The fungus Pyricularia oryzae Cavara (sexual phase Magnaporthe oryzae B.C.Couch) is the causal agent of rice blast disease. Sporulation in P. oryzae is a process distinct from mycelial growth in many respects and also difficult to get sporulation in P. oryzae. Finger millet leaf extract (FLA) and Rice leaf extract Agar (RLA) culture medium proved as best media with the sporulation of 1.71×105 ml-1 and 1.65×105 ml-1, respectively and no significant increase or decrease in sporulation was noticed under the three light regimes i.e., continuous fluorescent light, 12 hr dark + 12 hr light and continuous dark. Among all tested methods, the sporulation on Brachiaria mutica leaf and stem segments was found as best method with the sporulation of 7.61×105 ml-1.

Background: The World Health Organization recommendation necessitates universal screening of blood donations for the major transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs):Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis. Blood-borne agents such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) are among the greatest threats to blood safety for the recipient. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infections among first-time blood donors(FD) in a blood bank in tertiary care medical college hospital in Western Uttar Pardesh, Bareilly, India. Methods: This retrospective study was based on the records of all voluntary(VD) and replacement donations(RPD)which were collected from January 2016 to August 2018 in a tertiary care medical college and hospital in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India. Results: Of the total 7908 donations, 2268 (28.6%) were voluntary and 5640 (71.4%) were replacement donation. The first-time donor accounted for 5024 (63.6%), while repeat donors (RD) accounted for remaining 36.4%. The TTIs were more frequently encountered in First Time donors in comparison to Repeat donors. Also, when first time donors were analysed alone, the prevalence of TTIs was more in replacement donors, compared to voluntary donors. Conclusions: The potential risk of TTIS can be truncated to a large extent by increasing in public awareness regarding frequent blood donation and voluntary blood donation, donor screening using stringent criteria, counselling and use of highly sensitive and specific tests.

The nuggets were developed to increase the functional value of products with increasing fibre and decreasing the fat content. Gram hulls and carrageenan were used in different combination and finally nuggets with 6% gram hulls and 0.5 % carrageenan was found superior and most acceptable by the sensory panelists, hence, selected for further storage stability under refrigeration. The pH, TBA and FFA values of developed high fibre-low fat kadaknath chicken nuggets were lower as compared to control throughout the storage period. A progressive and significant (P<0.05) increment in the pH, TBA and FFA values of control as well as developed kadaknath chicken nuggets were observed with the advancement of storage. The total plate count (TPC) followed a significantly(P<0.05) increasing pattern from 0 to 12 day in control as well as developed high fibre-low fat kadaknath chicken nuggets. Psychrotrophs were detected on 12 day of storage. The mean scores for all the sensory attributes for both control as well as developed high fibre-low fat kadaknath chicken nuggets decreased gradually with increasing storage period. From the study it was concluded that the developed high fibre- low fat kadaknath chicken nuggets may be considered as health full product which was very well accepted up to 12 day under refrigeration.

Use of herbal derivatives was known to ancient human civilizations. These were utilized as essential foods, medicines or as even cosmetics. Flower, leaf, fruit, root, bark, inner part of stem, wood, beans, rhizome, endosperm, bulb, seed or even whole plants are used to produce bioactive ingredients. Demands of herbal products as well as cosmetics are increasing day by day due to the immense health hazards of synthetic ingredients that again contribute to environmental degradation. Apart from beautification cosmetic bioactive ingredients act as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial agents. These bioactive ingredients include vitamins, antioxidants, oils, dyes, tannins, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, terpenoids and many more. Most important aspect of herbal cosmetics is that they are devoid of any side effects.

Wilt is an important disease of chilli crop causing significant reduction in yield. Roving survey was conducted to know the severity of wilt disease in Belagavi, Gadag and Haveri districts during 2014-15. Disease severity was assessed in per centages at green stage and percent incidence of the disease was recorded. The overall disease severity was ranged from 5.45 to 95.00 percent. The highest incidence of wilt disease was noticed in fields of Hirehalli village(95.00%) in Haveri district whereas; least incidence of the disease was recorded at Nandikurli village (5.45%) in Belagavi district. The highest district mean of the disease incidence was recorded in Haveri (73.50%) followed by Gadag (53.00%) and Belagavi (41.57%). This reveals predominance presence of the wilt disease as a major constraint to chilli cultivation.

Background: Multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus is major cause of serious from of infection, especially in hospital acquired infection. The increasing incidence of infections due to methicillin resistance staphylococci, reliable & accurate testing of methicillin resistance is crucial for both antimicrobial therapy and infection control. Materials and methods: All the clinical specimens received in the department of microbiology were subjected to culture and sensitivity of the pathogen as per standard guidelines. Cefoxitin disc was used to rule out methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the D-test was used to for the detection of inducible clindamycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Results: A total of 392 Staphylococcus aureus isolated from various clinical samples. Majority of pathogen was isolated from pus samples (52.6%) followed by sputum (14.8%), Blood (14.5%) and 7.1% from endotracheal secretion. Out of which 307(78.3%) isolates were MRSA, majority of isolates were sensitive to linezolid (71.7) followed by Amikacin(65.8%) and Doxycyclin(65.3%). Inducible resistant was noted in 46(11.7%) of isolates. Conclusion: The resistance pattern varies from different geographical area, hence continuous study on Staphylococcus aureus is crucial and local data related to pattern of infection can be useful to deal with serious form of infection.

Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini is the major disease of cumin. In all, fifteen isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini were collected from cumin growing areas of North Gujarat and designated as Foc 1 to Foc 15 found pathogenic on cumin variety GC-2. Studies were made on cultural variations in colony growth, growth pattern colony colour and pigmentation. The colony diam ranged from 57.00 mm (Foc-12) to 88.75 mm (Foc-4). The growth pattern varied as thin flat to slight fluffy growth at middle and submerged at periphery, profuse fluffy growth at middle, moderately fluffy growth at middle and slight fluffy growth at middle and slight thread like spreading at periphery. Mycelium pigmentation among the fifteen isolates varied from white to pinkish white, orange to whitish orange, whereas substrate pigmentation varied from pale white to violet, orange, red. The length of microconidia varied from 7.29 µm (4.05-13.50 µm) to 11.47 µm (6.45-13.50 µm) , while the breadth varied from 2.72 µm (2.70-3.24 µm) to 4.75 µm (3.24-5.40 µm). The macrocoidia were 3 to 6 septate, straight, spindle as well as sickle shaped. The length of macroconidia varied from 18.63 µm (17.5-20.3 µm) in to 31.48 µm (24.3-40.3 µm), while the breadth varied from 3.00 µm (2.7-4.05 µm) to 4.75 µm (2.7-6.75 µm). Studies on pathogenic variability revealed that the disease intensity on cumin varied from 26.66 to 60.89 percent.