ID: 66004
Title: Framework for eForest fire management in the shifting cultivation-dominated landscape of Meghalaya, North East India, using remote sensing and GIS
Author: Kasturi Chakraborty, Dhruval Bhavsar , Suraj Kumar Swain , Siddharth Bhuyan , Harish Chaudhary , Jakesh Mohapatra , Praveen Kumar , Balajied Lyngdoh , Joydeep Dey , Brandon Rynjah , Nilay Nishant and K. K. Sarma
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 (5) 572-580 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Framework for eForest fire management in the shifting cultivation-dominated landscape of Meghalaya, North East India, using remote sensing and GIS
Keywords: Forest fire, mitigation measures, remote sensing, shifting cultivation, vulnerability maps.
Abstract: Meghalaya, ‘the abode of clouds’ is one of the states of North East India. The state witnesses several forest fire incidents every year. In this study, MODIS-based forest fire counts from 2003 to 2023 have been used for the generation of forest fire-prone and vulnerability maps. The forest fire vulnerability map has been generated at 1 : 10 k for the entire state and at 1 : 5 k for Reserve Forests, Community Reserve Forests and other Protected Areas. Ri Bhoi and West Khasi Hills districts witness high forest fire incidents compared to all the other districts. Maximum number of forest fire occurs in moderately dense and very dense forests. The eForest Fire Information System, viz. ‘Meghalaya Forest Fire Information System’ has a dashboard with geospatial forest fire information and a forest fire incident reporting android based app developed for fire managers both at Government and community level. Shifting cultivation (jhum) is a predominant land-use pattern; therefore the framework has embedded jhum area information for improving forest fire management strategies to match the local scenario.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bond, W. J. and Keeley, J. E., Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems. Trends Ecol. Evol., 2005, 20(7), 387–394. Certini, G., Effects of fire on properties of forest soils: a review. Oecologia, 2005, 143, 1–10
Literature cited 2: Kutiel, H., Weather conditions and forest fire propagation – the case of the carmel fire, December 2010. Isr. J. Ecol. Evol., 2012, 58(2–3), 113–122. Arshad, A., Azhar, Ali, A. and Anjali, K. S., Impact of forest fire on forest ecosystem. J. Agric. Technol., 2022, 9(1 and 2), 18–29


ID: 66003
Title: Perspective forward enhancement in boundaries of satellite image via BO-TDyWT for precise delineation and accurate measurement
Author: M. Prabu, N. R. Shanker and K. Srinivasan
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 (5) 560-571 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Perspective forward enhancement in boundaries of satellite image via BO-TDyWT for precise delineation and accurate measurement
Keywords: Dyadic wavelet transform, geometric distortion, mixed pixels, satellite imag
Abstract: Delineation of vegetation and water body regions on the earth’s surface plays a vital role in the development and planning of an area. For delineation, traditional algorithms and classifiers require more training datasets and interpretation time. For accurate delineation, geometric distortion and mixed pixels in satellite images need to be removed. Geometric distortion is due to various factors such as relief displacement, variations in the satellite altitude and attitude, and curvature of the earth’s surface. Mixed pixels arise due to different types of land cover in an area. In this study, the Bayesian optimized transverse dyadic wavelet transform (BO-TDyWT) algorithm enhances the edges and curvatures of a region in an image. BO-TDyWT classifies the vegetation and water bodies in LANDSAT image, which consists of different terrains such as hilly, land and coastal regions. BO-TDyWT removes the geometric distortion and mixed pixels in the hill area water body. Performance of proposed BO-TDyWT algorithm is compared with dyadic wavelet transform and TDyWT. From the results, BO-TDyWT accurately delineates hill areas, vegetation and water body areas than dyadic wavelet transforms and TDyWT. BO-TDyWT results are ground truth verified. The BO-TDyWT algorithm accurately delineates vegetation and water bodies for precise measurement with an accuracy of 96%, which is higher than TDyWT.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Chuvieco, E. et al., Historical background and current developments for mapping burned areas from satellite Earth observation. Remote Sensing Environ., 2019, 225, 45–64. Li, Y. and Zhu, D., The geometric-distortion correction algorithm for circular-scanning SAR imaging. IEEE Geosci. Remote Sensing Lett., 2010, 7(2), 376–380.
Literature cited 2: .Gupta, N., Ari, S. and Panigrahi, N., Change detection in LANDSAT images using unsupervised learning and RBF-based clustering. IEEE Trans. Emerg. Topics Comput. Intell., 2021, 5(2), 284–297. Lv, Z., Liu, T., Shi, C., Benediktsson, J. A. and Du, H., Novel land cover change detection method based on k-means clustering and adaptive majority voting using bitemporal remote sensing images. IEEE Access, 2019, 7, 34425–34437.


