Identification of Wheat Varieties with a Parallel-Plate Capacitance Sensor Using Fisher’s Linear Discriminant Analysis

Fisher’s linear discriminant (FLD) models for wheat variety classification were developed and validated. The inputs to the FLD models were the capacitance (C), impedance (Z), and phase angle (θ), measured at two frequencies. Classification of wheat varieties was obtained as output of the FLD models. Z and θ of a parallel-plate capacitance system, holding the wheat samples, were measured using an impedance meter, and the C value was computed. The best model developed classified the wheat varieties, with accuracy of 95.4%, over the six wheat varieties tested. This method is simple, rapid, and nondestructive and would be useful for the breeders and the peanut industry

The Peanut Genome

This book presents the current state of the art in peanut genomics, focusing particularly on the latest genomic findings, tools and strategies employed in genome sequencing, transcriptomes and analysis, availability of public and private genomic resources, and ways to maximize the use of this information in peanut breeding programs. Further, it demonstrates how advances in plant genomics can be used to improve crop breeding. The peanut or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L. Millsp) is a globally important grain legume and oilseed crop, cultivated in over 100 countries and consumed in the form of roasted seeds, oil and confectionary in nearly every country on Earth. The peanut contributes towards achieving food and nutritional security, in addition to financial security through income generation; as such, it is also vital to the livelihood of the poor in the developing world. There have been significant advances in peanut research, especially in the last five years, including sequencing the genome of both diploid progenitors, and the availability of tremendous transcriptome resources, large-scale genomic variations that can be used as genetic markers, genetic populations (bi- and multiparent populations and germplasm sets), marker-trait associations and molecular breeding products. The immediate availability of the genome sequence for tetraploid cultivated peanuts is the most essential genomic resource for achieving a deeper understanding of peanut traits and their use in breeding programs

Future Prospects for Peanut Improvement

Evolution in sequencing technologies led to reduction in costs and increase in speed for generating sequence data. The affordability of low-cost sequencing is expected to make other genotyping platforms obsolete in next couple of years. The concept of “single genome sequence” in a crop has evolved to sequencing of multiple genomes to assemble pangenomes. Sequencing combined with precise phenotyping of segregating populations and germplasm collections is expected to measure the accurate genetic diversity present in the germplasm as well as to identify the gene/nucleotide associated with the trait(s). It is time now to move toward using multi-parents populations from bi-parental populations for trait discovery and identify superior haplotypes. Availability of information on functional variation for genes controlling traits of interest will eventually help in manipulating genes more routinely using appropriate technologies such as marker-assisted selection/backcrossing, genomic selection, and genome editing. This chapter provides expected use of genome sequence and allied information on peanut for accelerating biology research as well as peanut improvement

A New Rapid and Sensitive Stability-Indicating UPLC Assay Method for Tolterodine Tartrate: Application in Pharmaceuticals, Human Plasma and Urine Samples

A new rapid, simple, sensitive, selective and accurate reversed-phase stability-indicating Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-UPLC) technique was developed for the assay of Tolterodine Tartrate in pharmaceutical dosage form, human plasma and urine samples. The developed UPLC method is superior in technology to conventional HPLC with respect to speed, solvent consumption, resolution and cost of analysis. Chromatographic run time was 6 min in reversed-phase mode and ultraviolet detection was carried out at 220 nm for quantification. Efficient separation was achieved for all the degradants of Tolterodine Tartrate on BEH C18 sub-2-μm Acquity UPLC column using Trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile as organic solvent in a linear gradient program. The active pharmaceutical ingredient was extracted from tablet dosage form using a mixture of acetonitrile and water as diluent. The calibration graphs were linear and the method showed excellent recoveries for bulk and tablet dosage form. The test solution was found to be stable for 40 days when stored in the refrigerator between 2 and 8 °C. The developed UPLC method was validated and meets the requirements delineated by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness. The intra-day and inter-day variation was found be less than 1%. The method was reproducible and selective for the estimation of Tolterodine Tartrate. Because the method could effectively separate the drug from its degradation products, it can be employed as a stability-indicating one

