Assessing fitness parameters of hybrids between weed beets and transgenic sugar beets

Herbicide resistance is a desired trait for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) production because it is a low‐competitor crop that requires careful weed management. However, gene flow to weed beet (also B. vulgaris) could jeopardize the weed control strategy by causing the emergence of resistant weed beets; it could also lead to further adaptation of weed beet as a troublesome weed for other crops by selecting more competitive plants. To evaluate the hazard that such a selection process represents, apart the herbicide resistance, we investigated the morphology and reproduction of progeny of weed beets having inherited a herbicide resistance gene. First‐generation resistant weed beet exhibited traits likely counter‐selected. But such crop traits rapidly disappeared with backcrossing to weedy relatives: no biologically relevant difference was noted between resistant and susceptible near‐isogenic siblings in the various experiments. In the absence of resistance selection, our data indicate low chances for weed beet to evolve more competitive forms than present weed beet populations. However, they also suggest that there is no fitness cost limiting transgenes spread.     

The yielding capacity of tetraploid sugar and fodder beets

Since the discovery of the use of colchicine in plant breeding, breeders have created tetraploid sugar and fodder beet. The results obtained were not very encouraging and therefore they soon proceeded to develop varieties containing triploids.At the Foundation for Agricultural Plant Breeding, Wageningen, polyploidy breeding was started in 1950. The initial material comprised two sugar beet varieties and five fodder beet varieties. By cytological examination of the aberrant individuals in the first and the second year after colchicine treatment, seed was obtained which produced a high percentage of tetraploids. In total 793 C₂ families were tested on trial fields and from these 32% appeared to be better than the original diploid material.The breeders interested in the material were provided with seed and stecklings of all the families in the C₁, C₂ or C₃ stage. With the distribution of this material the building up of tetraploid families at the Foundation for Agricultural Plant Breeding has been closed.     

On the occurrence of male sterility in West-European fodder and sugar beets

Since 1958 a search has been made for male sterile plants in fodder and sugar beet of West European origin. In some productive fodder beet varieties 11 male sterile plants were found in approx. 90,000 plants (0.01%), and in sugar beet varieties 32 in approx. 110,000 plants (0.03%).The conclusion may be that male sterility occurs more in sugar beet than in fodder beet, although it may also be explained by a different descent.     

Reduced titer of BNYVV in transgenic sugar beets expressing the BNYVV coat protein

Summary Rhizomania is a disease of sugar beet caused by the furovirus beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV). Coat protein mediated resistance has been reported for a number of viral diseases. This approach to virus resistance was therefore attempted for control of rhizomania. Two constructs of the coat protein gene of BNYVV were introduced into sugar beet by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The mRNA level was estimated to be 0.01% of the poly A⁺ RNA. Expression of the coat protein gene was under the detection limit of our western blotting protocol i.e. below 0.01 g/50 g (0.02% of the total soluble protein). One transformation event per construct was tested in a greenhouse assay and in rhizomania infested soil in a field trial. In the greenhouse assay, transgenic plants showed a strong reduction of virus multiplication when compared to non-transgenic plants. This result was confirmed in the field trial, where a significant difference in virus multiplication was shown between plants with and without the coat protein gene.     

Effects of ozone on sugar beet grown in open-top chambers

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris cv. Patriot) plants were grown on field plots and in open-top chambers (OTCs) in two successive years. In the OTC treatments, plants were exposed to charcoal filtered air, unfiltered air or unfiltered air enriched with additional ozone (O₃). Ozone exposure continued for almost 5 months and the 8-h average concentration was raised from 34 to 39 nL L⁻¹ in the ambient air chambers to 62 nL L⁻¹ in the ozone enriched chambers. In both years, the AOT40 exposure index in the ozone enriched chambers exceeded 30 μL L⁻¹ h during the 5-month exposure period compared to 6.5 and 2.9 μL L⁻¹ h in ambient air in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Visible symptoms in the form of small white necrotic flecks appeared in both seasons in the ozone enriched chambers. When the data for both years were analysed statistically, a significant reduction of root yield of 6% and a slight reduction of sugar content were detected. These changes resulted in an overall reduced sugar yield ha⁻¹ of about 9%. Although the sensitivity of sugar beet to ozone is highly variety-dependent, in general this biennial crop appears less sensitive than annual crops such as wheat and potato. Ozone has limited effects on quality parameters in sugar beet, although an increase in α-amino-N content was observed, in agreement with the increased nitrogen content resulting from ozone exposure of wheat and potato.Enclosure within the OTCs increased aboveground biomass but decreased root yield (fresh biomass) and sugar content. These effects were most likely caused by a reduction of radiation by the chamber walls and annulus. The increased temperature in the chambers reduced yield quality by increasing mineral content.     

A mutation in Waxy gene affects amylose content,starch granules and kernel characteristics of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Waxy barley referred to as low‐amylose or amylose‐free has special advantages in nutrition composition and food processing. Waxy gene encoding granule–bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) is responsible for amylose synthesis in barley. The G³⁹³⁵‐to‐T in Waxy gene has been previously found in amylose–free barley. In this study, G³⁹³⁵‐to‐T was proved to co‐segregate with the waxy phenotype of barley, but has no obvious effect on GBSSI catalytic activity and starch chain length distribution. However, recombinant inbred lines with G³⁹³⁵‐to‐T in Waxy gene are of significant modification in starch granules morphology and pasting properties, increase of grain β‐glucan content, and decrease of thousand kernel weight along with lower kernel width. A polymerase chain reaction with confronting two–pair primers marker was developed for economic and efficient screening of G³⁹³⁵‐to‐T. This study provides the basis for cultivar improvement of waxy barley then fully developing its potential value and utility in food processing.     

Ecological aspects of transgenic sugar beet: transfer and expression of herbicide resistance in hybrids with wild beets

Summary An increasing number of genetically engineered cultivars of several crops is being experimentally released into the environment. In future, crops with new transgenic traits will probably play an important role in agricultural practice. The long-term effect of transgenes on community ecology will depend on the distribution and establishment of transgenic plants in the wild, on the sexual transfer of their new genes to the environment and on the potential ecological impact of the transgenic trait. The starting point was the use of transgenic sugar beet lines, Beta vulgaris subspec. vulgaris var. altissima DÖLL (Helm 1957), with transgenes coding for rhizomania and herbicide (BASTA^®) resistance. The first two questions to answer were: Can the transgenes be transferred via pollen to wild beets, Beta vulgaris subspec. maritima (L.) ARCANG. or cultivated relatives such as red beet or spinach beet and are they expressed in the hybrids? Can transgenes be monitored in young Beta vulgaris-hybrids? The experimental transfer of transgenes was conducted in 1993 at a field location in northern Germany. The beets were hand-pollinated with transgenic pollen. In a non destructive biotest, the hybrid seedlings were tested for herbicide resistance. Transgenic plants showed no noxious phenotypic effects whereas control plants developed leaf necroses. All herbicide resistant hybrids within the biotest were assumed to be transgenic.     

Effect of insecticide-tolerant and plant growth-promoting Mesorhizobium on the performance of chickpea grown in insecticide stressed alluvial soils

An experiment was carried out to determine the plant growth-promoting activities of fipronil- and pyriproxyfen-tolerant Mesorhizobium isolates in the presence and absence of insecticides. The bioremediation and plant growth-promoting potentials of Mesorhizobium isolate (MRC4) was assessed using chickpea as a test crop grown under fipronil- and pyriproxyfen-stressed soils. In this study, the most promising mesorhizobial isolate (MRC4) tolerated fipronil and pyriproxyfen up to a concentration of 1600 μg ml^?1 and 1400 μg ml^?1, respectively. Isolate MRC4 produced a substantial amount of indole acetic acid (44.3 μg ml^?1), salicylic acid (35 μg ml^?1), 2,3 di-hydroxybenzoic acid (19 μg ml^?1), and exo-polysaccharides (21 μg ml^?1) in the absence of insecticides. The plant growth-promoting substances displayed by the isolate MRC4 declined progressively with increasing concentrations of each insecticide. The insecticide tolerant isolate MRC4 was further tested for its effect on chickpea plants grown in fipronil- and pyriproxyfen-treated soils. The insecticide-tolerant isolate MRC4 increased the dry matter accumulation progressively. A maximum increase of 80 (at 600 μg kg^?1 soil of fipronil) and 118% (at 3900 μg kg^?1 soil of pyriproxyfen) was recorded 135 days after sowing when compared to noninoculated plants treated with the same rates of each insecticide. Moreover, Mesorhizobium isolate MRC4 when used in fipronil- and pyriproxyfen-treated soil also increased symbiotic properties (nodulation and leghaemoglobin content), root N, shoot N, root P, shoot P, seed yield, and seed protein compared to the un-inoculated but treated solely with insecticide. The present finding suggests that the mesorhizobial isolate endowed with multiple properties could be used to facilitate the productivity of chickpea under insecticidestressed soils.     

