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Disease outbreaks are being increasingly recognized as a significant constraint on aquaculture production and trade affecting the economic development of the sector in many countries. Extracting and using biologically active compounds from earthworms has traditionally been practiced by indigenous people throughout the world. The aim of the present study was to shown antimicrobial activity through earthworm extract against fish bacterial pathogens. In total, 8 bacterial strains i.e. 6 gram negative viz. Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, E.coli, Enterobacter aerogens and Shigella sp. and 2 gram positive viz. Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus were identified. The extract of earthworm Perionyx excavatus, Pheretima posthuma were prepared and antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined by antimicrobial well diffusion assay. After 24 hrs of incubation period, it was observed that earthworm extract showed antibacterial activity against isolated bacterial strains. Among earthworm extract of two different species, the maximum zone of inhibition was shown against A. hydrophila by Perionyx excavatus (18.33± 0.66 mm) and P. posthuma (16.66±0.33). P. excavatus showed antibacterial activity against all pathogenic bacteria except Shigella spp. However on the other hand, P.posthuma showed antibacterial activity against A. hydrophila, P. fluorescens, E.coli, and S. aureus. The study has proved that earthworm extract can be effectively used for suppression of bacterial infection in fishes and that it can used as potential antimicrobial drug against commercial antibiotic resistance bacteria.

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To evaluate food preferences and group activity patterns, a fragmented population of Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra was selected for observation in a semi-arid ecosystem of western Haryana. A field survey was conducted fortnightly, from dawn to dusk, between September 2019 and August 2020, covering every season. Scan sampling and quadrat methods were used to record data on group size and vegetation. Group sizes ranged from 3 to 72 individuals. Based on visual observation, blackbuck seasonally consumed 26 species belonging to 25 families with varied preferences, out of a total of 53 plant species documented from the study site. Some plant species with high medicinal and therapeutic values were preferred, including Artemisia scoparia, Cucumis callous, Ziziphus jujuba, and Ziziphus nummularia. Unlike most herbivores, Blackbuck also consumed the toxic and medicinally rich Calotropis procera. We suggest that zoos which house blackbuck include these preferred wild plant species in their diet. Observations on group activity were analyzed on hourly, monthly and seasonal bases, and converted into time percentages. Group foraging activity was at a maximum in the monsoon (62%) and minimum in winter (50%), followed by resting: maximum in winter (21%) and minimum (12%) in monsoon, largely influenced by food availability. Foraging/walking ratio was at a maximum (5.2) in monsoon and minimum (3.1) in winter, and was correlated with the number of group sightings (maximum in winter and minimum in monsoon) in nearby farmland, when the animals faced food scarcity in their natural habitat and fed on crops.

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: The present experiment was carried out, under sodic soil conditions at Main Experiment Station Horticulture, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Tech., Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.) during the year 2007-08 and 2008-09, to evaluate the response of organic manures, inorganic fertilizers, biofertilizers and their combination with foliar spray of 0.4 per cent boron on yield, physico-chemical characters and economic feasibility of bael cv. NARENDRA BAEL-9. The physical characters of fruit viz., maximum fruit length, width, weight, volume, reduction of skull thickness, fibre content, number of seed per fruit, mucilage content, time of fruit maturity, maximum advancement of fruit maturity and fruit yield were recorded with the application of T 10 (100% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) closely followed by T 14 (50% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM). However, the chemical composition of fruit viz., maximum TSS, ascorbic acid, reducing sugars, non reducing sugar, total sugars and minimum acid content were recorded with the application of T 10 (100% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) which was at par with T 14 (50% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) during both the years of experimentation. The maximum net return Rs. 72,622.23 and Rs. 83,897.63 per hectare were obtained with T 10 (100% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) followed by Rs. 72121.70 and Rs. 83810.50 under T 14 (50% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) treatment, and net return rupee -1 invested (C:B ratio) was maximum in T 14 (50% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) 1:3.90 and 1:3.96 followed by 1:3.04 and 1:3.17 under T 10 (100% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) treatments. It was minimum in control, 1:2.82 and 1:2.83 during both the year 2007-08 and 2008-09, respectively. The higher cost: benefit ratio was obtained in T 14 (50% NPKB + biofertilizers + biopressmud + FYM) due to low cost of production. All the treatments were effective to improve the yield, physico-chemical characters and reduce the cost: benefit ratio as compared with control, due to effect of integrated nutrient management and foliar spray of boron.