eChapters

I. General information

The nature of roots

The roots of palms are usually tough and thick, although slender and wiry types are existing. Some roots creep over the soil’s surface, while a few palms even develop aerial roots that may eventually make them appear to be growing on stilts.

A few palms develop aerial roots at or near the base of the trunk or stems. These include Crysophila warscewiczii (Rootspine palm) and Clinostigma exorrhizum. Other palms with aerial roots include Pinanga aristata, Verschaffeltia splendida (Seychelles stilt palm) and Socratea exorrhiza. Some of these develop into stilt or prop roots, which often form a cone and give the palm extra support, they usually occurs on plams native to wet soils and humid conditions, whereas the base of the palms is at risk from decay. Indeed, in a few instances, the lower part of the trunk withers and the palm is entirely supported by these roots.

An unbranched evergreen tree of tropical and warm regions with a crown of very long feathered or fan-shaped leaves and typically having old leaf scars forming a regular pattern on the trunk. Palms have great ornamental value and are planted in the garden for special effects.

Palms are native of tropics and belong to Palmae or Arecaceae family. They are varied in forms, size and habit of growth. Palms do not increase in thickness and also do not show any distinction in bark wood and pith. Flowers are produced on spikes that hanged gracefully in many species. Inflorescences are highly diverse from large panicles with many orders of branching to simply spikes. Flowers may be bisexual or unisexual borne either on the same plant or on separate plant. Whereas, some palms are polygamous.

Palmyra (Borassus flabellifer L.) is a tropical dioecious palm adapted to arid zone tracts. Though it is a versatile plant which yields many edible and non-edible products it is a less exploited species. It is used for sap, fruit, seed, leaf and fiber and timber products. From nutritional point of view, fruit pulp and seed shoot flour are the most important.Successful promotion of these as foods for general consumption depends on subjecting the fruit pulp to a debittering process, and the seed shoot flour, to initial detoxification processes (Thabrew and Jansz, 2004). Palmyra palms are the most numerous palms in the world after coconut palm (Fox, 1977). Despite this, they are the least studied of all the palms.

Botanical Name: Borassus fabellifier
    ·    Borassus flabellifer - Asian Palmyra palm/Lontar palm/Doub palm/Sea Coconut (Southern Asia and Southeast Asia)
    ·    Borassus aethiopum - African Palmyra Palm (Tropical Africa)
    ·    Borassus akeassii - Ake Assi’s Palmyra Palm (West Africa)
    ·    Borassus heineanus - New Guinea Palmyra Palm (New Guinea)
    ·    Borassus madagascariensis - Madagascar Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)
    ·    Borassus sambiranensis - Sambirano Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)

The palmyrah palm exists both in the wild as well as in cultivation, ranging from sea level about 800 amsl. It is usually grown in seasonal tropical or subtropical climates on sandy soils. It is a very adaptable palm, however, growing well in dry areas and is quite drought resistant. It also grows in per-humid areas and survives water logging quite well. The worldwide distribution of natural and cultivated populations of the palmyrah shows that it occupies a band on either side of the equator and extends laterally over a considerable girth. The country wise distribution of the palms are Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Nigeria, Gaban, Congo, Sudan, Tanzania, Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Lubeigt, 1977), Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia (Kovoor, 1983). In India, the palms are wide spread in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.  Isolated patches are also seen in Assam, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh (Anonymous, 1948). The palmyrah is considered as a slow grower and the growth rate decreases in regions of higher altitude (Tjitrosoepomo and Pudjoarinto, 1982).

10.1. Origin and distribution

• Native to the tropical Africa and grows in the Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

• Palm is widespread in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

• In Tamil Nadu, it is present in Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Thenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram Madurai, Theni, Salem, Namakkal, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts.

• Palm is dioecious in nature.

• Palmyrah was declared as “State Tree of Tamil Nadu” by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The bio-degradation process dates back to time immemorial when some wild ruminant animals were spotted feeding on the tree –woods in South Chile. The natives of this place called this feed as “Palo Podrido (Huempe)”, meaning – ‘animal feed’, as opined by F. Zadrazilof Germany. Later on, it was found that thiswood was actuallydegradedbycertaintypes offungi undernatural conditions and decomposed to Spent-wood, which turned out to be the animal feed. The scientists started working on these fungi as well as this type of process. Lately, the fungi were found to be belonging to higher basidiomycetes class, called: White-rot-fungi. They mainly degraded lignin of the wood, however cellulose and hemicelluloses to a limited extent only.

