ID: 65943
Title: Blending procedure is crucial for BG-II cotton hybrids to adhere to the prescribed ‘Refugia in Bag’ standards
Author: Debashis Paul, Rishi Kumar and Y. G. Prasad
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 101-104 10 July (2024)
Subject: Blending procedure is crucial for BG-II cotton hybrids to adhere to the prescribed ‘Refugia in Bag’ standards
Keywords: Bollworms, BG-II hybrid, Cry toxin, ELISA, refugia in bag.
Abstract: In India, after its introduction in 2002, Bt cotton showed
a steep increment in terms of area coverage and presently occupies more than 95% of the total cotton cultivated area; recommended with the planting of structured
refuge of the same non-Bt cotton hybrid iso-line at the
periphery of the Bt cotton field. Structured refuge
compliance is lacking due to farmers’ lack of understanding of its significance, along with other challenges
like non-isogenic ‘refugia’ seeds and asynchronous agronomy between main and refuge crops. Though the refugia in Bag concept was studied in 2012, the government
introduced ‘Refugia in Bag’, which mandates 5–10%
non-Bt seeds blended with 90–95% Bt seeds in every
BG-II hybrid seed packet being sold in the market
from June 2020. However, complaints about improper
seed proportions led to qualitative ELISA testing, revealing that a substantial number of evaluated hybrids
did not adhere to recommended ‘refugia’ proportions
in 2022 and 2023, which may be due to improper dispensing and blending methods during seed packaging.
The study emphasizes the need for standardizing blending procedures to ensure adherence to ‘Refugia in Bag’
standards for all stakeholders.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kumar, R. et al., Assessment of bollworm damage and yield loss in
seed blends of Bollgard-II with corresponding non-Bt hybrid as ‘built
in refuge’ in cotton. Phytoparasitica, 2020, 49, 253–263.
Heuberger, S., Ellers-Kirk, C., Tabashnik, B. E. and Carrière, Y.,
Pollen- and seed-mediated transgene flow in commercial cotton seed
production fields. PLoS One, 2010, 5(11), e14128.
Literature cited 2: Thomson, J. (ed.), GM Crops: The Impact and the Potential, CSIRO
Publishing, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia, 2006, p. 7.
Balasubramani, G. et al., Critical evaluation of GM cotton. In Cotton
Precision Breeding, Springer, Cham, 2021, pp. 351–410.
ID: 65942
Title: Significance of radiocarbon AMS chronology of Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve from an archaeological perspective
Author: Nayanjot Lahiri, Binita Phartiyal and Karthick Balasubramanian
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 98-101 10 July (2024)
Subject: Significance of radiocarbon AMS chronology of Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve from an archaeological perspective
Keywords: Archaeology, AMS dates, Bandhavgarh, forests
Abstract: The present communication indicates the timeline-based
on accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates – that
has emerged from a sediment core originating in the
Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve (Madhya
Pradesh, India) and attempts to see if those dates
broadly coincide with the changing historical signature
as recorded in archaeological evidence in this tract. A
comprehensive overview of vegetational and climatic
changes in the forested tract of Bandhavgarh across
time is under preparation, and the present study aims to
report on the first scientific dates from the Bandhavgarh
National Park and Tiger Reserve and the rich possibilities that open up when they are juxtaposed with its
archaeology.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Lahiri, N., Rajani, M. B., Sanyal, D. and Banerjee, S., Exploring the
forest and mapping its archaeology: Bandhavgarh National Park and
Tiger Reserve, India. Curr. Sci., 2022, 23(4), 772–780.
Lahiri, N., Rajani, M. B., Sanyal, D., Banerjee, S. and Tiwari, S.,
Tracing Ancient Itinerants and Early Medieval Rulers in the Forests
of Bandhagarh, South Asian Studies, 2023; https://www.tandfonline.
com/doi/full/10.1080/02666030.2022.2163067
Literature cited 2: Srinivas, A. and Lahiri, N., Peering into the Prehistoric Past of
Bandhavgarh National Park, Central India. J. Lithic Stud., 2024, 11,
1–14.
Reimer, P. J. et al., The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere radiocarbon
age calibration curve (0–55 calk BP). Radiocarbon, 2020, 62, 725–
757.
