Cloning and Expression Analysis of bZIP Transcription Factor from Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.) Under Abiotic Stress Conditions

Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors comprise one of the largest gene families in plants. They play a key role in almost every aspect of plant growth and development and also in biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In this study, we were attempted to study characterization of bZIP, a transcription factor from a climate smart cereal finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.). Seeds of Eleusine coracana (finger millet) was purchase from local market and were grown under field conditions drought and salt stress conditions. In this study, EcbZIP gene was isolated from finger millet, cloned into DH5α cells, screened by using colony PCR and expression analysis in response to two abiotic stresses was carried out by using qRT PCR. EcbZIP coding DNA sequence and protein sequence were retrieved from NCBI Nucleotide Database and Genpept of Accession number KP033192.1 and AJP67539.1 and validated by using SMART (simple modular architecture tool) Domain Tool. Cloning and expression studies were carried out using standardized molecular biology protocol. Results depicted that EcbZIP transcription factor showed significant upregulation under both salt and drought stress conditions, indicating that it plays an important role in tolerance towards these stresses. In conclusion, expression analysis of bZIP gene from finger millet seed cultivar ML-365 showed 5-fold upregulation to salt stress to drought stress and 8-fold upregulation to salt stress. Hence, it can serve as a candidate gene for improving abiotic stress tolerance and can be helpful in enhancing the crop productivity under stress conditions.

Effects of soil temperature and certain weather parameters on the growth and yield of ragi (Eleusine Coracana)

The influence of soil temperature, air temperature and sunshine hours on the growth and yield of ragi (Eleusine coracana, Geartner) (Var. CO II) was evaluated. The results of analysis indicated that soil temperature at crop growth and flowering stages significantly influenced the yield of grain and straw of ragi, the best fit being at 15 cm depth, Soil temperature at 30 cm depth was higher than the mean air temperature. Accumulated heat units correlated positively with grain and straw of ragi. Sunshine hours also correlated positively with yield of grain and straw.

Assessment of the Wound Healing Property of the Ethanolic Seed Extract of Eleusine coracana Linn using the Chorioallantoic Membrane Model

Access to readily available material for wound healing is very important. The wound healing property of Eleusine coracana a food source in Nigeria was therefore investigated. The ethanolic crude extract of the seed flour was prepared using maceration and qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out on the crude extract using standard methods. The antimicrobial activity of the E. coracana extract was determined using the disc diffusion method against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. tetani. The wound healing property assay was carried out using the Chorioallantoic Membrane Model (CAM) at 50mg, 100mg, 150mg, and 200mg/ml concentration with the basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) as the positive control. The crude extract was further fractionated into Hexane, Methanolic, and Aqueous fractions and then subjected to amino acid content analysis using the Applied Biosystems Phenylthiohydantoin (PTH) Amino Acid Analyzer. The phytochemical screening reveals the presence of alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, flavonoids, carbohydrates, glycoside, and protein. E. coli and S. aureus were susceptible to the E. coracana extract at a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 50µg/ml while the P. aeruginosa was only susceptible at 200µg/ml and C. tetani was not susceptible at all the concentrations used. An increase in percentage angiogenesis was observed at all doses of the extract used indicating good wound healing properties. The amino acid profile reveals the presence of glycine, a proline that is important in wound healing. The E. coracana seeds, therefore, have wound healing properties based on the CAM model.

Effects of gamma radiations on morphological and physiological traits of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.)

The present study was carried out to analyse the effect of gamma radiation on morpho-physiological parameters of seven days old M1 seedlings of Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. (finger millet). The finger millet seeds were irradiated with different doses of viz., 100 Gy, 200 Gy, 300 Gy, 400 Gy, 500 Gy, 600 Gy, 700 Gy, 800 Gy, 900 Gy and 1000 Gy of gamma ray. Higher doses of gamma rays induced substantial reduction in mean performance of morphological and physiological traits. However, lower doses showed stimulatory effects on morphological and physiological traits. The results revealed a progressive decrease in chlorophyll fluorescence with increasing dose of gamma irradiation. Among all the mutagen doses used, 600 Gy gamma irradiated seeds showed enhanced mean performance of morphological and physiological traits in finger millet. Hence 600 Gy gamma rays may be employed in other crop species to improve the agro-economic traits

Drudgery assessment and ergonomic evaluation of pedal operated Ragi (Eleusine Coracana) thresher

BACKGROUND: Ragi (Eleusine Coracana) is a major food crop for the tribal population of India. OBJECTIVE: This study emphasizes the need to consider ergonomics aspects in the design and development of a pedal operated ragi thresher (PORT) for tribal people, and assesses the drudgery as well as ergonomic evaluation of a developed thresher against the conventional practice. METHODS: Thirty subjects (male = 15 and female = 15) from the tribal region were evaluated ergonomically. The physiological responses of the subjects were studied and their performance was compared. RESULTS: The results revealed that the working heart rate, oxygen consumption rate and overall discomfort rating were significantly higher in case of traditional threshing as compared to those in case of PORT. Postural analysis identified the traditional method as the most fatigue one as the person has to lift the hand above shoulder level repeatedly and has to sit in a squatting posture for long period. CONCLUSION: The drudgery and occupational hazards to public health involved in the traditional method of threshing was reduced by using the pedal operated ragi thresher. Furthermore, the traditional method involved continuous stressed actions across the entire body, whereas the PORT involved only the lower limbs.