Genome-wide transcriptome and physiological analyses provide new insights into peanut drought response mechanisms

Drought is one of the main constraints in peanut production in West Texas and eastern New Mexico regions due to the depletion of groundwater. A multi-seasonal phenotypic analysis of 10 peanut genotypes revealed C76-16 (C-76) and Valencia-C (Val-C) as the best and poor performers under deficit irrigation (DI) in West Texas, respectively. In order to decipher transcriptome changes under DI, RNAseq was performed in C-76 and Val-C. Approximately 369 million raw reads were generated from 12 different libraries of two genotypes subjected to fully irrigated (FI) and DI conditions, of which ~329 million (90.2%) filtered reads were mapped to the diploid ancestors of peanut. The transcriptome analysis detected 4,508 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 1554 genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) and a total of 514 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among the identified DEGs. The comparative analysis between the two genotypes revealed higher and integral tolerance in C-76 through activation of key genes involved in ABA and sucrose metabolic pathways. Interestingly, one SNP from the gene coding F-box protein (Araip.3WN1Q) and another SNP from gene coding for the lipid transfer protein (Aradu.03ENG) showed polymorphism in selected contrasting genotypes. These SNPs after further validation may be useful for performing early generation selection for selecting drought responsive genotypes

Plant prebiotics and human health: Biotechnology to breed prebiotic-rich nutritious food crops

Microbiota in the gut play essential roles in human health. Prebiotics are non-digestible complex carbohydrates that are fermented in the colon, yielding energy and short chain fatty acids, and selectively promote the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillae in the gastro-intestinal tract. Fructans and inulin are the best-characterized plant prebiotics. Many vegetable, root and tuber crops as well as some fruit crops are the best-known sources of prebiotic carbohydrates, while the prebiotic-rich grain crops include barley, chickpea, lentil, lupin, and wheat. Some prebiotic-rich crop germplasm have been reported in barley, chickpea, lentil, wheat, yacon, and Jerusalem artichoke. A few major quantitative trait loci and gene-based markers associated with high fructan are known in wheat. More targeted search in genebanks using reduced subsets (representing diversity in germplasm) is needed to identify accessions with prebiotic carbohydrates. Transgenic maize, potato and sugarcane with high fructan, with no adverse effects on plant development, have been bred, which suggests that it is feasible to introduce fructan biosynthesis pathways in crops to produce health-imparting prebiotics. Developing prebiotic-rich and super nutritious crops will alleviate the widespread malnutrition and promote human health. A paradigm shift in breeding program is needed to achieve this goal and to ensure that newly-bred crop cultivars are nutritious, safe and health promoting

Developing a core collection of peanut specific to Valencia market type

Crop improvement and the dissection of complex genetic traits require germplasm diversity. A core collection is a gateway for the use of diverse accessions with benefi cial traits in applied breeding programs. Valencia germplasm consisting of 630 peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. ssp. fastigiata var. fastigiata) accessions from the USDA collection and a check cultivar, New Mexico Valencia C, were evaluated for 26 descriptors in an augmented design for two seasons. The accessions were stratifi ed by country of origin, and data on morphological and agronomic descriptors were used for clustering following Ward’s method. About 10% or a minimum of one accession from each cluster and region were selected to develop core subset of 77 accessions. Comparison of means between the core subset and the entire collection indicated that the genetic variation available for these traits in the entire collection has been preserved in the core subset. The similarity in correlation coeffi cients in the entire collection and core subset suggests that this core subset has preserved most of the coadapted gene complexes controlling these associations. Peanut breeders engaged in improving the genetic potential of Valencia peanuts will fi nd this core subset useful in cultivar development

