Search

Abstract Genetic profiling of the biodiversity in cultivated crop plants is necessary to preserve important genes and utilize them in a breeding program. Cucumber is used as a model plant to study various characteristics of Cucurbitaceae. Its adaptation to a wide range of climatic conditions suggested analyzing the landraces. The present study was conducted to evaluate the differences, at the genetic level, among landraces spanning five continents. DNA extracted from fifty-six landraces selected from USDA germplasm bank to cover a global representative sample of world cucumber landraces was used for polymerase chain reaction using twenty-eight polymorphic expressed sequence tags simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers. Twenty-eight EST-SSR markers covering all seven chromosomes yielded 98 bands with an average of 3.42 bands per marker. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.00 (EC35) to 0.74 (EC17) with an average of 0.34. Six clusters provided an appropriate summary of the variation among the landraces, with the two largest groups including 32 (Asiatic) and 17 (European and American) landraces, respectively. Four small groups, three with two members, and one with one member (PI 525155-Egypt) were dissimilar to the two main groups. Landraces from the same region were often clustered together. Genetic similarity of the landraces was revealed by marker banding patterns. The locations of genetic diversity for cucumber landraces can be identified from this study.

Abstract Plants are subjected to various biotic and abiotic stresses that significantly impact their growth and productivity. To achieve balanced crop growth and yield, including for leafy vegetables, the continuous application of micronutrient is crucial. This study investigates the effects of different concentrations of copper sulphate (0, 75, 125, and 175 ppm) on the morphological and biochemical features of Spinacia oleracea and Avena sativa. Morphological parameters such as plant height, leaf area, root length, and fresh and dry weights were optimized at a concentration of 75 ppm copper sulfate. At this concentration, chlorophyll a & b levels increased significantly in Spinacia oleracea (462.9 and 249.8 𝜇𝑔/𝑔), and Avena sativa (404.7 and 437.63𝜇𝑔/𝑔). However, carotenoid content and sugar levels in Spinacia oleracea were negatively affected, while sugar content in Avena sativa increased at 125 ppm (941.6 µg/ml). Protein content increased in Spinacia oleracea (75 ppm, 180.3 µg/ml) but decreased in Avena sativa. Phenol content peaked in both plants at 75 ppm (362.2 and 244.5 µg/ml). Higher concentrations (175 ppm) of copper sulfate reduced plant productivity and health. Plants exposed to control and optimal concentrations (75 and 125 ppm) of copper sulpate exhibited the best health and growth compared to those subjected to higher concentrations. Maximum plant height, leaf area, root length, fresh and dry weights were observed at lower concentrations (75 and 125 ppm) of copper sulfate, while higher concentrations caused toxicity. Optimal copper sulfate levels enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, protein, and phenol contents but inhibited sugar and carotenoid contents in both Spinacia oleracea and Avena sativa. Overall, increased copper sulfate treatment adversely affected the growth parameters and biochemical profiles of these plants.

Abstract Cotton has enormous economic potential providing high-quality protein, oil, and fibre. A large increase in cotton output is necessary due to the world's changing climate and constantly expanding human population. In the past, conventional breeding techniques were used to introduce genes into superior cotton cultivars to increase production and to improve quality. The disadvantages of traditional breeding techniques are their time-consuming, reliance on genetic differences that are already present, and considerable backcrossing. To accomplish goals in a short amount of time, contemporary plant breeding techniques, in particular modern genome editing technologies (GETs), can be used. Numerous crop improvement initiatives have made use of GETs, such as zinc-finger nucleases, transcription-activator-like effector nucleases, clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and CRISPR-associated proteins systems (CRISPR/Cas)-based technologies. The CRISPR/Cas system has a lot of potential because it combines three qualities that other GETs lack: simplicity, competence, and adaptability. The CRISPR/Cas mechanism can be used to improve cotton tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, alter gene expression, and stack genes for critical features with little possibility of segregation. The transgene clean strategy improves CRISPR acceptability addressing regulatory issues associated with the genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The research opportunities for using the CRISPR/Cas system to address biotic and abiotic stresses, fibre quality, plant architecture and blooming, epigenetic changes, and gene stacking for commercially significant traits are highlighted in this article. Furthermore, challenges to use of CRISPR technology in cotton and its potential for the future are covered in detail.

