A study was conducted to determine the types of gene action of different yield-related traits in tomato and the combining ability in four advanced lines. The heterotic response in tomato hybrids was also assessed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among all the traits. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for all chosen traits were computed using Griffing’s approach of diallel. Combining ability revealed the additive and non-additive genetic effects for all selected traits of advanced lines. T-1360 was found as a good general combiner for the number of cluster plant-1, average fruit weight, number of flowers cluster-1, fruit length, number of fruit cluster-1, and yield. The variance of the GCA to SCA ratio was found less than 0.5 for each trait, which confirmed the presence of non-additive gene action. The results revealed higher magnitudes of phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) than the genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV). The high magnitudes of heritability (72% to 92%) and genetic advance (36.63% to 139.72%) were found for the number of cluster plant-1, average fruit weight (g), the number of fruits cluster-1, and yield. Among all crosses, the cross ST-100 × T-1360 showed maximum positive heterosis over the mid parent (566.6%) and the better parent (455.5%). The identified tomato genotypes can be used further in different tomato breeding programs to improve fruit yield and other yield-related traits.

Aim: To determine the frequency of findings of MRS in differentiating paediatric leukodystrophies in Pakistani population. Study design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and duration of study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, Military Hospital Rawalpindi from 25thAugust 2018 to 24th February 2019. Methodology: A total of 110 individuals who were coming in for an MRI test and were either male or female, older than one month of age, and younger than 12 years of age, were chosen. A 3.0T MRI scanner equipped with MRS techniques was used for each scan. Axial T1 and T2 Weighted spin-echo, FLAIR, coronal, and sagittal T2 Weighted spin-echo images were all part of the MRI imaging protocol. During the same session, a single section multivoxel 2D chemical shift spectroscopy sequence was also carried out. In MRS, the metabolites that were detected in each of our patients were choline, creatine, lactate, N-acetyl aspartate, and myo-inositol. Data were examined utilizing SPSS 21. Results: The average age was 5.24±1.89 year. 56 (50.91%) of the 110 patients were male children, compared to 54 (49.09%) female children, for a male to female ratio of 1.1:1. The following paediatric leukodystrophies were more often found with MRS in this study: Krabbes disease in 13 (11.82%), Canavan's disease in 19 (17.27%), Adrenoleukodystrophy in 41 (37.27%), Leigh disease in 25 (22.73%), and Metachromatic leukodystrophy in 12 (10.91%). Practical Implication: The underlying issue has recently been linked to mutations in the DARS2 gene, which codes for mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Conclusion: MRS, which is more affordable than other existing tests, should be utilized in every patient with clinical leukodystrophies. Keywords: Leukodystrophies, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, MRS

The wheat blast caused by the Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum pathotype has become a serious threat to wheat production in Pakistan and India after its severe outbreak in Bangladesh in 2016 and intermittent occurrence since then. Thus, planned systemic surveillance of wheat crops in two phases in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 began to determine the status of wheat blasts in Punjab, Pakistan. In the first phase, a survey of 160 wheat fields in districts in Punjab ensued for typical blast symptoms. The surveillance‟s second phase occurred after the threshing of the wheat crop, with composite grain samples collected from all over Punjab, then analyzed in the lab. The surveillance results indicated that all the wheat fields were free from the typical blast symptoms. Similarly, none of the analyzed samples showed the presence of wheat blast pathogens. Therefore, the study validates that this dreadful disease (blast) does not exist in Punjab, Pakistan. Hence, the reason to remain calm needs dissemination among the farming community and the training of technical agriculture extension staff for vigilance in the future for monitoring this disease in different agro-ecological zones of Punjab.