Davana： A New Host Plant for Ralstonia solanacearum from India

Ralstonia solanacearum infecting Davana （Artemisia pallens Wall.） from commercial nurseries in India was isolated on modified semi selective media （SMSA）. Here, we report a new host for Ralstonia solanacearum i.e. davana. It has huge demand in medicinal and aromatic industries. Isolate was confirmed as race-l, biovar-3 by morphological, physiological, biochemical and pathogenicity studies. Two sets of primers （OLI 1 ＆ Y2 and Y 1 ＆ Y2） were used in this study. Further, the identity of the isolate was confirmed by serological diagnostic kit obtained from International Potato Research Center, Lima, Peru and single chain variable fragment antibody specific to Ralstonia solanacearum used to confirm the casual organism.     

Molecular identification and antibiotic control of bacterial contamination in cultures of ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Zingiber officinale, Rosc., one of the major tropical spices in the world, belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. Bacterial contamination is a major constraint on the cryopreservation of in vitro shoot tip explants. The main objective of this study was to identify the nature of this bacterial contamination and its response to various antimicrobial agents (e.g. the antibiotics cephotaxime and streptomycin sulphate, or copper sulphate) for more effective control. The bacteria isolated from ginger plantlets were identified by amplification and sequencing of their 16S ribosomal DNA, followed by partial sequence analysis. Luteibacter yeojuensis was found in all contaminated cultures. L. yeojuensis is found mainly in soil and as a human pathogen. We believe this is the first report of L. yeojuensis contaminating in vitro cultures of ginger. Among the antimicrobial agents tested in the shoot multiplication medium [i.e. 1.0× Murashige and Skoog salts + 2.5 mg l^–l 6-benzylaminopurine + 3% (w/v) sucrose + 0.45% (w/v) Clarigar^TM], 100 mg l^–1 cephotaxime was most effective at reducing bacterial growth. It also gave the maximum number of shoots per shoot bud explant compared to the same medium supplemented with streptomycin sulphate, or CuSO₄, or control medium. No further bacterial contamination was observed when 8-week-old cultures were then subcultured on the same medium without added antibiotic or CuSO₄.     

Diversity of Sodium Transporter HKT1;5 in Genus Oryza

Asian cultivated rice shows allelic variation in sodium transporter, OsHKT1;5, correlating with shoot sodium exclusion (salinity tolerance). These changes map to intra/extracellularly-oriented loops that occur between four transmembrane-P loop-transmembrane (MPM) motifs in OsHKT1;5. HKT1;5 sequences from more recently evolved Oryza species (O. sativa/O. officinalis complex species) contain two expansions that involve two intracellularly oriented loops/helical regions between MPM domains, potentially governing transport characteristics, while more ancestral HKT1;5 sequences have shorter intracellular loops. We compared homology models for homoeologous OcHKT1;5-K and OcHKT1;5-L from halophytic O. coarctata to identify complementary amino acid residues in OcHKT1;5-L that potentially enhance affinity for Na⁺. Using haplotyping, we showed that Asian cultivated rice accessions only have a fraction of HKT1;5 diversity available in progenitor wild rice species (O. nivara and O. rufipogon). Progenitor HKT1;5 haplotypes can thus be used as novel potential donors for enhancing cultivated rice salinity tolerance. Within Asian rice accessions, 10 non-synonymous HKT1;5 haplotypic groups occur. More HKT1;5 haplotypic diversities occur in cultivated indica gene pool compared to japonica. Predominant Haplotypes 2 and 10 occur in mutually exclusive japonica and indica groups, corresponding to haplotypes in O. sativa salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant landraces, respectively. This distinct haplotype partitioning may have originated in separate ancestral gene pools of indica and japonica, or from different haplotypes selected during domestication. Predominance of specific HKT1;5 haplotypes within the 3 000 rice dataset may relate to eco-physiological fitness in specific geo-climatic and/or edaphic contexts.     

