Genetic Variations and Adaptations in Chickpea

A total of 329 chickpea lines, comprising 130 kabiili and 199 desi types, originating from six regions, viz., Indian sub-continent, Middle East, North Africa, America, Europe and USSR, were sown in augmented design. The data recorded on agronomic characters on all entries from each region were evaluated in terms of group (region) means. Among the six regions, greater plant height and lateness in flowering were specific to USSR entries. Group means of USSR accessions, both desi and kabuli, differed significantly from those of Indian varieties for a majority of the characters. These observations indicate that the degree of expression of certain characters could be ascribed to specific areas, which led to area-specific adaptations. Furthermore, type-specific differentiating characters, differing in degree of expression, were observed in desi and kabuli types. For example, high mean values of characters, like branches, pods, grain yield and harvest index, were associated with desi types, and 100-seed weight with kabulis. History of cultivation and selection for specific purpose has been cited as cause for area-specific adaptations and type-specific differentiating characters.     

Variation in pod production and abortion among chickpea cultivars under terminal drought

The effect of terminal drought on the dry matter production, seed yield and its components including pod production and pod abortion was investigated in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Two desi (with small, angular and dark brown seeds) and two kabuli (with large, rounded and light coloured seeds) chickpea cultivars differing in seed size were grown in a controlled-temperature greenhouse, and water stress was applied by withholding irrigation 1 (early podding water stress, ES), 2 (mid-podding water stress, MS) or 3 (late-podding water stress, LS) weeks after the commencement of pod set. In addition, the pod and seed growth of well-watered plants was followed for the first 19 days after pod set. Growth of the pod wall followed a sigmoid pattern and was faster in the desi than in the kabuli cultivars, while no difference was found in early seed growth among genotypes. Time of pod set affected the yield components in all treatments with the late-initiated pods being smaller, having fewer seeds per pod and smaller seeds, but no significant difference between pods initiated on the same day on the primary and secondary branches was observed. Early stress affected biomass and seed yield more severely than the later stresses, and in all stress treatments secondary branches were more affected than primary ones. Pod production was more affected by early stress than by late stress, regardless of cultivar. Pod abortion was more severe in the kabuli than in the desi cultivars, but final seed size per se did not appear to be a determinant of pod abortion under terminal drought conditions. The data indicated that the production and viability of pods was affected as soon as water deficits began to develop. The results show that pod abortion is one of the key traits impacting on seed yield in chickpeas exposed to terminal drought and that irrespective of differences in phenology, kabuli types have greater pod abortion than desi types when water deficits develop shortly after first pod set.     

Associations of some characters with seed yield in chickpea collections

Summary Three thousand two hundred and sixty-seven kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm accessions were grown during the spring season of 1980 at Tel Hadya, the main research station of ICARDA, Syria to determine the components of seed yield. Observations were recorded on seed yield and 14 other characters. Correlation and path coefficient analyses were done to find out associations among characters and to assess the direct and indirect contribution of each character to seed yield.Large variation was observed for all the characters studied except days to flowering, days to maturity and protein content. Correlation and path coefficient analyses showed that biological yield and harvest index were the major direct contributors to seed yield. The 100-seed weight, plant height, days to flowering and maturity, canopy width, and protein content contributed to seed yield mainly through indirect effect via biological yield and harvest index. The 100-seed weight and seed yield were major contributors to biological yield. Major contributor to protein content was days to maturity. Results indicated that selection for high biological yield and harvest index would lead to high seed yield; and selection for large seed size would lead to high biological yield. Therefore, these characters should receive the highest priority in selecting high yielding plants in chickpea breeding.     

