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"Bombax India."
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Integrated use of field sensors, PhenoCam, and satellite data for pheno-phase monitoring in a tropical deciduous forest of Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand, India: initial results from the Indian Phenology Network
Plant phenology regulates ecosystem functions at diverse scales but is impacted by micro and macro climatic variations, and climate change. In India, precise estimations of pheno-phase transition dates remain scarce at different spatial and temporal scales, necessitating comprehensive research efforts. This study aims to gather continuous intra-day ground data about vegetation and climate conditions using PhenoCam (optical RGB and IR images) along with meteorological sensors, at Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS), Jharkhand. To derive phenological metrics, different indices were computed from images captured by PhenoCam sensors and Satellite derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Since the PhenoCam covers diverse vegetation species in the frame, the analysis was performed over three specific subset Region of Interests (ROI): Bombax ceiba (Semal) tree, background cluster of vegetation and a sample tree. MODIS NDVI data revealed that most of the area is highly deciduous with major greening in the 1st half of April and senescence during 2nd half of March. The study found that Green Chromatic Coordinate Index (GCC) and Blue Chromatic Coordinate Index (BCC) results could reveal greening and senescence phases correctly. The timing of start of leaf flush (SOLF), end of leaf flush (EOLF) and end of leaf maturity (EOLM) estimated based on inflection point method from Pheno-Cam images are: for Semal tree: 5th April, 2nd May, 10th June, 2022; for background vegetation: 15th March, 28th March and 2nd May, 2022; and for sample tree: 15th March, 28th March and 25th April, 2022, respectively. The dates of SOLF differed in 2023 and it occurred twice for Semal and background vegetation: for Semal tree: 20th February and 3rd April 2023, and for background vegetation: 20th January and 8th March, 2023, respectively. The rate of leaf flush and rate of leaf maturity was not similar in different years as the rates were much higher in 2023 than in 2022. The temperature and rainfall during winter and spring played an important role in greening, senescence, and its sustenance. These findings revealed the micro-climatic effect on plant phenology in the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as the importance of integrating PhenoCam and satellite data in accurate monitoring of phenological phases.
Journal Article
Morphometrical Analysis of Ceiba Mill. (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) Pollen: A Sacred Plant of the Mayan (Mesoamerican) Civilisation
Ceiba, is a large tree used for ornamental landscaping in tropical regions of the world. It is found in tropical areas, including Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. The present work communicates the detailed pollen morphology of four Ceiba species growing in India including one hybrid, C. speciosa (A.St.-Hil.) Ravenna, C. insignis (Kunth) P. E. Gibbs & Semir, C. x insignis (cross between C. insignis and C. speciosa) and C. pentandra (L.) Gaertn., using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) and Light Microscope (LM) to highlight the taxonomic characterization of these species and document finer morphological details to correlate them with other Ceiba spp., growing around the world. Pollen grain is 4-5-colporate, brevicolpate; sub-oblate to prolate-spheroidal to sub-prolate; sexine reticulate (muri provided with scattered spinuloid excrescences, lumina reticolumellate) and mostly thicker than nexine. The multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) was applied on Ceiba and Bombax ceiba to numerical data obtained from pollen morphometry which clearly revealed a significant variation between different genus and species. A pollen key, based on these micromorphological data (especially pollen aperture and size of muri), is also presented for the Ceiba and B. ceiba. The study provides an analogue for precise identification of Ceiba pollen grains recovered in Quaternary and pre-Quaternary sedimentary deposits in India and other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Besides, pollen preservation, evolutionary trend and palaeoecology are the other important implications of this study.
Journal Article
Pollen limitation failing reproductive success in selected animal pollinated trees of tropical moist deciduous forest of north-eastern hill region, India
The aim of this study was to estimate reproductive effort and success in tropical trees and to examine the effect of pollen limitation on reproductive success. Pollen limitation was assessed through pollen supplementation experiment to contrast the open pollination treatment. The taxa selected were
(ornithophilous trees),
and
(entomophilous trees). Index of pollen limitation was highest in
and
(both self-incompatible species). The remaining three species were partially self-incompatible with favouring selfing in
and
and supporting outcrossing in
. Therefore, the high index of pollen limitation in
and
might be due to the effect of either lacking quality pollen or lacking bird pollinators. All five species produce a large amount of pollen at individual tree level in the order of 108 (
) to 1010 (
). Fruit and seed set following pollen supplementation were higher than the open pollination (as control) in all studied species. Pollen limitation in this study is likely associated with the effectiveness of pollinator and their frequency, as all the studied species had produced ample pollen at tree crown level which ultimately leads to pollinator resource limitation in tropical trees.
