Hybrid performance and AFLP- based genetic similarity in faba bean

Successful prediction of heterosis and performance of F₁-hybrids from the genetic similarity of their parents based on molecular markers has been reported in several crops and can be very helpful in hybrid breeding. The relationship between genetic similarities based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) of 18 European faba bean lines and their hybrid performance and heterosis was investigated. Parental lines, 62 F₁-hybrids and their F₂-progenies were evaluated in field trials in four environments in Germany for seed yield, 1,000-seed weight and plant height. Results clearly demonstrated a stable superiority of the hybrids over their inbred parents and elite check cultivars, and showed a marked and varying amount of heterosis. Parental seed yield and F₂-hybrid yield were promising as predictors for F₁-hybrids. AFLP analysis of the 18 inbred lines using 26 EcoRI/MseI primer combinations resulted in 1202 polymorphic fragments. Cluster analysis based on genetic similarity estimates unambiguously identified pedigree-related inbred lines. No clear separation of the 18 inbred lines into subgroups was detected. Correlation coefficients between genetic similarity estimates and either heterosis or F₁-hybrid performance were small and not useful. Also correlations between specific genetic similarity and specific combining ability were too small for all traits to be of predictive value. Results showed that AFLP-based genetic similarities are not useful to predict the performance of hybrids or heterosis within the elite European faba bean gene pool.     

Genetic diversity of oilseed Brassica napus inbred lines based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism and its relation to hybrid performance

Significant heterosis for seed yield in oilseed rape has created interest in the development of hybrid cultivars. The DNA‐based marker protocol, sequence‐related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) was used to determine genetic diversity among oilseed rape maintainer and restorer lines. This measure was used in an attempt to establish an association between genetic distance and heterosis in hybrids for various agronomic traits. A total of 118 polymorphic loci were generated by 18 SRAP primer combinations. Based on the polymorphism generated by the markers, calculated similarity index values ranged from 0.46 to 0.97. Cluster analysis grouped 10 maintainer and 12 restorer lines into three groups, with the exception of two maintainer lines, PM5 and PM9, which fell outside these groups. The grouping of the lines was largely in agreement with the available pedigree data on their origin and agronomic performance. Analysis of variance among inbred lines and their resulting F₁ hybrids over two locations revealed significant differences for plant height, days to maturity and seed yield, but not for oil content. Substantial mid‐parent heterosis was observed only for seed yield, and ranged from 26% to 169%. All hybrids surpassed their respective inbred lines for this trait, except for a single cross combination of related lines. In general, crosses of lines located in different clusters yielded more than those from the same clusters. Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the genetic distance of the parents and seed yield in their hybrid, and their derived mid‐parent and high‐parent heterosis. The correlation coefficient between genetic distance and yield (0.64) indicated a moderately strong relationship, so it is possible that some of the SRAP markers might be linked to quantitative trait loci for seed yield.     

Fertility improvement in tetraploid pearl millet

Summary Autotetraploid (2n=4x=28) pearl millet inbred lines, Tift 23BE and Tift 239DB, have been developed for use in crosses with other polyploid Pennisetum species. Each line set less than 1% and 3% selfed and open-pollinated seed, respectively. Seed germination was usually less than 17%. First generation (F₁) hybrids between the two inbreds set up to 61% seed while up to 40% of the seed from hybrids germinated.Seed weight per inflorescence for two planting dates averaged 0.32 g and 3.06 g for the two inbreds and the second generation F₂ progeny, respectively. One hundred seed weight was also significantly higher (0.78 g vs 0.48 g) in the F₂ progeny, probably due better endosperm development. Chromosome behavior and pollen stainability were similar in the inbred parents and hybrids. However, the hybrids shed more pollen than the inbred parents.Heterosis was evident in the F₁ hybrids and F₂ progeny which showed significant increases in plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and inflorescence length in addition to fertility improvement.     

Relationship between hybrid performance and AFLP based genetic distance in highland maize inbred lines

The objectives of this study were to determine the crossing performance of highland maize inbred lines for grain yield, days to silk and plant height; estimate genetic distance (GD) among the inbred lines and in association with tester parents, and to investigate the relationship of GD with hybrid performance and midparent heterosis (MPH). A total of 26 inbred lines were crossed with six (population and line) testers in a factorial-mating scheme. The F_1’s and the parents were evaluated at five locations in Ethiopia. Nine amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) primer pairs were used to genotype all the parents. The F_1’s were found to vary widely for grain yield and other traits measured. Yield superiority of more than 30% over the best hybrid check was obtained for some testcross hybrids. Midparent heterosis on average was moderate for grain yield and, plant height. And for days to silking, MPH values were mostly negative. Mean GD values determined from the inbred lines by population tester (0.680) and line tester (0.661) combinations were not significantly different. Cluster analysis separated the tester parents from the corresponding inbred lines. AFLP grouping of the inbred lines was in agreement with their pedigree records. Genetic distances derived from the inbred lines × all testers and from the population testers’ sub-group were not positively correlated with hybrid performance and MPH for most traits. In contrast, correlations of GDs involving the line testers’ sub-group with F_1’s and MPH were significantly positive but with low magnitude to be of predictive value.     

Inbreeding and the production of commercial F1 hybrid seed of brussels sprouts

Inbred lines, many of which have reached or passed the I₄ generation, have been produced by successive generations of self-pollination of material selected stringently for desirable characteristics. Of 99 parent plants originally selected from three different non-inbred varieties only eight were represented in the I₄ generation, by which time individual inbred lines were virtually true breeding for characters of commercial importance.An F₁ hybrid named Avoncross, produced by crossing unrelated selected inbred lines, has given consistently good yields of high quality sprouts in trials grown during several seasons. In most of these trials Avoncross gave the greatest marketable yield as compared with various control varieties and its superiority was significant at the 5% level of probability. A further F₁ hybrid, as yet un-named, has also given promising results in recent trials.Genetic male sterility was found in the material but did not provide an economic method for the production of F₁ hybrid seed. The method developed for the field production of F₁ hybrid seed relies on natural crossing between partially sib-compatible inbred lines. The partial sib-compatibility makes it possible to multiply the parent inbred lines by using natural sib-pollination in the field, but leads to the presence of sibs in the F₁ hybrid seed produced by natural crossing. The percentage of sibs in field crops of the F₁ hybrid established from such seed, however, was acceptably low because the majority of the sib-seedlings initially present could be rejected, on the basis of their smaller size, at the time of transplanting from the seedbed to the field.Experimental seed production, both of parent inbred lines and of the F₁ hybrid Avoncross, indicated that commercial production of F₁ hybrid seed in this manner was likely to be economically feasible.     

Genetic diversity of Tainan-white maize inbred lines and prediction of single cross hybrid performance using RAPD markers

To evaluate the genetic diversity of 13 maize inbred lines, and to determine the correlation between genetic distance and single cross hybrid performance, we employed the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD)- a PCR-based technique. Six of these lines came from the Taichung population, and others derived from seven different sites. Forty different primers were used to give a total of 646 reproducible amplification products, 547 (84.7%) of them being polymorphic. Genetic divergence was determined using Jaccard's similarity coefficient, and a final dendrogram was constructed by UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetical averages) cluster analysis in the CLUSTER procedure of the SAS system. The RAPD analysis was a useful tool in determining the extent of genetic diversity among Tainan-white maize inbred lines in the present case. Cluster analysis showed that the 13 inbred lines could be classified into distinct heterotic groups. There was no significant linear regression of grain dry weight heterosis value and mean performance of hybrids on genetic distance. And their coefficients of determination(R²) are small, so that predictive value is limited. The present results showed that the Jaccard's similarity coefficients based on RAPD data cannot be used to precisely predict the F₁ hybrids yield performance and heterosis value. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The production of F1 hybrid swedes (Brassica napus ssp. Rapifera) by the utilisation of self-incompatability

Summary Six inbred lines from a swede with naturally occurring self-incompatibility were each isolated with a swede cultivar containing marker genes. The percentage of intervarietal hybrids produced by the self-incompatible lines was between 97.4% and 99.6%, whereas in the self-compatible marker cultivar it varied between 7.2% and 26.8%. The F₁ hybrids showed increases in dry matter yield of 11.5% to 28.8% over the higher parent.     