利用混合线性模型分析绿豆主要农艺性状的遗传及相关性

以19个绿豆品种(系)为亲本, 采用非完全双列杂交试验设计及混合线性模型,研究绿豆主要农艺性状的遗传规律及其性状间的相互关系。结果表明, 绿豆全生育日数、株高、主茎节数和百粒重均以加性效应为主, 狭义遗传率较高且达极显著水平;单株荚数、单株产量和总产量的加性效应和显性效应均显著或极显著, 狭义遗传率相对较低;单荚粒数主要受显性效应影响, 广义遗传率较高;播种至开花天数与株高间存在显著或极显著遗传和表型正相关;单株荚数、单荚粒数与百粒重显著或极显著负相关;单株荚数与单株产量、总产量显著或极显著正相关;百粒重与单株产量、总产量相关性不大;针对全生育日数、株高、主茎节数和百粒重的选择可在早期世代进行, 而对产量的选择可以根据单株荚数和单株产量在晚期世代进行。     

Genetic studies for seed size and grain yield traits in kabuli chickpea

Seed size, determined by 100-seed weight, is an important yield component and trade value trait in kabuli chickpea. In the present investigation, the small seeded kabuli genotype ICC 16644 was crossed with four genotypes (JGK 2, KAK 2, KRIPA and ICC 17109) and F₁, F₂ and F₃ populations were developed to study the gene action involved in seed size and other yield attributing traits. Scaling test and joint scaling test revealed the presence of epistasis for days to first flower, days to maturity, plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds per pod, biological yield per plant, grain yield per plant and 100-seed weight. Additive, additive?×?additive and dominance?×?dominance effects were found to govern days to first flower. Days to maturity and plant height were under the control of both the main as well as interaction effects. Number of seeds per pod was predominantly under the control of additive and additive?×?additive effects. For grain yield per plant, additive and dominance?×?dominance effects were significant in the cross ICC 16644?×?KAK 2, whereas, additive?×?additive effects were important in the cross ICC 16644?×?JGK 2. Additive, dominance and epistatic effects influenced seed size. The study emphasized the existence of duplicate epistasis for most of the traits. To explore both additive and non-additive gene actions for phenological traits and yield traits, selection in later generations would be more effective.     

Genetic analyses of agronomic and seed quality traits of doubled haploid population in Brassica napus through microspore culture

Summary The results showed that the F1 genotype from the cross (Brassica napus cv. Zheshuang 758 × cv. Z-4115) had good response to embryogenesis, and their embryo yield and rate of plant regeneration reached 69.8 embryo/bud and 46.9%, respectively. Characters from the doubled haploid (DH) populations in B. napus were analyzed and it was showed that the means of each agronomic trait were between their parents, but they were nearer to the paternal in 6 agronomic traits (plant height, branch position, number of pods in the main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant and number of seeds/pod). The number of genes controlling each agronomic trait was analyzed based on the DH populations. The results showed that the number of genes controlling number of pods in the main raceme was the highest (15.6), and the least number of genes was involved for stem width (only 7.9). According to estimated coefficients of skewness and kurtosis of the traits tested, gene interaction was found to be absent for stem width, plant height, length of main raceme, number of primary and secondary branches, pod density in the main raceme and seed weight/plant. Complementary interaction was also observed in five agronomic traits (number of pods in the main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod and 1000-seed weight). A significantly positive correlation was observed between seed yield/plant and four agronomic traits (length of main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant and 1000-seed weight). The experiment also showed that the erucic acid, glucosinolate, oil and protein contents of DH populations were 34.23%, 87.09 μmol/g, 44.09% and 42.67%, respectively. The numbers of genes controlling each quality trait were 7.8, 9.7, 9.4 and 8.7, respectively. Partial correlations between the seed quality traits and the agronomic characters of DH populations were analyzed. In this experiment, the partial correlations among seed quality traits were also analyzed and it was found that the oil content had a negative correlation with the other three seed quality traits.     

大豆遗传资源农艺性状的鉴定和筛选

对来自于中国黄淮海大豆产区、北方大豆产区和南方大豆产区的316个大豆品种的主要农艺性状进行了鉴定和比较。结果表明,育成品种的分枝数、分枝荚数、单株总荚数明显不及农家品种,而其它性状如主茎荚数、单株粒重、单株粒数和百粒重优于农家品种。以育成品种和农家品种分别所作的相关分析表明,主茎荚数、分枝荚数、单株总荚数均与单株粒数和单株粒重呈显著的正相关;主茎节数与株高、主茎荚数、单株总荚数、单株粒重、单株粒数呈显著正相关;分枝数与分枝荚数、单株总荚数、单株粒数和单株粒重呈极显著或非显著正相关,但与主茎荚数呈负向显著相关;单株粒数与单株粒重显著正相关,百粒重与单株粒重正向显著相关,与单株粒数负相关显著。通过比较和分析,就百粒重、生育期和株高筛选出一些具有极端值的品种,可以用作品种选育的亲本和大豆分子育种如转基因受体或分子标记作图群体的遗传材料。     

