Applied anatomy and clinical significance of the maxillofacial and mandibular regions of the barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

Background: There is no previously reported information on the applied anatomy and clinical significance of the maxillofacial and mandibular regions of the barking deer and sambar deer. Materials and methods: Therefore, the present study was designed to provide some important clinical landmarks related to tracking of the infraorbital, mental and mandibular nerves with its clinical implications in regional anaesthesia in both the species. Results: In the present study, the distance between the most lateral bulging of the facial tuberosity to the infraorbital foramen and from the latter to the root of the alveolar tooth directly ventral to it was found to be 2.65 ± 0.01 cm and 0.90 ± ± 0.02 cm in males; 2.75 ± 0.01 cm, 1.11 ± 0.01 cm in females of barking deer and 4.57 ± 0.01 cm and 1.83 ± 0.02 cm in males; 4.52 ± 0.02 cm and 1.76 ± 0.02 cm in females of sambar deer. The infraorbital foramen was small, elliptical and was located at the level of first superior premolar teeth in barking deer and sambar deer. The facial tuberosity was located above the third superior premolar teeth in the barking deer but was located at the level of the first superior molar teeth in sambar deer. The distance between the lateral alveolar root of the third inferior incisor tooth to the mental foramen was 2.84 ± 0.01 cm in males, 2.78 ± 0.01 cm in females of barking deer and 3.04 ± 0.02 cm in males, 2.96 ± 0.01 cm in females of sambar deer which is an important landmark for achieving the location of the mental foramen nerve for the regional nerve block in both the species. The mandible of both the species showed oval-shaped mental foramen with unossified mandibular symphysis. Conclusions: The present study revealed that most of the parameters showed a statistically significant difference between the sexes in barking deer and sambar deer; however, from the practical point of view, these differences were meager. The results were discussed with regard to their clinical applications in various regional anaesthesia performed in maxillofacial and mandibular regions of both the species

Breeding Drought-Tolerant Pearl Millet using conventional and genomic approaches: Achievements and prospects

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a C4 crop cultivated for its grain and stover in crop-livestock-based rain-fed farming systems of tropics and subtropics in the Indian subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa. The intensity of drought is predicted to further exacerbate because of looming climate change, necessitating greater focus on pearl millet breeding for drought tolerance. The nature of drought in different target populations of pearl millet-growing environments (TPEs) is highly variable in its timing, intensity, and duration. Pearl millet response to drought in various growth stages has been studied comprehensively. Dissection of drought tolerance physiology and phenology has helped in understanding the yield formation process under drought conditions. The overall understanding of TPEs and differential sensitivity of various growth stages to water stress helped to identify target traits for manipulation through breeding for drought tolerance. Recent advancement in high-throughput phenotyping platforms has made it more realistic to screen large populations/germplasm for drought-adaptive traits. The role of adapted germplasm has been emphasized for drought breeding, as the measured performance under drought stress is largely an outcome of adaptation to stress environments. Hybridization of adapted landraces with selected elite genetic material has been stated to amalgamate adaptation and productivity. Substantial progress has been made in the development of genomic resources that have been used to explore genetic diversity, linkage mapping (QTLs), marker-trait association (MTA), and genomic selection (GS) in pearl millet. High-throughput genotyping (HTPG) platforms are now available at a low cost, offering enormous opportunities to apply markers assisted selection (MAS) in conventional breeding programs targeting drought tolerance. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, micro-environmental modeling, and pearl millet whole genome re-sequence information covering circa 1,000 wild and cultivated accessions have helped to greater understand germplasm, genomes, candidate genes, and markers. Their application in molecular breeding would lead to the development of high-yielding and drought-tolerant pearl millet cultivars. This review examines how the strategic use of genetic resources, modern genomics, molecular biology, and shuttle breeding can further enhance the development and delivery of drought-tolerant cultivars

Comparative effects of saline water on yield and quality of potato under drip and furrow irrigation

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Precision Farming Development Centre, PAU, Ludhiana in the Rabi season of the year 2015–2016. The potato variety Kufri Pukhraj, was sown by following drip and furrow methods of irrigation. Five irrigation treatments with good quality water (electrical conductivity, EC-0) and four with saline water treatments of 2,000 mmho/cm (EC-2), 4,000 mmho/cm (EC-4), 6,000 mmho/cm (EC-6) and 8,000 mmho/cm (EC-8) under split plot design along with three replications was followed. The results revealed that, plant height decreased with increasing salinity. Nevertheless, plant height under drip irrigation was greater than plant height under furrow irrigation at all levels of salinity. Number of tubers per plant, weight of tubers and tuber yield decreased with increasing salinity of irrigation water. However, the values of these parameters were more under drip irrigation than furrow irrigation and effects were pronounced at higher level of water salinities. Regarding tuber quality, there was a significant decrease in dry matter and starch content and increase in sugar content with increasing salinity of irrigation water. These quality parameters were observed to be better under drip irrigation over furrow irrigation method. Number of Grade A and B tubers were found to be higher in drip irrigation at levels of water salinity. On the contrary, Grade D tubers were predominant under furrow irrigation. It is concluded that, drip irrigation is superior over furrow method producing higher tuber yield with better quality having more proportion of marketable tubers even at high salinity