Breeding of widely compatible restorer lines in rice (Oryza sativa L.) through anther culture

Following anther culture of various F₁ hybrids of indica restorer (R) lines/wide compatible varieties (WCVs) and japonica R lines/WCVs, the homozygous diploid plants (2n) generated were test-crossed with indica WA type cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile (CMS) line Zhanshan 97A (WA), indica testers Nanjing 11 and Nante, japonica BT CMS line Hanfeng A (BT), and japonica testers Balilla and Akihikari to identify widely compatible restorer lines. The results of this study showed that among the diploid pollen plants generated from F₁ hybrids of indica R lines/WCVs, 36.7% and 64.7% possessed normal fertility restoration ability (rate of seed-setting > 80%) to Hanfeng A and Zhanshan 97A, respectively. 71.3% and 32.3% had normal fertility restoration ability to Hanfeng A and Zhanshan 97A, respectively, in diploid pollen plants derived from the japonica R lines/WCVs F₁'s anther culture. Several widely compatible R lines were selected from anther culture of F₁ hybrids of indica R lines/WCVs and japonica R lines/WCVs. These widely compatible R lines derived from diploid pollen plants showed good wide compatibility and restoration ability both to WA and BT type CMS lines. Strong standard heterosis of major agronomic traits and yield traits was observed in F₁ test-crosses of widely compatible R lines with Hanfeng A and Zhanshan 97A. The wide compatibility in widely compatible R lines H17, H158 and H281 was studied by a set of three-way crosses. Segregation of the fertile plants with seed-setting rate > 70% and semi-fertile plants with seed-setting rate > 69.9% agreed with a ratio of 1:1, indicating that wide compatibility in these widely compatible R lines is governed by a pair of major genes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparison of different pollen viability assays to evaluate pollen fertility of potato dihaploids

Summary The main obstacle in breeding potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) dihaploids is the severe limitation of male fertility. To determine pollen viability assays that correlate well to fertility in crosses, results of five different pollen viability assays were compared by correlation analysis with fruit and seed set characters in test crosses, and to pollen tube growth in situ (PL-test). The methods used were: staining the pollen cells with carmino acetic acid (CAA-test); in vitro pollen germination (PG-test); and detection of pollen staining rates after incubation with fluoresceine diacetate (FDA-test), 2-3-5-triphenyle tetrazolium chloride (TTC-test), and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyle--galactoside (X-Gal-test).The results of test crosses and pollen tube growth in situ correlated with the results of all other assays with the following ranking, from highest to lowest: enzyme activity assays (X-Gal-test, FDA-test, TTC-test), in vitro pollen germination (PG-test), and pollen staining by CAA. The newly developed X-Gal-test for monitoring -galactosidase activity showed the least variation of all assays investigated. Thus, this highly reproducible simple procedure is recommended for male fertility screening.Abbreviations B/F Berries obtained per 100 flowers - CAA Carmino acetic acid - FDA Fluoresceine diacetate - PG Pollen germination rate in vitro - PL Pollen tube growth in situ - S/B Seeds per berry - S/F Seeds per pollinated flower - TTC 2-3-5-triphenyle tetrazolium chloride - X-Gal 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyle--galactoside     

Genetic control of fertility in the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Summary A study was conducted on the segregating populations from tenera × tenera, tenera x fertile Pisifera crosses and tenera selfings. Pisifera palms were categorised as (1) fertile Pisifera palms if producing mature ripe bunches regularly under natural conditions, and (2) partially female sterile pisifera palms if producing a few or no bunches in several years.Based on observations on the segregation patterns of the fruit forms (dura, tenera and pisifera) and bunch production patterns, a genetic model was formulated to explain the genetic basis of fertility in the oil palm. Fertility in the oil palm is shown to be controlled by a single gene which is linked to the gene controlling fruit form. Chi-square tests confirmed that the model agreed with the segregating ratios of fruit form and fertility observed.The implications of this finding with regard to oil palm breeding and improvement, and the potential of the fertile pisifera palm for increasing palm oil yields in plantations are discussed.     

