A model describing the flowering of single plants, and the heritability of flowering traits of Dimorphotheca pluvialis

In the development of new crops such as Dimorphoteca pluvialis (L.) Moench, improvement of flowering synchronisation is an important breeding objective. The flowering of single plants of Dimorphotheca pluvialis could be described by a logistic curve obtained by the regression of cumulative number of open flowers on time. The curve is characterised by three parameters, corresponding with the total number of flowers produced by the plant, the rate of flowering development and the day at which peak bloom is reached. From these parameters two other characteristics were derived, i.e., onset of flowering and duration of flowering. The use of the flowering model for selection for improved flowering synchronisation is discussed. Heritabilities of flowering traits were estimated using parent-offspring regression and variance components analyses. Onset of flowering and date of peak bloom showed high (>0.69), and total number of flowers moderate to high (0.30–0.90) heritability values, indicating that for these traits considerable progress may be expected from mass selection, particularly in the early selection generations. Duration of flowering showed low to moderate values (0.25–0.45), and methods other than mass selection (e.g. family selection) should be considered. Determination of phenotypic and genetic correlations revealed only an additive genetic correlation between date of peak bloom and duration of flowering (r _A = 0.80 and 0.69 for 1993 and 1994, respectively), suggesting the possibility of indirect selection for curtailed duration of flowering by means of selection against late date of peak bloom. Duration of flowering, total number of flowers and onset of flowering were not correlated. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Patterns of variation in flowering and seed set of meadowfoam

Patterns of flowering and seed set were explored by principal component (PC) analysis of counts of fresh flowers, total flowers and seeds at four observation times. This pattern analysis was attempted because of the complicated rhythms of flowering and seed set over an extended period. The approach was considered superior to regressions (over time) for this data because of these pattern complexities, and because these were few time-nodes. Also it avoided the need to find optimum regression functions. Parsimony was achieved with a two-component ordination based on truncation at 70% of the total variance. The results for all characters showed that the first component concentrated on the middle period of flowering/seed set, and de-emphasized the early phase. The second component emphasized the extremities of the flowering/seed set span. The first component accounted for a large proportion of total variance (45.5% to 69.2%), which indicated its importance. The general meaning of the first component was ‘median flowering’, ‘general flower production’ and ‘median-to-late seed set’ for these characters fresh flowers, total flowers and seed set, respectively. The results showed that PC analysis successfully summarized the complex patterns of flowering/seed set and revealed the pattern differences between plants. It was apparent that no particular pattern of general flowering and seed set could be regarded as ‘typical’ in meadowfoam. It was confirmed that the population was diverse, this being typical of segregating plants within a randomly fertilized population. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Induction of male flowering in gynoecious cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) by silver ions

Summary Silvernitrate (AgNO₃) and silverthiosulphate (Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3-) effectively induced male flowering in many nodes of 7 gynoecious cucumber genotypes in 3 glasshouse trials. A single spraying of the plants in the first true leaf stage with 3 mM Ag⁺ as Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3- or AgNO₃ (500 ppm) yielded many more staminate flowers than GA-3 (1500 ppm) and almost as many as 3 consecutive sprayings of GA-4/7 (50 ppm).Male flowering started about 3 weeks after treatment and lasted for a period of up to 4 weeks thereafter. Plants treated with silver ions did not elongate and grew normally; effective concentrations of AgNO₃ proved phytotoxic only in poor growing conditions, while Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3- never gave deleterious side-effects. Even very strongly female lines can be induced to male flowering with silver ions, thus increasing the feasibility of large scale seed production of gynoecious × gynoecious cucumber hybrids.     

大豆开花逆转现象的发现

晚熟大豆品种自贡冬豆出苗后进行８～１０ｄ短日照（１２ｈ）处理,尔后置长日照（〉１５ｈ）下,可诱导顶端花序的产生,但花序上的上部因短日照后进行的长光照处理而形成茎,花序中部少数花芽原基因转而分化营养芽。这是长光照诱导的花序逆转和花逆转现象在大豆中的首次发现,已经短日诱导正常开花的自贡冬豆植株转移至长日照下时,原有花荚大部分脱落,不定芽大量发生,恢复到以营养生长为主的状态,本文就此种现象称为整株逆转（     

Complex segregation analysis of day-neutrality in domestic strawberry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fragaria ×ananassa</Emphasis> Duch.)

