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A field experiment was conducted to determine the dissipation kinetics of carbofuran and its metabolite (Carbofuran 3-OH) in the soil and their terminal residue in sugarcane. The experimental plots were subjected to application of carbofuran 3G (1.0 kg a.i./ha) at the time of planting and 60 days after planting of sugarcane variety CoN 07072 grown with recommended agronomic practices. The soil samples were periodically collected at 0 (2 hrs.), 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days after last application of carbofuran. QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) based extraction method adopted to quantify the residues of carbofuran on LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry) from soil, sugarcane juice and leaves were found accurate, sensitive and precise enough. Residues of carbofuran and total carbofuran (Carbofuran + Carbofuran 3-OH) were observed upto 30 days after application and reached below quantification level at 60 days after application in sugarcane grown soil. Carbofuran and total carbofuran followed the first order dissipation kinetics with the half life of 4.18 and 4.17 days, respectively in the experimental soil. Sugarcane leaves and juice contains the residues of carbofuran below quantification limit at the time of harvest of sugarcane.

Sapota, a prominent and economically important fruit crop of India is susceptible to several species of insect and mite pests. Several pesticides formulations are used to control the pest damage in sapota. The present investigation was aimed to study the dissipation and persistence behaviour of combi-product profenofos 40% + cypermethrin 4% (44EC) at the standard dose (SD) (1162 g a.i. ha-1+106 g a.i. ha-1) and double to standard dose (2×SD) (2324 g a.i. ha-1+212 g a.i. ha-1) in/on sapota under tropical agro-climatic conditions of South Gujarat in India. Prior to quantitative analysis of pesticide residue on Gas chromatography with electron captured detector (GC-ECD), the modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) based method was validated on its accuracy, precision, linearity and sensitivity. Profenofos persisted in sapota up to 30 days with the half-lives of 5.65 and 7.34 days at SD and 2×SD, respectively. Cypermethrin dissipated at a rapid pace and was below quantitation limit (BQL) on 7 days at either dose of application; the half-life values recorded were 3.27 and 4.43 days at SD and 2×SD, respectively. This is the first case study that reflects 14 days as a waiting period after the last spray of combi-product (44EC) at standard dose facilitates the residue-free sapota fruits. Further, the health risk index (HRI

This research was carried out on nine provenances from the north Western Ghats to quantify proximate principles, mineral matter, total phenols and other phytochemicals in Melia dubia drupe pulp. Drupe biometric, biomass attributes, proximate principles, mineral matter and total phenols differed significantly among the provenances. The average drupe length and width was 26.5 and 22.3 mm, respectively. Average drupe and pulp fresh weight, pulp dry weight and stone weight were 783.1, 552.1, 165.1, and 179.8 g/100 drupes, respectively. Pulp, dry matter and moisture per cent were 70.5%, 29.9% and 70.0%, respectively. Average crude fibre, protein, ether extract, total ash and nitrogen- free extract were 8.3%, 7.6%, 5.1%, 6.3%, and 72.6%, respectively. Average Ca, Mg, P and K levels were 0.5%, 0.2%, 0.2%, and 2.0%, respectively. Total phenols were 0.4%. Cluster analysis showed that the study area may be divided into three distinct provenances, each having different drupe traits and proximate composition, including mineral components. Gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry analysis revealed 27 phytochemicals, many of which possess beneficial biological attributes. The implications of this provenance variation study should be useful for future improvement in terms of better drupe pulp nutrition for livestock feed. Further study suggests that M. dubia pulp could be categorized as a good feed source with low fibre, energy, fat and mineral levels. All proximate parameters, mineral matter content and total phenols are within prescribed limits.

A laboratory experiment was conducted at Food Quality Testing Laboratory, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari to study the dissipation behaviour of fipronil and its metabolites in clay soil under laboratory condition. In method verification, acetonitrile based extraction and dispersive clean-up approach adopted to quantify the residues of fipronil and its metabolites with gas chromatography (GC-ECD) from soil was accurate, precise and sensitive enough. The soils were spiked at the rate of 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg level for single and double dose, respectively. Soil was extracted at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after incubation for residues and quantified on GC-ECD. The residues of total fipronil in soil were quantified upto 90 days after their incubation in both single and double dose. The DT50 values of sum total of fipronil and its metabolites recorded at single and double dose were found to be 28.3 and 31.9 days, respectively.

