Aiuminium tolerance of durum wheat germplasm

Summary Aluminium tolerance of Macedonian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. conv. durum (Desf.) MacKey) germplasm was evaluated in nutrient solutions containing 0, 74 or 148 M of total Al. Relative root length (148 M Al/0 Al) of various genotypes ranged from 41 to 72% (from moderately sensitive to moderately tolerant to Al). No genotype with Al tolerance close to that of very tolerant T. aestivum cultivar Atlas-66 was found. Seed Ca concentration was positively (r=0.64, P0.05) and seed Fe concentration negatively (r=–0.71, P0.05) related to the relative root growth. Such a significant correlation was not obtained for seed concentrations of other nutrients or seed protein content.Abbreviations HSD Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference - RRL-2 relative root length, in % (74 M total Al/0 M Al) - RRL-4 relative root length, in % (148 M total Al0 M Al)     

Heritable tissue culture induced variation in Zinnia marylandica

Summary Adventitious shoots of Zinnia marylandica, an amphidiploid with limited genetic segregation, were regenerated from cotyledonary tissue on Murashige-Skoog (MS) media containing 0.2 or 22.2 M thidiazuron (TDZ) and grown through flowering. Fisher's Test for Equal Variance indicated tissue culture induced plants had more variation than seed-derived control plants. Twelve of 149 (8%) plants derived from 0.2 M TDZ and three of 23 (13%) plants from 22.2 M TDZ had variant characters. Aberrant characteristics in self-pollinated variants included plant height, fertility, flower color and morphology, and were sexually transmitted, indicating genetic change had occurred. Aberrant characteristics not observed in regenerated plants arose in progeny.Abbreviation TDZ thidiazuron     

Effects of salicylic acid on cold preservation and cryopreservation of encapsulated embryonic axes of Persian lilac (Melia azedarach L.)

Embryonic axes of Persian lilac (Melia azedarach L.)encapsulated into calcium alginate beads with sucrose (0.75 M) and salicylicacid (0, 50 M, 200 M) were subjected to cryopreservationtechnique with dehydration and freezing in liquid nitrogen or to coldpreservation by stocking alginate beads in empty petri dishes for 4 monthsat 4 °C. In these two cases 200 M salicylic acid enhancedsignificantly the percentage of viability of encapsulated embryonic axes andthe role of salicylic acid in increasing tolerance to dehydration is discussed.     

Studies on glucosinolates in clubroot resistant selections and susceptible commercial cultivars of cabbages

Summary Heads of 59 commercial cabbage cultivars, all susceptible to clubroot disease, and of 86 individual clubroot resistant cabbage plants of various breeding selections were analysed for their composition in glucosinolates, determined by quantifying their hydrolytic breakdown products, thiocyanate, goitrin, and volatile isothiocyanates. The mean thiocynate ion content was significantly lower in the breeding selections (120 g/g dry weight) than in the commercial cultivars (204 g/g). In contrast, the mean goitrin content was significantly higher in the breeding selections (193 g/g) than in the commercial cultivars (35 g/g). Similar to goitrin, the range of volatile isothiocyanates and total glucosinolate were higher in the breeding selections, but the mean contents of each were not statistically different between selections and cultivars. Fourteen cultivars and four selections were found to be free of goitrin; three cultivars, but no breeding selection were free of volatile isothiocyanates. The breeding selections will provide germplasm for breeding new clubroot resistant and low glucosinolate cultivars.Contribution No. J-965.     

