Immature Pods Research Articles

Variety and Seeding Time Influence on Flowering Characteristics and Trichodesmine Content in Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.)

Background: Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is an important annual legume used as green manure. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are apparently effective in suppressing nematodes. It is pertinent to know the growth stage during which pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations become higher. Methods: The period of days necessary for flowering, pod growth and the concentrations of one pyrrolizidine alkaloid in pods at different stages in five sunn hemp cultivars with May and July seeding were investigated. Result: Findings indicated that flowering of the two cultivars occurred later than the others, especially for May seeding. The pods grew to 20 mm length in 6-11 days from flowering. Then the pods grew to maximum size (40 mm length) in only few days. A main pyrrolizidine alkaloid in sunn hemp seed, trichodesmine, increases as pod size grow; then it increases considerably as pod mature. However, it in matured pod hull contains similar values of whole immature pod. These results demonstrate that both day-neutral and short-day cultivars with July seeding shorten the days to first flower and indicate that cutting after 10 days from first flowering is effective for increasing pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentration.

Fine mappingPsPS1, a gene controlling pod softness that defines market type in pea (Pisum sativum)

AbstractPea is an important grain and vegetable crop with a large genome of ~4.45 Gb. The softness of pod is key to the quality of pea, yet the genes controlling softness remain unknown. Here, the pod softness phenotype was visually scored at the fully mature stage, which suggested that this trait was a composite trait governed by two genes. Bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA‐Seq) using the soft‐ and hard‐podded pools from the F2detected a strong peak of Δ (SNP‐index) on chromosome 1 and a weaker peak on chromosome 5. The former was designated asPsPS1. Fine mapping using the F2delimitedPsPS1to a ~6 Mb genomic region. A set of interesting candidate genes including those encoding cell wall components were identified. Sequence variants analysis from a panel of pea accessions and qRT‐PCR in immature pods of the parents suggestedPsat1g150000encoding a pectate lyase superfamily protein as a candidate gene. The results solidify the basis for cloning of the gene determining pod softness and marker‐assisted selection for the trait improvement.

Assessing the Impact of Illegal Small-Scale Mining (Galamsey) on Cocoa Farming and Farmer Livelihood: A Case Study in the Amansie West District of Ghana

Cocoa and gold are significant contributors to the gross dormestic product of Ghana which makes both commodities key parts of the Ghanaian economy. Unfortunately, in Ghana, most cocoa-growing communities are the hub of illegal small-scale mining commonly known as galamsey. It is alleged that cocoa farmerssell their farmlands for galamsey; however, given that cocoa farming is the primary source of income for many households in rural Ghana. This research aimed at investigating the motivations for galamsey and how the practice impacts cocoa farming and the environment as well as farmer livelihood. The study was undertakenin Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana where both cocoa farming and illegal mining operations coexist. The data for the study was collected using structured questionnaires. Cocoa farmers were purposively selected as respondents in two cocoa-growing communities. Data were obtained from 90 purposively sampled respondents through snowballing. Data collected were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Scientist software. The results revealed that cocoa farmers face challenges due to galamsey such as; labour shortages, water pollution, competition for land amongst others. Also, cocoa farms, especially those downslope, get flooded whenever it rains as a result of uncovered galamsey pits near farms and cause black pod disease, early dropping of immature pods and stunted growth which ultimately reduce the output of cocoa farms. Farmers revealed that this affected their source of income adversely since the majority of them mainly depend on cocoa farming for their livelihood. They also reported a loss of green space and land degradation as some environmental hazards posed by galamsey. Information gathered from tenant farmers revealed that it is mostly landowners who give out their lands for galamsey. The major reasons that encourage galamsey were identified as higher short-term income, financial problems (40%) due to unemployment, and poor cocoa yield (26%).

Genotype-by-Environment Interaction for the Contents of Micro-Nutrients and Protein in the Green Pods of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.)

