Cumulative effects of tree-based intercropping on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

In tree-based intercropping system (agroforestry), the role of perennial trees in maintaining active populations and mycelial networks of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is well documented. Agroforestry positively influences the AMF community, but complete studies regarding mycorrhization in such systems are scarce. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of tree introduction in agriculture fields on mycorrhization. In particular, we investigated the effect of trees on AMF colonization of intercrops and vice versa, the effect of canopy management of trees on their root colonization, and the cross-infectivity of AMF isolated from tree rhizosphere in intercrops and vice versa. The results of the field study suggest that in agroforestry systems, trees acted as AMF inoculum reservoir for intercrops, especially during the rainy season. Intercropping (Phaseolus mungo and Triticum aestivum in the rainy and winter seasons, respectively) increased mycorrhization, i.e., root colonization and spore population in the rhizosphere of Albizia procera and Eucalyptus tereticornis. Canopy management, i.e., shoot pruning, reduces root colonization in A. procera, Anogeissus pendula, Dalbergia sissoo, Hardwickia binata, and Tectona grandis, especially in April 2005 (late spring), but during subsequent periods, differences among the treatments were at par. Results from greenhouse suggest that AMF are nonspecific in their selection of host since species isolated from tree rhizosphere could colonize the roots of crops and vice versa.     

Assessment of genetic diversity in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genotypes, using EST-derived SSR markers

A total of 16,619 ESTs sequences (SSRs) of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) were mined from Genbank. From sequences, 156 primer pairs were designed and characterized to determine the diversity among 49 sesame accessions. Twenty SSRs were found to be polymorphic and the number of alleles ranged from two to five per locus. The allele size varied from 101 to 399 bp. The average PIC value of the 20 SSR loci was 0.72 ranging from 0.49 (SEM-12-68) to 0.90 (SEM-12-27). Dendrogram analysis grouped the 49 genotypes into five separate clusters exhibiting a genetic similarity coefficient from 0.59 to 1.0. Hence, these EST-derived SSRs markers could be useful in assessing the diversity of sesame accessions and could also help in identifying diverse parents for sesame improvement programs.     

Real-time PCR Quantification and Mycotoxin Production of Fusarium graminearum in Wheat Inoculated with Isolates Collected from Potato, Sugar Beet, and Wheat

ABSTRACT Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) in small grains worldwide. Although primarily a pathogen of cereals, it also can infect noncereal crops such as potato and sugar beet in the United States. We used a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on intergenic sequences specific to the trichodiene synthase gene (Tri5) from F. graminearum. TaqMan probe and primers were designed and used to estimate DNA content of the pathogen (FgDNA) in the susceptible wheat cv. Grandin after inoculation with the 21 isolates of F. graminearum collected from potato, sugar beet, and wheat. The presence of nine mycotoxins was analyzed in the inoculated wheat heads by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. All isolates contained the Tri5 gene and were virulent to cv. Grandin. Isolates of F. graminearum differed significantly in virulence (expressed as disease severity), FgDNA content, and mycotoxin accumulation. Potato isolates showed greater variability in producing different mycotoxins than sugar beet and wheat isolates. Correlation analysis showed a significant (P < 0.001) positive relationship between FgDNA content and FHB severity or deoxynivalenol (DON) production. Moreover, a significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation between FHB severity and DON content was observed. Our findings revealed that F. graminearum causing potato dry rot and sugar beet decay could be potential sources of inoculum for FHB epidemics in wheat. Real-time PCR assay provides sensitive and accurate quantification of F. graminearum in wheat and can be useful for monitoring the colonization of wheat grains by F. graminearum in controlled environments, and evaluating wheat germplasms for resistance to FHB.     

