Combining ability and heterosis for yield, its component traits and some grain quality parameters in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The experiment was conducted to estimate combining ability and heterosis for yield, yield attributing traits and few grain quality parameters in rice. The crosses were made among three CMS lines i.e., IR58025A, Pusa6A and IR68897A and seven pollen parents viz., Sarjoo-52, Jaya, Sasyashree, Swetha, HUR 5-2, PR-106 and BPT 5204. Twenty one hybrids were generated in line x tester design. The superior hybrids were identified on the basis of combining ability effect and heterosis. Cross combination IR68897A/Jaya and IR68897A/BPT 5204 exhibited good x good parental GCA effects suggesting that there is additive x additive type of gene action. The cross IR68897A/Jaya showed highest positive SCA effect. The higher magnitude of heterosis for all the yield and quality traits were not expressed in a single hybrid combination. It varied from cross to cross due to diverse genetic background of their parents. The two crosses IR68897A/Jaya and IR68897A/BPT 5204 were found to be heterotic for yield and yield traits as well as the grain quality characteristcs

Heterosis for yield and yield attributes in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The present study was carried out to study the extent of heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for yield and yield parameters in rice. Analysis of variance indicated significant difference among the genotypes for various traits. Estimation of heterosis for various yield contributing traits indicated that out of nine crosses studied, Pusa sugandh-2 X BPT-5204 (27.93) and Pusa sugandh-2 X Kasturi (24.71) were identified as promising. These hybrids may be recommended for commercial cultivation after further evaluation

Heterosis for yield and quality traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Twenty F1 hybrids from three CMS lines and eight pollen parents were evaluated to study the heterosis for various yield and quality traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The findings suggested that the magnitude of heterosis differed from character to character and cross to cross. Majority of the hybrids recorded desirable heterosis for grain yield. Among the rice hybrids exhibiting high heterosis for grain yield, IR-68897A x Pusa Sugandh-3, IR-58025A x HUR-JM-59221 and IR-58025A x Pusa Sugandh-5 were top performers. The hybrid, IR-68897A x Pusa Sugandh-3 recorded highest yield per plant, and was among the best three performers for traits, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and number of effective tillers per plant. Thus, IR-68897A x Pusa Sugandh-3 may be considered as the best heterotic combination for yield and yield traits. Among the three high yielding hybrids, IR-58025A x Pusa Sugandh-5 was found to be relatively better performing for majority of the quality traits. Thus, IR-58025A x Pusa Sugandh-5 may be considered as the best cross combination if both yield and quality traits are taken into consideration

Combining ability analysis for various yield and quality traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

An investigation was undertaken to assess the combining ability for yield and quality traits in rice. Three WA cytoplasmic male sterile lines of rice i.e., IR-58025A, IR-68897A and Pusa 6A were crossed with six restorer genotypes i.e., Sanwal Basmati, Pusa Sugandh-2, Pusa Sugandh-3, Pusa Sugandh-5, Pusa 2517-2-51-1 and HURJM- 59221 in line x tester design to generate 18 hybrids. Among the female parents, IR-58025A revealed significant desirable value of GCA effect for yield per plant and most of the quality traits. Among the pollen parents, Pusa Sugandh-3 revealed significant desirable value of GCA effect for most of the yield traits. However, Pusa Sugandh-5 revealed significant desirable value of GCA effect for most of the quality traits. Pusa 6A x Pusa Sugandh-2 evinced the highest significant value of SCA effect for grain yield followed by IR-58025A x Pusa Sugandh-5. However, IR- 68897A x Pusa 2517-2-51-1 followed by IR-58025A x Sanwal Basmati revealed the significant desirable value of SCA effect for most of the quality traits. For both yield and quality traits, IR-58025A x Pusa Sugandh-5, IR-68897A x HUR-JM-59221 and Pusa 6A x Pusa Sugandh-2 were found to be relatively better performing. Thus, present study aims to develop hybrids performing better for both yield and quality traits

BIOACTIVITIES AND CHEMOPROFILING COMPARISONS OF CHENOPODIUM AMBROSIOIDES L. AND CHENOPODIUM BOTRYS L. GROWING IN KASHMIR, INDIA

Objectives: The objectives of the study were the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identification and comparison of the chemical constituents, evaluation of the antifungal and anticancer activities of two species of genus Chenopodium, for example, Chenopodium ambrosioides (Ca) and Chenopodium botrys (Cb) growing in Kashmir, Himalayan region.Methods: The hydrodistilled essential oil of Ca and Cb was subjected to GC-MS analysis and antifungal activity for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination against different human pathogenic fungal strains using broth microdilution assay in 96-well microtiter plates as per the protocol of the clinical and laboratory standards institute (2008 M27-A3). The anti-proliferative ability of the essential oils was also evaluated against the two cell lines MCF-7 (human mammary carcinoma cells) and A549 (Human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells).Results: A total of 34 compounds identified in Ca with α-terpinene (37.17%), isoascaridole (20.48%), and ascaridole (14.83%) as the key compounds. The key compounds of Cb were shyobunol (18.91%), and hedycaryol (9.51%), germacrene-D-4-ol (8.57%), with 65 identified compounds. Both the species were found to have comparable antifungal activities against human pathogenic fungi with MIC80 values in the range of 0.031 mg/ml– 0.256 mg/ml for Ca and 0.031 mg/ml–0.126 mg/ml in case of Cb. Maximum anti-proliferative activity was observed at 125 μg/ml concentration in A549 cell line, while as the oils inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cell line at a lower concentration of 31.25 μg/ml.Conclusion: The essential oils of Ca and Cb were found to have potent anticancer and antifungal activities and can have potential use as a natural fungicide

Search for astrophysical sources of neutrinos using cascade events in IceCube

The IceCube neutrino observatory has established the existence of a flux of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos inconsistent with the expectation from atmospheric backgrounds at a significance greater than $5\sigma$. This flux has been observed in analyses of both track events from muon neutrino interactions and cascade events from interactions of all neutrino flavors. Searches for astrophysical neutrino sources have focused on track events due to the significantly better angular resolution of track reconstructions. To date, no such sources have been confirmed. Here we present the first search for astrophysical neutrino sources using cascades interacting in IceCube with deposited energies as small as 1 TeV. No significant clustering was observed in a selection of 263 cascades collected from May 2010 to May 2012. We show that compared to the classic approach using tracks, this statistically-independent search offers improved sensitivity to sources in the southern sky, especially if the emission is spatially extended or follows a soft energy spectrum. This enhancement is due to the low background from atmospheric neutrinos forming cascade events and the additional veto of atmospheric neutrinos at declinations $\lesssim-30^\circ$.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl