A tissue culture technique for rapid clonal propagation and storage under minimal growth conditions is presented in this paper. Shoot-tip cultures of Musa cultivars (both banana and plantain) are induced by culturing small excised shoot apices on modified MS semisolid medium supplemented with various concentrations and combinations of auxins and cytokinins. The effects of cytokinin concentration in the medium as well as the genotypic configuration of the cultivars on the rate of shoot-bud proliferation have been tested. The established shoot-tip cultures grown on modified MS semisolid medium supplemented with IAA (0.18 mg/l) and BA (2.30 mg/l) have been successfully stored at 15°C with 1000 lux light intensity up to 13-17 months depending on the cultivar. The cultivars tested in the present investigation seem to vary in their ability to withstand minimal growth temperature.

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Salicylic acid (SA) applied as 10 mM foliar spray to okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) cv. Purbani Kranti and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cv. Pusa Ruby plants 24 h before inoculation of roots with Meloidogyne incognita juveniles, reduced infestation. Salicylic acid had no direct influence on plant growth and did not kill nematodes in an in vitro test. It induced increased accumulation of a 14 kDa pathogenesis-related protein (PR-1) in roots of both non-inoculated and inoculated salicylic acid-sprayed okra but not in the treated leaves. Salicylic acid sprays enhanced phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity in roots of both non-inoculated and inoculated cowpea, estimated at 15 days after inoculation. Infected roots had higher PAL activity than roots of the corresponding non-inoculated treatments. Both PAL activity and SA-induced resistance gradually declined with plant age after treatment.

An efficient method of mass propagation of Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl. was developed using a shoot-tip culture system. Both direct and callus-mediated formation of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) occurred from the basal cut surface of explants. Frequency of callusing was best in the presence of 2 mM thidiazuron (TDZ) or N 6 -benzylaminopurine (BAP). The callus exhibited complete hormone autonomy for growth and differentiation of PLBs and was maintained for 18 months without any exogenous growth regulators, an aspect important for minimising somaclonal variation. However, the rate of callus growth and PLB formation varied with application of cytokinin and auxin. In addition, the callus exhibited a differential sensitivity to the exogenous cytokinins. While BAP promoted callus growth and PLB differentiation, TDZ was inhibitory to callus mediated PLB formation and caused extensive necrosis of callus. Although a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) had no significant effect on the induction of callus, subsequent growth was best in its presence. Using a 3-month subculture period, a 69-fold increase in callus weight was achieved with 0.5 mM NAA, while as many as 133 PLBs could be obtained per 100 mg callus in the presence of 1 mM NAA. For direct PLB formation, the optimum cytokinin dosage was dependent upon the type of cytokinin used. While TDZ was most effective at a concentration of 1 mM (15 PLBs per explant), for similar PLB yield the application of 8 mM BAP was essential.

Isolated renal mucormycosis in immunocompetent hosts is a rare entity. We present the largest case series of isolated renal mucormycosis in immunocompetent hosts. Retrospective data of isolated renal mucormycosis from March 2012 to June 2017 was reviewed. Fifteen patients of isolated renal mucormycosis were identified. Contrastenhanced computed tomography scan showed enlarged globular kidneys with decreased or patchy enhancement, perinephric stranding and thickened Gerota's fascia in all patients. Ten patients with unilateral involvement underwent nephrectomy and two of four patients with bilateral renal mucormycosis underwent bilateral nephrectomy. Two patients were managed with intravenous antifungal therapy alone. Overall, the mortality rate in our series was 40% (6/15). Isolated renal mucormycosis in healthy immunocompetent hosts is an emerging new entity. Prompt diagnosis based on the characteristic clinical and radiological picture and starting high-dose antifungal therapy at least 24 hours before surgical debridement offer the best chance of survival in these patients.