ICPEP-5 (2015) Book of Abstracts

Abstract BookAbstract BookFifth International Conference

on Plants and Environmental Pollution

Fifth International Conference on

Plants and Environmental Pollution

24-27 February, 2015

International Society of Environmental Botanists&

CSIR-National Botanical Research InstituteLucknow, INDIA


CSIR-National Botanical Research InstituteLucknow, INDIA

Organised byOrganised by

(ICPEP-5)

CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research)

(A Premier Institute Engaged in Advance R & D Work in Plant Science)

Technologies & Know-How

Microbial Technologies: Bacillus and Trichoderma based microbial technologies, Rhizobium and phosphate solubilising bacteria based technology

Biotechnologies: BT Cotton technology, Tissue culture protocols for trees, ornamental and medicinal plants

Herbal Technologies: Herbal dry colours, Herbal lipstick, Herbal health drink, Anti-arthritics, anticigarette, Anticough & antipyretic herbal formulation.

Societal benefit /technologies/Know how: Organic cultivation, Dehydration of flowers, High Tech Nursery technologies, Biomass generation, Improved varieties of medicinal and industrial plants (Opium poppy, Chrysanthemum, Gladiolus, amaran th , e t c . ) , Bete lv ine cu l t i va t ion , Phytoremediation, Ecotoxicology, Reclamation of polluted water bodies and sodic soils etc.

Our Motto : Where Plant Based Research Touches Life Through Innovation·

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Documentation, conservation & prospection of biodiversityExploitation of microbial diversity for enhanced plant growth and environment healthAgro-technology for rural development & wasteland utilizationNational Facilities: Herbarium and Botanic GardenFloriculture and LandscapingPhytoremediation for clean environment Developing transgenic plants for agriculture & industriesPlants and plant-based products for human health

For details please contactDirector

CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow - 226 001, U.P. (India)

Phones: EPABX : 2205831 to 33Dir (Off.): 2297802, 2297804, 2205848, 2205839

FAX: 0522-2205836, 2205839Website: ; E-Mail : [email protected]

NBRICSIR

Estd. 1953

Organised by


CSIR-National Botanical Research InstituteLucknow, India

ICPEP-5

Abstracts

Fifth International Conference on Plants&

Environmental Pollution

February 24-27, 2015

Publication Committee

Dr. Nandita Singh(Convener)

Dr. Vivek Pandey

Dr. P.A. Shirke

Dr. Pankaj Kumar Srivastava

Dr. S. Mallick

Dr. Vandana Singh

Dr. Shivani Srivastava

Ms. Shailza Singh

Ms. Tripti Mishra

Ms. Pratiksha Singh

Ms. Lovy Raj Chandra

Mr. Dilip Kumar Chakraborty

PrefaceA host of urgent issues would fill their agenda, when world scientists and academia from different nations

meet in CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, India for the "Fifth International Conference on Plants and EnvironmentalPollution" (ICPEP-5). Among the pressing problems to be debated would be global climate change, freshwater,dwindling forests, biodiversity losses, emergent ecological disturbances on plants, environmental issues andother factors in environment and plant relation.

This "ABSTRACT BOOK' is a compilation of five hundred seventy two abstracts on different environmentalaspects, from renowned scientists having long working experience in their corresponding field of expertise.The volume elucidates the plant-pollutant relationship in a manner that defines not only the drastic effects ofpollutants on plants but concomitantly highlights the hitherto less focused areas namely phytotoxicity,phytoremediation and plant-microbe interaction, Waste/water management, stress tolerant bioaestheticdevelopment, thus concentrating more on plant than the pollutant.

The abstracts included in this volume are those, which were received within prescribed date and foundsuitable for publication. All abstracts were peer-reviewed for acceptance and then partitioned in different sessionsfor Oral and Poster presentation. Many abstracts were not in desired formats as well as were long. Abridgementof such abstracts has been done with care to include significant points. The basic purpose of this abstract bookis to evaluate, identify the knowledge gaps and provide direction for future research areas of environmentalproblems and consequent changes and to develop desired management protocols.

We express our deep sense of gratitude to Dr. C.S. Nautiyal, Director CSIR-NBRI for his moral andmaterial support. We thank Drs., P.V. Sane, B.P. Singh, K.J. Ahmad, S.C. Sharma and R.S. Tripathi, for theirencouragement and valuable suggestions to structure this book. We are indebted to our contributors who despitetheir various commitments acceded to our request to share their valuable expertise.

Thanks are due to the Scientific Program Committee for categorizing the abstracts and editing them. Weare also thankful to staff of Ecology and Environmental Science Division for their co-operation in variousways.

We are also thankful to the various sponsoring agencies for financial support, which made this publicationsuccessful. The publication plan finally crystallized through the efforts of M/S Army Printing Press and theirteam, we sincerely thank all these people.

- Publication Committee

ICPEP-5

Scientific Programme CommitteeChairman

Prof. R.S. Tripathi

MembersDr. R.D. Tripathi (Convener)

Dr. O.P. Dhankher (USA)Prof. M. Iqbal

Dr. Nandita SinghDr. U.N. Rai

Dr. Shekhar MallickDr. Pankaj Kumar Srivastava

Dr. Seema MishraDr. Sanjay Dwivedi

Dr. Amit KumarShri Atul Kumar Upadhyay

Dr. Kamla KulshreshthaDr. Seshu LavaniaDr. Vivek Pandey

Dr. Prabodh TrivediProf. Kumkum Mishra

Dr. Debasis ChakrabartyDr. Amit Kumar Gupta

Dr. Francisco J. Corpas (Spain)

ContentsSession S-I : Climate Change 1

Session S-II : Environmental Biotechnology 23

Session S-III : Plant-Microbe Interaction 45

Session S-IV : Contemporary Environmental Issues 61

Session S-V : Plant Response to Environmental Stress 123

Session S-VI : Bioindication and Bioremediation 173

Session S VII : Environment and Biodiversity 213

Session S-VIII : Energy Biofuel 255

Session S-IX : Environmental Impact Assessment 267

Session S-X : Eco-education 285

Author Index 297

Session SI

Climate Change

Abstracts 24-27 February, 2015, NBRI, Lucknow 1

Fifth International Conference on Plants & Environmental Pollution : ICPEP-5

SI/KN-1

Climate Change and Global Food Security:Challenges and OpportunitiesV.R. ReddyUSAD-Agriculture Research Service, Crop Systems andGlobal Change Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA,Email: [email protected]

The carbon-based products, such as food, fiber,fuel, carbon-based chemicals, and fresh water supply,come from the thin living skin covering the earth’sland surface called the terrestrial ecosystem. Theearth’s thin mantel of soil captures, stores, and releasesthe water to vegetation, aquifers, streams, and lakesand provides the major portion of the world’s freshwater supply. Within the next fifty years, humanpopulation is projected to double, and economicbuying power for carbon-based products could triple.As there are no more unexplored frontiers, thisincreased demand from our terrestrial ecosystem willhave to be met with the existing natural resource base.Added to this is the uncertainty introduced by thefuture global environmental changes. Potential globalenvironmental changes include atmospheric carbondioxide concentration, temperature, rainfall, andultraviolet radiation intensity. Extreme weather eventssuch as floods, drought, and heat waves are expectedto be more common in the changed global climate ofthe future. In addition, regional increases in soilerosion and atmospheric pollution could also havenegative impacts on crop productivity and the naturalresource base of the planet. With existing scientificknowledge it is impossible to predict how thesechanges in the global climate may change theproductivity of various crops worldwide and overallproductivity of the terrestrial ecosystem. One way todeal with the complexity of the system, and its impacton crop productivity, is to develop and use mechanistic,process level computer simulation models, both at thefield level and at the ecosystem level. This presentationoutlines some examples of the development and useof the crop models for various applications to increasecrop productivity and to mitigate the harmful effectsof adverse environmental variables on naturalresources, both in the current and in the future changingenvironment.Key words: Climate change, Food security, Crop productivity

SI/L-1

Climate Change Studies in India withVarious Approaches, Simulation andModellingS.B. Pal*, Amit K. Thakur, Pratik More and AbhishekLahaGenesis Technologies, Plot no. 27, Sector 06,Koparkheriane, Navi Mumbai-400706, Maharashtra, IN-DIA, Email: www.genesisindia.net.in, [email protected]

The increasing CO2 concentration of atmosphereand associated predictions of global warming havestimulated research programs to determine the likelyeffects of future elevated CO2 levels on agriculturalproductivity and on the functioning of naturalecosystems. Researcher reported the results on plantresponses on elevated level of CO2 by conductingexperiments with different types of structure andsimulation modelling which include growth chamber,controlled environmental chambers, open top chamberand free air CO2 enrichment facilities etc,. The effectsof atmospheric CO2 enrichment have been studied formany years in green house, controlled environmentalchambers, OTCs and other elevated structures toconfine the CO2 gas around the experimental plants.The accuracy on maintenance of CO2 inside chamberinstalled around the crops did not succeed in manyother studies because of technical constrains. In theenclosed structure, the experiment will not be the sameas that in the open top chamber and FACE facilities.

Genesis Technologies is one of the leadingorganizations in India working on different models ofclimate change studies like Temp. Gradient Tunnel(TGT), Open Top Chamber (OTC), Free Air CO2Enrichment System (FACE), Free Air Temp.Enrichment System (FATE), Free Air O3 EnrichmentSystem (FAOE) and Elongated Tunnel (ET) withinstrumentation, control and automation system. Wehave successfully established systems for IIT,Kharagpur, ICRISAT, Hyderabad OUAT,Bhubaneswar, ICAR-Patna, ICRISAT-Hyderabad,JNU-New Delhi,CSIR- IHBT-Palampur, IARI (CSIR)-New Delhi, National Bureau Agriculturally ImportantInsects (NBAII), Bangalore, Assam AgriculturalUniversity (AAU), Jorhat, and Central Rice ResearchInstitute, Cuttack, CSIR-NBRI , Lucknow and IIVR(ICAR), Varanasi , Indian Forest Research Institute(FRI), Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI),

2 Abstracts 24-27 February, 2015, NBRI, Lucknow


Jalandhar, Bharatidasan University, Trichy on variousprojects like OTC, TGT, FACE, FATE, CO2 GradientTunnel and elongated tunnel and CO2 elevated/controlled bioreactor for Azolla Cultivation. Variousresearch work and experiments are being conductedon different crops and tree species on effect of elevatedCO2, temp, and ozone The present article highlightsdifferent executed projects in India on different modeland simulation with respective crops for last sevenyears.Key words: FACE, FATE, TGT, OTC, ET

SI/L-2

Predicting Climate Change Driven SpeciesExtinction Based on Climatic NicheModelling in Eastern HimalayasS.K. Barik* and D. AdhikariDepartment of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University,Shillong-793022, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Response of the species to the changed climaticconditions is evaluated through ecophysiologicalexperiments by monitoring specific species traits. Thisoften is time consuming and could be prone toexperimental errors. We hypothesize in thiscommunication that ecological niche of the speciescould be used as an indicator of species response. Thishypothesis is based on the principle that species withsmaller climate envelopes are more susceptible toextinction than the broader than the species withbroader climate envelopes. Such an approach wouldalso confirm the exclusive impact of climate changeon species response. Since the assessment method isbased on climatic envelope of the species, the impactof other factors such as habitat fragmentation,pollution, over-exploitation, invasion of alien speciesand pathogens, and human population explosion wouldbe excluded. For the study, we selected 10 threatenedspecies of eastern Himalayas viz., Lagerstroemiaminuticarpa, Ilex khasiana, Ilex venulosa, Acerhookeri, Angiopteris evecta, Embellia ribes, Swertiachirayita, Begonia satrapis, Cyathea spinulosa andCalamus inermis. In order to understand the climaticpreferences of these species, climate niche modellingfor each species was undertaken using MaxEnt. Theresults confirmed our hypothesis that the species withnarrow climatic envelope are more susceptible toclimate change scenarios than the species with broad

climatic envelope. We further conclude that ecologicalniche could be a powerful tool to evaluate the speciesresponse to climate change.Key words: Climate change, Eastern Himalayas, Ecologicalniches

SI/O-1

Pollen Records of Vegetation and ClimateChange in the Northern Region ofChhattisgarh, India during the LateQuaternary Period: Signatures of GlobalYounger Dryas and Period of ClimaticOptimumM.F. Quamar* and S.K. BeraQuaternary Palynology Laboratory, Birbal Sahni Instituteof Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226007, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Pollen analysis of a 1.8m deep sediment corefrom Lakadandh Swamp, Baikunthpur Forest Rangeof Koriya District in Chhattisgarh, India has beencarried out with a view to study the vegetation andclimate history during the Late Quaternary. The studyrevealed that between 12,785 and 9,035 cal. yrs BP,tree savannah vegetation, which largely comprisinggrasses, Cheno/Am, Tubuliflorae, along with tree taxaHoloptelea, Sapotaceae and sparsely distributed othertrees viz., Madhuca indica, Emblica officinalis,Ailanthus excelsa and Syzygium occurred in the regionunder a cool and dry climate with reduced monsoonprecipitation. The early part of this phase is comparablewith the global Younger Dryas (YD) event whichoccurred between the time-span of approximately12,800 and 11,500 yrs BP. Between 9,035 and 4,535cal. yrs BP, the tree savannah vegetation wastransformed in to open mixed tropical deciduous forestas a result of proliferation of the existing taxa such asHoloptelea, Sapotaceae, Madhuca indica, Ailanthusexcelsa, Lagerstroemia, and also the debut ofAcacia,and Shorea robusta under a regime of a warmand moderately humid climate with increasedmonsoon precipitation, coinciding partly with thePeriod of Climatic Optimum which falls within thetemporal range of 7000-4000 yrs BP at global level.Since 4,535 cal. yrs BP to Present, with theimprovement of most of the forest constituentsparticularly Madhuca indica, Holoptelea, Sapotaceae,



Ailanthus excelsa, Syzygium, Lannea coromandelicaand also with the immigration of some more arborealviz., Terminalia, Diospyros, Butea, Maytenus, etc.(though meagerly), the mixed tropical deciduous forestsucceeded the open mixed tropical deciduous forestunder a warm and relatively more humid climate withfurther increase in monsoon precipitation. The cereal-based agriculture practice was there in the region inevery phase, but its pace increased during the lattertwo phases, which could be attributed to increase inmonsoon precipitation.Key words: Pollen, Vegetation and climate change, Latequaternary, Younger Dryas (YD), Climatic optimum,Chhattisgarh, India

SI/O-2

Free Air CO2 Enrichment of Wheat: Impacton Growth, Photosynthesis, Yield andProteomeVivek Pandey*, Farah Deeba, Marisha Sharma,Sunil K. Gupta and Vivek K. MauryaPlant Ecology and Environmental Sciences Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Atmospheric CO2 has implications for agricultureand the environment as a whole and represents anenvironmental factor that is currently undergoing greatchanges, from 280 ppm in the preindustrial era to 385ppm currently with further increase up to 700 ppm byyear 2100. It is well established that eCO2 enhancesplant growth though degree of enhancement variesbetween plant species. Wheat is one of the mostimportant crops in the world due to its value as a majorfood source and its unique suitability to breadproduction. In the present study, locally grown wheatvariety ‘Kundan’ was exposed to either ambient CO2(385 ppm) or eCO2 (480 ppm) under FACE condition.CO2 enrichment was started after seed germinationand continued untill final harvest. Growth, physiology,yield attributes and leaf and seed proteomics were donein both set of plants. Higher photosynthetic rate (A)rate was observed at vegetative stage than at floweringstage and A was more in eCO2 at both the stages.Similar responses were found in stomatal conductance.There was no difference in root dry weight but shootdry weight was increased at both the stages in plantsgrown under eCO2. All the yield parameters also

showed upward trend under eCO2, including grain wt/plant, 1000 grain wt and HI. There was slight decreasein soil N levels in eCO2 soils, while more N was foundin leaves and seeds of plants grown under eCO2treatment. Wheat leaf proteomics revealed that 50proteins were differentially expressed out of which20 were up-regulated while 30 were down-regulated.Thirty two proteins were identified by MALDI TOFTOF. Up-regulated proteins were related to defense,photosynthesis, energy metabolism etc. While down-regulated proteins were Chl a/b binding protein, manyRubisco proteins and proteins involved in glycolysisand gluconeogenesis. Wheat grain proteomics showedthat out of 49 differentially expressed proteins, 24 wereupregulated and 25 were downregulated in wheatgrains under eCO2 condition. 33 proteins wereidentified and functionally characterized. They werefound to be involved mainly in carbon metabolism,storage, defence and proteolysis. Gluten proteins arethe major component of wheat storage proteins. Ourresults showed both high and low molecular weightglutenins were more in eCO2 wheat seeds. The studyshowed moderate increase in growth and yield ofwheat plants under eCO2. Wheat seeds showed moregluten content under eCO2 condition.Key words: Carbon dioxide, FACE, Wheat, Proteomics

SI/O-3

Impact of Climate Change on MedicinalPlants in India: A ReviewL.P. DeshmukhDepartment of Botany, J.D.M.V.P.S. Arts, Commerceand Science College, Varangaon, Jalgaon, M.S., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Medicinal plants are highly valuable to humanlivelihood and the medicinal plant wealth of India iswell recognized. Studies on possible effects of climatechange on medicinal plants are particularly significantdue to their value within traditional systems ofmedicine and as economically useful plants. There isevidence that climate change is causing noticeableeffects on life cycles and distribution of the plantspecies. However, the effects of climate change onsecondary metabolites in plants is not well understood.A need for research to improve our understanding ofclimatic effects on medicinal plants is stressed in thepresent article. An attempt is being made here to review



the work so far done on this important issue with Indianperspective. Reviews have been collected fromdifferent sources related to medicinal plants.

The impact of climate change with respect tomedicinal plants has been discussed under thefollowing heads. Effect of elevated CO2 /GHGs, Futurestrategies for research. The impact of climate changeon medicinal plants both cultivated and wild is verysignificant. The need of the hour is to have a focusedresearch approach specially on the accumulation ofsecondary metabolites of health significance. Theresearch on medicinal plants with respect to climatechange is very sporadic and insignificant incomparison with other commercial crops. It is the hightime that, these group of plants should not be left asthey are potential sources of bio-molecules andneutraceuticals.Key word: Medicinal plants, Climate change, India

SI/O-4

Adaptability of Commiphora wightii(Guggul), a Desert Medicinal Plant towardsClimate Extreme: A MetabolomicsApproachO.P. Sidhu1*, Anil Bhatia1 and Raja Roy2

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Centre of BiomedicalResearch, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of MedicalSciences Campus, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226014,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Commiphora wightii (Arnott) Bhandaricommonly known as Guggul is one of the major guggalgum-resin producing species in India. It is a threatenedplant species of Indian arid region which is reportedfrom the States of Gujarat and Rajasthan with restricteddistribution. Guggul is used in the allopathic,ayurvedic, and unani systems of medicine due to itsanti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, hypocholesteremic,hypolipidemic, anti-fertility, and anti-cancer activity.The medicinal importance of C. wightii resin isattributed to the presence of two-ketosteroids,guggulsterone-E and guggulsterone-Z, the geometricalisomers (cis and trans) of pregna-4,17(20)-diene-3,16-dione which are present in stem resin of the plant.Non-targeted metabolite profiling of leaves, stem, root,latex and fruits of C. wightii reveals a wide array ofmetabolites of primary (central metabolism) and

secondary metabolism (DOXP/MVA, Shikimate andPhenylpropanoid pathways). Plant accumulatedsubstantial quantity of small molecules (metabolites)such as glycinebetaine, glycerophosphocholine (GPC),myo-inositol, proline and trehalose suggestsadaptability of the plant towards drought andtemperature stresses, as the plant grows under extremedrought stress where no rains for months andtemperature reached up to 46oC during hot summer.Roots of C. wightii were found to accumulate crotonicacid an allelochemical compound which may help inreducing interspecies competition in their naturalhabitats. Multivariate principal component analysis(PCA) on NMR and GC–MS data revealed cleardistinctions in the primary and secondary metabolitesamong the different plant parts. Detection ofchemically diverse metabolites of different metabolicpathways suggests a complex adaptive metaboliccombination. The study may assist in understandingof the adaptation patterns of C. wightii that prevailduring abiotic stress conditions.Key words: Commiphora wightii, Guggul sterone, Threatenedspecies, Adaptibility, NMR

SI/O-5

Range Shift of Plant Communities inTemperate and Alpine Forests of EasternHimalayas Due to the Changes in ClimaticRegimes and Human InterventionsL.B. Singha1*, M.L. Khan2 and R.S. Tripathi3

1Department of Forestry, North eastern Regional Instituteof Science and Technology, (Deemed University), Nirjuli-791109, Arunachal Pradesh, INDIA. 2Department of Botany,Dr. Hari Singh Gour Central University, Sagar-470003,Madhaya Pradesh, INDIA. 3National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, UttarPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected] ,[email protected] , [email protected]

The impact of climate change on biodiversity isknown to all. A little change in air temperature,precipitation etc. from the earlier existed conditionresulted to severe change in the ecological assemblageand plant communities of the temperate and alpineforests of Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to the globalclimate change, the impact of human interventions andnatural disasters also play key role in range shift ofmany plant communities in those difficult naturalhabitats. This study has compared the changes in



climatic regimes and plant communities of thetemperate-alpine habitats of Tawang district ofArunachal Pradesh after one decade (2003-2013). Atotal of 29 species of herbaceous plants and 28 speciesof shrubs were recorded between the elevation rangefrom 2400-3600 m asl, where, greater value of speciesrichness and diversity index was recorded between theelevation range of 2800-3200 m asl. during the year2003. But, most of these plant species were shiftedtheir range to higher elevations between the range of3200-3600 m asl. Most of the herbs and shrubs fromthe habitats which lie between the range of 2400-2800m asl. were naturally shifted to 2800-3200m asl. Mostdominant herbaceous genera of the study site areAnthopogon, Carex, Cyanotis, Dicrocephala,Echinochloa, Eleocharis, Galium, Juncus, Polygonum,Potentilla and Psilocarya, and the most dominantgenera of shrubs are Acer, Anemone, Aster, Berberis,Daphne, Dipsacus, Elaegnus, Euphorbia, Gentiana,Litsea, Lyonia, Mahonia, Meliosma, Prunus,Rhododendron, Rubus, Rumex, Sumbacus, Senecio,Viburnum etc. Air temperature, rainfall, snowfall etc.among the climatic variables played key role in rangeshift of those plant communities. Human interventions,such as road construction, urbanization, forest fire,conversion of natural forests to other land use systemsetc. also played a significant role in such changes inecological assemblages and range shift in plants at highelevations.Key words: Climate change, Range shift, Arunachal Pradesh,Rhododendron

SI/O-6

Effect of Multi-Polarized Microwave Dataon Tropical Forest Biomass Assessmentusing Geospatial ModellingLaxmi Kant SharmaCentre for Land Resource Management, Central Universityof Jharkhand, Brambe-835205, Ranchi, Jharkhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Rising CO2 has prompted attention on the roleof forest as ‘carbon sink’ because forests store a largeamount of carbon/biomass in vegetation and soil. Landuse changes can exert a crucial effect on the terrestrialcarbon cycle and global climate change. Astechnological concern it is established that SatelliteRemote Sensing is a very useful tool for biomass

Assessment. Microwave SAR data has the potentialto give better forecasts for biomass estimation thanthe Optical Remote Sensing data, even during adverseclimatic environments and diurnal disparities due toits unique capability of volumetric scattering and itsinteraction to surface roughness and dielectricproperty. The present study targets to reveal thepotential of multi-polarized L-band Microwave datafor estimating biomass of moist tropical Indian forest.Backscatter values are correlated with field-basedbiomass values and are regressed to generate modelsfor estimating biomass. HH and HV polarizations seemto provide maximum information regarding biomass.Coefficient of determination of 0.395 is attained withHV polarized L-band data. In this study cubic orderpolynomial showed best results out of all the regressionmodels for estimating forest biomass. Most of theforest area under study seem to give over-estimationof >200 t/ha, while a significant amount of area withbiomass ranging within 0-50 t/ha. The current studyreveals that estimation and assessment of tree biomasscan serve as useful benchmark for future studies relatedto global climate change.Key words: Multi-polarized, Biomass, Tropical forest, Spectralresponse modeling

SI/O-7

Climate Change and Mountain Lives: ACase Study of a Mountain in CentralGarhwal Himalaya, IndiaUday Nand GaurGovernment College Ghorakhuri, Tehri Garhwal,Uttarakhand, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Ecosystems will experience climate change butecosystem of the high mountain is considered to beparticularly sensitive to warming because they areregulated by low temperature conditions (Pauli et.al.2001). The high mountain zone comprises realwilderness’ habitat with ecosystem undisturbed bydirect anthropogenic impact. This allows the study ofimpact caused by climatic change without or with theminor masking effect caused by human land use. Theeffect of climate change may be more pronouncedcompare to lower altitude (Korner, 1999). Effect ofclimate change may lead to extinction of variety ofspecies. Mountain area are excellent laboratories forstudying adaptation to change in temperature because



temperature decrease rapidly as elevation rise.Mountain provides cool escape routes for these speciesalready inhabiting summit regions are in a verysituation, because they can go nowhere else. Whenthe environmental conditions change, organism,populations either have adopt, escape or becomeextinct. Therefore such disappearance and extinctionof plant species should be documented. Objectives ofthe present study are effect of climate change on plantlife of mountain summit. To study the change inlifestyles, biodiversity, biomass, agriculture and sociallife of the tribes due to climate change. To understandadaptation strategies followed by backward and tribalpeople in response to change the climate pattern andto increase the awareness level within communitythrough school students.

Investigation will be carried out in ten cosequitiveyears in order to explore plant diversity and existingflora. Vegetation would be analyzed following Smith1990, Singh- Yadava 1974 and GLORIA (Globalobservation research initiative in alpine environments)2001. Diversity have been analyzed as per methodgiven by Cody 1993. Plant migration, rout escape andecosystem functioning was measured method givenby Korner and Pauli 2005.Key words: Climate change, Mountain life, Ecosystemfunctioning

SI/O-8

Evaluation of Sensitivity Among SixCultivars of Trifolium alexandrinum L. byusing Phenotypical, Physiological andBiochemical Characteristics underAmbient and Elevated Levels of OzoneNivedita Chaudhary* and S.B. AgrawalLaboratory of Air pollution and Global Climate Change,Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Tropospheric ozone (O3), a potent air pollutantand a significant greenhouse gas, has been recognizedas a major component of global climate change (Millset al., 2007). Concentration of O3 is increasing at therate of 0.5-2% year”1 over the Northern Hemispheredue to increase in anthropogenic activities on the earthsurface (Vingarzan 2004). The O3 on which attentionhas becoming increasingly focused in the context ofits negative impacts on human and vegetation

(Ashmore et al. 2006). The present study has beendesigned to evaluate the impact of elevatedconcentrations of O3 on phenotypical, physiological,and biochemical responses of six cultivars of clover,Trifolium alexandrinum L. (Bundel, Wardan, JHB-146,Saidi, Fahli, and Mescavi) using open top chambersventilated with ambient air (NFC) and chambers withelevated (ambient+10 ppb) O3 exposure (NFC+).Ozone monitoring data showed high mean ambientconcentration at the experimental site was above thethreshold value of 40 ppb. Significant effect of elevatedO3 was detected on different morphological,physiological, and biochemical parameters depictingdifferential response among the test cultivars. Ozoneexposure induced generation of reactive oxygenspecies (ROS) which led to higher membrane damagevis-a-vis solute leakage and also showed visible foliarsymptoms of varied magnitude in different cultivars.Elevated O3 significantly depressed total chlorophyll,photosynthetic rate (Ps), stomatal conductance, andquantum yield (Fv/Fm) although the extent of variationwas cultivar specific. The activities of antioxidativeenzymes and metabolites increased in all the cultivarsupon exposure to O3, however, the magnitude ofchange was higher in Fahli, Saidi and Mescavi ascompared to other three cultivars. Elevated O3treatment diminished total biomass of all the cultivars;reduction was highest in Wardan indicating its highestsentivity towards O3. Cumulative sensitivity index(CSI) showed that two cultivars (Wardan and Bundel)were sensitive to O3, three cultivars (Fahli, Saidi, andMescavi) were resistant, while JHB-146 showedintermediate sensitivity. Thus, the results of presentstudy clearly demonstrated a possibility to screen thesensitive cultivar of clover as a bioindicator for O3under Indian conditions.Key words: Ozone, Trifolium alexandrinum L., Foliar injury,Cumulative sensitive index, Open top chambers

SI/O-9

Climate Change and Biodiversity; Impacts,Vulnerability and Mitigation: A Review of20 Years in Indian ContextDevendra Kumar Soni* and Farid AnsariCentral Pollution Control Board, Zonal Office (N),Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The rapid climate change and accelerating



biodiversity loss risks human security. The decline inbiodiversity, which has been happening worldwide,poses a serious threat to mankind. An analysis of thecurrent trends and future scenarios shows that this lossis likely to continue in the foreseeable times. India isimmensely rich in biodiversity would be to state theobvious. With only 2.5% of the world’s land area, Indiaaccounts for 7.8% of the recorded species of the worldincluding 45,500 recorded species of plants and 91,000recorded species of animals. In the last few decades,biodiversity has come under threat from varioussources of pollution especially at a time when newindustrial processes are generating a variety of toxicwastes and also increased mushrooming of urbansprawls. This paper is based on the most recent updateof the biodiversity portfolio and summarizes the effortsover the past 20 years to promote the conservationand sustainable use of biodiversity. The review showedthat the Climate change is a serious environmentalchallenge that could undermine the drive forsustainable development. Climate change has becomethe key environmental concern of the decade. Muchattention is rightly focused on reducing carbonemissions and greenhouse gases from industrial, powergeneration and auto exhaust through reduction in fuelconsumption and adoption of improved advancedtechnologies. Nevertheless, as countries look in tomedium and long-term mitigation and adaptationmeasures, protection of natural habitats, should be akey part of climate change strategies. Strengthenedsupport for protected areas, and systematic sustainableresource management, can contribute to adaptationstrategies, as well as to protection of the biologicalresources and ecosystem.Key words: Biodiversity, Climate change, Sustainabledevelopment

SI/O-10

Should we Say Goodbye to GlobalWarming and Welcome to Global Cooling?Sanjib KumarB.S.S. College, Supaul-852131, Bihar, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Global climate is changing continuously andshowing abrupt nasty behaviour in recent years.Among the long debated topic of global warming, asurprising truth of global cooling has emerged recently.The average global temperature has shown downward

trend during the last decade. The year 2013 wasrecorded as the coolest year since 2000. The intensityand duration of winter period are becoming longer.The beginning of 2014 was also cooler than that of2013. In January 2014, due to heavy snowfall, US hasrecorded the minimum temperature of the century –53oC even lower than that of the coolest Antarctica.The decline in average global temperature is creatingan erratic climate change in different parts of the worldincluding India too. The incidences of untimely heavysnowfall, stormy rains with hails, rains and floods aredepicting an upward alarming trend every year.

On 16th February 2011, the northeastern part ofBihar adjacent to Himalayan range of Nepal washeavily affected with short- lived icy storms with rainsand large-sized stony hails. Supaul district wasdamaged heavily. People faced great difficulties dueto extreme bone-chilling colds and long lastingaccumulated hails up to 2 feet on the roads, courtyardsand pucca buildings. According to Govt. report about32707 hectares of cropland were completely destroyedand 19804 houses were damaged. The wheat and maizecrop fields were turned into pastures for the animals.It also caused heavy damage of banana, mango andlitchi crops. Several birds were found dead after theincidence. Several cattle, street dogs and people gotinjuries including death of at least one woman. Thistrend was repeated in 2012 but in larger areas causingheavy damage of cereal, pulse, fruit and vegetablecrops in about 6 districts of Bihar. Katihar district wasthe worst affected. The same trend was followed in2013 with an increasing area of almost 50% districtsof Bihar. The cold wave due to heavy falling of snowand hails broken the record of 146 years of the lowesttemperature in Bihar state with 1.1oC at Patna and 0oCat Gopalganj district. Is this the beginning of the globalcooling?Key words: Global cooling, Hail storms, Croplands, Buildings,Damage, North-Eastern Bihar

SI/O-11

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity ofBarnyard Millet in Central HimalayanRegion: Prospects for Climate ResilientAgricultureA.K. Trivedi1*, S.K. Verma1 and R.K. Tyagi2

1National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional



Station, Bhowali-263132, Nainital, Uttarakhand, INDIA.2National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, PusaCampus, New Delhi-110012, INDIA

Climate in Central Himalayan Region (CHR) ischaracterized by vagaries of weather. It is expectedthat climate change will be an important driver ofglobal biodiversity loss and thus will pose many newchallenges in the management of plant geneticresources. CHR is a store-house of highly valuablegenetic variability which provides the basis foradaptation, allowing living organisms to respond tonatural selection, and adapt to their environment. Overthe past two decades, many of the world’s importantagricultural crops have lost genetic diversity. Thecontinued loss of genetic diversity of such crops mayhave major implications on food security.

Barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.) is animportant millet crop in the CHR. The crop is largelygrown in harsh and fragile environments with minimaluse of agricultural inputs due to its remarkable abilityto withstand erratic rainfall and varying weatherconditions, sturdiness, resistance to abiotic and bioticstresses. For increasing the yield potential andidentifying the superior sources for different traits atotal of 174 accessions of barnyard millet (Echinocloafrumentaceae) having distinct traits of agronomicimportance have been collected from altitudinal rangeof 175 – 2250 m asl in the CHR of India andcharacterized for different morpho-physiological andbiochemical traits viz., plant height, flag leaf length,flag leaf width, peduncle length, number of productivetillers, number of leaves on main tiller, days to 50%flowering, ear head length, days to 80% maturity,finger length, finger width, number of fingers/ear, daysto harvesting, 1000 grain weight, yield / plant. Inaddition, these accessions have been evaluated forvariability in chlorophyll content, lipid peroxidation,catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase activity. Aswell, seeds have been analyzed for diversity in dietaryfibres, carbohydrate, fat, and protein content.Substantial diversity has been noticed in these traits.Cluster analysis indicates that genotypes collectedfrom similar altitudinal ranges have similar traits andthese are closely related. Untapped genetic diversitymight be utilized for crop improvement program todevelop new abiotic/ biotic stress tolerant varieties aswell as research for providing a deeper understandingof plant biology.Key words: Plant height, 1000 grain weight, Chlorophyll,Lipid peroxidation, Dietary fibres

SI/O-12

Development of Powdery Mildew Causedby Sphaerotheca fuliginia on Bottle Guardand Pumpkin under Elevated Levels of CO2

Mujeebur Rahman Khan*, Tanveer Fatima Rizvi andRizwan Ali AnsariDepartment of Plant Protection, Aligarh MuslimUniversity, Aliagrh-202002, INDIA,Email: [email protected],[email protected]

An experiment was conducted to investigate theeffect of intermittent exposures of CO2 on thedevelopment of powdery mildew disease caused bythe fungus, Sphaerotheca fuliginia on two cucurbits.Four week old bottle gourd and pumpkin wereinoculated with the conidia of S. fuliginia by the leafroll method. The uninoculated plants served as control.The plants inoculated or not inoculated with the funguswere exposed to three elevated levels of CO2 (400,450 and 500 ppm) for 6 hrs on alternate day duringday time for 60 days. The cucurbit plants exposed toCO2 showed greener foliage and better plant growth.The photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance,trichome length etc. were also increased in the plantsexposed to CO2 as compared to the plants exposed toambient air (380 ppb CO2). All two cucurbits werefound susceptible to the powdery mildew fungus anddeveloped characteristic symptoms of talcum likepowdery colonies on the leaves. The severity of thedisease increased on the plants exposed to 450 or 500ppb CO2. The physiological functions were alsosuppressed in the inoculated plants.Key words: CO2, Powdery mildew, Cucurbita, Photosynthesis

SI/O-13

An Indirect Method of Estimating LeafArea Index of an Indian Tropical MoistDeciduous Forest using LAI 2000 PlantCanopy AnalyzerSoumit K. Behera1*, Nandita Singh1, Mukunda D.Behera2 and Rakesh Tuli1,3

1Plant Ecology and Environmental Sciences Division, CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow, INDIA. 2Centre for Oceans, Rivers,Atmosphere and Land Sciences, Indian Institute of



Technology, Kharagpur, INDIA. 3National Agri-FoodBiotechnology Institute, Mohali, INDIA.Email: [email protected]

Rapid, reliable and meaningful estimates of leafarea index (LAI) are essential to the characterizationof forest ecosystems. The leaf area is the exchangesurface between the photosynthetically activecomponent of the vegetation and the atmosphere,which controls not only the radiation regime withinthe canopy, but also the thermal and hydric conditions.LAI is a key variable in driving the biological processesof the plants, thus is a necessary input variable in manyecological models studying canopy structure andproductivity. This paper reports an indirect methodfor seasonal monitoring of the leaf area index (LAI)at topical moist deciduous forest of northern Indiausing LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer. We measuredthe LAI in two seasons (summer; leaf senescence stageand post monsoon; full green stage) in three tropicaldeciduous forest communities (dry miscellaneous, salmixed and teak plantations) in Katerniaghat WildlifeSanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, India. Ground LAI valuesranged between 2.41 - 6.89, 1.17 - 7.71 and 1.92 -5.19 during post monsoon season in dry miscellaneous,sal mixed forests and teak plantations, respectively.Annual litter fall is showing significant positivecorrelation with LAI in all three forest communities (R2 > 0.8). We found a positive correlation of LAI withthree structural parameters ( tree density, tree basalcover and species richness). We found strong positivecorrelation between LAI and functional parameter i.e.aboveground biomass (AGB) in all three forestcommunities.Keywords: Tropical forest, Moist deciduous forest, Leaf areaindex, Plant canopy analyzer, Aboveground biomass, Litter fall

SI/O-14

Mapping Spatial Pattern of EnvironmentalCondition in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary,Utilizing GIS and LichensRajesh Bajpai* and D.K. UpretiLichenology Laboratory, Plant Diversity Systematic andHerbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Lichens due to their unique morphology andphysiology have an ability to withstand extreme ofenvironmental conditions. However, the symbiotic

association of lichens exhibit higher sensitivity toacidic gases, thus become a valuable model formonitoring of environmental condition of an area. TheHimalayan (alpine) environment and ecosystem areexposed to both natural and anthropogenic threats. Thepast developmental activities, tourism and possibleclimate change exert heavy pressure on alpineenvironment. Several methods are recently initiatedfor monitoring the climate change, atmosphericpollution by lichens in different regions of the world.Thus, so far available methods such as Index of airpurity (IAP), diversity measurement, zone mapping,transplant techniques, pollutants sequestrationmeasurements are time consuming and complexmethods.

The GIS/remote sensing technique, owing to itsrepeatability, can be used in the mapping of lichenspecies and characterization of lichen land cover. TheGIS methods provide information that is remotelysimilar to field samples and which would allow toconsiderably reduce extensive field survey.

In the present study, the application of GIS hasbeen the estimation and mapping in unsampledlocations based on the sampling few locations ofwestern Himalaya. The results obtained after GISanalysis and the weighted rasters using the co-krigingmethod for anthropogenic vehicular and carcinogenicreveal the spatial pattern of bioaccumulation of eightheavy metals and 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs). The application of GIS data along withmultivariate analysis may be used in futurebiomonitoring studies related to air pollution andclimate change in a given area.Key words: Lichens, GIS, Atmospheric pollution, Co-kriging,Climate change

SI/O-15

New and Renewable Energy: India’sApproach towards Sustainable DevelopmentAnurag Kumar SrivastavaPublic Administration, Department of Social Sciences,School of Liberal Studies, Pandit Deendayal PetroleumUniversity, Gandhinagar-382007, Gujarat, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

The development discourse has been linked tothe increasing use of energy and intensification ofgreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Renewable energy



(RE) has the potential of negating this linkage up tolarge extent and contributing to sustainabledevelopment (SD). Renewable Energy utilization isdefined as “sustaining natural capital as long as itsresource use does not reduce the potential for futureharvest” therefore RE can effectively contribute tothree-pillar model.RE offers the opportunity tocontribute to a number of important SD goals: such associal and economic development; energy access;energy security; climate change mitigation anddecreasing the adverse impacts on environment andhealth. The mitigation of dangerous anthropogenicclimate change is seen as one powerful driving forcebehind the increased use of RE worldwide. In thecontext of India the economic growth is placinggigantic demand on its energy resources. The demandand supply disparity in energy sources is pervasivewhich requires serious efforts. India imports about80% of its oil and there are apprehensions that thismight increase in future, which would create seriousproblems for India’s energy security. Higher fossil fuelprices, energy security concerns, and environmentalconsiderations further necessitate the demand for newgrid-connected renewable energy sources. Therenewable energy needs to be seen not just as “alternateenergy”, but will increasingly become a key part ofthe solution to the nation’s energy needs. Renewableenergy has been an important component of India’senergy planning process since quite some time. Theimportance of renewable energy sources in thetransition to a sustainable energy base was recognizedin the early 1970s, G.O.I took the initiative by creatingthe Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sourceswas in 1982, which was later on upgraded to a full-fledged Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources(MNES) in 1992 subsequently renamed as Ministryof New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) this is theonly such Ministry in the world .This speaks in volumeregarding the seriousness and significance attachedto new and renewable energy resources in India,however there are still critical gaps in leveraging thebenefits of new and renewable energy resources formarching towards sustainable development andtackling the menace of climate change.Key words: Greenhouse gas, Renewable energy, Climatechange, Sustainable development

SI/O-16

Combined Abiotic and Biotic Stresses inHost Plants Modify the Preference-PerformanceRelationship in Insect Pests: Implicationsfor Climate Change?Sunita FacknathFaculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius, Réduit,MAURITIUS, Email: [email protected]

Climate change is predicted to increasetemperatures, reduce rainfall and increase thefrequency of extreme weather events. For a SmallIsland Developing State (SIDS) such as Mauritius,which is already classified as a water-stressed country,changes in precipitation amounts and/or patterns canhave significant impact on crop health and yields. Theclimate change related increase in insect and other croppests will exacerbate the situation, with furthernegative consequences for agricultural productivity,food security and livelihoods.

The host plant preference-offspring performancehypothesis (also known as the optimal ovipositiontheory) states that females exhibit a preference for hostplants that provide for optimum development andfitness of the offspring. There are numerous empiricalstudies that either support or refute the validity of theconcept. Some studies have demonstrated that femalesdemonstrate a preference for host plants that give thelarvae a better chance at survival and growth, while inothers there was no correlation between host selectionby females and larval performance.

An abiotic stress, e.g. drought, has been shownto modify host preference and host selection in theleafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis. Biotic stress, suchas the previous infestation by conspecifics orheterospecifics have also been reported as influencingthe host preference and host selection processes in L.huidobrensis on potato plants.

The present paper reports the combined impactof an abiotic stress (mild and strong droughtconditions) and the concomitant presence ofconspecifics on host preference and host selection inthe leafminer, and the subsequent effect on larvalperformance. The paper also discusses the implicationsof the results of this study in the context of the climatechange-related decrease in precipitation and increasein insect populations.Key words: Climate change, Plant allelochemicals, Drought,Infestation, Insect-plant Interaction



SI/O-17

Carbon Storage and Sequestration asEcosystem Services of Forests of Siwaliksin Northern IndiaS.R. Gupta1* and Ravi Kumar2

1Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University,Kurukshetra-136119, Haryana, INDIA. 2P.G.S.D. CollegePanipat, Haryana, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The forests provide various ecosystem servicessuch as biomass production, habitat provision, carbonstorage and sequestration, soil protection, and climateregulation. The enhancement and optimization ofcarbon storage in forests is essential for social,ecological and economic sustainability. The objectiveof this study was to analyze carbon storage andsequestration as indicators of regulatory services inforests of Siwaliks, Yamunanagar forest division,northern India. The carbon stock in plant biomass, soilmicrobial biomass, and soil up to 60cm soil depth wereestimated in the plains and Siwaliks Shorea robustaforests, the mixed dry deciduous forest, and theplantation forests. The natural forests showeddistinctly higher carbon storage (plant biomass =73.07to 223.413 Mg C ha-1; soil =28.58 to 39.73 Mg C ha-1)than the plantation forests (plant biomass =51.01 to52.78 Mg C ha-1: soil =27.26 to 27.28 Mg C ha-1). Inthe Shorea robusta forests, about 90% of carbonstorage in the tree layer was mainly contributed byShorea robusta, Mallotus philippensis, Ehretia laevis,and Terminalia tomentosa. Integrating remote sensingand field inventory data, the total AGB carbon stockwas 12.96 Tg in the forest ecosystems on a regionalbasis. Annual carbon flux in NPP in different forestswas (Mg C ha-1yr-1): 7.95 to 3.938, natural forests; 5.23to 5.29, plantation forests. The soil microbial biomasscarbon (0.709 to 0.985 Mg C ha-1) was found to be agood indicator of soil carbon. The soil carbon storagewas mainly regulated by forest type, spatial variabilityof soil carbon, the soil aggregate composition, and claymineralogy. Biodiversity conservation, andmaintaining carbon stores and sinks in forests couldplay a key role in climate change mitigation andadapting to changing environmental conditions. Thevarious enabling conditions for synergy betweenmitigation and adaptation measures for forestecosystems of Siwaliks are discussed.

Key words: Carbon stock, Soil carbon, Carbon flux, Microbialbiomass, Climate change

SI/O-18

Sustainable Crop Production Opting SeedPriming TechnologyBandana BoseSeed Physiology Laboratory, Department of PlantPhysiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BanarasHindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Success of green revolution dramatically changedthe countries picture by reducing hunger and bybringing rural prosperity. But simultaneously it hasdisturbed the homeostasis in between the surroundingand the system; results are the environmental pollution,loss in biodiversity, microbial equilibrium, fertilitystatus and carbon imbalance in soil, increase in soilsalinity and water logging, resurgence of new pestsand diseases etc. All these have created an Increase incost of production and disintegration of economic andsocial conditions especially in rural communities.These, initiate the scientists, social activists and policymakers to emerge with a concept of “SustainableAgriculture” which reflects the idea that ‘Thesustainable agriculture is that form of farming whichproduces sufficient food to meet out the need of presentgeneration without eradicating the ecological assetsand productivity of life supporting systems for futuregeneration’. But in the era of fast growing population,expecting to be more than 10 billion by 2050 may leadover exploitation of arable lands with a great loss inbiodiversity, causing climate change. It has beenpredicted that a rise in temperature in range of 1 to2oC may reduce 50% productions in rain fedagriculture. Now also we are often facing the problemsof climate change.

In Agriculture high quality seeds are always indemand because they can perform synchronizedgermination with high seedling vigor, make them toachieve optimum genetic potential. Now a day’sintegrated approach of physiology, genetics and seedtechnology have generated Seed EnhancementTechnology ,represents a range of treatmentsof seed that improves their performance after harvestand conditioned, but before they are sown. One of themis Seed Priming represents Pre-sowing hydrationtreatment, includes non-controlled water uptake



systems (methods in which water is freely availableand not restricted by the environment) and controlledsystems (methods that regulate seed moisture contentpreventing the completion of germination). Primingmaterials can be various types of inorganic and organicchemicals, and PGRs. This technology has a no. ofbeneficial effects on various growth phases of plant’slife in general and it also develops a qualitative changein growing plants by improving their tolerance capacitytowards abiotic and biotic stresses beside yieldimprovement. Minute amount of chemical/chemicalsis/are required during processing of this techniquehence eco-friendly in nature. However present paperelaborates the physiological mechanism of thistechnique and how does it helps in sustainableagriculture in the era of evergreen revolution.Key words: Sustainable agriculture, Food security, SeedEnhancement Technology, Seed priming

SI/O-19

Impact of Climate Change on HumanHealth in Hot and Arid Regions: AQuantitative AssessmentTahir HusainFaculty of Engineering and Applied Science, MemorialUniversity of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X5,CANADA, Email: [email protected]

The climate change is anticipated to have a long-term impact on human health, marine and terrestrialecosystems, water resources, and vegetation. Thispaper presents future changes in the temperature,precipitation and humidity and their direct and indirectpotential impacts on human health in Yemen, Oman,United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. Theanalysis is based on the long-term changes in the valuesof temperature, precipitation and humidity as predictedby the global climatic simulation models underdifferent scenarios of GHG emission levels. Monthlydata on temperature, precipitation, and humidity wereretrieved from the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC) databases for longitude 41.25°E to61.875°E and latitude 9.278°N to 27.833°N. Using anaverage of 1970 to 2000 values as baseline, the changesin the humidity, temperature and precipitation werepredicted for the period 2020 to 2050 and 2070 to 2099.Based on epidemiological studies on various diseasesassociated with the change in temperature, humidity

and precipitation in arid and hot regions, empiricalmodels were developed to assess human health risk inthe Gulf region to predict elevated levels of diseasesand mortality rates under different emission scenariosas developed by the IPCC. The preliminary assessmentindicates increased mortality rates due tocardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, thermal stress,and increased frequency of infectious vector bornediseases in the region between 2070 and 2099.Key words: Climate change, Desertification, Gulf countries,Health risk, Thermal stress, Vector-borne diseases

SI/O-20

Impacts of Tropospheric Ozone on PlantProduction in IndiaElina Oksanen1*, Vivek Pandey2, Ashutosh KumarPandey1,2, Sarita Keski-Saari1, Sari Kontunen-Soppela1 and Chhemendra Sharma3

1University of Eastern Finland, Department of Biology, POB111, 80101 Joensuu, FINLAND. 2Plant Ecology andEnvironmental Science, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, 3Radio andAtmospheric Sciences Division, National Physical Labora-tory, Dr. K.S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi-110012, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

In this paper we present the current understandingof the magnitude of a potential ozone risk in India,considering the plant productivity and food production.Increasing anthropogenic and biogenic emissions ofprecursor compounds have led to high troposphericozone concentrations over Indian area particularly inIndo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), which is the mostcultivated area of this rapidly developing country.However, there is a large temporal and spatial variationin NOx and ozone distribution over India. Currentozone risk models are based on European and NorthAmerican data, and therefore cannot provide accurateestimations for growth losses in Indian plant speciesand cultivars. During the past decade, several ozoneexperiments have been conducted in India with themost important crop species (e.g. wheat, rice, mustard).Experimental work has been conducted in natural fieldconditions and utilizing open top chambers and EDU(ethylene diurea) applications. Significant yield losses,impaired photosynthesis processes and seed quality,increased visible and membrane injuries, antioxidantsdefence and altered protein profiles have been reportedfor these crop species. Information is still very scarce



for genetic differences among cultivars/varieties andmechanisms of ozone tolerance. In addition, moresystematic nationwide monitoring and modeling forprecursor and ozone formation over Indian region areurgently needed, accompanied by studies on widerscope of plant species (including tree species) andinteractions e.g. with soil nutrients and elevating CO2.We also show the main results of our own field andchamber experiments conducted in Lucknow, Indiaand Finland. Large numbers of local cultivars of wheat,rice and mustard have been screened for ozonesensitivity. In addition, experiments have beenconducted with linseed, teak and Gladiolus, havinghigh economic importance locally or globally. Ourresults indicate, that prevailing ozone concentrationsin IGP area impair biomass accumulation and yields,and cause oxidative stress and metabolic changes inthese species. However, the defence strategies varybetween the cultivars. The best cultivars and the bestindicators for ozone stress can be identified.Key words: Ozone, India, Wheat, Rice, Mustard, Cultivars

SI/P-1

Interactive Effect of Potassium Nutritionand Carbon Dioxide on Soybean Growthand PhysiologyShardendu K. Singh1,2 and Vangimalla R. Reddy1*1USDA ARS, Crop Systems and Global Change Labora-tory, Bldg001, Rm 342, BARC-W, Beltsville, MD, USA.2Wye Research and Education Center,University of Maryland, Queenstown, MD, USA,Email: [email protected]

Potassium deficiency limits crop yield worldwidedue to its direct effect on the plant water relation, leafarea expansion, photosynthesis, and plant growth. Thecrop demand for nutrients such a K is expected to behigher due to the use of high yielding cultivars andincreased plant growth under rising atmosphericcarbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. To evaluate thecombined effects of K and CO2 on soybean growth,development, and biomass partitioning, plants weregrown in controlled environment growth chamberswith three levels of K supply (optimum, 5.0 mM; K-stress, 0.50 and 0.02 mM) under ambient (aCO2, 400ppm) and elevated (eCO2 800 ppm) CO2. Plant heightand mainstem nodes at maturity were not significantlyaffected by either CO2 or K supply. Results showed

that, K deficiency tended to decrease whereas eCO2tended to increase soybean growth and photosynthesis.As compared to optimum K supply, the averaged 65%lower biomass under K-deficiency was associated withdecreased leaf area and both above and below groundbiomass production. The contribution of seeds to thetotal biomass was about 6% in the lowest K supplywhile 48% in the optimum K supply. However,biomass partitioning to the leaves, stems and rootswere higher under K deficiency. Elevated CO2significantly increased leaf area (8-70%) and plantbiomass (11-58%) across K supply. Thus, the Kdeficiency altered the biomass partitioning among theplant parts. In addition, eCO2 increased the seedproduction up to 37% mainly at the two higher Ksupply; however, showed about 6% decrease at thelowest K. Leaf tissue K decreased with the K supplyand was lower at eCO2. However, results showed thattotal amount of K extracted was greater in eCO2. Plantgrowth and seed parameters increased at eCO2 but onlyat higher tissue K concentration. A severe K deficiencyhighly reduced the positive effect of eCO2 on biomassproduction and completely offset the seed yield. Thus,the degree of beneficial effect of CO2 enrichment onsoybean growth and seed yield is dependent upon theK nutrition.Key word: Critical concentration, Nutrient, Photosynthesis,Uptake, Utilization

SI/P-2

Effect of Elevated Levels of CO2 on thePlant Growth, Physiology, BiomassProduction and Root-Knot DiseaseDevelopment on Cucumber and Sponge GuardMujeebur Rahman Khan, Tanveer Fatima Rizvi*and Rizwan Ali AnsariDepartment of Plant Protection, Aligarh MuslimUniversity, Aliagrh-202002, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

A study was conducted to investigate the effectof elevated level of carbon dioxide on plant growth,physiology, biomass production and root-knot diseasedevelopment on cucumber and sponge gourd. Fourweek old plants were inoculated with the root-knotnematode, Meloidogyne incognita (2000 J2/kg soil)and the uninoculated plants served as control. Twodays after inoculation the plants were exposed to 400,



450 and 500 ppb CO2 for 6 hrs on alternate day duringday time for 60 days of monitoring. The cucurbit plantsexposed to CO2 had relatively higher photosyntheticrate, stomatal conductance, trichome length, numberof leaves per plant, plant growth, biomass productionand yield as compared to the ambient plants exposedto air (380 ppb CO2). Both the cucurbits were foundsusceptible to the root-knot nematode and developedcharacteristic galls on the roots. The nematode diseasebecame severe on the plants exposed to 500 ppb CO2.The elevated level of CO2 (500 ppb) significantlyenhanced the fecundity and egg mass production ofM. incognita. The soil population of root-knotnematode was also higher in the root zone of plantsexposed to CO2.Key words: CO2, Cucurbits, Ambient, Root-knot, Fecundity,Meloidogyne spp.

SI/P-3

Comparative Study of Nitrogen andCarbon Metabolism in Two Varieties ofCyamopsis tetragonoloba under CO2ElevationSonali Mehrotra*, Surabhi and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Nitrate Reductase (NR), Nitrite Reductase (NiR),Glutamate synthetase (GS), Pep Carboxylase (Pep C)enzyme activity were assayed in two varieties ofCyamopsis tetragonoloba namely RGC 1002 and RGC1066 under elevated and ambient CO2 concentration.Total carbohydrate, starch and total chlorophyllcontents in leaf were estimated. The results showedthat the NR, NiR and GS activity were foundsuppressed in elevated CO2 (490ppm) in both varietiesas compared to ambient CO2 (400ppm). Total solubleprotein content was found increased in both varietiesgrown under elevated CO2 concentration. Pep Cactivity showed significantly increased trend underelevated concentration when compared with ambient.Total carbohydrate and starch showed higherconcentration in leaf of both the varieties underelevated CO2 concentration. It can be inferred thatunder elevated CO2 concentration, PhotosyntheticCarbon Gain and Net Primary Production in Guarvarieties is upregulated. The results showed that

RGC1002 was found resistant to elevated CO2 thanRGC1066.Key words: NR, NiR, GS, Pep C, Cymopsis tetragonoloba,Photosynthetic Carbon Gain, Net Primary Production

SI/P-4

Effect of Elevated CO2 on Leaf Proteomeof Two Guar CultivarsMeenakshi Lohani*, Sunil K. Gupta, MarishaSharma, Vivek K. Maurya, Vivek PandeyPlant Ecology and Environmental Sciences Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Continuous rise in the ambient CO2 levels hasbeen considered to be the major factor in global climatechange. Such higher concentrations of CO2 are likelyto have effect on global climate and also on growth,physiology, and chemistry of plants. Many previousstudies have reported how plants will respond to risingCO2. Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experimentsare the most naturalistic as they provide the bestindication of the responses of plants to increased CO2under the natural conditions. Guar (Cyamopsistetragonoloba ) or cluster bean is an annual legumeand its gelling-agent-containing seeds (guar gum) areof high economic value. Guar gum as natural gums isadvantageous as natural gelling agent for differentindustrial purposes. It is used in industries such as food,animal feed, textile, pharmaceuticals, personal andhealth care, nutrition, cosmetics, paper, explosives,mining and oil drilling. Present study was conductedon two cultivars of guar, RCG1066 and RCG 1002.FACE setup consisted of 6 rings, out of which 3 areambient and 3 are elevated. The average CO2 duringexperimental period in ambient and elevated rings was383ppm and 465ppm, respectively. Plants wereexposed to elevated CO2 for two months. The averagetemperature, humidity and PAR were 35C, 53% and611 µ mol m-2 s-1, respectively. Leaf protein extractionwas performed using Acetone/methanol/phenolmethod. IEF was done on 7 cm IPG strip (pH 4-7).Second dimension was done on 12% SDS-PAGE.Image analysis of protein spots was performed usingImage Master 2D Platinum software. Analysis showedmore than 450 protein spots in both the varieties. InRCG 1066, out of 50 differentially expressed proteinspots, 23 were up-regulated and 27 were down-



regulated as compared to plants grown in ambientrings. In RCG1002, out of which 64 protein spotswhich were differentially expressed, 40 were up-regulated and 24 were down regulated. Identificationof proteins is being done using MALDI TOF/TOF.Key words: Elevated CO2, FACE, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba,Guar, Cultivars

SI/P-5

Differences in Responses of Two MustardCultivars to Ethylenediurea (EDU) at HighAmbient Ozone Concentrations in IndiaAshutosh K. Pandey1,2*, Baisakhi Majumder2, SaritaKeski-Saari1, Sari Kontunen-Soppela1, Vivek Pandey2

and Elina Oksanen1University of Eastern Finland, Department of Biology,POB 111, 80101 Joensuu, FINLAND. 2Plant Ecology andEnvironmental Science, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

EDU ([N-(2-2-oxo-1-imidazolidinyl) ethyl]-N’-phenyl urea) is widely used in research to evaluateozone impacts on plants. Although the actualmechanism how EDU confers protection to plants isnot fully understood, it is suggested to prevent ozoneinjuries by up-regulating antioxidative defense. In thepresent study, EDU was used as a tool to study theresponse of two locally grown mustard (Brassica rapasyn. campestris) cultivars, Kranti and Peela sona,under ambient ozone in field conditions in Indo-Gangetic plains of India. Two different concentrationsof EDU (200 and 400 ppm) were applied as foliar sprayweekly until the final harvest. Seed weight, biomass,oil content of the seeds and chlorophyll contentincreased at both EDU treatment levels in bothcultivars. Gas exchange parameters (stomatalconductance and photosynthesis) were not affected bythe EDU treatment, while the responses ofantioxidative enzymes varied between the cultivars.The results indicate that EDU-induced ozoneprotection in these mustard cultivars is mediated byan antioxidative defence system, and that the cultivarsadopted different strategies against ozone stress. Thecultivar Kranti, characterized by higher biomassaccumulation and number of pods, showed strongerantioxidative defence through several enzymesthroughout the experiment, whereas the cultivar Peela

sona, characterized by earlier senescence and a greaterresource allocation to seed weight, invested inenzymatic detoxification only during the vegetativephase. The seed oil content increased by 4-5% at higherEDU treatment in both cultivars, which causes concernfor mustard oil production at current ozone levels inIndia.Key words: EDU (ethylenediurea), Brassica campestris,Mustard, Cultivars, India

SI/P-6

Invasive Plant Species in Delhi FloraAnand Kumar Mishra1*, Shakoor Ahmad Mir1,Maheshwar Prasad Sharma1 and Herbajan B. Singh2

1Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar,New Delhi-110062. 2CSIR-National Institute of ScienceCommunication and Information Resources (NISCAIR),A-31, Sigma First, Greater Noida, Gautam Budha Nagar-201306, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Compilation of alien flora fromphytogeographically distinct regions is of closerelevance not only for better understanding the patternsof plant invasion but also for explaining the processespromoting invasion at local, regional or global scales.Despite being at higher risk of invasion by plantsbecause of its European colonial preceding, south Asiahas received very little attention in respect ofcharacterization of its alien flora. This dearth ofbaseline data necessitated compilation of the first listof alien flora from Delhi. Total alien flora of the regionis represented by 102 plant species, belonging to 75genera and 34 families. It represents a relatively higher(18.57%) proportion of the total flora of the region.Families with largest number of alien instances areAmranthaceae and Fabaceae (13 species), Asteraceae(12 species), Malvaceae (8 species). However, familiessuch as Amranthaceae and Fabaceae (38.23%) andAsteraceae (35.29 %) show higher percentage of aliensrelative to their total number of plant species in theregion. Most of the alien plant species (80.39%) tracetheir origin to America, followed by Africa (11.76 %),Europe (3.92 %) and Asia (2.94 %). Present study alsoreports, for the first time, occurrence of four plantspecies in this region. Each alien plant species isprovided with information on the origin, habit, mode/



purpose of introduction, current invasion status, andthe primary published source.Key words: Invasive Alien species, Nativity, List, Delhi

SI/P-7

Carbon Sequestration in Tree Plantationson Degraded Forest Lands in NorthernHaryanaEkta Bhalla* and S.R. GuptaDepartment of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, Haryana, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Seasonally dry forests cover more than 42% ofthe total area of tropical forests worldwide. Theseforests are considered to be highly threatened and areattracting the attention of workers for their sustainablemanagement and conservation. Forestry plantationscould serve as sink of carbon on degraded forest lands.The objective of the study was to analyze plantbiomass and carbon sequestration in the soil-plantsystem, carbon storage in soil aggregates and soilmicrobial biomass carbon. The tree plantations ofEucalyptus tereticornis, Prosopis juliflora, the naturalforest, and the degraded forest are located at SaraswatiReserve Forest, Kurukshetra (29059’N, 76031’E, 247mabove msl) in northern Haryana, India. The climate ofthe study area is tropical monsoonal and semiarid. Treedensity was 418.75 to 581.25 trees ha-1 in about 25year old tree plantations (Eucalyptus tereticornis andProsopis juliflora), the natural forest and the degradedforest. Aboveground biomass ranged from 114.29 to191.32 Mg ha-1; belowground biomass accounted for15.60% to 23.95% of the total tree biomass. Theorganic matter input to the soil in the form of litterfallwas 4.63 to 7.12 Mg ha-1. Total biomass carbon stockranged from 144.59 to 235.08 Mg ha-1, the value beinghigher in the case of natural forest. The soil carbonstock upto 60cm soil depth (Mg C ha-1) was: organiccarbon 29.83 to 41.95, inorganic carbon 10.77 to 20.51.The microaggregates (250µm, 53µm and <53µm)formed a large fraction of soil aggregates and protectedmost of the soil organic carbon in the soil. The XRDpattern of soil clay showed the predominanace of Illite,Montmornilonite, and Kaolinite, which play animportant role in soil carbon stability. The soilmicrobial biomass carbon varied from 154.27 to313.01 µg C g-1 soil and showed a significant

relationship with soil organic carbon. The forestryplantations played an important role in soil enrichmentand bioamelioration as well as provided ecosystemservices of carbon sequestration for climate changemitigation and adaptation.Key words: Tree plantations, Soil carbon sequestration,Carbon stock, Soil aggregates, Clay mineralogy

SI/P-8

Evaluation of Impact of TroposphericOzone on an Ornamental Plant usingEthylenediurea (EDU)Baisakhi Majumder1*, Ashutosh K. Pandey1 2,Elina Oksanen2 and Vivek Pandey1

1Plant Ecology and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA. 2University of Eastern Finland, Departmentof Biology, POB 111, 80101 Joensuu, FINLAND,Email: [email protected]

Tropospheric ozone (O3) is one of the mostdamaging air pollutants affecting plant growth andyield and posing a serious threat to agriculture. Theuse of antiozonant EDU (N–[2–(2–oxo–1–imidazolidinyl) ethyl]–N phenylurea) facilitates widerscreening of crops against high level of ambient ozoneunder natural field conditions. In the present study,we examined the impact of ambient O3 and itsamelioration by EDU on an ornamental plant,Gladiolus cv Tiger flame. The cultivar was plantedunder natural field condition and treated with foliarEDU spray (200 and 400 ppm) at 7 days interval. Theplant sampling was done at vegetative and floweringstage. Photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, pigmentcontent, lipid peroxidation, antioxidants andantioxidative enzymes along with vase life of theflower were studied. During the study period, 8 haverage O3 concentration was 60 ppb. The resultsshowed that both EDU treatments elevated the levelsof chlorophyll, GSH, GR and CAT, especially atflowering phase. Level of lipid peroxidationsignificantly decreased and yield parameters likenumber of stalks were increased in comparison to non-EDU treated plants. This study showed that O3 isresponsible for the damage of this economicallyimportant ornamental plant as application of EDUdelayed the senescence thus enhancing its vase life.Key words: Ozone, EDU, Gladiolus, Lipid peroxidation



SI/P-9

Effect of Ethylene Diurea Treatment on Zeamays L. Plants Grown under Ambient andElevated Levels of Ozone at a SuburbanSite of Eastern Indo-Gangetic PlainsAditya Abha Singh* and S.B. AgrawalLaboratory of Air pollution and Global Climate Change,Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email: [email protected],

Increase in concentrations of tropospheric ozone(O3) in last few decades is one of the main concernsfor global agriculture causing a threat to food security.For maize which is an economically important cropplant, the estimated global relative yield losses due toO3 range from 3% to 5%. Field experiment using opentop chambers (OTC) was conducted on a popularmaize cultivar (Prakash) grown under ambient (AO)and elevated (EO) concentrations of O3 to assess theameliorative effect of an anti-ozonant ethylene diurea(EDU) applied as soil drench. EDU helped inmaintaining higher level of photosynthetic pigments(chlorophyll and carotenoids) and caused reductionin ROS (H2O2 and O2

.-) production, resulting inprotection of membrane depicted in form of decreasedMDA content. Increased activities of antioxidativeenzymes (SOD, POX, APX, CAT and GR) and non-enzymatic antioxidants were maintained by EDU.Changes in the foliar proteins through one dimensionalgel electrophoresis showed that EDU helped inincreasing photosynthetic proteins (PEPC andRuBisCO LSU and SSU). EDU treatment led to areduction in salicylic acid and an increase in jasmonicacid contents resulting in lesser visible injury due toO3 compared to non-EDU-treated plants. Theprotective influence of EDU was further supplementedby enhancement in biomass accumulation and yieldattributes of EDU-treated plants over non-EDU-treatedones. EDU is more effective in ameliorating O3 effectswith higher concentration of O3.Key words: Ozone, Ethylene diurea, Maize, Enzymaticactivities, Visible injury, Yield

SI/P-10

Adaptation Mechanisms of Plants Alignedwith Climate ChangeShivani Srivastava*, Deepmala Yadav and NanditaSinghCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Being sessile in nature plants have ability to copewith a plethora of unfavorable growth conditions,which are mainly caused by unpredictablyenvironmental conditions. The unstable climate candelay growth and development of plants and affectproductivity. Plants have very unique complex systemwhere plants stress responses occur in every possiblestructure. Plants respond to the continuousenvironmental instability with suitable physiological,developmental and biochemical changes to adaptvarious stresses. Among plants secondary metabolitesand volatile isoprenaids are mainly involved in a rangeof physiological and ecological interaction, becausethey have important roles in stress resistance andadaptation. This review fosuses on differentmechanism of plants like mechanism of plasticity,mechanism of plasma membrane, mechanism ofacclimation, embolism resistance, biochemicaladaptation, epigenetic adaptations like DNAmethylation and Histon modification. Mechanism ofplasticity allows a species to increase potency undermost ancillary biological conditions and improvedtolerance of plants against abiotic stresses. Theextracellular freezing produces mechanical stress onthe plasma membrane as a result plasma membraneinduces osmotic contraction. In continuation theemboli help plants to stay alive in drought or froststress. The increase in extent of osmo protectiveproteins like dehydrins along with soluble sugarsagainst biological stress is called as mechanisms ofacclimation. Epigenetic adaptation of stress-inducesphenotypic responses of plants which involve generegulation.Key words: Environmental instability, Adaptation, Plasticity,Abiotic stress



SI/P-11

Physiological Performance of TwoContrasting Rice (Oryza sativa) Varietiesunder Drought StressFurqan Khan1*, Shivanshu Gupta2, Priyanka Upreti2,Ruchi Singh2, P.K. Shukla2 and Pramod A. Shirke2

1Department of Biological Sciences, Sam HigginbottomInstitute of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad-211007, INDIA, 2Plant Physiology Division, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Certain regions of world are now chronicallydrought prone due to erratic precipitation, droppingwater levels, consecutive monsoon failure andchanging climate condition. World’s more food cropsalong with rice are suffering from losses due to scarcityof water. There is a need of some drought tolerant cropvarieties which can improve production per drop ofwater. Rice feeds more than half of the world’spopulation. It plays a major role in India’s diet,economy, employment, culture and history. Four ricevarieties PR-113, PR-115, SUPER-7 and SR-26B wereinvestigated under drought stress and differentphysiological activities has been measured likephotosynthesis, transpiration, PSII and PSI activitiesand pigment concentration. Photosynthesis ratedecreased in all rice varieties under drought stress.However, PR-115 showed highest and SR-26B lowestphotosynthesis rate under water stress. Electrontransport rate (ETR) through PSII and photochemicalquantum yield of PSII [Y(II)] decreased under waterstress condition in all studied rice varieties. While,ETR through PSI and Y(I) increased in PR-115 andSUPER-7 variety under water stress condition. Thisincrease in ETR(I) led to enhancement of alternativeETR pathway cyclic electron flux. Cyclic electron fluxfound increased by 4, and 3.2 times as compare towatering plants in PR-115, and SUPER-7 respectivelyunder water stress and high light condition(800µmolm-2s-1). The Y(I) showed an increase in PR-115 and SUPER-7 under drought stress as comparedto their watered plants. Limitation at donor sidedecreased in SUPER-7 rice variety under droughtstress. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content decreasedwhile anthocyanin content increased under water stresscondition in all rice varieties. PR-115 variety showed

minimum chlorophyll and carotenoid degradation andminimum increase in anthocyanin, while highestaccumulation of anthocyanin was observed in SR-26Bvariety under drought stress. Electrolyte leakage wasalso found to increase maximum in SR-26B varietyunder water stress which indicates more membranedamage in this variety. Thus on the basis ofphysiological performance PR-115 behaves as themost tolerant and SR-26B as sensitive towards droughtstress amongst the varieties studied.Key words: Anthocyanin, Cyclic electron flux, Drought,Electron transport rates, Photosynthesis

SI/P-12

Photosynthetic Performance of ClusterBean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) Subjectedto Water StressShivanshu Gupta*, Furqan Khan, Priyanka Upreti,Ruchi Singh and Pramod A. ShirkePlant Physiology Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub)locally known as gaur belongs to the familyleguminaceae. It is mainly grown under rainfedcondition in arid and semiarid regions of tropical Indiaduring kharif season. It is a hardy and drought tolerantcrop and is especially suited for soils and climates ofRajasthan. Cluster bean is grown for different purposesviz., vegetable, green fodder, green manure and forproduction of seeds. Seeds contain 28 to 33 per centgum. Guar gum has its use in industries like papers,petroleum, pharmaceuticals, food processing,cosmetics, mining explosives, oil drilling etc. Threevarieties of potted guar plants, RGC-1066, RGC-1002and RGC-936 were grown under roof covered poly-house. Three week old plants were subjected to waterstress for 10 days and the relative water content (RWC)in these droughty plants was about 60% in comparisonto 95% in well watered plants. The photosyntheticefficiency of these varieties was monitored by studyingtheir carboxylation efficiency. Under water stressconditions the anthocyanin content showed maximumincrease of the pigment in RGC-1066 and least inRGC-1002. While the total phenolic content showedmaximum increase (46%) in variety RGC-1002 under



drought while it was least in RGC-936 (22%). TheProline content was maximum in RGC-936 and wasminimum in RGC-1002 under drought stress. Ourstudies showed that the variety RGC-1002 was themost tolerant, while RGC-1066 was sensitive andRGC-936 showed an intermediate behavior towardsdrought.Key words: Carboxylation efficiency, Cluster beans,Photosynthesis, Proline, Water stress

SI/P-13

Physiological Responses of Cluster Bean(Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) under Ambientand Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE)ConditionsPriyanka Upreti*, Shivanshu Gupta, Furqan Khan,Ruchi Singh and Pramod A. ShirkePlant Physiology Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email:[email protected],[email protected]

Atmospheric CO2 concentration has risen at anaccelerating pace since the start of the IndustrialRevolution. The findings of FACE experiments areimportant for Predicting the future terrestrial biosphereand understanding that how crops may need to beadapted to the changed and changing atmosphere.Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) has been developedat CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, as a means to grow plantsin the field at controlled elevated CO2 (480 µmol mol-

1 air) under fully open-air field conditions. The effectof increased CO2 was studied on the physiology ofcluster bean locally called as guar plants. Two varieties.of Guar (RGC-1002 and RGC-1066) were grownunder ambient and elevated conditions of CO2 duringthe summer season. Photosynthesis rate increased by9% and 36% in RGC-1002 and RGC-1066 respectivelyunder elevated CO2 conditions. Transpiration ratedecreased by 28% and 4% while stomatal conductanceincreased by 13% and 33% in RGC-1002 and RGC-1066 varieties under elevated CO2 condition.Carboxylation efficiency and CO2 compensation pointincreased in RGC-1002 variety while decreased inRGC-1066 variety under elevated CO2 conditions.Carboxylation efficiency probably increased due toincrease in total chlorophyll and carotenoids contentin RGC-1002 variety. However, in RGC-1066 variety

Chlorophyll and carotenoids content decreased underFACE condition. Anthocyanin content also increasedin FACE conditions which may regulate nonphotochemical quenching under stress condition.Vcmax, Jmax and triose phosphate utilization alsoincreased in both guar varieties under elevated CO2conditions. Stomatal frequency did not change onlower or upper surface of the leaf in both guar varietiesunder elevated CO2 conditions. Photochemicalquantum yield and electron transport rates (ETR) ofPSII did not change significantly however, Y(I) andETR(I) increased in both varieties under elevated CO2conditions. This may indicate towards activation ofcyclic electron flux (CEF) around the PSI. Limitationat acceptor and donor side of PSI decreased and non-regulated photochemical energy dissipation of PSIIalso decreased while regulated energy dissipationthrough xanthophylls cycle increased in both guarvarieties under elevated CO2 conditions.Key words: Cluster beans, Cyclic electron flux, Electrontransport rate, FACE, Photosynthesis

SI/P-14

Whether Land use Change Brings ?13CHomogenization Faster Than ? 13CEnrichment?Ashutosh Kumar Singh1,2*, Apurva Rai2, PratikshaSingh2 and Nandita Singh1,2

1Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR),Anusandhan Bhavan, New Delhi, INDIA, 2Eco-AuditingGroup, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, PO BoxNo. 436, Rana Pratap Marg Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Stable carbon isotope (? 13C) is the prevailingtool to explore land use change, soil organic carbon(SOC) dynamics and ecosystem processes in soil, plantand microbial interface. Previous studies haveillustrated that, land use change (LUC), preferentiallyconversion of (C3) forest land to pasture land oragricultural land results in ? 13C enrichment of SOC,either due to isotopic heterogeneity of plant materialentering into the soil or due to isotopic fractionationoccurring during mineralization. Although, land usechange induced enrichment in naturally occurringstable isotopes are well established, yet the pattern ortrends of fortification occurs during isotopicfractionation are still unclear. On the other hand,



glomalin is alkaline-soluble glycol-proteinecious stuffproduced by ubiquitously distributed symbioticArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in colonizationof more than 80% of terrestrial higher plant roots. Itfaintly termed as glomalin related soil protein (GRSP)are very stable (resistant to heat and microbialdecomposition) and precise pool of soil C. However,in contrast to this, few studies reported that GRSP isvery sensitive against tillage and land use. In this study,we had studied the GRSP and its stable isotope (? 13C)in the vicinity of a tropical dry forest (TDF) locatedin Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Wehypothesized that, since GRSP is a very precisecomponent of soil carbon pool, it may help to get thetrends of 13C enrichment. In this context, instead ofusual fractionation, we sequentially extracted thewhole GRSP, and studied ? 13C. We found that, GRSPextract which was initially heterogeneous in ä 13C, gethomogenize following LUC. Even though, this 13Chomogenization may be more rapid in comparison to13C enrichment. Our result indicates that, GRSP alongwith 13C homogenization can be a more accurateindicator of land use change.Key words: Land use change, Tropical dry forest, Glomalinrelated soil protein, Sequential extraction, ? 13C

SI/P-15

Characteristics of Biochar Prepared fromMentha arvensis and Citronella flexuosusfor Soil Fertility Enhancement and CarbonSequestrationNidhi Nigam, Yogita Deshmukh and Puja Khare*Agronomy and Soil Science Division, Central Institute ofMedicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, NearKukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow-226015, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Biochars have received increasing attentionbecause of their potential environmental applicationssuch as soil amendment and atmosphericC sequestration. In this study, biochar was producedfrom Mentha arvensis and Cymbopogon flexuosus.The biomass and respective biochars werecharacterized by proximate analysis, ultimate analysis,TGA, organic carbon content and soil analysis.Incubation study of biomass and biochar was set upusing loamy sand soil for the evaluation of biocharstability, priming effect and C sequestration potential.

Results showed that biochar enhanced nutrientavailability and improve physical and biologicalproperties of the soil. Soil samples were also analyzedfor the microbes such as bacteria, actinomycetes andfungi. Beneficial effects of biochar application onmicrobial activity were observed.Key words: Biochar, Mentha, Citronella, Carbon sequestration

SI/P-16

An Assessment of Changes in MicrobialDiversity of the Soil Exposed to ElevatedCarbon DioxideVivek K. Maurya1*, Richa Shukla2, SatyendraP. Singh2, Arpita Bhattacharya2, Aradhana Mishra2

and Vivek Pandey1

1Plant Ecology and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, 2Division of Plant Microbe Interaction, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Global agriculture sector depends on climaticconditions for optimal output. In 2012 average annualatmospheric carbon dioxide level reached to ca 394ppm. It is estimated that by the year 2100, global CO2levels would range about 450-600 ppm. Free AirCarbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) systems providevaluable information about agricultural responses andadaptation strategies of crop under elevated CO2conditions. A study was conducted to investigate theplant microbe interaction and it’s effect on soilmicroflora under eCO2 condition (ca 500ppm). It wasfound that under eCO2, bacterial population remainedunaffected whereas significant differences wereobtained in fungal, actinomycetes and denitrifyingbacterial populations. Furthermore, microbes wereisolated from eCO2 and ambient soils, proceeded forscreening for abiotic stress (pH, salinity, drought andtemperature) tolerance. Three bacterial (PPFEB1,PPFEB2 and PPFEB3) strains isolated from eCO2 soilswere found to be potent and tolerant microbes forabiotic stresses. Carbon source utilization pattern ofrhizospheric microbial community of maize, grownunder eCO2 was studied using BIOLOG. Utilizationof carbohydrate, amino acid, amines and complexpolymers were efficient in eCO2 rhizosphericmicroflora in comparison to ambient conditions.Key words: Microbial diversity, Carbon dioxide, Climatechange, FACE, Abiotic stress, Rhizosphere



SI/P-17

CO2 Affect on Bio-Chemical Parameter ofRhizospheric Soil of Tectona grandis andButea monosperma on Different Seasons byFree Air CO2 Concentration Enrichment(FACE) FacilityPratiksha Singh* and Nandita SinghCSIR- National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Increasing, Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrationcauses global warming in the world. We know thatsoil, water and plant have potential to sequester CO2.In this study, we focused on the effect of microbialbiomass carbon (MBC), soil enzyme and chemicalparameters related to rhizospheric soil of Tectonagrandis (Teak) and Butea monosperma (Butea) weregrown under different atmospheric CO2 concentrations(394ppm ambient and 490ppm FACE, respectively)in different seasons. Generally, pH plays an importantrole in the characteristics of rhizosphere soil MBC,enzymes and also nutrient properties against elevationof CO2. MBC was found higher in rhizosperic soil ofboth teak and butea plant as compared to Control(Ambient) in all seasons. In pre monsoon, rhizosphericsoil MBC, TOC and DHA of Elevated ring was foundmaximum, whereas it was minimum in autumn incomparison to ambient rings. Alkaline phosphatasewas enhanced in post monsoon in elevated and ambientboth and lower in pre monsoon. Increasedconcentration of MBC, TOC and soil enzymes underelevation of CO2 represents positive effect on teak andbutea plant. Both plants have potential to survive underhigher concentration of CO2 and enhanced microbialactivity may play a positive role.Key words: FACE, CO2 sequestration, MBC, Soil enzyme,Chemical parameters, Teak and Butea

SI/P-18

Protected Cultivation: Ancient India’s ForayNikhil KumarB2/M91 SBI Colony, Sector B Jankipuram, Lucknow-226021, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In the backdrop of projected climate change, risein temperature, CO2 concentration and precipitationare the main factors likely to impact plant growth and

agriculture globally. In response to such projectionsplant scientists world over are working to meet thesechallenges. Search for tolerant plants, new or tailoredfor specific factors are on and genetically modifiedplants are being projected as major hope. In the past60-70 years attempts to grow crops at small to mediumscale under controlled conditions of temperature,humidity and light have been successful. With thearrival of durable plastics, large poly houses are beingmade in India for successful commercial cultivation.Thus the possibility of having array of tolerant plantsand large scale controlled cultivation is being viewedwith hope for future.

In Ancient India the art of controlled cultivationwas evolved for growing Piper betle one of its mostimportant cultural plants. P. betle is a shade lovingperennial creeper from the tropical regions whichcannot survive under subtropical conditions withoutprotection. Though there is no clear cut evidence, itmay be assumed that fully controlled cultivation forP. betle was evolved more than 2500 years (preBuddha) in the subtropical India. These structures arestill in vogue and cover more than 20,000 hectaresspread over a vast area in several states like Assam(seven sisters), Bengal, undivided Bihar, MP and UP.These structures by default use locally available plantor plant based materials and is in total sync with theenvironment. These structures have the potential tofurther improve the available modern controlledcultivation facilities. Such possibilities will bediscussed.Key words: Piper betle, Modern controlled cultivation, CO2concentration

SI/P-19

Relationship of Tree Species Compositionin Soil CO2 Fluxes: An Overview in TropicalDry Deciduous Forest Ecosystem inVindhyan Plateau of Uttar PradeshNayan Sahu*, Shruti Mishra, Bilal Khan, AshutoshK. Singh, Apurva Rai, Soumit K. Behera and Nandita SinghPlant Ecology and Environmental Sciences Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Carbon (C) sequestration in vegetation and soilis recognized as a mechanism that can mitigateatmospheric CO2 accumulation. Forest ecosystems



contain a large part of the carbon stored on land, inthe form of both biomass and soil organic matter(SOM). Forest soil organic carbon (SOC) is influencedby the complex interactions of climate, soil type,management, and tree species composition. A growingbody of evidence has demonstrated that forest speciescomposition will influence soil carbon turnover dueto its different microclimates at the forest floor. Theseeffects have been attributed to the fact that tree speciescould potentially alter amount and physiochemicalproperties of carbon additions in litter from the aboveground and below ground flora and fauna, distributionof the root systems of plants in the soil profile,distribution of carbon within the soil matrix and itsinteraction with clay surfaces. Soil CO2 fluxmeasurements were undertaken in 3 different forestcommunities in tropical dry deciduous forest spreadover Vindhyan plateau in Sonbhadra district of UttarPradesh, India for comparative measurement of diurnaland spatial patterns of soil CO2 fluxes in differentforest communities to understanding the role of species

composition in soil CO2 sequestration in tropical drydeciduous forest ecosystem.

Soil CO2 flux in mixed forest was highest whilelowest flux were observed in teak plantation.Hardwickia dominated forest observed lower soil CO2flux in comparison to mixed forest. Mixed forestshowed nearly 60% higher flux values as comparedto Teak plantation. The diel variation in soil CO2emission in the all the forest types coincided well withthe variations in soil temperature and moistureindicating their significance in soil CO2 fluxes. Presentstudy confirms that the mixed forest have a higherSOC stock than the monoculture plantations, and thereis an increase in amount of CO2 sequestered by thesoil of mixed species forest compared to monocultureTectona sp. plantations. Therefore, a mixture of variedspecies could be a better approach for SOCsequestration than monoculture plantations.Key words: Dry deciduous forest, Soil carbon sequestration,Soil organic carbon



SII/KN-1

Engineering Plants for Detoxification andPhytoremediation of Arsenic andProduction of Biofuels and Bioproducts onContaminated SitesOm Parkash Dhankher1*, Sudesh Chhikara1, BibinPaulose1 and Kundan Kumar1,2

1Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences, Universityof Massachusetts, 230 Stockbridge Rd, Amherst, MA 01003,USA. 2Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Instituteof Technology and Sciences, Goa Campus, Goa-403726,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) contamination is widespread andbeing a potent carcinogen, As affects the health of morethan 500 million people worldwide. There is noefficient, cost-effective and environment friendlystrategy for As remediation. Previously, we engineeredArabidopsis thaliana plants co-expressing the E. coliarsC gene (arsenate reductase) in leaves and the?-ECS (g-glutamylcysteine synthetase) genes,constitutively. These plants showed significantlygreater arsenic tolerance and accumulation thancontrol plants (Dhankher et al., 2002, Nature Biotech.20:1140-45). In Roots, plants uptake arsenate (AsV),which is reduced to arsenite (AsIII) endogenously andthus get trapped belowground. To further enhance Asmovement from roots to the aboveground tissues, weidentified an endogenous arsenate reductase, AtACR2,from Arabidopsis that reduces AsV to AsIII in plants.Inactivation of AtACR2 by RNAi caused thetranslocation of 10-16 fold more As from root to shoottissues when these plants were exposed to AsV

(Dhankher et al., 2006, PNAS 103: 5413-18). Theseresults clearly shows that the synergistic activity ofthese genes could lead to more than a 50-fold increasein the levels of As accumulation in the above groundtissues for later harvest.

In order to transfer this portable Asphytoremediation strategy for remediation ofcontaminated soil and water, the ArsC and ?-ECS geneswere transferred to high biomass, non-food, fastgrowing Crambe abyssinica and Brassica junceaplants. Both C. abyssinica and B. juncea plantstransformed with ArsC and ?-ECS genes, exhibitedphenotypes and As accumulation similar to thoseachieved in Arabidopsis. Further, plants expressing?-ECS showed strong tolerance to other toxic metals

such as Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cr and accumulatedsignificantly high levels of these toxic metals in theaboveground biomass. Additionally, we are exploringthe Crambe genome and isolating genes to understandthe molecular and biochemical mechanisms of arsenicuptake, tolerance, and detoxification in plants forcommercial phytoremediation. Recently, we haveidentified and overexpressed ?-glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT), which is involved in GSHhomeostasis. Overexpression of GGCT not onlyprovided strong tolerance to As and Cd but alsoimproved N use efficiency in plants under stressconditions (Paulose et al., Plant Cell, 25: 4580–4595).Apart for phtoremediation, high biomass, non-food,oil seed crops could be used as feedstock for biodieselproduction. These biotechnological approaches in non-food, high biomass oilseed crops will enable theseplants to grown on heavy metals contaminatedbrownfields, abandoned orchards, and superfund sitesfor biofuel production without replacing the landcurrently used for food production.Key words: Crambe abyssinica , Brassica juncea ,phytoremediation, arsenic, heavy metals, biofuels

SII/L-1

Biotechnological Approaches forConservation of an Endangered Forest TreeSpecies Givotia rottleriformis Griff. used inToy Making IndustryNanna Ramaswamy* and Marda RambabuDepartment of Biotechnology, Kakatiya University,Warangal-506009, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Forest trees are in particular renewable sourcesof food, fodder, fuel wood, timber and other valuablenon-timber products. To maintain and sustain forestvegetation, conventional approaches have beenexploited in the past for propagation and improvement.However such efforts are confronted with severalinherent bottlenecks. Inorder to overcome these,Biotechnological interventions play a vital role foreffective rapid multiplication, improvement andconservation of an endangered, medicinal andeconomically important forest tree species. Hence, wemade an attempt to conserve the species Givotiarottleriformis which is used in toys making industry.The timber is traditionally used in making Kondapally,Nirmal and Etikoppaka toys. The artisans depending



on this toy making industry for their lively- hood areput to major hardship for want of wood. The poorpropagation coupled with over exploitation for toymaking industry use has depleted the species andbecoming endangered. In view of this, we havedeveloped reproducible regeneration protocols forlarge-scale production of the species G. rottleriformis.In vitro seed germination protocol has beenstandardized. In vitro zygotic embryo culture wasestablished and developed the plantlets at 100 mg/Ltyrosine. Callus mediated regeneration has beenstandardized on MS medium fortified with 0.5 mg/LIAA+3 mg/L BAP. The protocol for somaticembryogenesis induction and plantlet formation hasbeen successfully developed. Maximum percentageof somatic embryogenesis was found at 0.5 mg/LNAA+0.75mg/L BAP. More number of bipolarembryos was germinated and converted in to plantletsat 0.2 mg/L NAA + 0.25 mg/L BAP. Efficient protocolshave been standardized for micropropagation/clonalpropagation by using mericlone technology and nodalculture. In vitro rooting was also established frommicro-shoots developed through in vitro culturetechnology. The regenerated plants were successfullyacclimatized and transferred to field. Thus, we haveachieved the implementation of Lab-to-Land program.Keyword: Givotia rottleriformis, Endangered forest,Micropropogation, Mericlone technology

SII/L-2

Effect of ABA and Salt Stress on VesicularTrafficking and Root Hair DevelopmentRishikesh P. BhaleraoDepartment of Biological Sciences, King Saud University,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Umea Plant Science Center, Umea,S-901 83, SWEDEN, Email: [email protected]

Increasing episodes of drought stress related toclimate change are posing a major threat to global foodsecurity due to a negative effect on agriculturalproductivity in large parts of the world. Thereforeunderstanding the mechanisms that underlie thedrought response of plants will be of great use to devisestrategies to engineer plants that cope better withdrought stress in the future. We are using root hairdevelopment and its response to drought stress asexperimental model to understand how plants respondto drought stress. Root hairs are extensions ofepidermal cells that grow by tip growth. Root hairs

serve to increase the surface area of the root and arecrucial for acquiring water and nutrients. Theimportance of root hairs in plant productivity isunderlined by the reduced fitness of mutants that lackroot hairs especially under limiting water andphosphate content in the soil. Root hairs are highlysensitive to salt and water availability with saltsuppressing and water stress increasing the numberof hairs. Thus root hair development can be used as adevelopmental model to investigate how plants copewith water and salt stress. We have characterized roothair development and its response to salt and planthormone ABA (as a proxy for drought stress) in modelplant Arabidopsis. Interestingly, salt stress inhibitswhereas ABA promotes root hair growth. MoreoverABA suppressed the effects of salt on root hairdevelopment indicating a cross-talk between salt andABA. Furthermore we have identified severalvesicular trafficking mutants with altered root hairdevelopment. I will discuss our latest findings on roothair development and how salt and ABA signaling isintegrated into the control of root hair development.Key words: Salt stress, Drought, ABA, Root hairs, Arabidopsismutants

SII/L-3

Recent Advances in Arsenic Accumulationand Metabolism in RiceDebasis Chakrabarty*, Arti Rai, Manju Shri, PankajKumar Verma, Shikha Verma, Neelam Gautam,Prabodh Kumar Trivedi and Rudra Deo TripathiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected]/[email protected]

Arsenic (As) contamination of the environmenthas emerged as a serious problem. Consequently, thereis an urge to understand plants’ responses to As. Ourstudy suggests that the genetic mechanism regulatingthe differential As accumulation in different genotypesmay not be dependent on gene expression attranscriptional level. We characterized twoglutaredoxin (Grx), Cytochrome P450 andmetallothionein genes from Oryza sativa indica sp.and expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenicplants were analysed for tolerance towards heavymetals as well as other abiotic stresses, which suggestsall these genes have important role in providingtolerance to heavy metal stresses and other abiotic



stress. In an another study, fungal strain, Westerdykellaaurantiaca isolated from arsenic contaminatedagricultural soils from West Bengal, India. This strainshowed tolerance and methylation of arsenic whengrown in mycological broth enriched with arsenic.Novel arsenic methyltransferase gene identified andand cloned in yeast and ars mutants E. coli strains forits functional characterization. In an another study, inorder to restrict As in the rice roots as a detoxificationmechanism, a transgenic approach has been followedthrough expression of phytochelatin synthase,CdPCS1, from Ceratophyllum demersum, an aquaticAs-accumulator plant. CdPCS1 expressing ricetransgenic lines showed marked increase in PCSactivity and enhanced synthesis of PCs in comparisonto non-transgenic plant. This enhanced metalaccumulation potential of transgenic lines waspositively correlated to the content of PCs, which alsoincreased several-fold higher in transgenic lines.Transgenic lines showed enhanced accumulation ofAs in root and shoot. However, all the transgenic linesaccumulated significantly lower As in grain and huskin comparison to non-transgenic plant. The higher levelof PCs in transgenic plants relative to non-transgenicpresumably allowed sequestering and detoxificationof higher amounts of As in roots and shoots, therebyrestricting its accumulation in grain. Our study offersa hope for understanding the molecular basis of arsenictoxicity and accumulation in plant parts. Althoughmeasurable success, in terms of application in the ûeld,has so far not been achieved, transgenic research hasyielded promising results, which shed light on theapproaches to be taken up in future endeavour. Thiswill have tremendous societal impact related to publichealth consequences.Key words: Arsenic, Metabolism, Rice

SII/O-1

Production of Polyhydroxybutyrate(Biopolymer) by Bacillus Species Isolatedfrom Municipal WasteSushil Kumar ShahiDepartment of Botany, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya,Bilaspur-495009, Chhattisgarh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Plastic wastes are considered to be severeenvironmental contaminants causing waste disposal

problems. Widespread use of biodegradable plasticsis one of the solutions, but it is limited by highproduction cost. Municipal waste generates largequantities of organic matter for microbial growth. Onlya few reports focus on the potential of utilizing residentBacillus species from municipal waste inpolyhydroxbutyrate (PHB) production as well as theproduction of PHB from food wastes. They haveattractive properties such as short generation time,absence of endotoxins, and secretion of both amylasesand proteinases that can well utilize food wastes fornutrients, which can further reduce the cost ofproduction of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs).37 isolate were isolated from municipal waste and outof 37 isolates 13 were found to be PHA producer. Onlyfour strains viz., MW-4, MW-9, MW-26 and MW-34were found higher producer. Isolation of poly-?-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing bacteria,recognition of brightly retractile cytoplasmaticinclusions, lipophilic stains with Sudan Black and Nileblue, and chemical extraction of PHB were used as aculture-dependent strategy for the detection of PHB-producing bacteria. Biochemical analysis showed thatPHA producing strains belongs to Pseudomonas,Klebsiella, Escherichia and Bacillus genera. PHAextraction was done by sodium hypochlorite digestionmethod. Strain MW-4 was showed maximumpercentage (54 %). Production of PHA was optimizedfor different temperature and pH. Thus, in future newPHA producing strains, utilization of renewablematerials or industrial waste and culture technologyfor PHA production can be developed.Key words: PHB, Biopolymer, Bacillus, Pollution

SII/O-2

Naringenin and Funneliformis mosseaeFacilitated Equilibrium in Redox StateSynchronizes Antioxidant Network toAlleviate Oxidative Stress in Salt StressedCicer arietinum L. NodulesPriyanka Singla* and Neera GargDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in legume nodules is an inevitable consequenceof rising salinity in the rooting medium. Salinity



adversely affects nodule occupancy and N2-fixingcapacity as nitrogenase (N2ase) enzyme is extremelysusceptible to oxygen and ROS. Arbuscularmycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, in combination withflavonoids, improves redox status and help plants tothrive in saline soils. However, little is known aboutinfluence of flavonoids and/or AM in transformingthe proficiency of antioxidant machinery in nodulesof salt stressed legumes. Study was intended toinvestigate the potential role of naringenin (Nar, 4 µM)and AM (Funneliformis mosseae) in modulatingantioxidant network to mitigate salinity (0, 40, 60, 80,100 mM NaCl) induced oxidative burden on N2-fixation of two Cicer arietinum L. genotypes (PBG 5,DCP 92-3). Despite increase of antioxidants in stressednodules, ROS build-up increased coupled withlowering of ascorbate/dehydroascorbate and reduced/oxidised glutathione; indicating that upholding redoxbuffers is a deciding factor for competentantioxidation. Higher Na+ accumulation had moredeleterious effects on growth, N2ase activity andnitrogen concentration in the nodules of DCP 92-3which could be associated with higher ROS generationand lower competence of antioxidants. However inNar treated and/or AM plants, efficient antioxidantmachinery attenuated oxidative burdens, withmaximum redox stability recorded in +Nar+AMplants. Superior efficacy was related to elevatedrecycling of reduced ascorbate, thereby facilitatinghigher H2O2 scavenging by ascorbate peroxidase andsubsequently higher O2

•- dismutation by superoxidedismutase. Mycorrhization and Nar application ensuedrecuperation in N2-fixation due to improvedproficiency of antioxidant. Thus, shifting nodule redoxtowards more reduced form constitutes one of thedefensive gears of Nar and/or AM in curtailing saltinduced oxidative constraints of N2-fixation inchickpea.Key words: Antioxidants, Cicer arietinum L., Funneliformismosseae, Naringenin, Nitrogenase, Redox equilibrium

SII/O-3Overexpression of Leucaena leucocephalaPhytochelatin Synthase in Tobacco Leadsto Enhanced Heavy Metal Tolerance andAccumulationM.S.L. Sunita1, S. Prashant1* and P.B. Kavi Kishor2

1Department of Genetics, Osmania University, Hyderabad,

Telangana, INDIA. 2P.B. Kavi Kishor, Department of Ge-netics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Leucaena leucocephala is known to have heavymetal tolerance and is used in revegetation of metalpolluted sites. However, the genes related to metaldetoxification have not been identified in this species.The present study reports the isolation andcharacterization of full-length cDNA sequence ofphytochelatin synthase gene from L. leucocephala(LlPCS). Homology modelling of LlPCS predictedbinding sites for the substrate glutathione and themetals Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn. In order to characterizethe role of LlPCS in metal tolerance and accumulation,it was cloned into pCAMBIA-1302 vector which waslater transferred into Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Theleaf discs of tobacco were infected with recombinantAgrobacterium tumefaciens bearing the LlPCSconstruct. The putative transformants were selectedon MS basal medium with hygromycin. Later theputative transformants were confirmed by PCRanalysis and were later hardened. The 5-week-oldLlPCS T0 transgenic tobacco plants were subjected tometal stress by treating them with 150 µM and 300µM concentrations of zinc, lead, cadmium, arsenic andcopper, 50 µM and 150 µM concentrations of mercuryfor four weeks along with untransformed controls. TheLlPCS T0 transgenic tobacco plants exhibitedcomparatively better growth, relatively higher contentof non-protein thiols compared to untransformedcontrol plants. The chlorophyll content was high andMDA content was significantly lower in LlPCStransgenic plants as compared to control plants. Undermetal stress, non-transgenic plants undergo severalanatomical changes related to secondary growthpattern such as less number of cambial cell layers,decrease in radial extent of xylem, thin walled fibresand depletion of reserve carbohydrates. While thetransgenic plants developed several adaptive featuresto tolerate heavy metal toxicity which includesgrouping of vessels, thick walled fibres abundantstarch accumulation etc. The metal accumulationstudies demonstrated that transgenics couldaccumulate several folds higher content of heavymetals compared to non transgenics. Hence, the presentwork shows that overexpression of LlPCS gene couldimpart metal tolerance and accumulation in transgenictobacco. This study also suggests that by usingmolecular approaches LlPCS gene can be used to



develop an efficient phytoremediation technology forclean-up of metal polluted soils.Key words: Arsenic, Cadmium, Zinc, LlPCS, Tolerance,Accumulation

SII/O-4

Transcriptional Regulation of RiceSulphate Transporter Gene Family andFunctional Characterisation of Ossul1;1under Different Metal StressSmita Kumar1*, Debasis Chakrabarty2,R.D. Tripathi2 and Prabodh Kumar Trivedi2

1Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow,Lucknow-226007, INDIA, 2CSIR-National Botanical Re-search Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, IN-DIA, Email: [email protected]

Sulphur is an essential element required by plantsfor their growth and development. Plants depend onthe external sulphur supply in the form of sulphateanion (SO4

"2) from the soil and assimilate into thesulphur reductive pathway. Roots predominantlyfunction for the acquisition of sulphur source fromthe soil environment. In plants, the acquisition ofsulphur in the form of SO4

"2 occurs via set oftransporters encoded by a multigene family. Plantsulphate transporters have been implicated in variousabiotic stress responses. Comprehensive analysis ofthe proximal promoters of members of rice sulphatetransporter gene family suggested the presence ofvarious common stress related cis-acting elements. Inaddition, the transcriptional regulation of the arsenic-responsive high affinity sulphate transporter, OsSul1;1,was studied through development of Arabidopsistransgenic lines expressing reporter gene encoding â-glucuronidase under the control of OsSul1;1 promoter.The analysis of the transgenic lines suggesteddifferential response of the OsSul1;1 promoter tovarious heavy metals as well as other abiotic stresses.Also, OsSul1;1, was functionally characterizedthrough complementation of yeast mutant YSD1, inwhich high affinity sulphate transporter was disrupted.Tolerance was observed in the yeast cells expressingOsSul1;1 towards different heavy metals suggestingits role in heavy metal stress response. Further,functional characterization of OsSul1;1 was carriedout by developing Arabidopsis transgenic lines tounderstand its role in abiotic stress conditions

including heavy metals. It was observed that theexpression of OsSul1;1 in Arabidopsis transgenic linesdid not affect growth of the plants in homozygoustransgenic lines in comparison to WT plants underoptimum sulphur concentration. However,significantly enhanced rate of germination and rootlength of transgenic lines was observed in comparisonto WT under sulphur limiting conditions suggestingthe role of OsSul1;1 in plant growth and developmentunder sulphur limiting conditions. Apart from theheavy metals, transgenic lines expressing OsSul1;1also showed tolerance towards different abioticstresses such as salt and drought under sulphur limitingconditions. Therefore, the study suggested the role ofOsSul1;1 in maintaining enhanced sulphur pool insidethe cell and thus play a significant role in providingtolerance against various stress conditions.Key words: Abiotic stress, Arabidopsis, Heavy metals,Sulphate transporter, Transgenic, Yeast

SII/O-5

Identification and Characterization ofMolecular and MorphophysiologicalResponses under Excess Phosphate inArabidopsisDevesh Shukla*, Claire A. Rinehart and ShivendraV. SahiDepartment of Biology, Western Kentucky University, 1906College Heights Blvd#11080, Bowling Green 42101, Ken-tucky, USA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrientelement, a component of nucleic acids, phospholipidsand several energy-dependent biological reactions,plays a vital role in the growth and development ofplants. However, extensive application of P fertilizersor animal manures often results into the overaccumulation of P in top soil and leaching of P intonearby water bodies posing serious environmentalconcerns like eutrofication and/or ground waterpollution. Unlike the sufficient molecular andmorphophysiological information available in plantswith respect to phosphate (Pi) deficiency, the effectof excess Pi at various levels such as molecular,biochemical and morphophysiological have not beenstudied in detail. In the present study, we have carriedout a detailed investigation of plant responses under



excess phosphate. Interestingly, high concentrationsof Pi adversely affected the growth of seedlings. Rootsystem architecture (RSA) turned shallower somewhatlike RSA of -Pi (no phosphate), and root apicalmeristematic activity has been repressed. Shoot areaalso decreased but in a less pronounced manner.Nevertheless, the negative developmental regulationof RSA turned out indeterminate because growth ofRSA restored in normal Pi concentration.Transcriptomic investigation of excess phosphateresponse (EPR) phenotype, revealed a highlysignificant upregulation of an unknown root specificgene possessing a plant hormone responsive domain.It is plausible that this gene may be a component of asignaling pathway operated under high phosphatecondition. Moreover, the global gene expressionanalysis revealed a distinct transcriptome signature ofroot and shoot under high Pi indicating differentregulon operating in source and sink organs. We alsoobserved a specific modulation of ethylene and ironresponsive genes in seedlings grown at high Pi.Overall, this study will not only help in dissecting themechanism of plant responses under excess Pi but alsoprovide the lead in identifying new genes involved inphosphorus homeostasis.Key words: Excess phosphate, Root system architecture, -Pi(no phosphate), Transcriptomics

SII/O-6

Impact of Salinity Stress on Activity andGene Expression of Sugar MetabolizingEnzymes in Leaves and Grains of WheatGenotypesS. Lekshmy1*, K. Sairam1, V. Chinnusamy1 andS.K. Jha2

1Division of Plant Physiology, IARI, New Delhi-110012, INDIA, 2Division of Genetics, IARI,New Delhi-110012, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

An experiment was, conducted to study the effectof salinity stress on the sugar metabolism and transportin wheat. Four wheat genotypes were raised in earthenpots of uniform size (30×30 cm) lined with two layersof polyethylene bags and filled with 10 kg of air-driedsoil and farm yard manure in 3:1 ratio. One month oldseedlings were given salinity treatment with 2.5 litreswater (control) and saline solutions, [S1 100 mM

NaCl), S2 (200mM NaCl). Actual salinity levels areexpressed as electrical conductivity, ECe determinedat vegetative (30 days after sowing and anthesis are1.21, 8.43 and 13.04 respectively. Salinity stress ledto increased accumulation of total soluble sugars andtrehalose in leaves of wheat genotypes. There was asharp rise in total solube sugars and trehalose contentin tolerant genotypes, which probably explain theirrole as compatible solute. Expression of Trehalose -6-phosphate synthase gene was also up regulated undersalinity stress. Expression of sucrose transporter geneSUT1 was found to be salinity stress inducible in wheatleaves. Salinity stress also affected the sugarmetabolism of developing wheat grains. Salinity stressdecreased the expression of AGPase large subunit(AGPase LSU), soluble starch synthase III (SSSIII)and SUT1 in wheat grains.Key word: Salanity, Gene expression, Wheat

SII/O-7

Salicylic Acid Induced Multiple StressTolerance in PlantsP.K. SinghDepartment of Botany, Udai Pratap Autonomous College,Varanasi, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Sustainable economic growth in the next centuryrequires development of new agricultural andindustrial technologies in harmony with the globalenvironment. Because of increase in global population,world agriculture must produce a greater yield withoutchanging the variability and richness of biodiversity.Several physiological, biochemical and molecularprocesses are affected by adverse environmentalconditions, particularly plant growth, development andproductivity.

Salicylic acid (SA), plant phenolics is nowconsidered as a hormone-like endogenous regulatorand its role in the defense mechanisms against bioticand abiotic stresses has been well documented.Number of SA induced PR-proteins are identifiedagainst virulent plant pathogens. Exogenous SAapplication may have a significant practical applicationin agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Theestablished effects of SA on stomatal function,chlorophyll content, transpiration rate and respiratorypathways raise the assumption that SA might possessanother physiological function, most probably



involved in regulation of some photosyntheticreactions and other growth regulatory mechanismsunder various stresses in plants. Thus studies suggestthat exogenous application of salicylic acid in plantsmay bring some potential practical utilization. Forexample, manipulating the tissue level of SA in plantsmay be a promising area for the importance ofbiotechnology to crop protection and high yield.Increase in endogenous SA may be achieved viaenhancing transcription and translation of the genesfor SA biosynthesis or by blocking the expression ofgenes involved in SA metabolism.Key words: Salicylic acid, SA biosynthesis, PR-proteins

SII/O-8

miR858 is Critical for Light-DependentRegulation of R2r3 Myb TranscriptionFactors Involved in Flavonoid BiosyntheticPathway in ArabidopsisDeepika Sharma*, Chitra Bhatia and PrabodhKumar TrivediCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Light is one of the most vital environmental factorcontrolling plant growth and development via arrayof signalling pathways involving numerous molecularfactors causing adjustment in the whole transcriptome.For plants, light is a fundamental source of energybut, it is also an important environmental stress factor.Under light stressed conditions plants accumulatesdefence-related secondary metabolites, such asflavonoids which also have many health beneficialproperties. The regulation of the flavonoidbiosynthesis is achieved by combined actions oftranscriptional control of the structural enzymes in thebiosynthetic pathway by DNA binding R2R3 MYBtranscription factors. Recent report showed that a keypositive regulator in Arabidopsis photomorphogenesis,ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), could activatethe expression of R2R3 MYBs as well as flavonoidbiosynthetic genes; however, the impact ofmicroRNAs (miRNAs) on conveying light signals andin regulating secondary plant product biosynthesis ispoorly understood. miRNAs are endogenous, non-coding small RNAs which function as regulators ofgrowth, development, signal transduction and

adaptation to various abiotic and biotic environmentalstresses. In this study, we identified and characterizedArabidopsis miR858 which putatively regulate theexpressions of R2R3 MYB transcription factorsinvolved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Presence of HY5binding sites and other light-responsive cis-elementsin miR858 promoter suggested light-dependentregulation of miR858 expression. We also demonstratethe expression of miR858 is significantly reducedunder complete photoinhibition for 5 days in WT,CaMV35s:promiR858 transgenic lines and hy5 mutantbackgrounds. However, on light induction for differenttime points the expressions of miR858, MYBs andflavonoid pathway biosynthetic genes is restored.Altogether, our findings explored and established therole of HY5-miR858 module in regulating MYBs andflavonoids biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.Key words: Arabidopsis, Human health, Light, miR858,Secondary metabolites, Transcription factors

SII/O-9

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC. - anUnderutilized Legume Crop Needing CropImprovement for Providing HouseholdNutrition SecurityVinayak Singh1, Prasant Kumar Rout2 and ChandraSekhar Mohanty1*1Plant Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Divi-sion, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Chemical Science Division, CSIR-Cen-tral Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow-226013, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Winged bean [Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.)DC.] is a potential underutilized-legume crop of thetropics with high protein content. Analysis of chemicalproperties of the seed fatty oil and lipid of the seedswere carried out on GC-FID, GC-MS and H1-NMRplatform. The study revealed that, fatty oil of fullymature seeds of P. tetragonolobus contained higherproportion of unsaturated fatty acids (~75.5%). Theunsaponification matter of fatty oil was identified asstigmasterol (~66.4%) and ?-sitosterol (~25.1%). Totallipids of fully mature seeds were extracted and isolatedas neutral and glyco- and phospholipids. The overallinvestigation of fatty oil of fully mature seeds wasfound to be enriched with mono-unsaturated fatty acids(~38.6%) and poly-unsaturated fatty acids (~36.9%)



without trans-fatty acids, thus meeting the edible oilstandard. Quantification of total polyphenols,flavonoids on HPLC platform revealed the highestpercentage occurrence of kaempferol in the seedtissues along with the presence of condensed tanninin the seed-coat. Estimation of genetic diversity amongtwenty four genotypes of P. tetragonolobus byemployment of RAPD and ISSR molecular markersrevealed a significant level of variation among someIndian and exotic genotypes. The study therefore,provides a significant insight for further geneticimprovement of this crop. Promotion of this under-utilized legume and its further cultivation in the regionwill provide household food security in a sustainablemanner to the rural poor.Key words: Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.,Underutilized legume, Nutrition security, Fatty oil, Lipid

SII/O-10

Application of Biotechnology forEnvironmental Cleanup: EngineeringPlants for Improved PhytoremediationV. Kumar*, S. Al-Momin, H. Al-Aqeel, A.B. Shajan,S.M. Nair, F. Al-Salameen and S. Al-AmadBiotechnology Program, Environment and Life SciencesResearch Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research,P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, KUWAIT,Email: [email protected]

Kuwait has experienced one of the majorenvironmental destructions during the Gulf War. Hugeamount of crude oil were released causing massivedestruction of the environment with toxic petroleumhydrocarbons and associated heavy metals.Remediation of these sites requires multidisciplinaryapproach. Plants possess unique mechanisms todetoxify or accumulate harmful pollutants includingheavy metals. These mechanisms are governed by aset of genes encoding specialized proteins.Understanding the regulation of these genes in modelplants would open innovative ways to improve selectedplant species to enhance the efficiency ofphytoremediation technology. This requiresbiochemical characterization and better understandingof these genes and their expression patterns. With thisview, we have selected candidate genes in Arabidopsisand examined their expression profile under variousheavy metal stress using RT PCR technique. During

the course of the study, several stress responsivecandidate genes have been successfully identified inArabidopsis and their response to Vanadium stress hasbeen determined. Arabidopsis thaliana glutathionereductase, glutathione S-transferase, auxin-inducedprotein IAA9, S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase,putative nitrilase 3 genes are upregulated in responseto Na3VO4 treatment. At the same time, glutathionesynthetase, O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase, S-adenosylmethionine synthase 2, putative myrosinasemRNA expression was not altered and remained at asimilar level in control and vanadium treated plants.Interestingly, glutathione synthetase and peroxidaseexpression was down regulated in plants exposed tovanadium treatment. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)sulfurylase gene is known to be involved in theregulation of metal uptake and metal tolerance inplants. We have cloned the native Arabidopsis ATPsulfurylase gene and also created the synthetic versionof the same. This gene will be engineered to improvethe phytoremediation efficiency of selected target plantspecies that can grow in moderately oil contaminatedsoil under arid conditions.Key words: Arabidopsis, ATP sulfurylase, GeneticEngineering, Phytoremediation

SII/P-1

Role of Glutaredoxin against Metalloid/Metal Induced Abiotic Stress in Plants:MinireviewArvind Kumar Dubey1*, Navin Kumar1, RumaRanjan1, Ambedkar Gautam1, Ishita Gupta1 andShekhar Mallick1

1Plant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Glutaredoxins (GRX) are small 12-15 kDaubiquitous disulfide oxidoreductases known to useGSH as electron donor. It consist of 4 stranded â sheetsand 3 flanking á helices, extended by additional N orC terminal á helix. The cellular redox is essential formaintaining protein and other cellular activity undernormal conditions, which gets disturbed underoxidative stress due to the formation of ROS or RNSduring biotic or abiotic stress. Glutaredoxin/glutathione/glutathione reductase (GRX/GSH/GR)belonging to TRX family helps in maintaining the thiol



reduced state. GRXs play role in recovery of cellularproteome during or after onset of unfavorableconditions. The role of GRX in arsenic reduction iswell established in prokaryotic and mammaliansystem. Recombinant E. coli expressing PvGRX5,extracted from arsenic hyperaccumulating fern, Pterisvittata have shown tolerance towards 10mM of As (V).Exposure of pea seeds to cadmium during germinationresults in the increase of overall GRX activity, about47% and 136% from controls in cotyledons andembryonic axes, respectively, after 5 days of treatment.However reports about expression of GRX genes inrice plants and more particularly against As stress, arevery few. In rice, up-regulation of two GRX genes i.e.Os01g27140, Os02g40500 against As (III) stress,whereas only one (Os02g40500) against As (V) stresswere found. In another recent study, expression of twoCC type GRX (Os01g27140, Os01g13950), one CPYCType (Os02g40500) and one GRL type(LOC_Os01g61350) against As(V) (4 ppm) werefound to be several folds higher in the sensitive cultivarof rice. Thus it can be concluded that the GRXs playan important role in imparting tolerance to plantstowards metal induced stress. GRXs play a crucial rolein iron sulfur protein biogenesis.Key words: Gluteredoxin, Arsenic, Oryza sativa, ROS

SII/P-2

Synthesis and Characterization of SilverNano-Particles using Adhatoda vasica ExtractManoj Kumar*, Sukumar Dandapat and M.P. SinhaDepartment of Zoology, Ranchi University, Ranchi-84008,Jharkhand, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In this study the synthesis of Plant mediatedNanoparticles of Silver (Ag) was done using aqueousleaf extract of Adhatoda vasica. This is first attemptof synthesizing Ag nanoparticles using aqueous leafextract of Adhatoda vasica. The silver nanoparticleswere prepared by adding silver nitrate solution (10-3

M) and to aqueous extract of Adhatoda vasica andincubated at room temperature. The reduction of Ag+

ions was monitored by measuring the UV-Vis spectrumof the reaction medium. The colour of the mixturechanged to deep brown confirming the formation ofsilver nanoparticles. The control (Only Ag+ solution)showed no colour change. Further confirmation of

formation of nanoparticles in the range of 60 to 120nm was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopicanalysis.Key words: Nano-particles, UV-Vis, SEM, Adhatoda vasica,Aqueous extract

SII/P-3

Nitrogen-Mediated Salt Tolerance inMustard (Brassica juncea) Involves Prolineand EthyleneNoushina Iqbal* and Shahid UmarEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Nitrogen (N) is an important nutrient requiredfor plant growth and development and affects prolineproduction and ethylene evolution. To assess the roleof ethylene in proline-mediated protection ofphotosynthesis under salinity stress, the effect of Non proline production and ethylene formation wasstudied in mustard (Brassica juncea) cv Pusa Jai Kisan(PJK). Among the N treatments ( 0, 5, 10, 20 mM N),5 mM N was low N, 10 mM N was sufficient and 20mM N was excess N under no stress. Sufficient Nunder non-saline conditions maximally increasedproline production through increase in ã-glutamylkinase (GK) and decrease in proline oxidase (PROX)activity, leading to osmotic balance and photosyntheticprotection. It resulted in lower ethylene evolution thancontrol which was optimum for regulating N-assimilation, proline metabolism and photosynthesis.Excess nitrogen inhibited photosynthesis and growthof PJK and produced higher ethylene evolution andlower proline production than low and sufficient Nunder no stress. In contrast, under salt stress withincreased demand of N, excess N optimized ethylenelevel, which regulated the proline production andresulted in increased photosynthesis and growth. Itresulted in highest proline production due to ethyleneformation in the optimum range by inhibiting activityof 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC)synthase (ACS). The effect of excess N onphotosynthesis was further substantiated by the useof ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, 1-aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG) which inhibited prolineproduction and photosynthesis under salt stress. Theresults suggest that regulatory interaction existsbetween ethylene, proline and N for salt tolerance and



N differentially regulates proline production andethylene formation to alleviate the adverse effect ofsalinity on photosynthesis in mustard.Key words: Ethylene, Mustard, Nitrogen, Photosynthesis,Proline, Salinity

SII/P-4

Growth and Phenol Degradation Kineticsin Outdoor Cultures of Chlorella pyrenoidosaBhaskar Das1, Gowtham Selvaraj2 and Sanjukta Patra3*1Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technol-ogy Guwahati. 2Department of Biotechnology, Indian Insti-tute of Technology Guwahati, INDIA. 3Department of Bio-technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam,INDIA. Email: [email protected]

Phenol is a major organic water pollutant that isreleased in wastewater of various industries aschemical, coal, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals etc.Phenol being highly water soluble easily reachesdownstream water sources causing toxic effects onaquatic flora, fauna and humans. Biodegradationowing to its advantages of complete mineralizationand cost effectiveness has been widely accepted forremediation of phenol containing wastewater.Microalgal phenol degradation is much less wellstudied as compared to that for bacteria as well asfungi. In this study, the phenol biodegradationcapabilities of a potent phenol degrading algal strainChlorella pyrenoidosa (NCIM 2738) wascharacterized under natural day: light cycle in outdoorcultures. Complete phenol degradation was observedin the range of 25-200 mg/l phenol. The biokineticparameters of growth and degradation obtained bykinetic modeling of the experimental data was used tocompare the efficiency of phenol degradation byC.pyrenoidosa in outdoor cultures as against phenoldegradation efficiency in laboratory experiments.Key words: Kinetics, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Phenol, Growth,Degradation

SII/P-5

Bioprospection of Withania somnifera(Ashawagandha): A Non-TargetedMetabolomics ApproachAnil Bhatia1*, O.P. Sidhu1 and Raja Roy2

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap

Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Centre of BiomedicalResearch, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of MedicalSciences Campus, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226014,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal commonly knownas Ashwagandha, is one of the most valued medicinalplants with a number of pharmaceutical andnutraceutical applications. The plant is recommendedin many Ayurvedic recipes and has been employed inthe treatment of neurological disorders, geriatricdebilities, arthritis and stress- and behaviour relatedproblems. These medicinal values are mainlyattributed towards the presence of withanolides in rootsand withanamides in fruits of W. Somnifera. Non-targeted metabolite profiling has been performed byHR-MAS NMR spectroscopy on leaf, root and fruitsfrom four chemotypes of W. Somnifera was carriedout using HR-MAS NMR, solution state NMRspectroscopy and GC-MS. HR-MAS NMR oflyophilized defatted leaf tissue specimens clearlydistinguishes resonances of medicinally importantsecondary metabolites (withaferin A and withanone)and its distinctive quantitative variability among thechemotypes. Non-targeted metabolite profiling ofpolar and non-polar extracts from fruits of W.somnifera using GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy andGC-MS techniques identified eighty two chemicallydiverse metabolites consisting of organic acids, fattyacids, aliphatic and aromatic amino acids, polyols,sugars, sterols, tocopherols, phenolic acid andwithanamides from the fruits of W. somnifera.Squalene and tocopherol are the most potent naturallyoccurring compounds with antioxidant properties wereidentified by us for the first time in the fruits of W.somnifera. The qualitative and quantitative variationsin the metabolites among different chemotypes of theleaf, root and fruits of W. somnifera suggest thatspecific chemotypes can be used for obtainingsubstantial amounts of bioactive ingredients for gettingthe desired pharmacological and nutraceuticalactivities. The results of the present study alsodemonstrated an efficient method, which can beutilized for bio-prospection by metabolite profiling ofprimary and secondary metabolites in medicinallyimportant plants.Keyword: Withania somnifera, Metabolomics, GC-MS



SII/P-6

Identification and Characterization of aNovel Arsenic Methyltransferase fromWesterdykella aurantiaca Isolated fromArsenic Contaminated Agricultural SoilShikha Verma1*, Pankaj Kumar Verma1, Alok KumarMeher3, Amit Bansiwal3, Pankaj Srivastava1, PraveenChandra Verma, Rudra Deo Tripathi2 and DebasisChakrabarty1

1Genetics and Molecular Biology, CSIR-National Botani-cal Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, INDIA.2Environmental biotechnology Division, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow,INDIA. 3Environmental Material Division, CSIR-NationalEnvironmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) is highly toxic to all forms of life.It occurs predominantly in inorganic form as arsenate(AsV), arsenite (AsIII) and some amount of arsenicalso present in organic form. Organic form of Ascomprises of arsenocholine, methylated form (MMA,DMA, TMAO), arsenobetaine and arsenosugars.Water supplies, soils and sediments contaminated withAs are the major sources of drinking water and food-chain contamination in numerous countries. Severalstudies show the high level accumulation of arsenicin food crops such as rice and vegetables grown on Ascontaminated soil, thus plays an important role intransfer of this toxic element into the food chain.Therefore, developing strategies to reduce Ascontamination in food chain are highly desirable, thiscan be achieved by biotransforming highly toxicinorganic As species into comparatively low toxicmethylated arsenic species. Several soil fungi andbacteria has the ability to tolerate As in soil, toleranceis may be due to transfer of methyl group to arsenicwhich convert into less toxic methylated form. ArsenicMethyltransferase (AsMT) is a key enzyme whichconverts inorganic As into organic methylated formof As. Heterologous expression of AsMT gene fromfungus was shown to confer As resistance to anarsRBC operon-deleted Escherichia coli . Therecombinant AsMT was purified and shown to havearsenic methyltransferase activity. In planta study ofAsMT gene was done by transformation ofArabidopsis thaliana by this gene. Transformed linesshow tolerance upto 40 ppm of As(V).This study

illustrate how fungi show tolerance in arseniccontaminated soil, and methyltransferase gene can beused for the transgenic development which shows highAsV tolerance and low arsenic accumulation in grains.Key words: Arsenic, Arsenic methyltransferase, DMA, MMA,Methylation

SII/P-7

Arsenate Responsive Rice Glutaredoxins(Osgrx) Play Role in Arsenic DetoxificationPankaj Kumar Verma*1, Shikha Verma1, Alok KumarMeher3, Amit Bansiwal3, Shekhar Mallick2, RudraDeo Tripathi2 and Debasis Chakrabarty1

1Genetics and Molecular Biology, CSIR-National Botani-cal Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, INDIA.2Environmental biotechnology Division, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow,INDIA. 3Environmental material division,CSIR-NationalEnvironmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic is the twentieth most abundant elementon earth and ubiquitous in all living systems. Arsenicmay enter into the living system either by crops grownon arsenic contaminated soil and water. Thus, there isneed of an efficient system to minimize itsconcentration in the food chain. Arsenate can beremediated by arsenic specific operon (ars operon) inbacteria, in higher animals and plant it is done byspecific enzymes or oxidoreductase system such asglutaredoxin and thioredoxin systems. Arsenate canbe reduced to arsenite non-enzymatically byglutaredoxin (GSH mediated) or enzymatically byspecific arsenate reductase. We identified two arsenateresponsive glutaredoxin from rice which shows highupregulation in sensitive varieties (low arsenicaccumulating rice cultivars) where other arsenicresponsive mechanisms such as phytochelatin,metalothionins etc. systems are very weak. To furthercheck the arsenic responses we complemented thesegenes in mutated E.coli strains, AW 3110 [ars-1(del) -ars operon deleted], JW 3468 [arsR757 (del) - arsenicresponsive transcriptional regulator], JW 3469[arsB758 (del) - arsenite extrusion protein], and JW3470 [arsC759 (del) - arsenate reductase that reducesAs (V) to As (III)]. We find that OsGrx recombinantsshowed tolerance in the absence of whole ars operonwhich is responsible for arsenic metabolism, and alsoshowed the tolerance in partial del of ars element (del



ars B) responsible for arsenic extrusion from cell. Ourstudy suggests that the functional role of OsGrx inarsenic tolerance was independent of its potentialinteraction with ars operon gene products; OsGrxmight possibly regulate the arsenate reduction and theirextrusion. Thus arsenate may be reduced in arseniteand extrude outside the cells with the help of OsGrxand minimized arsenic concentration in plant parts.Key words: Arsenic, Glutaredoxin, GSH, Ars operon

SII/P-8

Exogenous Ethylene Reverses Metals-Induced Oxidative Stress and ProtectsPhotosynthetic Capacity in Mustard(Brassica juncea)M. Iqbal R. Khan* and Nafees A. KhanDepartment of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The influence of exogenously sourced ethylenein the protection of photosynthesis against nickel (Ni)and zinc (Zn)-induced oxidative stress in mustard(Brassica juncea L.) was investigated. Plants grownwith Ni (200 mg kg-1 soil) or Zn (200 mg kg-1 soil)without ethephon exhibited increased activity of1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid synthase andethylene with increased oxidative stress (H2O2 contentand lipid peroxidation) compared with control plants.Under metals stress, exogenously sourced ethylene(200 µL L-1 ethephon) protected photosyntheticpotential and growth by up-regulation of sulfurassimilatory enzymes (ATP-sulfurylase and serineacetyltransferase activity) and increased content ofcysteine, methionine and reduced glutathione. Theseethylene-induced changes in oxidative stress andprotection of photosynthesis were associated withincreased proline metabolism. Ethephon applicationlowered stress ethylene by increasing sulfur andproline metabolism and alleviated Ni and Zn-inducedoxidative stress. The use of ethylene action inhibitor,norbornadiene (NBD) in the study also confirmed theinvolvement of ethylene in reversal of Ni andZn-induced oxidative stress by up-regulation of sulfurand proline metabolism.Key words: Oxidative stress, Ethylene, Brassica juncea

SII/P-9

Molecular Typing of Bacterial CulturesIsolated from Different Ecological Nichesby using Different Genetic MarkersShraddha Gupta*, Yogesh S. Shouche and DheerajDhotreNational Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Univer-sity of Pune Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007,Maharashtra, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Phylogenetic classification of the variousBacterial Strains into higher taxonomic level has beendone. These bacteria belong to different ecologicalniches and screened for their (bioactive compounds)biological activities. The aim of the project is toidentify these bacteria at deeper taxonomic level othergenetic marker. Therefore, the gyrB gene, whichencodes the subunit B protein of DNA gyrase, wasselected as an alternative phylogenetic marker. Thepure culture were used to extract DNA by Qiagen DNAextraction kit. Concentration of extracted DNA wasmeasured by Nano-Drop. Based on 16S genesequencing methodology is a standard procedure toidentifying the Bacterial species. The DNA samplewas amplified by thermal cycler using 16S rRNAgenes. As it is showing interspecific similarity betweenclosely related species it is not concerned as a provedgenetic marker. The Bacterial samples for gyrase Bgenes using degenerate primers was amplified. Theamplified DNA was further purified by PEG-NaClmethod. The purified product was sequenced by ABIsequencer. Further the ABI files were analyzed usingbioinformatics tools and the fasta format of nucleotidesequences were obtained. Those sequences werefurther used for doing homology searches like BLASTagainst Genbank database. Phenotypic(morphological, physiological and biochemical) andgenotypic (full length 16S rRNA gene, gyrase B)characterization would be carried out for the novelisolates showing less homology. gyrB nucleotide andtranslated amino acid sequence similarities for Bacillusstrains were 75.4–95.0% and 88.5–99.2 %,respectively, whereas 16S rRNA gene sequencesimilarities were 98.1–99.8 %. Results showed thatgyrB gene sequences provide higher resolution than16S rRNA gene sequences. It has been concluded thatthe gyrB gene is an efficient substitute for the



identification and taxonomic study of members of theBacillus species.Key words: gyrB marker, 16SrRNA gene, Bacterial cultures

SII/P-10

Evaluation of RAPD Technique to InducedDNA Damage by Heavy Metal to Detect theGenotoxicity Effect in Mung Bean [Vignaradiata (L.) Wilc zek] SeedlingsJyoti Prakash1*, Sharad Kumar2, Garima Awasthi1

and Abhay Raj2

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University-UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA. 2Environmental MicrobiologySection, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research,M.G. Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The toxic heavy metals induce several cellularstress responses to damage different cellularcomponent such as membranes proteins and DNA. Inthis study, the effect of nickel, lead, copper, cadmiumand mercury on seed germination of Mung Bean wereinvestigated, mainly the genotoxicity and phytotoxicitybased on morphological such as roots and shoot growthand DNA damage. An RAPD fingerprinting techniquewas used to detect the DNA damage in mung bean[Vigna radiata (L.) Wilc zek] on seed germinationtreated with different concentration of heavy metalssuch as 50 mg/l, 100 mg/l, 150 mg/l, 200 mg/l, for oneweek showed changes in morphological such asradical, coleoptiles, and protein content and DNAprofile. A total 12 primers of 60-70% GC content wereamplified by RAPD primers produced 156 bandsbetween 110-1148 base pair in agarose gelelectrophoresis .The Changes in DNA Profile includevariation in band intensity, presence or absence ofsome bands profile showed significant effect at 150mg/l to 200mg/l concentration of heavy metals. Theresults concluded that DNA damage detected by RAPDanalysis could be a useful tool for detection ofgenotoxic effects of different heavy metals on plants.Key words: RAPD, Vigna radiata, DNA damage, UV light,Protein

SII/P-11

Identification of Bacteria from Dye andIndustrial Effluent Contaminated Soilthrough Metagenomic ApproachesAkriti Upadhyay1*, Sakshi Saxena1, Jyotsana Singh1,Rachna Chaturvedi1, Prachi Srivastava1 and SujeetKumar Singh2

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University,Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, INDIA. 2Division of Biotech-nology, CytoGene Research and Development, Lucknow,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Culture of mirobes and its maintenance is vastlyaccepted problem as near about 98% culture ofmicrobes is not feasible even today. This problemexists due to the diverse and multifarious environmentof microbial species. To overcome this geniunineproblem a noval approach is of metagenomics hastaken birth. Metagenomics can be defined as culture-independent sequencing and analysis of microbialDNA extracted directly from an environmental rawsample.Current study is being planned to dig out thechareterization of unknown bacteria from the samplecollected from the dye and industrial effluentcontaminated soil, with the help of in silico basedmetagenomic studies. The Industrial dyes and effluentsare released into waste water and soil without any pre-treatment and thus polluting water and soilenvironment on large scale. Such soil, contaminatedwith dye and industrial effluent is vast reservoir for alarge number of microorganisms and has diverse rangeof bacteria present in it. Analysis of such bacterialreservoirs may be very essential as they play animportant role in degradation processes. In the presentstudy, proceeding towards the protocol, DNA isolationwas done by using 10% SDS then qualitative andquantitative determination of the isolated DNA wasdone by Gel Electrophoresis and UV Double BeamSpectrophotometer respectively. Isolated DNA wasfurther amplified by PCR under given temperature-time cycles. The amplified product then separated byelectrophoresis and then sequenced using Sanger’sMethod of sequencing. Obtaining the result of isolatedsample in silico analysis of genomic sequence wasperformed. Through different alignment andphylogenetic analysis of sequence it was observed thatprocessed bacterial sample from dye and effluentcontaminated soil showing high similarity indexes with



enterobacter genus This unique metagenomicapproaches can be applied for analysis andcharacterization of any unknown species in less timeand low cost experimentationKey words: Meta-genomics, Dye and industrial effluent, PCR,Enterobacter, Phylogenetic tree

SII/P-12

Transformed Yeast (Schizosaccharomycespombe) Overexpressing Rice Tau ClassGlutathione S-transferase (OsGSTU30 andOsGSTU41) Shows Enhanced Resistance toHexavalent ChromiumYuvraj Indoliya*, Madhu Tiwari, Poonam Tiwari,Dipali Srivastava, Pankaj kumar Verma, ShikhaVerma, Neelam Gautam and Debasis ChakrabartyGenetics and Molecular Biology Lab, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Extensive use of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]in leather tanning, stainless-steel production, woodpreservatives and electroplating industries has resultedin widespread environmental pollution and poses aserious threat to human health. A plant’s response toCr(VI) stress results in growth inhibition and toxicityleading to changes in components of antioxidantsystems. In a previous study, we observed that a largenumber of glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes wereup-regulated under Cr(VI) stress in rice. In this study,two rice root-specific Tau class GST genes(OsGSTU30 and OsGSTU41) were introduced intoyeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe). Transformedyeast cells overexpressing OsGSTU30 andOsGSTU41 had normal growth, but had much higherlevels of GST activities and showed enhancedresistance to Cr(VI) as compared to control cells(transformed with empty vector). Also, a higheraccumulation of chromium was found in thetransformed yeast cells as compared to the controlcells. Manipulation of glutathione biosynthesis byexogenous application of buthionine sulfoximineabolishes the protective eûect of OsGSTs againstCr(VI) stress. These results suggest that Tau classOsGSTs play a significant role in detoxification ofCr(VI), probably by chelating and sequestratingglutathione–Cr(VI) complexes into vacuoles.Key words: Glutathione S-transferase, Hexavalent chromium,Rice, Yeast

SII/P-13

Characterization of Rice MetallothioneinClass-1 Gene Family during Heavy MetalStressNeelam Gautam*, Pankaj Kumar Verma, ShikhaVerma, Rudra Deo Tripathi, Prabodh Kumar Trivedand Debasis ChakrabartyCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Heavy metal ions, such as cadmium (Cd), arsenic(As), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and mercury(Hg), are highly reactive and toxic to living cells Plantslike all living organisms, have evolved mechanismsto control and respond to the uptake and accumulationof these toxic heavy metals. Metallothioneins (MTs)are a family of cysteine rich low molecular weightpolypeptides and have affinity to bind with heavy metalions. MTs particularly class-1 MT gene family playan important role in heavy metal detoxification andhomeostasis of intracellular metal ions in plant.Though MT genes from few other plants have beencharacterized with respect to their protein sequences,kinetic properties and tissue-specific localization, nodetailed study of this family from rice has been carriedout. Here, we present genome-wide identification,structural and expression analyses of rice class-1 MTgene family. In this study, we also report presence ofeleven Class I MT genes through genome-wideanalysis (Release 7 of the MSU Rice GenomeAnnotation Project) in rice genome which aredifferentially expressed during growth anddevelopment, in various tissues and during biotic andabiotic stresses. We identify and transform two MTgenes in yeast (schizosacromyces pombe) for futhercharacterization in response to heavy metal stress. Ourstudy provides a very useful framework and startingpoint for revealing the function(s) and regulation ofrice class-1 MT gene family. Genes showing highexpression in response to a particular stress andshowed significant stress tolerance when expressedin yeast can be exploited for improving stress tolerancein plants.Key words: Arsenic, Heavy metal, Rice, Stress,Metallothionein, Cysteine



SII/P-14

Quantification of Bioactive Phytochemicalsand DNA Damage Protection Activity ofSolanum melongena LeafUpma Singh*, Pankaj Singh and Mamta ShuklaNutraceutical Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry,Dr. R.M.L. Avadh University, Faizabad-224001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Solanum melongena is a plant of the familySolanaceae, also known as the nightshades. Variousparts of the plant are useful in the treatment ofinflammatory conditions, ulcers of nose, cholera,bronchitis, asthma and hypolipidemia. In present studyan attempt has been made to quantify antioxidant andDNA damage protective activities of SM leaf and fruitextracts. Quantification of bioactive phytochemicalssuch as vitamin C, carotenoids, total phenolics, proteinand carbohydrate content were done in leaf and fruitextracts. Free radical scavenging activity by DPPH,SOD and LPO method, reducing power and Calfthymus DNA damage protection activity has beenmonitored in SM leaf extract only. SM leaf extractshowed higher content of total phenolics, ascorbicacid, ?-carotenoid and protein in comparison to thefruit extract. SM leaf extract showed lower IC50 forDPPH (IC50=0.410±9.70 mg/ml), SOD(IC50=0.67±4.77 mg/ml), lipid peroxidation(IC50=0.813±10.36 mg/ml) and higher reducing power(20.26±1.56 ASE/ml). DNA damage protective activityof leaf extract showed significant inhibition ofhydroxyl radical dependent DNA damage at 1.0 µg/ml. Results showed that the phytochemicals presentin SM leaf extracts may be responsible for antioxidantand DNA damage protective activity.Key words: Solanum melongena, Total phenolics content,Antioxidant, Phytochemicals

SII/P-15

Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticlesand its Effect on Cabbage SeedlingsA.K. Bhardwaj*1, N.B. Singh2, Sunaina3 and RamGopal4

1Centre of Environmental Science, University of Allahabad,Allahabad-211002, INDIA. 2,3Plant Physiology Laboratory,Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad,INDIA. 4Laser Spectroscopy and Nanomaterials Lab,

Department of Physics (UGC-CAS), University ofAllahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

In recent decades nanotechnologies are growingmultidisciplinary way of scientific interest in the wholeworld. In this era the large scale production of metaloxide nanoparticles (NPs) is due to wide range of theirapplications. The extensive release of metal NPs intoenvironment causes threat to our natural ecosystem.Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were preparedby simple and cost effective chemical precipitationmethod using precursors CuCl2 and NaOH. In thepresent work we have studied the impact of CuO NPson seed germination and seedling growth of cabbage(Brassica oleracea var. capitata). In this experiment100, 200, 300, 600, and 900 ppm suspensions of CuOwith 105 nm crystalline size were used. Thebiophysical and biochemical parameters were studied.The germination percentage increased with increasingconcentration while length of radicle and plumuledecreased in dose dependent manner. The significantreduction in sugar and protein content was reportedunder CuO NPs treatment. The total antioxidantenzyme activities increased with increasedconcentrations of CuO NPs to avoid the oxidativedamage caused by NPs. The cabbage seedlings havestrong defense system against oxidative stress imposedby CuO NPs.Key words: Antioxidant, Cabbage, Crystalline size,Nanoparticles, Oxidative stress, Protein

SII/P-16

Assessment of Genetic and MorphologicalVariability for Managemnt of Lantanacamara L.Mala Trivedi*, Rachana Singh, Abhay M. Misra,Ankita Singh and Rajesh K. TiwariAmity Institute of Biotechnology,Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow-226010, India,Email: [email protected]

Lantana camara is a notorious weed, it will outcompete with other desirable species, leading toreduction in biodiversity. It can also cause problem ifit invades agricultural areas as a result of toxicity tolivestock as well as its ability to form dense thicketswhich if left unchecked can greatly reduce theproductivity of farm land. Present study was planned



to check variability in the available germplasm ofLantana so that a proper strategies could be plannedfor management of this weed. Variability wasevaluated in Lantana germplasm available in the partof North-Central India, on the basis of flower colour.Total six flower colours viz. orange, red, orange red,pink, orange yellow, yellow bearing plants werereported from this region. Correlation of flower colourwith morphological variations was estimated. Andyellow flower bearing plant showed maximumvariability. To confirm the above data, variation wasalso estimated at genetic level. RAPD and RFLP weredone by using random primers and different restrictionenzymes respectively. At genetic level also yellowflower bearing plant showed variability. Besides thatpink and red flower bearing plants also found differentfrom other plants. Amplification pattern of red andorange flower bearing plants were same.Key words: Lantana camara, Genetic variability, RAPD,RFLP

SII/P-17

In Silico Identification and Construction ofMicrobial Gene Cluster Associated withBiodegradation of Undesired ToxicMaterialsAnjani Kumari*, Garima Awasthi, Anshul Tiwariand Prachi SrivastavaAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Xenobiotic compounds are defined as chemicalsubstances which are not present within a biologicalsystem. These wide groups of agents may or may notbe accepted by our environment. The concentrationin which they occur determines the extent of theireffect on ecosystem. Such compounds can also causea range of health hazards. Human exposure to thesenotorious compounds can range from mild skinirritation to birth defects, tumours, genetic changes,blood disorders, neurogenerative disorders, endocrinedisruption and even coma and death. Hence theirproper degradation is major issue of concern forresearch. Sustainability of our environment is veryimportant as the toxic xenobiotic compounds whichare not accepted by our ecosystem require the processof biodegradation. Biodegradation is defined as theprocess of breaking down organic compounds into

smaller substances so as to reduce the complexity ofthe compounds through different biological species.No doubt microbial world is leading ahead in this areabut still there is much scopes for other species thosewho can also contribute in this area. Current study isbeing focused for identification of such species whichcan also lead a positive direction for degradation ofdifferent xenobiotic compounds. Through homologysearches by various in silico approaches it was foundthat different species of algae and fungi have greatpotential regarding the same, as same gene clusters ofexisting microbial world those which are alreadyreported, were monitored in the species of algae andfungi . Study later on signifies that fungus. Aspergillusniger and algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii havemuch similar zones or genes with bio degradationcapability as with was Pseudomonas putida which wastaken as a reference. It was found during the intensivedata mining that Pseudomonas putida has potentialfor degrading maximum compounds. These findingsmay give a new outcome in terms of much cheaperand eco-friendly source in the area of biodegradationof specified xenobiotic compounds. Establishment ofcorrelation through cluster analysis signifies thatPseudomonas putida, Aspergillus niger andChlamydomonas reinhardtii can have combined traitswhich can be used in finding out actual evolutionaryrelationship between these species.Key words: Aspergillus niger , Biodegradation,Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Pseudomonas putida, Xenobiotic

SII/P-18

Metagenomics: Tool to StudyEnvironmental MicroorganismsShikha Mishra*, Nausheen khan and Ruchi YadavAmity Institute of Biotechnology, AMITY University UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Metagenomics is “the application of moderngenomics techniques to the study of communities ofmicrobial organisms directly in their naturalenvironments, bypassing the need for isolation andlab cultivation of individual species”. it includes studyof microorganisms from exotic and ordinaryenvironments—ocean surfaces, deep sea vents, hotsprings, soil, animal rumen and gut, human oral cavityand intestine. Initially metagenomics studies focusedon 16S ribosomal RNA sequences, which were directly



taken from the environment further due toadvancement of high throughput sequencingtechniques cDNA is isolated directly and sequenced.In 2003, Craig Venter led the Global Ocean SamplingExpedition (GOS) to unlock the secrets of the oceansby sampling, sequencing and analyzing the DNA ofthe microorganisms living in these waters. Oncesequences are binned, it is possible to carry outcomparative analysis of diversity and richness utilizingtools such as Unifrac. Data integration is done throughGenomes On Line Database (GOLD), MetagenomicsRapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology server(MG-RAST) and The Integrated Microbial Genomes/Metagenomics (IMG/M). MEGAN (MEta GenomeAnalyzer) tool performs both taxonomic and functionalbinning. Bioinformatics plays crucial role inmetagenomics for Gene Prediction based on homologysearch by simple a BLAST search, which isimplemented in the program MEGAN4, and that basedon ab initio approach uses GeneMark and GLIMMER.Species diversity is done through Binning. Similarity-based binning uses BLAST and PhymmBL.MetaPhlAn and AMPHORA are methods based onunique clade-specific markers for estimatingorganismal relative abundances with improvedcomputational performances. This paper summarizesrecent advances in metagenomics, bioinformatics toolsand databases. Illustration and compilation of suchbasic to advance information in relation withapplication in wide fields of environmental studiesmay be used further in evolutionary studies, medicine,biofuel, environmental remediation, biotechnology,agriculture and ecology, identification andcharacterization of environmental organisms.Key words: Metagenomics, GOS, Environmental samples,Microbial organisms, IMG/M, MEGAN

SII/P-19

Identification of Conserved and NovelMicroRNAs in Two Contrasting FlowerColor of Canna Cultivar by DeepSequencingAbhinandan Mani Tripathi*, Amrita Yadav andSribash RoyGenetics and Molecular Biology Division, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Canna is one of the most important ornamentalplants in tropics and subtropics due to large attractivefoliage and colors. A better understanding of importantgenes and its regulation that contribute to floraldevelopment and color patterning will lead to thedevelopment of improved Canna cultivars.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs which play a critical role in generegulation in plants and animals. Here we report, forthe first time the analysis of miRNAs from petal tissueof two contrasting Canna cultivars, Tropical Sunriseand Red president differing mainly with respect tocolor. Sequencing of two sRNA libraries made fromTropical Sunrise and Red President yielded 28 millionand 18 million reads, respectively. From these sRNAs,271 miRNAs belonging to 68 miRNA families and282 miRNAs belonging to 61 miRNA families wereidentified from Tropical Sunrise and Red President,respectively. One hundred and ten miRNAs weredifferentially expressed and 239 miRNAs wereconserved between the two cultivars, whereas 16miRNAs were identified as novel. The miRNAfamilies that showed most significant differentialexpression were miR397, miR398, miR528, miR827,miR170, miR390 and miR828. Gene ontology termenrichment analysis of the target genes of differentiallyexpressed miRNAs reveals that these miRNAs mainlyaffect the flower development, color development,metabolic process, biological process, cellular processand transcription factors. This study will enrich theknowledge about the involvement of miRNAs in colorand flower development of Canna.Key words: MicroRNAs, Canna, Floral development, Colordevelopment

SII/P-20

Role of GSNOR In DetoxificationMechanism Against Abiotic Stress In PlantsIshita Gupta*, Navin Kumar, Arvind Kumar Dubey,Ruma Ranjan, Ambedkar Gautam and ShekharMallickPlant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Abiotic stress is known to cause disturbance inredox homeostasis by formation of reactive oxygenspecies (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS).RNS includes nitric oxide (NOl ) and peroxinitrite



(ONOO-), which are formed through the condensationreaction of NO l with O2

l -. Peroxynitrite causesdepletion of SH groups, oxidation of lipids,deamination of DNA bases (guanine), nitration ofaromatic amino acid residues (F, M, W, Y) in proteinsand oxidation of methionine to its sulfoxide.S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is an S-nitrosothiolwhich is formed by the reaction of NO with reducedglutathione (GSH) and it functions as a mobilereservoir of NO bioactivity. Under stress conditions,GSNO is detoxified by activity of GSNO reductase(GSNOR), which catalyses the NADH dependentreduction of GSNO to GSSG and NH3, thus playing akey role in the NO metabolism under physiologicaland stress conditions. Several studies highlight thecontradictory role of GSNOR in countering the abioticstress in plants. GSNOR activity increased by 40%when Arabidopsis seedlings were grown in 500 µMarsenic; on the contrary Pea plants (leaves) exposedto 50 µM cadmium has shown reduced GSNORactivity by 31%. Similarly, Pea seedlings exposed tohigh temperature showed increased GSNOR activity;on the contrary sunflower seedlings exposed to hightemperature (38°C for 4 h) reduced GSNOR activityby 25%. Overall, it appears that GSNOR activity variesfrom plants to plants in different tissues and underdifferent abiotic conditions. Hence, the role of GSNORunder abiotic condition remains to be explored forspecific stresses in a particular plant.Key words: ROS, RNS, NO, GSNO, GSNOR

SII/P-21

Study of Bacteriophages P1 as an Biocidefor the Control of Biofouling AgentPseudomonas aeruginosaSadhana Singh Sagar1, Rajesh Kumar1 and ShilpaDeshpande Kaistha2

1Department of Environmental Microbiology, School ofEnvironmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao AmbedkarUniversity (A Central University), Lucknow-226025,INDIA. 2Department of Microbiology, Chhatrapati ShahuJi Maharaj University, Kanpur-208024, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Microbiofouling damage is a major cause ofenvironmental concern in the marine industry,industrial production setup involving water coolantpiping as well as in water quality managementssystems. Biofouling poses significant health risks and

financial losses in the medical, marine and industrialfields. The use of toxic antibiofouling paints andchemicals creates its own set of environmental toxicityissues. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram negativebacteria is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause anumber of diseases. Furthermore, biofilms formed byPseudomonas sp. are particularly difficult to eradicateas the organisms show high degree of resistance tobiocides and antimicrobial chemotherapeutic agents.An alternative form for the control of biofilm formingbiofoulants includes the use of their natural parasites-bacteriophages. We present herein the isolation andcharacterization of bacteriophage P1which selectivelyinhibits the biofilm forming environmentalPseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 strain.Bacteriophage P1, was isolated from Ganges river andhas the potential to eradicate upto 80% of biofilmforming Ps. aeruginosa. We present data regardingthe isolation, characterization and biofilm eradicatingability of Bacteriophage P1.Key words: Biofouling, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Bacteriophage, Antimicrobials, Biofilm

SII/P-22

Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticlesusing Usnea sp., a Fruticose Lichen fromManipur, North East, IndiaR.K. Sanayaima Devi1*, Jayashree Rout1 and D.K.Upreti2

1Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, AssamUniversity, Silchar-788011, Assam, INDIA. 2CSIR, NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The green chemistry approach for synthesizingbiocompatible gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) hasbecome one of the most active areas of research inmodern material sciences. The present study reportsthe biosynthesis of pure metallic gold nanoparticlesby reducing aqueous gold chloride solution via driedbiomass of a fruticose lichen, Usnea sp. Rapidreduction of gold ions was observed leading to theformation of gold nanoparticles in solution. Thesynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometer. The surface plasmonresonance of the synthesized gold colloids was foundat around 535 nm in the UV- visible spectrum. Thestudy also reveals a gradual decrease in intensity ofthe absorption of the synthesized nanoparticles with



reaction time. From the study, it can be highlightedthat lichen biomass are nanofactories for facileproduction of raw materials for nanomedicines.Key words: Gold nanoparticles, Green synthesis, Fruticose,Lichen, Usnea sp.

