Earthen Pots Research Articles

Teflon flu: Is it a rising concern of only developed country?

Abstract: Teflon flu also known as polymer fume fever is a temporary flu-like illness caused by inhaling fumes released when polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the chemical used to make non-stick coatings like Teflon, is heated to very high temperatures. This condition typically occurs when non-stick cookware is overheated to above 500°F (260°C), releasing fumes that can cause symptoms in humans. Teflon flu is manifested with fever, chills, headache, body aches, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath which usually appear within a few hours of exposure and may last for a day or tw. Teflon flu is generally not considered dangerous for healthy individuals but repeated exposure could have more serious effects. Although in India cases are not widely reported as in countries like the U.S., India’s medical community, including the Indian Council of Medical Research has advised caution and advocated use of earthen pots for cooking. Here we discuss in detail the causes, and ways to prevent Teflon flu in Indian context.

Effect of Zinc on Germination, Growth Yield of (Solanum melongena L.)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an economically significant crop, valued for its culinary versatility and nutritional content. Understanding the factors that influence its growth is crucial for optimizing agricultural practices and improving yield. Zinc, an essential micronutrient, plays a vital role in various physiological processes within plants, including enzyme activation, photosynthesis, and hormone regulation. This study investigated the effect of zinc supplementation on the growth parameters of eggplant. The experiment was conducted in Botany Lab of Maharishi University of Information Technology, Lucknow in earthen Pots filled with garden soil. Where eggplant seedlings were subjected to different levels of zinc supplementation. Parameters such as plant height, leaf area, root development, and biomass accumulation were measured at regular intervals over the growth period. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between zinc concentration and various growth parameters of eggplant. Seedlings treated with higher zinc concentrations, enhanced leaf expansion, and more extensive root systems compared to those with lower or no zinc supplementation. Furthermore, zinc-treated eggplants displayed improved resistance to certain environmental stressors, suggesting a potential role of zinc in enhancing plant resilience. These findings underscore the importance of adequate zinc supply in promoting the growth and development of eggplant crops, thereby contributing to higher yields and improved agricultural sustainability. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of zinc-mediated growth enhancement in eggplant and optimize zinc application strategies for maximum benefit.

Impact of bio-pesticides and storage containers on lentil seed preservation and pre-sowing fungal treatment

We conducted a study to determine the most effective method of preserving lentil seeds for future sowing. The experiment involved six different types of storage containers: cotton cloth bags, tin containers, earthen pots, plastic containers, polythene bags, and gunny bags. We also used four plant extracts: Piper betel (Betel leaf), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Allium indica (Garlic), and Swietenia mahagoni (Mahagani). We measured the vigor index and germination percentage at 2, 4, and 6 months after storage, and then documented the fungal connection. In a separate experiment, we conducted a pre-sowing seed treatment using botanicals and biological agents such as garlic (5% w/v aqueous solution), datura (5% w/v aqueous solution), mehogoni leaf extract (5% w/v aqueous solution), mehogoni seed extract (5% w/v aqueous solution), and fern leaf extract (5% w/v aqueous solution). We treated the seeds with various substances to suppress seed-borne fungi, including ash coating (10 g kg-1 seed), fresh cow dung coating, a solution of cow urine (5% v/v water), Provax-200 (2 g kg-1 seed), and an untreated control group. In terms of germination, vigor index, and seed infection, the lentil seeds stored in a polythene bag with neem leaf extract significantly outperformed the other treatments. We found that the durability of lentil seeds significantly decreased as the storage time increased. The seed treatment fungicide Provax-200 had a significant impact on lowering the presence of fungus (by 87.41%) and boosting the germination percentage (by 39.49%) of lentil seeds.

