ID: 65826
Title: On-farm trial of oyster mushroom cultivation: the technology assessment-refinement for sustainable livelihood and strategic out-scaling
Author: Pinaki Roy, Ram Eshwar Prasad, Manohar Panjikar , Sachchidanand Prasad, Shriti Moses , Saloni Chauhan, Kinkar Kumar and Sangeeta Bhattacharyya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 959-963 25 April (2024)
Subject: On-farm trial of oyster mushroom cultivation: the technology assessment-refinement for sustainable livelihood and strategic out-scaling
Keywords: On-farm trial, oyster mushroom cultivation, technology assessment and refinement, TOWS matrix.
Abstract: Climate change, land fragmentation, coupled with nationwide lockdown during COVID-19, had put the rural
people of Bihar in financial distress without any alternative livelihood. In this context, oyster mushroom cultivation was considered to be a viable livelihood option
but the existing technology produced less yield with
shorter shelf life. Hence an on-farm trial (OFT) was
undertook by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sitamarhi,
Bihar to assess existing technology, refine it as needed
and then strategize its out-scaling through TOWS
matrix. Out of three substrates (paddy, wheat and
paddy + wheat), the mushroom grown on wheat straw
substrate performed best. Further, blanching (2%
salt + 0.1 citric acid) increased the shelf-life of mushrooms for up to 96 h after harvest fetching highest return.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bhattacharyya, S., Burman, R. R., Padaria, R. N., Paul, S. and Roy,
P., Changes in migrant labour policy of India and need of a sustainable rural framework: lessons from the Covid-19 migrant exodus.
Agric. Lett., 2021, 2(12), 48–59.
Post-Lockdown, Bihar’s Labour Market Needs a Long-Overdue
Shot in the Arm; https://thewire.in/labour/bihar-covid-19-labour workers
Literature cited 2: Roy, P., Hansra, B. S., Burman, R. R., Bhattacharyya, S., Roy, T.
N. and Ahmed, R., Can farm mechanization enhance small farmers’
income? Lessons from Lower Shivalik Hills of the Indian Himalayan Region. Curr. Sci., 2022, 123, 667–676.
Celik, Y. and Peker, K., Benefit/Cost analysis of mushroom production for diversification of income in developing countries. Bulgarian J. Agric. Sci., 2009, 15(3), 228
ID: 65825
Title: Disaggregation of daily rainfall data into hourly rainfall data using statistical methods for stormwater management in urban areas
Author: K. M. Sri Ranga and S. Shyam 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. 126 (8) 951-958 25 April (2024)
Subject: Disaggregation of daily rainfall data into hourly rainfall data using statistical methods for stormwater management in urban areas
Keywords: Antecedent moisture conditions, hydrological model, rainfall data, stormwater infrastructure, urban areas.
Abstract: In the recent past, low-lying areas close to riverbanks
and urban agglomerations have witnessed frequent
floods due to inadequate mapping of flood zones and
rapidly growing impervious areas in cities/towns. This
inadequacy is due to the use of design storms for run-off
estimates, which do not account accurately for antecedent moisture conditions. Furthermore, when using daily
rainfall data, capturing accurate run-off estimates becomes challenging as rainfall characteristics such as
duration and intensity are not accounted for. These
problems can be addressed with long-term hourly
rainfall data. However, most gauging stations in India
have long-term daily rainfall data and hourly data for
the last few years. There are various global methods to
overcome this data limitation by disaggregating daily
data into hourly data. However, well-established, peerreviewed research on this process is still in infancy in
India. Therefore, a methodology has been developed to
disaggregate long-term daily rainfall data into hourly
rainfall using statistical and probabilistic principles
based on sample hourly data. In this study, the run-off
estimates derived from disaggregated data closely
match those obtained from actual hourly data with
similar characteristics when simulated over the Belagavi
city catchment area in Karnataka, India. The methodology developed relies on sample hourly rainfall, making it
scalable across various locations. It holds promise for
resilient urban stormwater infrastructure planning in
the absence of long-term hourly rainfall data
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Udas-Mankikar, S., Inadequate stormwater infrastructure biggest
hurdle in urban flood resilience, Observer Research Foundation,
13 August 2020 (Online); https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/
inadequate-storm-water-infrastructure-biggest-hurdle-in-urbanflood-resilience/ (accessed on 30 August 2022).