SII/P-23

Arsenite-Sulfur Interaction ModulatesAmino Acids Biosynthesis in Rice:Reflections from Proteome, Amino Acidsand Thiolic MetabolitesGarima Dixit, Amit Pal Singh, Reshu Chauhan,Vivek Pandey and Rudra Deo TripathiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Arsenic (As) contamination is a global concerndue to its repercussion on human health and rice isthe largest source of As in human diet, predominantlyin Asia. Arsenic affects nutritional quality of rice interms of protein and amino acids (AAs). Sulfur (S) isinvolved in di-sulfide linkage in many proteins andplays crucial role in As detoxification. Present studywas designed to explore the modulation of proteome,AAs profile and non protein thiols of rice leaves withvariable S regimes during arsenite (AsIII) stress.Analysis of 282 protein spots on 2-DE gel revealed113 differentially expressed proteins, out of which 80spots were identified by MALDI-TOF-TOF. Theidentified proteins were mostly involved in variouscellular and metabolic processes including glycolysis,TCA cycle, AA biosynthesis, photosynthesis, protein,stress and energy metabolism. Among these, glycolyticenzymes play a major role in AA biosynthesis. Sulfursupplementation positively skewed glycolysis towardsATP generation and AA accumulation under AsIIIstress. Modulation in expression of various genesencoding proteins with differential accumulationincluding ATP synthase during S and AsIII interactionis also validated by gene expression studies. This study,for the first time, also reports induction of 2Fe-2Scluster binding and IAP 100 proteins in response tohigh S and AsIII condition. The involvement of variousproteins during As-S interaction, provide platform tofurther comprehend the probable management strategyof cellular As toxicity, and bestow new insights toward

AA biosynthetic pathway occurring in the As taintedrice.Key words: Arsenic, Amino acids, Rice

SII/P-24

Mycosporine Like Amino AcidsBiosynthesis in Cyanolichens: AnAdaptation to UV RadiationVertika Shukla* and D.K. UpretiLichenology laboratory, Plant Diversity Systematics andHerbarium Division, CSIR- National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,E m a i l : v e r t i k a _ s h u k l a @ r e d i f f m a i l . c o m ,[email protected]

Continuous emission of green house gases andCFCs has significant impact on the UV protectingozone layer. The depletion of ozone layer has enhancedthe exposure to solar ultraviolet (uv, 100-400 nm)radiation reaching the earth’s surface. Variouscomponent of uv radiation, especially UV-B degradesorganic molecules, which directly induce structuralchanges that affect their biological function whileultraviolet-A (UV-A; 315–400 nm) which is notabsorbed by the native DNA molecule, can still induceDNA damage either by inducing secondaryphotoreactions.

In order to protect cellular structure from UVinduced damage various organisms including lichensproduce UV screening compounds especiallyMycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). MAA aretypically a group of more than known 20 compoundshaving absorption maxima between 310 and 362 nm.Structurally MAAs is comprised of eithercyclohexinone or cycloheximine units substituted withamino acids or amino alcohols which provides higherstability to the conjugated ð- bonding electrons.

In lichens the unique composition of alga andfungi not only results in conferring differentialsensitivity towards range of environmental factors butalso makes them physiologically adapted andchemically diversed to combat various abiotic andbiotic environmental stresses including rising UVradiation. Cyanobacterial lichens are also known tosynthesize Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Inview of its uv protecting potential, applicability of



mass spectral fragmentation using LC-MS/MS forcharacterization of MAAs and its precursors, gadusoland deoxygadusol in lichens was explored. MAAswere characterized in three cyanobacterial lichenspecies belonging to genus Peltigera and Lobariaalong with a tripartite collected from higher altitudesof Himalaya (Tungnath in Garhwal Himalaya, 3400m) from an exposed locality having high light intensity.Result revealed occurrence of 11, 10, 17 and 18 MAAsrespectively out of the 21 known MAAs tested. It wasobserved that L. retigera had highest diversity ofMAAs followed by S. foliolosum, P. rufescens and P.polydactylon. Intensity peaks obtained by LC-MS/MSspectra indicates that Palythine-serine, MycosporineSerinol, Asterina 330, Palythine-serine-sulfate,Mycosporine-glutamic acid-glycine and Collemin Aare the major MAAs present in all the four lichen species.Key words: Lichens, Cortical compounds, LC-MS/MS,Spectrometric characterisation

SII/P-25

Analyses of Genetic Diversity andPopulation Structure in Bergenia ciliatausing Molecular MarkersVandana Tiwari*, K.S. Mahar, Niraj Singh,Baleshwar Meena, K.N. Nair, B. Datt, D.K. Upretiand T.S. RanaCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Genetic variability and population structure ofBergenia ciliata (Wall.) Engl. (Saxifragaceae),commonly known as “Pashaanbheda” (Stone-breaker)were estimated using two single primer amplificationreaction (SPAR) methods viz., directed amplificationof minisatellite DNA (DAMD) and inter simplesequence repeats (ISSR). The cumulative data analysiscarried out for these markers showed 86.05%polymorphism. The intra-population genetic diversityanalysis revealed the highest values of Nei’s geneticdiversity (0.25), Shannon information index (0.37) andpolymorphic loci (68.90%) in BNSR population, whilelowest values of genetic diversity (0.14), Shannoninformation index (0.21) and polymorphic loci(38.95%) in PTRH population. The pair wise Nei’sgenetic distances were calculated for all thepopulations. The maximum inter-population average

genetic distance (0.28) was between PTRH and NNTLpopulations, whereas NNTL and RNKT bothpopulations showed least genetic distance (0.08) toBNSR population. Analysis of molecular variance(AMOVA) showed highest percentage of variationwithin individuals of populations (73%) followed by26% among populations. Clustering of the differentpopulations of B. ciliata in bar plots of STRUCTUREand PCoA plot were in congruent, and supported theadmixture of individuals in inferred as well as ingeographical populations. The data strongly suggeststhat low genetic flow, geographic isolation and to someextent genetic drift are the major factors responsiblefor high genetic differentiation. Preservation of geneticdiversity of B. ciliata is important, both to promoteadaptability of the populations to changingenvironment as well as to preserve a large gene poolfor future prospection. The present study using DAMDand ISSR markers provide the means of rapidcharacterization of accessions within the populations,and thus enable the selection of appropriate accessionsfor further utilization in conservation and prospectionprograms.Key words: Bergenia ciliata, DAMD, Genetic diversity, ISSR,Population structure

SII/P-26

Assessment of Genetic Variability andRelationship among Gladiolus L. CultivarsNiraj Singh*, K.S. Mahar, Sushma Verma,Baleshwar Meena, Ashish Kumar, R.K. Roy,S.K.Tewari, A.K. Goel and T.S. RanaCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Gladiolus L. (Iridaceae) is one of the importantornamental crops valued for its cut flowers in thefloriculture industry. In the present study, we analyzedgenetic variability and relatedness in 62 Gladioluscultivars using two DNA fingerprinting methods viz.,Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (DAMD)and Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR). Thecumulative (DAMD+ISSR) genetic distancecalculated by Jaccard’s coefficient method showed adistance range from 0.14 - 0.46 with an average valueof 0.36 amongst the Gladiolus cultivars. The maximuminter-cultivar average genetic distance was (0.46)



between Tiger Flame and Snow Flower cultivars, whilethe corresponding least genetic distance (0.14) wasbetween Friendship Pink and Friendship Whitecultivars, respectively. The cumulative(DAMD+ISSR) analysis carried out for the datagenerated with DAMD and ISSR methods showed84.52 % polymorphism across all the Gladioluscultivars. This level of polymorphism resulted in thepresent investigation revealed that the amount ofgenetic variability in the Gladiolus genome isrelatively high. The Jaccard’s similarity coefficient andclustering of genotypes in the Unweighted Pair GroupMethod with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) dendrogramrevealed that some of the cultivars are closely relatedwhereas others were found quite distinct from eachother. The UPGMA dendrogram resulted in theidentification of five major clusters. The present studyfurther demonstrates that DAMD and ISSR are usefulDNA fingerprinting methods to elucidate the geneticvariability and relationships amongst Gladioluscultivars, and is a prelude for further utilization ofpromising and genetically divergent materials in thebreeding programmes. Furthermore, DAMD and ISSRmarkers have the potential of being used as diagnostictools for cultivars identification, or could be developedinto cultivar specific Sequence CharacterizedAmplified Regions (SCAR) markers.Key words: DAMD, Genetic variability, Gladiolus, ISSR,UPGMA

SII/P-27

Role of Mathematics in EnvironmentalBiology: An Expanding FieldPrashant Kumar Sharma1, Shilpi Srivastava2 andAtul Bhargava3*1Department of Mathematics, D.A.V. P.G. College,Dehradun, Uttarakhand, INDIA. 2Amity Institute of Bio-technology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow Cam-pus), Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, INDIA. 3AmityInstitute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh(Lucknow Campus), Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow,INDIA, Email: [email protected], Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Environmental Science has followed a ‘holistic’approach in bringing together traditional disciplineslike biology, meteorology, hydrology, chemistry andphysics to understand the workings of the environmentas a whole. After a long reluctance of mathematicians

to take up biological issues, the last decade haswitnessed substantial growth in the area ofmathematical biology around the world.Environmental issues can provide an excellent way tobridge the gap between mathematics and biology.Statistics has been effectively and intensively used toanalyze and interpret the increasing flood of vast datafrom environmental areas, which are often ofheterogeneous nature and show high variability. Thescientific approach to any environmental issue requiresthe correct application of statistical methodology toensure well-conducted data collection, analysis andinterpretation. Mathematical modeling aims todescribe the different aspects of the real world, theirinteraction, and their dynamics through mathematics.Mathematical modeling and scientific computation hasplayed a key role in the analysis of qualitative andquantitative analysis generating from environmentalsciences. Traditional mathematical models given inecology, epidemiology, evolution, and related areashave not only shed new information but also solvedsome of the most intricating problems. Properlyaddressing burning environmental issues will not onlyrequire new mathematical ideas but also deepcoordination between researchers who analyze models(mathematicians) and those who pose questions,formulate models and link model to data (biologists).The coming decades would certainly witness thebeginning of a golden age of connection between themathematical and biological sciences.Key words: Environmental issues, Computational biology,Mathematical modeling, Simulation

SII/P-28

Microarray Analysis of Indian Mustard(Brassica Juncea) Under Arsenate StressSudhakar Srivastava1*, Ashish Kumar Srivastava1

and Penna Suprasanna1

1Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, BhabhaAtomic Research Centre, Mumbai-400085, Maharashtra,INDIA. Institute of Environment and Sustainable Develop-ment, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email:[email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Arsenic (As) is a non-essential toxic element. Theneed exists to elucidate in detail the mechanisms ofAs stress perception by and response of plants vis-à-vis As accumulation. It is of further importance to



understand the dynamic nature of responsemechanisms. In this study, time dependent (4 h to96 h) transcriptome changes in roots and shoots ofBrassica juncea were analyzed under arsenate (AsV)stress through microarray approach by using Agilentplatform. Transcriptome data were validated by real-time RT-PCR analysis. A total of 1285 genes showedsignificant change in expression pattern upon arsenate(AsV) exposure, which were arranged in differentprofiles according to their time-vise expressionchanges by using the short time-series expressionminer (STEM) tool. The genes belonged to varioussignaling pathways including hormones (jasmonate,abscisic acid (ABA), auxin and ethylene) and kinases.Significant effects were also noticed on genes ofmetabolic pathways including sulfur, nitrogen, CHO,and lipid metabolisms along with photosynthesis. Inaddition, various transposons also constituted a partof the altered transcriptome. Biochemical assays wereconducted using specific inhibitors of glutathione(GSH) and jasmonate biosynthesis, and kinases. These

studies indicated interconnections among sulfurmetabolism, jasmonate and kinase signaling pathways.The present results of microarray and biochemicalanalyses highlight that signaling and metabolicpathways work in a dynamic coordination to perceiveand respond to the stress.Key words: ABA, Arsenic, Jasmonates, Sulfur metabolism,Transcriptome

SII/Special Lecture

Illustration from a School EnvironmentProjectGeeta Gandhi KingdonPresident & COO, City Montessori School, Lucknow-226002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

This talk will describe a school environmentproject and discuss how scientists can help inenvironmental awareness raising and technologicalchanges.



SIII/L-1

Reducing Stress Induced Damage in Crops:Role of MicrobesDeepti Barnawal, Vikas Patel, Shiv S. Pandey andAlok KalraCSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants,Lucknow-226015, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Ethylene may be either positive or negative tothe plants as at lower concentrations it supports seedgermination and root initiation while at above optimallevels it substantially damages the plant. Increasedconcentrations of ethylene in plant tissues, which aretriggered by various biotic and abiotic stresses,weakens the plant defense against the stressors. Alltypes of stresses in the plants whether abiotic or bioticlead to increase in its endogenous ACC level resultingin considerable increase in stress ethylene causingplant damage. ACC deaminase-containing PGPRshave been shown to express substantial tolerance tostresses by protecting a plant from the deleteriouseffects of environmental stress by reducing theconcentration of stress ethylene via deamination ofACC. In the studies conducted in our laboratory it wasclearly demonstrated that ACC deaminase-containingrhizobacteria Achromobacter xylosoxidans (Fd2)isolated from waterlogged soil reduced water logginginduced yield losses in Ocimum plants via loweringstress ethylene levels. We also investigated if chemicalnitrogen application affects the efficiency of ACCdeaminase-containing rhizobacterium A. xylosoxidansin protecting the plant from water logging and whetherit protects tomato plant via lowering stress ethylenelevels by consuming ACC (precursor of ethylene) orutilizes chemical nitrogen for its growth under nitrogenrich waterlogged soil. Our study is the first reportsuggesting that chemical nitrogen applications do notaffect ACC deaminase activity but to some extent mayhelp in improved plant growth under waterloggedconditions. A significant reduction in the activities ofACC synthase and ACC oxidase, key enzymes in themain pathway of ethylene generation, was observedin Fd2 pre-treated stressed plants. These ACCdeaminase-containing bacteria could also delay flowerinitiation and fruit ripening under field conditions intomato through reduction in ethylene generation. TheACC deaminase enzyme-producing bacteria Bacillussubtilis (LDR2) acted as sink of ACC (immediate

precursor of ethylene) under drought stress therebylowering plant stress ethylene levels and amelioratingthe plant damage. It also improved colonization ofbeneficial microbes like Ensifer meliloti (Em) andRhizophagus irregularis (Ri) under drought stress inplants resulting in improved nutrient uptake and plantgrowth. An ACC deaminase-containing endophyteBurkholder iacepacia (ART 7) isolated from Artemisiaannua enhanced plant stress tolerance under bothdrought and salt stress conditions. The salt + drought(both stress at the same time) abiotic stressameliorating effects of ART 7 were evaluated throughRSM (Response Surface Methodology) and thesubstantial protection of Artemisia plants was noticedagainst both the stresses.Key words: ACC deaminase, Achromobacter xylosoxidans,Ocimum, Artemisia, abiotic stresses

SIII/O-1

Test of In vitro Antagonism of Some Strainsof Paenibacillus polymyxa Towards Strainof Microdochium nivale Agent of theFusariose of the Durum WheatSouad Athmani-GuemouriUniversité des Sciences et de la TechnologieHouari Boumediene-El-Alia, Laboratoire de Biologie etPhysiologie des Organismes Faculté des SciencesBiologiques, Babas Ezzouar, Algiers, ALGERIA,Email: [email protected]

Wheat is very important crop in Algeria, not onlyfor being cultivated over large areas but also forproviding one of the main sources of food for humanconsumption there. The culture of this plant isthreatened by Microdochium nivale. Infection of wheatby the agent leads to a reduction in quantity and qualityof grain, and the contamination of the latter bydeoxynevalenol (DON), a mycotoxin harmful tolivestock and human health (Tisserand, 2009).Biological control represents an attractive alternativefor the future because of many concerns about thepesticides use. Ideally, an agent of biological controlof fungal root pathogens should exert a sufficientamount of antagonistic activity in the rhizosphere tosignificantly reduce root disease symptoms. ThePaenibacillus polymyxa species is among micro-organisms naturally antagonists of plant pathogens.The effect of Paenibacillus polymyxa (syn. Bacillus



polymyxa) on control of Microdochium nivale wasinvestigated. Among the collection of 111 strains ofP. polymyxa, we selected with a criterion of diversity,twenty two strains for the test of antagonism. P.polymyxa strains were isolated from the rhizosphereof different soils cultivated with durum wheat by animmuno-enzymatic method *immuno-trapping*. Thestrains had been identified and their diversity searchedusing the various methods API, RFLP and genesequencing of ARNr16S. The results of the test of invitro confrontation to the darkness enabled us toconclude that the inhibition of the growth of this fungusby the bacteria tested on PDA medium and King Bcould be due to the conjunction of several molecules(antibiotics, hydrolytic enzymes and siderophores).The inhibiting effect observed only on the King Bmedium, could be a result of production of bacterialsiderophores. Alternatively, direct competition for foodis a plausible scenario. We noted that the inhibition ofMicrodochium nivale could remain over time on thePDA media and King B. This result can be explainedby the stability of the substances produced by P.polymyxa. Finally, it seemed to us interesting tounderline the great reproducibility of the results. Theseresults open serious perspectives in the developmentbiological control against this fungus. P. polymyxastudied in this work could be good candidates for testsin vivo.Key words: Food, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Test of in vitroantagonism, Microdochium nivale, Durum wheat, Fusariose.

SIII/O-2

Influence of Ambient and Enhanced SolarUV-B Radiation (285-325 nm) on Pseudomonassyringae (Bacterial Brown Spot) InducedPathogenicity in Vigna radiata L.M. Veeralakshmi*, A. Asha and K. LingakumarCentre for Research and Postgraduate Studies in Botany,Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous, Collegeof Excellence by UGC), Sivakasi-626124, Tamil Nadu,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Bacterial Brown spot disease caused byPseudomonas syringae is a great menace to a widevariety of crops including pulses. The bacteria iscommonly found in the infected seeds and hencetransferred from plant to plant and nearby fields bywind driven and splashing rains, sprinkler irrigation,

surface-drainage water, insects, birds, large animals,humans, farm machinery, tools and other agencies. Thebacteria survive for 6 to 18 months in plant refuse.Long-distance spread is generally through seed. Themost important factors of bacterial brown spot diseaseare a cloudy damp weather and relatively high airtemperature (28o C - 32oC) which normally prevailsduring the cultivation time. Stratospheric ozonedepletion due to increased atmospheric pollutants hasreceived considerable attention because of thepotential increase in UV-B (285-325 nm) radiation thatreach the earth’s surface. Numerous studies havedemonstrated the impact of increased UV-B irradiationon the growth, physiology and yield of important cropplants. However, there have been relatively fewinvestigations of the effects of increased UV-Birradiation on the severity of plant diseases. Manyenvironmental factors affect disease and plant’s abilityto resist diseases, including light intensity, temperature,humidity and nutrition. Hence, we aim to find whetherambient as well as enhanced UV-B radiation affectsthe pathogen and alter the degree of pathogencity.Key words: Pathogen, Pathogenicity, UV-B, Vegetativegrowth, Yield

SIII/O-3

Differential Impact of Native and ExoticArbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on NutrientUptake and Yield in Two Genotypes of Salt-Stressed Cajanus cajan (L). Millsp.Rekha Pandey* and Neera Garg1Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Salinity stress drastically affects cropproductivity throughout the world and legumes havebeen known to be either sensitive or moderatelytolerant to salinity. In recent years, use of arbuscularmycorrhizal (AM) fungi as bioameliorators has gainedimportance as they form association with most cropplants and help plants survive under adverseenvironmental conditions. However, plant-growthresponses to AM fungi vary with the host plant,endophyte and soil. A pot trial was conducted toinvestigate the effectiveness of a native inoculumsourced from saline soil (SMix) and two exotic singleisolates, Funneliformis mossseae (F1) and



Rhizophagus irregularis (F2) (single or combinedinoculations) in two pigeonpea genotypes (Paras, Pusa2002) grown under salt stress (0-100 mM NaCl). Whilesalinity reduced plant biomass in both genotypes,mycorrhization improved plant biomass andproductivity at all salinity levels alleviating salt-induced reduction of N, P, K+ and Ca2+ uptake whilepreventing excess uptake of Na+ ions. Pusa 2002 wasmore salt tolerant and ensured higher AM colonization,plant biomass and nutrient content with favourableion status under salinity. Significant variability wasdisplayed amongst the AM fungi; F2 displayed higherefficiency than SMix or F1 under salt stress, resultingin highest biomass, nutrient uptake, and yield. Highereffectiveness of F2 corresponded to high colonizationindicating that the symbiosis formed by R. irregularisexhibited a more stable viability and efficiency undersalt stress. No synergistic effects were observed in dualinoculation (FMix) suggesting that increasing AMspecies in the inoculum does not necessarily increasethe functional efficiency of the symbiosis. The studythus underlined the higher effectiveness of R.irregularis in ameliorating salt stress and suggests itsusage in increasing productivity of pigeonpea undersaline conditions.Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhiza, Cajanus cajan, Functionaldiversity, Ion homeostasis, Nutrients, Salinity

SIII/O-4

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria asa Tool for Sustainable AgriculturalSapna Gupta* and Ruchi SethDepartment of Biotechnology, JECRC University, Jaipur,INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

During the past few decades increasing use ofchemical fertilizers caused several negative effects,on agriculture i.e., development of pathogen resistance,adverse effect on non-target species and reduction incrop yield due to detrimental effects of chemicals onsoil quality parameters. Thus, search of eco-friendlyapproach has been emphasized in the past few years.In this respect soil bacterial species burgeoning in plantrhizosphere which grow in, on, or around plant tissuesstimulate plant growth by a plethora of mechanismsare collectively known as PGPR (plant growthpromoting rhizobacteria). PGPR performs variousfunctions as (i) biofertilizers (increasing theavailability of nutrients to plant), (ii) phytostimulators

(plant growth promotion, generally throughphytohormones), (iii) rhizoremediators (degradingorganic pollutants) and (iv) biopesticides (controllingdiseases, mainly by the production of antibiotics andantifungal metabolites). Various PGPR includingPseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida, P. aeruginosa,Bacillus subtilis and other Bacillus spp have beenidentified as a source for crop improvement. PGPRhave been found to be responsible for the increasedhealth and productivity of different plant species bothunder normal and stressed conditions. Hence, PGPRcan serve as a natural alternative against chemicalfertilizers for crop improvement to provide eco-friendly agro-ecosystem.Key words: PGPR, Rizhosphere, Biofertilizers, Rhizobacteria,Ecosystem

SIII/O-5

Exploring Inoculation Protocol for theImproved Effectiveness of BeneficialMicroorganisms in Biocontrol forSustainable AgricultureVidhi Chaudhary*, Rama Pasricha and Rekha KathalDaulat Ram College, Department of Botany, University ofDelhi, New Delhi-110007, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Biological control, through the use ofmicroorganisms offers an alternative, attractiveapproach, without the negative impact of chemicalcontrol measures. Several microorganisms have beenobtained in the last decades showing biocontrolproperties, such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas andTrichoderma. In addition, biocontrol formulationsusing viruses, amoebae, nematodes, arthropods, fungiand bacteria have been illustrated as possiblebiocontrol agents. However, even though theinoculation of plants with these microorganisms is awell-known practice, the formulation of inoculum witha reliable and consistent effect under field conditionsis still a bottleneck for their wider use. The choice ofthe technology for inoculum production and of thecarrier for the formulation is the key to their successfulapplication. The use of biofilms has been an effectivemeans to produce effective plant inoculum. A large-scale in vitro production of mycorrhizal fungi isfeasible for implementation on a commercial scale.The application of bionanotechnologies could also



provide new avenues for the development of carrier-based microbial inoculum. The biofabricated silvernanoparticles using culture supernatant of Serratia sp.reduced Bipolaris sorokiniana infection in wheatplants against Spot Blotch disease in wheat.

The present investigation was aimed to optimizethe percent inoculum of cyanobacteria for amendingdifferent carrier materials. Different concentrations ofinoculum was amended with different organic andinorganic carrier materials. The fungicidal activity wastested against different phytopathogenic fungi such asFusarium oxysporum lycopersici and Pythiumdebaryanum. The pot experiment was set up toevaluate the efficacy of the selected cyanobacterialamended compost formulations againstphytopathogenic fungi in tomato. A significant resultwas observed with the higher inoculum ofcyanobacteria amended compost formulations. Furtherwork is in progress to study the different inoculationstrategies including mixed consortia of microbialinocula under field trials.

Improvements in the production process formicrobial inoculum and optimization of applicationdevices for their successful application in fieldconditions require further research for implementationand the efficient use of microbes in agriculture. Suchan approach can be helpful in improving performanceof beneficial organisms and used as a tool forenhancing their biocontrol potential.Key words: Biocontrol, Microorganisms, Biofilms,Bionanotechnologies, Cyanobacteria, Carrier

SIII/O-6

Role of Antioxidants in the Growth andHeavy Metal Uptake from Tannery Sludgein Microbe Assisted Phytoremediationunder Field ConditionsSheza Ayaz Khilji* and Firdaus-e-BareenDepartment of Botany, College of Earth and Environmen-tal Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590, PA-KISTAN, Email: [email protected]

This study investigates the modulation ofantioxidant defense system in Typha angustifolia andHemarthria compressa after 90 days exposure insludge containing toxic metals. Both these plantsshowed a high tolerance for heavy metal toxicity with

no visual symptoms when exposed to tannery sludgethey even showed increased plant height and biomassespecially in the highest concentration. A significantincrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase(CAT) activities were recorded in the plants.Interestingly, the amount of antioxidant enzymesshowed a positive correlation with the amount ofsludge. The results indicate that enzymaticantioxidants and metal uptake were important forheavy metal detoxification in the plants. Exposure tosludge stimulated antioxidative enzymes that couldpartially explain the tolerance and increased metaluptake.Key words: Antioxidants, Pollution, Environment, Sludge,Hydrophytes, Microbes

SIII/O-7

Microbial Contribution to CarbonSequestration by Oxalate-CarbonatePathway with the Help of BiomineralizingTreeVivek Kumar1*, Kapil Khulbe1, Susma Tamta2,Rashmi Srivastava3 and A.K. Sharma3

1Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumoun UniversityNainital-263002, Uttarakhand, INDIA. 2Department of Bio-technology, Bhimtal Campus Kumoun University, Nainital-263002, Uttarakhand, INDIA. 3Department of BiologicalSciences, CBSH, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture andTechnology, Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

During the last century, the main gas responsiblefor the elevation of the greenhouse effect and itsconsequent climatic changes is the carbon dioxide. Toaddress this one of the best approaches is to adoptrhizosphere systems of carbon sequestering tree. Anumber of plants, including trees, accumulateimportant concentrations of calcium oxalate, a low-soluble salt. After plant death, fungi cause decay whichresults in the release of oxalate crystals inside the soilor litter from plant tissues and expose them to bacterialattack. This plant oxalate pool is a widespread andabundant carbon source for oxalate consumers.Oxalotrophic bacteria occurring as well inenvironments of oxalate, having frc gene, a genecoding for formyl-CoA transferase and characteristicof oxalate catabolism by oxalotrophs, was shown tobe significantly higher in soils under a biomineralizing



tree. For the current study, samples were taken fromdifferent levels of soil profile below the selectedbiomineralizing tree. Bacteria having efficiency offixing carbon dioxide in soil by utilizing calciumoxalate deposition were isolated and tested for thepresence of frc gene. Amongst the screened bacteria,by sequencing 16S rDNA region two of theoxalotrophic bacteria were identified as Ralstonia sp.and Stenotrophomonas sp. Presence of higher numberof oxalotrophic bacteria under the tree demonstratedthe role of bacteria in utilization of oxalate throughmineralization. Thus, these biomineralizing trees couldwell be utilized in agroforestry/social forestry system.Further studies might be useful to demonstrate theindependent role of oxalotrophic bacteria in carbonsequestration, which will be useful as bioinoculant fortrees.Key words: Rhizosphere, Oxalotrophic bacteria, Frc genes

SIII/O-8

Synergy Between Mycorrhiza, Plant andBacteria in PAH DissipationGeetanjali Manchanda*1, Raghvendra PratapSingh2, Alok K. Srivastava3 and Neera Garg3

1DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab, INDIA. 2National Bu-reau of Agriculturally Importany Microorganisms,Kushmaur, Mau, U.P., 3Department of Botany, Panjab Uni-versity, Chandigarh-160014, INDIA.

Interaction of mycorrhiza, bacteria and soybeanplants to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) in spiked soils was investigated. Theeffectiveness of indigenous AMF isolates fromdisturbed soils and non-indigenous isolates fromculture collection on PAH removal was investigated.Anthracene and pyrene spiked soils (150 mg/kg) wereamended with identified soil bacterial flora isolatedfrom rhizosphere of i) contaminated soil (SM1), ii)agricultural soil (SM2). Indigenous arbuscularmycorrhizae (AM) were isolated from PAHcontaminated soils and trap cultured after molecularidentification. Soybean seeds were inoculated with trapcultured inoculums of the indigenous arbuscularmycorrhizae and AM from culture collection and sownin soils spiked with anthracene and pyrene. Resultsshowed that mycorrhizal colonization was notsigniûcantly inhibited by PAH. At 8 weeks aftersowing, bacterial population increased in spiked soils

and was higher in soybean rhizosphere than unplantedSM1 and SM2. Bacterial population further increasedwith AM inoculation, with highest population inmycorrhizal SM1 soils. Root biomass, leafchlorophyll, chlorophyll a/b ratio of the uninoculatedplants were adversely affected by PAH, butsignificantly increased with SM1 and AMinoculations. Anthracene dissipation was higher thanpyrene dissipation. PAH content reduced in autoclavedsoils due to abiotic loss, with further reductions underSM1 and SM2. Higher PAH removals were observedin SM1 and SM2 soybean rhizosphere, than autoclavedplanted soils. The most effective treatment for PAHremoval was that of indigenous mycorrhiza with thatof SM1 bacterioflora. This highlighted theeffectiveness of particular indigenous isolates ofbacteria and mycorrhiza in remediating the pollutedsoils. The application of selected mycorrhiza alongwith highly efficient bacterial flora can immenselyimprove our biotechnological pursuits in improvingour environment.Key words: Bacteria, Bioremediation, Mycorrhiza, Polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons, Soybean

SIII/O-9

Plant-Microbe Interaction for EnhancingSoil Carbon Sequestration in Degraded/Marginal LandsPankaj Srivastava* and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, UttarPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Microorganisms existing in the rhizosphere canhave a neutral, pathogenic or beneficial interactionwith their host plant. Plant-microbe interactions in therhizosphere are still not fully understood. Micro-organisms can stimulate rhizodeposition and boostexudate turnover rates. Microorganisms alsocontribute to the stability of aggregates in soil via thesynthesis of new compounds from root exudates anddecomposition of SOM. Plant roots release a varietyof different compounds such as sugars and sugaralcohols, amino acids, fatty acids, phenolics, organicacids, phytosiderophores, vitamins, plant growthregulators, purines, nucleosides, proteins and peptides,poly-amines, inorganic ions and volatile molecules



such as CO2 and H2 into the rhizosphere. The releaseof root exudates into the rhizosphere is known toenhance soil biological activity and alter microbialcommunity structure. Fast turnover of exudates andmicrobial biomass C in the rhizosphere may lead tolocal changes in the rate of microbial decompositionof various C pools, dead plant residues and SOM.However, Mycorrhizae are key beneficial microbes,which allow plants to grow efficiently in sub-optimalenvironments by obtaining nutrients and water andsupplying them to plants. In this context, the presentpaper briefly describes the importance of Plant-microbe interaction for benefits of soil carbonsequestration in degraded/marginal soils and the wayforward.Key words: Root exudation, Soil carbon sequestration,Rhizosphere, Root exudate

SIII/O-10

Multifactorial Plant Growth PromotingAttributes of Stress Tolerant Paenibacilluslentimorbus NRRL B30488Puneet Singh Chauhan, Ritu Dixit, Sonal Srivastava,Sankalp Misra, Swati Gupta, Pooja Verma, VijayKant Dixit, Shashank Kumar Mishra, Sumit Yadav,Manoj Kumar, Suchi Srivastava and ChandraShekhar Nautiyal*Division of Plant Microbe Interactions, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

A plant growth-promoting Paenibacilluslentimorbus NRRL B30488 (B30488) was isolatedfrom cows’ milk. The strain was characterized for itsplant growth promoting attributes and stress toleranceunder in vitro and in vivo conditions. One of the mostimportant traits for any plant growth promotingrhizobacteria is rhizosphere colonization orcompetence has also been reported to B30488 inrhizosphere and phytosphere of many agricultural,horticulture, medicinal, floriculture crop plants ingnotobiotic and live soil conditions. In vitro interactionbetween B30488 and pathogenic fungi such asFusarium oxysporum f. sp. Ciceri and Alternariasolani showed that B30488 have biocontrol abilityagainst the phytopathogenic fungi by reducing theradial growth through the degradation of the fungalhyphae. B30488 has ability to tolerate Cr under in vitro

conditions and produced the plant growth promotingsubstance indole acetic acid in the presence of Cr.Biofilm forming ability of B30488 was also found toget enhanced by the supplementation of sodiumalginate and CaCl2. Abiotic and biotic stressamelioration assays using chickpea showed thatbacterization of B30388 on chickpea seedssignificantly improves seed germination, plant height,number of pods/plant, and seed dry weight. The strainB30488 was also found to have the ability of reducingthe early blight disease caused by Alternaria solani intomato through foliar application and reduced thedisease incidence significantly as compared to control.Role of B30488 in minimizing the drought stress effectevaluated using chickpea as a host plant showedimproved plant growth promotion due to the biofilmformation under water-limiting conditions. Thechickpea seed bacterisation with B30488 along withsodium alginate and CaCl2 caused an increase ingermination percent and increased colony-formingunits of B30488 in rhizosphere resulting inamelioration of drought stress by positivelyinfluencing the dehydration-induced physiologicalresponses. The plant growth promoting effects causedby the B30488 biofilm in rhizosphere of chickpeaunder Cr(VI) stress also suggests phytoprotective roleof B30488 biofilm. Study reflects the multifarious roleof strain B30488 and presents it as a potent plantgrowth promoting and bioremediation agent. The draftgenome sequence of B30488 showed that it containsgene clusters involved in nonribosomal synthesis ofsecondary metabolites involved in antimicrobialactivities and provides the genetic basis for applicationof this bacterial strain in plant growth promotion, plantprotection and degradation of organic pollutants.Key words: Paenibacillus lentimorbus, Rhizosphere andphytosphere, Fusarium oxysporum, Organic pollutants

SIII/O-11

To Unravel the Survival Strategies ofBacillus licheniformis under DifferentStress by Assessment of Physiological andBiochemical ParametersKumari Tripti* and ShardenduLaboratory of Environment and Biotechnology, Departmentof Botany, Patna Science College, Patna University, Patna-800005, INDIA, Email: [email protected]



Arsenic a metalloid, is considered as mostsignificant potential threat to human health even inthe rural areas due to its ubiquity and toxicity. Twoarsenic tolerant bacteria isolated from rhizosphere ofA. viridis have been identified as Bacillus licheniformisDAS-1 and DAS-2 by 16S-rRNA gene sequencingtechnique, from arsenic contaminated region locatedat 85º 32’ E longitude and 25º 11’N latitude on theEarth. Potential of removal of arsenic species [As(V)and As(III)] and reduction of As(V) to As(III) by boththe strains of Bacillus licheniformis have beenassessed. The MIC for As(V) and As(III) wasdetermined as 10 and 7 mM, respectively in DAS-1strain and 8 and 6mM, respectively in DAS-2 strain.The survival strategies in the form of growth, uptake/removal, transformation of arsenic species andbiochemical characterization of bacterial cell underdifferent concentration of arsenic stress has beencarried out. Arsenic removal efficiency by both thestrains was found to be 100% at lower concentrationof arsenic species [As(V) and As(III)]. Like at 3 mMAs(V), 100% of As(V) was removed from growthmedia followed by the liberation of 42 % of As(III)into the medium, whereas at 6 mM As(V), 76% of itwas removed from the media and up to 56% wasreduced to As (III). At 2 mM supplied As(III), bacteriaremoved up to 100%, whereas at 6 mM, the As(III)removal was only 40%. The role of pH was significantfor toxicity of arsenic, which has been measured asthe variation in growth, removal, reduction and contentof total cell protein. Both As(V) and As(III) was mosttoxic around neutral pH, toxicity changed with pH.Variation in total cell protein level was observed indifferent level of stress. As(V) stressed bacteria hasshown the positive response to arsenate reductaseenzyme assay.Keywords: Arsenate [As(V)], Arsenite [As(III)], Tolerance,Uptake/removal, Transformation

SIII/O-12

Piriformospora indica Enhances PlantBiomass and Phosphorus Nutrition inSpinachAparajita Das* and Ajit VarmaAmity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity UniversityUP, Amity University Campus, Sector-125, Noida, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) is an importantvegetable crop and is rich in proteins, iron, vitaminsand minerals. The possible health benefits ofconsuming spinach include improving bone health aswell as blood glucose control in diabetics, loweringthe risk of cancer, lowering blood pressure and more.Root endophyte Piriformospora indica, mimicsarbuscular mycorrhiza-like-fungus (AMF) in manymorphological, functional and growth promotionalaspects and functions as a bioregulator, biofertilizerand bioprotector. It acts against several root pathogens,help in phosphorus acquisition, overcomes water stressand heavy metal toxicity and also enhances secondarymetabolite production. In contrast to arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi, P. indica, can be easily grown onsynthetic media and hence allowing for large-scalepropagation of plants and hence sustainable use inagriculture.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate theeffect of P. indica on growth of spinach plants and it’sphosphorus nutrition. The fungus P. indica promotedoverall growth of the spinach plants. Thus this studyindicates use of symbiotic fungus P. indica for bettergrowth of spinach plants for sustainable agriculture.Key word: Piriformospora indica, Spinach oleracea,Sustainable agriculture, Endophyte, Phosphorus nutrition

SIII/P-1

Assessment of Plant Growth PromotingRhizobacterial Strains from Rice AgrofieldK.K. Dewangan*, A.K. Shrivastava and D.K. ShrivastavaDepartment of Botany and Microbiolog, Govt. D.T.College Utai, Durg Govt. E.R.R. PG College, Bilaspur,C.G., INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The aim of this study was to understand ofdiversity and activity of dominant bacterial populationsin the rhizosphere of rice. Rhizosphericmicroorganisms are well known Plant growthpromoting rhizobacteria. 10 sites at distict Durg wereselected for present study.140 Bacterial strains wereisolated from Rice rhizosphere. 10 Strains wereisolated and characterized on the basis of theirmorphology, biochemical tests. Strains were isolatedon LB agar media. The spread plate technique wasused to isolate and purify all the isolates. Thecharacteristics of the bacterial strains were determined



using the colony morphology, gram staining as wellas biochemical properties. All isolates were screenedfor plant growth promoting activities such assiderophore production, indole-3-acetic acidproduction and phosphate solubilizaton.Key words: Biochemical test, IAA, Temperature

SIII/P-2

Deterioration of Chemical Constituents ofTectona grandis Seeds Stored at DifferentRelative Humidities Due to Spoilage FungiAjay Singh*, Shiwani Bhatnagar, Sangeeta Singhand Parveen GoranLachoo Memorial College of Science and TechnologyShastri Nagar, Jodhpur, INDIA. Forest Protection Division,Arid Forest Research Institute, New Pali Raod, Jodhpur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Herbal plants serve as a commendable source ofmedicines.The use of medicinal plants as therapeuticagents is continually expanding worldwide. In theprocess of production of herbal drugs, storage of crudemedicinal plant produce is an important part. Duringstorage, microbial and insect pest contamination canbadly affect the performance of the medicinal productdue to disruption of the stability of the formulation,modification of physical characteristics andappearance and lead to biodeteriotaion of theirchemical constituents. Therefore, the quality and safetyof herbal preparations are also of great concern today.Tectona grandis Linn. is commonly known as “teak”is a medicinal plant with versatile nature, apart frompossessing high value of hardwood, it is also the uniquesource of various types of compounds havingpharmacological effects. Its wood is acrid, cooling,laxative, sedative to gravid uterus and useful intreatment of piles, leucoderma and dysentery. Flowersare useful in bronchitis, biliousness, urinary dischargesetc. Roots are useful in treatment of urinary systemrelated troubles and seeds are astringent, emollient,diuretic, demulcent and useful in miscarriage, calculusand gravels, strangury, skin diseases and pruritus.

Post harvest and storage spoilage of unprocessedherbal drugs by moulds is one of the most importantthreats associated with their quality deterioration andmycotoxin contamination. In the present study, seedsof Tectona grandis were analyzed for quantitativechanges in carbohydrates, proteins and phenols content

of seeds due to spoilage fungi under different relativehumidity viz., 10%, 34%, 56% and 74% RH for 30daysof incubation. Fungi isolated from the seeds of T.grandis under different relative humidity wereAspergillus sps. The seeds stored at higher relativehumidity (56% and 74%RH) favoured for maximumdeterioration of carbohydrates, proteins and phenolsin the present study. Carbohydrate content (mg/g) wasreduced to 5.084±0.565 and 4.049±0.413 at 56% and74% RH, respectively after 30 days of incubation incomparison to control where the carbohydrate content(mg/g) remained to be 8.592±0.481 even after 30 daysof incubation. Values of protein and phenol content(mg/g) of the seeds were reduced to 4.946±0.546 and7.403±0.379 at 56% RH and 4.328±0.607 and6.90±0.214 at 74% RH, respectively in comparison toprotein content (5.314±0.510) and phenol content(8.753±0.172) in control after 30 days of incubation.Key words: Deterioration, Protein, Phenols, Carbohydrate, RH,Incubation days

SIII/P-3

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization inPsidium guajava L. and in its SurroundingHerbaceous CommunityAlok Tripathi*, Hari Shankar Rai and M.Z. BegDepartment of Botany, Shibli Nation P.G. CollegeAzamgarh-276001, U.P. INDIA,Email:[email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi areubiquitous symbionts existing in any ecosystem andcolonizing in over two-thirds of vascular plant species(Koide and Mosse, 2004). AM fungi stimulate uptakeof plant nutrients, such as P, Zn, cu and Fe in deficientsoils. Also, mycorrhizal hyphae can significantlyimprove N, P and K uptake (Chen and Zhao, 2009).The objective of this study was to analyzed AM fungalcolonization and diversity of Psidium guajava L andits surrounding herbaceous community growing inAzamgarh northern India. Roots from five plantspecies, Viz, Psidium guajava L, Achyranthese asperaL, Dhatura melet L, Adhatoda Vasica Ness, Ocimum,basilicum L. Were collected from Budhanpur area,Azamgarh U.P. Root samples were collected using totrowel to dig a constant maximum depth of 10cm. Therhizospheric soil, at depths of 10cm, surrounding the



roots of the Psidium guajava L was collected fromeight different points. The rhizospheric soils from theroots of the five herbaceous plants were also collected.

The percentage of arbuscules is highest inPsidium guajava L and lowest in Adhatoda vasica.The percentage of vesicle was highest in Dhatura meletL. and lowest in Ocimum basilicum L. Arbuscularvesicular and hyphal colonization were found in allthe species. The percentage of mycorrhizalcolonization showed a variation from 4.96 per cent to89.85 per cent. Seven different AM fungal species werefound in the soil samples. These were Glomusfasciculatum, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Glomussp1, Glomus sp2, Glomus sp3, Glomus sp4 andAcaulospora sp1. Out of the seven species, the genusGlomus was found to be predominant.

The present study showed that the multiplicationof indigenous AM fungi associated with Psidiumguajava L and herbaceous plants may possibly helpin the sustained growth of Psidium guajava L.Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), Mycorrhizalcolonization, Rhizospheric soil

SIII/P-4

Isolation and Characterization of StressTolerant Bacteria and their Utilization forSodic Soil ReclamationVipul Verma*, MalaTrivedi and Rachana SinghAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity UniversityLucknow Campus, Lucknow, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Drought and salt stress are most abundantglobally. High salt contents in soils make the soil sodicand affect crop cultivation in a large area of bothdeveloped and developing countries. A sodic soilcontains too much sodium content associated with thenegatively charged clay particles. Abundance of Na+

and Cl- ions decreases the activity of other essentialelements in the soil and can lead to reduction inaccessibility and uptake of growth support elementsby the plants. The direct effects of salt stress on plantgrowth involves plant nutrient deficiency causedredundant growth and yield. To overcome the problemof the lack of fertility in sodic soils, microbes couldbe used to replenish the nutrients and create a balancebetween soil components. Soil bacteria support and

protect plants against abiotic stresses and enhanceyield both directly and indirectly. Use of salt tolerantbacteria is a definitely a boon for the reclamation ofsodic soil to provide unstressed environment for plants.This would also help to increase in crop cover area,root biomass and litter which in turn effect restorationof salt affected soil.Key words: Sodic soil, Salt tolerant bacteria, Reclamation,Abiotic stress

SIII/P-5

Occurrence and Distribution of VesicularArbuscular Mycorrizal Fungi in SoilPolluted with Sewage and IndustrialEffluentsAlok Tripathi*, Hari Shankar Rai and M.Z. BegDepartment of Botany, Shibli Nation P.G. College,Azamgarh-276001, U.P., IND0IA,Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

In this investigation soils polluted with industrialand swage effluents were tested for the occurrence ofVAM fungi. Both the control and soil polluted withindustrial effluents were of red sandy loam type whilethe soil polluted with sewage was black clay loam soil.The soils were analysed for pH, temperature, moisture,N, P, K, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe. The pH of the controlsoils ranged from 6.3 to 7.5 while that of the pollutedsoils ranged from 7.2 to 8.5. Both the non-pollutedsoil and the soil polluted with industrial effluents weredeficient in phosphorus. The number of VAMpropagules ranged from 44 to 740. The Non-pollutedsoil was rich both in VAM propagule number andspecies abundance. In polluted soils the number ofVAM propagules were less. The number of VAMpropagules was more in soil polluted with industrialeffluent than the soil polluted with sewage. There wasan impact of season on the distribution of VAMpropagules.

The number of mycorrhizal propagules was morein monsoon and summer in non-polluted soil and insoil polluted with industrial effluents which may bedue to dilution of nutrients/accumulation of nutrientsand optimum moisture levels/water stress. The VAMpropagules were more during monsoon in soil pollutedwith sewage. The variation in soil pH and temperatureseems to be the decisive factors in semi-arid tropicalsoils influencing distribution.



Increased levels of Cu, Zn and Fe were noticedin polluted soils compared to non-polluted soils.However lower values of Mn were recorded in soilpolluted with industrial effluents when compared tosewage polluted soil and non polluted soil. Increasedlevels of Cu and Zn in polluted soils caused reductionin the number of VAM propagules.Key words: Vasicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM),Mycorrhizal propagules, Polluted and non polluted soils,Industrial effluents.

SIII/P-6

Antimicrobial Potential of Acetonic extractof Coriandrum sativumImran Husain* and Archana TiwariNoida International University, G.B. Nagar, Greater Noida,U.P, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is anexceptionally rich source of many valuable compoundsand it has been a very important part of traditionalIndian food and medicine. Coriander is reported to bestrong antimicrobial agent and terpenoids are foundto be the major contributor to antimicrobial activity.In the present work antimicrobial properties ofcoriander leaf extract were explored, analyzed andstudied. The fresh coriander harvested leaves wereused for making extract, the antimicrobial activity ofcoriander acetonic leaf extract was evaluated againstBacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermis by anagar diffusion test. The potency was quantitatively andqualitatively measured by the ability to make thepresence or absence of the inhibitory zones and zonediameters by the minimum inhibitory concentrationsvalues by coriander leaf extract. Experimental resultsconfirm the antibacterial activity of Coriander extractagainst pathogenic bacteria. The antimicrobialproperties of coriander leaf extract are of great interestto the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry.The enhanced use of Coriander as a natural additiveingredient could replace the synthetic and artificialantimicrobial agents, successfully hindering the healthand skin problems. Exploring the unique potential ofcoriander as a rich source of nutraceuticals has greatapplications in the field of cosmetics andpharmaceuticals.Key words: Coriandrum sativum, Antimicrobial agent,Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermis

SIII/P-7

Heavy Agricultural Inputs and its Effect onSoil Microflora with Special Respect toNitrogen FixersRaghvendra Pratap NarayanNetaji Subhash Chandra Bose Government GirlsP.G. College, Aliganj, Lucknow, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Agriculture in India is getting intensified day byday. This intensification was achieved by heavy inputof chemical and mechanical means. The heavy inputof chemical and mechanical means have adverse effecton soil and water, which is visible to us now. The mostadverse effect of chemical and mechanical input is onthe diversity and population of soil microbes, whichplay a key role in functioning of soil.

The present work is an attempt to observe theeffect of agricultural intensification on soil microbesparticularly nitrogen fixers. Experiment wasperformed to observe the effect of agriculturalintensification on free living nitrogen fixer ieAzotobacter chrococcum for two consecutive years.The wheat crop fields were selected for theexperimental purpose from in and around Allahabaddistrict of Uttar Pradesh. Fields were selectedrandomly according to degrees of intensification andby intensive questioning with farmers. Bacteria wereisolated from rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil.Per gram poplation was computed out and wascompared for the effect of agricultural intensificationon population dynamics of Azotobacter chrococcum.The nitrogen fixing potentiality of A. chrococcum wasalso determined for rhizospheric and non rhizosphericand compared.

The result shows that maximum population ofbacteria was obtained from the less intensified fieldswhere use of FYM was promoted, while minimumpopulation was observed in highly intensified fields.Similar trend was observed with the nitrogen fixingpotentiality of bacteria.Key words: Heavy agriculture input, Wheat, Nitrogen fixingbacteria



SIII/P-8

Isolation and Characterization of Plantgrowth promoting and BioprotectingRhizobacteria from Organically CultivatedFodder GrassesGarima Tiwari, Satyawati Sharma* andP. HariprasadCentre for Rural Development and Technology, IndianInstitute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi-110016,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In the present scenario increased agriculturalproductivity is achieved by indiscriminate andexcessive application of agrochemicals which lead tohealth and environmental hazards. Extensive researchin developing eco-friendly strategy to reduce or replacethe application of agrochemicals revealed Plant growthpromoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as potentialcandidate. The PGPR are a group of bacteria that canactively colonize plant roots and help to improve theoverall plant performance under various adverse bioticand abiotic conditions. PGPR produce plant growth-promoting compounds, including phytohormones(auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins), siderophores,antibacterial compounds and peptides that inhibitpathogenic strains. Hence, use of these rhizobacteriain low-input agriculture has been addressed in severalinvestigations. In the present study experiments werecarried to isolate and screen effective PGPR for theimprovement of quality and quantity of perennialgrasses (Panicum maximum and Pennisetumpurpureum) as these grasses having fodder and fuelvalue. Two hundred and seventy three rhizobacterialstrains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of P.maximum and P. purpureum which were organicallygrown at IGFRI (Indian Grassland and FodderResearch Institute) and farmers field in and aroundJhansi (U.P). Isolated strains were characterized fortheir beneficial traits such as, indole acetic acid (IAA)production, phosphate solubilization, Biofilmformation and Antagonistic activity. Among them 43and 73 isolates were positive for IAA and Biofilmformation respectively. 62 isolates had the ability tosolubilize the inorganic phosphate. Dual culture assayrevealed that 35 isolates were able to inhibiting the

growth of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium monilifome.Evaluation of other mechanism through which theypromote plant growth like siderophore production,phytase activity, Nitrogen fixation, suppression ofabiotic stress by producing ACC-deaminase enzyme,and greenhouse studies to analyze the ability of thesebacteria to induce systemic resistance against droughtand salt stress is under progress.Key words: Fodder Grass, Plant growth promotingrhizobacteria, Indole acetic acid, Biofilm

SIII/P-9

Screening of Rhizobia BasedBioformulation for Plant GrowthPromotory EfficiencyArchana Yadav* and JyotiDepartment of Microbiology, Institute of Bio Sciencesand Bio Technology, CSJ University, Kanpur, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The irrational use of chemical fertilizer andpesticide increase the production but they aredeleterious to environment indirectly directly. So thereis utmost need of alternate method or fertilizer tocombat the fertility problem of soil and crops. Inenvironment there is presence of microorganism whichcan increase the soil fertility as well as production ofsome inhibitory substance which inhibit the growthharmful phytopathogens.

In the present investigation five carriers- sawdust,charcoal, rice bran, wheat bran and sugarcane bagassewere evaluated for the production of bioinoculants.The bacterial population was determined up to threemonth storage, other parameter includes shoot length,root length, number of nodule, fresh weight and dryweight was also evaluated. Out of tested carriersawdust was proved to be the best carrier inmaintaining the bacterial population and also usefulin enhancement of the growth of Cicero arientinumcompared to control after the addition of inoculants.The finding of this study suggests that sawdust basedmono inoculants was much better than any other carrierbased inoculants taken in the study.Key words: Bioformulation, Cicer arientinum, Carriers



SIII/P-10

Effect of Endophytic Fungi on the Growthof Tissue-Cultured Plants of Centellaasiatica (L.) UrbanShubhpriya Gupta* and Preeti ChaturvediDepartment of Biological Sciences, College of Basic Sci-ences and Humanities, G. B. Pant University of Agricultureand Technology, Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar,Uttarakhand, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Endophytic fungi outlay assistance to plants andvice versa as this alliance is mutualistic one, beneficialto both the partners. Endophytes colonizing insideplants get nutrition and shelter from the plants. Inreturn, endophytes profoundly enhance the health ofthe host plant by improving nutrient uptake, producinga variety of bioactive metabolites, plant growthpromoters, enzymes, anticancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic and immunosuppressant compounds etc. Suchproperties are encouraging for synthesis of novelchemicals and provide reason to strengthen the needfor targeting fungal endophytes for bioprospecting.The present study inspected an approach to useendophytic fungi for promoting plant growth. Duringthe present investigation a total of eight foliarendophytic fungi were isolated from Centella asiatica(L.) Urban belonging to apiaceae family. The fungalisolates were screened for extracellular enzymes suchas amylase, laccase, lipase, pectinase and protease onsolid media. Out of the eight isolates, one of the isolate(CAF1) was able to produce all the enzymes in ampleamounts. Also, Indole acetic acid (IAA) was found inthe fermented broth of CAF1 which was confirmedby GC-MS analysis. The morphological, physiologicaland biochemical assessment of C. asiatica was donein vitro following inoculation with endophytic fungalstrain (CAF1). The results showed that the plantstreated with CAF1 exhibited significant increase inbiomass, thickening of the leaves and total length ofthe plants. Replacement of auxin in MS medium withCAF1 and its extract suggested that CAF1 extractcould be an alternative to auxin to increase the plantgrowth. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT),peroxidase (POX), phenylalanine lyase (PAL) andtyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), DPPH radicalscavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC)also exhibited significant increase. This clearlyindicated growth promoting potential of CAF1 for C.

asiatica, the host plant. The method used in this studycould be applicable to similar studies on therelationship between endophytic fungi and their hostplants.Key words: Bioprospecting, Endophytic fungi, Centellaasiatica, Asiaticoside, Tissue culture

SIII/P-11

Potential of Fungi Isolated from Pulp andPaper Mill Soil Sludge for the Productionof Ligninolytic EnzymesDeepika Rajwar* and J.P.N. RaiDepartment of Environmental Sciences, G.B. Pant Univer-sity of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Wood, grasses and most of the plant litterrepresent the major part of the biomass in nature andare collectively called lignocelluloses. Lignocelluloseis mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose andlignin. Lignin, a major recalcitrant compound, is oneof the main components of wood. The organismsprincipally responsible for lignocellulose degradationare aerobic filamentous fungi, and the most rapiddegraders in this group are Basidiomycetes. They haveability to degrade complex and recalcitrant organicmolecules. White-rot fungi (WRF) have been widelystudied because of their efficient lignin degradationmechanism and possible applications in the pulp andpaper industry. The ligninolytic enzymes of WRF areunspecific, and thus are considered to be potentialmicroorganisms for bioremediation of broad range ofpollutants. These enzymes includes lignin peroxidase(LiP), mangnese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase. In thepresent work, 35 fungi were isolated from soil sludgeof Century pulp and paper mill, Lalkuan and werescreened for the production of the ligninolyticenzymes, both qualitatively and quantitatively.Experiments were carried out for the production oflignin peroxidase, mangnese peroxidase and laccase.Out of the 35 isolates, 5 fungal strains showed thepositive test for the ligninolytic activities. Theimportance of this study is to screen and select thepotential of lignocellulose decaying fungi for largescale ligninolytic enzyme production, which will bevery useful in degradation of pulp and paper mill waste,dyes from the textile industry and many otherxenobiotic compounds and this might be an



environmental friendly way that can replace the usedchemical processes.Key words: Lignocellulose, White rot fungi, Ligninperoxidase, Manganese peroxidase, Laccase

SIII/P-12

Antimicrobial Ability of Cuscuta reflexawith Acacia nilotica Host Plant in Respectto its Petroleum Ether and Benzene ExtractPooja Saini1*, Rekha Mithal2 and Ekta Menghani1

1Department of Biotechnology, JECRC University, Jaipur,Rajasthan-302033, INDIA. 2Department of Chemistry,JECRC Foundation, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302033, INDIA

Cuscuta reflexa is a parasitic weed plant belongsto the Convolvulaceae family. Cuscuta reflexa growsin a holoparasitic manner over the host body. It makeshaustorial connection with the vascular tissues of thehost plant and draws nutrients from the host plant.Cuscuta reflexa sucks nutrients from the host plantsso the medicinal properties of the Cuscuta reflexa alsodepend on the properties of host plant. The presentstudy was performed to screen antimicrobial efficacyof Cuscuta reflexa with Acacia nilotica host plant.Antimicrobial activity of petroleum ether and benzeneextract was performed against selected test microbes.Petroleum ether extract shows maximum activityagainst Enterobacter aerogenes (IZ= 0.9; AI= 0.06)and benzene extract shows maximum antimicrobialactivity against Staphylococcus non ? Haemolysis(IZ= 2; AI= 0.13). Therefore in the present researchwork attempts were made to screen antimicrobialability of Cuscuta reflexa with Acacia nilotica hostplant to identify therapeutic potential of parasitic weedplant to evaluate parasitic plant as potential sourcefor the identification of new drugs to cure variousdiseases.Key words: Cuscuta reflexa, Parasitic plant, Antimicrobialactivity, Medicinal plants

SIII/P-13

Microbiological Assessment of GangaWater at Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad,U.P., IndiaV.S. Baghel* and Anita K. VermaDepartment of Environmental Microbiology, BabasahebBhimrao Ambedkar (A central) University, Vidya vihar

Raebareli road, Lucknow-226025, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Ganga river is awarded as National river of India.The Gangaes is a trans-boundary river of India andBangladesh. The 2,525 km river rises in the westernHimalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, andflows south and east through the Gangetic Plain ofNorth India into Bangladesh, where it empties intothe Bay of Bengal. By discharge it ranks among theworld’s top 20 rivers. The Ganges basin is the mostheavily populated river basin in the world, with over400 million people and a population density of about1,000 inhabitants per square mile. A possible risk ofinfection is directly propotional to demonstrable faecalcontamination . Total coliform, faecal coliform andfaecal streptococci are widely used indicators of faecalcontamination of water pollution. Faecalcontamination originating from human or animalintestinal tracts is one of the most serious hazards inwater .In the present paper microbiological assessmentof Ganga water was done at Kanpur, Varanasi andAllahabad and discussed briefly with special referenceto Human Health.Key word: Toatal coliform, Ganga, Water quality, Indicatorbacteria

SIII/P-14

Role of Bacteria for Arsenic Detoxificationin RiceAfroz AliInternational Society of Environmental Botanist, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic is a class one carcinogen presentubiquitously in the environment. Mining activities, useof arsenical herbicides and insecticides and irrigationwith Arsenic contaminated ground water results inArsenic accumulation in paddy soil. Rice isparticularly efficient in Arsenic accumulationcompared to other cereal crops because of anaerobicconditions in paddy soil and due to sharing the highlyefficient Silicon pathway. Uptake of arsenic by riceplants and accumulation in rice grains would presenta food safety problem. A number of studies have shownthat consumption of rice contributes a large proportionof the intake of inorganic arsenic for the populationwhose staple food is rice. A recent study has identified



bacterial strains capable of oxidizing toxic arsenic intoless toxic forms, offering a feasible and affordablesolution to the problem of Arsenic in soil and water.While both forms of Arsenic occur in nature ,theremoval of Arsenite from environmental systems isdifficult due to its relatively higher solubility ,whereasArsenate is less water-soluble and less bio available.Oxidising bacteria deployed in paddies can reduceArsenic uptake into the rice grain and these strainshave found to be more effective than any bioengineeredstrains so far. The bioremediation method is cheaperthan the metal decontamination technologies currentlyused worldwide. However further studies are to bedone before their deployment in the paddy fields.Key words: Arsenic, Arsenite, Arsenate, Paddy,Bioremediation

SIII/P-15

Co-Application of Bacteria and Algae toPromote Plant Growth and Mitigation ofArsenic StressSurabhi Awasthi*, Reshu Chauhan, Seema Mishra,Amit Pal Singh, Sanjay Dwivedi, Suchi Srivastava,Rudra Deo Tripathi and Chandra Shekhar NautiyalCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The accumulation of Arsenic (As) by rice (Oryzasativa) is of great interest considering the dietry intakeof As through rice and yield reduction of rice. Thepresent study was aimed to analyze the effect ofPseudomonas putida (NBRI1313) and Chlorellavulgaris and its combinatorial interaction on Asaccumulation and detoxification system. Exposure ofRice plant to 50M arsenate (AsV), and inoculationwith NBRI1313 and Chlorella vulgaris, resulted in asignificant increase in root length, shoot length androot and shoot biomass in comparison to AsV exposureas well as control. Accumulation of As was moredecreased in the plants in the presence of dualinoculants. Plants inoculated with these inoculantsshowed increased levels of Non protein thiols (NPTs)and cystein content which is considered as the firstline of defence against As toxicity. Rice plantinoculated with dual inoculants did not show anysignificant effect on antioxidative enzymes, indicatingthat oxidative stress was minimum.

Thus, it is concluded that colonization ofNBRI1313 and C.vulgaris around the roots,synergistically promote the growth of rice anddecreased the accumulation of As by using differentialdetoxification mechanism(s).Key words: PGPR, Arsenic, Bacteria, Rice

SIII/P-16

Role of Trichoderma spp. in Modulation ofArsenic Induced Phytotoxic Changes inGene Expression, Stem Anatomy, ArsenicSpeciation and Accumulation in Chickpea(Cicer arietinum L.)Pratibha Tripathi1,2*, Ritu Thakur Bais2, Poonam C.Singh1, Aradhana Mishra1, R.D. Tripathi1 and C.S.Nautiyal1

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow - 226001, INDIA. 2Sarojini Naidu Govt. Girls P. G. (Autonomous)College, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Exploitation of beneficial plant-microbeinteractions offers promising environmentally friendlystrategies for conventional and organic agriculture.Plant microbial interactions enhance plant growth andaffect elemental uptake in crop plants including heavymetals. Present study demonstrated the role of plantgrowth promoting and As tolerant Trichoderma reeseiNBRI 0716 in countering the As induced stress inchickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plants. Arsenic exposuresignificantly hampered the growth, uptake of mineralnutrients and antioxidant activity in chickpea resultingin poor pod setting and limited seed yield. Inoculationof chickpea with NBRI 0716 significantly enhancedplant growth, yield and mineral nutrients both inabsence and presence of As. It also restored stemanomalies like reduced trichome turgidity and density,deformation in collenchymatous andsclerenchymatous cells induced by As stress.Upregulation of drought responsive genes (DRE,EREBP, T6PS, MIPS, PGIP) enhanced proline contentand shrinked cortex cells in presence of As suggeststhat it creates water deficiency in plants and weremodulated by NBRI 0716 providing protective role.In addition, inoculation of NBRI 0716 lead to reductionof grain As i by ca 3.5 fold and enhanceddimethylarsenic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsenicacid (MMA) content in soil and seed as well, indicated



that NBRI 0716 probably has a role in methylation ofAs as the possible mechanism for maneuvering Asstress in chickpea. Thus, this study suggests thatTrichoderma reesei strain NBRI 0716 is a suitable bio-agent, for application in As contaminated agriculturalsoils for improved growth, yield and mineral nutrientcomposition of the edible crops, besides reducing thehigh As load in edible grains.Key words: Trichoderma reesei, Arsenic, Chickpea, Waterdeficiency, Mineral nutrient

SIII/P-17

Dynamic role of Trichoderma spp. in FoodSecurity and Altering Soil MicrobialCommunity in Diesel Fuel-Spiked Soil usingSole-Carbon-Source Utilization ProfilesSatyendra Pratap Singh*, Arpita Bhattacharya,Shipra Pandey, Richa Shukla, Poonam C. Singh,Aradhana Mishra and Chandra Shekhar NautiyalDivision of Plant Microbe Interactions, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Bioremediation is a potentially important optionfor restoring of oil-polluted environments byexploiting the degradation capabilities of the plant andmicrobes. In present study Trichoderma spp. wasisolated from Jamnagar soil , Gujarat India, having agreat potency to promote the growth of plants alongwith the controlling the growth of different fungalphytopathogens such as A. solani, R. Solani and F.oxysporum (63%, 68% and 70% respectively).Selected Trichoderma spp. also able to produceChitinase (0.39 U ml-1), Siderophore (150.38µg/ ml-

1), IAA (19.9µg per ml-1), Gibbrellic acid (4.82 µg per25ml-1) and solubilize Phosphate (26.80 µg per ml-1)with the great ability to tolerate the 50% concentrationof PEG (Polyethylene Glycol). Trichoderma spp. wasproven as potent tool for bioremediation of dieselcontaminated soil. Diesel contaminated soil treatedwith Trichoderma viride, efficiently increased thedehydrogenase activity (1.93 mg-TPF/g),heterogenousbacterial population (4.84 log10 unit) and plant biomassafter 30 days of inoculation. Drastic differerence wasobserved in community structure pattern in presenceand absence of Trichoderma spp. The structure basedstudy of microbial community in rhizosphere wasanalyzed through the sole-carbon-source utilization

profiles using ECO Biolog microplates. Significantdifferences were found among the diversity andevenness indices on effect of diesel on chickpearhizosphere microflora in presence and absence ofTrichoderma spp.Key words: Trichoderma, Diesel, Microbial diversity,BIOLOG, Plant growth promotion

SIII/P-18

Plant Growth Promoting Pseudomonasputida Mediates Stress AmeliorationSuchi Srivastava, Ashmita Tandon, Vidisha Bist,Arpita, Shalini Tiwari, Manoj Kumar, RadhaShivhare, Lalit Agrawal, Charu Lata, Puneet SinghChauhan and Chandra Shekhar Nautiyal*Division of Plant Microbe Interactions, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Ubiquitous Pseudomonas has been reported asan efficient plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.However, tolerance for high temperature is one of themost critical limiting factors for its commercialization.After screening of 2500 Pseudomnas sp. strains, anabiotic stress tolerant strain of Pseudomonas putidaMTCC5279 (MTCC5279) was isolated from thedrought-exposed chickpea rhizosphere. MTCC5279has ability to tolerate high temperature drought andsalt stress along with multiple PGP attributes.Rhizosphere colonization and biofilm formation wassignificantly enhanced by addition of MgSO4 andglycerol supplementation its tolerance to hightemperature. The draft genome sequence ofMTCC5279 reveals a number of genes whose productsare possibly involved in plant growth promotion andabiotic stress tolerance. The strain was found topromote plant growth of different host plant. Plantgrowth promotion is a multigenic process under theinfluence of many external and internal factors.Therefore, to understand the processes and thefunctions regulated by this rhizobacteria, a microarrayanalysis of Arabidopsis thaliana plants inoculated withMTCC5279 was performed through the geneexpression changes, represented by oligonucleotidearray (24652 genes). MTCC5279 inducedupregulation of Arabidopsis thaliana genes involvedin maintenance of genome integrity, growth hormone,amino acid synthesis, abcissic acid signaling and



ethylene suppression, Ca+2 dependent signaling andinduction of induced systemic resistance. The droughtameliorating effect of MTCC 5279 on the chickpeaplants grown under watered and drought conditionsdemonstrated the stress ameliorating property ofMTCC5279 by changing the expression pattern ofdrought responsive genes. The complex multilevelregulatory process for the adaptation of P. putida

MTCC5279 to high temperatures was evaluatedthrough the over-expression of stress sigma factor S(RpoS) at higher temperature. Micro-plot and multi-locational field trial studies using different cropsshowed that MTCC5279 has a potential to be used ascommercial bioinoculant.Key words: Pseudomonas putida, Rhizobacteria, Arabidopsisthaliana, RpoS



SIV/KN-1

Fate of more than 480 million inhabitantsliving in arsenic and fluoride endemicdistricts of India: Health, socio-economiceffects & approaches for mitigationD. Chakraborti†*, M.M. Rahman†+, S. Mitra†, A.Chatterjee†, D. Das†, B. Das†, B. Nayak†, A. Pal†,U.K. Chowdhury†, T. Roy Chowdhury†, S. Ahmed†,B. K. Biswas†, M. Sengupta†, D. Lodh†, A. Das†, S.Chakraborty†, R. Chakraborty†, R.N. Dutta #, K.C.Saha§, S.C. Mukherjee‡, S. Pati± and P.B. Kar@† School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University,Kolkata §Retired Professor of Dermatology, School ofTropical Medicine, Kolkata ‡ Retired Professor Departmentof Neurology, Medical College, Kolkata ±Department ofObstetrics and Gynecology, Calcutta National Medical Col-lege, Kolkata # Retired Professor Department of Dermatol-ogy, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Re-search, SSKM Hospital, Kolkata @Surgical Oncologist,Barasat Cancer Research and Welfare Centre, Kolkata +Present address: Centre for Environmental Risk Assessmentand Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia,SA 5095

Arsenic & Fluoride Contamination in India:India is considered to be the worst groundwater arsenicaffected country in the world. The population of the37 districts so far we have identified potentially atrisk with groundwater arsenic contamination in sevenstates of India ( 6 states in the Ganga-Brahmaputraplain ) is 70.4 million (Figure.1a). Recently wediscovered groundwater arsenic contamination in theAllahabad-Kanpur Track of the Upper Ganga Plain isevidence of the fact that these surveys are by no meanscomplete. Even after working for last 25 years weconsider we have seen a small portion of the realproblem. Flourosis, a crippling disease, is the mostprevalent groundwater-related disease in India. Totalpopulation in fluoride endemic 201 districts in Indiais 411 million (40% of Indian population). India isalso the most fluoride–affected country worldwide.In India alone, more than 66 million people areestimated to be suffering from fluorosis, including 6million children below 14 years of age. Our researchhas found that 20 of 28 Indian states have some degreeof groundwater fluoride contamination, impacting 85-97% of districts in some states (Figure.1b). Even now,we continue to identify additional affected districts &habitations affected by groundwater fluoride in these districts.

The Health Effects of Arsenic & FluoridePoisoning: The effects of chronic arsenic exposureare first manifested on skin. With substantialcumulative exposure, these non-malignantdermatological manifestations can progress to skincancers, such as Bowen’s Disease, squamous cellcarcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. Furthermore,epidemiological studies have found that withincreasing arsenic consumption the risk of internalcancers notably of the lung and bladder also increasesin severe cases, this can lead to gangrene of the fingers,

D.Chakraborti, JISAS, 67(2), 2013, 235-266

D.Chakraborti. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45, 27–33



toes, and even entire limbs. Fig.2a shows the commonarsenical skin lesions. Clinical effects of fluorideincluded abnormal tooth enamel in children; adultshad joint pain and deformity of the limbs and spine,along with ligamentous calcifications and exostosisformations. Fluorosis is a crippling disease (Fig.2b).

Socio-economic Implications of GroundwaterArsenic & Fluoride Pollution: Arsenicosis &fluorosis have an economic impact that feeds backthrough health and human well-being of both theindividual and the family. The people affected byarsenic and fluoride poisoning suffer from healthhazards and economic barriers, unhealthy and strained“within” family relations and also confront severemental stress at the social front. WHO points out thatsocial problems arising from arsenic & fluoridepollution create pressure on the economy of theaffected areas. There is a social cost of arsenic &fluoride pollution. With the symptoms of arsenicosisbecoming evident more often various agonizing socialissues arise, such as, affected persons are sacked fromtheir jobs, arsenic affected children are sometimesdebarred from school, the affected girls are denied ofmarriage and often married women face problems intheir marital life and even divorce ensues. Affectedpeople are quite often debarred from social functions.The arsenic affected persons are being boycottedsocially mistaking them as patients infected withcontagious diseases and their condition precludes themost simple social interactions that often leads todepression and suicide.

Mitigation Strategies for GroundwaterArsenic & Fluoride Contamination: Ourrecommendations are the following: (1) Emergencyfield surveying to identify arsenic & fluoride affectedareas. These efforts should be coupled to education

and awareness campaigns. Even during recent fieldsurveys, we have met arsenic and fluoride affectedindividuals who were unaware of the nature of theirdisease and its threat. Some believed that their lesionswere the result of sins of a past life; others thoughtthat they had been cursed by God.(2) Regularmonitoring of tubewells for arsenic & fluoride, due tothe observation that tubewells, even deep ones, thatwere previously identified as safe can becomecontaminated over time. (3) The provision ofimmediate clean water supply in affected areas. Anintermediate stage, if necessary, should be theutilization of arsenic removal technologies coupledwith local community involvement and education.More permanent solutions should be the utilization ofholistic and location-specific plans. These shouldinclude treated abundant surface water resources, dug-well water, and harvested rainwater whenever possibleas well as the employment of arsenic removaltechnologies whenever other options are not available.

Conclusion

We fear that the current status of groundwaterarsenic and & fluoride in India is not completelyknown. With increasing groundwater withdrawal ofarsenic & fluoride contaminated water for agricultureand the latency of arsenic and fluoride related disease,the amount of suffering may continue to escalate,especially if surveying and mitigation efforts aren’tgiven sufficient priority. Moreover, arsenic andfluoride are not the only groundwater contaminant.The presence of other toxic elements e.g. U, B, Ni,Cr, Pb & Mn has already been reported in thegroundwater from some parts of India. In India basinareas are commonly known as the land of rivers; it ishome to numerous ox-bow lakes and flooded riverbasins and receives average 2000 mm of rainfallannually. Furthermore, large-diameter dug-wells, oncethe primary source of water for communities, can stillserve as a safe water resource with proper treatmentand management. We have both largely abandonedthese abundant resources and are currently utilizingour groundwater resources with reckless abandon. Theeducation and mobilization of local communities isalso vital to our efforts to find effective and localsolutions to the arsenic problem. In arsenic & fluorideaffected areas crisis is not always having too littlewater to satisfy our need, it is the crisis of managingthe water.

D.Chakraborti et.al. Clinical Toxicology, 2009, 47, 292-295D.Chakraborti et.al.,Clinical Toxicology, 2009, 47, 355-356



SIV/KN-2

Food Security: Challenge and OpportunityC.K. VarshneySchool of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal NehruUniversity (JNU), New Delhi, INDIA and Distinguished Ad-junct Professor, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT),BANGKOK, Email: [email protected]

According to the UN projections the globalpopulation is expected to grow from 7 billion in 2012to 9.3 billion by 2050. In spite of growing economicprosperity and technological progress approximately870 million people remain undernourished even today.The question of food security, hunger, malnutrition,poverty and parity are high on global agenda.

India with a population of 1.2 billion is the secondlargest populous country of the world and likely totouch 1.6 billion by 2030, surpassing China. Despiteeconomic growth and self-sufficiency in food grainproduction high level of food insecurity andmalnutrition persists in the country. At the same timeloss of food grains during pre and post-harvest stages,storage, distribution, at retail outlets and at individualhousehold level are quite substantial. Demand for foodquantity and quality in the country is rapidly increasingwith rising affluence and growing middle class. CanIndia feed itself in the long run, say to 2030 andbeyond? It is going to be a real challenge to produceenough food for the growing population from thelimited resource base. Deforestation, loss ofbiodiversity, soil degradation, and growingcompetition for agricultural land, water and energy,overexploitation of fisheries and increasing pollutionof land, air and water seriously threatens food security.Rapid urbanization and industrialization are competingfor limited land and water resources. In addition,climate change further intensifies the threat and abilityto produce.

There is no simple solution for feeding thegrowing population, especially in face of prevailingpoverty, resource constraints and lack of policycoherence. The desperate scenario presented by thesechallenges can be reversed and turned into opportunity,provided urgent actions are taken simultaneously onmultiple fronts, for effective use of ecosystem services.An all-out effort to promote renewable energy sourcescan liberate food production and processing systemsfrom “plow to plate” from its dependence on fossil

fuels. Solar and wind energy is increasingly attractiveboth on-farm and off-farm operations and eveneconomically viable in many locations. Appropriatepolicies and incentives can help to promote theserenewable grid free energy sources for mostagricultural operations. Recent scientific andtechnological developments pertaining to enhancingphotosynthetic efficiency, water use and nutrientconservation are to be actively pursued to makeagriculture ready for climate change. Food security isan important prerequisite for reducing poverty, hungerand malnutrition and can effectively contribute toinclusive economic and social development.Key words: Food security, Malnutrition, Biodiversity

SIV/L-1

Innovative Rain Water Harvesting: Modelfor Water Conservation, Recharging andDevelopmentMahendra ModiAdditional Director General, SIT, U.P. Lucknow,Vibhutikhand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow-226010, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Rain water harvesting (RWH) is a method ofcollection and storage of rain water at surface or insubsurface aquifers, before it is lost as subsurface runoffs. The harvested water may be utilized for artificialrecharge of groundwater reservoirs to augment themat higher rate than the reduced anthropogenic or naturalreplenishment. The focus of RWH system is to managethe problem of water scarcity and declining groundwater level, improving the ground water quality andprotection for future use.

The salient features of the presentation will beas the following (i) Invented ways to have clean rooftoprainwater direct to home. (ii) Innovated ways to saveland while recharging rainwater. (iii) How to savemoney input for recharging rainwater into the ground.(iv) How to level up the groundwater level fast. (v)Innovated design of MAHA INDRA KOOP. (vi)Innovated cover of recharge cum irrigation well to saveevaporation of water. (vii) Innovated design for plateauarea or Bundelkhand and any such area. (viii) How tomake rainwater recharging as an effective and fast toolof development (ix) How to arrest excess heat on roadsand how to beat the heat of global warming for warmconservation of a healthy environment and especially



water. More than one dozen designs have beeninvented by me.Key words: Rain water, Groundwater, Rainwater

SIV/L-2

Sustainable Crop Production withIncreasing Population, and DiminishingNatural ResourcesC.R. Bhatia17 Rohini, Sector 9-A, Vashi, New Mumbai-400703,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Population, poverty and affluence each contributeto different forms of environmental degradation. Withadequate funds, and strict enforcement, affluentcounties have mitigated the environmental harm tosome extent. Innovations have augmented the scarcenatural resources and stabilized populations. In thedeveloping countries like India, overall poverty, lackof purchasing capacity for food, water, clean fuels forcooking, sanitation, health care, and education, take aheavy toll due to environmental problems. Enhancingplant productivity can reduce poverty in rural areas,leading to higher incomes, better nutrition, health care,education and skill development for higher wageemployment. Plant productivity is an energyconversion process that requires additional inputs ofwater, energy, plant nutrients and pesticides, besidesarable land. Population growth as well as affluenceenhances demand of energy fixed by plants, as food.Sustainability requires balance between the energyfixed and consumed. Interventions identified forsustainability are: (i) freezing agricultural foot prints,(ii) producing more from the limited farm land, (iii)increase the use efficiencies for water, energy and cropnutrients, (iv) change what people eat and (v) reducewastage. This implies that sustainable agriculture andgreen economy are possible only for a populationwithin the carrying capacity of the land.

Impact assessment, ex post facto and ex Ante,provide excellent appraisal of productivity andenvironmental enhancement methods. Theyrespectively provide actual and anticipated returnsfrom the funds invested, and help in setting priorities.Environmental botanist must use these tools both forresearch and interventions. Reclamation of degradedfarm lands, water harvesting and storage in villageponds show high social and economic returns.However, measures for reducing population growth

rate, that has no adverse environmental effects, couldprovide higher benefits than increasing productivity.Environmental scientists can be most convincing toput across the message that finite resources can notsupport an infinite population. They have to masterthe art of persuasion for adapting sustainable use ofresources and simple, energy saving life style.Key words: Sustainability, Population, Carrying capacity,Natural resources

SIV/L-3

Vetiver Grass Model: Ideotypes forSustainable EnvironmentUmesh C. LavaniaLucknow University, Lucknow, and AcSIR EmeritusProfessor, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal andAromatic Plants, Lucknow 226015, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Vetiver grass [Vetveria zizaniodes (L) Nash. syn.Chrysopogon zizaniodes (L.) Roberty; familyPoaceae], common name ‘’khus”, a perennial C4 grasssupported with tufted roots has traditionally been usedfor extraction of essential oil, and its deep penetratingfast growing root system has attracted world attentionas a natural means for multifarious environmentalapplications, including carbon sequestration in subsoilhorizon likened to forest trees, conservation anddetoxification of degraded soil and water, flood andlandslide disaster mitigation. However, to make thevetiver plantations ecosystem sustainable and globallyacceptable, it is desirable to identify ideal plant type(s)for specific applications and accordingly developdesigner genotypes that promise: (a) ideal root-physiography for soil binding and fast penetratinggrowth, (b) utilization of upper ground vegetativebiomass as fodder, (c) non-invasive characteristics,(d) as a short duration crop with quality essential oil,(e) termination of plantations at will by excising theproliferating crown, and (e) cyto-morphological andmolecular characterization that can help facilitate IPRprotection of identified genotype(s) vis-à-vis speciesand genotypic diversity. India, being the primary centreof origin and dispersion of vetiver, is endowed withrepertoire of genetic diversity and offers opportunitiesto tap its genetic resources to isolate ideal plant typesuiting to specific applications. An ideal clone forcarbon sequestration in subsoil horizons has been



developed by the author’s group, and significantprogress is under-way to isolate a dual purpose vetiverthat may confer high soil binding potential facilitatingslope stabilization for its webbing roots and also serveas source of fodder for its leaf shoots with reducedsilicification.Key words: Vetiver grass model, Tufted roots, Non-invasivevetiver, Carbon sequestration, Root-web, Plant ideotype

SIV/O-1

Estimation of Toxic Metals in RespirableDust near E-Waste Burning Sites inMoradabad, IndiaAnamika Tripathi*, Mahima, Dharmveer Singh andRaina PalPollution Ecology Research Laboratory, Department ofBotany, Hindu College, Moradabad-244001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Moradabad is an important city of North Indiaas it is famous worldwide for the exporting andmanufacturing of brassware items. Presentinvestigation was carried out to assess theconcentration of toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr andNi) in respirable dust (PM10 and PM2.5) at various sitesnear the bank of river Ramganga where the E-wasteburning is carried out in an illegal way. Tradersestimate about half the circuit boards used inappliances in India end up in Moradabad, also calledpeetal nagri — brass city. A control site in remotearea was also selected to compare and find backgroundlevel of these toxic metals in respirable dust. Samplesof PM10 and PM2.5 were collected from all the sitesthrough RDS (APM - 460NL) and FDS (APM - 550)and were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Midland,UK. The results indicate that the concentrations ofheavy metals were observed at very high level ascompared to maximum allowable limit in variouscountries at polluted sites. Risk assessment predictedthat Pb and Cu originating from circuit board recyclinghave the potential to pose serious health risks toworkers and local residents of Moradabad, andwarrants an urgent investigation into heavy metalrelated health impacts.Key words: Respirable dust, E-waste burning, Peetal Nagari,Toxic metals, Health risk

SIV/O-2

Does Eutrophication in Waterbodies Affectthe Ramet Generation Potential of SmallFragments of an Invasive Plant,Alternanthera philoxeroides?Poulami Jha* and Anjana DewanjAgricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statisti-cal Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Kolkata-700108, WestBengal, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Alternanthera philoxeroides is considered to beone of the world’s worst invasive plants. Rapidregeneration potential of A. philoxeroides throughvegetative reproduction is regarded to be a primaryreason for its successful invasion. Fragmentation ofA. philoxeroides is frequently observed due to manynatural or human caused disturbances and the abilityof small clonal fragments to survive and generate rametis a major factor for its successful spread. Withincreasing levels of eutrophication prevalent in ouraquatic resources, a question of interest is whetherhigher nutrient levels affect the survival and growthof these fragments.

An experiment was, therefore, conducted in thegreenhouse to explore whether increasing the nutrientlevel had any effect on ramet generation potential andgrowth of A. philoxeroides. Small fragments (twonoded) were grown in six different nutrient mediums(tap water and five different concentrations ofHoagland solutions) and emergence of new rametswere recorded for a period of seven days. Rametgeneration was very fast with 72 % of the total rametshaving generated within two days, under any type ofnutrient medium used. Additionally, the possibility ofa second ramet appearing from the same node seemedlikely from the fifth day onwards thus, exhibiting itsability to generate two new plants from a single node.Though statistical analysis revealed no significantdifference in ramet generation among plant fragmentsgrowing in different nutrient solutions, however thegrowth of ramets observed through emergence of newleaves appeared to be faster with increasing nutrientlevels. The study highlights the rapid regenerativeability of small fragments of A.philoxeroides evenunder minimal nutrient conditions thereby showingits high adaptability and potential to spread in any typeof water body thereby raising concerns.Key words: Ramet, Nutrient, Clonal, Fragments, Node



SIV/O-3

Microbial Activity in Soil withOrganophosphate Pesticides Application inTalwandi Sabo, Bathinda, PunjabM.S. Dhanya* and Disha MishraCentre for Environmental Sciences and Technology,Central University of Punjab, Bathinda-151001, Punjab,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The injudicious and indiscriminate usage ofhighly toxic and persistent pesticides deteriorated theenvironmental quality. Organophosphorus pesticidesare widely used in crop protection against variouspests. The microbial activity is an indicator of fertilityof the soil and it is directly affected by the pesticideapplication. Soil samples from five different villagesof Talwandi sabo block of Bathinda district, Punjabwhich has cotton based cropping system was studiedto investigate microbial activity in response toapplication of organophosphate (OP) pesticides. Theheterotrophic total bacterial count and phosphorussolubilizing bacterial (PSB) population ranged from4.2 - 10 x 108 cfu/g of soil and 1.7 - 5.5 x 103 cfu/g ofsoil respectively. The total bacterial population wascomparatively lower in pesticide stressed soil. Theproportion of PSB population was higher in soil withregular and repetitive application of organophosphatepesticides relative to other group of pesticides. Thephosphorus solubilizing microbes has genes forphosphatase and is an indirect measure of microbialactivity towards biodegradation of OP compounds. Thephosphatase activity was higher than dehydrogenaseand urease activity in soil samples with OP pesticideapplication which confirms the growth of PSBs bymaking nutrients available for microbial growth. Themicrobial biomass carbon content was lower in soilwith immediate pesticide application and contentimproved with the time. The native bacterial strainsplay an important role in biodegradation of toxic OPpesticides to non- toxic compounds by biochemicaltransformation. Hence play an important role inbioremediation process.Key words: Organophosphorus pesticides, Phosphorussolubilizing bacteria, Phosphatase, Biodegradation

SIV/O-4

Allelopathy as an Alternative to SyntheticHerbicidesNeelkant Sharma1,2*, Daizy R. Batish2 and R.K. Kohli2

1Government College, Nalagarh, H.P., INDIA,2Panjab University, Chandigarh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Allelopathy is the phenomenon of plant-plantinteraction mediated through the release of chemicals(better known as allelochemicals). It plays animportant role in regulating plant diversity. Of late,the allelopathy is being proposed as a tool forsustainable weed management since the commerciallyused herbicides have many adverse effects onenvironment and human health. Pinus roxburghii, aforestry tree has been investigated for allelopathicweed suppressing activity. The aqueous extracts fromgreen needles and litter show inhibitory effect on thegermination and early growth of some weed speciesbased on studies conducted under laboratory bioassays.In soil medium also, similar inhibitory effect of wasobserved. The extracts of litter and soil collected fromPine forest and needle amended soil under pot cultureexperiment showed the presence of phenolics, theknown potent allelochemicals. The findings suggestthat the needles and litter of P. roxburghii can serve asan important bioresource for management of weedsby utilizing the principles of allelopathy.Key words: Allelopathy, Herbicide, Pine

SIV/O-5

Pharmacological Activities and Potentialuses of Cyperus rotundus: An Updated ReviewArslan Masood Prizada1*, Moazzam Jamil4,Muhammad Naeem1, Hafiz Haider Ali1, MuhammadLatif1, Asad H. Bukhari3, Aown Sammar Raza1,Muhammad Saqib1 and Muhammad Ijaz3

1Department of Agronomy, University College of Agricul-ture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia Universityof Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, PAKISTAN. 2Depart-ment of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture,Layyah Campus, Baha-u-din Zikariya University, Multan,PAKISTAN. 3Institute of Crop Science, Department ofAgronomy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology,Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058,P.R. CHINA. 4Department of Soil Sciences, University Col-



lege of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The IslamiaUniversity of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, PAKISTAN,Email: [email protected]

Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae), a medicinalherb, is being traditionally used as a home remedy forthe treatment of various clinical conditions likediarrhea, diabetic, pyretic, inflammation, malaria, andfor treating stomach and bowel disorders. Its currentstatus is one of the most widespread, troublesome, andeconomically damaging agronomic weeds, growingwildly in various tropical and sub-tropical regions ofthe world. Tuber and rhizomes of Cyperus rotunduspossess a higher concentration of active ingredientsin the form of essential oils, phenolic acids, ascorbicacids and flavonoids, responsible for its remedialproperties. Exploitation of any medicinal plantapplication depends upon the crucial andcomprehensive information about the therapeuticpotential of a plant. Researchers have evaluated andcharacterized the significance of Cyperus rotundus asan anti-androgenic, anti-bacterial, anti-cancerous, anti-convulsant, anti-diabetic, anti-diarrheal, anti-genotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-lipidemic, anti-malarial, anti-mutagenic, anti-obesity, anti-oxidant,anti-uropathogenic, hepato-, cardio-, and neuro-protective, and nootropic agent. This paper comprisesa broad review on chemical constituents and potentialtherapeutic aspects of Cyperus rotundus to summarizethe current state of knowledge that will aid in thedevelopment of modern herbal medicine through latesttechnologies that will promote the ability of this plantin the cure of many clinical disorders.Key words: Purple nutsedge, Chemical composition, Phenolicacid, Therapeutic Values, Future directions

SIV/O-6

Natural Herbicides from Essential Oils:Prospects and ConstraintsDaizy R. BatishDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Unlike synthetic herbicides, use of natural plantproducts provides an environment-friendly and safermethod of weed control. Besides, these are generallynon-toxic and exhibit chemical and structural diversityand possess novel target sites. These also help infinding novel and useful scaffoldings for the

development of new herbicides using cheminformaticsand synthetic techniques. The studies have shown thatessential oils of plants like Tagetes minuta, Anisomelesindica and Eucalyptus species are promising sourceof bioherbicides. These help in effectively controllingnoxious weeds of paddy crop like Echinochloa crus-galli and Cyperus rotundus and that of wheat croplike Phalaris minor. Application of these essential oilsat ecologically relevant concentrations provides apractical solution for the weed control withoutaffecting the growth and yield of crops. These not onlyreduced weed emergence but also had a detrimentaleffect on their growth with signs of visible injury. Athigher concentrations, these even caused weedmortality. Their effect can be comparable to syntheticherbicides. Moreover, their effect on weeds can furtherbe improved by adding adjuvant or surfactants andtheir solutions/formulations with other naturalproducts. However, there are certain constraints suchas their economic viability and commercialization,which can be overcome by conducting suitable focusedstudies. The present paper discusses various issuesrelated to the use of essential oils as herbicides.Key words: Essential oils, Bioherbicides, Natural weedmanagement, Oil-based formulations

SIV/O-7

Fly Ash Utilization in India: A CurrentPerspectiveAmit K. GuptaMinistry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change,Regional Office (Central), Kendriya Bhawan, Sector, H, Aliganj,Lucknow-226024 INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In India, around 75% of energy comes from thethermal power plant (coal/lignite/gas), out of totalinstalled thermal power capacity of 2, 00,000 MW by2012. Government has planned for its enhancementto 3, 00,000 MW by 2017 that generate nearly 15million ton’s of fly ash per year. The quantum of flyash generation is huge and the available methods forits management appear to be inadequate.

Over the past few decades there has been avidinterest in developing the strategies to utilize fly ashin different sector, due to its specific physical andchemical properties, which is beneficial for its furtheruse. In contrast fly ash also contains a number of toxicmetals and natural radionuclide materials, whichcreates problem for its further use. In India, mainly



fly ash is used in number of sectors like, Cement andAsbestos sheet (? 49%), Bricks/partition/tiles/panelmanufacturing, Road Construction (? 5%), Agriculturesector (? 2%) etc., but still most of the fly ash remainsin the ash pond, causing many deleterious effects onthe environment, resulting in the degradation of landand subsequent ground water and water bodies.Attention should be given in exploring new openingfor its use, and strict regulation and its implementationin above mentioned sectors for better sustainableenvironmental management of fly ash to minimize theenvironmental problem.Key word: Coal, Ash pond, Industry, Nutrients, Heavy metal

SIV/O-8

Ecotechnology of Biocompost and itsApplication in Sustainable Agriculture:Vision 2030M.A. Ali Khan and Preeti Sharma*Environmental Science Laboratory, Department ofBotany,Kisan P.G. College, Simbhaoli-245207 (Hapur),INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Sugar Industries (571) produced billion tons ofpress mud cake per annum. Molasses based distilleries(319+) generate ethyl alcohol and spent wash (@ 15litre per litre) which is imbalancing the ecosystem andthreatened the human life. Ecofriendly technology ofearly decomposition of compost from press mud cake,distillery spent wash (DSW), sugarcane trash (driedleaves) by bioinoculant Trichoderma viride and wasmixed in 3 treatments over control. Microbialsuccession of temperature based phases(Psychrophilic, Mesophilic, Thermophilic,Stabilization and poikilothermic), pH and C/N ratiowere investigated.

Seeds and Triticum aestivum L. were sown inpolybag culture with compost treated soil. Germinationrelative index (GRI), root and shoot length, chlorophyllcontents and net primary productivity (N.P.P.)attributes were significantly increased in biocomposttreated soil than control. Physicochemical analysis oftreated soil revealed higher N.P.K. organic matter andmoisture content but lower pH, E.C., C/N ratio overcontrol.

Environmental challenges of arid ecosystem aresandy/saline soil with poor organic matter and highevapotranspiration. Degraded land (32.7) could be

amended by biocompost and has discussed forsustainable agriculture. Smarter management of DSWinto biocompost has enhanced the soil fertility.Bioresource has cascading effect on food security andtiger economy reducing urea and agrochemicals. Infactit not only curbs price inflammation and trigger ofEcological Time Bomb but will have pave the way toincrease GDP and youth employement to fulfill theVISION 2030 of “Developed India’.Key words: PMC, Sugarcane trash, Distillery spentwash,C/N ratio, Trichoderma viride, Sustainable agriculture

SIV/O-9

Effect of Climate Change on TemperateAgriculture: A Scenario of Weather andCrop Yields of Past Three DecadesF.A. Lone* and N.A. KirmaniCentre for Climate Change and Mountain AgricultureSKUAST, Kashmir-190025, J&K, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The potential global environmental problemwhich poses an eminent threat to all life forms is thatof the climate change which is being mainly attributedto human induced factors. J and K State of northernIndia has been facing multifarious environmentalmanifestations for the last 30 years (erratic weatherbehavior, untimely rain fall, extreme temperatureconditions, droughts and floods etc). The weather dataof the last three decades recorded at Shalimar campusshows that average maximum autumn and wintertemperature have shown slight increase. However,duration of the winter period has exhibited adecreasing trend. Moreover, average precipitation (rainand snowfall) also shows a declining trend. The yieldof some of the important crops of Kashmir Himalayaslike apple, pear, cherry, walnut, maize and wheatduring the last 30 years have exhibited significantincrease which might be attributed to technologicalinterventions like integrated nutrient and diseasemanagement, availability of better and climate resilientvarieties and other scientific inputs like better agro-advisory services. However, decline in their yields insome years is mainly attributed to unfavorable andextreme climatic conditions (high/low temperature,outbreak of diseases, drought, water logging)particularly in critical growth periods of the crops. Onthe other hand, almond exhibits fluctuating trends



during past three decades because the crop is sensitiveto variations in weather particularly during itsflowering season in spring. Moreover, the crop area isdeclining due to rapid urbanization and lowremunerative benefits. Rice and pulses also exhibitlow production as well as area under their cultivation.The prized crop of Kashmir Himalayas viz., saffronalso shows varied trends depending upon the variousmicro-climatic conditions favourable for flowering,vegetative growth and multiplication of corms as wellas other anthropogenic pressures like urbanization withthe result area under crop cultivation is exhibitingdeclining trends. The paper presents a detailed andholistic scenario of the yield and productivity as wellas area under cultivation of different temperate cropsin the past three decades with information on the trendsof different weather parameters (temperature,precipitation, relative humidity).Key words: Climate change, Kashmir Himalayas, Temperateagriculture, Apple, Walnut, Saffron

SIV/O-10

Mine Spoil Subsurface: A Potential Sink forAtmospheric CarbonSangeeta Mukhopadhyay1*, Reginald Ebhin Masto1

and Lal C. Ram1

Environmental Management Division, CSIR-CentralInstitute of Mining and Fuel Research (Digwadih Campus),PO: FRI, Dhanbad-828108, Jharkhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Huge quantities of earth’s stored carbon are lostdue to coal mining and the debris left after miningpose severe environmental issues. Further, the demandfor fossil based power and the associated rise inatmospheric carbon dioxide concentration has raisedthe need for carbon sequestration in the mine spoil.Since reclaimed mined lands are essentially devoid ofsoil carbon, these areas provide an excellentopportunity to sequester carbon in both soils andvegetation. Reforestation of mine spoil adds to netcarbon storage in the terrestrial ecosystem. Here wedemonstrate the higher subsurface carbon storagepotential in reclaimed coal mine soils through carbonaccumulation index (CAI).

The study was carried out in the reclaimedcoalmine overburden dumps of Jharia Coalfield,situated in the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, EasternIndia and a nearby agricultural soil was used as

reference. From each tree species, ten replicates ofsoil samples were collected separately for 0 - 0.15 mand 0.15 - 0.30 m depth. The proportion of labilecarbon (LC) varied from 20 to 28 % of total C (TC) inthe mine soil, whereas it was 11 - 15 % for the referencesoil. This indicates the rapid turnover of organic matterin mine soil. LC is a sensitive indicator than TC alone.Carbon pool index calculated as the ratio between theTC in the mine soil and the reference soils was higherfor the unplanted soils. However, the final CAIcalculated after incorporating the lability and microbialindices was higher for C. siamea followed by D. regiaand D. sissoo. The index provides a sensitive measureof the rate of change in soil C dynamics of systemsrelative to a reference soil. CAI of different tree speciesgrowing on reclaimed mine soil showed significantcarbon storage potential in the subsurface. Storage ofC in deeper layers of minesoil may be beneficial asthe turnover time and chemical recalcitrance of soilorganic matter increases with depth.Key words: Mine soils, Subsurface carbon storage, Totalcarbon, Labile carbon, Carbon accumulation index

SIV/O-11

Evaluation of the Role of Genco Biloba inAlleviating Thiodicarb-induced Impairmentof Male Reproductive Function in WesternAlbino Rats: Biochemical and HistologicalStudyJ.H. El Medany1*, A.H. El-Medany2 and S.A. ALShaarawi1

1Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and KHUH,King Saud University, SAUDI ARABIA, 2Departmentof Pharmacology, College of Medicine and KHUH, KingSaud University, SAUDI ARABIA,Email: [email protected]

Alteration of the male reproductive functions andinfertility is an important factor for social frustrationand marginalization especially in developing countries.This could be attributed to many factors includingexposure to agropesticides. Thiodicarb is a carbamateinsecticide and pesticide that widely used to protectagricultural crops. The aim of the present study wasto access the protective effect of Ginco Biloba inalleviating Thiodicarb induced impairment of malereproductive function in western albino rats. Theanimals were treated with vehicle, given Thiodicarb



orally at two doses (7 and 21 mg/kg) body weight dailyfor 60 successive days. They were given Thiodicarbplus Ginco Biloba orally in a dose of 200mg/kg bodyweight. Fertility index, weight of sexual organs, semenprofile, serum testosterone and cholesterol andhistological study of the testes were the parametersused to evaluate the efficiency of the reproductivesystem of the experimental rats. It was found thatThiodicarb significantly decreased Fertility index,semen volume, counts and percentage of motile spermswhile the percentage of abnormal forms wasinsignificantly altered. The weight of the testes andepididymis was significantly reduced. Significantdecrease in serum cholesterol and testosterone levels.On the other hand there was a significant increase inthe serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin. Thehistological results revealed variable degenerativechanges of the seminiferous tubules with arrest inspermatogenesis. The administration of Genco Bilobawith Thiodicarb significantly reversed these toxiceffects in the male reproductive system, indicating itsprotective effect. In conclusion the environmental andhealth concern regarding the exposed humans andanimals must be taken in consideration in case of useof Thiodicarb.Key words: Thiodicarb, FSH, LH, Prolactin, Testosterone,AChE, Seminiferous tubules, Spermatogenesis

SIV/O-12

Improvement of Sugarcane for QualityTraits and Cane Yield through RecurrentSelectionRana D.P. Singh1*, Rishi Muni Singh2, Govind P.Rao3, Upendra K. Singh1 and Jagdish Prasad1

1Division of Plant Breeding, Sugarcane Research Station,Gorakhpur-273008, INDIA. 2Department of Genetics andPlant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, B.H.U.,Varanasi-221005, INDIA. 3Division of Plant Pathology,Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Sugarcane breeding programs in India haveaimed to improve sucrose content a top prioritybecause a short growing season limits cane yield, usinga recurrent selection strategy, the cultivars with thehighest sucrose content are crossed, and a newgeneration of cultivars is selected from the progeny.This study was designed to determine how selection

primarily for sucrose content has modifiedphysiological characters, and impacted sucrose contentand yield. Five cultivars were randomly selected fromeach of the seven generations of recurrent selectionand planted in two experiments. The plant and firststubble crops were harvested late from eachexperiment. Cane yield and juice quality weredetermined. Cultivars from the last three generationswere superior to cultivars from the first threegenerations for Brix %, sucrose % in juice, purity, caneyield and sugar yield. The application of recurrentselection in a population with high sugar content andearly maturity was effective for increasing its caneyield potential, without reducing the sugar content.Selection primarily for sucrose has increased brix %from 17% to 20%, sucrose % in juice from 15% to17%, purity from 85% to 90%. The implications ofthe finding has been discussed in the improvement ofsugarcane for quality traits along with cane yield intothe breeding program in order to increase diseasetolerance, cold tolerance and ratooing ability hasdiluted the effect of recurrent selection for sucrose.Key words: Sugarcane, Recurrent selection, Sucrose, Juicequality, Yield

SIV/O-13

Assessment of Soil Fertility Status forImproving Soil Health and SustainableCrop Productivity of Tea Plantation in AssamHaorongbam Nandakumar1*, Jayashree Rout1 andLaxmi Narayan Sethi2

1Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, AssamUniversity, Silchar-788011, Assam, INDIA. 2Department ofAgricultural Engineering, Assam University, Silchar-788011, Assam, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Intensive conventional farming practice andprolonged tea crop cultivation give a lot of negativeimpact such as organic matter depletion, adversechanges in soil pH, soil compaction, impairment ofenvironmental quality. Though fertilization is animportant approach to balancing nutrient cycling toimprove plant growth and crop yield howeverexcessive use of fertilizers, the inefficient use ofresidues and wastes and lack of proper managementpractice result in losses of plants nutrients whichultimately lead to low productivity of this crop andwill also mean an economic loss for the farmer. In this



context, a field experimental study was conducted inRosekandy Tea Estate, in Cachar district, Assam, NorthEast Indiato assess the status of soil and plant nutrients.Soil samples were collected using stratified randomsampling from six different sections of the tea estateat four different soil depths i.e., 0-20, 20-40, 40-60,60- 80 cm. The plant leaf samples were collectedseparately. Physico-chemical properties i.e., texture,moisture content, bulk density, water holding capacity,total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), total potassium(K), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic matter(SOM), pH, electrical conductivity, of the soil, weredetermined from these soil sample. Total nitrogen,phosphorous and potassium were determined fromplant samples. The results revealed that soil of the teagarden is sandy clay and silt loam in texture withslightly acidic which is under optimum range. TheSOC, SOM content and total N average values werefound (0.91-1.83) (1.57-3.15) and (0.30-1.20)percentage, respectively. However, average value oftotal K and total P of the soils were found (0.88-1.39)g/kg and (8.60-11.90 respectively. Total nitrogen,phosphorous and potassium content of the leaf weredetermined as 20.40 g/kg,1.44g/kg and 26.30g/kgrespectively. The overall values of nutrient contentshave been observed as declined from the critical level.So, a proper soil nutrient management practice undertea cultivation is required to be planned for improvingsoil health and crop productivity. This study may helpto maintain or enhance soil productivity through abalanced use of mineral fertilizers combined withorganic and biological sources of plant nutrients andimprove the stock of the plant nutrient in soil tosustainable production of tea.Key words: Conventional farming, Fertilizer, Plants nutrients,Sustainable

SIV/O-14

Environment and Bird Diversity at Bhima-Pedgaon Region in Shrigonda Taluka ofAhmednagar District (M.S.), IndiaA.B. GoreDepartment of Botany, Shri Chh. Shivaji Mahavidyalaya,Shrigonda-413701, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Regional ecological studies are very important.It can be acheived by intensive exploration of smaller

areas.It gives information about climate and biololgicaldiversity. The average rainfall in this area is about 450mm. The temperature ranges between 12oC to 42oC.Pedgaon is historical place. The ancient fortBahadurgad is located here at the bank of Bhima River.Because of continuous availability of water in river;the area became habitat biodiversity of many plantsand animals. Several types of phytoplankton,zooplankton, fishes, aquatic and marginal hydrophytes,marginal trees were found abundantly. It formed goodfood chains. Many birds were attracted to this region.

The present paper include the observation’srecord of bird diversity during the study period January2011 to December 2013.The bank of river was richwith vegetation of trees, shrubs and herbs. It hadprovided good hides to birds. The shallow water nearbank contained large number of fishes, mollusks andmany zooplanktons. It is good nutritional feedings forbirds. Because of well-protected nesting places, hide,and abundant feedings, large number of local, localmigrant and migrant species of bird were attracted tothis area. They were observed and recorded by frequentvisits during study period. The binocular was used toobserve them. Photographs of them were taken withthe use of zoomed lens camera. The bird species wereidentified by using relevant literature.

There were 92 species of bird recorded, out ofwhich 10 species were migrant, 28 species were localmigrant and 49 were local. The migrant birds came inwinter and went back in summer season. Localmigrants and local birds formed nesting in this area.The climatic conditions, abundance of food availabilityand safety are the main causes of bird diversity in thisarea.Key words: Bhima river bird diversity, Pedgaon, Historical

SIV/O-15

Sabarmati Riverfront Project a Eco-Friendly Sustainable Role Model for OtherStates in New MillenniumK.M. Patel1* and Foram Patel2

1Municipal Arts and Urban Science College,Mehsana-384002, Gujarat, INDIA.2Ganpat University, Mehsana-384002, Gujarat, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Sabarmati Riverfront is a waterfront developedalong the banks of Sabarmati River in the city of



Ahmadabad (India). It has been developed bySabarmati River Front Development CorporationLimited (SRFDCL). The proposal for developing theRiverfront was given in 1961 by the prominent citizensof Ahmadabad and the French architect Bernard Kohn.The project has encountered several delays due toconcerns regarding water level, flooding, rehabilitationof displaced slum dwellers and met with severeopposition from the activists involved with the slumrehabilitation. However, the process of obtaining landfor the development, through clearance andreclamation was completed. It is also the largest slumdisplacing project of the city till todate. In the firstphase, EPC identified a 20 km stretch of the Riverfrontextending from Subhash Bridge to Vasna barrage andproposed to reclaim 162 hectares of the riverbed.

SRFDCL planned to sell or lease out a part of itto finance the project. In 2003, it extended the projectto cover a 20 km stretch from the Narmada main canalto Vasna barrage. Project was undertaken with a primeobjective of environmental improvement and provisionof housing for the poor people, who were living in thelife threatening conditions along the river bed. Theproject has been planned as a self-financing project.The revenues have been generated from the sale ofproclaimed land. The project includes walkwaydevelopment, road development along the river,promenades, garden and construction of 4000 housesunder slum rehabilitation, amusement parks, golfcourse, water sports park. 10.4 km stretch of walkwayis open for the public use. Water amusement ridesincluding speed boat and motor boat are workingbetween Nehru Bridge and Gandhi Bridge. Bothwalkway and rides were inaugurated by the then ChiefMinister Shri Narendra Modi on 15 August 2012.

The entire world on the 17th Sept. 2014 was awitness to the monumental Sabarmati River Front firstof its kind when the PM of India Shri Narandra Modiand Chinese President met on the dining table. RF is atestimony to the fact that only good governance andpolitical will can make our dream of prosperous Indiacome true. The success story of the RF will prove tobe role model for the entire country for developingsustainable heath and eco-friendly eco-tourism in thecities situated on the river bank in other state too.Key words: Sabarmati River, Rehabilitation of slum dwellers,Water front, Eco-friendly, Eco-tourism, Good governance

SIV/O-16

Green Tea Extract: Its Potential ProtectiveEffect on Diazinon Induced Lung Injuriesin RatsAzza EL-Medany* and Jamila EL-MedanyCollege of Medicine and KHUH, King Saud University,Saudi Arabia, RIYADH,Email:[email protected]

The widespread use of organophosphateinsecticides (OPIs) has long been shown to exertdeleterious effect on the living organisms. .The riskof using such chemical compounds have beenaccentuated with the sharp rise in their consumptionby agriculture and householders. They may causeimmediate danger to the user if applied withoutsufficient knowledge of their toxic effects. . Potentialfuture hazards to human health and wild life can becreated by residues from some pesticides that maybuild up in food chain and cause widespreadcontamination of the environment. Lung fibrosis is aside effect of the OPIs , diazinon. Current evidencesuggests that reactive oxygen species may play a keyrole in the development of lung fibrosis. The presentwork studied the effect of green tea extract ondiazinon-induced lung fibrosis in rats. Animals weredivided into three groups: corn oil control group;diazinon group rats received diazinon 10mg/kg in cornoil once /day, p.o for 2 months; diazinon and greentea group in which green tea extract was given to rats(100mg/kg/day, p.o) a week prior to diazinon and dailyduring diazinon administration for 2 months. Diazinon-induced pulmonary injury and lung fibrosis that wasindicated by increased lung hydroxyproline, elevatednitric oxide synthase, myeoloperoxidase (MPO),platelet activating factor (PAF), tumor necrosisfactor ? (TNF_?), transforming growth factor 1?(TGF1?) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)activity in lung tissues. Diazinon induced a reductionin GSH and a severe histological changes in lungtissues revealed as lymphocytes and neutrophilsinfiltration, increased collagen deposition and fibrosis.Co-administration of diazinon and green tea extractreduced diazinon-induced lung injury evaluated by thesignificant reduction in hydroxyproline, nitric oxidesynthase, levels of MPO, PAF and TNF-? and ACEin lung tissues. Green tea extract ameliorated diazinon-induced reduction in GSH concentration. Histological



evidences supported the ability of green tea extract toattenuate diazinon-induced lung fibrosis andconsolidation. The finding of the present study providethat green tea may serve as a novel target for potentialtherapeutic treatment of lung fibrosis.Key words: Diazinon, Lung fibrosis, Green tea, Oxygenspecies, TNF-?, TGF1?

SIV/O-17

Biochar: A Hope for SustainableAgriculture and Food Security in IndiaSandeep KumarDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Central Universityof Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Ajmer-305801, Rajasthan,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The biochar is thermally carbonised biomass inabsence or deficient condition of oxygen. Biocharprepared at 300-500°C for 30 min to several hourswere more suitable for soil applications. The propertyof biochar fully depends on biomass type, pyrolysistemperature, time and atmosphere. The soil type andclimate condition also play important role onperformance of biochar. The slow pyrolysis is suitablefor biochar preparation because it support higherconcentration of stable organic matter withoutcompromising with char yield. Fast pyrolysis or highertemperature pyrolysis burns maximum labile organiccarbon present in the biomass. Here we aimed forachieving goal of sustainable agriculture and foodsecurity which were possible by proper managementor utilisation of land, water and energy resources. Theagricultural land degraded because of excess use oforganic and inorganic fertilizers. The fertilizer likeherbicides, insecticides etc. disturbed and ruined themicrobial population which play principal role inrelation between plant and soil nutrient cycles.Microbial population reduction affects nutrient cycle,which automatically reduced crop and foodproductivity. In India around 91 - 141 X 106 kg/yr ofsuperfluous crop residue generated, which possiblywill be an option of biomass for biochar productionfor soil applications. The terrestrial and aquatic weedsbiomass also preference because of their invasivenature. For example, Parthenium hysterophorusinfested around two million hectare of land in India.It is hypothesized that use of weeds biomass forbiochar preparation may a sustainable option for weed

management. It was investigated by researcher’sbiochar having the capacity of improving soil qualityas well as crop productivity. Biochar have the capacityof adsorbing organic and inorganic pollutant becauseof their surface chemistry. This property of biocharreduced the immobilization of soil pollutant. Thebiochar incorporation increases cation exchangecapacity, water holding capacity, soil enzymaticactivity, soil respiration, nutrient retention capacity,net primary productivity etc., and reduces the greenhouse gases emission from crop fields. Thus, authorsadvocated for the biochar may adopt as a sustainableagriculture and food security option in India becauseof their properties and scope for future.Key words: Biochar, Biomass, Sustainable agriculture, Foodsecurity, Soil property

SIV/O-18

Effect of Different Down Stream ProcessingTechniques on Microalgal MetaboliteProductionF.A. Ansari*, S.K. Gupta, A. Guldhe, N.K. Sahoo,I. Rawat and F. BuxInstitute of Water and Wastewater Technology, Departmentof Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technol-ogy, PO Box 1334, Durban, 4000, SOUTH AFRICA,Email: [email protected]

Due to the high cost of upstream and downstreamprocessing, such as culturing, harvesting, lipidextraction and trans-esterification, microalgal biofuelsare neither economically feasible nor environmentallysustainable. The biorefinery concept has attractedmuch attention to exploit other aspects of microalgalbiomass in order to improve the feasibility of biodieselproduction. Lipid extracted algae (LEA) is the residualbiomass, obtained after lipid extraction frommicroalgal. LEA contain significant amounts ofmetabolites such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipidsthat can be used source of energy in the form of feedfor aquaculture, poultry, livestock as well as energyproduction such as bio-methane and biohydrogengeneration etc. The use of different drying and celldisruption methods have examined widely for lipidproduction, however the literature on the effect ofdifferent downstream processing on LEA (lipidextracted algae) metabolites is scanty. This studyevaluated the effect of different downstream process



on LEA metabolite of Scenedesmus spp. grown onBG11 medium in the raceway pond (300000L). Thebiomass was harvested on late log phase and theeffectiveness of different lipid extraction processes onLEA qualities was observed. The result revealed thatthe microwave assisted cell disruption of microalgaeshows highest lipid production followed by sonication,autoclave and osmotic shock (10% NaCl), which was19%, 18%, 10% and 6.8 % (% DW) respectively.Freeze dried biomass yielded highest lipid, whereasthere was no significant difference in lipid yield wasnoticed in sun dried and oven dried. The carbohydratesin sun dried, oven dried and freeze dried whole cellmicroalgal biomass was 14.6 %, 14 % and 12.84 %respectively. The results revealed 0.18-5.6 % increasein carbohydrates; in sun dried, microwave assistedLEA and oven dried, autoclaved LEA respectively.Interestingly, we observed that the percentage of totalcarbohydrates (as reducing sugar) increased in LEA.This may be due to repeated cell disruptions, causingthe microalgal cell to become fragile. and thus betterpercentage of carbohydrates were achieved in LEA incomparison of whole cell algae.Key words: Microalgae, Lipd extracted algae, Metabolities,Carbohydrates

SIV/O-19

Application of Mathematical Modelling inConservation of Forestry BiomassManju AgarwalDepartment of Mathematics and Astronomy, University ofLucknow, Lucknow-226007, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

The term ‘forest’ applies not only to trees butalso to vegetation and grassland. Forests performirreplaceable ecological services as an integral part ofour biosphere. They assist in the global cycling ofwater, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen, as well as formingthe habitat for many wildlife species. In relation tohuman needs, forests supply wood that is made intohousing, paper and furniture etc. All the naturalresources and forest resources in particular, are beingexploited continuously in the name of economicdevelopment. Cutting of trees without regeneration canchange a forest into a desert. In a general sense, onecannot deny that all people have some dependence onforests, at least for products such as timber and paper.However, many people rely heavily on forests for their

livelihoods. India with its intense population pressureis one of the worst affected countries due to overexploitation of forest resources among variouscountries of the world.

Now-a-days, accelerated deforestation is done inthe name of industrialization and developmentactivities, resulting in rapid depletion of the biologicalresources of the country. Being a developing countryattempts should be made to look into the issue byconsidering three important aspects namely, increasingpopulation pressure and exploitation of forestresources in the name of economic development.Conservation and intensive management of forests hasbecome necessary for the protection and improvementof the quality of the environment, the deterioration ofwhich has caused considerable harm. Severalresearchers have investigated the depletion of forestrybiomass by overgrowing population, toxicants andindustrialization. In this talk, mathematical modelingfor the effects of population, industrialization andpollution on forestry biomass and conservation offorestry biomass with using technological effort,alternative resources is to be discussed.Key words: Forest, Mathmetical modelling, Biomass

SIV/O-20

Ambient Aerosols in the Coal Capital ofIndia: DhanbadSiddharth SinghCSIR-CIMFR, Barwa Road, Dhanbad-826015, Jharkhand,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Air quality of Dhanbad has been assessed withparticular reference to the aerosols. In the year longassessment (2012) of shoot particles, the highestconcentration of 8.74 ìg m-3 was observed inDecember. Diurnal data analysis shows two peaks inwhole study period where the maximum massconcentrations of Black Carbon (BC) occurred withinin a day at 0500–1000 Hrs LT (7.97 ìg m-3) and innighttime in between 1700 - 0400 Hrs LT (7.47 ìg m-

3). The observed diurnal variation of BC is mainlyattributed to the dynamics of the local atmosphericboundary layer (ABL), though the urban and localhuman activities might be contributing to the nocturnalpeak. BC data from mine sites were compared withthat of controlled site (CIMFR) and observed that the95th percentile values is 4 15.0 ìg m-3 for mine sites



and 14.42 ìg m-3 at CIMFR site. It means that therelative concentration of BC mass increases at minesites. There were observed drastic changes in themeteorological conditions during different time periodin study as well as mass concentrations of BC.Especially the impact of temperature in massconcentration of BC is clearly indicated and asignificant correlation between BC and relativehumidity (RH) was also seen. Particle number andmass concentration has been observed in nucleationmode and accumulation mode. Analysis of particlenumber in the range of 0.007 µm to 10 µmaerodynamic diameter, shows that particle numberconcentration in stages with particle diameter d” 1 µmwere from identical sources and follow same patternof seasonal variation. Combustion aerosols dominatethe d” 1 µm fraction of particle number. The meanparticle number at < 0.1 µm size was measured as78.67% in summer and a relatively higher 83.39% inwinter. In the size range of 0.1-1.0 µm it is 21.18% insummer, which decreases in winter to 16.56%. In thenext higher particle size range 1.0-10 µm the highervalues were obtained in summer than the winter. Theproportion of granulometric slides (PM0.1; PM0.1–1 andPM1–10) is following the same trend in both theseasons.Key words: Aerosols, Black Carbon (BC), Particle size,Particle number, Meteorology, Coal mines

SIV/O-21

Sea Vegetables; Nori (Laver) - New Healthand Functional Ingredient: the InsideHappening-Taurine FactorR.C. GuptaSASRD, Nagaland University, Medziphema-797106,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The word Nori is Japanese term which is alsocalled Laver in English literature. Nori is alsoassociated with redigious rituals and offered to thespirits of ancestors. Traditionally it is a part of diet ofChinese, Korean, Japanese and other oriental countrieswith believe that it protects them to stay away fromvarious alignments and is vital of longevity and goodhealth. Its food benefits are so high that today it hascrossed mountains and sea to reach all the continents;from European Union, America, Oceania and to Arabworld. Taxonomically it belongs to genera porphyrawith about 50 species of which half of them found in

Japan itself. The wide acceptability of Nori is due toits taste and health benefits. Nori contains almost allessential molecules for sound health, from mineralsto protein, fatty acid to amino acids. It also containsvitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E and the fightingnucleotides to valuable fibres.

