Evaluation of Chuni, a commercially available low-cost cattle fodder, in the diet for rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), fingerlings

An 80-day feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the suitability of incorporation of Chuni, a commercially available low-cost cattle fodder, comprising cereal grains and leguminous seeds, into the practical diets for rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), an Indian major carp, fingerlings (average weight= 6.23 0.15g). Four experimental diets, incorporating Chuni at levels of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% into a fish-meal-based control diet (35% protein) were formulated. In terms of fish growth, feed conversion, protein efficiency ratio, apparent nutrient digestibility, and protein and lipid deposition in fish muscle, 10%Chuni incorporated diet showed the best performance of fish and was comparable to those with the control diet. However, the growth of fish was lower with higher levels of Chuni incorporation (20% or more), which resulted in poor nutrient digestibility. The present results indicate that Chuni could be used as a component in the supplementary diet for L. rohita fingerlings, partially substituting the fish-meal-based diet up to the extent of 10%, and it this is the first report on the use of Chuni as a dietary ingredient in diets for carp.     

Hyperaccumulative Characteristics of Weed Species to Heavy Metals

Phytoremediation, which mainly employs hyperaccumulators to remove heavy metals from contaminated soils, is receiving more attention world-wide. The identification of hyperaccumulators is still a key step for phytoremediation. This research is devoted to identify some plants with hyperaccumulative characteristics from weed species. In a pot culture experiment, the hyperaccumulative characteristics of 13 weed species in 11 families to Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were examined. The result showed that Taraxacum mongolicum and Rorippa globosa indicated some Cd hyperaccumulative properties. In a sample-analysis experiment conducted in a Pb?Zn mining area, T. mongolicum and R. globosa also displayed the same hyperaccumulative characteristics. However, in a concentration gradient experiment, Cd content in shoot of T. mongolicum was not higher than 100 mg/kg (DW, dry weight), the minimum Cd concentration for a Cd-hyperaccumulator in any treatment. The concentration of Cd in the stems and leaves of R. globosa were greater than 100 mg/kg, under the conditions of the soils spiked with 25 and 50 mg/kg Cd. The Cd accumulation factors and translocation factors in the shoots of R. globosa were higher than 1 too, and the plant biomasses did not decrease significantly (p?<?0.05) compared with the control. Thus, we conclude that only R. globosa showed the whole Cd-hyperaccumulator properties, which is a Cd-hyperaccumulator.     

Variability of Nutritional and Cooking Quality in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) as a Function of Genotype

Screening of natural biodiversity for the better quality traits are of prime importance for quality breeding programs. The objective of this investigation was to select candidate accession of bean having high concentrations of protein as well as macro and micro minerals with good cooking quality for use as parents in breeding programme for these compounds. Thirty-five accessions of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) were field grown and their seeds were analyzed for their cooking quality and nutritional composition. Wide variations were observed in most of the measurements e.g. protein (18.7–26.2%), iron (79.4–137.6 ppm) and hardness after cooking (4.65–9.88 Kg) suggesting that there are considerable levels of genetic diversity. Across all accessions the concentration of potassium was negatively correlated with protein (r = −0.43, P < 0.05). Concentrations of protein was significantly greater in accessions VIII, XIII and XIX compared to other accessions analyzed. Iron concentrations were greatest (137 ppm) in XIX and lowest (79 ppm) in XXVII. Lines with less cooking time were line III, X, XXVI, XXX and XXXI. Bean line XIX contains high protein (24.9%) with high zinc (33.3 ppm) and highest iron (137.6 ppm), but it has high hardness after cooking (7.32 kg). Four clusters were computed by cluster analysis that explained quite a good variation in the traits. The great variability for these attributes suggests that these selected accessions may be useful as parents in hybridization programs to produce bean with value-added traits. This information was also potentially useful for pulse breeders working on the development of new varieties.     

