Effects of Plastic Film Mulching on Soil Enzyme Activities and Stoichiometry in Dryland Agroecosystems.

Soil extracellular enzymes are pivotal for microbial nutrient cycling in the ecosystem. In order to study the effects of different nitrogen application rates under plastic film mulching on soil extracellular enzyme activities and stoichiometry, five nitrogen application levels (i.e.

Editorial: Functional Genomics in Plant Breeding 2.0.

Scientists agree that the increased human impact on the environment since the 19th century has positioned our planet in a period of rapid and intense change, particularly to our natural ecosystems [...

Identification of Candidate Genes Regulating Drought Tolerance in Pearl Millet.

Pearl millet is an important crop of the arid and semi-arid ecologies to sustain food and fodder production. The greater tolerance to drought stress attracts us to examine its cellular and molecular mechanisms via functional genomics approaches to augment the grain yield. Here, we studied the drought response of 48 inbreds representing four different maturity groups at the flowering stage.

Potential Targets for CRISPR/Cas Knockdowns to Enhance Genetic Resistance Against Some Diseases in Wheat ().

Wheat is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Even though wheat yields have increased considerably in recent years, future wheat production is predicted to face enormous challenges due to global climate change and new versions of diseases. CRISPR/Cas technology is a clean gene technology and can be efficiently used to target genes prone to biotic stress in wheat genome.

Genome-wide association studies identify putative pleiotropic locus mediating drought tolerance in sorghum.

Drought is a key constraint on plant productivity and threat to food security. Sorghum ( L. Moench), a global staple food and forage crop, is among the most drought-adapted cereal crops, but its adaptation is not yet well understood.

BSA-seq Identifies a Major Locus on Chromosome 6 for Root-Knot Nematode () Resistance From .

Root-knot nematode () is one of the emerging threats to rice production worldwide that causes substantial yield reductions. There is a progressive shift of the cropping system from traditional transplanting to direct-seeded water-saving rice production that favored the development of . Scouting and deploying new resistance genes is an economical approach to managing the root-knot nematodes.

Genetic diversity analysis of East African sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) germplasm collections for agronomic and nutritional quality traits.

Breeding for climate-resilient, high-yielding, and nutrient-rich sorghum cultivars is essential for sustainable food systems and enhanced livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the genetic diversity among East African sorghum germplasm collections through agronomic and nutritional quality traits to select promising lines for direct production or breeding. A collection of 348 sorghum germplasm was field evaluated at two locations in Uganda using an augmented design, and grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents were profiled.

Sexual Compatibility Types in F Progenies of , the Causal Agent of Pearl Millet Downy Mildew.

is primarily heterothallic in nature with two distinct mating types (G and G); however, homothallism does exist in the pathogen populations. In this study, a cross was made between two self-sterile isolates (Sg 019, -2, G × Sg 445-1, -1, G) of and a total of 39 F progenies were established. The study on sexual compatibility types in F progenies was conducted by crossing each F progeny with both the parents (Sg 445-1, -1, G; and Sg 019, -2, G).

Soybean F-Box-Like Protein GmFBL144 Interacts With Small Heat Shock Protein and Negatively Regulates Plant Drought Stress Tolerance.

The gene family is one of the largest gene families in plants. These genes regulate plant growth and development, as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses, and they have been extensively researched. Drought stress is one of the major factors limiting the yield and quality of soybean.

X-ray driven peanut trait estimation: computer vision aided agri-system transformation.

Background: In India, raw peanuts are obtained by aggregators from smallholder farms in the form of whole pods and the price is based on a manual estimation of basic peanut pod and kernel characteristics. These methods of raw produce evaluation are slow and can result in procurement irregularities. The procurement delays combined with the lack of storage facilities lead to fungal contaminations and pose a serious threat to food safety in many regions.

Juvenile heat stress tolerance in Triticum durum-Aegilops tauschii derived synthetics: a way forward for wheat improvement.

Background: Exponentially increasing population and everchanging climatic conditions are two major concerns for global food security. Early sowing in the second fortnight of October is an emerging trend with farmers in Indo Gangetic Plains to avoid yield losses from terminal heat stress. This also benefits the use of residual soil moisture of rice crop, conserving about one irrigation.

