Combining ability for grain mold resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

In all sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) production systems, grain molds can reduce the yield and quality of short duration cultivars if they mature in wet and humid weather. This investigation was taken up to find out combining ability for grain mold resistance under 4 environmental conditions by studying 168 hybrids and their parents along with checks. The pooled analysis of variance for combining ability revealed significant differences due to environments, parents, hybrids and various interactions indicating the existence of wide variability in the material under study. The ratios of additive to dominance variances revealed that additive gene action was predominant for inheritance of grain mold resistance (Panicle Grain Mold Rating - PGMR). Among the parents, two A-lines ICSA 369 and ICSA 370 and six testers viz., IS 41675, ICSR 91011, ICSR 89058, PVK 801, GD 65028, GD 65055 in all the 4 environments were identified as a good general combiners for grain mold resistance. These parents can be utilized for the development of grain mold resistant hybrids

Genetic analysis of traits contributing to stalk sugar yield in sorghum

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a potential raw material for production of ethanol that on blending in petrol is expected to meet the energy demand and address the environmental issues. Well-developed hybrid technology will make the crop remunerative to the farmers. Hence, gene action and best combining female and male parents for sugar yield in sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and the association of sugar yield with other agronomic traits was studied in 171 hybrids developed by crossing 19 female parents with nine male parents in line × tester design and evaluated during both rainy and postrainy seasons of 2006. The significant differences between the seasons for all the traits suggested that these traits are greatly influenced by the environment. The lines (female parents) ICSA 38, ICSA 479, ICSA 702, ICSA 675 and ICSA 474 and the restorers (male parents), SSV 74 and SSV 84 combined well for sugar yield during rainy season and the lines, ICSA 702, ICSA 38 and ICSA 474 and the restorers, ICSV 93046, SPV 1411 and ICSV 700 combined well during postrainy season. The magnitude of SCA variance was higher suggesting the importance of non-additive gene action in inheritance of all the traits though both additive and dominant genes controlled overall sugar yield during both the seasons. Hence, selection in early generation would be ineffective and recurrent selection with periodic intercrossing is advocated. However, breeding good combining restorer parents can fetch high sugar yield in postrainy season. There is an indication of existence of transgressive segregation for sugar yield that can be exploited. The sugar yield was weak though significantly correlated with high brix and poor grain yield during both the seasons requiring extensive crossing to improve these traits simultaneously. Keeping in view mean performance, SCA effects and heterobeltiosis, the hybrids, ICSA 474 × SSV 84, ICSA 24001 × ICSR 93046 and ICSA 474 × SPV 422 were identified promising for rainy season and the hybrids ICSA 24001 × SPV 1411 and ICSA 511 × ICSV 93046 were identified for postrainy season

Impact of a Health Fair on Student Organizations Providing Care to the Detroit Hispanic/Latinx Community and Barriers Affecting Patients of a Student-Run Clinic Primarily Serving this Population

Current literature shows Hispanic/Latinx populations in the U.S. face health inequities. Amigos Medicos (AM) Clinic, located in Southwest Detroit, is a student-run free clinic that addresses these issues through preventive health screenings. We hosted a health fair in 2022 and invited other student organizations in efforts to connect the community to resources. Our aim is to identify specific barriers faced by our population in receiving health care and to identify the impact of participation in the fair on those organizations. One survey was administered to patients attending clinic that identified health barriers they face. The other survey was administered to student organizations four months after the fair to assess representatives’ experiences. Data administered to organizations showed all (100%) student organization representatives believed the health fair brought increased awareness to the Detroit population about their respective student organization. The most identified limitations reported by the organizations in serving the community were financial constraints (43%) followed by limited space/resources (14%) and lack of volunteers (14%). Our response rate for the survey administered at the clinic is approximately 38% and data collection is ongoing. 66.67% of patients reported they do not have health insurance. 44% reported visiting a community clinic and 22% visit the Emergency Department. 22% indicated that lack of health insurance, language barriers, lack of transportation, or long wait-time for appointments increased the difficulty of accessing healthcare. Our research not only demonstrates unique challenges in working with Hispanic/Latinx populations but also the needs and barriers faced by the community

Glucose-Induced Regulation of Protein Import Receptor Tom22 by Cytosolic and Mitochondria-Bound Kinases

SummaryMost mitochondrial proteins are imported by the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM). Tom22 functions as central receptor and transfers preproteins to the import pore. Casein kinase 2 (CK2) constitutively phosphorylates the cytosolic precursor of Tom22 at Ser44 and Ser46 and, thus, promotes its import. It is unknown whether Tom22 is regulated under different metabolic conditions. We report that CK1, which is involved in glucose-induced signal transduction, is bound to mitochondria. CK1 phosphorylates Tom22 at Thr57 and stimulates the assembly of Tom22 and Tom20. In contrast, protein kinase A (PKA), which is also activated by the addition of glucose, phosphorylates the precursor of Tom22 at Thr76 and impairs its import. Thus, PKA functions in an opposite manner to CK1 and CK2. Our results reveal that three kinases regulate the import and assembly of Tom22, demonstrating that the central receptor is a major target for the posttranslational regulation of mitochondrial protein import

Application GGE biplot and AMMI model to evaluate sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) hybrids for genotype x environment interaction and seasonal adaptation,”

