Identification of quantitative trait loci for downy mildew resistance in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Downy mildew, caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. & Curt.) Rostov, is one of the most economically important foliar diseases in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Cucumber line CS-PMR1, derived from self-pollination of USDA Plant Introduction 197088, has a high level of resistance to downy mildew and is considered to be promising breeding material. In this study, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for downy mildew resistance using 111 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between CS-PMR1 and the old Japanese cultivar Santou, which exhibits moderate resistance. The resistance of the RILs and their parents was evaluated by diverse methods using different plant organs (cotyledons, true leaves), stages (seedlings and adult plants), and evaluation criteria (lesion expansion and extent of sporulation). The high resistance of CS-PMR1 was associated with many QTLs with relatively small effects, whereas the moderate resistance of Santou was associated with one major QTL and possibly two others with relatively small effects. In all assays, the major QTL at which the Santou allele was associated with increased resistance had the largest effect. This QTL allele from Santou and several of the most effective QTL alleles identified in CS-PMR1 should be highest priority for selection to efficiently breed new cultivars that carry adequate levels of downy mildew resistance.     

Identification of quantitative trait loci for powdery mildew resistance in highly resistant cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) using ddRAD-seq analysis

Powdery mildew, caused by Podosphaera xanthii (syn. Sphaerotheca fuliginea ex Fr. Poll.), is one of the most economically important foliar diseases in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Cucumber parental line ‘Kyuri Chukanbohon Nou 5 Go’, developed from weedy cucumber line CS-PMR1, is highly resistant to powdery mildew and is promising breeding material. We performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) in a population from a cross between ‘Kyuri Chukanbohon Nou 5 Go’ and the Japanese native cultivar ‘Kaga-aonaga-fushinari’, which is susceptible to powdery mildew. The resistance of the population and its parents was evaluated using leaf disc assays and image analysis. We detected one major QTL on Chr. 5 that was effective at both 20°C and 25°C and one minor QTL on Chr. 1 effective at 20°C. We detected two additional QTLs in subpopulation: one on Chr. 3 effective at 20°C and one on Chr. 5 effective at both 20°C and 25°C in a position different from the major QTL. The resistance alleles at all four QTLs were contributed by ‘Kyuri Chukanbohon Nou 5 Go’. The results of this study can be used to develop practical DNA markers tightly linked to genes for powdery mildew resistance.     

The inheritance of resistance to Cucumis virus 1 in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary In crosses between highly resistant and susceptible parents, the resulting segregation ratios indicated that three genes govern a high level of resistance to cucumber mosaic, caused by Cucumis virus 1. The F₁ between highly resistant and susceptible is intermediate. The present results were compared with the contradictory results in the literature.     

Polyploidy in the glasshouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary An autotetraploid form of the parthenocarpic variety Butchers Disease Resisting was produced by colchicine treatment. Immersing the seeds in water before treatment in 0.2% colchicine for 24 hours gave the highest percentage of vigorous tetraploids. The yield of fruit from tetraploids was better than the diploids at first but it declined later in the cropping period owing to slow sideshoot production.Self-fertility of autotetraploids was lower than diploids. When crossed with diploids, triploid plants were obtained. These were self-sterile but they could be crossed with diploids to give trisomic plants. Aneuploids with one additional chromosome were found amongst tetraploids and triploids.     

Inheritance of parthenocarpy in the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary The inheritance of parthenocarpy in cucumber is conditioned by an incomplete dominant gene P. In the homozygous condition PP produces parthenocarpic fruits early, with the first developing generally by the fifth node. Heterozygous Pp plants produce parthenocarpic fruits later than homozygous plants and fewer in number. The homozygous recessive pp produces no parthenocarpic fruits.Trapping of pistillate flowers was effective in identifying homozygous PP plants but failed in accurately identifying heterozygous plants. Screened cages or field isolation of gynoecious lines are efficient means of accurately identifying all parthenocarpic plants.Journal Paper No. 4333 of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A.     

