ID: 63445
Title: DNA barcoding of rotifers along the Cochin backwaters, southwest coast of India
Author: Asha Ravi, Sandhya Sukumaran , Molly Varghese and Neenu Raj
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 327 -332 (2023)
Subject: DNA barcoding of rotifers along the Cochin backwaters, southwest coast of India
Keywords: Backwaters, DNA barcoding, partial sequences, pure culture, rotifer
Abstract: This study examines the DNA barcoding of rotifers from
the Cochin backwaters, Kerala, India, with specimens
obtained from the pure culture, using primers LCO1490/
HCO2198 and a recently reported primer 30F/885R
which was designed especially for the rotifers. Partial
sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene from five species belonging to three genera (Brachionus, Keratella and
Asplanchna) and two families (Brachionidae and Asplanchnidae) of the order Ploimida were generated. All the
obtained nucleotide sequences were submitted to NCBI
(accession numbers: OL477582–OL477584, OL477586
and OL757796)
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Duggan, I. C., The ecology of periphytic rotifers. Rotifera IX, 2001,
139–148.
Segers, H., The nomenclature of the Rotifera: annotated checklist
of valid family and genus-group names. J. Nat. Hist., 2002, 36(6),
631–640.
Literature cited 2: Nogrady, T., Biology, ecology and systematics. In Guide to the
Identification of the Macroinvertebrates of the Continental Waters
of the World, Rotifera, 1993, vol. 1, p. 142.
Wallace, R. L. and Snell, T. W., Rotifera. In Ecology and Classification
of North American Freshwater Invertebrates (eds Thorpe, J. and
Covich, A.), Academic Press, New York, USA, 1991, pp. 187–248.
ID: 63444
Title: An optimal vaccination strategy for pandemic management and its impact on economic recovery
Author: Vansh Kodesia , Ankur Suri and Sarita Azad
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 319 -326 (2023)
Subject: An optimal vaccination strategy for pandemic management and its impact on economic recovery
Keywords: Economic recovery, mobility, nonlinear regression, pandemic management, reproduction number, vaccination strategy.
Abstract: The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has
been devastating for countries across the world. We
propose a novel method for estimating reproduction
number (R0) using community mobility to obtain optimal
vaccination coverage (OVC). Different scenarios for
achieving the desired immunization rates are evaluated
using nonlinear regression models. The impact of recovery
rates on mobility is also assessed to determine how the
economy would have fared in various scenarios. Lockdowns due to COVID-19, which restricted mobility, were
the main cause of the decline in GDP. For the city of
Mumbai in India, with an increase in recovery rate
from 1% to 5%, it was observed that mobility and thus
economic activity might have been restored to some extent. The findings presented here may aid the governing
bodies in developing more effective emergency response
plans.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Fan, V. Y., Jamison, D. T. and Summers, L. H., Pandemic risk: how
large are the expected losses? Bull. WHO, 2018, 96(2), 129–134.
Poonia, N. and Azad, S., The spatio-temporal trajectory of COVID19 in India: insight into past pandemics and future recommendations. Curr. Sci., 2021, 121(11), 1425–1432.
Literature cited 2: Azad, S. and Devi, S., Tracking the spread of COVID-19 in India
via social networks in the early phase of the pandemic. J. Travel
Med., 2020, 27(8), 1–9.
Andrews, M. A. et al., First confirmed case of COVID-19 infection
in India: a case report. Indian J. Med. Res., 2020, 151(5), 490–492.
ID: 63443
Title: Impact of lifestyle intervention among prediabetic individuals
Author: R. Grace Janet Mary Ann and K. Karthiga
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 313 -318 (2023)
Subject: Impact of lifestyle intervention among prediabetic individuals
Keywords: Blood glucose, diet, exercise, lifestyle, prediabetes.
Abstract: Prediabetes is a stage before diabetes that refers to impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance,
or a combination of both. Sedentary work and unhealthy
food patterns lead to prediabetes, and lifestyle modification is important. Hence the present study focuses on
the impact of lifestyle intervention among prediabetic
persons. One hundred and twenty-five people, excluding
patients diagnosed with diabetes, from the Arthur Asirvatham Hospital in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India were
selected for the study. Demographic details were collected and anthropometric measurements like height,
weight, body mass index and waist–hip ratio were made.
