Life Sciences

Indian medicinal plant (Rauwolfia serpentina (Linn.) were analyzed for their phytochemical constituents. The results revealed the presence of bioactive constituents comprising carbohydrate, glycosides, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin and triterpenes. Rauwolfia serpentina (Linn.) is a good source of glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, and triterpenes. Hence it is used for the extraction of useful drugs.

Bacteria are well known for their ability to liberate proteins and enzymes into their environment. Pseudomonad sp. being important micro-organisms produces wide range of extra-cellular enzymes including proteases. The pseudomonad strains R62 and R81 has been used in this study for electrophoresis analysis of extracellular protease enzymes which were present in the cell free culture of nutrient broth (NB) and protease specific broth (PB) media.

A new compound derived from naphthalene was successfully characterized as Al3+-selective fluorescent probe. The proposed probe has better selectivity and sensitivity compared to other tested metal ions. A prominent fluorescence enhancement was observed in the presence of Al3+, accompanied by the change in the absorption spectrum.

The problem of infertility has not given its due attention in India because it is not a life threatening condition. Infertility is a life crisis with invisible losses and its consequences are manifold. The study was done to find out the prevalence and causes of infertility in ethnic population of J and K. The study was carried out in the hospital settings. The finding of the study Indicates that Jammu region shows highest prevalence of infertility rate followed by Kashmir region, where as Ladakh region shows the lowest prevalence.

In Mafeteng Urban, there are Informal traders of vegetables and fruits who sell products at various public places. The paper describes informal marketing of vegetables and fruits, and highlights the challenges facing the sector. The study uses multiple techniques of data collection including observations and interviews. Descriptive analysis was employed in the study. The results indicate that traders use a price value system of size and numbers. The informal fruits and vegetable sector provides services, employment and income to the people.

Property rights are social institutions that define and delimit the range of privileges granted to individuals of specific resources, such as land and water. They are the authority to determine different forms of control over resources thus determining the use, benefits and costs resulting from resource use. That is, they clearly specify who can use the resources, who can capture the benefits from the resources, and who should incur costs of any socially harmful impact resulting from the use of a resource.

The breeding of pest and disease resistant varieties is one of many strategies of improving kenaf production, but it is vital to identify cultivars with resistance prior to breeding for resistant varieties. In 2013, ten kenaf accessions were screened for resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in a potted experiment laid out in completely randomized design pending field trials. Seeds of kenaf accessions were sown into polypots filled with 10 kg of steam-sterilized soil. Each kenaf seedling was inoculated with 10,000 eggs of M. incognita at three weeks after sowing.

Yellow rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is a damaging wheat disease in many countries including Pakistan. Monitoring of pathogen virulences over time and space provides information for the host resistance improvement and deployment.

Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is polyphagous pest of many agricultural and nonagricultural plants. It sucks the cell sap from leaves, flowers, fruits and tender stems and affects the growth of crop plants adversely. It also creates sooty mould on crop leaves which affect photosynthesis, growth and yield of the crops. A. biguttula biguttula attacked Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) throughout the year.

Ants are important components of ecosystem and acts as biological indicators. The present study was undertaken to assess ant diversity of Kolhapur city. We collected 20 species of ants belonging to genera Camponotus, Monomorium, Crematogaster, Dolichoderus, Formica, Doryllus from Kolhapur city. Their occurrence and economic importance have been reported.