Location of a high-lysine gene and the DDT-resistance gene on barley chromosome 7

Summary The high-lysine gene in Risø mutant 1508 conditions an increased lysine content in the endosperm via a changed protein composition, a decreased seed size, and several other characters of the seed. The designation lys3a, lys3b, and lys3c, is proposed for the allelic high-lysine genes in three Risø mutants, nos 1508, 18, and 19. Linkage studies with translocations locate the lys3 locus in the centromere region of chromosome 7. A linkage study involving the loci lys3 and ddt (resistance to DDT) together with the marker loci fs (fragile stem), s (short rachilla hairs), and r (smooth awn) show that the order of the five loci on chromosome 7 from the long to the short chromosome arm is r, s, fs, lys3, ddt. The distance from locus r to locus ddt is about 100 centimorgans.     

A note on the origin of Kalanchoë x vadensis Boom & Zeilinga (Crassulaceae)

Summary K x vadensis is a hybrid of K. blossfeldiana and K. marmorata obtained after doubling the number of chromosomes.     

Simultaneous Determination of Four Phenolic Acids in Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Formula Granules by QAMS

[Objectives]This study aimed to establish a QAMS(quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker)method for simultaneous determination of four phenol...     

Avoidance of leaf rust fungi in wild relatives of cultivated cereals

Summary Avoidance of rust fungi that was based on poor appressorium induction was previously found in Hordeum chilense. In the present study 95 accessions of Triticeae were screened for avoidance of Puccinia hordei. The percentage of appressorium formation per germinated spore ranged from 6 to 90%. On none of the 41 accessions of Aegilops, Agropyron, Elymus, Secale, Thinopyrum or Triticum studied was the rate of appressorium formation lower than 25%. Lower rates of appressorium formation were, however, found on accessions of wild barley species Hordeum brachyantherum, H. marinum, H. parodii and H. secalinum. Its implications in cereal breeding are discussed.     

Present status and future strategy in breeding faba beans (Vicia Faba L.) for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses

Progress is being made, mainly by ICARDA but also elsewhere, in breeding for resistance to Botrytis, AScochyta, Uromyces, and Orobanche; and some lines have resistance to more than one pathogen. The strategy is to extend multiple resistance but also to seek new and durable forms of resistance. Internationally coordinated programs are needed to maintain the momentum of this work.Tolerance of abiotic stresses leads to types suited to dry or cold environments rather than broad adaptability, but in this cross-pollinated species, the more hybrid vigor expressed by a cultivar, the more it is likely to tolerate various stresses.     

Water Extraction Process of Chinese Herbal Compound Man Gan Ning

[Objectives]To optimize the water extraction process of Chinese Herbal Compound Man Gan Ning and establish a method for its extraction and content determination...     

Mechanisms and diversity of resistance to sorghum shoot fly,Atherigona soccata

Sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata, is one of the important pests of postrainy season sorghums. Of the 90 sorghum genotypes evaluated for resistance to this pest, RHRB 12, ICSV 713, 25026, 93046 and 25027, IS 33844‐5, Giddi Maldandi and RVRT 3 exhibited resistance in postrainy season, while ICSB 463, Phule Anuradha, RHRB 19, Parbhani Moti, ICSV 705, PS 35805, IS 5480, 5622, 17726, 18368 and 34722, RVRT 1, ICSR 93031 and Dagidi Solapur showed resistance in rainy season, suggesting season‐specific expression of resistance to A. soccata. ICSB 461, ICSB 463, Phule Yasodha, M 35‐1, ICSV 700, 711, 25010, 25019 and 93089, IS 18662, Phule Vasudha, IS 18551 and 33844‐5 and Barsizoot had fewer deadhearts than plants with eggs across seasons, suggesting antibiosis as one of the resistance mechanism. Five genotypes exhibited resistance with high grain yield across seasons. Correlation, path and stepwise regression analyses indicated that leaf glossiness, seedling vigour, trichome density, oviposition and leaf sheath pigmentation were associated with the expression of resistance/susceptibility to shoot fly, and these can be used as marker traits to select and develop shoot fly‐resistant sorghums.     

