Primary Buds Research Articles

Evaluating the Efficacy of Macropropagation Techniques for Red Banana (Musa acuminata) Using Biocontrol Agents

The corm propagation is an simple, alternative and cheap technique for Banana multiplication. The study on the effect of biocontrol agents on macropropagation of Banana cv.Red Banana was carried out at SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, Chengalpattu. The decapitated and decorticated corms were exposed to various treatments with combination of sawdust and cocopeat media supplemented with different biofertilizers and biocontrol agents comprising 13 treatments in 3 replication adopting Completely Randomized Design and the data recorded underwent analysis of variance (ANOVA). Among the 13 treatments adopted, Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1) + VAM (30 g/corm) + Pochonia chlamydosporia (60g/corm) showed significantly best result in terms of number of days taken for primary bud emergence (22.7 days), days taken for secondary bud emergence (46.34 days), days taken for tertiary bud emergence (67.35 days), number of primary buds per corm (1.53), number of secondary buds per corm (3.67), number of tertiary buds per corm (4.33), total number of plantlets per corm (9.54), plant height (73.56 cm) and pseudostem girth (12.34 cm). The next better performance was observed in the treatment Saw dust + VAM (30 g/corm) + Pochonia chlamydosporia (60 g/corm) which recorded early emergence of buds and production of more buds. The cormpropagation approach refined in this work is accessible, necessitating less skill and knowledge, making it appropriate for implementation by farmers at the farm level.

Effect of Organic Substrates on Macro-propagation of Banana under Island Conditions

Banana is an important tropical fruit crop grown globally and is the world’s most important agricultural food commodity. Plantation crops take a major share of cultivated area in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Banana is one of the important fruit crops that is highly suitable to grow as intercrop in plantation based cropping system. Local varieties of banana like Korangi, Mitta Champa, Khatta Champa and Cheenakela are cultivated by the farmers traditionally to meet the local demand. However, in recent past growing commercial varieties of banana has become popular in the Island due to consumer demand. Traditionally banana is propagated by suckers and wide variability was observed in sucker production among the commercial varieties. Due to this large scale multiplication of banana through suckers could not meet the planting material demand in the Island. Hence, a study was undertaken during 2020-2022 to standardize the macro-propagation technology using different organic substrates in the commercial variety ‘Poovan’. Nine different organic substrate combinations were used in the present study to enhance the efficacy of lateral bud development and plantlet production. Suckers weighing 1.0 to 1.5 kg were used as the propagule. Among all the organic media combinations tested, significant differences were observed in terms of plantlet production, root and shoot growth. The treatment T8 (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) produced maximum number of primary (5.60) and secondary buds (12.07) during primary and secondary capitation of decorticated mother rhizome. Early bud emergence (11.5 days), maximum number of plantlets (12-13 per mother rhizome), maximum shoot length (46.43 cm), maximum shoot girth (3.03 cm) and maximum number of leaves (4.50) were also observed in the treatment T 8. Minimum number of days was taken (52.70 days) for plantlet separation during secondary capitation in the same treatment T 8 suggesting that the treatment combination (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) was effective for macro-propagation of banana Cv. Poovan under Island ecosystem.

Multi-disciplinary management of neonatal acute osteomyelitis of jaws: A report of 2 cases

BackgroundEarly diagnosis of neonatal osteomyelitis is often challenging due to the rarity of such cases and here we are presenting 2 case reports to add to the existing deficient literature. Case 1: A 15-day-old male infant presented with swelling and pus discharge from the anterior region of the mandible. Repeated culture and sensitivity tests revealed a transition from disseminated methicillin-sensitive S. aureus sepsis to methicillin-resistant sepsis. Moreover, there was swelling of the left elbow and right thigh. The Clinical diagnosis made was acute osteomyelitis of mandible associated with disseminated neonatal sepsis (LONS). A multidisciplinary approach was taken for the management by surgical debridement of the lesion alongwith removal of associated primary tooth buds, under specific antibiotic coverage. Case 2: A 20-day old male infant reported with pus discharge from upper lateral region of mouth past 10days. Personal history revealed, abscess in mother's right breast. A soft fluctuant pus pocket with draining sinus was present w.r.t.alveolar region of 54. CT revealed an osteolytic lesion of labial cortex of alveolar ridge in maxillary right first molar region. Pus specimen culture and sensitivity revealed growth of Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). The clinical diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis of maxillawas made. Initially, antibiotics were prescribed which did not help and finally, surgical debridement accompanied by extraction of 54 tooth bud was done. ConclusionAcute osteomyelitis should always be considered as one of the differentials in infants with clinical signs of sepsis and Multidisciplinary management should be assured for the successful management of such cases.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Indexes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression and Metastases.