Transgenic cotton carrying the Cry1Ac gene has revolutionized insect pest control since its adoption, although the development of resistance in insect pests has reduced its efficacy. After 10 years of cultivating Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton with a single Cry1Ac gene, growers are on the verge of adopting Bt cotton that carries the double gene (Cry1Ac+Cry2A) due to its better effectiveness against insect pests. Thus, the current study was designed to evaluate the role of each gene in the effectiveness of Bt cotton carrying the double gene. The expression levels of the Cry1Ac and Cry2A genes were evaluated in the leaves of 10 genotypes (2 parents and 8 F1 hybrids) at 30 days after sowing (DAS), while samples of leaves, bolls and flowers were taken from the upper and lower canopies at 70 and 110 DAS. The F1 hybrids were developed through reciprocal crosses between two Bt (CKC-1, CKC-2) and two non-Bt (MNH-786, FH-942) parents. The differential expression of transgenes was evaluated through Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA). The results showed that the MNH786×CKC-1 hybrid had the highest concentrations of Cry1Ac gene at 30 DAS (3.08 µg g–1) and 110 DAS (1.01 µg g–1) in leaves. In contrast, the CKC-2×MNH-786 hybrid showed the lowest concentrations of Cry1Ac gene at 30 DAS (2.30 µg g–1) and 110 DAS (0.86 µg g–1). The F1 hybrid FH-942×CKC-2 showed the highest concentrations of Cry2A gene at 30 DAS (8.39 µg g–1) and 110 DAS (7.74 µg g–1) in leaves, while the CKC-1×MNH-786 hybrid expressed the lowest concentrations of Cry2A gene at 30 DAS (7.10 µg g–1) and 110 DAS (8.31 µg g–1). A comparison between the two stages of plant growth showed that leaves had the highest concentrations at 30 DAS, whereas the lowest concentrations were observed at 110 DAS for both genes in leaves. When the expression pattern was compared between various plant parts in genotype CKC-2, it was found that leaves had higher concentrations of Cry1Ac (3.12 µg g–1) and Cry2A (8.31 µg g–1) at 70 DAS, followed by bolls (Cry1Ac (1.66 µg g–1) and Cry2A (8.15 µg g–1)) and flowers (Cry1Ac (1.07 µg g–1) and Cry2A (7.99 µg g–1)). The genotype CKC-2 had higher concentrations of Cry1Ac (3.12 µg g–1) and Cry2A (8.31 µg g–1) in the upper canopy but less accumulation (2.66 µg g–1 of Cry1Ac, 8.09 µg g–1 of Cry2A) in the lower canopy at 70 DAS. Similarly, at 110 DAS, the expression levels of Cry1Ac and Cry2A in upper and lower canopy leaves were 1.52 and 7.92 µg g–1, and 0.99 and 7.54 µg g–1, respectively. Hence, the current study demonstrates that different genotypes showed variable expression for both of the Cry1Ac and Cry2A genes during plant growth due to different genetic backgrounds. The Cry2A gene had three-fold higher expression than Cry1Ac with significant differences in expression in different plant parts. The findings of this study will be helpful for breeding insect-resistant double-gene genotypes with better gene expression levels of Cry1Ac and Cry2A for sustainable cotton production worldwide.