ID: 65941
Title: Bumble bee visitation of Brahma Kamal (Saussurea obvallata, Asteraceae) in the Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India
Author: Jaya Narah, Jharna Chakravorty , Axel Brockmann and Karsing Megu
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 96-97 10 July (2024)
Subject: Bumble bee visitation of Brahma Kamal (Saussurea obvallata, Asteraceae) in the Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India
Keywords: Bee visitation, Brahma Kamal, bumble bee, East Himalaya.
Abstract: Brahma Kamal are rare flowers found in high-altitude
regions of the Himalaya, where bumble bees are the
primary pollinators. Bumble bees are cold-adapted bees,
and in India their distribution is in Himalayan Mountain
ranges. We study this plant and bumble bees in the
Bumla pass at about 4300 m above mean sea level (amsl)
in the Eastern Himalayan Ranges in the Tawang District,
Arunachal Pradesh, India. The present study systematically reported the occurrence of Brahma Kamal, which
was rarely recorded in Arunachal along with a report
of six species of bumble bee (Bombus abnormis, Bombus lemniscatus, Bombus mirus, Bombus pressus, Bombus prshewalskyi and Bombus sikkimi) visitors from high
altitude region of state of Arunachal Pradesh, India.
The flowering time of the Brahma Kamal is in the month
of August, and the optimal period to record bumble
bees is from June to August. This new report focuses on
the extreme east of India, in the Eastern Himalaya, and
adds to the data on Brahma Kamal distribution and
bumble bee occurrence for future research on pollination, species distribution, threat and conservation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., da Fonseca, G.
A. and Kent, J., Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities.
Nature, 2000, 403, 853–858.
Rawat, G. S., The Himalayan vegetation along horizontal and vertical gradients. In Bird Migration in the Himalaya (eds Prints, H. T.
and Namgail, T.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United
Kingdom, 2017, pp. 189–204.
Literature cited 2: Butola, J. S. and Samant, S., S. Saussurea species in Indian Himalayan region: diversity, distribution and indigenous uses. Int. J.
Plant Biol., 2010, 1(1), e9.
Jyothi, R. and Murthy, K. S., An overview on Saussurea obvallata:
a spirituo-scientific plant of India. J. Drug Deliv. Ther., 2023,
13(10), 145–146.
ID: 65940
Title: Fumigation toxicity of phosphine against sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis
Author: K. Sangeeta, Suresh M. Nebapure, S. Rajna and S. Subramanian
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 91-95 10 July (2024)
Subject: Fumigation toxicity of phosphine against sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis
Keywords: Bioassay, fumigation, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, phosphine, toxicity.
Abstract: Storage insect pest sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, is one of the important secondary
pests encountered in grains and packaged commodities.
It is emerging as one of the important storage pests
due to the development of resistance against phosphine
fumigants in many countries. Several studies were carried out to ascertain the susceptibility of this pest to
phosphine fumigation from India. Dose–response probit
assays conducted against larval (second and fourth instar) and adult stages of O. surinamensis revealed significant dose-dependent and time-dependent variations
in these stages. The adults were relatively less susceptible to phosphine (LC50 = 36.84 ppm) than the larval
stages (LC50 = 13.12, 18.68 ppm respectively, for second
and fourth instar at 72 h exposure). Comparative toxicity of phosphine at 24, 48 and 72 h exposures revealed
that extended exposures led to linear decrease in lethal
concentrations irrespective of life stage of the pest. The
discriminating dose bioassay at 0.04–0.2 mg l
–1 phosphine with 20 h exposure revealed weak resistance to
phosphine in this population. The present study confirmed the tolerance of O. surinamensis to phosphine as
comparable with that reported from other countries.
Large-scale sampling of field populations of O. surinamensis from different geographical regions will update
the current levels of resistance in field populations of
O. surinamensis from India
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International), 2019;
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/37988 (accessed on 30 July 2023).
2. Kousar, T., Zaib-un-Nisa Memon, H. A., Sahito, W. M. M., Jatoi,
F. A. and Shah, Z. H., Biology, morphology, and varietal distribution of saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L) on
date palm dry and semi-dry dates at district: Khairpur, SindhPakistan. Pure Appl. Biol., 2020, 10(3), 539–548; doi:10.19045/
bspab.2021.100057.
Literature cited 2: Nika, E. P., Kavallieratos, N. G. and Papanikolaou, N. E., Developmental and reproductive biology of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.)
