Applied Zoology

Mulberry, Morus Alba, (L.)Leaves are the predominant food source for silkworm, Bombyx mori rearing. Pink mealy bug infests the mulberry plants and cause Tukra diseases that leads to qualitative loss of mulberry plantation. Hence a preliminary study on protein profiles by SDS-PAGE was carried out using plant extracts as natural botanicals origin by spraying tukra infested mulberry leaves. The botanical extract sprayed to tukra infested mulberry leaves at earlier infection fed to the silkworms and its impact on protein profiles were assayed in tissues like silkgland, and haemolymph was studied. For the study, good healthy leaves(Control)and plant extracts viz., Azadirachta indica,Ocimum Sanctum,&parthenium hysterophorus were sprayed to tukra infested V1 mulberry variety and fed to Silkworm (CSR2 Bivoltine hybrid). The protein a profile has been characterized by the presence of bands when increased in all the tissues when fed with sprayed batch. There was no presence of some bands when fed with tukra fed batch. Foliar sprays of the extracts hold greater promise for control of tukra infested mulberry leaves and did not affect protein content in silkworms. This can sturdily suggest that the natural plant extract sprayed with infested mulberry leaves can be effectively utilized for the silkworm rearing instead of pesticides, insecticides for mulberry sericulturistes.

Karad Tahasil is the part of Satara district of Maharashtra state, India. Geographically it lies in between N 72022’01” latitude and E 17037’29” longitude. It occupies in and around total an area of 42.0 sq. Kilometers. Receiving an annual rainfall of about 700 -800 mm. It is surrounded by two major rivers (Krishna and Koyana), on it built number of small dams. Also present number of water canal network for agriculture. Most of the land is irrigated surrounded by trees. The water canal are the rich source of food includes fishes, crabs, prawns, mollusc and aquatic plants so birds gets plenty of food, shelter/ hiding place and breeding grounds. The water canals are surveyed to document avian diversity. Total 84- species of birds recorded from the study site during year 2011- 12. Among these 24- birds are migratory and 60- are native birds of 12- Orders and 21- Families. Results revealed that smaller wetlands are very important in conservation of Biodiversity especially for water birds. The preliminary survey of Avifauna will help in facilitate conservation strategy and management plan as these are the key components of ecosystem.

Identified the activity of chitinases enzyme from the gut content of mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis, is a novel study. Fish was collected from the Nilgiris district of Western Ghats, India was acclimatized and reared in the laboratory. Dissected guts were homogenized and centrifuged under ice cold condition. Enzyme activity was estimated by adopting calorimetric method. Gut extract chitinases showed positive results of bio-physical and bio-chemical properties and its optimum activity were observed at pH 6.3, temperature around 32oC and substrate concentration was 0.6 U/g. Chitinase is more active in the near acidic than alkaline pH and suggestive of enzyme secrets in the foregut of the fish and it can be assumed as fish origin. Mosquito fish introduction is being a major cause of bio-diversity decline in any fresh water ecosystem, can be used as chitinase enzyme source instead of using in mosquito control. Further studies on mosquito fish chitinase enzyme purification may open the possibility of industrial uses.

The study was carried out between November 2011 and October 2013, using 707 Oreochromis niloticus (Linné, 1757) specimens in a tropical reservoir (8° 3"to 8° 12"N and 4° 6"to 4° 12"E). Standard methods were used to determine food and feeding habit and enteroparasitic infestation of the fish in the reservoir. The fish species was found to be an omnivore, but primarily an herbivore and the feeding on food items of animal origin may be supplementary. The high presence and constancy of sand grains and detritus in the diet showed that the fish though pelagic, do forage regularly into the benthic zone to feed. Intestinal parasites recovered were two acanthocephalans - Neoechinorhynchus rutili, Acanthocentius tilapiae - and the metacercaria of Clinestomum tilapiae. Prevalence of parasitic infestation was higher in the dry season than the rainy season and also higher in females (23.40 %) than in males (19.15 %). The metacercariae were found in the buccal cavity while the two acanthocephalans were found in the intestine, nothing was found in the stomach. Generally, parasites intensity was higher in females than in males and parasitic infestation was found to have an effect on the body weight of O. niloticus in Oba reservoir.

Experiments were conducted to assess the relatedness of different subfamilies of Erebidae family using RAPD-PCR technique. The genomic DNA of thirteen different species of Erebidae moths belonging to different subfamilies of Erebinae, Calpinae and Hypocalinae were subjected to RAPD-PCR analysis. A total of 300 bands were scored with five RAPD primers, of which 291 were polymorphic bands while 9 were monomorphic bands; the percentage of polymorphism was 97%. Dendrogram revealed that the thirteen species were grouped into three major clusters and four subclusters.