Pollen and pollination experiments. III. The viability of apple and pear pollen as affected by irradiation and storage

Summary Apple and pear pollen was irradiated with doses of 0, 50, 100, 250 and 500 krad (gamma rays) and stored at 4°C and 0–10% r.h. From the in-vitro germination percentages an average LD 50 dose of about 220 krad was estimated. For both irradiated and untreated pollen a close and corresponding lineair relationship existed between germination percentage and pollen tube growth.Irradiated pollen was much more sensitive to dry storage conditions than untreated pollen, resulting in less germination and more bursting. Apparently, irradiation caused the pollen cell membrane to lose its flexibility faster than normal. Rehydration of dry-stored, irradiated pollen in water-saturated air restored germination percentages up to their initial levels. The importance of this procedure in germination trials is stressed.     

Cytoplasmic male sterility,resistance to gall mite and mildew,and season of leafing out in black currants

Summary Cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) is described in the F₁ hybrids Ribes × carrierei (R. glutinosum albidum × R. nigrum) and R. sanguineum × R. nigrum. In backcrosses to R. nigrum, progenies with R. glutinosum cytoplasm were either all male sterile, or segregated for full male fertility (F) and complete (S) and partial (I) male sterility. Ratios of F:I+S suggested that two linked genes controlled cms, F plants being dominant for one (Rf ₁) and recessive for the other (Rf ₂).Segregation for cms in relation to three linded genes, Ce (resistance to the gall mite, Cecidophyopsis ribes), Sph ₃(resistance to American gooseberry mildew, Sphaerotheca mors-uvae) and Lf ₁(one of two dominant additive genes controlling early season leafing out) indicated that Rf ₁and Rf ₂were in this linkage group. The gene order and approximate crossover values appeared to be: % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqef0uAJj3BZ9Mz0bYu% H52CGmvzYLMzaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngBPrgifHhDYfgasa% acOqpw0xe9v8qqaqFD0xXdHaVhbbf9v8qqaqFr0xc9pk0xbba9q8Wq% Ffea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8frFve9Fve9Ff0dme% aabaqaciGacaGaamqadaabaeaafaaakeaacaWGdbGaamyzamaamaaa% baGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGWaGaaiOlaiaacgdacaGG0aGaaiiiaiaacc% caaaGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaamOuaiaadAgaliaaigdakmaamaaa% baGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaaccdacaGGUaGaaiOmaiaacs% dacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaaiiiaaaacaWGsbGaamOzaSGa% aGOmaOWaaWaaaeaacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacc% cacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacccaaaGaamitaiaadAgaliaaigdakmaamaaa% baGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacc% cacaGGGaGaaiiiaiaacccacaGGGaaaaiaadofacaWGWbGaamiAaSGa% aG4maaaa!6E4D!\[Ce\underline { 0.14 } Rf1\underline { 0.24 } Rf2\underline { } Lf1\underline { } Sph3\]. Crossover values of 0.36 for Ce-Lf ₁, and 0.15 for Lf ₁-Sph ₃were estimated from the relative mean differences in season of leafing out between seedlings dominant and recessive for Ce and Sph ₃.It is suggested that competitive disadvantage of lf ₁-carrying gametes and/or zygotes at low temperatures may be implicated in the almost invariable deficit of plants dominant for the closely linked mildew resistance allele Sph ₃. Poor performance of lf ₁- (and possibly lf ₂-) carrying gametes and young zygotes during periods of low temperature at flowering might also account for the liability of some late season cultivars and selections to premature fruit drop (running off).     

Optimization of Extraction Technology and Determination of Content of Total Phenols of Leaves in Acanthopanax giraldii Harms

[Objectives] To determine the optimum extraction technology for total phenols of leaves in Acanthopanax giraldii Harms.[Methods]The single factor test and ortho...     

