Multi-trait selection in a diallel crossing scheme of cocoa

Cocoa breeding seeks to increase the yield by area unit. In this context, one must consider the resistance to Phytophthora disease, the most serious one in cocoa culture. Thus, herein two traits were used: yield, i.e. number of healthy pods obtained in 7 years and Phytophthora resistance, estimated by pod rot rate. A combined individual‐family selection is proposed on the basis of the total genetic value in order to spread clonal material. This selection method was applied in a 6 × 6 diallel scheme in Cameroon. The heritability of Phytophthora resistance (near 0.2) was higher than for yield (0.13). A selection index was constructed to obtain good genetic gains on each of the two traits (yield and Phytophthora resistance). To improve prediction of genetic values, a third trait, potential yield, was used. With the chosen weight, the expected genetic gain was about 35% for resistance at 1% level of selection. This selection was applied and a confirmation trial is being established with the selected trees.     

Pistillate-parental differences and the ability to produce interspecific hybrids between Lycopersicon esculentum and 'peruvianum-complex' species (L. peruvianum and L. chilense)

To overcome the cross-breeding barriers between the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum and the ‘peruvianum-complex’, hybrid production ability (HPA) and pistillate-parental differences were investigated. As a criterion of HPA, the number of germinated ovules per fruit (GPF) was used. GPF was expressed as GPF = OPF × GPO, where OPF is the number of ovules per fruit, and GPO is the proportion of germinated ovules to total ovules obtained. The interspecific crossing between nine varieties and three ‘peruvianum-complex’ accessions revealed that the cultivars ‘Sekaiichi’,‘Ponde Rooza’ and ‘Early Pink’ showed quite high and stable GPF over the years, but the cv.‘Best of All’ produced no hybrids. Variance analysis for GPF, OPF and GPO, and their correlation with seven sexual organ morphological traits and three fruit morphological traits were performed. These results indicated that choosing both the pistillate parents with wider reproductive organs for high OPF and appropriate environmental conditions for high GPO might be significant for enhancing GPF in interspecific crossing.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Bambusa arundinacea and cross species amplification in other bamboos

Isolation and characterization of microsatellites was analysed in Bambusa arundinacea and cross species amplification studied in other bamboos. Microsatellites, tandem repeats of short nucleotide (1–6 bp) sequences, are the DNA marker of choice because of their highly polymorphic, ubiquitous distribution within the genome, ease of genotyping through Polymerase chain reaction, selectively neutral, co‐dominant and multiallelic nature. Six microsatellites, three polymorphic and three monomorphic have been characterized for the first time in a bamboo species, Bambusa arundinacea belonging to the family Poaceae. The numbers of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 13. Cross species amplification was tested in 18 other bamboo species. Monomorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were found to be cross amplified in most of the species tested and polymorphic ones in only three to four species. The utility of SSR loci in a genetic diversity study of B. arundinacea and other cross‐amplified bamboo species has been discussed. This study will help in population genetic studies in bamboo species.     

Expected selection efficiency for resistance to cacao pod rot (Phytophthora palmivora) comparing leaf disc inoculations with field observations

Summary A genetic analysis of resistance of cacao to Phytophthora palmivora was carried out in a 5 × 5 diallel and in a 4 × 2 NC II factorial design, involving cross-progenies and parental clones planted in the nursery and field, respectively. Resistance was scored in the laboratory by inoculation of leaf discs with P. palmivora spores with four replicates and, for the factorial design, results were compared with the percentage of rotten pods in the field assessed over a seven-year period. Significant differences between genotypes were observed for both laboratory and field evaluation methods. For the laboratory test, no reciprocal effect was observed and plant effects within seedling progenies were more significant than plant effects within clones. General combining ability was the main source of variation but specific combining ability was also significant for the leaf disc test applied to the diallel. Heritabilities increased with the number of replicates, reaching values of 0.34 and 0.67 for narrow sense heritability, and 0.60 and 0.67 for broad sense heritability, for the diallel and the factorial design, respectively. These values were higher than observed for the percentage of rotten pods in the field in the factorial design (0.42 and 0.47, respectively). For the leaf test, the expected genetic gains were around 30% with a selection intensity of 5%. The existence of significant genetic (0.71) and phenotypic (0.39) coefficients of correlation between resistance on leaves and percentage of rotten pods in the field in the factorial design confirms the feasibility of using the leaf disc test for early selection of resistance to Phytophthora pod rot of cacao.     