The use of this weed as component of food isconsequence of its valuable health benefits andliterature has ample supporting evidences; for loweringof blood cholesterol levels, anti coagulant, anti cancerwith lowering rate of breast cancer, prevention of theoccurrence of gallstone, prevention of gastric shayulcer, intestinal carcinogenesis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, fat liver infiltration, anti allergy, reducingarsenic toxicity as well as promoter of hair growth,eye sight to increase life span. All these beneficialactions of Nori is seems to be because of the moleculespresent in it; while going through its various chemicalcomponent, besides others, the presence of largenumber of bound and free amino acids are surprisingevents and is believe to be responsible for taste, textureand flavour. The presence of very high amount ofsulphur amino acid; taurine, the highest among thefree amino acid found, is a matter of thought, as sucha huge amount must have marked utility. In fact, what’sever the nori showed its functionality, taurine also has;and it is quite possible that nori beneficial activitiesmany be monitor through taurine.Taurine, chemically;2- Amino ethane sulfonic acid is endogenous substancein human body with about 0.1% but its concentrationdecline with ageing hence external supplementationis essential. Taurine is now regarded as functionalagent and has been patented; for various diseaseprevention, for brain to heart, eye to lever, and diabeticto bone loss. It is also promoter of well being, hairgrowth and is part of longevity agents like Nori. Thusit seems that Nori beneficial properties are because ofpresence of high amount of taurine.Key words: Nori, Tourine, Lever

SIV/O-22

Sustainable Agriculture and Society:Reflections on and from the Crystal WatersPermaculture Village in Queensland, AustraliaJungho SuhGeography, Environment and Population, The Universityof Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, AUSTRALIA, Email:[email protected]



Permaculture philosophy maintains thatagriculture is the centre of culture and society. Itfollows that permanent agriculture is necessary to buildpermanent society. Building communal permaculturevillages has been suggested as a pathway to permanentsociety, where social, environmental and economicdimensions of sustainability are simultaneouslyachieved. In communal permaculture, the agriculturalland is held in common as a foundation of organismicsociety. At the Crystal Waters Permaculture Village(Crystal Waters in short) in Queensland, Australia,80% of the whole village was set aside for prospectiveagricultural production. The communal land ismanaged by the body corporate of the village. Theland can be leased out to individual households or acluster of households. Nevertheless, Crystal Watersis not a village where agriculture is the centre of theirlivelihood. Communal permaculture in the way it ispracticed at Crystal Waters cannot become a modelfor sustainable living for the rest of the world. Thus,an alternative form of permaculture villages needs tobe conceptualised and operationalised. This paperargues that the ‘communal’ management of agriculturalland should not be a necessary condition for apermaculture village. It is quite possible to redesignexisting rural villages and turn them into permaculturevillages rather than creating new intentional villagesfrom the scratch. In other words, traditional ruralvillages need to be and can be redesigned to bepermaculture villages. Many developing countries inAsia are in transition to agricultural industrialisation.Large-scale mechanised farms with heavy reliance onagrochemicals have deteriorated the soil fertility onfarms, threatened the health and quality of agriculturalproduce and eventually resulted in destroying the senseof belonging to local rural communities. Thus, it istimely to push forward the permaculture villagemovement in the context of rural development indeveloping countries.Key words: Ecovillage, Communal permaculture, Foodproduction, Village-making

SIV/O-23

Advances in Atomic, Nuclear and MassSpectroscopic Analytical Techniques forMonitoring the EnvironmentV. BalaramCSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad-500007, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Ever since the start of the industrial revolution,most of our, top soils, ground and surface waters andatmosphere have been polluted with several types oftoxins due to extensive agricultural, industrial andmining activities. Common environmental toxinsinclude hydrocarbons, inhaled toxins, pesticides andheavy metals. A major area of concern is the safety ofpublic drinking water, especially with respect to certaintrace and ultra-trace elements in drinking water.Although the main threats to human health areassociated with exposure to elements such as Pb, Cd,Hg and As, other groups of elements such as REE andPGE can be very potential as they are being usedcurrently very extensively in the high technologyapplications. These elements are also finding their wayinto different compartments of the environment. Thetoxic metals, such as As, Se, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Th, U,etc., enter the human body via the food chain, ambientair or drinking water, and often lead to health problems.It is essential to monitor the various compartments ofthe environment to get information about the presentlevels of all harmful or potentially harmful pollutants.It is also well recognized that very often total elementconcentration does not provide adequate informationto understand the toxicity, bioavailability,physiological and metabolic processes, as the mobilityand fate are greatly dependant on the specific chemicalform of the element. Elemental speciation is yet to bedeveloped to its full potential for biochemical, clinicaland environmental investigations, especially, in India.Furthermore, the application may have specificrequirements such as rapid response time, ultra-sensitivity, multi-pollutant capability, or capability forremote measurements. For these reasons, no singlespectroscopic technique appears to offer a panacea forall monitoring needs. However, due to advances inanalytical instrumentation, and especially with theadvent of different forms of inductively coupledplasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, HR-ICP-MS andICP-TOF-MS), several studies are currently inprogress to understand the toxicological effects of evenelements like Pt, Pd, and Rh on humans. Spectaculardevelopments have taken place during last two decadesin the field of instrumental analytical techniques inatomic, nuclear and mass spectrometry areas leadingto very high sensitivity, selectivity, limited interferenceeffects and multi-element/isotope/speciation capabilitywith extremely high throughputs.Key words: Environment, Instrumental analytical techniques,Speciation, Pollutants, Heavy metals, Toxicity



SIV/O-24

Antifungal Activity ofRhamnolipidbiosurfactant AgainstColletotrichumfalcatum-the CausalOrganism of Red Rot of SugarcaneDebahuti Goswami and Suresh Deka*Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Life SciencesDivision, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Tech-nology (IASST), Paschim Boragaon, Garchuk, Guwahati-781035, INDIA, Email. [email protected]

This investigation was carried out to study theeffect of biosurfactant against Colletotrichumfalcatum- the causal organism of red rot disease of sugarcane.For the investigation, a total of 12 biosurfactantproducing bacterial strains have been isolated fromhydrocarbon contaminated soil and the inhibitoryability of the biosurfactants produced by these isolatesagainst C. falcatumwere tested. Preliminaryinvestigation revealed that the biosurfactant producedby the bacterial strainPseudomonas aeruginosa DS9identified from the analysis of the 16S rRNA genesequence was found as the effective inhibitor of thefungus. Further investigations were conducted in vitroto study the efficacy of the biosurfactantpresent inwhole culture (WC), cell-free culture supernatant(CCS), crude extract (CE) and column purified extract(CPE) against the tested fungus. CPE exhibited highest(86.6%) inhibition of the mycelial growth of C.falcatum. Thin layer chromatography (TLC), fouriertransform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and liquidchromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysisconfirmed that the biosurfactant recovered from P.aeruginosa DS9 is rhamnolipid in nature.The resultsof the present study suggest rhamnolipidbiosurfactantto be a suitable candidate for its use against C. falcatumto control red rot of sugarcane.Key words: Pseudomonas aeruginosa DS9,Rhamnolipidbiosurfactant, Antifungal agent,Colletotrichumfalcatum,·Red rot

SIV/O-25

Simulation Modeling for Forest Fire: AGeospatial Approach towards Fire DisasterManagementShruti Kanga* and L.K. SharmaCentre for Land Resource Management, Central Univer-

sity of Jharkhand, Ranchi-835205, INDIA,Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Forest fire models are generally used in differentaspects of fire management. Simulation modeling isan adequate tool to estimate risk when actual risk dataare limited or unavailable. Fire modeling is helpful inunderstanding and prediction of fire behavior withoutgetting burned. Fire models are used in differentaspects of fire management; before fire, for risk factorcalculation and this would help fire fighters to focuson area with higher risk and develop betterinfrastructure, before fire for fire fighter trainingpurposes and developing a scenario for training, duringfire, for planning fire fighting strategies and this wouldhelp fire crews position equipment on the ground sothat they can minimize damage and stay safe. There isa need to model fire in ground, crown, and surfacefuel. Current research indicates the Fire risk estimationas the proportion of simulation runs that burned aparticular point and accumulated over the entire areaof Taradevi Forest (Shimla) India. This helps firefighters to focus on an area with greater risk and todevelop better substructure for fire fighter training andultimately to plan fire-fighting policies to minimizedamage and stay safe. Satellite remote sensing datasetsin conjunction with topographic, vegetation and otherparameters like road settlement etc. Spatial data onall these parameters have been aggregated andorganized in a GIS (Geographic Information System)framework. Results from the current study were quitesignificant in identifying potential active-spots of firerisk, where forest fire protection measures can be takenin advance.Key words: Forest fire risk, Modelling, Simulation, Extendedfire zone

SIV/O-26

Phytobiotic Evaluation of Eclipta alba onFish PathogenesisN. Chakraborty1*, S.R. Patra2, A.P. Sharma1 andA.K. Das1

1Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI, ICAR),Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal-700120, INDIA.2Department of Biotechnology, Gitam Institute of Science,Gitam University, Visakhapatnam-530045, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The economic expansion of intensive aquaculturepractices has led to an understanding of various fish



diseases both for prevention and treatment. It is widelydemonstrated that the occurrence of diseases in fishfarm is due to several factors concerned with therearing methods, environmental conditions andvariations. Consequently, cultivated fish can becomemore susceptible not only to pathogenic but also toopportunistic bacteria. Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk(Asteraceae) is a branched herbaceous plant wellknown as curative against various tropical and sub-tropical diseases. Morphologically, the plant bears softand sessile stem. The extensive growth of the plant inmoist areas of varied topology indicates itsinvasiveness and signifies its intense allelopathicactivity. In view of this allelopathic potential, the rootsof the plants are considered as a vital biochemicalmediator to the environment which could possibly beused as an antimicrobial agent against fish pathogen.This perspective is supported with the fact that rootexudates of a plant could serve as better in an aquaticecosystem. Following the liquid-liquid extractionprocedure, the root exudates were fractionated withmajor solvents, amongst which the methanol fractionwas found to possess significant antimicrobial activityagainst broad spectrum microbes dwelling in diverseenvironmental conditions. The experimental findingsinferred statistical significance at 0.001 levels and thusvalidate practical implication.Key words: Allelochemical, Antimicrobial activity, Ecliptaalba, Root exudates

SIV/P-1

Quality Evaluation and Validation ofTraditional Claims of Indian EvolvulusSpecies with Respect to Phenolic Content,Caffeic Acid and Antioxidant PotentialSaba Irshad1*, Siddhartha Pragyadeep1, Ajay KumarSingh Rawat1, P.K. Misra2 and Sayyada Khatoon1

1Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap MargLucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department of Botany, Univer-sity of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Free radical-mediated oxidative stress is themajor cause of neurodegenerative disorders and plantsare traditionally being used for the treatment of several

degenerative disorders. It is evident that polyphenolbased antioxidants play a significant role asneuroprotective agents. Evolvulus alsinoides L. (EA)and E. nummularius L. (EN) (Convolvulaceae), aretraditionally being used as nerve tonic. Presentcommunication provided the quality standards of EAand EN by standard pharmacopoeial methods andTLC/HPTLC analysis; evaluation of polyphenolsespecially caffeic acid; antioxidant potential usingDPPH radical scavenging, ?-carotene bleaching,hydroxyl radical scavenging and reducing powerassays to validate the neuroprotective effect. Theidentifying macroscopic characters were flower colouri.e. blue in EA and white in EN; leaf shape i.e.lanceolate in EA and round in EN. The characteristicmicroscopic features were - anisocytic stomata in EAwhile diacytic to paracytic stomata in EN; simple andglandular trichomes in EA and stellate trichomes inEN; tenniniferous cells in EA and calcium oxalatecrystals in EN. Further, pith was parenchymatous inboth stem but embedded with spindle shapeddeposition of starch grains and calcium oxalate crystalsonly in EN. The chemical markers viz. caffeic acid,ferulic acid, lupeol, â-sitosterol were identified usingTLC/HPTLC in both species with varyingconcentration. However, phenolic content (968mgGAE/100g w/w) and caffeic acid (415.9±0.003mg/100g w/w) were three times high in EN. Similarly,antioxidant potential was significantly high with lowerIC50 in EN as compare to EA. Therefore, it may beconcluded that macro-microscopy and TLC profilesmay be utilized for proper identification and qualityevaluation of EA and EN. EN may lead to potentialantioxidant and neuroprotective drugs.Key words: Macro-microscopy, Evolvulus alsinoides,Evolvulus nummularius, TLC, Antioxidant, Polyphenols

SIV/P-2

Effect of Rainfall on Nutrient Releasethrough Weathering of RocksDeepika PandeyAmity University Haryana, Amity School of Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, Amity University Haryana,Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana-122413, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Global food security is directly related with thecrop production. The availability of land for agriculture



and the nutrient content of the soil need to beguaranteed to meet food requirements of the increasingpopulation of the world. Assured supply of nutrients,keeping in view the preservation of quality of landlooks like to be an unattainable task. Nature has itsown means of providing nutrients required by theplants. However, changing environmental conditionsand rainfall patterns have brought a challengingresponsibility. In the present study, the release ofnutrients through weathering is studied under differentrainfall conditions in the Cauvery catchment area,Southern India. Two different kinds of rocks,amphibolites and granites, were studied to understandthe pattern of release of elements. The chemical formsof the elements were studied through seven differentfractions for each identifiable stage of weathering. Itwas found that required nutrients are released inavailable forms by natural weathering process andreadily available nutrients are lost in high rainfallareas. Most of the trace elements such as Ni, Co, Sr,Zn etc are associated with organic fraction in largerproportions. Al was strongly concentrated in theorganic fraction irrespective of the rainfall receivedby the area. The presence of active pool of organicmatter in the weathering profile is expected to activelyparticipate in the biogeochemical cycling of theelements during weathering. Different rocks are sourceof different nutrients, and hence play a role inincreasing fertility of land. Areas with scanty rainfallare found to be rich in soil nutrients, water being thelimiting factor. Weathering of rocks is a natural processof adding nutrients to the floodplains. Thus this canbe inferred that changing rainfall patterns of the worldwill slowly bring a change in availability of nutrients.Key words: Weathering, Speciation, Nutrient availability,Rainfall, Cauvery catchment

SIV/P-3

Oat: An Important Crop for UtilizingWastelands for Nutritional SecurityD. Singh*, R.C. Nainwal, R.S. Katiyar, S.S. Tripathi,S.K. Sharma, S. Singh, L.K. Sharma, V. Chaturvediand S.K. TewariDistant Research Centre, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email:[email protected],[email protected], [email protected],

[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], ani.lalit.sharma.gmail.com,[email protected], [email protected]

Neglected and underutilized crops aredomesticated plant species that have been used forcenturies or even millennia for their food, fiber, fodder,oil or medicinal properties, but have been reduced inimportance over time owing to particular supply anduse constraints. With modernization of agriculturalpractices, many of these crops have become neglected.As the demand for plant and crop attributes changes(re-appraisal or discovery of nutritional traits, culinaryvalue, adaptation to climate change etc.), neglectedcrops can overcome the constraints to the widerproduction and use. In the current scenario, just threecrops - maize, wheat and rice - account for more than50% of the world’s consumption of calories andprotein. With ever-increasing population pressure andfast depletion of natural resources, it has becomeextremely important to diversify the present-dayagriculture in order to meet various human needs in asustainable manner.

Oat (Avena sativa) is a hardy cereal grain, ableto withstand poor soil conditions and important asfood, medicine and for industries. The cultivation andconsumption of this crop may be helpful in overcomingthe nutritional deficiencies, predominant in many ruralareas of the country and boost the socio-economiccondition of the society. Since it is consumed directlyas a food, it is prerequisite to produce top-quality foodand, additionally, to protect the natural environmentby applying eco-friendly agricultural practices andabandoning synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.Keeping all these facts in consideration, few nutritionalexperiments had been conducted at CSIR- NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow to standardizethe crop production techniques to provide high qualityfood from the marginal/degraded sodic soil conditionwithout disturbing the main agriculture land. Thefinding of these experiments revealed that seeds treatedby PSB and Trichoderma with application of half doseof recommended fertilizer produced economicallyhigher grain and straw yield. In another experiment,among the inorganic treatments, 100 % STR (doseapplied on the basis of soil testing report) with 10 kg/ha ZnSO4, produced economically higher grain yield.Key word: Oat, PSB, Underutilized, Trichoderma



SIV/P-4

Value Addition of Some Endangered EdiblePlants of UttrakhandJ.P. Thakur* and P.P. GothwalCSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute,Resource Centre, Lucknow-226019 INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Agriculture/horticulture resource survey revealsthat endangered edible plants available in Uttrakhandare nutritionally enriches with natural antioxidants andother nutraceutically important compounds.Traditionally the people from Uttrakhand utilize thiscrops/vegetation of their ambient environment in formof different products as food, fodder, fuel, medicine,fiber, timber etc. The members of some endangeredand threatened taxa of edible plants belong to differentfamilies Mimosaceae, Averrhoaceae, Caesalpiniaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Bombacaeae, Ulmaceae, Ehretiaceae,Ehritiaceae, Moraceae, Tiliaceae etc. Among theseuseful species most of them are commerciallyexploited by local people and herbal based foodmanufacturers, presently many of such endangeredspecies are in threat categories. There is a greatpotential for processing of endangered edible plants(comprises cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables species,condiments etc.) available in Uttrakhand into variousvalue added products. Hence, there is an urgent needfor conservation and value addition of such speciesfor sustainable development. The present studyprovides comprehensive information on the diversity,conservation status and utilization of some endangerededible plants available in Uttarakhand.Key words: Edible, Endangered, Conservation, Herbal,Nutraceutical

SIV/P-5

Influence of Pulp and Paper IndustryWastewater on Soil Urease ActivityVivek Kr. Gaurav1* and Chhaya Sharma2

1Environmental Research Laboratory, 2Department ofPaper Technology, IIT-Roorkee, Saharanpur campus,Saharanpur-247001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Effluent from pulp and paper industries are highlytoxic, this toxic nature is on account of the presenceof several chemical compounds which are formed and

released during various stages of papermaking. Thebiochemical and microbiological status of the soil hasoften been proposed as a sensitive indicator of soilecological stress. Urease is an important enzymeresponsible for nitrogen metabolism and particularlygained attention due to agricultural importance of ureaas its substrate. Influence of pulp and paper industrywastewater on Urease activity of twelve soil samplesfrom the area situated near by paper mill discharge atSaharanpur district were investigated. Soil sampleswere collected from 13 sites at a depth of 5-10 cm andthe distance between the collecting sites was in therange of 50-100 m, including one reference site whichwas considerably far from the discharge and supposedto be uninfluenced with paper mill effluentcontamination. Out of twelve samples, six sampleswere taken from agriculture land and rest from non-agricultural sites situated in vicinity to the paper milldischarge area. The average pH of soil samplescollected from different sites varied from 5.8 to 7.6whereas moisture content and soil organic carboncontent ranged between 28.6-36.6% and 12.40-7.88%respectively. Considerable reduction in urease activitywas observed both in the samples from agriculturalsite and non agricultural site near by paper milldrainage in comparison to the activity at reference sitewhich was observed 7.70 mg NH4

+-N g-1h-1. Ureaseactivity in the samples from agricultural field and non-agricultural field was observed to be 54.41% to75.06%and 76.10% to 97.53% respectively lesser than theurease activity at the reference site. Heavy metalanalysis was also performed to support the inference.Key words: Soil enzyme, Urease, Pulp and paper industry,Effluent, Saharanpur, Toxicity

SIV/P-6

Occurrence of Seed Borne Diseases of Cicerarietinum (Chick pea) and Strategies toControl Fusarium Wilt by Bio ControlMethodNiharika Nema¹*, Chitra Arya2 and Arun Arya²1Cellular and Molecular Biology Programme, 2Departmentof Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, The Maha-raja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara-390002,Gujrat, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Our balanced diet consists of two majorcomponents, cereals and pulses besides vegetable and



fruits. Seed health is being recognized as one of theimportant criteria in evaluating seed quality. Accordingto current estimates, 10% of food grain is lost in storagedue to microbial spoilage and insect attack. Storagefungi grow faster in 70-90% humidity. Cicer arietinumL. (Chickpea) commonly called as gram (Chana) ismost commonly used as pulse in daily diet andimportant for making gram flour (besan). Thereduction in yield and poor germination of gram seedmay be due to presence of various fungal organismsand insect pests. After the harvest many fungalproblems result into loss of about 20% of produce.This results in loss of viability, poor germination andproduction of toxins thus reducing the food value.

To find out the occurrence and solution of seedborne infection on gram an effort was made to analyseoccurrence of fungal flora on gram (local variety) incontrol sets using three wet blotting papers, and withtreatment of 1% NaOCl in PDA medium. The resultsshowed occurrence of ten different fungi. Threespecies of Aspergillus were present. The paper dealswith control of Fusarium sp. with Trichoderma virideamember belonging to Mitosporic fungi.Key words: Seed mycoflora, Chickpea, Fusarium, Biocontrol

SIV/P-7

Effect of Systemic Fungicides on Okra(Abelmoschus esculentous) PlantsPoonam Yadav and M.K. Kidwai*Department of Energy and Environmental Sciences,C.D.L.U., Sirsa, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The study was aimed to evaluate the inhibitoryeffect of systemic fungicides on growth anddevelopment of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)cultivar “Niharika. A pot trial of okra plants wasconducted for 28 days. Three widely used systemicfungicides i.e. Tricyclazole 75% WP, Carbendazim50% WP and Sulphur 80% WP were used in the studyin different concentration mixed in soil to appraisethe inhibitory effect of fungicides on okra plants. Twodifferent concentration of each of the three systemicfungicides and consortium of fungicides were appliedas RD (Recommended dose) and double of the RD tostudy the morphological and growth attributes suchas Germination Percent, Seedling vigour, Shoot length,Root length, No of leaves, No of roots and FreshWeight at regular time interval of 7th, 14th and 28th days.

Results indicated the suppression of plant growth dueto the presence of fungicide in soil in all the doses.Abiotic stress due to the fungicides caused significantdecrease in Germination Percent, Seedling vigour,Shoot length, Root length, No of leaves, No of rootsand Fresh Weight in all treatments in comparison ofcontrol plants which showed luxuriant growth at theregular time interval in pots. Decrease in germinationpercent was recorded to be highest in treatments havingSulphur (33%) followed by consortium (28%)Carbendazim (16%) and Tricyclazole (11%). Percentdecrease in seedling vigour was recorded to be highestin okra plants having Sulphur (53%) followed byconsortium (44%) Carbendazim (28.6%) andTricyclazole (23%). Percent decrease in fresh weightwas recorded in all the treatments at regular timeinterval of 7th, 14th and 28th day. Suppression in plantlength was recorded in all the treatments at regulartime interval of 7th, 14th and 28th day however highestpercent decrease was recorded in okra plants havingSulphur (54%), consortium (45%) and Carbendazim(35%) in comparison of Tricyclazole (24%) at boththe doses. It is concluded that all the three fungicidesproduced inhibitory effect on plant growth anddevelopment but among them Sulphur 80% WP at boththe doses produced the deleterious impact on growthand development of okra plants.Key words: Systemic, Tricyclazole, Carbendazim, Sulphur,Seedling Vigour, Germination percent

SIV/P-8

Effect of Rice Based Cropping Systems onSoil Organic Carbon and its FractionsBiswadip Mukherjee* and Nandita GhoshalCenter of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Soil organic carbon is the most importantcomponent of the soil and it is composed of differentfractions with variable turnover rate. The labilefraction of soil organic matter is mainly composed ofsoil microbial biomass carbon, water soluble organiccarbon and carbohydrate carbon. Since these labilefractions are very sensitive to changes in managementof cropping systems they may serve as early indicesof changes in soil organic matter. Humic substances,are the largest, most stable pool of organic carbon witha relatively slow turnover rate and serve as indicator



of organic matter accumulation in soil. The presentwork was designed to study the dynamics of soilorganic carbon in terms of its different fractions inresponse to variation in rice based cropping systemsin moist tropics. The cropping systems studied wererice fallow (RF), rice rice (RR), rice wheat (RW) andone undisturbed grassland (GL) situated at AgriculturalExperimental Farm, Baruipur, University of Calcutta.Soil samples were collected five times during theannual cycle at various growth stages from 0-15 cmdepth. Annual mean level of soil organic carbon andall its fractions viz. carbohydrate carbon, water solublecarbon and humus carbon were highest in grasslandas compared to cultivated systems. Among thecropping systems, RW recorded the maximum levelsfor all the labile fractions while the humus fractionwas highest in RR system. RF had the least value forboth active and passive fractions of soil organic carbon.The ratio of active: passive fraction was highest inRW and lowest in rice fallow (RF). On this basis wemay conclude that crop rotation of RW is a bettermanagement practice than intensive rice monoculturesor rice fallow rotations for sustaining long term soilfertility in humid tropics.Key words: Cropping systems, Organic carbon, Microbialbiomass carbon, Labile fractions, Humus

SIV/P-9

Cultivation, Processing and Exploitation ofMedicinal Plants in India-IL.P. DeshmukhDepartment of Botany, J.D.M.V.P.S. Arts, Commerce andScience College, Varangaon, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

India has a rich heritage of traditional system ofmedicines with its 20 agro climate zones, 45,000 plantspecies and 1500 medicinal plant. It is reported thatabove 1300 species are extremely used in differentsystem of medicines. Most of the medicinal plants atpresent are collected from wild, As there is lack ofeffort on scientific farming, successful cultivation andcommercialization needs people’s participation andtransparent financial backup by funding agencies anddynamic investors. It is reported that 80% of medicinalplant used by Pharmaceutical industries are collectedfrom wild and about 70% of plant collection involvesthe use of bark, root, stems and in some cases the whole

plant leading to destructive harvesting.Involvement offarmers in Cultivation, development of appropriatetechnologies that can be easily adopted by farmers,buy-back guarantee scheme to cultivators, research ondevelopment of high yielding varieties, efficient valueadded processing techniques are required to bypromoted, Linkage between traditional medicinalsystem and people are to be strengthened, unethicaltrade and loss of intellectual properties are to bechecked. Organic and certified production of medicinalplants can help in promoting social equity; adequateincentives for enhancing cultivation, value addedprocessing and sustainable harvesting must be takento capitalize on our rich heritage of traditional health care.Key word: Medicinal plant, India

SIV/P-10

Seasonal Variation of Isoprene Emissionsfrom Tropical Roadside Plant Species andTheir Possible Role in Deteoriating AirQualityPallavi Saxena1* and Chirashree Ghosh2

1Space and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Physica Re-search Laboratory, Ahmedabad - 380009, Gujarat, India.2Environmental Pollution Laboratory, Department ofEnvironmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are definedas any organic compound with high vapor pressuresand also easily vaporized under normal conditions intothe atmosphere. Many such compounds are releasedby plants which are normally untraceable for humansand are called as biogenic volatile organic compounds.Among all bVOCs isoprene is the most predominatingone which may lead to implications on air quality suchas production of tropospheric ozone (Gutherner et al.,2006) and aerosol production (Julia et al., 2011). Inthe present study, two widely adapted common Indianplant species viz. Dalbergia sissoo (Family: Fabaceae)and Nerium oleander (Family: Apocynaceae) wereexamined for normalized isoprene emission rate(NIER) using dynamic flow through bag enclosuretechnique. An attempt has also been made to evaluatesuitability of these two selected plant species for cityplantation programmes. Dalbergia sp. has got highisoprene emission (84.67 ± 3.87 µg/g/h) while Neriumsp. has minimum (0.001± 0.17 µg/g/h) during summer



season as compared to monsoon season (Dalbergia -23.88 ± 0.23 µg/g/h; Nerium - 0.001± 0.11 µg/g/h).Thus, Nerium oleander falls under low isopreneemitting category while Dalbergia sissoo, under highisoprene emitting category. The plants having lowemitting isoprene rate, it is more likely that non-functionalization of the this light-dependent Isoprene-synthase (IspS). IspS is responsible for inadequategeneration of dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP)substrate causing mutations in the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway whichgenerally interfere with metabolic processes andcrucial for plant survival and emit less isopreneemission. Hence, Nerium oleander should beencouraged for further city plantation at roadsides andDalbergia sissoo should be done on low scale so thatthe air will be clean and indirect production of otherharmful pollutants (tropospheric ozone, aerosolproduction) will be minimized.Key words: Isoprene, Indian plant species, Roadside, VOCsand air quality

SIV/P-11

Modern Pollen/Spore Rain DepositionPattern in Lashoda Tal, Raebareli District,Uttar PradeshAnjali Trivedi*, Anju Saxena and M.S. ChauhanBirbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226007,INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected], mschauam_ [email protected]

The paper deals with the modern pollen rain/vegetation relationship, based on the pollen analysisof ten surface samples gathered from Lashoda Tal,Raebareli District (U.P.). The pollen assemblagesreveal the dominance of non-arboreals and relativelylow frequencies of arboreals trees and shrubs). Acacia(av.6.35%) and Madhuca indica (av. 4%) are the majorcomponents among the tree taxa and they are steadilyrepresented with av. 9.35% pollen, whereas rest of thetrees viz., Capparis, Holoptelea, Bauhinia, Ailanthus,Shorea robusta, Schleichera, Syzygium and membersof Meliaceae, occurring commonly in the region, arerecorded meagerly. The under-representation of alltheses taxa could be inferred to their low pollenproduction owing entomophilous mode of pollination.The selective preservation of their pollen in the surfacesediments cannot be denied. In general, the tree taxa

constitute av.17% fraction of the total pollen rain. Therepresentation of grasses, sedges, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae (Cheno/Am), Caryophyllaceae,Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, etc. in the pollen spectrasubstantiates their actual composition in the groundflora. The frequent encounter of Cerealia along withother culture pollen taxa viz., Cheno/Am,Brassicaceae, Artemisia and Cannabis sativa depictsthe proximity of cultivated land and human habitation.In addition, a good number of fungal remains such asNigrospora, Tetraploa, Curvularia, Diplodia, Glomus,Alternaria, etc. have been encountered frequently inthe surface soils, indicating locally prevalence of dampcondition with abundance of decaying organic matter.

The investigation has also provided databaseconcerning the important pollen/spores in the localmilieu, which get accumulated on the ground alongwith rains/dews after emission from the source plants.Their relative frequencies enables in determining thespecific pollen/spores in the aerospora relevant to localallergic diseases.Key words: Pollen analysis, Surface soils, Pollen/spore rain,Lashoda Tal, Uttar Pradesh

SIV/P-12

Ethnobotanical Notes on Some Wild Plantsfor Non-Medicinal Purpose by the Tribalsand Rurals of Chitrakoot District, U.P.Priyanka Verma* and Kaynat JameelDepartment of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi ChitrakootGramodaya Vishwavidyalaya Chitrakoot, Satna, M.P.,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out amongthe tribals and rurals of Chitrakoot district duringdifferent season of February 2013 to July 2014. Thestudy mainly focused on the wild plants used by thetribals and rurals for various non-medicinal purposes(mat, net, broom, baskets and rope making,construction, dye and tannin, gum and resin, industrialpurposes, hedge/fencing, religious, to ward off evilspirits, insect repellents etc.) through the consultationwith the old and knowledgeable people. A total of 27plant species belonging to 26 genera and 19 familieswere identified as economically important plants. Withrespect to the habit, 9 plants are herbs (1 plant isbamboo), 5 plants are shrubs and 13 are trees. Of these



are used for 4 plants are basketry, 3 brooms, 2 mats, 2nets and 4 ropes, 6 plants as fencing, 3 plants for dyingand tanning, 9 plant as religious, 4 plants for evilspirits, 2 as insect repellent, 2 fertilizer, 1 alcoholicdrink, 3 toothbrush, 1 plates and bowls, 1 soil erosion,4 plants household and building material and othermiscellaneous uses of these plants are also recorded.Non-medicinal uses of plants with their Botanicalname, local name of plant species, Family, part usedand non-medicinal uses are described in detail. Theinvestigation underlines the potential of ethnobotanicalresearch and needs to document the traditionalknowledge pertaining to the uses of plants for greaterbenefit of mankind.Key words: Ethnobotany, Fencing, Religious, Evil spirits,Traditional Knowledge, Chitrakoot

SIV/P-13

Ethnomedicinal Plants used for MinorAccident of Burns by the Tribals of BandaDistrict (U.P.), IndiaKaynat Jameel* and Priyanka VermaDepartment of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi ChitrakootGramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, M.P.,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Banda district is the smallest district of UttarPradesh which is surrounded by thick forestandrepository economically as well as ethnomedicinallyimportant for plants. This paper is based on anEthnobotanicalsurvey conducted on the use ofmedicinal plants in the treatment of minor accident ofburns (boils and blisters) by village dwellers, tribalpeople, village herbalists, herbal practitionersbelonging to Banda district of Uttar Pradesh duringdifferent season of January 2013 to April 2014. Forthe purpose of this study, personal interviews with thehelp of a structured questionnaire were held toinvestigate the utility of various medicinal plantsamong these stakeholders. Through this study, a totalof 15 plant species belonging to 12 families have beendocumented. Also, the medicinal plants used in thetreatment of minor accident by tribal’s have been listedwith botanical name, family, local names, mode ofpreparation, part used and voucher number andcollection date, As a whole, the study reveals thatmajority of the people of Banda district continue todepend on the medicinal plants at least for the

treatment of primary healthcare. This data should beuseful for pharmaceutical industries which can studythe phytochemistry and prepare new medicines. It hasbeen observed that rich information contents are lyingwith old generations must be recorded before it is lastforever. By publishing their experience will not makeonly young generation to aware about their traditionalknowledge related to use of plant parts, but also thepeople will have easy and cheap remedy to cure someminor accidents of burns.Key words: Medicinal plant, Minor accidents, Traditionalhealers, Pharmaceutical industries, Phytochemistry, Burns

SIV/P-14

Economic Costs Due to Cement AirPollution Linked Public Health Problem inBihra Village, Near Jaypee Cement Plant,Rewa (M.P.)Priyanka RaiDepartment of School of Environmental Biology,A.P.S. University, Rewa-486003, M.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Cement industry is the one of the 17th mostpollutant industries listed by central pollution controlboard. Cement industry is a continuous source ofparticulate matters (such as SPM and RSPM) and gases(such as SO2 and NOx). Results determined theaverage concentrations of SPM and RSPM in theambient air of study site have been observed abovethe standard value (200 µg/m3 for SPM and 100µg/m3 for RSPM for residential and rural uses), whereasthe gaseous pollutants (such as SO2 and NOx) are wellbelow the standard value (80µg/m3 for SO2 and NOxfor residential and rural uses) during 2009-2010prescribed by CPCB, New Delhi. Higherconcentrations of pollutants during winter, moderateduring summer and low during rainy seasons indicatedseasonal fluctuations of pollutants under present study.These air pollutants have long been associated withprevalence of various diseases in human being due tocement air pollution. Results indicated higherincidence of respiratory disease followed bycardiovascular, gastrointestinal, others, skin, eye, earand dental diseases. Whereas Others diseases is notcorrelated with air pollution linked problem.Questionnaire based survey was conducted to collectinformation on the economic losses on account ofdiseases caused due to air pollution by the cement



plants. This information included the losses ofproduction due to possible in capacity to wages andmedical treatment costs (medicine, transport, doctorfee, hospital admissions, bed charges, pathological testetc.). The maximum expenditure of villagers for healthcost has been recorded as about wages (23,96,763 Rs.)followed by medicinal (15,55,947 Rs), Accidental(9,56,644 Rs), transport (3,92,886 Rs), doctor fee(1,05,261 Rs), bed (84,349 Rs) and other charges(36,888Rs). Finally concluded that SPM and RSPMis the prime accuse for deterioration of ambient airquality in the Bihra village.Key words: Ambient air pollution, Human health, EconomicCost, Jaypee plant, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh

SIV/P-15

In vitro Antifungal Property of Extract ofLichen Parmotrema nilgherrense againstPhytopathogenic FungiPreeti S. Babiah1*, D.K. Upreti1 and S.A. John2

1Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Departmentof Biological Sciences, Sam Higginbottom Institute ofAgriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini, Allahabad,Uttar Pradesh, India-211007, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Antifungal features of acetone, methanol andchloroform extracts of lichen Parmotremanilgherrense were screened against five plantpathogenic fungi, viz., Aspergillus niger, Aspergillusflavus, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani,Colletotrichum falcatum, by the Kirby Bauer Disk-Diffusion assay. The Minimum InhibitoryConcentration (MIC) was performed by Broth TubeDilution method. The obtained results indicated thatall the three extracts manifested selective antifungalactivity. The activity was more evident in relation toacetone extract followed by methanol extract. The leastactivity was evaluated for chloroform extract. Themean zones of inhibition for acetone ranged from10.3±0.6 to 19.6±0.3 and for methanol the activityrange occurred at 10.3±0.2 to 15.0±0.0. The highestMIC value was measured for Aspergillus niger andAspergillus flavus whereas, lowest was shown byColletotrichum falcatum. The study suggests thatlichen shows potential broad spectrum antifungalactivity against phytopathogenic fungi and may beeffectively utilized as natural biocontrol agents.Key words: Lichen, Parmotrema nilghrriense, Antifungalactivity, Kirby-bauer disk Diffusion assay, MIC

SIV/P-16

Potentially Toxic Elements and PAHs inBiomass Ashes Derived from Biomass FiredPower PlantsR. Ebhin Masto, Elina Sarkar*, SangeetaMukhopadhyay, Joshy Georg, V. Anguselvi and L.C. RamEnvironmental Management Division, CSIR-CentralInstitute of Mining and Fuel Research DigwadihCampus, PO: FRI, Dhanbad-828108. INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Biomass energy production is steadilyincreasing worldwide specially in the industrializedcountries. In developing countries like India it isexpected to rise more as the non-renewable coalreserves would deplete sooner or later. But the residueobtained from the biomass fired power plants in theform of ash pose a serious problem in their disposal.The biomass ashes derived from five biomass powerplants were analysedfor potentially toxic elements andpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The fired biomassmaterials were mainly coconut, chicken, and woodwaste. The elements present in significant amount areB (18.2 - 205 mg/kg), Cu (236 - 478 mg/kg), Cd (8.5 -23.2 mg/kg), Ni (53 - 186 mg/kg), and Zn (9.89 - 400mg/kg). The sequential extraction study showed thatmost of these elements are present in the non-availableresidual fractions. The total PAHs content wascomparatively lower (0.2 - 12.3 mg/kg), except fortwo sample (193 - 2077 mg/kg). The ashes aresignificantly rich in plant nutrients (K, P, Ca, Mg, Zn,Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni) and can be used for soil amelioration,however, the PAH content in some of these ashes couldbe a bottle neck.Key words: Biomass ash, Heavy metals, PAHs, Sequentialextraction

SIV/P-17

Carbon - A Predominant Atom ofAtmosphere and Viral Proteins TooParul Johri*, Mala Trivedi and Aditi SinghAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University UttarPradesh, Lucknow Campus, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, 227105Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected] [email protected]

The Japanese encephalitis (JE) is caused by anenveloped positive-sense single stranded RNA (~ 11



kb in length) virus, containing single open readingframe (ORF) encoding for a poly-protein. The polyprotein is processed into three structural core protein(C), membrane protein (M) and envelope protein (E)and seven nonstructural (NS1, NS2B, NS2A, NS3,NS4B, NS4A, and NS5) proteins, flanked by 52 - and32 -non-translated regions (NTRs). In the presentstudy, virulent proteins of JE were analysed at atomiclevel. Though all the proteins in nature are made upof the same 20 amino acids, they only differ in theirarrangements. We went a step down to analyze theseproteins at atom level to find the significance of carbonin them. All the twenty amino acids are made up ofbasic five atoms namely carbon (C), nitrogen (N),hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and sulphur (S). Amongstall these five atoms carbon is the main atom ofatmosphere and also responsible for the hydrophobicproperty of proteins. Therefore, it is imperative tostudy the relevance of carbon in viral proteins too.The virulent proteins were retrieved and studied forthe calculation of total carbon percentage in them. Adynamic programming algorithm was designed for theparsing and calculation of carbon atom in the proteinsequences using perl programming. The percentageof carbon was further studied using Microsoft excel2007. The results showed a great demarcation for thevarious proteins - the carbon range of poly proteinbeing 31.26-31.36, envelop protein 29.12 - 35.34, Eprotein 31.20 - 32.19 and capsid protein 30.6 - 30.7.The results obtained clearly indicated that carbon couldbe used for proteins profiling in viruses, as it is notonly the major atom of atmosphere, but nature hasalso made it the most essential atom of viral genomes.Key words: Carbon, Hydrophobic, Japanese encephalitis,Protein

SIV/P-18

Insights into the Nature and Mechanism ofInterference of Tropical Invasive WeedAgeratum conyzoidesShalinder Kaur* and Daizy R. BatishDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Ageratum conzyoides L. (family Asteraceae) isan invasive weed from tropical America that has nowinvaded in pastures, plantations, forests and arable landof Southeast Asia. It has formed huge monospecific

strands in the infested areas and severely affected thenatural communities. We planned a series ofexperiments to elucidate it nature and mechanism ofits interference that helps in infestation in the alienenvironments. We observed that the weed releasescertain metabolites into the rhizospheric region makingit toxic for the growth of other plant species. Thesemetabolites not only affected the growth of otherspecies but significantly altered soil chemistry andaffected availability of soil nutrients. The present paperdiscusses the role of secondary metabolites and root-mediated interactions of A. conyzoides in the alienenvironment and their role in heavy infestation ininvaded areas.Key words: Invasive weed, Allelopathy, Secondarymetabolites, Root-mediated interaction

SIV/P-19

Emerging Agronomic Practices: Are theyReally Sustainable?Rishikesh Singh*, Shweta Upadhyay andA.S. RaghubanshiInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development(IESD), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

By the end of 20th century, global agriculture havefaced the problem of nutrient deficiency, soil erosion,water scarcity, greenhouse gaseous emissions shieldedby climate injustice. These natural repercussions inassociation with ever-increasing population especiallyin developing countries not only impacted on theeconomics of the state but also their socialdevelopment. Various alternatives, commonly calledsustainable agricultural practices, have been eitheremerged or modulated from previously establishedpractices (called best management practices or BMPs)to cope up with such issues. Conservation agriculture,system of rice intensification (SRI), and soilamelioration of organics are a few well knownagronomic promotion packages in tropical countriessince two decades. They are claimed as resourceconservation techniques (RCTs) having potential tomeet the dietary requirement of present population. Ithas been observed that total exclusion of mineralfertilizers and pesticides is still doubtful due to partialdependency of emergent agronomic practices;however, there is a limited use. In addition, water



productivity and Carbon sequestration potential isincreasing. However, critical analysis revealed thatpresence of labile organic matter addition through suchpractices might have accelerating effect over inherentorganic matter loss via soil priming in long term. Inaddition, these practices are newer in most of the states,thus, labour cost in terms of skill development couldhinder farmers to adopt them. Most importantly, theclimatic variability in terms of drought, uneven rainfalland fluctuating diurnal temperature may hamper grainyield in particular area. Thus, in spite of blindlyagreeing with the sustainability parameters ofemergent agronomic practices, it is required tocritically evaluate them on social, economic andenvironmental templates.Inclusion of climate modelswill further rectify farmers concern about yield penalty,if occurred unfortunately.Key words: Agronomy, RCT, SRI, Carbon sequestration,Slimate model

SIV/P-20

Soil Test Based Nutrient Management inTurmeric (Curcuma longa L.) under PartialShade ConditionLal Bahadur*, Rekha Kannaujia and T.S. RahiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.), a treespecies belongs to family Leguminaceae. This treespecies cultivated under monoculture and agroforestrysystem in the Indogangetic plains of India. Turmeric(Curcuma longa L.) belongs to family Zingiberaceae.It is widely used as spices and natural coloring agentsin food cosmetics and dye. Curcuminoids is its activeconstituents and have some medicinal properties.Nutrient management is one of the important practicesfor optimum yield and quality of selected plant, a fieldexperiment was carried out under partial shade vs. non-shade conditions to optimize the yield and quality ofturmeric at Banthra Research Station of CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow. The treatmentcombinations were T1 - Control, T2-100% NPK (125:60: 90), T3 - 100% NPK + S30, T4 - 100% NPK + Zn30,T5 - 100% NPK + S30 Zn30, T6 - 100% NPK + S30 Zn30 +20 t FYM, T7 - 125% T5, T8 - 150% T5 with fourreplications in RBD design. Results indicated that allthe parameters like plant height, number of leaves

plant-1, mother rhizomes, primary rhizomes andrhizome yield and essential oil content increased underpartial shade condition in comparison to non-shade(open) condition. Under partial shade condition,maximum fresh rhizome yield was recorded (272 qha-1) with T8 - 150% T5 however it was at par (264 qha-1) in comparison to 125% T5 (T7). Maximumchlorophyll a (0.74 mg g-1) and chlorophyll b (0.36mg g-1) was recorded in the treatment T6 followed byT7. However, maximum chlorophyll a and b andcarotenoid were recorded in the order of middle leaves> new leaves> old leaves.Key words: Nutrient, Turmeric, Essential oil

SIV/P-21

Pharmacolgical Importance of Fruit Juiceand Waste of Citrus maxima (Burman)MerrillSony Kumari1*, Mondalica Chaliha1 and A.K. Handique2

1Dept. of Biotechnology, University of Science and Tech-nology, Meghalaya, INDIA, 2Dept. of Biotechnology,Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Citrus maxima (Burman) Merrill belongs tofamily Rutaceae and is commonly known as omelo orshaddock. The present study deals with the antioxidantand antimicrobial assay of juice, extracts of peel, andfibre with seed of the fruit. For non enzymatic assayin vitro antioxidant activity was determined by DPPHfree radical scavenging activity (%) at concentrations(25-200µL). Highest activity at 200 µL for juice wasfound to be 97.12%, methanolic extract of peel andfibre was found to be 97.57 and 95.15 respectivelywhile for aqueous extract for peel and fibre was foundto be 88.95 and 89.49 respectively. Total antioxidantcapacity (%) at 50µL of the reaction mixture wasrecorded as 98.80 for juice,78.98and 89.36 formethanolic extract of peel and fibre while10.37 and1.94 for aqueous extract of peel and fibre respectively.The value for ascorbate oxidase (mM-1cm-1) wasrecorded as 0.0009, 0.0015, 0.00021, 0.0012 and0.00086 for juice, methanolic fibre, methanolic peel,aqueous peel and aqueous fibre respectively at 0.01(v/v). For catalase (mM-1cm-1) was recorded as 0.0006,0.00025, 0.00071, 0.00078 and 0.00089 for juice,methanolic fibre, methanolic peel, aqueous peel andaqueous fibre respectively.



The antimicrobial extent the extracts weredetermined against E. coli by agar diffusion method.The MIC for streptomycin and tetracycline (1mg/mL)was recorded as 0.1µg/mL and 0.01µg/mLrespectively. The zone for crude juice was found to be0.050(v/v) followed by the both peel extracts as 0.075(v/v) and was not recorded in fibre extract.

The study clearly points out that not only the juicebut the part which is treated as waste can alsocontribute to the pharmacological field.Key words: Antioxidant, Antimicrobial extent, Scavengingactivity (%), MIC and agar diffusion

SIV/P-22

Green Infrastructure: Urban Trees and itsRole in the CitySarah Binte Ali* and Suprava PatnaikIndian Institute of Forest Management, Po Box 357,Nehru Nagar, Bhopal-462003, M.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Urbanization is a global phenomenon. Rapidurbanization in India is bringing complex changes toecology, economy and society. Cities are expandingwith the sprawl of built-up area. Interspersed with thissprawl are the green spaces. Urban infrastructureincludes contiguous vegetated areas such as parks orforest stands, and isolated trees growing along streets.This urban nature is vital for the human wellbeing andsustainable survival in the cities. Trees in urban systemprovide a variety of ecosystem services includingbiodiversity conservation, removal of atmosphericpollutants, oxygen generation, noise reduction,mitigation of urban heat island effect, microclimateregulation, stabilization of soil, groundwater recharge,prevention of soil erosion and carbon sequestration.In India, key players in greening urban areas areGovernment departments, educational institutions,municipal bodies, and local residents. The results ofthe efforts by forest department in Bhopal city areevident in the form of rich urban tree cover. Variousparks and plantations comprising of evergreen treesspecies spread across the city contribute to an attractivegreen townscape. To make substantive progresstowards urban sustainability, city managers andresearchers need to know how the greening programsin urban areas have contributed to urban landscape in

face of the rapid urban land cover and land usechanges.Key words: Urban trees, Green space, Parks, Plantations,Ecosystem services, Bhopal city

SIV/P-23

Efficacy of Repellency of Essential Oils ofSelected Plants against Anopheles gambiaeNg’ang’a, M. Margaret1*, Ahmed Hassanali1, YwayaO. David1, Michael A. Birkett2, John A. Pickett2 andLwande Wilber3

1Chemistry Department, Kenyatta University, P. O Box:43844-00100, Nairobi, KENYA. 2Centre for SustainablePest and Disease management, Biological ChemistryDepartment, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts., AL52JQ, UK. 3Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Department,International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology,P.O Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, KENYAEmail [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

The essential oils extracted by steam distillationfrom aerial parts of Ocimum gratissimum, Hyptissuaveolens and Vitex keniensis growing in WesternKenya and selected electrophysiologically activeblends of synthetic standards were bio-assayed for theirrepellency activity on the forearms of humanvolunteers against the female Anopheles gambiaesensu stricto. The oil of Ocimum gratissimum was themost repellent (RD50 = 2.77 × 10-5 mg cm-2, 95% CI)and comparable to DEET (RD50 = 1.25×10-5 mg cm-2,95% CI) followed by Vitex keniensis (RD50 = 5.68 ×10-5 mg cm-2, 95% CI) and Hyptis suaveolens (RD50 =6.27× 10-5 mg cm-2, 95% CI). The bioactive constituentof different oil was determined by GC-EAG and wasconfirmed by co-injection of crude oil with authenticstandards. Partial synthetic blends of selectedelectrophysiologically active components of O.gratissimum and V. keniensis exhibited activities lowerthan their corresponding parent oils while partialsynthetic blend of electrophysiologically activecomponents of H. suaveolens exhibited activity higherthan that of the parent oil. Subtractive bioassay wascarried out to find out blend effects in the repellentaction of the oils against the Anopheles gambiae.Absence of some constituents in the blends resultedin either an increase or a decrease in repellency actionof resulting blends, while absence of some componentshad no effect in the repellency action of the resulting



blends. The significance of the results and theirimplication in the utilization of the plants will behighlighted.Key words: Anopheles gambiae, Repellency, Subtractivebioassays, Essential oil, GC-EAG

SIV/P-24

Report on Municipal Solid WasteManagement in Jamshedpur and theirEffect on PlantsMir Syeda Yuhannatul HumairaKolhan University, Chaibasa-833201, Jharkhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company istoday India’s only comprehensive urban infrastructureservice provider. A Tata Enterprise, its services focuson the Tata Group Purpose “To improve the quality oflife of the communities we serve”. Its services includewater, power, municipal solid waste management,roads and bridges, industrial, civil and structuralconstruction. The Group purpose is reflected inJUSCO’s Mission of providing “quality services forlife”. JUSCO works alongside civic bodies, large andsmall industries, urban local government bodies,communities and individuals to deliver value throughsustainable solutions. The research primarily focuseson the innovative and customer friendly solutions tothe segments of Municipal Solid Waste. The thoroughstudy of the waste composition of Jamshedpur citywas done and the innovative ideas have been capturedin this literature through various interaction and fieldstudy regarding Organic and the Plastic fraction ofthe Municipal Solid Waste. In this research, thetechnical, economical, and environmental aspects ofMSWM scenarios were investigated aiming tocompare the scenarios and select the most appropriateone for implementation. Primarily focuses on theinnovative and customer friendly solutions to thesegments of Municipal Solid Waste. The thoroughstudy of the waste composition of Jamshedpur citywas done and the innovative ideas have been capturedin this project through various interaction and fieldstudy regarding Organic and the Plastic fraction ofthe Municipal Solid Waste. Municipal solid waste is avaluable source of organic matter, nitrogen,phosphorus and other nutrients for plants.Key words: MSWM, Compost, Plastic, Environment, Nitrogen

SIV/P-25

An Assessment of Herbicidal Potential ofsome Monoterpenes and their FormulationsSaroj Kumari Fagodia* and Daizy R. BatishDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals tocontrol weeds raises concerns related to their toxiceffects on environment and human health. Theirreplacement with safer chemicals is, therefore, needof the hour. Several natural plant products offer aneco-friendly and safer source of natural herbicides.Among natural plant products, monoterpenes - one ofthe largest groups of plant based secondarymetabolites, are known for their high biologicalactivities. However, as regards their herbicidalproperties, not much work has been done. In thisdirection, a study was conducted to assess theherbicidal potential of two widely occurringmonoterpenes viz. limonene and ?-pinene againstgermination and growth of Cassia occidentalis L.(coffee weed) under laboratory conditions. Bothmonoterpenes at concentrations e” 2.5 mM inhibitedthe germination and early growth of test weed.?-pinene was found to be more inhibitory thanlimonene. Further an attempt was made to improvethe activity of these monoterpenes by forming theirformulations with aqueous extract of leaf powder ofChenopodium ambrosioides and sodium caprylate, anon-ionic surfactant. The results indicated thatherbicidal activity of these monoterpenes wasimproved by more than 50% compared to their activityalone. On the basis of the study it was concluded thatmonoterpenes alone or their formulations can serveas effective bioherbicides under sustainable weedmanagement programmes.Key words: Bioherbicides, Monoterpenes, Formulations,Limonene, ?-pinene

SIV/P-26

Ecological Assessment of some UnderutilizedEdible Plants around Chandigarh, IndiaAnu Sharma* and Daizy R. BatishBotany Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh,INDIA, Email:[email protected],[email protected]



In order to feed the burgeoning population, newsources of food are being explored. Of these, one ofthe options is to utilize underutilized edible plants thatmay provide the nutrient rich food for the future.However, these plants lack potential market valueowing to their less preference over the cultivated foods.Keeping in mind the likelihood of food crisis in future,these may serve as the best source of food. Many ofthese plants are fast becoming rare and endangeredbecause of human negligence and lack of interest inthem. Hardly any study is available on their ecologicalstatus and distribution. A survey based study was,therefore, conducted in the rural areas aroundChandigarh during the years 2012-2013 to determinethe ecological status of underutilized edible plants soas to prepare an inventory and restoring thebiodiversity status and maintaining food security forfuture. The plants under the underutilized categorywere selected on the basis of their edible value eitherin form of fruits or leaves or buds and even flowers.The ecological status and distribution of these plantswas studied as per the quadrat method and variousparameters such as density, frequency, cover area andimportance value index (IVI) were determined. Duringthe field survey, 30 different plants belonging to 22families were identified and documented. Mostcommon species identified on the basis of survey wereMoringa oleifera, Zizyphus mauritiana, Carrisacarandas, Bauhinia variegata, Schleichera oleosa andherbs like Medicago sativa or Amarantus viridis etc.Plants like Cordia dichotoma, Annona squamosa orBombax ceiba have become very rare and hence needprotection and human attention. During thedeliberations of the conference, it is proposed todiscuss the ecological status of generally ignoredunderutilized plants found around Chandigarh.Key words: Underutilized edible plants, Ecological status,Inventory, Importance value index

SIV/P-27

Invasive Tree Broussonetia papyriferaReduces the Growth and Establishment ofBidens pilosa though its Allelopathic EffectAnjana Negi1* and H.P. Singh2

Department of Botany, 1 Department of EnvironmentStudies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Invasive plant species often exhibit allelopathicproperties as a part of their strategy to establish in thealien environment. By releasing allelochemicals, theseplants eliminate the native species and thus succeedin occupying huge areas. Broussonetia papyrifera, anexotic tree in India that has established itself in thelower Shiwalik region of North-Western Himalayasespecially in the state of Himachal Pradesh andChandigarh. The tree has extensive root systemthrough which it multiples vegetatively and spreadsrapidly to the adjoining areas. The area under the treessupports sparse vegetation compared to an adjoiningmixed forest composed of tree species like Albizialebbeck, Acacia catechu or Cassia fistula. However,the mechanism for this sparse vegetation remainsunknown. It was speculated that allelopathy - a typeof negative ecological interaction, might haveregulatory effect on the vegetation. In order to testthis, a study was planned where the effect of leaf litter(which accumulates on the floor in large quantities)was studied on the germination and growth of Bidenspilosa, one of the common understorey plant of forests.In order to test that active chemicals released fromthe litter are responsible for the growth retardatoryeffect, activated charcoal (known to adsorb organicchemicals) was also added along with litter in the soilin a parallel set. The results indicated that growth oftest species was significantly reduced in soil mediumamended with leaf litter of B. papyrifera compared tocontrol. However, there was lesser inhibitory effectwhen litter amended soils were incorporated withactivated charcoal indicating the role ofallelochemicals in growth inhibitory effect of leaf litter.The study concludes that allelopathy plays animportant role in the invasiveness of the tree.Key words: Allelopathy, Allelochemicals, Invasive and exotictree, Leaf litter

SIV/P-28

Fluoride Content in Different Eatables andWater from Lucknow CityVartika Rai*, P.K. Tandon and Munna SinghDepartment of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Excessive intake of fluoride is responsible forthe development of skeletal fluorosis, which causes



characteristic changes in teeth, bones and periarticulartissues. Fluorosis is thought to be endemic diseasesand in endemic areas, a substantial proportion of thepopulation may be affected, posing a severe healthproblem. Until now whole emphasis is given only towater and it was thought that main cause of fluorosisis excessive quantities of fluorine in drinking water.Although fluoride rich water is perceived as a majorcause for fluorosis, in reality 50% of fluoride enteredin the body through food. Hence hazard to humanhealth is not fully recognized and is under reported inother than endemic areas where fluoride concentrationin drinking water is within the permissible limit.Fluorosis may also persist in these areas butmisinterpreted as arthritis and other lifestyle relateddiseases. Very little work has been reported on theconcentration of fluoride in food items.

In the present study, fluoride content wasestimated in the different eatables and water collectedfrom Lucknow city. Although a nearby city ofLucknow, viz. Unnao is known as endemic area forfluorosis but Lucknow is not reported as endemic area.Water samples were collected from twenty differentlocalities of Lucknow and it was found that almost allthe studied samples had fluoride concentration withinthe acceptable limit and no substantial difference influoride concentration was found in all the samplesexcept the samples from Bhola purva, Bakshi ka taalabarea which has more than permissible limit i.e.1.2 ppm(BIS, 1983) of fluoride. In case of eatables, some ofsalty snacks which uses black salt in its preparationand some open tea samples had fluoride contentbeyond the permissible limit.Key words: Fluoride, Eatables, Drinking water, Lucknow,Permissible limit

SIV/P-29

Some Medicinal Plants of Nine Wards ofPurashava of Rajbari Sadar Upazila ofRajbari District, BangladeshSabrina Naz*, Miruna Banu, Md. Moniruzzamanand Khokon Chandra ChakiDepartment of Botany, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

A survey of medicinal plants was completed indifferent localities of nine wards of purashava of

Rajbari Sadar Upazila at Rajbari district in Bangladeshfrom 2013 to 2014. A total 105 medicinal plants under59 families were documented during presentinvestigation. These plants are used for people to treatabout 71 diseases. Scientific names, local names,applied parts, names of control diseases are alsomentioned.Key words: Medicinal plants, Ayuravedic, Rajbari

SIV/P-30

Colony Growth Variability and RelativeVirulence of Pestalotiopsis sp. IsolatesCausing Leaf Spot Disease in EucalyptusYaman Rehman1*, Jyoti Sharma2, Shikha Arora2,Rachna Chaturvedi1 and Amit Pandey2

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University,Lucknow, U.P., INDIA. 2Forest Research Institute, P.O. Newforest, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering treesand shrubs in the Myrtaceae family cultivated widelyin the tropical and temperate world, including thedifferent continents. Eucalyptus one of the mostsignificant genus which attracts environmentalists,horticulturists as well as global development researchers,because of its desirable traits such as fast growth, oilsource and capacity to drain swamps and thus reducingthe threat of mosquito born diseases. Eucalyptusprovides raw material for different industries such aspaper, plywood and pulp industries. Number ofpathogenic fungal species has been reported to causedifferent diseases of Eucalyptus leading to productivityloss. Pestalotiopsis sp. is one of the common pathogencausing leaf spot disease in Eucalypts. The presentinvestigation was conducted to screen culturalcharacteristics and relative virulence of nine isolatesof pathogen collected by the Forest PathologyDivision, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun fromdifferent sites of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Theseisolates were grown on different culture media viz.,Potato Dextrose Agar, Oatmeal Agar, Cooke’s RoseBengal Agar and King’s Medium and their relativecolony characteristics were compared. The relativevirulence of isolates of Pestalotiopsis sp. was observedin potato dextrose broth at different incubationintervals. The Eulalyptus twigs were screened in the



filtrate of the liquid cultures of different isolates andthe symptoms on leaves and twigs were recorded. Thehighly virulent isolates were recognized which can beuseful in future studies while screening diseaseresistance in host germplasm.Key words: Eucalyptus, Pestalotiopsis sp. PDA, OMA,KMBB, CRBB, Leaf spot disease

SIV/P-31

Hydrlogical Simulation on the Effects ofLanduse Pattern Change on Stream Flowusing Swat ModelR.K. Sinha1*, T.I. Eldho2 and S. Ghosh3

1IDP in Climate Studies, Indian Institute of TechnologyBombay, Mumbai, INDIA. 2Civil Engineering Department,Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, INDIA,Email:rakeshsinhaiitbombay@gmail, [email protected],[email protected]

For the last 25 years, the increase in populationgrowth has accelerated the Land use/Land cover(LULC) change globally. The hydrological cycle hasbeen substantially influenced by LULC and humanactivity. So it is therefore important to investigate theimpact of LULC on the hydrology particularly onRiver basin scale. The objective of this study is toanalyze the long term variations of stream flow ofYennehole River basin located in Western Ghats regionof Karnataka using a physically based, semi-distributedhydrological model Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT). Land cover data for the post monsoon seasonin years of 1988, 2000 and 2013 were acquired fromavailable Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), EnhancedThematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Operational LandImager (OLI) respectively ware classified through themaximum likelihood digital image classification usingthe supervised classification approach. The resultsindicated that SWAT proved to be a powerful tool tosimulate and analysis of impact of LULC change onsurface hydrology in River basin scale. It is found thatforest area, agriculture land and built-up area werehighly dynamic than grassland and wasteland. In thecatchment area, increased urbanized area anddeforestation ware the strongest contributor to theincrease of runoff at the sub-basin scale. It indicatesthat annual Yennehole River runoff decreases frompast 25 years and simulated monthly pattern show thatthe largest decrease in the pre-monsoon month whilelargest increase in the post-monsoon month. It

indicates less water possibly available for the regionin future. It is need to manage water resourcesadaptability to address future water resources shortage.Key words: LULC change, SWAT, Surface runoff, YenneholeRiver, Hydrological model

SIV/P-32

Edible Film from Food Waste: A GreenerApproach towards SustainabilityAnshu SinghDepartment of Agriculture and Environmental Science,National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship andManagement, Plot No. 97, Sector 56, HSIIDC IndustrialEstate, Kundli, District- Sonipat, Haryana-131028, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Global food production is going to rise by 60%by 2050 as per report of FAO but, in present scenariothe way global food wastage is increasing; the foodsecurity is at stake with the environment. Hence, aproper design of the system is highly required whichapproaches towards sustainability via use of greentechnology. In the same time the growing concern forthe environment with use of synthetic packagingmaterial is also soaring. Therefore, by integratingsustainable films/coating preparation from food wastewill be opening an unique opportunity to work on.Food wastes components are highly biocompatiblewhich make them ideal materials for the developmentof edible film with biodegradable characteristics forapplications in food and pharmaceutical industries.Even the physical properties, including mechanicalstrength and durability can be modified to act as smartbarrier materials for oxygen or moisture migration.Based on green technology concept, proteinaceousfood waste was chosen for the edible film preparation,while its characterization for packaging and coatingwere also performed.Key words: Food security, Green Technology, Edible film,Biodegradation

SIV/P-33

Green Composites from Agro-Residues: AReviewShraddha Awasthi1*, Utkarsh Gupta2, Lata Kumari1,Dhanesh Tiwari1, Pradeep Kumar Mishra2

1Department of Chemistry, 2Department of Chemicalengineering and Technology, IIT-BHU, Varanasi-221005,



INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Green biocomposites are composite materialscomprising one or more phase(s) derived frombiological origin. Green Composites can be made usingvarious kinds of cellulosic biofibers, such as; hempfibers, jute, saccaharum fibers, pine needles, grewiaoptiva fibers, sisal fibers , eulaliopsis binata, flaxfibers, coconut fibers, baggase fibers, rice husk, sawdust, wood flour, straw, Bamboo fibers, Oil palm frondfibers .The techniques used to manufacturebiocomposites are based largely on existing techniquesfor processing plastics or composite materials. Theseinclude press molding, hand lay-up, filament winding,extrusion, injection moulding, compression moulding,resin transfer moulding and sheet moulding . Themajority of current biocomposite materials based onthermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene andpolyethylene are processed by compounding andextrusion. In the packaging industry, starch-basedmaterials made of recycled fibers, are now slowlyreplacing the synthetic packing materials. The mainproblem associated with green polymer or greencomposite is to get required strength and specificproperties associated with its synthetic counterparts.Green composite is having potential to capture nearly25% market currently at least in the area of packagingand agricultural merchandise. In addition there couldbe a huge market for agricultural fibers used in buildingand automotive composites.Key words: Biocomposite, Filament winding, Resin transfermoulding, Extrusion etc.

SIV/P-34

Arsenic Contamination in Ganga Plains,India: A Mini ReviewDeepmala Yadav1, Shivani Srivastava1, Dhruv SenSingh2 and Nandita Singh1*1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2University of Lucknow,Birbal Sahni Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The occurrence of Arsenic, as a water qualityissue in South Asia, became a matter of internationalconcern, when widespread chronic arsenic poisoningcases became apparent in Bangladesh and later in WestBengal, India. Arsenic (As) pollution in groundwater

in Ganga Plain of the Indian subcontinent has becomea contentious issue. The major investigations into thecausative factor of arsenic pollution and its immediateand long term remedy have become a prior researchaptitude among researchers. Arsenic is one of the mosttoxic elements that is found on the earth and ispositioned at 4th row and Vth column with atomicnumber 33 and group Va member of Mendeleev’speriodic table. In nature arsenic appears in threeallotropic forms: yellow, black and grey; the stableform is a silver-gray, brittle crystalline solid. Theoccurrence of arsenic in soil and minerals may beentered by sources like air, water and land throughwind-blown dust and water run-off. In the presentwork, a mini review has been worked out to postulatethe occurrences of As in the Ganga Plain. In India theinitial report on As was first found in the year 1983from 33 affected villages in four districts in West-Bengal, while the situation aggravated by 2008 withnumber of villages increasing up to 3417 in 111 blocksin nine districts. From 1999 to 2004 the arsenicgroundwater contamination were also reported fromvarious parts of India viz. Rajnandgaon district ofChattisgarh; Barisban and Semaria Ojhapatti, inBhojpur, Bihar; Agra, Aligarh, Ballia, Balrampur,Gonda, Gorakhpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mathura andMoradabad districts in Uttar Pradesh; Sahibgunjdistrict of Jharkhand state in the Ganga Plain. The Ascontamination level were raised above 10 µg/L to 50µg/L in many parts. In the observed that most of theriver channels from the Himalayan regions or foothillshave significantly contributed to As contamination.Recently, it is found that Bahraich district of UttarPradesh is also records As in the groundwater. In thefertile Ganga Plains, it is believed that the arsenic isintroduced into soil and groundwater duringweathering of rocks and minerals followed bysubsequent leaching and runoff. Along with this theanthropogenic sources are also one of the majorresources for As contamination into soil andgroundwater. From the discussions of variouscausative factors of As, it is found that the globalfactors controlling arsenic concentration and transportin groundwater, include: Red-ox potential (Eh),adsorption/ desorption, precipitation/dissolution,Arsenic speciation, pH, presence and concentrationof competing ions, biological transformation, etc.Key words: Arsenic, Ganga plain, Ground water



SIV/P-35

Study of Gender-Specific Semiochemicalsof Five Ladybirds for their CommercialUtilization in Sustainable AgricultureRojalin Pattanayak1, Gitanjali Misra2, PrasantKumar Rout3, Chandan Singh Chanotiya3, ChandraSekhar Mohanty1, Praveen Chandra Verma1* andOmkar2

1Plant Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, INDIA.2Department of Zoology, Lucknow University, Lucknow,INDIA. 3Chemical Science Division, CSIR-Central Insti-tute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Lucknow, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Semiochemicals determine insect-life situations.They are thus potential agents for selective controlfor pest insects. Headspace solid-phasemicroextraction technique is employed forinvestigating the sex-specific volatile semiochemicalprofile of five ladybirds collected from Lucknow, Indianamely, Coccinella septempunctata (L.), Coccinellatransversalis (Fabr.), Menochilus sexmaculatus(Fabr.), Propylea dissecta (Mulsant), and Anegleiscardoni (Weise) for the first time. Major compoundsreported in C. septempunctata, C. transversalis andA. cardoni were reported to be methyl-branchedsaturated hydrocarbons, whereas in M. sexmaculatusand P. dissecta they are unsaturated hydrocarbons.Other than A. cardoni, both the sexes of the other fourladybirds had similar compounds at highest peak butwith statistically significant differences. Among thestudied ladybirds, A. cardoni, which is a beetle with anarrow niche, the major compound in both male andfemale was different. The difference in volatilehydrocarbon profile of the sexes of the five ladybirdsindicates that gender-specific differences primarilyexist due to quantitative differences in chemicals withonly very few chemicals being unique to a gender.This variation in semiochemicals might have a role inbehavioral or ecological aspects of the studiedladybirds. These gender-specific hydrocarbons mayfurther be helpful in the sustainable agriculturepractices where, organic agriculture in terms ofbiological control of pests and insects can be carried out.Key words: Semiochemicals, Ladybirds, Solid-phase micro-extraction, Volatile hydrocarbons

SIV/P-36

Silicon Fertilization is an Effective Strategyto Improve Growth and Productivity ofCicer arietinum L. Genotypes under Salt StressPurnima Bhandari* and Neera GargDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Soil salinity is widely recognised as a major threatto global food security. Exogenous silicon (Si)fertilization may reduce the toxic effects of salts andimprove the adaptability of cropplants. Chickpea isone of the most salt sensitive legumes. Present studywas aimed to evaluate the potential of Si on growthand productivity of Cicer arietinum L. genotypes (HC3 and CSG 9505) grown under salt stress. Experimentsconsisted of a completely randomized block designwith two factors - salinity (NaCl, 0-100 mM) and Si(K2SiO3, 2 mM and 4 Mm) with six replications each.Salinity negatively affected plant biomass and seedyield which could be correlated with increased sodium(Na+) uptake. Biomass production was significantlybetter in +Si treated plants as compared to -Si salttreated plants. Si application offset the salt inducednegative impacts by entrapping Na+, restricting itsuptake and lowering down Na+ translocation ratio.Notably, the impact of Si was more clearly manifestedin HC 3 than CSG 9505 in a concentration dependentmanner. The study indicated the existence of Si-mediated inhibition mechanism of Na+ in roots and itstransport to above ground parts. It is suggested that Sinutrition is a vital approach to improve the agronomicyield of chickpea plants under salt regime.Key words: Salinity, Silicon, Cicer arietinum, Sustainableagriculture, Productivity, Na translocation

SIV/P-37

Invasion of Weed Species in WaterReservoir of Sanjay Gandhi ThermalPower Station, Madhya Pradesh, IndiaR.K. Pandey, Anjana Rajput* and MadhuriShrivastavaState Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur-482008, MadhyaPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power Station(SGTPS) at Pali - Birsinghpur in Umaria district (M.



P.) is one of the four major thermal power stations inMadhya Pradesh. This thermal power plant is a coalbased unit and established on the bank of Johila River.SGTPP receives water from the reservoir on the riverJohila. The present study deals with ecological studyof terrestrial and aquatic flora at Johila river up-stream,downstream of Johila reservoir as well as the canalsused to supply the water to Sanjay Gandhi ThermalPower Plant. The study pertains to the impact ofpolluted water on flora of the site. The inventory ofterrestrial floral species envisaged that 80 terrestrialplant species including 55-dicot plant and 25 monocotplant species were encountered at riverbanks ofdifferent study sites. Cyperaceae, Asteraceae andPoaceae family was the main dominating families inthe area. Species richness was recorded to bemaximum (64 species) at downstream site whichshows the resistance towards pollution. In the upstreamsites, 52 species were recorded. Some of the speciesrecorded in the upstream sites was found to be absentat downstream sites i.e. Anisomeles indica,Bothriospermum tenellum, Eragrostiella bifaria,Pulicaria wightiana Occimum tenuiflorum Solanumvirginianum, Syzygium fruticosum, Verbascumchinense. This change might be due to their non-resistance capacity to the changes occurring in waterquality in the vicinity of reservoir in surroundingdownstream. Amongst the aquatic macrophytes, 19species of macrophytes recorded in different sites ofriver including 13 species in upstream site, 11 inreservoir site and 13 In downstream site with plantdensity ranging from 6.55/m2 to 38.89/m2. MainlyHydrilla verticillata, Chara vulgaris, Ceratophyllymdemersum, Potamogeton crispus, Valisnaria natans,Butomus umbeltaus, Nitella hyaline, Najas Indica,Najas graminea, Najas minor, Utricularia stellaris,Utricularia flexuosa and Cyprus exaltatus. Thedominant species was Ceratophyllum demersumfollowed by Hydrilla verticillata and Valisnaria natanswere found. Aquatic macrophytes are the large,predominantly angiospermic/algal plants and playsvital role in providing food for fish and other aquaticanimals, provide shelter to algae and some animalsalong with cycling of nutrients in the given waterbodies. On the other hand, most of the aquaticmacrophytes may become problematic when growprofusely as weeds. In the study site, the major weedspecies Typha latifolia and Ipomoea aquatica wererecorded in the return canal as well as near the

reservoir. These weed species were found to be absentin the upstream and in the downstream. This might bedue to effect of effluents discharge from thermal powerplant. Moreover, some other plant species likeAponogeton crispus, Potamogeton crispus,Aponogeton crispus, Valisnaria natans, Nymphoidesindica, Polygonum barbatum etc are predominantlyovercoming in the reservoir site. Profuse growths ofweeds become problematic for water managementauthority and discussed for their mitigation in thispaper.Key words: Weed species, Invasive species, Thermal Powerplant, Aquatic flora

SIV/P-38

Agroforestry: An Approach towardsCarbon Sequestration under Sodic ConditionS. Srivastava1*, V.K. Mishra1, Y.P. Singh1 andD.K. Sharma2

1Central Soil Salinity Research Institute-Regional ResearchStation, Near Manywar Kanshiram Smarak, Jail Road,P.O. Alambagh-226005, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA. 2Central SoilSalinity Research Institute Zarfa Farm, KachawaRoad, Karnal-132001 Haryan, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Approximately, 6.73 mha land in India is saltaffected out of which 3.77 million hectare has beendesignated as sodic soil. Regions of arid and semi-arid climatic conditions are characterized with thepresence of sodic soils in common, largely curbed toIndo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana and UttarPradesh in India. Sodic soils whether are of natural oranthropogenic nature have poor soil structure-chemicalproperties. It affects the plant growth directly throughion toxicity and nutrient deficiencies and indirectlythrough increased soil dispersion and decreaseinfiltration. These soils contain a very low level ofsoil organic carbon (SOC) content because ofdispersed aggregates and SOC solubilisation. Thereis a clear link exists between the management practiceand their potential in altering the carbon stock andfluxes in the soil, particularly in regards to landdegradation and subsequent rehabilitation efforts.Various studies have been reported that establish therelation between vegetation and soil properties, landuses and climate. These studies revealed that



management practices play an important role inenhancing the level of SOC in soils. Rehabilitation ofsodic soils through agroforestry systems is ahighlighting approach these days to increase SOCaccumulation, nutrient pool and soil fertility. Also,these systems help in sequestration of above and belowground carbon by reducing the mitigation of greenhouse gases an addition to controlling the soil erosionand increasing the land efficiency. Under sodicconditions growing species like Prosopis, Casuarina,Tamarindus, Phyllanthus, Psidium, Carissa etc., canimprove the soil pH and may support the degradinglevel of SOC by enhancing the availability of morestable pool of carbon and soil aggregates. Anencouraging build up of various carbon fractionsoccurs under agroforestry systems due to long termaddition of litter, rhizodeposition and minimumdisturbances which sequentially facilitate thereclamation process of sodic soil.Key words: Sodic soil, Soil structure, Agroforestry, Carbonsequestration

SIV/P-39

Antagonistic Activity of Achromobacterxylosoxidans K4. Isolated fromRhizospheric Soil of Picrorhiza kurroaAgainst PhytopathogensHarish Chandra1, Babita Patni1, O.P. Sidhu2,A.R. Nautiyal1 and M.C. Nautiyal1

1High Altitude Plant Physiology Research Center, H.N.B.Garhwal University, Srinagar-246174, Garhwal, Uttaraknad,INDIA. 2CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226 001, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Extensive use of antifungal and antibacterialagents of chemical origin for the controlling ofphytopathogen is the leading cause of evolution ofresistance to these chemical pesticides. The possibleway or alternate method to control the phytopathogensis through biological mean i.e. use of antagonisticbiological organisms or by the use of biopesticidesderived from plant sources. Such concerns are drivingthe researchers to search more environment friendlymethod to control plant disease that will contribute tothe goal of sustainability in agriculture. In the presentstudy soil samples collected from rhizosphere ofmedicinal plants growing at different places wasinvestigated for its total bacterial and fungal load.. A

bacterial strain of Achromobacter xylosoxidans wasisolated from the collected soil samples, identified by16 S RNA sequencing and correlated with Total FungalCount. A significant variation in fungal load wasobserved in the presence and absence of A.xylosoxidans. The antifungal activity of A.xylosoxidans isolate was tested against fungalpathogens viz. Aspergillus humicola. A. ochraceus, A.candidus, Rhizocotonia solani, Fusarium solani,Cladosporium cladosporoides, Alternaria alternata tounderstand its antagonistic effect.Key words: Antagonistic, Phytopathogen, Total fungal count

SIV/P-40

A Study of Wild Edible Plants Supplementalto Malnutrition among Tribals of BandaDistrict (U.P.)Safoora KhanDepartment of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi ChitrakootGramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, M.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

A study of wild food plants of Banda district wascarried out during the year 2013-2014. A total of 20wild food plants belonging to 18 families wereenumerated in the present communication. The reportof ethnobotanical significance of these plants have alsobeen described in this paper along with their botanicalnames, family, local names, and parts used for edible purpose.

A very little work has been done, or we can saythat negligible work has been conducted in Banda dist.of Uttar Pradesh. There is a great need to explore sucha vast valuable unexplored flora of Banda. These wildedible plants proves to be a supplement to malnutritionamong the various tribals of Banda.Key words: Wild edible plants, Malnutrition, Banda,Ethnobotanical, Tribals

SIV/P-41

Sustenance of Water by Water Footprint:Assessment of Rice ProductionShweta Upadhyay* and A.S. Raghubanshi Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Water scarcity has become a major environmentalsustainability challenge throughout the tropical world.



Here we discuss concept of agricultural water footprintwhich reflects the quantification of water consumptionin agriculture. Blue water footprint of agriculture(surface water bodies and groundwater) is significantas globally it account for 70-90% of the total waterused for agriculture. In India, rice is a major waterconsuming staple crop as it occupies about 44 millionha land and consumes 70% of the blue water. With inIndia, the Indo-Gangatic Plains (IGP) is a major rice-growing region. IGP is expected to face irrigation waterscarcity due to excessive exploitation of groundwaterand due to climate change related rainfall pattern shift.Therefore, use of emerging agronomical practices forsustainable water management is urgently needed tonarrow down the gap between demand and supply ofwater. For this, a priori water footprint assessment ofrecommended rice agronomy practices such as“System of Rice Intensification” (SRI) is required.Present work will discuss water footprint of differentagronomic practices of rice. However, we understandthat there is also a need for recommendation of sitespecific crop management for IGP.Key words: Rice cultivation, Water footprint, Indo GangeticPlains, Sustainable agriculture

SIV/P-42

AFPD: Anti Filarial Plant DatabaseSmriti Singh*, Monika Sharma, Anshul Tiwari andPrachi SrivastavaAMITY Institute of Biotechnology, AMITY University UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Lymphatic Filariasis a parasitic and infectioustropical disease, caused by thread-like parasiticnematode such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugiamalayi, and Brugia timori. It is known as the secondleading cause of long term and permanent disability.Filariasis is endemic in tropical regions of Asia, Africa,Central and South America with more than 120 millionpeople infected and one billion people at risk forinfection with little or no mortality rate. Basicsymptom is clogged lymphatic ducts lead to severeswelling of limbs and genitalia, as well as damage tokidneys and the lymphatic system itself. In the laterstages of infection, the disease is characterized by adisfiguring condition known as elephantiasis resultingin physical disability and severe social stigma andpsychological distress. Despite the severity of filarialdisease in physiological and psychological aspects and

its barrier to progress in developing countries, researchin this area is neglected and under-funded. Still thereare no preventive measures. While only drugtreatments such as Ivermectin, Albendazole, andDiethylcarbamazine are available this targets theimmature stages but not the long-lived adult wormsfurthermore with high side effects. Hence there is atremendous research scope in this area in relation withnew aspects of drug designing. Herbs are staging acomeback and herbal renaissance is fashionable allover the globe. The herbal products today indicatesafety in contrast to the synthetics that are stared asunsafe to human and environment. Although herbs hadbeen priced for their medicinal, flavouring andaromatic qualities for centuries. Current effort ofdesigning and development of this database revealsthe role and significance of plants and their parts indifferent stages of filiariasis from prevention to cure.This portal is enriched with adequate currentinformation about prognosis to available treatmentsof filiariasis including clinical trials on and whereavailable. This database will be very much useful forscientists and researchers those who are dedicated todefeat this dreadful disorder as well as for academicianand social workers those who want to seek informationand to create awareness campaigns among people.Key word: AFPD, Wuchereria bancrofti, Filariasis, Database,Herbal, Lymphatic, Elephantiasis

SIV/P-43

Studies on Floristic Composition withSpecial Reference to Invasive Alien PlantSpecies in Angul District of Odisha, IndiaSandeep Kumar Nayak1*, Ashirbad Mohapatra2 andKunja Bihari Satapathy1

1Post Graduate Department of Botany, Utkal University, VaniVihar, Bhubaneswar-751004, Odisha, INDIA. 2Sri Jayadevcollege of Education and Technology, Naharkanta,Bhubaneswar-752101, Odisha, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Angul is one of the centrally located districts inthe Odisha state of India. Two rivers Mahanadi andBramhani rush through the district making it fertileand suitable for variety of vegetation. This district isenriched with the resources like a number of coal mineswhich caters to the need of industrial requirement ofalumina industries, thermal power projects, fertilizer



industries and heavy water plant. It is observed thatheavy industrialization in this district made it one ofthe most polluted districts of India. An exhaustivefloristic survey was carried out during 2013-2014 inthis district to assess the diversity, nativity and use ofinvasive alien plant species (IAPS). The presentfloristic exploration revealed that a total of 136 speciesbelonging to 101 genera under 41 different familieswere invasive alien plant species. Habit wise analysisindicated that the herbs were dominant with 117species (8 6.02%) followed by shrubs (14), trees (02),climbers (03). Among the 41 families, Asteraceae wasthe dominant family with 25 (18.18%) speciesfollowed by Amaranthaceae (08), Euphorbiaceae (08),Caesalpiniaceae (07), Convolvulaceae (07), Fabaceae(06), Mimosaceae (05), Solanaceae (06), Poaceae (05),Asclepiadaceae (04), Cleomaceae (04), Tiliaceae (04),Cyperaceae (03), Lamiaceae (03) which comprised themost invasives, such as Chromolena odorata,Alternanthera philoxeroides, Eichhornia crassipes,Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Hyptissuaveolens and others. The predominance ofAsteraceae species in invasive categories exhibited itshigh impact on this region.

Nativity of the identified alien plant species wassurveyed from the available literature which revealedthat different native places of IAPS of Angul districtare Tropical America (86), Tropical Africa (12),Tropical South America (10), Europe (4), Brazil(3),Tropical north America(3), West Indies (3),Mediterranean (3), Tropical Central South America(3),Tropical Central America (1), Tropical East Africa (1),Peru (1), Mascrene Island (1), Mexico (1), TemperateSouth America (1), Madagascar (1), West Asia (1),Afghanistan (1) and Tropical West Asia (1). Furtherinformation regarding uses of IAPS revealed that theplant species used as medicine (70), fuel (3),ornamental (6), rope making (2) and leafy vegetable (4).Key words: Nativity, Invasive, Alien, Angul, Odisha

SIV/P-44

Analysis of Complex-Valued RecurrentNeural Networks with Time DelaysRitu Vishwakarma1* and Alok Kumar Verma2

1Sunrise University Alwar, Jaipur Rajasthan, INDIA.

2Department of Mathematical Science and ComputerApplications Bundelkhand University Jhansi, U.P., IndiaEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

To study more accurately the wide spreadapplications like signal processing pattern recognitionand other engineering applications. We have presenteda complex valued recurrent neural network given by aset of non -linear differential equations. The equationis shown to possess a unique equilibrium point besidehaving bounded solutions. Recently the researchrecurrent neural network has been shifted to complex-valued recurrent neural network.Key words: Neural network, Mapping principle, Equilibriumpoint, Lyapunov function, Time delays

SIV/P-45

Eucalyptus Leaf Extract Mediated GreenSynthesis of Iron NanoparticlesRavindra Kumar1, Nandita Singh1 and SN Pandey2

1Eco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, India. 2De-partment of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Plants possess a large array of phytochemicalscalled polyphenols, which are widely distributed inall the plant parts like as roots, stem, leaves and fruits.Polyphenols have natural antioxidant like propertiesdue to which these can be used for the green synthesisof various types of nanoparticles. Eucalyptus containshigh quantity of polyphenol in it’s leaves that’s whyEucalyptus leaves have enormous potential for thegreen synthesis of Zerovalent iron nanoparticles.Zerovalent iron nanoparticles have been synthesizedby Eucalyptus leaf extract mediated reduction of Fe3+

to Fe0 during the time of drop wise mixing of ferricchloride solution with aqueous leaf extract. Zerovalentiron nanoparticles were found spherical, very fine <100 nm in size and highly stabilized whencharacterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD andZetasizer nano like instruments.Key words: Iron nanoparticals, Zerovalent, Eucalyptus,Polyphenol



SIV/P-46Anti-Sense RNA Therapy for Treatment ofEbola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF)Beena Kumari1, Preeti Gupta1, Sushil Chaturvedi2

and Rachna Chaturvedi1

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity UniversityLucknow U.P. INDIA. 2District Tuberculosis Officer,Incharge R.T.P.M.U. Lucknow, U.P. India,Email:[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

RNA viruses are a significant source of morbidityand mortality in humans all over the world every year.Additionally, these viruses may be the potentiallyutilized in the acts of bioterrorism poses a threat forworldwide security. The 2014 Ebola outbreak is oneof the largest outbreaks in history. Ebola is the virusof the family Filoviridae, genus Ebola virus. Causingthe disease Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF), a ViralHemorrhagic Fever (VHF) with a high case death ratein humans and nonhuman primates and it represents amost important community health care for in equatorialAfrica. The infection with Ebola leads to reflectiveimmune inhibition and systemic inflammatory reactioncausing harm of the vascular, coagulation and immunesystem, leading to multiorgan failure. Ebola is afilamentous, single-stranded RNA virus with a specificbranched morphology, contains several viral proteinsand glycoprotein embedded in the membrane. One ofthe surface protein is extensively glycosylated and thisis believed to inhibit the generation of antibodies. Theviral polymerase makes mRNA transcripts and startsreplication of the virus then accumulation of viralproteins and (-) RNA followed by viral assembly andthen budding through the membrane.

An antisense RNA mediated therapy could bedeveloped to target the RNA genome of the virus. Itutilizes single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotidesthat inhibit protein production by mediating thecatalytic degradation of target mRNA, or by bindingto sites on mRNA necessary for translation. Double-stranded RNA oligonucleotides, called as short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs), also significantly mediatethe catalytic degradation of complementary mRNAs.In this therapy, the possible complementary RNAproducts could be synthesized invitro and then usingthem for targeting the mRNA strands produced by thevirus during its replication cycle in its host cell. Hence,

destroying the infection of virus in the body. Thisreviews article is focusing current knowledge ontherapeutic applications of antisense RNA and RNAinterference for highly pathogenic RNA viralinfectionsKey words: Filoviridae, Ebola, Antibodies, Antisense RNA,Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF)

SIV/P-47

Assessing Tropospheric Ozone Effect in twoWheat Cultivars under Natural Field ConditionsSunil K. Gupta*, Marisha Sharma, BaisakhiMajumder, Meenakshi Lohani, Vivek K. Maurya andVivek PandeyPlant Ecology and Environmental Sciences, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Tropospheric O3 concentration is predicted toincrease by 0.5-2% per year over the next century,mainly due to increases in precursor emissions fromanthropogenic sources. Indo-Gangetic plains ofNorthern India have high level of ozone causing visibledamage and significant yield reduction in crops.Ethylenediurea (EDU) has been used as ozoneprotectant under field conditions without appreciableeffects of its own. Present study was conducted toassess visible injury, morphological and physiologicaland biochemical effects in two wheat cultivars(Triticum aestivum L) KUNDAN and PBW 343 treatedwith or without EDU. During study period, ambientO3 concentration ranged between 38-78 ppb. EDUtreated wheat plants showed less visible injury,significant increases in root and shoot length;significantly more biomass accumulation and increasein 1000 grain weight in comparison to non-EDUtreated plants. EDU treated plants showed increasedphotosynthesis, low MDA content and higherantioxidant and enzyme activities. Of these twocultivars KUNDAN performed better in comparisonto PBW 343 in all parameters. The present experimentindicated that prevailing ozone concentrations in andaround Lucknow city are high enough to unfavourablyaffect various physiological and biochemicalcharacteristics of two wheat cultivars leading tosignificant yield reductions. The study showed that ofthe two wheat varieties, KUNDAN is more susceptibleto ambient ozone as compared to PBW 343.Key words: Tropospheric ozone, Ethylenediurea (EDU),Triticum aestivum, Wheat, Cultivars



SIV/P-48

Ethnomedicina Plant used in ThetraditionalPhytotherapy of Gastrointestinal Problem byTribe of Senapati District, ManipurKonsam Nonibala* and Manabendra DuttaChoudhuryDepartment of Life Science and Bioinformatics, AssamUniversity, Silchar, Assam, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Senapati, the northernmost district of Manipur,is inhabited by a large number of tribals. A surveywas carried out to study the ethnomedicinal plants usedby tribes of Senapati district of Manipur. Throughquestionnaire, personal interviews and conversation,a total number of 20 plant species were used by thetribe to treat gastrointestinal problem. The plants areenumerated along with families, Manipuri name ofthe plants, parts used, and mode of application,established reports. The plant part used was constitutedby roots, fruit, bark, flower, leaves and stem.Key words: Ethno-medicine, Tribes, Gastrointestinal problem,Senapati district, Manipur

SIV/P-49

Impact of After-Ripening in Hot PepperSeed Development During Post-AnthesisPhysiological MaturityRakesh C. Mathad*, S.B. Patil and BasavegowdaSeed Science and Technology, Seed Unit, University ofAgricultural Sciences, Raichur, INDIA, Email:[email protected])

Seed development during its physiologicalmaturity is critical for ensuring its quality. Thoughseed attain its highest quality at this stage but certainquality attributes attain the optimum level during after-ripening. Present study highlights the affect of after-ripening on seed quality in hot pepper. The seedharvested at peak physiological maturity behavedifferently under after-ripening period. The two yearpooled data on shows seed harvested at 65 days afteranthesis (DAA) with 2 days of after-ripening (DAR)and at 55 DAA with 5 DAR produce highest seedgermination (87 and 90%), Speed of germination (12.4and 12.8), Viability (87 and 85.5 %), usable transplants(83.5 and 88 %), seedling vigour index (1446 and

1556) and 1000 seed weight (7.2 and 6.6g).Key words: Physiological maturity, After-ripening, Days afteranthesis, Viability, Tetrazoloum test

SIV/P-50

Phytochemical Analysis and AntibacterialPotential of the Bark Extracts ofAdenanthera pavonina L.Somani Jethi*, Akhtari Khatoon, Sandeep KumarNayak and Kunja Bihari SatapathyMicrobiology Research Laboratory, Post Graduate Depart-ment of Botany, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar-751004, Odisha, INDIA, Email: jethi.somani@gma,[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Adenanthera pavonina L. (Fabaceae) commonlycalled as Red Sandal-wood is a deciduous tree and itsbark is traditionally used for treatment of variousdisease conditions in gonorrhoea, haematuria, ulcers,etc. The objective of the present study was toinvestigate the hidden antibacterial potential ofAdenanthera pavonina L. against some selectedbacterial pathogenic strains. The research work wasconducted in the Microbiology Research Laboratoryof Post Graduate Department of Botany, UtkalUniversity, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during November,2012. Five bacterial strains i.e. Escherichia coli(MTCC-614), Shigella flexneri (MTCC 9543),Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC-1430), Salmonellaparatyphi (MTCC-3220) and Salmonella entericatyphi (MTCC-733) were used in the study. The studyrevealed that methanolic extract of A. pavonina wasmost potent and it exhibited the highest zone ofinhibition against Shigella flexneri at 6mg/ml whichwas quite comparable with reference antibioticCiprofloxacin (0.5 mg/ml). The n-hexane extract wasmoderately effective against all the test bacteria.Phytochemical analysis showed that the bark of theplant contained various constituents like flavonoid,tannin, alkaloid and triterpenoid. The presence of thesephyto-constituents indicated that the bark extracts ofAdenanthera pavonina might be a source for a newdrug against some diseases like diarrhoea anddysentery and needs further investigation.Key words: Adenanthera pavonina, Phytochemical analysis,Anti-bacterial activity, Ciprofloxacin



SIV/P-51

Study of Latest Traditional MedicinalPlants Having Antifertility EffectsGourav Luhadia* and P.C. MaliDepartment of Zoology, Rajasthan University, Jaipur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

A large part of the current growth in thepopulation is unplanned. According to a study half ofall conceptions are unplanned and half of the resultingpregnancies are undesired. The reason behind thesepregnancies is failure of contraception method. In poornations, contraceptive use is further limited byrestricted access to many available methods, botheconomically and culturally. Women have a wide rangeof contraceptive choices ranging from daily oralmedications to intrauterine devices implanted every 5years to sterilization. The two most common malecontraceptive methods are vasectomy and condoms.The disadvantages of these methods are that vasectomyis not readily reversible and condoms have a hightypical failure rate.

Even though, according to the studies it has beenstated that various plants have capability to preventthe birth, still only few plants have so far beenevaluated for antifertility potential.

In developing countries contraception is not usedwidely and limited to available methods due to theeconomic and cultural reasons. The improvedavailability and education regarding existingcontraceptives and more contraceptive options isrequired. Studying the potency and toxicity of localplants for birth control in the folkloric medicine maygenerate greater confidence in and wider acceptanceof herbal contraceptives. However, the search for anorally active, safe and effective plant preparation orits compound is yet to be needed for fertility regulationdue to incomplete inhibition of fertility or side effects.Key words: Contraceptives, Antifertility, Herbal, Economic

SIV/P-52

Environmental Effects on Physico-chemicalCharacteristics of Drinking Water at Banda(U.P.), IndiaDeepti DwivediDepartment of Zoology Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot

Gramodaya Vishwavidyala, Chitrakoot, Satna, M.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Assessment of Physico-chemical Parameters vizcolour, odour, turbidity, PH, total alkalinity, totalhardness, total dissolved solid, dissolved oxygen,Chloride, Residual free chlorine, Sulphate, Nitrate,Fluoride, Iron etc. of the drinking river water andtubewell water were determined in rainy season 2014.Samples were taken from eight points in the entirecity. Water is the major part of the environment.Pollution of water bodies is one of the major concernto environmentalists. Water quality is an index ofhealth and well being of the society. The variouspollutants influence the water resources quantitativelyand qualitatively. Besides, meteorological conditionsviz photo period, atmospheric temperature, rainfall andrelative humidity were also recorded monthly as theyhave direct impact on water bodies. Results reveal thatdrinking water was found turbid, Residual free chlorinewas in excees further in distribution system due toleakages in pipe lines chloride was observed more.Obiously to some extent water was foundunpotable.The river ken water (surface water) supplyis qualitatively better than tubewells (ground water)supply. This indicates that ground water is affectedby harmfull minerals in the ground strata. The valuesof parameters are compared with standard given byISI/WHO.Key words: ISI/WHO, Physico-chemical parameters, Riverand tubewell, Potability of water, Environment

SIV/P-53

Ecological-Integrity of Running Water forHuman WelfareBrajesh K. DwivediEnvironmental Sciences, Botany Department, Universityof Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA,Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Municipal wastewater and urban storm water arepotential pollution sources to downstream waterwaysand may seriously impact aquatic ecosystem health inrivers for mankind. Insufficient water flow/ wateravailability and continuous influx of untreated sewagein the urban river site carry enormous amount ofpollutants, leading to profused growth of algal blooms.The algal community, macrophytes growth and extentwith references to hydrological characteristic of the



running water were monitored during June 2013 toMay, 2014 at river stream around Allahabad city.Quantitative and qualitative analysis of cyanotoxin(microcystin), nutrient/ nutrient transport, and theirinteraction with phytoplankton/ toxin producing algalspecies were also described. The amount of nutrientand water flow were dynamically influenced with timefactor and water availability. The present study wasperformed to measure water quality variable, primaryproductivity, chl-a and biomass of phytoplankton/toxin producing algal species. The maximum chl-aconcentration, toxin producing algal species werefound to be 515.00 and 615.00 in water sample ofGanga, while 551 mg/l and 641.22 mg/l in Yamunawater sample, respectively in the case of Microcystisaeruginosa. Ecological parameters to evaluate GPP,NPP and CR were found to be 397.00, 234.00 and282.00 mgCm3/h in summer season in Yamuna river,respectively which is higher than Ganga river. A poorassociation existed between chl-a and GPP. Temporalvariations (Photosynthetic rate) in Amax and Pmax wasalso observed to evaluate the productivity of waterstream. These running water ecological integrity arebeing incorporated into the urban critical deficits watersupply/ treatment infrastructure in view of theirreligious importance and ecological sustainability tohuman welfare.Key words: Algal blooms, Waste water, Cynotoxin, Nutrient

SIV/P-54

Engineering Resistance against BegomovirusInfection in Plants by Targeting MultipleViral GenesSaurabh Verma* and Sangeeta SaxenaDepartment of Biotechnology, Babasaheb BhimraoAmbedkar University, Vidya Vihar, RaebareliRoad, Lucknow-226025, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Papaya leaf Curl Virus (PaLCuV), a bipartite(DNA-A and DNA-B) Begomovirus belonging toGeminivirus family is a potent inducer of a leaf curlsymptom in papaya, a major cash crop of India. Theintensity and severity of disease has caused large scalewipe out of Papaya cultivation in northern regions ofIndia. The group of multifunctional viral proteinencoding ORFs like AV1 (Coat protein), AV2(suppresses RNA silencing), AC1 (replicationassociated), AC2 (transcriptional activator), AC3

(replication enhancer) and AC4 (repressor) constituteDNA-A of Begomoviruses. The other ORFs arepresent over DNA-B i.e. BC1 (movement protein) andBV1 (nuclear shuttle protein) responsible for a ‘coupleskating’ type movement of viral DNA from one cell toanother. In this study, we have tried to propose a RNAsilencing approach against bipartite Begomovirusesbased upon the principle of RNA silencing.

Various RNA silencing strategies have failed tobe effective against bipartite Begomovirus owing tothe presence of repressor viral genes andrecombination events during viral replication innucleus which help in retrieval of induced mutationsin viral DNA in engineered plants. The repressors,suppressors and movement proteins (BC1 and BV1)are responsible for suppression of host RNAimachinery, development of disease symptoms andsystemic transport of viral particles from one part ofleaves to another by phloem mediated transport. Wehave successfully designed siRNAs against AC2, AC4and AV2; but due to high variability in repressor ORFand its divergent molecular function across genera, itis difficult to engineer a repressor dependent broadhost range of viral resistance in plants. Therefore, thestrategy was designed to study the viral DNA-B ORFsof the bipartite Begomoviruses to investigate all leafcurl causing bipartite Begomoviruses to target the mostconserved sequences for siRNA designing.

As we have designed siRNAs against BC1 andBV1 viral ORFs using bioinformatics tools for siRNAdesigning, we propose that incorporation of multiplesiRNA in a single cassette or pyramiding multiplesiRNA cassettes with AC4 and BC1/BV1 must be anessential part of any RNA silencing strategy againstbipartite Begomovirus including PaLCuV.Key words: PaLCuV, Begomovirus, Leaf curl, RNA silencing,siRNA, viral suppressors

SIV/P-55

Utilization of Urban Effluent for CropProduction, Quality and Economization ofFertilizer useSaba Iqbal*, Arif Inam, Akhter Inam, Seema Sahayand Farha AshfaqueEnvironmental and Plant Physiology Section, Departmentof Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002,INDIA, Email: [email protected]



In many countries around the world, water isbecoming an increasingly scarce resource and it forcedscientists to consider alternate sources of water whichmight be used economically and effectively. India isone of the most densely populated, developing andindustrially fast growing country of the earth that notonly facing the problem of water scarcity, but also themismanagement of tremendous amount of wastewater(WW) produced every day. Whereas food sufficiencyhas also become challenge to feed the ever increasingpopulation leading to excessive use of chemicalfertilizers in agriculture that may causes serious healthhazards. Therefore a study was conducted in theAligarh city of India on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)cv. Pusa Sadabahar to observe the suitability of WW(along with chemical fertilizers) for irrigation and howminimize the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultureby supplementing mineral nutrients through WW. Theexperiment was conducted to evaluate the effect ofdifferent concentrations of WW together with the basalapplication of four doses of phosphorus (P0, P20, P40and P60 kg ha-1) on growth, yield and quality of chillicv. and results revealed that WW irrigationsignificantly increases the growth, photosynthesis,yield and quality of the crop. Lower dose ofphosphorus fertilizer @ 20 kg ha-1 together with WWproved optimum and gave greater fresh and dry mass,leaf area, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, fruitlength, fruit number plant -1 and fruit yield incomparison to control and even to higher phosphorusdoses along with fresh water. All physicochemicalcharacteristics of wastewater including some heavymetals were within the permissible limits set by Foodand Agriculture Organization (FAO).Key word: Capsicum annuum, Phosphorus, Wastewater, Yield,Quality

SIV/P-56

Strategies to Monitor the Pollution in CertainAreas of Vadodara City and Suggestions forDeveloping Green BeltDharti Patel* and Arun AryaDepartment of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science,The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,Vadodara-390002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Vadodara is cultural capital of Gujarat. It isfamous for magnificent buildings like Nyaya mandir,

Kala bhawan and Baroda Museum and Picture gallery.The museum has Greco Roman structural panels madein Indo Sarascenic style. Building of Laxmi VilasPalace and Baroda college (144 feet high building)constructed in 1881 has second highest dome in Asia.This building was designed by architect RobertChisholm. The city had a large number of gardens.Sayaji baug earlier called as Kamatti baug is a largegarden in the heart of city.

A large number of trees can be seen in gardensand on both sides of roads. These trees help in reducingthe temperature in hot summer and dust pollutionthroughout the year. Dust particles are major sourceof pollution in the city of country. The concentrationof these particles may vary from season to season orareas where higher construction activities are takingplace, vehicles playing on roads also secrete suchsuspended particles. An assessment of dust carryingcapacity of certain road side plants in Vadodara wasdone. Leaves of Vad (Ficus benghalensis) and Mango(Mangifera indica) showed more accumulation of dustor SPM as compared to plants like Ashoka (Polyalthialongifolia) and Saptparni (Alstonia scholaris).Theplants were able to accumulate 1.4 mg/cm2 to 3.3 mg/cm2 dust. Plants with higher chlorophyll and ascorbicacid contents are thought to have more pollutionscavenging potential. A green belt plan for twoimportant roads is suggested.Key words: Plantation, Pollution, Eco-city, Vadodara, Busyroads, Raopura, Alkapuri, Ficus benghalensis

SIV/P-57

Microbial Composition of Water and theirImpact on Human Health of Bharat KundPond of Faizabad District (U.P.), IndiaSantosh Kumar MishraDepartment of Botany, K.S.P.G. Collage Ayodhya Faizabad-224001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The Bharatkund pond situated in south ofFaizabad district of UP, has been described in the holybook Ramayan. Lord Bharat was related to Ayodhya,place which was the Capital of Awadh in Ancienttime.In unpolluted water there are usually low organicnutrients. In such water autotrophic bacteria arecommon alongwith free living protozoans such asEuglena, Paramecium and various amoebae. Amongthe bacteria are sulphur bacteria, iron bacteria, free-



living spiral forms and some spore formers .In pollutedwater , there are large amount of organic matter fromsewage, faeces and industrial Waste. The microbespresent in such water are usually heterotrophic.Pathogenic organism enter the water through sewagecontamination or discharge from animals or humansinto reservoirs. The coliforms (Escherichia coli).Streptecoccus faecalis and Clostridium perfringenswhich are normal inhabitants of the large intestine ofanimal and humans enter the water Supply throughfaecal contamination.Key words: Water bacteria, Sewage, Pathogen

SIV/P-58

Pollen Morphological Study of SelectedCotton Varieties (Malvaceae)A.G. Thakare1*, J.A. Tidke2 and A.V. Rajurkar1

1Department of Botany, Shri R.L.T. Science College, Akola-444001, M.S., INDIA, 2Laboratory of Reproductive Biol-ogy of Angiosperms, Department of Botany, Sant GadgeBaba, Amravati University, Amravati-444602, M.S., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The pollen morphology of eight selected cottonvarieties viz., AKH-081, DHY-186 and PA-348, Ankur-216 and Kaveri-Kurnel, H-8, H-10 and LRA-5166 hasbeen studied by Light and Scaning ElectronMicroscopy. All the selected varieties showed slightvariation in terms of shape, size, aperture and exineornamentation. Pollen grain in the all varieties ofcotton are in the range of (P/E) 25.0 - 37.85 × 26.60 -34.85µm. The shape of the pollen grains varies fromsub oblate, oblate spheroidal to prolate spheroidal.Aperture pattern pantoporate, pores numerous. Exine5-6µm thick, echinate, nexine as thick as sexine. SEMrepresents minor important features of pollen grainsthat were not found in LM observations and found tobe vital instrument in studying pollen characters athigh magnifying level.Key words: Pollen Morphology, Cotton, LM, SEM

SIV/P-59

Contribution of PSB in Reducing theRequirement of P Fertilizer in PotatoProduction in Mid Hill of Himachal PradeshM.K. Jatav* and B.D. SharmaCrop Production, Central Institute for Arid Horticulture,Bikaner, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Phosphorus is one of the key nutrients requiredfor higher and sustained productivity of potato and itsinfluence on tuber yield is very well established. Thesoils of North-Western Himalayas are acidic in natureand therefore, more P fixation take place due topresence of Al and Fe compounds which convert itinto insoluble form. As a result most of the P appliedis rendered in fixed form and unavailable for cropuptake. Thus, soils commonly have large reserves of‘fixed’ P that could support long term croprequirements which could be mobilized through useof phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) whichconverts insoluble forms of phosphorus to anaccessible form and make the phosphorus availableto plants from soil. Field experiments were conductedat Shimla during 2008 - 2011 to investigate the roleof phosphorus solubilizing bacteria on P economyin potato. The crop was grown during April followingrecommended package of practices. The eightmanurial treatments involving different levels ofP through inorganic fertilizer viz., control, 25% P,50% P, 75% P and 100% P with and without PSBinoculation were tried in randomized block designwith three replications. Application of 100 kg P2O5/ha(100% dose of recommended P) along with PSBinoculation gave highest tuber yield (216 q/ha) whichwas statistically at par with 100% P (206 q/ha).Application 100% P was statistically was at par with75% P + PSB (203 q/ha). Higher mean of yield,phosphorus uptake, phosphorus use efficiency andapparent nutrient recovery were observed with seedinoculation with PSB as compare to without PSB. Theresults of this study indicated the beneficial effects ofPSB inoculation on tuber yield and 11 to 18% ofrecommended dose of P can be saved with the seedinoculation by PSB.Key words: Phosphobacteria, Phosphorus application, Potato,Tuber yield, Uptake

SIV/P-60

Antibiotic Resistance among Fecal IndicatorBacteria Isolated from River Yamuna, DelhiStretchRicha Bhardwaj*, Anshu Gupta and J.K. GargGuru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University,Sector 16-C, New Delhi-110078, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected])

Antibiotic resistance is a global issue of concern.In present study, the Antibiotic resistance pattern of



fecal indicator bacteria isolated from Delhi stretch ofRiver Yamuna from seven different sites has beendetermined. A total of 28 isolates were identified onthe basis of morphological and biochemicalcharacteristics. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolateswas tested by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method.Antibiotic disc used were Amikacin (30mcg),Ampicillin (10mcg), Chloramphenicol (30mcg), Co-Trimoxazole (25mcg), Gentamicin (10mcg),Kanamycin (30mcg), Streptomycin (10mcg),Tetracyclin (30mcg). Percentage resistant andintermediate resistant to all evaluated antibiotics wasshown as Amikacin (Resistant: 7.14%; Intermediate:78.57%), Ampicillin (Resistant: 50%; Intermediate:21.42%), Chloramphenicol (Resistant: 7.14%;Intermediate: 78.57%), Co-Trimoxazole (Resistant:28.57%; Intermediate: 7.14%), Gentamicin (Resistant:7.14%; Intermediate: 14.28%), Kanamycin (Resistant:14.28%; Intermediate: 57.14%), Streptomycin(Resistant: 17.85%; Intermediate: 17.85%),Tetracyclin (Resistant: 35.71%; Intermediate:14.28%). The study indicates a significant level ofresistant and intermediate resistant bacteria in RiverYamuna, Delhi and its imperative to determine theoverall microbiological quality of river water.Key words: Antibiotic resistance, Fecal indicator bacteria,Yamuna river, Microbial water quality

SIV/P-61Biomedical Solid Waste Management in BRDMedical College Gorakhpur: A Case StudyDhananjay Mani TripathiPollution and Environmental Assay Research Lab, Depart-ment of Botany, D.D.U. Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The objectives of this study were: (i) to assessthe waste handling and treatment system of hospitalbio-medical solid waste and its mandatory compliancewith Regulatory Notifications for Bio-medical Waste(Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, under theEnvironment (Protection Act 1986), Ministry ofEnvironment and Forestry, Govt. of India, at the chosenBRD Medical College Gorakhpur India and (ii) toquantitatively estimate the amount of non-infectiousand infectious waste generated in different wards/sections. During the study, it was observed that: (i)the personnel working under the occupier (who hascontrol over the institution to take all steps to ensure

biomedical waste is handled without any adverseeffects to human health and the environment) weretrained to take adequate precautionary measures inhandling these bio-hazardous waste materials, (ii) theprocess of segregation, collection, transport, storageand final disposal of infectious waste was done incompliance with the Standard Procedures, (iii) the finaldisposal was by incineration in accordance to EPARules 1998, (iv) the non-infectious waste was collectedseparately in different containers and treated as generalwaste, and (v) on an average about 520 kg of non-infectious and 101 kg of infectious waste is generatedper day (about 2.31 kg per day per bed, gross weightcomprising both infectious and non-infectious waste).This hospital also extends its facility to the neighboringclinics and hospitals by treating their produced wastefor incineration.Key words: Bio-medical waste, Infectious waste, Humanhealth, Hazardous waste

SIV/P-62Correlation between the Sources ofCarbohydrate Assimilation and Spoilage of FoodItems by Pathogenic and Non Pathogenic YeastMukta Singh1, Karuna Singh1, Aradhana Yadav1

and Divya2

1Department of Home Science, Mahila Mahavidhyalaya,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA.2Zoology Section, Mahila Mahavidhyalaya, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Biologically active compounds are extranutritional constituents that typically occur in smallquantities in foods, vary widely in chemical structureand beneficially affect health and well being.Nutritional yeast is the powerhouse of nutrients andit’s a great addition to healthy life style especially forthe vegetarians. Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast,often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , which issold commercially as a food products. Some of thesub species of Crytptococcus neoformans arepathogenic for the human immune system. Yeasts forobtaining energy undergo assimilation reaction i.ebreak down of carbohydrate into its monomeric unitby various enzymatic activities produced by variousyeasts. In the present study carbohydrate assimilationwas studied by using different food products havingpathogenic and non pathogenic yeasts. All the17



isolates of pathogenic yeast were used and two subspecies of S. cerevisiae and Rhodotorulla which wereisolated from yeast powder and curd respectively. Itwas seen by the use of spectrophotometer i.e. if theisolate has greater efficiency to assimilate foodproducts then that food product having specificcarbohydrate will be easily spoiled by the yeast. It wasrevealed by results that all the pathogenic yeast hashigh absorbance efficiency for fructose. It has beenstatistically proved‘t’ calculated value (6.68) is greaterthan value of tabulated value (2.05) at 5% level ofsignificant. The Rhodotourla obtained from curdsample, have high absorbance value (0.83) at is morefavourable in food fermentation when food ingredientscontains honey as energy. In milk proper absorbancevalue not obtained, indicating that Rhodotourla canbe utilized in fermentation but not too much extent.Key words: Yeast, Carbohydrates, Assimilation, Pathogenic,Non pathogenic

SIV/P-63

Isolation Identification and Characteriza-tion of Thermophilic Fermenting Yeastfrom JaiselmerRavinder Singh Rana and Deepak ChouhanBenazir College of Science and Commerce, Bhopal,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Due to a current challenge of increasing globaltemperature, thermo-ethanologenic yeasts receiveconsiderably interest nowadays. In this study, 10 yeastisolates were checked for their thermophilic growthat temperature 400-450C four of them were selectedfor their fermentative capacity and ethanol toleranceat high temperatures. Only JCY2 was able to grow at450C. Four isolates JCY2, JCY3, JBY1, SF112performed significantly well (at the 95% confidencelevel) in fermentation at 430C. Of which JCY2wasable to tolerate up to 20% v/v ethanol as compared toS. cerevisiae. Therefore only one isolate having highethanol tolerance activity was selected indicating thefurther application feasibility of this yeast for ethanolproduction at high temperature was characterized.Key word: Yeasts, Thermophilic, Ethanol

SIV/P-64

Different Strategies to Explore the Diversityof Soil Microbial CommunityMeenakshi Kushwaha and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Lab, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Soil is a dynamic and complex system ofmicrobial habitat. Traditional culturing methodscannot be fully describing the diversity of microbialworld. To expand knowledge about soil microbialdiversity several advanced techniques came in lightfrom time to time with gaining advantages in exploringmicrobial diversity. These advanced techniques havebeen categorized under three different approaches -Genetic, Structural and Functional diversity. Undergenetic approach Denaturant Gradient GelElectrophoresis (DGGE), Terminal-RestrictionFragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP), AmplifiedRibosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA),Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (RISA) isincluded. Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) andPhospholipid Fatty Acid Analysis (PLFA) are themethods to measure the structural diversity of soilprofile. Enzymes activity Substrate InducedRespiration (SIR) Technique and Biolog assay tomeasure Carbon Source Utilization Pattern in soil arethe functional approaches of diversity analysis. Apartfrom these techniques Soil Metagenomics is anapproach with highly significant data in structural andfunctional diversity analysis of environmental samples.Thus all these strategies will open the door for climatechange study with most reliable results of microbialcontribution in nutrient dynamics and soil organicmatter (SOM) pool.Key words: Microbial diversity, DGGE, PLFA, Carbon sourceutilization pattern, Structural diversity, Functional diversity,Soil metagenomics

SIV/P-65

Basal Respiration, Soil Microbial Biomassand Enzymatic Activities of Natural ForestTypes of North IndiaLovy Raj Chandra1,2, Surabhi Gupta1, Veena Pande2

and Nandita Singh1

1Eco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226 001, Uttar



Pradesh, INDIA, 2Department of Biotechnology, BhimtalCampus, Kumaun University, Nainital-263136, Uttarakhand,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

A major portion of terrestrial ecosystem iscovered by forest land in India. Different forest typeshave different dominant tree species differ in litterquality and root exudates, thereby exerting species-specific impact on soil properties and microbialactivity. This study examined the influence of foresttype on soil physio-chemical properties and itsrelationship with microbial characters among theselected forest types. The different forest sites selectedfor the study have been covered by dominant species,Sal (Shorea robust), Pine (Pinus roxburghii) and Oak(Quercus floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora),respectively. The stands dominated by pine and oakare clustered together in the temperate region, whilethe sal dominated stands are dry deciduous in nature.The two region share different forest age and soil typeand have variation in precipitation and temperature.We assessed soil physio-chemical properties amongthe selected forest sites that mainly include basalrespiration, MBC(microbial biomass carbon),MBN(microbial biomass nitrogen), MBP(microbialbiomass phosphorus) and enzyme activities. As aconsequence of climate change and complexity in soildynamics, the relationship between different soilcharacters and microbial activity cannot be measuredaccurately. The present study provides a base lineconclusion about the influence of specific forest typeon soil physio-chemical and biological condition.Key words: Soil microbial biomass, Physio-chemical, MBC,MBN, MBP, Enzyme activity, Basal respiration

SIV/P-66

Need of Diversified Agriculture in EasternUP for sustainable DevelopmentP.K. Misra*1, S.B. Diwedi1 and Ruchi Sharma2

1Department of Horticulture, Manyawar Shri KasnshiramjiUniversity of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, INDIA,2Department of Agri-Business, CIAT, Naini, Allahabad,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Agriculture play important role in our countrydevelopment. Total aggregate of 13-14% in our GDPcomes from agriculture. Today agriculture is not onlya base of our country economy but also the mirror ofour culture, civilization and lifestyle. Total 16%agriculture products contribute in our national exports

and we are leading in milk, milk products, fruits,vegetable, tea, jute, mango, banana, sugar and coconutetc in the world scenario. But now-a-days the changein climate and environment our agriculture practicesneeds change fo sustainable development. Everythingcan wait but agriculture does not. According to asurvey we needs 30 crore tonne food requirement till2025. To fulfil this target 4% increase/year is necessaryin our agriculture sector. This target can be achievedby adaptation of sustainable agriculture practices. Thefollowing recommendation must be followed forsustainable agriculture, e.g. crop diversification,conservation, fustigation, integrated watermanagement, integrated nutrient and pestmanagement, use of bio-fertilizer, bio-fuel, use ofbiotechnology in gene transfer for high yielding anddisease free varieties, role of agro-forestry inagriculture, use of agriculture engineering inagronomical practices, nutritive fodder production,development of new varieties, priority on dry landagriculture, role of electronics media and computer inagriculture. All these recommendation not onlyincrease in the production but also protect ourenvironment for our coming generations.Key words: Sustainable agriculture, IPN, IPM, Waterconservation, Bio-fertilizers, Nutrient management,Environment conservationSIV/P-67

Reviewing Impact of Petroleum Vapoursand its RegulationBharat SharmaElectronics and Instrumentation, Galgotias College ofEngineering and Technology, Greater Noida, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Petroleum is one of the most precious non-renewable resource and should be conserve by allmeans. Reducing its evaporation loss at retail outletacross the country will not only eases economic burdenbut also advantageous in reducing air pollution. Theobjective of this paper is to put forward variousregulations and practices which can be impose on oilmarketing companies to reduce such emissionsthroughout its retail chain. Such emissions are not onlycarcinogenic but also have appalling safety andenvironmental concern. Stock Storage Tank Breathingphenomenon is discussed. Volumetric thermalexpansion loss is approximated to infer cost saving



and calculate project implementation recovery.Key words: Floating roof tank, Vapour recovery system, MDG,Stock lossSIV/P-68Study of Measures to Recycle Solid WasteHema Ajugia* and Parth AdhiyaMukesh Patel School of Technology Management andEngineering, NMIMS University, Mumbai, INDIAEmail:[email protected],[email protected]

There has been an exceptional growth inindustrialization and urbanization in India over a lastfew years, leading to increase in generation of wasteon a large scale. Due to decrease in the availability ofland space in the country, landfilling these solid wasteis not a sustainable solution. The urban populationgrowth in India is predicted to grow at the rate of 30percent by the end of 2015, which only magnifies theissue. Burning off the solid waste is not an ecologicalsolution since it leads to air pollution which isequivalent to vehicular emissions. Municipal wastemanagement has always been at the top of the agendaof various municipalities but have struggled to find asustainable way to manage the waste.

Recycling or reusing of the solid waste might bean answer to a completely sustainable solution for solidwaste management. A 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle)model should be incorporated in order to get viablesolution and decrease the burden on the overflowinglandfills. Reusing or recycling has not only answersto solid waste management but also has an impact overmany ecological and social issues. With greatimprovement in the technology and infrastructure inrecent years, sustainable solution of wastemanagement by using 3R model is not unattainable.

This paper emphasizes on the current scenarioof the measures been taken for reusing and recyclingthe solid waste and the study of feasibility of the 3Rmodel for waste management in India.Key words: India, Sustainable, Reuse, Recycle, 3R

SIV/P-69

Critical Analysis on the Impact of Pollutionon Marine and Coastal EnvironmentAmal Vyas1* and Pramod Kumar ChettiyarNarsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies,

Bhakti Vedant Marg, Vile Parle West, Mumbai, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Due to advancement in recent technologies,pollution of water bodies near the coastal areas is amajor concern to the society. Increasing populationgrowth along the Urban and Coastal areas pose a greatthreat to the productivity of marine ecosystems. Pre-immersion, Immersion and post immersion of idolsare also on a rising scale which poses a great threat tomarine and aquatic life and hence there arises a needfor Water Quality Assessment (WQA). The presenceof plastic debris also affects the aesthetic andrecreational value of marine life which causes a hugeeconomic loss to bio-diversity. The recent pictures oftanker collision are vivid examples. Another mainreason for concern about marine pollution is relatedto the direct effects of pollution on human health.Because many pollutants accumulate in marineorganisms, humans are exposed to pollutants whenthey consume food from polluted areas. Most sourcesof marine pollution are land based, such as wind blowndebris, industrial and domestic pollutants dischargedand potential spill overs from freight/ bulk oceancarriers. In this study, we have tried to critically analysethe overall impact of natural and man-made activitieswhich are the main cause of pollution affecting themarine and coastal life and in what way we can reducethe impact by following a balanced approach.Key words: Pollution, Aquatic life, Marine pollution, Coastallife, Human health

SIV/P-70

Plant Gums-A Biomaterial for SubstitutionalIngredient in Sanitary ProductsAkanksha Srivastava*, Shobha Singh, Rachit Mohanand Manjoosha SrivastavaPhytochemistry Division, CSIR-National Botanical Re-search Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Recently, there is an urge and awareness towardssanitation and hygiene issues along with concernstowards environment polluting products that causemicrobial contaminations leading to climate change.Poor sanitation, hygiene and related products indeveloping countries has been an insufficientlyacknowledged problem which is currently madeobvious. In India, there are some traditional oldstrategies which offers no protection, endangering



hygiene and reproductive health. In sanitary products,polyethylene, plasticizers, polyurethane, polyacrylatesand recently starch, carboxymethylcellulose salts,cellulose, resins have been used in diapers and sanitarynapkins and variety of products as absorbent materialsfor body fluids in the medical field, water sealingmaterials, freshness-retaining materials, moistureretaining in cosmetics, dehydrating agents and otherindustrial sectors. Some of the harmful chemicals havebeen found in sanitary napkins are: dioxin, rayon,pesticides, herbicides, artificial fragrances anddeodorant which lead to toxic shock syndrome andsudden fall in blood pressure. Moreover, there is lackof development of scientific validated and standardizedcost effective environment friendly biodegradablesanitary products for health and hygiene issues.Recent, trends is towards the use of plant based andnatural products that demands the replacement ofsynthetic additives. Plant gums are importantbiomaterial/ agro- phytochemicals of high molecularweight polysaccharides which are GRAS (GenerallyRecognized as Safe). These not only provide improvedhydro-gelling, water holding, moisture retaining,suspending, binding and encapsulating properties butalso the medical health benefits including preventionand/or treatment of certain diseases. At present, thereis little value addition .They possess unique functionalproperties and there exists lot of scope to enhanceabsorption properties to many folds throughdepolymerization, derivatization and transformation.There exists a specific chemistry and mechanism ofaction to behold water absorbency of the material.Hence to address the problems, studies have beenproposed on some lesser exploited gum sources asCassia, Acacia, Tamarind, Sterculia, and Trigonellausing standard evaluation guidelines andpharmacopoeias. Researches are under scope forselection of abundant, available, eco-friendly plantgums with superior water absorbing capacity andexplore them as potential biomaterial for substitutionalingredient in sanitary products to develop safebiodegradable products for self-sufficiency andeconomic growth.Key words: Biomaterial, Derivatization, Gums, Sanitaryproducts, Water absorption

SIV/P-71

Land Use Affects Fungicide Degradationand Microbial ResilienceTouseef Fatima*, Deepali Shukla, Richa Shukla,Ashmita Tandon, Poonam C. Singh, AradhanaMishra and C.S. NautiyalDivision of Plant Microbe Interactions, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow, 226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Agricultural reinforcement introduces manyagrochemicals in fields that reduce the diversity ofsoil micro biota. The vicious use of fungicides forcontrol of fungal pathogens has inflicted serious harmand problems to soil and human health. Carbendazimis a broad-spectrum systemic fungicide with protectiveand curative action and is used for the control of awide range of fungal diseases such as molds, spot,mildew, scorch, rot and blight in a variety of crops. Ithas a long half-life of 3-12 months and does not getleached from soil, due to its strong adsorption to soil.Since carbendazim directly affect the microbialdiversity and influence functions of the ecosystemsits’ potential degradation and harmful effect on soilmicrobial community was studied in two land usesystem. Leaving fallow soils has been reported toincrease mineral nutrients in soil and increase yield,however toxicological effects of residualagrochemicals on microbial diversity under theseconditions is not known. Thus the present study wasaimed to assess the changes in extractability ofCarbendazim and effect on microbial diversity fromfallow soil and maize rhizosphere soil. Higherpersistence of Carbendazim and its degradationproducts was observed in fallow soil than inrhizosphere soil. In the rhizosphere soil the HPLC peakheights of Carbendazim were found to have decreasedby around 3 times as compared to initial and fallowsoil. Principal component analysis (PCA) of thesubstrate utilization pattern separated the microbialcommunities into three groups; uncontaminatedrhizosphere soil forming a first cluster, rhizospheresoil with 100 µg ml-1 carbendazim formed the secondcluster and fallow soil with or without carbendazimformed the third cluster. The first two factors of thePCA scales separated at 57.69 and 18.74%respectively. It was inferred from the present studythat leaving pesticide contaminated fields fallow may



prolong the presence of residual pesticides in soil andreduce soil microbial resilience and diversity.Key words: Carbendazim, Fallow soil, PCA, Accumulation,Agrochemicals

SIV/P-72

Physiological Parameters for EvaluatingTerminal Heat Stress Tolerance in DurumWheat Varieties Grown in the Field ConditionsAmit Gautam1*, S.V. Sai Prasad1, Anjana Jajoo2 andDivya Ambati1

1Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station,Indore-452001, M.P., INDIA. 2School of Life Sciences, DeviAhilya University, Indore 452017, M.P., INDIA, Email:[email protected]

A physiological approach can complementempirical breeding and can enhance the rate of yieldimprovement under late sown terminal heat stressconditions by identification important physiologicaltraits associated with heat stress tolerance applicableon field. Durum wheat is an economically importantcrop contributes about 8% of the total world wheatproduction it is an important crop for the human diet(e.g., pasta, couscous, bread, etc.) good source ofprotein, total carotene (yellow pigment), vitamins andother minerals along with better adaptability toovercome the heat stress. This investigation wascarried out under field conditions at IARI, Regionalstation Indore. Five heat stress tolerant and five heatstress susceptible cultivars of durum wheat which wereselected base on the earlier performance of the yield.Canopy temperature, Chl Fluorescence and other yieldcontributing parameters were measured at vegetative,pre anthesis, post anthesis (grain filling stages) andafter harvesting. Our findings showed that heat stresstolerant and susceptible cultivars shows significantdifference in their physiological parameters. Morereduction in all physiological characters was recordedin heat susceptible cultivars while exposed to heatstress and susceptible variety DBP 02-08, Malvi localand Sawer local, which showed also more reductionin yield and yield components. Heat stress tolerant HI8691, MACS 3125 and HI 8627 were more stable andshowed better adaptation and comparatively betterphysiological performance and higher yield under heatstress condition. This study emphasis on theimportance of these traits particularly for breeder forimproving heat stress tolerance durum wheatgenotypes to compete with the changing scenario of

the World climatic conditions.Key words: Canopy temperature, Chl fluorescence, Grainyield, Terminal heat stress durum wheat

SIV/P-73

Indicative Value of Modern Non-PollenPalynomorph Deposition in PaleoecologicalReconstruction: A Case Study from theDarjeeling Foothill RegionRuby Ghosh1*, Dipak Kumar Parua2, KrishnenduAcharya2 and Subir Bera2

1Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road,Lucknow-226007, INDIA. 2Centre of Advanced Study,Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35,Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata-700019, India, Email:[email protected]

Use of the non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP) as atool for palaeoecological indicators is growing rapidlydue to their potential to complement palynologicalreconstructions of past environment. To understandthe principal factors (whether anthropogenic orenvironmental) involved in sedimentation of theseNPPs, a study using surface samples from differentvegetation types as well as environmental conditionis needed. Here we analyzed surface samples from twodifferent forests (i.e. Sukna and Mahananda WildlifeSanctuary) of the Darjeeling foothill region, easternHimalayas to test the potential influence of samplingsites, vegetation types and anthropogenic influence onthe sedimentation of NPPs to obtain a modern analoguemodel of NPPs. Surface samples from the above-mentioned forests yielded diverse NPPs including algalmorphs (freshwater dinocysts like Gymnodinium,Peridiniopsis and other freshwater algal morphs i.e.Peridinium, Cosmarium, Spirogyra and Zygnema etc.),fungal spores (Ascodesmis, Astraeus, Delitschia,Gelasinospora, Tilletia, Gasteromycetes andRussulaceae etc.), pteridophytic spores (Asplenium,Athyrium, Blechnum, Thelypteris, Pteris and Pteridiumetc.) and phytoliths (grass and non-grass types). It wasobserved that in addition to common depositionalfactors, water availability, openness of the landscapeand anthropogenic activities influenced the NPPassemblage in the soil. The study may help to enrichthe knowledge of the indicator value of NPP’s andwhich further may aid palaecological studies from thispart of the eastern Himalayas.Key words: Non-pollen palynomorphs, Indicative value,Palaeoecology, Darjeeling foothill region



SIV/P-74

Modern Pollen-Vegetation Relationship inTropical Deciduous Forest of Central UttarPradesh, India: A Reliable Measure for thePalaeoecological StudiesSwati Tripathi1*, Ajay K. Arya2, Sadhan K. Basumatary1

and Samir K. Bera1

1Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road,Lucknow-226007, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA. 2Department ofGeology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, UttarPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The paucity of modern pollen-rain data from theCentral part of Uttar Pradesh is a significant barrier tounderstanding the Late Quaternary vegetation historyof this globally important, northern region of India.The relationships between current vegetation, theavailable environmental data and modern pollen areexamined in Lucknow for both natural and human-induced vegetation types, as an aid forpalaeoenvironmental reconstructions. A dataset of 25surface pollen samples has been documented from theconserve forests of Kukrail, Lucknow (part of CentralGanga Plain). The palynodata reflects the mixeddeciduous forest composing of Butea, Salmalia,Acacia and Syzygium under warm and humid climatein response to rainfall variations in the region. Highmonsoonal activity in and around the region is wellidentified due to presence of Syzygium-Moraceae-Euphorbiaceae assemblage in the sediments. Strikingsignal of winter dryness is well viewed in thepalynoassemblage especially observed throughChenopodiaceae and Artemisia. The regular presenceof pollen grains of conifer and other broad leaved taxanamely Pinus, Quercus, Alnus and Betula aresuggestive of high wind activity from the higheraltitude. Anthropogenic activity is in continuous paceand is reflected by the higher frequencies of Cerealpollen (15-25%) and Brassicaceae (2-5%). Thecontrasting frequencies of extant floral taxa recoveredin form of pollen in varied surface samples areevidence of differential pollen production, dispersaland deposition. Therefore, for the very first time,attempt has been made to precisely observe thebehavioural pattern of modern pollen deposition whichcould be helpful in assessing the expanse of pastoralpractices, depth of deterioration of pristine forests as

well as reconstruction of past climate and vegetationin Central Ganga Plain, India.Key words: Central Ganga Plain, Climate, India, Kukrail,Lucknow, Palynodata, Surface samples, Vegetation

SIV/P-75

Comparative Analysis of AntioxidantPotential of Essential Oil and WaterExtracts of Hyptis auaveolensAnita Sharma*, Daizy R. Batish and R.K. KohliDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh,INDIA, Email:[email protected],[email protected] and [email protected]

Aromatic and medicinal plants have been thesource of medicine to mankind since ages. These serveas the only source of medicine to the aboriginals andtribal people. Besides, being the source of medicine,these may also serve as the good source of antioxidants- the compounds that delay or inhibit the formation offree radicals. Owing to environmental pollution andlife style changes, human are continuously beingexposed to the toxic compounds resulting in excessivegeneration of free radicals in their body. The naturalantioxidant mechanism is a part of all biologicalsystems is not sufficient to combat them (free radicals).Hence, antioxidants are required from external sourceseither in the form of diet or medicine. A number ofsynthetic antioxidants used by the human beings toneutralize the free radical effect, have proven to betoxic and hence are not recommended. There is, thus,a great need to explore safer and non-toxic antioxidantsand the plants especially the medicinal and aromaticplants serve as the best source. Plant based antioxidantsare not only non-toxic but also biodegradable. A varietyof aromatic and medicinal plants have been exploredin the past and others are being investigated. In thiscontext, a study was conducted on exploring theantioxidant and free radical scavenging potential ofHyptis suaveolens, an aromatic member of familyLamiaceae. The essential oil and water extractsprepared from the plant powder (PP) and residuepowder (RP) were tested for various antioxidantsproperties determined through 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical (•OH) assay,hydrogen peroxide assay (H2O2), Iron (Fe2+) chelatingactivity, total antioxidant activity (TAA) and ferric ionreducing power (FRAP) at different concentrations.



The antioxidant activity of both essential oil and waterextracts (PP and RP) increased in a dose dependentmanner. It was thus made evident that H. suaveolenspossesses good antioxidant potential and could thusbe exploited as a natural source of antioxidants.Key words: Free radicals, Antioxidant potential, Essential oil,Water extracts

SIV/P-76

Development of an In vitro Strategy forGermplasm Preservation of Glycyrrhizaglabra L. An Important Medicinal PlantMrinalini Srivastava*, Dharmendra K. Purshottamand Pratibha MisraCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) is an endangeredmedicinal plant and placed in red data book. Licoriceroot is a traditional medicine used in various diseases;roots contain the glycoside, glycyrrhizin which has asimilar structure and activity as the adrenal steroids.

So there is an urgent need to conserve this plant.G. glabra is predominantly propagated throughvegetative parts, mostly rhizomes, stolons or othercuttings but propagation methods are destructive andslow. For maintaining the germplasm, large numberof subcultures was required and at each step risk ofcontamination was increased and this may lead to lossof genetic material. Therefore, for optimizing in vitroconservation protocol, the protocol should providemaximum survival rate of plants with minimum rateof recurrence of subcultures. In the present work, wehave used slow-growth strategies for conservation ofgermplasm. Slow growth cultures were obtained bylowering incubation temperature and light intensity.Cultures were conserved for six month period withslow growth medium i.e. Modified MS withcombination of 5.0 mg l-1 ancymidol, 0.1 mg l-1

abscissic acid and 1.0 mg l-1 polyethylene glycol underlow light intensity (2.5 ìmol m-2 s-1 quantum fluxdensity) and 10oC temperature. Among differentcombination of osmotic agents such as sucrose sorbitoland mannitol, 20 g l-1 of mannitol suited best forincreasing the slow growth conservation period up toone year with only one subculture in a year. Shootsexhibited 100% survival and complete retrieval after

conservation in a very low concentration of BA (0.1mg l-1) and IAA (0.05 mg l-1).The successful plantletswere obtained in half strength medium with 0.25 mgl-1 BA, 1.0 mg l-1 IAA ,10 mg l-1 B-9 and 10 mg l-1

AdS. This research work provides a protocol forgermplasm maintenance of this medicinally importantand endangered plant.Key words: Germplasm, Incubation temperature, Osmoticagents, Slow growth conservation, Glycyrrhiza glabra

SIV/P-77

Exposure Assessment of Mountain Peoplesto Heavy Metals through Vegetables inHimachal Pradesh: A Case Study in KulluValleyN. Sharma1, R.K. Sharma1*, B. Pandey2, M. Agrawal2

and P.P. Dhyani3

1G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Devel-opment, Himachal Unit, Mohal-Kullu-175126, INDIA. 2De-partment of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA. 3 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Envi-ronment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora-246643,Uttrakhand, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Consumption of vegetables contaminated withheavy metals is a major food chain route for humanexposure. In the present study, the concentrations ofCu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Cr in most commonly consumedvegetables (tomato, cauliflower, radish and cabbage)by mountain people were quantified and their healthrisks were assessed by comparing the data with safelimits set by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act(PFA), European Union (EU) and the Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO)/World HealthOrganization (WHO) and health risk index. Resultsshowed that the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb andCr ranged between 1.9 -56.9 mg/kg dw, 6 -87.7 mg/kgdw, 0.06 -5.7 mg/kg dw, 0.01 -7.6 mg/kg dw and 1.05-8.9 mg/kg dw, respectively. Mean Cd concentrationsin tomato and radish and Pb in radish were found tobe above the safe limit set by the PFA. Mean Cdconcentration in all the test vegetables had exceededthe safe limits set by EU and FAO/WHO. The resultsfurther showed that concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn andCr in test vegetables varied with seasons, but noconsistent trends were observed. Consumption of test



vegetables contributes significant amounts of heavymetals to diets of both male and female. Health riskindex values more than a unit indicate presence ofhealth risks of contaminated vegetables. The studyconcludes that vegetables sold in mountain marketsare contaminated with heavy metals, which furtherhave potential for health risk of people.Key words: Mountain markets, Heavy metal, Contamination,Vegetables, Health risks

SIV/P-78

Role of Soil Actinomycetes in AntimicrobialActivity against Multidrug ResistantPathogensNalinee Kumari1*, Ekta Menghani2 and Rekha Mithal3

JECRC University, JECRC Foundation Jaipur, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Soil is a diverse medium composed of manyminerals and substrates essential for metabolicpathways of prokaryotic and eukaryotic inhabitants.The abiotic and biotic diversity present in this mediummakes it complex for the isolation of all the microbialcommunity present. Microorganisms like gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and fungi have theability of synthesizing antimicrobial agents. It wasinvestigated that the top cultivable antimicrobial agentproducers present in soil are the actinomycetes. Theactinomycetes are a group of gram-positive bacteriathat exhibit characteristics of both bacteria and fungi.Actinomycetes are also spore formingmicroorganisms, characteristic shared with fungi.Some of the characteristics that they share withbacteria are the formation and composition of the cellwall, the flagella and the ribosome. 10% - 33% of thetotal bacterial community present in soil is comprisedof the genera Streptomyces and Nocardia, the mostabundant actinomycetes found in soil. The genusStreptomyces is responsible of the synthesis of themajority of antimicrobial agents with clinicalimportance example:- Amphotericin, Erythromycin,Streptomycin, Tetracycline, and Rifamycin. Anothergroup of gram-positive bacteria present in soil andresponsible for the production of antimicrobial agentswith clinical and agricultural importance is genusBacillus.

