Stevia [Stevia rebuaidana (Bertoni)], a family of Asteraceae is known to yield diterpenoid steviol glycosides (SGs) that is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The present work examined the effects of different concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 100mM) of NaCl and mannitol on growth, physiological response, glycosides content and expression profile of four genes in steviol glycosides biosynthesis pathway after 30 days of culture. The results showed that NaCl and mannitol significantly (p < 0.05) affect the no. of shoot, shoot length, root no. and root length. As NaCl and mannitol concentration increases leaf DW, stem DW, root DW, shoot DW and leaf FW were decreased markedly by 30-70 % and 50-55 %, respectively at 100mM. In addition, transcript expression profiling of genes involved in steviol glycoside biosynthesis pathway showed an increased in expression genes; KAH, UGT85C2, UGT74G1 and UGT76G1 in 50, 75 and 100mM NaCl concentrations compared with control. Interestingly, expression ratio of UGT76G1 (Rebaudioside A) was significantly increased by 67% as compared to UGT74G1 (Stevioside), showing that salinity stress plants are sweeter than normal plant, whereas all four genes were down-regulated in drought stress conditions. These results were compared with the steviol glycoside contents measured in the leaves that was quantified by HPLC. Results showed that amount of Rebaudioside A was significantly increased to 45.83, 63.32 and 80.21 mg g-1 at 50, 75 and 100mM NaCl condition whereas significant decrease was found in all treatment condition of mannitol. Present work thus suggests that NaCl is acting as an enhancer and manitol acting as a repressor of transcription to genes of steviol glycoside biosynthesis pathway that could alter the production of steviol glycosides.

The present study applied metagenomics to characterize the diversity and relative occurrence of eukaryotic organisms in the soils of Chandan plant (Santalum album; MS1) and Bamboo plant (Bambussa bambus; MS2). DNA-based methods do not depend on the culturability of microbes, and therefore they offer an effective method for the study of metagenomics profiling. For this purpose, we used PCR primers that allow the specific amplification of 18S-ribosomal-DNA (rDNA) and 28S-ribosomal-DNA sequences. The metagenome samples were subjected to sequencing by Ion torrent PGM which resulted in 431,425 (MS1) and 303,564 (MS2) reads respectively. The taxonomic profile obtained by comparison with SILVA SSU database showed predominance of the phyla: Ascomycota (32.22% in MS2), Streptophyata (31.49% in MS2), Annelida (27.99% in MS 1), Nematoda (16.6% in MS1). At the genus level Enchytraeus (26% in MS1), and Aspergillus (22.4% in MS2) were predominant. The taxonomic assignment based nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal sequences showed discrepancy with the SSU based assignments possibly due to the absence of most eukaryotic genomes in the public databases. The present study provides a preliminary snapshot of the diversity and relative abundance of the metazoan within the soil samples and expands our knowledge of these multicellular eukaryotes present in the soil ecosystem and these consortiums may be helpful in soil fertility and enhance plant productivity.

In the present study, sixty-three breeding lines of rice cultivars adapted for semi-lowland and semi-deep lowland areas were developed for submergence tolerance through the single seed descent (SSD) method. In submergence evaluation of these lines, we have selected many breeding lines associated with highly submergence tolerance. For instance, some breeding lines, CR 2589-8-1-1-1, CR 2590-9-1-1-2 and CR 2530-B-1-5-1-1 accounted for 100 percent survival rate in the evaluation. Besides, many breeding lines have showed survival rate more than 90 percent. In PCR level, we confirmed the presence of Sub1 locus in the submergence tolerant lines. Moreover, these selected lines were more efficient than donor and tolerant checks also. Thus developed breeding lines with high efficiency for submergence tolerance at field level could be complementary for rice farmers who cultivate rice in semi-lowland and semi-deep lowland areas of eastern region of India.

From a long time waterborne diseases have been major concern to living being. Handful countries have successfully implemented recycling of water. Recycling of water is under consideration in India. Indian rural region is yet to establish domestic disposal and sewage treatment plant. Number of villages due to insufficient rain depends largely on bore well water, a type of hard water. Pumped water off the bore well is coming from underground depth of which varies from village/town to town. We have isolated and characterized an enteric bacterium from domestic disposal, which exhibits Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) trait. The domestic disposal was enriched with triple strength MacConkeys broth. Cultural and biochemical characterization of various isolates was carried as per Bergeys Manual of Systematic bacteriology. Based on Morphological, Cultural, and Biochemical characters these isolates were Citrobacter spp, Proteus rettgeri, Proteus morganii, Providencia spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp and Hafnia alvei. All of these isolates were screened to determine resistance to third generation cephalosporins such as; Cefotaxime (CTX), Cefepime (CPM) and Ceftazidime (CAZ). Amongst ten isolates, AKA10 strain of Proteus spp, exhibited resistance to β-lactms as Penicillin, Ampicillin, Oxacillin Coxacillin and third generation cephalosporins. Phenotypic classification indicated that ESBL trait belongs to OXA-48 type. Genetic manipulations A. Plasmid curing and B. plasmid transformation indicated that ESBL trait is extrachromosomal and contains a broad host range replicon, perpetuating not only in Proteus but also in E. coli. Implications of ESBL trait in domestic disposal are discussed.