Morpho-physiological traits to complement grain yield selection under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions in each of the durum wheat types mediterraneum typicum and syriacum

Summary Some 238 landraces from Algeria and Tunisia representative of the mediterraneum typicum durum wheat type and 265 landraces from Syria and Jordan representing the syriacum type were grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment of Northern Syria characterized by moderate drought stress. The germplasm types were compared for mean value, level of variation and relationships with grain yield of various morpho-physiological traits possibly usable for indirect selection of best yielding materials. The syriacum germplasm showed higher yield mainly due to greater earliness of cycle, slightly longer grain filling period, shorter stature, lower early growth vigour and higher drought tolerance expressed by a visual score recorded in another, more stressful environment in the region. It also showed lower variation for all morpho-physiological characters except plant glaucousness, for which it was more variable. The wheat types differed not only for architecture but also for optima of individual morpho-physiological traits required to maximize the yield response in the given environment. Higher yield of syriacum materials was attained at same heading and three to four days delayed maturity with respect to average phenology of three well-adapted control cultivars, and it was favoured by increasing number of kernels per spike, early vigour and drought tolerance. Higher yield of mediterraneum typicum landraces was related to heading and maturity dates approaching those of the control cultivars and to increasing kernel weight, early vigour and drought tolerance. Plant stature hardly affected the yield. Both absent and strong glaucousness could confer a yield advantage in syriacum materials.     

Rhodes grass breeding in Kenya II. Clonal evaluation for seed yield within maturity classes of two varieties

Summary A study was made over three seasons of seed yield characters in replicated genotypes of two maturity classes selected from within both Mbarara and Masaba Rhodes.Within maturity classes significant 2–4 fold ranges were observed in PGS (pure germinating seed) yield. The component most responsible for this increase was seed setting. Significant differences were also observed in seed retention, 1000-seed weight, head number and the number and length of racemes.Even though heading date, within a maturity class of a variety did not vary more than 10 days, differences were significant and the early-heading plants were the most productive in seed yield characters.Heritability estimates, based on individual plants, ranged from less than 0.10 for % PGS to over 0.30 for 1000-seed weight and raceme characters.     

Rhodes grass breeding in Kenya. III. Seed and herbage yield in selections of four maturity classes based upon intra variety variation

Summary Selections of four maturity classes developed from within each of three commercial varieties of Rhodes grass, Mbarara, Masaba and Pokot, were assessed for yield of PGS (pure germinating seed), speed of establishment after sowing, total dry matter yield and dry matter yield under frequent clipping (persistence), over three years.The range in heading date between the selections was well outside the range of the original varieties. The best selection with the highest overall response was the early-heading selection developed out of Mbarara with a 127% gain in PGS yield, 75% gain in dry matter yield three months after sowing, 11% gain in overall dry matter yield and 17% gain in dry matter yield under frequent clipping, compared with the standard Mbarara.Mbarara entries were the best in PGS yield, herbage yield and % dry matter. Masaba entries were better in persistence, while the late-heading Pokot entries were the poorest in PGS yield, herbage yield and persistence.Within varieties, yield of PGS dropped progressively and sharply in later maturity classes, whereas dry matter yields were largely unaffected by heading date. Thus late-heading selections dropped below the standard varieties in PGS yield but remained above the standard varieties in dry matter yield.Early-heading selections were generally more persistent than late-heading selections.     

Productivity,persistence and traits related to drought tolerance in smooth bromegrass

This study was conducted to evaluate drought tolerance and persistence in a germplasm of smooth bromegrass and association of forage productivity with different traits. Thirty‐six genotypes of smooth bromegrass were clonally propagated and evaluated under two soil moisture environments for three years (2013–2015). High genotypic variation was observed among genotypes for all the measured traits. Drought stress decreased mean values for traits related to productivity. Also, the long‐term stress for three years reduced the persistence of plants. Results indicated that indirect selection based on components of forage yield, which had high heritability and high correlation with yield, would be more effective to improve drought tolerance in this germplasm. The results of principal component analysis showed that there was a negative relationship between phenological traits with the persistence‐related traits and yield production. This suggests that selection for earliness may indirectly promote persistent genotypes. The results showed that some Hungarian genotypes are valuable gene sources for persistence. The most persistent genotypes from both groups (Iranian and foreign) were identified using the biplot method. These genotypes may be useful for the development of populations for future studies.     