Reaction of tritordeum to Fusarium culmorum and Septoria nodorum

Summary Hordeum chilense is a wild barley extensively used in wide crosses in the Triticeae. It could be a valuable source of resistance to Fusarium culmorum and Septoria nodorum. Some H. chilense x Triticum spp. amphiploids, named tritordeums, were more resistant than the parental wheat line to these diseases, others were not. Average contents of ergosterol and deoxynivalenol (DON) suggested that resistance to colonization by Fusarium was the highest for Hordeum chilense, followed by tritordeum and wheat in decreasing order. In particular, the H. chilense genotypes H7 and H17 enhanced the wheat resistance to F. culmorum in its tritordeum offsprings. Resistance to S. nodorum in tritordeum was not associated with tall plant height. There is sufficient genetic variation for resistance to F. culmorum and S. nodorum among tritordeum to allow the breeding of lines combining short straw and resistance to both diseases.     

Disease resistance in protected crops and mushrooms

Summary Cultivars of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers have been bred for resistance to one or more pathogens. Some tomato and cucumber cultivars have resistance to a wide range of diseases. Resistance has been transient in many cases and a succession of cultivars with new genes or new combinations of resistance genes has been necessary to maintain control. There has been a number of notable exceptions and these have included durable resistance to such pathogens asFulvia fulva and tomato mosaic virus. With lettuce the resistance situation is complicated by the occurrence of fungicide resistant pathotypes. There are no strains ofAgaricus bisporus purposely bred for disease resistance.In protected flower crops only resistance to Fusarium wilt in carnations has been purposely bred but differences in disease resistance are apparent in cultivars of many ornamental crops. This is particularly so in chrysanthemums where there are cultivars with resistance to many of the major pathogens. Similar situations occur with other flower crops and pot plants. Cultivars of some species have not been systematically investigated for resistance.The need for genetic resistance will increase with the further reduction, in the limits on pesticide use and an increasing public awareness and importance of pesticide pollution.ADAS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Agiculture, Fisheries and Food and the Welsh Office.     

Screening techniques and sources of resistance to parasitic angiosperms

Parasitic angiosperms cause great losses in many important crops under different climatic conditions and soil types. The most widespread and important parasitic angiosperms belong to the genera Orobanche, Striga, and Cuscuta. The most important economical hosts belong to the Poaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Fabaceae. Although some resistant cultivars have been identified in several crops, great gaps exist in our knowledge of the parasites and the genetic basis of the resistance, as well as the availability of in vitro screening techniques. Screening techniques are based on reactions of the host root or foliage. In vitro or greenhouse screening methods based on the reaction of root and/or foliar tissues are usually superior to field screenings and can be used with many species. To utilize them in plant breeding, it is necessary to demonstrate a strong correlation between in vitro and field data. The correlation should be calculated for every environment in which selection is practiced. Using biochemical analysis as a screening technique has had limited success. The reason seems to be the complex host-parasite interactions which lead to germination, rhizotropism, infection, and growth of the parasite. Germination results from chemicals produced by the host. Resistance is only available in a small group of crops. Resistance has been found in cultivated, primitive and wild forms, depending on the specific host-parasite system. An additional problem is the existence of pathotypes in the parasites. Inheritance of host resistance is usually polygenic and its transfer is slow and tedious. Molecular techniques have yet to be used to locate resistance to parasitic angiosperms. While intensifying the search for genes that control resistance to specific parasitic angiosperms, the best strategy to screen for resistance is to improve the already existing in vitro or greenhouse screening techniques.     

Identification of PCR markers linked to different Or genes in sunflower

Broomrape is a parasitic plant that significantly decreases yield of sunflower. Breeding for resistance has proved to be the most efficient method for suppressing broomrape infestation in the field; however, new races of parasite constantly emerge, and new resistance genes need to be discovered and introduced into cultivated sunflower lines. The aim of this work was to test SSR markers from linkage group 3 (LG3) to investigate whether they could be used for identification of a particular Or gene. Twenty sunflower inbred lines were used, and polymorphism between the lines with various resistance genes and genetic background was investigated. The used markers revealed DNA polymorphism between the investigated lines. Strong association of markers from LG3 with Or₆, as well as Or₄ and Or₂ genes, was found. Identified markers could be used for introduction of these resistance genes into commercial sunflower lines and for establishment and identification of differential lines.     

