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The fruit flesh of watermelons differs depending on the distinct carotenoid composition. Orange-colored flesh relates to the accumulation of β-carotene, which is beneficial to human health. Canary-yellow-fleshed OTO-DAH and orange-β-fleshed (orange-fleshed with high β-carotene) NB-DAH near-isogenic lines (NILs) were used to determine the genetic mechanism attributed to orange watermelon flesh. For genetic mapping, an F2 population was developed by crossing the two NILs. The segregation ratio of flesh color in the F2 population indicated that the orange-β flesh of the NB-DAH NIL was controlled by a single incompletely dominant gene. Through a comparative analysis of the whole-genome sequences of the parent lines and NILs, a major introgression region unique to the NB-DAH NIL was detected on Chr. 1; this was considered a candidate region for harboring genes that distinguish orange from canary-yellow and red flesh. Among the 13 genes involved in the carotenoid metabolic pathway in watermelons, only ClPSY1 (ClCG01G008470), which encodes phytoene synthase 1, was located within the introgression region. The genotyping of F2 plants using a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker developed from a non-synonymous SNP in ClPSY1 revealed its relationship with orange-β flesh. The insights gained in this study can be applied to marker-assisted breeding for this desirable trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flesh color of watermelon is an important trait that is determined by carotenoid composition and affects consumers’ fruit desirability. Although a complete dominant control by C locus (Cllcyb) for canary yellow flesh (CY) over red flesh has been reported, red and CY colors frequently appear as a mixed pattern in the same flesh (incomplete canary yellow, ICY) in F1 and inbred lines carrying dominant C alleles. Therefore, we examined the genetic control of the mixed color pattern in ICY using whole-genome resequencing of three ICY (ICY group) and three CY inbred lines (CY group), as well as genetic linkage mapping of an F2 population. The segregation pattern in 135 F2 plants indicated that CY is controlled by a single locus (named C2) dominant over ICY. The whole-genome resequencing of ICY and CY inbred lines revealed an ICY/CYspecific region of approximately 27.60–27.88 Mb on Chr. 2 that was polymorphic between the ICY and CY groups. Our genetic map, using nine cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers developed based on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms from the ICY/CY-specific region, confirmed that C2 is located on Chr. 2 and cosegregated with the marker (M7) derived from a non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene (ClPPR, Cla97C02G039880). Additionally, 27 watermelon inbred lines of ICY, CY, and red flesh were evaluated using previously reported Cllcyb (C locus)- based markers and our C2 locus-linked ClPPR-based marker (M7). As a result, dominant alleles at the C2 locus were required to produce CY, in addition to dominant alleles at the C locus, while a recessive homozygous genotype at the C locus gave the red flesh irrespective of the genotype at the C2 locus. Using a ClPPR-based cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence developed in this study and Cllcyb-based markers, watermelon cultivars with CY, ICY, and red flesh could be successfully discerned, implying that the combined use of these markers will be efficient for marker-assisted selection of flesh color in watermelon breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations were carried out to analyze the role of anatase nanoparticles in inducing genetic variability in lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) for yield improvement and subsequent involvement in development, quality, and biochemical response of second-generation seedlings through their lifecycle. Trans-generational alterations in the morphological and biochemical pool of the plant system were evaluated over a range of concentrations (25–200 µg/mL). Analysis of F2 seedlings showed an increase in yield parameters at the lowest concentration (25 µg/mL). Biochemical studies revealed that the F2 plants experienced lower oxidative stress as compared with previous generation plants. Quality analysis of seeds revealed a slight positive shift in the mean values of seed protein content at the lowest concentration. The effect of nanoparticles on the growth parameters was antagonistic except at the lowest concentration, where the growth parameters were found to be slightly higher than in the controls. The variability present in different traits in the F2 populations was quantified as phenotypic variability and its components, which is a measure of the transmissibility of variations of the so-called mutated populations as a result of nanoparticle application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation deals with the removal of Pb (II), Cd (II), and Cr (VI) ions by using chemically modified Quercus dilatata leaves (CMQDL) treated with nitric acid (HNO3), and calcium chloride (CaCl2). Batch biosorption experiments were performed to determine the optimal conditions of pH, biomass dose, temperature, contact time, and initial metal concentration for the utmost removal of heavy metals from water. The structural morphology and functionalities were explained by SEM and FTIR analysis. The maximum biosorption capacities for remediation of Pb (II), Cd (II), and Cr (VI) ions via CMQDL were 17.54, 20.408, 20.83 mg g−1, respectively at the optimal conditions. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm were applied to explore the equilibrium data however Freundlich isotherm model best evaluate the equilibrium data with high regression correlation coefficient (R2) values of 0.985, 0.826, and 0.919 for the elimination of Pb (II) Cd (II), and Cr (VI) ions, respectively. The kinetic study proposed that the remediation operation best obeyed the kinetic pseudo 2nd order model. The calculated thermodynamics functions like change in entropy (ΔS°), change in enthalpy (ΔH°) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) revealed that the removal of Pb (II) ions via the CMQDL was viable, exothermic and spontaneous, Cd (II) was endothermic and spontaneous and Cr (VI) was endothermic and non-spontaneous. The current study explored that CMQDL can be used for the remediation of Pb (II), Cd (II), and Cr (VI) ions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an activated carbon (AC) was prepared from Populus nigra sawdust and was used to remove Cd(II), Cr(VI) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous media. Instrumental techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray and surface area analysis were used to characterize the prepared adsorbent. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to enumerate the adsorption parameters and get optimum conditions for the effective adsorption of the selected heavy metals. The equilibrium data were evaluated through Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, Jovanovic and Harkins-Jura isotherm models. The Langmuir model best fitted the equilibrium data with high values of R2. Pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, power function, intraparticle diffusion, and Natarajan-Khalaf models were used to evaluate the experimental kinetics data. Pseudo-second order model amongst them was found to be the best to fit the data well with high regression constant values of 0.9923, 0.9932 and 0.99112, respectively for Cr(VI), Cd(II) and Pb(II) sorption on AC. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG° were estimated for the sorption of selected heavy metals on AC, using Van′t Hoff equation. From the estimated values of the mentioned parameters, it was inferred that the sorption of these metals on AC is favourable, spontaneous and exothermic in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the green mediated biosorption of Pb(II) onto chemically modified Grewia optiva leaves (CMGOL) has been investigated. To improve the biosorption capacity, Grewia optiva leaves powder were treated with HNO3, then neutralized and finally activated with CaCl2. The prepared adsorbent was characterized by analytical tools such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analyzer. To determine the optimum parameters of the biosorption process, batch experiments were performed under different conditions of pH (2–7), contact time (5–180 min), biosorbent dosage (0.1–30 g/L), initial metal concentration (10–800 mg/L), and temperature (25°C–50°C). Optimal biosorption of Pb was achieved at pH 6, biosorbent dosage 5 g/L, contact time 120 min, initial Pb concentration 100 mg/L, and temperature of 50°C. Correlation coefficient R2 value (0.967) of Langmuir adsorption model (monolayer adsorption capacity = 135.136 mg/g) was high as compared to the Freundlich adsorption model and thus fitted well the equilibrium adsorption data. Kinetic studies revealed that Pb biosorption data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order equation rather than the pseudo-first- order equation. The values of thermodynamic parameters ∆H° and ∆G° were negative while that of ∆S° was positive indicating favorable and spontaneous nature of the biosorption process. Due to high biosorption capacity (135.136 mg/g) the prepared CMGOL could be used effectively for the removal of Pb from wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]