Selection for high self-incompatibility in inbred lines of brussels sprouts

Summary An attempt to improve the self-incompatibility of an advanced inbred line of Brussels sprouts by selection has been unsuccessful. The apparent plant-to-plant variation in self-incompatibility has little or no genetic basis. It results from environmental effects and from intrinsic physiological differences between flowers on a single plant. A temperature rise from 17°C to 26°C markedly increases the self-compatibility of the lines tested, but no evidence was found for end-of-season compatibility. The best methods for producing inbreds with high and consistent self-incompatibility are discussed.     

The production of inbred lines of brussels sprouts with dominant S-alleles

Summary The best sources of Brussels sprout inbred lines with both good agronomic characters and high self-incompatibility are likely to be cultivars of reasonably good agronomic type which have not been too intensively selected. Comparison of three cultivars of different agronomic quality showed that the cultivars of poor and moderate quality had about 55% of plants with a dominant S-allele, but the most highly selected cultivar had only 25% of such plants. A programme of S-allele screening is suggested which incorporates the minimum number of tests required to determine whether or not a particular plant has a dominant S-allele. A survey of S-alleles present in commercial F₁ hybrids showed that the frequency of dominant S-alleles was only 19% in hybrids released prior to the end of 1971, but was 50% in hybrids released since 1971.     

Genotype environment interactions and sib content in F1 hybrid —brussels sprouts

Summary Sib content of F₁ hybrid seed lots obtained from crossing four highly self incompatible brussels sprout lines was examined at two locations for four years. Parental combinations accounted for by far the greatest proportion of the total variation observed. Significant second and third order interactions terms suggest complex interactions between parental genotype, years, and locations. Attempts to interpret these data in terms of the regression model of Finlay & Wilkenson (1963), were unsuccessful.     

Variation of flowering time in inbred brussels sprouts and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.)

Summary Differences in time of flowering between two parent lines of F₁ varieties of Brassica oleracea could significantly affect both the total seed yield and the proportion of sibs in the hybrid seed crop.The results for the time to flower of an incomplete diallel show that even in relatively inbred material of brussels sprouts there is potential to select for altered flowering time. Results obtained from a set of highly inbred cabbage lines which were given three temperature regimes in early spring show that between line variation is complicated by different responses of some of the lines to the environments.     

The role of pollen and stigma in determining the level of partial self-compatibility in brussels sprouts

Summary Brussels sprouts inbred plants, homozygous for the same recessive S-allele, were intercrossed in all combinations and the number of pollen tubes penetrating the stigmas of such crosses measured. The results of five such experiments showed that pollen as well as stigma is significant in determining the number of pollen tubes counted. It was also found that the capacity of a plant's stigmas to permit pollen tube penetration was independent of the capacity of its pollen to penetrate other plants' stigmas. Variation in pollen tube production between pollens of the plants tested was often greater than that between their stigmas.     

Inbred lines with dominant incompatibility alleles for use as parents of F1 hybrid brussels sprouts

Summary To improve the chances of obtaining highly self-incompatible inbred lines for use as parents of F₁ hybrid Brussels sprouts and to extend the range of mutually cross-compatible combinations available, new inbred lines are being produced from plants selected for the presence of dominant S-alleles. The material comprises 42 different inbred families representing 15 cultivars and contains 12 dominant S-alleles of uncommon occurrence in Brussels sprouts. Data on S-allele interactions in the material are presented.Tests showed that whilst many of the parent plants containing dominant S-alleles were highly self-incompatible, a few had only weak self-incompatibility. Although the chances of obtaining strongly self-incompatible inbreds may be increased by using material with dominant S-alleles, it remains necessary to test and select for strong self-incompatibility during the breeding programme.Production of such inbred lines requires the application of two independent selection procedures, one for agronomic type and one for S-allele constitution. Only a small proportion of the plants of a parent cultivar are acceptable on both counts. Thus large populations of the cultivar and large numbers of selections are necessary: this in turn involves much expensive S-allele screening. To alleviate this problem a wide-based panmix containing only dominant S-alleles is being produced. It is hoped that from this it will be possible to extract inbred lines which carry only dominant S-alleles, so avoiding the need to screen each parent plant for its S-allele content.     

