Bio-fuel crops research for energy security and rural development in developing countries

Soaring prices of fossil fuels, geo-political issues and environmental pollution associated with fossil fuel use has led to worldwide interest in the production and use of bio-fuels. Both the developed and developing countries have developed a range of policies to encourage production of combustible fuels from plants that triggered public and private investments in bio-fuel crop research and development, and bio-fuels production. In this article, we discuss the potential benefits of bio-fuels in increasing the farmers’ incomes, reducing environment pollution, the crop options and research and development interventions required to generate feedstocks to produce bio-fuels to meet projected demand without compromising food/fodder security in developing countries

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Not AvailableTo improve grain yield under direct seeded and aerobic conditions, weed competitive ability of a rice genotype is a key desirable trait. Hence, understanding and dissecting weed competitive associated traits at both morphological and molecular level is important in developing weed competitive varieties. In the present investigation, the QTLs associated with weed competitive traits were identifed in BC1F2:3 population derived from weed competitive accession of O. glaberrima (IRGC105187) and O. sativa cultivar IR64. The mapping population consisting of 144 segregating lines were phenotyped for 33 weed competitive associated traits under direct seeded condition. Genetic analysis of weed competitive traits carried out in BC1F2:3 population showed signifcant variation for the weed competitive traits and predominance of additive gene action. The population was genotyped with 81 genome wide SSR markers and a linkage map covering 1423 cM was constructed. Composite interval mapping analysis identifed 72 QTLs linked to 33 weed competitive traits which were spread on the 11 chromosomes. Among 72 QTLs, 59 were found to be major QTLs (> 10% PVE). Of the 59 major QTLs, 38 had favourable allele contributed from the O. glaberrima parent. We also observed nine QTL hotspots for weed competitive traits (qWCA2a, qWCA2b, qWCA2c, qWCA3, qWCA5, qWCA7, qWCA8, qWCA9, and qWCA10) wherein several QTLs co-localised. Our study demonstrates O. glaberrima species as potential source for improvement for weed competitive traits in rice and identifed QTLs hotspots associated with weed competitive traits.Department of Biotechnology, Government of India Grant no. BT/PR17115/NER/95/434/2015

Mainstreaming of Women in Watersheds Is Must for Enhancing Family Income

Despite the fact that women are the world’s principal food producers and providers, they have long been deprived of their due share and identity. Kothapally is one of the initial watershed projects that demonstrated on ground that a holistic development model not only conserves natural resources for sustainable productivity and income improvement but also harnesses the synergies to tailor the benefits in mainstreaming women farmers. This has showcased the model to focus on selective activities that directly benefit women. Some important activities that increase incomes of women revolve around interventions like milk production, kitchen gardens, composting, value addition, non-farm livelihoods through capacity building, collectivization and market linkages