A PCR-based assessment of genetic diversity,and parentage analysis among commercial mango cultivars and hybrids

Summary

Three different PCR methods [Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR), and Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (DAMD)] were used to analyse genetic diversity and parentage among 20 mango cultivars, including 18 landraces and two hybrids (‘Amrapali’ and ‘Mallika’). These hybrids together with a third hybrid (‘Ratna’), and an out-group species (Mangifera sylvatica) were also analysed for parentage. Fifteen, seven and four primers were used to amplify a total of 158, 69 and 59 distinct DNA fragments by RAPD, ISSR and DAMD, respectively. Of these, approx. 85%, 64% and 90% were polymorphic, respectively. Genetic distances between pairs of mango cultivars were measured separately by each method and depicted graphically as a Neighbor Joining (NJ) tree. The three methods revealed different groupings of cultivars and hybrids. A NJ tree based on the cumulative data from all methods correlated well with the parentage of the mango hybrids, and the grouping of cultivars on a regional basis. Genetic markers likely to be associated with important agronomic traits were identified by further analysing the hybrids, with their respective parents, using all three methods. On the basis of the highest number of polymorphic bands observed (90%), DAMD was judged to be the best method with which to analyse mango germplasm.     

Dyeing performance of disperse dyes based on 2-aminothiazole for cellulose triacetate and nylon fibers

A series of monoazo disperse dyes based on 2-amino-4-phenylthiazole was prepared using variousN,N-dialkylaniline derivatives as the coupling component. The dyes were characterized by IR spectral studies, visible absorption spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The dyeing performance of these dyes was assessed on cellulose triacetate and nylon fibers. These dyes were found to give a wide range of colour shades varying from bright red to royal blue with very good depth, brightness and levelness on fibers. The dyed fibers showed good to very good light fastness and very good to excellent fastness to washing, perspiration, rubbing and sublimation. The dyebath exhaustion and fixation on the fibers were found to be very good.     

Thermographic Eye Temperature as an Index to Body Temperature in Ponies

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a passive, remote, and noninvasive method of measuring surface temperatures. Select surface locations, such as the eye, could indicate body temperature. To investigate whether thermographic eye temperatures were associated with body temperatures and could be used to detect febrile ponies, we measured IRT eye temperatures, rectal temperatures, and implanted thermal microchip temperatures from 24 male ponies daily for 3 consecutive days. Information regarding distance of the pony from the IRT device, presence of direct sunlight during the measurement period, and ambient temperature were also collected. A multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that 60.41% of the variance in IRT was accounted for by rectal temperature, sunlight, and distance between the camera and the pony, with rectal temperature being the major contributor to variance (46.23%). Using a rectal temperature of >38.6°C (101.5°F) as the indicator of febrile status, sensitivity and specificity of the IRT device used to detect the febrile ponies were found to be 74.6% and 92.3%, respectively, when using the maximum IRT eye temperature per pony per day. In conclusion, IRT eye temperature could be a preliminary screening tool to determine whether a more time-consuming, labor-intensive, and invasive method (e.g., rectal temperature) is warranted for fever validation.     

Interactive Effects of Nitrogen Source and Salinity on Growth Indices and Ion Content of Indian Mustard

