Central University of Kerala

About: Central University of Kerala is a education organization based out in Kāsaragod, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 556 authors who have published 881 publications receiving 7474 citations.

Prevalence of acute pesticide poisoning among pesticide applicators in cardamom plantations: A cross-sectional study from Idukki District, Kerala

Abstract: Background: Pesticide poisoning is a burning occupational health issue across the world. The pesticide use in the cardamom plantations of Idukki district, Kerala, India is one of the world’s highest. However, limited studies addressed its ill effects on the health of pesticide applicators. Aims: To assess the magnitude of acute pesticide poisoning (APP) among pesticide applicators and understand the nature of severity based on their occupational characteristics. Settings and Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. A total of 300 pesticide applicators with minimum 1-year experience (79.3% males) were selected from 30 randomly selected cardamom plantations in Udumbanchola Taluk. Methods: WHO Field Surveys of Exposure to Pesticides Standard Protocol and Murphy’s method of Farmer Self-Surveillance system of pesticide poisoning were used for assessing pesticide exposure and APP, respectively. Statistical analysis used: Descriptive (frequencies) and exploratory statistical analyses (Pearson’s Chi-square test) were done using IBM SPSS 23.0. Results: The prevalence of APP in this study was 100% as all the pesticide applicators reported at least one sign and/or symptom of APP. The mild APP was more prevalent (80.7%), followed by moderate (18.7) and severe (0.60). Decrease in duration and frequency of spraying, use of motor pump sprayer, safe storage and disposal of pesticides, and proper personal hygiene were found to reduce the severity of APP. Conclusion: All the pesticide applicators in cardamom plantations of Idukki are at risk of APP. It is important to train them about the measures to prevent the same.

Isolation and Structural Characterization of Bioactive Anti-Inflammatory Compound Mesuaferrin-A from M. Ferrea

Abstract: Mesua ferrea L. is a medicinal plant belongs to the family Calophyllaceae, it is extensively used in folk medicine for treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. The present study was aimed to iso...

The Role of Meta-topolin in Plant Morphogenesis In Vitro

Abstract: Over 80% of world population relies on plant-based traditional medicine for health care. The genetic diversity of medicinal plants is declining due to excessive and unsustainable harvesting. Hence there is strong need to develop protocols for effective and reproducible micropropagation of these plants. Micropropagation is undoubtedly the most reliable method for the production of a large number of plants in a short time. The technique also has immense value in plant genetic engineering. The efficiency of micropropagation depends on the composition of culture medium, especially the type and concentration of plant growth regulators (PGRs) added to the medium. N6-(3-hydroxybenzyl)adenine (meta-topolin, mT) is a natural aromatic cytokinin first isolated from the leaves of Populus robusta. Since its discovery, especially in the past two decades, there are many studies conducted worldwide using mT and its derivatives to develop new protocols for the micropropagation of a variety of plant species, resolve defects due to in vitro propagation, and compare its properties and efficiency with other cytokinins. Various studies show that mT is more effective in morphogenesis than other cytokinins. It has superior regeneration capacity, reduced hyperhydricity, and no root inhibition in culture compared with commonly used cytokinins, thus gaining global interest, even though its efficacy is not universally applicable to all plant species. This chapter focuses on the use of mT in the micropropagation of plants with special emphases on its effects on the physiology of the plant culture and morphogenesis in vitro.

Identification of Fusarium oxysporum as causative agent of rhizome rot disease in seed ginger rhizomes in Wayanad, Kerala

Abstract: Rhizome rot was reported by ginger farmers of Wayanad, Kerala as a major productivity problem being faced in current growing year (2019–2020). The etiological agent was a fungus with a hyphal growth rate of 83.75 ± 3 mm after 5 doi. Subsequent morphological and molecular characterization by elucidating the fungal colony, conidial morphology, ITS sequencing and phylogenetic analysis identified the isolates as Fusarium oxysporum. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled after inoculating healthy rhizomes with the isolates (1 × 105 conidia/ ml), obtained from symptomatic rhizomes collected from field. Typical rot symptoms were visible after 4 days of infection (doi). Present study identifying the etiological agent provides information to farmers in selecting appropriate disease control measures to prevent further financial loss and opens research avenues for developing sustainable solutions.