Northeast India Research Articles

Global Genepool Conservation and use Strategy for Dioscorea (YAM)

AbstractThe global genepool conservation and use strategy for yam were developed in this study. Diversity analysis, and in situ and ex situ conservation gap analyses were carried out for the 27 global priority yam crop wild relatives (CWR) at taxon and ecogeographic levels to determine their representativeness in conservation actions. Hotspots were found in Nzerekore region of Guinea, Nimba and Grand Gedeh regions of Liberia, Montagnes, Sassandra- Marahouse, and Bas – Sassandra regions of Cote d’Ivoire, Volta, Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana, Centrale and Plateau regions of Togo, Donga, Oueme, Atlantique, Littoral and Plateau provinces of Benin, Southwest zone of Nigeria, Es region of Cameroon, Sangha- Mbaere region of Central Africa Republic. Likouala and Sangha regions of the Republic of the Congo, Northeast of India, Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Northeast regions of Thailand, West of Cambodia, South Central Coast, Central Highlands, Southeast and Makong River Delta regions of Vietnam, Xaisomboun, Bolikhamxai, and Viangchan prefecture provinces of Lao People’s Democratic Republic. A total of 13 potential reserve sites were identified in 13 countries, with four locations in the network of protected area (PA). 22 priority CWR (81%) were conserved ex situ, but only 15.38% of the taxa had at least 50 accessions in genebanks, and 65.38% of the priority CWR are underrepresented in genebanks, and 19.23% of the species are not represented in ex situ collections. The findings and recommendations of this study will guide the production and implementation of effective long-term conservation action and sustainable utilization of global priority yam CWR. The active conservation of the global yam priority species will underpin food security and mitigate climate change.

Investigating Influence of Multiple Risk Factors on Survival Likelihood in Esophageal Cancer Patients: Evidence from Assam, North-East India

Background: To comprehend the complex interplay of multiple risk factors impacting survival at a localized level is imperative. This study aimed to explore survival patterns and identify the underlying causal factors linked to mortality risk in the region. Methodology: Data from 200 patients with esophageal cancer treated at three prominent hospitals over the course of one year is collected for the study purpose. The Kaplan‒Meier curve and Cox proportional hazard regression model were employed. Results: This study identified smokeless tobacco consumption habits showing a 6-fold elevated mortality risk (HR 6.22, p<0.001). Subsequently, cultivator (HR 4.85, p=0.001) and male gender (HR 4.24, p=0.001) showed higher mortality risk. Additionally, a significantly higher prevalence of death among smokers with comorbidity (66.0%) is found compared to smokers without comorbidity (44.1%), p=0.043. The survival probability shows a declining trend, i.e. 84.50% in the first year to 13% in the 6th year. With an 82% change, this variation was greatest between the 3rd and 4th years. Conclusions: To better understand mortality risk, certain risk factors, such as salted fish, fertilizer and pesticide exposure, and length of marriage, need to be thoroughly investigated in future studies due to limited knowledge about this exposure at a localized level.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN THE EASTERN INDIAN FRINGES: THE CASE OF TRIPURA

