International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
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Integrative and inclusive genomics to promote the use of underutilised crops
Get PDFUnderutilised crops are important for diversifying food systems. The genomics of these crops should not be done in isolation but should align with their breeding and capacity building strategies while leveraging advances made in major crops
Comparative transcriptome analysis of respiration-related genes in nodules of phosphate-deficient soybean (Glycine max cv. Williams 82)
Get PDFA transcriptome analysis was used to compare the nodule transcriptomes of the model soybean ‘Williams 82’ inoculated with two Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens strains (USDA110 vs. CB1809) under phosphate (Pi) deficiency. The entire dataset revealed a core set of low-Pi-responsive genes and recognized enormous differential transcriptional changes between the Pi-deprived USDA110-nodules and CB1809-nodules. The lower symbiotic efficiency of the Pi-starved USDA110 nodules was ascribed to the downregulation of an F1-ATPase gene engaged in oxidative phosphorylation, more likely contributing to diminished ATP production. To cope with energy shortage caused by Pi stress, the Pi-deprived USDA110-nodules preferentially upregulated the expression of a large number of genes encoding enzymes implicated in specialized energy-demanding pathways, such as the mitochondrial respiratory chain (i.e., cytochrome c oxidase), alcoholic fermentation (i.e., pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase) and glycolysis (e.g., hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase). These respiratory adjustments were likely associated with higher metabolic cost and redox imbalance, thereby, negatively affecting nodule symbiosis under Pi deprivation. In contrast, the Pi-starved CB1809-nodules reduced the metabolic cost by regulating a lower number of genes and increasing the expression of genes encoding proteins implicated in non-phosphorylating bypasses (e.g., flavoprotein alpha and flavoprotein:ubiqionone oxidoreductase), which could promote the carbohydrate utilization efficiency and energy metabolism. Notably, the upregulation of a transcript encoding a malate dehydrogenase could boost the CB1809-nodules under Pi stress. The dynamic shifts in energy metabolism in the Pi-deprived USDA110-nodules and CB1809-nodules could be transformative to upgrade the mechanistic/conceptual understandings of soybean adaptation to Pi deficiency at the transcriptional level
Pyrolysis temperature changes the physicochemical characteristics of water hyacinth-based biochar as a potential soil amendment
No full textTemperature greatly determines biochar’s physicochemical characteristics during the pyrolysis of a biowaste. This study aimed to investigate how pyrolysis temperature alters the physicochemical characteristics of water hyacinth (WH) biochar as a soil amendment. WH biomass was slowly pyrolyzed at three temperatures (350, 550, and 750 °C) for 2 h. Results show that biochar yield lessened from 51.0 to 33.3% with a temperature rise. When pyrolysis temperature increased biochar’s pH (9.24–11.2), electrical conductivity (28.0–44.7 mS cm−1), liming capacity (17.7–33.0% CaCO3 equivalence), ash content (33.3–52.4%), available nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P), surface area (1.1–29.8 m2 g−1), pore volume, C/N ratio (15.9–20.3), and water holding capacity increased. However, C, H, N, H/C (0.89–0.11) and O/C (0.62–0.49) ratios, cation exchange capacity (CEC) (44.4–2.3 cmol+kg−1), and pore width decreased. Surface functional groups shrank when pyrolysis temperature increased. As the temperature rises, WH biochar becomes structured, porous, and recalcitrant. All WH biochar samples show high alkalinity, particularly developed at 550 °C and 750 °C could replace liming materials in soil acidity alleviation. Biochar produced at 350 °C and 550 °C could improve agricultural soil fertility and nutrient retention capacity due to the lower C/N ratio, high N content, and CEC. Biochar produced at 550°C and 750 °C can sequester carbon in the soil. Biochar developed at 750 °C be applied to amend soil physical properties due to its comparably high surface area and porosity. Hence, the thermal conversion of WH biowaste to biochar helps obtain suitable biochar properties for soil amendment
Linkage Mapping and Genome-Wide Association Study Identified Two Peanut Late Leaf Spot Resistance Loci, PLLSR-1 and PLLSR-2, Using Nested Association Mapping
No full textIdentification of candidate genes and molecular markers for late leaf spot (LLS) disease resistance in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) has been a focus of molecular breeding for the U.S. industry-funded peanut genome project. Efforts have been hindered by limited mapping resolution due to low levels of genetic recombination and marker density available in traditional biparental mapping populations. To address this, a multi-parental nested association mapping population has been genotyped with the peanut 58K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and phenotyped for LLS severity in the field for 3 years. Joint linkage-based quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping identified nine QTLs for LLS resistance with significant phenotypic variance explained up to 47.7%. A genome-wide association study identified 13 