But, surprisingly it was found that the digestibility and crude protein content increased to a considerable extent. Later on, the scientists started working on spent-straws too. The cereal straws (lignocellulosics) constituted a staple-feed (basal) in the developingcountries for theseruminantanimals. But, thepresence of lignin (a biological plastic) limits the utilization of these cereal straws in the rumen eco-system. Thus, the concept of SolidState Fermentation (SSF) sparked into this type of investigation. Some examples of such white-rot-fungi were: Pleurotus ostreatus, Coprinus cineus, Sporotrichum thermophile, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Polyporous berkeleyi, Neurospora crssa, Alternaria tenius to name a few. Some examples of substrates upon which such types of fungi grew for SSF were: wheat straw, paddy straw, paddy husks, ground nut shells, sugarcane bagasse, barleystraw, sunflower stalk, aspen wood, birch wood, saw dust etc. The resurgence of interest in the use of straw from cereal and grain crops as animal feed had been witnessed in early nineties to maintain the performance of animals. Following were some of the variations undertaken by different scientific groups:

1. Introduction

Among the various well associated morphological units in plants, the reproductive units demand maximum protection which is achieved in pollen grains (also in spores) by encasing the germplasm with a well organized wall with a unique structure and ornamentation. Apart from its functional significance, the wall bears important characteristics which are of immense diagnostic and phylogenetic values. The morphological diversities in pollen and spore organization are greatly exemplified in the vascular plants. The term ‘Palynology’ was coined by Hyde and Williams in 1944 for the science of pollen studies, which include the study of pollen as well as spores. Although some investigators tend to limit the scope of palynology to morphological investigations but others include pollen analyses of peats, coals, honey, and rocks as well as the resulting conclusions drawn from this information, and in a wider sense it is also connected with the pollen chemistry.

The wall of pollen and spores is a very peculiar substance which is resistant to the destructive action of corrosive acids and alkalis and is readily preserved in nature under suitable conditions. The shape, size, and ornamentation or sculpturing of pollen has been the subject of study since the invention of the microscope. Pollen morphology is therefore greatly utilized in interpretation of ancient floras, for determining authentic species phylogeny, distribution and climatic conditions under which they grew, based upon the pollen content of the matrices. Pollen which lodges in moss tufts and lichen mats, or falls in water and gradually sink, or those that fall on sphagnum and clays particularly under anaerobic conditions, are well preserved. This pollen is not destroyed in the transformation of peats to lignite or clay in shale and thus has been preserved for hundreds of thousands of years.

During the present century pollen morphological studies are substantiated and elaborated magnanimously with the aid of Electron microscopy. The surface configuration and finer details are being accurately analyzed for their proper application in plant taxonomy as well as in microfossil diagnosis.

In flowering plants, each anther has four numbers of pollen sacs. Two anther lobes contain 4 pollen sacs in which pollen grains are produced. Pollen grains develop from the diploid microspore mother cells in pollen sacs of anthers. Thus, palynology alynology is the science of pollen and spore morphology and its applications. It is derived from the Greek word ‘palynein’ meaning ‘to scatter’. Morphological and comparative studies in palynology may solve intricate taxonomic problems. Pollen characters are useful in solving several complicated problems of interrelationships between various taxa and assessment of their status in the classification (Zhigila et al., 2018). Pollen grains are in the binucleate stage at the time of pollination.
Wodehouse (1935) and Erdtman (1943, 1952, 1954, 1963 & 1969) made the most remarkable contribution in the field of pollen morphology. The significance of pollen attributes in taxonomy has been realized during the last three decade Erdtman (1952); Wagenitz (1976); Stix (1960), and Nair (1974). Dr. Parmeshwaran Krishnan Kutty Nair, fondly referred to as P. K. K. Nair (Fig. 8.1) and considered as the father of Indian palynology. Palynological renaissance, which started in 1952 with the contributions of Erdtman (1952) and Faegri and Iversen (1950), grew with the scientific activities of Nair and took a concrete shape in 1964 when he conveyed a symposium at NBRI, Lucknow.

This process involves building up a coating of sugar and sometimes of other things, layer by layer. Panning is one of those processes that the confectionery and pharmaceutical industries have in common.

The coating of confectionery with sugar using a pan is very ancient. Originally, these products were made in an open pan suspended over a fire by chains. Apparently the operator swung the pan by hand, coating the product with sugar syrup which was then allowed to crystallise. The normal modern small-scale method is to use a rotating dragee pan (Fig.No.19.1).

These are elliptical vessels made traditionally of copper, but now more commonly of stainless steel. The pan is equipped to be rotated and usually there is a system for supplying and extracting air and possibly with a system for spraying in the sugar syrup. Typical pan sizes are between 1.5 and 0.9 m in diameter although smaller sizes are used for small-scale work.