A unique introgression from Moricandia arvensis confers male fertility upon two different cytoplasmic male-sterile lines of Brassica juncea

A Brassica juncea line carrying an introgression from Moricandia arvensis restored male fertility to two cytoplasmic male‐sterile (CMS) B. juncea lines carrying either M. arvensis or Diplotaxis catholica cytoplasm. Genetics of fertility restoration was studied in the F₁, F₂, F₃ and backcross generations of the cross between CMS and fertility‐restorer lines. No male‐sterile plants were found in F1‐F₃ generations of the cross between CMS [M. arvensis] B. juncea and the restorer. However, a 1: 1 segregation for male sterility and fertility was observed when the F1 was pollinated with non‐restorer pollen from a euplasmic line. These results clearly show that restoration is mono‐genic and gametophytic. In CMS lines carrying D. catholica cytoplasm, the restorer conferred male fertility to the F1 and showed 3: 1 and 1: 1 segregations for male fertility and sterility in F₂ and BC1 generations, respectively, indicating a monogenic, sporophytic mode of fertility restoration. The results were also supported by pollen stainability in the F1 which was about 65% in M. arvensis‐based CMS and >90% in D. catholica‐based CMS. The above results are discussed in the light of previous molecular studies which showed association between CMS and atpA in both systems.     

Agronomical performance and breeding value of selected strains of diploid wheat,Triticum monococcum

Summary Twenty-one germplasm accessions and breeding lines of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum and ssp. sinskajae) were grown at two sites in Italy and evaluated for various field and seed characteristics. Grain yields of germplasm accessions were relatively high (317–3238 kg/ha), but distinctly lower than those of four modern cultivars of tetraploid (T. turgidum ssp. durum) and hexaploid wheat (T. aestivum ssp. Aestivum) included in the experiments as controls. As expected, all Einkorns-including some substantially higher yielding crossbred lines (3415–4362 kg/ha)-were defective for one or more agronomically relevant features. However, a few of the accessions examined were found to contain, as a group, practically all the genes needed to breed monococcums having the main field attributes of a modern wheat cultivar: high yielding capacity, good threshability, large kernel size, earliness, short stature and adequate lodging resistance. Still higher yielding diploid wheats, more responsive to improved growing conditions and of better seed quality, could probably be obtained from crosses with wild monococcums bearing mostly two-seeded florets and with accessions producing less slender-shaped kernels. Some of the Einkorns examined were found to carry minor genes for easy threshing which might enhance the efficacy of the major gene for soft glumes carried by T. monococcum ssp. sinskajae, a partially free-threshing diploid wheat taxon. Seed protein percentage of monococcums was markedly higher than that of durum and bread wheat cultivars even in those cases where their grain yields surpassed those of the polyploid checks. The possibilities offered by diploid wheat in the exploitation of novel endosperm mutants and F₁ hybrid vigour, as well as in the fields of celiac disease, crop diversification and resistance to agro-biological stresses are discussed. Breeding priorities and strategies are also proposed.     

小麦高产经济施肥技术指标和参数

通过1986～1990年间80多个田间小麦肥效试验,研究了石家庄地区小麦生产进入高产阶段后不同肥力土壤上小麦肥效曲线方程、高产经济施肥指标。结果表明,不同肥力麦田的小麦高产经济施肥指标为:高肥力麦田亩施N11.1～13.8kg,P_2O_510.7～13.9kg,中肥力麦田亩施N12.6～15.2kg,P_2O_59.8～12.1kg;低肥力麦田亩施N13.3～15.5kg,P_2O_59.1～11.7kg。还研究了小麦目标产量施肥法所需的三个施肥参数:(1)小麦百公斤产量养分吸收量,空白区平均为:N2.32kg,P_2O_51.05kg,K_2O2.72kg;施肥区平均为:N2.82kg,P_2_51.03kg,K_2O_3.15kg。(2)土壤速效磷和碱解氮的校正系数(C_P、C_N)分别为:C_P=0.41+4.01/P,C_N=0.28+0.035P。(3)氮、磷肥利用率(Z_N、Z_P)分别为:Z_N(％)=42.1-0.35P,Z_P(％)=27.6-1.20P(P为土壤速效磷含量)。     

Comparison of fertility between the F1, F2 and anther derived lines in the crosses of indica/japonica and japonica/indica in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Response of anthers in in vitro culture was examined in the indica-japonica hybrids of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Significant genotypic differences were observed for callus induction and regeneration among the different interracial hybrids of indica-japonica races. Induction frequency of haploids ranged from 57.7 to 72.9 per cent and doubled haploid androgenic lines ranged from 27.1 to 42.3 per cent in the anther culture of the different hybrids. The indica-japonica hybrids recorded partial pollen grain and spikelet fertility in F1 (29.9 to 41.5% and 19.4 to 48.7% respectively) as well as in F2 (42.7 to 50.6% and 37.1 to 54.4% respectively). In contrast, the androgenic doubled haploid lines recorded significant increase and the pollen grain and spikelet fertility was 76.3 and 78.6 per cent respecitively. The results suggested that the sterility barriers for realising genetic recombinants and fixation of fertile homozygous lines in indica-japonica hybridization programme could be overcome through F1 anther culture technique.Abbreviations BAP Benzyl Amino Purine - 2,4-D 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid - MS Murashige & Skoog medium - IAA Indole Acetic Acid     

Genetics of fertility restoration of ‘Wild Abortive’ cytoplasmic male sterility in rice,Oryza sativa L.