鲜食糯玉米品种（品系）对粗缩病的田间抗性评价

为筛选抗粗缩病的糯玉米种质及糯玉米品种,选用64份糯玉米自交系和江苏沿江地区生产上常用的25个鲜食糯玉米品种连续2年进行粗缩病抗性鉴定,结果表明：60%左右的自交系和品种对粗缩病表现为感或高感,且不同的年份、不同的品种、同一品种在不同的年份,对粗缩病的抗性均存在极显著的差异;通系5血统的自交系对粗缩病的抗性要优于其他3类种质;2个糯玉米品种田间鉴定对粗缩病达抗性水平。     

Production and cytogenetics of tetraploid–octoploid Avena hybrids

The objectives of this research were to gather hybridization information about crosses between tetraploid and synthetically derived octoploid lines of Avena and their reciprocals, and to study the cytology of the hybrids obtained. When the octoploid plants were used as females, only 2.6% of the pollinated florets set seed, while seed set increased to 39.0% in reciprocal crosses. However, germination was 95.7% for the first group of hybrids and only 18.2% for the reciprocals. These diverse results can be explained by the paternal: maternal endosperm genomic ratios and the hypothesis of polar nuclei activation. The tetraploid-octoploid hybrids did not always contain 42 chromosomes. Octoploid lines derived indirectly from tetraploid (AABB) × hexaploid (AACCDD) crosses were found to retain their A and B genome chromosomes. Univalents in the above hybrids averaged 15.44 in 1990 and 15.15 in 1991, indicating the presence of C and D genome chromosomes inherited from the octoploid lines. Directly synthesized octoploids from diploid (A_cA_c) × hexaploid (AACCDD) crosses were found to form 20.44 univalents, 5.30 bivalents, and 2.69 trivalents when crossed with AABB tetraploid species. The high number of univalents indicates that chromosomes from at least three genomes, i.e. B, C, and D, remain unpaired, while trivalents are the result of homology between the A and A_c genomes. Hybrids between tetraploid and octoploid lines can be obtained at low frequencies but, regardless of the direction of the cross, these hybrids are highly sterile.     

玉米籽粒赖氨酸含量的遗传及其与产量的关系分析

用5个不同基础群体的15个自选系作母本, 5个不同优势群的测验系作父本, 采用NCII交配设计配成75个杂交组合, 经1年2点田间试验, 用近红外光谱仪测定了亲本及其杂交种F₁和F₂籽粒的赖氨酸含量, 并用三倍体种子胚乳-细胞质-母体效应模型对赖氨酸含量进行遗传分析。结果表明, 玉米籽粒赖氨酸含量除受种子、母体效应和细胞质3套遗传体系共同控制之外, 还不同程度受环境因素的影响, 遗传主效应方差V_G (V_G=V_A+V_D+V_C+V_Am+V_Dm)占总遗传方差(V_G+V_GE)的76.3%, 其中, 种子效应方差(V_A+V_D)、细胞质效应方差(V_C)和母体效应方差(V_Am+V_Dm)分别占24.6%、19.7%和55.7%;赖氨酸含量以母体遗传力为主(h²_m=40.98%), 其次为种子遗传力(h²_o=17.86%), 而细胞质遗传力较低(h²_c=14.29%)。同时发现籽粒赖氨酸含量与产量之间不存在明显相关(r = –0.027)。因此, 在高赖氨酸育种中, 必须重视高值亲本尤其是母本的选择以及不同优势类群间的广泛组配, 从变异广泛的基础材料中对赖氨酸含量和籽粒产量同时进行选择和改良是可能的。     

Combining ability of non‐adapted sources for male‐fertility restoration in Pampa CMS of hybrid rye*

Hybrid rye breeding and seed production relies on the cytoplasmic male sterility‐inducing Pampa (P)‐Cytoplasm. High levels of restoration were recently found in non‐adapted rye accessions from Argentina (Pico Gentario, Pastoreo Massaux) and Iran (IRAN IX). To analyse their relative superiority, five seed‐parent lines in P cytoplasm were crossed with five inbred lines of these sources and four adapted restorer lines. The 45 F1 hybrids were tested for male‐fertility restoration in three locations. Significant (P = 0.01) general and specific combining ability (GCA and SCA respectively) for male‐fertility restoration were found. The non‐adapted restorer lines were able to restore all seed‐parent lines similarly, resulting in hybrids with 55‐90% pollen shedding (mean 78%) compared with 2‐74% pollen shedding (mean 44%) when adapted restorer lines were used. Significant (P = 0.05) SCA effects were detected in 11 of 45 combinations, nine of them were crosses with adapted pollinator lines. Non‐adapted restorer lines showed a high phenotypic stability of male‐fertility restoration across locations. Introgression of these exotic sources into the adapted restorer gene pool by repeated backcrossing should result in environmentally stable male fertility in Pampa‐based rye hybrids.     

