Banaras Hindu University

About: Banaras Hindu University is a education organization based out in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Dielectric. The organization has 11858 authors who have published 23917 publications receiving 464677 citations. The organization is also known as: Kashi Hindu Vishvavidyalay & Benares Hindu University.

Review: Endophytic microbes and their potential applications in crop management.

Abstract: Endophytes are microbes (mostly bacteria and fungi) present asymptomatically in plants. Endophytic microbes are often functional in that they may carry nutrients from the soil into plants, modulate plant development, increase stress tolerance of plants, suppress virulence in pathogens, increase disease resistance in plants, and suppress development of competitor plant species. Endophytic microbes have been shown to: (i) obtain nutrients in soils and transfer nutrients to plants in the rhizophagy cycle and other nutrient-transfer symbioses; (ii) increase plant growth and development; (iii) reduce oxidative stress of hosts; (iv) protect plants from disease; (v) deter feeding by herbivores; and (vi) suppress growth of competitor plant species. Because of the effective functions of endophytic microbes, we suggest that endophytic microbes may significantly reduce use of agrochemicals (fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides) in the cultivation of crop plants. The loss of endophytic microbes from crop plants during domestication and long-term cultivation could be remedied by transfer of endophytes from wild relatives of crops to crop species. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could reduce the efficiency of the rhizophagy cycle due to repression of reactive oxygen used to extract nutrients from microbes in roots. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Hydrogeochemical parameters for assessment of groundwater quality in the upper Gunjanaeru River basin, Cuddapah District, Andhra Pradesh, South India

Abstract: In the management of water resources, quality of water is just as important as its quantity. In order to know the quality and/or suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation in upper Gunjanaeru River basin, 51 water samples in post-monsoon and 46 in pre-monsoon seasons were collected and analyzed for various parameters. Geological units are alluvium, shale and quartzite. Based on the analytical results, chemical indices like percent sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, permeability index (PI) and chloroalkaline indices were calculated. The pre-monsoon waters have low sodium hazard as compared to post-monsoon season. Residual sodium carbonate values revealed that one sample is not suitable in both the seasons for irrigation purposes due the occurrence of alkaline white patches and low permeability of the soil. PI values of both seasons revealed that the ground waters are generally suitable for irrigation. The positive values of Chloroalkaline indices in post-monsoon (80%) and in pre-monsoon (59%) water samples indicate absence of base-exchange reaction (chloroalkaline disequilibrium), and remaining samples of negative values of the ratios indicate base-exchange reaction (chloroalkaline equilibrium). Chadha rectangular diagram for geochemical classification and hydrochemical processes of groundwater for both seasons indicates that most of waters are Ca–Mg–HCO3 type. Assessment of water samples from various methods indicated that majority of the water samples in both seasons are suitable for different purposes except at Yanadipalle (sample no. 8) that requires precautionary measures. The overall quality of groundwater in post-monsoon season in all chemical constituents is on the higher side due to dissolution of surface pollutants during the infiltration and percolation of rainwater and at few places due to agricultural and domestic activities.

Microbial consortium-mediated plant defense against phytopathogens: Readdressing for enhancing efficacy

Abstract: Microorganisms under natural habitats live in communities and some provides benefits to plant. Further, microbes when introduced to soil as consortium and interact with a host plant, partially mimic the natural soil conditions. The current research trend has therefore oriented towards investigating the role of small microbial consortia in promoting plant growth and health against various invading pathogens. This is a paradigm shift from the original investigations involving a single microbe. In the recent past, information on various mechanisms by which microbial consortia promoted plant growth and triggered defense responses in host plants during pathogen ingress have become available. It was also unveiled that microbes in small consortia enhance the defense signaling cascades leading to enhanced transcriptional activation of several metabolic pathways. However, an additive or synergistic effect is not achieved every time a microbial consortium is used. With progress in time a sizable understanding on microbial consortium-induced plant defense responses had been reached. Further generation of information on host's responses to pathogenic challenge in the presence of diverse microbial consortia at functional level is underway. In this review, we have presented the outcomes of small microbial consortia used so far to protect crop plants from various pathogens. We have also provided possible explanations for reduction in diseases when a microbial consortium was used, compared the effects of microbes when used alone as well as in consortium, possible shortcomings for not obtaining desired outcome from the introduced consortia, and provided the rationale for development of effective microbial consortia capable of inducing enhanced systemic resistance. Finally, we have suggested some potential biotechnological applications to sustain the effect of microbe-induced defense responses in host plants.

Flavivirus NS1: a multifaceted enigmatic viral protein

Abstract: Flaviviruses are emerging arthropod-borne viruses representing an immense global health problem. The prominent viruses of this group include dengue virus, yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus tick borne encephalitis virus and Zika Virus. These are endemic in many parts of the world. They are responsible for the illness ranging from mild flu like symptoms to severe hemorrhagic, neurologic and cognitive manifestations leading to death. NS1 is a highly conserved non-structural protein among flaviviruses, which exist in diverse forms. The intracellular dimer form of NS1 plays role in genome replication, whereas, the secreted hexamer plays role in immune evasion. The secreted NS1 has been identified as a potential diagnostic marker for early detection of the infections caused by flaviviruses. In addition to the diagnostic marker, the importance of NS1 has been reported in the development of therapeutics. NS1 based subunit vaccines are at various stages of development. The structural details and diverse functions of NS1 have been discussed in detail in this review.