♠ From decaying fruits, vegetables, toddy samples and lignocellulose feeding insects and their frass material 35 isolates of yeast were identified. The qualitative ethanol producing ability of these yeast cultures utilizing glucose, sucrose and xylose were carried out. Presence of ethanol in the culture was analyzed using gas chromatograph. Four cultures were identified as ethanol producers from glucose, sucrose and xylose.

♠ Evaluation of anti-oxidants in sugarcane germplasm has been initiated for exploitation of commercial extraction. High amount of catechins, quercetin, syringic acid and flavones were observed in the nine red fleshed Saccharum robustum clones studied using HPLC. Eight major active antioxidant compounds were observed in the clones through TLC fractionation.