Multifarious plant growth-promoting traits of mangrove yeasts: growth enhancement in mangrove seedlings (Rhizophora mucronata) for conservation.

Plant Growth-Promoting Yeasts (PGPY) have garnered significant attention in recent years; however, research on PGPY from mangroves remains a largely unexplored frontier. This study, therefore, focused on exploring the multifaceted plant growth-promoting (PGP) capabilities of yeasts isolated from mangroves of Puthuvype and Kumbalam. The present work found that manglicolous yeasts exhibited diverse hydrolytic properties, with the predominance of lipolytic activity, in addition to other traits such as phosphate solubilization, and production of indole acetic acid, siderophore, ammonia, catalase, nitrate, and hydrogen cyanide. After screening for 15 PGP traits, three strains P 9, PV 23, and KV 35 were selected as the most potent ones. These strains also exhibited antagonistic activity against fungal phytopathogens and demonstrated resilience to abiotic stresses, making them not only promising biocontrol agents but also suited for field application. The potent strains P 9, PV 23, and KV 35 were molecularly identified as Candida tropicalis, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Aureobasidium melanogenum, respectively. The potential of these strains in enhancing the growth performance of mangrove seedlings of Rhizophora mucronata, was demonstrated using the pot-experiment. The results suggested that the consortium of three potent strains (P 9, PV 23, and KV 35) was more effective in increasing the number of shoot branches (89.2%), plant weight (87.5%), root length (83.3%), shoot height (57.9%) and total leaf area (35.1%) than the control seedlings. The findings of this study underscore the significant potential of manglicolous yeasts in contributing to mangrove conservation and restoration efforts, offering a comprehensive understanding of their diverse plant growth-promoting mechanisms and highlighting their valuable role in sustainable ecosystem management.

Plant growth-promoting yeasts (PGPY), the latest entrant for use in sustainable agriculture: a review.

Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are being extensively used in agriculture in order to increase food production to feed the rapidly growing world population. This has negatively affected the soil microbes thereby reducing the agricultural produce. As a safer alternative, microbial fertilizers are now being used as plant growth promoters to improve agricultural yields. A large number of studies are focused on the role of bacteria and multicellular fungi, but plant growth-promoting traits of yeasts, the unicellular fungi are little known. Hence, the present article reviewed the diverse groups of yeasts with the potential to act as plant growth promoters. Plant growth-promoting yeasts (PGPY) have been mainly isolated from the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of major crop plants such as wheat, maize, and rice. Twenty-three genera of yeasts have been reported to have the potential for plant growth promotion (PGP), most of which belong to the phylum Ascomycetes. Dominant PGPY genera include Candida spp., Rhodotorula spp., Cryptococcus spp., and Saccharomyces sp. PGPY are known to exhibit phyto-beneficial attributes viz phytohormone production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, improved soil fertility, aid plants to tolerate abiotic stress and also compete effectively against plant pathogens. Over and above these traits, PGPY is Generally Recognized as Safe, making it an ideal candidate to be effectively employed as part of sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security. The review warrants a need for an in-depth study on the different sources of PGPY other than rhizosphere/phyllosphere and the genes controlling PGP traits.

Sclerospora graminicola axenic culture.

Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) Schroet., the obligate pathlogen causing downy mildew (green-ear) of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides Stapf. and Hubb.) has been successfully cultured for the first time on a known semisynthetic mediumn with no evident loss of fructifications. Sclerospora graminicola was first grown on host callus tissue and subsequently on a modification of White's basal medium that contained casein hydrolyzate (Oxoid). 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and kinetin.

Effect of non linearity of PDL on a restored tooth.

To obtain an accurate stress distribution pattern of the restored tooth, taking into account non linear properties of Periodontal Ligament (PDL), linear stress and deformation analysis was carried out with four posts, different in constitution and shape. However, as the PDL exhibits non linear behaviour, more accurate results could be expected by simulating the model for non linear properties of PDL. Due to computational difficulties, a simplified model was prepared and non linear stress analysis was carried out. In case of non linear analysis the stresses were decreased by 25% and deformation was increased by 50% approximately as compared to linear static analysis of the restored maxillary central incisor.