Genetic variation in cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) populations for mottle virus resistance

Summary Highly significant and continuous variation in the degree of injury due to cocksfoot mottle virus (CfMV) infection was found among clones of 7 cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) populations, taken at random among surviving plants in 9 year old swards. Broad sense heritabilities for CfMV injury ranged from 0.52 to 0.91 within populations, and genotypic correlations between CfMV injury and total DM-yield ranged from –0.46 to –0.88. The relationship between CfMV injury and DM-yield could be described by a second degree curve. CfMV injury was to some extent genotypically correlated in the positive direction with crude protein content and digestibility, and negatively with crude fiber content, especially in the first cut. Artificial infection of plants from the original populations with CfMV in a simulated sward experiment, did not reveal any significant differences between populations in tolerance towards CfMV infection. Infection caused a 54.5% increase in the number of dead plants per plot, relative to uninfected plots, but only a 4.5% reduction in dry matter yield. There is a clear tendency that synthetic populations selected for high yield are less tolerant towards CfMV infection than unselected or low yielding populations. The resistance found in these cocksfoot populations is a sort of tolerance, and the results indicate that the level of tolerance can be increased by selection.     

Reciprocal recurrent selection applied to Coffea canephora Pierre. I. Characterization and evaluation of breeding populations and value of intergroup hybrids

Summary Two breeding populations have been identified with Coffea canephora, based on geographical and genetic differences: the Guinean group from West Africa and the Congolese group from central Africa. A reciprocal recurrent selection programme based on these groups was initiated in Côte d'Ivoire in 1984. Genotypes of both groups available in field collections are either of cultivated or wild origin.Genotypic and phenotypic variability was evaluated within and between the groups for the following characteristics: isozyme patterns, architecture, drought tolerance and vigour, technological and organoleptic traits, pest and disease resistance. Variation between and within groups was found to be large. Based on isozyme analysis and phenotypic observations, two subgroups were identified within the Congolese group. Phenotypic values of parents and testers used in the first cycle of reciprocal recurrent selection are presented.Results of two intergroup hybrid trials indicate high yield and vigour for these hybrids compared to intragroup hybrids, justifying the reciprocal selection approach. Furthermore, the variation observed indicates that recurrent selection would allow progress for selection traits for both populations and intergroup hybrids.     

Comparison of predicted and observed response to selection in two breeding populations of perennial ryegrass

To predict any genetic response to selection, two breeding populations of perennial ryegrass, consisting of half-sib families, were evaluated as spaced plants from 1987 to 1989 for several agronomical traits. In each population, the best plants selected through a multitrait Smith and Hazel's index were planted in a polycross to produce the second generation half-sib families. Both generations were evaluated together from 1991 to 1993 as spaced plants. The difference between generations was the observed genetic response, which was compared to that predicted. Rust tolerance, aftermath heading and persistence were significantly improved in both populations. In trial plots used to assess the yield, no effect of mass selection was noticed. Thus, it is concluded that mass selection failed to increase productivity but produced some improvements in disease tolerance and aftermath heading.     

Breeding perennial ryegrass for agriculture

Summary Perennial ryegrass has become the most widely sown perennial forage grass in temperate regions due to its combination of high digestibility and tolerance of grazing. The primary objectives in breeding for agricultural use are to improve total and seasonal dry matter production over a range of fertiliser inputs, digestibility, persistency, freezing tolerance and drought or heat tolerance. Adequate seed production and resistance to a wide range of diseases and pests is also necessary. Improvements in productivity and persistency so far have been achieved mainly by hybridisation and recurrent selection using the polycross method and by the use of polyploidy. Further improvements in freezing tolerance, drought and heat tolerance and, for some localities, resistance to pests and snow moulds are required to extend the geographic range of the species. Modern cultivars show little improvement in leaf or stem digestibility but a high magnesium variety is now available. Perennial ryegrass breeding is at an early stage and prospects for further progress appear good.     

Androgenesis in a Lolium multiflorum × Festuca arundinacea hybrid to generate genotypic variation for drought resistance

The pentaploid hybrid of Lolium multiflorum and Festuca arundinacea (2n = 5x = 35) combines the high growth rate of L. multiforum with the drought resistance and freezing-tolerance of F. arundinacea. Unfortunately, it also displays the deleterious traits associated with Festuca, namely those associated with high leaf fibre content giving rise to poor palatability and digestibility. To access different combinations of these characters, anther cultures were initiated and regenerated into single embryo derived plants. The anther culture method was very productive since out of a total of 2349 androgenic plants derived from the same parent plant, 57% were green plantlets, although only 507 (22%) subsequently established into plants following transfer to soil. Chromosome counts of randomly selected lines showed that plants with euploid chromosome numbers (14, 21, and 28) would appear to have selective advantage during regeneration. There was wide variation between mature androgenic plants grown under field conditions in plant height, leaf length, leaf width, tiller number and herbage dry matter. The variation between genotypes in response to drought stress was assessed by placing replicate clones under rain-out shelters or under irrigated control conditions in the field. Herbage dry matter under drought was higher in a number of androgenic lines than either parents, but not higher than the pentaploid hybrid. Androgenesis was shown to be a highly effective procedure to expose diverse phenotypic variation all derived from the same Lolium × Festuca hybrid genotype. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Morphological characteristics associated with winter survival of five growth types of tetraploid red clover

