Influence of spices on utilization of sorghum and chickpea protein

Influence of eight common Indian spices on the protein quality of sorghum and chickpea was studied. Spices used include red chillies (Capsicum annum), black pepper (piper nigrum), coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), garlic (Allium sativum), asafoetida (Ferula foetida), dry ginger (Zingiber officinale) and ajowan (Carum copticum). Addition of spices did not affect protein digestibility (TD) of sorghum. The BV of all sorghum diets with spices was higher than that of control diet. However, it was significant only in case of diets combined with red chilli + coriander (11) mix, black pepper + cumin (11) mix, coriander and cumin. Addition of spices did not have any effect on TD or BV of chickpea diets.     

Urban wastewater irrigation and its effect on growth,photosynthesis and yield of chickpea under different doses of potassium

The deficiency of potassium (K) has resulted in decreasing the yield and quality of food grains. Moreover, with decreasing water resources the use of wastewater in agriculture as an alternative source of water and nutrients is being debated. This study was therefore undertaken to test wastewater for its suitability as irrigation water together with uniform basal doses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and varying doses of potassium (K_0, K₂₀, K₄₀ and K₆₀). It was observed that the plants receiving wastewater as a source of irrigation water performed better with a lower K dose. Potassium at 20?kg?ha^?1 along with wastewater resulted in better growth, photosynthetic rate (P _N), stomatal conductance (g _s) and yield of the chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Thus fertilizer rates could be lowered with the use of wastewater which can serve not only as the source of water but of nutrients also. However, regular monitoring of wastewater and soil for any buildup of heavy metal is necessary. The physical and chemical parameters of wastewater were also tested and most of them were found to be well within the permissible limits as set by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).     

Cytological analysis of plant chromosomes using rapid in situ hybridization

Summary A rapid fluorescent in situ hybridization protocol, which can be completed in one working day, has been utilised to visualize chromosome preparations of barley, chickpea, white clover, millet, rye, sugarcane, wheat, Aegilops spp. and Leymus spp. Both total genomic DNA and cloned nuclear rDNA were used as a probe. This protocol has the advantage of brevity and flexibility over more conventional approaches, and has made fluorescent in situ hybridization a routine cytological procedure.     

鹰嘴豆蛋白提取工艺优化及亚基组成分析

以鹰嘴豆为原料,采用碱溶酸沉法提取鹰嘴豆蛋白,考察料液比、碱溶pH、提取时间、提取温度四个因素对蛋白提取率的影响,在单因素试验的基础上,通过响应面法优化鹰嘴豆蛋白提取的最佳条件,并利用SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳对鹰嘴豆蛋白进行亚基组成分析。结果表明,鹰嘴豆蛋白提取的最佳条件为:料液比1∶10(g/mL),碱溶pH 10.0,提取时间82 min,提取温度30℃,在此条件下,鹰嘴豆蛋白提取率可达83.29%,鹰嘴豆蛋白其分子质量主要分布在157、75、52、48、37、28、18 kDa七个区域。此研究结果可为鹰嘴豆蛋白工业化生产和进一步研究提供理论依据。     

Pollen grain germination and pollen tube growth following in vivo and in vitro self and interspecific pollinations in annual Cicer species

Summary Germination of pollen grains and growth of pollen tubes were studied to determine the cause of barreness in crosses among annual Cicer species. In vivo and in vitro time-course studies and fluorescent microscopy revealed no pollination incompatibility among the selfs, crosses and reciprocals of C. arietinum L., C. reticulatum Lad. and C. cuneatum Rich. In general, Cicer pollen grains germinated and grew on styles of Cicer species. Pollen tube growth was characterized by irregularly spaced and intermittent callose deposits. Failure of seed formation in interspecific pollinations may be attributed to the slowness of pollen tube growth or collapse of fertilized ovules. In addition to these causes, shortness of stamens and sparsity of pollen grains were responsible for flower drop in natural selfs. Although the number of pollen tubes entering the micropyle in interspecific pollinations was low, it may be possible to grow the fertilized ovules on an artificial medium to obtain F₁ plants.     

