Plants are constantly threatened by a virus infection, i.e., Potyviruses, the second largest genus of plant viruses which results in several million-dollar losses in various essential crops globally. ...Yam bean (
Pachyrhizus erosus
) is considered to be one of the essential tuberous legume crops holding a great potential source of starch. Yam Bean Mosaic Virus (YBMV) of Potyvirus group belonging to the family potyviridae affects Yam bean and several angiosperms both in the tropical and sub-tropical regions causing large economical losses in crops. In this study, we attempted to understand the sequence-structure relationship and mode of RNA binding mechanism in YBMV CP using in silico integrative modeling and all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The assembly of coat protein (CP) subunits from YBMV and the plausible mode of RNA binding were compared with the experimental structure of CP from Watermelon mosaic virus potyvirus (5ODV). The transmembrane helix region is present in the YBMV CP sequence ranging from 76 to 91 amino acids. Like the close structural-homolog, 24 CPs monomeric sub-units formed YBMV a conserved fold. Our computational study showed that ARG
124
, ARG
155
,
and TYR
151
orient towards the inner side of the virion, while, THR
122
, GLN
125
, SER
92
, ASP
94
reside towards the outer side of the virion. Despite sharing very low sequence similarity with CPs from other plant viruses, the strongly conserved residues Ser, Arg, and Asp within the RNA binding pocket of YBMV CP indicate the presence of a highly conserved RNA binding site in CPs from different families. Using several bioinformatics tools and comprehensive analysis from MD simulation, our study has provided novel insights into the RNA binding mechanism in YBMV CP. Thus, we anticipate that our findings from this study will be useful for the development of new therapeutic agents against the pathogen, paving the way for researchers to better control this destructive plant virus.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
► Limited information is available on optimizing nutrient and water management in DSR to produce high yield. ► Grain yield with irrigation threshold increasing from 10 to 20kPa did not decrease with ...the application of P and K fertilizers at 120kgNha−1. ► Applying P and K fertilizers along with N at 20kPa compared with 10kPa resulted in higher WUE and NUE. ► In DSR, the addition of P and K along with N could compensate for the yield loss under water-stress conditions.
Because of increasing constraints of labor and water availability, dry-seeded rice (DSR) is now considered to be a new and emerging rice production system in the northwest Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. However, limited information is available on optimizing nutrient and water management in DSR to produce high yields. The effects of four amounts of N (0, 60, 120, and 180kgha−1) applied with or without P and K fertilizers under two irrigation regimes (10 and 20kPa; irrigated when soil water potential at 15-cm soil depth reached 10 and 20kPa, respectively) were studied on rice yield, and N- and water-use efficiencies. Grain yield with irrigation threshold increasing from 10 to 20kPa did not decrease with the application of P and K fertilizers at 120kgNha−1, leading to substantial savings in irrigation water. At the soil moisture potential of 20kPa, application of P and K fertilizers along with 120kgNha−1 resulted in a 14% increase in rice vis-à-vis when P and K fertilizers were not applied. However, this effect was not observed at the soil moisture potential of 10kPa. Applying P and K fertilizers along with N at 20kPa compared with 10kPa resulted in higher water- and N-use efficiencies. Water-use efficiency was significantly correlated with yield-contributing parameters when P and K were supplied along with N; whereas, without P and K application, water-use efficiency was not correlated with any yield-contributing parameters. It was concluded that, in DSR, the addition of P and K along with N could compensate for the yield loss under water-stress conditions. Our study suggests that there is a need to study the effects of applying different amounts of P and K along with N under a range of water regimes on dry matter partitioning and soil characteristics to understand the mechanism of yield loss in DSR.
