Browsing by Author "Achuit Kumar Singh"

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Biotechnological Interventions in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) for Drought Stress Tolerance: Achievements and Future Prospects
(MDPI, 2022) Ram Krishna; Waquar Akhter Ansari; P.S. Soumia; Akhilesh Yadav; Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal; Sudhir Kumar; Achuit Kumar Singh; Major Singh; Jay Prakash Verma
Tomato production is severely affected by abiotic stresses (drought, flood, heat, and salt) and causes approximately 70% loss in yield depending on severity and duration of the stress. Drought is the most destructive abiotic stress and tomato is very sensitive to the drought stress, as cultivated tomato lack novel gene(s) for drought stress tolerance. Only 20% of agricultural land worldwide is irrigated, and only 14.51% of that is well-irrigated, while the rest is rain fed. This scenario makes drought very frequent, which restricts the genetically predetermined yield. Primarily, drought disturbs tomato plant physiology by altering plant–water relation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Many wild tomato species have drought tolerance gene(s); however, their exploitation is very difficult because of high genetic distance and pre- and post-transcriptional barriers for embryo development. To overcome these issues, biotechnological methods, including transgenic technology and CRISPR-Cas, are used to enhance drought tolerance in tomato. Transgenic technology permitted the exploitation of non-host gene/s. On the other hand, CRISPR-Cas9 technology facilitated the editing of host tomato gene(s) for drought stress tolerance. The present review provides updated information on biotechnological intervention in tomato for drought stress management and sustainable agriculture. © 2022 by the authors.
Co-overexpression of AtDREB1A and BcZAT12 increases drought tolerance and fruit production in double transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants
(Elsevier B.V., 2021) Ram Krishna; Waquar Akhter Ansari; Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal; Achuit Kumar Singh; Jay Prakash Verma; Major Singh
Drought is the major problem in agricultural production due to loss of moisture content in soil as well as climate variations. Our main aim is to enhance drought tolerance and yield potential in the present study pyramided Arabidopsis thaliana Dehydration Responsive Element Binding1A (AtDREB1A) and Brasica caranata Zinc finger proteins (BcZAT12) transcription factor genes driven by ectopic promoter rd29 A of Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica carinata lea1, respectively. Co-overexpression of both the genes provides tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses but the AtDREB1A overexpression has been reported to cause retarded growth and dwarf phenotype; however BcZAT12 overexpressing transgenic plants does not show retarded growth and dwarf phenotype. Co-overexpressing of AtDREB1A and BcZAT12 in five (DZ1-DZ5) double transgenic (DT) tomato lines has been observed under 0, 07, 14 and 21 Days of Water Deficit (DWD). The DT plants showed enhanced drought tolerance and yield potential than single transgenic (ST) and non transgenic (NT) plants. Furthermore, AtDREB1A and BcZAT12 co-overexpressed plants showed reduced level of electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide and membrane lipid peroxidation and elevated level of relative water content (RWC), proline, chlorophyll color index (CCI) and photosynthetic efficiency as compared to ST and NT. The plant growth and yield attributes were improved by the co-overexpression of AtDREB1A and BcZAT12 in DT plants. The transcript analysis showed the increased level of DREB1A, ZAT12 and P5CS genes expression which were higher in DT tomato plants, and indicate that both the genes induce together in the DT plants. The present study which is first report of co-overexpressing AtDREB1A and BcZAT12 in tomato will provide a base for genetic engineering in plants through the multigenic transgenic approach to cope against various biotic and abiotic stresses. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
Impact of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganism (PGPM) Consortium on Biochemical Properties and Yields of Tomato Under Drought Stress
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024) Ram Krishna; Waquar Akhter Ansari; Mohammad Altaf; Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal; Sudhakar Pandey; Achuit Kumar Singh; Sudhir Kumar; Jay Prakash Verma
Drought is the most important abiotic stress that restricts the genetically predetermined yield potential of the crops. In the present study, four tomato varieties: Kashi Vishesh, Kashi Aman, Kashi Abhiman, and Kashi Amrit, were used to study the effect of PGPMs (plant growth-promoting microorganisms). PGPM strains, Bacillus megaterium BHUPSB14, Pseudomonas fluorescens BHUPSB06, Pseudomonas aeruginosa BHUPSB01, Pseudomonas putida BHUPSB0, Paenibacillus polymixa BHUPSB17, and Trichoderma horzianum, were used as the consortium. The control group was irrigated up to 80% of field capacity, while 7-, 14-, and 21-day water-deficit-exposed (DWD) plants’ pot soil moisture was maintained to 40, 25, and 15% of the field capacity, both with and without the PGPM inoculation condition. The physiological parameters, such as electrolyte leakage, relative water content, photosynthetic efficiency, and chlorophyll color index, were significantly improved by PGPM application under progressive drought stress, compared to the control. PGPM application enhanced the proline accumulation and reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation under drought stress. The plant growth attributes were significantly increased by PGPM application. The Kashi Amrit variety showed the highest fruit yield among the four varieties under all the treatments. The PGPM consortium application also improved the soil physico-biological properties and nutrient availability in the soil. The PGPM consortium used in this study can potentially mitigate drought stress on tomato in drought-prone regions and act as a biofertilizer. The present study will open a new avenue of drought stress management in tomato. © 2024 by the authors.
