Comparative nutrient utilization,growth, and rumen enzyme profile of mithun (Bos frontalis) and Tho-tho cattle (Bos indicus) fed on tree-leaves-based ration

A study was conducted to compare the nutrient utilization, growth, and rumen enzyme profile of mithun (Bos frontalis) and Tho-tho cattle (Bos indicus) reared in the same feeding and managemental conditions. For the purpose, male mithun (n = 8) and male Tho-tho cattle (n = 8) of 1.5 years age, selected from the farm of National Research Centre on Mithun, Nagaland, India, were fed on mixed-tree-leaves-based ration as per the requirement of NRC (2001) for cattle for 12 months. Average daily gain (ADG), average dry matter intake (DMI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) for all animals were recorded. A metabolic trial was conducted at 6 months of the experiment to assess the digestibility coefficient of different nutrients and nutritive value of ration. At 12 months of the experiment, rumen liquor was collected from all animals and analyzed for rumen enzyme profiles, viz., carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, α-amylase, β-glucosidase, α-glucosidase, urease, and protease. It was found that ADG (507.8 g vs 392.8 g), DM intake (6.59 vs 5.85 kg/day) and DMI/W^0.75 (98.75 g vs 91.00 g/day), crude protein intake (780 vs 700 g/day), and total digestible nutrient intake (3.65 vs 3.32 kg/day) were higher (p < 0.05) in mithun than cattle. The nitrogen balance was higher and FCR was better (p < 0.05) in mithun compared with cattle. The digestibility coefficient of different nutrients was similar (p > 0.05) between the species. The microbial enzyme profiles of mithun and cattle were not different (p > 0.05). The better growth performance of mithun than cattle as found in the present study clearly indicates that the mithun has higher genetic potential for growth than Tho-tho cattle of north-eastern hilly region of India.     

Carbon and water footprints of major crop production in India

Scarcity of water and emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the two key environmental issues affecting crop production in India.Reducing the carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF) of crop production can help to mitigate the environmental hazards that stem from GHG emissions and water scarcity.The CFs and WFs of three major cereal crops,rice,wheat,and maize,were estimated for the year 2014 under the environmental conditions in India,based on national statistics and other data sources.To...     

Effect of moisture stress on Nitrate Reductase Activity (NRA) in PEA (Pisum sativum L.) [C3] and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.) [C4] plants

Nitrate reductase activity (NRA) was studied in pea, a C₃ plant, and sorghum, a C₄ plant, at various stages of growth and development. Influence of moisture stress and nitrogen application was also observed since these factors have profound influence on growth and development.

In pea, NRA was maximum at pod maturity stage and minimum at flowering stage. In sorghum plant there was gradual increase in NRA upto grain formation followed by a fall in activity at maturity.

Nitrogen treatment as nitrate and ammonia significantly increased nitrate reductase activity over control in both pea and sorghum. Treatment with potassium nitrate was found to stimulate more NRA in pea than with ammonium sulphate. In sorghum, both forms of nitrogen did not differ much in their influence on NRA.

Influence of moisture stress in reducing NRA was more clear in sorghum, a C₄ plant than in pea, a C₃ plant. In general, control plants recorded low NRA in both the crops when compared to nitrogen treated plants except at pod formation stage in pea.     

Synergistic effect of inoculating plant growth-promoting Pseudomonas spp. and Rhizobium leguminosarum-FB1 on growth and nutrient uptake of rajmash (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) Pseudomonas lurida-NPRp15 and Pseudomonas putida-PGRs4 possessing multiple plant growth-promoting traits were isolated from rhizoplane of pea and rhizosphere of garlic, respectively. The effects of individuals and combinations of Pseudomonas spp. with effective root nodulating symbiotic nitrogen fixing Rhizobium leguminosarum-FB1 on plant growth, nutrient uptake and yield of the rajmash plant were studied under greenhouse conditions. Bacterial inoculation resulted in significantly higher values for plant dry biomass, N, P, K, Zn and Fe contents as compared to the uninoculated control. Furthermore, dual inoculation of P. lurida-NPRp15 with R. leguminosarum-FB1 significantly increased root and shoot dry weight, nodulation, nutrient uptake, pod yield, and nutrient content of pods of rajmash VL63 compared to controls, single and triple inoculation. The results of the study indicate the potential of harnessing the benefit of plant growth-promoting and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to improve the growth and yield of rajmash.     