From the dawn of human civilization, the history of mankind has recorded multiple events of conflicts, battles & wars. But it has never witnessed something destructive & devasting like World War II (1939 -1945). This global conflict between Allied & Axis powers lasted for 2191 days, involving as many as 110 million armed soldiers from 72 nations. At least 50 million people lost their lives in this great war among them 28 million were innocent civilians. Major cities across Europe and Asia, including Berlin, London, Warsaw, Tokyo, and Hiroshima, were extensively bombed and reduced to rubble. In the initial stage, the war was only confined to European nations though their colonies in Asia & Africa were indirectly affected severely. But with time, the African colonies caught fire from this war and in later stages, it spread all over Asia. India, being a British colony at that time was pushed into the war by its colonial masters who looked over the will of Indian masses. The British Government exploited India's valuable resources and labour force for the War preparations. The heat of the war also reached Tripura, a small princely state under the British Suzerainty. The involvement of Japan in the Second World War and its hasty advancement on the eastern front changed the whole scenario of the war from the Indian perspective. The fall of Burma at the hands of the Japanese brought the war to the very door of India. As a result, Tripura and the northeastern region fell under the direct threat of the Japanese offensive. In this paper, I have attempted to sketch a picture of Princely Tripura of that time concerning the Second World War. Here I have discussed extensively about the threat of Japanese invasion, economic strains, military organizations, war preparations, and other administrative activities in the state, all centred around the Second World War. In the middle of the war, the Congress-led ‘Augst movement’ or ‘Quite India movement’ increased difficulties for the trouble-torn British Raj. The turmoil created all over the country by the ‘Quite India Movement’ also impacted the state of Tripura. Here I also tried to track down the events related to the ‘Quite India Movement’ in Tripura during the war and how the ruling class of princely Tripura met those challenges. In a nutshell, through this paper, an attempt has been made to shed light on the relevant events, that took place in princely Tripura during the Second World War and analyse different events & developments related to it from various socio-economic and political aspects. Nevertheless, this paper is a small initiative for the history enthusiast to enhance the understanding of the role of Tripura in a global phenomenon like World War II and to reconstruct the events in a systematic way to conduct further study. KEYWORDS: Allied power, Axis power, Tripura, British suzerainty, Northeastern India, Invasion, Burma.

Evaluating a Polyhouse Pond-based Aquaculture Production System for Cultivating Neolissochilus hexagonolepis (Chocolate Mahseer) in the Agro-climatic Conditions of Meghalaya, Northeast India

This study evaluated a polyhouse pond aquaculture system (PPAS, 200m2) for cultivating chocolate mahseer (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis) under Meghalaya’s agro-climatic conditions. Over two years, chocolate mahseer growth, survival, and biomass production in PPAS were compared against a conventional open pond aquaculture system (OPAS, 200m2). PPAS demonstrated substantial advantages, with fish exhibiting 34.6% higher final weight (112.24 ± 7.10g vs 83.38 ± 9.91g), 34.8% greater daily weight gain (0.31 ± 0.02 g/day vs 0.23 ± 0.03 g/day), 7.8% higher specific growth rate (1.10 ± 0.04 %/day vs 1.02 ± 0.08 %/day), and 16.1% better survival rate (83.85 ± 5.02% vs 72.20 ± 6.85%) compared to OPAS. Consequently, PPAS total fish biomass (941.97 ± 91.20 kg/ha) was 56.5% greater than OPAS (601.84 ± 90.60 kg/ha). PPAS maintained an average 2.4°C higher water temperature, with a 3.2°C difference during winter. Despite higher initial investment (₹ 85,000 vs ₹ 50,000) PPAS net profit (₹ 6,872) was substantially higher than OPAS (₹ 2,432) due to increased biomass. This innovative system mitigates environmental constraints, meriting further research for enhancing economic viability and long-term sustainability in adverse climatic regions.

An elusive line in an elusive frontier: Delineating the historical trajectory of the inner line in India’s northeast

The Inner Line remains one of the most contentious yet enduring legacies of colonial rule in the erstwhile British India’s northeast frontier. However, there is a major disconnect between the popular conception of the Inner Line as a legal shield protecting ‘vulnerable’ communities, and the scholarly deconstruction of the Inner Line as a colonial instrument designed for the exploitation of resources and the policing of hill communities. This article traces the historical trajectory of the Inner Line in India’s northeast and highlights the significant moments when the Inner Line was subjected to varying interpretations. It argues that the history of the Inner Line was characterised by flexibility and instability not only in its physical manifestation as a geographical marker but more particularly in its perceived intent and purpose. Delineating the shifts in the roles and functions that were ascribed to the Inner Line at different historical junctures, this article attempts to reconcile the varied and even contradictory understandings of the Inner Line that continue to persist in postcolonial Northeast India.

Divergence and convergence in epiphytic and endophytic phyllosphere bacterial communities of rice landraces.

