Validation of molecular markers for resistance among Pakistani chickpea germplasm to races of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">ciceris</Emphasis>

DNA markers in chickpea, targetting resistance genes for different races of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris (Foc), have been identified in chickpea, but validation of these markers is essential for effective use in resistance breeding. In view of this, different simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were analysed in Pakistani germplasm including induced mutants and some local lines. Most of the SSR markers showed good correlation with phenotypic evaluation of genotypes to different races of Foc and may be used effectively in resistance breeding, except those markers for race 3. Markers for race 3 showed deviations from phenotypic data and the reason might be that race 3 is actually Fusarium proliferatum as reported recently and resistance to this race might involve some other major resistance genes. Poor correlation of markers with foc-3 on LG2 in our study and a recent report of independent segregation of foc-2 and foc-3 in near isogenic lines suggested that linkage distances among different resistance genes need further investigation. Moreover three Pakistani mutant lines (97477, CM444/92 and CM368/93) depicted high levels of resistance to Foc races and can be deployed as a valuable source in resistance breeding programmes.     

Epistics: A dynamic model to generate nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation schedules in apple orchards, with special attention to qualitative evaluation of the model

Epistics is a model combining a biophysical and a decisional model designed to generate irrigation and N fertilisation schedules in apple orchards. These techniques were chosen since they are key elements in the management of fruit tree cropping systems. The biophysical model representing water and N dynamics in orchards was based on the water and N dynamics of Stics and was completed using a crop water and N requirement estimation method adapted to orchards. It was linked to an agronomic decision rule in a combined model able to generate N fertilisation and irrigation schedules. The Epistics evaluation process dealt with numerical evaluation of state variables (water and N soil content) and qualitative evaluation of model-generated schedules. The numerical evaluation, which concerned the biophysical model of Epistics, was performed on the basis of (i) soil nitrate and water content at the end of winters 2002 and 2003, and on (ii) nitrate and water dynamics during spring and summer 2003. The mean Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) between observed and simulated values at the end of winter was 3.3% water per horizon and 56 kg N/ha, which is relatively good owing to the high spatial and temporal variability of soil water and nitrate content. The qualitative evaluation of generated schedules was performed during interviews with farmers. Farmers were asked to evaluate the model with reference to their own practices. A sharp difference between farmers and the model concerned the beginning of the irrigation period. This suggested that the model should take into account the constraints imposed by scab and codling moth control practices and irrigation rounds. The difference between model-generated and farmers’ fertilisation practices suggested that the model may take plot vigour into account in the fertilisation decision rule. Such a study is a first step towards the design of models linking sound agronomic decision rules to crop modelling and representing interactions between practices.     

Crude oil dissolution in saline water

The solubilities and diffusion coefficients of crude oils having API° ranging from 11 to 28 have been measured in distilled and saline water of 44 g L^?1 NaCl at temperatures 25, 35, and 45 °C. A linear relationship was observed between the maximum oil solubilities in distilled water and those in saline water for all the crudes over the range of temperature studied. The Setschenow salting-out parameter was found to be 0.125 independent of temperature and API°. Such a parameter is valuable in estimating the crude oil solubilities in waters of different salinity. An analytical solution for unsteady-state diffusion was done using Fourier series. A linear relationship was found between the diffusion coefficients of oils in distilled water and those in saline water. Observed data for diffusion coefficients of the oils have been correlated in terms of API°, temperature and ionic strength with an average absolute deviation of 2%.     

Residential biofuels in South Asia: carbonaceous aerosol emissions and climate impacts

High concentrations of pollution particles, including "soot" or black carbon, exist over the Indian Ocean, but their sources and geographical origins are not well understood. We measured emissions from the combustion of biofuels, used widely in south Asia for cooking, and found that large amounts of carbonaceous aerosols are emitted per kilogram of fuel burnt. We calculate that biofuel combustion is the largest source of black carbon emissions in India, and we suggest that its control is central to climate change mitigation in the south Asian region.     

Dinosaur coprolites and the early evolution of grasses and grazers

Silicified plant tissues (phytoliths) preserved in Late Cretaceous coprolites from India show that at least five taxa from extant grass (Poaceae) subclades were present on the Indian subcontinent during the latest Cretaceous. This taxonomic diversity suggests that crown-group Poaceae had diversified and spread in Gondwana before India became geographically isolated. Other phytoliths extracted from the coprolites (from dicotyledons, conifers, and palms) suggest that the suspected dung producers (titanosaur sauropods) fed indiscriminately on a wide range of plants. These data also make plausible the hypothesis that gondwanatherian mammals with hypsodont cheek teeth were grazers.     