(Coleoptera: Silvanidae) on seven commodities. J. Stored Prod.
Res., 2020, 87, 101612; doi:10.1016/j.jspr.2020.101612.
Mowery, S. V., Mullen, M. A., Campbell, J. F. and Broce, A. B.,
Mechanisms underlying sawtoothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus
surinamensis [L.]) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) infestation of consumer
food packaging materials. J. Econ. Entomol., 2002, 95(6), 1333–
1336; doi:10.1603/0022-0493-95.6.1333.
ID: 65939
Title: Nesting activity of the predatory wasp, Carinostigmus costatus Krombein (Sphecidae: Hymenoptera) in pithy stems of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) and its natural regulation of the population of fennel aphid, Hyadaphis coriandri (Das)
Author: Amala Udayakumar, H. S. Venu , A. Kandan , M. Arvind , Sunil Joshi and Timalapur M. Shivalingaswamy
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 85-90 10 July (2024)
Subject: Nesting activity of the predatory wasp, Carinostigmus costatus Krombein (Sphecidae: Hymenoptera) in pithy stems of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) and its natural regulation of the population of fennel aphid, Hyadaphis coriandri (Das)
Keywords: Aphid predation, Carinostigmus costatus, Hyadaphis coriandri, nesting activity.
Abstract: The predation of aphid hunting wasp, Carinostigmus
sp. on fennel aphid, Hyadaphis coriandri is reported
from India. The solitary wasp was molecularly identified as Carinostigmus costatus (NCBI Accession No.
OQ913733.1). The wasp constructed its nest in the pithy
stems of Ceasalpinia pulcherrima (peacock flower) provisioning fennel aphid, H. coriandri. There was a decrease
in the population of the fennel aphid, H. coriandri with
an increase in the nesting activity of the solitary wasp,
C. costatus. Our study indicated that the solitary wasp,
C. costatus could be easily conserved by providing
pithy stems of C. pulcherrima as nesting habitats around
the field borders for natural regulation of aphid infesting fennel.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Choudhary, R. K., Bio-Ecology and Management of Insect Pests of
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill), Ph.D. thesis submitted to Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, 2006.
Mittal, V. P. and Butani, P. G., Evaluation of some insecticides
against coriander aphid (Hyadaphis coriandri). Abstract: First National Seminar on Seed Spices, Jaipur, 1989, pp. 41–42.
Literature cited 2: Kanjiya, R. R., Shah, K. D., Talaviya, J. R., Patil, V. M. and Chudasama, K. A., Population dynamics of fennel aphid, Hyadaphis
coriandri das and occurrence of coccinellid predators on aphid in
fennel. J. Ent. Zool. Stud., 2018, 6(6), 1150–1152.
Ramalho, F. S., Fernandes, F. S., Nascimento, A. R. B., Nascimento Junior, J. L., Malaquias, J. B. and Silva, C. A. D., Assessment of
fennel aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and their predators in fennel
intercropped with cotton with colored fibers. J. Econ. Ent., 2012,
105(1), 113–119.
ID: 65938
Title: The Beas river floods 2023: a watershed moment for paradigm shift towards urbanization and development in the Higher Himalayan valleys
Author: Raghuveer Negi , Naresh Rana , S. P. Sati , Anil D. Shukla , Navin Juyal and Shubhra Sharma
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 78-84 10 July (2024)
Subject: The Beas river floods 2023: a watershed moment for paradigm shift towards urbanization and development in the Higher Himalayan valleys
Keywords: Alluvial deposits, anthropogenic intervention, Beas river flood, higher Himalaya, Indian Summer Monsoon.
Abstract: The present study is done in the Beas river (Manali to
Mandi town) after the July 2023 flood to assess the geomorphic and geological vulnerability of the terrain
and understand the role of human intervention in the
disaster. The study is based on preliminary field observations and morphometric analysis that indicates that
the surfaces proximal to the trunk riverbed and the
ephemeral tributary channels suffered maximum damage. Along the upper Beas river, the lateral erosion
caused by hyperconcentrated flows saturated with
paraglacial sediments partly obstructed the river and
also increased the erosivity that also led to remobilization of midchannel bars along with the uprooted trees.
