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Twenty F1s, parents and checks viz., MTU 1010 and RNR 15048 were assessed for grain yield and its contributing attributes to study combining ability and heterosis. The mean of hybrids was greater than that of the parents except for days to 50% flowering and plant height. For majority of the investigated characters, the analysis of variance indicated considerable variations among parents and hybrids. Degree of dominance was more than unity for majority of traits including grain yield. For the examined characters, SCA variances were equal to GCA variances, indicating the dominance of additive and non-additive gene activity. The traits days to 50 % flowering, plant height, panicle length, test weight, kernel length and kernel length/breadth ratio showed additive gene action whereas the remaining traits showed non-additive gene action. The gca effects revealed that among the lines IR 72 had significant gca effects in desired direction for yield and yield attributing traits. Among the 20 hybrids, MTU 1001 x Akshyadhan was found to be a good specific combiner for grain yield per plant. Similarly, the hybrids NLR 34449 x IR10N270 and IR 72 x IR10N270 were found to be good specific combiners for grain yield and yield contributing characters. The standard heterosis of these three hybrids was positively significant over the check varieties MTU 1010 and RNR 15048. Based on mean, sca and heterosis estimates, MTU 1001 x Akshyadhan, NLR 34449 x IR10N270 and IR 72 x IR10N270 were identified as promising hybrids.

In order to identify stable short duration rice genotypes across different agro-climatic zones in Telangana state, Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction Models (AMMI) and GGE Bi-plot analyses was performed. Analysis of variance clearly revealed that genotypes contributed highest (34.57 %) followed by environments (32.31 %) and genotype environment interaction (17.10 %) in total sum of squares indicating very greater role played by genotypes, environments and their interactions in realizing final grain yield. AMMI analysis revealed that rice genotypes viz., KNM 2305 (G12), KNM 2307 (G16) and JGL 20776 (G9) were recorded higher mean grain yield with positive interactive principal component analysis 1 (IPCA1) scores whereas, KNM 2307 (G16) and RNR 23595 (G5) were plotted near to zero IPCA1 axis indicating relatively more stable performance across locations. However, the GGE Bi-plot genotype view depicts that the genotypes viz., RDR 1188 (G6) and KNM 2305 (G12) were known as highly unsteady across locations. Among environments, Rudrur (E4), Kunaram (E2) and Rajendranagar (E5) locations were identified as relatively ideal to realize good yields whereas Jagtial (E1), Kampasagar (E3) and Warangal (E6) locations were poor and most discriminating. Among the six locations, the performance of genotypes was relatively similar in Kunaram (E2), Kampasagar (E3) and Rudrur (E4), Warangal (E6) though they belong to different agro-climatic zones of Telangana state, whereas Jagtial (E1) location seems to be little divergent. Further, KNM 2305 (G12) and US 314 (G17) were performed better at Jagtial (E1) and Rajendranagar (E5) while MTU 1010 (G8) was found to have good performance in Rudrur (E4) and Warangal (E6) locations. The results conclude that KNM 2305 was high yielder but found to be unstable across locations whereas KNM 2307 (G16) and KPS 6251 (G15) were identified as good with reasonably higher grain yield and stable performance over locations.

Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Capsicum is rich in beta carotene, capsaicin, vitamin A, C and antioxidant properties. Microbial inoculants are used to improve plant nutrition and also promote plant growth by stimulating plant hormone production. In order to increase growth and yield of capsicum, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse by using different combination of microbial inoculants [Azotobacter chroococcum (AC) as nitrogen fixers, Bacillus megaterium (BM) as Phosphate solubilizer, Glomus fasciculatum (GF) as phosphate mobilizer] at different level of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (50%, 75%, 100%) along with recommended dose of farm yard manure and vermicompost. Different growth parameters and yield parameters were significantly superior in the plants treated with combination of AC + BM + 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium + vermicompost. This was followed by treatment combination (AC + BM + GF + 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium + Farm yard manure) and least growth and yield was observed in the plants treated with the combination of 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium. The results indicated that the combined effect of microbial inoculants and inorganic fertilizer have best effect on growth and yield of capsicum.

