Effect of long‐term fertilization and manuring on potassium release properties in a Typic Ustochrept

A long‐term fertilizer experiment, over 27 years, studied the effect of mineral fertilizers and organic manures on potassium (K) balances and K release properties in maize‐wheat‐cowpea (fodder) cropping system on a Typic Ustochrept. The treatments consisted of control, 100% nitrogen (100% N), 100% nitrogen and phosphorus (100% NP), 50% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (50% NPK), 100% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (100% NPK), 150% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (150% NPK), and 100% NPK+farmyard manure (100% NPK+FYM). Nutrients N, P, and K in 100% NPK treatment were applied at N: 120 kg ha^—1, P: 26 kg ha^—1, and K: 33 kg ha^—1 each to maize and wheat crops and N: 20 kg ha^—1, P: 17 kg ha^—1, and K: 17 kg ha^—1 to cowpea (fodder). In all the fertilizer and manure treatments removal of K in the crop exceeded K additions and the total soil K balance was negative. The neutral 1 N ammonium acetate‐extractable K in the surface soil (0—15 cm) ranged from 0.19 to 0.39 cmol kg^—1 in various treatments after 27 crop cycles. The highest and lowest values were obtained in 100% NPK+FYM and 100% NP treatments, respectively. Non‐exchangeable K was also depleted more in the treatments without K fertilization (control, 100% N, and 100% NP). Parabolic diffusion equation could describe the reaction rates in CaCl₂ solutions. Release rate constants (b) of non‐exchangeable K for different depth of soil profile showed the variations among the treatments indicating that long‐term cropping with different rates of fertilizers and manures influenced the rate of K release from non‐exchangeable fraction of soil. The b values were lowest in 100% NP and highest in 100% NPK+FYM treatment in the surface soil. In the sub‐surface soil layers (15—30 and 30—45 cm) also the higher release rates were obtained in the treatments supplied with K than without K fertilization indicating that the sub‐soils were also stressed for K in these treatments.     

Identification of potential sources of mungbean yellow mosaic India virus resistance in black gram (Vigna mungo) and expression of antioxidants and R-genes modulating resistance response in cultivated and its two wild relatives

Black gram is one of the most important short duration grain legume, which contributes significantly towards nutritional security and environmental sustainability. The virus specific primers confirms the presence of mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) in representative samples. A total of 27 cultivated and two wild species were found as highly resistant (HR) to MYMIV and validated through molecular markers. The start codon target (SCoT) markers analysis revealed that the SCoT loci, namely, SCoT-4 (2200 bp), SCot-9 (1150/ 1200 bp), SCoT-15 (1150/1100 bp), SCoT-16 (700 bp), SCoT-24 (2500 bp), SCoT-25 (700 bp), SCoT-33 (900/1000 bp), and SCoT-34 (600 bp), were found unique, able to distinguish HR and highly susceptible (HS) genotypes. Biochemical characterization and gene expression profiling revealed the higher expression of antioxidants and R-genes just after pathogen inoculation indicated the activation of defence mechanism in both cultivated and its wild relatives, which modulates the resistant responses in cultivated and wild accessions. These information will be really helpful in accelerating resistance breeding in black gram.     

Morpho-physio and anatomical characterization of the indigenous Himalayan crabapple: Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. (Rohru) and exotic Malus pumila Mill. for dwarfing traits

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The wild Malus germplasm is considered as a gene reservoir for various biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance/resistance genes, including important novel...     

Molecular epidemiological survey of benign Theileria parasites of cattle in Japan: detection of a new type of major piroplasm surface protein gene

Benign Theileria species of cattle are found in most parts of the world. The major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP), a conserved protein in all Theileria species, has been used as a maker for epidemiological and phylogenetical studies of benign Theileria species. Parasites with Ikeda- or Chitose-type MPSP genes are dominant in Japan, but we report here mixed infection cases of Theileria parasites with an additional MPSP type parasite infecting cattle in Abashiri District, Hokkaido. The MPSP gene sequence found in the additional type was closely related to MPSP genes of Theileria parasites found in Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand (Narathiwat) and Indonesia (Java). Theileria parasites from the blood sample were also distinguishable from the Ikeda or Chitose type parasites by the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence analysis, and they are grouped into the SSU rRNA types C/D found in Korea, North America, and Spain. The present finding of mixed infections of cattle with three different types of Theileria makes epidemiological feature of bovine theileriosis in Japan more complex. We have designed a set of primers specific to this MPSP type in order to conduct further epidemiological study.     