Use of isozyme analysis in the breeding of synthetic rapeseed cultivars

Eleven winter rapeseed inbred lines (I₄) were characterized according to isozyme banding patterns from seven polymorphic enzyme systems. All lines could be qualitatively and quantitatively distinguished using two enzyme systems, shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH) and diaphorase (DIA). Genetic distances were calculated among lines and 15 selected two-line hybrids were planted as experimental synthetics in field-trials. Syn-0 populations produced seed yields between 0.4% lower and 12.9% higher than the mean yields of the respective parental lines. Syn-1 seed yields were 11–24.1% higher than the respective parental lines and the yield improvement was positively correlated with the genetic distance between the parental lines. This tendency suggests that genetic distances between cross components, calculated from isozyme polymorphism, can be used in prognosis of yield performance of synthetic rapeseed cultivars. Isozyme analysis was also applied to study fertilization behaviour in line mixtures, and differences among parental lines were observed with regard to the tendency for self-pollination or out-crossing. The partially very high outcrossing rate suggests the possible existence of a self-incompatibility system.     

玉米杂交种及其亲本自交系的生化指纹鉴定

本试验以浙单9号等五个玉米杂交组合及其亲本自交系为材料,进行种子盐溶蛋白聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳等多种电泳鉴定方法的研究,以揭示玉米杂交种及其亲本自交系的“生化指纹”(biochenucal fingerprint),以及筛选出适合于玉米杂交种及其亲本自交系真实性和纯度鉴定的方法。结果表明,各供试玉米杂交种及其亲本自交系都具有相应的、唯一的种子盐溶蛋白聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳所显现的生化指纹。对于有些组合。玉米芽鞘和叶片绿色组织过氧化物酶同工酶电泳图谱存在阴极第4、第5酶带差异,因这两条酶带的差异稳定,并且重现性好,故能用过氧化物酶同工酶技术对其进行有效地鉴定。上述两种方法,尤其是前者,因技术要求不高,费用低,快速及重现性好等特点,能满足我国目前种子检验室日常玉米品种纯度快速测定工作的要求,具育良好的应用前景。     

RAPD在玉米品种鉴定和纯度分析中的应用

以7个优良玉米自交系和它们的7个单交种为材料,从种子中提取DNA,进行RAPD扩增,探索利用RAPD标记鉴定玉米品种和纯度分析的可能性。研究结果表明,自交系间、杂交种间、自交系和杂交种间均有明显差异,利用3个引物可将14个材料完全分开。RAPD技术用于玉米品种鉴定和纯度分析是可行的。     

Retrotransposon-related genetic distance and hybrid performance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Heterosis is a main force leading the development of the hybrid seed industry in sunflower. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if heterosis effects for morphological traits among sunflower hybrids can be related to differences in the repetitive component of the genome of parental lines. The assumption is that, at least for certain traits, heterosis results from mutations in the cis-regulatory elements of genes, largely related to retrotransposon insertions and/or removals. Our experimental approach consists of a correlation study between hybrid performance and retrotransposon-related genetic distances between inbreds. Six sunflower inbred lines of different origin were crossed in a half diallel fashion; comparing parental lines and hybrids, mid parent heterosis of F₁ hybrids was evaluated for six traits. We estimated the parental genetic distances between the six inbreds on data gathered by the inter-retrotransposon-amplified-polymorphism (IRAP) protocol. Different retrotransposons previously isolated in sunflower were targeted by 11 primer pairs designed on conserved LTR domains. As a control, genetic distances were also calculated using 86 genic SNPs. We analysed the correlation between the mid-parent heterosis for each of the six traits analysed and the genetic distance (calculated on data obtained by SNP or IRAP analyses) between the parental lines. Differences between parents showed to be largely related to variations in the retrotransposon component of the genome. Retrotransposon-related genetic distance between parents resulted to be larger than that related to genic SNPs, and significantly correlated to seed yield and, at a lesser extent, to plant height and stem diameter in hybrids. The hypothesis that variations in the repetitive component of the genome, especially LTR-retrotransposons, affect the displaying of heterosis is discussed.     

