Role of root exudates in plant-microbe interactions

The interactions in the rhizosphere are leading to a highly structured microbial community which, to a great deal, is influenced by the root exudates of plant origin. In this review, we have included the different types of interaction with special regard to the root exudates’ function in such positive or negative interactions beween plants and both bacterial and fungal partners of the plant in the rhizosphere, including mycorrhiza, nitrogen-fixing symbionts, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria endophytes and biological control organisms as well as allelopathy, antimicrobial effects and effects on nematodes. The differences in root exudates induced by microbial associations, role of quorum sensing in structuring communitites and effect on biogeochemical cycles are reviewed. The focus is put on agricultural systems and implications for ecosystems on arable land are drawn

Wheat x Azotobacter x VA Mycorrhiza interactions towards plant nutrition and growth – a review

Nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-mobilizing bateria, as well as mycorrhizal fungi, can influence plant nutrition beneficially and thus be used as biofertilizers in agriculture. This paper briefly reviews the role of wheat genotypes in the interaction of wheat with soil microorganisms like phosphate solubilizing and nitrogen fixing bacteria, specifically Azotobacter sp., and with mycorrhizal fungi for the development of sustainable wheat crop production. The role of rhizosphere microorganisms and the mechanisms, factors affecting response of bioinoculants and the possibilities of breeding wheat genotypes responsive to these bioinoculants for sustainable wheat production in semi-arid tropics are discussed.

Differential and temperature dependent regulation of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase by specific chromosome in wheat grains

A stock of disomic chromosome substitution (DCS) lines having specific chromosome of wheat variety C591 substituted in the background of rest of Chinese spring chromosomes, were used to analyze grain yield components as a function of enzyme activity of ADP–glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), a starch biosynthesis enzyme in wheat grains. Associations between yield characteristics, grain growth rate (GGR) and AGPase enzyme activity of DCS lines suggested a major involvement of chromosome 3A, 4B, 7D and 2D in a temperature dependent manner. Assessment of AGPase assay at different developmental stages such as 14, 21, 28 days post anthesis (DPA) embodied that gene(s) for this enzyme are present on specific chromosomes and operate at different stages of grain development. The DCS line with 7D chromosome has a major contribution in determining the grain starch content. In this line, AGPase enzyme activity was highest at 21 DPA and was the most crucial determinant in its high GGR. Line 4B performed well at only early stage (14 DPA) suggesting that line 4B AGPase requires a lower temperature range for activation as compared to 7D line. Line 3A had substantially reduced (40%) test weights revealing the presence of few down-regulatory elements on chromosome 3A to reduce the activity of AGPase. The DCS line 2D showed higher test weights and grain number than all other lines ascribed to a consistent AGPase activity along with an efficient mechanism for translocation of photosynthates from source to sink. The chromosome 2D shows positive relation with yield attributes therefore, it can be employed to improve wheat productivity via analytical breeding programme

Inheritance of A1 System of Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Male Sterility in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L). R. Br.]

Inheritance of male sterility and fertility restoration of the A1 system of cytoplasmic- nuclear male sterility in pearl millet was investigated using 12 crosses among three diverse male sterile lines (A-lines) and four diverse restorers (R-lines). Individual plants from R- lines were used to make crosses on A-lines. The segregation pattern of male sterile (S) and male fertile (F) plants observed in F2 and BC1 in two seasons at ICRISAT, Patancheru was suggestive more likely of a single-gene control of male sterility and fertility restoration. However, a 3-gene model of male sterility/fertility restoration where dominant alleles at any two of the three duplicate complimentary loci will lead to male fertility could not be ruled out, nor could be ruled out a 2-gene control with duplicate interaction. There was indication of variability even within a highly inbred R-line for fertility restoration gene(s). Depending on the genetic constitution of the R-lines at these loci, even the 3-gene model can lead to single-gene segregation ratios as observed in most of the F2s and backcrosses, and 2-gene ratios as observed in a few F2s and backcrosses. The deviations from these expected ratios in some of the crosses influenced by modifiers and environmental conditions generally resulted from the excess of fertile plants in the rainy season or excess of sterile plants in the dry season, the more so in crosses involving an A-line which has been reported to be relatively more unstable for male sterility

Diagnosis of urinary bladder diseases in dogs by using two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasonography

Abstract Aim: The objective of this study was to obtain and compare two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic images of the urinary bladder in different disease conditions. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducting on total 10clinical cases of the urinary bladder in dogs. The ultrasound (US) machine used for this study was 3D US machine (Nemio-XG: Toshiba, Japan) having a four-dimensional volumetric probe. Results: In the present study, the inflamed thickened wall was clearly visible with the distinction of different layers of the urinary bladder wall in some of the cases of cystitis using 2D ultrasonography. In 3D sonogram, the urinary bladder was visualized as a large anechoic structure with no distinction of different layers of the bladder wall. The cystoliths were clearly visible as hyperechoic structures with distal acoustic shadow in 2D sonogram and appeared as a bright echogenic area in 3D sonogram. In case of urinary bladder neoplasia in 2D ultrasonogram, the bladder lumen was found to be occluded with a large growth imaged as focal anechoic areas in the tissue of mixed echogenicity with small hyperechoic dots in this tissue parenchyma. In 3D ultrasonogram, a tissue of mixed echogenicity of pus was also observed. Conclusion: From the present study it was concluded that 2D and 3D ultrasonography is very helpful for diagnosis of different clinical conditions of the urinary bladder such as cystitis, cystoliths, and urinary bladder neoplasia. The cavity of urinary bladder was more clearly visualized in 3D ultrasonography, but the distinction of different layers of the bladder wall was visualized only in 2D ultrasonography. The distinct shadow of pus and cystoliths were visible in 2D ultrasonogram. The visualization of pus in 3D ultrasonography was done for the first time in present study

