Background: Dengue and chikungunya are an important mosquito-borne viral diseases of humans. There has been a recurrent phenomenon throughout the tropics in the past decade. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the common vectors for both dengue and chikungunya virus. In areas where both viruses co-circulate , they can be transmitted together. Aims & Objectives-This study was conducted to know the prevalence of dengue and chikungunya, their co-infection, Seasonal trends of these infections. Material and Methods- Study was performed at a tertiary care hospital Ahmedabad, Gujarat from July 2013 to July 2014 . Blood samples collected in plain tubes were tested for dengue Ig M antibody, NS1 antigen and Chikungunya Ig M antibodies. The month wise laboratory records were analyzed for seasonal variations. Results- In our study we tested total 8148 samples for dengue, chikungunya and its co-infection. Out of 8148 test requests, 4683 were requested for dengue and 1265 were requested for chikungunya alone while 1100 were requested for both dengue and chikungunya. A total of 992 samples were found positive for dengue out of 5783 total samples. Over all prevalence of dengue in our study was 17.15% (992/5783). In our study out of 4683 samples for dengue, overall prevalence of dengue was 20.26% (949/4683). Samples received for chikungunya were 2365 from which 795 were found positive. Over all prevalence of chikungunya was 33.61% (795/2365). Out of 1100 samples that were requested for both, 220 (20.0%) were positive for dengue, 231 (21.0%) were positive for chikungunya and 43 (3.9%) were positive for both. Seasonal trend showed a gradual increase in dengue and chikungunya positive started from August with a peak in September. Conclusion- Dengue and chikungunya viruses can cause dual infections in humans. Co-infections may result in illness with overlapping signs and symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. Hence, clinically suspected cases should be tested for both the pathogens in the endemic areas. With the urbanization that is occurring in India, the incidence of dengue infection is increasing theatrically. With assumption that cases of co-infection with dengue and chikungunya will become more prevalent in the future due to increased transmission of both viruses in various areas of India, enhanced and continuous surveillance for both dengue and chikungunya viruses is essential in the endemic areas for identification and characterization of these viral pathogens. This information will also help in the execution of proper measures to control the outbreaks caused by these emerging viral pathogens.

The present investigation was undertaken during kharif season of 2013-14 at the Research farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani to find out efficient strains of zinc mobilizing microorganism for the growth, yield and zinc availability in soils of Bt cotton grown on Vertisol. Results revealed that inoculation of microbial cultures Trichoderma viride along with recommended dose of fertilizer (NPK) significantly improved the growth and root parameters. Seed cotton and Dry matter yield was also significantly increased with the inoculation of RDF + Trichoderma viride followed by RDF + Pseudomonas striata. Inoculation of microbial cultures along with RDF increased zinc availability in soil as compared to RDF alone.

Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.) is also the importance cash crops of India. Tobacco is one of the important commercial crops in the world. The data on heterosis calculated over mid parental value, better parent and standard check revealed superiority of some cross combinations. For cured leaf yield, the cross GC 1 X SK 49 showed significant positive heterosis over standard check, the cross Motihari Hemti X Sel.15-16, Motihari Hemti X HDM 4 and GCT 4 X SK 49 exhibited significant positive relative heterosis and heterobeltosis. A perusal of per se performance and heterosis indicated that hybrids GC 1 X SK 49, GCT 4 X SK 49, Motihari Hemti X Sel. 15-16 and GC 1 X Sel.15-16 were found promising for further evaluation and to exploit transgressive segregants. Heterosis is important for decide the direction of future breeding programme and to identify the cross combinations which are best for in conventional breeding designing.

The experiment was conducted on zinc deficient soil on farmer’s field Parbhani, Maharashtra during summer season of 2014 to assess the ability of different microbial inoculants in improving the yield, microbial and chemical properties of soil by taking groundnut as a test crop. Bioinoculants used such as Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas striata, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus megaterium. Tenth day after sowing 24 hrs old fresh culture of microbial isolates was inoculated at the rate 10 ml per plot. The results indicated that highest values of actinomycetes and bacterial population were noted in treatment RDF +Rhizobium and Bacillus megaterium whereas, fungal population was highest in the RDF+ Rhizobium+ Trichoderma sp. treated soil. Among the chemical properties of soil such as pH, EC and CaCO3 after harvest of groundnut showed non-significant results. However, soil organic carbon was also influenced significantly with the seed inoculation of Rhizobium and Pseudomonas striata along with RDF as compared to controls.