Path analysis of the relationships between seed yield and some morphological and phenological traits in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Path analysis was performed on plant characters of six safflower genotypes grown in a two year field experiment to determine for seed yield, the direct and indirect effects of the following traits: total biomass, stem yield, number of primary branches/plant, number of secondary branches/plant, number of seeds/m², number of seeds/capitulum, number of capitula/plant, capitulum diameter, 1000-seed weight, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, plant height, number of days to the beginning of branching, number of days to the beginning of flowering, number of days to 50% flowering, number of days to full flowering and flowering duration. Seed yield was significantly correlated with the following traits: total biomass, stem yield, capitulum diameter, 1000-seed weight, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, number of days to the beginning of branching and flowering duration. Total biomass, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, 1000-seed weight and flowering duration had substantial direct effects, in that order, on enhancement of seed yield. The significant positive correlation coefficient of capitulum diameter with seed yield resulted from positive indirect effects of total biomass, seed weight/capitulum and 1000-seed weight. Conversely, the significant negative correlations between number of days to the beginning of branching and distance between ground level and the first fertile branch and seed yield resulted from negative indirect effects of the same three traits. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 94% of the total variation in seed yield could be explained by variation in total biomass and by number of days to the beginning of branching (84 and 10%, respectively). Results suggest that total biomass and number of days to the beginning of branching are primary selection criteria for improving seed yield in safflower.     

Correlation and path-coefficient analysis of components of seed yield in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea)

Summary Direct and indirect effects of components of seed yield upon seed yield and those of leaf number and leaf size upon components of seed yield were examined using path analysis, in bambara groundnut germplasm from Ghana. The number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight had direct positive effects on seed yield, but the two traits were negatively correlated. The number of pods per plant gave the best indication of seed yield status. The number of leaves was more important in determining seed yield in the bunch types, but leaf size was rather more important in the spreading types. Seed size is genetically determined and the genes for seed size may have pleiotropic effects on leaf size. The genes for seed size may also be linked to genes for leaf size. Selection for varieties with high and stable number of pods per plant should improve production level of bambara groundnut.     

种植密度和施肥对菜用大豆产量性状的效应研究

采用2因素4水平随机区组设计,研究了种植密度和磷肥施用量对菜用大豆“绿75”产量性状的影响。结果表明,每公顷施270kg磷酸二铵能有效地增加分枝数、分枝荚数、主茎荚数、单株总荚数、单株粒重、单株粒数和小区产量。每公顷45万株的密度可提高单株荚数,但百粒重降低。不同因素间互作效应表明,每公顷施270kg磷酸和45万株密度,能增加单株的分枝数、分枝荚数、单株粒重和单株粒数。每公顷在22.5万~45万株,施用磷肥能有效地提高单株的主茎荚数和单株总荚数。在施肥量相同时,随着密度的增加产量提高。     

Inheritance of Seed Coat Thickness in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and its Evolutionary Implications

The desi and kabuli chickpeas are characterized, among other things, by their seed coats being thicker in the desi than in the kabuli type. The inheritance of seed coat thickness, and its relation to flower colour and seed size, was studied. Seed coat thickness exhibits monogenic inheritance, the thin kabuli seed coat being the recessive character. Linkage was found between seed coat thickness and flower colour, the recombinant fraction being 0.19. No relationship was found between seed coat thickness and seed size. The role of these characters in the evolution of the chickpea is discussed.     

