Genomic tools in pearl millet breeding for drought tolerance:Status and prospects

Pearl millet (Penisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.) is a hardy cereal crop grown in the arid and semiarid tropics where other cereals are likely to fail to produce economic yields due to drought and heat stresses. Adaptive evolution, a form of natural selection shaped the crop to grow and yield satisfactorily with limited moisture supply or under periodic water deficits in the soil. Drought tolerance is a complex polygenic trait that various morphological and physiological responses are controlled by hundreds of genes and significantly influenced by the environment. The development of genomic tools will have enormous potential to improve the efficiency and precision of conventional breeding. The apparent independent domestication events, highly outcrossing nature and traditional cultivation in stressful environments maintained tremendous amount of polymorphism in pearl millet. This high polymorphism of the crop has been revealed by genome mapping that in turn stimulated the mapping and tagging of genomic regions controlling important traits such as drought tolerance. Mapping of a major QTL for terminal drought tolerance in independent populations envisaged the prospect for the development of molecular breeding in pearl millet. To accelerate genetic gains for drought tolerance targeted novel approaches such as establishment of marker-trait associations, genomic selection tools, genome sequence and genotyping-by-sequencing are still limited. Development and application of high throughput genomic tools need to be intensified to improve the breeding efficiency of pearl millet to minimize the impact of climate change on its production

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Application Effects on Pearl Millet Forage Yield and Nutritive Value

There is limited information on the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer requirement of pearl millet forage in dryland systems. Determination of optimum N and P rates for pearl millet forage production in dryland environments of the Great Plains will have economic advantage for farmers and ranchers growing pearl millet for forage. A field experiment was conducted in 2016 at the Agricultural Research Center-Hays, KS, to investigate N and P fertilizer application effects on forage yield and nutritive value of pearl millet. Factorial combinations of five levels of N (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 lb/a) and three levels of P (0, 15, and 30 lb/a) were evaluated in randomized complete block design with four replications. A forage-hybrid cultivar, TifLeaf 3, released by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) unit at the University of Georgia (Tifton, GA) was used for the experiment. The seed was drilled in six rows at 15 lb/a in individual plot sizes of 5 ft wide × 30 ft long. The results indicate that N fertilizer application increased forage yield, crude protein content, and in vitro dry matter digestibility. Although increase in N rate increased the protein content and digestibility of the forage, this single season on-station experiment indicates that N rate of 30 lb/a is adequate for pearl millet forage production under rain-fed conditions. Application of P fertilizer had no effect on forage yield. However, applying 15 lb P/a did increase in vitro dry matter digestibility compared to the check treatment

Studi Eksperimen Runup Gelombang pada Seawall dengan Unit Lapis Lindung BPPT-Lock