The blood samples were analysed for fasting blood sugar,
postprandial blood sugar, glycosylated haemoglobin,
lipid profile and urine samples for urine microalbuminuria. Blood pressure was also measured. The participants were given a strict diet and exercise chart, after
which they were followed up for six months. The collected
data were analysed using appropriate statistical methods.
Of the 125 prediabetes subjects enrolled, the mean age
was 41.65 ± 7.56 years, with 71.2% male and 28.8%
female. The mean height of the patients throughout the
study was 159 ± 10.04 (cm). Overall there was a statistically significant reduction in weight (65.3 ± 13.24–64.4 ±
12.86 kg), body mass index (25.8 ± 4.42 to 25.5 ±
4.29 kg/m2
), fasting (111 ± 10.42 to 107 ± 8.5 mg/dl),
postprandial blood sugar (159 ± 19.35 to 152 ± 18.8 mg/gl)
and glycosylated haemoglobin (5.8 ± 0.18% to 5.7 ±
0.2%) between baseline and various follow-up visits (P <
0.05). Lifestyle intervention had a greater impact on
lipid profile and no change in urine microalbuminuria
in baseline and final visits. The study concludes that lifestyle intervention significantly impacts prediabetic subjects to avoid type-2 diabetes and its complications.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Madhu, S. V., RSSDI diabetes update. In Jaypee Digital Explore
Health Science, New Delhi, 2016, chap. 68, p. 376.
WHO, Diet, nutrition, and the prevention of chronic diseases: report of
a joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. World Health Organization,
Geneva, Switzerland, 2003, vol. 916
Literature cited 2: Seidel, M. C., Powell, R. O., Zgibor, J. C., Siminerio, L. M. and Piatt,
G. A., Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program into an urban
medically underserved community: a nonrandomized prospective
intervention study. Diabetes Care, 2008, 31(4), 684–689.
Mohan, V., Early onset of type 2 diabetes RSSDI textbook of Diabetes mellitus, 201
ID: 63442
Title: Diversity and role of flower visitors in onion seed production
Author: M. Pushpalatha, C. S. Patil and Dnyaneshwar M. Firake
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 304 -312 (2023)
Subject: Diversity and role of flower visitors in onion seed production
Keywords: Floral biology, foraging ecology, onion, pollinators, species diversity.
Abstract: Onion flowers attract a wide range of visitors, including
pollinators. Many factors influence the abundance of
floral visitors in onion, such as flower size, shape, colour,
weather parameters and the availability of floral rewards. Quality seed production in onion (Allium cepa
L.) is mainly driven by insect pollinators because of its
protandrous nature and cross-pollination. The type of
flower visitors, their numbers and the time of their visitation determine the pollination efficiency. Bees are the
major pollinating agents in onions under natural conditions. However, using chemical pesticides against pests
and diseases of onions during bloom decreases the diversity in and around crop fields. Anthropogenic factors like
urbanization could have negative impacts on insect pollination services. Therefore, it is critical to adopt a sustainable approach to retain and conserve the existing insect
pollinators and their diversity in the onion ecosystem. In
this study, we review the research work done so far on the
diversity and role of flower visitors and pollinators in
onion seed production and the various factors affecting
their survival and services in the onion ecosystem.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Brewster, J. L., Flowering and seed production. In Onions and other
Vegetable Alliums, CAB International, United Kingdom, 1994, pp.
122–145.
Anon., Agricultural development in India. Crop growth statistics.
