Central Tuber Crops Research Institute

About: Central Tuber Crops Research Institute is a facility organization based out in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Starch & Fermentation. The organization has 475 authors who have published 587 publications receiving 10285 citations.

Is Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) a Climate “Smart” Crop? A Review in the Context of Bridging Future Food Demand Gap

Abstract: Climate change and its impact on agriculture are one of the ongoing research areas, and the major task among agricultural managers is to meet the food demand in the future in the context of the production gap of major food grain crops. Literature analysis is carried out to understand the climate resilience of cassava, one of the major tuber crops and is considered to bridge the food demand gap in the near future. Systematic analysis of literature includes influence of changing environmental parameters such as temperature, solar radiation, photoperiod, air humidity, soil water deficit, salinity, elevated ozone and CO2, combined effects of elevated CO2 with temperature, water deficit and salinity to the growth and yield of cassava along with its resilience to biotic stresses and its climate suitability. Studies indicate cassava can tolerate a temperature level of up to 40 °C, and thereafter the rate of photosynthesis decreases. Cassava can be cultivated in regions with variations in solar radiation without much compromise in its yield in the context of global dimming of sunshine duration. The resilience to water stress and air humidity variations are adapted by reducing stomatal conductance without influencing the rate of photosynthesis. Cassava has also an inbuilt mechanism to cope with water scarcity by leaf drooping. Already established cassava can tolerate a salinity level of up to 150 mM and the younger ones can tolerate up to a level of 40 mM. Studies also indicate a strong positive influence of elevated CO2 of up to 700 ppm on the rate of photosynthesis and yield of cassava. Elevated CO2 enhances the resilience of cassava to water stress and salinity. Similarly, the combined effect of elevated CO2 and higher temperatures also increases the yield attributes of cassava. These all indicate the resilience of cassava to the changing climate and it ensures as an insurance crop as well as food security crop in the near future. Studies show its resilience to biotic stresses as well. Climate suitability studies also show its suitability in the present locations in the near future as well as its adaptation to other areas. However, the research gap is identified in areas of influence of elevated ozone on growth characteristics of cassava. This study also recommends identifying the extent of tolerance level of cassava to the influence of the combined effect of salinity and elevated CO2. Further, researchers need to concentrate on developing biotic as well as abiotic stress-tolerant genes in cassava varieties to increase its production irrespective of the changing climatic conditions.

The growth of tomato seedlings inoculated with co-cultivated Piriformospora indica and Bacillus pumilus.

Abstract: A novel co-culture method using the beneficial root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica and a plant-growth promoting rhizobacterial strain of Bacillus pumilus to promote the growth of tomato seedlings in plug trays, is described. Coconut water, a waste product from the coconut industry, was used as medium for co-cultivation of the two biological agents. During the co-culture with the fungus, the bacterial strain showed a similar growth rate to that in monoculture in fresh autoclaved coconut water. In contrast, co-culture in potato dextrose broth (PDB), a medium routinely used for cultivation of the endophytic fungus, did not support bacterial growth. Inoculation with the co-culture or a mixture of P. indica and B. pumilus promoted tomato seedling growth significantly when compared with individual application of the two biological agents. No difference was observed with respect to the degree of root colonization in tomato seedlings whether it was done with a monoculture or a co-culture with rhizobacterium. The co-culture system developed reduces the cost of inoculum production as it uses coconut water, a cheap and locally available waste product and a single fermentation vessel. Further research is required to know the endophytic nature of the rhizobacterial strain and its possible role in helping the fungus in root colonization.

Isozyme and PCR-based genotyping of epidemic Phytophthora colocasiae associated with taro leaf blight.

Abstract: The Oomycetous fungus Phytophthora colocasiae causing leaf blight of taro is widely distributed in India. Wide geographic range or sexual recombination provides genetic differentiation within this species. To determine how genetic variation is partitioned in P. colocasiae, 14 isolates were isolated from different regions of India, where the incidence of leaf blight is great. Molecular and biochemical techniques were employed for assessing and exploiting the genetic variability among isolates of P. colocasiae. Seven polymorphic enzyme systems revealed 23 isozyme patterns, each uniquely characterised by the presence or absence of electromorphs. Further, 10 oligodeoxynucleotide primers were selected for random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assays, which resulted in 123 polymorphic bands for 10 isolates of P. colocasiae. The data were entered into a binary matrix and a similarity matrix was constructed using a DICE similarity (SD) index. A UPGMA cluster based on SD values was generated using a NTSYS comput...