A detailed investigation on thermal performance and energy savings of cool roof systems for composite climates of India

ABSTRACT The rising worldwide temperatures leading to a spike in air conditioning to ensure thermal comfort in buildings is the root cause of the increase in energy demand in India's building sector. The roof of a building significantly adds to the heat gained on the top floor, accounting for 50–60% of the total heat gain. One sustainable way to reduce this heat gain is via cool roofing technology. Through examination and dynamic simulations with the Energy-Plus-based Design Builder software tool, this study explores different cool roof solutions. An experimental setup of a Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) roof with cement plaster, solar reflective paint, solar reflective tiles, and earthen pots have been created on the institute campus. Recordings were taken during the peak summer days and peak winter days, alongside simulations carried out to determine various factors such as Albedo, Surface Temperatures, Air Temperatures, Diurnal Heat Ingress, and the Building's Thermal Energy Consumption. The experiments have demonstrated that cool roof layers can considerably improve interior thermal comfort by minimizing heat transfer, which maintains a constant temperature over the bottom surface of the roof. By reducing heat gain by 33–71%, they can save energy by 21-26% compared to traditional RCC roof slab.

Insecticide resistance status and bar-codingof dengue vectors in three districts of Tamil Nadu, India.

Occurrence and distribution of vector population are crucial for entomological study in context of prevention, control and elimination of vector-borne diseases. To update some entomological aspects in three districts of Tamil Nadu state namely Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam and Thriuvarur districts, the study was undertaken. The objective of the study was to understand the prevalence of mosquitoes; to assess insecticide resistance and phylogenetic analysis of dengue vectors [Aedes (Ae.) aegypti and Ae.albopictus]. The immature stages of mosquitoes were collected from different localities by standard WHO methods marking with GPS and mapping was done using ArcGIS 10.4 software for all three districts. Insecticide resistance test was conducted using WHO susceptibility test kits. The F1 generation of female adult mosquitoes of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were exposed to DDT 4% and Malathion 5% with the control paper of Risella oil and olive oil respectively. Further, genomic DNA of individual mosquito was isolated, and the sequencingwas done through Eurofins, Bangalore, India. The FASTA sequence was analyzed and the phylogenic tree was constructed using the Maximum likelihood method in Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software (version 10.0). A totally 5307 specimens were collected through expanded survey in all three study areas. The collection yielded 16 species from six genera of mosquitoes. In total collection, the Ae. albopictus was the dominant species in Kumbakonam and Thiruvarur districts and Ae. aegypti was dominant in Nagapattinam district. The predominant breeding sources were discarded tyre with rainwater, plastic cups, coconut shells, aluminum vessels, sliver containers, bottles, grinding stones and earthen pots etc. The study revealed high pupal indices in all three study areas. Insecticide resistance monitoring revealed possible resistance in Ae. aegypti against DDT in all three districts whereas against Malathion, possible resistance was recorded in Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam and in Thiruvarur district, the species was found to be susceptible. Ae. albopictus showed resistance against DDT in all three districts but susceptible to Malathion. The sequences obtained for Dengue vectors showed 99% similar with Genbank. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using COI region sequences. Certainly, observed the different genetic relationship among Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus between the study areas. The study confirmed the presence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in all three districts. The study further revealed that these vectors are susceptible to Malathion but resistance to DDT. The continue surveillance of dengue vector and monitoring of insecticide resistance will strengthen the control programme for appropriate vector control measurements.

Cadmium content, metabolite profile, biological properties of Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk plant exposed to elevated cadmium in soil

