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Objectives: Failure of chemical control methods in conferring protection against Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) disease in mung bean crop led to the investigation of biocontrol agents for effective management of the CLS. The current study was focused on increased defense response (histochemical and biochemical) in mung bean plants by alginate pellet formulation of endophytic Amycolatopsis sp. SND-1 (SND-1) against CLS disease. Methods: The sodium alginate bioformulation of SND-1 was prepared by standard method using CaCl2 and evaluated for viability and contamination. Greenhouse study of prepared SND-1 formulation was performed on mung bean plants against CLS infection. Further, the acceleration of histochemical depositions (lignin, H2O2 and phenol) by differential staining methods and biochemical defense enzymes like PAL, GLU, and POX, phenolic, flavonoid and chlorophyll contents and cell death analysis were evaluated through microscopic and spectroscopic studies. Results: The viability assay of the prepared formulation exhibited a negligible reduction in SND-1 spores (99.5% to 86.55%) throughout the six months of storage period. In-vivo (Greenhouse) study exhibited increased growth parameters in alginate pellet formulation of SND-1challenged with Cercospora pathogen (SND-1+Pathogen) treated mung bean plants in comparison with Control (SDW) and only pathogen infested plants. Consequently, the plants with SND-1+Pathogen treatment showed significant reduction in disease severity up to 56%. Furthermore, the microscopic evaluation of histochemical defense markers depicted increased deposition of lignin (82.43±0.31%), H2O2 (47.97±0.66%), and phenol (76.74±0.79%) and cell death analysis through microscopic observation exhibited lesser dead cells of 31% in SND-1+Pathogen treatment in comparison with other treatments. Defense patterns at biochemical level hinted the elevation in activities of defense enzymes like PAL, GLU and POX at 12 and 24 h post pathogen inoculation (hpi) in SND-1+Pathogen treatment. The formulation treatment with pathogen (SND-1+Pathogen) also substantiated that enhanced total phenolic, flavonoid, and chlorophyll contents at different time intervals. Conclusions: Overall the present investigation showed that Amycolatopsis sp. SND-1 formulation confers the protection in mung bean upon Cercospora infection and it might be an effective eco-friendly approach towards sustainable agriculture.

In the current study we have undertaken the scientometric analysis to map research publications from 19 different animal science research institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), for a period of two decades (1998 to 2020), using the Web of Science (WoS) platform of Clarivate Analytics. We analyzed different scientometric parameters like year-wise citation records, institute-wise publication output, authorship pattern, publication types, top collaborating countries, research areas and journals, and relative growth rate and doubling time. Current analysis revealed that the maximum number of research articles were published in 2017 and ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute contributed to the highest number of research papers and citations during the study period. Multi-authorship papers were significantly higher than single and double-authored papers. The study showed that in the field of animal sciences, the USA is the top collaborator with India resulting in 417 collaborative research papers. The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences carried the maximum number of research papers published by researchers from ICAR-Animal Science Research Institutes (ASRI) during 1998-2020. Relative Growth Rate (RGR) showed a decreasing trend in research publications while the doubling time increased during this period. The paper provides a comprehensive account of the research trends in animal sciences research and also insights for strengthening research focus in India.

In the present work the nonapeptides i.e., isotocin and vasotocin alone or in a combination were tested in C. magur to evaluate their effect on stripping by abdominal massage. Also, we used chitosan-carbon nanotube nanocomposites to conjugate the nonapetides isotocin (abbreviated as COOH-SWCNTCSPeP) and isotocin and vasotocin (COOH-SWCNTCSPePs) with the aim of sustaining the effect for a longer duration. The conjugation of nonapeptides with nanocomposites was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of naked (without nanoparticles) and conjugated nonapeptides on the milt release by stripping. Both the experiments consisted of eight treatments which included four naked groups two nanoconjugated groups and two controls. Both naked and nonconjugated formulations were successful in stripping the male catfish. The mRNA expression of selected reproductive genes was analysed to decipher the effect of nanopeptides at the molecular level. Nonapeptide treatment either naked or nanoconjugated, resulted in the upregulation of the transcript level of genes. Histological analysis revealed the concentration of spermatozoa was more in peptide injected groups than in the controls. The synergistic effects of nonapeptides and Ovatide had a positive impact on GSI. Thus, the present formulations were successful in stripping the male catfish to obtain the milt with significant reproductive success. Even though the naked groups perform better but the number of males required to fertilize the eggs in nanoconjuagted groups was smaller making it worth using for the delivery of nonapeptides.

Pathogenesis and immune gene expression of the iridescent shark catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus to experimental Edwardsiella tarda infection was studied. Healthy Pangasianodon were inoculated intramuscularly with a sub-lethal dose of 1.77 × 107 cells/fish of E. tarda to induce edwardsiellosis. Petechial haemorrhages, inflammation at the site of injection, vertical hanging from the water surface, swollen abdomen and anorexia were the common signs observed in challenged catfish fingerlings. The morbid catfish also exhibited typical signs of septicaemia with haemorrhages on ventral parts of the body and fin bases and congested vent prior to death. The mortality was observed 48 h post injection. The average percent morality was 42 % in fish exposed to 1.77 × 107 cells of E. tarda, whereas, only6.6 % mortality was observed in placebo control (catfish received 0.1 mL of 0.85 % sterile physiological saline) and no mortality in negative control group (catfish received no injection) over an observational period of 20 days. The kidney and liver of moribund fish demonstrated different necrobiotic changes. In kidney, cellular and cloudy swelling, degeneration of renal tubules, necrosis of glomerulus, dilation of Bowman’s space, hypertrophy, fibrosis of renal tubules and increased melano-macrophage reaction were frequently observed. In liver, disorganized hepatocytes, blood congestion and nuclear pyknosis were evident. To ascertain the host response to E. tarda infection, mRNA levels of three different classes of innate immune components viz. cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β), acute phase protein transferrrin and complement C3 were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. Significant up-regulation (P