Thirty bi-parental progenies were generated using 45 genotypes from the University of California (UC) strawberry breeding population as parents. Both parent genotypes and their offspring were classified for photoperiod insensitivity, or day-neutrality, for flowering using a late-season flowering score and the number of inflorescences per plant recorded during late summer. Complex Segregation Analysis of these traits indicated that their distributions were best explained by a genetic model that postulates a single major locus with partial dominance for day-neutrality in combination with a background of polygenic and environmental variation. The frequency of the allele conferring day-neutrality was estimated as p = 0.59–0.62 in this experimental population. Genotypic values for the inferred major locus were estimated as a = 1.12 and d = −0.81 for the flowering score, and a = 4.93 and d = 2.41 for inflorescence number. Further resolution of inheritance patterns were obtained by comparing the phenotypic variance for each trait with estimates obtained by insertion of these genotypic class values and allele frequencies into standard quantitative genetic models, and by the comparing variance components estimated using a mixed model analysis with and without inferred genotypic classes as a fixed effect. These comparisons suggest that the major gene determines 80.5% and 73.9% of the additive genetic variance for flowering score and inflorescence number respectively. One complicating feature of the results obtained here is that a non-Mendelian model of segregation fit statistically better than a fixed Mendelian model. The genetic parameters estimated using this non-Mendelian model were essentially identical to those obtained with fixed segregation; hybrid and octoploid ancestry, selection affecting flowering response, and limited number of generations in the analysis are discussed as possible explanations of this result.     

Flowering behaviour,male sterility and berry setting in tetraploid Solanum tuberosum germplasm

Summary Six hundred and seventy six accessions of cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum) from 25 countries, were studied for flowering and fruiting behaviour under long days (12–14 h). Flowering intensity ranged from dropping of floral buds just after initiation to profuse blooming. The majority (58.3%) of the accessions bloomed profusely, though 20.4% of the accessions did not bloom at all. Weeks to flowering ranged from 6 to 15 and the majority (66.5%) of the flowering accessions bloomed within 8 to 9 weeks after planting. Duration of flowering ranged from 1 to 10 weeks and the majority (68.1%) of the flowering accessions bloomed for 1 to 4 weeks only. Twentythree per cent of the flowering accessions were completely male sterile. Maximum male fertility was 90% only. No berry setting was observed in 31.8% of the flowering accessions. Only 54.3 per cent of the accessions were found to be fertile in all respects and could be used both as male and female parents. Premature bud abscission was the major cause of sterility. Peru was the best source of profuse-flowering genotypes, Poland was the best source of early flowering genotypes and Mexico was the best source of long duration flowering and good berry setting genotypes. The results suggested that flower bud formation; the growth and development of mature flowers; weeks to flowering and duration of flowering are independent characters controlled by different genes of quantitative nature. Berry setting and duration of flowering were closely associated (r=0.95). Genetic as well as environmental factors interfered with the developmental process leading to flower production and berry setting at different times in different genotypes. The practical implications of these results for true potato seed production are discussed.Publication No. 1298, CPRI, Shimla.     

甘蓝型春油菜早花位点加密及位点聚合创建优异早花资源

cqDTFA7a and cqDTFC8, two major effects of early flowering QTL, were identified in the NNDH population of spring Brassica napus, and closely linked markers SSR G1803, InDel IA7-4, and SSR S035 with cqDTFC8 developed in previous studies. In this study, a BC₂F₂ population for early flowering QTL locus cqDTFC8 was constructed, and a closely linked SNP marker was further developed. The early flowering genotypes of one natural resources contained 93 spring B. napus varieties were identified used four closely linked markers with two loci, and selected 3164 and 2216 resources with cqDTFA7a site, 3484 and 2857 resources with cqDTFC8 site. Two site resources were aggregated by site polymerization through reciprocal hybridization. The polymerized DH system was rapidly obtained by microspore culture and maker assisted selection. A hybrid combination was created between polymeric line with good traits and early flowers and the Polima CMS, and the utilization value of the polymeric line was further analyzed by the production test at multiple environments for two consecutive years. cqDTFC8 encryption results showed that this site was located in the SNP11 and SNP12 interval, and separated from SNP11 altogether. The identification results of early flowering genotypes of natural resources showed that there were 50 individuals containing cqDTFA7a locus, with an average initial flowering period of 58.1 days; 16 single plants containing cqDTFC8 locus, with an average flowering period of 58.3 days; and 16 single plants containing two loci, with an average flowering period of 55.2 days, indicating the more early flowering sites containing, the earlier flowering. The results of polymerization showed that the flowering time of the polymerized lines of cqDTFC8 and cqDTFA7a was 2-3 days earlier than that of the single locus parents, among which the polymerized DH18 from 3164 of cqDTFA7a and 3484 of cqDTFC8 was 3 days earlier than that of the parents, and the yield-related traits were better than those of other lines. The combination of DH18 and the Polima CMS 025A was further utilized, and the combination was named TZG18. Yield results of two years and nine environments showed that yield of TZG18 was above 17.5% higher than the Haoyou 11, a local B. rapa variety on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Those results indicated that the early flowering site polymeric lines had an obvious advantage over the single locus lines in flowering time, and had an effect on the increasement of rapeseed yield. This study is a preliminary exploration of MAS breeding for early flowering traits of Brassica napus, providing materials support for replacing B.rapa varieties using early maturity Brassica napus varieties in spring rapeseed region, and approaches for gene polymerization breeding technology.     

