ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF CHITOSAN AGAINST Rhizopus stolonifer

These days instead of chemical pesticides, various natural alternatives have been used for the management of post-harvest diseases. This research was carried out to evaluate the antifungal potential of different chitosan concentrations viz., 5, 10, and 15 mg/µl against Rhizopus stolonifer by the agar dilution and well diffusion methods. The evaluation was carried out after seven days of incubation by measuring the inhibition of R. stolonifer mycelial growth. Results of the study revealed that the chitosan had a significant inhibitory effect on mycelial growth and maximum mycelial growth inhibition was reported at the 10 and 15 mg/µl concentrations and these two treatments are not significantly different. Based on these results, the best concentration (15 mg/µl) was further evaluated by the well diffusion technique. The average inhibition zones formed by the higher concentration was 25mm. Results of the study suggested that chitosan can be used for the management of post-harvesting diseases of tomatoes.

DIVERSITY, DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF LICHEN IN SIMILIPAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE, ODISHA

Lichens are organized symbionts that have their importance due to a potential indicator of the forest ecosystem. The lichen diversity of Odisha is not well explored as compared to the other phytogeographical region of India. Though the earlier study reported the occurrence of 252 lichen species from different parts of the state, it was limited to the northeast part of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR). The objective of the present study was to survey some unexplored areas of SBR, which revealed the occurrence of 84 species of lichens belonging to 38 families and 18 genera. Most of the lichens were found growing as phorophytes on the matured bark of the trees. The western part of the SBR is rich in lichen diversity as compared to the eastern part. Species frequency was found to be highest in the southwest part of the SBR, while the density and abundance were more or less similar within all the study sites. The correlation between frequency and density was found to be significant and insignificant between frequency and abundance.

Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort GREEN SYNTHESIS- REDUCED NICKEL OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FOR ANTIOXIDANT AND BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY

A unique way, green, cost-effective, and direct fabrication method is proposed for the synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles (NPs) in an eco-environmentally way through leaf extract of Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort. The nickel oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using Nickel (II) nitrate hexahydrate as a metal source and aqueous leaf extract of S. maritima was utilized as a green reducing agent. The formation of NPs was monitored by the change in color in the reaction mixture and the synthesized NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Further, the antibacterial activity of synthesized NPs was carried using the agar plate well diffusion method and antioxidant activity by DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the NPs was studied. The UV-visible absorption spectra of nanoparticles show a characteristic maximum absorption peak centered at 397 nm. The functional group analysis by FT-IR confirms the presence of various bio-active functional groups in the synthesized particles. The structural characterization confirms that the particles were Face Centred Cubic lattice structure having IR-regular in shape and rough surface with average atomic weight percentages of 76.3%. The synthesized nanoparticles were found to be potent against the growth of gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. In the DPPH assay, the IC 50 values of the synthesized NPs were found to be 28.01 μg/mL which is very close to standard ascorbic acid (22.19 μg/mL) whereas the IC 50 of the aqueous plant leaf extract was found to be 47.30 μg/m confirms that the nanoparticles having enhanced antioxidant activity. From the results of the study it can be concluded that this protocol is simple, rapid, one step, eco-friendly, non-toxic for the synthesis of nickel nanoparticles.

OPTIMIZING THE PRODUCTION OF A FUNCTIONAL TYPE A RECOMBINANT ENDOCHITINASE FROM Trichoderma asperellum IN Escherichia coli

Chitinases from the genus Trichoderma fungi are mainly responsible for their anti-fungal activities, which allow them to become the most widely used fungal biocontrol. Therefore, several Trichoderma chitinases have been cloned and expressed to facilitate their production and applications. A previous study of the same authors has characterized an endochitinase from a relatively novel Trichoderma spp., Trichoderma asperellum. To produce this enzyme more economically and efficiently, we reported the synthesis and expression of its synthetic encoding gene in the Escherichia coli M15 strain and established the optimal conditions for preparative scale production of the enzyme in its functional form. By lowering the induction temperatures, we observed substantial improvement in the expression levels of the active enzyme. At 30 oC and 0.5 mM IPTG induction, 1 L of cells yielded approximately 80 - 100 mg of soluble protein, accounting for about 9-11 % of total soluble protein. This figure may be an underestimation of the actual yield, as deduced from the SDS-PAGE data. The recombinant enzyme can be retrieved by simple repeated freezing and thawing cycles and purified to near homogeneity using Ni-NTA chromatography. The purified enzyme showed in vitro colloidal chitin hydrolysis activity. These results could be scaled up to produce soluble 42 kDa chitinase in E. coli. The study demonstrated an economical method to produce chitinases for various agricultural and environmental applications.

