Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: strategies to improve abiotic stresses under sustainable agriculture

The abiotic stresses like drought, heavy metal and salts directly or indirectly influence the global environmental pollution and decrease the agricultural productivity. The stress tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role against the abiotic stresses in terms of enhancing the efficacy of soil, plant growth promotion (PGP). Stress tolerance PGPRs have certain specific PGP properties such as hormones synthesis, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, Abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis, enzymes production, nitrogen fixation, phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) solubilization, as results which protect various crops during such stress conditions and consequently enhance crop sustainability. Efficient PGPRs isolated from various stress conditions have certainly, more useful against that particular stress. This article highlighted the isolation of various stresses tolerant PGPRs from varieties of crops under different stress conditions and their effect on varieties of crops to enhance their plant growth promotion.     

Latent heat flux estimation in clear sky days over Indian agroecosystems using noontime satellite remote sensing data

A simplified evaporative fraction (Λ) based single-source energy balance scheme was tested with moderate resolution (1 km) noontime satellite observations to evaluate clear sky latent heat flux (λE) estimates over diverse agricultural landscapes. This approach uses two-dimensional (2D) scatter between land surface temperature (LST) and albedo to determine Λ. The operational utility of this scheme was demonstrated for estimating regional evapotranspiration and consumptive water use during rabi (November to April) crop growing season to predict pre-harvest wheat yield (error within 15.9% of reported mean) using time series data. The existence of triangular relations between Λ and LAI (leaf area index) or NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) was found with basal line (hypotenuse) linearly coupled with LAI or NDVI at low level of surface soil wetness. The analysis of diurnal course of in situ Λ proved the validity of constant-Λ hypothesis over pure, uniform, homogeneous crop canopies but showed irregular and wave-like patterns over heterogeneous, mixed crop canopies. The root mean square error (RMSE) of noontime and daytime average λE estimates with respect to in situ λE measurements were also smaller over homogeneous agricultural canopies (41 and 23 W m⁻²) with correlation coefficients (r) 0.94 and 0.96, respectively, from 135 clear sky datasets as compared to RMSE over heterogeneous ones (59 and 28 W m⁻² with r = 0.66 and 0.82, respectively from 22 datasets). The intercomparison with another Λ based approach (LST–NDVI 2D scatter) showed the supremacy of Λ determined from LST–albedo 2D scatter. The efficiency of LST–NDVI scatter was better during the dry down or water limited phases of crop growth only. The uncertainties of λE estimates were attributed to errors in core radiation budget inputs, relative loss of conservativeness of Λ due to canopy heterogeneity, and the inherent limitations of the single-source approach. There is further scope to reduce present λE uncertainties by combining the new findings on Λ (LST–albedo scatter)–NDVI triangular relations, diurnal Λ and two-source radiation budget.     

Three-dimensionally ordered array of air bubbles in a polymer film

We report the formation of a three-dimensionally ordered array of air bubbles of monodisperse pore size in a polymer film through a templating mechanism based on thermocapillary convection. Dilute solutions of a simple, coil-like polymer in a volatile solvent are cast on a glass slide in the presence of moist air flowing across the surface. Evaporative cooling and the generation of an ordered array of breath figures leads to the formation of multilayers of hexagonally packed water droplets that are preserved in the final, solid polymer film as spherical air bubbles. The dimensions of these bubbles can be controlled simply by changing the velocity of the airflow across the surface. When these three-dimensionally ordered macroporous materials have pore dimensions comparable to the wavelength of visible light, they are of interest as photonic band gaps and optical stop-bands.     

Modelling regional level spatial distribution of aphid (Lipaphis erysimi) growth in Indian mustard using satellite-based remote sensing data

