Open Access Research Paper

The rainforest, which contains more than half of the overall species diversity, is under increasing anthropogenic pressure. One of the consequences of this disappearance is the transformation of the forest landscape into a fragments of forest. This is the case of the forest relic located within the Nangui Abrogoua University. However, this forest is subject to strong anthropogenic pressures which through poaching, uncontrolled takeoffs of natural resources and some agricultural clearing. To assess the plant species diversity in this relic forest, plots, linear and itinerant surveys were conducted in this forest. To cover for the plots method, the Nangui Abrogoua Forest has been divided into 110 squares of 10 m by side. Linear method consists in counting all the points of contact of the vegetation along an imaginary vertical line, placed in an equidistant way along a graduated ribbon. The standard length of transect is 200 meters. To get a more accurate estimation of species richness and composition, additional species were added thanks to itinerant prospection. At the end of the study; we will have respectively 75 71 and 77 species divided between 65 62 and 73 genres and 36 34 38 families for Block I, Block II and Block III. At the level of the families of the whole forest, the results on the floristic wealth indicate to us that the richest families in the Blocks are Rubiaceae (Block I), Apocynaceae (Block II) and Euphorbiaceae (Block III). The study showed that many human activities are threatening the integrity of the three blocks.

The present panel of work was conducted to investigate intra-specific genetic variability among Snake bean landraces. Genetic variation is considered as a basic feature to plants breeding and makes it viable to choose plants with appropriate traits. The methods to study genetic variation are morphological traits and SDS-PAGE. For this purpose, seeds of 40 landraces were collected. The morphometric parameters include both qualitative and quantitative traits. In 4 qualitative parameters significant level of variation was observed in seed shape, seed color and pod pigmentation except legume colour. For 11 quantitative traits descriptive statistics analysis done in which 100 seed weight show maximum coefficient of variance CV (0.37%) followed by pod length (0.32%), While minimum coefficient of variance showed by internode length (0.10%) followed by plant height 0.16% and seed length (0.18%). In comparative correlation, the plant height show highly positive correlation with plant biomass (.705**), seed per pod (.464**) and pod length (.362*), while highly negative correlation obtained with leaf length (-.335*).The protein profile of 40 snake bean landraces tested through SDS-PAGE shown 15 reproducible bands. High level of variation was observed in band B14 (0.93%), followed by B11 (0.80%), B15 (0.78%) B12 (0.75%), B13 (0.75%), B1 (0.65%), B5 (0.50%) and B8 (0.50%). Similarly low level of variation was noted in B3 (0.15%) followed by B4 (0.33%), B10 (0.38%), B6 (0.40%), B2 (0.45%), B7 (0.48%) and B9 (0.50%). The entire bands show polymorphism. All the traits show outmost level of divergence which is advantageous for further improvement of best variety.

The present study was carried out to analyze the compositional and microbiological quality of Orud/Khurud. A total of thirty locally produced Orud/Khurud samples (~1 kg each), ten samples from each of goat and sheep milk purchased from five districts (Chaghi, Chaman, Kharan, Mastung and Noshki) of Balochistan, were evaluated for moisture, fat, protein, casein, mineral/ash and total viable count (TVC), thermoduric count (TDC), thermophilic spore count (TPSC), Enterobacteraceae count (EBC) and yeasts and moulds count (YMC). Moisture (5.05±0.35%), protein (44.60±1.63%) and casein (37.46±1.19%) contents of sheep milk Orud/Khurud were not significantly different (p>0.05) from goat milk Orud/Khurud (5.47±0.31, 41.91±2.02 and 36.56±1.60%, respectively). While fat and mineral/ash contents of sheep milk Orud/Khurud (4.21±0.43%) and (14.34±0.63%) were remarkably different (P0.05) from goat milk Orud/Khurud ( 3.7×103±1.6×102 , 5.0×101 ±0.75×101, 5.1×101 ± 0.82× 101, 4.3×101 ±0.60×101 and 4.7×101 ±0.60×101 cfu g-1, respectively). The overall average concentration of TVC (3.9×103 ±1.8×102 cfu g-1) in Orud/Khurud was recovered lower (12.7 folds) compared to Pakistan Standard Institution (PSI) and/or Indian Standard Institution (ISI) (5.0×104 cfu/g) and the overall average count of TD, (4.9×101 ±0.50×101 cfu g-1), TPS (5.0×101 ±0.53×101 cfu g-1), EBC (4.2×101±0.43×101 cfu g-1) and YM (4.6×102±0.35×101) were also detected lower (-2.04 folds), (-2 folds), (-2.38 folds) and (-2.17 folds) compared to ISI standards, respectively. The results conclude that chemical components in both types of Orud/Khurud were dense with a higher amount and could be a rich source of human nutrition. Moreover, the results of the microbiological examination showed the quality of Orud/Khurud within the acceptable limit.

