Harnessing Hidden Hunger

32-35In spite of being one of the world’s largest food producers, India has the highest number of malnourished people in the world, accounting for one third of 2 billion people worldwide suffering from these deficits. The need of the hour is to work towards supplementing the Indian diet with adequate micronutrients in an affordable way to achieve health and prosperity for all. Reports of a looming global food crisis and high food prices have brought India also into the ring albeit this time the other way round, courtesy improved diet of Indians. The hunger in the country may have been reined in but we are still grappling with providing adequate nourishment for all. There is a huge difference between hunger (caloric intake of less than 2100 Kcal) and malnutrition (lack of essential nutrients)

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Not AvailableThe isolation of high-quality RNA from different tissues of mango (Mangifera indica L.) is relatively challenging due to the presence of interfering substances such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, and proteins. All these compounds render available isolation protocols useless by reducing the quality (purity and integrity) and quantity of the RNA that can be recovered. Several tissue-specific protocols for the isolation of RNA have been developed specifically for mango, however, they are cumbersome, expensive and time-consuming. To overcome these drawbacks, we have developed a comprehensive (CTAB-free, guanidine-free, and LiCl-free) RNA isolation protocol using SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) plus phenol which works well for most mango tissues such as leaves, flowers, and fruit, at different stages of development or ripening, as well as fruit peel and seed kernels.This rapid protocol allowed us to process large numbers of samples (12 – 15) simultaneously in a single day. Using this method, we obtained good quantity RNA (16 – 80 µg g–1 tissue) from various mango tissues at different stages of development. RNA isolated by this method was pure and amenable to various downstream molecular applications such as RT-PCR and the construction of a cDNA library.INSPIRE (DST

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Not AvailablePotassium fertilization is often ignored in cereal-based cropping systems assuming sufficient K reserves in the alluvial soils of north-western India. However, the responses to K have now widely reported due to continuous mining and little additions through external sources. Little known on the effects of integrated K management on soil biological properties and yield performance of corn grown in sequence with wheat. A field experiment was conducted during 2010-2012 to find out the performance of corn (Zea mays L.)–wheat (Triticum aestvum L. emend Fiori & Paol.) cropping system with K fertilization through muriate of potash and farmyard manure (FYM) at New Delhi, India. The experiment was laid out in the randomized block design with seven treatments replicated thrice. Results revealed that treatment applied with 90 kg K supplemented 60 kg K through MOP and 30 Kg K through FYM significantly increase grain yield (100.9% and 99.3%) and stover yield (45.8% and 33.6%) during 2010 and 2011 respectively in the corn crop. A positive correlation observed between yield and soil biological properties, viz., bacterial population, actinomycetes, cellulose degrading bacteria, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria, potassium solubilizing bacteria, dehydrogenase activity, phosphatase activity, fluorescein diacetate and β-glucosidase. It concluded that application of FYM could be an alternative option for sustainable management of agricultural land and restore its fertility compared to the use of K fertilizers.Not Availabl

Effect of Integrated Potassium Management on Soil Biological Properties and Yields of Corn under Corn-Wheat Cropping System

PhD thesisPotassium fertilization is often ignored in cereal-based cropping systems assuming sufficient K reserves in the alluvial soils of north-western India. However, the responses to K have now widely reported due to continuous mining and little additions through external sources. Little known on the effects of integrated K management on soil biological properties and yield performance of corn grown in sequence with wheat. A field experiment was conducted during 2010-2012 to find out the performance of corn (Zea mays L.)–wheat (Triticum aestvum L. emend Fiori & Paol.) cropping system with K fertilization through muriate of potash and farmyard manure (FYM) at New Delhi, India. The experiment was laid out in the randomized block design with seven treatments replicated thrice. Results revealed that treatment applied with 90 kg K supplemented 60 kg K through MOP and 30 Kg K through FYM significantly increase grain yield (100.9% and 99.3%) and stover yield (45.8% and 33.6%) during 2010 and 2011 respectively in the corn crop. A positive correlation observed between yield and soil biological properties, viz., bacterial population, actinomycetes, cellulose degrading bacteria, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria, potassium solubilizing bacteria, dehydrogenase activity, phosphatase activity, fluorescein diacetate and β-glucosidase. It concluded that application of FYM could be an alternative option for sustainable management of agricultural land and restore its fertility compared to the use of K fertilizers

Integrated K Management Exhibit a Key Role in Potassium Uptake Transporter (ZmKUP) Expression to Improve Growth and Yield of Corn

PhD thesisPotassium contributes significantly to growth, development, yield, and quality of the crop plants. Application of unbalanced potassium fertilization leads to low productivity and quality of cereals and other crops. Hence, there is an urgent demand to find out the balanced source of potassium fertilizer through utilization of nutrient management approaches. In the current study, we applied farmyard manure (FYM) as an alternative source of potassium fertilization, combination of FYM and muriate of potash (MOP) to show their role on growth, development, yield. Expression study of potassium transporter in corn (PEHM2 variety) also carried out. A field experiment was carried out using 0, 60, 90 kg K/ha through MOP, FYM and their combinations in corn-wheat cropping system during two consecutive years 2010-11 and 2011-12. Results showed that potassium fertilization played a significant role in the enhancement in growth and development of shoot as well as root. The high expression of ZmKUP gene, associated with translocation of potassium in plants with fertilization of potassium resulted in an improvement in growth and yield which further leads to an increase in yield of corn. Application of MOP and FYM both as potassium fertilizer showed a significant improvement in growth and yield of corn through an enhancement of ZmKUP expression. So, here we are showing that FYM as an alternative source of potassium fertilization as a suitable option for sustainable yield

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Not AvailablePotassium contributes significantly to growth, development, yield, and quality of the crop plants. Application of unbalanced potassium fertilization leads to low productivity and quality of cereals and other crops. Hence, there is an urgent demand to find out the balanced source of potassium fertilizer through utilization of nutrient management approaches. In the current study, we applied farmyard manure (FYM) as an alternative source of potassium fertilization, combination of FYM and muriate of potash (MOP) to show their role on growth, development, yield. Expression study of potassium transporter in corn (PEHM2 variety) also carried out. A field experiment was carried out using 0, 60, 90 kg K/ha through MOP, FYM and their combinations in corn-wheat cropping system during two consecutive years 2010-11 and 2011-12. Results showed that potassium fertilization played a significant role in the enhancement in growth and development of shoot as well as root. The high expression of ZmKUP gene, associated with translocation of potassium in plants with fertilization of potassium resulted in an improvement in growth and yield which further leads to an increase in yield of corn. Application of MOP and FYM both as potassium fertilizer showed a significant improvement in growth and yield of corn through an enhancement of ZmKUP expression. So, here we are showing that FYM as an alternative source of potassium fertilization as a suitable option for sustainable yield.Not Availabl