In Pakistan, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is becoming a major fruit crop for local and export markets but its yield is continuously declining. The aims of the current study were to determine the geographical distribution, incidence and morpho-molecular identification of major fungal pathogens associated with loquat in Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, a total number of 34 loquat orchards were surveyed during summer and winter 2014 and summer and winter 2015 in loquat growing areas of Punjab. A total number of 2720 samples (fruit, leaves and twigs) were collected from Taxila, Wah Cantt, Khanpur, Tret, Chatar, Murree, Kalar Kahar and Choa Saiden Shah. Alternaria leaf spots and fruit rot, twig dieback, anthracnose, Curvularia leaf spot and fruit rot and Fusarium fruit rot were recorded in all locations. Fungal diseases were found in all orchards and average incidence was recorded as 25.55 percent and 27.6 percent of tree in two consecutive years. The environmental conditions for the development of fungal diseases were more favorable in summer as compared to winter and due to this, the disease incidences recorded higher in summer. During the second year, increases in fungal diseases incidence were recorded in Taxila (6 percent), Wah Cantt (5.5 percent), Khanpur (1.7 percent), Tret (1.65 percent), Choa Saiden Shah (1 percent), Chatar (0.85 percent) and Murree (0.65 percent), due to dispersal of infected loquat debris in loquat orchards. A reduction in disease incidence was observed in Kalar Kahar (1 percent) due to the proper sanitation measures. Alternaria alternata, A. mali, Curvularia lunata, C. geniculata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, C. capsici, Fusarium solani and F. equiseti were isolated from the infected loquat fruit and leaves while only Lasiodiplodia theobromae was observed to cause twig dieback of xvii loquat. A total number of 843 isolates were confirmed through morphological characterizations. Alternaria sp. was exhibiting the maximum (168) isolates followed by L. theobromae (146), Colletotrichum capsici (140), Fusarium sp. (136), C. gloeosporioides (131) and Curvularia sp. (122) and Alternaria leaf spot and fruit rot was prominent in Tret (26.54 percent), Khanpur (26.19 percent), Taxila (25.76 percent) and Wah Cantt (19.23 percent) while maximum incidence of Curvularia leaf spot and fruit rot, Fusarium fruit rot, twig dieback and anthracnose (C. capsici) was recorded in Chatar (20.59 percent), Murree (20.58 percent), Choa Saiden Shah (20 percent) and Kalar Kahar (17.86 percent) respectively. The pathogenic abilities of each isolate were checked on healthy loquat plants, detached leaves and fruit. The internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2) of 44 highly virulent fungal isolates was amplified through PCR assay and sequencing analysis of ITS regions exhibited 99 to 100 percent genetic homology with previously reported isolates. Five multi-genes sequence analysis viz ITS, translocation elongation factor 1-α (EF), beta-tubulin (BT), actin (ACT) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) confirmed these pathogens at species level. The morphological characterization and multigene sequence analysis confirmed Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Curvularia lunata, C. geniculata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, C. capsici, Alternaria mali, A. Alternata, Fusarium solani and F. equiseti. The geographical distributions, incidences and morpho-molecular identification of major fungal pathogens is providing the guidelines for new researcher working on disastrous pathogens of loquat in Punjab Pakistan and this information will act as a remedy for development strategies of proper management of these destructive fungal pathogens.
The North-West Frontier region of the British Empire in India during the Great Game was part of the ‘Ring Fence Strategy’, framed by the Raj against its adversaries and rivals in Central and South Asia. To protect her ‘Jewel in the Crown’- India, the British Raj made several moves in the strategically placed Pukhtun1 land. The Pukhtun populace, adherent to their centuries old code of conduct, Puḳhtūnwali, consistently resisted the British encroachment of their territory. Mirza Ali Khan, popularly known as Faqir Ippi, was one of the many freedom fighters who challenged the imperialist power in this region. Taking notice of Islam Bibi’s case, a Hindu Convert, Faqir Ippi mobilized the Pukhtuns of Waziristan in defying and fighting the British. He was a serious contestant to the British authority with his well-known fighting skills, effective planning and guerilla tactics in one of the most difficult terrains. The entire Tribal Belt, especially Waziristan, proved to be a ‘turbulent frontier’ for nearly eleven years, i.e. 1936-1947. This insurgency started bringing bad name to the crown and encouraging others to rise against the British. To contain and end Faqir Ippi’s resistance, Governor George Cunningham hired the locals to instigate and bribe his followers to rise and fight against him. The aim of this paper is a critical evaluation of the British strategy in this region and an appraisal of Faqir Ippi’s response and assessment of how successful he was in invigorating Pukhtun resistance to defend their motherland, using both colonial and local sources.
Present study was designed to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and self esteem
among sighted and visually impaired school students. The main objectives of this study were to measure self
esteem of sighted and visually impaired students, to measure emotional intelligence level of sighted and
visually impaired students, to compare self esteem and emotional intelligence of sighted and visually impaired
students, to compare emotional intelligence and self esteem of sighted and visually impaired students
studying in private and public sectors institutions and to investigate the role of students' demographic
variations of gender, age, grade, family socioeconomic status, number of siblings, birth order, parental
professions and qualification in determining their self esteem and emotional intelligence levels.
In this study standardized questionnaires were used to measure emotional intelligence and self esteem,
emotional intelligence was measured by using Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Self Esteem
Questionnaire (SEQ) was used to measure students' self esteem. EIS contained 33 items comprised seven
subscales i.e. Appraisal of Emotions in Self, Appraisal of Emotions in Others, Emotional Expression, Emotional
Regulation of others, Utilization of Emotions in Problem Solving and Uncategorized. SEQ contained 36 items
comprised five subscales i.e. self — Regard, Social Confidence, School Abilities, Physical Appearance and
Physical Abilities. Cronbach's Alpha reliability of EIS and SEQ were .843 and .696. A sample comprising of 200
students was taken from sighted and visually impaired students studying at secondary schools from
Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha District and Attock. Stratified random sampling technique was used to
collect data for the study.
Research findings revealed that there is significant difference in responses between sighted and visually
impaired school students regarding emotional intelligence and self esteem, this study also reveals that there
is significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and self esteem.