were considered for the estimation of genetic parameters. Variance and covariance estimates of first lactation traits were obtained using restricted maximum likelihood technique (REML). When first lactation milk yield (FLMY), first lactation length (FLL) and average daily yield (ADY) traits were considered for REML analysis, the heritabilities were 0.184±0.146, 0.132±0.131 and 0.141±0.133, respectively. While, genetic and phenotypic correlations between them were medium to high except phenotypic correlations between FLL and ADY (-0.025). REML procedure considering FLMY, age at first calving (AFC) and first service period (FSP) combination exhibits heritabilities as 0.274±0.173, 0.506±0.233 and 0.274±0.172, respectively. Genetic correlations were -0.120±0.376, 0.225±0.423 and 0.365±0.331 between FLMY and AFC, FLMY and FSP, AFC and FSP, respectively. Phenotypic correlations were 0.057, 0.289 and 0.123, respectively. Considering all five traits REML combination heritabilities estimated were 0.238±0.162, 0.160±0.139, 0.136±0.132, 0.409±0.209 and 0.259±0.168 for FLMY, FLL, ADY, AFC and FSP, respectively. The genetic correlations were positive except FLMY and AFC. The phenotypic correlations were also positive except FLL and ADY, ADY and FSP. Almost all estimates were associated with high standard error.

The experiment was undertaken collaboratively at the Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Nagpur Veterinary College, Nagpur; National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur to study the mutagenic effect of fly ash on bovine Amino Levulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) gene. DNA was extracted from blood samples of 49 fly ash exposed cattle born and reared in vicinity of two Thermal Power Plants, Koradi and Khaperkheda and 41 healthy animals reared at organised farms located more than 10 kilometres away from the plants as the control group. Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA sequencing of the PCR products were carried out for mutation analysis. 'MEGA-5, Bioedit and 'Clustal Omega' software were used to analyse the sequenced data. Thirteen animals from fly ash exposed group revealed mutations at different loci. Most of the animals exhibiting mutations had phenotypic expression of heavy metal toxicity. The nucleotide substitution variant G  C was observed in highest frequency. Mutations in bovine ALAD gene may be due to a prolonged exposure to heavy metals and other toxic elements present in fly ash released from the thermal power plants. Further, it serves as ALAD gene may be used as a good candidate for further toxico-genomic studies.

Colonies few, hypophyllous, dense, thinly velvety, up to 3mm in diameter. Hyphae straight, substraight, flexuous to crooked, branching alternate, opposite to irregular at acute to wide angles, loosely to rarely closely reticulate, cells 24-32 x 5-7µm.Appressoria alternate, straight to curved, antrorse, subantrorse to often recurved, 16-28µm long; stalk cells cylindrical to cuneate, 3-11µm long; head cells ovate, globose, oblong, clavate, straight to curved, entire, angular to sublobate to lobate, 12-16 x 9-11µm. Phialides mixed with appressoria, scattered, conoid to ampulliform, 14-21 x 6-8µm.Perithecia scattered, globose, up to 160µm in diameter; perithecial wall cells numerous, conoid, larviform, curved, broadly rounded to attenuated at the apex, up to 20µm long; ascospores ellipsoidal, mostly curved, rarely straight, 3-septate, constricted at the septa, 35-39 x 14-16µm. This taxon was described on Rubus sp. collected from Sikkim by J.N. Kapoor (Hosagoudar, 1996) and is known here from the southern Western Ghats on Pygeum wightianum Blume. Hence, it is evidenced that this fungus has a host range and also occurs both in the Himalayan region and in the Western Ghats, as in the case of Schiffnerula camelliae (Sydow, Sydow & Butler) Hughes (Hosagoudar et al., 1999).