Behaviour of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole on grapes under semi‐arid tropical climatic conditions

BACKGROUND: A mixture of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole is excellent in controlling both powdery and downy mildew of grapes. The objective of the present work was to study the behaviour of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole on grape berries and soil following treatment with Nativo 75 WG, a formulation containing both fungicides (trifloxystrobin 250 + tebuconazole 500 g kg^?1). This study was carried out for planned registration of this mixture for use on grapes in India. RESULTS: Initial residue deposits of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole on grapes were below their maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.5 and 2 mg kg^?1, respectively, when Nativo 75 WG was applied at the recommended dose of 175 g product ha^?1. The residues dissipated gradually to 0.02 and 0.05 mg kg^?1 by 30 days, and were below the quantifiable limit of 0.01 mg kg^?1 at the time of harvest (60 days after the last treatment). Trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole dissipated at a pre‐harvest interval (PHI) of 36 and 34 days, respectively, from the recommended treatment dose. The acid metabolite of trifloxystrobin, CGA 321 113, was not detected in grape berries at any point in time. Soil at harvest was free of any pesticide residues. CONCLUSION: Residue levels of both trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole were below MRLs when grapes were harvested 30 days after the last of four applications of 175 g product ha^?1 (trifloxystrobin 44 g AI ha^?1, tebuconazole 88 g AI ha^?1) under the semi‐arid tropical climatic conditions of India. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Genetic diversity in Acorus calamus L. as revealed by RAPD markers and its relationship with β-asarone content and ploidy level

β-Asarone content in Acorus calamus is a paramount issue because it limits the usage of plant for medicinal purpose. In the present study A. calamus L. accessions based on RAPD marker, ploidy level and β-asarone content were characterized and correlated on the basis of β-asarone content/ploidy level. Of the 40 random primers used, 6 primers generated polymorphism. Genetic relatedness among accessions evaluated by a similarity matrix based on Dice's coefficient ranged from 0.72 to 0.97. A phenetic dendrogram based on UPGMA analysis grouped accessions into two clusters. A. calamus L. accessions were found to be triploid and tetraploid and their β-asarone content was found in two ranges 6.92–8.0% and 73–88%. The study clustered the accessions as per their ploidy level, β-asarone content and geographical locations. This study would have extensive application in quality control of raw materials.     

Lessons on broodstock maintenance,spawning, larval rearing and juvenile production of marine gastropods of ornamental value

Research on marine gastropod breeding in India is in its infancy and scanty literature is only available. To fill the lacunae, marine gastropods of three ornamentally valued and conservation important groups such as Cyprids, Strombids and Muricids were held under captivity and studied for their broodstock maintenance, spawning behaviour, larval rearing and metamorphosis into juveniles at the Shellfish Hatchery of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Tuticorin. Valuable information on the focal themes of the article was obtained for Strombids and Muricids leading to the successful life cycle closing for Lambis lambis and Chicoreus virgineus are reported earlier. In the present study, experiments were conducted on aspects such as post‐metamorphosed juvenile rearing up to 76 days post hatch for L. lambis, spawning, larval development and life cycle closing and reasonable level of juvenile production (8.8%) for Chicoreus ramosus. In addition, the primary observations on the captive breeding of Cypraea tigris with reference to its egg mass, brooding habit and early development is reported. However, while studying these groups few unanswered questions and bottle necks in their breeding nature, larval rearing and metamorphosis arose. The following account details the experiments conducted and results obtained in each of the focal themes of the paper and the constraints faced.     

