eChapters

Although it is the fourth most abundant element in the earthís crust, it is found in very low concentrations in surface waters and the ocean. It is found in many enzymes that are involved in energy transformations, making them necessary for bacteria, plants, and animals.

ABSTRACT

Using a hand auger of 2 m length, upper, middle and lower core sediment samples of seventy nine in number have been collected from the Vaippar river, its tributaries and Vaippar beach in order to understand the role of Vaippar river and its tributaries in making up the Vaippar beach placer deposits. The heavies are found to be concentrated abundantly in fine and very fine size grades of all the samples collected from both the environments. The average heavy mineral concentration varies from 3.13 to 17.40 % in river bed while it is 6.19 – 64.82 % in the beach. In river bed, the pattern of concentration of heavies in upper, middle and lower core samples does not show any characteristic uniform pattern and inferred that it is controlled by the grain size of the parent rock, supply of sediments from the source, geomorphological features of the river and hydrological characters of running water. In the beach, the concentration of heavies are effected mainly due to the winnowing action of waves. However, a phenomenal increase in the heavy mineral concentration of beach samples might be due to the supply of sediments from other source besides the Vaippar river.

Hedge

Hedge is an important garden feature both for beautification and functional purposes. When a selected plant species is planted together at close distance, in single or multiple rows, later pruned to retain a definite shape and height is known as hedge. These are actually live fence used for demarcating road, paths and sometimes for providing physical barrier, screening and several other purposes.

Selection of Plants

Before selection of plants for developing hedge, the purpose of planting hedge is to be considered first. If the purpose is protective fence, the height and width are to be decided. Accordingly, selection of plant species is to be made. For developing low height and ornamental hedge along the passage and inner roads, selection of plants will be different. In this case, plants having colourful leaves is preferred. Final selection of plant species, however, should be done considering location, availability of sunlight and the type of garden. Plants selected for developing hedge should response well to pruning and, at the same time, acquire a definite shape on repeated pruning. Both foliage type and flowering plants are used for developing hedge.

Hedge

When shrub is planted on boundary for fencing, it is also called as hedge. In other word shrubs or trees planted at regular intervals to form a continuous screen is called a hedge. It may be ornamental or protective or both. Hedge also become an important feature of formal layout to serve various function as screening of the area out building, tennis court, vegetable garden, hardening of unwanted place etc. All the shrubs cannot be planted for making an ideal hedge due to different nature of growth.

Heliconias are tropical plants of princely dimensions grown for their attractive foliage and brilliant flower spikes. They are some of the most unusual flora of the tropics. Strikingly elegant flower heads rise from banana like clumps of oval leaves, which are sometimes rather slender and, with a few varieties, extremely large. They are found naturally in the tropical forests world wide and in moderate climates. A popular landscape plant and cut flower in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, heliconias are native to Central and South America, the Caribbean Islands and some of the islands of the South Pacific. Their easy cultivation and spectacular presence have made them favourite garden subjects throughout the world. Heliconias have several common names including lobster’s claw’s, ‘parrot’s flower’, ‘parrot plantain’ and false plantain. Depending on variety, heliconias will range in height from 60 to 700 cm, often with extensive rhizomatous growth. The flower or inflorescence of heliconia is nearly always terminal and may last from several days to several months. They are particularly desirable as cut flowers because of their long lasting characteristics. 

Heliconia belongs to family Heliconiaceae is popular as ornamental plants and cut flowers because of their brilliant colours and exotic appearance. The genus name “Heliconia” is derived from “Helicon”, a mountain in southern Greece regarded by the ancient Greeks as the home of the Muses, thus suggesting the relationship between these plants and the bananas, genus Musa (Berry and Kress, 1991). Unique features of the Heliconiaceae are (1) medium to large erect herbs rising from underground rhizomes; (2) each erect shoot is composed of a stem and leaves, whereas the stem is made up of an axis covered by overlapping sheathing leaf bases, technically called a pseudostem; (3) inverted flowers and (4) the presence of a single staminode. Heliconia has long been popular horticulturally because of their showy inflorescences. It was so attractive that early explorers of the tropics returned to Europe with several species that became prized green house specimens. Heliconia, grown in nearly all of the tropical regions of the world, including Africa and Asia. In India, heliconia is grown in North-East region and Kerala.

Heliconia belongs to family Heliconiaceae is popular as ornamental plants and cut flowers because of their brilliant colours and exotic appearance. The genus name “Heliconia” is derived from “Helicon”, a mountain in southern Greece regarded by the ancient Greeks as the home of the Muses, thus suggesting the relationship between these plants and the bananas, genus Musa (Berry and Kress, 1991). Unique features of the Heliconiaceae are (1) medium to large erect herbs rising from underground rhizomes;(2) each erect shoot is composed of a stem and leaves, whereas the stem is made up of an axis covered by overlapping sheathing leaf bases, technically called a pseudostem;(3) inverted flowers and (4) the presence of a single staminode. Heliconia has long been popular horticulturally because of their showy inflorescences. It was so attractive that early explorers of the tropics returned to Europe with several species that became prized green house specimens. Heliconia, grown in nearly all of the tropical regions of the world, including Africa and Asia. In India, heliconia is grown in North-East region and Kerala.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

Heliconias are native only to Central and South America and some of the islands of the South Pacific, for horticultural and commercial popularity. Berry and Kress (1991) stated that they are native from Tropical America and found at different altitudes, from sea level up to 2,000 meters in Central and South America, and up to 500 meters in the South Pacific Islands (Criley and Broschat, 1992).

