ABSTRACT
Applying biotechnological tools to the selection of higher-yielding bioeconomic crops is a promising and remarkable means of reducing the burden on production on a global scale. In the present study, 25 germplasms of Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) were examined for their genetic diversity by using morphological, biochemical, and molecular markers for twenty plant growth traits. The properties of plant growth differed significantly in the maximum genotypes of Indian ginseng, the markers of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) showed considerable diversity between the genotypes. The combined unweighted pair group technique with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram of morphological, biochemical, and molecular markers grouped all 25 genotypes into two main clusters at 0.61 coefficient value. In addition to this, secondary metabolite profiling by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), there were high variations for withanolide B (WL-B), withanoside-V (WS-V), wedelolactone (WDL), withanoside-IV (WS-IV), and withaferin A (WF-A) content between different genotypes. For the total alkaloid and withanolide concentration in the roots and leaves, high heritability with an increased genetic gain was observed, indicating that selection based on these traits could be an effective method in breeding programs. Furthermore, the path coefficient analysis showed a direct positive impact of the total root fiber, WL-B (leaves), WF-A (leaves), WS-IV (roots), WDL (roots), and the total alkaloid content on the dry root yield. High content of WDL, a high-quality bioactive withanolide, was also described for the first time in the genotype UWS23. These properties can further be exploited to improve the dry root yield in W. somnifera genotypes. The outcomes of the present study also provide an essential foundation for the selection of high-yielding bioeconomic varieties that could be utilized to improve Ashwagandha breeding programs.
ABSTRACT
Source activity and sink strength are important aspects to measure growth and yield in wheat. Despite zinc's extended functions in the amendment of plant metabolic activities, critical research findings are missing on mapping the elusive interplays of slow-release zinc (Zn) application from nanoparticles (NPs) in crop plants. The present study reports that slow-releasing Zn application through Zn-chitosan NPs bestows myriad effects on source activity and sink strength in wheat plants. Herein, effects of foliar application of Zn-chitosan NPs (0.04-0.16%; w/v) at booting stage of wheat crop were evaluated to quantify the source sink potential compared to ZnSO4. Zn-chitosan NPs endowed elevated source activity by up-regulating cellular redox homeostasis by improving the antioxidant status, cellular stability and higher photosynthesis. Cognately, in the field experiment, NPs (0.08-0.16%, w/v) significantly spurred sink strength by up-regulating starch biosynthesis enzymes viz. sucrose synthase (SUS), invertase (INV), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS) and accumulated more starch in developing wheat grains. Concomitantly, higher spike lengths without awns, significantly higher number of grains/spike, test weight (24% more than ZnSO4 treatment), yield (21% more than ZnSO4 treatment), biological yield and harvest index quantified the higher sink size to further validate the better sink strength in slow-release Zn application via chitosan NPs.
Subject(s)
Chitosan , Nanoparticles , Starch Synthase , Triticum , ZincABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) also known as green gram is an important source of protein in the category of food legumes. In the present study, SSR marker is used to analyze the genetic diversity amongst 23 genotypes of mungbean. Out of a total of 10 primers used for SSR analysis revealed generation of 15 alleles. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one (CEDG006, CEDG010, CEDG050, CEDG088, CEDG092 and CEDG232) to three (CEDG 214), with an average of 1.5 allele per primer. The index for expected heterozygosity was 0.29 ranging from 0.15 to 0.49 revealed a deficit in heterozygosity. The size of amplification products varied in case of each primer and the range was found to be 100 bp to 190 bp. 13 out of 15 alleles were found polymorphic. The average PIC value of SSR marker was found to be 0.205. The value of Jaccard's similarity coefficient had ranged from 0.28-1.00 with an average value of 0.64. The dendrogram constructed on SSR molecular marker data through UPGMA method and PCA using average linkage, had enabled grouping of the genotypes into three main clusters. Clustering pattern based on SSR marker data clearly indicated the narrow genetic base of mungbean genotypes that emphasizes the need to explore and exploit more number of germplasm from additional source to study genetic variation in mungbean for genetic improvement. The results indicated the marked usefulness of SSR in the assessment of genetic diversity in mungbean crop.
ABSTRACT
In the recent decades, nanotechnology is gaining tremendous impetus due to its capability of modulating metals into their nanosize, which drastically changes the chemical, physical, biological and optical properties of metals. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesis using aqueous leaf extracts of Tagetes patula L. which act as reducing agent as well as capping agent is reported. Synthesis of AgNPs was observed at different parameters like temperature, concentration of silver nitrate, leaf extract concentration and time of reduction. The AgNPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and dynamic light scattering analysis. These analyses revealed the size of nanoparticles ranging from 15 to 30 nm as well revealed their spherical shape and cubic and hexagonal lattice structure. The lower zeta potential (-14.2mV) and the FTIR spectra indicate that the synthesized AgNPs are remarkably stable for a long period due to the capped biomolecules on the surface of nanoparticles. Furthermore, these AgNPs were found to be highly toxic against phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum chlorophyti by both in vitro and in vivo and might be a safer alternative to chemical fungicides.