Abstract

We developed a procedure for preparing a model for mapping spatially distributed zones of aphid pest (Lipaphis erysimi) outbreaks at a regional level. This study employed near-surface meteorological parameters derived from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Television and Infra-Red Operational Satellites (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) data and field observations of disease infestation. The study area comprised three sites representing semi-arid and sub-humid regions of dominant Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)-growing regions of India. A model based on TOVS-derived cumulative surface air temperature and minimum specific humidity (SpH) was developed to estimate the date of ‘aphid onset’ (first appearance), date of peak infestation and location of severity with respect to aphid population density. Aphid population growth rate during the linear growth phase between aphid onset to peak was computed using SpH-weighted temperature and dates of sowing of the crop (crop age). Sowing dates of mustard crop, of northwest India, were obtained from spectral growth profiles derived from time series remote sensing (RS) products of the SPOT-4 VEGETATION sensor. Estimated dates of peak aphid infestation and peak population showed a strong match with the observed data. The location of peak aphid population density was depicted in each spatial grid of 25×25 km² for parts of northwest India. The simulated aphid population build-up and date of peak population density was validated with observed data for an unknown site in the Sriganganager district, Rajasthan state, India. Comparison of predicted dates of attaining peak aphid population with observations showed a deviation of ±7 days. After validation, the regional level model was applied over a large area of a mustard-growing region for varying dates of sowing, surface air temperature and specific humidity, to show the spatial distribution of aphid growing severity zones (population density) and to predict dates of severe aphid infestation (peak population) at each grid level in the region.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Spirocyclic Bromotyrosine Clavatadine C Analogs

Marine-originated spirocyclic bromotyrosines are considered as promising scaffolds for new anticancer drugs. In a continuation of our research to develop potent and more selective anticancer compounds, we synthesized a library of 32 spirocyclic clavatadine analogs by replacing the agmatine, i.e., 4-(aminobutyl)guanidine, side chain with different substituents. These compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against skin cancer using the human melanoma cell line (A-375) and normal human skin fibroblast cell line (Hs27). The highest cytotoxicity against the A-375 cell line was observed for dichloro compound 18 (CC₅₀ 0.4 ± 0.3 µM, selectivity index (SI) 2). The variation of selectivity ranged from SI 0.4 to reach 2.4 for the pyridin-2-yl derivative 29 and hydrazide analog of 2-picoline 37. The structure–activity relationships of the compounds in respect to cytotoxicity and selectivity toward cancer cell lines are discussed.     

Polymeric dyes based on thiadiazole derivatives

A series of polymeric dyes were synthesized by free radical addition polymerization of monomeric dyes. The 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole was diazotized and coupled with various N-arylmaleimides to give monomeric dyes. All the polymeric dyes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, visible absorption spectroscopy, viscometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Color and dyeing properties of the polymeric dyes were discussed by comparing them with those of the corresponding monomeric dyes. The dyeing performance of these dyes was assessed on nylon fiber. These dyes were found to give various color shades with good to very good depth and levelness on the fiber. The dyeing of the monomeric dyes showed moderate fastness to light and good to excellent fastness to washing, perspiration and sublimation and their corresponding polymeric dyes showed excellent fastness properties. The dyebath exhaustion and fixation on nylon fiber has been found to be good.     

Is it possible to store spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) sperm by refrigeration?

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - Spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor reproduction in captivity is dependent on in vitro fertilization. However, it is often challenging to acquire sufficient fresh...     

Development of a waste brewery yeast larval diet for rearing Bactrocera zonata for use in SIT

In Mauritius, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is being developed to manage the Peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Novel and economical larval diets are needed to produce millions of artificially reared sterile flies needed to ensure the success of this programme. We assessed the efficacy of conventional (solid) and gel diets with formulations containing modified waste brewery yeast (WBY), an alternative low cost protein source. The WBY is obtained freely from the manufacturing plant located at the Entomology Division of the Ministry of Agro Industry & Food Security, Réduit, Mauritius. Its chemical composition is highly comparable to those of the imported commercial yeast. Formulations of both diet types varied in the ratio of WBY (%) to commercial yeast (CY) (%) (Control: 0:100, A: 25:75, B: 30:70; C: 40:60; D: 50:50). The quality parameters of flies reared on the modified gel larval diets i.e. volume of pupae, pupal weight, pupal recovery, percentage adult emergence and percentage fliers were comparatively better on the gel diet formulations B, C and D, while no significant difference in percentage egg hatch was observed between the conventional diet and the gel diet. The optimum egg seeding rate (larval density) for selected gel diets B, C and D was determined. Formulation C using 0.15 ml of eggs/100 g of diet resulted in the highest pupal recovery, pupal weight, emergence and flight ability. A five-year cost benefit analysis revealed a net cost saving of 38% (US$ 53 418.20) by using the gel diet with WBY instead of the solid diet. The cost for the production for one million flies is US$ 310.67. Our results demonstrate that the selected gel diet formulation in which commercial yeast is partially replaced by waste brewery yeast is a viable alternative to the conventional solid diet for rearing of B. zonata. There are also the added benefits in terms of reduced cost with respect to storage and disposal, due to the elimination of bulking agents.