一种基于PCR的水稻SNP标记检测方法

旨在找到一种简便的SNP检测方法用于水稻种性鉴定及遗传多样性分析,本研究以245份长江中下游主推杂交水稻品种及亲本为研究材料,从1319个SNP位点中筛选出124对多态性高的位点,建立SNP的高效检测体系。选用其中的1个标记sf0141821553和SSR的标记RM7120来检测水稻的纯度,分别利用Caps-AccI标记和SNP-sf0601764762扩增亲本及杂交后代Wx的基因型,两者结果完全一致。用124对位点对245份杂交水稻进行遗传多样性分析,聚类分析显示,245个品种间的遗传相似系数在0.64～0.97之间。以遗传相似系数0.64为阈值,可以将245个水稻品种分为2个类群,这2个类群分别在遗传相似系数为0.712和0.667处又可以分为2个亚群。结果表明材料间存在明显的群体结构,能精确区分待测品种的基因型以及品种间的遗传差异。利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳来实现SNP标记的检测,方法简便且不需要大型仪器设备和昂贵的试剂,便于实验室开展水稻品种的鉴定工作。     

Genetic impacts of fiber sugar content on fiber characters in Sea Island cotton, Gossypium barbadense L.

A genetic model with additive effect, dominant effect, additive × additive effect, and their interaction with environment effect (GE) was employed to analyze the 2-year data of F₁ and F₂ hybrids from 5 × 4 diallel cross, whose parents were Sea Island cotton with different fruit branch types. Unconditional and conditional genetic variances were analyzed to demonstrate genetic impacts of fiber sugar content on fiber characters. Results of unconditional genetic variances showed that dominance × environment interaction effect and additive × additive epistatic effects mainly controlled the genetic variation of fiber sugar content, and environment influenced the inheritance of fiber sugar content. Fiber uniformity, fiber elongation, and fiber micronaire were mainly controlled by dominance × environment effects. Fiber strength was mainly controlled by the interaction of additive × additive epistatic effects and the environment. Analysis of correlation coefficients indicated that the varieties or hybrids with high-fiber sugar content had short fiber, low-fiber uniformity, strength, and fineness, which indicated the close co-variation between fiber quality traits and fiber sugar content. Relatively better fiber quality traits could be obtained effectively through selecting parents with low-fiber sugar. Fiber sugar content of different parents had different genetic effect on fiber quality traits.     

Identification of quantitative trait loci for Cd and Zn concentrations of brown rice grown in Cd-polluted soils

Low grain cadmium (Cd) and high grain zinc (Zn) rice cultivars have become the current rice breeding objectives. However, the genetic control of Cd and Zn concentrations in brown rice remains poorly understood, especially when grown in Cd-contaminated soil. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with grain Cd and Zn concentrations and Cd/Zn ratio were identified using a doubled haploid population derived from a cross between japonica JX17 and indica ZYQ8 rice cultivars. Three and two QTLs were detected for Cd and Zn concentration in brown rice, respectively. Two QTLs associated with grain Cd/Zn ratio on chromosomes 3 and 6 were initially mapped. These QTLs accounted for 10.83–41.66% of the total variance of the three traits measured. Only one common locus on chromosome 6 was found for Cd concentration and Cd/Zn ratio. The lack of co-location of the QTLs for Cd and Zn concentrations in this mapping population suggests different genetic mechanisms. In summary, our results provide insight into the genetic basis of rice grain Cd and Zn accumulation; the isolated QTLs may be useful for marker-assisted selection and identification of genes associated with Cd and Zn accumulation in rice.     

Ca2+参与硝普钠(SNP)对干旱胁迫下小麦幼苗叶片NO水平的调控

在15% PEG-6000干旱胁迫下,研究外源一氧化氮(NO)供体硝普钠(SNP)处理对小麦幼苗叶片NO含量、NO合成酶活性的影响及其与Ca2+的关系。干旱胁迫下小麦幼苗叶片NOS活性显著增加,且钙依赖型cNOS快速调控NO产生,但是随着胁迫时间的延长,不依赖钙iNOS活性在NOS活性比例缓慢增加,而NR产生NO的能力只占总NR提取物活性的很小一部分;1mmol/L SNP处理可显著提高干旱胁迫下小麦幼苗叶片NOS和NR活性,诱导NO水平提高,显著缓解膜脂过氧化;用质膜Ca2+通道抑制剂LaCl3与SNP共处理,显著减弱或抵消SNP促进NO合成作用。结果表明,外源NO 显著提高干旱胁迫下小麦幼苗叶片NO合成酶活性和NO含量,有效缓解膜的氧化损伤,而Ca2+参与SNP对干旱胁迫下小麦幼苗叶片NO水平的调控。     

Identification of sugarcane microsatellites associated to sugar content in sugarcane and transferability to other cereal genomes

Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers are very informative for various applications in genetics and breeding. Information obtained with these markers has contributed to a better understanding of evolution and the complexity of the sugarcane genome. With the objective of identifying a large set of polymorphic microsatellite markers designated as Unigene derived Sugarcane Microsatellite (UGSM) and Sugarcane Enriched Genomic Microsatellite (SEGMS), 351 UGSM and 36 SEGMS were tested to find out informative SSRs marker for sugar content. These markers were screened and validated for their use in genetic diversity, cross transferability and comparative linkage potential in high and low sugar bulk of two segregating progenies and twenty each, cultivated high and low sugar cultivars. 158 (40.83%) of the microsatellite markers (144-UGSM: 14-SEGMS) were found to be highly robust and polymorphic. Cross amplification was estimated among nineteen accessions of six sugarcane cultivars, one inter specific hybrids, five related species, four related genera, and three divergent genera by using 27 UGSM primers. Analysis of 388 alleles, amplified by these markers, indicated the high number of observed allele ranged from 2 to 26, with an average of 14.37 alleles detected per locus. High level of polymorphism detected by these markers among sugarcane species, genera and cultivars was 96.3%, while cross-transferability rate was 98.0% within Saccharum complex and 88.27% to cereals. Wide range of genetic diversity (0.33–0.79 with an average of 0.56) assayed with UGSM markers suggested their importance in various genotypic applications in sugarcane.     

Water availability affects nectar sugar production and insect visitation of the cup plant Silphium perfoliatum L. (Asteraceae)

The perennial cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is considered as an alternative feedstock to maize for biogas plants. Due to its ecological advantages of an extensive management and function as food resource for pollinators, it can be grown in Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) since 2018. However, studies at the Julius Kühn-Institute in Braunschweig (Germany) showed that the assumed advantage of the cup plant of a high drought tolerance could not be confirmed regarding aspects of crop production and yield. We complemented this experiment by assessing how different soil moisture conditions affect the production of floral resources and insect visitation. In 2014, we sampled three irrigated and three rainfed plots of the cup plant. We quantified the nectar volume and sugar mass per inflorescence, the number of inflorescences per plant and calculated the total nectar sugar production. We further counted insect visitation on the inflorescences. Due to reduced numbers of inflorescences per plant and an earlier harvest, the estimated nectar sugar production was 58 kg/ha regarding irrigated and 20 kg/ha regarding rainfed plots. Honeybee visitation per inflorescence was about twice as high in the irrigated plots. Furthermore, the early harvest is a disadvantage for wild pollinators with a late activity period.     

Mitotic analysis of sticky chromosomes in aluminum tolerant and susceptible wheat lines grown in soils of differing aluminum saturation

Plant resistance is currently the most effective and environmentally safe method to control plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs). Resistance genes generally act against sedentary PPNs by inducing a hypersensitive reaction that prevents the parasite installation and/or reproduction. However, the recent emergence of virulent biotypes able to overcome the plant resistance genes may constitute a severe limitation to this control strategy. In selection experiments conducted under controled environment, the genetic variation, specificity and inheritance of nematode virulence have been demonstrated. Moreover, the occurrence of gene-for-gene interactions has been shown in a few cases. Moleculars markers have been extensively used to investigate the genetic variability of PPNs, but so far, the genomic polymorphisms observed are largely independent of virulence. Such data suggest that, within a species, virulent isolates do not share a common origin, but are probably the result of independent mutational events. To understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for virulence in PPNs, several strategies have been developed, in relation with their mode of reproduction (parthenogenesis versus amphimixis). As an example, recent results obtained in our laboratory on the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne spp. are presented. On a more general point of view, factors that may induce stable genome variability in PPNs, e.g. Transposition of mobile elements and chromosomal rearrangements (leading to polyploidy, aneuploidy, etc) will also be considered. Advances in knowledge in these areas should have important consequences for the management and durability of natural resistance genes, and for the engineering of new forms of resistance. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Critical moisture content as an index of compactibility of agricultural soils in borno state of Nigeria

The critical moisture content for compaction of different soils in borno State was determined using the standard proctor compaction test.Our data indicated that for a given soil, the resultant bulk density is a function of the soil's moisture content and the compactive effort applied. This relationship between bulk density, compactive effort and moisture content was mathematically described. At a given compactive effort, the critical moisture content could be calculated from the derived equations.To define and calculate compactibility and critical indexes of the soils, the method of SOEHNE (1958) was used. The practical use of the indexes in agricultural practices was discussed.     

基于SNP标记的爆裂玉米农家品种遗传多样性

为了评价广西爆裂玉米农家品种的遗传多样性,利用56K SNP芯片技术对中国广西45个爆裂玉米农家品种、中国2个爆裂玉米杂交种和6个南美爆裂玉米种质进行全基因组扫描,获得多态性标记14 338个,基因分型为6 种类型。其中A/G类型最多,为5 805个;A/T类型最少,为149个。1号染色体的多态性SNP位点最多,为2 302个;10号染色体最少,为848个。45个农家品种间平均遗传相似系数为0.62,变幅为0.41~0.99,总体遗传相似度高。聚类分析将参试品种划分为三大类群,相同来源的农家品种大多聚在一起;主成分分析显示大部分农家品种聚在一起,与杂交品种和南美品种之间没有交集,表明农家品种遗传相似性较高,与杂交品种和南美品种遗传差异较大。