Nutrient remobilization and C:N:P stoichiometry in response to elevated CO2 and low phosphorus availability in rice cultivars introgressed with and without Pup1.

The continuously rising atmospheric CO2 concentration potentially increase plant growth through stimulating C metabolism; however, plant C:N:P stoichiometry in response to elevated CO2 (eCO2) under low P stress remains largely unknown. We investigated the combined effect of eCO2 and low phosphorus on growth, yield, C:N:P stoichiometry, and remobilization in rice cv. Kasalath (aus type), IR64 (a mega rice variety), and IR64-Pup1 (Pup1 QTL introgressed IR64). In response to eCO2 and low P, the C accumulation increased significantly (particularly at anthesis stage) while N and P concentration decreased leading to higher C:N and C:P ratios in all plant components (leaf, sheath, stem, and grain) than ambient CO2. The remobilization efficiencies of N and P were also reduced under low P with eCO2 as compared to control conditions. Among cultivars, the combined effect of eCO2 and low P was greater in IR64-Pup1 and produced higher biomass and grain yield as compared to IR64. However, IR64-Pup1 exhibited a lower N but higher P concentration than IR64, indicating that the Pup1 QTL improved P uptake but did not influence N uptake. Our study suggests that the P availability along with eCO2 would alter the C:N:P ratios due to their differential partitioning, thereby affecting growth and yield.

Microgreens on the rise: Expanding our horizons from farm to fork.

Escalating public health concerns necessitate innovative approaches to food sources. Microgreens, nutrient-rich seedlings of vegetables and herbs, have gained recognition as functional foods. This review explores the evolution of microgreens, cultivation methods, biochemical changes during germination, nutritional content, health benefits, and commercial significance. Comprehensive studies have demonstrated that microgreens have an elevated level of various nutrients. Further, in vitro and in vivo research validated their antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and antidiabetic properties. Microgreens, termed "desert food," show promise for sustainable food production in climate-vulnerable regions. This paper synthesizes recent research on microgreens, addressing challenges and gaps in understanding their nutritional content and health benefits. It contributes valuable insights for future research, fostering sustainable agriculture and enhancing understanding of microgreens in human health and nutrition.

Genetic analysis of heat tolerance in hot pepper: insights from comprehensive phenotyping and QTL mapping.

High temperatures present a formidable challenge to the cultivation of hot pepper, profoundly impacting not only vegetative growth but also leading to flower and fruit abscission, thereby causing a significant reduction in yield. To unravel the intricate genetic mechanisms governing heat tolerance in hot pepper, an F2 population was developed through the crossing of two distinct genotypes exhibiting contrasting heat tolerance characteristics: DLS-161-1 (heat tolerant) and DChBL-240 (heat susceptible). The F2 population, along with the parental lines, was subjected to comprehensive phenotyping encompassing diverse morphological, physiological, and biochemical heat-related traits under high temperature conditions (with maximum temperature ranging from 31 to 46.5°C and minimum temperature from 15.4 to 30.5°C). Leveraging the Illumina Nova Seq-6000 platform, Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) was employed to generate 67.215 Gb data, with subsequent alignment of 218.93 million processed reads against the reference genome of Capsicum annuum. Subsequent variant calling and ordering resulted in 5806 polymorphic SNP markers grouped into 12 LGs. Further QTL analysis identified 64 QTLs with LOD values ranging from 2.517 to 11.170 and explained phenotypic variance ranging from 4.05 to 19.39%. Among them, 21 QTLs, explaining more than 10% phenotypic variance, were identified as major QTLs controlling 9 morphological, 3 physiological, and 2 biochemical traits. Interestingly, several QTLs governing distinct parameters were found to be colocalized, suggesting either a profound correlation between the QTLs regulating these traits or their significant genomic proximity. In addition to the QTLs, we also identified 368380 SSR loci within the identified QTL regions, dinucleotides being the most abundant type (211,381). These findings provide valuable insights into the genetics of heat tolerance in hot peppers. The identified QTLs and SSR markers offer opportunities to develop heat-tolerant varieties, ensuring better crop performance under high-temperature conditions.

