District Poonch Research Articles

Influence of Natural Dyes on the Qualitative and Quantitative Parameters of Bivoltine Silkworm Breeds under Sub-Tropical Conditions of Poonch District, Jammu and Kashmir

The study on Influence of Natural Dyes on the qualitative and quantitative parameters of Bivoltine Silkworm Breeds under Sub-tropical Conditions of Poonch District, UT Jammu and Kashmir,” was conducted during the spring of 2022 at the PG, Department of Sericulture, Poonch Campus, University of Jammu. The study examined the effects of feeding bivoltine silkworm breeds CSR16 and CSR27 with two concentrations (50% and 100%) of natural dyes: madder (Rubia cardifolia) and indigo blue (Indigofera tinctoria). A comprehensive evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative parameters was undertaken, including fecundity, hatching %, larval duration, weight of 10 mature larvae, survival rate, mortality %, pupation % and cocoon quality parameters. The results indicated significant enhancements in fecundity, hatching % and cocoon yield for silkworms treated with both dyes at 100% concentration (T2). Specifically, CSR16 and CSR27 exhibited the highest values for larval weight, cocoon weight, pupation rate and shell ratio % in T2 treatments. The findings suggest that feeding silkworms natural dyes, particularly at higher concentrations, significantly improved the economic parameters of both breeds. While the cocoons produced were intrinsically coloured without compromising commercial parameters, the colour intensity was lighter than anticipated. This implies that introducing dyed mulberry leaves during the 1st instar stage may yield more favourable results. Overall, the study demonstrates that madder and indigo dyes are suitable for producing coloured silk, offering potential for large-scale applications in sustainable silk production.

Socio-monetary and Demographic Profile of Gujjar and Bakkarwals of Poonch District

The present study is an attempt to understand the educational backwardness of scheduled tribes of district Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir. The Scheduled Tribes (ST’s) are the socially and educationally deprived people in India. Scheduled Tribes have specific histories of social and monetary deprivation and the underlying reasons in their educational marginalization are also strikingly awesome. Schooling forms a crucial factor inside the average improvement of people, enabling them to get extra awareness, higher comprehension in their social, political and cultural surroundings and additionally facilitating inside the development of their socio-monetary conditions. The time period “tribe” was earlier used for a network which constituted a homogenous institution that lived in overall isolation having a particularly self-sustaining economic system independent political setup and which maintained wonderful customs, religions practices inherited from one common place ancestor. The scheduled tribes are the oldest settlers, if no longer the primary in India and India has the second one biggest concentration of the tribes inside internationally. Scheduled tribe population constitutes 8.6% of the entire population in India. Jammu and Kashmir has many tribal communities having their own traditions, cultures and customs. Scheduled Tribe groups have traditionally lived in remote and some difficult terrains in the direction of forests and natural assets. Most of the tribes live in inaccessible areas.

First report of Morchella galilaea, an autumn species from Pakistan, based on multilocus DNA sequences, light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analyses.

Morchella is highly prized for its distinct and delicious taste, making it one of the most sought-after and valuable macrofungi. Despite Pakistan exporting morels to various European countries, Morchella's diversity in this South Asian country has not been cataloged using multilocus DNA sequence data. Realizing the need for their scientific identity, various collections were commissioned, including those from the low and high altitudinal zones of the Charsadda, Swat, and Poonch districts of Pakistan during autumn of 2015 through 2019. Specimens were identified by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and portions of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1), second largest subunit (RPB2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) loci. Multigene molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed the autumnal collections were Morchella galilaea Masaphy & Clowez. The species was previously documented in the United States, China, Israel, and Turkey. A detailed taxonomic description, light and scanning electron microscopy, and multigene molecular phylogenetic analyses of the species are reported here for the first time from Pakistan. The study underscores the necessity for further surveys of unexplored areas of Pakistan and systematics of Morchella to augment species diversity and their geographic distribution. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Specimens of Morchella were collected from low and high altitudinal zones in Pakistan during the autumn. Specimens were assessed using multigene (ITS, RPB1, RPB2, and TEF1) molecular phylogenetic analyses for the first time in Pakistan. The specimens were identified as Morchella galilaea based on multigene molecular phylogenetic analysis. Updated taxonomic descriptions of macro- and microanatomical characters were provided for clarity and precision. Hitherto-unreported shapes of paraphyses and acroparaphyses are observed and thoroughly reported. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of an ascospore is provided.

