Biological and molecular evidences on host range of leaf curl begomovirus disease of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The present study was conducted to identify the alternate hosts of new leaf curl virus disease of sunflower. In the present study several crops and weed hosts were cross inoculated with leaf curl virus of sunflower under laboratory through insect vector whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), further all inoculated samples were retested (3-4 weeks after inoculation) by molecular based Polymerse chain reaction diagnosis for the presence of virus. The results revealed that the causal virus of the disease was successfully transmitted from sunflower to sunflower (Helianthus annuus), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) and weed hosts such as Acanthospermum hispidum, Amaranthus viridis and Parthenium hysterophorus in a short incubation period (2-3 weeks after inoculation), while on other hosts Chilli (Capsicum annuum L) and Datura stramonium, infection occurs in delayed incubation period. Further molecular analysis thorough polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic technique using virus specific primers also confirmed the presence of coat protein (CP) of leaf curl begomovirus invirus inoculated hosts viz., chilli, sunflower, tomato, and tobacco and weed hosts such as Acanthospermum hispidum, Amaranthus viridis, Datura stramonium and Parthenium hysterophorus. Thus, findings substantiate that the above hosts are major sources of the virus inoculum and served as potential alternate hosts of the disease during the off season

Specific identification, biology and symptoms of whitefly species infesting sunflower in South India

Whitefly species related to sunflower was identified as Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Further the identified whitefly species was confirmed to be indigenous B. tabaci on molecular basis by using B-biotype specific SCARs and biological silver leaf assay on sensitive pumpkin (cv Big variety). None of the whitefly samples could positive for the presence of B biotype. The results of the study on the pest life cycle under the laboratory conditions showed that, B. tabaci passed through four nymphal instars before the adult stage. The mean duration values of these stages were 5.6, 4.2, 4.4 and 5.6 days respectively. The total duration of the life cycle of B. tabaci ranged from 23- 42 days at the temperature of 29±2°C with a mean of 34.5. The damage to sunflower crop caused by the whitefly species is discussed with a special emphasis on its ability to transmit leaf curl viral disease

Exploring the Genetic Cipher of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Through Identification and Multi-environment Validation of Resistant Sources Against Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris)

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris) of chickpea is the major limitation to chickpea production worldwide. As the nature of the pathogen is soil borne, exploitation of host plant resistance is the most suitable and economical way to manage this disease. Present study was therefore conducted with an aim to find new, stable and durable sources of resistance of chickpea against Fusarium wilt through multi-environment and multi-year screening. During 2007/2008 crop season, 130 promising genotypes having <10% wilt incidence were selected from initial evaluation of 893 chickpea genotypes in wilt sick plot at ICRISAT, Patancheru. Of them 61 highly resistant lines were selected through further evaluation in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 crop season. Finally, a set of 31 genotypes were selected to constitute a Chickpea Wilt Nursery (CWN) and tested at 10 locations in India for three cropping seasons (2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013) coordinated through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and ICRISAT collaboration. The genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) indicated significant variations (p ≤ 0.001) due to genotype × environment (G × E) interaction. Most of genotypes were resistant at two locations, ICRISAT (Patancheru) and Badnapur. On the contrary most of them were susceptible at Dholi and Kanpur indicating the variability in pathogen. GGE biplot analyses allowed the selection six genotypes ICCVs 98505, 07105, 07111, 07305, 08113, and 93706 with high resistance and stability across most of the locations and eight moderately resistant (<20% mean incidence) genotypes viz., ICCVs 08123, 08125, 96858, 07118, 08124, 04514, 08323, and 08117. As chickpea is grown in diverse agro-ecological zones and environments; these stable/durable sources can be used in future resistance breeding program to develop Fusarium wilt resistant cultivars

Hypolipidemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of <i style="">Lagenaria siceraria </i>(Mol.)<i style=""> </i>fruit extracts

905-909Bottle gourd [(Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Stand.] fruit is ascribed with many therapeutic effects. The present study was undertaken to explore the antihyperlipidemic effect of four different extracts viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, alcoholic and aqueous extracts from bottle gourd in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats and their hypolipidemic effects in normocholesteremic rats. The study is comprised preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts. Oral administration of the extracts, at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight in rats, dose-dependently inhibited the total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins level, and significantly increased the high density lipoproteins level. However, petroleum ether extract did not show the significant effects. Both the chloroform and alcoholic extract exhibited more significant effects in lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoproteins along with increase in HDL as compared to the others. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, sterols, cucurbitacin saponins, polyphenolics, proteins, and carbohydrates. The results obtained suggest marked antihyperlipidemic and hypolipidemic activity of the extracts

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 3, 4 -dihydropyrimidines thiones derivatives

3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-thiones, derivatives were synthesized by one pot solvent free green modified Biginelli cyclocondensation reaction catalyzed by triphenylphosphine as Lewis base. The structures of the synthesized compounds have been elucidated by IR, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. Synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial screened against the E.coli and staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Penecillium crysogenum, Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans