Multi-environment analysis of grain quality traits in recombinant inbred lines of a biparental cross in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A set of 286 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) along with the parents and a popular wheat variety in India were grown for two consecutive years at three locations belonging to the two major wheat growing zones of India and evaluated for four grain quality traits. Rare recombinants with high trait value appeared for protein content (PC), thousand-kernel weight (TKW), sedimentation value (SV), and kernel hardness (KH). The magnitude of environmental effects was more pronounced than genotypic effects and genotype-environment interaction (GEI). The cumulative contribution of environment and GEI components to the total variance was highest in the expression of PC followed by TKW, SV, and KH. The top five percent (14 RILs) of genotypes with high trait value were subjected to Eberhart and Russell (1966) (ER), genotype and genotype-environment (GGE) and additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) stability models. Five RILs were identified as stable in all the three stability models. RIL61 with 38.8%, RIL101 with 8.9%, RIL226 with 26.1% superiority over check variety were the most stable genotypes in all the three stability models for PC, TKW and KH, respectively. RIL113 was found to be stable genotype in ER and GGE models, whereas, RIL231 was the most stable genotype in AMMI and GGE models in the expression of SV. These common stable genotypes with high trait value identified through ER, AMMI and GGE models could be potential donors in active breeding programs to develop high yielding wheat varieties with improved PC, TKW, SV and KH

HIV seropositivity in high risk individuals and in pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: The association between tuberculosis and HIV has been well known. South Asia especially India is witnessing largest number of new AIDS cases and the epidemic is well established. TB shortens the life expectancy of HIV positive people. Keeping the association between TB and HIV in mind, this study was planned to screen HIV seropositivity in all patients of pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis. The aim was to study HIV seroprevalence in patients of pulmonary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis of population of Bundelkhand region, India.Methods: 282 patients of pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis attending OPD or admitted in wards were included in the study as per inclusion criteria over two years.  ELISA was done to detect HIV seropositivity in these patients.Results: A total of 184 patients were male and 98 were female with 16 and 2 patients who were seropositive respectively. Out of 282 patients of pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis 35 (12.4%) had heterosexual promiscuity. Out of these 15 (42.35%) were HIV seropositive. A total of 115 patients were sputum smear positive for TB and 167 were confirmed as cases of sputum smear negative TB.Conclusions: The prevalence of HIV seropositivity among pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB in the present study was 6.38%. Tuberculosis was associated with an increased incidence of HIV. HIV was associated most with heterosexual promiscuity as a risk factor and presented more with extra pulmonary tuberculosis.

Community seed banks as seed producers: Cases from India, Nepal, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Community-based seed producers are a relatively under-researched and under-documented category of seed producers, but have the potential to cater to the diverse seed needs and interests of smallholder farmers. This working paper presents a number of such community-seed producers, with a focus on community seed banks. The case studies from India, Nepal, Uganda and Zimbabwe point to the viability of community seed banks as seed producers and distributors, but becoming successful is not easy and depends on several factors, including initial technical guidance and support, sufficient time, adherence to a seed value chain perspective and the development of a sound business plan from the very start

A unique method of intubating an unusual neck injury with knife-in-situ

A young male, aged 32 years, was brought to the emergency operation theatre, with a household knife-in-situ, in the neck. A detailed history revealed psychiatric illness to be the cause of this self inflicted injury. His vitals were found to be stable and he had no respiratory embarrassment and was conversing comfortably. Intubating him with a knife-in-situ was a great challenge. A simple technique using two endotracheal tubes was used which helped in securing the airway avoiding any further injury with the knife-in-situ

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Not AvailableMolecular characterization of Humicola grisea isolates associated with Agaricus bisporus compostNot Availabl

