Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., causes severe yield and quality losses i... more Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., causes severe yield and quality losses in most cotton growing areas of the world. Only moderate resistance has been achieved by traditional breeding. Therefore, transgenic approaches offer a possible alternative to obtain resistance against this disease. Overexpression of a homologous or heterologous NPR1 gene has been effective in conferring broad-spectrum resistance to diverse pathogens in a variety of plants. We investigated the resistance of cotton plants, expressing the Arabidopsis NPR1 (AtNPR1) gene, to defoliating and non-defoliating pathotypes of V. dahliae. The transgenic cotton plants showed significant resistance against two non-defoliating V. dahliae isolates. Both visual symptoms and pathogen colonization were reduced, indicating that disease progression was curtailed in the AtNPR1-transformants. In contrast, the same transgenic lines showed little, if any, resistance to two defoliating isolates. The NPR1-mediated activation of cotton’s defences apparently is not sufficient to counter the disease mechanism(s) utilized by the defoliating pathotype of V. dahliae.
This article presents the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Bangalore, ... more This article presents the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Bangalore, South India. Analyses have been carried out considering the seismotectonic parameters of the region covering a radius of 350 km keeping Bangalore as the center. Seismic hazard parameter ‘b’ has been evaluated considering the available earthquake data using (1) Gutenberg–Richter (G–R) relationship and (2) Kijko and Sellevoll (1989, 1992) method utilizing extreme and complete catalogs. The ‘b’ parameter was estimated to be 0.62 to 0.98 from G–R relation and 0.87 ± 0.03 from Kijko and Sellevoll method. The results obtained are a little higher than the ‘b’ values published earlier for southern India. Further, probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for Bangalore region has been carried out considering six seismogenic sources. From the analysis, mean annual rate of exceedance and cumulative probability hazard curve for peak ground acceleration (PGA) and spectral acceleration (Sa) have been generated. The quantified hazard values in terms of the rock level peak ground acceleration (PGA) are mapped for 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years on a grid size of 0.5 km × 0.5 km. In addition, Uniform Hazard Response Spectrum (UHRS) at rock level is also developed for the 5% damping corresponding to 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) value of 0.121 g obtained from the present investigation is slightly lower (but comparable) than the PGA values obtained from the deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA) for the same area. However, the PGA value obtained in the current investigation is higher than PGA values reported in the global seismic hazard assessment program (GSHAP) maps of Bhatia et al. (1999) for the shield area.
Cotton is an economically important crop worldwide that suffers severe losses due to a wide range... more Cotton is an economically important crop worldwide that suffers severe losses due to a wide range of fungal/bacterial pathogens and nematodes. Given its susceptibility to various pathogens, it is important to obtain a broad-spectrum resistance in cotton. Resistance to several fungal and bacterial diseases has been obtained by overexpressing the Non-expressor of Pathogenesis-Related genes-1 (NPR1) in various plant species with apparently minimal or no pleiotropic effects. We examined the efficacy of this approach in cotton by constitutive expression of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) NPR1 gene. The results show that NPR1-expressing lines exhibited significant resistance to Verticillium dahliae isolate TS2, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Alternaria alternata. Interestingly, the transformants also showed significant resistance to reniform nematodes. Analysis of defense-related, biochemical and molecular responses suggest that when challenged with pathogens or certain systemic acquired resistance-inducing chemicals, the transgenic lines respond to a greater degree compared to the wild-type plants. Importantly, the basal activities of the defense-related genes and enzymes in uninduced transformants were no different than those in their non-transgenic counterparts. The results provide additional evidence supporting the role of NPR1 as an important part of the plant defense system and suggest a means to achieve broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens via genetic engineering.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2009
Greenhouse gases especially CO2 can be reduced with the help of improved biomass cookstoves. This... more Greenhouse gases especially CO2 can be reduced with the help of improved biomass cookstoves. This paper deals with the design and development of biomass stoves (single pot and double pot) with better efficiency for meeting household cooking energy requirement. Thermal performance, flue gas emission of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been investigated. It was seen from the result that the flue gas emission is within permissible limit as recommended by World Health Organization. The design of improved biomass stove sent to Palampur (32o10’N,76o30’E) center situated in Himalaya in hilly terrain of India, where the acceptability of double pot stoves (85%) is quite high compared to single pot stoves (30%). Thermal efficiencies of both single and double pot stove were recorded about 21% and 25% respectively. An improved biomass cookstove can save about 161 kg of CO2 annually. Improved cookstoves was found eco-friendly in nature and suitable for the cooking requirement of hilly areas.
Micropropagation protocols for cloning of mature trees of Balanites aegyptiaca, the Hingota (Bala... more Micropropagation protocols for cloning of mature trees of Balanites aegyptiaca, the Hingota (Balanitaceae); Citrus limon, the Nimbu (Rutaceae) and Syzygium cuminii, the Jamun (Myrtaceae) have been developed. In order to harvest responsive nodal explants the mother tree(s) were pruned during the winter. Fresh shoot sprouts derived from the trees were used as explants. The nodal explants produced multiple shoots in vitro by activation of axillary meristems on MS medium + 0.45 µM BAP. Shoots were further multiplied in culture by (i) repeated transfer of the mother explants and (ii) the subculturing of the nodal segments of in vitro differentiated shoots. Shoots multiplication in Citrus limon could be achieved by amendment of the nutrient medium. The in vitro cloned shoots of the three species were rooted in vitro and ex vitro. Ex vitro root induction was followed to produce plants. Micropropagated plants were hardened in the green house. The hardened and acclimatized plants were transferred to pots and subsequently to field. The cloned plants are growing normal. The protocols defined are reproducible. These can be used for mass multiplication of selected clones and genetic improvement of these species.
Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., causes severe yield and quality losses i... more Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., causes severe yield and quality losses in most cotton growing areas of the world. Only moderate resistance has been achieved by traditional breeding. Therefore, transgenic approaches offer a possible alternative to obtain resistance against this disease. Overexpression of a homologous or heterologous NPR1 gene has been effective in conferring broad-spectrum resistance to diverse pathogens in a variety of plants. We investigated the resistance of cotton plants, expressing the Arabidopsis NPR1 (AtNPR1) gene, to defoliating and non-defoliating pathotypes of V. dahliae. The transgenic cotton plants showed significant resistance against two non-defoliating V. dahliae isolates. Both visual symptoms and pathogen colonization were reduced, indicating that disease progression was curtailed in the AtNPR1-transformants. In contrast, the same transgenic lines showed little, if any, resistance to two defoliating isolates. The NPR1-mediated activation of cotton’s defences apparently is not sufficient to counter the disease mechanism(s) utilized by the defoliating pathotype of V. dahliae.
This article presents the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Bangalore, ... more This article presents the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Bangalore, South India. Analyses have been carried out considering the seismotectonic parameters of the region covering a radius of 350 km keeping Bangalore as the center. Seismic hazard parameter ‘b’ has been evaluated considering the available earthquake data using (1) Gutenberg–Richter (G–R) relationship and (2) Kijko and Sellevoll (1989, 1992) method utilizing extreme and complete catalogs. The ‘b’ parameter was estimated to be 0.62 to 0.98 from G–R relation and 0.87 ± 0.03 from Kijko and Sellevoll method. The results obtained are a little higher than the ‘b’ values published earlier for southern India. Further, probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for Bangalore region has been carried out considering six seismogenic sources. From the analysis, mean annual rate of exceedance and cumulative probability hazard curve for peak ground acceleration (PGA) and spectral acceleration (Sa) have been generated. The quantified hazard values in terms of the rock level peak ground acceleration (PGA) are mapped for 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years on a grid size of 0.5 km × 0.5 km. In addition, Uniform Hazard Response Spectrum (UHRS) at rock level is also developed for the 5% damping corresponding to 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) value of 0.121 g obtained from the present investigation is slightly lower (but comparable) than the PGA values obtained from the deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA) for the same area. However, the PGA value obtained in the current investigation is higher than PGA values reported in the global seismic hazard assessment program (GSHAP) maps of Bhatia et al. (1999) for the shield area.
Cotton is an economically important crop worldwide that suffers severe losses due to a wide range... more Cotton is an economically important crop worldwide that suffers severe losses due to a wide range of fungal/bacterial pathogens and nematodes. Given its susceptibility to various pathogens, it is important to obtain a broad-spectrum resistance in cotton. Resistance to several fungal and bacterial diseases has been obtained by overexpressing the Non-expressor of Pathogenesis-Related genes-1 (NPR1) in various plant species with apparently minimal or no pleiotropic effects. We examined the efficacy of this approach in cotton by constitutive expression of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) NPR1 gene. The results show that NPR1-expressing lines exhibited significant resistance to Verticillium dahliae isolate TS2, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Alternaria alternata. Interestingly, the transformants also showed significant resistance to reniform nematodes. Analysis of defense-related, biochemical and molecular responses suggest that when challenged with pathogens or certain systemic acquired resistance-inducing chemicals, the transgenic lines respond to a greater degree compared to the wild-type plants. Importantly, the basal activities of the defense-related genes and enzymes in uninduced transformants were no different than those in their non-transgenic counterparts. The results provide additional evidence supporting the role of NPR1 as an important part of the plant defense system and suggest a means to achieve broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens via genetic engineering.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2009
Greenhouse gases especially CO2 can be reduced with the help of improved biomass cookstoves. This... more Greenhouse gases especially CO2 can be reduced with the help of improved biomass cookstoves. This paper deals with the design and development of biomass stoves (single pot and double pot) with better efficiency for meeting household cooking energy requirement. Thermal performance, flue gas emission of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been investigated. It was seen from the result that the flue gas emission is within permissible limit as recommended by World Health Organization. The design of improved biomass stove sent to Palampur (32o10’N,76o30’E) center situated in Himalaya in hilly terrain of India, where the acceptability of double pot stoves (85%) is quite high compared to single pot stoves (30%). Thermal efficiencies of both single and double pot stove were recorded about 21% and 25% respectively. An improved biomass cookstove can save about 161 kg of CO2 annually. Improved cookstoves was found eco-friendly in nature and suitable for the cooking requirement of hilly areas.
Micropropagation protocols for cloning of mature trees of Balanites aegyptiaca, the Hingota (Bala... more Micropropagation protocols for cloning of mature trees of Balanites aegyptiaca, the Hingota (Balanitaceae); Citrus limon, the Nimbu (Rutaceae) and Syzygium cuminii, the Jamun (Myrtaceae) have been developed. In order to harvest responsive nodal explants the mother tree(s) were pruned during the winter. Fresh shoot sprouts derived from the trees were used as explants. The nodal explants produced multiple shoots in vitro by activation of axillary meristems on MS medium + 0.45 µM BAP. Shoots were further multiplied in culture by (i) repeated transfer of the mother explants and (ii) the subculturing of the nodal segments of in vitro differentiated shoots. Shoots multiplication in Citrus limon could be achieved by amendment of the nutrient medium. The in vitro cloned shoots of the three species were rooted in vitro and ex vitro. Ex vitro root induction was followed to produce plants. Micropropagated plants were hardened in the green house. The hardened and acclimatized plants were transferred to pots and subsequently to field. The cloned plants are growing normal. The protocols defined are reproducible. These can be used for mass multiplication of selected clones and genetic improvement of these species.
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