Significant amount of residual lead was present in the leaves of old plants collected from both the sides of NH-5 at Keshpur ghat area and Maa Narayani Temple connecting junction area. Significant decrease in pigment content was recorded in plant leaves situated on the roadsides when compared to plants collected from deep inside the forest area far away from freeways/highways. The impact was due to lead availability in air from automobile exhausts and surface absorption of lead by plants from polluted air. The effect of lead nitrate was tested on ragi seeds in petriplate culture. The impact of lead on seed germination and seedling establishment was severe in high concentrations and at low concentration no stimulation was recorded. Lead affected the root and shoot length and weight of the seedlings when compared to control plants. Significant depletion in pigment content was recorded in lead exposed seedlings when compared to control seedlings indicating toxic nature of lead as lead nitrate.

The effect of microbial inoculants on yield performance of maize based cropping systems under rainfed conditions in Northern Karnataka on a clay loam soil was studied with various treatment combinations including crop- ping systems and seed priming treatments during Kharif 2007. Bio-priming (16.60 μg TPF g soil-1 day-1) and combina- tion of all priming methods (16.10 μg TPF g soil-1 day-1) resulted in significantly higher dehydrogenase activity than farmers practice (13.78 μg TPF g soil-1 day-1). Similar results were obtained in urease and phosphatase activity and also percent root colonization of VAM fungi. Among the different cropping systems followed, sole cropping resulted in higher kernel yield (67.40 q ha-1) and HI (0.433) over intercropping. Among the different priming methods, bio- priming (58.35 q ha-1) and combination of all priming methods (58.85 q ha-1) were found advantageous over farmer's practice (53.09 q ha-1). Similar results were obtained in stover yield of maize.

Scenedesmus Meyen is well known planktonic genus of Chlorococcales. It is most ubiquitous in the fresh and brackish water bodies, particularly in eutrophic conditions and constitutes the major part of the phytoplankton and are therefore at the baseline of trophic structure. The present study is an attempt made at the different fresh water bodies of Churu region of Rajasthan to know the biodiversity and taxonomic accounts of Scenedesmus Meyen during Jan.,2013-Dec.,2014. During investigation, total 19 taxa of this genus have been reported and taxonomically identified.

Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of cropping systems and different seed priming treatments on phenotypic and physiological performance of sorghum grown as intercrop in maize. In the present investigation, it was observed that, as the growth stage advanced from 90 to 105 DAS there was gradual decrease in the number of green leaves per plant. At 90 DAS, all the priming treatments were found beneficial. However, at a later stage (105 DAS), bio-priming (5.85) and combination of all priming methods (6.05) helped to retain significantly higher number of green leaves. Similarly, the RWC of intercropped sorghum at 90 DAS (81.18%) was higher than in sole sorghum (76.30%). In addition, there was progressive decline in RWC of sorghum. Till 105 DAS, the priming treatment did not alter RWC. At 90 DAS, it was observed that, the leaf chlorophyll concentration of all the priming treatments except hydro-priming and at 105 DAS, osmo-priming (46.43) and bio-priming (49.43) were found superior to farmers' practice (42.86).

Poor crop establishment is a major problem in Northern Karnataka, particularly for subsistence farmers in rainfed and poorly irrigated environments. 'On-farm' seed priming which entails soaking seeds, overnight, before sowing is a simple technology that farmers can use to improve crop establishment and increase yield. Seed priming was followed for maize and sorghum seeds in the cropping system in farmers field at 8 locations in Haveri district of Northern Karnataka. At two locations baby trial recorded significantly higher grain yield in intercropped sorghum (23.63 q ha-1) than mother trial (18.10 q ha-1). At one location, among the priming treatments, osmopriming (64 q ha-1), biopriming (70.48 q ha-1) and combination of all priming methods (71.08 q ha-1) recorded significantly higher maize kernel yield in mother trial as compared to baby trials. Farmers in the study area had a perception that sorghum substitution with maize gave high monetary return as compared to sole sorghum. In addition, maize plants from bioprimed seeds were quite good in retaining higher number of green leaves per plant during 15th days prior to harvesting compared to unprimed seeds.

