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ABSTRACT

The present paper discusses about the Geoelectrical response over Charnockite rocks and Biotite Gneiss rock types of Sankaran kovil and Tenkasi Taluks of Tirunelveli District, Tamilnadu. The study area is adjoined to the Western Ghats which geologically comprises Archean crystalline hard rocks. In this attempt, about 7 Vertical Electrical Soundings (3 in Gneiss and 4 in Charnockite) have been carried out in both terrains. The VES values were interpreted with Schlumberger Sounding Dada Processing and Interpretation Program .The resistivity values varied from 68 m to 808 m with the layer thickness of 10m, 20 m and 29m in the biotite gneiss terrain. Similarly, the resistivity values varied from 48 m to 444 m with the layer thickness of 4m, 6m, 9m,18m & 29m in the charnockite terrain. But the depth to massive rock for both the rock types has been observed below 29m. In this study, a difference in resistivity with high resistivity values in gneissic terrain and lower values in charnockite terrain have been observed. The observed resistivity differences are mainly due to the presence of resisting minerals such as biotite and hornblende. Besides, other factors like weathering and water table also influence the resistivity values. Hence, it is summerised that the geoelectric methods are the best methods to understand the subsurface lithostudies.

Finfish and aquatic invertebrates are part of Fish Genetic Resources (FiGR) that has actual or potential value for culture and capture fisheries. Fish as a group, have the highest species diversity among all the vertebrate taxa. Out of 62,305 species of vertebrates recognized world over, 32,064 (~ 52%) are valid fish species; of which, the great majority (97%) are bony fishes, mainly teleosts; and the remaining (3%) are cartilaginous fishes (sharks & rays) and jawless fishes (lampreys and hagfishes) (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2012). India is blessed with vast fishery resources, like exclusive economic zone (2.02 m sq. km), coast line (8,129 km), ponds and tanks (2.254 m ha), beels, ox-bow lakes and swamps (1.3 m ha), reservoirs (2.90 m ha), rivers and canals (173,287 km), brackish water (1.235 m ha) (Ayyappan et al., 2011). The country is fortunate to possess vast and varied fish genetic resources in different aquatic ecosystems and being home to 7.84% of global finfish diversity, with 3535 species of fish, of which 3035 are native species, representing 46 orders, 252 families and 1,018 genera. The 500 exotic fishes are also covered and majority of them are of ornamental fishes. Out of the 3035 native fishes, 1016 are freshwater, 113 are brackish water and 1906 are marine species and at least 258 species are of commercially important (NBFGR, 2016-17). India harbours a rich diversity of fishes and four out of 34 biodiversity hotspot areas of the world. The biodiversity hotspots i.e. the Western Ghats and North East India harbours maximum endemic freshwater fishes. The Western Ghats harboring about 306 finfishes out of which nearly 69% are endemic to the region (Gopalakrishnan and Ponniah, 2000). Likewise North East India, another biodiversity hotspot area, harbors about 240 fin fishes and nearly 40% are endemic to the region (Sarkar et al. 2012). In the past one and half decades more than 50 new species were described from these areas and more than 10 new species were described from the marine environment.

The exploration of facts about healthy and nutritious food has increased over the years. The advent of advance scientific tools has elucidated facts regarding the role of diet or nutrients in regulating gene expression (Sales et al., 2014). Various studies based on molecular interactions in food has revealed that many dietary components such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and phyto-constituents has the tendency to regulate gene expression.

Mode of Action of Fungicides

Most fungicides function outside of the host, which is referred to as “protection.” A fungicide that acts outside of the host is referred to as a “protectant fungicide.” This category includes the majority of older fungicides applied on leaves and fruit. “Therapy” refers to chemical action within the host. Fungicides, for example, are locally systemic and enter the plant at the point of deposition. Several triazole fungicides have several days of therapeutic action against wheat leaf rust and also inhibit the development of viable spores (spores that can grow).

The majority of protectant fungicides are relatively stable on their own. They are generally insoluble in water and resist removal or chemical alteration by water, but they must be toxic to fungus.

Order: Siphonptera (Fleas)
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota 
Division: Endopterygota
Order: Siphonaptera
Siphonaptera derived from two greek words viz. siphon (sucking) and apteron (wingless)
General characters of fleas
1. Body is laterally compressed.
2. Tegument is highly scleritized. Outer chitinous layer is very thick and it is dark brown in colour.
3. A pair of simple eye or ocelli are present on head. Compound eyes absent.

