Impact of Lockdown on Health of the Yamuna river at Delhi Stretch, India

Present study points out the impact of Lockdown on the health of the Yamuna river at Delhi stretch by comparing prelockdown and Post-lockdown period by studying the reports of pollution monitoring agencies. Delhi segment of the Yamuna is highly polluted, where alongwith domestic sewage a huge quantity of industrial waste is being discharged continuously without proper treatment. Pre lockdown (March 2020) water quality parameters at three sampling stations named as Palla, Nizammuddin Bridge and Okhla barrage U/s in Delhi were, pH were 8.7, 7.3 and 7.2, DO were 17.1 mg/L, not detected in later two sites, BOD were 7.9 mg/L, 57 mg/L and 27 mg/L and COD were 28 mg/L, 90 mg/L and 95 mg/L respectively and postlockdown period (April 2020) the pH was 7.8, 7.2 and 7.1, DO was 8.3 mg/L, 2.4 mg/L and 1.2 mg/L BOD was 2 mg/L, 5.6 mg/ L and 6.1 mg/L and COD were 6 mg/L, 16 mg/L and 18 mg/L respectively. The study of these parameters at three sampling stations reveals that the lack of industrial pollutants discharging due to nationwide lockdown for COVID-19 pandemic had positive effect on water quality of this river. Water quality could be maintained by planned establishment of industries and setup of ETP with without gap between generation and treatment.

Prospects of Fisheries development in Ox-Bow lakes of Eastern Uttar Pradesh specially in Ballia district

The present article deals with the fisheries development of three important Ox-Bow Lakes of Ballia district of eastern Uttar Pradesh in relation to physico-chemical and biological conditions. The results were found conducive for Fisheries development. The results indicate clearly that potential fish yield is not being realized from the lakes and there is immense scope for increase in Fish production.

Seasonal Incidence of Major Sternorrhynchan Insect Pests Infesting Arecanut In South India

Field experiments were conducted during 2019-20 to know the seasonal incidence of three species of sternorrhynchan insect pests infesting in arecanut viz., whitefly, Aleurocanthus arecae, armoured scale, Chrysomphalus aonidum and mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus in two different locations under southern transitional zone. The study revealed that, all the three species infesting arecanut were active throughout the year. Correlation studies of whiteflies showed that, rainfall was significantly positively correlated and maximum temperature and sunshine hours were significantly negatively correlated. For armoured scales, non-significant positive correlation with minimum temperature and for the mealybug resulted that the maximum temperature was significantly positively correlated whereas the relative humidity was significantly negatively correlated.

Water quality analysis of Chiklod wetland with reference to Pollution

The present study was conducted to evaluate the water quality of Chiklod Wetland, which is one of the most pristine wetlands in Madhya Pradesh situated about 45km towards south direction from the capital Bhopal. Analysis of various indicative parameters show that the water of Chiklod wetland is suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Anatomy of two species of Plumbago : a traditional medicinal plant and its relevance for taxonomy

Plumbago is a traditional medicinal plant in Ayurveda. The paper presents anatomical study of leaf, petiole, stem and root of two species of Plumbago namely P. zeylanica, P. auriculata and, its relevance in discrimination of these two species. Anatomical features of leaf which are of diagnostic value in delimitation of both taxa are outline of T. S.,shape and size of epidermal cells, presence of sclerenchyma surrounding the vascular bundles, number of tannins cells. Characters of taxonomic significance in petiole anatomy are outline of T. S, presence of trichomes, shape and size of epidermal cells, abundance of collenchyma, arrangement and number of vascular bundles, presence of sclerenchyma surrounding vascular bundles, number of tannin cells. The diagnostically useful anatomical features of stem to discriminate both taxa of Plumbago are degree of elevation of stem ridges, occurrence of double layered epidermis, size of epidermal cells, distinctness of endodermis, abundance and distribution of pericyclicsclerenchyama, number of vascular bundles. Anatomical features of taxonomic significance in root are width of cortex and abundance of starch grains in cortex cells, abundance and distribution of pericyclics clerenchyama, amount of vascularization, distribution, diameter and density of vessels, width of medullary ray.

Detection of Coliform, faecal Coliform And Total Bacterial Count From Drinking Water Of Varanasi (U.P.) India

In India source of drinking water at Varanasi city for common people are tap water, well, hand pump, Ganga river and stored tank water collected from bore well. All water samples were studied to assess their bacteriological characteristics and suitability for potable purposes. A cross-sectional epidemiological method was adopted to investigate the drinking water of six different sites of Varanasi city. The bacteriological examination of water samples included the most probable number of presumptive coliforms, faecal coliforms, and total bacterial count. The results showed that the total coliform count was detected in all the site. In all the methods coliforms presence was indicated. Maximum number of coliform observed in all the seasons, were from river and well water followed by hand pump, tap water and stored tank. The most common group of indicator organisms used in water quality monitoring are coliforms. These organisms are representative of bacteria normally present in the intestinal tract of mammals including human. Contamination of water may occur through different way like sewage disposal in the river, seepage of bathing near sites, fecal excreta of human, bird and other animals. Improving and expanding the existing water treatment and sanitation systems are more likely to provide good, safe and sustainable sources of water in the long term.

