Predicting cadmium fractions in agricultural soils using proximal sensing techniques.

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in agricultural systems has caused global environmental and health concerns. Application of phosphate fertiliser to sustain plant production unintentionally accumulated Cd in agricultural soils over time. Rapid and cost-effective Cd monitoring in these soils will help to inform Cd management practices. Compared to total Cd analysis, examining chemical fractions by sequential extraction methods can provide information on the origin, availability, and mobility of soil Cd, and to assess the potential plant Cd uptake. A total of 87 air-dried topsoil (0-15 cm) samples from pastoral farms with a history of long-term application of phosphate fertiliser were analysed using wet chemistry methods for total Cd and Cd forms in exchangeable, acid soluble, metal oxides bound, organic matter bound, and residual fractions. The data acquired using three proximal sensing techniques, visible-near-infrared (vis-NIR), mid-infrared (MIR), and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy were used as input for partial least squares regression to develop models predicting total Cd and Cd fractions. The average total Cd concentration was 0.58 mg Cd/kg soil. For total Cd, cross-validation (cv) results of models using individual vis-NIR, MIR, and pXRF data performed with normalised root mean squared error (nRMSEcv) of 26%, 30%, and 31% and concordance correlation coefficient (CCCcv) of 0.85, 0.77, and 0.75, respectively. For exchangeable Cd, model using MIR data performed with nRMSEcv of 40% and CCCcv of 0.57. For acid soluble and organic matter bound Cd, models using vis-NIR data performed with nRMSEcv of 11% and 33% and CCCcv of 0.97 and 0.84, respectively. Reflectance spectroscopy techniques could potentially be applied as complementary tools to estimate total Cd and plant available and potentially available Cd fractions for effective implementation of Cd monitoring programmes.

Induction of defence-related proteins by selected plant growth regulators and biocontrol agents against guava root knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii.

Guava is an important edible and economic fruit crop distributed worldwide. It is widely infested with root knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii which plays a vital role in causing economic losses. Several management strategies were performed to enhance the health status of guava and also to reduce root knot nematode infestation. Among the different aspects, application of plant growth regulators on guava plants under nursery conditions against root knot nematode, M. enterolobii was performed. The guava plants were treated with Salicylic acid (100 ppm), Jasmonic acid (100 ppm), and Indole 3-Butyric Acid (1000 ppm) alone and in combination of two and three. The result of this study revealed that IBA at 1,000 ppm alone (T3) and combined application of plant growth regulators viz., (T4) - Salicylic acid (100 ppm) + Jasmonic acid (100 ppm) + Indole 3-Butyric Acid (1,000 ppm) showed reduction in the nematode population and establishment of new roots (compensatory) and tertiary roots. The combined application of PGRs also increased the Plant height, root length, chlorophyll index, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll fluorescence. The activity of various enzymes like total phenols, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, acid phosphatase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase were influenced and developed resistance against root knot nematode, M. enterolobii. Under field conditions, application of Pochonia chlamydosporia and Purpureocilium lilacinum reduced the nematode infestation besides increasing the yield attributes of guava plants.

Proactive detection of people in need of mental healthcare: accuracy of the community case detection tool among children, adolescents and families in Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: Most children and adolescents in need of mental healthcare remain untreated even when services are available. This study evaluates the accuracy of a new tool, the Community Case Detection Tool (CCDT). The CCDT uses illustrated vignettes, two questions and a simple decision algorithm to support proactive community-level detection of children, adolescents and families in need of mental healthcare to improve help-seeking. METHODS: Trusted and respected community members in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka used the CCDT in their daily routine. Children and families detected as potentially in need of mental healthcare based on utilizing the CCDT (N = 157, aged 6-18 years) were invited for a clinical interview by a mental health counsellor using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID). The CCDT results were compared against the results of the clinical interview. The concurrent validity and performance of the CCDT were also evaluated by comparing the CCDT outcomes against the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). RESULTS: 7 out of 10 children and families detected by community members using the CCDT were confirmed to be in need for treatment (positive predictive value [PPV] = 0.69; 0.75 when compared to the SDQ). Detections based on the family problem vignette were most accurate (PPV = 0.76), followed by the internalising problem vignette (PPV = 0.71) and the externalising problem vignette (PPV = 0.62). CONCLUSIONS: The CCDT is a promising low-cost solution to overcome under-detection of children and families in need of mental healthcare. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness, as well as additional strategies to improve help-seeking.

Differential responses of sorghum genotypes to drought stress revealed by physio-chemical and transcriptional analysis.

