Bio-methane Production from Sorghum Elite Lines under the Climatic Conditions of Pakistan

Fossil foils are depleting dramatically to meet the ever blooming energy demands. Plant biomass is a best source of renewable energy which can be used for bio-fuel production in order to meet the energy demands. Therefore, this study was conducted for two consecutive years 2016 and 2017 to screen out best lines of sorghum for biomass yield, chemical composition and bio-methane yield. The results revealed that tested lines had differential responses for biomass yield, biomass quality and methane yield. Line 5018, performed remarkably and produced maximum leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD) and crop growth rate (CGR) followed by L-6024 whereas the minimum LAI, LAD and CGR were recorded for L-5025. Maximum plant height, leaves per plant and dry matter yield ha-1 was observed in L-5018, whereas the minimum plant height leaves per plant and dry matter yield ha-1 was recorded in L-5025. Likewise, L-5018 also had maximum protein content, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, lignin content and ash content whereas the L-1914 had the minimum values for these parameters amongst the tested li- nes. In addition, L-1914 produced maximum specific yield, however, L-5018 produced maximum methane yield ha-1 owing to higher dry matter yield ha-1. The results of this study suggested that L-5018 can be used to develop high biomass cultivars with good methane yield potential

Estimation of biocidal potential of desert phytopowders for the management of citrus canker

Citrus is one of the most important fruit crops, throughout the world. It is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Citrus canker is a potential threat to its successful production. In current study, ten desert phytopowders including Xanthium strumarium, Dipterygium galucun, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Haloxylon recurvum, Suaeda fruticosa, Salsola baryosma, Citrulus colocynthis, Abutilon indicum, Aerva javanica, and Calotropis procera at three different concentrations (5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%) were evaluated under in vitro conditions against Xanthomonas citri pv. citri. Among all phytopowders, X. strumarium and S. fruticosa, showed maximum inhibition zone (40 mm) followed by S. baryosma (38.50 mm) C. colocynthis (37 mm), Abutilon indicum (34 mm), H. recurvum (32 mm), D. galucun (30.5 mm), A. javanica, (29.50 mm), L. pyrotechnica, (29.5 mm) and C. procera (28 mm) as compared to control. Then, effective phytopowders were applied under greenhouse and field conditions @ 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% against citrus canker. Combination of X. strumarium + S. baryosma showed minimum disease severity (22%) followed by X. strumarium (26%), X. strumarium + S. fruticosa (27%), S. fruticosa (27%), X. strumarium + S. baryosma (27%), and S. baryosma (29%) as compared to control. While in field experiment, the combination of X. strumarium + S. fruticosa showed significant results with minimum disease severity (32%) followed by S. fruticosa + S. baryosma (32%), X. strumarium + S. baryosma (33%), S. baryosma (35%), X. strumarium (36%) and S. fruticosa (36%) as compared to control. It is concluded that application of X. strumarium + S. baryosma phytopowders will be helpful for farmers to combat citrus canker

In-vitro Antagonistic Potential of Different Fungi Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Capsici

The current research was conducted in Lab. to assess an antagonistic effect of various fungi against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici. In the present research, each treatment (Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum and T. Koningii) with three concentrations viz.

Amino Acid Compositions of 27 Food Fishes and Their Importance in Clinical Nutrition

Proteins and amino acids are important biomolecules which regulate key metabolic pathways and serve as precursors for synthesis of biologically important substances; moreover, amino acids are building blocks of proteins. Fish is an important dietary source of quality animal proteins and amino acids and play important role in human nutrition. In the present investigation, crude protein content and amino acid compositions of important food fishes from different habitats have been studied. Crude protein content was determined by Kjeldahl method and amino acid composition was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and information on 27 food fishes was generated. The analysis showed that the cold water species are rich in lysine and aspartic acid, marine fishes in leucine, small indigenous fishes in histidine, and the carps and catfishes in glutamic acid and glycine. The enriched nutrition knowledge base would enhance the utility of fish as a source of quality animal proteins and amino acids and aid in their inclusion in dietary counseling and patient guidance for specific nutritional needs

Sustainable supply chain management towards disruption and organizational ambidexterity:A data driven analysis

