Role of Legumes in Improving Soil Fertility Status

Legume plants have a probably important role to play in growing indigenous nitrogen production besides meeting human demands for protein and energy. Some legumes have the capability to solubilize in any other case unavailable phosphate by excreting organic acids from their roots, in addition to improving soil fertility. Legumes also assist to restoration of soil natural matter and limit pest and disease issues when used in rotation with nonleguminous crops. Research has shown that the organic nitrogen fixation procedure is the most environment friendly way to grant the giant amounts of nitrogen wished through legumes to produce high-yielding crops with an excessive protein content. For the fixation technique to occur, legume vegetation must enter into a “symbiotic” or collectively beneficial partnership with sure microorganism known as rhizobia. Soon after legume seeds germinate, rhizobia current in the soil or delivered as seed inoculum invade the root hairs and go through an infection thread toward the root. The bacteria multiply rapidly in the root, causing the swelling of root cells to structure nodules

Conservation of leguminous crops and their wild relatives in Tamil Nadu, India, 2011

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, a field survey was conducted in Tamil Nadu State, India from 2^ to 6^ February, 2011. As a result, 39 accessions of leguminous plants consist of the genus Vigna , were recorded and seed samples consisting of 29 cultivated and 10 wild accessions were collected. All the seed materials collected were deposited at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. Cultivation of Vigna stipulacea by local farmers and selling their seeds by local seed dealer were confirmed. Genetic erosion of traditional pulse landraces is rapidly proceeding in Tamil Nadu mainly due to an increase in the area of cash crops.本報告は，独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所ジーンバンクとインド，タミルナドゥ農業大学の間で2007年4月に締結した協同研究協定（MOU）に基づいて行ったインド，タミルナドゥ州における第三回目のマメ科植物遺伝資源の調査報告である．調査は，2011年2月2日～ 2月6日にかけて行った．調査の結果，ササゲ（Vigna）属栽培種5種29系統，ササゲ属野生種2種10系統を収集し，タミルナドゥ農業大学に保存した．タミルナドゥ州における豆類の価格は上がっており，儲かる作物になってきた．しかし，収穫作業に必要な労働者を雇用することが困難になってきているため，栽培をあきらめざるを得ない地主が多かった．今回の調査で，少々栽培化が進んで大型化したと考えられるマメ科植物Vigna stipulacea の農家による栽培が確認できた．V.stipulacea を栽培している農民は，1月から2月に水田にこの種の種子を散播し，緑肥，飼料，食料として利用している．種子は農民が自家採種し次年度に使うほか，町の種子屋でも販売していることを確認した．種子屋での聞き取りによれば，昨年は1500㎏の種子を販売し，販売価格はリョクトウ種子と同じで，1㎏あたり60ルピー（120円）であった．聞き取りを行ったすべての農民が，Sambal，Chatney，Dosai，Idli 等の伝統食品を作る場合，リョクトウやケツルアズキよりV.stipulacea の種子で作る方が風味があり，美味であるという感想を持っていた．また，栽培に関しても，リョクトウやケツルアズキに比べて病害虫に強く，V.stipulacea を栽培する際には一切農薬を散布する必要がないとのことであった

Sugar Industry Wastes as Wealth of Organic Carbon for Soil

The organic carbon management in the soil and its relationship with soil physiochemical and biological characteristics to increase the crop productivity have been described based on the byproducts of sugarcane. In this chapter, the available information on the nutrient content especially the organic carbon of various by-products of sugarcane, paves the way for incorporation of waste materials and its compost for improving the soil fertility by soil scientists and agronomists, and further, the ecologists will realize the importance of sugarcane waste and its meritorious characteristics of toxic residue free soil and food products in addition to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, especially methane and nitrous oxides due to applied of synthetic fertilizer in the cultivating field. We have compiled the information on relationship between organic carbon and soil characteristic, factors responsible for depletion of soil organic carbon and its management. The composting process for sugarcane press mud, bagasse, and trash to produce nutrient-rich manure for soil fertility management and its value on saving the purchase of chemical fertilizer leads to easy adoption of organic farming. Overall, we emphasized the importance of waste products of sugarcane and it’s nutritive value to increase the soil fertility, crop productivity, and farm income

Nanosafety

The nanomaterials resembling nanotubes, nanospheres, nanofertilizer, nanoherbicide, nanoinsecticide, and nanosheets have the physical, chemical, biological, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Still, the nanoparticles have very minute dimensions, enormous area and high reactivity they need the potential ability to penetrate in living cells quite rapidly. The petite size nanoparticles contain lofty surface area may cause higher reactivity with nearby particles. It is broadly predictable that there is a critical need for more information and facts about the implications of manufactured nanomaterials on personal fitness and surroundings. Concerns about potential risks to health that may arise during the making, management, use, and discarding of these nanomaterials have been spoken over the past few years. Consequently, strong research action is being undertaken in various institutions, and industries across the world to appraise their toxicity and spread of nanoparticle

Collection and Conservation of Leguminous Crops and Their Wild Relatives in Tamil Nadu, India, 2008

