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Cotton production in India by the vast majority comes from cotton hybrids whose genetic purity is of great significance in the seed production chain and trade. Therefore, there is a need to develop a rapid, reliable and reproducible technique to assess the genetic purity of cotton hybrids as the traditional, morphological traits-based 'Grow-Out Test' is resource intensive, time consuming, tedious and not an infallible procedure. In this regard, a study was planned to understand the genetic diversity among the hybrids and their parents and also to identify SSR markers for confirmation of genetic purity or hybridity. One intra-arboreum hybrid, CICR2 (DS 5 GMS × LD 327 Sel.), four intra-hirsutum hybrids viz., CSHH198 (CSH 19 × CSH 8), CSHH238 (SH 2379 9Y × PIL 8 Sel.), CSHH243 (CSH 2013 × CSH 43), CSHH1862 (GMS 16A × CB 33) and one hirsutum × barbadense hybrid, Phule 388 (RHC-006 × RHCb-001) along with their respective parental lines were selected for molecular characterization. Of the total 215 SSR markers surveyed, 60 markers conveyed polymorphism. The information conveyed by the polymorphic SSR markers was utilized to assess the molecular divergence among the study material. Maximum genetic dissimilarity of 0.66 was noted between Phule 388 and LD 327 (Sel.), and between RHC-006 and DS 5 (GMS). Minimum genetic dissimilarity of 0.07 was observed between CSHH1862 and CB 33, followed by 0.11 between CICR2 and DS 5 (GMS). SSR markers were highly efficient in capturing both intra-species and inter-species level diversity. The clustering and factorial analysis were in congruence with the species of Gossypium. The diploid species genotypes were clustered separately and distinctly from the rest of the genotypes. All the hirsutum hybrids and their respective parents were found closely clustered. The inter-specific hybrid, Phule 388 along with its parents was found grouped closely. The genetic purity of the hybrids was confirmed using identified SSR markers [GH486, BNL1421, BNL3594, JESPR151 for G. hirsutum hybrids, CSHH198; GH486, BNL2449, JESPR151, TMB0436 for G. hirsutum hybrids, CSHH238; BNL2449, JESPR151, JESPR152 for G. hirsutum hybrid, CSHH243 and GH527, BNL3812, TMB1484, TMB1645, NAU1190, BNL3816 for inter-specific G. hirsutum × G. barbadense hybrid Phule 388]. The SSR markers were efficient in the analysis of hybrid seed purity. The information generated in the present study about genetic diversity and genetic purity testing will greatly facilitate quality seed production of these cotton hybrids and thus, better cotton production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the response to early generation selection in chickpea, a total of 150 F4 progenies derived from selection for total branches per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod, seed yield per plant and 100-seed weight as independent selection criteria in F2 population of Pusa 362 (desi) × PG 0515 (kabuli) cross were evaluated along with their parents and unselected F2 bulk. The F2 population revealed high variability for all the yield components and transgressive segregation for all traits except 100-seed weight. Mean of the F4 families relative to the corresponding F2 plants was high, indicating effectiveness of early generation selection for all characters studied except branch number per plant. Significant correlated response for seed yield was also observed in F4. Based on realized response to selection as percentage of mean, realized heritability and realized generalized response values, we suggest utilization of pods per plant, seed yield per se and 100-seed weight as selection criteria in desi-kabuli introgression breeding for higher genetic gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desi and kabuli are two seed types within the cultivated chickpea, having great contrast for various plant architectural and yield component traits. To obtain the basic information needed for advocated desi-kabuli introgression breeding for productivity enhancement in chickpea, 65 chickpea genotypes comprising both desi and kabuli belonging to bold and medium seed size categories were assessed for genetic variability for various yield component traits. Significant variability was observed for all the characters among the germplasm studied. Correlation analysis revealed highly significant positive genetic association of seed yield per plant with total branches per plant, pods per plant and 100 seed weight. Seed weight and pods per plant contributed maximum to the total genetic divergence as per Tocher's method. The studied germplasm was grouped into 9 clusters based on genetic distance. Genetic divergence pattern through factorial coordinate analysis revealed existence of considerable genetic diversity both between and within desi and kabuli, and medium and bold seeded genotypes, and the pattern of divergence was more distinct for seed size compared to seed type. The information on genetic divergence, association among yield component traits and the identified, diverse medium and bold seeded, desi and kabuli genotypes will be of immense utility for improvement of productivity and seed size in chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the importance of mass and heat transfer characteristics of mixed convective conditions on nonlinear free convection flow embedded with non-Fourier flux and thermal radiation is numerically investigated. A partial Casson slip and mixed impact of thermophoresis and Brownian motion is considered at the elastic surface. To change the highly nonlinear partial differential equations into ordinary differential system, we used the similarity transformations and then the shooting method is employed to solve resulting equations. The significance of various physical parameters on the velocity, concentration and temperature profiles are investigated for both negative value of ferromagnetic interaction ( β 1 = − 0. 