Glasbey, C. A., Cooper, G. and McGechan, M. B., Disaggregation
of daily rainfall by conditional simulation from a point-process.
J. Hydrol., 1995, 165(1–4), 1–9.
Literature cited 2: Koutsoyiannis, D. and Onof, C., Rainfall disaggregation using adjusting procedures on Poisson cluster model. J. Hydrol., 2001,
246(1–4), 109–122.
Socolofsky, S., Adams, E. and Entekhabi, D., Disaggregation of
daily rainfall for continuous watershed modeling. J. Hydrol. Eng.,
2001, 6(4), 300–309.
ID: 65824
Title: Evaluation of plant defence related biomolecules produced by nematophagous fungi in tomato against root-knot nematode
Author: S. Saranya and S. I. Patel
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 941-950 25 April (2024)
Subject: Evaluation of plant defence related biomolecules produced by nematophagous fungi in tomato against root-knot nematode
Keywords: Defence-related biomolecules, nematophagous fungi, plant defence, tomat
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the plant defencepromoting ability of various nematophagous fungi like
Arthrobotrys oligospora, Paecilomyces lilacinus and
Pleurotus sp. against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne
incognita in tomato by determining the plant defencepromoting biomolecules, viz. hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol
oxidase. It was observed that soil application of A. oligospora along with farmyard manure (FYM) enhanced
the activity of defence-related biomolecules from day
30 to day 60 after transplant, thereby showing its immense potential in controlling root-knot nematodes in
tomatoes. The highest mean defence-related enzyme
activity in plants was recorded in the treatment containing nematode-infested soil + FYM + A. oligospora with
97.65 enzyme unit (EU) mg–1 protein min–1 of hydrogen
peroxide, 1.54 EU mg–1 protein min–1 of superoxide dismutase, 4.57 EU mg–1 protein min–1 of catalase, 9.45 EU
mg–1 protein min–1 of peroxidase and 5.89 EU mg–1
protein min–1 of polyphenol oxidase. The gall production
in nematode-infested soil had also reduced drastically
after the application of the nematophagous fungi.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Anon., Annual Report 2018–19, National Horticultural Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India,
2019.
Gowda, M. T., Rai, A. B. and Singh, B., Root knot nematode: a
threat to vegetable production and management. IIVR Technical
Bulletin No. 76, 2007, pp. 1–42.
Literature cited 2: Anon., Food and Agricultural Organization Statistics Book on National
Crop Production, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome, Italy,
2012.
Nicola, L., Tosi, S. and Savini, D., In vitro evaluation of nematophagous activity of fungal isolates. J. Basic Microbiol., 2014,
54(1), 1–5.