A novel zoonotic disease was reported in December 2019 in Wuhan (China) and patients were presumably exposed to a new coronavirus, designated as SARS CoV-2. This virus probably crossed into humans from an animal species, most likely a bat, spreading rapidly across the world and causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This infectious illness was responsible for a global pandemic that caused deaths and economic despair (Santaniello et al., 2023). The latest WHO data (December 2023) confirmed 77,38,19,856 cases worldwide since the beginning of this zoonosis and 70,10,568 deaths (WHO, 2023), making this pandemic one of the deadliest in human history. Human CoVs (HCoVs) are often of animal origin but adapt to humans via direct jumping or through intermediate species. These data and the zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2 quickly raised questions concerning the potential role that animals could play in transmitting the virus to humans or other species.

There are different crop specific societies in different countries for registering new varieties. This does not provide any intellectual property right. It serves as a documental proof of new variety, author, mode of origin, place and date. For example, there is The American Rose Society which serves as the International Cultivar Registration Authority for Roses; The Royal Horticultural Society, International Registration Authority for the genus Dahlia; Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi -110 012, India for Bougainvillea. Each society either follows the rules set forth by the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants or they are having their own rules and regulations for registration (Anonymous 1981, Choudhury 1973, Singh 1983, 1986, 1987, 1999, Singh et al., 1999, Sindhu 2015, Singh 2007). Newly evolved Bougainvilleas are being registered by the Division of Vegetable Crops and Floriculture, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, since 1966. A check list of all the existing important cultivars based on the available information from literature as well as from amateurs, professional traders and other sources from different countries are available.

Cancer remains a challenge because of its incurability and fatality.  Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in companion animals such as dogs and cats and is particularly common in animals that live 10 years or longer. Of all species, dogs develop neoplasm twice as frequently as humans, with incidence of skin and mammary tumours being the highest.

Data on incidence rates are relatively new development in the veterinary medicine. One of the major sources of various dog neoplasm incidence rates has been a population based animal tumour registry. Though, majority of epidemiological studies have been reported from various countries, in India knowledge about epidemiology of canine neoplasm is scant.

33. GEOTECTONICS

Introduction

Geotectonics is the branch of geology which deals with the structure and movements of the earth’s crust. It includes the study of large-scale features like mountain chains, mid-oceanic ridge and oceanic trenches. Investigation regarding the form, pattern and genesis of these, and other tectonic units have enabled geo-scientists to ascertain the important characteristics of earth’s crust and reconstructs its evolution and geological history.

1.0 Overview

Natural resources sustain life and are critical for economic development of nations. In developing countries like India where more than half the population is rural, economic development is inextricably linked with agricultural development. In these countries, the food and livelihoods security of the poor are critically associated with access to the services provided by the natural resources - land, soil, water, biodiversity and climate resources. The natural resources are finite, and with increasing population, economic growth, urbanization, and demands for food and other agricultural commodities, these are being increasingly strained. As a result, the productive capacity of the natural resource base is shrinking and deteriorating. Sustaining the productive capacity of natural resources for future generations, while meeting the food and other demands of the growing populations, is the major development challenge of the twenty first century.

In India, during the last forty years the net sown area under agriculture has remained nearly constant at 141 million ha. In the same period, the population has more than doubled (from 541 million in 1970 to 1186 million in 2010) and per capita income grew by more than 3.5 times (from Rs 14824 in 1970 to Rs 53331 in 2010). As available land resources for agriculture are finite, increases in agricultural production to meet the growing demands of the population have to come from intensification of agriculture on the same lands. As a result, the quality of soils on these lands is gradually deteriorating both at the farm and ecosystem levels. The major threats to soil quality come from loss of organic carbon, erosion, nutrient imbalance, compaction, salinization, water-logging, decline in soil bio-diversity, urbanization, and contamination with heavy metals. More than 100 million ha of the total cultivated land of 141 million ha is stated to be under some form of soil degradation.

Similarly, utilizable fresh water resources of India are finite at about 1123 billion cubic meters (BSM), of which about 690 BCM are from surface water resources and 433 BCM are from groundwater. This supply is shared among multiple uses: human and animal consumption, agriculture, urban uses, industry and for provision of environmental services. The total water demand in 2010 is estimated at 710 BCM and is projected to increase to 1180 BCM by 2050. Several parts of India are already facing severe water shortages as a result of the growing demand for water. The quality of water resources is also impacted by agricultural intensification and development, and is increasingly a matter of concern. By the year 2050, when population is expected to stabilize, the shortages will only intensify. The country as whole can be on the verge of becoming a water scarce country, with nearly all the presently estimated utilizable water resources being put to use.

