MicroRNAs are important gene regulators controlling almost all biological and metabolic functions. They elicit their regulatory response through modulation of their target gene expression. In this study, we identified eight novel microRNAs (miRNAs) belonging to four miRNA families and one miR* sequence from the French bean genome which responded to high temperature. The precursor miRNAs varied in length and showed conserved signatures of RNA polymerase II transcripts in their upstream regions. Promoter region analysis indicated the prevalence of MYB and WRKY binding sites emphasizing auto-inhibition of miRNA biogenesis. The genomic organization study revealed the presence of 150 putative regulatory motifs of which 41 are unique. Common motifs shared by miRNAs involved in more than one abiotic stresses were also identified. Further, the miRNA validation was carried out by stem-loop real-time PCR, and the results emphasize that the differential expression of miRNAs confers stress tolerance. Functional analysis revealed that most of the targets represent transcription factors. The results obtained would provide new insights to the complex regulatory mechanism employing small non-coding regulatory RNAs toward stress adaptation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are group of small, non-coding RNAs that play important roles in plant growth, development and stress response. There have been an increasing number of investigations aimed at discovering miRNAs and analyzing their functions in model plants. In this study, we constructed high temperature stress induced small RNA libraries and characterized 26 potential miRNAs belonging to 21 families in French bean. A total of 140 annotated potential targets were found, of which majority were transcription factors (MYB, bHLH, GRF1, bZIP, NAC etc.,) which may play an important role in stress resistance. RT-qPCR and Northern blot analysis revealed differential expressions of candidate miRNAs and their target genes. The observed induction of miRNA expression is correlated with the down regulation of their targets. Investigation of gene ontology linked with targets of miRNAs forecasted their involvement in various biological functions. We anticipate the further studies may offer new avenues in developing stress tolerant variety of French bean.

MicroRNAs are endogenous small RNAs regulating intrinsic normal growth and development of plant. Discovering miRNAs, their targets and further inferring their functions had become routine process to comprehend the normal biological processes of miRNAs and their roles in plant development. In this study, we used homology-based analysis with available expressed sequence tag of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) to predict conserved miRNAs. Three potent miRNAs targeting 88 genes were identified. The newly identified miRNAs were found to be homologous with miR166 and miR1310. The targets recognized were transcription factors and enzymes, and GO analysis showed these miRNAs played varied roles in gene regulation. The identification of miRNAs and their targets is anticipated to hasten the pace of key epigenetic regulators in plant development.

French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a legume grown all over the world, is an important pulse crop of India whose yield is affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play an important role in the regulation of plant responses to several stresses. Boron toxicity is a significant limitation to cereal crop production. In this study, RT-qPCR confirmed seven miRNAs responsive to high concentrations of boron, exhibited differential expression trends compared with the control. Target prediction and their functional analysis showed that most of the miRNA targets represent transcription factors regulating expression of stressrelated genes. GO results supported our hypothesis that miRNAs were involved in diverse cellular processes, including plant circadian cycle, vegetative development, transcription, and cross adaptation. Our research characterized a subset of miRNAs that would facilitate understanding the regulatory mechanisms of small noncoding regulatory RNAs involved in stress tolerance.

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This study was conducted to investigate on alternative tray filling materials to replace the soil media on crop growth, yield characteristics and yield attributes in The Mechanized System of Rice Intensification (MSRI). Focusing on the different alternative filling materials suitable to replace the soil media with 100% seed germination, Ten treatments with different combinations were experimented and a fine thin layer of well decomposed farm yard manure was spread over all ten treatments o bed filling material [(i.e., T 1-10% groundnut shell + 90 % soil; T 2-10% vermin-compost+ 90% soil; T 3-10% rice husk+90% soil; T 4-25% vermin-compost + 75% soil; T 5-25% rice straw + 75% soil; T 6-25% rice husk + 75% soil; T 7-10% rice straw+ 90% soil; T 8-25% groundnut shell +75% soil; T 9-Field soil (100%) (MT); T 10-Manual plantin (MP)]. The observation of transplanted hills was also noted in root growth and leaf number, leaf area index and number of tillers and panicle number, panicle length and grain number per panicle, grain filling and 1000-grain weight and straw weight. The raising nursery with different bedding materials transplanted with machine significantly influenced grain yield per hectare. The results revealed that highest grain yield per hectare was observed with T 8 (25% GS) as 4858.5 kg/ha and followed by T 4 (25% VC) as 4685 kg/ha. However, the lowest grain yield was recorded at 2212.6 kg/ha was observed in T 6 (25% RH), due to lowest N, P, K contents in rice husk bed material. It is also observed from transplanted crop that root length was highest with T 5 (25% RS) as 11.39 cm followed by T 3 (10% RH) as 11.16 cm, whereas lowest root length 9.10 cm, root spreading was highest with T 8 (25% GS) as 20.72 cm followed by T 1 (10% GS) as 19.46 cm, T 2 (10%VC) as 19.00, T 4 and 9 are comparable with each other and is 18.47 cm. whereas lowest root spreading 13.08 cm was observed in T 10 (manual planting). Finally it has been concluded that there is significant effect of bedding materials on crop growth and yield parameters.

:Rice is one of the most important cereals that hold the key for food security. SRI has reached certain level of acceptance among the research and scientific community in major rice producing countries. The SRI method of rice cultivation involves planting single seedling in wider row spacing i.e., 25x 25 cm, which involves more labour intensive and laborious process. Hence, the present study was conducted with an objective to compare the mechanized rice transplanting with different intra row spacing with mechanized rice transplanter method with SRI and normal method of rice cultivation. The study was conducted with four treatments i.e.

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oMicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs which play an important role in regulating gene expression by mRNA cleavage or by translational repression. The majority of identified miRNAs were evolutionarily conserved; however, others expressed in a species-specific manner. Finger millet is an important cereal crop; nonetheless, no practical information is available on microRNAs to date. In this study, we have identified 95 conserved microRNAs belonging to 39 families and 3 novel microRNAs by high throughput sequencing. For the identified conserved and novel miRNAs a total of 507 targets were predicted. 11 miRNAs were validated and tissue specificity was determined by stem loop RT-qPCR, Northern blot. GO analyses revealed targets of miRNA were involved in wide range of regulatory functions. This study implies large number of known and novel miRNAs found in Finger millet which may play important role in growth and development.