Sowing the seeds of resilience: a case study of community-based Indigenous seed conservation from Andhra Pradesh,India

ABSTRACT

Despite increasing evidence of threats to Indigenous food systems, many Indigenous communities are innovating to enhance their resilience while conserving and promoting their traditional food systems, offering important lessons for rural development policy. This community-based case study explores one such Indigenous initiative: Sanjeevini, in Andhra Pradesh, India. Sanjeevini has been effective in designing and implementing creative strategies for seed sovereignty and biocultural conservation. Interviews with key persons associated with Sanjeevini (n?=?8) and participatory field-research in the Araku Valley region, including interviews with small scale farmers (n?=?30), revealed community development strategies emphasising a link between biological and cultural heritage in Indigenous food systems. These include hosting cultural seed festivals, establishing and maintaining community-based seed banks, and facilitating inter-community seed exchanges. Importantly, these strategies take place against a backdrop of community-organising that counteracts the dominant neo-liberal development agenda while resisting deforestation that threatens Indigenous livelihoods. Sanjeevini’s success demonstrates that through the adaptive assertion of self-determination, rural social change is possible. This paper highlights alternative, community-driven articulations of seed sovereignty while underscoring the significance of this community’s own vision in guiding rural innovation and offering promising working models for cultivating rural resilience.     

Neuroprotective potential of N -acetylcysteine in carbofuran neurotoxicity: A biochemical and histopathological study

The present study was undertaken to evaluate biochemical markers of chronic carbofuran exposure to rats in terms of lipid peroxide and intrasynaptosomal calcium levels and to correlate them with the histopathological changes in brain regions. A significant increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO) in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was observed in the cerebral cortex (65%) and brain stem (33%) after carbofuran exposure. This was accompanied by a significant increase (87%) in the intracellular free-Ca²⁺ [Ca²⁺]_i levels. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) administration, on the other hand, reversed the carbofuran-induced increase in LPO and [Ca²⁺]_i. Histopathological studies of carbofuran-exposed brain revealed high frequency of pyknotic neurons in the cerebral cortex and microhaemorrhages in the brain stem. NAC supplementation to carbofuran-treated animals resulted in normalisation of the brain architecture as seen by a reduction in the number of pyknotic nuclei in the cerebral cortex. These findings indicate that increased LPO and elevated [Ca²⁺]_i levels are involved in the development of carbofuran neurotoxicity and are eventually responsible for the pathological alterations. The study also demonstrates potential neuroprotective effect of NAC treatment in carbofuran neurotoxicity.     

Vitamin E-mediated protection on methomyl-induced alterations in rat liver

The present study was carried out to observe the possible beneficial effects of Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant on methomyl-induced biochemical and histological alterations in rat liver. To carry out the investigations, animals were segregated in four different groups. Animals in Group I served as normal controls. Animals in Group II were given single methomyl dose orally in water (9 mg kg^?1 b.wt). Animals in Group III were injected intraperitoneally with Vitamin E (50 mg kg^?1 b.wt) for 1 week on alternate days. Animals in Group IV were administered Vitamin E 1 week before subjecting them to methomyl treatment. Animals in all the groups were sacrificed 24 h after the end of treatments. Different biochemical estimations were carried out, which included estimation of aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Further, to examine the oxidative damage lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione (GSH) levels as well as antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and glutathione-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were estimated in liver samples. AchE activity was inhibited significantly both in serum and liver following methomyl treatment. Administration of methomyl caused a significant increase in serum AST, ALT and ALP which indicated hepatic damage. LPO was found to be significantly increased, whereas GSH levels were decreased in the liver of methomyl-treated animals. The activities of SOD and catalase were significantly decreased whereas GST and GSHPx activities were found to be elevated significantly following methomyl treatment. No significant change in the enzyme activity of GR and glutathione-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase was observed after methomyl treatment. Vitamin E supplementation was able to attenuate appreciably the methomyl-induced changes in LPO levels along with SOD and GST activities. Histopathological studies following methomyl treatment revealed that hepatocytes, were not very well delineated and nuclei showed degenerative changes. Whereas, following Vitamin E supplementation in combined treatment group nuclei showing degenerative changes become less in number. The study, therefore, concludes that Vitamin E has a potential in mitigating most of the adverse effects induced by methomyl acute toxicity.     

Deltamethrin-induced alteration of iron metabolism in Wistar rats

Abstract

The impact of sub-lethal exposure to deltamethrin on the expression of hepcidin, ferroportin and transferrin genes in Wistar rats was studied. A dosage of 30?mg/kg per day for five days was found to modify the hepcidin-ferroportin axis that primarily governs iron homeostasis. Significant variations in erythrocyte, leukocyte, lymphocyte, platelet and monocyte counts, as well as the reduced serum protein profile, suggested anemia. The results collectively demonstrated the novel finding of deltamethrin’s disruptive effect on iron homeostasis.     

Sustainable isolation of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)-based yellow natural colorant for dyeing of bio-mordanted cotton

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sustainability in the utilization of products in all fields particularly food textiles, solar cells, etc. is of prime concern to the global community....     

Review on phase change materials for solar energy storage applications

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The energy storage application plays a vital role in the utilization of the solar energy technologies. There are various types of the energy storage...     

Ecofriendly application of coconut coir (Cocos nucifera) extract for silk dyeing

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The worldwide resurgence of natural dyes in all fields is due to the carcinogenic effects of effluent loads shed by synthetic industries. Coconut coir...     

Synthesis of artificial aggregates and their impact on performance of concrete: a review

Infrastructure development and urbanization have created a demand for the prime construction material—"Concrete." The manufacture of concrete has pressurized the aggregate supply chain for over-exploitation of natural resources leading to eco-detrimental impacts besides environmental regulations. The auxiliary sectors of the construction industry are creating a vast quantum of by-products and waste, causing environmental degradation, which concerns governing bodies. Developing aggregates artificially using these by-products and waste materials would be an eco-friendly and economical solution. This article provides an overview of the ingredients, production methods, and factors influencing the characteristics of such sustainable building materials, which can substitute conventional aggregates in the near future.