Biallelic and Genome Wide Association Mapping of Germanium Tolerant Loci in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Funding: This project was partially funded by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant (BB/J003336/1) awarded to AHP. The work was also supported by a self-funded studentship (PT). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Using a VLE to enhance a Foundation Chemistry laboratory module

For the past few years, we have been experimenting with an e-learning approach to our introductory laboratory classes for first year students. Our overall objective was to maximise students’ useful time in the laboratory. We considered that time spent with students gathered around a desk watching a demonstration is not an efficient use of staff or students’ time.It is well recognised that students’ performance in the laboratory can be enhanced if they are familiar with the background of the experiments which will be conducted, hence the use of ‘pre-labs’. We have been delivering our ‘pre-labs’ electronically by requiring students to work through a package before coming to the laboratory. As well as covering the theory and background to the experiment, short video clips have been included so that students will also have seen the experiment being performed. They should at least recognise the apparatus! The package concludes with a short assessment quiz which must be completed.The packages were mounted on the University network using WebCT and meant that students could undertake the exercises at a time (and place) of their choosing rather than being confined to set laboratory hours.This communication will describe the packages and our experiences as well as an initial evaluation of our approach. Although largely anecdotal, staff felt that they spent less time on more mundane aspects of laboratory work and more time discussing chemistry.Students also felt that they were better prepared for the experiments before they came to the laboratory. Some of the pitfalls and technical problems that had to be overcome willalso be described

Genome-Wide Association Mapping for Salt Tolerance of Rice Seedlings Grown in Hydroponic and Soil Systems Using the Bengal and Assam Aus Panel

Data Availability Statement The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher. Funding The production of the BAAP was conducted under BBSRC funded project BB/J003336/1, with minor development under BB/N013492/1. CC gratefully acknowledges financial support from China Scholarship Council. Acknowledgments We thank Yang Guo, Wenchuang He, and Aadil Tantray for providing help measuring the phenotypic traits and editing the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Improved resolution in the position of drought-related QTLs in a single mapping population of rice by meta-analysis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Geochemical variability in the soils of Bangladesh as affected by sources of irrigation water and inundation land types

Funding Information: This work was done as part of a doctoral fellowship plan funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK. We gratefully acknowledge Bangladesh–Australia Centre for Environmental Research and Department of Soil, Water and Environment of the University of Dhaka for the support during the processing and preparation of the soil samples in Bangladesh. We also gratefully acknowledge the Computer and GIS Unit of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) for providing GIS files for mapping of soils and land types. The soil samples were imported into the UK under import license IMP/SOIL/6/2013 issued by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture. Funding Information: This study was funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.Peer reviewedPublisher PD