Evaluation and Multivariate Analysis of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] Germplasm for Selected Nutrients—Mining for Nutri-Dense Accessions

A total of 120 highly diverse cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] genotypes, including indigenous and exotic lines, were evaluated for different biochemical traits using AOAC official methods of analysis and other standard methods. The results exhibited wide variability in the content of proteins (ranging from 19.4 to 27.9%), starch (from 27.5 to 42.7 g 100 g−1), amylose (from 9.65 to 21.7 g 100 g−1), TDF (from 13.7 to 21.1 g 100 g−1), and TSS (from 1.30 to 8.73 g 100 g−1). The concentration of anti-nutritional compounds like phenols and phytic acid ranged from 0.026 to 0.832 g 100 g−1 and 0.690 to 1.88 g 100 g−1, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the traits was calculated to understand the inter-trait relationship. Multivariate analysis (PCA and HCA) was performed to identify the major traits contributing to variability and group accessions with a similar profile. The first three principal components, i.e., PC1, PC2, and PC3, contributed to 62.7% of the variation, where maximum loadings were from starch, followed by protein, phytic acid, and dietary fiber. HCA formed six distinct clusters at a squared Euclidean distance of 5. Accessions in cluster I had high TDF and low TSS content, while cluster II was characterized by low amylose content. Accessions in cluster III had high starch, low protein, and phytic acid, whereas accessions in cluster IV contained high TSS, phenol, and low phytic acid. Cluster V was characterized by high protein, phytic acid, TSS, and phenol content and low starch content, and cluster VI had a high amount of amylose and low phenol content. Some nutri-dense accessions were identified from the above-mentioned clusters, such as EC169879 and IC201086 with high protein (>27%), TSS, amylose, and TDF content. These compositions are promising to provide practical support for developing high-value food and feed varieties using effective breeding strategies with a higher economic value

Strategies for identifying stable lentil cultivars (Lens culinaris Medik) for combating hidden hunger, malnourishment, and climate variability

Iron and zinc malnutrition is a global humanitarian concern that mostly affects newborns, children, and women in low- and middle-income countries where plant-based diets are regularly consumed. This kind of malnutrition has the potential to result in a number of immediate and long-term implications, including stunted growth, an elevated risk of infectious diseases, and poor development, all of which may ultimately cause children to not develop to the fullest extent possible. A determination of the contributions from genotype, environment, and genotype by environment interactions is necessary for the production of nutrient-dense lentil varieties that offer greater availability of iron and zinc with a high level of trait stability. Understanding the genotype and environmental parameters that affect G x E (Genotype x Environment) interactions is essential for plant breeding. We used GGE(Genotype, Genotype x Environment interactions) and AMMI (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction) models to study genetic stability and GE(Genotype x Environment interactions) for grain Fe, Zn, Al, and anti-nutritional factors like phytic acid content in sixteen commercially produced lentil cultivars over several different six geographical locations across India. Significant genetic variability was evident in the Fe and Zn levels of different genotypes of lentils. The amounts of grain iron, zinc, and phytic acid varied from 114.10 to 49.90 mg/kg, 74.62 to 21.90 mg/kg, and 0.76 to 2.84 g/100g (dw) respectively. The environment and GE (Genotype x Environment interactions) had an impact on the concentration of grain Fe, Zn, and phytic acid (PA). Heritability estimations ranged from low to high (53.18% to 99.48%). The study indicated strong correlation between the contents of Fe and Zn, a strategy for simultaneously increasing Fe and Zn in lentils may be recommended. In addition, our research revealed that the stable and ideal lentil varieties L4076 (Pusa Shivalik) for Fe concentration and L4717 (Pusa Ageti) for Zn content, which have lower phytic acid contents, will not only play an essential role as stable donors in the lentil bio-fortification but will also enable the expansion of the growing area of bio-fortified crops for the security of health and nutrition

Development and optimization of NIRS prediction models for simultaneous multi-trait assessment in diverse cowpea germplasm