BackgroundMushrooms are considered as next-generation healthy food components. Owing to their low-fat content, high-quality proteins, dietary fiber, and rich source of nutraceuticals. They are ideally preferred in formulation of low-caloric functional foods. In this view, the breeding strategies of mushroom Auricularia cornea (A. cornea) focusing on high yield and higher quality with rich nutritional values and health benefits are still needed.Materials and methodsA total of 50 strains of A. cornea were used to analyze the bio efficiency and the time required for fruiting body formation following the cultivation experiment. The calorimetric method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity and quantify the crude polysaccharides and minerals content thereafter.ResultsThe results showed that the time required for fruiting body formation and biological efficiency varied significantly among the selected strains. Noticeably, the wild domesticated strain Ac13 of A. cornea mushroom showed the shortest fruit development time (80 days). Similarly, the hybrid strains including Ac3 and Ac15 possessed the highest biological efficiency (82.40 and 94.84%). Hybrid strains Ac18 (15.2%) and cultivated strains Ac33 (15.6%) showed the highest content of crude polysaccharides, while cultivated strains Ac1 and Ac33, demonstrated the highest content of total polysaccharides in the fruiting body (216 mg. g−1 and 200 mg. g−1). In the case of mineral content, the highest zinc contents were observed from the cultivated strain Ac46 (486.33 mg·kg−1). The maximum iron content was detected from the hybrid strain Ac3 (788 mg·kg−1), and the wild domesticated strain Ac28 (350 mg·kg−1). The crude polysaccharides of the A. cornea strain showed significant antioxidant potential, and the ability of Ac33 and Ac24 to scavenge DPPH radicals and ABTS, which was significantly improved compared to other strains, respectively. Principal component analysis was applied to examine the agronomic traits and chemical compounds of various strains of A. cornea mushrooms. The results revealed that cultivated, wild domesticated, and hybrid strains of A. cornea exhibited distinct characteristics in terms of growth, yield, and nutritional properties.ConclusionThe crude polysaccharides from A. cornea mushroom strains act as natural antioxidants, the wild, hybrid, and commercial A. cornea mushroom strains can achieve rapid growth, early maturation, and high yields. The evaluation of biochemical indexes and nutritional characteristics of strains with excellent traits provided a scientific basis for initiating high-quality breeding, provided germplasm resources for the production of “functional food” with real nutritional and health value.

Plant derived compounds have always been an important source of medicines and have received significant attention in recent years due to their diverse pharmacological properties. Millions of plant-based herbal or traditional medicines are used to cure various types of cancers especially due to activation of proliferative genes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the altered and attenuated gene expression of the selected growth factor namely Transforming growth factor Beta -1 (TGFβ1) and MYC in human hepatoma-derived (Huh7) liver cancer cell lines in response to extracts of Artemisia absinthium dissolved in selected organic solvents. Ethanolic, methanolic and acetone extract of different plant parts (leaf, stem and flowers) was used to access the antiproliferative activity by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay. Quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR revealed that the transcript levels of TGFβ1 are induced in the samples treated with methanolic extract of Artemisia absinthium. Furthermore, reduced expression levels of MYC gene was noticed in cancerous cells suggesting antiproliferative properties of the plant. This study further highlights the resistance profile of various microbes by antimicrobial susceptibility test with plant extracts. In addition, antidiabetic effect of Artemisia absinthium have also shown positive results. Our study elucidates the potentials of Artemisia absinthium as a medicinal plant, and highlights the differential expression of genes involved in its mitogenic and anti-proliferative activity with a brief account of its pharmacological action.

Gloeostereum incarnatum has edible and medicinal value and was first cultivated and domesticated in China. We sequenced the G. incarnatum monokaryotic strain GiC-126 on an Illumina HiSeq X Ten system and obtained a 34.52-Mb genome assembly sequence that encoded 16,895 predicted genes. We combined the GiC-126 genome with the published genome of G. incarnatum strain CCMJ2665 to construct a genetic linkage map (GiC-126 genome) that had 10 linkage groups (LGs), and the 15 assembly sequences of CCMJ2665 were integrated into 8 LGs. We identified 1912 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci and detected 700 genes containing 768 SSRs in the genome; 65 and 100 of them were annotated with gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways, respectively. Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were identified in 20 fungal genomes and annotated; among them, 144 CAZymes were annotated in the GiC-126 genome. The A mating-type locus (MAT-A) of G. incarnatum was located on scaffold885 at 38.9 cM of LG1 and was flanked by two homeodomain (HD1) genes, mip and beta-fg. Fourteen segregation distortion markers were detected in the genetic linkage map, all of which were skewed toward the parent GiC-126. They formed three segregation distortion regions (SDR1–SDR3), and 22 predictive genes were found in scaffold1920 where three segregation distortion markers were located in SDR1. In this study, we corrected and updated the genomic information of G. incarnatum. Our results will provide a theoretical basis for fine gene mapping, functional gene cloning, and genetic breeding the follow-up of G. incarnatum.