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is a drought-tolerant legume crop widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including South Africa. The leaves, young and immature pods, and grains of cowpea are a vital source of plant-based proteins and essential nutrients for human wellbeing. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) on the contents of micro-nutrients and protein content of the green pods of cowpea to recommend superior genotypes for cultivation and breeding. Fifteen genetically diverse cowpea genotypes were evaluated across six test environments in South Africa, using a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Micro-nutrients such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and total protein (TP) content were determined in the immature pods of cowpea. Data were subjected to additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis. Significant (p < 0.05) genotype (G) differences were detected for Fe, Mn, Zn and TP, suggesting the presence of genetic divergence for selection. Furthermore, a significant (p < 0.05) environment (E) effect was recorded for all studied nutrient, indicating the impact of the test environments on nutrient compositions. The GEI effect was significant for all the assessed nutrients, indicating that specific and broadly adapted genotypes could be identified. Based on best linear unbiased estimates (BLUEs) and best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) analyses, the following ranges of nutrient compositions were observed: Fe (83.70–109.03 and 69.77–134.16 mg/kg), Mn (20.60–33.83 and 18.75–36.83 mg/kg), Zn (33.79–40.53 and 28.81 mg/kg), and TP (22.37–24.54 and 21.44–25.25 mg/kg), respectively, across the tested environments. The AMMI test procedure (FR-test) identified the first interaction principal component axis (IPCA-1) to be a significant (p < 0.05) component of the GEI, explaining >91% of phenotypic variation in nutrient contents among the tested genotypes across environments. Cowpea genotypes Meterlong Bean and TVU-14196 were identified for their high Fe, Zn and Mn contents and recommended for cultivation in Mafikeng, Potchefstroom and Roodeplaat in South Africa. For TP, genotypes Meterlong Bean and Kisumu Mix had stable performance and are recommended for production at all the test environments. The identified genotypes are recommended for future cultivation and breeding to supplement micro-nutrients and protein and combat nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition in South Africa.

Nutritional and phytochemical compositions and their interrelationship in succulent pods of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.)

Malnutrition remains one of the major human health issues affecting millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Hence, the objective of this study was to quantify the nutritional and phytochemical compositions of immature pods of pigeonpea genotypes to select promising lines with unique nutritional quality for production and cultivar development. Seven preliminarily tested and identified pigeonpea genotypes were grown under field conditions using a randomized complete block design with three replicates to quantify the nutritional and phytochemical contents in the immature pods. Significant (P ≤ 0.01) genotype effect was detected for the assessed nutritional and phytochemical compositions. Relatively higher contents of iron (15.53 mg/100g), zinc (1.59 mg/100g), magnesium (114.60 mg/100g) and total flavonoid (8.47 mg CE/g) were present in genotype Ilonga_14m1 ICEAP-0054. Higher compositions of beta-carotene (2.84 mg/100g), total phenolics (20.42 mg GAE/g), and vitamin-C (95.84 mg/100g) were detected in genotypes, Mali ICEAP-00046, PigeonP-3018 and Kiboko ICEAP-00932, respectively. Cluster analysis allocated the tested genotypes into three main groups. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) positive correlations were recorded among the assessed nutritional and phytochemical compositions that will allow direct and indirect selection of the evaluated genotypes for nutritional and phytochemical quality improvement. The principal component analysis resolved four components that cumulatively explained 76.85% of the total genetic variation in nutritional and phytochemical compositions among the tested genotypes of pigeonpea. Genotype PigeonP-3021 exhibited high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C, while Kiboko ICEAP-00932 and PigeonP-3018 had high contents of aluminium, iron, phosphorus and total phenolics. Genotype Ilonga_14m1 ICEAP-0054 had high compositions of zinc, potassium, magnesium, copper and calcium. Unique pigeonpea genotypes (i.e., PigeonP-3021, Kiboko ICEAP-00932, and PigeonP-3018) were identified for quality breeding or direct production with promising nutrient profiles for food and nutrition security.

A Core Set of Snap Bean Genotypes Established by Phenotyping a Large Panel Collected in Europe.

Snap beans are a group of bean cultivars grown for their edible immature pods. The objective of this work was to characterize the diversity of pod phenotypes in a snap bean panel (SBP), comprising 311 lines collected in Europe, and establish a core set (Core-SBP) with the maximum diversity of pod phenotypes. Phenotyping of the SBP was carried out over two seasons based on 14 quantitative pod dimension traits along with three qualitative traits: pod color, seed coat color, and growth habit. Phenotypes were grouped into 54 classes using a hierarchical method, and a Core-SBP with one line per phenotype class was established. A further field-based evaluation of the Core-SBP revealed higher diversity index values than those obtained for the SBP. The Core-SBP was also genotyped using 24 breeder-friendly DNA markers tagging 21 genomic regions previously associated with pod trait control. Significant marker-trait associations were found for 11 of the 21 analyzed regions as well as the locus fin. The established Core-SBP was a first attempt to classify snap bean cultivars based on pod morphology and constituted a valuable source of characteristics for future breeding programs and genetic analysis.

