• Transmission:
  • Xoo infection causes huge yield losses to rice cultivation throughout the world.
  • Xoo infection initiates from the leaf sheath and eventually spreads to mature leaves through the water flow under optimum temperature and high humidity conditions (Vascular disease).
  • Since rice paddies are flooded throughout most of the growing season, Xoo may easily spread among crops; bacteria travel through the water from infected plants to the roots and leaves of neighbouring rice plants.
  • Wind may also help spread the Xoo bacteria to other crops and rice paddies.
• Impact on Other Crops:
  • In addition to rice, Xoo may infect other plants, such as rice cut-grass (Leersia oryzoides), Chinese sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis), and common grasses and weeds.
• Prevention:
  • The most-common method of defending against rice bacterial blight is the cultivation of rice varieties with genes that confer resistance to Xoo infection.
    • Over 30 resistance genes, termed Xa1 to Xa33, have been identified in rice plants, and some, such as Xa21, have been integrated into the genomes of commercial rice strains.
  • However, this method involves breeding or gene manipulation techniques that are laborious and time-consuming.
  • Also, the introduced resistance genes provide only race-specific resistance that will prevent infections by only specific strains of Xoo.
• New Approach:
  • Scientists from Centre for Plant Molecular Biology (CPMB), Osmania University, Hyderabad are working to identify and develop few molecules which are derived either from the Xoo bacterium or from the infected rice cell walls.
  • Treatment of rice with cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme secreted by Xoo induces rice immune responses and protects rice from subsequent infections by Xoo.
    • The cellulase protein has the features of a typical vaccine as it is a potent elicitor of rice immune responses.

The Leader of Opposition is the leader of the largest party in the house, with at least one-tenth of the total number of seats. The Salaries and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act of 1977 define it as a legislative position. According to the Parliament Rules Act of 1977, the Chairman/Speaker of the House recognizes the Leader of the Opposition Party in the House with the biggest numerical strength. Because the Lok Sabha has a total of 545 members, any party with 55 members can be elected, as long as the speaker/chairman recognizes them as such.  

Origin

• The first Speaker of the Lok Sabha was G V Mavalankar. Mavalankar's rule, which he devised to recognize the leader of the opposition in the house, has become well-known.
• Under Mavalankar's rule, the single largest opposition party must have at least 10% of the House's total strength (55 as per the current strength) in order for its leader to be designated as Leader of Opposition.
• Recently A National Political Party has announced that it would not run for the role of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament because it lacks the required number of members.
• After the majority, the second largest party in the parliament has only 52 members, three short of the required number

The tasks of the Leader of the Opposition include:

• chairing meetings in which the opposition discusses policies and examines bills
• presenting alternative policies to those of the government
• selecting members of the opposition to be shadow ministers
• leading the shadow Cabinet
• acting as the chief opposition spokesperson
• leading the opposition in a federal election.

Significance

• It is also said that the Leader of Opposition is called the ‘Shadow Prime Minister’. The Leader should be ready to take over if the government falls in any adverse circumstance.
• In case of a vacant position of such Leader of the Opposition, It will weaken India as the Opposition will not be able to put up a unified front against the ruling party.
• The leader of the opposition plays an important role in bringing cohesiveness and effectiveness to the opposition's functioning in policy and legislative work.
• It also helps in bringing neutrality to the appointments of institutions of accountability and transparency such as CVC, CBI, Lokpal, CIC, etc.
• The other role of the leader of the Opposition is to watch for the violation of the rights of minorities. They can also demand debates on such crucial issues, when the government is trying to slide away without parliamentary criticism.
• The Public Accounts Committee is there whose chairmen are is Leader of the Opposition to check the expenditure of the ruling party.

Selection procedure

• The procedure for recognizing the leader of the opposition is well laid down.
• On a request being made by the numerically largest party in the opposition, its designated leader be recognized as the leader of the opposition.
• After the request is examined by her or his secretariat, the speaker/chairman accords recognition to that person.

Under India’s almost unique system of state, the Leader of an Opposition features very special responsibility towards the Parliament and to the state. During circumstances like foreign danger or also in matters affecting the security and safety of the realms the Leader of the Opposition plays an vital role in the ruling Government. While he remains a critic he must during a sense be, a partner and even a buttress of the Govt to which he is opposed. This dual responsibility he must discharge with fidelity.