Cadmium (Cd), a highly mobile and hazardous toxic heavy metal negatively affects plant’s yield by regulating synthesis of biomolecules, involved in both physiological and biochemical activities. The present study investigated the Cd content, metabolite profile, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of methanolic leaf extracts (MLEs) of Eclipta alba L., plant exposed to elevated soil Cd (eCdS). The tested plants were grown in earthen pot and were weekly treated with Cd as CdCl2. H20 (20 mg/L) till 70 days after the plant transplantation. The results showed that eCdS significantly elevated Cd content in root and shoot tissue of E. alba plant (91 % and 94 %, respectively) as compared to the control. UHPLC-HRMS profile of MLEs revealed a significant decrease in the amino acids and its derivatives with an increased level of phenolic contents, fatty acids, and lipids. Metabolites in MLEs were also upregulated and downregulated (31 and 98, respectively) by an eCdS. An eCdS further increased both total phenolics and total flavonoids content in MLEs of E. alba by 71 % and 31 %, respectively over the control. In-vitro antioxidant activities in MLEs were also found to be significantly increased due to eCdS as DPPH > ABTS > FRAP (30 %, 26 % and 21 %, respectively) as compared to the control. Cd treated plant’s MLEs also revealed maximum reduction in an inhibition zone of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), among the tested bacterial strains. The present study concludes that eCdS led to the significant changes in the metabolite profile, phenolics content and biological activities of E. alba’s MLEs suggesting its ameliorating role in improving the medicinal value of E. alba plant. However, direct consumption of raw material of E. alba plant is not recommended due to high accumulation of Cd in its different parts.

Probiotic Property and Antibacterial Activity Analysis of Sour Curd Derived Lactobacilli Isolates by in vitro Methods

There are massive bacteria in the curd, especially the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which have been considered as probiotics in human and animals for a prolonged period. Probiotics have its importance in our daily life and native LAB are well known probiotics having antibacterial activity against potential pathogenic bacteria. Several authors from various regions all over the world have reported LAB to have been isolated from different fermented as well as non-fermented foods and beverages. The current study evaluated the probiotic potential LAB isolates from commercially available sour curd, Malda (West Bengal, India). A total of three types of sour curd (contained in plastic cup, plastic pouch and earthen pot) were tested and the commonest LAB isolates found in sour curd were Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactocaseibacillus rhamnosus. Safety aspect of LAB isolates was screened using gelatinase and antibiotic susceptibility test. The commercially available sour curd-derived LAB isolates have been demonstrated as good probiotics which displayed excellent probiotic potentiality and antibacterial activity against both gram negative gam positive bacteria as well. Keywords: Probiotic bacteria, Antibacterial activity, Safety profile, Sour curd

Evaluation of Water Vapour Permeability of Some Food Grain Packaging Materials

The properties of any packaging material are essential parameters to know before storage of any kind of food materials. Physical properties are prerequisites for selecting proper packaging materials to obtain the desired shelf-life during the storage and distribution chain of food commodity. At the village/household level for packaging of food grains and other Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) commodities, generally used packaging materials namely, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), earthen pot (EP), polypropylene woven sack (PPWS), and gunny sack (GS) were evaluated for their physical properties such as strengths (grammage and thickness) and water vapour permeability using the standard gravimetric method. The thickness was determined to be 0.065 mm, 0.056 mm, 0.168 mm, 3.530 mm, and 0.849 mm for LDPE, PP, PPWS, EP, and GS respectively. Similarly, grammage was found to be 6.03 x 10-5 g m-2, 4.94 x 10-5 g m-2, 9.59 x 10-5 g m-2, and 3.70 x 10-4 g m-2 for LDPE, PP, PPWS, and GS respectively. Results revealed a significant difference between the permeability of packing materials. The highest water vapour permeability of 7.26 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 was obtained for GS, whereas the lowest 1.81 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 was for LDPE at 40 ± 1°C temperature and 90 ± 1% relative humidity. The water vapour permeability of other packaging materials viz., PP, PPWS, and EP was 2.18 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1, 3.63 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1, and 5.03 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 respectively.

