Indicators of soil quality and crop productivity assessment at a long-term experiment site in the lower Indo-Gangetic plains

Deterioration of soil quality under resource-intensive modern agriculture in the face of global climate change poses a huge risk to food security. Because of the complex nature, estimators of soil quality often rely upon a limited set of soil attributes, along with statistical data reduction techniques, for developing quality indices, whilst overlooking biological aspects and regional climatic variability. This study screened the most suitable soil quality indexing approaches for a rice-oilseed-based cropping system in the lower Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP). For this, surface soil samples (0–15 cm) were collected from an ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment with a rice-mustard-sesame cropping system in the IGP. The following treatments were assessed for their effect on soil quality: T₁-control, T₂-NPK (recommended NPK doses), T₃-NPKG (NPK + in situ green manuring), T₄-NPKGB (NPK + in situ green manuring + biofertilizer) and T₅-NPKF (NPK + farm yard manure FYM). We found that total organic carbon (TOC), β-glucosidase, CaCl₂ extractable S, alkaline KMnO₄ oxidizable N, activity of urease, amidase enzyme and mean weight diameter (MWD) were sensitive key indicators of soil quality. The NPKF treatment maintained the highest soil quality status (0.80–0.91), both under productivity and environmental protection goals, owing to the availability of decomposable carbon. Regression analysis showed a better agreement of equivalent rice yield with expert opinion (EO; R² = 0.89) than principal component analysis (PCA; R² = 0.76). Finally, we found that the expert opinion approach with the nonlinear scoring function was the best tool for soil quality assessment of the region.     

Efficacy of 17 α‐methyl testosterone and letrozole on sex reversal of protogynous grouper,Epinephelus tauvina (Forskal, 1775) and spawning performance of sex‐reversed males

This study aimed to test the efficacy of 17 α‐methyl testosterone (17 α‐MT) alone and in combination with letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, for the induction of sex reversal in protogynous greasy grouper, Epinephelus tauvina. Further, the long‐lasting effects of these treatments and spawning performance of sex‐reversed males were also investigated. Greasy grouper with oocytes in the perinucleolus stage were implanted with 5 mg 17 α‐MT kg^?1 body weight (T₁), 5 mg 17 α‐MT and 0.2 mg letrozole kg^?1 body weight (T₂) and 5 mg 17 α‐MT with 0.4 mg letrozole kg^?1 body weight (T₃) and no androgens/enzyme inhibitor implanted (C). The 17 α‐MT alone and in combination of letrozole‐induced sex reversal in greasy grouper, whereas untreated control fish (C) showed normal ovarian development. However, T₂ and T₃ group showed 100% sex reversal and completion of spermatogenesis up to functional male phase in 2 and 3 months, respectively, whereas T₁ group resulted in only 66.67% functional male with motile spermatozoa after 4 months. Sex‐reversed males successfully fertilized the eggs during induced spawning. There were significant differences on fertilization and hatching rates between T₂ group (79.00 ± 4.36%; 77.67 ± 2.87%, respectively) and T₁ group (57.67 ± 3.17%; 63.87 ± 2.91%, respectively). The result suggested that 17 α‐MT (5.0 mg kg^?1 BW) in combination with letrozole (0.2 mg kg^?1 BW) has the potential to produce 100% sex‐reversed male in short period in greasy grouper, which might greatly help in seed production of greasy grouper.     

Susceptibility to IVM in a field strain of Haemonchus contortus subjected to four treatments in a closed sheep-goat flock in Kenya

Susceptibility to IVM (IVM) of “strain A” Haemonchus contortus which had been exposed to IVM four times over a 2-year period was compared to IVM susceptibility of “strain C” H. contortus which had no prior field exposure to IVM, by in vivo and in vitro methods. In vivo, the percentage reduction in faecal egg counts (FEC) and the total worm counts (TWC) were compared between control animals (lambs and kids) and animals treated with low dose IVM (20 μg/kg). In vitro susceptibility to IVM was evaluated by larval migration inhibition (LMI) after the two strains of H. contortus were exposed to different concentrations of IVM. The dose response, measured as the proportion of larvae inhibited from migrating, was used to estimate LD₅₀. Although differences in response to IVM in the in vivo determinations were not significant, “strain A” H. contortus had a significantly higher LD₅₀ than “strain C” in the LMI assay. Coincident with the conduct of the in vivo experiment, it was observed that “strain A” H. contortus established and survived better than “strain C” in the control lambs.     

