Genotype by environment interactions of heat stress disorder resistance in crisphead lettuce

Lettuce is a cool season crop susceptible to physiological disorders when exposed to supra optimal temperatures. Genotype (G) by environment (E) interaction (GE) of rib discolouration, tipburn, premature bolting and ribbiness in crisphead lettuce was characterized under high temperature and long day growing conditions. Replicated data of 10 crisphead lettuce varieties from two plantings in each of four growing seasons at two locations in Quebec were analysed using the GGE biplot method. Head-weight-over-stem-length ratio, ribbiness, rib discolouration incidence and tipburn incidence were affected (P = 0.00001) by E, G and GE. E explained more variation in head-weight-over-stem-length ratio (77.1%) and rib discolouration incidence (77.3%) than G and GE, whereas GE explained more variation (72.4%) in tipburn incidence and G explained more variation (38%) in ribbiness. Strong crossover GE was detected with rib discolouration and tipburn incidence, but not with head-weight-over-stem-length ratio and ribbiness. Under heat stress, varieties of the Vanguard group had lower ribbiness than those of the Great Lakes group. Cultivar 'Estival' showed consistent resistance to bolting, ribbiness, tipburn and rib discolouration across all E.     

Genotype × environment interactions for tea yields

Several methods were used to evaluate phenotypic stability in 20 tea (Camellia sinensis) genotypes, many of which are cultivated widely in East Africa. The genotypes were evaluated for annual yields at two sites over a six year period. Data obtained were used to compare methods of analysis of G × E interactions and yield stability in tea. A standard multi-factor analysis of variance test revealed that all first order interactions (genotypes × sites; genotypes × years; sites × years) as well as second order interactions (sites × genotype × years) were significant. Regression analysis was used to assess genotype response to environments. Regression coefficients (b_i) obtained ranged from 0.78 to 1.25. Deviations from regression (S²d) were significant (p < 0.05) from 0.0 for all the test genotypes. Analysis for sensitivity to environment change (SE² _i) revealed that the test genotypes differed in their level of sensitivity. The hierarchical cluster analysis method was used to assemble the test genotypes into groups with similar regression coefficients (b_i) and mean yield, which proved useful for the identification of high yielding genotypes for breeding purposes as well as for commercial exploitation. Rank correlation between yield and some stability parameters were significant. Mean yield was significantly correlated to b_i (r = 0.80^***) and SE² _i(0.74^***) which is an indication that selection for increased yield in tea would change yield stability by increasing b_i and SE² _i leading to development of genotypes that are specifically adapted to environments with optimal growing conditions. Genotypes differed in response to years and sites. As stand age increased, genotype yields generally increased though annual yield fluctuations were more pronounced in some genotypes than others. This response was not consistent across the sites for all genotypes indicating the need to test clones at multiple sites over longer periods of time. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Contrasting rice backcross inbred lines (BILs) for grain yield and heading under lowland reproductive stage moisture stress

Identification and understanding the role of physio-morphological drought responsive mechanisms leading to grain yield enhancement under water stress is a critical insight for designing appropriate strategies to breed drought-tolerant cultivars for any drought prone ecology. In this study, three pairs of contrasting BILs with varied maturity were characterized for several agronomical, physiological and morphological traits across a wide range of moisture stress environments at reproductive stage during 2012–2014. Within each group, BILs differ significantly for grain yield, heading, biomass and harvest index under drought stress, but showed similar yield potential, phenology and other traits under control condition. The most tolerant BIL, S-15 out yielded all BILs and standard checks under both conditions. Apart from superior agronomic performance, drought tolerant BILs maintained significantly higher assimilation rate, transpiration rate and transpiration efficiency compared to susceptible BILs under stress in all three groups. In addition, most tolerant BIL (S-15) showed significantly higher stomatal conductance than susceptible BIL (S-55) in early group. Among root traits, significant differences under stress was observed for root dry weight between contrasting BILs in each group, even though tolerant BILs had higher root length and root volume compared to susceptible BILs, which is non-significant. Hence, consideration of root traits an important strategy for drought avoidance in case of rice may not always contributes to significant yield improvement under moisture stress condition. Further, tolerant BILs also recorded significantly higher shoot dry weight and drought recovery score at seedling stage under stress. Our findings suggest that genotypes with higher photosynthetic efficiency and better plant water status are able to produce higher grain yield under drought stress environments.     

