Optimal utilisation of natural resources for agricultural sustainability in rainfed hill plateaus of Orissa

The climatic data for 17 years from 1988 to 2004 of the rainfed hill plateaus of Kandhamal district of Orissa (India) were analyzed to find out the monthly climatic index from the calculated values of effective rainfall and evapotranspiration. The 80% dependable monthly climatic index was correlated with crop coefficient and suitable cropping period and sequences for the study area were suggested based on it. The extent of investment, net return and soil loss from agriculture were estimated as per the present condition and for the suggested cropping patterns. A mathematical model was formulated for optimal allocation of area to different crop sequences with different objectives viz. minimization of soil loss, minimization of investment and maximization of net return from agriculture and was solved using linear goal programming technique. The model suggested to take up food crops in area of 1,30,777 ha and perennial grass cover in 3223 ha with a cropping intensity of 1.61 resulting in a net return of Rs 1064.775 millions sustaining soil loss to a tune of 9489.67 thousand tons per year. The model was found to be favourable in respect of higher net return of Rs 8862.34 and lesser soil loss of 23.41 tons/ha than the corresponding present values. But more investment of Rs 4489.01 per ha was required to fulfill the objectives.     

Landscaping and performance of some aesthetic plant species in hot, arid conditions of India

Establishment of ornamental and aesthetic plants in hot, arid conditions of India is difficult due to the prevailing climatic, edaphic and biotic factors. Effect of turfgrass on the growth of ornamental plants in hot arid conditions has not been studied so far anywhere in the world. A study was conducted on the campus of Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, India to assess the performance of a few ornamental plant species in combination with turfgrass and without turfgrass with respect to different soil tilling intervals. Growth of plants was better with turfgrass than without turfgrass. We suggest adopting a soil tilling interval of 30 days to achieve optimum growth of ornamental plant species in terms of height and crown diameter. Our results can help reduce labor costs and achieving better landscapes in fewer days in hot urban conditions of Indian sub continent.     

Characterization of phosphate solubilizing fluorescent pseudomonads from the rhizosphere of Aloe vera (L.)

Soil phosphorous (P) deficiency is a major constraint to plant production which is overcome by adding inorganic-phosphate as chemical fertilizers. Fluorescent pseudomonads are the diverse group of bacteria able to mobilize sparingly soluble phosphate form. Total three hundred seven fluorescent Pseudomonas isolates were obtained from the Aloe barbadensis (Miller) rhizosphere. These Pseudomonas strains were further evaluated in vitro for their ability to solubilize phosphate and to produce indole acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), siderophore and 1-aminocyclopropane 1- carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. Fifty three (36.8%) isolates produced IAA and 52 (36.1%) isolates produced siderophores whereas 36 (25.0%) and 31 (21.5%) isolates produced HCN and ACC deaminase, respectively. A positive correlation existed between siderophore and ACC deaminase producers. Cluster analysis showed rhizosphere as the major factor influencing the ecological distribution and physiological characterization of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB). Based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing PSB were identified as Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas sp. and Pseudomonas plecoglossicida with highest phosphate solubilization ability. In conclusion, these phosphate solubilizing fluorescent pseudomonads would help in understanding their role in phosphorus solubilization and identification of potent phosphorus solubilizers from the rhizosphere of commercially grown A. barbadensis.     

Contingency nature of Helicobacter bizzozeronii oxygen-insensitive NAD(P)H-nitroreductase (HBZC1_00960) and its role in metronidazole resistance

Genomic analysis of a metronidazole resistant H. bizzozeronii strain revealed a frame length extension of the oxygen-insensitive NAD(P)H-nitroreductase HBZC1_00960 (RdxA), associated with the disruption of the C-terminal cysteine-containing conserved region (IACLXALGK). This was the result of the extension (from C₈ to C₉) of a simple sequence cytosine repeat (SSCR) located in the 3’ of the gene. A 3'' SSCR is also present in the rdxA homolog of H. heilmannii sensu stricto, but not in H. pylori. We showed that in the majority of in vitro spontaneous H. bizzozeronii metronidazole resistant mutants, the extension of the 3′ SSCR of rdxA was the only mutation observed. In addition, we observed that H. bizzozeronii ΔrdxA mutant strain showed the same MIC value of metronidazole observed in the spontaneous mutants. These data indicate that loss of function mutations in rdxA and in particular the disruption of the conserved region IACLXALGK is associated with reduced susceptibility to metronidazole in H. bizzozeronii. Slipped-strand mispairing of the SSCR located in the 3′ of the H. bizzozeronii rdxA appears to be the main mechanism. We also observed that H. bizzozeronii acquires resistance to metronidazole at high mutation rate, and that serial passages in vitro without selection induced an increased level of susceptibility. In conclusion, contrary to what was previously described in H. pylori, the H. bizzozeronii rdxA appears to be a contingency gene which undergoes phase variation. The contingency nature of rdxA should be carefully considered when metronidazole is used in the treatment of H. heilmannii-associated gastritis.     

Segmentation of 3D images of plant tissues at multiple scales using the level set method

Background

Developmental biology has made great strides in recent years towards the quantification of cellular properties during development. This requires tissues to be imaged and segmented to generate computerised versions that can be easily analysed. In this context, one of the principal technical challenges remains the faithful detection of cellular contours, principally due to variations in image intensity throughout the tissue. Watershed segmentation methods are especially vulnerable to these variations, generating multiple errors due notably to the incorrect detection of the outer surface of the tissue.