Inheritance of resistance to the panicle-feeding bug Eurystylus oldi and the sorghum midge Stenodiplosis sorghicola in sorghum

A study of the inheritance of sorghum resistance to head-bug Eurystylusoldi and midge Stenodiplosis sorghicola has been conducted from anF1-based complete diallel involving four parental lines (namely head-bugresistant Malisor 84-7 & 87W810, and susceptible S 34 & ICSV 197).The trial was conducted at Samanko, Mali, under both natural and artificialhead-bug infestation, in one date of sowing (DOS) in 1995 and two DOSin 1996. Head-bug visual damage scores (under both types of infestation)were indicated and analyzed in all these trials. Head-bug numbers underartificial infestation on the two DOS of 1996, and midge damage scoreunder natural infestation on the second DOS of 1996 were recorded. Allfour parents confirmed their expected level of resistance to head-bugs,while ICSV 197 confirmed its resistance to midge. Diallel analyses showedthat general combining ability (GCA) and thus additive gene effects werevery important in the inheritance of resistance to both pests. Specificcombining ability and maternal effects were generally of minor importance.Mean performance of the parents and their GCA effects were linked, whichsuggests high heritability. Head-bug resistant parents, Malisor 84-7 &87W810, with high per se resistance and negative GCA shouldtherefore be used in breeding for resistance to this pest, while for a similarreason, ICSV 197 should be used in breeding for midge resistance. Resultsconcerning independance between resistance to head-bugs and to midge,are also discussed.     

棉花多亲本杂交F_2群体产量性状的效应分析

本文对棉花聚合杂交体系中９个不同亲人配制的８个单交、１０个４交、１１个８交的Ｆ＿２代群体的产量及产量组合性状进行综合分析。结果表明，随着率交亲本数的增加，聚合程度逐步提高，使产量及主要产量组分的遗传增益不断上升，并达到了显著或极显著水平的增加，其中尤以８交群体的聚合增效最为突出。说明多亲本聚合杂交在棉花丰产、优质、抗病和早熟目标的育种中，对产量性状的提高具有显著效果。     

Pollen tube growth in crosses between Porteresia coarctata and Oryza sativa

Summary Comparative study with fluorescence microscopy revealed that the pollen tubes of the self-pollinated rice variety BR-9 reached the ovary within 75 min after pollination. In P. coarctata it took 150 min. In the cross between P. coarctata and BR-9, pollen tubes reached the ovary in 165 min but seed setting was not observed. In the cross between BR-9 and P. coarctata, small and deformed pollen tubes were formed and they failed to grow through the stylodium.     

Heredity of Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Measured by Artificial Infections

Genetic Variability for Some Brewing Quality Characters in Barley Malting and brewing quality of six different barley genotypes and their F1 hybrids were investigated in a diallel cross programme. Plants were grown in pots in a randomized block design with four replications. General and specific combining abilities were determined for 1000 grain weight, percentage of proteins of the grain, percentage of water uptake, and, after micromalting, for β-glucanase and α-amylase activities. Significant general and specific combining abilities were observed for all the traits studied. 1000 grain weight, percentage of proteins and water uptake have been found to be essentially controlled by genetic additive effects, while enzymatic activities of malt have been found to be mostly controlled by dominance effects. ‘Karl’ has interesting characteristics for all traits and general combining abilities, except for 1000 grain weight, and has been introduced in a three-way cross programme with ‘Plaisant’ and ‘Clarine’, also showing interesting values for malting quality and productivity.     

Mechanical Performance and Thermology Performance of 20CrMo Steel at High Temperature

Employing the Gleeble-1500D thermal analogue machine and the STA449 synthesis thermal analyzer,the study on hot ductility and parts of thermology performance of 20CrMo steel has been carried out , many consulted foundation data has been obtained, the optimum ductility temperature arrange has been found, contraction of cross sectional area is only 30% between 600 degree and 775 degree, but contraction of cross sectional area is more than 80% between 800 degree and 1 250 degree, contraction of cross sectional area drops to under 60% rapidly between 1 350 degree and melting point,a curve is drawn showing the relationshi Pbetween heat capacity and the variation of temperature for the first time, the counting formulas of the heat capacity are regressed by disjunction. A curve is drawn showing the relationshi Pbetween the coefficient of thermal expansion and the variation of temperature, and their application in continuous casting is discussed herein.     

Prediction of the Line Value of a Genotype from a Top Cross with a Single Cross Hybrid

With the assumption of biallelism it is shown that differences in line values of genotypes from a random mating population can be predicted by the differences of values in top cross progenies with a heterozygous tester. This prediction is also valid in the case of multiallelism with a constant degree of dominance for each pair of alleles and if the tester is heterozygous for the more “distant” alleles. With an arbitrary tester, the efficiency of the prediction is affected by the proportion of the loci which are heterozygous for the more distant alleles. However, with the assumptions considered on multiallelism, with partial to complete dominance, the correlation between line value and combining ability with the tester is expected to be high for a large range of the repartition ot the loci. A two tester top cross design using highly complementary lines, could also be used.