Most of the Heliconia species are distributed primarily in Neotropical areas from the North of Mexico to the South of Brazil (Santos, 1978, Dahlgren et al., 1985 and Kress, 1990). A small Paleotropical group, about eight species, occurs in islands of the South Pacific (Tomlinson, 1969 and Kress, 1985). There are approximately 40 Brazilian species with two primary areas of distribution: the Amazon basin and the Atlantic coastal forest (Kress, 1990). About 100 or more species, native mainly to tropical and subtropical South and Central America (Cronquist, 1981).

Several attempts have been made over the years to sort out the taxonomy of the Old World Heliconia. Baker (1893), followed by Schumann (1900) and Winkler (1930), dealt with the problem of identity and origin of these taxa by assigning them to the neotropical species Heliconia bihai L. Others such as Ridley (1908a, b), Backer (1920) and Green (1969) recognized the distinctive and endemic features of the paleotropical taxa that separated them from the neotropical species. This ornamental rhizomatous herbaceous plant from the Heliconia genus, belongs to the Musaceae family, now constitutes the Heliconiaceae family in the Zingiberales order. The various species of Heliconia are subdivided into five subgenera: Heliconia, Taeniostrobus, Stenochlamys, Heliconiopsis and Griggisia; and 28 sections (Kress et al., 1993).

Heliconia is a tropical ornamental crop valued for its striking inflorescences, vibrant colours and long-lasting cut stems. This chapter presents the origin, distribution, species, botanical characteristics and commercially important types of Heliconia. It discusses climate, soil, shade, propagation, planting, irrigation, nutrition and cultural management. Pest and disease problems are described together with suitable management practices. The chapter also addresses harvesting stages, postharvest handling, grading, packaging, vase life and yield. Its emphasis on tropical production makes Heliconia particularly relevant to growers seeking to diversify high-value floriculture enterprises in warm and humid regions of India. commercially.

This chapter introduces Heliconia as an exotic tropical ornamental crop valued for its brilliant colours, distinctive inflorescences and excellent postharvest longevity. It examines origin, distribution, genetics and botanical characteristics and discusses important commercial species and varieties. Protected cultivation practices, nutrition, irrigation, planting, pruning, plant growth regulators, pest and disease management, harvesting and postharvest handling are presented. The chapter highlights the potential of Heliconia as a premium cut flower and its suitability for tropical and subtropical regions of India.

Principle

Red blood cell sticking (hemadsorption) can reveal the presence of certain viruses. This happens because these viruses, like influenza or measles, sprout proteins (hemagglutinin) on their infected host cells. These proteins act like Velcro, attracting red blood cells and causing them to cling to the surface. A hemadsorption assay uses this natural process to check for viruses. It's faster than waiting for the cells to show damage (cytopathic effect), allowing for earlier detection. Haemadsorbing viruses can be detected several days prior to the appearance of a cytopathic effect.

Equipment

a) Biosafety cabinet level 2 (B2)

b) Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) Incubator (set to 37°C with a 5% CO2 in air atmosphere)

c) Refrigerated centrifuge

d) Refrigerator

e) Inverted Microscope

f) Micro pipettes (1-10 μl, 10-200 μl, 100-1000 μl)

g) -86°C/-80°C deep freezer h) Autoclave

i) Hot air oven

j) Filtration Assembly

Hemangiopericytoma is a tumor originating from pericytes. It is mostly seen in distal extremities due to elevation of blood pressure in that area. It is mostly seen in skin and subcutaneous tissue around the joint region.

The hematoxylin and eosin stain are most widely used histological stain. Its popularity lies in its simple staining procedure and ability to demonstrate most tissue structures. Hematoxylin, also called natural black is a compound extracted from heartwood of the logwood tree (Haematoxylum campechianum) with a chemical formula of C16H14O6. This naturally derived dye has been used as a histologic stain, ink and as a dye in the textile and leather industry.
Hematoxylin, a natural dye was first used in about 1863. Hematoxylin itself is not a stain; it is its oxidation product, hematein. This process known as “ripening” takes several days or weeks unless it is hastened by the addition of an oxidizing agent. So the active coloring agent hematein can be produced from hematoxylin in two ways:
A. Natural oxidation by exposure to light and air.
B. Chemical oxidation: Sodium iodate is the most common oxidizing agent for this purpose, although there are others, such as potassium permanganate, iodine, bleach and mercuric oxide. It is now strongly recommended that mercuric oxide not be used for this oxidation as it eventually makes its way into the environment as a poison.
As the hematoxylin dye has little affinity for the tissue when used alone, it is usually used in conjunction with a mordant, therefore can be arbitrarily classified based on which mordant is used:
1. Alum hematoxylin
2. Iron hematoxylin
3. Tungsten hematoxylin

Principle

The residue from the cell walls determination is extracted with boiling 8 percent sulphuric acid for one hour to hydrolyse the hemicellulose without dissolving cellulose, lignin or acid insoluble ash.

Equipment
    1.    Refluxing apparatus.
    2.     Filtering apparatus: same as described for cell wall determination
    3.    Filtering crucibles: same as described for cell wall determination.

Reagents

    1.    Sulphuric acid (8%) : Standardize Reagent grade sulphuric acid to specific gravity of 1.052 at 20ºC.
    2.    Bromocresol green indicator solution: Same as used for lignin determination.

Transport systems are crucial to survival. Unicellular organisms rely on simple diffusion for transport of nutrients and removal of waste. Multicellular organisms have developed more complex circulatory systems. The circulatory system is responsible for the transport of the various essential compounds and other factors around the body, as well as the removal of the metabolic wastes that accumulate in the tissues from body activities to places of elimination.