Comparative responses of botanical varieties ofBrassica oleracea L. (brussels sprouts,sprouting broccoli and marrow stem kale) to inbreeding and hybridisation

Summary The effects of inbreeding and hybridisation inBrassica oleracea L. were studied in diallel crosses within four varieties of Brussels sprouts three varieties of sprouting broccoli and one kale variety. In addition to each intra-varietal diallel within the two horticultural brassicas, plants of one of the other varieties were also included so that the first diallel analysis could be compared with an intra-plus-intervarietal analysis.In general it was found that the total harvest yield of cultivars of the two horticultural types was controlled by an additive genetic system while whole plant weight of all three brassicas was subject to gene interaction. Selfing for one generation reduced the mean harvest yield of Brussels sprout and sprouting broccoli by 26 and 3%, respectively, compared with their intravarietal F₁'s, while whole plant weight of Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli and marrow-stem kale was reduced by 21, 26 and 44%, respectively.Kale plants exhibited significant correlations of plant height with plant yield in 2 years and it is therefore possible to achieve some improvement in yield by selecting for height alone.It was postulated that in kale the greatest yield increases should be obtained by the production of hybrids, but hybridisation with subsequent selection is probably sufficient to increase the yield of the two horticultural brassicas still further.     

Classification of S-alleles by their activity in S-heterozygotes of brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. Gemmifera (DC.) Schultz)

Summary Over a period of many years, data on dominance relationships of S-alleles in Brussels sprouts were collected at URL and IVT. The level of activity of S-alleles in heterozygotes was assessed on the basis of the number of pollen tubes that penetrated into the stigma. 209 out of 210 possible combinations between 21 S-alleles were used for this investigation. The S-alleles were grouped separately for activity in pollen and style on the basis of their sensitivity to lose activity in S-heterozygotes. Besides S-allele interaction per se, activity was found to be influenced by environment and genetic background.Results suggest that in stigma, co-dominance is the normal pattern and that deviations are caused by factors other than S-allele interaction as such.In pollen, only three truly recessive alleles were found. Besides several combinations with mutual weakening in pollen, examples of independent weakening were found.     

The evolution of life-history variation in fishes,with particular reference to flatfishes

This paper explores four aspects of the evolution of life-history variation in fish, with particular reference to the flatfishes: 1. genetic variation and evolutionary response; 2. the size and age at first reproduction; 3. adult lifespan and variation in recruitment; 4. the relationship between reproductive effort and age. Evolutionary response may be limited by previous evolutionary pathways (phylogenetic variation) or by lack of genetic variation due to selection for a single trait. Estimates of heritability suggest, as predicted, that selection is stronger on life-history traits than morphological traits; but there is still adequate genetic variation to permit fairly rapid evolutionary changes. Several approaches to the analysis of the optimal age and size at first reproduction are discussed in the light of a general life-history model based on the assumption that natural selection maximizes r or R₀. It is concluded that one of the most important areas of future research is the relationship between reproduction and mortality. Murphy's hypothesis that the reproductive lifespan should increase with variation in spawning success is shown to be incorrect for fish, at least at the level of interspecific comparison. The model of Charlesworth & León predicting the sufficient condition for reproductive effort to increase with age is tested: in 28 of 31 cases the model predicts an increase of reproductive effort with age. These results suggest that, in general, reproductive effort should increase with age in fish. This prediction is confirmed in the 15 species for which adequate data exist.     

