Heritability estimates of first lactation 300-day milk yield under single versus multi-trait animal models in Phule Triveni cattle

First lactation records of 493 Phule Triveni cows sired by 55 bulls on production traits, viz. first lactation 300- day or less milk yield (FL300DMY), first lactation length (FLL), first dry period (FDP) and reproduction traits like age at first calving (AFC), first calving interval (FCI) and first service period (FSP) were used to compare the heritability estimates of FL300DMY under single-trait animal model (ST-AM) versus multi-trait animal models (MT-AM) in Phule Triveni cattle. Under two-trait models, the heritability estimate was found to be highest in FL300DMY-AFC combination as 0.34 ± 0.14. Under three-trait models, the heritability estimate was highest (0.33 ± 0.14) in FL300DMY- AFC- FDP combination. Under four-trait models, the highest estimate of heritability (0.53 ± 0.12) was in FL300DMY-FLL-AFC-FCI combination. Comparison of heritability estimates of FL300DMY from different models revealed that the estimates were varying from single to multiple traits in different combinations. The lowest residual variance (190566) and highest heritability (0.53 ± 0.12) of four-trait combination FL300DMY- FLL-AFC-FCI indicated that this four-trait combination should be used for selection of Phule Triveni cows

Comparison of heritability estimates of first lactation traits by different methods in Phule Triveni cattle

The first lactation records of 493 Phule Triveni cows sired by 55 sires on production traits viz. FL300DMY, FLL, FDP and reproduction traits like AFC, FCI and FSP were collected/generated from RCDP on cattle, MPKV, Rahuri. The effect of season of calving was found significant on FL300DMY and nonsignificant on FLTMY, FLL, FDP, AFC, FCI and FSP. The effect of period of calving had highly significant effect on all the first lactation traits except FSP. The effect of age groups on FLL was found significant and nonsignificant on rest of the first lactation traits. On AFC the effect of season of birth was found nonsignificant and the period of birth had highly significant effect. The heritability estimates of FLTMY by LSML, ST-SM and ST-AM were 0.35±0.16, 0.15±0.11 and 0.18±0.07; for FL300DMY0.32±0.15, 0.23±0.12 and 0.29±0.07; for FLL 0.07±0.11,0.02±0.04 and 0.06±0.02; for FDP0.22±0.13,0.18±0.14 and 0.30±0.10; for AFC0.48±0.19, 0.07±0.08 and 0.36±0.06 ; for FCI 0.28±0.17,0.05±0.06 and 0.04±0.03; for FSP 0.25±0.17, 0.06±0.03 and 0.17±0.02, respectively. The heritability estimates of first lactation traits from single-trait animal model (ST-AM) were found more accurate and less biased than corresponding single- trait sire model (ST-SM) and LSML

Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci for Carotenoid Concentration in Three F2 Populations of Chickpea

Three F2 populations derived from crosses between cultivars with green and yellow cotyledon colors were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with carotenoid components in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds developed by the Crop Development Centre (CDC). Carotenoids including violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, and b-carotene were assessed in the F2:3 seeds via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the ‘CDC Jade’ × ‘CDC Frontier’ population, 1068 bin markers derived from the 50K Axiom CicerSNP array were mapped onto eight linkage groups (LGs). Eight QTLs, including two each for b-carotene and zeaxanthin and one each for total carotenoids, b-cryptoxanthin, b-carotene, and violaxanthin were identified in this population. In the ‘CDC Cory’ × ‘CDC Jade’ population, 694 bin markers were mapped onto eight LGs and one partial LG. Quantitative trait loci for b-cryptoxanthin, b-carotene, violaxanthin, lutein, and total carotenoids were identified on LG8. A map with eight LGs was developed from 581 bin markers in the third population derived from the ‘ICC4475’ × ‘CDC Jade’ cross. One QTL for b-carotene and four QTLs, one each for b-cryptoxanthin, b-carotene, lutein, and total carotenoids, were identified in this population. The highest phenotypic variation explained by the QTLs was for b-carotene, which ranged from 58 to 70% in all three populations. A major gene for cotyledon color was mapped on LG8 in each population. A significant positive correlation between cotyledon color and carotenoid concentration was observed. Potential candidate genes associated with carotenoid components were obtained and their locations on the chickpea genome are presented

The CarERF genes in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and the identification of CarERF116 as abiotic stress responsive transcription factor

