Collaborative and consultative participatory plant breeding of rice for the rainfed uplands of eastern India

We describe a participatory plant breeding (PPB) programme in rice for the rainfed uplands of eastern India. Collaborative participation (farmers grew and selected in segregating materials in their fields) and consultative participation (farmers selected among progenies in researchers' plots) were used. The PPB was started with only two crosses and, of these, Kalinga III/IR64 was the most successful and produced two released varieties: Ashoka 200F from collaborative breeding and Ashoka 228 from consultative breeding. Both yielded significantly more than control varieties, including Kalinga III, in research trials and in participatory trials in farmers' fields. Qualitative data from participatory trials was highly informative, statistically analysable, and cheaper to obtain than quantitative data. In low-yielding research-station and on-farm trials the two new upland varieties showed no significant genotype × environment interaction with the check varieties. However, in higher-yielding All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project trials, both varieties were more adapted to low yielding environments than the national check variety. Farmers liked the varieties for their early maturity, improved lodging resistance, higher fodder and grain yield, long-slender grains and excellent cooking quality. Before certified seed production, farmer groups have produced large quantities of seed that have spread widely through informal channels. The returns from PPB, compared to conventional breeding, were higher because it cost less, the genetic gains per year were higher, and the benefits to farmers were realised earlier. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparative diagnostic evaluation of OMP31 gene based TaqMan® real-time PCR assay with visual LAMP assay and indirect ELISA for caprine brucellosis

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Brucellosis is one of the leading causes of abortion in domestic animals that imposes costs on both economy and society. The disease is highly zoonotic and...     

Unveilingsources of stripe rust resistance in diverse wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum Aestivum</Emphasis> L.) germplasm using narrow down methodology: a proof of concept

Stripe rust of wheat caused by the fungal pathogen is a destructive foliar disease of wheat. Thus, it is crucial step to characterize the resistant germplasm for stripe rust in a diverse germplasm pool for their ultimate utilization in efficient crop rust resistance breeding. In the present study, we followed two pronged strategies involving integrated phenotypic and molecular characterization of 440 diverse wheat germplasm lines for rust resistance. The germplasm panel was extensively evaluated in field epiphytotic conditions during two consecutive years. After rigorous screening, 72 accessions were successfully revealed as resistant to moderately resistant to stripe rust. Subsequently, entries were then evaluated for their field agronomicperformances, considering prerequisites for serving as a donor germplasm,particularly for yield and 33 potential rust-resistant accessions were identified. Furthermore, to detect the sources of resistance, accessions were molecular characterized for potential race-specific resistance genes Yr5, Yr10,Yr15, and effective adult plant resistance (APR) gene Lr34/Yr18/pm38. We identified the 22 accessions possessing one or more single resistance genes and two accessions were observed with at least three of them. Moreover, Lr34/Yr18/pm38 was determined to confer resistance when observed along with any of the race-specific genes. Thus, the study not only provides proof of concept methodology to identify candidate resistant sources from large germplasm collections but simultaneouslyconfirmed the contribution of combining race-specific andnon-specific APR genes. The finding could further assist in the potential deployment of resistant genes directly into the stripe rust breeding program by involving marker-assisted approaches.     

Seed priming with Pseudomonas putida isolated from rhizosphere triggers innate resistance against Fusarium wilt in tomato through pathogenesis-related protein activation and phenylpropanoid pathway

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins are one of the major and preliminary proteins accumulated as a defense against biotic stress. This defense response can be induced by using beneficial rhizobacteria, which has been studied in various host-pathogen interactions. In the present study, eleven Pseudomonas isolates were assessed for their potential to ferment sorbitol, reduce nitrate, and produce mycolytic enzymes, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, phenazine antibiotics, and N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). All isolates were tested against the host-specific pathogen Fusarium oxysporum MTCC1755 in tomato under greenhouse conditions, and shortlisted isolates were tested for their rhizosphere competence. In-vitro test results showed that the isolates were able to produce mycolytic enzymes, including protease, lipase, chitinase, cellulase, and amylase, and the antibiotic phenazine and were negative for pyoluteorin. All the isolates except two were positive for ACC deaminase production. Greenhouse results showed that the isolates M80, M96, and T109 significantly reduced symptoms of Fusarium wilt. Extended greenhouse tests under autoclaved and unautoclaved soil conditions showed that M80, M96, and T109 were excellent rhizosphere competitors and were identified as Pseudomonas putida. In brief, the defense-specific biochemical variations in the host could describe the improved defense against Fusarium wilt occurring in the primed plants. These three Pseudomonas strains could be used as potential biocontrol agents, along with their rhizosphere competence.     

Impact of Feed Moisture on Microstructure,Crystallinity, Pasting,Physico-Functional Properties and In Vitro Digestibility of Twin-Screw Extruded Corn and Potato Starches

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - The effect of extrusion feed moisture (FM) on the microstructure, pasting, physico-functional properties and in vitro starch digestibility (IVSD) of corn and...     

Acellular dermal graft for repair of abdominal wall defects in rabbits

Sixteen clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits of either sex were divided into 2 equal groups (I and II) of 8 animals each. Under thiopental sodium (2.5%) anaesthesia a 2 x 3 cm full-thickness abdominal wall defect in the mid-ventral abdominal wall was created and repaired with an acellular dermal graft (ADG) in all the animals of group I (test group). In animals of group II (control group) a full-thickness linear midline abdominal muscular wall incision was made and repaired with a continuous suture pattern using 2-0 nylon.     

Effect of ageing on quality of jojoba oil from Indian locations

Jojoba oil is a source of specialty chemicals and its uses for industrial application are gaining in adaptability and importance. For prolong use of jojoba oil, the details of its storage behaviour are required. This information is scarce for the products obtained from Indian locations. In this study, the ageing effect on the quality of oils was studied for oils from five locations of Rajasthan (India). The oils were extracted/expelled from the seeds that contained 2.5–3.9 wt.% moisture and 42–50 wt.% oil.Physico-chemical properties were determined by standard analytical test methods. Effect of storage time on quality of solvent extracted oil samples with respect to acid value, iodine value, saponification value and peroxide value were determined. The samples were stored for 18 months in the laboratory under climatic condition prevailing in Dehradun (India) during study period. The analysis of samples was done at an interval of 3 months. The properties of jojoba oils compare well with the International Jojoba Expert Council (IJEC) specifications. During storage, acid values, iodine values and peroxide values of the oil increase with time while saponification values remain almost unchanged.