Novel quantitative trait loci for yield and yield related traits identified in Basmati rice (Oryza sativa)

Increasing crop productivity is one of the prime goals of crop breeding research. Rice grain yield is a complex quantitative trait governed by polygenes. Although several QTLs governing grain yield traits have been reported and limited attempts have been made to map QTLs for grain yield parameters in Basmati rice. A population from the cross Sonasal and Pusa Basmati 1121 comprising 352 RILs was generated through the single seed descent method. A total of 12 QTLs governing yield and yield-related traits were mapped on six chromosomes, namely, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9, of which five QTLs were novel. We identified a novel and robust epistatic QTL (qPH1.1 and qPL1.1) governing plant height and panicle length, flanked by the markers RM5336-RM1 on chromosome 1. The gene encoding brassinosteroid insensitive 1-associated receptor kinase 1 precursor is the putative candidate gene underlying this epistatic QTL. Another novel QTL, qNT3.1, governing tiller number was bracketed to a region of .77 Mb between the markers RM15247 and RM15281 on chromosome 3. Of the 57 annotated gene models, Os03g0437600 encoding alpha/beta-fold hydrolase, a homologous to AtKai2 is a putative candidate gene underlying the novel QTL qNT3.1. The other QTLs such as qDFF1.1 governing days to 50% flowering co-localizes with the gene Ghd7, QTL for plant height qPH1.2 co-localizes with the gene sd1, the QTLs for panicle length co-localizes with FUWA and DEP2, the QTL for tiller number co-localizes with OsRLCK57 and QTLs for thousand-grain weight co-localize with the major gene GS3. The QTLs identified in the current study can be effectively used in marker-assisted selection for developing Basmati rice varieties with a higher yield.     

Control of phytophthora leaf blight of taro (Colocasia esculenta) by fungicides and roguing

Six fungicides were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions for control of Phytophthora leaf blight of taro,Coloeasia esculenta, incited byPhytophthora colocasiae. Inin vitro tests Deraosan 65W was the most effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the test pathogen followed by Difolatan 80W, Fytolan (copper oxychloride), Apron 35F, Topsin-M 50W and Dithane Z-78 75W. Excellent control was obtained with Demosan 65W and Difolatan 80W, good control with Apron 35F, fair control with Fytolan, and poor control with Topsin-M 50W and Dithane Z-78 75W. Results ofin vivo tests were correlated with those of thein vitro tests. Roguing of infected leaves did not eradicate the pathogen but can only delay epiphytotics.     

Estimation of combining ability in broilers from a full diallel cross

1. A 4 × 4 complete diallel cross involving four broiler strains (two of Cornish stock and two of Rock stock) was made. Twelve males from each strain were concurrently mated to three pullets from each strain in single sire pens.

2. Body weight was measured from 1‐d‐old to 10 weeks of age every two weeks in the 2880 progeny obtained in five hatches.

3. General combining ability was highly significant for all traits except body weight at 1 d old. The specific combining ability was significant for 4‐, 8‐ and 10‐week body weights.

4. Maternal effects were evident for body weights at earlier ages but gradually declined with advancing age and were non‐significant for 8‐ and 10‐week weights.

5. Sex‐linked effects, although smaller in magnitude, were evident for body weights up to 6 weeks of age.     

Sedimentary records and luminescence chronology of Late Holocene palaeofloods in the Luni River, Thar Desert, northwest India

River Luni is the only well-integrated river system in the Thar Desert of India. This river catastrophically flooded due to unusually heavy rainfall in the catchment area during July 1979. In order to establish whether floods of this magnitude have occurred in the recent geological past, sedimentary records of palaeofloods occurring in the Sindari Gorge, in the lower Luni Basin were investigated. The principal slackwater flood deposits were observed in a back-flooded tributary near Bhuka. Analysis of the slackwater flood deposits preserved in the back-flooded tributary and their luminescence dating suggests that the Luni River has experienced at least 17 extreme floods during the past millennium. Evidence from the Bhuka site also suggests that no floods comparable in magnitude to the July 1979 megaflood have occurred during this period. This observation is in conformity with the palaeoflood record of central India. Comparison of the long-term monsoon rainfall series for the Luni Basin and the Indian region reveals a clear link between the two, and indicates that the clustering of large floods in the last few decades and during the Medieval warming period is a regional phenomenon associated with wetter conditions. This correlates with a regionally extended episode of landscape stability denoted by stabilization of dunes in this region.