Morphological characterization and genetic barcoding of kuttiatoor mango accessions

A survey conducted during 2013-14 to collect and characterize the Kuttiattoor mango accessions from Kerala, revealed large unique variability in morphological, biochemical and DNA barcode data. All the accessions were polyembryonic with fruit maturity during February-March. The mature fruit length (cm), width (cm) and leaf length (cm) ranged from 5.10 – 9.60 (cm), 4.60 – 8.40 (cm) and 12.47- 30.40 (cm) respectively

Detection of Residues of Cardenolides of Nerium oleander by High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography in Autopsy Samples

Background: Nerium oleander is an evergreen shrub of Apocynaceae family cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant. All parts of the plant are toxic and contain a mixture of very toxic cardiac glycosides of cardenolides. A number of techniques were used to determine the cardenolides of N.oleander in various biological matrices. A survey of literature has revealed that the use of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for the detection of oleander glycosides is very scanty. Method: A simple and rapid HPTLC method for separation and identification of cardenolides of N.oleander is reported. The cardenolides present in the aerial parts of the plant and residues available in the autopsy samples sent in cases of poisoning; were extracted with chloroform by using accelerated solvent extractor (ASE). Results: Separation of cardenolides was achieved on precoated silica gel 60F254 HPTLC plates with chloroform-acetone-acetic acid 8.5:1:0.5 (v/v) as mobile phase and densitometric analysis was carried out at 275 nm. A comprehensive study for the separation and detection of cardenolides in general and oleandrin in particular were studied by new mobile phases and spray reagents. The 1H-NMR spectra were recorded for the separated components and the component corresponding to oleandrin was identified. Conclusion: The method has specific advantages that it is simple, rapid and has higher resolution of separation achieved so as to be free from interferences from the plant and forensic matrices

Ensuring biological safety of drinking water at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India

Potability of drinking water from various sources at the campus of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India had been assessed for 17 years (1994 to 2010). All four sources of drinking water at ICRISAT, including Manjeera water (Municipal corporation supplied drinking water), borewell 1, borewell 2 and ICRISAT water (mixture of both Manjeera as well as borewells after treatment), were tested for their potability once in two months by most probable number (MPN) method. The results indicated that water from borewells were not safe to drink without treatment as Escherichia coli was found in 10 and 12 years out of 17 tested years for bore wells 1 and 2, respectively. Manjeera water samples were also found unsafe in two out of the 17 years, whereas ICRISAT water was found safe to drink throughout the study period. This study indicated that even deep borewells (of about 135 ft) can get contaminated, and its water is not safe to drink without treatment, and an additional treatment of municipal water supply is required in order to have safe drinking water.Keywords: Potability, drinking water, Escherichia coli, borewell water, municipal wate

Research Need Assessment and Agricultural Research Priorities for South and West Asia: Proceedings of a Workshop held at ICRISAT, Patancheru 7-8 October 2004

Despite the impressive gains in food production,food security, and reduction in rural poverty in South Asia in recent times, problems such as degradation of natural resources, water scarcity, and lowproductivity persist in the region. The threat of marginalization of agriculture and livelihoods of the poor looms large in South and West Asia, where agriculture is the dominant economic activity. The emerging global challenges, paucity of resources, and the need for greater and quicker impacts now compels organizations to prioritize research. Thisworkshop was organized as part of APAARI, ICRISAT, and ICAR's on going effort to establish ademand - driven research agenda based on a participatory approach.The objective was to identify research priorities based on gap analysis by national programs. Representatives of five South and West Asian countries (India,Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Iran), CGIAR institutes, donors, NGOs,farmer ssociations, agricultural universities, and the private sector presented their research needs and emerging challenges, on the basis of identified critical gaps and alternative approaches for addressing these. This book is acompilation of the country papers presented, and spells out specific priorities at macro-, meso-, and micro-levels under the broad themes of genetic improvement, natural resources management, and socioeconomic and policy research

Evaluation of groundnut genotypes for resistance to Sclerotium rolfsii under artificial field inoculated conditions

Stem and pod rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is the major constraint to groundnut production in many groundnut growing regions of the world. Paucity of suitable field screening methods to identify sclerotium resistant genotypes hinders the progress of resistance breeding. A sick plot with high inoculum load of Sclerotium rolfsii, was established. A total of 165 sergeants derived from TAG 24 (adopted but susceptible variety) . R 9227 (stem rot resistant variety) were screened for resistance to stem and pod rot. The Fs and F6 generations were grown in the sick plot to confirm their reaction to stem and pod rot. Among different parameters, variation was highly heritable for yield per plant, disease incidence parameters potential for selection under disease epidemics. Strong negative association between disease incidence and yield per plant revealed the importance of disease incidence in determination of yield per plant under epiphytotic conditions. The higher number of superior segregants observed for p0d weight per plant (26), oil content (21), test weight ( 19) and shelling percentage (8) and disease at harvest (6) were compared to both the parents. None of the genotypes showed complete resistance. It is unlikely that highly resistant genotypes to neurotropic pathogen like Sclerotium rolfsii would be identified. However information obtained on genotypic variance, heritability, genetic advances and association of disease with yield and lines selected with considerable sclerotium resistance with good yield attributing characters (6) can be utilized in future breeding programs

Potential sources of resistance to multiple biotic stresses in groundnut (arachis hypogaea l.)