ID: 66002
Title: Lactobacillus plantarum for improving the symptoms of type-2 diabetic neuropathy
Author: Yuan Chen, Fei Feng, Tailin Xu, Qian Zhao, Qi Kang, Yalin Lan, Meng Yu and Chengyan Jiang
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 (5) 552-559 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Lactobacillus plantarum for improving the symptoms of type-2 diabetic neuropathy
Keywords: Immune system, intestinal microecology, Lactobacillus plantarum, neuropathy, type-2 diabetes.
Abstract: This study investigated the beneficial effects and mechanisms of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) on neuropathy in type-2 diabetic mice. Twenty db/db mice were randomly assigned to either a control group (group C) or a treated group (group LP). Weekly blood glucose levels were measured using a glucose meter. Neuropathy was assessed through thermal sensation, Von Frey responses and sensory nerve conduction velocity. Tight junction protein expression in colorectal tissues was analysed via immunofluorescence. ELISA measured serum inflammatory factors, while faecal samples at the intervention’s end assessed gut microbiota changes. Western blot analysed the JAK-STAT signalling pathway in mouse brain tissue. Group LP showed significantly lower blood glucose levels and improved thermal nociceptive sensitivity in db/db mice compared to group C. Additionally, LP intervention increased the expression of the intestinal tight junction protein occludin and enhanced intestinal flora diversity, including higher levels of probiotics like Akkermansia muciniphila. In group LP, serum levels of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased significantly, while pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A and LPS decreased. Additionally, the JAKSTAT signalling pathway was notably inhibited in the brain tissue of these mice. LP may potentially alleviate neuropathy in type-2 diabetic mice by modulating the immune system, repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier, and balancing the gut microbiome
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Feldman, E. L. et al., Diabetic neuropathy. Nature Rev. Dis. Primers, 2019, 5(1), 41. Alam, U., Diabetic neuropathy collection: treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes Ther., 2020, 11(4), 765–772
Literature cited 2: Zakin, E., Abrams, R. and Simpson, D. M., Diabetic neuropathy. Semin. Neurol., 2019, 39(5), 560–569. Pang, L., Lian, X., Liu, H., Zhang, Y., Li, Q., Cai, Y., Ma, H. and Yu, X., Understanding diabetic neuropathy: focus on oxidative stress. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev., 2020, 2020, 9524635.


