Physico-Chemical and Rheological Trait-Based Identification of Indian Wheat Varieties Suitable for Different End-Uses.

India has increased its wheat production phenomenally in the last two decades and it now has a buffer stock of 9.7 million tonnes. However, despite the release of several wheat cultivars, the end-use quality traits of Indian wheat varieties have not been explored in-depth to determine the increasing demand of the domestic processing industry as well as export. In this study, 55 wheat genotypes including 47 released varieties, and 8 genetic stocks were grown along with 10 Australian varieties grown during cropping seasons: 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and diversity in different physiochemical and rheological traits was evaluated. They showed considerable diversity in all the quality traits studied. However, very few genotypes could be found suitable for any one end-use. Five genotypes were found to possess four to five traits for superior bread-making quality. Two varieties and three advanced breeding lines had up to four good chapati quality traits. None of the released varieties investigated had suitable traits for biscuit making; however, two breeding lines possessed requisite quality traits suitable for biscuit making. It is, therefore, concluded that systematic breeding efforts are required to develop genotypes that bring together the most important quality traits in a single genotype to be suitable for domestic industry as well as for export.

Genetic diversity, transcript heterogeneity and allele mining of TaSKP1-6B-4 gene variants across diverse genotypes under terminal heat stress and genome wide characterization of TaSKP1 gene family from bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

SKP1 (S-phase kinase protein1) is an essential regulatory component of SCF (Skp1-cullin-F-box) E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in maintenance of cellular protein homeostasis through ubiquitin mediated proteasome system (UPS). UPS play a key role in stress response and grain yield. Earlier, we isolated TaSKP1-6B-4, highly induced in flag leaf tissues (Accession No. KJ830759.1) of developing wheat caryopses under heat stress. To further assess the functional role of SKP1, genetic variability analysis was carried out in a panel of 25 contrasting germplasm through extensive phenotyping and transcript profiling of TaSKP1-6B-4 during anthesis under ambient and terminal heat stress (THS) in field experiments for two consecutive years. The analysis of variance revealed significant variations for all the traits studied. Higher H2(%), GCV, PCV, GA and GA% mean observed in tiller number per plant (23.81, 17.65, 5.71, 28, 30.86%) and grain number per head (30.27, 82.79, 60.16, 105.00, 108.64%) under THS over ambient temperature. Higher fold induction of TaSKP1-6B-4 transcripts was recorded in 10 genotypes viz. HD2967 (9.9), IC145456 (6.18) in flag leaf; while C-306 (15.88), RAJ3765 (8.37) in ear head. Allele mining of SKP1-6B-4 showed genotypic sequence variations. Whole genome wide search of SKP1 gene family identified 95 SKP1 genes which were structurally characterized. Grain yield, leaf senescence and other agronomic-morpho-physiological parameters combined with transcript profiling, cvHD2967, was found to be the best positively responsive to THS which by pedigree was not heat tolerant. We report a novel 2 year comprehensive field based analysis on collective genetic variability and SKP1/UPS modulation under a natural environmental setting. The data reveals potential functional role of UPS under THS and tolerant cultivars can be further utilized for clarifying the role of UPS mechanistically at the molecular level and for developing terminal heat stress tolerant wheat.

Degradation and conversion of endosulfan by newly isolated Pseudomonas mendocina ZAM1 strain.

Endosulfan contamination is one of the major concerns of soil ecosystem, which causes detrimental effects not only to humans but also to animals and plants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and identify a novel bacterial strain capable of degrading endosulfan in agriculture contaminated soils. A novel bacterial strain was isolated from the sugarcane field contaminated with endosulfan, and was named as ZAM1 strain. The ZAM1 bacterial strain was further identified as Pseudomonas mendocina based on the biochemical and molecular analysis. 16sRNA sequence analysis of ZAM1 strain shows maximum similarity with known endosulfan-degrading bacteria (Pseudomonas putida), respectively. Enrichment was carried out using the endosulfan as sole sulfur source. The ZAM1 strain was able to use α and ß endosulfan as a sole sulfur source. Our results showed that ZAM1 strain degrades endosulfan >64.5% (50 mg/l) after 12 days of incubation. The residues were analyzed by GC-MS analysis and confirmed the formation of metabolites of dieldrin, 2 heptanone, methyl propionate, and endosulfan lactone compounds. Hence, these results indicate that the ZAM1 strain is a promising bacterial source for detoxification of endosulfan residues in the environment.