The Influence of Container Types and Potting Media on the Biometric, Phenological and Yield Parameters of Strawberry Cv. Winter Dawn

Strawberry being an annual herbaceous plant with delicious fruit can be easily grown in a container filled with a potting media and suitable for growing in terrace garden or rooftop gardening in urban areas where the area for cultivation is less. This intends to augment the farmer’s income and increase the overall production of strawberry. The study was conducted in the experimental field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.) during 2023-2024. The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of container types and potting media on the biometric, phenological and yield parameters of strawberry cv. Winter Dawn. The experiment was laid out according to a factorial completely randomized block design. Observations on the biometric, phenological, and yield parameters of each plant were recorded during the study. The result of the statistical analysis revealed that among all the combinations of potting media, the combination of cocopeat, perlite and vermicompost in the ratio of 1:1:2 was found to be superior. Better biometric, phenological, and yield parameters were observed in plants grown in earthen pots. Based on the interaction effect, plants raised in PVC pots with a growing media ratio of 1:1:2 cocopeat + perlite + vermicompost (C2M1) result in maximum plant height (18.10 cm), plant spread (16.10 cm), number of leaves (26.67), number of fruits per plant (15.91) and total yield per plant (341.00 g). The study revealed that the minimum days to initiate first flower (47.10), flowering to harvest duration (27.67) and days to first fruiting (68.13) was reported in C2M1: PVC pots {(cocopeat + Perlite + Vermicompost) (1:1:2)}. Thus, strawberry production using cocopeat + perlite + vermicompost in 1:1:2 ratio in PVC Pots will ensure greater success in plant establishment and produce healthy and disease-free strawberries.

Comparative efficacy of non-electric cooling techniques to reduce nutrient solution temperature for the sustainable cultivation of summer vegetables in open-air hydroponics.

The cultivation of summer vegetables in open-air nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponics is limited due to the elevated nutrient solution temperature (NST). In this regard, non-electric evaporative-cooling techniques were explored to maintain NST in open-air NFT hydroponics. Four cooling setups were employed by wrapping polyvinyl chloride (PVC) grow pipes with one and two layers of either wet or dry jute fabrics and attaching them with coiled aluminum pipe buried inside a) wet sand-filled brick tunnels (Cooling Setup I), b) two inverted and vertically stacked earthen pots (Cooling Setup II), c) two inverted and vertically stacked earthen pots externally wrapped with wet jute fabric (Wrapped Cooling Setup II), and d) an earthen pitcher wrapped with wet jute fabric (Cooling Setup III). Wrapping grow pipes with two layers of wet jute fabric reduced NST by 5°C as compared to exposed (naked) grow pipes. The double-layer jute fabric-wrapped grow pipes produced 182% more reduction in NST in comparison to single layer-wrapped grow pipes. Additionally, the installation of Wrapped Cooling Setup II and Cooling Setup III outperformed Cooling Setup I and Cooling Setup II through NST reduction of approximately 4°C in comparison to control. Interestingly, Cooling Setup III showed its effectiveness through NST reductions of 193%, 88%, and 23% during 11a.m.-12 p.m. as compared to Cooling Setup I, Cooling Setup II, and Wrapped Cooling Setup II, respectively. In contrast, Wrapped Cooling Setup II caused NST reductions of 168%, 191%, and 18% during 2-3 p.m. in comparison to Cooling Setup I, Cooling Setup II, and Cooling Setup III, respectively. Thus, the double-layer jute fabric-wrapped grow pipes linked with Wrapped Cooling Setup II can ensure summer vegetable cultivation in open-air NFT hydroponics as indicated by the survival of five out of 12 vegetable plants till harvest by maintaining NST between 26°C and 28°C.