Effects of Temperature and Photoperiod on Days to Flowering, Yield and Yield Components of Lupinus albus (L.) under Field Conditions

A better understanding of the agronomic importance of planting date and the influence of cold temperatures and photoperiod during germination and plant growth may lead to better management strategies for cultivation of the sweet white lupin (Lupinus albus). The effects of planting date (temperature and photoperiod) were determined on the number of days to flowering, yield and yield components of four early to medium and one late sweet white lupin genotype in a field trial at Potchefstroom, South Africa, planted during February 1996 to January 1997. Moisture stress was avoided through regular irrigation. Duration of the developmental phases planting date to emergence, emergence to floral initiation, initiation to first flower, duration of flower and days to physiological and harvest maturity was related to field measurements of temperature and photoperiod. Differences in the main determinants of yield, i.e. seeds per pod, pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM), plant and pod height and yield, were measured. Results showed that both temperature and photoperiod influence the growth and development of the Lupinus albus genotypes ‘Esta’, ‘Hantie’, ‘Tifwhite’, ‘Kiev’ and ‘LAL 186’. Temperature influences include the effect of vernalization at seedling emergence. Minimum grass temperatures under 5 °C at emergence are effective for vernalization. However, after grass temperatures at emergence increased again from June to December, to gether with an increase in the photoperiod length, ‘Tifwhite’ as well as the other genotypes still flowered earlier, confirming that these cultivars are long‐day plants, which is in accordance with controlled‐environment data. Cool vernalizing temperatures thus not only influence obligate vernalization requiring genotypes such as ‘Tifwhite’, but also influence the non‐obligate genotypes studied. Plan‐ting date had a significant influence on pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM) and seed yield. In all trials laterplanting, from June to November, decreased SSM and seed yield. The highest seed yield of 1.5 t ha^?1 was obtained for the 10 June planting date and the lowest average yield of 0.450 t ha^?1 for the 5 November planting date.     

Carbamate-induced flowering in asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) seedlings: optimization of treatment and cultivar variation in flowering response and pollen germination

Optimal carbamate treatment conditions were studied for flower induction in seedlings of an asparagus cultivar ‘Mary Washington 500 W’. Flower induction was most accelerated by soaking seeds in 50 mg l⁻¹ carbamate solution for 12 days at 25 ^°C under the fluorescent light. Longer exposure to carbamate over a 12 day period induced a higher percentage of seedlings to flower. A higher percentage of flowering seedlings were male. Flower induction frequency among seven cultivars through carbamate treatment widely ranged from 13 to 67%. ‘Geynlim’, ‘Mary Washington 500 W’ and ‘Welcome’ exhibited a high percentage of flowering seedlings, while ‘Larac’ and ‘Vulkan’ showed low values. Only male flowers were induced in all-male cultivars. Variation in pollen germination was found within all cultivars. ‘Geynlim’, ‘Cito’ and ‘Mary Washington 500 W’ showed high values of average pollen germination. Application of carbamate compound to induce flower production can rapidly produce homogenic cultivars which include both sexes. This is necessary for genetic studies and breeding purposes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of chromosome 5sh from Gossypium barbadense L. on flower production in G. hirsutum L.