Colchicine, trifluralin, and oryzalin promoted development of somatic embryos in Ilex paraguariensis (Aquifoliaceae)

A protocol for somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of Ilexparaguariensis St. Hil. from embryos cultures was developed. Heart stage zygotic embryos were removed from seeds of immature, light green fruit and treated with antimicrotubule agents (0.1; 0.2, and 0.5% colchicine for 24 and 48 h; 1; 10, and 20 M of either trifluralin, - trifluoro- 2,6-dinitro-N,N- dipropyl-p-toluidine, or oryzalin, 3,5-dinitro-N₄, N-dipropylsulphate during 48 h). The embryos were cultured aseptically on quarter-strength Murashige and Skoog medium containing 3% sucrose, 0.65% agar (1/4MS), and 0.46 M zeatin. Cultures were incubated in darkness at 27 ± 2 °C. All thetreatments provoked a diminution of the number of germinated embryos and in some of the treated embryos somatic embryogenesis was induced. Somatic embryo maturation and conversion into whole plants could be achieved by culturing the embryos on 1/4MS lacking hormones and incubated at 27 ± 2 °C, 14 h photoperiod (116 mol m^-2s^-1). Mostof the plants regenerated from somatic embryos appeared morphologically normaland grew under greenhouse conditions. Only 2 plants out of 152 studied contained the tetraploid number of the chromosomes (2n = 4x = 80), meanwhile the rest of the plants had the normal diploid number of chromosomes (2n =2x = 40). Somatic embryos with abnormal morphology were also observed.     

Evaluation of Triticum aestivum germplasm from Croatia and Yugoslavia for aluminium tolerance

Summary Aluminium tolerance of 90 genotypes of Triticum aestivum L. germplasm from the breeding programmes of eight Croatian and Yugoslav institutions was evaluated in nutrient solutions having Al³⁺ activities of 0, 12.5 and 25M. Overall distribution of Al tolerance of wheat genotypes was skewed toward lower tolerance rankings. Average Al tolerance differed among gene pools created at different breeding institutions. Genotypes tolerant enough to be useful in the breeding programmes aimed at selecting cultivars with improved Al tolerance are identified in germplasm from four institutions. No correlation was found between chemical characteristics of soils used over the years by breeding institutions for their field trials and the Al-tolerance ranking of the corresponding germplasm material.Abbreviations HSD Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference - RRL-4 relative root length, in % (25M Al³⁺/0 Al)     

Effect of genetic blends of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) of different Plant architecture on apothecia production of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and white mold infection

Summary The determinate Phaseolus vulgaris L. cvs Dark Red Kidney Charlevoix, and near-isogenic Great Northern Nebraska 1 were grown in blends with the indeterminate GN Nebraska 1 in white mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) disease field nurseries. A critical difference between Charlevoix and indeterminate GN Nebraska 1 is that the latter has a greater leaf area closer to the soil surface, and this is associated with increased numbers of apothecia beneath the canopy and higher disease severity. White mold infection and apothecia number/m² beneath the canopy of the blends containing Charlevoix were significantly reduced in comparison with the severely infected, homogeneous, indeterminate GN Nebraska 1. A reduction of white mold infection for the indeterminate GN Nebraska 1 was not observed in blends grown under severe or moderate white mold incidence, but did occur under slight incidence in blends containing 65% and 75% Charlevoix.No significant difference for seed yield occurred between the blends and homogeneous cultivars planted in four experiments under severe, moderate, slight and zero white mold incidence, respectively, except in Experiment 1 under moderate white mold incidence, the blend of 50% indeterminate GN Nebraska 1 and 50% Charlevoix exceeded the yield of the indeterminate GN Nebraska 1. Mean weight of white (GN Nebraska 1) and red seed (Charlevoix) increased and decreased, respectively, in some blends due to the more vigorous growth of the indeterminate GN Nebraska 1.Published as Paper No. 5341, Journal Series, Nebraska Agric. Exp.t Station. Research was conducted un under Project 20–3.     

Pollen grain size in four ploidy levels of genusAvena

Summary Pollen grain size in many genera positively correlated with chromosome number. In this study, oat (Avena) pollen grain size was examined in diploids (2×=14, one species, for accessions), tetraploids (4×=28, five species, 20 accessions), hexaploids (6×=42, one species, eight cultivars), and in 10 octoploid (8×=56) accessions. Mature anthers ready to dehisce pollen were sampled from one to six plants per accession, and pollen grains were squeezed out of the anther with tweezers. Oat pollen grains are slightly elliptical, and the length of the major axis was found to be highly correlated with the minor axis width (r=0.94^**). Pollen grain length, 39.3 m for diploids, 41.3 m for tetraploids, 47.0 m for hexaploids, and 48.8 m for octoploids, was positively correlated (r=0.86^**) with ploidy level. No genomic or species effects appeared to influence this trait. Only tetraploidAvena vaviloviana accession PI 412767 produced two distinct class sizes of pollen grains, 99% normal (43.0 m) and 1% large (52.7 m).     

