Genome-edited crops: how to move them from laboratory to market

Recent breakthroughs in CRISPR technology allow specific genome manipulation of almost all crops and have initiated a revolution in precision crop breeding. Rationally-based regulation and widespread public acceptance are needed to propel genome-edited crops from laboratory to market and to translate this innovative technology into agricultural productivity.     

Over 40% of 450 registered wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum) worldwide are composed of multiple biotypes

Many of 450 common wheat cultivars bred and registered during the twentieth century in 12 countries were proved, due to seed-by-seed analysis, to be composed of two or more biotypes differing in their alleles at the gliadin (Gli) loci. These multiple biotypes may be regarded as authentic progeny of the respective parent lines, as evidenced by the gliadin composition of the respective parents. Therefore, the official claim for each cultivar to be uniform is commonly not maintained in practice. The most frequent was a non-uniform cultivar composed of two biotypes differing at one Gli locus, but there were cultivars represented by a large set of related genotypes differing at several Gli loci. The proportion of the multi-biotype cultivars was never less than 15% for a country collection, exceeding 50% in other countries. This proportion differed significantly between neighbouring countries. In Australia, all multi-biotype cultivars were found in eastern states; in the state of Victoria, their frequency was statistically higher than in the rest of the country. The proportion of multi-biotype cultivars among newly-released cultivars decreased with time in Australia and the UK. Thus, the non-uniformity of registered cultivars represents a general and important phenomenon of common wheat as a crop.     

Lactation-related mammary gland pathologies—A neglected emergency in the bitch

Mastitis is a common reproductive disorder in bitches, reaching a prevalence of 0.71%. Mastitis has a wide range of forms, from asymptomatic to severe gangrenous mastitis that can lead to septic shock and death of the bitch and nurslings. However, most of the time it is overlooked, undiagnosed or mistreated. The present systematic review was performed to revise and summarize the existing knowledge related to this disorder, including diagnosis, treatment and prevention.     

新疆春小麦育成品种遗传演变分析

【目的】研究新疆春小麦育成品种遗传演变规律,提高小麦资源的利用效率,为新疆春小麦品种选育和改良提供参考依据。【方法】以新疆春小麦育成品种为材料,对其主要性状进行综合评价分析,以春小麦90K芯片开展新疆春小麦育成种亲缘关系分析。【结果】新疆春小麦育成种遗传多样性丰富,平均遗传多样性指数2.005,变幅为1.902~2.181。相关性分析结果表明,蛋白质含量、湿面筋含量、穗粒数与育种年代呈极显著正相关。新疆春小麦品种选育主要是通过常规杂交育种、杂交辐射诱变育种、引种3种方式。利用小麦90K芯片将新疆春小麦育成种划分为3个类群,显示了各品种之间的亲缘关系。【结论】新疆春小麦育种遗传基础薄弱、遗传多样性逐渐散失,新疆小麦育种应加强资源收集与利用,扩大育种亲本选择,提高品种变异的丰度和广度,以多抗、高产稳产、优质高效的聚合育种,加快新品种选育进程,提高育种效率。     

Phenotypic and allelic variation for wort protein Z in Australian and Canadian barleys

Protein Z is a major component in beer foam. Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to analyze wort proteins of two Australian (Buloke and Commander) and two Canadian (CDC Meredith and Bentley) varieties. The Canadian barley contained more abundant proteins from MW 40–45 kDa (pI 5 to 7). These proteins were identified as either protein Z4 or protein Z7 using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Full-length gene of protein Z4 and Z7 were sequenced from Canadian and Australian barleys. Sequence differences were identified in the coding region and upstream regions of the two genes, resulting in protein sequence and expression variations. Molecular markers were designed according to the indels in the upstream regions of protein Z4 and Z7 genes. These markers were highly correlated to wort protein Z content in Canadian and Australian varieties. The Canadian barleys contained ‘high level’ genotypes for protein Z4 and Z7 while most Australian barleys had ‘low level’ genotypes for protein Z4, Z7 or both. The markers identified in this study provide a valuable tool for the selection of protein Z alleles in marker-assisted breeding. Total protein Z content was assessed using different steeping conditions, and increasing air-rest time increased protein Z content in 15 varieties.     

小菊新品种‘东篱小太阳’

小菊新品种‘东篱小太阳’是以‘东篱娇粉’为母本，A42为父本进行杂交，经5年选择培育而成。株形较大，自然成球，自然开花期集中在9月中下旬到10月中下旬，半重瓣，舌状花为鲜亮的红色，可满足北京地区国庆用花的需求。     

豫北山区“粮—草—羊”高效平衡养羊模式现状

从粮食作物、经济作物及饲草的种植,饲草料的加工调制与利用,全舍饲肉羊的养殖及杂交繁育,以及羊粪尿的资源化利用等方面介绍了豫北山区“粮—草—羊”高效平衡养羊模式发展现状,以期为促进豫北山区资源可持续利用、山区生态环境良性循环和社会经济可持续发展提供思路。     

中国作物分子育种现状与展望

分子育种是现代农业发展应用推广最迅速的育种新技术,对作物遗传改良产生了深远的影响。国际农作物育种已经进入分子育种时代,以DNA重组技术和基因组编辑技术等为代表的现代生物技术已成为世界上作物遗传改良的重要手段。本综述简要介绍了国际分子育种发展趋势,并对中国作物分子育种现状和国家相关政策导向、集成创新、科研管理体制、生物种业发展和人才现状等方面进行了分析,以期为中国农业和科技管理部门、生物技术工作者、育种家和种子企业提供参考。     

莱豆新品种龙莱1号的选育

征集龙岩市莱豆地方品种13个,按照育种目标进行品种筛选、提纯、繁殖、特征特性观察与栽培技术试验,育成的莱豆新品种龙莱1号具有中熟、品质优、产量高、抗病性较强、适应性广、商品价值高等特点。该文介绍该品种从2003～2010年的选育过程及该品种主要特征特性。