BIPLOT ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF SUPERIOR GENOTYPES IN A RECOMBINANT INBRED POPULATION OF WHEAT UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS

Physiological traits of wheat genotypes and their trait relation to drought conditions are important to identify the genotype in target environments. Thus, genotype selection should be based on multiple physiological traits in variable environments within the target region. This study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University during rabi crop seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14 to study the recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of wheat genotypes derived from traditional landraces and modern cultivars (C518/2*PBW343) based on various morpho-physiological traits. A total of 175 RILs were selected for this study based on various tolerance indices. The genotype by trait (GT) biplot analysis was applied to data from seven high-yielding RILs grown under irrigated (E1) and rainfed environments (E2). The GGE biplot explained 100% of the total variation for chlorophyll content, grain filling period, peduncle length, water-soluble carbohydrates, grain number, grain yield, and 95.1% for canopy temperature, 94.9% for thousand-grain weight. GT-biplots indicated that the relationships among the studied traits were not consistent across environments, but they facilitated visual genotype comparisons and selection in each environment. RIL 84 and RIL108 were close to the average environment (ideal genotype) for all traits studied except chlorophyll content. A well-performing genotype with great environmental stability is called an "ideal genotype. Among all entries, these genotypes performed well. Therefore, among the traits studied, grain filling period, peduncle length, canopy temperature, water soluble carbohydrates, and 1000 grain weight contributed to grain yield under a stress environment. Furthermore, it may be used as a donor material in breeding programs and QTLs mapping

Impact of Janani Suraksha Yojana on institutional delivery rate, incidence of rupture uterus and feto-maternal outcome related to uterine rupture

Background: To study the impact of janani suraksha yojana (JSY) on institutional delivery rate, incidence of rupture uterus in pregnant women, maternal and fetal mortality rate related to rupture uterus.Methods: 33 cases of rupture uterus which occurred before -implementation of JSY in our hospital in one year duration i.e Jan 2007-Dec 2007 (group 1) were studied and compared with 41 cases which occurred after implentation of JSY in one year i.e. July 2014-Jun 2015 (group 2). This is a retrospective observational study. Information were collected regarding number of institutional deliveries, incidence of rupture uterus ,previous history of unscarred and scarred uterus, maternal and fetal mortality rate related to uterine rupture.Results: there was 125% proportional increase in the institutional deliveries, significant decrease in the incidence of rupture uterus (Z=2.5963, P<0.05) and maternal mortatility (Chisquare at 1 df=4.326, P<0.05) after implementation of JSY.Conclusions: JSY is working excellently and need to be extended until we achieve the goal of 100% institutional deliveries and 0 % maternal mortality rate related to rupture uterus

Knockdown of Aminopeptidase-N from Helicoverpa armigera Larvae and in Transfected Sf21 Cells by RNA Interference Reveals Its Functional Interaction with Bacillus thuringiensis Insecticidal Protein Cry1Ac

Aminopeptidase-N (APN) and cadherin proteins located at the midgut epithelium of Helicoverpa armigera have been implicated as receptors for the Cry1A subfamily of insecticidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis. Ligand blot analysis with heterologously expressed and purified H. armigera Bt receptor with three closely related Cry1A proteins tentatively identified HaAPN1 as an interacting ligand. However, to date there is no direct evidence of APN being a functional receptor to Cry1Ac in H. armigera. Sf21 insect cells expressing HaAPN1 displayed aberrant cell morphology upon overlaying with Cry1Ac protein. Down-regulating expression of HaAPN1 by RNA interference using double-stranded RNA correlated with a corresponding reduction in the sensitivity of HaAPN1-expressing cells to Cry1Ac protein. This clearly establishes that insect cells expressing the receptor recruit sensitivity to the insecticidal protein Cry1Ac, and their susceptibility is directly dependent on the amount of HaAPN1 protein expressed. Most importantly, silencing of HaAPN1 in H. armigera in vivo by RNA interference resulted in reduced transcript levels and a corresponding decrease in the susceptibility of larvae to Cry1Ac. BIAcore analysis of HaAPN1/Cry1Ac interaction further established HaAPN1 as a ligand for Cry1Ac. This is the first functional demonstration of insect aminopeptidase-N of H. armigera being a receptor of Cry1Ac protein of B. thuringiensis

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Crop Yields in Different Agro-climatic Zones of India

