The Mannavan Shola forest (77 12 8" E and 10 12 8" N). is situated in the Western Ghats region of Kerala with an altitude varying from 1,900 to 2,500 m, Comes under Marayoor Forest Range of Munnar Wild life Division, Idukki District, Kerala (Binu Thomas et al., 2011).
Abstract
The mineral levels of leaves of vegetable plant, lady’s finger, Hibiscus esculentus L (var COBh H1) grown (under pot culture set up) in control soil, vermicompost amended soil, nematode inoculated soil and nematode inoculated soil with vermicompost were investigated in order to understand the suppressive effect of vermicompost on the root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White). The levels of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron were estimated in the leaves of plants grown for 15 and 30 days in all the above mentioned conditions. The higher magnitudes of reduction in leaf calcium and magnesium levels of plants grown in nematode inoculated soil amended with vermicompost probably indicated the suppressive effect of vermicompost on nematode infestation thereby aiding a possible increased growth of the plant. The higher magnitudes of elevation in the leaf iron content of plants grown in NIV conditions probably indicated the suppressive effect of vermicompost on the root-knot nematode by way of increasing the absorption of higher levels of iron which could be of adaptive value for increased biochemical reactions in plant tissue to enhance the plant growth.
Earthworms respond to microbial infection through body fluid defense mechanisms such as antimicrobial vermiwash secretions. In the present study, vermiwash was collected from Eisenia fetida and tested against four bacterial strains (Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas fluorcscence, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). Vermiwash was able to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. This research may be used for vermi-medicine field.
The present study was conducted to investigate the presence of phytochemicals in the leaves of four species viz. Bauhinia tomentosa, Cassia occidentalis, Caesalpinia bonduc and Parkinsonia aculeata belonging to family Caesalpiniaceae. Three solvents such as chloroform, benzene and petroleum ether were used for extraction. The constituents screened were alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides and tannins. The distribution of these constituents in the leaves of selected species were assessed and compared. Preliminary phytochemical screening of Bauhinia tomentosa, Cassia occidentalis did not reveal alkaloids while Caesalpinia bonduc and Parkinsonia aculeata revealed alkaloids. Glycosides and flavonoids were present in all the selected species of family Caesalpiniaceae. Tannin was present in Cassia occidentalis, Caesalpinia bonduc and Parkinsonia aculeata while absent in Bauhinia tomentosa. Saponin was present in Parkinsonia aculeata while absent in Bauhinia tomentosa, Cassia occidentalis and Caesalpinia bonduc.
Abstract The organic constituents (such as total carbohydrate, protein, total free amino acid and chlorophyll (‘a’ ‘b’ and total) of leaves of vegetable plant, lady’s finger, Hibiscus esculentus L (var COBh H1) grown (under pot culture set up) in control soil, vermicompost amended soil, nematode inoculated soil and nematode inoculated soil with vermicompost were investigated in order to understand the suppressive effect of vermicompost on the root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White). The higher magnitudes of reductions in total carbohydrate content of leaves of plants grown in NIV soil condition for 15 and 30 days probably indicated the compensatory effect of vermicompost on the parasitic effect by way of enhanced utilization of synthesized carbohydrates towards the increased growth of plants. The suppressive effect of vermicompost on the parasitic infestation is well pronounced by the higher (+36 percent) magnitude of increase in the leaf total protein content of plants grown in nematode inoculated soil with vermicompost after prolonged growth for 30 days. The significant higher magnitude of -75 percent reduction in the free amino acid content of plants grown in nematode inoculated soil with vermicompost compared to those grown in nematode inoculated soil for 15 days probably indicated the suppressive effect of vermicompost on the parasitic effect thereby enhancing the plant growth. The significant reductions in the free amino acid content of leaves of Hibiscus esculentus grown in all the three experimental conditions following 30 days of growth probably indicated elevated protein synthetic activity in plants upon prolonged periods. The overall significant reduction in the chlorophyll content of the plants grown in nematode inoculated soil with vermicompost for 15 days probably indicated the absence of suppressive effect of vermicompost on the parasitic effect, particularly during the early periods of growth. On the other hand, the vermicompost supplementation of the nematode inoculated soil appeared to restore (by suppressing the parasitic effect) an increased synthesis of leaf chlorophyll content in the plants following prolonged period of growth for 30 days. Keywords: Lady’s finger plant, Hibiscus esculentus, root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, vermicompost, organic constituents, total carbohydrate, protein, total free amino acid and chlorophyll.
A study was carried out in a rural teaching hospital in 2011 to determine the virulence factors such as fimbriae and siderophore production in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and to differentiate them from faecal E. coli. About 125 isolates of E. coli from urine samples of patients with urinary tract infection and 50 faecal E. coli isolates from healthy persons were studied. The presence of fimbriae was observed through heamagglutination assay and siderophore production was detected by chrome azurolsulphonate (CAS) qualitative and quantitative assays. Fimbriae were observed in all E. coli isolates from urine samples (100%). Siderophore production was observed in 123 urine isolates (98.4%) and the production percentage was in the range of 35% - 90%. Faecal isolates neither produced siderophores nor had the evidence of p- fimbriae. The results of our study suggest that, siderophores can also be used for selective drug delivery using Trojan horse strategy.
Information is presented on the occurrence of spinal deformities in wild population of Mystus montanus collected from Tamirabarani river, during June 2010. The spines showed deformities in one or few places from the vertical to horizontal angles and the vertebrae were significantly thicker in the deformed fish than in the normal fishes.
Keywords: Fish, deformity, Mystus montanus, and populations
