Jaggery is a traditional unrefined sugar, prepared by processing of sugar cane juice. Jaggery storage conditions are usually unhygienic and culminate in change of colour, texture, taste, hardness and flavor of jaggery. The bacterial microflora were isolated on plate count agar from four jaggery samples collected at different stages of stored jaggery. Out of nine isolates, five gram negative rods, one gram positive rod, two gram negative cocci and one gram positive cocci were identified on the basis of morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. On the basis of biochemical and carbohydrate utilization test, these isolates were identified as genera of Alcaligenes, Xanthomonas, Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, Corynebacterium, Alteromonas, Micrococcus and Bordetella. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed multiple resistance against ten different antibiotics. These microbes may be harmful to humans health who consume jaggery in their diet.

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The present study compares the efficacy of two different subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis viz. aizawai and kurstaki, available as commercial preparations in market against different stages of Spodoptera litura. Leaf-dip bioassay was done to calculate the LC 50 values of both the preparations, while microbiological analysis and total protein content estimation were also performed to co-relate the results. B. thuringiensis aizawai was found to be more effective (LC 50 values being 0.505, 1.121, 5.009, 6.706 for 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th instar, respectively) than kurstaki (LC 50 values being 1.121, 3.974, 6.897, 9.471 for 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th instar, respectively). The efficacy was found to depend upon the number of viable spores in a particular preparation as well as on the total protein content of that particular subspecies. The preparation containing B.t.a was more effective because its viable spore counts as well as total protein content values (at different time intervals) were higher as compared to the preparation containing B.t.k. The growth rates for both the subspecies were almost the same, which didn't seem to affect their efficacy on S. litura.

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Hexane extract of the cuticle of the larvae of Corcyra cephalonica Stainton elicited host seeking response by the females of Bracon brevicornis Wesmael. The response of the female parasitoid varied with age and optimum response was obtained in 7–12 day old females. The kairomone loses its activity with time and 50% loss of the biological activity took place in 66 h. The loss of biological activity of the extract diluted serially was found to be linear and extract lost 50% of its biological activity when diluted 18 fold. Zusammenfassung über die Wirkung eines Kairomons bei Corcyra cephalonica Staint.‐Larven auf Weibchen von Bracon brevicornis Wesm. (Hymen., Braconidae) Ein Hexan‐Extrakt aus der Cuticula von Corcyra cephalonica‐Raupen erleichterte die Wirtsfindung der weiblichen Schlupfwespen von Bracon brevicornis. Die Reaktion des Parasitoiden variierte je nach Alter. Optimal reagierten 7–12 Tage alte Weibchen. Die Wirksamkeit des Kairomons nahm mit der Zeit ab; nach 66 h betrug seine biologische Aktivitüt noch 50%. Auch mit dem Verdünnungsgrad sank die Aktivität des Duftstoffes; bei 18facher Verdünnung betrug sie noch 50%.