Optimization of Farmyard Manure to Substitute Mineral Fertilizer for Sustainable Productivity and Higher Carbon Sequestration Potential and Profitability under Gardenpea-French Bean Cropping System in the Indian Himalayas

Carbon sequestration potential (CSP) and sustainability of gardenpea-french bean cropping system was assessed with farmyard manure (FYM) application vis-à-vis mineral fertilization as recommended NPK (NPK) and integrated nutrient management practices (INM) after six years’ cropping in Indian Himalayas. Application of 20 tons FYM ha^?1 provided highest CSP (0.527 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1) in soil and sustainability index. With the help of quadratic equations, it was estimated that maximum profit (optimum yield) and turn over of invested money could be achieved with application of 20.0 and 15.6 t FYM ha^?1, respectively. Application of 5.9 and 8.9 tons FYM ha^?1 would substitute NPK and INM, respectively. Pod number plant^?1 was the most important yield-contributing attribute as found from principal component analysis. Pod yield could be modelled through multiple linear equation with help of yield attributes.     

Metabolism of metamitron in goat following a single oral administration of a nontoxic dose level: a continued study

Disposition kinetic behavior and metabolism studies of metamitron and its metabolite in terms of the parent compound were carried out in black Bengal goats after a single oral administration of a nontoxic oral dose at 30 mg kg(-1) of body weight. Metamitron was detected in the blood sample at 5 min (2.23 +/- 0.04 microg mL(-1)), maximum at 1 h (3.43 +/- 0.02 microg mL(-1)) and minimum at 12 h (0.41 +/- 0.01 microg mL(-1)), after a single oral administration. Metabolite [3-methyl-6-phenyl-1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one] in terms of the parent compound was detected in the blood sample at 5 min (0.47 +/- 0.006 microg mL(-1)), maximum at 6 h (5.12 +/- 0.02 microg mL(-1)) and minimum at 96 h (1.06 +/- 0.016 microg mL(-1)), after a single oral administration. The t(1/2 K) and Cl(B) values of metamitron were 3.63 +/- 0.05 h and 1.36 +/- 0.016 L kg(-1) h(-1), respectively, whereas the t(1/2K)(m) and Cl(B)(m) values of the metabolite were 38.15 +/- 0.37 h and 0.091 +/- 0.001 L kg(-1) h(-1), respectively, which suggested long persistence of the metabolite in blood and tissues of goat. Metamitron was excreted through feces and urine for up to 48 and 72 h, whereas the metabolite was excreted for up to 168 and 144 h, respectively. Metabolite alone contributed to 96 and 67% of combined recovery percentage of metamitron and metabolite against the administered dose in feces and urine of goat, respectively. All of the goat tissues except lung, adrenal gland, ovary, testis, and mammary gland retained the metabolite residue for up to 6 days after administration.     

Colicin-tolerant mutants of Escherichia coli: resistance of membranes to colicin E1

Colicin E1 blocks proline accumulation by membrane vesicles prepared from wild-type sensitive Escherichia coli. Two classes of mutant cells are unaffected by colicin. Vesicles from colicin-resistant strains are sensitive to colicin E1, whereas vesicles from colicin-tolerant strains are unaffected by colicin El. These results suggest that the colicin E1 receptor is on the cell membrane and that colicin-tolerant strains have altered membranes while colicin-resistant strains have altered cell walls.     

Photodecomposition of an acaricide,fenazaquin, in aqueous alcoholic solution

Fenazaquin (I) is a new acaricide of the quinazoline class. The photodecomposition of I was studied in aqueous methanolic and 2-propanolic solution under UV light (30 h) and sunlight (70 h) separately. The photolytic half-lives in aqueous methanolic solution were found to be 17.1 h (UV) and 38.1 h (sunlight), whereas these were 12.9 h (UV) and 29.2 h (sunlight) for aqueous 2-propanolic solution; all followed a first-order reaction kinetics. Six photoproducts were obtained: beta-phenyl (p-tert-butyl) ethyl alcohol (II), 4-hydroxyquinazoline (III), p-tert-butyl vinyl benzene (IV), 2,4-dihydroxyquinazoline (V), phenyl (p-tert-butyl) acetic acid (VI), and 2-methyl-2-[4'-(2' '-hydroxyethyl)phenyl]propanoic acid (VII). Compounds VI and VII could be isolated only from aqueous 2-propanolic solution under sunlight irradiation. The major degradation products are formed as a result of cleavage of the ether bridge linking the quinazoline and phenyl ring systems of the molecule, oxidation of the tert-butyl substituent, and oxidation of the heterocyclic portion of the quinazoline ring. A probable mechanism of formation of the photoproducts is also suggested.     

