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ThesisItem Open Access EVALUATION OF EUCALYPTUS AND CITRONELLA OILS AS REPELLENTS AGAINST HOUSE RAT, Rattus rattus (Linnaeus)(PAU Ludhiana, 2012) Ramandeep Kaur; Neena, SinglaExperiments were conducted in laboratory pens, maze and store houses using two essential oils namely eucalyptus and citronella oils to study their repellency against house rat, Rattus rattus. In laboratory pens, both oils were applied as paint, as encapsulated wax blocks and as spray each further with three modes of application i.e. daily, once a week, and alternatively in a week at three concentrations 5, 10 and 20%. Repellent effect of the two oils was observed at all the concentrations tested but significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher effect of eucalyptus oil was in female rats at 20% concentration and of citronella oil in male rats at 10% concentration when applied as spray alternatively. Multichoice experiment conducted in T-maze using 5% eucalyptus and citronella oils as encapsulated wax blocks in choice with no treatment revealed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher repellent effect of eucalyptus oil compared to citronella oil in female rats. Bichoice experiment conducted in I-maze using 5% eucalyptus oil as encapsulated wax blocks in choice with no treatment showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced movements and activities of both male and female rats in treated zone compared to untreated zone. In store house experiments conducted using 5% eucalyptus and citronella oils as encapsulated wax blocks and as spray revealed more percent repellency and control success with eucalyptus oil as encapsulated wax blocks. Present studies thus reveal the efficacy of 5% eucalyptus oil encapsulated in wax blocks as repellent against R. rattus of both sexes.ThesisItem Open Access GASTROPOD INFESTATION IN PLANT NURSERIES AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT WITH LATEX OF SOME PLANTS Thesis(PAU Ludhiana, 2011) HARJOT KAUR; Harjit Kaur)Survey of five plant nurseries at different locations viz. New Indian nursery and Gulrej nursery at Dhuri, Bhagwaan and Golden nursery at Malerkotla and Plant nursery PAU, Ludhiana for gastropod population revealed that one snail, Macrochlamys indica and one slug, Filicaulis alte Ferussac with three colour forms viz. black slug with yellow mid-dorsal streak, brown slug with black spots, black slug were infesting the plant nurseries. Slugs and snails preferred soil with low bulk density, high porosity and high moisture. Impact of three treatments on gastropod (snails and slugs) trapping was in following order- Damp conditions > Beer traps > Spots with Spinach. Snails and slugs excavated holes within leaves of ornamental plant saplings. More damage was observed during the months of June, July and October when the population density of snails and slugs active at soil surface was more. Hence, more emphasis should be laid down on gastropod control during the months of June, July and October to prevent the damage to ornamental plant saplings. Laboratory feeding tests revealed that out of the different concentrations of crude latex of different plants viz., Euphorbia splendens, Calotropis procera, Ficus bengalensis and Ficus elastica, bait with 2 per cent crude latex of E. splendens proved to be most effective bait resulting in 36.7 per cent mortality (F. alte, black slug with yellow mid-dorsal streak) with highest consumption among all the different concentrations of all the four plants. Thus, E. splendens latex acts not only as molluscicide but as attractant also.ThesisItem Open Access STUDY ON COMBINED EFFECT OF BROMADIOLONE AND CHOLECALCIFEROL (VITAMIN D3) AGAINST HOUSE RAT, Rattus rattus LINNAEUS(PAU Ludhiana, 2010) Navjot Kaur; Devinder Kaur, KocherCommensal rodents, especially house rat (Rattus rattus Linnaeus) causes extensive losses by feeding and contaminating the food products and also plays a role in spreading several diseases of health importance. House rats were trapped from various commensal situations and were fed for 5 days in no-choice on standard baits of bromadiolone (0.005%) and cholecalciferol (0.075%) and their combinations having different concentrations mixed in WSO-mix bait. Male and female house rats showed 81.30% and 95.80% average acceptability of standard bait of bromadiolone over plain bait respectively. Hundred per cent mortality of male house rats was observed within 3-6 days, while all female rats died on 4th day of feeding of 0.005% bromadiolone. Both the sexes showed a significant increase in blood clotting time (sec) after 48 hours of feeding as compared to that of 0 hour. The acceptability of standard bait of cholecalciferol (0.075%) over plain bait was 40.10% and 35.30% in male and female house rats, respectively and 100% mortality was observed within 4-10 days in male and 7-14 days in female house rats. Feeding of standard bait of cholecalciferol resulted in stop feeding action in the form of significantly less consumption of this bait from 3rd day onward. Serum calcium level (mg/dL) was found to be significantly high in 0.075% cholecalciferol fed male and female rats after 48 hours of its feeding as compared to 0 hour. R. rattus when fed on four formulated baits having different concentrations of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol i.e. combination-I (0.0025% bromadiolone+0.05% cholecalciferol), combination-II (0.001% bromadiolone+0.05% cholecalciferol), combination-III (0.0025% bromadiolone+0.01% cholecalciferol) and combination-IV (0.001% bromadiolone+0.01% cholecalciferol). Out of these four tested formulated baits, combination-IV (having the lowest concentration of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol) showed efficient rodenticidal potential because of synergistic effect of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol in this combination. It was able to produce 100% mortality and showed a significant delay in blood clotting time (sec) and rise in serum calcium level and was cost effective also. R. rattus L trapped from commensal situations of Ludhiana area showed no resistance towards standard bait of bromadiolone (0.005%) as both male and female house rats (n=60) showed 100% mortality.ThesisItem Open Access DEVELOPMENT OF ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY (ELISA) FOR DETECTION OF MELOIDOGYNE SPP. (ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE) ANTIGENS(PAU, 2010) Mandeep Kaur; Ghai, Jyotika KapurPlant parasitic nematodes are destructive pests worldwide that cause severe losses in agriculture. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are obligate, sedentary plant endoparasites that are extremely polyphagous in nature with a wide host range. Keeping in view the huge economic losses by this parasite, it is essential to control the disease at an early stage. For any control strategy to be effective, an early and accurate diagnosis is of paramount importance. Immunoassays have the inherent advantages of sensitivity and specificity; have the potential to identify and quantify these plant-parasitic nematodes. Hence, in the present studies, ELISA has been developed for the detection of Meloidogyne spp. antigens. This is based on detection of egg antigens, for which anti-Meloidogyne antibodies were produced by immunization of rabbits with soluble proteins of the eggs. The production of antibodies was confirmed by the appearance of precipitin lines in double immunodiffusion method. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detection and titration of these antibodies. Results indicated as high as 320 K titre of the antisera. Finally competitive inhibition ELISA was developed employing these anti-Meloidogyne antibodies for detection of Meloidogyne antigens. This is based on competition between solid phase bound antigens and free antigens for limited antibodies. Sensitivity of ELISA was 10 femtograms. This sensitivity was further enhanced to 1 femtogram with an additional step of pre-incubation, in which antibodies and free antigens are allowed to react before the competition. Competitive inhibition ELISA developed in the present studies has the potential of being used as an easy, rapid, specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for the detection of Meloidogyne infection.ThesisItem Open Access IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MELOIDOGYNE SPECIES-SPECIFIC PROTEINS(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2012) Navjot kaurRoot knot nematodes (RKNs) of genus Meloidogyne are among the most widely spread parasitic nematodes which attack a wide range of crops and limit their production. The egg masses of Meloidogyne nematodes were cultured on the tomato plants and were identified on the basis of perineal pattern of females by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Only single species of Meloidogyne i.e. M. incognita was identified, indicating that the maintained culture was pure. The crude homogenate/antigen was prepared from the egg masses of established pure culture by homogenization, sonication and centrifugation. Quantitative analysis of prepared homogenate showed an average protein content (mg/gm, wet weight of nematodes) of 128.43 ± 11.10. Protein profile of this crude protein extract by SDS-PAGE indicated a total of seven bands (five major and two minor) observed within a range of molecular weight 27 kDa to 118 kDa. Major band was observed between 50-90 kDa followed by a band between 36-50 kDa. Two minor bands were also observed between 27-36 kDa and 50-90 kDa. Healthy rabbits were immunized with crude protein/antigen of M. incognita egg masses and hyperimmune serum showed significantly higher levels (% of total protein) of Ig from 2.37±0.32 (0 DPI) to 6.98±1.06 (60 DPI), and CIC from 3.48±0.80 (0 DPI) to 12.13±0.56 (60 DPI). Double immunodiffusion technique indicated the production of antibodies, as precipitation line was observed due to the formation of lattices of antigen-antibody complexes. Western blotting resulted in the transfer of single band (lying between 50-90 kDa) from the protein profile of crude antigenic extract of M. incognita analysed on SDS-PAGE on the nitrocellulose