The objectives of this study were to investigate whether seed biopriming through drought tolerant isolates of Trichoderma harzianum induces drought tolerance in wheat. Physiological and biochemical parameters were also monitored under greenhouse conditions to explore the mechanism underlying plant water stress resilience in response to Trichoderma inoculation.The impact of bioprospecting Trichoderma harzianum drought tolerant isolates, Rani and Rani Th-39 on wheat response to drought was studied. Measurements of the stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and greenness of plants were performed. In addition, analysis of the total phenolic compounds, free proline, MSI (membrane stability index) as well as lipid peroxidation was carried out. With or without exposure to drought conditions, colonization by Trichoderma isolates promoted seedling growth, the most consistent effect being an increase in shoot and root growth. The primary direct effect of colonization was promotion of root growth, regardless of water status, and an increase in water content, which it is proposed, caused a delay in many aspects of the drought response of wheat. Colonization of Trichoderma by seed biopriming enhanced drought tolerance of wheat plants as they delayed drought induced changes like stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and greenness of plants.Drought stress from 4 to 13 d of withholding water induced an increase in the concentration of many stress induced metabolites in wheat leaves, while Trichoderma colonization caused a decrease in proline, MDA and H 2 O 2 contents and an increase in phenolics concentration.Among different Trichoderma isolates, Rani Th-14 induced maximum drought tolerance as treated plants recorded only 20-40 per cent wilting even at 13 days drought stress (DDS). The study is important as the experiments confirmed that the drought tolerant isolates of Trichoderma through seed bio priming are critical in inducing tolerance to drought.
India is the largest producer of small millets, which are often referred to as coarse cereals. Various biotic variables significantly affect the output and productivity of these small millets and among them, insect pests are major production barriers that cause high crop losses from sowing to crop harvesting. Although the current status of all the pests affecting small millet crops in Uttarakhand is unknown but shoot fly and stem borer have been identified as major pests of small millets in mid hills of Uttarakhand. Major small millets growing areas as well as various trials conducted under AICRP on Small Millets at Ranichauri Centre, VCSG UUHF, Bharsar, Uttarakhand were surveyed at different crop stages in ten different locations during Kharif-2019 and Kharif-2020 to ascertain the status of insect fauna associated with the small millets. A total of sixteen species of insect pests damaging small millets from seedling stage to harvesting were reported. During survey, it was found that shoot fly caused infestation during early crop stage while stem borer induced infestation was noticed during the later crop stage. Shoot fly infestation contributed to stunted crop growth and side tillering with dead heart structure with potential to inflict damage up to 36.67 percent in state varieties of barnyard millet when control measures were not intervened at Gaja farm while stem borer infestation produced white ear heads and stem tunneling with maximum infestation of 33.33 percent in finger millet at Gaja farm and 20.00 percent infestation in barnyard millet at Gunogi village. Grasshopper caused infestation was in the range of 13.33 to 26.67 percent and 13.33 to 33.33 percent and aphid infestation ranged between 10.00 to 20.83 percent and 6.67 to 20.00 percent in finger millet and barnyard millet, respectively at different locations. The flea beetle, semilooper, chaffer beetle, sting bug and other pests were also reported in surveyed small millet crops as occasional occurrence. The present study thus contributed in the data available on insect fauna associated with small millets, major insect pests causing damage from seedling to harvesting stage along with average per cent infestation and their respective nature of damage and damaging stage in mid hills of Uttarakhand.
The present study was conducted in West Himalayan Dry Juniper Forest, in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand and Dry Broadleaved and Coniferous Forest, Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, India, to investigate the population structure and regeneration status of Afghan Ash tree species. The results of population status of the Afghan ash in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh indicated the dominance of F. xanthoxyloides. In Uttarakhand, maximum IVI value of F. xanthoxyloides was recorded in Malari (170.26), followed by Jhelum (160.13), whereas in Himachal Pradesh, maximum IVI value 161.50 was recorded in Ribba, while, in Jhangi site 128.68 IVI value was recorded. Density and total basal area in all the sites of the Afghan ash ranged from 344.44 individuals ha− 1 to 482.22 individuals ha− 1 and 18.77 m2 ha− 1 to 35.65 m2 ha− 1, respectively. The natural regeneration status of F. xanthoxyloides was found to be quite good in all the selected sites/ranges. The maximum number of seedlings were recorded from Himachal Pradesh with (837.78 individual’s ha− 1) in Jangi, while minimum number of seedlings per hectare (70.37 individual’s ha− 1) was recorded in Jhelum, Uttarakhand. The reverse J-shaped curve was observed in all the CBH classes which signify regeneration at the stand level was good and maximum portion of curve with more than one-half of the individual’s occurrence was found to be higher between the girth classes 10.1–20 cm to 20.1–30 cm and decreased with the increase of girth in all the study stands. Anthropogenic disturbances resulted to be declined in populations of Afghan ash and may lead this species to endangered, rare and threatened categories. Therefore, proper conservation and management initiatives with active involvement of local people are urgent need to protect this keystone plant species in their habitat particularly in cold desert regions of Western Himalayas.
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