A field experiment was conducted at Main Sugarcane Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari to study the dissipation behaviour of fipronil and its metabolites in sugarcane grown soil. The fipronil 0.3 GR was applied at standard and double dose i.e. 100 and 200 g ai ha-1 in gross plot when sugarcane crop was four month old. The soil sampling was done at 0 (2 hrs.), 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 and90 days after application of fipronil. In method verification, acetonitrile based extraction and dispersive clean-up approach adopted to quantify the residues of fipronil and its metabolites with gas chromatography (GC-ECD) from soil was accurate, precise and sensitive enough. Persistence study indicated that residues of fipronil progressively dissipated and reached BQL (

A study was performed to determine the effect of soil amendments on persistence of hexaconazole and tebuconazole in soil and its residues in tomato. A typical black cotton soil was amended with FYM, gypsum, biocompost @ 5 tonnes/ha. The amended and unamended soils were treated with hexaconazole and tebuconazole at the rate of 2 mg/kg. Analytical protocol adopted for the analysis of residues of these fungicides from unamended and amended soil, and tomato fruits were validated. The linear range of hexaconazole was 0.05-1.0 mg/kg and for tebuconazole was 0.25-5.0 mg/kg on GC-ECD and GCMS-ITD, respectively. The extraction procedure for soil (amended and unamended) and tomato fruits were accurate and precise as the recovery and % RSD of hexaconazole and tebuconazole in amended and unamened clay soil and tomato fruits were in the range of 74.88 -112.98 and 1.56-16.0%, respectively. The LOD and LOQ of analytical method was less than 0.1 mg/kg for all the matrices analyzed. The persistence of hexaconazole was highest in soil amended with gypsum (DT50, 77 days) followed by biocompost (DT50, 68 days), FYM (DT50, 57 days) and without amendment (DT50, 45 days) soil. However, persistence of tebuconazole was highest in bio-compost (DT50, 69.31 days) amended soil followed by FYM (DT50, 66.01 days), gypsum (DT50, 43.87days) and unamended (DT50, 37.46 days) soil. The terminal residues of hexaconazole and tebuconazole in soil and tomato were correlated but impact of hexaconazole residues in soil on its terminal residues in tomato is quite high with respect to tebuconazole.

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is an annually cultivated food and forage crop, attacked by a large number of pests mainly pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera). For the control of this insect pest, a combination of broad-spectrum insecticides viz., chlorantraniliprole and λ-cyhalothrin have been in use to reduce the pod damage and increase crop production worldwide. Therefore, a field trial was conducted to study dissipation and persistence behavior of insecticides combination (Chlorantraniliprole 9.26 % + λ-cyhalothrin 4.63 % ZC) in/on pigeonpea at the recommended dose (RD) 30 g a.i./ha and double recommended dose 60 g a.i./ha (2RD). The quantitative analysis was performed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for chlorantraniliprole and Gas chromatography with electron captured detector (GC-ECD) for λ-cyhalothrin. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) method was validated for its accuracy, precision and sensitivity. The chlorantraniliprole persisted upto 30 days and λ-cyhalothrin persisted upto 10 days at RD and 20 days at 2RD. The half-lives (DT50) of chlorantraniliprole and λ-cyhalothrin were from 4.95 to 5.78 days and 2.48–4.33 days at recommended and double recommended dose in pigeonpea, respectively. However, residues of both insecticides measured from soil at 30th day and harvest time were below the limit of quantification (LOQ). The waiting period deciphered for chlorantraniliprole and λ-cyhalothrin applied as combi-product was 9 days at recommended dose. Dietary risk assessment (Risk quotient

Microbial cellulases have been receiving worldwide attention, as they have enormous potential to process the most abundant cellulosic biomass on this planet and transform it into sustainable biofuels and other value added products. The synergistic action of endoglucanases, exoglucanases, and β-glucosidases is required for the depolymerization of cellulose to fermentable sugars for transformation in to useful products using suitable microorganisms. The lack of a better understanding of the mechanisms of individual cellulases and their synergistic actions is the major hurdles yet to be overcome for large-scale commercial applications of cellulases. We have reviewed various microbial cellulases with a focus on their classification with mechanistic aspects of cellulase hydrolytic action, insights into novel approaches for determining cellulase activity, and potential industrial applications of cellulases.

