Screening, Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of Laccase Producing Bacteria from Contaminated Sites

Screening and isolation of Laccase producing bacteria from Guntur District soil was carried out to assess the diversity of Lignocellulose degrading bacteria. Isolation and identification of environmental friendly bacteria for lignin degradation becomes an essential one, because all the researchers are mainly concentrating on fungal strains. However, bacteria seem to play a leading role in decomposing lignin. For isolation of Laccase producing bacteria nutrient agar medium containing guaiacol was used. Total nine bacterial strains were isolated from soil samples collected from different regions of Guntur district. Preliminary screening of bacterial strains was carried out on guaiacol containing nutrient agar medium for laccase production. Formation of green colour using ABTS (2,2'- azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) confirms the capability of laccase production by the bacterial strains. Nine bacterial strains showed positive results. High laccase producing bacterial isolates were examined for morphological and biochemical characteristics according to Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. The predominant isolates were identified as Bacillus and Enterobacter species.

Mapping of active and empty aquaponds using spectral indices in coastal region of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Aim: To evaluate spectral indices as tools for separation of active aquaponds filled with water and engaged in shrimp/fish production from empty aquaponds using Landsat -8 data in coastal region of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Methodology: The active and empty aquaponds were demarcated with Landsat satellite (Landsat-8) Operational Land Imager’s (OLI) multispectral images using maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) algorithm and spectral indices like Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Modified NDWI (MNDWI), Water Ratio Index (WRI) and Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEInsh) by means of thresholds. Results: The supervised classification using maximum likelyhood classifier recorded the highest active aquapond area whereas; NDWI, combination of indices and WRI resulted in lower but almost similar extents. Evaluation of confusion matrix using validation points revealed that NDWI, WRI and combination of indices resulted in all most perfect agreement with a kappa value of more than 0.9. Maximum likelihood classifier, NDVI and MNDWI could separate active ponds and empty ponds from other land uses with strong agreement, while AWEInsh could separate different land uses only with moderate agreement. Interpretation: The study indicates that spectral indices like NDWI, WRI and combination of indices are able to delineate aquaponds that were cultured for shrimp/fish and kept empty at a given time with noticeably high accuracy using satellite data for better managing of resources in coastal ecosystem.

A STUDY ON SELF-EFFICACY AMONG ADOLESCENT STUDENTS

The purpose of this study was to measure the self-efcacy among adolescent students in Guntur district. It consisted of a sample of 200 students. For data-collection, self-efcacy scale by Dr. Arun Kumar Singh and Dr. Shruti Narain was used. Stratied random sampling technique was also used. The main ndings of the study showed that there was a signicant difference among boys and girls students. Moreover the results also showed that there was no signicant difference among students in relation to their student’s residential area and age

DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION - ASTUDY ON SCHEDULED CASTES IN GUNTUR DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

The Scheduled Castes, according to the 2011 census, are 20.13 crores and constitute 16.6 per cent of the total population of the country and have long suffered from extreme social and economic backwardness. The Scheduled Castes category comprises many castes which share certain common handicaps in relation to the rest of the castes in society. They are quite distinct in caste hierarchy. They are economically dependent, educationally backward, politically suppressed, and socially the worst sufferers. Further they were classed as untouchables. The term scheduled castes refers to a list of castes prepared in 1935 by the British Government in India. But during the ancient period and medieval period they were known as Panchamas (fifth group), Chandalas (heathens or outeastes) and Antyajas (lowest class), and during the British period they came to be called first as Depressed Classes (dalitjatis) or Exterior Castes (avarnas), later as Harijans (children of God), and finally as Scheduled Castes (castes listed in the Government Schedule Article 341).

Facies Architecture and Sedimentary Structures in the drill cores of Uranium Bearing Sediments of Banganapalle Formation of Palnad Sub-basin, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh

The Banganapalle Formation, the lowest member of the Neoproterozoic Kurnool Group of rocks, resting over the basement granites, has been identified as the host rock for uranium in Koppunuru area in the western part of Palnad sub-basin. The uppermost arenite facies of the Banganapalle Formation is exposed on surface and shows only few bedform indicators like ripple marks, planer laminations etc. Down-hole lithological examinations on course of core drilling in Koppunuru and adjoining areas identified five recognizable lithofacies of Banganapalle Formation, viz. basal conglomerate unit, quartzite-shale intercalated facies, and two quartz arenite facies separated by a grey shale dominated argillaceous facies. The polymictic conglomerate, with unsorted grit to pebble size clasts of granite, shale, quartzite, vein quartz and dolerite indicate short distance transportation and derivation from nearby granitoids traversed by quartz reef/dolerite dykes. Cyclic repetitions of arenaceous and argillaceous sediments in Banganapalle lithocolumn above the basal conglomerates point to alternate rhythmic marine transgression and regression regimes. These units can also be discriminated based on their sedimentary texture, bedforms and several soft-sedimentary penecontemporaneous deformational structures (PCD) like load structure, convolute bedding/laminations, and slump structures such as micro-slips, gravity faults and folds. These syn-sedimentary structures clearly indicate perturbation and submergence of the basin contemporaneous to deposition. Cross-beds suggests change in current direction/intensity while bi-directional symmetrical ripples in outcrops of upper arenite facies suggests that the Banganapalle sediments are derived from the basement granitoids exposed to the north as well as upper Cuddapah sediments to its west. Overall, the sedimentary structures, textural and composition variation of the lithounits suggest deposition of these sediments in marginal marine, inter- to supra-tidal flat environment. The porous and permeable nature of the quartz arenite and the basal conglomerates and the presence of available reductants in the form of sulphides and carbonaceous matter make them the best suited loci for fluid movement and precipitation of uranium.

Farm Technology Adoption In Farming:An Application Oftam Model

In the present study we analyze the farmers’ perception towards adoption of technology such as technology adoption for better productivity in farming. The considered constructs are adopted from Technology adoption model (TAM). A total sample of 165seasonal farmers who grow millets from the Guntur district are considered through simple random technique and out of which survey respondents irregular responses are eliminated finally 150 samples are determined for statistical analysis. Factor analysis was performed to determine the latent factors and their dependent association with intention for adoption was observed with regression analysis. Results are reported and discussions are made as per the results and in correlation between results and previous literature and finally, suggestions and future indication for extension of the study are proposed.

Production, Purification and Characterization of Extracellular Lipase from a Mutated Strain of Penicillium Citrinum KU613360

In the present study lipase production, purification and characterization were carried out with a novel fungal strain of Penicillium citrinum KU613360 isolated from vegetable oil contaminated soil samples collected from oil mills located in and around Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The strain improvement was carried out by subjecting the strain to both UV and Ethidium Bromide treatments. The wild strain of P. citrinum KU613360 showed maximum lipase activity of 1.053±0.32IUmL-1 on optimized medium and while the mutated strain treated with combination of UV (300 sec) and Et Br (200 µgcm3), recorded the enzyme activity of 4.260±0.011IUmL-1, using the optimised medium at 6.5 pH and 40°C temperature. Thus, a 404% enhancement in the activity was achieved by using induced mutation on wild strain of P. citrinum KU613360. The molecular weight of the purified lipase from the mutated strain was found to be 35 kDa, when analysed on SDS PAGE. From our results it was concluded that the mutated strain has considerable capability and potentiality to be used in various industrial applications.