Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the world’s leading cereal crop and is unanimously consumed as staple food product of almost hundred percent Pakistani nationals as well as about 1/3 rd population of the world. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important cash crop of Pakistan but the yields of wheat and cotton in Pakistan have been stagnated throughout the preceding decade due to improper fertilizer management and non- exploitation of micronutrients specially boron. Boron (B) is extraordinary amongst the microelements in that an extremely diminutive amount is required for ordinary growth and maturity of plants, and simply somewhat greater B concentrations are toxic. A three- year (2005-2008) study was initiated to determine the boron status of soils under wheat- cotton system and also to assess the relationship between soil B and physico-chemical properties of soils. B content present in canal and tubewell waters being used by wheat- cotton, were also assessed. The responses of cotton and wheat crops to foliar and soil applied B were also studied under field conditions. Almost all the soils were calcareous in nature (92 % area), alkaline in reaction (83 % area had pH > 8) and 100 % area had OM < 1 %. In case of soil B content, 82 % soils were deficient in B (0.10 to 0.45 μg g -1 ), 15 % were adequate (0.46 to 0.55 μg g -1 ) and only three samples were sufficient (0.56- 0.91 μg g -1 ). More B was observed in the fine textured soils (28 % area). Low B concentrations were observed in wheat and cotton plants. The average B concentrations during 2006 and 2007 in wheat leaves were 8.86 and 4.41 mg kg -1 , and in cotton 37.78 and 15.83 mg kg -1 . Mean B content in canal water was more during monsoon season (0.14±0.10 mg L -1 ) as compared to that during winter season (20±0.13 mg L -1 ), respectively. Whereas, B concentration was more in tubewell waters as compared to that in canal waters. B fractionation study revealed that the highest mean plant available B (0.32±0.12 mg kg -1 ) was obtained by hot water extraction followed by 0.05M HCl (0.31±0.12 mg kg -1 ), and 1:2 water extraction whereas the lowest B concentration was extracted by 0.005M DTPA. Total soil B content of all the soils varied from 15.61 to 152.80 mg kg -1 and it was further fractionated by using 0.05 M HCl (readily soluble B), 0.05 M KH 2 PO 4 (exchangeable B), 0.02 M HNO 3 -H 2 O 2 (extractable B), 0.25 M NH 4 - oxalate extractable B and the residual B. The highest mean B fraction was the residual fraction (70.50 mg kg -1 ) whereas the lowest was the water soluble B (0.33 mg kg -1 ). Field 15experiments were conducted at three different textured soils (loam, sandy clay loam and silt loam). Ten B treatments were applied to soil (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, 2.00 and 3.00 kg B ha -1 at sowing along with recommended NPK fertilizers for -1 cotton and wheat. Whereas five B levels (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 kg ha ) were used for foliar application in three replications in RCBD, while all other recommended nutrients for cotton and wheat were applied. Foliar sprays were performed on cotton before flowering, at flowering and at boll formation stages while on wheat before tillering, at booting and at milking stages. B application as soil and foliar sprays significantly increased the number of bolls, boll weight, lint, seed cotton, dry matter yield, lint percent, leaf B concentration and total B uptake. Foliar use of B (0.50 kg B ha - 1 ) increased the seed cotton yield by 25.60 % over control on loamy soil followed by that on silt loam soil (23.80 %), however during the next year (2007), seed cotton yield mildly decreased compared to first year at the same B application level of 0.50 kg B ha -1 but it remained significantly higher than control by 8 and 21.50 % at loam and silt loam soil (23.80 %), respectively. Likewise, wheat crop significantly responded to B application both as soil and foliar in terms of grain and straw yields, number of grains spike -1 , 1000- grain weight, plant height, plant B concentration and total B uptake while it had non- significant effects on tillering and protein content. B application improved the grain yield by around 6, 9.60 and 6 % at B application levels of 0.50, 0.75 and 1 kg ha -1 , respectively. Finally, the residual or carry-over study revealed significant responses of wheat crop to residual B applied to previous cotton crop. Residual B significantly improved the grain and straw yields, number of grains spike -1 , 1000-grain weight, plant height, plant B concentration and total B uptake and protein content of wheat. The highest and the lowest protein content of 14.54 and 11.17 % were obtained with residual B levels of 1.50 and 3 kg ha -1 , respectively.
