Variation amongst protoplast-derived moth bean Vigna aconitifolia plants

Summary Protoplasts were isolated from leaves of a single plant of Vigna aconitifolia, a drought resistant grain legume. The protoplasts regenerated and formed colony and calli from which 50 entire plants were regenerated and transferred to field conditions. Only 7 plants survived upto maturity and they flowered and produced pods with seed. The protoplast derived plants showed variation in important characters. Two groups of characters (one with 7 sets and another with 6 sets) were studied in the protoclones. In first group protoclones showed variations in seed germination, maturity age, pod length, pod and seed colour, number of abortive seed per pod and response to field rots, however, not much difference was recorded in pollen stainability and meiotic behaviour in these protoclones. In second group analysis of variants showed significance difference for plant height, rachis-length, length and breadth of mature odd leaflets, seed per pod and weight of seed. The results indicate that protoplast can be source of variation in this crop. However, detailed biochemical and genetical analysis of protoclones are required.     

A procedure for combining a quantitative inheritance study with the first cycle of a breeding program

Summary The number of effective factors controlling the inheritance of a quantitative character can be estimated by analysis of F₃ lines where the parental lines are homozygous. The procedure is illustrated with data from a study of pod length inheritance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The mean pod length of Sprite, the parent with longer pods, was compared statistically with the means of F₃ progenies derived from F₂ plants obtained from the appropriate tail of the F₂ frequency distribution for pod length. The data indicate that analysis of F₃ progenies avoids much of the underestimation of the effective factor number which is characteristic of other procedures. The number of effective factors was estimated to be a minimum of 4 and the correlation between random F₂ parents and F₃ progeny means was r=0.82.Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 406.     

Resistance to common bacterial blight in Phaseolus vulgaris L. recombinant inbred lines under natural infection of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli

Among the main causes of poor yield in common beans are fungal, viral and bacterial diseases. Common bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap), is one of the major bacterial diseases leading to significant losses in Brazil. Chemical control is ineffective, therefore, the use of resistant varieties becomes an interesting alternative. The objective of the present work was to evaluate disease resistance under natural infection of the pathogen in 109 recombinant inbred lines (F₇) of P. vulgaris originated from the cross HAB-52 (susceptible — snapbean) × BAC-6 (resistant — common bean) in two different environments, as well as to calculate genetic parameters to assist in the selection of promising materials to be used in the CBB resistance breeding program. The data of the genetic parameters were compared to those calculated for the F₃ generation originated from the same cross. The heritability results for DI (disease index) and VI (variation index) in F₃ were 26.85% and 0.26, respectively, whereas in F₇ they were 91.77% and 1.36, respectively. These results demonstrate a potential to be explored for this advanced population, that in the future, along with other pathogen variability studies and tests in other environments, may provide more information regarding a more precise evaluation of promising genotypes to be used in common bean breeding programs aiming to obtain CBB resistant varieties. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Marker-assisted selection for complex trait in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) using QTL-based index

A procedure was developed for marker-assisted selection of complex traits for common bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) using an index based on QTL-linked markers and ultrametric genetic distances between lines and a target parent. A comparison of the mean seed yields of the top five lines selected by different schemes demonstrated that the highest yielding group was selected on the basis of a combination of phenotypic performance and a high QTL-based index,followed by groups identified by a high QTL-based-index, conventional selection,and a low QTL-based-index. This study demonstrated a simple way to use information obtained from QTL studies to make selection decisions. The study also showed that the use of the QTL-based-index in conjunction with the ultrametric genetic distance to the target parent would enablea plant breeder to select lines that retain important QTL in a desirable genetic background. Therefore, this type of MAS would be expected to be superior to the phenotypic selection. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

油豆角保鲜试验研究

对油豆角的贮藏技术进行了初步研究，结果表明，油豆角在１０℃下，使用ＴＸＺ熏蒸处理后进行限气贮藏，在贮藏第３０天，商品率为８０．５％，而１０℃对照的商品率仅为３９．７％；１０℃ＴＸＺ的锈斑指数为３６．５％，而１０℃时照为５９．１％，利用ＭＡ贮藏能够有效地延缓油豆角的衰老。     

Effect of plant density on selection for seed yield in two population types of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Summary Pedigree selection for seed yield, using early generation yield tests, was practiced from the F₂ to F₇ in two populations of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in three plant densities: 66, 133, and 266 thousand plants ha^-1 at CIAT-Palmira, Colombia. The six highest yielding lines selected from each plant-density, along with 13 parents, were evaluated in a 7×7 lattice design with three replications at the three densities utilized for selection, and at 399,000 plants ha^-1 in 1988 and 1989.Based on the mean performance of selected lines and the mean of the parents, selection for seed yield was effective in all densities in both populations. However, none of the lines selected from the population within the race Mesoamerica (TC 4673) significantly outyielded their best parent under any plant density. The highest yielding lines selected from the interracial population (TR 4635) outyielded their best parent irrespective of the plant-density used for selection. The highest yielding line originated from the highest density used for selection. Low density was neither good for selection nor for evaluation and identification of high-yielding cultivars of common bean. There was no significant difference between the mean yield of lines selected at the intermediate and high population densities. The effects of plant density, year, and their interactions were significant for seed yield.     

