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Corn (Zea maysL.) is the third most important staple cereal crop after wheat and rice, which is used for human consumption, biofuels, livestock feed and also as raw material in industry. It provides over 20% of total calories in human diet. The sh2mutant in supersweet corn composites and hybrids leads to enhanced sugar and vitamin B3 content in developing grains and reduction of starch content in mature grains. The deficiency of essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan in maize proteins has been significantly improved with the use of opaque2(o2) allele leading to the development of quality protein maize (QPM). In this study, the opaque2allele was pyramided in a sweet corn composite with Shrunken 2(sh2) allele to develop a sweet and quality protein maize composite with higher content of essential amino acids and vitamins. QPM inbred line VQL-2 was used as the donor parent for o2allele having higher value of lysine (3.64 ± 0.1 g/100 g), tryptophan (1.91 ± 0.01 g/100 g) and vitamin B3 (1.97 ± 0.02 mg/100 g) and the Punjab sweetcorn-1 as the recurrent parent having higher values of vitamin B1 (0.1 ± 0.01 mg/100 g) and C (6.58 ± 0.82 mg/100 g). The EU-Sweetcorn QP composite was developed through marker-assisted backcross breeding using umc1066marker linked to o2mutant and selection of homozygous sh2sh2plants was done phenotypically at maturity. The EU-Sweetcorn QP composite developed for the first time in India has superior nutritional quality, e.g., high essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan and vitamins B1, B3 and C as estimated using RP-HPLC–PDA.

Background: Biofortification has been proposed as an intervention towards alleviation of micronutrient deficiency in the population of developing countries. However, the presence of anti- nutritional factor phytic acid in staple cereals chelates divalent cations and decreases their bioavailability for monogastric animals. Thus, the use of phytase enzyme for hydrolysing phytate-P and enhancing the amount of free divalent cations is of great importance. Methods: In this study, two phytases i.e. APF1 phytase from fungal source and commercial wheat phytase were supplemented with flours of biofortified wheat genotypes and their impact on food quality parameters was accessed. Since commercial wheat phytase is costly, it was used as known phytase to compare the application of APF1 phytase. The phytic acid content was reduced in the range of 70 to 84% with APF1 phytase and 79 to 89% with the wheat phytase as compared to untreated samples, respectively. In contrast to phytate, the dialyzability of important micronutrients Fe and Zn enhanced in the range of 21.9 to 48% and 39.5 to 96% with APF1 phytase and, 6.10 to 30% and 23.2 to 81% with wheat phytase, over untreated samples, respectively. Results and Discussion: A decrease in tannin content was observed in the range of 8 to 23% and 7 to 23% after treatment with APF1 and wheat phytase, respectively. The phytase treatment has resulted in increased soluble protein content and inorganic phosphate content to different level over untreated samples. Conclusion: The study revealed that APF1 phytase was comparatively more effective for enhanced nutritional quality of wheat flour through phytase supplementation for its food based applications.

Background: Shilajit (mumie), a natural multi-component herbomineral ethnomedicinal food, is used as a traditional medicine for enhancing the quality of life and for management of health ailments in many countries of the world. Use of Shilajit as an adaptogen, aphrodisiac, rejuvenator and anti-aging substance is mentioned in many ancient texts. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights into its biochemical aspects, microbial role in biosynthesis, bioactivities and to establish correlation between traditional uses and scientifically validated research findings. Methods: Scientific literature and ethnopharmacological information were compiled from the published peer-reviewed articles, unpublished materials, thesis, books, patent databases, clinical trial registries and from the websites of research councils of traditional medicine. The scientific databases, thesis repositories and books databases were searched with keywords Shilajit, mumie, mumijo, salajeet, asphaltum, fulvic acid, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones etc. Results: Scientifically validated research and ancient texts suggest multifaceted benefits of Shilajit. It is endowed with anti-stress, memory and energy enhancing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, spermatogenic, neuroprotective, antiulcer and wound healing activities. These pharmacological effects are mainly attributed to the presence of humic acid, fulvic acid, dibenzo-α-pyrones, dibenzo- α-pyrones chromoproteins and trace elements. Conclusion: This review summarizes the traditional importance of Shilajit for the treatment and prevention of several acute and chronic diseases and health ailments. Despite numerous health claims, there are still major gaps in our understanding of its mechanism of action, variability in efficacy and toxicity profile. Therefore, a coordinated interdisciplinary approach is needed to establish the underlying mechanisms of action, comprehensive toxicological profile, pharmacokinetics parameters and effects on different organ systems. Regulatory and governmental impetus to basic and clinical research, safety testing and formulations quality control is warranted.

Genes transferred to crop plants from wild species are often associated with deleterious traits. Using molecular markers, we detected a cryptic introgression with a leaf rust resistance gene transferred from Aegilops triuncialisL. into common wheat (Triticum aestivumL.). One agronomically desirable rust‐resistant introgression line was selected and advanced to BC3F11from a cross of hexaploid wheat and A. triuncialisIn situ hybridization using A. triuncialisgenomic DNA as a probe failed to detect the alien introgression. The translocation line was resistant to the most prevalent races of leaf rust in India and Kansas. Genetic mapping in a segregating F2:3population showed that the rust resistance was monogenically inherited. Homeologous group 2 restriction fragment length polymorphism markers XksuF11, XksuH16, and Xbg123showed diagnostically polymorphic alleles between the resistant and susceptible bulks. The alien transfer originated from homeologous chromosome recombination. The A. triuncialis‐specific alleles of XksuH16, XksuF11, Xbg123, and one simple sequence repeat marker Xcfd50cosegregated with the rust resistance, suggesting that the wheat–A. triuncialistranslocation occurred in the distal region of chromosome arm 2BL. This translocation was designated T2BS·2BL‐2tL(0.95). The unique source and map location of the introgression on chromosome 2B indicated that the leaf rust resistance gene is new and was designated Lr58

Anther morphology of various species of the genus Triticumis consistent with previous evidence that different biotypes of T. boeoticum(AA) and T. urartu(BB) contributed the respective A and B genomes to the emmer (AeAeBeBe) and timopheevi(AtAtBtBt) tetraploid complexes. Anther length of T. dicoccoides(2.8 mm) and T. araraticum(3.0 mm) is mid‐way between that of T. boeoticum(3.6) and T. urartu(2.2) and the same as that of the sterile hybrid T. boeoticumX T. urartu.With respect to mode of dehiscence, post anthesis reflexion of anther lobes and twisting of the anthers, T. dicoccoidesresembles T. boeoticum, whereas T. araraticumresembles T. urartu.With respect to anther apex, T. dicoccoidesresembles neither T. boeoticumnor T. urartubut is identical with their F1hybrid. Among amphiploids involving four different Aegilopsspecies and T. boeoticumlines, none could similarly account for the length or other diagnostic attributes of the tetraploid anthers. Anther morphology is consistent with the presumed genomic composition of the cultivated tetraploid and hexaploid wheats and seems to distinguish effectively the different genomic groups of the genus Triticum.