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by the lack of expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and the absence of HER2 protein overexpression or gene amplification. How TNBC becomes so aggressive at the molecular level is not yet fully understood. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been increasingly recognized as playing a pivotal role in cancer progression and metastasis. This study aimed to elucidate the connection between TNBC progression with EMT-related markers, including vimentin, beta-catenin, and E-cadherin. Methodology Rigorous immunohistochemical analysis was employed to assess the expression of vimentin, beta-catenin, and E-cadherin in primary tumors, tumor buds, and lymph node metastases (LNMs) from 137 cases with an invasive ductal carcinoma triple-negative phenotype diagnosed between 2018 and 2024. The EMT index, which was especially important in our work, is the sum of vimentin and beta-catenin expression divided by that of E-cadherin. Estimated Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the relationships of the EMT index with tumor buds and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Results Vimentin highly correlated within separate regions of interest with Pearson correlation ranging from 0.90 to 0.92 (p < 0.001). Strong negative correlations between E-cadherin and vimentin (r = -0.81 to - 0.89, p < 0.001) showed its role in preserving the epithelial phenotype. The presence of tumor buds, aggregates, or clusters of cancer cells shed from the primary tumor mass invading the connective tissue showed very strong associations with the EMT index (r = 0.91, p < 0.001). Its presence is suggestive of aggressive disease and may identify a high-risk subpopulation that may benefit from more active surveillance or adjuvant treatment. Similarly, TILs correlated inversely with the EMT index (r = -0.90, p < 0.001). The most significant predictor of the EMT index, i.e., vimentin, had a model R-squared value of 1.000 in the regression analysis. Conclusions This study brings to light the importance of EMT-related markers in TNBC progression, with special emphasis on tumor buds as possible prognostic indicators for aggressive disease. The negative correlation of TILs with the EMT index indicates that an effective immune response could antagonize EMT-mediated tumor progression. These results suggest that EMT-based treatments in TNBC should be designed from a multimarker perspective by including interactions among several markers to optimize predictions and therapeutics. The results hold the potential to set future research directions and actionable outcomes that could influence clinical utility in the battle against TNBC.

Could 101-14 Mgt Rootstock Affect Post-Spring Frost Vine Developing? Preliminary Findings

(1) Background: Spring frost damage is a common phenomenon that occurs in Southern Chile that considerably affects vine productivity and grape quality. (2) Methods: A field trial was conducted in order to study vine phenology and berry physicochemical parameters in Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir ungrafted and grafted (onto 101-14 Mgt rootstock) grapevines after a spring frost. This event killed the totality of primary bud shoots when the vines reached the phenological stage of unfolded leaves. (3) Results: From budburst, to flowering of secondary bud shoots, ungrafted Sauvignon Blanc grapevines presented an advanced phenology, whereas 101-14 Mgt rootstock tended to advance the maturity of Pinot Noir grapevines from flowering to ripening of berries. At harvest, berries from secondary buds of vines grafted onto 101-14 Mgt rootstock showed higher soluble solids than the ones from ungrafted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc vines. High total phenolic content was found in berries from secondary buds of the grafted vines, compared to the ones from the ungrafted vines. Berry soluble solids variability tended to statistically decrease toward harvest in the studied plant materials, and the maximum coefficient of variation for soluble solids, berry weight, berry firmness and berry size reached 9.5%, 25.9%, 18.6% and 8.9%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: These preliminary results may be interesting for the Southern Chilean viticulturists since it seems that 101-14 Mgt rootstock could affect phenology and grape berry maturity of grapevines established in the Cautín Valley after spring frost damage.

Gap junctions in Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation.

Periodic patterning requires coordinated cell-cell interactions at the tissue level. Turing showed, using mathematical modeling, how spatial patterns could arise from the reactions of a diffusive activator-inhibitor pair in an initially homogenous 2D field. Most activators and inhibitors studied in biological systems are proteins, and the roles of cell-cell interaction, ions, bioelectricity, etc. are only now being identified. Gap junctions (GJs) mediate direct exchanges of ions or small molecules between cells, enabling rapid long-distance communications in a cell collective. They are therefore good candidates for propagating nonprotein-based patterning signals that may act according to the Turing principles. Here, we explore the possible roles of GJs in Turing-type patterning using feather pattern formation as a model. We found 7 of the 12 investigated GJ isoforms are highly dynamically expressed in the developing chicken skin. In ovo functional perturbations of the GJ isoform, connexin 30, by siRNA and the dominant-negative mutant applied before placode development led to disrupted primary feather bud formation. Interestingly, inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the ex vivo skin explant culture allowed the sequential emergence of new feather buds at specific spatial locations relative to the existing primary buds. The results suggest that GJIC may facilitate the propagation of long-distance inhibitory signals. Thus, inhibition of GJs may stimulate Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation during chick skin development, and the removal of GJ activity would enable the emergence of new feather buds if the local environment were competent and the threshold to form buds was reached. We further propose Turing-based computational simulations that can predict the sequential appearance of these ectopic buds. Our models demonstrate how a Turing activator-inhibitor system can continue to generate patterns in the competent morphogenetic field when the level of intercellular communication at the tissue scale is modulated.

Cold Hardiness in ‘Alphonse Lavallee’ (Vitis vinifera L. cv) Grape Dormant Buds and Phloem Tissue: Seasonal Insights and Some Treatment Impacts

Grapes are highly susceptible to cold damage during critical developmental stages, impacting viticulture. Understanding the intricate dynamics of cold hardiness in grape dormant buds and phloem tissue is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies. In this study, we investigated the LT50 values, representing the temperature at which 50% of buds are damaged, under different treatments and sampling times. In our research, we evaluated the effects of four treatments—potassium oxide (K2O), calcium chloride (CaCl2), seaweed (SW), and a control—on the cold hardiness of grapevine buds and phloem tissue. Primary bud LT50 values varied across seasons, with January at −22.46 °C, February at −22.35 °C, and March at −20.45 °C. K2O treatment showed a trend toward improvement, although the difference from the control (−21.99 °C) was not statistically significant. Regarding LT50 values, CaCl2 and SW applications did not significantly differ from the control. Tertiary buds, however, exhibited a substantial enhancement in cold hardiness with K2O application, displaying significantly lower LT50 values compared to the control (−23.55 °C). Phloem tissue LT50 values did not significantly differ among treatments, showing less variability. Bud water content significantly increased with K2O application in all sampling periods (January: 35.41% vs. 35.61%; February: 34.03% vs. 39.16%; March: 42.40% vs. 37.82%), while shoot water content remained stable. In conclusion, K2O emerges as a key influencer, particularly in enhancing the cold hardiness of tertiary buds. These insights contribute to the knowledge base for targeted frost mitigation strategies in viticulture.

Determination of the Relationship Between the Number of Clusters and Primary Bud Size in Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca Grapevines by Histological Sectioning Method