Especially in hospitals, there are strains ofStaphylococcus bacteria that are resistant to, not just

one, but nearly all known antibiotics. Although mostof the multiple-drug resistant Staphylococcus strainsare only found in hospitals. The search for Novelantimicrobial agents with clinical importance issignificant since many clinical pathogens such asMycobacterium tuberculosis , Streptococcuspneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus aredeveloping resistance to routine used antimicrobials.Therefore, in present research work attempts weremade to isolate actinomycetes having antimicrobialactivity against multidrug resistant pathogens causingvarious infections/diseases.Key words: Actinomycetes, Amphotericin, Erythromycin,Streptomyces, Multidrug resistant pathogens

SIV/P-79

Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity ofSterculia foetida L. BarkAkhtari Khatoon1*, S. Sahoo2, S.K. Mishra2,A. Mohapatra3 and K.B. Satapathy1

1Post Graduate Department of Botany, Utkal University, VaniVihar, Bhubaneswar-751004, Odisha, INDIA. 2UiversityDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utkal University,Bhubaneswar-751004, Odisha, INDIA. 3Sri Jayadev collegeof Education and Technology, Naharkanta, Bhubaneswar-752101, Odisha, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The aim of this study was to investigate theantibacterial and antioxidant activity of Sterculiafoetida L. bark. Antibacterial and antioxidant efficacyof n-hexane and methanolic axtract of S. foetida wastested against Shigella flexineri (MTCC-9543),Salmonella enterica ser typhi (MTCC-733), Bacillussubtilis (MTCC-1305), Streptococcus mitis (MTCC-2897), Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC-109) andStaphylococcus aureus (MTCC-1144) using agar welldiffusion method. The n-hexane extract of S. foetidashowed high antibacterial potential (13 ± 0.24) againstShigella flexineri and its methanolic extract showedhighest antibacterial activity (15.166 ± 0.20) againstSalmonella enterica ser typhi with the concentrationof 2 mg/ml. Tetracycline was used as srandardantibiotic drug. In this agar well diffusion method, themethanol extract of S. foetida was found to have asignificant antibacterial efficiency than the n-hexaneextract. These findings pinpoint the efficacy of theseextracts to inhibit microbial growth. It may lead to thedevelopment of a new phytomedicine. Antioxidantpotential of the extract was estimated on the basis of



the extracts scavenging activity and it was found thatmethanolic extract have more antioxidant value thann-hexane extract.Key words: Sterculia foetida, Antibacterial, Antioxidantactivity

SIV/P-80

Evaluation of Antioxidant and AntimicrobialPotential of Leucas urticaefolia (Lamiaceae)Veena Dixit1, Priyanka Agnihotri1, A.K. Paliwal2 andTariq Husain1*1Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department of Botany,Govt. P.G. College, Rudrapur, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Leucas urticaefolia (Vahl) R.Br., commonlyknown as Goma or Guldora, is used for the treatmentof diarrhoea, dysentery, uterine hemorrhages, dropsy,gravel, cystitis, calculus, bronchial catarrh, skindiseases, fever and mental disorder. The present studywas designed to screen phytochemical constituentswith antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of 50%EtOH extract of L. urticaefolia. Broad spectrumantimicrobial potential was exhibited in concentrationdependent manner against Staphylococcusepidermidis, Salmonella typhi and Candida krusei.However, Salmonella typhimurium and Aspergillusfumigatus showed resistance at lowest concentrationsbut higher concentrations were effective in inhibitingboth microorganisms. Total phenolic and flavonoidcontent were found to be 0.713% and 0.259%respectively. The different concentrations of extractshowed dose dependent reducing power and freeradical scavenging activity with IC50 149.59 ìg/mL.HPLC analysis revealed the presence of importantpolyphenoles such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid,chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid andkaempferol, which may be attributed to antimicrobialand antioxidant activity of the extract. Theobservations provide sufficient evidences that L.urticaefolia might indeed be potential source of naturalantioxidant and antimicrobial agents.Key words: Leucas urticaefolia, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial agent

SIV/P-81

Allelopathic Effect of Pluchea lanceolata(DC.) C.B. Clarke an Invasive Plant on theGrowth and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschusesculentus Linn.)Sayma Samreen* and Athar Ali KhanEnvironmental Botany Laboratory,Department of Botany, AMU, Aligarh-202002, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

New biochemicals, to which indigenous speciesare not adapted, are considered of great significancefor success of invasive alien species in new hostcommunity (Novel Weapon Hypothesis). Pluchealanceolata, an alien species is fast becoming anobnoxious weed in several areas of western UttarPradesh. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluatethe impact of application of the aqueous extract of P.lanceolata (PLE) to okra. Stock PLE was prepared bysoaking 100 gm shade dried leaves of P. lanceolata in500 ml double distilled water for 48 hours. The stockPLE was diluted with double distilled water to preparevarious dilutions of PLE 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.Okra plants were raised in 10inch earthen pots filledwith garden soil. There were three plants in each pot.The plants were sprayed with 10 ml PLE at 2 leafstage, 15, 30 and 45 day stages. Growth and yield wereevaluated in terms of root length, shoot length, rootdry weight, shoot dry weight, leaf number plant-1,number of fruits plant-1, length of fruits, fruit dryweight, number of seeds fruits-1, weight of seed fruit-

1, Chlorophyll ‘a’, Chlorophyll ‘b’ and total chlorophyllcontent. 25% PLE promotes all growth and yieldparameters. Remaining three concentrations caused adecline in these parameters. The yield of okra,evaluated as fruit number plant-1 decrease by 18.51%,40.74% and 57.4% in response to application of 50%,75% and 100% PLE respectively.Key words: Allelopathy, Alien, Extract, Invasive, Okra, P.lanceolata

SIV/P-82

Phenolic Composition of Seven LichenSpecies and its Antioxidant PotentialShaily Singh1*, D.K. Upreti1, A.K. Leheri1 andA.K. Paliwal2

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department



of Botany, Government P.G. College, RampurRoad, Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

The phytochemical characterization andantioxidant potential of seven economically importantlichen species were evaluated in three different solventfractions. High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) analysis of lichen species revealed thepresence of phenolic compounds viz. Gallic acid,Protocatechuic acid, Chlorogenic acid, caffeic, Rutin,Ferulic acid, Quercetin and Kaempferol. Thescavenging activities, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) exhibitedhigh antioxidant action as compared to the studiedmetabolites. Amongst all the lichen species studiedmethanol fraction of Flavoparmelia caperata showsmaximum ABTS and DPPH radical scavengingcapacity as calculated by using ascorbic acid andquercetin as a control. The scavenging capacity of eachlichen fractions (Acetone, Methanol and Hexane) werecompared with individual scavenging capacity of thephenolic compounds. The significant correlationbetween antioxidant potential of lichen extract withindividual phenolics shows the role of thesecompounds in conferring scavenging potential to thelichen species.Key words: Lichens, DPPH, ABTS, HPLC, Scavengingpotential

SIV/P-83

Variation in Soil Organic Matter Dynamicsin Dry Tropics: Impact of Land use ChangeChandra Mohan Kumar*, Sunil Singh and NanditaGhoshalCentre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Land use change (LUC) has been considered toexert larger impact on soil organic matter (SOM)dynamics than projected climate change. Concernshave been raised for restoration of degradedecosystems resulted from change in land use patternof natural ecosystems. SOM, comprised of both thestable and the labile pools, plays a major role in C andnutrient cycling. Soil microbial biomass (SMB),represents the labile pool of SOM and has beenconsidered as an important tool to predict changes in

soil quality, whereas soil organic carbon (SOC), thestable pool, indicates the C storage status in soil. Fordesigning long term restoration strategies,understanding of the impact of LUC on SOM dynamicsthrough the soil profile is required especially in drytropics. The broad objective of the present study wasto evaluate the changes in SOM dynamics in terms ofSMB and SOC dynamics in response to various landuse patterns involving natural forest, degraded forest,agroecosystem and biofuel plantation in form ofJatropha curcas plantation in dry tropics. Theexperimental sites were situated at RGS Campus,Barakachha and forest of Marihan range, Mirzapur,India. Soil was sampled from three depths i.e. 0-10,10-20 and 20-30 cm across all the land use patternsfor analyzing SMB-C during rainy, winter and summerand SOC during summer only. Conversion of naturalforest to agroecosystem resulted in highest loss ofSOC, whereas it was lowest in biofuel plantationacross the soil profile. SOC content was higher at upperlayer and decreased with increasing soil depth acrossall the land use patterns. SMB levels were lowestduring rainy season which increased through winterto the highest during summer across all the land usepatterns. Levels of SMB were highest in natural forestthrough the annual cycle and across the soil profile,followed in decreasing order by biofuel plantation,degraded forest and lowest in agroecosystem. Sinceplantation of biofuel in degraded lands resulted inhigher levels of SOC and SMB as compared toagroecosystem, it may be concluded that biofuelplantation in dry tropics holds promise in restorationof degraded lands.Key words: Land use change, Soil organic matter, Soilmicrobial biomass, Soil organic C

SIV/P-84

Studies on Equilibrium, Kinetic,Thermodynamic Behaviors of Copper MetalIons using Dendrocalamus strictus CharcoalPowderSaraswati*, Inderpreet Kaur and Jatinder KaurKatnoriaGuru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Copper, released into aquatic systems throughnatural and anthropogenic activities, upon entering the



living system can cause potential toxicity at higherconcentrations while genotoxicity even at lowerconcentrations. Hence, there is need to explore themethods for removal of this metal or its ions fromnatural water bodies. The present study pertains toevaluate the adsorption behavior of copper usingDendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder followingdifferent conditions of pH, metal concentration,adsorbent dose, contact time and temperature. Duringadsorption studies, various isotherm models such asLangmuir, Freundlich and Tempkin were employed.Maximum adsorption of copper was observed to be23.81 mg/g, at optimum condition pH (6-7), contacttime (2 h), dose (0.2 g/100 ml) and temperature(25° C). Thermodynamic parameters, ?G0, ?H0 and?S? indicated adsorption of copper onto bamboocharcoal as feasible, spontaneous and exothermic innature. Data analysis using pseudo-first and secondorder kinetic models revealed the pseudo-second orderas the suitable model to describe adsorption. The studyalso included physical analysis of Dendrocalamusstrictus charcoal powder using Scanning ElectronMicroscope (SEM) and Energy DispersionSpectrometer (EDS) before and after the treatment.The results revealed that Dendrocalamus strictuscharcoal could be used for the removal of copper ionsfrom the water bodies.Key words: Heavy metal, Isotherm, Allium cepa, Scanningelectron microscope, adsorption

SIV/P-85

Plant-Based Squalene from ShedArtocarpus Leaves: An EnvironmentalCredential for Safety, Supply and CostS.M. Biswas1 and Nabanita Chakraborty2*1Agriculture and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statisti-cal Institute (ISI) Baranagar, Kolkata, West Bengal-700108,INDIA. 2Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI,ICAR), Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal-700120, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. is found to be a goodplant source of squalene - an alternative to sharkhunting. Squalene is found in small quantities in somevegetable oils, but its richest source is the shark liveroil yielding 99% of the product. From ecologicalperspectives the innovation of any commerciallysignificant product from huge carpet of shed leaves ofa tree could serve as a best ‘green’ alternate. The leaf

extracts were fractionated following elutropic seriesand the purified compounds from hexane fraction ofthe shed Artocarpus leaves were subjected to massspectra, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance (both1H and 13C) for complete structural elucidation.Inhibition zone tests were used for microbial activityand the antioxidant activity was determined using thefree radical, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Spectralanalysis revealed the shed leaves of Artocarpus as aconsiderable source of squalene (10-12% dry weightwith 99.9% purity). This natural squalene exhibitedpotent anti-oxidative and anti-microbial activity. Itinhibited the growth of Sarcina lutea and Escherichiacoli and also retarded the growth of fungi causingaspergillosis. It showed significant antioxidant activitywith IC50 value of 15.0 µg/ml, whereas tert-butyl-1-hydroxytoluene and ascorbic acid revealed 26.0 µg/ml and 5.0 µg/ml, respectively. It can therefore beconcluded that recovery of squalene from a shed plantsource could serve as an environmental credential forsafety, supply and cost.Key words: Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb., Squalene, Baskingsharks, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant

SIV/P-86

Assessment of Grain Yield Components inLocally Adapted Rice VarietiesM.Z. Shamim* and V.K. SharmaDepartment of Agricultural Biotechnology and MolecularBiology, Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar,Pusa-848125, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Eighteen rice varieties were evaluated at researchfarm of Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, Pusa,India during wet season of 2011. The experiment waslaid out in a randomized block design with threereplications of 3m length. Row to row and plant toplant spacing were maintained at 20×15 cm. All therecommended agronomic practices were followed toraise a good crop. Observations were recorded forsixteen quantitative traits. Assessment about varianceof eighteen locally adapted rice varieties indicated thatall the varieties were significantly different withrespect to all the sixteen quantitative characters whichwere studied. Biological yield plant-1, grain yield plant-

1, number of effective tillers plant-1 and 100-grainweight had recorded high PCV, GCV, heritability andgenetic advance as percent of mean. Grain yield plant-

1 had a significant and positive association with



biological yield plant-1, days to maturity, days to 50%flowering, leaf blade width, flag leaf width, numberof effective tillers plant-1, leaf blade length and paniclelength both at phenotypic and genotypic level. Thepath analysis revealed that 100-grain weight, numberof effective tillers plant-1, leaf blade width, days tomaturity, harvest index, days to 50% flowering, plantheight and flag leaf length shows positive and directeffect on grain yield plant-1 at genetic level. Presentstudy suggest that leaf blade width, number of effectivetillers plant-1, days to maturity and 100-grain weightshould be given more emphasis during selection ofparental lines for high yielding variety.Key words: Rice, PCV, GCV, Correlation, Path analysis

SIV/P-87

Development of Protocol for EfficientMicropropagation of Rare and ImportantMedicinal Herbs of Muzaffarpur, Bihar: TheStrategy of Conservation for Sustainable FutureMeenakshi Priyadarshni*, Ritika Kumari and L.N. ShuklaPlant Biotechnology Laboratory, University Departmentof Botany, B.R. Ambedkar Bihar University,Muzaffarpur-842001, Bihar, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Plants are the lifeline for human beings as wellas for any other animals on the earth. In spite of allthey are being destructed by over exploitation forconstruction of roadways/ dams/ bridges, destructionof forests, global warming and climate change etc. andthus, they become rare, vulnerable, threatened,endangered and even extinct. Biodiversity hotspotsaround the globe are at risk and in vitro propagationmethods have been used for rescuing and conservingendangered plants in many countries. Medicinal plantsare also brutally exploited by laborers of Vaidya or bypharmaceutical industries. In the present work attemptshave been made to develop an efficientmicropropagation protocol for Heliotropium indicum,Coleus sp, Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnerii animportant Ayurvedic medicinal herbs, using shoot apexand nodal explants.MS medium supplemented with1.0 mg/l Benzyle Amino Purine (BAP) + 0.5 mg/lKinetin + 0.2 mg/l Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) promotedthe highest number of shoots from the nodal and shootapex explants in comparison to other combinations incase of Heliotropium indicum after 30th day of culture.The multiple shoots elongated in the same medium

on subculture.MS basal medium supplemented with1.5 mg/l BAP +0.2 mg/l IAA was the most suitablemedium among the all combinations in case of Coleussp, as the highest number of axillary branches wereobtained here. MS basal medium fortified with 2.5mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l IAA induced highest multipleshoots in the nodal explants of Centella asciatica. MSbasal medium supplemented with 0.3 mg/l BAP + 0.2mg/l IAA was the most suitable combinations for themultiple shoot inductions on the nodal and shoot apexexplants of Bacopa monnerii. In all the aboveexperiments, it was observed that the nodal explantswas more responsive in comparison to the shoot apexwith respect to multiple shoot induction. These clustersof shoots were sub cultured for elongation and 40th

day old plantlets were used for rooting in half strengthMS medium supplemented with differentconcentrations and combinations of Auxins. Half MSmedium supplemented with 0.2mg/l IBA was suitablefor rooting in the plantlets of Heliotropium indicumwhile MS + 0.1 mg/l NAA or IAA induced maximumrooting in Coleus and half strength of MS +0.5 mg/lIBA induced maximum roots in both the plantlets ofCentella asciatica and Bacopa monnerii respectively.Key words: Heliotropium indicum, Coleus forskoholii,Centella assiatica, Bacopa moneirii, Nodal explants, Shootapex, Micropropagation

SIV/P-88

Effect of Seasonal Environment onMicroscopy and Chemical Constituents ofTephrosia purpuria (L.) Pers.Sayyada Khatoon*, M.M. Pandey, Subha Rastogi,Saba Irshad and A.K.S. RawatPharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Value addition of the medicinal plants is verymuch essential for commercial exploitation as well asthe medicinal value of the raw drugs. The prevailingenvironmental factors during different seasons of theyear could directly or indirectly affect the availabilityof some precursors that the plant needs for thebiosynthesis of the active ingredients which areresponsible for its biological activities but little isknown about how such factors might inûuence a plant’s



internal structure. Generally it is suggested thatenvironment alone has diminutive effect on productionof secondary metabolites. Seasonal variation in plantmorphology and secondary metabolites has been asubject of considerable interest.

Tephrosia purpurea -‘Sarapunkha’ is used for thetreatment of glandular swellings, splenic diseases,tumors, enlargement of liver and spleen, diabetes andskin diseases, since centuries. Recently, it has attractedthe attention for its hepato-protective and stimulantactivity. The present communication dealt with theenvironmental effect of season on microscopy andchemical constituents of T. purpurea. The plantmaterial was collected in early summer, winter andrainy seasons. The microscopy showed variations instomatal number and stomatal index which were morein early summer season as compare to winter and rainyseasons. The chemical markers identified throughHPTLC were lupeol, rutin, rotenone and â-sitosterol.The quantity of these chemical markers varies fromseason to season. Rutin was maximum in early summerseason i.e. 2076 µg/g and minimum in winter seasoni.e. 1169 µg/g while â-sitosterol was maximum in rainyseason. However, lupeol and rotenone were foundmaximum in winter season i.e. 326 µg/g and 2482 µg/g respectively. From the ongoing studies it can beconcluded that T. purpurea may be collected in winterseason for hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatoryactivities while in early summer season for anticancer,anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. Further,pharmacological investigations are required to validatethese findings of ‘Sarapunkha’.Key words: Tephrosia, Seasonal environmental, Microscopy,HPTLC, Secondary metabolites

SIV/P-89

Natural Water Resources in Anthropecolo-gical StressAnil K. DwivediPollution and Environmental Assay Research Laboratory(PEARL), Department of Botany, Deen Dayal UpadhyayGorakhpur University, Gorakhpur-273009, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Man, the most destructive organism of the Earthhas exploited the nature to such an extent that thenatural resources have been forced to be in stress. All

the natural resources are the precious gift of nature.This has been possible only because of appropriatedistance between Earth and Sun and also due to itsstrong gravitational force, which keeps theatmospheric air, bound to it. Next to air, water is themost essential component of our ecosystem.Day byday all the natural water bodies are being ruined byanthropogenic pressure, either through encroachmentor through industrial effluents. The situation hasbecome so worse that more or less similar phenomenonis found to be operating all around.One of the exampleswhich can be sited regarding encroachment is that seenin Ramgarh lake, a mighty lake in Gorakhpur. During1916-17 the area of Ramgarh lake was 1980 acre,during 1971 it reduced to 1948 acre similarly by year2002 its area reduced to 1800 acre and in the year2007, the area has reduced to 1700 acre. Acceleratedanthropogenic involvement has reduced the area ofthe lake to about 85% in the year 2007 as compared toits area in year 1916. Not only this governmentmachinery it self is involved in this process, directlyor indirectly. The solid waste of the city is dumped into the lake, which promote the settlement of the slum-dwellers, initially; which is replaced by large andpowerful builders in due course of time. For the studyof water pollution river Ami, in Gorakhpur wasselected, this is the river which passes through Maghar,the place where Kabeer took his last breath. ThePhysico-chemical properties of the water in river Amiwere analysed fortnightly for a period of one year.Thecolour of river Ami at summer is dark yellow toblackish followed by winter season. During pre-monsoon period i.e. from the month of March to Junethe river water emits rotten sugar like smell. At theends of rainy season odour of the water becomes fishlike. The pH was recorded as high as 8.62, turbidity16 mg/l,TS 2820 mg/l, TDS 2722 mg/l, Hardness 410mg/l,maximum COD 370 mg/l and maximum BOD190 mg/l. The study of change in water quality incurredin the river water after traveling through the distanceof 21 km. from the last source of pollution revealsthat 24.88% reduction in hardness, 4.59% reductionin TS and 34.36% reduction in the case of chlorideoccurred. At the same time variation in otherparameters were discouraging as the pollution levelof river was beyond the level of self-purification.Key words: Anthropecoloy, Water, Ramgarh lake, Gorakhpur,River Aami



SIV/P-90

Improvement of Physical Environment ofSodic Soils through Adoption of ResourceConservation Approaches under Rice WheatCropping SystemV.K. Mishra1, S. Srivastava1*, A.K. Bhardwaj2 andD.K. Sharma2

1Central Soil Salinity Research Institute-Regional ResearchStation, Near Manywar Kanshiram Smarak, Jail Road, P.O.Alambagh-226005, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA. 2Central SoilSalinity Research Institute, Zarfa Farm, Kachawa Road,Karnal-132001, Haryan, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Sodic soils are characterized with very poorphysical structure and properties along with havinghigh pH (>9.0) and very low percent of organic carboncontent (<0.10%). Conventional practices of tillageand irrigation in rice wheat cropping system on thesesoils further deteriorates the soil structure. Ricecultivation done through wet cultivation whichinfluences the soil water relation and affects waterholding and transmission capacity of soil. On dryingduring wheat, these soils become compacted, hard anddevelop cracks of varying sizes. Tillage practices forwheat cultivation breaks the aggregates with highenergy and exhaust the organic matter due to rapidoxidation. This also requires much time and laborinput. These all activities led to soil degradation anddeterioration of soil quality. Thus, there is arequirement to develop a sustainable cultivationsystem that is compatible with resources available andmaintain the equilibrium with the present environment.In our experiment, use of 30% rice crop residue andzero tillage for wheat cultivation and dry ploughing,direct seeding of rice with/without Sesbania is foundeffective in improving the hydro-physicalcharacteristics of sodic soils. Crop cover causesreduction in water loss. Minimum operationalactivities on soil reduced soil bulk density andpenetration resistance. With the adoption of resourceconservation techniques the hydraulic conductivity andinfiltration rate increased about 6-7times over thecontrol (conventional). The enhancement in organiccarbon particularly in soil aggregates also increasedin the plots where crop residue was applied with zero

tillage practices. These practices however do notcompromise with the rice wheat yield and gave at parresults with conventional practice.Key words: Rice-wheat, Crop residue, Zero tillage, Dryploughing, Direct seeded rice

SIV/P-91

Varietal Evaluation of Gladiolus on SodicSoil of Gangetic Plains of Uttar PradeshR.S. Katiyar*, R.C. Nainwal, Devendra Singh, LalitK. Sharma and S.K. TewariCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], ani.lalit.sharma.gmail.com,[email protected]

In the modern era, floriculture is gaining muchimportance. The flowering industry has become a goodsource of income. Besides it also gives pleasure andhappiness to human beings. A number of flowers areused for decorative purposes in homes. Gladiolus(Gladiolus spp., family- Iridaceae) popularly knownas the ‘Sword Lily, is an ornamental plant having moreaesthetic value, native to South Africa. It is grown inseveral parts of the world as a cut flower and a beddingplant. Most of the commercial cultivars of gladiolusare very attractive. Its elegant spike, richly varied incolour and along with it’s vase life, are the reason forits ever increasing demand. Considering thepotentiality of this floriculture crop which occupiesthe fifth place in the international floriculture trade, afield experiment was conducted during 2009-10 and2010-11 on sodic soil at Banthra Research Station ofNational Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, tostudy the comparative performance of nine varietiesnamely: Friendship, White prosperity, Red beauty,Picardy, Aldebran, Day dream, Green wood packer,White friendship and White goddess of gladiolus.During the investigation, results revealed that the pinkcolored friendship variety was found superior inrespect of all growth parameters viz., plant height, leaflength and width, number of spike and it’s length anddiameter, number of florets followed by white coloredwhite prosperity and red colored red beauty. Resultsrevealed the suitability of these three varieties on sodicsoil of Gangetic plain of Uttar Pradesh.Key words: Gladiolus, Iridaceae, Floriculture, Sodic soil,Gangetic plain



SIV/P-92

Prospects of Mungbean (Phaseolus radiatus)for Intercropping with Spring Sugarcaneto Assured Food SecurityRana D.P. Singh1*, Abhishek Kumar Singh1,J. Singh2, R.K. Singh2, P.K. Singh2, V.K.Tiwari3,Sujeet Kumar3, Ved P. Mishra1 and Subhash Ram1

1Sugarcane Research Station, Gorakhpur-273008, UttarPradesh, INDIA. 2Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research,Lucknow-226002, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA. 3U.P. Council ofAgricultural Research, Lucknow- 226010, Uttar Pradesh,India, Email:[email protected]

Sugarcane an important agro-industrial cropplays a pivotal role in Indian economy since it providesraw-material to the second largest agro-based industryafter cotton. Sugarcane has pronounced importanceto provide sugar for more than half of the globalpopulation. World population is enhancing day by dayand production land is in the worst situation. Thecultivated land is diminishing rapidly due tourbanization, road construction and land deterioration.In India, intercropping of two or more crops is an oldpractice especially under normal and waterstressconditions. The system helps to improve utilizationof natural resources, i.e. sunlight, land and water, andto combine cultural practices, often resulting increasedproductivity per unit area and time. With the limits onthe availability of arable land and rapid increase inthe population, intercropping needs to be adopted byfarming systems for producing more food and otheragricultural commodities from the same availablearea.Sugarcane is a long duration crop, planted inwidely spaced (80-120 cm) furrows and usuallyirrigated with tubewell and/ or canal water. Duringspring season the initial growth of sugarcane is veryslow and space between two furrows remainsunutilized for nearly three months.Under such ascenario, if an intercrop like mungbean(Phaseolusradiatus) is taken during early growthperiod of sugarcane, it may give additional income tothe farmers as well as protein rich diet alleviatingprotein malnutrition in rural masses. As mungbean isa pulse crop, therefore would also improve the soilfertility through nitrogen fixation. Thus by adoptingintercropping of mungbean (Phaseolusradiatus) withspring sugarcane may provide an alternative way tofood security as well as sugar security and also mayuplift the socio-economic conditions of the farmers,

contributing in the economic development of the statein future.Key words: Sugarcane, Mungbean, Intercropping, FoodSecurity, Future Prospect

SIV/P-93

Critical Assessment of Solar Power BasedElectrolytic Defluoridation Plants in IndiaNeha Mumtaz1*, Govind Pandey2 and Pawan KumarLabhsetwar3

1Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow-226021,INDIA. 2Department of Civil Engineering, Madan MohanMalaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur-273010,U.P., INDIA. 3Water Technology and Management Divi-sion, National Environmental Engineering Research Insti-tute (CSIR-NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur-440020, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Excessive intake of fluoride causes fluorosis, adisease affecting the multiple tissues, organs andsystems in the body. Higher concentrations of fluoridein groundwater are a global problem, occurring in atleast 25 countries across the globe and affectingmillions of people. It is a threat to millions in thecountry as it ultimately leads to crippled and vegetativelife. National Environmental Engineering researchInstitute (CSIR-NEERI), India has developedElectrolytic Defluoridation (EDF) technique for thetreatment of excessive fluoride in water sources. Theprocess is based on the principle of electrolysis bypassing Direct Current (DC) obtained from solarphotovoltaic cells through aluminium plate electrodesplaced in fluoride containing water. During theprocess, aluminium plate connected to anode dissolvesand form polyhydroxy aluminium species that removefluoride in water by complex formation followed byadsorption and removal by settling. EDF technologyprovides a technically sound, cost-effective andreliable community drinking water Defluoridationsystem for supplying safe drinking water, which meetsthe guideline value (1 mg/L) of the World HealthOrganization (WHO) for fluoride. Solar power basedelectrolytic Defluoridation demonstration units weresuccessfully installed at 4 places in India in the fluorideaffected villages. Performance evaluation of theseplants is being undertaken. It was found that EDFplants produce the treated water with fluoride less than1 mg/L and 90 - 99% reduction in bacterial load fromthe raw water with the fluoride in the range 2 - 5 mg/



L and total coliform and fecal coliform counts in therange 120-630 CFU/100 ml and 70-100 CFU/100 mlrespectively in raw water. Reduction in hardness andnitrate is also observed in treated water. The recurringcost for the treatment worked out for electrolyticDefluoridation demonstration plant is $ 0.4/m3 oftreated water which is much more less than the

treatment cost by any other Defluoridation systemavailable in the market. The capital cost of the plant isabout $ 12000.Key words: Electrolytic Defluoridation, Dongargaon andUsarvara villages, Fluoride in groundwater, Fluorosis, Solarenergy





SV/KN-1

Deficiency and Toxicity of Micronutrientsand Related Elements in PlantsH. Küpper1,2

1Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Insti-tute of Plant Molecular Biology, Department of Biophysicsand Biochemistry of Plants and University of SouthBohemia, Department of Experimental Plant Biology, ÈeskéBudìjovice, CZECH REPUBLIC, 2Former address:University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, Konstanz,GERMANY, Email: [email protected]

Many heavy metals are essential trace elements,but elevated concentrations are toxic. One centralfocus of our research is on the response of higher plantsand algae to trace metals in terms of uptake, transport,sequestration, complexation, deficiency, toxicity anddetoxification. These processes are decisive factorsin plant nutrition because of vastly different (due tonatural and anthropogenic influence) trace metalconcentrations in various habitats, ranging fromdeficient to toxic levels.

In contrast to earlier studies in the field, we useconditions that allowed us to work also in the sub-nanomolar range and with a simulation of natural light-and temperature cycles. Thus, with the submergedwater plant Ceratophyllum demersum as a model, wecould show that heavy metal(loid) (As, Cd, Cr, Cu,Ni) concentrations that were previously considered asnot having any effect actually have a strong impact onthe plants, and with a different sequence of events thanobserved at very high concentrations. We used acombination of various biophysical and biochemicalmethods for measurements in vivo (e.g. photosynthesisbiophysics, formation of reactive oxygen species,metal transport), in situ (e.g. quantitative (sub)cellulardistribution and speciation of metals, mRNA levels)as well as on isolated proteins (for identification andcharacterisation of metalloproteins). For example,using metalloproteomics via native gels of proteinextracts from plants that had been treated with heavymetals we are investigating the physiological and toxicbinding of heavy metals to proteins. Analysis ofpigments showed heavy metal-induced changesalready at very low concentrations; this was reflectedalso by specific changes in biophysics ofphotosynthesis (e.g. spectral changes in non-photochemical quenching). As a result of the changes

already mentioned, starch metabolism as well asproduction of reactive oxygen species were influencedby such sublethal concentrations of heavy metals andthe metalloid arsenic in C. demersum. Our work inthe sub-nanomolar range further showed that C.demersum stopped growth unless Cr(III) as Cr3+ orCr(VI) as CrO4

2- became available, as extrapolatedfrom the growth decrease towards the lowestachievable Cr (0.17 nM). This was a surprise becauseCr is not regarded as an essential nutrient for plants.Chromium deficiency was furthermore found,although not at severe likely due to lower demandscomparable to the lowest achievable Cr concentration,in the crop plants Glycine soja (soybean) and Triticumaestivum (wheat). We isolated several proteins thatbind Cr with high affinity, and are currentlycharacterizing them.Key words: Heavy metals, Ceratophyllum demersum

SV/O-1

A Responses of Allium cepa L. RootMeristematic Cells to the Arsenic (III)Contaminated Groundwater in EasternParts of Burdwan District, W.B., India: AMolecular Cytogenetic ApproachAbhijit BandyopadhyayCytology and Molecular biology Research Laboratory, MUCWomen’s College, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Both Geogenic and anthropogenic activities haveresulted in arsenic pollution of groundwater especiallyin the Eastern region of Burdwan district in WestBengal. Response of Allium cepa L. genetic materialto the presence of potential cytotoxic and genotoxicsubstances in aquatic environment was used toevaluate the arsenic contaminated groundwater-induced genotoxicity and hormesis. Depending on thearsenic content, water samples collected from blocksKalna I and II, Katwa I and II, and Purbasthali I and IIwere grouped into four sets viz. d”50µg/L, d”100µg/L, d”500µg/L and d”1000µg/L. For in situ monitoringof the cytotoxicity level, the inhibition of mitosis inroot meristematic cells was assayed. To studygenotoxicity, micronucleus assay and DNA purityassay (by A260/280 ratio) were used. Treatment for 4 daysof newly developed roots of Allium cepa L. with watersamples with arsenic content d”50µg/L exhibited



stimulation in mitotic activity whereas samples witharsenic d”1000µg/L showed inhibition of mitoticactivity apparently indicating hormesis. Inhibition ofmitosis was compared with the concentrationdependent increase in generation of reactive oxygenspecies (ROS), cell death, decrease in activity ofantioxidative enzymes (catalase, superoxidedismutase), the absorbance ratio (A260/280) of DNA, ormicronuclei in root cells. These findings indicated thatcontaminated groundwater depending on themagnitude of the arsenic concentration, might eitherbe mitogenic or mitostatic/toxic, which in turn hasobvious implications in agriculture and human health.Key words: Micronucleus, DNA purity assay, Hormesis,Genotoxicity

SV/O-2

Response of Duckweed to Lead Bioaccumu-lation and Potential Use as BioindicatorAhmad K. Hegazy1,3*, A.A. El-Khatib2, H.F. Kabiel3

and A.A. Alatar1

1Department of Botany and Microbiology, College ofScience, King Saud University, Riyadh, KINGDOMOF SAUDI ARABIA. 2Department of Botany, Faculty ofScience, Sohag University, Sohag, EGYPT. 3Department ofBotany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, EGYPT,Email: [email protected]

The fact that heavy metals content in water plantsis mostly higher than in the waste water has led to useof hydrophytes as phytoremediators. Lead (Pb) isamong the most notorious heavy metals as anenvironmental contaminant. Duckweed (Lemna gibbaL.) is a small-sized fresh or wastewater floatingmacrophyte which inhabits stagnant to gently floatingsurface waters. The species showed the potential asheavy metals absorbent. This study aims at testing theresponse of duckweed to Pb pollution asbioaccumulator and bioindicator. Populations ofduckweed were raised in growth medium undergradient of Pb concentrations ranging from 10 to 100mg/L. Bioaccumulation, removal efficiency, pigmentcontent, degreening and recovery of duckweed weremonitored at intervals. The bioaccumulation of Pb inplant tissues increased from initial concentration 0.11to 4.8 mg/g dry weight after 12 days, while valuesdecreased with the increased concentration in thegrowth medium. The removal efficiency exceeded90% at low Pb concentrations in the growth medium

and was less than 30% at concentrations higher than20% mg/L. Similar trend was observed for degreeningof pigments which attained up to 94% during the firstdays and decreased with time and increased Pbconcentration in the growth medium. Chlorophyll acontent was higher than chlorophyll b and carotenoidsat lower Pb concentrations and during the first growthdays. The percentage recovery of stressed plants fromexcessive Pb bioaccumulation ranged from 40-58%and recovery from degreening ranged from 5-80%depending on the type of pigment. Due to the highremoval efficiency of Pb, and the ability to recoverfrom degreening and release of the excessive amountsfrom the plant tissues, duckweed is recommended ascandidate for phytoremediation of polluted waters anduse as biomentor or biosensor of heavy metal levelsin waste and fresh waters.Key words: Lemna gibba, Bioaccumulation, Removalefficiency, Pigments, Degreening, Phytoremediation

SV/O-3

Suitability of Treated Brewery Effluent asLiquid Fertilizer for Growth and YieldImprovement in Two Genotypes of Soybean(Glycine max L. Miller)Otitoloju Kekere* and Ajoke Mary KoladeDepartment of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty ofScience, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, OndoState, NIGERIA, Email: [email protected]

Pot experiments were carried out to investigategrowth, yield and seed nutritional composition of TGX1987 10F (G1) and TGX 1987 62F (G2) genotypes ofGlycine max, irrigated with water containing differentconcentrations of treated brewery effluent. Treatedeffluent collected from Nigerian brewery in LagosState, was used to irrigate plants at 0% (control), 20%,40%, 60%, 80% and 100% (v/v) in greenhouse studies.Number of leaves was significantly higher in bothgenotypes at all concentrations of effluent than incontrol. Growth parameters including leaf area, plantheight, stem girth, root length, biomass and relativegrowth rate improved at 20-40% and 20-60% effluentin G1 and G2 respectively, but decreased at higherconcentrations, compared to the control. Similar trendwas also obtained in yield parameters: number of podsand seeds per plant, pod mass, seed mass and 100-seed mass. Comparatively, yield improvement was



better in G2 than G1, relative to their respective controltreatment. Effluent led to an increase in leaf totalchlorophyll of both genotypes up to 60% effluent, butdecreased at higher concentrations. Percentage proteinand lipid in the seeds of effluent-treated plantsincreased over that of the control, while percentagefibre was unaffected. Effluent increased theconcentrations of heavy metals: Zn, Pb and Cu in theseeds, but not at a toxic level. N and P concentrationsincreased under all effluent treatments, while Ca andMg only increased up to 60% effluent but decreasedat higher concentrations. Na and K were not affectedexcept for a slight decrease recorded at 80-100% and100% in G1 and G2, respectively. Treated breweryeffluent can serve as an alternative liquid fertilizer inimproving productivity and seed quality of TGX 198710F and TGX 1987 62F genotypes of Glycine max.Key words: Soybean, Effluent, Brewery, Fertilizer, Yieldimprovement

SV/O-4

Interaction of UV-B (285-325nm) Radiationand Phytohormones on Vegetative Growth,Photosynthetic Activities in a Few Crop PlantsK. LingakumarCentre for Research and Postgraduate Studies in Botany,Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous, Collegeof Excellence by UGC), Sivakasi-626124, Tamil Nadu,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Due to anthropogenic release of chlorofluoro-carbons, the stratospheric ozone gets depleted duringthe past few decades. The depletion of stratosphericozone has led to enhanced amount of UV-B rays inthe solar radiation impinging on the earth’s surface.Enhanced UV-B radiation has been shown to bedetrimental to both plant and animal systems. Withregard to higher plants, the most vulnerable target sitesof UV-B are the shoot apex, lamina and the PSII inchloroplasts leading to depression in overall growthand photosynthetic activity. Phytohormones play avital role on the regulation of growth and developmentof plants. In the present study, an attempt has beenmade to understand the impact of phytohormones viz.salicylate and brassinosteroids on the alleviation ofUV-B induced effects in a few crop plants like Vignamungo, V. unguiculata, V. radiata, Amaranthus andMentha.

Key words: Brassinosteroids, Chlorofluorocarbons, PSII,Photosynthesis, Phytohormones, Salicylate

SV/O-5

Residue, Dissipation and Safety Evaluationof Thiamethoxam and Lambda-Cyhalothrinin TeaBappa Ghosh1,2*, Sankhajit Roy2, Saktipada Das1 andAnjan Bhattacharyya2

1Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, INDIA. 2Department of AgricultureChemicals, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,Mohanpur-741252, West Bengal, INDIA, Email:[email protected] , [email protected],[email protected] and [email protected]

Tea is one of the most popular consumed aromaticnon-alcoholic beverages throughout the world. Toensure high-quality and quantity of tea production, teaplantation has mostly depended on the use ofconventional broad-spectrum, synthetic pesticides,synthetic pyrethroids and a number of new chemicalclasses, such as neonicotinoids. Thiamethoxam [(EZ)-3-(2-chloro-1,3- thiazol-5-ylmethyl)-5-methyl-1,3,5-oxa-diazinan-4-ylidene(nitro)-amine] is the firstcommercial neonicotinoid insecticide which acts bybinding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.Lambdacyhalothrin [(RS)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl-3-(2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl)-2,2,-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate] is a syntheticpyrethroid insecticide and acaricide used to control awide range of insects and mites. An effective analyticalmethod was developed for the determination andquantification of thiamethoxam and lambda-cyhalothrin present in mixed formulation Alika 247ZC in green tea leaves, made tea, tea infusion usingLC-MS/MS and GCMS/ MS in MRM moderespectively. The method includes extraction withacetonitrile for thiamethoxam and ethyl acetate:cyclohexane (9:1) for lambda-cyhalothrin separatelyfollowed by cleanup using dispersive solid phaseextraction with PSA ,C18, GCB (excluding teainfusion) and activated MgSO4. The recoverypercentage ranged between 85-110% for all matricesand correlation coefficient (R2) of matrix matchedcalibration curves were e”0.998. The method was alsosensitive enough to set LOQ at 20 ng/g on green tea,made tea and at 10 ng/g for tea infusion for both testcompounds. To evaluate its safety use, a multilocation



field dissipation study in tea was conducted at fourlocations (viz. UPASI-TRF, Vandiperiyar; UPASI-TRF, Valparai; Kamalpur Tea Estate, Darjeeling andHantapara Tea Estate, Jalpaiguri) by following theabove established method. The mixed formulation o fAlika 247 ZC in tea bushes was applied @ 33g and66g a.i./ha. In case of thiamethoxam, the half life couldnot be evaluated as there was no residue after 1st dayof application. In case of lambda-cyhalothrin half-lifevalue was determined in the range of 1.97-2.85 dayson made tea irrespective of any doses and locations.According to the EU, MRL of lambda-cyhalothrin wasfixed as 1.0 mg/kg in tea, the preharvest interval wascalculated in the range of 1.61-4.13 days for the presentstudy. This experiment clearly revealed that this mixedformulation will not create any residual toxicityproblem in tea plantation.Key words: Tea, Thiamethoxam, Lambda-cyhalothrin,Residue, Half-life, Pre-harvest interval

SV/O-6

Toxicity of Pesticide Industry Effluent onPlant Growth and Metabolism of Mung(Vigna radiata L.) Plants and itsPhytoremediationKum Kum Mishra* and Era SenwalDepartment of Botany, Lucknow University, Lucknow-226006, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Chemical pesticides in excess amounts are highlydetrimental for the environment, plant and humanbeings. Sometimes even low concentrations, pesticidesproved to be quite toxic and even produce carcinogeniceffects.

This aspect in view, an investigation was carriedout to study the effect of pesticide industry effluenton growth and metabolic parameters in Mung plants.These plants when supplied with excess pesticideindustry effluents, caused reduction in plant growthand the contents of chlorophyll, carotenoids, totalsugars and protein concentrations. However, activitiesof two antioxidant enzymes, i.e. CAT and POD alongwith lipid peroxidation found to be enhanced.

Remediation of otherwise toxic effluent wasobserved when effluent were supplemented with abiopesticide i.e. neem (Azadirachta indica A.Juss).Almost all the studied growth and metabolic

parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, proteinand sugar contents were found to be enhanced withthe supplementation of biological pesticide viz. neem.However, addition of neem was resulted into reversingthe positive effects in the activities of two antioxidantenzymes viz. catalase and peroxidase and lipidperoxidation.

Thus it can be inferred that ill effects of chemicalpesticide effluents can very well be negated or rectifiedby the introduction of a biopesticide (neem) in suitableamounts.Key words: Biopesticide, Phytoremediation, Vigna radiate,Catalase, Peroxidase, Neem

SV/O-7

Effect of Lead, Cadmium and Thallium onGrowth, Biochemical Parameters andUptake in Lemna minorDana Mohammed1*, Andrew Turner2 and MurrayT. Brown1

1School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth Uni-versity, Plymouth, UK, 2School of Geography, Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK,Email:[email protected],[email protected]

The toxicity and accumulation of lead, cadmiumand thallium in the aquatic plant Lemna minor wereinvestigated, using a modification of the Organisationfor Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) standard growth inhibition test. Plants werecultured in a modified Swedish Institute Standard (SIS)at pH 6.5 under 85 µmol m-2 S-1 at 25°C and exposedto a wide range of metals concentrations fromenvironmentally realistic to very high concentrations(0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 µmol L-1) for sevendays. Various physico-biochemical endpoints weremeasured after seven days of exposure. Theconcentrations of dissolved lead, cadmium andthallium remaining in the residual solutions, andaccumulation of lead, cadmium and thallium in frondsand roots were assessed using inductively coupleplasma - Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Over the firstfour days of exposure, lead, cadmium and thalliumconcentrations in solution decreased rapidly andchlorosis was observed in fronds exposed to the threehighest lead, cadmium and thallium concentrations.After seven days of exposure, there were significant



decreases in the relative growth rate (RGR), relativefrond area (RFA), pigment content (chlorophyll a, band total carotenoid) and activity of photosystem II(Fv/Fm) at concentrations of 100, 1000 and 10 000µmol/L. Cellular concentrations of lead, cadmium andthallium were higher in roots than fronds, whereasmore lead, cadmium and thallium were adsorbed tothe extracellular matrix of fronds than roots. The bio -concentration factor (BCF; i.e. lead concentration inplant tissue at day seven relative to residual leadconcentration in the growth medium at day seven)indicates that L.minor is a good accumulator of lead,cadmium and thallium but the physiological datashows that it is toxic at concentrations that can beencountered in wastewater treatment facilities.Therefore additional studies are required to evaluatethe potential of L.minor for phytoremediation ofwastewater contaminated by lead, cadmium andthallium, and of other metals.Key words: Lemna minor , Heavy metals, Toxicity,Phytoremediation

SV/O-8

Impact of Vehicular Emission Particulateon PlantsT.S. VermaDepartment of Physics, University of Botswana, Pvt Bag 0022,Gaborone, BOTSWANA, Email: [email protected]

The plants are living bodies. Like human beingsthe plants are adversely affected by air pollution. Theindustrialization has become a major threat to the cropproduction. The plants respond abnormally in abehavior which is elusive and measurable. The damageto plants by air pollution is caused due to impedimentin photosynthesis and respiration. Consequently, theresultant impact manifests in the form of chlorosis andnecrosis of the plants.

The present study was conducted in theenvironment of Gaborone which is the capital city ofBotswana. Botswana is a landlocked country in theSouthern African region. Gaborone is a fast growingcity mainly in the area of industry, mining and buildingconstruction. The number of vehicles has increasedto over 300,000, Consequently the main source ofpollution is due to vehicular emission.

The number concentration of airborne particulatewith their sizes over a size range from 0.1 ìm to 5ìmand hence their size distribution, using automaticparticle counters, have been continuously monitoredover a period of about ten years. Simultaneously, usinggas analysers, measurement of the gases like CO2, CO,SO2, NOx and HC have been conducted.The increasein vehicular population has resulted in the numberconcentration of aerosols. It was also established that,Using ESEM (Environmental Scanning ElectronMicroscope), the chemical composition analysisshowed that in the environment of Gaborone, Ni, Cr,Pb, Zn toxin particles are present. The mass loadingof plant leaves result in a thin moist layer of suchparticles. In plant leaves, the stomata of size 10ìm-20ìm are present which open in the sunlight but closein the night. These particles ,whether dissolved stateor undissolved state in the moisture, sweeps into theplant leaves. It was also reported that Pb and Znconcentration and accumulation, in particular, in theplants along highways have been high.Key words: Atmospheric particles, Air pollution, Vehicularpopulation, Plants

SV/O-9

Salicylic Acid Altered Photosynthetic andAntioxidants Traits under Different Levelsof Chromium (VI) in Brassica junceaQazi Fariduddin* and Badar JahanPlant Physiology Section, Department of Botany,Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Salicylic acid has been known to modulateantioxidant system for improving the efficiency ofplants, grown under various metal stresses. The seedsof Brassica juncea were sown in cups, and at 10 dstage, seedlings were exposed to Cr (0, 50, 150 or 300µM) through sand and allowed to grow till 20 d stageof growth under natural conditions. At 21 d stage,plants were sprayed with DDW (control) or 10-5 M ofsalicylic acid (SA). At 30 d stage of growth, plantswere harvested to assess the various growth as well asselected biochemical characteristics. The chromiumstress significantly reduced plant growth and gas-exchange parameters, and increased proline contentand electrolyte leakage in the leaves. Toxic effectsinduced by lower level of Cr (50 µM) were completely



overcome by follow-up treatment of SA. Applicationsof SA up-regulated the activities of the antioxidantenzymes, such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxidedismutase under Cr stress. The up-regulation ofantioxidant enzymes as well as proline (osmolyte)triggered by salicylic acid could have conferredtolerance to the Cr stressed plants.Key words: Antioxidant system, Chromium, Photosynthesis,Proline, Salicylic acid

SV/O-10

Application of Soil Amendments forReducing Cd Uptake in Amaranthuscaudatus and its Consequent Effect on Yieldand Oxidative Biomarker ResponsesAnita Singh* and Sheo Mohan PrasadRanjan Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory,Department of Botany, Universit of Allahabad,Allahabad-211002, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Present study includes assessment of yield,cellular cadmium (Cd) accumulation and oxidativebiomarker responses in leafy vegetable Amaranthuscaudatus under soil amendments. The test plant wasgrown in Cd contaminated soil (6 µg Cd g”1 soil)amended with rice husk (RH), saw dust (SD), farmyardmanure (FYM), farmyard in combination withnitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (FYM+NPK)with different doses: 0.5, 2, 5 and 10 %. Result showedthat in edible part (shoot) of A. caudatus, the cellularCd accumulation declined maximally at 5 % dose ofeach amendment. The Cd content in tissues wasdecreased under amended soil and it was maximum(45%) in FYM+NPK amendments over the valuerecorded in plants grown under non amended soil.Yield of plant was also higher under amended soil.This increment was maximum under 5 % dose of eachamendment. The decrease in cellular Cd concentrationfollowing amendment the level of oxidativebiomarkers (superoxide radical: O2

•- , hydrogenperoxide: H2O2 and malondialdehyde content: MDA)were also decreased as a result of significant increasein the activity of enzymatic antioxidants (peroxidise;POD, ascorbate peroxidise; APX, superoxidedismutase; SOD and catalase; CAT). Among allamendments, the combination of farmyard withnitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (FYM+NPK)

fertiliser was found to be best for reducing metalcontamination and increasing plant quality. Therefore,this kind of sustainable technique can be easily appliedat metal contaminated agricultural fields for reducingmetal load in food chain and for the improvement offood quality.Key words: Heavy metal, Amendment, Oxidative biomarker,Antioxidant, Yield

SV/O-11

The Thiol-Metalloid Relations in ArsenicExposed Rice SeedlingsRicha Dave Nagar1* and R.D. Tripathi2

1Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity Univer-sity Uttar Pradesh, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, IN-DIA. 2CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Phytochelatins (PC) chelate metals and thiolmetabolism is the primary detoxification strategy totolerate metal stress in plants. In light of this, it is veryimportant to understand the the importance ofharmonised thiol metabolism with metal accumulationand tolerance. In the present study, As(V) and As(III)seemed to have modulated the whole pathway ofthiolic metabolism in both lines evaluated in terms ofvarious metabolites and important enzymes of thepathway. The sensitive cultivar had a higherupregulation of thiol metabolsim given thesensitization due to higher As influx (13 times higherin roots than the tolerant one at 25 µM As III exposurein hydroponics). Though, the PC accumulation wasalso found higher in the sensitive cultivar, it was notadequate enough to detoxify the high As burden andtherefore lead to sensitivity in the plant. This wasfurther validated by the lower As accumulation in thecontrastingly tolerant cultivar, where the thiolmetabolism did not show much up-regulation but thePC accumulation was enough to detoxify theaccumulated low levels of As and therefore, thetolerance in the genotype. It is concluded that tolerantgenotype synthesizes adequate thiols to detoxifymetalloid load while sensitive variety synthesizeshigher but inadequate levels of thiols to tolerateexceedingly higher load of metalloids as evident bythiol : metalloid molar ratios and shows phytotoxicityresponse. It may be suggested that plants stimulateboth the synthesis and consumption pathways of thiolsto combat metalloid toxicity to maintain equilibrium



of the various processes and to maintain proper redoxstate of the cells.Key words: Arsenic, Detoxification, Phytochelatin, Thiol,Tolerance

SV/O-12

Exogenous Glutathione Protects WheatSeedlings from Lead-Induced OxidativeDamages by Upregulating AntioxidantDefense and Glyoxalase SystemsMirza Hasanuzzaman1,2 and Masayuki Fujita1

1Laboratory of Plant Stress Responses, Department of Ap-plied Biological Science, Faculty of Agriculture, KagawaUniversity, 2393 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa 761-0795, JAPAN. 2Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agri-culture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207,BANGLADESH, Email: [email protected]

The effect of exogenous glutathione (GSH) onantioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems under lead(Pb)-induced oxidative stress was investigated inleaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Pradip)seedlings. Six-day-old seedlings were supplementedwith GSH (1.0 mM) and Pb [1 and 2.0 mM Pb(NO3)2]separately and in combination, and further grown for48 h. Lead stress at any levels significantly decreasedthe ascorbate (AsA) content of the seedlings. Theamount of reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathionedisulfide (GSSG) increased with an increase in thelevel of Pb, while the GSH/GSSG ratio remainedunchanged. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX) andglutathione S-transferase (GST); glutathioneperoxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR)activities increased significantly with increased Asconcentration, while monodehydroascorbate reductase(MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR),catalase (CAT), glyoxalase I (Gly I), and glyoxalaseII (Gly II) activities decreased upon the imposition ofPb stress. Sharp increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)and malandialdehyde (MDA) content was resulted inPb stressed seedlings. On the other hand, GSH-supplemented seedlings, when exposed to Pb, resultedin an increase in AsA and GSH content and high GSH/GSSG ratio aas well asd increased the activities ofAPX, DHAR, MDHAR, GR, GST, GPX, CAT, Gly I,and Gly II compared to the Pb-stressed plants withoutGSH. Consequently, reduction in the levels of H2O2and MDA was observed in those GSH-supplemented

seedlings as compared to Pb stress alone. These resultssuggested that the exogenous GSH provides anenhanced tolerance to Pb-induced oxidative damageby enhancing their antioxidant defense and glyoxalasesystems.Key words: Glutathione (GSH), Lead (Pb)-induced, Oxidativestress, malandialdehyde (MDA)

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Arsenic Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)Involves Coordinated Role of ThiolMetabolism and Antioxidative Defense SystemPreeti Tripathi1,2* and R.D. Tripathi1

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Council ofScientific and Industrial Research, Lucknow-226001,INDIA. 2Department of Botany, Lucknow University,Lucknow-226007, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) contamination of paddy rice in southand south-east Asia has raised much concern as rice isthe subsidence diet for millions. The mechanism ofarsenic (As) tolerance was investigated on contrastingrice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes (Triguna and IET-4786), selected for As tolerance and accumulation.Arsenic induced oxidative stress was more pronouncedin IET-4786 than Triguna especially in terms ofreactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, EC andpro-oxidant enzymes (NADPH oxidase and ascorbateoxidase) during AsIII stress. Similarly, most ofantioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD),ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase(GPX), catalase (CAT), monodehydroascorbatereductase (MDHAR) and dehydroascorbate reductase(DHAR) increased significantly in Triguna anddecreased in IET-4786. Phytochelatin synthase, GSTand ã-ECS gene showed high expression pattern inTriguna and coincided with their specific activity,however in IET-4786 they were generally down-regulated at higher AsIII exposure. Besidesmaintaining the ratio of redox couples GSH/GSSG andASC/DHA, the level of phytochelatins (PCs) andphytochelatin synthase (PCS) activities were morepronounced in Triguna, in contrast to IET-4786. Theeffect of silicon (Si) supplementation on Asaccumulation, growth, oxidative stress andantioxidative defence system was also investigatedduring As(III) stress. 1 mM Si addition, significantlyameliorated As induced oxidative stress in Triguna



cultivar by lowering the As accumulation andimproving antioxidant enzymes and their isozymescompared to IET-4786. The study suggests that IET-4786 appears sensitive to As due to reduction of bothantioxidative defense system and thiol metabolicpathway. However, a coordinated response of thiolligands and stress responsive As was seem to play rolefor As tolerance in Triguna to achieve the effectivecomplexation of As.Key words: Arsenic, Oxidative stress, Antioxidant, Thiolmetabolism, Rice, Silicic acid

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Comparative Proteomics of Roots andLeaves of Two Cotton Species UndergoingDrought Stress and Recovery at DifferentGrowth StagesFarah Deeba* and Vivek PandeyPlant Ecology and Environmental Science, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Differential proteome analyses of two cottonspecies, Gosspium hirsutum and G. herbaceum,undergoing drought stress and recovery, were carriedout in roots and leaves at vegetative and floweringphase. In roots, proteins related to stress response anddefense, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate andenergy metabolism were up-regulated in G. hirsutumwhile almost all the proteins belonging to thesecategories were down-regulated in G. herbaceum roots.Reduced expression of carbohydrate and energymetabolism related proteins in G. herbaceum rootswould have resulted in reduced carbon flow to rootsand less energy availability for proper functioning ofroots. In addition, root morphology related protein,tubulin which imparts mechanical strength to cells,was also down-regulated in G. herbaceum. In leaves,12 out of 13 identified up-regulated proteins inG. hirsutum were related to defence, osmoticadjustment and photosynthesis. This indicated thatG. hirsutum was able to maintain photosynthesis andactive antioxidant defence mechanisms to overcomedrought stress.

Drought at flowering phase produced differentresults. Comparative proteomics revealed that morethan 90% of the up-regulated proteins in G. hirsutumand G. herbaceum roots were related to signalling,

protein and energy metabolism. However, the proteinsof root morphogenesis, e.g. tubulin, actin, were highlyup-regulated in response to drought in G. herbaceumwhile they were down-regulated in G. hirsutum roots.In leaves more than 60% of identified proteins wereup-regulated in G. herbaceum in response to drought.While in G. hirsutum more than 65% proteins weredown regulated during stress. In G. herbaceum,photosynthesis, defence and N metabolism relatedproteins were highly up-regulated during droughtstress. While in G. hirsutum, many proteins related tophososynthesis, protein folding and energy metabolismwere down-regulated. The enhanced drought toleranceof G. herbaceum at flowering phase appears to begoverned by a more efficient removal of toxic by-products, maintenance of photosynthesis andultimately a better potential for growth recovery onrehydration. The comprehensive proteomic studyrevealed that the effect of drought stress on differentphysiological processes is complex andinterconnected. The study highlights the importanceof studying response of drought at differentdevelopmental stages.Key words: Drought, Cotton, Leaf-root proteomics, MALDI/TOF-TOF, 2D PAGE

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Residual Fate and Persistance Behaviourof Mixed Formulation Emamectin Benzoate1.5% and Fipronil 3.5% EC in ChiliArijita Bhattacharyya1,2*, Sankhajit Roy2, SaktipadaDas1 and Anjan Bhattacharyya2

1Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani,Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, INDIA. 2Department ofAg. Chemicals, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,Mohanpur-741252, West Bengal, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Chili (Capsicum annum L), an importantuniversal spice as well as vegetable crop, occupyies alarge portion of food habit in Indian people. It hasmedicinal properties due to presence of capsicine,enriched with vitamins (especially Vit-A and Vit-C)and antioxidants. This commercial vegetable crop isinfested with a number of insect pests (viz. mites, thripsetc) causing considerable yield loss. The mixedformulation of Emamectin Benzoate 1.5% and Fipronil3.5% EC, is a mixture of Emamectin benzoate, a novelsemi-synthetic epimethyl amino derivative of the



natural product of Abamectin consisting of 16membered macrocyclic lactone, effective againstLepidopteron class of insect and Fipronil, a phenylpyrazole, broad-spectrum insecticide, effective againstthrips, mites and fruit borer etc. To find out thepersistence behaviour, a multilocational supervisedfield experiment at four different locations (viz., IGKV,Raipur, B.C.K.V., Mohanpur, Nadia, TNAU,Coimbatore and Dhakrani, Dehradun) in India wereconducted during the season 2011-2013. Theformulation was applied at field recommended doseof 750 mL/ha (T1) and double the recommended dose1500 mL/ha (T2). Extraction of chilli fruit involvesacetonitrile: water (9:1) for Emamectin Benzoate andethyl acetate for Fipronil as solvent and subsequentlythe extracts were cleaned up by using Florisil andGCB. The final quantification of emamectin benzoateand fipronil was done using LC-MS/MS and GC-ECD.The recovery percentage was ranged between 86-110%for chilli matrices and correlation coefficient (R2) ofmatrix matched calibration curves were e”0.99. Theexperimental LOQ was set at 20ng/g and 50ng/g forchilli fruit sample for Emamectin Benzoate andFipronil respectively. The half life of Fipronil wasfound between 0.74-0.98 days and it follows 1st orderkinetics. In case of Emamectin Benzoate, the half lifecould not be determined as there was no EmamectinBenzoate residue after 1st day of application. Preharvest Interval (PHI) was determined in respect ofFipronil in the range of 6.9-8.9 days considering theEU MRL value 0.005 mg/kg for chilli fruit sample.From this study it was proved beyond doubt that thismixed formulation may not create any residual toxicityproblem.Key words: Chili, Emamectin benzoate, Fipronil, Lc-Ms/Ms,Gc-Ecd, Half-life

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Urban Aerosols and their Impact on theBiochemical Constituents of MedicinalPlants in Delhi RegionGyan Prakash Gupta*, Bablu Kumar, Sudha Singhand U.C. KulshresthaJawaharlal Nehru University, School of EnvironmentalSciences, Delhi-110067, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Various anthropogenic sources emit significantamount of particulates and gaseous pollutants, which

are finally deposited onto various surfaces such asvegetation and water bodies etc. Plant exposure toparticulate matter affects the morphology andbiochemistry of the plant further influencingphotosynthesis, flowering, yield and reactive oxygenspecies scavenging properties. This study reportsimpacts of air pollutants on the biochemical andmorphological characteristics of five medicinal plantsviz. Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Morus (Morus alba),Ashok (Polyalthia longifolia), Sheesham (Dalbergiasisso) and Oleander (Thevetia peruviana) at aresidential site (Jawaharlal Nehru University, JNU)and an industrial site (Sahibabad, SB) in Delhi region.Results showed that the industrial site had 2-4 timeshigher fluxes of dustfall on the foliar surfaces.Deposition fluxes of dust were recorded as 281 and113 mg/m2/d on Arjuna leaves at industrial andresidential sites, respectively. Similarly, dustfalldeposition fluxes on Morus, Ashok, Sheesham andOleander leaves were recorded as 344, 142, 275 and272 mg/m2/d at industrial sites and 130, 142, 110 and100 mg/m2/d at residential sites, respectively. Fluxesof total SO4

—+NO3- were noticed 4-8 times higher at

the industrial site than that of residential site. It wasobserved that the higher value of fluxes of dust SO4

—

+NO3- had a significant impact on the biochemical

constituents of the plant. Concentrations of chlorophylland carotenoids were noticed decreasing due toincreasing total fluxes of dust SO4

—+NO3- whereas

proline and ascorbic acid were found to be increasingwith the increase in total fluxes of dust SO4

—+NO3-

indicating significant pollution stress. Dustfall fluxeswere recorded higher at the industrial site as comparedto the residential site due to the greater influence ofindustrial activities. The study showed that thedeposition of dustfall was responsible for greaterdamage to stomata and leaf surfaces.Key words: Dustfall, Dry deposition, Biochemicalconstituents, Foliar morphology, Stomata, Biomonitoring

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TiO2 Nanoparticles Induced MetabolicAdoptions in Triticum aestivum L.Poornima VajpayeeNanomaterial Toxicology Laboratory, CSIR-Indian Instituteof Toxicology Research, Post Box 80, MahatmaGandhi Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]



Plants, an important biotic component ofterrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, are exposed tonanoparticle containing wastes released into theenvironment. It has been observed that chromiumoxide nanoparticles reduced seed germination andseedling growth in T. aestivum. Titanium oxide (TiO2)NPs have a range of applications from cosmetics toelectronics. In this study, it was observed that TiO2nanoparticles are internalized and translocated toleaves in T. aestivum. Further, a concentrationdependent increase in ROS, MDA content and leakageof the solutes was observed in leaves. The loss inphotosynthetic pigments, reduced photosynthesis andstomatal conductance was observed in TiO2nanoparticle exposed seedlings of T. aestivum. TiO2NPs induced ultra-structural and metabolic alterationswere also observed in the leaves of T. aestivum. Theobservations made in this study indicate the need forphytotoxicity assessment of various commerciallyused NPs to formulate strategies for both preventionof trophic transfer of NPs and ‘safe by design’nanomaterials to protect human and environmentalhealth.Key words: TiO2 nanoparticles, Triticum aestivum ,Phytotoxicity, Metabolic changes

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Physiological Responses of Cauliflower toInteraction of Salinity and CadmiumMaryam Abbasi* and Mozhgan FarzamisepehrDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, SavehBranch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, IRAN, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

In order to investigate the interaction of salinityand cadmium on changes in Cauliflower proteinpattern, an experiment in a randomized complete blockdesign with 3 replications in the agricultural researchgreenhouse in the Islamic Azad University in 2014was conducted. The examined factors were included:The first factor of cadmium at levels [zero (control),50, 100 and 200 ppm], the salinity was the secondfactor at three levels [zero (control), 50 and 100 ppm].The studied characters in this research was includedthe catalase and peroxidase activities, the changesamounts in protein content, Malondialdehyde (MDA)content and in the amount of proline. According tothe cadmium variance analysis results on the one

percent probable (p>0.01) on the proline, proteincontent changes and Malondialdehyde (MDA) andperoxidase enzyme activity and on the five percentprobable (p>0.05) on catalase enzyme activity havemeaningful effect and also cadmium on the one percentprobable (p>0.01) on the Malondialdehyde (MDA)content changes and peroxidase enzyme activity has asignificant effect but on the catalase enzyme activity,the amount of proline and protein content changes hasnot meaningful effect. It was showed that theinteraction effect of cadmium with salinity on theamount of proline and protein content changes andperoxidase enzyme activity on the one percentprobable (p>0.01) was significant, but on the catalaseenzyme activity and Malondialdehyde (MDA) contentchanges was not significant. Based on the obtainedresults by increasing the protein content, proteincontent changes and by increasing the catalase andperoxidase enzyme activities, proline andMalondialdehyde (MDA) content were decreased, Itshould be noted that the between levels 50, 100 and200 ppm of cadmium in catalase enzyme activity andMDA content between control and 50 ppm cadmiumas well as 100 and 200 ppm of cadmium significantdifference in protein content and peroxidase enzymeactivity no statistically significant difference wasobserved, also showed that 200 ppm of cadmium hadthe most effect. Also by increasing the salinity,Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and peroxidaseenzyme activity was increased, so that the most changein the salinity of 100 ppm was obtained.

Key words: Cauliflower, Salinity, Cadmium, Proline,Antioxidative compound

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Physiological and Biochemical Responsesof Cadmium Toxicity in Green Gram(Vigna radiata)Rajni Shukla and Yogesh K. SharmaBotany Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Green gram (Vigna radiata L.) plants exposed toexcess cadmium produced visual symptoms of toxicitywhich were observed intensified with increasing leveland duration of metal supply. At 10 days after cadmiumexposure at 0.5mM, symptoms of leaf interveinalchlorosis, aggravated later as necrosis. Plant growth



was stunted. Plants treated with cadmium supply hadlower pod yield and biomass, reduced concentrationsof chlorophylls (a and b) and Hill reaction activity.The catalase activity and protein content were alsofound to be reduced over the control which suggeststrong induction of oxidative stress due to excesscadmium. There was concomitant increased activityof peroxidase, ribonuclease and acid phosphatase withincrease in cadmium supply. The cadmiumconcentration in tissues was increased as levels ofcadmium were increased from 0.05 to 0.5 mM. Theappearance of metal specific toxicity is likely due todamage predominantly due to enhanced generation ofreactive oxygen species (ROS) at higher (0.5 mM)cadmium supply. The accumulation of cadmium inplants may cause several biochemical, physiologicaland structural changes.Key words: Green gram, Cadmium, Acid phosphates,Necrosis, Toxicity

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Effect of Reducing Fertilizer Applicationand Aquatic Plants on Nitrogen andPhosphorus Loss in Agricultural RunoffLi Dingqiang*, Zhuo Muning1, Liao Yishan1,Wei Gaoling1, Xie Zhenyue1, and Zhang Siyi1

Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sci-ences, Guangzhou branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences,100 Road Xianliezhong, Guangzhou, CHINA, Email:[email protected]

Nitrogen and phosphorus loss is an importantfactor of surface water eutrophication. Study on effectof reducing fertilizer application and aquatic plantson loss of nitrogen, phosphorus in farmland runoff isimportant to reduce surface water eutrophication risk.

We carried out field test in the typical agriculturalcatchment of outskirts of Guangzhou city. The effectsof conventional fertilization, reducing fertilizerapplication 1 (20% less than the conventionalfertilization) and reducing fertilizer application 2 (30%less than the conventional fertilization) on N, P lossin agricultural runoff was studied by the method offield plot experiment.The field grass ecological ditchesare constructed with several Species of aquatic plants,such as Pontederia cordata, Acorus calamus, andHydrocotyle verticillata, and the effects of theirreducing nitrogen and phosphorus loss in farmlanddrainage system was studied.

The results showed that: (1) concentrations ofnitrogen and phosphorus loss in ditch runoff were highwith different fertilization levels, the average loss ofTN0NH4

+-N0NO3 -N in farmland runoff were 20.5 mg/

L ~ 34mg/L, 2.2mg/L ~ 2.4mg/L, and 6.3mg/L ~9.5mg/L, respectively, while the average loss of TP,DP were 7.7mg /L ~ 11.1mg/L and 2.1mg/L ~ 2.4mg/L, respectively. (2) The concentrations of TN andNO3

-N loss can be significantly reduced by reducingfertilizer application, Compared with the conventionalfertilization, the concentrations of TN loss werereduced 40%, 32%, respectively, and NO3

-N loss werereduced 23%, 35%, respectively, with reducingfertilizer application 20% and 30%, respectively.(3)Compared with the conventional fertilization, the loadsof TN loss were reduced 24%019%, respectively, andNO3

-N loss were reduced11%029%, respectively, withreducing fertilizer application 20% and 30%,respectively.(4) Effect of the field grass ecologicalditches to reducing N and P loss is obviously. Thereducing rates of 3 species of aquatic plants to TNwere 78.5%, 88.5% and 86.8%, to NO3

-N were 88.1%,89.6% and 87.5%, and to TP were 37%, 40.5% and36.5%, respectively.

The research results can provide scientific basisfor the management of fertilization, field drainage andcontaminants reduction.Key words: Reducing fertilizer application, Agriculturalrunoff, Nitrogen and phosphorus loss, Aquatic plants, Fieldgrass ecological ditches

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Investigation Fluctuating Asymmetry andElements Analysis in Several Plants’ LeavesDeveloping in Various Degree in Conditionof PollutionAfat O. MammadovaGenetic Resources Institute of the Azerbaijan NationalAcademy of Sciencea, AZERBAIJANEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

The purpose of the conducted research is toanalyze changes in phenotypic expression ofaccidental symmetry in the leaves of plants planted insoils ecologically contaminated and devoloping invarious degrees, and analysis the properties toaccumulate the metallic elements in the leaves.For this, an attempt was made to analyze indicators offluctuating asymmetry in the leaves of dicotyledonous



herbaceous cultural plants Vicia faba L. and Cicerarientum L.and accumulated elements in theirleaves by SEM . The results of the conducted researchshowed that apart from being a more activephytoindicator compared to Cicer arientum , Vicia fabais capable of uptaking more harmful chemicalelements from soil. This allows using Vicia faba L.both as a phyto-indicator and phytoremediator inenvironmental monitoring.

The reasearch analyzes the leaves ofeconomically and decoratively important Oleaeuropea L. plants of about the same age planted invaried ecologically contaminated areas. The Oleaeuropea plant is an active phytoindicator inenvironmental assessment and a phytoremediator inenvironmental management. Environmentalprognostics based on sustainable developmentdynamics of plant populations can be quite importantfor the protection of plant diversity in environmentalmonitoringKey words: Environmental monitoring, Fluctuating asimmetry(FA), Elements analysis

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Combined Use of EDTA and Oxalic acidpromotes Chromium Uptake, Translocationand Ameliorates Toxicity by Glutathione,Phytochelatins and Adjustments of GasExchange Attributes in Indian Mustard(Brassica juncea L.)Chandra Shekhar SethDepartment of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Present experiment is focused on to examine theCr accumulation by Indian mustard (Brassica junceaL.) in presence of chelating agents: EDTA and Oxalicacid. The plants were monitored for oxidative stressby measuring MDA contents and tolerance strategyby enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase,ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathionereductase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (cysteine,non-protein thiols, glutathione) along withphytochelatins. The treatments of Cr (VI) and chelatingagents were applied in four sets: Cr (VI) alone, Cr(VI) with EDTA 1:1, Cr (VI) with oxalic acid 1:1, andCr (VI) with EDTA and OA 1:1:1, in varyingconcentrations of 0, 6.25, 12.5 and 25.0 mg/250 gm

of soil, respectively for 42 days of exposure. Theresults revealed the highest amount of Cr accumulationin roots (8.16, 15.64, 12.38 and 18.22 mg kg-1 DW)and shoots (1.84, 5.04, 8.36 and 8.69 mg kg-1 DW) forexposure of Cr (VI) alone, Cr(VI)+EDTA, Cr (VI)+OAand Cr (VI)+EDTA+OA, respectively. These findingsare suggesting that combined application of EDTA andoxalic acid promotes chromium uptake andtranslocation which is a prime requirement for successof phytoremediation. Combined application of EDTAand oxalic acidalso ameliorates Cr toxicity confirmedby biochemical parameters such as MDA content,chlorophyll contents, fresh biomass, dry biomass andgas exchange attributes (A-7.56 ìmol m-2 sec-1, E- 5.74mmol m-2 sec-1, GH2O- 346.40 mmol m-2 sec-1, WUE-1.32, TR- 0.76 recorded against 25.0 mg of Cr(VI)+EDTA+OA exposure). The plants had achieveda good level of tolerance against Cr (VI) as evident bysignificant (p<0.05) synthesis of many antioxidants,primarily glutathione (2.099 ìmol g-1 FW) andphytochelatins (0.625 ìmol g-1 FW) @ 25 mg of Crexposure. Present findings suggested that Indianmustard could be used as a potential remediator of Crunder combined application of EDTA and oxalic acid.Keywords: Brassica juncea L., Chromium, EDTA, Oxalic acid,Antioxidants, Phytochelatins, Gas exchange

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Effect of Zno and Cuo-NanoparticlesVersus Zn and Cu-Salt: Analysis of StressResponses in Lolium perenneAditi R. Borker*, Naresh Singhal and Karine DavidDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering,The University of Auckland, Auckland,NEW ZEALAND, Email:[email protected],[email protected]

Heavy metals are added to soils and waterthrough large diverse anthropogenic activities. Theirnon-biodegradability results in prolonged persistencein the environment, and their impact enhanced via bio-enrichment in the food chains. Similarly themanufacture and use of nanomaterials such as metaloxide nanoparticles has led to their presence in theenvironment. Despite an abundance of literature onmetal uptake by plants and the use of severalamendments to enhance it, a relative lack ofunderstanding on the behaviour of various forms ofcopper and zinc still remains a less explored field of



study. Our study investigated the combined effects ofethylene diamine dissuccinic acid (EDDS) and aphytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) on free andnanoform of copper and zinc by Lolium perenne(ryegrass). In this investigation commercially availableplant growth regulator gibberellic acid (GA) and abiodegradable chelating agent ethylene diamine-disuccinic acid (EDDS) were used to enhance thephytoextraction of free ions Cu2+, Zn2+,and ZnO , CuOnanoparticles in a hydroponic solution. Whileindividual applications of Gibberellic Acid (100 µM)and EDDS (500 µM) served as an effective treatmentfor zinc and copper uptake in shoots of ryegrass plantswith a translocation factor of 9.88 and 1.88respectively , combined applications moderatelyenhanced shoot tissue concentrations. A relativelyhigher toxicity was associated with copper ions whencompared to their corresponding CuO nanoparticlesexhibiting lipid peroxidation levels of 6.72 and 4.19nmol/g FW, a similar behaviour was observed withZn2+ ions. While gibberellic acid effectively enhancedfree ion concentrations of zinc, a higher translocationof copper and zinc was observed in their nanoformsunder individual EDDS treatments (3.91, 10.47) overa 21 day exposure duration. Results indicated damageto Lolium perenne, by both free- and nano-sized zincand copper, as observed by lipid peroxidation levels,and these effects could be discriminated between thedifferent zinc and copper forms.Key words: EDDS, Free ions, Lipid Peroxidation,Nanoparticles, Plant growth regulator

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Insight into the Kinetics and CellularProcesses Caused by Short Term NickelExposure in Elodea canadensis LeavesMaria G. Maleva1, Przemys³aw Malec2, M.N.V.Prasad3 and Kazimierz Strza³ka2*1Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry,M. Gorky Ural State University, Lenin av. 51, Ekaterinburg620000, RUSSIA. 2Department of Plant Physiology andBiochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Bio-technology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7,30-387 Kraków, POLAND. 3Department of Plant Sciences,University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Telangana,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Species of Elodea have been frequently used forbiomonitoring heavy metal pollution, and water

quality. This is accomplished by investigating thephysiological responses caused in the monitororganism. Prediction of heavy metal stress as afunction of specific cellular responses through variousbiomarkers is an invaluable for biomonitoring. Shortterm (0-24 h) nickel exposed (sublethal nickelconcentration of 50 ìM, as nickel sulphate) leaves ofElodea canadensis have been investigated for netphotosynthesis, pigment concentration, lipidperoxidation, activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD,CAT, GR) and accumulation of thiol-containingcompounds. Nickel was accumulated as soluble (60%of the total bound Ni) and polymeric (20%) non-protein fractions. Nickel significantly stimulated netphotosynthesis during 1-12h exposure and alsoincreased chlorophylls and carotenoids level in Elodealeaves. However, after 24 h the photosynthetic activitydecreased below the control level. The sequentialappearance of protective responses has been revealedin Elodea leaves: the fast, short-term exposure (1-4h)induced an increase of non-protein thiol concentration,the activation of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GR)was observed after 4-8h and the longer exposureresulted in accumulation of SH-containingcompounds. We conclude, that nickel (50 ìM) inducesa sublethal oxidative stress in leaves. Exposure timeis crucial for the activation of specific mechanisms ofNi detoxification and stress protection. In this lecturea) bioaccumulation of nickel in in short term Niexposure. b) ecophysological responses focussingphotosynthetic pigments, photosynthesis andrespiration c) induced antioxidative enzymes and d)thiols and metal complexes shall be discussed.Key words: Catalase, Glutathione reductase, Membrane boundprotein fraction, Non-protein polymeric fraction, Non-proteinsoluble fraction, Non-protein thiols, Soluble protein fraction,Superoxide dismutase, Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances

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Searching for Common ResponsiveParameters for Ozone Tolerance in Rice:Results from Ethylenediurea StudiesSari Kontunen-Soppela*1, Ashutosh K. Pandey1,2,Baisakhi Majumder2, Ashvarya Mishra2, NayanSahu2, Sarita Keski-Saari1,Vivek Pandey2 and ElinaOksanen1

1University of Eastern Finland, Department of Biology, POB111, 80101 Joensuu, FINLAND. 2Plant Ecology and Envi-



ronmental Science, National Botanical Research Institute(CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow 226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Tropospheric ozone is one of the most importantair pollutants causing significant yield losses in cropsworldwide. The ozone tolerance of species andcultivars varies and there would be a great economicbenefit in the selection of tolerant cultivars. In thepresent study, 18 locally important rice (Oryza sativa)cultivars in Indo-Gangetic plains of India werescreened throughout the growing season to evaluateozone impacts on different rice cultivars. The aimswere to find the variation in the ozone tolerance ofthese cultivars and to find parameters that could beused in screening rice cultivars for ozone tolerance.

Plants were treated with EDU ([N-(2-2-oxo-1-imidazolidinyl) ethyl]-N’-phenyl urea) to amelioratethe phytotoxic impact of ozone. EDU is suggested toprevent the harmful effects of ozone by up-regulatingantioxidant defense. The experiment was conductedat two separate fields 25 km apart, in urban and semi-urban areas at ambient ozone concentrations. EDU wasapplied as foliar spray at 300 ppm concentration at 15days interval. Antioxidative activity, malondialdehydecontent (MDA), chlorophyll content, gas exchange andbiomass were studied at vegetative and floweringphases, and biomass and yield parameters at harvestphase to return a dataset of 24 parameters. Responsesof cultivars were assessed with multivariate analysesin order to characterize the key factors defining thedifferences between the EDU-treated and non-EDUtreated rice cultivars.

Responses to EDU treatment in terms of growth,biochemical and yield parameters varied amongcultivars and developmental phases, and between theexperimental sites. The most responsive parametersto EDU treatment included superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, contents ofoxidized (GSSG) and reduced (GSH) glutathione atflowering phase and MDA content at vegetative phase.The most promising parameters as candidates forscreening ozone tolerance could be CAT activity andGSH content at the flowering phase, since theseparameters had a positive correlation with the yield inthe tested cultivars.Key words: Ozone, Rice, Cultivars, India, EDU(ethylenediurea)

SV/O-26

Responses in Two Cultivars of Mustard(Brassica rapa syn. B. campestris) toTropospheric OzoneSarita Keski-Saari1*, Ashutosh Kumar Pandey1,2,James Blande3, Aarne Lehikoinen3, Sari Kontunen-Soppela1, Vivek Pandey2, Markku Keinänen1 andElina Oksanen1

1University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Department of Biol-ogy, Joensuu campus, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, FIN-LAND. 2National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Plant Ecology and Environmental Science,Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 3University of Eastern Finland,Department of Environmental Science, Kuopio campus,Yliopistonranta 1 E-D, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio,FINLAND, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Tropospheric ozone is a phytotoxin that causesoxidative stress in plants. In India, concentrations oftropospheric ozone are regularly high due to highozone precursor emission and high light conditions.These high ozone levels cause growth reductions,foliar injury and crop losses. In this study, we grewtwo cultivars of mustard (Brassica rapa syn.B. campestris) originated from India in control andozone treatments. In ozone chambers, ozoneconcentration was increased gradually in the morningwith a maximum of 120 ppb for five hours daily anddecreased in the afternoon, roughly simulating ozoneconditions in India. Our aim was to monitor changesin metabolites induced by chronic tropospheric ozoneexposure. Thus, leaf samples were taken before thestart of the ozone fumigation and after 1.5, 7.5 and20.5 days of ozone fumigation. We also monitoredvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by theplants. Primary metabolites and VOCs were analyzedby GC-MS. We wanted to find out, (1) whichcompounds increase or decrease in quantity inresponse to ozone, (2) whether the changes inducedby ozone are similar in the two cultivars, and (3)whether the changes induced by ozone are transientor persist for long periods of time. Ozone treatmentdecreased the number of viable leaves and biomass inboth cultivars. Old leaves of ozone treated plantssenesced and fell off. The new leaves that emergedduring the experiment had higher chlorophyll content



in ozone treated plants as compared to controls.Changes in primary metabolites reflected the timeseries and the ozone treatment. Particularlyconcentrations of sugars were affected by ozone.Ozone-treatment affected also emissions of VOCs:Emissions of monoterpenes (?-pinene and 3-carene)increased in response to ozone in both cultivars.Key words: Tropospheric ozone, Metabolomics, Brassica,Mustard

SV/O-27

Effect of Different Down Stream ProcessingTechniques on Lipid Extracted MicroalgalMetabolitesF.A. Ansari*, S.K. Gupta, A. Guldhe, N.K. Sahoo,I. Rawat and F. BuxInstitute of Water and Wastewater Technology, Departmentof Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology,PO Box 1334, Durban, 4000, SOUTH AFRICAEmail: [email protected]

Due to the high cost of upstream and downstreamprocessing, such as culturing, harvesting, lipidextraction and trans-esterification, microalgal biofuelsare neither economically feasible nor environmentallysustainable. The biorefinery concept has attractedmuch attention to exploit other aspects of microalgalbiomass in order to improve the feasibility of biodieselproduction. Lipid extracted algae (LEA) is the residualbiomass, obtained after lipid extraction frommicroalgae. LEA contain significant amounts ofmetabolites such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipidsthat can be used as source of energy in the form offeed for aquaculture, poultry, livestock as well asenergy production such as bio-methane andbiohydrogen generation etc. The use of different dryingand cell disruption methods have been examinedwidely for lipid production, however the literature onthe effect of different downstream processing on LEA(lipid extracted algae) metabolites is scanty. This studyevaluated the effect of different downstream processon LEA metabolite of Scenedesmus spp. grown onBG11 medium in the raceway pond (300000L). Thebiomass was harvested on late log phase and theeffectiveness of different lipid extraction processes onLEA qualities was observed. The result revealed thatthe microwave assisted cell disruption of microalgaeshows highest lipid production followed by sonication,autoclave and osmotic shock (10% NaCl), which was

19%, 18%, 10% and 6.8 % (% DW), respectively.Freeze dried biomass yielded highest lipid, whereasthere was no significant difference in lipid yield insun dried and oven dried biomass. The carbohydratesin sun dried, oven dried and freeze dried whole cellmicroalgal biomass was 14.6 %, 14 % and 12.84 %,respectively. The results revealed 0.18-5.6 % increasein carbohydrates; in sun dried, microwave assistedLEA and oven dried, autoclaved LEA, respectively.Interestingly, we observed that the percentage of totalcarbohydrates (as reducing sugar) increased in LEA.This may be due to repeated cell disruptions, causingthe microalgal cell to become fragile and thus betterpercentage of carbohydrates were achieved in LEA incomparison of whole cell algae.Key words: Microalgae, Lipid extracted algae, Metabolities,Carbohydrates

SV/P-1

Effect of Soil Condition on Oil Content,Chemical Composition and Carbon IsotopeRatio of Lemon Grass Grown on Sodic andNon Sodic SoilAnil Kumar, Abhishek Niranjan, Namrata Pandey,Jai Chand, S.K. Sharma, Alok Lehri* and S.K. TiwariCentral Instrumentation Facility, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Lemon grass has been used in medicine in Indiafor more than 2000 years. However its use fordistillation is about 100 years old and the firstdistillation in India was started in about 1890 fromwild grass in Kerala. Lemon grass is indigenous toMalabar coast of India and at present cultivated invarious parts of the country. Lemon grass oil servesas a good source of citral (nerol + geranial) used inperfumery and preparation of ionones and vitamin A.Lemongrass is widely adapted to a wide range of soilsand performs well on sandy to clay loam soils. Lemongrass grows well in soils, with a pH value rangingfrom 4.3 to 8.4. Under this study the experiments havebeen carried out on lemon grass growing in sodic (pH8.9) and non sodic soil. The essential oil content,chemical composition and carbon isotope ratio oflemon grass were studied in different soil conditionsas sodic and non sodic soils. The oil content obtainedin non sodic soil was 0.56% whereas it was 0.68% insodic soil. The chemical composition analysis enabled



the identification of total 43 constituents in lemon grassoil sample, constituting 96.21 to 97.48% of the totaloil content. The major constituents were citral, myrcin,limonene, beta citronellol and geraniol acetate. Citral(65 to 71%) and limonene (0.79 to 3.37%) weresignificantly higher in lemon grass grown in sodic soil,whereas myrcin (0.09 to 7.64%) and beta citronellol(0.42 to 2.54%) contents were higher in plants gownon non sodic soil. Carbon isotope composition oflemon grass decreases significantly (from - 15.28 to -13.77 per mil) when grown on sodic soil.Key words: Oil content, Carbon isotope, Lemon grass

SV/P-2

Effect of Lead Stress on Morphology ofLeucaena glaucaBhumika SinghDepartment of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

This work consist effect of lead on themorphology of plant Leucaena glauca in the contextof its possible harm due to the heavy metal. This plantwas planted for 105 days to observe the results. Thestudy aims evaluating morphological parameters ofthe plant species. To analyze morphological changes,various doses of lead had treated to the plant. The doseswere 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mg/kg of lead nitratewith the pot experiment in laboratory. Themorphological changes occurred in the plant speciesduring the experiment. The results concluded that fewchanges occurred in the morphology of the plantspecies. The study may be significant inphytoremediation.Key words: Heavy metal, Pollution, Tolerance,Phytoremediation, Plant

SV/P-3

Impact of ZnO Nanoparticle on WaterStress and its Recovery in Oryza sativa L.H. Upadhyaya1*, S. Shome1, M. K. Bhattacharya1, S.Tewari2 and S.K. Panda3

1Department of Botany and Biotechnology, 2Department ofPhysics, Karimganj College Karimganj-788710, Assam,INDIA. 3Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Labo-ratory, School of Life Sciences, Assam, University, Silchar-788011, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle (NP) is beingwidely used in various research. Plant system beingextremely critical requires the fundamentalunderstanding on the influence of ZnO NP on itscellular growth and functions. Our study evaluates theeffect of ZnO NP on growth and physiological changesof Oryza sativa L and also try to ameliorate PEGinduced water stress and its recovery in rice. Waterstress induced growth reduction in rice seedlings, butthe effect of ZnO NP, which may be involved inalleviating the adverse effect of water stress on riceseedlings by stimulation of growth parameters and theincrease in photosynthetic pigments. It can also besuggested the water stress recovery may becounteracted by ZnO NP at lower concentration.Further, detail study on the ZnO NP effect onphysiological events during water stress andphysiochemical and antioxidative responses ofgrowing seedlings of rice (Oryza sativa L) can revealthe exact mechanism underlying the amelioration ofwater stress and its recovery in rice. The present studygives an insight on the possible role of zinc transporterprotein and their interaction with ZnO NP during waterstress acclimatization and stress recovery process inrice which in turn will open new ideas on biointerfaceon protein-nanoparticles interaction in future. Detailedunderstanding of the regulation of zinc transporter inresponse to Zn nanoparticles is required to dissect thephysiological mechanism regulated by ZnO NP duringwater stress and its recovery in rice.Key words: Oryza sativa, Water stress, Recovery, ZnOnanoparticle, Physiological responses

SV/P-4

Germination of Seeds in Soil Samples ofHeavy Traffic Zones of Hyderabad AndhraPradesh, IndiaD. Sirisha* and N. GandhiCenter for Environment and Climate Change, Schoolof Environmetal Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute ofAdvanced Studies (JNIAS), Hyderabad, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Plant toxicity bioassays through fast germinatingagricultural crops can indicate the phytoremediationpotential, effects on growth and survival and alsoassess the extent of pollution. In the present study, thephytotoxic effect of heavy traffic/ petrol driven vehicle



contaminated soil was studied on two agriculturalcrops, namely Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) andRagi/ finger millet (Eleusine coracana)in four differentheavy traffic zone contamination. All the test plantspecies tolerated against contamination at 20-80%levels and the total percent seed germination werefound between 3 to 70 %. The change inphysicochemical charecterstics of soil samples beforeand after seed germination suggesting cultivation ofthese crops in polluted areas helps in controlling ofsoil pollution.Key words: Heavy traffic zone soil samples, Phytoremediation,Brassica juncea, Eleusine coracana, % germination, Toleranceindices and % inhibition

SV/P-5

Effect of Automobile Exhaust on the Micro-Morphological and PhysiologicalParameters of Bougainvillea spectabilis WilldVijeta VermaDepartment of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Air pollution has long being known to have anadverse effect on plants. The main sources of airpollution are the industries, traffic as well as energygeneration. An automobile contributes significantly toair pollution in urban areas. To study foliar surfaceconfiguration and biochemical changes in plant speciesBougainvillea spectabilis willd. grown at polluted site,(charbagh, loco area) and garden of University campusin Lucknow city which has been taken as referencesite were investigated. It was observed that airpollution caused by auto exhaust showed markedalteration in photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll ,carotenoid and phaeophytin) and relative water contentwere reduced while antioxidative enzymes likecatalase and peroxidase were found to be enhanced.The changes in the foliar configuration includedmarked alteration in epidermal traits, with increasednumber of stomata, stomatal index and epidermal cellsper unit area while length and breadth of stomata andepidermal cells was found to be decreased in leavessamples can be used as biomarkers of auto pollution.Key words: Stomata, Biomarker, Antioxidative enzymes,Photosynthetic, Bougainvillea

SV/P-6

Influence of Pollution and Climate Changeon Floral Nectar Features: Threat to Plant-Pollinator InterphaseAkanksha Madan1*, P.L. Uniyal1 and A.K. Bhatnagar2

1Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007,INDIA. 2School of Sciences, Indira Gandhi National OpenUniversity, New Delhi-110067, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected] , [email protected]

Since Early Cretaceous era, insects have beenthe prime vectors for pollination in flowering plants.Pollen- and nectar-rewards play a fundamental role inattracting pollinators for gaining benefits from theirservices. It is well-accepted that in angiospermsnectaries became dominant as a result of multiple,independent origin and evolution in different groups.These secrete nectar, the central energy reservoir thathas been exhaustively linked with pollinator-guilds andperformance. Plasticity of nectar quantity and chemicalcomposition regulates pollinator identity/diversity. Thenectar traits together influence the quality andeffectiveness of the entire pollination mechanism.Optimal nectar secretion rate and composition in eachplant species have been evolutionarily andmetabolically stabilized in relation to key pollinators.Any deflection arising due to erratic changes in abioticor biotic factors might result in reduced plant andpollinator fitness/vigour and eventually de-couplingof interactions. Several studies have emerged latelyindicating the presence of pollutants in nectar and thederived commercial honey products. A major threatthroughout the world is of radioactive pollution, whosecommon source lies in the building materials such ascement, granite, clay, marble and phosphate.Pollutants, including toxic chemicals, radionuclidesand cations that get deposited in the atmosphere orare present naturally in the plant substratum as traceelements tend to be uptaken by the plants. Therefore,nectar composition and pollinators, especially beeshave been routinely exploited as bioindicators ofradioactive pollution. Furthermore, gradual ozonelayer depletion is manifested as continuous incrementin the incoming UV-radiations in the atmosphere.Levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases are alsoincreasing, largely due to human-induced factors.These alterations affect the plants at various levels.



Such environmental changes hinder pollinator servicesby influencing the olfactory and visual perceptions ofvisitors and can have significant ecological andevolutionary implications for plant reproduction. Inthe long run, the selection pressures posed byenvironmental changes would have an impact on genepools of plants as well as associated pollinators,thereby affecting their genetic diversity andphysiological vigour. Comprehensive understandingof underlying issues will help in identifying thevulnerable species and mitigating the possible damage.Key words: Pollution, Climate change, Nectar traits, Pollinatordecline, Pollinator foraging behaviour, Plant reproductivesuccess

SV/P-7

Evaluation of Physico-ChemicalCharacteristics and Heavy Metal Contentsof Agricultural Soil and Crops CultivatedAround Rivers of Punjab, IndiaSandip Singh1*, Vasudha Sambyal2 and AvinashKaur Nagpal1

1Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, GuruNanak Dev University, Amritsar, INDIA. 2Department ofHuman Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Punjab is the land of rivers and historically, thecentre of civilization due to the availability of fertilesoil composed of alluvium deposited on banks of therivers for thousand years. However, due to rising tideof industrialization, urbanization, extensive use ofchemical fertilizers, thoughtless disposal of untreatedindustrial and urban wastes in natural systems in recentyears, soil pollution is increasing at an alarming rate.Considering this, a study was conducted to determinethe physico-chemical properties and heavy metalscontents in soil of agricultural fields from differentvillages (6) of Punjab under the different types ofcultivations viz., sugarcane (1), barseem (4) andmustard (1) around the rivers Sutlej and Beas inPunjab, India. The soil samples were found to bealkaline in nature with sandy texture and containedvery low soil organic matter (SOM) as well as soilnutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium,sodium, calcium, magnesium and carbonates. Fiveheavy metals Cr, Cu, Co, Cd and Pb were analyzed in

soil and crop samples. Heavy metal contents in soilwere found to be within national and internationalpermissible limits for soil and were ranging as Cr (BDL- 75.70 mg/kg), Cu (BDL - 19.98 mg/kg), Co (0.13 -3.83 mg/kg), Pb (2.83 - 9.17 mg/kg) and Cd (BDL -0.08 mg/kg). Heavy metal contents in crop samplesranged as Cr (24.25 - 73.70 mg/kg), Cu (12.28 - 22.28mg/kg), Cd (0.27 - 0.70 mg/kg), Co (BDL - 1.38), Pb(1.67 - 4.33 mg/kg). Cr content in all the barseemsamples was found to be above Chinese HygienicalStandards for animal feed (GB 13078-2001). Cr, Cu,Cd and Pb contents in sugarcane and mustard plantssamples also exceeded the Chinese maximum levelsof contaminants in foods (GB 2762-2005). Higherlevels of heavy metal contents in crops can beattributed to leaching of heavy metals from upper soillayers to lower layers, high metal uptake by plants,aerial deposition in plants and period of sampling. Itcan be concluded that the crops in the studied areawere observed to be contaminated with heavy metalsthat can pose severe health risks to the residingpopulation and livestock.Key words: Crops, Heavy metals

SV/P-8

Role of Phosphorus in Mitigating theChromium Toxicity in Raphanus sativus L.,as Assessed by Physiological and AntioxidantEnzymes ParametersD. Sayantan* and ShardenduLaboratory of Environment and Biotechnology, Departmentof Botany, Patna Science College, Patna University, Patna-800005, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Impacts of pollution due to heavy metal arewidespread. Not only has it affected the soil biota, butalso plants and animals, by entering into the food chain,leading to biomagnification. However, there are certaininorganic ions (like inorganic phosphate) in soil whichaffect the uptake of some heavy metals by plants. Thepresent study reports that the amendment inphosphorus supplies in the growth medium suppressthe physiological and oxidative toxicities, caused bychromium in R. sativus L. The hydroponic-experimental procedure included a completerandomized factorial design in 5X5 fashion, where fiveincreasing concentrations of Cr were treated with R.



sativus, and each chromium supply was amended withfive increasing concentrations of P supplies for 28days. The harvested plants (only root parts) weremeasured for the physiological parameters like totalCr, P and N accumulations, along with, totalchlorophyll and biomass estimations. For measuringthe level of oxidative toxicity, concentrations ofantioxidant enzymes, like superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), alongwith the levels of malondialdehyde (for measuringlipid peroxidation) were measured in root tissues. Crand N accumulation were almost doubled at the highestconcentration of Cr supply, without any P amendment,whereas at the highest P concentration, theaccumulation was reduced to almost half. A significantreduction in toxic effects of Cr was determined as therewas three-fold increase in total chlorophyll andbiomass at the highest P amendment. Antioxidantenzymes like SOD, CAT, POD and LP were analyzedat various levels of Cr each amended with five levelsof P. It was observed that at highest level of Pamendment, the reduction percentage in toxicity was33, 44, 39 and 44, respectively. Concluding thefindings, the P amendments resulted in the markedreduction in the toxicity caused by the supplied Cr inR. sativus under the hydroponic conditions. Hence,we suggest that this finding can be applied in thechromium stressed crop-lands, in which, increasingthe P content of fertilizer will competitively preventthe entry of Cr in plants, and thus the food chain.Key words: Antioxidant enzymes, Biomass, Chlorophyll,Chromium toxicity, Phosphorus, Raphanus sativus L.

SV/P-9

Effects of Lead and its PhytoremediationPotential in Eichhornia crassipes (C. Mart.)SolmsShalini SrivastavaBhargava Agricultural Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Around the world, there is an increasing trend inareas of land, surface waters and groundwater affectedby contamination from industrial, military andagricultural activities due to either ignorance, lack ofvision, or carelessness. Ecosystem contamination fromcadmium, copper, and lead pollution may damageaquatic organisms at the cellular level and possibly

affect the ecological balance. Growth changes are oftenthe first and most obvious reactions of plants underheavy metal stress .The effects of increasingconcentrations of lead nitrate on growth characteristicsof E. crassipes including root length, leaf area andbiomass production was studied. The presentinvestigation also reveals that Eichhornia crassipescan be effectively used to cleanup aquatic ecosystems.Eichhornia crassipes have great potential toaccumulate heavy metals and can be effectively usedin phytoremediation. In this study increasingconcentration of lead showed higher accumulationcapacities and may be better treatment option for leadby means of phytoremediation. Bioconcentrationfactor showed a clear conclusion and supportive proofabout the species as a tool for phytoremediation oflead. The change in BCF of E. crassipes was studiedto know capacity of E. crassipes to concentrate leadfrom varied concentrations. Lead concentrationshowed a significant negative correlation between rootlength, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight.Key words: Plant growth assessment, Lead accumulation,Eichhornia crassipes Phytoremediation, Biomass production

SV/P-10Utilization of Industrial Wastes for Cultivationof East Indian Lemongrass in Sodic SoilAkhilesh Kumar* and S.K. TewariDistant Research Centres, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Sustainable utilization of industrial wastes andrehabilitation degraded waste lands is the demand oftime to mitigate global warming and for sustainabledevelopment of these natural resources. East Indianlemongrass [Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.)Wats] is a perennial, industrial cash crop which canbe cultivated as optional crop on lands which do notsupport production of food crops due to their hardynature. The leaf oil of lemongrass is used in perfumery,cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Theessential oil has insect repellent and anti-cancerousproperties. Citral, an important constituent oflemongrass oil is used as starting material for thepreparation of á -ionone (used as a flavor, cosmeticsand perfumes) and â-ionone (used for synthesis ofvitamin A). A field experiment is being conducted atDistant Research Centre, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow (800 45l- 53l E 260 400 -



45l N), Uttar Pradesh. Randomized block design withfour replications and seven treatments i.e. T1-Control,T2- Press mud @ 20t/ha, T3- Fly ash @ 20t/ha, T4-Fly ash @ 2.5t/ha + Press mud @ 20t/ha, T5- Fly ash@ 5t/ha + Press mud @ 15t/ha, T6- Fly ash @ 7.5t/ha+ Press mud @ 10t/ha, T7- Fly ash @ 10t/ha + Pressmud @ 5t/ha in 2 X 2 m size plots were used duringpresent study on degraded sodic land having 9.5 pH.Growth responses, biochemical changes, andproductivity were evaluated under different treatmentsto identify appropriate dosages of ameliorants forcultivation of East Indian lemongrass in sodic soil.Maximum survival percentage was recorded in T2-Press mud @ 20t/ha. Maximum plant height wasrecorded in T5- Fly ash @ 5t/ha + Press mud @ 15t/ha, whereas maximum number of tillers/plant and noof spike/plant were recorded in T4- Fly ash @ 2.5t/ha+ Press mud @ 20t/ha.Key words: Industrial waste, Sodic soil, Lemongrass, Fly ash,Press mud, Essential oil

SV/P-11

Effect of Balrampur Chini Mill Effluent onSeed Germination and Seedling Growth inTomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) ofDifferent VarietiesSunil Kumar Srivastava*, A.K. Singh, N.A. Ansariand J.P. TewariDepartment of Botany, M.L.K. (P.G.) College, Balrampur-271201. INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Sugar industry is one of the most important agro-basic industry, ranking second amongst major agro-based industry in India. Although, sugar industry isseasonal in nature and operates only for about 120-200 days in a year, significantly largest volume ofwater is generated during the manufacture of sugarand contain a high amount of pollution loadparticularly in the form of suspended solids, organicmatter, air and water pollutants. Balrampur ChiniMill(B.C.M.) is a very popular sugar industry in UttarPradesh, India. In this paper effect of differentconcentrations viz.25%, 50%, 75% and 100% ofeffluent discharged from Balrampur Chini Mill on theseed germination and seedling development in fourvarieties of tomato is assessed. The effluent hadbeneficial effect on the percentage of the seedgermination and seedling development at lower (25%)

concentration. Increase in effluent concentrationshowed decrease in seed germination and vigour index.The treated effluent can be used as a liquid fertilizerafter dilution to a suitable concentration.Key words: Tomato, Seed germination, Seedling growth,Sugar industry

SV/P-12

Accumulation of Arsenic in Locally GrownCrops and Vegetables of Sahibganj,Jharkhand: A Threat to Food SecurityMd. Osaid Alam*, Sukalyan Chakraborty andTanushree BhattacharyaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, BirlaInstitute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Arsenic contamination in groundwater of SouthEast Asia is a much talked about issue. The calamitydue to arsenic contamination in the Bengal Delta Plain(BDP) has been an alarming one. Several studies haveindicated that West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur,Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand to be affected with arsenicin its groundwater. In Jharkhand, three blocks ofSahibganj have been reported in previous studies tocontain arsenic in its groundwater. The present studywas undertaken to investigate the concentration ofarsenic in groundwater utilized for irrigation, surfacesoil and uptake and translocation in edible crops andvegetables locally grown in three blocks of Sahibganjdistrict, namely Sahibganj, Rajmahal and Udhawa.Groundwater, surface soil and plant samples werecollected from the three blocks. Plants samples werecollected from the agricultural fields in their harvestingperiod. Soil samples were collected from the samesampling point from where the plant sample was taken.Onsite measurements and laboratory analysis was donefor hydrochemical parameters to understand the natureof the groundwater favouring arsenic enrichment.Arsenic and other metal estimations were done in ICP-OES in all the samples to find the degree ofcontamination. Arsenic concentration ranged between1 and 133µg/L in groundwater with Badi Kodarjannavillage of Sahibganj block showing the maximumvalue. Fe and Mn were found between 0.05 - 0.20 mg/L and 0.10 - 0.84 mg/L respectively. Among ionsnitrate varies from 0.8 - 2.6 mg/L and ammoniumvaries from 0.2 - 5.26 mg/L. High negative values of



ORP indicate the extreme reducing condition ingroundwater.Key words: Arsenic, Bioavailability, Crops, Uptake, Healthimpacts

SV/P-13

Effect of intermittent exposure of SO2 onthe root-knot disease and plant growth ofbottle guard and cucumberMujeebur Rahman Khan*, Tanveer Fatima Rizvi andRizwan Ali AnsariDepartment of Plant Protection, AligARH MUSLIMUNIVERSITY, ALIAGRH-202002, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

An investigation was carried out to examine theindividual and interactive effects of intermittentexposures of SO2 on the morphological andphysiological parameters of plants and on the root-knot disease development on bottle gourd andcucumber. Seedlings of the two cucurbits (four weekold) were transplanted in the earthen pots filled withthe autoclaved soil (soil and compost 3:1 ratio) andwere inoculated with the root-knot nematode,Meloidogyne incognita (2000 juveniles/kg soil). Twodays after inoculation the plants were exposed to 25,50 and 75 ppb SO2 for 5 hrs on alternate day for 60days. The plants exposed to 75 ppb SO2 showedcharacteristic interveinal leaf chlorosis and exhibitedrelatively lower photosynthetic rate, lower stomatalconductance, higher transpiration and longertrichomes. The growth, biomass production and yieldwere significantly suppressed in plants exposed to 75ppb SO2 over control. Both the cucurbits were foundsusceptible to the root-knot nematode and developedcharacteristic oval, large and fleshy galls on the roots.The nematode disease became severe on the plantsexposed to 75 ppb SO2. The gas exposure significantlyenhanced the fecundity and egg mass production ofM. incognita. The soil population of root-knotnematode was also higher in the root zone of plantsexposed to 75 ppb SO2. Synergistic interaction wasrecorded between the nematode and 75 ppb SO2.However, an effect of 25 or 50 ppb was not observedon the plant growth or root-knot development.Key words: SO2, Cucurbits, Chlorosis, Root-knot nematode,Reproduction, Plant physiology

SV/P-14

The Effects of Salinity Pretreatment ofGlomus fasciculatum on Induction of SalityTolerance in Barley PlantsAli Torabi*1, Mozhgan Farzamisepehr1 and MojtabaYousefirad2

1Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, SavehBranch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, IRAN. 2Depart-ment of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Saveh Branch,Islamic Azad University, Saveh, IRAN,Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

In the environmental stress, salinity stress is aserious problem that has affected about two millionsquare kilometers of using lands in agriculture andtherefore a major limiting factor in crop productionaround the world is considered. Furthermore, thestudies have shown that the efficiency ofmicroorganisms that are resistant to the salinity stresscan be effective in revitalize and production of resistantmaterials. In order to investigate the effect of salinityon the Glomus fasciculatum fungus in the inductionof resistance to salinity stress Barley plant, a researchas a factorial randomized complete block design inthe agricultural research greenhouse of Saveh IslamicAzad University in 2014 was conducted. The examinedFactors included: The first factor was the mycorrhizapretreatment at 0, 25, 50 and 100 mM salt the secondfactor by applying the salinity on plants at 0, 25, 50,100 and 200 mM salt. According to the varianceanalysis results mycorrhiza pretreatment with salt andsalinity treatment in plant on the one percent probable(p>0.01) on the fresh and dry weights of aerialorganism and bush and root, LA, RGR, RLAGR, ULR,peroxidase activity, catalase activity, polyphenoloxidase activity, malondialdehyde and proline hasaffected. Also its interaction effect has meaningfuleffect on root dry weight, LA, RGR, peroxidase activity,catalase activity, polyphenol oxidase activity andproline on the one percent probable (p>0.01) and onthe RLAGR and malondialdehyde on the five percentprobable (p>0.05) was significant. The meancomparison results showed that mycorrhizapretreatment with salt and salinity stress in plant wasdecreased plant growth parameters and was increasedthe activity of the biochemical characteristics in theBarley plant; it was also found that Barley plant in the



of 25 mM treatment is resistant to salinity stress, butby increasing salt amount, plant is damaged. 25 mMsalinity treatments in the plant in the absence ofmycorrhiza pretreatment by salt have the best effecton it.Key words: Salinity stress, Proline, Barley, Antioxidants,Mycorrhiza

SV/P-15

Interactive Effect of Agricultural Utilizationof Sewage Sludge and Fly Ash on Physiologicaland Yield Response of Raphanus sativusRajeev Pratap Singh and Bhavisha SharmaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Unprecedented population growth,industrialization and urbanization have aggravated theissue of proper management and safe disposal of solidwastes like Sewage sludge and Fly ash in most of thedeveloping countries as they lack proper solid wastemanagement practices, resulting in environmentaldegradation. Using Sewage sludge (SS) and Fly ash(FA) in agriculture might be a sustainable approachfor managing such wastes. However, these wastes maycontain toxic substances like heavy metals, that maycause detrimental effects on the biota, water and soil,and consequently on humans. The aim of the presentstudy was to assess the physiological and yieldresponse of Raphanus sativus, a commonly consumedvegetable in Indian households, at different SS andFA ratios as well as mixtures. Four amendment ratiosof fly ash (FA) - sewage sludge (SS) mixture, viz. 4(SS):1 (FA), 4:2, 4:3, and 4:4 denoted as A, B, C andD, respectively, mixed with the soil at different ratioswere taken to assess their effect on the physiologicalresponse of Raphanus sativus for this study.

Results showed that total chlorophyll contentsincreased significantly in all the amendments withmaximum increase in C40 amendment (116.4%),followed by B40 (103.2%) as compared to the controlplants. Similarly carotenoids content increasedsignificantly in all the amendment ratios as comparedto control plants. However, maximum increase incarotenoid content was reported in C40 (97.3%)followed by D40 (81.6%) and A20 (76.3%) ascompared to control plants.

Significant increase of 45.4% has been reportedin yield of D20 with respect to the control plants. Totalbiomass of Raphanus sativus increased significantlyat all amendments ratios, except A40 and C20.Maximum increase in total biomass was observed inD20 followed by C40 as compared to control. Overallexperimental results showed that mixture B, C and Dwere found to be suitable in terms of better yield andpositive physiological response.Key words: Sewage sludge, Fly ash, Raphanus sativus,Chlorophyll, Yield, Biomass

SV/P-16

Complimentary Application of AdvancedAnalytical and Imaging Techniques: A Toolto Investigate Arsenic Metabolism in PlantsSeema Mishra1,2,3*, Gerd Wellenreuther4, JürgenMattusch2, Hans-Joachim Stärk2 and Hendrik Küpper1

1Universität Konstanz, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion, Fachbereich Biologie,D-78457 Konstanz, GERMANY. 2Helmholtz Centre forEnvironmental Research-UFZ, Department of AnalyticalChemistry, D-04318 Leipzig, GERMANY. 3CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA.4HASYLAB at DESY, 22603 Hamburg, GERMANY

Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous element that isnonessential for plants and toxic to all forms of life.The continuous loading of As in arable land by meansof contaminated irrigation water is of serious concernnot only as a route for dietary human As exposurethrough plants but also due to As toxicity and yieldlosses. In the view of diversity of chemical forms ofAs existing in the environment and their variabletoxicity to living systems, investigation of arsenicspecies and its localization in plants is of paramountsignificance. The recent advancements in analyticaland imaging techniques have greatly enriched ourknowledge about arsenic metabolism in plants.However, in the view of sensitivity and selectivitylimitations of each technique, their complementaryapplication is required to obtain more completeinformation about As (or other element) metabolismand toxicity.

The speciation and distribution of As in leavesof the aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demersum L. wasinvestigated under environmentally relevantconditions through chromatographic and synchrotronbased techniques in a complementary way. While



chromatography is more sensitive to identify differentvariants of thiol bound As, it requires extraction ofplant thus loosing spatial information. In this respect,synchrotron based techniques have been proven to beunique for in situ investigation of elements and theirchemical forms. Speciation through HPLC parallelcoupled to inductively coupled plasma-massspectrometry and electrospray ionization-massspectrometry [HPLC-(ICP-MS)-(ESI-MS)] revealedup to 20 As-containing species binding up to 60% ofaccumulated As. Of these several thiol-bound(phytochelatins [PCs], glutathione, and cysteine)species were identified, including many novel Ascomplexes. The tissue resolution speciation in intactfrozen hydrated leaves, performed through confocalX-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (µXANES),showed that the epidermis of mature leaves containedthe highest proportion of thiol (mostly PC)-bound As,while in younger leaves, a lower proportion of As wasthiol bound. At lethal As concentrations, the percentageof unbound arsenite (AsIII) increased in the vein andmesophyll of young mature leaves. At the same time,cellular element distribution through X-rayfluorescence (µXRF), in the same tissue, showed anincrease of total As in the vein and mesophyll. Takentogether, at lethal concentration level of As in the formof AsIII increased in vein and also spread in themesophylls. Arsenic also disturbed the distributionpattern of micronutrients in leaves, as observed by theZn distribution µXRF map.

The cellular distribution and speciation of Ascould be correlated with onset and progression oftoxicity observed at biochemical and biophysical level.The biochemical and biophysical investigation showedthat photosynthetic pigments were inhibited first,started at much lower As concentrations (0.5µM),however, the core photosynthesis (e- transport andPSIIRC) was not affected up to sub-lethal Asconcentration (up tp 2µM). At lethal As concentration(5µM), the photosynthesis was completely inhibitedresulting in enhanced generation of superoxide andeventually the appearance of severe toxic symptoms.

Thus, As toxicity was correlated with a changein As distribution pattern and As species i.e. increaseof arsenite in mesophylls, the photosynthetically activetissue, rather than a general increase in many tissues.Key words: Arsenic, Ceratophyllum demersum, X-rayabsorption near-edge spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescencespectroscopy

SV/P-17

Induced Herbicides Genotoxicity in theRoot Meristems of Fagopyrum esculentumMoench (Buckwheat)Akanksha Srivastava* and G. KumarPlant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad-211002, INDIAEmail: [email protected][email protected]

The present study summarizes information thatherbicides show detrimental effect in the environmentabove optimum level. The root tips were treated with0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1.0% concentrations of bothherbicides at room temperature for 3 hrs. In the presentinvestigation a comparative cytological study wasconducted to study the effects induced by Glyphosateand Atrazine on root meristematic cells of Fagopyrumesculentum Moench. The result revealed that both theherbicides had depressive effects on the mitotic indexas compared to their respective controls. Thepercentage reduction in the Active Mitotic Index(AMI) value was higher in case of Glyphosatetreatment as compared to Atrazine. It was evaluatedthat both herbicides induced different types ofabnormalities comprising scattering, precociousmovement; stickiness, bridges, laggard etc. which werefrequent along with the increasing doses of treatment.It is almost clear that Glyphosate is moremitodepressive and chromotoxic as compared toAtrazine as it registered the highest level ofchromosomal damaging. Scattering and stickiness arethe common abnormalities prevalent among them.Key words: Fagopyrum esculentum , Herbicides,Chromosomal anomalies, Mito-depressive, Mitotic Index

SV/P-18

Effect of Heavy Metals Cadmium, Copper,Zinc and Mercury on Two CommercialVarieties of Mustard (Brassica juncea)Monika*, Seema and Mohd. Kashif KidwaiDepartment of Energy and Environment Sciences,Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Haryana-125055,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Environmental Pollution due to heavy metals(HM) is a global issue. Both terrestrial and aquatic



ecosystems are severely affected with HM due tovarious anthropogenic activities such as mining,improper waste disposal practices, extensive use ofpotentially hazardous agrochemicals. These HMpersist indefinitely in the soil thereby posing an everincreasing threat to the whole ecosystem. HM such asCadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Mercury(Hg)etc. are established environmental pollutants that causetoxic effects to wide variety of plants, thereby reducingthe yield and productivity. Plant responses to HMstress have been studied extensively. Mustard isconsidered as one of the most important oil yieldingcrop of North India and it is mainly used as edible oil.The present study demonstrates the effect of differentHM i.e. Cd, Cu, Zn and Hg on two commercialvarieties of Mustard (Brassica juncea) i.e. RH-30 andLaxmi. The toxic effects on seed germination, plantlength, plant growth, seedling vigor of mustard(Brassica juncea) were studied in in-vitro conditionsusing different concentrations (10, 25, 50, 100 and200 mg/L) of all the HM along with the control. Resultsindicate that HM adversely affect the normal growthof plants by reducing seed germination, plant lengthand seedling vigour in comparison of control. Hgresulted as the most toxic metal followed by Cu andCd. Hg completely inhibited seed germination andseeding growth in both the varieties at all theconcentration. However, variety specific differenceswere observed in all the studied parameters in case ofother studied HM. It was observed that in Cu and Cdtreated plants of both the varieties decrease in growthparameters were there with the increase in HMconcentration. Whereas Zn resulted in higher seedgermination, plant length and seedling vigour in bothvarieties as compared with other tested HM. Out oftwo varieties, RH-30 was more tolerant then Laxmi toHM stress.Key words: Agrochemicals, Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, Mercury,Heavy metal, Brassica juncea

SV/P-19

Improvement in Growth and BiochemicalResponses of Wheat with Integrated FYM andInorganic Fertilizers Use in Halomorphic SoilPoonam Verma* and S.N. PandeyBotany Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email- [email protected]

A composite soil sample was collected from the

Jankipuram area in Lucknow district (Semi- aridregion), this native soil was evaluated a halomorphicsoil (pH, 8.4; E.C., 3.8 mS/cm, CaCO3, 0.8%,exchangeable sodium, 12.5%). Soil amended withvarious doses of NPK fertilizers viz., control;120:60:60; 240:120:120; 360:240:240 respectivelyand FYM (Farm yard manure) compost @ 10 t ha-1 incombination with NPK (360:240:240) fertilizers.Wheat growth (shoot length and dry matter yield) andbiochemical constituents increased with increase indoses of NPK fertilizers in soil; whereas applicationof FYM in soil along with NPK (360:240:240)increased shoot length by 255%, dry weight productionby 159% and total chlorophyll content by 82.5% andprotein content by 181.22% over NPK fertilizers(usedsingly in the native soil). Use of FYM in combinationwith NPK fertilizers also increased nutrients (N,P,K,Znand Cu) status of the soil.

Therefore study concluded that, the native soilwith adverse conditions of their physic-chemicalproperties, used first time for agricultural practices,needs a high dose of NPK fertilizers (360:240:240)for optimum growth yield of wheat. The NPKfertilizers in combination with FYM compost wasenhanced crop production and nutrients condition insoil, more effectively.Key words: Halomorphic soil, NPK fertilizers, Wheat,Biochemical responses, FYM, nutrients

SV/P-20

Bioavailable Fraction of Soil Arsenic andRelated Threat to PlantsSuman B. Singh* and Pankaj Kumar SrivastavaDepartment of Environmental Sciences, CSIR- NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid contaminating soiland water, naturally and through various anthropogenicactivities. Arsenic contamination is posing risk tomillions of population worldwide. It has been foundat various places that arsenic in soil system is aboveits threshold limit of 20 mg kg-1 given by EuropeanUnion for agricultural soils. Due to its highconcentration in soil, it is being absorbed by all theplants, but it is more concentrated in leafy vegetablesand paddy crops. The toxicity of arsenic is largelydependent on its bioavailable fraction content in the



soil. The total arsenic content in soil is not a realestimate of its toxicity to plants. The assessment ofbioavailable soil arsenic fraction may reflect actualarsenic toxicity at particular site. This may help informulating effective arsenic bioremediationprogrammes.Key words: Arsenic, Soil, Bioavailable fraction, Plants

SV/P-21

The Inhibitory Effects of Heavy MetalStress on Growth of Vigna radiata L.Alleviates via Nitric OxideHimani Singh* and N.B. SinghPlant physiology laboratory Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected].

Environment pollution due to toxic heavy metalis mostly due to anthropogenic activites and there aremany reports that the agricultural field adjoining toindustrial areas contain to varying load of heavymetals. In the present study sodium nitroprussides(SNP) mitigates the effects of heavy metal stress onmung bean. The stimulatory effects of SNP on growthpersisted even in the presence of lead (Pb). Mung beanseedlings were grown in soil supplemented withgraded concentrations of lead with and without SNP.Mung bean seedlings growth decreased in thesupplemented at higher concentration of Pb i.e. 2g/kgsoil as compared to control plants. Pre-treatment ofmung bean seedlings for 3h with 1mM SNP resultedin significant reduction of detrimental effect of heavymetal stress on growth and morphology.Photosynthetic pigment, total soluble sugar, nitratereductase activity and protein concentration decreasedwith increased concentration of heavy metals. Gradualincrease in lipid peroxidation was observed in responseto Pb. The inhibitory effects of heavy metal on growthwere accompanied by increased activities ofantioxidant enzyme viz. superoxide dismutase,catalase and adiate on. The purpose of the study is tohelp understand how SNP mediates the biologicalprocess in mung bean under heavy metal stress.Key words: Antioxidants enzymes, Heavy metal stress, Lead(Pb), Lipid peroxidation, Vigna adiate

SV/P-22

Genotoxic and Mito-Inimical Impact ofHeavy Metals in Root Meristems ofCoriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)Asha Pande* and G. KumarPlant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad-211002, INDIAEmail: [email protected] @yahoo.com

Globally, the environment is facing the threat oftoxic effects of heavy metals. It is undisputed thatvarious groups of heavy metals are adversely affectingthe genomic constitution of various floras throughbioaccumulation. Basically, some metals are essentialfor proper growth and development of plants, at anappropriate concentration. However above optimumlevel heavy metals induce several stressful genotoxicresponses and distort the synchronisation of celldivision. Chromosomal plant assessment is animportant array for estimation of mito-depressivebehaviour of heavy metals at an elevated level. Thepresent study aims to observe the possible genomedamaging impact of heavy metals viz. Pb(NO3)2 andCdCl2 in the root meristems of Coriandrum sativumL. in relation to mitosis. For this purpose four variableconcentrations of Pb(NO3)2 and CdCl2 viz.,50ppm,100ppm, 150ppm, and 200ppm were taken anda control set was maintained separately. Thephenomenon of cyto-chromotoxicity was exaggeratedas concentration level increases which was recordedin form of reduced active mitotic indices and enhancedchromosomal anomalies such as stickiness, c-mitosis,unorientation, precocious, bridges, laggards, etc.Conclusively, both the heavy metals impart genotoxicresponses but Pb(NO3)2 shows greater extent ofchromotoxic behaviour in compared to CdCl2 .

Key words: Genotoxic, Mito-inimical, Chromotoxicity,Pb(NO3)2, CdCl2, Exaggerated, Anomalies, Coriandrumsativum L.

SV/P-23

Antioxidative Response of Tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) toCopper StressShahla Faizan, Gul Naazð , Saima Kausar, IrfanaHaneef and Rubina PerveenDepartment of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University,



Aligarh, U.P., INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

Thirty days old seedlings of tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) treated for four daysby addition of different concentration i.e. 0.0, 0.5, 1.0,1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mg Cu kg-1 soil. 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mgCu kg-1 soil gave an stimulating effect on growth beingmaximum at 1.5 mg Cu kg-1 soil, however a decreasein growth, more pronounced in roots than in leavesand in stems were observed at 2.0 and 2.5 mg Cu, ascompared to control. 2.0 and 2.5 mg Cu induced anincrease in the rate of lipid peroxidation. Anenhancement in the activity of catalase, adiateon andsuperoxide dismutase of leaves were observed uptothe concentration of 1.5 mg Cu. These results togetherindicate that a toxic concentration of copper (2.0 and2.5 mg Cu kg-1 soil) induces oxidative stress anddifferential responses of antioxidant enzymes in plant.Key words: Catalase, Copper, Lycopersicon esculentum, adiateon, Superoxide dismutase

SV/P-24

Assessment of Growth and Yield of TuberoseCultivated under Different Sodicity LevelsT.S. Rahi*, R.S. Katiyar, Lal Bahadur, S.K. Tewariand A.K. GoelCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

A field experiment was conducted to screen thesodicity tolerance of tuberose during 2011-2012 atGehru Research Centre of CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow, (India). The beds wereprepared in the field having natural sodic heterogeneitywith different sodicity levels from control pH 8.1-8.5to 10.50 with the rounded difference of pH 0.50. The25 ton ha-1 FYM was mixed properly in each bed ofthe experiment. In the month of February 2011 uniformsize sprouted tuberose bulbs were transplanted at 40x 25 cm, row to row and plant to plant distance in thebeds of 4 x 3 meter length and width size followingthe Randomized Block Design. The irrigations, hoeingand weeding operations were conducted uniformly foreach experimental bed. The plant growth and yieldobservations on plants survived per bed, number ofsprouts per plant clump, plant height, number of leavesper plant, length and width of leaves were recorded atmonthly intervals after two months of transplantation

of sprouted bulbs. The number of spikes per plantclump, length of spike, number and length of florets,number of bulb lets per plant clump and fresh and dryweights of plant clumps were also recordedaccordingly. After two years of study it was observedthat except the parameter width of leaves, all thegrowth and yield attributes of tuberose plantsdecreased though at all sodicity levels but drasticallyat higher sodicity levels than that of control pH level8.1-8.5. While plant height, length of leaves, spikesand number of florets and fresh weight of plant clumpparameters were reduced to increasing sodicity levelswith significant difference to each other level ofsodicity. No significant reduction was noticed for plantheight and number of leaves from pH level 8.51-9.0to 9.1-9.5. Tuberose being bulbous crop, its aboveground plant growth totally depends on nutrientavailability from its bulb which develops underground.Tuberose bulbs properly develop in loose and fertilesoils, while sodic soils with high exchangeable sodiumpercentage (ESP) and bulk density, low impermeabilityand reduced primary and micronutrients availabilitydo not provide the favourable conditions for properdevelopment of tuberose bulbs. Considering theunfavourable sodic soil conditions our two yearsfindings; it is recommended that tuberose can becultivated successfully up to pH 9.0 with propermanuring and cultural practices.Key words: Tuberose, Sodic soil, ESP

SV/P-25

Nickel Induced Changes in Germinationand Biochemical Parameters in Vignaunguiculata (L.) Walp.Atia Arzoo1*, Ashirbad Mohapatra2 and K.B. Satapathy1

1Post Graduate Department of Botany, Utkal University,VaniVihar, Bhubaneswar-751004. INDIA. 2Sri Jayadev collegeof Education and Technology, Naharkanta, Bhubaneswar-752101, Odisha, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Public concern about environment is veryimportant component necessary for the existence ofboth man and other biotic organisms. Quality of naturalresources like soil, water and biosphere is greatlyaffected by environmental pollution. In view of thepossible risk associated with soil-crop-food chaintransfer, metal contamination in crop lands is



considered as a major topic of global concern. Theaccumulation of heavy metals in the aquatic systemand also in soil can cause serious problems onenvironment and organisms affecting negatively onthe stability of ecosystems and can also influence theanimals and human health. Seed is the developmentalstage that is highly protective against external stressin plant life cycle. However soon after adiateons andsubsequent vegetative developmental processes, theybecome stress sensitive. Therefore, seeds are thoughtto be carefully monitored against such externalparameters as light, temperature and nutrient in orderto maintain the protective state although such criticalregulatory mechanisms are likely to operate in seedsat the onset of imbibitions.

A germination study was conducted in Cow pea[Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] in order to find out theeffect of Nickel toxicity on germination, growth andbiochemical alteration. The seeds of cow pea weregerminated in six different concentrations of Nickelchloride solution having 0-100 mg/l of Nickel. It wasfound that seedling vigour index, metal tolerance indexwere reduced and the percentage of phytotoxicity wasincreased. The pot culture experiment revealed that,the growth parameters, percentage of moisture contentin plant, total chlorophyll content, total protein contentwere decreased but free proline content was increasedwith increase in concentration of Nickel. It was alsoobserved that seeds of cow pea showed better resultin terms of growth, percentage of moisture contentand different biochemical parameters in 20 ppm ofNickel at 10, 20 and 30 days of growth therebyindicating that Nickel within 20mg/kg has stimulatingeffect on the plants growth. From the result of thisinvestigation, it can be concluded that Nickel at lowerconcentration has a stimulating effect on plant growthand will inhibit the same at higher concentrations.Key words: Nickel, Cow pea, Germination, Growth,Biochemical parameters

SV/P-26

Impact of Addition of Soil Inputs of VaryingResource Quality on Microbial Biomass andCrop Yield in Tropical Dryland AgroecosystemAanchal Agarwal* and Nandita GhoshalCentre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,

Email: [email protected]

Major objective of any agronomic managementstrategy is to enhance crop productivity. However, tosustain crop productivity and fertility for long-termposes a global challenge. Soil amendments aregenerally required for maintaining soil fertility. Soilmicrobial biomass, the labile fraction of soil organicmatter has been considered as an index of soil fertility.The impact of addition of soil amendments havingcontrasting resource quality on soil microbial biomassdynamics and also their impact on crop productivityis needed in general and especially in dry tropics. Thisstudy was conducted to evaluate the effect ofapplication of exogenous organic inputs on soilmicrobial biomass dynamics and crop yield under rice-wheat-summer fallow crop sequence in tropicaldryland agroecosystem. The treatments involvedaddition of equivalent amount of N through chemicalfertilizer (CF) and three organic inputs, viz. Sesbaniashoot (high quality resource, HQR), wheat straw (lowquality resource, LQR) and Sesbania+wheat straw(mixed quality, MQR) besides control (CO). Microbialbiomass C and N (MBC and MBN) were analysed atvegetative, grain forming and crop maturity stages ofboth the cycle and also during summer fallow. Acrossall the treatments through the annual cycleconsiderable variation was found in levels of soil MBCand MBN; highest levels found during summer fallowfollowed in decreasing order in wheat crop andminimum in rice crop. In both the crops, the levels ofMBC and MBN increased distinctly from seedling tograin forming stages, and then increased to maximumat crop maturity. Maximum MBC and MBN was foundin HQR followed in a decreasing order byMQR>LQR>CF>CO in rice crop period. Howeverduring wheat period and summer fallow highest levelsof MBC and MBN were found in MQR followed indecreasing order by LQR>HQR>CF>CO. Higher riceyield was obtained in CF and HQR whereas LQRshowed highest wheat yield compared to othertreatments. It was found that in MQR, the levels ofMBC and MBN was higher throughout the annualcycle which in turn supported higher total yield. It maybe concluded that application of MQR will bebeneficial in sustaining long term soil fertility andproductivity in tropical dryland agroecosystem.Key words: Soil microbial biomass, Tropical drylandagroecosystem, High and low quality resource inputs



SV/P-27

Ultrastructural Alterations and Sensitivityof Cytoskeleton in Response to ArsenicStress in the Root Cells of MungbeanPooja Gupta* and A.K. BhatnagarEnvironmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Influence of arsenic (As) on growth anddevelopment of mungbean (Vigna adiate) was assessedin pot cultures with sodium arsenate (Na2HasO4.7H2O)in concentrations ranging from 5 to 35 mg/kg of soil.Five kilogram of soil was used for each pot and eachtreatment was run in triplicate. Plant growth wasprogressively curtailed with increasing concentrations.

Soil-applied As in mung bean plants had anexplicit effect on root development. An increase insoil concentration of the element enhanced its negativeeffect on roots. Root growth was affected with reducednumber of lateral roots and nodules. Roots turned darkor yellow brown. Length of roots was found to be lower(pd”0.05) at a dose as low as 5 mg As kg-1 soil.Reduction in root length was more pronounced at pre-flowering and flowering stages than post-floweringstage with maximum decrease in root length at theflowering stage. At 30 mg As kg-1 soil, root lengthwas reduced by 67.92, 77.34 and 70.24% at pre-flowering, flowering and post-flowering stages,respectively.

Ultrastructural studies of root cortex cells fromplants exposed to arsenic revealed extensive damageto cells. Cortical cells of root of control plantscontained only a few small vacuoles, dense cytoplasmwith many organelles and a thick cell wall. A thin cellwall with a wavy appearance was seen in most of theroot cells of mature root tissues exposed to As. Therewas increase in size of vacuoles. Fragmentation orvesiculation of ER cisternae was observed under Asstress.

Arsenic affected arrangement of microtubulesand inhibited cell division and elongation in root tissue.A low mitotic index in root meristem was recordeddue to As. The treated root tip cells were shown tohave disoriented microtubules as compared to control.Microtubules got shortened, disassembled andirreversibly depolymerized. In the treated root tip cells,

epidermis and outer cortex cells were distorted. Mostcells of middle cortex were deformed with disorientedcortical microtubules, and unusually large intercellularspaces develop. The study showed that cytoskeletonin root tip cells is sensitive to As and the growth anddevelopment of these cells gets affected due todisruption of microtubules and disorganization oftissues.Key words: Arsenic, Mungbean, Ultrastructure, Mitosis

SV/P-28

Effect of Seed Rate and Weed ControlMethods on Yield of Direct Seeded Rice(Oryza sativa L)Rajneesh Singh*, O.P. Rai, A.K. Singh andHanumant SinghDepartment of Agronomy, Narendra Deva University ofAgriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad-224229,U.P., INDIA, Email: [email protected]

A field experiment was conducted during kharifseason of 2013-14 at Agronomy Research Farm ofNarendra Deva University of Agriculture andTechnology, Narendra Nagar (Kumarganj), Faizabad(U.P.) to evaluate the efficacy of different herbicidesviz., pendimethalin @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (Pre.em.), bispyribac-sodium @ 25 g ha-1 (Po.em) at 30 DAS and ready mixchlorimuron-ethyl @ 4 g ha-1 (Po.em.) at 30 DAS withthree seed rate 40,50,60 kg ha-1 to see their effect onweeds, crop growth, yield and economics of rice. Weedfree and weedy check were also included in theexperiment. The field experiment was layout inrandomized block design (factorial) with threereplications. Rice variety “NDR-97” was sown bydirect line sowing method with recommended does offertilizers, 120 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 60 kg K2O perhectare.

Echinochloa colona and E. crusgalli amonggrasses, Commelina benghalensis among non-grassesand Cyperus rotundus among sedges were thepredominant weeds in experimental field.Uncontrolled weeds in weedy check plots caused anaverage reduction in grain yield 66.07 per cent overweed free plots. The lowest weed population and dryweight and highest yield attributes and yield 25.39 qha -1 were recorded under 60 kg ha -1 seed rate. Inchemical control Post-emergence application ofbispyribac-sodium @ 25 g ha-1 at 30 DAS, producedhighest grain yield (24.45 q ha -1). Followed by



Pendimethalin @ 1.0 kg ha -1 pre.em .reducingpopulation and dry matter of weeds and it lead tohighest grain yield which ultimately fetched highestnet return.Key words: Seed rate, Weed, yield, Direct seeded rice

SV/P-29

Dissipation Kinetics and Safety Evaluationof Emamectin Benzoate 1.5% + Fipronil3.5% EC in Chilli FruitArijita Bhattacharyya*1,2, Sankhajit Roy2 ,SaktipadaDas1 and Anjan Bhattacharyya2

1Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani,Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, INDIA. 2Department of Ag.Chemicals, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,Mohanpur-741252, West Bengal, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected] , [email protected]

Chilli (Capsicum annum L.) is an importantvegetable as well as spice crop and almostcosmopolitan in distribution. The spicy vegetable isthe inseparable component of Indian cuisine.It hasmedicinal properties as green chilli is enriched withvitamins (especially Vit-A and Vit-C), antioxidants andcapsaicinoids. This commercial vegetable crop suffersfrom damage by number of insect pests (viz. mites,thrips etc) causing considerable yield.The mixedformulation of Emamectin Benzoate 1.5% and Fipronil3.5% EC, is a mixture of Emamectin benzoate, a novelsemi-synthetic epi-methyl amino derivative of thenatural product of Abamectin consisting of 16membered macrocyclic lactone, effective againstLepidopteron class of insect and Fipronil, a phenylpyrazole, broad-spectrum insecticide, effective againstthrips, mites and fruit borer etc.The Mixtureformulation will provide a new option for the controlof insecticides including those with resistance to otherinsecticides. To find out the persistence behaviour, amultilocational supervised field experiment at fourdifferent locations (viz., IGKV, Raipur; B.C.K.V.,Mohanpur, Nadia, west Bengal and TNAU,Coimbatore and Dhakrani, Dehradun) in India wereconducted during the season 2011-2013. Theformulation was applied at field standardrecommended dose of 750 mL/ha (T1) and double therecommended dose 1500mL/ha (T2).We developed aneffective analytical method for the quantification of

Emamectin Benzoate and Fipronil in chilli fruit sampleusing LC-MS/MS in MRM mode and GC-ECDrespectively. The method includes extraction withacetonitrile: water (9:1) for Emamectin Benzoate andethyl acetate for Fipronil as solvent for chilli fruitsample separately followed by clean up usingdispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) with florisiland GCB. The average recovery percentage wasranged between 86-110% for chilli matrices. Thedeveloped method was sensitive enough to set the limitof quantification (LOQ) at 20 ng/g and 50ng/g for chillifruit sample for Emamectin Benzoate and Fipronilrespectively. The nature of dissipation of both theinsecticides was followed by 1st order kineticsirrespectively of any doses. The half life of Fipronilwas found between 0.74-0.98 days. There was noEmamectin Benzoate residue after 1 st day ofapplication and Pre harvest Interval (PHI) of it thuscould not be calculated. PHI for Fipronil wasdetermined in the range of 6.9-8.9 days consideringthe EU MRL value 0.005 mg/kg for chilli fruit sample.So, it is clear from the study that the application ofthe mixed formulation will not create any residualtoxicity problem in chilli fruit.Key words: Chilli, Emamectin benzoate, Fipronil, Lc-Ms/Ms,Gc-Ecd, Half-Life

SV/P-30

Cyto-Physiological Response of Vigna radiatavar. IPM2-03 to Herbicide GlyphosateNamrata Singh* and Alka SrivastavaIn Vitro Culture and Plant Genetics Unit, Department ofBotany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, U.P.,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Herbicides are the most extensively usedagrochemicals and almost all of them have beenreported to persist in the environment as such or asbreakdown products for several years causing adverseeffects on human health and also growth and survivalof other living organisms. Some herbicides are capableof producing adverse cytogenetic consequences inexposed non target plants. In addition, theirphysiological effects are also widely reported andmany have been found limiting to plant growth anddevelopment as well as to some essential plantprocesses such as photosynthesis and enzymes activityThe genotoxic and physiological effects of the



herbicides on plants are dependent on herbicides usage,herbicide concentration, treatment duration and alsothe genotype of the plant.

In the present study, the cytogenetic andphysiological effects of glyphosate on cytological andphysiological parameters of Vigna radiata varietyIPM2-03 where seen. Glyphosate is a broad spectrum,non selective herbicide. It inhibits schikimic acidpathway, which prevents plant from synthesizing threearomatic amino acids which are useful for growth andsurvival of plants. Different doses of Glyphosatetreatment were given to plants in the form of foliarspray on 21 day after sowing . Chromosomal anomalieslike chromosomal bridges ,laggards, clumping andmicronuclei were observed which are indicative ofmutagenic potential of the herbicide. Photosyntheticpigments, protein content decreased significantly withincreasing herbicide concentration , while theperoxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activityincreased by increasing the concentration of herbicide.Key words: Herbicides, Glyphosate, Vigna radiata

SV/P-31

Response of Antioxidative Enzyme Activityin Rice when Planted along withAccumulators in Arsenic Contaminated SoilAshish Praveen*, Sonali Mehrotra and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow 226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

An experiment was conducted to study theantioxidative enzymatic response in rice planted alongwith accumulators in arsenic contaminated soil. Forthis study 2×2m plots were prepared and treated with50 ppm arsenic (As) in the form of sodium arsenate.Three known accumulators viz. Phragmites australis,Vetiveria zizanioides and Pteris vitatta were plantedalong with rice in combinations (Pt+Os, Ph+Os, Vt+Osand Os) in treated and untreated plots. In this study,75.5% survival of rice was found when planted alongwith accumulators whereas in the case of withoutaccumulators, only 31% of survival of rice wasobserved. It was observed that there were significantdifferences in morphological as well as biochemicalchanges in rice with accumulators when comparedwith rice without accumulators. Enhancements inantioxidative enzymes ( SOD, CAT, AR and APX)

were found in case of rice without accumulators whilethere was no significant difference in antioxidativeenzyme activity of rice along with accumulators. Theaccumulators with rice in treated soil showed anincreased antioxidant response as compared toaccumulators with rice in non-treated soil. Results ofthe present study suggested that these combinationsof rice and accumulators will be useful for the cropsurvival and yield in As contaminated soils.Key words: Antioxidative enzymes, Arsenic, Accumulators, Rice

SV/P-32

Effects of RuO2 Nanoparticles on RiceSeedlingsSunaina* and N.B. SinghPlant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Anthropogenic activities have released metaloxide nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment whichbecome a serious problem to the living systemsincluding plants. The present study was conducted toinvestigate the impact of RuO2 NPs on growth andmetabolism of Oryza sativa cv. Pusa 1121 seedlings.The seeds were soaked for 3 h in differentconcentrations viz. 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 ml/L of RuO2NPs. The seeds soaked in distilled water were takenas control. Experiment was conducted in petri plateculture for germination and in pot culture for growthin triplicate. Seed germination (SG), radicle (RL) andplumule length (PL) were recorded in alternate days.Inhibition in SG, RL and PL was concentrationdependent under NP treatment. Pre-treated rice seedswere grown in pot culture filled with sterilized sandand Hoagland solution was added as nutrientsupplement. Twenty-one-days old seedlings were usedfor biophysical and biochemical analyses. Fresh (FW)and dry weight (DW) of the seedlings, pigment, sugarand protein content significantly decreased inseedlings treated with RuO2 NPs as compared withcontrol. Antioxidant enzyme activities viz. superoxidedismutase, catalase and peroxidase were stimulatedunder NP treatment to avoid the oxidative damage.The results evinced that the application of RuO2 NPssuppressed the growth of rice seedlings.Key words: Antioxidants, Nanoparticles, Oxidative stress, Riceseedlings, Ruthenium oxide



SV/P-33

Effect of Cement Dust Pollution on Biomassand Primary Productivity of Cajanus cajan L.Puspaa Sinha1* and D D Pandey2

1Department of Botany, SGGS College, Patna City, Patna-800008, Bihar, India. 2P.G. Department of Botany, NalandaCollege, Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, Bihar-803101, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The study area was confined to the Cajanus cajansituated in the prevailing wind direction of KalyanpurCement Limited, Banjari, Rohtas, Bihar to assess theeffect of cement dust pollution on biomass and primaryproductivity of Cajanus cajan. The biomass andprimary productivity were found to be higher at eachsampling date of the control plant than polluted one.Amaximum reduction of 23.01% of total biomass wasrecorded at the age of 210 days due to cement dustpollution.Key words: Cement dust, Biomass, Primary productivity,Cajanus cajan

SV/P-34

Ecological Study with Refrence to BloomForming Cyanobacteria of River Ken inDistrict Banda, U.P., IndiaK.D.S. NegiDepartment of Zoology, M.G.C.G. University, Chitrakoot,Satna, M.P., INDIA, Email: [email protected]

All aquatic ecosystems have ability to createbalance their feasibility due to their potential toassimilate certain amount of pollution spills, but whenthese limits have been exceeded, the eco-system startsto loose their strength. In India every year, our riversreceive a lot of harmful domestic and industrialeffluents. This condition of rivers supports theluxuriant growth of bloom forming of algae, whichbecomes extremely high in the summer season due topresence of excess amount of nutrients. The presenceof cyanobacteria in such water bodies pose serioushealth hazards to humans and aquatic or non-aquaticlife forms that live in or feed on the water. Blue Greenalgae or cyanobacteria have therefore been the subjectof intensive study. During the present study in thesummer 2014 we have identified 18 genera ofcyanobacteria (a) Anabaena, (b) Aphanocapsa, (c)

Aphanothece, (d) Aphanizomenon, (e) Calothrix, (f)Cylindrospemum, (g) Chroococcus, (h) Gloeocapsa,(i) Gloeotrichia, (j) Gloeothece, (k) Lyngbya, (l)Microcystis, (m) Merismopedia, (n) Nostoc, (o)Nodularia, (p) Oscillatoria, (q) Phormidium and (r)Spirulina form river Ken at Banda between Ganchhato Chillaghat. The major bloom forming cyanobacteriawere a, b, c, d, g, i, k, l, n, o, p and r total 12. Theeffect of bloom forming cyanobacteria on river Kenand its effect on biota, and the role of meteorologicalchanges and how we can manage bloom forming in apositive way in biodiversity of Ken. The approximatenumber of scattered water pockets of bloom besidethe river bank is also important to know the stretch ofblooming. In the stretch of studied area of river onlyreason of pollution is sewage, household waste,municipal waste and other common reason like washermen and crimination. The absence of chemical factoryand industrial area makes this study more natural.Key words: Cyanobacteria, River Ken, Water blooms,Biodiversity, Biota, Meteorological condition, Hazards

SV/P-35

Preference in Absorption and BiochemicalResponses of Salvinia molesta and Lemna minorSpecies to Chromium in Industrial EffluentS.N. PandeyDepartment of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The free floating hydrophytes (Salvinia molestaMitchell and Lemna minor L.) were exposed to variousconcentrations of industrial effluent (0, 25, 75, 50 and100%) collected from outlet of common effluenttreatment plant in Unnao district (U.P., India). Somepotentially toxic heavy metals were determined inindustrial effluent (Cr, 0.95; Cu,0.05;Ni, 0.75 and Zn,0.38 mgl-1). The hydrophytes S. molesta accumulatedhigh concentration of Cr (4-5 times more) as comparedto L. minor species. Whereas, L. minor accumulatedhigher content of Zn and Cu content as compared toS. molesta with exposure of some industrial effluent.When, these hydrophytes exposed to variousconcentrations of Cr, singly, L. minor accumulatedhigher content of Cr as compared to S. molesta,decrease in biochemical constituents such as totalchlorophyll, protein and sugar contents and enzymesactivity (catalase and peroxidase) was higher in L.



minor as compared to S. molesta species. The decreasein biochemical constituent (pigments, protein, sugar,contents and activity of catalase and peroxidase) dueto excess Cr was more prominent in L. minor ascompared to S.molesta. Therefore study concludedthat, the factors of water affected accumulation of Crin both macrophytes.Key words: Chromium accumulation, L. minor, S. molesta,Biochemical constituent, Effluent

SV/P-36

Germination, Growth and Metabolism ofCabbage Plants Exposed to RuO2 NanoparticlesAjey Singh*1, Imtiyaz Hussain1, N.B. Singh1 andS.C. Singh2

1Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany,2 Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

The present study was aimed to observe the effectof ruthenium oxide nanoparticles (RuO2 NPS) oncabbage (Brassica oleracia var. Capitata). Theseedlings were treated with four concentrations 5.4,10.8, 16.2, 21.6 µg/ml of RuO2 NPs in hydroponicculture. Germination, growth and biochemicalparameters of the seedlings were recorded. Pigmentcontents and reflectance of leaves were recorded tomeasure growth and health of the the seedlings. It wasobserved that RuO2 NPs stimulated germination ofseed. Radical and plumule length, number of leaves,height of plant increased with the increasingconcentrations of RuO2 NPs upto 10.8 µg/ml anddecreased at higher 16.2, 21.6 µg/ml concentrations.RuO2 NPs stimulated pigments, protein, sugar contentand nitrate reductase activity in lower concentrations.In the leaves percentage reflectance was maximum forplants treated with higher 16.2, 21.6 µg/mlconcentrations while lower concentrations did notexhibit any significant difference in percentagereflectance in comparison to control. Antioxidantenzymes viz. SOD, CAT, POX activities and lipidperoxidase activity were lowest in 5.4 µg/mlconcentration while highest in 21.6 µg/mlconcentration. We can conclude that RuO2 NPs inlower concentrations 5.4, 10.8 µg/ml is beneficial forgermination, growth, and biochemical parameters

while higher 16.2, 21.6 µg/ml concentrations areinhibitory.Key words: RuO2 NPs, Hydroponic culture, Biochemicalparameters, Pigment content, Percentage reflectance

SV/P-37

Allelopathic Effects of Eucalyptus LeafResidue on Triticum aestivum L. underHeavy Metal StressSunita Rao*, N.B. Singh and SunainaPlant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA,Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

The present study deals with allelopathic effectof Eucalyptus leaf residue on growth and metabolismof wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings grown underheavy metal (Cu) stress. The dried chopped leaves ofEucalyptus were left for one week for decompositionfor residue preparation. Residue was mixed withgarden soil in 1:1 was taken as 50% concentration.The residue of Eucalyptus leaf was considered as100% concentration.Copper (Cu) was used for heavymetal treatment. The other set was prepared withcombined treatment of residue and heavy metal. Oneset was 50% residue + Cu (1mM) and another was100% residue + Cu (1mM). Garden soil and pure heavymetal treatment was taken as control. Seeds of wheatwere soaked in distilled water for 3 hrs. Ten seeds ofwheat were sown in each pot. Morphological andbiochemical parameters of 21 days old seedlings wererecorded. Root and shoot length decreased underallelopathic stress and combined stress of allelopathyand metal stress. The photosynthetic pigment, sugarand protein content decreased in single residue andCu treatment, while decreased under combinedtreatments with maximum decrease in Cu+ 100%residue. Antioxidant enzymes viz. SOD, CAT and POXactivities enhanced under all treatments with residueand maximum activity was observed in combinedtreatments due to the oxidative damage caused by twostresses. The allelochemicals present in decomposedEucalyptus caused severe stress when combined withheavy metal.Key words: Allelopathy, Antioxidants, Eucalyptus, Heavymetal, Stress, Triticum aestivum L.