SNPs consistently associated with LLS resistance. Two genomic regions harboring the consistent QTLs and SNPs were identified from 1,336 to 1,520 kb (184 kb) on chromosome B02 and from 1,026.9 to 1,793.2 kb (767 kb) on chromosome B03, designated as peanut LLS resistance loci, PLLSR-1 and PLLSR-2, respectively. PLLSR-1 contains 10 nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat disease resistance genes. A nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat disease resistance gene, Arahy.VKVT6A, was also identified on homoeologous chromosome A02. PLLSR-2 contains five significant SNPs associated with five different genes encoding callose synthase, pollen defective in guidance protein, pentatricopeptide repeat, acyl-activating enzyme, and C2 GRAM domains-containing protein. This study highlights the power of multi-parent populations such as nested association mapping for genetic mapping and marker-trait association studies in peanuts. Validation of these two LLS resistance loci will be needed for marker-assisted breeding
Sensory and nutritional evaluation of nine types of millet substituted for polished white rice in select Indian meal preparations
Get PDFThis study was conducted to test the suitability of using nine types of millets namely finger millet, pearl millet, white and yellow sorghum, little millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, kodo millet, and browntop millet in seven popular Indian meal preparations based on sensory characteristics and nutrient value. The popular Indian meal preparations tested were boiled grain, dosa, idli, bisi belle bath, pulao, puttu, and pongal. In total, 53 variations in meal preparations were developed using the millets and seven polished white rice-based meal preparations were developed as control. The main findings indicated that meal preparation crafted from various millets garnered overall sensory scores closely resembling to those derived from polished white rice. Notably, little millet exhibited high scores in pongal and dosa, and achieved elevated overall sensory scores compared to meal preparation from polished white rice. Bisi belle bath made of barnyard millet scored higher in overall sensory score than polished white rice. Moreover, there was significant association between some types of millets’ overall sensory characteristics (p < 0.005) with polished white rice-based meal preparations. In terms of nutrient value, all the millet-based meal preparations had significantly high nutritional value compared to those made with polished white rice (p < 0.05). Especially calcium content of the meal prepared with finger millet was significantly higher compared to polished white rice-based meals (p < 0.05). Puttu, idli, and dosa prepared with finger millet had calcium content of 59.4, 10.8, and 70.9 mg/100 g compared to those prepared with the polished white rice which had only 1.3, 6.3, and 9.2 mg/100 g. The magnesium content of all millet-based meal preparations was generally several-folds higher compared to the polished white rice-based meal preparations (p < 0.05). There is a significant difference in the fiber content of the meals prepared with millets compared to the meals prepared with polished white rice (p < 0.05). This study was conducted using millets that are locally available and does not represent all the millet varieties available globally, as each type of millet has a wide range of varieties. Therefore, it is important to understand and choose the type and variety of millet while enhancing the nutritional value of diets
Meta-QTL analysis enabled identification of candidate genes and haplotypes for enhancing biotic stress resistance in chickpea
No full textFusarium wilt, Ascochyta blight and Botrytis grey mould caused by fungal pathogens are major biotic stresses that lead to 100% yield loss in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Several independent studies reported the genomic regions, using heterogeneous populations, that are of limited use in breeding programs for the development of enhanced disease resistance in climate change scenarios. In order to identify the consensus genomic regions, we developed a consensus integrated map and performed Meta-QTL analysis using 52 QTLs reported in 17 independent studies. The consensus integrated map spanned 1292.04 cM with 669 markers on all eight linkage groups. In total, we report 10 Meta-QTLs distributed on four linkage groups (CaLG02, CaLG03, CaLG04 and CaLG06) and 172 genes belonging to a wide range of gene-families that are involved in multiple disease resistance. Among these, the key genes such as Glutaredoxin, Reticuline oxidase-like protein, and RING-Finger proteins, which have been previously reported for disease resistance. The confidence interval of reported Meta-QTLs decreased 4.89 folds from the original QTL studies whose confidence interval ranged from 0.84 to 28.94 cM. Among these genes, Ca_13066 and Ca_05186 present in Meta-QTL4_6 and Meta-QTL6_8, that play major role in biotic stress resistance pathways possessed 3 and 8 haplotypes respectively. Our study provides a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying these three important biotic stresses. Further, the Meta-QTLs, candidate genes and haplotypes reported in this study can be used for developing climate resilient and disease resistant chickpea cultivars
Effect of gypsum and micronutrients on growth and yield attributes of Groundnut