Indiastat, 2022; http://www.indiastat.com/data/agriculture
Literature cited 2: Anon., Seed production – onion. Directorate of Onion and Garlic
Research, Pune, 2022; https://dogr.icar.gov.in/index.php?option=
com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=155&lang=en
Kavitha, S. J. and Rami Reddy, P. V., Floral biology and pollination
ecology of onion (Allium cepa L.). J. Pharmacogn. Phytochem.,
2018, 7, 2081–2084
ID: 63441
Title: Elasmobranch conservation, challenges and management strategy in India: recommendations from a national consultative meeting
Author: K. V. Akhilesh, Shoba Joe Kizhakudan, M. Muktha, T. M. Najmudeen, Sujitha Thomas, Divya Karnad, Dipani Sutaria, Merwyn Fernandes, Trisha Gupta, Naveen Namboothri, Vardhan Patankar, Swatipriyanka Sen, Sijo P. Varghese, A. Biju Kumar, Alissa Barnes,
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 292 -303 (2023)
Subject: Elasmobranch conservation, challenges and management strategy in India: recommendations from a national consultative meeting
Keywords: Consultative meeting, elasmobranch, fisheries, management and conservation, regulations.
Abstract: Historically, India has been projected as one of the major elasmobranch fishing nations in the
world. However, management and conservation efforts are not commensurate with this trend. Along
with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, several generic conservation measures are in place at the
regional/local level. But India is still a long way from meeting global conservation commitments. We
present here the status of elasmobranch management and conservation in India, with the specific objective of identifying the gaps in the existing set-up. We also present recommendations based on a national
consultative workshop held at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, in February
2020. We recommend the implementation of a National Plan of Action (NPOA-Sharks) and more inclusive governance and policymaking for elasmobranch conservation in India.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Dulvy, N. K. et al., Extinction risk and conservation of the world’s
sharks and rays. Elife, 2014, 3, e00590; https://doi.org/10.7554/
eLife.005.
Stevens, J. D., Bonfil, R., Dulvy, N. K. and Walker, P. A., The effects of fishing on sharks, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyans),
and the implications for marine ecosystems. ICES J. Mar. Sci.,
2000, 57, 476–494
Literature cited 2: Worm, B. et al., Global catches, exploitation rates, and rebuilding
options for sharks. Mar. Policy, 2013, 40, 194–204.
Dulvy, N. K. et al., Overfishing drives over one-third of all sharks
and rays toward a global extinction crisis. Curr. Biol., 2021,
31(21), 4773–4787.
ID: 63440
Title: Propagation through root suckers in Garcinia lanceifolia Roxb., an endemic medicinal plant species of North East India
Author: Ajay Kumar, Ankur Jyoti Sarika,Prosanta Hazarika
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (3) 291 -291 (2023)
Subject: Propagation through root suckers in Garcinia lanceifolia Roxb., an endemic medicinal plant species of North East India
Keywords: Propagation,root suckers,Garcinia lanceifolia,endemic medicinal plant species,North East India
Abstract: The genus Garcinia (family: Clusiaceae)
consists of about 250 species distributed
throughout the world. It is represented by
43 species and five varieties in the Indian
subcontinent. Garcinia lanceifolia (G. Don)
Roxb. Syn., G. lanceifolia var. oxyphylla
(Planch. & Triana) Laness. is an important
yet less known endemic medicinal plant
found in Assam (plains of Upper Brahmaputra and Barak valley), Meghalaya (Khasi
and Garo Hills), Nagaland in North East
India, and the southern part of Bangladesh. Locally known as Rupahi thekera
(Assamese), Kengrapal (Garo) and Dieng
Soh Jadu (Khasi), this plant species is reported as rare in wild conditions, occurring
only under cultivation in homestead gardens and generally grown under dense
shade of other trees
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ghosh, A., Banik, S., Amin, M. N. and
Ahmed, J., J. Tradit. Complement. Med.,
2018, 8(2), 303–307; https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.jtcme.2017.04.009.
Kanjilal, U. N., Kanjilal, P. C., De, R. N.
and Das, A., Flora of Assam. Vols IV, Allied Book Centre, Dehra Dun, 1991, pp.
114–115.
Literature cited 2: Chowdhury, T. and Handique, P. J., Int. J.
Pharm. Sci., 2012, 3(6), 1663–1667.
Dutta, D., Hazarika, P. and Hazarika, P.,
Int. J. Curr. Res., 2017, 9(10), 59644–59655.