SV/P-38

Impact of Ruthenium Oxide Nanoparticleson Germination, Growth and Metabolismof Broccoli (Bsrassica oleracea var Italica)Imtiyaz Hussain*1, N.B. Singh1, Ajey Singh1, andS.C. Singh2

1Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA.2Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Nanoparticles and its disposal via anthropogenicactivities are new concern for the environment.Depending upon the concentration ruthenium oxidenanopartiles (RuO2 NPs) have negative or positiveeffect on broccoli (Brassica oleracea var Italica)grown in hydroponic culture. Germination, radicle andplumule length were recorded in the petriplate culture.Growth of the plants improved at lowest 5.4 µg/mlconcentration while inhibited at higher 10.2, 16.8, and21.6 µg/ml concentrations. Root and shoot length,fresh and dry weight, biochemical parameters viz.protein, sugar, pigment contents , nitrate reductase ,lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activities ofthe seedlings were recorded to estimate the effects ofdifferent concentrations of RuO2 NPs on the health ofthe test crop. Laser synthesized RuO2 NPs inhibitedgermination of seeds, radicle and plumule length inall concentrations. All biochemical parametersdecreased with increase in concentration while sugarcontent and CAT activitiy increased to maximum levelin 21.6 µg/ml concentration. It is evident that RuO2NPs in lower concentrations resulted no or littleaffirmative effect while concentrations above 5.4 µg/ml exhibited adverse effect on growth and metabolismof the test crop.Key words: Anthropogenic activities, RuO2 NPs, Hydroponicculture, Biochemical parameters

SV/P-39

Selenium Ameliorates Arsenic InducedOxidative Stress Through Modulation ofAntioxidant Enzymes and Thiols in Rice(Oryza sativa L.) PlantAmit Kumar1,2*, Pradyumna Kumar Singh1, SanjayDwivedi1, Rana Pratap Singh2, Debasis Chakrabarty1,Prabodh Kumar Trivedi1 and Rudra Deo Tripathi1

1CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department of Environmental Science,B.B.A. University, Raebareli Road, Lucknow - 226 025,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) contamination of rice is a majorproblem for South-East Asia. In the present study, theeffect of selenium (Se) on rice (Oryza sativa L.) plantsexposed to As was studied in hydroponic culture.Arsenic accumulation, plant growth, thiolic ligandsand antioxidative enzyme activities were assayed aftersingle (As and Se) and simultaneous supplementations(As+Se). The results indicated that the presence of Se(25 µM) decreased As accumulation by 3-fold in rootsand 2-fold in shoots as compared to single As (25 µM)exposed plants. Arsenic induced oxidative stress inroots and shoots was significantly ameliorated by Sesupplementation. The observed positive response wasfound associated with the increased activities ofascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11), catalase(CAT; EC 1.11.1.6) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx;EC 1.11.1.9) and induced levels of non-protein thiols(NPTs), glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins (PCs)in As+Se exposed plants as compared to single Astreatment. Selenium supplementation modulated thethiol metabolism enzymes viz., ã-glutamylcysteinesynthetase (ã-ECS; EC 6.3.2.2), glutathione-S-transferase (GST; EC 2.5.1.18) and phytochelatinsynthase (PCS; EC 2.3.2.15). Gene expression analysisof several metalloid responsive genes (LOX, SOD andMATE) showed upregulation during As stress,however, significant downregulation during As+Seexposure as compared to single As treatment. Geneexpressions of enzymes of antioxidant and GSH andPC biosynthetic systems, such as APX, CAT, GPx, ã-ECS and PCS were found to be significantly positivelycorrelated with their enzyme activities. The findingssuggested that Se supplementation could be aneffective strategy to reduce As accumulation andtoxicity in rice plants.



Key words: Antioxidant, Arsenic, Oxidative stress, qRT-PCR,Rice, Selenium

SV/P-40

Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Amendmenton Germination and Biochemical Responseof Zea maysVaibhav Srivastava* and Rajeev Pratap SinghInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Agricultural utilization of municipal solid waste(MSW) is one of the most promising and an alternativeoption for management of waste. However, there isalways a potential threat as MSW may containpotential pollutants (eg. heavy metal, pesticides andother organic pollutants) and pathogens. Therefore, itis essential to check the quality of waste before itsland application. In this study, the effect of MSWamendment on seed germination and biochemicalresponse of maize (Zea mays) were investigated. Agermination test was carried out to see the effect ofdifferent concentration (i.e. 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%denoted as T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively) of MSW:water extract (1:6, w/v) on germination and seedlinggrowth of maize plants. Apart from that a potexperiment was conducted by mixing MSW at 25%,50%, 75% and 100% (w/w) amendment ratios to theagricultural soil.

The results showed a significant decrease ofgermination in all the concentration of MSW: waterextract after 72 hrs, in which least germination wasreported in T3 (40%), which was followed by equalgermination percentages in T1 and T4 (43.33%) ascompared to the control i.e. distilled water (80%).Similarly germination index (GI) decreased in all thetreatments with maximum decrease in T4 followed byT1 as compared to the control. The total chlorophyll,carotenoid and phenol content decreased significantlyas compared to the control in all the MSW amendments(p< 0.05), however, lipid peroxidase content increasedsignificantly as compared to the control plants (p<0.05). The study concluded that the MSW amendmentshowed negative effects and is not a good option forgrowth of maize plant as it has inadequate tolerancemechanism shown by decreased germination rate, GI,chlorophyll content, carotenoid content and increased

lipid peroxidase content. So, composting of MSWcould be a good option for its agricultural utilization.Key words: MSW amendment, Zea mays, Heavy metal,Germination, Chlorophyll, Carotenoid, Lipid peroxidase

SV/P-41

Effect of Salicylic Acid on Morphology,Physiology and Antioxidative Metabolismof Two Wheat Cultivars under WaterDeficit ConditionsMarisha Sharma*, Sunil K. Gupta, BaisakhiMajumder, Vivek K. Maurya, Meenakshi Lohani andVivek PandeyPlant Ecology and Environmental Science Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Drought is a severe environmental constraint tocrop productivity worldwide and India is no exception.Salicylic Acid (SA), a multifaceted plant hormone,regulates different plant defense responses undervarious stresses. In the present study, the effects ofexogenously applied SA (0.05mM) was seen on twowheat cultivars (drought tolerant, Kundan and droughtsensitive, LOK 1) undergoing drought stress. Twodrought regimes were maintained (50% RWC and 75%RWC) with two different durations, vegetative phasedrought starting from 45 days after germination andflowering phase drought from grain filling stages.Results showed that biomass allocation to root wasmore in SA treated Lok-1 under both vegetative andflowering phase drought as observed by root:shootweight ratio. On the contrary, in case of Kundan,initially shoot biomass was increased in SA treatedplants then increase in root biomass was observed.Harvest index increased in both vegetative andflowering phase drought for SA treatment in both thecultivars but 1000 grain weight increased in floweringphase drought but decreased slightly in vegetativephase drought because of more starch reservemobilization to roots in SA treated cultivars.Physiological studies showed enhanced photosyntheticrate in SA treated Lok-1 as compared to Kundaninitially but then decreased due to SA induced earlysenescence in Lok-1. Different antioxidative enzymesactivity like superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbateperoxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and glutathionereductase (GR) increased along with increased



antioxidants (glutathione and ascorbate) and decreasedmembrane injury in both cultivars at flowering phasedrought. However, during vegetative phase droughtactivity of antioxidative enzymes, level of antioxidantsand membrane stability was increased in both cultivarsinitially by SA treatment but then decreased in Lok1due to senescence. SA treatment had more positiveeffect on sensitive cultivar than on tolerant one inameliorating water stress and increasing yield inflowering phase drought.Key words: Drought, Salicylic Acid (SA), Wheat, Sensitiveand tolerant cultivar, Vegetative phase drought, Floweringphase drought

SV/P-42

Effect of Different Dosage of GammaRadiation on Germination Percentage andMorphological Attributes in DifferentVarieties of Tagetus patulaTripti*1, Ajit Kumar2 and Preeti Chaturvedi1

1,3Department of Biological Sciences, College of BasicSciences and Humanities, Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar,Uttarakhand, INDIA. 2Department of Horticulture, Collegeof Agriculture, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture andTechnology, Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Floriculture is one of the most promising pillarsfor strengthening economy of a state. There is alwaysdemand and necessity of new and novel ornamentalvarieties in floriculture industry. Flower color andshape are the most important components of noveltiesin floriculture. In recent past, gamma rays (ë 10-

12 meter) have been most successfully used to producequite a large number of new floral varieties withimproved economic value. Tagetus patula is one ofthe most important floricultural crop, cultivated widelythroughout India. The present investigation was aimedto examine the effect of different dosage of gammaradiations (Source Co60) viz., 2.5, 10, 15, 20 and 25Kr on seed germination percentage (%) and inductionof morphological variations in different varieties ofTagetus patula (French marigold) viz., Safari Red,Nana patula red, Guljafri yellow and Bonanza. Thehighest germination percentage (90%) was obtainedby 2.5 and 10 Kr of gamma radiations in Safari Red.The percentage of flower color variation in differentvarieties increased according to the doses/concentrations of the physical mutagens. The

maximum (84.7%) and minimum percentage (35%)of flower color variation was recorded in 25 Kr and2.5 Kr respectively, in Safari Red. However, low doses(2.5 Kr) of radiation increased number of flowers perbranch and plant height while higher doses (25 Kr)decreased it in all the varieties. Number of branchesper plant increased with increasing dosage of radiation.The present study clearly indicated that lower dosageof gamma radiation increased germination percentage,plant height and number of flowers per branch whereashigher dosage significantly increased flower colorvariation. In further course of study, if the changesbecome heritable, gamma radiation may definitely helpin developing a new variety of this plant with improvedcommercial properties.Key words: Gamma radiation, Germination percentage,Flower color variation

SV/P-43

Studies on the Physiological and BiochemicalChanges in Two Species of Ferns underElevated CO2

Sandip K. Behera1*, Richa Singh1, BaisakhiMajumder1, Rekha Kanaujia1, Sunil K. Gupta1,Marisha Sharma1, Meenakshi Lohani1, P. B. Khare2

and Vivek Pandey1

1Plant Ecology and Environmental Sciences, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA. 2Pteridology Lab, CSIR- National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Rising global atmospheric CO2 concentration isone of the major changes that have been occurringsince last century due to anthropogenic activities andhas been documented as well. How the plantcommunity is responding to these changes needsintensive research. The effect of rising CO2 on plantcan be understood by using Free Air CO2 Enrichment(FACE) technology, because in this setup we provideelevated CO2 in natural environment, so the plant cangrow naturally in elevated CO2. Pteridophytes havebeen a prominent part of the earth’s vegetation formillions of years. In fact, in the past, the relatives ofthe present day ferns and fern-allies dominated thevegetation and were the major living form of the plant.Two species of ferns Nephrolepis tuberosa (Bory exWilld.) C. Presl. and Microsorum alternifolium (Willd.)Copel were selected for assessing photosynthetic



changes and biochemical responses. During the studyperiod plants were subjected to 460 ppm of elevatedCO2. Net photosynthetic rate increased in both thespecies under elevated CO2 as compared to ambient.Similar trends were found in stomatal conductance andFv/Fm. Reduced MDA contents showed lowsensitivity of cell membranes damage to elevated CO2.Increased antioxidants and decrease in antioxidantenzymes activity were found in both the species. Thepresent experiment indicates Nephrolepistuberosa better adapted to elevated CO2 as comparedto Microsorum alternifolium.Key words: Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE), Elevated CO2,Ferns, Antioxidants, Enzymes

SV/P-44

Biochemical and Molecular EvidencesSuggest Positive Relationship between NOand SA Signaling during Arsenic Stress in RiceAmit Pal Singh*, Garima Dixit, Navin Kumar,Saurbhi Awasti, Vivek Pandey and Rudra DeoTripathiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Arsenic is ubiquitous element in earth crust. Incurrent scenario, Bangladesh and West Bengal (India)are worst affected areas globally where arsenicconcentration has been documented up to 3200 µgl”1

in ground water that is far beyond the maximumpermissible limit 10µgl-1. In South East Asia, 40-60million people are at risk for arsenic related healthhazards. Unfortunately rice is major crop in this arseniccontaminated region. Nitric oxide (NO) and salicylicacid (SA) are important signalling molecules and showthe protective role against arsenite (AsIII) toxicity(abiotic stress) in rice plants and enhance the plantgrowth when exogenously supplied. On morphologicalaspects maximum growth was found in SA treatedplants. NO and SA also alleviated the arsenite mediatedtoxicity on seed germination. Exogenously suppliedNO reduced the arsenic accumulation in rice roots andreduced its entry in shoot. Nitric oxide also enhancediron accumulation in shoot. Under arsenite stressendogenous level of NO and SA get lowered andreverted by exogenous supplementation of NO andSA. From this study it is evident that NO and salicylicacid works in mutual coordination and supplement

each other action.Key words: Nitric oxide, Salicylic acid, Rice, Signalling

SV/P-45

Assessment of Antioxidant andPhotosynthetic Behavior in Lepidiumlatifolium Linn.Tarandeep Kaur*, Rohini Bhat and Dhiraj VyasPlant Physiology and Biochemistry Lab, Biodiversity andApplied Botany Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integra-tive Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu-180001,J&K, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Lepidium latifolium L. is an ecologicallyimportant plant of Himalayan cold deserts that is usedas ‘phytofood’. Although, it is native to southernEurope and Asia but it has shown a widespreadpresence in most parts of world and has beenrecognized as noxious weed. Unlike its aggressiveinvasive character in riparian plains of North America,its growth is restricted in cold arid zone of Himalayancold desert and it is present mainly in habited areas.Therefore, the present study was undertaken tounderstand the physiological and biochemical behaviorof Lepidium latifolium from Himalayan cold desert.PPFD-photosynthesis light curves in three differentnative populations were analyzed, which shows thatthe saturating carbon assimilation found between 741- 1100 µmol m-2 s-1 at different locations. Noticeabledifferences were observed in PN, ? i and Ic values thatare independent of high light intensities. It suggeststhat plants have the potential for adapting itself to thehigh light. Efficient antioxidant system was observedin terms of metabolic content of phenols (26.89 - 50.51mg GAE g-1 DW) and flavonoids (38.66 - 76.00 mgQE g-1 DW). Corroborating with these, superoxideradical scavenging activity was also found to be veryhigh (41.3 - 83.9%). Linolenic acid (18:3) was foundto be about 50% of the total content of unsaturatedfatty acids. Such an efficient anti-oxidative systemsuggests that this plant can maintain reducing cellularenvironment despite photo-oxidative stress under highlight intensities. Further, the data suggests that thisplant has inherent plasticity to combat stress and canbe a potential threat in ecologically sensitive highaltitudes of Western Himalayas.Key words - Lepidium latifolium L., Antioxidant,Photosynthesis, Invasive, Plasticity



SV/P-46

Yield and Quality of Two Varieties of RainfedAshwagandha (Withania somnifera) asInfluenced by Different Levels of SodicityRekha Kannaujia1*, Lal Bahadur1, D. K. Srivastav2

and Mahesh Pal1

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Council of Science andTechnology, UP, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Soil sodicity mostly in the arid and semiaridregions of the country affects plant growth,development and productivity, which leads to seriousforms of agricultural land degradation. A potexperiment was conducted at Banthra Research Stationof CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow during late kharif seasons (2011-12 and2012-13) to study the effects of exchangeable sodiumpercentage (ESP) levels (10.0 as Control, 13.0, 17.5,25.0, 30.0 and 35.0) on the growth, survivalpercentage, yield, quality, total chlorophyll and prolinecontent of two ashwagandha varieties (NMITLI-108and NMITLI-118, CSIR-NBRI) with three replicationsin the CRD arrangement of pots. Results showed thatwith increase in ESP levels all the parameters like plantheight, plant spread, number of branches, number ofleaves/plant, and fresh and dry biomass of the stem,and total chlorophyll content were decreased ascompared to control in both the varieties. It was foundthat there was remarkable improvement in plantsurvival percentage, proline content, seed yield, rootlength, root diameter, dry root weight and totalwithanolide content (0.62%) for NMITLI-108 ascompared to NMITLI-118 as ESP levels increased. Itwas concluded that NMITLI-108 variety was foundto be more tolerant against soil sodicity stress ascompared to NMITLI-118.Key words: Soil sodicity, Exchangeable sodium percentage,ESP levels, Withanolide

SV/P-47

Air Pollution Monitoring in and aroundFaizabad City Utilizing Lichen DistributionPatternVartika Gupta1, Namita Gupta3*, D.K. Upreti2 andJaswant Singh1

1Department of Environmental Science, Dr. Ram Manohar

Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad-224001, U.P., INDIA.2Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Re-search Institute, Lucknow-226001, U.P., INDIA. 3Depart-ment of Environmental Science, Babasaheb BhimraoAmabedkar (A Central) University, Lucknow-226025, U.P.,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Lichen diversity and distribution pattern is animportant biometric tool to assess the prevailingenvironmental condition in an area. The areas nearcity centre or around industrial areas exhibitoccurrence of few selective pollution tolerant speciesand the distribution pattern of tolerant and sensitivespecies provide a useful tool to measure theenvironmental condition of the area. The lichendiversity assessments carried out in and aroundFaizabad city indicate a distinct trend of increase innumber of lichen species as the distance increases fromthe city centre while the city centre only showsoccurrence of few pollution tolerant species.

More than 60 localities in the north, south, eastand west direction of Faizabad city of Uttar Pradeshexhibit occurrence of 16 species belonging to 11 generaof lichens. Whole study area was grouped into thedistance range between 0-5 kms, 6-12 kms and 13-20kms within grid of 1x1 km. The study area showeddominance of crustose lichens represented by 13species. The Mangifera indica tree bears the maximumgrowth of lichen species followed by Artocarpousheterophyllus, Azadirachta indica and Palm treesrespectively. The well known toxi-tolerant lichenspecies Pyxine cocoes, Bacidia submedialis andRinodina sophodes are the most commonly occurredlichen taxa in and around Faizabad city.

The study area at different distance range exhibitdiverse species diversity and distribution pattern. Thesites within the range of 0-5 km were devoid ofepiphytic lichen growth indicate a polluted sitewhereas the localities situated between the distancesof 6-12 kms exhibit presence of pollution tolerantspecies, which indicate a more or less moderatepollution. The range of 13-20 kms in all around of thecity exhibit luxuriant and normal growth of lichens.The distribution pattern of lichens clearly divides thestudy area into three zones with different level ofpollution indicated by different distribution pattern.The current lichen diversity and distribution status inand around Faizabad city, will act as a baseline datafor carrying out future pollution monitoring studies inthe area.Key words: Lichens, Pollution, Distribution, Biomonitoring



SV/P-48

Evaluation of Antioxidant Potential andMinerals Content in Selected Strains ofMacrocybe giganteumTanvi Gaur1*, P.B. Rao1 and K.P.S. Kushwaha2

1Department of Biological Sciences, College of BasicSciences and Humanities, G.B.Pant University of Agricul-ture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar,Uttarakhand, INDIA. 2Mushroom Research and TrainingCentre, G.B.Pant University of Agriculture and Technology,Pantnagar-263145, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Macrocybe giganteum is a recently added in thelist of cultivated mushrooms in India. Methanolextracts of two selected strains of M. giganteumnamely MA1, MA2 were investigated for theirantioxidant capacity by different assays namely, 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavengingactivity, ferrous chelating activity assay and reducingpower activity; total phenolics and total flavonoids attwo different stages i.e., at mycelial and at maturefruiting stages. In addition, dry matter, moisturecontent, total sugars, reducing sugars and ash alongwith minerals P, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn and Crwere analyzed only at fruiting stage. Among the valuesof different assays, MA2 showed greater activity thanMA1 at mature fruiting stage. DPPH scavengingactivity was 78.98 % and low 37.94 % in MA2 and itwas 75.72 % and 40 % in MA1, respectively in fruitingand mycelial stages. Similarly, ferrous chelatingactivity was 88.55 % and 47.28 % in MA2 and 66.13% and 28.89 % in MA1, respectively at fruiting andmycelial stages. The values of reducing power activity(µg/ml) was 129.33 and 85.5 in MA2 and 80.16 and56.5 in MA1 at fruiting and mycelia stages,respectively. MA2 showed high moisture content89.24%. Concentration of P, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mg,Mn and Cr (mg/100g) was 601.4±0.49, 3339.6±1.52,26.56±0.13, 17.86±0.057, 13.36±0.251, 2.09±0.01,10.84±0.098, 2.133±0.057 and 0.256±0.188 in MA1and 945±1.25, 3422±1.52, 27.43±0.24, 14.4±0.435,14.8±0.17, 2.14±0.015, 15.63±0.461, 2.23±0.115 and0.24±0.01 in MA2, respectively. In general, MA2showed comparatively high concentration of mineralsthan in MA1. Thus, the selected mushrooms can beused as dietary supplements and in development ofnutraceuticals.Key words: Antioxidants, Macrocybe giganteum, Fruitingbodies, Minerals

SV/P-49

Effect of Elevated CO2 on Fatty AcidConcentration of Oil-Yielding Plant: ABrief ReviewSurabhi Gupta*, Lovy Raj Chandra and Nandita SinghCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2)concentration has risen from 280ppm to the currentlevel of around 400ppm and projected to reach 421-936ppm by the end of 21st century (IPCC-013). Theimpact of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations(e[CO2]) on plant growth, metabolism and yield isconsidered as a major issue for the agricultureproduction in near future. Different FACE (Free AirCarbon dioxide Enrichment) studies have beenconducted across the world to investigate differentchemical and physiological responses, influence ofe[CO2] on defense mechanism and yield quality ofeconomically important crops, including oil yieldingcrops. Defence metabolites such as antioxidants are,in part, directly linked to primary carbohydratemechanism and so potentially impacted by e[CO2]. Inoil yielding crop whether photo protective andantioxidative defence systems, key to plant stresstolerance, will be affected, and if so, response will bestrengthened or weakened by e[CO2]. FACE studieshave shown that under e[CO2], glutathione reductaseactivity increases, while the concentrations of otherantioxidants like Ascorbic acid decreases. In addition,protein concentration in seeds is significantly reduced.e[CO2] does not have much effect on total oilconcentrations, but oil yield per unit ground area tendsto increase. It is observed that CO2 changed thecomposition of fatty acids on per dry weight basis,which was more pronounced for unsaturated fattyacids. The concentration of major unsaturated fattyacids such as oleic acid increases significantly, whilelinolenic acid and the group of essential fatty acidsdecreased in many oil-yielding crops. It is necessaryto enhance the knowledge about how oil-yieldingplants will cope with the climate change in future;concerning the oil yield, defense mechanism and fattyacid concentrations.Key words: e[CO2], FACE, Fatty acids, Antioxidants, Oilyielding crop



SV/P-50Effect of Free Air CO2 Enrichment on LitterProduction, Chemistry and Decompositionof Trees of Tropical ForestApurva Rai1*, Ashutosh Kumar Singh1, NanditaGhoshal2 and Nandita Singh1

1Eco-Auditing lab, National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Centre of Advaned Studyin Botany, Department of Botany, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Elevated CO2 has been shown to stimulate plantproductivity and change in litter chemistry. Increasein tree biomass may be an important sink for CO2 asthe atmospheric concentration continues to increase.Tree growth in tropical forest is limited by theavailability of soil nutrients. To assess whether soilnutrient limitation will constrain forest productivityunder high atmospheric CO2, we studied the changesin forest litter production and nutrient cycling in treesof tropical forest grown under free air CO2 enrichment.The objective of this paper is to present data on thechemistry of green leaves and leaf litter, above groundlitter production, decomposition and N availability inresponse to growth under elevated CO2.Key words: Carbon dioxide, Decomposition, FACE (free-airCO2 enrichment), Litter, Nutrient cycling

SV/P-51Response of Arabidopsis thaliana NaturalVariations under Low Phosphorous andArsenate StressTapsi Shukla*1, Smita Kumar2, Ria Khare1, RudraD. Tripathi1 and Prabodh Kumar Trivedi1

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, (CSIR-NBRI),Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Departmentof Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Environmental stresses severely affects plantgrowth and development and thus reduces productivityand yield. Various studies have suggested that geneticvariations within and in between the species playimportant role in establishing interaction and responseof plants with the environment. In recent years, naturalvariation in different plant species such as Arabidopsishave been used to understand the genetic impact onplant development and the affect and response of

accessions under different stress conditions. Toxicheavy metals cause drastic changes in the growth,physiology and metabolism of plants. Heavy metaltoxicity not only hampers plant growth andproductivity but also causes severe human healthhazards when get entry into the food chain. InorganicAs form, arsenate As(V), is chemically analogous tophosphate (Pi) and therefore, is taken up by the plantsvia phosphate transport system. Phosphorus is anessential element which is critical for the plant growthand development. Pi deficiency negatively affects plantgrowth and metabolism and induces the expression ofgenes involved in Pi acquisition. Studies also suggeststhat during Pi deficiency, As(V) toxicity is enhanced.In the present study, the natural variations inArabidopsis thaliana were utilized to study thecombined effect of As(V) stress and limiting Pi. Thenatural variation in Arabidopsis was investigated forthe growth response towards Pi availability and theinterrelation of Pi and As(V) uptake and transport. Theroot morphology in terms of root length as well asmetal accumulation was compared in the threeArabidopsis accessions (Col-0, Sij-1 and Slavi-1) toidentify contrasting response. To study the molecularmechanisms responsible for contrasting response,expression profiling of the genes involved in uptake,detoxification as well as regulatory mechanisms wascarried out. Our analysis suggests natural variationdependent regulatory mechanism leading todifferential response of Arabidopsis. Therefore, it ishypothesized that dissecting the natural variation undercombined stress conditions might help in betterunderstanding of the biological processes involved inuptake, transport and detoxification of heavy metalsand may provide powerful basis for plant adaptationtowards stresses.Key words: Arabidopsis, Arsenate, Detoxification, Naturalvariations, Phosphate transporters

SV/P-52Biotransfer of Cadmium and Zinc fromSewage Sludge Amended Soil to Mustard-Aphid-Beetle Food ChainMudasir Irfan Dar*, Fareed Ahmad Khan and MohdIrfan NaikooEnvironmental Botany Research Laboratory, Departmentof Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The aim of our study was to examine the uptake



and accumulation of cadmium and zinc from sewagesludge amended soil in Indian mustard (Brassicajuncea L. cv Alankar) and their subsequent transfer tophloem sucking mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi) andeventually to its predatory beetle (Coccinellaseptempunctata). The plants were grown in pots filledwith different rates of sewage sludge amended soiland at 40 days of growth stage, were allowed to infestwith mustard aphids for three weeks. Zincconcentration in soil, mustard and aphids increasedwith sludge amendment rates and biomagnified duringtransfer along the food chain pathway. Cadmiumconcentration in the soil, mustard and aphid wassignificantly elevated by the addition of sludge athigher rates, but biomagnification was observed onlyat lower rates of sewage sludge amendment. Heavymetal concentrations in honeydew were also assessedand elimination of cadmium in honeydew wasrelatively higher than the zinc levels. Aphids fed onheavy metal accumulating plants were subsequentlyfed to fourth instar Coccinella septempunctata. Therewas no biomagnification of cadmium in newlyemerged adult ladybirds, but appreciablebiomagnification of zinc in the adult ladybirds wasobserved. This study demonstrates the route ofexposure of heavy metals via the soil-plant-aphidsystem to predatory arthropods.Key words: Mustard, Aphid, Cadmium, Zinc, Food chain,Biomagnification

SV/P-53

Impact of Iron Stress on OxidativeMetabolism in Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek.Laxmi Verma* and Nalini PandeyPlant Nutrition and Stress Physiology Laboratory, BotanyDepartment, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007,INDIA, Email:[email protected][email protected]

Iron (Fe) stress can induce production andaccumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS),causing oxidative damage. The objective of this workwas to evaluate the impact of deficient and toxicconcentrations of iron (Fe) on the protective role ofantioxidative enzymes as well as antioxidantcompounds in green gram (Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek)plants. Plants were grown in Hoagland nutrientsolution and treated with four Fe concentrations (10,100, 200 and 400 µM Fe) in the form of FeEDTA. At

20 and 40 days after treatment (DAT), the plants wereharvested and growth, active Fe content, lipidperoxidation and enzymes and metabolites of theantioxidative metabolism were determined. Plantsshowed maximum growth at 100 µM Fe supply(control). Iron deficiency was observed at 10 µM Fesupply and resulted in chlorosis of leaves, inhibitedplant growth and decreased concentration of activeFe and chlorophyll content. Apical chlorosis, marginalnecrosis and decrease in chlorophyll concentration wasalso observed in plants treated with 400 µM Fe. Highconcentration of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and H2O2content in leaves were detected in Fe deficient and Fetoxic plants (200 and 400 µM Fe) as compared tocontrol. The enzymatic activities of superoxidedismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR)increased with increasing Fe concentration at 20 DATbut the GR activity decreased at 40 DAT. The activitiesof Fe containing enzymes such as catalase (CAT),peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)also increased with increasing Fe concentration at 20days but values were lower at 40 DAT. The ascorbate(ASA) and non-protein thiol (NPT) contents ingeneral, increased with increasing Fe concentrationbut decreased at 40 DAT in plants supplied 400 µMFe. The results indicate that under deficient and toxiclevels of Fe, plants suffer increased oxidative stress,which is regulated through changes in the activitiesof antioxidative enzymes and in the contents of theantioxidants ASA and NPT.Key words: Antioxidative enzymes, Green gram, Fe stress,Oxidative damage, ROS

SV/P-54

Arsenic Toxicity: Responses of Rice PlantsInoculated with Microalga Nanochloropsis sp.A.K. Upadhyay1*, N.S. Bankoti and U.N. Rai1

1Plant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA. 2Department of Botany, L.S.M. Govt. P.G. College,Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food for morethan half of the world’s population. Arsenic in ricehas been recognized as a serious global problem mayinduce human health hazard via water-soil-plant-human pathway. Many microorganisms have evolved



a series of mechanisms to cope with inorganic arsenicin their growth media. Capability of microorganism’sfor arsenic (As) bioaccumulation and biovolatilizationis considered as a more attractive and potentialtechnique for the biorestoration of As-contaminatedwater, sediment and soil.

To check As toxicity and accumulation in rice, ahydroponic experiment was performed on tolerantvariety of rice Triguna inoculated with Nanochloropsissp. Results revealed that rice plant inoculated withNanochloropsis sp. significantly reduce toxicity in theform of root shoot growth, biomass and chlorophyllat 80 µM As III treatment. Toxic responses were alsoexamined by cell damage in the form of lipidperoxidation (MDA) and enzymatic activity whichshowed a decreasing tendency of MDA and enzymaticactivity of SOD, APX, and GR after 10 days of algalinoculation (Rice+ As 80 µM+ Nanchloropsis sp.) incomparison to As treated rice (Rice+As 80 µM).Further, work will focused on the strategies ofapplication of algal sp. in As contaminated rice plantand enhancing the As voltalization and their possibleuse in the reducing As accumulation.

Key words: Arsenic, Biovoltalization, Nanochloropsis sp.,Rice, Accumulation

SV/P-55

Nitrate Toxicity in Green Leafy AmaranthusSamina Mazahar*, Ovais Sareer and Shahid UmarDepartment of Botany, Faculty of Science,Hamdard University, New Delhi, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Nitrate content in plants is an important qualitycharacteristic of determining nitrate toxicity. Manygenetic and environmental factors lead to nitrateaccumulation in plants. WHO has established theAcceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of nitrate as 0-3.7 mg/kg body weight and the permissible concentration ofnitrate in drinking water as 50 mg/liter and beyondwhich it is considered toxic. Amaranthus is a versatileherb, consumed as a vegetable as well as a medicinalremedy and so has an interdisciplinary relevance inmany aspects. They are the good source of dietary fiberand contain high amount of protein, vitamins, andminerals. It is a rich source of trocotrienol and squalenecompounds which are known to affect cholesterolbiosynthesis. Amaranthus oil prevents Cardio Vascular

Diseases(CVD).An extensive study was done for estimating

nitrate content in ten different accessions ofAmaranthus cruentus. A uniform basal dose of NPKalong with zinc and sulphur were given as nitrogen @120 kg/ ha, phosphorous @30kg/ha, potassium @ 80kg/ha, sulphur @ 40 kg/ha and zinc @ 10 kg/ ha. Allthe samples were analyzed for their nitrate content atthree and six week stages. Genotypic variation in thenitrate content was apparent with the minimum inaccession EC 359417 and the maximum being in EC359420. Nitrate content was 1715.16 and 2762.41 mgkg-1f.w., for EC 359417 whereas EC 359420 showedrelatively higher levels of nitrate i.e. 3003.73 and4500.47 mg kg-1f.w. at three and six week stages.Variability of nitrate accumulation was observed indifferent accessions and also in different plant parts.The nitrate content was found increasing with thephysiological age of the plant as most of the A. cruentusaccessions were found exceeding the ADI limit bymanifolds and so was found unfit for humanconsumption due to nitrate accumulation to toxiclevels. This is a serious problem as it puts a questionmark on the nutritional and medicinal aspect ofAmaranthus.Key words: Nitrate, ADI, Accumulation, Toxic, WHO,AccessionsSV/P-56Role of Arsenic Tolerant Bacteria inGrowth Promotion, As Accumulation andReduction of As Toxicity in Rice PlantNamrata Singh*, Naina Marwa, R.S. Dubey andNandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The toxicity of heavy metal like arsenic in soiland ground water is of major concern in Uttar Pradesh.The rice grain is a major source of arsenicaccumulation, so to protecting crops is of majorimportance at these places. To this end, a gram positivebacterial strain resistant to high level of arsenic wasidentified to assess the role of As tolerance. The strainNBRIEAG-2 was charecterized as Brivundimonas sp.based on 16S rDNA Gene analysis, showed a specifictolerance against arsenic. In this study we investigatedthe consequence of bacterial inoculation on plantgrowth promotion, and As uptake on rice plant [Oryza



sativa (L.)] grown at three different concentrations ofarsenic. Additionally, the bacterial strain evaluated formultiple plant growth promoting traits revealed theinherent ability to produce siderophores, 1- indoleacetic acid (IAA), aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylicacid (ACC) deaminase production might be associatedto increase biomass, chlorophyll and MDA content ofrice plant and thereby promoting plant growth.Interestingly, significant morphological changes in Astreated bacteria was observed by SEM analysiswhereas the tolerant strain was also evaluated for arsgene, related to arsenic detoxification or high level ofarsenic tolerance. The result signifies thephytostablization potential of As-resistant bacteria inAs contaminated soils to reduce arsenic uptake in riceplant and help to promote plant growth.Key words: Arsenic, Brivundimonas sp., Plant growth, Oryzasativa, SEM.

SV/P-57

Iron and Manganese Plaque Effect ArsenicUptake in Oryza sativa L. Plant underWaterlogged Condition: A Mode of MetalRetentionShailza Singh1*, D.P Singh2 and Nandita Singh1

1Eco-Auditing Group, National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA.2Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Vidhya Vihar,Rai Bareilly Road, Lucknow-226025, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

In paddy field mobilization of different types ofmetals is high and under anaerobic condition rice plantreleases radial oxygen loss (ROL) through aerenchymafor internal respiration. As a result oxidation of ferrousiron Fe(II) and manganous Mn(II) occurs and Fe andMn oxide/hydroxides complex deposited on the upperroot surface which commonly referred as iron andmanganese plaque. Iron plaque recognized as reddishorange colour coating while manganese plaqueidentified as a dark brown-black colour root coating.Iron and manganese plaque have a tendency toaccumulate different types of heavy metals like arsenic,nickel, cadmium, copper etc. Root plaque act as barrierand reduces the bioavailability of potentially phytoxicmetals under waterlogged condition. Manganeseoxides induce the oxidation of As(III) and reduced itsmobility and toxicity in arsenic contaminated soil. Theformation of iron and manganese plaque in rice roots

is responsible for the sequestration of arsenic and otherheavy metals and enables to reduce its translocationin aerial part thus facilitate lower grain arsenic content.Therefore iron and manganese plaque reduced the riskof dietary arsenic exposure to human.Key words: Iron plaque, Manganese plaque, Rice plant, RadialOxygen Loss (ROL), Arsenic, Heavy metal

SV/P-58

Lead Accumulation and Toxicity in Zeamays Involves H2O2 Accumulation andDeactivation of CatalasesHarminder Pal Singh and Gurpreet KaurDepartment of Environment Studies, Panjab University,Chandigarh, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The present study investigated the toxic effectof Pb2+ ions [16 mg l”1 (low toxic), 40 mg l”1

(moderately toxic) and 80 mg l”1 (highly toxic)] onseedling growth, root anatomy, generation of reactiveoxygen species (both qualitative and quantitative), andthe antioxidant enzymatic activities in hydroponicallygrown Zea mays (maize) at 24 h, 72 h, and 120 h afterexposure. Toxic effects Pb2+ were more pronouncedon root growth and it correlated with greater Pbaccumulation in roots. Exposure to Pb2+ induced ROSgeneration in a time- and concentration-dependentmanner as evidenced by greater superoxide anions,hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and membraneperoxidation. Pb-caused membrane damage wasconfirmed by greater electrolyte electrolyte leakage.In vivo detection of lipid peroxidation, membraneintegrity and superoxide ions corroborated thequantified observations. It suggested Pb2+-inducedoxidative damage and cellular injury. However, theincrease in malondialdehyde content was not aspronounced as the H2O2accumulation. The activitiesof antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutases,peroxidases and glutathione reductases were enhancedin a concentration- and time-dependent manner underPb2+ exposure. In contrast, the activity of catalasesdeclined under Pb2+ stress, thereby suggesting its non-involvement in H2O2 detoxification. The studyconcludes that Pb2+ induced oxidative damage in Z.mays involves H2O2 accumulation and deactivation ofH2O2 detoxifying enzyme- catalases.Key words: H2O2 accumulation, In vivo ROS detection,Membrane peroxidation, Cellular injury, Catalases



SV/P-59

Radiotoxicity of Gamma Irradiation inTrachyspermum ammi (L.) SpragueHarshita Dwivedi* and G. KumarPlant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

The studies based on the interactions of radiationswith biological systems have various applications,contributing to human welfare. From the past fewdecades, gamma rays have been extensively used forthe varietal improvement of different crops ofeconomic importance. The present study wasconducted to evaluate the impact of different dosesviz. 10kr, 20kr, 30kr and 40kr of gamma radiation froma Co60 source on different parameters ofTrachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague (ajwain). LD50 wasscored on the basis of survival percentage.Cytologically, the PMCs of the plant in treated setsshowed various chromosomal aberrations, such asunorientation, stickiness, precocious movement orfragmentation, univalents, asynchronous division,laggards, tripolarity and chromatin bridge. Anincreasing number of aberrant cells alongwithincreasing dose of gamma ray were observed. Differentparameters such as plant height, leaf length, primarybranches per plant, chlorophyll content, and harvestindex for different doses of radiation were also scored.Key words: Gamma rays, Caberrations, Trachyspermum ammi(L.) Sprague (ajwain), LD50, Radiation

SV/P-60

Dual Impact of Gamma Rays and EMS onCytomorphological Parameters ofSunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.)Saumil Dwivedi* and G. KumarNaithani Plant Genetics Laboratory,Department of Botany,University of Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

The present study aims at assessing the impactof gamma rays and ethyl methane sulphonate inindividual and combined treatments on sunnhemp.While gamma rays constitute a physical mutagenwidely used for enhancement of desired agriculturaltraits in plants,ethyl metahnesulphonate is a

biochemical research agent employed for a betterunderstanding of DNA repair mechanisms in vitro. Avery interesting finding of the present study was theantagonistic results observed in individual andcombined treatments. The individual treatment ofseeds with gamma rays at doses 10 kr, 20 kr, 30 kr, 40kr, 50 kr, 60 kr resulted in statistically significantenhancement in various parameters including height ,harvest index, chlorophyll content, seed yield, lateralbranching. However the combined treatment with0.3% ethylmethanesulphonate (duration of 4 hours)exhibited redundancy of most morphologicalparameters. The individual doses of gamma rays whichseemed stimulatory manifested an augmnetedmutagenecity in combination with ethylmethanesulphonate. Cytologically the frequency ofchromosomal aberrations at meiotic level recorded incombined treatment was higher than individual gammaray treatment. A range of chromosomal aberrationsnamely unorientation, asynchronization, disturbancesin polarity were observed. Sunnhemp is a fibre cropwith prospectives of a promising biofuel in the nearfuture. Hence the study would provide a useful insightabout the impact of such agents on crops of agriculturalvalue.Key words: Sunhemp, Gamma rays, Ethylmethane sulphonate,Cytological abnormilities, Meiosis

SV/P-61

H2O2 Pretreated Rice Seedlings SpecificallyReduces Arsenate not Arsenite: Differencein Nutrient Uptake and AntioxidantDefense Response in a Contrasting Pair ofRice CultivarsAmbedkar Gautam*, Navin Kumar, Arvind KumarDubey, Ruma Ranjan, Ishita Gupta and ShekharMallickPlant Ecology and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The study investigated the reduction in metalloiduptake at equimolar concentrations (~53.3 ìM) ofAs(III) and As(V) in contrasting pair of rice seedlingsby pretreating with H2O2 (1.0 ìM) and SA (1.0 mM).Results obtained from the contrasting pair (arsenictolerant vs. sensitive) of rice seedlings (cv. Pant Dhan11 and MTU 7029, respectively) shows that



pretreatment of H2O2 and H2O2 + SA reduces As(V)uptake significantly in both the cultivars, while noreduction in the As(III) uptake. The higher growthinhibition, higher H2O2 and TBARS content insensitive cultivar against As(III) and As(V) treatmentsalong with higher As accumulation (~1.2 mg g”1 dw)than in cv. P11, unravels the fundamental differencein the response between the sensitive and tolerantcultivar. In the H2O2 pretreated plants, the translocationof As increased in tolerant cultivar against AsIII,whereas, it decreased in sensitive cultivar both againstAsIII and AsV. In both the cultivars translocation ofMn increased in the H2O2 pretreated plants againstAs(III), whereas, the translocation of Cu increasedagainst As(V). In tolerant cultivar the translocation ofFe increased against As(V) with H2O2 pretreatmentwhereas, it decreased in the sensitive cultivar. In boththe cultivars, Zn translocation increased against As(III)and decreased against As(V). The higher level of H2O2and SOD (EC 1.15.1.1) activity in sensitive cultivarwhereas, higher, APX (EC 1.11.1.11), GR (EC 1.6.4.2)and GST (EC 1.6.4.2) activity in tolerant cultivar, alsodemonstrated the differential anti-oxidative defenceresponses between the contrasting rice cultivars.Key words: Hydrogen peroxide, Salicyclic acid, Arsenate,Arsenite, Oryza sativa

SV/P-62

Interactive Effect of Selenium on ArsenicAccumulation and Detoxification in Rice(Oryza sativa L.)Reshu Chauhan, Surabhi Awasthi , Seema Mishra,Garima Dixit, Sanjay Dwivedi and Rudra DeoTripathiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) is considered to pose the mostsignificant potential threat to human health based onfrequency of occurrence, toxicity and human exposure.Its occurrence in ground water has resulted in biggestcalamity in South East Asia through water and food.Selenium is an essential element for human and showsan antagonistic effect on As with respect to uptakeand translocation, as selenite (SeIV) is taken up byphosphate as well as silicon(Si) transporter. The mainaim of the study is to see the interactive effect ofSelenium (Se) on As accumulation and detoxification

in Rice (Oryza satiya). Rice plants were exposed to25µM arsenite (AsIII) and supplemented with differentconcentration of Se(IV) (5µM, 10µM,25µM). Selenitesupplementation decreased the accumulation of Aswith least As accumulation at 10 µM Se(IV), also the10 µM Se(IV) was found to be optimal for plantgrowth, however, no significant toxicity was observedupto 25µM Se(IV), only beyond that toxicity wasvisible.Selenium supplementation along with Asimproved the growth of plant measured in terms ofroot, shoot length and biomass in comparison to Astreated plants. Thiols play an important role againstAs toxicity.In As stressed plantsNon protein thiols(NPTs) and Cystein , were found to be increasedfollowing the application of Se..

Thus the present study concluded that As inducedphytotoxicity can be reduced through supplementationof Se as evidentby enhanced plant growth, thiolicligands, antioxidant capability and lowering the Asaccumulation in the rice cultivar.Key words: Selenium, Arsenic, Rice

SV/P-63

Impact of Coal Mining on SurfaceVegetation and Soil Quality in Kakri Minesof Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaNeha Upadhyay*, Shikha Devi and Shivesh SharmaDepartment of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National In-stitute of Technology, Allahabad, U.P., INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Coal mining results in the destruction of landecosystem by removing the aboveground vegetationand ultimately deteriorate the soil quality. A vastamount of overburden is dumped in the nearby areaswhich influences the soil nutritional property so thatit is no longer supportive for plant growth. Soilmicrobial community and enzyme activity are used asan indicator of soil quality as it is involve in soilnutrient cycle. For maintaining a healthy ecosystem itis important to restore the ecosystem property. In thepresent study plant diversity, soil microbial diversityand soil enzyme activity was evaluated for mining andnearby natural soils to identify the current soilconditions. The total bacterial count was highest thanthe fungal count. Maximum numbers of bacterialcolony were found in the unmined soil than the minedsoil. For natural soils dehydrogenase and ureaseactivity was higher than the dump soils whereas



catalase was found to be more in dump soils. The studydiscovered that the number of plant species present inthe natural soils was more whereas number of plantspecies present in the dump soils is less. Soil enzymeactivity was further estimated and compared for boththe mined and unmined soils and lowest enzymeactivity was observed in the dump soil which indicatesthe lack of nutritional component in mined soil.Key words: Coal mining, Ecosystem, Dump, Plant diversity,Microbial diversity, Soil enzyme activities

SV/P-64

Detoxification of Fly-Ash Dykes with MetalTolerant Ornamental Ferns for SustainableEnvironmentAlka KumariCSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource TechnologyPalampur-176061, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Fly ash (FA) a coal combustion residue becomesa major source of pollution for surroundingenvironment of thermal power stations due to presenceof several noxious metals and metalloids. In contextof these, the present study deals with the detoxificationof toxic metals and metalloids of FA dykes with metalaccumulator ornamental ferns. Three fern species viz.;Ampelopteris prolifera, Diplazium esculentum andThelypteris dentata were grown on differentamendments of FA and garden soil (GS) as well as GSalone as control. Physico-chemical properties of FAand GS used during experiment were done beforeplantation of fern species and also after harvesting thethree months old ferns. All the target species weregrown for three months and harvested tissues wereevaluated in terms of plant growth, metal accumulationand antioxidant responses when grown on differentamendments of FA and GS. All the speciesaccumulated significant amount of metals in frondsand rhizome including roots; however the extent ofmetal accumulation varied. The significant increasein biomass and photosynthetic pigments were foundin the test species grown on 50 % FA amendment incomparison to 100 % GS as control but furtherdecreased at 100 % FA. It indicates that 50 % FAamendment did not generate oxidative stress in fernsand seems to be suitable substratum for healthy ferngrowth. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, likemelanoaldehydes (MDA), superoxide dismutase

(SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacolperoxidase (GPX) were induced in 50:50 ratio of FAand GS, and found maximum at 100 % FA, but eventhough no any phytotoxic symptoms was shownmorphologically in target species. Results of physico-chemical studies done after harvesting of fern speciesalso indicate the significant decrease in toxic metalsin FA in comparison to raw FA before fern plantation.Results also showed usefulness of these species inphytoremediation of toxic metals from FA and theirfurther implication in development of a vegetationcover on FA dykes for dust free, healthy andsustainable environment. Moreover the ornamentalferns grown on FA dykes may be source of incomegeneration also because fern twigs are integral part offloral decoration in these days.Key words: Heavy metals, Pteridophytes, NTPC,Photosynthetic pigments, Oxidative stress

SV/P-65

Impact of Vehicular Emission on Vegetativeand Reproductive Characteristics ofLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Growingat Different Polluted Roads of Karachi CityM. Kabir, M. Zafar Iqbal, M. Shafiq andZia-Ur-Rehman FarooqiDepartment of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi,75270, Pakistan, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Vehicular emission showed toxic effects onvegetative and reproductive growth variables ofLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Morphology,vegetative and reproductive characteristics of L.leucocephala were significantly (p<0.05) affected inplants observed on the polluted sites of Board OfficeRoad, University Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, andShahrah-e-Faisal as compared to University Campus.The leaves, pods and seed samples of the L.leucocephala collected from the Karachi UniversityCampus, which is considered as control site showedbetter growth as compared to city area. Higherreduction in vegetative part especially leaf concernedparameters such as leaf area, leaf fresh and dry weightswas found for samples collected from Shahrah-e-Faisal, University Road, Board Office Road andShaheed-e-Millat Road as compared to control. Alongwith Leaf area, leaf fresh and dry weights, reproductivecharacters such as pods and seeds were also highly



reduced for same species collected from Board officeRoad, University Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, andShahrah-e-Faisal as that of control. Resultsdemonstrated that due to pollution on different roadsnot only visual characteristics of roadside plants buttheir vegetative as well as reproductive characteristicswere also inhibited. According to observation it wasrecorded that growth which constitutes both thevegetative and reproductive characters of L.leucocephala were highly affected in samples collectedfrom Shahrah-e-Faisal as compared to other pollutedsites of city as well as University Campus. Therefore,Shahrah-e-Faisal was found as most polluted sitefollowed by University Road, Board Office Road,Shaheed-e-Millat Road while, University Campus(Control) as non polluted site of Karachi city.Key words: Leucaena leucocephala, Vehicular emission,KarachiSV/P-66Assessment of Heavy Metals in AquaticPlants of Kanjali Wetland, Kapurthala (Punjab)Navdeep Singh1*, Manpreet Kaur2 and Jatinder KaurKatnoria1

1Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, GuruNanak Dev University, Amritsar, INDIA. 2Department ofHuman Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Wetlands, the biological filters of the earth playan important role in biochemical transformation ofvarious types of pollutants. These low lying areas actas a sink for different pollutants including toxic metalsthat enter into water, sediments, plants or otherorganisms. Wetland plants have capacity to accumulateheavy metals from water. However uptake by plantsis only temporary removal process and ultimately withdecay of plants these toxic metals again find their wayto water. The problem can be remediated by regularcleaning of wetland by removing exposed flora.Considering this, the present study was planned toevaluate heavy metal content in four aquatic plantsviz., Eichhornia crassipes, Lemna minor ,Potamogeton crispus and Panicum sp. collected fromKanjali wetland. Various heavy metals viz., Cd, Cu,Cr, Fe, Pb, Zn were analyzed using Atomic AbsorptionSpectrophotometer. The ranges of heavy metals instudied plant samples were Cd (0.003- 0.0046 mg/g),Cu (0.0038-0.0462 mg/g), Cr (Below Detection Limit-0.0036 mg/g), Fe (0.141-4.882 mg/g), Pb (BDL-0.004

mg/g), and Zn (0.0505-0.37122 mg/g). The contentsof heavy metals in various plant parts followed an orderof roots > leaves > stem. The present study indicatesthat the contamination of Kanjali wetland andemphasis on regular monitoring of the same in orderto understand a better view of the qualitative andquantitative nature of contaminants.Key words: Flora, Heavy metal, Wetlands, Pollutants

SV/P-67

Effect of 24-Epibrassinollide Pretreatmenton the Morphological and BiochemicalConstitutions in UV-B (285-325 nm)Radiation Stressed Vigna mungo (L.) SeedlingsA. Asha* and K. LingakumarCentre for Research and Postgraduate Studies in Botany,Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous, Collegeof Excellence by UGC), Sivakasi-626124, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The effect of UV-B enhanced radiation and 24-Epibrassinollide (eBR) treatments on the vegetativegrowth, photosynthetic and non-photosyntheticpigment composition, anti-oxidative enzyme activityand biochemical constituents were studied in theseedlings of Vigna mungo (L.). In this study, theseedlings were pre-treated with 24-Epibrassinollideand further exposed to 4.5 kJ.m-2.d-1 of UV-B (285-325nm) radiation. The eBR sprayed (control) Vignaseedlings were healthy and showed an increase inmorphological parameters like plant height, leaf areaand fresh mass. In the case UV-B irradiated seedlings,a 7-9% decrease in all parameters were noticed.Pretreatment with eBR was found to impose toleranceto UV-B stress as evident from morphological andbiochemical changes. Thus, a UV-B tolerancemechanism was found to exist in seedlings which havereceived a foliar spray of 24-eBR.Key words: 24-Epibrassinollide, biochemical, superoxidedismutase, UV-B, vegetative growth

SV/P-68Effect of Salicylic Acid on Growth,Fluorescence and Antioxidant System ofSolanum melongena L. Seedlings Grownunder Cadmium StressShikha Singh* and Sheo Mohan PrasadRanjan Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory,



Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

In developing countries urbanization and heavyindustrialization has led to a major problem i.e. heavymetal contamination, which is a burning issue for theenvironmentalists. Among different heavy metals,cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals,which deteriorates the quality and quantity ofvegetables. In context with this the present study wascarried out to understand the mechanism of protectionof plants under cadmium metal stress by exogenousapplication of salicylic acid (SA). The brinjal(Solanum melongena L.) seedlings were pretreatedwith two doses (3 mg Cd kg-1 soil: Cd1; and 9 mg Cdkg-1 soil: Cd2) of Cd and grown in controlled plantgrowth chamber. After foliar application of salicylicacid, 30 days-old seedlings were used to analyze thevarious parameters. The results showed that both thedoses of Cd declined the growth, photosyntheticpigments and chlorophyll fluorescence parameterssuch as Fv/Fm, Fv/F0, Fm/F0 and qP, while NPQ wasraised significantly. Foliar application of SA alleviatedtoxic effect of Cd by increasing the growth andphotosynthetic rate of test plant. In addition, SA alsodecreased oxidative stress by decreasingmalondialdehyde content and super oxide radical(O2 ·”) production rate in plants subjected to Cd stress.Further its application also increased the activities ofsuperoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidaseand NP-SH content. Overall results suggest that SAreduces the Cd toxicity by regulating the antioxidantdefense system in Solanum melongena L. seedlingsefficiently, hence increases the plant quality.Key words: Cadmium stress, Chlorophyll fluorescence,Salicylic acid, Antioxidant system

SV/P-69

Physiological and Biochemical Responsesof Leucaena leucocephala Seedlings toHeavy Metal StressM.S.L. Sunitha*, S.Prashant and P.B. Kavi KishorDepartment of Genetics, Osmania University, Hyderabad,Telangana, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Metals are natural components of soil required

by plants as micronutrients. However, heavy metalcontamination of water and soil poses a majorenvironmental and human health problem. The mostcommon heavy metal contaminants are arsenic (As),cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb). To combattoxic effects of the heavy metals, plants havedeveloped potential mechanisms at the cellular levelthat could impart tolerance and also involve in thedetoxification. Leucaena leucocephala is aneconomically important leguminous tree species withability to grow in different environments. It is apotential pasture species for livestock production. Sofar, the intrinsic cellular mechanism behind its metaltolerance has not been explored. In the present study,we have determined the tolerance and accumulationlevels of L. leucocephala to toxic heavy metals likecadmium, arsenic and essential nutrient zinc. Thetolerance studies indicated that arsenic wascomparatively more toxic than cadmium and zinc toLeucaena seedlings. The seedlings exhibitedphenotypic features like retarded growth with lowplant biomass, less leaf foliage, exhibited chlorosisand more number of nodes on the stem with shortenedinternodal distance. The metal accumulation in L.leucocephala was maximum in root followed by stemand leaf tissues and the rate of accumulation increasedwith the concentration of the treated metal. Theseseedlings also exhibited inhibition of photosyntheticand carotenoids pigment contents and increase in theproline and non-protein thiol contents. The seedlingsexhibited low levels of lipid peroxidation when treatedwith arsenic compared to cadmium and zinc. Thisindicates that Leucaena has better survival abilityunder arsenic stress. Anatomical changes like declinein the cambial activity, decrease in xylem fibre length,increase in fibre wall thickness, decrease in vesseldensity and starch accumulation etc were observed.Further, we have isolated the two key genes related toheavy metal tolerance - Phytochelatin synthase (PCS)and Metallothionein (MT) from L. leucocephala. Thesegenes have been functionally characterized in E.colifor their metal tolerance and accumulation abilities.Further, relative expression levels of these genes inLeucaena under metal stress have been studied.Key words: Leucaena, Arsenic, Cadmium, Zinc, Tolerance,Accumulation



SV/P-70

Stimulatory Responses of SilverNanoparticles on Some Growth Charactersof Brassica campestris L.Kshama Dwivedi* and G. KumarNaithani Plant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

In present era, nanotechnology has emerged as arevolutionary science, having miscellaneousapplications, covering almost each and every field.Despite its diverse applications, some reports suggestthat excess use of nanoparticles may exert negativeimpact on organisms. On another front, if used incontrolled way (at optimal dose), these particles couldhave significant impacts in agriculture. Thus presentinvestigation is an attempt to understand the effect ofnanoparticles on some growth characters of Brassicacampestris L. Ablated silver nanoparticles werecharacterized in three different concentration viz. 12.5µg/ml, 25 µg/ml, 50 µg/ml, using DDW (Merck) andseeds were treated with these three doses along withcontrol. Treated seeds were placed in petriplates,separately for germination at room temperature(25ºC±2). The reduction in % germination showed thatthe phenomenon was dose dependent, except at12.5µg/ml dose, which presented higher germination% even over control. A significant enhancement inroot + shoot length of the seedlings was recorded at12.5µg/ml of silver nanoparticles treatment ascompared to control. However, seed vigour index(SVI) of the treated seeds has been compared withthose of control and estimated to be significantlyimproved at 12.5µg/ml dose; represented an incrementeven over control seedlings. These observations clearlyindicate that 12.5µg/ml dose of silver nanoparticlestreatment improved the overall growth profile of thetreated seedlings. Thus present finding suggests thestimulatory responses of silver nanoparticles in termsof seed germination potential of B. campestris L. atthe lowest cum optimal dose.Key words: Brassica campestris L., Silver nanoparticles,Germination %, Seed vigour index

SV/P-71Ecological Significance of Road Side PlantSpecies in Urban EnvironmentPriyanka Sharma*, Shailender Kumar, AbhinavGarg and Chirashree GhoshDepartment of Environmental Studies, North Campus,University of Delhi, Delhi- 110007, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Road side vegetation puts up with continuousexposure to urban traffic pollution which makes thema crucial tool to study the air quality of the area. Theresponse of plant to pollutant can vary frommorphological changes to physiological andbiochemical alteration and such response can providesimple, efficient and low cost method of monitoringatmospheric pollutants.

The present study tries to evaluate thesignificance of road side plants in indicating the airquality of different land use sites. For this,concentrations of pollutants like: particulate matter(PM), oxides of sulphur (SOx) and nitrogen (NOx),were calculated at three land use sites: Site I: vegetatedarea, Site II: commercial and Site III: trafficintersection. Significance of common road site plantsspecies - Cassia fistula, Morus alba and Pongamiapinnata as indicator or remediator was studied bycalculating foliar dust load and air pollution toleranceindex (APTI). APTI classifies plants into tolerant orsensitive to pollutants. It is believed that tolerant plantscan be used as remediator, whereas, sensitive asindicator of pollution. The outcome of the studydepicted that out of all selected sites, Site II (PM:424.02 ug/m3, SOx: 112 ug/m3, NOx: 115 ug/m3) wasthe most polluted site followed by site III (PM: 368.99ug/m3, SOx: 123 ug/m3, NOx: 134 ug/m3) and Site I(PM: 322.84 ug/m3, SOx:97 ug/m3, NOx: 106 ug/m3).Analysis of plant species showed that the foliar dustload was found to be maximum in Morus alba (Dustload: 0.067 g/cm2, 0.12g/cm2 and 0.08g/cm2) and notmuch difference was recorded in Cassia fistula (Dustload: 0.022 g/cm2, 0.068g/cm2 and 0.03g/cm2) andPongamia pinnata (Dust load: 0.025 g/cm2, 0.114g/cm2 and 0.035g/cm2) at all the three sites, respectively.Interestingly all three plants indicated maximumconcentration at site II which was in accordance tothe pollutant data. However, Morus alba came out tobe better indicator of PM pollutant as compared to



other two plants. The APTI result showed that Morusalba and Cassia fistula came under tolerant rangewhereas, Pongamia pinnata fall in intermediatecategory. These tolerant plants can help in improvingthe quality of air and can be used as an importantphytomonitoring tool.Key words: Pollutants, APTI, Vegetation, PM, SOx, NOx

SV/P-72

Impacts of Enhanced UV-B Radiation onFrench Bean Cultivars Grown underMountain EcosystemR. Raghuvanshi* and R.K. SharmaG.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Devel-opment, Himachal Unit, Mohal Kullu-175126, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Ozone layer is depleting due to contaminationwith chlorofluorocarbons, nitrogen oxides and methylbromides, which further leads to an increase in UV-Bradiation on the earth’s surface. The present study wascarried out to evaluate the effect of enhanced UV-B(ambient+10.2 kJ m-2 d-1) radiation on two cultivarsof Phaseolus vulgaris, a leguminous crop, mostcommonly grown in mountain areas of north westernIndian Himalaya. The effects of enhanced UV-Bradiation on tested cultivars were evaluated at growth,physiological and biochemical levels both at vegetativeand reproductive stages of the development. Theresults reveal that enhanced UV-B radiation negativelyaffects the morphological traits, biochemical andphysiological characteristics of tested cultivars ascompared to ambient UV-B radiation at both the stages.Magnitudes of negative effects of enhanced UV-Bradiation were found more in Pusa Parvati as comparedto Pusa Himlata. Under physiological parameterChlorophyll b was affected more than chlorophyll aupon UV-B radiation. Non-enzymatics and enzymaticantioxidants e.g. total phenolics and flavonoidscontents, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidasewere increased in both the cultivars at both the stageof development upon UV-B treatment but the percentincrease were more in cultivar Pusa Himlata ascompared to Pusa Parvati. The results further showedthat economic yield (g plant-1) of Pusa Himalata andPusa Parvati decreased by 14% and 44%, respectivelydue to enhanced UV-B radiation over ambient UV-Bradiation. The higher decrease in economic yield ofPusa Parvati depicted that increased amounts of total

flavonoids contents and stimulation of theirantioxidant defense mechanism via increasing theactivities of superoxide dismutase, catalase andperoxidase was not able to completely detoxify theproduced reactive oxygen species under elevated UV-B radiation, and made it more sensitive to appliedstress. The present study concludes that enhanced UV-B radiation in mountain areas could be one of theenvironmental causes for lower yield of crops. Thestudy also suggests that cultivation of Phaseolusvulgaris L. cv. Pusa Himlata by local farmers maycontribute towards the mitigation of UV-B inducedcrop yield loss in Indian Himalayan ecosystem.Key words: Ultraviolet-B radiation, French beans, Growth,Biochemical, Climate change

SV/P-73

Selenite Supplementation ReducesArsenate and Arsenite Uptake but AltersPhosphate Level in Hydroponically GrownOryza sativa L.Navin Kumar*, Arvind Kumar Dubey, Ruma Ranjan,Ambedkar Gautam, Ishita Gupta and Shekhar MallickPlant Ecology and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid, disrupts biochemicaland physiological process of both animals and plants.Arsenic (As) is present in the environment into twomajor forms, arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)],among which As(III) is ten fold toxic than As(V). Thereare consorted efforts to minimize As uptake in rice bywater management, breeding programmes andtransgenic approach. The present study evaluates thereduction of As(III) and As(V) accumulation in riceseedlings through supplementation of selenite [Se(IV)]treatments under hydroponic condition. The As(III)(4 µg ml-1) treated seedlings of rice (cv. MR-1) showedmore reduction in shoot, root and fresh weight incomparison to As(V) (5 µg ml-1) treated rice seedlings.The level of PO4

3-decreased significantly with As(III)and As(V) treated rice seedlings. The application ofselenite [Se(IV)] significantly reduced Asaccumulation in both As(V) and As(III) treated riceseedlings. However, selenite applied with As(III)enhanced PO4

3- uptake, whereas, with As(V) it reducedPO4

3- level in root and shoot of rice seedlings in a dosedependent manner. Selenite concentration above 1 µg



ml-1 was toxic to seedlings with both As(V) and As(III).Lipid peroxidation (TBARS level) increased with thecombined treatment of As(III) and Se(IV), whereas,the lipid peroxidation decreased with As(V) andSe(IV) treatment in a dose dependent manner.However, the level of ascorbate decreased with As(III)and Se(IV) treated rice seedlings, whereas, ascorbateincreased with a dose dependent manner of Se(IV)concentration in rice seedlings treated along with As(V).Key words: Arsenic, Selenite, Phosphate, Lipid peroxidation,Oryza sativa

SV:P-74

Responses of Wheat and Chickpea toReduced Levels of Solar IrradiancesUsha Mina1*, S.D. Singh1, Bhupinder Singh1 andSuresh Tiwari2

1Centre for Environment Science and Climate ResilientAgriculture, IARI, New Delhi-110012, INDIA. 2IndianInstitute of Tropical Meterology, New Delhi-110060,INDIA, Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]; [email protected]

As a consequence of increases in aerosols, airpollutants and population density, dimming or shading(decrease in global radiation,i.e. the sum of the directsolar radiation and the diffuse radiationscattered bythe atmosphere) have become major challengesto cropproduction in many areas of the world. Studies haveshown that between 25?N and 45?N, globalradiationhas been reduced by as much as 1.4- 2.7%per decade [Qian et al., 2006; Stanhill and Cohen,2001]. With the increase in population, urbanization,industrialization and demands for energy, the aerosolload over India is gradually increasing havingsignificant impact on continuation of the solardimming phenomenon (Badarinath et al., 2010;Kambezidis et al., 2012). Niyogi et al. (2004) alsoindicates that the effect ofglobal dimming would bedifferent depending on the landscape. For forests andcroplands, increasing aerosol loading resulted in

increasing net ecosystem exchange (NEE), while forgrasslands this translated in lowered NEE. The mainreasons for these differences are related to the canopyarchitecture and the photosynthesis pathways. Inpresent study we investigated the growth,physiological and yield parameters under differentirradiances of two wheat (HD 2643 and PBW343) andchickpea (BG1105 and BGD 72) varieties of northernIndia. Plants were grown under irradiances of 100, 80and 65 % of the solar radiation. Height of plants andleaf area index (LAI) of both crop cultivars under 80and 65 % of irradiance was more as compared to plantsunder 100% irradiance. HD 2643 variety plants ofwheat and BG1105 variety plants in chickpea wereexhibited more tallness as compared to PBW343 andBGD 72 variety plants under reduced irradiance.Tillering in wheat varieties and branching in chickpeavariety were adversely affected by reduced irradiance.Reduced irradiance also adversely affectsphysiological processes and yield of both varieties ofwheat and chickpea. Under 80% irradiance biologicalyield of HD2643 and PBW343 wheat varietiesdecreased by 40% and 37.8% respectively, whereasunder 65% irradiance reduction was 45% and 41% inHD2643 and PBW343respectively. Similarly inchickpea crop varieties BGD72 andBG1105,under80% irradiance reduction in biologicalyield was 13% and 24% respectively. Reduction inbiological yield under 65% irradiancewas 34% and53.4% in BGD72 and BG1105 respectively. Resultssuggest that PBW343 and BGD72 cultivars exhibitedcomparatively less sensitivity to reduced irradiancethan HD 2643 and BG1105 wheat and chickpeacultivars respectively.The existence ofintraspecificgenetic variability among wheat and chickpea cultivarsmight be useful in selectingoptimal cultivars toincrease agricultural production in climatic conditionsubjected to low irradiance.Key words: Wheat, Chickpea, Irradiance, Photosynthesis rate,Stomatal conductance



SVI/KN-1

Bioremediation for Boosting BioeconomyM.N.V. PrasadDepartment of Plant Sciences,University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500046, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Land resources on a global perspective are underimmense pressure. The pressure on available landresources is increasing because of land degradation,the growing world population, global economicdevelopment, irrational urbanization. Nature’scure using Biodiversity in the process of Bioremedia-tion) is a sustainable solution for environmentaldecontamination. As of now about 20000 researchpapers have been published on various aspects of usingbiological resources for environmental cleanup startingwith only 11 in the year 1989. Several strategies arebeing applied for phytoremediation of heavy metalcontaminated sites.

Plant based remediation strategies [phytotechno-logies] are emerging as viable alternatives toconventional remediation techniques. Based on small-scale studies perennial plants, annuals are relevantcandidates for phytotechnologies. Plant-associatedmicrobes have been integrated into phytotechnologyoptions, enhancing plant performance, reducingcontaminant phytotoxicity. These eco-innovativephytotechnologies can in-situ and ex-situ remediatesoil layers, which can be explored by roots and at thesame time provide plant biomasses, contributingtowards achieving envisaged targets on the use ofrenewable plant-based feedstock for various purposes(renewable energy sources, ecomaterials, biomass forbio- refineries, green fine chemistry, bioplastics, etc.)in substitution to fossil fuels and other non-renewableraw materials. They can also reduce the diversion ofcroplands to bioenergy and other non-food crops.Conversion of phytoremediation-borne biomassforgreen-fine chemistry (catalyst production frommetal accumulating biomass), biorefinery(prehydrolysis and organosolv pre-treatment frommetal accumulating woody lignocellulosic biomass)and by increasing the panel of plant species cultivatedon metal contaminated soils for value chain and valueadded products enhancing bioeonomy have beencovered in this peper.Key word: Phytoremidiation, Soil biorefinery,Phytotechnology, Heavy metals

SVI/L-1

Effect of Melanoidins and Phenols onCellular and Biochemical Parameter ofTypha angustifolia during In situ and Ex situPhytoremediation of Heavy Metal fromDistillery Effluent Contaminated SiteRam Chandra*, Sangeeta Yadav, Vineet Kumar andSheelu YadavDepartment of Environmental Microbiology, School forEnvironmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao AmbedkarCentral University, Vidya Vihar Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Typha angustifolia was evaluated for variousheavy metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Zn)bioremediation potential from aqueous solutioncontaining variable concentrations of phenol (100–800mgl”1) and melanoidin (2500–8500 Co–Pt) at 20,40, and 60 days. The concentration of phenol (200–400mgl”1) along with melanoidin 2500 Co–Pt showedoptimum for phytoremediation of tested heavy metalsWhile, higher concentrations of melanoidin (5600–8500 Co–Pt) showed toxic effect on T. angustifoliaalong with phenol. Phenol and melanoidin showedadverse effect on T. angustifolia up to 20 daysincubation, but this leads to induction of peroxidaseand ascorbic acid activity to cope with adverseconditions. The TEM observations of T. angustifoliashowed clotted deposition of metals and shrinkage ofcell in root, breakdown of spongy and palisadeparenchyma of leaves at higher concentration ofphenol (100mgl”1) and melanoidin (5500 Co–Pt). Inaddition a comparative bioaccumulation pattern andultrastructural changes were studied in Phragmitescummunis, T. angustifolia and Cyperus esculentus inmixed metals solution of cadmium (Cd), chromium(Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel(Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). P. cummunis wasobserved to be a shoot accumulator for Cr, Fe, Mn,Ni, Pb, and Zn. However, T. angustifolia was found tobe a root accumulator for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Pb.In addition, C. esculentus also accumulated most ofthe tested heavy metals in the roots, while Mn and Fewere translocated up to leaves. Ultra structuralobservation showed the cellular changes in wetlandplants after longer exposure. Results revealed that P.cummunis and T. angustifolia had more potential for



tested metals than C. esculentus. Besides, the ex-situstudy showed metal accumulation in T. angustifoliawas found higher than C. esculentus, and accumulationpattern was Fe>Mn>Cr>Zn>Pb>Cu>Ni>Cd.Simultaneously, chlorophyll, protein, cysteine, andascorbic acid were also induced in T. angustifolia thanC. esculentus. In addition, formation of multinucleolusin shoot of T. angustifolia was found an evidence ofextra protein synthesis for tolerance under stressconditions. Thus, this study concluded that T.angustifolia could be a potential phytoremediator forheavy metals from metal, melanoidins, and phenolcontaining industrial wastewater at optimizedcondition only.Kew words: Phytoremediation, Cellular damage, Melanoidins,Phenol, Typha angustifolia

SVI/L-2

Ecosystem Services: Bioindication andBiomonitoring Technologies inEnvironmental Quality AssessmentBernd Markert1*, Stefano Loppi2, Bert Wolterbeek3

and Simone Wünschmann1

1Environmental Institute of Scientific Networking (EISN),Fliederweg 17, 49733 Haren/Erika, GERMANY. 2Depart-ment of Environmental Science “G. Sarfatti”, University ofSiena, Siena, ITLAY. 3Department for Radiation, Radionu-clides and Reactors, University of Delft, TheNETHERLAND, Email: [email protected]

Environmental quality control by living orformerly living organisms, means by bioindicators orbiomonitors, exists since decades and belongs toecosystem services. Classical programs forenvironmental monitoring have been supplemented bybioindication measures for a number of years.Investigations on living organisms or their remains(e.g. peat) are frequently used to indicate theenvironmental situation in either qualitative(bioindication) or quantitative (biomonitoring) terms.This approach provides pieces of information onenvironmental burdens of a region at a given point oftime or on its changes with time (trend analysis).Classical bioindication often deals with observationand measurements of chemical noxae (both inorganicand organic ones) in well defind bioindicator plantsor animals (including human).

Global cooperation among various scientific

teams throughout the world has produced commonideas, scientific definitions, and highly innovativeresults of this extremely attractive working field. Thetransdisciplinary approach of different andmultifaceted scientific areas – starting from biology,analytical chemistry, via health physics, up to socialand economic issues – have surpassed mental barriersof individual scientists, the “production” ofstraightforward common results related to theinfluence of material and immaterial environmentalfactors to the wellbeing of organisms and human lifehas now reached the forefront of international thinking.Key words: Quality, Technologies, Bioindicators,Biomonitors, Environmental pollution

SVI/O-1

General Review: Fungal Bioremediation ofHeavy Metals Contamination in Saudi ArabiaA.R.H. BinsadiqCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAUDIARABIA, Email: [email protected]

Soils, waste, water, sediments and air arefrequently contaminated with heavy metals. Heavymetal contamination in Saudi Arabia may be derivedfrom petroleum and mines operations, refining ores,sludge, waste treatment, electrical equipments, paints,alloys, pesticides, batteries and fuel transportations.

Microbial processes lead to appreciable completeremediation of the heavy metals contaminatedenvironments in Saudi Arabia .The chief ways bywhich such remediation may be accomplished includebiosorption, bioadsorption, bioaugmentation,biostimulation, bioaccumulation, biosolubilization,biovoltailization, bioreduction, bioprecipitation,biocomplexation,and methylation. Technologiesmethods are fully developed and have now been usedin practice such as nanotechnology bioremrdiation.

An area of fungal biotechnology currently usingfungal biomass to adsorb metal ions from contaminatedsolutions. Such biological approaches to metal ionrecovery can be used to clean up polluted effluents orto recover precious metal ions from solutions.

The present review might give a database onmicrobial bioremediation of heavy metalcontamination for some future studies in Saudi Arabiaas well as in the Arabian Gulf Region.



Key Words: Saudi Arabia, Fungi, Heavy metals,Contamination, Bioremidation.

SVI/O-2

Biological Wastewater Treatment using aGram-Positive Bacteria Isolated fromWastewaterBenmalek Yamina1* and Fardeau Marie-Laure2

1Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Département de BCM,Faculté des Sciences Biologiques,Université des Scienceset de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Bab Ezzouar,Alger, ALGERIE. 2Laboratoire de Microbiologie IRD, UMRD180, Microbiologie et Biotechnologie des EnvironnementsChauds, Universités de Provence et de la Méditerranée,ESIL, Case 925, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 MarseilleCedex 09, FRANCE, Email: [email protected] ,[email protected]

A novel strain of the genus Micrococcus whichwas isolated from wastewater, has been studied forresistance to heavy metals (chromium, nickel, andcobalt), and its capacity to accumulate these metal ions.The isolate exhibited high minimal inhibitoryconcentration values for metal ions tested, and wasable to accumulate more than 90% of chrome, 80% ofcobalt and 70% of nickel during its active growth cycle.Study of pH effect on heavy metal removal showedthat the accumulation of metal ions increased withincreasing pH for both chrome and cobalt but decreasefor the nickel. Due to its high metal accumulationcapacity in aerobic conditions, this Gram-positivebacteria may be potentially applicable for in situbioremediation of heavy metals contaminatingaqueous systems.Key words: Gram-positive bacteria, Heavy metals,Bioaccumulation

SVI/O-3

Phytoremediation is a Good Step forProtection of Soil and CropPreeti Sonkar*, Vinit Kumar and N.C. PuskarBundelkhand University, Jhansi, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

An increased uptake of toxic metals by food cropsgrown on metal-contaminated soils together withhuman health risks are often recorded. Great effortshave been made in the decades (soil, water) to reducepollution sources and remedy the polluted soil and

water resources. Phytoremediation, being more cost-effective and fewer side effects than physical andchemical approaches, has gained increasing popularityin both academic and practical circles. More than 400plant species have been identified to have potentialfor soil and water remediation. Recent progresses inresearch and practical applications ofphytoremediation for soil and water resources arediscussed in the paper.Key words: Heavy metal effect, Phytoremendiation, Affected crop

SVI/O-4

Bioremediation of PentachlorophenolContaminated Soils: MicrobiologicalMethods for Feasibility Assessment andMonitoringN. Hechmi1,2*, H. Abdenacceur1,2 and N. Jedidi1

1Laboratory of Wastewater Treatment. Water Researchand Technologies Centre (CERTE), Technopole Borj-Cedria BP 273, Soliman 8020, TUNISIA. 2National Agro-nomic Institute of Tunisia, 43 Avenue Charles NicolleCity of Mahrajene 1082, TUNISIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

There is rising public concern as a wide varietyof toxic organic chemicals are being introduceddeliberately into the environment. Pesticides are onecommon example of these chemicals, which enter thesoils frequently in recent years. Chlorinated phenols(CPs) are a group of ionisable organic compounds ofmajor environmental concern. Chlorophenols,particular those with three or more chlorine atoms,have gained an increasing use as fungicides, herbicidesand insecticides .Pentachlorophenol (PCP) from thecategory of CPs generated harmful effects inaquaculture or soil systems .Thus, the cleanup PCPcontaminated soils is imperative and it is critical todevelop efficient approaches to remove multiplecontaminants from soils. The need to remediate thesenatural resources has led to the development of newtechnologies that emphasize the destruction of thepollutants rather than the usual approach of disposal.Bioremediation is the use of biological interventionsof biodiversity for mitigation of the noxious effectscaused by environmental pollutants in a given site.Bioremediation with divers’ aspects more recently,phytoremediation has emerged as one of the alternative



technologies for removing contaminants from the soil.Phytoremediation, a plant based green technology, hasreceived much attention after the discovery ofhyperaccumulating plants which have the inherentability to accumulate, translocate, and concentrate highamount of certain xenobiotics in their above-ground/harvestable parts .This contribution providesbackground information on the PCP soilphytoremediation, discusses the prospective of usingbiological methods for addressing this approch anddescribes several microbiological methods which canbe used for the feasibility assessment of soilphytoremediation .Key words: Soil, Pentachlorophenol, Phytoremediation,Phospholipid fatty acids, Endoenzyme activity

SVI/O-5

Adsorptive Bioremediation of HeavyMetals from Gangetic PlainsLeena Singh and Ansar Anjum*Department of Applied Science and Humanities, Galgotias’College of Engineering and Technology, I, KnowledgePark, II, Greater Noida-201306, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

The pollution of aquatic ecosystem by heavymetals has become serious concern due to their toxicityand accumulative behaviour. Presence of heavy metalsin river system has been reported by various workers.These metals are introduced to environment fromvariety of geological as well as human activities whichincludes untreated industrial discharge through variousindustries and use of excessive fertilizers inagricultural fields. These anthropogenic sources havetremendously increased the concentration of thesechemical contaminants in river system in recent yearswhich have become a serious threat to the aquaticecosystem .The heavy metals are non-biodegradableand thus persistent in the environment. Hence theirconcentration are upto several thousand times higherthan in primitive time. Water and sediment samplesfrommost of the river systemsshow presence ofcommon heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sband Zn. More than 100 million people are estimatedto be at risk from these toxic pollutants at levels aboveinternational health standards.

Bioremediation of heavy metal pollution remainsa major challenge which has lead to increasing concern

about effect of toxic heavy metals as environmentalpollutants. Thus, in this paper preliminary studies forbioremediation of these metals have been investigatedusing batch extraction process. The highest adsorptioncapacity for As was found to be 72.0% (35.1mgg-1)using chitosan-montmorillonite beads from the groundwater sample of Gangetic plains of Bihar at 300K.The results depict that the adsorption equilibriumscould be achieved within a short contact period of 10minutes only. The biosorbent show comparable highadsorption capacity for As in broad range of 0.004mgL-1 (4 ppb) to 100 mg L-1 (100 ppm) of solution.The biosorbent show comparable appreciableadsorption capacity for As in broad range of 0.004mgL-1 (4 ppb) to 100 mgL-1 (100 ppm) of solution.TheFT-IR, SEM and XRD analysis of the adsorbentsbefore and after metal interaction were also found tocorrespond the batch adsorption results obtained. Themethodology is also been extended in our laboratoryfor the removal of other heavy metals such asantimony, chromium, copper and zinc present inGangetic plains.Key words: Heavy metals, Arsenic, Biosorption, Gangeticplains, Isotherm, Chitosan-montmorillonite

SVI/O-6

Evaluation of Phenol Remediation byVarious Microalgal StrainsBhaskar Das1* and Sanjukta Patra2

1Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology,Guwahati, Assam, INDIA. 2Department of Biotechnology,Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

Phenol is released in wastewater of a variousindustries as petrochemical, chemical,pharmaceuticals, coal industries etc. Phenol beinghighly water soluble easily reaches downstream watersources causing harmful effects on aquatic flora, faunaas well as humans. Owing to toxicity of phenol, variousphysical, chemical as well as biological methods wereused for remediation of phenol in wastewater.Biological remediation of phenol has gainedwidespread attention owing to its advantages ofcomplete mineralization and low cost. Microbialphenol remediation capabilities have been well studiedin bacteria and fungi. However, algal phenol



degradation capabilities have not been wellcharacterized. In the present work, phenol degradationcapabilities of four algal strains was characterized,Chlorella pyrenoidosa (NCIM 2738), a novel diatomBD1IITG (GenBank Accesion no: KJ002533) isolatedfrom petroleum refinery wastewater, spirogyra andclosterium species isolated from sewage water. Theisolate BD1IITG was identified as diatom on the basisof 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The spirogyra andclosterium strains were identified on the basis ofmorphological characteristics. Out of the fourstrains,C.pyrenoidosa and the diatom BD1IITG wasfound to be capable of phenol degradation in the rangeof 25-250 mg/l phenol . The highest specific growthrate as well as degradation rate was found to be 125mg/l and 100 mg/l for C.pyrenoidosa and diatomBD1IITG respectively. The practical applicability ofboth the potent algal strains was verified by applyingthem for remediation of phenol from real refinerywastewater. Chlorella pyrenoidosa mineralized 38.32% while the isolated diatom BD1IITG mineralized68.58 % of phenol in refinery wastewater. Growthkinetic modeling suggested that Haldane model couldbest represent the growth pattern of both the strainson phenol containing wastewater. High values ofmaximum specific growth rate (µmax), higher substrateaffinity (Ks) and higher tolerance to toxic effects ofphenol (KI) of diatom BD1IITG as compared toC.pyrenoidosa suggest that diatom BD1IITG haspotential to be applied for phenol removal fromrefinery wastewater.Key words: Phenol, Microalgae, Remediation, Degradation,Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Diatom, Kinetic modeling

SVI/O-7

Potentials and Limitations of Phytore-mediation in Tropical Agro-ClimaticConditionsRana Pratap SinghDepartment of Environmental Science, Babasaheb BhimraoAmbedkar University, Raibareilly Road, Lucknow, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Phytoremediation of toxic contaminants in soiland water ecosystems has been largely accepted aspromising and emerging technique for the cleanup ofcontaminated site especially for toxic metals andcontaminations in low to moderate levels in larger area.

The technique has been commercialized in most ofthe developed countries as it is economical andaesthetically pleasant. The major concerns are yet tobe resolved is the contaminations of food chain andplant biomass with toxic substances and problemsrelated to the release of toxic metals on disposal ofthe plant biomass and management of contaminatedmicrobes in the medium. However most of the tropicaland subtropical countries, largely considered asdeveloping countries including India have not yetappreciated and exercised to clean up theircontaminated sites by this technique adequately. Theinitial work has been done to study the effect of thesetoxic metals in crop plants which is dominated by thestudies on Indian mustard which was initiated in USA.The non-edible perennial plants e.g. energy producingplants and timber producing plants are seen as goodoption for long term fixation of the toxic substancesin non-edible plants. Some studies have also beenreported on use of bacteria, fungi, lichens and deadbiomass/ natural fibres to degrade, absorb or adsorbtoxic substances. Our studies on Jatropha, castor,crotalaria, pistia and trapa provide significant insightfor potentials of heavy metals extraction by these valueadded plants. However, gene technologies can help alot to enhance bioremediation potential of microbesand plants for higher efficacy and better adaptation tothe contaminated environment. We have recentlyinitiated to investigate the potentials of timber plantsfor phytoremediation of toxic metals.Key words: Phytoremediation, Brassica juncea, Heavy metals,Jatropha curcus, Riccinus communis, Toxic chemicals

SVI/O-8

Monitoring of Herbicide (MH) Toxicity byUsing Pollen as Indicators Pollen of Mung:A Critical ReviewS.A. SalgareSalgare Research Foundation Pvt. Ltd., Prathamesh Soci-ety, Shivaji Chowk, Karjat-401201, Maharashtra, INDIA,Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Potentiality of the germinability of pollen ofPhaseolus aureus Roxb. (var. J-781, mung) was notedin all the 4 series i.e. F, F-24, F-48, F-72 seriesinvestigated. Pollen of F-24 and F-48 series producedhigher percentage of the germination with the longertubes than those of F series. Foliar applications of all



the concentrations (5, 10, 25,50, 100, 200-200-1000,1000-1000-5000 mg/ml) of maleic hydrazide (1, 2-dihydropyridazine, 3-6-dione) failed to suppress thecent percent pollen fertility. However, all theconcentrations of MH above 400 mgml-1 preventedthe germination of pollen of all the 4 seriesinvestigated. When there is no germination of pollenthe question of the transfer of the male gametes to thefemale gametophyte does not arises and when there isno transfer of male gametes to the female gametophytethe question of the fertilization and seed settings doesnot arises. Hence instead of suppressing the pollenfertility which is not possible even with such a highconcentrations of MH we should suppress thegerminability of pollen with such a low concentrationswhich gives the birth to the new method of plantbreeding - ‘Salgare’s Method of Plant Breeding’. It isalso confirmed that the pollen development andactivity are more sensitive indicators of adverse factorsin the botanical environment and the use of an entirevascular plant as an indicator of pollution is a verycrud method and rather a wrong choice. There is noevidence of any entire vascular plant exhibiting thismuch degree of sensitivity.Key words: Genetics and plant breeding, Palynology, Cropphysiology, Herbicides, Toxacology, Environmental sciences

SVI/O-9

Hydro-Chemical Evaluation for SeasonalVariation of Fluoride in AgriculturalTubewells using Multivariate StatisticalApproachS.K. Jha1*, Y.K. Sharma2, A.K. Nayak3,T. Damodaran1, V.K. Mishra1, D.K. Sharma4,S. Srivastava1 and C.S. Singh1

1Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Regional ResearchStation, Lucknow, INDIA. 2Department of Botany, LucknowUniversity, Lucknow, INDIA. 3Central Rice ResearchInstitute, Cuttack, Odisha, INDIA. 4Central Soil SalinityResearch Institute, Karnal, Haryana, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Since a sizable amount of fluoride intake takesplace through the ingestion of food that are grown inthe fluoride contaminated soil and irrigation waterbesides fluoride contaminated drinking water. Thismay lead to higher toxicological risk from fluoride.Therefore, in the present study, a systematic

delineation and characterization of fluoride in theagricultural tubewells in Unnao district was carriedout to study seasonal variations of fluoride usinggraphical and multivariate statistical approach. Thespatial distribution of fluoride concentration inagricultural tubewells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons was determined by geo-statisticalmethod using semi-variogram analysis and kriging.The results of graphical and principal componentanalysis (PCA) suggested that different natural hydro-geochemical processes such as weathering of silicates,carbonates and various ion exchange processes are thekey factors responsible for the geochemistry of theground water besides alkalinity of water. Out of thesampled water, 27.3% and 18.2% of the werecontaminated with fluoride exceeding the desirablelimit of 1.0 mg l-1 as prescribed by Bureau of IndianStandards (BIS) during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon season, respectively. The fluoride had asignificant positive correlation with pH (r=+0.57)during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons(r=+54). The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) had asignificant positive correlation with fluoride (r=+0.51).The water type of majority of the samples in bothseasons was found to be bicarbonate type suggestingits alkaline nature which is responsible for thedissolution of CaF2 and thereby releases fluoride intogroundwater.Key words: Evaluation, Fluoride, Multivariate, Groundwater,Geochemistry

SVI/O-10

Phytoremedation of Heavy Metal ContaminatedSoils: A Potentially Promising Clean-UPTechnologyK.K. TiwariSophisticated Instrumentation Center for Applied Researchand Testing (SICART), Sardar Patel Centre for Scienceand Technology, Vallabh Vidyanagar-388120, Anand,Gujarat, INDIAEmail:[email protected], [email protected]

Environmental pollution of the biosphere withtoxic heavy metals has accelerated dramatically sincethe beginning of the industrial revolution.Contamination of soils with toxic heavy metals is awidespread environmental problem resulting fromglobal industrialization. Some heavy metal



remediation technologies have been developed to treatcontaminated soil, but a plant-based remediationtechnology, phytoremediation, is a new emergingtechnology. Phytoremediation is green technologiesutilizing green plants to clean up the environment fromcontaminants and has been offered as a cost-effectiveand non-invasive alternative to the conventionalengineering-based remediation technique. Theadvantage of the technique lie in making the livingplants act as a solar-driven pump, which can extractand concentrate certain heavy metals from theenvironment. The process of hyperaccumulation ofheavy metals by higher plants is a complexphenomenon. Phytoremediation process includesphytovolatilization, phytostabilization, andphytoextraction using hyperaccumulator plant species.Plants have a range of potential mechanisms at thecellular level that might be involved in thedetoxification and tolerance to heavy metal stress.Phytoremediation technologies with the use of newtransgenic plants have also improved the capacity ofbiochemical processes such as metal uptake, transport,accumulation and detoxification of metal pollutants.The recent research that certain chelating agentsgreatly facilitate metal accumulation by soil-grownplants can make this remediation technology acommercial in the near future. Thus the knowledgeon the physiological and biochemical responses helpsto adopt different strategies of purification andimprovement of the environment through use of plants,which tolerate and accumulate high levels of heavymetals.Key words: Phytoremediation, Heavy metals, Phytoextraction,Accumulation, Translocation

SVI/O-11

A Novel Approach to Modelling of anAerobic Hybrid Bioreactor Treating EasilyBiodegradable SubstancesSushovan Sarkar1* and Debabrata Mazumder2

1Heritage Institute of Technology, Chowbaga Road,Anandapur, Kolkata-700107, INDIA. 2Indian Institute ofEngineering Science and Technology, Botanic Garden,Shibpur, Howrah-711103, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Modeling of an aerobic hybrid bioreactor is doneby a simple and fast method considering concurrent

growth of both the suspended and attached biomass.Its main focus is on simultaneous uptake of easilybiodegradable carbonaceous substances by theheterotrophic biomass present over the suspended andattached phase. The model applied the principle ofexternal mass transport as per Fick’s law, steady statecarbonaceous substrate as well as biomass balance forboth suspended and attached growths. Monod growthkinetic is followed for the utilization of carbonaceoussubstrate assuming no inhibition. The boundarycondition for substrate uptake was considered forbiofilm liquid interface and at attachment surface. Theanalytical solution is essentially done by Runge Kuttamethod and thus a computer programme is developedin FORTRAN language. The model has been examinedwith existing methods by solving a few sets of realdata. It is found easier and faster than the existingmethods and it can be extended to purely biofilmsystem also. The concept diagram of a typical hybridbioreactor i.e. integrated biofilm activated sludgeprocess is shown in figure 1. The substrateconcentration profile across the biofilm present in thehybrid bioreactor is shown in Figure 2.Key words: Hybrid bioreactor, Activated sludge-biofilmmodelling, Monod kinetics, FORTRAN programme, Modelperformance

SVI/O-12

Synergistic Influence of Vetiveria zizanioidesand Selected Rhizospheric Microbial Strains:Application to Enhance Remediation ofEndosulfan Contaminated SoilVandana Singh*, Pratiksha Singh and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail:[email protected],[email protected]

Application of previously identified endosulfantolerant rhizospheric bacterial strain in combinationwith Vetiveria zizanioides for the remediation ofendosulfan is described herein. The dissipation ofendosulfan from soil was considerably enhanced inthe presence of bacterial strain and Vetiveriazizanioides together when compared to the dissipationin presence of either of them alone. Four strains-EAG-EC-12, EAG-EC-13, EAG-EC-14 and EAG-EC-15were used for this purpose. V. zizanioides was grown



in garden soil spiked with 1500 µg g-1 of endosulfanand inoculated with 100 ml of microbial culture ofabove motioned strains. Effect of microbial inoculationon plant growth, endosulfan degradation, microbialbiomass carbon, dehydrogenase activity andendosulfan removal percentage were analyzed. Themicrobial inoculation significantly enhances thegrowth of test plant, microbial biomass carbon,dehydrogenase activity and endosulfan dissipationfrom soil (p<0.05). Results of the present studysuggested that the presence of V. zizanioides aided thebacterial degradation of endosulfan in soil, as thedegradation percent of endosulfan was found toincrease between 9.05 to 20.69% as compared withnon -vegetative experiment. Formation of endosulfandiol and endosulfan lacone, the non toxic metabolitesof endosulfan shows that, utilization of these microbesin combination with V. zizanioides will be very usefulin the bioremediation of endosulfan contaminatedsoils/sites.Key words: Rhizoremediation, Contaminants, Detoxification,Metabolites, Tolerance

SVI/O-13

Sustainable Phytomanagement of Fly AshDump based on Naturally ColonizingPlantsVimal Chandra Pandey* and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The huge generation of fly ash (FA) from coal-based thermal power plants has become a majorconcern worldwide. The dumping of FA hasencroached thousands of hectare land nearby coal-based thermal power plants. Countries like China,United States, India, Europe, South Africa, Australia,Japan, Italy, and Greece produces huge amount of ash.FA landfill contaminates both aquatic and terrestrialecosystems due to presence of heavy metals and otherpollutants. Some human health problems have beenidentified in residents of coal-based thermal powerplant. Therefore, phytomanagement of FA landfill areais suggested due to its cost-effectiveness and holisticapproach, which serves the purpose of stabilization,carbon sequestration and may provide a pleasantlandscape.

In this context, several plant species has beenfound effective in re-vegetating FA landfills. But onlylimited research on spontaneous vegetation basedremediation of FA landfills has been done. Therefore,it is urgently needed for scientific community todevelop spontaneous plant based phytomanagementof FA landfills. Furthermore, economical plant speciescan be used for this strategy, of “sustainablephytomanagement” help in to restore our ecosystemsnearby thermal power plants. The phytomanagementof FA dumps with multipurpose species will provideeconomic benefits and other ecosystem services.Key words: Fly ash dumps, Heavy metals, Sustainablephytomanagement, Naturally colonizing plants, Multipurposespecies

SVI/O-14

Biomixtures for Prevention of Point SourcePollution of PesticidesSantanu Mukherjee1*, Wolfgang Tappe1, DianaHofmann1, Stephan Köppchen1, Ulrich Disko1, LutzWeihermüller1, Peter Burauel2 and Harry Vereecken1

1Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institut für Bio-undGeowissenschaften, IBG-3 Agrosphäre, 52428, Jülich,GERMANY, 2Forschungszentrum Jülich, Sustainable Cam-pus, 52428 Jülich, GERMENY, Email: [email protected]

To overcome the problem of on farm pointsources of pollution stemming from improperhandling, spillages and leakages during filling andcleaning of spraying equipments, environmentalfriendly and low cost technology filter systems areunder development. Biocharand digestate mixtureswith two types of soil (sandy and silt loam) had beenused as a biofiltertest material for a respiration studyinstead of conventional mixtures of soil, peat andstraw. Theresults show that digestate is an easilyavailable C-source leading to highest release of CO2-compared to all other biomixtures used in theexperiment. It was found that with the addition of evena small amount (1% W/W) of biochar led to a profoundsuppression in the CO2-C release.

Further the fate of applied organic contaminantsto biomixtures depends on factors like soilpropertiesand climatic conditions as well as biologicaldegradation by the soil microbes. Toanalyze thedegradation potential of the different soil/amendment



mixtures a long termdegradation study (approx. 6month) is carried out with 3 different radiolabelledpesticides (Bentazone, Boscalid and Pyrimethanil).The results with 14C Bentazone show that 5%digestateand 5% biochar mixture (W/W) showed thehighest (nearly 15%) and 1% biochar the lowestrateof mineralization (approx. 1% of applied radioactivity)compared to the other biomixtures. Itis clear thatorganic amendment except biochar increases themineralization of bentazone.Key words: Biochar, Biomixture, Degradation, Digestate,Point source of pollution, Respiration

SVI/O-15

Arsenic Toxicity in Soils: Need forFractionation and SpeciationPankaj Kumar Srivastava*, Nandita Singh andRudra Deo TripathiEnvironmental Sciences Division, CSIR-National Botani-cal Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid of global concern. Itis usually originated geogenically, but can beintensified by human activities such as applicationsof pesticides and wood preservatives, mining andsmelting operations, and overuse of arseniccontaminated groundwater for drinking and irrigationpurposes. Arsenic contamination and accumulation insoils, waters and plants poses many risks to humanand ecosystem health and several major studies havebeen published on this subject. Arsenic is the elementof most concern with regard to food-chaincontamination. While, many researchers haveattempted to develop the relationship betweenconcentrations of arsenic in soils or plants and theeffects on plants or other organisms, it is found thatthe total arsenic concentration is not a good predictorof its toxicity levels. The regulations or guidelines usedto protect soil from arsenic pollution in most of thecountries are still based on assessing the totalconcentrations of arsenic present in the soil. There isa growing consensus that the concept of arsenicbioavailability needs to be considered inenvironmental risk assessments. But, a framework ofhow metal(loid) speciation information can assist thisassessment in soil systems is lacking. An appropriateassessment of environmental risks of arsenic must

consider the speciation information in bioavailability-based rationale to actually investigate site-specificmagnitude of arsenic toxicity. Apart from arsenicphytoavailability, arsenic bioaccessibility is animportant parameter of measuring uptake and toxicityof arsenic, which distinctly depends upon arsenicspeciation in soil-pore water. Such fact has led tosuggestions that soil tests aimed at assessing hazard(bioavailability) of arsenic in soils should measure thearsenic speciation in different soil arsenic fractionsrather than inappropriate tests based on total soilarsenic concentration that are still used in manycountries.Key words: Arsenic, Soil, Fractions, Speciation, Phytotoxicity

SVI/O-16

Assessment of Anthropogenic MetalContamination in Mumbai City usingTransplanted Lichens as BioindicatorsNilesh B. Dubey* and Hemlata K. BaglaDepartment of Nuclear and Radiochemistry, K.C. College,Mumbai-400020, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

Mumbai, in spite of most densely populatedIndian city and over-burdened with thousands ofindustries and millions of vehicles, till date no attempthas been made to measure the heavy metal depositionusing biomonitoring. Biomonitoring involves the useof biomaterials to obtain qualitative and quantitativeinformation on the quality of the environment. In thepresent work, we investigated accumulation of heavymetals in transplanted lichens by active biomonitoring,in different regions of Mumbai as anthropogenicactivities have altered balance of some heavy metals.Biomonitoring the quality of the environment, usinglichens as bioindicators, has been studied word-wideas these symbiotic organisms lack significant cuticle,stomata and epidermis and devoid of a well-developedroot system. Theyabsorb nutrient directly from theatmosphere along with pollutants far above theirphysiological requirements. Lichen transplants haveadvantage of exposing lichens in sites where they arenaturally absent, influenced by geographical, temporaland pollution sources and provide a cost- and time-efficient means to assess the impact of environmentaldisturbances. Initially, lichen Porina internigrans



(Nyl.) Mull. Arg. was collected from Bhimashankarforests of Western Ghats, far from any pollutingsources. After identification at LichenologyLaboratory, CSIR-NBRI, it was collected each year,December 2009 onwards, together with a small pieceof the substrate and transplantedin total 30 locationsand exposed for three months, collected, dried,cleaned, ground, digested and analyzed by ICP-OESfor heavy metals by comparing with NIST SRMs. Thecorrelations between exposure time and heavy metalconcentration were statistically tested which showeda spatial distribution in the concentration of elements.The initial content has to be measured prior to eachexposure experiment, as an inter-annual variability canbe observed, mainly for anthropogenic elements. Theaccumulation of different metals decreased withincreasing distance from the city center and all thesites exhibited an enhanced level of heavy metals. Thisstudy confirms ability of lichens for biomonitoring.To conclude, the use of lichens for transplants and themeasurements allowed the interpretation of theaccumulation trends and more systematic studies arerequired to be conducted in order to monitor the airquality and establish lichen biomonitoring.Key words: Anthropogenic, Biomonitoring, Bioaccumulation,Transplanted

SVI/O-17

Constructed Wetland: EcotechnologicalApproach of Sewage Treatment forConservation of Ganga River Water QualityU.N. Rai* and A.K. UpadhyayPlant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

The river Ganga, an iconic status and religiousheritage of India is facing formidable pollutionpressures and associated threats to its biodiversity andenvironmental sustainability. In order to conserve riverecosystem, constructed wetland has been proven a bestremedy which may act as biofilter at sewageconfluence site along river Ganga and can remove highload of nutrients including heavy metals.

To revitalize the river Ganga ecosystem, a sub-surface flow constructed wetland (CW) has beendeveloped at Shantikunj, Haridwar by raising potentialaquatic macrophytes; Typha latifolia, Phragmites

australis and Colocasia esculenta in gravel as medium.Sewage treatment potential of CW was evaluated byvarying retention time at three different stages of plantgrowth and stabilization. Monitoring results at 6months of operations revealed that CW can removemore than 90%, 65%, 78%, 84%, 76% and 86% ofBOD, TSS, TDS, NO3–N, PO4–P and NH4–N,respectively at 36 h retention time. Constructedwetland is particularly efficient in warmer climatesand in the region with long day length in winter. Inthis regard, water samples in winter and summer frominlet and outlet of the CW were collected and analyzed.Significant variations due to the species and seasonswere observed for removal of pollutants in CW. Resultsindicated that the average removal efficiency inphysico-chemical characteristics i.e., conductivity,TDS, BOD, TSS, NO3-N, NH4-N and PO4-P in summerand winter season were from 64.8-94.1% and 55.3-91.61%, respectively. Similarly, removal of metal werein order of Pb (86%) > Cu (84.01%) > Zn (83.48%) >As (82.23%) > Cr (81.63%) > Co (76.86%) > Ni(68.14%) > Mn (62.22%) during summer. Whileduring winter it was Pb (78.59%) > Cu (72.50%) >Zn (68.40%) > Co (65.12%) > Cr (64.5%) > As(63.18%) > Mn (53.34%) > Ni (51.39%). In general,the selected macrophytes used herein showed higherBCF and TF in summer than winter. The studydemonstrated that CW seems suitable ecotechnologyfor remediation of urban wastes containing metalsbefore entering into river Ganga.Key words: Ganga, Constructed wetland, Remediation,Sewage, Macrophytes

SVI/O-18

Rehabilitation of Sodic Waste Landthrough Agro-Forestry SystemR.C. Nainwal1*, D. Singh, R.S. Katiyar, S.S. Tripathi,S.K. Sharma, S. Singh, L.K. Sharma, V. Chaturvediand S.K. TewariCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Sodic soils are widely distributed in arid and semiarid regions of the world and suffer from high valuesof pH, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), sodiumabsorption ratio (SAR) and low fertility. In North India,Uttar Pradesh is occupying about 1.6 Mha of this typeof sodic waste land. To alleviate the pressure offulfilling the demand of wood, timber, fodder and food



for the enormous population of human and cattle, thevast sodic soil area has to be rehabilitated by plantingtrees or adopting agro-forestry system.

In this context, an attempt has been made torehabilitate sodic waste land through the establishmentof green cover, with diverse plant communities atDistant Research Centre of CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow during last few decades.A rehabilitated forest ecosystem was developedconsisting of a number of herbs, shrubs and trees.Derris indica, Dalbergia sisso, Azadirachta indica,Cassia siamea, Terminalia arjuna, Syzigium cuminiwere the dominant species in this rehabilitated forest,resulting in significant amelioration process,influenced greatly by diversity of species and theirproductivity. A combined effect of both biomassproductivity and species diversity contributed about92% towards amelioration. There was reduction in soilpH and ESP and an increase in organic C and Ncontents showing that sodicity has receded in the forestsoil. To meet the increasing demand of medicinal,aromatic, dye, gum, fibre, fodder yielding plants inthe present scenario, the shade loving plants of thesecategories can be grown successfully in between therows of economic trees like teak, poplar, Eucalyptusetc. Such agro-forestry models have been tried withvarious inter-crops like Curcuma longa, Rauvolfiaserpentina, Zingiber officinale, Desmodiumgangeticum and Asparagus racemosus etc. Thefindings of such studies are very useful for fulfillingthe demand of economic plants by utilizing thewasteland and free spaces of trees cultivated in such lands.Key words: Sodic soil, Agro-forestry, Medicinal and aromaticplants

SVI/O-19Degradation and Decolourization of DistilleryWastewater Melanoidins by ManganesePeroxidase (MnP) Producing BacteriaAshutosh Yadav and Ram Naresh Bharagava*Department of Environmental Microbiology, BabasahebBhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University),Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025, INDIAEmail:[email protected],[email protected]

Melanoidins are natural, dark brown to blackcoloured complex biopolymers of amino carbonylcompounds produced by non-enzymatic browning

Maillard reactions. Melanoidins are the majorcolouring and polluting constituents in distillerywastewaters, which retains dark black colour even afteranaerobic treatment and hardly changes in extendedaeration tank due to its recalcitrant nature. In this study,two aerobic bacteria RNBS1 and RNBS3 capable todegrade and utilize distillery effluent melanoidins ascarbon, nitrogen and energy source were isolated andcharacterized biochemically as gram positive, long rodshaped bacteria in chain giving positive tests formotility and catalase activity. However, both the strainshave shown the negative tests for indol production andoxidase activity. Further, on the basis of 16S rRNAgene sequence analysis, bacterium RNBS1 andRNBS3 was identified as Alcaligenes faecalis(DQ659619) and Bacillus cereus (DQ659620),respectively. During the degradation anddecolourization of distillery effluent melanoidins bythe axenic and mixed bacterial culture, the mixedbacterial culture was found more effective comparedto axenic culture RNBS1 and RNBS3 decolourizing73.79, 66.80 and 62.56%, respectively. In addition,the HPLC analysis of control and degraded sampleshas shown the biodegradation as well asbiotransformation of distillery effluent melanoidins bythe bacterial catabolic enzymes, characterized by SDS-PAGE yielding a single band of 43 KDa. The LC-MS-MS and other spectrophotometeric analysis has alsorevealed that most of the distillery effluent melanoidinsdetected in control samples were diminished from thebacteria treated samples and the disappearance ofdistillery effluent melanoidins from bacteria treatedsamples could be related with the degradation anddecolourization of distillery effluent melanoidins bythe developed bacterial consortium.Key words: Distillery effluent, Melanoidin. Alcaligenesfaecalis, Bacillus cereus, Degradation, Manganese peroxidase

SVI/O-20

Simultaneous Removal of Chromium,Sulphate, Nitrate and Phosphate fromSynthetic Tannery Wastewater byPhytoremediation using Tradescantia pallidaVibha Sinha, Kannan Pakshirajan* and RakhiChaturvediDepartment of Biotechnology, Indian Institute ofTechnology, Guwahati-781039, Assam, INDIAEmail: [email protected]



Effluent from leather industry is a majorenvironmental concern due to the presence ofchromium and various other ions, such as sulphate,phosphate, nitrate, etc., which need to be removed priorto its discharge into the environment.Phytoremediation is an efficient method to remove anddetoxify such pollutants from industry wastewater.Tradescantia pallida, is a plant species with lowmaintenance and capable of easy propagation even inareas with high pollution level, is known tobioaccumulate chromium and is also a bioindicator ofenvironmental pollution. In this study, simultaneousremoval of chromium, sulphate, nitrate and phosphateby T. pallida was evaluated. Different combinationlevels of Cr 6+, SO4

2-, NO3 and PO42- were planned as

per the Plackett-Burman design of experiments andthe plant species was grown in hydroponic system.The results revealed that removal of 85% chromium,80% sulphate, 94 % nitrate and 100% phosphate couldbe achieved with no visible phytotoxicity to the plantspecies at an initial Cr(VI) different concentration inthe range 5- 20 mg L-1. The results on the effect ofthese co-ions on Cr uptake by T. pallida furtherrevealed enhancement in the Cr(6+) uptake by sulphateand nitrate at a higher initial Cr concentration of 20mg L-1. On the other hand, Cr uptake was not affecteddue to phosphate both at high and low initial Crconcentration.Key words: Phytoremediation, Chromium, Tannerywastewater, Tradescantia pallid, Co-ions, Plackett-Burman

SVI/P-1

Engineered In situ Bioremediation: AnEmerging Technology for ContaminatedGroundwater RemediationDeepak Kumar*, Jahangeer Tomar, Pankaj KumarGupta, Brijesh Kumar YadavDepartment of hydrology,Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee-247667, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Groundwater contamination is one of the seriousissues in the 21st Century. Due to over exploitation ofgroundwater by agricultural, industrial and domesticsectors, slowly and gradually, groundwater is pollutingday by day. Ex-situ remediation of groundwater iscostly and it can’t check the migration of plume fromone location to another. Groundwater remediationusing the indigenous microorganism to degrade

contaminants which are present in the aquifer materialsis a fast emerging technology. In-situ bioremediationis one of the most successful technologies forgroundwater remediation because it has the ability toremediate the contaminated at the site at low cost ofremediation. A decade ago, in-situ bioremediation wasused only for petroleum hydrocarbons, but with theadvancement of technology, it is also used forremediation aquifer contaminated with other organicand inorganic contaminants. Engineered in-situbioremediation system comprises of injection andextraction wells. By adding sufficient nutrient andoxygen through injection wells, biodegradation ofcontaminant with the help of indigenous bacteria isfacilitated. Extraction wells on the other hand, checkthe movement of plume to migrate further in thedownstream direction. In the present study, in-situbioremediation technology for groundwaterremediation has been elaborated. Further, a case studyhas been done which applied the mentioned technologyon a hypothetical site. The results suggest that byadopting the proper pumping strategy for the injectionand extraction wells, the aquifer can be remediatedup to the desired permissible limit.Key words: In situ bioremediation, Petroleum hydrocarbon,Groundwater, Injection well, Extraction well, Biodegradation

SVI/P-2

Estimation of Air Pollution Tolerance Indexin Various Plant Species in Industrial Area,Gajraula, IndiaAjay Kumar*, Anshuman Gupta and Atul KumarPollution Ecology Research Laboratory, Department ofBotany, Hindu College, Moradabad-244001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

To analyze the Air Pollution Tolerance Index(APTI) in various plant species, two sites have beenselected in Gajraula i.e. Indra Chowk and Town Bastias industrial and control area respectively. Gajraula isan Industrial area and to ameliorate industrial airpollution only a suitable alternative way is, to growtolerant plants in and around industries. For thepurpose ten tree species along the roadsides werechosen to determine the APTI by calculating ascorbicacid content, chlorophyll content, leaf extract pH andrelative water content. The highest APTI was observedin Saraca indica (49.36), and lowest in Tectonagrandis (9.68). The results of the present study indicate



that Saraca indica, Alstonia scholaris and Ficusrumphii are found tolerant and can be planted alongthe industrial belt while Mangifera indica, Polyalthialongifolia, Cassia fistula are sensitive and can be usedas bioindicator to air pollution.Key words: Air pollution tolerance index, Industrial area, Airpollution, Biochemical parametersSVI/P-3Removal of Lead (II) from Aqueous Solutionsusing Carissa carandus and Syzygiumaromaticum: A biosorptive StudySuresh Mahiya* and S.K. Sharma1Green Chemistry and Sustainability Research Group,Department of Chemistry, JECRC University,Jaipur-303905, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Biosorption rightly follows the basic philosophyof Green Chemistry. It is very promising andenvironmental friendly approach in which utilizationof bio-based adsorbents is promoted. Biosorptiveremoval of Lead (II) from aqueous solutions byCarissa carandus and Syzygium aromaticum wascarried out in batch mode and investigated further.Biosorptivity of both of these biosorbents has beencorrelated with the concentration of metal ions, pHchange, agitation time, dose of adsorbent underidentical experimental conditions. The resultsobserved from both Carissa carandus and Syzygiumaromaticum were compared and analyzed for the betterremoval of lead from the aqueous solutions. SEMimages were recorded to visualize the sorptionbehavior of Carissa carandus and Syzygiumaromaticum. Also, the adsorption of Pb(II) wasdiscussed by the Langmuir and Frenduilich isothermmodels and the comparative results are presented inthe present paper.Key words: Green Chemistry, Heavy metals, Adsorption,Biosorption, Carissa carandus, Syzygium aromaticum,Langmuir isotherm, Frenduilich isotherm

SVI/P-4

Controlling Heavy Metal Soil Pollution byPhytoremediation: A Greener andSustainable ApproachRekha Kathal*, Priti Malhotra, Sanavar Soham andP.L. UniyalDaulat Ram College, University of Delhi, Delhi-11007,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

With increasing pollution and rapidindustrialization, there is a need to assess the effectsand relative sensitivity of plants to different pollutants.The careless handling of heavy metals has increasedtheir quantity in soil and water, thus severely affectingthe environment and organisms.Phytoremediation isconsidered to be a “green revolution” in the field ofinnovative clean up technologies. It describes thetreatment of environmental problems through the useof plants that mitigate the environmental problemswithout the need to excavate the contaminated materialand dispose it elsewhere. Some plants proved to bepopular organism for bio-monitoring to determine andidentify the sources of heavy metal soil pollution andtheir detoxification by phytoextraction techniques. Inthe present study, we have collected soil samples andsome of the efficiently growing plant species from thepolluted sites to find out the extent of heavy metalaccumulation in plant and soil samples besidesidentifying thehyper-accumulators.Soil and plantsamples were digested using green analytical techniquefor metal analysis and analyzed the heavy metalcontent using Atomic absorption spectrophotometry(AAS). We found Saccharum, Brassicajuncea,Tamarix and Ricinus as efficient accumulators of heavymetal from the soil. The general trend of heavy metalaccumulation pattern in soil samples from all the siteswas found out to be in order of:Zn>Mn>Pb>Cu>Ni>Cr>Cd. The concentration of Mnand Zn were higher in all the sites studied and Zn wasthe most accumulated heavy metal on an average.Saccharumand Brassicajuncea were found out to begood accumulators of heavy metals viz. Zn, Mn, Pb,Cr,Cu,Cd followed by Ricinusand Tamarixspecies. Thewild plants are good accumulators as found in thegreenhouse experiment and it may minimize chancesof biomagnification of heavy metals in food chain andfurther reduce the consequent chances of healthhazards.Key words: Phytoremediation, Hyper-accumulator, Heavymetal, AAS, Soil pollution, Phytoextraction, Biomonitoring,Biomagnifications

SVI/P-5

Isolation, Physiochemical Analysis andBiochemical Characterization of PetroleumHydrocarbons Degrading MicroorganismsShivendra Sharma*, Shallu Sihag and Hardik PathakDepartment of Biotechnology, JECRC University, Jaipur,



Rajasthan, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Petroleum has been used for many decades forillumination and, on a smaller scale, as lubricant.Environmental pollution by petroleum hydrocarbonshas become a serious problem all around the world.The contaminations caused by petrol and petroleumproducts have been proved a great disaster onecosystem. Bioremediation is one of the economicalmethods used to treat this threat and an approach tosave the environment from petroleum related issues.The present work has been focused on this approach,aiming to isolate novel bacterial strains capable ofpetroleum hydrocarbon degradation in situ conditions.In this study, physical analysis of the contaminatedsoil samples was done and chemical analysis by GC-MS was performed and the isolates capable ofdegrading a wide spectrum of hydrocarbons efficientlywere isolated by enrichment culture technique byBushnell Hass medium (BHM).Key words: PAH, Bioremediation, Hydrocarbons,Biodegradation

SVI/P-6

Aglonema commutatum as Bioindicator forIndoor PollutantsSeemaa GhateKnow How Foundation, Vaidehi Enclave,Bavdhan, Karvenagar, Pune-411052, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Chinese evergreen (Aglonema commutatum) wastested as bioindicator for pollutants released fromhousehold products. Potted plants were exposed to thepollutants released from mosquito coil, naphthaleneballs and joss sticks. The indoor pollutants releasedfrom these products are very dangerous to our health.These gases may affect our respiratory system, nervoussystem etc. After exposing these plants in exposurechamber to all indoor pollutants under consideration,they were monitored w.r.t. visible symptoms, PII , siteexperiments and GLC. The experiments were repeatedthrice. Amongst all products tested, Aglaonema wasfound more tolerant to pollutants released frommosquito coil than other two products studied.

Key words: Aglaonema commutatum, Mosquito coil,Naphthalene balls, Joss sticks, Bioindicator

SVI/P-7

Toxicological Assessment of IndustrialEffluent using Lemna minor as an AquaticToxicity Test ToolYogendra VermaNational Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar,Ahmedabad-380016, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Lemna minor is very commonly used as a toolfor wastewater toxicity and environmental pollutantassessment. This study aimed to assess the toxic effectof industrial effluents using duckweed (L. minor) andto evaluate its applicability for industrial effluenttesting. Industrial effluents from pulp-paper mills,tanneries and pharmaceutical industries were assessedusing 7-day static renewal test with Lemna minor. Thetoxicity test end-point was inhibition of growth asdetermined by frond (leaf) produced from mother plantby exposing them to various concentrations of thesethree industrial effluents. Sodium chloride was usedas reference standard toxicants. Plant growth decreasedprogressively with the increased concentration ofindustrial effluents compared to the control. Thetannery effluents showed toxicity range 12-18.0%, and95% confidence interval ranged (15.5-23.0%). Thepharmaceutical effluents showed wide range oftoxicity (75.7-24.4%) having 95% confidence intervalranged (65.5-90.8 and 9.8-37.7%). A relationshipbetween exposure concentrations and growthinhibition was observed (R2=0.87; R2= 0.95) forpharmaceutical effluents, and for tannery effluents(R2=0.92; R2=0.99). However, the pulp-paper milleffluents did not show any acute toxic response. Theresults of the study revealed that treated effluents fromboth the pharmaceutical and tannery industries weretoxic to Lemna and have phytotoxic property. Thetannery effluent showed highest toxicity followed bypharmaceutical effluent and no or little toxicity bypaper mill effluents. The results suggest that duckweedshould be used as a tool in the bio-monitoring ofindustrial effluents because of its simplicity, sensitivityand cost-effectiveness.Key words: Lemna bioassay, Growth inhibition, Industrialeffluents, Phytotoxicity



SVI/P-8

Biometabolic Estimation of Changes Ledby Butachlor Induced Toxicity and theirDegradation by Rice Field CyanobacteriumNostoc muscorumSumaiya Anees*, Neelam Pathak and Mohd ZeeshanDepartment of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow-226026, INDIA, Email [email protected],[email protected]

In the present study, butachlor (5, 10, 20, 40 and80 ppm) induced toxicity in Nostoc muscorum andtheir degradation was evaluated. The dose of butachlordependent decreased in the cell survival and growthof N. muscorum was noticed. Scanning electronmicroscopy revealed the adverse impact on the cellsize and shapes. Low concentrations of butachlor (10and 20 ppm) induced the over expression of apolypeptides of 31.0 K Da and 42.7 K Da, respectivelywhich could be responsible for developing resistancein the organism up to certain level. Further, thedegradation product of butachlor as a result ofmetabolic activities of N. muscorum, identified by GC-MS analysis includes phenols and benzenedicarboxylic acid indicating the utilization of herbicideduring active growth.Key words: Bioremediation, Butachlor, ppm, GC-MS, SDS-PAGE, SEM

SVI/P-9

Transformation and Stabilization ofChromium during Composting of TanneryEffluent Phytoremediated Biomass ofBacopa monneiri L.O.P. Shukla1* and U.N. Rai2

1Laboratory Quality Management Division, Ecomen Labo-ratories Pvt. Ltd., Lucknow-226024, INDIA. 2Plant Ecol-ogy and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-Nationalbotanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

An aquatic macrophyte (Bacopa monneiri L.)was used to remediate the tannery effluent for 14 dshowed significant improvement in physico-chemicalproperties and reduction in Cr concentration.Accumulation of Cr was found maximum in roots (358µg g-1dw) as compared to shoot (62 µg g-1dw) of the

plant. A laboratory scale composter was designed tostudy physico-chemical changes and role of microbesin stabilization and transformation of Cr duringcomposting of treated biomass. Results revealed thatthe composting process were quick within 7-21 d asindicated by peak time for various physico-chemicalparameters and drop in C/N ratio up to acceptable limit.The profile of microbial communities also indicatedthat population of anaerobic, aerobic and nitrifyingbacteria was increased quickly at the initial phase, andreached a peak level of 4.2x106, 9.78x108 and 9.32x109

CFU g-1, respectively at 21 d; while population ofactinomycetes and fungi was maximum i.e. 3.29x107

and 9.7x106 CFU g-1 ,respectively after 35 d ofcomposting. Overall bacterial population dominatedover the actinomycetes and fungi during thecomposting process. Cr(VI) was transformed to Cr(III)

during compost maturity. Sequential extraction of Crfractionation showed its stabilization via changing intoorganic matter-bound and residual fractions duringcomposting.Key words: Chromium, Composting, Stabilization,Transformation, Phytoremediation

SVI/P-10

Study on Role of Pseudomonas aeruginosaon Heavy Metal BioremediationGarima Awasthi1*, Anjali Chester1, Riya Srivastava2,Rachna Chaturvedi1, Jyoti Prakash1

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University-UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA. 2School of EnvironmrntalBiology A.P.S University Rewa, M.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Targetted removal of environmental toxins by useof biological processes is termed as bioremediation.It could either be intrinsic or engineered dependingon the requirement of the conditions. Steepindustrialization has led to a large amount of effluentsbeing let off into the environment. A major part ofthese effluents contain heavy metals. This researchwas aimed at quantifying the bioremidiativecapabilities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Theexperiment was carried out as a two phase study; thefirst phase consisted of quantifying the bioremediationfor Cu, Cr, Fe and Zn at three different concentrationssuch as 5%, 10% and 15%. Maximized results wereobtained with 15% solution of Copper, Zinc and



Chromium which showed reduction of free ionconcentration approx. 88.4%, 52.4% and 42.5%respectively at 72 hrs of incubation, while 53.7%reduction of free ion concentration of iron wasobserved in 10% solution at 72 hrs of incubation. Phasetwo experiment was carried out on actual on siteconditions with effluents from leather, paper and steelindustries to validate the research. The organismshowed maximum bioremediation of 44.6% for Cr inthe effluents from the leather industry and 18.0% forCr in effluent of pulp and paper industry where as theCr concentration was very low in effluent of steelindustry still bioremediation was taking place. Ineffluent of steel industry the maximum bioremediationof iron was 37.3%, followed by 11.1% in pulp andpaper industry, where as iron bioremediation was veryless in leather industry almost 3.5%. The Cuconcentration in effluent of all the three industries wasalmost negligible, although Pseudomonas aeruginosawas remediating metal even at very low concentration.The results obtained from present investigationindicate that Pseudomonas aeruginosa could be aneffective measure for remediation of heavy metals.Key words: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bioremediation, Heavymetals, Resistance, Environment, Effluent

SVI/P-11

Evaluation of Genetic Variability inTrichoderma/Hypocrea spp. using RAPDand its Molecular MarkersM. Singh1*, P.K. Srivastava1, H.K. Yadav2 and R.N.Kharwar3

1Department of Environmental Sciences, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department of Genetics and Plant Breed-ing, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 3Department ofBotany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, IN-DIA, Email: [email protected]

The genus Trichoderma/Hypocrea is soil bornefungi and is well known for their immense potentialin controlling plant pathogens and making soil moreproductive. Various molecular markers are being usedfor assessing genetic variations in various livingorganisms. In the present study, an attempt has beenmade to isolate and characterize arsenic tolerantTrichoderma/Hypocrea spp. by treating them withdifferent arsenic (inorganic sodium arsenate, AsV)

concentration. Efforts were also made to evaluategenetic variation among various strain for generatingvaluable genetic information using internal transcribedspacer region (ITS) and random amplifiedpolymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers. ITSresults revealed that among six, three stains belongsto different species of Hypocrea (Hypocrea nigricansand Hypocrea lixii) from Uttar Pradesh and (Hypocreaorientialis) from West Bengal and remaining threeTrichoderma species (Trichoderma harzianum andTrichoderma longbrachiatum) from Uttar Pradesh andone species of Trichoderma longbrachiatum fromWest Bengal. The 10 RAPD primers produced a totalof 150 scorable bands with average polymorphism of97.33%. The Jaccard’s similarity coefficient variedbetween 0.12 and 0.68 with maximum betweenFNBR_L46 and FNBR_L61. A high intra and interspecific variations was observed in conjunction withITS and RAPD assay together. The study supports inmonitoring highly arsenic tolerable fungi and theirsubsequent use can help developing in bioremediationtechnology.Key words: Arsenic, Trichoderma/Hypocrea, Geneticvariability, ITS, RAPD

SVI/P-12

Comparative Analysis of Arsenic Removalfrom Aqueous Solution using ImmobilizedFungal Biomass of Different Fungal Strainsin Batch ModeVirendra Jaiswal*, Suman B. Singh and PankajKumar SrivastavaDepartment of Environmental Sciences, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Fungi are effective bisorbents for the removal ofheavy metals from aqueous solution. In present study,immobilization of fungal biomass in a solid polymermatrix (alginate) was done to enhance their adsorptioncapacity. In the study, biomass of four fungal strainsFNBR_FA3, FNBR_FA6, FNBR_FA13 andFNBR_FA19 were immobilized in sodium alginate forthe preparation of beads. Individual fungal beadscontaining 1 g biomass of fungal strain was subjectedto batch experiment in 100 ml flask containing 50 mlof 50ppm arsenic solution (pH 6.0). Flasks wereincubated at 30±2, 120 rpm and removed at an interval



of 5 min upto 30 min, and then at 15 min interval upto4h. Arsenic concentration in aqueous solution samplewas estimated using ICP-MS. The equilibrium ofarsenic uptake was attained at 90 min with arsenicremoval of 58.0, 55.6, 53.5 and 39.5% byFNBR_FA13, FNBR_FA6, FNBR_FA3 andFNBR_FA19, respectively. The arsenic biosorption bydifferent fungal strains was ranging 5-30 mg g-1. Themost consistent arsenic biosorption was observed inthe case of FNBR_FA13 followed by the FNBR_FA6,FNBR_FA3 and FNBR_FA19.Key words: Bioremediation, Biosorption, Arsenic, Fungi,Alginate bead

SVI/P-13

Species of Lichen Genus Usnea: MostSuitable Organism for Long Term PollutionMonitoringD.K. Upreti1, Preeti Shukla1,2* and L.M. Tewari2

1Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA. 2Department of Botany, DSB Campus, KumaunUniversity, Nainital, Uttarakhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Lichen genus Usnea is characterized by fruticosegrowth forms having long shrubby and thread likethallus structure. Among the different growth form oflichens, the species of Usnea are conspicuous andeasily recognized on the substratum in nature. Owingto the highest sensitivity of Usnea to environmentalchanges, most of the species demonstrate sensitivityto disturbances caused by changes in microclimaticand environmental conditions of an area. Some speciesof Usnea, like Usnea longissima, grow luxuriantly inhigher temperate forests and gives spider-web likeappearance. Usnea species have frequently been usedas air-pollution monitoring tool in different parts ofthe world. The density and abundance of the speciescan be correlated with the changes in the forestecosystems. The preference of species to grow intemperate to higher temperate regions again helps toestimate the shifts caused due to climate change.

