No abstract

Heat and humidity stress is a constant challenge to buffalo rearing under tropical climatic conditions. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) constitute a ubiquitous class of highly conserved proteins that contribute to cell survival during different conditions of stress. The present study was carried out in Tarai buffaloes to study the expression of HSP70 in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells during different seasons and establish it as a marker of heat and humidity stress in buffaloes. Blood samples were collected from each healthy, non-lactating and non-pregnant buffalo above 2 years of age, once in the month of January (temperature-humidity index (THI) < 72) and in the month of May (THI > 72). Blood samples were also collected during October (THI = 72) to be used as calibrator/control. Real-time PCR was used to profile the HSP70 gene expression in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The relative expression values of HSP70 in Tarai buffalo was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) during summer season (2.37 ± 0.12) as compared to winter season (0.29 ± 0.04). The expression positively correlated with changes in physiological parameters like respiration rate (RR), pulse rate (PR) and rectal temperature (RT). In conclusion, it can be said that RR and HSP70 may act as characteristic physiological and cellular markers of heat and humidity stress in buffaloes.

No abstract

High density management and crop regulation are two important aspects in guava (Psidium guajava L.) production. Therefore, to find out the economic way of managing high density planting and crop regulation, the present work was carried out on 6-year-old guava trees of cv. Pant Prabhat under double-hedge row system of planting during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Seven different forms of pruning [FBT: flower bud thinning by hand, FBTT: flower bud thinning by hand followed by removal of terminal one leaf pair, RLFO: removal of leaves and flower buds by hand, retaining one leaf pair at the top, RLF: removal of all leaves and flowers by hand, OLPS: one leaf pair shoot pruning, FSP: full shoot pruning, OLPF: one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only] were studied along with control (C).Minimum annual increase in tree volume (6.764 m3) was recorded with the treatment OLPF, which was 2.31 times less than the control (15.682 m3). Highest yield during winter season (55.30 kg/tree) and total yield (59.87 kg/tree) was obtained from treatment OLPF. One leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only (OLPF) was also found profitable among other treatments by recording cost:benefit ratio of 1:2.96. This treatment also recorded the highest return distributed in rainy as well as in winter season. On the basis of findings it can be concluded that one leaf pair pruning of fruited shoots only is suitable for profitable high density management as well as crop regulation of guava in farmer friendly manner.