ID: 66001
Title: Chronic exposure to sodium arsenite alters the expression of renin–angiotensin system, apoptosis and oxidative stress markers in Wistar rat
Author: Astha Mathur, Navneet Kumar, Suresh Kumar Bunker and Placheril J. John
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 (5) 544-551 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Chronic exposure to sodium arsenite alters the expression of renin–angiotensin system, apoptosis and oxidative stress markers in Wistar rat
Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes, apoptosis, arsenic, kidney, nephrotoxicity, oxidative stress
Abstract: The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) of the kidney is responsible for renal regulation and homeostasis, and patients with chronic kidney disease frequently receive RAS blockades. The purpose of this study was to determine the connection between the stimulation of arsenic in rats and changes in transcription levels of RAS hormones, biochemical parameters and antioxidant enzymes. Twenty-five Wistar rats were divided into five groups (control, low, middle, high dose and high dose + α-tocopherol groups) and given oral doses of 8.2, 12.3 and 16.4 mg/kg sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) and 50 mg/kg α-tocopherol for two months. RT-PCR analysis in nephrocytes revealed that mRNA expression of p53, p21, p27, caspases (3, 7 and 9), ACE, AGT, AT1R, CYP1A1 and Bax was found to be upregulated by ~1.9, ~1.6, ~1.5, ~2.3, ~3.3, ~3, ~2, ~1.9, ~2.4, ~1.7 and ~3.3- fold, whereas that of cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin E1, CDK 1, CDK 2, Bcl-2, CAT, SOD, GPx, GR and GST was downregulated consistently in renal tissues of arsenic-exposed groups by ~0.6, ~0.5, ~0.4, ~0.5, ~0.6, ~0.5, ~0.6, ~0.4, ~0.6, ~0.5 and ~0.6-fold respectively. The activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced by 63%, 71%, 40%, 37% and 44% respectively, upon treatment with NaAsO2. Through this study, we can gain knowledge about the potential function of RAS enzymes and antioxidant enzymes against the detrimental effects of arsenic-induced oxidative stress due to altered transcription levels of RAS enzymes in Wistar rats
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: arsenic, metals, fibres and dusts. In A Review of Human Carcinogens, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2012, p. 100. ATSDR, ATSDR’s substance priority list. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Georgia, 2017; https://www.atsdr.cdc. gov/SPL/
Literature cited 2: . Leslie, E. M., Deeley, R. G. and Cole, S. P., Multidrug resistance proteins: role of P-glycoprotein, MRP1, MRP2, and BCRP (ABCG2) in tissue defense. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 2005, 3, 216; doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2004.10.012. Betti, M. et al., Antiproliferative effects of tocopherols (vitamin E) on murine glioma C6 cells: homologue-specific control of PKC/ ERK and cyclin signaling. Free Radic. Biol. Med., 2006, 3, 464


ID: 66000
Title: Municipal solid waste – transforming waste to wealth in a sustainable manner
Author: Suvendu Kumar Dash, Artatrana Mishra and Himanshu Bhusan Sahu
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 (5) 527-536 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Municipal solid waste – transforming waste to wealth in a sustainable manner
Keywords: Disposal methods, municipal solid waste, pollution, regulatory framework, sustainable approach.
Abstract: In the urban areas of India, solid waste generated by human activities due to increasing urbanization and economic growth is a major concern as we aspire to become a 5 trillion economy by 2025. Millions of tonnes of solid waste is generated in various forms, with the most commonly used disposal methods are open dump, open-air incineration, land filling and disposal to water bodies. Irregular management of municipal solid waste leads to water and air pollution, land degradation and emission of gases like methane and carbon dioxide. The concepts of 5R, viz. reducing, reusing, recycling, recovering and residual management, are the main aspects that address this global issue. To meet these challenges, the Government of India must develop a regulatory framework to address the issue in a sustainable manner.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Al-Ghouti, M. A., Maria, K., Mustafa, S. N., Khalid, A. and Oonn, E. H., Recent advances and applications of municipal solid wastes bottom and fly ashes: insights into sustainable management and conservation of resources. Environ. Technol. Innov., 2021, 21, 1–30. Dash, S. K. and Dash, A. K., Assessment of ambient air quality with reference to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and gaseous pollutants (SO2 and NO2) near Bileipada, Joda area of Keonjhar, Odisha, India. Pollut. Res., 2015, 34(4), 181–188.
Literature cited 2: Kumar, D. S., Bhushan, S. H. and Kishore, D. A., Atmospheric dispersion model to predict the impact of gaseous pollutant in an industrial and mining cluster. Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 2018, 4(3), 351–358. Kumar, S. D. and Dash, A., Seasonal variation of air quality index and assessment. Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 2018, 4(4), 483– 492.