脯氨酸与植物抗寒性的研究进展

脯氨酸是植物体内普遍存在的保护物质.作为一种有机溶剂,许多植物在低温胁迫下,体内的游离脯氨酸含量都增加.脯氨酸对植物抗寒的作用机理主要是:作为渗透调节物质、保护蛋白质分子、作为活性氧的清除剂、低温胁迫结束后可作为能源物质(或碳源)和氮源.笔者主要综述了低温胁迫下植物体内脯氨酸代谢的调节,脯氨酸积累作为抗寒指标的应用,转化脯氨酸代谢相关基因提高植物抗寒力方面取得的进展,以及脯氨酸类似物在抗寒育种中的作用.     

Relationship between cold resistance,heading traits and ear primordia development of wheat cultivars

Summary For breeding early heading wheat cultivars with resistance to frost damage which are well adapted to dry areas of West Asia and North Africa, the relationships between winter hardiness, ear primordia development and heading traits, i.e. veernalization requirement, photoperiodic response and narrow-sense earliness, were assessed using a total of 30 genotypes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in an experiment in Syria. The results of artificial freezing tests indicated that cultivars with good winter hardiness were to be found only in the winter wheat cultivars which required 50 or more days of vernalization treatment. These winter wheat cultivars did not initiate internode elongation without vernalization even at 95 days after planting. Thus their ear primordia were still underground and were protected from frost injury at this stage. Photoperiodic response and narrow-sense earliness were not associated with winter hardiness and earliness of internode elongation, but were related to the number of days to heading after planting. This indicated the possibility for breeding early heading cultivars with winter hardiness and tiller frost avoidance by combining high vernalization requirement, short narrow-sense earliness and neutral response to photoperiod.     

"秋风"频发地区杂交水稻抗寒性品种(组合)的鉴选

针对近年来秋风发生频繁,造成杂交水稻大面积减产,选用推广抗寒性强的品种(组合)、确保用种安全是实现高产稳产的重要途径.本文通过对引进的杂交水稻新品种及当前生产上主栽品种(组合)的抗寒性进行鉴定,结果表明金优431、黔优18、Ⅱ优838、汕优联合2号等耐寒性强,适于秋风频发地区品种布局中选用.     

芝麻杂种优势,配合力及反交效应研究

利用6个品种.即2个基因型雄性不育系(ms-1和ms-2)、2个外引品种(丹巴格和辛道斯64)和2个地方品种(豫芝一号和86-1)配制完全双列杂交,进行杂种优势、配合力及反交效应研究.结果:F-1杂种的产量以ms-2×丹巴格、丹巴格×豫芝一号、丹巴格×ms-2为最高.分别比当地品种豫芝一号增产155.02%、135.87%和117.93%.其配合力方差,除花期长的特殊配合力方差未达显著水平外,株高、始蒴高度、主茎果轴长、分枝数、单株蒴数、单蒴粒数、千粒重和单株产量的一般配合力方差、特殊配合力方差及反交效应方差均达极显著水平,说明加性基因作用与非加性基因作用对这些性状的影响同时存在.σ_s~2∶σ_g~2比值在主茎果轴长、单蒴粒数、千粒重与单株产量上较大,表明非加性基因对这些性状的作用较大.     

Heterosis of grain weight in wheat hybrids with Triticum timopheevi cytoplasm

Summary Two kinds of wheat hybrids with the same nuclear genotype but different cytoplasms (one with T.timopheevi cytoplasm, i.e., A/R, and the other with T.aestivum cytoplasm, i.e., B/R) were produced by two 3 × 5 incomplete diallel crosses of 3 A-lines, 3 corresponding B-lines and 5 R-lines, respectively. Experimental results did not show significant differences between the hybrids of A/R and B/R in grain filling characteristics and grain weight. The beterosis of grain weight seems mainly determined by the nuclear genotype. Although the seeds set on most A-lines were shrivelled, such a phenomenon was not found in grains set on F₁. The duration of the lag period (D₁) and the average grain filling rates during the linear period and the mature period (i.e., FR₂ and FR₃) were significantly and positively related to 1000-grain weight. It was in these factors that most hybrids displayed clear mid-parent (MP) heterosis. The amount of grain weight heterosis was not significantly related to MP value. This indicates that the grain weight heterosis of wheat hybrids will not decrease with an increase of the MP value.     