Biological control agents (BCA) are important as some establish symbiosis with plants hence controlling plant diseases, improving plant nutrients uptake and water absorption. Use of BCA in soil borne disease management is not fully harnessed and is also faced with inconsistencies in developing their formulations. We therefore investigated the use of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus (AMF), Glomus intraradices, and Trichoderma harzianum (T-22) against soilborne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici (Fol) in tomato. G. intraradices isolate 510 held on expanded clay as carrier material was incorporated into the substrate during germination of tomato seeds and at the transplanting stage. T-22 inoculum was also initiated from potato dextrose agar and inoculated at each transplanting stage, while Fol was applied through drenching. To test the possible synergistic effects, AMF and T-22 were applied in combination under varying niches. Results showed that application of AMF and T-22 together had significant reduction (30.5% p

The purpose of the present study was to explore the influences roasting on the radical scavenging activity and total Phenolic content on selected seeds. Fresh seeds of Prunus domestice, Prunus armeniace and Prunus persica were selected from the local market. The selected seeds were heated on the hotpot at a temperature 160 °C for 1 to 3 hours, respectively and one group were remain irrespective of any treatment (control). It was observed that roasting of fruit seeds produce different effects on total phenolic contents and radical scavenging activity. Antioxidant capacity was measured against the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) whereas the reducing capacity was evaluated with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent (FCR). Total phenolic content in Prunus domestica was highest at 160 °C when heated for 1 hour (554 mg/100g), similarly the total phenolic content in the Prunus armeniaca was highest when heated for 2 hour (684 mg/100g) while the Total phenolic content in the Prunus persica was highest when heated for 2 hour (684 mg/100g). Radical scavenging activity in the Prunus domestica was highest when heated for 1 hour (48 %). Similarly radical scavenging activity in the Prunus armeniaca was highest during heated for 1 hour (86 %) while radical scavenging activity in the Prunus persica was at maximum (43 %) at 2 hour treatment. It is suggested that different effect were produced when different fruit seeds were roasted at a single temperature, Therefore different optimum temperature and conditions are required for roasting different seeds.

The central Visayas Region has had historical overfishing and persistent illegal, unregulated and destructive fishing practices since the 1970s. Accumulated threats to coral reefs resulted in the reduction of coral cover and coral complexity that led to local loss of species. In the present study, we conducted a fishery survey of reef fishes in the market and fish landing sites of Talibon and Pres. C.P. Garcia. To document the species composition, species diversity (Shannon profiles) and relative abundance, we considered 11 major commercially important coral reef families, namely: Acanthuridae, Scaridae, Lutjanidae, Serranidae, Haemulidae, Mullidae, Lethrinidae, Balistidae, Nemipteridae, Caesionidae and Siganidae. The study recorded a total of 158 reef species in the studied sites; 143 species were recorded in Talibon, while 134 species in Pres. C.P. Garcia. The most numerous species from 11 reef families were recorded to Serranidae, Scaridae, and Lutjanida. Further investigation showed that the relative abundance of reef species differed at each market site (p

The present investigation aims to synthesize, characterize, and study the photocatalytic activities of zinc oxide/biopolymer nanocomposites. Sodium alginate and carboxy methyl cellulose were the biopolymers used. A simple precipitation method was adopted for the synthesis. The zinc oxide nanoparticles were calcined at 550oC for 2 hours in a muffle furnace and then mixed with the respective biopolymers under proper proportions and the resulting mixtures were poured in an autoclave maintained at 180oC for 12 hours, filtered, washed and dried at 60oC for 2 hours. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, UV-VIS and AFM. The photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposites were tested using methylene blue dye under different experimental conditions by varying the pH, catalytic dosage, concentration of the dye and contact time. Excellent photocatalytic degradation of the dye was achieved under direct sunlight irradiation for both nanocomposites.

