Genetic manipulation of Indian mustard genotypes with WRR-gene(s) confers resistance against Albugo candida.

BACKGROUND: Brassica species is the second most important edible oilseed crop in India. Albugo candida (Pers.) Kuntze, a major oomycete disease of oilseed brassica causing white rust, leads to 60% yield loss globally. The prevalence of A. candida race 2 (Ac2V) that specifically infects B. juncea, coupled with limitations of conventional methods has resulted in a dearth of white rust resistance resources in cultivated varieties. METHODS AND RESULTS: In an effort to develop resistant plants, Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of three B. juncea genotypes viz., susceptible host var. Varuna, along with its doubled haploid mutant lines C66 and C69 (showing moderate tolerance to field isolates of A. candida) was initiated to transfer resistance genes (WRR8Sf-2 and WRR9Hi-0) identified in Arabidopsis thaliana against race Ac2V, that encode for Toll-like/interleukin-1 receptor-nucleotide binding-leucine-rich repeat proteins that recognize effectors of the pathogen races. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that introduction of resistance genes from a tertiary gene pool by genetic transformation enhances disease resistance in B. juncea genotypes to a highly virulent Ac2V isolate.

Sustainable use of the spent mushroom substrate of Pleurotus florida for production of lignocellulolytic enzymes.

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a major byproduct of the mushroom industry, is a lignocellulosic biomass, which contains approximately 57-74.3% of holocellulose fraction. This study was aimed at utilizing SMS of Pleurotus florida for recovery of lignocellulolytic enzymes and sugars and also as a substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes using different isolates of Trichoderma and Aspergillus under solid-state fermentation (SSF). SMS of P. florida extracts contained significant amounts of laccase (3,015.8 ± 29.5 U/g SMS) and xylanase (1,187.9 ± 12 U/g SMS) activity. Crystallinity pattern and chemical changes in SMS revealed that SMS had a lower crystallinity index (34.2%) as compared with the raw biomass (37.8%), which, in turn, helps in enhancing the accessibility of cellulolytic enzymes to holocellulose. Among the isolates, Trichoderma longibrachiatum A-01 showed maximum activity of endoglucanase (220.4 ± 5.9 U/mg), exoglucanase (78.5 ± 3.2 U/mg) and xylanase (1,550.4 ± 11.6 U/mg) while Aspergillus aculeatus C-08 showed maximum activity of cellobiase (113.9 ± 3.9 U/mg). Extraction with sodium citrate buffer (pH 4.8) showed maximum cellulolytic enzyme activity as compared with other solvents tested. Partial purification of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, xylanase, and cellobiase resulted in 56.3% (1,112.5 U/mg), 48.4% (212.5 U/mg), 44% (4,492.3 U/mg), and 62% (705.0 U/mg) yield with an increase by 5.2-, 4.5-, 4.1-, and 5.0-fold as compared with crude extract. The results reveal that SMS from P. florida could be a potential and cost-effective substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes from T. longibrachiatum A-01 and A. aculeatus C-08.

Biochemical aspects of pathogenic variability in white rust infected Indian mustard.

White rust caused by Albugo candida, an oomycete pathogen, is a devastating disease of Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) worldwide. There is a need to screen virulent white rust isolates to challenge the developed white rust-resistant B. juncea cultivars to screen their resistance potential. The current study explores pathogenic and biochemical response of Indian mustard to white rust isolates collected from three different geographic locations of India. The observations refine our understanding of the disease severity in India. Disease progression and biochemical responses were studied in the cotyledonary as well as true leaf stage of the B. juncea cultivar Varuna at different time points. The biochemical findings highlight the fluctuation of significant biochemical parameters such as total proteins, sugars, and phenols, superoxide dismutase, and hydrogen peroxide during the A. candida infection in B. juncea.