RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY AND SOCIAL PROFITABILITY OF AN INTEGRATED AQUA-FARM,TRIPURA, INDIA

The nature of resources available and how they are combined and utilized in aquaculture largely determine its economic viability and social profitability. Using a novel Resource Cost Ratio (RCR), this study analyzes resource use efficiency and social profitability of an integrated aqua farm located in Tripura, India. RCR, a variant of the Domestic Resource Cost Ratio (DRCR), is the ratio of the net cost of non-marketable resources and the net value addition by using marketable resources. The RCR for the integrated farm was found to be ?0.24. The negative value of RCR shows positive profitability for the integrated farm. The corresponding value for a specialized farm was found to be 0.52. The difference is the greater resource use efficiency of the integrated approach. Private and social profits per unit cost for the integrated farm (0.26 and 0.08, respectively) were higher than for the specialized farm (0.11 and 0.04, respectively).     

Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with iron deficiency chlorosis resistance in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)

Iron deficiency chlorosis is an important abiotic stress affecting groundnut production worldwide in calcareous and alkaline soils with a pH of 7.5–8.5. To identify genomic regions controlling iron deficiency chlorosis resistance in groundnut, the recombinant inbred line population from the cross TAG 24 × ICGV 86031 was evaluated for associated traits like visual chlorosis rating and SPAD chlorophyll meter reading across three crop growth stages for two consecutive years. Thirty-two QTLs were identified for visual chlorosis rating (3.9%–31.8% phenotypic variance explained [PVE]) and SPAD chlorophyll meter reading [3.8%–11% PVE] across three stages over 2 years. This is the first report of identification of QTLs for iron deficiency chlorosis resistance-associated traits in groundnut. Three major QTLs (>10% PVE) were identified at severe stage, while majority of other QTLs were having small effects. Interestingly, two major QTLs for visual chlorosis rating at 60 days (2013) and 90 days (2014) were located at same position on LG AhXIII. The identified QTLs/markers after validation across diverse genetic material could be used in genomics-assisted breeding.     

Seasonal variations in growth and reproduction of the earthworm Perionyx excavatus (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae)

 One-week-old juveniles of Perionyx excavatus were cultured in urine-free cow manure for 16 weeks in three different seasons to find out the influence of environmental factors on growth and reproduction. The biomass of worms increased gradually until the 16th week in all seasons. There was no significant (F=2.51) variation in biomass between the three seasons; however, the growth rate varied significantly (F=50.49, P<0.01). During the pre-clitellar period, the growth rate (mg/g) increased steeply (1013.17±41.33 in the monsoon season, 728.64±15.5 in winter and 463.16±22.96 in summer) until the worms attained maturity (5–8 weeks) and from then onwards gradually decreased after the commencement of cocoon production. Worms attained maturity when the mean weight of each worm ranged from 167.46 mg to 197.13 mg. The cumulative number of cocoons varied significantly (F=26.07, P<0.01) with season. Similarly, the rate of cocoon production also varied significantly (F=62.06, P<0.01). The average rate of cocoon production was 7.23, 0.99 and 0.53/worm/week in the monsoon season, winter and summer, respectively. By week 16, the ratio of weight gain to the initial weight of 1-week-old juveniles was 1 : 43.13 in the monsoon season, 1 : 30.49 in the winter and 1 : 23.69 in the summer. The maximum mass gain, growth rate, and cocoon production and earliest attainment of maturity were recorded during the monsoon season, and were attributed to the lowest range of fluctuating temperatures and high humidity compared with during winter and summer. The growth rate of worms in all seasons was inversely proportional to the number of cocoons produced. Further, the higher the rate of cocoon production, the lower the weight of individual cocoons. Received: 1 July 1997     

Morpho-physiological parameters associated with iron deficiency chlorosis resistance and their effect on yield and its related traits in groundnut

Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) causes a significant reduction in yield of groundnut grown in calcareous and alkaline soils in India. The main aim of the study was to assess genotypic differences for morpho-physiological parameters associated with IDC resistance across different stages and their effect on yield and its related traits. The factorial pot experiment was comprised of two major factors, i) soil-Fe status [normal-Fe, deficit-Fe], and ii) genotypes [five] with differential IDC response, constituting 10 treatments. They were assessed for five morpho-physiological parameters associated with IDC resistance across five crop growth stages and also yield and its related traits. Associations between these traits were also estimated. Under deficit-Fe conditions, IDC resistant genotypes recorded significantly lower visual chlorosis rating (VCR), higher SPAD values, active Fe, chlorophyll content, peroxidase activity, and high yield compared to susceptible ones. Between normal- to deficit-Fe soils, resistant compared to susceptible genotypes showed no change in VCR scores; a lower reduction in SPAD, chlorophyll, active Fe, peroxidase activity, and pod yield. Under deficit-Fe conditions, high yield among resistant genotypes could be attributed to higher seed weight, number of pods and haulm yield, while contrasting reduction in main stem height and number of primaries. The results indicate that for initial large-scale screening of groundnut genotypes for IDC resistance, SPAD values are most ideal while active Fe could be utilized for confirmation of identified lines.     

