Association of Pedilanthus leaf curl virus with yellow mottling and leaf curl symptoms in two jasmine species grown in India

Association of Pedilanthus leaf curl virus (PeLCV) with yellow mottling of crape jasmine (Tabernaemontana coronaria) and leaf curl of night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) was investigated using a sequence analysis of the cloned full-length genome amplified by Rolling circle amplification using Φ-29 DNA polymerase. In the sequence analysis, virus isolates from T. coronaria (JN807764) and C. nocturnum (JQ012790) shared 95 % sequence identity with each other and the highest identity (93 %) and the closest phylogenetic relationships with PeLCV (AM712436); therefore, the virus isolates were identified as PeLCV strains. This report from India is the first on the occurrence of PeLCV on T. coronaria and C. nocturnum anywhere in the world.     

Assessment of surface and sub-surface waterlogged areas in irrigation command areas of Bihar state using remote sensing and GIS

Satellite remote sensing coupled with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offers an excellent alternative to conventional mapping techniques in monitoring and mapping of surface and sub-surface waterlogged areas. In the present study, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon surface waterlogged areas were delineated in all the 132 irrigation command areas of the Bihar State, India using Indian Remote Sensing (IRS-1D) Linear Imaging Self Scanning Sensor (LISS-III) data acquired during the period 2002–2003. Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) was used primarily to delineate surface waterlogged areas. Perennial waterlogged and seasonal waterlogged areas were identified for the study area by integrating the waterlogged areas derived for both the pre- and post-monsoon seasons under GIS environment. Results show that the total surface waterlogged area in Bihar is 628 × 10³ ha, which is 10.57% of command area (5939 × 10³ ha) and spread over 132 command areas. Perennial surface inundation covers 2.95% of the waterlogged area in all the command areas. Maximum waterlogged area is observed in Gandak command (212 × 10³ ha) followed by Eastern Kosi irrigation scheme (116 × 10³ ha) and Sone modernization scheme (82 × 10³ ha), respectively. Further, waterlogged areas induced by rise in groundwater level were also assessed spatially under GIS environment using the ground water level data pertaining to pre- and post-monsoon seasons of the year 2002–2003 which were spread all over the study area. The analysis of pre- and post-monsoon groundwater levels indicates that the area under non-critical category during pre-monsoon period was reduced from 4287 × 10³ ha (72.72% of command) to 1391 × 10³ ha (23.42%) in the post-monsoon. Area under most critical category during post-monsoon period increased from 0.083 × 10³ ha of command area in pre-monsoon period to 50 × 10³ ha. The study demonstrates utility of integration of remote sensing and GIS techniques for assessment of waterlogged areas particularly in regions where waterlogging conditions occur both due to excessive irrigation and accumulation of rain and floodwaters.     

Nitrogen removal and metabolic profiling of a cold-adaptive and biofilm producing paddy soil bacterium Cupriavidus sp. PDN31

To assess the physiology and low temperature adaptability of the key players of nitrification and denitrification, denitrifying bacteria were isolated and characterized from the selected paddy fields. Bacterial strains belonging to Cupriavidus and Ochrobactrum sp. were explored through the selective screening of heterotrophic nitrifying and aerobic denitrifying bacteria. The direct implication of nitrate removal in the natural sample was estimated by taking the nitrate supplemented soil as well as the enriched culture. A more prominent cold-adaptive bacterium was identified as Cupriavidus sp. PDN31. The utilization of ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite and the presence of nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) gene, catalyses the first step of the denitrification conferred its heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification ability. The ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite removal efficiency of PDN31 was found to be 92.1%, 93.5%, and 99.8%, respectively. The functional traits, evaluated from metabolizing various nitrogen substrates (Biolog) suggested its ability to utilize some sources as L-arginine, L-asparagine, L-cysteine, L-glutamic Acid, L-glutamine, L-histidine, L-citrulline and N-acetyl-L glutamic acid. The adaptive behaviour of PDN31 with its ability to remove nitrogen and induced biofilm production under low temperature regime makes it a suitable candidate among the plethora of microorganism resided in any agriculture environment.     