High frequency somatic embryogenesis with a pampeana-derived genotype of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Summary Somatic embryos of genotype R11 of the alfalfa variety Pampeana were produced from embryogenic calli derived from leaf sections. They were induced by an auxin shock and its development was attempted on six different media. The best condition for somatic embryo production was inducing callus on MS medium plus 10 M 2,4-D and 4,6 M KIN and transferring them, after the auxin shock, to MS with 10–20 mM NH₄ ⁺ and 30 mM proline. More than 500 somatic embryos per plate were produced. Embryos were grown to plants on MS or half strength MS media and all regenerated plants resembled the original R11 genotype. This technique could be useful in alfalfa Pampeana improvement using genetic modification.     

Development of a triticale resistant to the greenbug: An historical perspective

Summary A greenbug [Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)] resistant strain of rye (Secale cereale L.) Insave F.A. from Argentina was crossed with Chinese Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and also with Elbon and Balbo cultivars of common rye. Juvenile plants of the primary wheat X rye hybrid were treated with colchicine. Partially fertile amphidiploids were obtained that are resistant to greenbug Biotypes B and C. F₁ and F₂ populations of seedling plants derived from crosses of Insave F.A. with Elbon and Balbo rye were tested for reaction to the greenbug to determine the genetic basis of inheritance. The results confirmed previous reports that resistance in Insave F.A. is conditioned by a single dominant gene.Deceased     

Results of one cycle of recurrent selection in rye

A sufficiently variable rye population was subjected to one cycle of recurrent selection for combining ability in order to ascertain whether this complex property can be repatterned.Some hundreds of clones derived from this population were toperossed to an other unrelated variety used as tester. Through visual selection, more than half of these clones were rejected. The topcross progenies of the remaining clones were subjected to a comparative test whereby, as was to be expected, a considerable degree of variability was demonstrated. From the best 10% and the poorest 10% that is from those which surpassed the general average by at least 1.5 standard deviation units or remained below that average by at least 1.5 , narrowed populations were built up. This was done with the aid of reserve seed which in the year in which the top cross was made had been obtained from these clones, either through compulsory selfpollination or by allowing the clones to fertilize each other in isolation. The two subpopulations obtained through selection in opposite directions further indicated as high and low were crossed en masse with the same tester variety as the first time. In addition a large number of randomly taken individuals from the high synthetic were cloned and toperossed to this common tester. On testing the top crosses carried out en masse, the high synthetics clearly yielded more than the low ones. In one trial it was even found that the high synthetic surpassed our standard variety Petkus by approximately 20%. It is possible, therefore, to segregate a population into two fractions of different combining ability.The optimistie pieture to be derived from the foregoing trials unfortunately is shaded by the results of the individual test crosses pointing to a shift of the frequency distribution in a negative sense in regard to the original population. The influence of the year may be mentioned as a possible cause of this contrast and also the fact that in the original population a close visual selection had been practised while those obtained from the synthetic resulting after one cycle were derived from individuals which had been taken entirely at random.