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Not AvailableThermophilic fungi play an important role in determining selectivity of compost produced for growing Agaricus bisporus. Compost samples were collected during different stages of composting process from six mushroom growing states of India. Thermophilic microorganisms were isolated on yeast starch agar medium at 45 and 52ºC. Scytalidium thermophilum and Humicola insolense were predominant and frequently isolated in large numbers from compost prepared by long and short method on variety of substrates. In all, twenty four isolates of Scytalidium thermophilum and thirty one isolates of Humicola insolense were studied for their RAPD and ITS patterns. No intraspecific diversity in ITS lengths of 5.8S r-DNA gene could be observed in the isolates of both the thermophiles. Phylogenetic analyses of RAPD patterns determined seven and eight distinct groups of isolates in S. thermophilum and H. insolense, respectively.Not Availabl

Bamboo-based agroforestry system (Dendrocalamus strictus + sesame–chickpea) for enhancing productivity in semi-arid tropics of central India

Bundelkhand region of central India is characterized by erratic rainfall with high frequency of drought. The region has undulating topography, poor groundwater resources and shallow soils with low soil fertility, resulting in frequent crop failures. A study was undertaken to assess the potential of bamboo-based agroforestry system to enhance productivity and economic returns at the research farm of ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), India, which lies in the Bundelkhand region of central India. The 7-year study (2007–2015) recorded 2906 number of bamboo culms ha−1 at 10 m × 10 m spacing compared to 2409 culms under 12 m × 10 m spacing. Averaged over 3 years (5th, 6th and 7th year), bamboo culm yield from agroforestry (Dendrocalamus strictus + Sesamum indicum–Cicer arietinum)/(bamboo + sesame–chickpea) was higher by 3.20 and 4.96% over sole bamboo in 12 m × 10 m and 10 m × 10 m, respectively. The intercrop productivity started declining from 3rd year onwards, and the extent of reduction in productivity was to the tune of 26.1, 23.7, 24.2, 17.4 and 17.4% during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th year, respectively. From 5th year onwards, the harvested bamboo culms contributed to the improvement in the system productivity and it was 29 and 236% higher than the sole crops and sole bamboo, respectively, during the 7th year. Financial analysis showed that bamboo-based agroforestry system (bamboo + sesame–chickpea) planted at 12 m × 10m spacing was having high land equivalent ratio (1.95–2.14) and was more profitable than arable cropping and sole bamboo. Therefore, the Dendrocalamus strictus-based agroforestry system can be a potential alternative to arable cropping in semi-arid tropics of central India to enhance productivity and economic returns

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Not AvailableBundelkhand region of central India is characterized by erratic rainfall with high frequency of drought. The region has undulating topography, poor groundwater resources and shallow soils with low soil fertility, resulting in frequent crop failures. A study was undertaken to assess the potential of bamboobased agroforestry system to enhance productivity and economic returns at the research farm of ICARCentral Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), India, which lies in the Bundelkhand region of central India. The 7-year study (2007–2015) recorded 2906 number of bamboo culms ha-1 at 10 m 9 10 m spacing compared to 2409 culms under 12 m 9 10 m spacing. Averaged over 3 years (5th, 6th and 7th year), bamboo culm yield from agroforestry (Dendrocalamus strictus ? Sesamum indicum–Cicer arietinum)/(bamboo ? sesame–chickpea) was higher by 3.20 and 4.96% over sole bamboo in 12 m 9 10 m and 10 m 9 10 m, respectively. The intercrop productivity started declining from 3rd year onwards, and the extent of reduction in productivity was to the tune of 26.1, 23.7, 24.2, 17.4 and 17.4% during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th year, respectively. From 5th year onwards, the harvested bamboo culms contributed to the improvement in the system productivity and it was 29 and 236% higher than the sole crops and sole bamboo, respectively, during the 7th year. Financial analysis showed that bamboo-based agroforestry system (bamboo ? sesame–chickpea) planted at 12 m 9 10m spacing was having high land equivalent ratio (1.95–2.14) and was more profitable than arable cropping and sole bamboo. Therefore, the Dendrocalamus strictus-based agroforestry system can be a potential alternative to arable cropping in semi-arid tropics of central India to enhance productivity and economic returns.Not Availabl