This study was conducted to reveal the relationship between the number of clusters and of primary buds size in dormant grapevine winter buds. In addition, it has been tried to determine how the size of the primary bud and the cluster primordials in it change according to the position on one-year-old shoots. In this study, Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Karaerik’ and Vitis labrusca L. cv. 'Ülkemiz' varieties was used. Primary buds are separated from other shoot beds (secondary and tertiary buds) with the a scalpel, and fixation, vacuuming, paraffin impregnation, paraffin embedding, freezing, sectioning and tissue staining were performed, respectively. The stained samples were examined microscopically, images were taken and these images were transferred to the computer and histological analyzes was made. In the study, it was determined that bud sizes including three clusters were statistically different (p &amp;lt; 0.05) from other bud sizes (without clusters, one cluster and two clusters of buds). It was determined that there were statistical differences between cultivars in terms of both bud size and the number of cluster. In addition, it was determined that the middle (0.77) buds of the ‘Karaerik’ variety contained more clusters than the basal (0.66) and apical (0.59) buds, whereas the apical (1.19) buds of ‘Ülkemiz’ variety contained more clusters than the basal (0.88) and middle (0.98) buds. It is very important to know the structural features of the buds in order to make the right pruning application suitable for the variety.

Foliar applications improves grapevine plant cold hardiness

Understanding and enhancing the cold hardiness of vines is crucial for viticulture, as it directly impacts the sustainability and productivity of vineyards in diverse climatic regions. This study, therefore, meticulously examined grapevine responses to various treatments and sampling times, revealing nuanced dynamics in cold tolerance, physiological parameters, and growth outcomes. Our study found that treatments like K2SO4 significantly enhanced grapevine cold hardiness. Specifically, K2SO4 showed high R² values, indicating a substantial improvement in low-temperature hardiness for primary buds and in processes like bud burst and sprouting. Our results also revealed significant differences in cold hardiness across various treatments and sampling times, with K2SO4 leading to the highest LT50 value for primary buds. Additionally, in single-bud cuttings, K2SO4 application improved viability rates, root and shoot growth, and rooting rates, particularly observed in January. Growth parameters in single-bud cuttings further illustrated the impact of treatments, with the viability rate of primary buds being 61.5 % in the K2SO4 application and 62.0 % in the CaCl2 application. The highest root length of 2.5 cm and shoot length of 3.4 cm, along with a rooting rate of 61.0 %, root scale of 1.4, root number of 6.9, and basal callus rate of 24.6 % were obtained from the K2SO4 application. Our research found that the applications of K2SO4 and CaCl2 increased the cold hardiness of the buds and phloem tissue of the vine by approximately 1 °C compared to the control. It has been concluded that K2SO4 and CaCl2 applications during development can reduce the cold injury rate and economic losses in vines in areas with high risk of winter cold damaging events. The comprehensive findings of this study offer actionable insights that can significantly contribute to the refinement of vineyard management practices, promoting optimal grapevine performance and hardiness in the face of varying cold conditions.

Isolation and Culturing of Primary Murine Chondroprogenitor Cells: A Mammalian Model of Chondrogenesis.

Embryonic limb bud-derived micromass cultures are valuable tools for investigating cartilage development, tissue engineering, and therapeutic strategies for cartilage-related disorders. This collection of fine-tuned protocols used in our laboratories outlines step-by-step procedures for the isolation, expansion, and differentiation of primary mouse limb bud cells into chondrogenic micromass cultures. Key aspects covered in these protocols include synchronized fertilization of mice (Basic Protocol 1), tissue dissection, cell isolation, micromass formation, and culture optimization parameters, such as cell density and medium composition (Basic Protocol 2). We describe techniques for characterizing the chondrogenic differentiation process by histological analysis (Basic Protocol 3). The protocols also address common challenges encountered during the process and provide troubleshooting strategies. This fine-tuned comprehensive protocol serves as a valuable resource for scientists working in the fields of developmental biology, cartilage tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, offering an updated methodology for the study of efficient chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage tissue regeneration. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Synchronized fertilization of mice Basic Protocol 2: Micromass culture of murine embryonic limb bud-derived cells Basic Protocol 3: Qualitative assessment of cartilage matrix production using Alcian blue staining.

Death and Dying: Grapevine Survival, Cold Hardiness, and BLUPs and Winter BLUEs in North Dakota Vineyards.

