AFLP Analysis of the Phenetic Organization and Genetic Diversity in the Sugarcane Complex, Saccharum and Erianthus

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were evaluated for determining the phylogenetic relationships, and the diversity in the Saccharum complex using 30 clones belonging to S. officinarum, S. robustum, S. spontaneum, S. barberi, S. sinense and the related genus Erianthus. The phenetic tree of the species clones based on AFLP data was consistent with the known taxonomical relationships. AFLP gave higher resolution of closely related species into discrete groups than that by RAPD and RFLP markers, reported earlier. The levels of diversity within the various Saccharum species were also found to be higher than those obtained previously with the same set of clones using RAPD markers. The intraspecies similarity in S. barberi and S. sinense was much higher than interspecies similarity suggesting a clear separation of the two, which are considered ‘horticultural species’. The genetic similarity matrix derived from a single primer combination highly correlated (r = 0.980) with that obtained from all the 12 primer combination used in the study, thus highlighting the efficiency of a single primer combination in delineating species relationships. All the primer combinations could identify markers that are specific to each of the species and the genus Erianthus. Among the species, specific markers were highest in S. spontaneum followed by S. robustum, S. barberi, S. officinarum and S. sinense. Erianthus had a distinct profile with 30% of the total amplified fragments being specific to it. This offers great scope for identifying intergeneric hybrids, which has been very difficult using morphological traits and RAPD markers. High degree of correspondence between the results from the cluster analysis based on Jaccard's similarity index, Neighbour Joining tree based on Sokal and Michener distance matrix and AFTD (Analyses Factorielle on Table of Distances) analysis clearly demonstrated that AFLP markers would be an appropriate tool in providing better information about the relationships among the species, estimation of diversity, and in revealing species and genus specific markers that could be directly applied in sugarcane breeding programmes.     

Adsorption and exchange of Zinc in two representative Indian soils

Preliminary investigation on Zn adsorption, exchange and fixation in two representative Indian soils (Ap-horizons of Ferralsols) showed that nearly the entire amount of added Zn could revert to “fixed” forms rendering it inaccessible, at least temporarily, to growing plant roots.     

Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate isolated from a traditional anti-tuberculosis medicinal herb inhibits drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro

Many plants are used in Ayurveda for the treatment of tuberculosis. Our aim was to examine if these plants possess any specific molecule that inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis. One of them, Kaempferia galanga, yielded an anti-TB molecule, ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC). By resazurin microtitre assay (REMA), EPMC was shown to inhibit M. tuberculosis H37Ra, H37Rv, drug susceptible and multidrug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates (MIC 0.242-0.485 mM). No cross resistance was observed to any standard anti-TB drugs in the MDR strains. The compound did not inhibit any prototype bacteria tested. EPMC seems to be a potential anti-TB lead molecule.     

Relationship of light quantity and anthocyanin production in Pennisetum setaceum Cvs. rubrum and red riding hood

Pennisetum setaceum cvs. Rubrum and Red Riding Hood are purple-pigmented ornamental grasses when grown in high-light environments. In low-light environments, foliage appears light purple or green, and as a result, aesthetic appeal is reduced. The impact of light on anthocyanin pigmentation was compared for P. setaceum Rubrum foliage and flowers and Red Riding Hood foliage grown under different light intensities and light sources. Light environments included UV supplemental light in the greenhouse, high-pressure sodium supplemental light in the greenhouse, cool-white fluorescent light in a growth chamber, and full sun outside. Anthocyanins in two cultivars of P. setaceum were analyzed by HPLC and characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectral experiments. Two anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside, were identified in the leaves and flowers of both cultivars and quantified by HPLC analysis. The major anthocyanin in both cultivars was cyanidin 3-glucoside and had highest concentration (0.199% fresh weight) in Rubrum leaves grown under fluorescent lights in the growth chamber with a photoperiod of 24 h and a daily light integral (DLI) of 13.3 mol m(-)(2) day(-)(1) and in Rubrum and Red Riding Hood leaves and flowers (0.097 and 0.12% fresh weight) from plants grown outside in full sun with a photoperiod ranging from 15 to 13.5 h and DLI of 42 mol m(-)(2) day(-)(1). The minor anthocyanin, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, had the highest quantity in plants grown in low-light-intensity greenhouse environments with a photoperiod ranging from 15 to 13.5 h and DLI of 2.3-7.0 mol m(-)(2) day(-)(1). The functional significance of anthocyanins in P. setaceum Rubrum is discussed.     

PVDF/Cu-BTC composite membranes for dye separation

Membranes with high water permeation capability as well as high rejection to dye molecules are very important for dye separation. In this study, a metal organic framework structure (Cu-BTC) was fabricated in situ on a poly(vinyl difluoride) hollow fiber support for nanofiltration of dye solution. In order to protect the Cu-BTC layer, the surface was coated by crosslinking polyvinyl alcohol. The composite membranes showed no rejection to divalent salts and high rejection to Congo Red dye. It was noticed that several Cu-BTC layers could enhance dye rejection of the composite membranes. This novel composite membrane showed promising applications in the separation of dye molecules from aqueous solutions containing dissolved salts.     