membrane probed with anti-Meloidogyne antibodies, thus indicating the antigenic specificity of this proteinThesisItem Restricted STUDIES ON THE AVIAN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND FORAGING ECOLOGY IN RELATION TO PHENOLOGICAL CHANGES IN IMPORTANT RABI AND KHARIF CROPS OF PUNJAB(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2010) Kler, Tejdeep KaurChanging agricultural practices accompanied by deforestation and pressure of human population appears to have altered/influenced the avian fauna-farmland interactions/interrelationships and composition of bird populations. There is a dire need to understand and explore the farmland bird communities, their abundance and foraging ecology in relation to phenological stages of important Rabi crops (wheat, mustard, winter maize, sunflower and barley) and Kharif crops (rice, maize, pearl millet, cotton and groundnut). During the present study, field observations were recorded by line transect method in selected villages on birds frequenting different crop stages. The bird community was observed to comprise of 19, 22, 25 and 32 bird species in wheat crop at preparatory tillage, sowing, seedling and ripening stages respectively; in mustard crop of 15, 19, 23 and 32 bird species, in sunflower crop of 7, 7, 23 and 21 bird species at sowing, seedling, vegetative and ripening stages respectively. Bird fauna in winter maize and barley crop was represented by 12, 11 and 18 bird species and 7, 9 and 13 bird species at sowing, seeding and ripening stages respectively. Bird community characteristics in Kharif crops had revealed that the species richness in rice as 13, 16 and 29 at transplantation, vegetative and ripening stages; in maize as 17, 18 and 31, in pearl millet as 20, 25 and 30, in cotton as 11, 13 and 23, in groundnut as 7, 11 and 20 at sowing, seedling and ripening/maturing stages respectively. An increase in species diversity (H') was observed during successive phenological stages in mustard, sunflower, barley, rice, pearl millet and groundnut crops. Bird species similarity coefficient had showed highly similar bird fauna between preparatory tillage and sowing stage in wheat, between transplantation and vegetative stage of rice, between vegetative and ripening stages in sunflower, between sowing and seedling stages of winter maize, barley, maize, pearl millet, cotton and groundnut crops. The results had indicated diversity in bird community and complexity in food and foraging guilds with the successive phenological stages of studied crops. Passeriformes were noticed to increase in per cent abundance from sowing to seedling stage and then showed decreasing trend at vegetative and ripening stages in sunflower, mustard, rice, maize and pearl millet crops. Psittaciformes formed the second most abundant bird group at ripening stage of mustard, winter maize, sunflower and pearl millet crops. A total of 70 bird species were recorded at different phenological stages of the studied crops. Majority of them have beneficial role in relation to the studied agricultural crops. The information generated by the present study would help in the formulation of future perspective of agricultural ornithology in the Punjab state.ThesisItem Open Access HISTOPATHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN LIVER OF RATS FED Bt COTTON SEEDS(PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, 2012) KRITIKA SHARMAThe present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of feeding Bt and non Bt cotton seeds on the liver of female albino rats. The experimental rats were divided in to three groups viz; control, Bt and non Bt group. They were fed Bt and non Bt cotton seeds at a dose of 2g/kg body weight and control rats received the same amount of water. Body weight of all the rats was taken weekly and feed intake was observed daily for four weeks. One day after the completion of experiment, the rats were sacrificed. The various vital organs i.e. liver, kidney, heart and spleen were excised and weighed. The blood was collected by cardiac puncture in heparinized vials and plasma separated for biochemical estimations. Liver was used for histopathological and biochemical estimations. It was observed that Bt cotton seeds fed rats showed more severe clinical symptoms compared to non Bt cotton seeds fed rats. The net body weight gain significantly increased in both the treated groups as compared to control rats. Average feed intake decreased significantly in non Bt cotton seeds fed rats. The weight of heart decreased significantly in both the groups while the weight of liver significantly increased in Bt cotton seeds fed rats. There was no significant difference in the weight of spleen and kidneys. Histological studies of liver of Bt cotton seeds fed rats showed leukocyte infiltration and irregular shaped hepatocytes nuclei. Non Bt cotton seeds fed rats showed swelling of hepatocytes and loose radial arrangement of hepatocytes around central vein. In the blood plasma proteins, globulin, AST, ALT and ACP increased while AKP decreased significantly in Bt cotton seeds fed rats. The protein and globulin