Porocephalus crotali Humboldt, 1812 is a pentastomid that infects the respiratory tracts of snakes. Here, we report the occurrence of this crustacean endoparasite in an Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosa) along with its morphological and molecular characterization. An Indian rat snake was rescued and admitted to the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Bannerghatta, Bangalore, India. Following death, post-mortem examination of the snake revealed the presence of the pentastomid in the lungs. Morphological characterization identified the parasite as P. crotali. Morphology was further confirmed by 18 S rRNA-based molecular characterization. The generated sequence showed 99.75
Heat stress is a major abiotic constraint that increasingly threatens plant survival, growth, and productivity under changing climatic conditions. Like many crops, chilli is also highly sensitive to heat stress. This study was planned to understand the biochemical response, identify the critical growth phase and physio-reproductive parameters of chilli genotypes under heat stress. The present study elucidates heat stress mediated alterations in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense mechanisms in chilli genotypes during dual phases of plant growth I.e. vegetative and reproductive stages. Twenty-two chilli genotypes were exposed to conditions of ambient temperature (Control/AT; 30–35 °C) and Heat stress (HT; 36–42 °C) regimes to evaluate oxidative stress responses and adaptive defense strategies. Key biochemical indicators, including proline accumulation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and activities of major antioxidant enzymes, were quantified to assess reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging efficiency. Among the evaluated genotypes, A-17-10, A-17-2, and A-5-4 exhibited markedly higher proline accumulation under heat stress. Lipid peroxidation, as indicated by MDA content, was highest in LCA-424 (32.95µmol/gFw) and lowest in A-17-10 (26.34µmol/gFw), highlighting substantial genotypic variability in membrane stability. Hydrogen peroxide levels across both growth stages peaked in Anugraha (2.21 μmol g⁻1 FW), indicating its sensitivity to heat stress. Antioxidant enzyme profiling revealed maximum peroxidase activity in A-17-2 and minimum activity in Swati Palampur. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity during the vegetative stage was highest in A-17-10 and lowest in Swati Palampur, while catalase activity ranged from 14 Unit activity/gFw in A-17-2 to 10.08 Unit activity/gFw in Pusa Sadabahar. Heat stress had a greater impact at the reproductive stage, as shown by higher catalase, SOD, and peroxidase activities. The strong antioxidant response in A-17-2 and A-17-10 indicates inherent, stage-specific mechanisms that limit oxidative damage under high temperatures. Factorial analysis grouped genotypes into four clusters, revealing distinct adaptive responses to heat stress. The study identifies key antioxidant traits and elite genotypes that can be utilized for developing climate-resilient chilli cultivars to sustain productivity under rising temperatures. Future research focusing on molecular mechanisms in chilli will further elucidate cellular responses to heat stress and support advanced breeding strategies.
Trace metal contamination in marine ecosystems poses risks to both ecological integrity and human health, yet baseline data from remote oceanic regions remain limited. This study presents the first comprehensive multi-tissue assessment of trace metal bioaccumulation in commercially important marine fishes from the Andaman Islands, India. Concentrations of eleven trace elements (Al, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni and Zn) were quantified in gills, liver, intestine and muscle of five fish species (Cephalopholis sonnerati, Epinephelus bleekeri, Auxis rochei, Rastrelliger kanagurta and Nemipterus japonicus) collected from major landing centres in South Andaman. Eight metals were consistently detected, while Hg, Cr and Co remained below detection limits across all tissues. Metal accumulation was strongly organ-specific, with liver acting as the primary reservoir for Cu, Fe and Cd, gills reflecting waterborne exposure to Mn and Al, and muscle exhibiting the lowest concentrations. Interspecies variation was limited, indicating broadly similar exposure pathways across trophic groups. Multivariate analyses confirmed clear separation of samples by tissue type rather than species identity. Human health risk assessment based on muscle tissue revealed Estimated Daily Intake and non-carcinogenic risk (HI < 1) values within acceptable limits for all species. However, Total Carcinogenic Risk values for Cd and Pb exceeded the USEPA benchmark, highlighting potential long-term risks for high-frequency consumers. Overall, the Andaman region exhibits a transitional contamination profile dominated by natural lithogenic inputs with emerging anthropogenic signals, underscoring the need for proactive multi-tissue monitoring and context-specific seafood risk communication.
Baccharoides anthelmintica (L.) Moench, commonly known as Aranya Jeeraka in Sanskrit, is a pharmaceutically important medicinal plant used in various traditional healthcare systems, including the Indian System of Medicine. As the majority of the raw material of this species comes from wild/ natural stands, promoting cultivation is a viable means for meeting its current and future requirements. During the present investigation, three studies were conducted to standardize nursery techniques in this species. In the laboratory study with eleven pre-sowing seed treatments, significantly highest germination (58.00
The experiment was conducted to evaluate 30 bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) genotypes for their morphological, yield, and quality character at RLBCAU, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, during kharif 2022. The genotypes were sown in a randomised block design with three replications, and observations were taken on 15 characters. There was a wide range of mean values among genotypes. Hybrid Green Gold (8.0, 6.60kg) and MAHY 8 (7.6, 6.40kg) were statistically superior for maximum number of fruits/plant as well as fruit yield/plant, respectively. The maximum vine length (800cm), total soluble solids (2.93 oBrix) and ascorbic acid content (16.97mg) were recorded in RBG 9 genotype. The minimum day to first flowering bud (26.0 days) and earliest node of first appearance of female flower (10.6) was observed on Pusa Samrudhi. Genotype MAHY 8 was earliest for days to first fruit set (37.3), followed by minimum days to fruit picking (46.0). However, maximum fruit length was recorded in Muskan (46.6 cm), followed by MAHY 8 (45.0cm). The highest fruit width was recorded in Narendra Shishir (12.6cm), and highest fruit weight in Pusa Santushti (0.867g).
