Captive Breeding of Endangered Ompok pabda with Ovatide

The Pabdah catfish, Ompok pabda, was successfully spawned with the synthetic hormone Ovatide at two different doses (0.4 and 0.6 ml/kg of body weight of female). The latency period was 9–10 h at 0.6 ml compared to 10–12 h at 0.4 ml kg^?1 of body weight. All the females spawned successfully. Average rate of fertilization (75.5 %) and hatching (60.5%) was higher with a dose of 0.6 ml kg^?1, while lower fertilization (65.1%) and hatching rate (45%) were observed at 0.3 ml kg^?1 of body weight. Fecundity ranged from 80–130 eggs gm^?1 body weight of female. Eggs hatched between 12–14 h after spawning at a water temperature 28°–32°C. The mean egg diameter was 0.95 ± 0.15 mm.     

CNP Ratio and Dose Regulated Production of Water Chestnut <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trapa</Emphasis>: Social and Environmental Implications

Water chest nut Trapa is a minor fruit crop and potential carbon sequester of atmospheric carbon. Mass production of water chest nut using a vast number of unused small water bodies and derelict waters is a win-win-win-win strategy toward mitigation of global warming, nutritional security, empowerment and resource utilization. Growth performance of Trapa was conducted in small culture units using different CNP ratios (25:02:01; 101:08:01; 290:01:01) at a fixed dose (0.2 kg/tank) of mixed manure with different doses (100, 200, 400, 600 g) of optimal CNP ratio (101:08:01) during the life cycle of Trapa. The total number of fruits and the wet weight of Trapa in different dose treatments ranged from 56 to 192 and from 258 to 379 g/tank. Yield of Trapa remained maximum when CNP ratio was 101:8:1 at 200 g/tank and the dosage was 200 g/tank with the optimal CNP ratio (134 g) and then declined with further rise in fertilizer dose. The proximate analysis of Trapa revealed the highest phosphorus content in all the tissues (fruit, leaf, and root) of Trapa grown in the CNP ratio of 101:08:01. Of the total amount of carbon in Trapa, contribution was maximum by the fruit (38–41%), followed by leaf (27–35%) and root (23–32%) in different ratio treatment. The C content of harvested Trapa grown in different CNP ratios (Table 4) was higher in fruit (38–41%) followed by leaf (27–35%) and root (23–32%) among tissues. The amount of C observed in control (32%) increased by 6% in 25:02:01 (34%) which was higher than remaining two treatments (31%). Dry weight or total carbon content of water chestnut tended to rise with increasing levels of phosphate of water from the dosage of 100 to 200 g with optimal CNP ratio and declined thereafter. A direct relationship between the dry weight or carbon content of Trapa and the total carbon content or phosphate to total carbon ratio of water was established. However, the carbon content remained between 27–32% in all the three tissues of Trapa culture when cultured in different dose treatments. It is reasonable to conclude that water chestnut may be promoted for mass cultivation using the recommended culture protocol that would help trapping atmospheric carbon, provide nutritional security and employment generation and resource utilization.     

Changes in Soil Properties in Response to Irrigation of Potato by Urban Wastewater

This study evaluated the physicochemical changes in the soil of potato field that was irrigated by fresh water, differentially diluted wastewater and undiluted wastewater (hereafter called wastewater). The potato crop was cultivated for consecutive three seasons under fertilized and unfertilized conditions. The wastewater contained higher concentrations of organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) and lower concentrations of heavy metals. In this study, properties of wastewater-irrigated soil were compared with fresh water-irrigated soil. The application of wastewater reduced the bulk density of the surface soil by 2.83% and augmented the porosity by 6.02%. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention capacity of the soil were improved under wastewater irrigation. Soil pH increased due to wastewater application but decreased, to a smaller extent, due to fertilizer application. Soil EC increased both with wastewater and fertilizer application; both parameters changed significantly in the top 0–15 cm soil layer. But, at the deeper layers, they were not affected by wastewater application. The organic C, total N, available P and S of the soils increased significantly (p = 0.05) when potato field was irrigated with raw wastewater. The organic C increased by 23.80% under wastewater irrigation in the top soil layer. The N content of the soil showed similarities with the organic C contents. Exchangeable Na, K, Ca, Mg; Zn and B of the soil also increased significantly with wastewater application. So, irrigation with urban wastewater is suggested to improve soil fertility as well as to ease pressure on the fresh water in the area of water scarcity.     