In the downstream (southern mountain front), maximum
damage was caused by activating seemingly dormant
ephemeral tributary channels. The slope-channel coupling locally bulked the sediment supply of the trunk
river. The disaster was force amplified when the river
was temporarily obstructed by the manmade structures
(e.g., suspension bridges), and most importantly, urban
settlements (largely hotels) on the flood plain. Also,
many public buildings suffered as these were constructed in/along the ephemeral tributary channels, which
were temporarily blocked by these structures, as well
as by logged tree trunks. The Beas flood is yet another
brutal reminder to change our perception towards the
developmental approach, given that extreme events are
projected to increase in the Himalaya.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: ToI, Himachal Pradesh Floods: 60 deaths, losses worth Rs 10,000
crore due to landslides and heavy rains. Shimla News – Times of
India, 2023 (indiatimes.com) (accessed on 6 September 2023).
India Today, 2023; https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/monsoon-mayhem-rainsclimate-change-western-disturbance-imd-flashflood-2404535-2023-07-10 (accessed on 10 Septe
Literature cited 2: Rasmussen, K. L. and Houze Jr, R. A., A flash-flooding storm at
the steep edge of high terrain: disaster in the Himalayas. Bull. Am.
Meteorol. Soc., 2012, 93(11), 1713–1724.
Vellore, R. K. et al., Monsoon-extra tropical circulation interactions in Himalayan
ID: 65937
Title: The Beas river floods 2023: a watershed moment for paradigm shift towards urbanization and development in the Higher Himalayan valleys
Author: Raghuveer Negi , Naresh Rana , S. P. Sati , Anil D. Shukla , Navin Juyal and Shubhra Sharma
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 65-77 10 July (2024)
Subject: The Beas river floods 2023: a watershed moment for paradigm shift towards urbanization and development in the Higher Himalayan valleys
Keywords: Alluvial deposits, anthropogenic intervention, Beas river flood, higher Himalaya, Indian Summer Monsoon.
Abstract: The present study is done in the Beas river (Manali to
Mandi town) after the July 2023 flood to assess the geomorphic and geological vulnerability of the terrain
and understand the role of human intervention in the
disaster. The study is based on preliminary field observations and morphometric analysis that indicates that
the surfaces proximal to the trunk riverbed and the
ephemeral tributary channels suffered maximum damage. Along the upper Beas river, the lateral erosion
caused by hyperconcentrated flows saturated with
paraglacial sediments partly obstructed the river and
also increased the erosivity that also led to remobilization of midchannel bars along with the uprooted trees.
In the downstream (southern mountain front), maximum
damage was caused by activating seemingly dormant
ephemeral tributary channels. The slope-channel coupling locally bulked the sediment supply of the trunk
river. The disaster was force amplified when the river
was temporarily obstructed by the manmade structures
(e.g., suspension bridges), and most importantly, urban
settlements (largely hotels) on the flood plain. Also,
many public buildings suffered as these were constructed in/along the ephemeral tributary channels, which
were temporarily blocked by these structures, as well
as by logged tree trunks. The Beas flood is yet another
brutal reminder to change our perception towards the
developmental approach, given that extreme events are
projected to increase in the Himalaya.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: ToI, Himachal Pradesh Floods: 60 deaths, losses worth Rs 10,000
crore due to landslides and heavy rains. Shimla News – Times of
India, 2023 (indiatimes.com) (accessed on 6 September 2023).
India Today, 2023; https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/monsoon-mayhem-rainsclimate-change-western-disturbance-imd-flashflood-2404535-2023-07-10 (accessed on 10 September 2023).
Literature cited 2: Rasmussen, K. L. and Houze Jr, R. A., A flash-flooding storm at
the steep edge of high terrain: disaster in the Himalayas. Bull. Am.
Meteorol. Soc., 2012, 93(11), 1713–1724.