Dry-seeded aerobic rice (Oryza sativa L.) (DSR) is an emerging production system in the northwest Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) due to increasing constraints of labor and water availability. Very ...limited research has been done in this region on optimizing nutrient management to produce high yield in DSR. In this study, we investigated yield and dry matter of rice, and N translocation in response to timing and rate of N application. Nitrogen was applied in three splits (as per regional recommendation of transplanted rice) and four splits with or without N application at sowing time (basal dose) at rates of 120, 150, and 180 kg ha−1. The crop did not respond to increasing N levels from 120 to 180 kg ha−1 when applied in three splits. However, increasing N application to 150 kg ha−1 when applied in four splits with no N at sowing time resulted in 7.55 and 7.76 Mg ha−1 yields in 2009 and 2010, respectively; highest among all the treatments. Application of 150 kg N ha−1 in four splits with no-N at sowing resulted in 9 to 12, 19 to 24, and 5% increase in panicle number m−2, filled grains panicle−1, and 1000-grain weight, respectively, over the application of 120 kg N ha−1 in three split doses. The relative contribution of mean preanthesis assimilates to grain increased from 23% at 120 kg N ha−1 applied in three splits to 40% at 150 kg N ha−1 applied in four splits with no N at sowing, indicating that fertilizer application schedules for transplanted rice are not suitable for DSR. This study revealed that application of N at anthesis may further boost the productivity of DSR. From these results, it could also be inferred that, for DSR, application of N at sowing time can be skipped because it may not be immediately used by the emerging seedlings.
State of newborn health in India Sankar, M J; Neogi, S B; Sharma, J ...
Journal of perinatology,
12/2016, Letnik:
36, Številka:
s3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
About 0.75 million neonates die every year in India, the highest for any country in the world. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) declined from 52 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 28 per 1000 live ...births in 2013, but the rate of decline has been slow and lags behind that of infant and under-five child mortality rates. The slower decline has led to increasing contribution of neonatal mortality to infant and under-five mortality. Among neonatal deaths, the rate of decline in early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) is much lower than that of late NMR. The high level and slow decline in early NMR are also reflected in a high and stagnant perinatal mortality rate. The rate of decline in NMR, and to an extent ENMR, has accelerated with the introduction of National Rural Health Mission in mid-2005. Almost all states have witnessed this phenomenon, but there is still a huge disparity in NMR between and even within the states. The disparity is further compounded by rural-urban, poor-rich and gender differentials. There is an interplay of different demographic, educational, socioeconomic, biological and care-seeking factors, which are responsible for the differentials and the high burden of neonatal mortality. Addressing inequity in India is an important cross-cutting action that will reduce newborn mortality.
► A survey was conducted to understand the cultural practices, farmers’ perceptions, and reasons for the yield gap in DSR. ► More than 90% of the farmers chose cultivars for dry seeding by ...considering their yield potential and being easy to sell. ► Among the farmers surveyed, about 45% of them adhered to recommended practices of fertilizer application. ► Weeds were reported as the main biological constraints in DSR culture. ► Nonadherence to recommended fertilizer schedule and weed control package is one of the reasons for the existing yield gap.
Dry-seeded rice (DSR) is an emerging production system in Asia in the face of looming water scarcity, labor scarcity, and the energy crisis. The rice yield in this production system is highly variable. A survey was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2011 and 2012, comprising 320 randomly selected farmers covering all the major agroclimatic regions of Punjab State of India to understand the cultural practices, farmers’ perceptions, and reasons for the yield gap in DSR. Farmers used seeding rates from 15 to 40kgha−1, depending upon the type of seed drill used and agroecological conditions. About 65% of the farmers used drills with inclined plates, a seed-metering device, and on a “custom hiring” basis. More than 90% of the farmers chose cultivars for dry seeding by considering their yield potential, suitability to agroecological zones, and being easy to sell. Among the farmers surveyed, about 45% of them adhered to recommended practices of fertilizer application. Weeds were reported as the main biological constraints in DSR culture. Only 46% of the farmers applied both pre- and postemergence herbicides for weed control. About 67% of the farmers used flood jet or cone-type nozzles for herbicide spray, resulting in additional hand-weeding by 42% of the farmers due to poor weed control. The survey revealed that non-adherence to a recommended fertilizer schedule and weed control package (appropriate herbicides, optimum application time of herbicides, optimum volume of water for spraying, and selection of the right nozzles) is one of the reasons for the existing yield gap. Site-specific agrotechnologies for DSR need to be developed and transferred to farmers to achieve high yield. The survey also revealed that tailoring cultivars for dry-seeding conditions is needed for further productivity gains in DSR.
