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Petrol contains mixture of mutagens and carcinogens which have potential health risk after prolonged occupational exposure. We have compared genotoxicity and its amelioration in blood samples from 70 petrol pump attendants, working in congested area of the Ahmedabad city, India and similar number (n = 70) of Control samples from office workers dwelling in less polluted areas of the city. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay showed highly significant frequencies of micronucleus in Exposed than in the Controls. The sister chromatid exchanges were also significantly increased while the cell cycle proliferative index was significantly decreased in the Exposed individuals than the Controls. Addition of standardized doses of vitamin C and vitamin E in the lymphocyte cultures (in vitro) significantly improved all the biomarkers. The long-term occupational petrol exposure causes genotoxic effects and use of vitamins C and E for protection should be further explored in randomized controlled studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the response of banana to boron (B) fertilization, two field experiments (main and a confirmatory trial) were conducted during 2018 and 2019 seasons in B deficient soils (Typic Rhodustalf) of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India. The treatments consisted of soil and foliar application of boron replicated thrice in a randomized block design using banana cv. Nendran as the test crop. The results of field experiments revealed that banana plants responded well to soil and foliar application of B compared to control (recommended NPK alone). Among the treatments, soil application of 10 g borax plant−1 each at 3rd, 5th and 7th month after planting (MAP) in combination with recommended NPK in B deficient soils increased the availability of B in soil, its uptake by plants and also B fractions in soils than the rest of the treatments which ultimately resulted in an increase in pseudostem height, pseudostem girth, leaf area index, chlorophyll, and dry matter production. Similarly, soil application of boron enhanced finger length, finger girth, individual finger weight, and bunch weight of banana and the cumulative effect of these yield attributes favorably increased the fruit yield of banana (33.85 t/ha), which was 25% higher than control. Banana fruit quality traits, namely, total soluble solids, total sugar, ascorbic acid, and starch content, were also favorably influenced by B application. Thus, the results clearly indicated that soil applied B recorded comparatively higher banana yield than foliar application and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]