NOPR Collection:

Ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicines practiced in Chambal valley of Uttar Pradesh

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicines practiced in Chambal valley of Uttar Pradesh Authors: Sachan, Nikhil Kumar; Sachan, Anupam Kumar; Rao, C V Abstract: The multifarious economic and social activities have led to climatic disturbances which caused several medicinal species already extinct. In addition, the incessant mining, soil and gully erosion in the river banks of Chambal Yamuna and their tributaries fuelled the formation of ravines resulting in loss of thousands of acres of productive land and bio-resources. It is, therefore, imperative to preserve the curative community wisdom of the region in a scientific way respecting therapeutic utility of the medicinal flora before the highly valuable ethnomedicinal knowledge of the people fade away in view to derive resource for herbal drug formulation and development of modern synthetic medicines through research and development. The comprised research appraises the intended scope through the survey based information of the medicinal plants and their therapeutic utility in practice among regional community of Chambal region, thereby enlighten the way forward for skillful investigations towards preservation and promotion of ethnomedicinal knowledge. Page(s): 132-135

Growth and yield attributes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) as lnfluenced by sowing dates, varieties and levels of phosphorus

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Growth and yield attributes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) as lnfluenced by sowing dates, varieties and levels of phosphorus Authors: Kumar, Virendra; Gangaiah, B Abstract: India is the world's largest producer, importer and consumer of pulses. Over the years, while the country has accumulated a huge surplus of wheat and rice, the pulses remain in short supply. Consequently, the per capita availability of pulses has progressively declined from 65 g a day in year 1961 to merely 39.4 g in year 2011, whereas, availability of cereals has gone up from 399.7 to 423.5 g. The projected pulses requirement by the year 2030 is estimated at about 32 million tons. Pulses are the most economical source of vegetable protein for hilly, tribal and rural populations. Pulses globally can play in advancing health and nutrition, food security and environmental sustainability. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) play a vital role among leguminous crops cultivated in winter season. Chickpea is the premier pulse crop of Indian sub continent. In India, the entire harvested area of chickpea is about 9.6 million hectare with production and productivity are 8.8 million tons and 920 kg/ha, respectively. It is generally grown as a pulse and green vegetable in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh with 33 percent of the world's area and 22 percent of the production. The demand of green pods of chickpea is remain in peak during December and January particularly in North India. However, green pods of chickpea are available at the end of February in North India and remained in the market till the end of March. Green pods of chickpea transported from southern part to northern part of India at a high price to fulfill the increasing market demand during December-January. During this period weather condition is favourable for chickpea cultivation in south India as compare to North India. Consequently the green pods of chickpea are easily and early available in South India. Hence, transportation and other expenses increase to bring green pods of chickpea from Southern India to North India. Besides, the quality and quantity of green pods of chickpea are also affected adversely. Further, the farmers get only 60 per cent of the prevalent market price of green pods of chickpea. Keeping in the view the above mentioned facts, a field experiment was carried out at the research farm of Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the influence of sowing dates, varieties and levels of phosphorus on the growth and yield attributes of chickpea. So that chickpea cultivation may become more profitable and productive to the local farmers. Furthermore, consumers may get fresh, cheap and better quality green pods of chickpea at lower price. Page(s): 128-131

Fern : A neglected plant group

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Fern : A neglected plant group Authors: Sharma, Priyanka; Kumari, Alka; Brijlal Abstract: Ferns or Pteridophytes in every way, whether it may be economic importance or any aspect related to the environment has always been underestimated as compared to flowering plants. This is the reason that today, this specific plant group has been recognized as a neglected plant group in spite of its valuable properties but if we look inside its properties, then it is equally economically significant. Several research papers have also scientifically proved its medicinal properties. For example Adiantum, Asplenium, Azolla, Blechnum, Botrychium, Cheilanthes, Dipazium, Equisetum, Helminthostachys, Huperzia, Onychium, Pteridium, Selaginella and other species contain various chemical compounds like alkaloids, phenols, glycosides, terpenoides etc. It is important to create awareness among general masses and to draw attention of scientists towards this neglected plant group in light of modern scientific tools. The article highlights unlimited qualities and opportunities hidden in this plant group so that it could come out as a valuable bioresource. Beside these, some important points are also discussed due to which this plant group is neglected in comparison to angiosperms and gymnosperms. Page(s): 119-127

Carbon fabric manufactured through catalytic route

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Carbon fabric manufactured through catalytic route Authors: Mishra, Omendra; Raunija, Thakur Sudesh Kumar; Mathew, Mariamma; Sharma, Sharad Chandra Abstract: Carbon fabric is the key constituent of ablative liner used in rocket nozzle. It can be manufacture by oil and catalytic route. In oil process, the carbon fabric is manufactured by dipping rayon fabric in furnace oil. In this, the oil acts as the mediator of heating medium. In catalytic route, catalyst is used in place of oil. Oil process is simple technique of manufacturing carbon fabric. But several issues like low yield, wrinkle formation, shrinkage etc., are associated with it. In addition to this, due to slow heating, it takes more time for producing carbon fabric. Further, in oil process, the oil vapors pollute the working area and create the possibility of fire whereas catalytic process is advantageous over these issues. The yield can be enhanced through this process. Further, this route sorts out the issues of wrinkle and shrinkage formation, which are associated in oil process. Further, the carbon fabric can be manufactured in short duration through this route. In this research papers, the catalytic route of carbon fabric manufacture is described in detail. Page(s): 114-118