Effect of Different Storage Vessels on the Microbiological and Physicochemical Properties of Rainwater Harvested from Different Rooftops in Owerri, Nigeria

This study evaluated the effect of different storage vessels on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of rainwater harvested from different rooftops in Owerri. Different storage vessels were assembled and used to stored rainwater delivered by using different catchments. The catchments used were corrugated iron sheet roof, asbestos roof, stone coated roof, aluminum roof, and thatched roof. Rainwater was also collected directly from rainfall, in the open environment and stored in the vessels. The storage vessels were plastic contain, metal tank, earthen ware pot, and block/cemented tank. The study was designed in such a way that each of the storage vessels received water from each of the catchments for storage. In all, a total of 24 storage vessels were used. Each of the catchment delivered rainwater to a peculiar plastic container, metal samples were allowed to stay in the vessels for some days before they were taken to the laboratory for analysis using standard methods. From the results observed, the storage vessels made more microbial impact on the stored rainwater samples that physicochemical impact. Six bacterial and mould organisms were isolated from the stored rainwater samples. However, the molecular identification study for the bacterial organisms revealed plasmid possessed E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp., which made them resistant to the antibacterial drugs. From the observation of the present study, storage vessels may impact more on bacterial contamination than physicochemical or metal contamination. This study has shown the effect of different storage vessels on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of rainwater harvested from different rooftops in Owerri, Nigeria.

Ceratobasidium sp isolates from native orchid species of Western Ghats, India support enhanced growth of Phalaenopsis hybrid seedlings

Mycorrhiza-assisted cultivation of orchid seedlings has immense potential for enhanced growth and adaptability of orchids to facilitate conservation and cultivation with minimum application of nutrients and plant protection chemicals. Phalaenopsis hybrids are highly attractive and cultivated mostly as potted orchid plants and are prone to several fungal pathogens. The present study evaluates the effect of 4 orchid symbionts in combination with NPK fertilizer on the seedling growth of symbiotic seedlings of Phalaenopsis white and day-star hybrids under ex-vitro conditions. Four fungal isolates viz., Ceratobasidium_Wyd2 (MW595786; MTCC13384), Ceratobasidium_Idk (MW595787: MTCC13383), Ceratobasidium_Vs1 (OL374050; MTCC13377) and Ceratobasidium _Vs2 (OL374052: MTCC13378) grown on sterilized coir pith medium for 10 days and were transferred onto earthen pots for planting of seedlings. One-year-old seedlings used for the study possessed an average 2.70 g fresh weight. On conclusion of the experiment, after 6 months, the seedlings of day-star hybrid grown in the presence of both fungus and NPK fertilizer exhibited enhanced growth compared to either of them applied individually. The highest weight gain was supported by VS1 (12.4±1.8 g) followed by VS2 (10.7± 4.6 g) and Wyd2 (9.8±1.7 g). Those fungi also supported appreciable growth individually, giving 6.5±3.1, 6.9±2.2, and 6.5±0.8 g weight gain respectively. If the nutrient alone was applied, the weight gain was very low (2.8±0.9 g) nearly equal to control (1.8±1.8 g) without having fungi or nutrients. The mycorrhizae re-isolated from the roots of seedlings exhibiting enhanced growth were confirmed as Vs1 and Vs2 through sequencing of the ITS region. Formulation of a potting medium including Ceratobasidium species isolates VS1 and VS2 is thus possible to grow Phalaenopsis seedlings to get enhanced growth.

Alleviation of lead stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by growth-promoting rhizobacterium and neem cake

ABSTRACT Lead causes toxicity and affects plant growth by disturbing photosynthesis and the functions of enzymes. Its removal from the soil is a challenging issue. The present study investigates the efficacy of neem cake as soil organic amendment and inoculation of a lead-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to decrease the effects of lead toxicity in sunflower, when cultivated with and without neem cake amended soil. The experiment was performed in earthen pots (10 cm diam) containing 1 kg sandy loam soil irrigated with 0.2 and 0.5 mM lead. P. aeruginosa used in this experiment has a lead remediation capacity of 99% when subjected to 0.6 mM lead. The combination of organic amendment with PGPR improved the growth and physiological performance of the stressed sunflower plant. The plants treated with PGPR in amended soil showed healthier roots and shoots and demonstrated better scavenging of free radicals, with improved H2O2 scavenging and peroxidase (POD) activities. Neem cake and P. aeruginosa separately and combined significantly enhanced sugar contents and POD activity while lowering stress-induced higher levels of phenols and ascorbic acid. The combined application of neem cake and P. aeruginosa could be a promising solution for growing sunflower plants in lead-contaminated soil.