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) yield is directly determined by mature bolls that developed from squares and flowers. The first four to six weeks of flowering accounts for the majority of lint yield in upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) for most cultivated areas of the southern USA cotton belt. In this study, we evaluated 13 cotton chromosome substitution lines (CS-B) and their chromosome specific-F₂ hybrids, TM-1, 3–79, and six cultivars for the number of flowers produced during the first four weeks of flowering. Results showed that CS-B05sh produced more flowers than TM-1 and 3–79 from 10 July to 5 August. The results suggest that when the short arm of chromosome 5 was substituted from 3–79 (G. barbadense L.) into TM-1 (G. hirsutum) a positive genetic association with flower numbers during this flowering period was exhibited. CS-B05sh had comparable flower numbers with three cultivars, Deltapine 90, Phytogen 355, and Stoneville 474 and more flowers than, Sure Grow 747, Sure Grow 125, and Deltapine 5415. Different patterns for additive and dominance effects on cumulative flowers were observed across weeks of flowering. Dominance effects were more apparent during the early part of the flowering period while additive effects were more apparent towards the end of the flowering period.     

Foliar application of the exogenous plant hormones at pre-blooming stage improves flowering and fruiting in cashew (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anacardium occidentale</Emphasis> L.)

The problem of declining tree yield has led to an investigation into the effectiveness of foliar application of exogenous hormones to improve flowering, fruit set, and fruit retention in cashew. Five exogenous hormones, one Gibberellic Acid (GA₃) and four Auxins (IAA, IBA, NAA, and 2,4-D) at seven different rates of application (0 mg L⁻¹, 10 mg L⁻¹, 25 mg L⁻¹, 50 mg L⁻¹, 100 mg L⁻¹, 250 mg L⁻¹, and 500 mg L⁻¹) were tested on six yield-related components of the two Brazilian cashew genotypes. This trial was a factorial split-split-plot design with each treatment replicated five times within a tree and three replications (three trees) per genotype. Responses varied significantly between exogenous hormones, concentrations and genotypes. The cashew plants used showed hormone-specific and optimum concentration response patterns. Of the five exogenous hormones tested, GA₃ was most effective as its application at 50–100 mg L⁻¹ gave five-fold improvements in flowering (precocity and number of hermaphrodite flowers) and fruiting, and about 69% increase in fruit retention ability and 25% in nut size. Panicles treated with GA₃ also produced relatively bigger nuts compared to the untreated. Days to flowering was found to be hormone sensitive, while production of hermaphrodite flowers, fruit set, and nut development tended to be concentration specific. The GA₃ exhibited a broad concentration tolerance among the five exogenous hormones investigated. Our data showed that using GA₃ at 50 mg L⁻¹ will enhance flowering precocity, shorten flowering duration, increase production of hermaphrodite flowers and fruit set significantly, and resultant nuts develop optimally with high percentage retention. Thus, it suggests cashew yield could be increased by exogenous foliar application of GA₃ at 50–100 mg L⁻¹ at pre-blooming stage.     

Floral initiation in field-grown forage peas is delayed to a greater extent by short photoperiods, than in other types of European varieties

Frost is one of the main climatic stresses which has to be overcome by a winter pea crop. Some forage lines show a delayed floral initiation, which helps them to escape the main winter freezing periods, as a higher susceptibility to frost is observed after floral initiation commences. Frost tolerant forage peas have been used in all winter pea breeding programs in France and our main purpose was to evaluate to what extent those lines and the current winter varieties are variable for the date of floral initiation in field conditions. A field experiment was carried out during two years at the INRA experimental station of Mons (northern France). Different genotypes (9 in 1995–1996 and 12 in 1996–1997) were sown at approximately monthly intervals between September and June to provide a range of photothermal conditions. The date of floral initiation was determined by destructive sampling. We observed variability for the date of floral initiation among the different genotypes and sowing dates. Our data particularly highlighted the different reactions to photoperiod. Three varieties had no detectable reaction. Six varieties exhibited a quantitative response, with varied intensities. Lastly, the three forage varieties showed a qualitative, high response to photoperiod, which indicated the presence of the Hr allele, already described in Pisum. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of photoperiod and temperature on flowering in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Summary Forty strains of mungbeans, including all of the entries in the 1st and 2nd International Mungbean Nurseries (IMN), were grown in plant growth chambers in photoperiods of 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 hours and mean temperatures of 18, 23, and 28°C. Results show that (1) mungbean strains differ in their flowering response to photoperiod and to mean temperature; (2) increasing the photoperiod of reducing the mean temperature delayed flowering, the amount of delay varied with the strain: (3) variations in mean temperature may alter the effect of the photoperiod on flowering in particular strains. Twenty-five strains which flowered in all photoperiod-temperature treatments could be divided into four groups, each group being successively later in flowering. The remaining 15 strains could be divided into four groups, according to their failure to flower within 105 days in specific photoperiod-temperature treatments. Flowering response in the growth chamber is useful in explaining flowering response in the 2nd IMN at three locations varying from 14°N to 49°N latitude.Contribution No 7516 from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Fertility alteration in the photo-thermo-sensitive male sterile line BS20 of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The photo-thermo-sensitive male sterile (PTMS) wheat line BS20 showed male sterility under short-day photoperiod and low temperature conditions. Photo-thermo-controlled growth chambers were used to study the fertility alteration characteristics of PTMS wheat line BS20. The period of photo-sensitivity and thermo-sensitivity was coincident with the pollen development stages from pollen mother cell (PMC) formation to mono-nucleate. Fertility alteration of BS20 was induced mainly by temperature, and the critical point of temperature was 10–12^∘C. Below the critical temperature, BS20 remained sterile and was not affected by photoperiod. However, above the critical temperature, the fertility of BS20 improved as the temperature rose. In the temperature range of 12–14^∘C the fertility of BS20 improved significantly as the photoperiod extended.     