REVIEW ARTICLE PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF AERIAL PARTS OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LAM

The aim of the present study was to find out anticancer property of Moringa oleifera lam of the family Moringacease populary called “MIRACLE TREE”. Is a native of sub Himalayan tracts of Northern India and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Moringa is nature’s medicine cabinet. It is best known as excellent source of nutrition and natural energy booster. The various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flower and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, Anti- cancer, Anti- inflammatory, Anti-diuretic, Antiulcer, Anti-diabetic, Antibacterial are being employed for the treatment of different oilments in the indigenous system. Moringa oleifera is a multi-purpose herbal plant used as human food and an alternative medicinal purpose wordwide. Almost all parts from Moringa can be used as source and nutrition with other useful values

Immature sword bean pods (Canavalia gladiata) inhibit adipogenesis in C3H10T1/2 cells and mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity.

Sword bean (SB; Canavalia gladiata) is a perennial vine used as a food and medicinal plant in Asia. SB is rich in nutrients, such as flavonoids and urease, and has various functions, including beneficial effects on dysentery, nausea, and hemorrhoids, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Various plant parts are used; however, little is known about the physiological effects of SB pods (SBP). In this study, the anti-obesity effects of SBP extract were evaluated. To investigate the anti-obesity effects of SBP extract, we confirmed the SBP extract downregulated lipogenesis-related genes and upregulated genes involved in lipolysis and brown adipocyte markers in differentiated C3H10T1/2 adipocytes in vitro. Next, we use a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse model to determine the anti-obesity effects of SBP extract. Treatment with SBP extract significantly reduced adipocytes. The extract decreased the HFD-induced increases in body weight and plasma triglyceride levels in mice after 8 weeks. mRNA and protein levels of the adipogenesis and lipogenesis-related factors CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-β, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and their target genes Ap2, SREBP-1c, FAS, and SCD-1 were reduced by SBP extract. In contrast, AMP-activated protein kinase and sirtuin1, involved in the thermogenic catabolism of fat, were activated by SBP extract in adipocytes and white adipose tissue, increasing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), and uncoupling protein 1 and activating thermogenic activity. SBP extract exerts an anti-obesity effect by inhibiting lipogenesis-related factors and activating fat-catabolizing factors; it is, therefore, a promising functional food and natural anti-obesity agent.

Variability for pod yield and its components in germplasm of tree bean (Parkia timoriana DC)

Variability for pod yield and its components was estimated among seventeen germplasm lines of tree bean (Parkia timoriana DC). Wide range of variations was recorded for the traits indicating diverse genetic nature of the base population. The days to mature immature pods varied from 108.9 to 132.5 but there were no statistical differences among the lines for this trait. Plant height varied from 260.9 to 389.6 cm, pod length from 12.5 to 24.1 cm, number of green pods from 6 to 9, 100-seed weight from 91.5 g to 140.8 g and green pod yield from 113.0 to 291.5 g/plant. A wide range of variations indicated that there was better scope for selection of these traits and identification of promising lines in tree bean.

Persistence of Trifloxystrobin and Tebuconazole in Cowpea Following Application of Combination Formulation

A supervised field trial of was conducted to estimate the residues of trifloxystrobin, its metabolite CGA 321113 and tebuconazole in cowpea after application of Nativo WG (trifloxystrobin 25% + tebuconazole 50%) @ 350 and 700 g ha−1. After last application, green pods were collected separately at different time intervals and processed following QuEChERS methodology. Residues of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole were quantified by gas liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. The residues were found to be below LOQ (<0.05 mg kg−1) at 5 and 7 days for trifloxystrobin, and 10 days for tebuconazole, respectively, for recommended and double the recommended doses. The half-life values on green pods were 1.07 and 1.13 days for trifloxystrobin and 1.30 and 1.29 days for tebuconazole. A waiting period of 1 day should be followed for consumption of immature pods.

