Association of consanguineous marriages with congenital anomalies Cousin marriages and birth defects

Congenital anomalies are a major health problem all over the world; especially it is important cause of deaths and birth defects, chronic illness and disability in infants. The major cause of this is consanguineous marriages. Generation of cousin marriages have significant association with congenital anomalies Objective: To find out the association of consanguineous marriages with congenital anomaliespresent at the time of birthMethods: A cross sectional study was conducted at District Head Quarter Hospital, Okarafrom May to August, 2018. 100 adult individuals aged between 19 to 55 years, with and without cousin marriage of both genders were consecutively enrolled. Participants were assessed through pre-tested questionnaire, with prior written informed consent. Unwilling married individuals and individuals from other hospitals were not selected Results: According to resultsthere was a significant association between generation of cousin marriages with congenital anomalies present at the time of birth, as p value was 0.002Conclusions: Study concluded that the generation of cousin marriages has significant association with congenital anomalies present at the time of birth and due to cousin marriage 59% of the couples had congenital abnormalities in their children and 85% had genetic disorders.

Sustaining Soil Productivity by Integrated Plant Nutrient Management Ipnm in Wheat Based Cropping System under Rainfed Conditions

Integrated plant nutrient management emphasizes the combined use of inorganic and organic/biological sources of plant nutrients to enhance efficiency of applied nutrients, reduce environmental hazards and improve crop productivity. A field experiment pertaining to wheat based cropping system in rainfed environment was conducted at the Research Farm of Soil Science & SWC of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It was laid out according to randomized complete block design in Split-Plot arrangement with three replications. The experiment was initiated in winter 2004-05 on wheat followed by maize in summer 2005, and was repeated during the year 2005-06 in the same field with same layout of treatments. Main plot treatments of cropping systems (CS) included: wheat–fallow (CS 1 ) and wheat–maize (CS 2 ), while treatments of integrated plant nutrient management allocated to subplots were: control (without NPK fertilizer, FYM or biofertilizer); half dose of recommended N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O (60-45-30 kg ha -1 ) ; full dose of N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O (120-90-60 kg ha -1 ); FYM @ 20 t ha -1 , FYM on N requirement basis + make-up dose of P and K fertilizer; 1⁄2 NPK + 1⁄2 FYM (@ 10 t ha -1 ) ; 1⁄2 NPK + Biopower; 1⁄2 FYM + Biopower and 1⁄2 NPK + 1⁄2 FYM + Biopower. Soil analysis for physical and chemical characteristics and plant nutrients (N, P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu) at sowing and harvest stage of each crop was performed. Observations on plant growth and yield parameters were recorded at crop maturity. Nutrient concentration in the grain and straw/stalk of the wheat and maize were determined to compute nutrient uptake after the harvest of each crop. Comparison of various treatment means of integrated nutrient management practices for wheat- fallow (CS 1 ) and wheat-maize (CS 2 ) cropping systems indicated that there was2 was significant increase in yield and various yield attributes of both wheat and maize in respective growing seasons. During Rabi seasons of 2004-05 and 2005- 06, application of 1⁄2 NPK + 1⁄2 FYM + Biopower (T 9 ) produced highest grain yield of 3684 kg ha -1 and 3781 kg ha -1 for wheat respectively. During Kharif seasons of 2005 and 2006, application of 1⁄2 NPK + 1⁄2 FYM + Biopower (T 9 ) produced highest grain yield of 3128 kg ha -1 and 3119 kg ha -1 for maize respectively. The analysis of leaf and grain samples showed significant increase in N, P and K concentration due to integrated nutrient management practices for both wheat and maize during both growing seasons over control. The results revealed that as N, P and K concentration in soil was higher; these were taken up and assimilated in proportion to their concentration. Maximum N uptake of 357 kg ha -1 , P uptake of 51 kg ha -1 and K uptake of 215 kg ha -1 was recorded due to application of 1⁄2 NPK + 1⁄2 FYM + Biopower (T 9 ) for wheat during both growing seasons. Micronutrients concentration recorded significant increase in soil, plant and grain of both wheat and maize. Economic analysis of wheat-maize and wheat-fallow cropping systems revealed that wheat-maize cropping system was more profitable with integrated use of mineral and organic and/or biofertilizer under rainfed conditions. The VCR estimated for IPNM in T 9 showed that integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizer sources had better net profit for wheat yield for the farmer under rainfed condition. Thus, IPNM may prove more viable and sustainable for wheat based cropping system in rainfed Pothowar environment of Punjab province, Pakistan.