Role of biological silica in enhancement of agricultural productivity : A Review

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The present paper deals with the investigation for in vitro antimicrobial properties and immunomodulatory potential of Thuja occidentalis. Its various solvent extracts showed high potency of antimicrobial activities against bacterial pathogens. The growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli was found to be inhibited by all plant extracts. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be resistant to Hexane extract. While Ethanol extract inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Salmonella typhimuruim cultures were inhibited by all extract. Water extracts were more effective against microbial cultures at high concentrations. Rapid rise in total WBC counts in treated organisms proved the plant to have high immunomodulatory property. Plant methanolic extract treated animals showed increased life span than untreated controls. ANOVA analysis of the results showed that the results were significant and reproducible.

The excessive use of pesticides causesmaximum soil stress and infertile conditions. The present study was performed in order to explore and identify the novel microbial source for the biodegradation of monocrotophos pesticides. Soil samples (approx. 500 g) were collected using some clean,dry, and sterile polythene bags along with a sterile spatula, marking pen rubber band, and other accessories. These samples were air-dried for 1 week, crushed, and sieved. The sieved soils were then used for Actinomycetes isolation. A totalof 120 Soil samples were aseptically collected from different field regions of Uttarakhand viz. Tehri-Garhwal, Chamoli, Srinagar, Uttarkashi, and Haridwar havedominant usage of monocrotophos pesticides. Amongst these samples, A total of 280 microbes were isolated; out of which 24 isolates of Actinobacteria (8.57 %) were isolated. The results revealed the strains of the genera viz. Micromonospora (65%), Actinomycetes (25%,) and Streptomyces (10%)are meant to be responsible for the biodegradation of monocrotophos pesticides.