Cadmium-induced bone loss: Increased susceptibility in females

An overview is presented of studies on effects of Cd on (1) female mice during pregnancy and lactation and after ovariectomy and (2) bone organ/cell culture systems. The gastrointestinal absorption of Cd increased two- to threefold in mouse dams during pregnancy and lactation, with both the kidneys and duodenum of the dam showing striking increases in Cd deposition. Dietary Cd at 5 or 50 μg g^?1 caused a dose-dependent decrease in femur Ca content in multiparous mouse dams but not in nonpregnant controls. In addition, dietary Cd at 50 μg g^?1 significantly increased the loss of bone mineral that occurs normally in mice after removal of the ovaries. In cultures of fetal rat limb bones prelabeled with ⁴⁵Ca, Cd at 10 nM (1 ng g^?1) caused a release of 70% of the ⁴⁵Ca, similar to the release caused by 10 nM parathyroid hormone. This level of Cd also caused a fivefold increase in the number of multinucleated osteoclast-like cells formed during in vitro incubation of progenitor-enriched mononuclear bone marrow cells. These results support the view that Cd exposure contributed to the pathogenesis of Itai-Itai disease among multiparous, postmenopausal women in Japan and provide evidence that Cd may act directly on bone.

     

Air Pollution and its Impact on Lung Function of Children in Delhi, the Capital City of India

Air pollution is a major contributor to several respiratory problems, it affects the whole population in general but children are more susceptible. Exposure to automobile exhaust is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and may impair lung function in children. In view of this, the study was conducted among the children of Delhi, the capital city of India, where ambient air quality was much above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The study was conducted in children aged 9–17 years. Pulmonary function test was carried out following the guideline of American Thoracic Society using a portable, electronic spirometer. Air quality data was collected from Central and State Pollution Control Boards. In addition, the level of particulate matter in indoor air was measured by portable laser photometer. Lung function was reduced in 43.5% schoolchildren of the urban area compared with 25.7% of control group. The urban children had increased prevalence of restrictive, obstructive, as well as combined type of lung functions deficits. Besides higher prevalence, the magnitude of lung function deficits was also much more in them. After controlling potential confounders like season, socioeconomic conditions and ETS, PM10 level in ambient air was found to be associated with restrictive (OR?=?1.35, 95% CI 1.07–1.58), obstructive (OR?=?1.45, 95% CI 1.16–1.82), and combined type of lung function deficits (OR?=?1.74, 95% CI 1.37–2.71) in children. Spearman's rank correlation test reaffirmed the association. The study confirms that the level of air pollution is affecting the children.     

Comparative study of different surface decontaminants on chicken quality

(1) A comparative study on the effect of different surface decontaminants: hot water at 70 degrees C for one minute; 2% lactic acid for 30 s; 1200 p.p.m. acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) solution for 5 s and 50 p.p.m. chlorine solution for 5 min in the form of dips and sprays on the surface of dressed broilers for 0, 24 and 48 h of storage was conducted. (2) The variables studied were, total plate count (TPC), presumptive coliform count (PCC), pH and extract release volume (ERV). All treatments reduced TPC and PCC. (3) Lactic acid dip and hot water dip were the most effective for reducing TPC (1.36 and 1.28 log/cm2, respectively) with no significant difference between them. (4) ASC and hot water in dip could diminish PCC (1.37 and 1.34 log/cm2, respectively) and did not vary significantly. (5) No treatment affected muscle pH, water holding capacity (WHC), ERV, appearance, smell, tenderness and overall acceptability of treated broilers significantly. (6) Hot water treatment is the cheapest, most convenient and simplest decontamination technique for hygienic and wholesome poultry production.