Photosynthetic microbes in nanobiotechnology: Applications and perspectives.

Photosynthetic microbes like brown algae, red algae, green-algae and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are utilized extensively for various commercial and industrial purposes. However, in recent time, their application has shifted to nanotechnology. The synthesis of metal nanoparticles using algal resources is known as Phyconanotechnology.

COVID-19 Impact on Household Food Security in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Hyderabad, India.

This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and on coping-strategies in urban and peri-urban areas of the Hyderabad, India. Household survey data were collected before (October 2018) and during (January 2021) the onset of the pandemic. Results from logistic regression with the standarized Food Insecurity Expecience Scale (FIES) as dependent variable reveal that close to 40% of the households surveyed experienced a deterioration in food security status during the pandemic.

Identification of superior haplotypes in a diverse natural population for breeding desirable plant height in soybean.

Plant height of soybean is associated with a haplotype block on chromosome 19, which classified 211 soybean accessions into five distinct groups showing significant differences for the target trait. Genetic variation is pivotal for crop improvement. Natural populations are precious genetic resources.

Current Research Trends and Prospects for Yield and Quality Improvement in Sesame, an Important Oilseed Crop.

Climate change is shifting agricultural production, which could impact the economic and cultural contexts of the oilseed industry, including sesame. Environmental threats (biotic and abiotic stresses) affect sesame production and thus yield (especially oil content). However, few studies have investigated the genetic enhancement, quality improvement, or the underlying mechanisms of stress tolerance in sesame.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression of Gene Family Provide Insight Into Pod Development in Peanut ().

The () transcription family were initially identified as important factors for phytochrome A (phyA)-mediated far-red light signaling in ; they play crucial roles in controlling the growth and development of plants. The reported reference genome sequences of , including , , , and , and its related species provide an opportunity to systematically perform a genome-wide identification of homologous genes and investigate expression patterns of these members in peanut species. Here, a total of 650 genes were identified from four and its closely related species .

Genomic, morphological, and biochemical analyses of a multi-metal resistant but multi-drug susceptible strain of Bordetella petrii from hospital soil.

Contamination of soil by antibiotics and heavy metals originating from hospital facilities has emerged as a major cause for the development of resistant microbes. We collected soil samples surrounding a hospital effluent and measured the resistance of bacterial isolates against multiple antibiotics and heavy metals. One strain BMCSI 3 was found to be sensitive to all tested antibiotics.

Magnesium- a Forgotten Element: Phenotypic Variation and Genome Wide Association Study in Turkish Common Bean Germplasm.

Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant element in the human body and plays the role of cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic reactions. In plants, Mg is involved in various key physiological and biochemical processes like growth, development, photophosphorylation, chlorophyll formation, protein synthesis, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Keeping in view the importance of this element, the present investigation aimed to explore the Mg contents diversity in the seeds of Turkish common bean germplasm and to identify the genomic regions associated with this element.

Genetic variation in CaTIFY4b contributes to drought adaptation in chickpea.

Chickpea production is vulnerable to drought stress. Identifying the genetic components underlying drought adaptation is crucial for enhancing chickpea productivity. Here, we present the fine mapping and characterization of 'QTL-hotspot', a genomic region controlling chickpea growth with positive consequences on crop production under drought.

Moving Beyond DNA Sequence to Improve Plant Stress Responses.

Plants offer a habitat for a range of interactions to occur among different stress factors. Epigenetics has become the most promising functional genomics tool, with huge potential for improving plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Advances in plant molecular biology have dramatically changed our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control these interactions, and plant epigenetics has attracted great interest in this context.

Development of Temporal Model for Forecasting of Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidopetra) Using Arima and Artificial Neural Networks.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Noctuidae: Lepidopetra) is a polyphagous pest of major crops grown in India. To prevent the damage caused by H. armigera farmers rely heavily on insecticides of diverse groups on a regular basis which is not a benign practice, environmentally and economically.

Breeding Drought-Tolerant Pearl Millet Using Conventional and Genomic Approaches: Achievements and Prospects.

Pearl millet [ (L.) R. Br.