Modelling the food web for assessment of the impact of stock supplementation in a reservoir ecosystem in India

Comparative estimates of trophic status and energy flow were carried out in a tropical reservoir ecosystem in India to assess the impact of fish stocking. Mass‐balanced models of the reservoir ecosystem were constructed for two periods – 1982–1983 and 2002–2003 – using ecopath software to determine the impacts on different groups before and after stocking. Mixed trophic impact (MTI) analyses indicated that phytoplankton and detritus have a positive impact on most groups. There was a decrease in nutrient flow through the system from pre‐stocking to post‐stocking (22.28%). The baseline was higher by 0.29% in the post‐stock phase indicating maturity. The ecosystem indices tested indicate that the reservoir was in a more resilient state post‐stocking than during the pre‐stocking phase. The ‘health’ of the ecosystem showed an improvement, which indicates a positive impact of stocking.     

Potato bacterial wilt in India caused by strains of phylotype I, II and IV of Ralstonia solanacearum

Bacterial wilt or brown rot is one of the most devastating diseases of potato caused by a bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith 1986) Yabuuchi et al. (Microbiol Immunol 39:897–904 1995). Traditionally, R. solanacearum is classified into five races (r) on the basis of differences in host range and six biovars (bvs) on the basis of biochemical properties. Recently using molecular methods, R.?solanacearum has been classified into phylotypes based on the intergenic transcribed sequence of the ribosomal RNA genes 16S and 23S and into sequevars based on the endoglucanase gene (egl) sequence. In the present study, 75 bacterial strains, isolated from wilt infected potatoes from various potato growing regions of India, were classified by traditional and molecular methods. The identity of all the strains was confirmed as R. solanacearum as expected single 280-bp fragment resulted in all the strains following PCR amplification using R. solanacearum specific universal primer pair 759/760. Biovar (bv) analysis, based on utilization of disaccharide sugars and hexose alcohols, categorised the 75 strains into bv2 (78.7 %), 2 T (5.3 %), 3 (5.3 %) and 4 (10.7 %). The phylotype specific multiplex PCR assigned 78.7 % strains to phylotype II, 16.0 % to phylotype I and 5.3 % to phylotype IV. Phylogenetic analysis of egl gene sequences clustered all fifty nine phylotype II (bv2) strains with reference strain IPO1609 (IIB-1), all four phylotype IV (bv2T) strains with reference strain MAFF301558 (IV-8), three phylotype I (bv3) strains with reference strain MAFF211479 (I-30) and all eight phylotype I (bv4) and one phylotype I (bv3) strain with reference strain CIP365 (I-45). The study concluded that the Indian potato strains of R. solanacearum belong to three out of four phylotypes namely: the Asian phylotype I, the American phylotype II, and the Indonesian phylotype IV. This is the first study to address the diversity of R. solanacearum from potato in India using phylotype and sequevar scheme. We also report here for the first time the occurrence of phylotype IV sequevar 8 (bv2T) strain of R. solanacearum causing potato bacterial wilt in mid hills of Meghalaya in India.     

Jasmonic and salicylic acid-induced resistance in sorghum against the stem borer Chilo partellus

Induced resistance was studied in three sorghum genotypes (IS2205, ICSV1 and ICSV700) against Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae) infestation and jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) application. The activity of plant defensive enzymes [peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)], and the amounts of total phenols, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and proteins were recorded at 6 days after infestation. The induction of enzyme activities and the amounts of secondary metabolites varied among the genotypes and treatments. The genotype IS2205 showed a stronger effect than that of ICSV1 or ICSV 700. Treatment with JA followed by insect infestation induced greater levels of enzymes and secondary metabolites. The results suggest that JA induces greater levels of resistance components in sorghum plants against insect pests. Thus, pretreatment of plants with elicitors including JA and SA could provide a greater opportunity for plant defense against herbivores.     

‘Ladakhi tea’ <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bidens pilosa</Emphasis> L. (Asteraceae): a cultivated species in the cold desert of Ladakh Himalaya,India

Bidens pilosa L., a less-known cultivated tea species was collected from cold desert of Ladakh Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India during 2004. The freshly harvested leaves are used in preparation of ‘Ladakhi tea’ locally known as ‘Saja’ or ‘Soljaa’ in cold desert of Ladakh Himalaya, Western Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir. The local inhabitants were growing this species in their kitchen garden for this use. In the present communication, the method of preparation of this beverage is also discussed.     