Genus Alternaria belong to deuteromycetes having number of species and destructive plant pathogen to the families such as Solanceae, Cucurbitaceae, Brasicaceae. Tomato belong to family Solanaceae. The tomato crop grown in rabbi and kharip season having nutritional and economical value. Alternaria species cause early blight disease of tomato and lose the quality and quantity of crop. The disease is control by spraying synthetic chemicals but it create environmental, ecological problems. Now a days biological methods are uses to control the diseases. Biological methods is safer, biodegradable and ecofriendly, so this method is adopted by farmer rather than chemical control method. Biological agents like fungi, herbal extract and natural products are used to control diseases. In present study Alternaria species isolated from infected tomato plants on PDA medium. The different concentrations of some medicinal plant parts extracts are prepared and used to control the infection of Alternaria.

An experiment on fungus causing leaf spot was isolated from infected leaves on potato dextrose agar medium. It was investigated that culture was very slow to grow and sporulated only under high humidity and high temperature (25-35°C). The pathogenicity of the fungus was proved by following Koch's Postulates. Further, the typical diseased spots were developed on potted plants within 10-14th days.

Methyl violet and crystal violet are triphenylmethane group of dyes that are extensively used for dying nylon, silk, wool and cotton. Leather and paper industries are also major consumers of these dyes. Due to poor dyeing procedure, enough amounts of dye effluents flow out from textile units. According to earlier research data, a little amount of these dye effluents can completely change the physico-chemical properties of natural water resources and may cause many serious health issues. In the present work, the decolourisation of crystal violet and methyl violet by Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC 3002 and Aspergillus niger MTCC 478 has been investigated. It was observed that Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC 3002 could decolourise 79% of crystal violet and 67% of methyl violet grown with 20-100 μM dye concentration at pH 3.00 with additional glucose and sodium nitrate. In contrast, Aspergillus niger MTCC 478 was found to decolourise 54% of crystal violet and 76% of methyl violet grown in the similar condition. With glucose as additional carbon source the decolourisation percentage was comparatively more. The decolourisation ability of Aspergillus fumigatus was more for crystal violet and that of Aspergillus niger was comparatively more for methyl violet. The decolourisation of these dyes and other related compounds that pose environmental problems warrants further screening of organisms that could be applied in an eco-friendly and cost effective manner for bio-degradation of various environmental pollutants.

The present study was conducted to investigate the parasite infestation of Wallago attu and Rita rita during January, 2011 to December, 2012. A total of 11 species of parasites were identified from Wallago attu, with one ectoparasite (Argulus foliaceus) and 10 endo-parasites of which three were trematodes (Isoparorchis hypselobagri, Macrolecithus gotoi, Magnacetabulum trachuri); two nematodes (Contracaecum L larva, Cosmoxynemoids aguirrei); 3 one cestode (Polyoncobothrium polypteri) and four acanthocephalas (Echinorhynchus kushiroense, Pallisentis ophiocephali, Acanthocephalus aculeatus, Pallisentis umbellatus). From Rita rita, a total of 9 species of parasites were recovered and among them, one ecto-parasite (Lernaea cyprinacea) and 8 endo-parasites of which four trematodes (Notoporus leiognathi, Saccacoelium obesum, Sterrhurus musculus, Clinostomum piscidium); one nematode (Ascaroid larva) and three acanthocephalas (Cavisoma magnum, Corynosoma alaskense, Corynosoma strumosum). The prevalence of ecto-parasite was 23.6% in Wallago attu and mean intensity of parasite was 3.11±1.47, while, in Rita rita, 24.8% were infected with a mean intensity of 3.34±1.62. The prevalence of endo-parasites was 34.4% in Wallago attu and mean intensity of parasites was 1.66±0.24, while, in Rita rita, 64.57% with a mean intensity of 2.64±1.12. Most of the parasites were found to favour the intestine of the fishes, except Isoparorchis hypselobagri harboured the swim bladder. The prevalence in Wallago attu was observed higher during winter, while in Rita rita, it was higher in rainy season.

