Progress Toward Rice Seed OMICS in Low-Level Gamma Radiation Environment in Iitate Village, Fukushima.

Here, we present an update on the next level of experiments studying the impact of the gamma radiation environment, created post-March, 2011 nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, on rice plant and its next generation-the seed. Japonica-type rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Koshihikari) plant was exposed to low-level gamma radiation (~4 µSv/h) in the contaminated Iitate Farm field in Iitate village (Fukushima). Seeds were harvested from these plants at maturity, and serve as the treated group. For control group, seeds (cv. Koshihikari) were harvested from rice grown in clean soil in Soma city, adjacent to Iitate village, in Fukushima. Focusing on the multi-omics approach, we have investigated the dry mature rice seed transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome following cultivation of rice in the radionuclide contaminated soil and compared it with the control group seed (non-radioactive field-soil environment). This update article presents an overview of both the multi-omics approach/technologies and the first findings on how rice seed has changed or adapted its biology to the low-level radioactive environment.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of 2-azetidinonyl-5-(2-benzoylphenoxy)methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles against seed-borne pathogens of Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.

BACKGROUND: Finger millet is a major food crop as well as feed and fodder for livestock, especially in regions of southern India. A sturdy crop to fluctuating environmental conditions, it can be cultivated in all seasons of the year. Leaf, neck and finger blast caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc. and Bipolaris setariae (Saw.) Shoem, as well as leaf spot disease, Bipolaris nodulosa (Berk & M.A.Curtis) Shoem, are major production constraints in southern India. Apart from environmental conditions, the use of harvested seeds by farmers is a major reason for disease prevalence. Benzophenone analogues have been investigated for controlling phytopathogenic fungi. In addition, the most important applications of azetidin-2-ones are as antibiotics. Based on this information, the present study was conducted to explore the antifungal activity of integrated 2-azetidinonyl and 1,3,4-oxadiazoles moieties into a benzophenone framework. RESULTS: A simple high-yielding method for the integration of heterocyclic rings, namely 2-azetidinonyl, at the benzophenone nucleus has been achieved, starting from substituted 2-hydroxybenzophenones under mild conditions on a wet solid surface using microwave irradiation. In the present study, an array of newly synthesised compounds, 2-azetidinonyl-5-(2-benzoylphenoxy)methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles, were screened for their antifungal property against blast and leaf spot causing fungi associated with the seeds of finger millet, cv. Indof-9. CONCLUSION: Two of the newly synthesised compounds showed promising effects in depleting the incidence of seed-borne pathogenic fungi of finger millet. The suppression of Pyricularia grisea and Bipolaris setariae resulted in enhanced seed germination and seedling growth.

Synthesis and anti-mildew activity of 5-(2-aroyl)aryloxymethyl-2-phenyl-1 ,3,4-oxadiazoles against downy mildew of pearl millet.

A manipulatively simple, rapid, high-yielding and environmentally benign method for the integration of a heterocyclic ring, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, at the benzophenone nucleus has been achieved through intramolecular cyclization of substituted aroylaryloxyacetohydrazides to substituted 5-(2-aroyl)aryloxymethyl-2-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles under solventless 'dry' conditions using montmorillonite K10 clay and microwave irradiation. A comparison is made of the microwave-accelerated reaction with conventional heating conditions. Certain of the derivatives tested showed significant anti-mildew activity against Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc) Schroeter, the downy mildew pathogen of pearl millet.