Exploring the Market Value Chain Dynamics of Chepa (Semi-Fermented Fish): A Promising Solution to Alleviate Nutritional Deficiency

Chepa, a widely consumed processed fish product in Bangladesh, is prepared through the semi-fermentation process using small fish varieties such as Phaisa and Puti. The study aimed to explore the business dynamics of Chepa production and marketing, focusing on identifying challenges and issues in the process. In the study, focus group discussion (FGD) and face-to-face interviewing were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. Additionally, PESTLE framework was employed to assess the operational aspects of the Chepa business. The study identified seven key stakeholders in the different nods of the Chepa value chain, highlighting their role alongside supporting entities. The production process involved careful categorization of dried fish based on size and quality. Notable, women constituted predominant workforce in the midstream segment, especially contributing to fish processing. Unlike other food items, Chepa fermenting processes carried out in treated earthen pots without using any chemicals and pesticide, resulting in a distinctive flavor and color. The study underscores the profitability of Chepa industry, although fishermen earned the lowest profit among the shareholders. Furthermore, the declining populations of small fish in water body like haor, posing a threat to their livelihoods. The PESTLE analysis highlighted the importance of an integrated, and multidisciplinary approach to food safety and quality, stressing the importance of training and institutional development. The outcomes of our study offer valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders, guiding efforts toward establishing a sustainable and resilient Chepa industry. Vol. 10, No. 3, December 2023: 353-366

Unveiling the potential of Trichoderma harzianum against Heterodera cajani in pigeon pea: impact on cysts, egg and juveniles abundance

BackgroundPigeon pea is affected by the cyst nematode Heterodera cajani limiting the production. H. cajani can be managed by biological agents such as Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the determination of this experiment was to estimate native strains of T. harzianum isolated from pigeon pea fields in India on population of cyst, eggs and juveniles of H. cajani. Pots experiment was conducted at the playhouse of Sam Higginbottom University of Science and Technology, Prayagraj (UP), India, during the year of 2018–2020. Earthen pots were filled with sterilized soil @ 10 kg/pot for each replicate of the treatments. Ten days before sowing of the pigeon pea seed, about 5000 spores of T. harzianum were amended in to the soil for proper colonization. Fifteen days after seed germination, 200 cysts/pot were inoculated near the root zone of pigeon pea plant. The pots were irrigated when required. Observations were recorded of cyst population, eggs and second juveniles of H. cajani/500gm of pigeon pea rhizospheric soil at 90 days after sowing.ResultsAmong all the isolates of T. harzianum, the treatment (T 7) reduced of cyst population (12), eggs population (234) and juveniles’ population (153) as compared with all other treatments including control at 90 days after sowing of pigeon pea seeds in the year 2018–2019. Similarly, in 2019–2020 reduction in cyst population (11), eggs population (189) and juveniles population (160) was observed at 90 days after sowing in Trichoderma isolates (T 7) as compared to control.ConclusionsThe findings of this study are very relevant since seven isolates of native T. harzianum were promising to suppress the number of cysts in 79.31 and 83.07%, eggs in 22.00 and 38.83% and juveniles’ population in 17.74 and 20.39% of the nematode H. cajani, besides promoting the pigeon pea plant growth.

