Assessing the distribution pattern of otters in four rivers of the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot

1. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), smooth‐coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and Asian small‐clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) have all been reported previously from the Indian state of Uttarakhand. However, little information is available about their current distribution in a mountainous region that is subject to increasing human‐induced stressors (such as hydropower plants, pollution, sand and boulder mining, destructive fishing techniques, poaching).
2. Owing to important roles played by these otters in structuring riverine food webs (particularly taking account of their roles as top carnivores), it is critical that they receive suitable protection in the face of projected temperature rise, change in precipitation patterns, and associated river flows in this Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. This study assesses otter distribution in four rivers of Uttarakhand as a basis for informing future conservation actions.
3. Field surveys were conducted (October 2018–January 2019) in reaches of the Kosi, Ramganga, Khoh, and Song rivers, supported by semi‐structured interviews (N = 379) conducted with members of local communities to collect qualitative data on views and perceptions of otter species. In addition, community‐based otter awareness camps were organized for local youths (N = 105), adults (N = 115), and schoolchildren (N = 256 covering 10 schools).
4. Habitat suitability maps were created using remote‐sensing data, survey findings, and a geographic information system to provide information about priority reaches of river to be targeted for future conservation efforts.
5. This study provides critical interdisciplinary baseline information to guide decision‐makers towards developing a targeted, otter‐specific conservation programme for this important Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
6. The otter conservation education programmes conducted during this study resulted in a proposal to set up a community‐based conservation initiative to monitor and report otter sightings from the area, potentially representing a way forward for achieving simultaneous otter conservation and associated ecosystem benefits for local communities.

     

Estimation of Variability of Five Enzyme Systems Among Wild and Cultivated Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trifolium</Emphasis>

The genus Trifolium comprises of 290 annual and perennial species of which the species such as T. repens, T. hybridum, T. pratense, T. ambiguum, T. resupinatum, T. alexandrinum are economically important. Boundaries between species in many cases have been difficult to define because of wide range of diversity caused by primary polymorphism. Hence, inter- and intraspecies variation in Trifolium, for zymogram pattern of five enzyme system was made to work out estimate of variability for isozymic banding pattern and get an insight into the species relationship. A total of 25 species represented by 134 accessions were compared for 5 enzymes viz. peroxidase, esterase, superoxide dismutase, acid phosphatase, and glutamate oxalo acetate transaminase using starch gel electrophoresis. Forty-six types of zymograms for Est isozyme pattern were observed amounting to 4.38 estimate of variability. The estimates of variability revealed maximum variation in T. resupinatum (4.24) followed with 3.02 in T. nigrescens. Estimate of variability for superoxide dismutase ranged from 0.46 to 2.67 among species amounting to 1.08 total variability across species. A total of 28 types of glutamate oxalo acetate transaminase zymograms were observed accounting for 2.48 estimate of variability. All but one band attributed to an estimate of variability of 1.43 in the genus for ACP and 16 different types of ACP zymograms were noticed. Highest variation for ACP was observed in T. resupinatum (4.53). Estimate of variation for peroxidase was 4.83 and 51 types of zymogram were observed. The species differed markedly for zymograms. The species distributed both in temperate and tropical parts like T. resupinatum had more variability as compared to cultivated species like T. alexandrinum and T. pratense. The rich variability present among these species can provide good source of gene transfer from wild to cultivated species which otherwise have no specific zymogram and exhibit low variability. The species sharing zymogram pattern for one or more enzymes with cultivated species were considered to have affinity and can further be utilized in attempting interspecific hybridization.     

The Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation in Mitigating Salt Stress of Pea (Pisum Sativum L.)

ABSTRACT

Salinity is one of the major threats to an agriculture production system and limits crop growth and productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a mutualistic association with majority of land plants and play important role in stress tolerance. In the present study, effect of three mycorrhizal treatments, i.e., single-species AMF (Rhizoglomus intraradices), formulated AMF (Funneliformis mosseae and R. intraradices), and multispecies AMF (Rhizoglomus fasciculatum and Gigaspora sp.) along with control (nonmycorrhizal) on growth, yield performance, and metabolic changes in pea crop under salinity stress was examined in completely randomized design with four replications. The results revealed that AMF inoculation mitigated negative effects of salinity in pea due to higher nutrient uptake, accumulation of compatible osmolytes, and lower cellular leakage of electrolyte which in turn enhanced biomass production, chlorophyll synthesis, yield, and growth attributes. Overall, consortium-based application of R. fasciculatum and Gigaspora sp. was found most suitable approach to ameliorate the salt stress in pea crop and enhanced the yield by ~11%, 24%, and 54% than single-species, multispecies, and control treatments, respectively. The variation in results under different mycorrhizal treatment might be due to specific compatibility relationships that exist between symbionts.     