The culti vated groundnut is an important oi Iseed crop of the world. Several biotic stresses reduce groundnut yields considerably. Culti va tion of resistant varieties is an ecologically sound and economically viable approach. But the occurrence and intensity of these stresses vary in space and time necessitating the use of multiple stress resistant genotypes. In the present study, 39 diverse groundnut genotypes were assessed for different biotic stresses under epiphytotic conditions..

Incorporation of lyophilized leaves and pods into artificial diets to assess the antibiosis component of resistance to pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in chickpea

Host-plant resistance is one of the major components of integrated pest management programmes against the noctuid pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hu¨ bner) in chickpea. Survival and development of H. armigera on nine chickpea genotypes were compared using two food substrates, namely fresh leaves and pods, and artificial diets containing lyophilized leaf or pod powder of the same genotypes. Among the genotypes used, six showed different levels of resistance to H. armigera, while three were used as susceptible checks. Using leaves and pods, five of the resistant genotypes yielded lower larval weights compared to one of the susceptible checks used. Significant differences between four of the resistant and two of the susceptible genotypes were also observed when using artificial diets containing leaf or pod powder, but the rankings were different from that on the fresh leaves and pods. On both substrates, four resistant genotypes resulted in lower larval survival, pupation, adult emergence and fecundity when compared to one of the susceptible checks. A similar trend was also observed for larval survival and development when using F1 hybrids based on four of the resistant genotypes. Survival and development of H. armigera on the two food substrates, fresh leaves and pods and artificial diets with lyophilized leaf or pod powder, were highly correlated, suggesting that incorporation of lyophilized leaves or pods into the artificial diet can be used to assess antibiosis to H. armigera in chickpea

Research need assessment and agricultural research priorities for south and west Asia: proceedings of the Workshop, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India, 7-8 Oct 2004

Despi t e the impressive gains in food product ion, food security, and reduct ion in rural pover t y in South Asia in recent t imes, problems such as degradat ion of natural resources, water scarcity, and low product ivi t y persist in the region. The threat of marginal izat ion of agr icul ture and l ivel ihoods of the poor looms large in South and West Asia, where agr icul ture is the dominant economic activity. The emerging global challenges, pauci t y of resources, and the need for greater and quicker impacts now compels organizations to pr ior i t ize research. Thi s workshop was organized as par t of APAARI , ICRISAT, and ICAR' s ongoing ef for t to establish a demand-dr iven research agenda based on a par t icipator y approach. The object ive was to ident i f y research pr ior i t ies based on gap analysis by national programs. Representatives of f ive South and West Asian count r ies ( India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and I ran) , C G I A R inst i tutes, donors, NGOs , farmer associations, agr icul tural universi t ies, and the pr ivate sector presented thei r research needs and emerging challenges, on the basis of ident i f ied cr i t ical gaps and al ternat ive approaches for addressing these. Thi s book is a compi lat ion of the count r y papers presented, and spells out specific pr ior i t ies at macro- , meso- , and micro- levels under the broad themes of genetic improvement , natural resources management , and socioeconomic and pol icy research

Potential genotypes for resistance to foliar diseases and productivity in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Induced mutagenesis and extensive hybridization with interspecific derivatives were sought to break undesirable associations between foliar disease resistance and maturity. Several foliar disease resistant mutants and second cycle interspecific-derivatives were isolated in Spanish bunch background. In the present study, a set of ten genotypes were assessed for foliar disease, productivity and physiological parameters over two rainy seasons under foliar disease protected and unprotected conditions. Mutant (28-2) and second cycle interspecific derivative (GPBD 4/ D 39d) were resistant to foliar diseases with high yield potential even under foliar disease epidemic. 28-2 was also resistant to Spodoptera, thrips and Aspergillus infection besides having bold kernels. GPBD 4 was iron absorption efficient and had high O/L ratio (1.68). These cultures had stable and superior performance over check, JL 24 across years. They also possessed desirable agronomic features, early maturity, high partitioning and better quality, thus showing their potential for cultivation in the farmers field

Mechanisms of resistance to Helicoverpa armigera and introgression of resistance genes into F1 hybrids in chickpea

The noctuid pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of chickpea, and host plant resistance is an important component for managing this pest. We evaluated a set of diverse chickpea genotypes with different levels of resistance to H. armigera, and their F1 hybrids for oviposition non-preference, antibiosis, and tolerance components of resistance under uniform insect infestation under greenhouse/laboratory conditions. The genotypes ICC 12476, ICC 12477, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, and ICC 506EB were non-preferred for oviposition under no-choice, dual-choice, and multi-choice conditions, and also suffered lower leaf damage in no-choice tests as compared to the susceptible check, ICCC 37. Antibiosis expressed in terms of low larval weights was observed in insects reared on ICC 12476, ICC 12478, and ICC 506EB. Weight gain by the third-instars was also low on ICC 12476, ICC 12477, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, and ICC 506EB at the podding stage. Non-preference for oviposition and antibiosis (poor larval growth) were also expressed in hybrids based on ICC 12477, ICC 12476, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, and ICC 506EB as compared to the hybrids based on the susceptible check, ICCC 37, indicating that oviposition non-preference and antibiosis in the F1 hybrids is influenced by the parent genotype. Loss in grain yield was lower in ICC 12477, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, and ICC 506EB compared to that on ICCC 37. The genotypes ICC 12477, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, and ICC 506EB showing antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance mechanism of resistance to H. armigera can be used for developing chickpea cultivars for resistance to this pest