The present study employs the use of combinatorial statistical approach for the optimization of media components for the enhanced production of complete cellulase system by Aspergillus niger C-5. Kitchen waste residue, a biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste was used as a substrate for growth and production of complete fungal cellulase system under solid state fermentation conditions. A total of 23 media components affecting cellulase yields were first statistically screened employing a 2-level Plackett-Burman design model. Response surface methodology (RSM) was then used to optimize the concentration of most significant factors including tryptone, SDS, NH4Cl and NaCl affecting cellulase yields. The concentrations of four medium components that led to the maximum production of complete cellulase system as optimized using RSM were tryptone, 400 mg; SDS, 0.60 mg; NH4Cl, 2.5 mg; NaCl 1.50 mg/5 g of dry substrate. The optimization of medium components by combinatorial statistical approach led to the fine tuning of cellulase production thereby enhancing the activities of all components viz CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase by 2.04, 1.58, 1.74 folds respectively exhibiting the highest yields of 110, 19 and 66 U/g dry substrate.

The impact of shade net intensity on plant growth and on the yield components root yield, time of root harvest and shatavarin IV content in roots of shatavari were observed. The plants were grown under different green shade net intensity (SNI) (0, 25, 50, 75 and 90%) and harvested at three different times (06, 12 and 18 months of transplanting). The maximum number of stems/plants, stem weight, root length, root diameter, fresh root weight and dry root weight were observed under 0% SNI followed by 25% SNI. Shatavarin IV content in roots was higher all plants raised under all SNIs as compare to 0% SNI (open field conditions) however, it was maximum (8.53 μg g−1) in plants under 25% SNI. Total chlorophyll and carotenoids content were increased with increase in SNIs. Maximum root yield gain was observed at twelve months after transplanting (TP) as compared to six and eighteen months of harvesting. This study indicates that shatavari could be cultivated as an intercrop (25% SNI) for fetching higher shatavarin IV content without causing significant root yield loss.

Effect of sun drying followed by grinding on the residues of pesticides in chilli is reported. Fipronil 5 SC, λcyhalothrin 5 EC, ethion 40 EC, cypermethrin 5 EC, fenpropathrin 30 EC and fenazaquin 10 EC, applied twice at recommended doses on chilli fruits, revealed that the residues of all the insecticides concentrated by a factor of 5.02 to 8.57 due to the drying followed by powdering process.

This study concerned with the optimization of fermentation parameters for the hyper production of mannanase from Fusarium oxysporum SS-25 employing two step statistical strategy and kinetic characterization of crude enzyme preparation. The Plackett-Burman design was first used to screen out the important factors in the culture medium which were found to be: 20% (w/w) wheat bran, 2% (w/w) each of potato peels, soybean meal, malt extract, 1% tryptone, 0.14% NH4SO4, 0.2% KH2PO4, 0.0002% ZnSO4, 0.0005% FeSO4, 0.01% MnSO4, 0.012% SDS, 0.03% NH4Cl, 0.1% NaNO3 in brewer’s spent grain based medium with 50% moisture content, inoculated with 2.8×107 spores and incubated at 30oC for 6 days. Out of twenty seven factors, four variables including soybean meal, FeSO4, MnSO4 and NaNO3 were selected to study the interactive effects and optimum level of these variables in central composite design of response surface methodology. The final mannanase yield was 193 IU/g which was active at broader temperature and pH range and could result in 26.6% reduction in kappa number with 4.93% higher tear index and 1% increase in brightness when used to treat the wheat straw based kraft pulp. The hydrolytic potential of enzyme was demonstrated on both locust bean gum and guar gum.

Brewer's spent grain (BSG), a brewery waste was used as a substrate for cellulase production employing a laboratory isolate of Aspergillus sp. SS-25 under solid state fermentation as well as for cellulosic ethanol production. The cultural parameters and media components were statistically optimized for enhancing the cellulase yields employing Plackett-Burman design model. A near-optimum medium formulation for maximum cellulase production by the fungus was determined that increased the CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase yields by 3.1, 3.6 and 2.1 folds, respectively. Predicted results showed that supplementing malt spent grain with 20% (w/w) wheat bran, 2% each of potato peels, peptone, soyabean meal, tryptone, malt extract, 0.14% NH4SO4 0.002% CoCl2, 0.0006% FeSO4 0.1% MnCl2, 0.1% NaNO3, 0.03% urea, 0.03% NH4Cl, maintaining 70% moisture content and incubation at 30°C for 6 days induced maximum production of all the components of cellulase system yielding 295, 90 and 80 IU/g respectively for CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase against the predicted yields of 289, 94 and 82 IU/g dry solids. The enzyme preparation worked well in degrading the cellulose fraction in steam pretreated BSG into glucose revealing 75% cellulose conversion efficiency by way of yielding 134 mg glucose/g of BSG. The fermentation efficiency of glucose was found to be 91% producing 78μl ethanol/g of BSG.