The purpose of the study was to determine the anti fungal activity of seaweed (Turbinaria conoides) extract against root rot pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Seaweed extract was prepared from the species T. conoides collected from Rameswaram coastal area of Tamil Nadu during December was used for this study. Different concentrations of the extract viz., 5 %, 10 %, 15 % and 20 % was evaluated for their antifungal activity against F. oxysporum using poisoned food technique along with control and carbendazim (0.2 %) as check. No mycelial growth (0 cm) was observed in 15 % and 20 % sea weed extract weed extract treated plates even after 6 days ofincubation. Though the visible inhibition of mycelial growth was noticed in all the concentrations, the increased concentration of 15 and 20 % had shown 100 % inhibition. So, the lower concentration of 15 % can be best in controlling the F. oxysporum fungi. GC-MS analysis of seaweed extract showing the presence of several antimicrobial compounds in seaweeds may be the reason for such inhibition.
Arsenic is a potential contaminant of groundwater as well as soil in many regions of the world. Elevated soil arsenic levels resulting from long-term use of arsenic contaminated ground water for irrigation may inhibit seed germination and seedling establishment of rice, the country’s main food crop. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different forms of arsenic on growth and photosynthetic pigments of rice plants. For this purpose rice seedlings were grown hydroponically with half strength of modified Hoagland nutrient solution toxified with different doses of arsenate and arsenite namely 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 ppm. Germination percent of rice seeds and photosynthetic pigment content of rice seedling decreased significantly with increase in concentration of arsenic of both the forms. Growth parameters affected more seriously in arsenite treated plants than arsenate treated plants.
A change in enzyme activity in seeds due to ageing is a topic of scientific importance. Vigour is essentially a physiological phenomenon influenced by the reserved metabolites, enzyme activities and growth regulators. The exact cause of loss of seed vigour and viability is still unknown as deterioration of seed is a complex process. In the presence of oxygen, ageing of seed can lead to peroxidative changes in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The free radical -induced non-enzymatic peroxidation, which has the potential to damage membrane, is likely to be a primary cause of deterioration of stored seeds. Certain anabolic enzymes help in maintaining viability while some catabolic enzymes decrease viability. The seed catalase and peroxidase activity seem to be decreased during storage. The results revealed that the peroxidase enzyme activity decreased from 0.236 to 0.444 OD 10 min -1 when storage period increased. A decrease in catalase activity from 0.454 to 0.444 µg H 2 O 2 mg -1 min -1 followed by a small increase from 0.434 to 0.452 µg H 2 O 2 mg -1 min -1 was observed during storage. But the activity of lipase enzyme increased from 0.236 to 0.231 meq min -1 g -1 of sample when the storage period was increased. The study would help to know the deterioration pattern of stored groundnut seeds.
India is one of the top ten industrialized countries of global importance. But industries release waste products, which exert negative influences by causing toxicity to biotic organisms and environment. Liquid wastes of industries termed as effluents are characterized with possession of organic and inorganic compounds that evolve with varying levels of toxicity based on the type of industry and its bi-product. Recycling of treated effluent serves as an alternative to tie over water scarcity in sustainable agriculture. On the other hand, dilutions of industrial effluents serves as growth stimulants at an optimal concentration and influences the seed and seedling quality characters and aids in improving the productivity of crops. The safe levels of dilutions expressing the seed invigourative effect are reviewed hereunder, which could serve as a solution for disposal of effluent in agriculture in an effective manner.
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