Organogenesis of Dendrobium Orchid Using Traditional Media and Organic Extracts

The study was undertaken with a view to investigate the effects of different basal media and organic extracts on organogenesis of Dendrobium orchid. Protocorm like bodies (PLBs) were cultured in Knudson C (KC), Vacin and Went (VW), half strength Murashige and Skoog (½MS) and New Phalaenopsis (NP) media supplemented with Sabri banana pulp (Sb), Charcoal (C) and Coconut water (Cw) organic extracts. KC, VW, ½MS and NP media significantly influenced the plantlet regeneration of Dendrobium orchid. Among the media, ½MS showed better performance on fresh weight, number PLBs, shoots and leaves per plantlet, The longest shoots were found in KC medium and maximum length of leaves was found in both KC and ½MS media. In case of different organic extracts Sb showed significantly better performance on fresh weights of PLBs, number of shoot and leaves per explant, length of shoots and leaves. Key words: Organogenesis, Dendrobium, media, organic extracts. DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1454 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 30-35, June 2007

Toxicity of Thevetia peruviana (Pers) Schum. Extract to Adults of Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Leaf, stem and roots of Thevetia peruviana (Pers) Schum. were extracted in four organic solvents; petroleum spirit, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol and tested against the adults of Callosobruchus maculatus F. All the tested extracts effectively produced mortality of C. maculatus and their toxicity was in order of solvents: petroleum spirit>ethyl acetate>acetone>methanol. Root extract was the most toxic to C. maculatus. Females were more tolerant than males. Key words: Extract, mortality, solvent, Thevetia peruviana, Callosobruchus maculatus. DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1466 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 105-109, June 2007

Effect of Planting Time on Canopy Structure and Biomass Production in Some Soybean Genotypes

A field experiment was conducted in the Field Laboratory of the Department of Crop Botany, BAU, Mymensingh during November 2003 to May 2004 to assess the effect of planting time (November and December) on some morphological structure, and root & shoot biomass production in four soybean genotypes (GPB-1, GPB-2, AGS-332 and AGS-11-35). The plant height, stem base diameter, seed dry weight plant-1 were significantly greater in the late planting crops (December) but number of branches plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, leaves dry weight plant-1, shoots dry weight plant-1, roots dry weight plant-1, total dry matter plant-1 were also significantly greater in November planting. Highest plant height, branches plant-1 and leaves plant-1, shoot dry weight plant-1 and total dry matter were found in GPB-2 genotype. Key words: Early and late planting, shoot and root mass, Glycine max. DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1453 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 25-29, June 2007

Effect of Fertilizers on the Incidence of Anthracnose Disease, Yield and Quality of Mango

Effect of different fertilizers on the control of anthracnose disease, yield and quality of mango cv Amrapali was investigated. Application of combined fertilizers gave the highest fruit set, fruit retention and fresh fruits, therefore, produced the highest yield per plant and per hectare. The highest number of healthy fruits was found from 2nd year crop and the lowest was obtained from 1st year. The highest (8.47 t/ha) yield was obtained from 2nd year and the lowest (4.58 t/ha) was obtained from 1st year crop. Among the treatments, combined application of NPK, ZnSo4, Gypsum and Cowdung gave the highest (50.67) number of healthy fruits and the lowest (16) was obtained from untreated plant. The highest (12.41 t/ha) yield was obtained from combined application of NPK, ZnSo4, Gypsum and Cowdung and the lowest (3.88 t/ha) was obtained from untreated plant. In respect of combined effect, the highest (15.22 t/ha) yield was obtained from 2nd year x T9 treated plant and the lowest (2.95 t/ha) was found in untreated 1st year plant. Key words: Mango, fertilizers, anthracnose, yield. DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1461 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 70-78, June 2007

Effects of Indigenous Mulches on Growth and Yield of Tomato

Three popular tomato varieties namely, Ratan, BARI tomato-3 and BARI tomato-6 were experimentally evaluated to identify the potential mulch on growth and yield, where the experiment consisted of four mulching treatments viz. water hyacinth, straw, am-ada leaf and banana leaf with a control (no mulch). The experiment was conducted under rainfed condition. In the experiment, mulching showed significant effect on growth, yield components and thus on the yield of tomato. Yield contributing characters were significantly higher when water hyacinth mulch was used. The variety Ratan produced the highest (53.74 t/ha) fruit yield, while BARI tomato-3 showed the lowest (48.89 t/ha) fruit yield. The combination of mulching and variety exhibited significant variation in some yield components and yield. The combination of water hyacinth and Ratan produced the maximum yield (62.16 t/ha) and thus the experiment revealed that water hyacinth and straw mulches have potentiality to increase the yield of tomato. Key words: Indigenous mulch, growth, yield, tomato.doi:10.3329/jard.v6i1.1650 J Agric Rural Dev 6(1&2), 1-6, June 2008

Variability of Different Yield Contributing Parameters and Yield of Some Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Accessions