Phyllosphere-associated microbes can significantly alter host plant fitness, with distinct functions provided by bacteria inhabiting the epiphytic (external surface) vs endophytic niches (internal leaf tissue). Hence, it is important to understand the assembly and stability of these phyllosphere communities, especially in field conditions. Broadly, epiphytic communities should encounter more environmental fluctuations and frequent immigration, whereas endophytic microbiota should face stronger host selection. As a result, we expect greater variability in epiphytic than endophytic communities. We analyzed the structure and stability of leaf phyllosphere microbiota of four traditionally cultivated rice landraces and one commercial variety from northeast India grown in the field for 3 consecutive years, supplemented with opportunistic sampling of eight other landraces. Epiphytic and endophytic bacterial communities shared dominant core genera such as Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas. Consistent with an overall strong environmental effect, both communities varied more across sampling years than across host landraces. Seeds sampled from a focal landrace did not support vertical transmission of phyllosphere bacteria, suggesting that both types of communities are assembled anew each generation. Despite these points of convergence, epiphytic communities had distinct composition and significantly higher microbial load and were more rich, diverse, modular, and unstable than endophytic communities. Finally, focused sampling of one landrace across developmental stages showed that the divergence between the two types of communities arose primarily at the flowering stage. Thus, our results show both convergent and divergent patterns of community assembly and composition in distinct phyllosphere niches in rice, identifying key bacterial genera and host developmental stages that may aid agricultural interventions to increase rice yield.IMPORTANCEPhyllosphere (leaf-associated) microbes significantly impact plant fitness, making it crucial to understand how these communities are assembled and maintained. While many studies have analyzed epiphytic (surface) phyllosphere communities, we have a relatively poor understanding of endophytic communities which colonize the very distinct niche formed inside leaf tissues. We found that across several rice landraces, both communities are largely colonized by the same core genera, indicating divergence at the species level across the two leaf niches and highlighting the need to understand the mechanisms underlying this divergence. Surprisingly, both epiphytic and endophytic communities were only weakly shaped by the host landrace, with a much greater role for environmental factors that likely vary over time. Thus, microbiome-based agricultural interventions for increasing productivity could perhaps be generalized across rice varieties but would need to account for the temporal instability of the microbiota. Our results thus highlight the importance of data sets such as ours-with extensive sampling across landraces and years-for understanding phyllosphere microbiota and their applications in the field.

Role of CD34, SMA & Ki-67 Immunohistochemistry– An Important Diagnostic Tool in Differentiating Early Well Differentiated Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Benign Hepatic Mimickers: A Retrospective Study from North East India

North East India has higher incidence of cancers than rest of the country& with advent of early screening, Hepatocellular carcinoma is getting detected at an early stage. Core needle biopsies have become indispensible tool for diagnosis of HCC and it is difficult to identify cell thickness in early well-differentiated HCC from benign mimickers on histomorphology. To overcome this difficulty, present study was designed to see the utility of CD 34, SMA & Ki-67 in this regard and also to see role of these markers in differentiating Early well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma from benign hepatic mimickers. 48 FFPE blocks of various lesions of liver were retrieved from Oncopathology Department, BBCI Guwahati in last one year. Cases were divided into Group A (n=28-HCC) Group B (n=20-benign mimickers). IHC CD34, SMA & Ki-67 were done on all cases. Demographic &clinical details with histomorphological findings were correlated. In Group A- 26 out of 28 HCC cases (92.8%), CD34 was strongly, completely & diffusely expressed by sinusoidal vessels with more than 3 cell plate thickness. Group B- In normal liver (10 out of 20), hepatic sinusoids are negative to weak positive for CD34.In 7 out of 20 (35.1%) benign conditions, it is sparsely expressed in capillarized sinusoids at periportal & perinodular area& high-grade dysplastic nodules showed peripheral and focal staining for CD34. Stromal cells are strongly Positive for SMA in 85.7% (group A 24 out of 28). Ki-67 was slightly increased in Group A (6-10%) than in Group B (1-2 %). Our data demonstrates that CD34, SMA & Ki-67 has significant increased expression in early WD HCC as compared to benign mimickers. Hence, CD34, SMA & ki-67 are significant helpful IHC tool for reaching to a definite diagnosis of Early WD HCC when disease is yet at early stage & and ideal for setup where specific markers of malignant hepatic tumors are not available. Thus, immunohistochemical markers essentially expressed in HCC in a specific ...