ID: 63439
Title: Nutritional value of representative termite species with an emphasis on Odontotermes obesus (Rambur)
Author: M. Ranjith, C. M. Kalleshwaraswamy, Sharanabasappa S. Deshmukh and G. A. Kavya Yadav
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 257 -260 (2023)
Subject: Nutritional value of representative termite species with an emphasis on Odontotermes obesus (Rambur)
Keywords: Coptotermes heimi, crude fat, edible protein, imagoes, Microtermes obesi, nutritional value, Odontotermes obesus.
Abstract: Dewinged termite imagoes are considered to be delicious
human food around the world. The nutrient composition may vary with respect to the species. In the present
study, imagoes of three termite species, viz. Odontotermes obesus, Coptotermes heimi and Microtermes obesi
were used to compare their protein composition. Additionally, the commonest species, O. obesus was used for proximate and mineral composition analysis. The nutritional analysis of termites indicated a higher percentage of protein in C. heimi, followed by O. obesus. The
proximate analysis of O. obesus imagoes revealed a
higher proportion of crude fat followed by crude protein.
Macrominerals were recorded in a higher proportion
with potassium as one of the major minerals followed
by sodium, while in microelements iron and zinc were
represented in greater quantities.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Igwe, C. U., Ujowundu, C. O., Nwaogu, L. A. and Okwu, G. N.,
Chemical analysis of an edible African termite, Macrotermes nigeriensis; a potential antidote to food security problem. Biochem.
Anal. Biochem., 2011, 1(1), 1–4
Chakravorty, J., Diversity of edible insects and practices of entomophagy in India: an overview. J. Biodivers. Biopros. Dev., 2014,
1(3), 1–6; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2376-0214.1000124
Literature cited 2: Cerritos, R., Insects as food: an ecological, social and economical
approach. CAB Rev. Perspect. Agric. Vet. Sci. Nutr. Nat. Resour.,
2009, 4(27), 1–10.
Kinyuru, J. N., Kenji, G. M. and Njoroge, M. S., Process development, nutrition and sensory qualities of wheat buns enriched with
edible termites (Macrotermes subhyalinus) from Lake Victoria region, Kenya. Afr. J. Food Agric. Nutr. Dev., 2009, 9(8), 1739–1750;
doi:10.4314/ajfand.v9i8.48411.
ID: 63438
Title: Anomalous uranium concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite of Higher Himalaya, Nuranang, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India
Author: Santu Patra, U. P. Sharma, Kamlesh Kumar and D. K. Sinha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 253 -257 (2023)
Subject: Anomalous uranium concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite of Higher Himalaya, Nuranang, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India
Keywords: Geochemistry, leucogranite, mineralogy, petrology, tourmaline, uranium mineralization
Abstract: Here we report anomalous uranium concentration in
tourmaline-bearing leucogranite occurring at Nuranang,
Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India.
The leucogranite occurs as concordant layers parallel to
gneissic foliation, similar to the gneisses of the Paleoproterozoic Se La Group. It is medium to coarse-grained,
and is composed of quartz, potash feldspar and plagioclase as dominant minerals with variable proportions of
muscovite, biotite, tourmaline and garnet. Apatite, zircon
and pyrite are accessory minerals. Geochemically, the
leucogranite is alkali-rich, peraluminous and highly
differentiated. It is emplaced in a syn to late orogenic
collision tectonic setting. Analyses of 10 granite samples
collected at 500 m intervals show relatively high radio elemental concentration (U: 5–96 ppm, Th: 5–23 ppm,
K: 2.23–7.72% and Th/U; 0.07–1.00, n = 10) compared
to normal granite. Anomalous uranium concentration in
the leucogranite is observed in a 200 m × 50 m area at
Nuranang. Samples from this area have assayed 0.016–
0.029% U3O8 and <0.005% ThO2. Leachable U3O8 content determined in five samples varies from 81.25% to
87.50%. Preliminary studies indicate that uranium is
in the adsorbed state associated with iron oxide and altered feldspar/clay. The findings of anomalous uranium
concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite likely
open up a new target area for uranium search in the
Higher Himalaya of Arunachal Pradesh
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Friedrich, M. H., Cuney, M. and Poty, B., Uranium geochemistry in
peraluminous leucogranites. In Concentration Mechanisms of Uranium in Geological Environments – A Conference Report (eds Poty,
B. and Pagel, M.), International Atomic Energy Agency, 1987, vol.
3, pp. 353–385.