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, a field survey was conducted in Tamil Nadu State, India from March 1 to 16, 2008. As a result, 32 accessions of leguminous plants consist of the genus Vigna, Lablab, Phaseolus and Macrotyloma were recorded and seed samples of 29 accessions consisting of 17 cultivated and 12 wild accessions were collected. All the seed materials collected were deposited at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India.本報告は，独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所ジーンバンクとインド，タミルナドゥ農業大学の間で2007年4月に締結した協同研究協定（MOU）に基づいて行われたインド，タミルナドゥ州における植物遺伝資源の調査報告である．調査は，2008年3月1日～16日にかけて行った．調査の結果，在来作物の栽培は著しく減少しつつあることが明らかになったが，乾燥が厳しい地域で現地農民がモスビーンの野生型（匍匐性で茎が長く伸び，葉の切れ込みが大きく耐乾性が強いという）といっている系統の栽培や，やや栽培化が進んだ状態（種子がやや大型化し，裂莢性が低下しているという）と思われるVigna stipulacea の多目的栽培（食用種子生産，飼料生産，被覆作物）など，興味深い特性を持つと考えられる遺伝資源も残存していた．Vigna（ササゲ）属野生植物遺伝資源に関しても，高い多様性の収集が期待できる地域である．また，Lablab（フジマメ）属の野生種も豊富であることが今回の調査で明らかになった．菜食主義者が多いインドにおいては，マメ科作物はタンパク供給源として重要な位置を占めており，なかでもVigna属作物（ケツルアズキとリョクトウ）の安定的な生産と品種改良等による収量増に関する研究には高い優先順位をつけて研究を推進している．協同研究の相手であるタミルナドゥ農業大学においても，ケツルアズキとリョクトウの育種，栽培，分子遺伝学的解析などの課題に多くの研究者が取り組んでいた．今後の共同研究による大きな成果が期待できる

Collection and Conservation of Leguminous Crops and Their Wild Relatives in Tamil Nadu, India, 2009

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, a field survey was conducted in Tamil Nadu State, India from 29^ January 10^ February, 2009. As a result, 134 accessions of leguminous plants consist of the genus Cajanus , Lablab , Macrotyloma and Vigna , were recorded and seed samples consisting of 99 cultivated and 35 wild accessions were collected. All the seed materials collected were deposited at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. Genetic erosion of traditional pulse landraces is rapidly proceeding in Tamil Nadu mainly due to an increase in the area of cash crops.本報告は, 独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所ジーンバンクとインド・タミルナドゥ農業大学の間で2007年4月に締結した協同研究協定（MOU）に基づいて行われたインド・タミルナドゥ州における二回目のマメ科植物遺伝資源の調査報告である．調査は，2009年1月29日～2月10日にかけて行った．調査の結果，灌漑水が利用可能になった地域において在来作物の栽培は著しく減少していることが明らかになった．タミルナドゥ州では, 政府の援助により，井戸による灌漑施設が急速に普及してきており，トウモロコシやキャッサバなどの商品作物栽培も急速に広がってきていることから, 在来作物の消失が懸念される．乾燥が厳しい天水農業地域では，ソルガムとマメ科在来作物（リョクトウ，ササゲ，モスビーン，フジマメ，キマメ等）の混作が残っていた．ホースグラムも同様の環境で栽培されていたが，単作されている例が多かった．このような環境においては，耐乾性に優れた野生種V. trilobataとV.radiata var. sublobataの自生も見られた．V. trilobataに関しては，今回の調査で，その栽培と人による食用としての利用が確認された他，ある程度栽培化が進んだと思われるような系統も収集された．また，これまでその存在が不明であったモスビーン（V. aconitifolia）の野生種と思われる3系統も，同様の乾燥環境下で発見された．これら3系統の分類学的取り扱いについては，今後詳細に検討する必要がある．これら乾燥地のマメ科植物とは対照的に，これまでV. trilobat と混同されてきたV.stipulaceaは，水田等の湿った粘土質土壌の生息地で生育していた．作物の中では，ケツルアズキ（V. mungo）が水田の畦で栽培される例が多かったことから，加湿な環境に適応している栽培種であると考えられた．菜食主義者が多いインドにおいては，マメ科作物はタンパク供給源として重要な位置を占めており，なかでもVigna属作物（ケツルアズキとリョクトウ）の安定的な生産と品種改良等による収量増は緊急の課題となっている．近年，インドにいおいては，リョクトウの生産量が不足しており，中国等からの輸入に依存していることから，その取引価格は高騰しているため，農民の生産意欲は高い．今後の共同研究による大きな成果が期待できる

Collection and Conservation of Wild Leguminous Crop Relatives in Hokkaido, Japan, 2008