An Examination Of The Physical And Psychological Consequences Of Juvenile Drug Use In North-East India: A Public Health Crisis

An Examination Of The Physical And Psychological Consequences Of Juvenile Drug Use In North-East India: A Public Health Crisis

India's "Act East" Policy and Northeast India: Prospects and Challenges

An important feature of India’s eastward engagement is the role and significance of India’s Northeast region. The significance of the Northeast region for India’s eastward engagement comes from its geographical proximity and socio - cultural linkages with India’s eastern neighbours, providing ample scope and opportunities for promoting economic integration and connectivity, besides enhancing socio - cultural engagements. Realising this potential, the role and participation of Northeast India came to be emphasised as a crucial component of the Look East Policy. With the transition from ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’ Policy since 2014, the role and significance of Northeast India in India’s eastward engagement has been given added emphasis. Despite its tremendous potential, the Northeast region is beset with problems and challenges such as underdevelopment, political instability and poor governance, which have hindered the unlocking of the full potential of the region. There is also participation deficit of the region in the formulation and execution of India’s ‘neighbourhood policy. ’ In order to transform the potential of the region into reality, there is a need for ensuring the effective participation and integration of the Northeast region in the “Act East” Policy.

Study of Some Reproductive Traits in Mabuya multifasciata (Sauria: Scincidae) Regarding Sexual Dimorphism during 2013-2015

The Mabuya skink is a widely distributed species in India as well as in North East India and China (Zhaao and Adler, 1995; Ngnyen et al., 2009). In fact the species Mabuya multifasciata is commonly found in the open region of villages, secondary forests of different humid regions and in the region with variable temperatures (Ngnyen et al. 2009; Li et al. 2010). Many reptiles lay eggs while Mabuya gives birth to live young. This is a unique feature in case of lizards and skink as for example Mabuya multifasciata. We studied the size of the eggs and the nutrients and its effect on the reproductive cycle. The male reproductive cycle was also studied.

Unveiling the effect of leaf maturity on biochemical constituents and quality of CTC black tea: insights from Northeast India’s commercial cultivars

Unveiling the effect of leaf maturity on biochemical constituents and quality of CTC black tea: insights from Northeast India’s commercial cultivars

Characterization of the viral genome of Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Tripura, a remote frontier state in Northeastern India.

From 2020, with advent of COVID-19 pandemic, Tripura has experienced SARS-CoV-2 viral evolution in accordance with other parts of India. Since January 2022, the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus became the predominant lineage circulating in India and neighboring countries. This study characterizes the viral genome of the omicron variant circulating in the state since its inception to June, 2023. The current study was performed on nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples received from the various departments of AGMC, as well as eight district hospitals from Tripura. The positive samples with a cycle threshold value of 25 or less for the E and/or N gene were considered for whole genome sequencing using Illumina Miseq NGS platform. Majority of the sequences belonged to Clade 21L, with BA.5.2 being the major sub variant detected during the study period. Majority of the mutations were detected in the Spike protein region, including L24-, P25-, P26-, V213G, G339D, S371F, S373P, S375F, T376A, D405N, R408S, K417N, S477N, T478K, Q498R, Y505H, Q954H and N969K. All the sequences uniquely showed the mutations A27S and G142D in N terminal domain in Spike protein, not being reported from other Indian sequences like BA.5 variants. T9I, A63T and P13L were major substitutions in E, M and N protein regions respectively. Escape of mutants from vaccine induced immunity was mostly observed in BA.2 sub variants, majority endowed with the triplet mutation of K417N + E484K + N501Y. The current study indicates that Omicron variants circulating in the state of Tripura is comparable to other regions of India and the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. Genetic mutations increasing viral transmissibility have been identified in the circulating viral genomes.