Soybean Peroxidase-Induced Treatment of Dye-Derived Arylamines in Water

This research investigated the enzyme-catalyzed oxidative polymerization and precipitation/co-precipitation of the anilino compounds, p-cresidine (2-methoxy-5-methylaniline), and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA) suspected to be human carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as a means of treating industrial wastewater containing these pollutants. p-Cresidine is a synthetic chemical intermediate for azo dyes and pigments in the food and textile industries whereas ODA is used in the production of polyimide and poly(ester)imide resins in North America. A potentially inexpensive enzyme extracted from the soybean seed coat, soybean peroxidase (SBP), which is widely available from the agricultural commodity, was used to treat both these compounds. The optimum operating conditions such as pH, hydrogen peroxide-to-substrate concentration ratio, and the minimum SBP concentration required to achieve at least 95% SBP-catalyzed conversion of these pollutants in synthetic wastewaters were determined. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, employed for preliminary product determination after enzymatic conversion of the substrates, revealed the formation of azo dimers in the precipitates. A pro-forma cost analysis is presented showing the feasibility of commercialization of enzymatic treatment as an alternative, or as an adjunct, to conventional treatment methods.     

Organic Amendments Influence on Soil Biological Indices and Yield in Rice-Based Cropping System in Coastal Sundarbans of India

The present investigation was carried out in coastal Sundarbans of India to study the effects of farm yard manure, green leaf manure, and vermicompost on biological attributes of soils and yield in rice–tomato, rice–sunflower, and rice–chili cropping system over conventional farmer’s practices (control) by a strip-plot technique for the two consecutive years. The partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers through organics significantly increased the yield of various cropping systems. The use of organic materials significantly improved microbial biomass carbon, fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activities, dehydrogenase, and β-glucosidase activity over control, which varied in the tune of 51.6%, 67.4%, 50%, and 62.7%, respectively, due to variation in electrical conductivity (EC) of these soils. The improved soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities act as key driving factor for organic matter decomposition and nutrient transformation in organically amended soils which lead to better yield under such cropping sequences.     

Semen characteristics and biochemical composition of cloacal foam of male Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) fed diet incorporated with selenium

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of dietary selenium (Se) on physical and cloacal gland size, foam production, biochemical composition of foam and semen biochemical characteristics of male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica). Two hundred twenty‐five (225)‐day‐old male Japanese quail were randomly distributed to three dietary treatment groups for a period of 20 weeks. Each treatment comprised of three replicates, each containing 25 chicks. Three experimental diets were supplemented with 0, 0.5 and 1.0 mg Se/kg (T₁, T₂ and T_3, respectively), and diet T₁ was considered as control. Sodium selenite was used as the source of selenium. All the birds were provided with feed and water ad libitum. Cloacal foam characteristics, that is cloacal gland index and foam weight, were significantly higher in T₂ group. However, body weight, frequency of foam discharge and testes weight (left and right) did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Physical characteristics of semen, that is semen volume and sperm concentration, did not differ (p > 0.05) among the Se‐treated groups. The sperm motility, live–dead count and abnormality improved significantly (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se‐supplemented group compared to 0 or 1.0 mg/Se‐supplemented groups. Similarly, fertility and hatchability percentages were higher (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se‐supplemented group than in control or 1.0 mg/Se‐supplemented counterparts. The biochemical characteristics of foam in terms of total protein, acid phosphatase (ACP) and nitric oxide did not differ (p > 0.05), while the concentration of glucose was higher (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se‐supplemented diet. On the other hand, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were lower (p < 0.05) in 0.5 mg/Se‐supplemented group compared to control or 1.0 mg/Se‐supplemented groups. From this study, it was concluded that supplementation of 0.5 mg Se/kg diet was beneficial for foam variables, biochemical composition of foam, semen characteristics and fertility in male Japanese quail.     

Efficiency of uterine fluid cytology in the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

This study compared endometrial cytology vis‐a‐vis uterine fluid cytology for assessment of uterine health in clinically normal and subclinical endometritis (SE)‐affected buffaloes. Uterine fluid samples and endometrial samples were collected from the buffaloes (n = 38) at oestrus using blue sheath and cytobrush, respectively. The smears were stained with Field stain for 3 minutes, and a minimum of 400 cells were counted in each smear for determination of the percentage of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocyte. The incidence of subclinical endometritis, based on the cytobrush cytology, was 23.08%. The correlation between cytobrush cytology with uterine fluid cytology was positive and significant (r = .37; p = .02). The ratio of PMN leucocyte in cytobrush cytology to uterine fluid cytology was 1:2.4. ROC analysis revealed that the threshold value of 6.16% PMN leucocyte in uterine fluid cytology showed a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100% in differentiating normal from SE‐affected buffaloes. In conclusion, collection of uterine fluid was easier compared to collection of endometrial samples using cytobrush and the percentage of PMN leucocyte in uterine fluid cytology can be used as a tool for diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in buffaloes.     

Influence of soil water content and soil amendments on trace metal release and seedling growth in serpentine soil

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of organic amendments and soil water status on trace metal release from serpentine soil. Two organic...