Hemorrhagic disorders refer to conditions that impair the ability of an animal’s blood to clot properly, resulting in prolonged or excessive bleeding. These disorders can be broadly categorized into congenital coagulation defects and acquired coagulation defects, each with distinct etiologies, pathophysiologies, and clinical manifestations.
a) Congenital coagulation defects
Congenital coagulation defects are inherited conditions caused by genetic mutations affecting one or more components of the coagulation cascade. These defects are often breed-specific and can be observed in a variety of domestic animals.
Common types of congenital coagulation defects
Hemophilia- A
Cause: Deficiency of factor VIII.
Affected animals: Common in dogs, especially German Shepherds, and less common in cats and horses,
Pathophysiology: Factor VIII is essential for forming the intrinsic tenase complex, which amplifies thrombin generation. Its deficiency results in inadequate fibrin formation and poor clot stability.
Clinical signs: Spontaneous bleeding, hematomas, hemarthrosis (bleeding into joints), and prolonged bleeding after trauma or surgery.
Diagnosis: Prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), normal prothrombin time (PT), and reduced Factor VIII activity.

It is an acute disease of turkeys, occurring in 6-7 wk. -Old turkeys, but has been seen in younger and older turkeys as well. The disease is worldwide in distribution.

Etiological Agent

It belongs to adenovirus type II. A serologically indistinguishable virus from HE virus, causes marble spleen disease (MSD) in confinement reared pheasants (3-8 months old). The disease shows predominantly respiratory signs. A virus of the same group causes avian adenovirus group II splenomegaly (AAS) in chickens.

Synonyms : Pasteurellosis, shipping fever, Stockyardis disease, Stockyardis pneumonia, Barbone disease

Hemorrhagic septicaemia is a particular form of pasteurellosis caused by Pasteurella multocida and manifested by an acute and highly fatal septicaemia mainly in  cattle and water buffaloes. The disease includes pneumonic pasteurellosis (shipping or transport fever), a disease caused mainly by P. haemolytica, although various serotypes of P. multocida are occasionally involved. Although the morbidity of pneumonic pasteurellosis of cattle can be high, the mortality rate is much less than that of hemorrhagic septicemia.

A. Diseases

1. Anthracnose

Hemp anthracnose is caused by two different fungi, viz., Colletotrichum coccodes (=C. atramentarium) and Colletotrichum dematium (Saccardo, 1882; Cavara, 1889).

i) Anthracnose (Colletotrichum coccodes)

Occurrence & severity status

The anthracnose disease occurs on many plants, including hemp (Cannabis sativa). The disease causing fungus is well-studied and it is an important pathogen responsible for black dot disease on potato. The fungus is an unspecialized pathogen, infecting a wide range of host families. It is most common in Canada and commonly regarded as a minor pathogen or secondary invader, but the fungus may seriously affect yield where intensive cropping without rotation occurs. It primarily affects the growth rate of plants and diminishes harvest. Moreover, it becomes fatal occasionally. Hoffman (1958, 1959) reported heavy hemp losses in central Europe. Conversely, Gitman (1968b) considered the pathogen was of little importance in the USSR.

Introduction

There is concern that antibiotic-resistance in bacteria may make commonly used antibiotics less effective. Oral immunotherapy (passive immunization) with specific antibodies is a strategy that has been actively pursued in laboratory and clinical studies for the last two decades. Feeding of egg yolk antibodies to neutralize specific pathogens, especially enteric microorganisms, is a potential alternative to antibiotics. Oral administration of these antibodies has met with some degree of success in prevention of viral and bacterial enteric infections in humans, piglets, calves, fish and rabbits. It is proposed that the egg yolk antibodies may act against enteric pathogens by binding, immobilising and consequently reducing or inhibiting the growth, replication, or colony forming abilities of these pathogens. Three immunoglobulin classes (IgA, IgM and IgY) have been shown to exist in chickens. Chicken immunoglobulin G (IgG) has been designated as immunoglobulin Y(IgY) because it varies in several aspects from mammalian IgG. IgY is the main serum immunoglobulin in chickens. It is transported from the hen to the embryo via the egg yolk. The egg yolk thus contains high concentrations of IgY. Other immunoglobulin (Ig) classes are present only in negligible amounts in the egg yolk. It has been shown that the presence of immunoglobulins in eggs is an example of passive immunity. This is because these antibodies originated from the hen and are used to protect the offspring from various infectious diseases after hatch.

Hendra, a disease of horse has been recognized in Australia since 1994-95 with zoonotic importance. It is caused by a virus under the genus Megamyxovirus and subfamily Paramyxovirinae and family Paramyxoviridae. This virus is also endemic in certain species of bat. Another zoonotic bat virus called Nipah virus has been placed under the same genus and family. It is transmitted between the horses through contact. Infected horses can develop a severe and fatal respiratory disease characterized by dyspnoea, vascular endothelial damage, pulmonary oedema and neurological signs. Experimental infection of cats and guinea pigs showed fatal respiratory disease. The transmission of virus from horse to horse and horse to man is through close contact. One person died of the disease due to respiratory failure and another one due to delayed onset of encephalitis. A number of diagnostic methods are available to provide prompt, sensitive and accurate diagnosis of the disease.

History: In 1994-95, a new viral zoonotic disease was identified in Queensland, Australia resulting in death of 2 human and 15 horses in two separate incidents. Again, in 1999 another horse died at the same place. The term 'Hendra' has been derived from the name of a place, suburb of Brisbane where first outbreak took place. In September 1994, a total of 15 horses died due to hyperacute respiratory disease. The trainer of the horse also died. In 1995, a farmer died of meningoencephalitis after having contact with a Hendra positive horse. In the 1999, a mare died of Hendra virus infections.