Factors Associated with Malnutrition Among Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in AJK, Pakistan

Background: Malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation is a major public health issue in developing countries like Pakistan. This study aims to assess the prevalence and factors associated with malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2022 among 300 pregnant women and lactating mothers in the district Poonch of AJK. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), were taken. BMI and MUAC were used to assess nutritional status. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition was 39% according to BMI (<18.5 kg/m²) and 46% according to MUAC (<21 cm). Significant factors associated with malnutrition included illiteracy (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4-5.2), low family income (AOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2-3.8), rural residence (AOR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.7-6.1), food insecurity (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.4-8.9), and lack of antenatal care (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2-4.5). Conclusion: Malnutrition is alarmingly high among pregnant and lactating women in AJK. Improving female literacy, socioeconomic status, and antenatal care coverage are recommended to address this public health issue.

Evaluating iodine deficiency and goiter in hilly areas of District Poonch Azad Jammu Kashmir.

Iodine deficiency is considered as a global challenge, even after decades of efforts to solve the issue. Our objective was to assess the iodine deficiency status and associated prevalence of goiter in population groups (school-age children and women) from rural areas of District Poonch, and to assess the determinants of iodine deficiency in the area. Cross-sectional study was conducted in District Poonch Azad Jammu and Kashmir from 25 April 2022 to 30 June 2023. A total of 150 goiter patients from different villages of the District Poonch was included. Their urinary iodine concentration and goiter prevalence was assessed. Using palpation techniques, a trained and experienced public health officer assessed the presence of goiters based on WHO/ UNICEF/ICCIDD criteria. Descriptive statistics were computed for continuous variables and presented in frequency and percentage, based on the distributional characteristics of the data. chi-square was used to check association between socio-demographic factors and goiter. It was a HEC Project No.: 20-16988/NRPU/R&D/HEC/2021. Iodine status and associated goiter prevalence was high and 59.3% of them were severely iodine deficient. Within the district, the highest severe iodine deficiency was observed in 81.1% goiter patients of the Rawalakot subdivision, Hajira and Abbaspur subdivisions. Regarding goiter status 40% of the patients were classified with palpable-visible goiter and 56% were characterized with visible but nodular goiter. Study showed that there was a severe iodine deficiency and associated goiter prevalence in the area. Policymakers should take actions for future to overcome iodine deficiency in future.

A STUDY OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH REGARDS TO CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

The need and desire to achieve is a spring-board of the achievement motivation. The present study is initiated to access the level of achievement motivation of secondary school students with regards to certain demographic varriables.1007 secondary school students from Rajouri and poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir has been included in the sample. Achievement Motivation Scale by Deo and Mohan, (2011) has been used to collect the desired information. Results of the study has shown that an average secondary school student has low level of achievement motivation. With regards to demographic variables it is found that gender do not possess significant difference, whereas significant difference has been found in achievement motivation of secondary school students with regards to their place of living and the type of school in which they are studying.

Ethnomedicinal Plants and Herbal Preparations Used by Rural Communities in Tehsil Hajira (Poonch District of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan).

