Biologically important polyphenol (+)-catechin was isolated from catechu, the extract of the red heartwood of Acacia Catechu tree (Khoiyer tree). The isolation procedure was developed to get better yield (25%) and to reduce the isolation cost and time. The structure of the isolated (+)-catechin was confirmed with several spectral analyses and chemical studies. Keywords:  Acacia Catechu; (+)-catechin; Polyphenol. © 2009 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v1i2.1635

SUMMARYThe cropping systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains of Bangladesh, India and Nepal are based on rice. There is a scope to intensify such systems through diversification with lentil, the most popular food legume. Two strategies were evaluated to fit lentil into the short fallow between successive monsoonal (i.e., T. aman) and pre-monsoonal (aus) or irrigated rice (boro) crop. These were early-flowering sole-cropped lentil and relay-sown lentil into rice. Firstly, 18 early-flowering lentil lines at three contrasting sowing dates were tested over two seasons on a research station at Ishurdi in Bangladesh. Secondly, relay sowing was evaluated at the same location with six early-flowering lines and two control cultivars in two seasons. It was also assessed on ten farms in Western Bangladesh, comparing relay with sole cropping over 3 years. Flowering in the early-flowering lentil lines was consistently 9–17 days earlier, than the control cultivars, but they did not achieve an economic yield (<1·0 t/ha). Relay sowing with an existing cultivar produced an economic yield of lentil, which was comparable or higher than sole-cropped lentil in all situations. The relay-sown lentil matured in sufficient time to allow the land to be prepared for the succeeding rain-fed rice crop. It was concluded that the substitution of relay-sown lentil for fallow in the monsoonal rice–fallow–rain-fed rice cropping pattern is a useful option to intensify and diversify cropping in the Eastern Gangetic Plain.

A field experiment was conducted during [2003][2004] at Bangladesh Agricultural University farm, Mymensingh to evaluate the suitability of different sources of organic materials for integrated use with chemical fertilizers for the BoroFallow-T. Aman rice cropping pattern. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Eighttreatments, formulated from organic manure and chemical fertilizers have been imposed. The treatment combinations are T 1 : control, T 2 : 70% NPKS, T 3 : 100% NPKS, T 4 : 70% NPKS + rice straw (RS) @ 5 t/ha, T 5 : 70% NPKS + dhaincha (DH) @ 15 t/ha, T b : 70% NPKS + mungbean residue (MBR) @ 10 t/ha, T 7 : 70% NPKS + cowdung (CD) @ 5 t/ha and T 8 : 70% NPKS + poultry manure (PM) @ 3 t/ha. Organic manure or crop residue was applied to T. Aman rice and their residual effects were observed in the following Boro rice. Application of 70% NPKS + PM produced the highest grain yield of T. Aman rice, which was identical to that obtained with 100% NPKS with no manure. In Boro season. application of 100% NPKS produced the highest grain yield of 6.87 t/ha, which was identical with the application of 70% NPKS + PM (6.57 t/ha). The total grain yield in the cropping pattern ranged from 5.14 t/ha in T 1 (control) treatment to 12.29 t/ha in the 100% NPKS. The application of 3 t/ha PM with 70% NPKS (T 8 ) produced the total yield of 12.09 t/ha followed by 11.59 t/ha in the treatment containing 10 t/ha MBR plus 70% NPKS (T 6 ). It appears that the application of 3 t/ha PM once in a year with 70% NPKS can reduce the use of 30% NPKS as fertilizers. There were negative balances for N and K with the highest mining of K, while the balances for P and S were positive. The economic analysis reveals that most of the treatments produced BCR (benefitcost ratio) of more than 3.0 showing that they all are economically viable. The integrated use of fertilizers and manure resulted in considerable improvement in soil health by increasing organic matter, available P, and S contents of soils. The overall findings of the study indicate that the integrated use of chemical fertilizer and manure is important for sustainable crop yield in a rice-rice cropping pattern.

A major limitation to chickpea grown on residual soil moisture after the harvest of rice in the High Barind Tract (HBT) of Bangladesh is acidic surface soil. A diagnostic trial conducted in the 2001/02 season showed that Mo was limiting growth and yield of chickpea. Multilocational on‐farm trials in the 2002/03 season established that Mo applied to the soil at 500 g ha–1 improved nodulation and plant growth and resulted in grain‐yield responses of 58%–173%. In addition, we tested an application method suitable for resource‐poor farmers where Mo and Rhizobium were added in the seed‐priming process. Multilocational trials in farmers' fields in 2003/04 confirmed that this was as effective as soil application of Mo, giving yield responses of 37%–90%. In each of 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, 50 farmers implemented on‐farm evaluations of adding Mo + Rhizobium in the priming solution in operational scale plots (666 m2) across the HBT. Mean responses of up to 50%, compared to priming in water only, were obtained. These results suggest that the severe N deficiency of chickpea commonly observed in the HBT can be effectively alleviated by applying Mo and Rhizobium inoculum through a simple low‐cost technology within the scope of resource‐poor farmers.

No abstract

Imaging and resolving the lateral continuity of 3‐D crustal structures enhance our ability to interpret seismicity and to understand how orogens are created. We apply a Bayesian, hierarchical inversion approach based on a transdimensional trees‐structured wavelet parameterization to recover phase velocity maps at 2–40 s periods. We then invert phase velocity dispersion to constrain a 3‐D shear velocity model of the crust beneath south‐central Iran. Together with accurate earthquake centroid depths and focal mechanisms, the pattern of 3‐D velocity variations supports recent suggestions that most large earthquakes in the Zagros occur within the lower sedimentary cover or close to the sediment‐basement interface. Furthermore, we find evidence for Arabian basement underthrusting beneath central Iran, although only in one location does it appear to generate earthquakes. Our new 3‐D tomographic model clarifies and throws new light on the crustal structure of the SE Zagros and its relation to seismicity and active faulting.

No abstract

This article presents a theoretical investigation of the differential, integrated, elastic, inelastic, total, momentum-transfer, and viscosity cross-sections, along with the total ionization cross-section, for elastically scattered electrons and positrons from a carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule in the incident energy range of 1 eV ≤Ei≤ 1 MeV. In addition, for the first time, we report the spin polarization of e±−CO2 scattering systems. The independent atom model (IAM) with screening correction (IAMS) using a complex optical potential was employed to solve the Dirac relativistic equation in partial-wave analysis. The comparison of our results with the available experimental data and other theoretical predictions shows a reasonable agreement in the intermediate- and high-energy regions.