Journal of Applied and Natural Science 

About: Journal of Applied and Natural Science is an academic journal published by Applied and Natural Science Foundation. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Biology & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 0974-9411. Over the lifetime, 2363 publications have been published receiving 8317 citations.

Seed treatments for sustainable agriculture-A review

Abstract: Seed treatment refers to the application of certain agents physical, chemical or biological to the seed prior to sowing in order to suppress, control or repel pathogens, insects and other pests that attack seeds, seedlings or plants and it ranges from a basic dressing to coating and pelleting. Introduction and ban of arsenic (used from 1740 until 1808) is the key milestones in the history of modern seed treatment till then a continuous research and advancement in this technology is going on. The technological advancement prepared a roadmap for refiningexisting seed treatment technologies and future work on technologies like fluid drilling as a way to sow germinated seeds where gel can also serve as a delivery system for other materials, seed priming advances the early phase of germination without redicle emergence. Another advanced technology, solid matrix priming (SMP) has been evaluated as a means to advances the germination of seeds and serve as a carrier for useful material too. Physical and biological seed treatments alone an alternative to chemicals or in combination with a chemical treatment are being used worldwide because of their environmental safety and socioeconomic aspects. Biological seed treatments are expected to be one of the fastest growing seed treatment sectors in the near future, in part because they are easier to register at Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Lack of awareness to seed treatments at farmer’s level is one of the limiting factors in disease management and hence, efforts should be made at farmer’s level to adopt the technology. Keeping the all above facts in mind, selected seed treatment technologies with their improvement and significance will be discussed in this review.

A review on plant growth promoting rhizobacteria acting as bioinoculants and their biological approach towards the production of sustainable agriculture

Abstract: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are the soil bacteria inhabiting around/on the root surface and are directly or indirectly involved in promoting plant growth and development via production and secretion of various regulatory chemicals in the vicinity of rhizosphere. There has been much research interest in PGPB and there is now an increasing number of PGPB being commercialized for various crops. Today a lot of efforts have been made for searching and investigating the PGPB and their mode of action, so that they can be exploited commercially as biofertilizers. Because of the various challenges faced in screening, formulation, and application, PGPB have yet to fulfill their promise and potential as commercial inoculants. Recent progress in our understanding of their diversity, colonization ability, mechanisms of action, formulation, and application should facilitate their development as reliablecomponents in the management of sustainable agricultural systems. Several reviews have discussed specific aspects of PGPB as bioinoculants. We have tried to critically evaluate the current status of bacterial inoculants for contemporary agriculture in developed and developing countries. This review focuses on some important information regarding the biofertilizing potential of some important group of microbes, their formulations, their application for the development of sustainable technology, scope of improvement by genetic engineering, steps to be undertaken for their commercialization and their future prospects.

Scenario of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil and its management

Abstract: Soil is a complex structure and contains mainly five major components i.e. mineral matter, water, air, organic matter and living organisms. The quantity of these components in the soil does not remain the same but varies with the locality. Soil possesses not only a nucleus position for existence of living being but also ensures their future existence. Therefore, it is essential to make an adequate land management to maintain the quality of soil in both rural and urban soil. The presence of different kinds of heavy metals such as Cd, Cu, Mn, Bi and Zn etc. in trace or in minimum level is a natural phenomenon but their enhanced level is an indicator of the degree of pollution load in that specific area. The precise knowledge of these kinds of heavy metals, their forms and their dependence on soil provides a genuine base for soil management. The heavy metals have potent cumulative properties and toxicity due to which they have a potential hazardous effect not only on crop plants but also on human health. The metal contaminants can be reduced by immobilization of contaminants using macrophytes and also by using genetically engineered microorganisms.

Effect of phenolic compounds on nematodes- A review

Abstract: The term, phenolics has been used to describe a group of structurally diverse plant secondary metabolites. This group includes metabolites derived from the condensation of acetate units (terpenoids), those produced by the modification of aromatic amino acids (phenylpropanoids, cinnamic acid, lignin precursor, catechols and coumarins), flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and tannins. The occurrence and metabolism of phenolic substances in plants, in response to injury or invasion by pathogens, such as fungi, bacteria and viruses have already been studied. Oxidised compounds produced in plants after invasion by pathogens often show considerable biological activity and are a common mechanism of resistance to plant pathogens. The present review gives information regarding the effects of different phenolic compounds on nematode system. It is found that these compounds are involved in plant defense and hence provide resistance against nematode attack.

Response of bio-regulators to morphology and yield of clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] under different sowing environments

Abstract: An experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2014, aims of the experiment were to investigate suitable sowing environment and bio-regulator and its effect on clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.), experimental treatments were applied foliar spray of thiourea (500, 1000 ppm) and salicylic acid (50, 100 ppm) at 45 and 60 days after sowing under normal (15 July) and late (30 July) sowing environments. Normal sowing performed well as compared to late sowing, in respect to all morphology and yield parameters. Amongst foliar spray, significantly higher plant height (100.17 cm), number of branches per plant (7.99), leaf area index (4.85), seed yield (9.19 q/ha) and harvest index (29.39) were recorded in foliar spray of thiourea 500 ppm as compared to all other bio-regulators spray level. Similarly, salicylic acid 100 ppm found statistically at par with thiourea 500 ppm foliar spray at 45 and 60 DAS. Impacts of climate change have significant reflections on clusterbean productivity. Sowing dates plays a vital role to determining the productivity of clusterbean with bio-regulators spray by controlling the environmental factors.