Identifying high yielding stable winter wheat genotypes for irrigated environments in Central and West Asia

Improved winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars are needed for the diverse environments in Central and West Asia to improve rural livelihoods. This study was conducted to determine the performance of elite winter wheat breeding lines developed by the International Winter Wheat Improvement Program (IWWIP), to analyze their stability across diverse environments, and to identify superior genotypes that could be valuable for winter wheat improvement or varietal release. One hundred and one advanced winter wheat breeding lines and four check cultivars were tested over a 5-year period (2004–2008). Grain yield and agronomic traits were analyzed. Stability and genotypic superiority for grain yield were determined using genotype and genotype × environment (GGE) biplot analysis. The experimental genotypes showed high levels of grain yield in each year, with mean values ranging from 3.9 to 6.7 t ha⁻¹. A set of 25 experimental genotypes was identified. These were either equal or superior to the best check based on their high mean yield and stability across environments as assessed by the GGE biplot analysis. The more stable high yielding genotypes were ID800994.W/Falke, Agri/Nac//Attila, ID800994W/Vee//F900K/3/Pony/Opata, AU//YT542/N10B/3/II8260/4/JI/Hys/5/Yunnat Esskiy/6/KS82W409/Spn and F130-L-1-12/MV12. The superior genotypes also had acceptable maturity, plant height and 1,000-kernel weight. Among the superior lines, Agri/Nac//Attila and Shark/F4105W2.1 have already been proposed for release in Kyrgyzstan and Georgia, respectively. The findings provide information on wide adaptation of the internationally important winter wheat genotypes, and demonstrate that the IWWIP program is enriching the germplasm base in the region with superior winter wheat genotypes to the benefit of national and international winter wheat improvement programs.     

Nitrate Poisoning in Horses Associated With Ingestion of Forage and Alfalfa

This report describes nitrate poisoning observed in thoroughbred mares. Nine horses died at a farm in Bursa, Turkey, between February and April of 2008. Five of them were pregnant. Clinical findings developed over a short period and included severe abdominal pain, limited response to analgesics and antispasmodics, diarrhea, shallow and rapid breathing, tachycardia, blue-brown discoloration of the mucosal membranes, tremors, ataxia, convulsions before death, and abortion in the pregnant mares. The main postmortem finding was chocolate brown–colored blood as well as congestion and inflammation of the intra-abdominal organs. Uterine rupture, colonic ruptures, and torsio uteri were seen in the pregnant mares. Stomach and intestinal ruptures were seen in four nonpregnant mares. High nitrate concentrations were determined in some grass and alfalfa samples used to feed the animals. Nitrate poisoning is considered to be very rare in horses, but, in this case, the clinical symptoms, postmortem findings, and nitrate levels in the collected samples supported nitrate and nitrite poisoning as the cause of deaths.     

Assessment of genetic relationships among 29 introduced and 49 local sweet cherry accessions in Turkey using AFLP and SSR markers

Summary

The characterisation of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) genetic resources in Turkey may help to increase their use in breeding programmes worldwide, as Turkey is the centre of origin of sweet cherry. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were therefore used to analyse genetic diversity among a total of 78 local and introduced sweet cherry cultivars. Four AFLP primer combinations, and six SSR primer pairs for sweet cherry were used for genetic diversity analysis. A genetic similarity matrix was calculated using the combined data from AFLP and SSR analyses with simple matching coefficient. Genetic similarities among the sweet cherry genotypes studied were higher than 42%. No two accessions had an identical AFLP and SSR marker profile, indicating that all 78 genotypes were unique. An UPGMA dendrogram, based on the similarity matrix, revealed 18 separate Groups at or above the 70% similarity level. While some Groups consisted of both introduced and local genotypes, other Groups had only local genotypes. This result suggests that there was broad genetic diversity among the local Turkish sweet cherry genotypes, which was not present in the introduced sweet cherry accessions. The genetic variation present in local Turkish sweet cherry genotypes may be useful for future breeding programmes. We found that the use of both SSR and AFLP marker systems was effective for distinguishing between genetically-close sweet cherry genotypes. These marker systems can be used to complement pomological and morphological markers during the characterisation and identification of sweet cherry genotypes.     

INHERITANCE OF RESISTANCE TO IRON DEFICIENCY CHLOROSIS IN CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.)

Iron (Fe)-deficiency chlorosis causes considerable yield losses in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) when susceptible genotypes are grown in calcareous soils with high pH. The most feasible method for alleviating Fe deficiency is the selection of suitable cultivars resistant to Fe deficiency chlorosis. ICC 6119 (desi type), which is Fe-deficient chlorosis, was crossed with CA 2969 and Sierra (kabuli types), resistant to Fe deficiency chlorosis. Inheritance of resistance to Fe deficiency in chickpea revealed that the resistance was controlled by a single dominant gene in these genotypes crossed. A negative selection for resistance to Fe deficiency chlorosis will be effective after segregating generations.     

