A study addressing to biochemical and molecular characterization of nineteen pea genotypes was conducted during rabi – 2012. Study on starch structure indicated that all the field pea genotypes showed simple grains, whereas all the vegetable pea genotypes had compound grains, which looked irregularly star- shaped, indicating the importance of starch structure to distinguish the vegetable pea from the field pea. Out of 26 primer pairs, 10 exhibited different levels of polymorphism amongst the nineteen pea genotypes. A total of fourty-eight allelic variants were detected among them with an average of 4.8 alleles per locus. Cluster analysis grouped all the nineteen genotypes into two broad clusters. The large range of similarity coefficient revealed by SSR markers provided greater confidence for the assessment of genetic divergence and interrelationship among the predicted two groups of field and vegetable peas. A perusal of similarity coefficients clearly reflected that a very high degree of similarity exists between pea genotypes VRP-9 and FP9-552, whereas FP9-557 and HBG found more diverse, may be used in breeding programme to generate the more recombinants.

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Eleven chickpea varieties were screened for their biochemical resistance to the pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis L.), a serious pest of the stored pulses. The varieties were found to arrest the growth and development of C. chinensis, at grub stages which were indicated by different parameters viz., oviposition, adult emergence, weight loss, developmental period and growth index. Among the various biochemical analyzed, high growth index was observed in the varieties PKG 2 (0.61), BG 1003 (0.62), BG 1053 (0.62) and PKG 1 (0.71). Low growth index recorded in PG 3 (0.52), BGM 547 and PG 186 (0.56) may be attributed to low phenol and tannin content. Similarly the varieties PKG 1, BG 1003 and BG 1053 with less phenol, flavonoids and tannin content recorded more growth index as compared to moderate resistance varieties PG 4, PBG 1 and PG 114 PBG 1, BGM 547 and PG 114 were found to be moderately resistant and PKG 1, PKG 2, BG 1053 and BG 1003 as highly susceptible, shows the major role of trypsin inhibitor in protein resistance to C. chinensis. The highest protease activity inhibition acts as antimetabolites to C. chinensis, inhibit to the feeding of grubs as result higher trypsin content varieties showed relative resistance. The correlation between different antinutritional factors and growth index of the grub also showed a negative relationship.

Among the plant pathogens, around 85% of diseases in plants are caused by fungi. Rapid and accurate detection of fungal phytopathogens up to the species level is crucial for the implementation of proper disease control strategies, which were previously relied on conventional approaches. The conventional identification methods have been replaced by many rapid and accurate methods like high throughput sequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological and spectroscopic technique. Among these rapid pathogen detection techniques, spectroscopy is a rapid, cost-effective, non-destructive method and does not require sample preparation. Nowadays, visible, infrared and near-infrared rays are commonly employed for pathogen detection. Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Biocontrol fungus-like Trichoderma spp. can be detected with the help of MALDI-TOF MS. Fluorescence spectroscopy used fluorescence emanating from the sample and successfully used in the detection of powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis). Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced approach which uses artificial intelligence in plant disease detection. This literature discusses briefly about the features of above-mentioned spectroscopy techniques which may impel the general understanding and propel the research activities.

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