Selection and validation of reliable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in Barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.) under varied abiotic stress conditions.

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) using a stable reference gene is widely used for gene expression research. Barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.) is an ancient crop in Asia and Africa that is widely cultivated for food and fodder.

Effectiveness and efficiency of electron beam in comparison with gamma rays and ethyl methane sulfonate mutagens in cowpea.

Cowpea is the poor man's crop that lacks variability due to its autogamous nature. Induced mutation serves as a potential source in the induction of variability in crops. On the other hand, the effectiveness and efficiency of mutagens will vary between species and even varieties.

Efficiency of electron beam over gamma rays to induce desirable grain-type mutation in rice ( L.).

Purpose: Rice is the predominant crop of Tamil Nadu state, India that occupies about 30% of the total cropped area. However, grain type and quality are the critical traits that determine the market value and domestic consumption rice variety. Most of the households of Tamil Nadu, India prefer to consume medium slender to fine grain type of rice.

Screening tolerance to phosphorus starvation and haplotype analysis using phosphorus uptake 1 () QTL linked markers in rice genotypes.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency tolerance is a pivotal trait for plant growth and development. Most of the commercial modern cultivars lack this trait and reported it as a very serious problem limiting crop productivity. This trait is advantageous if present in modern high yielding varieties as it increases the yield under the phosphorus-deficient soil conditions.

Gene Pyramiding for Achieving Enhanced Resistance to Bacterial Blight, Blast, and Sheath Blight Diseases in Rice.

Bacterial blight, blast, and sheath blight are the commonest diseases causing substantial yield loss in rice around the world. Stacking of broad-spectrum resistance genes/QTLs into popular cultivars is becoming a major objective of any disease resistance breeding program. The varieties ASD 16 and ADT 43 are the two popular, high yielding, and widely grown rice cultivars of South India, which are susceptible to bacterial blight (BB), blast, and sheath blight diseases.

Improved host-plant resistance to Phytophthora rot and powdery mildew in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.).

Soybean is an important oilseed cum vegetable crop, susceptible to various biotic stresses which is attributed to recent decline in crop productivity. The emergence of virulent biotypes/strains of different plant pathogens necessitates the development of new crop varieties with enhanced host resistance mechanisms. Pyramiding of multiple disease-resistant genes is one of the strategies employed to develop durable disease-resistant cultivars to the prevailing and emerging biotypes of pathogens.

Barnyard Millet for Food and Nutritional Security: Current Status and Future Research Direction.

Barnyard millet ( species) has become one of the most important minor millet crops in Asia, showing a firm upsurge in world production. The genus comprises of two major species, and , which are predominantly cultivated for human consumption and livestock feed. They are less susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Detection of QTLs associated with mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) resistance using the interspecific cross of Vigna radiata × Vigna umbellata.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata) and ricebean (V. umbellata) were utilized to obtain an inter-specific recombinant inbred line (RIL) population with the objective of detecting quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) resistance. To precisely map QTLs, accurate genetic linkage maps are essential.

Molecular evaluation of genetic diversity and association studies in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

In the present study, we tested rice genotypes that included un(der)exploited landraces of Tamil Nadu along with indica and japonica test cultivars to ascertain their genetic diversity structure. Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers were used for generating marker segregation data. A novel measure, allele discrimination index, was used to determine subpopulation differentiation power of each marker.