Effects of Interspecific Competition on the Inheritance of Quantitative Traits in White Clover *)

Analysis of a half diallel cross among four white clover cultivars, grown as monocultures and in mixtures (duocultures) with two separate perennial rye-grass cultivars, confirmed that for stolon and leaf number a higher proportion of the genetic variance in duocultures was non-additive. For canopy height and dry weight, however, this proportion was less affected by inter-specific competition. An additive-dominance model of gene action sufficed for all four characters in monocultures, but in duocultures epis-tasis was just one of the factors complicating the genetic picture. This, coupled with short-term reversals in the direction of dominance, merely illustrates the complexity of breeding white clover cultivars. Possible future developments in the breeding of white clover are discussed in the light of these results.     

杂种野猪宰后肌肉品质特性的研究

猪的品种是影响猪肉食用品质的最主要因素,而猪肉的化学组成成分和宰后生理生化变化则是肌肉品质形成的基础。针对杂种野猪和本地白猪两种不同的品种猪在相同条件下饲养和屠宰,研究了宰后肌肉的色泽红度a值、pH值、嫩度(剪切力)和蒸煮损失的变化情况。试验表明,杂种野猪肉红度较深且保持时间长,pH值高,嫩度差,蒸煮损失少。     

Estimates of heritability for,and relationships between,root and shoot characters of white clover. I. Replicated clonal material

Summary A total of 749 genotypes from a number of white clover (trifolium repens L.) cultivars and populations, many collected from dryland areas, were cloned and grown in field titles. Several morphological characters, including leaf size, number and diameter of large nodal roots (taproots), and proportion of root weight that was classified as taproot were measured. There was large variation between lines and genotypes for all characters measured, and differences between genotypes within lines are also reported. Broad sense heritability estimates were higher (>0.5) for leaflet width, petiole length and stolon diameter, than for all root character heritability estimates which were between 0.2 and 0.4.     

Interspecific hybridization inBrassica juncea × Brassica hirta using embryo rescue

Summary Interspecific hybrids have been obtained in an otherwise incompatible cross betweenBrassica juncea × Brassica hirta through the in vitro culture of hybrid ovules and ovaries. The best response was observed from ovules and ovaries cultured 10–15 and 5–7 days after pollination respectively on a basal medium supplemented with indoleacetic acid, kinetin and casein hydrolysate. In some cases the basal cut end of the ovaries proliferated to form callus and shoots. The in vitro-derived hybrid seeds varied in their colour, size and shape, and the F₁ plants in the field showed a large diversity in their morphological traits. The hybrids were sterile, and had an intermediate number of chromosomes (2n=30).     

Biplot analysis of trait relations of white lupin in Spain

A 2-year study of autumn-sown white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) was conducted under rainfed Mediterranean conditions in southern Spain. 108 landraces were evaluated for yield and major phonological and plant structural characteristics. Path coefficient and Genotype-Trait (GT) biplot analysis were used. Applying both types of analyses to the multiple trait data revealed that GT biplot graphically displayed the interrelationships among traits and facilitated visual comparison of accessions and selection. Wide variation was observed for trait phenology (dates of flowering and maturity), plant structure (plant and first order inflorescence height) and yield characters (first order branches, first order inflorescence and total yield). It was found that the accessions with the highest yields were the tallest and the latest to flower, both on the mainstem and on the lowest first order branch, and also were the latest to mature. GT biplots also had suggested as the accessions have been displayed according to their origins. The results showed that foreign germplasm may be an important material for improving some yield components such as number of pods and seeds per plant of locally adapted lupins in Spain. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance at the TM-2 locus in the tomato to tomato mosaic virus

Summary There are three known tomato mosaic virus (TMV) resistance factors, Tm-1, Tm-2 and Tm-2 ², in the tomato. Tm-2 ² is currently the most widely utilised in glasshouse cultivars. Both Tm-2 and Tm-2² can induce systemic necroses in response to virus infection. These are considered to be hypersensitive resistance reactions in view of the low virus concentrations in affected plants and because sub-inoculation usually fails to infect all plants possessing the same resistance gene. The literature relating to TMV resistance at the Tm-2 locus in the tomato is reviewed.Virulent strains may readily establish when Tm-1 or Tm-2 are used, but Tm-2 ² confers more effective resistance. The possible development of aggressive isolates capable of affecting Tm-2 ²/Tm-2² plants is discussed. The establishment of virus types which cause systemic necrosis at normal growing temperatures is considered more likely than widespread infection from fully virulent strain 2² mutants. However, the growing of crops isolated from the TMV reservoirs in the soil considerably reduces the likelihood of even this occurring.     

Effect of Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm on the performance of cabbage hybrid variety. II. Commercial characteristics

Summary The main constraint of using Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm in Brassica is the induction of leaf yellowing at low temperature and the low seed set. But whether or not the cytoplasm can disturb the general commerical performance of the plants is not well-known. Therefore, this work was carried out with the purpose of evaluating Ogura cytoplasmic male-sterile cabbage hybrids and compare them to genomic similar male-fertile ones and to the most popular cabbage hybrid cultivated in Brazil. Harvest data showed an effect of the cytoplasm on reducing plant and head weight, core length and head length and width, although not altering heading index, shape and core indexes, nor head compactness. On the other hand, it was observed also that a careful selection of the parental lineages can produce male-sterile hybrids as good as their male-fertile analogues. All the evaluated hybrids were similar or better than the check for the characteristics under study.Abbreviations dat - days after transplanting - CNPH - National Center for Vegetable Crops Research     

谷蠹磷化氢高抗性品系的抗性遗传分析

用采自广东潮州、湖北沙洋和广东阳春等3个高抗性品系的谷蠹进行了抗性遗传研究，分别对这3个高抗性品系的谷蠹和一个敏感品系的谷蠹进行纯化后，作为亲本进行一系列杂交组合试验，用LCT方法测出各个亲本及其F1代杂种（F1）、F1代对抗性亲本的回交（F1－BC）、F1代自交（F2）、敏感亲本雄性与抗性亲本雌性的杂交（F11）、抗性亲本雄性与敏感亲本雄性的杂交（F12）的浓度时间对数－死亡机率值反应曲线（LCT－P线），并对这些结果进行分析。结果表明：各地对磷化氢有高抗性的谷蠹品系的抗性遗传都为不完全显性，受两对或两对以上基因控制，并在常染色体上而非性连锁。     

Resistance to turnip mosaic virus in white cabbage

Summary Resistance in white cabbage to external necrosis caused by turnip mosaic virus had a significant genetic component. Estimates of heritability ranged from 41% to 48%. Resistance to internal necrosis was determined by unknown environmental factors with no significant genetical component. Although correlation between external and internal symptoms was poor in general, plants which had no external symptoms at harvest did not develop internal symptoms during storage. It is proposed that selection for lack of external symptoms will also produce lines resistant to internal symptoms.