Factors influencing in vivo and in vitro micrografting of sandalwood (Santalum album L.): an endangered tree species

In vivo micrografting of Santalum album was achieved (50%) by grafting 4- to 5-cm-long scions, collected from a candidate plus tree (CPT) of 50–60 years of age, onto 90-day-old nursery-grown rootstock. Scion size, rootstock age, and scion collection season were found to influence graft success. Grafted plants were incubated under greenhouse conditions for 6–8 weeks during the graft union process. In vitro micrografts were achieved by placing 1- to 2-cm-long scions derived from nodal shoot segments (collected from CPT) onto the hypocotyl of 45-day-old in vitro rootstocks. Use of in vitro grown shoots as a source of scion gave better graft success (60%) than scions collected directly from field-grown trees. In vitro grafting was also influenced by scion size and rootstock age. Under favorable conditions, scions and hypocotyls unite to form complete plants that produced two to four leaves after 6–8 weeks. This is the first report on in vivo and in vitro micrografting of S. album having potential for production of disease-free clonal plants for conservation and improvement targets.     

Role of India's Anganwadi Center in Securing Food and Nutrition for Mothers and Children

India's 2013 National Food Security Act identifies Anganwadi centers (the courtyard shelter) as responsible for ensuring the food and nutrition for mothers and children. This article proposes four essential reforms that must take place to revitalize the languishing Anganwadi system: (a) strengthen implementation of the Integrated Child and Development Services (ICDS) through greater outreach and education; (b) boost incentives for Anganwadi workers and Anganwadi health workers; (c) bring together different government stakeholders to provide the integrative framework needed; and (d) improve monitoring and evaluation of Anganwadis so as to better gauge not just performance of workers, but also health and nutrition outcomes among women and children.     

Divergent evolution of wild and cultivated subspecies of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum timopheevii</Emphasis> as revealed by the study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PolA1</Emphasis> gene

Triticum timopheevii (genome symbol AAGG) comprises two subspecies, cultivated ssp. timopheevii, and wild ssp. armeniacum. These two subspecies are considered as allotetraploids of AA genome from Triticum diploid species and SS genome from Aegilops species. The difference in genome symbol (G vs. S) is due to wide genetic variations among four SS genome species, Ae. bicornis, Ae. longissima, Ae. searsii, and Ae. speltoides. In order to study the origin of T. timopheevii, we compared 19th intron (PI19) sequence of the PolA1 gene, encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase I. Two different sized DNA fragments containing PI19 sequences (PI19A and PI19G) were amplified both in ssp. timopheevii and ssp. armeniacum. Shorter PI19A (112 bp) sequences of both subspecies were identical to PI19 sequences of two AA species, T. monococcum and T. urartu. Interestingly, the longer PI19G (241–243 bp) sequences of ssp. armeniacum showed more similarity to PI19 sequences of Ae. speltoides whereas ssp. timopheevii showed more similarity to PI19 sequences of other three SS genome species. The results indicated that two subspecies of T. timopheevii, ssp. armeniacum or ssp. timopheevii, might have arisen independently by allotetraploidization of AA genome with Ae. speltoides or one of the remaining three Aegilops species, respectively.     

Removal of Trinitrotoluene with Nano Zerovalent Iron Impregnated Graphene Oxide

Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) impregnated reduced graphene oxide (nZVI-rGO) hybrid was prepared via gaseous hydrogen reduction of anhydrous iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃) on the surface of thermally exfoliated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets without using any toxic reducing agent, surfactant, or stabilizing agent. Characterization of prepared samples was carried out using various techniques. Morphological study showed that prepared rGO possesses a few-layered wrinkled paper-like structures and nZVI particles of ~?30 nm size were homogeneously dispersed on the surface of rGO nanosheets. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analyses indicated that oxygen-containing functional groups decreased in the order of graphite oxide (GO) > rGO > nZVI-rGO. Removal studies of trinitrotoluene (TNT) were carried out using graphite (G), GO, rGO, and nZVI-rGO with the aid of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Kinetic models were applied to establish the rate and mechanism of adsorption of TNT on different adsorbents, and intraparticle diffusion model based on initial adsorption characteristics was employed to ascertain mechanism of film and intraparticle diffusion in the adsorption process. The removal rate and adsorption capacity was found to be highest for nZVI-rGO, which renders this adsorbent to be a potential futuristic adsorbent for removal of explosives.