Insights into morphological and physio-biochemical adaptive responses in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) under heat stress.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) is an important food legume crop which contributes significantly to nutritional and food security of South and Southeast Asia. The crop thrives in hot and humid weather conditions, with an optimal temperature range of 28°-35°C, and is mainly cultivated under rainfed environments. However, the rising global temperature has posed a serious threat to mungbean cultivation. Optimal temperature is a vital factor in cellular processes, and every crop species has evolved with its specific temperature tolerance ability. Moreover, variation within a crop species is inevitable, given the diverse environmental conditions under which it has evolved. For instance, various mungbean germplasm can grow and produce seeds in extreme ambient temperatures as low as 20°C or as high as 45°C. This range of variation in mungbean germplasm for heat tolerance plays a crucial role in developing heat tolerant and high yielding mungbean cultivars. However, heat tolerance is a complex mechanism which is extensively discussed in this manuscript; and at the same time individual genotypes have evolved with various ways of heat stress tolerance. Therefore, to enhance understanding towards such variability in mungbean germplasm, we studied morphological, anatomical, physiological, and biochemical traits which are responsive to heat stress in plants with more relevance to mungbean. Understanding heat stress tolerance attributing traits will help in identification of corresponding regulatory networks and associated genes, which will further help in devising suitable strategies to enhance heat tolerance in mungbean. The major pathways responsible for heat stress tolerance in plants are also discussed.

First Record of Clonostachys rosea (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Entomopathogenic Fungus in the Mango Hopper Amritodus atkinsoni (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

Mango hopper (Amritodus atkinsoni Lethierry) causes devastations in the early vegetative stage of the mango crop. The classical management of mango hopper is with systemic insecticides but their overuse has caused environmental pollution. Here, we have evaluated the entomopathogenic role of Clonostachys rosea through bioassay and optimized media for its large-scale culturing. The current study reveals the potentiality of C. rosea as entomopathogenic on A. atkinsoni. Initially, morphological and molecular characterization was used to validate local isolates' identity as C. rosea. Further, we have evaluated the entomopathogenic role of C. rosea through a bioassay, where the highest mean mortality in A. atkinsoni was observed at a treatment concentration of 3 × 108 conidia/mL, with 96.67% mortality after 168 h of infection. This work also provides insight into the laboratory-based media standardization for C. rosea, resulting in oatmeal agar media and broth as the most suitable artificial media, and 20 °C temperature for its mass culture. Thus, C. rosea is a novo-entomopathogenic fungus on A. atkinsoni and has a high potency to be included in the management of mango hopper pests.

Adaptive strategies of plants to conserve internal phosphorus under P deficient condition to improve P utilization efficiency.

Phosphorus (P) is one of the limiting factors for plant growth and productivity due to its slow diffusion and immobilization in the soil which necessitates application of phosphatic fertilizers to meet the crop demand and obtain maximum yields. However, plants have evolved mechanisms to adapt to low P stress conditions either by increasing acquisition (alteration of belowground processes) or by internal inorganic P (Pi) utilization (cellular Pi homeostasis) or both. In this review, we have discussed the adaptive strategies that conserve the use of P and maintain cellular Pi homeostasis in the cytoplasm. These strategies involve modification in membrane lipid composition, flavanol/anthocyanin level, scavenging and reutilization of Pi adsorbed in cell wall pectin, remobilization of Pi during senescence by enzymes like RNases and purple acid phosphatases, alternative mitochondrial electron transport, and glycolytic pathways. The remobilization of Pi from senescing tissues and its internal redistribution to various cellular organelles is mediated by various Pi transporters. Although much efforts have been made to enhance P acquisition efficiency, an understanding of the physiological mechanisms conserving internal Pi and their manipulation would be useful for plants that can utilize P more efficiently to produce optimum growth per unit P uptake.