Preservation and Handling Practices of Household Drinking Water in Ahmedabad city with special reference to Bacterial Contamination and Diarrheal Episode in Children: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Safe drinking water is essential for healthy human life. Presence of coliform organism, E. coli in particular, has been found to be the most specific bacteriological indicator of faecal contamination. Studying their preservation and handling practices of household drinking water, its contamination and diarrheal episodes in children is very necessary for hygiene promotion intervention. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at urban field practice area of community medicine department B.J.M.C, Ahmedabad in year 2020-2021. Total 168 Drinking water samples were collected from each household and tested at microbiology department. Information regarding household characteristics, preservation and handling practices of drinking water were gathered from mother using pre-tested and pre-designed proforma. Data were entered in Microsoft excel and analysed using Epi-info Software. Result: Out of 168 households studied, 165(98.2%) households used matka / earthen pot and 161(95.8%) used narrow necked covered container to preserve drinking water. Only in 10 (5.8%) households’ water was filtered with folded cotton cloth at the time of collection. 101 (60%) water containers did have tap while 67 (39.8%) didn’t have it. 4/168 (2.3%) samples were bacteriologically not acceptable for drinking purpose. Conclusion: Narrow necked coveredmatka (earthen pot) was the most commonly used container to preserve drinking water. Though prevalence of bacterial contamination and ADD episodes in under five child were low due to pre-treated piped water supply, diarrhoeal morbidity is more in household where broad necked, non tapped containers used. Education of mother has positive impact on preservation and handling practices of drinking water. Keywords: Preservation, Handling, Drinking water, Coliform, Diarrheal episode, Under 5 children

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and biochar as bioeffectors and bioalleviators of drought stress in faba bean (Vicia faba L.).

Plants are subjected to a variety of abiotic stressors, including drought stress, that are fatal to their growth and ability to produce under natural conditions. Therefore, the present study was intended to investigate the drought tolerance potential of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) plants under the co-application of biochar and rhizobacteria, Cellulomonas pakistanensis (National Culture Collection of Pakistan (NCCP)11) and Sphingobacterium pakistanensis (NCCP246). The experiment was initiated by sowing the inoculated seeds with the aforementioned rhizobacterial strains in earthen pots filled with 3kg of sand-mixed soil and 5% biochar. The morphology of biochar was observed with highly porous nature, along with the detection of various essential elements. The biochemical and physiological data showed that phenolic compounds and osmolytes were adversely affected by the induction of drought stress. However, the application of biochar and rhizobacteria boosted the level of flavonoids on average by 52.03%, total phenols by 50.67%, soluble sugar by 82.85%, proline by 76.81%, glycine betaine by 107.25%, and total protein contents by 89.18% in all co-treatments of biochar and rhizobacteria. In addition, stress indicator compounds, including malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and H2O2, were remarkably alleviated by 54.21% and 47.03%, respectively. Similarly, the amplitude of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase was also enhanced by 63.80%, 80.95%, 37.87%, and 58.20%, respectively, in all co-treatments of rhizobacteria and biochar. Conclusively, biochar and rhizobacteria have a magnificent role in enhancing the drought tolerance potential of crop plants by boosting the physio-biochemical traits and enhancing the level of antioxidant enzymes.

Application of neem waste vermicompost in compensating nematode induced stress and upregulating physiological markers of tomato plants under glass house conditions after 10 days of exposure.

Farming, food processing, animal husbandry and other agro-based activities contribute to global environmental degradation by producing millions of tons of organic and inorganic solid waste. In terms of sustainable agriculture, agricultural waste management and conversion into useful products are essential. In addition, plants are facing various kinds of biotic stress, which ultimately affects their defense system. Altered defense systems in plants ultimately lead to the death of plants and a reduction in crop production. The present study is designed to keep the abovementioned fact in mind, which mainly focuses on the reuse of agricultural waste and its application to the antioxidant potential and structural components of tomato plants during nematode stress. In the present study, neem leaves were collected and mixed with cattle dung for the preparation of vermicompost. Then, tomato seeds were pre-treated with vermicompost extract before being germinated in earthen pots. After germination, they were transplanted to separate pots and inoculated with freshly hatched juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita. The experiments were conducted for 10 days under glass house conditions, and after that, plants were harvested and various physiological (antioxidant capacity, percent electrolyte leakage) and structural markers (carbohydrate content, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were analyzed. Results revealed that all physico-chemical properties make vermicompost superior as compared to soil and pre-compost material. Further, nematode stress leads to altered physiological and structural markers as compared to uninfected seedlings. However, treatment with vermicompost significantly increases carbohydrate content and antioxidative capacity in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, electrolyte leakage was found to be decrease with an increase in the concentration of vermicompost. All these findings conclude that vermicompost has strong potential to limit the damage caused by nematodes and boost the antioxidant potential of the host plants. Further, this study provides strong evidence for using vermicompost as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical nematicides and a potential strategy for agricultural waste management. This is the first study in which the tomato plant's structural and physiological markers were assessed during nematode stress after being supplemented with vermicompost under glass house conditions for an initial 10 days of nematode exposure.