唐山红小豆地方品种资源数量性状的遗传变异分析

以71份唐山红小豆地方品种资源为研究对像,对资源各数量性状的平均表现、遗传变异、遗传力及预期遗传进度进行了分析。结果表明,唐山红小豆地方品种资源生育期类型单一、株型高大、产量性状较好,子粒大小中等;主茎分枝、单株荚数、单株生产力、小区产量、生育前期、百粒重、单荚粒数具有中等以上的遗传变异系数和遗传进度,对其选择有一定的效果;在选择效果明显的性状中,生育期、百粒重、主茎分枝遗传力较高,可在早代选择;小区产量遗传力中等,可在遗传基础相对稳定的较高世代选择;而株高、单株荚数、单荚粒数、单株生产力的遗传力较低,应在遗传基础纯合稳定的高世代选择。     

豇豆种质资源农艺性状的相关性、主成分及聚类分析

为给豇豆育种中品种资源的合理利用提供依据,对41份豇豆品种资源15项主要农艺性状进行相关性、主成分和聚类分析。结果表明,枯萎病发生程度的变异系数最大,与豇豆产量关系密切的单荚重和单株嫩荚数2个农艺性状,与株型、嫩荚长、单株花序数和单荚种子粒数都呈现显著正相关,单株嫩荚数与开花期、叶宽和单株分枝数呈现显著负相关。15个主要农艺性状可以归纳为5个主成分,第1主成分包括株型、初花节位、嫩荚长、单荚重、单荚种子粒数、单株花序数、单株嫩荚数和单株分枝数;第2主成分包括开花期、叶长和叶宽;第3主成分包括种皮颜色和嫩荚宽;第4主成分包括嫩荚颜色;第5主成分包括枯萎病发生程度。41份豇豆种质资源在遗传距离为25处分为2大类,在遗传距离为15处分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ类,其中第Ⅰ类的品种优势明显,具有较好的应用前景。     

花期不同打尖层数对蚕豆农艺性状及产量的影响

对2个蚕豆品种进行花期打尖处理,研究其主要农艺性状及产量的差异,提出花期打尖处理的最适层数,为蚕豆高产高效栽培提供科学依据。结果表明,随着花期打尖层数的增加,蚕豆株高逐渐增加;单株总荚数、总分枝数（达蚕1号）、有效分枝数和百粒重均先增后减;始荚高度、单荚粒数、总分枝数（成胡15）、主茎节数和荚长受打尖处理影响较小;产量也呈先增加后降低的趋势,并在打尖层数为第8层时达到最大值。相关性分析表明,蚕豆产量与百粒重、有效分枝数和单株总荚数呈显著正相关（P<0.05）;株高与百粒重也呈显著正相关（P<0.05）。回归分析表明,打尖层数与蚕豆产量的关系均为开口向下的抛物线,最适打尖层数为第8~9层。     

Phenotypic recurrent selection in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) based on performance of S2 progenies

Summary The effect of a recurrent selection procedure for improving seed yield per plant was evaluated in common bean. Progress was registered after three cycles of recurrent selection with S2 progeny evaluation performed on the grain yield/plant. Gain from selection was estimated by field testing 45 random S2 lines from each of the C0, C1 and C2 populations. Response to selection for seed yield/plant was 6 g from C0 to C1 and 4.4 g from C1 to C2. The seed yield improvement was due principally to an increase in pods/plant; little contribution was provided by the 1000-seed weight and seeds/pod traits. Broad-sense heritability and genotypic variance for grain yield remained high in all cycles which suggests further gain from additional selection cycles. Grain yield/plant is significantly correlated to pods/plant and seeds/pod traits in all cycles, indicating that plants with favourable combinations of these traits could be identified. The proposed recurrent selection procedure appears to be effective in improving the population and extracting superior genotypes for varietal development.     

Comparative study on growth and development of some accessions of local Germplasm of Bambara groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterrenea</Emphasis> L. Verdc.) of Nigeria in two cropping seasons