Effect of elevated O3 on rhizospheric enzymatic activities of ozone sensitive and tolerant wheat cultivars

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is considered harmful to agriculture production and soil community. Wheat cultivars HD 2987 (O₃ sensitive) and Kharchiya 65 (O₃ tolerant) were grown under ambient and elevated (ambient + 30 ppb) levels of O₃ (EO) using open top chambers, and microbial biomass and enzymatic activities were investigated in soil rhizosphere. Elevated O₃ declined soil enzymatic activities related to carbon cycling viz. β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, cellulase and amylase more in sensitive cultivar compared to tolerant. Enzymatic activities linked to nitrogen cycling like N-acetyl-glucosaminidase and urease decreased while protease and glycine aminopeptidase increased. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen declined more in sensitive cultivar by 11.1 and 21.2%, respectively. Root biomass reduced in wheat cultivars with an increase of their phenolics contents by 34.3 and 10.2% in HD 2987 and Kharchiya 65, respectively at 60 days after germination. Non-significant changes were observed in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in both the cultivars. Redundancy analysis suggested that soil enzymatic activities were predominantly affected by O₃ induced changes in microbial biomass carbon and root biomass. Study also showed that rhizosphere of sensitive cultivar HD 2987 was affected more under EO as compared to tolerant Kharchiya 65.     

Monogenoids from the gills of spiny eels (Teleostei: Mastacembelidae) in India and Iraq, proposal of Mastacembelocleidus gen. n., and status of the Indian species of Actinocleidus, Urocleidus and Haplocleidus (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae)

Mastacembelocleidus gen. n. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) is proposed to include two species collected and redescribed from spiny eels (Mastacembelidae) in India and Iraq: Mastacembelocleidus bam (Tripathi, 1959) comb. n. (syn. Ancyrocephalus bam Tripathi, 1959) from the gills of Macrognathus pancalus (new host record) and Macrognathus aculeatus (Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae) from Lucknow, India; and Mastacembelocleidus heteranchorus (Kulkami, 1969) comb. n. (syn. Urocleidus heteranchorus Kulkarni, 1969) from the gills of Mastacembelus armatus from Lucknow, India, and Mastacembelus mastacembelus (new host record) from the environs of Erbil, Iraq (new locality record). Urocleidus rhyncobdelli Jain, 1959, Haliotrema tandani Agrawal et Singh, 1982 and Urocleidus raipurensis Dubey, Gupta et Agarwal, 1992 are considered junior subjective synonyms of M. bam.     

Ovulatory Response and Embryo Yield in Jakhrana Goats Following Treatments with PMSG and FSH

Superovulatory response and embryo production efficacy were investigated in adult (age 2–4 years, average body weight: 27–43 kg) cycling Jakhrana goats (n = 15) under semi-arid environmental conditions of India by administering different superovulatory regimens. Goats were reared under semi-intensive system of management in established farm conditions. To synchronize oestrus, a luteolytic dose of carboprost tromethamine (Upjohn, UK) was administered intramuscularly to all does at the dose rate of 5μg per kg body weight in a double dose schedule with an interval of 11 days. For superovulation, 750 IU of PMSG (Folligon, Intervet, Boxmeer, Holland) per goat was administered intramuscularly 24 h before administering a second dose of luteolytic agent in five does (treatment 1). FSH (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) 12.50 IU per goat was administered intramuscularly in a decreasing daily dose schedule (2.50, 2.50; 1.875, 1.875; 1.25, 1.25; 0.625, 0.625) at 12 h intervals over four days, initiated 48 h before administering second dose of carboprost tromethamine in 5 does (treatment 2). FSH (Super-Ov, Ausa Intern, USA) was administered at a uniform dose rate of 8.33 units per goat intramuscularly at 24 h intervals over three consecutive days (total dose was 25 units), initiated 48 h before administering a second dose of carboprost tromethamine in 5 does (treatment 3). To synchronize ovulation in responders, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG, Chorulon, Intervet) was injected intramuscularly at a dose rate of 500 IU in each goat on the day of oestrus appearance. Goats were laparotomized 72–82 h following the onset of synchronized oestrus and their genitalia were flushed using a standard collection procedure. Variability (p > 0.05) in superovulatory response (number of established corpora lutea) was observed: FSH (Sigma), 11.8± 2.9; FSH (Super-Ov), 11.6±4.5; PMSG (Intervet), 8.4±2.3. A similar pattern was reflected in mean embryo and transferable embryo recovery, respectively (p > 0.05): FSH (Sigma), 8.0±1.8, 5.2±1.7; FSH (Super-Ov), 6.6±2.4, 5.4±2.4; PMSG, 5.8±1.9, 3.8±2.2. In PMSG-treated does, comparatively more unfertilized ova or retarded embryos were recovered than in FSH-treated does. The superiority of FSH preparations over PMSG was reflected in terms of total and transferable embryo production (p > 0.05). On average, five transferable embryos (excellent and good quality) were recovered per doe treated with FSH of either source. The mean ova/embryo recovery was satisfactory (55–68%). Results indicated that Jakhrana goats can be superovulated for embryo production using FSH of either source to augment productivity.     

Experimental infection of rhesus monkeys with Schistosoma incognitum and Orientobilharzia dattai

Rhesus monkeys inoculated subcutaneously with 800-2500 cercariae of Schistosoma incognitum did not yield adult worms. Percutaneous exposures, however, resulted in the presence of adult flukes 21-35 days post infection. The infection became very mild (0-4 flukes) 45-100 days after exposure and no eggs were excreted. Monkeys percutaneously exposed to cercariae of Orientobilharzia dattai and treated with prednisolone yielded a very small number of flukes 22 days after exposure while non treated controls yielded no adult worms.     

m‐carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide improves developmental competence,reduces apoptosis and alters epigenetic status and gene expression pattern in cloned buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos

Incomplete or aberrant reprogramming of nuclear genome is one of the major problems in somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this study, we studied the effect of histone deacetylase inhibitor m‐carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide (CBHA) on in vitro development of buffalo embryos produced by Hand‐made cloning. Cloned embryos were treated with CBHA (0, 5, 10, 20 or 50 μM) for 10 hr from the start of reconstruction till activation. At 10 μM, but not at other concentrations examined, CBHA increased (p < .05) the blastocyst rate (63.77 ± 3.97% vs 48.63 ± 3.55%) and reduced (p < .05) the apoptotic index of the cloned blastocysts (8.91 ± 1.94 vs 4.36 ± 1.08) compared to untreated controls, to levels similar to those in IVF blastocysts (4.78 ± 0.74). CBHA treatment, at all the concentrations examined, increased (p < .05) the global level of H3K9ac in cloned blastocysts than in untreated controls to that observed in IVF blastocysts. Treatment with CBHA (10 μM) decreased (p < .05) the global level of H3K27me3 in cloned blastocysts than in untreated controls but it was still higher (p < .05) than in IVF blastocysts. CBHA (10 μM) treatment increased (p < .05) the relative expression level of pluripotency‐related genes OCT‐4 and NANOG, and anti‐apoptotic gene BCL‐XL, and decreased (p < .05) that of pro‐apoptotic gene BAX than in untreated controls but did not affect the relative expression level of apoptosis‐related genes p53 and CASPASE3 and epigenetics‐related genes DNMT1, DNMT3a and HDAC1. These results suggest that treatment of cloned embryos with 10 μM CBHA improves the blastocyst rate, reduces the level of apoptosis and alters the epigenetic status and gene expression pattern.     

Effect of Secondary Salinization on Photosynthesis in Fodder Oat (Avena sativa L.) Genotypes

The effect of secondary salinization on photosynthesis was studied in fodder oat genotypes Kent, JHO-829, JHO-881, UPO-94 and OS-6 at the flower initiation stage. With an increase in the electrical conductivity (EC) of irrigation water, the net photosynthesis rate (P_N) and the transpiration rate (E) of all the genotypes decreased. The intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci) increased in all genotypes at 10 dS m^−1. Stomatal resistance (R_s) had a strong negative correlation with PN and E. The increase in Ci together with the increase in the R_s shows that at higher EC non-stomatal factors also start contributing to the limitation of photosynthesis. This study suggests that secondary salinization effects are strongly under stomatal control at lower saline water irrigation levels, but at higher levels non-stomatal factors may come into play.