Validation of Molecular Markers Genetically Linked to S-Cytoplasm and Restoration-of-fertility (Rf) Loci in Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Existence of CGMS system in hot pepper is due to the rearrangements in the mitochondrial genome and is largely used in economized and pure F 1 hybrid seed production around the world. The orf456, a new ORF present at flanking region of the coxII gene at the 3’ end, was distinguished male sterile cytoplasm in hot peppers along with atp6-2gene. In the current study, eighteen pepper genotypes (nine each of A and corresponding B lines) of varied origin were used to validate with two male sterile cytoplasm (S-cytoplasm) specific sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) markers viz., atp6-2 (875 bp) and orf456 (456 bp) and one restoration-of-fertility (Rf) locus specific marker, CRF (550 bp). The results clearly showed that the presence of CMS-S-cytoplasm and absence of restoration-of-fertility (Rf) gene in the pepper genotypes studied and is comparable with the phenotypic data. In view of the outcomes it has been reasoned that the accessible S and Rf markers available in the public domain are reproducible and can be promptly utilized for marker assisted selection (MAS) in hot pepper crop improvement program

Genetic Diversity Analysis and Barcoding in Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) Cultivars Using RAPD and ISSR Markers

Tuberose is one of the most important bulbous ornamentals grown commercially for loose as well as cut flowers. RAPD and ISSR markers used in the study revealed 53% and 73% polymorphism, respectively, among ten tuberose varieties. Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) and Resolving Power (RP) for RAPD varied from 0.35 - 0.46 and 0.8 - 3.6, respectively, and that for ISSR was 0.36 - 0.49 and 0.91 - 4.55, respectively. The dendrogram (UPGMA), based on Jaccards co-efficient as similarity index for RAPD and ISSR, grouped ten varieties into two major clusters, and, combined RAPD-ISSR cluster analysis formed three major clusters based on their genetic relatedness/variation. PCA revealed that the spatial arrangement of these 10 cultivars was congruent with dendrogram analysis. Mantel's test indicated very good correlation, with r = 0.86 for combination of ISSR and RAPD-ISSR. To facilitate identification of tuberose cultivars, a cultivar identification diagram (CID) was developed in which seven ISSR loci could differentiate all the ten cultivars used in the study. Barcodes were developed for five cultivars released by IIHR using 57 polymorphic loci generated by 11 ISSR primers. The size of these loci ranged from 252bp to 2.2kb. These barcodes can be used as a standard reference source for quick identification of cultivars

Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Guava (Psidium guajava) Germplasm Using Microsatellites

Although the varietal diversity is fairly rich in guava, most varieties lack one or more desirable characters. Hence, attempts were made for improving specific traits, viz., attractive pink pulp colour, soft seeds, medium fruit size, high TSS and high ascorbic acid. Genetic diversity analysis is a prerequisite for identifying potential parents in breeding programs and germplasm conservation. Molecular characterization helps discriminate closely-related genotypes, as, this technique is unaffected by environment, rendering it more reliable. In this study, 48 polymorphic SSRs screened from a total of 115 SSR markers were used for analyzing marker segregation in 72 guava accessions. Statistical analysis was done using IDENTITY1.0 and CERVUS 3.0 software. Cluster analysis was done with DARwin 5.0 software, using Wards Minimum Variance method, and weighted group neighbour joining method, to check reliability of grouping among clusters. The trend in grouping was found to be similar in both methods. Dendrograms generated showed that the hybrids clustered with their parents; exotic collections fell into two different sub-groups based on productivity; the wild species formed one group; and Navalar cultivars from Dharwad clustered together, reflecting similar origin