Soil determinants for distribution of Halocnemum strobilaceum Bieb. (Chenopodiaceae) around Lake Tuz, Turkey

In this study we aimed to reveal the ranges and effectiveness of soil parameters on the distribution of H. strobilaceum. Halocnemum strobilaceum Bieb. is a widespread species in saline habitats and the distribution pattern of this halophytic species around Lake Tuz in Central Anatolia was examined according to the soil characteristics. pH, electrical conductivity, soil humidity, salt percentage, soluble Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, CO3(2-), HCO3(-), Cl(-) and SO4(2-) values, total cations, cation exchange capacity, sodium adsorption ratio, exchangeable Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ values were the examined soil properties. The most effective soil parameters for flowering period were found as Na, SO4, total cations, SAR and EC and for seed bearing period as EC, Mg, total cations, Cl, Na, SO4 and salt (%) content of the soil.     

网状内皮增殖病病毒(REV)感染SPF雏鸡后局部免疫组织抗体生成细胞的变化

对 SPF雏鸡人工感染 REV后局部免疫组织盲肠扁桃体和哈德氏腺的 Ig A、Ig G和 Ig M抗体生成细胞数量动态变化进行了检测。结果发现 ,REV感染 SPF雏鸡后 7～ 4 9天消化道局部免疫组织盲肠扁桃体和呼吸道相关局部免疫组织哈德氏腺的 Ig A、Ig G和 Ig M抗体生成细胞数量明显低于未感染对照雏鸡。表明雏鸡感染 REV后消化道局部组织盲肠扁桃体和呼吸道相关免疫组织哈德氏腺体液免疫机能均显著下降。     

Promotion by 5-aminolevulenic acid of pepper seed germination and seedling emergence under low-temperature stress

The effects of incorporating 5-aminolevulenic acid (ALA) into the priming solution on low-temperature germination and emergence percentage performance of red pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Sena) seeds before and after seed storage were investigated. Seeds were primed in 3% KNO₃ solution for 6 days at 25 °C in darkness containing 0 ppm, 1 ppm, 10 ppm, 25 ppm, 50 ppm or 100 ppm ALA. Following priming, seeds were either immediately subjected to germination and emergence tests at 15 °C or stored at 4 °C or 25 °C for 1 month after which they were subjected to germination and emergence tests at 15 °C. Priming pepper seeds in the presence of ALA improved final germination percentage (FGP) and germination rate (MGT) at 15 °C compared to non-primed seeds. The highest FGP was obtained from seeds primed in the presence of 25 ppm and higher ALA concentrations while the highest MGT was obtained from seeds primed in KNO₃ supplemented with 10 ppm ALA. Emergence percentages were the highest for the seeds primed in the presence of 25 ppm ALA and 50 ppm ALA while non-primed seeds had the lowest emergence percentage. Highest emergence rates (MET) and heaviest seedlings were also obtained from seeds primed in KNO₃ supplemented with 50 ppm ALA. Although all priming treatments improved germination and emergence performance of pepper seeds at 15 °C following 1 month of storage under two different temperatures, inclusion of 25 ppm and 50 ppm ALA into the priming solution resulted in higher germination and emergence percentages and faster germination and emergence compared to seeds primed in KNO₃ only and non-primed seeds. These results indicate that priming seeds in 25 ppm and 50 ppm ALA incorporated into the KNO₃ solution can be used as an effective method to improve low-temperature performance of red pepper seeds and that these seeds can be stored for 1 month at 4 °C or 25 °C and still exhibit improved germination and emergence performance at 15 °C.     

Genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of the T strain of Plum pox virus

Very limited information is available on the origin, diversity and evolution of Plum pox virus (PPV) ‘Turkey’ (T) strain. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial sequences of 421 isolates and complete genome sequences of 57 isolates, representing the geographical distribution of PPV-T in Turkey, revealed the existence of several monophyletic and, in some cases, geographically limited groups within the PPV-T strain (Ankara-Konya1-Kayseri, Ankara-Balkan, Istanbul, Konya2 and Balkan). PPV-T diversity (0.018%) was found to be greater than that of PPV strains D and Rec but lower than that of the M strain when including the newly described and divergent M-Istanbul isolates, suggesting a long evolutionary history for PPV-T. The European part of Turkey in the Balkans, close to Bulgaria where PPV was identified for the first time, appears as a likely centre of origin for PPV-T isolates. The colonization of various parts of Turkey by diverse isolates from that region, followed by secondary local spread, is the most likely scenario for the diffusion of PPV-T in Turkey.