Overexpression of AtDREB1 and BcZAT12 genes confers drought tolerance by reducing oxidative stress in double transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Ram Krishna; Waquar Akhter Ansari; Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal; Achuit Kumar Singh; Ram Prasad; Jay Prakash Verma; Major Singh
Key message: Double transgenic tomato developed byAtDREB1AandBcZAT12genes pyramiding showed significant drought tolerance by reducing oxidative stress with enhanced yield. Abstract: Although a large number of efforts have been made by different researchers to develop abiotic stress tolerance tomato for improving yield using single gene, however, no reports are available which targets AtDREB1 and BcZAT12 genes together. Hence, in the present study, double transgenic plants were developed using AtDREB1 and BcZAT12 genes to improve yield potential with better drought tolerance. Double transgenic (DZ1–DZ5) tomato lines showed enhanced drought tolerance than their counterpart non-transgenic and single transgenic plants at 0, 07, 14, and 21 days of water deficit, respectively. Double transgenic plants showed increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, like catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and accumulation of non-enzymatic antioxidants like ascorbic acid, glutathione as compared to non-transgenic and single transgenic. Additionally, the transcript analysis of antioxidant enzymes revealed the increased level of gene expression in double transgenic tomato lines. Developed double-transgenic tomato plants co-over-expressing both genes exhibited more enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidative activities as compared to the non-transgenic and single transgenic control, respectively. This is the preliminary report in tomato, which forms the basis for a multigene transgenic approach to cope with drought stress. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Plant Secondary Metabolites as Defense Tools against Herbivores for Sustainable Crop Protection
(MDPI, 2022) Pratap Adinath Divekar; Srinivasa Narayana; Bhupendra Adinath Divekar; Rajeev Kumar; Basana Gowda Gadratagi; Aishwarya Ray; Achuit Kumar Singh; Vijaya Rani; Vikas Singh; Akhilesh Kumar Singh; Amit Kumar; Rudra Pratap Singh; Radhe Shyam Meena; Tusar Kanti Behera
Plants have evolved several adaptive strategies through physiological changes in response to herbivore attacks. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are synthesized to provide defensive functions and regulate defense signaling pathways to safeguard plants against herbivores. Herbivore injury initiates complex reactions which ultimately lead to synthesis and accumulation of PSMs. The biosynthesis of these metabolites is regulated by the interplay of signaling molecules comprising phytohormones. Plant volatile metabolites are released upon herbivore attack and are capable of directly inducing or priming hormonal defense signaling pathways. Secondary metabolites enable plants to quickly detect herbivore attacks and respond in a timely way in a rapidly changing scenario of pest and environment. Several studies have suggested that the potential for adaptation and/or resistance by insect herbivores to secondary metabolites is limited. These metabolites cause direct toxicity to insect pests, stimulate antixenosis mechanisms in plants to insect herbivores, and, by recruiting herbivore natural enemies, indirectly protect the plants. Herbivores adapt to secondary metabolites by the up/down regulation of sensory genes, and sequestration or detoxification of toxic metabolites. PSMs modulate multi-trophic interactions involving host plants, herbivores, natural enemies and pollinators. Although the role of secondary metabolites in plant-pollinator interplay has been little explored, several reports suggest that both plants and pollinators are mutually benefited. Molecular insights into the regulatory proteins and genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites will pave the way for the metabolic engineering of biosynthetic pathway intermediates for improving plant tolerance to herbivores. This review throws light on the role of PSMs in modulating multi-trophic interactions, contributing to the knowledge of plant-herbivore interactions to enable their management in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Potential Microbial Consortium Mitigates Drought Stress in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Plant by Up-regulating Stress-Responsive Genes and Improving Fruit Yield and Soil Properties
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2022) Ram Krishna; Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal; Waquar Akhter Ansari; Saurabh Singh; P.S. Soumia; Achuit Kumar Singh; Babita Kumari; Major Singh; Jay Prakash Verma
The present study is conducted for the growth and yield improvement of tomato plants under drought stress by inoculation of hexa plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM). Hexa-PGPM consortium (Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, P. putida, Paenibacillus polymyxa, and Trichoderma harzianum) is inoculated to the tomato plant, and growth attributes, membrane integrity, water status, accumulation of osmolyte, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability, and the qRT-PCR analysis were performed for expression of stress-responsive DREB, APX, CAT, SOD, and P5CS under 80% and 40% moisture content of the field capacity. Soil physico-chemical and microbial properties were also evaluated. Our results revealed that under drought, hexa-PGPM consortium-inoculated plants exhibited lower cellular damage and better plant growth and yield than non-inoculated plants. Antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity decreases under drought stress condition and it increases in hexa-PGPM-inoculated plants. Simultaneously, the gene expression analysis showed up-regulation of a transcriptional activator (DREB1), osmolyte accumulators (P5CS), and ROS scavengers (CAT, SOD, APX) gene by application of hexa-PGPM consortium. Overall, the results showed that the hexa-PGPM application confers drought mitigation in tomatoes by altering different physico-biochemical and molecular parameters. In addition, the PGPM application also improved the soil’s physical, chemico-chemical, and biological properties under drought stress conditions. The present study supports the application of hexa- PGPM consortium to elevate drought tolerance, yield, and soil fertility enhancement under drought stress as a low-cost agro-biotechnology tool and environment-friendly drought management techniques in tomato crops. © 2022, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo.