Field Exploration for Colony Selection: Evaluating Hygienic Behavior in Colonies.

Hygienic behavior (HB) emerges as a pivotal trait, impacting colony resistance to diseases. This study aimed to understand the behavioral traits of colonies, with a focus on HB and other key characteristics crucial for colony health, and to screen and identify colonies with superior hygienic behavior and better performance to combat prevailing diseases and pests. This research spans a comprehensive field analysis with different seasons and locations, encompassing the distinct environmental and management factors that influence honey bee behavior.

Biomining for halotolerant PGPR and endophytes for promotion of salt tolerance in L.

Halophytic plants can tolerate a high level of salinity through several morphological and physiological adaptations along with the presence of salt tolerant rhizo-microbiome. These microbes release phytohormones which aid in alleviating salinity stress and improve nutrient availability. The isolation and identification of such halophilic PGPRs can be useful in developing bio-inoculants for improving the salt tolerance and productivity of non-halophytic plants under saline conditions.

Genome profiling of an indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis isolate, T405 toxic against the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

In this study, we present the molecular and insecticidal characteristics of an indigenous Bt isolate T405 toxic against the maize fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. The presence of cry1, cry2 (cry2Aa & cry2Ab) and vip3A1 genes in T405 was confirmed. The SDS-PAGE gel analysis confirmed the occurrence of Cry and Vip proteins with molecular masses of 130, ∼88 and 65 kDa in T405.

Marker-Assisted Selection to Pyramid the and β-Carotene Genes in Maize.

Maize is an excellent nutritional source and is consumed as a staple food in different parts of the world, including India. Developing a maize genotype with a combination of higher lysine and tryptophan, along with β-carotene, can help alleviate the problem of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This study is aimed at improving lysine and tryptophan content by transferring () gene from donor HKI163 to β--rich inbred lines .