Acaricide resistance in Rhipicephalus microplus collected from selected districts of Madhya Pradesh,Uttar Pradesh and Punjab states of India

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The isolates of Rhipicephalus microplus collected from Madhya Pradesh (MP), Punjab (PJB) and Uttar Pradesh (UP) states of India were characterized using...     

Restriction Enzyme Analysis of Indian Isolates of Egg Drop Syndrome 1976 Virus Recovered from Chicken,Duck and Quail

Egg drop syndrome 1976 (EDS-76) is caused by a haemagglutinating adenovirus belonging to group III of the genus Aviadenovirus in the family Adenoviridae. All isolates are serologically identical, but have been divided into three groups based on restriction endonuclease (RE) analysis. In this study the viral DNA of various Indian EDS-76 viral isolates (CEDS-A, CEDS-B, EDS-M, EDS-ML, EDS-1/AD/86, EDS-KC and QEDS) obtained from different avian species and different geographical regions were digested with restriction endonucleases viz., EcoRI, BamHI, HindIII and PstI. The results showed that one Indian isolate obtained from duck (DEDS-KC) was different from all other chicken and quail counterparts. All other isolates were identical to the reference viral strain BC-14, which belong to group I of EDS-76 viruses. The duck isolate EDS-KC could not be placed in any of the three groups reported earlier.     

A note on distribution and potential of Japanese wild adzuki bean [Vigna angularis var. nipponensis (Ohwi) Ohwi and H. Ohashi] in India

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The present paper deals with the report on the potential of Vigna angularis var. nipponensis (Ohwi) Ohwi and H. Ohashi assembled from Northeastern hill region...     

Evaluating the efficacy of cyanobacterial formulations and biofilmed inoculants for leguminous crops

Our investigation was aimed towards evaluating the agronomic potential of biofilmed preparations (developed using Anabaena/Trichoderma as matrices with different agriculturally useful bacteria/fungi as partners) and selected cyanobacterial strains (Anabaena laxa (T7) RP8/Calothrix sp.). The formulations were prepared using paddy straw compost:vermiculite (1:1) as carrier and tested as inoculants in mungbean and soybean. The effects of the formulations were evaluated in terms of microbiological, nutrient availability, and plant biometric parameters. The Trichoderma viride–Bradyrhizobium biofilm exhibited 20–45% enhancement in fresh/dry weight of plants over other microbial treatments, while the T. viride–Azotobacter biofilm exhibited highest dehydrogenase activity in the soil and nitrogen fixation. T7 RP8 recorded statistically at par yield values with the T. viride–Bradyrhizobium (T5) biofilm treatment in mungbean. In soybean, among all the treatments, the T5 biofilm recorded the highest fresh weight of plants and available N in soil at harvest. The Anabaena–T. viride biofilmed formulations proved to be the most promising for soybean, recording 12–25% enhanced yield and microbial activity (measured as dehydrogenase activity). This study highlights the promise of cyanobacterial inoculants and biofilmed biofertilizers as promising inputs for integrated nutrient management strategies in agriculture.     

Deployment of wild relatives for genetic improvement in rice (Oryza sativa)

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world. The wild species of rice are expected to have novel beneficial alleles that have been lost from cultivated rice during the process of domestication. Therefore, wild species could be the potential source to induce lost genetic diversity in cultivated rice. Serving as an important reservoir of novel genes/QTLs, wild species, in general, are better adapted to different ecologies and can tolerate many biotic and abiotic stresses. Despite that, only a few wild species are studied and extensive characterization both at the molecular and morphological level is yet to be achieved. Several agronomically important genes/QTLs for improving biotic and abiotic stresses, resistance, productivity and grain quality traits were identified from AA genome donor wild species and were tagged with breeder friendly molecular markers for their transfer to elite genetic backgrounds. The present review provides information on the important wild rice species harbouring genes/QTLs for agriculturally important traits and their successful utilization in rice breeding programmes.     

