Defending a "pot-nosed" fossil

Article Abstract:

The Gavialis gangeticus, popularly known as the gharial, inhabits the region around the river Ganges in India, and is a link to the dinosaurs. The gharial are crocodilian, they live on fish and they do not harm humans though they have been harmed by humans. They belonged to the endangered class, but with the help of the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the FAO, the Orissa forestry department started a gharial-raising farm to improved the situation. The gharials are nearly 70 million years old, and their genetic structure will be useful in genetic fingerprinting for understanding evolution.

Physiological aspects, India, Natural history, Vertebrates, Evolution (Biology), Reptiles

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First hybrid pigeonpea raises hopes for a green revolution in pulses

Article Abstract:

The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics produced a new pigeonpea hybrid called ICPH-8. The high-protein content of the pigeonpea makes it a highly nutritious source of food for developing communities. Both the seed and the plant can be utilized for varied purposes. Such characteristics have made this plant an indispensable crop to farmers. However, pigeonpea production is hampered by the considerable time needed for its maturation. The ICPH-8 could very well be the answer to every farmer's dilemma.

Reports, Brief Article, Genetic aspects, Hybridization, Vegetable, Hybrid plants, Pigeon pea

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Making bamboo bloom: a revolution in a test tube

Article Abstract:

India's National Chemical Laboratory has discovered a technique for inducing flowering in bamboo plants, making breeding and hybridization possible for the first time. The research involved growing seedlings of three bamboo species in a solution containing cytokinin, a plant hormone. Bamboo normally only flowers once, 12 to 200 years into its life cycle, and then dies. The ability to generate fertile seeds on demand will make improving the species easier.

Research, Plants, Flowering of, Plant flowering, Bamboo, Cytokinins

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