A bizarre case of severe, debilitating pneumo-orbit resulting in proptosis, blindness, and eventual exenteration of the right eye and threatening the same fate for the left eye was worked up painstakingly for over 10 years before a final diagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome was uncovered. Five days after the diagnosis was made and appropriate management was instituted the severely proptotic left eye had returned to normal and the patient was discharged for out-patient psychiatric follow-up. A discussion of the differential diagnosis of pneumo-orbit is presented and Munchausen's syndrome, the final diagnosis in this case, is discussed from both an historical and psychiatric perspective.

No abstract

The glossy trait in I sorghum: its characteristics and significance in crop improvement. Field Crops Res., 9: 279-289. Sorghum seedlings can be morphologically glossy or nonglossy: seedlings with dark green leaves (normal) are nonglossy, and seedlings with light yellow green and shining leaf surfaces are glossy. A systematic study of the world sorghum germplasm collection indicated a low frequency of accessions with the glossy trait (only 495 of 17 536 germplasm accessions screened). A large proportion (84%) of the glossy lines were of Indian origin but some were from elsewhere (Nigeria,

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L .) MoENCH] backcross populations containing 3 to 50% wild germplasm were evaluated in south central India for grain yield and nine related traits . No individual BC,,F2-to BC2F2derived lines were high transgressive segregates for grain yield . Only 1 .5% of all BC3F2-or BC4F2-derived lines were transgressive segragates, with 26% higher mean grain yield than their respective recurrent parents . The ten highest-yielding BC2F2-to BC4F2-derived lines per mating having parent CK60B yielded an average of 14% more than CK60B, which was, at the 5% level, a statistically significant differerence . However, the increased yield was associated with increased plant height . The highest-yielding lines from RS/R/A2725 x virgatum and RS/R/A2725 x verticilliflorum were an average of 13 .5% higher-yielding than RS/R/ A2725 (a significant difference) and were equal in plant height . Selection increased BC, mean grain yields by 6 to 27% . Population mean yield, mean yield of selected lines, and frequency of high-yielding lines were highest in the BC, .

A time-course study of the early establishment stages of Striga asiatica was carried out on a susceptible sorghum hybrid, CSH 1, using polyethylene bags and whole-root clearing and staining techniques. Preconditioned Striga seeds were applied to different aged segments of primary root but the results did not differ for these different aged segments. Most of the Strzga seeds (63%) germinated within 24 h of inoculation on the host roots. The attachment of Striga radicles to host root was rapid and it occurred between 36 and 48 h after inoculation. Only 9% of the germinated Striga seeds attached to the host root but 659; of these attachments successfully penetrated through the epidermis and entered the host cortex within 72 h. Penetration through the cortical cells was difficult; only 17% of attachments were able to reach the endodermis. Penetration took from 12 to 43 h after the first appearance of haustorial cells in the cortex; a total of 84 to 120 h after inoculation on the host root. Penetration through the endodermis and establishment on the host stele was relatively easier, as most of the haustoria reaching the endodermis were able to establish on the host stele. But this is a slow proces. taking a minimum of 24 h, and a maximum of 60 h after first contact of haustorial cells with the endodermis. The minimum time taken from inoculation of ungerminated Striga seed on the host root to establishment is about 108 h. The results are discussed in relation to published reports on other parasitic species such as Agalinis purpurea.

No abstract

Studies on F1, F2, F3, and backcross generations of three crosses and their reciprocals in sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, showed that the inheritance of basmati (scented plant) and dimpled seed characters is controlled by two independent recessive genes. The plump seed character exhibited xenia.

S U M M A R YIn India, sorghum is grown during the post-rainy season on Vertisols with stored soil moisture. As water stress towards the end of the growing season is believed to be a major cause of poor yields in these crops, an experiment was carried out involving five sorghum genotypes and four sowing dates with and without irrigation.Supplementary irrigation with 40 mm of water in the earliest sown crop increased grain yields by 24 and 26% in 1979 and 1982, respectively, while irrigation with a total of 120 mm water in the latest sown crop increased yields by 87 and 60% compared with the corresponding dryland crops. Early sowings always resulted in better stover and grain yields irrespective of irrigation treatment. Grain yields of hybrids were similar to those of the cultivars but their stover yields were less. The post-rainy season cultivar SPV 86 gave the best grain yield across sowing dates. The widely grown post-rainy season cultivar M 35-1 yielded less but produced more stover and its yields were more stable. The importance of the stability of grain and stover yields and of evaluating the materials for more than one date of sowing in selecting sorghums for the post-rainy season is discussed. RESUMENEn la India, el sorgo es cultivado durante la esacion posterior a las lluvias en vertisoles (suelo rico en arcilla) con humedad almacenada en el suelo. Ya que se cree que la falta de agua hacia Fines de la temporada de crecimiento es una causa principal de los bajos rendimientos, en estos cultivos se realizo un experimento implicando cinco genotipos de sorgo y cuatro fechas de siembra, regado y sin regar.Riegos suplementarios con 40 mm de agua en el primer cultivo sembrado aumentaron el rendimiento de grano en un 24 y 26% en 1979 y 1982 respectivamente, mientras que el riego con un total de 120 mm en al ultimo cultivo sembrado aumento los rendimientos en un 87 y 60%, comparado con los correspondientes cultivos de secano. Las siembras tempranas siempre dieron como resultado mejores rendimientos de forraje y de grano, sin tener en cuenta el tratamiento de riego. Los rendimientos de grano de hibridos fueron similares a los de los cultivares, pero sus rendimientos de forraje resultaron ser menores. El cultivar SPV 86 de la estacion posterior a de las lluvias dio el mejor rendimiento de grano para todas las fechas de siembra. El muy cultivado cultivar M 35-1 de la estacion posterior a las lluvias rindio menos pero produjo mas forraje, y sus rendimientos fueron estables. Se discute la importancia de la establilidad de los rendimientos de grano y de forraje y de evaluar los materiales para mas de una fecha de siembra al seleccionar sorgos para la estacion posterior a las lluvias.