Genetic constitution and diversity in four narrow endemic redwoods from the family Cupressaceae

The genetic constitution and diversity of four relictual redwoods are discussed in this review. These include monotypic genera of the family Cupressaceae: coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), and alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides). All four species are narrow endemics, share a number of common phenotypic traits, including red wood, and are threatened species. Fossil history suggests that the ancestors of redwoods probably originated during the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods and flourished thereafter for millions of years. Towards the end of the Tertiary period began their decline and struggle for existence that continued during the subsequent geologic upheavals and climate changes, until the survival of the present-day redwoods in the current restricted locations in the world (USA, China, and South America). Although two species, Sequoiadendron and Metasequoia, are diploids (2n = 22), and the other two are polyploids: Fitzroya a tetraploid (2n = 4x = 44), and Sequoia a hexaploid (2n = 6x = 66); they all share the same basic chromosome number x = 11. The genome size in the hexaploid Sequoia is one of the largest (31,500 MB) in the conifers, while the genome sizes of diploid Metasequoia and Sequoiadendron are about one-third (~10,000 MB) of Sequoia. Genetic diversity in the redwoods is lower than most other gymnosperms, except in Sequoia, which seems to rank near the upper quarter of the coniferous forest trees. Genomic research is sparse in the redwoods, and should be pursued for a better understanding of their genome structure, function, and adaptive genetic diversity.     

The induction in vitro of adventitious shoots in Rosa

Summary Adventitious shoots were formed on excised leaves, roots and callus of Rosa persica x xanthina and on excised leaves of R. laevigata and R. wichuraiana on culture media that included BAP and NAA as growth regulators. Shoots formed freely on freshly cultured callus of R. persica x xanthina but their production declined in successive cultures and ceased after twelve weeks. Transplantation to soil was improved by rooting plantlets in cellulose plugs in vitro and transferring plantlets to soil while still in the plugs.     

Distribution,ecology and reproductive biology of wild tomatoes and related nightshades from the Atacama Desert region of northern Chile

Over the past 20 years, several expeditions were made to northern Chile to collect populations of wild tomatoes (Solanum chilense, S. peruvianum) and allied nightshades (S. lycopersicoides, S. sitiens), and obtain information about their geographic distribution, ecology and reproductive biology. Restricted mainly to drainages of the Andean and the coastal cordillera, populations are geographically fragmented. The two nightshade species are rare and threatened by human activities. Adaptation to extreme aridity and soil salinity are evident in S. chilense and S. sitiens (the latter exhibits several xerophytic traits not seen in the tomatoes) and to low temperatures in S. lycopersicoides and S. chilense. All tested accessions are self-incompatible, with the exception of one S. peruvianum population collected at the southern limit of its distribution. Several distinguishing reproductive traits—anther color, attachment, and dehiscence, pollen size, and flower scent—suggest S. sitiens and S. lycopersicoides attract different pollinators than S. chilense and S. peruvianum. The four Solanum spp. native or endemic to Chile provide a variety of novel traits which, through hybridization and introgression with cultivated tomato, could facilitate development of improved varieties, as well as research on a variety of basic topics, including plant-pollinator interactions, abiotic stress responses, and evolution of reproductive barriers.     

The exploration of genetic resources of Portuguese cabbage and kale for resistance to several Brassica diseases

Summary Twenty three accessions of nine Portuguese cabbage and kale land races from different geographic origins were tested at the seedling stage for resistance to several important brassica diseases. Resistance to downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica), expressed as necrosis of the cotyledon mesophyll, was found in all the accessions. Type A resistance to cabbage yellows (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans race 1) was present in most of the landraces. Resistance to clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae race 6) was found in one accession of the Portuguese tree kale. High resistance to blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans) and white rust (Albuco candida) was not detected, although several accessions showed 20 to 30% of plants with intermediate expression of resistance. All Portuguese cole accessions were susceptible to blackrot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris).     

Contrastive Study on Content and Anti-oxidation Activity of Total Saponins from Cultivated and Wild Paris Plants in Southwest China

[Objectives]To study content of total saponins from cultivated and wild Paris herbs in Southwest China,evaluate its in vitro antioxidation activity,and explore ...