Aqeel Hasan Rizvi

Molecular diversity and phylogeny in geographical collection of chickpea (Cicer sp.) accessions.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third most important pulse crop in the world and India is the largest producer of this crop. Nevertheless, its yield in India is low (0.7 tone per hectare (t/ha)) as compared to Australia, Egypt, Israel and Italy (1 t/ha) (FAOSTAT 2008, http://faostat.fao.org/). There has been a significant change in the scenario of chickpea cultivation in India during the past three decades. The expansion of irrigated agriculture in northern India has led to displacement of chickpea with wheat in large area. As a result, the area under chickpea reduced from 3.2 million ha to 1.0 million ha in northern and northwestern India (Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh), while it increased from 2.6 million ha to 4.3 million ha in central and southern India (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) from 1985 to 1990. Because of relatively warm environments in central and southern India, the crop is challenged by Fusarium wilt, a major yield reducing disease, while in northwestern India, due to cooler environments, the crop is exposed to a severe foliar disease Ascochyta blight. The narrow genetic base among cultivated chickpea accessions is limiting genetic improvement of chickpea through breeding efforts. Understanding the extent of natural variation among cultivated chickpea and wild accessions at molecular level is essential to develop prebreeding and breeding strategies for chickpea. Until recently, the low intraspecific and inter-specific polymorphism in chickpea accessions detected by molecular markers and the scarcity of codominant DNA-based markers were serious constraints that hindered the preparation of dense molecular genetic maps or tagging of important traits in chickpea. However, recent studies using STMS markers reveal fairly high levels of

Chromium Alters Iron Nutrition and Water Relations of Spinach

ABSTRACT Spinach (Spinacea oleracea L. cv. ‘Banarasi’), known to be responsive to potentially toxic elements, was investigated for chromium (Cr6 +) effect on iron metabolism and water relations. After 40 days growth in sand culture, a set of plants was supplied with 100 and 400 μM Cr6 + (potassium dichromate, K2Cr2O7), superimposed over the complete nutrient solution (control). Excess Cr6 + produced visual symptoms of toxicity and increased accumulation of Cr, more in roots than in leaves. Decreased concentration of chlorophylls and the activities of heme enzymes, catalase and peroxidase in excess Cr6 + may suggest interference of Cr in iron metabolism of plants. These changes associated with decrease in iron (Fe) accumulation in Cr6 + treated plants, indicate that by reducing absorption of Fe, Cr6 + impairs the Fe requiring steps of chlorophyll and heme biosynthesis. In spite of lower water saturation deficit, the leaves of Cr6 + treated plants showed a decrease in leaf water potential, associated with increase in diffusive resistance and lowering of transpiration rate along with proline accumulation indicates water stress. The changes observed in water stress parameters in Cr6 + treated plants indicate that excess supply of Cr6 + reduces the physiological availability of water.

USES AND CONSUMPTION

Lentils are one the earliest known crops to be cultivated and archaeological evidence goes back at least 7000 years. They have been in constant use in different societies since then and their consumption has been widespread in developed and developing countries alike. It is consumed for its flavour, its versatility and its high nutritive value and other health benefits which are briefly discussed here and elsewhere in this book. In most of the Asian countries and particularly in the Indian subcontinent the major use for lentil is for making dhal for which the red lentils are preferred. The types of lentil soups prepared in different countries and regions throughout the world vary enormously depending on local tradition and palate from the spicy Indian dhals to the more aromatic north African lentil soups to the meat based European dishes and several recipes are included here. Dhal alone describes a whole group of dishes which vary enormously from the different regions of India and the other countries of the subcontinent. They are also used uncooked; either soaked crushed and moulded to make cakes or sprouted as an ingredient in salads in some parts of India and as such provide better nutrient value

Uses, Consumption and Utilization

The paper examines the consumption pattern, post harvest processes and uses in chickpea across the world.

LENTIL GROWERS AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD

Taking into consideration different ecologies, regions, countries and continents lentils are adapted throughout world. Its cultivation has been taken up by large, medium and small farmers mainly under rainfed but also in irrigated ecosystems. The lentil growers in different countries face the challenges of biotic and abiotic stresses more or less of the same magnitude which are responsible for the low productivity and stagnation in the production. Marketing and trade arrangements and distortions can also produce enormous impacts in some regions. Examples of the main production systems from around the world are given. Within these productivity varies greatly from country to country and there are wide gaps between developed and under developed nations. Such gaps in the productivity can be minimize with the introduction of modern techniques. National and international research organizations are working on various aspects of lentil improvement and these programs have come out with excellent technologies for lentil growers. Their applicability and adoption has varied around the world. The availability of high yielding, resistant, quality and widely adapted cultivars with an appropriate agronomic package is not generally a problem in any part of the world. The chain of quality seed production is also being maintained and improving day by day. The various organizations are involved in technology transfer to farmers

