International Letters of Natural Sciences Vol. 6

Abstract: A wood decay fungus was defined based on the zone of tree that invades. N. floccosus causing heart rot was recorded in living trees of A. excelsa for the first time. The cultural characters of N. floccosus were described for the first time. Heart rot fungus i.e. N. floccosus decayed mostly heartwood of living tree. It colonized in the central portion of tree and begins decaying of wood which ultimately lead to death of A. excelsa tree was recognized for the first time. When decay proceed to the top of tree, the fruiting bodies grown in large size at butt region. During July 2007 i.e. monsoon months, due to the high wind velocity the weak tree was up rooted, which indicates that the fungus severely decayed heartwood of A. excelsa tree. After falling the tree, fungal hyphae in heart wood were very active so it produced fruiting bodies outside the trunk. On the malt agar plates containing tannic acid, it showed a positive reaction for oxidase and laccase and negative reaction for tyrosinase. Peroxidase test was positive with growth rate of >70 mm in 7 days.

Abstract: Corals are known to flourish in various turbid environments around the world. The quantitative distinction between clear and turbid water in coral habitats is not well defined nor are the amount of sediment in suspension and rates of sedimentation used to evaluate the condition of reef environments well established. This study of sedimentation rate, sediment composition and pH, OC deposition was on a fringing reef flat off Thoothukudi and Vembar group of islands, Gulf of Mannar, India. In the present study the sedimentation rate ranged from 1.97 mg/cm²/day to 12.31 mg/cm²/day. The percentage of sand in the sediment was higher than silt and clay. The organic carbon level in all the study stations ranged from 0.03 to 2.54. The sediment pH of the six studied stations was highly acidic in nature at all the study sites in the Gulf of Mannar.

Abstract: Cauliflower is grown in all the agro climatic zones of India, accounting for an area of 3.9 lakh hectares with production of 73.4 lakh tones. Hence, studies are to be undertaken to identify genotype and analyze the physical characteristics among the cultivated genotypes (Namdhari Seeds 60 N, Namdhari Seeds 133, Pusa Meghna and Basant) grown under hills and plains of Kerala, India. In this study, significant differences were observed in yield of cauliflower which ranged from 21 – 26.4 kg /16 m² in hills and 0.78 – 1.43 kg /16 m² in plains. Among the cauliflower genotypes, NS 133 was found to be the best for hilly region in early yield and yield attributes. The cauliflower genotype NS 133 exhibited better performance in hills in terms of high curd yield (26.4 Kg /16 m²), curd weight (800 g) and curd height (13.93 cm). In general, harvest maturity was delayed by 39 – 45 days in the plains as compared to higher altitudes. The cauliflower genotypes which exhibited superior performance in hills and plains were selected for further sensory evaluation studies. In this study cauliflower genotype NS 60N recorded superior organoleptic qualities when grown in plains than hilly region. However in the case of genotype NS 133, the differences in sensory qualities between produce from hills and plains were not significant.

Abstract: The paper analyses tourism potential and rural tourism of the Municipality of Andrijevica. Existing tourism and recreation supply is not sufficiently developed and affirmed nor organized and connected both within the scope of the Municipality and with the neighbouring municipalities. One of the prerequisites for tourism development might be good transport infrastructure. However, in the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica is not adequate. On the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica, natural and anthropogenic values are distinguished group deployment and characteristics of complexity and complementarily. Natural values are particularly come to the fore, if we know that modern tourism trends emphasize the value of untouched nature. Marketing affirmation of the Municipality of Andrijevica is one of the most important processes that represent a momentum for its tourism development. In this sense, all kinds of tourism propaganda must be enhanced, which affirmed the value of tourism (for example the eco-pasture Štavna), which would lead to a more comprehensive tourism development that would provide a profitable economic performance. Particularly it is very important to encourage and support rapid development of economic activities in rural areas and development of human resources. Furthermore, the economic progress and independence rural settlements of the Municipality of Andrijevica must be improved in accordance with the ecological principles and sustainable development in rural development. In finding a new identity and direction of development of the rural economy, the Municipality of Andrijevica must accept new trends in Europe and the countries that have been through a period of transition, in terms of adapting and complementing so far the role of villages and rural areas within diversified supply and the introduction of tourism as one the essential activities. Such guidelines already exist in spatial and urban plans of the Municipality of Andrijevica, starting as of 2010

Abstract: Microbial conversions are gaining importance in the synthesis of important drug metabolites and their intermediates as they are good alternative to chemical synthesis since they are enantio-selective and regio-selective and even can be carried out at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Till date, biocatalytic reduction of acetophenone and its derivatives has been widely reported. In the present study, we have made an attempt to carry out the microbial bioreduction of o-hydroxyacetophenone by screening some of the selected microorganisms which were obtained from culture collection centre as well as those which are isolated in our Microbiology lab. The selected microorganisms include Aspergillus ochraceous, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus tubingenesis, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolanifer MTCC 162, Rhizopus stolanifer MTCC 2591 and Baker’s yeast.Among the seven microorganisms screened for the bioreduction of o-hydroxyacetophenone, Baker’s yeast and Aspergillus tubingenesis showed significant bioconversion where as Aspergillus ochraceous exhibited the least bioconversion.In our earlier study it was found that Aspergillus flavus has the required bioreductase enzyme, which showed the maximum conversion of p-chloroacetophenone to p-chlorophenylethanol. Hence optimization of culture conditions to get maximum enzyme expression and hence maximum conversion was thought off. The parameters considered for the study include effect of various Carbon sources, Nitrogen source, Metal ions, incubation Temperature and media pH on enzyme expression. The optimized culture a condition at which maximum bioconversion was achieved was maltose among various carbon sources. Tryptone was found to have maximum effect among the nitrogen sources. Media pH 7.6 and incubation temperature of 35 °C was found to be favourable for maximum enzyme activity. Among various divalent metal salts, addition of magnesium sulphate to the media significantly increased the enzyme activity.

Abstract: The field experiment on Stevia rebaudiana (SR), (Family: Asteraceae) was carried out in acid soil zone of Shimoga (Karnataka) in the year 2009 and 2010 to investigate the influence of biofertilizers on protein, moisture and ash content in the dried Stevia leaf and their correlation with swelling property, water absorption capacity and mineral element contents. Results revealed that second harvested sample (August) in first year (2009) was better for all aspects than other harvested samples and the results showed significant increase in protein content (16.22%), swelling index (SI) (5.10% w/w), water absorption capacity (WAC) (4.91 ml/g) with the treatment T8 where three bio fertilizers were applied togetherly with simultaneous moisture content varied from 6.61 to 7.18%. The significant higher correlations were observed (significant at 1%) between protein content with SI (r = 0.99), WAC (r = 0.99) and SI with WAC (r = 0.98) in 2009 harvested samples. The ash content was higher in third harvested sample (13.54%) in the year 2009 with simultaneous increased amount of Fe (6.19 mg/kg), Mn (1.24 mg/kg), Cu (0.72 mg/kg) and Zn (1.22 mg/kg) contents due to the residual effect of bio fertilizers. Nitrogen (0.74 mg/kg), P (0.40 mg/kg) and K (0.68 mg/kg) contents were higher during second harvested samples and thereafter decreased. Total phenolic content was also recorded highest (64.52 mg/g) with three bio fertilizers applied togetherly during year 2009 compared to the year 2010 (50.12 mg/g). The results suggest that the application of bio-fertilizers either single or more numbers in a balanced way may be beneficial in improving protein, phenol and mineral contents of stevia plant