Browsing by Author "Livleen Shukla"

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Crop Productivity, Grain Quality, Water Use Efficiency, and Soil Enzyme Activity as Influenced by Silicon and Phosphorus Application in Aerobic Rice (Oryza sativa)
(Bellwether Publishing, Ltd., 2020) Dinesh Jinger; Shiva Dhar; Anchal Dass; V.K. Sharma; Livleen Shukla; Manoj Parihar; Kiran Rana; Gaurendra Gupta; H.S. Jatav
The experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) application on crop productivity, grain quality, water-use efficiency (WUE), and soil enzyme activity in aerobic rice (AR) at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Four levels each of Si (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha–1) and P (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1) were tested in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) replicated thrice. The growth, yield and quality of AR were enhanced with increasing Si and P application rates and a similar trend was observed for WUE and soil enzyme activity. The highest grain yield of AR was recorded with 120 kg Si and 90 kg P2O5 ha–1 followed by 80 kg Si and 60 kg P2O5 ha–1 and the lowest in control. The grain, straw yield and water productivity increased by 10–40%, 5–30%, and 10.2–39%, respectively in different treatments over control. Though, all studied parameters showed increment with increasing dose of Si and P; however 60 kg P2O5 and 80 kg Si ha–1 were statistically superior to their other respective doses. In conclusion, supplementation of Si and P fertilizers substantially increased the AR productivity in Trans-Gangetic plains of India (Figure 1). © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Cyanobacterial based bioremediation of xenobiotics compounds
(Elsevier B.V., 2024) Sandeep Kumar Singh; Nisha Yadav; Priya Yadav; Livleen Shukla; Twinkle Pradhan; Manish Kumar; Rachana Singh; Ajay Kumar
Cyanobacterial-based bioremediation has emerged as a promising eco-friendly approach for the degradation and removal of xenobiotic compounds, which are synthetic pollutants resistant to natural breakdown processes. Xenobiotics, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and industrial chemicals, persist in the environment and pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health due to their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties. Cyanobacteria, photosynthetic microorganisms, offer a sustainable solution to this problem by utilizing their metabolic versatility and adaptation to diverse environments for the detoxification and degradation of these harmful compounds. Cyanobacteria can transform or degrade xenobiotics through various enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways, such as oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic reactions. Certain cyanobacterial strains produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which can adsorb xenobiotic molecules, reducing their bioavailability and toxicity. Additionally, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and specific enzymes such as laccases, peroxidases, and monooxygenases play crucial roles in breaking down complex organic molecules. Their potential for bioremediation is enhanced by their ability to grow in diverse environments, including freshwater, marine, and extreme conditions. In addition to degrading xenobiotics, cyanobacteria can also contribute to the recovery of polluted environments by fixing carbon and nitrogen, promoting the growth of other beneficial organisms. The integration of cyanobacterial systems in constructed wetlands, biofilms, and algal-bacterial consortia has shown promise in improving the efficiency of xenobiotic removal. However, challenges such as optimizing conditions for maximum degradation, understanding the metabolic pathways involved, and scaling up for industrial applications remain. This chapter highlights the potential of cyanobacterial-based bioremediation as a green technology for the sustainable removal of xenobiotics and emphasizes the need for further research into their practical applications in environmental restoration. © 2024
Effect of Microbial Consortium Constructed with Lignolytic Ascomycetes Fungi on Degradation of Rice Stubble
(MDPI, 2023) Kallinkal Sobha Sruthy; Livleen Shukla; Aditi Kundu; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Hissah Abdulrahman Alodaini; Ashraf Atef Hatamleh; Gustavo Santoyo; Ajay Kumar
Microbial degradation is an effective, eco-friendly and sustainable approach for management of the rice residue. After harvesting a rice crop, removal of stubble from the ground is a challenging task, that forces the farmers to burn the residue in-situ. Therefore, accelerated degradation using an eco-friendly alternative is a necessity. White rot fungi are the most explored group of microbes for accelerated degradation of lignin but they are very slow in growth. The present investigation focuses on degradation of rice stubble using a fungal consortium constructed with highly sporulating ascomycetes fungi, namely, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria spp. All three species were successful at colonizing the rice stubble. Periodical HPLC analysis of rice stubble alkali extracts revealed that incubation with ligninolytic consortium released various lignin degradation products such as vanillin, vanillic acid, coniferyl alcohol, syringic acid and ferulic acid. The efficiency of the consortium was further studied at different dosages on paddy straw. Maximum lignin degradation was observed when the consortium was applied at 15% volume by weight of rice stubble. Maximum activity of different lignolytic enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, laccase and total phenols was also found with the same treatment. FTIR analysis also supported the observed results. Hence, the presently developed consortium for degrading rice stubble was found to be effective in both laboratory and field conditions. The developed consortium or its oxidative enzymes can be used alone or combined with other commercial cellulolytic consortia to manage the accumulating rice stubble effectively. © 2023 by the authors.
