Development of transgenics for fungal resistance and discovery of chemically induced mutations in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) population by TILLING

Protocols for in vitro plantlet regeneration in pearl millet and genetic transformation using inflorescence derived callus cultures via Agrobacterium and microprojectile methods were standardized. Transgenic pearl millet plants were confirmed by gene specific amplification of chitinase and osmotin and also the bar genes. However, the transgenics turned out to be sterile, though pollen was produced. � Mutagenized population of pearl millet from inbred line P1449-2-P1 was produced using the chemical mutagen ethylmethane sulfonate and M2 generation was raised. Phenotypic analysis was carried out in M2 generation. The mutagenized population was screened for point mutations using the TILLING technique. � The mutant lines (9,938 lines) were screened for two candidate genes, one associated with water stress (dehydration responsive element binding factor, DREB2A) and the second associated with pathogen resistance (enhanced disease resistance, EDR2). � Allele mining was carried out for DREB2A gene; amino acid arginine was changed to threonine and serine to proline in the hot spot region that was predicted by the CODDLE software. It is hoped that these amino acid changes would bring loss of function of this gene and thus can help to find out the function of the gene under water stress conditions. � TILLING was performed for EDR2 gene; but because of non-specificity, the mutations could not be detected in the LICOR gel

Performance evaluation of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) in the plains of Kerala

Kerala, the spice bowl of India is popular for tropical spice crops like pepper, cardamom,nutmeg etc. Garlic, an important foreign exchange earner of India is produced mostly inthe states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. In Kerala it is grown commerciallyin two unique rain shadow pockets, Kanthalloor and Vattavada regions of Devikulamblock of Idukki district. Although garlic is grown in the high ranges of Kerala, itscultivation in plains are not evaluated so far. Generally cool season crops performs wellinplains when grown during October – March. Hence the present study was conducted toevaluate the performance of two genotypes Singapore and Mettupalayam in the plains.The two garlic genotypes were grown as pot culture during October – February in the year2016-2017, in the plains of Thrissur district, the central part of Kerala. Among the twotypes Mettupalayam was found to be recorded higher Bulb weight (14.53g) and number ofcloves per bulb (4.2), but it was less compared to that grown in high ranges (17.19g and11.9 respectively). Hence the study revealed the possibilities of garlic cultivation in theplains of Thrissur district of Kerala with some refinements in agro techniques

Genome-wide identification and expression profile analysis of nuclear factor Y family genes in Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)

Members of the plant Heme Activator Protein (HAP) or NUCLEAR FACTOR Y (NF-Y) are trimeric transcription factor complexes composed of the NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC subfamilies. They bind to the CCAAT box in the promoter regions of the target genes and regulate gene expressions. Plant NF-Ys were reported to be involved in adaptation to several abiotic stresses as well as in development. In silico analysis of Sorghum bicolor genome resulted in the identification of a total of 42 NF-Y genes, among which 8 code for the SbNF-YA, 19 for SbNF-YB and 15 for the SbNF-YC subunits. Analysis was also performed to characterize gene structures, chromosomal distribution, duplication status, protein subcellular localizations, conserved motifs, ancestral protein sequences, miRNAs and phylogenetic tree construction. Phylogenetic relationships and ortholog predictions displayed that sorghum has additional NF-YB genes with unknown functions in comparison with Arabidopsis. Analysis of promoters revealed that they harbour many stress-related cis-elements like ABRE and HSE, but surprisingly, DRE and MYB elements were not detected in any of the subfamilies. SbNF-YA1, 2, and 6 were found upregulated under 200 mM salt and 200 mM mannitol stresses. While NF-YA7 appeared associated with high temperature (40˚C) stress, NF-YA8 was triggered by both cold (4˚C) and high temperature stresses. Among NF-YB genes, 7, 12, 15, and 16 were induced under multiple stress conditions such as salt, mannitol, ABA, cold and high temperatures. Likewise, NF-YC 6, 11, 12, 14, and 15 were enhanced significantly in a tissue specific manner under multiple abiotic stress conditions. Majority of the mannitol (drought)-inducible genes were also induced by salt, high temperature stresses and ABA. Few of the high temperature stress-induced genes are also induced by cold stress (NF-YA2, 4, 6, 8, NF-YB2, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, NF-YC4, 6, 12, and 13) thus suggesting a cross talk among them. This work paves the way for investigating the roles of diverse sorghum NF-Y proteins during abiotic stress responses and provides an insight into the evolution of diverse NF-Y members

POEMS OF SOHANLAL DWIVEDI

HINDICUSATDepartment of Hindi,CUSA

Industrial Growth in Madhya Pradesh: Structure and Economic Backwardness

It examine the aspects of Madhya Pradesh’s industrial structure which throw light on the development, viability and the efficiency of not only the over all industrial sector but also some of the selected industries of the state. The major objectives of are to examine the nature and characteristics of economic backwardness in Madhya Pradesh in an inter-state comparative framework and to analyse the pace and pattern of industrial growth in Madhya Pradesh against the backdrop of liberalization. To explore the industrial structure of Madhya Pradesh using the major structural ratios and industry mix. This study has underlined some structural as well as region specific constraints to the accelerated growth of the manufacturing industry in Madhya Pradesh. The industrial structure of Madhya Pradesh is concentrated and lop-sided. This is evidenced by the dominancy of single industry, basic metal and alloys. A diversified industrial structure is essential for promoting interdependent growth of the manufacturing industry based on the inter-industry linkages and agglomeration. The thesis gives a broad spectrum of regional disparities in development and evidence for Madhya Pradesh’s backwardness also portrayed and reflects the changing industrial structure of the state

Climatology of the atmosphere up to 30 km over Thumba

136-144Wind and temperature data from surface to 30 km over Thumba for a period of 23 years from 1970 to 1992 are analyzed. The long term mean pattern of the wind components and temperature as well as their amplitude and phase as well as their cycle-to-cycle variations are brought out. Also, the variations of the annual mean temperatures are worked out and vertical profile of these variations presented. The mean wind and temperature structure and characteristics of the quasi-biennial, annual and semi-annual oscillations in winds and temperature up to 30 km agree with the earlier results obtained from shorter data periods. Apart from this the present analysis reveals a rising trend in the annual mean temperature at all levels in the troposphere over Thumba. It is also seen that the monthly mean temperatures around 18 km are warmer by about 5K from the annual mean during the peak of the tropical easterly jet at around 15 km

Effect of a magnetic field on the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a laser-accelerated thin ablative surface

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) of a laser-accelerated ablative surface of a thin plasma layer in an inertial fusion energy (IFE) target with incompressible electrically conducting plasma in the presence of a transverse magnetic field is investigated using linear stability analysis. A simple theory based on Stokes-lubrication approximation is proposed. It is shown that the effect of a transverse magnetic field is to reduce the growth rate of RTI considerably over the value it would have in the absence of a magnetic field. This is useful in the extraction of IFE efficiently

Persistent post-stroke dysphagia treated with cricopharyngeal myotomy

Post-stroke dysphagia is a common problem after stroke. About 8-13% patients have persistent dysphagia and are unable to return to pre-stroke diet even after 6 months of stroke. Use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may be required in these patients, which may be psychologically unacceptable and impair the quality of life. In those with cricopharyngeal dysfunction leading on to refractory post-stroke dysphagia, cricopharyngeal myotomy and injection of botulinum toxin are the treatment options. We present a case of vertebrobasilar stroke who had persistent dysphagia due to cricopharyngeal dysfunction with good recovery of swallowing function following cricopharyngeal myotomy 1.5 years after the stroke