Role of live microbial feed supplements with reference to anaerobic fungi in ruminant productivity: A review

To keep the concept of a safe food supply to the consumers, animal feed industries world over are showing an increasing interest in the direct-fed microbials(DFM) for improved animal performance in terms of growth or productivity. This becomes all the more essential in a situation, where a number of the residues of antibiotics and/or other growth stimulants reach in milk and meat with a number of associated potential risks for the consumers. Hence, in the absence of growth stimulants, a positive manipulation of the rumen microbial ecosystem to enhance the feedstuff utilization for improved production efficiency by ruminants has become of much interest to the researchers and entrepreneurs. A few genera of live microbes(i.e., bacteria, fungi and yeasts in different types of formulations from paste to powder) are infrequently used as DFM for the domestic ruminants. These DFM products are live microbial feed supplements containing naturally occurring microbes in the rumen. Among different DFM possibilities, anaerobic rumen fungi(ARF) based additives have been found to improve ruminant productivity consistently during feeding trials. Administration of ARF during the few trials conducted, led to the increased weight gain, milk production, and total tract digestibility of feed components in ruminants. Anaerobic fungi in the rumen display very strong cell-wall degrading cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities through rhizoid development, resulting in the physical disruption of feed structure paving the way for bacterial action. Significant improvements in the fiber digestibility were found to coincide with increases in ARF in the rumen indicating their role. Most of the researches based on DFM have indicated a positive response in nutrient digestion and methane reducing potential during in vivo and/or in vitro supplementation of ARF as DFM. Therefore, DFM especially ARF will gain popularity but it is necessary that all the strains are thoroughly studied for their beneficial properties to have a confirmed ‘generally regarded as safe' status for ruminants.     

Beneficial effects of Zingiber officinale on goldthioglucose induced obesity

Goldthioglucose induces in mice a significant increase in body weight, glucose, insulin and lipid levels. Treatment with 250 mg/kg of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber officinale for 8 weeks produces significant reduction in body weight, glucose, insulin and lipid levels as compared to obese control mice. The reduction in elevated glucose along with elevated insulin levels indicates that the treatment with Z. officinale improves insulin sensitivity.     

Carbonic anhydrase in Tectona grandis: kinetics, stability, isozyme analysis and relationship with photosynthesis

Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC: 4.2.1.1) activity in teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) was studied to determine its characteristics, kinetics and isozyme patterns. We also investigated effects of leaf age, plant age and genotype on CA activity and gas exchange parameters. Carbonic anhydrase extracted from leaves in 12 mM veronal buffer, pH 7.8, had a K(m) for CO(2) of 15.20 mM and a V(max) of 35,448 U mg(-1) chlorophyll min(-1), which values declined by 50 and 70%, respectively, after 1 week of storage at 4 degrees C. A 15% native polyacrylamide gel revealed the absence of CA isozymes in teak, with only a single CA band of 45 kD molecular mass observed across 10 segregating half-sib families and groups of trees ranging in age from 10 to 25 years. Activity remained stable during the first month in storage at 0 degrees C, but gradually declined to 25% of the initial value after 1 year in storage. During the period of active growth (February-May), maximal CA activity was observed in fully expanded and illuminated leaves. Significant variation was observed in CA activity across 10 1-year-old half-sib families and 21 5-year-old half-sib families. There was a positive correlation between CA activity and photosynthetic rate in a population of 10-year-old trees (P < 0.005). Positive correlations between CA activity and photosynthetic rate were found in 10 of 21 5-year-old half-sib families (P < 0.005 to P < 0.05), which showed greater diversity in CA activity than in photosynthetic characteristics. Thus, CA may serve as a biochemical marker for photosynthetic capacity in teak genotypes.     

Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with resistance to foliar diseases in sorghum [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorghum bicolor</Emphasis> (L.) Moench]

Forage sorghum cultivars grown in India are susceptible to various foliar diseases, of which anthracnose, rust, zonate leaf spot, drechslera leaf blight and target leaf spot cause severe damage. We report here the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring resistance to these foliar diseases. QTL analysis was undertaken using 168 F₇ recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of a cross between a female parental line 296B (resistant) and a germplasm accession IS18551 (susceptible). RILs and parents were evaluated in replicated field trials in two environments. A total of twelve QTLs for five foliar diseases on three sorghum linkage groups (SBI-03, SBI-04 and SBI-06) were detected, accounting for 6.9–44.9% phenotypic variance. The morphological marker Plant color (Plcor) was associated with most of the QTL across years and locations. The QTL information generated in this study will aid in the transfer of foliar disease resistance into elite susceptible sorghum breeding lines through marker-assisted selection.