Pigeonpea improvement: An amalgam of breeding and genomic research

In the past five decades, constant research has been directed towards yield improvement in pigeonpea resulting in the deployment of several commercially acceptable cultivars in India. Though, the genesis of hybrid technology, the biggest breakthrough, enigma of stagnant productivity still remains unsolved. To sort this productivity disparity, genomic research along with conventional breeding was successfully initiated at ICRISAT. It endowed ample genomic resource providing insight in the pigeonpea genome combating production constraints in a precise and speedy manner. The availability of the draft genome sequence with a large‐scale marker resource, oriented the research towards trait mapping for flowering time, determinacy, fertility restoration, yield attributing traits and photo‐insensitivity. Defined core and mini‐core collection, still eased the pigeonpea breeding being accessible for existing genetic diversity and developing stress resistance. Modern genomic tools like next‐generation sequencing, genome‐wide selection helping in the appraisal of selection efficiency is leading towards next‐generation breeding, an awaited milestone in pigeonpea genetic enhancement. This paper emphasizes the ongoing genetic improvement in pigeonpea with an amalgam of conventional breeding as well as genomic research.     

Phytoremediation Technology: Hyper-accumulation Metals in Plants

This paper reviews key aspects of phytoremediation technology and the biological mechanisms underlying phytoremediation. Current knowledge regarding the application of phytoremediation in alleviating heavy metal toxicity is summarized highlighting the relative merits of different options. The results reveal a cutting edge application of emerging strategies and technologies to problems of heavy metals in soil. Progress in phytoremediation is hindered by a lack of understanding of complex interactions in the rhizosphere and plant based interactions which allow metal translocation and accumulation in plants. The evolution of physiological and molecular mechanisms of phytoremediation, together with recently-developed biological and engineering strategies, has helped to improve the performance of both heavy metal phytoextraction and phytostabilization. The results reveal that phytoremediation includes a variety of remediation techniques which include many treatment strategies leading to contaminant degradation, removal (through accumulation or dissipation), or immobilization. For each of these processes, we review what is known for metal pollutants, gaps in knowledge, and the practical implications for phytoremediation strategies.     

Effect of inclusion of cashew globulin (Anacardium occidentale) to a casein diet on lipid parameters in rats

The effect of inclusion of cashew globulin to a casein diet on lipid metabolism was studied in rats fed diets with two levels of cashew globulin meal. Inclusion of cashew globulin to a casein diet produced lower levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipids in the serum and tissues and lower levels of serum lipoprotein cholesterol. There was decreased cholesterogenesis in the liver as evidenced by decreased activity of HMG CoA reductase and decreased release of lipoproteins into circulation. Rats fed cashew globulin along with casein also showed higher activity of LPL in the heart and adipose tissue and higher activity of LCAT. Increased hepatic diversion of cholesterol to bile acid synthesis and increased excretion of bile acids and sterols were also observed in these groups. Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme was decreased in rats fed cashew globulin along with casein. This study demonstrates that cashew globulins included in the diet of rats are able to alter lipid metabolism which results in lower levels of lipid parameters in the serum and tissues.     

Overcoming self-incompatibility in Ipomoea cairica by IAA

Summary Ipomoea cairica Sweet (Convolvulaceae) exhibits sporophytic self-incompatibility. This has partially been overcome under in vitro conditions, by treating the pollen and/or stigma with 10^-5–10^-1M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the optimum being 10^-2M. The self-pollen. which otherwise does not even stick to stigma. germinates after self-pollination provided only one or both the partners are treated. The pollen tubes not only penetrate stigmatic papillae but also traverse the whole length of the style, at least in optimum experimental combinations.     

Pigeonpea breeding in eastern and southern Africa: challenges and opportunities

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh) is an important multipurpose grain legume crop primarily grown in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America. In Africa, the crop is grown for several purposes including food security, income generation, livestock feed and in agroforestry. Production in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) is however faced with many challenges including limited use of high‐yielding cultivars, diseases and pests, drought, under‐investment in research and lack of scientific expertise. The aim of this review is to highlight the challenges facing pigeonpea breeding research in ESA and the existing opportunities for improving the overall pigeonpea subsector in the region. We discuss the potential of the recently available pigeonpea genomic resources for accelerated molecular breeding, the prospects for conventional breeding and commercial hybrid pigeonpea, and the relevant seed policies, among others, which are viewed as opportunities to enhance pigeonpea productivity.     