Nabelek, P. I. and Liu, M., Petrologic and thermal constraints on
the origin of leucogranites in collisional orogens. Trans. R. Soc.
Edinburgh: Earth Sci., 2004, 95, 73–85.
Literature cited 2: Ballouard, C., Boulvais, P., Poujol, M., Gapais, D., Yamato, P.,
Tartèse, R. and Cuney, M., Tectonic record, magmatic history and
hydrothermal alteration in the Hercynian Guérande leucogranite,
Armorican Massif, France. Lithos, 2015, 220–223, 1–22.
Islam, R., Ahmad, T. and Khanna, P. P., An overview on the granitoids of the N
ID: 63437
Title: Evaluation of fixation and reaction gaze points near speed humps on urban roads in India
Author: Satish Chandra, Ravi Sekhar Chalumuri, Kamini Gupta and Neelima Chakrabarty
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 245 -252 (2023)
Subject: Evaluation of fixation and reaction gaze points near speed humps on urban roads in India
Keywords: Eye tracker, gaze plots, heat maps, regression analysis, speed hump, urban roads.
Abstract: Isolated speed humps are extensively used as speed-calming measures for motorized vehicles of different categories on urban roads. Most urban roads in India are
provided with either a trapezoidal or circular speed
hump based on the road category. The height of these
humps influences the per cent reduction of speed at the
crown of the hump. It has been observed that passenger
motorized vehicles do not reduce their speeds before a
speed hump, even when it is large. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the driver perception and reaction
distance near a speed hump and thereby examine the
sensitivity of these parameters on the drivers of different
age groups. For this, drivers of different ages (a total
sample size of five subjects) were considered for real-time eye-tracking experiments. The experimental results
of all subjects’ eye tracking images were examined in
this study. The visit duration or dwell time for an area
of interest (AOI) was estimated and compared among
various drivers. The speed data were also collected using
a velocity-box along with eye-tracking data of each driver at the identified location. The collected eye-tracking
experimental data were analysed using statistical techniques. Regression analysis between vehicular speed and
fixation count was performed. It was observed that the
power model was the best fit for the collected data. The
visualization data helped to reveal the characteristics of
fixation and reaction gaze points near the identified
speed humps. The study results showed that driver attention was double when vehicle located between 0 and
20 m than 20 and 40 m from the speed hump. Drivers in
the age group between 20 and 25 years had 48% AOI of
visit duration, while for those in the age group between
30 and 40 years, it was 67%.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GoI, Road accidents in India. Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways, Transport Research Wing, New Delhi, 2020.
Zainuddin, N., Md Diah, J., Adan, M. and Sulaiman, N., The optimization of speed hump design: a case study in Malaysia residential
streets. In IEEE Colloquium on Humanities, Science and Engineering
(CHUSER), Kota Kinabala, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 2012, pp.
368–387.
Literature cited 2: Chandra, S., Ravi Sekhar, Ch. and Ruhina Behum, Md, Optimum
design of speed hump based on empirical data. In Transportation
Research Board, Annual Meeting, 2019, Paper ID 19-04082.
Bie, Y., Wang, L., Wang, D. and Ma, D., A signal coordination algorithm for two adjacent intersections based on approximate dynamic
programming. J. Southeast Univ. (Engl. Edn), 2012, 28(1), 112–118.
ID: 63436
Title: Vegetative propagation of papaya (Carica papaya L.) through grafting
Author: J. Satisha and Linta Vincent
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 239 -244 (2023)
Subject: Vegetative propagation of papaya (Carica papaya L.) through grafting
Keywords: Cytokinins, grafting, lateral shoots, papaya, vegetative propagation.