Surface modification of silica particles, synthesized using the Stöber method, was carried out using methyl trimethoxy silane (MTMS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APTES) to prepare silica ...particles with hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces, respectively. Shear thickening fluids (STFs) were prepared from unmodified and surface-modified silica particles with polyethylene glycol as the carrier fluid. Rheological analyses of these STFs revealed that STFs prepared from APTES modified silica particles showed much higher peak viscosity as compared to STFs prepared from unmodified silica particles (control). However, the STF prepared with MTMS modified silica particles exhibited much lower peak viscosity than the control STF. Para-aramid (Kevlar) fabrics treated with the MTMS modified silica based STF showed better yarn pull-out force and impact energy absorption as compared to fabrics treated with APTES modified silica based STF and to the control STF. The reason for such behavior can be attributed to changes in the distribution patterns of STFs in Kevlar fabrics due to changes in the interactions between the hydrophilic Kevlar fabric substrate and the surface modified silica particles, which either become hydrophobic or hydrophilic based on the type of silane used. The results show that the surface modification of silica particles can be used as an approach to tune the impact performance of STF treated aramid fabrics.
Kevlar fabrics treated with MTMS modified silica based STF showed better impact energy absorption as compared to APTES modified and control silica based STF treated fabrics, attributed to changes in interactions between fabrics and silica particles.
Purple blotch caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cif., 1930 causes huge losses to bulb crop and seed crop of onion (Allium cepa L.). This is a major disease affecting successful onion production in ...majority of the onion growing areas. To identify resistant source against purple blotch, 34 onion genotypes with good marketable yield based on field evaluation trial in 2017 and allied species Pusa Soumya were screened under protected conditions during kharif, 2018 at insect proof net house facility of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The pure culture of Alternaria porri, isolated from infected leaf samples of onion crop raised under natural epiphytotic conditions during kharif, 2017. Highest change of disease severity index was observed between 1–2 weeks post inoculation (WPI) while highest disease severity index was recorded at 5 WPI suggesting that preventive measures must be employed as soon as disease symptoms appear in the field. The disease severity index ranged from 0.10–33.33 at 1 WPI, which increased to 9.33–89.33 at 5 WPI. The cultivated allied species Pusa Soumya was identified as novel resistance source with DSI value less than 10.0% at 5 WPI. Four genotypes exhibited moderately susceptible reaction, while 20 genotypes were susceptible and 10 genotypes were highly susceptible. The area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) value ranged from 22.33–240.17. Pusa Soumya had the lowest value and among onion lines Arka Kirtiman was found promising. Three onion genotypes had low relative AUDPC value and can effectively be utilized in resistance breeding programme. The average daily temperature between 20–25°C and relative humidity above 75% was found ideal for disease development.
Weedy rice, a menace in rice growing areas globally, is biosimilar having attributes similar to cultivated and wild rice, and therefore is difficult to manage. A study was initiated to characterize ...the functional traits of 76 weedy rice populations and commonly grown rice cultivars from different agro-climatic zones for nine morphological, five physiological, and three phenological parameters in a field experiment under an augmented block design. Comparison between weedy and cultivated rice revealed a difference in duration (days) from panicle emergence to heading as the most variable trait and awn length as the least variable one, as evidenced from their coefficients of variation. The results of principal component analysis revealed the first three principal components to represent 47.3% of the total variation, which indicates an important role of transpiration, conductance, leaf-air temperature difference, days to panicle emergence, days to heading, flag leaf length, SPAD (soil-plant analysis development), grain weight, plant height, and panicle length to the diversity in weedy rice populations. The variations existing in weedy rice population are a major reason for its wider adaptability to varied environmental conditions and also a problem while trying to manage it.