Journal Article
Rare or rarely detected? Ceraceosorus guamensis sp. nov.: a second described species of Ceraceosorales and the potential for underdetection of rare lineages with common sampling techniques
Ceraceosorales
is a monotypic order in
Ustilaginomycotina
. Its namesake,
Ceraceosorus bombacis
, was described as a phytopathogen of
Bombax ceiba
in India. In this study, we describe
Ceraceosorus
guamensis
sp. nov., collected on the South Pacific island of Guam, which appears to represent the second isolation of any member of this order in over 40 years.
Ceraceosorus
species are monokaryotic and filamentous in culture, producing conidia on potato dextrose agar. However, both species behave yeast-like when cultured on corn meal agar. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (spanning the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2) in both species of
Ceraceosorus
is highly heterogeneous containing multiple disparate copies that can vary intragenomically by up to 3.5 %. Moreover, this region could not be amplified using the fungal ITS primers most frequently used for culture-independent methods of assessing fungal biodiversity. This fact, combined with the extremely slow growth rates on commonly employed media, may indicate that members of this lineage are potentially underdetected by current sampling methods.
Journal Article
Melissopalynological Studies on Winter Honeys from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Melissopalynology, the analysis of pollen grains present in honey, provides relevant information about the pollen and nectar sources in a region utilised by bees for the production of honey, which is used to determine the geographical and botanical origin of the honey. The present investigation is carried out on 20 winter honey samples collected from urban localities of Allahabad to identify the important source plants of the region. The methodology recommended by the International Commission of Bee Botany was followed. Analysis of 20 honey samples recorded a diversity of 62 pollen types, amongst which 49 pollen types were found to originate from entomophilous/amphiphilous taxa, and 13 from anemophilous taxa. Thirteen honey samples were found to be unifloral while the remaining seven samples were multifloral. Brassica campestris, Ageratum conyzoides, Bombax ceiba and Citrus sp. were the predominant pollen types. Fourteen pollen types were recorded in the secondary frequency class, while 27 and 50 pollen types were found in important minor and minor frequency classes, respectively. With regard to the frequency of occurrence of pollen types in honey samples, Brassica campestris, Ageratum conyzoides and Coriandrum sativum were found to be very frequent pollen types as they were recovered from more than 50% of the honey samples. Findings of the present melissopalynological study suggest Brassica campestris, Ageratum conyzoides, Bombax ceiba, Citrus sp. and Coriandrum sativum are the important source plants of Allahabad.
Journal Article
A Palynological Study of Natural Honeys from the Bongaigaon District of Assam, Northeast India
Palynological examination of 18 honey samples (BG-1-18) procured from nine localities in the Bongaigaon District, Assam, India, produced a assemblage of pollen in terms of quantity and diversity. According to palynological assessment of the honey samples, 12 were unifloral (five in terms of Brassica campestris, two from Elaeocarpus rugosus and one each from Mimosa pudica, Xanthium strumarium, Syzygium cumini, Salmalia malabaricum and Meliaceae). Six were multifloral; the dominant taxa include Mimosa, Brassica, Coriandrum, Ziziphus mauritiana and Salmalia. Taxa such as Cassia fistula, Acacia catechu, Toona ciliata, Butea monosperma, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae and Oleaceae were minor sources of nectar and bee forage, as indicated by low frequencies of their pollen. The numerous pollen types and their diversity show that bees travel considerable distances to collect nectar for honey production. The study could be helpful in evaluating the allergenicity of some honeys in the area of investigation, causing hay fever, asthma, dermatitis and other disorders, where composition is mainly of 'Compositae allergic' pollen such as Xanthium (BG-2; 57.78%; unifloral) and Eupatorium (BG-4; 37.64%; unifloral).
