Riley encased methodology: principles and processes of mangrove habitat creation and restoration

Riley encased methodology (REM) was developed for the purpose of establishing mangroves along highenergy shorelines, revetments, and bulkheads where natural recruitment no longer occurs and where conventional planting methods are ineffective. The principles of REM include the processes of individual seedling isolation within tubular encasements and adaptation of the juvenile plant to the external environment of the restoration site. The success of REM results from specifications for encasement preparation, propagule or seedling selection, and positioning of both encasements and seedlings according to elevation and tidal regimes.     

Water regimes: an approach of mitigation arsenic in summer rice (Oryza sativa L.) under different topo sequences on arsenic-contaminated soils of Bengal delta

Arsenic (As)-contaminated groundwater has been widely used in agricultural purposes especially for summer rice cultivation in South East Asia. Therefore, the present experiments were carried out at low (diara) and medium land topo sequences with the eight water regimes to reduce the As accumulation in summer rice (Oryza sativa L.). Experimental results revealed that the intermittent ponding of 2–4 days after disappearance (DAD) were significantly reduced the As accumulation in root, stem, leaves, flag leaf, husk, and grain (21.86–31.78, 23.55–37.20, 14.83–30.93, 23.53–31.19, 21.33–28.19, and 22.98–25.37 %, respectively), which was followed by aerobic rice (21.34–22.08, 22.49–30.72, 12.21–23.02, 22.06–27.52, 20.14–23.94, and 22.12–22.30 %, respectively), and saturation of top soil (17.43–17.85, 21.91–28.01, 10.76–20.27, 20.59–24.77, 18.96–23.14, and 20.75–21.15 %, respectively) as compared to continuous ponding or farmer practice, where the As accumulation in root: 13.43–17.20 mg/kg; stem: 8.64–10.36 mg/kg; leaves: 2.91–3.44 mg/kg; flag leaf: 0.68–1.09 mg/kg; husk: 1.88–2.11 mg/kg; and grain: 0.52–0.67 mg/kg. However, aerobic rice and saturation of top soil recorded significantly higher grain yield at diara land (7,104–7,141 kg/ha) and only in saturation of top soil at medium land topo sequence (6,654–6,717 kg/ha). The correlation study showed the positive correlation in between grain As and root, straw, husk As, grain Zn, and grain Fe (R ² = 0.893–0.976, p > 0.01), but the negative correlation with the grain P, soil P, soil Fe, and soil Zn (R ² = 0.633–0.841, p > 0.01). About 3.904–6.063 kg/ha of As was added on the surface soil by the contaminated groundwater and most of the added As was accumulated and remained on the top soil (0–30 cm).     

Potential of Steinernema carpocapsae(Weiser) as a biological control agent against potato tuber moth,Phthorimaea operculella(Zeller)(Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, was evaluated for control of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella, under laboratory conditions. We evaluated different concentrations of S. carpocapsae for control of 2 nd, 3 rd, and 4 th instar P. operculella. The median lethal concentration(LC50) of S. carpocapsae infective juveniles(IJs) to 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th instar larvae of P. operculella was 200, 363, 181 IJs mL–1, respectively. With the extension of treatment time, the cumulative mortality increased for 2 nd, 3 rd, and 4 th instar larvae and pupae of P. operculella. Fourth instars were the most susceptible for all observation periods. Therefore, our results suggest that S. carpocapsae could be an effective biological control agent for P. operculella.     

Evaluation of dietary protein requirement for the growth performance of minor carp,Cirrhinus reba (Hamilton, 1822) fingerlings

An experiment was designed to evaluate the requirement of dietary protein for Reba carp, Cirrhinus reba fingerlings using semi‐purified diet. Five isocaloric diets were prepared containing 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% and 40% level of protein using casein, gelatin as a major protein source. The experiment was conducted for 105 days in triplicates to evaluate the growth, survival, feed utilization, carcass composition of C. reba. Mean weight gain was highest (p < .05) in T3. Specific growth rate was highest in T3 and lowest in T1. Similarly, significantly (p < .05) highest net fish yield were recorded in T3. No significant difference was recorded in survivability. Feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, feed conversion efficiency and protein conversion efficiency were significantly (p < .05) higher for T3 compared with other treatments. Highest carcass protein and lipid values were recorded in T3. So, conclusion can be drawn that 30% crude protein is optimum for overall performance. Furthermore, broken‐line analysis for specific growth rate, final biomass and net fish yield indicated that dietary protein level of 28.148 to 28.253% is optimum for the best growth performance of fingerling C. reba.     

Factors Affecting Growth and Harvest Index in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Varieties Differing in Time of Flowering and Maturity

Three varieties of Pea ( Pimm sativum L.) viz. EC33866 (early), P-116 (medium) and T-163 (late), differing in their flowering and maturity times, were taken for this study. The early variety recorded lower dry matter, CO₂ exchange rate and lower yield. The harvest index (HI) was the highest (44 %) in this variety. Though medium and late varieties did not differ significantly in dry matter accumulation and pod yield, they differed in their HI. The HI in the medium variety is 42 % but in the late variety it is only 36%.
The late variety maintained high leaf area, leaf dry weight, high shoot/root, shoot/nodule and root/nodule ratios, increased nodule dry weight and maximum glycolate oxidase activity. But acetylene reduction activity was low, and the harvest index was lowest. On the other hand, in the early variety the dry matter accumulation was lowest but HI was highest. The major reasons for high HI in this variety were translocation of photosynthates to reproductive organs and lower photorespiration as indicated by low glycolate oxidase activity.     