EFFECT OF DOLOMITE AND CHICKEN MANURE APPLICATION ON PAK CHOI (Brassica rapa chinensis) PRODUCTION AND CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS IN TROPICAL PEATLANDS

The current study was aimed to determine the effect of ameliorant on Pak choi (Brassica rapa chinensis) productivity, CO2 emissions, and factors affecting the rate of CO2 emission. The study was carried out using a non-factorial completely randomized design with seven treatments. The imposed treatment are without ameliorant (control), 10, 20, 30 ton ha-1 chicken manure, 4 ton ha-1 Dolomite + Chicken Manure @ 10 ton ha-1, Dolomite 4 ton ha-1 + Chicken Manure @ 20 ton ha-1 and Dolomite 4 ton ha-1 + Chicken Manure @ 30 ton ha-1. The variables observed are the chemical properties of peat soil, fresh and dry weight of pak choi, CO2 emissions, and factors that affect CO2 emissions. The results of the study revealed that the combination of Dolomite and chicken manure has a significant effect on the studied parameters and the combination of 4 ton ha-1 dolomite + 30 ton ha-1 chicken manure had the highest pH change (average of 6.36), highest productivity, and CO2 emission (344.42 mg cm-2hr-1). Results of the study can be concluded that Dolomite and chicken manure has a significant effect on the various growth parameters of B. rapa chinensis and the properties of the peat soil.

ASSESSMENT OF IL-33, TNF- α AND LEUKOTREINS B4 IN PATIENTS SERUM WITH ENTERIC FEVER

Salmonella typhoid and paratyphoid are transmitted mainly by the fecal-oral route. This study was designed to find the correlation between Salmonella and IgM, IgG, and the levels of interleukin-33, TNF-α, and LTB 4. The study was carried out from March 2020 to January 2021 for the detection of Salmonellosis in 100 suspected patients with age group ranging from 17 - 69 years, who attended Baghdad teaching hospitals that had been examined and defined as suspected cases by a specialized physician with the recording of clinical manifestation. The diagnosis was done by immunochromatography method, a blood sample was taken from the patient as well as other 30 healthy controls matching in age and gender. The study included measurement of the level of interleukin -33, Tumor necrosis Factor α, and Leukotreins B4 level in sera of patients and healthy control. The results indicated that anti –salmonella IgM positive in 54 cases, anti- salmonella IgG positive in 46 cases, and 18 positive cases with both IgM and IgG. The Level of interleukin 33, Tumor necrosis Factor – α increased significantly while the serum Leukotreins B4 level decreased significantly in patients sera as compared with healthy control.

SEED PRIMING AND EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF SALICYLIC ACID ENHANCE GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) BY REGULATING PHOTOSYNTHETIC ATTRIBUTES

Low and uneven germination is a serious problem for the successful production of okra seedlings. Priming of seeds as well as supplementation of different plant growth regulators exhibited better response in successful seedling production which eventually results in higher yield. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed priming and exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) on okra seed germination and plant development. The okra seeds were primed by 1 mM and 2 mM of SA for 60 minutes whereas the seeds were washed several times with distilled water for the control treatment. Similar doses of SA have been exogenously sprayed to the 12 days okra seedlings for 4 days. The results of the study revealed that seed priming with SA enhanced germination percentage (GP), increased coleoptile length and weight, shoot and root length, and seed vigor index (SVI). Similarly, exogenous application of 1 mM SA increased relative water content (RWC), contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll while a higher dose of SA (2 mM) degraded the leaf pigments. Supplementation of SA altered photosynthetic attributes, net photosynthetic (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), and water use efficiency (WUE). Moreover, SA treatment reduced the time duration of flower bud initiation and days to first flowering and enhanced the yield per plant. The results of this study indicated that seed priming and exogenous application of SA enhanced germination and okra productivity by regulating RWC and photosynthetic attributes where 1 mM SA is more effective compared to 2 mM SA.