Get PDFThe field experiment titled “Effect of gypsum and micronutrients on growth and yield attributes of Groundnut” was conducted during Zaid, 2023 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agriculture Institute, SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments which are replicated thrice. The treatments include 200 kg/ha gypsum +5 kg/ha zinc, 200 kg/ha gypsum + 2.5 kg/ha boron, 200 kg/ha gypsum + 1 kg/ha molybdenum, 250 kg/ha gypsum + 5 kg/ha zinc, 250 kg/ha gypsum + 2.5 kg/ha boron, 250 kg/ha gypsum + 1 kg/ha molybdenum, 300 kg/ha gypsum + 5 kg/ha zinc, 300 kg/ha gypsum + 2.5 kg/ha boron, 300 kg/ha gypsum+ 1 kg/ha molybdenum and Control R.D.F 20:60:40 kg/ha NPK Results obtained that higher plant height(59.40 cm), plant dry weight (45.47 g/plant), root nodules/plant (91.67) and number of pods/plant (17.00), number of kernels/pod (1.87), seed yield (2.75 t/ha), haulm yield (3.72 t/ha), gross return (1,61, 360.55 INR/ha), net returns (1,06,770.55 INR/ha) and B:C ratio was (1.95) were obtained by the application of 300kg/ha gypsum in combination with 5 kg/ha Zinc in Treatment 7
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Vulnerable Populations for Achieving Sustainable Dietary Practices in India
Get PDFKnowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) studies offer valuable insights into the socio-cultural, psychological, and behavioral determinants of nutrition. This study aims to assess nutrition KAP during pregnancy and lactation in selected areas of Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem Asifabad districts, Telangana, India. A cross-sectional KAP survey was conducted on 536 individuals from February to March 2020, employing tablet-based data collection for pregnant women, lactating mothers, young mothers, and frontline staff. Departing from the standard equal-weight approach, we assigned different weights to responses based on existing literature and stakeholder consultation, acknowledging the varying significance of each response. This novel approach aims to mitigate the risk of overestimating or underestimating factors, thereby designing more effective policy interventions tailored to societal complexities. The results reveal that regarding the three micronutrients (Iron, vitamin A, and Iodine), the knowledge levels of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young mothers were low, that is, less than 50% when compared with the functionaries/frontline staff. Pregnant women scored low on attitudes regarding micronutrients compared to lactating mothers, young mothers, and functionaries/frontline staff. Attitudes translate into practices; however, the data revealed that pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young mothers were not adopting appropriate dietary and nutrition practices except for the micronutrient iodine. The inadequate knowledge of all categories of respondents indicates a gap in nutrition literacy and education. The results point to the urgent need for policy action for nutrition education interventions among the vulnerable population
Enhancing peanut nutritional quality by editing AhKCS genes lacking natural variation
Get PDFPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally staple oilseed crop, extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to its substantial oil (approximately 46%–58%) and protein (around 22%–32%) content, the peanut plays a pivotal role in addressing malnutrition and ensuring food security in many regions. The fatty acid profiles of vegetable oil and foods have recently garnered increased attention due to the potential impact on human health. Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are defined as fatty acids with a carbon chain length exceeding 18 atoms (Guyomarc'h et al., 2021). Peanut kernels contain various VLCFAs, such as arachidic acid (C20:0), eicosenoic acid (C20:1), behenic acid (C22:0) and lignoceric acid (C24:0), but most of them are saturated fatty acids (SFAs). It is well understood that high levels of very long chain saturated fatty acid (VLCSFA) are associated with prevalence of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (Bloise et al., 2022). Therefore, reducing the VLCFA content in peanuts has gained more importance realizing its positive impact for improving the nutritional quality and health value
Impacts of soil and water conservation measures on farm technical efficiency in the semi-arid tropics of central India
Get PDFNatural resources such as soil and water are essential to agriculture, especially in arid and semi-arid rain-fed areas, yet the impacts of managing these crucial natural resources on farm technical efficiency are little known. Using data from 400 households with 1031 plots, we examined the impacts of soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) on the technical efficiency of farmers in the semi-arid Bundelkhand (central India). We estimated stochastic production frontiers, considering potential self-selection bias stemming from both observable and unobservable factors in the adoption of SWCMs at the farm level. The farm technical efficiency for adopters of SWCMs ranged from 0.68 to 0.72, and that for non-adopters ranged from 0.52 to 0.65, depending on how biases were controlled for. As the average efficiency is consistently higher for adopter farmers than the control group, promoting SWCMs could help to increase input use efficiency, especially in resource-deprived rain-fed systems in the semi-arid tropics