A short review on sugarcane: its domestication,molecular manipulations and future perspectives

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a special crop plant that underwent anthropogenic evolution from a wild grass species to an important food, fodder, and energy crop. Unlike any other grass species which were selected for their kernels, sugarcane was selected for its high stem sucrose accumulation. Flowering in sugarcane is not favored since flowering diverts the stored sugar resources for the reproductive and developmental energy needs. Cultivars are vegetatively propagated and sugarcane breeding is still essentially focused on conventional methods, since the knowledge of sugarcane genetics has lagged that of other major crops. Cultivar improvement has been extremely challenging due to its polyploidy and aneuploidy nature derived from a few interspecific hybridizations between Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, revealing the coexistence of two distinct genome organization modes in the modern variety. Alongside implementation of modern agricultural techniques, generation of hybrid clones, transgenics and genome edited events will help to meet the ever-growing bioenergy needs. Additionally, there are two common biotechnological approaches to improve plant stress tolerance, which includes marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genetic transformation. During the past two decades, the use of molecular approaches has contributed greatly to a better understanding of the genetic and biochemical basis of plant stress-tolerance and in some cases, it led to the development of plants with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress. Hence, this review mainly intends on the events that shaped the sugarcane as what it is now and what challenges ahead and measures taken to further improve its yield, production and maximize utilization to beat the growing demands.

     

Growth and Nutrient Composition of Sugarcane Genotypes Subjected to Salinity and Drought Stresses

Drought and salinity individually or in combination adversely affects growth, development, and yield of sugarcane. Apart from physiological traits, nutrients status was studied in six commercial hybrids subjected to drought, salinity, and salinity + drought. Drought was simulated by withholding irrigation in the field, while salinity and salinity + drought were imposed in microplots. Physiological traits, viz, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll (SPAD) index, biomass production, and leaf area index, reduced drastically in combined stress as against individual stress treatments. Among major nutrients, phosphorus (P) reduced significantly in all the stress treatments. Similarly, iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) reduced due to stress and showed differential response for growth stages. Reduction in cane yield and sucrose percentage in stress conditions warrants supplementation of P, Fe, and Zn.     

Studies on the broodstock production and larval rearing of Coral demoiselle Neopomacentrus nemurus (Bleeker 1857)

Steps taken for broodstock development of Neopomacentrus nemurus, Coral demoiselle (Bleeker, 1857) in a hatchery, its spawning and development of egg to the juvenile stage are described. Among the three treatments tried, only the trial using Parvocalanus crassirostris nauplii as the first diet helped in the development of larvae. Larval and post‐larval growth was studied for a period of 65 days post hatch. The larva measured 2–2.4 mm in total length at the time of hatching. The mouth size of larva at the time of hatching measured 237.92 µm. By the 5th day, the width of the larval body had significantly increased. All the fins were conjoined, except for the caudal fin which had begun its appearance on the 2nd day itself. The digestive system was functional by the 5th day and the copepod remains were seen in the digestive tract. The larva metamorphosed by the 15th day with fully developed fins and fin rays. On the 20th day, the larval body had begun to display signs of fin pigmentation. The larva assumed adult pigmentation by the 35th day. By the 65th day, the larva grew to a total length of about 27 mm and weighed about 0.56 g.     

Impact of mangrove vegetation on seasonal carbon burial and other sediment characteristics in the Vellar-Coleroon estuary,India

This work quantified the total carbon and 12 other sediment characteristics at 10 soil depths, in planted and or natural mangrove forests in comparison with non-vegetated soil for four seasons of the year 2009-2010 in the Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex, India. The sedi- ment characteristics varied significantly between mangrove-vegetated and non-vegetated habitats or seasons of analysis, but not between soil depths. The mangrove sediments were rich in total carbon and total or- ganic carbon as compared to non-mangrove sediments （p 〈0.01）. Total carbon was 98.2% higher in mature mangroves and 41.8% in planted mangroves than that in non-mangrove soil. Total organic carbon was as much as 2.5 times greater in mature mangroves and 2 times greater in planted mangroves than that in unvegetated soil. Carbon contents also varied many fold by season. Total carbon content was 8.6 times greater during pre-monsoon, 4.1 times greater during post-monsoon and 2.5 times greater during monsoon than during summer （P〈0.01 in all cases）. Similarly, total organic carbon was 5.9 times greater during pre-monsoon, 3.1 times greater during post-monsoon and 69% greater during monsoon than during summer. In general, higher levels of sediment carbon were recorded during pre and post-monsoon seasons than during other seasons. Total carbon concentration was correlated negatively to temperature, sand and phosphorus （P 〈0.01）; positively correlated with redox potential, silt, clay, C/N ratio, potassium （P 〈0.01） and nitrogen （P〈0.05）; but not correlated with soil depth, pH or salinity. This work revealed that the carbon burial was rapid at the annual rate of 2.8% for total carbon, and 6.7% for total organic carbon in mangrove-planted sediment. Cleating of mangroves can result in significantly and rapidly reduced carbon stores.Our study highlights the importance of natural and plantation mangrove stands for conserving sediment carbon in the tropical coastal domain.