Pattern of soil moisture depletion in alley cropping under semiarid conditions in Zambia

The pattern of soil moisture changes was studied during a cropping season in an alley cropping experiment of maize withLeucaena leucocephala andFlemingia macrophylla at the SADC/ICRAF Agroforestry Research Station in a semiarid region near Lusaka, Zambia (28°2956 East and 15°2132 South). Soil moisture potential was monitored at regular intervals using tensiometers installed at 15, 30 and 45 cm depths in fertilized and unfertilized alleys within the double hedgerow, and the first, second and third rows of maize in the alleys.Soil moisture moved mostly towards the top horizon during very dry conditions. Alleys that had received a combination of fertilizer and hedgerow prunings depleted more moisture than those that had only hedgerow prunings. There were no differences in moisture utilization pattern between leucaena and flemingia hedgerows. The hedgerows depleted the same amount of moisture as the maize plants. However, during dry conditions, there was a higher soil moisture content under the hedgerows than in maize rows, indicating that there was no apparent competition for moisture between the hedgerows and the maize plants.     

Reproductive Performance of Rabbit Does Artificially Inseminated via Intravaginal Administration of [des-Gly 10, d-Ala6]-LHRH Ethylamide as Ovulation Inductor

This study was aimed to evaluate the reproductive performance of rabbit does artificially inseminated (AI) with a GnRH analogue [des‐Gly10, d ‐Ala6]‐LHRH. ethylamide to induce ovulation by intravaginal administration, delivered in the seminal dose. In a preliminary experiment, 39 does were divided into three groups (n = 13) that, at the time of AI, received the following ovulation induction treatments: (i) control group: 20 μg of gonadorelin administered intramuscularly; (ii) 25 μg of the GnRH analogue added to the seminal dose; (iii) 30 μg of the GnRH analogue added to the seminal dose. Fertility did not differ between the three groups (control: 80.6%, group 2: 82.8%, group 3: 73.3%). In a second experiment, a large‐scale field trial was conducted to test the use of 25 μg of the GnRH analogue [des‐Gly10, d ‐Ala6]‐LHRH ethylamide delivered in the seminal dose (n = 270) against 20 μg of gonadorelin administered intramuscularly. Fertility was higher (p < 0.05) when ovulation was induced by intravaginal administration of the GnRH agonist (91.1% vs 85.6%). Prolificacy or mortality at birth was never affected by the ovulation induction treatments. In a third experiment, two groups of does [control group (n = 39): ovulation was induced using 20 μg of gonadorelin administered intramuscularly; treatment group (n = 40): ovulation was induced using 25 μg of [(des‐Gly10, d ‐Ala6)‐LHRH ethylamide added to the seminal dose] were inseminated at 42‐day intervals for five successive AI cycles, to test the response to the GnRH agonist after repeated intravaginal administration to the same animals. Fertility and prolificacy were not influenced by the ovulation induction treatment neither there was an interaction between treatment and parity. The last experiment was aimed to determine whether it could be possible to add the GnRH agonist to the semen in the AI Center, just after semen collection and dilution, or it would have to be added in the farm, immediately before AI. Kindling rates did not significantly differ when ovulation was induced by intramuscular injection of gonadorelin (84.5%) or when the GnRH agonist was added to the seminal dose just at the moment (93.8 %) or 24 h before AI (90.4 %), but it was significantly lower when the hormone was added to the semen 32 h before AI (76.3 %). Prolificacy, however, was not influenced by the ovulation induction treatment.     

A comparison of conventional cloning options for annatto (Bixa orellana L.)

Summary

Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is a tree indigenous to tropical America that has been naturalised throughout the Indian sub-continent. The plant is chiefly valued for its carotenoid pigments, annatto. Methods for the clonal propagation of hardwood and softwood cuttings, air-layering, budding, and grafting of annatto were investigated. Hardwood cuttings collected during the wet Summer months (June-July) were treated with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at varying concentrations. The highest percentage rooting (63.4%), along with highest number of roots (8.33 per cutting) were achieved by hardwood cuttings after 12 h of 2.5 mM IAA treatment. Among the various auxin treatments of softwood cuttings, 5.0 mM IBA in combination with 5.0 mM NAA for 5 min resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) rooting percentage (56.7%). The responses of softwood cuttings to an auxin analogue (boric acid) and/or to thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B) were inferior to synthetic auxins. When subjected to air-layering, hardwood branches gave 100% rooting without any application of hormone. Among the different types of budding methods attempted (patch, T, or I), patch budding produced the highest efficiency (78%) of propagation. Splice-grafting could also be used for conventional propagation of annatto, with a 50% survival rate. Annatto can therefore be cloned by adopting these methods. Propagation based on softwood cuttings facilitated moderate-scale cloning of this valuable, elite germplasm.     

Relationship Between Leaf Nitrogen and Photosynthetic Characteristics in Brassica juncea and B. campestris

The relationship between leaf nitrogen content (N) versus photosynthetic rate (PN) and other associated parameters was examined in Brassica juncea , cv. Pusa Bold and B campestris , cv. Pusa Kalyani. Leaf N, specific leaf weight (SLW), leaf area and PN were significantly higher in B. juncea , while the chlorophyll content was significantly lower compared to Brassica campestris. A significant positive correlation was obtained between leaf N content and photosynthetic rate in both species. Similarly, SLW was also positively related with leaf N content, Brassica juncea showed higher photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) than B campestris. Leaf N and PNUE were negatively associated. This was attributed to a low investment of N in photosynthesis related reactions and/or partitioning of N towards compounds functionally unrelated to photosynthesis. This attribution is further supported by the negative relationship obtained between SLW and PNUE.