INTRODUCTION

The term ‘ginseng’ is applied to a range of plants from family Araliaceae involving genus Panax. Out of the many species available in nature, Himalayas are also home to a commercially lesser known variety called as Panax psuedoginseng Wall (Nayar and Shastry 1990). In the interior temperate areas of the eastern Himalayas, the species is distributed across Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, and extends into China. Keeping in view its high commercial international demand, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT) Palampur has recently taken an initiative to introduce and cultivate Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng) in the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh, in India. This chapter addresses the different biological, chemical, medicinal and cultivation aspects of both the indigenous Himalayan variety (P. psuedoginseng) and the introduced Chinese species (P. ginseng) in particular.

Introduction
Panch Parivartan, which translates to “Five Transformations,” is an innovative framework that uses information technology (IT) to catalyze a profound and holistic transformation across multiple sectors of society, governance, and the economy. This framework aims to create a sustainable and inclusive model for development by leveraging IT to drive change in key areas, including governance, economic growth, social equity, education, and environmental sustainability. In India’s development, particularly in the drive towards a Viksit Bharat (Developed
India) by 2047, the Panch Parivartan framework outlines a roadmap where IT is the backbone for achieving transformative change. Through the strategic deployment of IT solutions, the framework seeks to address complex challenges, unlock new opportunities, and pave the way for a more equitable, efficient, and sustainable society.

Panchayati Raj is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent. Panchayati Raj Institutions have been in existence in India for a long time. In the old Sanskrit scriptures, word 'Panchayatan' has been mentioned which means a group of five persons, including a spiritual man. In the Rigveda, there is a mention of Sabha, Samiti and Vidatha as local selfunits. These were the democratic bodies at the local level. The king used to get the approval of these bodies regarding certain functions and decisions.

After independence, as a development initiative, India had implemented the Community Development Programmes (CDP) on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, the 2nd October, 1952.The National Extension Service followed the Community Development Programme as the vehicle through which idea of Community Development would be worked and to build up an administrative system which can tackle the welfare problems of growth at the local level. The Balvantray Mehta Study Team was appointed in January 1957 to study and to make report on the Community Development Projects and National Extension Service .The Team brought to focus the areas mentioned below:

India has experienced marked changes, both at international and national levels. Technological progress, ICT penetration in rural and urban areas, and changes in current government policies have resulted in changes in the country’s social structure and power relations. The government initiated various programmes like Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Mahila e-Haat, and Support to Training & Employment Programme (STEP) etc. are there to improve the state of rural women. 

Evolution of Panchayati Raj System in India

In January 1957, the Government of India appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Balwantray Mehta to examine the working of the Community Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension Service (1953), and to suggest measures for their better implementation. The committee expressed concern about the lack of participation of people in these programmes and made a string plea for devolution of power. The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of the scheme of ‘democratic decentralization’ through a three-tier system of local government from village to district Level-Gram Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at block level and Zilla Parisad at district level -which ultimately came to be known as Panchayati Raj in India. The recommendations of the committee were accepted by the National Development Council (NDC) in January 1958. The NDC did not insist on a single rigid pattern of panchayat raj system throughout the country but left it to the states to evolve their own patterns suitable to local conditions. But the basic principles and broad fundamentals of democratic decentralization remained identical throughout the country. Thus, the Panchayati Raj system came into existence in 1959 with two basic objectives. These were (1) democratic decentralization and (2) local participation in planned programmes. The new system of Panchayat Raj Institutions was first adopted in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh in 1959, followed by Assam, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in 1960, Maharashtra in 1962, and Gujarat and West Bengal in 1963 and 1964 respectively. By the mid-sixties, the hype to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) gave way to a growing tendency of centralization and the PRIs descended to ground zero. To revive the working of PRIs, the Janata Government in 1977 appointed a committee headed by Ashok Mehta to study the functioning of PRIs and to suggest measures for improvement. The committee suggested a minor change in the Balwantray Mehta Scheme. Mehta (1978), in the Report of the Committee of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) identified three phases of Panchayati Raj in India

11.1 Introduction

Pandas is an open-source Python Library providing high-performance data manipulation and analysis tool using its powerful data structures. The name Pandas is derived from the word Panel Data - an Econometrics from Multidimensional data.

In 2008, developer Wes McKinney started developing pandas when in need of high performance, flexible tool for analysis of data.