The study attempts to estimate and predict climate impact on crop yields using future temperature projections under two climate emissions scenarios of RCP 4.5 and 8.5 for three different time periods (2030s, 2050s and 2080s) across Agro-climatic zones (ACZ) of India. During the period 1966-2011, a significant rise was observed in both the annual mean maximum and minimum temperature across ACZs. Rainfall recorded an annual decline in Himalayan Regions and Gangetic Plains and a rise in Coastal Regions, Plateau & Hills and Western Dry Region. Our results showed high heterogeneity in climate impact on kharif and rabi crop yields (with both negative and positive estimates) across ACZs. It was found that rainfall had a positive effect on most of crop yields, but was not sufficient enough to counterbalance the impact of temperature. Changes in crop yield were more pronounced for higher emission scenario of RCP 8.5. Thus, it was evident that the relative impacts of climate change and the associated vulnerability vary by ACZs, hence comprehensive crop and region-specific adaptation measures should be emphasized that helps in enhancing resilience of agricultural system in short to medium term

Dynamics of socio-economic factors affecting climate vulnerability and technology adoption: Evidence from Jodhpur district of Rajasthan

Climate change and extreme weather fluctuations are the most threatening challenges to the farming communities especially in semi-arid tropics. The paper investigates socio-economic factors affecting vulnerability and adoption of innovations using micro-level survey data of 100 systematically selected farmers in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India. The results reveal that higher income, irrigation and provision of seeds reduce climate vulnerability to a great extent. Several farm level strategies have been adopted by the farmers against climate induced stress, including change in cropping pattern, reduction in irrigation usage, use of drips and sprinklers and water conservation. In case of pearl millet cropping system, we found that adoption of wide row spacing is significantly influenced by the level of the farmer’s education, land size category, climate awareness and trainings programs. The study suggests that diversified crop sequence involving pearl millet-wheat-cluster bean-barley-onion, farmers’ adoption of suitable adaptation strategies and climate resilient technologies will improve with better awareness, education and farm governance with regard to climate change. Moreover, technologies especially indigenous ones suitable to the local contextual needs must be developed or fine-tuned and disseminated for reducing climate-induced vulnerability

Elevated sea surface temperature during May 2010 induces mass bleaching of corals in the Andaman

Increasing sea surface temperature (SST) and its consequences on marine ecosystems are widely discussed. Andaman Sea witnessed a few bleaching events during 1998, 2002 and 2005. The present study was taken up to assess the extent of bleaching during 2010 in selected reef sites in the Andaman through line intercept transect survey. It was found that the fully bleached corals as a percentage of total coral cover were maximum at Havelock Island (69.49), followed by South Button Island (67.28), Nicolson Island (56.45), Red Skin Island (43.39), North Bay (41.65) and Chidiyatapu (36.54). Branching corals were the worst affected, whereas the massive corals were found to have relatively withstood the elevated SST. The status of reefs and the variability in bleaching with the progression of SST with respect to different coral species are discussed

Peristaltic Pumping of Blood Through Small Vessels of Varying Cross-section

The paper is devoted to a study of the peristaltic motion of blood in the micro-circulatory system. The vessel is considered to be of varying cross-section. The progressive peristaltic waves are taken to be of sinusoidal nature. Blood is considered to be a Herschel-Bulkley fluid. Of particular concern here is to investigate the effects of amplitude ratio, mean pressure gradient, yield stress and the power law index on the velocity distribution, streamline pattern and wall shear stress. On the basis of the derived analytical expression, extensive numerical calculations have been made. The study reveals that velocity of blood and wall shear stress are appreciably affected due to the non-uniform geometry of blood vessels. They are also highly sensitive to the magnitude of the amplitude ratio and the value of the fluid index.Comment: Accepted for publication in ASME journal of Applied Mechanics. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1108.1285v

Grassroots farmers’ perceptions on climate change and adaptation in arid region of Rajasthan

473-478Understanding farmers’ perspectives to climate change and adaptation is essential in designing effective and informed strategies to combat the associated vulnerability. The study assessed farmers’ perceptions to changing climatic conditions, their impacts, adaptation measures and constraints to adaptation in Bikaner district of Rajasthan. Our results showed that farmers perceived change in the distribution of rainfall, rise in temperature, increase in frequency of heat waves and droughts in the region. Further, degradation of common property resources, uncertainty in crop yields, increased soil salinity, farm unemployment and reduction in consumption were some of the potential non-climatic impacts as perceived by the farmers. As climate adaptation measures, farmers resorted to disease/heat tolerant varieties, plant protection chemicals and water conservation techniques. Moreover, lack of access to institutional credit, poorly defined property rights, inadequate infrastructure and information gaps were some of the major barriers to climate adaptation in the region. The study provides a useful guide for identifying region-specific issues and implementable adaptation strategies. Policy actions are needed in creating awareness, improving climate information services and development of infrastructure for climate resilient farming