The present study emphasizes the importance of documenting ethnomedicinal plants and herbal practices of the local rural communities of Tehsil Hajira (Pakistan). The aim was to document, explore and quantify the traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using various quantitative indices. The results showed that 144 medicinal plant species from 70 families and 128 genera play an important role in herbal preparations. The most common type of preparation was powder (19.0%), followed by paste (16.7%), aqueous extract (15.7%), decoction (14.7%) and juice (11.0%). Fragaria nubicola (0.94) and Viola canescens (0.93) had the highest relative frequency of mention (RFC), while Berberis lycium (1.22) and Fragaria nubicola (1.18) had the highest use value (UV). Geranium wallichianum (85.5), Ligustrum lucidum (83) and Indigofera heterantha (71.5) were the most important species in the study area with the highest relative importance (RI) value. The diseases treated were categorized into 17 classes, with diseases of the digestive system and liver having the highest Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) value, followed by diseases of the oropharynx and musculoskeletal system. Important plants mentioned for the treatment of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are Zanthoxylum alatum, Berberis lycium, Mentha longifolia, Punica granatum, Rubus ellipticus and Viola canescens. New applications of rarely documented plants from this area are: Oxalis corniculata paste of the whole plant to treat vitiligo, Carthamus tinctorius flowers to treat chicken pox, Dioscorea deltoidea tuber powder to treat productive cough, Inula cappa root decoction to treat miscarriage, Habenaria digitata tuber juice for the treatment of fever, Viola canescens leaves and flowers for the treatment of sore throat and Achillea millefolium root and leaf juice for the treatment of pneumonia. These plants may contain interesting biochemical compounds and should be subjected to further pharmacological studies to develop new drugs. Traditional medicinal knowledge in the area under study is mainly limited to the elderly, traditional healers and midwives. Therefore, resource conservation strategies and future pharmacological studies are strongly recommended.

Drug Addiction among Children: An Emerging Threat to the front-line community of Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir

Drug Addiction among Children: An Emerging Threat to the front-line community of Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir

Ethnobotanical profiling of vegetative flora of Hajira Village Kalpur (Davigali) Union Council, Banteeni District Poonch Azad Kashmir

Ethnobotanical profiling of vegetative flora of Hajira Village Kalpur (Davigali) Union Council, Banteeni District Poonch Azad Kashmir

Geographical Distribution of Healthcare Facilities in Poonch District: An Evaluation through GIS

Geographical Distribution of Healthcare Facilities in Poonch District: An Evaluation through GIS

The Surface and Ground-water Contamination in Sub-himalayas and Quality of Water in Poonch Region Azad Kashmir

The surface and ground water contamination in rivers, lakes, streams, wells and springs, in Sub-Himalayas have been evaluated. This is a critical question in determining the quality of water. Water quality depends on solutes and gases dissolved in Water. Quality is a result of natural physical and chemical state and any alteration made by human activities. The chemical and micro-organisms impact the quality of ground water coming from many sources, like agricultural chemicals 20%, animal wastes 10%, disposal of wastes from hospitals 8% , waste from cities 20%, septic tanks 10%, sewage water 12%, organic waters 5%, landfills 2%, leakage of underground tanks 7%, from food and air 2%. Carcinogenic compounds are cancer risk about 1%. A comprehensive research was conducted on surface and ground water in district poonch and adjoining areas. In this research Physical and chemical quality of water was evaluated to know the cause of diseases in Sub-Himalayas. The cause of diseases in the area of study is investigated. The data was also collected from hospitals. The hepatitis was reported 20%, typhoid 10%, gastroenteritis 33%. Chronic diseases like cancer about 10%, neurogenic problems 15%. Bone softness and heart failures are very common. The water samples were collected and immediately transported to the PCSIR laboratory for testing. The major elements in the water are Ca, 45.0-> 75;0 mg/l, Mg, 34.5-> 13.3 mg/l, Na, 22.7-13.0 mg/l, K, >2.7 -1.0 mg/l, HCO3, > 472-215.14 mg/l, Cl2, >24.0-2.43 mg/l, SO4, > 51.0-42.0 mg/l, NO3, 7.0-0.63 mg/l. The minor constituents include. Mn >6-1.0 mg/l, F, >2-2.0 mg/l , NO3, 4.7-6.8 mg/l. The trace elements such as Fe, 2.1-0.1 mg/l, Pb, >5.0-3.5 mg/l, Cu, 2-1 mg/l, Zn, >5.0-1.0 mg/l, Ni, >4.0-1.0 mg/l, Mn, 5.0-1.0 mg/l. The other elements Hg, Cr, were reported. The PH, 5.6-8.8 in drinking water create stomach diseases. During rainy season turbidity remain between 6.2- >13. Number of patients coming daily in the hospital and those admitted were also investigated. Most of the patients have kidney stone, lungs infection, dehydrogene, anemia, obstruction in nervous system, goiter, bronchitis, sore, throat infection, pneumonia, neuralgia, jaundice, malaria, cholera, gastroenteritis, typhoid, dysentery, skin diseases were reported. All diseases were waterborne.

Comparative evaluation of native top feeds of western Himalayas for utilization as goat's ration in mash and block form.

The current research was undertaken to scrutinize the effect of leaf meal mixture as concentrate mixture in the ration of goats. Leaf meal mixture (LMM) was prepared using equal quantities of ten top-foliages namely Acacia nilotica, Celtis australis, Ficus palmata, Ficus religiosa, Grewia optiva, Melia azadarach, Morus alba, Quercus incana, Salix alba and Zizyphus jujube obtained from district Poonch of Jammu region in western Himalayas. The LMM prepared was substituted for 15% in the concentrate mixture being fed to the goats. The study constituted of two trials. Concentrate mixture offered to the animals was in mash and multi-nutrient block in first and second trial respectively. A total of twelve non-descript, adult male goats were selected for each trial. Goats of 0-14months age (27.71 ± 2.96kg live body weight) of for first trial while goats of 12-16months age (27.02 ± 2.93kg live weight) for second trial were divided into control and treatment groups as per randomized block design and fed ad-lib wheat straw and concentrate mixture @ (20g/kgW0.75). No significant variation was observed (p > 0.05) in body weight, feed and DM intake among all groups in both trials. Comparable intake as well as digestibility of various nutrients like DM, OM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, NDF, ADF and TDN were found between the two groups during individual trials. There was a positive nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus balance among all experimental animals in both the trials. Serum enzymes ALT, AST and haemato-biochemical parameters like total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin: globulin and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) showed no significant differences during both trials in all groups, being within normal physiological levels. However, haemoglobin concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in treatment group with respect to the control group in first trial. On the basis of current results, it can be established that leaf meal mixture can successfully be used to replace concentrate mixture up to 15% in the ration of goats without expecting any adverse impacts on their growth and overall health.

Influence of Mother's Employment on Children's Education Case Study of District Poonch Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Recently, there have been increasing numbers of working mothers with young children. The growing trend in the participation of working mothers in the labor force poses challenges for families, particularly in developing countries. One of these challenges concerns both the management of households and their profession since the employment of mothers has a significant impact on the well-being of children. The main aim of the present study was to dig out the influence employed mothers have on the education of their children. The research is based on primary data. The present study was conducted in District Poonch AJK. The qualitative research methodology was applied in the current research. The sample size was 17. An interview guide was used as a tool for collecting the primary study data. The gathered data was thematically analyzed. Findings highlight working mothers can contribute to the development of children. The study has found that the intellectual and economic resources of mothers contribute to the academic and cognitive development of children.

A Comprehensive Review on Tribal Health Status in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir

A Comprehensive Review on Tribal Health Status in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir

Schooling in the Shadow of Conflict: A Study of Poonch District in Jammu and Kashmir

Schooling in the Shadow of Conflict: A Study of Poonch District in Jammu and Kashmir

Estimation of the Extent of the Vulnerability of Agriculture to Climate Change Using Analytical and Deep-Learning Methods: A Case Study in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh

Climate stress poses a threat to the agricultural sector, which is vital for both the economy and livelihoods in general. Quantifying its risk to food security, livelihoods, and sustainability is crucial. This study proposes a framework to estimate the impact climate stress on agriculture in terms of three objectives: assessing the regional vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity), analysing the climate variability, and measuring agricultural performance under climatic stress. The vulnerability of twenty-two sub-regions in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh is assessed using indicators to determine the collective susceptibility of the agricultural framework to climate change. An index-based approach with min–max normalization is employed, ranking the districts based on their relative performances across vulnerability indicators. This work assesses the impact of socio-economic and climatic indicators on the performance of agricultural growth using the benchmark Ricardian approach. The parameters of the agricultural growth function are estimated using a linear combination of socio-economic and exposure variables. Lastly, the forecasted trends of climatic variables are examined using a long short-term memory (LSTM)-based recurrent neural network, providing an annual estimate of climate variability. The results indicate a negative impact of annual minimum temperature and decreasing land holdings on agricultural GDP, while cropping intensity, rural literacy, and credit facilities have positive effects. Budgam, Ganderbal, and Bandipora districts exhibit higher vulnerability due to factors such as low literacy rates, high population density, and extensive rice cultivation. Conversely, Kargil, Rajouri, and Poonch districts show lower vulnerability due to the low population density and lower level of institutional development. We observe an increasing trend of minimum temperature across the region. The proposed LSTM synthesizes a predictive estimate across five essential climate variables with an average overall root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.91, outperforming the benchmark ARIMA and exponential-smoothing models by 32–48%. These findings can guide policymakers and stakeholders in developing strategies to mitigate climate stress on agriculture and enhance resilience.

