Improvement of anther cultures conditions using the Taguchi method in three cereal crops

Background: Plant tissue cultures have the potential to reprogram the development of microspores from normal gametophytic to sporophytic pathway resulting in the formation of androgenic embryos. The efficiency of this process depends on the genotype, media composition and external conditions. However, this process frequently results in the regeneration of albino instead of green plants. Successful regeneration of green plants is affected by the concentration of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) and the length of induction step. In this study, we aimed at concurrent optimization of these three factors in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and triticale (x Triticosecale spp. Wittmack ex A. Camus 1927) using the Taguchi method. We evaluated uniform donor plants under varying experimental conditions of in vitro anther culture using the Taguchi approach, and verified the optimized conditions. Results: Optimization of the regeneration conditions resulted in an increase in the number of green regenerants compared with the control. Statistic Taguchi method for optimization of the in vitro tissue culture plant regeneration via anther cultures allowed reduction of the number of experimental designs from 27 needed if full factorial analysis is used to 9. With the increase in the number of green regenerants, the number of spontaneous doubled haploids decreased. Moreover, in barley and triticale, the number of albino regenerants was reduced. Conclusion: The statistic Taguchi approach could be successfully used for various factors (here components of induction media, time of incubation on induction media) at a one time, that may impact on cereals anther cultures to improve the regeneration efficiency

Studies on Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Using Punica granatum

Aim: The present study aimed at green synthesis of copper nanoparticles using various plant extracts as reducing and stabilizing agents. It would also study the antibacterial effect of the synthesized copper nanoparticles. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Bhavan’s Vivekananda college of Science, Humanities and Commerce, Hyderabad, India. The duration of the study is for six months between May 2017 to October 2017. Methodology: The aqueous solutions of different plant extracts were mixed with CuSO4 solution and incubated for green synthesis of stable copper nanoparticles. These were tested by UV-Visible spectroscopy and SEM analysis. Antibacterial tests of the biosynthesized nanoparticles were carried out on Gram-positive Bacteria Staphylococcus aureus by Agar well assay. Results: The aqueous solutions of different plant extracts yielded stable copper nanoparticles as indicated by the O.D values tested using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The best plant extract that yielded higher amount of copper nanoparticles was fruit rind extract of Punica granatum. The synthesized nanoparticles were found to be 56-59 nm, characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The synthesized copper nanoparticles exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: The copper nanoparticles can be green synthesized using fruit rind extract of Punica granatum and these can be used as efficient antimicrobial agents against Staphylococcus aureus and the study is significant currently as drug resistant infections of Staphylococcus aureus are gaining much prevalence and prominence.

Efeitos do tratamento com formalina e sulfato de cobre sobre os parâmetros hematológicos e parasitos monogenéticos em juvenis de Hemigrammus sp. (Osteichthyes: Characidae) / Evaluation of formalin and copper sulfate on monogenetic parasite (Urocleidoides sp.) of Hemigrammus sp. (Osteichthyes: Characidae) juveniles

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of formalin and copper sulphate to controlm onogeneans injuvenile Hemigrammus spand its effect on leukocyte count. We used acompletely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. All treatments lasted for three days and consisted of: T1, control; T2 and T3 immersion bath for one hour in formalin, an of two concentrations of 0.25ml formalin and the other 0.1mlL-1; the T4 bath for 24 hours with 0,025 ml of formalin-L -1; and T5, bath 24 hours with copper sulphate (0.3 mgL-1). After the experimental period was observed that T2, 100% mortality. The T3 and T5 provided 100% efficiency, however, fish presented mortalities and intoxication of the 66 and 80% respectively. T4 showed an efficacy of 77.7% and decrease in parasitological indices: total number of parasites of 11, 3 ± 9, mean infection intensity of 3.2 ± 2 and a prevalence of 47.1%. As the leukocytes was observed that at T3, T4 and T5 occurred differences in the proportionof lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophilsas compared to control. The CuSO4 and formalin reduce the parasite load, but presented to be toxicat higher concentrations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia da formalina e sulfato de cobre no controle de monogenéticos em juvenis de Hemigrammus sp e seu efeito na contagem diferencial de leucócitos. Utilizou-se um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 5 tratamentos e 3 repetições. Todos os tratamentos tiveram duração de três dias e corresponderam a: T1, controle; T2 e T3 banho por imersão de uma hora em formalina, em duas concentrações uma de 0,25 ml e outra 0,1 ml formalina L-1; o T4, banho de 24 horas com 0,025 ml de formalina L-1; e o T5, banho de 24 horas com sulfato de cobre (0,3 mg L-1). Após o período experimental observou-se que em T2 ocorreu 100% de mortalidade. O T3 e T5 proporcionaram eficácia de 100%, porém os peixes apresentaram intoxicação e mortalidades de 66 e 80%, respectivamente. T4 apresentou eficácia de 77,7% e diminuição dos índices parasitológicos: número total de parasitos de 11,3± 9, intensidade média de infecção de 3,2± 2 e prevalência de 47,1%. Quanto aos leucócitos observou-se que no T3, T4 e T5 ocorreram diferenças na proporção de linfócitos, monócitos e neutrófilos em relação ao controle. O CuSO4 e a formalina reduzem a carga parasitária, mas apresentaram-se tóxicos nas maiores concentrações.

Salt stress tolerance and stress proteins in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.).

Salt stress as a major adverse factor can lower leaf water potential, leading to reduced torgor and some other responses, and ultimately lower crop productivity in arid and semi arid zone. Plant responses to salt stress have much in common. Salt stress reduces the ability of plants to take up water and this quickly causes reductions in growth rate. The initial reduction in shoot growth is probably due to salt effects. If excessive amounts of salt enter into the plant, salt will eventually rise to toxic levels and reduce the photosynthetic leaf area of the plant that cannot sustain growth. In order to understand the processes that give rise to tolerance of salt and to identify the salt stress proteins in the salt stress effect of on plant growth was studied using different salt solutions like Copper sulphate, Cadmium chloride and zinc sulphate with different concentrations like 200μM, 150μM, 100μM.