The distribution pattern of Usnea species mayplay an important role in bio-monitoring studies of anarea. India is represented by the occurrence of morethan 60 species of lichen genus Usnea of which boththe Himalayan and Western Ghats regions share equal

distribution of about 40 species in each. Thus themapping of distribution pattern of different species inboth the regions will provide an early indicationconcerning the potential air-pollution damage ormicro-climatic change in the area.Key words: Air-pollution, Lichens, Monitoring, Usnea

SVI/P-14

Trace Metal Speciation in Dust Depositedon Plant Leaves and their Foliar UptakePattern in a Representative SubtropicalEnvironment of Central IndiaTriratnesh Gajbhiye* and Sudhir Kumar PandeyDepartment of Botany, School of Life Sciences,Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University),Bilaspur-495009, Chhattis Garh, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Foliar dust on urban roadside plant leaves wasanalyzed with respect to their metal content in arepresentative subtropical industrial environment ofIndia (Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh) from six diverselocations. In order to study their foliar transfer, bothdust samples and plant leaves were analyzed for sixtarget metals such as Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd. Thestudy revealed that vehicular as well as industrialemissions were responsible for these deleterious heavymetals. These metals were mainly derived from theheavy traffic, impurities in fuels, residual friction,industrial emission, corrosion of metallic parts ofvehicles from engine wear, brushing and bearing ofmetals and street dust. The distribution of selectedheavy metals were at the order of (1) in foliar dust: Fe> Mn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Cd and (2) in leaves: Fe > Mn> Cd > Cu > Pb > Cr. The present study demonstrateddifferential pattern of metal distribution in dust andplant leaves. For instance, Mangifera indica,Calotropis procera, and Kigelia pinnata showedefficient accumulation potential for Fe. On the otherhand, Mangifera indica, Pongamia pinnata, Kigeliapinnata and Alstonia scholaris were found to be goodaccumulators for Mn. For Cr, Pongamia pinnata,Calotropis procera, Kigelia pinnata and Buteamonosperma showed good results, while Mangiferaindica, Pongamia pinnata, Calotropis procera andButea monosperma were found suitable for Pb.Moreover, Mangifera indica., Calotropis procera andKigelia pinnata showed relatively better accumulation



potential for Pb. In contrast to other metals, Cd showedsignificant accumulation in leaves with relatively highconcentration in leaves compared to their respectivedust samples. The results of this study suggested thatplant growing near the affected areas should beproperly screened for their biomonitoring as well asfoliar transfer potential. This is because the foliaruptake pattern seems to be intricate considering itsdynamic interplay between metal vs. plant species.Key words: Toxic metals, Source apportionment, Urbanroadside, Foliar uptake, Phytomonitoring

SVI/P-15

Comparative Efficiency ofPhytoremediation Potential of Azollapinnata and its Floating Associates forDecontamination of Municipal Waste WaterSoumyashree Pati1*, Prakash Chandra Dalai1,Ashirbad Mohapatra2, Kunja Bihari Satapathy1

1Post Graduate Department of Botany, Utkal University,Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar-751004, Odisha, INDIA.2Sri Jayadev college of Education and Technology,Naharkanta, Bhubaneswar-752101, Odisha, INDIA.Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Phytoremediation is an emerging, attractive andeffective means of remediation technology forreclaiming contaminated municipal and industrialwaste water, but when floating macrophytes areemployed as the agents of phytoremediation, thisbecomes more interesting due to their luxuriant growthand adaptability. In the present study thephytoremediation potential of four floatingmacrophytes namely Azolla pinnata, Spirodelapolyrhiza, Salvinia molesta and Pistia stratiotes werestudied for a period of 15 days. During the experimentthe morpho-biometric parameters of the plants andhydrological parameters were studied before and aftertreatment. By comparing the different growthparameters it was found that the biomass of Azolla,Salvinia, Spirodela and Pistia increased 15 fold, 8 fold,6 fold and 4 fold respectively. Similarly the PO4content of the waste water was reduced to the tune of94%, 92%, 92% and 95% wherein Azolla, Spirodela,Salvinia and Pistia were cultured. The NH3-N contentwas also reduced to 95%, 92%, 92% and 95% inAzolla, Spirodela, Salvinia, Pistia treated potsrespectively. The study revealed that pH, dissolved

oxygen and percentage oxygen saturation value hadincreased, while the values for other physico-chemicalparameters decreased significantly after 15 days ofculture of these floating macrophytes. An increase invalue of pH, dissolved oxygen and decrease in valueof alkalinity, carbon dioxide concentration, C.O.D.,hardness, Nitrogen and Phosphorus value indicatedan improvement in water quality. An increase in freshweight and chlorophyll content of these macrophyteshave suggested its potential in phytoremediation forremoval of pollutants with special reference tonutrients like Nitrogen and Phosphorus from domesticwastewater. Hence, water purification may be possibleby periodic culturing of aquatic macrophytesespecially Azolla, Spirodela, Salvinia and Pistia inponds or lagoons made for the treatment of waste waterbefore discharging the effluent into the main waterstreams. The significance of the present study,therefore, envisages the implementation of a biologicalsystem of water purification through the use ofmacrophytes which will be eco-friendly as well aseconomically viable as compared to the cost intensivecommercial physico-chemical methods.Key words: Phytoremediation potential, Azolla pinnata,Municipal waste water

SVI/P-16

Cyanobacterial Modulated Changes and ItsImpact on Bioremediation of ‘Usar’ SoilsVeenus Singh1*, K.D. Pandey2, Shatrughna Singh1

and Durg Vijay Singh1

1Department of Botany, Udai Pratap College Varanasi-221002, INDIA. 2Department of Botany, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

‘Usar’ soils have high pH and undesirable saltson their surface. A halotolerant, heterocystous andnitrogen fixing cyanobacterium Nostoc calcicola growsuccessfully on ‘Usar ’ lands. A soil potexperimentation has been conducted in laboratorycondition to study the reclamation of ‘Usar’ soilscollected from investigated site. Both sterilized andnatural soils were taken in earthen pots to observe thechanges in soil properties inoculated withcyanobacteria and gypsum. A significant decrease inpH, ECe and Na+ has been observed withcyanobacterial application in treated soils and increasein organic carbon. Experimental reclamation of such



soils has been found with cyanobacteria with orwithout gypsum. Nostoc calcicola + gypsum seem tobe a suitable combination for reclamation of ‘Usar’soils. This study highlights that a biologicalamendment with halotolerant cyanobacteria andgypsum in combination shows better option forbioremediation of ‘Usar’ lands.Key words: Cyanobacteria, Nostoc calcicola, Bioremediation,‘Usar’ soils

SVI/P-17

Phytoremediation of Chromite-AsbestosMine Waste: A Case Study of Blighted Hillsof Roro, Chaibasa, IndiaAdarsh Kumar1*, Subodh Kumar Maiti1 and RajShekhar Singh2

1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering,Centre of Mining Environment, Indian School of Mines,Dhanbad-826004, Jharkhand, INDIA. 2Central Institute ofMining and Fuel Research, Council of Scientific and Indus-trial Research, Dhanbad-826001, Jharkhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Roro mines of Chaibasa, West Singhbhum,Jharkhand were mined for several decades forextraction of magnetite, chromite and asbestos and leftabandoned since 1983. Chromite-asbestos mine wasteand agricultural soil were found poor, both in physicaland chemical properties such as sandy texture, lowelectrical conductivity, organic carbon, availablenitrogen and phosphorous. Total and DTPA extractablemetal concentrations were found in the order of Cr >Ni > Mn > Cu > Zn > Pb > > Cd > Co. The total metalconcentrations were found high in the mine waste(2555 mg Cr kg”1 and 1160 mg Ni kg”1) andagricultural soil (1983 mg Cr kg-1 and 1100 mg Nikg”1) and above the threshold toxicity limit, howeveronly small proportion of these elements were foundplant available (0.07% and 0.038%). Pot scale studywas conducted using two aromatic grasses,Cymbopogon citratus and Chrysopogon zizanioidesby applying different proportions of organic manures(chicken manure and farmyard manure). Applicationof manures resulted in significant (p < 0.05)improvements of mine waste characteristics and plantgrowth, reduction in the availability of total extractablemetals (Cr and Ni) and increase in Mn, Zn and Cuconcentration in the substrate. The maximum growth

and biomass production for C. citratus and C.zizanioides were found in T-IV combinationcomprising of mine waste (90%), chicken manure(2.5%), farmyard manure (2.5%) and garden soil (5%).Metals were mainly accumulated in the below groundpart of C. citratus (523 mg Cr kg-1 and 140 mg Ni kg-1) and C. zizanioides (475 mg Cr kg-1 and 112 mg Nikg-1). Addition of combination of organic manuresresulted in lower metal accumulation in roots andreduction in translocation to shoots in compare to thecontrol plant. Study indicates that, C. citratus and C.zizanioides are excellent grass species for thephytostabilization of chromite-asbestos mine wasteand it can be added in the enhancement of aestheticand commercial value.Key words: Phytoremediation, Heavy metal, Aromatic grasses,Organic manures, Cymbopogon citrates, Chrysopogonzizanioides

SVI/P-18

To Decontaminate Wastewater EmployingBioremediation TechnologiesParul Sharma* and Sonali PandeJECRC University, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302033, INDIA,Email:[email protected],[email protected]

Bioremediation is an ecologically sound andstate-of-the-art technique that employs naturalbiological processes employing microorganisms,fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return thenatural environment altered by contaminants to itsoriginal condition. to completely eliminate toxiccontaminants occurring in sludges, and ground watercontaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents,pesticides, wood preservatives, and other organicchemicals, especially effective for remediating lowlevel residual contamination in conjunction withsource removal. Compared with other technologies,such as thermal desorption and incineration (whichrequire excavation and heating), thermally enhancedrecovery (which requires heating), chemical treatment(which may require relatively expensive chemicalreagents), and in situ soil flushing (which may requirefurther management of the flushing water),bioremediation may enjoy a cost advantage. Not allcontaminants, however, are easily treated bybioremediation using microorganisms. For example,



heavy metals such as Cd and Pb aren‘t easily absorbedor captured by organisms. The assimilation of metalssuch as Hg into the food chain may worsen matters.While bioremediation (nor any other remediationtechnology) can‘t degrade inorganic contaminants, canbe used to change the valence state of inorganics andcause adsorption, immobilization onto soilparticulates, precipitation, uptake, accumulation, andconcentration of inorganics in micro ormacroorganisms. These techniques, while still largelyexperimental, show considerable promise ofstabilizing or removing inorganics from soil. Thismanuscript delineates the general processes ofbioremediation within the soil environment, factorsof bioremediation strategies, genetic engineeringapproaches, monitoring bioremediation, and further,the pros and cons of the technique, limitations andpotential of both ex situ and in situ bioremediation asviable alternatives to conventional remediation areexplained and addressed.Key words: Bioremediation, Heavy metals, Contaminants,Adsorption

SVI/P-19

Eggshell as a Heavy Metal Adsorbent fromWaste WaterAshish Kumar Jain* and Rajesh YadavDepartment of Zoology, JECRC University, Jaipur-303905,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Most of the heavy metals are found toxic andcarcinogenic and cause a serious threat to the humanhealth. And due to their non-biodegradability andpersistence, can accumulate in the environmentelements such as food chain. Heavy metals in industrialeffluents include copper, nickel, chromium, lead, zinc,arsenic, cadmium, selenium and uranium. The dried,crushed and powdered eggshell material has thepotential to be used as bio-sorbent for adsorption ofheavy metals from waste water. Eggshell powder is acheapest waste material and can easily be used for thetreatment of industrial wastewater containing heavymetals. This waste treatment method is found to be acheaper, quicker and more efficient method than anyother techniques. The adsorption rate is dependent onthe adsorbent quantity, initial concentration of metaland type of metal. The eggshell helps in the adsorptionof heavy metals in wastewater because of its calciumcarbonate, magnesium carbonate and calcium

phosphate content responsible for metal adsorption.Adsorption process further described throughFreundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. So the useof egg-shells can be a better and cheap option for theremoval of heavy metal pollutants from the waste water.Key words: Heavy metal, Adsorption, Bio-sorption, Eggshell,Freundlich isotherm, Langmuir isotherm

SVI/P-20

Mycoremediation of Cypermethrin fromDifferent Regions of PunjabParminder Kaur1*, Pallavi Biswas1 and LeenaParihar2

1Department of Paper Technology, Indian Institute of Tech-nology, Roorkee-247001, INDIA. 2Department of Biotech-nology, School of Biotechnology and Biosciences, LovelyProfessional University, Phagwara-144411, Punjab, INDIA,Email:[email protected],[email protected]

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroidinsecticide, extensively used in cotton, fruit andvegetable crops as well as in animal health, home andgarden pest control worldwide. A currentenvironmental concern is the contamination of aquaticecosystem due to pesticide discharges frommanufacturing industries, agricultural runoff, leaching,accidental spills and other sources. The objective ofthis study was to isolate the competent strains of fungiand to examine the potential of fungi for theMycoremediation of Cypermethrin. The isolation andcharacterization of such fungal strains is essentialbecause of the environmental pollution, caused byleaking of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to surfaceand groundwater, which causes serious environmentaland social problems throughout the world. Fungalisolates were isolated from agricultural soil; two ofthem were shown to degrade Cypermethrin (100 mgL-1) within 5 days and identified by using of 18S rRNA.The results showed 97% resemblance with Fusariumoxysporium strain 8-11P and Fusarium sp. zzz1124.Both qualitative and quantitative investigations wereconducted on the pesticide’s residues using FTIR set-up and HPLC analysis respectively. These results showthat the fungal strain may possess potential to be usedin bioremediation of pyrethroid-contaminatedenvironments.Key words: Biorememediation, Mycoremediation,Cypermethrin, Pyrethroids, Pesticides



SVI/P-21

In vitro Degradation of Hexacosane byBacteria Isolated from Petroleum SludgeShweta Mishra* Nitanshi Jauhari and S.N. SinghCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Alkanes are main constituents of natural gas,petroleum, petrochemical products and coal. They areproduced in the biological and geochemical processesand released into the environment by anthropogenicactivities. These are generally classified into linear (n-alkanes), cyclic (cyclo-alkanes) or branched (iso-alkanes). Low molecular weight alkanes are usuallyvolatile in nature and easily degradable, while highmolecular weight alkanes are highly persistent in theenvironment. Alkanes are aliphatic compounds andchemically very inert their metabolism by microbesfaces challenges of water solubility and accumulationin the cell membranes and the energy to activate themolecule. Low molecular weight alkanes are directlytaken up by microbes from the water phase and easilytransported into the cells, while medium and long chainalkanes uptake is facilitated by the hydrophobic cellsurface or biosurfactant produced. A key process foralkane degradation is oxygenation of terminal methylgroup. Since alkane-degrading bacteria possessmultiple genes for alkane hydroxylases, they are highlycapable of degrading a wide range of alkanes. Alkanedegradation is initiated by alkane hydroxylase totransform alkane to alkanols. In vitro degradation ofhexacosane (C26H54), a HMW n-alkane, was studiedin MSM by two bacterial strains i.e., Pseudomonassp. BP10 and Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens E9,isolated from petroleum sludge, in isolation andcombination. The results revealed that both the strainswere able to metabolize hexacosane by 82% inisolation and 98% in their consortium after 7 days.An enhancement of 16% in hexacosane degradationby the consortium indicated an additive action ofbacterial strains. However, in control, a degradationof 21% was attributed to abiotic factors. Duringincubation with hexacosane, both the bacteriacontinued to multiply in isolation and consortium,which reflected that hexacosane was utilized bybacteria as a carbon and energy source. Activities ofalkane hydroxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase were

differentially expressed in isolation and combination,indicating their involvement in hexacosanedegradation. Enhanced cell surface hydrophobicity andemulsification index and reduced surface tension alsosupported the degradation process.Key words: Alkanes, Bacteria, Hexacosane, Degradation

SVI/P-22

Adsorption Kinetics for HexavalentChromium Removal from AqueousSolution on Low Cost Bio-CharsShalini Rajput* and Dinesh MohanSchool of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, New Delhi, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Heavy metal contamination pose a serious threatto the environment. High level of heavy metals aredischarge into aqueous bodies due to impropertreatment of the industrial toxic wastes. Due to theirhigh solubility in the aquatic environments, heavymetal affects to the public health. Hence, it is necessaryto remove such hazardous heavy metal ions fromwastewater prior to its discharge to the environment.The current work focuses the application of oak woodand oak bark chars obtained from fast pyrolysis at 400–450p C.These chars were characterized to identify theirparticles size, surface morphology and chemistry,composition, mineralogy, and surface area and appliedfor removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueousmedium through batch sorption techniques. pH studywas carried out at pH range of 2-10. It confirmed thatmaximum chromium removal was found to occur atpH 2.0and it decreased rapidly as pH increased.Sorption kinetics were performed to evaluate the effectof time on adsorption of chromium with an adsorbentdose of 10 g/L. Kinetic studies were furtherinvestigated to find the sorption equilibrium ofchromium on the adsorbents over an initialconcentration range of 1–100 mg/L. The experimentalresults suggest that byproduct chars from bio-oilproduction could be effectively employed asinexpensive and promising adsorbent for the removalof chromium from contaminated water.Key words: Heavy metals, Bio-char, Remediation, Fastpyrolysis, Batch study



SVI/P-23

Green and Instant Synthesis of GoldNanoparticles by Trichoderma sp. and itsHeterogeneous Catalysis in Degradation of4 NitrophenolMadhuree Kumari*, Shipra Pandey, Vasvi Chaudhary,Charu Lata, Aradhana Mishra, C.S. NautiyalCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Division ofPlant Microbe Interactions, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Nanotechnology has revolutionized the conceptof catalysis making it highly desirable for efficientand rapid organic transformations. Gold nanoparticleshave emerged as an excellent heterogenous catalystwith their highly active solid surface and recyclability.Though there are several modes of synthesis of goldnanoparticles, the biological method has attracted alot of attention because of its simple, ecofriendly andcost effective approach. The present study aims tobiosynthesize the nanoparticles within minutes withwell-known bio control agents, Trichoderma viride andHypocrea lixii. The biosynthesis of the nanoparticleswas very rapid and took a minute at 30°C when cell-free extract of the T. viride used , which was similarby H. lixii but at 100°C . The biosynthesizednanoparticles were stabilized by the metabolitespresent in cell free extract of Trichoderma sp. Thesynthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized byvisual observations, UV-vis spectroscopy, Zeta sizer,Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), SelectedArea Electron Diffraction (SAED) and energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). UV-Visspectrum was observed at 528 nm after one min ofaddition of HAuCl4 to the cell free extract of T. viride.It yielded mixed population of spheres, rods, triangles,hexagons of size 10-80 nm at 30ÚC while sphericalparticles of size 2-40 nm were obtained at 100°C byT. viride and H. lixii, respectively. In the presence ofbiogenic gold nanoparticles, yellow color of 4-nitrophenol disappeared within 30 min into colorlessindicating its degradation to 4- aminophenol. Inaccordance with the visual observations, theabsorbance decreased from 400nm to a new peak at260nm indicating formation of 4 –aminophenol. Thesmall quantity of gold nanoparticles required and itsreuse for bioremediation purposes not only makes it asubstitute for catalyst matrix but also provides a new

hope to green and low cost bioremediation. To the bestof our knowledge, this is the first report of such rapidbiosynthesis of gold nanoparticles within min byTrichoderma having plant growth promoting and plantpathogen control abilities, which served as an efficientbiocatalyst.Key words: Catalysis, Gold nanoparticles, Biosynthesis,Trichoderma viride, Hypocrea lixii

SVI/P-24

Decomposition of Agroindustrial Wastesand its Impacts on Soil PropertiesKavita KashyapCh. Tarachand Degree College, Hapur-245101, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Decomposition of Agroindustrial wastes – PMC,Flyash, distillery spentwash (DSW) and aquatic weed(Eichhornia crassipes) inoculated by Trichodermaviride and mixed in treatments viz – PTDE, T1, T2, T3,T4 and over control. Its impacts on soil properties pH,EC, N.P.K. and S. content in soil was also been studiedafter pre-sawing and post harvesting. The decomposedmaterial compost (150 gm) was mixed with soil (5kg) @ 5 qt/acres on the seeds of Coriandrum sativumL. cv. Kalmi and Phaseolus aureus. Roxb. cv K-851was sawn in treated soil with compost. The resultsrevealed that the physiological effect on both test cropshas been observed and categorized efficiency in T4compost enhanced growth and yield and soil propertiessignificantly increased due to higher nutrient statuswhich gradually decreased in T3, T2, T1, PTDEtreatments. It is not only produces beneficial effectson crop productivity but also on soil fertility as wellas for sustained growth. However, reuse theagroindustrial wastes control the pollution of river andland but also would have leap frog in curtainingdemand of chemical fertilizers.Key words: Decomposition, PMC, DSW, Trichoderma,Coriandrum

SVI/P-25

Role of Vermicompost in Biodegradation ofCrude Oil Contaminated SoilBabita Kumari1*, Jyoti2 and S.N. Singh1

1Plant Ecology and Environmental Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,



INDIA. 2School of Environmental Science, BabasahebBhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow-226025, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

An extensive use of petroleum oil and its productsleads to the contamination of most parts of ourenvironment. Crude oil spilled soil contains a mixtureof hydrocarbons (alkanes, aromatics, NSO andasphaltenes) in which various compounds areconsidered as a major environmental threat becauseof their potential for toxicity, mutagenicity andcarcinogenicity. Microbes are natural agents that leadto complete mineralization of petroleum hydrocarbonand that’s why bioremediation is considered as atechnology of less complexities, high efficiency, eco-friendly and cost-effectiveness. In presentmicrocosmic study, 4 set of treatments i.e. S1, S2, S3and S4 were prepared in twelve pots (three inreplicates) to monitor the role of microbes andvermicompost in the degradation of petroleumhydrocarbons. Each pot was filled with 2 kg of soilspiked with 10% of crude oil. Vermicompost wasapplied to S3 and S4, while bacterial combination ofPseudomonas sp. BP10 and Acinetobacter sp. PSM11were augmented in S2 and S4. Uninoculated pots (S1)were treated as control. The results revealed thatpresence of bioaugmented bacterial consortium andvermicompost could enhance the degradation of TPHup to 39% and 80%, respectively in isolation and77.8% in combination where as natural attenuationwas only 34% after 6 months of incubation period.Based on the LSD (13.37) analysis at p <0.01, it isclearly indicated that augmentation of vermicompostsignificantly enhanced the degradation of TPHwhereas bioaugmentation of microbes without anybiostimulant (vermicompost) could not boost thedegradation process significantly. Maximum increasein soil bacteria count in control and S2 was only 4-9folds while presence of vermicompost enhanced thesoil bacteria count up to 1000 folds. Maximuminduction of degradative enzymes like catecholdioxygenase in S3 and S4 also supported theapplication of vermicompost in the degradation ofpetroleum hydrocarbons. Vermicompost is organicmanure which enriches the soil with NPK and reducesthe bulk density of soil that enhances the soil porosityfor better air diffusion and water holding capacity. Dueto these qualities, vermicompost stimulates the soilmicrobes for longer period and hence, boost the

biodegradation process for faster reclamation ofpetroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil.Key words: Biodegradation, Petroleum hydrocarbons,Microbial combination, Degradative enzymes

SVI/P-26

Microbial Diversity in Fluoride ContaminatedSites and their Role in BioremediationAparna Singh* and Ragini GothalwalDepartment of Biotechnology and BioinformaticsCenter, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Fluoride contamination is presently one of themost vital problems in the world. The presence offluoride in groundwater is mainly due to specificfluoride rich minerals such as mica and amphiboles.Different scientists had worked on fluoride degradingmicroorganisms like Arthrobacter, Aspergilluspenicilloides and Mucor racemosus, Micrococcusluteus, Aeromonas hydrophylla, Micrococcus variansand Pseudomonas aerogenosa , Paenibacillus,Stenotrophomonas, Rhizobiales Strain F11 andRalstonia , Ancylobacter, Burkholderia, Cupriavidusand Staphylococcus , The enzyme fluoroacetatedehalogenases has been isolated from Moraxella sp.B, Pseudomonas sp. and Fusarium solani,Burkholderia sp. FA1, Pseudomonas fluorescensDSM8341 .This enzyme is known for its ability tocleave the highly stable carbon-fluorine bond. Fluoridedegrading microbes Pigmentiphaga sp. ECPB08 andAncylobacter sp. ECPB09 are closely related to eachother. Study of fluoride degradation through functionalanalysis will help in determining the biodegradationof fluoride concentration. Protein/Enzymecharacterization of fluoride degrading microorganismswill help in studying the diversity of potent isolates.Identities of the 16S rRNA gene sequences can bedetermined in Green genes software. RestrictionFragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysisenables to rapidly assign putative identities based ona database of fragments produced by known 16S rRNAsequences. Phylogenetic analysis of isolates can bestudied with the help of PAST and MEGA Software.Identification and Characterization of potent isolateswill help in understanding their diversity and theirconserved regions which have been there from theirevolution. The in-silico study of these enzymes andtheir molecular interaction will be advantageous in



understanding their toxicity and efficiency.Microorganisms are vital resource for bio prospectingnovel/ exceptional species which could yield valuablebioactive molecules necessary for eco friendlyremediation of fluoride.Key words: Fluoride, Contamination, Microorganisms,Biodegradation, Characterization, in-silico study

SVI/P-27

Arsenic Phytoremediation in Rice Seedlingsthrough CyanobacteriaRuma Ranjan1*, Navin Kumar1, Arvind KumarDubey1, Ambedkar Gautam1, Ishita Gupta1, S.Mallick1, U.N. Rai1 and S.N. Pandey2

1Plant Ecology and Environment Science Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg,Lucknow-226001, INDIA, 2Department ofBotany,University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Arsenic (As) is a non threshold carcinogen,present in ground water and agricultural fields ofIndian subcontinent in large extent. Arsenic affectshuman health adversely by consuming rice cultivatedin As contaminated regions. Rice being a major dietaryfood for more than 110 million of people in the worldits remediation and management has now become amatter of great concern. Since As cannot be removedfrom the contaminated soil. Minimization of As uptakethrough cyanobacteria could proved a feasible andenvironmental friendly techniques. Cyanobacteria areprokaryotic algae which known for its tremendousadaptability, metabolic versatility and capability ofboth photolithotrophic and heterotrophic growth.Cyanobacteria have been well known to tolerate andsurvive in heavy metals polluted water and soil.Arsenic biotransformation by cyanobacteria may playa critical role in the fate and toxicity iAs (inorganicAs) to methylated As. Experimental study showstolerance of cyanobecteria against high concentrationof As, and its ability to convert the toxic iAs torelatively less toxic oAs (organic As) i.e.,Monomethylarsenate [MMAs(V)], dimethylarsenate[DMAs(V)], trimethylarsine oxide [TMAsO(V)] andfinally volatilizes As by releasing trimethylarsine[TMAs(III)]. Our results showed that As tolerantcyanobacterial strain Anabaena sp. not only grow athigh concentration 1000 µM of arsenate [As(V)], butalso have the ability to accumulate the high (3556.1

µg g-1 DW) concentration of As(V) (500 µM).Experiment was carried out on Arsenic tolerantcyanobacterial Anabaena strain, to quantify thereduction of As toxicity in rice cv saryoo-52 seedlingsinoculated with Anabaena which treated with arsenateand arsenite (30-60 µM), under hydroponic growthconditions. The As uptake was found to reduce in ricewhen grown with 10% Anabaena strain, by 48.79 %and 33.25 % against 60µm As(III) and 60µm As(V)respectively.Key words: Cyanobacteria, Phytoremediation, Asbiotransformation, Methylation

SVI/P-28

Influence of Heavy Metal Toxicity on PlantGrowth, Metabolism and its Alleviation byPhytoremediation: A Promising TechnologyFarha Ashfaque*, Akhtar Inam, Seema Sahay andSaba IqbalEnvironmental and Plant Physiology Section, Departmentof Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002,Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Heavy metal pollution like contamination ofwater and soil are problems in recent time and causesserious effects to humans and animals which ultimatelyresults in destruction of environment. Heavy metalssuch as Cd, Cr, Pb, As, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mn, etc. areconsidered as environmental pollutants due to theirtoxic effects. Heavy metals alter the plant growth,physiology, metabolism and also involve in theproduction of reactive oxygen species which leads tosubsequent cell death, eventually results in reductionin crop growth and yield. To sustain the agriculturalenvironment, it is necessary to alleviate the toxicityof heavy metals from the environment, there arenumber of technologies evolved but, phytoremediationis an emerging technology that uses plants to clean uppollutants from the environment. Phytoremediation isthe promising technology for the remediation ofcontaminated soil because for its low cost, nonintrusiveness, aesthetically pleasing and sustainablefeatures. Hyperaccumulator plants absorb, accumulateand decontaminate very high concentration of metalsin their above-ground tissues from naturalcontaminated site such as mining, smelting, compost,sewage sludge, wastewater, flyash producing areas.Key words: Phytoremediation, Heavy metal,Hyperaccumulator



SVI/P-29

Sonchus asper (L.) Hill: A SuitableVegetation Cover on Red Mud DepositedSite for Enhancing the Soil Quality andPotential Phytoremediator of IronTripti Mishra1,2*, N.B. Singh2 and Nandita Singh1

1Eco-Auditing Group, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,2Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Engineeringand Technology, Uttar Pradesh Technical University, SitapurRoad, Lucknow-226021, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Bauxite residue is alkaline, insoluble, iron rich,major waste product of making alumina by bayerprocess and also known as red mud. Disposal of thisred mud requires larger areas which poses seriousenvironmental problems through wind erosion,abundant dust, air and water pollution. To overcomefrom these problems, effective restoration of thedisposal land through naturally growing vegetation isimportant to maintain the environment quality. So forthis purpose we investigated out the frequency(F),density (D), abundance (Ab) and important valueindex (IVI) of naturally growing vegetation onabandoned bauxite deposits to assess metal toxicitytolerance capacity of naturally growing vegetation.Greatest IVI index and visual observation representthat Sonchus asper can be identified as ecological toolfor the restoration of barren red mud (RM) land. Alongwith these studies, also examine the rhizosphere RMcharacteristics of S. asper, comparing it with other twodominating species present in this RM. Remarkablechanges were found in microbial and enzymaticactivities of the rhizosphere RM and compared withnonrhizosphere RM (adjacent non vegetated area).Thissoil analysis would confirm S. asper has maximumability to grow on derelict bauxite deposits and alsoenhance the biological activities of abandoned redmud. Translocation factor of iron in S. asper was foundmaximum (2.5) and can be reported as ironhyperaccumulator on the respective site. These resultssuggest that S. asper can be used in effectiverestoration of bauxite deposited land without anyinputs or maintenance.Key words: Bauxite residue, Sonchus asper, Derelict red mud,Ecological tool, Restoration

SVI/P-30

Fly-Ash Augmented Soil Enhances HeavyMetal Accumulation and Phytotoxicity inRice (Oryza sativa L.); A Concern for Fly-Ash Amendments in Agriculture SectorPradyumna Kumar Singh*, Preeti Tripathi, AmitKumar, Sanjay Dwivedi, Debasis Chakrabarty andRudra Deo TripathiCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, RanaPratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Utilization of fly-ash (FA) in the agriculturesector is very common now-a-days due to presence ofbeneficial elements required for plant growth. Besides,it also contains excessive amount of toxic metals. Toinvestigate the effect of FA on soil health, plantgrowth,toxic metal accumulation and antioxidants responses,rice (Oryza sativa L.) was grown onsoil amended with50% FA in natural condition. FA application resultedinreduction in soil enzymatic activities viz. ,dehydrogenase (DHA), acid phosphatase, â-glucosidase and urease than garden soil (GS). FAamendments significantly decreased the root, shootand panicle length and augmented sterility in rice. Thetotal accumulation of toxic metals, particularly Cd,Cr, Pb and As were 14-15 fold higher in roots andshoots and 4-20 fold higher in grains for the plantsgrown on FA amended soil than GS. The levels ofnutrient elements viz., Mn, Co, Cu and Se were lesserin grains of FA treated soil than GS. Lipid peroxidationwasincreased in root and shoot of FA treated plantsindicating oxidative stress. Activities of variousantioxidant enzymes viz., SOD, APX, GPX, GR andtheir isozymeswere correlated to each other and alsoincreased against heavy metal induced toxicity. Humanassociated risk analysis revealed that the calculatedmaximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI) values fortoxic metals (µg d-1) viz., Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb wasbeyond the safe limit in the rice grown in FA implicatedsoil. In conclusion, 50% FA implication deterioratesthe soil quality, rice production and elevates the toxicmetals in grains, which may be a concern for human health.Keyword: Antioxidant, Fly-ash, Heavy metals, Isozymes, Rice



SVI/P-31

Decolorization of C.I. Acid Red 131 byBacterial Strain Isolated from EffluentContaminated Soil of Bhadohi, Uttar Pradeshusing Sequencing Air-lift BioreactorLata Kumari1, Shraddha Awasthi1, Dhanesh Tiwary1

and Pradeep Kumar Mishra2

1Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology(Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi-221005, INDIA.2Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, In-dian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The dye wastewater from carpet industry is bigchallenge due to its recalcitrant nature. Present paperdeals with the biodegradation and decolonization ofC.I. Acid Red 131 dye using indigenously isolatedbacterial specie Microbacterium sp. BHUMSp X4.The bacterial strain was isolated from dischargedeffluent site near Carpet industry cluster of Bhadohi,Uttar Pradesh. Experimental investigations were madein a Sequencing Air- lift bioreactor using syntheticsolution of Acid Red 3BN. The effect of severaloperating parameters such as flow rate, pH,temperature, initial dye concentration and inoculumssize on removal of dye was investigated. The resultsshowed that dye removal followed pseudo-first orderkinetics and percentage removal increase withincreasing pH upto 8, temperature 35 °C and initialconcentration of 200 mg/l. The degraded metaboliteswere also studied by using UV-VIS spectrophotometer,HPLC and FTIR. The intermediates were identifiedand degradation pathway was proposed by using GC-MS analysis. Toxicity test with Vigna radiata showedthat the acute toxicity increased during the first stageof the reaction, and then gradually decreased aftertreatment.Key words: Carpet industry, Microbacterium sp. BHUMSpX4, Vigna radiate, GC-MS, Sequencing Air-lift bioreactor

SVI/P-32

Pollen Viability and Germination asBioindicator of Air PollutionChetna V. Ugale* and J.A. TidkeLaboratory of Reproductive Biology of Angiosperms,Department of Botany, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati Univer-sity, Amravati-444602, Maharashtra, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Aim of the present investigation is to assess theimpact of air pollution on pollen viability andgermination. The sites with different intensity of roadtraffic (heavy traffic, moderate and no traffic) andcommon plant species were selected for the study.Pollen viability and in vivo pollen germination of fourplant species viz. Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don,Datura inoxia Mill., Martynia annua L. and Tridaxprocumbens L. was evaluated. The pollen of thesespecies were treated with TTC (2, 3, 5-TriphenylTetrazolium Chloride) solution for estimation of pollenviability and anilin blue fluorescence staining was usedto estimate in vivo pollen germination. Mean pollenviability was observed to be reduced from control areato heavily traffic area as 80.64 to 70.42% in C. roseus,from 89.74 to 86.39% in D. inoxia, from 67.93 to21.40% in M. annua except T. procumbens whichshowed 84.31% viability in heavy traffic area and83.90% in no traffic area. The percentage of in vivopollen germination also showed reduction from 63.12to 45.38 % in C. roseus, from 58.54 to 30.14% in D.inoxia, from 76.06 to 35.26 % in M. annua and from46.11 to 45.97% in T. procumbens pollen collectedfrom the control area than the heavily traffic arearespectively. Highest percentage of pollen viability andin vivo pollen germination was found in pollencollected from control area than heavily traffic area.Pollen viability and in vivo pollen germination weresignificantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing trafficload. T. procumbens pollen were not influenced by airpollution; indicating some kind of resistance to thepollution. Pollen viability and in vivo germination weresignificantly differ with area of collection and trafficintensity.Key words: Air pollution, Biomonitoring, Pollen viability,Germination

SVI/P-33

Phytoremediation of Crude Oil ContaminatedSoil Employing Crotolaria pallida (Aiton)P. Baruah and S. Deka*Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Life SciencesDivision, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Tech-nology, Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati-781035, Assam, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

The present investigation deals with thephytoremediation of crude oil contaminated soilemploying Crotolaria anagyroides as the experimental



plant. The different concentrations of the crude oilapplied to the plant were 10000, 20000, 30000, 40000,50000, 60000, 70000, 80000, 90000 and 100000 ppmrespectively. A control setup was also maintainedwithout adding oil. The duration of the experimentwas fixed for six months. The results showed thatuptake of hydrocarbon by the plant were increasedwith increasing the concentration of the crude oil inthe soil up to 60000 ppm. After that uptake ofhydrocarbon by the plants were found lower with theincreasing dose of crude oil concentration. Uptake ofhydrocarbon by the shoot was found maximum in the60000 ppm concentration. Dissipation of totalpetroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) from the soil was alsogradually increased with increasing the concentrationof crude oil in the soil up to 60000 ppm. Results alsodemonstrated that there was a reduction in plant shootand root biomass with the increase of crude oilconcentration. Furthermore, results also revealed thatthe shoot biomass is higher than root biomass in controlalong with all the treatmentsKey words: Phytoremediation, Crude oil, Biomass, Uptake,Dissipation, Crotolaria pallida

SVI/P-34

Growth Fitness and Final Yield:Experimental base Characterization ofMetal ToleranceSeema Sahay*, Akhtar Inam and Saba IqbalAdvance Plant Physiology and Environmental Sciences,Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University,Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

An experiment was conducted during winterseason to determine the growth effectiveness byevaluating the tolerance of four oilseeds Brassicagenotypes grown in soil mixed with fly ash andirrigated with waste water under N, P and Kfertilization. The result showed that four genotypeswere found significantly different for growth and yieldcontributing characters like shoot and root freshweight, shoot and root dry weight, length of siliquae,siliquae per plant, seed number per siliqua, seed yield,oil content and oil yield. Phytoremediation indices likebioaccumulation factor, translocation factor, uptakerate, remediation factor and tolerance were alsodifferent in all the four species which indicated their

genetic variation and ability which dependent oncytogenetic makeup of the particular species. Further,Amphidiploid genotype AABB (B. juncea) and AACC(B. napus) outperformed due to their high seed yieldand metal accumulation as compared to rest of thetwo parent genotype i.e. AA (B. campestris) and BB(B. nigra). Thus, both amphidiploid species can berecommended for the general cultivation in soil mixedwith fly ash and irrigated with waste water as well asfor further use in improved breeding programme.While it is need to understand in future to study theeffect of both the wastes on the genes helps inaccumulating the heavy metals.Keyword: Tolerance, Brassica species, Wastes, Heavy metals,Phytoremediation

SVI/P-35

Ganga River Pollution Management byGreen Clean TechnologyM.K. Shukla*, A.K. Upadhyay, U.N. Rai andR.D.TripathiPlant Ecology and Environment Science Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The Ganga River is the largest and very importantriver basin of country as well as the world. The GangaRiver has been considered as the most sacred river ofIndia in Veda and Puran. It is called as “Ganga Maa”or “Mother Ganga” or “Ganga Ji”. People of worldbelieve that bathing in the holy water of Ganga washesall the past sins of a person. It has a symbol of purity,and for Mokshha. It has long history of reverence inIndia and it is often called Holy Ganga. The total lengthof the river is about 2510 K.M.; one of the largestgroups of human population belts on earth is builtaround the Ganga. It is originated from Bhagirathi fromGangotri glacier in the Uttarakhand. The level ofpollution in the Ganga River has reached alarmingproportions. Two types of point sources like, surfacedrains carrying municipal sewage or industrial effluent,pumping stations and sewage system from industriesetc are found. The point source can be measured.Second is non point source which cannot be measuredsuch as runoff agriculture field carrying chemical andfertilizers, run off from area used for dumping of solidwaste and open defecation, mass bathing, floralofferings etc. According to study nearly 89 million



liter of sewage is disposed into Ganga River from the12 municipal towns that fall along its route tillHaridwar. A constructed wetland is an artificial marshor swamp, created for anthropogenic discharge suchas waste water storm water runoff or sewage treatmentand as a habitat for wild life, or for land reclamationafter mining or other disturbances. Natural wetlandact as a biofilter, removing sediments and pollutantssuch as heavy metal from water, and constructedwetland is designed to emulate these featureas.Constructed wetland is built by humans. Theseconstructed wetlands are primarily built to clean upwaste water and create wild life habitat. Constructedwetlands naturally filter and treat waste water and areoften less expensive than traditional treatment plants.CSIR-NBRI has undertaken a research project to treatdomestic sewage with aquatic plants before allowingthem to flow into the river as a low cost, eco friendlyand sustainable solution. Under this project municipalsewage were treated by constructing constructedwetland together with aquatic plant viz., Typhalatifolia, Phragmites australis, Colocasia esculenta,Polygonum hydropiper, Alternanthera sessilis andPistia stratoites, which removed significant quantitiesof pollutants. Use of this technology for thebioremediation of sewage pollution and disposal intothe river Ganga will be discussed in detail during theconference.Key words: Sustainable, Aquatic plants, Bioremediation

SVI/P-36

Heavy Metal Evaluation in SomeTherapeutically Important Medicinal PlantsNiket Tandon*, Arif Muhammad and ManjooshaSrivastavaPhytochemistry Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Global climate change has become one of themost apparent environmental concerns of the 21stcentury. A major concern is the effects of climatechange expressed in terms of the real and potentialcost in human lives and suffering. Climate change iscurrently affecting public health through myriadenvironmental consequences. Medicinal plants are thebasic raw material for many nutrient and healthsupplements. World Health Organization (1998)recommends that medicinal plants which forms the

raw material for the finished product must be checkedfor presence of heavy metals (As, Cd, Hg and Pb,),pesticides, bacterial or fungal contamination, Heavymetals, in general, are non-biodegradable, have longbiological half-lives and have the potential foraccumulation in the different body organs.Consumption of food crops and plant basedmedicaments contaminated with heavy metals is amajor root cause for human exposure leading to acuteas well as chronic toxic effects. Thus it becomesmandatory to ensure the quality of the plant materialand detect the presence of contaminants. Hence in thestudy heavy metals particularly Cd and Pb are assessedin some therapeutically important medicinal plants fortheir quality evaluation and surveillance to standardizethe real material for its sustainable utilization indevelopment of plant based eco-friendly naturalproducts.Key words: Climate change, Health, Heavy metals, Medicinalplants, Quality evaluation

SVI/P-37

Induced Genomic Alterations throughImpact of Fly-Ash in Phaseolus vulgaris L.Nitu Chaudhary* and G. KumarPlant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany, Univer-sity of Allahabad-211002, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email:[email protected].

In the present scenario, environmental pollutionis a major threat being posed by human being all overthe world. Rapid urbanization, industrialization andanthropogenic activities are the key factors responsiblefor the deterioration of environment. Fly-ash is a by-product released from the combustion of coal inindustrial areas into the environment and consists ofcomplex particles of variable composition. The propermanagement of fly-ash is a matter of serious concernin developing countries. It imposes serious healthhazards on the people residing in adjoining areas nearthe industrial site as well as on the flora growingnearby. Plant assays have been widely used as animportant indicator of environmental pollution and isused to gauge the range of toxicity of pollutants onthe genome. The present study has been carried out toassess the impact of different concentrations of fly-ash on the chromosomal behaviour of Phaseolusvulgaris L. Different concentrations of fly-ash viz.100%, 75%, 50% and 25% have been amended in the



soil. One set has been maintained as control withoutimplementing fly-ash in the soil. The differentmorphological parameters have been taken intoconsideration for evaluating the effect of fly-ash onthe plants during the present investigation. It has beenfound that higher concentration of fly-ash beyond theoptimum level is capable of inducing alterations atthe genomic level and varying level of chromosomalaberrations such as scattering, precocious movementof chromosomes, stickiness, laggards, spindledisturbance, micronuclei etc. have been found.Key words: Fly-ash, Chromosomal aberrations, Plant assays,Phaseolus vulgaris L.

SVI/P-38

Strain Improvement for the Production ofBiosurfactants from Pseudomonas SpeciesIsolated from Oil Contaminated Sites ofAjmer (Rajasthan) and Analysis by HPLCRakesh Kumar Meghwanshi* and Seema BhadauriaDepartment of Microbiology, JECRC University, Jaipur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Biosurfactants are produced mainly bymicroorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and yeasts.They have a surface active property which is mediatedby amphiphilic nature of molecules.Biosurfactantshave hydrophobic and hydrophilicregions which allowing them to act assurfactants. Thisaction of surfactant is mediated at the interfacesbetween aqueous and non-aqueous components in acomplex system and at the liquid gas interface.Recently biosurfactants gained importance in variousfields because of their low toxicity, highbiodegradability and powerful surfactantproperties.The present study was aimed to improveproduction of biosurfactants from Pseudomonasspecies which mainly produce rhamnolipidbiosurfactantwhich provide significant opportunitiesto replace chemical surfactants with sustainablebiologically produced surfactants. In continuation ofthese studies, the present work intended to purifycharacterize the biosurfactant produced by thebacterial species Pseudomonas.Key words: Biosurfactants, Amphiphilic, Hydrophobic andHydrophilic regions, Rhamnolipid, Pseudomonas species

SVI/P-39

Plant Leaves as Urban Aerosol Bio-MonitorIndicatorSimpy Singh*, N.C. Gupta and P. BhattacharyaUniversity School of Environment Management, GuruGobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi-110078, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Increasing aerosol concentration in urban areashas raised a serious concern for the human andenvironment health specifically by the related metalany organic or inorganic embedded in the matter.Particulate matter (PM) is emitted by anthropogenicsources such as vehicle exhaust, road dust, coalburning, industrial processing, cement and fertilizerproduction along with some natural sources such assoil and rock erosion. The studies have shown theeffect of PM in human lungs till the alveoli-sacs whichaffects the respiration process, causing fatal respiratorydiseases. To understand this situation, we needcontinuous monitoring of particulate matter in air toregulate its concentration and provide for properabatement techniques. One of cost effective techniquecould be the plants which absorb, accumulate andintegrate the pollutants impinging on their foliarsurface and show diverse response. Various studieshave indicated that roadside vegetation has thepotential to capture road generated air pollution andsubsequently lessen their concentration beforedispersion in adjacent surroundings. Urban greenspaces while can be defined as the raising andmanagement of trees, gardens and roadside avenueson public and privately owned lands in and aroundurban centers. The clear understanding for the valueof urban tress in removal of particulates requires thestudy of plant characteristics, particle size, climaticfactor, safety considerations and aesthetics whichdetermine their capture efficiency. The present studyinvestigates the scope of using plant leaf behavior asaccumulative bio-monitors of PM in urban areas. Theambient air was monitored for a week in May, 2014 atone of the traffic site – Rajendra place marg in Delhifor the particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 concentrationfor eight hours representing time for major trafficcommuting. The leaves of two commonly found plants-Alstonia scholaris and Polyalthia longifolia werecollected with utmost care for the study of dust



deposited on the surface. Further Scanning ElectronMicroscopy (SEM) was used to study the morphologyand size particle deposited and Energy dispersed X-rays analysis (EDX) for the chemical composition ofdust matter.Key words: Urban Green Space, PM, Dust deposition, SEM-EDX, Bio-monitor

SVI/P-40

Antibacterial Activity of some Potential AlgalStrains of Bundelkhand Region of Central IndiaNeha Srivastava1*, M.R. Suseela1, Kiran Toppo1,Shivam Mishra1 and Rubina Lawrence2

1Algology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA 2Department ofMicrobiology and Fermentation Technology, SHIATS,Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Microalgae are highly potential source ofbioactive molecules, able to produce active substanceslike antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anticancer.As the pathogenic microbes are becoming resistant tothe synthetic drugs or becoming multi drug resistant,algal bioactive compounds are started investigatingfor their antimicrobial activities. In the present studysome region specific, indigenous algal samples werecollected from different sites of Bundelkhand regionof Uttar Pradesh. A total of three algal strains such asOscillatoria sp., Scenedesmus sp. andNannochloropsis sp. were isolated and screened fortheir antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteriaStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacilluscereus. Algal strains were cultured in haffkins flasksusing BG11 media, centrifuged and lyophilized. Thealgal extract was taken out from 250 mg dry algalpowder mix in 15ml four different solvents ethanol,methanol, acetone and diethyl ether, shaken overnight,centrifused and the supernatant was used for theantimicrobial activity. Extract was preserved in 4p Cfor further use. Disc diffusion method was used forantibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity wasusing (ethanol, methanol, acetone and diethyl ether)algal extract was control. The result showed thatethanol extract of Oscillatoria showed maximum zoneof inhibition against Bacillus cereus andStaphylococcus aureus, where as acetone and ethanolextract of Scenedesmus revealed maximum zone ofinhibition against Bacillus cereus. Ethanol extraction

of Nannochloropsis shown maximum zone ofinhibition against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcusaureus. Research methodology and results werediscussed in detail in the full paper.Key words: Antibacterial activity, Algal strains

SVI/P-41

Seasonal and Annual Atmospheric ElementalSurvey by Mosses: A Conceptual ApproachDinesh Kumar Saxena1*, Hazem M. Kalaji2,Magdalena D. Cetner2, Izabela A. Samborska2 andIzabela Lukasik3

1Departmen of Botany, Bareilly College, Bareilly, UttarPradesh, INDIA. 2Department of Plant Physiology, Facultyof Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sci-ences (WULS-SGGW), POLAND. 3Racalawicka 106, 02-634 Warsaw, POLAND, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Atmospheric contamination is one of the mostpressing problems fa-cing by the world at present. Theemission of contaminants has been increasing eversince the industrial revolution. To meet this challengeEuropean Union has issued directives to initiateintensive atmospheric monitoring in Europe (first 96/62/EC and later 2008/50/EC). Every year in Februaryall European workers meets together in Europe todiscuss its trend. In India and its adjoining states, thereis an alarming increasing trend of the atmosphericmetals. Contrary to Europe where lead (Pb) value isclose to 2 ppm or less, same is in the ranges from 28to 60 ppm even some time more. This has enabled theestablishment of large and small scale net-works forextensive studies (e.g. regional or national studies).Taking into ac-count all of the above, there is currentlya need to develop new specifica bio-tools, which wouldenable the simple, economic and robust monitoringof air quality. Of the monitors available, instrumentalmonitoring is very expensive, requires lot ofinstruments, power and man power to run theinstrument. It is quite cumbersome to carry largenumber of instruments in fields. On the contraryamongst Plant Kingdome, the use of terrestrial mos-seshas certain advantages over instrumental monitoring,such as simplicity, reliability, cost effectiveness andno need power to run instrument. Their propertiesconfer mosses as an excellent biomonitor of air quality.The main advantages of the biomonitoring of metals



by mosses technique are that it does not require anysource of energy, therefore it is inexpensive, thusenabling inten-sive surveys to be carried out and themonitoring of a large number of differentcontaminants, both organic and inorganic, in the samesample. A conceptual approach has been proposed forannual, seasonal and retrospective atmosphericelemental monitoring by mosses given below.Key words: Metals, Moss, Biomonitoring, Conceptualapproach

SVI/P-42

Bioremediation of Urban Pollution byGreens and LandscapesRajat R. Rastogi, Shilpi Singh, R. Prasad and R.K. Roy*Botanic Garden, Floriculture and Landscaping Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Urban pollution is a global problem and agrowing concern for all. Steep urbanization hasaggravated the problem to an alarming level. Theconsequences of rapid urbanization are quiteprominent and have several adverse effects onenvironment. In developing countries like India, wherepopulation pressure is much more, the environmentalpollution has multiple ill effects on human health andsociety. According to a report by United Nations, 61%of the population will live in urban areas by 2025especially in the developing countries. Controllingurban pollution to make the environment clean, is ahuge task. This needs multilateral approach to curbthis menace. There are well established approachesand methods for achieving this task. Bioremediation,using trees and plants in various scientific and effectiveway, is one of the simple method for amelioration ofthe urban pollution. Plantation pattern, selection ofplant species and designing of green space are decidedaccording to the situation. Landscapes and urban greenspace plays a critical for keeping our cities clean andhealthy. Scientific studies all over the world havealready proved the efficacy of the bioremediation andrecognized that as a global tool. Studies have revealedthat a green area having 500 sq. m width surroundinga factory is capable of reducing SO2 concentration by70%. Woodland over a hectare absorbs 3.7 tonnes ofCO2 from atmosphere and supplies 2.5 tonnes ofoxygen. A single row of trees can reduce particulate

matter by 25%. Nevertheless, urban green space ofone hectare produces oxygen to keep 45 persons alive.Significant reduction in urban heat island can beobtained by proper planning and designing of greensbelt and landscapes. Reduction of surface temperatureby 30-40% by a space planted with trees above 75%of the total area is also achievable. Therefore, all typesof urban pollution including reduction of surfacetemperature can be achieved by proper plantation ofgreens and development of landscapes. Above all,urban greens and landscapes provide a platform forouting and recreation for the urban people.Key words: Bioremediation, Urban pollution, Greens,Landscapes, Environment

SVI/P-43

An Identification of Metabolite FormedDuring an Aerobic Bacterial Degradationof Pentachlorophenol Screened from TanneryEffluent Sludge of Jajmau, KanpurPrakash Chandra Tewari1* and Siddhartha Shukla2

1Department of Environmental Sciences, Kamla Nehru In-stitute of Physical and Social Sciences, Sultanpur, UttarPradesh, INDIA. 2Department of Environmental Sciences,Dr. R.M.L. Avadh, University, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The leather tanning industry, regulations toreduce pollution have been in place since 1986, butmeasurements of the effluent from the industry stillshow that the concentrations of chemicals and organicmatter are too high. In India, tannery industries haveoccupied a significant place in economic. It is the 7th

major sector of earning foreign exchange in India.Export of leather goods comprises of several leatherproducts of economical values which reclaimed newheight of $2.8 billion in 2007-08, comparing with1965-66 which was $65.5 million and still increasingrapidly. Chlorinated xenobiotic compounds tend topersist in the environment and may becomeenvironmental and public health hazards.Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a priority pollutant thathas been used widely as a general biocide incommercial tannery industries. Owing to rapidindustrial growth, serious soil and water pollution byPCP has been reported in Jajmau Kanpur, India,present investigation an aerobic bacterial strains wereisolated from two different sites PSCS1 and PSCS2



(Kanpur, Jajmau, U.P., India) and screened for theirPCP degrading potential by using minimal salt agarmedium containing, sodium salt of pentachlorophenol(NaPCP) as sole source of carbon and energy alongwith bromothymol blue as screening agent. Strainsutilizing PCP were characterized morphologically andbiochemically. For identification of metabolite duringPCP degradation, two types of pathways for aerobicdegradation of PCP have been described, one isthrough formation of chloro-catechols and other isthrough formation of subsequent hydroquinone. Inpathway of chloro-catechols, the subsequentchlorophenols formed are further metabolized viaortho or modified-ortho ring cleavage pathways. Inthe hydroquinone pathway, subsequent dechlorinationleads to formation of hydroquinone, which issubsequently cleaved by ortho ring cleavage enzyme.Further, hydroquinone pathway form protonatedtetrachlorohydroquinone which is further convertedinto trichlorohydroquinone and 2,6-dichlororohydroquinone. The HPLC profile of noblemetabolite formed during PCP degradation by anaerobic bacterial consortium was studied by justifyingthe hydroquinone pathway.Key words: Bioreactor, Chemostat, Consortium, Pentachloro-phenol (PCP), Ring cleavage, Trichlorohydroquinone

SVI/P-44

A Comparative Study of Metal Uptake byEichhornia crassipes Growing in Ponds fromMining and Non-Mining Area - A Field StudyBably Prasad* and Deblina MaitiEnvironmental Management Group, CSIR-Central Instituteof Mining and Fuel Research, Barwa Road Campus,Dhanbad-826015, Jharkhand, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Toxicity of heavy metals is well known due totheir long term persistence in nature, bioaccumulationand biomagnifications abilities. The main sources ofheavy metals into water systems are generally natural(volcanic eruptions) or anthropogenic such asindustrial effluents, agricultural runoff (containingpesticides and fertilizers), sewage effluents, burningof fossil fuels and mining activities. This study dealswith an aquatic plant; water hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes) and accumulation of metals like Mn, Cu,Pb and Cd into its leaves. Four ponds, one from non-mining area (P1) and three from mining area (P2, P3and P4) were selected for water, sediment and plant

leaf sampling. Chemical properties and metalconcentration in water and sediments were analysedand the water was fit for domestic uses, but neededtreatment if used for drinking. Elevated levels of Mnin sediments of P2 and P4 and Cu in P1 may be due tocontaminated discharge from the townships. Sedimentsfrom mining areas had significantly higher metalconcentration than non-mining areas and this lead toa differential response in percentage accumulation inleaves for different metals. Average Mn concentrationin sediments from non-mining and mining region was244 mg kg-1; and 255 mg kg-1 respectively while percentof total metal accumulated in leaves was 28% and 27%,respectively, Similarly for Pb an increase inconcentration from non-mining (21 mg kg-1) to mining(74 mg kg-1) leads to corresponding decrease in percentaccumulation in leaves from 21% to 7%. This may bedue to limited capacity of leaves to uptake Pb. On theother hand Cu concentration of 29 mg kg-1 and 63 mgkg-1 in non-mining and mining sediments respectivelylead to an accumulation of 13% and 16%, respectively.Although Cd detection in sediments was not observedbut leaves from mining area had accumulatedsignificantly high concentration of Cd than of non-mining area; 42%; which may be due to high Cdconcentration in sediment of mining areas. Highconcentration of Metals in leaves with respect to thecorresponding concentration in the substrate showedthat the plant water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)has ability for bioaccumulation. Thus bioaccumulationof metals in water hyacinth in natural environmentmakes it a very helpful plant for detecting pollutionlevels and can be used for phytoremediating aquaticenvironments as well as manage water quality.Key words: Water hyacinths, Heavy metal, Bioaccumulation,Biomagnifications, Phytoremediation

SVI/P-45Plant Uptake of BTEX ContaminatedGroundwater using the Wetland Plant CannageneralisShreejita Basu1*, B.K. Yadav 2, Shashi Mathur 1 andJahangeer Tomar2

1Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Tech-nology, Delhi-110016, INDIA. 2Department of Hydrology,Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee-247667, INDIA,Email:[email protected] , [email protected]

To perform a general assessment of treatmentefficiency of wetland plants an experimental study to



quantify the plant uptake of a BTEX compound wasundertaken using three cases of constructed wetlandswith gravel and polluted groundwater under laboratoryconditions. In this study residual toluene concentrationin water was measured in all the wetlands using plantsof Canna generalis over a period of 96 hours. Threecases of wetland with shoot biomass, without shootbiomass and unplanted were investigated. Massbalance calculations showed that in the wetland withshoot biomass the contaminant loss was due to plantuptake, biodegradation and evapotranspiration. In thewetland without shoot biomass, the loss of toluenewas mainly due to rhizodegradation and volatilizationand the adsorption of toluene on root biomass wasnegligible, while loss of toluene in unplanted case wasdue to natural attenuation and volatilization. The totaltime for biodegradation of toluene was found to be inthe order: Unplanted> Wetland without shootbiomass> Wetland with shoot biomass. This result canbe used to frame in-situ plant-assisted bioremediationtechniques for BTEX contaminated sites.Key words: BTEX, Canna generalis , Plant uptake,Rhizodegradation, Plant-assisted bioremediation

SVI/P-46

Recent Advances in the Bioremediation ofOrganic Pollutants via Enzymatic ProcessesPooja Pandey1*, Hardik Pathak1 and Saurabh Dave2

1Department of Biotechnology, JECRC University, Jaipur,Rajasthan, INDIA. 2Department of Chemistry, JECRCUniversity, Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Widespread environmental pollution by inorganicand organic chemicals posing immense risk forsurvival of mankind itself on earth. Owing to therelatively high cost and the non specificity ofconventional techniques, bioremediation involvesmicroorganism mediated transformation ordegradation of contaminants into non-hazardous orless-hazardous substances and meant to be promisingalternative technology for pollutant clean up. Amongbiological agents, microbial enzymes have a greatpotential to transform and detoxify pollutingsubstances effectively because they have beenrecognized to be able to transform pollutants at adetectable rate and are potentially suitable to restorepolluted environments.A large number of enzymes

from bacteria, fungi, and plants have been reported tobe involved in the biodegradation of toxic organicpollutants. Bioremediation is a cost effective andnature friendly biotechnology that is powered bymicrobial enzymes. The research activity in this areawould contribute towards developing advancedbioprocess technology to reduce the toxicity of thepollutants and also to obtain novel useful substances.The information on the mechanisms ofbioremediation-related enzymes such as oxido-reductases and hydrolases have been extensivelystudied. This review attempts to provide descriptiveinformation on the enzymes from variousmicroorganisms involved in the biodegradation ofwide range of pollutants, applications, and suggestionsrequired to overcome the limitations of their efficientuse.Key words: Organic pollutants, Microbial enzymes,Biodegradation, Bioremediation

SVI/P-47

Phyto-Extraction of Heavy Metals by MossesSanavar1*, P.L. Uniyal2, A. Singh 2 and K. Shantanu3

1Department of Botany, Kalindi College, University of Delhi,East Patel Nagar, Delhi-110008, INDIA. 2Department ofBotany, University of Delhi, Chhatra Marg, Mall Road, NewDelhi, INDIA. 3Department of Botany, DeshbandhuCollege, University of Delhi, Kalkaji, New Delhi-110019,INDIAEmail:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Bryophytes are proved to be popular organismsfor bio-monitoring to determine levels and identifysources of heavy metal pollution. Chemical analysisof mosses has proven to be a rapid and inexpensivemethod of monitoring of heavy metal deposition inthe terrestrial ecosystem. The present work was carriedout with a view to carry out comparative study for theelement accumulation in the collected samples fromfive different sites namely Srinagar (Garhwal),Bhawali, Chakrata, Shimlaand Munnar. The samplesof plant materials and their substrata were analysedfor exchangeable metallic cations- Cadmium,Chromium, Copper, Lead, and Nickel(using AtomicAbsorption Spectrophotometry). Highestconcentration of Cd in both the plant sample and itssupporting substratum was observed inEntodonprorepens (42.60 µg/g in plant sample and297.50 µg/g in substratum).The highest concentrationof Cr was observed in Campylopusgoughii. As



compared to all other heavy metals studied, Cu wasfound in much higher concentrations both in plantsamples and supporting substratum in all the five sites.The highest content of Cu was found inTrachypodopsisserrulata. Pb content in plant sampleand its supporting substratum was found to be thehighest in Campylopusgoughii (24 µg/g in the plantsample and 387µg/g in the substratum).Ditrichumtortipes was found to have the highest Nicontent (24.60 µg/g in the plant sample and 262.51µg/g in the substratum)These taxa have great capacityfor heavy metal accumulation and can be consideredsuitable species for bioaccumulation studies. Thepresent study also indicates that the area of Bhawaliis heavily polluted by heavy metal and the taxa growingthere have a good tolerance to heavy metals. Theresults highlight the sources of pollution and the extentof contamination allowing immediate appraisal ofvariability of harmful elements in the area and enablinginformed decision-makers for setting soil protectionguidelines and determining the suitability of particularland-use.Key words: Bio-accumulation, Phyto-extraction, Heavymetals, Mosses

SVI/P-48

Bioremediation of Agro-Waste on EdibleMushroom Agaricus bisporusPoonam Dehariya* and Deepak VyasDepartment of Botany, Dr. H.S. Gour, University, Sagar,M.P, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Management of waste is a major problem intropical countries like India. Thousand tones of wastedisposed every year from agricultural field, industries,houses etc. Present paper deals with the use of differentagro-waste materials for the cultivation of ediblemushroom Agaricus bisporus. Four different types ofcompost were used for the cultivation of Agaricusbisporus. These composts used different agro-wastelike wheat straw, wheat bran, seed meal, saw dust etc.Among these composts, compost-1, gave best resultswhich contain wheat straw, wheat bran, saw dust,ammonium sulphate, super phosphate and gypsum.Thus this study will help to reduce environmentalpollution by waste disposal.Key words: Agaricus bisporus, Compost, Straw,Bioremediation, Agro-waste

SVI/P-49

Biodegradation of Soil Polycyclic AromaticHydrocarbons using Bacterial ConsortiumGauri Gupta*, Vipin Kumar and Asim Kumar PalDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, IndianSchool of Mines, Dhanbad-826004, Jharkhand, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Pollution due to oil industry is a permeatingglobal problem due to its toxic constituents likePolycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs area class of diverse organic compounds with two or morefused benzene rings in a linear, angular or clusterarrangement. The significance of PAHs removal liesin the fact that they are persistent pollutants in theenvironment, which have ubiquitous occurrence anddetrimental biological effects. Conventional (physicaland chemical) methods are less eco-friendly andrequire more expenses. Therefore, we reviewed severalbiological methods and found microbial degradationas one of the most suitable process for PAHsdegradation in soil. Microbial Degradation involvesthe conversion of toxic and complex compounds intonon-toxic and simpler ones using naturally occurringmicrobes like algae, bacteria and fungi. Pure bacterialcultures can metabolize only a certain range of PAHs.Therefore, use of bacterial consortium (assemblageof mixed populations) has gained popularity as itperforms synergistic interactions amongst itspopulation increasing the rate and extent of PAHsdegradation. This review mainly focuses on thedegradation of ecologically toxic PAHs using differentbacterial consortium.Key words: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,Biodegradation, Bacterial consortium, Microorganism

SVI/P-50

Kinetic Behaviour of Activated Sludge ProcessTreating Composite Chrome TanneryWastewaterSupriyo Goswami* and Debabrata MazumderCivil Engineering Department, Indian Institute ofEngineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, P.O. BotanicGarden, Howrah-711103, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

Chrome tannery wastewater causes seriousenvironmental problems arising out of its high



Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Bio-chemicalOxygen Demand (BOD5), Nitrogen and TotalSuspended Solids (TSS) together with significantchromium, sulphide and chloride. Therefore, treatmentof composite Chrome tannery wastewater becomesdifficult due to various toxic/inhibitory substances.Among different biological methods available for thetreatment of composite chrome tannery wastewater,activated sludge process (ASP) is a widely acceptedbiological system. The process design of the ASPreactor using rational approach always requires forrealistic values of kinetic co-efficients related tosubstrate removal and biomass growth. In view of that,the kinetic behaviour of substrate (i.e. COD) removaland biomass growth must be established prior toapplying a model. Moreover, the biodegradationpotential of the concerned wastewater should also beestimated to take appropriate measures duringtreatment. The present study was undertaken toexamine the treatability of the composite ChromeTannery wastewater using an acclimated suspendedbiomass under batch mode of operation. The objectivealso included determining the kinetics co-efficients forthe biodegradation, based on most favourable kineticmodel. A laboratory scale ASP reactor was employedfor conducting the batch study on the performance ofCOD removal from a composite tannery wastewaterand also for determining the kinetics coefficients. Theresults of several batch experiments highlighted theefficacy of the ASP system in treating compositeChrome Tannery wastewater, but experienced with aninhibition. Thus, the Haldane growth kinetic modelwas found best-fitting for biodegradation performanceusing mixed culture microorganisms. The batch studywas performed under varying batch periods todetermine five kinetics constants, viz. Ks, k, ki, Y andkd from the experimental data. The values of all thekinetics co-efficients are in a good agreement withthe earlier kinetic studies on composite tannerywastewater.Key words: Tannery, Sludge, Chrome, Wastewater

SVI/P-51

Assessment of Rhizosphere Soil Health forEvaluation of Reclamation SuccessSangeeta Mukhopadhyay1*, R.E. Masto1, S.K. Maiti2

and L.C. Ram1

1Environmental Management Division, CSIR-Central Insti-tute of Mining and Fuel Research, Digwadih Campus, P.O.

FRI, Dhanbad-828108, Jharkhand, India. 2Department ofEnvironmental Science and Engineering, Indian School ofMines, Dhanbad-826004, Jharkhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Globally surface mining causes tremendous landdegradation by removal of vegetation cover andtopsoil, creation of huge overburden dumps and voids,destruction of landform and habitat. However properreclamation can restore the productivity of land andmay bring better landscape. Establishment of treecover in the mine degraded land aims to acceleratesoil-forming processes,to control erosion,to builduporganic matter, to develop microbial communities, toinitiate nutrient cycling and enhances overall aestheticsof the area. Scientific reclamation is a big challengeas adverse physico-chemical properties tend to inhibitsoil forming process and plant growth. The challengelies in the selection of appropriate tree species, whichhave higher ameliorative capacity on mine spoils. Thesurvival and sustainable growth of tree species largelydepends on the rhizosphere microbial processes of thetree species.

Rhizosphere soil samples collected fromcommonly growing tree species in the reclaimed coalmine overburden dumps of Jharia coalfield, Dhanbad,India, were analyzed for physico-chemical andmicrobial properties. Maximum improvements of pHwere observed in the rhizospheric soil of Gmelinaarborea while least in Acaccia auriculiformis. Highestaccumulation of soil organic carbon was observed inCassia siamea, Dalbergia sissoo and Leucanealeucocephala and lowest in Terminalia arjuna. Asimilar trend in variation was observed for microbialparameters, higher values were observed under C.siamea followed by D. sissoo, L. leucocephala andlowest under T. arjuna. Principal component analysis(PCA) was employed to derive a minesoil indexwhich was used for ranking the suitability of thespecies. Soil CO2 flux, dehydrogenase activity, organiccarbon, soil coarse fraction and moisture content arethe most critical properties controlling health ofreclaimed coal mine soil. The observed values of theabove properties were converted into a unitless score(0–1.00) and the scores were integrated intorhizosphere mine soil index. Tree species havinghigher index values (C. siamea and D. sissoo) couldbe recommended for reclamation of degraded lands.Key words: Reclamation, Coalmine overburden dumps,Principal component analysis, Rhizosphere, Mine soil index



SVI/P-52

Pesticide Waste Management: A SuccessfulStrategyKumari BinduDepartment of Botany, J.P. University, Chapra, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Most pesticide active substance are hazardous.They have been designed to control living organisms,such as weeds, plant diseases and pests. Use ofpesticide therefore involves theoretical risks to boththose who apply them and to those who consumetreated produce. This risk can be managed by takingsensible precautions and reducing exposure .Besidespositive effects of pesticide, uses like better weedcontrol, releasing of pesticide into the environmentcan be harmful, such as crop-fields’ run off can movea herbicide away from target weeds. Along withpollution of soil and water. Many chemical processesinclude adsorption, transfer, breakdown anddegradation may regulate pesticide fating toenvironment Transfer includes processes that keeppesticide away from the target site, this includevolatilization, spray drift, runoff, leaching, absorptionand crop removal.

Pesticide wastewater from crop-fields containstoxic and inhibitory compounds, which adverselyaffect biological growth. This paper is concerned withexploring the role of nutrients and bioaugmentationtowards pesticide waste management. Isoproturn is aphenyl urea herbicide, the production of whichgenerates effluent with high C.O.D. Successfultreatment (91% COD reduction) of such a stream wasachieved using bioaugmentation techniques. The initialbiomass in the reactor was systematically augmentedwith a special culture for 1 month. Regular monitoringand biomass addition further stabilized the bacterialpopulation. The reactor consistently gave high CODreduction (80-90%) during its operation.Key words: Isoproturon, Pesticide, Effluent, COD, Herbicide

SVI/P-53

Microbial Biomass Act as FunctionalIndices in Ecological Restoration ofDegraded Soil: A Case StudyA.N. SinghDepartment of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh-

160014, INDIA Email: [email protected]

Present study was conducted on a degradedecosystem in a dry tropical region of India wheremining is one of the serious problem. Mining operationnot only degrade the forest cover even degrade thesoil composition. Soil restoration is a reallychallenging ecological problem; moreover, theirrecovery into previous normal version by naturalsuccession is very slow. Therefore, ecological soilrestoration by establishing desirable plant species iscost-effective and more stable technique than physicaland chemical procedure. Re-colonization of diversegroup of soil organisms is a part of successfulrestoration effort, as biological activity of soil is alsodisrupted during the process of mining andrehabilitation.

Eighteen plantation sites Were selected indifferent ecological models (mono- and mixed culture)for analyzing microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen,phosphorus and their total nutrients with respectiveage of each plantation for assessing restorationproperties on coal mine spoil. Fourteen plantationstands selected as mono-cultured and four wereselected as mixed culture. Of which, eight woodyspecies were indigenous and hard, and in which, fourof them were leguminous tree and short stature in size;and four were non-leguminous. Remaining four woodyspecies were exotic in nature. The objective of thepresent study was to examine restoration potential andtheir role in soil restoration with respective time.

Results indicated that soil microbial biomass wasclosely linked to soil organic C, which further showeda positive exponential relationship between soilorganic C and microbial biomass C, and soil N andmicrobial biomass N by native woody species.However, this was not clearly developed in exoticplantations.In comparison to mono-culture plantationstands, mixed culture either legume or non-legumecombination showed a strong relationships forcorresponding confirming strong role of microbes inenhancing biological fertility of soil in a short rangeof time, it confirms role of microbial biomass asfunctional indices of satisfactory soil restoration.Key words: Coal mine spoil, Microbial biomass, Soilredevelopment, Restoration



SVI/P-54

Honey as Indicator of EnvironmentalQuality and Floral DiversityManju Sahney and Ajay Kumar*Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002 INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Honey is a valuable bio-product known for itsnutritional and medicinal properties. It is alsorecognized as a biological indicator of environmentalquality and floral diversity. Honey contains pollengrains from the flowers visited by bees collectingnectar and also the minerals that plants receive fromsoil, water and air. The determination of mineralcontents in honey is essential for the quality controland nutritional aspect. The present investigation isundertaken to determine pollen and mineral contentsin four honey samples of Apis dorsata collected fromVaranasi district. Pollen analysis of honey sample hasbeen done following the methodology suggested byInternational commission of Bee Botany. 21 pollentypes were recovered from the microscopicexamination of 4 honey samples. Pollen diversityranged from 10-11 pollen type per sample. Out of thefour honey samples two were unifloral and rest twowere multifloral in nature. Brassica compestris andAgeratum conyzoides were the predominant pollentypes in unifloral honeys. Pollen grains registered assecondary pollen types include Brassica campestris,Callistemon citrinus, Coriandrum sativum, andParthenium hysterophorus. Benincasa hispida,Prosopis juliflora, Phyllanthus emblica, Coriandrumsativum, Carica papaya, Ageratum conyzoides andEucalyptus globulus were registered as importantminor pollen types while those of Ageratumconyzoides, Coronapus erecta, Eucalyptus globulus,Pheonix, Cassia sp. Parthenium hysterophorus, Pisumsativum, Rorippa indica, Azadiracta indica,Coriandrum sativum, Lathyrus odoratus, Citrus sp.Brassica campestris, Phyllanthus emblica, Madhucaindica, and Poaceae were the minor pollen types.Analysis of honey samples for 10 mineral contentsviz. potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron ,zinc, cadmium, lead, arsenic and copper was doneusing Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic EmissionSpectrophotometer (ICP-AES).The minerals of honeywere categorized as essential minerals ( potassium ,calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron) and heavy metals(Zinc, cadmium, lead, arsenic, copper). The results

revealed that in the honey samples K was present inthe highest concentration ranging from 11.559 to47.664 ppm followed by Ca (3.497 to 7.708ppm),Na(6.828 to 7.404 ppm), Mg (0.694 to 1.797 ppm,),Fe (0.053 to 0.656 ppm),) while concentration of heavymetals- Zn, Pb As, Cu and Cd was less than the0.05ppm. The level of heavy metals in the honeysamples was below the permissible limit set by WHO/PFA Rule1955. Analysis of pollen and mineral contentsof the honey samples indicates good environmentalquality and floral diversity of the region for theproduction of honey free from heavy metals.Key word: Honey, Pollen analysis, Unifloral honey, Multifloralhoney, Heavy metals

SVI/P-55

Remediation of Heavy Metals throughAquatic Macrophytes from Water Bodiesof Bundelkhand Region of Uttar PradeshGunjan Sharma, Jamshed Zaidi and Amit Pal*Institute of Environment and DevelopmentStudies, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi-284128, INDIA,Email : [email protected]

The Bundelkhand region – approximately an areaof 70,000 square kilometers with 21 million people,comprising 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh (MP) andUttar Pradesh (UP) – is facing its worst ever droughtspell in last deacades . There are numbers of centuryold historical lakes in this region which are gettingpolluted day by day due to the growth of the smallscale industrial corridor, nutrient loading and rapidanthropogenic activities. The increasing levels ofmetals in the aquatic ecosystem, their entry into foodchain and the overall health effects are of majorconcern to researchers in the field of ecology. Out oftwelve existing plants in different water bodies, fouraquatic macrophytes namely Eichornia crassipes,Pistia stratiotes, Lemna minor and Vallisneria spiraliswere selected for phytoremediation study on the basisof their abundance in selected study areas.Concentration of six trace metals have been estimatedin above mentioned macrophytes i.e., Copper (Cu),Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead(Pb), and Zinc (Zn). From a phytoremediationperspective, E. crassipes and Pistia stratiotes arepromising plant species for remediation of pollutedwater bodies of Bundelkhand region.Key words: Bundelkhand region, Eichhornia, Pistia, Lemna,Vallisneria, Heavy metals



SVI/P-56

A Biomonitoring of Algae to Assess Qualityof Water in the River Yamuna at Hamirpur,U.P., IndiaRam Mohan Shukla1 and A.K. Awasthi2*Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramoday Vishwavidyalaya,Chitrakoot, Satna-485334, M.P., INDIA. 2Department ofBotany, Brahmanand College, Kanpur, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Biological assessment is generally considereduseful to determine the quality of water. Algae arefrequently found in polluted and unpolluted water andare useful alternative for the assessment of waterquality. Algal samples were collected at monthlyintervals from different sampling stations (New TehsilGhat, Purana Yamuna Ghat, Chaura Devi Ghat andSingh Maheswar Ghat) of river Yamuna at Hamirpurduring the period of April, 2013 to March, 2014. Themost pollution tolerant genera and species of fourgroups (Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae,Euglenophyceae and Cyanophyceae) of algae wererecorded from different sampling sites of river.Phytoplankton encountered in the water body reflectsthe average ecological condition and therefore, theymay be used as indicator of water quality. During thepresent study the algal flora of polluted water of rivershows the dominance of cyanobacteria like Anabaena,Aphanocapsa, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermum,Chroococcus, Microcystis, Nostoc, Nodularia,Oscillatoria, Phormidium and Spirulina along withdiatoms like Asterionella, Cymbella, Fragilaria,Gomphonema, Melosira, Synedra, Navicula, Nitzschiathroughout the investigation. Many green algae likeAnkistrodesmus, Cosmarium, Closterium, Chlorella,Coelastrum, Hydrodictyon, Pediastrum, Scenedesmus,Spirogyra, Stigeoclonium and species of Euglena andPhacus also occur abundantly.Key words: Algae, Water quality, River, Utter Pradesh,Phytoplankton

SVI/P-57

A Critical View on Scope of Biodegradationof Slurry ExplosivesAnuradha1*, Biswajit Paul2 and Jagdish3

1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering,Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad-826004, INDIA. 2Depart-ment of Mine Ventilation, Central Institute of Mining andFuel Research, Dhanbad-826015, INDIA

Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Coal and lignite is the prime source of energyused in different applications such as powergeneration, steel manufacturing, constructionindustries etc. due to its cost effectiveness. Coal ismostly produced from opencast and underground coalmines and blasting is an essential part of the miningcycle. Mining explosives and initiating accessories areutilized for removing overburden rocks and to producecoal. Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO), emulsion(Water-in-Oil) and water gel slurry explosives alongwith blasting accessories are used in the blastingoperations. Cartridge slurry and bulk slurry explosivesproducts chargeable to blast holes contributeapproximately 30% explosives consumed for blastingin India. Sometimes large fragments fly rocks, backbreaks and toe problem are observed after blasting ofrock. It may due to deterioration of explosiveproperties of the slurry explosives due to prolongedstorage or due to manufacturing defects. Disposal ofdeteriorated slurry explosive is difficult and done byburning process only. No other scientific disposalmethod for slurry explosive is developed and availablein India. This paper reviewed the characteristics ofuni-molecular and mining explosives and theiravailable disposal methods. This paper also reviewedthe literature and knowledge base available fordecomposition of uni-molecular and miningexplosives. Water gel slurry explosives are selectedfor review of state of art and application of differenttypes of decomposition methods specially usingmicrobial means.Key word: Coal, Biodegradation, Slurry explosives, TNT,RDX, HMX

SVI/P-58

Bioaccumulation of Toxic Metals in NativePlants from Arsenic Affected Area ofWest Bengal, IndiaN.K. Singh1*, U.N. Rai2, A.K. Upadhyay2 andA.S. Raghubanshi1

1Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA. 2CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Concentration of Arsenic (As) and other toxicmetals; Selenium (Se), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium



(Cr), Nickel (Ni) and Lead (Pb) has been determinedin soil and plants samples collected from differentsites Beliaghat, Pokharpara, Ambikapur, Vijaynagar,Barasat and Kanchrapara in North 24 Pargana districtand Kalyani mode, Sona daunga and Ranaghat ofNandia district of West Bengal. Metals concentrationin soil found to vary with sites and maximumconcentration of Arsenic (17.2 mg Kg-1) was recordedin agricultural soil at Barasat followed by Beliaghat(13.6 mg Kg-1) of North 24 Pargana, however, lowestAs concentration (10.9 mg Kg-1) was recorded atRanaghat, Nandia. Similarly, Se, Pb and Cr were alsofound maximum in soil collected from agriculturalfield of Barasat and recorded 4.92, 7.95 and 13.84 mgKg-1, respectively. Metal concentration in plantsamples were found differentially with respect to plantspecies and their root and shoot. Arsenic accumulationwas recorded maximum (18.2 mg Kg-1) in root of Riceplants (Oryza sativa) as compared to shoot (6.4 mgKg-1) at Barasat site. However, Selenium (Se) wasfound to accumulate maximum (1.7 mg Kg-1) in rootof Rice plant at Barasat site among metals studied.Similarly, the plant Colocasia esculanta collected fromBarasat showed maximum concentration of Cr (15.45mg Kg-1) followed by As (4.51 mg Kg-1) in the root.Among aquatic plants, Eichornia crasipis found moredominating species in As contaminated area andmaximum As concentrations (15.82 mg Kg-1) recordedin root of Eichornia crassipes followed by Lemnaminor (10.3 mg Kg-1) at Barasat. Diatom found toaccumulate maximum As (7.6 mg Kg-1) followed byOscillatoria sp. (6.4 mg Kg-1) among algal species atKanchrapara site.Key words: Metals, Bioaccumulation, Tolerance,Contamination, Phytoremediation

SVI/P-59

Determination of Concentration of HeavyMetals using Moss as Bioindicator in theHigh Vehicular Traffic Zone of WesternExpress Highway of MumbaiSantosh R. Tiwari and Hemlata K. BaglaKishinchand Chellaram College, Shiv Achal SitaramChawl, Chawl No. 1, Azad Lane, Sion Chunabhatti,Mumbai-400022, Maharashtra, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Environmental pollution is a series problemwhich affects the human being, economy of the

countries, loss in crop production and their by affectsthe population of the world. Mumbai is one of themost densely populated city of India and is over-burdened with thousands of industries and millions ofvehicles. In the present investigation the westernexpress highway of Mumbai which has one of the highvehicular traffic zone in Mumbai is selected to estimatethe amount of atmospheric heavy metals in the mosses.Since mosses lack significant cuticle, stomata and havepoorly developed root system therefore they absorbnutrients mainly from the atmosphere along with thepollutants which is much higher than theirphysiological requirements. The moss species selectedfor the study is Barbula indica. Twenty four mosssamples were collected from the vicinity of Westernexpress highway of Mumbai. The collected mosssamples were air dried, digested using nitric acid andhydrogen peroxide. The concentrations of elementsin digested moss species were determined by usinginductively coupled plasma-optical emissionspectrometry (ICP-OES) by comparing with NISTSRMs. The concentrations of elements were comparedwith the concentration of elements in the moss samplescollected from the forest of Bhimashanker,Maharashtra. The result shows the spatial distributionin concentration of metals, which also indicates thecorrelation of the concentrations of elements in mossesto the distance from the road for most of these metals.The result thus indicates road traffic as the source ofthese elements.Key words: Barbula indica, Heavy metals, Bioindicator,Western express highway.

SVI/P-60

Bioremediation of Cobalt by Metal-ResistantBacteria Indigenous to Serpentine Outcropsof AndamanArundhati Pal1* and A.K. Paul2

1Department of Botany, Serampore College, 9 William CareyRoad, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal 712201, INDIA.2Microbiology laboratory, Department of Botany, Univer-sity of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, WestBengal 700019, INDIA, Email: [email protected];[email protected]

Industrial applications of cobalt compounds inalloy production, electroplating and ceramic plants hasled to discharge of untreated effluents in the



environment leading to Co(II) pollution and toxicity.Although Co(II) is an important micronutrient, it isalso a potent carcinogen when exposed toconcentrations above admissible limits. Cobalt-resistant bacteria native to polluted sites or naturallymetal-percolated serpentine habitat may provide aneffective solution towards bioremediation of Co-pollutants. Serpentines or ultramafic soils form naturalmetalliferrous ecosystem enriched withferromagnesium minerals of nickel, cobalt andchromium. The rhizobacterial isolates (162 including32 filamentous forms) obtained from underneathmetal-hyperaccumulators growing over serpentinesoils of Andaman demonstrated varying degree ofsensitivity towards Co(II) and only 4.3% of 162 strainsgrew at 4mM level. The potent Co(II)-resistant (MIC7.6 mM) bacterium identified as Cupriavidus pauculusKPS 201 (MTCC 6280) showed inducible Co(II)resistance and metal accumulation during growth.Metal loading equilibrium was attained after 52 and60 h of growth at 1 mM and 2 mM Co(II) respectively.Co(II)-loading capacity amounted to 524 µM/g protein

after 60h of growth at 2 mM Co(II). Lyophilizedbiomass of KPS 201 showed rapid appreciablesorption of cobalt from aqueous solution whichattained equilibrium after 60 min of contact betweenmetal ions and cell mass. Cobalt biosorption ontolyophilized biomass was enhanced by increasing metalion concentration up to 7 mM level where a maximumsorption of 1528.3 µM Co(II) /g biomass was achieved.However, biosorption rate declined with increase inbiomass concentration and presence of additionalheavy meal ions. The optimum pH and temperaturefor Co(II) biosorption were 7.0 and 30 0C respectively.FTIR spectra of Co-loaded biomass indicatedcoordination of C = C or C = N with Co(II) as well asesterification and amide formation in Co-treated cells.Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms appropriatelydescribed Cupriavidus KPS 20 biomass as an efficientbiosorbent which may be utilized for development ofmicroorganism based waste water treatment system.Key words: Bioremediation, Cobalt-resistance, Cupriavidus,Serpentine ecosystem, Biosorption



SVII/L-1

Biodiversity Scenario, ConservationManagement and EnvironmentalSustainability in BangladeshM. Atiqur RahmanDepartment of Botany, University of Chittagong,Chittagong 4331, BANGLADESH,Email: [email protected]

The flora of Bangladesh was initially a part ofthe then flora of British India until 1947 and thereafterflora of Pakistan until its independence in 1971. Theplant biodiversity in Bangladesh has been analyzedsince William Roxburgh who for the first time in 1814listed c.766 species of angiosperms in his HortusBengalensis from Chittagong, Sylhet and other partsof Bengal. Thereafter Nathanial Wallich (1828-48) inhis famous Wall. Cat., Joseph Dalton Hooker (1872-97) in his great monument of the Flora of British Indiaand David Prain (1903) in his Bengal Plants reportedabout 296, 1437 and 2221 species respectively fromthe area now in Bangladesh, especially from Sylhetand Chittagong. Later, Robert Lawrence Heinig (1925)reported 1559 species in his List of plants ofChittagong collectorate and Hill Tracts and JamesSinclair (1956) listed 756 species in his Flora of Cox’sBazar. Since its independence in 1971, another c.300species have been added to the account and estimatedc.5000 species to be represented to the flora althoughinventory of the flora has not yet been completed. InAhmed et al. (2006-1009), Encyclopedia of Flora andFauna of Bangladesh, a total of 3611 species ofangiosperms have been recorded. Only 11% of theestimated species of the flora have been inventoriedand till today c.4000 species of angiosperms, so far,have been recorded from the flora of Bangladesh.Inventory of the flora for threatened taxa are also inprogress and presumed c.44.53% species threatenedunder various IUCN Red List Categories of whichc.20.54% species have already been extinct from theflora. In this communication, the detailed scenario ofplant diversity since Roxburgh (1814), the rate ofdepletion and the conservation status for sustainabilityof the environment are stated with updated dataobtained from field investigations, literature surveyand examination of the herbarium specimens.Key words: Biodiversity scenario, Conservation status,Environmental sustainability, Bangladesh

SVII/O-1

Diversity Analysis and Characterization ofNostoc Strains of North-Eastern Region of IndiaO.N. Tiwari*, Ch. Silvia and W. Indira DeviFreshwater Cyanobacterial and Microalgal Repository,Microbial Resources Division, Institute of Bioresources andSustainable Development, An Autonomous Institute underthe DBT, Govt. of India, Takyelpat, Imphal-795001,Manipur, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The North-Eastern region of India locatedbetween 87°32’E to 97°52’E longitudes and 21°34’Nto 29°50’N latitudes is a Biogeographical Gateway toIndia that finds place in part of two-biodiversityhotspots in India. Cyanobacteria are impressiveecosystem engineers with an evolutionary historystretching back at least 3.5 billion years. Cyanobacteriaare often referred to as ‘miniature factories’ of thebiological world and represent an alternative sourceof a variety of bioactive compounds, lipids/fatty acids,proteins, enzymes, pigments and compounds ofpharmaceutical and nutraceutical value. Nostoc, agenus belonging to family Nostocaceae of orderNostocales is a filamentous cyanobacteria withintercalary heterocyst and akinetes formedcentrifugally in series between the heterocyst. Nostocstrains shows great potential application asbiofertilizers, animal feed, biocontrol agents. Someof them appear to be good candidates for biofuelindustries and a few species are gaining recognitionas highly nutritive food supplements as well astherapeutic agents.

Fresh water cyanobacterial and microalgalrepository, a national facility created by Departmentof Biotechnology, Govt. of India vide ref. no. BT/PR11323/PBD/26/171/2008 dated 31-03-2009 atIBSD, Imphal, Manipur. A total of 1135 cyanobacterialstrains were encountered from entire NE region ofIndia and deposited in the designated repository withaccession number. One hundred eighty five (185)Nostoc strains from different habitats of north-easternregion of India were established as unialgal cultureand maintained at FWCMR with internationalstandard. These Nostoc strains have been screened forthe production of chl-a, soluble proteins,carbohydrates, ammonia excretion, carotenoids,phycobiliproteins and ARA activities. One hundredand ten (110) Nostoc strains have been subjected forlipid profiling and fatty acid composition by using GC-



FID methods. Nostoc muscorum BTA087 was foundto content the highest phycocyanin (273.10 µg ml-1)and carotenoids (80.30 µg ml-1) which can be used asfood pigments replacing current synthetic pigments.Highest ammonia excretion and nitrogenase activitywas observed in Nostoc hatei BTA037 (169.30 µg ml-

1) and (90.90 nmole C2H4 µg-1 Chl-a h-1) which can beuseful for biofertilizer applications. Pentadecanoicacid (C15:0) of pharmaceutically importance was highin Nostoc muscorum BTA950 (69.17%). Twenty four(24) Nostoc strains have been partially sequenced,submitted to NCBI and obtained their accessionnumber.Key words: Biofertilizers, Cyanobacteria, Characterization,North-Eastern region, Nostoc, Repository

SVII/O-2

Preliminary Assessment of Biodiversity inthe Vicinity of Larsemann Hills, East AntarcticaPawan Kumar ‘Bharti’30th Antarctica Expedition Member, Bharti ResearchStation, Larsemann Hills, Ingrid Christenson Coast,East Antarctica, Antarctica Laboratory, R&D Division,Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Delhi, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Antarctica is the most precious asset on the earthand is the last heritage of human kind. Antarctica isthe only area on earth planet, which is strictly devotedto scientific research and the continents of extremescome to be known as the “Continent of Science”. It isthe nature biggest laboratory on earth where no outsideanthropogenic (human activities) interference hastaken place over the centuries till recent times. Beingat a unique geographic location, it offers uniqueopportunities for Scientists to conduct numberscientific research experiments. Antarctica is attractingworld attention because of the tremendous biologicalspecies in surrounding seas and likelihood of vasthydrocarbons. Even though it is difficult to survive atAntarctica, still Scientists all around the worlds havebeen engaged in pursing the exciting scientific researchinvestigations. The investigations are essential not forthe exploitation of natural resources buried under theregion but for the preservation of environment andecology on earth; especially in the light of climate

change. Antarctica provides a unique, unpolluted andstable pure environment for carrying out scientificobservation. It is far away from all sources ofenvironmental contamination and thus remains anunpolluted datum point from which global changesdue to pollution could be monitored and is suitablefor a wide range of scientific research. India hasconducted scientific studies, both at Dakshin Gangotriand Maitri stations in Antarctica in various disciplines.It now intends to broaden the scope of its scientificresearch by complementing the existing studies froman additional location. The new location for the newresearch base is at Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay area,East Antarctica, which is about seven days away byship from Maitri. The Larsemann Hills (69°202 -69°302 S lat: 75°552 -76°302 E long.), named afterLarsemann Christensen, is an ice-free coastal oasiswith exposed rock and low rolling hills. However, itis mandatory to have some background ecologicalinformation prior to the initiation of station activity inthe proposed area. Hence, the lichens, one of the majorbiological elements of Antarctica and highly privilegedenvironmental indicators in addition to Mosscommunities, are studied to generate baselineinformation for future biomonitoring studies in the areato assess anthropogenic activities in the area after theconstruction of the third Indian research station inLarsemann Hills. Rock is the major substratum in theisland accommodating many lichen species followedby moss species. True soil is virtually absent in thestudied area, but a thin soil may be accumulated inrocks crevices, base of the rocks or in moss beds. Theclosely packed soil grains form a hard crust, a suitablehabitat for lichens, as different species have beencollected from such habitats. Organic mattercomprising dead birds was frequent in the island andCaloplaca citrina was found growing luxuriantly insuch habitats. Most of the lichens are substrate-specific, while some were found growing on allavailable substrate. Buellia frigida, Candeleriella flavaand Rhizoplaca melanophthalma were found the mostabundant and dominant lichen species in variousislands/peninsulas of Larsemann Hills especially atBharti Promontory and Fisher Island.Key words: Antarctica, Biodiversity, Antarctic environment,South Pole, Pollution assessment



SVII/O-3

Species Diversity of Marine CentricDiatoms from North Arabian SeaBordering Pakistan with Special Referenceto Tasman Spirit Oil SpillAsma Tabassum1*, Hina Baig2 and Aliya Rehman1

1Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi,PAKISTAN. 2National Institute of Oceanography, Karachi,PAKISTAN, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

A total of 21 phytoplankton samples wereanalyzed after Tasman Spirit oil spill from NorthArabian Sea bordering Pakistan. Marine centricdiatoms were the targeted species. Genus Rhizosoleniawas found as the most diverse genus with 9 specieswhich was followed by genus Chaetoceros with 7species. Some genera were very rare represented byonly one species. Light as well as Scanning ElectronMicroscopy has been used for identification ofspecimens. Moreover it has also been observed thatspecies diversity was high in the samples collectedafter the spill. Data was compared with the otherreports from this area.Key words: Phytoplankton, Northern Arabian Sea, Centricdiatom, Oil Spill accident, Karachi Harbor.

SVII/O-4

Assessing the Morphological Charactersfor Taxonomic Significance of Rauwolfiaserpentina and Rauwolfia tetraphyllaRuna Rashmi*, Maheshwar Prasad Trivedi and RuhiTabbasumDepartment of Botany, Patna Science College, PatnaUniversity, Patna, Bihar-800005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The Rauwolfia plant was named after LeonardRauwolf, a German physician and botanist, who in1582 published an account of his collections ofmedicinal plants from Asia and Africa. This plantbelongs to a genus of the family Apocynaceae, whichis indigenous to India and neighboring countries. Theancient Sanskrit name of Rauwolfia serpentina is“Sarpagandha”, mention of which is found in an oldHindu manuscript of 1000 B. C. and also in themonumental work of Charak of the second century A.D. (Trease and Evans, 1954; Mukerji, 1955). The

genus Rauwolfia L. (Apocynaceae) comprises of 80species distributed in tropics of the world. India is thelargest producer of medicinal herbs and isappropriately called the botanical garden of the world.Two species of Rauwolfia, viz., R. serpentina (L.)Benth. Ex Kurz and R. tetraphylla L. occur in India.Rauwolfia serpentina is the source of indole alkaloids,including the therapeutically useful compound‘reserpine’ to treat cardiovascular hypertension, breastcancer etc. Pharmacological activity of Rauwolfiatetraphylla is due to the presence of alkaloids thatexpresses the central nervous system and lowers bloodpressure. The root is also used to stimulate uterinecontraction and is recommended for use in difficultchild birth cases. Though considerable variations canbe observed in gardens around the world, attempts havenot been made so far to study the morphologicalrelations among Rauwolfia serpentina and Rauwolfiatetraphylla. In view of these facts the study wasconducted for the identification of plant by doingassessment of morphological relationship between twoselected species of Rauwolfia using leaf - length,breath, seed- color, texture, stem- color, texture, bark,etc., may be useful to legitimatize conservancy ofcommercially important species. Thus acomplementary method based on plant morphologyfor the identification of Rauvolfia species of the regionis essential and is provided.

In this context, this work can lead to developmentof an efficient protocol to study the morphologicalrelationship between two selected species of Rauwolfiausing morphological characters.Key words: Assessing, Morphological relationship, Rauwolfiaserpentina, Rauwolfia tetraphylla, Morphological characters

SVII/O-5

Effects of Biomass Extraction on BirdCommunities in Katerniaghat WildlifeSanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAzram Tahoor* and Jamal A. KhanDepartment of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh MuslimUniversity, Aligarh-202002, U.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Protected areas are created to protect andconserve biodiversity but dependency of people livingat the periphery on forest resources for their livelihoodand survival causes hindrance to this. Increase in



human and livestock population exerts pressuredirectly or indirectly on forest ecosystem. Very littleinformation is available on the impacts ofanthropogenic disturbance caused by biomassextraction on bird communities. An ecological studywas carried out in Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary,Uttar Pradesh, India to assess the effects ofanthropogenic disturbance on the bird communities.The study area was stratified into high, medium andundisturbed categories on the basis of presence of signindicating human induced disturbances. Within eachcategory, point count method was used to assess theimpact of anthropogenic disturbance on birdcommunities. PAST software was used to calculatediversity, richness and evenness of bird species. One-way ANOVA and Pearson’s Product momentcorrelation was performed on Statistical Package forSocial Sciences (SPSS) ver17.0. Results show densityof birds found to be highest in medium disturbed areasand diversity, richness and evenness calculatedmaximum in undisturbed areas. The density anddiversity indices of birds in both summer and winterseasons were found to be significantly different in allthe categorized areas. On individually mentioninghuman induced disturbance gradients, bird density hada negative correlation with human trail, lopping andfire. Therefore, the present study indicates thatanthropogenic disturbance caused by continuousextraction of ecologically important biomass effectsbird communities. The sanctuary is rich in birddiversity but if large scale extraction of biomasscontinues then incidence of birds will be adverselyaffected due to habitat degradation. Therefore forfuture and long term management, urgent conservationinitiatives are needed for the sanctuary.Key words: Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Anthropogenicdisturbance, Biomass extraction, Bird community and Diversityindices

SVII/O-6

Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants of SatpudaForest Region of East Khandesh, M.S., IndiaR.M. BagulPGRC, Department of Botany, Arts, Science and CommerceCollege, Chopda, Dist. Jalgaon, Maharashtra-425107,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Study covers the area falls in Jalgaon districtsituated between 200-17’ and 210-26’ north latitude and74o-47’ and 76o-28’ east longitude. Topographically it

can be distinguished as 1) The Tapi rich valley in thecentre,2) The high mountainous ranges on the northand 3) Barren ridges of Satmala and Ajanta ranges onthe south. The study is confined to first two regionsonly and more specific to Satpuda mountainous rangesfrom 2006-2009. Present study reveals about total no.of medicinal plant families ‘82 ‘composed ofpteridophytes (3), Dicots (66), and monocots (13). Thegenera are 234, spread over pteridophytes (3), dicots(209) and monocots (22).Similarly Species are 270out of which pteridophytes are (3), dicots (244) andmonocots (23). The most Prominent and commonmethod of administration of medicinal plants is oral252(56.00%) followed by external 109(24.22%),internal applications are 49 (10.08%), poultice 31(6.88%), smoking 3 (0.66%) and inhalation 4 (0.88%)and steam bath 2 (0.44%). The most striking featureof the study is evaluation and assessment of threatstatus of some important medicinal plants of the areato find out conservation priority. On the basis ofnumber of medicinal plants, Habitwise breakup ofplant species used as medicine, Dominant diseaseswith number of plants used, Mode of administration,Frequency of plant parts used The present paperhighlights biodiversity of ethnomedicinal plants withreference to botanical name, family, part(s) used,distribution, threat Status, and mode of administration.Key words: East Khandesh, Satpuda, Scorpion sting,Mountainous rangesSVII/O-7Algal Diversity and New Records of Algaefrom Acharya Jagadish Chandra BoseIndian Botanic Garden, HowrahPratibha GuptaBotanical Survey of India ,Ministry of Environmentand Forests ,Government of India ,CNH Building,Botanic Garden, Howrah-711103, W.B., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Algae occurs even in wide range of habitats andhave been distributed all over land, water, bark, etc.often in such as environments where there is no othervegetation possibly due to their adaptive capability toextreme adverse environmental conditions with respectto different environmental factors, availability ofnutrients, etc. Botanical gardens are having uniqueresources that allow them to host important climatechange research. These resources include controlledgrowing conditions, living collections with broad



taxonomic representation of not only the higher plantsbut also the Algae, Bryophytes, etc. Every BotanicGarden has great impact on surrounding climaticconditions and vies-versa. Acharya Jagadish ChandraBose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCBIBG), Howrah isone of the very old and famous garden of Indiaestablished by Col. Robert Kyd in 1787 and spread inan area of about 273 acres. The garden is the realrepository of more than 12,000 trees, shrubs andclimbers representing over 1,400 species together witha large number of wild and cultivated herbs. Amongthem this garden is well known for its native and exoticpalms collection collected from South - East Asia andplanted in an octagonal metalled enclosure i.e. LargePalm House. At the centre of the enclosure a veryinteresting rare giant palm listed in RED DATA Booki.e. Lodoicea maldivica (J.E.Gmel.) Pres. was plantedin 1894 and thus now it attains its age 120 years. Thisplant is endemic only to two small islands, namelyPraslin and Curieus among the chain of 115 islands inSeychelles. In general, the microclimatic conditionson and around trees provide congenial environmentfor the growth of diverse plant forms among whichdifferent algal forms also come into existence ondifferent parts of the tree trunk and showed so muchalgal diversity. During study, altogether 47 algae wererecorded from Lodoicea maldivica (J.E.Gmel.) Pres.Out of which 4 species (including one variety) new toIndia belongs to class Xanthophyceae(1),Euglenophyceae(1), and Chrysophyceae(2).Key words: AJCBIBG, Climate, Algae, New records,Biodiversity

SVII/O-8

Use and Conservation of Traditional MedicinalPlants by Indigenous People in VillageKapsi, Balod District, Chhattisgarh (India)Anita Mahishwar*1 and Shama Afroze Baig2

1Botany department, Govt. Digvijaya College,Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, INDIA. 2GovernmentDigvijaya College, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The present study documented 15 medicinal plantspecies belonging to 14 families used by the Halbatribes residing at villages of Rajnandgaon District.Among these 3 species are used for treatment ofdiabetes, 2 each for Joining bones, cold and cough,hairfall, digestion, wounds, jaundice and blood

purification. 1 species each is used to cure piles, jointpains, cardiac problem. Single species is used to cureboth malaria and thyphoid. The present study reportsthat various parts of different plants are used fordifferent diseases. The data obtained from our resultsshowed that plants have external use as well asinternally applied. In this study, different parts of theplants were reported to be used for medicines. Theleaves and the barks are the most commonly used plantparts in the preparation of remedies accounting for 47% and 27% (15 species) of the total medicinal plants,respectively. Analysis of the data showed that leaf isthe most sought plant part in the preparation ofremedies. Herbal preparation that involves roots,rhizomes, bulbs, barks, stems or whole parts, haveeffects on the survival of the mother plants. In thestudy, the fear of destruction of medicinal plants dueto plant parts collected for the purpose of medicine isminimal as leaves were the leading plant parts soughtin the area. Moreover, the harvest of whole plants isnot often practiced in the area.

The main threat for medicinal plants emanatefrom industrial expansion. Traditional medicinepreparation mostly involves single plant; the mode ofadministration is mainly internal in which oraladministration is the common route. Modernization,modification of culture and increased business workin the area have played a major role in changing theattitude of younger generation to ignore the use oftraditional knowledge The existence of diverse culturaltraditions and belief system were found to have bothuseful and harmful impacts on medicinal plants. Forinstance, some of these beliefs contribute to medicinalplant conservation as they reduce the rate of harvestingof the plants, while others contribute to deteriorationof the knowledge on traditional medicine andmedicinal plants.Key words: Traditional, Medicinal, Halba, Tribes,Conservation

SVII/O-9

Composition, Structure and Diversity ofForest Communities of the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve: AComparison and Conservation ImplicationsBhavana Dixit* and Rashmi AgrawalDepartment of Forestry Gurughasidas Vishwavidyalaya,Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, INDIAEmail: [email protected]



The core region of Achanakmar- AmarkantakBiosphere Reserve falls in Chhattisgarh State (India)and lies between lat.22o15’ to 20o58’ N and long.81o25’N to 82o5’E. Shorea robusta Gaertn F. (sal) isthe dominant species occurring in this region. Thepresent study deals with the comparative account ofcomposition and diversity of pure Shorea robustaforest and degraded mixed moist forest ofAchanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve . Basedon the repeated reconnaissance of the area, threerepresentative sites of size 1 hac. in pure Sal forestwas selected for two growth strata stages e.g. upperstory(trees )under story(,saplings and seedlings ). Theforest vegetation was analyzed using 10 randomlyplaced quadrate(each 10 *10 m) within therepresentative sites. The vegetation data werequantitavely analyzed for frequency, density,abundance and Importance value index and variousindices of alpha and beta diversity.

The pure Shorea robusta forest showed highdensity and basal cover of trees (1233 stem ha-1, basalcover 36.36 m2 ha-1) and under story vegetation(density 1575 stem ha-1, basal cover 1.85 m2 ha-1). Thedegraded mixed moist deciduous forest sites representsthe degraded stage having low density of trees andbasal cover (633 stem ha-1,basal cover 32.82 m2 ha-1)and under story vegetation (density 918 stem ha-1, basalcover 0.37 m2 ha-1). The total number of species washigh in pure Shorea robusta forest as compared todegraded mixed moist deciduous forest.

Similarly plant diversity was also high in pureShorea robusta forest for trees and understory (2.82;2.92 Shanon index; 4.76; 2.32 richness index, 0.99;1.01 equitability, 0.21; 0.22 concentration ofdominance, 5.78; 8.82 beta diversity) respectively thanon degraded mixed moist deciduous forests for treesand understory (1.99; 2.44 Shanon index; 3.48; 1.43richness index, 0.78; 1.04 equitability index, 0.39; 0.26concentration of dominance, 8.20; 11.93; betadiversity), respectively. The climatic condition of theregion supported the regeneration of Shorea robusta(sal) and its associates in the climax formation over along succession process. The study focus thecomparison and conservation implication of thisbiosphere reserve.Key words: Bioshere Reseve, Composition, Floral diversity,Structure, Succession

SVII/O-10

Phylogenetic Assesment of GoanMangroves along West Coast India usingDNA Barcode MarkersAnkush Ashok Saddhe and Kundan Kumar*Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Tech-nology and Science Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa-403726, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Mangroves are unique ecosystem exist along thesheltered inter-tidal coastline, in the margin betweenthe land and sea in tropical and subtropical areas. Theyare among most productive, diverse, biologicallyimportant ecosystem and inclined toward threatenedsystem. Identification of mangrove species is of criticalimportance in conserving and utilizing biodiversity,which apparently hindered by a lack of taxonomicexpertise. DNA barcoding using plastid markers rbcLand matK is an effective method for speciesidentification and for documenting biodiversity. In thepresent study, we performed molecular phylogeneticassessment of available 15 mangrove species of Goa,west coast India based on DNA barcode markers, rbcLand matK. We examined these markers singly and incombination to evaluate their discriminatory poweramong mangrove species. Intra and interspecificdistance were analyzed in the available mangrovespecies for matK gene and exhibited highest distancein Ceriops tagal and Kandelia candel, and lowestdistance observed in Rhizophora mucronata andSonneratia alba. The interspecific highest pairwisedistance was observed in Avicennia officinalis, whileleast pairwise distance was observed in Rhizophoraapiculata. However, highest intraspecific rbcLdistance recorded for Kandelia candel and Aegicerascorniculatum, and interspecific distance for Avicenniaalba. Similarly, lowest rbcL intraspecific distanceobserved in Excoecaria agallocha and interspecificdistance in Rhizophoraceae members such asBruguiera gymnorrhiza, Bruguiera cylindrical,Rhizophora apiculata and Rhizophora mucronata. Ourresults clearly demonstrate that combined assessmentusing both rbcL and matK genes were able toadequately discriminate mangrove species exceptRhizophora, Sonneratia, Bruguiera and Lumnitzera.Our study provides the first endorsement of the twolocus barcode (rbcL+matK) in species resolutionamong mangroves with few exceptions. Future work



is focused on evaluation of other barcode markers todelineate complete resolution of mangrove species.Key words: DNA barcode, Mangroves, matK, rbcL, West coastIndia

SVII/O-11

Eco-Physiology of Germination in SelectedPlant Species of Sundarbans MangroveForest and DiversityA.K.M. Nazrul-IslamEcology Laboratory, Department of Botany,University of Dhaka, BANGLADESHEmail: [email protected]

Germination behavior of Heritiera fomes andXylocarpus granatum in relation to salinity wereinvestigated to explain the nature of adaptation.Seedlings of Sonneratia apetala planted (monoculture)in the Oligohaline zone in the experimental plotshowed vigorous growth within three years. Plantcommunity types of different ecological zones fromSundarban mangrove forests were identified and thechanges were discussed. Dominant plant species ofthe ecological zones and the nature of adaptationshowed formation of consociation in the Polyhalinezone and also to a lesser extent in Mesohaline zone Incontrast, the Oligohaline zone exhibited mixed plantcommunity.Seasonal variations of soil chemicalconditions particularly salinity and water chemistrywere highly variable. It was noted that exchangeablecalcium is the dominant cation followed bymagnesium. Salinity (conductivity) in the river waterfrom selected locations showed strong seasonalvariation and was several times higher in theOlogohaline zone at the end of the winter season(March) than in the monsoon season. which is due tothe unavailability of fresh water supply from upstreamthrough the river Ganges. Plant species from thequadrats of circular plots of 2m radius were recordedand Diversity was measured by H´, the Shannon-Wiener Index. Ecological diversity was measuredbased on rarefaction of the actual samples,

]/)([1)( NiNNSEn

n

The diversity values showed correlation with theecological conditions. The rarefaction methodologywas compared with a number of diversity indices using

identical data and was found to be influenced bysample size. The abundance of species ranked frommost to least abundant (in geometric series) was alsocalculated as

ni = NCKK (1 - K)i-1

Analyses of data with the log series and the Qstatistic were done to bring plant diversity of themangrove plant species to a sharper focus. The resultindicated a strong diversity of the plant species ofSundarbans mangrove forest. Plant succession patternand the plant composition in Oligohaline andMesohaline zones were evaluated.Key words: Species Diversity, Sunderban Mangrove Forest,Statics

SVII/O-12

Role of Mangrove Ecosystem in ProtectingEnvironmentT.M.A. NivedithaT.M.A. Niveditha, Government Degree College for Women,Old Jail Road, Visakhapatnam-20, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Mangrove swamps are found in tropical andsubtropical tidal areas. The specific regions wherethese plants occur are termed as mangrove ecosystem”.Mangrove forests are regarded as the most productivewetlands in the world on account of the large quantitiesof organic and inorganic nutrients released in thecoastal waters by these ecosystems. They are uniquebecause they occupy both land and water and referredto as floating forests. They float due to their aerialroots that develop in fine mud or sandy sediments.These roots form a dense tangled network below watersurface providing a home and shelter for diversenumber of species. They act as buffer zone betweenthe land and sea protect the land from erosion, play animportant role as nature’s shield against cyclones,ecological disasters. They protect the shore line duringstorm events by absorbing wave energy and reducingthe velocity of water passing through the root barrier.The Sundarbans recognized as a World Heritage Siteis the largest mangrove forest in the world, located inthe Ganges River delta Bangladesh and West Bengal,India account as the largest single mangrove unitglobally..The Pichavaram mangroves in TamilNadu isIndia’s largest mangrove forest and second largest inthe world. Climatic factors like temperature



fluctuation, humidity, precipitation number of rainydays, regular wind flow, radiation and fresh water flowin the region act as the most significant factors fordevelopment and succession of mangroves. Thecurrent assessment on mangrove cover by ForestSurvey Of India in 2013 the country is 4,682 sq km,which is 0.14 percent of the countries’ totalgeographical area. When compared with 2011assessment, there has been a net decrease of 34 sq kmin the mangrove cover of the country. Threats tomangrove ecosystem are either natural oranthropogenic. The natural threats include climaticchanges, cyclones and physical process. Pollution,grazing, agriculture, aquaculture and humanencroachment etc., are considered as anthropogenicthreats to the ecosystem. Global warming is causingsea level rise and low lying mangroves forests arehighly susceptible to it. As mangrove ecosystems arethe protectors of environment in so many ways thereis an urgent need to conserve these incredible habitatsby educating the people about its importance.Key words: Mangroves, Sundarbans, Disasters, Forest Surveyof India, Threats, Conservation

SVII/O-13

Determinants of Lichen Family Graphidaceaein Eastern Palaeotropical CountriesSantosh Joshi1*, D.K. Upreti1, Vertika Shukla1,J.S. Hur2, Udeni Jayalal3 and Guo Wei4

1Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, 2Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon Na-tional University, Suncheon-540-742, SOUTH KOREA,3Department of Natural Resources, Sabaragamuwa Univer-sity of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya-70140, SRI LANKA, 4StateKey Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chi-nese Academy of Science, Beijing-100101, CHINA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Tropical countries have the highest ecosystemdiversity, and among lichens, Graphidaceae by far themost dominating family of Palaeotropics. Themembers of the family indicate undisturbedsurroundings, optimum CO2 content, and lightintensity. Being placed in tropical belt, India, SriLanka, China in part, and Vietnam have dense, oldforests continuity, supported by high and constant

temperature regime, and the prolonged humid climaticconditions, which supports luxuriant growth ofgraphidaceous members. Though, the family mostlyprefers trees growing in (semi-) exposed conditionsin tropical or evergreen forests of lowland, but alsoable to colonize trees in montane and dry forests. Indiaexhibits highest diversity of graphidoid taxa in WesternGhats and Eastern Himalaya and shows affinity withSri Lankan, Vietnamese and Chinese Graphidaceae.The tropical rain forests of Sri Lanka recently exploredwell for the elements of Graphidaceae, while Chinahas a huge land enjoying tropical to temperate climate,and together with Hong-Kong studied well for thefamily. The north-east India and Vietnam (Indo-Burma) in conjunction with southern part of Chinaform a phytogeographical position experiencing amigration stream from China, India-Himalaya,Malaysia-Indonesia and other neighboring temperateregions, and assemble conditions for rapid speciation,which creates tremendous opportunity for emergingnew elements due to intraspecific variations andinterspecific diversity within the family. The Republicof Korea being small with sub-temperate to temperateclimate establish conditions comparatively lessfavourable to graphidoid taxa. The scarcity of thisgroup also attributed to destruction of old forests inthe nearer past, and managed primary forests andnational parks open for tourism. It has been observedthat the chemical diversity in Graphidaceae of EasternPalaeotropics, particularly the taxa from the Indiansubcontinent, is higher if compared with species ofthe new world. Being densely populated, Asiancountries likely to be influenced significantly by theenvironmental pressure. Despite having deterioratingclimatic conditions, the high success of members ofGraphidaceae in the region to some extent derivedfrom their chemotaxonomy. Lichen substances areknown to protect lichens against increasingenvironmental stress. The high concentration of lichencompounds having antioxidant and light screeningproperties in Graphidaceae of eastern palaeotropicswell justify prevailing environmental complicationsin the region. A lichen compound, perlene quinone iswide spread in graphidaceous taxa, while norstictic,stictic, protocetraric, psoromic and salazinic acids aremajor determinants of Graphidaceae from easternpalaeotropical countries. Disjunct species distributionwithin the family advocates the existence of graphidoidtaxa before continental drift or the formation of



Gondwana land. Widespread distribution and survivalduring millions of years suggest the adaptation ofspecies of Graphidaceae during development andchanging geographical condition. Owing to the highdiversity and a constant process of speciation sincemillions of years, Graphidaceae in easternpalaeotropical countries presents the ideal family tounderstand the changing environmental conditions andrelated adaptation since evolution.Key words: Chemotaxonomy, Continental drift, Diversity,Evolution, Graphidoid, Indicator

SVII/O-14

Status of Invasive Alien Plant Species inProtected Areas of NepalMohan Siwakoti¹*, Bharat Babu Shrestha¹ and SeetaSiwakoti²¹Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University,Kirtipur, Kathmandu, NEPAL. ²Tri-Chandra Multiple Cam-pus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, NEPAL, Email:[email protected]

Nepal occupies the central part of the Himalayasbetween the Palearctic and Indomalayan ecozones.Due to steep elevation gradient from 60 m above sealevel (m asl) in the south-eastern Tarai to 8,848 m aslat Mt. Everest within a short horizontal span of about200 km, and high ecosystem diversity, the countryfavours establishment of several alien species fromaround the world. A total of 218 alien plant specieshave been naturalized in Nepal, which share about 4%of the total angiosperm flora of the country. The alienspecies in Nepal are mostly neo-tropical origin, exceptfew species introduced from Europe and NorthAmerica. Many of these alien species have not showninvasive characters, and are not threatening theenvironment and native biodiversity of Nepal,although all naturalized alien species are consideredas a potential invasive species. About two dozen alienplant species are considered as highly invasive speciesin different ecosystems of the country. Importantecosystems distributed in Tarai, Siwalik and Midhillsof Nepal including the protected areas and WorldNatural Heritages sites are seriously threatened byseveral invasive alien plant species. The majorproblematic invasive species in Nepal includingprotected are Ageratina adenophora, Chromolaenaodorata, Lantana camara, Mikania micrantha,

Eichhornia crassipes, Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa ,Alternanthera philoxeroides, Myriophyllumaquaticum, Parthenium hysterophorus , Ageratumconyzoides, A. haustonianum, Amaranthus spinosus,Argemone mexicana,Cassia tora, Hyptis suaveolens,Pistia stratiotes, Leersia hexandra, Bidens pilosa,Xanthium strumarium, and Cassia occidentalis. Thecountry has a network of protected areas that include10 national parks, 3 wildlife reserves, 6 conservationareas, 1 hunting reserve, and 12 buffer zones whichcover 34,185.62 sq. km (23.23%) of the totalgeographical area. The protected areas located in Tarai,Siwalik and Midhills are more seriously threatenedby IAS than the protected areas of high elevation. Thepaper attempts to highlight the origin and status ofinvasive alien plant species occur in the protected areaslocated in Tarai, Siwalik and midhills of Nepal.Key words: Naturalized plant species, Protected areas, Nepal

SVII/O-15

Forest Fragmentation in Meghalaya and itsEcological ImplicationsO.P. Tripathi1* and R.S. Tripathi2*

1Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Instituteof Science and Technology, Deemed University, Nirjuli-791109, Arunachal Pradesh, INDIA, 2Plant Ecology andEnvironmental Science Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Forest fragmentation is the process throughwhich large forest areas turn into forest patches ofvarying sizes, isolated from each other by tracts ofnon- forested land. The increasing anthropogenicactivities in recent years have caused destruction anddegradation of the natural forests and as a result, theyare getting fragmented into small patches.Fragmentation of forests has brought about adverseecological impacts on forest ecosystem structure andfunction, physical, chemical and biological propertiesof soil, hydrology and biodiversity. Our study on forestfragmentation in Meghalaya using Remote Sensingand GIS tools utilizing and analyzing satellite data hasyielded very interesting results. Based on the extensiveground truthing and also from visual interpretation,forest cover for the different forest fragments acrossdifferent forest types of Meghalaya was worked out.Plant species present in the fragments of different sizes,



phyto-sociological parameters of the componentspecies, soil properties and other ecological parameterswere recorded. However, only a small part of that studywill be presented in this lecture. It was found that largecontinuous natural forest patches are rare inMeghalaya. Due to increased human pressure,ecosystems are being modified and natural habitatsare getting fragmented creating a mosaic of naturaland human-modified environments.

Altogether six major forest types have beenrecognised in the state of Meghalaya covering 42.2%of the geographical area. Primary tropical andsubtropical forests of the state have been destroyed toa great extent by various anthropogenic activitiesincluding age-old tradition of shifting agriculture andpine forests have developed as a stable secondarycommunity on the disturbed area which is seasonallydry and nutrient-poor. The forest patches of varyingsizes ranging from <1 ha to a few sq. km are found oninaccessible hill slopes and in valleys along the riversand streams in the state of Meghalaya. Impacts of forestfragmentation included depletion of plant diversity anddecrease in population density of primary forestspecies and increase in density of secondarysuccessional species, displacement of resident speciesby weedy species, changes in physical, chemical andbiological properties of soil, changes in micro-environmental conditions, and adverse effects onspecies diversity and community structure. Tropicaland subtropical forests are rich in plant diversity andharbour large number of rare and endemic specieswhile secondary forests are poor in species richness.The soil profile in broad-leaved forest is welldeveloped, acidic and rich in organic matter andnutrients. On the contrary, the soil in the pine forest ismore acidic and poor in organic matter and nutrients.The large and small fragments showed a great deal ofvariation in their ecological impacts. The ecologicalimplications of forest fragmentation in Meghalayahave been discussed in detail, and recommendationshave been made to check further degradation andfragmentation of these forests.Key words: Community characteristics, Ecosystem services,Fragmentation, Northeast India, Shifting cultivation, Speciesrichness

SVII/O-16

Water Relations Study of Invasive Lantanaand other Co-occurring ShrubsChandrabala* and S.C. GarkotiSchool of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, New Delhi-110067, IndiaEmai: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Plants adapt to water stress either by reducingcell dehydration i.e. avoidance (leaf shedding, leafrolling and low stomatal conductance) or by tolerancei.e. making osmotic adjustments at cellular level(Turner, 1979). Osmotic adjustment is done bylowering of osmotic potential by accumulating solutesin response to drought (Munns, 1988). Lantanacamara has emerged as a potential threat for ecosystem(Priyanka and Joshi, 2013). There is an urgent need tostudy the mechanism of action and control measuresto stop this obnoxious weed.

Water relations study (pre-dawn and noon waterpotential measurements, leaf conductance and P-Vcurve) was done for 8 shrubs: Lantana camara,Balanites aegyptiaca, Carissa spinarum, Capparissepiaria, Flueggea leucopyrus, Grewia tenax, Rhusmysorensis and Ziziphus sp. was done in a semi-aridprotected forested region of Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, New Delhi, which is a part of Aravalli.

Water potential (Ø) was higher in winter andmonsoon for Lantana and Carissa (-1.0 to - 0.5MPa)and was lowest in summer. During summers, very lowmid-day water potentials were observed whichincreased in winters and was highest in monsoon.Except Lantana, all species had high differencesbetween predawn and mid-day water potential values.High stomatal conductance was observed duringwinters and lower during summers. As suggested byP-V curve data, drought adaptations in Lantanaattained through less osmotic adjustments but withmore elasticity (å = 0-2MPa) and other species withbetter osmotic adjustments but with low elasticity (å= 4.5-12.5MPa) [lower values of elasticityH” highelastic property]. Soil moisture content decreased frommonsoon to summer and accordingly variations wereobserved in water relations of shrubs. Lantana camarareadily adapts to weather changes because of itsproperty to maintain lower values of tissue elasticity



and is able to grow successfully and sometimes evenoutcompeting the native species growing along with it.Key words: Invasive, native, weed, water potential, elasticity.

SVII/O-17

Biodiversity of Uredinales in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, PakistanAamna Ishaq1*, Najam-ul-Sehar Afshan2, AbdulNasir Khalid1

1Department of Botany, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore-54590, PAKISTAN. 2Centre forUndergraduate Studies, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore-54590, PAKISTAN, Email:[email protected]

Khyber Pakhtun Khwa (KP), the smallestprovince of Pakistan, housing 40% of country’s forestsis considered as store house of natural biodiversity ofPakistan. Rust fungi have been found as a great threatto flora of this green part of country. Extensive surveyshave been made since 1947 to document rust fungi,their association and distribution in various forestecosystems in this region. Studies revealed that aboutone hundred and seventy three (173) species belongingto nineteen (19) genera of rust fungi have been reportedinfecting various economically important host plantsin this province. This manuscript is a compilation ofavailable rusts reported from, or know to occur, inKhyber PakhtunKhwa. Species identification,distribution, illustrations and host index. This data willhelp in further studies related to diversity of this regionand its usage as biocontrol agents against weeds.Key words: Biodiversity, Biocontrol, Puccinia sp., Puccinales,Rust fungi

SVII/O-18

Role of Plant Tissue Culture in Conservationof Biodiversity of some Economic PlantsIncluding RET Medicinal PlantsA.K. SharmaTissue Culture Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Biodiversity, particularly phytodiversity is thefundamental basis of human survival and economicdevelopment as it provides food, clothing, shelter,medicine, biomass, energy and industrial rawmaterials. Deforestation, changing agroclimates,

global warming and thinning of ozone layer are someof the major causes responsible for threatening thebiodiversity resulting in a situation where species arevanishing at an alarming rate. It is estimated that about100 species of plants and animals are vanishingeveryday globally. Conservation of phytodiversity isa holistic approach and involves both in situ and exsitu methods. Amongst ex situ methods, Plant TissueCulture, the foremost and extremely useful facet ofBiotechnology, may play a pivotal role. Developmentof reproducible regeneration protocols not only formsthe basis for successful micropropagation/cloning, butalso for an equally important aspect of germplasmpreservation through in vitro strategies, which will leadto achieve the ultimate goal of conservation ofphytodiversity by establishing ‘GermplasmRepositories’ or ‘Gene Banks’. The medicinal plantsconstitute a large group of plants providing rawmaterials to be used in drug formulation and relatedindustries. Out of 17000 flowering plant species inthe country, 2000 have been found medicinallyimportant. Due to high demand, medicinal plants havebeen indiscriminately extracted for short-term gainwithout putting any effort towards their conservation.In addition, during recent years, revival of traditional/herbal medicine has also led to over-exploitation ofmedicinal plants causing great depletion and evenextinction of many medicinally important rare,endangered and threatened (RET) plant speciesworldwide. Under existing circumstances, it iswarranted to explore conservation strategies in caseof medicinal plants throughout the world to achievethe ultimate goal of their sustainable utilization forthe welfare of mankind. In this context, efficient invitro processes for rapid micropropagation/cloning andgermplasm preservation in case of a number ofimportant medicinal plants, like, Azadirachta indicaA. Juss.,Citrus indica Tanaka (an endemic threatenedwild relative of citrus) and four important slow-propagating RET plants of the Indo-Gangetic plains,namely, Clerodendrum serratum L. Moon (a rare andthreatened shrub), Uraria picta Jacq. DC (a rareendemic leguminous herb), Operculina petaloidea(Choisy) Oost. (a rare perennial vine) and Embeliatsjeriam - cottam Roem. and Schult. DC. (a vulnerableshrub) were developed for conservation andsustainable utilization.Key words: In vitro, Plant tissue culture, Micropropagation,Germplasm preservation, Biodiversity conservation, Genebanks



SVII/O-19

Aquatic Cyanobacterial Biodiversity ofKailashahar, Tripura, IndiaRama KantDepartment of Botany, Ramkrishna Mahavidyalaya,Kailashahar, Unakoti. Tripura-799 277, INDIA, Email:[email protected] , [email protected]

Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae) are the uniqueorganisms with potential to manage oxygen evolvingphotosynthesis and anaerobic nitrogen fixation in asingle thallus. They grow in almost all types of knownhabitats including rice-fields, sub-aerial, thermalsprings and many other specialized habitats. Inorganically polluted water reservoirs they usually formdense blooms. Bloom forming cyanobacteria haveimplications in fresh water bodies by their allelopathicbehaviour as well as in forming toxic substances. Inorder to know the biodiversity of planktoniccyanobacteria growing in the different water bodiesof Kailashahar and adjoining area of Unakoti districtof Tripura, India, water samples were collected fromdifferent water reservoirs of Kailashahar and adjoiningareas and were analysed for various parameters andexamined microscopically during last five years (2009-2013). Microscopic observation of water samplesrevealed the occurrence of total 29 strains ofcyanobacteria belonging to 19 genera viz, Aphanothece(01), Aphanocapsa (01), Chroococcus (02),Merismpopedia (01), Synechococcus (01),Coelosphaerium (01), Microcystis (01), Arthrospira(01), Geitlerinema (02), Jaaginema (01), Limnothrix(01), Lyngbya (02), Oscillatoria (03), Planktothrix(01), Phormidium (04), Pseudanabaena (01),Spirulina (02), Anabaena (02) and Microchaete (01).Results also revealed unique distribution pattern ofcyanobacteria in aquatic habitat of North Eastern statesand which is totally different from the rest part of India.Key words: Aquatic, Biodiversity, Cyanobacteria

SVII/O-20

On the Status of Aconitum heterophyllumWall. ex Royle: An Endangered MedicinalPlant from HimalayaPriyanka Agnihotri, Satya Narayan Jena, DanishHusain and Tariq Husain*Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division,

CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Himalaya is well known for its diverse naturalresources, some of which are unscientifically exploitedfor various purposes, particularly medicinal plants.Most of the medicinal plants are being extracted fordrugs and pharmaceutical purposes from the wild.These activities adversely affect the existence ofseveral plants of high commercial value. Further,developmental activities in the Himalayan region alsotaking a toll on the existence of these threatenedmedicinal plants. Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. exRoyle (Ranunculaceae), commonly known as Ateesis among such medicinal plants, which is widelydistributed in alpine and sub-alpine zones of NorthWest Himalaya between 2800-4500 m asl. It is one ofthe most commercially exploited medicinal herb,which finds key position in Red List of IUCN and ison the verge of extinction in the wild. Although speciesextinction is a natural process but human inducedspecies extinction is 100-1000 times faster than thenatural. The roots/tubers of this plant have beendestructively harvested by commercial enterprises forits anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antibacterialproperties. Therefore, organized cultivation ofAconitum heterophyllum is necessary to ensure thequality and continuous supply of crude drug. However,poor seed set is one of the important constraints fornon availability of sufficient and superior germplasmfor cultivation. Besides, conservation threats, A.heterophyllum is also facing taxonomical complexitiesas it is a polymorphic taxon that exhibits variationsmainly in height of plant, size and shape of leaves,inflorescence type, number of flowers, colours ofsepals, bract size, shape, position and hairs on carpels.After critical study, this species emerges out with clearcut distinction of two infra-specific taxa i.e. var.heterophyllum and var. bracteatum. A. atees, A.cordatum, A. ovatum, A. kashmiricum and A.heterophyllum var. roylei have been treated assynonyms to A. heterophllum var. heterophyllum andA. heterophyllum subsp. parciflorum as a synonym toA. heterophllum var. bracteatum. In the present study,we addressed the taxonomic confusion, furthersustainable utilization and its conservation in the wild.Key words: Aconitum heterophyllum, Endangered species,Himalayas, IUCN



SVII/O-21

Spatial Distribution of Pteridophytes inNepal: A Conservation ApproachP.C. Misra1* and Shraddha Tiwari2

1Govt. P.G.College, Obra, Sonebhadra, U.P. INDIA.2Bhawan’s Mehata College, Bharwari, Kausambi,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Nepal is a country popularly known for its naturalbeauty and great cultural heritage. It is a small countryand located in South East Asia between China andIndia. Its neighbouring country is Tibet in the northand states like West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, U.P, andUttaranchal of India are also bordering it. Itsgeographical area situated between 26°, 22'-30°, 27’Nlatitude and 80°,04'-88°,12’E longitude.

The present day pteridophytes consist of morethan 400 living genera and about approximately 13000species. The pteridophytes of Nepal Himalaya are alsowell represented by nearly 70 genera and 400 species.However Author has collected 34 species of fern and4 species of fern allies which are collected from thedifferent localities of Kathmandu and Pokahara ofNepal. Altitude wise distributions of pteridophyteswere also determined. All the collected species ofdifferent pteridophytes were thoroughly studied withthe help of natural photography, diagrams formations,venation patterns, scales, epidermal details, stomataand reproductive structures like sori and spores. Thematerial of diverse pteridophytes is collected fromdifferent localities of Nepal including Kathmandu andPokhara district. In Pokhara collection were mainlymade near Pheva Lake and all along way from Phevalake to World peace Pagoda, way to GupteswarMahadev, Devis fall areas etc. In Kathmandu thecollection has been made chiefly from Royal BotanicalGarden situated at Godawari and Phoolchauki.Pteridophytes were also collected from other areas likeKathmandu to Sonauli and vice versa. The plants likeAdiantum capillus- veneris, A. caudatum, A.philippens, Woodwardia unigemmata, Nephrolepiscordifolia, Polpodium subbandinum etc were collectedfrom Pokhara while Cyrtomium caryotideum,Christella parasitica, Equisetum diffusum werecollected from Royal Botanical Garden. Ophioglossumreticulatum and Ceratopteris thalictroides were

collected from Kathmandu. Other plants werecollected from the ups and downs way to Phulchokiarea as- Polystichum auriculatum, Pronephriumnudatum, Pteris quadriaurita, Pteris dactylina,Tectaria macrodonta, Drynaria mollis, Angiopterisevecta, Loxogramma involuta, Pyrrosia flocculosa etc.

This overview of knowledge regardingpteridophytic distribution, in relation to altitude andclimatic condition their changes etc. in Kathmanduand Pokhara will be of much help in formulatingconservation strategies.Key words: Venation, Nepal, Ferns, Sori, Spores

SVII/O-22

Nostoc papillae NDUPC003, sp. nov., aFilamentous Cyanobacterium with FeatherySpores Isolated from Agricultural Fields ofVaranasi, IndiaN. Dwivedi1*, S.K. Mishra1, Jyoti Singh1,R.K. Sharma1, M. Singh2 and G.K. Rai2

1Depertment of Botany, U.P. (Autonomous) College,Varanasi, INDIA. 2Division of crop improvement, IIVR,Varanasi, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

A filamentous, heterocystous cyanobacteriumdesignated NDUPC003 was isolated from agriculturalfields of Varanasi, India. Organism was deposited atNBAIM, Mau, U.P. (NAIMCC-C-00123 ).Morphological features and 16 rRNA gene similarityas revealed by BLASTn searches confirm strain asNostoc. Morphological and molecular characterizationof strain was done to elucidate taxonomic position.The strain shows the close morphological resemblancewith Nostoc ellipsosporum NDUPC002 and Nostocmusorum NDUPC006 but presence of papilla aroundthe spore is specific for the strain. It form separateclad with the cluster formed by Nostoc ellipsosporumNDUPC002 and Nostoc musorum NDUPC006 in themaximum - persimony tree of 16 rRNA and nif-H gene.Unique morphological feature of spore, low level of16s rRNA gene sequence similarity and unstable treetopology suggest that the strain Nostoc sp NDUPC003is genetically distant from the other species of Nostocand represent a new species, for which the nameNostoc papillae sp. nov. is proposed with the typestrain NDUPC003.Key words: Nostoc, Cyanobacteria, Agricultural field



SVII/O-23Climate Change on Faunal BiodiversityResources: Threats and ChallengesP. ThangavelDepartment of Environmental Science, Periyar University,Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem-636011, Tamil Nadu, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Climate change is one of the globalenvironmental issues worldwide which lead to threatenecosystems and its function. Global averagetemperatures have increased 0.2 °C per decade sincethe 1970s, and global average precipitation increased2% in the last 100 years. The dramatic changes oftemperature either hot or cold affects sea level rise,spreading of vector-borne diseases, heat or cold waves,melting of iceberg, and loss of biodiversity. India isone of the 17 megabiodiversity nation including threehot spots contains enormous endemic and keystonespecies which is maintaining the ecosystem functionproperly. Due to the industrialization andtransportation, carbon-di-oxide (CO2) is the majorcausative agent of global warming and itsconcentration is currently 401.30 ppm (July 2, 2014).In its most recent assessment, the IPCC re-iterates that20-30% of species assessed so far are likely to be atincreased risk of extinction if increases in globalaverage warming exceed 1.5-2.5 °C (relative to 1980-1999) and as global average temperature increaseexceeds about 3.5 °C, model projections suggestsignificant extinctions (40-70% of species assessed)around the globe. In addition to the several impactson biodiversity resources such as shifting in migration,habitat loss, species extinction and forest fire, the lossof forest cover is a big challenge to mitigate the globalwarming in terms of carbon sequestration indeveloping countries especially in India. UnitedNations is considered in the year of 2010 as the“International Year of Biodiversity” and 2010-2020as “Decade on Biodiversity” which includes a seriesof programme to protect the biodiversity. India ishosting the Eleventh Conference of Parties (CoP) tothe Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Hyderabadon 1-9 October, 2012. India with a strong commitmentis contributing towards achievement of threeobjectives of the CBD, the 2010 target and the strategicplan. The CBD will provide India an opportunity toconsolidate, scale-up and demonstrate our initiatives

and strengths on biodiversity. The objectives of theInvited talk is mainly focused on the significant faunalspecies which is currently facing to be endangered andextinct as well as the strategic action plans taken byvarious governmental and non-governmental agenciesto conserve faunal biodiversity resources.Key words: Global warming, Carbon sequestration, Speciesextinction, Faunal diversity

SVII/O-24

Flora in Morocco: Importance, Diversity,Threat and Conservation StrategiesMohammed Sghir TalebScientific Institute, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat,Morocco, NORTH AFRICA, Email: [email protected]

Located in the extreme northwest of Africa,between 21° and 36° north latitude and 1° and 17°west longitude, Morocco covers an area of 710850km2. Its special geographic position between twocoastlines gives an exceptional range of bioclimatesvaried ranging from the humid and subhumid toSaharan desert and through the arid, semi-arid and highmountain climate in the Rif, Middle and High Atlas,where altitudes exceed 2500 respectively, 3000 and4000 m.This diversity creates a climate diverseecosystem with a large range of different naturalenvironments: woody forest formations pre-Saharanand Saharan steppe formations, formations ofdegradation.The floristic richness of the country isrelated to the biotopes heterogeneity. From the desertto the high mountains and the littoral to the mostcontinental borders, Morocco offers very variedecological conditions which allowed installation ofvarious stocks species with a significant plantbiodiversity compared to other Mediterraneancountries. This plant currently has about 4200 species(4500 with subspecies) distributed among 940 generaand 135 families. Rare, threatened and/or endemicflora represents a significant part: 951 are endemics,463 rare, 1284 threatened and 36 vulnerable.However,this diversity is subjected to many natural pressures(climate change, parasitic attacks…) and antropic(clearing, overgrazing,…). This presentation will befocused on the Moroccan flora richness andbiodiversity conservation strategies (creation of morethan 154 protected areas) and the assessment of theclimate change impacts on the degradation and the



dysfunction of ecosystems as well as the rarefactionand the disappearance of species.Key words: Morocco, Flora, Importance, Diversity, Climatechange, Protected areas, Conservation

SVII/O-25

Plant Diversity and Climate ChangeInteractions in tthe East MediterraneanMünir ÖZTÜRKBotany Department, Science Faculty, Ege University, Izmir,TURKIYE, Email: [email protected]

During the last century, climate change,excessive-unsustainable exploitation of naturalresources, and destruction of habitats have damagedplant diversity so severely that this situation nowthreatens human lives. The reason is mainly a resultof our supermacy. Nearly 5,000 taxa of plants are saidto have become extinct since 1700. There have beenmass extinctions on earth, but, the current extinctionrate is estimated to be up to a thousand times higherthan prehistory rates. Global climate change willproduce additional effects on these extinctions.

The Mediterranean basin and the Caucasus aretwo regions of extreme species richness in Europe.Turkey and its neighbouring countries line its Eastshore, known as the cradle of civilizations, and an areaof megadiversity of important food crops. More than15000 plant species are distributed here. It was onceblanketed by the forests of towering cedars, firs, andbeech together with fragrant maquis and phyraganicshrub cover, but most of this cover has been destroyed.According to the climatic figures and current level ofplant cover depletion, clear implications todesertification are prominently displayed. Effects ofregional climate on the speices living at differentaltitudes reveal that there is shift in the distributionalrange of plants. The warming temperatures will alterthe altitudinal patterns of forests, plant diversity issuewill thus become even more critical.

The strategies to reduce plant diversity lossshould thus include efficient landscape-level planning,sustainable consumption, stopping over-exploitationof other wild resources, protection and restoration ofcritical ecosystems, stop deforestation, promoteecosystem conservation for adaptation to climatechange.

We do not know what our successors valuesystems will be, perhaps they will need vast quantitiesof some species which we consider now asinsignificant or even harmful. A widespread educationis needed for the protection of plant diversity. Thepoliticians and mayors need to follow strict rules fortheir sustainable use with scientific foundation neveraffliated to the short term political gains. There is anurgent need for experimental, biogeographicalapproach to examine linkages between climate andpatterns in the structure and dynamics of plantdiversity.Key words: East mediterranean, Plant diversity, Climatechange

SVII/O-26

Causes and Consequences of InvasivePlants on Ramsar Site WetlandsArti Garg*, Vineet Singh and R.K. SinghBotanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre,Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Lacuna on invasion biology research on wetlandshas been crucial impediment in scientific and globalpolicymaking on wetland management. About 6% ofearth’s land mass is covered under wetlands where24% of the world’s most invasive plants occur.Documentation of invasive flora of these wetlands istherefore fundamental for their sustainable utilizationas these are regions of high plant productivity andparticularly vulnerable to invasions. Althoughwetlands act as storm buffers, their highly productivesoil provides suitable habitat to invaders, oftenmonotypes, which alter the community structureresulting in diminished native flora, reduced diversityand even alter nutrient cycling causing drastic collapseof overall productivity while also altering the food weband in turn, the ecosystem balance. Wetlands act aslandscape sinks as they accumulate debris, sediments,water and nutrients, all of which facilitate invasionsby creating canopy gaps, thereby accelerate the growthof opportunist invasive species. Coupled with thesethe other disturbances such as propagule, salt andheavy metal influx, as well as hydro-period alterationcreate environments and opportunity for invaders.Invasion by invasive species is therefore an outcomeof cumulative impact associated with habitat alteration



of terrestrial as well as hydrophytic flora andbiodiversity in general. Invasion by alien species is ofserious concern as these have resulted in deteriorationof wetlands by suppressing native flora, interfering inwetland management, contaminating ecosystem,increasing fire hazards, preventing recruitment ofnative species, reducing their aesthetic value andhampering socio-economic development. Invasiontherefore plays key role in reducing biodiversity bycreating single species dominance. An integratedapproach is perhaps the only possible way for salvageof wetlands from such destruction by alien invasivespecies.Key words: Ecosystem, Invasive Ramsar site, Sustainablemanagement, Wetland

SVII/P-1

Study of some Rice Field CyanobacterialIsolates from Karimganj District Assam,North East, IndiaMoirangthem Thajamanbi* and Jayashree RoutDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Science,Assam University, Silchar-788011, Assam, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

A preliminary investigation for the distributionalpattern of some cyanobacterial isolates from the ricefields around Son beel area of Karimganj district,Assam, North East India was carried out. Thirty twonumber of soil samples were collected during the studyperiod from the rice fields of Anandapur, Deodhar andSon beel both in summer as well as winter. Thedistributional pattern shows that a total of thirty fourisolates were obtained belonging to nine genera.Among them the genera Nostoc, Anabaena, Calothrixand Cylindrospermum were the dominant rice fieldcyanobacteria in the district. Chl a content wasestimated and used as an indirect biomassmeasurement and the highest was found inCylindrospermum sp. (10.55 µg/ml) and the lowestwas recorded in the strain Nostoc sp. (1.27 µg/ml).The present study deals and concludes that extensivework is necessary to characterize the highly potentialindigenous cyanobacteria which are widely distributedin the rice field of this district and can be applied forthe high yield of rice cultivation of the district.Key words: Cyanobacteria, Distribution, Karimganj district,Rice fields

SVII/P-2

Conservation of Plant Biodiversity usingBiotechnologyCh. A. RamuluRegional Institute of Education, Unit-9, SachiwalayaMarg, Bhubaneswar-751002, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Biodiversity refers to variation with in the livingworld, while genetic diversity represents the heritablevariation within and between populations oforganisms. The over grazing deforestation andoverexploitation of native resources under rangesituation have eroded the biodiversity from the uniqueecosystem. Plants are universally recognized as vitalcomponents of the world’s biological diversity and anessential source for the planet. In addition to thecultivated plants, many wild plants have greatereconomic and cultural importance and potential asfuture crops and commodities more so as humanitygrapples with emerging challenges of environmentaland climatic change. Until now, most activities on exsitu conservation of plant biodiversity have focusedon crop species. Botanic gardens play a very importantrole in ex situ conservation of plant biodiversity.During the last 2-3 decades, major advances have beenmade in conserving the plant genetic resources underin vitro conditions using tissue culture techniques. Thisis of particular importance for the effective maintenceof wild relatives and cultivated crops. Thedevelopment of biotechnology leads to the productionnew categories of germplam including clones obtainedfrom elite genotypes, cell lines with special referenceto genetically transformed materials. Tissue culturetechniques are of great interest for the collection,multiplication and storage of plant germplasm. Variousapplications of biotechnology for conservationbiodiversity using meristem culture, embryo culture,in vitro shoot multiplication, clonal propagation,conservation of somatic embryos, production ofsynthetic seeds and cryopreservation. Theexperimental investigations have been carried out forconservation of germplasm of wild and cultivatedvarieties of certain grain Legumes using in vitrotechniques on solidified MS medium with specialreference to Viability, seed germination, seedling vigorand filed seedling survival percentage etc.Key words: Biodiversity, Germplasm conservation, Syntheticseeds, Tissue culture techniques



SVII/P-3Biodiversity of Medicinal Flora with a Noteon ConservationL.P. DeshmukhDepartment of Botany, J.D.M.V.P.S. Arts, Commerce andScience College, Varangaon, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Plants are benefactors of mankind. 75% of the120 Pharmaceutical products used by the industry arediscovered from the clues obtained from TraditionalMedicine. Wonder Drugs like Reserpine, Guglipid,Ergotamine, Ergomatrine, Vincristine, Vinblastine,Diosgenin and Hecogenin have been discovered in therecent past In nature plants are able to synthesizecomplex molecule of Secondary Metabolites likeAlkaloids, Terpenoids, Tannins, Saponins etc.