Circulating metabolites associated with tumor hypoxia and early response to treatment in bevacizumab-refractory glioblastoma after combined bevacizumab and evofosfamide.

Glioblastomas (GBM) are the most common and aggressive form of primary malignant brain tumor in the adult population, and, despite modern therapies, patients often develop recurrent disease, and the disease remains incurable with median survival below 2 years. Resistance to bevacizumab is driven by hypoxia in the tumor and evofosfamide is a hypoxia-activated prodrug, which we tested in a phase 2, dual center (University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and Dana Farber Cancer Institute) clinical trial after bevacizumab failure. Tumor hypoxic volume was quantified by 18F-misonidazole PET. To identify circulating metabolic biomarkers of tumor hypoxia in patients, we used a high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based approach to profile blood metabolites and their specific enantiomeric forms using untargeted approaches. Moreover, to evaluate early response to treatment, we characterized changes in circulating metabolite levels during treatment with combined bevacizumab and evofosfamide in recurrent GBM after bevacizumab failure. Gamma aminobutyric acid, and glutamic acid as well as its enantiomeric form D-glutamic acid all inversely correlated with tumor hypoxia. Intermediates of the serine synthesis pathway, which is known to be modulated by hypoxia, also correlated with tumor hypoxia (phosphoserine and serine). Moreover, following treatment, lactic acid was modulated by treatment, likely in response to a hypoxia mediated modulation of oxidative vs glycolytic metabolism. In summary, although our results require further validation in larger patients' cohorts, we have identified candidate metabolic biomarkers that could evaluate the extent of tumor hypoxia and predict the benefit of combined bevacizumab and evofosfamide treatment in GBM following bevacizumab failure.

Genome-wide association analysis to delineate high-quality SNPs for seed micronutrient density in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Chickpea is the most important nutrient-rich grain legume crop in the world. A diverse core set of 147 chickpea genotypes was genotyped with a Axiom(®)50K CicerSNP array and trait phenotyped in two different environments for four seed micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn). The trait data and high-throughput 50K SNP genotypic data were used for the genome-wide association study (GWAS). The study led to the discovery of genes/QTLs for seed Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn, concentrations in chickpea. The analysis of seed micronutrient data revealed significant differences for all four micronutrient concentrations (P ≤ 0.05). The mean concentrations of seed Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn pooled over the 2 years were 45.9 ppm, 63.8 ppm 146.1 ppm, and 27.0 ppm, respectively. The analysis of results led to the identification of 35 SNPs significantly associated with seed Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations. Among these 35 marker-trait associations (MTAs), 5 were stable (consistently identified in different environments), 6 were major (explaining more than 15% of the phenotypic variation for an individual trait) and 3 were both major and stable MTAs. A set of 6 MTAs, MTAs (3 for Mn, 2 for Fe, and 1 for Cu) reported by us during the present study have been also reported in the same/almost same genomic regions in earlier studies and therefore declared as validated MTAs. The stable, major and validated MTAs identified during the present study will prove useful in future chickpea molecular breeding programs aimed at enhancing the seed nutrient density of chickpea.

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I reverses NOTCH1-driven metabolic reprogramming in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is commonly driven by activating mutations in NOTCH1 that facilitate glutamine oxidation. Here we identify oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) as a critical pathway for leukemia cell survival and demonstrate a direct relationship between NOTCH1, elevated OxPhos gene expression, and acquired chemoresistance in pre-leukemic and leukemic models. Disrupting OxPhos with IACS-010759, an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I, causes potent growth inhibition through induction of metabolic shut-down and redox imbalance in NOTCH1-mutated and less so in NOTCH1-wt T-ALL cells. Mechanistically, inhibition of OxPhos induces a metabolic reprogramming into glutaminolysis. We show that pharmacological blockade of OxPhos combined with inducible knock-down of glutaminase, the key glutamine enzyme, confers synthetic lethality in mice harboring NOTCH1-mutated T-ALL. We leverage on this synthetic lethal interaction to demonstrate that IACS-010759 in combination with chemotherapy containing L-asparaginase, an enzyme that uncovers the glutamine dependency of leukemic cells, causes reduced glutaminolysis and profound tumor reduction in pre-clinical models of human T-ALL. In summary, this metabolic dependency of T-ALL on OxPhos provides a rational therapeutic target.