Summary Genetics of fertility restoration in six varieties and breeding lines of rice was studied in Wild Abortive cytoplasmic genetic male sterility system using cytoplasmic male sterile lines V 20 A and IR 54752 A. Fertility evaluation of the plants in F₂ and testcross populations of the crosses of V 20 A with PR 103, PR 106 and PAU 502-94-1, and IR 54752 A with PAU 1124-36-1 and PAU 1126-1-1 revealed that fertility restoration in PR 103, PR 106, PAU 502-94-1, PAU 1124-36-1 and PAU 1126-1-1 was controlled by two independently segregating dominant genes. The two genes appeared to have additive effects; one of them being stronger than the other in imparting fertility restoration. Data on spikelet fertility of the plants in F₂ and testcross populations of V 20 A/UPR 82-1-1 cross showed that fertility restoration in UPR 82-1-1 was controlled by two independently segregating dominant genes which exhibited recessive epistatic interaction.

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Inheritance of tree and fruit characters in progenies from crosses of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars

Summary Approximately 1000 seedlings from 20 combinations crossed in 1979, 1980 and 1981 (Theiler-Hedtrich 1985a) were tested for several characters: fruit set (yield), fruit size, fruit colour, formation of abscission layer and bleeding after fruit removal from fruit stalks, bacterial canker resistance, flowering and harvesting time. From progeny of crosses with Stella as pollinator, 56% (Vittoria × Stella) and 46% (Schüttler × Stella) of the seedlings were self-compatible, of which 14 were high yielding with good fruit size and quality. From the data recorded it can be concluded:fruit set is a recessive character; only 5 to 20% of very good yielding seedlings were obtained in different progeny, even if the parental plants were both very good croppers.Fruit juice and skin colour was in most progenies ‘black’ even if they were from combinations with ‘white’ varieties, e.g., Merton Glory or Schüttler. Only from the combination Schiittler (‘white’) × Stella (‘black’), 50% of the seedlings were ‘white’; Stella therefore is heterozygous for the character of fruit juice and skin colour.Fruit size is evenly distributed in progeny with respect to the fruit size of their parent plants.Abscission layer formation and non-bleeding is a genetically complex character. In combinations where both parent plants formed fruits with complete abscission layers and which were not bleeding after fruit removal from the stalk, this character was inherited only to 50% (Vittoria × Schüttler) or 85% (Vittoria × Frühe von der Weid) in the progeny. For the genetical control of this character further studies are necessary.Bacterial canker susceptibility was evenly distributed in seedlings from all combinations even if the highly resistant cv. Vittoria was used as one parent plant, thereby not confirming the expected results of a higher proportion of resistant seedlings from combinations with Vittoria.Flowering and harvest time of the seedlings from different combinations was within the range of the parent plants. Only in the combination of Vittoria × Stella (mid-to late-ripening season) one seedling out of 99 was found to form ripe fruits two weeks earlier than the parental plants. From the seedlings tested 40 have been chosen for further evaluation or genetical studies.     

Chromosome association and pollen fertility in some interspecific hybrids of Lilium

Summary Meiotic observations in PMCs were made in eight kinds of interspecific hybrids in Lilium. Three hybrids, 6134-S × L. cernuum. L. regale × L. leichtlinii maximowiczii and L. auratum platyphyllum × L. henryi showed respectively the mean chromosome association frequencies of 1.4_II, 0.8_II and 1.5_II per cell at MI which were the lowest values hitherto reported in Lilium hybrids. In L. longiflorum × L. henryi, 33.3° of the cells had 1 or 2 multivalents of three to five chromosomes in addition to uni- and bivalents. 12° bivalents and 12 univalents were invariably observed in the triploid hybrid L. longiflorum × L. cernuum. The hybrids between the species belonging to the different sections of the genus generally showed high pollen sterility, with some exceptions. A more or less remote genomic homology was found between the different sections in Lilium.