Spores, pollen, and microplankton from the horizon Beta outcrop

Palynology was used for dating a pre-Pleistocene deep-sea organic lutite layer situated stratigraphically near seismic horizon beta, below horizon A. The spores and pollen are closely identified, quantitatively, with nonmarine and marine Middle Cretaceous assemblages (Albian-Cenomanian) on the continents, an age designation that is confirmed by the occurrence of dinoflagellate cysts, acritarchs, foraminifers, and coccoliths in the investigated cores. The abundance of these well-preserved, land-derived assemblages in an area far removed from a source suggests some tectonic displacement since their deposition.     

Chitosomes-In-Chitosan Hydrogel for Acute Skin Injuries: Prevention and Infection Control

Burns and other skin injuries are growing concerns as well as challenges in an era of antimicrobial resistance. Novel treatment options to improve the prevention and eradication of infectious skin biofilm-producing pathogens, while enhancing wound healing, are urgently needed for the timely treatment of infection-prone injuries. Treatment of acute skin injuries requires tailoring of formulation to assure both proper skin retention and the appropriate release of incorporated antimicrobials. The challenge remains to formulate antimicrobials with low water solubility, which often requires carriers as the primary vehicle, followed by a secondary skin-friendly vehicle. We focused on widely used chlorhexidine formulated in the chitosan-infused nanocarriers, chitosomes, incorporated into chitosan hydrogel for improved treatment of skin injuries. To prove our hypothesis, lipid nanocarriers and chitosan-comprising nanocarriers (≈250 nm) with membrane-active antimicrobial chlorhexidine were optimized and incorporated into chitosan hydrogel. The biological and antibacterial effects of both vesicles and a vesicles-in-hydrogel system were evaluated. The chitosomes-in-chitosan hydrogel formulation demonstrated promising physical properties and were proven safe. Additionally, the chitosan-based systems, both chitosomes and chitosan hydrogel, showed an improved antimicrobial effect against S. aureus and S. epidermidis compared to the formulations without chitosan. The novel formulation could serve as a foundation for infection prevention and bacterial eradication in acute wounds.     

Bio-Efficacy of Microbial Infused Rice Straw Compost on Plant Growth Promotion and Induction of Disease Resistance in Chili

ABSTRACT

Microbial fortified organic amendment in chili cultivation may affect plant development and disease suppression. Microbial infused rice straw compost, commercial rice straw compost, and fungicide Benomyl for chili (Capsicum annum L.) cultivation and control of Sclerotium foot rot were studied under glass house condition. Chili seed cv. Kulai were sown in the Sclerotium rolfsii infested and non-infested soil. After two weeks, five healthy seedlings were transplanted into planting bags. Growth performance and development of disease symptoms associated with S. rolfsii foot rot infection were assessed. Applying microbial infused rice straw compost increased seed germination and plant growth, and suppressed development of foot rot compared to using commercial rice straw compost and the Benomyl. A higher disease reduction (84.6%) occurred with 15 Mg · ha^?1 microbial infused rice straw compost (62.7%), followed by Benomyl (53.8%), and 15 Mg · ha^?1 commercial rice straw compost (46.2%). Application of microbial infused rice straw compost at 15 Mg · ha^?1 yielded optimum seed germination and seedling establishment, plant growth, and disease suppression. Microbial infused rice straw compost is a good alternative to chemical fungicide in controlling Sclerotial disease in chili.     

Several stably expressed QTL for spike density of common wheat (Triticum aestivum) in multiple environments

Spike density (SD), an important spike morphological trait associated with wheat yield, is the spikelet number per spike (SNS) divided by spike length (SL). In this study, phenotypic data from eight environments were collected and a recombinant inbred line population (RIL) constructed by the wheat line 20828 and the cultivar 'Chuannong16' and a Wheat55K SNP array-based constructed genetic linkage map were used to identify SD quantitative trait locus (QTL). Correlation between SD and other agronomic traits was calculated. Genes associated with plant growth and development for major loci were predicted. The results showed that 24 QTLs associated with SD were detected in eight environments. Among them, three major QTL, namely QSd.sicau-5B.2, QSd.sicau-2D.3 and QSd.sicau-4B.1, explained up to 35.62%, 14.21% and 11.23% of phenotypic variation, respectively. The positive alleles of them were all derived from 'Chuannong16'. The significant relationships between SD and other agronomic traits were detected and discussed. Taken together, the stably expressed SD QTL under different environments identified in this study provided theoretical guidance for further fine mapping and germplasm improvement.