Oyster mushrooms (white oyster and Phoenix oyster) are edible, delicious and having medicinal properties. This study aimed to estimate the role of thiourea (TU) enriched with cotton waste for production of Pleurotus ostreatus (P1) and Pleurotus sajor-caju (P3). Undiluted cotton waste was used as control (T1 = 100% cotton waste) and accretion along different combination of TU (T2 = 2 mmol L−1, T3 = 4 mmol L−1, T4 = 6 mmol L−1, T5 = 8 mmol L−1 and T6 = 10 mmol L−1). This research was conducted in 2015–2016. The response of Oyster mushroom strains to TU was estimated initiation of spawn running, completion of mycelium growth (100%), biological efficiency (BE), days to completion of flushes (1st, 2nd and 3rd flush), yield, mineral contents (nitrogen (N), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), phosphorus (P), Reducing sugars, total sugars and non-reducing, Vitamin C contents and total soluble solids (TSS)of mushrooms fruiting body and spectral characteristics of mushroom examined through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) compared with control. Yield of mushroom and BE, were greater by increasing with an accretion in the various combinations of TU within the cotton waste as compared to control. Both strains of mushrooms indicated total soluble solids (TSS) (6.4–6.7 0Brix), total sugar (12.3–14%), non-reducing sugar (8.9–9.5%), reducing sugar (2.5–3.2%), Ascorbic acid (36–45.1 mg/100 g), carbohydrates (58–62.66%), crude protein (26–28%), crude fiber (26–41%), fat contents (35.3–37%) and ash content (4.35–16.01%) on different levels of TU supplemented with cotton waste. TU properly enriched the cotton waste suggested as a novel substrate for high-quality and nutrition rich mushrooms production.

Abstract Novel mutant camelina has become a crop of interest inspired by its short growing season, low harvesting costs and high oil composition. Despite those advantages, limited research has been done on novel mutant lines to determine applicability for biodiesel production. Jatropha is an extremely hardy, frugal and high oil yielding plant species. The major aim of the present study was not only to compare biodiesel production from jatropha and camelina but was also to test the efficacy of camelina mutant lines (M6 progenies) as superior feedstock. The biodiesel yield from camelina oil and jatropha oil was 96% and 92%, respectively. The gas chromatographic analysis using flame ionization detector (GC-FID) showed that mutant camelina oil biodiesel sample contain major amount of oleic acid (46.54 wt%) followed by linolenic acid (20.41 wt%) and linoleic acid (16.55 wt%). Jatropha biodiesel found to contain major amount of oleic acid (45.03 wt%) followed by linoleic acid (25.07 wt%) and palmitic acid (19.31 wt%). The fuel properties of produced biodiesel were found in good agreement with EN14214 and ASTM D6751 standards. The mutant camelina lines biodiesel have shown comparatively better fuel properties than jatropha. It has shown low saponification value (120.87–149.35), high iodine value (130.2–157.9) and better cetane number (48.53–59.35) compared to jatropha biodiesel which have high saponification value (177.39–198.9), low iodine value (109.7–123.1) and lesser cetane number (47.76–51.26). The results of the present student of utilizing novel mutant camelina lines for biodiesel production are quite promising and are helpful in turning out the outcomes of the previous studies suggesting that C. sativa biodiesel presents serious drawbacks for biodiesel applications.