Effect of gypsum application on yield performance of groundnut (&lt;em&gt;Arachis hypogea&lt;/em&gt; L.) Varieties in Kilinochchi district, Sri Lanka

Groundnut (<em>Arachis hypogea </em>L.) is an important oil crop grown in Sri Lanka. Application of fertilizer is substantially contributing to the yield increment; however improper management of fertilizer is the specific drawback in quality and quantity in groundnut. Therefore, the application of balanced fertilizer and minerals play an important role in the cultivation of groundnut. An experiment was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kilinochchi to assess the effect of different rates of gypsum application on yield performance of groundnut varieties from January to May 2019. Two-factor factorial experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Four different rates of gypsum application such as 0 kg/ha (T₁ - Control), 75 kg/ha (T₂), l25 kg/ha (T₃), and 175 kg/ha (T₄) were used as the first factor and five groundnut varieties, namely Tissa (V₁), Lanka Jumbo (V₂), Tikiri (V₃), Indi (V₄), and ANK G1 (V₅) were used as the second factor. All the agronomic practices were done according to the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture. The yield parameters were recorded, and the shelling percentage was calculated. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 package to perform ANOVA. The best treatment was identified through the means separation using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at p = 0.05. The yield parameters of fresh and dry weight of pods / plant, hundred pods and seeds weight, number of mature and immature pods and total yield were higher in gypsum appliedtreatments rather than control and the highest in T₄ (175 kg/ha gypsum) treatment. All the yield parameters were significantly different in Lanka Jumbo and ANK G1 from other varieties. However, the number of mature pods and shelling percentage were similar among the varieties. The highest shelling percentage (96 %) was recorded in Lanka Jumbo under 175 kg/ha gypsum application (T₄). The highest yield parameters were recorded in Lanka Jumbo variety, whereas the lowest was in ANK G1. There was no interaction effect among gypsum application and varieties in the yield parameters. From this study, it can be concluded that the application of 175 kg/ha gypsum (T₄) to the variety of Lanka Jumbo (V₂) can be selected as suitable treatment combination to obtain the substantial yield from groundnut in <em>Yala </em>season.

Ectopic expression of the AmDREB1F gene from Ammopiptanthus mongolicus enhances stress tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis

Dehydration-responsive element binding proteins (DREBs) are an important class of transcription factors related to plant stress tolerance. Ammopiptanthus mongolicus is an evergreen broadleaf shrub endemic to desert areas of northwest China, and it has a very high tolerance to harsh environments. In order to reveal the functions and mechanisms of the AmDREB1F gene from this species in enduring abiotic stresses, we performed subcellular localization test, expression pattern analysis, and stress tolerance evaluation of transgenic Arabidopsis harboring this gene. The protein encoded by AmDREB1F was localized in the nucleus. In laboratory-cultured A. mongolicus seedlings, the expression of AmDREB1F was induced significantly by cold and drought but very slightly by salt and heat stresses, and undetectable upon ABA treatment. In leaves of naturally growing shrubs in the wild, the expression levels of the AmDREB1F gene were much higher during the late autumn, winter and early spring than in other seasons. Moreover, the expression was abundant in roots and immature pods rather than other organs of the shrubs. Constitutive expression of AmDREB1F in Arabidopsis induced the expression of several DREB-regulated stress-responsive genes and improved the tolerance of transgenic lines to drought, high salinity and low temperature as well as oxidative stress. The constitutive expression also caused growth retardation of the transgenics, which could be eliminated by the application of gibberellin 3. Stress-inducible expression of AmDREB1F also enhanced the tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis to all of the four stresses mentioned above, without affecting its growth and development. These results suggest that AmDREB1F gene may play positive regulatory roles in response to abiotic stresses through the ABA-independent signaling pathways.

Growth inhibition and microcystin accumulation in bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plant irrigated with water containing toxic Chrooccocus minutus