Influence of continuous application of inorganic nutrients to a Maize–Wheat rotation on soil enzyme activity and grain quality in a rainfed Indian soil

To explore long-term impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil health and grain quality, we monitored the enzyme activities and chemical properties of soil; and chemical composition of grain from eight treatments at an experimental field site established in 1996. There were eight treatments applied to both wheat and maize seasons: a control; four inorganic fertilizers, that is, nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), nitrogen and potassium (NK), phosphorous and potassium (PK) and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK); farm yard manure alone (FYM) and addition of FYM at two different doses (100 and 50% of recommendation) to NPK that is, NPK + FYM and ½ NPK + FYM. After 11 years of the experiment the NPK + FYM and ½ NPK + FYM treatments had the highest yields, about 5 Mg maize ha⁻¹ and 2 Mg wheat ha⁻¹ with about 2 and 0.5 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively more than the NPK treatments. The dehydrogeanse activity of soils increased significantly in FYM and ½ NPK + FYM. Except urease all other enzymatic activities were increased in those treatments, which received manure. Urease activity was higher in mineral-N applied plots. Grain protein content of both maize and wheat was highest in mineral fertilized plots. Test weight also increased significantly on application of mineral fertilizer. Plots treated with half dose of recommended mineral fertilizer along with FYM were higher in urease, phosphomono and diesterase activities than that of NPK + FYM treated plots. Long-term application of inorganic nutrients along with FYM improved grain mineral composition and yield. Inhibition of few enzymatic activities were also observed upon application of inorganic nutrients either alone or in combination.     

Degradation of sulfosulfuron,a sulfonylurea herbicide,as influenced by abiotic factors

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the stability of sulfosulfuron [1-(2-ethylsulfonylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-ylsulfonyl)-3-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2yl) urea] in a controlled environment of pH, temperature, solvent, and surface. In another experiment the photostability of sulfosulfuron was studied after irradiation under sunlight. Under alkaline condition, it yielded 1-(2-ethylsulfonylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl-3-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl) amine, and under acidic condition it degraded to 1-(2-ethylsulfonylimidazo[1,2-a] pyridin)-3-sulfonamide and 4,6-dimethoxy-2-aminopyrimidine. Photodegradation included breaking of a sulfonylurea bridge, as in the case of acidic hydrolysis and contraction of the sulfonylurea bridge was the major pathway of alkaline hydrolysis.     

Comparison between fertilizers and untreated sewage effluent as sources for nutrient recovery by wheat (Triticum aestivum)-soybean (Glycine max) cropping system

Recovery and recycling of plant nutrients from municipal sewage effluent (SE) can reduce consumption of costly chemical fertilizers, besides reducing eutrophication of water bodies. Field experiment was conducted on Vertisol of central India for six years with the objective of quantifying recovery of major plant nutrients by aboveground biomass of wheat-soybean cropping system from untreated SE. Wheat crop was grown with irrigation (groundwater and sewage effluent) and fertilizer treatments; while soybean was grown without any treatments. Recoveries of nitrogen (N), phosphorus P) and potassium (K) by the aboveground biomass were considerably more from SE than from fertilizers and manures. Recovery of nutrients from SE was the highest by wheat grain for N and by soybean straw for P and K. Straw biomass of both the crops recovered about 31% N, 22% P and 69% K from SE, which can be recycled back into agricultural land of groundwater (GW) irrigated as well as rainfed area.     

Effects of inoculation with N2-fixing cyanobacteria on the nitrogenase activity in soil and rhizosphere of wetland rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary A greenhouse experiment was conducted with wetland rice (Oryza sativa cv. IR-50) in a clay-loam soil (Fluventic Eutrochrept) to study the effect of cyanobacterial inoculation a mixed culture of Aulosira fertilissima, Nostoc muscorum, Nostoc spp., and Anabaena spp., applied at the rate of 0.15 g (dry weight pot^-1 or 43 kg ha^-1) on acetylene reduction activity in soil and the root system (excised root), and the grain and straw yield. The effects of applying P (40 kg ha^-1), N (60 kg ha^-1), and P+N to the soil were also evaluated. Cyanbacterial inoculation significantly increased (more than 200% on average) photo-dependent acetylene reduction activity in soils, particularly where the indigenous activity was considerably low, i.e. under unfertilized and N-fertilized conditions. The effect of inoculation was prominent at the maximum tillering and grain formation stages of the crop. This inoculation benefit was, however, marginal in P-applied soils (P and P+N), where the indigenous activity was stimulated more than threefold. The inoculation led to a remarkable increase in root-associative acetylene reduction activity after the maximum tillering stage of the crop, particularly with applied N but for other treatments this inoculation effect was not significant. Cyanobacterial inoculation also increased the grain and straw yield of the crop when N was not applied. The grain and straw yield was significantly correlated with the acetylene reduction activity in flooded soils and in the root system during the tillering and maximum tillering stages of rice growth, respectively.