Journal Article
Modern Pollen and Its Ecological Relationships with the Tropical Deciduous Forests of Central Uttar Pradesh, India
The paucity of modern pollen-rain data from the central part of Uttar Pradesh is a significant barrier to understanding the Late Quaternary vegetation history from the northern region of India. The interplay between extant vegetation and the modern pollen assemblage from both natural and human-induced vegetation types is examined from Lucknow, as an aid for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. A dataset of 25 surface pollen samples has been documented from the conservation forests of Kukrail, Lucknow (part of Central Ganga Plain). The palynodata reflect the mixed deciduous forest comprising Acacia, Butea, Salmalia, and Syzygium under a warm and humid climate in response to rainfall variations in the region. High monsoonal activity in and around the region is inferred from the presence of the Euphorbiaceae—Moraceae—Syzygium assemblage in the sediments. The marshy and aquatic taxa such as Cyperaceae, Nymphoides and Polygonaceae are strongly suggestive of the perennial waterlogged condition in the area. A striking signal of winter dryness is easily visible in the palynoassemblage, especially observed through Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae. The regular presence of pollen grains of conifers and other broad-leafed taxa including Alnus, Betula, Pinus and Quercus are suggestive of high wind activity from the higher altitudes. Anthropogenic activity is in continuous pace as reflected by the higher frequencies of cereal pollen (14–29%) and Brassicaceae (2–5%). The contrasting frequencies of extant floral taxa recovered in the form of pollen in varied surface samples are indicative of differential pollen production, dispersal and deposition patterns. Therefore, an attempt has been made to precisely observe the behavioural pattern of modern pollen deposition which could in turn help in assessing the expanse of pastoral practices and the depth of deterioration of pristine forests as well as in the reconstruction of past climate and vegetation shifts in Central Ganga Plain, India. A correlation of regional palynodata with other tropical regions of the Indian subcontinent as well as in a global context is required for better interpretation.
Journal Article
Documentation and determination of consensus about phytotherapeutic veterinary practices among the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh, India
Purpose
The aim of the present investigation was to document the phytotherapeutic knowledge and veterinary healthcare management practices among the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh, India and to determine the consensus of such practices, in order to evaluate the potential for new veterinary drugs of herbal origin.
Methods
This study was conducted in 2000–2004 using semistructured, open-ended questionnaires, informal interviews and group discussions with farmers engaged in animal husbandry.
Results
In the present study, 59 phytotherapeutic practices using 48 plant species were documented for management of 18 types of healthcare problems of domesticated animals. Crude drug formulations keep the animal healthy, increase lactation, and reduce estrus interval and puberty period to make them economically more important. There was great agreement among informants regarding phytotherapeutic uses of medicinal plants with factor of informants’ consensus (
F
IC
) value ranging from 0.84 to 1, with an average value of 0.94.
Conclusion
Study reveals that there is great agreement among informants for the usages of
Azadirachta indica
A Juss,
Bombax ceiba
L,
Bambusa arundinacea
(Retz) Willd,
Corianderum sativum
L,
Cuscuta reflexa
Roxb,
Datura metal
L,
Nelumbo nucifera
Gaertn, and
Parthenium hysterophorus
L. These species may be used for the development of new, cheep, effective, and eco-friendly herbal formulations for veterinary healthcare management. Further investigation of these herbal formulations for veterinary healthcare management will require safety and efficacy testing. There is an urgent need to formulate suitable conservation strategies for wildly growing phytotherapeutics to overcome their depletion from natural resources and to make these practices more eco-friendly.
Journal Article
Root biomass and distribution of five agroforestry tree species
Knowledge of the quantitative assessment and structural development of root systems is essential to improve and optimize productivity of agroforestry systems. Studies on root biomass recovery by sieves of different mesh sizes (2.0, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.25 mm) and root distribution for four-year-old individuals of five agroforestry tree species viz.; Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth, Azadirachta indica A. Juss, Bauhinia variegata L., Bombax ceiba L. and Wendlandia exserta Roxb. were conducted at the research farm of Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, India. The results indicated that the 0.5 mm sieve was adequate for recovery of the majority of roots. All the tree species exhibited a large variation in root depth and horizontal root spread four years after planting. The maximum root depth was recorded in W. exserta (2.10 m) and minimum in B. variegata (1.00 m). Horizontal root spread was 2.05 m in B. ceiba and 8.05 m in A. auriculiformis. Root spread exceeded crown cover for all species. The primary roots were more horizontal than the secondary roots. The length and diameter of the main root were highest in A. indica (108.3 cm) and B. ceiba (23.2 cm), respectively. Highest length and diameter of lateral roots were recorded in B. variegata (201.6 cm) and A. indica (1.8 cm), respectively. Total root biomass among different species accounted for 18.2-37.9% of the total tree biomass. Results of this study infer that although all the species have potential to conserve moisture and improve fertility status of the soil, A. auriculiformis is the most effective for promoting soil fertility. The deep rooted W. exserta and A. auriculiformis will be preferred for cultivation under agroforestry systems and could reduce competition for nutrients and moisture with crops by pumping from deeper layers of soil.
Journal Article