ID: 65823
Title: Olfaction of leaf volatiles determines the most attractive host plant for Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): potential pest management opportunities
Author: C. Gunalan , S. Jeyarani, M. Murugan , S. Mohankumar , S. Haripriya , P. Saravan Kumar and P. D. Kamala Jayanthi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 932-940 25 April (2024)
Subject: Olfaction of leaf volatiles determines the most attractive host plant for Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): potential pest management opportunities
Keywords: Coconut, olfaction, pest management, principal component analysis, rugose spiralling whitefly, volatile organic compounds
Abstract: The rugose spiralling whitefly (RSW), an invasive polyphagous insect introduced into India in 2016, has
threatened coconut and other crops. Natural infestation intensity data indicated, in order, the following
most likely RSW hosts: Cocos nucifera L. (75.83%) >
Dypsis lutescens H. Wendel (55.83%) > Annona squamosa L. (54.17%) > Musa paradisiaca L. (43.33%). A
preference analysis of these four host plants showed
that coconut was the most favoured (8.17 spirals per
30 cm2 and 33.04 eggs per spiral). Olfactometry of the
headspace leaf volatiles revealed that C. nucifera
(3.05 ± 0.27 min) and D. lutescens (1.67 ± 1.67 min) had
longer residence durations and attracted more RSW
females than the other hosts. According to principal
component analysis, those potential hosts shared six
volatile compounds, the most peculiar of which was
2-ethyl-1-hexanol. Gas chromatography coupled electroantennographic detection analysis revealed that 2-
ethyl-1,3-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxolane, 2-propyl, butanoic
acid, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-methyl ester, m-ethyltoluene,
p-dichlorobenzene and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol evoked consistent olfactory responses in RSW. More studies on these
chemicals might help develop parakairomones for
managing RSW
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Martin, J. H., Whiteflies of Belize (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Part
1 – introduction and account of the subfamily Aleurodicinae
Quaintance & Baker. Zootaxa, 2004, 681(1), 1–19.
Evans, G. A., The whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) of the world
and their host plants and natural enemies. Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, 2007; http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/whitefly/
PDF_PwP%20ETC/world-whitefly-catalog-Evans.pdf (accessed on
20 March 2023)
Literature cited 2: Stocks, I. C. and Hodges, G., The rugose spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin, a new exotic whitefly in South
Florida (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Gainesville, Florida Department
of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry,
USA, 2012; http://freshfromflorida.s3.amazonaws.com/aleurodicusrugioperculatus-pest-alert.Pdf (accessed on 3 May 2022).
Kumar, V., McKenzie, C. L., Mannion, C., Stocks, I., Smith, T. and
Osborne, L. S., Rugose spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus
Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). University of Florida, Institute of
Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, USA, 2013; https://
entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/Aleurodicus_rugioperculatus.html
(accessed on 14 July 2022).
ID: 65822
Title: Movement and home range of golden mahseer (Tor putitora, Hamilton 1822) inhabiting the Himalayan waters in India
Author: Bhawna Dhawan , Kuppusammy Sivakumar, Gopala Areendran and Jeyaraj Antony Johnson
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 923-931 25 April (2024)
Subject: Movement and home range of golden mahseer (Tor putitora, Hamilton 1822) inhabiting the Himalayan waters in India
Keywords: Golden mahseer, habitat preference, kernel density, radio telemetry, spatial ecology.
Abstract: The present study is aimed to document the movement
and habitat use of golden mahseers (Tor putitora) inhabiting the Himalayan waters in India. A total of nine
adult golden mahseers (two males and seven females)
fitted with a VHF radio tag were monitored between
pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The individuals
were found dispersed with the maximum recorded distance of 4231.23 and 6119.11 m in the Kosi and Kolhu
rivers respectively. Home ranges for males (0.0245 sq.
km) and larger individuals (0.0697 sq. km) exhibited
released side fidelity, whereas females (0.361 sq. km)
and smaller individuals (0.459 sq. km) moved long distances. The results of this study identify the movements
and spatial ecology knowledge of golden mahseer to
conserve fish habitats
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Cooke, S. J., Martins, E. G., Struthers, D. P., Gutowsky, L. F.,
Power, M., Doka, S. E. and Krueger, C. C., A moving target –
incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations. Environ.
Monit. Assess., 2016, 188(4), 1–18.
Alp, A., Akyuz, A., Ozcan, M. and Yerlі, S. V., Assessment of
movements and habitat use of Salmo opimus in Fırnız stream, river
Ceyhan of Turkey using radio telemetry techniques. Environ. Biol.
Fishes, 2018, 101(11), 1613–1624.
