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Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre (Pongamia) is a tree native to Southeast Asia. Recently, interest in Pongamia focused on its potential as a biofuel source as its seeds contain around 40% oil. However, Pongamia has multiple applications beyond biofuel production. It is a legume, can form symbiotic associations with mycorrhizal fungi, has been shown to be tolerant to drought, salinity, and heavy metals in soil, and has potential to mitigate climate change. Additionally, Pongamia oil has medicinal properties, can be used as biopesticide, insect repellent, to produce soap, and as a source of edible grade vegetable oil. The seed cake can be used as a source of bioenergy, food and feed protein, and organic fertiliser, and the flowers are a good source of pollen and nectar. Pongamia can also bring socio-economic benefits as its ability to restore degraded and contaminated land provides opportunities for local communities through novel valorisation pathways. These multiple applications have potential to form part of a circular bioeconomy in line with sustainable development goals. Although research on the multiple applications of Pongamia has grown considerably, knowledge gaps remain and these need to be addressed so that the full potential of Pongamia can be achieved. Further understanding of the mechanisms underlying its resilience to abiotic stresses, phytoremediation potential and biotic interactions should be a priority, and co-ordinated breeding efforts will be key. Here, we critically review the available literature on Pongamia and highlight gaps in knowledge in which future research should focus on to ensure that the full potential of this versatile tree can be achieved. We conclude that Pongamia can potentially form part of a circular bioeconomy and that harnessing the multiple applications of Pongamia in a holistic manner, with collaboration among key stakeholders, is crucial for the successful application of its benefits far beyond biofuel production.

Twenty-two sorghum genotypes were evaluated for grain mould response, 13 morphological and biochemical traits thought to contribute to resistance, and 3 agronomic traits related to utilization. Measurements of grain mould (field grade score, threshed grade score, ergosterol content, and percentage germination) were strongly correlated with one another. Highly significant correlations between measures of grain mould and seed hardness, seed phenol content in acid methanol extract, and glume colour indicated that they strongly affected grain mould response. Harder grain, higher levels of seed phenols, and darker glumes contributed to grain mould resistance. Weaker and less consistent correlations between measures of grain mould and seed colour, seed flavan-4-ol content, glume phenol and flavan-4-ol contents, and glume cover indicated relatively less effect of these traits on grain mould response. Genotype means indicated that combinations of several traits are required to achieve resistance. Germplasm lines, including coloured-seeded lines IS 14375, IS 14387, IS 18144, and IS 18528, and white-seeded lines IS 21443, IS 24495 and IS 25017, showed greatest grain mould resistance. Improved lines generally had poorer grain mould resistance than these landraces. However, the best improved lines were comparable in resistance to white-seeded landraces. B58586, IS 14375 and IS 14387 are hard-seeded guinea sorghum lines that can be used as sources of grain mould resistance for West Africa. SP 33316, SP 33349 and GM 15018 are agronomically elite lines that can be used as sources of grain mould resistance for further improvement of white-seeded sorghum for South Asia and other regions.

A simple and rapid method for the simultaneous estimation of thorium and calcium in urine was developed. Thorium and calcium were coprecipitated as oxalates at pH 3-4 and were determined using Thoronol as reagent. A multi-wave-length linear regression analysis procedure was applied. Thorium recovery was found to be 78.3% +/- 5.1% (1 sigma) and that of calcium was 93.7 +/- 3.0% (1 sigma). The minimum detection limit for thorium was found to be 2.54 mBq/dm3. The analytical results of calcium agree very well with those determined by EDTA titrimetry.