Influence of superabsorbent polymer rates on growth of saffron replacement corms

Mother corm size is the most important factor for production of replacement corms, flower, and stigma yield in saffron. In semi-arid regions, water shortage is a deterrent agent for appropriate corm growth of saffron. Therefore, in this experiment the effects of six levels of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) including 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 kg ha^-1 was investigated on growth indices of replacement corms of saffron. For this purpose, an experiment was evaluated at the research farm of the Saffron Research Group, Sarayan Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Iran, during 2013-2015. Results showed that SAP application did not considerable effect on corm growth indices in the first life cycle of saffron. Nevertheless, consumption of 30-40 kg ha^-1 SAP somewhat improved the number and total weight of replacement corms per clone. In the second life cycle of saffron, the positive impact of SAP was clearly observed on the growth of replacement corms. The application of 40 kg ha^-1 SAP increased the amount of number of replacement corms per clone by 13%, total weight of replacement corms per clone by 36%, and scale weight of corms per clone by 50% compared with control. In addition, the amount of mean weight of replacement corms and mean number of buds per corm in treatment of application of 40 kg ha^-1 SAP were 29 and 27% higher than the control treatment, respectively. SAP application decreased the amount of non-standard (< 8 g) corm production while significantly increased the percentage of corms with standard weight. Overall, the increasing effect of SAP application on corm weight, bud number, and standard corm yield was higher than the number of produced corms per clone. In addition, water-use efficiency in SAP application treatments (6.1 kg standard corm m^-3) was more than the control (4.34 kg m^-3) treatment. In total, SAP application is an appropriate strategy for production of standard saffron corms in semi-arid regions.     

Biomass partitioning during the life cycle of saffron (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crocus sativus</Emphasis> L.) using regression models

In this study saffron biomass partitioning was investigated in the research station of the Saffron Research Group, University of Birjand, Iran during 2009 - 2010. Plant sampling was done 25 times during the crop growth cycle. In each sampling date, the amounts of corm dry weight, root dry weight, root length, leaf dry weight, leaf area, bud number, bud dry weight (nodes on the surface of the corm), and flower weight were measured. Finally, different regression models were tested for predicting biomass partitioning in saffron. The cubic polynomial model was found to be the best for predicting biomass changes in most saffron organs (R ² = ~74%). Total corm dry weight showed a decreasing trend up to the 120^th day of plant growth and then increased until the end of the life cycle (mid-May). However, different trends were observed for root and leaf dry weights. Root and leaf dry weight increased up to the 120^th and 150^th day of the plant growth cycle, respectively, followed then by decreasing trends. Therefore, in the early growing season, leaves and root systems were developed using mother corms reservoirs, but at the end of the growth cycle replacement corms were grown by translocation of reservoirs from other saffron organs. In addition, the number and dry weight of buds had increasing trends during 160 days of measurement from the beginning of the growing season. The total length of roots and leaf area increased up to the middle of the growth cycle (Feb. 10) and then decreased. Moreover, saffron flower yield showed a rapid increasing trend in the first phase of the flowering period and then declined with a slower trend during the second flowering phase.     

侧芽数对西红花球茎产量与开花的影响

西红花只能通过无性繁殖方式繁育球茎,探索培育开花大球茎与增加后代子球茎数量之间的平衡点,可以为西红花栽培与生产过程中规模的进一步扩大奠定理论基础。以4个等级单球重(8~15、16~20、21~25、26~30 g)的西红花球茎为材料,通过抹除侧芽与不抹芽对比试验,分析其后代子球茎的数量、质量及开花时间、开花量等数据。结果表明,球茎单球重越大,能形成子球茎的数量越多。未抹芽的子球茎生物量整体呈增加趋势,但单株子球茎均重和主芽子球茎均重均整体呈下降趋势。单球重20 g以上的母球,可以保留芽数量最多至5个左右,既能得到更多的子球茎,也不影响新形成顶芽球茎开花及开花量。     

荔浦芋组培苗大田种植试验研究初报

荔蒲芋组培苗经营养袋育苗后定值大田，地上部分生长整齐，母芋大小均匀，母芋球茎淀粉和蛋白质含量分别比子芋球茎苗的增加4.8%和2.1%。在产量上组培苗和子芋球茎苗无显著差异。     

Corms as a source of explants for the successful clonal propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crocus cancellatus</Emphasis>

The genus Crocus comprises plants with a potential to be developed as a new ornamental crop but to date, there are not many reports on in vitro propagation of many members of this genus. The present study involves in vitro propagation of Crocus cancellatus with ornamental and horticultural value. Two different types of corm explants (apical and basal halves of corms) were cultivated onto Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with different levels of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). One to five cormlets emerged from every responding explant through direct organogenesis. Apical halves of corms were more highly responsive than basal halves and produced a maximum multiplication rate with 3.45 ± 0.06 cormlets per explant in 95.33 ± 2.33% of the explants in MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and 2 mg L⁻¹ NAA and 1 mg L⁻¹ BAP. The effect of cold storage temperature on in vitro cormlets sprouting was studied. Cormlets stored at 4°C for 8 weeks had more statistically significant positive effects on cormlets sprouting from the controls. In vitro rooting of cormlets was induced on MS medium without plant hormones.     