Literature cited 2: Farrae, D. J., Albeke, S. E., Pacifici, K., Nibbelink, N. P. and Peterson,
D. L., Assessing the influence of habitat quality on movements of
the endangered short nose sturgeon. Environ. Biol. Fishes, 2019,
97(6), 691–699.
Habib, B., Shrotriya, S., Sivakumar, K., Sinha, P. R. and Mathur,
V. B., Three decades of wildlife radio telemetry in India: a review.
Anim. Biotelemetry, 2014, 2(1), 1–10.
ID: 65821
Title: Diatoms from ancient pots: exploring pottery sherds and palaeoenvironmental insights in the lower Kaveri River Basin archaeological landscape, Tamil Nadu, India
Author: Mital Thacker , Atul Dwivedi, C. R. Gayathri and Balasubramanian Karthick
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 916-922 25 April (2024)
Subject: Diatoms from ancient pots: exploring pottery sherds and palaeoenvironmental insights in the lower Kaveri River Basin archaeological landscape, Tamil Nadu, India
Keywords: Archaeological landscape, diatoms, palaeoenvironment, pottery sherds, river basin
Abstract: Diatom analysis, despite its existence in archaeological
science for over seven decades, remains an underutilized technique. While diatoms are often employed in
site-based palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, their
application in pottery sourcing and typology is relatively
limited. This study focuses on diatom analysis of pottery
sherds collected from six Iron Age sites in the lower
Kaveri River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Scanning Electron Microscopy was utilized to examine the diatoms in
78 samples from 26 pottery sherds across these sites.
The analysis revealed the presence of aquatic diatoms,
predominantly from freshwater environments, along
with desiccation-tolerant taxa belonging to the genera
Nitzschia, Hantzschia, Luticola, Stauroneis and Tryblionella. Notably, the dominant genera were Nitzschia
(70.73%), Hantzschia (21.95%) and Luticola (4.87%).
These findings confirm the presence of a lacustrine environment with mesotrophic to eutrophic conditions and
suggest that the clay used in pottery originated from a
freshwater source. Moreover, this study highlights the
potential of diatom analysis in reconstructing local
environments and shedding light on the palaeoenvironmental conditions underlying archaeological sediment
deposition in a tropical context
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Misra, V. N., Prehistoric human colonization of India. J. Biosci.,
2001, 26, 491–531.
Mohanty, R. K. and Selvakumar, V., The archaeology of the megaliths in India: 1947–1997. In Indian Archaeology in Retrospect (Settar, S. and Korisettar, R.), Manohar Publishers, New Delhi,
2002. vol. 1, pp. 313–481.
Literature cited 2: Babington, J., Description of the Pandoo coolies in Malabar. Trans.
Lit. Soc. Bombay, 1823, 3, 324–330.
Wheeler, R. E. M., Brahmagiri and Chandravalli 1947: megalithic
and other cultures in Chitaldrug district, Mysore State. In Ancient
India, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1948, vol. 4, pp.
181–310.
ID: 65820
Title: Ocean heat content variability in the Bay of Bengal: a CMIP6 model analysis with implications on the Indian Ocean Dipole
Author: A. B. Asok, A. P. Joshi and H. V. Warrior
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 903-915 25 April (2024)
Subject: Ocean heat content variability in the Bay of Bengal: a CMIP6 model analysis with implications on the Indian Ocean Dipole
Keywords: Annual trends, climate prediction, ocean heat content, performance indices, seawater potential temperatur
Abstract: The present study evaluates the performance of CMIP6
models in capturing ocean heat content (OHC) variations in the Bay of Bengal. The seawater potential
temperature of the six best-performing models up to a
depth of 500 m from the sea surface was chosen for the
study on a 1° × 1° horizontal resolution and monthly
temporal scale, compared with RAMA buoy and North
Indian Ocean Atlas data. Performance indices such as
root mean square error (RMSE), average error, absolute
average error (AAE) and Willmott score were used.