GIS AND STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF SOIL QUALITY OF SIDI YAHYA, GHARBPLAIN (MOROCCO)

The study of soil quality in irrigated areas is necessary to evaluate the sustainability of the agricultural production system. Indeed, the assessment of this quality is based on the physicochemical and biological characterization of soil parameters, as well as the knowledge of their spatial distribution and their evolution over time. This work aims to make a diagnosis of the current situation of soil quality of SidiYahya in the Gharb plain, Morocco. For this, sampling was carried out from 33 sites distributed over the studied plain during 2019. In this study, different soil properties including specifically texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) were measured while exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated using the standard formula. Based on the observed soil properties a map was prepared by using a geographic information system (GIS), which was based specifically on the inverse distance weighted (IDW) spatial interpolation method. Data were processed using different statistical tools like descriptive statistics, correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA). Results of the study revealed that 70% of the soils have a heavy clayey texture with a predominance of vertisols (55%). Further, the study area soil is mainly alkaline (70%), poor in organic matter (61%) and phosphorus (52%), while very rich in potassium (70%), and non-saline (88%) contents. Soil pH was reported to be the least variable whereas sand, phosphorus, and salinity were the highest variable. IDW allowed mapping the soil properties by moving from punctual information to whole extent information. Furthermore, correlations were found between various soil properties by using PCA, 3 principal components (PCs) were able to extract 76% of the information from the 9 initial soil properties. Collected soil samples were grouped into 3 groups, based on their scores on the 3 PCs. Based on these two kinds of information, delineation of management zones can be established for a site-specific supply of agricultural inputs leading to better management of soil and water resources for securing their sustainable use.

CURRENT STATUS, CHALLENGES, MANAGEMENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES OF THE RED PALM WEEVIL Rhynchophorus ferrugineus OLIVIER (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE) ERADICATION - A REVIEW

The date palm is a cultural and economic heritage of many nations. The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) is among the world’s most serious insect pests of palms that have rapidly expanded its geographical distribution and host plant range during the last decades. Integrated pest management (IPM) is followed to suppress the pest using the most economical and least hazardous methods to humans and the environment. Since R. ferrugineus is a serious pest of date palm production worldwide, farmers, researchers, and scientists have developed many tactics to eradicate this pest. However, there was no published article covering and integrating the current status, biology, ecology, and future control tactics of R. ferrugineus and proposes an IPM program. Therefore, in this review, R. ferrugineus geographical distribution, host plant range, economic importance, infestation symptoms, morphology, biology, and its management tactics were thoroughly discussed. These tactics include early detection of R. ferrugineus infestation, trapping, chemical applications, use of bio-agents, bioinsecticides (plant extracts), resistance cultivars, cultural practices, sterile insect technique, gene silencing technology, quarantine, and geographical information system. In conclusion, all available control tactics suggest that R. ferrugineus could be successfully managed by developing IPM programs comprising several means of control. It is hoped that this review will highlight some aspects of date palm management and raise research gaps and directions deserving further investigations to develop a better understanding of R. ferrugineus management and therefore contributes to the sustainability of date palm cultivation worldwide.

AMINO ACID COMPOSITION AND ANTI-TYROSINASE ACTIVITY OF METABOLITES FROM EDIBLE Pleurotus SPECIES FOR THEIR NUTRITIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Mushrooms are being extensively researched due to their nutritional value and medicinal importance. The genus Pleurotus is the second most cultivated mushroom and is known for its high nutritional value, therapeutic properties, taste, flavor, as well as their application in biotechnology and environmental study. Also, tyrosinase is prevalent in most living organisms. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of monophenols to ortho-quinones in a two-step reaction process. This study was aimed to assess the amino acid composition and anti-tyrosinase activity of metabolites obtained from edible Pleurotus species. Assessment of the nutritional content and inhibitory studies of mushroom tyrosinase produced from four Pleurotus strains was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The results of the study showed that seventeen different amino acids were identified in the crude and partially purified protein metabolites. Also, the crude extract metabolite had the highest quantity of amino acids than the partially purified. The highest and lowest amino acids value Glutamic acid (1343.26 µmol/mL) and valine (0.34 µmol/mL). The anti-tyrosinase inhibition studies of the four Pleurotus strains showed varying results from significantly inhibitory effects to slightly inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase. The highest inhibition was 14.86% (Pleu-W), while the lowest inhibition was 51.42% (Plof-30) respectively. The high point of this study is that the Pleurotus species contains a significant number of amino acids and also, they possess good anti-tyrosinase activity. Therefore, these are a good source of nutritional and therapeutic metabolites and these can be explored further for their nutritional and medicinal importance to man.