The AP2/ERF family is one of the largest transcription factor gene families that are involved in various plant processes, especially in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Complete genome sequences of one of the world's most important pulse crops chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), has provided an important opportunity to identify and characterize genome-wide ERF genes. In this study, we identified 120 putative ERF genes from chickpea. The genomic organization of the chickpea ERF genes suggested that the gene family might have been expanded through the segmental duplications. The 120 member ERF family was classified into eleven distinct groups (I-X and VI-L). Transcriptional factor CarERF116, which is differentially expressed between drought tolerant and susceptible chickpea cultivar under terminal drought stress has been identified and functionally characterized. The CarERF116 encodes a putative protein of 241 amino acids and classified into group IX of ERF family. An in vitro CarERF116 protein-DNA binding assay demonstrated that CarERF116 protein specifically interacts with GCC box. We demonstrate that CarERF116 is capable of transactivation activity of and show that the functional transcriptional domain lies at the C-terminal region of the CarERF116. In transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing CarERF116, significant up-regulation of several stress related genes were observed. These plants also exhibit resistance to osmotic stress and reduced sensitivity to ABA during seed germination. Based on these findings, we conclude that CarERF116 is an abiotic stress responsive gene, which plays an important role in stress tolerance. In addition, the present study leads to genome-wide identification and evolutionary analyses of chickpea ERF gene family, which will facilitate further research on this important group of genes and provides valuable resources for comparative genomics among the grain legumes

When Color meets Gravity; Near-Threshold Exclusive J/ψJ/\psi Photoproduction on the Proton

The proton is one of the main building blocks of all visible matter in the universe. Among its intrinsic properties are its electric charge, mass, and spin. These emerge from the complex dynamics of its fundamental constituents, quarks and gluons, described by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Using electron scattering its electric charge and spin, shared among the quark constituents, have been the topic of active investigation until today. An example is the novel precision measurement of the proton's electric charge radius. In contrast, little is known about the proton's inner mass density, dominated by the energy carried by the gluons, which are hard to access through electron scattering since gluons carry no electromagnetic charge. In the present work we chose to probe this gluonic gravitational density using a small color dipole, the $J/\psi$ particle, through its threshold photoproduction. From our data we determined, for the first time, the proton's gluonic gravitational form factors, which encode its mass density. We used a variety of methods and determined in all cases a mass radius that is notably smaller than the electric charge radius. In some cases, the determined radius is in excellent agreement with first-principle predictions from lattice QCD. This work paves the way for a deeper understanding of the salient role of gluons in providing gravitational mass to visible matter.Comment: Under peer revie

Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes from Pyrolysis-Catalysis of Waste Plastics: A Review

More than 27 million tonnes of waste plastics are generated in Europe each year representing a considerable potential resource. There has been extensive research into the production of liquid fuels and aromatic chemicals from pyrolysis-catalysis of waste plastics. However, there is less work on the production of hydrogen from waste plastics via pyrolysis coupled with catalytic steam reforming. In this paper, the different reactor designs used for hydrogen production from waste plastics are considered and the influence of different catalysts and process parameters on the yield of hydrogen from different types of waste plastics are reviewed. Waste plastics have also been investigated as a source of hydrocarbons for the generation of carbon nanotubes via the chemical vapour deposition route. The influences on the yield and quality of carbon nanotubes derived from waste plastics are reviewed in relation to the reactor designs used for production, catalyst type used for carbon nanotube growth and the influence of operational parameters

A genome-scale integrated approach aids in genetic dissection of complex flowering time trait in chickpea

A combinatorial approach of candidate gene-based association analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS) integrated with QTL mapping, differential gene expression profiling and molecular haplotyping was deployed in the present study for quantitative dissection of complex flowering time trait in chickpea. Candidate gene-based association mapping in a flowering time association panel (92 diverse desi and kabuli accessions) was performed by employing the genotyping information of 5724 SNPs discovered from 82 known flowering chickpea gene orthologs of Arabidopsis and legumes as well as 832 gene-encoding transcripts that are differentially expressed during flower development in chickpea. GWAS using both genome-wide GBS- and candidate gene-based genotyping data of 30,129 SNPs in a structured population of 92 sequenced accessions (with 200–250 kb LD decay) detected eight maximum effect genomic SNP loci (genes) associated (34 % combined PVE) with flowering time. Six flowering time-associated major genomic loci harbouring five robust QTLs mapped on a high-resolution intra-specific genetic linkage map were validated (11.6–27.3 % PVE at 5.4–11.7 LOD) further by traditional QTL mapping. The flower-specific expression, including differential up- and down-regulation (>three folds) of eight flowering time-associated genes (including six genes validated by QTL mapping) especially in early flowering than late flowering contrasting chickpea accessions/mapping individuals during flower development was evident. The gene haplotype-based LD mapping discovered diverse novel natural allelic variants and haplotypes in eight genes with high trait association potential (41 % combined PVE) for flowering time differentiation in cultivated and wild chickpea. Taken together, eight potential known/candidate flowering time-regulating genes [efl1 (early flowering 1), FLD (Flowering locus D), GI (GIGANTEA), Myb (Myeloblastosis), SFH3 (SEC14-like 3), bZIP (basic-leucine zipper), bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) and SBP (SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein)], including novel markers, QTLs, alleles and haplotypes delineated by aforesaid genome-wide integrated approach have potential for marker-assisted genetic improvement and unravelling the domestication pattern of flowering time in chickpea