The GISS-E2-1-G model performed better with lower
RMSE and AAE values, while the IPSL-CM6A-LR
model performed poorly. Monthly climatology variations showed increased temperature and OHC during the
summer. Annual trends in OHC revealed negative trends
for some models, indicating a net loss of heat, while
others showed positive trends, indicating heat accumulation. Comparison with RAMA buoy data consistently
showed lower heat content than the models, indicating
overestimation. The study emphasizes the importance
of incorporating observational data to improve accuracy.
The findings highlight variations in model performance,
and the need for understanding uncertainties and biases in climate models for reliable projections. Additionally, the study suggests that the interaction between the
North and South Bay of Bengal can affect the Indian
Ocean Dipole phenomenon, influencing temperature
gradients and hence OHC.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Trenberth, K. E., Fasullo, J. T. and Kiehl, J., Earth’s global energy
budget. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 2009, 90(3), 311–323.
Meyssignac, B. et al., Measuring global ocean heat content to
estimate the earth energy imbalance. Front. Mar. Sci., 2019, 6,
432.
Literature cited 2: Stocker, M. et al., In Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom,
2013, p. 1535.
Taylor, K., Stouffer, R. and Meehl, G., An overview of CMIP5 and
the experiment design. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 2012, 93(4), 485–
498
ID: 65819
Title: Pesticide scenario and reduction strategies in Indian cardamom farming – present and future perspectives
Author: M. Nafeesa, M. Murugan, J. S. Remya, T. T. Preethy and Jins. K. Abraham
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 894-902 25 April (2024)
Subject: Pesticide scenario and reduction strategies in Indian cardamom farming – present and future perspectives
Keywords: Cardamom hill reserves, intensification, integration, pesticide consumption, strategies.
Abstract: Small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton;
Zingiberaceae) is one of India’s most export oriented
spices. Insect pests and diseases are major threats to
the sustainable cultivation of cardamom in India, and
this crop alone consumes 26.21 kg a.i. ha–1 of pesticides
per year. Shoot and capsule borers, thrips and root grubs
are the major insect pests, and capsule rot, clump rot
and leaf blight are the major diseases demanding more
pesticides in the cardamom production system. The
frequency of pesticide application in the system is nearly
three times more than the recommended frequency.
Various management strategies are advocated to reduce
the load of pesticides and their residues. By considering
the unique nature of the agroforestry system, varietal
replacement, shade and nutrient management, exploitation of bioagents, organic initiatives, cultural and
mechanical methods, biotechnological approaches, judicious application of synthetic chemicals and use of less
toxic pesticides are the available employable strategies
to minimize the pesticide load in the production system.
Proper integration and adoption of these strategies by
farmers are imperative.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Ravindran, P. N., Introduction. In Cardamom The genus Elettaria
(eds Ravindran, P. N. and Madhusoodanan, K. J.), CRC Press,
London, 2002, pp. 1–10.
Murugan, M., Shetty, P. K., Ravi. R. and Subbiah, A., The physiological ecology of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum M.) in cardamom agroforest
Literature cited 2: Major spice state wise area and production 2022–23.pdf-Page;
http://www.indianspices.com (accessed on 10 November 2023).
Murugan, M., Josephrajkumar, A., Sainamolekurian, P., Ambikadevi,
D., Vasanth Kumar, K. and Shetty, P. K., Critiques on the critical
issues of cardamom cultivation in cardamom hill reserves, Kerala,
India. Indian J. Arecanut, Spices Med. Plants, 2006, 8(4), 132−149
ID: 65818
Title: Bootstrapping quantum field theory: past, present and future
Author: B. Ananthanarayan and Aninda Sinha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 887-893 25 April (2024)
Subject: Bootstrapping quantum field theory: past, present and future
Keywords: Bootstrap, causality, quantum field theory, S-matrix, unitarity.