Sorghum is an essential food crop for millions of people in the semi-arid regions of the world, where its production is severely limited by drought stress. Drought in the early stages of crop growth and development irreversibly interferes, which leads to poor yield. The effect of drought stress in sorghum was studied at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels in a set of two genotypes differing in their tolerance to drought. Drought stress was imposed by restraining water for 10 days on 25 days old seedlings. A significant influence of water stress was observed on the considered morpho-physiological and biochemical traits. The genotype DRT1019 exhibited physiological and biochemical indicators of drought avoidance through delayed leaf rolling, osmotic adjustment, ideal gas-exchange system, solute accumulation, an increased level of enzyme synthesis and root trait expression as compared to the ICSV95022 genotype. Furthermore, differences in the metabolite changes viz. total carbohydrate, total amides, and lipids were found between the two genotypes under drought stress. In addition, transcript profiling of potential candidate drought genes such as SbTIP3-1, SbDHN1, SbTPS, and SbDREB1A revealed up-regulation in DRT1019, which corresponded with other important physiological and biochemical parameters exhibited in the genotype. In conclusion, this study provides an improved understanding of whole plant response to drought stress in sorghum. Additionally, our results provide promising candidate genes for drought tolerance in sorghum that can be used as potential markers for drought tolerance breeding programs.

Influence of water stress on antioxidative enzymes and yield of banana cultivars and hybrids.

The main aim for this field experimental study is to screening of various banana cultivars and hybrids for water deficit tolerance through antioxidative enzymes and yield. The field experiment was conducted at National Research Centre for Banana to screen the banana cultivars and hybrids for water deficit tolerance and to elucidate information on antioxidative enzymes mechanism correlated with yield of banana cultivars and hybrids. The methodology of this experimental were analyzed by split plot design and has two treatments considered as main plot (M) viz., control plot taken as M1 and water deficit plot taken as M2 and also the cultivars and hybrids were considered as sup plots (S). The stress was imposed according to the Available Soil Moisture (ASM) and this ASM was measured by using pressure plate membrane apparatus. The experimental data were significantly varied between the treatments and also cultivars and hybrids. The antioxidative enzymes of catalase, super oxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase were significantly enhanced during water deficit conditions. Among the twelve cultivars and hybrids, Karpuravalli, Karpuravalli x Pisang Jajee, Saba and Sannachenkathali was identified as tolerant to water stress with highly accelerated by water stress treatment in the range of 23 to 32% over Control in Catalase (CAT), Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) and Ascorbate Peroxidase (APX) leads to reduced the cellular membrane damaged by reactive oxygen species and get higher yield; whereas, Matti, Pisang Jajee x Matti, Matti x Anaikomban and Anaikomban x Pisang Jajee were notified as sensitive cultivars and hybrids with lesser increase in antioxidative enzyme activity of 15% than control which is leads to get very low yield.

Survey for cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) and its natural enemies.

Mealybug was considered to be a minor pest of cotton but it emerged as a major pest in 2006-2007 in North and Central zones. Extensive field surveys conducted in cotton fields during 2007-09 in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab in the North zone and Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in the Central zone indicated that Phenacoccus solenopsis was the only major species of mealybug recorded on cotton in North as well as Central zones except one location in Gujarat where Fenrrisia virgata Cockerrel was also recorded. Infestation of mealybug at most of the places in North and Central zones ranged from mild (10-20%) to high (40-60%) during 2007 and 2008 but reduced to traces in 2009. Extensive field survey indicated that Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Chalcidodea: Encyrtidae), an indigenous parasitoid, played a key role in reducing the insect pestinfestation. The parasitoid was first recorded in Delhi in July 2008 and by 2009 it was found in most of the cotton growing districts of North and Central zones. Its natural parasitization on P solenopsis could reach more than 90% at many locations. This is the most successful example of biological control of mealybug. Along with this parasitoid, another parasitoid, Promuscidea unfasciativentris Girault (Chalcidodea: Aphelinidae), was also recorded at most of the locations in smaller proportions.

Herbal medicines for liver diseases in India.

The use of natural remedies for the treatment of liver diseases has a long history, starting with the Ayurvedhic treatment, and extending to the Chinese, European and other systems of traditional medicines. The 21st century has seen a paradigm shift towards therapeutic evaluation of herbal products in liver diseases by carefully synergizing the strengths of the traditional systems of medicine with that of the modern concept of evidence-based medicinal evaluation, standardization of herbal products and randomized placebo controlled clinical trials to support clinical efficacy. The present review provides the status report on the scientific approaches made to herbal preparations used in Indian systems of medicine for the treatment of liver diseases. In spite of the availability of more than 300 preparations for the treatment of jaundice and chronic liver diseases in Indian systems of medicine using more than 87 Indian medicinal plants, only four terrestrial plants have been scientifically elucidated while adhering to the internationally acceptable scientific protocols. In-depth studies have proved Sylibum marianum to be anti-oxidative, antilipidperoxidative, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating and liver regenerative. Glycyrrhiza glabra has been shown to be hepatoprotective and capable of inducing an indigenous interferon. Picrorhiza kurroa is proved to be anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory. Extensive studies on Phyllanthus amarus have confirmed this plant preparation as being anti-viral against hepatitis B and C viruses, hepatoprotective and immunomodulating, as well as possessing anti-inflammatory properties. For the first time in the Indian systems of medicine, a chemo-biological fingerprinting methodology for standardization of P. amarus preparation has been patented.