Etiology: The Hendra virus is under the new genus Megamyxovirus and family Paramyxoviridae. The Hendra virus was isolated in Vero cells from lung specimens and produced CPE within 3 days. The virus can grow in MDCK, BHK, RK13, LLC-MK2 and MRC5 cells. It also grows in cells derived from birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and in embryonated chicken eggs. The virus does not have haemagglutinin or neuraminidase activity. The virus is pleomorphic in shape, 38-600 nm in diameter and enveloped with two glycosylated transmembrane proteins of different lengths (15 and 18 nm). It differs from respirovirus and rubulavirus in not using sialic acid containing receptors. The virions are labile and infectivity is destroyed by heat, lipid solvents, non-ionic detergents, formaldehyde and oxidizing agents. Virions contain one molecule of negative sense ssRNA about 15 Kb long which codes 8 proteins. The Hendra virus is the largest of all known viruses under Paramyxoviridae. The genetic studies showed that Hendra virus is more similar to Morbillivirus or intermediate between Morbillivirus and Respirovirus. The amino acid homology between Hendravirus and Morbillivirus varies from 17-21% (P protein) to 40-42% (M protein) compared to 6-10% and 8% respectively for other members of Paramyxoviridae. A new Hendra like virus has been identified as a cause of respiratory and neurological disease in pigs and humans in Malaysia, called Nipah virus, after a village where the first human case occurred. (The amino acid homology of N protein between Hendra and Nipah is 92%, whereas in case of P&V it is 80-85%). Like, Hendra virus, the Nipah virus is thought to have emerged from a fruit bat (Pteropus hypomelanus).

Henna or Mehandi (Lawsonia inermis L.) a perennial shrub belongs to family Lythraceae. It is commonly cultivated as a commercial dye crop possess natural dyeing properties and are used for hair dyeing and for staining of palm, feet and other body parts since times immemorial. The plant finds their importance due to presence of orange red dye in its leaves and essential oil in its flower. Oil extracted from leaves and flower called ‘Otto of henna’ which is utilized as perfume (Jaimini et al., 2005). It can grow well in harsh climate of arid and semiarid regions. In India, over 90 percent of the henna production comes from Sojat region of Pali district of Rajasthan and Sojat is only center for its processing and trading in India. In India it occupies about 40,000 ha area out of which 35,000 ha alone is in Pali district (Sojat and adjoining tehsils).

Geographical distribution

It occurs naturally in North Africa mainly in countries of Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Sahara and Yemen. It is naturally occurring in many of these countries along the water courses and semi-arid regions where it can with stand dryness as well as drought. It has been introduced into countries like Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, China, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, Togo and Zanzibar (Suresh Kumar et al., 2005).

Henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) is a multipurpose shrub also known as mehandi. It is grown through out the country as a hedge plant. In India, it was once grown extensively in Punjab and Gujarat. However, gradually major cultivation has shifted to the arid fringes of Rajasthan with the Pali district having the maximum area under henna cultivation. It is taken as an annual ratoon crop under rain fed conditions. Presently there are over 22,000 ha of henna plantations in the Pali district nearly 70 percent occurring in the Sojat area which produces around 20000 tonnes dry leaves worth Rs.40 crores annually. Sojat city is world famous for its mehandi or henna (Heena) powder.

Distribution

Several countries grow henna on a commercial scale for its dye-bearing leaves, notably India, Egypt, Iran, Niger, Sudan and Pakistan. In India, it was once grown extensively in Punjab and Gujarat. However, gradually the major cultivation has shifted to the arid fringes of Rajasthan, with Pali district having the maximum area under henna. It is taken as an annual Ratoon crop under rainfed conditions. Presently over 39,000 ha of henna plantations in the district with nearly 70 per cent occurring in the Sojat area produce around 20,000 t dry leaves worth Rs. 40 crores. Besides this, leaf cuttings are also collected from existing farms and field boundary plantations in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh henna is grown for its scented flowers used in the essence industry. Kannauj, Lucknow, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh are reputed centres for the commercial extraction of mehndi oil from flowers and its use in traditional essence. Since henna is grown as a dryland crop under limited moisture conditions greater use of available moisture by the plants is possible.

Suits especially scrofulous and lymphatic constitutions that are inclined to have eruptions and glandular swellings. Unhealthy skin. Blondes with sluggish character and weak muscles. Great sensitiveness to all impressions. Sweating patient pulling blanket around him. Chilliness, hypersensitiveness, splinter-like pains, craving for sour and strong things are very characteristic. The tendency to suppuration is more marked, and ahs been a strong guiding symptom in practice. The side of the body on which he lies at night becomes gradually insufferably painful; he must turn.

Hepar Sulph is the medicine for abscess, for the tendency to suppuration. Every little injury suppurates. Accompanying this suppuration is shooting pain. Suppuration or pus formation can be on any part of the body. If throbbing and shooting pain accompany it, it requires a does of Hepar Sulph in a high potency of 200 and above. Hepar Sulph can abort pus formation if given at the earliest stage of suppuration. Later it will hasten the pointing and discharge and help in healing the ulcer.

Herbaceous border

In this system plant are arranged in irregular group of a kind for harmonious are contrasting colour effect, either all flowering at one time or successfully in such a way that those flowering latter should grow up and screen the all ready flowered. The planting of annuals in the border of a plot is called as herbaceous border. When the border is to be viewed from both side tall plant are planted in center followed by medium and dwarf planting in both side. Herbaceous border may include all the herbaceous plant including herbaceous perennial (Flowering and non flowering) bulbous and annuals (see plate 20 & 21).

