The development of highly responsive, ultrathin, and cost-effective 0D-2D nanocomposite photodetectors, in which light absorption and carrier transportation may be realized separately and independently, has garnered considerable attention. In the present work, we demonstrate the fabrication of atomically thin UV photodetectors based on a hybrid structure (0D-2D) of semiconducting WS2 quantum dots (0D) with graphene (2D) on SiO2/Si substrate. Graphene and WS2 quantum dots (WS2-QDs) are synthesized through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and hydrothermal processes, respectively. The proposed photodetector offers a remarkable response to ultraviolet (UV) light of ∼365 nm, owing to the high absorption efficiency of WS2-QDs and excellent charge mobility of graphene. The photodetector exhibits high responsivity of ∼1814 A W–1 under illumination of UV light (365 nm, power density of 50.74 μW cm–2) and a high photodetectivity of ∼7.47 × 1012 Jones (cm Hz1/2 W–1). The photodetector fabricated in this work shows a fast photoresponse time of ∼2 s (rise time) and ∼2.9 s (fall time). We have also elucidated the working principle of the proposed photodetector. Outcomes of the present work are comparable or better than other results available in the literature. Our findings suggest that this nanocomposite structure of WS2-QDs with graphene sheets is a prospective candidate for high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Inheritance of resistance to Fusarium wilt (FW) disease caused by Fusarium udum was investigated in pigeonpea using four different long duration FW resistant genotypes viz., BDN-2004-1, BDN-2001-9, BWR-133 and IPA-234. Based on the F2 segregation pattern, FW resistance has been reported to be governed by one dominant gene in BDN-2004-1 and BDN-2001-9, two duplicate dominant genes in BWR-133 and two dominant complimentary genes in resistance source IPA-234. Further, the efficacy of six simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers namely, ASSR-1, ASSR-23, ASSR-148, ASSR-229, ASSR-363 and ASSR-366 reported to be associated with FW resistance were also tested and concluded that markers ASSR-1, ASSR-23, ASSR-148 will be used for screening of parental genotypes in pigeonpea FW resistance breeding programs. The information on genetics of FW resistance generated from this study would be used, to introgress FW resistance into susceptible but highly adopted cultivars through marker-assisted backcross breeding and in conventional breeding programs.

Viral infections are becoming the foremost driver of morbidity, mortality and economic loss all around the world. Treatment for diseases associated to some deadly viruses are challenging tasks, due to lack of infrastructure, finance and availability of rapid, accurate and easy-to-use detection methods or devices. The emergence of biosensors has proven to be a success in the field of diagnosis to overcome the challenges associated with traditional methods. Furthermore, the incorporation of aptamers as bio-recognition elements in the design of biosensors has paved a way towards rapid, cost-effective, and specific detection devices which are insensitive to changes in the environment. In the last decade, aptamers have emerged to be suitable and efficient biorecognition elements for the detection of different kinds of analytes, such as metal ions, small and macro molecules, and even cells. The signal generation in the detection process depends on different parameters; one such parameter is whether the labelled molecule is incorporated or not for monitoring the sensing process. Based on the labelling, biosensors are classified as label or label-free; both have their significant advantages and disadvantages. Here, we have primarily reviewed the advantages for using aptamers in the transduction system of sensing devices. Furthermore, the labelled and label-free opto-electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of various kinds of viruses have been discussed. Moreover, numerous globally developed aptasensors for the sensing of different types of viruses have been illustrated and explained in tabulated form.

Silk is a fibrous protein, has been a part of human lives for centuries, and was used as suture and textile material. Silk is mainly produced by the members of certain arthropods such as spiders, butterflies, mites, and moths. However, recent technological advances have revolutionized silk as a biomaterial for various applications ranging from heat sensors to robust fibers. The biocompatibility, mechanical resilience, and biodegradability of the material make it a suitable candidate for biomaterials. Silk can also be easily converted into several morphological forms, including fibers, films, sponges, and hydrogels. Provided these abilities, silk have received excellent traction from scientists worldwide for various developments, one of them being its use as a bio-sensor. The diversity of silk materials offers various options, giving scientists the freedom to choose from and personalize them as per their needs. In this review, we foremost look upon the composition, production, properties, and various morphologies of silk. The numerous applications of silk and its derivatives for fabricating biosensors to detect small molecules, macromolecules, and cells have been explored comprehensively. Also, the data from various globally developed sensors using silk have been described into organized tables for each category of molecules, along with their important analytical details.

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