Abstract: In papaya orchards raised through seedlings, large variation in sex forms is a major hindrance to its cultivation on
a commercial scale. Similarly, in papaya breeding, if a
desirable trait is to be fixed in future generations, it is
essential to multiply the plants by asexual means for
evaluation on a large scale as sexual propagation has
several drawbacks. Limited studies have been conducted
on vegetative propagation in papaya under the tropical
climate of India. Hence, the present study was initiated
to standardize vegetative propagation through grafting
under separate experiments. A combination of growth
hormones and different aged seedlings was used to induce lateral shoots on the mother plants to utilize them as
scions for grafting. Spraying BA @ 100 ppm + GA3 @
250 ppm on 5–6 month-old mother plants could produce
more graftable size shoots. Among different methods,
softwood wedge grafting recorded maximum success
followed by cleft grafting. Field evaluation of grafted
and seedling plants revealed that the former were
dwarfs and sturdy, induced early flowering at a lower
heights and came to harvest earlier than the seedlings.
Though physical fruit parameters showed a significant
difference between grafted and seedling plants, no difference was recorded for fruit quality parameters.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Allan, P. and McMillan, C. N., Advances in propagation of Carica
papaya L. cv. Honey Gold cuttings. J. South African Hortic. Sci.,
1991, 1, 69–72.
2. Villegas, V. N., The biology of Carica papaya L. In Plant Resources of South East Asia, 2: Edible Fruits and Nuts (eds Verheji,
E. W. M. and Colonel, R. E.), PROSEA Foundation, Bogor Indonesia,
1997, p. 17.
Literature cited 2: Sao José, A. R. and e-Marin, S. L. D., Propagação do mamoeiro. In
Mamão (ed. Ruggiero, C.), FUNEP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil,
1988, pp. 177–196.
Allan, P. and Carison, C., Progress and problems in rooting clonal
Carica papaya cuttings. 2007. South African J. Plant Soil, 2009,
24, 22–25; doi:10.1080/02571862.2007.10634776.
ID: 63435
Title: Aromatic plant odours of Anethum graveolens and Coriandrum sativum repel whitefly, Bemisia tabaci in tomato
Author: Vinod K. Padala, P. Saravan Kumar, N. Ramya and P. D. Kamala Jayanthi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 231 -238 (2023)
Subject: Aromatic plant odours of Anethum graveolens and Coriandrum sativum repel whitefly, Bemisia tabaci in tomato
Keywords: Aromatic intercrops, Bemisia tabaci, headspace volatiles, pest management strategies, tomato
Abstract: We studied the behavioural responses of female whitefly,
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) towards headspace volatiles of tomato in the presence of aromatic intercrops,
namely coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and dill
(Anethum graveolens L.) using olfactometer bioassays,
electrophysiological techniques and field experimentation. Olfactometer studies revealed the repellent nature
of dill and coriander. Multiple-choice olfactometer studies revealed less residence time in tomato with coriander
(T + Co; 1.33 0.20 min) and tomato with dill (T + D;
1.97 0.30 min) treated arms compared to sole tomato
volatile treated arm (3.18 0.35 min). Field studies also
supported this trend, where significantly less whitefly
incidence was recorded in treatment T + Co (2.34
0.39 per three leaves) or T + D (3.33 0.51 per three
leaves) compared to sole tomato crop (5.71 0.75 per
three leaves). In coupled gas chromatography-electroantennodetection (GC-EAD) studies, whitefly antenna
responded to several compounds of dill and coriander.
This study suggests that aromatic plants such as dill
and coriander can be used as potential intercrop components in tomatoes to manage B. tabaci and the GCEAD-identified compounds of dill and coriander will
help formulate futuristic semiochemical-based pest management strategies against the whitefly.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Perrin, R. M. and Phillips, M. L., Some effects of mixed cropping
on the population dynamics of insect pests. Entomol. Exp. Appl.,
1978, 24(3), 585–593.
2. Smith, H. A. and McSorley, R., Intercropping and pest management: a review of major concepts. Am. Entomol., 2000, 46
Literature cited 2: Degri, M. M., Mailafiya, D. M. and Mshelia, J. S., Effect of intercropping pattern on stem borer infestation in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) grown in the Nigerian Sudan Savannah. Adv.
Entomol., 2014, 2, 81–86.