A recurrent selection programme for grain yield in winter barley

Summary The effect of a recurrent selection procedure was evaluated in a winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) population. Cycle zero (C₀) was initiated by crossing six high yielding winter barley cultivars with the short straw cv Onice. The F₁'s were crossed according to a diallel scheme without reciprocals. A total of 750 S₀ plants were derived and evaluated; 329 S₀ plants were selected and their progenies (S₁ lines) tested. Fifteen S₁ lines were chosen and used as parents of cycle 1 (C₁), by producing 105 F₁ hybrids which simulated a random mating offspring. One hundred and three randomly chosen S₁ lines belonging to C₀, and 103 S₁ lines belonging to C₁, were evaluated at two locations.For grain yield a significant difference between cycles was observed. From C₀ to C₁ the grain yield increased with 307 g/m². This increase was due to a higher number of seeds per m². For plant height, heading date and 100-kernel weight no differences between cycles were observed.The positive results obtained in this study indicate the potential usefulness of recurrent selection for developing parents or lines superior for grain yield, with little change in other important agronomic traits.     

Genotype × environment interactions in the expression of net blotch resistance in spring and winter barley varieties

The net blotch resistance of barley varieties widely grown in Denmark was studied using data obtained from naturally infected field plots and inoculated disease nurseries in multiple years and locations. Data were analysed by combining two statistical procedures, 1) joint regression (JR) and 2) additive main effect, multiplicative interactive effect analysis (AMMI). Of the total variation for net blotch disease severity, 61–81% could be explained by plant genotype (G) and environment (E) main effects. Of the remaining variation, 77–86% could be explained by significant G × E interactions that were due to genotype sensitivity to the mean environmental disease level and/or to specific reactions of individual genotypes in particular environments. G × E interactions led to a different ranking of varietal performance across environments. There was evidence for G × E interactions caused by the virulence characteristics of the initial inoculum sources. The spring barley varieties Alexis and Bartok and the winter barley varieties Jolante, Ludo, and Rafiki were identified as varieties with high levels of net blotch resistance in all environments. Their performance was little affected by G × E interactions, suggesting that they represent good sources for non-specific resistance. Combining JR and AMMI reduced the dimensionality of complex G × E problems greatly, identified systematic reaction patterns of varieties possibly pertaining to different resistance mechanisms, and described specific and non-specific resistance of varieties by means of few parameters while maintaining the possibility to reconstruct the original data with little loss of information. This is very useful for improving the evaluation of varietal resistance for breeding and disease management purposes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genotype x environment interaction for durum wheat grain yield and selection for drought tolerance in irrigated and droughted environments in Iran

Durum wheat is grown in the Mediterranean region under stressful and variable environmental conditions. In a 4-year-long experiment, 14 genotypes [including 11 durum breeding lines, two durum (Zardak) and bread (Sardari) wheat landraces, and one durum (Saji) newly released variety] were evaluated under rainfed and irrigated conditions in Iran. Several selection indices [i.e. stress tolerance index (STI), drought tolerance efficiency (DTE), and irrigation efficiency (IE)] were used to characterize genotypic differences in response to drought. The GGE biplot methodology was applied to analyze a three-way genotype-environment-trait data. Combined ANOVA showed that the year effect was a predominant source of variation. The genotypes differed significantly (P < 0.01) in grain yield in the both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Graphic analysis of the relationship among the selection indices indicated that they are not correlated in ranking of genotypes. The two wheat landraces and the durum-improved variety with high DTE had minimum yield reduction under drought-stressed environments. According to STI, which combines yield potential and drought tolerance, the “Saji” cultivar followed by some breeding lines (G11, G8, and G4) performed better than the two landraces and were found to be stable and high-yielding genotypes in drought-prone rainfed environments. The breeding lines G8, G6, G4, and G9 were the efficient genotypes responding to irrigation utilization. In conclusion, the identification of the durum genotypes (G12, G11, and G4) with high yield and stability performance under unpredictable environments and high tolerance to drought stress conditions can help breeding programs and eventually contribute to increasing and sustainability of durum production in the unpredictable conditions of Iran.     