番红花球茎发育机理研究

对番红花球茎的发育过程进行生理生化分析,体外或栽培球茎发育过程中,球茎膨大时碳水化合物变化模式相似,均伴随着淀粉的迅速累积。球茎的形态变化与IAA/(Z+ZR)相关,而且IAA/(Z+ZR)的升高促进了淀粉的快速积累和球茎膨大。高IAA/(Z+ZR)比值,高IAA 和ABA 含量,及更长的生长期,使栽培的球茎更大,淀粉含量更高。     

Variation in morphophysiological characters of fruits of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonobalanus doichangensis</Emphasis> (Fagaceae) according to individual trees,populations and years

Trigonobalanus doichangensis is recognized as a rare and endangered plant of China. The morphological and physiological traits of fruits were investigated in one population over 2 years (2006–2007) and in four populations during 2007 in order to facilitate ex-situ conservation and eventual reforestation through planting of propagules. The results indicated that morphological traits including fruit length, fruit width and 1,000-fruit weight showed significant variation among individual trees within populations (P < 0.01), however, not among populations. And each of them had significant positive correlation with each other (P < 0.01). Seed abortion occurred, and there was significant variation in percentage of fruit fill among populations and among individual trees within populations, whereas, percentage of fruit fill showed no correlation with the morphological traits. As for fruit germination, germination percentage, germination index and vigor index presented significant variation among populations and among individual trees within populations. The three germination-related indices had significant positive correlations with each other (r ≥ 0.9, P < 0.01) and with percentage of fruit fill (r > 0.86, P < 0.01), however, possessing weak correlations with morphological traits. It was also found that each of the traits mentioned above showed significant variation among individual trees within years, however, not between years. In addition, more than 48% of the variation occurred among individual trees both within populations and within years in all the fruit characters. We suggest that collecting fruits from various individuals at each of populations will be the preferred strategy to conserve the most genetic diversity of the species.     

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.     

Emasculation of Tartary buckwheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagopyrum tataricum</Emphasis> Gaertn.) using hot water

Hot water treatment was applied to Tartary buckwheat (var. ‘Hokkai T8’) for emasculation. Apical clusters of flower buds were soaked in a constant temperature water bath (42–44°C) in the afternoon and then the flowers which opened in the next morning were used for the investigation of self-fertilization and the artificial pollination. Hand pollination was carried out by rubbing the anthers taken from the male parent (var. ‘Hokkai T10’) to the stigma of the flowers treated by hot water. The seed set by self-fertilization was almost 0% when treated at 42°C for 8 min or more, at 43°C for 5 min or more and at 44°C for 3 min or more. With artificial pollination, the best performance was obtained when treated at 44°C for 3 min, in which the seed set was 55.1% and the matured seed was obtained 37.7% of the hand-pollinated flowers. Nine out of 26 progeny seedlings emerged and the cotyledonal color of them were all reddish green, probably indicating the hybrid of ‘Hokkai T8’ and ‘Hokkai T10’. The hybridization was reconfirmed by the segregation in F₂. The hot water treatment at 44°C for 3 min was available to other seven varieties. From 24.5% to 100% of the hand-pollinated flowers set mature seeds though only one self-fertilized seed remained without artificial pollinations. This hot water treatment must be practically useful in hybridization breeding of Tartary buckwheat.     