Current Research Trends and Prospects for Yield and Quality Improvement in Sesame, an Important Oilseed Crop.

Climate change is shifting agricultural production, which could impact the economic and cultural contexts of the oilseed industry, including sesame. Environmental threats (biotic and abiotic stresses) affect sesame production and thus yield (especially oil content). However, few studies have investigated the genetic enhancement, quality improvement, or the underlying mechanisms of stress tolerance in sesame. This study reveals the challenges faced by farmers/researchers growing sesame crops and the potential genetic and genomic resources for addressing the threats, including: (1) developing sesame varieties that tolerate phyllody, root rot disease, and waterlogging; (2) investigating beneficial agro-morphological traits, such as determinate growth, prostrate habit, and delayed response to seed shattering; (3) using wild relatives of sesame for wide hybridization; and (4) advancing existing strategies to maintain sesame production under changing climatic conditions. Future research programs need to add technologies and develop the best research strategies for economic and sustainable development.

Genotypic variation in root architectural traits under contrasting phosphorus levels in Mediterranean and Indian origin lentil genotypes.

The development of phosphorus-efficient crop cultivars boosts productivity while lowering eutrophication in the environment. It is feasible to improve the efficiency of phosphorus (P) absorption in lentils by enhancing phosphorus absorption through root architectural traits. The root architectural traits of 110 diverse lentil genotypes of Indian and Mediterranean origin were assessed, and the relationships between traits were investigated. In a hydroponics experiment, the lentil lines were examined at the seedling stage under two conditions: adequate P supply and deficient P supply. The Pearson correlation coefficients between root architectural traits and genetic diversity among lentil lines were assessed. To estimate variance components, a model (fixed factor) was used. In this experiment, both phosphorus (P) and genotype were fixed variables. Our lentil lines showed significant genetic variability and considerable genetic diversity for all traits under both treatments. The TRL (total root length) and PRL (primary root length) showed strong positive associations with all other characteristics excluding root average diameter (RAD) in both P treatments. In both P treatments, the RAD revealed a negative significant association with Total Root Tips (TRT), as well as total root volume (TRV) and total root forks (TRF) in the deficit conditions of P. Total root volume (TRV), total surface area (TSA), and total root tips had higher coefficient variance values. The first two principal components represented 67.88% and 66.19% of the overall variance in the adequate and deficit P treatments respectively. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H') revealed that RAD, PRL, and TSA had more variability than TRT and TRF under both treatments. According to the Comprehensive Phosphorus Efficiency Measure (CPEM), the best five highly efficient genotypes are PLL 18-09, PLS 18-01, PLL 18-25, PLS 18-23, and PLL 18-07, while IG112131, P560206, IG334, L11-231, and PLS18-67 are highly inefficient genotypes. The above contrasting diverse lentil genotypes can be utilized to produce P-efficient lentil cultivars. The lentil germplasm with potentially favorable root traits can be suggested to evaluated for other abiotic stress to use them in crop improvement programme. The scientific breakthroughs in root trait phenotyping have improved the chances of establishing trait-allele relationships. As a result, genotype-to-phenotype connections can be predicted and verified with exceptional accuracy, making it easier to find and incorporate favourable nutrition-related genes/QTLs in to breeding programme.

Co-cultivation Approach to Decipher the Influence of Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacterium on Growth and N Uptake in Rice Crop.