► A study evaluated the effect of two rice cultivars and different herbicides on weed growth and rice yield under dry-seeded rice. ► The hybrid cultivar had 11–12% higher yield than the inbred ...cultivar. ► Weed competition in the control plots lowered yield by 39–41%. ► Herbicide-treated plots had similar grain yield and the yield in these plots was 76–86% of the yield of the weed-free plots.
Because of the rapid depletion of water and shortage of labor, farmers in many Asian regions are moving from puddled transplanted rice to dry-seeded rice. However, weed infestations are a serious problem in dry-seeded rice systems because dry cultivation practices and aerobic soil conditions are conducive to the germination and growth of weeds. A field study was conducted in the wet season of 2011 and the dry season of 2012 to evaluate the effect of two rice cultivars and different herbicides on weed growth and rice yield under dry-seeded rice. The rice cultivars (one hybrid and one inbred) were dry-seeded at 20–22kgseedha−1 with a combine drill fitted with knife-point openers. Rice plant densities ranged from 44 to 56plantsm−2 in the first season and from 67 to 77plantsm−2 in the second season. Weed density, weed biomass, rice panicle number, and rice yield were not influenced by the cultivars; however, they were strongly influenced by the weed control treatments. In terms of percent, the hybrid cultivar had 11–12% higher yield than the inbred cultivar. Weed competition in the control plots (one hand-weeding) lowered yield by 39–41% compared with the weed-free plots. All herbicides significantly reduced weed biomass compared with the control treatment, providing 75–93% weed control. Herbicide-treated plots had similar grain yield and the yield in these plots was 76–86% of the yield of the weed-free plots (4.2–4.4tha−1), suggesting further scope to improve rice yield in dry-seeded systems. Compared with the control treatment (one hand-weeding), herbicide-treated plots had 27–41% greater yield. Future research in dry-seeded rice systems should focus on the integration of appropriate agronomic practices with herbicide application timing and combinations to improve the effectiveness of weed management practices.
Neonatal units in teaching and non-teaching hospitals both in public and private hospitals have been increasing in number in the country since the sixties. In 1994, a District Newborn Care Programme ...was introduced as a part of the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme (CSSM) in 26 districts. Inpatient care of small and sick newborns in the public health system got a boost under National Rural Health Mission with the launch of the national programme on facility-based newborn care (FBNC). This has led to a nationwide creation of Newborn Care Corners (NBCC) at every point of child birth, newborn stabilization units (NBSUs) at First Referral Units (FRUs) and special newborn care units (SNCUs) at district hospitals. Guidelines and toolkits for standardized infrastructure, human resources and services at each level have been developed and a system of reporting data on FBNC created. Till March 2015, there were 565 SNCUs, 1904 NBSUs and 14 163 NBCCs operating in the country. There has been considerable progress in operationalizing SNCUs at the district hospitals; however establishing a network of SNCUs, NBSUs and NBCCs as a composite functional unit of newborn care continuum at the district level has lagged behind. NBSUs, the first point of referral for the sick newborn, have not received the desired attention and have remained a weak link in most districts. Other challenges include shortage of physicians, and hospital beds and absence of mechanisms for timely repair of equipment. With admission protocols not being adequately followed and a weak NBSU system, SNCUs are faced with the problem of admission overload and poor quality of care. Applying best practices of care at SNCUs, creating more NBSU linkages and strengthening NBCCs are important steps toward improving quality of FBNC. This can be further improved with regular monitoring and mentoring from experienced pediatricians, and nurses drawn from medical colleges and the private sector. In addition there is a need to further increase such units to address the unmet need of facility-based care.
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