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Several naphthalene and anthracene degrading bacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of Populus deltoides, which were growing in non-contaminated soil. Among these, four isolates, i.e. Kurthia sp., circulans SBA12, and M. varians SBA8 degraded 85.3 %, 95.8 % and 86.8 % of naphthalene respectively after 6 days of incubation as determined by HPLC analysis. Micrococcus varians, Deinococcus radiodurans and

Rice (Oryza sativa), the staple food of more than half of the population of the world, is an important target to provide food security and livelihoods for millions. Direct seeding of rice (DSR) refers to the process of establishing the crop from seeds sown in the field rather than by transplanting seedling from the nursery. Before the advent of Green revolution and adoption of irrigation, rainfed rice was often broadcasted into moist soil and yields were low, variable and highly prone to weed competition. Weed spectrum and degree of infestation in rice field are often determined by rice ecosystems and establishment methods. Research evidences at different places has shown around 20-100% losses due to weeds such as Echinochloa spp., Leptochloa spp., Cyanotis spp., Commelina sp., Digitaria spp. and Alternanthera sp in DSR. Integrated weed management approach based on the critical period of crop weed competition, involving different direct and indirect control measures, has been developed and widely adopted by farmers to overcome weed problem in DSR in a sustainable way. Stale seed bed combined with herbicide (paraquat/glyphosate) and zero till results in better control. About 53% lower density was recorded due to stale seed bed. Brown manuring of Sesbania reduces weed population by 50%. Mulches, crop rotation and rice cultivars like 'Narender 359' and 'Sarjoo 52' were found better for Indo-Gangetic plains. Application of penoxsulam 25 g/ha as broad-spectrum, azimsulfuron + metsulfuron-methyl for Cyperus spp., pendimethalin at 1.25 kg/ha for Echinochloa spp. were found suitable for chemical weed management.Weed-competitive and allelopathic rice varieties, seed priming for increased weed competitiveness, higher seeding density should be considered as a management strategy.

The present study describes the potential of in vitro grown adventitious roots of Hypericum perforatum L. commonly known as St. John's wort at low nutrient and auxin levels in the liquid medium for micropropagation. Roots were regenerated from shoot-derived callus on MS medium containing 4.0 mg l -1 Indole-3 acetic acid (IAA). IAA and Indole-3 butyric acid (IBA) were equally effective for the induction of roots from shoot cultures. Half strength MS medium containing 1.0 mg l -1 IAA was most found suitable for culturing roots in liquid medium. A total biomass of 4.13 ± 0.67 g comprising 226 ± 34.4 shoots and shoot buds along with roots was obtained per culture starting with 200 mg roots inoculum. Pretreatment with kinetin (2.0 mg l -1 ) enhanced the shoot multiplication. Shoots proliferated profusely from excised roots in static liquid medium supported with glass bead matrix. Growtek TM vessel was found suitable and cost effective system for high throughput plantlet production. In vitro grown roots regardless of their source of origin were an excellent and easy to handle source of explant for aseptic production of plantlets without loosing the morphogenetic potential over the generations. The plants exhibited 84-99% similarity among themselves through RAPD. The in vitro shoots produced can either be multiplied or rooted perpetually, and alternatively they can also be explored for the in vitro production of hypericin and hyperforin.