Bioassay tests were conducted to _nd out the nematicidal activity of eight essential oils against Meloido`yne inco`! nita "Kofoid and White# Chitwood at four concen! trations[ Maximum activity was recorded in oils of Eucalyptus citriodora\ Eucalyptus hybrida and Ocimum basilicum followed by Pelar`onium`raveolens\ Cym! bopo`on martinii\ Mentha arvensis\ Mentha piperita and Mentha spicata oils\ respectively[ The eucalyptus "E[ citriodora and E[ hybrida# and Indian basil "O[ basilicum# oils were highly toxic to M[ inco`nita even at the lower concentrations\ namely 499 and 149 ppm[ The remaining oils were also toxic to the nematode but at di}erent amounts[ Zusammenfassung Essentielle O Ýle als Quelle von Nematiziden Die biologische Aktivita Ãt von 7 essentiellen O Ýlen gegen Meloido`yne inco`nita "Kofoid and White# Chitwood wurde in vier Konzentrationen in einem Bioassay ermit! telt[ Die ho à chste Aktivita Ãt wurde in den O Ýlen aus Eucalyp! tus citriodora\ E[ hybrida und Ocimum basilicum festgestellt\ gefolgt von Pelar`onium`raveolens\ Cymbo! po`on martinii\ Mentha arvensis\ M[ piperita bzw[ M[ spicata[ Die O Ýle des Eucalyptus "E[ citriodora und E[ hybirda# sowie des indischen Basilikums "O[ basilicum# wirkten sehr toxisch gegen M[ inco`nita\ selbst bei den niedrigeren Konzentrationen von 499 und 149 p[p[m[ Die anderen O Ýle wirkten zwar auch als Nematizide\ jedoch in einer anderen Gro à )enordnung[ Keywords] essential oils\ nematicidal activity\ root!knot nematode

A number of gun propellant compositions based on RDX, GAP, TAGN and combinations thereof were formulated and studied with the aim to select the suitable composition for advanced gun ammunition in respect of processability and ballistic performance. Theoretical thermochemical properties of the compositions were computed using a ‘THERM’ programme and the ballistic performance was evaluated on the basis of closed vessel tests. In addition, sensitivity, thermal characterization, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the compositions were also determined for assessing the suitability for application. A composition containing 28% NC, 45% RDX, 20% TAGN, 6% GAP, 0.7% carbamite and 0.3% resorcinol was found to provide higher level of force constant at relatively lower flame temperature, reasonably good burning rate characteristics and mechanical properties.

Estimation of software cost and effort is of prime importance in software development process. Accurate and reliable estimation plays a vital role in successful completion of the project. To estimate software cost, various techniques have been used. Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO) is amongst most prominent algorithmic model used for cost estimation. Different versions of COCOMO consider different types of parameters affecting overall cost. Parameters involved in estimation using COCOMO possess vagueness which introduces some degree of uncertainty in algorithmic modelling. The concept of fuzzy logic can deal with uncertainty involved in Intermediate COCOMO cost driver measurements via Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). In the proposed research, an effort has been made wherein, for each cost driver, an FIS is designed to calculate the corresponding effort multiplier. Proposed research provides an insight through evolutionary-based optimization techniques to optimize fuzzy logic-based COCOMO using Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm. The magnitude of relative error and its mean, calculated using COCOMO NASA2 and COCOMONASA datasets are used as evaluation metrics to validate the proposed model. The model outperforms when compared to other optimization techniques like Genetic Algorithm.

Spore germination, heterocyst production, hormogone formation, and sporulation are the morphogenetic stages in the developmental cycle of Anabaena doliolum Bharadwaja. In basal medium sporulation is simultaneous while heterocyst formation is sequential. Nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium nitrogen inhibit sporulation and heterocyst formation. The degree of inhibition depends on the concentration and source of inorganic nitrogen. Nitrate and nitrite induce lysis which is concentration dependent and circumscribed by time, i.e., up to a certain stage the lytic events are preventable by transfer to basal medium, but beyond this stage they become inevitable and complete lysis occurs even in the absence of nitrate or nitrite. The sequential differentiation and spatial relations of heterocysts in a growing filament are characteristic of each nitrogen source and indicative of the polarity involved in the gradient of heterocyst formation.