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Elaeagnaceae) is a native multi-purpose medicinal shrub or tree of temperate Asian regions and an integral component of high altitude terraced agroforestry systems of Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. The strong increase in deforestation, urbanisation, and the loss of ethnically-based medication practices in local communities are gradually leading to depletion of its stands and knowledge of its use. In view of these circumstances, this study was undertaken to characterise Russian olive accessions as a first step towards the conservation of this important wild plant genetic resource. Ninety-three fruits (including seeds) and leaves were sampled to determine morphological variability among accessions. In addition, the phenolic composition of fruit pulp of 40 fruits was determined. To assess the local importance of the species, 42 Russian olive collectors and traders were interviewed. Data were analysed using PCA followed by clustering. Fruit traits across groups were equally shared. Elevation enhanced fruit and seed dimensions especially length (r = 0.606 and 0.515, respectively) and weight (r = 0.618 and 0.695, respectively). Bioactive substances such as DPPH and flavonoids in the sampled fruits exceeded most values found in the literature by a factor of 100 and 30, respectively. The socio-economic household analysis highlighted that Russian olive harvest and trade are important additional income strategies. On average, about 90€ (ca. 16000 PKR) were earned annually per household ranging from about 35€ to about 205€ . Data yielded a mixed picture on morphological and biochemical diversity as well as the socio-economic background, but indicated that northern regions of Pakistan are an important centre for biodiversity of this species in Central Asia, which merits improved marketing.

A two-year experiment was carried out at Shenyang Agricultural University’s research field area in China to evaluate the impact of the combined application of straw mulch (0 and 8 t ha−1) and biochar (0, 4, 12, and 36 t ha−1) on the morphological traits and grain development of rainfed maize during 2018 and 2019. The results showed that straw mulch and different biochar application rates significantly impacted the maize growth index. Compared to non-biochar-treated soils, the introduction of straw mulch improved plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index (LAI), leaves, stem, root, and crop growth rate (CGR), and dry weight of rainfed maize crop. The highest plant height, stem diameter, LAI, leaves, stem, root growth rate, CGR, and dry weight of rainfed maize crop were reported when soil was treated with a higher rate of biochar (36 t ha−1). Biochar increased grain filling rate while decreasing grain filling duration in rainfed maize crops. Our results indicate that straw mulch and biochar-based soil management strategies can improve the rainfed maize growth with the environmental benefits of global warming mitigation. However, due to the wide range of biochar properties, the interactions between straw mulch and biochar should be given special consideration in the maize cropping system.

In recent decades, Pakistan has suffered a decline in cotton production due to several factors, including insect pests, cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD), and multiple abiotic stresses. CLCuD is a highly damaging plant disease that seriously limits cotton production in Pakistan. Recently, genome editing through CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized plant biology, especially to develop immunity in plants against viral diseases. Here we demonstrate multiplex CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing against CLCuD using transient transformation in N. benthamiana plants and cotton seedlings. The genomic sequences of cotton leaf curl viruses (CLCuVs) were obtained from NCBI and the guide RNA (gRNA) were designed to target three regions in the viral genome using CRISPR MultiTargeter. The gRNAs were cloned in pHSE401/pKSE401 containing Cas9 and confirmed through colony PCR, restriction analysis, and sequencing. Confirmed constructs were moved into Agrobacterium and subsequently used for transformation. Agroinfilteration in N. benthamiana revealed delayed symptoms (3–5 days) with improved resistance against CLCuD. In addition, viral titer was also low (20–40%) in infected plants co-infiltrated with Cas9-gRNA, compared to control plants (infected with virus only). Similar results were obtained in cotton seedlings. The results of transient expression in N. benthamiana and cotton seedlings demonstrate the potential of multiplex CRISPR/Cas to develop resistance against CLCuD. Five transgenic plants developed from three experiments showed resistance (60−70%) to CLCuV, out of which two were selected best during evaluation and screening. The technology will help breeding CLCuD-resistant cotton varieties for sustainable cotton production.

Genetically modified, insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton is cultivated extensively in Pakistan. Past studies, however, have raised concerns about the prevalence of Bt cotton varieties possessing weak or nonperforming insect-resistance traits conferred by the cry gene. We examine this issue using data drawn from a representative sample of cotton-growing households that were surveyed in six agroclimatic zones spanning 28 districts in Pakistan in 2013, as well as measurements of Cry protein levels in cotton tissue samples collected from the sampled households' main fields. The resultant dataset combines information from 593 sampled households with corresponding plant tissue diagnostics from 70 days after sowing, as well as information from 589 sampled households with corresponding diagnostics from 120 days after sowing. Our analysis indicates that 11 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was not present in the tested tissue at 70 days after sowing (i.e., a Type I error). The analysis further indicates that 5 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating non-Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was present in the tested tissue (i.e., a Type II error). In addition, 17 percent of all sampled farmers were uncertain whether or not they were cultivating Bt cotton. Overall, 33 percent of farmers either did not know or were mistaken in their beliefs about the presence of the cry gene in the cotton they cultivated. Results also indicate that toxic protein levels in the plant tissue samples occurred below threshold levels for lethality in a significant percentage of cases, although these measurements may also be affected by factors related to tissue sample collection, handling, storage, and testing procedures. Nonetheless, results strongly suggest wide variability both in farmers' beliefs and in gene expression. Such variability has implications for policy and regulation in Pakistan's transgenic cotton seed market.