Estrogen Prevents Oxidative Damage to the Mitochondria in Friedreich's Ataxia Skin Fibroblasts

Estrogen and estrogen-related compounds have been shown to have very potent cytoprotective properties in a wide range of disease models, including an in vitro model of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). This study describes a potential estrogen receptor (ER)-independent mechanism by which estrogens act to protect human FRDA skin fibroblasts from a BSO-induced oxidative insult resulting from inhibition of de novo glutathione (GSH) synthesis. We demonstrate that phenolic estrogens, independent of any known ER, are able to prevent lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) collapse, maintain ATP at near control levels, increase oxidative phosphorylation and maintain activity of aconitase. Estrogens did not, however, prevent BSO from depleting GSH or induce an increased expression level of GSH. The cytoprotective effects of estrogen appear to be due to a direct overall reduction in oxidative damage to the mitochondria, enabling the FRDA fibroblast mitochondria to generate sufficient ATP for energy requirements and better survive oxidative stress. These data support the hypothesis that phenol ring containing estrogens are possible candidate drugs for the delay and/or prevention of FRDA symptoms

Importance of Extranuclear Estrogen Receptor-α and Membrane G Protein–Coupled Estrogen Receptor in Pancreatic Islet Survival

International audienc

Effects of NK-4 in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptides are considered to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and molecules that can prevent pathways of Aβ toxicity may be potential therapeutic agents for treatment of AD. We have previously reported that NK-4, a cyanine photosensitizing dye, displays neurotrophic and antioxidant activities. In this study, we report the effects of NK-4 on the toxicity of Aβ and on cognitive function and Aβ concentration in a transgenic mouse model of AD (Tg2576). In vitro, NK-4 effectively protected neuronal cells from toxicity induced by Aβ. In addition, it displayed profound inhibitory activities on Aβ fibril formation. In vivo, Tg2576 mice received an intraperitoneal injection at 100 or 500 µg/kg of NK-4 once a day, five times a week for 9 months. Administration of NK-4 to the mice attenuated impairment of recognition memory, associative memory, and learning ability, as assessed by a novel object recognition test, a passive avoidance test, and a water maze test, respectively. NK-4 decreased the brain Aβ concentration while increasing the plasma amyloid level in a dose-dependent manner. NK-4 also improved memory impairments of ICR mice induced by direct intracerebroventricular administration of Aβ. These lines of evidence suggest that NK-4 may affect multiple pathways of amyloid pathogenesis and could be useful for treatment of AD

A conceptual framework for the adoption of big data analytics by e-commerce startups: a case-based approach

E-commerce start-ups have ventured into emerging economies and are growing at a significantly faster pace. Big data has acted like a catalyst in their growth story. Big data analytics (BDA) has attracted e-commerce firms to invest in the tools and gain cutting edge over their competitors. The process of adoption of these BDA tools by e-commerce start-ups has been an area of interest as successful adoption would lead to better results. The present study aims to develop an interpretive structural model (ISM) which would act as a framework for efficient implementation of BDA. The study uses hybrid multi criteria decision making processes to develop the framework and test the same using a real-life case study. Systematic review of literature and discussion with experts resulted in exploring 11 enablers of adoption of BDA tools. Primary data collection was done from industry experts to develop an ISM framework and fuzzy MICMAC analysis is used to categorize the enablers of the adoption process. The framework is then tested by using a case study. Thematic clustering is performed to develop a simple ISM framework followed by fuzzy analytical network process (ANP) to discuss the association and ranking of enablers. The results indicate that access to relevant data forms the base of the framework and would act as the strongest enabler in the adoption process while the company rates technical skillset of employees as the most important enabler. It was also found that there is a positive correlation between the ranking of enablers emerging out of ISM and ANP. The framework helps in simplifying the strategies any e-commerce company would follow to adopt BDA in future. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

Registration of ‘LCS Compass’ Wheat

‘LCS Compass’ (Reg. No. CV-1149, PI 675458), a hard red winter (HRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was developed and tested as VA10HRW-13 and co-released by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station and Limagrain Cereal Seeds, LLC, in 2015. LCS Compass was derived from the cross ‘Vision 20’ /‘Stanof’ using a modified bulk breeding method. LCS Compass is a widely adapted, high-yielding, awned, semidwarf (Rht1) HRW wheat with early to medium maturity and resistance or moderate resistance to diseases prevalent in the mid-Atlantic and Great Plains regions of the United States. In the 2013 Uniform Bread Wheat Trial conducted over 18 locations in eastern states, LCS Compass produced an average grain yield of 4609 kg ha−1 that was similar to ‘Vision 30’ (4697 kg ha−1). In the northern Great Plains, the average grain yield of LCS Compass (4015 kg ha−1) over 44 locations in 2013 was similar to ‘Jerry’ (4013 kg ha−1). In the South Dakota crop zone 3 variety test, LCS Compass had a 3-yr (2015–2017) yield average of 5575 kg ha−1 and was one of highest-yielding cultivars among the 19 cultivars tested over the 3-yr period. LCS Compass has good end-use quality in both the eastern and Great Plains regions of the United States