Effect of zinc application methods on apparent utilization efficiency of zinc and phosphorus fertilizers under basmati rice–wheat rotation

To examine the effect of zinc (Zn) application method on the utilization of phosphorus (P) from applied P fertilizer, a field experiment was conducted on basmati rice–wheat rotation with combinations of Zn levels (0, soil application of 2.5 kg Zn ha ^{– 1} and two foliar applications of 2.0 kg Zn ha ^–1) and P levels (0, soil application of 8.7, 17.5 and 26.2 kg P ha ^–1). The highest pooled grain yields of basmati rice and wheat were obtained with soil application of 17.5 kg P ha ^–1 and foliar applications of 2 kg Zn ha ^–1. Foliar applications of Zn increased the P concentration in grain and straw and the total P uptake by basmati rice and the P concentration in flag leaves of wheat significantly, while soil or foliar application of Zn increased the total P uptake of wheat. Phosphorus application increased the Zn concentration in flag leaves, grain and straw of basmati rice and in grain and straw of wheat and the total Zn uptake of both crops. Phosphorus levels up to 17.5 kg P ha ^–1 increased utilization efficiency of soil or foliar application of Zn. Zinc application increased the P utilization efficiency of basmati rice and wheat up to 17.5 kg P ha ^–1 level; foliar Zn application was more effective in a wheat crop than a rice crop.     

Macro and microanatomy of some organs of a juvenile male Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica)

Ganges River dolphins (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica) are air-breathing, warm-blooded mammals endemic to the Ganges and Karnaphuli rivers of the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, very little basic histomorphological research has been conducted on this endangered species. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the morphological features of different organs of P. gangetica. Despite becoming aquatic animals, they showed similarities with terrestrial mammals, such as the pair of lungs and an apical bronchus in the respiratory system, which are pretty standard in ruminants and pigs. However, unlike the terrestrial animal, the tracheobronchial tree was stiffer due to circularly arranged anastomosing plates of the hyaline cartilaginous ring in the trachea, cartilaginous plates in the bronchiole, and thick alveolar septa. The digestive system showed a three-chambered mechanical and glandular stomach similar to the artiodactyles. However, the intestine showed smaller caecum like the monogastric mammal. The urogenital system showed lobulated kidneys, a urinary bladder, a fibroelastic penis with sigmoid flexure, and a long urethral process similar to some terrestrial ruminants. Considering the aquatic environment, all those modifications, unlike terrestrial mammals, are necessary for their adaptation. Thus, this research will broadly help our clinicians and conservationist to take further steps toward disease diagnosis and monitoring of marine health of this endangered species.     

Ultrastructural characteristics of the blood cells of chickens commonly reared under backyard poultry farming in Mizoram,India

The present study was undertaken to characterize the ultrastructural morphology of the blood cells of commonly reared chickens in the state of Mizoram, India under backyard poultry farming. For this study, 2 ml of whole blood was aseptically collected from the wings veins of 12 chickens of three different breeds namely the Zoar, Aseel and Rhode Island Red and processed for ultrastructural imaging under standard protocols. Under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the matured erythrocytes of Zoar, Aseel and Rhode Island Red appeared elliptical in shape while the leukocytes and thrombocytes appeared round in shape with variable surface modifications. Under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the granules of the heterophils of Zoar, Aseel and Rhode Island Red appeared predominantly fusiform in shape, the granules of the eosinophils appeared round in shape and that of the basophils appeared pleomorphic in shape. The cytoplasm of the monocytes, medium-to-large lymphocytes and thrombocytes of Zoar, Aseel and Rhode Island Red under TEM appeared to be vacuolated and granular while that of the small lymphocytes appeared to be granular but non-vacuolated. The study concluded that the ultrastructural characteristics of the blood cells of the three breeds of chicken studied were almost similar to the blood cells of other birds reported earlier.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of Dalbergia sissoo leaves

The possible anti-inflammatory activity of the 90% ethanolic extract of Dalbergia sissoo leaves (DSELE) was studied in different models of inflammation in rats after oral administration at doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg. DSELE significantly inhibited carrageenin, kaolin and nystatin-induced paw oedema, as well as the weight of granuloma induced by a cotton pellet. It also inhibited dye leakage in acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test in mice. DSELE was devoid of ulcerogenic effect on the gastric mucosa of rats in acute and chronic tests. In acute toxicity studies, it was found to be safe up to 10.125 g/kg, p.o. in the rat. It was concluded that the D. sissoo leaf extract possessed significant anti-inflammatory activity (in acute, sub-acute and chronic models of inflammation) without any side effect on gastric mucosa.