Varied climatic conditions arising from myriadof geographical regions. India conceivably providesfavorable locale to rich genetic and culturalbiodiversity with about 9500 medicinal Flora and 400Ethinicgrops. India is one of the 12 Mega Diversecountries. Medicinal plants are distributed acrossdiverse habitats and land scapes. World Average ofMedicinal plants is 12.5%, whereas of India is 20%.Vedetal (2001) Estimated the Number of MedicinalPlant species found in Different Bio geographicregions of India as Transhimalayas 700,Gangeticplains 1000, Himalayas 2500, N. Estindia3000, Deccanpeninsula 3000, Islands 1000,Westernghats 2000, Coasts 500.

About 10 species are becoming extinct every day.Current status of Medicinal Plants is also quitedisturbing. Eleven species were listed under cites.About 150 species fall under IUCN categories ofThreatened, rare or endangered species. Ninety percentof the botanicals used by industry are collected fromwild, Government of India had to publish a negativelist of hundred and fourteen species regulating wildharvest and trade. Demand for herbal products is quiteencouraging. Global market of PharmaceuticalsNutraceuticals and Cosmaceuticals would be of orderof U.S.$ 5 Trillion, by 2050. The estimated global tradeat present is of the order of U.S.$ 60 Billion.

Now it is appropriate to promote large scalecultivation of medicinal species, in addition to theestablishment of natural reserves like Parks, genebanks and ASBRC and FGB concepts.Key word: Biodiversity, Conservation, Medicinal plant

SVII/P-4Beautiful Insectivorous Medicinal PlantDrosera and its Meaningful Conservationthrough Tissue Culture and SustainableBiotechnologySushil PradhanGreen Paradise, Vivekananda Nagar, Sonepur-767017,Odisha, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Biotechnology contributes to sustainabledevelopment in several ways such as biofertilizerproduction, biopesticide production and managementof environmental pollution, tissue culture andbiodiversity conservation in vitro, in vivo and in situ,Insectivorous medicinal plant Drosera burmannii Vahlbelongs to the Family-Droseraceae under Order-Caryophyllales, Dicotyledoneae, Angiospermeaewhich has 31 (thirty one) living genera and 194 speciesbesides 7 (seven) extinct (fossil) genera. Locally it isknown as “Patkanduri” in Odia. Its Hindi name is“Mukhajali” and its English name is “Sundew”. Theearliest species of Drosera was first reported in 1753by Carolous Linnaeus called Drosera indica L (IndianSundew). The latest species of Drosera reported byFleisch A, Robinson, AS, McPherson S, Heinrich V,Gironella E and Madulida D.A. (2011) is Droseraultramafica from Malaysia. More than 50 % speciesof Drosera have been reported from Australia and nextto Australia is South Africa. India harbours only 3species such as D. indica L, Drosera burmannii Vahland D. peltata L. From our Odisha only D. burmanniiVahl is being reported for the first time from the districtof Subarnapur near Sonepur (Arjunpur Reserve ForestArea). Drosera plant is autotrophic but to supplementits Nitrogen (N2) requirement it adopts heterotrophicmode of nutrition (insectivorous/carnivorous) as well.The colour of plant in mostly red and about 20-30cmin height with beautiful pink or white pentamerousflowers. Plants grow luxuriantly during November toFebruary in shady and moist places near small waterbodies of running water stream. Medicinally it is apopular herb in the locality for the treatment of coldand cough in children in rainy season by the localDoctors (Kabiraj and Baidya). In the present fieldinvestigation an attempt has been made to understandthe unique reproductive phase and life cycle of theplant thereby planning for its conservation andpropagation through various techniques of tissue



culture and biotechnology. More importantly besidesmorphological and anatomical studies, cytologicalinvestigation is being carried out to find out the numberof chromosomes in the cell and its genomics as thereis no such report as yet for Drosera burmannii Vahl.Key words: Insectivorous, Medicinal, Drosera, Biotechnology,Chromosome, Genome

SVII/P-5Tree Species Diversity and its Populationand Regeneration Status in Homegardensof Upper Assam, North-East IndiaP. SaikiaCentre for Environmental Sciences, Central University ofJharkhand, Brambe-835205, Ranchi, Jharkhand, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Study was conducted to investigate tree diversityand its population and regeneration status inhomegardens of upper Assam, Northeast India throughfield study by quadrat method. A total of 154 treespecies have been recorded from 135 studiedhomegardens under 109 genera 53 families. Most ofthese species (79%) are indigenous to our country,while the rest (21%) are aliens (naturalized andcultivated exotics) by origin. Out of the total 53families, 52 families are angiosperm of which 49 aredicot (92%), and 3 are monocot (6%) and only one(2%) is gymnosperm. Tree species richness perhomegarden varies greatly in different homegardensand is ranged from 5 to 52 tree species with a mean of22 (SE±0.58). A. malaccensis is the most dominanttree species in the studied homegardens contributed34% of the total tree density of the documented trees.The tree density is much higher with 4,259 individualsha-1 but, basal area (5.97 m2ha-1) is very less. Based onthe number of individuals present, very rare species isaccounted for 10%, rare species 39%, common species19%, dominants 14% and predominant species 18%in the present study. The population density of 154tree species is 4,259 (individuals ha-1) for adults(>10cm GBH), 5,902 (individuals ha-1) for saplingsand 38,164 (individuals ha -1) for seedlings. Thepopulation densities in three different life forms(adults, saplings and seedlings) represent their possiblefuture species composition. The density of seedlings>saplings> adults represents good regeneration statusof tree species in studied homegardens. The populationstructure study showed that about 8% tree species havegood regeneration status, 9% have fair regeneration

status, 48% have poor regeneration status and 34%tree species have no regeneration. Study suggests thatresearch and development action is needed to stimulateregeneration of those tree species which having highimportance value indices but showing poor or noregeneration. Based on present observation, it can beconclude that homegarden can emerge as an effectivemeans for both economic well-being and biodiversityconservation in upper Assam, Northeast India.Key words: Tree species diversity, Density, Abundance,Dominance, Population status, Regeneration status

SVII/P-6

Status of Forest in Dudhwa National Park,Uttar Pradesh, IndiaOmesh Bajpai1,2*, Lal Babu Chaudhary1 andJitendra Pandey2

1CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, 2Centre of Advanced Study in Botany,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

In the present study the status of forests ofDudhwa National Park (DNP) has been explored. It issituated between 28º22' to 28º41' N and 80º30' to 80º57'E with an elevation ranges from 150 to 180 m inLakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. It is a goodrepresentative of tropical moist deciduous forest ofTerai region and comprises approximate 490 km2 area.To know the current status of the forest,phytosociological assessment of tree species has beendone in the national park. The cluster and PCAanalyses grouped the forests of DNP into five majorforest types: Sal miscellaneous forest, Sal-Asnamiscellaneous forest, Low land miscellaneous forest,Teak plantation and Eucalyptus plantation. Each foresttype has its specific species association anddominance. On the basis of importance value index(IVI) the Sal miscellaneous forest is dominated byShorea robusta (183.94 ± 16.60) with Mallotusphilippensis (29.13 ± 8.04) as first co-dominant andLagerstroemia parviflora (12.35 ± 7.87) as second co-dominant species. Sal-Asna miscellaneous forest isagain dominated by Shorea robusta (118.67 ± 9.33)with Terminalia elliptica (79.50 ± 9.48) as first co-dominant, Mallotus philippensis (34.19 ± 6.84) assecond co-dominant and Bridelia retusa (16.32 ± 3.76),Ficus semicordata (11.23 ± 2.36) and Lanneacoromandelica (11.12 ± 2.75) as other major



associated species. The low land miscellaneous forestis dominated by Shorea robusta (81.42 ± 8.08) andMallotus nudiflorus (66.87 ± 3.60) collectively withBarringtonia acutangula (40.00 ± 4.39) and Mallotusphilippensis (37.14 ± 3.62) as first co-dominant andSyzygium cumini (25.07 ± 4.13) as second co-dominantspecies. Teak plantation is dominated by Tectonagrandis (208.01 ± 44.81) with Mallotus philippensis(31.35 ± 9.15) as first co-dominant and Shorea robusta(13.62 ± 12.20) as second co-dominant species.Eucalyptus plantation is dominated by Eucalyptuscitriodora (260.14 ± 17.80) with Shorea robusta (15.63± 11.07) as first co-dominant and Syzygium cumini(12.50 ± 3.54) as second co-dominant species. HighestSimpson index (0.834) and Shannon index (2.154)indicates the highest heterogeneity and speciesdiversity in Low land miscellaneous forest, whilelowest Simpson index (0.2434) and Shannon index(0.561) indicates the lowest heterogeneity and speciesdiversity in Eucalyptus plantation.Key words: Forest status, Trees, Phytosociology, DudhwaNational Park

SVII/P-7

Morphological Trait Variations in the WestHimalayan Populations of Arabidopsisthaliana along Altitudinal GradientAkanksha Singh*, Antariksh Tyagi, AbhinandanMani Tripathi, Shivani Singh, Parneeta Mishra andSribash RoyGenetics and Molecular Biology Division, CSIR-NationalBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

A large number of studies have been carried outworldwide on morphological and genetic analyses ofmodel plant A. thaliana. In spite of having hugegenomic resources, little is known about the variationin a particular trait across ecological andenvironmental scales limiting our potential to assessenvironment dependent trait variation. Identifying themost relevant trait variations may help us to betterunderstand the plant response to changingenvironment. Though, being one of the biodiversityhot spot in the world, there is no report on detailedstudies of A. thaliana from the west Himalayas. Here,we report the variations in morphological traits in thefour populations of A. thaliana that grow along

altitudinal gradients. Climatic conditions of the foursites varied significantly. A total of 39 traits wereanalyzed from each of the four populations fromaltitude of ~700 m above msl to ~3500 m above msl.Most of the quantitative traits were significantlycorrelated with each other among the four populations.There were marked differences in coloration of sepalsas well as densities of stomata and trichomes (showingincrease with altitude) among these populations.Regression analysis suggests most of the biomassrelated traits were negatively correlated with altitudes.Further, there was significant correlation betweengeographical distance and mean pair-wise distanceamong the populations. Overall our data suggests thereis adaptive advantage in variations among traits of thepopulations along altitudinal gradients.Key words: West Himalayas, Altitude, Morphological traits,A. thaliana populations

SVII/P-8

Diversity and Distribution of Lichens inWestern Uttar Pradesh, IndiaSucheta Asthana*, Sanjeeva Nayaka and Komal K. IngleLichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The study was carried out in western districts ofUttar Pradesh along with Hastinapur WildlifeSanctuary. A total of 170 specimens are collected fromBijnor, Meerut, Moradabad, Mujaffarnagar, Pilibhit,Rampur, Saharanpur and Shahjahanpur districts. Thestudy revealed the occurrence of 27 species of which5 species namely Arthothelium chiodectoides (Nyl.)Zahlbr., Diorygma soozanum (Zahlbr.) M. Nakan andKashiw., Graphis pyrrhocheiloides Zahlbr.,Opegrapha microspora Müll. Arg. and Pyxine cocoes(Sw.) Nyl. were new addition to lichen mycota of UttarPradesh . The lichen mycota of western Uttar Pradeshis dominated by crustose form, out of them Bacidiaspecies was maximum in number growing luxuriantlyon Mangifera indica and Syzigium cuminii tree bark.Hyperphyscia adglutinata (Flörke) H. Mayrhofer andPoelt, H. syncolla (Tuck. ex Nyl.) Kalb, Physciadimidiata (Arn.) Nyl., Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl., P.reticulata (Vain.) Vain. were the only foliose lichen.All the districts have poor natural vegetation, onlyPilibhit has maximum forest cover chiefly dominatedby Shorea robusta trees, rest of the areas were



dominated by Mangifera indica and Syzigium cuminiitrees. It can be noted that earlier there was a record ofonly two lichen species from Pilibhit district and atpresent study represents 15 species with Arthotheliumabnorme (Ach.) Müll. Arg., A. chiodectoides (Nyl.)Zahlbr., Bacidia incongruens (Stirt.) Zahlbr., B.millegrana (Taylor) Zahlbr., Buellia disciformes (Fr.)Mudd, Caloplaca bassiae (Ach.) Zahlbr., Diorygmasoozanum (Zahlbr.) M. Nakan and Kashiw., Dirinariaaegialita (Afzel.) Moore, D. consimilis (Stirt.) D.D.Awasthi, Graphis pyrrhocheiloides Zahlbr.,Hyperphyscia syncolla (Tuck. ex Nyl.) Kalb, Lecanoraachroa Nyl., L. helva Stizenb., Opegrapha astraeaTuck., and Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl. HastinapurWildlife Sanctuary is restricted to forest areas on theeither side of Madhya Ganga canal crossingMuzaffarnagar, Bijnor, J.P. Nagar and Meerut districts.It has scrub and deciduous type of vegetation. Thespecimens collected from 11 study sites resulted in 10species. The sanctuary is dominated by crustose formsand Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl. was the only folioselichen growing luxuriantly on Syzigium cuminii treebark.Key words: Biodiversity, Lichenized fungi, Flora, Mycota

SVII/P-9

Altitudinal Variation in PharmacologicallyActive Constituents of Epimedium elatum,an Endemic Plant of Western HimalayasZ. Mohmad Arief1,2*, A.S. Shawl2 and A.H. Munshi1

1Department of Botany, University of Kashmir,Srinagar-190006, J&K, INDIA. 2IIIM, Sanatnagar-190005,Srinagar, J&K, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Epimedium is a well known genus of Chinesepharmacopoeia, possessing various medicinalproperties such as aphrodisiac, antioxidant,immunomodulatory, vasodilatory, hepatoprotective,cardioprotective, antidepressant, anticancerous andantiosteoporosis activities. The active principle hasbeen found to be its flavonoid glycosides, especiallyIcariin and Icariside-II. In the present study,Epimedium elatum, the only species of this genusgrowing in Indian subcontinent and endemic toKashmir Himalayas, has been studied for its activeprinciple content at different habitats. The plants werecollected from wild populations (W.I, W.II and W.III)growing at three different sites of different altitudes

and cultivated at low altitudes of Central Kashmir.After two years, the plants from wild populations aswell as cultivated populations were collected, shadedried, grinded and prepared for HPLC analysis. Theresults showed that the content of active principles inleaves vary significantly between plants growing atdifferent habitats. The Icariin and Icariside-II yield (perplant) of wild populations significantly increased witha decrease in altitude of habitat. Cultivated populationgrowing at higher altitude had significantly more yieldthan all other populations, except the W.III. Thecontent of active principles as a percentage of leaf drymass increased with increase in altitude. However, theharvest index of wild populations showed a decreasingtrend with increasing altitude. The content of activeprinciples as a percentage of dry mass of whole plantwas comparable in all the habitats, including thecultivated populations. The present study suggests thatEpimedium plants cultivated at lower altitudes areequally or more productive in terms of Icariin andIcariside-II content than that of wild plants growingat higher altitudes.Key words: Epimedium elatum, Icariin, Icariside-II, Altitude,Cultivation, Harvest index, Yield

SVII/P-10

Floral Diversity In Abu Dhabi; United ArabEmirates (UAE)Sabitha SakkirTerrestrial Biodiversity Sector, Environment Agency-AbuDhabi (EAD), P.O. Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARABEMIRATES, Email: [email protected]

Covering an area of ca.70000 km2, Abu Dhabi isthe largest of the seven Emirates that make up theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE). The climate of theregion is hot and dry throughout most of the year, withtemperature ranging from 50oC to 5oC across the year.Sand sheets and sand dunes cover large area of theEmirate with extensive gravelly plains found in thenorth-west and north-east. Mountains are covered withgravels and rocky substrate, while coastal sands arerich in calcium carbonate. Systematic surveys ofvascular plants were conducted in different habitatsusing circular plots and quadrants based on stratifiedrandom sampling. The floristic evaluation has resultedin enumeration of 401 species. They constitute 254genera of 62 families. The most dominant families ofthe region on the basis of species number were Poaceae



(74), Leguminosae (41), Compositae (36) andAmaranthaceae (35). 24 families were represented bya single genus and species. Families with fewer speciessuch as the Cyperaceae (e.g. Cyperus conglomeratus),Acanthaceae (e.g. Avicennia marina) andZygophyllaceae (e.g. Tetraena qatarensis) are ofecological significance due to the dominance ofindividual representatives in the vegetation. Thegymnosperm is represented by a single species,Ephedra foliata.

Applying IUCN categories, preliminaryassessment were done to determine the status of theflora. A single species Schweinfurthia imbricata isplaced in the endangered category, six species listedas vulnerable and 13 species listed as near threatened.Threat analysis suggests that habitat degradation,desertification, overgrazing, climate change andintroduction of exotic species as the main reasonswhich play a significant role in the deterioration ofplant diversity. The present work provides an importantbaseline data for further quantitative studies on thecharacteristics of plant communities in this region andwill help in the identification of priority conservationareas.Key words: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Flora,Vegetation, Plant families

SVII/P-11

Diversity of Genus Oscillatoria (Vaucher)in River Ganga at KanpurVinod Rishi1* and A.K. Awasthi2

1Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramoday University,Chitrakoot, Satna, M.P., INDIA. 2Brahmanand DegreeCollege, Kanpur, U.P., INDIAEmail:[email protected], [email protected]

The River Ganga is known as the life-line of theIndo-Gangetic plains and is the perennial resource offreshwater from time immemorial. There are manylarge cities and towns are situated on the bank of riverGanga and it is the major source of drinking water forthese cities. Kanpur is situated at 26.46oN latitude and80.34oE longitudes at an elevation of 126 meters (416feet) from sea level on the bank of river Ganga. Dueto excess growth in human population andindustrialization the river Ganga at Kanpur receivelarge amount of domestic and industrial effluentsthrough various small channels and become polluted.This condition of water supports the luxuriant growth

of algae especially bloom forming cyanobacteria(BGA). The cyanobacteria (BGA) are oxygenicphotosynthetic prokaryotes and are among the mostdiverse, primitive and ubiquitous forms of life on theEarth. The genus Oscillatoria (Vaucher) is mostcommonly occurring cyanobacteria and plays animportant role in bloom formation. The species ofOscillatoria (Vaucher) known to produce toxins whichmay be harmful to human and other domestic animalsand also cause skin rashes or eye irritation due toshowering or bathing in water containing blooms orscums. Oscillatoria (Vaucher) also produces severalbioactive secondary metabolites which may be usefulin various diseases. The study of Genus Oscillatoria(Vaucher) diversity in River Ganga at Kanpur wascarried out seasonally [summer season (February toMay), rainy season (June to September), winter season(October to January)] during the period of February,2013 to January, 2014. During the present study 31species of Oscillatoria (Vaucher) have been identifiedfrom different sampling stations of river Ganga atKanpur between Bithoor to Jajmau. The minimumspecies diversity of Oscillatoria (Vaucher) has beenrecorded at Bithoorghat which gradually increased andreached maximum at Jajmaughat.Key words: Ganga, Cyanobacteria, Blooms, Pollution,Diversity

SVII/P-12

Non-Food Uses of Plants: An Ethno-botanical Study in a Part of Garhwal HimalayaB.N. PandeyGovernment Girls PG College, Ghazipur-233001, UttarPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Every patch on the earth has a distinct diversityof plants that profoundly influence the culture andcivilization of man. It supports not merely the existenceof mankind but also an intimate relationship that theman has developed through ages. It is very fascinatingto learn this relationship in ethno-botanicalperspective. Garhwal is one of the most bewitchingsegments of the Himalaya. It is enriched with a greatrange of phtytodiversity with a strong bearing on itsunique cultural heritage. The present study wasundertaken to learn the relationship of humans withplants resources in a part of Garhwal Himalaya withthe objectives to identify and make an inventory of



non-food plants and to learn the traditional knowledgeabout uses of these plants.

The study was carried out in twelve villages,located in three Blocks in District Pauri Garhwal. Thevillages lie in the mountainous region of the Shivalictract that consists of chain of narrow and low mountainranges of about 750-1200m running almost parallel tothe main Himalalayas. The study is based on data fromprimary as well as secondary sources. During fieldsurveys data was collected in a structuredquestionnaire using tools like observation, interviews,discussions and field visits with the elderly villagers.The plants indicated and identified by the villagerswere identified botanically with the help of standardliterature. In Garhwali tradition a large number of plantspecies are used. A partial list has been prepared bythe common name, local names, scientific names andfamily together with the methods of how they aretraditionally used.Key words: Phytodiversity, Ethnobotany, Non-food plants,Garhwal, Traditional knowledge

SVII/P-13

Eco-Morphological Studies of Some IndianPteridophytesShraddha Tiwari1* and P.C.Misra2

1Bhawan’s Mehata College, Bharwari, Kausambi, INDIA.2Govt. P.G.College, Obra, Sonebhadra, U.P., INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

In the present study, pteridophytes of differentareas of India have been studied in great details.Numerous morphological features like stomata, hairs,scales, venation patterns, sporangia and spores havebeen subjected into great details for the first time.

Pteridophytes generally grow in moist places richin humus and other organic substances or along thewater streams. At the same time some are hardysurviving under the most adverse conditions forgrowth. Their first traces were recognized in the formof first land plants or early vascular plants in Silurianperiod of Paleozoic era. They flourished duringDevonian, Mississipian and Pennsylvanion period ofthe late Paleozoic. These first legitimate and rightfulowners of land,for a time, increased in number andspread over vast areas, though they could not meetwell growing challenges. Therefore several species got

perished for want of adaptability, some lingered onand some survived in more congenial and hospitableplaces. These are the living pteridophytes, remnantsof once flourishing group of plants. Author hascollected nearly 35 species of pteridophytes fromdifferent localities of India.

Osmunda regalis, Pteris quadriaurita , Pterisvittata, Pteris cretica, Pteris biaurita, Cheilanthesfarrinosa, Cheilanthes tenuifolia, Adiantum venustum,Adiantum caudatum, Adiantum philippense, Adiantumcapillus-veneris, Adiantum trapeziforme, Cyatheagigantea, Cyathea spinulosa, Pteridium aquilinum,Lindsaea cultrata, Athyrium macrocarpum,Hypodematium crenatum, Oleandra wallichii,Nephrolepis cordifolia, Asplenium alternans,Asplenium tenuifolium, Christella cyllindrothrix,Christella dentata, Christella malabarensis, Christellamollisculua, Christella subpubescens, Blechnumorientale, Woodwardia radicans, Dicranopterislinearis, Gleichenia longissima, Pyrrosia flocculosa,Arthromeris wallichiana, Marsilea minuta,Polypodium vulgare.

The various pteridophytes have been classifiedon the basis of habit and habitat,leaves, rhizomes,trichomes, sporangia, spores, epidermal and cuticularstructures like stomata etc. stomata is also veryimportant and characterstic feature often helpful intaxonomic determination. A detail study of venationpattern, epidermal features of pinnae and petiole, sporemorphology, economic importance and ecology havebeen studied in great details.Key words: Pteridophytes, Eco-morphologic

SVII/P-14

Bioprospection of Three North-EasternFoliose LichenRupam Debnath* and Jayashree RoutDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Science, AssamUniversity, Silchar, Assam-788011, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Lichens are symbiotic association between aphotobiont (algae) and a mycobiont (fungi) and themost significant indicators of environment. They areaddresses as pollution indicator. About 900 secondarymetabolites are present in lichens which have variousindustrial and medicinal values. North-Eastern part of



India exhibits enormous lichen diversity. Threedifferent foliose lichen, Sticta nylendriana Zahlbr,Acrosyphus sphaerophoides Lev. and Dirinaria sp.were selected for their bioprospection such asantioxidant, antimicrobial properties. In-vitroantioxidant and reactive oxygen species (ROS)scavenging activities were estimated using 70%methanolic extract of the tree lichens. The percentageof scavenging DPPH radical by Sticta nylendrianaZahlbr was found 71.31% in respect to standardascorbic acid (87.23 %) at 100 µg/ml concentration.Scavenging value of DPPH by Acrosyphussphaerophoides Lev. was 76.51% where it was 65%for Dirinaria sp. Antimicrobial activity was performedwith 70% methanolic extract of the lichens against agram positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus,.and a gram negative bacterial strain Escherichia coli.Acrosyphus sphaerophoides and Dirinaria sp. showeda good result with a clear inhibition zone of 1.2 cmand 1.3 cm in diameter respectively against the grampositive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. In shortresults indicate that lichen species have significantROS scavenging activity and can be natural sourcesof antioxidants in addition to as protective drugsagainst cancer.Key words: Symbiotic assosiation, Pollution indicator,Bioprospection, Foliose lichen, North-East India

SVII/P-15

Evaluation of Diverse Plant Materials inSodic Soil EnvironmentShweta Singh, L.K. Sharma, Vijendra Chaturvedi,S.K. Sharma*, Devendra Singh, R.C. Nainwal, S.S.Tripathi, R.S. Katiyar and S.K. TewariCSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Sustainability of agriculture is a major concernnot only in India but also throughout the world. Sodicland is sporadically distributed throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains of the country. The cause of formationof these type of soils are both anthropogenic andnatural. Sodic soils are recognized by no significantvegetation cover caused due to heavy and compactsoil structure followed by seasonal water logging.These conditions generate some secondary constraintsto plant growth by disturbing the ionic equilibrium ofthe soils through high pH and low EC. There is

immense need to put these lands into use, otherwisecontinued declining soil quality or health can lead topermanent loss of prime agricultural land.

The research conducted at Banthara ResearchStation of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow has vividly demonstrated reclamation ofalkali soils through biological means. At theestablishment, it was a landscape of completely barrensodic land bereft of any vegetation, except sparsegrowth of sodic tolerant grasses and some plants.Dedicated efforts were made to rehabilitate theseinhospitable soils planted with tolerant trees/ crops.During the process of reclamation and sustainable use,several exotic and indigenous species were plantedand evaluated. Species like Prosopis juliflora, Acacianilotica, Leucena leucocephala, Casuarina glaucahave shown good establishment and productivity.Other species such as Terminalia arjuna, Acaciaauriculiformis, Eucalyptus, Dalbergia sissoo,Pongamia pinnata and Albizzia procera showedmoderate performance. Non-traditional crops likeAmaranths, several medicinal and aromatic crops likeChamomile, Vetiver, Lemongrass, Asparagus,Mucuna, Desmodium, Damask rose and floriculturalcrops like marigold and tuberose were successfullygrown in partially reclaimed sodic soils. Recently,turmeric (Curcuma longa) was also introduced to suchtype of soil and evaluated for oil, yield and qualityunder various growing conditions. It was found thatoil percentage in leaf and rhizomes are more in plantsgrown in sodic soil with high total phenolic andcurcumonids content.Key words: Sodic soil, Sustainability, Reclamation, Curcumalonga L.

SVII/P-16

Preliminary Studies on the Role ofMicrohabitats in Influencing LichenDiversity: A Case Study from Semi-AridShrubby Forest of Rajasthan, North IndiaSandeep Yadav1*, Hans Raj1 and Santosh Joshi2

1ICFRE-Advanced Research Centre for Bamboo and Rat-tan, Aizawl, Mizoram, INDIA. 2Lichenology Laboratory,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In the present study, we aim to highlight the roleof microhabitats in influencing the lichen diversity in



a semi-arid shrubby forest of Kota district, Rajasthan.The study area (25° 03' 32.78'’ N 75° 43' 24.65'’ E;elevation: 418m) comprises of two sites: open semi-arid shrubby forest and a deep gorge in the same area.Prosopis julifera and Ziziphus mauritiana form themajor vegetation of open semi-arid shrubby forest.Only dark colored Peltula euploca, and P. placodizans,were the two lichen species showing dominance inthis area. On the other hand, a fairly good diversity oflichens was observed in and around gorge. Gorge hassmall seasonal waterfall which allow rainy water toflow in a small pond downstream in monsoon. Theavailability of water round the year in the pond andshade from overhanging rocks and tree canopies havecreated relatively humid microclimatic conditions,which has supported rather good diversity of lichens.In addition to Peltula species, Anema decipiens,Buellia alboatrior, Caloplaca cupulifera, C.pseudopoliotera, Lecanora indica, Pertusaria pertusa,Phylliscum indicum, Staurothele fissa and Verrucariaelaeomelaena were the most common lichens growingabundantly in the gorge. The latter two lichen specieswere growing profusely on highly porous rock withnumerous surface cavities containing water in themfor a long period of time. Overall, the study area has avery dry climate with low humidity usually not suitablefor lichen communities. But the gorge, with a seasonalwaterfall, small water body and a semi-exposedenvironment has created a different microhabitat within a dry region, which supports shade and moistureloving lichen taxa unable to colonize anywhere elsein the region.Key words: Microhabitat, Semi-Arid, Gorge, Microclimate,Canopy

SVII/P-17

A Recent Survey of Lichens in NilgirisSantosh Joshi* and D.K. UpretiLichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

Nilgiris are the range of mountains placed innorth-west of Tamil Nadu and constitute a small partof Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR). Owing to itsplacement in Western Ghats, the tropical rain forestsof Nilgiri Hills maintain high diversity of plant groupsand cover extremities of habitat. The luxuriant lichen

diversity and species richness of Nilgiri forest can beassumed by more than fifty type localities of differentlichen taxa described as new to science from the hills.

In a recent revisit to the type localities, manylichen species that were available for study in the pastcollections were not traced due to deforestation ofexclusive tree species. The selective removal ofphorophytes resulted in scanty appearance of speciesthat were commonly observed in the past. A continuoustrend of species repetition was also observed due tounavailability of tree diversity. Indeed, in the presenttime natural biota seems to be restricted to protectedforests, and many lichen species that were previouslyeasily available have now been shifted to managedforests. Nevertheless, home gardens of local peoplestill conserve many of the crustose species of lichengenera Graphis, Caloplaca, Arthonia, Opegrapha,Bacidia, Lecanora and Diorygma on cultivated treetrunks of Areca catechu and Artocarpus heterophyllus.The Eucalyptus trees at the base of trunk and exfoliatedbark in wet and moist places exhibit luxuriant growthof lichen species belonging to the genera such asHeterodermia, Coccocarpia, Everniastrum, Ramalina,and Parmotrema. Lichen genera Chrysothrix,Hypotrachyna and Physcia were readily available onPinus trunk, whereas, Cladonia and Diploschisteswere distributed on ground or on soil covering baseof trees. The high altitude, dense and protected forestsprovided habitat for large patches of Sticta andPseudocyphellaria growing in association withLeptogium, Collema, Usnea and members ofPannariaceae.

In randomly selected localities for lichen survey,only Reserve Forests and Eucalyptus tree patchesshowed significant lichen diversity, while otherlocalities were found more or less under influence ofnatural or man-made disturbances. The most importantemerging cause responsible for thinning out of forestsis the expansion of existing tea gardens for commercialpurposes. To protect the natural biota of the hills manygovernment schemes and conservational strategies areplanned and implemented. NBR itself is classified intodifferent zones to limit human interferences withsustainable exploitation of resources. Due tocontinuous use of land for grazing, timber fuel woodand forest product, the Nilgiris are in a process ofgradual degradation, and subsequent change in lichendiversity of the area indicates variation in micro-



climatic conditions, which consequently can create analarming situation in the nearer future.Key words: Conservational strategies, Diversity, Eucalyptus,Lichen, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats

SVII/P-18

DNA Barcode: A New Tool for IdentifyingCetrarioid Cryptic Lichen Species in IndiaGaurav K. Mishra* and D.K. UpretiLichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

DNA sequence data base generated from expertlyidentified specimens can provide an effective andcorrect species on the basis of barcoding studies. Thecorrect identification of any lichen species is importantfor numerous reasons. However, it is not always simpleor even possible based on morphology alone. Thus,use of DNA barcode is a more advanced moleculartechnique which supplements to the morphologicaldata for authentication of taxa. The use of DNAbarcode technique in the field of lichenology isrecently employed in India for studies of cetrarioidlichens. Cetrarioid lichens are among the mostcommon macrolichens in India and characterized byan erect foliose or subfruticose growth form of thethallus being loosely attached to the substrate andexhibit, presence of marginal apothecia and pycnidia.A total of 149 species and 25 genera of the group arereported from the world, out of which 45 speciesbelongs to 11 genera are known from India.Cetreliopsis hypotrachyna (Müll. Arg.) Randlane andSaag, Nephromopsis isidioidea (Räsänen) Randlaneand Saag, Parmelaria subthomsonii D.D. Awasthi andNephromopsis sikkimensis (Divakar and Upreti)Randlane and Saag are endemic to India.

The DNA sequences of cetrarioid lichen genusCetrelia, Cetraria, Nephromopsis, AllocetrariaFlavocetraria and other genus of species are knownfrom Germany, Canada, Finland, Italy, Russia, China,Sweden and Austria, however, such sequence forIndian cetrarioid lichens are not available and differentspecies were segregate based on morphological andchemical characters. Thus there is a great need forDNA sequence of these taxa from India. The authenticspecies identification may have important implicationon bio-monitioring, pharmaceutical researches andclimate change. The identify accurate species with thehelp of barcoding provides a better system of

classification of cetrarioid cryptic species that willconsequently expose new and attractive discoveriesin Indian lichen flora.Key words: DNA barcoding, Biodiversity, Cetrarioid lichens,India

SVII/P-19

Altitudinal Variation in the Vegetative andReproductive Behaviour of Caltha palustrisL.: A Plant with Anti-Cancerous PropertyKanak Sahai, K.K. Rawat* and Dayanidhi GuptaSeed Biology Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Caltha palustris L., commonly known as MarshMarigold, belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. It isdistributed in temperate and alpine regions butrestricted to the sunny sides of aquatic, semi-aquatic,marshy and damp places. Present study was carriedout on the vegetative and reproductive performancesof Caltha palustris growing in varying altitudes i.e. at3490 m. on the flat ground in the shallow stream, at3434 m. in the mountain slope on the edge of streamand at 3398 m. in the valley on the edge of stream ofHar Ki Doon Valley (Govind Wildlife sanctuaryUttarakhand, India). Caltha palustris revealed a veryshort flowering, fruiting and seed set life cycle, whichstarted after snow melt i.e. May onward and ends upto September. The plant preformed flower primordiaover long winter inside the snow (October-May),which shoots up early after snow melt. The averageplant height at different stages of life cycle i.e.vegetative to flowering was decreased with increaseof elevation along with delayed reproductivephenology. The population was good at mid and lowerelevation but became scattered with few individualsat the higher elevation. Since, at higher elevation planthad to face severe constraints like shorter growingseason, lower temperature and longer persistence ofsnow, its reproduction including establishment andcolonization might be affected adversely. Though,average number of flowering units/branch(1.79±0.713) was lowest at higher altitudes, averagenumber of stamen (77.90±13.127) and ovule(19.80±1.398)/flower were comparatively high. Totalnectar production ranged 0.2 µl-6.9 µl /flower onlyup to first three days of total life span (5-7 days) offlower at higher elevation. Nectar was absent at lower



and mid elevations. However, average flower size andmaximum visits of dominant pollen vectors identifiedas ‘Syrphid flies’, were not influenced by thealtitudinal gradients. Though, plant morphology andpopulation size were good in mid and lower elevations,reproductive success was equally hampered up to 86%by the post fertilization ovule abortion at all theelevations, might be due to environmental severityduring seed development.Key words: Caltha palustris, Vegetative and reproductiveperformance, Altitudinal variation, Ovule abortion, Syrphid flies

SVII/P-20

Fruit and Seed Analysis of MallotusPhilippensis Growing in Different ForestTypes of Katerniaghat Wildlife SanctuaryKanak Sahai, Dayanidhi Gupta* and K.K. RawatSeed Biology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Re-search Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226 001, IN-DIA, Email: [email protected]

Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) M. Arg.(Euphorbiaceae), commonly known as ‘Kamala’ or‘Rohini’, is a dioecious perennial shrub or small treeof tropical and sub-tropical region. It is a dye yielding,oil yielding and medicinally important plant. Presentstudy deals with the fruit and seed characteristicsincluding seed quality and viability of M. philippensisgrowing in three different forest types i.e. Sal forest,Teak plantation and Miscellaneous dry forest ofKaterniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (Behraich, UttarPradesh). In Sal forest and Teak plantation, dominantplant species were Sal and Teak respectively alongwith small herbs, shrubs and climbers while inMiscellaneous dry forest, many plant species wereassociated to M. philippensis common to them wereTectona grandis, Shorea robusta, Dalbergia sissoo,Ficus spp., Syzygium cumini, Murraya paniculata,Terminalia alata.. The study revealed, though in theMiscellaneous dry forest M. philippensis was in itshigh density and vigorous growth, the average valueof fruit and seed weight (0.349g/0.032g), fruit and seedsize (7.78mm x 9.75mm/ 4.84mm x 3.99 mm) and freshseed viability (92%) was comparatively high in Salforest. Amongst the three forest communities, very thinpopulation of sparsely distributed individuals of M.philippensis with poor reproductive output wasrecorded from Teak plantation. Seed viability from

different forest communities was gradually decreasedup to 28% within 60 days and completely lost (0%)within four months of storage period. A randomanalysis of seed quality revealed 44% to 48% seedsterility due to high empty seeds in fresh seed samplesbut increased up to 84% after four months of storagedue to increased number of shriveled embryo andendosperm. Since, climate of the forest communitiescharacterized by warm to hot summers, cool to frostywinters and normal rains to floods in rainy season,the reproductive behavior of M. philippensis relativelymore prone to extremes and responsible for poor outputaccordingly.Key words: Mallotus philippensis, Sal forest, Teak plantation,Miscellaneous dry forest, Seed viability, Seed sterility

SVII/P-21

Genus Thalictrum L. (Ranunculaceae) inIndia: Status and ComplexesHarsh Singh1*, Alka Srivastava1, PriyankaAgnihotri2 and Tariq Husain2

1Department of Botany, Lucknow University, Lucknow,INDIA, 2Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Divi-sion, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Genus Thalictrum L. belonging to the familyRanunculaceae, comprising of 190 species, distributedworldwide in sub-temperate to alpine slopes of themountains in both the hemispheres. In India, the genusis represented by 21 species, scattered in all possiblehabitats from rocky to moist slopes of the Himalayanregions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to thedense forests of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala andTamil Nadu. T. punduanum var. glandulosum Hook.f. and Thomson is endemic to Meghalaya while severalother species such as T. obovatum Blatter is endemicto Maharashtra and T. dalzellii Hook. to Western Ghats.Commonly known as ‘meadow rues’, Thalictrum is aperennial woodland herb and has been extensivelystudied for its medicinal value. This genus is rathercontroversial in terms of its taxonomical status havingmany taxonomic disarrangements which lead todifferent inter and infra-specific complexes, likepolymorphism in T. minus L., T. punduanum Wall., T.javanicum Blume and T. alpinum L. complexes.Numerous species and varieties are poorly definedowing to insufficient field studies and because highly



variable characters have been used as diagnosticfeatures in the earlier literature. Due to the voluminousand complicated synonymy and lack of stability innomenclature within the genus, there is a greatchallenge in understanding the inter-linkages amongthe taxa. Therefore, it is important to solve out thecomplexes at every level of taxonomy. Further, severalspecies are rare, endemic and threatened which needto be conserved by using suitable modern techniques.Key words: Ranunculaceae, Meadow rues, Endimic species

SVII/P-22

Biodiversity Status of Ants in an EcosystemIrasita Bandhiwal* and Varsha GuptaDepartment of Microbiology, JECRC University, Jaipur,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Ants are social insects of the family Formicidaeand, along with the related wasps and bees, belong tothe order Hymenoptera. Ants always live in coloniesthat may occupy large territories and consist of millionsof individuals. Ant colonies, and more generally socialinsect societies, are distributed systems that, in spiteof the simplicity of their individuals, present a highlystructured social organization. As a result of thisorganization, ant colonies can accomplish complextasks that in some cases far exceed the individualcapabilities of a single ant. There are quite a numberof different types of ants, but some of the more well-known ones that you might have heard of or comeacross are driver ants, army ants, honey pot ants,leafcutter ants, silver ants, fire ants, weaver ants, andbulldog ants. There are types of ants within eachcolony, meaning groups of ants that have a specificjob to do in the hierarchy. Those are worker ants andsoldier ants. All of them are led by one single ant thatis the queen. Although many types of ants will seemto act the same, their behavior actually depends ontheir type. For example, army ants and driver ants donot have permanent nests like many other types of ants.The size of different types of ants can vary a greatdeal as well, ranging anywhere between 2 and 25millimeters. Most of the time we associate ants asbeing brown, but there are also many red and blackants as well. The most common introduced ant is thewhite-footed house ant (Technomyrmex albipes). TheArgentine ant (Linepithema humile) is one of theworld’s 100 most invasive species. Black carpenter

ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), Thief ant(Solenopsis molesta), fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta),Harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex badius), Slave makingAnt (Polyergus lucidus), Leafcutter ant (Attacolombica), Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger) arediverse group of ant species present in an ecosystem.Key words: Ants, Biodiversity, Ecosystem, Social insect, Antsociety

SVII/P-23

Phytosociology and Quadrate Study ofIsoetes coromandelina L. in IndiaSitaDepartment of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The plants of genus Isoetes have been collectedfrom the twelve populations of I.coromandelina, e.g.Matkuli, Renikheda, Renikheda village, Sitadongari,Sitadongari road side, Aritoria, Parasia, Banjariguri,Banjarimata, Jhirpa from Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradeshand Mirzapur, Manikpur from Uttar Pradesh have beeninvestigated to determine the frequency of plants perquadrate in natural habitats. The detail investigationof ecological parameters of environment liketemperature, p4”, light intensity atmospheric pressurealtitude latitude, longitude and humidity are recordedat spots. The quadrate analysis and prolongedobservation of plants in natural habitats have revealedconsiderable variation in size, length of plants andnumber of leaves etc. Relative frequency and importantvalue index are dependent on environmentalconditions.

The maximum numbers of plants were found atDelakhari Pachmarhi (180- 200 in number of plantsper quadrate) and the minimum Sitadongari Road Side(6-15 in number of plants per quadrate) has beenstudied. Rest of these localities exhibits comparativelyless frequency moderate in quadrates.

Thus, the study of habitats of I.coromandelinashows that plants of I.coromandelina having phyto-sociological behavior with family members ofCyperaceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae. It may be due todifferent environmental conditions, water, lightintensity, temperature, humidity, soil profile, altitude,and latitude and depth of ditch.Key words: Isoetes coromandelina, Phyto-sociology,Ecological parameters, Frequency, Quadrates



SVII/P-24

Ex-situ Conservation of Commiphorawightii: A Threatened Medicinal PlantSpeciesVineet SoniDepartment of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University,Udaipur-313001, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Commiphora wightii (Arnott) Bhandari(Burseraceae) is a threatened, slow growing shrub(locally known as guggul) that grows in arid, rockytracts of the Aravalli range of Rajasthan and Gugaratstates of India. The oleo-gum resin of C. wightii, isused to treat bone fractures, arthritis, inflammation,obesity, cardiovascular disease, and lipid disorders.Overexploitation, slow-growth and associated poorseed germination rate has led to this plant becomingan endangered species. This plant is incorporated inData Deficient category of IUCN’s Red Data list.Therefore, in this present study, community basedefforts, under the theme ‘Save Guggul Movement’were carried out to mobilize and raise awarenessamongst local rural and tribal people of the Aravalihills about the its importance and conservation. Anumber of activities have been identified andconducted through the close co-operation of the villagelevel communities who lives around the Aravali Hillsof Rajasthan state. Community-groups are alsoprepared of different age, to disseminate conservationmassage.

Save Guggal Movement received encouragingresponse and strong support from the localcommunities. The local rural and tribal communitiesare now conscious about the importance andconservation of guggul plants. The results clearindicate that biodiversity conservation at grass-rootlevel cannot be achieved without the participation oflocal communities.Key words: Commiphora wightii, Burseraceae, Oleo-gumresin, Community-based conservation, Save Guggal Movement

SVII/P-25

Macrophytes in Wetland Area of SaharsaDistrictAshok Kumar JhaPost Graduate Study Center of Botany M.L.T College,Saharsa-852201, Bihar, India

Email: [email protected] large number of macrophytes luxuriantly

growing in wet land area of Saharsa district, Bihar areutilize by local people for food, fodder, medicine, fishfood, duck feed, fuel, worship and other purposes someof them such a Euryale ferox is one of the mostimportant cash crop of this area. Saharsa district islocated at 25.880 N 86.60 E with an elevation of 41m.The district consists of two subdivision and 10 blocks.Most part of the district fall under embankment of KosiRiver. Villages under Kosi embankment have severalwater reservoirs in which water of Kosi River remainlogged throughout the year. These water reservoirs arelocally as “Chours”. A large number of macrophytessuch as Eichornea, Pistia, Trapa Typha, Polygonum,lotus, Hydrilla, Ceratophyllum etc grow luxuriantlyin these chours and surrounding wet land.Some choursand manmade ponds are utilized for the cultivation ofEuryole frox which is the most important cash crop ofthis area. Other macrophytes are also potential sourcesdue to their high productivity and easy availability forutilization as food, Fooder medicine, fish food,basketry and mat materials. There is no anydocumentary information regarding the utilization ofmacrophytes of this area. Hence an investigation hasbeen made to explore their utility and economy in thelife of people inhabiting in this area.

Survey was conducted in remote villages of thedistrict within Kosi embankment at regular intervals.Macrophytes from different Chours and ponds werecollected and brought to Laboratory. Plants wereidentified with the help of standard flora (Taxonomyof Bihar and Orissa-Hains H.H) Information regardinglocal name of plants and their uses were gathered fromlocal people. 16 Microphysics growing profusely indifferent water reservoirs are utilized by poor localpeople particularly belonging to caste Gorhi(fisherman) these people flowers of lutus and cocaand sell them near temples where devotees come toworship god. Trapa fruits collected from differentchours are sealed in different markets and Hatias oflocal villages. In the villages Akadh and Bhakua-matis prepared from Typha and sold in Hatias of differentvillages. Mohanpur, Chandrayan, Nauhatta, Muradpurare the most important villages where Euryle ferox iscultivated in large scale and supplied to Kolkata andother places.Key words: Macrophyte, Wetland, Euryale



SVII/P-26

Bioprospection of Tinospora cordifolia:Evaluation using Pharmacognosy,Phytochemistry and Biomarker ApproachNamrta Choudhry1*, M. B. Siddiqui1, and SayyadaKhatoon2

1Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University,Aligarh-202002, INDIA, 2Pharmacognosy andEthnopharmacology Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers,Menispermaceae, is a dioecious creeper, commonlyknown as “Giloe” or “Guduchi” with significantmedicinal importance in the traditional systems ofmedicine. This plant has been known to possessimmunomodulatory, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycaemic, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory,hypogycemia and several other properties also. Theplant mainly contains alkaloids, glycosides, steroids,diterpenoid lactones, sesquiterpenoid, aliphaticcompound and other miscellaneous compound. Thequality assessment of source material of herbalmedicine may directly proportional to its efficacy.Different vegetative parts viz. leaf, stem, aerial rootwere collected and studied for pharmacognosy andphytochemical studies. Microscopically leaf of T.cordifolia showed presence of anomocytic stomata,unicellular trichomes. Stem showed wheel shapedappearance at the transverse cut surface, a peculiarcharacteristic feature of the family Menispermaceae.Stem and aerial root exhibit abundant mucilage canals,dense ceratenchyma and characteristics wedge shapedmedullary rays. Phytochemical screening analysis ofthe extracts revealed presence of tannins, phenolics,flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes and steroids in mostparts. The whole plant is used medicinally however;the stem is approved for use in medicine. The studyon stem samples collected in different seasons revealedthat total phenolics and total sugar concentrationobtained highest values in summer season while starchand tannin content were found maximum in winterseason. However biomarkers tinosporaside andberberine, reached to their highest concentration inmonsoon season. Further, antioxidant potentialrevealed the highest inhibition percentage in winterseason as well as in late summer season. The

qualitative and quantitative variations in the bioactivemarkers among different seasons of T. cordifoliasuggest the particular season for harvesting sourcematerial for getting the desired pharmacologicalactivities.Key words: T. cordifolia, Microscopy, Pharmacognosy,Tinosporaside, Berberine, Seasonal variation

SVII/P-27

A Study on Interaction of Two CoexistingInvasive Species, Mikania micrantha H.B.K.and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.)Griseb.Seemanti Chatterjee* and Anjana DewanjiAgricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian StatisticalInstitute, 203 B.T. Road, Kolkata-70108, West Bengal,INDIA Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Invasive plant species are considered a majorthreat to ecosystems because of their aggressivenessin their non-native range. In this context, interactionsbetween native and invasive plants have beenintensively studied, but interactions between co-occurring invasive species have received less attention.Because of the pervasiveness of invasive species,potential interaction among invasive species hasbecome an important issue in many plant communities.An attempt has, therefore, been made to study theinteraction between two invasive plants, Mikaniamicrantha (mile-a-minute) and Alternantheraphiloxeroides (alligator-weed), which are commonlyfound to co-occur in this region. The two plant specieswere grown in the greenhouse as monocultures foreach species as well as grown together as mixed-cultures, at constant density. The experiment wasterminated at the end of one month when plant biomasswas recorded. The results showed that mean aboveground biomass (dry weight basis) was maximum incase of A. philoxeroides when grown in monoculturesand dropped from 25% to 20% when grown togetherwith M. micrantha. However, there was a slightincrease in above ground biomass (dry weight basis)from 14.7% in M. micrantha monocultures comparedto 17.6% in M. micrantha mixed cultures. It wasinteresting to note that the number of lateral branches(emergence of new shoots from the base) weresignificantly higher in A. philoxeroides monoculturescompared to that observed in A. philoxeroides mixed



cultures. This higher regenerative ability of plantsgrowing in the absence of any competition probablycontributed to the greater above ground biomassreported earlier for A. philoxeroides monocultures. Theregenerative capacity of M. micrantha werecomparatively much lower, with no major differencebetween the plants growing under mixed andmonocultures, thereby indicating that M. micranthawas probably unaffected by the presence of A.philoxeroides and was a better competitor among thetwo invasive plants. Further studies are needed to gainmore insight into the fascinating world of plantinteractions.Key words: Invasive plants, Interaction, Lateral branches,Regenerative abilities

SVII/P-28

Genetic Diversity and Association of Fe andZn Concentration in Chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.) GenotypesN. Gupta1, N. Srivastava2, A.K. Gautam1,S.K. Chaturvedi3 and S.S. Bhagyawant 1*1School of Studies in Biotechnology, Jiwaji University,Gwalior, INDIA, 2Department of Biosciences and Biotech-nology, Banasthali University, Banasthali, Jaipur, INDIA,3Division of Plant Breeding, Indian Institute of PulsesResearch, Kanpur, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), is the second mostimportant pulse crop after common bean. It is widelyused staple diet of millions of people, especially inthe developing countries. Chickpea seeds has anaverage of 3.0-14.3 mg of iron, 2.2-20 mg of zinc inaddition to the other micronutrients (Marwan et al.,2014). Breeding programmes mainly focus on highyield, stress and disease resistant features. Majorattention needs to be focused on screening ofgermplasm vis-à-vis micronutrient concentrations andreducing antinutritional contents. Elite germplasmselection and their enhancements are one of the waysto tag the genotype of agronomic importance forplanning future breeding strategies.

PCR based molecular markers are the reliablemethods to tap the polymorphisms in the species likeCicer. The banding pattern as generated by RAPD andISSR markers are one of the established techniquesand may provide practical information regarding

genetic makeup of the germplasm. Genetic diversityand association mapping of Fe and Zn are underwayat various research institutes. In the presentinvestigation, a total of 60 genotypes collected fromIndian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur forcontrasting pair of characteristics were evaluated forZn and Fe using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy(Perkin Elmer). The results indicate that there issubstantial variability in these chickpea genotypes.Furthermore, higher variants of these stocks wereassessed for genetic polymorphisms using RAPD andISSR markers to study their association if any, formicronutrients.Key words: Chickpea, RAPD, ISSR, Micronutrients, Geneticdiversity

SVII/P-29

Exploration of Phytochemicals fromBotanical Garden Plants for SustainableUtilization and ConservationManjoosha SrivastavaPhytochemistry Division, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

In the times of deforestation, urbanization, adventof synthetics and substandard/unstandardized produceand products, the role of having botanical gardens andrevival of plant based products is important for humanhealth and well being. Further, undertaking studies onthe phytochemicals of the plants that is effected byand affecting the environment for climate changebecomes the current time challenge. The present workhighlights some leads on exploring the plants that areand can easily be grown in botanical gardens; that itselfor their produce have immense potential as/ forornamentals, medicinal and economic purposes andcould be a potential for environmental and economicchange. The physicochemical estimations, extractionand isolation of such useful phytochemicals viz. dyes/colours, gums, oils; medicinal and economicallyimportant secondary metabolites was carried out alongwith their evaluations for formulation prospects. Theirrole to increase/ decrease the absorption or reflect thelight, change in oxidative level, humidity andtemperature becomes important. Studies are donethrough simple methods and high end techniques toestablish standards. These phytochemicals are eco-friendly, biodegradable and safe that can not only be



used in foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and othercommodities of economic interest but it may also havea significant role in bioremediation, moistureretainment and reclamation of the soil through theirspecific chemistry and unique physicochemical,functional properties which can be enhanced tomanifold properties on interactions and valueadditions. Studies further scopes for sustainableutilizations and plant/plant produce/productproduction, environmental protection, andconservation.Key words: Botanical gardens, Conservation, Eco-friendly,Phytochemicals, Sustainable utilization

SVII/P-30

Biochemical Estimation of Glycogen Levelsin the Haemocytes of Freshwater CrabBarytelphusa cunicularisNayab AnsariSir Sayyed College, Aurangabad,431001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The haemocytes found in the blood ofcrustaceans are the main mediators of host defenseagainst infections in crustaceans . Glucose is theprincipal monosaccharides present in the haemolymphof crustaceans .Glucose is stored in the form ofglycogen .The stored glycogen is utilized in moulting,adaptation to hypoxia and /or anoxia, osmoregulationand during fasting periods .The variation in glucosein the haemolympatic glucose seem to be related tothe reproductive period of the species ,food availabilityand degree of environmental exploration .these factorsled to different metabolic adjustment in distinct speciesof crustaceans. In this study the biochemical glycogenanalysis was estimated in the haemocytes of both maleand female freshwater crabs Barytelphusa cunicularis.The results showed that the average carbohydrate percells in females is significantly more than that of males(PÂ 0.5).Key words: Fresh water crab, Glucose, Haemocytes

SVII/P-31

The Hidden Diversity of Medicinal Plantsin Western Madhya Pradesh, India:Diagnosis and Prospects for conservationVijay V. Wagh1* and Ashok K. Jain2

1Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana PratapMarg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, 2S.K. Jain Institute ofEthnobiology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior-474011, India,Email: [email protected]

The Plant diversity of western Madhya Pradeshis reducing at the fast rate due to anthropogenicdisturbances and environmental degradation.Disturbance is a major factor responsible forfragmentation of forest vegetation; as a result there isa preponderance of small patches, some of them arestill preserved as sacred groves because of strongreligious beliefs held by the indigenous people ofJhabua district of western Madhya Pradesh. Dungarimata sacred grove is situated near Katthiwada villagein Jhabua district of western Madhya Pradesh thatconsidered being residence of local deities. The Bhiland Bhilala are the most dominant tribe of the studyarea and depends upon the forest resources for theirlivelihood. About 339 species, 286 genera and 82families were found in the grove. Fabaceae (38species), Poaceae (33 species) and Asteraceae (20species) were dominant families and the Ipomoea wasthe largest genus, with 5 species. About 69 tree species,25 shrubs, 157 herbs, 40 grasses, 3 epiphytes and 45climbers and lianas were found in the groves. Somethreatened plant species are growing over here thatare not found elsewhere and they comes under variousthreat categories. About threatened taxa, 81 specieswere recorded from the grove that comes under variousthreat categories. The present status of the grove is ofconcern, as it is gradually declining under constantanthropogenic pressure. Their better management andprotection is important for the conservation of plantdiversity in the region and also for the benefit ofindigenous tribes of the state.Key words: Biodiversity, conservation, Dungari Mata, Sacredgrove, Bhil, Bhilala

SVII/P-32

VAM Fungal Biodiversity in Restoration ofNatural EcosystemAjay Pal* and Sonali PandeyDepartment of Botany, JECRC University, Jaipur-303905,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The wide range of micro-organisms that live insoil play important roles in driving many of the key interrestrial bio-geochemical cycles that underwrite



primary production., via the prerequisite of mineralnutrients to plants and their characteristics propertiesthat they impact in nature. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal(AM) fungus demonstrate a symbiotic relationshipwith more than 150 species of all vascular plantsoccurring worldwide in almost all type soil, formingthe dominant type of mycorrhiza. The fungi endorseefficient nutrient absorption and increase plant growthand yield. VAM interactions with the soil play animportant role in controlling soil fertility, soil erosionand plant water stress. The universal distribution ofplants with different types of mycorrhizal associationsis used to establish correlations with the major climaticfactors (water, temperature) which standardize thedistribution of plants, as well as more localized edaphicconditions. The importance of VAM fungi tosustainable agriculture and the ecosystem has led toits commercial development.Key words: Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (VAM),Biodiversity, Ecosystem, Restoration, Symbiotic

SVII/P-33

An Ethnobotanical Survey of SurgujaA. XalxoDepartment of Botany, Govt. Rajkumar Dheeraj SinghCollege, Surguja-497016, Chhattis GarhEmail: [email protected]

An ethno botanical survey was carried out inSurguja district, for documentation of the flora andidentification of various plants used for food by ruraland tribal communities. Surguja district lies on thenorthern part of Chhattisgarh, and a greater part ofthe population consists of tribal communities, mostof whom fulfill food and other needs from natural/forest produces. They have a rich knowledge of plantswhich they use for livelihood and medicinal purposes.

People gather these plants and plant parts fromforests, uncultivated fields, and other natural habitats,whereby the biodiversity is always facing the threatof overexploitation. The paper presents some plantswhich have been identified to be of high nutritive valueand are also medicinal and therefore can serve asalternate sources of nutrition for mankind. Promotingtheir cultivation can help to diversify our foodproductive capacity, and help to reduce genetic erosionby overexploitation.Key words: Wild plants, Food, Overexploitation, Geneticerosion

SVII/P-34

Algal Diversity in Morinda Lake at GovindWild Life Sanctuary, Uttarkashi District,Uttarakhand, IndiaKiran Toppo and M.R. SuseelaPhycology Laboratory, National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, IndiaEmail: [email protected]

Govind wild life sanctuary is situated at a remotearea in the district Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India,covering an area of 953 sq km. and the altitude variesfrom 1300 mts to 6323 mts. It is also known as GovindPashu Vihar. It is located in the greater part of theTons river. Temperature is ranges from 25°C to 50°Cand it receives a maximum of 100-1500 mm of rainfall.Morinda lake is located at 4388m and the surroundingarea covered with snow. High altitude lakescharacterized by low temperature, generally lowbuffering capacity and low level of nutrients act asreference system for global climate change. (Psenner2002; Catalan et al., 2006). Due to the extremeenvironmental conditions, the biodiversity of this lakeis scanty.

A total of 10 algal samples were collected fromthe four different sites of Morinda lake. A total of 22algal taxa were reported for the first time from theMorinda lake which belongs to three different classesCyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae.Chlorophyceae with 5 genera namely Ulothrix,Chlorella, Nannochloropsis, Mougeotia and Zygnema,Cyanophyceae with 7 genera namely Synechocystis,Stichococcus, Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc,Anabaena, Nodularia and Gloeocapsa and 3 generanamely Navicula, Nitzschia and Fragillaria belongingto Bacillariophyceae were reported in this paper.

The more intriguing is the morphologicalvariation in Nostoc spp. Anabaena spp. andCosmarium spp. and the variation in pigmentation ofalgal species. High altitude lakes have received littleattention so far in terms of their biodiversity,conservation but they are becoming increasinglyimportant due to the possible consequences of theglobal climate change (Bhat et al. 2011). The widemorphological diversity of algal population and theirpigmentation under some ecological andenvironmental conditions needs further investigation.Key words: Algal diversity, Morinda Lake, Govind Wild LifeSanctuary



SVII/P-35

Algal Diversity in Different Habitats fromMunnar, Idukki District, Kerala, IndiaMinhaj Akhtar Usmani*, M.R. Suseela and Kiran ToppoAlgology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Munnar is a hill station located in the Idukkidistrict of the South Western Indian state of Keralalocated between 10°10’N latitude and 77°04’Elongitude and situated around 1600 m sea level in theKannan Devan hills village of Devikulam Taluk,Western Ghats range of mountains. Most of the nativeflora of Munnar has disappeared due to severe habitatfragmentation resultant from the creation of theplantations. However, some species continue to surviveand thrive in several protected areas. Collection of 25algal samples was made from 11 habitats in Munnar.A total of 39 algal taxa which were belonging to 33genera were reported from the present survey. Out ofthese Chlorophyceae with 16 genera, Cyanophyceaewith 9 genera, Bacillariophyceae with 5 andEuglenophyceae with 3 genera were reported.

Algal diversity in various habitats was reportedas follows: In Pericanal(15 Genera), Chinna Canal(14Genera), Kundra Dam(10 Genera), rocks andpebbles(9 Genera), on soil(6 Genera), tea stem(4Genera), small ditches(3 Genera) followed bysubmerge plants, Callar Waterfall(1 Genera) followedby tree bark, tea leaves and on coconut shell.

Among the green algae order Chlorococcaleanmembers like Scenedesmus, Chlorella, Crucigenia,Botryococcus, Coelastrum, Asterococcus were mostcommon form in waterfall and dam. SomeCyanophyceae like Anabaena, Nostoc, Scytonema,Oscillatoria, Hapalosiphone Trentepohlia,Phormidium, Scytonema, Anabaena, Calothrix, werevery common form present in leaves, stems, barks andtree trunks and rocks. Desmids like Cosmarium,Arthrodesmus, Staurastrum and Cylindrocystis werereported from dam, waterfalls and streams. The widemorphological diversity of algal population undersome ecological and environmental conditions needsfurther investigation for conservation of algal species.Algal diversity in different habitats in Munnar is

described in detail with photographs in the presentcommunication.Key words: Algal diversity, Habitats, Munnar, Ecology andConservation

SVII/P-36

Bird Communities of Semi-AridGrasslands in the Great Indian BustardSanctuary, Maharashtra, IndiaSatish Kumar1* and Asad R. Rahmani2

1Dept of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University,Aligarh-202002, INDIA. 2Bombay Natural History Soci-ety, Hornbill House, S.B. Singh Road, Mumbai-400001,Maharashtra, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Density, distribution, composition and temporalchanges in composition of bird communities wereinvestigated in the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary,which falls in the Deccan biogeographic zone. Thestudy also examined the significance of protectedgrassland patches in conservation of avifauna of theDeccan plateau with special reference to conservationof Great Indian Bustard. The sanctuary encompassesmainly grassland, grazing land and plantation habitattypes. Line transect method was used for samplingbird communities fortnightly in each habitat type.Eight bird guilds namely, granivores, granivore-insectivores, insectivores, raptors (birds of prey),frugivore-insectivores, omnivores, frugivore-granivores and nectarivores were recorded from themajor habitat types of the Sanctuary. In summer, thehighest density of insectivorous birds (190 individuals/sq. km) was found in plantations whereas lowest (9individuals/sq. km) in grassland. Density of raptorswas maximum in plantations (4 ind/sq. km) andgrazing land (2 ind/sq. km) and grassland (2 ind/sq.km). The nectarivore birds were found only inplantations. The granivores were higher in plantations(120 ind/sq. km) and grazing land (113 ind/sq. km)than grassland (70 ind/sq. km). In monsoon, thegranivore-insectivore birds were found maximum (575ind/sq. km) in grassland and minimum (102 ind/sq.km) in in plantations. Density of raptors was maximum(10 ind/sq. km) in grassland and minimum in grazingland (7 ind/sq. km) and plantations (2 ind/sq. km). Inwinter, the maximum (7) number of guild wererecorded in plantations whereas minimum (4) in



grassland. Nectarivorous birds were found only inplantations. Density of granivore-insectivores washigher (128 ind/sq. km) in grassland than plantations(80 ind/sq. km). The birds of prey were more abundantin grassland (9 ind/sq. km) and grazing land (5 ind/sq.km) than plantations (4 ind/sq. km). The Great IndianIndian Bustard population has shown drastic declineduring the last 10 years and nearly extirpated fromthe Sanctuary. The main reason for decline in birdpopulations such as the Great Indian Bustard is habitatfragmentation, over-grazing by livestock and habitatdecay due to intensive use of pesticides in vineyards,which are surrounding the Sanctuary.Key words: Bird density, Bird guilds, Grassland, Conservation,Great Indian Bustard

SVII/P-37

The Study of Ethonobotanical Documentationand Phytochemical Analysis of Few MedicinalPlants in Rajnandgaon District, Chhattisgarh,IndiaShama Afroze Baig* and Anita MahishwarBotany Department, Govt. Digvijaya College, Rajnandgaon,Chhattisgarh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The tribals of Chhattisgarh have developed vastknowledge of plants which they have acquired throughtheir traditional practices since time immemorial. Useof certain plants for some particular purposes isrestricted to some people only and normally they arequite reluctant to share their knowledge with anyoutsider. There is an urgent need of documentation ofthis irreplaceable knowledge. It may be lost whentraditional cultures collapse with advent ofmodernization. The present studies aimed atdocumenting all Ethnobotanical Products datacovering most important eco-sensitive zones of thestate. The photographic documentation is more usefulin identification of plant species in the field and itmay also useful for conservation strategies. Generally,it was noted some rare traditionally useful plantsknowledge and values which accounts for 49 plantspecies with 27 families. Most of the claims are foundto be interesting to the indigenous system of Indianmedicine. The present enumerations about medicinalplants of the area studied is not last the only accountof medicinal plants but a treasure of folk lore uses ofplants can be explored from these tribal areas.Considering previous studies and the presentexploration indicate that such kind of ethno-

medicobotanical studies may be highly useful tohuman race in fighting disease with cheap and bestnon-side effect remedies. Results will be discussedduring presentation.Key words: Medicinal, Plants, Ethonobotanical, Traditional

SVII/P-38

Plant Diversity, Benefits and ManagementStrategies at Meja Thermal Power Plant(MTPP) in Allahabad, Uttar PradeshAnita TomarCentre for Social Forestry and Eco-rehabilitation, IndianCouncil of Forestry Research and Education, Allahabad-211002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The present study was conducted in Allahabadduring 2011-2012. The proposed site is located in Mejatehsil of Allahabad district, Uttar Pradesh about 45km in the south-east of Allahabad city in Vindhyanregion. Meja TPP is envisaged as a coal based thermalpower project based on super critical technology. Theexact geographical locations of the project site isbetween latitude 25007’ to 25010’N and longitude81054’ to 81058’E and its elevation above MSL is 340to 364 feet.

From this region total number of 150 species (24trees, 19 shrubs, 107 herbs) belonging to 52 familieswere recorded within 10 km of thermal power projectsite. Among families, Asteraceae (14 species) Poaceae(12 species), Euphorbiaceae and Cyperaceae (11species) each, Fabaceae (10 species), Acanthaceae (9species) were most species diverse.

Scrophulariaceae and Mimosaceae arerepresented by 5 species. Amaranthaceae,Caesalpiniaceae and Lythraceae by 4 species.Rhamnaceae, Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae, Tiliaeae,Polygonaceae, Moraceae, Malvaceae and Lamiaceaeby 3 species each. Four families have 2 species andthe remaining 29 families were monospecific.

The project would partially meet the powershortage of Uttar Pradesh and other willing states ofNorthern Region, which is vital for economic growthas well as improving the quality of life. In addition,construction and operation of the project would benefitlocal people with respect to employment opportunity,Conservation of land resources, improvement ininfrastructural facilities and improving the aesthetics



of the area. The Management Strategies were alsorecommended to reduce the likely potential impactsof the proposal on the terrestrial environment.Key words : Project, Power shortage, Benefit, Management,Environment

SVII/P-39

Study of an Invasive Plant Mikaniamicrantha H.B.K. in an Urban Context: ItsSpread Potential and Effect on Floral DiversityAchyut Kumar Banerjee* and Anjana DewanjiAgricultural and Ecological Research Unit, IndianStatistical Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata-700108,West Bengal, IndiaEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

In context of plant invasion, the present study isconcerned with one of the top 10 worst weeds of theworld Mikania micrantha H.B.K. of the familyAsteraceae. The presence of this plant in India hasmainly been reported from forest or plantation areaswhere its invasion leads to considerable economic loss.In view of the recent concern regarding the spread ofinvasives into urban areas, this study was initiated inone of the rapidly expanding cities of India namely,Kolkata with two primary objectives: to assess theimpacts of this plant on floral diversity as well as itspotential for spread into new areas.

A field survey and quadrat based samplingmethod was initiated in 85 well distributed points inKolkata to estimate M. micrantha cover percentageand number of associated native as well as non-nativespecies. M. micrantha infestation was graded into fourseverity categories based on its cover percentage. Morethan half of the sampling points revealed M. micranthapresence and found significant negative impacts onfloral biodiversity of this invasive plant in terms ofspecies richness, Simpson’s Diversity Index andEvenness Index. Soil samples were analyzed forphysical and textural parameters to find the preferredsoil type for this plant growth. Analysis of soil texturerevealed sandy loam was the soil type where the plantwould like to grow. Co-occurrence of multiple invasivespecies in a community was evident from this studyand GLM analysis with a modified Poisson regressionmodel highlighted the exclusive negative effect ofM. micrantha on native plants after adjusting thefacilitative effects of other invasives on native floralcommunity.

For management options, one desirable and oneundesirable hypothesis were formulated based onchance of finding at least 3 natives and no nativespecies. The probability of finding of at least 3 nativespecies was found to increase in presence of multipleinvaders while the chance of complete nativebiodiversity loss was found to be maximum in presenceof M. micrantha as single invader species. This studyhighlights the management options which can bedevised based on the resident community structure.Key words: Invasion, Mikania micrantha, Urban, Diversity,Soil, GLM

SVII/P-40

A Study on Cyanobacterial Isolates fromKarimganj District Assam, North East, IndiaMoirangthem Thajamanbi* and Jayashree RoutDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Science, AssamUniversity, Silchar, -788011, Assam, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

A preliminary investigation for the distributionalpattern of some cyanobacterial isolates from the ricefields around Son beel area of Karimganj district,Assam, North East India was carried out. Thedistributional pattern shows that a total of thirty fourisolates belonging to nine genera were obtained. Thegenera Nostoc, Calothrix, Anabaena andCylindrospermum were the most dominant rice fieldcyanobacteria in the district. The pigment profile wasestimated and the highest was found inCylindrospermum sp. and the least was recorded inthe strain Nostoc sp. The present study highlights thepromising cyanobacteria which are widely distributedin the rice field and significantly use for the high yieldof rice cultivation in the district.Key words: Cyanobacteria, Distribution, Karimganj District,Rice fields

SVII/P-41

Distribution, Diversity and MolecularCharacterization of Indian Soap-NutKamalesh S. Mahar*1, Y.K. Sharma1 and T.S. Rana2

1Department of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow226 007, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, 2Molecular SystematicsLaboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226 001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]



Soap-nuts (Sapindus L.) is an economically andtaxonomically important genus belonging to the familySapindaceae. Soap-nuts have long been used inindigenous systems of medicine and are commerciallymuch valued for fruits. Soap nut is one of the oldestmedicinal and industrial plants in the world. Peoplehave been using soapnut as natural laundry detergentsfrom ancient times for washing fabrics, bathing andtraditional medicines. In fact, some botanists trace itto the period of the Vedas, about 5000 years ago. Thegeneric name of Sapindus is derived from the Latinwords saponis, meaning “soap” and indicus, meaning“of India”. The plants of soap nut are trees.Occasionally the trees of soap nut come up from theself-sown seeds and can also be raised artificially bydirect sowings or transplanting the nursery raisedseedlings. Cuttings and grafting are also a traditionalmethod for its propagation. Sapindus is widelydistributed in tropical and subtropical regions of theworld; especially it is well represented in warm regionsof Asia, Australia, North America and South America.Three species of the genus Sapindus (S. emarginatus,S. mukorossi and S. trifoliatus) are found in India. Theyare sparsely distributed in the tropical regions ofdifferent geographical provinces (Gangatic Plains,Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau, North-West andEastern Himalaya) in deciduous and dry evergreenforests, occasionally along roadsides and nearhabitations. The species of the genus Sapindus alsoextend its distribution to neighboring countries likePakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. In the presentinvestigation, we carried out the diversity andsystematic analyses of the Indian species of the genusSapindus using molecular markers. The study ongenetic variability in different species of Sapindusprovided important information on the availablediversity and distribution of Sapindus in nature, andcontributed to an overall understanding of the biologyof Sapindus species found in India.Key words: Genetic diversity, India, Population structure,Phylogeny, Sapindus

SVII/P-42

Indigenous Knowledge and Biodiversity ofthe Chitrakoot Forest Area (Uttar Pradesh)and its ConservationP.K. Khare1*, A.P. Saxena and Rajkumari Sachan2

1B.S.A. Office Hamirpur, U.P., INDIA, Department of

Botany, Pt. J.N.P.G. College Banda- 210001, INDIA.2Department of Botany, Government P.G. College, Hamirpur,U.P., INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Plants with medicinal properties enjoyed thehighest position in the indigenous system of medicinesall over the world. All cultures from ancient times tothe present day have used plants as a source ofmedicine. Today according to world healthorganization (WHO) as many as 80% fo the worldpopulation depend on traditional medicine for thetreatment of various diseases.

Chitrakoot is a well known place for historicaland religious importance of lord rama Chitrakoot liesalong the northern part of vindhyan range is situatedbetween 80o50’-80o52’ longitude and 25o10’-25o12’latitude on the border of Madhya Pradesh and UttarPradesh. This region is inhabited by various originaltribes like kols, Gonds and lodhies. Who more oftenuse many local plants for the treatment of differentdiseases.

Some environmental conservation practicesfollowed by tribal communities like kole gonds andlodhies tribes lived in the remote area of chitrakootforest division are interesting and unique. Thesepractices have been helpful in conserving someimportant species some interesting species have beenobserved in these sacred groves are Aegal marmelos(Bel), Calotropis procera (Aak), Cynodon dactylon(Doob ghas). Ficus religiosa (Peepal), Ficusbenghalensis (Bargad), Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) etc.

The present communication deals with theutilization of plants in relation to medicinal propertiesby local inhabitants of the remote localities ofchitrakoot forest area, accumulated some interestingas well as little information on 21 plant species usedas medicinal value and conserved the environment.Key words: Indeginous, Conservation, Tribal area, Medicinal,Biodiversity

SVII/P-43

Bioactivity of Bryophytes Against Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Causing FusariumWilt of TomatoKavita Negi* and Preeti ChaturvediDepartment of Biological Sciences, C.B.S.H., G.B.Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar263145, Uttarakhand, INDIA



Email: [email protected]

The continuing development of conventionalfungicide and their resistance in plant pathogensnecessitates the discovery and development of naturalfungicides. Since fungicides are designed specificallyto fight harmful fungi and therefore are toxic to them,they may present hazards to the environment by theirpotential effect upon non-target organisms. There is agrowing interest in the use of plants for fungal infectionrelated diseases control program as an alternate toconventional fungicides. Bryophytes belong to thegroup of the oldest known land plants, which includesliverworts, hornworts and mosses. Fusarium wilt isconsidered one of the most important diseases oftomato worldwide. To overcome this prominentproblem of wilt common in field and green housegrown tomatoes, an eco friendly study has beenobserved. The antifungal potential of two bryophytes(Conocephalum conicum L. and Anaectangiumthomsonii Mitt.) collected from mid hills of KumaonHimalayas was studied by extracting them in twoorganic (ethanol and acetone) solvents. The antifungalactivity was investigated against Fusarium oxysporumf. sp. lycopersici by disc diffusion, food poisoned andbroth microdilution methods. Both the extracts showedvaried degree of potent antifungal activities in dosedependent manner but the highest degree of antifungalactivity was shown by ethanolic extract of C. conicumfollowed by acetone extract with (MIC/ MFC = 31.25/125µg/ml) and (MIC/ MFC = 125/500 µg/ml)respectively. The similar trend of antifungal activitywas found when the in vitro study was followed by invivo study. High content of phenolics and flavonoidswas observed in ethanolic extract of C. conicum at100µg/ml. The chemical composition of potent plant wasdetermined by gas chromatography- massspectrometry (GC-MS) for further study. The resultsclearly indicate the in vitro potential of tested extractsof bryophytes as antifungal agent against one of themost important tomato plant pathogen. In future it canprovide a substitute for the conventional syntheticfungicides giving an ecofriendly approach to planthealth management.

Key words: Bryophytes, antifungal activity, Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Phenolics and GC-MS

SVII/P-44

Genetic Diversity and Multivariate AnalysisShilpi Srivastava,*, Ajay Kumar Singh and Atul BhargavaAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University,Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Genetic diversity has been defined as the varietyof alleles and genotypes present in a population andthis is reflected in morphological, physiological andbehavioural differences between individuals andpopulations. Genetic diversity is the basis ofevolutionary potential of species to respond toenvironmental changes and serves as a way to adaptto changing environments. Study of genetic diversityis the process by which variation among individualsor groups of individuals or populations is analyzed bya specific method or a combination of methods. Athorough assessment of genetic diversity can beinvaluable in crop improvement programs for analysisof genetic variability in cultivars, identification ofdiverse parental combinations for creating segregatingprogenies with maximum genetic variation and forintrogression of desirable genes from diversegermplasm into the available genetic base.Multivariate data analysis refers to any statisticaltechnique used to analyze data that arises from morethan one variable. Multivariate statistical algorithmsthat simultaneously analyze multiple measurementson each individual under investigation have beenwidely used in analysis of genetic diversity. Theseanalytical techniques include principal componentanalysis (PCA), principal coordinate analysis (PCoA),cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling (MDS).Key words: Genetic diversity, Multivariate analysis,Quantitative traits, Principal Component Analysis (PCA),Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA)

SVII/P-45

An Assessment of Floristic Diversity ofSitamata Wild Life Sanctuay, Rajasthan, IndiaK.L. MeenaDepartment of Botany, MLV Government College,Bhilwara-311001, Rajasthan, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The Sitamata wildlife sanctuary, Chittorgarh,Pratapgarh and Udaipur, South Rajasthan is one ofthe pride owner of most unique ecosystem with first



richest biodiversity in Flora and fauna in Rajasthan. Itis one and only of the important natural habitats forflying squirrel in India. The sanctuary is situated inbetween 74º25’-74º40' E longitudes and 24004’-24023’N latitude covering an area about 422.95 Sq. km inwhich the total reserved forest area is 345. 37 sq. kmand proteted forest area is 77.57 sq. km. The plantresources of Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary were studiedand analysed. A total of 646 Angiospermic speciesbelonging to 426 genera under 116 families wererecorded. Herbs dominate the flora followed by trees,climbers and shrubs. Dominance of phanerophytesindicates the tropical moist and humid climate. Six,two and 53 angiospermic taxa have been recorded asthe threatened, endemic and rare taxa respectively.Proper conservation and management plans are neededto save the natural resources, especially medicinalplants, of this sanctuary.Key words: Floristic diversity, Sitamata Wildlife Sancyuary,Rajasthan, India

SVII/P-46

Action Plan to Enhance and ConserveBiodiversity for an Open Cast MineRamesh Madav*, Akshay Nachane and Prachiti MuleTerracon Ecotech® Pvt. Ltd. 202, Kingston,Tejpal Road, Vileparle (East), Mumbai-400057, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

Biodiversity is considered as an important factorin maintaining the natural balance of the environment.The developmental activities like industrializationcause habitat conversions which are one of the majordrivers of biodiversity loss. Biodiversity anddevelopment activities can exist and flourish side byside. If necessary measures are taken sufficientlyhealthy biodiversity can exist within the confines ofan industrial area, without one harming the other.Assessment of existing biodiversity of an area andpreparation of a document pertaining to theconservation of existing biodiversity is a first step forintegrating biodiversity into businesses. A biodiversityaction plan containing suggestions and strategies forconservation was formulated by studying ecologicaldata of operational and buffer zone of an open castmine of zinc. The study included multiple componentslike ecological data assessment, ecosystem service

benchmarking, assessment of risk to biodiversity dueto various operational activities etc. Aim of baselineanalysis of the study area was to generate a primarydatabase about existing flora and fauna along with thetype and health of habitat. While threat analysis wasdone to identify the potential threats to biodiversityfrom operations or any other surrounding activities,benchmarking of ecosystem services involved detailedinteraction with the management and culminated intoa score. Along with these major components the studyalso involved various minor components likepreparation of biodiversity sensitivity map, socioecological survey, preparation of intensity map etc.All these components were merged together to give acomprehensive view of biodiversity and ecosystemservices. The outcome of this study was a set ofrecommendations on conserving and enhancingbiodiversity of the study area. Implementation ofsuggested activities like plantation of nativespecies, management of invasive species and ecorestoration strategy for overburden will aid inenriching biodiversity and maintaining ecologicalbalance of the area.Key words: Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, Sensitivity map,Open cast mine

SVII/P-47

Environmentally Threatened Biodiversityand Conservation Management in BangladeshMohammad Atiqur RahmanDepartment of Botany, University of Chittagong,Chittagong 4331, BANGLADESHEmail: [email protected]

Investigation for assessment of the threatenedcategories of plants has been carried out throughoutthe flora of Bangladesh and a complete inventory of13 angiosperm families have been made, recognizinga total of 211 taxa which are environmentallythreatened in the flora at various degrees and needimmediate conservation management forenvironmental sustainability. The threatenedcategories have been determined through survey ofrelevant floristic literature, repeated field trips since1993, examination of collected herbarium specimenspreserved in national and international herbaria, viz.,CAL, E, K, DACB, DUSH, BFRIH, BCSIRH andHCU. These 13 plant families are Anacardiaceae,Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae,



Begoniaceae, Boraginaceae, Cucurbitaceae,Magnoliaceae, Menispermaceae, Myrsinaceae,Periplocaceae, Rubiaceae and Vitaceae, representingin the flora of Bangladesh by a total of 497 species ofwhich 211 (about 42.5%) are recognized as threatenedand classified in to IUCN Red List Categories, andincluded in the Red Data Book of Bangladesh (RDB)for taking national conservation strategies. Of thesethreatened taxa, 52 species are extinct, 128 endagered,20 vulnerable and 11 other categories. The 52 speciesare presumed extinct since these have no report ofcollection after 19th century. In this communication,an enumeration of some extremely rare, endangeredand extinct species is presented. Each species in theenumeration is cited with current nomenclature, localnames, habit, ecology, potential values, field/herbarium photograph, distribution and conservationstatus in the wild as per format of the Red Data Bookof Bangladesh.Key words: Threatened biodiversity, Conservationmanagement, Environmental sustainablility, Bangladesh

SVII/P-48

Effect of Environmental Conditions on GenusBryum Hedw. In Western Himalaya, IndiaPooja Bansal* and Virendra NathBryology Laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail:[email protected],[email protected]

Bryophytes are the most simple and primitivegroup of embryophyta with about 25,000 speciesdistributed all over the world. They are among thepioneers of the land vegetation on earth and areimportant key components of the ecosystembiodiversity. These plants are greatly influenced byclimatic as well as geographical factors thus used asindicator species for climate change due to theirsensitivity to environmental condition. Variousconsequences of climate change on the speciescomponent of biodiversity include; change ingeographical distribution, increased extinction rates,changes in reproduction timings and changes in lengthof growing seasons for every species, thereforeresearch on bryophyte diversity, richness anddistribution is also increasing in recent years. Theseplants have wider distribution and longer altitudinalgradient than vascular plants; therefore have been

considered as ideal group for altitudinal studies.Altitudinal variation forms an important parameter forthe biodiversity that determines the distribution ofbryophytes.

Genus Bryum is unique group of taxa, not onlyfor its species diversity, but also for the species tocolonize a diverse variety of environments, wide rangeof growth forms, habitats and distribution pattern.Their distribution in a particular site or localitydepends on various macroclimatic factors such astemperature, air current, light, wind velocity,atmospheric gases, rainfall etc. as well as themicroclimatic factors viz., habitat including chemicaland physical properties of substrate that are governedby the altitude and this shows a direct relationshipbetween altitude and species distribution. The westernHimalayan region is characterized by a variety ofclimate types and accordingly the flora is also variedmarkedly, thus the prevailing weather conditions indifferent parts of western Himalaya seem to befavourable for the growth of Bryum spp.

The present study is to describe the distributional pat-tern of Bryum taxa along an altitudinal gradient upto6500 m a.s.l. in western Himalaya and the analysisindicates that diversity and richness of Bryum taxaincreases up to 2800 m and beyond this it decreases.Maximum occurrence of taxa is observed between1801-2800 m, represented by 17 species and 1 varietydue to moderate humidity and temperature, whileabove 4500 m the temperature increases and humid-ity seems to be very low therefore minimum occur-rence of the genus is observed, represented by only 1species: B. thomsonii. During the assessment 6 spe-cies: B. apiculatum, B. argenteum, B. capillare,B. cellulare, B. coronatum and B. dichotomum arefound at lower altitudinal range below 800 m exhibitslow temperature and high humidity.

Keywords: Altitude, Bryophytes, Climate change, Ecosystem,Western Himalaya

SVII/P-49

Ecology and Diversity of Ficus L.(Moraceae) of the Gangetic Plain in Indiawith Special Reference to Uttar PradeshRinkey Tiwari* and Lal Babu ChaudharyPlant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg,



Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Due to varied climatic conditions India has beendivided into 12 biogeographic regions which haveresulted enormous amount of plant diversity amongdifferent plant groups. Ficus commonly known as ‘Fig,is also considered one of the major constituents ofIndian diversity with about 115 species. The presentstudy examines the genus Ficus from one of theimportant biogeoraphic regions ‘The Gangetic Plain’by highlighting its diversity and ecological aspects.The Gangetic plain stretches from the easternRajasthan through Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and WestBengal. The entire region is a flat alluvial region andconsists of tropical environment. Majority of Ficusspecies are found in low land and moist areas in mixedforest, waste lands and besides nallahs and waterbodies. In addition, they also occur on abandonedbuildings, walls of houses, in orchards, gardens, alongroadsides in villages and cities etc. Many species growepiphytically either on the other species of Ficus oron different tree species. Some of the species alsofound growing as lithophytes (F. mollis). Species likeF. benghalensis and F. reliogiosa can play an importantrole in colonization in coal mining affected areas. Ficusis considered as a keystone species in tropical rainforests as it plays very fundamental role in ecosystem,due to its fruits which are eaten by insects, birds andanimals throughout the year. The fallen figs are usedby decomposers and improved the soil organiccomponent and its fertility. Various insects and waspsspecies are dependent on figs for their food and tocomplete their life cycle. The study reveals that theGangetic Plain comprises about 50 species of Ficus(including 7 cultivated species) from its entire range,3-4 from Estern Rajasthan, 17 from Bihar andJharkhand, 14 from Uttar Pradesh and 15 from WestBengal. Out of 14 species occurring in Uttar Pradesh,the maximum species belong to trees except F.assamica, F. heterophylla, F. pumilla . Some of thespecies such as F. benghalensis , F. racemosa, F.religiosa and F. virens are found in both wild as wellas in cultivated forms while F. benjamina, F. drupaceavar pubescens, F. drupacea var. surepanda, F. elastica,F. krishnae, F. maclellandii, F. pumila, are chieflycultivated as ornamental, avenue tree etc. In overallgross morphology F. krishnae, F. hispida, F. mollis, F.palmata ssp. virgata, F. semicordata and F. viren,exhibit considerable amount of variations.

Keywords: Diversity, Ecology, Ficus, Moraceae, Uttar Prdesh,Gangetic Plain

SVII/P-50

Phenological Behaviour of three WoodySpecies in Vindhyan Region of UttarPradesh, IndiaArun Kumar Kushwaha*1, Lal Babu Chaudhary1,Nandita Singh2

1Plant Diversdity, Systematics and Herbarium Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Plant Ecology and Environmental Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

The study deals with the phenological behaviourof three dominant woody species such as Hardwickiabinata Roxb., Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. andAcacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. Growing in the Vindhyanregion of Uttar Pradesh, India. The area around theVindhyachal Mountains is known as Vindhyan region.The region is spread from Gujarat to Uttar Pradeshcovering north-eastern Madhya Pradesh. It representstropical dry deciduous type of vegetation. Sonbhadradistrict of Uttar Pradesh falls within the range ofVindhyan is selected as study site. In the present studydifferent phenophases like leaf bud initiation, youngleaf emergence, leaf maturation, floral bud initiation,flowering, fruiting and leaf fall initiation wereobserved on monthly basis for the candidate species.In Butea monosperma flower buds initiated just beforesummer (i.e. March), flowers blooms on the tree insummer (i.e. April) and produced fruits before rainsin the month of May which sustained on up to July. Atthe time of fruiting the leaf bud busting also started.After a month from the leaf bud busting the youngleaves appeared on the twigs in June and got maturedin August. In Acacia catechu leaf buds initiated in themonth of February, young leaves appeared on the twigsin March and got matured in August. Flower budsinitiated in June, flowers persisted on the tree only forone month and produced fruits during rains in themonth of July which continued on the tree up to nextyear (i.e. January-February). In Hardwickia binata leafbuds initiated in the month of February and youngleaves appeared on the twigs in March and got maturedin May. Flower buds initiated in July with rains. Theflowers persisted on up to August and produced fruits



just after rains in the last week of September whichcontinued on the trees up to December. This kind ofstudy will help to assess the response of these plantsagainst the changing climate if done periodically forlonger period.Keywords: Trees, Phenology, Vindhyan region, Hardwickiabinata, Butea monosperma, Acacia catechu, Sonbhadra District

SVII/P-51

Genetic Diversity among some ExoticSpecies of Pinus using RAPDDildar Husain* and Gauri SaxenaDepartment of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, [email protected],[email protected]

The present study investigated the geneticdiversity among 12 exotic species habituated inWestern Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand. Thespecies under study were diverse and displayed a rangeof variability (0-100%) for RAPD. The exotic speciesof Pinus were collected from different localities ofWestern Himalayas in Uttarakhand, viz. Kausani,Ranikhet, Almora and Nainital of Kumaon usingRAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA).Twelve species of Pinus considered for the followingstudy included P. canariensis (PC), P. densiflora (PD),P. echinata (PE1), P. ellottii (PE2), P. engelmanii (PE3),P. greggii (PG), P. insularis (PI), P. oocarpa (PO), P.pinaster (PP1), P. pinea (PP2), P. taeda (PT1) and P.thunbergii (PT2). Present RAPD profile analysis,involved six primers of which two primers (OPB-01and PIN-08) did not give any satisfactoryamplification, while remaining four random primers(OPC-01, OPA-10, PIN-02 & PIN-07) were moreinformative, produced maximum PCR amplificationproducts with all Pinus species under study. A total of81 RAPD polymorphic markers were used to generatea genetic similarity matrix followed by the clusteranalysis. Specific groups were revealed by each clusteranalysis. A total of 81 bands of genomic DNA weregenerated. Maximum number of 17 and 18amplification products were obtained with OPC-01and OPA-10 primers respectively. Minimum numbersof 6 amplification products were generated with PIN-08. The total numbers of unique bands detected were16, out of which 5 bands were contributed by OPA-10primer, 1 band by OPC-01 and PIN-08, 2 bands by

OPB-01, 3 bands by PIN-02 and 4 bands by PIN-07primers.

The primers exhibited hundred percentpolymorphism, probably because of wide distributionof the Pinus species in different geographical regions.The dendrogram generated using RAPD profile,revealed the distinctness of each species of Pinus. Itwas also seen that P. taeda (PT1) had highest similaritywith P. echinata (PE1), and P. ellottii (PE2) was nearsimilar to P. greggii (PG). These species probably hadthe highest similarity with each other since theyinhabited same geographical range of distribution. P.oocarpa (PO) forms separate cluster since its DNAwas not amplified by the primers. This technique hasalso been successfully used earlier to study the geneticdiversity in several other species of Pinus (Kaya etal., 1993; Gomez et al., 2001; Nkongolo et al., 2002;Monteleone et al., 2006).

The study revealed extreme diversity atmolecular level in Pinus species and has opened vistasfor further research in this area where moleculardiversity can be correlated to their morphologicaldiversity.Key words: Genetic Diversity, Pinus, Random AmplifiedPolymorphic DNA (RAPD), Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR), Polymorphism

SVII/P-52

Bryophyte Diversity at Govind Wild LifeSanctuary (Uttarakhand), WesternHimalaya, India: A Preliminary OverviewA.K. Asthana and Vinay Sahu*Bryology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow - 226 001, India(Email:[email protected];[email protected])

Western Himalaya boasts a rich and remarkablefloral diversity due to vast range of Climatic andaltitudinal zones providing variety of niches andmicroclimatic conditions. In Uttarakhand State,Govind Wild Life Sanctuary (GWLS) in Uttarkashidistrict of Garhwal hills is an area which is lessexplored for its floristic resources in general and forbryophytes in particular. The sanctuary covers an areaof about 953 Km2 with the altitude ranging from 1300-6230 m above mean sea level. The area comprises ofvalleys of Rupin and Supin, the tributaries of river



Tons. The vegetation of the region includes subtropicalconiferous forests through mixed temperate forests,dry temperate forests to alpine scrubs and meadows.The area is very rich in medicinal plants and home fora large number of endangered animals and plants. Arecent investigation on the bryoflora of GWLS hasrevealed the occurrence of 262 taxa of bryophytesbelonging to 124 genera of 55 families. Mosses arerepresented by 168 taxa of 84 genera and 27 families,liverworts are represented by 87 taxa of 37 genera and25 families, and hornworts consist of 7 species of 3genera and 3 families. Among the mosses, familyPottiaceae seems to be more dominant in the regionwith 25 taxa, followed by Bryaceae and Thuidiaceae,while genus Brachythecium has maximum number (8)of species. As far as the leafy liverworts are concerned,family Plagiochilaceae exhibits maximum number (14)of species, while Frullaniaceae is represented by9 species. Liverwort Frullania handel-mazzettii S.Hatt. and moss Bryhnia nepalensis Takaki have beenrecorded as new to India.Key words: Bryophytes, GWLS, Uttarakhand, India.

SVII/P-53

Ecological Implications of BryophyteDiversity at Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve(M.P.) IndiaReesa Gupta*, Virendra Nath, Neerja Pande1 andA. K. AsthanaBryology Laboratory, CSIR- National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow - 226 001, India.1D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital- 263 002,India. ([email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected])

Considering the world wide initiative towards thebiodiversity management and conservation, the studyof floral and faunal attributes of protected areas holdsutmost importance. Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve(PBR) encompassing an area of 4987.38 squarekilometers is a prominent protected unit of centralIndia. Its inclusion in UNESCO'S Man and Biosphere(MAB) Programme and under project Tiger since 1999and 2000 respectively has made it a prime region of

concern. Rich in floral and faunal heritage, PBR iscelebrated for its cryptogamic diversity, specificallypteridophytic and bryophytic flora.

Bryophytes harbour varied localities of the areabut mostly these are inhabitants of shady, moist andundisturbed places. The bryophytes play imperativerole in formation and maintenance of differentecosystems. Considering their presence on variety ofhabitats ranging from soil, soil covered rocks, barerocks (both moist and dry), walls to tree barks andleaf surfaces, within an altitudinal range of 400-1350meters (approx) at PBR, their role and importance inecosystem dynamics remains indispensable.

The present study elucidates the speciescomposition of 132 bryophytes of the chosen sites atthree altitudinal gradients, viz. lower altitude (400m-800m), middle altitude (801m-1000m) and higheraltitude (above 1000m) across six selected habitatsnamely soil, dry rocks, wet rocks, soil covered rocks,epiphytic and stony walls. In order to study the habitatdiversity and compare the species composition acrossthe altitudinal gradients, ? diversity and similarityindices were calculated. In the present study, acrossthe various habitats, ? diversity ranged between 6.26and 6.00. Further rocks and soil covered rocks emergedas the most pertinent habitat for bryophytes at PBR.

Species composition of bryophytes at differentsites situated at the three altitudinal gradients werecompared in order to find out the similarity anddissimilarities using Sorensen's Similarity Index. Ingeneral, the similarity in species composition betweenthe sites was less than 50%. The lesser percentsimilarity present among the overall speciesdistribution indicated towards the less speciessimilarity and higher diversity of the bryoflora at PBR.

The direct and indirect participation ofbryophytes in ecosystem relationships illustrate theiressentiality and highlight the need for theirdocumentation and conservation in protected areas.Considering the eminence of PBR among Indianprotected areas, efficient utilization of bryophytepopulations promises to aid and add to sustainabledevelopment of this Biosphere Reserve.Key words: Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Bryophytes,species composition.



SVIII/O-1

Utilization of Microwave Assisted ChemicalPretreated Rice Straw Hydrolysate forHydrogen Production via Dark FermentationRenu Singh*1, Monika Srivastava1, SapnaTiwari1 andAshish Shukla2

1Centre for Environment Science and Climate ResilientAgriculture, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, NewDelhi-110012, INDIA. 2Civil Engineering, Architecture andBuilding (CAB), Faculty of Engineering and Computing,Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK,Email: [email protected]

In present scenario, most of the energy demandis fulfilled by fossil fuels which in turn lead to thegreen house gas emissions and climate change. Thisinstigated the search for new fuel which is sustainable,renewable and pollution free. Hydrogen productionfrom lignocellulosic biomass is one of the mostpromising alternative energy options to fossil fuel asit is an eco-friendly, clean, sustainable and high energyfuel (122 MJ/Kg). In the current study, rice straw isutilized for hydrogen production because they areabundant, cheap and easily available. Firstly, rice strawis pretreated with microwave assisted chemicals(NaOH, H2SO4 and H2O2) and sugar is released throughenzymatic hydrolysis which is converted to hydrogengas by bacteria via dark fermentation. The responsesurface methodology (RSM) is employed foroptimization of microwave-chemical pretreatmentprocess. Under optimum conditions, maximumreducing sugar is obtained through H2O2 pretreatment(2143µg/ml) and maximum hydrogen gas yield isattained 46.99% through bacterial strain Bacilluscoagulans 2323.Keywords: Hydrogen, Enzymatic hydrolysis, Microwave,Dark fermentation

SVIII/O-2

Development and Effectiveness of Low CostCationic Polymer for the Harvesting ofMicroalgaeS.K. Gupta1,2*, M. Kumar3, A. Guldhe2, F.A. Ansari2,I. Rawat2, K. Kanney3 and F. Bux2

1Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, INDIA. 2Institute of

Water and Wastewater Technology, INDIA. 3Department ofMechanical Engineering, Durban University of TechnologyPO Box 1334, Durban, 4000, SOUTH AFRICA, Email:[email protected]

One of the major challenges being faced by algalindustry is the efficient and cost effective harvestingdue to very small size (3–25 µm) charge of microalgaeand negative prevents aggregation. The microalgalharvesting by conventional methods such ascentrifugation or filtration are highly energy extensiveand therefore very expensive. The aim of the studywas to develop an economically viable andenvironmentally sustainable cationic polymericcomposite microalgal harvesting. We designed a newquaternary ammonium salt of polyamine based highmolecular weight and highly cationic polymericcomposite by polycondensation of Epichlorohydrin,N,N-Diisopropylamine and Ethylinediamine. Thechemical, structural and thermal properties of thisnewly developed composite was studied by UV, FTIR,TGA-DSC analysis. The thermogravimetric analysisrevealed thermal stability of the composite up to 2000Cand FTIR authenticated the presence of amine,carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups. Highmolecular weight was comfirmed by it’s high viscosity(1040 cps). In coagulation and flocculation studies,high biomass recovery efficiency (>95%) wasachieved for Scenedesmus spp at very low doses(10ppm) of the polymeric composite. Mostimportantly, this polymeric composite has not shownany deleterious effects on the lipid profile ofmicroalgae. The polymeric composite proved to behighly effective for microalgal flocculation. Chargeneutralization between the negative charges of algalsurfaces and positive charges of the polymericcomposites played a significant role in the higherflocculation effectiveness of the polymeric composite.Based on biomass recovery efficiency and materialused, the estimated cost of this flocculant isapproximately less than 0.5 USD for harvesting of 1kg of algal biomass. These findings suggest that thistype of polymeric composite is highly cost effectiveand could be used for the harvesting of microalgaefor biofuel purposes.Key words: Microalgae, Cationic polymer, Flocculantion,Harvesting, Charge



SVIII/O-3

Induction of Lipid Production inDesertifilum tharense Msak01 andLeptolyngbya sp. under Nitrogen and/orPhosphorus Limitation ConditionsAnkita Khemka* and Meenu SarafDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Univer-sity School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad-380009, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The enormous usage of petroleum based energysources depleted non-renewable sources of energy andgenerate a shift towards renewable source of energy.The oil-accumulating algae provide the suitablesolution though biofuel production. However highlipid producing algae are slow growers while fastgrowers producers small quantity of algal biomass.Thus as a practical approach, the present work studiednutrient limiting condition by nitrogen and phosphorusdeficiency. The current study is a unique approach forthe enhancement of lipid content in novel algal strains,Desertifilum tharense MSAK01 and Leptolyngbya sp.under nutrient limiting conditions. In D. tharense, thelipid production has been enhanced to 198% undernitrogen limiting conditions and 110% underphosphorus limiting conditions, compared to thecontrol. Similarly, in Leptolynbgya sp., the lipidproduction has been enhanced to 210% under nitrogenlimiting conditions and 165% under phosphoruslimiting conditions, compared to the control. Also,nitrogen and phosphorous deficiency are found to bethe most appropriate, economical, and feasiblestimulants for the accumulation of lipids for algalbiofuel production. Therefore, induction of lipidproduction among fast grower algal strain generateslipid rich biomass thus deciphers the energy crisis.Key words: Desertilum tharense, Leptolyngbya sp., Nitrogenlimitation, Phosphorus limitation, Lipid, Biomass

SVIII/O-4

Evaluation of Performance and EmissionCharacteristics of Biodiesel Blends withDiesel in a Single Cylinder DI Diesel EngineM. Vijay Kumar*, Suchit A. Deshmukh, A. VeereshBabu, P. Ravi Kumar and G. Ganesh BabuDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, NationalInstitute of Technology, Warangal, Telangana, INDIA

Email:[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

Biofuel is an alternative fuels have beeneffectively applied world-wide in the transport, mainlydue to running down the resources of crude oil, itsincreasing price, and also anticipated global climatechanges. The wide variety of Vegetable Oils (edibleand non edible) and animal oils are applicable as fuelsin standard diesel engines. In this article the experimentwas conducted on a single cylinder direct injectiondiesel engine is tested using animal oil blends B20(20% animal oil and 80% diesel fuel) and B40 (40%animal oil and 60% diesel fuel) as fuels under variableload operating conditions at a constant speed of1500rpm and their performance and emissioncharacteristics were compared with diesel fuel. Herethe engine was run successfully on a blend of B20and B40 without any modification in engine parts. Theresults which are obtained for performance from B20and B40 could not find slight progress than diesel fuelcharacteristics. The emissions result shows thatincreasing biodiesel concentration in the diesel fuelblend the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons(HC) emissions are reduced. The smoke density wasalso reduced at some operating load conditions forbiodiesel blends. In general, animal oil blends withdiesel shows a considerable reduction in emissions.Key words: Diesel, Biodiesel, CI engine, Engine performance,Exhaust emission

SVIII/O-5

Diesel Engine Performance Enhancementand Emission Diminution with Low HeatRejection Diesel Engine by using NME As FuelK. Ganesh Babu*, A. Veeresh Babu and M. Vijay KumarMechanical Engineering Department, NIT Warangal,Warangal-506004, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Economic and social status of any countrydepends upon utilization and requirement ofalternative energy. Fuels derived from renewablebiological resources are environmentally friendly.Vegetable oil like Neem oil is non edible in nature,and a favorable alternative between the different dieselfuel substitutes. Inferior volatility, cold flow



characteristics, and high viscosity of edible andinedible oils, causing the engine complications likesevere engine deposits, injector coking, and filtergumming, etc. To avoid the mentioned complications,vegetable oils to form mono esters with the suitabletransesterification method. The dual steptransesterification process was adopted for productionof biodiesel from Neem oil. The maximum yield ofbiodiesel from Neem oil was 75-85%. Literature showsthat Low Heat Rejection (LHR) engine concept wasmore efficient than another.

The main aim to compare naturally aspiratedLHR Compression Ignition (CI) engine with Basicnaturally aspirated CI engine. To improve engineperformance and reduce the smoke density by usingdiesel and Neem Oil Methyl Ester (NME) as fuels.Thermal barrier coatings are Nickel (Ni), Chromium(Cr), and Aluminium (Al) are composed like bond coatto use as an oxidation resistant layer. Top layer coatedwith partially stabilized Zirconia to provide thermalinsulation against the metallic substrate. Exhaust gastemperature, Brake thermal efficiency (BTeff), andBrake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of NME usedLHR engine were improved, but the smoke density ofthe NME used LHR engine is decreased.Key words: LHR Engine, Neem oil methyl ester, Performance,Smoke density

SVIII/O-6

Harvesting of Microalgae for Biofuel: Useof Polypropylene Non-woven FabricMembrane and Self-flocculation PropertyNarendra K. Sahoo*, Sanjay K. Gupta, Faiz A. Ansariand Faizal BuxInstitute for Water and Wastewater Technology, DurbanUniversity of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000,SOUTH AFRICA, Email: [email protected]

Microalgae has emerged as a potential source ofbiomass for food, feed, bulk chemicals and biofuelsbesides their role in wastewater treatment, greenhousegas (GHG) reduction, and air pollution abatement.However, their production is challenged with cost-effectiveness and efficiency in harvesting, whichdemands up to 20–30% of the total biomass productioncost. Out of the various methods of harvesting,filtration is a simple and low-cost technology, whichensures a non-contaminated biomass and facilitates

continuous operation, media recycling, removal ofprotozoa and viruses, and reuse of residual nutrients.We evaluated the applicability of polypropylene non-woven fabric membrane (PNM) for harvesting of self-flocculating microalgae by filtration due to itsreasonable price, hydrophobic nature, excellenthydrolysis resistance, anti-acid, anti-alkali, and anti-abrasion properties. Pre-concentration of algae byflocculation before the final concentration stepminimizes the cost, energy and complexity ofharvesting. Therefore, self-flocculation property ofScenedesmus obliquus as a pre-concentration tool wasexplored.

The objectives of the study reported here were:(1) to evaluate the effectiveness of PNM in thedewatering of self-flocculating and non-self-flocculating microalgae, and (2) to establish the roleof self-flocculation property as a harvesting aid.

Filtration experiment through PNM was doneunder gravity, no additional vacuum or pressure wasused. The membrane showed high filtration efficiencyfor Scenedesmus obliquus whereas its performance forChlorella sorokiniana was not attractive. At around 3g/L algal density, although the filtration efficiency forScenedesmus was >99% efficiency, it was <10% forChlorella. Filtration through fresh membrane wasslow. On reuse, the filtration rate increased with a slightcompromise in efficiency. Filtration efficiency of themembrane was also affected by the culture density.The better filtration performance by Scenedesmus canbe attributed to the formation of ‘algal bio-filter layer’facilitated by its self-flocculation property.Scenedesmus culture as well as filtrate were able toflocculate Chlorella, the former being more efficient.Thus, self-flocculating property of relevant microalgaeas a flocculation aid in harvesting of microalgae anduse of PNM can be exploited to reduce the the cost ofalgal biofuel production.Key words: Bio-filter, Chlorella sorokiniana, Scenedesmusobliquus, Algal density, Filtration

SVIII/O-7

Biofuels: Impact on Ecosystem Services,Biodiversity and Human Well-beingManish KumarSchool of Forestry and Environment, SHIATS,Allahabad, House No. 285 village/post Navinagar,



Bulandshahr-203394, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Leaps and bounds hike in the international pricesof crude oil and a greater need for energy security hasled to a sharp growth in the demand for biofuelsglobally. This is now a general consensus that ourclimate is changing on account of increased GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions and this could haveserious consequences. Of all causes anthropogenicemissions have shown significant increments. It isevident from IPCC 2007 reports that the carbonemissions from transport may be as high as 80% morethan the current levels by 2030. Biofuels can beconsidered as a promising alternative to withstand thisever increasing demand for energy supply. It has thepotential to be developed as an element of sustainableapproach towards climate change. As such biofuelspresent both benefits and risks; benefits include energysecurity, GHG reductions while risks include intensiveexploitation of resources, suspected biodiversity loss,land use change. Taking biofuels on ‘Cost-Benefit’analysis requires socio-economic and moreimportantly environmental sustainability in order tomaximize pros and minimize cons. Significantimprovements in efficiency are required to be madebefore biofuels are integrated as realistic substitutesto the conventional fuels. Since currently availableliterature on biofuels is rapidly expanding inmultidisciplinary fields therefore it becomes achallenging task to obtain a comprehensive picture ofbiofuels tradeoffs.Key words: Climate, Anthropogenic, Greenhouse gas,Biofuels, Sustainability, Environmental

SVIII/P-1

Bioethanol Production from GreenSeaweed Ulva fasciata using Solid StateFermentation (SSF) Derived CellulaseNitin Trivedi1* and C.R.K. Reddy2

1Discipline of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, CSIR–Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute,Bhavnagar-364002, INDIA. 2Academy of Scientific andInnovative Research (AcSIR-CSMCRI), Bhavnagar 364002,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Depletion of fossil fuels, environmental concernsarising from burning of fossil fuels and volatile energycosts have propelled the biofuel research worldwide.

Given the global energy scenario, the biofuels areconsidered as promising alternatives to liquid fuels.Recently, seaweeds have gained considerable globalattention as a potential source of feedstock for biofuelsmainly bioethanol. In this study, cellulase producedfrom marine fungus Cladosporium sphaerospermumthrough solid state fermentation (SSF) wasinvestigated for its saccharification potentials usingcommon green seaweed Ulva fasciata. The greenseaweed substrate containing inoculated fungus with60% moisture content cultured at 25°C and pH 4 forfour days has showed optimum enzyme production.The enzyme assayed for CMCase and FPase showedan activity of 10.2±2.79 U/g and 9.6±1.88 U/grespectively on DW basis. Further, ionic liquidtolerance of enzyme was studied in the presence of[EMIM]Ac, [BMIM]Cl, [BMIM][OTF] and[BMPL][OTF]. At 10% v/v concentration, enzymeretained 72.17 to 85.04% activity in all the ILs. After24 h of pre-incubation in all ILs (10% v/v), enzymeactivity was recorded in the range of 73.77% to93.67%. The hydrolysis of U. fasciata feedstock withenzyme (10 U/g) for 24 h at 40°C and pH 4 gavemaximum reducing sugar yield of 112±10 mg/g DWwhich on fermentation gave an ethanol yield of0.44±0.10 g/g reducing sugar corresponding to 93.81%conversion efficiency. It is evident from these findingsthat cellulase produced from marine fungus can beemployed for saccharification of cellulosic feedstockfor production of renewable biofuels from marinemacroalgal feedstock.Keywords: Cellulase, Saccharification, Solid statefermentation, Seaweed, Ulva

SVIII/P-2

Addressing Energy Inefficiency throughSolar Water Pumps in Agriculture Sectorin State of Punjab – An AssessmentRavneet KaurPublic Administration Department, Panjab University,Chandigarh, Villa-707, Gillco Valley, Sector-127, Mohali-140123, Punjab, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Agriculture in India is primarily dependent onrainfall. Tubewell, pumps, rivers, canals etc usesmotors highly reliant on fuel and electricity towithdraw water. Supply of energy generation throughconventional resources is not meeting the demand of



society and also leads to climate change. In India,electrical and diesel-powered water pumping systemsare widely used for irrigation, community watersupply, livestock watering, and in various industrialprocesses. To cope up with the issue of energyefficiency, Indian Government has initiated theinstallation of Solar Water Pump Scheme which ishighly dependent on Renewable Energy (RE)resources to bring energy efficiency in Agriculturesector. Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Water Pump is the bestalternative which is based on Solar Energy and isenvironmental friendly and cost effective.

This paper will concentrate on the use of PV SolarWater Pump in agricultural sector especially inirrigating the fields to increase their yield. The mainobjective of the study is to evaluate the implementationof Solar Water Pump scheme in Punjab State whileconsidering the perception of beneficiaries towardstheir installation to meet their requirement of energyand its comparative benefits over other pumps. Paperwill also discuss various gaps in implementation ofGovernment policies or strategies in creatingawareness of Solar Water Pumps among farmers andsuggestive measures are given to improve the irrigationthrough Solar Water Pumps Primary data for this paperis collected by interviewing fifty beneficiaries fromGurdaspur district of Punjab state (maximum no. ofSolar Water Pumps installed). Secondary data iscollected from annual reports of Punjab EnergyDevelopment Agency, e- Journals and otherGovernment documents.

This paper is beneficial for policy makers whoare involved in framing plans and the implementationagencies who are involved in installation of SolarWater Pumps. It is also relevant for research scholarsand civil society.Key words: Solar pumps, Punjab, Energy efficiency, PunjabEnergy Development Agency

SVIII/P-3

Variation in Soil Organic Matter Dynamicsin Dry Tropics: Impact of Land use ChangeChandra Mohan Kumar*, Sunil Singh and NanditaGhoshaCentre of Advanced Study in Botany,

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Land use change (LUC) has been considered toexert larger impact on soil organic matter (SOM)dynamics than projected climate change. Concernshave been raised for restoration of degradedecosystems resulted from change in land use patternof natural ecosystems. SOM, comprised of both thestable and the labile pools, plays a major role in C andnutrient cycling. Soil microbial biomass (SMB),represents the labile pool of SOM and has beenconsidered as an important tool to predict changes insoil quality, whereas soil organic carbon (SOC), thestable pool, indicates the C storage status in soil. Fordesigning long term restoration strategies,understanding of the impact of LUC on SOM dynamicsthrough the soil profile is required especially in drytropics. The broad objective of the present study wasto evaluate the changes in SOM dynamics in terms ofSMB and SOC dynamics in response to various landuse patterns involving natural forest, degraded forest,agroecosystem and biofuel plantation in form ofJatropha curcas plantation in dry tropics. Theexperimental sites were situated at RGS Campus,Barakachha and forest of Marihan range, Mirzapur,India. Soil was sampled from three depths i.e. 0-10,10-20 and 20-30 cm across all the land use patternsfor analyzing SMB-C during rainy, winter and summerand SOC during summer only. Conversion of naturalforest to agroecosystem resulted in highest loss ofSOC, whereas it was lowest in biofuel plantationacross the soil profile. SOC content was higher at upperlayer and decreased with increasing soil depth acrossall the land use patterns. SMB levels were lowestduring rainy season which increased through winterto the highest during summer across all the land usepatterns. Levels of SMB were highest in natural forestthrough the annual cycle and across the soil profile,followed in decreasing order by biofuel plantation,degraded forest and lowest in agroecosystem. Sinceplantation of biofuel in degraded lands resulted inhigher levels of SOC and SMB as compared toagroecosystem, it may be concluded that biofuelplantation in dry tropics holds promise in restorationof degraded lands.Key words: Land use change, Soil organic matter, Soilmicrobial biomass, Soil organic C



SVIII/P-4

Clean Energy Investment – A Case ofIndian Transport SystemSurbhi Shrivastava1* and Kritika Sikri2

1Mukesh Patel School of Technology and Management,Behind Homeopathy College, Bhakti Vedanta SwamiMarg, JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle West, Mumbai-400056,Maharashtra, IndiaEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

This study suggests that how implementation ofLNG into freight transportation in a country as vast asIndia could make a huge difference towards pollutioncontrol. According to 2011 census, road traffics carrynearly 65% of freight and 85% of passenger traffic.About 70% of the total diesel consumption is in thetransport sector. The distribution of diesel intransportation sector is accounted as follows: Privatecars & SUVs- 13.5%, Commercial &SUVs- 8.94%,3-Wheelers-6.39%, Truck-28.25%, Bus-9.55%andRailway-3.24%.

According to The American Lung Associationof California, diesel exhaust contains more than 40toxic air contaminants. It is known to increase the riskof cancer and causes cough or aggravate asthma likediseases in human beings. Also, environmentally it isone of the major contributors of smog and fine particlepollution.

Thus, the need of the hour is to introduce cleanerenergy fuel to replace diesel with LNG. Initially, Indiashould promote freight transport to switch to LNGsince their diesel consumption is most in the Indianmarket. This would not only be economically viablebut also a much cleaner fuel. LNG is cleaner as itgenerates no residues, particulates or soot and releasesless greenhouse gases compared to other fossil fuelson burning and has high calorific value. Also,transportation of LNG is easy as it can be liquefied.Although initial investment will be required inupgrading the current engines of the transportationvehicles, considering the sustainability factor, the costof replacing vehicles will eventually be recovered. Inthe future, LNG can also be acquired from bio-mass

plant, making it an even greener investment.Key words: India, Freight transport, Diesel, LNG, Clean fuel,Clean energy investment

SVIII/P-5

Screening of Microalgae Species from theEffluent of Carpet Industry for theProduction of BiodieselAkash Kumar Patel1*, M.R. Suseela1 and Munna Singh2

1Algology Section, Plant Biodiversity and ConservationBiology Division, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Chandra ShekharAzad, University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur-208002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Microalgae are the most promising organisms forbiodiesel production, since they are widely distributedgroup of photosynthetic, oxygen evolving, fastgrowing organisms with oil rich biomass producingability as compared to energy crops. Micro algalspecies such as Chlorella sp., Nannochloropsis sp.,and Scenedesmus sp. was isolated by using routinemicro algal techniques from the effluent of carpetindustry (pH, 9.0) situated in Bhadohi district, U.P,India. The isolated micro algal species were culturedin standard BG11+ growth media for twenty days andpH of medium was adjusted to 7.5 and cultures wereincubated at 27±1 ºC temperatures and illuminatedwith white fluorescent lamps at an irradiance of 46.25µmole m-2 s-1 photons under the regime of 14:10 light-dark photoperiod in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks.Exponential culture (100 ml) of micro algal specieswas harvested for the estimation of biomass and lipidcontent. Biomass was highest in the Nannochloropsissp. (106 mg) followed by Scenedesmus sp. (102 mg)and Chlorella sp. (72 mg) respectively. While, lipidcontent was highest in the Nannochloropsis sp. (30%)followed by Scenedesmus sp. (28%) and Chlorella sp.(26%) respectively. Lipid of these algae can beconverted into crude biodiesel by transesterification.In order to achieve this goal, present investigation wasundertaken.Key words: Microalgae, Biomass, Lipid, Transesterification,Biodiesel



SVIII/P-6

Molecular Cloning of Bifunctional Alcohol/Acetaldehyde Dehydrogenase (Adh) Isolatedfrom a Fresh Water Green MicroalgaScenedesmus sp.C.N. Dasgupta*, M.R. Suseela, A. Sable and S.V. SawantAlgology Section, CSIR- National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The green alga has numerous genes encodingenzymes that function in anaerobic metabolism.Among these, the bifunctional alcohol/acetaldehydedehydrogenase (Adh) is proposed to be a keycomponent of anaerobic metabolism. In this study,molecular cloning of Adh from Scenedesmus sp.NBRI012 has been done. Based on the cDNAsequences for alcohol dehydrogenase of differenthydrogen producing algae such as Chlamydomonasreinhardtii (AJ620190.1 and XM_001703533.1),Volvox carteri f. nagariensis (XM_002958307.1),Chlorella variabilis (XM_005845555.1 andXM_005850201.1) and Polytomella sp. (AJ495765.2)primers were designed. Sequences were aligned byCLUSTAL-W and MultAlin programme andcompared for conserved sequence motifs. Out of allconserved sequences degenerate and specific primerswere designed for alcohol dehydrogenase. A 2.3 Kbof PCR product was amplified by using the above-mentioned primers and cDNA of Scenedesmus sp. astemplate. PCR product was cloned inpBlueScript_II_SK(+) vector for the sequencing.Vector is transformed in Escherichia coli DH5á andscreened by blue-white selection. Plasmid wasextracted and confirm for the cloning by restrictiondigestion and colony PCR using the same primers.Key words: Algae, Anaerobic metabolism, Biohydrogen,Molecular cloning, Bifunctional alcohol/acetaldehydedehydrogenase

SVIII/P-7

Screening of Microorganisms for Productionof Electrical Energy in a LaboratoryDesigned Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)B.D. Bulchandani* and Suresh Kumar Sharma

Department of Biotechnology, Sobhasaria Group of Insti-tutions, Sikar-332001, Rajasthan, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Continued use of petroleum and fossil fuels iswidely being recognized as unsustainable because oftheir depleting supplies along with the contributionof these fuels to the accumulation of carbon dioxidein the environment, which is a major greenhouse gas.Therefore, renewable, carbon neutral, energygeneration is necessary for environmental andeconomic sustainability, and is being considered theneed of the hour. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a novelform of energy source that employs microbialmetabolism and provides new opportunities for thesustainable production of energy from biodegradablecompounds. In other words it is a bioreactor thatconverts chemical energy present in the organiccompounds (in the form of chemical bonds) toelectrical energy through catalytic reactions ofmicroorganisms under anaerobic conditions. A simplemicrobial fuel cell was designed in laboratory to screenvarious microorganisms including bacteria(Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) and yeast(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for their capacity togenerate energy in the form of electricity, employingdifferent substrates as carbon sources. The substratesused in this study included glucose, sucrose and starch.Electron transport system started in the anode chamberdue to microbial activity which was accelerated andavailed by the use of an external mediator, methyleneblue and the transport of protons started from anodeto cathode through the membrane which was agar saltbridge in this study. The electricity generated bydifferent microorganisms with different substrates wasmeasured by multimeter device and recorded inmilliamperes (mA), which was higher in case of E.coli than B. subtilis and S. cereviseae. Glucose as thesubstrate generated higher voltage and current incomparison to the other two organic substrates viz.sucrose and starch. One of the greatest advantages ofMFCs over conventional fuel cells like hydrogen andmethanol fuel cell is that a diverse range of organicmaterials as well as organic wastes from diverseindustries can be used as substrates or fuels.Key words: Microbial fuel cell, Agar salt bridge, Microbialmetabolism, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomycescerevisiae



SVIII/P-8

Biorefining of Red Algal Biomass for Fueland BiochemicalsRavi S. Baghel1,2* and C.R.K. Reddy1,2

1Discipline of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, CSIR–Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute,Bhavnagar-364002, INDIA. 2Academy of Scientific andInnovative Research (AcSIR-CSMCRI), Bhavnagar-364002, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

The utilization of low carbon technologies toconvert biomass in to energy along with stream ofproducts, while minimizing the waste is the mostpromising way to meet the energy sustainability goalsfor the future. Now a day’s non-lignocellulosicresources such as marine macroalgae (seaweeds) aregaining attention as an alternate source of feedstockfor biofuel production. However, only biofuelproduction from algal biomass is uneconomical andthereby emerged the need for biorefining of biomassfor value added products along with fuel. Present study8 different red seaweeds were characterized for theirpotential for biorefinery. The biochemicalcharacterization includes the components such aspigments, lipid, minerals, protein, agar and cellulose.The results revealed Gelidella acerosa as a bestcandidate for which a bench-scale model for anintegrated biorefinery was developed for the first time.Developed process enabled to produce renewable fuelbio-ethanol with integrated recovery of variouscommercial co-products like natural pigment, lipids,agar and minerals rich liquid without compromisingthe products yield and properties. The significantimprovement was observed in quality of agar in termof gel strength (2.9 folds) without including alkali oracidic treatment. The developed process alsominimized the chemical usage up to 75% indownstream processing for cellulose extractionwithout any solid waste leftover. Further the enzymatichydrolysis efficiency towards the extracted celluloseswas 83.63% with subsequent ethanol productionefficiency of 89.08% for the investigated seaweeds.The developed process could be the key for settlingup the small scale biorefineries which will fetch newopportunities for open sea cultivation of seaweedsleading to high rate of CO2 sequestration besidesgainful utilization of marine resources.Key words: Agar, Bioethanol, Minerals, Lipid, Natural

pigment

SVIII/P-9

In Silico Identification of Genes ofEconomic Alternative Sources Involved inthe Production of BiodieselAnam Qamar, Anshul Tiwari and Prachi SrivastavaAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University UttarPradesh, Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Biodiesel is a form of fuel manufactured fromvegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurantgreases. It is safe, biodegradable, and produces lessair pollutants than petroleum-based diesel. Currently,biodiesel is commercially being produced from corn,soybean, sugarcane, Jatropha. The production cost ofthese sources is much higher as compared to existingones, this is the reason why these alternatives are notmuch appreciated in practicality. Presently genomicapproaches have opened the illustrative path towardsthe findings related to identification of genes and itsexpressions too. The current work is based on suchfindings in terms of identification of genes responsiblefor oil production along with their pathway analysisin alternate economic sources .Three genes are wellestablished in the Jatropha curcas genome that areinvolved in biodiesel production, show highhomologies with three of the genes present in thegenome of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Thesegenes code for the enzymes lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, fatty acid desaturase and acyl carrierprotein, all of which are crucial in the lipidsynthesizing pathways responding as important inbiodiesel production are showing their probability inChlamydomonas reinhardtii too. Current findings mayhelp out in the use of this green algae as cheaper andbetter alternative for the production of biofuels.Pathway analysis of identifying genes inChlamydomonas involved in biodiesel productiongives the idea about the pathway of oil production,and this can be much illustrative for the scientist inexploring out its mechanism for economic andcommercial production.Key words: Biodiesel, Pathway analysis, Biodegradable, Geneexpression, Ecofriendly, Jatropha



SVIII/P-10

Optimization of Microalgal Cultivation forEnhanced Biomass Production forSustainable BiofuelPankaj Kumar1,2*, M.R. Suseela1, Kiran Toppo1,S.K. Mandotra1, S.K. Mishra1 and Pushpa Joshi2

1Algology Lab, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow-226001, India. 2Department of Chemistry, D.S.B.Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital-263001, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Due to increasing population andindustrialization demand of energy is increasingrapidly. Fast dwindling of fossil fuels andenvironmental concerns have necessitated theexploration of environment friendly and cost effectivesustainable energy sources. Currently, there is a globaleffort to develop alternative energy sources.Microalgae are sunlight-driven cell factories thatutilize solar energy and convert carbon dioxide intopotential biofuels, foods, feed, and high-valuebioactives. In the present study a total of twelve micro-algal strains were screened for their biomass as wellas lipid productivity. Three most promising algalstrains Neochloris sp. (NBRI 081), Nannochloropsissp. (NBRI 082) and Chlorella sp. (NBRI 070) wereselected for mass culturing in indigenously madephotobioreactor as well as in open pond. Two differentculture media TAP and BBM were compared for algaecultivation in photobioreactor whereas open pondcultivation of algae was done using agriculturalfertilizers Urea and Single super Phosphate (SSP) intap water for economic point of view. Harvesting ofcultures grown in photobioreactor was done byflocculation method using chitosan. Cultures grownin open pond required no flocculating agent and wereautoflocculated in stationary phase. TAP media wasfound to yield higher biomass as well as lipid contentof all the three microalgal strains compared to BBMmedia in photobioreactor. Biomass content ofNeochloris sp., Nannochloropsis sp. and Chlorella sp.was found to be 1124 mg/L, 650 mg/L, and 704 mg/Lhaving lipid content 14.60%, 15.74%, and 14.63%respectively using TAP media in photobioreactor.Whereas in open pond Biomass content of Neochlorissp., Nannochloropsis sp. and Chlorella sp. was 435mg/L, 359 mg/L and 326 mg/L having lipid content7.94%, 8.83% and 8.17% respectively.

Key words: Algae, Biofuel, Biomass content, Lipid,Photobioreactor

SVIII/P-11

Effect of pH, Light Intensity and PhosphateConcentrations on the Biomass and LipidProduction of Green MicroalgaScenedesmus abundansS.K. Mandotra1,2*, M.R. Suseela,1 Pankaj Kumar1

and P.W. Ramteke2

1Algology Lab, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute,Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department of Biological Sci-ences, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technol-ogy and Sciences, Allahabad-211007, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

The intense use of fossil fuel due to large scaledemand has raised the threat of global energy crisesand it has been estimated that, by the year 2050 mostof the fossil fuel reserves will be completely exhausted.Besides this, the combustion of fossil fuel is posingserious threat to the environment as well as humanhealth by the emission of green house gases. Thereforeit has been realised that both exploration of new energysources and safety of environment are equallyimportant for sustainable development. Biofuel frommicroalgae are considered as one of the promisingalternatives to fossil fuel, but there is a need to optimisedifferent growth conditions so as to make this processmore efficient and economical for large scaleproduction. Therefore in the present work fresh watergreen microalga Scenedesmus abundans has beenstudied under autotrophic growth conditions using BG-11 culture medium. Various growth conditions suchas pH (5-9), light intensities (3000, 4000, 5000 and6000 lux) and phosphate concentration (20, 40, 60 and80 mg/L) has been administered to see the effect onbiomass and lipid content of the alga, all other mediacomponent were kept constant. As a result it was foundthat the highest biomass content of 770 mg/L, 769 mg/L and 742 mg/L was found on the cultures providedwith 60 mg phosphate, pH-5 and 6000 lux respectively.On the other hand, the highest lipid content of 180.53mg/L, 179.47 mg/L and 243.15 mg/L was recorded onthe cultures provided with 20 mg phosphate, pH-6 and6000 lux respectively. As our work was mainly focusedon economical biofuel production, the overall resultof the present study showed that, out of various culture



conditions provided, one set of experiment with 6000lux showed highest (243.15 mg/L) lipid content.Key words: Biomass, Lipid, Biofuel, Algae

SVIII/P-12

Effect of Various Carbon Sources on Biomassand Lipid Production in MixotrophicCultivated Scenedesmus sp.Shivam Kumar Mishra1, M.R. Suseela1, PankajKumar1 and P.W. Ramteke2

1Algology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2Department ofBiological Sciences, SHIATS, Allahabad, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The major challenge of twenty first century i.e.global energy crisis arises due to enhance humanactivities, large scale industrialization and completedependence over the fossil fuels. Combustion of fossilfuels is also a source of greenhouse gasses which areresponsible for global warming. Biodiesel can be bettersource of energy to reduce the emission of greenhousegasses and acts as an alternative for the fossil fuels.Microalgae can be use as a feedstock for biodiesel, asthey are microscopic, photosynthesizing organismsthat combine water and CO2 in the presence of solarenergy to produce biomass. Today the most commontechnique for the cultivation of microalgae isphotoautotrophic, but in this mode of culturing verylittle amount biomass was obtained due to the selfshading of microalgal cells. Mixotrophic culturecondition can be a better culturing method for theproduction of biomass where CO2 and organic carbonboth are simultaneously assimilated by thephotosynthesis and respiration respectively. In thepresent study Scendesmus sp. isolated from the waterbody of Unchahar, Raibareli, Uttar Pradesh and grownin mixotrophic culture condition with four differentcarbon sources Glucose, Sucrose, Glycerol and Aceticacid. After 21 day of inoculation the cultures wereharvested by centrifugation and lypholised. The driedbiomass is then subjected to lipid extraction by Folch’smethod. The results revealed that 1178 mg/l, 1150,800 and 634 mg/l dried biomass and 253.27, 261.05,150.4 and 101.44 mg/l lipid obtained from the culturescontaining Glucose, Sucrose, Glycerol, and Acetic acidas carbon sources respectively, while the percentageof lipid was found to be 21.5%, 22.7%, 18.8%, and

16%. On the basis of the results it can be concludedas in mixotrophic culture condition sucrose can be usedfor higher lipid percentage and biomass.Keywords: Microalgae, Biodiesel, Mixotrophic,Photoautotrophic

SVIII/P-13

Characterisation and Evaluation ofOleaferous Freshwater Algae of Dal LakeEcosystem for Biodiesel ProductionJ.A. Lone1,2, F.A. Lone1, M.R. Suseela2, K. Toppo2

1Division of Environmental Sciences, Sheri KashmirUniversity of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kash-mir, Shalimar, Srinagar-190025, J&K, INDIA. 2AlgologySection, Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Division,CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

In the present study investigations on the variousoleaferous algae of Dal Lake were carried out toidentify the promising microalgal isolate for biodieselproduction which is very much relevant to the need ofbiofuel industry. To identify the most promisingbiodiesel microalgal strain for our future researchprogramme thirteen microalgal isolates weresuccessfully isolated and purified from the six differentsites of the Dal Lake, Srinagar Kashmir and weresubjected to lipid analysis using slight modified Folchmethod (1957). The peak lipid content in these isolatesranged from 4.63-30.99 per cent. Amongst all, greenmicroalga Scenedesmus dimorphus was selected forfurther studies as the isolate possess appreciableamount of lipids 30.99 per cent respectively. Thegrowth analysis pattern of this robust alga in the BBMmedia showed that the specie is fast growing andreached a stationary phase on 14th day of incubationand is suitable for high-density culture. Based uponits fast growth and maximum lipid content, thepromising specie of microalga was selected for largescale biomass production in self made 25 liter lab scalephotobioreactors having 15 liters BBM media. Thespecie thrived very efficiently and biomass washarvested after a period of five weeks of incubationusing different harvesting techniques like flocculation,centrifugation, lypholisation and oven dry. Thelypholized biomass was subjected to lipid extractionby Soxhlet (1875) using solvent chloroform: methanol



(2:1). The microalgal oil was subjected to fatty acid(FA) analysis and the fatty acid methyl ester profileshowed that the specie possess appreciable amountsof major FA with carbon chain length of C16 to C18viz oleic acid 21.1 per cent, palmitic acid 18.9 percent and linoleic 13.1 per cent making it suitablefeedstock for the production of good quality biodiesel.The quality parameters of the microalgal oil like degreeof unsaturation, cetane number, iodine value,saponification value were within the limits of ASTMD6751 and EN 14214 standards respectively. Thehighly dense (0.980 g cc-1) and viscous oil (0.539 Pa)of the microalga reveal that transesterification is animportant step to minimize these physico-chemicalcharacteristics of the oil and conversion of the algaloil into biodiesel. Over all our results suggest thatScenedesmus dimorphus is the promising isolate forproducing high quality biodiesel.Key words: Biodiesel, Dal Lake, Fatty acids, Lipids,Microalgae, Scenedesmus dimorphus

SVIII/P-14

A Preliminary Study on Hydrolysis ofCarboxyl Methyl Cellulose (CMC) by LocalSoil MicrobesShivam Kumar Mishra1, M.R Suseela1, Jaheer AlamKhan2 and P.W. Ramteke3

1Algology Section, CSIR-National Botanical Research In-stitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA. 2R&D Division, MRDLife Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Lucknow, India. 3Department ofBiological Sciences, SHIATS, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Enormous amounts of agricultural, industrial and

municipal cellulosic wastes have been accumulatedin fields/soils or used inefficiently due to the high costof their utilization processes. Cellulose is a linearpolysaccharide of glucose units with â-1, 4-glycosidiclinkages. Abundant availability of cellulose makes itan attractive raw material for producing manyindustrially important products. Cellulases areenzymes produced chiefly by fungi, bacteria,actinomycete and protozoans during their growth oncellulosic material, and hydrolyses the â – 1, 4–glycosidic bonds to release glucose units. Due to thevast usefulness of cellulase, this study was aimed toisolate cellulase producing microorganisms fromSelakui area of Uttarakhand, Dehradun, India (N30.33°E78.06°). Samples were taken from this area becauseof the presence of sal forests, where, there wascontinuous leaf fall and decomposition. These are theconducive conditions for the occurrence of cellulolyticmicrobes which degrade the cellulosic content of theleaves and use them as carbon source. In the presentstudy a total of five bacterial, four actinomycetes andone fungal strain were isolated from soil samples ofSelakui area of Dehradun, India. All strains weresubjected to screening for their corboxy methylcellulose (CMC) hydrolysis activity. Results revealedthat, after fermentation at temperature 27°C, pH 7 and1.5 % CMC concentration, bacterial strain MJSH-1205showed the highest CMC hydrolysis activity of0.01032 U/ml/min with 0.5% of urea as nitrogensource. Actinomycete strain MJSH-1207 showedhighest activity of 0.00792 U/ml/min with 0.5 % ofpeptone as nitrogen source whereas fungal strainMJSH-1210 showed 0.00972U/ml/min activity with0.5% ammonium sulphate as nitrogen source.Key words: Cellulase, Bacteria, Actinomycete, Fungi, CMC





SIX/O-1

OJIP Test Analysis as a Tool to PredictEnvironmental PollutionHazem M. Kalaji1, M.N.V. Prasad2

, Magdalena D.Cetner1, Izabela A. Samborska1, Izabela Lukasik3,

Vasilij Goltsev4 and D.K. Saxena5*

1Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture andBiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), POLAND. 2Department of Plant Sciences, F-44,New Life Science Building (South Campus), University ofHyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Telangana, INDIA.3Raclawicka 106, 02-634 Warsaw, POLAND. 4Departmentof Biophysics and Radiobiology, Faculty of Biology, St.Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, 8 Dr. Tzankov Blvd.,1164 Sofia, Bulgaria, Email: 5 Department of Botany,Bareilly College, Bareilly, UP, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Usually, plants are affected by pollution, but theycan also play an important role to mitigate its effects.The Plants also can be used as bioindicators to predictthe pollution effects. One of the most practicalindictors is the physiological status of thephotosynthetic machinery of the plants. Recently, aconsiderable development in plant physiology scienceis observed, resulting in an important advances ofphotosynthesis researches. It is due to the availabilityof modern, computerized, and portable instrumentsmeasuring chlorophyll a fluorescence and other signalsfrom both Photosystem II (PSII) and Photosystem I(PSI) non-invasively. Since chlorophyll a fluorescence(ChlF) is present in all organisms capable of oxygenicphotosynthesis (Embryophyta, algae, lichens andcyanobacteria) ChlF has potentially wide applications.Research techniques based on ChlF measurements arebeing successfully used in a range of research areas,including plant biology, biotechnology, ecology, plantphysiology and plant protection, bioenergetics,agriculture, horticulture, forestry, seed science, plantbreeding, storage of vegetables and fruits, and foodtechnology and processing. ChlF measurements arealso useful for determining the quality of fruits,vegetables and flowers and for choosing the best timeto sell them. They can also be used to determine seedmaturity, water quality, and to estimate the allopathicimpact of secondary metabolites on plant growth and

development. Moreover, ChlF measurements areamong the most important methods currently used inthe plant science and climate change studies, due totheir ability to indicate physiological condition ofplants invasively within short time (few seconds),providing insights into plant growth, development andyield under naturally occurring environmental stressconditions.