ABSTRACT The genotype × environment interaction influences greatly the success of breeding strategy in a multipurpose crop like sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Eleven improved sweet sorghum hybrids were evaluated in both seasons for three years and genotype main effects and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis revealed that the hybrids that performed well in rainy season are: 'ICSSH 24' and 'ICSSH 39' and post rainy season are: 'ICSSH 57' and 'ICSSH 28'. The stable hybrid, based on additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and GGE biplot analysis that performed well across seasons and over the years for grain yield and stalk sugar yield is: 'ICSSH 28'

Inheritance of male-fertility restoration in A1, A2, A3 and A4(M)cytoplasmic male-sterility systems of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Almost all the sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] hybrids commercially exploited to date are based on A1 CMS (cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility) system. For genetic diversification and to produce more heterotic hybrids, all the available CMS systems are to be studied for genetics of male-fertility restoration preferably in isonuclear backgrounds. The A1, A2, A3 and A4(M) cytoplasms present in three different nuclear backgrounds were crossed with two common restorers. The segregation of fertile and sterile plants observed in F2 and BC1 populations during rainy and post-rainy seasons of 2007 was tested with c2 for goodness of fit for monogenic, digenic and trigenic ratios. The fertility restoration of A1 CMS system was governed by one basic gene and two duplicate complimentary genes (45F:19S in F2) all acting in dominant fashion while the fertility restoration of A2 and A3 CMS systems was governed by three genes where all of the three complimentary genes in dominant condition restore fertility (27F:37S in F2). The fertility restoration in A4(M) CMS system was governed by three genes where any two of the three dominant duplicate-complimentary genes restored fertility (54F:10S in F2) in post-rainy season while two complementary genes in dominant state restored fertility (9F:7S in F2) in rainy season in the absence of expression of the third gene

Phenotypic stability for grain mold resistance, grain yield and its components in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

A total of 203 genotypes of grain sorghum including 8 lines and 21 testers and their 168 hybrids with 6 checks were evaluated for grain mold resistance, grain yield and its components in 2 locations in 2 years. Significant genotype and environmental interactions for Panicle Grain Mold Rate (PGMR), Threshed Grain Mold Rate (TGMR) and days to 50% flowering indicating differential behavior of genotypes under different environments for these characters. The hybrids are classified into 3 groups based on stability performance. Forty-six hybrids exhibited stable performance across environments in which top 5 hybrids (ICSA 384 × GD 65028, ICSA 370 × GD 65028, ICSA 384 × GD 65055, ICSA 369 × GD 65028 and ICSA 370 × GD 65055) with low PGMR scores. None of the resistant hybrids were adaptable to favorable environments. Two hybrids, ICSA 369 × GD 65055 and ICSA 369 × ICSR 89058, were suitable for unfavorable environments with low PGMR scores

Evaluation of A1, A2, A3, A4(M), A4(G) and A4(VZM) cytoplasms in iso-nuclear backgrounds for grain mold resistance

Breeding for resistance to grain mold, an economically important disease of sorghum, has been only partially successful. Hybrid technology is well developed in sorghum due to availability of the cytoplasm male sterility (CMS) system and at present almost all commercial hybrids are based on the A1 CMS system. To compare the available alternate CMS systems for grain mold resistance, 72 hybrids were produced by crossing 36 A-lines (six CMS systems; A1, A2, A3, A4(M), A4(G), A4(VZM) each in six nuclear backgrounds) with two common restorers, and were evaluated during the 2006 and 2007 rainy seasons in grain mold nursery at ICRISAT. Data analyses indicated influence of cytoplasm on the responses of hybrids to grain mold infection as measured by panicle grain mold resistance (PGMR) score. The A1 cytoplasm seemed to contribute to grain mold resistance followed by A4(VZM) and A2 cytoplasms. The A4(M) cytoplasm had superior general combining ability (GCA) effects while the A1 and A4(VZM) cytoplasm based hybrids had superior specific combining ability (SCA) effects on the PGMR score. Almost all hybrids had significant mid-parent heterosis. The A1 cytoplasm is the best suited for the development of sorghum hybrids for the rainy season adaptation with grain mold resistance. However, use of alternate cytoplasms (A2 and A4(VZM)) for hybrid development will not increase susceptibility to grain mold in commercial grain production

Revisiting Microalgae as an Additive for Nutraceuticals: A Review

In order to meet the ever-growing global demands for food, healthcare, and energy, among other sources, the twenty-first century has seen a significant surge in the use of microalgae. They have seen applications in varied industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to energy to even the food industry, where its role as a source of proteins shines the most among other bioactive compounds. The microalgal biomass has the innate ability to grow in varied ecological conditions and has diverse compositions. While not economically competitive with fossil fuels or other renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, microalgal sources are technically viable, and a multitude of resources and time have been poured into the research of microalgal renewable fuels (biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, etc.). The rich diversity of microalgae, which is still underutilized, provides a variety of physiologically active metabolites of economic importance. These bioactive metabolites have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. The microalgal biomass is a rich source of various compounds such as fatty acids, carotenoids, polysterols, and phenolics that can be utilized to synthesize pharmaceutical compounds and other nutraceuticals. Considering microalgae as a superfood, space food, functional food, strong agent for detoxification with high content of micro and macronutrients has found potential application in occupational, systematic, and life style disorders subsequently enhancing immunity. The path from algal research to the launching of new food products or dietary supplements is strongly affected by industrial, regulatory, and nutritional considerations. Our purpose is to review and assess what is known about different food components (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, potential toxicants) in the context of improving knowledge about the efficacy of algal foods as nutraceuticals. This review will add be an asset for food, pharma, nutra, and cosmetic sector