A study to reduce salt usage in preservation of skins and hides with alternate use of plant extract

V. Sivabalana and A. Jayanthib

Raw hides and skin are preserved before processed into leather. Salt preservation is the general and age old popular practice. Possibilities of using other methods of preservations have been analyzed in order to reduce the pollution load in the soaking process of leather by many scientist. However in the present study less salt preserving systems based on herbal extract have been investigated and evaluated at ambient temperature of 30-37ºC as alterative preservation system. The efficacy of this alternative system was assessed by parameters such as determination of bacterial count, isolation and characterization of microorganism from raw goat skin, antimicrobial activity by using herbal extraction with well diffusion method, percentage weight loss during storage of cured skin, determination of hydrothermal stability of the skin and physical properties of finished leather was conducted. 12 plants were screened for antimicrobial assay among which only 5 plants had antimicrobial activity Weddilia chininsis, Cassia alatta, Clerodentron pholomides, Solanum trilobotum, Calotropis procera. Hence these 5 plants where chosen for direct application on the on skin along with reduced percentage of NaCl.

Proline level and amylase and ascorbate peroxidase activity in the germination of Plantago ovata forsk (plantaginaceae) seeds

Lúcia F. Braga, Marcilio P. Sousa, Leonardo C. Ferreira, Maria Elena Ap. Delachiave, Ana C. Cataneo and João F. Braga

The species Plantago ovata has great importance for the pharmaceutical industry due to the high mucilage level in its seeds. Thus, the present study aimed to verify proline level and amylase and ascorbate peroxidase activity in the germination of seeds subjected to stress, which was induced by using PEG, NaCl and CaCl2 solutions. Fifty seeds were placed into filter paper moistened with 15 mL of such solutions at the potentials 0,-0.2, -0.4, -0.6 and -0.8 MPa in the presence of light at 25ºC. Proline levels decreased during Plantago ovata germination under water and salt stress, whereas the activity of ascorbate peroxidase and amylase was higher under PEG-induced stress, relative to those induced by NaCl and CaCl₂.

Study on root stimulation of clonal durian rootstock propagation preliminary results

Panca J. Santoso and Fitriana Nasution

Abstract:

Root stimulation technique on clonal durian rootstock propagation was evaluated in an experiment conducted from January 2006 to April 2007 at Indonesian Tropical Fruit Research Institute, Solok, west Sumatra. The experiment was arranged in factorial randomized block design with 4 replications and 35 plants per treatment unit. Two treatments applied were steam wound techniques: partly steam-sliced, bark-ringed, rounded skin-removed; and root growth regulator. After treatment, the stem was then mounted using media from container surface to 3 cm above the treatment point. Parameters of plant growth and rooting characteristic were collected at 4 month after treatment. Based on the results of observation, it was found that stem wounding technique has significantly effect to percentage of plant life, plant height, leaf number, and stem diameter. Application of root growth regulator was found to have significantly effect to leaf number, have not significantly effect to plant height and stem diameter, and have negatively effect to plant life. All treatments were found to have not significantly effect to all rooting parameters, whilst root oppositely grows below the treatment area. It is, therefore, suggested to narrowing the stimulation area as that in air layering technique to lead hormone accumulation on the treatment area.

Genetic variation for yield and yield components in rice

Jamal, Ifftikhar H. Khalil, Abdul Bari, Sajid Khan and Islam Zada

Five exotic rice genotypes along with a local check were evaluated for yield and yield contributing traits under the climatic conditions of Swat.  Minimum days to flowering were taken by rice genotype YUNLEN2 (59.7 days) and were 14 days early in maturity than check. Minimum Flag Leaf Area of 10 cm2 was taken by rice genotype PR26881-JP16-4B-78-5-1 and the maximum for IRI 384 (13.1cm²). Minimum numbers of tillers plant^-1 of 10.7 were taken by rice genotype IRI384. The PR26881-JP16-4B-78-5-1 took maximum number of 15.3 tillers plant-1. Minimum plant height of 82.2 was recorded by YUNLEN2 while maximum heights of 124.9 were recorded by J.P.5. Minimum panicle length was recorded by IRI384 i.e. 19.2, while maximum panicle lengths of 24.1 were recorded by J.P.5. Minimum primary branches paninle-1 of 9.3 was recorded by IRI 384, while maximum primary branches panicle^-1 of 11.3 were recorded by J.P.5. Minimum number of grain panicle^-1 of 10 was recorded by PR26881-JP16-4B-78-5-1, while maximum numbers of grain panicle^-1 of 13.1 were recorded by IRI384. Minimum 1000-grain weight was recorded by IRI384, while maximum 1000-grain weights were recorded by ILLABONG. Minimum Grain yield plant^-1 was recorded by YUNLEN2, while maximum grain yield plant^-1 was recorded by J.P.5.

Effect of juvenile hormone mimic r394 on silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) growth and development of silk gland

S. K. Gangwar

Abstract:

The effect of a juvenile hormone (JH) mimic R394 (ethyl 9-cyclohexyl-3, 7-dimethy l-2, 4-nonadienoate) applied topically on the abdominal tergum of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) after the fourth ecdysis has been studied. JH R394 ranging from 1.0, 0.1, 0.01 µl / larva was applied at 48, 72 and 96 hours of V instar larva that was improved the cocoon weight, shell weight and shell ratio etc. The most effective dose observed 0.01 µl / larva, when applied at 48 and 72 hours after resumption of the last moult. It was observed that the development of the silk gland takes place up to a particular period, after that the larval development increases due to the increase of the feeding period without any significant increase in silk and silk ratio.