Balancing sustainability and disruption of supply chains requires organizational ambidexterity. Sustainable supply chains prioritize efficiency and economies of scale and may not have sufficient redundancy to withstand disruptive events. There is a developing body of literature that attempts to reconcile these two aspects. This study gives a data-driven literature review of sustainable supply chain management trends toward ambidexterity and disruption. The critical review reveals temporal trends and geographic distribution of literature. A hybrid of data-driven analysis approach based on content and bibliometric analyses, fuzzy Delphi method, entropy weight method, and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory is used on 273 keywords and 22 indicators obtained based on the experts’ evaluation. The most important indicators are identified as supply chain agility, supply chain coordination, supply chain finance, supply chain flexibility, supply chain resilience, and sustainability. The regions show different tendencies compared with others. Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa are the regions needs improvement, while Europe and North America show distinct apprehensions on supply chain network design. The main contribution of this review is the identification of the knowledge frontier, which then leads to a discussion of prospects for future studies and practical industry implementation

Inducción de resistencia en garbanzo (Cicer arietinum L.) contra Ascochyta rabiei por la aplicación de productos químicos y extractos vegetales.

Since new fungicides are scarce in the market and because of environmental problems, researchers are now emphasizing other alternatives, such as the genetic potential of plants, resistance against pathogens, and the use of biotic and abiotic agents to develop induced or acquired resistance. We investigated the role of resistance-inducing substances (chemicals and plant extracts) in three chickpea cvs. C-44, Pb-91, and Bittle-98 in field experiments against Ascochyta blight disease. These cultivars were selected on the basis of better yield potential shown in previous experiments. Aqueous solution of salicylic acid (SA) at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM; acibenzolar-S-methyl (Bion®, ASM) at 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 mM; and KOH at 25, 50, and 75 mM were applied, whereas Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Datura metel L., and Allium sativum L. plant extracts were applied at 5, 10, and 15%. Disease reduction data was recorded at different intervals from 4 to 14 d after being induced and inoculated with the pathogen. Overall results revealed that significant disease reduction (79.3%) was provided by ASM in the cv. C-44 at 1.2 mM compared with SA, whereas the least significant was KOH. Maximum disease reduction (43.5%) against disease in the plant extracts was observed by applying A. indica leaf extract, but D. metel and A. sativum extracts were not effective. Our findings suggest that enhancing resistance before infecting chickpea plants could be an innovative control method for Ascochyta blight of chickpea.Debido a la escasez de nuevos fungicidas en el mercado y problemas ambientales, los investigadores están ahora enfatizando otras alternativas, tales como potencial genético de las plantas, resistencia contra patógenos y uso de agentes bióticos y abióticos para el desarrollo de resistencia inducida y adquirida. Investigamos el rol de sustancias inductoras de resistencia (químicos y extractos vegetales) en tres cultivares de garbanzo ‘C-44’, ‘Pb-91’, ‘Bittle-98’, en experimentos de campo contra tizón por Ascochyta. Estos cultivares se seleccionaron basado en el mejor potencial de rendimiento mostrado en experimentos previos. Solución acuosa de ácido salicílico (SA) a 0,5; 1,0; y 1,5 mM, acibenzolar-S-metil (Bion®) a 0,4; 0,8; y 1,2 mM y KOH a 25, 50, y 75 mM se aplicaron mientras los extractos vegetales de Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Datura metel L. y Allium sativum L. se aplicaron a 5, 10, y 15%. Datos de reducción en la enfermedad se registraron con diferentes intervalos desde 4 a 14 d después de inducción e inoculación con el patógeno. Los resultados revelaron que ASM 1,2 mM provocó una reducción significativa de la enfermedad (79,3%) en el cv. C-44 comparado con SA; sin embargo, la menor reducción fue observada para KOH. Entre los extractos vegetales, la máxima reducción de la enfermedad (43,5%) se observó con la aplicación de extracto foliar de A. indica y los extractos de D. metel y A. sativum no fueron efectivos para la reducción de la enfermedad. Los presentes hallazgos sugieren que el aumento de la resistencia antes de la infección de plantas de garbanzo pudo ser un método de control innovador para tizón del garbanzo por Ascochyta