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one such legume that can facilitate achieving sustainable nutrition and climate change goals. Assessing nutritional traits conventionally can be laborious and time-consuming. NIRS is a technique used to rapidly determine biochemical parameters for large germplasm. NIRS prediction models were developed to assess protein, starch, TDF, phenols, and phytic acid based on MPLS regression. Higher RSQexternal values such as 0.903, 0.997, 0.901, 0.706, and 0.955 were obtained for protein, starch, TDF, phenols, and phytic acid respectively. Models for all the traits displayed RPD values of >2.5 except phenols and low SEP indicating the excellent prediction of models. For all the traits worked, p-value ≥ 0.05 implied the accuracy and reliability score >0.8 (except phenol) ensured the applicability of the models. These prediction models will facilitate high throughput screening of large cowpea germplasm in a non-destructive way and the selection of desirable chemotypes in any genetic background with huge application in cowpea crop improvement programs across the world

Morpho-biochemical characterization of a RIL population for seed parameters and identification of candidate genes regulating seed size trait in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

The seed size and shape in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) are important quality traits as these influences the milled grain yield, cooking time, and market class of the grains. Linkage analysis was done for seed size in a RIL (F5:6) population derived by crossing L830 (20.9 g/1000 seeds) with L4602 (42.13 g/1000 seeds) which consisted of 188 lines (15.0 to 40.5 g/1000 seeds). Parental polymorphism survey using 394 SSRs identified 31 polymorphic primers, which were used for the bulked segregant analysis (BSA). Marker PBALC449 differentiated the parents and small seed size bulk only, whereas large seeded bulk or the individual plants constituting the large-seeded bulk could not be differentiated. Single plant analysis identified only six recombinant and 13 heterozygotes, of 93 small-seeded RILs (<24.0 g/1000 seed). This clearly showed that the small seed size trait is very strongly regulated by the locus near PBLAC449; whereas, large seed size trait seems governed by more than one locus. The PCR amplified products from the PBLAC449 marker (149bp from L4602 and 131bp from L830) were cloned, sequenced and BLAST searched using the lentil reference genome and was found amplified from chromosome 03. Afterward, the nearby region on chromosome 3 was searched, and a few candidate genes like ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase, E3 ubiquitin ligase, TIFY-like protein, and hexosyltransferase having a role in seed size determination were identified. Validation study in another RIL mapping population which is differing for seed size, showed a number of SNPs and InDels among these genes when studied using whole genome resequencing (WGRS) approach. Biochemical parameters like cellulose, lignin, and xylose content showed no significant differences between parents and the extreme RILs, at maturity. Various seed morphological traits like area, length, width, compactness, volume, perimeter, etc., when measured using VideometerLab 4.0 showed significant differences for the parents and RILs. The results have ultimately helped in better understanding the region regulating the seed size trait in genomically less explored crops like lentils

महिषासुर: मिथक व परंपराएं

इक्कसवीं सदी के दूसरे दशक में भारत में महिषासुर आंदोलन द्विज संस्कृति के लिए चुनौती बनकर उभरा। इसके माध्यम से आदिवासियों, पिछड़ों और दलितों के एक बड़े हिस्से ने अपनी सांस्कृतिक दावेदारी पेश की। लेकिन यह आंदोलन क्या है, इसकी जड़ें समाज में कहां तक फैली हैं, बहुजनों की सांस्कृतिक परंपरा में इसका क्या स्थान है, मौजूदा लोक-जीवन में महिषासुर की उपस्थिति किन-किन रूपों में है, इसके पुरातात्विक साक्ष्य क्या हैं? गीतों-कविताओं व नाटकों में महिषासुर किस रूप में याद किए जा रहे हैं और अकादमिक-बौद्धिक वर्ग को इस आंदोलन ने किस रूप में प्रभावित किया है, उनकी प्रतिक्रियाएं क्या हैं? आदि प्रश्नों पर विमर्श हमें एक ऐसी बौद्धिक यात्रा की ओर ले जाने में सक्षम हैं, जिससे हममें अधिकांश अभी तक अपरिचित रहे हैं। क्या महिषासुर दक्षिण एशिया के अनार्यों के पूर्वज थे, जो बाद में एक मिथकीय चरित्र बन कर बहुजन संस्कृति के प्रतीक पुरुष बन गए? क्या यह बहुत बाद की परिघटना है, जब माकण्डेय पुराण, दुर्गासप्तशती जैसे ग्रंथ रच कर, एक कपोल-कल्पित देवी के हाथों महिषासुर की हत्या की कहानी गढ़ी गई? इस आंदोलन की सैद्धांतिकी क्या है? प्रमोद रंजन द्वारा संपादित किताब “महिषासुर: मिथक व परंपराएं” में लेखकों ने उपरोक्त प्रश्नों पर विचार किया है तथा विलुप्ति के कगार पर खड़े असुर समुदाय का विस्तृत नृवंशशास्त्रीय अध्ययन भी प्रस्तुत किया है। इस पुस्तक में समकालीन भारतीय साहित्य में महिषासुर पर लिखी गई कविताओं व गीतों का प्रतिनिधि संकलन भी है तथा महिषासुर की बहुजन कथा पर आधारित एक नाटक भी प्रकाशित है। समाज-विज्ञान व सांस्कृतिक विमर्श के अध्येताओं, सामाजिक-राजनीतिक कार्यकर्ताओं, साहित्य प्रेमियों के लिए यह एक आवश्यक पुस्तक है