ABSTRACT

The interactions between salinity and different nitrogen (N) sources nitrate (NO₃ ^?), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), and NO₃ ^? + NH₄ ⁺ were investigated on Indian mustard (Brassica juncea cv. RH30). Treatments were added to observe the combined effect of two salinity levels (8 and 12 ds m^{? 1}) and three nitrogen sources (NO₃ ^?, NH₄ ⁺, and NO₃ ^? + NH₄ ⁺) on different growth parameters and mineral composition in different plant parts, i.e., leaves, stem, and root. Salinity has been known to affect the uptake and assimilation of various essential nutrients required for normal growth and development. Different growth parameters, i.e., leaf area, dry weight of different plant parts, absolute growth rate (AGR), relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR) declined markedly by salinity at pre-flowering and flowering stages. All growth indices were less sensitive to salinity (12 d s m^{? 1}) with the nitrate form of nitrogen. It is pertinent mention that a high dose (120 kg ha^{? 1}) of nitrogen in ammonium form NH₄ ⁺, acted synergistically with salinity in inhibiting growth. Plants fed with combined nitrogen (NO₃ ^? + NH₄ ⁺) had an edge over individual forms in ameliorating the adverse effects of salinity on growth and yield. Under salt stress, different nutrient elements such as N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K⁺), and magnesium (Mg^{2 +}) were decreased in different plant parts (leaves, stem, and root). The maximum and minimum reduction was observed with ammoniacal and combined form of nitrogen, respectively, while the reverse was true of calcium (Ca^{2 +}), sodium (Na⁺), chloride (Cl^?), and sulfate (SO₄ ^2?) at harvest. Nitrogen application (120 Kg ha^{? 1}) in combined form had been found to maintain highest concentrations of N, P, Mg^{2 +}, and Ca^{2 +} along with reduced concentrations of Na⁺, Cl^?, and SO₄ ^{2 ?}. However, reverse was true with ammoniacal form of nitrogen.     

Effect of Untreated, Roasted and Germinated Black Gram (Phaseolus mungo) Flours on the Physico-chemical and Biscuit (Cookie) Making Characteristics of Soft Wheat Flour

Determination of the physico-chemical characteristics of composite soft wheat flours in which 5–25% (w/w) of the wheat flour was replaced with untreated, roasted and germinated black gram (Phaseolus mungo) flours (BGF) showed that when roasted BGF comprised 20% (w/w) of the blend, the increases in the ash and protein contents were 123% and 35%, respectively. The values for the gluten contents and the Zeleny and sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation test volumes for the composite flours indicated a weakening effect of BGF on the quality of soft wheat flour proteins, which could be beneficial for the preparation of biscuits (cookies). The alkaline water retention capacity values increased with the increasing addition of differently processed BGFs. Biscuit baking studies indicated that the diameter and spread ratio of biscuits were reduced, while the thickness increased, with increasing addition of all three BGFs, but the maximum reduction in diameter was observed with the addition of germinated BGF. The hardness value for biscuits increased with the addition of BGFs, but the effect was minimal with roasted BGF and maximal with germinated BGF. The surface grain score was reduced with increasing addition of BGF, but, in general, the roasted BGF showed the minimum adverse effect. From the overall biscuit making quality, addition of untreated BGF at the 15% level and of roasted and germinated BGFs at the 20% level were considered optimal for supplementing wheat flour.     

Use of a narcotic antagonist (nalmefene) to suppress self-mutilative behavior in a stallion

Nalmefene, an opioid antagonist, caused a decrease in self-mutilative behavior in a 500-kg stallion. Self-mutilative attempts were counted during a control period and on 4 subsequent occasions after the IM administration of 100 mg, 200 mg, 400 mg, or 800 mg of nalmefene. The frequency of self-mutilation decreased with increasing doses of nalmefene and was virtually abolished with the 800-mg dose.     

Conformational and intramolecular hydrogen bonding effects on post-emergence and pre-emergence selectivities of herbicidal pyrrole dicarboxylates

Dimethyl 2-methyl-5-(chloropyridin-2-yl)pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylates in which the chlorine atom is substituted at different positions of the pyridine ring have widely varying biological properties. The 3-chloro analog (I) is a post-emergence and pre-emergence herbicide, the 4- and 5-chloro analogs (II, III) are post-emergence herbicides but not pre-emergence, and the 6-chloro analog (IV) is inactive. Computer graphic and molecular mechanics analyses of their molecular conformations showed that the 4- and 5-chloro analogs adopt a coplanar, intramolecularly hydrogen bonded conformation whereas the 3-chloro analog does not. High-level quantum mechanical calculations of the conformational preferences of related model systems were in agreement with these results. Based on this, II and III were predicted to have higher octanol/water partition coefficients relative to I, leading to higher soil binding and weaker xylem transport, hence their observed weaker pre-emergence activities. Experimental measurements of octanol/water partition coefficients, soil binding, and infrared hydrogen bonding studies verified these predictions. Molecular modeling techniques are usually used for designing compounds to fit enzyme active sites and designing putative receptor models. This study demonstrates the usefulness of these techniques for dealing with transport problems.