Comparative analyses of the bacterial communities present in the spontaneously fermented milk products of Northeast India and West Africa.

Spontaneous fermentation of raw cow milk without backslopping is in practice worldwide as part of the traditional food culture, including "Doi" preparation in earthen pots in Northeast India, "Kindouri" of Niger and "Fanire" of Benin prepared in calabash vessels in West Africa. Very few reports are available about the differences in bacterial communities that evolved during the spontaneous mesophilic fermentation of cow milk in diverse geographical regions. In this study, we used high throughput amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene to investigate 44 samples of naturally fermented homemade milk products and compared the bacterial community structure of these foods, which are widely consumed in Northeast India and Western Africa. The spontaneous milk fermentation shared the lactic acid bacteria, mainly belonging to Lactobacillaceae (Lactobacillus) and Streptococcaceae (Lactococcus) in these two geographically isolated regions. Indian samples showed a high bacterial diversity with the predominance of Acetobacteraceae (Gluconobacter and Acetobacter) and Leuconostoc, whereas Staphylococcaceae (Macrococcus) was abundant in the West African samples. However, the Wagashi cheese of Benin, prepared by curdling the milk with proteolytic leaf extract of Calotrophis procera followed by natural fermentation, contained Streptococcaceae (Streptococcus spp.) as the dominant bacteria. Our analysis also detected several potential pathogens, like Streptococcus infantarius an emerging infectious foodborne pathogen in Wagashi samples, an uncultured bacterium of Enterobacteriaceae in Kindouri and Fanire samples, and Clostridium spp. in the Doi samples of Northeast India. These findings will allow us to develop strategies to address the safety issues related to spontaneous milk fermentation and implement technological interventions for controlled milk fermentation by designing starter culture consortiums for the sustainable production of uniform quality products with desirable functional and organoleptic properties.

Effect of Lead Contamination on Morphological Attributes and Biomass Allocation of Bambusa balcooa (Roxb.)

Lead contamination in the agricultural soil by anthropogenic activities, industrialization and modernization poses a great concern to human health. A pot experiment was completed to evaluate the effect of Pb concentrations (0, 150, 500, 1000, 1700 mg kg-1) of lead nitrate on Bambusa balcooa plantlets grown in earthen pots placed in a fenced enclosure. For each concentration, three replicates were taken and to reduce the heterogeneity in the results, pots were placed in randomized manner. Thereafter, plantlets were transplanted in the pots and grown in the natural condition, only rainfall was controlled by covering the fenced enclosure with polythene sheet. The result showed that a higher concentration of Pb caused a minimum increase in the number of culm (0%), nodes (25%), leaves (58.53%), length of internode (19.04%), plant height (32.89%) and leaf area (62.91%). Biomass of the plant ranged from 5.33± 0.57 to 37.33±6.42g and moisture content was found maximum in Pb 500 mg kg-1 (38.78%) throughout the experiment. Findings of the study indicates that B. balcooa can tolerate the elevated level of Pb toxicity and can be used for remediation purpose.