Effect of Seasoning of Different Woods on Resistance against Odontotermes obesus (Ramb.) under Laboratory and Field Choice and No-Choice Tests

The effects of seasoning on resistance of sapwood and heartwood of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., Acacia nilotica Wild., and Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jacks against consumption by Odontotermes obesus (Ramb.) was evaluated in no-choice and choice laboratory and field experiments. Seasoning was done in an oven at 60, 80, and 100 °C for 10 and 15 days. The amount of wood consumed generally decreased as the drying temperature increased, indicating that the drying process contributed to termites’ resistance of the woods and made them unpalatable for the termites. The woods that were dried at 100 °C for 15 days showed a significant reduction in weight after the consumption by termites compared to the woods dried at 60 and 80 °C and control both in laboratory and field trials. Similarly, the wood that was dried at 100 °C for 15 days showed highest termite mortality rate in laboratory no choice and choice tests. Consequently, the termites showed maximum feeding propensity on unseasoned P. wallichiana and the minimum on seasoned D. sissoo measured with significant differences in weight loss and mortality. Based on the feeding indicated by wood weight loss, the descending order of preference was Dalbergia sissoo > Acacia nilotica > Pinus wallichiana. The importance of wood seasoning for termites’ resistance is also discussed

Salicylic acid and jasmonic acid can suppress green and blue moulds of citrus fruit and induce the activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase

The ability of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid to suppress post-harvest infection with green mould Penicillium digitatum and blue mould P. italicum on three citrus species Citrus reticulata ‘Kinnow’, C. limon ‘Meyer Lemon’, and C. limetta ‘Mosambi’ was evaluated in a dose-response study. Salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were applied to the fruits as a post-harvest dip treatment followed by wound inoculation with the pathogens. Both resistance inducers caused a significantly lower disease severity compared with the infected but non-treated control, whereas disease incidence was not significantly lower than in the control. The efficacy of both SA and JA in reducing disease severity was concentration-dependent; the use of higher concentrations resulted in a greater degree of suppression. All the Citrus species tested in this study showed different responses in terms of disease development. C. limon ‘Meyer Lemon’ showed the highest disease development, and C. limetta ‘Mosambi’ the lowest. To get an insight into the mechanisms underlying the increase in resistance, the activity of defence-related enzymes – peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) – was recorded in SA- and JA-treated fruit peelings. The activity of both enzymes was directly proportional to the concentration of the SA and JA applications. The highest activity of PPO and POD was observed in C. reticulata ‘Kinnow’ and the lowest in C. limon ‘Meyer Lemon’ fruits. This study is the first to document an increase in the activity of PPO and POD in SA- and JA-treated Citrus species in the presence of blue mould and green mould pathogens

Antagonistic Potential of N-acyl-homoserine Lactone Degrading Bacillus Species for Controlling Pectobacterium Based Infections in Potato

Interference with quorum sensing (QS) naturally through quorum quenching is an established bio-control approach. In the present study, quorum quenching strategy was employed against Pectobacterium atrosepticum causing blackleg disease of potato. N-acyl-homoserine lactone (NAHL) degrading bacteria were isolated from potato rhizosphere using serial dilutions on different growth mediums and their ability to degrade NAHLs was evaluated using Chromobacterium violaceum (CV026) and Agrobacterium tumefaciens (NTLR-4) biosensor strains. Six rhizospheric isolates, capable of degrading NAHLs extracted from Pectobacterium atrosepticum were molecularly identified as belonging to genus, Bacillus. NAHL degradation ability of all these 6 Bacillus strains was also assessed using plate streak and thin layer chromatography assays. Resultantly, these strains remarkably degraded both short and long chain synthetic NAHLs. Furthermore, these Bacillus species also acted as potential bio-control agents when co-inoculated under quorum quenching tuber assay and have shown effective results in reducing QSregulated soft rot tuber maceration in potatoes. Overall, all six Bacillus strains showed substantial capability in controlling Pectobacterium based infections through quenching of the NAHL signals; however, Bacillus cereus SSB1 was determined as the most efficient quencher strain. This work highlights a promising strategy for the bio-control and prevention of infectious plant diseases through quenching of the QS signals