Serum concentrations of adiponectin and characterization of adiponectin protein complexes in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To assess serum concentrations of adiponectin and characterize adiponectin protein complexes in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 11 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES: Sera collected from 10 dogs were evaluated via velocity sedimentation and ultracentrifugation, SDS-PAGE, western immunoblotting, and radioimmunoassay. Visceral adipose tissue (approx 90 g) was collected from the falciform ligament of a healthy dog undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy, and adiponectin gene expression was assessed via a real-time PCR procedure. RESULTS: Adiponectin gene expression was detected in visceral adipose tissue. Serum adiponectin concentrations ranged from 0.85 to 1.5 microg/mL (mean concentration, 1.22 microg/mL). In canine serum, adiponectin was present as a multimer, consisting of a low-molecular-weight complex (180 kd); as 3 (180-, 90-, and 60-kd) complexes under denaturing conditions; as 2 (90- and 60-kd) complexes under reducing conditions; and as a dimer, a monomer, and globular head region (60, 30, and 28 kd, respectively) under reducing-denaturing conditions. It is likely that adiponectin also circulates as a high-molecular-weight (360- to 540-kd) complex in canine serum, but resolution of this complex was not possible via SDS-PAGE. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: After exposure to identical experimental conditions, adiponectin protein complexes in canine serum were similar to those detected in human and rodent sera. Circulating adiponectin concentrations in canine serum were slightly lower than concentrations in human serum. Adiponectin gene expression was identified in canine visceral adipose tissue. Results suggest that adiponectin could be used as an early clinical marker for metabolic derangements, including obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus in dogs.     

Antifungal activity of Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea and Azadirachta indica against Fusarium mangiferae and floral malformation in mango

Floral malformation caused by Fusarium mangiferae is a serious threat to mango cultivation in various countries. Different long-term measures suggested to control it were found to be unsuccessful. Present studies clearly showed strong antifungal activity of a concoction brewed from Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea, Azadirachta indica (neem) and cow manure (T₁) followed by methanol-water (70/30 v/v) extracts of Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea and Azadirachta indica (T₂) against Fusarium mangiferae. Optimal control of floral malformation was found in trees sprayed with T₁ followed by T₂ at bud break stage and again at fruit set stage when compared with the control. All the malformed buds or panicles completely dried two days after foliar spray with T₁ or T₂. In the trees treated with T₁ at fruit set stage, flower abscission was observed from the fourth day after spraying and all flowers dropped by the ninth day without requiring any manual de-blossoming, whereas in the control, the malformed panicles remained green and competed with the growing fruits for plant nutrients. In vitro culture of fresh malformed tissues in MS media along with T₁ or T₂ showed no growth of any fungus in the media. However, in vitro culture of the completely dry malformed tissues in MS media after foliar treatment with T₁ or T₂ revealed growth of F. mangiferae on the twenty fifth day indicating that the concoction-brewed compost (T₁) or methanol-water (70/30 v/v) extracts (T₂) could not completely eliminate the pathogen but helped in controlling malformation by suppressing the activity of F. mangiferae. Mango trees sprayed with T₁ and T₂ revealed significant differences in percent fruit set and retention when compared with the control. This could be due to observed higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron and manganese in T_1, followed by T₂ when compared with T₃ (control). Among the different fruit quality parameters analysed, the total flavonoids were found to be significantly higher in T₁ and T₂ when compared with T_3. The study proved that the concoction-brewed compost (T₁) is effective, inexpensive, easy to prepare and constitutes a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to control floral malformation in mango when it is sprayed at bud break stage and again at fruit set stage. In this present study, exogenous treatment of emerging buds with (T_c) further proved that with increase in the number of malformed panicles/tree the number of buds developing into healthy panicles/tree decrease.     

Antibacterial activity of Salacia beddomei

Leaves and stems of Salacia beddomei were extracted successively with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform and tested for their antibacterial activity. Ethyl acetate extracts were found to be most effective against all the tested organisms.     

Solanum habrochaites introgression line grafted as rootstock in cultivated tomato maintains growth and improves yield under cold and drought stresses

Grafting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) onto introgression lines (ILs) derived from S. habrochaites with introgression of a quantitative trait locus (QTL), stm9, for shoot turgor maintainer located on chromosome 9 has been suggested for improving yield under abiotic stresses. However, the physiological and agronomic responses of grafts with IL rootstocks to low root-zone temperature (RZT) and drought stresses are not yet clearly understood. Therefore, recurrent parent (RP) grafted onto IL and donor (D) rootstocks, and self-grafted IL and RP were examined at different combinations of optimal (20°–26°C RZT and well-watered) and suboptimal (10°C RZT and well-watered, and 20°–26°C RZT and cyclic drought) temperatures. Graft combinations were compared with self-grafted controls for dry weights, stomatal conductance (g_s), leaf parameters, osmotic adjustment, and stress tolerance index. The RP grafted onto IL rootstocks regulated g_s efficiently, retained the green trait, and produced higher biomass than the self-grafted RP. The IL rootstocks improved tolerance of the scion to drought and low RZT. Potential of IL rootstocks for improving tomato production under stressed conditions is discussed.     

Agro-morphological variability and genetic diversity in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) germplasm accessions with emphasis on flowering and maturity time

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Assessment of genetic diversity and extent of trait variation among germplasm accessions facilitate the effective use of genetic resources for varietal...