In order to control the runoff water and soil erosion and to protect the lower agricultural lands in the plains of Vellar watershed Tamil Nadu, land developmental activities such as “V” trenches, afforestation, construction of check dams were taken up in the upper non arable areas. These measures besides conserving the soil and rain water enhanced the agricultural productivity, the cropping intensity and consequently the production and net income of the farming community substantially.

A study on the tree and sapling population of the major species of the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh was conducted during 2996. Enumeration of the number of tree (>5 cm diameter at breast height) was done in temporary sample plot in all the three ecological zones (Fresh water, moderately saline and strongly saline). The results revealed that the number of major species differed between zones; maximum was in moderately saline water zone (12 spp.) and the minimum in strongly saline water zone (6 spp.), fresh water zone had nine major species. Sundri (Heritiera fomes), and Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), were dominant in fresh water zone with 1925 and 1205 trees ha^-1 and 34080 and 18293 saplings ha^-1 respectively. In moderate saline zone Sundri and Gewa 1040 and 666 trees ha-1 and 26826 and 34794 saplings ha^-1 and in strong saline zone 224 and 3834 trees ha^-1 and 6880 and 5280 saplings ha^-1 respectively.

There are about 22 plant species in seedling stage at 300-400 m, 26 at 400-500 m and 33 at 500-600 m elevation where per cent contribution of seedlings to that of total enumerated varies from 27 to 96%, 28 to 100% and 37 to 100% respectively. Regeneration of Aegle marmelos and Dalbergia paniculata is confined to 300-400 m while Stereospermum suaveolens, Boswellia serrata, Terminalia chebula, Semicarpus anacardium and Sterculia urens to 400-500 m and Anthocephalus cadamba, Soymida febrifuga, Gardenia gumifera, Butea monosperma, Cassia fistula to 500-600 m elevation. The distribution pattern of natural regeneration is characterised by contagious distribution. Ratios of individuals of mature trees and seedling of the same species vary from 1:166 to 1:4 at 300-400 m, 1:128 to 1:0.86 at 400-500 m and 1:98 to 1:3 at 500-600 m elevation.

The soil erosion by water is a complex process of detaching soil particles and transporting them down slope. Erosion index and precipitation index were calculated which showed a straight line relationship. Soil splashed under plant cover and bare slopes were compared. Various processes of soil erosion and classification, structure, extent and formation of ravines along the banks of river Kshipra and its tributaries have been dealt with.

Pot experiments were performed to evaluate the extent of accumulation of lead, cadmium and mercury under different concentrations. Plants did not survive if they wax dosed with 800 µg/ml or more for mercury and 1000 µg/ml for lead and cadmium. The order of accumulation is lead >cadmium>mercury. Present studies suggest that Mussaenda luteola can be used to remove heavy metals from the polluted soils.

The nodulation status of Acacia catechu seedlings at the nursery level in the mid hill region of Himachal Pradesh was not very good. Considerable variation in the number of nodules and in seedling height growth was observed both within and amongst the nursery sites. The relationship between number of nodules and seedling growth was not consistent. The present study illustrate the importance of seed treatment with site specific of rhizobia so as to overcome the variation in the nodulation status.

Phytosociological studies were taken up in four oak forest sites with various levels of disturbances in Manipur, N.E. India. The most dominant species was found to be Q. serrata and co-dominant was Q. dealbata. Different plant species were subjected to interspecific correlation studies. The plant species have exhibited positive correlation among them in four forest sites. The correlation co-efficient values were used in grouping and ordering of species into five correlation classes. Analysis for correlation has been attempted.

High nodulating mutants (two) or rhizobia associated with arid woody legume Prosopis juliflora have been isolated following ultraviolet irradiation of the parent rhizobial strain PJ -29, which is simultaneously resistant to chloramphenicol and streptomycin in addition to being nod* (nodulation positive). The isolated mutants (PJ-29_a and PJ-29_b) produce 16and 13 nodules/seedling as compared to only 3 produced by parent strain PJ-29 in 45 days old host seedlings. There is 33 and 37% increase in shoot length and 28 and 30% increase in plant dry weight in mutants PJ-29_a and PJ-29_b respectively over the wild type parent strain.

Thirteen pre-sowing water treatments were imposed on teak (Tectona grandis L.) seeds and were sown in 20 cm raised beds in lines placed 10 cm apart and seeds were placed 5 cm apart in these lines covered with 1 cm sand. The beds constitute 5 cm of top layer of the sand containing well rotten F.Y.M. Seeds beds were irrigated thrice a day till final germination was recorded on 75^th day of sowing. Seeds alternately soaked in fresh water and dried in air three times at 24 hrs interval started germination after 14 days of sowing while maximum percentage of germination (60.5%) and germination value (0.75) were recorded in seeds dipped for 6 minutes in hot water at 50⁰C + 10 minutes air cooling + 6 minutes hot water + 10 minutes air cooling + 6 minutes hot water dipping before sowing in the seed beds.