Results

We use the level set method (LSM) to improve the accuracy of the watershed segmentation in different ways. First, we detect the outer surface of the tissue, reducing the impact of low and variable contrast at the surface during imaging. Second, we demonstrate a new edge function for a level set, based on second order derivatives of the image, to segment individual cells. Finally, we also show that the LSM can be used to segment nuclei within the tissue.

Conclusion

The watershed segmentation of the outer cell layer is demonstrably improved when coupled with the LSM-based surface detection step. The tool can also be used to improve watershed segmentation at cell-scale, as well as to segment nuclei within a tissue. The improved segmentation increases the quality of analysis, and the surface detected by our algorithm may be used to calculate local curvature or adapted for other uses, such as mathematical simulations.

     

Papaya yellow leaf curl virus: A newly identified begomovirus infecting Carica papaya L. from the Indian Subcontinent

India is one of the world’s largest producers of papaya. Viruses, mainly begomoviruses and potyviruses, cause a significant loss in papaya production. The study described here has identified a new species of begomovirus and a new species of betasatellite infecting Carica papaya in India. The sequences of the begomovirus and betasatellite show 90.03% nucleotide sequence identity to an isolate of Radish leaf curl virus and 92.25% identity to an isolate of Tomato leaf curl betasatellite, respectively. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of begomovirus sequence of isolate DP2 (KX353622) showed distant relationships with previously characterised begomoviruses. Recombination analysis proposed six recombination breakpoints in begomovirus genome with other geographical begomovirus isolates.     

Effect of long-term manuring and fertilizers on carbon pools,soil structure,and sustainability under different cropping systems in wet-temperate zone of northwest Himalayas

We investigated C management index (CMI; an indicator of sustainability of a management system and is based on total and labile C) and soil aggregation in medium-textured soils (silt loam and silty clay loam) under different cropping systems as follows: maize-wheat (M-W), rice-wheat (R-W), soybean-wheat (S-W), Guinea grass, and Setaria grass. Field experiments were 6–32 years long and were located in the wet-temperate zone of northwest Himalayas. The plant nutrients were applied through chemical fertilizers (urea, superphosphate, and muriate of potash) with or without organic materials (FYM, wheat straw, and Lantana spp.). The content of total C (C_T), labile C (C_L), CMI, mean weight diameter (MWD), and aggregate porosity varied significantly under different cropping systems. The range was 1.59 (R-W)–4.29% (Setaria) for C_T, 1.23 (R-W)–3.89 mg/kg (Guinea grass) for C_L, 52.09 (R-W)–129.77 (Guinea grass) for CMI, 0.90 (R-W)–5.09 (Guinea grass) for MWD, and 41.5 (R-W)–56.8% (S-W) for aggregate porosity. Aggregate porosity was highest (56.8%) under S-W, followed by grasses (50.1–51.2%), and M/R-W (41.5–50.0%). As per these data, (a) continuous use of N alone as urea lowered soil sustainability over control (no fertilizers); (b) use of NPK at recommended rates improved soil productivity over control; (c) the NPK + organic amendments further improved soil sustainability; and (d) the sustainability under different cropping systems followed the order: perennial grasses > soybean-wheat > maize-wheat > rice-wheat.     

Nursery rearing of kalbasu, Labeo calbasu (Hamilton), at different stocking densities in outdoor concrete tanks

The growth and survival of kalbasu, Labeo calbasu, was evaluated at stocking densities of 5, 10 and 15 million spawn ha⁻¹ in nursery rearing in concrete tanks of 50 m², each for a period of 25 days. Survival of fry was density dependent and significantly higher (54.5%) at 5 million ha⁻¹ than those at 10 million ha⁻¹ (50.1%) and 15 million ha⁻¹ (46.9%). Similarly, growth and specific growth rate were inversely related to the stocking density and varied significantly among the three densities.     

Rice-wheat productivity and nutrient status in a lantana- (Lantana spp.) amended soil

Imbalanced and inadequate use of chemical fertilizers is responsible for low rice- (Oryza sativa L.) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity in many resource-poor farmers' fields. Wheat yields in post-rice soils are also constrained due to soil conditions created by puddling in rice, especially in fine to medium textured soils. Organic amendments are known to improve soil productivity under rice-wheat cropping by way of improving physical conditions and nutrient status of the soil, but their availability is restricted. There is a need to identify locally available and cost-effective organic materials, which have minimal alternate uses as fodder and fuel. We evaluated lantana (Lantana spp. L.) residues, a fast-growing weed in nearby wastelands, as a potential soil organic amendment. Yield trends, and soil and crop nutrient status in a 12-year rice-wheat experiment at Palampur, India, involving four levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 Mg ha^-1 year^-1 fresh mass) of lantana addition were investigated. Chopped lantana was incorporated into soil 10–15 days before puddling. Lantana additions at 10, 20 and 30 Mg ha^-1 increased rice yields on average by 18%, 23% and 30%, wheat yields by 11%, 14% and 20%, and total system productivity (rice + wheat) by 15%, 20% and 26% over controls, respectively, and at the same time saved NPK fertilizer. Linear regression analyses over 12 years did not show any change in yield trends of rice and wheat at P =0.05. Continuous cultivation of rice-wheat significantly increased total C, labile C, and other C indices of soils. Total N, Olsen's P, and NH₄OAc-extractable K in the lantana-amended plots were higher than in the controls. Nutrient concentrations in crop biomass, however, remained generally unaffected by lantana treatments. Results suggest that lantana residues, which improved the nutrient status of soil and system yield, have the potential for resource conservation and sustaining rice-wheat productivity.