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Samenvatting Een voldoende variabele roggepopulatic werd onderworpen aan één ronde van cyclisch herhaalde selectic op combinatie-geschiktheid ten einde na te gaan of deze complexe eigenschap kan worden vervormd.Enige honderden klonen voortgekomen uit deze populatie werden onderworpen aan een top-cross door een als tester gebruikt ander, onverwant, ras. Op grond van visuele selectie werd meer dan de helft van deze klonen afgekeurd. De proefkruisings-nakomelingschappen van de overblijvende klonen werden aan een vergelijkende toets onderworpen waarbij zoals viel te verwachten een aanzienlijke variabiliteit in opbrengstvermogen aan het licht trad. Uit de beste 10% en de slechtste 10%, d.w.z. die welke het algemeen gemiddelde met minstens 1,5 overschreden resp. daar minstens 1,5 beneden bleven, werden vernauwde populaties opgebouwd. Dit geschiedde met behulp van reservezaad dat in het jaar waarin de top-cross werd verricht van deze klonen was gewonnen, hetzij door gedwongen zelfbestuiving, hetzij door de klonen in isolatie aan onderlinge bestuiving over te laten. De op deze wijze verkregen twee in tegenovergestelde richting geselecteerde sub-populaties-aangeduid als high en low-werden en masse gekruist met hetzelfde tester ras als de eerste keer. Bovendien werd een groot aantal willekeurig uit het high syntheticum genomen individuen tot klonen gemaakt en onderworpen aan een top-cross door het zoëven genoemde tester ras. Bij de toetsing van en masse uitgevoerde proefkruisingen bleek de combinatie high x tester duidelijk meer op te brengen dan low tester. In een proef werd zelfs gevonden dat high x tester ons standaardras Petkus met ongeveer 20% overtrof. Het blijkt dus mogelijk een populatie te splitsen in 2 fracties van uiteenlopende combinatie-geschiktheid.Het optimistische beeld dat men uit de zo juist vermelde proeven krijgt wordt helaas verduisterd door de resultaten van de individuele proefkruisingen welke wijzen op een verschuiving van de frequentieverdeling in negatieve zin ten opzichte van de oorspronkelijke populatie. Als mogelijke oorzaken van deze tegenstelling kunnen worden aangewezen jaarinvloeden en tevens het feit dat onder de klonen uit de oorspronkelijke populatie een scherpe selectie op het oog werd toegepast terwijl die uit het na één cyclus verkregen syntheticum werden afgeleid van volkomen willekeurig genomen individuen.

     

Diallel analysis of yield components of snap beans exposed to two temperature stress environments

Ten snap beans (Barrier, Brio, Carson, Cornell 502, CT 70, HB 1880, Hystyle, Labrador, Opus and Venture) were selected for differential temperature tolerance and used as parents in a complete diallel mating design. The 45 F₁ hybrid lines (with reciprocals) and parents were screened at 32 C day/28 C night, and in a separate experiment, 16 C day/10 C night, during reproductive development in replicated controlled environments. Variation for yield under temperature treatments was observed among parents and hybrids, with certain hybrids exceeding parental performance. Significant (P 0.0001) general combining ability (GCA), and significant (P 0.05) specific combining ability (SCA) were observed for yield components including pod number, seed number, and seeds per pod. There was evidence that pod number and seeds per pod under temperature stress are under separate genetic control. Reciprocal effects and heterosis were not significant. GCA could not be predicted from parental performance. The breeding line Cornell 502 had the highest GCA under high temperature, and the cultivar Brio had the highest GCA under low temperature. The cross Brio × Venture was high yielding in both temperature treatments. Heat tolerance and chilling tolerance were associated in certain parents and hybrids. However, performance under high and low temperature treatments was not generally correlated in the parents and hybrids, indicating that these traits should be selected separately.     

A tissue culture technique for vegetative propagation and low temperature preservation of Beta vulgaris

Summary A tissue culture technique for clonal propagation of Beta vulgaris is described. Flower buds or flower bud clusters formed adventitious shoots on half-strength Murashige & Skoog's medium supplemented with 10 mol/l benzyladenine (BA). The shoots were multiplied by axillary bud proliferation on a medium with 1 mol/l BA and rooted on a medium with 10 mol/l indolebutyric acid. The plants were vegetative. No mutations were observed. Genotypic variation was found in shoot formation, shoot multiplication and rooting. Some genotypes showed leaf malformations which were attributed to BA. Rooted plants in culture tubes could be stored for one year at 2 or 5°C and a low light intensity.     

