Introduction of hybrids and their success in cucumber has made it imperative for the breeders to find out more appropriate combinations to develop superior hybrids as these have several well-known advantages over the open pollinated varieties. Crosses among eight parents (including two gynoecious lines) were attempted in half diallel fashion to find out more appropriate combinations for developing superior hybrids in cucumber. Twenty-eight F1s, eight parents and one check were grown in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Sufficient genetic diversity among parents and F1s for all the traits infers the scope of improvement through selection in the parental material. G2 was earliest in maturity. Heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for earliness were maximum in EC 173934 x LC-40 and G2 x Gyn1, respectively. The cross combination K-90 x G2 exhibited maximum heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for yield and number of fruits per plant.

Increases in climate variability alongside demands for increased resiliency, consumer interest in healthier, more functional foods is growing. India is becoming more vulnerable to climate change as extreme weather events are on rise and major portion of population derive their livelihoods from agriculture and allied sectors. Depending on the magnitude and distribution of warming, climate change impact projections for the mid-term (2012-2039) period for India indicated a 4.5 to 9% yield reduction which may roughly amounts to 1.5% of GDP every year. In evolving strategic research in climate change and the effects of climate change will vary from region to region. Hence a ‘one size fits all’ approach will be detrimental to the agriculture and food security of the country. In this review, we have discussed the effect of heat stress on wheat and the strategies to improve heat stress tolerance in wheat.

The present investigation was carried out to assess the nature and magnitude of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for yield component traits of barley comprised of 6 lines and 3 testers. During 2015-16, all parents were evaluated at Genetics & Plant Breeding Research Farm of Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad. The six improved and diverse genotypes of barley (RD-2768, NDB-1618, RD-2909, RD-2899, NDB-1057 and HUB-240) and three testers (NDB-1173, NDB-3 and NDB-943. Observations were recorded for days to ear emergence, days to maturity, number of productive tillers per plant, ear length (cm), grains per spike, biological yield per plant (g), harvest index (%), 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant (g). Analysis of variance that mean sum of squares had significant differences among evaluated traits. The moderate estimate of phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variability was found for productive tillers/plant. High value of heritability in narrow sense (>30 %) were recorded for grains/spike, days to maturity, biological yield/plant, grain yield/plant (g) and harvest index while remaining traits showed moderate estimate. High heritability with high genetic advance in percent of means was recorded for grains/spike and grain yield/plant (g). High heritability coupled with low genetic advance in percent of mean was recorded for days to maturity, ear length(cm), biological yield/plant(g) and harvest index(%), while, low heritability coupled with low genetic advance in percent of mean was recorded for days to ear emergence and low heritability coupled with high genetic advance in percent of mean was recorded for productive tillers/plant and 1000-grain weight(g).

Considering the zoonotic importance and economic significance of Toxoplasma gondii and to note the status of T. gondii infection in cats from Bengaluru city region, Karnataka, India the present study was carried out by the application of coprologic–polymerase chain reaction (copro-PCR) assay. A total of 80 faecal samples were screened from cat shelters, Veterinary clinics, cat-owning households and stray animals. Oocysts were disrupted by freeze thawing coupled with mechanical means and DNA extraction was subsequently accomplished. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was standardized to detect T. gondii oocyst DNA in cat faecal samples. Out of 80 faecal samples examined, five (6.25%) were positive for Toxoplasma DNA by PCR. The test based on amplifying a 529 bp sequence repeated 200 to 300 times in the Toxoplasma genome proved highly sensitive by detecting T. gondii oocysts DNA in faecal samples. The phylogenetic results showed that T. gondii isolates obtained during the study were genetically similar to one another and also with the T. gondii Iran isolates.

Nutrigenomics is a science which study the effect of nutrients on the gene expression. Preliminary studies have shown the value of such techniques and suggest that it will be possible to use specific gene expression patterns to evaluate the effects of nutrition on key metabolic processes relating to reproductive performance.