Prior to Pandas, Python was majorly used for data munging and preparation. It had very little contribution towards data analysis. Pandas solved this problem. Using Pandas, we can accomplish five typical steps in the processing and analysis of data, regardless of the origin of data - load, prepare, manipulate, model, and analyze.

Python with Pandas is used in a wide range of fields including academic and commercial domains including finance, economics, Statistics, analytics, etc.

Pandemic : An epidemic occurring over a very wide area (several countries or continents) and usually affecting a large proportion of the population.

Partial Evaluation : Partial evaluations constitute a number of economic study types which consider costs and/or consequences, but which either do not involve a comparison between alternative interventions or do not relate costs to benefits.

Participation bias : People who participate in a study, especially volunteers, may be systematically different from those who do not, in a way that can affect the response to a treatment. For example, if volunteers are chosen to test the effects of a vaccine, one might find a lower incidence of disease in this population simply because they are more health conscious than those who would not volunteer for such a study.

Path dependence : History matters. Where you have been in the past determines where you are now and where you can go in future. Indeed, even small, apparently trivial, differences in the path you have taken can have huge consequences for where you are and can go. In economics, path dependence refers to the way in which apparently insignificant events and choices can have huge consequences for the development of a market or an economy.

Abstract: Viola or garden pansy, commonly known as sweet violet or king of annuals, are widely cultivated worldwide for landscape planting, garden design and container gardening. Today, numerous OP varieties, F₁ hybrids (Europa, Toto, Wasa), F₂ strains, series (Waterford, heat tolerant S series) and cultivars introduced by seed companies are available on the world market. Pansy breeding efforts have been focused on F₁ hybrid seed production, heat tolerance, flower colour, flower size and form, double flowers, earliness, disease resistance, floriferous nature and interspecific hybridization. Increasing knowledge of the inheritance of traits and molecular genetics techniques are valuable tools aiding modern pansy breeders. Research is needed to exploit heterosis for productivity and gene transformation to create new genetic variability.

Pansy belongs to the family Violaceae, genus Viola and species tricolor. Pansy also known as butterfly flower, cat face. Pansies are annuals or short-lived perennials, grow 15-30 cm tall and have heart-shaped leaves at the base and oblong leaves growing from the stems. The pansy is quite durable and a “flower for all seasons”. The fragrant and edible blooms are desirable in gardens. Pansy popularity increases possible due to its ease of growing. Whether grown from seed or bedding plants, pansies are relatively disease and pest free blooming prolifically for the gardener’s enjoyment. The pansy is a group of hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers. Pansies are derived from Viola species Viola tricolor hybridized with other Viola species, these hybrids are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana or less commonly Viola tricolor hortensis. The pansy is used in phytotherapy. The pansy is the symbol of Free thought. For Viola species, there is strong resistance to cold, flowering early and long flowering period. Also be used to cover a large area on the ground flower beds, its colour range, forming a unique landscape in early spring, but also in the flower bed with the string of red, petunia colour, or for potted plants and planted tank, decorative balconies, bay windows and stairs.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

The modern pansy, Viola x wittrockiana, is thought to have derived from Viola tricolor, a native of central Europe. The center of origin for Viola was continental Europe. Viola is widely distributed in temperate areas in the northern hemisphere and in S. America, with centres of diversity in S.E. Europe, E. Asia and S. America; isolated endemics occur in Africa (equatorial high mountains and the Cape), E. Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and Hawaii. V. sororia as defined by McKinney (1992), is widely found across the United States and Canada. Each subspecies has a smaller distribution. V. sororia var. sororia is found in the mid to eastern United States and southern Canada, V. sororia var. affinis, is found in western and extreme northeastern sections of the United States and Canada, V. sororia var. missouriensis is found in the eastern United States, and V. sororia var. novae-angliae is found in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, Quebec and New Brunswick. Of the four varieties only V. sororia var. sororia and V. sororia var. missouriensis are native to New Jersey (McKinney, 1992). V. sororia var. sororia is found in drier areas than the other four subspecies and often in waste grounds (McKinney, 1992) or on the forest floors of open woods in semi-shaded conditions (McKinney, 1992).

Pansy belongs to the family Violaceae, genus Viola and species tricolor. Pansy also known as butterfly flower, cat face. Pansies are annuals or short-lived perennials, grow 15-30 cm tall and have heart-shaped leaves at the base and oblong leaves growing from the stems. The pansy is quite durable and a “flower for all seasons”. The fragrant and edible blooms are desirable in gardens. Pansy popularity increases possible due to its ease of growing. Whether grown from seed or bedding plants, pansies are relatively disease and pest free blooming prolifically for the gardener’s enjoyment.