ID: 65999
Title: Rapid urbanization – need for retaining gomalas as green spaces in the urban environment
Author: H. Paramesh
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 (5) 523-526 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Rapid urbanization – need for retaining gomalas as green spaces in the urban environment
Keywords: Biodiversity, green spaces, global environment, gomalas, urbanization
Abstract: The global human population was 8 billion in 2022 and it is projected to reach 9 billion by 2031, leading to a significant shift in environmental issues with a decline in biodiversity. We need to develop people-centred cities by 2050, since two-thirds of the total population is going to live in urban areas. Cities grow by urbanization of villages. As the cities grow, biodiversity is challenged. India is the second country in the world, next only to Brazil, where green cover is being significantly lost due to deforestation. Gomalas are the lands in the villages reserved for grazing by animals and serve as a lung space for humans when the villages are urbanized. It is time to act to maintain greenery of the gomalas for sustenance of lives in the urban environment. Maintenance of green cover with biodiversity is essential for sustenance of life. We have nearly 1.75 million species on our planet and many more are yet to be discovered. Biodiversity has continued to decline during the past two decades. Nearly 58% of vertebrates and 51% of freshwater species are now extinct and acceleration of extinction of 1,000–10,000 species is predicted during the next decade due to anthropogenic activities. The World Environmental Day theme for 2024 is to ‘Protect, preserve and prosper for a greener future’ for all on the planet with living and non-living systems in our environment.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: WHO Sustainable Development Goals, 2015; https://sdgs.un. org./goals United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs Economic Analysis, 2018
Literature cited 2: Paramesh, H. and Sankam, J., Unearthing the nexus: population growth’s impact on planetary resources and health – with a focus on Bangalore city. Environmental Chapter of Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Bull. Environ. Child Health, 2023, https://www.unep.org/ietc/events/un-day/world-environment-day2024


ID: 65998
Title: From combined stress to climate resilience: harnessing the power of a knowledge resource
Author: Bharat Maitraya, Prachi Pandey and Muthappa Senthil-Kumar
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 (5) 520-522 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: From combined stress to climate resilience: harnessing the power of a knowledge resource
Keywords: None
Abstract: Understanding the intricate dynamic impact of combined stresses on plant growth and productivity amidst escalating climate change is one of the most prevalent challenges for today’s plant stress biologists. This commentary emphasizes the necessity of employing a centralized resource to collect and analyse scattered data on combined and individual abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. Introducing the Stress Combinations and their Interactions in Plants Database, we underscore its role in consolidating and comprehending diverse omics datasets and facilitating interdisciplinary research efforts to advance agricultural research.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Fingueiredo, M. S. N. and Pereira, A. M., Proc. Manufact., 2017, 12, 166–173. Ghadge, S. P. and Pasalkar, J., Data Sci. Agric., 2021, 8, 1397–1401
Literature cited 2: Priya, P., Patil, M., Pandey, P., Singh, A., Babu, V. S. and Senthil-Kumar, M., Plant J., 2023, 116, 1097–1117. Seneviratne, S. I. et al., In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (eds Masson-Delmotte, V. et al.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2021, pp. 1513–1766


ID: 65997
Title: Drinking water quality standards and implementation
Author: Mohit Nangia
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 (5) 518-519 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Drinking water quality standards and implementation
Keywords: None
Abstract: Safe drinking water is a human right. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. Inadequate management of urban, industrial and agricultural wastewater has resulted in the drinking water of hundreds of millions of people being dangerously contaminated or chemically polluted. The natural presence of chemicals, particularly in groundwater, can also be of significance for health. Reuse of wastewater to recover water, nutrients and energy is becoming an important strategy. A report prepared by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India (GoI) mentions that the country is home to 17% of the world’s population but has only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: IS:10500 Drinking water specification; https://law.resource.org/pub/in/bis/S06/is.10 500.2012.pdf WHO Drinking-Water Quality (GDWQ), 2022, 4th edn; https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549950
Literature cited 2: WHO; https://www.who.int/publications/i/ item/9789240088740 National Human Rights Commission; https:// nhrc.nic.in/sites/default/files/Right%20to%- 20water.pdf


