A laboratory experiment was conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, GKVK, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. The results revealed that, application of recommended dose of NPK (30:80: 37.5 kg ha -1 ) + Recommended dose of FYM (10 t ha -1 ) +Brady rhizobium (250 g ha -1 )+PSB (250 g ha -1 ) significantly improved the seed quality parameters viz., 100 seed weight (35.51g), seed size (0.76 cm³), seed density (1.55 g/cc), total dehydrogenase activity (4.80), germination (92.00 %), seedling length (30.69 cm), seedling dry weight (90.75 mg), seedling vigour index-I and II (2820 and 836 respectively), protein content (36.30 %) and field emergence (89.33 %) with lowest electrical conductivity (0.49 mScm -1 ) as compared to control and other treatments. Further, artificially aged seeds through accelerated ageing method also recorded higher seed quality parameters in the same treatment at the end of six days of ageing period.

Two Cycloartane saponins, astragaloside-IV and cyclocephaloside-I, were isolated from the roots of Astragalus gummifera. Their structures were determined by utilizing 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Hepatoprotective effects of astragaloside-IV against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in rats was studied. The rats (200-230 g) of either sex were divided into 6 groups (6 rats each). Injection of a single dose of CCl 4 increases the level of serum AST, ALT, GGT, ALP and total bilirubin activities, decreases non-protein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) and total proteins (TPs), increases malondialdehyde (MDA) and produces changes in hepatic and nephritic tissue structure. Administration of doses of 25, 50 and 75 mg kgG 1 of astragaloside-IV reversed significantly (p<0.001) the liver diagnostic blood markers as well as stricture of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of the treated groups when compared to the control group. The present finding indicated that astragaloside-IV is an active hepatoprotective agent that restores the affected biochemical markers and nephritic and hepatic tissues.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa willd.) is a pseudo cereal, which belongs to family amaranthaceae. Application of chemical fertilizers improves the nutrient availability in soil and high plant growth condition is seen, thus augment the seed yield. Keeping these views, the present investigation was undertaken at ZARS, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru during Rabi 2018. The treatment combinations were arranged in factorial randomised block design with two replications which includes two factors, spacing and nutrient application, with 4 levels of spacing and 4 levels of nutrient application. The results revealed that, the treatment with spacing of 45x10 cm and high amounts of nutrient 150:75:75 kg NPK ha -1 recorded the highest growth parameters like plant height at 30 DAS (25.91 cm), 60 DAS (119 cm) and at harvest (122.28 cm), total number of branches plant -1 (17.70), total number of panicles plant -1 (17.63), length of glomerule (16.55 cm), where as in spacing with 55x10 cm and nutrient 150:75:75 kg NPK ha -1 recorded the highest values in days to 50 per cent flowering (51.97 %), days to maturity (89.32 days), field emergence (89.17 %) respectively.

A field experiment was conducted to know the effect of water regimes on seed quality parameters of rice and the was conducted by using factorial randomized complete block design, with two genotypes (BI-33 and Jaya) and two planting methods (Aerobic and Wetland). The resultants seeds were taken to conduct laboratory experiments pertaining to seed quality attributes and the studies revealed that the BI-33 under aerobic condition had shown a significantly higher seed quality with respect to germination (99%), mean seedling length (26.75cm), seedling dry weight (10.42 mg), SVI-I (2648) and SVI-II (1032) , highest total dehydrogenase activity (0.53 OD @ 480nm), highest amylase activity (14.67 %), highest total soluble protein content (7.15%) and recorded less EC (70.95 μSm-1/ppm). The experimental results revealed that both the genotypes and method of planting contribute for seed quality of the genotypes which were grown under different water regimes. The genotype grown under aerobic condition was better in seed quality parameters compared to wetland condition.