Genetic diversity analysis in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.): a comparative assessment using ISSR and RAPD marker assays

SUMMARY

A comparative study was conducted to evaluate genetic diversity in 45 genotypes of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), including both male and female plants, employing RAPD and ISSR marker systems. The data were analysed to calculate the total number of bands, the number of polymorphic bands, the percentage polymorphism, the average number of bands per primer, the effective multiplex ratio (EMR), the polymorphic information content (PIC), the marker index (MI), and genetic similarity coefficients. The 37 RAPD and 53 ISSR primers used generated 363 and 608 scorable amplified products, respectively, of which 95.0% and 90.9% were polymorphic. The ISSR markers produced more information than the RAPD markers due to their higher EMR and MI values. Jaccard similarity values among male plants, female plants, and between all male and all female plants varied between 0.72 – 0.80. The results indicate the effectiveness of these two marker systems for demonstrating genetic relationships among date palm genotypes.     

Development,acceptability and nutritional value of weaning mixtures

Low cost weaning mixtures were prepared by mixing (i) malted pearl millet (Penicitum typhidium L), roasted amaranth (Amaranthus sp.); roasted green gram (Vigna radiata); jaggery and (ii) malted barley (Dehusked barley); roasted amaranth grain; roasted green gram; jaggery in proportion 60204045 wt/wt and were nutritionally evaluated. Both the blends had a nutrient composition within the range prescribed by the Indian Standard Institute (ISI) for processed weaning foods. The processing of grains resulted in lower levels of phytic acid, polyphenols and saponins and higher in vitro protein digestibility than those of the raw grains used for preparing mixtures. Both the mixtures were acceptable to trained panelists and children.     

Protein quality of developed home made weaning foods

Home made weaning foods developed from locally available foods like bajra, barley, green gram (Vigna radiata L.), amaranth grain (Amaranthus sp.) and jaggery using household technologies like roasting and malting had a PER ranging from 2.04 to 2.13, BV 79.56 to 80.68, NPU 66.75 to 67.86, NPR 2.13 to 2.76 and PRE 34.18 to 44.18. The values were comparable to that of cerelac—a commercial weaning food.     

Landraces-potential treasure for sustainable wheat improvement

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Agricultural production is facing serious threat from various biotic and abiotic stresses specifically under climatic challenges. It is becoming increasingly...     

Cholinergic interneurons control local circuit activity and cocaine conditioning

Cholinergic neurons are widespread, and pharmacological modulation of acetylcholine receptors affects numerous brain processes, but such modulation entails side effects due to limitations in specificity for receptor type and target cell. As a result, causal roles of cholinergic neurons in circuits have been unclear. We integrated optogenetics, freely moving mammalian behavior, in vivo electrophysiology, and slice physiology to probe the cholinergic interneurons of the nucleus accumbens by direct excitation or inhibition. Despite representing less than 1% of local neurons, these cholinergic cells have dominant control roles, exerting powerful modulation of circuit activity. Furthermore, these neurons could be activated by cocaine, and silencing this drug-induced activity during cocaine exposure (despite the fact that the manipulation of the cholinergic interneurons was not aversive by itself) blocked cocaine conditioning in freely moving mammals.     

Optimization and extraction of extra and intracellular color from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium minioluteum</Emphasis> for application on protein fibers

Precedence of microbial colorants can be seen in almost all the industrial sectors viz. food, textile, paper, agriculture, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics. These colorants are gaining popularity due to their salient advantages over synthetic and natural dyes. This study deals with the optimization and extraction of such colorants from Penicillium minioluteum for the purpose of dyeing different protein fibers. Penicillium minioluteum was cultured under different growth conditions to optimize the extracellular color production. The extracellular colorant grown under optimized fermentation conditions (medium-sabouraud; pH-5.6; temperature-15 °C; time-20 days; incubation-static) in 3000 ml haffkine flask showed maximum color or highest optical density of 1.014 at λ _max=490 nm. Later on, this colorant was extracted using nbutanol. The remaining mycelial mat obtained after filtration was extracted using different chemical and mechanical procedures to get the intracellular colorant. Highest O.D of 0.897 was recorded at λ _max=490 nm when desiccated powdered mycelial mat was extracted with methanol. Dyed silk and leather with the extracellular colorant showed color strength (K/S) as 3.88 and 3.81, respectively, whereas silk and leather dyed with the intracellular colorant showed K/S as 0.56 and 0.55, respectively. The color strength of extracellular dyed samples was found to be three times higher as compared to the samples dyed with the intracellular aqueous colorant of the same optical density. After dyeing, two different shades were obtained viz. deep red with the extracellular colorant and beige with the intracellular colorant on mulberry silk and wet blue goat nappa skin leather. Fastness towards rubbing was found to be good for both the samples. Wash fastness was excellent on silk. Fastness towards light was poor for both silk and leather. Furthermore, the color yield of the extracellular colorant (0.62 %) was found to be approximately five times more than the color yield of the intracellular colorant (0.14 %).     

Traditional Parboiled Rice-Based Products Revisited＂ Current Status and Future Research Challenges

Parboiling is an age old technique carried out to improve rice quality. Different grain parboiling techniques have been traditionally followed and scientifically developed for preparation and industrialization of rice. The state of Assam, India produces a large number of rice varieties, some of which are traditionally processed into peculiar parboiled rice products like Hurum, Komal chaul, Bhoja chaul and Sandahguri, which are of both ethnic and possible commercial importances. In spite of extensive research carried out on parboiled rice, these products and their special parboiling techniques have not been sufficiently explored. The status of research on parboiled rice as a whole with special attention to these lesser known speciality products of Assam is extensively reviewed. Future scope of research on these products is also identified.