High temperature is a severe environmental stressor that reduces crop yield. Tomato is one of the vegetable crops whose growth, physiology, and yields are highly affected by high temperature during the summer season in Bangladesh. Bioregulators are vital in controlling plant growth and development. In this study, the external application of 4–Chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) and Gibberellic Acid (GA3) were identified as a positive tool in decreasing the stress of the high temperature effect. A pot experiment was arranged under a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) containing three replications. The bioregulator concentrations consisted of control, 20 ppm 4-CPA, 40 ppm 4-CPA, 60 ppm 4-CPA, 10 ppm NAA, 20 ppm NAA, 30 ppm NAA, 20 ppm GA3, 30 ppm GA3 and 40 ppm GA3. The different concentrations of bioregulators had more potentiality to enhance plant height (36.02%), number of branches plant-1 (50%), number of leaves plant-1 (50%), chlorophyll a content (46.95%), chlorophyll b content (27.97%), total chlorophyll content (38.49%), number of flower cluster plant-1 (67.02%), number of flower plant-1 (50%), number of fruits plant-1 (48.72%) and fruit weight plant-1 (64.18%) compared to control. Among the bioregulators, 20 ppm NAA demonstrated the best functional to solved flower and fruit dropping problems of summer tomato. The findings of the study imply that bioregulators can be utilized as a protective agent to increase water use efficiency, osmotic management, and pigment content to reduce the negative effects of high temperature on tomato growth and physiology, resulting in optimum yield.

The selection of agro-industrial products is the first step to building superior and prospective agro-industrial products that have a solid and resilient structure in competing based on market opportunities and production capabilities. Agro-industry in ecotourism areas is an alternative approach in strengthening local agro-industry development by integrating all components, including business actors, in developing agro-industrial products. This study aims to determine the priority of prospective products and the added value of agro-industrial products in ecotourism areas. Analysis of the data used includes: (1) prospective agro-industry products with multi-criteria decision analysis using the Bayes method based on expert respondents’ assessments, (2) added value of agro-industrial products using the Hayami method. The study results based on the assessment of expert respondents with multiple criteria including production technology capabilities and skills, market opportunities, commercial value, employment, impact on other products, and investment/business capital indicate that each alternative to agro-industry products has its advantages in each criterion and can assist in making decisions on which agro-industry products can be prioritized products to be developed. The results of the added value calculation using the Hayami method show that all prospective agro-industry products in ecotourism areas have added value and guarantee that industrial players who do business get more significant profit opportunities than selling products in the form of raw materials. The implications of the results of this study can help business actors, ecotourism managers, government, private sector, and stakeholders in developing agro-industrial products in ecotourism areas in an integrated and sustainable manner.

Faced with many failures in the elimination of CoNS pathogens, we aimed to find an effective agent to eradicate these bacteria. In the present study we tested 20 isolates of CoNS collected from the Anti-Cancer Center of Batna (Algeria). As antistaphylococcal agents we used in our experiment 29 Pseudomonas isolates selected from the roots of plant (Hordeum murinum). The results of crossed streak method on MHA medium showed that the 29 isolates of Pseudomonas inhibited 19 CoNS. The strain with the greater inhibitory effect PK inhibited 14 CoNS. The high performing Pseudomonas PK has been used for the production of phenazine compounds. The dry compound of PK from ethyl acetate extraction has been shown to be effective against 13 isolates of staphylococci. The percentage of biofilm inhibition by the PK phenazine extract was between (32.2%) and (77.56%). The analysis of the compound obtained by UV-visible and infrared spectrum showed that it was similar to hydroxyphenazine.

In the current situation of global warming, the availability of fresh water is a blessing. Due to the uncontrolled extraction of groundwater, the water table is decreasing at a rapid pace. This reduction and water scarcity dilemma could be resolved through better management of available water resources. Rainwater harvesting is the most applicable and demanding way for the conservation of water, which includes localized storage of rainwater for different future uses. In this paper, a case study of Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST) Islamabad Pakistan has been taken to assess the rainwater harvesting potential. Google Earth Pro (GEP) was used for marking out the boundaries of the study area. Digitization of the campus was worked out by using ArcGIS. The overall demand for water in the CUST was calculated by considering the total population. The selection of suitable sites for the storage of rainwater harvesting (RWH) was identified. Quantity of rainwater ware calculated by using rational method. Storage tank size and location were suggested in three different places based on the natural ground slope. The result of this study shows that 100% of the water will be saved by rainwater harvesting. This saved water can be used for other purposes like landscape irrigation. This will help in decreasing the usage of groundwater resources.