ID: 65996
Title: KVKs at 50: nurturing the needs and aspirations of rural communities through tailored intervention
Author: Dileep Kumar Pandey and Souvik Ghosh
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 (5) 517-522 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: KVKs at 50: nurturing the needs and aspirations of rural communities through tailored intervention
Keywords: None
Abstract: The Golden Jubilee of India’s Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) marks 50 years of gaining knowledge in the field of agriculture, rooted in the heartlands of rural India. Established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi in 1974, these centres have evolved into beacons of knowledge and progress at 731 locations nationwide. Their journey embodies a commitment to tailored interventions, leveraging local assets and fostering aspirations beyond economic growth. Despite facing challenges like inadequate human resources and climate change, KVKs offer opportunities for innovation and collaboration. As they celebrate their golden jubilee milestone, KVKs are poised to continue their transformative journey, bridging the gap between research and reality for sustainable rural development
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:


ID: 65995
Title: Sustainability science
Author: Vinod Kumar Gaur
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 (5) 511-512 10 Sep (2024)
Subject: Sustainability science
Keywords: None
Abstract: It is now universally recognized that the key to sustainable living is participative management of local and regional environments and resources by their communities and managers. The recognition is rooted in the perception that local and regional communities do indeed adapt to changing socio-economic and environmental trends by modifying or adopting new practices to protect and enhance their livelihood bases and opportunity spaces. Community knowledge gained from an intuitive understanding of nature’s work and the resulting phenomena, infused with long experiential learning of their temporal perturbations, served people well for a long time, in evolving a stable order of life and work through times of moderate change. This subconsciously assimilated feedback from natural processes into human lives, in turn, maintained the seamless flow of ecosystem services through the human–nature system, leisurely adapting to slow evolving emergence of their new forms.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:


ID: 65994
Title: WhatsApp text messaging follows a daily rhythm in both formal and informal settings
Author: Nishi Soni, Saurabh Jaiswal, Sudhir Kumar, Shalie Malik and Sangeeta Rani
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 (4) 491-493 25 Aug (2024)
Subject: WhatsApp text messaging follows a daily rhythm in both formal and informal settings
Keywords: Behaviour, circadian rhythm, social networking, WhatsApp
Abstract: We examined and compared the 24-hour pattern of WhatsApp messaging between a formal cohort of n = 59 members of the Indian scientific society and an informal cohort of n = 41 family members. In particular, we analysed and calculated the intensity and pattern of messaging activity across 24 hours in relation to the sunrise and sunset timings, as well as the overall daily activity period. There was a daily periodicity in the WhatsApp messaging, with their close coupling to the time of day in formal compared to that in the informal cohort. However, the messaging activity pattern appeared to conform to a daily rhythm in both coho
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Astaburuaga, R., Basti, A., Li, Y., Herms, D. and Relógio, A., Circadian regulation of physiology: relevance for space medicine. REACH, 2019, 2, 14–15. Alhola, P. and Polo-Kantola, P., Sleep deprivation: impact on cognitive performance. Neuropsychiatr. Dis. Treat., 2
Literature cited 2: Evans, J. A. and Davidson, A. J., Health consequences of circadian disruption in humans and animal models. Prog. Mol. Biol. Transl. Sci., 2013, 119, 283–323. Kio, S. I., What students are saying on Facebook about their schools? Webology, 2015, 12, 1–12


