Consumptive use pattern of mustard (Brassica Juncea L) under different soil and climatic environments

Mustard is an important cash crop in north India where it is widely grown under different climatic environment and soil types. In the present study, evapotranspiration and other agro-meteoralogical data for four agroclimatic locations, viz., Jorhat, Samakhunta, Raipur and Jodhpur have been utilized to understand consumptive use and related aspects of mustard. The evapotranspiration values recorded by lysimeters, global radiation and actual soil moisture data of Jorhat and the computed soil moisture have been used. The study suggests that the nlustard plant uses n10re water at all the stations except at humid location where consumptive use is least. The utilization is n1aximum betw~n 31-60 days after sowing in case ofJorhat l;er 111 and Samakhunta. The con1puted soil 1110isture estimates for 45 cm layer agree with the actual soil moisture. 15-1 The analysis also brings oUt that during the seventh week after sowing, the ratio of consumpiive use and rti. Ru Ilobal radiation attains a nlaxin1um value. This infonnation can be used for detennining irrigation needs and ular m computing energy balance components in the crop. ncymodsE..C.1..S.l.R...llC

THE EVAPOTRANSPIRATIVE DEMAND AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE CROP (ZEA MAYS L.) IN THE SEMI-ARID TRACT OF INDIA

Mai ze is an Impo rta nt component o f th e d ry lau d fanning system o f India. In th e present study.d ata fur five years' period for three 51ation s. viz.. New Delhi. Rajendran agar an d Bellary in th e dry farm ing tr act ofInd ia have been iuili zed to und erstand evapotra nspira tive deman d of the crop in relat ion to pan-evaporat ion , andsolar rad iation. Biomet ric cha racte ristic. e.g.. heil:ht ofthe pla nt has also been analysed \'U-U-I';S meteorological facton.' V,lIer use efficie ncy of maul," has also been workedout nnd discu ssed . Th e analysis indica ted th ai th e maize plant uses maximum water during the flowering stage. Th e ETJEP rati ogradu ally in creases fmm germination aua ining a maximum value 8 to 10we eks after sowing.Th is ratio is found 10 besignilican tl)' correlated with the plan t height . The ETIR, curve was found 10 follow a sigm oid patt ern reac hingmaximum during flowering stage. Th e water use efficiency of maize crop vari es ove r wide margins in limeand space.

Traditional Herbal Remedies Used for Managing Anxiety and Insomnia in Italy: An Ethnopharmacological Overview

Anxiety and insomnia are among the most common mental health disorders and are a major cause of disability around the world. Traditional herbal medicines are receiving significant attention in global health debates. Several Italian regions maintain rural traditions and are among the most extensively studied areas of Europe regarding medicinal plant uses. The present overview aims to highlight the use of wild and cultivated plants, specifically as sedatives and for insomnia treatment in Italy, and to collect, analyze, and summarize the available literature about their pharmacological activity as well as clinical and pre-clinical studies concerning the most cited plants. In total, 106 wild taxa are used in Italy for sedative purposes. The plant species belong to 76 genera and 32 families, of which the most cited are Asteraceae (24.2%) and Lamiaceae (21.1%). Leaves (29%) and flowers (27%) are the plant parts mostly used as infusion (70%) and decoction (25%). Out of 106 taxa documented, only the most cited are analyzed in this overview (A. arvensis L., C. nepeta L., C. monogyna Jacq., H. lupulus L., L. nobilis L., L. angustifolia Mill., M. sylvestris L., M. chamomilla L., M. officinalis L., O. basilicum L., P. rhoeas L., P. somniferum L., R. officinalis L., T. platyphyllus Scop., and V. officinalis L.). Among the fifteen species selected, only seven have been studied for their pharmacological activity as hypnotic-sedatives. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are needed to better clarify the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds and confirm the potential of these alternative therapies.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge of an Eskimo Family: Naukan Yupiks [Etnobotanicheskoe znanie odnoi eskimosskoi sem’i: naukanskie yupiki]

This article analyzes the Naukan Yupiks ethnobotanical knowledge, i.e. the use of plants as food, medicine, household or ritual objects, on the example of one family. The resettlement from Cape Dezhnev to other settlements led to significant changes in their culture and language proficiency. Fieldwork was carried out in summer 2014 in the village of Uelen, Chukotka, using the methods of structured interviews and participant observation. Informants named 26 species belonging to 18 families; these species gave a total of 170 plant uses. Within one family, there is a sharp decline in the knowledge of the Naukan phytonyms, as well as the repertoire of plants used from older generations to younger ones. The disappearing knowledge includes the collection of plant roots harvested by tundra voles. However, aerial parts of plants, berries, and algae remain popular. The variety of methods for preparing plants is increasing, including due to contact with the Russian-speaking population and access to new technologies.