A total of fourteen diverse, interspecific hybrid grapevines (Vitis spp.) were evaluated for their adaptability to North Dakota winter conditions using differential thermal analysis (DTA) of low-temperature exotherms (LTE) and bud cross-sectional assessment of survival techniques. This research was conducted in two vineyard locations in eastern North Dakota. This work demonstrates the use of DTA for monitoring and selecting cultivars capable of withstanding sub-zero temperatures. These results were assessed for quantitative genetic traits. High heritability was observed for bud LTE traits and may thus be a useful target for cold hardiness breeding programs; however, it is necessary to ensure that variance is reduced when pooling multiple sample events. After DTA sampling, grapevines were assessed for survival of primary and secondary dormant buds using cross-sectional visual evaluation of death. 'Valiant' had the greatest primary bud survival (68%), followed by 'Frontenac gris', 'Crimson Pearl', and 'King of the North'. These varieties are among those with potential for production in eastern North Dakota's environment. The newly evaluated relationships between traits and the heritability of DTA results provide valuable tools to grapevine breeders for the development of cold-tolerant genotypes for future climatic challenges.

Novel Aspects in Pattern Formation Arise from Coupling Turing Reaction–Diffusion and Chemotaxis

Recent experimental studies on primary hair follicle formation and feather bud morphogenesis indicate a coupling between Turing-type diffusion driven instability and chemotactic patterning. Inspired by these findings we develop and analyse a mathematical model that couples chemotaxis to a reaction–diffusion system exhibiting diffusion–driven (Turing) instability. While both systems, reaction–diffusion systems and chemotaxis, can independently generate spatial patterns, we were interested in how the coupling impacts the stability of the system, parameter region for patterning, pattern geometry, as well as the dynamics of pattern formation. We conduct a classical linear stability analysis for different model structures, and confirm our results by numerical analysis of the system. Our results show that the coupling generally increases the robustness of the patterning process by enlarging the pattern region in the parameter space. Concerning time scale and pattern regularity, we find that an increase in the chemosensitivity can speed up the patterning process for parameters inside and outside of the Turing space, but generally reduces spatial regularity of the pattern. Interestingly, our analysis indicates that pattern formation can also occur when neither the Turing nor the chemotaxis system can independently generate pattern. On the other hand, for some parameter settings, the coupling of the two processes can extinguish the pattern formation, rather than reinforce it. These theoretical findings can be used to corroborate the biological findings on morphogenesis and guide future experimental studies. From a mathematical point of view, this work sheds a light on coupling classical pattern formation systems from the parameter space perspective.

Sox9 is associated with two distinct patterning events during snake lung morphogenesis

The evolutionary forces that allowed species adaptation to different terrestrial environments and led to great diversity in body shape and size required acquisition of innovative strategies of pattern formation during organogenesis. An extreme example is the formation of highly elongated viscera in snakes. What developmental patterning strategies allowed to overcome the space constraints of the snake's body to meet physiological demands? Here we show that the corn snake uses a Sox2-Sox9 developmental tool kit common to other species to generate and shape the lung in two phases. Initially Sox9 was found at low levels at the tip of the primary lung bud during outgrowth and elongation of the bronchial bud, without driving branching programs characteristic of mammalian lungs. Later, Sox9 induction is recapitulated in the formation of an extensive network of radial septae emerging along the elongated bronchial bud that generates the respiratory region. We propose that altogether these represent key patterning events for formation of both the respiratory faveolar and non-respiratory posterior compartments of the snake's lung.

Do Nonstructural Carbohydrates Contribute to Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) Secondary Budburst?

Spring freeze is among the problems threatening pecan bloom and production. Pecan tree height and structure make them difficult to protect from spring freezes. Some cultivars can compensate because the secondary buds can produce healthy flowers if the primary buds freeze. The mechanism that precipitates secondary budbreak is unknown. Our results show a correlation between successful secondary budbreak and 1-year-old shoot carbohydrate levels. ‘Kanza’ and ‘Pawnee’, with the higher secondary budburst, also had higher carbohydrate levels than ‘Maramec’. This suggests higher carbohydrate levels in the bud-bearing 1-year-old shoots promote successful secondary bud burst after spring freeze destruction of the primary buds.