Rhizosphere Influence and Seasonal Impact on Phytostabilisation of Metals—A Field Study

Field experiments were conducted to assess the influence of plant growth and amendment addition on phytostabilisation of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) along highway soil in southwest British Columbia, Canada. The plant species tested were Lolium perenne L (perennial rye grass), Festuca rubra L. (creeping red fescue) and Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) and the amendments, lime and phosphate. The treatment efficiencies were assessed during different seasons as a completely randomized factorial experiment in split plot design. The research tasks involved: (1) quantifying the seasonal extent of metal accumulation in soil and assessing the seasonal impact on metal speciation for different soil amendments and plant species; (2) determining seasonal accumulation differences between sampling periods in plant parts; and (3) assessing the influence of root–soil interactions on metal dynamics. The amendments decreased the exchangeable fraction and plant uptake of all four metals. The lowest mobile fractions (exchangeable and carbonate bound) were found in soils growing Festuca for Cu, Lolium for Mn and a Lolium/Poa/Festuca combination for Pb and Zn. Metal accumulation and metal dynamics in the rhizosphere soil are compared with those of the bulk soil. The final outcome was the development of a remediation strategy for all four metals involving suitable plants and amendments and incorporating seasonal and rhizosphere influences.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Indian citrus ringspot virus:</Emphasis> localization of virus in seed tissues and evidence for lack of seed transmission

Indian citrus ringspot disease is an important viral disease in kinnow mandarin orchards where disease incidence up to 100% has been recorded. The disease is caused by Indian citrus ringspot virus (ICRSV), a positive sense flexuous RNA virus. The transmission of ICRSV is generally through budwood. Association of ICRSV with pollens of naturally infected flowers from cv. ‘Kinnow’ mandarins has been shown previously and this study demonstrates the presence of ICRSV in seed tissues. DAC-ELISA revealed the presence of virus in seed coats but not in embryo and endosperm of seeds collected from the fruits of ICRSV-infected Kinnow plants. Of the infected seed coats, 18% were found to harbor the virus. The seedlings in the grow-out test did not show any symptom for 2 years and the virus could not be detected in seedlings by DAC-ELISA and RT-PCR. The present study indicated that ICRSV could be localized in the testa of seeds but its transmission to progeny was not observed.     

Analysis and stability of sucralose in a milk-based confection by a simple planar chromatographic method

Sucralose used as high potency sweetener in foods was determined in burfi, a milk-based confection produced in-house. Therefore planar chromatography was employed as a preferred method because of a reagent-free derivatization step. Sucralose was determined on HPTLC amino plates whose amino groups reacted with sucralose to fluorescent zones by just heating the plate after chromatography. Thus derivatization was simultaneously performed for 22 separations per plate, and with ease, over 300 runs can be performed within a day of labor. The within-run precision (%RSD) of sucralose determination in milk-based confection was 4.2% (n = 5), and the mean recovery 88% +/- 4.7% (n = 6). LOD via fluorescence measurement was 6 ng/band for standard solutions and 1 mg/kg for the milk-based matrix. According to European legislation, the limits for sucralose addition ranged between 10 and 3000 mg/kg for various foods and thus were fully met with this method. The fluorescence measurement at 366/>400 nm turned out to be slightly more robust and intense than the absorbance measurement at UV 254 nm. The stability of sucralose in milk-based confection was proved under the usual storage conditions at 5, 30, and 45 degrees C for up to 28 days. Potential hydrolysis products of sucralose caused by various modes of storing the confection were not observed up to 28 days.     

Multiple genes confer anthracnose resistance in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) accessions of Garhwal Himalayas

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The Indian Himalayan region is very rich in the genetic diversity of French bean and therefore considered as the secondary centre of origin of French bean....