The marine crustaceans shells are collected for their richness in chitin, a natural polymer when chemically deacetylated can form a derivative called chitosan, which is a promising material for biomedical applications on account of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, cellular binding capability, antimicrobial activity and wound healing effect. Extraction of chitin involves demineralization and deproteinization. In crude form, chitin has a highly ordered crystalline structure with poor solubility and low reactivity. The chitin structure can be modified by removing the acetyl groups by means of a chemical hydrolysis in concentrated alkaline solution at elevated temperature to produce a deacetylated form. When the fraction of acetylated amine groups are reduced to 40-35%, the resultant co-polymer, (1 ? 4)-2-amine-2-deoxy-?-D-glucan and (1 ? 4)-2-acetamide-2-deoxy-?-D-glucan, is referred to as chitosan. Blending of reactive chitosan to fabrics using an exhaust reactive dyeing method can be performed to prepare the biomedical cotton fabrics. AATCC-100 standard test method was done for quantitative antimicrobial evaluation of coated cotton fabrics against selected nosocomial pathogens. Wash fastness test (AATCC-124 test method) results ensured the bioefficacy of bound chitosan to fabrics and the persistence of antimicrobial activity to the number of washes. Colonies of bacteria recovered on the agar plate for both untreated and treated of the washed and unwashed fabrics was used to analyse the reduction percentage of bacteria.

The preliminary survey of marine molluscs at 5 coasts of Shreewardhan namely Shreewardhan coast, Shekhadi coast, Dive Agar coast, Sarva coast and Harihareshwar coast were carried out. The occurrence of 65 species belonging to 52 genera, 35 families, 8 orders and 3 classes was noted. The Class- Gastropoda was diverse and represented by 3 orders, 24 families, 32 genera and 42 species. Class- Scaphopoda was represented by single order, family, genus and species whereas Class- Bivalvia was represented by 4orders, 10 families, 19 genera and 22 species of molluscs. Among these 65% of the species are gastropods, 34% are bivalvia and only 1% is Scaphopoda were noted. The present survey indicates that Sarva coast and Shekhadi coast are diversity rich followed by Shreewardhan coast, Harihareshwar coast and Dive Agar coast as far as molluscan diversity is concerned.

Palani hill temple is one of the most important pilgrim centres for south Indian people. It is located in western part of dindigul district of tamilnadu and also it is situated at foot of kodaikanal hills. The temple attracts lacks and lacks people throughout the year. This temple and town are mainly depending upon Palar-Porundalar river dam for drinking water. The physico-chemical studies such as electrical conductivity, PH, Total dissolved salts, Total hardness and total alkalinity for this dam was analysed. All the physical parameters were below the permissible limit of WHO. For this analysis ten places were chosen. All the ten samples were free from CO2 which indicates this water was free from organic wastes and effluents from industries. Total hardness and total alkalinity of all the samples were below the permissible limit of WHO. Therefore this is water recommended for drinking and washing.

In the present study oral administration of ethanol extract of Syzygium cumini seed from fruit to Alloxan monohydroxide induced diabetic rats secluded the rats from the changes induced in carbohydrate and enzymatic studies were seen. The selected Syzygium cumini (L) plant seed extract (100 and 200 mg/kg bw) seems to be more efficient in the control of type II diabetes. Oral administration of ethanol S.cumini extract able to control the diabetes induced alterations in enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism. Non enzymatic antioxidant enzymes like ascorbate, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and TTH and antioxidant defense enzymes like SOD, CAT and GPx levels also regulated by the supplementation of S. cumini seed extract to the alloxan induced rats. The reduction in carbohydrate and enzymatic levels in diabetic rats can be used as a marker in the evaluating the severity of diabetes.

Estuarine diversity is one of the important aquatic diversity. It is a connecting link between the fresh water and marine water resources. Around 70 % of living organism particularly aquatic organism and human beings were presented in the bank of Estuarine. So it's called as rich habitat or livelihood area for all organism and also otherwise called as cradle of culture. Most of culture originated from the bank of rivers and estuarine area. In recent days estuarine diversity has been affected by various aspect like hydro biological activity and seasonal fluctuations, polluting factors and other man made activities. due to this reason estuarine diversity has been changed and de-promoted their nature. In this reason most of aquatic organism especially estuarine diversity decreased their nature of quality and quantity. This study mainly observed the study area diversity and the usage of nearby peoples.