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is highly mountainous except for a short belt joining the Punjab plains. Geographically, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is divided into three regions -alpine desert of Ladakh, subtropical region of Jammu and predominantly temperate region of Kashmir valley. The valley is rich in herbaceous flora with huge potential for landscape use, however, many of which are still not exploited much for the purpose. Plants which live and bloom year after year are known as perennials which have an importance of their own and are backbone of any well-planned garden. The stems of herbaceous perennials die at the ground level each winter. They comprise a vast group of plants widely differing in size, leaf texture, flower color and are found in all the gardening countries of the world. The monotonous spread of concrete and glass in cities can have a dehumanizing effect. Growing colourful flowers in the house compound and in the parks will greatly enhance the beauty of surroundings in the countryside, the towns and cities. Flowers also bring happiness to life and boast the sagging spirits. The assemblage and display of colourful and attractive herbaceous perennials can achieve very significant and telling effects on the environment particularly in the landscaping of the house compounds, gardens, parks, health resorts and hotels. Now a day herbaceous plants are also used therapeutically to cure several problems related to humans. Judicious selection of native and introduced herbaceous perennials should camouflage with the type of habitation, building pattern, colour of the countryside etc. These plants should occupy only well thought of position in the landscape. There are always a number of shady spots in our lawns/gardens especially towards north-east side of a structure where lawn grass fails to grow or show poor growth. These spots can be converted into perennial herbaceous border of foliage plants.

Trees and shrubs are often the most dominant plants in landscapes but ground covers and vines play an important role too. The low spreading form of ground covers can connect and unify major planting areas and even serve as a focal point when the plants are flowering. In contrast to annuals, perennials provide savings in time, labour and expenses each year because where adapted to a specific climate zone, they can successfully over come winter and re- establish for more than a single growing season. Perennials are probably the most diverse plant group, providing a huge variety of shape, form, colour, texture and scent with which to design a planting. Since there is an increasing trend and awareness of planned landscaping in the public and in view of its value in preserving the environment, there is an urgent need to identify and select the appropriate native, naturalized and exotic planting material for specific sites /locations. Information regarding herbaceous perennials surveyed and identified in Kashmir Valley with prospective use in landscaping are given as under:

Herbal Based Formulations presents plant-derived preparations used for pest, disease, viral-vector, growth, and development management. The chapter includes neem seed kernel extract, Vitex, onion, tobacco, chilli-garlic, ginger, custard apple, eucalyptus, lantana, mint, marigold, papaya, aloe, pomegranate waste, and other botanical preparations. It organizes formulations according to their intended agricultural function and provides examples of decoctions, extracts, sprays, and fermented products. The chapter demonstrates the diversity of locally available plant resources that can be incorporated into natural farming practices. It also highlights the practical importance of botanical inputs for reducing dependence on synthetic crop-protection products while supporting sustainable farm management. effectively.

The global herbal industry faces significant challenges due to varying regulatory frameworks, quality control standards, and traditional practices. This talk aims to bridge the gap by promoting “Herbal Harmony”- a unified approach to standardizing herbal products worldwide. Experts from diverse f ields will converge to discuss: Harmonization of regulatory frameworks, standardization of quality control and assurance, validation of traditional knowledge, innovative technologies for herbal analysis and global market trends and opportunities by fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, “Herbal Harmony” seeks to: enhance consumer safety and confidence, promote sustainable herbal trade practices, support evidence-based herbal medicine and to facilitate international collaboration and trade.

Typically herbal pharmaceutics may include any medicinal or functional food preparations such as phytopharmaceuticals, single or poly herbal formulations, and nutraceuticals made out of botanical materials. This includes two broad categories. First, there are many evidence based formulations and mixures that may or may not be based on traditional knowledge or practices. The second group includes all the traditional or ethnopharmacological preparations. Bringing herbal medications from either group to the market will require a pharmaceutics approach balanced with an understanding of the original context in which the treatment was used.

As an example, Ayurvedic medicines have been used safely for many years on a wide variety of patients. Medications that have not been altered from their original form have de facto gone through a type of safety testing. When a traditional medicine is prepared differently, then it is essential to validate the drug safety to be sure that the effects of the new procedure don’t cause harmful effects. In this same way, the value of animal testing to establish safety and toxicity is not as critical if the botanicals are used in traditional forms. Suitable animal models help in understanding the mechanism of action or pharmacodynamics of medicines. However, it is well known that no good animal models exist for many human diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, and rheumatism. The use of modern technology in making traditional preparations more contemporary and scientific is important but it should not compromise the original basis and principles described in tracditional medicine. The following examples highlight some of the concerns of this approach.

Introduction

Wound is a disruption to the epithelial integrity of the skin, extended in-depth to subcutaneous tissue and other body parts such as ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and bone (Robson et al. 2001). An appropriate wound healing is essential for the restoration of disrupted anatomical continuity (Begum, 2000). We have observed increasing interest in research based on traditional medicines of the world in the recent era (Medina-Franco et al. 2013). Traditional and complementary medicine regains popularity not only in developing countries but also in developed countries. Common and known practices across the globe of traditional medicines include Herbal, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Iranian, Islamic, Vietnamese, Chinese, Acupuncture, African and other pseudo-medical knowledge (Dorai 2012). According to World Health Organization (WHO), traditional medicine ‘the health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being’. Saxena et al. (2013) reported that phytochemicals present in plants are liable for preventing disease and promoting health. Antibiotics used in the treatment of wound infections are now proved to have adverse effects in the human body and in pathogens where resistance is emerging. Attention has, therefore, turned towards extracting biologically active compounds from plant species having wound healing property (Pattanayak and Sunita, 2008).

Introduction
Plants have been used for ages as animal and human health cures. Ethnoveterinary medicines, a phrase that primarily refers to folk skills, beliefs, knowledge, practices, and procedures related to animal health and the treatment of various disorders in rural regions, have acknowledged the ability of plants to combat a variety of diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines traditional medicine, also referred to as herbal medicine, as “When it comes to maintaining health and preventing, diagnosing, improving, or treating physical and mental illnesses, the entirety of the knowledge, abilities, and practices derived from indigenous theories, beliefs, and experiences whether or not they can be explained as illness”. Approximately 25% of contemporary medications are derived from plants that were once used in traditional medicine. The use of traditional medicine and its confirmation could result in the creation and discovery of more novel medications.