The knowledge about the nature and number of gene(s) controlling resistance is the pre-requisite for the success of powdery mildew resistance breeding program in pea. Seven biparental cross combinations involving three highly resistant (It-96, No. 267 and JI 2302) and two highly susceptible (Climax and PF-400) pea genotypes were evaluated for their response to powdery mildew disease. The quantitative microscopic scale of disease assessment coupled with detached leaf assay was employed for the evaluation of disease response of the crosses and their generations (F1, F2, BCs, and BCr) against two highly virulent conidial isolates of Erysiphe pisi. The disease response of 677 F2 plants has revealed a typical monohybrid Mendelian 3 (susceptible): 1 (resistant) segregation, moreover, the evaluation of 254 BCr plants gave a perfect 1 (susceptible): 1(resistant) segregation. No complementation was observed among all the F1 plants of three complementation crosses, suggesting that the same allele (er-1) conditions complete and broad-spectrum resistance in all the powdery mildew resistant pea genotypes in homozygous recessive form.

This paper uses various forecasting methods to forecast future crop production levels using time series data for four major crops in Pakistan: wheat, rice, cotton and pulses. These different forecasting methods are then assessed based on their out-of-sample forecast accuracies. We empirically compare three methods: Box- Jenkins’ ARIMA, Dynamic Linear Models (DLM) and exponential smoothing. The best forecasting models are selected from each of the methods by applying them to various agricultural time series in order to demonstrate the usefulness of the models and the differences between them in an actual application. The forecasts obtained from the best selected exponential smoothing models are then compared with those obtained from the best selected classical Box-Jenkins ARIMA models and DLMs using various forecast accuracy measures.

The spread of cotton leaf curl disease in China, India and Pakistan is a recent phenomenon. Analysis of available sequence data determined that there is a substantial diversity of cotton-infecting geminiviruses in Pakistan. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that recombination between two major groups of viruses, cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV) and cotton leaf curl Kokhran virus (CLCuKoV), led to the emergence of several new viruses. Recombination detection programs and phylogenetic analyses showed that CLCuMuV and CLCuKoV are highly recombinant viruses. Indeed, CLCuKoV appeared to be a major donor virus for the coat protein (CP) gene, while CLCuMuV donated the Rep gene in the majority of recombination events. Using recombination free nucleotide datasets the substitution rates for CP and Rep genes were determined. We inferred similar nucleotide substitution rates for the CLCuMuV-Rep gene (4.96X10-4) and CLCuKoV-CP gene (2.706X10-4), whereas relatively higher substitution rates were observed for CLCuMuV-CP and CLCuKoV-Rep genes. The combination of sequences with equal and relatively low substitution rates, seemed to result in the emergence of viral isolates that caused epidemics in Pakistan and India. Our findings also suggest that CLCuMuV is spreading at an alarming rate, which can potentially be a threat to cotton production in the Indian subcontinent.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a dioecious, wind-pollinated shrub growing in Eurasia including the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan territory). Contrary to the situation in other countries, in Pakistan this species is heavily underutilized. Moreover, a striking diversity of berry colors and shapes in Pakistan raises the question: which varieties might be more suitable for different national and international markets? Therefore, both morphological and genetic diversity of sea buckthorn were studied to characterize and evaluate the present variability, including hypothetically ongoing domestication processes. Overall, 300 sea buckthorn individuals were sampled from eight different populations and classified as wild and supposedly domesticated stands. Dendrometric, fruit and leaf morphometric traits were recorded. Twelve EST-SSRs (expressed sequence tags-simple sequence repeats) markers were used for genotyping. Significant differences in morphological traits were found across populations and between wild and village stands. A significant correlation was found between leaf area and altitude. Twenty-two color shades of berries and 20 dorsal and 15 ventral color shades of leaves were distinguished. Mean genetic diversity was comparatively high (He = 0.699). In total, three distinct genetic clusters were observed that corresponded to the populations’ geographic locations. Considering high allelic richness and genetic diversity, the Gilgit-Baltistan territory seems to be a promising source for selection of improved germplasm in sea buckthorn.

