Eternal University

Microalgae are increasingly recognized not only as producers of bio-based compounds but also as promising agents for wastewater remediation. Their ability to assimilate organic and inorganic nutrients, coupled with the potential for metal removal, makes them suitable candidates for sustainable water treatment. In particular, mixotrophic microalgae can utilize both organic and inorganic carbon sources, along with nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby reducing the concentration of pollutants in wastewater. Conventional primary and secondary treatments are often insufficient to eliminate residual nutrients, metals, and toxic compounds, leading to secondary pollution. In this study, the phycoremediation potential of Desmodesmus subspicatus and Tetradesmus obliquus, two freshwater microalgae, was investigated. Both species demonstrated high efficiency in reducing pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. The findings highlight the dual benefit of these microalgae in nutrient recovery and metal removal, emphasizing their role as sustainable alternatives to conventional tertiary and quaternary wastewater treatment methods.

Human and animal health is at risk due to vector-borne diseases. Mosquitoes, mainly Culex quinquefasciatus, play a critical role in the transmission of causative agents of a wide range of diseases such as filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, malaria and several kinds of encephalitis, leading to millions of deaths every year. Chemical based insecticides have been used as the chief control for mosquito management for years. However, the awareness among the people about the detrimental effect of these insecticides requires an eco-friendly approach. The present study was conducted to evaluate the larvicidal potential of Photorhabdus luminescens against the 3rd and 4th instar larvae of C. quinquefasciatus under the laboratory conditions. The rearing of C. quinquefasciatus was done in laboratory and the observed total developmental period ranged between eight to twelve days. A larvicidal bioassay study was conducted using cellular and cell free filtrate that showed dose dependent mortality with time intervals. Results demonstrated that the larvae of Culex mosquitoes were highly vulnerable to P. luminescens. The application of P. luminescens at undiluted cellular filtrate was highly effective against both the 3rd and 4th larval instars of Culex, causing 100

Nectarine is an economically important temperate fruit crop, and its productivity is mainly dependent upon effective nutrient management. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nano iron on growth and production of nectarine cv. ‘Silver King’ during 2022 and 2023. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) comprised of six treatments, viz. T1—recommended dose of iron (foliar application of 0.3

The present study reports the successful development of a nutritionally enhanced, anthocyanin-rich Quality Protein Maize (QPM) composite, EU-AQPAN, through marker-assisted back cross breeding (MABB). Two target genes (Pl1 and B) of the donor parent and two (o2 and crtRB1) of the recipient EU-AQP Composite were pyramided using linked molecular markers. Co-dominant SSR markers viz., umc1066, umc1014, umc1024, and a gene based marker crtRB1, were validated across parental lines and used in successive generations to track trait introgression. The breeding process was initiated in Kharif 2016 and culminated strict in the BC₂F₃ generation in 2024. The foreground selection for pigmentation and nutritional quality using linked molecular markers followed by regular phenotypic selection for background recovery due to the composite nature of the recurrent parent. The resulting EU-AQPAN lines exhibited deep purple kernel pigmentation and were homozygous for target alleles. The biochemical assays confirmed elevated lysine (4.13 g/100 g), tryptophan (2.26 g/100 g), and β-carotene ( 3.58 mg/100 g), with anthocyanin levels: cyanidin-3-glucoside (206.21 mg/100 g), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (96.37 mg/100 g), and delphinidin-3-glucoside (2.36 mg/100 g) comparable to the conventional purple maize. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the successful pyramiding of quality protein (o2), provitamin A (crtRB1), and anthocyanin regulatory genes (Pl1, B) into an open-pollinated maize composite using marker-assisted selection.

The accelerating transition towards sustainable mobility has positioned the electric vehicles (EVs) as a cornerstone in realising India’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). As the transport sector has been a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and energy consumption, India’s transition toward electrification will offer both environmental and economic opportunities. Despite increased scholarly interest and policy attention, only a few studies have comprehensively analysed how EV expansion contributes to the attainment of SDGs in the Indian context. Drawing upon the secondary data, the study adopts a qualitative research design grounded in the integrative review. This study examines the role of EVs in attaining SDGs by integrating policy framework, market evaluation and analysing sustainability practices of leading automobile manufacturers in India. The findings revealed that EVs adoption contributes to the realisation of various SDGs through enhanced energy efficiency, innovation, emission reduction and green employment creation. EV adoption is directly associated with the SDG 7, 9, 11, 12 and 13. Moreover, the study also highlights how major automobile players in India, particularly Mahindra Mahindra and Tata Motors are integrating sustainability into their business operations. While the sector is progressing, certain challenges such as high initial costs, inadequate infrastructure facilities and policy fragmentation restrict the widespread adoption of EVs and sustainability measures.