Education Under Border Shelling: Evidence from Schools Near Line of Control in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

This study was undertaken in schools which are situated near the Line of Control (LOC) in AJ&amp;K. Objectives of the study were to find the effect of border shelling on educational setup in these schools. The population of the study was elementary and secondary school teachers who were teaching in schools near LOC in Tehsil Abbaspor District Poonch AJ&amp;K. Universal sampling technique was used for sample selection. Five null hypotheses were formulated relating to the objectives of the research study. It was found that border shelling has a significant effect on education setup. It was also found that border shelling had a significant effect on the infrastructure of schools, teacher and student mental stress and student enrolment. Five null hypotheses were formulated which were rejected. It is recommended that government may take special security measures, allocate a special budget, and arrange training and counselling program. Future researchers can investigate border shelling effect on social problems.

Preliminary Report on Avifaunal Diversity of Poonch District in Pir Panjal Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Preliminary Report on Avifaunal Diversity of Poonch District in Pir Panjal Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Exploring the Potential of Green Silver Nanoparticles from Berberis vulgaris against Bacterial Spot of Tomato and its Surveillance in Poonch District

Bacterial spot of tomato is a major constraint to tomato production in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates, leading to significant crop losses. The current study aimed to manage the highly devastating disease bacterial spot of tomato, caused by Xanthomonas perforans, using green silver nanoparticles based on Berberis vulgaris plant extract. Disease parameters, namely disease prevalence and disease incidence, were calculated from tomato growing areas of district Poonch, AJK, to document the current status of bacterial spot disease on local tomato cultivars. The associated pathogenic strains were purified, and virulence study was conducted on healthy tomato seedlings followed by characterization using morphological, biochemical, and molecular analysis. B. vulgaris plant extract was used for the preparation of green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and three different concentrations were prepared (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%). For texture and molecular composition study, characterization of green AgNPs was done using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Green silver nanoparticles were then evaluated using the inhibition zone technique in the lab, and it was found that the maximum inhibition zone of 24.32 mm was observed at a 0.6% concentration. Similarly, in the greenhouse experiment, the minimum disease incidence was recorded in the treatment with a 0.6% concentration of green AgNPs. The results of the current study showed a significant reduction in disease incidence while using green silver nanoparticles against bacterial spot of tomato

A contribution to taxonomy and biology of Spalerosophis diadema diadema (Schlegel, 1837) along with a new record of Spalerosophis atriceps (Fischer, 1885) from the Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae)

The present study is aimed to validate the occurrence of two species of Diadem or Royal snakes of Genus Spalerosophis Jan, 1865 from the Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir, India along with the presentation of eight different colour morphs and diagnostic characteristics. The eight different colour morphs include four colour morphs of adults of S. d. diadema (Schlegel, 1837), two colour morphs of adults of S. atriceps (Fischer, 1885), one colour morph of subadults of unknown parentage and one colour morph of the adult of S. diadema (Schlegel, 1837) represented by a single individual whose identification at subspecies level (ssp. cliffordii/diadema) is the subject for further investigations for want of more specimens. This solitary specimen shares many similarities with S. d. diadema, but it has less number of sub-caudal scales which point towards the likelihood of S. d. cliffordii (Schlegel, 1837). The distribution, activity, habitat and behaviour have also been reported along with the morphological, morphometric and meristic characters. Between two identified species S. atriceps is a new report from the Poonch District. Reported specimens are mapped across the study area and are depicted here in the distribution map.