The present study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of selected potential nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial strain (Anabaena sp.), isolated from rhizospheric soil of rice plants on growth, pigments, N uptake, root architecture, and image-based phenotypic traits of rice crop using co-cultivation approach under controlled sand culture conditions. We studied the beneficial interaction of cyanobacterium to rice using sensor image-based Phenomics approach as well as conventional methods. Co-cultivation experiment revealed that inoculation with Anabaena sp. significantly improved plant growth, chlorophyll, leaf area, % nitrogen, and protein of rice by ~ 70%, ~ 22%, ~ 60%, and ~ 25% under 100% nitrogen input in comparison with un-inoculated control. Further, comparative evaluation revealed superior performance of Anabaena sp. at 100% and 75% N followed by 50% N input improving below-ground parameters as well as phenotypic traits as compared to control treatment. Hence, inoculation performed better with inorganic nitrogen input for overall growth of rice crop. Therefore, cyanobacterial strain can be used as an efficient bio-inoculant for sustainable rice production under integrated nutrient management.

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes for seed shape and 100-seed weight in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].

Seed size and shape are important traits determining yield and quality in soybean. Seed size and shape are also desirable for specialty soy foods like tofu, natto, miso, and edamame. In order to find stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes for seed shape and 100-seed weight, the current study used vegetable type and seed soybean-derived F2 and F2:3 mapping populations. A total of 42 QTLs were mapped, which were dispersed across 13 chromosomes. Of these, seven were determined to be stable QTLs and five of them were major QTLs, namely qSL-10-1, qSW-4-1, qSV-4-1, qSLW-10-1, and qSLH-10-1. Thirteen of the 42 QTLs detected in the current study were found at known loci, while the remaining 29 were discovered for the first time. Out of these 29 novel QTLs, 17 were major QTLs. Based on Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER), gene annotation information, and literature search, 66 genes within seven stable QTLs were predicted to be possible candidate genes that might regulate seed shape and seed weight in soybean. The current study identified the key candidate genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling soybean seed shape and weight, and these results will be very helpful in marker-assisted breeding for developing soybean varieties with improved seed weight and desired seed shape.

Genetic Variation for Traits Related to Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Lens Species at the Seedling Stage.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential, non-renewable resource critical for crop productivity across the world. P is immobile in nature and, therefore, the identification of novel genotypes with efficient P uptake and utilization under a low P environment is extremely important. This study was designed to characterize eighty genotypes of different Lens species for shoot and root traits at two contrasting levels of P. A significant reduction in primary root length (PRL), total surface area (TSA), total root tips (TRT), root forks (RF), total dry weight (TDW), root dry weight (RDW) and shoot dry weight (SDW) in response to P deficiency was recorded. A principal component analysis revealed that the TDW, SDW and RDW were significantly correlated to P uptake and utilization efficiency in lentils. Based on total dry weight (TDW) under low P, L4727, EC718309, EC714238, PL-97, EC718348, DPL15, PL06 and EC718332 were found promising. The characterization of different Lens species revealed species-specific variations for the studied traits. Cultivated lentils exhibited higher P uptake and utilization efficiency as compared to the wild forms. The study, based on four different techniques, identified EC714238 as the most P use-efficient genotype. The genotypes identified in this study can be utilized for developing mapping populations and deciphering the genetics for breeding lentil varieties suited for low P environments.

Comparison of different selection traits for identification of phosphorus use efficient lines in mungbean.