Summary The aim of this study was to correlate flowering response of tetraploid red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) in the year of seeding with winter survival and other characteristics (vigour, bloom date). In two different years about 2000 plants of two different cultivars (Hungaropoly and Tapiopoly) were established and in the fall were classified into five growth types based on rosette formation and flower production. Non-flowering types were shorter and had few petioles at 6–8 weeks of age, but showed better survival than flowering types. Hungaropoly non-flowering types were more vigorous and bloomed earlier in the second year but Tapiopoly non-flowering types were less vigorous and bloomed later. Although non-flowering in the seeding year was associated with better survival in the second year, there was adequate variation within both types for selection for improved persistence.     

Variation in sweet potato for tolerance to some physical and biological stresses

Summary Sweet potato cultivars, breeding lines and unselected seedling clones were grown under 9 stress conditions in field and greenhouse; heavy soil, space competition, competition with maize, shading, flooding, drought, acidity, salinity, and weevil infestation. High root yield was considered to be a sign of stress tolerance. Stresses were shown to reduce the growth of shoots and roots, except flooding, which increased fibrous root production. The percentge of plants showing high stress tolerance varied from 0.35 to 30.90 for the different stress situations. Tolerances to stresses tended to occur together, as shown by low but significant correlations, significant chi-squares for numbers of plants with multiple stresses, and by low but significant correlations between yield and multiple stresses. Root flooding, space and fertility competition, and soil acidity appear to be the stress factors most closely related to production in heavy soils. Yet the magnitude of the correlations suggest that other factors or random variation also affect yield, and thus the predictive value of greenhouse stress test is presently limited.     

Variation within and among Ladino white clover ecotypes for agronomic traits

Summary One set of 285 genotypes from three landraces and one natural population and a second set of 165 genotypes from two landraces and one natural population were evaluated in separate trials. Variation among populations was mostly accounted for by the difference between landrace and natural population genotype groups, the former showing features related to higher seed yield and short-term aerial dry matter (DM) yield and to lower persistence, cold tolerance and protein content. Compared to variance among ecotypes, that within ecotypes was never lower and it was at least four-fold higher for important traits such as aerial and total (aerial plus stolon) DM yield, stolon density, production of seed heads and cold tolerance. Landraces and natural populations showed similar levels of intra-population variation for all traits except cold tolerance, for which landraces tended to somewhat greater variation. Trait associations were less definite at the genotype level than what previously found in terms of mean values of the ecotypes. This finding and the relatively high broad sense heritability which was observed for all components of DM and seed yield can support the breeding activity on this clover. The level of variation and of heritability found for protein content do not suggest the routine evaluation of this trait in breeding programmes.     

Variation and association of morphological and biochemical characters in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.)

Fifty grass pea land race populations of Ethiopia that were selected based on administrative regions and different altitude classes were used in this study to determine variability in morphological characters, Oxalyl Diamino Propanoic acid(ODAP) – a causative agent of lathyrism, and protein contents and their associations. Highly significant differences were observed among the populations for most of the morphological characters. Populations collected from Gondar region and the higher altitude group (>2550 m) showed the highest mean and coefficient of variation indicating the presence of high genetic diversity in this region and altitude group. ODAP analysis from single plants showed significant variation both within a population and between populations. Four individual plants with low ODAP contents ranging from 0.149% to 0.182% (range within safe level) were identified in populations collected from different regions, indicating the diversity and variation of this trait with in one population and between regions. These low ODAP lines are considered important for further breeding. The association of ODAP with grain yield, biomass, plant height and seed size was negative, suggesting that the selection of tall and late maturing varieties with large seed size and high grain yield potential will enable the development of varieties with low ODAP content. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