Genotype by environment interactions and combining ability for strawberry families grown in diverse environments

Ten seedlings from 36 crosses representing eastern and western North American short day and remontant genotypes were evaluated in 2011 and 2012 in California, Michigan, New Hampshire and Oregon, for phenology, flower related traits, plant characteristics, fruit characteristics and fruit chemistry traits. There was significant variability among genotypes, locations and evaluation year for most of the characteristics; however, few genotype × location and genotype × year interactions were detected. General combining ability variance components were significant for all traits and greater than SCA variance components for peduncle length, total flowering weeks, flowering cycles, truss size, growing degree days for harvest data, remontancy, achene position, ease of capping, fruit weight, percent soluble solids, titratable acidity and soluble solids/titratable acidity. ‘Sarian’ was identified as the best contributing parent for remontancy. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were moderate to high (0.33–0.78) for total flowering weeks, flowering cycle, truss size, remontancy, number of runners, fruit weight, pH, and titratable acidity. Having a better understanding of these attributes will provide breeders guidance on the most effective breeding strategies for incorporating superior traits from this germplasm into their programs.     

Physiological and molecular evaluation of ten Egyptian barley cultivars under salt stress conditions

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Ten Egyptian barley cultivars (Giza 129, 132, 123, 127, 2000, 130, 126, 135, 128 and 133) were assessed under 0, 100 and 200&nbsp;mM NaCl. The...     

Recurrent selection for grain yield in early generations of two barley populations

Summary Two spring barley composites, one based on eight West-European two-rowed cultivars (A) and one, the predominantly six-rowed composite XXI, based on several thousands of barley cultivars (B), formed the starting point of a recurrent selection procedure. The aim was to study whether recurrent selection in early generations is an effective procedure to improve barley populations for agronomic characteristics, especially grain yield.After two cycles of recurrent selection in the two populations A and B separately, and consisting of single plant selection followed by line selection, one cycle of recurrent selection was applied to the population produced by intercrossing the selected A and selected B lines.The selection for grain yield in the F2 single plant stages and the F3 line stages was carried out by selecting the plants or lines with the largest mean head weight provided that they did not tiller too poorly. Also some selection was applied against extremes in heading date and against tall plants.After two cycles of recurrent selection the grain yield, tested over two years and two locations, had increased with 16.5% in population A and with 27.0% in population B. Both the single plant selection and the line selection had contributed significantly to this response.The population created by crossing the selected A with the selected B lines showed a significant reduction in yield compared to the mean yield of the A and B lines constituting this population. Single plant selection, followed by line selection did raise the yield level 5.7% above that of the mean of these A and B lines. Several lines produced from this intercross combined an excellent grain yield with outstanding resistance to barley leaf rust and powdery mildew. However, these lines like the entire intercross population suffered from susceptibility to lodging, a characteristic derived from population B.In five experimental situations mixtures of genotypes were compared with the mean of the monocultures of the constituting genotypes. The mixture yielded always more, the average mixture effect being 4.5%.     

Genotype by environment interactions in wheat quality breeding programs in southeast Europe

The objective of this study was to determine genotype × environment interactions (GEI) obtained in wheat production in southeast Europe for protein content, sedimentation value, and loaf volume. Twenty wheat genotypes divided in two groups with different combinations of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) were analyzed in 15 environments (E). In a combined analysis of variance, effects of genotype, environment, and their interaction (GEI) were highly significant for almost all the analyzed traits. All the three traits were influenced more by location than by year, with protein content and sedimentation value being more responsive to changes in environmental conditions than loaf volume. The genotypes with high protein content had the regression coefficient value (b) close to 1, indicating that they did not react to extreme environmental conditions as was the case with genotypes with high sedimentation and loaf volume values. There were no significant differences in average values for the analyzed traits and adaptability parameters between the two groups of genotypes. It means that, concerning wheat quality improvement, genotypes with different HMW-GSs on the Glu-1D locus could be recommended for growing in southeast Europe. It is necessary to take into account the differences in adaptability of protein content to either positive or negative environmental changes that were observed between the groups.     