Post-Flowering Photoperiod Effects on Reproductive Development and Agronomic Traits of Long-Day and Short-Day Crops

Pre-flowering photoperiod effects on floral initiation, flowering time and yield components of various crops have been well studied, but the post-flowering photoperiod effects on major field crops are not clearly understood. A controlled environment study was carried out using six long-day (LD) crops, flax, sugar beet, broad bean, triticale, wheat, and rapeseed, and seven short-day (SD) crops including Adzuki bean, potato, rice, peanut, mungbean, cotton and corn with a major objective of evaluating the post-flowering photoperiod effects on their reproductive development and yield components. There were significant inter- and intra-specific differences in their response to post-flowering photoperiod treatments. The effects of short days on LD crops were similar to LD effects on SD crops. The post-flowering duration was prolonged by short photoperiod in LD crops and long photoperiod in SD crops. There was, however, significant genotypic variation within a species for such effects. The post-flowering LD treatment caused abscission of flowers and pods and the resumption of vegetative growth in Adzuki bean. The post-flowering LD treatment also delayed the shoot senescence of one of the two potato varieties and decreased the number of tubers per plant in both varieties. The LD treatment delayed maturation of rice and mungbean, and decreased seed yield and 100-seed weight of peanut, although the shoot senescence of peanut was not apparently affected. Rapeseed, wheat, cotton and corn genotypes in this study did not show any sensitivity to post-flowering photoperiod. In triticale (an LD crop) exposure to short photoperiod post-flowering increased the number of spikes per plant perhaps due to a greater assimilate accumulation over a longer duration. The results from the current study as well as those from our previous experiments suggest that post-flowering photoperiod responses do exist in diverse field crops, and that there are strong genotypic differences in sensitivity and magnitude of response to post-flowering photoperiod. Photoperiod after flowering substantially regulates the source/sink relationship, and promotes partitioning and accumulation of assimilates to storage organs of crops when it favours the reproductive development of crops.     

A protocol to avoid precocious flowering of sunflower plantlets in vitro

Precocious flowering in in vitro plantelets of sunflower is one of the unfavourable phenomena when using tissue endure. In this sundy additional evidence is presented on precocious flowering of sunflower regenerats. Three day/night cycles (16/8h. 12/12h and 8/16h) and some modifications of media were investigated. Under standard conditions (16/8h day night. 25C) 62% of the plamlels formed flowers, while 55% formed flowers when grown in 12/12 h day. night at 20C and 31% when plantiets were grown under cultivation conditions of 8/16h day-night ai 20C. According to the results obtained, precocious flowering of sunflower plantlets in tesl tubes depends on culture conditions, nutrition medium and genotype. It was found that 20C and 8/16h diiy/nighl was the most favourable condition to reduce precocious flowering of sunflower planllels in the lest tuhe. Modified nutrition media can also help to reduce in vitro flowering.     

Inheritance of time to flowering in cowpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna unguiculata</Emphasis> (L.) Walp.)

