A STUDY TO ACCESS THE PHYSIO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF WATER QUALITY OF SELECTED PONDS FROM THREE DISTRICTS OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Water is the most abundant and non-renewable resource in the earth, which play an important role in all living organisms. A study on physiochemical parameters of Manur, Vallanadu and Sundarapandiapatinam ponds from Tirunelveli, Thootukudi and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu, India, has addressed the seasonal changes. During the month of January to April samples from Manur was chemically portable, Vallanadu sample was physically portable, Sundarapandiapatinam samples were physically and chemically not portable. During the month of May to August Vallanadu and Manur samples were portable by its physical and chemical examination, Sundarapandiapatinam samples were non portable by its physiochemical property. September to December the samples from all the three ponds were non portable because of exceeding the permissible limit. All the samples were bacteriologically unsafe in nature because of its microbial contamination. This implies the water bodies are not fit for domestic and drinking purpose, thus proper management has to be done by the society and implement government guidelines to save the natural resources from manmade activities.

CONSTRAINTS FACED DURING THE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF CABBAGE AND POTATO CROPS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MANIPUR AND NAGALAND STATES OF INDIA

The present study was carried out by purposively simple stratified random sampling technique to select 300 respondents from both the states of Manipur and Nagaland, while to highlight the constraint faced by the growers during the production and marketing of cabbage and potato crops with Garrett Ranking Technique. For the production viz.; seed, labour, manures and fertilizers, irrigation, PPCs and other issues like animals, pests and diseases, have hampered of the potato and cabbage in the selected areas. While for marketing high price of the seed, not available in time, inferior quality of seed, low reliability of the seed, high wage rates of labour, skill & unskilled labour not available in time, irrigation facility not available, perennial sources are not available and irrigation facility not reliable etc; While for the market related issues, grading by hand & mechanical means, lack of knowledge regarding packaging, packing materials, high cost of transportation, lack of market infrastructures, unauthorized & illegal tax collections, use of improper scales in weighing, lack of support prices, lack of reliable & timely availability of market information and distant market along with the lack of cooperation among the producers and frequent ban & social boycott are some of the problems and constraints encountered by the entire producers and market intermediaries in the region.

DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION PATTERN OF THE GENUS OSCILLATORIA VAUCHER EX GOM. (OSCILLATORIALES, CYANOPROKARYOTE) IN TRIPURA, INDIA

Present paper deals with the diversity and distribution pattern of the genus Oscillatoria in Tripura, India. The genus Oscillatoria is a filamentous, unbranched, Non heterocystous and motile Blue-green Alga. In the present investigation we report sixteen species of the genus Oscillatoria from Tripura, India, out which, all the species are new addition to the flora of Tripura and seven species are new addition to Indian flora. Our study also revealed that out of total sixteen species of Oscillatoria, thirteen grow in rice fields and as well as in other habitats, but rest three taxa flourish only on specific habitats of Tripura, India.

IMPROVE THE PYROLYTIC GAS PRODUCTION BY USING THE CO-PYROLYSIS TECHNIQUE : AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

The target of the biomass co-pyrolysis is improvingthe heating value of the produced bio-products of a certain type of feedstock, besides disposal of more than one residue in the same time. Thus, this work aims to operate a local fabricated fixed-bed pyrolyzer to improve the pyrolytic gas yield produced by the ground pieces of three biomass residues namely Mango trees Pruning Logs (MPL), Sugarcane bagasse (SB) and Rice straw (RS) using an affordable slow pyrolysis technique. This work was carried out under slow pyrolysis conditions represented in final pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C, vapor residence time of 4 min, heating rate of 0.01-1 °C/s in full absence of oxygen. The pyrolytic gas production was assessed under different feedstock mixing ratios of (1:2:1), (1:1:2) and (2:1:1) as ratio of (RS: SB: MPL), particle lengths of 1-5, 10-15 and 20-25 mm, with and without sandy bed at the bottom of pyrolysis chamber as a fluidized bed. The obtained results showed that, using the fluidized fixed-bed pyrolyzer under slow co-pyrolysis conditions gave the optimum results where in, the pyrolytic gas concentration, gas yield, higher heating value of pyrolytic gasand energy conversion efficiency were 55%, 1.09 Nm3 /kg, 14.97 MJ/Nm3 and 85.43%, respectively, and 53.7%, 1.08 Nm3 /kg, 13.75 MJ/Nm3 ,77.71% in case of using the pyrolyzer without fluidized bed under the same operating conditions. So, the pyrolyzer with fluidized bed achieves an increment in the higher heating value and energy conversion efficiency by about 8.15% and 9.03%, respectivly over the pyrolyzer without fluidized bed.Furthermore, the cost per energy unit of pyrolytic gas produced by the fluidized bed pyrolyzer is lower than the common two fossil gaseous fuels of natural gas and LPG costs by about 28.57% and 80%, respectively.

TINOSPORA CORDIFOLIA: A MAGICAL WAND WITH IMMENSE MEDICINAL APPLICATIONS

Tinospora cordifolia, a herb with a potential of boosting the immune system of a person is fully packed with nutrition be it carbohydrates, vitamin C, protein, fat, bioactive phytochemicals etc which one can have for relieving the person from illness and providing significant health benefits. When it comes to healthy herbs and plants Tinospora cordifolia never fails as a choice to cure the diseases and the symptoms associated with it. It helps in the treatment and management of diabetes, cancer, HIV-AIDS, toxicity from aflatoxins, osteoporosis, inflammation, leprosy, arthritis etc by the helps of various phytochemicals present in it. Alkaloids like Tinocordiside, Palmatine, Magnoflorine helps in cancer, syringin works as a great anti-allergen, magnoflorine as an anti-inflammatory etc.