2) and positive value of ferromagnetic interaction ( β 1 = 0. 2). The governing physical aspects of coefficient of skin friction, the Sherwood and Nusselt numbers are obtained for various embedded parameters. Our findings concluded that the ferromagnetic interaction is positive and then more mass transfer rate is identified compared to the negative value of ferromagnetic interaction, but whereas in friction and heat transfer rate, it was completely mixed sense (i.e., different effects have different results). Brownian motion has less Nusselt number values in positive ferromagnetism compared to negative ferromagnetism and quite opposite behavior is observed in the presence of thermophoresis, this happened due to nonlinear flux and buoyancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, bioenergy has drawn attention as a sustainable energy source because of a combination of growing energy needs, rising oil costs, the pursuit of clean, renewable sources of energy and the desire to boost farm incomes in developed countries. There are currently few players in this field; Brazil and the United States together accounts for more than 90 per cent of global ethanol production, whereas Germany and France accounts for more than 65 per cent of global biodiesel production. However, developing countries with sub-tropical climate like India is having a comparative advantage in growing energy rich biomass. The second generation technologies could enable expansion of the range of feedstock used from the traditional sugarcane, maize and rapeseed to grasses and trees that can thrive in less fertile and more drought prone regions. Potentially adverse impacts from a rapid bioenergy expansion include upward pressure on international food prices, making staple crops less affordable for poor consumers, significant adverse effects on both land an water resources and on biodiversity. The bottleneck for producing biofuels is the supply of fee stocks and the competition of these crops for food, feed or fuel. Mitigation of potentially adverse impacts of aggressive increase in biofuel production requires a renewed focus of crop breeding for productivity improvement in crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asiatic cotton (Gossypium arboreum) cultivated as 'desi cotton' in India, is renowned for its climate resilience and robustness against biotic and abiotic stresses. The genome of G. arboreum is therefore, considered as a valued reserve of information for discovering novel genes or gene functions for trait improvements in the present context of cotton cultivation world-wide. In the present study, we carried out genome-wide analysis of LIM gene family in desi cotton and identified twenty LIM domain proteins (GaLIMs) which include sixteen animals CRP-like GaLIMs and four plant specific GaLIMs with presence (GaDA1) or absence (GaDAR) of UIM (Ubiquitin Interacting Motifs). Among the sixteen CRP-like GaLIMs, eleven had two conventional LIM domains while, five had single LIM domain which was not reported in LIM gene family of the plant species studied, except in Brassica rapa. Phylogenetic analysis of these twenty GaLIM proteins in comparison with LIMs of Arabidopsis, chickpea and poplar categorized them into distinct αLIM1, βLIM1, γLIM2, δLIM2 groups in CRP-like LIMs, and GaDA1 and GaDAR in plant specific LIMs group. Domain analysis had revealed consensus [(C-X2-C-X17-H-X2-C)-X2-(C-X2-C-X17-C-X2-H)] and [(C-X2-C-X17-H-X2-C)-X2-(C-X4-C-X15-C-X2-H)] being conserved as first and/or second LIM domains of animal CRP-like GaLIMs, respectively. Interestingly, single LIM domain containing GaLIM15 was found to contain unique consensus with longer inter-zinc-motif spacer but shorter second zinc finger motif. All twenty GaLIMs showed variable spatio-temporal expression patterns and accordingly further categorized into distinct groups of αLIM1, βLIM1, γLIM2 δLIM2 and plant specific LIM (DA1/DAR). For the first time, response of GaDA1/DAR under the influence of biotic and abiotic stresses were studied in cotton, involving treatments with phytohormones (Jasmonic acid and Abscisic acid), salt (NaCl) and wilt causing pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum). Expressions patterns of GaDA1/DAR showed variable response and identified GaDA2 as a probable candidate gene for stress tolerance in G. arboreum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author focuses on the use of non-Bt seeds over Bt-cotton that were provided by seed companies in India. It mentions that genetically modified (GM) cotton fortified with cry1Ac (crystal 1Ac) gene derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and states that . It also mentions that Cry1Ac protein expressed in Bt-cotton are toxic due to cotton bollworms including American bollworm, pink bollworm and spotted bollworms.