Contemporary Development Discourse in Northeast India and its Impact on the Tribal Communities

Northeast India, a region characterised by great geo-political and ecological significance, is geographically divided into the plains and the hills and is home to many tribal communities that largely depend on natural resource-based livelihoods. While shifting cultivation (jhum) has been a dominant traditional system of land use among tribes both in the hills and the plains, most of them in the plains abandoned this practice on account of colonial-era encroachment. In the hills, however, shifting cultivation still plays a critical role in maintaining agricultural biodiversity and providing food security to the indigenous communities. The advent of colonial development in the region in the 19th century left a long-term impact on its natural and social landscapes. After independence, especially after the early 1960s, the hills that remained largely excluded from the process of colonial development were also brought under the development agenda of the Indian state. However, in recent times, under the neoliberal Indian state, the development discourse in the region has witnessed an unprecedentedly aggressive character seriously undermining the traditional ecology, land ownership system, livelihood and culture of the tribal communities.

Marketing of Small Business with Regard to Handloom Sector

The present paper explores the marketing practices of handloom based small business enterprises in India. It is assumed that marketing plays an immense role in promoting as well as preserving handloom products. Handloom sector plays a vital role in preservation of traditional craftmanship and also provides job opportunities for the weavers specially women in case of Northeast India. Hence, it is a sector that makes women an empowered and self- reliant person. Small businesses in the handloom sector use a variety of marketing strategies which includes both traditional and modern approaches. Small business in handloom sector face different challenges in marketing of their products.

Reconfiguring the Tribe: Changing Ethnic Affiliations in India’s Northeast

This essay sees the form and functioning of the Zeliangrong Naga community as a work in progress. Rather than a perennial, historically immutable and delimited entity, the (relatively recent) formation of the Zeliangrong community indicates that tribes can be formed afresh and that tribal identities are constantly in flux. I begin by tracing and placing the origins of the Zeliangrong Naga as told by Zeliangrong elders and circulating origin and migration stories. Then, continuing my focus on ethnic alignment and realignment, I studied the Zeliangrong movement that emerged in the 1920s. At first, they advocated a Naga Raj through the ousting of the colonial government. Over time, however, this rebellion changed direction and reduced its ambitions to the creation of a Zeliangrong homeland that would unite the Zeliangrong people who currently inhabit three different states of Northeast India, namely Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. Drawing both on historical analysis and fresh ethnography this essay shows how over time the Zeliangrong ethnic identity has come under strain and is increasingly internally contested with its constituent parts now expressing divergent political aspirations while also struggling over status, standing and dominance within.

New photographic and distribution records of the Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa (Blyth, 1843) and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus (Horsfield, 1821) from the Tsirang District landscape in Bhutan

The distribution records with photographic evidence of the Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa (Blyth, 1843) and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus (Horsfield, 1821) from the Tsirang District landscape in Bhutan. S. formosa, under Sittidae family, was first described in 1843 and is native to the eastern Himalaya, northeastern India, and extending into southeastern Asia. L. javanicus being widely distributed is rare and faces threats from deforestation, leading to its vulnerable status. The largest wading bird in the Ciconiidae family, found mainly in southern and southeastern Asia, with a recent sighting in Tsirang District establishing new distribution records for Bhutan. The district’s ecological diversity, including broadleaved forests, and riverine landscapes, supports a rich avifauna, making it a hotspot for bird enthusiasts. Separate studies are required to ensure the long-term conservation of Beautiful Nuthatch, and to confirm whether Lesser Adjutant is a regular visitor in Tsirang.

Evaluation of Promising Lines of Lai Patta (Brassica juncea var rugosa L.) Suitable for Cultivation in North Eastern India

