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Vishnu Varthini Nachimuthu ¹, S. Robin ², D. Sudhakar ³, M. Raveendran ³, S. Rajeswari ², S. Manonmani ²

Affiliations
1 Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu rajisundar93@gmail.com, swamimano@yahoo.co.in, IN
2 Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN
3 Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

A population panel of 192 rice genotypes comprising traditional landraces and exotic genotypes from 12 countries was evaluated for 12 agro - morphological traits by principal component analysis for determining the pattern of genetic diversity and relationship among individuals. Twelve quantitative characters i.e. plant height, leaf length, number of productive tillers, panicle length, number of filled grains, spikelet fertility, days to 50% flowering; days to harvest maturity, grain length, grain width, grain length width ratio, and single plant yield were measured. The largest variation was observed for number of productive tillers with Coefficient of Variation (CV) of 28.03% followed by number of filled grains per panicle, single plant yield, leaf length , grain length width ratio. Days to maturity has shown the least variation with the CV of 9.74%. Principal component analysis was utilized to examine the variation and to estimate the relative contribution of various traits for total variability. In the current study, Component 1 had the contribution from the traits such as days to 50% flowering, leaf length, plant height, panicle length, days to maturity and number of filled grains which accounted 28.46% of the total variability. Grain width and grain length width ratio has contributed 16.8% of total variability in component 2. The remaining variability of 14.4%, 11.7% and 9.3% was consolidated in component 3, component 4 and component 5 by various traits such as spikelet fertility, single plant yield, grain length and number of productive tillers. The cumulative variance of 80.56% of total variation among 12 characters was explained by the first five axes. Thus the results of principal component analysis used in the study have revealed the high level of genetic variation and the traits contributing for the variation was identified. Hence this population panel can be utilized for trait improvement in breeding programs for the traits contributing for major variation.

Keywords

Genetic Variation, Principal Component Analysis, Rice

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Vishnu Varthini Nachimuthu ¹, S. Robin ¹, D. Sudhakar ², S. Rajeswari ¹, M. Raveendran ², K. S. Subramanian ³, Shalini Tannidi ¹, Balaji Aravindhan Pandian ¹

Affiliations
1 Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, IN
2 Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, IN
3 Department of Nano science and technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, IN

Abstract

Biofortification is an emerging cost-effective strategy to address global malnutrition especially in developing countries. This strategy involves supplying of micronutrients such as iron and zinc in the staple foods by using conventional plant breeding and biotechnology methods. Initial step in conventional plant breeding is to screen the natural gene reservoir for existing variation. The objective of this study is to estimate iron and zinc in the brown rice of 192 germplasm lines and to define its role in biofortification programme. Substantial variations among 192 lines existed for both iron and zinc content. Iron concentration ranged from 6.6 ìg/g to 16.7 ìg/g and zinc concentration from 7.1 ìg/g to 32.4 ìg/g in brown rice. Iron and zinc concentration were positively correlated implying the chance for concurrent selection for both the micronutrients. Micronutrient-rich genotypes identified in this study opens up the possibilities for the identification of genomic regions or QTLs responsible for mineral uptake and translocation that can be used as donor for developing nutrient enriched varieties.

Keywords

Biofortification, Germplasm, Iron, Micronutrient, Variability, Zinc

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Basavaraj R. Tubaki ¹, Anupriya Verma ¹, Arun Sasidharan ¹, S. Sulekha ¹, T. N. Sathyaprabha ¹, D. Sudhakar ², C. R. Chandrashekar ³, G. S. Lavekar ⁴, Bindu M. Kutty ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
2 Advanced Centre for Ayurveda, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
3 Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
4 Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, New Delhi 110 058, IN

Abstract

This study demonstrates the clinical efficacy of Manasamitra Vataka and Shirodhara (Ayurvedic treatments) over clonazepam in preserving slow wave sleep and promoting sleep quality in patients of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with co-morbid generalized social phobia. Whole night polysomnography was carried out to assess the sleep architecture and spindle- delta dynamics. The study highlights the sleep promoting and preserving nature of Manasamitra Vataka and Shirodhara in GAD patients with co-morbid generalized social phobia. Ayurvedic treatments were helpful in improving the subjective quality of sleep and preserve sleep organization. Further studies are needed to confirm the potential of Ayurvedic interventions as a treatment of choice in the management of anxiety disorders.

Keywords

Clonazepam, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Manasamitra vataka, Shirodhara, Sleep Architecture.

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R. Manikandan ¹, P. Kanimozhi ¹, N. Balakrishnan ¹, V. Balasubramani ¹, D. Sudhakar ¹, V. Udayasuriyan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Plant Biotechnology, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (T.N.), IN

Abstract

A novel synthetic cry2AX1 gene was codon optimized and a sequence encoding cotton rbcS1b transit peptide was fused upstream of coding sequence. The fusion cry2AX1 gene, driven by maize ubiquitin1 promoter was cloned in a pUH plant transformation vector. Agrobacterium mediated transformation was carried out with pUH-ctp-2AX1 construct using leaf discs of tobacco as model plant. Screening by PCR revealed presence of cry2AX1 gene in all nine putative transformants and expression of cry2AX1 protein in PCR positive T₀ tobacco plants ranged from 1.5 to 10.0 ng/g. The detached leaf bit bioassay of tobacco transformants with Helicoverpa armigera showed 30 per cent mortality even at lower level of cry2AX1 expression. The results indicated a newly developed construct was functionally expressed in tobacco plant.

Keywords

Tobacco, Transformation, Insect Resistance, Helicoverpa armigera.

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