Sesame is important oilseed crop of tropical and sub tropical region, renowned for its high oil content (up to 60% oil), hence sesame is known as the king of oil seeds. Sesame seed oil contains 83% - 90% unsaturated fatty acids, 20% proteins and various minor nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, large amount of characteristic lignans, such as sesamin, sesamol, sesamolin and tocopherols. Sesame seeds with high amounts of nutritional components are consumed as a traditional health food for its specific antihypertensive effect, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activity. Besides food, sesame also finds its uses in application areas such as pharmaceutics, industrial, and as biofuel. Sesame is used as active ingredients in antiseptics, bactericides, viricides, disinfectants, moth repellants, and anti-tubercular agents. In spite of being a good source of “healthy oil” in terms of presence of high amounts of PUFA and high antioxidant content, it is not grown on a large extent due to very poor yields. Therefore, serious efforts are necessary for selecting varieties of good quality and high adaptive potential to the diverse climatic situations. There should be effective strategies adapted to produce climate ready sesame variety using modern biotechnological approach.

Fourteen pigmented hill rice cultivars along with a non-pigmented one were studied for ascertaining the extent of their nutritional and genetic diversity. Moisture contents of the fourteen pigmented hill rice cultivars ranged from 7.49 to 10.10 % along w.ith the contents (% dry weight) of nutrients viz., crude fat (4.37 -5.27) and crude protein (9.27 -11.42). The corresponding range of values for the contents (mg/100g dry weight) of microminerals Zn and Fe were form 3.42 to 4.28 and from 3.21 to 4.18 respectively. The pigmented germplasm had anthocyanin content (mg cyanidine 3-O glucoside /100g) ranging from 3.58 to 7.86, total phenolic content (mg GAE/100 g)from 67.89 to 89.43, flavonoid content (mg QE/100g)from 57.75 to 78.74 and antioxidant activity from 19.56 to 29.29 %. Analysis of variance indicated that the varietal effect on each of the parameters studied was highly significant. There was significant correlation amongst the different parameters of the rice genotypes analysed. Results of the biochemical screening of these cultivars may lead to selection of promising candidates that can be used for developing improved lines in future breeding programmes.

Giant African snail (Achatina fulica Bowdich) belongs to the Phylum-Mollusca and ClassGastropoda. It is known for its destructive nature on cultivated crops wherever it occurs and is one of the world's largest and most damaging land snail pests. The pest is an East African origin, has spread in recent times by travel and trade to many countries. They now widely distributed and no longer limited to their region of origin due to several factors viz., high reproductive capacity, voracious feeding habit, inadequate quarantine management and human aided dispersal. A. fulica can cause serious economic damage on different crops and extensive rasping (scrapping), defoliation, slime trials, or ribbon like excrement is signs of infestation. In recent times, severe outbreak of this pest has been noticed due to some desirable agricultural and gardening practices like minimum tillage practices and straw retention techniques which help in survival of snails and make seedlings more susceptible to damage. This review paper aims to enlighten on taxonomy, distribution, extent of damage, morphology, biology, ecology, homing behaviour, seasonal incidence, nature of damage, host plants of A. fulica and its ecofriendly management strategies.How to view point the article : Bhattacharyya, Badal, Das, Mrinmoy, Mishra, Himangshu, Nath, D.J. and Bhagawati, Sudansu (2014). Bioecology and management of giant African snail, Achatina fulica (Bowdich). J. Plant Protec., 7(2) : 476-481.

The nutritive value of five edible aquatic insects of Assam—Hemipterans; water bug (Diplonychus rusticus Fabricius) family belostomatidae; giant water bug (Lethocerus indicus Lepeletier and Serville) family belostomatidae; water scorpion (Laccotrephes sp.) family nepidae, water stick (Ranatra sp.) family nepidae; Coleopterans diving beetle (Cybister sp.) family dytiscidae—based on their proximate and elemental composition, antioxidant and antinutritional properties were assessed by using standard methods of analysis. Analytical studies revealed that the selected aquatic insect species have high nutritive value and are rich sources of protein (50.03 to 57.67%) and other nutrients (fat, carbohydrate and crude fiber, etc.) along with superior energy contents (331.98 to 506.38 kJ/100 g). The aquatic insect species also contained appreciable amounts of major and trace dietary elements. Phenol and flavonoid contents reflect its high antioxidant activity (80.82 to 91.47% DPPH inhibition). Tannin (18.50 to 60.76 mg tannic acid equivalent/100 g), phytic acid (11.72 to 97.30 mg/100 g) and oxalic acid (2.93 to 5.34 mg/100 g) as antinutritional compounds were registered below the toxic level (0.52% or 520 mg/100 g). The present findings indicate that the selected aquatic insect species can be considered as ideal candidates for exploration as food and feed to ensure nutritional and livelihood security of this region.

Aim: To investigate the influence of soil physico-chemical properties on diversity and density of Collembola in an undisturbed fallow land ecosystem. Methodology: Soil sampling was done at monthly intervals to explore the diversity, density and seasonal variation patterns of collembolan population in a fallow land ecosystem during March, 2015 to February, 2016. Collembolans were sampled using Tullgren funnel and identified by standard taxonomic keys. Finally, correlation studies were conducted to assess the influence of different soil physico-chemical properties on diversity and density of collembolans. Results: Five species of Collembola (Cyphoderus sp., Entomobrya sp., Isotoma sp., Folsomia sp. and Hypogastrura sp.) belonging to 4 families (Cyphoderidae, Entomobryidae, Isotomidae and Hypogastruridae) were identified. Cyphoderus sp. was recorded to be the most abundant species contributing 44.29 percent of population. Analysis of different diversity indices revealed higher diversity of collembolans during summer, indicating the presence of relatively stable habitats as compared to other seasons. Summer season also recorded highest density of Collembola. During all the seasons studied, a strong significant positive correlation (P<0.05 and P<0.01) of collembolan population was registered with soil moisture and organic carbon, respectively, however, remaining edaphic factors registered non-significant relationship with the collembolan density and diversity Interpretation: The study clearly indicated that the soil moisture and organic carbon content had a positive relationship with collembolan population and provides a relatively favourable ecological niche for their assemblages.