Impact of genotype × environment interactions on the relative performance of diverse groups of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars

The present experiments were undertaken to understand genotype (G) × environment (E) interactions for quantitative traits among 108 diverse genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), in diverse planting environments. Genotypes were divided into four groups based on seed size: (i) Desi-medium seeded (ii) desi-bold seeded (iii) kabuli-bold seeded and (iv) kabuli-extra bold seeded, and planted under three contrasting environments: normal, medium and late planting. There were highly significant differences for plant height, number of branches and pods per plant, 100-seed weight and biological and seed yield per plant under different planting environments. The majority of genotypes showed a complete absence of G × E interactions while a limited number of genotypes showed their suitability for favorable planting environments having both a significant high regression as well as a high mean yield. A sizable number of genotypes showed stable yield performance over all the environments indicating their high general adaptability. Clustering of genotypes indicated clear-cut placement of high, medium and low yielding genotypes into separate clusters. Thus it was suggested that the expressivity of individual quantitative traits is controlled by different genes and is greatly influenced by environmental changes. The genotypes showed specific adaptation to high fertility conditions were BG 374, Phule G 5, BGD 70 and F 7-123 and general adaptation across the environments like BG 256, 362, 390, 1103 of desi types and BG 1053, 1088, 1105, and 1108 of kabuli types.

Comparative Agronomic Performance and Reaction to Fusarium wilt of Lens culinaris × L. orientalis and L. culinaris × L. ervoides derivatives

The development of transgressive phenotype in the segregating populations has been speculated to contribute to niche divergence of hybrid lineages, which occurs most frequently at larger genetic distances. Wild Lens species are considered to be more resistant against major biotic and abiotic stresses than that of the cultivated species. In the present study, we assessed the comparative agronomic performance of lentil (Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris) inter-sub-specific (L. culinaris subsp. orientalis) and interspecific (L. ervoides) derivatives, also discussed its probable basis of occurrence. The F3, F4, and F5 inter sub-specific and interspecific populations of ILL8006 × ILWL62 and ILL10829 × ILWL30, respectively revealed a substantial range of variation for majority of agro-morphological traits as reflected by the range, mean and coefficient of variation. A high level of fruitful heterosis was also observed in F3 and F4 progeny for important traits of interest. Phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher in magnitude than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) in all generations for several quantitative characters. The results showed high heritability estimates for majority of traits in conjunction with low to high genetic advance in F3 and F4 generations. Further, F5 progeny of ILL10829 × ILWL30, manifested resistant disease reaction for fifteen recombinant inbred lines (RILs) against (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis (Vasd. Srin.) Gord.). The multilocation agronomic evaluation of both crosses showed better results for earliness, desirable seed yield and Fusarium wilt resistance under two agro-ecological regions of north-western India. These better performing recombinants of ILL8006 × ILWL62 and ILL10829 × ILWL30 can be advanced for further genetic improvement and developing high yielding disease resistant cultivars of lentil.

Strategies to Combat the Impact of Climatic Changes

Global climate warming has become increasingly evident during recent decades (Karl et al., 1997, Scientific Am 276, 78–83; Zhang et al., 2000, Atmosphere-Ocean 38, 395–429). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007a, b, Climate change 2007: Synthesis report) has documented the fact that global temperatures have been increasing and are projected to continue to increase by approximately 0.2°C per decade for the next 20 years. The rate of increases beyond that point in time may become even faster ranging between 1.8 and 4.0°C per decade due to projected increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Enhancing grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) production in problematic soils of South Asia for nutritional security

Grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) a multi-purpose, climate smart legume crop which can sustain drought, waterlogging and salinity, and can be grown under minimal external inputs. It is grown on about one million ha area in South Asia mainly in rice-based cropping system. Global area under its cultivation has decreased because of ban on its trade in many countries due to its association with neurolathyrism, a non-reversible neurological disorder in humans and animals due to consumption of a neurotoxin, β-N-oxalyl-L-α, β-di amino propionic acid (β-ODAP) present in its plant parts. Resource-poor farmers and tribal people are still growing to supplement their diet with traditional varieties. Traditionally, its seed and twigs are used for human consumption and fodder and plant residues as animal feed. It has a great potential for cultivation in areas where other field crops cannot be grown due to soil problems. It provides an excellent opportunity for sustainable agriculture and nutritional security to resource poor farmers and consumers of South-Asian countries. Breeding efforts are underway on reducing ODAP content in its plant parts and yield improvement to provide a remunerative crop for safe consumption. The crop has a specific production niche where it is grown as a relay crop in rice fields, thus no tillage operations are required which reduces its cost of production.