Time to flowering and maturity is an important adaptive feature in annual crops, including cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). In West and Central Africa, photoperiod is the most important environmental variable affecting time to flowering in cowpea. The inheritance of time from sowing to flowering (f) in cowpeas was studied by crossing a photoperiod-sensitive genotype Kanannnado to a photoperiod-insensitive variety IT97D-941-1. Sufficient seed of F₁, F₂, F₃ and backcross populations were generated. The parental, F₁, F₂, F₃ and the backcross populations were screened for f under long natural days (mean daylength 13.4 h per day) in the field and the parents, F₁, F₂ and backcross populations under short day (10 h per day) conditions. The result of the screening showed that photoperiod in the field was long enough to delay flowering of photoperiod-sensitive genotypes. Photoperiod-sensitivity was found to be partially dominant to insensitivity. Frequency distribution of the trait in the various populations indicated quantitative inheritance. Additive (d) and additive × dominance (j) interactions were the most important gene actions conditioning time to flowering. A narrow sense heritability of 86% was estimated for this trait. This will result in 26 days gain in time to flowering with 5% selection intensity from the F₂ to F₃ generation. At least seven major gene pairs, with an average delay of 6 days each, were estimated to control time to flowering in this cross.     

A stability analysis of time to flowering as a screen for responsiveness to temperature and photoperiod in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Summary Twenty-one genotypes of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), comprising landraces and varieties, were grown in 22 photothermal environments in Nigeria and Niger, West Africa, and a stability analysis of days from sowing to flowering (f) was carried out. Cowpeas are rarely insensitive to photoperiod; they are typically quantitative shortday plants wherein f is delayed when photoperiod (P) is longer than the critical photoperiod (P _c ). Therefore, in order to quantify genotypic variation in temperature sensitivity, genotype f was regressed against the mean trial f in circumstances where P c (i.e. approximately 13 hd^-1) and mean temperature (T) was between 19° and 28° C. Correspondingly, in order to assess genotypic variation in photoperiod sensitivity, trials where T was near optimal (25°–28° C) but where P ranged from 10–14.5 hd^-1 were used. These stability analyses detected no significant differences (P>0.05) between genotypes 9n temperature sensitivity but revealed significant differences (P<0.001) in photoperiod sensitivity. Regression coefficients from the stability analysis were strongly correlated (r=0.94, 19df) with a photoperiod sensitivity constant, c, determined from a photothermal flowering model. A stability analysis of f from field trials can therefore identify and quantify genotypic variation in response to temperature and photoperiod in cowpea.Abbreviations f days from sowing to flowering - P mean photoperiod - P _c critical photoperiod - P _ce ceiling photoperiod - T mean temperature - T _b base temperature - T _o optimum temperature - SDP short-day plant     

Development of a technique for in vitro unpollinated ovary culture in rice, Oryza sativa L.

A simple and efficient technique for in vitro unpollinated ovary culture in rice which is also applicable for indica genotypes was developed for breeding and genetic studies. Sampling explants at the auricle distance of 7–12 cm between the two uppermost leaves of a tiller, providing a chilling pretreatment and ovaries with 1/3 of the hulls intact gave optimum response to culture. For callus induction with the spontaneous breaking of ovaries, N₆ media supplemented with NAA (2 mg/l) and DMSO (0.6–0.8%) gave a mean PCI value of 3.8% and range of 0.8–12.5% among genotypes. Media combining 2,4,5-T or 2,4-D with NAA in N₆ medium also has reasonably good callus induction. For calli induced inside, 2,4-D (0.2–0.5 mg/l), NAA (2 mg/l) and KT (1 mg/l) contained media were superior. The maximum green plant regeneration (PPR) of 77.3% was found with the medium containing NAA 0.25 mg/l, IAA 0.5 mg/l and KT 2.0 mg/l. Significant genotype, medium and their interaction effects for per cent ovary survival and callus induction were observed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The inheritance of the cold induction response with respect to floral initiation in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Summary The inheritance of the cold induction response in the UK cultivar of white clover Menna, was assessed in controlled environments.Only 50% of the population flowered without prior cold induction. The cold period increased the number of stolons which became reproductive.All families from the crosses between induction and non-induction requiring genotypes produced progeny lacking a cold requirement for flowering.Heritability estimates for the number of flowers per plant, reproductive buds per stolon and stolon number were high.The necessity of eliminating the cold induction requirement in potentially valuable white clover cultivars in relation to seed production at lower latitudes is discussed.