ENHANCING NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY OF POTATO AND CEREAL CROPS BY OPTIMIZING TEMPERATURE,MOISTURE, BALANCED NUTRIENTS AND OXYGEN BIOAVAILABILITY

Enhancement of nutrient use efficiency is imperative for increasing economic returns and reducing environmental pollution caused by fertilizer use in crop production systems. In this paper, we have demonstrated at a given soil temperature and nitrogen (N) rate, N loss via ammonia emission at 80% field capacity (FC) soil water regime in potato production was decreased by 58 to 81% compared to that at 20% FC, in two soils. In another study, N uptake by flooded corn (genotype: FR27 × FRMO17) seedlings with oxygen fertilization was 8-fold greater than that without oxygen fertilization. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of wheat (cv. ‘Yanzhong 144’) seedlings grown in a complete nutrient solution was 10-fold greater than that of the seedlings under low-phosphorus stress. It is concluded that appropriate management of soil water, oxygen fertilization, and of well-balanced nutrients supply significantly enhance N uptake and utilization efficiencies of corn and wheat, and minimize N loss.     

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...     

AM fungi ameliorates growth, yield and nutrient uptake in Cicer arietinum L. Under salt stress

A pot experiment was performed to see the effect of two indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus mosseae and Acaulospora laevis, alone and in combination on growth, biomass and mineral nutrition of Cicer arietinum under different salinity levels imposed by 4, 8, and 12 dS/m EC solution (sodium chloride, calcium chloride and sodium sulphate). All AM inoculated plants showed significant increment in growth, biomass, mineral nutrition and yield over control. The extent of bioinoculants response on plant growth as well as root colonization decreases with the increase in the level of salinity. Among all the growth parameters plant height (26.4 ± 1.14 cm), root length (13.4 ± 1.67 cm), total chlorophyll (2.33 ± 0.02 mg/100 mg f. wt), root colonization (41.6 ± 2.70%) and AM spore number (63.8 ± 1.78 per 10 gm soil) were recorded highest in dual combination (G. mosseae and A. laevis) at 4 dS/m while fresh shoot (6.80 ± 0.67 gm) and dry shoot weight (0.96 ± 0.18 gm) was found maximum in G. mosseae at the same concentration of salinity. Greater Phosphorus (P) acquisition and yield was observed at 4 dS/m with dual combination (G. mosseae and A. laevis) that possibly be responsible to protect plants from salt stress. Although Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K) and Sodium (Na) contents also declined with increasing salinity. Overall results showed that mycorrhizal colonization improves host plant mineral concentration and thereby increases the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of C. arietinum ameliorating the harmful effect at salinity stress.     

Interspecific hybridization in Gossypium L.: characterization of progenies with different ploidy‐confirmed multigenomic backgrounds

Cytological and molecular investigations were undertaken for parent and progeny derived from a trispecific line [2(Gossypium arboreum × G. anomalum) × G. hirsutum var. BWR], which was crossed with G. hirsutum var. JLH168. Cytomorphological analysis of the F₁ (G. arboreum × G. anomalum), its amphidiploid and progeny from trispecies hybrid showed distorted ploidy segregation with monovalents to hexavalents and high intergenomic (small A₂ and large B₁) allosynthetic chromosome pairing. Microsatellite analysis identified three fragments associated with G. arboreum and G. anomalum and six fragments associated with G. hirsutum in derivates of the trispecies line × G. hirsutum var. JLH168. Inter‐Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism (IRAP) analysis revealed fragments of G. arboreum and G. anomalum, only in F₁ and amphidiploid. Chromosomal association and microsatellite analysis of three progeny genotypes (i.e. haploid, hexaploid and tetraploid no. 1) confirmed that they share multigenomic background from the three cotton species (A₂, A_hD_h and B₁ genome). The interspecific hybrid cotton genotypes studied are likely to be useful for the introgression of genes from diploid species to commercial upland cultivars.     

Standardization of harvesting age of bamboo shoots with respect to nutritional and anti-nutritional components

Bamboo shoots can be harvested at different ages but the data on the changes in nutritional composition with age are scanty. We standardized harvesting age of bamboo shoots in central India to obtain best quality produce with respect to nutritional composition. The shoots harvested on different days (2 20 days after emergence from ground) were analyzed for their nutritional (dietary fibres, carbohydrates, proteins, total phenols, ascorbic acid, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and phenolic acids) and anti nutritional (cyanogen) constituents. A significant variation (at p≤0.5) was observed in the nutritional composition of shoots of Dendrocalamus asper, D. strictus and Bambusa tulda harvested at different days. An overall decrease was observed in proteins and total phenols while dietary fibres and carbohydrates increased with ages. Significant variation (at p≤0.5) was also observed in phenolic acids while minerals did not vary significantly. Results revealed that the optimum harvesting age for D. asper, D. strictus and B. tulda was on 10 14 days, 6 10 days and 10 16 days (after emergence from the ground) respectively. These results can be used to obtain quality bamboo shoots.     

