G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology

About: G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology is a education organization based out in Haldwani, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Agriculture. The organization has 3154 authors who have published 3244 publications receiving 43741 citations. The organization is also known as: Govind Ballabh Pant Krishi Evam Praudyogik Vishwavidyalaya & Pantnagar University.

A quantitative study of the forest floor biomass, litter fall and nutrient return in a Pinus roxburghii forest in Kumaun Himalaya

Abstract: The present paper reports on the forest floor biomass, litter fall, nutrient return and turnover of organic matter in a Pinus roxburghii forest in Kumaun Himalaya. Peak values of fresh leaf litter, partially decomposed litter and wood litter on the forest floor occurred in April, May and September, respectively. The relative contribution of partially decomposed material to total forest floor biomass remained greatest throughout the annual cycle. The biomass of herbaceous vegetation was maximal in September with a total annual net production of 151 g m-2. The total annual litter fall was 895 g m-2, of which tree, shrub and herb litters accounted for 82.4%, 0.6%, and 16.8%, respectively. Annual nutrient return in kg ha-1 through litter fall amounted to 278.6 ash, 73.9 N, 5.5 P, 79.7 Ca, 15.1Mg, 20.7 K and 3.6Na. The turnover rate for tree litter was 48% and that for various nutrients on the forest floor ranged between 40–79%.

Evaluation of pentachlorophenol-degrading potentiality of Pseudomonas sp. in a soil microcosm

Abstract: Pseudomonas sp. strain IST103 obtained from a stable consortium was capable of degrading pentachlorophenol (PCP) as sole carbon and energy source. The PCP-degrading potentiality of the strain was determined by growth of bacteria in culture medium, utilization of PCP by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), chloride release and ring cleavage. The strain was applied in two set of soil microcosms containing 20 and 40% moisture, each having different concentrations, 0, 10, 100, 500, and 1000 mg/l, of PCP. The result showed significant utilization of PCP (77% in 45 days) and higher growth of bacterial strain when PCP was applied in 100 mg/l concentration at 40% moisture. Inhibitory effects on the growth of bacterial strain were seen in 500 and 1000 mg/l concentration.

Studies on genetic variability, character association and path coefficient for seed yield and its contributing traits in soybean (Glycine max(L.) Merrill)

Abstract: Twenty elite breeding lines of soybean were studied for genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient for eighteen economically important traits. Six genotypes viz. PK-1272, PK-1274, PK-1281, PK-1283, PK-1284 and PK-1286 were found significantly superior in yield and other major yield contributing characters. In general, PCV were higher than the GCV and ECV values for all the characters, suggesting that these characters were relatively much influenced by the environment. The broad sense heritability estimates were high for pods/plant, followed by plant height, primary branches/plant and seed yield/plant whereas, pods/plant and plant height revealed high genetic advance. Seed yield showed significant positive correlations with total dry matter weight/plant, primary branches/plant, pods/plant, seed yield efficiency, 100-seed weight and harvest index. Protein and oil contents showed significant and negative association with each other. Path coefficient analysis indicated major role of pods/plant, total dry matter weight/plant, primary branches/plant, seed yield efficiency and 100-seed weight both directly and indirectly influenced seed yield. Therefore, main emphasis should be given on these traits during phenotypic selection for developing high yielding genotypes of soybean.

Phylogenetic relationships of fluorescent pseudomonads deduced from the sequence analysis of 16S rRNA, Pseudomonas-specific and rpoD genes.

Abstract: Phylogenetic relationship of 22 FLPs was revealed on the basis of polymorphism in three genes namely 16S rDNA, Pseudomonas-specific and rpoD gene regions. The primers for 16S rDNA, Pseudomonas-specific region and rpoD gene region were amplifying a region of 1492, 990 and 760 bp, respectively, from all the isolates investigated. The RFLP analysis of the PCR products resulted in a classification of these fluorescent pseudomonads which was best answered by rpoD-based RFLP analysis. The 22 FLPs were placed in two major clusters and seven subclusters suggesting that these were genotypically heterogenous and might belong to several species within Pseudomonas sensu stricto. Sequence analysis of these three genes for three selected isolates AS5, AS7 and AS15 showed 16S rDNA and Pseudomonas-specific gene region phylogenies were generally similar, but rpoD gene phylogeny was somewhat different from these two genes. These results were also congruent with the results of RFLP of these three genes. rpoD provided comparable phylogenetic resolution to that of the 16S rRNA and Pseudomonas-specific genes at all taxonomic levels, except between closely related organisms (species and subspecies levels), for which it provided better resolution. This is particularly relevant in the context of a growing number of studies focusing on subspecies diversity, in which single-copy protein-encoding genes such as rpoD could complement and better justify the information provided by the 16S rRNA gene. Hence rpoD can be used further as an evolutionary chronometer for species-level identification.

3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives: Organocatalysed microwave assisted synthesis and evaluation of their antioxidant activity

Abstract: 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives were synthesized by Biginelli reaction under microwave irradiation using oxalic acid as a new, efficient, and environmentally benign catalyst. Antioxidant properties of synthesized compounds were evaluated by three methods, viz., radical scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals, reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activities. The compounds having –OH group on benzene ring were found to have higher activity. Amongst the 12 synthesized compounds, four were found to have significant antioxidant activity.