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The exponentially growing population and related anthropogenic activities have led to modifications in local environment. The change in local environment, evolving pattern of land use, concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols alter the energy balance of our climate system. This alteration in climate is leading to premature deaths worldwide. This study analyses the air quality of Singrauli region, Madhya Pradesh, India for the past 15 years. Otherwise known as Urjanchal "the energy capital" of India has been declared as critically polluted by CPCB. The study provides an updated list of thermal power plants in the study area and their emission effects on the local environment. The pollutants analyzed in the study are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide, Sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Long term remotely sensed data was obtained from NASA Giovanni for past 15 years. Statistical analysis is used to characterize seasonal and annual variations of trace gases in the study area. The study concluded that Methane, Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide and Sulphur dioxide are on an increasing trend with an average rate of 1.03, 0.99, 2.15 and 1.09 annually. Secondly, Methane & SO2, PM2.5 & NO2, PM10 & NO2, CO2 & Methane and PM2.5 & PM10 have strong correlations with a 95% significance. Furthermore, Methane, SO2 and CO2 exhibit cyclic variation with change in season. The study also indicated that maximum aerosols present in the study area are a result of anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred accessions from different lentil growing countries namely Egypt (17), Ethiopia, Iran (16), Iraq (3), Jordan (19), Lebanon (9), Morocco (15), Syria (20) and Turkey (20) were evaluated in the year 2012-13 for assessment of yield and yield characters viz., plant height, 50% flowering, days to maturity, primary branches, secondary branches, total pods per plant, filled pods per plant, unfilled pods per plant, seeds per plant, 100 seed weight and yield per plant. The genotypes had wide range of yield per plant. The genetic variability was highest in the accessions of Morocco for seeds per plant and 100 seed weight. The Lebanon accessions have 56.2 percent variation for seed yield plant-1. The exotic accessions have high variability for seed yield plant-1 (40.03%), number of filled pods (39.58%), total pods plant-1 (36.04%) and number of filled pods (39.58%). Germplasm has been grouped into 13 and 21 clusters as per group average and complete linkage basis. The clusters having single genotypes have higher inter cluster genetic distance than clusters having more than two genotypes. The genetic distance in the present germplasm is independent of geographical origin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity among five populations (Bhadbada reservoir, Mohinisagar reservoir, Bansagar reservoir, Bargi reservoir and Gandhisagar reservoir) was revealed using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. 10 random primers screened, 5 primers revealed various banding patterns and yielded 71 total loci as an average of which 39.60 (55.77%) were polymorphic between the population and 86.84% within the population of Sperata seenghala. Population wise the highest genetic polymorphism was obtained in Bhadbada reservoir as 67.61% whereas the lowest was in Gandhisagar reservoir as 49.30%. However, Analysis of Molecular Variance indicated low genetic diversity (Hpop = 0.0921 ± 0.1249; I = 0.1584 ± 0.1942) in Bansagar reservoir. Relative genetic differentiation (GST = 0.3993) and restricted gene flow (Nm = 0.7523) as an average indicated low gene diversity among the fish populations. The un-weighted pair group method with averages (UPGMA) dendrogram showed 05 major clusters, each cluster representing a population. Fish population of Mohinisagar reservoir showed high genetic distance (0.3981) with respective Bargi reservoir population and highest genetic identity (0.8846) reflected between Bansagar and Gandhisagar reservoir. Highest genetic distance between Mohinisagar and Bargi reservoir fish populations shows no significant correlation between genetic and geographical distance of the genotypes collected from different lentic and geographical isolated water bodies. This investigation indicated that lowest genetic diversity existed in different geographic populations of S. seenghala. All the five populations were found to be low in genetic variation, which is useful information for future conservation measures of S. seenghala confined in natural water bodies of Madhya Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]