In order to assess the variability of yield contributing characters of 50 okra accessions and their interrelation effects on the yield of green pod a field experiment was undertaken at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from February, 2002 to May, 2002. A wide range of variation was observed in case of weight of green pod per plant (105- 281g), days to first flowering (40-52days) and weight of individual green pod (14-26g). Moderate variation for length of green pod (12-19cm), number of green pods per plant (6-11) and yield of green pod (4-13 t/ha), lesser variation for percent of dry matter content (5-8%), number of ridges per green pod (5-9) and diameter of green pod (1-2cm) was observed. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation was observed in case of yield of green pod (GCV= 23.22%) followed by weight of green pod per plant (22.24%), weight of individual green pod (18.68%), number of ridges per green pod (13.49%), number of green pod per plant (10.84%), dry matter content of green pod (10.48%), diameter of green pod (6.90%) and length of green pod (6.24%). These characters suggested the existence of justifiable genetic distance among different cultivars. Correlation coefficient indicated that yield of green pod had highly significant positive association with weight of green pod per plant and weight of individual green pod. Path coefficient analysis showed that the weight of green pod per plant and weight of individual green pod were directly contributed towards the yield of green pod. Key words: Okra, accession, variability, yield.

Indigenous Production Technology of Latkan Practiced in Narsindi District

DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1475 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 173-175, June 2007

Relationship of Whitefly Population Build up with the Spread of TYLCV on Eight Tomato Varieties

The performance of eight tomato varieties namely BARI-T1 (Manik), BARI-T2 (Ratan), BARI-T4, BARI-T5, BARI-T6 (Apurba), BARI-T7 (Chaity), BARI-T11 and BARI-T12 were evaluated in respect to prevalence and spread of TYLCV (Tomato Yellow Leaf curl Virus) in relation to whitefly population buildup in the field. Data were collected on the three growth stages of the plant namely early (transplanting to first flowering) mid (first flowering to first harvesting) and late (first harvesting to last harvesting). The virus prevalence percentage in eight tomato varieties varied depending on early, mid and late stage of infection as well as tomato varieties. It ranged from 42 to 69%. There was a poor and insignificant quadratic polynomial relationship (y = -0.0059x 2 + 0.2826x – 1.5378 & R2 = 0.0962) between temperature and whitefly population build up in tomato field. The relationship between relative humidity and whitefly population build up in the field was found significant but negatively correlated (y = - 0.0321x 2 +4.5518x – 159.44 (R2 = 0.6769). The increase of whitefly population in the field was positively correlated with the spread of TYLCV in the tomato field (y = - 0.0002x 2 + 0.0297x + 1.0626 & R2 = 0.663). The highest and lowest prevalence of TYLCV was recorded in BARI-T6 and BARI-T11, respectively. In all the varieties, virus prevalence was found higher at mid stage followed by late and early stage of infection. Key words: Prevalence, TYLCV, whitefly.

Effects of Different Media and Organic Additives Interaction on In Vitro Regeneration of Dendrobium Orchid

Interaction of different media and organic additives showed significant effects on growth and development of protocorm like bodies (PLBs) and subsequent plantlets regeneration of Dendrobium orchid in laboratory conditions. Except the length of shoots and leaves, the highest values of all parameters were obtained from the interaction of ½MS medium with Sabri banana pulp. However, the longest shoots were found in KC medium with Sabri banana pulp and the longest leaves were found in both KC and ½MS media with Sabri banana pulp. Key words: Interaction, regeneration, Dendrobium, media and organic additives.  doi:10.3329/jard.v6i1.1659 J Agric Rural Dev 6(1&2), 69-74, June 2008

Developing AIDS – The Dangerous Conjugation and Transformation of HIV : An In-depth Analysis

HIV/AIDS spreads so quickly and so destructively that it supersedes all disasters ever attacks human civilization. No branch of scientists can declare them aloof or abstain from it. So the agriculturists are very closely concern with its research-issues, nutritional remedies and agro-based care. We know, HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system. Opportunistic infections are various in types and it needs not only the care from health professionals rather it deserves agriculturists, nutritionists and social scientists to combat together. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper, or CD4 cells. As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the person vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses ranging from pneumonia to cancer. Understanding how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) works inside the human cell gives all scientists important ways about how to attack it at its most vulnerable points and clues to start research. Knowing the secrets of how the virus functions and reproduces itself -- a process called its ‘life-cycle'- can help scientists design new drugs and nutritional supplements those are more effective at suppressing HIV and support the affected lives. This study will draw a clear and easy-to-understand picture for every scientist, obviously the agriculturists too, being alert and keeping their lives safe from this fatal conjugation of HIV and help to invent natural and/or plant remedies to prevent or suspend HIV's aggression, as long as we concern. Key words: HIV, AIDS, retro virus, HIV viral transformation. DOI = 10.3329/jard.v5i1.1473 J Agric Rural Dev 5(1&2), 157-166, June 2007