Cyanobacterial blooms and microcystins (MCs) in irrigation waters have been recognized as an emergent environmental threat to many terrestrial plants. While several studies addressed the impacts of crude cyanobacterial extracts and dissolved MC-containing water on crop plants, less is known about the effects of irrigation water containing cyanobacterial blooms (i.e., intracellular plus extracellular toxins). In the present study, we investigated the effects of whole culture, cell-free culture filtrate and living cells of the toxic cyanobacterium Chroococcus minutus on growth, physiological parameters and MC accumulation in Phaseolus vulgaris (bush bean) plants. The plants were grown in pots containing agricultural soil, in order to mimic common agricultural practice. After 4 weeks of growth, treated plants exhibited substantial reduction in root and shoot growth, photosynthetic pigments, and protein contents compared to control plants. Treated plants also showed higher lipid peroxidation than control plants. The lowest inhibitory effects were observed in plants treated with culture filtrate containing extracellular MCs only (15.3 μg L−1). The highest inhibitory effects were recorded in plants treated with whole cyanobacterial culture containing both intra- and extracellular MCs (132 μg L−1), indicating the release of intracellular MCs from cells into the rizhosphere and their uptake by plant roots. MC concentrations in immature pods of P. vulgaris plants irrigated with whole culture and living cyanobacterial cells led to estimates of daily MCs intake (0.125–0.391 μg kg−1 body weight) that exceeded the total daily intake guidelines (0.04 μg kg−1 body weight) for human food consumption. This study suggests that irrigation water as well as plants used in human consumption should be regularly monitored for the presence of MCs and other cyanotoxins.

Effect of Plant Phenology on Infestation by Legume Pod Borer &lt;i&gt;Maruca vitrata&lt;/i&gt;on Dolichos Bean

The legume pod borer Maruca vitrata (F.) (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) causes considerable yield loss in major edible legumes including dolichos bean Lablab purpureus var. typicus. This study analyses the M. vitrata incidence and abundance in relation to the four plant parts during two consecutive cropping seasons of 2019. The results revealed that peak incidence of 80.00 ± 2.83% was in the 11th week after planting during rabi, 2019, and it was more in unopened flower buds (64.00 ± 8.76%) and mature pods (13.00 ± 0.80%). There existed significant differences between the four growth stages of the crop in the order- flower buds (maximum) ˃ mature pods ˃ immature pods ˃ open flowers (least) during summer 2019. The occurrence of single and multiple larvae was more in the unopened flower buds (78.00 ± 3.35%) and mature pods (52.00 ± 3.35%).

Morpho-agronomic and genetic variation among Phaseolus vulgaris landraces from selected provinces of South Africa

Key messageThe morpho-agronomic and genetic studies recorded variations in vegetative and reproductive traits, and in molecular information through population structure and clustering approaches among South African Phaseolus vulgaris landraces.Phaseolus vulgaris L., commonly known as common beans, is widely used for its edible leaves, immature pods, and dry seeds. Studies on variation in morphology and genetics among P. vulgaris landraces are limited in South Africa. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the morpho-agronomic and genetic variations among P. vulgaris landraces. Thirty-eight landraces from different agro-ecological origins, planted in a randomized complete block design, had their variation in vegetative and reproductive traits determined. These landraces were studied for their genetic diversity using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The landraces were clustered in a biplot and dendrogram based on their seed coats, shape, similar morpho-agronomic traits, and their areas of origin. A total of 57 alleles were produced with a mean of 3.64 per SSR locus. The polymorphism information content ranged from 0.00 to 0.58. The population structure had the highest delta value K = 2, thus the 38 landraces were divided into two subpopulations based on the Bayesian approach. The population structure showed an overlap among the landraces as several from the Mesoamerican carried some seed traits or genes from the Andean gene pool, and showed a high level of admixtures. The principal coordinate analysis and the dendrogram had a similar clustering pattern as the population structure. This study revealed the potential markers with high diversity that can be used to determine genetically homogenous/heterogeneous landraces. Therefore, the use of PV-ctt001, PV-ag001, and PV-at003 could be beneficial in future breeding, conservation, and marker-assisted selection studies.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Moringa Oleifera Leaves

M. oleifera plant have high nutritional and medicinal values. Different parts of this plant such as flowers, leaves, immature pods and fruit have been found to be very useful and used in many countries as a highly nutritive vegetable. The plant belongs to Moringaceae family that is a monogenetic family and consists of about thirty three species. It is cultivated in many aereas mainly in India, Srilanka, Africa, Pakistan, South America and Mexico in recent time. The importance of Moringa species is gained because of their numerous uses. It is used traditionally to treat inflammation, diarrhea, skin infection, cough, diabetes, headache and fever. The most used part in the plant is leaves as these are enriched with protein, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, antioxidant and phenolic. In this research crude protein, crude fat, total ash and carbohydrates were determined in the dry leaves powder beside mineral content which also was determined. Total polyphenols and flavonoids content of the plant leaves under investigation were estimated spectrophotometry. Phenolic and flavonoid compounds were fractionated using HPLC technique.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Selected Chilean Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) Genotypes Shows Moderate Agronomic and Genetic Variability.