GENE EFFECTS FOR RESISTANCE TO GROUNDNUT ROSSETTE DISEASE IN EXOTIC VALENCIA GROUNDNUTS

Two exotic Valencia groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) breeding lines (NuMex-M3 and Valencia C) with superior characteristics were introduced by National Legume Improvement Program at the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), from the United States of America, to broaden the Valencia germplasm base in Uganda. The materials were evaluated for biotic and abiotic stresses, but succumbed to groundnut rosette disease (GRD). For these superior lines to find utility in Uganda, they need further improvement by introducing resistance genes to GRD. A study was conducted at NaSARRI to determine nature of gene action controlling resistance to GRD, using the Exotic Valencia groundnut breeding materials.Six generations that included F1, F2, BC1P1 and BC1P2 populations, together with their parents (P1and P2) of each of the six crosses, namely Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 90704 (P2), Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 96801(P2), Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 99566 (P2), NuMex-M3 (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 90704 (P2), NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 96801 (P2), and NuMex-M3 (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 99566 (P2), were evaluated for GRD resistance.The study reaveled additive and non-additive gene effects in the control of GRD resistance.Three types of epistatic gene effects, viz. additive 7 additive [i], additive 7 dominance [j] and dominance 7 dominance [l],were exhibited tocontrol GRD resistance. The component dominance 7 dominance [l] was more predominant in Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 96801, NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 96801, NuMex- M3 7 ICGV-SM 90704, NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 99566 and Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 99566 crosses. Opposite and significant signs of dominance [d] and dominance 7 dominance [l] components indicated the importance of duplicate epitasis in the latter crosses in the control of GRD resistance, which revealed a complex nature of inheritance of GRD resistance.Deux nouvelles vari\ue9t\ue9s d\u2019arachide ( Arachis hypogaea L.) de la lign\ue9e Valencia (NuMex-M3 et Valencia C) ayant des traits sup\ue9rieurs, ont \ue9t\ue9 import\ue9es des Etats Unis d\u2019Am\ue9riques par le Programme National d\u2019am\ue9lioration des l\ue9gumineuses et introduites \ue0 l\u2019Institut Nationale de Recherche sur les Ressources Semi-Arides (NaSARRI), dans le but d\u2019\ue9largir la base g\ue9n\ue9tique de la lign\ue9e Valencia en Ouganda. Ce mat\ue9riel g\ue9n\ue9tique a \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9 pour les stress biotiques et abiotiques, mais a succomb\ue9 \ue0 l\u2019attaque par la rosette d\u2019arachide (GRD). Afin que ces lign\ue9es sup\ue9rieures trouvent leur utilit\ue9 en Ouganda, il faudra les am\ue9liorer d\u2019avantage, en y introduisant des genes de r\ue9sistance au GRD. Une exp\ue9rimentation a \ue9t\ue9 conduite \ue0 NaSARRI afin de determiner l\u2019action des genes controllant la r\ue9sistance au GRD, en se servant des lign\ue9es exotiques du type d\u2019arachide Valencia. Six g\ue9n\ue9rations form\ue9es de F1, F2, BC1P1 et BC1P2 populations, et des parents (P1 and P2) de chacun des six croisements, plus pr\ue9cis\ue9ment, Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 90704 (P2), Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 96801(P2), Valencia C (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 99566 (P2), NuMex-M3 (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 90704 (P2), NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 96801 (P2), et NuMex-M3 (P1) 7 ICGV-SM 99566 (P2), ont \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9 pour leur r\ue9sistance au GRD. L\u2019\ue9tude a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 des effets additifs et non-additifs des g\ue8nes controllant la r\ue9sistance au GRD. Trois types d\u2019effets epistatiques des g\ue8nes, viz. additif 7 additif [i], additif 7 dominance [j] and dominance 7 dominance [l], ont \ue9t\ue9 observ\ue9s. La composante dominance 7 dominance [l] \ue9tait la plus pr\ue9dominante chez les croisements Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 96801, NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 96801, NuMex- M3 7 ICGV-SM 90704, NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 99566 et Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 99566. Des signes oppos\ue9s et significatives des composantes dominance [d] et dominance 7 dominance [l] ont montr\ue9 l\u2019importance de la double \ue9pistasie dans les derniers croisements pour la r\ue9sistance au GRD, indiquant ainsi la nature complexe du mode de transmission de la r\ue9sistance au GRD

Comparative evaluation of protein content in groundnut samples by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and Skalar colorimetric methods