Seawall merupakan salah satu bentuk konstruksi pelindung pantai yang berfungsi mencegah limpasan gelombang ke darat. Gelombang yang menghantam suatu bangunan akan naik pada permukaan bangunan (runup). Sehingga runup gelombang sangat penting dalam perencanaan sebuah bangunan pantai. Dalam penelitian ini dilakukan analisa runup gelombang pada pemodelan fisik seawall dengan variasi tinggi gelombang, periode gelombang dan sudut kemiringan struktur pelindung. BPPT-lock digunakan sebagai unit lapis lindung dengan pertimbangan kekuatan struktur lebih unggul dibanding dengan unit lapis lindung yang sudah ada serta dapat dipasang dengan pengaturan sederhana. Dari eksperimen yang telah dilakukan, nilai runup dari ketiga variasi kemiringan menunjukkan bahwa semakin kecil kemiringan struktur (curam) maka semakin besar nilai runup gelombangnya dan semakin besar kemiringan struktur (landai) maka semakin kecil nilai runup gelombangnya. Nilai runup gelombang pada kemiringan 1:1,15 yaitu 0,209 m dan pada kemiringan 1:2 yaitu 0,172 m. Semakin besar tinggi gelombang (H) dan periode gelombang (T) maka semakin besar pula runup gelombang yang terjadi. Nilai runup gelombang terkecil pada kemiringan 1:1,15 dengan Hs=0,064 m dan Tp=1,55 detik yaitu 0,1 meter. Sedangkan nilai runup gelombang terbesar pada Hs=0,148 m dan Tp= 1,56 detik yaitu 0,209 meter. ================================================================= Seawall is one form of coastal protection stucture that prevents overtopping of waves to land. Waves that hit a building will rise on the surface of the building (runup). So the wave runup is very important in the planning of a coastal structure. In this research, wave run up analysis on physical seawall modeling with wave height variation, wave period and slope of coastal protection structure. BPPT-lock is used as a armored layer unit with the consideration of structural strength is superior to existing protective units and can be installed in simple settings. From the experiments that have been done, runup value of the three variations of the slope indicates that if the slope of the structure is smaller (steeper) then the wave runup value is greater and if the slope of the structure is greater(ramps) then the wave runup value is smaller. The value of wave runup at the slope of 1: 1.15 is 0.209 m and at the slope of 1: 2 is 0.172 m. If wave height (H) and wave period (T) are greater then the wave runup value is greater. The smallest wave runup value at the slope of 1: 1.15 with Hs = 0.064 m and Tp = 1.55 seconds is 0.1 meters. While the largest wave runup value at Hs = 0.148 m and Tp = 1.56 seconds is 0.209 meters

Production of Aspergillus oryzae RCAM 01133 biomass with increased protein and polysaccharides content using by-products of food industry

The biomass of filamentous fungi is a promising source of protein and carbohydrate. It can be used as an unconventional substrate in technologies for obtaining food and feed ingredients. The studies show that the fungus Aspergillus oryzae synthesizes an insufficient level of protein in the process of solid-state fermentation. The aim of the research was to develop conditions for the production of fungal biomass with a high content of protein and polysaccharides on the basis of solid-state fermentation using by-products of food industry as inexpensive substrate for biomass production. Wheat bran, soybean meal, distilled dry grains with solubles, and brewer’s spent grain were used as raw material. Results of fermentation show that the protein content was 73.4% and 82.0%, which is more than 3 times higher than in fungus grown by submerged fermentation. The studies of the biosynthesis properties of the selected strain A. oryzae RCAM 01133 confirmed the high biological value of microbial biomass cultivated using food by-products. Fermentation of micromycete on culture media containing soybean meal and DDGS provided an increase of protein content by 1.45 times. Maximum increase of amino acids was observed for isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan, and glutamic acid. The increased content of synthesized polysaccharides related to media containing wheat bran and DDGS. The highest concentrations of polysaccharides were 27.9% and 32.9%, respectively

Involvement of the epidermal growth factor receptor in the modulation of multidrug resistance in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a molecular complex tumor with high intrinsic drug resistance. Recent evidence suggests an involvement of the tyrosine kinase pathway in the regulation of ATP-binding cassette protein (ABC-transport protein) mediated multidrug resistance in cancer cells. The aim of this study was to examine whether EGFR inhibition sensitizes HCCs to chemotherapy and to elucidate its mechanism.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Chemotherapeutic treatment induces multidrug resistance and significantly increases ABC-transport protein expression and function in a time- and dose-dependent manner in HCC cells. Furthermore, cytostatic treatment increases the mRNA expression of tyrosine kinases and induces the phosphorylation of ERK. EGF activation of the tyrosine kinase pathway up-regulated the ABC-transport protein mRNA expression and enhanced the survival of resistant HCC cells. Consistent with these effects, inhibition of the EGFR using siRNA decreased the ABC-transport protein mRNA expression and inhibited the proliferation of resistant cells. Additional treatment with Gefitinib, a clinically approved EGFR inhibitor, caused a dose-dependent reversal of resistance to conventional chemotherapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study demonstrates that the multidrug resistance of HCC is modulated through the EGF-activated tyrosine kinase cascade. Consequentially, the restoration of chemosensitivity by EGFR inhibition may lead towards new tailored therapies in patients with highly resistant tumors.</p