ID: 65993
Title: Role of climatic conditions on malaria transmission in Chhattisgarh state of India through a modelling study
Author: Shambhavi Krishna and Shailendra Rai
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 (4) 483-490 25 Aug (2024)
Subject: Role of climatic conditions on malaria transmission in Chhattisgarh state of India through a modelling study
Keywords: Climate change, entomological inoculation rate, rainfall, temperature, VECTRI.
Abstract: India represents 3% of the global malaria burden. Chhattisgarh is the second-most endemic region in India in terms of malaria transmission. The research related to the effect of weather variables on malaria transmission through dynamic modelling is at an early stage in India. We attempted to do it with the help of the VECtor borne disease community model of International Centre for Theoretical Physics, TRIeste model for the Chhattisgarh region during 2000–2019. The highest malaria transmission is found in August and September. We also found that the malaria transmissions are found to be more endemic in the districts, namely Baster, Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Raigarh, Jashpur, Balrampur, Bemetara and Baloda Bazar
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Alonso, P. and Tanner, M., Public health challenges and prospects for malaria control and elimination. Nat. Med., 2013, 19, 150–155; https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3077. Kumar, A. et al., Surveillance based estimation of burden of malaria in India, 2015–2016. Malar. J., 2020, 19, 156; https://doi.org/10. 1186/s12936-020-03223-7.
Literature cited 2: Akpalu, W. and Codjoe, S., Economic analysis of climate variability impact on malaria prevalence: the case of Ghana. Sustainability, 2013, 5(10), 4362–4378. Klinkenberg, E., McCall, P. J., Wilson, M. D., Amerasinghe, F. P. and Donnelly, M. J., Impact of urban agriculture on malaria vectors in Accra, Ghana. Malar. J., 2008, J7(1), 15.


ID: 65992
Title: Biological characterization of the predominant strains of fall armyworm in India with regards to biocontrol agents and pheromone
Author: Smita Patil, Nishtha Nayyar, Gandhi Gracy, Jagadeesh Patil, Subaharan Kesavan, Sivakumar Gopalsamy, Kandan Aravindram, Rangeshwaran Rajagopal, Ashwitha Gopal, Vinay Kumar Thirumalahatti Munikrishnappa, M. L. Mahalakshmi, Chaitra Mallasamudra,
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 (4) 475-482 25 Aug (2024)
Subject: Biological characterization of the predominant strains of fall armyworm in India with regards to biocontrol agents and pheromone
Keywords: Biocontrol, CO1-CS, CO1-RS, genetic strains, invasive fall armyworm, pheromones
Abstract: The invasion of fall armyworm (FAW) to the Eastern hemisphere poses a major challenge to the food security efforts of several nations including India. Invasive FAW population is primarily composed of two predominant strains differentiated based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene, known as COI-RS (hybrid strain) and COI-CS (corn strain). COI-RS, in particular was found to be different from the ancestral rice strain in America and displayed characteristics of typical inter-strain hybrid population. Although the ancestral populations have been tested for their mating behaviour and response toward pheromones and biocontrol agents, similar studies have not been performed on the invasive populations. We report here the interstrain mating behaviour of COI-RS and COI-CS populations from India along with their susceptibilities towards different biocontrol agents. COI-RS larvae were more susceptible to SpfrNPV infection compared to COI-CS larvae. The response towards other biocontrol agents was similar in the two strains. Electroantennogram response study revealed that the two strains differed in their response towards FAW pheromone, where COICS males displayed higher mean antennal response towards Z-9-tetradecenyl acetate (87%), Z-11-hexadecenyl acetate (12.5%) and Z-7-dodecenyl acetate (0.5%) than COI-RS males. Similar to the ancestral population, we found unidirectional mating between COI-RS females and COI-CS males while the reverse cross did not yield viable offspring. However, further detailed studies are required to confirm this observation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Montezano, D. G. et al., Host plants of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Americas. Afr. Entomol., 2018, 26, 286–300. Rwomushana, I., Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) invasive species Compendium, Wallingford, UK, CABI, DOI, 2019, 10.
Literature cited 2: Goergen, G., Kumar, P. L., Sankung, S. B., Togola, A. and Tamò, M., First report of outbreaks of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a new alien invasive pest in West and Central Africa. PLoS ONE, 2016, 11, e0165632. Sharanabasappa, S. et al., First report of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an alien invasive pest on maize in India. Pest Manage Horticult. Ecosyst., 2018, 24(1), 23–29


