Single, rapid coastal settlement of Asia revealed by analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes

A recent dispersal of modern humans out of Africa is now widely accepted, but the routes taken across Eurasia are still disputed. We show that mitochondrial DNA variation in isolated "relict" populations in southeast Asia supports the view that there was only a single dispersal from Africa, most likely via a southern coastal route, through India and onward into southeast Asia and Australasia. There was an early offshoot, leading ultimately to the settlement of the Near East and Europe, but the main dispersal from India to Australia approximately 65,000 years ago was rapid, most likely taking only a few thousand years.     

Correction to: Improved model for studying hydrological process in the field-to-field irrigation system

Paddy and Water Environment -     

Cytogenetics of interspecific hybrids in the genus Capsicum L.

Summary Crosses between a wild species C. chacoense and three cultivated species of chili pepper viz. C. annuum, C. frutescens and C. chinense yielded hybrids when C. chacoense was the seed parent but the reciprocal crosses were unsuccessful. C. chacoense × C. annuum F₁ hybrids were partly fertile and therefore an F₂ population could be raised; the other two F₁ hybrids were totally sterile. Chromosome pairing in the F₁ plants resulted largely in bivalents and a few multivalents and univalents. The genomes of the four species share large homologies and the role of chromosome structural changes in genome differentiation is suggested. Hybrid sterility is the major reproductive isolation mechanism.     

An efficient micropropagation system for Celastrus paniculatus Willd.: a vulnerable medicinal plant

A micropropagation protocol was developed for Celastrus paniculatus, a vulnerable medicinal plant. Cultures were initiated from nodal explants collected from young shoots of a 12-year-old plant in MS basal medium. An average of five shoots were produced in MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg l⁻¹ benzyl adenine (BA) and 0.1 mg l⁻¹ naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) after two subculture cycles with a 30-day interval. Continuous subculture in the same medium for three more cycles resulted in reduction of the number of multiple shoots (2 or 3 shoots), vitrification of the shoots, and callus formation. Vitrification of cultures could be overcome by the use of MS medium supplemented with lower concentrations of BA (0.05 mg l⁻¹) and NAA (0.01 mg l⁻¹). Among the various rooting trials, ex vitro rooting of shoots with simultaneous hardening was most efficient. The method standardized in the present study is simple, as it eliminated separate steps for in vitro rooting and hardening. Qualitative chemical similarity of the tissue culture regenerants with the mother plant was confirmed using high performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) profiling.     

Disease incidence in Eucalyptus microtheca provenances

A provenance trial of Eucalyptus microtheca F. Muell. was studied in order to select resistant provenances against Cytospara eucalypti twig blight, Pestalotiopsis versicolor stem canker and Botryodiplodia theobromae root collar canker. Out of 21 provenances tried, 4 provenances were screened as resistant against diseases and showed best performance.     

Monitoring of meteorological drought and its impact on rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity in Odisha using standardized precipitation index

The dynamics of meteorological drought and its relationship with block level rice productivity over the Eastern Indian state of Odisha was assessed during the wet season (June to November) using the standardized precipitation index (SPI). The time series of rainfall data (1983–2008) from 168 rain gauge stations was used to derive the 1- and 3-month SPI of different wet season months. The 1- and 3-month SPI data were interpolated to map spatial patterns of meteorological drought and its severity, and the maps of a drought (2008) and normal (2007) year were discussed in detail. Further, the time series of SPI was exploited to assess the drought risk in Odisha. Correlation analysis of 1- and 3-month SPI with rice productivity index (RPI) showed that the SPI of 1-month time scale particularly in July (r = 0.49) and October (r = 0.33) had significantly stronger relationship with RPI than any of the 3-month SPI individually during wet season. The cumulative degree of severity of drought could be better explained by 3-month SPI map when drought events are well spread in the preceding months. Regression models were developed using 1- and 3-month SPI for forecasting rice productivity of blocks with varying proportion of rainfed area in Odisha. Model developed based on 1-month SPI accounted for 27% yield variability in rice and could be used for forecasting rice productivity.     