The runner bean is the third most economically important Phaseolus species, which is cultivated on small-scale agriculture for the production of immature pods or to obtain dry seeds. However, despite the economic importance and agronomic potential of this species, the runner bean has been little studied from the genetic standpoint. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize ten selected lines of runner bean obtained from Central (Santiago) and Southern (Valdivia and Villarica) Chile based on morphological and agronomic traits. In addition, the genetic variability of these lines was determined using 12 Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers to evaluate the potential of this germplasm for breeding and commercial purposes. As a result, the lines from Central Chile were characterized, and had a higher number of pods per plant compared to the Southern lines, although the size and weight of their seeds were lower. Moreover, a low level of genetic diversity (He = 0.251) was encountered in this population. Finally, this is one of the first studies that generate relevant and novel information on the morphological, agronomic and genetic characterization of the P. coccineus germplasm present in Chile.

Segregation ratio and heritability of agronomic character in yardlong bean F2 population

Yardlongbean is very popular vegetable in Indonesia. Genetic variability can be induced by crossing two parental. The segregation ratio in Fn generations specify whether the progeny have attained homozygosity or still in process of segregation. Heritability is the genetic variability degree which may be inherited to the progeny. The aim of the research was to determine segregation ratio and heritability of agronomic character from crossing of red immature pod and whitish green immature pod of yardlong bean. F2 population and their parental were planted at Agrotechnopark, located in Tembalang – Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Chi square test for suitability normal distribution. Broad sense heritability was also calculated. The results showed that frequency of character plant height, number of leaf, pod length and sweet taste follow a normal distribution, while the frequency distribution of pod weight did not follow normal dstribution. Segregation ratio of pod weight was 12 : 3 : 1. Number of leaf and pod length had low broad sense heritability.

Circular RNAs acting as ceRNAs mediated by miRNAs may be involved in the synthesis of soybean fatty acids.

Soybean oil is composed of fatty acids and glycerol. The content and composition of fatty acids partly determine the quality of soybean seeds. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs that competitively bind to microRNAs (miRNAs) through miRNA recognition elements, thereby acting as sponges to regulate the expression of target genes. Although circRNAs have been identified previously in soybean, only their expression has been investigated without exploration of the competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network of circRNAs-miRNAs-mRNAs. In this study, circRNAs in immature pods of a low linolenic acid soybean Mutant 72' (MT72) and the wild-type control 'Jinong 18' (JN18) were systematically identified and analyzed at 30 and 40days after flowering using high-throughput sequencing technology. We identified 6377 circRNAs, of which 114 were differentially expressed. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses of targeted mRNAs in the ceRNAs network indicated that the differentially expressed circRNAs may be involved in fatty acid transport, suggesting that circRNAs may play a post-transcriptional regulatory role in soybean oil synthesis. This study provides a foundation for future exploration of the function of circRNAs in soybean and presents novel insights to guide further studies of plant circRNAs.

Extended BBCH scale of Moringa oleifera Lam. and its implications for growing in Urban Food Forests

The phenological studies of tree species is a potential tool to develop a keen observation for monitoring the gradual impact of climate change on biology of trees, manifested through variation in timing and duration of different phenological events in their life cycle. The documentation of these phenological growth stages reflect upon the implications for their responsiveness to seasonal variation in climate and potential utilization for the benefit of mankind. Pertaining to the immense significance of phenology, a study was conducted to document different growth and developmental stages in Moringa oleifera Lam. referencing to the BBCH scale (Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie), supplementing with significant Landmark stages (developed by the authors) under the subtropical conditions of Punjab state, India. The observation and the analysis of the growth stages in M. oleifera depicted asynchronous growth patterns exhibiting juvenile, vegetative and reproductive developmental stages within an individual tree canopy. These phenophases appeared simultaneously and were designated numerical values corresponding to principle growth stages (0–9) and secondary sub-stages (0–9) reflecting their relative intensity of occurrence. The novel landmark scale proposed for M. oleifera, defines the optimum stage(s) for its utilization such as tender leaves for culinary purpose; mature leaves for processing for manufacturing of fortified food products and herbal medicines; and immature pods for utilization in culinary preparations. The landmark stages proposed in M. oleifera reflect its immense significance for introducing as an edible tree species in Urban Food Forests as a source of nutrition besides offering other multi-functionalities of ecological, landscaping, esthetic and spiritual aspects.