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990-2013: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background: The Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor study 2013 (GBD 2013) is the first of a series of annual updates of the GBD. Risk factor quantification, particularly of modifiable risk factors, can help to identify emerging threats to population health and opportunities for prevention. The GBD 2013 provides a timely opportunity to update the comparative risk assessment with new data for exposure, relative risks, and evidence on the appropriate counterfactual risk distribution. Methods: Attributable deaths, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) have been estimated for 79 risks or clusters of risks using the GBD 2010 methods. Risk-outcome pairs meeting explicit evidence criteria were assessed for 188 countries for the period 1990-2013 by age and sex using three inputs: risk exposure, relative risks, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL). Risks are organised into a hierarchy with blocks of behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks at the first level of the hierarchy. The next level in the hierarchy includes nine clusters of related risks and two individual risks, with more detail provided at levels 3 and 4 of the hierarchy. Compared with GBD 2010, six new risk factors have been added: handwashing practices, occupational exposure to trichloroethylene, childhood wasting, childhood stunting, unsafe sex, and low glomerular filtration rate. For most risks, data for exposure were synthesised with a Bayesian metaregression method, DisMod-MR 2.0, or spatial-temporal Gaussian process regression. Relative risks were based on meta-regressions of published cohort and intervention studies. Attributable burden for clusters of risks and all risks combined took into account evidence on the mediation of some risks such as high body-mass index (BMI) through other risks such as high systolic blood pressure and high cholesterol. Findings: All risks combined account for 57·2% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 55·8-58·5) of deaths and 41·6% (40·1-43·0) of DALYs. Risks quantified account for 87·9% (86·5-89·3) of cardiovascular disease DALYs, ranging to a low of 0% for neonatal disorders and neglected tropical diseases and malaria. In terms of global DALYs in 2013, six risks or clusters of risks each caused more than 5% of DALYs: dietary risks accounting for 11·3 million deaths and 241·4 million DALYs, high systolic blood pressure for 10·4 million deaths and 208·1 million DALYs, child and maternal malnutrition for 1·7 million deaths and 176·9 million DALYs, tobacco smoke for 6·1 million deaths and 143·5 million DALYs, air pollution for 5·5 million deaths and 141·5 million DALYs, and high BMI for 4·4 million deaths and 134·0 million DALYs. Risk factor patterns vary across regions and countries and with time. In sub-Saharan Africa, the leading risk factors are child and maternal malnutrition, unsafe sex, and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing. In women, in nearly all countries in the Americas, north Africa, and the Middle East, and in many other high-income countries, high BMI is the leading risk factor, with high systolic blood pressure as the leading risk in most of Central and Eastern Europe and south and east Asia. For men, high systolic blood pressure or tobacco use are the leading risks in nearly all high-income countries, in north Africa and the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. For men and women, unsafe sex is the leading risk in a corridor from Kenya to South Africa. Interpretation: Behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks can explain half of global mortality and more than one-third of global DALYs providing many opportunities for prevention. Of the larger risks, the attributable burden of high BMI has increased in the past 23 years. In view of the prominence of behavioural risk factors, behavioural and social science research on interventions for these risks should be strengthened. Many prevention and primary care policy options are available now to act on key risks

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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Not AvailableNot AvailableBacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) has been a major production constraint in the tropics and sub tropics of the world. Lack of understanding about host, pathogen and environment perhaps one of the reasons for limited success in controlling this disease. In present investigation, six elite genotypes of eggplant were screened against bacterial wilt in field conditions and later SSR screening was done to identify markers linked for resistant and susceptible lines, and their genetic clustering. At field level, the genotypes like CARI-1, IIHR-7 and IIHR-500A had shown resistant to bacterial wilt and recorded good yield. Further, 245 SSRs markers used for screening had shown good amplification, however only 37 primers were polymorphic, and microsatellite allele sizes were determined at their 74 loci. The average polymorphic information content was 0.315 and it ranged from 0.239 to 0.375. The SSR emh21J12 shown 170 bp band for the resistant genotypes and 160 bp band for the susceptible ones. Another SSR emf01K16 gave the unique banding pattern in resistant genotypes at 250 bp and susceptible at 260 bp. Dendrogram analysis classified these six genotypes into three main clusters. Cluster I consists of IIHR-575, IIHR-108 and IIHR-500A, where IIHR-500S was solitary. The cluster II consists Rampur local and IIHR-7 whereas, cluster III was solitary comprising CARI-1. It was revealed that the co-dominant markers such as SSR proved to be high effective tool in discriminating between resistant and susceptible genotypes, and classifying these genotypes based on genetic diversity. Hence, the field and molecular markers screening reveals that eggplant genotypes IIHR-7, IIHR-500A and CARI-1 are resistant to bacterial wilt and these resistant genotypes can be used for further breeding programme, and the identified SSR markers can be useful tool for marker assisted selection for bacterial wilt in eggplant.Not Availabl

