The effects of maximum temperature, rainfall and growing degree day on grain yield of durum wheat were studied during the period of available years (2009-2018) in the study sites. A polynomial equation was described the relationship between grain yield, maximum temperature and rainfall for four growing stages. The nonlinear relationships were used from time-series variations in temperatures, rainfall and yields. The maximum positive effects of rainfall (R2=0.72*) on yield was in the mid-season stage (heading, anthesis and grain filling) of the crop. However, there was a negative effect of temperature more than 30 oC on grain yield. The highest negative effects (R2=0.31 through 0.86*) of max. temperatures were in the crop development stages (vernalization and tillering). The yield might decrease about 2.5% for every 1 ᵒC increase in the growth period based on the daily mean temperature of 12.4 oC for all the study locations. The critical maximum temperatures on threshold values declining yield and positive effects of rainfall on grain yield varied according to the altitudes and longitudes.

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), is an attractive option for sustainable food production systems in dry areas. The use of induced mutation to create diversity may help to its genetic improvement to achieve higher productivity. This study analyzed the effects of ethyl methane sulfate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA) on germination of grass pea. Following imbibition, the seeds were treated with EMS at 0.2, 0.6, 1, 1.4, and 1.8% concentrations and SA at 10, 15, 20 and 25 mM for 96, 192 and 288 min in three replications. Germination percentage, rate and uniformity, radicle and plumule length and dry weight, and seedling vigor indices, were studied in the M1 generation in the laboratory. The results showed that increases in EMS concentrations and treatment duration decreased all traits except the time required to achieve 10, 50 and 90% germination. The seedling vigor indices were used to determine the lethal dose, according to which the 0.7% dose and the 96-min duration were identified as the lethal dose for seed treatment under greenhouse conditions. The studied agronomic traits under greenhouse conditions included germination percentage, seedling length, radicle dry weight, and leaf surface area. EMS reduced the three traits of germination percentage, seedling length, and leaf surface area under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that EMS application could affect most of the studied traits to a great extent in the M1 generation either in the laboratory or the greenhouse environments. Consequently, EMS can be used as a potent mutagenic agent in grass pea breeding research.

The epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in pigs of North- Eastern (NE) region of India is very little known. The objective of this study was to underscore the prevalence and characterize Cryptosporidium isolates from pigs in this region. A total of 725 pig faecal samples were examined from April, 2018 to March, 2019 for the present of Cryptosporidium oocysts by using modified Ziehl-Neelson staining technique. Shedding of oocysts was monitored at quarterly intervals in piglets (n= 310), starter (n= 180), fatteners (n=235). Fifty five samples (overall prevalence, 7.58%)were found positive by microscopic examination, while 76(overall prevalence, 10.48%) samples showed positive by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Prevalenceand intensity of infection varied significantly between different age groups (p<.01). Female showed significantly (p<.01) lower level of infection than male. The overall prevalence was not varied much throughout the year. Positive samples were further analyzed by amplifying 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium by PCR. An825bp of the targeted gene was amplified by nested PCR. The purified PCR products were cloned, sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was made. The analysis revealed that pigs in this region of India are infected with Cryptosporidiumparvum. The presence of Cryptosporidiumparvumsuggests that pigs may be a threat to public health in this area. However, more extensive studies are required to understand the transmission potential of cryptosporidiosis in between porcine and human hosts from this part of India.

The objective of the present study was to formulate and evaluate carbamazepine nanoemulsion and mucoadhesive in-situ gelling Carbamazepine nanoemulsion for nose-to-brain delivery. Carbamazepine nanoemulsion (NE) and mucoadhesive in-situ gelling Carbamazepine nanoemulsion formulation were successfully prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method (titration method) using Capmul MCM as the oil, Tween-80 as surfactant, and PEG-600 as co-surfactant phase on the basis of solubility studies. The nanoemulsion formulation containing 7.35 % oil, 66.18 % Smix ratio (3:1 Tween-80 : PEG-600 ratio), 26.47 % (V/V) aqueous phase that displayed an optical transparency of 99.42±0.81%, globule size of 71.70 ± 3.06 nm, and polydispersity index of 0.256 ± 0.002 was selected for the incorporation of 0.5 % (W/W) mucoadhesive in-situ gelling polymer (Deacetylated Gellan gum).The selected Carbamazepine nanoemulsion and in-situ gelling mucoadhesive Carbamazepine nanoemulsion was characterized, and the in-vitro drug release and in-vivo nasal absorption of drug from the selected formulation were evaluated in rats. In-vitro and ex-vivo permeation studies showed an initial burst of drug release at 60 min and Carbamazepine nanoemulsion show drug release upto 5 h and in-situ gelling mucoadhesive Carbamazepine nanoemulsion formulation show sustained release up to 6h, attributable to the presence of free drug entrapped in the in-situ gelling mucoadhesive layer. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed that Carbamazepine nanoemulsion and mucoadhesive in-situ gelling mucoadhesive Carbamazepine nanoemulsion enhanced brain and plasma concentrations of Carbamazepine.