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, a field survey was conducted in southwestern part of Hokkaido island, Japan from 29^ September to 3^ October, 2008. As a result, 31 accessions of leguminous plants consist of the genus Amphicarpaea , Glycine and Lotus were recorded and seed samples were collected. All the seed materials collected were deposited at NIAS genebank, Japan.本報告は，独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所ジーンバンクとインド，タミルナドゥ農業大学の間で2007年4月に締結した協同研究協定（MOU）に基づいて招聘したM. Pandiyan博士をメンバーに加えて行った北海道南西部におけるマメ科植物遺伝資源の調査報告である．調査は，2008年9月29日～10月3日にかけて行った．調査の結果， 野生ダイズであるツルマメ（Glycinesoja）12点， かつてアイヌ民族による利用がみられたヤブマメ（Amphicarpaea bracteata）15点，ミヤコグサ属植物4点，合計31点の遺伝資源を収集保存した．これらの遺伝資源は，2009年度につくば市の農業生物資源研究所において栽培し，特性評価，種子増殖を行い配布可能なアクティブコレクションとして生物研ジーンバンクにおいて保存する予定である

Richness and diversity of odonates of the agricultural college and research institute, Vazhavachanur, Tamilnadu, India

Investigations on the diversity of Odonata in and around the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vazhavachanur, Tamil Nadu, India were studied. Eight locations were selected, of which sixteen Odonata species were recorded. In total, eleven dragonfly and five damselfly species were identified from Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu, India. Pantala flavescens, Diplacodes trivialis, Brachythemis contaminata and Ischnura aurora were recorded from all eight locations. Trithemis pallidinervis and Agriocnemis pygmaea were recorded from seven locations except from the farm pond and the open stretch area. Rhyothemis variegata was recorded only at the open stretch area. The results clearly show that, Odonates have specific habitat preferences for their growth and development. Four families Libellulidae, Gomphidae, Aeshnidae and Coenagrionidae were observed and collected during the study. Libellulidae were the most abundant family (56.25%) and comprised of 9 species, followed by Coenagrionidae (31.25%) with 5 species. Low species abundance was recorded within the Gomphidae and Aeshnidae families with 6.25% each. Simpson and Shannon Index showed maximum diversity in the open stretch area (0.8743 and 2.186, respectively) and minimum in location 8 (crop production area) and location 4 (Sathakuppam), respectively. Open stretch area showed maximum Richness Index (Margalef) (2.275) followed by farm pond (2.196) where recorded minimum in sathakuppam (1.276) location. Equitability J index, maximum species evenness (0.788) was recorded Location 6 i.e. farm pond (0.6727) followed by open stretch area 0.686.Zbadano różnorodność Odonata w Kolegium Rolniczym i Instytucie Badawczym odnotowano 16 gatunków Odonata. Łącznie w okręgu Thiruvannamalai w stanie Tamil Nadu w Indiach zidentyfikowano 11 gatunków ważek różnoskrzydłe i 5 gatunków ważek równoskrzydłych. Pantala flavescens, Diplacodes tryialis, Brachythemis contaminata i Ischnura aurora odnotowano we wszystkich ośmiu lokalizacjach. Trithemis pallidinervis i Agriocnemis pygmaea odnotowano w siedmiu miejscach, z wyjątkiem stawu hodowlanego i otwartego obszaru. Rhyothemis variegata odnotowano tylko na otwartym terenie. Wyniki wyraźnie pokazują, że ważki mają określone preferencje siedliskowe dotyczące ich wzrostu i rozwoju. Podczas badań zaobserwowano i zebrano cztery rodziny: Libellulidae, Gomphidae, Aeshnidae i Coenagrionidae. Najliczniejszą rodziną były Libellulidae (56,25%), składające się z 9 gatunków, następnie Coenagrionidae (31,25%) z 5 gatunkami. Niską liczebność gatunków odnotowano w rodzinach Gomphidae i Aeshnidae po 6,25%. Indeks Simpsona i Shannona wykazał maksymalne zróżnicowanie na otwartym obszarze (odpowiednio 0,8743 i 2,186) i minimalne w lokalizacji 8 (obszar upraw) i lokalizacji 4 (Sathakuppam). Otwarty obszar wykazywał maksymalny wskaźnik bogactwa (Margalef) (2,275), następnie był staw hodow-lany (2,196), minimalny wskaźnik bogactwa odnotowano w lokalizacji Sathakuppam (1,276). Wskaźnik równości J, maksymalna równość gatunkowa (0,788) odnotowano w lokalizacji 6, tj. Staw hodowlany (0,6727), a następnie na otwarty obszarze (0,686)

Novel Genetic Resources in the Genus Vigna Unveiled from Gene Bank Accessions.

The genus Vigna (Fabaceae) consists of five subgenera, and includes more than 100 wild species. In Vigna, 10 crops have been domesticated from three subgenera, Vigna, Plectrotropis, and Ceratotropis. The habitats of wild Vigna species are so diverse that their genomes could harbor various genes responsible for environmental stress adaptation, which could lead to innovations in agriculture. Since some of the gene bank Vigna accessions were unidentified and they seemed to be novel genetic resources, these accessions were identified based on morphological traits. The phylogenetic positions were estimated based on the DNA sequences of nuclear rDNA-ITS and chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer regions. Based on the results, the potential usefulness of the recently described species V. indica and V. sahyadriana, and some wild Vigna species, i.e., V. aconitifolia, V. dalzelliana, V. khandalensis, V. marina var. oblonga, and V. vexillata, was discussed