Vellore, R. K. et al., Monsoon-extra tropical circulation interactions in Himalayan extreme rainfall. Climate Dyn., 2015, 46, 1–30
ID: 65936
Title: A study on swarm-intelligence in group decision-making of farmers’ self-help groups in Uttarakhand, India
Author: Pragya Goswamy and S. K. Kashyap
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 56-64 10 July (2024)
Subject: A study on swarm-intelligence in group decision-making of farmers’ self-help groups in Uttarakhand, India
Keywords: Agricultural extension, group decisionmaking, self-help groups, swarm-intellig
Abstract: The concept and utility of self-help groups (SHGs) are
proven facts, and they have significantly contributed to
group-led extension activities on a large scale. These
SHGs play an instrumental role in empowering their
members and in many core aspects of farming. Still,
these groups also face various challenges, among which
ineffective group decision-making is prominent. Therefore, it is critical to strengthen the SHGs by resolving
the issues of stability for strengthening the extension
system in light of agriculture and rural development at
the national level. Swarm intelligence is a phenomenon
through which the swarm of honeybees perform various
group tasks and takes crucial group decisions effectively
and efficiently, utilizing their collective intelligence.
Therefore, the study was intended to map the group
decision processes among honeybee swarms and their
inbuilt influences to relate them to the decision-making
processes among SHGs. The present study inferred
that seven key factors, i.e. decision impulse, conviction of
the decision, engagement in decision, decision duration,
decision alignment, extent of participation and real time physical negotiation, contributed to the effectiveness
of swarm-intelligence-based group decision-making.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Glendenning, C. J., Babu, S. and Asenso-Okyere, A., Review of agriculture extension in India: are farmers’ information needs being
met? In International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Discussion Paper 01048, Washington, DC, 2010; http://www.ifpri.org/
publication/review-agricultural-extension-india (accessed on 17
April 2024).
Kaur, L. and Sachan, D., Evaluation of major problems faced by
the members of self-help groups: a study of Punjab. Int. J. Innov.
Res. Technol. Sci. Eng., 2016, 5(12), 20755–20761; doi:10.15680/
IJIRSET.2016.0512113.
Literature cited 2: Kalra, R. K., Anil, B., Tonts, M. and Siddique, K. H. M., Self-help
groups in Indian agriculture: a case study of farmer groups in Punjab, Northern India. Agroecol. Sustain. Food Syst., 2013, 37(5),
509–530; doi:10.1080/10440046.2012.719853.
Siva Kumar, A. and Kavithasri, S., Problems faced by the members
of self-help groups with special reference to Thimmampalayam area
in Coimbatore district. Int. J. Appl. Res., 2017, 3(9), 593–598.
ID: 65935
Title: Finkoella: a sack-like Ediacaran soft-bodied fossil from the Marwar Supergroup, western Rajasthan, India
Author: V. S. Parihar, Hukmaram, Pawan Kumar and Anshul Harsh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 50-55 10 July (2024)
Subject: Finkoella: a sack-like Ediacaran soft-bodied fossil from the Marwar Supergroup, western Rajasthan, India
Keywords: Ediacaran, Finkoella, Marwar Supergroup, sack-like bodied fossil, tunicate organisms, western Rajasthan.
Abstract: The present study reports the well-preserved Ediacaran sack-like soft-bodied fossils assigned as Finkoella
ukrainica and Finkoella oblonga from the Sonia Formation of the Jodhpur Group, Marwar Supergroup,
western Rajasthan, India. The F. ukrainica is found in
elliptical, ovate-shaped and sometimes oblong or cucumber-shaped forms with a distinct short neck, and a
small circular protrusion or depression may be present
on the organism. F. oblonga is elongated, ovate to cucumber-shaped fossil specimen with poorly preserved six
longitudinal low grooves and ridges arranged parallel
to the marginal ridges of the organism. Both F. ukrainica and F. oblonga are also well comparable to the type
materials of Ukraine in the preservation of concave
(negative relief) and convex (positive relief) with
oral/atrial siphons, double marginal ridges/grooves
and elevated edges in the Sonia Formation. The Finkoella fossil remains are believed to be the flattened bodies
of tunicate organisms. Similar sack-shaped Burykhia
fossils recorded in the White Sea of Russia contrasted
to sponges and similar hollow-shaped organisms have
been interpreted and compared with lichenized fungi
and fungal affinity. Thus, the biological affinity of the
Finkoella organism is still unresolved.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Narbonne, G. M., The Ediacara biota: Neoproterozoic origin of animals and their ecosystems. Annu. Rev. Earth Plant Sci., 2005, 33,
421–442.
Xiao, S. and Laflamme, M., On the eve of animal radiation: phylogeny, ecology and evolution of the Ediacara biota. Trends Ecol.
Evol., 2009, 24, 31–40.
Literature cited 2: Laflamme, M., Darroch, S. A. F., Tweedt, S. M., Peterson, K. J.
and Erwin, D. H., The end of the Ediacara biota: Extinction, biotic
replacement, or Cheshire Cat? Gondwana Res., 2013, 23, 558–
573.
Liu, A. G., Brasier, M. D., Bogolepova, O. K., Raevskaya, E. G.
and Gubanov, A. P., First report of a newly discovered Ediacaran
biota from the Irkineeva Uplift, East Siberia. Newsl. Stratigr.,
2013, 46(2), 95–110.
ID: 65934
Title: Exploring activity concentration measurements of environmental samples containing heavy metals and their remediation
Author: M. Margret, S. Chandrasekaran and C. V. Srinivas
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 43-49 10 July (2024)
Subject: Exploring activity concentration measurements of environmental samples containing heavy metals and their remediation
Keywords: Activity concentration, density, detector, natural radioactivity, self-absorption.
Abstract: In the present article, a methodology has been discussed
to evaluate the influence of activity concentration of
soil samples containing heavy metals in the environment.
The approach leverages a simulated germanium detector and a cylindrical geometry sample configuration to
analyse soil samples with varying densities. The results
showed a positive correlation between the soil densities
and activity concentration, with an average correlation
coefficient of 0.99 indicating that variations in density
affect the activity concentration measurements. To
mitigate this error, a demonstration of the self-absorption correction as a function of density, being an essential part of the present study has been included.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Turhan, S. et al., Distribution of terrestrial and anthropogenic radionuclides in Turkish surface soil samples. Geoderma, 2012, 187–188,
117–124; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.04.017.
Ugur, F. A. et al., A survey of distribution of terrestrial radionuclides in surface soil samples in and around the Osmaniye province,
Turkey. Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 2013, 154, 483–489; https://doi.org/
10.1093/rpd/ncs259.
Literature cited 2: Laubenstein, M. et al., Radionuclide mapping of the Molise region
(Central Italy) via gamma-ray spectrometry of soil samples: relationship with geological and pedological parameters. J. Radioanal.
Nucl. Chem., 2013, 298(1), 317–323; https://doi.org/10.1007/
s10967-012-2353-2.
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. UNSCEAR 2000
Report Vol. 1 to the General Assembly, with scientific annexes,
United Nations Sales Publication, United Nations, New York, USA,
2000; http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/publications/2000_1.html
ID: 65933
Title: Limitations of catchment area estimates and river basin boundaries from the Central Water Commission and the water resources information system
Author: Gopi Goteti
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 28-34 10 July (2024)
Subject: Limitations of catchment area estimates and river basin boundaries from the Central Water Commission and the water resources information system
Keywords: Catchment area, Central Water Commission, Ganga, hydrology, remote sensing
Abstract: Geospatial information on river gauging stations, such as station locations, catchment boundaries,
river flow paths and other hydrographic data are basic building blocks of hydrological analyses.
Such information for India’s river basins is available from Central Water Commission (CWC) and
water resources information system (WRIS), but is limited in extent and unreliable. Using widely
used global hydrography products, catchment boundaries were delineated for 100 gauging stations
in the Ganga river basin (GRB), and their catchment areas were estimated. The delineated boundary
for the GRB, and also station-wise catchment areas from the present study were much more consistent
with global hydrography products than those available from CWC and WRIS. Lack of reliable, analysis ready hydrography data is a hindrance to hydro-climatological research. The long-term objective of
this study is to help build such a needed dataset using high-resolution remote sensing products.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: CWC, Reassessment of water availability in India using space inputs. Central Water Commission, Basin Planning and Management
Organization, New Delhi, 2019; http://www.cwc.gov.in/water resource-estimation (accessed on 15 March 2024).
Goteti, G., Estimation of water resources availability (WRA) using
gridded evapo-transpiration data: a simpler alternative to Central
Water Commission’s WRA assessment. J. Earth Syst. Sci., 2022,
131(225), 1–24.
Literature cited 2: Shah, H. L. and Mishra, V., Hydrologic changes in Indian subcontinental river basins (1901–2012). J. Hydrometeorol., 2016, 17(10),
2667–2687.