A lot of research has been done in developing groundnut cultivars with high-quality oil. As a result, methods for routinely determining oil content and quality have been developed and utilized1. However, groundnut is also a source of protein, and obviously, there is a need to develop a rapid, accurate and economic method that can be routinely used for screening a large number of groundnut cultivars for protein content. At the ICRISAT analytical service laboratory, protein (total N) in various crops is routinely determined by colorimetric method using Skalar auto analyser. However, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) also provides an opportunity to determine protein content in groundnut samples; and the method seems attractive as it is low cost, simple and rapid. The NIRS based method provides an automated measurement and has the potential to become a valuable tool for providing analytical support for agricultural research2,3. The objectives of this study were to estimate and compare the relative efficacy of the NIRS method, with that of a conventional colorimetric method, following digestion of ground samples, using Skalar autoanalyser for determining protein in groundnut samples..

NARROW SENSE HERITABILITY AND GENE EFFECTS FOR LATE LEAF SPOT RESISTANCE IN VALENCIA GROUNDNUTS

Late leaf spot (LLS), Phaeoisariopsis personata (Berk. and Curtis) Deighton, is one of the most important foliar diseases of groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) worldwide. Effective chemical control is heavily reliant upon multiple fungicide applications which are costly for resource poor farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The deployment of resistant cultivars is a better option to control this disease in groundnut. A study was conducted to determine narrow sense heritability and gene action controlling LLS resistance in Valencia groundnut materials. The materials used included six generations; F1, F2, F1 backcrosses to the susceptible BC1P1 and resistant BC1P2 parents, and their respective parental lines of crosses between NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 02501, Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 02501and Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 03590. All the test materials were evaluated at the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) at Serere in Uganda. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were 12, 27 and 36%, for Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 03590, Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 02501 and NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 02501 crosses, respectively. Both additive and dominance gene effects contributed significantly to the inheritance of LLS resistance in all the crosses, except in Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 02501 where the effects of dominance were not significant.La tache fusarienne tardive (LLS), Phaeoisariopsis personata (Berk. and Curtis) Deighton, est l\u2019une des plus importantes maladies foliaires \ue0 l\u2019\ue9chelle mondiale au niveau de l\u2019arachide ( Arachis hypogaea L.). Une lutte chimique efficace contre cette maladie n\ue9cessite l\u2019utilisation en quantit\ue9 importante de plusieurs types de fongicides. Cette approche est tr\ue8s co\ufbteuse pour \ueatre adopt\ue9e par les petits paysans de l\u2019Afrique Sub-Saharienne. Le d\ue9veloppement de vari\ue9t\ue9s r\ue9sistantes est une meilleure option pour lutter contre cette maladie dont est sujette l\u2019arachide. Une \ue9tude a \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9e afin de d\ue9terminer l\u2019h\ue9ritabilit\ue9 au sens strict et l\u2019action des g\ue8nes contr\uf4lant la r\ue9sistance \ue0 LLS dans la vari\ue9t\ue9 d\u2019arachide Valencia. Les mat\ue9riels g\ue9n\ue9tiques utilis\ue9es comprennent six g\ue9n\ue9rations; F1, F2, F1 crois\ue9e en retour avec les parents susceptible BC1P1 et celui r\ue9sistant BC1P2\ua0; ainsi que les parents respectifs des croisements effectu\ue9s entre NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 02501, Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 02501 et Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 03590. Toutes ces vari\ue9t\ue9s ont \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9es dans l\u2019institut de recherche des ressources nationales semi-arides (NaSARRI) \ue0 Serere en Ouganda. L\u2019h\ue9ritabilit\ue9 au sens strict \ue9tait estim\ue9e \ue0 12, 27 et 36%, respectivement pour les croisements entre Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 03590, Valencia C 7 ICGV-SM 02501 et NuMex-M3 7 ICGV-SM 02501. Dans tous les croisements, la r\ue9sistance \ue0 LLS est sous le control aussi bien de l\u2019action dominante que de l\u2019action additive des g\ue8nes\ua0; sauf dans le cas de Redbeauty 7 ICGV-SM 02501 o\uf9 les effets dominants des g\ue8nes ne sont pas significatifs