Genetic Structure of Three Open-Pollinated Faba Bean Varieties (Vicia faba L.)*

To study the genetic structure of open-pollinated faba bean varieties, three sets of genotypes were generated from each of the varieties ‘Minica’, ‘Kristall’, and ‘Deiniol’: (1) inbred lines developed by single-seed descent in bee-proof isolation cages, (2) intravanetal and (3) intervarietal F₁-hybrids produced by controlled hand crossing. In 1989 and 1990, a total of 144 entries, including the three open-pollinated source varieties, were grown in single-row plots with two replications at two locations in Western Germany. Performance data of the inbred lines revealed relatively large genotypic variability within each variety, for all the characters studied, which was greater in ‘Deiniol’ and ‘Kristall’ than in ‘Minica’. An average yield heterosis of 20 %, 39 % and 57 %, respectively, was found for the intravarietal hybrids, whereas that of the intervarietal hybrids varied between 70 and 73 %. Compared to the mean yield of the inbred lines the superiority of the open-pollinated source variety was small and not significant in ‘Minica’ (6 %), but it was large and highly significant in ‘Kristall’ (22 %) and ‘Deiniol’ (37 %). The present investigation revealed in faba bean that similar performance levels of open-pollinated varieties may result from either high per se performance under inbreeding with low heterosis values or from lower per se performance but with high heterosis values.     

利用清蛋白多态性鉴定玉米种子纯度研究

利用改进的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,对生产上应用的53个玉米杂交种及亲本自交系干种子清蛋白(白蛋白Albumin)进行了电泳分析。结果表明,改进的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术分辨率高、鉴别能力强、准确;不仅能鉴别杂交种及亲本自交系,对血缘关系较近的材料,如同母异父单交种、含有同一血缘的不同衍生系也能区分开。利用该技术     

Application of isozyme electrophoresis for purity testing and cultivar identification of F1 hybrids of Brassica oleracea

Summary Six isozyme genes were analyzed in seed samples of 65 commercial F₁ hybrids of four horticultural groups of Brassica oleracea (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli and cauliflower). Results obtained from electrophoretic assays led to the following conclusions: 1) the electrophoretic test of F₁ hybrid purity was possible in 59 (91%) of the hybrids analyzed, since their inbred parents were apparently fixed each for a different allele in at least on of the loci studied; 2) forty-eight (74%) of the hybrids were individually distinguished by their isozyme phenotype; 3) high levels of segregation in the inbred parents were inferred from the analysis of a sample of seeds of each hybrid.     

Agronomic Traits and Chromosome Behavior of Autotetraploid Sorghums

The agronomic performance and chromosome behavior of autotetraploid sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] inbreds and F₁ hybrids were investigated. Autotetraploids have possible commercial use and can serve as bridging species in crosses to natural tetraploids. Autotetraploid sorghum inbreds (2n = 40) had higher kernel weight, seed yield, and protein and amino acid content than their diploid counterparts. Stalk height and panicle length of the autotet-raploids, however, were not different from those of the diploids, and seed set of autotetraploids was lower in early generations. Seed set of autotetraploid Ft hybrids was related to and higher than that of the autotetraploid parental inbred lines. Frequency of quadrivalents, anaphase I and II laggards, and quartet micronuclei varied among autotetraploids. Frequency of quadrivalents did not appear to be an important factor in seed set nor was it significantly associated with frequency of laggards. Aneuploids (2n = 39, 41) had higher percentages of laggards and micronuclei than did euploids (2n = 40). Methods of pollination significantly affected seed set in autotetraploid S4 lines. Differences in seed set among autotetraploid lines indicated the feasibility of selecting for lines with high seed set and utilizing those lines for hybrid production.     

Maize commercial hybrids compared to improved population hybrids for grain yield and agronomic performance

Improved maize (Zea mays L.) populations and population hybrids can both be profitable alternatives to commercial single-cross hybrids as well as good elite sources of diverse inbred lines. The objective of this research was to compare grain yield and agronomic performance between early maturing maize population hybrids and current early maturing commercial single-cross hybrids. This is a consequence of our research program targeted at identifying alternative heterotic patterns for the northern Corn Belt. Improved maize populations and population hybrids (S₀ generations) were evaluated in experiments arranged in randomized complete block and partially balanced lattice designs across 29 environments. Grain yield potential of population hybrids was optimally expressed under irrigated conditions. Data across environments showed that 20% of the population hybrids evaluated were not different (P 0.05) from at least one of the commercial single-cross hybrids for grain yield performance, root lodging, and stalk lodging percentages. The average mid-parent heterosis value across population hybrids from different geographic regions was 20.4% with negative estimates observed in only two population hybrids. Breeding efforts toward elite populations and population hybrids have demonstrated that germplasm improvement is extremely valuable and deserves public funding. These efforts should be supported in order to enable the development of elite sources of diverse inbred lines and the development of improved population hybrids for specific markets (e.g., organic) to increase producer options. Public maize breeding programs utilizing recurrent selection methods for germplasm improvement could address the need. These programs, however, should incorporate extensive testing of population hybrids.