Screening for host plant resistance to Helicoverpa armigera in selected chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) genotypes in Kenya

Hellicoverpa armigera (poad borer) is a major pest of chickpea (Cicer aurientinum) in many areas of the world, In Kenya, it causes up to 80% yield losses of the crop

Marker assisted backcross breeding to enhance drought tolerance in Kenyan chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm

Drought is the number one constraint in chickpea production. In the past, breeding efforts to improve terminal drought tolerance have been hindered by its quantitative genetic basis and poor understanding of the physiological basis of yield in water-limited conditions

Plant seeds as source of nutrients and phytochemicals for the Indian population

This work was funded by UGC, New Delhi, through BSR grant no. F.18-1/2011(BSR)2016. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUA.Plant seeds are major sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds for human beings and vary across different locations. In addition, they are under used foods that could be a good complement for the daily nutrition of people. Therefore, the aim of this study was the analysis of different physical parameters, nutrients and bioactive compounds of 60 plant seeds belonging to 48 species and 9 families. The seeds were collected in 2016–2017 in the Raipur area, India (21.25°N 81.63°E), from three different locations. Fat, protein, starch, total polyphenols and mineral contents ranged from 0.7 to 44.2, 1.6 to 68.5, 11.3 to 84.0, 0.01 to 3.85 and 0.67 to 4.91 g/100 g (dry weight) respectively. Regarding physical properties, the heavier seeds were covered with thick testa over the range of 3.0 to 40% of the seed mass. Higher moisture and ash fractions for the starchy (cereal and pulses) and weed seeds were also found. The most abundant mineral elements in the seeds were P, S, K, Mg, Ca, Fe and Zn. Finally, it was calculated the contribution of the consumption of seeds to the daily macronutrients and micronutrients intake for Indian population, reaching up to 38, 13 and 25% for proteins, fat and carbohydrates respectively.University Grants Commission, India F.18-1/2011(BSR)2016Universidad de Granada/CBU

Marker assisted backcross breeding to enhance drought tolerance in Kenyan chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm

Drought is the number one constraint in chickpea production. In the past, breeding efforts to improve terminal drought tolerance have been hindered by its quantitative genetic basis and poor understanding of the physiological basis of yield in water-limited conditions

Spectroscopy: An Alternative to Wet Chemistry for Soil Monitoring

The soil science community is facing a growing demand of regional, continental, and worldwide databases in order to monitor the status of the soil. However, the availability of such data is very scarce. Cost-effective tools to measure soil properties for large areas (e.g., Europe) are required. Soil spectroscopy has shown to be a fast, cost-effective, environmental- friendly, nondestructive, reproducible, and repeatable analytical technique. The main aim of this paper is to describe the state of the art of soil spectroscopy as well as its potential to facilitating soil monitoring. The factors constraining the application of soil spectroscopy as an alternative to traditional laboratory analyses, together with the limits of the technique, are addressed. The paper also highlights that the widespread use of spectroscopy to monitor the status of the soil should be encouraged by (1) the creation of a standard for the collection of laboratory soil spectra, to promote the sharing of spectral libraries, and (2) the scanning of existing soil archives, reducing the need for costly sampling campaigns. Finally, routine soil analysis using soil spectroscopy would be beneficial for the end users by a reduction in analytical costs, and an increased comparability of results between laboratories. This ambitious project will materialize only through (1) the establishment of local and regional partnerships among existent institutions able to generate the necessary technical competence, and (2) the support of international organizations. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission are well placed to promote the use of laboratory and field spectrometers for monitoring the state of soils