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Predicting bioaccessibility of contaminants of emerging concern in marine sediments using chemical methods

Journal of Soils and Sediments - A comparison was made between three chemical methods to predict bioaccessibility of triclosan (TCS), bisphenol A (BPA), and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in...     

The Characterization of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Strains/Isolates from Field Outbreaks in India

Pahar, B. and Rai, A., 1997. The characterization of infectious bursal disease virus strains/isolates from field outbreaks in India. Veterinary Research Communications, 21 (4), 289-301Three infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) isolates were adapted to culture in chick embryo fibroblast cells in which they produced a cytopathic effect. The isolates were identified as IBDV by virus neutralization tests using a standard hyperimmune serum against infectious bursal disease, physicochemical properties and their pathogenicity in chick embryos and chicks. The IBDV S394 strain was antigenically different from IBDV S194/IBDV S494 as well as from the IBDV Intermediate Georgia strain, one of the vaccine strains in use in India.     

Sorption and desorption behaviors of diuron in soils amended with charcoal

Charcoal derived from the partial combustion of vegetation is ubiquitous in soils and sediments and can potentially sequester organic contaminants. To examine the role of charcoal in the sorption and desorption behaviors of diuron pesticide in soil, synthetic charcoals were produced through carbonization of red gum (Eucalyptus spp.) wood chips at 450 and 850 degrees C (referred to as charcoals BC450 and BC850, respectively, in this paper). Pore size distribution analyses revealed that BC850 contained mainly micropores (pores approximately 0.49 nm mean width), whereas BC450 was essentially not a microporous material. Short-term equilibration (< 24 h) tests were conducted to measure sorption and desorption of diuron in a soil amended with various amounts of charcoals of both types. The sorption coefficients, isotherm nonlinearity, and apparent sorption-desorption hysteresis markedly increased with increasing content of charcoal in the soil, more prominently in the case of BC850, presumably due to the presence of micropores and its relatively higher specific surface area. The degree of apparent sorption-desorption hystersis (hysteresis index) showed a good correlation with the micropore volume of the charcoal-amended soils. This study indicates that the presence of small amounts of charcoal produced at high temperatures (e.g., interior of wood logs during a fire) in soil can have a marked effect on the release behavior of organic compounds. Mechanisms of this apparent hysteretic behavior need to be further investigated.     

‘Neodomesticates’ of the Himalayan allium spices (Allium species) in Uttarakhand,India and studies on eco-geography and morphology

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The study on Himalayan allium spices was undertaken with specific reference to commercially important taxa belonging to the genus Allium viz. A. stracheyi...     

Pyramiding Ty‐2 and Ty‐3 genes for resistance to monopartite and bipartite tomato leaf curl viruses of India

Breeding resistance to whitefly‐transmitted begomoviruses is an important goal of tomato breeding programmes worldwide. So far, resistance to begomoviruses in tomato has been achieved using wild species, and at least five resistance genes (Ty genes) have been studied. The present study was undertaken to combine Ty‐2 and Ty‐3 and to determine the effect of pyramiding on infection of tomato by three diverse begomovirus species. The diagnostic ability of the markers linked to Ty genes was assessed and marker‐assisted selection was used to develop pyramided tomato lines from the crosses between Ty stocks. Five stable pyramided tomato lines that differ in fruit morphology and yield potential were developed. The horticultural performance of pyramided lines in field trials showed that the yield and horticultural traits are well maintained in the plants. The response of these lines was assessed using agroinoculation and field tests in a disease hotspot. The pyramided lines and Ty‐3‐carrying lines exhibited a high level of resistance to the monopartite and two bipartite begomoviruses tested. The pyramided tomato lines developed in this study could be important genetic resources for sustainable tomato production in areas affected by tomato leaf curl virus disease. The combined results of disease resistance tests also showed that Ty‐3 is critical for achieving broad‐spectrum resistance. The limitations of relying on a single gene and the importance of pyramiding are discussed in the light of available evidence on frequent recombination in begomoviruses.     

An assessment on CRISPR Cas as a novel asset in mitigating drought stress

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Drought stress is currently one of the major threats to the global food security as it primarily is the main cause behind yield loss and hence overall...