DAF marker tightly linked to a major locus for Ascochyta blight resistance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Resistance of chickpea against the disease caused by the ascomycete Ascochyta rabiei is encoded by two or three quantitative trait loci, QTL1, QTL2 and QTL3. A total of 94 recombinant inbred lines developed from a wide cross between a resistant chickpea line and a susceptible accession of Cicer reticulatum, a close relative of cultivated chickpea, was used to identify markers closely linked to QTL1 by DNA amplification fingerprinting in combination with bulked segregant analysis. Of 312 random 10mer oligonucleotides, 3 produced five polymorphic bands between the parents and bulks. Two of them were transferred to the population on which the recent genetic map of chickpea is based, and mapped to linkage group 4. These markers, OPS06-1 and OPS03-1, were linked at LOD-scores above 5 to markers UBC733B and UBC181A flanking the major ascochyta resistance locus. OPS06-1 mapped at the peak of the QTL between markers UBC733B (distance 4.1 cM) and UBC181A (distance 9.6 cM), while OPS03-1 mapped 25.1 cM away from marker UBC733B on the other flank of the resistance locus. STMS markers localised on this linkage group were transferred to the population segregating for ascochyta resistance. Three of these markers were closely linked to QTL1. Twelve of 14 STMS markers could be used in both populations. The order of STMS markers was essentially similar in both populations, with differences in map distances between them. The availability of flanking STMS markers for the major resistance locus QTL1 will help to elucidate the complex resistance against different Ascochyta pathotypes in future. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Screening techniques and sources of resistance to nematodes in cool season food legumes

Identification of sources of resistance in cool season legumes to cyst (Heterodera spp.), root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.), and stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) is generally based on number of cysts on roots, root-knot nematode induced gall index, and stem nematode reproduction in shoot tissue, respectively. Various levels of resistance to cyst nematodes have been detected in chickpea and pea. Resistance has also been identified in chickpea, faba bean, and pea to the root-knot nematodes. Broad based durable sources of resistance to plant parasitic nematodes are required. Basic research is needed to develop transgenic plants with resistance based on hatch stimulants, inhibitors, toxins, or repellents found in antagonistic rhizosphere microorganisms. Selection of genotypes that favor development of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms or root endophytes that increase the plant resistance to nematode infection deserves attention.     

竹笋胰蛋白酶抑制剂的分离纯化及其性质

为寻找天然胰蛋白酶抑制剂,经过葡聚糖凝胶G25、G50柱、二乙二胺乙基纤维素－葡聚糖凝胶A50分离纯化从竹笋中获得了竹笋胰蛋白酶抑制剂(BSTI),纯化后浓度比粗提物提高了1200倍,SDS-PAGE显示纯化胰蛋白酶抑制剂为单一条带。其性质研究表明：经100℃热变性15 min后,BSTI仍保持50%的抑制活性,表明BSTI有较强的热稳定性;BSTI的等电点为4.4左右; BSTI在CoCl2溶液中还有94.7%的活性,但是在FeSO4溶液中活性却完全被压制;BSTI在氧化剂中活性不高;几种还原剂对其活性有一定的抑制,但是维生素C不仅不会抑制其活性反而能够提高它的活力;螯合剂KCN能大幅提高BSTI的活性,EDTA和喔星会抑制其活性。     

Cultivar identification and genetic relationship among selected breeding lines and cultivars in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Twenty two RAPD and 22 ISSR markers were evaluated for their potential use in determination of genetic relationships in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars and breeding lines. We were able to identify six chickpea cultivars/breeding lines by cultivar-specific markers. All of the cultivars tested displayed a different phenotype generated either by the RAPD or ISSR primers. Though ISSR primers generated less markers than RAPD primers, the ISSR primers produced higher levels of polymorphism (% of polymorphic markers per primer) than RAPD primers. A high level of within cultivar homogeneity was observed in chickpea. Cultivars/breeding lines originating from a common genetic background showed closer genetic relationship. Chickpea lines with similar seed type(kabuli or desi) had a tendency to cluster together. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.