Drosophila egg-laying site selection as a system to study simple decision-making processes

The ability to select a better option from multiple acceptable ones is important for animals to optimize their resources. The mechanisms that underlie such decision-making processes are not well understood. We found that selection of egg-laying site in Drosophila melanogaster is a suitable system to probe the neural circuit that governs simple decision-making processes. First, Drosophila females pursue active probing of the environment before depositing each egg, apparently to evaluate site quality for every egg. Second, Drosophila females can either accept or reject a sucrose-containing medium, depending on the context. Last, communication of the "acceptability" of the sucrose-containing medium as an egg-laying option to the reproductive system depends on the function of a group of insulin-like peptide 7 (ILP7)-producing neurons. These findings suggest that selection of egg-laying site involves a simple decision-making process and provide an entry point toward a systematic dissection of this process.     

Soil Chemical and Biological Activities under Vegetable Intensive Colocasia-based Cropping System in Indian Sub-Himalayas

ABSTRACT

Lack of crop diversification with suitable vegetable-based cropping system is a major constraint in limiting the productivity and sustainability of north-western Indian sub-Himalayas. To find out a sustainable vegetable-based cropping system in this region, a three year colocasia-based vegetable intensive experiment was conducted at Hawalbagh, Almora, India in a sandy clay loam soil under sub-temperate climatic conditions. Seven colocasia-based vegetable cropping systems along with rice–wheat system were compared under recommended package and practices. The system productivity in terms of colocasia equivalent yield was highest under colocasia–onion–frenchbean (52.38 Mg ha^?1) system. Sustainable yield index was highest with colocasia–gardenpea–frenchbean system (0.86). After 3 years, total soil organic carbon (0–5%), available N (2–22%), P (–7% to 14%) and K (3–15%) concentrations were increased in all cropping systems except rice–wheat system, where negative balance of available P (7%) was observed over that of initial soil. Significantly higher soil microbial activity, soil carbohydrate, dehydrogenase, protease, acid and alkaline phosphatases activity were observed under colocasia–onion system. The results suggest that colocasia–onion–frenchbean system with higher productivity improves soil fertility and enhances enzymatic activities.     

Development of Empirical Formulae to Determine Emission Rate from Various Opencast Coal Mining Operations

All major mining activities, particularly opencast coal mining,directly or indirectly contribute to the problem of air pollution.Therefore, air quality assessment and prediction arerequired to prevent and minimize the air quality deteriorationdue to various opencast coal mining operations. Determination ofemission rates for these activities is the first and foremostconcern. In view of the above, this study was undertaken to determinate emission rates and to develop empericalformulae to calculate emission rates of various opencast coalmining activities.To achieve the objectives, seven coal mining sites were selectedto generate site-specific emission data by considering miningpractices, method of working, geographical location,accessibility and above all resourceavailability. The study covers various mining activities andlocations including drilling, overburden loading and unloading,coal loading and unloading, the coal handling plant, the exposedoverburden dump, the stock yard, the workshop, the exposed pit surface roadsand haul roads.Based on the study, a set of twelve emperical formulae have beendeveloped for calculation of suspended particulate matter (SPM)emission rates from various opencast coal mining activities. Theemission of gaseous pollutants (sulphur dioxide and nitrogenoxide) has been found negligible for various mining activities.Therefore, observation for gaseous pollutants has been consideredfor overall mine activities and empirical formulae have subsequently beendeveloped.The developed empirical formulae were calculatedby a field study at another coal mine. The measured andcalculated values of emission rate were compared for eachactivity. Average correlation between the measured andcalculated values for different activities was estimated to be 85.6–99.9%, which indicates fairly good accuracy.Validation of the study was also carried out by means of thefugitive dust model (FDM) using the calculated emissionrate data from the empirical formulae for each mining activity of amine, meteorological data and other details as input.The average accuracy between measured and predictedvalues of concentration of SPM at certain receptor locations wasfound to be 79%. A user-friendly emission software called`EmissCalc' was developed to calculate emission rate, whichcan be used as input for different air quality models.     

Stage Sensitivity of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) to an Elevated Level of Carbon Dioxide

An experiment was undertaken using open‐top chambers to study the effect of CO₂ enrichment on crop growth and to assess the variation related to the time of CO₂ exposure. In general, enriched CO₂ conditions (600 ± 50 p.p.m.) in the chamber positively affected the growth and development of mungbean (Vigna radiata), a short‐duration (60–65 days) summer pulse crop. However, there was significant variability in the effect of the crop stage/time of CO₂ exposure. It was observed that high CO₂ exposure at an early growth stage [0–20 days after germination (DAG)] had a larger effect than that at a later growth stage (21–40 DAG). The experiment also provided a means of assessing the short‐ and long‐term effects of elevated CO₂ on the carbon exchange rate at both stages of exposure. The study revealed that the sensitivity of plants to high CO₂ was more pronounced with respect to net photosynthetic rate. The overall photosynthetic activity gave greater growth and development of plants under high CO₂.     

Studies on the association of Aspergillus fumigatus with ocular infections in animals

The occurrence and aetiological significance of Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic pathogen, have been studied in 93 animals with various ophthalmological problems. A total of 93 eye swabs collected from 35 mules, 26 dogs, 13 fowl, 11 cattle, five buffaloes and three camels were investigated mycologically for the presence of A fumigatus. The pathogen was isolated in pure and heavy growth from the swabs from two dogs, one bull, one mule and one fowl. The fungus was also demonstrated directly in clinical material by the potassium hydroxide technique. A fumigatus could not be cultured from the buffaloes and camels. All the five cases had been treated with broad spectrum antibiotics and cortisone and two had received traumatic injury to the eyes (one mule and a bull). The organism was not isolated in pure culture from the conjunctival swabs of 22 apparently healthy animals (11 dogs, six mules, three fowl and two cattle). Many other saprophytic fungi were recovered in mixed cultures but were considered to be contaminants. The clinical signs and diagnostic criteria of oculomycosis have been discussed.     