ID: 65991
Title: Climate change hazards along the Indian coastal districts: spatial analysis on a climatic impact-driver framework
Author: Reshma Gills, Shelton Padua , C. Ramachandran , Eldho Varghese , K. R. Ratheesh , Grinson George , Rose P. Bright , E. Vivekanandan , J. Jayasankar and A. Gopalakrishnan
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 (4) 461-474 25 Aug (2024)
Subject: Climate change hazards along the Indian coastal districts: spatial analysis on a climatic impact-driver framework
Keywords: Cyclone, flood, heatwave, multi-hazard, sea level rise, shoreline change.
Abstract: Concepts, approaches and frameworks for assessing the impacts of climate change are evolving quickly. Due to their particular geographic location, proximity to oceans, concentration of populated regions, and infrastructure, coastal communities are particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change. The present study aims to develop a thematic map based on the CID (climatic impact-drivers) framework proposed in the assessment report-6 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to evaluate the climate change’s physical hazards in the coastal districts of India. The study points out that West Bengal and Odisha are the two states with the highest cyclone hazard index values making them most vulnerable to cyclones. At the same time, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal respectively fall in the extremely severe category of flood, heatwave and shoreline change hazards. The maritime state of Gujarat along with Diu and Daman experiences maximum severity for the sea level rise hazard. The multi-hazards index developed in the study by considering 14 threshold-based CID indices showed that the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh has the highest proneness to the physical hazards due to climate change
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Masson-Delmotte, V. et al. (eds), Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. In Contribution of Working Group I Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2021. Weiskopf, S. R. et al., Climate change effects on biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural resource management in the United States. Sci. Total Environ., 2020, 733, 137782.
Literature cited 2: Santos, R. M. and Bakhshoodeh, R., Climate change/global warming/climate emergency versus general climate research: comparative bibliometric trends of publications. Heliyon, 2021, 7, e08219. Abbass, K., Qasim, M. Z., Song, H., Murshed, M., Mahmood, H. and Younis, I., A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation, and sustainable mitigation measures. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int., 2022, 29, 42539–42559.


ID: 65990
Title: Multi-criteria based hydrological zonation for water harvesting site suitability in Nuh watershed of Haryana, India
Author: Smita Jaiswal, Susama Sudhishri, Man Singh, Vinay K. Sehgal, Anil Kumar Mishra, Anchal Dass, Dinesh Sharma, P. Venkatesh, Love Kumar, Prashant Singh, Rashmi Yadav and Sangeeta
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 (4) 452-460 25 Aug (2024)
Subject: Multi-criteria based hydrological zonation for water harvesting site suitability in Nuh watershed of Haryana, India
Keywords: Analytic hierarchy process, hydrological zonation, site suitability, watershed, water harvesting
Abstract: The present study aims to develop a protocol for determining the suitability of ponds in Nuh watershed, Haryana, India, using hydrological zoning, analytic hierarchy process, weighted overlay approach and geospatial techniques. Maximum area is in moderate and low run-off zones, with 50.43% and 32.4% of the area covering 104 and 129 ponds respectively. Area under least, moderate, high suitable zones are 33.2%, 51.92% and 11.38% respectively. Also, 137 more ponds are proposed, with 2, 49 and 86 ponds having very high, high and moderate suitable zones respectively. If these 472 ponds are revived, additional areas can be brought under irrigation in the watershed.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India, New Delhi, Annual Report 2021–22. Susama, S. and Dass, A., A report on revival of village ponds through scientific interventions, Water Technology Centre, ICARIARI, New Delhi, 2022, p.
Literature cited 2: Vaidya, O. S. and Kumar, S., Analytic hierarchy process: an overview of applications. Eur. J. Oper. Res., 2006, 169(1), 1–29. Yahaya, S., Ahmad, N. and Abdalla, R. F., Multicriteria analysis of flood vulnerable areas in Hadejia–Jama’are River Basin, Nigeria. Eur. J. Sci. Res., 2010, 42, 71–83