International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN:2319-7692(Print), ISSN:2319-7706(Online) is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal with reputable academics and experts as members of its Editorial Board. The Current Microbiology aims to publish all the latest and outstanding research articles. Review and letters in all areas of major importance to techniques of microbiology and applied research with publishes high quality of review and research articles on novel aspects of Microbiology including Environmental, Food, Agricultural, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Veterinary, Soil, Water and Biodeterioration.

Drought stress severely affects plant growth and development, causing significant yield loss in rice. This study demonstrates the relevance of water use efficiency with deeper rooting along with other root traits and gas exchange parameters. Forty-nine rice genotypes were evaluated in the basket method to examine leaf-level water use efficiency (WUEi) variation and its relation to root traits. Significant variation in WUEi was observed (from 2.29 to 7.39 µmol CO₂ mmol⁻¹ H₂O) under drought stress. Regression analysis revealed that high WUEi was associated with higher biomass accumulation, low transpiration rate, and deep rooting ratio. The ratio of deep rooting was also associated with low internal CO₂ concentration. The association of deep rooting with lower root number and root dry weight suggests that an ideal drought-tolerant genotype with higher water use efficiency should have deeper rooting (>30% RDR) with moderate root number and root dry weight to be sustained under drought for a longer period. The study also revealed that, under drought stress conditions, landraces are more water-use efficient with superior root traits than improved genotypes.

Generation mean analysis was carried out using two crosses, involving a high yielding drought susceptible variety NDR 359 and drought tolerant rainfed cultivars Nagina 22 and Vandana. Six generations namely P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂ were grown under both rainfed and irrigated environment to study the gene action for various yield and drought tolerance traits. Scaling test revealed the presence of epistasis for most of the yield and drought tolerance traits in both the crosses. Hence, six parameter model was adopted for these traits and for few traits where epistasis was absent, three parameter model was used. The results revealed that dominance gene effect along with non-allelic interactions had profound effect on the genetic control of majority of the yield traits. Therefore, early generation selection will be misleading for these traits. However, the drought tolerance related traits like proline content and stomatal conductance were governed by additive component as well. Duplicate epistasis was observed for majority of the traits. Hence, present study indicates that, epistasis has a key role in the expression of almost all the traits in both the environment.

The present study floral biology and ancillary characteristics of Bambara groundnut used SB-42, Uniswa Red, S-165-A, S-193 and nine isolated gamma irradiated stabilized mutants of SB-42 for this investigation. Mutant 11 produced significantly maximum number of pods per plant (46.05 g/ plant) and seed yield per plant (28.96 g/plant), compared to control SB-42 (40.85 g/plant, 20.54 g/plant) respectively. Results obtained from flower biology studies were, Inflorescence- Simple Racemes, Flower- Bracteates, Zygomorphic, Hermaphrodite, Pedicellate, hypogynous, Calyx- sepal 5, gamosepalous, valvate aestivation, Corolla- petals 5, Polypetalous, Papilionaceous with a standard (vexilum/banner) petal, 2 wing petals(Alae) and 2 keel petals (Carinea), Androecium- stamens 10, Didelphous condition (9+1), Gynoecium- Ovary superior, Floral formula- Br Brl % K(5) C1+ 2 + (2) A 9+1 G (1).

Brinjal, commonly called as aubergine or eggplant need to have drought tolerant cultivars. Present investigation was carried out to identify the effect of moisture stress on key physiological traits and to identify the drought tolerant cultivars. Sixty five genotypes were transplanted after 30 days of sowing in three replications for moisture stress and normal conditions in pots having two plants per pot. The observations on plant height, root length, root: shoot ratio, SPAD chlorophyll reading, relative water content and membrane stability index were recorded in both moisture stress and non-stress plants. Change in percent mean under moisture stress conditions compared to non-stress conditions was computed and found that plant height, root length and relative water content was reduced by 30.86, 21.23 and 46.85 percent respectively, whereas root: shoot ratio, membrane stability index and SPAD chlorophyll Reading were increased by 10.19, 4.13 and 14.98 percent respectively in moisture stress condition compared to non-stress condition. Among the 65 genotypes, Pusa Shaymala, IIHR-7, IIHR-322, R-2585, L-3268, Pusa Purple Long, Annamalai, Long Green, Jawahar Brinjal-69, Jawahar Brinjal- 64, Pusa Upkar, Early Round, Swarna Shyamali, Arka Shirish and Raidurga Green Round were found to be moisture stress tolerant cultivars.

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN:2319-7692(Print), ISSN:2319-7706(Online) is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal with reputable academics and experts as members of its Editorial Board. The Current Microbiology aims to publish all the latest and outstanding research articles. Review and letters in all areas of major importance to techniques of microbiology and applied research with publishes high quality of review and research articles on novel aspects of Microbiology including Environmental, Food, Agricultural, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Veterinary, Soil, Water and Biodeterioration.