Identification of concurrent genomic regions contributing tolerance to salinity at the seedling and reproductive stages were done using 45 quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping studies reporting 915 individual QTLs. The QTL-data were used to perform a meta-analysis to predict, validate and analyze the Meta-QTLs governing component traits contributing to salinity tolerance. We predicted a total of 65 and 49 Meta-QTLs distributed across the genome governing seedling and reproductive stage salinity tolerance, respectively. Salinity stress (EC ~10.0 dSm À1 ) was evaluated in a set of 32 genotypes grown hydroponically, from these eight extreme (highly tolerant and highly susceptible) genotypes were selected for validation of significant Meta-QTLs.Another set of eight previously known and reported (highly tolerant and highly susceptible) genotypes were evaluated under saline micro plot conditions (EC ~8.0 dSm À1 ) and used for validation of significant Meta-QTLs for reproductive stage salinity tolerance. The microsatellite marker "RM5635" linked to MSQTL4.2 (~295.43 kb) was able to clearly differentiate contrasting genotypes for seedling stage salinity tolerance, whereas at the reproductive stage, none of the markers were able to validate the predicted Meta-QTL for salinity tolerance. Earlier reported, gene expression studies were used for candidate gene analysis of validated MSQTL4.2, which indicated the down regulation of Os04g0423100, a gene encoding Monooxygenase-FAD binding domain containing protein. The traits associated with this Meta-QTL were root and shoot sodium and potassium concentration and leaf chlorophyll content. The identified and validated genomic region assumes a great significant role in seedling stage salinity tolerance in rice, and it can be used for marker-assisted backcross breeding programs.

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Background Gardenia gummifera L.f. (Family: Rubeacea) is used in indigenous system of medicine to cure many diseases. To authenticate the traditional medicinal claim investigation has been under taken to evaluate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of Gardenia gummifera L.f. fruit methanol extract (GFME). Method GFME was evaluated using various antioxidant assays, including DPPH and Nitric oxide radical scavenging assays. The protective effects of GFME were studied in carbon tetrachloride reduced biochemical markers of hepatic injury such as serum glutamyl oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamyl pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB) and direct bilirubin (DB) and in silico studies were carried out to screen the GFME phytocompounds. Results The extract showed significant antioxidant activity in DPPH and Nitric oxide radical scavenging with IC50 value of 131.11 and 175.95 respectively. Quantitative phytochemical assay determines the presence of alkaloids 69.1 μg/1 mg and phenolics 76.5 μg/1 mg. GC-MS analysis of aromatic extract resulted in 36 compounds. Among them, compounds 2, 3-Dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4 h-pyran-4-one, 2-furancarboxaldehyde 5-(hydroxymethyl) and Quinic acid are the major ones. The fruit methanol extract showed significant in vivo hepatoprotective activity by altering the levels of liver function biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT, ALP, TP, TB and DB. Histology of the liver section also confirms the hepatoprotective activity of GFME. Molecular docking of GC-MS profiled phytocompounds with the target protein TGF-β1and PPARα also confirmed the therapeutic effect with good hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Conclusion Thus the present study clearly strengthened the traditional medicinal claim of the plant Gardenia gummifera L.f. possessing the hepatoprotective drug.

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