Genetic dissection of drought tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the second most important grain legume cultivated by resource poor farmers in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Drought is one of the major constraints leading up to 50 % production losses in chickpea. In order to dissect the complex nature of drought tolerance and to use genomics tools for enhancing yield of chickpea under drought conditions, two mapping populations—ICCRIL03 (ICC 4958 × ICC 1882) and ICCRIL04 (ICC 283 × ICC 8261) segregating for drought tolerance-related root traits were phenotyped for a total of 20 drought component traits in 1–7 seasons at 1–5 locations in India. Individual genetic maps comprising 241 loci and 168 loci for ICCRIL03 and ICCRIL04, respectively, and a consensus genetic map comprising 352 loci were constructed (http://cmap.icrisat.ac.in/cmap/sm/cp/varshney/). Analysis of extensive genotypic and precise phenotypic data revealed 45 robust main-effect QTLs (M-QTLs) explaining up to 58.20 % phenotypic variation and 973 epistatic QTLs (E-QTLs) explaining up to 92.19 % phenotypic variation for several target traits. Nine QTL clusters containing QTLs for several drought tolerance traits have been identified that can be targeted for molecular breeding. Among these clusters, one cluster harboring 48 % robust M-QTLs for 12 traits and explaining about 58.20 % phenotypic variation present on CaLG04 has been referred as “QTL-hotspot”. This genomic region contains seven SSR markers (ICCM0249, NCPGR127, TAA170, NCPGR21, TR11, GA24 and STMS11). Introgression of this region into elite cultivars is expected to enhance drought tolerance in chickpea

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Discussion Papers for National workshop on Prosopis juliflora: Past, Present and Future under National Agricultural Innovation Project (Component-II) on “Value chain on Value added Products derived from Prosopis juliflora”, pp., 19-20. Organized at CAZRI, Jodhpur, 38p.Not AvailableNot Availabl

Design of various Ni–Cr nanostructures and deducing their magnetic anisotropy

Understanding the effects of interparticle interactions is a vital problem because magnetic nanoparticles showcase a variety of magnetic configurations due to different contributions to their total energy. To derive reliable and robust properties from magnetic nanoparticles, it is, thus, necessary to understand the competition between particle anisotropy and interparticle interactions that define the magnetic state of nanoparticles, where size control plays an important role. Here, we apply the random anisotropy model (RAM) that considers various magnetic interactions to selectively prepared NiCr nanostructures (NiCr dense nanoclusters, nanogranular NiCr thin films, and Ag(NiCr) nanocomposites) with different interparticle interactions. The estimated single-particle magnetic anisotropy K values (2.82 − 12.3 × 104 J/m3) and careful analysis of magnetization behavior for these nanostructures reveal that orbital hybridization, surface segregation, and interface character govern the magnetic interactions among nanoparticles. Our study demonstrates how magnetic behaviors vary in these different magnetic systems consisting of superparamagnetic (SPM) and ferromagnetic (FM) contributions specific to magnetic interactions

Determination of normal and inverse magnetocaloric effect in iron oxide thin films

International audienceMagnetic cooling requires energy-efficient and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional rare earth element-based materials, which rely on materials with customized magnetic and structural properties. This study introduces the growth of iron oxide thin films for designing magnetocaloric materials, using a phenomenological model to screen candidates for the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and inverse magnetocaloric effect (IMCE). Based on the Curie temperature (TC) window concept, ferrimagnetic Fe3O4 and the antiferromagnetic α-Fe2O3 and FeO thin films are identified as potential candidates for structural transitions (TV) and spin rearrangement (TN) achieved by manipulating their nanoscale ordering temperatures. These oxide films exhibit IMCE with a maximum entropy change (ΔSmax) ranging from 0.13 to 1.87 J/kg-K at TV and/or TN, while demonstrating the MCE effect at low temperatures. Interestingly, we demonstrate that IMCE can occur in Fe3O4 thin films without a structural transition but with a change in anisotropy. In addition, utilizing textured growth to tailor magneto-structural coupling in thin films is predicted as a novel approach for engineering magnetocaloric materials

Competing Magnetic Interactions in Inverted Zn-Ferrite Thin Films

Zn-ferrite is a versatile material among spinels owing to its physicochemical properties, as demonstrated in rich phase diagrams, with several conductive or magnetic behaviors dictated by its cation inversion. The strength and the type of cation inversion can be manipulated through the various thermal treatment conditions. In this study, inverted Zn-ferrite thin films prepared from radio frequency magnetron sputtering were subjected to different in situ (in vacuum) and ex situ (in air) annealing treatments. The temperature and field dependence of magnetization behaviors reveal multiple magnetic interactions compared to its bulk antiferromagnet behavior. Using the magnetic component model, the different magnetic interactions can be explained in terms of superparamagnetic (SPM), paramagnetic (PM), and ferrimagnetic (FM) contributions. At low temperatures, the SPM and FM contributions can be approximated to the hard and soft ferrimagnetic phases of Zn-ferrite, respectively, which changes with the annealing temperature and sputter power. Distinct magnetic properties emanating from in situ annealing compared to the ex situ annealing were ascribed to the nonzero Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio, leading to the different magnetic interactions. The anisotropy was found to be the key parameter that governs the behavior of annealed in situ samples

Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Multifunctional Magnetic Nanostructures

10.1155/2017/2638715Journal of Nanomaterials2017263871

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Utilization of Value Added Prosopis Juliflora Pod Milling Products For Production of Livestock FeedsUtilization of Value Added Prosopis Juliflora Pod Milling Products For Production of Livestock FeedsNot Availabl