Primary bud necrosis in vine propagation material

Abstract. The study was carried out in the period 2019-2021 in the vine nursery of the Institute of Viticulture and Enology, Pleven (43.42°N 24.62°E and 140 m altitude) with Muscat Plevenski and Bolgar varieties, grafted to Berlandieri x Riparia SO4 rootstock. The cuttings were rooted in two-row beds without mulching with polyethylene foil. The planting depth was 0.15 m, at 0.07-0.08 m intra-row distance and 0.5 m between the rows in the bed. The distance between the beds was 2 m. The experiment was conducted in four replicates The buds from the first to the fifth eye were examined twice – in the second half of October (15-20 October) and after the removal of the vines from the nursery (01-08 November). The proportion of necrotic buds was determined from samples of 10 shoots per replicate. The manifestations of primary bud necrosis in Muscat Plevenski and Bolgar were observed without exception during the three years of the experiment. Damage was found, regardless of the bud’s location along the examined length of the shoot, with no specific trend of a particular node being affected.

Establishing bilateral symmetry in hydrozoan planula larvae, a review of siphonophore early development.

Siphonophores are colonial hydrozoans, characterized by complex colony organization and unparalleled zooid functional specialization. Recent genomic studies have offered an evolutionary perspective on how this morphological complexity arose, but a molecular characterization of symmetry breaking in siphonophore embryonic development is still largely missing. Here, bringing together historical data on early development with new immunohistochemical data, we review the diversity of developmental trajectories that leads to the formation of bilaterally symmetric planula larvae in siphonophores. Embryonic development, up to the planula stage, is remarkably similar across siphonophore phylogeny. Then, with the appearance of the lateral endodermal thickening ( = ventral endoderm), larval development diverges between taxa, differing in the location and patterning of the primary buds, chronology of budding, establishment of growth zones and retention of larval zooids. Our work also uncovers a number of open questions in siphonophore development including homology of different zooids, mechanisms underlying formation and maintenance of spatially restricted growth zone(s), and molecular factors establishing a secondary dorsal-ventral axis in planulae. By discussing siphonophore development and body axes within the broader cnidarian context, we then set the framework for future work on siphonophores, that is finally achievable with the advent of culturing methods.

Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Revealed the Causal Agent of Primary Bud Necrosis in 'Summer Black' Grape.

Primary bud necrosis of grape buds is a physiological disorder that leads to decreased berry yield and has a catastrophic impact on the double cropping system in sub-tropical areas. The pathogenic mechanisms and potential solutions remain unknown. In this study, the progression and irreversibility patterns of primary bud necrosis in 'Summer Black' were examined via staining and transmission electron microscopy observation. Primary bud necrosis was initiated at 60 days after bud break and was characterized by plasmolysis, mitochondrial swelling, and severe damage to other organelles. To reveal the underlying regulatory networks, winter buds were collected during primary bud necrosis progression for integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent signaling cascades disrupted the regulation systems for cellular protein quality. ROS cascade reactions were related to mitochondrial stress that can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, lipid peroxidation causing damage to membrane structure, and endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to misfolded protein aggregates. All these factors ultimately resulted in primary bud necrosis. Visible tissue browning was associated with the oxidation and decreased levels of flavonoids during primary bud necrosis, while the products of polyunsaturated fatty acids and stilbenes exhibited an increasing trend, leading to a shift in carbon flow from flavonoids to stilbene. Increased ethylene may be closely related to primary bud necrosis, while auxin accelerated cell growth and alleviated necrosis by co-chaperone VvP23-regulated redistribution of auxin in meristem cells. Altogether, this study provides important clues for further study on primary bud necrosis.

Kengiochloa, a new bamboo genus to accommodate the morphologically unique species, Pseudosasapubiflora (Poaceae).