RGAP molecular marker for resistance against yellow mosaic disease in ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]

Yellow mosaic disease caused by Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) causes 100 percent losses in ridge gourd under epidemic conditions, particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics of India. Plant breeding approaches led by the marker-assisted selection have gained increased momentum in virus resistance breeding to hasten the development of resistant varieties. In the present study, an effort has been made to identify molecular markers linked to yellow mosaic disease resistance loci in an F2 population derived from a cross between susceptible ‘Arka Prasan’ and resistant ‘IIHR-Sel-1’ of ridge gourd. All the molecular markers were amplified in parents, and one polymorphic marker clearly distinguished the contrasting parents. The primers LaRGAP 63 produced a polymorphic DNA fragment that co-segregated with yellow mosaic disease reaction phenotypically in the F2 population. The identified marker will be helpful to the breeders for introgression of resistance loci into the elite background

RGAP molecular marker for resistance against yellow mosaic disease in ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]

Yellow mosaic disease caused by Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) causes 100 percent losses in ridge gourd under epidemic conditions, particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics of India. Plant breeding approaches led by the marker-assisted selection have gained increased momentum in virus resistance breeding to hasten the development of resistant varieties. In the present study, an effort has been made to identify molecular markers linked to yellow mosaic disease resistance loci in an F2 population derived from a cross between susceptible ‘Arka Prasan’ and resistant ‘IIHR-Sel-1’ of ridge gourd. All the molecular markers were amplified in parents, and one polymorphic marker clearly distinguished the contrasting parents. The primers LaRGAP 63 produced a polymorphic DNA fragment that co-segregated with yellow mosaic disease reaction phenotypically in the F2 population. The identified marker will be helpful to the breeders for introgression of resistance loci into the elite background

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Not AvailableInsecticides alone and in combination with neem, pongamia and fish oils were evaluated against whitefly, Bemisia tabaci on tomato under Poly house conditions. Among the insecticides tested, spinosad followed by imidacloprid and fipronil were effective against B. tabaci and recorded a mortality of 84.55%, 84.17% and 79.39%, respectively. When neem/pongamia/fish oils were used together @ 3ml/l each, resulted in 75% mortality of B. tabaci. Oils alone gave upto 48.75% mortality of B. tabaci. All the oils showed synergism with different insecticides tried against whitefly and highest synergism was recorded with neem oil followed by fish oil and pongamia oil. Additional mortality upto16% of B. tabaci was observed when these oils were used along with different insecticides. Neem oil in combination with spinosad gave upto 92.31% mortality of whitefly followed by spinosad with fish oil (91.68% mortality). Other effective combinations with neem oil were imidacloprid (89.67%) and fipronil (89.38%). In general, neem and fish oils were promising as synergists with the insecticides tried against whitefly on tomatoNot Availabl

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Not AvailableYellow mosaic disease caused by tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus is very severe and causing 100 per cent yield loss under epiphytotic conditions. Chemical control of this disease is neither economical nor eco-friendly and genetic resistance is an efficient means for its management. Resistance to yellow mosaic disease in advanced inbred line IIHR-Sel-1 and IIHR-137 have been confirmed during screening experiment. A crossing programme was planned using Arka Prasan as susceptible and IIHR-Sel-1 and IIHR-137 as resistant parents. We used the F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 generations derived from the two crosses viz. Arka Prasan×IIHR-Sel-1 and Arka Prasan×IIHR 137 to study the inheritance of resistance to yellow mosaic disease. Results indicated monogenic recessive resistance to yellow mosaic disease in the genetic background of both parents which need to be confrmed through repeated experiments with large population size. These results are imperative for breeding yellow mosaic disease resistant cultivars in Lufa speciesNot Availabl