Methylammonium uptake was studied in a glutamine auxotroph of the cyanobacterium Anabaena cycadeae lacking glutamine synthetase activity. The uptake pattern was found to be biphasic, consisting of an initial fast phase lasting up to 60 s followed by a slower second phase. When cells were preincubated with L-methionine-DL-sulphoximine, an irreversible inhibitor of glutamine synthetase activity, the second uptake phase was abolished although the first phase was unaffected. Since the glutamine auxotroph did not have any glutamine synthetase activity the inhibition of the second phase by L-methionine-DL-sulphoximine could not have been due to the inhibition of glutamine synthetase activity. Thus, it is suggested that the two uptake phases may represent two different ammonium transport systems, the second one being sensitive to L-methionine-DL-sulphoximine.Ammonium transport Anabaenacycadeae C.yanobacteria

All vegetative cells of Anabaena dolwlum differentiated into akinetes. These showed respiratory O2 uptake but lacked photosynthetic pigments and O2 evolution. Activities of nitrogenase, glutamine synthetase, nitrate reductase and aspartate dehydrogenase were totally absent, while glutamate dehydrogenase showed extremely low activity. Glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase activity was similar to that in whole filaments but alanine dehydrogenase and glutamatepyruvate transaminase activities were much lower. Thus, transformation of vegetative cells into akinetes was accompanied by the loss of photosynthetic machinery, ammonia-generating systems and the enzyme of primary ammonia assimilation.

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is native to India and commercially cultivated for the production of root withanolides that have anticarcinogenic properties. A disease appeared on plantings of W. somnifera during the 2010 monsoon at the CIMAP and in adjoining areas of northern India. Symptoms first appeared as water-soaked lesions on leaves and stems that progressed to a wet rot. Mature lesions harbored black fructifications of the suspect pathogen. Pathogen isolations were done by placing pieces of infected tissues on potato dextrose agar. A fungus tentatively identified as a Choanephora sp. that produced white aerial mycelia that later turned pale yellow was consistently isolated from infected plant parts. Mycelia were hyaline and nonseptate. Sporangiophores bearing sporangiola were erect, hyaline, unbranched, apically dilated to form a clavate vesicle from which arose dichotomously branched distally clavate secondary vesicles. Sporangiola were indehiscent, ellipsoid, brown to dark brown with distinct longitudinal striations, and measured 12 to 20 × 6 to 12 μm. Sporangia were multispored, spherical, initially white to yellow and pale brown to dark brown at maturity, and measured 40 to 160 μm. Sporangiospores from sporangia were ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, brown to dark brown, indistinctly striate with fine hyaline polar appendages, and measured 16 to 20 × 8 to 12 μm. On the basis of the cultural as well as morphological characteristics and description in the monograph by Kirk (2), the fungus was identified as a Choanephora sp. The identification was also confirmed by IMTECH, Chandigarh, India with Accession No. MTCC-10731. The species was later characterized as Choanephora cucurbitarum (Berk. & Ravenel) Thaxt (GenBank Accession No. AB470642) by using universal primers ITS-1 and ITS-4. Its sequence comprising of 18S rRNA partial, complete ITS 1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS 2, and 28S rRNA partial was submitted to NCBI GenBank with Accession No. JN639861. Pathogenicity of the fungus was established on five healthy plants by artificial inoculation with spray of an aqueous spore suspension containing 106 spores/ml. Plants sprayed with sterile distilled water were used as controls. Both inoculated and control plants were kept in a humidity chamber (96%) for 3 days and thereafter placed in the glasshouse at 28 ± 2°C. Initial symptoms developed in 2 to 3 days while typical disease symptoms appeared on all the inoculated plants after 7 to 10 days. Control plants were free from infection. The reisolation from artificially infected plants again yielded a Choanephora sp., thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. W. somnifera cultivation has been affected by root rot and wilt caused by Fusarium solani and leaf spot caused by Alternaria dianthicola (3). The occurrence of a Choanephora sp. was reported on periwinkle, petunia (1), and Boerhavia diffusa (4). However, to our knowledge, incidence of this pathogen on W. somnifera has not been reported so far. Thus, wet rot of W. somnifera caused by C. cucurbitarum is a new report from India and worldwide. References: (1) G. E. Holcomb. Plant Dis. 87:751, 2003. (2) P. M. Kirk. Mycol. Pap. 152:1, 1984. (3) C. K. Maiti et al. Plant Dis. 91:467, 2007. (4) N. Singh et al. New Dis. Rep. 23:29, 2011.

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