Unravelling the potential of susceptibility genes in plant disease management: Present status and future prospects

The increasing global population requires an equivalent increase in food production to meet the global food demand. Crop production is challenged by various biotic and abiotic stresses, which decrease crop yield and production. Thus, proper disease management for crops ensures global food security. Various chemical, physical, and biological disease control methods have been devised and used for plant protection. However, due to the low efficiency of these methods, modern research has shifted to genetic engineering approaches. The recent advances in molecular techniques have revealed the molecular mechanisms controlling the plant’s innate immune system and plant-pathogen interactions. Earlier studies revealed that the pathogens utilize the susceptibility (S) genes in hosts for their sustainability and disease development. The resistance achieved by suppressing the S genes expression provides resistance against pathogens. Exploiting S genes for imparting/enhancing disease resistance would offer a more durable and effective alternative to conventional disease control methods. Therefore, the present review highlights the potential of this novel tool for inducing disease resistance in plants

High spin polarization and the origin of unique ferromagnetic ground state in CuFeSb

CuFeSb is isostructural to the ferro-pnictide and chalcogenide superconductors and it is one of the few materials in the family that are known to stabilize in a ferromagnetic ground state. Majority of the members of this family are either superconductors or antiferromagnets. Therefore, CuFeSb may be used as an ideal source of spin polarized current in spin-transport devices involving pnictide and the chalcogenide superconductors. However, for that the Fermi surface of CuFeSb needs to be sufficiently spin polarized. In this paper we report direct measurement of transport spin polarization in CuFeSb by spin-resolved Andreev reflection spectroscopy. From a number of measurements using multiple superconducting tips we found that the intrinsic transport spin polarization in CuFeSb is high ($\sim$ 47\%). In order to understand the unique ground state of CuFeSb and the origin of large spin polarization at the Fermi level, we have evaluated the spin-polarized band structure of CuFeSb through first principles calculations. Apart from supporting the observed 47\% transport spin polarization, such calculations also indicate that the Sb-Fe-Sb angles and the height of Sb from the Fe plane is strikingly different for CuFeSb than the equivalent parameters in other members of the same family thereby explaining the origin of the unique ground state of CuFeSb.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Fundamentals and prospects of catalysis

Catalysis is an area of chemical sciences which has fascinated a wide range of academicians, researchers, chemical technologists and industries throughout the world. Progress in this field has been made owing to the thrust provided by this research and commercial interest. The field of catalysis is interdisciplinary by its nature, as it requires knowledge of organic synthesis, coordination and organometallic chemistry, reaction kinetics and mechanisms, stereochemical concepts and materials science. Fundamentals and Prospects of Catalysis highlights many important topics and sub-disciplines in catalysis by presenting 7 chapters on different but varied catalytic processes. This volume presents the following topics:· Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Spiroacetals and Bridged Acetals· Design and Development of Bimetallic Enantioselective Salen Co Catalysts for The Hydrolytic Kinetic Resolution of Terminal Epoxides· Recent Trend in Asymmetric Heterogeneous Flow Catalysis· Ball Milling: A Green Tool in Synthetic Organic Chemistry· Recent Advances in the Developments of Enantioselective Electrophilic Fluorination Reactions via Organocatalysis· Green and Sustainable Biocatalytic Routes to Prepare Biobased Polyols as Precursors for Polyurethanes with Comparison of Existing Biobased Polyol Technology· Polymers Used as Catalysts

Changing Trends in Microalgal Energy Production- Review of Conventional and Emerging Approaches

The depletion of fossil fuel for energy production is one of the major problems being faced worldwide. As an alternative to fossil fuels, first and second generation biofuel was developed from corn, grains and lignocellulosic agricultural residues. These generations are inefficient in achieving the desired rate of biofuel production, climate change mitigation and economic growth. Therefore, third generation biofuel specifically derived from microalgae have proved to be a promising unconventional energy source. Microalgae are microscopic organisms that grow in salt or fresh water and have been used for producing metabolites, cosmetics and for energy production. The conventional approaches used for biofuel production include pyrolysis, gasification, direct combustion and thermomechanical liquefaction. The search for biological and eco-friendly approaches led to the emergence of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC), which provide a new solution to energy crisis. Integration of photosynthetic organisms such as microalgae into MFC resulted in a new approach i.e. Microbial Solar Cell, which can convert solar energy into electrical energy via photosynthesis. Microbial solar cells have broad range application in wastewater treatment, biodiesel processing and intermediate metabolite production

Comparative study of haematinic and iron utilization property of pre and flowering plant leaf extracts of <i>Asteracantha longifolia</i> (L.) Nees

352-358The study was conducted to validate and compare the haematinic property of pre-flowering and flowering Asteracantha longifolia (L.) Nees leaf extract. A phenylhydrazine induced anaemic rat model was used for this study. Concentrate hot water extract of succulent aerial part of pre-flowering and flowering leaf was orally administered @ 40 mg kg-1 body weight for 30 days, and equivalent weight of crude leaf was also administered to observe as well as to compare the amelioration and iron utilization. Pre- flowering extract effectively improved the concentration of membrane bound haemoglobin, RBC indices, and concentration of serum copper and cobalt; and normalized free haemoglobin concentration, percent of haematocrit, serum cobalt concentration, and lipid peroxidation. Pre-flowering extract also normalized the serum iron concentration. This observation could justify the indusion of pre-flowering extract to ameliorate anaemic condition caused by haemolysis due to the reduction of serum iron and free haemoglobin concentration and improvement of RBC bound haemoglobin concentration. The plant extract contains anti-oxidants and other constituents like, Cu, Co, Fe

Changing landscape configuration demands ecological planning: Retrospect and prospect for megaherbivores of North Bengal.

The Gorumara National Park (GNP) is an important conservation area located in the northern region of West Bengal State, India, as it provides habitat for three megaherbivores: Indian One-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and Gaurs (Bos gaurus). It harbours one of the last population of the one-horned rhino. In the present study, landscape change and configuration were investigated by comparing three Landsat images, from 1998, 2008 and 2018. The images were classified into six different landcover classes following standard methodology. The present study also involves evaluation of landscape and anthropogenic predictors influence on the megaherbivores of GNP, followed by future landcover simulation for the year 2028. The result shows a significant decrease in the grassland cover from 18.87 km2 to 8.27 km2 from 1998 to 2018, whereas the woodland cover has increased from 50.14 km2 to 62.09 km2 between 1998 and 2018. The landscape configuration indices such as Number of Patches (NP), Patch Density (PD), Interspersion and Juxtaposition (IJI), Aggregation Index (AI) and Mean Shape Index (SHAPE AM) indicated that the landscapes has lost complexity in the spatial placement of patches of different Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) classes. Also, the landscape over the three decades has become uniform in terms of diversity of patches, because of earlier plantation activities by the forest managers. Result also indicated that grassland, along with its class metrics are the top predictors contributing 43.6% in explaining the spatial distribution of megaherbivores in GNP. Results from the simulated landcover of 2028 suggest a possible decline in overall grassland by 6.23% and a subsequent upsurge in woodland by 6.09% from 2018. The present result will be useful in guiding the forest management in developing habitat improvement strategies for the long- term viability of megaherbivore populations of rhino, gaur and elephant in the GNP