The genetics of hard seed coat in the genus Lens

Summary Seeds of the cultivated lentil are capable of germinating shortly after maturation. The seed dormancy of wild lentil species is due to a hard seed coat. In crosses between the cultivated species L. culinaris and its wild progenitor L. orientalis the hard seed coat of the wild species was controlled by a single recessive gene in homozygous condition. In a cross between the wild species L. ervoides and L. culinaris the hard seed coat of L. ervoides was controlled by a single dominant gene. The significance of the genetics of seed coat hardness in the domestication of lentil is briefly discussed.     

Identification of citrus hybrids through the combination of leaf apex morphology and SSR markers

Citrus breeding programs normally face several biological obstacles such as apomixis and polyembryony that result in a cumbersome identification of hybrid seedlings. The main purpose of this work is to describe the combined use of visual selection based on the leaf apex morphology and SSR analysis to differentiate hybrid from nucellar seedlings derived from the cross between the ‘Murcott’ tangor [Citrus reticulata Blanco × Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] and ‘Pêra’ sweet orange [Citrus sinensis(L.) Osb.]. A new morphological variable named leaf apex morphometric index is also described as the quantitative basis of the visual selection. The efficiency of visual selection of hybrids was tested under two growth conditions, seedlings germinated in seedbeds and in plastic tubes. Putative hybrid seedlings were also confirmed through the analysis of simple sequence repeats (SSR). The visual selection of hybrid seedlings resulted in an increase of 87.2% (p < 0.01) and 202.2% (p <0.001) in the number of correctly identified hybrids when compared to the method of random picking of seedlings in seedbeds and plastic tubes,respectively. The results indicate that the combination of visual selection and SSR analysis for the identification of hybrids derived from the cross of polyembryonic citrus cultivars will improve the accuracy of the selection,save time, and reduce the costs involved in the use of molecular markers alone in citrus breeding programs. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Observations of fruit shape and other characters in the species of the section Patellares,genus Beta

Summary Doubt is cast on the classification of the species within the section. Although Beta patellaris is distinct, the complete interfertility and intergradation of morphological characters between B. webbiana and B. procumbens suggests them to be two extremes of a single ecospecies. This has significance in studies of hybridization between sugar beet (B. vulgaris) and the members of this section.     

Associations and genetics of three components of slow rusting in leaf rust of wheat

Summary Forty F₆ lines, the two parental lines, and a susceptible check cultivar of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were inoculated in the young flag leaf stage with leaf rust (Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici) and evaluated for latent period, receptivity, and uredinium size in a greenhouse experiment. Genotypic (r_g) and phenotypic (r_p) correlations between latent period and uredinium size were –0.81 and –0.62, respectively. A negative correlation (r_g=–0.50, r_p=–0.41) was found between latent period and receptivity and a positive correlation (r_g=0.28, r_p=0.26) between uredinium size and receptivity was found. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and final rust severity (FRS) obtained from a subsequent field study with common entries were negatively correlated with latent period and positively correlated with uredinium size. Correlations of receptivity with both AUDPC and FRS were not significant. The distributions of F₆ family mean uredinia size and latent period were continuous between slow rusting and fast rusting parents: however, the distribution for receptivity was discrete. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were 63%, 57%, and 47% for uredinium size, latent period, and receptivity, respectively. Estimates of the minimum number of effective factors were three for latent period and three or four for the uredinium size and receptivity. The components are controlled by closely linked genes or due to pleotropic effects of the same gene.Abbeviations AUDPC - Area under the disease progress curve - FRS - Final rust severity     

Variation of characters in near-isogenic lines of wheat with added genes for leaf rust resistance

Summary Using the cultivar Arina as the recurrent parent, six backcrosses were made with two donor lines carrying the leaf rust resistance genes Lr1 and Lr9, respectively. Selection for leaf rust resistance occurred at the seedling stage in the greenhouse; the first plants transferred to the field were BC₆F₄s. Frequency distribution of the 332 Lr1/7 × Arina and the 335 Lr9/7 × Arina lines showed continuous variation for yellow rust resistance and heading date in these leaf rust near-isogenic lines (NILs). Similar results were also obtained for plant height, for resistance to powdery mildew and glume blotch, as well as for baking quality characters in another set of more advanced NILs. The available information on the behaviour of one of the parents of cultivar Arina led to the conclusion that the expressed yellow rust resistance is quantitative and might possibly be durable.     

新疆桑种质资源叶片形态特征数学分析

本文对60份具有地域特征的新疆桑种质资源的叶片形态特征进行主成分、聚类和判别分析。结果表明,种质资源间的叶片形态特征差异达到极显著水平(P>0．01);主成分分析选出了3个主成分,方差累积贡献率达到67.99,叶长、叶幅及形态因子分别是第一、二、三主成分的主导因子;在聚类分析基础上用判别分析选出对新疆桑种质资源叶片形态分类有极显著影响的面积、长度、叶幅、周长、长幅比和形态因子参数,同时建立了6个判别能力较高的判别模型。     

The genetics of seedling resistance to leaf rust,Puccinia hordeiOtth. in some spring barley cultivars

Summary The three Dutch isolates studied carried virulence genes against the resistance genes Pa, Pa-2, Pa-4 and Pa-5, substantiating the widespread occurrence of these virulences in Western Europe as reported by others. The cultivars Cebada Capa, La Estanzuela, Gondar and Dabat carry the same dominant to semi-dominant gene, which is also found in Forrajera Klein and H2212. It is proposed to designate this gene Pa-7. This gene segregated independently from the Pa-3 gene in Rika x (Baladi x Rika) substantiating the data of Johnson (1968), but disagreeing with those of Roane & Starling (1970). EP 75 seems to carry a single dominant or semi-dominant gene conferring an intermediate resistance to the isolates used. This gene, tentatively designated as Pa-z, is different from the Pa, Pa-2, Pa-4, Pa-5 and Pa-7 genes. The intermediate resistance of Monte Christo is probably based on gene(s) different from EP 75.     

Variation in partial resistance to barley leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) and agronomic characters of Ethiopian landrace lines

An inventory of 481 lines derived from 12 Ethiopian barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces and the checks was made for partial resistance to Puccinia hordei under greenhouse and field conditions at Adet, Ambo and Sinana Agricultural Research Centers in 2003 and 2004 cropping seasons in Ethiopia. The experiments were laid out in a triple lattice design. Each plot consisted of two rows of 1–m long with spacing of 0.20 m between rows. The overall mean leaf rust epidemics varied from area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) of 86 to 1,835. The disease was as high as AUDPC 1,378 on the susceptible check L94. Highly significant variations were recorded between and within the landraces/lines in leaf rust incidence, severity, days to heading, plant height, thousand seed weight and yield. Similarly, the variations between and within barley groups from three altitude areas and three ear-types were significant. Landraces 1686, 3255, 3262 and 3783 had the least and landraces 219900, 3975 and 3980 had the highest leaf rust severity. Of the 481 lines tested, 413 (86%) had significantly lower disease than the susceptible check, but not than the partial resistant check Vada. In contrast, the yields were more for lines with less disease than for those with high. The frequency of resistant landraces/lines was more in altitude 2,301–2,500 m, and irregular and two rows ear-types than in lower altitude areas and six rows ear-type. Nevertheless, the correlation and regression analysis revealed the adverse effect of the disease in the yields of barley. The 413 lines with high infection types at seedling stage and lower AUDPC under field conditions possess partial resistance to leaf rust.     

Rhizome expression in a selected cross in the Sorghum genus

The segregating F₂ population from the hybrid between grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), chromosome number doubled, and Johnsongrass (S. halepense) was examined for expression of rhizomes. A rhizome to non-rhizome segregation ratio of 3:1 was observed suggesting a single dominant gene regulation in the rhizome phenotype of S. bicolor and S. halepense. Approximately 72% of the F₂ population overwintered and regrew from the rhizomes the following spring. When comparing these data with data in the literature, the rhizome regulating gene in the Sorghum genus may be an incomplete dominant gene requiring a few genes to be expressed additively that result in different degrees of rhizome development in the Sorghum genus. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Flower and fruit characters in a kiwifruit hermaphrodite

The dioecious genus Actinidia includes the kiwifruit, A. deliciosa. Currently, the kiwifruit industry is based predominantly on a single female cultivar, 'Hayward', with up to 13% of the orchard canopy in commercial blocks in New Zealand consisting of unfruitful males vines, necessary as pollinizers. The development of hermaphrodite cultivars became a possibility with the identification of inconstant males, which carry a mixture of staminate flowers and bisexual flowers, the latter developing into small fruits containing seeds. This paper describes a hermaphrodite vine, obtained as a rare variant among the progeny from a cross between 'Hayward' and an inconstant (fruiting) male. Testing of pollen from all flowers in one season and measurement of fruit characters after self-setting demonstrated this seedling is completely hermaphroditic, carrying only bisexual flowers, with no restriction on selfing. Although it does not have commercial potential, it will be used as a parent. Perceived benefits from the development of hermaphrodite cultivars include increased productivity, improved pollination, simplified vine management and therefore substantial cost savings. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inheritance and selection of some fruit characters of apple. II. The relation between leaf and fruit pH as a basis for preselection

Summary The leaf pH of two year old apple seedlings was found to be sufficiently related to the fruit pH, measured when the seedlings were six to seven years old, to serve as a basis for pre-selection. Discarding all seedlings with an above average leaf pH (40% of the total) eliminated the majority (74%) of seedling with low-acid cum sweet fruits. The method was not effective for reducing the proportion of seedlings with high-acid cum sour fruits.     

Notes on the Variance of Relative Yield as a Measure of Stability

The actual yields from multilocation variety trials are commonly analysed as a two-way table (rows = varieties, columns = locations) of mean yields. In this paper, relationships between the recently proposed new stability parameter 'variance of relative yield' and the two stability parameters of the 'classical' joint regression approach in stability analysis, are investigated. The variance of relative yield as a measure of stability exhibits an undesirable dependence on the mean yield of the respective variety. Generalizations and improvements of some recent results and conclusions of Piepho (1994) are discussed.     

Influence of wheat leaf position on leaf rust severity

Summary The relation between flag leaf position and leaf rust severity was investigated in field experiments. Different leaf angles were obtained by attaching ends of flag leaves to strings stretched at different heights along wheat rows. Leaves with angles between lamina and stem of 0° and 45° were significantly less diseased than leaves with horizontal and pendulous positions. In the experiment with seedlings, spore settling and uredia number were significantly lower on erect than on horizontal leaves. The influence of wheat leaf position changes on leaf rust severity was discussed. It has been suggested that breeding of wheat cultivars with erect leaves can improve their resistance to airborne pathogens.     

Notes on the history of bulb breeding in the Netherlands

Summary In the early days of bulb breeding, plants were selected for their beauty-rarely a joy for ever, since fashion changed and new varieties supplanted their ancestors. Beauty has remained the first requirement to the present day. However, physiological characters such as easy propagation, good growth, and suitability for early forcing, are almost as important at present. The merits of a plant for garden decoration take third place.The number of varieties that can meet these requirements is very small; but since the demand is for the best in great quantities, this small group accounts for the greater proportion of all bulbs grown, as demonstrated by the statistical data. It will be very difficult to surpass these varieties, or even to make additions to this group.In hyacinths and daffodils it is even more difficult to develop breeding schemes, as the leading varieties are mostly heteroploids and polyploids, respectively. Here a breeder's intuition is needed above all things to bring us better varieties.     

Evidences for the control of chromosome number variation by a programmed-cell-death-like pathway in citrus callus

Chromosome number variations were found in citrus callus induced from diploid genotypes. Further cytological examination of single-protoplast-derived cell lines showed that these chromosome number variations arose spontaneously from mitotic irregularities, but that the ploidy level remained relatively stable over one year in culture. The frequent occurrence of tetraploid cells and the stable maintenance of ploidy level seemed paradoxical. To explain this, the mitotic indexes of diploid and tetraploid sub-populations were calculated, respectively. The results showed that the division of tetraploid cells was inhibited. The results of a TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling) assay, DNA staining and comet-electrophoresis further suggested that tetraploid cells were eliminated by a programmed-cell-death-like pathway. An erratum to this article is availbale at .     

16个柑桔品种的光合特性

试验研究了 16个柑桔品种的光合速率、光饱和点、光补偿点及光合速率的日变化规律。结果表明 ,供试的 16个柑桔品种的光合速率、光饱和点和光补偿点存在差异 ,其大小顺序为 :清见橘橙 >清家脐橙 >红肉脐橙 >丰脐 >姊良 3号脐橙>德尔塔夏橙 >卡特 >大三岛脐橙 >纽荷尔脐橙 >梦脐橙 >白柳脐橙 >红夏橙 >铃木脐橙 >福罗斯特脐橙 >Fallago橘>朋娜脐橙。大三岛脐橙、红夏橙的光饱和点最高 ,红肉脐橙、姊良 3号脐橙、梦脐橙、朋娜脐橙、白柳脐橙、德尔塔夏橙、卡特夏橙、清见橘橙、福罗斯特脐橙次之 ,纽荷尔脐橙、丰脐、铃木脐橙、Fallago橘较低 ;16个柑桔品种光补偿点在 8.4～6 6 .5μmol m- 2 s- 1 之间 ,福罗斯特脐橙的光补偿点最高 ,姊良 3号脐橙、朋娜脐橙、大三岛脐橙、德尔塔夏橙次之 ,其它柑桔品种光补偿点较低。供试柑桔品种在晴天光合速率的日变化均呈双峰曲线 ,中午有明显的“午休”现象。     

几个玉米育种材料的开花习性观察

在玉米育种与杂交制种工作中,掌握各材料的开花生物学习性,是提高制种产量和质量,加快育种进程的重要条件之一.不同玉米育种材料的开花习性是有差异的,主要是花期各生育阶段经历时间的长短不同.对试验材料而言:从育苗至抽雄,32-2、AC、77-1和交51分别为106d、95d、104d和103d;散粉期,32-2、AC、77-1和交51分别为5.3d、9.1d、6.9d和9.5d.     

Agronomic characteristics and genetics of a chromosome interchange in soybean

Summary A chromosome interchange in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) was studied agronomically and genetically, and comparisons of seed or abortion position within the pod were related to chromosome structure. Comparisons were among plants heterozygous for a chromosome interchange (N/T), plants homozygous for the interchange (T/T), and homozygous normal-chromosome plants (N/N). The latter two genotypes were male fertile and female fertile. Heterozygous interchange plants, which are about 50% pollen sterile and ovule sterile, are typical of a large number of plants that have equally frequent alternate and adjacent chromosome segregation. Yield, lodging, plant height, and seed oil and protein percentages among all three genotypes were similar even though significant differences existed for seed weight, seed number, and pod number per plant. Seed abortions were more frequent in the basal position of the pod than in either the middle or apical positions in N/N and T/T genotypes. Ovule abortions in N/T plants were equally frequent among all positions both in two- and three-ovule pods. The middle seed in a three-ovule pod was heavier than the basal or apical seed among all three genotypes.Joint contribution: USDA ARS, and Journal Paper No. J-11300 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA, Project 2471.USDA ARS, Department of Agronomy and Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50001, USA.