Marjoram is native of Southern Europe. It grows in West Asia, South and North America, France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, England and North Africa. It is an important kitchen herb and its dried leaves with or without flowering tops in small proportion constitute the spice of commerce. In India, the crop finds its cultivation only in small scale in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. France and Egypt are the main exporters of marjoram oil in the world.

Botany and chemical composition

Marjorana hortensis is an aromatic branched perennial, 30-60 cm high. Though a perennial, it is treated as an annual under cultivation. Main stem is woody with many softer branches. Leaves are round, soft, mat green and with a marvelous sweet smell. Flowers small, whitish or purplish in terminal clusters, seeds minute, oval and dark brown in colour.

ABSTRACT

According to WHO report, over 80% of the world population relies on traditional medicine, largely plant based for their primary healthcare needs. India has 15 Agroclimatic zones, 12 ecoregions and 47,000-plant sp. and is one of the 12-mega biodiversity centres. The Indian Systems of Medicine have identified 1500 medicinal plants, of which 500 species are used in the preparation of commercial drugs. These medicinal plants contribute to 80% of the raw materials used in the preparation of drugs.

1. Introduction

Herbarium is simply a dried and pressed collection of plants arranged in an accepted sequence of classification (Lawrence 1951, Shetler 1969). It can be a very useful teaching aid or an absorbing hobby (Cronquist 1966). According to Fosberg and Sachet (1965) “A modern herbarium is a great filing system for information about plants, both primarily in the form of actual specimens of plants and secondarily in the form of published information, pictures and recorded notes”. It is also a research, training and service institution that serves as a reference centre, documentation facility and data store house (Radford 1986). It is now well recognized that a herbarium is a vast reservoir of facts about plants. The word ‘Herbarium’ was originally applied, not to a collection of plants but to a book dealing with medicinal herbs. Tournefort in about 1700 used the term as an equivalent to ‘Hortus Siccus’ which was later on adopted by Linnaeus (Stearn 1957). The present concept and development of herbarium is due to efforts of botanists for more than four centuries. The concept of herbarium has been changing continuously, which in turn, has affected the gradual development of herbarium and herbarium practices.

For practical reasons, the classification of the world’s flora is primarily based on herbarium material and the literature associated with it. Despite its limitations, a herbarium has certain advantages over living collections. It is usually only in the herbarium that we can compare all the related species of a genus in the same place, in the same state and at the same time (Davis 1961).

The herbarium material, therefore, formed the foundation of all botanical studies. We should, therefore, realise that herbaria are the custodians of enormous data pertaining to plants. They are usually seen as old-fashioned and expensive “stamp collection” without realising their paramount role in biological sciences. However, the world-wide rise of interest in the field of conservation, biodiversity and bioprospection offer a new chance for herbaria. Furthermore, computers offer a golden opportunity to raise the status of herbarium taxonomy by making routine curatorial procedures more efficient.

Although Jain and Rao (1976) elaborately discussed the methods of field collections, identification and preservation in the herbarium, the salient features of herbarium in up dated form with various procedures followed in Indian context are discussed in this chapter.

14.1 Herbarium and Its Limitations
A collection of dried and pressed plants arranged according to a classification system and available for study or reference is known as herbarium (plural, herbaria), a name first applied by Linnaeus.
Plant specimens are usually mounted on a sheet of high quality paper. Properly dried, pressed and identified plant specimens are placed in thin paper folders (species covers) which are kept together in thicker paper folders (genus covers), and finally they are incorporated into the herbarium cupboards in their proper position. Some fleshy members (e.g. Cactaceae) are preserved in liquid preservatives instead of being pressed and dried. Bulky plant parts (e.g. dry fruits, cones of several gymnosperms, etc.) are dried without pressing and are stored in special bags.
A herbarium may contain a few hundred locally collected plant specimens kept in a small place, or it may contain millions of them collected from different parts of the world and housed in a very big building. Herbaria in different countries remain associated with colleges, universities, scientific societies, research institutes, botanical gardens or flora of a district, state, country, continent or several continents. There are also private herbaria.

Herbicides have received wide acceptance from farmers mainly due to ease of application and effectiveness. After application, herbicide molecules should penetrate plant tissue and get translocated to the target site. Once they reach the target protein they bind to them and disturb metabolic processes in plants by disrupting biosynthetic pathways and damaging cell structures by generating cytotoxic molecules that ultimately kill the plants. In this, the first step is penetration of herbicide into the plant system.

Herbicide Application

Generally, herbicides are applied in the form of solution or granules. Of the two, spraying solutions of herbicides formulated as wettable powders, soluble powders and emulsifiable and solution concentrates is more common. When herbicides are formulated as granular or encapsulated materials, they are applied by hand or with the help of a granular applicator.

A large number of herbicides are currently available in the market hence selection of suitable herbicide needs judicious understanding of the product and the requirement. When large number of chemical options are available it can make the process of selection a bit confusing. So it is important to know the crops in which a herbicide can be used, the weeds it will control, the appropriate rate, adjuvants included in the formulation. The different uses of the chemical and the different situations for which it will be useful. In addition to these it is important to understand the mode of action of the herbicide and also the mechanism of action of the chemical.