Hinduism has been viewed by Semitic religions as a religion devoid of revelation. Early, Medieval and modem Muslim and Christian writings have often portrayed Hinduism as pagan even satanic while Hindus for millennia have claimed to be divinely revealed. Is Hinduism really a revealed religion and if so, what kind of a revelation does it have? In what manner does the divine reveal himself and who are the recipients of this revelation? To what extent is this concept different from ours? Does the process of revelation continue or has it been discontinued? These are some of the more significant questions that this article shall engage with. It clarifies that Hindus have books which they consider revealed and look upon much as Muslims look upon their Qur’an. The most significant of these among a majority of the Hindus are called the Vedas, literally, knowledge. It goes on to introduce the Vedas with respect to their various parts and content, what Hindus largely believe about it and how they ensured its preservation and safe transmission to later generations through various intricate and elaborate memorization techniques. The article highlights the importance of rishl, the recipients of these revelations, their kinds, characteristics and role in the process of revelation. The article contends that there is much in common between Rishland Semitic prophets with respect to their characteristics but that the similarities do not end here. Rather there is much more common ground to be explored with respect to revelation and its contents and its conveyors than meets the eye.
Flaxseed or linseed (Linum usitatissimum) belonging to family lineaceae is an ancient crop and has been grown for its fiber (linen) and oil seeds since 9000 to 8000 B.C. Flaxseed is cultivated in almost fifty countries of the world including Pakistan. Flaxseed is a rich source of alpha linolenic acid, very efficient antioxidant system and dietary fiber. These characteristics and the health benefits associated with these characteristics of flaxseed have made it a great attraction for the researchers in the field of functional foods and neutraceuticals. Keeping in view the immense importance of flaxseed as neutraceutical and functional food, the present study was planned to assess the nutritional composition, oil characteristics and antioxidant potential of different flaxseeds cultivars grown in Pakistan. Moreover qualitative and quantitative analysis of the flaxseed phenolics was done by HPLC and LC-MS. The proximate analysis of flaxseed that the oil, moisture, crude protein, fiber and ash contents in the seeds of different cultivars of flaxseed were observed to range from 33.25 to 38.38%, 5.98 to 6.22%, 16.02 to 18.50%, 23.30 to 26.80% and 3.21 to 3.60% respectively. Gamma tocopherol was observed to be the major tocopherol present in the oil with minor contents of alpha tocopherol. The unsaturated fatty acids in the oils extracted from different cultivars were observed to be in the range of 88.79 to 89.78%, with alpha linolenic acid with the highest contents and ranged from 44.51 to 54.87%. From the data for the physicochemical characteristics of the oils it was observed the oils were up to the mark in quality as compared to the international standards. 80% aqueous ethanol and methanol were the most effective solvents for recovering antioxidant components from flaxseed while the pure ethanol and acetone had shown the least efficacy towards isolation of flaxseed antioxidants as established by the antioxidant activity analysis by different methods. Furthermore, the sonication assisted shaking proved to be superior in extraction of antioxidant components. HPLC and LC-MS analysis established that SECO (secoisolariciricinol) was the major phenolic (lignan) and dominated all the other phenolic compounds. SDG, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid and gallic acids were the other phenolic compounds detected in the flaxseed. The data presented would certainly help to ascertain the potency of the flaxseeds grown in Pakistan, as viable source of natural antioxidants and alpha linolenic acid, thus suggest their uses for nutraceutical and functional food applications.