Economic impact of the naturally occurring gastrointestinal nematodosis was assessed in terms of meat production in sheep and goats. Both the animals were divided into two equals groups; one group was maintained as nematode free by anthelmintic treatment and the other group was allowed to harbour the parasite. Faecal egg count and body weight of all the animals were recorded at monthly interval for one year. The net loss in terms of rupees was estimated by taking into account of the final mean difference in body weight between the treated and infected groups, dressing percentage, the average rate of mutton (Rs. 350/-) and chevon (Rs. 450/-) in West Bengal and cost of anthelmintic treatment. The mean losses in body weight were 2.183 kg and 2.34 kg in infected sheep and goats, respectively with a per capita loss of 1.091 kg and 1.17 kg, meat production in infected animals. Therefore, the net economic losses due to gastrointestinal nematodosis were Rs. 361.05 and Rs. 512.10 in sheep and goats, respectively after taking in account the cost of anthelmintic.Therefore the strategic use of effective anthelmintic could constitute a viable tool for management of helminthic infection for enhancing the productivity of small ruminants.

Textile and printing industries have tremendously increased the content of heavy metals in the soil and water ecosystem. Although the presence of other contaminants like xenobiotics, pesticides and organic matter cannot be ruled out, the extensively high levels of heavy metals in the environment pose a serious threat to the aquatic, microbial, plant and human systems creating imbalance in biogeochemical cycles. In the present study, microbes surviving in industrial effluents were isolated and characterized. These isolates were analyzed for their respective potential to tolerate and accumulate heavy metal contaminants. The remediation ability was studied against major life threatening heavy metal pollutants like Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb and their relative tolerance ability was estimated by calculating MIC. The isolates depicted significant potential to bio-accumulate heavy metal pollutants at an average concentration of 1mg/ml metal concentration. Different isolates were also analyzed for their rate of accumulation at different time intervals and most relevant bacteria were characterized for identification. Among these isolates Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella and E.coli were found to be most significant in reducing Pd, Ni and Cu heavy metal content respectively in the culture media. These isolates may be extensively used in the treatment of effluents from ink, printing and textile industries and preventing heavy metal intoxication in animals and humans.

Field experiment was conducted during kharif 2014 at STCR Farm, M.P.K.V., Rahuri (Maharashtra). Twenty treatment combinations consists of four levels of sulphur (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg S ha-1 respectively) and five sulphur oxidizing microorganisms (Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus ferroxidans, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus niger and consortium respectively) were laid out in Factorial randomized block design with three replications. The sulphur application @ 45 kg ha-1 to kharif sunflower significantly increased seed and oil yield (19.89 q ha-1 and 812.48 kg ha-1).The yield contributing characters of sunflower viz., number of leaves, leaf area, plant height, head diameter, number of filled, unfilled and total grain per capitulum were significantly influenced by the 45 kg ha-1 sulphur application. Thiobacillus ferroxidans sulphur oxidising microorganism was found beneficial for all the yield attributing characters except number of unfilled grains per capitulum. The interaction effects were significant.

Sclerotinia rot incited by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is very serious disease of rapeseed- mustard throughout world. For over two decades, research on the management of this disease has been directed at various approaches, and yet currently available methods have not provided effective control. Therefore, different rapeseed-mustard genotypes of diverse origin (indigenous and exotic origin) were screened for their relative resistance/tolerance to Sclerotinia rot disease under permanent sick plot conditions in field at Research Area of Oilseeds Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS HAU, Hisar during rabi 2012-13 and 2013-2014. Out of sixty nine genotypes, none of the genotypes was found resistant (<10% D.I.), however, nine genotypes viz., Varuna albino, Montara, Ringot 1, Brassica I, Brassica II, EC 126745, EC 322090, EC 322091, Kiran showed moderately resistant reaction (10-20 % D.I.) against Sclerotinia rot disease. These sources of moderate resistant genotypes need to be tested for their resistance with other inoculation techniques and after that may be utilized in resistance breeding programme for at least development of tolerant variety of rapeseed-mustard.