Herbicide History and Development

Common salt, ash, smelter waste, and like cheap materials have been used for centuries to control weeds on roadsides, fence rows, and pathways. But Chemical weed killing was born in 1896 when Bonnet, a French grape grower, observed that the Bordeaux mixture which he used against downy mildew of grape turned the leaves of Sinapis arvensis (a weed) black. Soon it was found that copper sulphate present in the Bordeaux mixture was responsible for its weed killing effect. Further tests in France, Germany, and U.S.A. established that copper sulphate could indeed be used for selective control of broadleaf weeds in small grains; wheat, barley, and oat. Between 1896 and 1908, several other inorganic salts, as also sulphuric acid, were found selective to small grain cereals. Of these, in Europe, a 6 to 10 per cent solution of sulphuric acid continued for considerable time as a satisfactory herbicide for broadleaf weed control in cereals, but it corroded the containers and sprayers. In the U.S.A., salts like sodium chlorate, carbon bisulphide, sodium arsenite, kainite, and calcium cyanamide were developed for non-selective eradication of perennial weeds, particularly, Convolvulus arvensis ‘field bind weed’ and Cirsium arvense ‘Canada thistle‘. In Hawaii, sodium arsenite solution was found highly effective for weed control in sugarcane plantations. Between 1930 and 1940, some boron compounds, thiocyanates, dinitro phenols (DNC and DNBP), ammonium sulphate, and certain mineral salts were developed in the west for selective and non-selective weed control. DNC and DNBP wereused extensively in Europe in small grains for broadleaf weed control, even though these chemicals dyed the hands and clothes of the users to yellow colour, almost permanently. Further milestones in weed control were introduction of organic chemical, 2-methyl-4, 6-dinitrophenoll (DMOC), in 1932 and discovery of hormone type selective weed killers. Selective residual chemicals such as substituted phenyl ureas and triazines, and non-residual chemicals diquat and paraquat are more recent discoveries.

The discovery of the herbicidal activity of 2, 4-D (2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) first synthesized in 1941, triggered the development of modern herbicide technology. 2, 4-D proved to be an outstanding herbicide.

Herbicide Mixtures

A mixture of two or more herbicides could be more effective for controlling different weed species. In horticultural and plantation crops, weed free situation is needed during the entire year over several years. In such situations, herbicides are to be rotated to take care of all the species of weeds. A mixture of herbicides, due to chemical reaction, may enhance or reduce the efûciency of one or more compounds. Hence, knowledge of herbicides interactions is essential for efûcient use of herbicides in weed control.

Persistence of Herbicide in Soils

Most of the herbicides are applied to soil as pre-emergence for weed control under different situations. For effective weed control, herbicides must remain in soil in active and available form until their purpose is served. Larger persistence poses hazard to subsequent land use and is undesirable. The length of time that an herbicide remains active in the soil is called persistence or soil residual life. The quantity of herbicide that remains in the soil after its mission is accomplished is referred as residue. The term residue infers the continued presence of herbicide in the soil in very small quantities even though it may not be present in herbicidal quantities or available for plant absorption. Herbicide residues in soils are undesirable mainly because they may

Injure sensitive crops in a cropping system,

Be absorbed by succeeding crops and residues accumulated in unlawful amounts in the produce,

Result in building up of herbicide residues following repeated treatments that exceed their rate of dissipation, and

Inhibit growth of soil micro-organisms.

Knowledge of persistence and carry over residual effect of herbicides is essential to use them safely and effectively. Persistence of herbicides in soils pose hazard when

Highly persistence herbicides are used,

Crop failure necessitates replanting,

A susceptible crop follows a short term crop which received a persistence herbicide, and

Decomposition of the applied herbicide proceeds very slow.

Resistance

The intensive and continuous use of herbicides over the last five decades has resulted in the development and evolution of weeds resistant to the normally phytotoxic chemicals. Although herbicide resistance was reported as early as 1957 against 2, 4-D from Hawaii the first confirmed report of herbicide resistance was against triazine herbicide in common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) was reported in l968 from U.S.A. Over the years, more than 150 weed species have been identified as having developed biotypes resistant to at least one or more herbicide classes. Resistance to at least 15 classes of herbicides have been noted. Moreover, the area of land infested with resistant weeds is increasing rapidly. Reports of evolution of newly resistant biotypes continue to emanate from all over the world, including developing countries, e.g., India, where extensive use of herbicides in grain crops began only in the late 1970s. These reports indicate that herbicide resistance problems are accelerating and, consequently, management of weeds is becoming increasingly more difficult and complex.

The phenomenon of herbicide resistance in plants, especially in weeds, is analogous to the evolution of changes that arise in insects and pathogens in response to the continuous use of insecticides and fungicides. Herbicide resistance is the result of selection for traits that allow weed species to survive specific herbicide usage, which would otherwise cause mortality. Herbicide resistance contributes a trait of resistance within the plant species to a herbicide and resistant weeds are those plant species that express the genetic variation required to evolve mechanisms to escape control. Like other crop pests (insects, pathogens, etc.) with reference to pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, etc.), herbicide-resistant weeds are the result of intensive selection pressure in weed populations.

Generally, resistance is defined as the ability of a plant species to withstand the phytotoxicity of a chemical. This is the trait normally found in crop plants, as against weeds, thus forming the basis for herbicide selectivity. Crop resistance to a herbicide is often different from the one that exists in the phenomenon of herbicide resistance in weeds.

Herbicide resistance in the context of weeds is defined as a characteristic of the weed species to withstand a herbicide dosage substantially higher than the wild type of the same plant species can withstand. It is the inherent or acquired ability to withstand the dosage of herbicide normally used for satisfactory weed control. Resistant weed populations are unharmed by a concentration of herbicide that completely kills all unselected populations. This herbicide concentration is the one that in field practice produces an effective kill.

Herbicide susceptibility represents the other end of the scale, encompassing natural variability in sensitivity to herbicides within the unselected populations. Tolerance, on the other hand, indicates reduced susceptibility (or conversely enhanced resistance) which may sometimes result from selection by herbicides. It is a response rather less than 100% survival accompanied by zero reduction in growth at herbicide concentrations, which normally give 100% Kill of susceptible biotypes. Tolerance may also be considered the natural or normal variability of response to-herbicides that exists within a species and can easily and quickly evolve.