The present study was carried out with ten accessions of laipatta (Brassica juncea var rugosa L.) in Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat in order to identify suitable high yielding variety(s) with desirable quality characters. The accessions viz., JorMLG-1, JorMLP-2, MLG-3, MLP-4, MLG-5, MLP-6, ShLG-7, KjLP-8, ChL-9 (Check), and KL-10(Check) were collected from different districts of Assam and North East. They were evaluated consecutively for three years in station trials in the Dept. of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat for plant yield and other quantitative and quality characters. The accessions were tested in Multilocation trials in five research stations. In these trials. among all genotypes JorMLG-1 and JorMLP-2 were found to be the best for plant yield and other component characters. The On Farm trials conducted in 12 farmers’ fields in Jorhat and Kokrajhar districts of the state exhibited average plant yield of 350.1 q/ha in JorMLG-1 and 318.2 q/ha in JorMLP-2 with 34 – 48% yield increase over the best check variety (ChL-9). JorMLG-1was a green leaf variety whereas JorMLP-2 was a greenish purple variety. The edible leaves could be harvested upto 60 days in JorMLG-1 and 55 days in JorMLP-2 after transplanting till the initiation of bolters. However, the best check variety ChL-9 showed bolting at 25 days after transplanting. Estimation of quality characters revealed 147.6 mg ascorbic acid, 186 mg calcium and 11.21 mg iron per 100g in JorMLG-1 whereas 145.2 mg ascorbic acid, 176 mg calcium and 10.61 mg iron per 100g in JorMLP-2. They have been recommended in the Zonal Research Committee Meeting and Annual Technical Committee Meeting held at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2019-20 for release in the state of Assam. In view of yield performance, consumer preference and taste, the varieties are spreading very fast and getting popularity throughout entire NE states. However, more study is required on quality traits, genetic parameters and molecular aspects.

Examining thedrivers of forest cover change and deforestation susceptibility in Northeast India using multicriteria decision-makingmodels.

The increasing rates of forest cover change and heightened vulnerability to deforestation present significant environmental challenges in Northeast India. This study investigates the dynamics of forest cover changeand susceptibility to deforestation in this region from 2001 to 2021, utilizing data from the Hansen Global Forest Change (HGFC) productonthe Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. A suite of multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) models-including VlseKriterijumska optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR), Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS), and Weighted Aggregates Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS)-was employed to assess changes in forest cover and deforestation susceptibility across varied zones. Multicollinearity tests confirmed the relevance of the factors influencing deforestation. Statistical validations, such as the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, underscored the models' robustness, revealing statistically significant outcomes. Additionally, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and Area Under the Curve (AUC) analysis demonstrated the superior fit of the VIKOR model (AUC = 0.938) compared to SAW (AUC = 0.901), EDAS (AUC = 0.895), and WASPAS (AUC = 0.864) in predicting current deforestation susceptibility. Validation affirmed the reliability of all MCDM methods, with VIKOR displaying high sensitivity (True Positive Rate, TPR = 0.878) and optimal AUC (0.938). Correlation analyses among the models identified significant inter-relationships, notably a positive correlation between EDAS and SAW, and a negative correlation between VIKOR and SAW. The regions of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh were identified as experiencing significant forest cover loss, indicating a pronounced susceptibility to future deforestation. These findings underscore the need for immediate intervention to address this critical environmental issue.

Rise of Populism in Northeast India: A Case of Assam

Rise of Populism in Northeast India: A Case of Assam

Insights into Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck peel essential oil from NE India: A study of its pharmacological properties and chemical composition

Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck is considered as one of the most significant horticultural as well as essential oil crop. However, the significance of the fruit peels left after the utilization of the sour fruit find limited importance and these leftover peels are rich in essential oil. Lemon peel essential oil (LPEO) finds used in the fragrance, food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study lemon peel were used for isolation of essential oil by hydro-distillation, analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS and was further subjected to in vitro anti-oxidant (DPPH, ABTS), anti-inflammatory, anti-tyrosinase, genotoxicity and anti-diabetic assays. The essential oil analysis has revealed limonene as major compound (38.08%) along with other minor compounds namely, α-citral (12.02%), decanal (8.14%) and neral (7.36%). The total amount of citral (α-citral and neral) was found to be 19.38%, comparatively higher compared to previous reports. LPEO was found to exhibit very strong tyrosinase inhibition activity along with good alpha-amylase inhibition. The results from this study further strengthen the immense potential of LPEO as an anti-diabetic and skin whitening agent. The results framed from this study will further strengthen the position of earlier works on biological activities of C. limon besides providing a descriptive work on the potential of Assam LPEO.