Genetic study of bolting and stem length in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) using a factorial cross design

Summary The objective was to study the genetic basis of bolting and stem length in sugar beet full-sibs, developed by a factorial mating design (N.C. design II). The extent to which the inheritance of these characters can be attributed to the additive and non-dominance variation was investigated. The genetic analysis consisted of three sets (4×10, 4×8, and 3×8) of progenies. Estimates of additive genetic variance (² _A) and variance due to dominance deviations with some fractions of epistatic variance (² _D) were obtained for both characters. Bolting had a relatively large proportion of total genetic variance accounted for by ² _A. In most cases, non-additive effects were also important in determining the type of gene action in bolting. Stem length showed similar genetic variation to bolting susceptibility. Bolting resistance seemed to be dominant to the bolting susceptibility in most cases. Narrow sense heritability estimated for bolting was generally very large (0.93 to 0.96), which suggests that early generation selection for bolting resistance in a sugar beet population would be successful.     

Identification and breeding behaviour of a major deletion of chromosome 5D ofTriticum aestivum

Summary A study was undertaken to evaluate the breeding behaviour and to identify a spontaneously produced putative chromosomal deletion in the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.) cv Norstar. Male and female transmission studies of plants heterozygous for the deletion chromosome indicated 9.5% and 48.8% transmission through the pollen and the egg, respectively. Meiotic analyses of progeny from deletion heterozygotes indicated that the deletion chromosome was eliminated from half of the plants, which agreed with the male and female transmission frequencies. Testcrosses of the deletion chromosome with telocentrics and nullisomic-tetrasomic combinations suggested that the deletion involved the long arm of chromosome 5D. This was confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Also, monosomic plants obtained in progeny of deletion heterozygotes were shown to be monosomic for 5D. Studies of plants homozygous for the deletion showed relatively normal pairing between the deletion chromosomes, and with the short arm (5DS), but not the long arm (5DL). Deletion homozygotes were self-sterile, and morphologically similar to plants nullisomic for 5D, but plants that also contained 5DL, or a homoeologous chromosome were self-fertile and had normal morphology. Studies of chromosome morphology indicated that the deletion chromosome was metacentric, and the length of the long arm was reduced by approximately 60%. RFLP studies showed that, in terms of genetic distance, 90% of the arm was missing.     

Genetic diversity in Cynara cardunculus revealed by AFLP markers: comparison between cultivars and wild types from Sicily*

Genetic diversity in 49 plants of 16 accessions representing one wild and two cultivated taxa of Cynara cardunculus L. (wild cardoon, cultivated cardoon and globe artichoke) was investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) analysis. Four pairs of primers identified a total of 264 scorable loci, 196 of which were polymorphic. The number of markers scored per primer combination ranged from 41 to 107, with an average of 66 markers per primer combination. All the primer combinations detected polymorphism. The data were used for cluster analysis and AMOVA. The clusters obtained are in agreement with the current botanical classification and the differences among the taxa were substantial. The eco‐geographical groups within wild cardoon are clearly separated in relative subclusters, and reflect the geography of the collection areas. The six clones of the four cultivated artichoke varieties were clearly separated into four subclusters, corresponding to the current classification which is based on morphological traits. The results obtained may have a direct and important bearing on plant genetic resource conservation and management and on breeding.     

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.     

不同饲养方式对固始鸡生产性能的影响

将固始鸡饲养至4周后,分别笼养和放养至18周,测量其体尺、屠体性能,到42周龄测量蛋品质。结果表明,笼养和放养的活重差异显著(P>0.05),其余屠宰指标差异不显著;蛋品质除了蛋重和蛋壳厚度差异显著(P<0.05)外,其余指标差异均不显著;放养条件下,纤维素酶高于笼养,而对总蛋白水解酶、胰蛋白酶和胃蛋白酶影响不显著。     

WEIGHTING FUNCTION IN NONLOCAL STRAIN SOFTENING DAMAGE MODEL

In the paper,the weighting function is investigated which plays an importantpart in nonlocal strain softening damage model.Its expression is derived and behaviours including therelationship between the weighting function and the characteristic length of heterogeneous materialsare analyzed.The method for calculating monlocal quantities is also presented.Selecting of theweighting function has important significance for more objectively establishing nonlocal damagemodel and analysis of damage of heterogeneous materials by numerical methods.     

柑橘裂皮类病毒广东分离物YC全长cDNA序列克隆及分析

柑橘裂皮类病毒(Citrus exocortis viroid, CEVd)是危害柑橘的重要病原之一,认清该类病毒的分子特性是进一步研究其致病机制的前提.本文利用RT-PCR技术对广东分离物YC的全长cDNA序列进行了扩增、克隆,获得了全长372bp的片段,对该片段进行测序及分析显示:CEVd广东分离物YC的分子结构域包括5个功能区即左手末端区(TL)、致病区(P)、中央保守区(C)、可变区(V)和右手末端区(TR).通过与GenBank已登陆序列的比对分析发现:与来自西班牙的分离物CEVd-f-1(登陆号:EF494677.1)的同源性高达98%;与湖北分离物CEVd-HB(登陆号:AY456136)的同源性仅为92.7%;与强度株系CEVd-A(登陆号:M30868)的同源性为96.8%,与弱毒株系CEVd-de26(登陆号:K00965)的92.4%.说明该广东分离物YC分子特性更接近强毒株系.这是国内首次对柑橘裂皮类病毒cDNA的分子特性进行报道.     

Seedling emergence,coleoptile length,and plant height relationships in crosses of dwarf and standard-height wheats

Summary Seedling emergence was closely correlated with coleoptile length and plant height among parents, F₂ and F₃, populations of crosses involving dwarf wheats Olesen Dwarf (CI 14497), Norin 10 derivative D6301, Tom Thumb derivative D6899, and the standard-height varieties Ramona 50 and Nainari 60. Genetic mechanisms that governed plant height also influenced coleoptile length, but the relative effects of genes showing dominant or epistatic effects appeared to be different. With respect to the two parents involved in each of 15 crosses, mean F₂ coleoptile lengths were consistently closer to the low parent value than were corresponding mean F₂ plant heights. A slight curvilinear relationship was also found between coleoptile length and plant height of F₃ lines. The results suggest that selection of semidwarf wheats with long coleoptiles and improved emergence properties from crosses involving the dwarf wheats of this study would be unlikely.     

Molecular marker analysis of genetic variation characterizing a grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) collection from central Italy

Levels of genetic similarity characterizing 20 grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) populations collected in central Italy (17 populations in the Marche region and three populations in the Abruzzo region) were analysed with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers. Two main clusters were found: one included large‐seeded populations from farms that were not market‐oriented (named Household populations) and the second, small‐seeded populations, cultivated in market‐oriented farms (named Commercial populations). Relationships among populations collected in different regions were found, although one population of the Abruzzo region was placed between the two main clusters, suggesting a possible further genetic differentiation within this grasspea germplasm collection. Principal component analysis based on AFLP marker frequency was effective in identifying polymorphic markers showing high discriminating ability between clusters H and C. In particular, seven markers showing high positive and three markers with low negative PC1 scores showed an almost cluster‐specific distribution. These results will be useful for enhancing Italian grasspea germplasm use in plant‐breeding programmes and for extending grasspea cultivation within the sustainable agricultural systems of central Italy.