Role of cathepsins B and D in proteolysis of yolk in the catfish Clarias gariepinus

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - Yolk processing pathways vary in the oocytes of benthophil and pelagophil teleosts. The present study investigated the yolk processing pattern in the oocytes of...     

Understanding genetic diversity in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] collections of Indian National Genebank

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is a protein rich pulse crop of Indian origin. The crop is cultivated in diverse range of agro-ecological regions,...     

Suppressiveness of steam-exploded biomass of Miscanthus sinensis var. giganteus against soil-borne plant pathogens

Commercial compost is a renewable resource widely used in horticulture as an organic amendment, though its suppression against soil-borne plant pathogens remains limited. Preliminary studies conducted on the disease suppression effect of the biomass waste obtained in a steam explosion plant demonstrated positive results. Steam-Exploded Biomass (SEB) of Miscanthus sinensis var. giganteus, a herbaceous perennial energy crop, is a multifunctional renewable energy resource, which could also be useful in crop protection to find valid alternative to the compost use in horticulture. The purpose of this work was to assess the suppressiveness of SEB against five plant pathogenic fungi that are important in many Italian horticultural cropping systems. Analyses of the microbial inhibitors (furfurals, organic acids and lignosulfonates) present in the SEB were performed by the High Performance Liquid Chromatography technique. Assessment of toxic effect of the furfurals present in the SEB (furfuraldehyde and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural), added to a growing medium at the different concentration ranges, was carried out in vitro on Phytophthora nicotianae, Pythium ultimum, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis and Rhizoctonia solani. The suppressiveness of SEB, added to a potting soil used in horticulture at the different doses, was tested in vivo on tomato/P. nicotianae, cucumber/P. ultimum, lettuce/F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, melon/F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis and bean/R. solani. The results showed that furfuraldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, lignosulfonates, acetic and formic acid were detected at a concentration of 2.93, 0.28, 4.12, 10.07 and 1.88 g/kg SEB, respectively. The P. nicotianae, P. ultimum and R. solani fungi were highly inhibited by the addition of 3.2 g/L furfuraldehyde and 0.48 g/L 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Moreover, the inhibitory effect was found not adequate against F. oxysporum at the same concentrations. The SEB increased significantly the suppressiveness level of the peat substrate on P. ultimum in cucumber and R. solani in bean in all the trials. For P. nicotianae in tomato, the SEB addition showed a significant suppression at the 20 and 30% doses, but the change was not significant at the 10% dose. In case of F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae in lettuce and F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis in melon, the SEB addition showed no suppressive effect with respect to compost in all the trials. In conclusion, the SEB could be used against some soil-borne fungal diseases in place of compost in the potting soil, and its suppressiveness could be related to the concentration of the microbial inhibitors produced during the processing of fresh biomass in the steam explosion plant.     

Characterization of CO2 Responsiveness in a Brassica oxycamp Interspecific Hybrid

A study of the characterization of CO₂ responsiveness in Brassica oxycamp and its parents Brassica oxyrrhina and Brassica campestris was done using open top chamber technology. The response of the X. B. oxycamp (hybrid) to elevated CO₂ was significantly positive in respect of photosynthesis and growth and similar to that of its parent B. campestris. X B. oxycamp and B. campestris with greater sink potential responded significantly, whereas B. oxyrrhina with a poor sink, did not respond to CO₂ enrichment. Photosynthetic changes at elevated CO₃ levels in the hybrid and parents are partially attributed to the CO₂ effects on stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence.     

Collection and evaluation of Hedychium species of Manipur, Northeast India

NE India is considered as one of the centre of diversity of gingers having a total account of 24 species out of the 65 valid species found in the world. Manipur is one of the seven states of NE India with a mere area of 0.7% out of the total area of India. This paper focuses on the distribution, classification and evaluation of Hedychium species collected from Manipur. A total of 11 species were collected, identified and classified based on their morphological characteristics. The species are identified as Hedychium rubrum A.S. Rao et Verma, H. coronarium Koenig, H. chrysoleucum Hook., H. coccineum Buch.-Ham., H. thrysiforme Ker-Gawl., H. flavescens Carey ex Roscoe, H. stenopetalum Lodd., H. urophyllum Lodd., H. marginatum Clarke, H. villosum Wall. and H. elatum R. Brown. Evaluation of its botanical characteristics are also conducted. Analytical hierarchy process method is used in this paper to address the possibility of analysing the potential of these diverse Hedychium resources based on their ornamental, adaptability and utilisation potential which was evaluated on 12 indicator points. H. elatum scored the highest overall index making it the most potential species for sustainable exploitation followed by H. coronarium while H. villosum ranked the lowest.     

Identification and revealing the potential traits of the unique germplasm with extended funiculus in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - An atypical morphotype of pea (Pisum sativum L.) was identified during the germplasm characterization programme at the Indian Council of Agricultural...     

Effect of thiourea on the histopathology and the reproductive performance of the male flesh fly Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.)

When newly emerged and 24-hour-old male flesh flies Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.) were fed on food containing 1.5% thiourea for 24 h, there was a small decrease in the size of the testes in both cases. Disturbance in spermatogenesis and histopathological damage were also observed in both cases. However, in the newly emerged flies the effect was mainly on secondary spermatocytes and spermatids, while in the others the effect was more pronounced on spermatogonia. The reproductive performance in respect of the production of larvae was considerably diminished in the newly emerged treated flies and was even further diminished in flies that were 24 h old when treated. The rate of adult emergence, however, remained unaffected for both kinds.