Inheritance of waterlogging tolerance in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Flooding of vegetable crop fields along the Yangtze River basin in China has been an annual occurrence; therefore the cultivation of tolerant varieties has become one of the most promising control strategies. Our objective was to investigate the inheritance of waterlogging tolerance of cucumber at the early stage of growth with two cucumber parents consisting of PW0832 (tolerant) and PW0801 (susceptible). In 2006, 4-weeks-old potted plants of P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, B₁ and B₂ generations were subjected to one week waterlogged stress, control plants were not flooded. The simple additive model explained the variations of tolerance score (TOL) adventitious root formation (ARF) and waterlogged root dry weight (RDW) while the additive-dominance model explained the control treatment of RDW. Non-allelic interactions were detected for waterlogged vine length (VLH) and root length (RLH). Complementary epistasis occurred in waterlogged VLH while additive × additive, additive × dominance and dominance × dominance epistastic effects were significant for waterlogged RLH. Transgressive segregation was also observed in most of the traits in the F₂ generation indicating some alleles are dispersed in the parents used in this study. The estimates of narrow-sense heritabilities for TOL and ARF were moderately high. Backcross of F₁ to both parents in ARF, waterlogged SDW and waterlogged RDW showed good convergence of genes in the B₂. These results suggest that it should be possible to develop varieties with high levels of tolerance by selecting transgressive segregants in this cross.     

Mapping quantitative trait loci for yield-related traits in soybean (Glycine max L.)

Development of soybean cultivars with high seed yield is a major focus in soybean breeding programs. This study was conducted to identify genetic loci associated with seed yield-related traits in soybean and also to clarify consistency of the detected QTLs with QTLs found by previous researchers. A population of 135 F_2:3 lines was developed from a cross between a vegetable soybean line (MJ0004-6) and a landrace cultivar from Myanmar ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"R18500","term_id":"772110","term_text":"R18500"}}R18500). They were evaluated in the experimental field of Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand in a randomized complete block design with two replications each in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. The two parents exhibited contrasting characteristics for most of the traits that were mapped. Analysis of variance showed that the main effects of genotype and environment (year) were significant for all studied traits. Genotype by environment interaction was also highly significant for all the traits. The population was genotyped by 149 polymorphic SSR markers and the genetic map consisted of 129 SSR loci which converged into 38 linkage groups covering 1156 cM of soybean genome. There were 10 QTLs significantly associated with seed yield-related traits across two seasons with single QTLs explaining between 5.0% to 21.9% of the phenotypic variation. Three of these QTLs were detected in both years for days to flowering, days to maturity and 100 seed weight. Most of the detected QTLs in our research were consistent with earlier QTLs reported by previous researchers. However, four novel QTLs including SF1, SF2 and SF3 on linkage groups L and N for seed filling period and PN1 on linkage group D1b for pod number were identified in the present study.     

Mapping of quantitative trait loci conferring resistance to bacterial wilt in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Tobacco bacterial wilt (TBW) is one of the most serious tobacco diseases in the world. Studies have shown that tobacco resistance to TBW is quantitatively inherited. This study aimed to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring TBW resistance. An F_2 : 3 population containing 237 lines was developed from a cross between two flue‐cured tobacco cultivars, ‘Yanyan 97’ (YY97; moderately resistant to TBW) and ‘Honghua Dajinyuan’ (HD; highly susceptible to TBW), and a linkage map consisting of 201 simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and spanning a total length of 2326.7 cM was constructed based on the population. Field experiments were conducted 2011 and 2012, and disease symptoms were investigated three times in each year. The phenotypic data were analysed either separately or jointly for QTL mapping using the software QTLNetwork 2.1. Eight QTL with significant main effects were mapped on chromosomes 2, 6, 12, 17 and 24. A major QTL (qBWR17a) was detected on chromosome 17, which explained up to 30% of the phenotypic variation. The results can facilitate marker‐assisted selection (MAS) in TBW resistance breeding programme.     

Inheritance of firmness in raw cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit

Summary Inheritance of raw cucumber fruit texture (Magness-Taylor Fruit Pressure Tester firmness) was investigated over a 4-year period from 1971–1974. Results from 2 separate but related experiments suggested that firmness was quantitatively inherited with sufficient additive effects to permit gain from selection. In a selection study within 4 F₂ populations derived from crosses between firm (Chipper and Gy3) and soft (Mincu and Green F) fruit type cultivars, variation among and within F₃ and F₄ families was significant but overall family means were not significantly higher than the high parent in any of the 4 crosses. Narrow sense heritability estimates for fruit texture were 0.80 in the Mincu × Chipper population and 0.77 in the Green F × Chipper, Mincu × Gy3, and Gy3 × Green F crosses. In a separate experiment, generation means analysis was used to assess the mode of gene action in 2 crosses: Green F × Chipper, and Gy3 × Green F. Additive genetic effects accounted for 98.8% and 99.3% of the total genetic variation within each cross, respectively.Scientific Journal Series Paper No. 9794.     