BIOEFFICACY OF NANO NUTRIENTS (N, Zn & Cu) ON YIELD OF CAPSICUM

Vegetables are the prime source of vitamins and minerals. As the population increases there is also increase in demand for nutritional vegetables, but in the conventional method of horticulture the production and productivity is considerably less. Thus to increase the productivity and to feed the over burgeoning population there is a need for novel fertilizers such as Nano fertilizers. An experiment was hence conducted in Chinapettai village, Panruti to investigate the Bio-efficacy of Nano nutrients (Nano Nitrogen, Zinc and Copper) on growth and yield of Capsicum. The experiment was carried out in RBD design (Randomized block design) with three replications and ten treatments. Results showed that the treatment with 100% RD-N+100% RD-P + 100 % RD-K + Nano N + Nano Cu + Nano Zn followed by 100% RD-N +100% RD-P + 100 % RD-K + Nano N and 75% RD-N+100% RD-P + 100 % RD-K + Nano N + Nano Cu + Nano Zn recorded maximum growth and yield parameters. In contrast 50% RD-N + 100% RDP + 100 % RD-K + Nano N showed increase in yield than the control (100% RDF (-N: -P: -K)(250:150:150kg/ha)) to conclude that Nano nitrogen could have compensated the 50% urea recommendation in conventional fertilizer and also had enhanced effect than control.

ROLE OF CONSUMPTION OF COMPOSITE FLOUR IN MANAGEMENT OF LIFESTYLE DISORDERS

Composite flour is a combination of only either various grains or both various grains and vegetables it is a storehouse of various nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. In the present day, there has been an increased demand for nutritional and health-based variants of food due to changes in lifestyle and socio-economic status. There is no surprise in saying that people are seeing the food being consumed on a day-to-day basis as a status symbol and are striving to get better quality of health through the food they consume and are ready to spend huge amounts of money on the products which are so-called healthy and are being commercially marketed in a smart manner capturing both peoples mind and attention knowing to bring down various lifestyle disorders like Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Hypertension, Cancer, Atherosclerosis, Ischemic stroke, Obesity, Coeliac disease, Alzheimer’s and many other diseases and disorders when consumed frequently in long run. The foods which fall under such category especially are composite flours and ready-to-cook mixes occupying more than 70% of both the food and health industry today being recommended by most of the nutritional experts. This paper is a review-based article collected from various papers focusing on role of consumption of composite flours in management of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer etc.

CONSERVATION, UTILIZATION OF LOCAL PLANT SPECIES, AND CULTIVATION AS THE EFFORTS OF CONTROLLING SALT AND SULFUR LEVELS AT THE BORDER OF BALURAN NATIONAL PARK, SITUBONDO REGENCY, EAST JAVA

The diversity of plant species functions as a shelterbelt, to prevent saltwater intrusion and avoid sulfur from the crater of Mount Ijen through the Banyuputih River in Situbondo Regency. The Situbondo-Banyuwangi area is strategic (Pantura), passing through the Baluran National Park, so it is essential to maintain biodiversity and water ecosystems. Mangroves, beach vegetation, cultivated plants, and forest vegetation are indicators of environmental protection and conservation. This study aims to reveal the diversity of flora species on the border of Baluran National Park, Banyuputih sub-district, Situbondo Regency, which is allegedly contaminated with salt material from the sea and sulfur from the crater of Mount Ijen. An interview was conducted to determine the function of flora, location elevation, water pH, and well depth. The results of the biodiversity survey were then collected and diagnosed, and the scientific name was then determined. Potential species diversity at the border from an altitude of 5 m above sea level (asl) – 62 m asl included 17 families and 29 species. The data on biodiversity, location elevation, water well depth, and pH indicate low sulfur and salt content; therefore, water resources can be used sustainably by the living things surround them.

A NEW COMBINATION IN THE GENUS LYCIANTHES (SOLANACEAE: SOLANOIDEAE: CAPSICEAE)

During the verification of nomenclature in connection with the preparation for ‘Studies of Solanaceae in Eastern Ghats’ the authors came across a species Solanum uncinellum Lindl. that need to be updated in accordance with the changing generic characters for the genus Lycianthes. Accordingly the required new name and new combination is proposed here.

IMPACT OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC SOURCES OF NUTRIENTS ON NPK UPTAKE BY AMBRETTE AND ITS POST-HARVEST SOIL NPK STATUS

The roots, leaves and seeds of ambrette are considered as valuable traditional medicines. The bitter, sweet, acrid, aromatic seeds are used as tonic and are considered to possess cooling, aphrodisiac, ophthalmic, cardiotonic, digestive, stomachiecm carminative, pectoral diuretic, stimulant, antispasmodic and deodorant properties. Crop removes nutrients continuously from soil and therefore, their replenishment though fertilizers and manures are essential. To find out the integrated effect of inorganic fertilizers, neem coated urea, enriched pressmud compost and sea weed extract on NPK uptake by ambrette and its post – harvest soil NPK status, a field investigation was carried out at Farmer’s Field Sivapuri Village, Chidambaram Taluk, Cuddalore District during Kharif, 2018. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with eight treatments and three replications. The crop was grown to maturity with proper cultural practices. The results revealed that application of integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, neem coated urea, enriched pressmud compost and sea weed extract resulted in significantly highest NPK uptake by ambretee and influenced the post – harvest soil fertility status with respect to available NPK.