Interspecific hybrids of Cucumis metuliferus × C. anguria obtained through embryo culture and somatic embryogenesis

Summary Interspecific crosses between Cucumis metuliferus Naud. and C. anguria L. were obtained through embryo culture. Embryos in the rabbit-ear to advanced fluke-shaped stages were rescued 34–99 days after pollination. Plants were obtained through direct embryo culture, and through somatic embryogenesis from immature embryos. For direct embryo culture, fluke-shaped embryos were stored in sterile water in darkness for three days at 25C prior to transfer on Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium plus 1.0 M 6-benzylamino-purine. Multiple plants were obtained from single embryos through somatic embryogenesis of rabbit-ear stages on MS plus 10 M indole-3-acetic acid and 5 M 6-benzylamino-purine. Evidence of hybridization included leaf shape intermediate between the two parents, penduncle shape prior to fertilization which resembled the male parent, low pollen viability and isoelectric focussing of protein bands for acid phosphatase of leaf extracts.     

Morphology,cytology and forage potential of Pennisetum americanum (L.) K. Schum. x P. Purpureum Schum. amphidiploids

Summary F₁ hybrids between short-day photoperiod- sensitive maiwa bulrush millet, Pennisetum americanum (2n=14), and elephant grass, P. purpureum (2n=28), are triploid (2n=21), sterile, and can only be propagated vegetatively. Fertile amphidiploids, (2n=42, with 21 bivalents) were produced by colchicine treatment. Good seed set was obtained upon selfing the amphidiploids and the progeny exhibited variable pollen fertility and bivalent univalent and multivalent formation.Reciprocal crosses between elephant grass and the colchicine-induced amphidiploid failed to produce seeds. The maiwa millet x amphidiploid cross resulted in poor seed set and the reciprocal failed. Maiwa x amphidiploid hybrids were pollen sterile with 2n=21, rather than the expected 2n=28, indicating chromosome elimination.Morphologically, the amphidiploids and maiwa x amphidiploid hybrids closely resembled elephant grass and the F₁ hybrid. The amphidiploids showed no superiority over the F₁ hybrid and elephant grass in either forage yield or quality but one maiwa x amphidiploid genotype surpassed a promising local elephant grass selection in forage dry matter yield and flowered for a relatively short period.     

RAPD analysis of sporting and chimerism in chrysanthemum

Summary The potential of colchicine and the microtubule depolymerizing herbicides trifluralin, oryzalin, and amiprophosmethyl (APM) for in vitro chromosome doubling during B. napus microspore culture was studied. Colchicine was administered during the first 6, 12 or 24 h of culture with 8 different concentrations up to 3 mM, and herbicides at 6 different concentrations up to 30 M for 12 h.Treatments with moderate concentrations of colchicine (3–100 M) produced a small increase in embryo production, while concentrations above 300 M were toxic. Colchicine treatment for 12 h resulted in higher embryo production than treatment for 6 and 24 h. Duration of treatment and concentration of colchicine both had a significant effect on the chromosome doubling. The highest diploidization rates (94% diploid regenerants) were seen after 24 h treatment with 1 mM colchicine.All three herbicides were similar to colchicine in terms of their effect on embryo formation and chromosome doubling comparable to the one of colchicine, but at concentrations approximately 100 times lower. APM was less toxic than trifluralin and oryzalin, but no significant difference in chromosome doubling efficiency was detected between the compounds. The 12 h treatment resulted in a maximum of approximately 65% diploid regenerants with all three herbicides, but APM may have an advantage because of its less toxic effects. Prolonged treatment with APM (20–24 h) may produce 95–100% diploid regenerants.Abbreviations APM amiprophos methyl - DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide     