Evaluation of A1, A2, A3, A4(M), A4(G) and A4(VZM) cytoplasms in iso-nuclear backgrounds for grain mold resistance

Breeding for resistance to grain mold, an economically important disease of sorghum, has been only partially successful. Hybrid technology is well developed in sorghum due to availability of the cytoplasm male sterility (CMS) system and at present almost all commercial hybrids are based on the A₁ CMS system. To compare the available alternate CMS systems for grain mold resistance, 72 hybrids were produced by crossing 36 A-lines (six CMS systems; A₁, A₂, A₃, A_4(M), A_4(G), A_4(VZM) each in six nuclear backgrounds) with two common restorers, and were evaluated during the 2006 and 2007 rainy seasons in grain mold nursery at ICRISAT. Data analyses indicated influence of cytoplasm on the responses of hybrids to grain mold infection as measured by panicle grain mold resistance (PGMR) score. The A₁ cytoplasm seemed to contribute to grain mold resistance followed by A_4(VZM) and A₂ cytoplasms. The A_4(M) cytoplasm had superior general combining ability (GCA) effects while the A₁ and A_4(VZM) cytoplasm based hybrids had superior specific combining ability (SCA) effects on the PGMR score. Almost all hybrids had significant mid-parent heterosis. The A₁ cytoplasm is the best suited for the development of sorghum hybrids for the rainy season adaptation with grain mold resistance. However, use of alternate cytoplasms (A₂ and A_4(VZM)) for hybrid development will not increase susceptibility to grain mold in commercial grain production.     

Characterization of light weight epoxy composites from short Sansevieria Cylindrica fibers

Sansevieria (genus) cylindrica (species) belongs to Agavaceae family plant fiber first time used as a reinforcing agent in the epoxy system. Fibre extracted from leaves, fairly lesser density, porosity, higher strength to weight ratio (hereafter called SCF) and these fibers were alkali-treated and yet impregnated on the epoxy system using wet hand lay up technique in order to compare with untreated fiber on performance. DMA, TGA, DSC, FTIR, SEM, degradation temperature, flexural and tensile tests were performed for untreated and alkali-treated epoxy composites using different SCF volumes viz. 1 vol.%, 5 vol.%, 7 vol.% and 9 vol.%. Alkali treated fibre were found to have higher initial and final degradation temperatures and flexural and tensile strength. The removal of the amorphous hemi-cellulose on alkali treatment was played an instrumental in improving properties. A 3 °C increase in glass transition temperature and decomposition temperature were recorded respectively and over all treated SCF composites reinforced on the epoxy were shown significant results than untreated. Storage modulus and tan ?? were observed well at 9 vol.% treated SCF while flexural and tensile were increased by 35 and 13 % for SCF treated composites respectively.     

Identification of sorghum genotypes with resistance to the sugarcane aphid Melanaphis sacchari under natural and artificial infestation

Sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari is an endemic pest of sorghum during postrainy season, and there is a need to develop cultivars with resistance to this pest. Evaluation of a diverse array of sorghum genotypes under natural and artificial infestation resulted in identification of seven lines (ICSB 215, ICSB 323, ICSB 724, ICSR 165, ICSV 12001, ICSV 12004 and IS 40615) with moderate levels of resistance to aphid damage. Under artificial infestation, 10 lines suffered <20% loss in grain yield as compared to 72.4% grain loss in the susceptible check, Swarna. The genotypes ICSR 165, ICSB 724, IS 40615, DSV 5 and ICSB 323 exhibited moderate levels of resistance to aphid damage (damage rating, DR <5.0) and also had high grain yield potential (>30 q/ha). In another experiment, ICSB 215, ICSB 695, ICSR 161, Line 61510, ICSV 12004, Parbhani Moti and IS 40618 exhibited high grain yield potential (>25 q/ha) and exhibited <50% variation in grain yield as compared to more than 80% in the susceptible check, in CK 60 B. The genotypes RSV 1211, RS 29, RSV 1338, EC 8‐2, PU 10‐1, IS 40617 and ICSB 695 though showed a susceptible reaction to aphid damage, but suffered relatively low loss in grain yield, suggesting that these lines have tolerance to aphid damage. Principal coordinate analysis suggested that the genotypes with aphid resistance are quite diverse and can be used to breed for aphid resistance and high grain yield potential and also in breeding for aphid resistance in sorghum with adaptation to the postrainy season.     

Relation of soya bean meal level to the concentration of plasma free amino acids and body growth in white rats

Amino acid (AA) levels in plasma and body growth were determined in rats (n20) fed diets with different soya bean meal levels. Free AA in plasma was determined by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. We have used four levels of protein diets like 8%, 15%, 23% and 35% in this trial. Rats which were fed the low-protein (8%) diet with low percentage of soya bean meal were found to be growth-retarded. The body weight gain of high protein group (35%) was lower than that of the 23% groups. In the rats fed with the low-soya bean meal diet, some nonessential AA (NEAA) in plasma like asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid and serine increased, whereas the essential AA (EAA), with the exception of arginine, methionine and valine decreased. Here, plasma EAA-to-NEAA ratios were not correlated to growth and experimental diet. We hypothesize that AA metabolism is associated to changes in growth in rats on different protein intake. This study has showed the sensitivity of body mass gain, feed intake, feed conversion rate of rats to four levels of protein in the diet under controlled experimental conditions.