Genotypic and phenotypic changes in wild barley (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hordeum vulgare</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">spontaneum</Emphasis>) during a period of climate change in Jordan

Climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances can lead to the loss of genetic variation and thereby affect evolutionary potential and survival of plant populations in the wild. We examined these predictions in the primary wild relative of barley, Hordeum vulgare L. subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., within its center of diversity, in Jordan. Changes in genotypic and phenotypic diversity were assessed using seed samples collected in 1981 and 2012 from the same 18 sites across Jordan. The overall population structure was conserved, but we observed an increase of within population genetic diversity and a reduction in population differentiation. Phenotypic variation differed among years and sites but the magnitude and direction of change variated among sites. While the sampled region became significantly hotter and drier during this period, simple correlation models did not support association between measures of climate change and the observed genetic and phenotypic changes. Agricultural activities that promote disturbance and demographic fluctuations may affect crop wild relatives that grow in agricultural landscapes, in unexpected ways. The observed increase in genetic diversity within populations might be explained by increased migration or by an advantage of increased genetic variation in the face of variable environmental conditions. This study provides a new perspective on the range of possible responses of crop wild relatives to environmental pressures.     

Nuclear DNA analysis of maize seedlings treated with the triazole fungicide,triticonazole

Maize kernels were treated with the fungicide triticonazole (RP-727), belonging to the triazole family. The nuclear DNA content was analyzed in various maize plant organs by using flow cytometry. Two fluorochromes with different DNA binding mechanisms were used for probing nuclear DNA and chromatin structure. Results indicated nuclear alterations with the use of triticonazole and the alterations observed were different in the various tissues analyzed. Active meristematic plant organs, such as root tip, did not show any significant change in nuclear DNA, but chromatin structure was altered with increasing concentrations of fungicide. Stem and mesocotyl showed both DNA and chromatin condensation changes with triticonazole concentration, but the trends observed in these two plant organs were opposite. The magnitude of the alterations was minute in the different plant organs studied. These alterations do not appear to be deleterious for normal plant development.     

Comparative analysis of restoration behavior of milo (104A, 401A) and maldandi (M31-2A) based male sterile lines in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - In sorghum, milo source of male sterility has been used for developing all the hybrids so far and it created the narrow cytoplasmic base. In addition, it also...     

Large‐scale identification of microsatellites for a major invasive weed,Ageratina adenophora,using the Illumina sequencing technology

Microsatellites were identified and characterised for a worldwide invasive weed, Ageratina adenophora, based on the Illumina sequencing technology. Using the assembled genomic sequences obtained from the Illumina GAII sequencing platform, a total of 3012 microsatellites were identified, of which mono‐, di‐, tri‐, tetra‐, penta‐, and hexa‐nucleotide repeats were 181 (6.0%), 1379 (45.8%), 1064 (35.3%), 220 (7.3%), 73 (2.4%) and 95 (3.2%) respectively. The AC/GT and GAT/ATC motifs were the most frequent motif types of di‐nucleotide and tri‐nucleotide repeats respectively. To validate the newly identified simple sequence repeat markers, 15 primer pairs were randomly selected to test in 24 individuals of A. adenophora, and all of these primer sets could amplify PCR products of expected size. Of them, eight loci displayed polymorphism with the number of alleles per locus ranging from two to four and values for observed and expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.042 to 1 and from 0.082 to 0.551, with the averages of 0.578 and 0.371 respectively. These novel microsatellites should be useful for investigation of the genetic structure and genetic diversity between the invasive and native populations of this species.     

Identification of informative SSR markers capable of distinguishing hybrid rice parental lines and their utilization in seed purity assessment

With the objective of identifying SSR markers that can distinguish parental lines of rice hybrids, we characterized 10 each of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) and restorer (R) lines along with 10 popular Indian rice varieties using a set of 48 hyperpolymorphic SSRs distributed uniformly across the rice genome. All the SSR markers were polymorphic, amplifying a total of 163 alleles, with an average of 3.36 ± 1.3 allelic variants per locus. Twenty-seven SSR markers showed amplification of an allele, which was very specific and unique to a particular parental line and not amplified in any other rice genotype tested. Through multiplex PCR, SSR marker combinations that were unique to a particular parental line or hybrid were also identified. With a set of 10 SSR markers, all the public bred Indian rice hybrids along with their parental lines could be clearly distinguished. To utilize these SSR markers effectively for detection of impurities in parental lines, a two dimensional bulked DNA sampling strategy involving a 20 × 20 grow-out matrix has been designed and used for detection of contaminants in a seed-lot of the popular CMS line IR58025A. We have also designed a multiplex PCR strategy involving single tube analysis using 2–3 markers for hybrid seed purity assessments and demonstrate its superiority over single marker analysis in accurate detection of impurities in hybrids. Implications of parental and hybrid specific SSR markers and strategies to utilize the informative SSR markers for detection of contaminants in a cost effective manner are discussed.