CIMMYT's approach to breed for drought tolerance

Summary About 32% of the 99 million ha wheat grown in developing countries experiences varying levels of drought stress. Three major drought types have been identified: Late drought (LD) is common in the Mediterranean region, early drought (ED) is found in Latin America and wheat is produced on residual soil moisture (RM) in the Indian subcontinent and part of Australia. Until 1983, CIMMYT selected all germplasm under near optimum conditions for its yield potential and tested only advanced lines under drought. In spite of many critics, this approach proved to be successful, since in the mid 80's CIMMYT germplasm was grown on 45% of the wheat area in LC with annual rainfall from 300–500 mm and on 21% in areas with less than 300 mm. Since 1983, CIMMYT's drought breeding methodology is to alternate segregating populations between drought stressed and fully irrigated conditions (FI) and to test advanced lines under a line source irrigation system. To compare the efficiency of these approach, yield of four, mostly leading varieties, from each of the regions with LD, ED, RM, and FI and twelve recent CIMMYT cultivars selected for high yield under FI and RM conditions (ALT) were compared under four different moisture regimes (FI, LD, ED, and RM) in 89–90 and 90–91 in Yaqui Valley, Mexico. Genotypic correlation between yield and days to flowering, days to maturity, height, grains m^-2, TKW, test weight and grain fill period were calculated.Mean grain yield of the four best lines in the ALT group was highest under all moisture stress regimes, followed by the FI-group. However, the highest yielding cultivar within each moisture regime was from the FI-group under FI, from the LD-group under LD, and from the ALT-group under ED and RM conditions. Estimates for genetic advance suggest that FI is the best environment for increasing grain yield even in all three drought environments. This indicates that yield potential per se is beneficial also in drought environments. The highest yield in drought environments was realized by the CIM cultivars selected under FI and RM. Simultaneous evaluation of the germplasm under near optimum conditions, to utilize high heritabilities and identify lines with high yield potential, and under stress conditions to preserve alleles for drought tolerance seem at present the best strategy.     

旱稻抗旱性评价指标研究

在旱作与水作条件下,对旱稻抗旱性评价的指标进行了研究,并借引了灰色关联分析法进行了评价指标的筛选。研究结果表明：旱稻抗旱性评价指标对旱作产量的关联顺序是：抗旱指数>抗旱系数>相对株高>综合抗旱力指数>相对结实率>相对出穗日数。利用产量的抗旱指数作为评价旱稻抗旱性是科学的、可行的、实用的。     

Genetic analysis of heading date and other agronomic characters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Genetic analyses of heading date, tiller number, plant height, grain yield, kernel weight, and plump and thin kernels were made in three six-rowed barley crosses (Hordeum vulgare L.) involving four cultivars. Six populations, P₁ , P₂ , F₁ , F₂ , BC₁ , and BC₂ , from each cross were grown and evaluated at Fargo and Prosper, North Dakota, 1982. Parental means within crosses generally were different except for tiller number. Comparison of generation means suggested that late heading was dominant to early, high kernel weight was dominant to low, and kernel plumpness was influenced by additive gene action. The relationship between yield and heading date was not consistent among crosses and positive r values were quite low. It should be possible to select early maturing, high yielding segregates with plump kernels. Heterosis over the mid-parent was quite similar among crosses for heading date, but there was no heterosis over the high parent. Inbreeding depression was fairly constant for heading date, but was less consistent for yield. The lack of uniformity for estimates of inbreeding depression can be related to environmental variation and to its influence on type of gene action. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was inconsistent among crosses for heading date and yield. These data suggest selection for these characters should be delayed past the F 2 generation. Broad sense heritabilities for heading date ranged from 42 to 86%. Values obtained for grain yield were more consistent among broad sense than narrow sense estimates. Genetic advance estimates were low due to lack of additive variance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic variation in drought tolerance at seedling stage and grain yield in low rainfall environments in wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.)

Genetic architecture of seedling drought tolerance is complex and needs to be better understood. To address this challenge, we developed a protocol to identify the most promising drought-tolerant genotypes at the seedling stage in winter wheat. A population of 146 recombinant inbred lines (F₉) derived from a cross between wheat cultivars, ‘Harry’ (seedling drought tolerant) and ‘Wesley’ (seedling drought susceptible) were used in this study. All genotypes were sown in three replications in a randomized complete block design under controlled conditions in a greenhouse. Seven traits were scored and grouped into tolerance traits; days to wilting, leaf wilting, and stay green and survival traits; days to regrowth, regrowth, drought survival rate, and recovery after irrigation. Three selection indices were calculated (1) tolerance index, (2) survival index, and (3) drought tolerance index (DTI). The same set of genotypes were also tested for grain yield in two low rainfall environments for two seasons. High genetic variation was found among all genotypes for all seedling traits scored in this study. Correlations between tolerance and survival traits were weak or did not exist. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.53 to 0.88. DTI had significant phenotypic and genotypic correlations with all seedling traits. Genotypes were identified with a high drought tolerance at the seedling stage combined with high grain yield in low rainfall. Breeding for tolerance and survival traits should be taken into account for improving winter wheat drought tolerance at seedling stage. The selected genotypes can be used for to further improve drought tolerance in high yielding wheat for Nebraska.     