In this work, we introduce a relativelycomprehensive information related to the possibilityof the application of chlorophyll fluorescencemeasurements (mainly based on OJIP test) inecosystems monitoring. We believe that, some of themeasured parameters or/and analyzed signals can beused as indicator/s for the physiological status of anyecosystem affected by climate change and pollution.Key words: Chlorophyll fluorescence, Bioindication,Physiological status

SIX/O-2

Variations in Groundwater Chemistryunder Different Vegetation Types in Delhi,IndiaParul Gupta* and Kiranmay SarmaUniversity School of Environment Management, GGSIPUniversity, Sector-16C, Dwarka- 110078, Delhi,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Present work was undertaken to study thegroundwater quality under different vegetated landcovers in Delhi viz. protected forest area, trees outsideforest and maintained park. Phytosociology,groundwater quality and depth for each land coverwere studied. Protected forest area has bestgroundwater quality as per BIS drinking waterstandards. Trees outside forest reported worst waterquality among all the land covers with Water QualityIndex (WQI) value of 297. Groundwater undermaintained parks was also found in the category of‘very poor ’ quality according to WQI value.Groundwater was available at minimum depth of 4.36m below ground level under trees outside forest. Whilemaximum water depth is reported from protected forestsites. Maximum number of tree species is reportedfrom protected forest area with only seven speciescommon to all the three land covers. Land cover withmaximum groundwater depth i.e., protected forest has



maximum tree species while trees outside forest withgroundwater available at least depth has reportedminimum number of species.Key words: Groundwater, Vegetation, WQI, Protected forest,Trees outside forest, Park

SIX/O-3

Air Quality Status of Moradabad Cityduring Deepawali FestivalRaina Pal*, Aprajita Singh, Akhil Gupta andAnamika TripathiPollution Ecology Research Laboratory, Department ofBotany, Hindu College, Moradabad-244001, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Deepawali, the festival of lights, is an importantfestival and is celebrated all over the country with greatfireworks display. During the display, smoke and toxicfumes are emitted which can pause acute short – termair pollution leaving an adverse impact on health. Thusa short – term survey was done i.e. one week beforeDeepawali, on Deepawali Day and after DeepawaliDay to see the adverse change in air quality of city.Air sampling was done at four locations representingfrom different residential areas with various types ofactivities i.e. Buddh Bazar (SI), PTC (SII), Ram GangaVihar (SIII), Chandra Nagar (SIV). Concentration ofmajor pollutants during Deepawali day i.e. PM2.5 (521µgm-3), PM10 (657 µgm-3) and SPM (766 µgm-3) wasreported about 3-5 times higher than the normal day.Gaseous concentration i.e. SO2 (76 µgm-3) and NO2(65 µgm-3) was reported about five times higher thanthe normal day at almost all the sites. The 24 h meanconcentration of metals associated with PM10 onDeepawali day was found to be in the order of Zn >Al> Fe > Cu > Pb > Mn > Cr > Cd > Ni in µgm-3 and allthese values were found to be higher (except Fe) thanthe normal day and post Deepawali day. Correlationstudy shows a strong positive correlation between Crwith Cu and Cu with Zn. The results of the presentstudy indicated that the burning of fire crackers duringDeepawali festival might be the major source ofemission and accumulation of fine particles and othertoxic pollutants in the surrounding atmosphere anddegrade the air quality.Key words: Air quality, Fire crackers, PM2.5, PM10, SPM, SO2,NO2, Heavy metals

SIX/O-4

Assessment of Growing Ambient NoisePollution in Ranchi Urban Environmentusing Geospatial TechniquesAmit Kumar* and A.C. PandeyCentre for Land Resource Management, Central Universityof Jharkhand, Ranchi-835205, Jharkhand, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

The present study deals with the growing patternsof ambient noise levels in rapidly growing Ranchiurban environment in spatio-temporal frameworkduring 2005-10 using geospatial techniques. The studydemonstrated that commercial areas, residential areas(except Heavy Engineering Corporation) and silentzones in Ranchi City recorded high ambient noise thanthe prescribed limits of national standard during thestudy periods. Less noise was observed in theTupudana Industrial Area, which although, exhibiteda gradual increase in noise pollution during the studyperiods but remained within the prescribed limits. Theaverage of ambient noise levels recorded at 19locations during October (2005, 2006, 2008),November (2007), December (2009) and May (2010)were interpolated to map the spatial variability ofambient noise levels in Ranchi. The results revealedincreasing ambient noise levels in all the zones viz.,commercial, industrial, residential and silent in Ranchicity during the observation periods. The assessmentof ambient noise levels with reference to increasingdistance from the urban core areas using concentricbuffer techniques exhibited high level of ambient noisein urban core areas in Ranchi compare to its fringezones. The ambient noise levels at major trafficjunctions in Ranchi were also evaluated within theproximity of 500 m to examine the relationship ofbuilt-up land/ vegetation cover with ambient noiselevels. This revealed that the ambient noise level wasinversely related with vegetation coverage (R2=0.54)whereas, directly related with built-up land coverage(R2=0.61) at the majority of localities in Ranchi. Thissignifies that vegetation cover contributes in noisereduction. It can be remarked that the critical and highambient noise levels in the various parts of Ranchiurban environment could be attributed to the increasingnumber of vehicles (163% during 2005–2010). Thepartially developed road network, narrow width ofroads, encroachment over roads, poor drainage systems



as well as violation of traffic rules by auto-rickshawscausing frequent traffic congestion within the urbancore zones of Ranchi and resulted in high levels ofambient noise pollution. Study demonstratedrequirement of effective imposition of traffics rulesand proper town planning strategies like diversion oftraffic flow, roadside plantation etc. may be opted toreduce the level of ambient noise pollution in the city.Key words: Ambient noise, Land use/ land cover, Urban area,Remote sensing, GIS

SIX/O-5

Seasonal Study of Physiochemical andBiological Characteristics of Five Wetlandsof District Mainpuri (U.P.)Amita SarkarDepartment of Zoology, Agra College, Agra-282002,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Wetlands are areas where water is the primaryfactor controlling the environment and the associatedplant and animal life. Mainpuri contains a mosaic ofwetlands which are important for the existence ofwetland birds. The present study was carried out toestimate the Physiochemical parameters of fivewetlands study sites viz. Site-I (Markandeshwar), Site-II (Bhamwat Canal), Site-III (Saman), Site IV (Sauj)and Site-V (Kirithua). Saman and Sauj (Site-III andIV) are IBAs (Important bird areas) under ImportantBird Areas Programmes of BNHS and Bird LifeInternational. Physiochemical studies of wetlands ofMainpuri was conducted six times in an year, duringApril 2011 to Feb 2012 to evaluate the pollution levelof water of wetlands at Mainpuri.In this paper wediscuss Colour, BOD, TDS, Chloride, Fluoride, heavymetals and coliform count. Changes in the hydrologicregime due to management or climate change can resultin changes in the distribution and abundance ofdifferent wetland types. This can adversely affect manywetland bird populations that frequent freshwaterhabitats, particularly during the breeding season.Key words: Landscape, Physico-chemical, Wetland,Environment, Study sites, etc.

SIX/O-6

Assessment of Noise Pollution in the Cityof Bathinda, PunjabSukhjeet Kaur and Puneeta Pandey*Centre for Environmental Sciences and Technology, Cen-tral University of Punjab, Bathinda-151001, Punjab, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Noise is commonly defined as an unwanted soundwhich produces undesirable physiological andpsychological effects in an individual. The word‘noise’ owes its origin to the Latin word ‘nauseas’,which implies seasickness. When compared with otherforms of pollution, sound does not remain in theenvironment for extended periods of time; however,it is the extraordinary sensitivity of the ear that permitssuch a relatively small amount of energy to adverselyaffect any biological species.

The present study was undertaken with theobjective to quantify spatial dynamics of noisepollution in the city of Bathinda in the backdrop ofnational and international noise level criteria.Measurement of noise levels such as Lmax, Lmin andLEQ (Equivalent Noise level) were carried out atvarious sampling sites in the city of Bathinda usingEnvirotech Sound Level Meter SLM-100. Thesampling sites represented varied land use such asresidential area, commercial area andtraffic junctions.A detailed analysis of the results revealed that inresidential area, Lmax noise levels were found to be inthe range of 80.2-95.9, Lmin was observed to be 42.9-61.6 and LEQ in the range of 64.2-76.2. In commercialareas, Lmax was 75-91.1 dB, Lmin was 59.2-63.1, whileLEQ was observed to be in the range of 68.3-79.1. Attraffic sites, Lmax was 74.3-99.4 dB, Lmin was 64.8-72.8while LEQ was 78.3-86.3.

As per CPCB Guidelines, the permitted noiselevels during day and night time for residential,commercial, industrial areas and silence zone duringdaytime are 55, 65, 75 and 50dB respectively andduring night time are 55, 45, 70 and 40dB respectively.The measured noise levels exceeded the permittednoise levels at almost all the sampling sites. Hence,the present study attempts to quantify the levels ofnoise pollution in Bathinda city so as to suggestsuitable measures for managing noise pollution andits incorporation in the policy formulation.Key words: Noise, Pollution, Lmax, Lmin, Equivalent noise level (LEQ)



SIX/O-7

Artisanal and Small Scale Mining of Limestonein Meghalaya, India and its Effect on Qualityof WaterR. Eugene Lamare* and O.P. SinghDepartment of Environmental Studies North-Eastern HillUniversity Umshing, Shillong-793022, Meghalaya, INDIA,Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Limestone is the second most important mineralresource extracted after coal in Meghalaya, India. Itaccounts for about 9% of the country’s total limestonereserve. It is being extracted both at large and smallscale levels. In Sohra, extraction and processing oflimestone is done manually by individuals usingminimal machinery and thus can be categorized asArtisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM). Limestoneis processed locally to produce calcined lime(quicklime). In the process of extraction andprocessing waste materials such as overburden andunusable solid lime are disposed off openly in thevicinity of mining and processing units. In this paperwe present our findings on the effect of limestonemining and processing on the water quality of the area.

Surface water samples from control (L1),upstream (L2), in the vicinity of mining and processingsite (L3) and downstream (L4) were analysed for 12parameters. The study revealed that water quality atL3 was reported to display a comparatively highervalue of pH (10.1-10.8), EC (343.33-747.67 µS), TDS(183.33-260 mg/l), TH (126.67-261.33 mg/l) and SO4(304.17- 687.50 mg/l). Of which, pH, EC and SO4 werereported to exceed the permissible limit. On contrary,the values of most parameters at L1and L2 were foundbelow the permissible limit. Moreover, overall waterquality at L4 was also found to be poor in quality butnot as degraded as that of L3. This clearly indicatesthat the lime waste material when comes in contactwith surface water deteriorate the water quality of thesurrounding area. Water quality index (WQI) methodwas used to classify the quality status of the wateranalysed. Based on results of WQI calculation, thequality status of the water samples in the study arearanged from good (WQI = 34.62 at L1) to very poorquality categories (WQI = 80.62 at L3) in pre-monsoonand good quality (WQI = 52.62 at L1) to unfit forconsumption categories (WQI = 103.32 at L3) in post-

monsoon. However, even though the effect is foundto be localised, there is need for proper disposal andmanagement of lime waste material by the peopleinvolved so that further deterioration of water qualitycan be minimized, and limestone mining andprocessing can be done sustainably in the area.Key words: Water Quality, WQI, Limestone, ASM, Meghalaya

SIX/O-8

Greenbelt Designing and Development forIndustrial Pollution AbatementRamesh Madav*, Prachiti Mule and DhananjayRawoolTerraconEcotech® Pvt. Ltd. 202, Kingston, Tejpal road,Vileparle (East), Mumbai-400 057, INDIAEmail: [email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

The cost effective method of greenbeltdevelopment have been used in various urban areasthroughout the world. Industrialized areas often faceair pollution problems due to anthropogenic activities.The ambient air quality of an industrialized area canbe restored by creating an effective greenbelt design.Many times industries are located near urbansettlements. In such scenario, restriction of pollutantsnear its source by creating vegetation buffer is mostsuitable practice. Creation of such buffer zone needssystematic plantation of trees and shrubs. Designinga greenbelt according to the industry type and locationinvolves multidimensional approach. Greenbeltdesigning for a petroleum company spanning around75 acres situated in the industrialized zone adjoiningto the residential area was prepared and executed inthe year 2013-2014.Creation of greenbelt wasnecessary as the petroleum company is surrounded bymany manufacturing plant units such as steel, zinc,cement, fertilizers etc. that causes dust nuisance. Thesystematic planning of greenbelt developmentinvolved various steps such as initial site visit,preparation of tree inventory, calculation of carbonsequestered, health wise assessment of existinggreenbelt, study of various soil and water parameters,proposing greenbelt in various zones according to thesite requirements, planting trees using standardoperating procedures, designing irrigation system thataid in optimum use of water, maintaining andmonitoring newly planted vegetation etc. During



preparation of greenbelt design variousrecommendations were given in order to avoidfragility. Pollution mitigating trees suitable for the siteaccording to its agro climatic zone were suggested.Various tree species with epidermal outgrowths onleaves such as Morus alba were preferred, as thesetrees act as a sink by accumulating dust. Theupgradation of existing greenbelt resulted inecologically effective and stable vegetation buffer zonethat acted as a good pollution mitigation tool andprovided a check on sprawl of built up area.Key words: Green belt, Design, Petroleum industry, Airpollution, Dust

SIX/O-9

Fluoride an Overview: Boon or BaneAlka Singh* and M. SinghBotany Department, University of Lucknow,Lucknow-226007, U.P., INDIAEmail: mailto:[email protected]

Fluoride is known to have both beneficial andadverse effect on humans, depending on the totalintake. Fluoride ion is wide spread in nature. It isestimated to be thirteenth in abundance among theelements of the earth. Fluoride is a component of mosttypes of soil with the total fluoride concentrationranging from 20 to 1000 µg/g of soil (Chauhan et al.2014). Bioaccumulation of fluoride in many plantscreates secondary source of fluoride to humanpopulation resulting in food-borne fluorosis, primarysource being water. Drinking water is usually the mainsource of fluoride and fluoride is sometimes added topublic water supplies to help prevent dental caries (EneIndermitte et al. 2009) long-term use of groundwaterfor drinking has resulted in the onset of widespreadfluorosis symptoms, from mild forms of dentalfluorosis to crippling skeletal fluorosis (VeenaChaudhary 2010). Fluoride toxicity may lead to dentalfluorosis, and be associated with Alzheimer’s diseaseand other types of dementia, formation of a cripplingbone disease called skeletal fluorosis, disruption ofthyroid gland activity, and reduction in melatonin level(Ghosh et al. 2010). Fluoride is rapidly distributedthroughout the body via the blood. Fluoride is a well-known G protein activator. Which affects the enzymesproduction, are fundamentally important in cell signaltransduction or energy metabolism (LiL 2003). Excessfluoride consumption may adversely affects on bonehealth and teeth, decreased bone mineral density

(BMD) with endemic fluorosis, damages the immunesystem and induces the release of superoxide freeradical in resting white blood cells (JohnYiamouyiannis 1993). Fluoride also inhibits PSI, PSIIactivity thus affects as detrimental growth, necroticleaves, ion uptake and bioaccumulation of associatedminerals. This review focused on recent developmentsin the research on the exposure to fluoride in fauna aswell as flora.Key words: Ecqvivocal carcinogen, Superoxide free radical,Postmenopausal BMD, fv/fm.

SIX/O-10

Environmental Impact Assessment ofNatural Resources using RS and GISApproach in Kashmir Himalayan ValleyNayar A. Kirmani*, Baba Abid Muslim, Ikhlaq Mirand F.A. LoneCentre for Climate Change and Mountain Agriculture,SKUAST, Kashmir-190025, J and K, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Environmental impact assessment of the naturalresources of district Budgam of Kashmir valley wascarried out during 2013-14 using Indian RemoteSensing satellite data “IRS P6, Linear Imaging SelfScanning (LISS-IV) data of Nov-Dec 2012”, with aspatial resolution of 5.8 M at 1:20,000 scale. The studyreveals that among the available natural resources,agricultural land covers an area of 38985 hectaresamounting to 32.7% of the total geographical area andis the dominant natural resource of the district followedby forest cover with 26809 hectares (21.94%), snowand glacial cover with 16532 hectares (13.5%), mixedplantation 10281 hectares (8.4), alpine meadows/grasslands with 7755 hectares (6.3%), built up 6559hectares (5.4%) orchards/Horticultural plantation 5860hectares (4.8%) ,Wastelands 5205 hectares (4.3%),wetlands 1600 hectares (1.3%) and water-bodies 1594hectares (1.3%) respectively. These statistics showconsiderable differences in various land use and landcover features pertaining to district. The changedetection studies of the last few years shows adecreasing trend which can be attributed to the factthat agricultural land is being converted either intoorchards or used for construction purposes and beingsubjected to industrialisation. Similarly, orchards andhorticultural plantation shows an increasing trendduring the years 2008-2012 (from 5407-5860 ha).



Similarly, built up and transportation also show anincreasing trend during the years 2008-2012. Aspopulation of the district is increasing at a rapid pace,a need arises for extra space and mostly agriculturalland, wasteland and orchards are being used for thispurpose. The paper presents a holistic view of thechanging pattern of natural resources in the district.Key words: Landuse/landcover, LISS-IV data, Naturalresources, Remote-sensing, Kashmir Himalayas

SIX/O-11

High Dissolved Aluminum in WaterResources of Ganga Alluvial Plain and itsImplication to Waste Management PlansDharmendra Kumar Jigyasu1*, Nupur Srivastava1,Indra Bir Singh1, Munendra Singh1 and Sandeep Singh2

1Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, University ofLucknow, Lucknow-226007, INDIA, 2Department of EarthSciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee-247667, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

In northern India, the Ganga Alluvial Plain is oneof the densely populated regions in the world andserves as a home to nearly 500 million people.Aluminium (Al), an environmentally abundant andimmobile element, has been studied for its dissolvedconcentration in the Gomati River Basin draining inthe central part of the Ganga Alluvial Plain. Total 36water samples have been collected from the GomatiRiver and 109 groundwater samples (India Mark-IIhand pump) collected from the Lucknow area. Theconcentration of Al in river water ranges from 273 to77,861 µg/l with an average value of 5,289 µg/l andin the groundwater of Lucknow area ranges from 14to 6596 µg/l with an average value of 247 µg/l. basedon the sodium-normalized elemental mobility index,the Al in the Gomati River water is classified as amoderately mobile element. Nearly 19 % of LucknowGroundwater samples and all the Gomati River watersamples have Al values above the permissible limit(200 µg/l) recommended by World HealthOrganization.

It has been noted that high concentration of Al indrinking water may affect human health and has beenlinked to the Alzheimer ’s disease and otherneurological disorder. The sweeping of Alzheimer’s

and other dementia diseases were reported in a ruralcommunity of northern India at the prevalence rate of8.4 per 1000 persons. It is suggested that themobilization of Al from the alluvial sediments iscontrolled by the chemical weathering processes ofmica minerals (muscovite and biotite) and monsoonprecipitation. The source of labile organic carbon isnecessary to derive microbial reduction of iron presentin mica minerals of the alluvium for the chemicalweathering process. Regional Developmental Schemessuch as National Drinking Water Mission and CentralRural Sanitation Programme are extensively using theshallow aquifers to provide safe drinking water andto introduce natural organic matters, respectively.Therefore, to prevent further devastation, there is adire need of a comprehensive study of Al distributionin drinking water resources and its toxic effects overhuman population in the Ganga Alluvial Plain.Key words: Dissolved aluminium, Groundwater, GomatiRiver, Development plans, Ganga alluvial plain

SIX/O-12

Effects of Physicochemical Properties onHeavy Metals in Soils of Yelagiri Hills,Tamilnadu, India using MultivariateStatistical AnalysisA. Chandrasekaran1*, A. Rajalakshmi1, N.Harikrishnan2, R. Ravisankar2, K.K. Satapathy3,M.V.R. Prasad3 and K.V. Kanagasabapathy3

1Department of Physics, SSN College of Engineering,Kalavakkam, Chennai-603110, Tamilnadu, INDIA, 2PostGraduate and Research Department of Physics, GovernmentArts College, Thiruvanamalai-606603, Tamilnadu, INDIA.3EnSD, RSEG, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research,Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

The physicochemical properties andaccumulation of heavy metals determines the qualityof soil ecosystem. This ecosystem is altered by naturaland anthropogenic activities. In this studyconcentration of 12 heavy metals (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti,Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn) determined by energydispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF)and physicochemical properties such as, PH, electricalconductivity, bulk density, porosity density, sickness,plasticity, moisture condition, soil texture and colorare determined by conventional analytical methods in



soils of Yelagiri Hills, Tamil Nadu. The function ofphysico-chemical properties to accumulate heavymetal concentrations in soils are studied bymultivariate statistical methods such as Pearsoncorrelation analysis and cluster analysis. Spatialdistribution of soil parameters such as PH, soil texture(sand, silt, clay), electrical conductivity was studiedby geo-statistical methods such as kirging identifiedareas.Key words: Soil, Physicochemical properties, Heavy metals,Statistical methods

SIX/O-13

Environmental Impact Assessment of PaintIndustry: A Case StudyA. Singhal and R. Patil*Department of Civil Engineering, Birla Institute ofTechnology and Science (BITS), Pilani-333031, Rajasthan,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Environmental Impact Assessment is amethodology that is required to be done to assess thelikely positive or negative impact that a proposedproject may have on its surrounding environment. EIAstudies include environmental, social and economicimpacts of a project prior to decision-making and findappropriate measures to reduce them. This articlespecifically discusses the EIA studies on Paint Industry.The study aims to exhibit the various parameters thatmay be considered while preparing the impact onEnvironment due to proposed Paint Industry. Thedetailed study on the processes and by productsrevealed that it has a greater impact on the environmentespecially in areas of noise pollution, water pollution,soil pollution, occupational health etc. Volatile OrganicCompounds (VOCs) in paint are considered harmfulto the environment and for people who are in regularcontact with them. Based on the findings, fewrecommendations were made for the elimination ofthe negative effects in some case. A detailedenvironment management plan was prepared duringthe construction, and operation and maintenance phaseof project.Key words: Environmental impact, Design, Management plan,Measures, Pollution, Sustainability

SIX/O-14

About Gases of Chimney Number 101 ofJam Petrochemical Company in the Years:January, February and April 2010Amirhossein Ashouri1* and Bahareh Sadhezari2

1Department of environmental health engineering, Islamicazad university, Tehran medical branch, IRAN. 2Departmentof occupational health engineering, Islamic Azad univer-sity, Tehran medical branch, IRAN, Email:[email protected]

The natural gas basically consists of carbon andhydrogen which combine with oxygen in the air andmake carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide or watersteam. Gases fuels burn in the flames or the fuels andthe air are pre-combined in the furnaces leading toburning. As CO gas is dangerous to human beings,animals it is important decrease this gas emitting fromchimney. On burning natural gas emits SOX, CO, HCand they make a lot of Azotic oxide which are thereason of pollution as these are formed at the start offuel burning. Recently the affects of Azotic oxides isrealized. Human health is in danger when theconcentration ranges between 0.063 to 0.08 PPM for6 months. Also the combination of SO2, NO2 isdangerous for the earth. The most important affect ofNOX is making photo chemicals in presence ofsunlight and hydrocarbons. TESTO 350 –XL was usedin this search. The study industry is Grade2 accordingto the Iran environment saving organization. Theconcentration of CO2 was respectively 0.00, 0.00, 0.00during December 2009, February 2010 and March2010 where as gas emitted from the chimney is150ppm. The concentration of NOx (ppm) wasrespectively: 101, 111, 109 during December 2009 andFebruary 2010 and March 2010. The amount of thisgas emitted from the chimney is 350ppm. Theconcentration of SO2 (ppm) was respectively: 0.00,0.00, 1.91 during December 2009 and February 2010and March 2010 and the of this gas from chimney is800 ppm.Key words: Petrochemical, Azotic oxide, Chimney, Naturalgas, Carbon monoxide



SIX/O-15

Measurement of Polycyclic AromaticHydrocarbons in Low Income Houses usingKerosene as Cooking FuelRekha Kashyap*, H.G. Sadhu, Pankaj Doctor, S.Raghavan, J.A. Shah, M.M. Mansuri, ChetanChavda, Yogesh Saraswa, Harsh Bhavsa andKhanjan VaishnavNational Institute of Occupational Health, Indian Councilof Medical Research, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad-380016,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Kerosene is a complex mixture of branched andstraight-chain compounds; Kerosene has been animportant household fuel since the mid-19th century.In India, a majority of low income household useskerosene, as an energy source, to cook food andkerosene lamps are frequently used when electricityis unavailable. There are mainly two types of kerosenestove depending on how the fuel is burned—wickstoves, which rely on capillary transfer of fuel, andthe more efficient and hotter burning pressure stoveswith vapor-jet nozzles that aerosolize the fuel usingmanual pumping. In low-income households, wickstoves are more commonly used, because they arecheaper, they easily provide simmer heat for somestaple foods. Kerosene, when burned in stoves or otherappliances emits many potentially health-damagingpollutants like PM, CO, SO2, NO2, along withpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in anuncontrolled manner. Exposure to indoor air pollutantsis recognized as one of the major human healthconcerns especially for women and children residingin slums and low income families. A number of healthhazards associated with the use of kerosene as fuel. Inthe present study, the concentrations and profile ofcarcinogenic PAHs, PM, CO, SO2 and NO2 weremeasured in the selected low income houses usingkerosene as the cooking fuel.Key words: Indoor pollution, Low income houses, Kerosene,PAHs

SIX/O-16

Local Weeds: Evaluation of their PotentialSadhna PandeyDepartment of Botany, Govt. KRG (Auto.)

College, Gwalior-474009, M.P., INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Weeds are defined in various ways but generallythey are considered as plants which grow where theyare not wanted. Out of 2,50,000 plant species, 800have been described as weeds. Weeds have beenignored by policy makers, extension workers andeconomist. They are important components arebiodiversity. Studies show that these are treasure ofvarious economically important materials. They affectfood chain / food web in eco-system, provide seedsfor evolution of new species. They play important rolein agriculture, pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals.Role of weeds in pharmaceutical and neutraceuticalhas been generally overlooked. There are number ofreports which suggest that weeds have relatively highaccumulation of secondary metabolites. Present studywas undertaken to enlist weeds from local habitat andfields. Their morphological features and measureevents of life cycle have been described.Key words: Weeds, Biodiversity, Phamaceutical

SIX/O-17Change in Environment at Dehradun andits ImpactShalini Singh59/3, Rajpur Road, Stock Holding Corporation of India Lim-ited, Dehradun-248001, Uttaranchal, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Dehradun, is best described as “Valley inShiwalik Hills”, being surrounded by Shiwalikmountain range, fringed with the Ganga on the eastand the Yamuna on the west. The jewels studded inDehraDun’s crown are-Queen of hills-Mussoorie,Sahastradhara, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Lachiwala,Maaldevta ,Bhatta falls, Tiger Falls, Robber’s cave,Buddha Monastry, Shiv Temple, Tapkeshwar CaveTemple, Shenshai Ashram, Ramkrishna MissionAshram, Malsi Deer Park, British architecture,leycheefarms,resplendent weather and pristine natural beauty.

Dehradun houses great institutions and schoolslike The Indian Military Academy, The ForestResearch Institute, The Oil and Gas Corporation, TheSurvey Of India, Wadia Institute of HimalayanGeology, Wildlife Institute of India, National Instituteof Remote Sensing, Rashtriya Indian Military College,the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of



Administration at Mussoorie, The Doon School, TheWelhams School within Dehradun and several of themuphill in Mussoorie.Today Doon has developed andexpanded but at at the cost of its natural bounty.

After the formation of Uttarakhand State inNovember 2000, Dehradun was declared the “Capital”of Uttarakhand.This proved to be the biggestmisfortune that befell on our beloved city. The citytoday faces huge difficulties in terms of wastemanagement as around 300 tonnes of waste isgenerated everyday, of which only 100 tonnes iscollected and recycled. The rest stays around us in theform of roadside litter and open dumpsites.

Mass migration of people from uphills to the cityin search of quick bucks followed by rapidurbanization led to building of houses even on a smallpiece of land with roads becoming narrower for thetraffic. Since 2000, over 2 lakh trees were cut officially,while unofficial estimates put the number five times.The leychee farms have been replaced by multistoreys,malls, hotels and resorts. Today the beauty of DehraDun is like of a wounded tiger at the Rajaji NationalPark.

Doonites are proud of the grown up DehraDunbut due to modernization we are losing the mostprecious gift given to this land by god; Nature! Prakriti!The city has lost its lusture with polluted air, treeslook lifeless, Himalayan birds disappearing andrivulets narrowing.Key words: Valley in Shiwalik, Leychee farms, Capital ofUttarakhand, Mass migration, Waste management,Urbanization, Himalayan birds

SIX/O-18

A Study of the Impact of Cognizant ConsumerPurchase Behavior and Food Preferenceson Secondary Carbon FootprintNeha GulatiUniversity Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

2014 has been declared as globally the hottestyear ever. CO2 a major contributor to the climatechange has finally crossed the 400 parts per millionmark, thus necessitating immediate reduction in carbonfootprint. The present study aims to encourageconsumer in reducing secondary carbon footprint byintentional change in purchase pattern and food

preferences. Carbon Footprint Calculator is used tocollect data. The consumer’s Food Preferences(Vegetarian, Non-Vegetarian), Purchase Intent forPackaged Food (No Packaging, Little Packaging, NicePackaging) and Recycling Considerations for usedproducts (Mostly, Sometimes, Never) form baselinefor study. The secondary footprint (in metric tons ofCO2/year) of a consumer owing two cars; bankaccount; sometimes preferring purchase of organic,season food; mostly buying locally produced nicelypackaged products with no consideration to recycleused product; restricting purchase of latest fashion andhome products only when needed; and occasionallygoing for recreation to movies, restaurants etc. is 6.45(for vegetarian) and 7.69 (for non-vegetarian). Onlypurchasing products with little packaging, reducesfootprint to 4.85 and 5.82. Recycling most of usedproducts restrains it to 4.14 and 4.90. A vegetariancan further slash it to 3.14 by decreasing number ofowned cars from 2 to 1, but it is still more than theworldwide target of 2 metric tons of CO2/year tocombat climate change. Zero carbon activities forrecreation are found to be exceptionally functional inreducing it to 2.28. So, consider the impact of purchaseand recreation activities on environment beforeaccomplishing them. The Indian government hasearmarked Rs. 100 crore budget for climate adaptationfund. Climate change is expected to exacerbate healthproblems; slow down economic growth, increasedisplacement of people and indirectly raise risks ofviolent conflict. Increased risk of heat relatedmortality; water and food shortage causingmalnutrition and flooding leading to damage ofinfrastructure and livelihoods are key risk factors dueto climate change in Asia.Key words: Climate change, Consumer purchase behavior,Packaged products, Recycling, Secondary carbon footprint

SIX/P-1

Cross-Domain Control of DOC Build-Upin Ganga River: Role of AtmosphericDeposition and Land Surface RunoffJitendra Pandey and Amita Yadav*Laboratory of Trans-Boundary Research on Ganges Basinand Climate Change Drivers, Environmental ScienceDivision, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, BanarasHindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA,Email: [email protected]



River Ganga, a trans-boundary river extendingover India, Nepal, China and Bangladesh, togetherwith Brahmputra-Meghana river system is second onlyto Amazon with respect to the amount of waterdischarge. From the last few decades, the Ganga Riverbasin, supporting about 43% of India’s population,receives massive input of carbon and nutrients alongits 2525 km long course from human-driven sourcesincluding atmospheric deposition (AD). The presentstudy was an effort to investigate atmosphericdeposition of NO3

-, NH4+, PO4

3- and organic carbon(OC) and, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon(DOC) in runoff and nutrients, DOC, chlorophyll abiomass (Chl a) and gross primary productivity (GPP)along a 35 km stretch of Ganga River at Varanasi.Concentration of nutrients in river showed significantpositive correlation with their AD inputs and runoffimport. Chl a and GPP followed a trend similar tonutrients, increased downstream and highest duringwinter. Phytoplankton development in terms of Chl abiomass and GPP showed strong relationship withatmospheric input. Our study indicated that AD-coupled runoff flushing of C and nutrients cansubstantially enhance DOC build-up in Ganga River.The study provides important information and cueson which predictive climate models and Ganga Riverbasin management strategies can be keyed.Key words: Atmospheric deposition, Climate change drivers,Ganga River, DOC, Phytoplankton, Nutrients

SIX/P-2

Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emission andLeachate Chemistry at Two Landfill Sitesalong the Ganga River at VaranasiPooja Kaushik* and Jitendra PandeyLaboratory of Trans-boundary Research on Ganga Basinand Climate Change Drivers, Environmental ScienceDivision, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, BanarasHindu University, Varanasi-221005, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Carbon dioxide and methane are the mostimportant green house gases being emitted fromlandfills. Methane is the only gas which directly affectsthe tropospheric chemistry, and through a series ofchemical reactions, largely determines theconcentration of hydroxyl-radicals, the most importantoxidizing constituent of troposphere. In addition tocontributing to climate change and free radical

chemistry, the landfills contaminate surface andground waters through leachate and have concern froma human health perspective. We studied the emissionflux of CH4 and CO2 and the chemistry of leachate fortwo consecutive years at two landfill sites situatedalong the Ganga River at Varanasi. The emission fluxof CH4 ranged from 10.73 to 96.74 mg m-2 h-1 and thatof CO2 from 17.28 to 321.89 mg m2 h -1 and increasedwith rising moisture and temperature. Emission rateswere higher at young landfill site (Kzzakpura, KZP)and between-site differences in the emission rates ofthese gases were significant. Concentration of nutrientions and heavy metals in leachate emerging from studylandfills varied with season with values being highestin rainy season. Leachate at young landfill site (KZP)contained Fe (6.12 to 23.17 mgL-1), Zn (0.615 to 3.06mgL-1), Cd (0.047 to 0.37 mgL-1), Cu (0.639 to 3.83mgL-1), Ni (0.12 to 0.98 mgL-1), Pb (0.49 to 1.89 mgL-

1) and Mn (0.69 to 9.87 mgL-1). Concentrations of thesemetals were relatively lower at old landfill site(Bypass, BPS). The study has relevance reducinguncertainties in greenhouse gas emission estimates inIndia and to uncover landfill associated contaminationto Ganga River.Key words: Greenhouse gases, Climate change, Free radicals,Landfill, Leachate, Human health

SIX/P-3

Ion Analysis of Surface Water Samplesfrom Ropar Wetland, Distt. Ropar, PunjabSakshi1*, Inderpreet Kaur2 and Avinash Kaur Nagpal1

1Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences,2Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University,Amritsar, Punjab, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

In the past few decades, there has been substantialincrease in pollution in all parts of the environment.Water has been no exception to this. Water is the basicnecessity of life. Surface water is used for householdwork, drinking and for irrigational purposes. It hasdirect impact on human health, therefore it is essentialto keep a keen check on the quality of surface water.Considering this problem, present study was plannedto analyse different ions in the surface water fromRopar wetland. Ropar wetland is a man made wetlandsituated on the banks of river Sutlej in District Ropar,Punjab. For this study, five surface water samples werecollected from the river Sutlej in Ropar wetland for



ion analysis. Copper, iron, lead and manganese ionswere analysed using flame atomic absorptionspectrometer. Chloride, calcium and magnesium ionswere analysed by titrimetric methods, sodium andpotassium ions were analysed using flame photometerwhereas, nitrate and phosphate ions were analysedusing double beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer. All theparameters were compared with the permissible limitsof Bureau of Indian standards. Concentration of leadand iron ions was found to be high whereas,concentration of copper, manganese, chloride, calcium,magnesium, sodium, potassium, nitrate and phosphateions was found to be under the permissible limits inall the samples.Key words: Chloride, Nitrate, Phosphate, Lead, Iron, Ions

SIX/P-4

Heavy Metal Status in Wastewater,Irrigated Soil and Plants of Different DrainsDischarge into River Ganga at Allahabad,Uttar PradeshArti Yadav* and D.N. ShuklaDepartment of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, Uttar Pradesh, INDIAEmail:[email protected],[email protected].

The heavy metal concentrations in theenvironment are due to primarily natural availabilityand anthropogenic activities, and because the heavymetals are very persistent pollutants, they getaccumulated in the water, soil and plants, finallyentering in the food chain. This paper assess the qualityof wastewater and contamination of heavy metals likeFe, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu from these selected drainsdischarging effluent in the river Ganga at Allahabad,Uttar Pradesh during 2012-2013. The heavy metalconcentration of Fe, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu were estimatedby using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Thepresence of heavy metals were observed in all sitesthroughout the year, summer season recordedmaximum concentration of Fe (0.498 mg/l), Zn (0.095mg/l), Cu (0.009 mg/l), Pb (0.007 mg/l) and Cd (0.006mg/l) in Mori gate drain, Fe (0.257 mg/l), Zn (0.056mg/l), Pb (0.042 mg/l), Cd (0.036 mg/l) and Cu (0.019mg/l) in Mawaiya drain and Fe (0.494 mg/l), Zn (0.093mg/l), Cd (0.006 mg/l), Cu (0.008 mg/l) and Pb (0.005mg/l) in Bairagiya drain, respectively. Maximum levelof heavy metal contamination was observed in Mori

gate drain as compared to Mawaiya drain andBairagiya drain. The presence of heavy metal in ourenvironment shows the great concern because of theirtoxicity when their concentrations are more thanpossible level. Mobility and bioavailability of thecontaminant depends on its nature and on thecharacteristics of the environment. Theecotoxocological results depend not only on thesensitivity of the organisms but also on their interactionwith both of the contaminant and the matrix. Transportand availability of contaminants may be characterizedby integration of chemical analytical and biological/ecotoxicological data. Often, plant can accumulatehigh amount of metals in their tissue without anyobvious sign. Food plants which tolerate relativelyhigh concentration of these potential hazardous metalsare likely to create a greater health risk than thosewhich are more sensitive and show definite symptomsof toxicity.Key words: Wastewater irrigation, Contamination, RiverGanga, Heavy metal pollution

SIX/P-5

Role of Plants in Mitigation of EnvironmentalImpact during Construction Phase ofBuilding Projects: A Case Study of CurajCampusBinita Kumari, K.C. Sharma and Pankaj Gupta*Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology,Roorkee, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Urbanisation trends to rapid increasing responsein the construction projects especially in building,roads, metro rails, railways, airports. During theconstruction phase of such types of activities createsnegative impacts on natural exiting environment.Therefore, there are needs of proper mitigation strategyconsisting low cost efficiency, long term residence,and finally sustainability. Objective of the study is tofind the role of semi-arid regional plants for mitigationof different impacts during the construction phase ofnewly established central university campus. The studyarea is under pioneer phase situated in central aravaliand semi-arid region of Ajmer district Rajasthan. Pre-construction assessments of plants species show theAcacia nilotica, Prosopis cineraria, Zyzipusnummularia, Cyperus rotundus, Corchorus depressusare dominant species around the campus. The total



groundcover is 7.77% where as 45% as green belt ofdominants species of plants. The comparatives analysisof pre, during operation, and post events ofconstruction shows the decreasing concentration inSOx, NOx, HC,O3, RSPM, TSPM level by 0.66 ìg/m3,1.02ìg/m3, 0.19ìg/m3, 0.23ìg/m3, 5.2 ìg/m3, 7.4 ìg/m3

respectively. The area having 0.75 surface run-offcoefficients having under control hydrologicalparameters. The water qualities affected by very smalldifferences and final results as pH, EC, TDS .Salinity,Alkalinity is about 7.4, 584, 262 ppm, 26.3ìg/l, 530ìg/l respectively. The mitigation response of all fivedominant plants is quite good during the investigation.The research conclude the dominants plants of areawill mitigates all general and specific impact duringsuch types of activates and will recommended for theEIA management plan.Key words: EIA, Construction projects, Semi-arid region,Mitigation response, Prosopis cineraria

SIX/P-6A Case Study for Environment ImpactsAssessment using Non-Spatial Data SetsB. Kumari*, L.K. Sharma and K.C. SharmaCentre for Land Resource Management, Central Universityof Jharkhand, Ranchi-835205, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected],

Anthropogenic activities in the form ofurbanization, land use changes, infrastructuredevelopment and many more are major threat tobiodiversity. The fragmentation and loss of naturalhabitats are great obstacles for the long termpreservation of biodiversity, its component and natureprotection measures alone may not be sufficient totackle the problem. EIA (Environmental ImpactAssessment) play a major, central and efficient role inidentifying, predicting and managing the impact ofhuman activities on environment and biodiversity. Thereview of current research suggests that the complexityof the task is underestimated and that newmethodological approaches encompassing the entirelandscape are needed. It is a known fact that any newproject brings along number of unwanted and negativeimpact on any particular area. In short establishingnew project means exploitation of all environmentalcomponents including flora, fauna, land area etc ofthat area. The current study is based on EIA study andits impacts over SIA (Social Impact Assessment) of a

base area which is (CURAJ) campus. Data ofenvironmental parameters is collected before itsestablishment and during its constructional phase andanalyzed the probable impacts by comparing both data.It showed different impacts on different components.Key words: Anthropogenic, EIA, SIA, Biodiversity,Environmental parameters

SIX/P-7Comparison of Physico-Chemical Qualityof Water Bodies of Chinhat Area and GomtiRiverShweta Sachan*, Parul Tripathi and Aditi SinghAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity UniversityUttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Groundwater is one of the most important sourcesof drinking and irrigation, but its quality is underconstant threat of contamination directly or indirectly.Compounds in surface water can eventually betransferred into ground water. Contaminants such asarsenic and nickel can leach from pond water into theground water. Any alteration of physical, chemical orbiological properties of water, injurious to animal,plant or aquatic organisms’ health, is called waterpollution. Despite the fact that the river Gomti is animportant source of drinking water to a large numberof people living in Lucknow, 51% requirement ofdrinking water is met from ground water through tubewells and hand pumps; whereas the remaining 49% ismet from the river. Lucknow and its surrounding areahad a number of water bodies or ponds, of which manyhave already disappeared due to illegal constructionand encroachment. According to a government report,based on survey conducted in 2003-05, water fromponds like Butler Palace and Motijheel werecontaminated with heavy metals, e.g. lead, chromium,cadmium, arsenic etc. Thus these water bodies canpose a serious environment and health hazard. Thereare two large water bodies or ponds in Chinhat area ofLucknow, one of which is called Chinhat jheel.Majority of population residing in surroundinglocalities is dependent in water from this jheel/pond.An attempt has been made here to analyze physico-chemical status of the water of these ponds in postmonsoon season and then compared with Gomti riverwater.Key words: Water pollution, Water bodies, Gomti river,Physico-chemical properties



SIX/P-8

Arsenic Level in Drinking Water of DistrictBareilly and Shahjahanpur of U.P.Arti Saxena and Dinesh K. Saxena*PGD Environment Management, Bareilly College, Bareilly,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Since arsenic has been reported from bore waterof the two sites of Bareilly and one site of Shajahanpur,therefore, studies was carried out to examine the effectsof the arsenic on the teeth deformity. Twenty onepatients having symptoms of the arsenic on their skin,being suffered by arsenic, were examined for the teethdeformity. Non of them were found to have had anyteeth deformity. It could be that level of arsenic wasnot over dangerous levels in groundwater in Bareillyand Shahjahanpur. World Health Organizationstipulates that 10 microgram per litre is the acceptedlevel of arsenic in water, while its concentration wasaround 0.05 mg/litre to 0.09 mg/litre in several sitesof the districts of Bareilly and Shajahanpur. However,prolonged consumption of this water is not safe andcannot rule out eruption of any symptoms. Furtherwork is in progress in districts Rampur side too besideShahjahanpur and Bareilly. Low level of the arsenicwas probable the sole region that did not show anytoxic effect on teeth. The arsenic level in analyzeddrinking water was in the range of (arsenic presencefrom 0.03mg/litre to 0.07mg/litre) from and pumps ofanalyzed sites of Bareilly was unfit for consumption.Key words: Arsenic, WHO, Drinking water

SIX/P-9

Detection of Heavy Metals in TotalSuspended Particulate Matter (TSPM)Collected from Six Different Sites ofAmritsar City (Punjab), India usingScanning Electron Microscope (SEM-EDX)Simerpreet Kaur and Jatinder Kaur Katnoria*Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, GuruNanak Dev Universtiy, Amritsar-143005, Punjab, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Air, along with water and soil, is one of theessential components for survival of living organism.However, due to heavy traffic loads in the recent years,composition of air shows great extent of variations in

its organic as well as inorganic fractions. It is essentialto characterize the suspended particulate matterpresent in air exposed to traffic emissions due toincreased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonarydiseases (COPD), chronic kidney diseases (CKD),chronic respiratory diseases, infertility as well aschronic cardiovascular diseases. Considering all,PM10 samples were collected from the six differentlocations exposing to vehicular emissions viz.,Jallianwala Bagh, The Golden temple, urban site,commercial complex, residential area, Guru NanakDev University campus and Guru Nanak DevUniversity campus hostel complex with particulateconcentration 215, 168, 196, 215, 159, 164 µgm-3

respectively using High Volume Sampler (HVS). Thesamples were analyzed by SEM-EDX formorphological as well as to estimate individualelemental composition of SPM in different locations.The results of SEM-EDX has shown the presence ofvarious elements viz., C, O, Na, Mg, K, Ca essentialelements as well as heavy metals such as Fe, Cu, Ti,Zn etc.Key words: COPD, Morphological, Air pollution, Elementalanalysis

SIX/P-10

Assessment of Ground WaterContamination around the Municipal SolidWaste Sites of VadodaraSaumya Sanadhya* and Arun AryaDepartment of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science,The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara-390002, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Ground water is stored in ground in materialslike gravel or sand. It’s like the Earth is a big spongeholding all that water. Water can also move throughrock formations like sandstone or through cracks inrocks. Water in a lake can soak down into the groundwater and become ground water. Water is a goodsolvent which dissolves minerals from the rocks withwhich it comes in contact. Groundwater may containdissolved minerals and gases that give it the tangy tasteenjoyed by people. Without these minerals and gases,the water would taste flat. The most common dissolvedmineral substances are Sodium, Potassium, Calcium,Magnesium, Chloride, Bicarbonate and Sulfates.Groundwater may be in many places contains



excessive amounts of iron. A test of the acidity of wateris pH- measure of potential of Hydrogen ionconcentration. The scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH 7indicates neutral water. Ground water is an importantecological resource. It helps keep our rivers and lakesfull, and sustains a wealth of plants and animals. Someof our ecosystems are dependent on ground water fortheir survival.

Four composite water samples were collectedfrom eight hand-pumps located near the landfill siteand open dumping site in Vadodara. Physicochemicalcharacteristics of these samples were analyzed usingmethodology as given in CPCB manuals and APHAguidelines. Significant amount of ground watercontamination in area close to the dumping site wasobserved. Results are indicative of TDS 4-5 timeshigher and Chloride 2-5 times higher than normal level,etc. These increase in certain water quality parametersmaybe due to leaching of chemicals due to rains fromthe dumped waste.Key words: Contamination, Groundwater, Municipal solidwaste, Vadodara

SIX/P-11

Demonstrating Urban Pollution usingHeavy Metals of Road Dust in LucknowCity, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaVidhu Gupta1* and Ajay Kumar Arya2

1Department of Environmental Sciences, HNB GarhwalUniversity, Srinagar, Garhwal-246174, Uttaranchal, INDIA,2CAS in Geology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007,INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Heavy metal contamination in urban road dustand road side soils has become a growing concern inrecent years. Road dusts in urban areas are indicatorsof heavy metal contamination. The road side dustsprimarily consist of soil derived minerals but it alsocontains some potentially toxic pollutants like heavymetals, originating from a wide range of anthropogenicsources. The anthropogenic sources of heavy metalsmainly include traffic emission (vehicle exhaustparticles, tire wear particles, weathered street surfaceparticles, brake lining wear particles), industrialemission (power plants, coal combustion,metallurgical industry, auto repair shop, chemicalplant, etc.), domestic emission, weathering of buildingand pavement surface, atmospheric deposited and so

on. Heavy metals can be deposited in road dust by dryor wet atmospheric deposition and can be transportedinto water, air and soil and can even enter plants,animals and human bodies. Therefore, many peoplewho use sidewalks and those who live near roadwaysin urban areas may be exposed to toxic heavy metalsin road dust. In present study a total of 25 road dustsamples have been taken from eight representativelocations categorized as residential (four) andcommercial (four) areas in Lucknow city for assessingthe concentration of six heavy metals (Iron,Manganese, Chromium, Zinc, Lead, Copper, Nickel).Metals were analyzed through acid digestion followedby atomic absorption spectrophotometric method.Results showed that road dust samples containedsignificantly high levels of the metals as compared tothe values from the control site. The variation inconcentration of most of the heavy metals determineddecreased in an order represented as commercial >residential > control. It is due to more traffic densityand crowd in commercial areas. In all the road dusts,iron is the most available and labile element followedby manganese. Road dusts concentration varied from3.41-7.160 for Nickel , 6.150-33.720 for lead, 4.101-15.480 for copper, 9.00-90.50 for chromium, 40.25-92.250 for manganese , 9.250-79.500 for zinc and2943.50-3874.50 for iron. All concentration is in mg/kg. The order of average heavy metal concentrationin residential areas is Fe>Mn>Cr>Zn>Pb>Cu>Ni andfor commercial areas Fe>Mn>Zn>Cr>Pb>Cu>Ni.Results indicate that the metal pollutants in road dustscould significantly contribute to deteriorate theenvironmental status of the city Lucknow.Key words: Heavy metals, Road dust, Traffic emission, Aciddigestion, Commercial, Lucknow city

SIX/P-12

Assessment of Water Parameters for theGrowth of Toxic Microalgae in MajorWater Bodies of Uttar Pradesh, IndiaRakhi Bajpai* and M.R. SuseelaAlgology Section, CSIR-National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Lucknow-226001, INDIAEmail: [email protected]

Water quality parameters were assessed to studyits effect on the growth of toxic microalgae in majorwater bodies of Uttar Pradesh, India. Growth of toxicmicroalgae in water bodies can be used as indicator



of water pollution. Water samples were collected fromdifferent location of Ganga river (Kanpur andVaranasi), Gomti river (Lucknow), Sai river (Lucknowand Raibareli) and Sardha canal (Unnao). Physico-chemical parameters pH, DO, conductivity, phosphate,nitrate, sulphate, iron, chromium and chlorine wasestimated periodically in the month of February, May,August and November. Sardha canal was found behighly polluted followed by Ganga, Gomti and Sairiver, respectively. Osillatoria tenuis isolated formSardha canal (Unnao, UP) was found to contain highconcentration (1.6 ppb) of microcystin (algal toxin).The microcystin content in water bodies should notbe more than 1 ppb as per WHO guidelines. Themicrocystin obtained from Osillatoria tenuis wasdetected at Rt 19.8 min using High Performance LiquidChromatography analysis coupled with Photo DiodeArray detection (200-300 nm). Effect of nutrient stresswas also monitored to study its effect on growth oftoxic microalgae. Phosphate and nitrate in the waterare the most important regulatory factors formicroalgal growth and toxin production. ToxicOscillatoria tenuis with highest concentration ofmicrocystin was selected to study the effect ofphosphate and nitrate stress (x) in the ratio of 1:4 onthe biomass and total protein content of thecyanobacterium. Growth characteristics of theorganism in term of total biomass and total proteincontent were evaluated. Oscillatoria tenuis growingin standard algal growth media BG 11 was used aspositive control while nutrient depleted media is usedas negative control. Oscillatoria tenuis growing inmoderate combination of nitrate (16x) and phosphate(4x) showed optimum growth but the protein contentwas increased to 18.4 % with respect to positivecontrol. Identification of toxic algal species and theircomponent would be helpful in understanding themechanism of toxicity and regulation of toxic algalblooms in fresh water bodies.Key words: Water quality, Toxic microalgae, Microcystin,Nutrient stress, Growth

SIX/P-13

Ecological Study of a Pond in Relation ofits Bioproductivity at Banda, U.P., IndiaSarika GuptaDepartment of Zoology, Bipin Bihari P.G. College, Jhansi,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Assessment of hydrobiological features viz.Colour, Turbidity, Water Temperature, pH, CO2, D.O.,B.O.D., Chloride, Carbonates, Bicarbonates, TotalAlkalinity, Ammonical Nitrogen, Nitrate, Phosphateand Plankton (Phyto and Zoo) and fishes were studiedof Pragi Talab at Banda during rainy season 2014.Water samples were taken from four points of the saidpond, having in view to examine its entire ecology ofthe pond. Hydrobiological study is quit essential forthe assessment of bio-productivity for which physicaland chemical characteristic play main role. Lenticwater are main source of bio-productivity, which areecologically important which have medicinal and foodvalue. As per the observations following APHA theproductivity of the said pond is not upto the mark,because pond water is used mostly by washerman andvehicle washing. Thus the detergents and petroleumproducts cause harm the biota, besides; there is noembankment and trees. So the pond requires propermanagement scientifically for enhancement of bio-productivity. Besides meteorological conditions viz.Photoperiod, Atmospheric Temperature, Rainfall andRelative humidity were also recorded which havedirect impact on waterbodies. On those guidelines theother unmanaged lentic waterbodies may be properlymanaged scientifically, so that their bio-productivitymight be an asset for the wellbeing of the society. Theparameters results were compared with ISI/WHOstandards.Key words: APHA, Hydrobiology, Assessment of bio-productivity, Role of lentic waterbodies in human welfare,Management of lentic waterbodies, ISI/WHO

SIX/P-14

Noise PollutionJashandeep Kaur1* and Amandeep Kaur2

1Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, PunjabAgriculture University, Ludhiana-141001, Punjab, INDIA,2Department of Chemistry, Giani Zail Singh PTU Campus,Bathinda-151001, Punjab, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

With the advancement in technologies,urbanization and globalisation many newenvironmental problems are emerging. Noise pollutionis one of these. Like any other pollution, it has verydeleterious effects on human health, behaviour andhis activities. Noise is commonly seen near airports,railway lines, construction areas and factories. Many



laws are framed in order to tackle this problem. Theselaws help in finding appropriate solutions and createawareness among people. Late night parties, discos,bars playing loud music are also responsible for noisepollution. People residing in areas close to discos,airports and bars are badly affected by this pollution.This noisy environment interferes with sleep,concentration and other activities of people. Alongwith humans, animals too have problems incommunication. New devices like Wireless SensorNetworks, sound level meters, sound monitors areinstalled in order to check noise levels.Key words: Noise, Sound, Decibel, Predator-prey interaction,Globalisation, Natural balance

SIX/P-15

A Clean Technology Approach of CacharPaper Mill, Assam, India: A Unit ofHindustan Paper Corporation LimitedMoharana Choudhury1* and Shyaamal PrasadChoudhury2

1Department of Environmental Science (CODL),Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, INDIA. 2EnvironmentDivision, Cachar Paper Mill, Panchgram, Assam, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The pursuit of clean technology in any pulp andpaper mills calls for involvement of full range of itsproduction related and non production relateddepartments. The approach must be flexible enoughto adopt a systematic step by step approach to ensuremaximum exploitation of clean technology potential.An attempt has been made in this paper specialreference to Cachar Paper Mill a unit of HindustanPaper Corporation Limited. This paper deals withavailable clean technology and its managementapproaches of CPM which is a pulp and paper basedindustry. As the pulp and paper industry is among 20highly polluting industries in our country so it is veryimportant to know the process and managementtechniques which are very crucial to achieve the cleanand environment.Key words: BOD, COD, Clean technology approach, Paperand pulp industry

SIX/P-16

Arsenic Pollution Scenario in Eastern U.P.,India: A ReviewNamrata Pandey1*, Alok Lehri1 and J.B. Srivastava2

1Central Instrumental Facility (CIF), CSIR-National Botani-cal Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, INDIA,2Civil Engineering Department, Institute of Engineering andTechnology, UPTU, Lucknow, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Arsenic pollution in India has been identified inmany states namely, Assam, Bihar and West Bengal.The worst and most investigated region is West Bengal,and according to United Nations Children’s Fund, over13.8 million people are at risk. But in recent decades,arsenic pollution is also being reported from easternregion of Uttar Pradesh State. There has been widespread of arsenic contaminated soil in India, of whichthe eastern district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) is leastfocused. Very recently it is reported that 20 district ofUP is severely toxic zone of arsenic contamination(above 0.05mg/L), where arsenic presence has beenfound to be more than five times of permissible limit.Three districts (Ballia, Gazipur and Varanasi) of Uttar-Pradesh were found to contain arsenic concentrationabove 10 mg L-1 which is a WHO recommendedprovisional guideline value of arsenic in drinkingwater. Humans, plants and animals from these villagesare exposed to the grave danger of Arsenic poisoningas this problem is largely unrecognized and unaware.Therefore, there is an urgent need for detailed studyand mitigation endeavour from arsenic pollution. Thispaper intent to give an overview of the arseniccontamination in eastern U.P. and the research workcarried till date.Key words: Arsenic, Uttar Pradesh, Soil, Water

SIX/P-17

Physico-Chemical Analysis of WaterQuality at Different Site of River Gomti,IndiaSalman HaiderDepartment of Chemistry, Integral University,Lucknow-226026, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The world is facing problems with a wide varietyof pollutants both inorganic and organic in nautre.



Healthy soil, clean water and air are the soul of life.Of these water pollution especially river pollution, themajor source of water use are becomes heavily polluteddue to discharge of various type of effluents into theriver without prior treatment. River Gomti orginatesfrom Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradhesh and ends toriver Ganges. The major city located along the bankof river Gomti is Sitapur, Lucknow, Barabanki andSultanpur.

In order to assess the river quality of Gomti inLucknow, a study was conducted at different site viz.,Gau ghat, Mohan Meikin, Saheed Smarak, Nishat Ganjbridge, Pipraghat and Malhaur to findout water quality

status at these sites. Results revealed that BOD andPO4

-3 was found maximum in Pipraghat i.e., 14.373mg/l and 3.88 mg/l respectively while lower value wasobserved at sahid smarak (1.48 mg/l a). However,lower value of PO4

-3 was found in Mohan meakin(0.073 mg/l). The concentration of dissolved oxygen(DO) was high in Gaugaht i.e., 5.92 and the value ofDO was nil in Pipraghat. Similarly, the value of totalsolid was high in 9.46 mg/l in Pipraghat and low inHanuman setu. Despite, in Gomti river some heavymetals were also found which are under analysis.Keywords: Gomti river, Physico-chemical parameter, BOD,Total solids, DO





SX/O-1Buddhism Based Local EnvironmentalConservation Practices: A Case Study onSikkim HimalayaLhanjey P. BhutiaDepartment of Botany, Sikkim Government College,Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim-737102, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

The global culture of consumerism is sodevastating for our planet which leads to many globalcrisis; the loss of biological diversity is one of them.The tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim in the eastern partof India which is known for its amazing forest cover,biodiversity and Buddhism is also experiencing thiscrisis. Buddhist philosophy and its values are a positiveforce in nature conservation and revitalization in theregion, and serves as a tool for conserving biodiversity.With religious or mystical beliefs and historicalbackground, Sikkim harbours many sacred landscapes,peaks, mountain, rocks, forest, lakes, streams, riversand even monastic sanctuaries. This sustainable wayof life, religious heritage and ritual practicestransforms the entire state into sacred landscape. Oflate, decline in traditional beliefs, urbanization,development projects and other socio- economicfactors have undermined the status of these places andpractices in the region. The state has numerous snow-fed streams and rivers; development of power projectsand pharmaceutical companies is high on agenda ofthe Government. Authorities are not maintaining theregulatory framework which is setup by SupremeCourt of India, like special provision Act, 1998 forthe places of worship and Article 48 (A) and 51 (A)(g) of the constitution for environment protection.Consequences of these are demographic changesbesides destroying the fragile terrain, natural resourcesand environment, loss of biodiversity, decline of sacredplaces, and devaluation of indigenous knowledgewhich has so far been protected by local communities.There is immense concern among ethnic people,religious groups and civil society and they are engagedin peaceful protest against such projects. The futureimplication should be on protection of traditionalbeliefs, sacred places, prefer micro projects which willhave a much smaller ecological and climate relatedfootprint. Therefore developing strategies for theglobal biodiversity conservation are best achieved by

long term participation and understanding of localcommunities and recognition of the Buddhistphilosophy as the active, even dynamic role it couldplay in conservation especially in fragile ecosystemlike of Sikkim.Key words: Sikkim Himalaya, Buddhist values, Sacredlandscape, Traditional beliefs, Conservation

SX/O-2eDOTS_GNDUBG: An Electronic Databaseof Trees and Shrubs of Guru Nanak DevUniversity Botanical GardenGurveen Kaur, Bhupinder Pal Singh and AvinashNagpal*Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, GuruNanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005, Punjab, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Since we are living in an era of globalization ofinformation, where the importance of globalization ofbiodiversity related information is also beingrecognized worldwide, proper documentation of ourgenetic wealth has become an essential component ofthe study of plants which helps to collect and organizeproperly an enormous quantity of information. It ispossible by the creation of digital databases (in silicodocumentation) of biodiversity of different regions ofthe world. Considering this we have initiated thedevelopment of an electronic database of trees andshrubs of Punjab (eDOTS). This database has beenprepared using ASP.NET and will serve the purposeof storing, organization and providing efficientretrieval of information on all trees and shrubs ofPunjab. The focus of the database will be on providingtext cum graphic information of each plant. To beginwith, we have digitalized information regarding mostof the trees and shrubs of Guru Nanak Dev UniversityBotanical Garden (eDOTS_GNDUBG). GNDUBotanical Garden, established in the year 1975, has acollection of nearly 500 plant species (including cacti,medicinal, and seasonal plants) which are arrangedsection wise as per Bentham and Hooker’s system ofclassification. This database will serve the dualpurpose of providing data cum multimedia informationof each plant species. Focus of the database is on fulldescription of botanical characters; photographs ofdifferent views/parts of the plants; flowering time;fruiting time and economic importance of each plant.Reports have been prepared to retrieve information



about different plants along with their photographsusing different search ways including Plant search,Family wise search, Section wise or Location wisesearch. This is a user friendly database which can evenbe used by a layman to identify or know about a plantbecause the detailed information on each plant hasbeen supported by respective images. This databasecan be viewed at www.gndu.ac.in/gndu2014/edots/about_edots.aspx.Key words: eDOTS, Database, Plants, GNDU, Trees andshrubs

SX/O-3Digitization of Herbarium of Departmentof Botanical and Environmental Sciences,Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar(Series Bicarpellatae of Sub-ClassGamopetalae)Harpreet Kaur*, Bhupinder Pal Singh and AvinashNagpalDepartment of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, GuruNanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005, Punjab, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Biodiversity referring to millions of different lifeforms present on this earth forming the core of ourlife support system, is so important for the sustainableexistence of all living beings on this earth that removalof even a single species can upset the balance anddisrupt or destroy the ecosystem threatening all formsof life with in it. The world today has come to realizethe importance of biodiversity friendly policies toimprove economy and alleviate poverty. In these on-going multi-prolonged efforts to halt species extinctionand to promote the conservation of our plant geneticresources, the use of digital storage systems whichallow efficient retrieval and manipulation of data isincreasing. Digitalization of herbarium is a suitablemethod of recording information about herbariumspecimens. The herbarium at Department of Botanicaland Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak DevUniversity, Amritsar has a collection of herbariumsheets belonging to nearly 3000 plant species collectedfrom different regions of India. We have initiated aneffort to digitalize the herbarium specimens housed atherbarium of Department of Botanical andEnvironmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University,

Amritsar. This paper deals with digitalization ofherbarium sheets of plant specimens belonging toseries Bicarpellatae of sub-class gamopetalae of dicotsand includes specimens belonging to families viz.Oleaceae, Salvodoraceae, Apocynaceae,Asclepiadaceae, Loganiaceae, Gentianaceae,Polemoniaceae, Poragineae, Convolvulaceae,Solanaceae, Scrophularianeae, Orobanchaceae,Lentibularieae, Bignoniaceae, Acanthaceae,Verbenaceae, Labiatae and Plantagineae.Key words: Digitalization, Gamopetalae, Herbarium,Bicarpellatae

SX/O-4

Clinical Studies of Shell Extract of Almond(Prunus amygdalus L.) against TineaInfectionNasreen Thebo1*, Altaf Simair2, A.R. Abbasi3, WazirSheikh1 and M. Hassan Nizamani4

1Mycology Research laboratory Institute of Plant Sciences,University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, PAKISTAN. 2Insti-tute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Universityof Sindh, PAKISTAN. 3Faculty of Natural Science, Uni-versity of Sindh, PAKISTAN. 4Berlin Medical and NeuroRehabilitation Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Email:[email protected]

Environmental pollutants are dramaticallyincreasing etiology and pathogenesis of skin diseasesrate of populations around the world. The present studymainly focuses on the clinical application of wastematerial shell part of Almond (P. amygdalus) used tocure of Tinea corporis skin infection by newbiotechnological techniques. The study is based uponthe reduction of clinically sign and symptoms andmycological inhibition of environmental causativepathogenic fungi M. canis, M. gypsum,T. mentagrophyte and A. niger at 90% MIC controlmethod for the evaluation of therapeutic potentialagainst dermal mycosis. The present study is attemptedto summarize the therapeutic importance of shell formedical practitioners and manufacturers for thedevelopment of a new antimycotic drugs can reducethe environmental burden for skin to provide safe andharmless substitute for harmful chemicals andsynthetic products.Key words: P. amygdalus, Tinea corporis, Pathogenic fungi



SX/O-5

Organic Farming for ImprovingEnvironmental HealthPrawal Pratap Singh Verma*, Anand Singh andManoj Kumar Yadav1Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Re-search Centre Purara, Bageshwer- 263688, Uttaranchal,INDIA. 2Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants,Research Centre, Bangalore-560065, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Organic farming in India is not new and is beingfollowed from ancient time. It is a method of farmingsystem which primarily aimed at cultivating the landand raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soilalive and in good health by use of organic wastes andother biological materials along with beneficialmicrobes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to cropsfor increased sustainable production in an eco friendlypollution free environment. Main objectives of organicfarming are to develop a sustainable agriculture systemfor guaranteed adequate food production in theforeseeable future, to develop self-sufficientagriculture system which would rely as much aspossible upon resources from within its own resourcesand to develop an alternative strategy over chemicalfarming which would be a guideline for the workingof biological processes in natural eco-systems. Themethods that make use of the various traditionalagricultural practices like minimum tillage,composting, crop rotation, biological pest control, etc.,and exclude the application of synthetic fertilizers,insecticides, growth regulators, and geneticmodification of crop species, are included in organicfarming. The use of modern technology in combinationwith organic practices helps in creating a balanced andsustainable environment for crop growth. Organicfarming takes a holistic approach in growing crops,rather than exploiting the available natural resources.Organic farming basically consists of simple and eco-friendly techniques in farming. Use of compostfertilizers, crop rotation, and biological pest control,are some of the features of this type of farming. Pollyculture is a completely different approach towardsfarming, in this method, a variety of crops is cultivatedon a single piece of land. It helps to attract differentsoil microbes. Some crops act as repellents to pestand these results in pest control in an organic manner.Composts are used to enhance soil fertility in organic

farming. Green manuring also is a good way to addnutrients to the soil. It is the practice of growing plantswith prolific leaf growth like Alfalfa, and burying themin the soil before cultivating the main crop. Such cropsadd organic matter to the soil, which are very necessaryfor plant growth. The prime objective behind followingthe methodology of sustainable agriculture is tomaintain the ecosystem. Thus, it includes thepreservation of nutrients present in the soil, keeping itaerated, and use of fertilizers that decompose in soil.The result of practicing this type of agriculture is themaintenance of healthy soil, which should be able tonourish plant growth for a longer period.

It is necessary to follow organic farmingtechniques for sustainable growth of crops. It not onlyhelps in growing the plants at a lesser cost comparedto the traditional method, but also maintains thebalance of our ecosystem. Organic farming proves tobe more profitable than the age-old traditional farmingmethods, It has been found that organic farmingreduces the production cost by about 25 - 30%, as itdoes not involve the use of synthetic fertilizers andpesticides, which thus makes organic farming verycost-effective. This type of farming leads to a less toxicenvironment as far as the air, water and soil isconcerned. Soil is the most important component infarming, and organic farming preserves the soil byreducing soil erosion up to a large extent. Organicfarming also enables the farmers to use the soil for alonger period of time to grow crops, as soil fertility ismaintained for a long time in such a case. This kind offarming is not only beneficial to the farmers, but italso has proved useful for the dairy industry. Cattlegrazing on organic farmlands have been found to beless prone to diseases, and they also yield more milk.These are definitely good signs for a consumer of thesedairy products from a health perspective, and for adairy organization from the profit perspective.Key words: Organic farming, Green manuring, Eco-systems,Sustainable agriculture, Environment

SX/O-6

Green Computing And Its ImportanceHifzan Ahmad1*, Gunjan Yadav2 and Gulzar Yadav3

1Computer Sci. and Engineering Kamla Nehru Institute ofTechnology, Sultanpur, INDIA. 2Mechanical EngineeringKamla Nehru Institute of Technology, Sultanpur, INDIA.3RSAC, Lucknow, INDIA, Email: [email protected],



[email protected], [email protected]

Green computing, green IT or ICT Sustainability,refers to environmentally sustainable computing or IT.Green computing is an effective and efficient way ofdesigning, manufacturing and using of computingproducts that would help to preserve natural resourcesand reduce the harmful impact on the environment. Itis the environmentally sustainable use of computersand related resources like - monitors, printer, storagedevices, networking and communication systems -efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impacton the environment. It is the study and practice ofefficient and eco-friendly computing. The goal ofGreen computing is to reduce the use of hazardousmaterials, maximize energy efficiency during theproduct’s lifetime, and promote the recyclability orbiodegradability of defunct products and factory waste.Nowadays computers not only used in offices but alsoat homes. As the number of computers is increasingday by day, the amount of electricity consumed by themincreased the carbon contents in atmosphere. Howeverthe IT department is usually uses the most amount ofpower which in turn is a source for toxic waste. MakingIT “Green” can not only save money but also help tosave our world by reducing and/or eliminating wastefulpractices and using nontoxic materials.

This paper examines the need and providesguidelines which highlights our responsibilities ascomputer users and encourage us to take some actionsin the betterment of the environment. Subsequently,this paper helps to identify key issues relevant to greencomputing and evaluate different approaches to theseproblems.Key words: Green computing, Green IT, Energy efficiency,Virtualization, Energy star, E-waste

SX/O-7Nutritional Composition of Value AddedProducts Prepared From the Green LeafyVegetablesA. Gupta, K. Gangwar, S. Verma, S. Sheikh andH. PandayDepartment of Foods and Nutrition, Ethelind School ofHome Science, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture,Technology and Sciences, Allahabad-211007, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Green leafy vegetables are rich sources ofantioxidants. Antioxidants are intimately involved in

the prevention of cellular damage - the commonpathway for cancer, aging, and a variety of diseases.Several berries, fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, drinksand spices have been found to be high in totalantioxidants. antioxidants helps in quenching of freeradicals arising from environmental sources. The greenleafy vegetables are rich source of calcium, iron, andbeta carotene and vitamin C. Fenugreek andcauliflower leaves are rich in calcium, iron and betacarotene. The study was aimed to formulate andanalyze the value added products prepared from twodifferent fresh green leafy vegetables (fenugreekleaves and cauliflower leaves) by incorporating 20percent and 10 percent respectively. Value addedproducts were analyzed for proximate constituents,minerals and total carotene. Results showed that theproduct were enriched with fresh fenugreek andcauliflower leaves are rich in protein, calcium, iron,and total carotene. Moisture, fat, fibre and totalcarotene content was higher in paneer fenugreekpakoda 52.49 g/100g, 6.36 g/100g, 1.43g/100g and3447.10ìg/100g respectively. On the other handprotein, energy , carbohydrate, iron and calciumcontent was higher in paneer cauliflower stuffedparatha 12.65g/100g, 289.6 kcal/100g, 42.90g/100g,10.92mg/100g and 305.66 mg/100g, respectively.Therefore it can be concluded that the incorporationof the leaves of fenugreek and cauliflower in variousfood items can improve the nutritional qualities.Key words: Nutritional composition, Green leafy vegetables,Fenugreek leaves, Cauliflower leaves

SX/O-8

Microbial ForensicsVivek Chauhan and Archana TiwariNoida International University, G.B. Nagar,Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Microbial Forensics is a new developeddiscipline with a foundation which is completelydedicated to the characterization, analysis andinterpretation of an act of a biocrime. MicrobialForensic act as the identification tool in case ofbiocrime or a bioterrorism. It is an evolving sub-discipline of forensic sciences, which combines severaldisciplines including microbiology, genomics andbiochemistry. Microbial Forensic investigations arecarried out to obtain the relevant information regarding



the source of material used in an act of bioterrorism,biocrime or any type of unintentional release of amicro-organism or a toxin with an aspect of causingharm to the humanity in one or the other way and oncethe toxin is released it proves to be fatal for thehumanity. Attribution could be a key to criminalprosecution of the individual or individuals forsupporting actions that may be taken as a result ofnational policy decisions. The new disciplines ofmicrobial forensics is in the process of being foundedfrom an array of established and emerging fields suchas microbiology, microbial genomics and phylogeneticanalysis. Forensic Investigation use physical evidenceto attempt to obtain information on microorganism,the person involved and the places involved the processand instrumentation used to develop or disperse theweapon of the criminal act. Because of the advancesin technology challenges to national security willcontinue to arise. Microbial Forensics measuresmolecular variations between related molecularmicrobial strains and their use to relationship ortransmission route of a particular microbial strain.Results of such analysis may be related to intentionaluse of microbial agents for bioterrorism or theaccidental use of any offensive micro-organisms ortoxins of public health importance specifically for thepurpose of determining the origin. Building awarenessof and capacity in microbial forensics can assist ourunderstanding of what may have occurred during abio threat event and international collaborations thatengage the broader scientific and policy makingcommunities are likely to strengthen over microbialforensic capabilities.Key words: Bioterrorism, Microbial forensics, Bio threat,Biocrime

SX/O-9

Seaweed Cultivation Activity for LivelihoodGeneration in the State of OdishaS.B. Padhi1* and P.K. Swain2

Forest and Environment Department, Government ofOdisha, Bhubaneswar, INDIA. G.M. Junior College,Sambalpur, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

The red algal species kapapphycus alvarezii is a

source of a galactan colloid caragenean which is a keysubstance in today’s food and dairy industry. This redalgal species is cultivated only in warm waters inPhilippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tanzania etc. Thedemand for the seaweed has been increasing globally.The science and society division of Department ofScience and Technology, Govt. of India sanctioned aproject entitled “Development and demonstration ofappropriate strategies for marine algae cultivation andprocessing for livelihood generation in coastal areasof Odisha state”. The state has potential for marinealgae cultivation due to its vast coastline, suitableenvironmental parameters, quite good number ofcoastal villages and good labour for seaweed farmingactivities. The prospect of seaweed cultivation is apromising alternative to maintain the socio-economiccondition of the coastal women. The objective of seafarming was to develop technologies for cultivationof high value seaweeds widely used for industrialpurposes with improvement of the coastal fisheriescommunities in Odisha state. The red algal genusGracillaria verrucosa cultivation in Chilika lakestarted as a pilot scale study by DST, Govt. of Indiacan be well established activity in future. The farmingof the red alga Kapapphycus alvarezii is only practisednow in Odisha state under Rasthriya Krushi VikashYojana as a pilot scale studies initiated in Ganjamdistrict by CES, Ministry of Forest and Environment,Gov. of Odisha. In the pilot scale culture activities,culture experiments are conducted at some coastal sitesof Ganjam district to evaluate the possibilities andfeasibility of cultivation of the red alga. Differentculture methodologies were adopted and standardisedfor the pilot scale study. Seaweed farming is a labourintensive activity and it can be the best medium foremployment of uneducated people and also supportwomen empowerment. Seaweeds are the ultimatesustainable marine crop that cleans the nutrients fromthe sea as they grow. Being inspired by the seaweedfarming, the fishery women will concentrate more onseaweed farming activity as a livelihood generationof income in future.Key words: Kapapphycus alvarezii, Seaweed, Gracillariaverrucosa, Chilika lake, Livelihood



SX/O-10

Visual Pollution in an Urban and a SuburbanSetup with Special Reference to Cables/WiresMilan Kumar Jana1 and Tanaya De2*1PostGraduate Student, Barasat Government College,Barasat, Kolkata-700124, West Bengal, INDIA. 2BarasatGovernment College, Barasat, Kolkata-700124, West Ben-gal, INDIA, Email: [email protected],[email protected]

Our first impression of a community, rural orurban, is generally its visual environment which is themosaic of natural and built forms. Visual pollution isdefined as the whole of irregular formations, representsunorganized dumping of litters, billboards, cables,wires, worn-out buildings etc. that affects people’sability to enjoy a view or vista. Recently, pollutionsignifies an inclusion of those affecting in a subtleway such as visual pollution. This work aims atdrawing attention to the hazardous effects of the visualpollutants with special reference to unorganizedcables/wires, to realize that the visual environment isas important a part of the fabric of communities asclean water and animal habitat. Different places ofKolkata (South and North) and of Barrackpore andBarasat of 24-Paraganas (N) district, West-Bengal,India were explored for abundance of visual pollutants,especially the ubiquitous cables/wires. Possibilities ofsome associated hazards were observed. Visuallypleasant and unpleasant sights were compared and thepsyche of people was followed. It was found that thecityscape was strewn with visual pollutants, cablescontaminating every nook and corner. This unsightlypresence creates deep displeasure, aesthetic-appeal,causes declining effect on civic sense of the communityand hence psychological-health too. This iscompounded with possibility of health hazards ofdifferent dimensions including hazards caused bymagnetic-field around cables, may create a short-circuit problem which may be extremely dangerouson water-logged roads. Some birds get electrocutedoften due to exposed cables. Thus, the sight of abeautiful natural environment stimulates humanbeings. Conversely, the ugly sight triggers irritability.Children growing up near it get used to it losing their

ability to understand the need for correcting it. Thisresults in character-changing effects, the identity ofthe community is affected and entire life-style isdeteriorated.Key words: Visual pollution, Cables, West Bengal, Aesthetic-appeal, Psychological-health

SX/O-11

Impact of Life Style on Human Health:Preservation of Biodiversity to be made anIntegral Part of Healthy Life StyleMadhu Laxmi SharmaGovt. K.R.G.P.G. (Auto.) College, Gwalior, M.P, INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Life style means the way in which people live.Way of living means full range of various activitiesand attitude, which are learnt from parents, friendsand society. Healthy life style is essential for goodhealth. According to WHO health is a state of completephysical, mental as well as social well being, notmerely an absence of disease or infirmity. All the threephysical, mental and social well beings are related toeach other. A person who is physically healthy will bealert, person who is socially healthy will be confidentenough, while person who is mentally healthy will befree from all worries. Change in any one aspect ofhealth, affects on other aspect of health and then personbecomes unhealthy. Many of the health problems maybe caused due to unhealthy life style. Some of themare Asthma, Diabetes, Heart problems, Lung cancer,Oral cancer, Obesity etc. to some extent. Some of themcan be prevented by changing the life style whichshould be healthy. It is said that rather than to cure adisease, prevention is more important. If at all diseasedevelops, it can be managed by using some plants partsup to some extent, as herbal medicines are eco friendly.Since herbal medicines are available because ofbiodiversity, all the efforts should be made to preservebiodiversity. Therefore we can say change in life styleis the need of today i.e. unhealthy to healthy life style.And preservation of biodiversity is an integral part ofhealthy life style.Key words: Life style, Health problems, Plants, Herbalmedicines, Biodiversity



SX/O-12

Contamination of Coins with AllergenicFungal OrganismsArun Arya* and Sita TomarFaculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University ofBaroda, Vadodara-390002, Gujarat, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Air borne microbes (Fungi and bacteria) areimplicated in the causation of allergic diseases andinfections in immune compromised patients. As thedominant group of eukaryotes that radiated about 3million years ago, the fungi and constitute anindependent group equal in rank to that of plants andanimals. The fungi that produce spores and get airborneare called “aerospores”. They cause a number ofinfections in tropical country like India.

A study was made to find out associated fungalorganisms from new and old coins. The paper dealswith many such fungal organisms which were foundassociated with coins. A heterogenous mixture ofbacteria and fungi was recorded in different coins. TheIndian and foreign coins collected in two differentseasons showed presence of 14 different fungi. Thenumber of fungi isolated were more during rainyseason than in coins collected in winter. Rhizopusstolonifer Penicillium citrinum, Alternaria alternataand Aspergillus niger were frequently isolated. Manyof such fungal organisms are reported to haveallergenic potential. It is recommended that coins mustbe washed with hot water at regular intervals to reduceto pollution load.Key words: Coins, Fungal organisms, Aspergillus, Penicillium,Allergy

SX/O-13

Makhana System in North and NorthEastern India: A Key to SustainableAgriculture and Food SecurityVidyanath Jha1* and A.B. Verma2

1Department of Botany, MRM College, L.N. MithalaUniversity, Darbhanga-846004, Bihar, INDIA. 2MarwariCollege, Darbhanga-846 004, INDIAEmail: [email protected], [email protected]

Makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) is a majoraquaphyte growing naturally in the stagnant fresh

water pools of north and north eastern India. However,Darbhanga, Kosi and Purnea division of north Biharare the major areas of its cultivation. “Beels” of Assamand Maldah area in West Bengal also support the semi-wild populations of this plant. Fishing communityinhabiting the Mithila area has developed the expertiseof its cultivation as well as intricate harvest and post-harvest operations over generations. Of late, the plantis known to be in possession of significantnutraceutical properties that make it effective againsta no. of human ailments including diabeticnephropathy and cardiovascular complications.

The plant is a primitive dicot having acombination with monocot characters. It grows underintegrated aquaculture system, providing significanthabitat to the air breathing fishes. All efforts are beingmade to raise two Makhana crops in a sequentialmanner in a single year. Heavy autochthonous depositsof the plant debris support the detritivorous fishes.Leaving sufficient open spaces in the middle ormargins of the ponds support the integration of carpfishes with the system.

The state of Bihar is all set to make bluerevolution a success. Makhana system does have goodpotential to help meet this target. In addition, Makhanais being integrated with water chestnut, wheat or potatoin the rotational cropping system. Eastern districts ofPurnea and Katihar witness its cultivation in the fieldsystem as well. This is on account of the high watertable in the Kosi belt where water could be easilyprocured under the “bamboo tube well” system. Ediblepart of the plant is the perisperm in its seeds that isrich in quality of starch and protein. On account ofbeing almost fatless, Makhana is in high demand inwestern countries. It is a good source of micronutrients.There is a need of utilization of non-seed parts thatare usually discarded.

Makhana is deeply associated with Hindu ritualsand in Mithila area there is a practice of sendingMakhana as a gift from bride’s side to the groom’sside on the occasion of Kojagara festival. The seedsare known to have aphrodisiac and spermatogenicproperties. The paper takes into account the facets ofMakhana system in north and north eastern India as akey to sustainable agriculture and food security.Key words: Makhana, North Bihar, Integrated aquaculture,Nutracentical



SX/P-1

A Report on Wild Edible Plants of BandaDistrict (U.P.), With Special Reference toTheir Ethnobotanical SignificanceSafoora KhanDepartment of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi ChitrakootGramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Satna, MadhyaPradesh, INDIA, Email: [email protected]

In India about 800 species of wild edible plantsare consumed as food plants chiefly by tribal peoples.The literature survey reveals that there is a very limitedand scattered information on wild edible plants.

A study of wild edible food Plants of Banda dist.was carried out during the year 2013- 2014. A total of20 Wild plant species belonging to 18 families wereenumerated in the present communication. The reportof ethnobotanical significance of these plants have alsobeen described in this paper.

There is an urgent need to explore, protect andconserve these plants species as these plants play avery important role in full filling the nutrientsupplement and prove food material at the time ofscarcity.Key words: Ethenobotanical significance, Wild edible,Nutrient supplement

SX/P-2

Environmental Effect on Cultural andNatural Heritage of Poonch RegionAshyana KouserDepartment of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh,INDIA, Email: [email protected]

Poonch is a fertile area for the promotion of eco-tourism, cultural tourism and pilgrim tourism. This isevident from the number of lush green areas, meadows,high pastures, and monuments like forts, palaces,temples, ziarats, gurdwaras, etc, dotting the culturallandscape of Poonch region Impact of the climatechange on heritage is major issue which needs to betaken care of. Climate change is a significant andlasting change in the statistical distribution of weatherpatterns over periods ranging from decades to millionsof years. It is the change in average weather conditions,or in the distribution of weather around the averageconditions like more or fewer extreme weather events.Climate change is caused by various factors including,

biotic processes, plate tectonics, variations in solarradiation received by earth, and human-inducedalterations of the natural world. Such factors lattercauses the global warming. Change in climate is themost serious threat which both natural and culturalheritage of this region is facing like risingtemperatures, drier summers, wetter winters and riskof floods. Climate of this region is becoming moreunpredictable with the frequent and extreme weatherevents like heat waves, heavy rainfall, drought andhigh wind. As a result of this change many species ofplants are lost as conditions become unsuitable andmany other species replace them. Most of the speciesof birds and animals have also migrated to otherregions. This change also causes the deterioration ofmonuments as a small change in temperature directlyresults in change in RH (relative humidity) and causesthe deterioration of stone and ceramic artifactscontaining salts, with the result of this salt crystallizingoccurs and causes weathering. It also changesmonumental aesthetic qualities like its colour (black,green, yellow, etc), which is clearly visible in Poonchfort, Moti Mahal and Sheesh Mahal,etc. Thus, thereis a dire need to protect, preserve and conserve ourheritage and contextualize cultural heritage in relationto the dynamics of sustainable development. One alsoneeds to look into environmental protection laws ofboth cultural and natural sites where large religiousevents are held.Key words: Heritage, Conservation, Climate, Poonch district,Jammu

SX/P-3

Silent Victims: Emerging Issue of EnvironmentSatheeshbabu KollambalathEmail: [email protected]

The present theory of environmental issue(Ragnar Nurkse and AC Pigou) is based on hypothesisthat largest polluters suffers most than small polluters.To disprove this, I formulate certain principle thatgoverns the shifting of air pollution from top to lesspolluting nations vide Conductivity Effect of Natureand its impact on various segments such as healthinsurance, pharmacy company a health education andrequirement of doctor population ratio .Due to movingof air, pollution particles in less polluted nation ishigher than Self Generated Pollution. As long asdifference in density of pollution varies in different



nation in short period due to difference air pollution,the Particle never travels from least to most pollutes,rather most to less .However benefit developmentobtained at cost of pollution has been never sharesamong and only cost shares with less .This is calledExternal Surplus Pollution Effect. The fresh air isreceived in exchange of polluted air without anymonetary price and, the organs in the environment areforced to receive elements of definite negative valuefrom polluted nations and which in turn exchangedwith Commodity market and human resource marketuntil all were seriously affected is termed as‘environment market’ .This process is done throughvide conductivity effect of nature. The Conceptual vs.Empirical methodology is used.More people from lesspolluted, most of whom were malnutrition is oftenfalling victims of air pollution other nation and putforth new demand and formula for determining forcompensation to victim nationsKey words: Conductivity Effect of Nature (CEN), Surpluspollution, Zero conductivity effect of nature, Self GeneratedPollution (SGP), External Surplus Effect of pollution (ESPEffect)

SX/P-4

ENVIS-NBRI Centre Functioning as Nodefor Awareness about Plants and PollutionYashpal Singh* and Nandita SinghEco-Auditing Lab, CSIR-National Botanical Research In-stitute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

Environmental information plays a vital role notonly in formulating environmental managementpolicies but also in the decision making process aimingat environmental protection and improvement ofenvironment for sustaining good quality of life for theliving beings. Hence, management of environment iskey component and thus plays an important role ineffecting a balance between the demands and resourcesavailable for keeping the environmental quality at asatisfactory level. Realizing such need Ministry ofEnvironment, Forests and Climate Change set up anEnvironmental Information System (ENVIS) in 1983as a plan programme, ENVIS is a comprehensivenetwork of centres with the objectives ofenvironmental information collection, collation,storage, retrieval and dissemination to various users,

which include decision-makers, researchers,academicians, policy planners and research scientists,etc. ENVIS network at present consists of a chain of67 network partners out of which 39 are on subject-specific and 28 on State/UT related issues.

The Environmental Information System (ENVISCentre) at CSIR-National Botanical Research Instituteis focused on “Plants and Pollution”. The Centrestarted functioning as node for “Plants as Indicatorsof Pollution” in January 2003. This became full-fledged ENVIS Centre in Januray 2005. ENVIS-NBRI systematically collects, compiles anddisseminates data on Plants and Pollution, which is ofimmense use to several research organizations, townplanners, policy makers, teachers and otherstakeholders. NBRI-ENVIS, has published newsletterson ‘Plants in Urban Planning’ and ‘ConstructedWetlands’, Genetically Modified crops andEnvironment, Climate Change and Medicinal Plants,Plant Signaling in Changing Environment andBibliography on ‘Transgenic plants forphytoremediation’, for circulation among differentstakeholders in India. Monthly e-News Bulletins andNews bulletins are prepared on various themes likeNature, Health and Pollution, Atmospheric Nutrientetc. and are uploaded on the website. The Kids Centreis updated on different topics like ‘Biology-G.K’, ‘Listof National Plants’, Videos on Phytoremediation, FoodWebs, Nitrogen cycle, Pollution Indicator,‘Environmental Kids’ and ‘Types of climate’. TheSubject area Modules are updated with different topicslike “Green planner, Biomonitors of Pollution, Plantsas indicator of Pollution, Thinking of Planting”etc. InPublication module the new topics are updated likeE-Books, Patent, Journals, Posters, and Videos onLichens and Air Pollution, Green Building Concepts,and Phytoremediation project. Different sections ofbibliography are updated with latest references. Duringthe year NBRI-ENVIS website received 220540 hitsand 108 queries, all have been answered. Newdatabases have been developed and uploaded inwebsite on subject ‘Arsenic’, ‘Endosulphan’,‘Chromium’, Cadmium and Plants and LindaneInsecticide etc. Different modules of NBRI ENVISwebsite (http://nbrienvis.nic.in) including Hindi web-pages have been regularly updated.Key words: ENVIS, Plants and pollution, Environment,Engineering, Networking



SX/P-5

Energy Conservation in Households inUrban Areas in IndiaAashee Garg* and Anusha AgarwalMukesh Patel School of Technology Management andEngineering, Nmims, University, Mumbai, IndiaEmail: [email protected],[email protected]

India, as a country is very rich in terms of naturalresources however as citizens, we have not respectedthis fact and have been continuously exploitingnature’s gift to mankind. Further as the population isever increasing, the load on the consumption ofresources is unprecedented. This has led to thedepletion of natural resources such as coal, oil, gasetc., apart from the pollution it causes. It is time thatwe shift from use of these conventional resources tomore effective new ways of energy generation. Weshould develop and encourage usage of renewableresources such as wind and solar in households toconserve energy in place of the above mentionednonrenewable energy sources. This paper deals withthe most effective ways in which the households inIndia can conserve energy thus reducing effect onenvironment and depletion of limited resources.Key words: Energy consumption, Resources, India, Renewableresources and environment

SX/P-6

Hospital Waste, a Serious Hazard, ItsManagement and Handling: A ReviewRachna Chaturvedi1*, Garima Awasthi1, JyotiPrakash1, Saumya Kapur1, Aparna Gupta1 and SushilChaturvedi2

1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity UniversityLucknow, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, 2District TuberculosisOfficer, Nodal Officer HIV/AIDS, Incharge R.T.P.M.U.Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

This review focuses new strategies regardinghospital waste management as it is an important publichealth concern worldwide Medical care is veryimportant for our life and health, but the wastegenerated from various medical actions will be a realtrouble of living nature and human world.Inappropriate management of waste is having

hazardous impact on the society, the health careemployees and on the surroundings. The managementof hospital waste requires specific treatment for itsremoval and disposal from the health careestablishments hygienically and economically tominimizes the risk to public health and to theenvironment. The present review article deals with thebasic issues as definition, categories, problems relatingto hospital waste, procedure of handling and disposalmethod of hospital waste by reviewing recent literatureand survey. It was found that a variety of methods wereused by the medical facilities to dispose their wastesincluding burning burial, entombing, selling, dumping,and removal by municipal bins. The waste disposalpractice was found to be quite hazardous and clinicaland non-clinical both type of wastes were found to bethrown together. This review emphasizes theknowledge and awareness of individuals involved inmedical waste generation, handling and disposal, andthe potential impacts of the waste on both human healthand the natural environment. Proper handling,treatment and disposal of biomedical waste play asignificant role in hospital infection managementprogramme. Hospital waste management primarilyinvolves preventing transmission of illness frompatient to patient, from patient to medical expert toprevent damage to the health care employee and staffin maintenance services, whereas management ofmedicine waste, to anticipate all-purpose exposure tothe dangerous effects of the different types of wasteas cytotoxic, genotoxic and chemical medicine wastegenerated in hospitals. Hence properly designed andapplied, waste management is somewhat unbeatenjointly as an economical compliance-relatedobservation. This critical review discusses regardingthe gathering, segregation, treatment and disposal ofhospital waste and its numerous varieties.Key words: Hospital waste, Hospital Waste Management(HWM), Biomedical waste, Medicine waste

SX/P-7

Importance of Greenhouse Cultivation toCreate Favorable Microclimates at GlobalLevelPushpendra Krishna Gaur, Khem Krishna Gaur,Suman Rajput and V.K SharmaDepartment of Physics, K.G.K. College, I.F.T.M University,Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Email:



[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

In the present paper, thermal modeling of agreenhouse has been carried out by using the heat andmass transfer relation. Greenhouse cultivation has beenevolved to create favorable Microclimates wherevegetable Production can be made possible throughoutthe year as required. Greenhouse creates a suitableenvironment for the plants and to make possiblegrowth as well as fruiting as compared to open fieldcultivation. The environment in this context refers to

light, temperature, air composition and nature of rootmedium. This greenhouse technology has tremendousscope in horticultural sector, specially in productionof hybrid seeds, vegetables, ornamental plants and cutflowers production which fetches maximum foreignexchange. The following section deals the historicalbackground and status of greenhouse in world as wellas in India as regards to constituents of environment,types, classification, design and heat transferMechanism in greenhouse.Key words: Greenhouse cultivation, Favorable microclimates,Global level, Horticultural sector, heat and mass transfer





An Observation on Potential under UtilisedWild Food Plants of Uttar PradeshSustainins the Effect of Climate ChangeAnand PrakashEthanobotany and Ecology Division, CSIR-National Bo-tanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001, U.P., INDIA,Email: [email protected]

Many people of developing as well as developedcountries in the world are seriously facing hunger,malnutrition, under nourishment, lack of adequatevitamin and minerals in their diet. Malnutrition amongthe children is rampant resulting different diseases anddisorders, anaemia a very serious problem throughoutthe world. India has passed through various revolutionsand achieved unprecedented development in theproductivity of food crop and many crops haveincreased manifold production and productivity, butthe challenges of malnutrition and threat of climatechange continues vigorously. The underutilized wildedible plants and crops appear to be the crop of futureand need focused attention for popularization andconservation as it can meet nutritional needs andsustain the effect of climate change.

Present paper highlights some of the wild edibleplants species like Basella alba, Bauhinia purpurea,Boerahavia diffusa, Capparis zeylanica, Crotalariajuncea, Diplazium esculetum, Ipomoea aquatica,Physalis minima, Portulaca oleracea, Alangiumsalvifolium, Anthocephalus chinensis, Antidesmaghaesembilla, Averrhoa carambola, Brideliasquamosa, Buchanania lanzan, Carissa opaca, Cordiadichotoma, Dillenia pentagyna, Diospyros exculpta,Fiscus racemosa, F. virens, Flacourtia indica, F.jangomas, Grewia hirsute, Limonia elephantum,Madhuca longifolia, Manilkara hexandra, Puerariatuberosa, Rumex dentatus, Schliechera oleosa,Spondias pinnata and Xeromphis uliginosa etc. fortheir conservation, protection and popularizationdeveloping newer tastes, texture flavour in severalnutritional food recipe, further the effect of climatechange should also be studied in human welfare.Key words: Malnutrition, Nourishment, Vitamin and minerals

Luxuriant Growth of Lichen Roccellamontagnei Bél in Islands of MarineNational Park, GujaratKomal K. Ingle1,2*, Sanjeeva Nayaka1, RajeshBajpai1, Jayesh R. Rawal3, S. Trivedi2 and D.K.Upreti1

1Lichenology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Re-search Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, U.P.,INDIA. 2Department of Botany, Motilal VigyanMahavidyalaya, Bhopal-462026, M.P., INDIA. 3JayGurudev Career Academy, F-13, Asha Complex, MalgodunRoad, Mehsana-384002, Gujarat, INDIA, Email:[email protected]

India is a mega biodiversity country equally richin lichen diversity represented by 2,350 species. Thevast geography of the country with varied climate,landscape and geology generate ecological interestinghabitats for the occurrence of unique lichencommunities. Gujarat state is located in the west coastof India not only has the long coastline but also hassecond largest tidal forest after Sundarbans. In a recentlichen study excursion to Marine National Park (MNP)of the state it is observed that the Park has a uniquelichen diversity represented by 24 species, but afruticose lichen Roccella montagnei Bél was growingluxuriantly in most of the islands surveyed. The genusRoccella is probably the only fruticose member offamily Roccellaceae which comprises of 40 speciesworldwide. The species of Roccella are mostlydistributed along the coastal, arid or subtropicalregions in Mediterranean climates extending intoadjacent temperate and tropical regions. R. montagneiis one of the most common and widespread taxa of allRoccella species distributed in coastal Asia, NewCaledonia, Northern Australia, Phillippines, SouthAfrica and Cape Verde. In India R. montagnei isdistributed in Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa,Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. The thalii of R.montagnei are either erect or hanging the substratumwith flat, tapering branches, creamish or pinkishcolour. The lichen produces roccellic acid, erythrinand lecanoric acid as secondary metabolites. Thesemetabolites give a unique dying properties to thelichens and hence used for preparation of acid-baseindicating litmus paper. Further, the extracts of thelichen have exhibited anti-inflamatory, antibacterialand antifungal activities. In our survey at MNP amongall the lichen species recorded R. montagnei was the



PLANTS & ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

24-27 February, 2015Sponsors Continued from Back Cover

(ICPEP-5)

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi

National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai, India

only fruticose form documented. It was found growingon mangrove plants such as Avicennia marina andRhizophora mucronata, but it was dominant onCeriops tagal. The lichen grows from bottom to topof its host plant masking its original appearance. Inour exploration in whole of Gujarat state and otherparts of the country such a luxuriant growth ofRoccella was not seen anywhere; hence it tempted usto record our observation. The isolated habitats withnegligible anthropogenic disturbances, clean air maybe the reason for such a luxuriant growth. The humidenvironment with saline breeze may be favouring thegrowth of the lichen. However, critical research isneeded to ascertain the reasons for such a abundantgrowth of Roccella in MNP. R. montagnei beingpharmaceutically potential lichen MNP can serve assustainable lichen harvest site at least for laboratoryexperiments.Key words: Arthoniales, Biodiversity, West Coast, Jamnagar,Lichenized Fungi

Impact of Ganga Action Plan on PollutionStatus of River GangaSaba Hasan, Fatima Zohra Hasan* and MohammadIsrail AnsariAmity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University UttarPradesh (Lucknow Campus), Gomti Nagar Extension,Lucknow, U.P., INDIA

Ganga has been a cradle of human civilizationsince time immemorial. Millions depend on this greatriver for physical and spiritual sustenance. Rapidlyincreasing population, rising standards of living and

exponential growth of industrialization andurbanisation have exposed the water resources, ingeneral, and rivers, in particular, to various forms ofdegradation. Realising that the rivers of the countrywere in a serious state of degradation, a beginningtowards their restoration was made with the launchingof the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in 1985.The objective,at the time of launching the Ganga Action Plan in 1985,was to improve the water quality of Ganga toacceptable standards by preventing the pollution loadfrom reaching the river. Later, in 1987, on therecommendations of the Monitoring Committee ofGAP, the objective of the Plan was modified torestoring the river water quality to the designated bestuse class of Ganga. The Ganga river water qualityevaluated on the basis of pollution indicators (DO,BOD and Coliforms) indicates that dissolved oxygenlevels have improved in the main stem of Ganga. Thefaecal Coliform remains the only parameter on whichthe observed values exceed the permissible limits of2500 MPN/100 ml at most places except in the upperreaches up to Haridwar. GAP has been a mixedsuccess. Though the programme yielded good resultsin many stretches, the problem of pollution in riverGanga has not been fully addressed. The river waterquality has improved at many locations despitesignificantly increased demographic and otherpressures. However, the critical parameters of waterquality, which adversely impact human health, exceedthe prescribed standard limits at major locations.Hence, there is a need for revamping the riverconservation programme in view of it’s shortcomings.Key words: Ganga Action Plan, Pollution, Coliforms, BOD, DO



AAbbasi A.R. 286Abbasi Maryam 132Abdenacceur H. 175Acharya Krishnendu 110Adhikari D. 2Adhiya Parth 108Afshan Najam-ul-Sehar 223Agarwal Aanchal 149Agarwal Anusha 294Agarwal Manju 74Agnihotri Priyanka 114, 238, 224Agrawal Lalit 59Agrawal M. 112Agrawal S.B. 6, 17Agrawal Rashmi 217Ahmad Hifzan 287Ahmed S. 61Ajugia Hema 108AL Shaarawi S.A. 69Alam Md. Osaid 142Al-Amad S. 30Al-Aqeel H. 30Alatar A.A. 124Ali Afroz 57Ali Hafiz Haider 66Ali Sarah Binte 88Al-Momin S. 30Al-Salameen F. 30Ambati Divya 110Anees Sumaiya 187Anguselvi V. 85Anjum Ansar 176Ansari F.A. 73, 137, 255Ansari Faiz A. 257Ansari Farid 6Ansari N.A. 142Ansari Nayab 243Ansari Rizwan Ali 8, 13, 143Anuradha 210

Arief Z. Mohmad 232Arora Shikha 91Arpita 59Arya Ajay K. 111, 280Arya Arun 80, 103, 291, 279Arya Chitra 80Arzoo Atia 148Asha A. 46, 168Ashfaque Farha 102, 196Ashouri Amirhossein 273Asthana A. K. 253, 254Asthana Sucheta 231Athmani-Guemouri Souad 45Awasthi A.K. 233Awasthi Garima 35, 38, 187, 294Awasthi Shraddha 92, 198Awasthi Surabhi 58, 158, 166Awasthi A.K. 210BBabiah Preeti S. 85Babu A. Veeresh 256Babu G. Ganesh 256Babu K. Ganesh 256Baghel V.S. 57Baghel Ravi S. 262Bagla Hemlata K. 181, 211Bagul R.M. 216Bahadur Lal 87, 148, 159Baig Hina 215Baig Shama Afroze 217, 246Bais Ritu Thakur 58Bajpai Omesh 230Bajpai Rajesh 9Bajpai Rakhi 280Balaram V.76Bandhiwal Irasita 239Bandyopadhyay Abhijit 123Banerjee Achyut Kumar 247Bankoti N.S. 162Bansal Pooja 251

Author Index



Bansiwal Amit 33Banu Miruna 91Barik S.K. 2Barnawal Deepti 45Baruah P. 198Basavegowda 100Basu Shreejita 204Basumatary Sadhan K. 111Batish Daizy R. 66, 67, 86, 89, 111Beg M.Z. 52, 53Behera Mukunda D. 8Behera Soumit K. 8, 21Behera Sandip K. 157Bera S.K. 2Bera Samir K. 111Bera Subir 110Bhadauria Seema 201Bhagyawant S.S. 242Bhalerao Rishikesh P. 24Bhalla Ekta 16Bhandari Purnima 94Bharagava Ram Naresh 183Bhardwaj A.K. 37, 119Bhardwaj Richa 104Bhargava Atul 43, 249Bhat Rohini 158Bhatia Anil 32Bhatia C.R. 64Bhatia Chitra 29Bhatia Anil 4Bhatnagar A.K. 139, 150Bhatnagar Shiwani 52Bhattacharya Arpita 20, 59Bhattacharya M. K. 138Bhattacharya Tanushree 142Bhattacharya P. 201Bhattacharyya Anjan 125, 130, 151Bhavsa Harsh 274Bhutia Lhanjey P. 285Bindu Kumari 208Binsadiq A.R.H. 174Birkett Michael A. 88

Bist Vidisha 59Biswas B. K. 61Biswas Pallavi 192Biswas S.M. 116Blande James 136Borker Aditi R. 134Bose Bandana 11Brown Murray T. 126Bukhari Asad H. 66Bulchandani B.D. 261Burauel Peter 180Bux F. 73, 137, 255Bux Faizal 257CCetner Magdalena D. 202, 267Chaki Khokon Chandra 91Chakrabarty Debasis 24, 27, 33, 36, 155, 197Chakraborti D. 61Chakraborty R. 61Chakraborty S. 61Chakraborty Sukalyan 142Chakraborty N. 77Chakraborty Nabanita 116Chaliha Mondalica 87Chand Jai 137Chandra Harish 96Chandra Lovy Raj 106, 160Chandra Ram 173Chandrabala 222Chandrasekaran A. 272Chanotiya Chandan Singh 94Chatterjee A. 61Chatterjee Seemanti 241Chaturvedi Preeti 248Chaturvedi Rachna 35, 99, 187, 294Chaturvedi Rakhi 183Chaturvedi S.K. 242Chaturvedi Sushil 99, 294Chaturvedi Preeti 56, 157Chaturvedi Rachna 91Chaturvedi V. 79, 182Chaturvedi Vijendra 235



Chaudhary Lal Babu 230, 252Chaudhary Nitu 200Chaudhary Nivedita 6Chaudhary Vasvi 194Chaudhary Vidhi 47Chaudhary Lal Babu 251Chauhan Puneet Singh 50Chauhan Reshu 41, 58, 166Chauhan Vivek 288Chauhan M.S. 83Chauhan Puneet Singh 59Chavda Chetan 274Chester Anjali 187Chettiyar Pramod Kumar 108Chhikara Sudesh 23Chinnusamy V. 28Choudhry Namrta 241Choudhury Moharana 282Choudhury Manabendra Dutta 100Choudhury Shyaamal Prasad 282Chouhan Deepak 106Chowdhury U.K. 61Chowdhury T. Roy 61DDaizy R. Batish 89Dalai Prakash Chandra 190Damodaran T. 178Dandapat Sukumar 31Dar Mudasir Irfan 161Das A. 61Das Aparajita 51Das B. 61Das Bhaskar 176Das D. 61Das Saktipada 125, 130, 151Das A.K. 77Das Bhaskar 32Dasgupta C.N. 261Datt B. 42Dave Saurabh 205David Karine 134

David Ywaya O. 88De Tanaya 290Debnath Rupam 234Deeba Farah 3, 130Dehariya Poonam 206Deka S. 198Deka Suresh 77Deshmukh L.P. 3, 82, 229Deshmukh Suchit A. 256Deshmukh Yogita 20Devi Shikha 166Devi R.K. Sanayaima 40Devi W. Indira 213Dewangan K.K. 51Dewanj Anjana 65, 241, 247Dhankher Om Parkash 23Dhanya M.S. 66Dhotre Dheeraj 34Dhyani P.P. 112Dingqiang Li 133Disko Ulrich 180Divya 105Diwedi S.B. 107Dixit Garima 41, 158, 166Dixit Ritu 50Dixit Veena 114Dixit Bhavana 217Dixit Vijay Kant 50Doctor Pankaj 274Dubey Nilesh B. 181Dubey R.S. 163Dubey Arvind Kumar 30, 39, 165, 171, 196Dutta R.N. 61Dwivedi Anil K. 118Dwivedi Brajesh K. 101Dwivedi Deepti 101Dwivedi Harshita 165Dwivedi Kshama 170Dwivedi Sanjay 58, 155, 166, 197Dwivedi Saumil 165Dwivedi N. 225



EEl Medany J.H. 69Eldho T.I. 92El-Khatib A.A. 124El-Medany A.H. 69EL-Medany Azza 72EL-Medany Jamila 72FFacknath Sunita 10Fagodia Saroj Kumari 89Faizan Shahla 147Fariduddin Qazi 127Farooqi Zia-Ur-Rehman 167Farzamisepehr Mozhgan 143Farzamisepehr Mozhgan 132Fatima Touseef 109Firdaus-e-Bareen 48Fujita Masayuki 129GGajbhiye Triratnesh 189Gandhi N. 138Gangwar K. 288Gaoling Wei 133Garg Aashee 294Garg Abhinav 170Garg Arti 227Garg J.K. 104Garg Neera 25, 46, 49, 94Garkoti S.C. 222Gaur Tanvi 160Gaur Uday Nand 5Gaur Khem Krishna 294Gaur Pushpendra Krishna 294Gaurav Vivek Kr. 80Gautam A.K. 242Gautam Ambedkar 30, 39, 165, 171, 196Gautam Amit 110Gautam Neelam 24, 36Georg Joshy 85Ghate Seemaa 186Ghosh Bappa 125Ghosh Chirashree 170

Ghosh Ruby 110Ghosh Chirashree 82Ghosh S. 92Ghoshal Nandita 81, 115, 149, 161, 259Goel A.K. 42, 148Goltsev Vasilij 267Gopal Ram 37Goran Parveen 52Gore A.B. 71Goswami Debahuti 77Goswami Supriyo 206Gothalwal Ragini 195Gothwal P.P. 80Gulati Neha 275Guldhe A. 73, 137, 255, 288Gupta Akhil 268Gupta Amit K. 67Gupta Anshu 104Gupta Anshuman 184Gupta Aparna 294Gupta Dayanidhi 237, 238Gupta Gauri 206Gupta Ishita 30, 39, 165, 171, 196Gupta N. 242Gupta N.C. 201Gupta Namita 159Gupta Pankaj Kumar 184Gupta Pankaj 277Gupta Parul 267Gupta Pooja 150Gupta Preeti 99Gupta Reesa 254Gupta S.K. 137, 255Gupta S.R. 11, 16Gupta Sanjay K. 257Gupta Sapna 47Gupta Sarika 281Gupta Shraddha 34Gupta Sunil K. 3, 14, 99Gupta Surabhi 106, 160Gupta Swati 50Gupta Varsha 239



Gupta Vartika 159Gupta Vidhu 280Gupta Gyan Prakash 131Gupta Pratibha 216Gupta R.C. 75Gupta S.K. 73Gupta Shivanshu 18, 19Gupta Shubhpriya 56Gupta Sunil K. 156, 157Gupta Utkarsh 92HHaider Salman 282Handique A.K. 87Haneef Irfana 147Harikrishnan N. 272Hariprasad P. 55Hasanuzzaman Mirza 129Hassanali Ahmed 88Hechmi N. 175Hegazy Ahmad K. 124Hofmann Diana 180Humaira Mir Syeda Yuhannatul 89Hur J.S. 220Husain Dildar 253Husain Imran 54Husain Tahir 12Husain Tariq 114, 224, 238Husain Danish 224Hussain Imtiyaz 154, 155IIjaz Muhammad 66Inam Akhtar 102, 196, 199Inam Arif 102Indoliya Yuvraj 36Ingle Komal K. 231Iqbal Saba 102, 196Iqbal M. Zafar 167Iqbal Noushina 31Iqbal Saba 199Irshad Saba 117Ishaq Aamna 223

JJagdish 210Jahan Badar 127Jain Ashok K. 243Jain Ashish Kumar 192Jaiswal Virendra 188Jajoo Anjana 110Jameel Kaynat 83, 84Jamil Moazzam 66Jana Milan Kumar 290Jatav M.K. 104Jauhari Nitanshi 193Jayalal Udeni 220Jedidi N. 175Jena Satya Narayan 224Jethi Somani 100Jha S.K. 28, 178Jha Ashok Kumar 240Jha Poulami 65Jha Vidyanath 291Jigyasu Dharmendra Kumar 272John S.A. 85Johri Parul 85Joshi Pushpa 263Joshi Santosh 220, 235, 236Jyoti 55, 194KKabiel H.F. 124Kabir M. 167Kaistha Shilpa Deshpande 40Kalaji Hazem M. 202, 267Kalra Alok 45Kanagasabapathy K.V. 272Kanaujia Rekha 157Kanga Shruti 77Kannaujia Rekha 87, 159Kanney K. 255Kant Rama 224Kapur Saumya 294Kar P.B. 61Kashyap Kavita 194Kashyap Rekha 274



Kathal Rekha 47, 185Katiyar R.S. 79, 119, 148, 182, 235Katnoria Jatinder Kaur 115, 168, 279Kaur Gurpreet 164Kaur Gurveen 285Kaur Harpreet 286Kaur Inderpreet 276Kaur Parminder 192Kaur Ravneet 258Kaur Sukhjeet 269Kaur Tarandeep 158Kaur Amandeep 281Kaur Inderpreet 115Kaur Jashandeep 281Kaur Manpreet 168Kaur Shalinder 86Kaur Simerpreet 279Kausar Saima 147Kaushik Pooja 276Keinänen Markku 136Kekere Otitoloju 124Keski-Saari Sarita 12, 15, 135, 136Khalid Abdul Nasir 223Khan Athar Ali 114Khan Bilal 21Khan M. Iqbal R. 34Khan M.L. 4Khan Nafees A. 34Khan Nausheen 38Khan Safoora 96, 292Khan Fareed Ahmad 161Khan Furqan 18, 19Khan Jaheer Alam 265Khan Jamal A. 215Khan M.A. Ali 68Khan Mujeebur Rahman 8, 13, 143Khare P.K. 248Khare Puja 20Khare Ria 161Khare P. B. 157Kharwar R.N. 188Khatoon Akhtari 100, 113

Khatoon Sayyada 78, 117, 241Khemka Ankita 256Khilji Sheza Ayaz 48Khulbe Kapil 48Kidwai Mohd. Kashif 145Kidwai M.K. 81Kingdon Geeta Gandhi 44Kirmani N.A. 68Kirmani Nayar A. 271Kishor P.B. Kavi 26, 169Kohli R.K. 66, 111Kolade Ajoke Mary 124Kollambalath Satheeshbabu 292Kontunen-Soppela Sari 12, 15, 135, 136Köppchen Stephan 180Kouser Ashyana 292Kulshrestha U.C. 131Kumar Adarsh 191Kumar Ajay 184Kumar Akhilesh 141Kumar Amit 197, 268Kumar Anil 137Kumar Ashish 42Kumar Atul 184Kumar Bablu 131Kumar Chandra Mohan 259Kumar Deepak 184Kumar G. 145, 147, 165, 170, 200Kumar Kundan 23, 218Kumar M. 255Kumar M. Vijay 256Kumar Manish 257Kumar Manoj 50, 59Kumar Navin 30, 39, 21, 158, 165, 171, 196Kumar P. Ravi 256Kumar Pankaj 263, 264Kumar Rajesh 40Kumar Ravi 11Kumar Ravindra 98Kumar Sanjib 7Kumar Satish 245Kumar Shailender 170



Kumar Sharad 35Kumar Smita 27, 161Kumar Sujeet 120Kumar V. 30Kumar Vineet 173Kumar Vinit 175Kumar Vipin 206Kumar Vivek 48Kumar Ajay 209Kumar Ajit 157Kumar Amit 155Kumar Chandra Mohan 115Kumar M. Vijay 256Kumar Manoj 31Kumar Pankaj 263Kumar Pawan 'Bharti' 214Kumar Sandeep 73Kumari Alka 167Kumari Anjani 38Kumari B. 278Kumari Babita 194Kumari Beena 99Kumari Binita 277Kumari Lata 198Kumari Madhuree 194Kumari Nalinee 113Kumari Ritika 117Kumari Lata 92Kumari Sony 87Küpper H. 123Küpper Hendrik 144Kushwaha Arun Kumar 252Kushwaha K.P.S. 160Kushwaha Meenakshi 106LLabhsetwar Pawan Kumar 120Laha Abhishek 1Lamare R. Eugene 270Lata Charu 59, 194Latif Muhammad 66Lavania Umesh C. 64Lawrence Rubina 202

Leheri A.K. 114Lehikoinen Aarne 136Lehri Alok 137, 282Lekshmy S. 28Lingakumar K. 46, 125, 168Lodh D. 61Lohani Meenakshi 14, 99, 156, 157Lone F.A. 68, 264, 271Lone J.A. 264Loppi Stefano 174Luhadia Gourav 101Lukasik Izabela 202, 267MMadan Akanksha 139Madav Ramesh 250, 270Mahar K. S. 42, 247Mahima 65Mahishwar Anita 217, 246Mahiya Suresh 185Maiti Deblina 204Maiti S.K. 207Maiti Subodh Kumar 191Majumder Baisakhi 15, 16, 99, 135, 156, 157Malec Przemys³aw 135Maleva Maria G. 135Malhotra Priti 185Mali P.C. 101Mallick Shekhar 30, 33, 39, 165, 171Mallick S. 196Mammadova Afat O. 133Manchanda Geetanjali 49Mandotra S.K. 263Mansuri M.M. 274Margaret Ng'ang'a, M. 88Marie-Laure Fardeau 175Markert Bernd 174Marwa Naina 163Masto R.E. 207Masto Reginald Ebhin 69, 85Mathad Rakesh C. 100Mathur Shashi 204Mattusch Jürgen 144



Maurya Vivek K. 3, 14, 20, 99, 156Mazahar Samina 163Mazumder Debabrata 179, 206Meena Baleshwar 42Meena K.L. 249Meghwanshi Rakesh Kumar 201Meher Alok Kumar 33Mehrotra Sonali 14, 152Menghani Ekta 57,113Mina Usha 172Mir Ikhlaq 271Mir Shakoor Ahmad 15Mishra Aradhana 20, 58, 59, 109, 194Mishra Ashvarya 135Mishra Disha 66Mishra Gaurav K. 237Mishra Parneeta 231Mishra Pradeep Kumar 198Mishra S.K. 113Mohapatra A. 113Mishra S.K. 225, 263Mishra Seema 58, 166Mishra Shikha 38Mishra Shivam 202Mishra Shruti 21Mishra Shweta 193Mishra Tripti 197Mishra V.K. 119, 178Mishra Ved P. 120Mishra Anand Kumar 15Mishra Kum Kum 126Mishra Pradeep Kumar 92Mishra Santosh Kumar 103Mishra Seema 144Mishra Shashank Kumar 50Mishra Shivam Kumar 264, 265Mishra V.K. 95Misra Abhay M. 37Misra P.C. 234Misra P.K. 107Misra Pratibha 112Misra Sankalp 50

Misra Gitanjali 94Misra P.C. 225Misra P.K. 78Mithal Rekha 57, 113Mitra S. 61Modi Mahendra 63Mohammed Dana 126Mohan Dinesh 193Mohan Rachit 108Mohanty Chandra Sekhar 29, 94Mohapatra Ashirbad 148, 190Mohapatra Ashirbad 97Monika 145Moniruzzaman Md. 91More Pratik 1Muhammad Arif 200Mukherjee S.C. 61Mukherjee Santanu 180Mukherjee Biswadip 81Mukhopadhyay Sangeeta 69, 85, 207Mule Prachiti 250, 270Mumtaz Neha 120Muning Zhuo 133Munshi A.H. 232Muslim Baba Abid 271NNaazð Gul 147Nachane Akshay 250Naeem Muhammad 66Nagar Richa Dave 128Nagpal Avinash 285, 286Nagpal Avinash Kaur 140, 276Naikoo Mohd Irfan 161Nainwal R.C. 79, 119, 182, 235Nair K.N. 42Nair S.M. 30Nandakumar Haorongbam 70Narayan Raghvendra Pratap 54Nath Virendra 251, 254Nautiyal A.R. 96Nautiyal C.S. 50,58, 59, 109, 194Nautiyal M.C. 96



Nayak A.K. 178Nayak B. 61Nayak Sandeep Kumar 97, 100Nayaka Sanjeeva 231Naz Sabrina 91Nazrul-Islam A.K.M. 219Negi K.D.S. 153Negi Kavita 248Negi Anjana 90Nema Niharika 80Nigam Nidhi 20Niranjan Abhishek 137Niveditha T.M.A. 219Nizamani M. Hassan 286Nonibala Konsam 100OOksanen Elina 12, 15, 16, 135, 136Omkar 94ÖZTÜRK Münir 227PPadhi S.B. 289Pakshirajan Kannan 183Pal A. 61Pal Ajay 243Pal Raina 65, 268Pal Amit 209Pal Arundhati 211Pal Asim Kumar 206Pal Mahesh 159Pal S.B. 1Paliwal A.K. 114Panda S.K. 138Panday H. 288Pande Asha 147Pande Neerja 254Pande Sonali 191Pande Veena 106Pandey A.C. 268Pandey Ashutosh K. 15, 16, 135Pandey B. 112Pandey B.N. 233Pandey D. D. 153

Pandey Govind 120Pandey Jitendra 230, 275, 276Pandey K.D. 190Pandey M.M. 117Pandey Nalini 162Pandey Namrata 137, 282Pandey Pooja 205Pandey Puneeta 269Pandey Rekha 46Pandey S.N. 98, 146, 153, 196Pandey Sadhna 274Pandey Shipra 59, 194Pandey Shiv S. 45Pandey Sonali 243Pandey Sudhir Kumar 189Pandey Vivek 3, 14, 15, 16, 20, 41, 99, 130, 135, 136,158Pandey Amit 91Pandey Ashutosh Kumar 12, 136Pandey Deepika 78Pandey R.K. 94Pandey Vimal Chandra 180Pandey Vivek 12, 156, 157Parihar Leena 192Parua Dipak Kumar 110Pasricha Rama 47Patel Akash Kumar 260Patel Dharti 103Patel Vikas 45Patel Foram 71Patel K.M. 71Pathak Hardik 185, 205Pathak Neelam 187Pati S. 61Pati Soumyashree 190Patil R. 273Patil S.B. 100Patnaik Suprava 88Patni Babita 96Patra Sanjukta 32, 176Patra S.R. 77Pattanayak Rojalin 94



Paul A.K. 211Paul Biswajit 210Paulose Bibin 23Perveen Rubina 147Pickett John A. 88Pradhan Sushil 229Pragyadeep Siddhartha 78Prakash Jyoti 35, 187, 294Prasad Bably 204Prasad M.N.V. 135, 173, 267, 272Prasad R. 203Prasad Jagdish 70Prasad S.V. Sai 110Prasad Sheo Mohan 128, 168Prashant S. 26, 169Praveen Ashish 152Priyadarshni Meenakshi 117Prizada Arslan Masood 66Purshottam Dharmendra K. 112Puskar N.C. 175QQamar Anam 262Quamar M.F. 2RRaghavan S. 274Raghubanshi A.S. 86, 96, 210Raghuvanshi R. 171Rahi T.S. 87, 148Rahman M.M. 61Rahman M. Atiqur 213, 250Rahmani Asad R. 245Rai Apurva 161Rai Apurva21Rai Arti 24Rai G.K. 225Rai J.P.N. 56Rai O.P. 150Rai U.N. 162, 182, 187, 196, 199Rai Apurva 19Rai Hari Shankar 52, 53Rai Priyanka 84Rai U.N. 210

Rai Vartika 90Raj Hans 235Raj Abhay 35Rajalakshmi A. 272Rajput Shalini 193Rajput Suman 294Rajput Anjana 94Rajurkar A.V. 104Rajwar Deepika 56Ram L. C. 69, 85, 207Ram Subhash 120Ramaswamy Nanna 23Rambabu Marda 23Ramteke P.W. 263, 264, 265Ramulu Ch. A. 228Rana T.S. 42, 247Rana Ravinder Singh 106Ranjan Ruma 30, 39, 165, 171, 196Rao Govind P. 70Rao P.B. 160Rao Sunita 154Rashmi Runa 215Rastogi Rajat R. 203Rastogi Subha 117Ravisankar R. 272Rawat A.K.S. 117Rawat I. 137, 255Rawat K.K. 237, 238Rawat Ajay Kumar Singh 78Rawat I. 73Rawool Dhananjay 270Raza Aown Sammar 66Reddy C.R.K. 258, 262Reddy Vangimalla R. 13Reddy V.R. 1Rehman Aliya 215Rehman Yaman 91Rinehart Claire A. 27Rishi Vinod 233Rizvi Tanveer Fatima 8, 13, 143Rout Jayashree 40, 70, 228, 234, 247Rout Prasant Kumar 29, 94



Roy R.K. 42, 203Roy Raja 4, 32Roy Sankhajit 125, 130, 151Roy Sribash 39, 231SSaba Irshad 78Sable A. 261Sachan Shweta 278Sachan Rajkumari 248Saddhe Ankush Ashok 218Sadhezari Bahareh 273Sadhu H.G. 274Sagar Sadhana Singh 40Saha K.C. 61Sahai Kanak 237, 238Sahay Seema 102, 196, 199Sahi Shivendra V. 27Sahney Manju 209Sahoo N.K. 73, 137Sahoo Narendra K. 257Sahoo S. 113Sahu Nayan 21, 135Sahu Vinay 253Saikia P. 230Saini Pooja 57Sairam K. 28Sakkir Sabitha 232Sakshi 276Salgare S.A. 177Samborska Izabela A. 202, 267Sambyal Vasudha 140Samreen Sayma 114Sanadhya Saumya 279Sanavar 205Saqib Muhammad 66Saraf Meenu 256Saraswa Yogesh 274Saraswati 115Sareer Ovais 163Sarkar Amita 269Sarkar Sushovan 179Sarkar Elina 85

Sarma Kiranmay 267Satapathy K.B. 113, 148Satapathy Kunja Bihari 97, 190Satapathy K.K. 272Satapathy Kunja Bihari 100Sawant S.V. 261Saxena A.P. 258Saxena D.K. 267, 279Saxena Dinesh Kumar 202Saxena Gauri 253Saxena Sakshi 35Saxena Sangeeta 102Saxena Anju 83Saxena Arti 279Saxena Pallavi 82Sayantan D. 140Seema 145Selvaraj Gowtham 32Sengupta M. 61Senwal Era 126Seth Ruchi 47Seth Chandra Shekhar 134Sethi Laxmi Narayan 70Shafiq M. 167Shah J.A. 274Shahi Sushil Kumar 25Shajan A.B. 30Shamim M.Z. 116Shantanu K. 205Shardendu 50, 140Sharma A.K. 48Sharma B.D. 104Sharma Bharat 107Sharma D.K. 95, 119, 178Sharma Deepika 29Sharma K.C. 277, 278Sharma L.K. 182, 235, 278Sharma Lalit K. 119Sharma Marisha 3, 14, 99Sharma Monika 97Sharma N. 112Sharma Neelkant 66



Sharma Parul 191Sharma Preeti 68Sharma Priyanka 170Sharma R.K. 112, 171, 225Sharma Ruchi 107Sharma S.K. 137, 182, 185Sharma Shivendra 185Sharma Shivesh 166Sharma V.K. 116Sharma Y.K. 178, 247Sharma Yogesh K. 132Sharma A.K. 223Sharma A.P. 77Sharma Anita 111Sharma Anu 89Sharma Bhavisha 144Sharma Chhaya 80Sharma Chhemendra 12Sharma Gunjan 209Sharma Jyoti 91Sharma L.K. 77, 79Sharma Laxmi Kant 5Sharma Madhu Laxmi 290Sharma Maheshwar Prasad 15Sharma Marisha 156, 157Sharma Prashant Kumar 43Sharma S.K. 79, 235Sharma Satyawati 55Sharma Suresh Kumar 261Sharma V. K. 294Shaw A.S. 232Sheikh S. 288Sheikh Wazir 286Shirke Pramod A. 18, 19Shivhare Radha 59Shome S. 138Shouche Yogesh S. 34Shrestha Bharat Babu 221Shri Manju 24Shrivastava A.K. 51Shrivastava D.K. 51Shrivastava Surbhi 260

Shrivastava Madhuri 94Shukla Ashish 255Shukla D.N. 277Shukla Deepali 109Shukla Devesh 27Shukla L.N. 117Shukla M.K. 199Shukla Mamta 37Shukla O.P. 187Shukla P.K. 18Shukla Preeti 189Shukla Rajni 132Shukla Richa 20, 59, 109Shukla Siddhartha 203Shukla Tapsi 161Shukla Vertika 41, 220Shukla Ram Mohan 210Siddiqui M. B. 241Sidhu O.P. 4, 32, 96Sihag Shallu 185Sikri Kritika 260Silvia Ch. 213Simair Altaf 286Singh A. 205Singh A.K. 142, 150Singh Aditi 278Singh Ajay 52Singh Akanksha 231Singh Alka 271Singh Amit Pal 158Singh Anand 287Singh Anita 128Singh Ankita 37Singh Aparna 195Singh Aprajita 268Singh Ashutosh K. 21Singh Bhumika 138Singh Bhupinder 172Singh C.S. 178Singh D. 182Singh D.P 164Singh Durg Vijay 190



Singh Harsh 238Singh Herbajan B. 15Singh Himani 147Singh Indra Bir 272Singh J. 120Singh Jaswant 159Singh Jyoti 225Singh Jyotsana 35Singh Karuna 105Singh Leena 176Singh M. 188, 225, 271Singh Mukta 105Singh Munendra 272Singh Munna 260Singh N.B. 38, 147, 152, 197Singh Namrata 151, 163Singh Nandita 8, 14, 49, 98, 106, 152, 161, 163, 164,179, 180, 181, 197, 252, 293Singh Niraj 42Singh O.P. 270Singh P.K. 28, 120Singh Pankaj 37Singh Poonam C. 58, 59, 109Singh Pratiksha 21, 179Singh R.K. 120, 227Singh Rachana 37, 53Singh Raj Shekhar 191Singh Rajneesh 150Singh Rana D.P. 70, 120Singh Renu 255Singh S. 182Singh S.D. 172Singh S.N. 193, 194Singh Sandeep 272Singh Sandip 140Singh Sangeeta 52Singh Satyendra P. 20Singh Satyendra Pratap 59Singh Shaily 114Singh Shailza 164Singh Shalini 274Singh Shardendu K. 13

Singh Shatrughna 190Singh Shikha 168Singh Shilpi 203Singh Shivani 231Singh Shobha 108Singh Shweta 235Singh Simpy 201Singh Smriti 97Singh Sudha 131Singh Suman B. 146, 188Singh Sunil 115, 259Singh Upendra K. 70Singh Upma 37Singh Vandana 179Singh Veenus 190Singh Vinayak 29Singh Vineet 227Singh Y.P. 95Singh Yashpal 293Singh A.N. 208Singh Abhishek Kumar 120Singh Aditi 85Singh Aditya Abha 17Singh Ajay Kumar 249Singh Ajey 154, 155Singh Amit Pal 41, 58Singh Anshu 92Singh Ashutosh Kumar 19, 161Singh Bhupinder Pal 285, 286Singh D. 79Singh Devendra 119, 235Singh Dharmveer 65Singh Dhruv Sen 93Singh H.P. 90Singh Hanumant 150Singh Harminder Pal 164Singh Munna 90Singh N.B. 154, 155Singh N.K. 210Singh Nandita 17, 19, 21, 93Singh Navdeep 168Singh Pradyumna Kumar 155, 197



Singh Pratiksha 19Singh Raghvendra Pratap 49Singh Rajeev Pratap 144, 156Singh Rana Pratap 155, 177Singh Richa 157Singh Rishi Muni 70Singh Rishikesh 86Singh Ruchi 18, 19Singh S. 79Singh S.C. 154, 155Singh Siddharth 74Singh Sujeet Kumar 35Singha L.B. 4Singhal A. 273Singhal Naresh 134Singla Priyanka 25Sinha M.P. 31Sinha Puspaa 153Sinha Vibha 183Sinha R.K. 92Sirisha D. 138Sita 239Siwakoti Mohan 221Siwakoti Seeta 221Siyi Zhang 133Soham Sanavar 185Soni Vineet 240Soni Devendra Kumar 6Sonkar Preeti 175Srivastav D. K. 159Srivastava Akanksha 108, 145Srivastava Alka 151, 238Srivastava Alok K. 49Srivastava Ashish Kumar 43Srivastava Dipali 36Srivastava J.B. 282Srivastava Manjoosha 108, 200, 242Srivastava Monika 255Srivastava N. 242Srivastava Neha 202Srivastava Nupur 272Srivastava P.K. 188

Srivastava Pankaj 33, 49Srivastava Pankaj Kumar 181Srivastava Prachi 97Srivastava Prachi 35, 38, 262Srivastava Rashmi 48Srivastava Riya 187Srivastava S. 119Srivastava Shilpi 43, 249Srivastava Sonal 50Srivastava Suchi 50, 58, 59Srivastava Sudhakar 43Srivastava Anurag Kumar 9Srivastava Mrinalini 112Srivastava Pankaj Kumar 146, 188Srivastava S. 95, 178Srivastava Shalini 141Srivastava Shivani 17, 93Srivastava Sunil Kumar 142Srivastava Vaibhav 156Stärk Hans-Joachim 144Strza³ka Kazimierz 135Suh Jungho 75Sunaina 152Sunaina 37, 154Sunita M.S.L. 26, 169Suprasanna Penna 43Surabhi 14Suseela M.R 202, 244, 245, 260, 261, 263, 264, 265,280Swain P.K. 289TTabassum Asma 215Tabbasum Ruhi 215Tahoor Azram 215Taleb Mohammed Sghir 226Tamta Susma 48Tandon Ashmita 59, 109Tandon Niket 200Tandon P.K. 90Tappe Wolfgang 180Tewari J.P. 142Tewari L.M. 189



Tewari Prakash Chandra 203Tewari S. 138Tewari S.K. 42, 79, 119, 141, 148, 182, 235Thajamanbi Moirangthem 228, 247Thakare A.G. 104Thakur Amit K. 1Thakur J.P. 80Thangavel P.226Thebo Nasreen 286Tidke J.A. 104, 198Tiwari Anshul 38, 97, 262Tiwari Archana 54, 288Tiwari Garima 55Tiwari K.K. 178Tiwari Madhu 36Tiwari Poonam 36Tiwari Rajesh K. 37Tiwari Rinkey 251Tiwari S.K. 137Tiwari Shraddha 234Tiwari Suresh 172Tiwari V.K. 120Tiwari Vandana 42Tiwari Dhanesh 92Tiwari O.N. 213Tiwari Santosh R. 211Tiwari Sapna 255Tiwari Shalini 59Tiwari Shraddha 225Tiwary Dhanesh 198Tomar Anita 246Tomar Jahangeer 184, 204Tomar Sita 291Toppo K. 264Toppo Kiran 202, 244, 245, 263Torabi Ali 143Tripathi Abhinandan Mani 39Tripathi Alok 52, 53Tripathi Anamika 65, 268Tripathi Parul 278Tripathi Pratibha 58Tripathi Preeti 129, 197

Tripathi R.D. 27, 58, 128, 129, 158, 161, 199Tripathi R.S. 4Tripathi S.S. 182, 235Tripathi Swati 111Tripathi Abhinandan Mani 231Tripathi Dhananjay Mani 105Tripathi O.P. 221Tripathi R.S. 221Tripathi Rudra Deo 24, 33, 36, 41, 58, 155, 166, 181,197Tripathi S.S. 79Tripti Kumari 50Tripti 157Trivedi A.K. 7Trivedi Mala 37Trivedi Nitin 258Trivedi Anjali 83Trivedi Maheshwar Prasad 215Trivedi Mala 53Trivedi Mala 85Trivedi Prabodh Kumar 24, 27, 29, 36, 155, 161Tuli Rakesh 8Turner Andrew 126Tyagi Antariksh 231Tyagi R.K. 7UUgale Chetna V. 198Umar Shahid 163Umar Shahid 31Uniyal P.L. 139, 185, 205Upadhyay A.K. 162, 182, 199Upadhyay Neha 166Upadhyay Shweta 96Upadhyay A.K. 210Upadhyay Akriti 35Upadhyay Shweta 86Upadhyaya H. 138Upret D.K. 4, 9, 40, 41, 42, 85, 114, 159, 189, 220,236, 237Upreti Priyanka 18, 19Usmani Minhaj Akhtar 245V



Vaishnav Khanjan 274Vajpayee Poornima 131Varma Ajit 51Varshney C.K. 63Veeralakshmi M. 46Vereecken Harry 180Verma A.B. 291Verma Alok Kumar 98Verma Anita K. 57Verma Laxmi 162Verma Pankaj Kumar 24Verma Pooja 50Verma Poonam 146Verma S. 288Verma S.K. 7Verma Saurabh 102Verma Shikha 24, 33, 36Verma Sushma 42Verma T.S. 127Verma Vijeta 139Verma Yogendra 186Verma Pankaj Kumar 33, 36Verma Praveen Chandra 33, 94Verma Prawal Pratap Singh 287Verma Priyanka 83, 84Verma Vipul 53Vishwakarma Ritu 98Vyas Amal 108Vyas Deepak 206Vyas Dhiraj 158WWagh Vijay V. 243Wei Guo 220Weihermüller Lutz 180

Wellenreuther Gerd 144Wilber Lwande 88Wolterbeek Bert 174Wünschmann Simone 174XXalxo A. 244YYadav Amita 39, 275Yadav Aradhana 105Yadav Arti 277Yadav B.K. 204Yadav Gulzar 287Yadav H.K. 188Yadav Manoj Kumar 287Yadav Rajesh 192Yadav Ruchi 38Yadav Sandeep 235Yadav Sangeeta 173Yadav Sheelu 173Yadav Sumit 50Yadav Archana 55Yadav Ashutosh 183Yadav Brijesh Kumar 184Yadav Deepmala 17, 93Yadav Gunjan 287Yadav Poonam 81Yamina Benmalek 175Yishan Liao 133Yousefirad Mojtaba 143ZZaidi Jamshed 209Zeeshan Mohd 187Zhenyue Xie 133



Dr. C.S. Nautiyal(Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow)

Dr. S.C. SharmaProf. Mohammad YunusProf. Muhammad Iqbal

Dr. K. J. Ahmad

Dr. R.D. Tripathi

Dr. Mrs. Nandita SinghDr. Vivek Pandey

Dr. D.K. Upreti

Prof. Mrs. Madhoolika AgrawalProf. Arun AryaProf. S.K. BarikDr. H.M. Behl

Dr. Ms. Shashi DhawanDr. Tariq Husain

Dr. Mrs. Kamla KulshreshthaDr. U.N. Rai

Prof. Y.K. SharmaProf. Rana Pratap Singh

Prof. J. N. B. Bell (U.K.)Prof. C.R. Bhatia (Mumbai)Prof. R.F.E. Crang (U.S.A.)

Prof. R.K. Kohli (Chandigarh)Dr. P. V. Sane (Lucknow)Prof. P K Seth (Lucknow)Dr. B. P. Singh (Lucknow)

Prof. R.S. Tripathi (Lucknow)Prof. C.K. Varshney (New Delhi)

Prof. H.N. Verma (Jaipur)

President:

Vice-Presidents:

Secretary:

Additional Secretary

Joint Secretaries

Treasurer

Councillors

Advisors

International Society of Environmental Botanists (ISEB) Executive Body & Office Bearers

Convener (Environmental Awareness Programme)

CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India

Ms. Kanti Srivastava (Lucknow)

Tel. 2297821, 2205831-35 Extn 821Email: [email protected]

Wbsite: http://isebindia.com

NBRICSIR

Estd. 1953

ICPEP-5Fifth International Conference onPlants & Environmental Pollution

24-27 February, 2015

Sponsors

Council of Science & Technology, U.P, Lucknow(Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of U.P.)

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi

United Nations Educational, Scientific &Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris/New Delhi

International Union of Forestry ResearchOrganizations (IUFRO), Vienna, Austria

Department of Science & Technology,Government of India, New Delhi

Department of Biotechnology,Government of India, New Delhi

National Bank for Agriculture andRural Development (NABARD), Mumbai

State Bank of India

Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi

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CSIR A- IINDÛ Û

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lR;eso t;rs

NABARD

State Bank of India

ICPEP-5 (2015) Book of Abstracts

Documents

transgenic plants

environmental pollution24

plantbased products

plant sciencetechnologies

plant relation

research touches life

herbal lipstick

howmicrobial technologies