RAPD and SCAR markers linked to the sex expression locus M in asparagus

Bulk segregant analysis (BSA), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) methods were used to map molecular markers to the sex locus M of asparagus. Two parents, A19 (male, Mm) and MW25 (female, mm), and 63 progeny were used for the study. Two DNA bulks, one male and one female, were made by pooling equal amounts of DNA from 10 randomly selected progeny of each sex type. A total of 760 arbitrary decamer oligonucleotide primers were used for RAPD analysis. Primer OPC15 produced two RAPD markers, OPC15-98 and OPC15-30, both of which were linked to the M locus at a distance of 1.6 cM. Subsequently, amplified RAPD fragment OPC15-98 was cloned and sequenced. The sequence was then used to design flanking 24-mer oligonucleotide SCAR primers SCC15-1 and SCC15-2. Both of these SCAR primers amplified a single 980 bp fragment; the same size as the cloned RAPD fragment. However, the SCAR marker was dominant as was the original OPC15-98 band from which it was derived. These RAPD and SCAR markers could be used for scoring male and female progeny in the mapping population, but were not found to be applicable to other asparagus germplasm studied. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variation of the storage protein phaseolin in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from the Mediterranean area

Summary Variation of phaseolin, the major storage protein in Phaseolus vulgaris L., was analysed in seeds of a germplasm collection from the Mediterranean area. Results showed a number of subvariants differing from the reference patterns for the presence, absence or faintness of single polypeptides. Maximum concentration of variation was found in the Cyprus material. Sources and causes of variation are discussed.     

Comparison of some selection procedures and objectives in faba beans (Vicia faba L.). I. direct and index selection for seed yield

Summary Starting with two heterogeneous F₂ populations, each based on 20 cross combinations, different selection procedures were applied for four consecutive selection cycles. Three of the selection procedures involved seed yield per plant (SYP): (i) direct selection for SYP (DSY); (ii) indexselection for SYP (ISY) with plant length, the ratio of the vegetative top to plant length, end of grain filling and duration of the generative stage as auxiliary characters and finally; (iii) independent culling levels selection (ICL) for the index described above and crude protein content. For ICL-selection the attention is focussed on SYP in this paper.For all three selection procedures, predicted and realized responses were calculated and expressed as percentage of a corresponding non-selected population. The intensities of selection differed over selection methods and generations, mostly due to practical constraints.As far as predicted responses are concerned, ISY-selection seemed to be slightly superior to DSY-selection and DSY-selection to ICL-selection. This order may partly be due to differences in selection intensity. However, none of the predictions was very accurate, but the predictions of ICL-selection seemed to be the most accurate. This has been ascribed also to the relative mild selection intensity applied in ICL-selection. It is concluded that a decision in favour of a complicated selection procedure like index selection based on predicted responses only cannot be defended. As far as realized responses are concerned, DSY-selection seems to be slightly superior to the other two selection procedures, as it is the only procedure that resulted in a more or less stable positive response to selection.The auxiliary characters, especially plant length, showed a marked correlated response to all three selection procedures. In case of direct selection for SYP this seemed paradoxical with the inefficiency of index selection, but, it may reflect the differences in the genuine genotypic correlations and the estimated genotypic correlations.     

Effect of selection for pollen grain size on various traits in common bean

Summary Selection among microgametophytes usually exploits variation in pollen grain germination. Studies of variation in pollen grain size in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) suggested that selection for size might lead to changes in sporophytic traits. To determine whether microgametophytic selection based on size would affect pollen grain size in subsequent generations or sporophytic traits that were correlated with pollen grain size, pollen grains from three crosses were separated into two size categories by sieving and then used to pollinate cv. Diacol Calima. Selection resulted in changes in pollen grain diameter for pollen from F₁, F₂ and F₃ plants for all crosses. In vitro germination indicated no differences between vigor of large and small grains, but extraction and sieving reduced germinability. F₁ seed from two of the crosses with size-selected pollen varied in weight according to pollen grain size, but in subsequent generations, the effect disappeared. Both size categories of selected pollen resulted in F₂ progeny with reduced numbers of seeds per pod as compared to controls, suggesting that the size selection process may have resulted in indirect selection for traits reducing seed set. The overall results suggested that genes determining pollen grain size in bean have little or no effect on sporophytic traits such as seed size and seed yield.