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An efficient, one step and genotype independent protocol of shoot organogenesis was developed from leaf and internodal explants taken from microshoots of different cultivars of potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.). Initially, microshoots were cultured on basal Murashige and Skoog medium additionally supplemented with 10 µM AgNO 3 (MS1 medium) to achieve healthy shoot growth required to get the quality explants. Shoot organogenesis was induced from both types of explants (leaf and internodal) on MS1 medium variously supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ). Maximum explants were induced shoot organogenesis on MS1 medium supplemented with 10 µM BA and 15.0 µM GA 3 from both the cultivars namely 'Kufri Chipsona 1' and 'Kufri Pukhraj'. Among the types of explants used, better response was observed from internodal segments as compared to leafs. This optimized medium combination was found to be equally effective for all the eight cultivars tested namely 'Kufri Pukhraj', 'Kufri Chipsona 1', 'Kufri Chipsona 2', 'Kufri Jyoti', 'Kufri Surya', 'Kufri Chandramukhi', 'Kufri Khyati' and 'Desiree'. The clonal uniformity of the regenerated shoots was confirmed using random amplified polymorphic DNA and inter-simple sequence repeats markers.

Microbial carbonate precipitation has emerged as a promising technology for remediation and restoration of concrete structures. Deterioration of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments is a major concern due to chloride-induced corrosion. In the current study, halophilic bacteria Exiguobacterium mexicanum was isolated from sea water and tested for biomineralization potential under different salt stress conditions. The growth, urease and carbonic anhydrase production significantly increased under salt stress conditions. Maximum calcium carbonate precipitation was recorded at 5 % NaCl concentration. Application of E. mexicanum on concrete specimens significantly increased the compressive strength (23.5 %) and reduced water absorption about five times under 5 % salt stress conditions compared to control specimens. SEM and XRD analysis of bacterial-treated concrete specimens confirmed the precipitation of calcite. The present study results support the potential of this technology for improving the strength and durability properties of building structures in marine environments.

Bacoside A, a major active principle of Bacopa monnieri known for its cognitive effects is a mixture of saponins like bacoside A3, bacopaside II, isomer of bacopasaponin C and bacopasaponin C. Seasonal changes in biomass and bacoside A levels in fourteen accessions of B. monnieri were evaluated after maintaining these at a common site at Thapar University campus, Patiala (30°19'36.12″N and 76°24'1.08″E) for 1 year. Harvestable biomass and total bacoside A contents varied significantly between the accessions and also in a particular accession during different seasons of the year. The maximum dry weight of plant (biomass 1.64 g) and bacoside A levels (6.82 mg/plant) were recorded in accession BM1. Harvestable biomass was highest during summer in accessions BM1 and BM7 (FW 4.2 g/plant), whereas bacoside A levels were also highest during summer and in accession BM1 (6.82 mg/plant). The lowest bacoside A level (0.06 mg/plant) was recorded in accession BM14 during winter. Principal component analysis showed that samples of summer were positively correlated with both the components suggesting an appropriate time for the harvest.

The present research focused on 2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TeCP) mineralizing bacterium from the sludge of pulp and paper industry and identified as Pseudomonas sp. CL7 by 16s rRNA gene sequences analysis. This isolate degraded 2,3,4,6-TeCP as indicated by stoichiometric release of chloride and biomass formation. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that Pseudomonas sp. (CL7) was able to mineralize a higher concentration of 2,3,4,6-TeCP (600 mg/l or 2.5 mM) than any previously reported 2,3,4,6-TeCP degrading bacteria. As the concentration of 2,3,4,6-TeCP increased from 50 (0.21 mM) to 600 mg/l (2.5 mM), the reduction in the cell growth was observed and the 2,3,4,6-TeCP degradation was more than 85% in all the concentrations in the present study. CL7 was able to remove 100% of 2,3,4,6-TeCP from the sludge (in Vitro condition) when supplemented with 100 mg/l (0.42 mM) of 2,3,4,6-TeCP and grown for two weeks. This study showed that CL7 can be used for bioremediation of 2,3,4,6-TeCP.

Different endophytic fungi isolated from Himalayan Yew plants were tested for their ability to produce taxol. The BAPT gene (C-13 phenylpropanoid side chain-CoA acetyl transferase) involved in the taxol biosynthetic pathway was used as a molecular marker to screen taxol-producing endophytic fungi. Taxol extracted from fungal strain TBPJ-B was identified by HPLC and MS analysis. Strain TBPJ-B was identified as Fusarium redolens based on the morphology and internal transcribed spacer region of nrDNA analysis. HPLC quantification of fungal taxol showed that F. redolens was capable of producing 66 μg/l of taxol in fermentation broth. The antitumour activity of the fungal taxol was tested by potato disc tumor induction assay using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as the tumor induction agent. The present study results showed that PCR amplification of genes involved in taxol biosynthesis is an efficient and reliable method for prescreening taxol-producing fungi. We are reporting for the first time the production of taxol by F. redolens from Taxus baccata L. subsp. wallichiana (Zucc.) Pilger. This study offers important information and a new source for the production of the important anticancer drug taxol by endophytic fungus fermentation.

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) is a naturally occurring biological process that has various applications in remediation and restoration of a range of building materials. In the present investigation, five ureolytic bacterial isolates capable of inducing calcium carbonate precipitation were isolated from calcareous soils on the basis of production of urease, carbonic anhydrase, extrapolymeric substances, and biofilm. Bacterial isolates were identified as Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, B. subtilis, and Lysinibacillus fusiformis based on 16S rRNA analysis. The calcium carbonate polymorphs produced by various bacterial isolates were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, X ray diffraction, and Fourier transmission infra red spectroscopy. A strainspecific precipitation of calcium carbonate forms was observed from different bacterial isolates. Based on the type of polymorph precipitated, the technology of MICCP can be applied for remediation of various building materials.

Two bacterial strains designated as CT2 and CT5 were isolated from highly alkaline cement samples using the enrichment culture technique. On the basis of various physiological tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, the bacteria were identified as Bacillus species. The urease production was 575.87 U/ml and 670.71 U/ml for CT2 and CT5 respectively. Calcite constituted 27.6% and 31% of the total weight of sand samples plugged by CT2 and CT5, respectively. Scanning electron micrography (SEM) analysis revealed the direct involvement of these isolates in calcite precipitation. This is the first report of the isolation and identification of Bacillus species from cement. Based on the ability of these bacteria to tolerate extreme environment of cement, they have potential to be used in remediating the cracks and fissures in various building or concrete structures.

Pisolithus is cosmopolitan in both tropical and temperate regions and forms ectomycorrhizal associations with a wide range of woody plants. Pisolithus indicus, a new species associated with Vateria indica (Dipterocarpaceae) is reported in this study from a dipterocarp native forest in the Western Ghats in India, using both morphological and molecular tools. The length of ITS1 and ITS2 regions of the present collection differed with other sequences of Pisolithus available in the databases. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this species did not show significant homology with existing Pisolithus sequences reported previously and formed a separate branch linking with another Pisolithus isolate from dipterocarps. Molecular and morphological evidence showed that P. indicus is a new species associated with dipterocarps in India.