Inheritance of conditional dormancy in over-summering buds of Phalaris aquatica L.

Summary The relative ability of the underground buds of a Mediterranean perennial grass species to break dormancy in response to summer rain was compared between individual plants and between half-sib families in two experiments with broadly-based breeding populations under different environmental conditions. Significant genetic variation was found in summer regrowth activity in both experiments. The narrow-sense heritability of the ratio of new to old, dead tillers after summer rain under spaced plant conditions at a relatively cool site was 0.40±0.16. Under sward conditions at a warm site, the narrow-sense heritability of an index of summer regrowth potential on a half-sib family mean basis was 0.36±0.08. Summer regrowth activity was negatively but weakly correlated with flowering time (r_g=–0.22), and strongly positively correlated with early autumn herbage yield (r_g=0.79). Summer regrowth activity was not genetically correlated with seedling size or herbage yield in the second or third growing seasons. These correlations are different in sign or magnitude from those observed in collections of Mediterranean ecotypes from which the breeding populations were derived by crossing to Australian cultivars and recurrent selection for vigour and persistence. The correlations in Mediterranean populations therefore are not due to pleiotropic effects; they can be altered by recombination. Phenotypic variance relative to the population mean was considerable in both experiments, and hence the level of the responsiveness of dormant buds to summer rainfall should be manipulable readily by selection. The possible effects of altered responsiveness on long term survival and productivity in several different environments are discussed.     

穗期干旱胁迫下春玉米产量与抗旱性分析研究

干旱是造成中国北方玉米产量低而不稳的重要原因,为保证玉米既丰产又稳产,研究和筛选适宜的春玉米栽培品种至关重要;本试验在大田干旱条件下,选用生产上推广应用的春玉米代表品种,在穗期采用干旱胁迫和正常供水方法处理,对不同类型品种的产量及产量构成因素和抗旱性进行分析,结果表明,穗期受旱后密植型品种小区产量平均为12.14 kg,高于稀植型品种小区产量平均值10.4 kg;耐旱指数分析表明,以密植型品种‘大丰26’最高为0.89,而以稀植型品种‘农大108’最低为0.39,整体上密植型优于稀植型品种;同时结合产量构成因素分析表明,密度是影响产量的首要因子,其次才是穗粒数,而百粒重影响最小;试验中以‘大丰26’、‘先玉335’丰产及稳产性最好;因此,在干旱区选用适宜的密植型品种并推广玉米增密技术,是支撑未来玉米产业发展乃至粮食安全生产的重要途径。     

Wheat Cultivars Adapted to Post-Heading High Temperature Stress

The existence of genetic variation in wheat for tolerance to high temperature stress has been reported but cultivars released for a particular production system often are not characterized. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the characteristics of wheat cultivars adapted to production systems with risks of high temperature during the post‐heading period. Fifteen diverse wheat cultivars and one unreleased genotype were evaluated at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Uvalde, TX, during two seasons characterized by daily maximum temperatures as high as 36 °C. Measurements during both seasons included days to heading, days to physiological maturity and grain yield. Large and significant (P < 0.05) grain yield differences were measured among cultivars within each season. Yield varied between 2979 and 4671 kg ha^?1 in the first season and between 1916 and 5200 kg ha^?1 in the second season. Late planting in the second season delayed heading date resulting in the post‐heading period to coincide with periods of high temperatures. Cultivars that headed early, in general, yielded better than cultivars that headed later within each season with yield reduction of 35.3 kg ha^?1 in the first season and 91.0 kg ha^?1 in the second season for every 1 day delay in heading after mid‐March. Early‐heading cultivars outperformed later‐heading cultivars because of two distinct advantages: the early‐heading cultivars had longer post‐heading and, therefore, longer grain filling period than the later‐heading cultivars. In addition, early‐heading cultivars completed a greater fraction of the grain filling earlier in the season when air temperatures were lower and generally more favourable. The advantage of earlier‐heading cultivars was also manifested in the amount of green leaves retained to anthesis. Earlier‐heading cultivars produced fewer total leaves per tiller but retained more green leaves and lost fewer leaves to senescence at anthesis than later‐heading cultivars. The results suggest that early heading is an important and effective single trait defining wheat cultivars adapted to production systems prone to high temperature stress during the post‐heading period.