1. Herbicide –herbicide interaction

Herbicides cause some effects as follow:

(i) Synergistic: Synergism is defined as the cooperative action of different chemicals in a mixture such that the total effect is greater than the sum of the independent effects (Green et al., 1997). In relation to herbicides, the total  induced by an herbicide mixture is greater than the sum of the responses by each herbicide alone (Anderson, 1996). Synergistic  is often used to describe the effect of drugs working together — where one drug increases the other’s effectiveness. Synergy is the interaction of multiple elements in a system to produce an effect different from or greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Herbicides are chemical substances that are capable of either killing or injuring plants and so used for elimination of unwanted plants. In Latin, the term ‘herba' means plant and ‘caedere’ means to kill. There are many reasons for the increased use of chemicals for weed control. Shortage and high cost of agricultural labour prevent economic control of weeds by manual and mechanical means. Benefits offered by herbicides include efficient weed control, higher crop yield, better soil, water and energy conservation and higher income.

3.1 Introduction

Weed is defined as an unwanted plant growing at a place where it is not desired. According to Jethro Tull, the father of Weed Science, weed is defined as the unwanted, undesirable plant, growing out of their proper place, which interfere with the utilization of natural resources, prolific, persistent, competitive, harmful and even poisonous in nature and can grow in adverse climatic conditions. Weeds are considered major obstacle in agricultural production systems particularly in fruit crops. Weeds are a major problem to horticultural production as they take advantage of their initial slow growth rate. It has been reported that about 36-42% losses may occur due to inadequate management of weeds in apple (El-Metwally and Hafez, 2007). Fruits have a great potential but orchards are generally, infested with various types of annual, biennial and perennial weeds which compete with the fruit plants for nutrients, space, moisture, light and adversely affect growth, vigour, fruit set, flower initiation, yield, fruit quality and winter hardiness (Majek et al., 1993) and thereby directly reducing the productivity of fruit trees. Weeds also provide shelter to various pathogens by becoming an alternate or collateral host of invaded crops by a number of fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. Therefore, management of weeds in all agro-ecosystems is crucial to sustain our crop productivity and to ensure the food security to the rapidly increasing population. Weed control in orchard can be usually accomplished by various methods like manual, mechanical and chemical means. Yet the conventional hand weeding is the most common method of weed control which is not only laborious but also time consuming and expensive owing to high wage rates. If fruit orchards are located in high hilly areas with small and narrow routes, it would restrict the use of machinery which is also expensive and might injure the roots and stems of the fruit trees. Gradually, manual and mechanical weed control methods are being replaced by other alternatives such as herbicides and mulches as these are easier, cheaper and less time consuming. In recent years, the use of herbicide is becoming popular among the fruit growers all over the world.

SYNOPSIS

Flavor is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. The flavor of the food, as such, can be altered with natural or artificial flavorings which affect these senses. Smell is the main determinant of a food item’s flavor. While the taste of food is limited to sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami (savory), pungent or piquant, and metallic – the seven basic tastes – the smells of a food are potentially limitless.

1. Herbs and Spices
       
    1.    International Standards Organization (ISO) defines spices and condiments as: Vegetable products or mixtures thereof, free from extraneous matter, used for flavouring, seasoning and imparting aroma in foods.

    2.    Rosengarten describes a spice as a product which enriches or alters the quality of a thing, for example altering the taste of a food to give it zest or pungency; a piquant or lasting flavouring; or a relish. The term ‘spice’ is thus used to cover the use of spices, herbs and certain aromatic vegetables to impart odour and flavour to foods.

    3.    Herbs may be defined as the dried leaves of aromatic plants used to impart flavour and odour to foods with, sometimes, the addition of colour. The leaves are commonly traded separately from the plant stems and leaf stalks.

Dirying in India has traditionally been the preserve of landless agricultural labourers and small and marginal farmers, who have maintained very small herd sizes. However, of late, with increasing consumer awareness regarding milk quality, there has been a marked increase in the number of large, well-organized dairy farms which cater to predominantly urban markets. Terms like clean milk production, organic milk, microbial load of milk etc. are being used more frequently while referring to milk quality. Larger, intensive dairy farms not only profit from the economies of scale by way of optimum utilization of land, labour and resources, but also benefit from the fact that it is easier and cost-effective to implement more efficient technologies like machine milking, manufacture of by products, chilling, packaging, bulk transport etc. Further, most of these farms are able to realize a premium price for their products on account of high quality and brand identity, thus leading to greater profitability.

Herd A large number of animals that live and feed together in a group (Fig.197) is called as herd. In herd, all animals are considered as a unit rather than individual. Herd medicine, also known as herd health or production medicine, is the discipline of veterinary medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the diseases in the herd as a whole. Concept and Significance of Herd Health Herd health is a combination of regularly scheduled veterinary activity and management practices undertaken to maintain optimum health to achieve optimum production in the farm. Traditionally, the aim of the herd health is to control or eliminate diseases and rectify management inefficiencies impacting the welfare and productivity in the frame work of risk monitoring and assessment in conjunction with best farming practices. The main emphasis

Herd medicine considers groups of animals as a single management and health unit rather than focusing only on individual patients. This chapter explains herd health and production medicine, emphasizing disease prevention, productivity, animal welfare and economic efficiency. Major components include nutrition, hygiene, reproduction, vaccination, record keeping, biosecurity and environmental management. Identification of risk factors and subclinical disease is important for reducing production losses. Biosecurity measures include quarantine, sanitation, disease testing, vaccination and control of visitors, vectors and wildlife contact. The chapter promotes preventive veterinary medicine through practical, economical herd-health programmes designed to improve production and reduce disease.