Picobirnavirus detection in bovine and buffalo calves from foothills of Himalaya and Central India

The present study describes detection of picobirnavirus (PBV) in faecal samples from bovine and buffalo calves employing the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). A total of 136 faecal samples from buffalo (n = 122) and cow calves (n = 14) exhibiting clinical signs of diarrhoea and from healthy calves were collected during 2007–2010 from subtropical (central India) and tarai area of western temperate Himalayan foothills (Uttarakhand). The dsRNA nature of the virus was confirmed by nuclease treatment (RNase A, RNaseT1 and DNase 1). PAGE results confirmed 3.67% (5/136) positivity for PBV, showing a typical genomic migration pattern with two discrete bands with size of approximately 2.4 and 1.7 kbps for the larger and smaller segments, respectively. Among the five PBV samples identified, three were from buffalo calves and one from cow calf exhibiting clinical signs of acute diarrhoea, while one sample from non-diarrhoeic buffalo calf also showed the presence of PBV. None of the samples showed dual infection of rotavirus and PBV. The preliminary findings indicate sporadic incidences of PBV in bovine calves and emphasize the need for the development of better diagnostics for early detection and genetic characterization of these emerging isolates of farm animals of economic significance.     

Zika virus – emergence,evolution, pathology,diagnosis, and control: current global scenario and future perspectives – a comprehensive review

This review converses the Zika virus which has attained global concern due to its rapid pandemic potential and impact on humans. Though Zika virus was first isolated in 1947, till the recent large-scale outbreak which occurred in Micronesia, in 2007, the virus was placed into the innocuous pathogen category. The World Health Organization on 1 February 2016 declared it as a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern.’ Of the note, American as well as Pacific Island strains/isolates is relatively closer to Asian lineage strains. The African and American strains share more than 87.5% and 95% homologies with Asian strains/isolates, respectively. Asian strains form independent clusters, except those isolated from China, suggesting relatively more diversity than African strains. Prevention and control are mainly aimed at the vector population (mosquitoes) with Aedes aegypti being the main species. Surveys in Africa and Asia indicated seropositivity in various animal species. However, so far its natural reservoir is unknown. There is an urgent need to understand why Zika virus has shifted from being a virus that caused mild illness to unforeseen birth defects as well as autoimmune-neurological problems. Unfortunately, an effective vaccine is not available yet. Availability of cryo-electron microscopy based on 3.8 Å resolution revealing mature Zika virus structure and the probable virus attachment site to host cell would provide critical insights into the development of antiviral treatments and vaccines.     

Molecular characterization of unusual bovine rotavirus A strains having high genetic relatedness with human rotavirus: evidence for zooanthroponotic transmission

We report here the genomic characterization of two rare rotavirus A (RVAs) G1P[11] and G9P[X] strains detected in cattle calves from two different geographical locations in India during routine rotavirus surveillance. These strains possessed unusual G types (VP7 gene) on a bovine/artiodactyl genotype constellation, G1‐P[11]‐I2‐Rx‐Cx‐Mx‐Ax‐N2‐T6‐E2‐H3 (HR‐B91) and G9‐P[X]‐I2‐Rx‐Cx‐Mx‐Ax‐N2‐T6‐E2‐H3 (WB‐H2). This is the first report on molecular characterization of G9 in cattle, and second report on G1 in cattle. The VP7 gene of HR‐B91 occupied lineage IIc within G1 while that of WB‐H2 occupied IIIb within G9 genotype. The latter was found to be very diverse from other RVA strains of G9 genotype, and this may emerge as a new genotype in due course. The study provides evidence of zooanthroponotic transmission of human G1 and G9 RVA genes to calves. Of note, the G9 genotype was found to serve as the ancestral genotype for G1. Phylogenetic analysis of remaining gene segments revealed close relatedness to artiodactyl or artiodactyl‐like human RVA strains. The findings of this study highlight the potential role of interspecies transmission and reassortment events in generating the rare rotavirus strains.