Early versus delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy for Indian HIV-Infected individuals with tuberculosis on antituberculosis treatment

BACKGROUND: For antiretroviral therapy (ART) naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults suffering from tuberculosis (TB), there is uncertainty about the optimal time to initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after starting antituberculosis treatment (ATT), in order to minimize mortality, HIV disease progression, and adverse events. METHODS: In a randomized, open label trial at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, eligible HIV positive individuals with a diagnosis of TB were randomly assigned to receive HAART after 2-4 or 8-12 weeks of starting ATT, and were followed for 12 months after HAART initiation. Participants received directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) for TB, and an antiretroviral regimen comprising stavudine or zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz. Primary end points were death from any cause, and progression of HIV disease marked by failure of ART. FINDINGS: A total of 150 patients with HIV and TB were initiated on HAART: 88 received it after 2-4 weeks (early ART) and 62 after 8-12 weeks (delayed ART) of starting ATT. There was no significant difference in mortality between the groups after the introduction of HAART. However, incidence of ART failure was 31% in delayed versus 16% in early ART arm (p = 0.045). Kaplan Meier disease progression free survival at 12 months was 79% for early versus 64% for the delayed ART arm (p = 0.05). Rates of adverse events were similar. INTERPRETATION: Early initiation of HAART for patients with HIV and TB significantly decreases incidence of HIV disease progression and has good tolerability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI/2011/12/00226

Genetic variation among species, races, forms and inbred lines of lac insects belonging to the genus Kerria (Homoptera, Tachardiidae)

The lac insects (Homoptera: Tachardiidae), belonging to the genus Kerria, are commercially exploited for the production of lac. Kerria lacca is the most commonly used species in India. RAPD markers were used for assessing genetic variation in forty-eight lines of Kerria, especially among geographic races, infrasubspecific forms, cultivated lines, inbred lines, etc., of K. lacca. In the 48 lines studied, the 26 RAPD primers generated 173 loci, showing 97.7% polymorphism. By using neighbor-joining, the dendrogram generated from the similarity matrix resolved the lines into basically two clusters and outgroups. The major cluster, comprising 32 lines, included mainly cultivated lines of the rangeeni form, geographic races and inbred lines of K. lacca. The second cluster consisted of eight lines of K. lacca, seven of the kusmi form and one of the rangeeni from the southern state of Karnataka. The remaining eight lines formed a series of outgroups, this including a group of three yellow mutant lines of K. lacca and other species of the Kerria studied, among others. Color mutants always showed distinctive banding patterns compared to their wild-type counterparts from the same population. This study also adds support to the current status of kusmi and rangeeni, as infraspecific forms of K. lacca

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in root s(NN)=2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as nu(ch)(2) (jet). Jet finding is performed employing the anti-k(T) algorithm with a resolution parameter R = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero nu(ch)(2) (jet) is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50% centrality) for 20 <p(T)(ch) (jet) <90 GeV/c. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the nu(2) of single charged particles at high p(T). Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe

Forward-central two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between trigger particles in the forward pseudorapidity range (2.5 2GeV/c. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B. V.Peer reviewe