Two field experiments were conducted in April (early cropping) and August, (late cropping) 2007 at the Department of Crop Science Research Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to evaluate the agronomic and yield attributes of 13 cultivars of bambara groundnut. The results obtained showed that planting dates had significant effects (P < 0.05) on all traits measured. Significant cultivar and cultivar x planting date interaction effects were observed for days to 50% flowering. The principal component analysis showed that the first three components accounted for 85.18 and 86.81% of the total variation in the early and late planting, respectively. The traits representing the cultivars along the first principal axis were number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant for the early planting and number of leaves per plant and seed weight per plant in the late planting. Cultivars were differentiated on the basis of number of flowers per plant and plant height for the early planting and days to emergence for the late planting along the second principal axis. The cluster plot revealed that the 13 bambara groundnut cultivars were grouped into three clusters at both the early and late planting dates. In the early planting, the cultivars in cluster I are associated with high number of flowers, number of pods, and plant height, while cluster II cultivars flowered earlier and had good pod and seed yield. However, cluster III cultivars performed poorly in all the traits evaluated. During the late planting, the cluster I comprised early flowering cultivars while cluster II comprised cultivars with good vegetative growth, high number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant. Cluster III cultivars are early emerging and early flowering but have poor seed yield. The correlation coefficient for seed weight per plant was highly significant and positive with number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of flowers per plant and number of pods per plant indicating that increase in these traits will ultimately increase seed weight per plant. Thus, these traits could be considered as major seed yield contributing traits that could be given significant recognition during selection.     

Variance components and heritabilities of yield and agronomic traits among cowpea genotypes

The phenotypic expression and heritability of quantitative traits vary due to genotypic differences, environmental influences and genotype by environment interactions. The objective of this study was to determine variance components and heritabilities of seed yield and its components in cowpea. Field experiments were conducted at three locations, three planting dates using ten diverse cowpea genotypes during 2004/2005. The experiments were laid out in the randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated significant interactions (P ≤ 0.01) among genotypes, locations and planting dates. The genotypic variance contributed ≥50% of the total phenotypic variance for the numbers of days to 50% flowering, seeds per pod, productive branches per plant and seed yield. The heritabilities of the numbers of days to 50% flowering were estimated at 50%, pods per plant (23%), days to maturity (66%), productive branches per plant (53%), 100 seed weight (11%) and seed yield (55%). The presence of considerable degree of genotypic variance among tested genotypes under various environments suggests that success in cowpea breeding could possibly be achieved through direct phenotypic selection.     

Physiological responses of chickpea genotypes to terminal drought in a Mediterranean-type environment

Two field experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of terminal drought on chickpea grown under water-limited conditions in the Mediterranean-climatic region of Western Australia. In the first experiment, five desi (small angular seeds) chickpeas and one kabuli (large round seeds) chickpea were grown in the field with and without irrigation after flowering. In the second experiment, two desi and two kabuli cultivars were grown in the field with either irrigation or under a rainout shelter during pod filling. Leaf water potential (Ψ_l), dry matter partitioning after pod set and yield components were measured in both experiments while growth before pod set, photosynthesis, pod water potential and leaf osmotic adjustment were measured in the first experiment only.

In the first experiment, total dry matter accumulation, water use, both in the pre- and post-podding phases, Ψ_l and photosynthesis did not vary among genotypes. In the rainfed plants, Ψ_l decreased below −3 MPa while photosynthesis decreased to about a tenth of its maximum at the start of seed filling. Osmotic adjustment varied significantly among genotypes. Although flowering commenced from about 100 days after sowing (DAS) in both experiments, pod set was delayed until 130–135 DAS in the first experiment, but started at 107 DAS in the second experiment. Water shortage reduced seed yield by 50 to 80%, due to a reduction in seed number and seed size. Apparent redistribution of stem and leaf dry matter during pod filling varied from 0 to 60% among genotypes, and suggests that this characteristic may be important for a high harvest index and seed yield in chickpea.     

花生主要农艺性状的配合力分析

摘 要: 配合力是花生杂交育种中选择亲本的重要依据之一。以河南省生产推广应用的6个主要品种为亲本,采用Griffing方法2对花生主要农艺性状的配合力进行了研究。结果表明,总分枝数、结果枝数和出仁率主要受加性效应的影响,侧枝长和单株双仁秕果数的非加性效应作用更大些,单株双仁饱果数、单株果重、百仁重、主茎高、单株单仁秕果数和单株单仁饱果数同时受加性效应和非加性效应的影响,但主要以加性为主。豫花15号在单株果重、籽仁重、单株双仁饱果数和单株单仁秕果数等主要产量性状上具有较高的一般配合力,其与濮花8号组配的杂交组合在单株果重、籽仁重、主茎高和侧枝长上均具有较高的特殊配合力,是最具有利用价值的亲本材料。