Posttraumatic stress disorder intervention for people with severe mental illness in a low-income country primary care setting:a randomized feasibility trial protocol

Background: In this protocol, we outline a mixed-methods randomized feasibility trial of Brief Relaxation, Education and Trauma Healing (BREATHE) Ethiopia. BREATHE Ethiopia is a culturally and contextually adapted intervention for PTSD in participants with severe mental illness. BREATHE Ethiopia maps onto the World Health Organization’s guidelines for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment in low- and middle-income country primary care settings. Methods: Specifically, this study includes a non-randomized pre-pilot (n = 5) and a randomized feasibility trial comparing BREATHE Ethiopia to Treatment as Usual (n = 40) to assess trial procedures, acceptability, and feasibility of intervention delivery, and investigate potential effectiveness and implementation. In a process evaluation, we will collect data that will be critical for a future fully randomized controlled trial, including the numbers of participants who are eligible, who consent, who engage in treatment, and who complete the assessments, as well as the feasibility and acceptability of assessments and the intervention. Qualitative data on facilitators and barriers to intervention delivery and quantitative data on provider fidelity to the intervention and participant and provider satisfaction will also be collected. Quantitative assessments at baseline, post-treatment, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up will assess change in mental health symptoms and functional impairment and hypothesized intervention mechanisms, including knowledge about PTSD, stigma, trauma-related cognitions, and physiological arousal. Discussion: Findings from this study will inform a future fully-powered randomized controlled trial, and if found to be effective, the intervention has the potential to be integrated into mental healthcare scale-up efforts in other low-resource settings. Trial registration: Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04385498) first posted May 13th, 2020; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04385498?term=ethiopia&amp;cond=PTSD&amp;draw=2&amp;rank=1

Sugarcane Aphid Resistance in Pearl Millet

Sugarcane aphid, (Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)) has become an important pest of sorghum in the US. This recent invasion is assumed to be either as a result of a host shift from sugarcane in the south or introduction of a special­ized strain from tropical Africa. If host shift happened through adaptive change to infest sorghum, other closely related species such as pearl millet are in danger from this voracious pest. The resistance level of pearl millet genotypes representing A-, B-, R-lines and germplasm were evaluated under climate-controlled growth chamber along with resistant and susceptible sorghum hybrids. Ten plants of the genotypes were planted in a row in a tray per replicate. Cuttings infested with a stock colony of aphids maintained on the susceptible sorghum line were evenly distributed across the soil in each tray to ascend the plants at will. The damage was scored two times (5 and 8 days after infesta­tion) using a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = no visible damage, 9 = dead). The statistical analysis of data found that there are significant differences among genotypes for aphid feeding damage. However, none of the pearl millet genotypes were affected to the level of susceptible sorghum. Four genotypes of pearl millet had resistance levels similar to the resistant sorghum. No statistical differences were observed among the A, B, and R-lines and the germplasm—implying that the cytoplasmic male-sterility system, nuclear restorer gene, and sterility maintainer counterparts have no impact on SCA resistance and susceptibility in pearl millet

Hak Politik Mantan Narapidana Untuk Mencalonkan Diri Sebagai Calon Kepala Daerah (Analisis terhadap Putusan MK. No. 42/PUU-XIII/2015)

This article discusses the political rights of former inmates to run for candidates for a mayor. This article is the result of an analysis of the decision of the Constitutional Court. No. 42/PUU-XIII/2015 which gives political rights to former inmates to run for a mayor candidate. Basic consideration (ratio decidendi) of the decision of the Constitutional Court namely; the right to vote and to be elected by a person can only be withdrawn on the basis of a court decision not in accordance with the provisions of law; a person who has served the sentence and left the prison is essentially a person who has repented and regrets his actions, so it is not appropriate to be given further punishment through the provisions of the law which prohibite the candidacy in the election of regional head. On that basis, the Constitutional Court granted the right to former inmates to run for regional heads. The Constitutional Court ruling has a legal effect on former prisoners who were previously not allowed to run for regional head candidates. Following the verdict of the Constitutional Court the right of prisoners has the same right to run in elections