Pistacia vera L. is one of the most important horticultural products of Iran which has a large share of non-oil export earnings. Optimal use of any product requires a rational understanding of its genetic diversity status in nature. Genetic sources of pistachio, identification and identification of vegetative and reproductive characteristics of cultivars and phenotypes of this plant are among the most important pistachio breeding measures. In this study, genetic diversity of 20 pistachio genotypes collected from Khorasan Razavi pistachio, Pistacia atlantica and wild pistachio (Pistacia vera) genotypes were evaluated using 20 ISSR primers. that yielding 74 scaffold bands in total. Among these, 35 bands (47.30%) showed polymorphism. Genotypes were divided into 4 groups based on cluster analysis by UPGMA method and Jaccard similarity coefficient. According to the results, ISSR was recognized as a repeatable method for identifying genotypes in pistachio genus. Ultimately, this will save considerable time and expedite corrective programs.

Present research was conducted during 2019 at Botanical Garden, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Crop Production, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during Kharif season. The experiment was laid-out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications consisted eight upland cotton genotypes viz. MNH-886, FH-142, Koonj, Shahbaz, Bakhtawar, Mehran, Hari Dost and CRIS-129 for days to 1st flowering, days to 1st boll opening, sympodial branch length (cm), internode length (cm), sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield plant-1 (g), ginning out turn (%) and staple length (mm) for the characterization of short duration cotton genotypes for yield and fiber traits. The mean squares from analysis of variance were significant for all the traits which indicated that existence of genetic diversity among the upland cotton genotypes for earliness, yield and fiber traits. Among the genotypes, Meharn and CRIS-129 gave better performance for phenological, yield and fiber traits like minimum days to 1st flowering, days to 1st boll opening and more sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, bigger bolls, higher seed cotton yield plant-1 and lint percent. Bakhtawar exhibited maximum days for 1st flowering, days to 1st boll opening and longer sympodia branch length and ranked 2nd position for internode length which indicated late maturity. While Koonj gave longer fiber length. Correlation coefficients showed days to 1st flowering exhibited significant and positive (r = 0.93**) association with days to 1st boll opening, internode length(r = 0.52**) and significant negative (r = -0.61**) association with sympodial branches plant-1, boll plant-1 (r = -0.82**), boll weight (r = -0.56**), (r = -0.74**) seed cotton yield plant-1 and lint percent (r = -0.54**). Seed cotton yield plant-1 established significant positive (r = 0.82**) association with sympodial branches plant-1, boll plant-1 (r = 0.94**), boll weight (r = 0.92**) and significant negative (r = -0.74**) with days to 1st flowering, days to 1st boll opening (r = -0.84**) and internode length (r = -0.58**). High heritability in broad sense were found for all the traits such as days to 1st flowering (h2 = 96.88%), days to 1st boll opening(h2 = 99.28%), sympodial branch length (h2 = 67.36%), internode length (h2 = 88.85%), sympodial branches plant-1(h2 = 98.22%), bolls plant-1(h2 = 99.12%), boll weight (h2 = 98.03%), seed cotton yield plant-1(h2 = 98.26%), ginning out turn (h2 = 82.70%) and staple length (h2 = 98.13%). From present findings it is suggested that genotypes Meharn and CRIS-129 could be utilized in feature breeding programme for the development of early maturing and high yielding cotton genotypes.

Nowadays drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors to limiting access to high yield by restricting growth and development of wheat crop in arid and semi-arid areas. For the isolation of consequences of drought tolerance on morpho-physiological characters and experiment was conducted on ten bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes during the season of 2017-2018. Thus the experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replication consisting of two treatments (i.e. normal and water deficit) conditions. The variance among the treatment and genotypes were significant at 1% and 5% for all the characters however, treatment × genotypes had also meaningful association with majority of the characters except spike length and spikelets per spike. For the maximum performance of wheat genotypes under water limited conditions selection indices is a best tool to evaluate the genotypes best for water deficit conditions therefore, eight selection indices yield index, yield stability index, stress tolerance index, sensitivity drought tolerance, stress susceptibility index, tolerance index, mean productivity and geometric mean productivity were calculated for grains yield per plant and harvest index. From these indices it was concluded that Bhittai and NIA Sunder were the best genotypes under both conditions, SKD-1, Sassui and NIA Amber displayed better performance under optimum availability of water, Hamal and Kiran-95 were water stress tolerant while the NIA Sunder, Khirman and Marvi were the susceptible ones. Correlation of indices has also been worked out.