Abstract: Quantum field theory was established about a hundred years ago and is the result of combining the
principles of quantum mechanics and the special theory of relativity. Historically, some of the founding fathers were at high unease as intermediate calculations led to infinities. A different approach,
sometimes called the analytic S-matrix or the bootstrap, relying on basic principles such as causality
and unitarity, was put forward. A resurgence of these fields has taken place now since their power
has not been tapped to the fullest, and are the most active fields of research in theoretical physics
and spurring developments in computer algebra. In this article, after recalling the history of this
field, we highlight some of the past and recent contributions from India.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Flexner, A., The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge, Harpers Magazine Issue 179, June/November 1939, pp. 544–552.
Wilson, K. G., The renormalization group and critical phenomena.
Rev. Mod. Phys., 1983, 55, 583–600; doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.
55.583.
Literature cited 2: Weinzierl, S., Feynman Integrals, Springer Nature, Switzerland
AG, 2022; ISBN 978-3-030-99557-7; https://www.springer.com/
series/13351
Eden, R. J., Landshoff, P. V., Olive, D. I. and Polkinghorne, J. C.,
The Analytic S-Matrix, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK, 1966; ISBN 978-0-521-04869-9
ID: 65817
Title: A unique drinking behaviour of capped langur
Author: SSamrat Sengupta, Narayan 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. 126 (8) 882-883 25 April (2024)
Subject: A unique drinking behaviour of capped langur
Keywords: None
Abstract: Tree-living comes with its own perils, and
arboreal animals exhibit unique adaptations
to deal with them. These adaptations have,
in turn, enabled such animals to survive
and persist in a challenging environment
with reduced exposure to ground predation.
Having evolved to an arboreal existence
where access to standing water sources is
usually limited1
, tree-living mammals depend on various behavioural strategies to
fulfil their water needs. This includes actively ingesting water either in the free
form (e.g. from rivers, streams, pools, tree
holes or other anthropogenic sources2
) or
as pre-formed water through the consumption of water-containing plant parts (e.g.,
tender or succulent leaves, petioles and
fruits; see Kempf 3 and reference therein).
Only a few records exist of arboreal primates drinking water from tree holes under
field conditions (Supplementary Material
S1; available at https://figshare.com/s/c2c05d4533b5df09efb7).
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ferrari, S. F., Biotropica, 1991, 23, 307–
308.
Hillyer, A. P., Armstrong, R. and Korstjens, A. H., Primate Biol., 2015, 2, 21–24.
Literature cited 2: Kempf, E., Folia Primatol., 2009, 80, 275–
294.
Milton, K., Am. Nat., 1979, 114, 362–378.
ID: 65816
Title: Could the microbial to host cell numbers in healthy multicellular organisms be following the golden ratio?
Author: Mayank Murali, Alka Gupta and Murali Gopal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 878-881 25 April (2024)
Subject: Could the microbial to host cell numbers in healthy multicellular organisms be following the golden ratio?
Keywords: None
Abstract: The co-evolution of microorganisms with multi cellular mega-organisms and the influence of the microbiome on
the health of larger partners is a trending area in current research. The ratio of bacterial cells to human cells is
an ongoing study in the field of human health. From 10 : 1, bacteria to human cell ratio, to 1 : 1 is the current
information. However, after carefully perusing the emerging data of human and bacterial cells, we propose an
out-of-box hypothesis of the golden ratio, 1.618, to be in the evolutionary cellular arrangements between the
bacteria and human cells. If proved, it could pave way for better preparedness in managing human health using
the microbiome, with the possibility of its spillover into plant health management too
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bordenstein, S. R. and Theis, K. R., PLoS
Biol., 2015, 13(8), e1002226.
Simon, J. C. et al., Microbiome, 2019, 7,
5; https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-019-0619-4
Literature cited 2: Sorbara, M. T. and Pamer, E. G., Nat. Rev.
Microbiol., 2022, 20, 365–380; https://doi.
org/10.1038/s41579-021-00667-9
Qin, J. et al., Nature, 2010, 464, 59–67;
PMID: 20203603.
