Breeding Differently—the Digital Revolution: High-Throughput Phenotyping and Genotyping

A conventional potato breeding strategy uses targeted outcrossing, followed by phenotypic recurrent selection over a series of generations to identify improved cultivars. This paper reviews recent research in Australia aimed at improving the efficiency of such breeding. To develop marker-assisted selection (MAS) for traits of interest, our initial targets were qualitative disease resistances for potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis Ro1), Potato virus Y and Potato virus X. We undertook a cost analysis comparison between MAS and conventional screening, confirming that MAS would be cost-effective within a breeding programme. Then, as the majority of target traits are quantitative in nature, we also looked at methods to address these traits, including progeny testing and a quantitative genetic analysis technique to develop estimated breeding values (EBVs). We found the markers were useful for detecting the disease resistance characters, while the EBVs improved the analysis of the complex traits. Using a combination of MAS, EBVs and conventional screening methods, we then designed a breeding scheme for rapid selection of cultivars with multiple desirable traits, reducing the breeding cycle from over 10 to 4 years. We then explored the factors that will affect the application of genomic selection in potato and investigated strategies to incorporate genomic selection in potato breeding, as we found that it would accelerate genetic gain as the breeding cycle can be reduced to 1 year. Improvements in computational power are also flowing on to research capabilities such as sequencing, high-throughput phenotyping and data analysis, which will accelerate germplasm improvement and breeding. High-throughput phenotyping facilities are being developed that include automated glasshouse systems equipped with imaging sensors and in-field high-throughput phenotyping systems with sensors mounted on ground- or aerial-based vehicles. Using these technological improvements in phenotypic and genotypic analysis will reduce the breeding cycle in a cost-effective manner and means that we can now breed differently.     

Super Rice Breeding in China

I.Demand for Super high yield rice in ChinaRice is one of the ban staple food in China. Theperformance of rice sector in production and yield had beenvery impressive in the last four decades. However, riceProduction and yield has stagnated since 1990.Wide adoption of semidwarf varieties and hybrid riceled to the two breakthroughs in yield. To fit the future demand for rice in China, based on the per capita riceconsumption of 150kg, rice planting area should be stableat 31. 57 million ha and…     

Breeding for multiresistant rice varieties

From 1977 to 1987, new rice varieties Xiangkang 32xuan 5, Xiangzaoxian 3 and HA79317—4 were bred. They had resistance to bacterial blight (BB), rice blast (BL), brown planthopper(BPH), whitebacked planthopper (WBPH), with high-yielding and good rice quality.     

Report of the joint meeting of the Potato Section of EUCARPIA and the Section Breeding and varietal assessment of the EAPR, 3–7 July, 2000, Warsaw (Poland)

Report

Report of the joint meeting of the Potato Section of EUCARPIA and the Section Breeding and varietal assessment of the EAPR, 3–7 July, 2000, Warsaw (Poland)     

Breeding of a PGMS indica rice with a morphological marker

The development of photo-thermo period sensitive genie male sterile (PGMS) rice, which exhibits male sterility in summer but normal fertility in autumn, has provided an opportunity to simplify the breeding and seed production of hybrid rice. However,as the conversion of fertility of PGMS indica rice is affected by unusual low temperature in summer, it will part     

Breeding of WA type male sterile line with wide compalibility gene

Exploration of the strong heterosis of intersubspecies cross of rice has been hindered by the sterility problem in indica/japonica hybrids. Such incompatibility can be overcome by incorporation of the wide compatibility gene S_5~(11) into indica or japonica breeding lines. An alternation is to develop male sterile lines with S_5~n. From a cross of Zhenshan 97B, the main tainer line of WA type male sterile line Zhenshan 97A, with Pecos, a wide compatibility line from USA, a WA type male sterile line with wide compat ibility named as Shanqin A was successfully developed through successive selling and baekcrossing simultaneously (see figure).     

The International Rice Genetics and Breeding Symposium was held in Hangzhou

The International Rice Genetics and Breeding Symposium was held in Hangzhou,China on 16-18,October,1999.More than 20 rice scientists abroad from USA,Japan,England,Germany,andthe Netherlands et al and about 100 rice specialists internal attended the meeting. Around the theme of rice genetics and breeding towards the 21th Century,scientists ex- changed the information of up-data developments in different rice research fields,analyzed the ad- vance and questions in rice genetics and breeding,and discussed the key problem of super rice,transgenic rice,and two-line and one-line rice breeding.Prof YUAN Longping et al 21 scientists     

Report of the joint meeting of the EAPR-EUCARPIA sections Breeding/Potatoes under the topic: “Potatoes for a developing world” at Freising-Weihenstephan,Germany, 25–27 May 1994

Report

Report of the joint meeting of the EAPR-EUCARPIA sections Breeding/Potatoes under the topic: “Potatoes for a developing world” at Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany, 25–27 May 1994     

Breeding lines with neutral genes to improve fertility of intersubspecific hybrid rice

Since the sterility-neutral allele Sn5 has been incorporatedinto indica or japonica varieties, many intersubspecifichybrids have been released commercially. These hybridsshowed high heterosis, but some of them exhibited unstableseed setting at under low temperature. When the hybridsflowered at low temperaure, the fertility of female gametewas normal but the pollen showed sterile. To improve thestability of fertility, the effect of pollen sterility-neutralgene was studied for intersubspecific hybrids.     

