UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 04-01-2025

Bacterial mixture for Plant Growth

Why in News?

In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Technology and Innovation, researchers have used the power of specific bacterial species to remove organic pollutants from soil.

• Bacterial mixture – Species from the genera Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, were good at breaking down aromatic compounds in contaminated soil and thereby improving soil and plant health.
• Need – Soil contaminants are toxic, can inhibit seed germination, reduce plant growth, yield and also accumulate in seeds and plant biomass. 
• Working - They break down pollutants into simpler, harmless, non-toxic compounds.
• Recover soil health – They fertilise the soil and improve soil health.
• Inhibit fungi – They produce substances like lytic enzymes and HCN (hydrogen cyanide) that can kill or inhibit the growth of plant pathogenic fungi.
• These bacteria are eco-friendly and target only the harmful fungi.

Despite the use of fungicides & disease-resistant cultivars, fungal infections still cause global crop losses of 10–23% annually, with key calorie crops in India, like rice and wheat, particularly affected.

• Make nutrients accessible to plants – They convert insoluble form of essential nutrients like phosphorus and potassium, into soluble forms and make them readily available to the plants.
• They produce siderophores, which help plants absorb iron in nutrient-limited environments.
• Improves plant growth & health – They produce high amount of growth hormone called indoleacetic acid (IAA).
• Boosts yield - They significantly boost the growth and yield of crops (wheat, mung bean, spinach, fenugreek, etc.) up to 45-50%.

Reference

The Hindu| Bacterial Mixture for Plant Growth in Contaminated Soil.

Norovirus Infection

Why in News?

Recently, the norovirus cases are raising in the United States (US).

• Norovirus – It is a highly contagious virus, an influenza virus.
• Winter vomiting bug – Since norovirus is most common during winter like bugs, it is called as Winter Vomiting Bug.
• Risk factors – All age groups get infected but more vulnerable are children younger than 5 years old, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
• Transmitted through – Contaminated food due to consumption of raw, oysters and other filter-feeding shellfish, water and surfaces
  • Primary transmission route – Oral-faecal.

• Incubation period – It develops in 1 or 2 days after exposure.
• Symptoms – Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain and dehydration (loss of body fluids).
  • Other symptoms – Fever, headache and body aches.

Norovirus is also called as Stomach Flu or Stomach Bug owing to its common symptoms associated with stomach.

Norovirus were previously known as Norwalk virus, was 1^st identified in stool specimens collected during an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Norwalk city, United States.

• No treatment – There are no vaccines available for the disease and even antibiotic drugs do not help to treat norovirus infections.
• Precautions - Washing hands repeatedly with soap after using the lavatory or changing diapers.

References

1. The Indian Express| Spread of Norovirus in US
2. CDC| Norovirus

Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT)

Why in News?

Recently, the scientists have deployed 2 telescopes under the Mediterranean Sea to detect high-energy neutrinos.

• It is an underwater Neutrino telescope.
• Aim – To study high-energy neutrinos also known as ghost particles that could reveal secrets of the cosmos.

Neutrinos are weakly interacting subatomic particles that can travel astronomical distances undisturbed. They are the 2^nd most abundant subatomic particles after photons.

• Need for underwater Neutrino telescope – While both frozen ice and deep sea waters are used for detecting neutrinos, underwater neutrino telescopes could be more efficient than IceCube.
• That is because water scatters light less, which gives a more accurate idea about where the detected neutrinos came from.

Neutrino detectors needs to be in dark because it look for flashes of Cherenkov radiation, a light that neutrinos produce when they interact with a water or ice molecule.  These flashes trace the path of that neutrino, giving details of its source, the amount of energy it contains, and its origins.

• Features – It consists of 2 telescopes made up of glass baubles arranged on vertical cables.
• Each strand dangles in the water like a pearl necklace that’s up to 700 meters long.
• Each bauble, a pressure-resistant sphere 44 centimeters wide, contains 31 photomultiplier tubes that sense light generated when neutrinos crash into the seawater.

• Deployment – Detectors are deployed in 1 month-long campaign every year and at the end of 2024, the telescopes boasted 57 strands.
  • Eventually, 100’s of such cables will sway in the currents, a few kilometers below the surface off the coasts of Sicily and the South of France.
• Sicilian telescope – Study high-energy neutrinos from space.
• French telescope – Study neutrinos from the atmosphere to understand how they oscillate, or change from 1 type of neutrino to another.
• Disadvantage of underwater neutrino telescope – Water absorbs light more and as a result, there will be less light to examine.

References

1. The Indian Express| Underwater Neutrino Telescope & its Detection
2. Science News| Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope

Related News – Neutinos and IceCube Neutrino Observatory

Export Inspection Council (EIC)

Why in News?

Recently, the Export Inspection Council (EIC) has initiated an assessment on food testing infrastructure for exports.

• EIC – It is the apex advisory body to the Government.
• Established in – 1963, under section 3 of the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963.
• Nodal agency – Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Vision – To facilitate worldwide access for Indian exports to meet international norms.
• Objectives – To create an export inspection & certification infrastructure based on International Standards for Certification Authority in consonance with World Trade Organizations requirements.
• To instill confidence in importers as well as regulatory authorities of India’s trading partners about quality and safety of products.
• Role – Notify commodities which will be subjected to quality control and/or inspection prior to export.
• Establish standards of quality for such notified commodities.
• Specify the type of quality control and/or inspection to be applied to such commodities.
• Powers – It exercises administrative control over the 5 Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs).
  • EIAs are located at Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
• Issue Certificates of origin to exporters under various preferential tariff schemes for export product.
• Certification types
  • Consignment wise inspection
  • Certification of quality of food items for export through installation of Food safety Management System in the food processing units.
• International Recognitions – It is recognized by European Union, United States, Australia, Turkey, Korea, Japan and among others.
• Initiatives – It is set to launch a user-friendly online portal integrating traceability modules, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and E-Health features.

References

1. The Indian Express| EIC & Its International Recognitions
2. EIC India| Export Inspection Council (EIC)