Green nanoemulsion‐laden glyphosate isopropylamine formulation in suppressing creeping foxglove (A. gangetica), slender button weed (D. ocimifolia) and buffalo grass (P. conjugatum)

BACKGROUND: Pesticides are developed with carriers to improve their physicochemical properties and, accordingly, the bioefficacy of the applied formulation. For foliar‐applied herbicide, generally less than 0.1% of the active ingredient reaching the target site could reduce pesticide performance. Recently, a carrier of nanoemulsion consisting of oil, surfactant and water, with a particle size of less than 200 nm, has been shown to enhance drug permeability for skin penetration in pharmaceutical delivery systems. In the present work, the aim was to formulate a water‐soluble herbicide, glyphosate isopropylamine (IPA), using a green nanoemulsion system for a biological activity study against the weeds creeping foxglove, slender button weed and buffalo grass. RESULTS: The nanoemulsion formulations displayed a significantly lower spray deposition on creeping foxglove (2.9–3.5 ng cm^?2), slender button weed (2.6–2.9 ng cm^?2) and buffalo grass (1.8–2.4 ng cm^?2) than Roundup^® (3.7–5.1 ng cm^?2). The visible injury rates of weeds treated with the nanoemulsion formulations were statistically equivalent to those relating to Roundup^® at 14 days after treatment, with a control range of 86.67–96.67%. CONCLUSION: It was hypothesised that the significant difference in spray deposition with equal injury rates can be attributed to enhanced bioactivity of the nanoemulsion formulations. This initial discovery could be the platform for developing better penetration of agrochemical formulations in the future. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Novel report on mutation in exon 3 of myostatin (MSTN) gene in Nilagiri sheep: an endangered breed of South India

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The variability in breeding program leads to rapid loss of genetic potential for which National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources is emphasized to conserve...     

Functional proteomic analysis of crossbred (Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal) bull spermatozoa

Male infertility is one of the prime concerns of dairy cattle production. The study was designed to find out differentially expressed proteins in categorized crossbred (Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal) bull semen to serve as potential biomarkers for male infertility. Frozen crossbred bull semen with satisfactory phenotypic records were defined as “good” and “poor” based on their fertility rates. A total of 1,547 proteins were detected in bull spermatozoa using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC‐MS/MS) analysis. Results revealed that 558 (36.1%) and 653 (42.2%) proteins were expressed to good and poor quality bull spermatozoa, respectively. A total of 336 proteins (21.7%) were reported to be unique for both good and poor quality bull semen, and among the common proteins, 224 (66.7%) and 112 (33.3%) were up‐ and downregulated in good and poor quality categorized bull semen, respectively. Gene Ontology analysis of global proteomes identified different signalling pathways, and most of them were related to cellular motility, immune systems as well as cellular metabolisms. The distinctive presence of some of the proteins may provide an insight into the molecular mechanistic role played by these proteins in crossbred bull infertility.     

Inhibition of thiazopyr metabolism in plant seedlings by inhibitors of monooxygenases

Metabolism of the herbicide thiazopyr [methyl 2-(difluoromethyl)-5-(4, 5-dihydroO-lhiazo!vt)-4-(2-methylpropy!)-6-(trinuorornethyl)-3-pyridinecarboxy-late] was examined in young seedlings of redroot pigweed, grain sorghum, sunflower, corn and soybean. As previously observed with rat liver microsomes plants predominantly metabolized thiazopyr via oxidation reactions. Sulfur and carbon atoms in the thiazoline ring were the primary sites of plant oxygenases. De-esterification was also identified as an important pathway of transformations in plants. Although similar pathways of thiazopyr metabolism were observed among plants, our data indicated species differences in rates of thiazopyr degradation. Among species examined, pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) showed the fastest metabolism. Thiazopyr metabolism in pigweed was significantly inhibited by several cytochrome P450 monooxygenase inhibitors, among which tetcyclacis (TET) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were the most inhibitory. Thiazopyr metabolism in pigweed was not inhibited by organophosphates, known inhibitors of esterases. The results suggest that thiazopyr metabolism in plants is predominantly mediated via plant mono-oxygenases.