Design of Electrical Setting Protection System Indarung VI Cement Plant (Case Study New Cement Plant Construction at PT Semen Padang)

Along with the rapid development of technology and the development of civilization, electrical energy is very important in all fields. This research will conduct a study on the electrical protection system design of PT Semen Padang's Indarung VI Cement Plant using the ETAP 12.6 software. PT Semen Padang's Indarung VI Cement Plant uses three transformers of 150 / 6.3 kV of 30/35 MVA (ONAN / ONAF) and each Main Substation has substations that will supply all the loads to be used. The power flow study shows that the addition of a capacitor bank and a tap changer setting will improve the power factor and voltage of the system, thereby reducing the power supply sent by PLN. The short circuit study shows that the largest short circuit current, which is 35 kA, can be protected by a circuit breaker with a breaking capacity of 40 kA. The protection system coordination study shows that the results of the overcurrent relay setting can protect the electrical system of Indarung VI Cement Plant selectively and safely.

A global database of plant services for humankind

Humanity faces the challenge of conserving the attributes of biodiversity that may be essential to secure human wellbeing. Among all the organisms that are beneficial to humans, plants stand out as the most important providers of natural resources. Therefore, identifying plant uses is critical to preserve the beneficial potential of biodiversity and to promote basic and applied research on the relationship between plants and humans. However, much of this information is often uncritical, contradictory, of dubious value or simply not readily accessible to the great majority of scientists and policy makers. Here, we compiled a genus-level dataset of plant-use records for all accepted vascular plant taxa (13489 genera) using the information gathered in the 4th Edition of Mabberley’s plant-book, the most comprehensive global review of plant classification and their uses published to date. From 1974 to 2017 all the information was systematically gathered, evaluated, and synthesized by David Mabberley, who reviewed over 1000 botanical sources including modern Floras, monographs, periodicals, handbooks, and authoritative websites. Plant uses were arranged across 28 standard categories of use following the Economic Botany Data Collection Standard guidelines, which resulted in a binary classification of 9478 plant-use records pertaining human and animal nutrition, materials, fuels, medicine, poisons, social and environmental uses. Of all the taxa included in the dataset, 33% were assigned to at least one category of use, the most common being “ornamental” (26%), “medicine” (16%), “human food” (13%) and “timber” (8%). In addition to a readily available binary matrix for quantitative analyses, we provide a control text matrix that links the former to the description of the uses in Mabberley’s plant-book. We hope this dataset will serve to establish synergies between scientists and policy makers interested in plant-human interactions and to move towards the complete compilation and classification of the nature’s contributions to people upon which the wellbeing of future generations may depend.

Mid-Holocene Palaeoenvironment, Plant Resources and Human Interaction in Northeast Iberia: An Archaeobotanical Approach

The role of the adoption of farming economies in the transformation of mid-Holocene landscapes in Northeast Iberia is under discussion given that the Neolithization coincides with the cold climatic phase dated ca. 7500–7000 cal BP. The main aim of this paper is to assess whether human activities or climate were the main driver of vegetation changes during the Middle Holocene through the study of the archaeobotanical data from three case studies: Cova del Sardo, La Draga, and Coves del Fem. The application of diverse archaeobotanical techniques to the different plant remains provides a complete picture of the vegetation composition and plant uses. During the early Neolithic, settlement surroundings were intensively exploited for firewood, wood raw material, timber, and plant fibers. The resources were obtained mainly from deciduous and pine forests, depending on the site localization, but also from riparian zones. The diversity of plants exploited was high, not only trees but shrubs and herbs. Evidence of deforestation has been identified in the settlement surroundings in La Draga and Cova del Sardo. The combination of plant exploitation with other agropastoral activities favored the expansion of colonizing species and enhanced biodiversity at a local scale.

On the Trail of an Ancient Middle Eastern Ethnobotany: Traditional Wild Food Plants Gathered by Ormuri Speakers in Kaniguram, NW Pakistan

An ethnobotanical field study focusing on traditional wild food botanical taxa was carried out in Kaniguram, South Waziristan, Pakistan, among Ormur (or Burki or Baraki) peoples, which represent a diasporic minority group, as well as among the surrounding Pashtuns. Through sixty semi-structured interviews, fifty-two wild food plants (taxa) were recorded, and they were primarily used raw as snacks and cooked as vegetables. Comparative analysis found a remarkable overlap of the quoted plant uses between the two studied groups, which may reflect complex socio-cultural adaptations Ormur speakers faced. Ormur people retain a rich knowledge of anthropogenic weeds and the phytonyms reveal important commonalities with Persian and Kurdish phytonyms, which may indicate their possible horticultural-driven human ecological origin from the Middle East. Some novel or rare food uses of Cirsiumarvense, Nannorrhops ritchiana, Periploca aphylla, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Viscum album,Oxalis corniculata and Withania coagulans were documented. Since the Ormuri language represents a moribund language, still spoken by only a few thousand speakers in NW Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is recommended that the traditional bio-cultural and gastronomical heritage of this minority group be appropriately protected and bolstered in future rural development programs.

Lannea coromandelica: An Overview

Plants serve humans as primary sources for food, shelter and medicines. So understanding the plant uses in treating the diseases is very important for leading a healthier life. Our ancestors have used many plants as medicines and there is a need to provide scientific evidence for the same. Lannea coromandelica from family Anacardiaceae is one of the potent remedial plant. It is known as Modhad or Moi in Vernacular language and is found to be distributed throughout India. It is one of the common plants of deciduous forest and plains .It was extensively used by the tribes all over India to treat various diseases. Many investigations on the chemistry of the plant have been done. This article reviews about the plant L. coromandelica. Keywords: Lannea coromandelica , Anacardiaceae