Impact of stand age on soil C, N and P dynamics in a 40-year chronosequence of alder-cardamom agroforestry stands of the Sikkim Himalaya

The impact of age (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 years) on chemical characteristics of mineral soil under an age sequence of alder-cardamom agroforestry stands was studied in the Eastern Himalayas. The seasonal variation in soil organic carbon (OC), soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), forms of phosphorus (total P, organic P, inorganic P, available P, fractionated forms of P), mineral nitrogen, potential N mineralization and nitrification was measured in the chronosequence across three replicate sites each having six representative stand ages. We hypothesized that nutrient stocks would be lower in younger agroforestry stands, would eventually increase with stand age due to the influence of alder but then decline as the stands mature further. The expected pattern of increasing soil nutrient stocks with stand age did occur with a peak at 15–20 years; nutrient stocks then substantially declined in 30- to 40-year-old stands. A significant seasonality, which coincided with cardamom flowering and fruiting, was observed in soil nutrient contents and N transformation rates. The 15–20-year-old stands had the highest nutrient pools and potential N transformation rates, whereas the youngest and oldest stands had the lowest nutrient pools. Soil acidity increased with stand age. Soil pH was negatively related to stand age and SOM in the linear regression. Nutrient dynamics varied with age depending on the successional stage, which limited soil nutrient availability for plant uptake after the 20-year point. The performance of both alder and cardamom was reduced after this age likely due to limited soil nutrient availability and nutrient dynamics as a result of recurrent biomass removal – part of the traditional management practice. This study concludes that the ecological and economic sustainability of this particular agroforestry system is possible by adopting a 20-year re-plantation cycle for alder and cardamom, and a phase-wise agroforestry rotation.     

Detection of transgenic and endogenous plant DNA in digesta and tissues of sheep and pigs fed Roundup Ready canola meal

The persistence of plant-derived recombinant DNA in sheep and pigs fed genetically modified (Roundup Ready) canola was assessed by PCR and Southern hybridization analysis of DNA extracted from digesta, gastrointestinal (GI) tract tissues, and visceral organs. Sheep (n = 11) and pigs (n = 36) were fed to slaughter on diets containing 6.5 or 15% Roundup Ready canola. Native plant DNA (high- and low-copy-number gene fragments) and the cp4 epsps transgene that encodes 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3-phosphate synthase were tracked in ruminal, abomasal, and large intestinal digesta and in tissue from the esophagus, rumen, abomasum, small and large intestine, liver, and kidney of sheep and in cecal content and tissue from the duodenum, cecum, liver, spleen, and kidney of pigs. High-copy chloroplast-specific DNA (a 520-bp fragment) was detected in all digesta samples, the majority (89-100%) of intestinal tissues, and at least one of each visceral organ sample (frequencies of 3-27%) from sheep and swine. Low-copy rubisco fragments (186- and 540-bp sequences from the small subunit) were present at slightly lower, variable frequencies in digesta (18-82%) and intestinal tissues (9-27% of ovine and 17-25% of porcine samples) and infrequently in visceral organs (1 of 88 ovine samples; 3 of 216 porcine samples). Each of the five cp4 epsps transgene fragments (179-527 bp) surveyed was present in at least 27% of ovine large intestinal content samples (maximum = 64%) and at least 33% of porcine cecal content samples (maximum = 75%). In sheep, transgene fragments were more common in intestinal digesta than in ruminal or abomasal content. Transgene fragments were detected in 0 (esophagus) to 3 (large intestine) GI tract tissues from the 11 sheep and in 0-10 of the duodenal and cecal tissues collected from 36 pigs. The feed-ingested recombinant DNA was not detected in visceral tissues (liver, kidney) of lambs or in the spleen from pigs. Of note, however, one liver and one kidney sample from the pigs (different animals) were positive for a 278-bp fragment of the transgenic cp4 epsps (denoted F3). Examination of genomic libraries from these tissues yielded no conclusive information regarding integration of the fragment into porcine DNA. This study confirms that feed-ingested DNA fragments (endogenous and transgenic) do survive to the terminal GI tract and that uptake into gut epithelial tissues does occur. A very low frequency of transmittance to visceral tissue was confirmed in pigs, but not in sheep. It is recognized that the low copy number of transgenes in GM feeds is a challenge to their detection in tissues, but there was no evidence to suggest that recombinant DNA would be processed in the gut in any manner different from endogenous feed-ingested genetic material.     

