ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION STRUCTURE AMONG NORTH-EASTERN AND NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYAN MAIZE LANDRACES USING MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR MARKERS

Genetic diversity among 60 maize genotypes was determined using morphological and SSR markers. Sufficient genetic variability was observed for all the twelve traits studied during present investigation. Estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits. PCV and GCV was highest for grain yield per plant (42.76%, 34.37 %) followed by 100 gram weight (17.79%, 17.37%), respectively. The broad sense heritability was found to be high (>80%) for most of the traits except for grain yield per plant (64.60%). High PCV, GCV and GA were observed for grain yield per plant with moderate heritability. Grains per row revealed high direct contribution towards grain yield per plant. Cob placement height, cob length and cob girth contributed most towards genetic divergence. At molecular level, 20 SSR primers amplified a total of 52 polymorphic alleles with an average of 2.60 alleles per primer. Mean polymorphic information content was 0.31 showing a moderate level of SSR polymorphism. Cluster analysis differentiated 60 maize landraces into four major clusters. During present studies few genetically divergent landraces (LM-18-08, LM-19-07, LM-14-11, LM- 01-08 and LM-11-11) could be employed for their systematic and efficient use in breeding programs

Bishnoi community model: an Indian Ecological Feminist approach to environment protection

PurposeAs a solution to these crises, bringing back the feminine sensitivity can become a welcome change. The Bishnoi community, in particular, propagated Eco-feminism for the cause of the environment. Therefore, this paper aims to study the community in detail along with suggesting a Bishnoi Environment Protection Model as an Indian indigenous solution to the global environmental problems.Design/methodology/approachThe method of obtaining information was a detailed questionnaire-based interview along with multiple focus group discussions. The interviews were conducted with the women who belong to the Bishnoi community and who are actively taking forward the ethos of their community. Interviews were conducted across a span of different villages to cover a different portion of the Bishnoi population. Adding to this, multiple focus group discussions took place in the temple, wild-life protection center, Self-help group women's households, community meetings.FindingsReligion and science are complementary and supplementary to each other in the true sense. It would be good to recall what the greatest scientist had said “Science without religion is blind and religion without science is lame”.Research limitations/implicationsThe research limitation of this paper is that it is a field study-based research wherein the research findings are the outcomes of personal interviews with the village community people. The limitation, therefore, lies in the simplicity of the research arguments put forward in this paper. The implication of this research would be to challenge the dominant research paradigms in the field of Eco-feminism and Climate Change and bring grass root narratives to the forefront.Practical implicationsThe practical implication of this research paper is that in Environment related policy solutions, rural women should be appointed as consultants of advisors in the high profile decision-making policy groups. It would make the process very democratic and rooted in ground-level solutions. If the Bishnoi community women of India are given their due regard they would eventually play significant roles in the decision-making groups at the national and international levels.Social implicationsOther than having a policy implication, this research paper has a social implication too. The community narratives which have been hidden for so long in the remote villages of India will come to the forefront and help as a guiding force.Originality/valueThis paper recommends that India should propagate its culturally-rooted principles such as the one in Jambhoji's commandments. India should strongly put these normative values in the international organizations and contribute to a new epistemology of knowledge in the counter effect of existing ones. This would make a paradigm shift at the level of the knowledge-power in which the developed nations manipulate the rest of the world. The new terminologies, concepts, agendas, goals should be formulated by deriving the knowledge from age-old communities in India. The people of these communities have even given their lives for the protection of the environment.</jats:sec

Trends and variability in evapotranspiration at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

Evapotranspiration demands and trends were analysed for Jabalpur region in eastern Madhya Pradesh by assessing reference evapotranspiration (ETo), energy balance and aerodynamic components for 31 years (1983-2013). Analysis indicated multiple trends in annual ETo and annual aerodynamic component of ETo. In the first half of the study period, a clear decreasing trend was seen with 1994 and 1999 years having low ETo values. Later, the ETo started increasing and a high ETo of 1425 mm was observed in the years 2009 and 2010. Energy balance component has shown a negative trendwith the reduction in temperature and sunshine hours.Trends in five-year average ETo values indicated a reduction in kharif season whilethe EToincreased in rabi season. Present study highlights the necessity to understand ETo of the region before planning and management

Indirect somatic embryogenesis in sweet orange cv. “Mosambi”

This study was carried out for standardization of a reliable protocol by using different explants (epicotyl,cotyledon, and root), plant bioregulators (PBRs), and carbon sources on indirect embryogenesis during 2019-2022. Among the treatments tested, T4 (MS + 2,4-D (1.5 mg L-1) + BAP (1.0 mg L-1) + ME (500 mg L-1)) proved bestfor callusing (90.89 %), callus fresh weight (0.83 g), turgid weight (0.84 g) and dry weight (0.08 g) as comparedto others. In terms of callusing (83.72%), callus fresh weight (0.67 g), turgid weight (0.68 g), dry weight (0.05g) and callus water content (11.28 %), explants epicotyl (E) showed its superiority over others. Similarly, thetreatment combination T4 × E surpassed others in callusing potential. Embryogenesis (59.09%) and germination(33.61%) were best in T7 (MS + BAP (2 mg L-1) + NAA (0.1 mg L-1) + ME (500 mg L-1)). Among the different carbonsources, 5% glycerol supplemented with T7 proved best in inducing the highest number of somatic embryos/callus mass (73.26), embryogenesis (65.27%), and plantlet formation (68.77%). The standardized protocol canbe used for indirect embryogenesis for different genotypes of sweet orange.</jats:p