Laboratory study of phosphorus forms and test procedures on soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

The inorganic forms of phosphorus in nine samples of surface soils from the Nainital Tarai of India were determined by a series of extractions with different reagents after incubation for 45 days under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The forms of phosphorus in samples incubated under aerobic conditions and the pH range of 7.2–8.5 indicated that the soils had been subject to slight chemical weathering. Anaerobic incubation to simulate conditions in lowland rice paddies converted part of the inorganic phosphorus into more labile forms, based on changes in amounts of isotopically exchangeable phosphorus. Amounts of the element converted to more labile forms differed among the nine soil samples.A better correlation was found between amounts of phosphorus extracted by 0.5M NaHCO³ (Olsen's method) than by 0.03N NH₄F in 0.25N HCl (Bray's method) and the isotopically exchangeable phosphorus. The better correlation suggests that the bicarbonate extraction would be the better method for estimating “availablelrd phosphorus in soils of lowland rice paddies. Recalibration of the test prior to such use seems desirable to allow for increases in amounts of phosphorus in labile forms after soils have been shifted from aerobic to anaerobic conditions.     

Potential of Eisenia foetida for Sustainable and Efficient Vermicomposting of Fly Ash

Vermicomposting of fly ash has been attempted, using red earthworm, Eisenia foetida. Fly ash, which was obtained from thermal power station, was mixed with cowdung in different proportions (20, 40, 60 and 80%). These mixtures were used as feed for earthworms, and after 30 days, vermicast recovery, worm zoomass and numbers of juveniles produced were recorded. A total of six runs each of 30 days were conducted during the whole study. Concentrations of heavy metals in different mixtures of fly ash–cowdung, before and after vermicomposting and in the earthworms used in the study were also estimated. Results show maximum output of vermicasts and maximum number of juveniles produced was in reactors with 40% fly ash while maximum weight gain by earthworm was in 20% fly ash vermireactors. Performance of vermireactors up to 60% fly ash was more or less similar but at 80% fly ash, there is a marked reduction in overall performance of the reactors. Chemical analysis of different samples of fly ash–cowdung mixtures prior to vermicomposting revealed high concentrations of zinc, chromium, lead, nickel and copper. Chemical analysis of vermicomposted samples showed 30–50% reduction in heavy metals up to 60% fly ash and 10–30% reduction in 80% fly ash. Metal analysis of earthworms revealed considerable bioaccumulation of heavy metals in their body. The Present study indicates the feasibility of E. foetida for mitigating the toxicity of metals and up to 60% fly ash–cowdung mixtures can be used for sustainable and efficient vermicomposting.     

Inhibition of estrogen-mediated mammary tumorigenesis by blueberry and black raspberry

We previously demonstrated the protective effects of blueberry (BB) and black raspberry (BRB) supplemented at 2.5% dose in an ACI rat mammary tumor model. Here, we assessed a dose-related alteration in tumor indices with diet supplemented with 5% BB or BRB powder. The diet was well tolerated. Tumor palpation from 12 weeks revealed first tumor appearance by 84 days in the control group, that was delayed by 24 and 39 days with the BB and BRB diets, respectively (p = 0.04). Ellagic acid detected in the plasma of rats fed the BRB diet was in the range of 96.6-294.2 ng/mL. While the BB diet showed better efficacy in reducing mammary tissue proliferation and tumor burden, tumor latency was delayed efficiently by BRB. Furthermore, BB was effective in downregulating CYP1A1 expression, while BRB downregulated ERα expression effectively. Distinct anticarcinogenic effects of the two berries correspond to their distinct phytochemical signatures.     

Genetic resource enhancement by isolation of diversegenotypes from seed progeny in predominantly sterile rose scentedgeranium Pelargonium graveolens

Four new accessions (BSP1-4) of rose scentedgeranium Pelargonium graveolens were derivedfrom the spontaneous half-sib seed progeny of mostly sterilepopulations of the cultivar accession Bipuli. The seed producingplants of Bipuli had been growing among the populations of cultivaraccessions Hemanti and Kunti in the temperate agroclimate ofKodaikanal, Tamilnadu in India. The four new accessions were comparedwith the cultivar accessions Bipuli, Hemanti and Kunti in fieldexperiments under subtropical agroclimate of Lucknow, Uttar Pradeshfor essential oil yield and quality related traits and in terms oftheir RAPD profiles. The crop yield and essential oil parameters andDNA profiles of the four new accessions and three cultivar accessionsallowed the conclusion that the accessions BSP-1, BSP-2 andBSP-3 were Bipuli × Kunti hybrids and BSP-4was a Bipuli × Hemanti hybrid. The accession BSP-4demonstrated hybrid vigour in several of the essential oil yieldrelated traits; on average basis it out yielded other accessions by afactor of about 2.4. The essential oil of BSP-4 had 89%rhodinol content in which citronellol to geraniol ratio was 1:1 andthe contents of isomenthone, menthone, 10-epi--eudesmol, 6,9-guaiadiene, decanoic acid andisodecanoic acid were relatively lower than in the oils of accessionsBipuli and/or Hemanti. The present study has shown a way for thegeneration of new genotypes in rose scented geranium in which thecultivars have been vegetatively maintained for decades and thegenetic resources are scanty.     

Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel): a home garden species or a commercial crop in India

Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel) is a less known cultivated vegetable in western and eastern Himalayan regions of India. This species is reported here for its potential for commercialization to supplement the onion and garlic production in different parts of India especially under the present unpredictable climatic conditions. Due to multipurpose use and wider adaptability of the species future thrust is laid on collection and conservation programmes in India.     

Effect of conservation agriculture on soil organic and inorganic carbon sequestration and lability: A study from a rice–wheat cropping system on a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains

Increasing soil carbon (C) in arable soils is an important strategy to achieve sustainable yields and mitigate climate change. We investigated changes in soil organic and inorganic carbon (SOC and SIC) under conservation agriculture (CA) in a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The treatments were as follows: conventional-till rice and wheat (CT-CT), CT rice and zero-till wheat (CT-ZT), ZT direct seeded rice (DSR) and CT wheat (ZT-CT), ZTDSR and ZT wheat without crop residue retention (ZT-ZT), ZT-ZT with residue (ZT-ZT+R), and DSR and wheat both on permanent beds with residue (PB-PB+R). The ZT-ZT+R had the highest total SOC in both 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil layers (20% and 40% higher (p < .05) than CT-CT, respectively), whereas total SIC decreased by 11% and 15% in the respective layers under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. Non-labile SOC was the largest pool, followed by very labile, labile and less labile SOC. The benefits of ZT and residue retention were greatest for very labile SOC, which showed a significant (p < .05) increase (~50%) under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. The ZT-ZT+R sequestered ~2 Mg ha⁻¹ total SOC in the 0–15 cm soil layer in 6 years, where CT registered significant losses. Thus, the adoption of CA should be recommended in calcareous soils, for C sequestration, and also as a reclamation technique.     

Kinetics of Interferon-Gamma Production and its Comparison with Anti-Listeriolysin O Detection in Experimental Bovine Listeriosis

The kinetics of the production of interferon gamma (IFN-) in whole blood culture and its comparison with anti-listeriolysin O (ALLO) detection by ELISA were studied during oral infection of calves with Listeria monocytogenes. Culture filtrate antigen (CFA), listeriolysin O (LLO), and sonicated antigen (SA) were used to prime the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the plasma from orally infected calves. IFN- and ALLO appeared as early as day 7 of an oral infection. IFN- was detected earlier with LLO than with SA. The Max50 interleukin (IL-2) activity and IFN- estimated in the culture supernatant from PBMCs primed in vitro with different antigens of L. monocytogenes revealed high induction of IL-2 and IFN- by CFA, LLO and live antigen. IFN- assay and ALLO detection were used for testing cases of repeat breeding in dairy cattle. It appeared that detection of IFN- employing LLO can be used to diagnose listerial infections.     

Bioactivity guided isolation of antipsychotic constituents from the leaves of Rauwolfia tetraphylla L

This study was undertaken to ascertain the antipsychotic properties of Rauwolfia tetraphylla L. leaves and to isolate and characterize the antipsychotic constituents. Among the MeOH extract and some alkaloidal fractions at different pHs, the alkaloidal CHCl(3) fraction at pH-9 (2C) showed the highest antipsychotic activity against dopaminergic (DA-D(2)) and serotonergic (5-HT(2A)) receptors in-vitro and amphetamine induced hyperactive mouse model in-vivo. The activity guided isolation of CHCl(3) fraction (2C) afforded six indole alkaloids: 10-methoxytetrahydroalstonine (1), isoreserpiline (2), an isomeric mixture of 11-demethoxyreserpiline (3) and 10-demethoxyreserpiline (4), α-yohimbine (5) and reserpiline (6). Given orally, alkaloids 3-6 showed significant antipsychotic activity in a dose dependent manner. None of the extract, alkaloidal fractions or alkaloids showed any extra pyramidal symptoms at the tested doses. It was also observed that MeOH extract was behaving similar to other clinically used novel atypical antipsychotics in having 5-HT(2A) occupancy greater than the DA-D(2) receptor at the tested doses. Further toxicity and safety evaluation studies of MeOH extracts of R. tetraphylla leaves at different doses (10, 100, 300 and 2000 mg/kg) on female Swiss albino mice showed that MeOH extract is non toxic. The isolated alkaloids, 3-6 could serve as a promising lead structure for drug development of treating psychotic conditions in human.     

Genetic Analysis of Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae (Ishiyama) Dye in a Rice Breeding Line ARC 10464

The genetics of resistance to three Indian pathotypes of Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae, namely, IX01, IX08 and IX09, was studied in a landrace of Indica rice ‘ARC 10464’. Resistance to each of the two pathotypes IX01 and IX09 was governed by two independently-inherited dominant genes while a single dominant gene was operative against patho-type 1X08. The joint segregation tests conducted on F₂ plant progenies (F₃ families) using pathotypes IX01, IX08 and IX09 suggested that the gene/(s) effective against each of the pathotypes are different.