Intra‐annual changes in reproductive indices of male and female Himalayan snow trout,Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832)

Periodic changes in reproductive hormone levels, gonadal histology and gonadosomatic index (GSI) of snow trout, Schizothorax richardsonii, were examined to ascertain annual cycle of gonadal development and reproductive status in their natural habitat. In females, there were coherent changes in plasma 17β‐oestradiol and vitellogenin along with GSI, oocyte maturation and vitellogenic progression, collectively indicating two distinct maturation peaks during the months of September and February. Coinciding with this, in males, plasma 11‐keto testosterone was also noticeably higher during September and February, with highest GSI values in September. However, plasma 17α, 20β‐dihydroxyprogesterone levels in males were found to be persistently high from September to February. This observation suggests the potential presence of matured oozing males over a longer period, unlike in females. Overall, the close association between reproductive hormone levels, GSI and gonadal maturation stages in males and females (particularly, the presence of postovulatory follicle complexes) with apparent natural synchronization clearly indicates that S. richardsonii breeds twice in a year, possibly during late September to early November and late February to early April in the coldwater riverine habitats of the Indian Himalayan region.     

Comparative analysis of diversity based on morpho-agronomic traits and microsatellite markers in common bean

Morpho-agronomic traits and microsatellite markers were used to survey genetic diversity in 115 common bean genotypes that included 70 Indian landraces, 24 released varieties and 21 exotic accessions. Twelve morpho-agronomic traits, namely, days to 50% flowering, leaflet length, leaflet width, pod length, pod width, number of pods per plant, days to maturity, seed length, seed width, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant were studied. Field data of two consecutive years were subjected to multivariate analysis as proposed by Mahalanobis’s D²-statistics, Tochers method of clustering and combined analysis of variance. Seventeen microsatellite markers were also used to examine genetic diversity at molecular level that showed polymorphic information content (PIC) in the range of 0.00–0.684. Dendrograms based on Euclidean distances and UPGMA analysis showed the presence of majority of released varieties into single cluster, which pointed toward their low genetic base in comparison to indigenous landraces and exotic germplasm. Significant correlation existed between morphological genetic distance and microsatellite genetic distance tested by Mantel test (r = 0.876).     

Wild relatives of sorghum as sources of resistance to sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata

The levels of resistance to shoot fly, Atherigona soccata in sorghum germplasm are low to moderate and therefore, we evaluated 17 wild relatives of sorghum under field and greenhouse conditions as an alternate source of genes for resistance to this pest. Thirty-two accessions belonging to Parasorghum , Stiposorghum and Heterosorghum did not suffer any shoot fly damage under multi-choice conditions in the field, while one accession each of Heterosorghum ( Sorghum laxiflorum ) and Chaetosorghum ( S. macrospermum ) suffered very low shoot fly damage. Accessions belonging to S. exstans (TRC 243601), S. stipoideum (TRC 243399) and S. matarankense (TRC 243576) showed absolute non-preference for oviposition under no-choice conditions. Accessions belonging to Heterosorghum , Parasorghum and Stiposorghum were preferred for oviposition, but suffered low deadheart formation. Manual infestation of seedlings with shoot fly eggs did not result in deadheart formation in some of the accessions belonging to S. exstans (TRC 243601), S. stipoideum (TRC 243399), S. matarankense (TRC 243576) and S. purpureosericeum (IS 18944). Larval mortality was recorded in main stems of the Parasorghums . Within section Sorghum , accessions belonging to S. bicolor ssp. verticilliflorum were highly susceptible to shoot fly, as were those of S. halepense . However, a few accessions such as IS 18226 (race arundinaceum ) and IS 14212 ( S. halepense ) resulted in reduced survival and fecundity. Wild relatives of sorghum exhibited very high levels of antibiosis to A. soccata , while only low levels of antibiosis have been observed in the cultivated germplasm. Therefore, wild relatives with different mechanisms of resistance can be used as a source of alternate genes to increase the levels and diversify the basis of resistance to shoot fly, A. soccata .     

The development and comparison of bio-thermoset plastics from epoxidized plant oils

This study investigates the development of thermoset plastics from plant-based oils (e.g., linseed, soybean, cottonseed, oilseed radish, and peanut oils) using an optimal process of solvent-free epoxidation. The epoxidation of plant oils can be accomplished economically by reacting the double bonds of fatty-acids with hydrogen peroxide. During the solvent-free process catalyzed by the ion-exchange resin, we observed that the influence of several variables was important: the molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to unsaturation, acetic acid to unsaturation, and temperature. The epoxidation of plant oils was determined from the liquid mixture and the composite matrix by thermal and spectroscopic analyses. Compounds with a higher double-bond (iodine) value showed higher oxirane oxygen percent and selectivity, and a higher hydroxyl value because of a greater possibility of attack by solutions causing side reactions. Lower iodine values indicated fewer epoxy groups and selectivity, and a lower hydroxyl value. Benzyl pyrazinium hexafluoroantimonate (BPH) yielded good thermal curing properties; as little as 1% added to the plastics produced light-weight composites. Epoxidized linseed oil promises the highest modulus and impact resistance due to the largest number of double bonds to contribute more epoxy groups and the large proportion of linolenic acids to produce epoxy groups rapidly.