Molecular and morphological diversity in locally grown non-commercial (heirloom) mango varieties of North India.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) has been cultivated and conserved in different agro-ecologies including Malihabad region in northern part of India, that is well known for housing diverse types (heirloom and commercial varieties). In the present study, 37 mango types comprising of 27 heirloom varieties from Malihabad region and 10 commercial varieties grown in North and Eastern India were assessed for morphological attributes and molecular diversity. The employed SSR markers amplified 2-13 alleles individually, cumulatively amplifying 124 alleles. These were studied for allelic diversity and genetic dissimilarity ranged from 0.035 to 0.892 arranging the varieties in three major clusters. The results revealed that majority of unique heirloom mangoes from Malihabad were different from the eastern part of the country. It is interesting to note Dashehari, a commercial variety from Malihabad was not aligned with heirloom varieties. Commercial varieties like Gulabkhas and Langra were placed in a separate group including Bombay Green, Himsagar, Dashehari, etc., indicating their dissimilarity with heirloom varieties at molecular level and thus, indicating importance for later from conservation point of view. Furthermore, the hierarchical clustering of varieties based on fruit morphology, assembled these into four groups largely influenced by fruit size. The maximum agreement subtree indicated seemingly good fit as thirteen varieties were arrayed in common grouping pattern. Appreciable dissimilarity among the heirloom varieties demonstrated by molecular analysis, underlines the importance for their on-farm conservation.

Surface layers of Xanthomonas malvacearum, the cause of bacterial blight of cotton.

Mureins were isolated from two strains of Xanthomonas malvacearum, a phytopathogenic bacterium causing bacterial blight of cotton. The purity of murein was 70-95 % and the amino acid and amino sugar components (glutamic acid, alanina, meso-disminopimelic acid, muramic acid and glucosamine) were present at the molar ratio of 1:1.9:1:l.12.0.85. The bacterium secreted a copious amount of slime which masked itd surface structure. The slime was composed of densley interwoven network of filamentous material originating from the cell surface and extended into the medium without and discernable boundary. The slime was secreted through surface layers pores by force, giving the effect of a spray or jet. Slime also played a role in chain formatin of baterial cells.

Management of Xanthomonas camprestris pv. malvacearum-induced blight of cotton through phenolics of cotton rhizobacterium.

Four major phenolics were demonstrated to be produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CRb-26, a cotton rhizobacterium antagonistic to Xanthomonas camprestris pv. malvacearum (Xcm), the inducer of bacterial blight of cotton. Of these, compounds II (nonfluorescent) and IV(fluorescent) completely inhibited the growth of Xcm in vitro. Among these, compound IV was produced maximally (39% of the four phenolics), and it protected cotton leaves from blight infection better than compound II under glass-house conditions. Compound IV, identified as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, was, therefore, concluded to be a key metabolite involved in disease suppression by strain CRb-26 of P. fluorescens, which could be used as an ecofriendly potential input in the integrated management of bacterial blight of cotton.

Effect of dietary supplementation of fatty acids and vitamins on the breeding performance of the carp Catla catla.

Five isonitrogenous diets (approximately 33% crude protein) were fed to the brood female carp, Catla catla (weighing 3.0 to 5.5 kg), for a period of 93 days in order to observe their breeding performance in earthen ponds. Diet-I (control) contained only basic ingredients like rice bran, ground-nut oil cake, roasted soybean meal, fish meal and mineral mixture; diet-II contained added vitamins; diet-III contained added vitamins and vegetable oil (rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA); diet-IV contained added vitamins and fish oil (rich in n-3 PUFA); and diet-V contained added vitamins and a mixture of vegetable and fish oils. The results showed that nutritional quality of the diet considerably influenced breeding performance in the species. The total number of matured females was the highest in the diet-V group and maturity was advanced by 35 days in this group compared to the control. In diet-III and diet-V groups, all the maturated females bred fully and the relative fecundity was increased significantly in diet III, IV and V. The maximum (73.4%) fertilisation rate was observed in the diet-V group, followed by 61.3%, 56.8%, 49% and 22.7% in diet-I, diet-IV, diet-III and diet-II groups respectively. Most of the eggs in the diet-II treatment group remained immature. The various data thus obtained suggest that dietary supplementation of both n-3 and n-6 PUFA, is essential to improve gonadal maturation, breeding performance and spawn recovery in the Catla female broodstock.