Genomic prediction of grain yield in commercial Finnish oat (Avena sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) breeding programmes

Genomic selection has been adopted in many plant breeding programmes. In this paper, we cover some aspects of information necessary before starting genomic selection. Spring oat and barley breeding data sets from commercial breeding programmes were studied using single, multitrait and trait-assisted models for predicting grain yield. Heritabilities were higher when estimated using multitrait models compared to single-trait models. However, no corresponding increase in prediction accuracy was observed in a cross-validation scenario. On the other hand, forward prediction showed a slight, but not significant, increase in accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values for breeding cohorts when a multitrait model was applied. When a correlated trait was used in a trait-assisted model, on average the accuracies increased by 9%–14% for oat and by 11%–28% for barley compared with a single-trait model. Overall, accuracies in forward validation varied between breeding cohorts and years for grain yield. Forward prediction accuracies for multiple cohorts and multiple years’ data are reported for oat for the first time.     

Relationship between survival and yield related traits in Solanum pimpinellifolium under salt stress

A subset of the Solanum pimpinellifolium collection maintained by AVRDC—The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan was evaluated to assess effects of salt stress on physiological traits and yield-related traits with the aim of identifying potential S. pimpinellifolium accessions useful for salt tolerance breeding in tomato. We undertook a comparative analysis of yield and plant survival traits under normal and salt stress conditions to obtain a first indication of the crucial traits associated with salt tolerance in S. pimpinellifolium. Although most traits of S. pimpinellifolium accessions showed a similar percent decrease in mean under salt stress compared with the cultivated checks, the former exhibited a wide range for all traits, suggesting great genetic diversity that can be exploited for the identification of salt tolerant genotypes. Genetic variability for yield and survival traits under salt stress was quantitative with low to moderate heritability. Results of correlation and path coefficient analysis revealed no correlation between any of the physiological traits with yield-related traits indicating that the ability to survive and yield under salt stress are two independent sets of traits in S. pimpinellifolium. Results of the path analysis along with heritability and genetic advance showed that shoot dry weight and K/Na ratio are the two most critical component traits for survival, while fruit number is critical for yield per plant. The large S. pimpinellifolium panel evaluated in this study revealed five genotypes possessing better survival traits, seven genotypes with good yield traits, and two genotypes combining both superior survival and yield traits under salt stress.     

Effect of terminal water stress on leaf epicuticular wax load,residual transpiration and grain yield in barley

The effect of drought on barley leaf epicuticular wax load (EWL), residual transpiration rates (RTR) and grain yield was examined by subjecting 12 barley genotypes to controlled irrigation and terminal water stress conditions. The mean leaf epicuticular wax load was found to be 9% greater in the plants subjected to terminal water stress than in those provided irrigation, while the mean residual transpiration rate of the irrigated plants was 20% higher than in those subjected to water stress. Under these stress conditions, the correlation between grain yield and the epicuticular wax load was positive (P < 0.01), while that between the grain yield and the residual transpiration rate was negative (P < 0.05). Under the water stress conditions, the breeding lines studied showed a greater mean epicuticular wax load than the commercial varieties, while the residual transpiration rate was greater in these varieties than in the breeding lines. The greater epicuticular wax load of the breeding lines favoured their tolerance of drought, improving their yields over those of the commercial varieties.     

The grain yield of uniculm barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in two contrasting environments

Summary Four six-rowed uniculm lines of spring barley were grown in two yield trials at different sowing densities. One trial was grown on light sandy soil in 1990. The second trial was grown on clay soil in 1991 and included the two-rowed, tillering cultivar Golf. In the trial on sandy soil, the grain yield of the uniculm lines approached that of Golf grown in an adjacent trial, but in 1991 when the growing conditions were more favourable, Golf yielded significantly more than the uniculm lines. Uniculm lines apparently perform relatively better under marginal growing conditions than in high yielding environments.The uniculm lines do not conform to the ideotype proposed for wheat by Donald (1968) but the results show that a drastic change in plant type need not to imply a large drop in grain yield.     