Phosphorus (P) is one of the major constraints for crop growth and development, owing to low availability and least mobility in many tropical soil conditions. Categorization of existing germplasm under P deficient conditions is a prerequisite for the selection and development of P efficient genotypes in the mungbean. In the present investigation, 36 diverse genotypes were categorized for phosphorus use efficiency traits using four different techniques for identification of phosphorus use efficient mungbean genotypes. The studied genotypes were categorized for P efficiency based on efficiency, responsiveness, and stress tolerance score of genotypes under normal and low P conditions. The mean values of traits, root dry mass, root to shoot ratio, and P utilization efficiency are significantly higher under low P conditions indicating the high responsiveness of traits to P deficiency. The presence of significant interaction between genotypes and P treatment indicates the evaluated genotypes were significantly affected by P treatment for studied traits. The total P uptake showed significant and positive correlations with root dry mass, shoot dry mass, total dry mass,and P concentration under both P regimes. Out of the four techniques used for the categorization of genotypes for P efficiency, three techniques revealed that the genotype PUSA 1333, followed by Pusa Vishal, PUSA 1031, and Pusa Ratna is efficient. The categorization based on stress tolerance score is the finest way to study variation and for the selection of contrasting genotypes for P efficiency. The identified P efficient genotypes would be valuable resources for genetic enhancement of P use efficiency in mungbean breeding.

Expression of potential reference genes in response to macronutrient stress in rice and soybean.

Given the complexity of nutrient stress responses and the availability of a few validated reference genes, we aimed to identify robust and stable reference genes for macronutrient stress in rice and soybean. Ten potential reference genes were evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Comparative ΔCt method, and RefFinder algorithms under low and completely starved conditions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulphur (S). Results revealed distinct sets of reference gene pairs, showing stable expression under different experimental conditions. The gene pairs TIP41/UBC(9/10/18) and F-box/UBC10 were most stable in rice and soybean, respectively under N stress. Under P stress, UBC9/UBC10 in rice and F-Box/UBC10 in soybean were most stable. Similarly, TIP41/UBC10 in rice and RING FINGER/UBC9 in soybean were the best gene pairs under K stress while F-Box/TIP41 in rice and UBC9/UBC10 in soybean were the most stable gene pairs under S stress. These reference gene pairs were validated by quantifying the expression levels of high-affinity transporters like NRT2.1/NRT2.5, PT1, AKT1, and SULTR1 for N, P, K, and S stress, respectively. This study reiterates the importance of choosing reference genes based on crop species and the experimental conditions, in order to obtain concrete answers to missing links of gene regulation in response to macronutrient deficiencies.

Population structure and genome-wide association studies in bread wheat for phosphorus efficiency traits using 35 K Wheat Breeder's Affymetrix array.

Soil bioavailability of phosphorus (P) is a major concern for crop productivity worldwide. As phosphatic fertilizers are a non-renewable resource associated with economic and environmental issues so, the sustainable option is to develop P use efficient crop varieties. We phenotyped 82 diverse wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) accessions in soil and hydroponics at low and sufficient P. To identify the genic regions for P efficiency traits, the accessions were genotyped using the 35 K-SNP array and genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed. The high-quality SNPs across the genomes were evenly distributed with polymorphic information content values varying between 0.090 and 0.375. Structure analysis revealed three subpopulations (C1, C2, C3) and the phenotypic responses of these subpopulations were assessed for P efficiency traits. The C2 subpopulation showed the highest genetic variance and heritability values for numerous agronomically important traits as well as strong correlation under both P levels in soil and hydroponics. GWAS revealed 78 marker-trait associations (MTAs) but only 35 MTAs passed Bonferroni Correction. A total of 297 candidate genes were identified for these MTAs and their annotation suggested their involvement in several biological process. Out of 35, nine (9) MTAs were controlling polygenic trait (two controlling four traits, one controlling three traits and six controlling two traits). These multi-trait MTAs (each controlling two or more than two correlated traits) could be utilized for improving bread wheat to tolerate low P stress through marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Novel Strategy for Untargeted Chiral Metabolomics using Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Stereospecific recognition of metabolites plays a significant role in the detection of potential disease biomarkers thereby providing new insights in diagnosis and prognosis. D-Hdroxy/amino acids are recognized as potential biomarkers in several metabolic disorders. Despite continuous advances in metabolomics technologies, the simultaneous measurement of different classes of enantiomeric metabolites in a single analytical run remains challenging. Here, we develop a novel strategy for untargeted chiral metabolomics of hydroxy/amine groups (-OH/-NH2) containing metabolites, including all hydroxy acids (HAs) and amino acids (AAs), by chiral derivatization coupled with liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS/MS). Diacetyl-tartaric anhydride (DATAN) was used for the simultaneous derivatization of-OH/-NH2 containing metabolites as well as the resulting diastereomers, and all the derivatized metabolites were resolved in a single analytical run. Data independent MS/MS acquisition (DIA) was applied to positively identify DATAN-labeled metabolites based on reagent specific diagnostic fragment ions. We discriminated chiral from achiral metabolites based on the reversal of elution order of D and L isomers derivatized with the enantiomeric pair (±) of DATAN in an untargeted manner. Using the developed strategy, a library of 301 standards that consisted of 214 chiral and 87 achiral metabolites were separated and detected in a single analytical run. This approach was then applied to investigate the enantioselective metabolic profile of the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) plasma samples from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and following completion of the induction phase of chemotherapeutic treatment. The sensitivity and selectivity of the developed method enabled the detection of trace levels of the D-enantiomer of HAs and AAs in primary plasma patient samples. Several of these metabolites were significantly altered in response to chemotherapy. The developed LC-HR-MS method entails a valuable step forward in chiral metabolomics.