Tissue Culture of Desert Trees: I. Clonal Multiplication of Prosopis cineraria by Bud Culture.

A method to produce 3-5 plantlets of Prosopis cineraria from a single bud expiant through in vitro culture in 100 days is described. Various auxins (NAA, IAA, IBA and 2,4-D) and cytokinins (Kinetin and BAP) were incorporated in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium for standardization of shoot and root formation; 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA: 3.0 mg·1(-1)) with Kinetin (0.05 mg · l(-1)) was found to be the best suited for multiple shoot differentiation. Shoot segments obtained after differentiation were multiplied by subculturing on ½ MS devoid of cytokinins and auxins. Shoot segments developed tap roots adventitiously within 15-20 days in White's basal (WM) medium containing 0.8% agar, 3.0 mg · l(-1) indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and 0.05 mg · l(-1) kinetin. Transplantation to pots containing soil-vermiculite mixture (3:1) was successfully accomplished with 60% of rooted plants.

A skill test for farm women: curd making.

A test was developed to measure farm women's skills in making good quality curd (yoghurt). Curd making is classified as skilled because more than 10 sequential steps must be performed. Using the procedure for measuring psychomotor variables, the authors listed all the steps recommended to perform the skill in a systematic and sequential order so that each step was clearly identifiable, observable, and mutually exclusive of the other steps. These steps became observation points for measuring the competence of the women in terms of accuracy. The list was referred to 27 experts who assigned separate scores to each step on the basis of its relative importance and operational difficulty. The mean scores for these dimensions were calculated separately, after which they were pooled to get the final assigned score for each step. The coefficients of reliability and validity were found to be .94 and .96, respectively.

Comparison of oral and intravenous rehydration among hospitalized children with acute diarrhoea.

PIP: To compare the efficacy and cost of managing mildly or moderately dehydrated diarrhea patients with oral rehydration soulution (ORS) versus intravenous fluids (I.V.), hospitalized patients were analyzed retrospectively during 2 different time periods. In 1981, 133 of 134 patients, 110 of whom were mildly-moderately dehydrated, were managed only with I.V.; while in 1982, 126 mildly-moderately dehydrated received only ORS, 15 severely dehydrated patients were given short term I.V. followed by ORS, and 29 mildly-moderately dehydrated patients were given I.V. before ORS, due to non-acceptance of ORS and/or persistent vomiting. In 1981, all but one of the 134 patients received I.V.; in 1982, 126 of the 155 mildly dehydrated were rehydrated with ORS alone, while the remaining 29 mildly dehydrated were rehydrated with I.V. followed by ORS. 15 severely dehydrated patients were treated with I.V. plus ORS. The average hospital stay was 3.6 days in 1981 and 1.6 days in 1982. The average net expenditure per patient was Bangladeshi Rs. 323.08 in 1981 and Rs. 99.61 in 1982 (about Rs. 9 to US $1. The present study thus establishes the usefulness of ORS at the hospital level, and its statistically significant impact on reducing the duration and cost of hospitalization. Moreover, use of ORS also indirectly avoids other disadvantages of I.V., such as overhydration, electrolyte imbalances and thrombophlebitis, all of which are not uncommon.^ieng

Neonatal diaphragmatic paralysis caused by chest drains.

A boy delivered at 32 weeks' gestation developed bilateral pneumothoraces that required multiple chest drains. He was dependent on the ventilator for 52 days because of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis. Electrophysiological studies confirmed phrenic nerve damage. He eventually made a full recovery. It is likely that this damage was caused by the insertion of the chest drains.

Development of laticifer cells in callus cultures of Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br.

Tissue cultures were established from stem explants of Calotropis procera, a hydrocarbon yielding desert shrub on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with 1.5 mg. 1(-01) 2,4-D + 0.5 mg.1(-1) kinetin and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Laticifer cells were not present in young callus but were observed after 4 weeks of callus growth when examined histochemically. These young laticifers were detected in the 5th week of culture and were distinguished from surrounding cells by the presence of characteristic cytoplasm and thin walls. A group of cells with extensive branching was developed after 8 weeks of growth of the callus cultures. These cells were thick walled and contained latex particles in coagulated masses. Positive Liebermann-Burchard test proved the presence of terpenoids in these laticifers.