theIASHub | 23 Jul, 2025 | 25
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Beetle-fungi Alliance : Recently, researchers from the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) uncovered a serious ecological and economic threat facing Kerala, which produces 90% of India's natural rubber. A destructive alliance between the ambrosia beetle (Euplatypus parallelus) and two fungal pathogens—Fusarium ambrosia and Fusarium solani , has begun decimating rubber plantations across the state.
o Feeding Behavior: Prefer dead or dying trees to cultivate ambrosia fungi, which serve as their primary food source.
o Attraction Mechanism: Drawn to trees that emit volatile organic compounds (like ethanol) when stressed or weakened.
o First reported in India in 2012 in cashew plantations of Goa.
o Recently detected in the Irrity-Kannur rubber belt of Kerala.
o Fungal Association: Carries fungal pathogens into host trees and cultivates them within tunnels (galleries) bored into the bark.
o Considered weakly pathogenic but plays a role in tree decline when beetles bore into stressed trees.
o Carried in mycangia (specialized organs) of beetles and inoculated into tree xylem.
o Reported in Asia, Africa, and recently in India, often associated with invasive ambrosia beetles.
o A soil-borne fungus found globally and pathogenic to plants, humans, and animals.
o Plant Pathogen: Causes root rot, stem canker, and fruit rot in crops like legumes, cucurbits, and potatoes.
o Human Pathogen: Opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Brahmaputra : Recently, China officially commenced construction on a massive $170 billion hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo River, just before it enters India’s Arunachal Pradesh and becomes the Brahmaputra.
o The development has raised serious concerns in India, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, due to potential risks of sudden flooding, ecological degradation, and disruption to India’s own hydropower initiatives in the Northeast.
o About Brahmaputra : A major Himalayan river system in Asia, vital for water, agriculture, and biodiversity. It stretches over 2,900 km, flowing through Tibet, India, and Bangladesh.
o Originates from the Chemayungdung Glacier in southwestern Tibet near the sources of the Indus and Satluj rivers. In Tibet, it is known as Yarlung Tsangpo.
o India (Arunachal Pradesh): Enters as Dihang; after merging with Lohit and Dibang rivers near Sadiya, it becomes the Brahmaputra.
o Assam: Flows westward, forming river islands like Majuli and Umananda.
o Bangladesh: Known as the Jamuna, it merges with the Ganga and Meghna, forming the Sundarbans Delta.
o Major tributaries : Subansiri, Manas, Teesta, Lohit, Dibang, Kameng etc
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) : Recently, India achieved a major milestone under the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission, having screened over 6 crore individuals for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) out of the targeted 7 crore.
o Cell Shape Abnormality: Unlike healthy disc-shaped red blood cells, affected individuals have red blood cells shaped like a crescent or sickle.
o Health Impact: Leads to reduced red blood cell lifespan and chronic anemia.
- Causes poor oxygen delivery and blockages in blood vessels.
- Can result in acute pain episodes, severe infections, and tissue death (necrosis).
- Long-term damage to organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys is common.
o Prevalence in India: Primarily affects tribal populations in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
o Treatment: Gene therapy and stem cell transplantation
o Vision: To eliminate SCD as a public health problem in India by the year 2047.
o Objective: Improve healthcare access and outcomes for all SCD patients.
- Reduce the prevalence of the disease, especially among tribal populations.
- Promote awareness, screening, behavioural change, and counselling.
o Target Population: Universal screening of 7 crore individuals aged 0–40 years in high-prevalence tribal regions.
o Key Activities: Awareness generation campaigns, large-scale screening and testing, Genetic counselling and community engagement, Inter-ministerial and state collaboration for coordinated efforts.
o Focus States (17 high-prevalence states): Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.
Fusariosis : Recently, Indian researchers at the Bose Institute developed a fungus-resistant variety of pineapple by overexpressing the AcSERK3 gene, providing a sustainable and effective solution against Fusariosis
o Impact on Crop: Deforms the plant’s stem.
- Causes blackening of leaves.
- Rots the fruit internally, making it unfit for consumption.
- Leads to significant crop losses and highly unreliable harvests.
o By overexpressing AcSERK3, researchers boosted the pineapple’s natural defence system.
o The genetically enhanced plants showed greater resistance to Fusarium fungus compared to normal varieties.
o Grows best at low elevations with temperatures between 15–30°C.
o Highly drought-tolerant, due to special water-storage cells.
o Rainfall : Tolerates 600–2500 mm/year (Optimum range: 1000–1500 mm/year)
o Soil Conditions: Adaptable to various soils but cannot tolerate waterlogging.
o Can be cultivated as a monocrop or intercrop (especially with coconut).
Devadasi System : Recently, in a landmark move to enhance protection and rehabilitation for women affected by the Devadasi system, the Karnataka government is finalising a new draft law titled the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief and Rehabilitation) Bill.
o This proposed legislation aims to replace the outdated Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1982.
o Meaning of Devadasi: A girl who is "dedicated" to the worship and service of a deity or temple for life.
o Age of Dedication: Typically, girls between the ages of 8 and 16 years were inducted into the system.
o Original Role: Maintained temples and performed religious rituals.
o Trained in and performed classical Indian art forms such as Bharatanatyam and Odissi.
o It targets young Dalit girls, reinforcing patriarchal and caste-based discrimination.
o Devadasis face poor health, economic marginalization, and lack of social security.
WiFEX-II : Recently, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) announced the launch of WiFEX-II, an advanced phase of its decade-long Winter Fog Experiment, aimed at providing accurate, runway-specific fog forecasts for additional airports across north India.
o Supported by: India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
o Significance: One of the world’s few long-term open-field experiments focused exclusively on fog, a major winter hazard in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
o Objectives : To improve now-casting (next 6 hours) and forecasting of winter fog at various temporal and spatial scales.
- To reduce the adverse impact of fog on aviation, transportation, and the economy.
- To help prevent loss of human life caused by fog-induced accidents.
Smart Nano-Materials: Recently, scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, developed multi-layer nanomaterial capable of detecting hazardous chemicals and explosives such as TNT and RDX, even at extremely low concentrations.
o Unique Role of Each Layer:
- Silver Nanoparticles (Ag): Enhance Raman signals, enabling high-sensitivity detection through Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).
- Cerium Oxide (CeO₂): Prevents silver oxidation, improves stability in hot and humid conditions, and enhances electron transfer for clearer signals.
- Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO): Suppresses fluorescence noise, allowing for accurate and clean detection of molecular fingerprints.
o Fabrication Method: Developed using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) — a scalable and reproducible technique that ensures uniform layering.
- Forensic Science: Enhanced evidence collection in crime scenes involving explosives or toxins.
- Environmental Monitoring: Trace-level detection of industrial pollutants or chemical leachates.
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