increased significantly in non Bt cotton seeds fed rats. The level of protein, albumin and ACP, AKP, AST and ALT increased in the liver of Bt and non Bt cotton seeds fed rats. Key Words: Bt cotton seeds, non Bt cotton seeds, Albino rats, Liver, Histopathology, Enzymes, Proteins, Albumin, GlobulinThesisItem Open Access GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF AN EPIGEIC EARTHWORM, Eisenia fetida, IN AGRICULTURAL WASTES(2010) Geeta JassalThe research problem entitled “GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF AN EPIGEIC EARTHWORM, Eisenia fetida, IN AGRICULTURAL WASTES” was carried out in the Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during the period September 2008- September 2009. Growth and reproduction of E.fetida in deactivated pig slurry and corn cob along with Farmyard manure (FYM) in three ratios 1:1, 1:1/2 and 1:1/4 in three seasons were studied. Data was analysed by CRD i.e. ANOVA- I way and shortest life cycle of 50 days was observed in FYM and 41 days was observed in Pig manure in rainy seasons in all the three substrates in ratio 1:1 followed by summer and winter. Further analysis revealed that life cycle duration of E. fetida was shortest of 46 days in rainy season during substrate and seasons interactions in PM: FYM (CD at 5%= 2.49) was significant while life cycle was shortest in PM: FYM in ratio 1:1/2 during substrate and treatment interaction (CD at 5%= 2.20) was significant. Mean cocoon production (worm-1day-1) ranged from 0.45 to 0.86 in all the substrates. Adoption of vermiculture as a segment of organic farming was assessed through a questionnaire based survey in District Hoshiarpur and 73.3% of the farmers indicated that vermiculture was a labourious process. Reasons for opting for vermiculture were environmentalundertaking concerns, to save soil health, to enhance income, upliftment of the social status and health consciousness. Farmers gathered knowledge of vermin-technology through Progressive farmers, KVK’s of District Hoshiarpur, Directorate of Extension Education and Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) PAU, Ludhiana. Results indicated that E. fetida has a higher rate of reproduction in PM: FYM in ratio 1: 1/2 and PM is a favoured substrate for growth and reproduction of E.fetida and there is a need to organize farmers into organic farming association which can initiate and work to train the farmers for its complete adoption of this segment towards attaining sustainable development.ThesisItem Open Access STUDY ON COMBINED EFFECT OF BROMADIOLONE AND CHOLECALCIFEROL (VITAMIN D3) AGAINST HOUSE RAT, Rattus rattus LINNAEUS(2010)Commensal rodents, especially house rat (Rattus rattus Linnaeus) causes extensive losses by feeding and contaminating the food products and also plays a role in spreading several diseases of health importance. House rats were trapped from various commensal situations and were fed for 5 days in no-choice on standard baits of bromadiolone (0.005%) and cholecalciferol (0.075%) and their combinations having different concentrations mixed in WSO-mix bait. Male and female house rats showed 81.30% and 95.80% average acceptability of standard bait of bromadiolone over plain bait respectively. Hundred per cent mortality of male house rats was observed within 3-6 days, while all female rats died on 4th day of feeding of 0.005% bromadiolone. Both the sexes showed a significant increase in blood clotting time (sec) after 48 hours of feeding as compared to that of 0 hour. The acceptability of standard bait of cholecalciferol (0.075%) over plain bait was 40.10% and 35.30% in male and female house rats, respectively and 100% mortality was observed within 4-10 days in male and 7-14 days in female house rats. Feeding of standard bait of cholecalciferol resulted in stop feeding action in the form of significantly less consumption of this bait from 3rd day onward. Serum calcium level (mg/dL) was found to be significantly high in 0.075% cholecalciferol fed male and female rats after 48 hours of its feeding as compared to 0 hour. R. rattus when fed on four formulated baits having different concentrations of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol i.e. combination-I (0.0025% bromadiolone+0.05% cholecalciferol), combination-II (0.001% bromadiolone+0.05% cholecalciferol), combination-III (0.0025% bromadiolone+0.01% cholecalciferol) and combination-IV (0.001% bromadiolone+0.01% cholecalciferol). Out of these four tested formulated baits, combination-IV (having the lowest concentration of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol) showed efficient rodenticidal potential because of synergistic effect of bromadiolone and cholecalciferol in this combination. It was able to produce 100% mortality and showed a significant delay in blood clotting time (sec) and rise in serum calcium level and was cost effective also. R. rattus L trapped from commensal situations of Ludhiana area showed no resistance towards standard bait of bromadiolone (0.005%) as both male and female house rats (n=60) showed 100% mortality. Keywords: Bromadiolone, cholecalciferol, resist