4. Baidoo, P. K., Mochiah, M. B. and Apusiga, K., Onion as a pest
control intercrop in organic cabbage (Brassica oleracea) production system in
ID: 63434
Title: Archaeo-metallurgical analysis: metallurgy in the early medieval societies of Moghalmari, West Bengal, India
Author: Anustup Chatterjee
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 226 -230 (2023)
Subject: Archaeo-metallurgical analysis: metallurgy in the early medieval societies of Moghalmari, West Bengal, India
Keywords: Ancient metals, archaeo-metallurgy, early medieval sites, human civilization, scientific analysis.
Abstract: Archaeo-metallurgical studies on early medieval Bengal
trace, the history and development of metalwork. West
Bengal, as an integral part of eastern India, has an ancient tradition of iron technology, as indicated by the
metal objects obtained from various archaeological
sites. All materials collected from these archaeological
sites in West Bengal prove that the ancient alchemy
and metallurgical science practised in the region were
vast and rich. The detailed description of metallurgical
processes and intricate properties of minerals and chemicals in the 10th–11th century alchemy-text, Rasaratna
Samuchchaya, is yet another proof of the high level of
knowledge on metallurgy. Metals have a close relationship with human civilization, and the phases attributed
to different stages of cultural growth are dominated by
the metals being used at a particular period. Metal objects found in various early medieval sites of West Bengal
provide a unique opportunity to study the development
of metalworking fashion and technology. Several excavations and explorations have been conducted to study
the societal structure and material culture of this period.
The study of metal technology also provides information
on cultural development and craftsmanship. The present study involves scientific analysis of metal objects
(bronze) obtained from the culturally rich archaeological
site of Moghalmari in West Bengal. X-ray diffractogram which revealed the composition of the materials.
Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyse the
microstructure of the sample. The results provide information regarding the purity and composition of the
metal.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Majumdar, S., What is in the location: a geo-archaeological study of
the landscape of the Buddhist monasteries of Western Bengal. Int. J.
Hist. Insight Res., 2019, 5/4, 1–14.
Datta, A., Excavations at Moghalmari: a pre-pala Buddhist monastic
complex. J. Bengal Art, 2010, 15, 276–293.
Literature cited 2: Park, K. W., Jang, J. I., Wakeda, M., Shibutani, Y. and Lee, J. C.,
Atomic packing density and its influence on the properties of Cu–Zr
amorphous alloys. Scr. Mater., 2007, 57(9), 805–808.
ID: 63433
Title: A data-driven approach to predict anthropometric dimensions of Central Indian women workers via principal component and factorial analysis
Author: Manisha Jagadale, K. N. Agrawal, C. R. Mehta, R. R. Potdar, Manoj Kumar and Mahesh Jadhav
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 215 -225 (2023)
Subject: A data-driven approach to predict anthropometric dimensions of Central Indian women workers via principal component and factorial analysis
Keywords: Agriculture, correlation, factor analysis, principal component analysis, women worker
Abstract: In India, the contribution of women workers in agriculture is steadily increasing daily, which governs a major
share of the Indian agriculture sector. Hence farm tools
and equipment must be designed by considering regionspecific anthropometric data of women workers. However,
measuring and recording anthropometric dimensions is
time-consuming and economically taxable. In the present
study, regression models have been developed to predict
different anthropometric dimensions using anthropometric data of 79 body dimensions of 720 women workers in
central India aged between 25 and 55 years. Principal
component and factorial analysis techniques were employed to extract significant body dimensions. The major
objective of this study was to predict various anthropometric dimensions by regression models so that the time
and effort required for several body dimension measurements would be reduced.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mehta, C. R., Chandel, N. S. and Senthilkumar, T., Status, challenges and strategies for farm mechanization in India. Agric. Mech.
Asia, Afr. Latin Am., 2014, 45(4), 43–50.
Feyzi, M., Navid, H. and Dianat, I., Ergonomically based design of
tractor control tools. Int. J. Ind. Ergon., 2019, 72, 298–307.
Literature cited 2: Singh, S. and Arora, R., Ergonomic intervention for preventing musculoskeletal disorders among farm women. J. Agric. Sci., 2010,
1(2), 61–71.
Dewangan, K. N., Owary, C. and Datta, R. K., Anthropometric data
of female farm workers from north eastern India and design of hand
tools of the hilly region. Int. J. Ind. Ergon., 2008, 38(1), 90–100.