N and P Fertilizer Use in Soybean/Maize Mixture

Field experiments were conducted to investigate into the N and P fertilizer use in soybean/maize mixture during the wet seasons of 1985 and 1986 at Yandev Agricultural Experiment Station. Soybean/maize mixtures with 2/3 of the respective plant population of both crops in pure stands were raised at factorial combinations of four rates of N, 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N/ha and four rates of P, 0, 13.2, 26.4 and 39.6 kg P/ha in a randomized complete block design with three replications.
The grain yield of maize cv. TZB (a pure line variety) in mixture and land equivalent ratio (LER) increased linearly up to 120 kg N/ha in 1985 as against significant increase in the grain yield of maize cv. 8322–3 (a hybrid variety) and LER up to 40 kg N/ha only in 1986 primarily due to greater fertilizer N recovery by the latter. Significant enhancement in LER was also recorded up to 26.4 kg P/ha in both years. The yield of soybean in mixture remained unaffected by N or P rates.
Total N uptake by shoots of soybean/maize mixture was significantly and linearly increased up to the application of 120 kg N/ha in 1985 as against significant increase in total N uptake by soybean/maize mixture only up to 40 kg N/ha in 1986 owing to the greater fertilizer N recovery by maize (69%) in the latter than the one (29.75—31.75%) in the former. Total N uptake by shoots of soybean/maize was also increased significantly due to the application of 26.4 kg P/ha.
Application of N and P also significantly enhanced P uptake by shoots of soybean/maize mixture and fertilizer P recovered by mixture was less (3.99—12.95%) in 1985 than the one (19.95—32.12%) in 1986.     

Allelopathic Effect of Three Serious Weeds of Nigerian Savanna on Germination and Seedling Vigour of Soybean and Maize

Allelopathic effects of aqueous extract of three weeds, Ageratum conyzoides L., Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv and Commelina benghalensis L. of Nigerian savanna were investigated on the germination and seedling vigour of soybean ( Glycine max [L.] Merr.) and maize ( Zea mays L.). Aqueous extracts of these weeds exhibited allelopathic phenomenon on seed germination and seedling vigour. Aqueous extracts of I. cylindrica and C. benghalensis at 1 % and 5 % concentration (w/v) had stimulatory effect on soybean germination as against inhibitory effect of 10 % aqueous extract of all weeds on the germination of both soybean and maize seeds. Seedling vigour-length of roots and shoots and fresh weight of seedlings were promoted by aqueous extract of A. conyzoides up to 5 % concentration in soybean whereas all concentrations of extract stimulated the seedling vigour of maize. Aqueous extract of I. cylindrica up to 5 % also caused stimulatory effect on the seedling vigour of both crops but such effects were lesser in magnitude than that observed in case of A. conyzoides. On the contrary, the aqueous extract of C. benghalensis at all concentrations resulted in deleterious effect on the seedling vigour of both soybean and maize.     

Microbiological investigation of fresh and refrigerated partially cooked meat products

Semi-finished meat products were demonstrated to be heavily contaminated with microbes already at the moment of production. The main source of microorganisms was meat surface. Psychrotolerant organisms represented the main factors involved in the rise of organoleptical signs of decay. For the evaluation of the level of hygiene and sanitation, quality of the raw materials used and conditions of storage, the maximal limit values were proposed for 10 species or groups of the microorganisms under study. Pathogenic microorganisms were not detected by the multiplication method in any of the samples.     

The effect of organic manuring and water quality on water transmission parameters and sodication of a sandy loam soil

Water transmission characteristics under saturated and unsaturated conditions were studied in a sandy loam soil with (F₁) and without (F₀) long-term farmyard manure (FYM) treatments, in relation to sodium adsorption ratios (SAR) and electrolyte concentrations of water. The effect of FYM and ratios of Ca²⁺ : Mg²⁺ in water at a given SAR on sodication of the soil was also studied.Saturated hydraulic conductivity (k) and weighted mean diffusivity ($\text{D}\text{?}$) were slightly higher for F₁ than for F₀, whereas sodication indices like Gapon constant (K_G), Krishnamoorthy-Davis-Overstreet constant (K_KDO) and Vanselow constant (K_V) were slightly smaller. The k and $\text{D}\text{?}$ decreased with an increase of SAR and decrease of electrolyte concentration, the effect of SAR being more pronounced. There was proportionately a sharper decrease in the k and $\text{D}\text{?}$ values at SAR 10 with total electrolyte concentrations of 10–40 meq 1^?1. However, with a total electrolyte concentration of 80 meq 1^?1, there was a smaller drop at SAR 10.A small difference in the build-up of exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) in F₁ and F₀ treatments at a given SAR suggests that, apart from slightly improving water transmission parameters, the use of FYM also reduces the sodication hazard in a soil irrigated with sodic waters. An increase in the Ca²⁺ : Mg²⁺ ratio from 25:75 to 75:25 slightly decreased the values of K_G, K_KDO and K_V, thus indicating somewhat more preference for Ca²⁺ to Mg²⁺ at a given SAR, which was more so in F₁ soil. This fact could also be expressed in terms of a slight shift of thermodynamic exchange constant (K) and standard free energy change of the exchange reaction (ΔG⁰_r). The presence of some unidentified Na⁺ releasing minerals in the soils studied was observed and correction for exchangeable Na⁺ determination applied.