A consolidated 49 species of Pyraloidea Latreille,1809 under 42 genera of 7 subfamilies have been reported from Chhattisgarh in the present communication by compiling past information and present sampling. The inventory reflects 20 and 18 species new to Central India and Chhattisgarh, respectively with 10 data deficient species having unclear distribution pattern in India. The present record of Palpita annulifer Inoue, 1996 is its first time locality report in India, since no previous literature mentioned about any particular Indian state, region or locality as its distribution. Moreover, the present study shows significant southward range extension of Locastra muscosalis Walker,1865 (Pyralidae) and Pycnarmon alboflavalis (Moore,1888) (Crambidae) to the Deccan Peninsular region from the high altitude areas of Himalayan and North East Biogeographic zones of India.

The present paper deals with a small collection of zooplankton comprising a total of 5 species of Rhizopoda belonging to 4 genera, 1 order under 3 families from the different localities of four districts of Himachal Pradesh during 2014. These are all recorded during the first time from these areas. All the identified samples were deposited in the National Zoological Collection of Zoological Survey of India, Chennai.

Present study revealed the identification of Eurystylus bellevoyei (Reuter, 1879), (Family Miridae), belonging to order Hemiptera reported from Ladakh new addition to the Indian fauna.

A total of 60 faecal samples of domestic rabbits (Order : Lagomorpha, Family : Leporidae) were collected from Katabon pet market area, Dhaka during July, 2014-June,2015. Prevalence and intensity of T.retortaeformis and T.canis were examined applying Formol-ether-concentration technique in the Parasitology laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka. Almost adjacent prevalence of T.retortaeformis (18.3%) and Toxocara canis (15%) was observed. In female rabbits, both the parasites showed higher prevalence (19.2%). The prevalence of T.retortaeformis was the highest in summer (20%) and T.canis in rainy season (23.5%). The topmost T.retortaeformis prevalence was observed in rabbits aged 25-30 months (75%) and T.canis among 8-12 months (33.3%). The intensity of infection was 3.36 and 1.78 for T.retortaeformis and T.canis respectively. According to the present findings, the impact of age, sex and seasons on the prevalence of helminth parasites in rabbits was worth noticing and significant (F ratio=70.560, probability level 0.000).

Surimi is a separated fish flesh, water washed, mixed with cryoprotectants, frozen and frozen stored. The purpose of adding cryoprotectants is to minimise freeze denaturation rate in myofibrillar proteins during frozen storage. Sucrose and sorbitol are widely used cryoprotectants in commercial surimi production. As sucrose and sorbitol impart sweetish taste to end product, many alternate cryoprotectants are being attempted in surimi production. Starch from different sources could be one of the alternatives because of it's hydrophilic nature. In the present investigation fresh Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) have been used to prepare surimi. The water washing of mince was carried out for five times with fish to water ratio being 1:3. The dewatering of the washed mince was achieved by basket centrifuge. Starch from corn, tapioca and potato at 2% and 5% (W/W) was mixed separately to the dewatered mince and frozen at -35°C and stored at -20°C surimi without starch served as control. The frozen sample was drawn periodically and assessed for hydrodynamic and rheological properties.

The present represents a small collection of 5 species of Cladocerans belonging to 5 genera, 4 families and 1 order from the different localities of Himachal Pradesh. The family Bosminidae represents the most dominant family representing two species with a diversity of 10 specimens.

The present study records 15 species of Rotifers belonging to 5 genera, 4 families, 2 orders from different localities of Himachal Pradesh. The interesting observation is the presence of Conochilus colonies. These organisms were recorded during the first time from these localities.