New C-banding pattern for chromosome identification in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

A chromosome study of cucumber, C. sativus L., was performed using orcein and C-banding techniques. The diploid and tetraploid plants investigated here showed the somatic chromosome numbers 2n=14 and 28, respectively. The haploid chromosome complement was composed of five metacentric and two submetacentric chromosomes. All C. sativus chromosomes had clearly visible C-bands, and each chromosome could be identified unequivocally after C-banding staining, with 13 C-bands appearing in the haploid complement. The haploid complement had a 44.9% ratio of total C-band length to total chromosome length. Chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 had stable C-bands. Three large, dark C-bands appeared at the proximal regions of chromosomes 1 and 2. Chromosome I had quite a large C-band and with a 68.4% ratio of C-band length to short arm length. Chromosome 2 also had quite a large C-band in the pericentromeric region with a 57.6% ratio of C-band length to the full length of this chromosome and possessed an elongated primary constriction in early metaphase. In prometaphase, chromosome 2 showed that the long arm was completely separated from the short arm. The number of secondary constrictions could not be clearly observed because these chromosomes are small and they could not be counted in every metaphase cell. However, six chromosomes seemed to have secondary constrictions in the diploid plants. Two silver-stained bands were observed at primary constrictions of two of the large chromosomes.     

Inheritance of resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis Rost. In cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary Since June 1973 Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk & Curt) Rost., which causes downy mildew in cucumber, occurs in the Netherlands. The resistance against this disease appears to be based on one recessive gene in linkage with the dominant gene D for dull green fruit skin colour. It is demonstrated that this recessive gene is also linked with one of the genes for resistance to powdery mildew present in the variety Ashley.The powdery mildew resistant lines tested are also resistant against downy mildew, the linkage with the gene D having been broken.Stationed at Breeding Station Pannevis B.V., De Lier, the Netherlands.     

Search for resistance to gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary Resistance to gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) was not detected among 1208 cucumber lines of diverse origin when cotyledons of four-day-old seedlings were inoculated with an aqueous suspension of 5000 spores of D. bryoniae delivered to freshly crushed tissue, followed by 48 h incubation at 20°C and 100% RH in the dark. Among 49 lots evaluated for gummy stem blight in the field, cv. Homegreen #2 and Pl 200818 from Burma were resistant. Earliness in fruit maturity was positively correlated with susceptibility to gummy stem blight (r=0.424). Cucumber accessions differed in the incidence of stem and hypocotyl cankers. In greenhouse grown plants at the 2nd–3rd leaf stage, differentiation of resistant lines was obtained by spraying plants with an aqueous suspension of 10⁶/ml D. bryoniae spores followed by 48 h incubation at 20°C and 100% RH in the dark. One cycle of mass selection in Homegreen #2 resulted in improved gummy stem blight resistance.     

Gynoecious sex expression and stability in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary Results indicated that gynoecious stability in the F₁ is governed by partial dominance. The degree of gynoecious stability is dependent upon genotypes, stages of plant for AgNO₃ application and number of sprays. Depending upon the genotypes, the one-true-leaf stage and one spray of 250 ppm AgNO₃ showed more gynoecious stability in the F₁. Twice application of AgNO₃ at the two-true-leaf stage produced the maximum number of male flowers. Plants exposed to light for longer time (10.00 h) after AgNO₃ application produced less flowers than when exposed for shorter time (15.00 and 20.00 h).Present address: Division of Vegetable Crops, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India.     

Mapping of quantitative trait loci for floral scent compounds in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Floral scent is a very important trait in plant evolution. Currently, little is known about the inheritance of floral scent in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) or changes that might have occurred during its domestication. Therefore, we analysed scent volatiles and molecular markers in a population of 159 F₇ recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross of a domesticated blackeye cowpea cultivar, ‘524B’ and a wild accession ‘219‐01’. Using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC–MS) 23 volatile compounds were identified that fall into five general functional categories. Twenty‐two of the compounds displayed quantitative variation in the progeny, and a total of 63 QTLs influencing the amounts of these volatiles were mapped onto the cowpea genetic marker map. Although QTLs for volatile compounds putatively involved in cowpea flower scent were found on 9 of the 11 cowpea chromosomes, they were not evenly distributed with QTLs mainly clustered on LGs 1, LGs 2 and LG 4. Our results serve as a starting point for both more detailed analyses of complex scent biosynthetic pathways and the development of markers for marker‐assisted breeding of scented rose varieties.     

Significance of the non-appearance of visible disease symptoms in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) after infection with Cucumis virus 2

Summary When searching for resistance to Cucumis virus 2 in cucumber a variety was encountered which, after infection, did not show disease symptoms, but it did show a decrease in yield. This reduction in yield did not differ significantly from that of a susceptible variety showing symptoms. Attention is drawn to the risk of using such a variety, which acts as a carrier, as basic material for breeding.