CWC, Central Water Commission; http://www.cwc.gov.in/ (accessed on 15 March 2024
ID: 65932
Title: Setting up and operationalization of the real-time flood forecasting – spatial decision support system for Chennai, India
Author: S. Antony Anbarasu Elanchezhiyan Duraisekaran D. Srinivasan Kirthiga Murugesan S. Richardson Krushil Modi B. Mohanakarthick S. Santhosh Kumar Biju Panicker sridharan Balakrishnan Ranjit Kumar Injirapu Harish Ravichandran K. A. Joshy Jeciliya Selva
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 23-27 10 July (2024)
Subject: Setting up and operationalization of the real-time flood forecasting – spatial decision support system for Chennai, India
Keywords: None
Abstract: Estimates by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on flood damage to crops,
houses and public utilities from 1953 to
2020 is about Rs 4 lakh crores (INR 4 trillion)1
. Therefore, a comprehensive flood
forecasting and early warning framework
for India is essential to mitigate the above
damage. The main input for flood forecasting is the availability of dependable rainfall forecasts. Despite the stochastic nature
of rainfall forecasts, the methodologies
adopted in India for flood forecasting are
mostly deterministic in nature. Hence, there
is a need to translate the ensemble rainfall
forecast into an ensemble hydrologic prediction by integrating meteorologic forecast, hydrologic and hydraulic models
.
With the advancement of science, reliable
rainfall forecasts are made possible with
sufficient lead time from many weather
forecasting models.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Central Water Commission. State Wise
Flood Damage Statistics, 2022; https://
cwc.gov.in/sites/default/files/flood-damagedata-merged.pdf (accessed on 20 April 2024).
Nanditha, J. S. and Mishra, V., Water Secur.,
2021, 12, 100086; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
wasec.2021.100086
Literature cited 2: Narasimhan, B., Bhallamudi, S. M., Mondal,
A., Gosh, S. and Mujumdar, P. P., Chennai
Floods, 2015: Rapid Assessment, 2016; http://
www.icwar.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/
2016/06/Chennai-Floods-Rapid-Assessment Report.pdf (accessed on 20 April 2024).
Ghosh, S. et al., Curr. Sci., 2019, 117(5),
741–745
ID: 65931
Title: Assessment of agricultural land area lost due to Brahmaputra riverbank line erosion in Assam
Author: J. Goswami V. Senpakapriya K. K. Sarma S. P. Aggarwal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 20-22 10 July (2024)
Subject: Assessment of agricultural land area lost due to Brahmaputra riverbank line erosion in Assam
Keywords: None
Abstract: The River Brahmaputra is characterized by
its exceedingly large flow, enormous volume of sediment load, continuous changes
in channel morphology, rapid bed aggradations, bank line recession and erosion.
Heavy rainfall, associated with severe
flooding, excessive siltation and migration
of river channels, causes erosion on both
sides of the Brahmaputra river. The river
has a braided channel in most of its course
in the alluvial plains of Assam, and the
river flows through 21 districts of the state.
The braided nature, lateral changes in
channels and continuous migration of rivers
cause severe erosion along the banks, leading to a considerable loss of good fertile
land each year. Shear failure due to undercutting upper bank materials during high
flooding and over-steepening of bank materials also leads to bank failures in both
the banks1–3
. Damages caused by erosion
run into several hundred crores every year.
Bank erosion by the rivers has been a serious issue for the last six decades as more
than 4.27 lakh hectares (ha) of land have
already been eroded by the River Brahmaputra and its tributaries since 1950, which
is 7.40% of the area of the state. As assessed, the annual average loss of land is
nearly 8000 ha. The width of the River
Brahmaputra has increased to 15.00 km in
some places due to bank erosion (https://
waterresources.assam.gov.in/portlets/flooderosion-problems).
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Sarkar, A., Garg, R. D. and Sharma, N., J.
Water Resour. Prot., 2012.
Sarma, J. N. and Acharjee, S., Earth Syst.
Dyn. Discuss., 2012, 3(2), 1085–1106.
Literature cited 2: Debnath, J. et al., Geosci. Front., 2023,
14(4), 101557.
Gogoi, C. and Goswami, D. C., Int. J. Eng.
Sci., 2013, 2(9), 1–6.