Effect of different potting mixtures on growth and flowering characters of Chrysanthemum cv. Haldighati

This study evaluates the effect of different potting mixtures on growth and flowering of Chrysanthemum cv. Haldighati. The experiment was carried out at Agriculture Farm, School of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, RIMT University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, India. Different treatment methods include mixing sand, soil, cocopeat, ver powder, farmland fertilizer and perlite in equal proportions. Statistical analysis of the data show that the medium combination has a significant influence on the control value. The results show that the overall performance of Chrysanthemum is better in the medium with T7 (Perlite + FYM + garden soil (2:1:1)), but T5 is Vermicompost + FYM + Garden soil (2:1:1) has the highest main branches of each plant and the number of sub-branches per plant, the number of ray florets per flower, the length of ray florets and the width of ray florets. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that compared with perlite Chrysanthemum, the potting medium treatment combination consisting of Perlite + FYM + garden soil (2:1:1) is most suitable for producing Chrysanthemums. It has been found that the light growth medium is more suitable for plant morphological development and continuous high-quality flower production.

Induction of nucellar embryogenesis in nucellar tissue of Citrus aurantifolia for their clonal multiplication

Citrus aurantifolia (lime) has been selected as explant for nucellar embryogenesis. Nucellus is a non-vascularized tissue being true-to-type same as mother plant, meristematic cells have no plasmodesmata connection, no virus can pass through nucellus, thus it seems to be a good material for production of virus freeplantlet.Putrescine at 0.25 or 0.5 mg1-1 and anapthaleneacetic acid at 0.10 mg1-1 supplemented to nutrient formulation were most effective in alleviating cotyledonary proliferation and fasciation while promoting embryo-to-embryo proliferation producing numerous whitish globular embryos were formed. For further development of globular embryos to well-differentiated cotyledonary embryos, additional presence of 2-isopentenyladenine at concentrations of 0.10 or 0.25 mg 1-1 was essential, contrary to incorporation of 0.10 or 0.25 mg 1-1 6benzylaminopurine, which promoted excessive proliferation of cotyledonary structures and their fasciation while zeatin at the same concentrations produced intermediate response. In the optimum treatment containing 0.25 mg l-1 putrescine, 0.10 mg 1-1 isopentenyladenine, 0.10 mg 1-1 indole-3-acetic acid and 100 mg l-1 malt extract, an average 10 well-developed embryos per culture were formed, besides some abnormal cotyledonary structures. Well-developed embryos measuring ca. 2 cm. in length (leaving the root) germinated 100% into plantlets, during 60 days, in the additional presence of amino acid supplement comprising, 5 mg 1-1 each of L-arginine, L-asparagine, L-histidine, L-cysteine, L-lysine and 10 mg l-1 L-glutamine. Such plantlets nurtured in a different medium attained a height of ca. 4 cm in 45 days before they were taken out for ex vitro growth. There was 100% transplant success and the plants grew normally.

Species Diversity of selected Flora and Fauna in the river Yamuna at Kalpi (U.P.) India

To evaluate the pollution status species diversity of selected flora and fauna of the Yamuna river at Kalpi stretch was studied for a period of one year. Four sampling stations were selected for sampling purpose. Collected samples are evaluated for flora and fauna specially phytoplankton, aquatic macrophytes, zooplankton and fishes. Selected flora and fauna of studied water are presented by phytoplankton members of Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Cyanophyceae, aquatic macrophytes of 8 families, zooplankton members of Protozoa, Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda and fishes of 10 families. In these recorded species of different groups of flora and fauna, some pollution indicator species like Scenedesmus quadricauda, Stigeoclonium tenue,Ankistrodesmus falcatus, Chlorella vulgaris, Euglena viridis, Synedra ulna, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Navicula viridula, Nitzschia, Oscillatoria limosa, O. tenuis, O. chlorina, Phormidium uncinatum,Microcystis aeruginosa of phytoplanton, Eichhornea, Potamogeton and Cyperus species of aquatic macrophytes, Brachionus species and Keratella species of zooplankton and Clarias batrachus fish are also presented along with clean water species. Presence of both pollution indicator and clean water species show that water of Yamuna river at Kalpi stretch is moderately polluted. Sustaining the diversity of flora and fauna it is necessary to maintain living status of this river.

Ethnomedicinal plants used for diarrhoea and dysentery by Tribal people of Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, India

In this study, an attempt has been made to collect and document the ethnomedicinal plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery by the tribal people of Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The present study deals with twenty plant species represented by fifteen families, which are being used in aforesaid ailments. These plants species were enumerated alphabetically with their botanical name, vernacular names, family and ethnomedicinal uses.