Exploring Potent Fungal Isolates from Sanitary Landfill Soil for In Vitro Degradation of Dibutyl Phthalate
(MDPI, 2023) Shriniketan Puranik; Livleen Shukla; Aditi Kundu; Deeba Kamil; Sangeeta Paul; Govindasamy Venkadasamy; Rajna Salim; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Dharmendra Kumar; Ajay Kumar
Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is one of the most extensively used plasticizers for providing elasticity to plastics. Being potentially harmful to humans, investigating eco-benign options for its rapid degradation is imperative. Microbe-mediated DBP mineralization is well-recorded, but studies on the pollutant’s fungal catabolism remain scarce. Thus, the present investigation was undertaken to exploit the fungal strains from toxic sanitary landfill soil for the degradation of DBP. The most efficient isolate, SDBP4, identified on a molecular basis as Aspergillus flavus, was able to mineralize 99.34% dibutyl phthalate (100 mg L−1) within 15 days of incubation. It was found that the high production of esterases by the fungal strain was responsible for the degradation. The strain also exhibited the highest biomass (1615.33 mg L−1) and total soluble protein (261.73 µg mL−1) production amongst other isolates. The DBP degradation pathway scheme was elucidated with the help of GC-MS-based characterizations that revealed the formation of intermediate metabolites such as benzyl-butyl phthalate (BBP), dimethyl-phthalate (DMP), di-iso-butyl-phthalate (DIBP) and phthalic acid (PA). This is the first report of DBP mineralization assisted with A. flavus, using it as a sole carbon source. SDBP4 will be further formulated to develop an eco-benign product for the bioremediation of DBP-contaminated toxic sanitary landfill soils. © 2023 by the authors.
Mechanistic approaches and factors regulating microalgae mediated heavy metal remediation from the aquatic ecosystem
(Elsevier B.V., 2023) Kapil D. Pandey; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Livleen Shukla; Vineet Kumar Rai; Rahul Prasad Singh; Priya Yadav; Rajan Kumar Gupta; Prashant Kumar Singh; Kaushalendra; Ajay Kumar
Heavy metal is considered to be most lethal and toxic when entered in food chain along with terrestrial aquatic system. The waste water is an important source of deposition of heavy metals or toxic elements in the aquatic ecosystem, Hence remediation becomes very important for the survivality of living organisms present in the aquatic ecosystem. Microalga technology plays vital role in heavy metal remediation from the aquatic ecosystem as microalgae dominates over other biological organism and other traditional method to detoxify heavy metals in an eco-friendly manner. The remediated heavy metals are taken up by the microalgae as a nutrient source, which helps in producing biomass which is valorize into different forms of energy as world is facing immense energy crises, so microalgae is considered to be alternative form of fossil fuel which helps in overcoming energy crisis by producing different type of biofuel. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.
Microalgae mediated wastewater treatment and its production for biofuels and bioproducts
(Elsevier B.V., 2023) Sandeep Kumar Singh; Livleen Shukla; Rahul Prasad Singh; Priya Yadav; Ajay Kumar
Depletion of fossil has shifted focus of researchers toward biofuels. Crops and vegetable oils have not been able to meet the demand of rising population but microalgae have proved to be major producer of biofuel.1 Microalgae are photolithoautotroph comprising of prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic green algae, due to their eco-friendly nature, easily grown on arable land which make them suitable to produce biofuel.2,3 Due to generation of biomass they are also subjected to anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. Microalgal biomass is also suited to produce different bio based products, e.g., fertilizers, biomethanol, biochar etc. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.
