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Mithun, a unique bovine species, endemic to parts of North East India and plays an important role in the socioeconomic, cultural and religious fabrics of the local tribal population. To date, Mithuns are reared in a traditional free‐range system by communities and increased deforestation, agricultural commercialization, disease outbreaks and indiscriminate slaughtering of elite Mithun for table purposes have significantly decreased its habitat and the elite Mithun population. Greater genetic gain is achieved with the implementation and effective use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs); however, presently it is limited to organized Mithun farms. At a slow pace, Mithun farmers are adopting semi‐intensive rearing systems and interest in the use of ARTs is gradually escalating in Mithun husbandry. This article reviews the current status of ARTs such as semen collection and cryopreservation, estrus synchronization and timed artificial insemination (TAI), multiple ovulation and embryo transfer and in vitro embryo production and future perspectives in Mithun. Mithun semen collection and cryopreservation have been standardized, and estrus synchronization and TAI are suitable technologies that can be easily implemented under field conditions in near future. The establishment of an open nucleus‐breeding system under community participatory mode along with the introduction of the ARTs is an alternative to the traditional breeding system for rapid genetic improvement of Mithun. Finally, the review considers the potential benefits of ARTs in Mithun and future research should include the use of these ARTs which will provide additional opportunities for improved breeding regimens in Mithun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability was generated in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) through gamma-ray irradiation and genotypes were evaluated for their response to low management, induction of dwarfness and other quality attributes. The main objective of this study was to judge the suitability of digital image analysis over visual rating of turf quality and to identify changes in mutants, and correlations among visual rating and digital image analysis were computed. Differences were significant among mutants with respect to hue, brightness and saturation. Significant and positive correlations of hue and DGCI were observed with all the parameters of visual rating. There were non-significant correlations of brightness with quality, brightness with texture, saturation and texture. These relationships were better in DGCI and color (r2=0.123) DGCI and brightness (r2=0.0849); DGCI and hue (r2=0.0772) and DGCI texture (r2=0.0325). Nonlinear relationship was noticed between DGCI and saturation (r2=0.0011).

The ability to capture information of turf grass in situ makes digital camera based image analysis, a viable tool to quantify turf grass (Cynodon dactylon Pers.) in field experiments. In addition to colour quantification, digital image analysis has been used successfully to quantify percentage turf grass cover and has also been proved to be useful in quantifying turf parameters such as weed infestation, disease incidence, herbicide toxicity, leaf area and recovery from injury. Colour is one of the major criteria used to evaluate the quality of turf and lawn. To generate variability in Bermuda grass to select genotypes responsive to low management, gamma-ray irradiation was used for induction of dwarfness and other quality attributes. Five dwarf mutant lines (DFR 440, DFR-C-444, DFR-C-445, DFR-C 446 and DFR-C-448) were isolated. In the present study, camera and image analysis technique is applied to measure turf colour by its reflectance in the HSB colour scale. The data depicts that the dwarf mutant lines had better quality of lower canopy height, shorter internodes and shorter leaves than the parent. It is demonstrated that image analysis is a suitable non-destructive tool to assess turf grass colour in a reproducible and calibrated manner, over a wide span of structural and colour attributes of turf grass.