Effects of N and K levels and methods of N application to Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings were studied under nursery conditions. For N levels (15, 30, 45 and 60 kg per ha); two application methods (full dose at pricking-out; two equal splits); and two K levels (20 ^ 40 kg per ha) with a common control were tested in a randomized block design. 30 kg N applied in two equal splits (half at planting and half one month later) and 20 kg K per ha produced maximum biomass yield of stem, leaf, root, number of nodules per plant and total biomass.

An experiment of mixed plantation of teak (Tectona grandis L.) and Khadsarani (Ccasuarina equisetifolia L.) with Sandalwood (Santalum album L.) as a parasite was conducted at Agricultural College Farm, Kolhapur to study their suitability on marginal soils. It is observed that during 12 to 18 months growth was higher in teak followed by Casuarina and Sandalwood. All three species exhibited an excellent growth without hampering each other. Thus it is suggested that marginal soils of the region can be utilized successfully for plantation of valuable species like teak, Casuarina and sandalwood in combination.

A field trail was conducted near Sutlej river at village Khaira, District Ludhiana (Punjab) India during the Rabi season of 1993-94, to study the ‘Production potential of poplar-wheat based agroforestry system in relation to wheat varieties and their dates of sowing’. Ten varieties of wheat with five dates of sowing were sown for inter cultivation under poplar (Populus deltoids) clone G-48 spaced at 4.8 x 4.8 metre, planted in February, 1990. The results indicated that highest grain yield of wheat was observed in PBW-226 cultivar over different dates of sowing, although its grain yield was at par with other wheat cultivars, viz., WH-542, HD-2285, HD-2329, PBW-154 and PBW-299. Poor performance was noticed in case of CPAN-3004 and WL-1562. Dates of sowing influenced the grain yield of wheat significantly. Maximum grain yield (27.82 q/ha) was recorded when wheat crop was sown on November 3. Thereafter grain yields were significantly reduced by 23.71, 50.29 and 74.65 per cent where sowing of wheat was delayed to November 18, December 3, December 18, respectively.

The primrose plants began to flower 161 days after sowing from the 13^th node onwards with a flowering duration of 64 days. The flowers are axillary, solitary and bisexual. Flower development took eleven days from the visible stage of bud initiation to the full bloom stage. The length and diameter of the fully developed flower bud were 6.0 cm and 0.69 cm, respectively. Anthesis occurred between 6.0 p.m. and 11 p.m. and its peak period was at 10 p.m. Anther dehiscence was prior to anthesis, it was between 6 a.m. and 12 noon with a peak at 9 a.m. The pollen grain size was 173.47 µm. The stigma was receptive on the day (100%) and one day before (92%) anthesis.

The paper reports bifurcation, fasciation and fusion in the leaves of fifteen Angiospermic plants collected from different collection sites in different areas of Northern India. Three plates with figures on specimens – examined have been provided.

Symplocos monantha Wight (Symplocaceae), described in 1848 has not been recollected and hence considered extinct. It is now collected after a gap of 150 years from Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala.

During intensive botanical collections conducted in Kemmangundi Medicinal Plants Conservation Area (MPCA), the authors have collected one interesting species of Asclepiadaceae, which after critical study confirmed as Bidaria indica. Rahman & Wilcock. It is collected after type collection in a lapse of about 140 years, other than the type locality, which also forms a new report for Karnataka State. Hitherto the fruits are described here for the first time. A complete description with ecological notes, associated plants, etc., is provided here for better understanding of this insufficiently known taxon.

Fungi associated with seeds of Dalbergia sissoo, Azadirachta indica, Paulownia fortune, Albizia procera, Strychnos nuxvomica and Plantago ovata were studied. In all 22 fungi belonging to 15 genera were recorded on seeds under study. A wide variability was observed in seed mycoflora of stored and freshly collected seeds. Stored seeds in general possessed more number of fungi in comparison to freshly collected seeds. Seed treatment with fungicides namely Thiram, Dithane M-45, Bavistin and Emisan was found effective in controlling seed mycoflora. The fungicides differed in the order of efficacy depending on the composition of seed mycoflora.

The present investigation is aimed at the assessment of the edaphic nature of the Woodland habitat of the Dudhawa National Park (DNP). It is elucidated from the results that mechanically; soils are competent to hold the vegetations in their present form. Chemically, the soils, in general, possess significantly the high quantum of silica, sesquioxides and iron-oxide. Their organic carbon and nitrogen content are satisfactory only in the surface soils but their water holding capacity and porosity are quite congenial to bear the vegetations of either evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous in nature. In the end paper has been concluded with possible suggestions.

The present paper provides the descriptions of 5 lichen species belonging to families Usneaceae, Lecideaceae and Umbilicariaceae, collected from western part of the Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica, Umbelicaria Antarctica and U. vellea are new additions to the study site.