Narrow genetic base and complex allotetraploid genome of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is stimulating efforts to avail required polymorphism for marker based breeding. The availability of draft genome sequence of G. raimondii and G. arboreum and next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies facilitated the development of high-throughput marker technologies in cotton. The concepts of genetic diversity, QTL mapping, and marker assisted selection (MAS) are evolving into more efficient concepts of linkage disequilibrium, association mapping, and genomic selection, respectively. The objective of the current review is to analyze the pace of evolution in the molecular marker technologies in cotton during the last ten years into the following four areas: (i) comparative analysis of low- and high-throughput marker technologies available in cotton, (ii) genetic diversity in the available wild and improved gene pools of cotton, (iii) identification of the genomic regions within cotton genome underlying economic traits, and (iv) marker based selection methodologies. Moreover, the applications of marker technologies to enhance the breeding efficiency in cotton are also summarized. Aforementioned genomic technologies and the integration of several other omics resources are expected to enhance the cotton productivity and meet the global fiber quantity and quality demands.

Soil salinity has very adverse effects on growth and yield of crop plants. Several salt tolerant wild accessions and cultivars are reported in soybean. Functional genomes of salt tolerant Glycine soja and a salt sensitive genotype of Glycine max were investigated to understand the mechanism of salt tolerance in soybean. For this purpose, four libraries were constructed for Tag sequencing on Illumina platform. We identify around 490 salt responsive genes which included a number of transcription factors, signaling proteins, translation factors and structural genes like transporters, multidrug resistance proteins, antiporters, chaperons, aquaporins etc. The gene expression levels and ratio of up/down-regulated genes was greater in tolerant plants. Translation related genes remained stable or showed slightly higher expression in tolerant plants under salinity stress. Further analyses of sequenced data and the annotations for gene ontology and pathways indicated that soybean adapts to salt stress through ABA biosynthesis and regulation of translation and signal transduction of structural genes. Manipulation of these pathways may mitigate the effect of salt stress thus enhancing salt tolerance.

A newly-synthesized poly- o -toluidine Th(IV) phosphate nano-composite cation-exchanger was employed as an adsorbent to study the adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics of Mancozeb from aqueous media. Some parameters such as the Freundlich constants, the thermodynamic equilibrium constant (K 0 ), the standard free energy change (ΔG 0 ), the standard enthalpy change (ΔH 0 ) and the standard entropy change (ΔS 0 ) were determined. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption of Mancozeb onto poly- o -toluidine Th(IV) phosphate was exothermic, spontaneous and decreased as the temperature was increased from 25 °C to 45 °C. A pesticide-sensitive membrane electrode was fabricated using poly- o -toluidine Th(IV) phosphate as an electro-active composite material. Its sensitivity towards Mancozeb was monitored.

Poly-o-anisidine Sn(IV) arsenophosphate is a newly synthesized nanocomposite material and has been characterized on the basis of its chemical composition, ion exchange capacity, TGA-DTA, FTIR, X-RAY, SEM, and TEM studies. On the basis of distribution studies, the exchanger was found to be highly selective for lead that is an environmental pollutant. For the detection of lead in water a heterogeneous precipitate based ion-selective membrane electrode was developed by means of this composite cation exchanger as electroactive material. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated over a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients were determined by mixed solution method and revealed that the electrode is sensitive for Pb(II) in presence of interfering cations. The practical utility of this membrane electrode has been established by employing it as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Pb(II).