Microbes-mediated integrated nutrient management for improved rhizo-modulation, pigeonpea productivity, and soil bio-fertility in a semi-arid agro-ecology
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2022) Gaurendra Gupta; Shiva Dhar; Adarsh Kumar; Anil K. Choudhary; Anchal Dass; V.K. Sharma; Livleen Shukla; P.K. Upadhyay; Anup Das; Dinesh Jinger; Sudhir Kumar Rajpoot; Manjanagouda S. Sannagoudar; Amit Kumar; Ingudam Bhupenchandra; Vishal Tyagi; Ekta Joshi; Kamlesh Kumar; Padmanabh Dwivedi; Mahendra Vikram Singh Rajawat
Excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers and ignorance to organic and microbial inputs under intensive cropping systems are the basic components of contemporary agriculture, which evolves several sustainability issues, such as degraded soil health and sub-optimal crop productivity. This scenario urges for integrated nutrient management approaches, such as microbes-mediated integrated plant nutrition for curtailing the high doses as chemical fertilizers. Rationally, experiment has been conducted in pigeonpea at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, with the aim of identifying the appropriate nutrient management technique involving microbial and organic nutrient sources for improved rhizo-modulation, crop productivity, and soil bio-fertility. The randomized block-designed experiment consisted nine treatments viz. Control, Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), RDF+ Microbial inoculants (MI), Vermicompost (VC), Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Leaf Compost (LC), VC + MI, FYM + MI, and LC + MI. Rhizobium spp., Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., and Frateuria aurantia were used as seed-inoculating microbes. The results indicated the significant response of integration following the trend VC + MI > FYM + MI > LC + MI > RDF + MI for various plant shoot-root growth attributes and soil microbial and enzymatic properties. FYM + MI significantly improved the water-stable aggregates (22%), mean weight diameter (1.13 mm), and geometric mean diameter (0.93 mm), soil organic carbon (SOC), SOC stock, and SOC sequestration. The chemical properties viz. available N, P, and K were significantly improved with VC + MI. The study summarizes that FYM + MI could result in better soil physico-chemical and biological properties and shoot-root development; however; VC + MI could improve available nutrients in the soil and may enhance the growth of pigeonpea more effectively. The outcomes of the study are postulated as a viable and alternative solution for excessive chemical fertilizer-based nutrient management and would also promote the microbial consortia and organic manures-based agro-industries. This would add to the goal of sustainable agricultural development by producing quality crop produce, maintaining agro-biodiversity and making the soils fertile and healthy that would be a “gift to the society.” Copyright © 2022 Gupta, Dhar, Kumar, Choudhary, Dass, Sharma, Shukla, Upadhyay, Das, Jinger, Rajpoot, Sannagoudar, Kumar, Bhupenchandra, Tyagi, Joshi, Kumar, Dwivedi and Rajawat.
Potential anti-mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of plant secondary metabolites: Insight with molecular docking interactions
(MDPI, 2021) Manu Kumar; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Prem Pratap Singh; Vipin Kumar Singh; Avinash Chandra Rai; Akhileshwar Kumar Srivastava; Livleen Shukla; Mahipal Singh Kesawat; Atul Kumar Jaiswal; Sang-Min Chung; Ajay Kumar
Tuberculosis (TB) is a recurrent and progressive disease, with high mortality rates world-wide. The drug-resistance phenomenon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major obstruction of alle-lopathy treatment. An adverse side effect of allelopathic treatment is that it causes serious health complications. The search for suitable alternatives of conventional regimens is needed, i.e., by con-sidering medicinal plant secondary metabolites to explore anti-TB drugs, targeting the action site of M. tuberculosis. Nowadays, plant-derived secondary metabolites are widely known for their beneficial uses, i.e., as antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and in the treatment of a wide range of chronic human diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), and are known to “thwart” disease virulence. In this regard, in silico studies can reveal the inhibitory potential of plant-derived secondary metabolites against My-cobacterium at the very early stage of infection. Computational approaches based on different algo-rithms could play a significant role in screening plant metabolites against disease virulence of tuberculosis for drug designing. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Significance of nanofertilizers in enhancing agricultural productivity: Current perspective
(Elsevier, 2024) Leena Shrivastava; Manohar Khatarkar; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Priya Yadav; Livleen Shukla; Manoj Kumar Solanki; Ajay Kumar
Currently to achieve food security, a large number of the population is dependent upon chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides but the continuous and undistributed use of chemicals has not only affected the texture and productivity of soil and the nutritional quality of food native microflora but also affected the environment causing soil and water pollution. In addition, the pesticide residues present in the food or fruits adversely affect human health and cause toxicity. In this regard nowadays for efficient and precise use nanofertilizers have been preferred over chemical fertilizers to enhance agricultural productivity. Nanofertilizers, a novel class of agricultural inputs, have emerged as a promising tool to enhance agricultural productivity. Their small size and high surface area enable efficient nutrient delivery, leading to improved nutrient uptake by plants. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the current perspectives on the significance of nanofertilizers in agriculture. Moreover, it also discusses the various types of nanofertilizers, their synthesis methods, and their mechanisms of action. Furthermore, it highlights the benefits of using nanofertilizers, such as increased nutrient use efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced crop yields. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Spirulina: From ancient food to innovative super nutrition of the future and its market scenario as a source of nutraceutical
(Springer Nature, 2023) Sandeep Kumar Singh; Livleen Shukla; Nisha Yadav; Prashant Kumar Singh; Shiv Mohan Singh; Mukesh Kumar Yadav; X. Kaushalendra; Ajay Kumar
In the current century, people worldwide are facing hunger due to limitations in the food supply; to combat the scarcity of food, we are looking for an alternate source of food that contains all the necessary nutrients which are present in our normal diet which boost the immune system and provide energy to our body. Spirulina belonging to Cyanophyta has emerged as food for the future or super nutrition of the future as it contains all the necessary nutrients required in our diet. Spirulina is regarded as one of the most studied and commercialized alga having a higher concentration of proteins content. Furthermore, easily digestible nature and various health benefits, the leading world organization such as WHO and FAO consider spirulina as a superfood or future food. In the existing literature, we would focus on the biochemical composition of the alga, properties that make it future food, and prospective related to the algal food and market scenario of the present and future. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.