ID: 65930
Title: Propelling Indian economy through space exploration and applications
Author: Darshan Deshpande, Sibsankar Palit and Subhajit Hazra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 17-19 10 July (2024)
Subject: Propelling Indian economy through space exploration and applications
Keywords: None
Abstract: The performance of the global economy is
supposed to be ruled by the economies of
each country1
. With this, the economic instability that countries experience during
global crises creeps in, as evident from the
Global Economic Outlook Report 2020,
which emphasized how the COVID-19
pandemic affected the global economy2
.
However, when it comes to the space
economy, countries seem to show resilient
support for multiple reasons, as evidenced
by research from Morgan Stanley, which
expects the global space industry to grow
into a US$ 1.1 trillion market by 2040,
from about US$ 350 billion in 2016 (ref. 3).
One of the reasons is that the various space
stakeholders use a sustainable approach to
space research. For example, in scenarios
where stakeholders from one country specialize in cost-effective satellite launches,
support other countries to launch their satellites into orbit, thereby reducing resource
wastage and effective utilization of financial resources. Other reasons include investor sentiments, which lead to volatility in the
stock market (changes in support and resistance), thus affecting the returns4
. Such
an effect was not seen in the space industry,
as the effect of support and resistance on
the overall share market did not affect the
space companies due to most of them not
being listed in popular stock exchanges, for
example, SpaceX and Skyroot Aerospace
Private Limited5
. This resulted in an ultimate decline in costs for space-based ventures, resulting in the realization of the very
celebrated aspiration of ‘SPACE FOR ALL’,
as obvious from making spacesuits for
women3
, which earlier were not a priority
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Baten, J., A History of the Global Economy,
Cambridge University Press, Germany,
2016.
World Bank, Global Economic Prospects,
June 2020; https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects
(accessed on 29 June 2024).
Literature cited 2: Morgan Stanley, Designing a more inclusive future for space exploration, 2022;
https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/
womens-space-suit-access-1-concept-suit
(accessed on 29 June 2024).
Griffith, J., Najand, M. and Shen, J., J. Behav. Finance, 2020, 21(1), 42–56.
ID: 65929
Title: Hundred years of research on Drosophila ananassae has revealed a number of unusual features of this species
Author: Bashisth N. Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 127 (1) 14-16 10 July (2024)
Subject: Hundred years of research on Drosophila ananassae has revealed a number of unusual features of this species
Keywords: None
Abstract: Drosophila ananassae was originally described by Doleschall in 1858 from Ambon Island in Indonesia. This
species came into notice when Morgan, Bridges and Sturtevant compiled data in a volume entitled ‘The Genetics of Drosophila’ in 1925 as D. caribbea Sturtevant in the chapter ‘other species of Drosophila’. Kikkawa in
1935 verified D. caribbea as D. ananassae. The first mutation in this species was curved wing, an autosomal recessive gene on II chromosome reported by Sturtevant in 1921. Since then D. ananassae has been utilized extensively for different kinds of studies and results of these studies conducted during the last hundred years have
clearly revealed that D. ananassae is genetically unique species and stands distinct from other species of the
genus Drosophila. The important unusual features of this species are: spontaneous meiotic male recombination,
presence of chiasmata in males, high mutability, optic morphology hyper mutability system, absence of genetic
coadaptation, Y-4 linkage of nucleolus organizer, high frequency of pericentric inversions and translocations,
population substructing, parthenogenesis, extra chromosomal inheritance, incipient sexual isolation, inversion
karyotypes and mate recognition system, spontaneous genetic mosaic, segregation distortion, lack of correlation
between crossing-over and chromosome distance between inversions, rare male mating advantage, trait and sex
specific fluctuating asymmetry, female and male remating and sperm displacement, speciation in south Pacific
populations, association with a bacterium Wolbachia, variation in resistance to environmental stress, nutrition
regulated stress resistance, correlation between inversion karyotypes and mating propensity and phylogenetic
relationship with its sibling D. pallidosa which is in statu nascendi
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Doleschall, C. L., Natrk. Tijdschr. Nederland Indie, 1858, 17, 73–128.
Morgan, T. H., Bridges, C. B. and Sturtevant, A. H., Bibliogr. Genet., 1925, 2, 1–
262.
Literature cited 2: Kikkawa, H., Proc. Imp. Acad. Tokyo,
1935, 11, 62–65.
Sturtevant, A. H., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
USA, 1921, 7, 235–237.