ID: 63432
Title: Dynamics of junk food consumption with central and general obesity: a cross-sectional study among adolescent Tibetan girls in India
Author: Neelam Singh, Shweta Singh, and Gautam Kumar Kshatriya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 210 -214 (2023)
Subject: Dynamics of junk food consumption with central and general obesity: a cross-sectional study among adolescent Tibetan girls in India
Keywords: Adolescent girls, general and central obesity, healthy eating habits, junk food
Abstract: Deterioration in health due to junk food consumption
is a global concern, with adolescents at a greater risk.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to understand
the dynamics of junk food consumption with obesity
in adolescent Tibetan girls (13–18 years; N = 276) of
Himachal Pradesh, India. A pretested schedule and
anthropometric measurements were used for data collection. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was done.
The odds ratio was the determined. The study found
that 45.28% of the girls consumed some form of junk
food. Also, 25.4% and 16.3% were also centrally obese
according to waist–hip ratio (WHR) and waist–height
ratio (WHtR) respectively. Girls who consumed junk
food were found to be at a greater risk (WHR: OR =
7.942, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.132–15.262;
WHtR: OR = 3.652, 95% CI = 1.820–7.327 at P < 0.001)
of developing abdominal obesity. Frequent consumption
of junk food was found to be remarkably high (77.60%)
among the studied population. It is of utmost importance to prioritize implementation programmes on
healthy eating habits through various government and
non-government agencies in order to improve health
among adolescents.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GNR, Global Nutrition Report: The State of Global Nutrition,
Bristol, UK, 2021; https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2021-
global-nutrition-report/.
Choudhary, S., Mishra, C. P. and Shukla, K. P., Nutritional status
of adolescent girls in rural area of Varanasi. Indian J. Prev. Soc.
Med., 2003, 34, 53–61.
Literature cited 2: World Health Organization, Comprehensive implementation plan
on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition. Geneva, Switzerland,
2014. Adv. Nutr., 2015, 6, 134–135; doi:10.3945/an.114.007781.
4. Abdullah, N. N., Mokhtar, M. M., Bakar, M. H. and Al-Kubaisy,
W., Trend on fast food consumption in relation to obesity among
Selangor urban community. Procedia-Soc. Behav. Sci., 2015, 22,
505–513.
ID: 63431
Title: Prediction and attenuation of ground vibrations generated by moving trains
Author: Shamsul Bashir, Aamir Rashid Chowdhary and Nasim Akhtar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 202 -209 (2023)
Subject: Prediction and attenuation of ground vibrations generated by moving trains
Keywords: Mass spring systems, mitigation measures, seismic velocity, vibration attenuation.
Abstract: The vibration generated by underground trains and the
level of vibration attenuated along the propagation path
are the keys to designing mitigation measures to avoid
adverse effects on the surroundings. The attenuation of
vibrational energy due to geometrical and material damping was determined at the Civil Court Godown, Pune
Metro, Maharashtra, India, up to 30 m. The seismic
cross-hole test was used to determine the dynamic
properties of the soil. It was found that the soil stratum
was homogeneous and composed of basaltic rock. The total
vibration level reaching the receiver was predicted for
trains travelling at 80, 250 and 350 km/h, and vibration
attenuation measures such as steel mass-spring systems
and polyurethane mass-spring systems have been proposed.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Miller, G. F., Pursey, H. and Bullard, E. C., On the partition of energy between elastic waves in a semi-infinite solid. Proc. R. Soc. A,
1955, 233(1192), 55–69; https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1955.0245.
Kouroussisa, G., Connolly, D. P. and Verlinden, O., Railway induced ground vibrations – a review of vehicle effects. Int. J. Rail
Transp., 2014, 2(2), 69–110; https://doi.org/10.1080/23248378.
2014.897791
Literature cited 2: Yang, Y. B. and Hsu, H. L., A review of researches on ground-borne
vibrations due to moving trains via underground tunnels. Adv.
Struct. Eng., 2006, 9(3), 377–392; https://doi.org/10.1260/136943-
306777641887.
UIC, Railway induced vibration, state of the art report. International
Union of Railways, 2017, pp. 1–82