Mutations for polygenic traits in barley under nutrient stress

Summary Selfed progenies of three barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars (Manker, Morex and Unitan) were produced from six generations of a dichotomous propagation scheme. One group of plants per cultivar (the L group) was propagated in a fertile soil mixture. Remnant seed of all generations was increased in a common environment in the field, and all progenies were evaluated in the field under low and high soil fertility. There were no overall differences between the H and L groups for biomass or grain yield, and no genotype x fertility interactions were significant. But when only lines in the sixth, or terminal, generation were considered, the L group had a significantly lower grain or biomass yield than the H group in half of the comparisons. The L group was never significantly higher for biomass or grain yield in generaton 6. Seven of 60 within-family genetic variance components were at least twice as large as their standard errors. Six of the seven significant variances were for generation 6 families within generation 5 families; of those, five were in the L groups. The genetic variance within cultivars could be attributed, not to residual heterozygosity or to constant mutation, but to an increasing mutation rate, primarily in the low-fertility propagation environment.     

Wheat and barley cultivars show plant traits acclimation and increase grain yield under simulated shade in Mediterranean conditions

Agroforestry systems are reported as climate‐resilient productive systems, but it is yet unclear how tree shade affects crops performance. The aim of this work was to assess how the phenology, plant traits and grain yield of wheat and barley were affected by shade. In an open greenhouse experiment, we cultivated in pots nine cultivars differing in precocity for each species and imposed three artificial shading levels (S0 ~ 0%, S1 ~ 25%, S2 ~ 50%) at the start of cereal booting. Our results showed that shade speeded up first growth stages in both species, until the starting of milk development. Barley showed consistent phenological responses to the three irradiance levels among cultivars, but not wheat that showed larger phenological differences among cultivars at moderate shade. Deep shade prolonged the time needed for wheat grain ripening. Both species increased grain yield by 15%–20% with shade, driven by shade‐acclimations of plant traits that differed among species. For wheat, grain yield was determined by the assemblage of traits that contribute to yield, such as grain weight, precocity and non‐photochemical quenching, while, for barley, SPAD value, precocity to reach phenological stages, grains per spike and plant height had the strongest influence. These traits varied widely among cultivars and seem of interest to identify best suited cultivars for shading conditions of Mediterranean agroforestry systems.     

Quantitative trait loci for grain yield and yield components in a cross between a six-rowed and a two-rowed barley

Summary The positions of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for yield and yield components were estimated using a 85-point linkage map and phenotype data from a F₁-derived doubled haploid (DH) population of barley. Yield and its components were recorded in two growing seasons. Highly significant QTL effects were found for all traits at several sites in the genome. A major portion of the QTL was found on chromosome 2. The effect of the alleles in locus v on thousand grain weight and kernels per ear explained 70–80% of the genetic variation in the traits. QTL × year interaction was found for grain yield. Several different QTL were found within the two-rowed DH lines compared to those found in the six-rowed DH lines. Epistasis between locus v and several loci for yield and yield components indicates that genes are expressed differently in the two ear types. This may explain the difficulties of selecting high yielding lines from crosses between two-rowed and six-rowed barley.Abbreviations DH doubled haploid - QTL quantitative trait locus/loci - RAPD random amplified polymorphic DNA - RFLP restriction fragment length polymorphism - T. Prentice Tystofte Prentice - V. Gold Vogelsanger Gold     

Reduction in kernel weight as a potential indirect selection criterion for wheat grain yield under terminal heat stress

Heat is an important abiotic stress during wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain‐filling in South Asia. A study was undertaken to determine effectiveness of selection for reduction in 1000‐kernel weight (TKWR) under heat stress to increase grain yield. Selection was made for low and high TKWR and selected progenies were evaluated in timely and late seeded trials at two locations in Nepal in 2003. One thousand kernel weight (TKW), biomass yield, grain yield, harvest index (HI), grain‐filling duration (GFD) and area under spot blotch progress curve per day (AUDPC/day) were examined. The low and high TKWR groups did not differ significantly for TKW, biomass yield, grain yield, HI, days to heading, GFD and AUDPC/day under timely seeding. However, low TKWR lines showed higher TKW, biomass yield, grain yield, HI, and GFD and lower AUDPC/day than the lines with high TKWR under late seeding. Realized heritability estimates for TKWR ranged from 0.68 to 0.85. The findings show that selection for low TKWR could be used as an indirect selection criterion to identify high grain yielding lines under terminal heat stress.