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of a commercial cultivar and wild populations of Anemone coronaria

Seven wild populations of Anemonecoronaria were assessed for 11 phenotypic traits, most of them having economic value for the flower industry. The wild populations were sampled to represent the diversity in habitats, climates, rock and soil types, terrains, and elevations in Israel. AFLP analysis was carried out on 12 individuals from each of six out of the seven wild populations and for six individuals from the commercial cultivar ‘Mona-Lisa’. It was found that the Dorot population, which is located in the area bordering the semi-arid zone at the very end of the species distribution, exhibits extreme and different phenotypes with relatively low variability compared withthe other wild populations. The other six wild populations, that grow in more favorable geographic and climatic conditions exhibit phenotypes with larger plants, larger numbers of flowers and less dissected leaves. These populations were less uniform than that of Dorot. Genetic characterization by AFLP markers revealed a total of 165 bands. The wild populations exhibit wide variation within-population, with about 80% polymorphic bands and average gene diversity between pairs of about 30%. The Dorot population has the lowest genetic variation and the Megido population the highest. Thus, the phenotypic variation reflects the genetic variation. The cultivar ‘Mona-Lisa’, as expected, has much lower genetic variation. The Dorot population and the ‘Mona-Lisa’ cultivar were found to have the largest genetic distances from the other wild populations, and the highest genetic variation between themselves. Phenetic analysis yielded a dendrogram describing the genetic relatedness of these populations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Significant effect of accidental pollinations on the progeny of low setting Prunus interspecific crosses

The incidence of fortuitous pollination on interspecific hybridizations of the plum rootstock Myrobalan with the apricot cultivars ‘Moniquí’ and ‘Moniquí Borde’ was assessed in this work. Progeny was originated through hand pollination of emasculated flowers of three Myrobalan clones, without bagging, in 1998 and 1999. Fruit set was low and variable among years (1.8–8.0%), but higher than the level of accidental pollination measured with emasculated and non-pollinated flowers (1.2%). Molecular characterization of the progeny was performed with three SSR markers showing that only 28% of the seedlings, obtained by in vitro germination and culture of immature embryos, were hybrids. This represents a lower percentage than expected, and is explained here by the low viability of hybrid embryos and seedlings. The use of molecular markers is discussed in terms of a convenient method for an early identification of putative hybrids in breeding programs with low setting crosses, where the proportion of non-hybrids is magnified.     

Chromosome location of genes controlling the content of dietary fibre and arabinoxylans in rye

Differences in fruit-set success reputed to exist between Heveabrasiliensis genetic clones were verified by an analysis of breeding recordsfor the clones PB 5/51, RRIM 600 and PR 107. Although the bestfruit-set success was obtained with PB 5/51 following artificial (hand)pollination, this clonal trait was not reflected in terms of greater numbersof pollen tubes developing it the styles of hand-pollinated PB 5/51 femaleflowers. It was observed, however, that more pollen tubes reached theovules in PB 5/51 than in RRIM 600 or PR 107. Significantly, PB 5/51female flowers required fewer pollen tubes to effect penetration of all threeof its ovules. As fruit formation in Hevea is dependent on all threeovules of the flower being successfully fertilised, PB 5/51 female flowershave hence a greater propensity for successful fruit-set. In all the threeclones studied, the frequency distribution of female flowers with 0, 1, 2 or3 of the ovules penetrated by pollen tubes did not conform to binomialexpectations. Flowers with no ovule penetrated and flowers with all threeovules penetrated were greatly over-represented. One explanation for thisnon-random distribution is the existence of `receptive' female flowers thatfavour successful fertilisation whereas `non-receptive' flowers tend to remainunfertilised even when hand-pollinated.     

Variation in tolerance to radiant frost at reproductive stages in field pea germplasm

Radiant frost is a major abiotic stress, particularly at the reproductive stage, in field pea (Pisum sativum L.) grown in Mediterranean environments. Here, response to frost was studied for flowering stage (FS) organs (buds, flowers and set pods) and pod development stage (PDS) organs (flat, swollen and mature pods) under controlled conditions, with plants exposed to a minimum temperature of –4.8°C for 4 h. This frost treatment adversely affected seed yield through (i) abortion of buds, flowers and set pods (ii) death of pods and (iii) reduction in seed size. FS organs were more sensitive to frost than PDS organs. Genetic variation was observed among 83 accessions collected from 34 countries worldwide for survival of FS buds, flowers and set pods. In 60 of 83 accessions, no buds, flowers or set pods survived the frost treatment. Five accessions: ATC 104 (origin: United Kingdom), ATC 377 (Estonia), ATC 968 (Italy), ATC 3992 (Kazakhstan) and ATC 4204 (China), showed the highest frost tolerance of FS organs and lowest numbers of abnormal seeds. The frost tolerant accessions identified in this study may be useful as parents for breeding field pea varieties that will be less likely to suffer yield loss due to radiant frost during the reproductive stage.     

Overexpression of BpMADS4 from silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) induces early-flowering in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.)

To shorten the juvenile stage of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) the BpMADS4 gene from silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) was constitutively overexpressed in 25 transgenic apple clones. All clones were characterized by PCR, RT‐PCR and Real Time PCR. Solitary flowers were produced on in vitro shoots of eight transgenic clones and most of them appeared to be morphologically normal. Twenty shoots of each clone were rooted and transferred to a glasshouse. Glasshouse plants of clones T1165, T1187 and T1190 developed flowers. Several plants of T1165 and T1187 started floral initiation within 3–4 months following transfer to the glasshouse. Primary flowers were solitary and in a terminal position on the main shoot. Lateral flower clusters, consisting of three to five individual flowers, were also found. Pollen vitality and tube germination of glasshouse‐grown flowers were investigated, and there were no significant differences compared to pollen of non‐transgenic control plants. Preliminary crosses using flowers of glasshouse plants resulted in small apple fruits. It would seem that this is the first report on in vitro flower induction in transgenic apple.     

Nutritional and physicochemical variation in Turkish kabuli chickpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis> L.) landraces

We examined the physical, physicochemical, and cooking properties of 91 kabuli chickpea landraces from Turkey, using two cultivars (İnci and İzmir-92) as controls. All landraces were grown under the same agroclimatic conditions to eliminate variance caused by genotype × environment interactions. There was high diversity among the landraces in the contents of protein (17.55–23.31%), fat (4.45–6.11%), ash (2.54–3.41%), fiber (2.03–4.18%), starch (41.76–49.07%), moisture (6.39–10.57%), 100-seed weight (25.03–51.67 g), hydration capacity (0.2585–0.6169 g/ml), swelling index (0.7207–1.1859), swelling capacity (0.15–0.32 ml seed⁻¹), cooking time (33–72 min), and seed density (0.8450–1.4800 g/ml). Regional analysis of landraces showed significant differences with respect to nutritional characteristics and cooking parameters. There were also significant relationships between various seed quality and cooking parameters. Together, our results provide an initial step toward identification of chickpea landraces that may be useful for development of high-quality chickpea cultivars.     

Regenerating salt tolerant saffron (Crocus sativus) using tissue culture with increased pharmaceutical ingredients

Due to its vegetative reproduction, saffron has a narrow genetic base and induced in vitro variations provide opportunities for expanding new cultivars. The objectives of this study were to evaluate sodium azide-induced variations in saffron’s corm culture in order to increase salt tolerance and pharmaceutical ingredients. Corm explants from the well-known ecotypes, Estahban and Kashmar, were subjected to various concentrations of sodium azide (NaN₃) (0.09, 0.12, and 0.22 mg L^?1) and NaCl (1.5, 2.5, and 4.0 dS equivalent to 0.07, 0.12, and 0.20 g NaCl in 100 mL water) in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1 mg L^?1 2-4-D, 1 mg L^?1 BAP, and 30 g L^?1 sucrose and in a second pot culture experiment. The active pharmaceutical ingredients (crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Variations in sodium azide-treated plants were more broadened for callus fresh weight (0.57–7.57 g), embryo weight (1.24–10.29 g), and regenerated seedlings (3.0–21.25) compared with those (0.12–3.77 g, 0.56–4.56 g, and 0.25–11.50, respectively) that were not treated with sodium azide. Under 0.20% salt, flowering failed in some of plants developed from sodium azide-untreated corms. HPLC analysis indicated wider ranges for crocin (11.92–18.03 mg g^?1), picrocrocin (8.99–14.76 mg g^?1), and safranal (2.13–7.36 mg g^?1) in sodium azide-treated plants compared to the ranges (0.0–16.1, 0.0–12.5, and 0.0–6.66 mg g^?1, respectively) in untreated plants. From a breeding perspective, induced variations found in this study would be useful to improve saffron’s quality and salt tolerance.     

Variance components and heritabilities of yield and agronomic traits among cowpea genotypes

The phenotypic expression and heritability of quantitative traits vary due to genotypic differences, environmental influences and genotype by environment interactions. The objective of this study was to determine variance components and heritabilities of seed yield and its components in cowpea. Field experiments were conducted at three locations, three planting dates using ten diverse cowpea genotypes during 2004/2005. The experiments were laid out in the randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated significant interactions (P ≤ 0.01) among genotypes, locations and planting dates. The genotypic variance contributed ≥50% of the total phenotypic variance for the numbers of days to 50% flowering, seeds per pod, productive branches per plant and seed yield. The heritabilities of the numbers of days to 50% flowering were estimated at 50%, pods per plant (23%), days to maturity (66%), productive branches per plant (53%), 100 seed weight (11%) and seed yield (55%). The presence of considerable degree of genotypic variance among tested genotypes under various environments suggests that success in cowpea breeding could possibly be achieved through direct phenotypic selection.     

