Dissecting the genetic architecture of polygenic nutritional traits in maize through meta-QTL analysis.

Maize, as a staple crop, contributes significantly to global nutritional security. However, improving its nutritional quality, including grain zinc (GZn), grain iron (GFe), kernel oil (KO), protein quality (PQ), and content (PC), is difficult due to the complex and polygenic nature of these traits. In traditional quantitative trait loci (QTLs) mapping, different populations tested across variable environments have resulted in heterogeneous findings, highlighting the challenge of QTL instability.

First-Principles Study of the Interaction of Atomic and Molecular Chlorine with Graphene, Silicene, Phosphorene, and h-BN Monolayer.

The environmental stability of 2D monolayers is critical for their applications across various technology-related fields. These monolayers can degrade when exposed to gaseous components in the environment, so minimizing these degrading effects is essential. In this paper, chlorine exposure to the 2D monolayers, specifically graphene, silicene, phosphorene, and h-BN monolayer, is investigated using van der Waals corrected density functional theory.

Prospective Comparative Study Between Subarachnoid Chloroprocaine and General Anesthesia for Short Daycare Surgeries.

Introduction: Daycare surgeries are increasingly possible due to advancements in anesthetic techniques, the availability of newer drugs, and newer surgical techniques. The anesthetic technique has to be modified and titrated to a level so as to provide optimal anesthesia with minimal side effects that will enable the patients to resume their daily activities. General anesthesia and newer airway adjuncts have completely changed non-invasive airway management in daycare surgeries.

Meta-QTL analysis for mining of candidate genes and constitutive gene network development for viral disease resistance in maize ( L.).

Viral diseases severely impact maize yields, with occurrences of maize viruses reported worldwide. Deployment of genetic resistance in a plant breeding program is a sustainable solution to minimize yield loss to viral diseases. The meta-QTL (MQTL) has demonstrated to be a promising approach to pinpoint the most robust QTL(s)/candidate gene(s) in the form of an overlapping or common genomic region identified through leveraging on different research studies that independently report genomic regions significantly associated with the target traits.

Microbes mediated alleviation of chromium (Cr VI) stress for improved phytoextraction in fodder maize ( L.) cultivar.

This study investigates the potential of chromium (VI) resistant bacterial isolates to alleviate heavy metal stress in fodder maize plants and enhance phytoremediation. Twenty-one bacterial strains were isolated from contaminated water, with five strains; (BHR1) (BHR2), (BHR4), (BHR5) and (BHR6) selected based on their significant plant-growth promoting (PGP) traits and heavy metal tolerance. Under chromium (Cr VI) stress, the BHR1 strain significantly improved seed germination, seedling length and vigor index of fodder maize variety (J 1007) especially at 150 mg/L Cr (VI), where these parameters increased by 3.

Drought-tolerant wheat for enhancing global food security.

Wheat is among the most produced grain crops of the world and alone provides a fifth of the world's calories and protein. Wheat has played a key role in food security since the crop served as a Neolithic founder crop for the establishment of world agriculture. Projections showing a decline in global wheat yields in changing climates imply that food security targets could be jeopardized.

Teosinte-Derived Advanced Backcross Population Harbors Genomic Regions for Grain Yield Attributing Traits in Maize.

Maize is a highly versatile crop holding significant importance in global food, feed and nutritional security. Grain yield is a complex trait and difficult to improve without targeting the improvement of grain yield attributing traits, which are relatively less complex in nature. Hence, considering the erosion in genetic diversity, there is an urgent need to use wild relatives for genetic diversification and unravel the genomic regions for grain yield attributing traits in maize.

Unusual Ni⋯Ni interaction in Ni(ii) complexes as potential inhibitors for the development of new anti-SARS-CoV-2 Omicron drugs.

Two nickel(ii) coordination complexes [Ni(L)](1) and [Ni(L)](2) of a tetradentate Schiff base ligand () derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with ethylenediamine were synthesized, designed, and characterized spectroscopic and single crystal XRD analyses. Both nickel(ii) complexes exhibited unusual Ni⋯Ni interactions and were fully characterized single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Nickel(ii) complexes [Ni(L)](1) and [Ni(L)](2) crystallize in monoclinic and triclinic crystal systems with 2/ and 1̄ space groups, respectively, and revealed square planar geometry around each Ni(ii) ion.

Post-Translational Modifications in Histones and Their Role in Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants.

Abiotic stresses profoundly alter plant growth and development, resulting in yield losses. Plants have evolved adaptive mechanisms to combat these challenges, triggering intricate molecular responses to maintain tissue hydration and temperature stability during stress. A pivotal player in this defense is histone modification, governing gene expression in response to diverse environmental cues.

Effect of salt, alkali and combined stresses on root system architecture and ion profiling in a diverse panel of oat ( spp.).

The co-occurrence of salinisation and alkalisation is quite frequent in problematic soils and poses an immediate threat to food, feed and nutritional security. In the present study, root system architectural traits (RSAs) and ion profiling were evaluated in 21 genotypes of Avena species to understand the effect of salinity-alkalinity stress. The oat genotypes were grown on germination paper and 5-day-old seedlings were transferred to a hydroponic system for up to 30days.

Morpho-physiological traits and SSR markers-based analysis of relationships and genetic diversity among fodder maize landraces in India.

Background: Maize is an excellent fodder crop due to its high biomass, better palatability, succulency, and nutrition. Studies on morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of fodder maize are limited. The present study aimed to explore the genetic variation in fodder maize landraces for various morpho-physiological traits and estimation of genetic relationship and population structure.

Unraveling the diversity and functions of sugar transporters for sustainable management of wheat rust.

Plant diseases threaten global food security by reducing the production and quality of produce. Identification of disease resistance sources and their utilization in crop improvement is of paramount significance. However, constant evolution and occurrence of new, more aggressive and highly virulent pathotypes disintegrates the resistance of cultivars and hence demanding the steady stream of disease resistance cultivars as the most sustainable way of disease management.

Progress and prospectus in genetics and genomics of root and stem rot resistance in soybean ( L.).

Soybean is one of the largest sources of protein and oil in the world and is also considered a "super crop" due to several industrial advantages. However, enhanced acreage and adoption of monoculture practices rendered the crop vulnerable to several diseases. Phytophthora root and stem rot (PRSR) caused by is one of the most prevalent diseases adversely affecting soybean production globally.

Exploring invasive weed biochar as soil amendment: A study on fodder oats productivity and soil biological properties.

Biochar is known for the improvement of soil health, fertility, crop productivity, and quality in many agro-ecosystems globally, but information regarding fodder yield, quality, and soil microbial activity responses to biochar application remains very limited. The objective of this study was to prepare biochar from invasive weeds, i.e.

Range grasses to improve soil properties, carbon sustainability, and fodder security in degraded lands of semi-arid regions.

Tropical grasses are the primary source of forage for livestock and a valuable resource for improving soil health and environmental sustainability in semi-arid regions. A study was carried out in a semi-arid region of central India to determine the short-term (6-year) impact of nine range grasses on soil physio-chemical and biological properties, carbon stock, and forage security. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with three replications.

Wheat Proteomics for Abiotic Stress Tolerance and Root System Architecture: Current Status and Future Prospects.

Wheat is an important staple cereal for global food security. However, climate change is hampering wheat production due to abiotic stresses, such as heat, salinity, and drought. Besides shoot architectural traits, improving root system architecture (RSA) traits have the potential to improve yields under normal and stressed environments.

Copper(II) Schiff base complex derived from salen ligand: structural investigation, Hirshfeld surface analysis, anticancer and anti-SARS-CoV-2.

This work deals with the synthesis and characterization of copper(II) complex [Cu(salen)(HO)]() of salen-type Schiff base ligand derived from the condensation of 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and ethylenediamine in EtOH. This complex was characterized by different spectroscopic and physicochemical methods. Single crystal X-ray crystallography study revealed that Cu(II) in complex () is five-coordinate and adopts a distorted square pyramidal geometry.

Design, synthesis and characterization of novel Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes as antivirus drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 and HIV virus.

This paper describes the structure-based design, synthesis and anti-virus effect of two new coordination complexes, a Ni(II) complex [Ni(L)] () and a Cu(II) complex [Cu(L)] () of (E)-N-phenyl-2-(thiophen-2-ylmethylene) hydrazine-1-carbothioamide(). The synthesized ligand was coordinated to metal ions through the bidentate-N, S donor atoms. The newly synthesized complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic and physiochemical methods, powdered XRD analysis and also X-ray crystallography study.

Pangenomics in Microbial and Crop Research: Progress, Applications, and Perspectives.

Advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools have fueled a renewed interest in whole genome sequencing efforts in many organisms. The growing availability of multiple genome sequences has advanced our understanding of the within-species diversity, in the form of a pangenome. Pangenomics has opened new avenues for future research such as allowing dissection of complex molecular mechanisms and increased confidence in genome mapping.

How do plants defend themselves against pathogens-Biochemical mechanisms and genetic interventions.

In agro-ecosystem, plant pathogens hamper food quality, crop yield, and global food security. Manipulation of naturally occurring defense mechanisms in host plants is an effective and sustainable approach for plant disease management. Various natural compounds, ranging from cell wall components to metabolic enzymes have been reported to protect plants from infection by pathogens and hence provide specific resistance to hosts against pathogens, termed as induced resistance.