Using gamma-ray-induced mutagenesis, we have developed a mutant (named G2) of Trichoderma virens that produced two- to three-fold excesses of secondary metabolites, including viridin, viridiol, and some yet-to-be identified compounds. Consequently, this mutant had improved antibiosis against the oomycete test pathogen Pythium aphanidermatum . A transcriptome analysis of the mutant vis-à-vis the wild-type strain showed upregulation of several secondary-metabolism-related genes. In addition, many genes predicted to be involved in mycoparasitism and plant interactions were also upregulated. We used tamarind seeds as a mass multiplication medium in solid-state fermentation and, using talcum powder as a carrier, developed a novel seed dressing formulation. A comparative evaluation of the wild type and the mutant in greenhouse under high disease pressure (using the test pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii ) revealed superiority of the mutant over wild type in protecting chickpea ( Cicer arietinum ) seeds and seedlings from infection. We then undertook extensive field evaluation (replicated micro-plot trials, on-farm demonstration trials, and large-scale trials in farmers’ fields) of our mutant-based formulation (named TrichoBARC) for management of collar rot ( S. rolfsii ) in chickpea and lentil ( Lens culinaris ) over multiple locations in India. In certain experiments, other available formulations were included for comparison. This formulation consistently, over multiple locations and years, improved seed germination, reduced seedling mortality, and improved plant growth and yield. We also noticed growth promotion, improved pod bearing, and early flowering (7–10 days) in TrichoBARC-treated chickpea and lentil plants under field conditions. In toxicological studies in animal models, this formulation exhibited no toxicity to mammals, birds, or fish.
Drought and heat stress are two major abiotic stresses that challenge the sustainability of agriculture to a larger extend. The changing and unpredictable climate further aggravates the efforts made by researchers as well as farmers. The stresses during the terminal stage of cool-season food legumes may affect numerous physiological and biochemical reactions that may result in poor yield. The plants possess a good number of adaptative and avoiding mechanisms to sustain the adverse situation. The various agronomic and breeding approaches may help in stress-induced alteration. The physiological and biochemical response of crops to any adverse situation is very important to understand to develop mechanisms and approaches for tolerance in plants. Agronomic approaches like altering the planting time, seed priming, foliar application of various macro and micro nutrients, and the application of rhizobacteria may help in mitigating the adverse effect of heat and drought stress to some extent. Breeding approaches like trait-based selection, inheritance studies of marker-based selection, genetic approaches using the transcriptome and metabolome may further pave the way to select and develop crops with better heat and drought stress adaptation and mitigation.
Soil moisture and air temperature stress are the two major abiotic factors limiting lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) growth and productivity in the humid tropics. Field experiments were conducted during winter seasons (November to March) of 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 on clay loam soil (AericHaplaquept) of Eastern India to cultivate rainfed lentil, with residual moisture. The objective was to study the effect of different time of sowing and foliar spray of micronutrients in ameliorating the effect of heat and moisture stress lentil crop experience in its reproductive stage. The study was conducted with two different dates of sowing, November and December, as main plot treatment and micronutrients foliar spray of boron, iron, and zinc either alone or in combination as subplot treatment. No foliar spray treatment was considered as a control. The soil moisture content is depleted from 38 to 18% (sowing to harvest) during November sowing; however, in December sowing, the depletion is from 30 to 15%. The foliar spray of micronutrients helped to have a better canopy cover and thus reduced soil evaporation during the later stages of crop growth when the temperature was beyond the threshold temperature of the crop. Crop growth rate (CGR) and biomass were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) for November sown crop and with foliar spray of boron and iron (FSB + FE) micronutrients. In the later stages of the crop when the soil moisture started depleting with no precipitation, the canopy temperature increased compared with air temperature, leading to positive values of Stress Degree Days (SDD) index. Delay in sowing reduced the duration by 11.4 days (113.5 vs. 102.1 days), resulting in varied accumulated Growing Degree Days (GDD). FSB + FE resulted in the highest yield in both years (1,436 and 1,439 kg ha−1). The results of the study concluded that the optimum time of sowing and foliar spray of micronutrients may be helpful to alleviate the soil moisture and heat stress for the sustainability of lentil production in the subtropical region.
Although experiments have previously been carried out to determine the optimum sowing time of sesame, very few attempts have been made to determine the effects of macro and micro climatic variation on yield. Thus a field experiment was conducted at the University Research Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, India on an Entisol (alluvial, sandy loam) in the summer seasons of 1996 and 1997 to assess the effects of macro and micro climatic variations on yield of sesame for various dates of sowing. The number of seeds per capsule of sesame was highest in the crop sown on 19 February, although up to the 18 April sowing there was no significant variation. There was no appreciable variation in thousand‐seed weight with date of sowing. Crops sown on 19 February and 1 March produced statistically similar yields. The average reduction in yield of sesame was 78.5 and 213 %, respectively, for crops sown on 10 February and 28 April, compared with the crop sown on 19 February. The cultivar Rama produced higher yields than B‐67 and Kanke‐1. Ambient temperature above 30 °C up to 100 % flowering had a direct positive effect on sesame yield. Crop exposure to 60–70, 70–80 and 80 % relative humidity up to 100 % flowering had a direct negative effect. Temperature profile at 50 days after emergence (DAE), relative humidity at 60 DAE, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at 30 and 40 DAE within the crop canopy had direct positive effects on yield. Regression models suggested that temperature profile and PAR within the crop canopy produced 72 and 35 % variation in yield, respectively.
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