ID: 65815
Title: Enhancing nutritional security and sustainable health through millets
Author: Suman Ray, Manish Mohan Gore, Ravi Roshan Kumar, Ayaan Husain and Rupali 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. 126 (8) 874-875 25 April (2024)
Subject: Enhancing nutritional security and sustainable health through millets
Keywords: None
Abstract: Millets, a group of small-seeded grains belonging to the Poaceae family, gained global recognition with the declaration of 2023
as the International Year of Millets (IYM,
2023) by the United Nations General Assembly. With their exceptional nutritional
composition and adaptability to diverse
agro-climatic conditions, millets offer promising solutions to address malnutrition
and enhance climate resilience in the agricultural sector. Several initiatives have
been taken to increase millet consumption.
Consequently, the market for millet-based
products has seen a surge in entrepreneurship interest. To discuss and explore the
key challenges of millet value and supply
chain, an expert review meeting was held at
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIRNIScPR, New Delhi) as part of the ongoing
other laboratory Project (NIScPR/OLP/0044)
‘Enhancing nutritional security and sustainable health through millets in India: a policy perspective.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 65814
Title: Development-led transition to net zero
Author: R. B. Grover
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (8) 867-868 25 April (2024)
Subject: Development-led transition to net zero
Keywords: None
Abstract: Having declared its intention to achieve an economy-wide
net zero by 2070, India has to consider several perspectives. The first and foremost is the development perspective.
India’s focus must be on a development-led transition
rather than a transition-led development. This needs elaboration. In energy studies, researchers use several approaches
to forecast energy demand. A simple top–down approach
uses the correlation between the human development index (HDI) and per capita energy consumption. To become
a developed country, India has to aspire to achieve an HDI
of 0.9, as achieved by several countries comprising the
G20. Looking at the correlation between HDI and per capita
energy consumption, considering likely improvement in
energy efficiency, electrification of end uses, and substitution of fossil fuels in several industries by electrified products, for example, hydrogen or its derivatives, one can
build scenarios to forecast energy requirements in India.
Based on such an exercise, we estimated that India will
need about 15,600 TWh per annum of electricity for direct
use, and the rest of the energy services must be provided
by hydrogen or hydrogen derivatives. If all the needed hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, India will need another
about 8400 TWh per annum. This number will come down
to the extent that hydrogen or its derivatives are produced
by other sources such as biomass, urban waste, high temperature nuclear reactors (when developed), etc. India
would need about 24,000 TWh of electricity (Curr. Sci.,
2022, 122(5), 517–527) to become a developed country
and transition to net zero.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 65813
Title: Entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae as a chemical substitute for termite pest management in sugarcane
Author: D. Sudha Rani , K. Krishnamma and J. S. Rani
Editor: Dr.Sumati Gaumat
Year: 2024
Publisher: Triveni Enterprises
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Journal of Environmental Biology Vol. 45 (2) 235-242 (2024)
Subject: Entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae as a chemical substitute for termite pest management in sugarcane
Keywords: Chemical control, Entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium, Sugarcane, Termites
Abstract: Sugarcane is the most important cash crop with vast
global market for sugar besides, by products and derivatives. The
crop has occupied premeditated position in the world because of
its massive uses in the day-to-day life and also for industrial uses
intended at nutritional and economic sustenance. It endows raw
material to major agro-based industries of our country, i.e., the
sugar industry supports rural cottage industries to some extent
(Sudha and Krishnamma, 2020). The average annual production
of sugarcane is around 35.5 crore tonnes which is used to
produce around 3 crore tonnes of sugar. In India sugarcane
contributes about five per cent to the total value of agriculture
output accounting 2.6 per cent of gross cropped area ( Rama
Rao, 2020). Sugarcane accounted for about 639 billion Indian
rupees in the Indian economy during the financial year 2020
(Keelery, 2023). Sugarcane accounted for about 648 billion Indian
rupees in the Indian economy during the financial year 2019-20
(Singh et al., 2022). In India sugarcane contributes 1.1 per cent to
the national GDP, which is significant considering that the crop is
grown only in 2.57 percent of the gross cropped area (Solomon,
2016). Andhra Pradesh state accounts nearly 8.4 per cent of total
sugarcane production in our country, being cultivable in 85,994 ha
with an out turn of 8,35,520 tonnes during the year 2020 (Sudha,
2022).
