Double Health Risk in Arsenic Contaminated Drinking Water – Evidence of Enhanced Alpha Radioactivity

The presence of alpha emitting radionuclides in the environment assumes importance since they are found to be carcinogenic. This paper reports the results of an exhaustive and systematic measurement of alpha radioactivity using solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) in drinking water in different parts of India covering the entire Ganges Basin – West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where arsenic contamination is severe. The alpha activity in the samples was found in the range of 8 to 800 Bq/l in West Bengal, 90 to 1,000 Bq/l in Uttar Pradesh and 60 to 1,000 Bq/l in Bihar – much higher alpha activity value than MCL value given by US EPA. The concentration of alpha activity has a positive correlation with that of arsenic.     

Identification of a maize (Zea mays L.) inbred line adapted to low‐P conditions via analyses of phosphorus utilization,root acidification,and calcium influx

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers are essential for achieving high crop productivity, but declining soil P reserves and cost of fertilizers suggest that improving crop varieties for improved use efficiency of P be important for sustainability. To explore the possibility of selecting crops suitable for low P conditions, two maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines, i.e., W22 and W23 were compared for growth, root morphology, and electrophysiological parameters, under hydroponic conditions with either insoluble P source (LP) or soluble P source (HP) in a factorial completely randomized design. Relative shoot biomass of W23 was significantly (38%) greater than that of W22 with LP, while relative root biomass of the two inbred lines did not differ. With LP, the P stress factor was the lowest (25%) and P dissolution in hydroponic solution was the greatest for W23. Root electrophysiological analysis revealed that W23 had 89% greater H⁺ efflux and 225% greater Ca²⁺ influx than W22 with LP. The distant elongation zone (DEZ) of W23 root was significantly longer and more shoot‐ward than W22 with LP. Thus, W23, having significantly greater relative shoot biomass, lower P stress factor, greater P dissolution, greater H⁺ efflux and Ca²⁺ influx, longer and more shoot‐ward DEZ, was better adapted to low‐P condition compared to W22. In the future, the W23 inbred line can be used for developing low‐P stress resistant varieties to utilize native insoluble soil P efficiently or to produce commercially acceptable yields using lower rates of soluble P fertilizers.     

A report on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in yaks (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bos poephagus</Emphasis>) in the cold desert area of North Sikkim,India

Faecal samples were collected from 348 yaks(Bos poephagus) in and around Gurudogmer Plateau, a cold desert area in North Sikkim, India. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infection was recorded at 10.05% in both the organized and traditionally managed farms of yak. The pattern of infection was either single (2.58%) or mixed (7.47%) with a faecal egg count range of 100–200 eggs per gram of faeces in positive animals. Among the helminths, Haemonchus spp. infection was predominant (6.89%) followed by Nematodirus spp. (1.72%), Cooperia spp. (1.43%) and Dicrocoelium spp. (0.29%).     

Peroxidase activity in rice leaves infected withHelminthosporium oryzae in relation to lesion maturation

Two-week-old seedlings of two rice varieties, resistant CH13 and susceptible Benibhog, were inoculated with a conidial suspension ofHelminthosporium oryzae. The resistant host exhibited greater peroxidase activity than the susceptible one when infected with the pathogen. Enzyme activities were measured 0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h after infection. Peroxidase activity in diseased leaves bearing young lesions,i.e., 24 h after inoculation, was not appreciably different from that in non-infected leaves. At the intermediate and mature stages of lesion development,ri.e., 72 and 120 h after inoculation, a marked increase in peroxidase activity was observed. The pattern of increased enzyme activity was similar in both varieties but the whole event proceeded faster in the resistant variety. No marked change in peroxidase activity in healthy leaves of both the varieties was noticed with increase of seedling age.     

Improvement of three popular Indian groundnut varieties for foliar disease resistance and high oleic acid using SSR markers and SNP array in marker-assisted backcrossing

Foliar fungal diseases(rust and late leaf spot)incur large yield losses,in addition to the deterioration of fodder quality in groundnut worldwide.High oleic acid has emerged as a key market trait in groundnut,as it increases the shelf life of the produce/products in addition to providing health benefits to consumers.Marker-assisted backcrossing(MABC)is the most successful approach to introgressing or pyramiding one or more traits using traitlinked markers.We used MABC to improve three popular Indian cultivars(GJG 9,GG 20,and GJGHPS 1)for foliar disease resistance(FDR)and high oleic acid content.A total of 22 BC3F4 and 30 BC2F4 introgression lines(ILs)for FDR and 46 BC3F4 and 41 BC2F4 ILs for high oleic acid were developed.Recurrent parent genome analysis using the 58 K Axiom_Arachis array identified several lines showing upto 94%of genome recovery among second and third backcross progenies.Phenotyping of these ILs revealed FDR scores comparable to the resistant parent,GPBD 4,and ILs with high(~80%)oleic acid in addition to high genome recovery.These ILs provide further opportunities for pyramiding FDR and high oleic acid in all three genetic backgrounds as well as for conducting multi-location yield trials for further evaluation and release for cultivation in target regions of India.