Pseudosasa was confirmed as polyphyletic by recent phylogenetic analyses, with Chinese species of Pseudosasa distantly related to those from Japan. Among the Chinese species of Pseudosasa, Pseudosasapubiflora is a morphologically unique as well as taxonomically problematic species endemic to South China, of which the generic designation is still uncertain. Molecular analyses based on both plastid and nuclear genomic data demonstrated that this species is closest to the recently published genus Sinosasa. Morphologically, the two are somewhat similar to each other in flowering branches developing at the nodes of every order of branches, raceme-like units of inflorescence with 3-5 short spikelets, each spikelet with few florets including a rudimentary one at the apex, and each floret with 3 stamens and 2 stigmas. However, P.pubiflora is very different from Sinosasa species in many reproductive and vegetative characters, such as the morphology of paracladia (lateral spikelet "pedicels"), the absence or existence of pulvinus at the base of paracladia, the relative length of the upper glume and the lowest lemma, the shape of lodicules and primary culm buds, the branch complement, the morphology of nodes, culm leaves and dried foliage leaf blades, and the number of foliage leaves per ultimate branchlet. The morphological and molecular evidence warrants recognition of a new genus to accommodate this unique species, which is here named Kengiochloa. After consulting related literature and examination of herbarium specimens or specimen photos, a taxonomic revision of K.pubiflora and its synonyms was made, and it was confirmed that four names, viz. P.gracilis, Yushanialanshanensis, Arundinariatenuivagina and P.parilis, should be merged with K.pubiflora, while Indocalamuspallidiflorus and Acidosasapaucifolia are distinct species.

Nephronectin is required to maintain right lung lobar separation during embryonic development.

Nephronectin (NPNT) is a basement membrane (BM) protein and high-affinity ligand of integrin α8β1 that is required for kidney morphogenesis in mice. In the lung, NPNT also localizes to BMs, but its potential role in pulmonary development has not been investigated. Mice with a floxed Npnt allele were used to generate global knockouts (KOs). Staged embryos were obtained by timed matings of heterozygotes and lungs were isolated for analysis. Although primary and secondary lung bud formation was normal in KO embryos, fusion of right lung lobes, primarily the medial and caudal, was first detected at E13.5 and persisted into adulthood. The lung parenchyma of KO mice was indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) and lobe fusion did not alter respiratory mechanics in adult KO mice. Interrogation of an existing single-cell RNA-seq atlas of embryonic and adult mouse lungs identified Npnt transcripts in mesothelial cells at E12.5 and into the early postnatal period, but not in adult lungs. KO embryonic lungs exhibited increased expression of laminin α5 and deposition of collagen IV in the mesothelial BM, accompanied by abnormalities in collagen fibrils in the adjacent stroma. Cranial and accessory lobes extracted from KO embryonic lungs fused ex vivo when cultured in juxtaposition, with the area of fusion showing loss of the mesothelial marker Wilms tumor 1. Because a similar pattern of lobe fusion was previously observed in integrin α8 KO embryos, our results suggest that NPNT signaling through integrin α8, likely in the visceral pleura, maintains right lung lobe separation during embryogenesis.

Influence of plant growth regulators on macro propagation in different banana genotypes

In vivo macro-propagation of banana has gained its momentum as an alternative source for mass multiplication of quality planting materials following some principles like decapitation, decortication of apical meristem of corm and hardening. 6- Benzylamino purine (BAP) @ 40ppm and 60ppm and Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) @1000 ppm and 2000 ppm were used for locally grown banana genotypes viz. Bharatmani, Chini champa and Bhootmanohar to assess the response of plant growth regulators on shoot and root proliferation. The diseases free uniform corm and sterilized sawdust as uniform rooting media were used in experiment under polyhouse condition. The apical meristem of corm was scooped out with sterilized knife to make a cavity. The growth regulators BAP and IBA) were injected into the cavity of apical meristem 2 days after planting. Proliferation of primary (3.33 and 3.67) and secondary (4.0 and 4.33) buds were noticed significantly by Bharatmani and Chini champa treated with BAP @ 40 ppm and also took less time for bud proliferation.The genotype Chini Champa treated with BAP @ 40 ppm generated maximum number of plantlets per corm (14.67) while the highest number of explants (13.66) per corm after detaching was obtained by Bharatmani using BAP @ 40 ppm.