Traditional seed maintenance and origins of the French lucerne landraces

Summary As for other forage crops the notion of variety is quite recent in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.). Up to 1950 in France, farmers cultivated landraces whose origins were geographically defined. Seed production was a by-product of forage production. Usually, seeds were harvested on the second or third crop, in old lucerne fields. Natural selection created landraces adapted to local conditions. In some years, climatic conditions, especially in northern regions, were unfavourable to seed production. In the exchanges and trades of seeds between French regions, the genetic origin of the seeds was omitted, the geographical origin was only mentioned. Even if France usually exported lucerne seeds, imports occurred in bad years. Seeds were imported from European countries and from North and South America. Varieties from America were poorly adapted to the French conditions for forage production. These foreign varieties have probably intercrossed with the local landraces but no data is available to know to what extent. Among the various French landraces, five main types were defined using morphological characters: Flamande in the north, three types (Poitou, Marais de Luçon, Marais de Challans) in the west, and Provence in the south. These landraces have been widely used in breeding since 1950. Even though these five landraces are, up to now, maintained, the other landraces have probably been lost (no more cultivated and not in genebanks), replaced by registered varieties.     

Genotypic differences in wheat Al tolerance

Summary Aluminium tolerance of 83 genotypes from Croatian and Yugoslav Triticum aestivum germplasm was evaluated in nutrient solutions having Al³⁺ activities of 0, 12.5 and 25 M. Relative root length (25 M Al³⁺/0 Al) of various genotypes ranged from 2 to 97% (from very sensitive to tolerant to Al). No genotype with Al tolerance close to that of very tolerant cultivar Atlas-66 was found. Soil, climatic, fertilization, and liming effects that wheat plants giving seeds for the nutrient solution Al-tolerance screening had been subjected to during their growth cycle did not influence the Al-tolerance ranking. Significant correlation was found between screening wheat for Al tolerance in nutrient solutions and in acid Pseudogley soil amended with five rates of limestone in a greenhouse experiment. Seed protein concentration was significantly related to the Al-tolerance ranking (r² = 0.962). Such a significant correlation was not obtained in a case of rheological and other quality characteristics of seeds. Al-tolerant wheat genotypes identified in this study will be used in breeding for improved Al tolerance.Abbreviations HSD Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference - RRL-2 relative root length, in % (12.5 M Al³⁺/0 Al) - RRL-4 relative root length, in % (25 M Al³/0 Al)     

Inheritance of tolerance to leaf iron deficiency chlorosis in tomato

By using two tomato genotypes, 227/1 (Fe chlorosis susceptible) and Roza (Fe chlorosis tolerant), and their reciprocal F₁, F₂ and BC₁ generations, the inheritance of tolerance to leaf Fe deficiency chlorosis of Roza was studied. Plants were grown in a nutrient solution and subjected to 2.0 × 10^–6 M Fe EDDHA and 10 mM NaHCO₃ to induce Fe deficiency stress by stabilization of pH to 7.8–8.2. A rating scale of 1–3 for chlorophyll was used and both monogenic and polygenic inheritance hypotheses were tested. Better responses to Fe deficiency, as measured by SPAD meter values, were obtained from the cross Roza × 227/1 than from the reciprocal cross. Data from F₂ and BC₁ suggest Fe chlorosis tolerance of Roza is to be controlled by polygenic loci with a relatively high additive effect.     

Stability of forage yield and quality in pearl millet hybrids heterogenous for rust resistance

Summary The susceptible pearl millet hybrid Tifleaf 1, the resistant hybrid Tifleaf 2, and two experimental 3-way hybrids with different proportions of resistant and susceptible plants were evaluated for rust resistance and forage yield and quality in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Different environmental conditions were obtained by varying planting date, planting density, and fungicide applications across three years of evaluation in the field. Rust severity of forage was negatively correlated with late season green yield, dry matter yield, in vitro dry matter digestibility, and digestible dry matter yield. The stability across environments of the 3-way hybrids was intermediate between resistant Tifleaf 2 and susceptible Tifleaf 1 for rust severity and the yield and quality measurements negatively correlated with rust severity. Mixtures of resistant and susceptible plants would probably provide greater control of rust than measured in these small-plot experiments. Although a mixture of resistant and susceptible plants appears to provide an alternative to monogenic control of rust in forage pearl millets, identification and utilization of additional sources of resistance would be beneficial to improve the performance of 3-way hybrids.