Prelims Facts 5 October 2020 is an extra read for UPSC IAS Prelims exam.
Madhuca diplostemon
Why in News ?
Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) in Kerala have rediscovered an endangered tree species Madhuca diplostemon 184 years after its first collection.
Madhuca diplostemon
- A tree from the species has been identified in front of Koonayil Ayiravilli Siva temple at Paravur in Kollam district.
- Madhuca diplostemon a species of flowering plant from Sapotaceae family, has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
- This tree is the only known individual from the species.
- The species was a highly local endemic with a few individuals in the past which were inadvertently removed for temple expansion in recent years.
- Since the species is represented by a single mature individual in a single locality, it is assessed here as critically endangered, as per IUCN criteria.
- This tree is about 4-metres tall, its bark fissured, and leaves spirally arranged and crowded towards the branch tips.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- Founded in 1964, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
- IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations.
- It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 17,000 experts.
- This diversity and vast expertise makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
- IUCN aims to have the category of every species re-evaluated every five years if possible, or at least every ten years.
Various Categories Under IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Extinct (EX) – No known living individuals
- Extinct in the wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range
- Critically endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
- Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild
- Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild
- Near threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future
- Least concern (LC) – Lowest risk; does not qualify for a higher risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.
- Data deficient (DD) – Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction
- Not evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.
Source : Indian Express
Xoo Threat for Rice
Why in News ?
A scientist has uncovered the mechanism by which a bacterium called Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae) that causes a serious bacterial leaf blight disease in rice interacts with rice plant and cause disease.
Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae)
- Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae, or commonly known as Xoo infection, cause huge yield losses to rice cultivation throughout the world.
- Treatment of rice with cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme secreted by Xoo induces rice immune responses and protects rice from subsequent infections by Xoo.
- Biochemical and functional studies on plant cell wall degrading enzymes secreted by Xoo, which has provided key insights into the mechanisms by which the Xoo pathogen interacts with rice plant and cause disease.
- improving the resistance of rice plants by introducing Resistance “R” genes has been the best way to control this disease
- It involves breeding or gene manipulation techniques that are laborious and time-consuming.
- Also, the introduced of R genes provide only race-specific resistance that will prevent infections by only specific strains of Xoo.
Source : PIB
Chardham Project
Why in News ?
The chairman of a Supreme Court-appointed expert committee has alleged violations of the court orders in the execution of the Chardham road project a 900-km, ₹12,000-crore enterprise to connect pilgrimage spots in Uttarakhand.
About Chardham Project
- The project will connect Badrinath Dham, Kedarnath Dham, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and part of the route leading to Kailash Mansarovar yatra through development of 889 km length of national highways.
- It is a proposed two-lane expresses National Highway with a minimum width of 10 metres in the state of Uttarakhand.
- The whole project is estimated to cost Rs 12,000 crores.
- Once completed it will help in facilitating speedy movement of traffic.
- Latest Austrian Technology has been used in the construction of the Chamba Tunnel.
Source : The Hindu
Science Technology and Society (STS) Forum
Why in News ?
Science & Technology Ministerial Roundtable, organized in the 17th annual Science Technology and Society (STS) Forum.
About the Forum
- The STS forum aims to provide a new mechanism for open discussions on an informal basis.
- Also to build a human network that would, in time, resolve the new types of problems stemming from the application of science and technology.
- Science and Technology Ministers’ Roundtable is held along with the STS forum every year.
- Scientific data sharing is being considered for inclusion in the New S T I P 2020 (Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 2020) being framed.
- The online Science & Technology Ministerial Roundtable hosted by Japan.
- It saw the participation of S&T heads from about 50 countries around the world and explored the opportunities arising from international collaborations in science and technology to address the challenges posed by COVID 19.
Source : PIB
Two new plant species discovered in Western Ghats
Why in News ?
Scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute in Pune have recently discovered two new species of pipeworts in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
About the Species
- The species reported from
- Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra has been named Eriocaulon parvicephalum (due to its minute inflorescence size).
- The other reported from Kumta, Karnataka is called Eriocaulon karaavalense (named after Karaavali, Coastal Karnataka region).
- Pipeworts
- Pipeworts (Eriocaulon) is a plant group which completes its life cycle within a small period during monsoon.
- It exhibits great diversity in the Western Ghats.
- Around 111 species of pipeworts are found in India.
- Most of these are reported from the Western Ghats and the eastern Himalayas, and around 70% of them are endemic to the country.
Prelims Facts 5 October 2020 includes the factual data helps in clear understanding and eliminate within the options.
Current Affairs Compilation : 5 October 2020