Genetic parameters for yield in macadamia

Broad-sense heritability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for yield (nut-in-shell; kernel yield; and net present value of crop) per tree in macadamia to 10 years after planting from a trial of 40 cultivars replicated over 4locations. In addition, canopy width at 10years of age was measured and used to calculate yield efficiency as yield per square metre of projected canopy area. Stem girth above the graft union was also measured. There was a low broad-sense heritability (0.06 < H <0.22) and correlation of cultivars across locations (r _gloc = 0.14–0.52) for yield per tree. However, the genetic correlation of cumulative yield was high among 3 of the 4locations (g ≥ 0.75), suggesting the higher genetic variance at Rockhampton was the main cause of the genotype by environmental interaction. Heritability was higher for canopy width (H = 0.28) and yield efficiency (H ≈ 0.47) and cultivar performance was highly correlated across locations (r _gloc ≈ 0.70) for these traits. There was a strong genetic correlation (r _g ≥ 0.90) between cumulative yield per tree of cultivars to 7 years and cumulative yield per tree to 10 years. Genetic correlation among all measures of yield per tree were high (r _g ≥ 0.73), but there was no genetic correlation with canopy width. On the other hand, small cultivars tended to have higher yield efficiency (r _g <–0.62). There was also a slight negative correlation between nut-in-shell yield per tree and kernel recovery (r _g = –0.37). These results suggest the use of family information and index selection may improve the efficiency of selection and breeding programs in macadamia. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Confirmation and characterization of interspecific hybrids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Passiflora</Emphasis> L. (Passifloraceae) for ornamental use

Three new varieties of Passiflora hybrids were developed from crosses between P. sublanceolata J. M. MacDougal (ex P. palmeri var. sublanceolata Killip) versus P. foetida var. foetida L. Twenty putative hybrids were analyzed. Hybridizations were confirmed by RAPD and SSR markers. The RAPD primer UBC11 (5′-CCGGCCTTAC-3′) generated informative bands. The SSR primer A08FP1 amplified species-specific fragments and heterozygote status was observed with the two parent bands 240 and 280 bp. The molecular markers generated by primers were analyzed in terms of the presence or absence of specific informative bands. The morphological characterization of the hybrids enabled their differentiation into three groups, identified as: (1) Passiflora ‘Alva’, composed of five hybrid plants with white flowers, large corona, light purple filaments at base, white and purple/white banding to apex; (2) P. ‘Aninha’, composed of six hybrid plants with pale pink flowers, corona filaments reddish/purple at base, white, purple/white banding to apex; (3) P. ‘Priscilla’, composed of nine hybrid plants with white flowers, small corona, filaments dark purple at base, white and purple to apex. The genomic homology of parent plants was verified by cytogenetic analysis. Both parents were 2n = 22. Meiosis was regular in genitors and hybrids. Aneuploidy was observed at hybrid groups P. ‘Alva’ and P. ‘Priscilla’ (2n = 20). Other authors had already observed the same number of chromosomes for some P. foetida genotypes. Obtaining valuable interspecific hybrids opens up new perspectives to offer opportunities in agribusiness for producers and to arouse the interest of consumers into using passion flowers in the Brazilian ornamental plant market.     

Exploitation of the late flowering species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica oleracea</Emphasis> L. for the improvement of earliness in <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. napus</Emphasis> L.: an untraditional approach

The oilseed Brassica rapa flowers and matures earlier than B. oleracea, as well as their amphidiploid B. napus. Therefore, earliness of B. rapa has been investigated as a source of variation for earliness in B. napus breeding programs. Variation for days to flower exists in B. oleracea; however, its earliest flowering variant B. alboglabra flowers 2–3 weeks later than B. napus. We hypothesized that the C genome of B. alboglabra carries alleles for early flowering which are different from the C-genome alleles of B. napus; and these alleles can be used for the improvement of B. napus. To test this, we examined flowering time in pedigree and DH populations from two B. napus × B. alboglabra crosses. A B. napus line with about a week earlier flowering than the B. napus parent was achieved through reconstitution of its C genome following pedigree selection. Introgression of the B. alboglabra allele in the early flowering pedigree lines is also evident from the presence of B. alboglabra-specific SSR alleles in this line. However, application of doubled haploidy failed to generate any line that flowered earlier than the B. napus parent, which is probably due to the difficulty of obtaining large numbers of euploid B. napus DH lines from this interspecific cross. Thus, we demonstrate that a trait of the diploid species, which apparently looks undesirable, might in fact be highly valuable for the improvement of amphidiploids; and knowledge from this research can also be applied for other traits.