aligned with sections Peregrinae and Hypechusa, whereas V. bithynica is more closely aligned with section Vicia. Six synapomorphic substitutions unique to the NSC support a separate section for the Narbonensis complex. Vicia johannis subsp. johannis was the most diverged species within the NSC with high genetic distance between V. johannis subsp. johannis and remaining species and subspecies of the NSC. These results suggest that Vicia johannis subsp. johannis should be given species rank. The neighbor-joining and parsimony based trees supported the sections Vicia (after the exclusion of Vicia lathyroides) and Cracca (after the exclusion of Vicia vicioides and Vicia hirsuta). The section Hypechusa is polyphyletic and paraphyletic based on the present ITS sequence cladistic analysis. The x = 7 as the ancestral number for the genus is supported by the present study.     

PLANT AVAILABILITY OF NICKEL AS INFLUENCED BY FARMYARD MANURE AND ITS CRITICAL TOXIC LIMITS IN FRENCH BEAN

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the critical toxic limits of nickel (Ni) in french bean grown on a mollisol receiving varying levels of farmyard manure (FYM). Nickel levels beyond 10 mg kg^?1 soil brought a significant reduction in the dry matter yields of french bean. Application of FYM, especially at the higher level (4.46 g kg^?1 soil), had a favorable effect on the dry matter yields of french bean. The effect of FYM application was more pronounced at the medium levels of Ni. Application of higher level of FYM could decrease Ni concentration in plants significantly. Different soil extractants employed in the present study could be arranged in the following order of their Ni extraction power: Mehlich 3 > 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) > double acid > ammonium bicarbonate (AB)-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) > DTPA. Among different extractants evaluated in the study, DTPA (pH 7.3) appeared to be most promising for predicting Ni concentration in french bean. The threshold toxic levels of Ni in french bean and also in terms of extractable soil Ni contents were influenced by FYM application.     

Prospects and challenges in utilization of indigenous rocks and minerals as source of potassium in farming

Potassium (K) is one of the essential nutrients required by crops in large quantities; however, its use in agriculture by farmers is less than required in developing countries. This neglect has led to excess mining of K in soils by crop plants and has resulted in a negative balance of K in soils. This loss necessitates the need of more use of potassium fertilizers in agriculture. Rocks and minerals offer a potential fertilizer to utilize in agriculture as source of K. The crop trials revealed that feldspar, mica, glauconite, nepheline and shoenite are good sources of K for crops, especially in highly weathered acid soils. However, some researchers have reported no agronomic benefit of feldspar or granite rock application to crops. Overall the size modification, acidulation, microbial inoculants and preparation of K-enriched compost are the effective techniques to utilize K-bearing rocks and minerals. Very limited information is available on these aspects. Thus, in this review, an attempt has been to consolidate up-to-date information of indigenous rocks and minerals as possibilities for alternate sources of K for crop plants. Moreover, this area of research needs attention to utilize indigenous K sources, which can aid to limit the import and cost, of the establishment of potash fertilizer-based industries in developing countries.