Symbiotic relationships and root nodule ultrastructure of the pasture legume Biserrula pelecinus L.—a new legume in agriculture

Biserrula pelecinus is a pasture legume species new to Australian agriculture. The potential N benefit from B. pelecinus pastures in agricultural systems may not be realised if its symbiotic interactions with Mesorhizobium spp. are not well understood. This study evaluated the symbiotic interactions of four strains of Biserrula root-nodule bacteria (WSM1271, WSM1283, WSM1284, WSM1497) with four genotypes of B. pelecinus (cv. Casbah, 93GRC4, 93ITA33, IFBI1) and with a range of related legumes, including species known to be nodulated by strains of Mesorhizobium loti and other Mesorhizobium spp. Structures of root nodules were studied using light and electron microscopy enabling the ultrastructure of effective and ineffective nodules to be compared. B. pelecinus always formed typical indeterminate, finger-like nodules. The number of bacteroids inside symbiosomes varied between host×strain combinations, however, nodules formed by ineffective associations had well developed peribacteroid membranes and abundant bacteroids. Considerable variation was found in N₂-fixing effectiveness of strains isolated from B. pelecinus on the four B. pelecinus genotypes. Strains WSM1271, WSM1284 and WSM1497 nodulated Astragalus membranaceus, only strains WSM1284 and WSM1497 nodulated Astragalus adsurgens. Strain WSM1284 also nodulated Dorycnium rectum, Dorycnium hirsutum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Leucaena leucocephala, Lotus edulis, Lotus glaber, Lotus maroccanus, Lotus ornithopodioides, Lotus pedunculatus, Lotus peregrinus, Lotus subbiflorus and Ornithopus sativus. The four strains from B. pelecinus did not nodulate Amorpha fruticosa, Astragalus sinicus, Cicer arietinum, Hedysarum spinosissimum, Lotus parviflorus, Macroptilium atropurpureum or Trifolium lupinaster. M. loti strain SU343 nodulated all four genotypes of B. pelecinus. However, M. loti strain CC829 only nodulated B. pelecinus genotypes 93ITA33 and IFBI1 and the nodules were ineffective. The root nodule isolates from H. spinosissimum (E13 and H4) nodulated B. pelecinus cv. Casbah whereas the commercial inoculant strain for Cicer (CC1192) could not nodulate any genotype of B. pelecinus. These results indicate that strains WSM1271, WSM1283 and WSM1497 isolated originally from B. pelecinus have a specific host range while strain WSM1284 is promiscuous in its capacity to nodulate with a broad range of related species. As B. pelecinus can be nodulated by Mesorhizobium spp. from other agricultural legumes, particularly Lotus, there is an opportunity to utilise this trait in cultivar development.     

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.     

Influence of thiobencarb and fluchloralin on the soil and rhizosphere microflora of potato

Summary Spray application at locally recommended rates of the herbicides thiobencarb and fluchloralin to potatoes reduced the rhizosphere and general soil microbial populations. Within 30 days the populations had generally recovered although there were some changes in the species composition of the fungal community that persisted until the final sample at harvest time.     

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...     

Kinetics of freshly squeezed orange juice quality changes during ozone processing

Freshly squeezed orange juice samples were ozonated with control variables of gas flow rate (0-0.25 L min (-1)), ozone concentration (0.6-10.0%w/w), and treatment time (0-10 min). Effects of ozone processing variables on orange juice quality parameters of pH, degrees Brix, titratable acidity (TA), cloud value, nonenzymatic browning (NEB), color values ( L*, a*, and b*), and ascorbic acid content were determined. No significant changes in pH, degrees Brix, TA, cloud value, and NEB ( p < 0.05) were found. L*, a*, and b* color values were significantly affected by gas flow rate, ozone concentration, and treatment time. The changes in lightness ( L*) values and total color difference (TCD) values were fitted well to zero-order kinetics, whereas a*, b*, and ascorbic acid degradation followed first-order kinetics. The rate constants for a*, b*, and TCD were linearly correlated with ozone concentration ( R (2) = 0.88-0.99), whereas the rate constants for L* and ascorbic acid were exponentially correlated ( R (2) = 0.94-0.98).     

Evaluation of end use quality and root traits in wheat cultivars associated with 1RS.1BL translocation

1RS.1BL translocation in wheat, exploited for its multiple disease resistance (Lr26, Yr9, Sr31 and Pm8), has  maintained significance due to its agronomical advantages. However, this translocation exhibits serious defects in dough quality due to the presence of Sec-1 loci on 1RS arm. In the present investigation micro SDS sedimentation test (MST), high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMWGS) and bread making analysis of 26 genotypes were studied along with their root phenotyping in the field and under hydroponic culture system. The MST values showed that genotypes having Sec-1 loci had low MST values but in the presence of Glu-D1 (5?+?10) with Glu-B1 (7?+?9) and (7?+?8) they had high MST values, thus overcoming the negative effects of secalin on dough quality. The loaf volume showed positive correlation with MST values of the genotypes. The translocation of 1RS arm led to higher root biomass and longer root length than Pavon 76 without 1RS. Better root traits in recombinant 1RS 44:38 and 1B?+?38 than Pavon 1RS.1BL suggested the role of negative epistatic effects between different QTL regions in 1RS arm. The results suggest that it should be possible to harness the useful alleles associated with good dough quality, better root traits, high yield and stress tolerance with or without secalin.