Assessment of root phenotypes in mungbean mini-core collection (MMC) from the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) Taiwan.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) is an important food grain legume, but its production capacity is threatened by global warming, which can intensify plant stress and limit future production. Identifying new variation of key root traits in mungbean will provide the basis for breeding lines with effective root characteristics for improved water uptake to mitigate heat and drought stress. The AVRDC mungbean mini core collection consisting of 296 genotypes was screened under modified semi-hydroponic screening conditions to determine the variation for fourteen root-related traits. The AVRDC mungbean mini core collection displayed wide variations for the primary root length, total surface area, and total root length, and based on agglomerative hierarchical clustering eight homogeneous groups displaying different root traits could be identified. Germplasm with potentially favorable root traits has been identified for further studies to identify the donor genotypes for breeding cultivars with enhanced adaptation to water-deficit stress and other stress conditions.

Development and use of miRNA-derived SSR markers for the study of genetic diversity, population structure, and characterization of genotypes for breeding heat tolerant wheat varieties.

Heat stress is an important abiotic factor that limits wheat production globally, including south-east Asia. The importance of micro (mi) RNAs in gene expression under various biotic and abiotic stresses is well documented. Molecular markers, specifically simple sequence repeats (SSRs), play an important role in the wheat improvement breeding programs. Given the role of miRNAs in heat stress-induced transcriptional regulation and acclimatization, the development of miRNA-derived SSRs would prove useful in studying the allelic diversity at the heat-responsive miRNA-genes in wheat. In the present study, efforts have been made to identify SSRs from 96 wheat heat-responsive miRNA-genes and their characterization using a panel of wheat genotypes with contrasting reactions (tolerance/susceptible) to heat stress. A set of 13 miRNA-derived SSR markers were successfully developed as an outcome. These miRNA-SSRs are located on 11 different common wheat chromosomes (2A, 3A, 3B, 3D, 4D, 5A, 5B, 5D, 6A, 6D, and 7A). Among 13 miRNA-SSRs, seven were polymorphic on a set of 37 selected wheat genotypes. Within these polymorphic SSRs, three makers, namely HT-169j, HT-160a, and HT-160b, were found promising as they could discriminate heat-tolerant and heat-susceptible genotypes. This is the first report of miRNA-SSR development in wheat and their deployment in genetic diversity and population structure studies and characterization of trait-specific germplasm. The study suggests that this new class of molecular makers has great potential in the marker-assisted breeding (MAB) programs targeted at improving heat tolerance and other adaptability or developmental traits in wheat and other crops.