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Abbas, M.S.T.: Genetically engineered (modified) crops (Bacillus
thuringiensis crops) and the world controversy on their safety.
Egypt J. Biol. Pest Control., 28, 52 (2018).
Andrew, C. Rath.: The use of entomopathogenic fungi for control of
termites. Biocon. Sci. Technol., 10, 563-581 (2000).
Literature cited 2: Bhagawati, S., B. Badal, M. Himangshu and G. Dhanalakhi: Chemical
management of termites (Odontotermes obesus) in preserved
setts of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum). J. Entomol. Zool.
Stud., 5, 856-859 (2017).
Bhattacharya, B., H. Mishra, D. Gogoi and S. Bhagawati: Management
of termite in preserved setts of sugarcane (Saccharum
officinarum) with microbes. Curr. Adv. Agric. Res. J., 6, 176-179
(2014).
ID: 65812
Title: Investigation on disease incidence, distribution and diversity of Begomoviruses infecting cucurbitaceous crops in North Bengal, India
Author: S. Tamang , S. Saha , D. Saha and A. Saha
Editor: Dr.Sumati Gaumat
Year: 2024
Publisher: Triveni Enterprises
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Journal of Environmental Biology Vol. 45 (2) 226-234 (2024)
Subject: Investigation on disease incidence, distribution and diversity of Begomoviruses infecting cucurbitaceous crops in North Bengal, India
Keywords: Begomovirus,Cucurbitaceous crops, Disease incidence, North Bengal
Abstract: India is a vast country with a diverse agro climate, which
makes it possible to grow a wide variety of crops and it is the
second largest in the world in terms of crop production (Gulati et
al., 2022). Indian agriculture sector contributes about 16.5% of
total GDP and generates employment for 42.3% of the population
in India. India is also rich in biodiversity of vegetables and is the
primary/secondary center of origin of many vegetables (Gulati
and Juneja, 2022). Vegetables are a key source of nutritional
security in India, primarily due to high yield in a short time.
Cucurbitaceous crops are rich source of nutrition and have
several medicinal values. Different types of cucurbits are
cultivated in India which account for 5.6 % of the total vegetable
production (Rolnik and Olas, 2020). According to FAO, India
produces 10.52 ton per ha of cucurbits which are grown on
4,290,000 ha of cropped area (Sharma, 2023). According to
2021-2022 census, West Bengal produces 344.674 metric tons of
cucumber in 25.298 ha area and 356.213 metric tons of pumpkin
in 21.772 ha area.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bandaranayake, W., W. Wickramarachchi, H. Wickramasinghe, R.
Rajapakshe and D. Dissanayake: Molecular detection and
characterization of begomoviruses associated with cucurbitaceae
vegetables in Sri Lanka. J. Natn. Sci. Found. Sri Lanka., 42, 265-
271 (2014).
Bragard, C., P. Caciagli, O. Lemaire, J.J. Lopezmoya, S. Macfarlane, D.
Peters, P. Susi and L. Torrance: Status and prospects of plant virus
control through interference with vector transmission. Annu. Rev.
Phytol 51, 177-201 (2013)
Literature cited 2: Haible, D., S. Kober and H. Jeske: Rolling circle amplification
revolutionizes diagnosis and genomics of geminiviruses. J. Virol.
Methods., 135, 9-16 (2006).
Inoue-Nagata, A.K., M.F. Lima and R.L. Gilbertson: A review of
geminivirus diseases in vegetables and other crops in Brazil:
current status and approaches for management. Hortic. Bras., 34,
8-18 (2016).