De Novo assembly and transcriptome analysis of the mediterranean fruit fly ceratitis capitata early embryos

The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, belongs to the Tephritidae family, which includes a large number of other damaging pest species. The Medfly has been the first non-drosophilid fly species which has been genetically transformed paving the way for designing geneticbased pest control strategies. Furthermore, it is an experimentally tractable model, in which transient and transgene-mediated RNAi have been successfully used. We applied Illumina sequencing to total RNA preparations of 8-10 hours old embryos of C. capitata, This developmental window corresponds to the blastoderm cellularization stage. In summary, we assembled 42,614 transcripts which cluster in 26,319 unique transcripts of which 11,045 correspond to protein coding genes; we identified several hundreds of long ncRNAs; we found an enrichment of transcripts encoding RNA binding proteins among the highly expressed transcripts, such as CcTRA-2, known to be necessary to establish and, most likely, to maintain female sex of C. capitata. Our study is the first de novo assembly performed for Ceratitis capitata based on Illumina NGS technology during embryogenesis and it adds novel data to the previously published C. capitata EST databases. We expect that it will be useful for a variety of applications such as gene cloning and phylogenetic analyses, as well as to advance genetic research and biotechnological applications in the Medfly and other related Tephritidae

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Not AvailableLarge areas in arid and semi-arid regions remain barren due to lack of irrigation. The underground aquifers in these regions are either saline or sodic. Groundwater surveys indicate that poor-quality water is used to irrigate arable crops in 25–84 %of the total groundwater development areas in north-western states of India. The present long-term study assessed the performance of low-water-requiring, salt-tolerant fruit-based (Carissa carandas, Emblica officinalis, Aegle marmelos) agroforestry systems with saline irrigation under sem-iarid conditions. The companion crops such as Hordeum vulgare for malt, Brassica juncea, a seed oil (winter), and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba for gum and Pennisetum typhoides, a coarse grain/fodder (summer), were grown in inter-row spaces. The fruit trees were successfully established in the sill of furrows using low (EC 4–5 dS m-1) salinity water. Subsequently, all the systems were irrigated with water of low and high (8.5–10.0 dS m-1) salinity and their alternate use as per treatments. Fruit yields under alternate and high saline irrigation reduced by 18–27.5 % in Carissa, 41.6 % in Emblica and 31.7–54.8 % in Aegle, respectively. There was no significant reduction in grain yields of Pennisetum and Hordeum. However, in subsequent years, the seed yields of Cyamopsis and Brassica reduced with saline water and more so when intercropped with Aegle. Carissa with Pennisetum and Hordeum performed best with saline water. The study shows that saline water (ECiw up to 10 dS m-1) could be used sustainably for these fruit-based agroforestry systems without significant salinity build-up in sandy loam calcareous soils. Thus, such fruit-based agroforestry systems could be a viable option for the areas with only saline groundwater available for irrigation.Not Availabl

A common view of the opportunities, challenges, and research actions for Pongamia in Australia

Interest in biofuels is increasing in Australia due to volatile and rising oil prices, the need to reduce GHG emissions, and the recent introduction of a price on carbon. The seeds of Pongamia (Millettia pinnata) contain oils rich in C18:1 fatty acid, making it useful for the manufacture of biodiesel and other liquid fuels. Preliminary assessments of growth and seed yield in Australia have been promising. However, there is a pressing need to synthesise practical experience and existing fragmented research and to use this to underpin a well-founded and co-ordinated research strategy to support industry development, including better management of the risks associated with investment. This comprehensive review identifies opportunities for Pongamia in Australia and provides a snapshot of what is already known and the risks, uncertainties, and challenges based on published research, expert knowledge, and industry experience. We conclude that whilst there are major gaps in fundamental understanding of the limitations to growth of Pongamia in Australia, there is sufficient evidence indicating the potential of Pongamia as a feedstock for production of biofuel to warrant investment into a structured research and development program over the next decade. We identify ten critical research elements and propose a comprehensive research approach that links molecular level genetic research, paddock scale agronomic studies, landscape scale investigations, and new production systems and value chains into a range of aspects of sustainability

Pongamia pinnata : An Untapped Resource for the Biofuels Industry of the Future

Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre is a fast-growing leguminous tree with the potential for high oil seed production and the added benefit of the ability to grow on marginal land. These properties support the suitability of this plant for large-scale vegetable oil production required by a sustainable biodiesel industry. The future success of P. pinnata as a sustainable source of feedstock for the biofuels industry is dependent on an extensive knowledge of the genetics, physiology and propagation of this legume. In particular, research should be targeted to maximizing plant growth as it relates to oil biosynthesis. This review assesses and integrates the biological, chemical and genetic attributes of the plant, providing the basis for future research into Pongamia’s role in an emerging industry