Development of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cajanus cajanifolius</Emphasis>-based CMS Hybrid Technology in Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea is an important food legume of the semi-arid tropics grown mainly under subsistence agriculture. As a first step to address the five decades-long yield stagnation, a proof-of-concept for a commercially viable CMS-based hybrid technology with high standard heterosis and fertility restoration has been demonstrated. Six generations of backcrossing and selection for male sterility, and agronomic superiority using a Cajanus cajanifolius- (A₄ cytoplasm) based CMS donor (ICPA 2039) and a medium-maturity group recurrent parent ICPL 20176 (ICPB 2043) which resulted in a stable male sterile line (ICPA 2043) with near-perfect male sterility and superior agronomic traits. Following backcrossing and selections, the A-line (ICPA 2043) appeared to be morphologically similar in terms of various qualitative and quantitative traits compared to the B-line (ICPB 2043). However, differences between ICPA 2043 and ICPB 2043 were observed for days to maturity, 100-seed weight, pods plant^-1, and seed weight plant^-1. These differences may not be genetic but physiological. The best heterotic restorer line selected in a cross (ICPH 2671) combination restored a mean of 96.49% male fertility in 36 environments (12 locations, 3 years). Present investigation did not reveal significant G×E interaction for fertility restoration, indicating the possibility of obtaining high and stable grain yields in the pigeonpea growing areas of South and Central India.     

Crop parameter estimation of Lady finger by using different neural network training algorithms

Now a days ANN has became an important tool in crop yield prediction and crop parameter estimation. But very few reported work is available to estimate the crop parameters by using suitable ANN Training algorithms. In the present study the crop parameters of interest are soil moisture, leaf area index and biomass were estimated using ground truth microwave scatterometer data and ANN. Two training algorithms Levenberg-Marquardt (TRAINLM) and Scaled conjugate gradient training algorithm (TRAINSCG) were used to estimate the crop parameters. The estimation of parameters with minimal error obtained with the test data confirms the usefulness of our work. Training algorithm TRAINLM shows better result in comparison to TRAINSCG. This work suggests that the ANN model with training function TRAINLM and transfer function PURELIN is a promising alternative to estimate the crop parameters. The main advantage of ANN approach as estimator is that it has the potential for world wide coverage.     

Stress-responsive indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis by Azospirillum brasilense SM and its ability to modulate plant growth

Plant growth promotion by Azospirillum brasilense SM has been attributed to its indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production. Analysis of IAA biosynthesis by this strain under nutrient stresses, likely environmental fluctuations and long-term batch cultures suggested that they significantly influenced this function, with some conditions (fluctuations in temperature) triggering IAA accumulation. In long-term batch cultures (of 30 days), the bacterial population was maintained at a specific cell density and produced IAA even after a sharp decline in population size, albeit fluctuations were observed in both the parameters. Long-term bacterial cultures under nitrogen starvation showed the same trend in cell viability; however, a continuous increase in IAA accumulation was seen over time. This study has shown that A. brasilense strain SM has the potential to be a competent rhizospheric bacterium as it can beneficially influence the growth of sorghum. Further, it also has the ability to promote the growth of a number of other plants like mung bean, maize, and wheat. The benefit of this characteristic of strain SM can be directly accrued to a range of plants with which it may associate so as to improve their yield.     

Proteome changes in leaves of Brassica napus L. as a result of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum challenge

Sclerotinia stem rot, caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a serious disease of canola (Brassica napus L.). To increase the understanding of the B. napus- S. sclerotiorum interaction, proteins potentially involved in mediating this interaction were identified and characterized. Upon infection of canola leaves by S. sclerotiorum, necrosis of host leaves was observed by 12 h and rapidly progressed during the later time points. These morphological observations were supported by microscopic study performed at different time points after pathogen challenge. Leaf proteins were extracted and analyzed by 2-DE, which revealed the modulation of 32 proteins (12 down- and 20 up-regulated). The identities of these proteins were established by ESI-q-TOF MS/MS and included proteins involved in photosynthesis and metabolic pathways, protein folding and modifications, hormone signaling, and antioxidant defense. Gene expression analysis of selected genes was performed by qRT-PCR, whereas the elevated levels of the antioxidant enzymes peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were validated by enzyme assays. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first proteomics-based investigation of B. napus-S. sclerotiorum interaction, and the roles of many of the proteins identified are discussed within the context of this pathosystem.     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal （AM） Diversity in Prosopis cineraria （L.） Druce Under Arid Agroecosystems

Arbuscular mycorrhizal （AM） fungi associated with Prosopis cineraria （Khejri） were assessed for their qualitative and quantitative distribution from eight districts of Rajasthan. A total of three species of Acaulospora, one species of Entrophospora, two species of Gigaspora, twenty-one species of Glomus, seven species of Sclerocystis and three species of Scutellospora were recorded. A high diversity of AM fungi was observed and it varied at different study sites. Among these six genera, Glomus occurred most frequently. Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus aggregatum, and Glomus mosseae were found to be the most predominant AM fungi in infecting Prosopis cineraria. Acaulospora, G. fasciculatum, Sclerocystis was found in all the fields studied, while Scutellospora species were found only in few sites. A maximum of thirty-six AM fungal species were isolated and identified from Jodhpur, whereas only thirteen species were found from Jaisalmer. Spores of Glomusfasciculatum were found to be most abundant under Prosopis cineraria.