The microbial profile of a typical black cotton soil of Kovilpatti was assessed at monthly intervals for a year from April 2001 to May 2002. The total bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, diazotrophs, Azotobacter and phosphobacteria ranged from 144 - 760 * 10 ^ 6, 4 * 66 * 10 ^ 4, 14 - 28 * 10 ^ 4, 48 -148 n * 10 ^ 4 19 - 84 * 10 ^ 3 and 2-95 x 10 cfu g ^ 1 respectively during April-Aug when the moisture content varied from 6.0 7.4 per cent and 125 586 x 0.1 ^ 6 6 - 18 * 10 ^ 4, 6-55 x 10, 27 - 84 * 10 ^ 4 20-26 x 10 ^ 3 and 31.76 * 10 ^ 3 respectively during Sep-Dec when the soil moisture content increased and ranged from 10.8 17.3 per cent and 85-92 x 10, 15 * 46 * 10 ^ 4 3 - 8 * 10 ^ 4 43.71 * 10 ^ 4 16 - 42 * 10 ^ 3 and 23 - 36 * 10 ^ 3 cfu q ^ - 1 respectively during Jan-Mar when the moisture content varied from 8.2 to 13.0. The results revealed the presence of microflora despite a low moisture content of less than 7 per cent in summer when there was hardly any crop or weeds indicate the survival potential of microbes in general and Azotobacter and phosphobacteria in particular despite the fact that black cotton soil almost get heated up and desiccated in summer.

This study aimed to determine the effects of the addition of almond hull to corn silage on silage quality, fermentation properties and in vitro organic matter digestion (IVOMD). While corn silage without additives constituted the control group in the study, silages with almond hull added at the levels of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% formed the experimental groups.The addition of almond hull caused an increase in the IVOMD and metabolizable energy (ME) values of the silages compared to the control group. For all the experimental groups, the methane (CH4) values of the silages were lower than the values of the control group. The silage pH range of all silage groups was in the range of 3.62-3.70. The lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA) values of the silages, on the other hand, were higher in all experimental groups compared with the values of the control group, and the highest values were observed in the group with the 1% almond hull addition. No propionic acid (PA), butyric acid (BA), or mold was detected in any of the silage groups. The yeast values, on the other hand, were lower in all silages that contained added almond hulls than the in the control group. The amount of CO2 produced in the silage groups decreased in parallel with the increase in almond hull. This study will enable more use and evaluation of almond hulls in animal nutrition due to its positive effect on fermentation.

The seed germination study of kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata Nees.) was conducted in Completely Randomized Design with 27 treatments replicated thrice. Observations were made on no. of days for germination initiation, number of days required for the first count, germination percentage, root length, shoot length, dry matter production and vigour index. The study revealed that the final count of germination could be taken at eighteenth day. The hot water treatment at 50°C for 5 minutes improved the germination potential of seeds from 62 per cent to 84 per cent. Being a medicinal plant, this treatment is ranked as the best, eco-friendly and cheaper.

Silicate and phosphate solubilizing bacteria were enumerated from soils, tank sediments, water, agroinputs like super and rock phosphates and commodities of anthropogenic activities. Silicate solubilizers were lesser than the phosphate solubilizing bacteria in these materials. Three out of 17 promising isolates were authenticated by Gram and Spore staining and biochemical characteristics. All of them were Bacillus spp. The isolate of Bacillus sp. from granite crusher yard exhibited marked silicate solubilization under in vitro both in medium and in liquid culture. The presence of silicate solubilizing bacteria in rice ecosystem might contribute to the silicate requirement of rice.

Seed bacterisation is a common practice. Rice kanji is advocated to coat seeds with biofertilizers. Compared to water, rice kanji showed ten fold increase in the number of rhizobial cells adhering to red gram seed. Among the five adhesives tested for survival of inoculated rhizobia on red gram seed surface, gum arabic (40%) was the best followed by jaggery (25%). carboxymethylcellulose (1.5%), rice kanji and water. With rice kanji as adhesive on cowpea seed the inoculum load of 1.4 x 10 rhizobial cells per seed decreased to 2.2 x 10 cells after 1 h. There was no significant difference among the number of rhizobia on inoculated seeds between the time lag of 1 and 24 h. In unsterilised soil, compared to uninoculated control, significantly higher nodule dry weight and plant dry weight were observed with cowpea plants raised immediately after seed bacterisation. Nodule dry weight and plant dry weight of plants raised after a time lag of 1 to 24 h after seed inoculation were found to be on par with those of uninoculated control. Thus the crop response to rhizobial inoculation could be realised in unsterilised soil with a inoculum of 10 cells per seed but not with 102 cells per seed.