棕榈科植物抗寒生理研究进展及展望

本文综述了棕榈科植物在低温下的胁迫生理研究、防寒生理研究和低温对光合生理的影响等方面的研究进展与发展趋势。并简要概述了棕榈科植物抗寒生理机制等方面的研究进展。又进一步阐明了棕榈科植物的抗寒性研究意义和今后的发展方向。认为棕榈科植物相关研究会是今后研究和发展的热点,具有广阔的发展前景,对于发展我国热区经济具有重要作用。     

鸭亲本间遗传距离与杂交后代杂种优势关系的研究

运用随机扩增多态DNA方法,对樱桃谷鸭、麻鸭及其杂交一代和用F1作为母本再与父本番鸭属间杂交培育的三元杂交半番鸭(F2)基因组DNA进行了遗传分析。结果表明,RAPD可用于有效标记鸭品种之间遗传亲缘关系和杂种优势预测;在所使用的20种随机引物中,5个鸭种共产生760条带,其中多态性带568条,占总条带数的 74．7％,说明鸭群体具有较为丰富的遗传多样性;杂交一代多态性位点比例为67．9％,遗传相似度为0．822 7,三元杂交二代多态性位点比例为83．1％,遗传相似度为0．826 4。说明三元杂交子二代的杂种优势可以用杂种优势理论中的显形假说来解释。     

Heterosis and combining ability for yield and resistance to grain mold in tannin-free photoperiod-insensitive sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench] in Senegal

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Increasing sorghum production per unit area in the farmer’s field by developing high yielding tannin-free and grain mold tolerant varieties in...     

陆地棉配合力与杂种优势、遗传距离的相关性分析

 用10个陆地棉亲本进行不完全双列杂交,共配置了45个组合,计算亲本的一般配合力（GCA）、特殊配合力(SCA)、杂种优势,并结合SSR标记研究了陆地棉亲本配合力与杂种优势、遗传距离之间的相关关系。配合力分析发现,10个亲本的一般配合力和特殊配合力存在显著或极显著差异。分析亲本配合力、杂种优势和遗传距离的相关性发现,子棉产量、皮棉产量、衣分的一般配合力和杂种优势呈显著或极显著相关,纤维长度、比强度、麦克隆值、株高、果枝数、单株铃数、铃重、子棉产量、皮棉产量、衣分的特殊配合力和杂种优势均呈极显著正相关,而与遗传距离相关均不显著。单株铃数、铃重、子棉产量、皮棉产量、衣分的杂种优势与遗传距离均为正向显著或极显著相关。在育种实践中这些显著或极显著相关的性状可能具有较高的改良潜力。     

Heterosis for leaf photosynthesis,grain yield and yield components in maize

Summary One of the primary avenues of improving the biological efficiency of crop plants is through the improvement of the leaf and canopy photosynthetic rates. However, the question whether the superiority of hybrids in respect of productivity potential could be traced, in retrospective fashion, to the photosynthetic parameters should be answered first. Once established and standardized, such indices could be streamlined in innovative breeding to predict the heterotic combinations for final yield formation. To answer this question, the photosynthetic rate and other components of photosynthetic efficiency were monitored among eight inbred stocks of maize (selected for variable photosynthetic rate from a previous study) and their all possible one-way crosses. The results demonstrated extensive heterosis in respect of photosynthetic rate and other photosynthetic indices which, in turn, was also realized in terms of higher biomass productivity and yield. Nonetheless, high leaf photosynthesis alone did not result in higher grain yield. On the contrary, component interaction among the photosynthetic indices like photosynthetic rate, leaf area/plant, number of leaves and chlorophyll content on one hand and the complementary gene action on the other, could be held responsible for higher yields in hybrids. Since the components of photosynthetic efficiency can predict heterosis for biomass and grain yield upto a reasonable extent, judicious incorporation of such indices in selection parameters for applied genetic protocols can add yet another dimension to the strategies for future yield improvements.