Biodiversity natural resources refer to the abundance of different species and ecosystems in nature. These resources are the primary sources of present and future productive agriculture and human well being, as they provide the basic resources for use in breeding crops and livestock, soil formation and structure, soil fertility, nutrient cycling and the provision of water services. India is among the 12 mega diversity regions of the world. It is known to have more than 18,000 species of higher plants including, 160 major and minor crop species and 325 of their wild relatives. Increasing pressure from human population growth, agricultural intensification, urbanization, pollution and degradation of land, soil and water resources are having a negative impact on the plant, animal and microbial biodiversity resources of the country and their productivity.

Bulbs

Floriculturists use the term “bulbous” to include a wide array of perennial plants that grow from underground organs, including bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes. Any plant described as bulbous will normally have a swollen root or stem or even leaves underground (Some orchids and other plants have swollen stems – above ground). Bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes are perennial plants organ that are part of a plant type called bulbous plants in which part of the plant has evolved into a below-ground storage unit where food created one year is used to nourish the plant in the next. They are valuable in the garden for many reasons. Spring bulbs appear early, before most perennials have started to grow again after the winter. They can also add color to containers when other plants are not ready to face the danger of frost. In summer, bulbous plants such as Alliums and lilies can provide stately interest, while autumn crocuses and tiny hardy cyclamen can cheer up the garden toward the end of the season. The purpose of the bulbous part of the plant is to store food for the plant parts that live above ground to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. The leaf bases may resemble scales, or they may overlap and surround the centre of the bulb. A modified stem forms the base of the bulb and plant growth occurs from this basal plate. Roots emerge from the underside of the base, new stems and leaves from the upper side. Most true bulbs have their scales closely packed together such as Hyacinthus but some types, such as the Lily (Lilium), they are loose and swollen. Most popular bulbs have a papery skin, the tunic, whose function is to protect the tissues within. Some true bulbs such as the Lily do not have a tunic and are therefore, easily damaged by rough handling. Cardio crinums dies after flowering but other bulbs are perennial. Vegetative reproduction in true bulbs is by means of offsets called bulblets.

Appropriate selection of fungicides and application at appropriate doses and times are of great importance in the management of crop diseases. A basic requirement of the application method is to get the fungicide to a location where the active ingredient prevents fungal damage to the plant. The fungicidal application varies according to the nature of the host part diseased and nature of survival and spread of the pathogen. The method which are commonly adopted in the application of the fungicides are discussed.

1. Foliar or vegetative application

2. Soil application

3. Seed treatment

14.1 NEED FOR ANIMAL DISEASE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Once the animal disease data are gathered, a few things need to be done with the data so collected. First, they must be managed and quality checked; Secondly, they must be analyzed to be understandable; and thirdly, they must be acted upon. For data to be analyzable and useful for decision-making, they need cautious management and quality control. An information system is the collection of data, people, procedures, hardware, software, files, and data required to accomplish an organized set of functions.

The constituents of an information system are:

• People – those who gather data, those responsible for data input and those responsible for data analysis

• A storage / retrieval / analysis system – which consists of computer hardware and appropriate software

• A feedback delivery system – mechanisms to ensure that processed data are fed back to data gatherers

The breeds of animals are utilized for this study includes Spitz (12), German shepherd (7), Non descript (5), Doberman (2), Rottweiler (1), Labrador (1) and Pomeranian (2) (Total 30 clinical cases of CMT). The animals are weighed between seven to thirty nine kilograms. There are twenty three cases of non spayed and seven cases of spayed dogs. Out of thirty clinical cases of mammary tumour presented, 10 cases (33.33%) have multiple growths, and 20 cases (66.67 %) have solitary growths, pedunculated growth are 12, remaining eighteen growths are sessile. Ulcerated and inflamed are 36.67 % (11/30), and non infected are 63.33% (20/30).The surface of tumour is nodular in eight cases (4.18). Recurrence are recorded in 4 (13.33%) cases whereas, first time occurrence are 26 (86.67%).

Synonyms :  Viral bovi. rhinotracheitis, Red nose, I.B.R, Infectious pustular vulvovaginits (IPV), Coital exanthema, Infectious pustular balanoposthitis (IPB), Bovine herpes virus 1(BHV 1).