A New PCR/LDR-Based Multiplex Functional Molecular Marker for Marker-Assisted Breeding in Rice

Marker-assisted selection or marker-aided selection(MAS)provides an effective complementary approach for conventional rice breeding with precise and speedy mobilization of target genes into elite genetic backgrounds.The targeted genes,however,may not be selected in the course of MAS due to the occasional recombination between the marker and the target gene/QTL during the many cycles of meiosis involved in breeding programs.This leads to failure in the selection of target traits(Gopalakrishnan et al,2008).     

Breeding of near-isogenic japonica rice lines with three major genes for resistance to bacterial blight

From 1986 to 1993, a set of near-isogenic japonica rice lines with three major genes Xa-3, Xa-4, and Xa-12 for resistance to bacterial blight(Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae) were developed and designated as CBB3, CBB4, and CBB12 respective-     

Feasibility of fish culture under the circumstances of growing the rice on the natural water

We studied the feasibility of a new production mode incorporating rice cultivation with fish culture in 1991.     

UNGA Declared the Year 2004 the International Year of Rice

On 16 December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2004 the International Year of Rice (IYR). The dedication of an International Year to rice, a single crop, is unprecedented in UNGA~s history. In declaring the IYR, the UNGA recognized that rice is the primary food source for more than half of the world‘s population and that enhancing     

Study on the incorporation of standing whole straw into the soil

The physical and chemical properties of the incorporation of whole and chopped straw into the soil and the rice yield of the first year in Northeast China are investigated in this study. Since the incorporated straw would become decayed in 2nd and 3rd year and cause favorable effect on rice growing, only the first year yield is evaluated.     

The change of the cationic peroxidase in the leaves at the fertile transformation period in Nongken 58s

Nongken 58s is a type of photoperiod sensitivegenic male sterile rice which gives rice to malesterility when illuminated time is longer than13.75 h/d. The photoperiod sensitive stagesare from the differentiation of primary branchprimordum (Ⅱ) in young ears to fullness ofcontents of the pollen (Ⅶ). The changes ofactivity and isoenzymes in cation peroxidase atphotoperiod sensitive stages and the relation-     

Potato Stem Cuttings to Study <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis> Infection for Resistance Breeding and ‘omics’ Studies

Consistent and effective methods for early discrimination of pathogen resistance, and selection of times for tissue sampling, are important for experiments using global gene expression and metabolomics. Assays for resistance to the vascular pathogen Verticillium dahliae (Vd), the causal agent of Verticillium wilt (VW), are particularly difficult because escapes are common in field assays. Seedling dip assays offer a potential solution, but homogeneous populations are not typically available. As an alternative strategy, we have developed a protocol for studying spatiotemporal infection dynamics of Vd using potato stem cuttings. The protocol was validated using genotypes varying in resistance/susceptibility to Vd. Although there were no visual symptoms in the plants, stem sections were infested with Vd as early as 7 dpi. Symptoms were first observed in the most susceptible genotype at 10 dpi and became apparent on all test subjects at 14 dpi. The protocol has potential applications in resistance breeding and ‘omics’ studies where populations derived from true seeds are not available.     

Report on the Workshop “Research Challenges for the Seed Potato Sector”

Held on July 2017 during the 20^th EAPR Conference in Versailles, France, the workshop intended (1) to review—and exchange with participants—some recent advances and concerns for the seed potato sector (new regulations, seed health, multiplication schemes including true potato seed, seed crop management, etc.) and (2) to define the main challenges for future research and improvement for seed potatoes production and regulation systems to secure the whole chain of potato production.     

Studies on the source-sink characteristics and the seedsetting rate in indica-japonica hybrid rice

To study the differences of source-sink characteristics and seed-setting rate between indica/japonica hybrid rice and indica/indica hybrid rice, we conducted this experiment in Yintan City, Jiangxi Province,in 1993. The indica/japonica hybrid rice tested were: Jiangnongzao ⅡA/1044, Jiangnongzao ⅡA/1044zao, Jiangnongzao ⅡA/1046, and 5460s/Guangkanggen 2.The indica/indica hybrid rice tested was Shanyou 63. They were planted in late season, with a transplanting space of 16.7cm×20cm. At the heading stage, the leaf areas were measured, and the experiment of cutting off leaves or spikelets was conducted. The resuts indicated that: