Comparative study on the effect of chemicals on Alternaria blight in Indian mustard--a multi-location study in India

High severity of Altemaria blight disease is a major constraint in production of rapeseed-mustard in India. The aim of this study was to investigate the suppressive potential of chemicals viz., zinc sulphate, borax, sulphur, potash and calcium sulphate, aqueous extracts viz., Eucalyptus globosus (50 g l-1) leaf extract and garlic (Allium sativum) bulb (20 g l-1) extract, cow urine and bio-agents Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescence in comparison with the recommended chemical fungicide (mancozeb), against foliar disease Alternaria blight of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. and Coss] under five different geographical locations of India. Mancozeb recorded the lowest mean severity (leaf: 33.1%; pod: 26.3%) of Alternaria blight with efficacy of garlic bulb extract alone (leaf = 34.4%; pod = 27.3%) or in combination with cow urine (leaf = 34.2%; pod = 28.6%) being statistically at par with the recommended chemical fungicide. Chemicals also proved effective in reducing Alternaria blight severity on leaves and pods of Indian mustard (leaf = 36.3-37.9%; pod = 27.5-30.1%). The effective treatments besides providing significant reduction in disease severity also enabled increase in dry seed yield of the crop (mancozeb = 2052 kg ha-1; garlic = 2006 kg ha-1; control = 1561 kg ha-1).     

Survey of nitrogen use pattern in rice in the irrigated rice-wheat cropping system of Haryana, India

Seeing the sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, adequate crop nutrition in general and nitrogen (N) in particular holds the key to sound crop management. The excessive application or insufficient management of N means an economic loss to the farmer and may lead to yield penalties and environmental problems. Improving N management in consonance with other nutrients is much important to break yield plateaus as breeding for high yielding is not happening in recent years. Findings from farm survey are used to evaluate the on-farm N management practices in rice crop of the study area. The crop management practices (especially time of sowing/transplanting and irrigation requirement) and resource base of the farmers decided the N use pattern of the farmers. The N(Physical optimum) and N(economic optimum) exceeding the recommended levels revealed the apparent need for the revalidation of the existing recommendations. Paddy yield increased significantly within different rice types. This study generated comprehensive data on N use pattern in rice in the study area.     

Influence of home characteristics on airborne and dustborne endotoxin and β-D-glucan

The aim of this study was to assess the associations between airborne and dustborne microbial contaminants (endotoxin and β-D-glucan) and estimate the effects of home characteristics on exposure levels of these microbial contaminants. Endotoxin and β-D-glucan concentrations in airborne inhalable particles, airborne PM1 (<1 μm) and vacuumed dust from 184 residential homes were determined using specific Limulus amebocyte assays. Home characteristics were recorded by visual inspection and questionnaires. Linear regression and correlation analyses were performed. Inhalable endotoxin correlated with dust endotoxin (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) and PM1 endotoxin (r = 0.33, p < 0.001). Inhalable β-D-glucan correlated with dust β-D-glucan (r = 0.18, p < 0.01), but not with PM1 β-D-glucan. Significant correlation was also found between PM1 and dust concentrations for endotoxin (r = 0.26, p < 0.001), but not for β-D-glucan. Multivariate regression analyses showed only one significant association between airborne contaminants and environmental characteristics: inhalable β-D-glucan was positively associated with relative humidity with an effect size (change in the dependent variable corresponding to a unit increase in the independent variable) of 2.32 and p < 0.05. In contrast, several associations were found between dust concentrations and environmental characteristics. Dust endotoxin was positively associated with temperature (2.87, p < 0.01) and number of inhabitants (2.76, p < 0.01), whereas dust β-D-glucan was inversely associated with the presence of dogs (-2.24, p < 0.05) and carpet (-3.05, p < 0.01) in the home. In conclusion, dustborne contaminants were more strongly affected by home characteristics than airborne contaminants. Furthermore, even though statistically significant, the correlations between airborne and dustborne contaminants were weak. This indicates that airborne concentrations cannot be reliably predicted based on dustborne concentrations.     

Biodiversity conservation through a traditional beliefs system in Indian Himalaya: a case study from Nakuleshwar sacred grove

Sacred groves are well recognized in the world in terms of biodiversity conservation. The present study was conducted in the Nakuleshwar sacred grove, in the valley of Thal kedar hill in the Kumaon region of Pithoragarh district in Indian Himalaya, in appreciation of its role in biodiversity conservation. The study aimed at the documentation and inventory of the sacred grove, its phytodiversity, threats and conservation in the Himalayan region, and to achieve this, systematic field surveys were conducted during 2007?C2010 covering all four seasons. A total of 83 species from 71 genera and 50 families were identified, of which 43 species are flowering plants, including 7 trees, 7 shrubs, 4 climbers and 25 herbs, and 40 species are non-flowering plants of which lichens are represented by 12 species from 8 genera, bryophytes 6 species from 5 genera, and pteridophytes 7 species from 9 genera, while gymnosperms are represented by a single species. Acer oblongum, Cinnamomum tamala, Cedrus deodara, Coriaria nepalensis act as keystone species in the grove. Ophiopogon inermis is a common herb during the rainy season while Goodyera hemsleyana (Orchid) is a new distribution record for the western Himalaya. A total of 43 species from 38 genera are used ethnobotanically by local people for various ailments. Mahonia nepaulensis, Asparagus adscendens, Thalictrum foliolosum, Cinnamomum tamala and Berberis asiatica are highly exploited species and need to be conserved. Climatic conditions of the grove are moderate and the floristic patch of the grove is completely different from the plant diversity of the surrounding area and matches with the diversified floral wealth of comparatively higher altitudes. Due to anthropogenic pressure, this grove is facing new threats of degradation, hence needing special attention.     

Passive monitoring of nitrogen dioxide in urban air: a case study of Durban metropolis, South Africa

To devise and implement strategies to manage the quality of urban air, a metropolis needs air pollution data on which an air quality management plan can be formulated. Although air pollutants can come from several sources, many reports suggest that nitrogen dioxide from motor vehicle emissions is the major contributor to air pollution in cities. Since vehicles stop or move slowly through traffic intersections, concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) are expected to be relatively high at these sites. Inexpensive Ogawa passive samplers were placed at selected traffic intersections in the Durban Metropolis to trap the NO(2) which was then analysed by a sensitive laboratory-based method. The data obtained by this method was compared with data from sophisticated system comprising an active sampler cum on-line chemiluminescence detector. The sampling was done over a twelve month period to cover all seasons. Statistical analysis of the data showed that there was no significant difference between the means for the two methods. This study has established that an Ogawa passive sampler may be used as an economical and reliable collector for NO(2) in ambient air under varying climatic conditions. Further, the analysis method using a UV-Visible spectrophotometer was sensitive enough to detect NO(2) at the 10-20 ppb level. The cost of the method should be well within the budgets of most municipalities and it would motivate them to develop policies to alleviate traffic congestion.     

Assessment of seawater impact using major hydrochemical ions: a case study from Sadras, Tamilnadu, India

The impact of seawater intrusion was investigated using major hydrogeochemical ions to evaluate the origin of salinity in Sadras watershed located between Buckingham Canal and Bay of Bengal in the southeastern coast of India. From empirical data collected twice during pre- and post-monsoon seasons, it was found that groundwater was slightly acidic to mildly alkaline, and more than 44% of groundwater samples had EC > 3,000 ??S/cm in both the seasons. Results of principle component analysis (PCA) showed that Na^?+?, Cl^???, Mg^2?+?, and SO $_{4}^{\,\, 2-}$ concentrations had the highest loading factor and the samples affected by saline/seawater were separated from the cluster. Hydrochemical processes that accompany the saline/seawater were identified using ionic changes. It was observed during sampling periods that the mixing due to saline/seawater intrusion varied from 4.82?C7.86%. Negative values of ionic change (e _change) for Na^?+? and K^?+? decreased with the increasing fraction of seawater. Furthermore, salinity, sodium adsorption ratio, percentage of sodium Na (%), and exchangeable sodium percentage in well samples showed that groundwater was unsuitable for irrigation purposes.     

Soil gas radon analysis in some areas of Northern Punjab, India

The radon concentration levels in soil samples from 39 locations of Northern Punjab are measured using AlphaGUARD (PQ 2000 PRO Model) of Genitron instruments, Germany. The radon concentration in soil varies from 0.3 to 35.8 kBq/l. The minimum value of radon is observed in Talwandi Choudhrian and is maximum for Nushera Dhala. The soil gas radon is correlated with soil temperature, pressure, and humidity to observe the effect of these parameters on radon release. The soil gas radon values in the study area are compared with that obtained in groundwater. The results are also compared with the available radon data for other parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.     

Identification of erosional and inundation hazard zones in Ken?CBetwa river linking area, India, using remote sensing and GIS

Ken-Betwa river link is one of the pilot projects of the Inter Linking of Rivers program of Government of India in Bundelkhand Region. It will connect the Ken and Betwa rivers through a system of dams, reservoirs, and canals to provide storage for excess rainfall during the monsoon season and avoid floods. The main objective of this study is to identify erosional and inundation prone zones of Ken-Betwa river linking site in India using remote sensing and geographic information system tools. In this study, Landsat Thematic Mapper data of year 2005, digital elevation model from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission, and other ancillary data were analyzed to create various thematic maps viz. geomorphology, land use/land cover, NDVI, geology, soil, drainage density, elevation, slope, and rainfall. The integrated thematic maps were used for hazard zonation. This is based on categorizing the different hydrological and geomorphological processes influencing the inundation and erosion intensity. Result shows that the southern part of the study area which lies in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, India, is more vulnerable than the other areas.     

A review on the urban municipal solid waste management system of an Indian Himalayan state

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Improper management of solid waste creates health problems and degrades the environment (air, water, and soil). The Indian state Uttarakhand is...     

Berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles inhibit non-small cell lung cancer proliferation and migration in vitro

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reported to have a high incidence rate and is one of the most prevalent types of cancer contributing towards 85%...