Traditional uses of medicinal plants for dermatological healthcare management practices by the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh, India

The aim of present study was to explore and document medicinal plants used for the traditional dermatological healthcare management practices by the the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh. The study was conducted during 2000–2004. Information was gathered from 230 informants residing in 46 villages in Terai region of Indo-Nepal boarder using questionnaires; oral interviews and group discussions. Total 92 medicinal plant species were cited for the preparation of 113 crude drug formulations. Voucher specimens of cited plant species were collected and identified as belonging to 82 genera and 49 families. Thirty-nine medicinal plant species were reported for the first time for dermatological healthcare problems from India. The dermatological healthcare problems managed were cut and wounds, ringworm, leprosy, eczema, scabies, leucoderma, boils, carbuncles, pimples, skin blemishes, spots, eruption, and burns etc. The most commonly and popularly used medicinal plant species for management of dermatological healthcare problems in the study area were Curcuma longa L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Melia azedarach L. It is concluded that dermatological healthcare management practice in the study area depends largely on wildly growing medicinal plant species. There is an urgent need to properly conserve the medicinal plant species growing in this area for human welfare. There is also need for further phytopharmacological studies to provide scientific explanation for the usages of 57 medicinal plant species for which to the best of our knowledge phytopharmacological literatures are not available.     

Nitrogen Transformations as Influenced by Rates of Wheat Straw and Nitrogenous Fertilizers in a Loam Soil

Nitrogen in the soil is continually undergoing transformation, changing in form and availability. All phases of the cycle through which this element passes must be considered in attempting to explain nitrogen balances, losses or gains. Processed such as ammonification, nitrosofication, nitrification, nitrogen fixation, and denitrification need study in this respect. Nitrogen transformations and losses in soils have been investigated extensively in various countries and exhaustive reviews of a general nature^1),8,,9),15) are available.     

The effect of phosphorus fertilization on the chemical quality of Katahdin potatoes

The influence of phosphorus fertilization on the content of ascorbic acid, lipids, total nitrogen, protein, and non-protein nitrogen of Katahdin potatoes was investigated. Phosphorus in the form of mono ammonium phosphate was applied at rates of 0, 56, 112, and 168 Kg/ha (0, 50, 100, and 150 lb/acre). Ascorbic acid, total nitrogen, protein and non-protein nitrogen content were significantly increased (p<.01) and the phospholipid content was significantly reduced (p<.01) by phosphorus application.     

Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities of two Bangladeshi medicinal plants

The objectives of the present study were to investigate phytochemical screening and to assay cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts of leaves of two medicinal plants, Aglaonema hookerianum Schott (Family: Araceae) and Lannea grandis Engl. (Family: Anacardiaceae) available in Bangladesh. The brine shrimp lethality bioassay showed that the ethanolic extracts of Aglaonema hookerianum and Lannea grandis possessed cytotoxic activities with LC50 5.25 (microg mL(-1)) and 5.75 (microg mL(-1)) and LC90 10.47 (microg mL(-1)) and 9.55 (microg mL(-1)), respectively. Two extracts obtained from leaves were examined for their antibacterial activities against some gram positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus, also gram negative strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi and Vibrio cholerae. Agar disc diffusion method was applied to observe the antibacterial efficacy of the extracts. Results indicated that both plant extracts (500 microg disc(-1)) displayed antibacterial activity against all of the tested microorganisms. These results were also compared with the zones of inhibition produced by commercially available standard antibiotic, Amoxicillin at concentration of 10 microg disc(-1). Observed antibacterial properties of the ethanolic extract of Aglaonema hookerianum Schott and Lannea grandis Engl. showed that both plants might be useful sources for the development of new potent antibacterial agents.     

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%).