SARS-CoV-2 in animals: potential for unknown reservoir hosts and public health implications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously 2019-nCoV) is suspected of having originated in 2019 in China from a coronavirus infected bat of the genus Rhinolophus. Following the initial emergence, possibly facilitated by a mammalian bridge host, SARS-CoV-2 is currently transmitted across the globe via efficient human-to-human transmission. Results obtained from experimental studies indicate that animal species such as cats, ferrets, raccoon dogs, cynomolgus macaques, rhesus macaques, white-tailed deer, rabbits, Egyptian fruit bats, and Syrian hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and that cat-to-cat and ferret-to-ferret transmission can take place via contact and air. However, natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported only in pet dogs and cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, pumas, and gorillas at zoos, and farmed mink and ferrets. Even though human-to-animal spillover has been reported at several instances, SARS-CoV-2 transmission from animals-to-humans has only been reported from mink-to-humans in mink farms. Following the rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within the mink population, a new mink-associated SARS-CoV-2 variant emerged that was identified in both humans and mink. The increasing reports of SARS-CoV-2 in carnivores indicate the higher susceptibility of animal species belonging to this order. The sporadic reports of SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic and wild animal species require further investigation to determine if SARS-CoV-2 or related Betacoronaviruses can get established in kept, feral or wild animal populations, which may eventually act as viral reservoirs. This review analyzes the current evidence of SARS-CoV-2 natural infection in domestic and wild animal species and their possible implications on public health.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of endangered medicinal plant species Coleus forskohlii collected from central India

In recent years, Coleus forskohlii has been considered plant as an important medicinal. Because of the continuous collection of roots from the wild sources, this plant has been included in the list of endangered species. This has necessitated the use of biotechnology in conservation and sustainable management of this endangered plant species. Morphological and molecular characterization of this herb will enhance our understanding in improving the optimal yields of Forskolin through breeding. To assess the morphological and molecular genetic diversity in 18 C. forskohlii genotypes collected from different places of central India, RAPD, ISSR, and AFLP marker systems were employed. Eleven RAPD, ten ISSRs and eight AFLP primers produced 101, 80, and 483 fragments, respectively. Among the three marker system used in this study, RAPD and ISSR showed 61.39 and 68.75% polymorphism, respectively, while eight AFLP primer combinations produced 70.81% polymorphism. UPGMA cluster analysis method group genotypes in two clusters with all marker systems separately and after combined analysis. Results show that both morphological and molecular factors are effective in observing variations. Our results also indicate that the RAPD, ISSR, and AFLP approaches, along with pharmaceutically important morphological trait analysis, seemed to be best-suited for assessing the genetic relationships among distinct C. Forskohlii genotypes with high accuracy.     

First report of dry rot of potato caused by Fusarium proliferatum in India

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Potato stands first as a non-cereal food crop for global consumption purposes. During the year 2019–20, dry rot disease symptoms were observed on...     

印度东北部南梅加拉亚邦摈榔复合农林生态系统植物多样性(英文)

在南梅加拉亚邦摈榔复合农林生态系统内,农民种有多种具有重要经济价值的植物。调查了摈榔复合农林生态系统内植物组成情况,共发现160种植物,其中木本植物83种,灌木22种,草本41种,攀缘植物14种。研究表明,摈榔复合农林生态系统为当地农民带来了经济收入,提供医药、木材、燃材和食用品以及外售。这些复合农林生态系统有利于保护重要经济价值的植物物种、保持生物多样性,并在结构组成和生态经济功能上模拟自然森林。     

Genetic variation in salt tolerance at the seedling stage in an interspecific backcross inbred line population of cultivated tetraploid cotton

Soil salinity reduces cotton growth, yield, and fiber quality and has become a serious problem in the arid southwestern region of the Unites States. Development and planting of salt-tolerant cultivars could ameliorate the deleterious effects. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic variation of salt tolerance and identify salt tolerant genotypes in a backcross inbred line (BIL) population of 142 lines from a cross of Upland (Gossypium hirsutum) × Pima cotton (G. barbadense) at the seedling growth stage. As compared with the non-saline (control) conditions, seedlings under the salinity stress (200 mM NaCl) showed a significant reduction in all the plant growth characteristics measured, as expected. Even though the two parents did not differ in salt response as measured by percent reduction, significant genotype variations in the BIL population were detected for all traits except for leaf number. Based on percent reduction of the traits measured, several BILs were more salt tolerant than both parents. The results indicate that transgressive segregation occurred during the process of backcrossing and selfing even though both parents were not salt tolerant during seedling growth. Coefficients of correlation between all the traits were significantly positive, indicating an association between the traits measured. The estimates of broad-sense heritability were 0.69, 0.46, 0.47, 0.43, and 0.49 for plant height, fresh weight of shoot and root, and dry weight of shoot and root, respectively, indicating that salt tolerance during cotton seedling growth is moderately heritable and environmental variation plays an equally important role. The overall results demonstrate that backcrossing followed by repeated self-pollination is a successful strategy to enhance salt tolerance at the seedling stage by transferring genetic factors from Pima to Upland cotton.