We present a rarest of rare case of Tetra-Phocomelia evaluated by antenatal Ultrasonography. It is a condition seen in 0.62 per 100,000 live births. An ultrasonogram was done at 18 wk of pregnancy to assess the fetus and after termination gross specimen was evaluated and X-ray infantograms were done to confirm the findings. The case showed classic Tetra-Phocomelia with limbs like flippers of a seal. Our findings make it rarest of rare as only few cases have been so far reported.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L) Gaertn. subsp. coracana), a staple crop in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia, is praised for its drought resistance and high nutritional value. However, it faces significant yield losses due to foot rot caused by the soil-borne pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii. Chemical fungicides, while commonly used, pose environmental risks and contribute to fungal resistance. In search of solution, the best alternative for the chemical management is biological management. Thus, this study investigates the potential of bacterial endophytes isolated from finger millet landraces for biological control of foot rot. Totally sixty-nine endophytic bacteria were isolated from seeds, roots and leaves of finger millet landraces, by following surface sterilization and spread plating method for seeds, tissue imprinting for leaves and roots. These endophytes were screened for their antagonistic activity against S. rolfsii using a dual culture assay. Among sixty nine isolates, eight endophytic bacteria (AES, BMEL1, GDEL1, GES, HKES, KEL1, KER1 and KER2) exhibited maximum antagonistic activity with inhibition rates ranging from 44.39 per cent to 85.57 per cent were selected. Further these isolates were characterized morphologically (Gram staining) and biochemically (catalase activity, siderophore and hydrogen cyanide production). All the isolates were able to exhibit catalase activity, isolate AES able to produce highest siderophore and BMEL1, KEL1, KER1 and KER2 showed positive for hydrogen cyanide production. Thus, the result ensured the use of endophytes from landraces for sustainable management of foot rot in finger millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of living cells or effective microorganisms that aid in the uptake of nutrients for plant growth is referred to as a biofertilizer. In order to successfully commercialize new microbial inoculants, the formulation process is difficult and frequently success-limiting. The success of microbial inoculants is dependent on a number of variables, with carrier material playing the most significant part. The purpose of the experiment was to compare the performance of a corn-rind-carrier based biofertilizer to existing carrier material talc on the growth and production of capsicum using various application methods, including seed treatment, root dipping, and soil application. There are ten treatments with complete randomized design (CRD) design. The treatment having soil application of corn rind carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK had the highest beneficial microbial populations including free living N2 fixers, PSB and KSB (49.0, 31.0, 30.66 ×105cfu g-1, respectively). Further, it had increased levels of nutrients soil viz., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Greater biometric data including plant height and leaf count, yield characteristics like fruit yield per plant (1591.86) and fruit number (18). Hence, it leads to a conclusion that soil application of corn rind-carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK is comparable with soil application of talc carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK based on microbiological, nutritional, plant, and yield data. The findings of this study showed that corn rind powder can also be an alternate substrate for talc as a carrier material for the production of biofertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytes are one of the symbiotic associations which can be successfully utilized to mitigate negative effects of abiotic stress in agricultural crops. Habitat adapted symbiotic fungal endophytes are known to impart heavy metal stress tolerance in host plants. Besides, endophytic fungi secrete secondary metabolites and enhance the plant's ability to tolerate stressful conditions. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating fungal endophytes of arsenic stress adapted plants for their arsenic tolerance potential. Present study yielded 83 arsenic tolerant fungal endophytes from the plants grown in arsenic-contaminated areas of Karnataka. These isolates were screened for arsenic tolerance at different arsenic (Sodium arsenite) concentrations (100 ppm to 2000 ppm). Among the isolates, eight endophytes (S1P1R1, S3P1S1, S3P1S3, S4P2L2, S5P1S1, S6P1S3, S8P1L4 and S10P1L1) were found efficiently enduring metal stress up to 2000 ppm with tolerance index >0.5. These isolates were further re-evaluated for arsenic tolerance in biomass assay. Significantly higher biomass was achieved in all eight endophytes at 100 PPM arsenic concentration compared to non arsenic control. However, fungal biomass relatively reduced with subsequent increase in arsenic concentration from 250 ppm to 2000 ppm. Further, these endophytes were evaluated for their ability to alleviate arsenic stress and growth promotion of rice seedlings under in vitro arsenic stress condition. Rice seedlings inoculated with fungal endophytes showed significant increase in shoot length under arsenic stress compared to control. Among eight endophytes, the isolate S3P1S1 significantly enhanced shoot and root length of rice. Therefore, data obtained in the present study revealed that the fungal endophyte, isolated from arsenic adapted plant has ability to mitigate arsenic stress and improve the rice growth under arsenic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this contribution, we reply to the Comment by Tkach et al. on our publication in J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 16101. We provide proper evidence to clarify all these queries either by providing a further explanation or through additional experimental results. From the ferroelectric characteristics and dielectric studies, we demonstrate that the remnant polarization and dielectric constant of BaTiO3 are varied with the aluminum (Al) dopant concentration and also noticed that the BaTiO3 with 2% Al dopant concentration is an optimized sample (compared to the others) to attain a high remnant polarisation and dielectric constant. Besides, the other material data of the samples are further analyzed and the presence of Al dopant content is confirmed in the BaTiO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]