It is a highly infectious disease of bovine characterized by high fever, rhinotracheitis, conjunctivitis, with a short course and high recovery rate. Encephalitis, the systemic form of the disease in new born calves, infectious pustular vulvovaginits/balanoposthitis are other syndromes caused by the same virus. Genetic isolates of various clinical isolates has found subtypes of BHV 1; a respiratory subtype BHV 1.1, a genital subtype BHV1.2 and an encephalatic subtype BHV 1.3, which is now termed as BHV 5.

The Coconut palm is a monotypic species of the family Arecaceae, under the tribe Cocoideae. It is considered as an important commercial crop in more than 18 countries in the world. The palm provides food, drink, shelter and also supplies raw materials for a large number of industries. Every part of the palm is utilized for some economic purpose or another. Hence, it is referred to as ‘Tree of Wealth” or the “Tree of Life” (Satyabalan, 1993). It is native of South East Asia. Genetic diversity has become one of the keywords of scientists who are concerned about the sustainable management of different tree crops. Genetic diversity plays an important role in tree breeding, because hybrids between populations of diverse origin, generally display a greater heterosis than between closely related parents (Zobel and Talbert, 1986). The present study was formulated to identify divergent parents for future breeding programme.

Two hundred and fifty genotypes of coconut cultivar Chawghat green dwarf, distributed in the two districts of Kerala viz., Kottayam and Pathanamthitta were evaluated for nut yield per plant during June-July, 2000. Seventy five genotypes, which had single tree nut yield of more than population mean ± 2 SE were selected as per the method outlined by Ledig (1974). These 75 genotypes were observed for 10 nut and endosperm characters in two seasons (years), during June-July 2000 and 2001.

Each tree was considered as a single genotype. Thirty nuts from a single tree were collected and divided into three replications (Chauhan and Kanwar, 2001; Thirugnanakumar, 2006a, b). Observations were recorded on 10 nut and endosperm characters viz.,1) oil content (%), cold percolation method; (Kartha and Sethi, 1957), 2) weight of unhusked nut (g), 3) weight of husked nut (g), 4) diameter (polar) of the husked nut (cm), 5) diameter (equatorial) of the husked nut (cm), 6) thickness of husk (cm), 7) husk: nut ratio, 8) thickness of meat (mm), 9) weight of kernel (g) and 10) weight of copra (g). The mean values so obtained were subjected to statistical analyses, in Randomized Block Design, as suggested by Chauhan and Kanwar (2001) and Thirugnanakumar et al.(2006a, b). The D² estimates were made following Mahalanobis (1936), as described by Rao (1952). Clusters were prepared following Tocher (Rao, 1952).

All the plant biochemical processes are sensitive to change in temperature. Freeze or low-temperature stress in plants becomes lethal when the temperature is lowered beyond a critical threshold for a sufficient duration to cause irreversible damage to plant growth and development. This stress influences countless biochemical reactions which have certain temperature optima for their proper functioning.

ABSTRACT

The Cellular technology (mobile phone) is becoming popular day by day with companies up with low price handsets and nearly one-fourth of the India’s population possess a mobile phone even in the rural areas. The Indian government has set a target of 500 million users by 2010; half of this, 250 million, has reached till 2007 (IANS). Keeping in view the scenario, messaging agricultural information through computers to the end users on mobile phone is a means, which will go a long way for the farmers to receive timely information. There are different media platforms through which farmer’s access information in India. This includes radios, television, print, person to person and so many others. However, with the rapid growth in technology, there is a strong belief that there is a need to extend the mobile phones’ use to agriculture sector.

It is the operation of cutting, picking, plucking and digging or a combination of these operations for removing the crop from under the ground or above the ground or removing the useful part or fruits from plants.

Thresher is a machine to separate grains from the harvested crop and provide clean grain without much loss and damage. During threshing, grain loss in terms of broken grain, un-threshed grain, blown grain, spilled grain etc. should be minimum. Bureau of Indian Standards has specified that the total grain loss should not be more than 5 per cent, in which broken grain should be less than 2 per cent. Clean un-bruised grain fetch good price in the market as well as it has long storage life.

It is a machine designed for harvesting, threshing, separating, cleaning and collecting grains while moving through standing crops. Bagging arrangement may be provided with a pick up attachment. The main functions of a combine are: (i) Cutting the standing crops (ii) Feeding the cut crops to threshing unit (iii) Threshing the crops (iv) Cleaning the grains from straw (v) collecting the grains in a container.