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2011 - 20122
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Author: Neha Sharma × End date: 2012 × Start date: 2011 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    “STUDIES ON GROWTH PARAMETERS OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI AND ITS EVALUATION AGAINST Tetranychus urticae KOCH
    (PAU Ludhiana, 2012) Neha Sharma; Neelam, Joshi
    Eight fungal isolates were studied for the growth parameters on different substrates, effect of pesticides on fungal growth and pathogenicity against Tetranychus urticae. In the study of effect of pesticides on fungal growth at different concentrations radial growth of fungal isolates on the growth media supplemented with pesticides was recorded and was found that the radial growth of fungal isolates varied among genera and species. Among all fungal isolates, Metarhizium anisopliae MTCC 4104 @ 750 ppm was most compatible to propargite and showed 33.6 per cent growth reduction over control. In media supplemented with ethion, endosulfan and chlorpyriphos, Hirsutella thompsonii PDBC-1 caused 32.9 per cent @ 1000 ppm, 6.3 per cent @ 2500 ppm and 20.1 per cent @ 2500 ppm per cent growth reduction over control, respectively and was most compatible with these pesticides. Further, in all pesticides tested, radial growth varied in inverse proportion to the concentration. Lower the concentration, more is the radial growth. Seven different substrates were evaluated for growth parameters of all fungal isolates and variability of the mean conidial count, colony forming unit and biomass was observed both among substrates and various fungal isolates. Among the isolates, mean conidial count and colony forming unit was maximum in H. thompsonii PDBC-1 recording 26.79 x 106conidia/g and 26.6 x 106 CFU/g, respectively whereas Beauveria bassiana P isolate recorded maximum mean biomass production of 0.49 g. Among the substrates, sorghum recorded maximum mean conidial count and colony forming unit of 21.29 x 106conidia/g and 20.9 CFU/g, respectively whereas maximum biomass production was recorded in rice wash water (0.37 g). In bioassay studies against adult of T. urticae, the fungal isolate H. thompsonii PDBC-1 and Beauveria bassiana MTCC 6291 recorded 96.50 per cent mortality at 1011conidia/ml after seven days of treatment. Further in all treatments, higher concentration was significantly better than the middle and lower concentration. Similarly, H. thompsonii PDBC-1 recorded minimum LC50 value of 6.84 x 109, 1.20 x 107and 8.38 x 102 conidia/ml after 72, 120 and 168 hrs, respectively which was significantly better than all other isolates and was the most pathogenic isolate.
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    DYNAMICS OF INDIVIDUAL AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS OF HAPPINESS AMONG RURAL ADOLESCENTS LIVING IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC HARDSHIP
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2011) Neha Sharma
    The present study entitled “Dynamics of individual and contextual factors of happiness among rural adolescents living in socio-economic hardship” was undertaken to assess the level of happiness among rural adolescents experiencing persistent socio-economic hardship and to examine the contribution of individual attributes like self-esteem and personality patterns and contextual factors like family functioning, perceived social support and life events, on happiness of rural poor adolescents. An interplay between the psychological and contextual variables as a causal chain in the process of happiness was also studied. The sample included 360 adolescents (15-18 years of age) belonging to intact two parent families and living in conditions of socio-economic hardship. The results revealed that despite living in conditions of socio-economic hardship, majority of rural adolescents perceived high degree of happiness. Female adolescents perceived significantly more happiness in their life as compared to their male counterparts. Males manifested significantly higher psychoticism in their personality, greater self esteem and more independence, whereas, females were significantly more extravert and expressive. Correlation analysis revealed that psychoticism was significantly negatively correlated with happiness among adolescents. Self-esteem among adolescents, accepting and caring family environment and social support were significantly positively correlated with happiness. The happiest group of adolescents held significantly higher self-esteem, were less psychotic, experienced less stressful life events, lower family conflict, control and perceived more social support as compared to the unhappy adolescents. Regression analysis revealed that psychotic personality pattern emerged as a strongest risk factor, whereas, social support emerged as the strongest protective factor. Interplay between happiness and individual and contextual factors revealed that self-esteem functioned as a mediator between happiness and its determinants like social support and stressful life events among adolescents, whereas, psychoticism showed a direct negative path to happiness and indirect path through social support.