Genotype by environment interactions (GEIs) for barley grain yield under salt stress condition

Changes in the relative genetic performance of genotypes across environments are referred to as genotype × environment interactions (GEIs). GEIs can affect barley breeding improvement for salt tolerance because it often complicates the evaluation and selection of superior genotypes. The present study evaluated the GEIs over 60 barley genotypes for yield components and grain yield in six salinity environments in North Delta, Egypt. Data were analyzed using the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and Tai’s stability parameters. GEIs effects on yield explained 20.3, 20.1, 14.6, and 33.0% of the total variation besides, the first two principal components account for 67.3, 56.3, 64.3, and 83.7% of the explained variance in the four sets, respectively. Six genotypes namely G-4, G-7, G-20, G-34, G-36, and G-39 were found to be most stable and high yielding across environments (GY >2.00 t ha^-1), and located close to zero projection onto the AEC ordinate. Tai’s stability parameters demonstrated that these genotypes were more responsive to the environmental changes. The genotypes G-50 and G-53 showed perfect/static stability (α = -0.95, -0.91, respectively). In contrast, the genotype; G-36 had α = 0 and λ = 1.10, indicating parallel with the environmental effects followed by G-44. Overall, we found that GEIs for grain yield are highly significant in all sets, suggesting that responded differently across environments. This interaction may be a result of changes in genotypes’ relative performance across environments, due to their differential responses to various abiotic factors.     

Near-isogenic lines of durum wheat: their development and plant characteristics

Summary The effect of specific plant characteristics on the grain and biomass yield of durum wheat can be accurately determined by using isogenic lines, which, however, were not usually available. This study reported the effects of long glume, glaucousness, glume pubescence, black glume and purple culm on the yield and its associated characteristics in near-isogenic lines of durum wheat cv. LD222, which were developed by continuous backcrossing. The long glume trait which resulted in a large photosynthetic area did not enhance yield. Increased glume size associated with the P gene tended to increase the main culm dominance, characterized such as vigorous main culm and weak tillers, and plant height, but to reduce tillering and spike number. Consequently, grain yield and harvest index declined. Under the adequate water supplying condition of the present study, the glaucous trait was beneficial for grain yield. The trait of glume pubescence did not excert any significant effect on the yield related characteristics in the LD222 background. The traits of black glume and purple culm reduced the number of spikes per unit area and the number of kernels per unit area.     

Fine mapping of the gene for susceptibility to black spot disease in Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai)

Black spot disease, which is caused by the Japanese pear pathotype of the filamentous fungus Alternaria alternata (Fries) Keissler, is one of the most harmful diseases in Japanese pear cultivation. We mapped a gene for susceptibility to black spot disease in the Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) cultivar ‘Kinchaku’ (Aki gene) at the top of linkage group 11, similar to the positions of the susceptibility genes Ani in ‘Osa Nijisseiki’ and Ana in ‘Nansui’. Using synteny-based marker enrichment, we developed novel apple SSR markers in the target region. We constructed a fine map of linkage group 11 of ‘Kinchaku’ and localized the Aki locus within a 1.5-cM genome region between SSR markers Mdo.chr11.28 and Mdo.chr11.34. Marker Mdo.chr11.30 co-segregated with Aki in all 621 F₁ plantlets of a ‘Housui’ × ‘Kinchaku’ cross. The physical size of the Aki region, which includes three markers (Mdo.chr11.28, Mdo.chr11.30, and Mdo.chr11.34), was estimated to be 250 Kb in the ‘Golden Delicious’ apple genome and 107 Kb in the ‘Dangshansuli’ Chinese pear genome. Our results will help to identify the candidate gene for susceptibility to black spot disease in Japanese pear.     

Development of EST-SSR markers of Ipomoea nil

Although Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth.) has been used intensively for genetic studies, DNA markers have not been developed in Ipomoea nil sufficient to cover all chromosomes. Therefore, we conducted microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSR) marker development in I. nil for future genetic studies. From 92,662 expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences, 514 unique microsatellite-containing ESTs were identified. Primer pairs were designed automatically in 326 SSRs. Of 150 SSRs examined, 75 showed polymorphisms among strains. A phenogram based on the SSR genotypes revealed the genetic relation among seven Japanese morning glories from five different regions of the world and an ivyleaf morning glory (I. hederacea Jacq.). The developed SSR markers might be applicable for genetic studies of morning glories and their relatives.     

Evaluation of soybean germplasm conserved in NIAS genebank and development of mini core collections

Genetic variation and population structure among 1603 soybean accessions, consisted of 832 Japanese landraces, 109 old and 57 recent Japanese varieties, 341 landrace from 16 Asian countries and 264 wild soybean accessions, were characterized using 191 SNP markers. Although gene diversity of Japanese soybean germplasm was slight lower than that of exotic soybean germplasm, population differentiation and clustering analyses indicated clear genetic differentiation among Japanese cultivated soybeans, exotic cultivated soybeans and wild soybeans. Nine hundred ninety eight Japanese accessions were separated to a certain extent into groups corresponding to their agro-morphologic characteristics such as photosensitivity and seed characteristics rather than their geographical origin. Based on the assessment of the SNP markers and several agro-morphologic traits, accessions that retain gene diversity of the whole collection were selected to develop several soybean sets of different sizes using an heuristic approach; a minimum of 12 accessions can represent the observed gene diversity; a mini-core collection of 96 accession can represent a major proportion of both geographic origin and agro-morphologic trait variation. These selected sets of germplasm will provide an effective platform for enhancing soybean diversity studies and assist in finding novel traits for crop improvement.     

Strong antiviral activity of heated and hydrated dolomite--preliminary investigation

Heated and hydrated naturally occurring dolomite showed very strong antiviral activity. Infectivity of avian and human influenza, avian infectious bronchitis (coronavirus), Newcastle disease (paramyxovirus) and avian laryngotracheitis (herpesvirus) viruses dropped at least 1,000 fold following contact with the dolomite for five minutes at 4 degrees C. Dolomite is expected to be useful to inhibit the incidence of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.     

Molecular identification of `Candidatus Mycoplasma haemovis' in sheep with hemolytic anemia

We examined the presence of hemoplasmas, hemotropic mycoplasmas, among 11 sheep (Ovis aries) with regenerative and hemolytic anemia and found six of them were positive by real-time PCR. The positive samples were then subjected to conventional PCR for direct sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Nucleotide sequences of all the positive samples were identified as the 16S rRNA gene of `Candidatus Mycoplasma haemovis' by phylogenetic analysis, demonstrating the infections with this particular hemoplasma species in Japan.     

Liquid penetration of precompressed wood VI: Anatomical characterization of pit fractures

Pit fractures of refractory coniferous heartwoods caused by precompression in the radial direction were investigated and are discussed in terms of improved liquid penetration. Small cracks appeared at the boundary between the torus and margo, along the outer margin of the margo, and on the torus when specimens were compressed and deformation was fixed by drying. The remarkable cracks were generally observed for Cryptomeria japonica D. Don. Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco showed peculiar detachment of the torus from the pit border, and Larix leptolepis Gordon exhibited only small cracks on the torus. These fractures patterns were clearer when the precompressed specimens were recovered by water impregnation and then redried.This report was presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kumamoto, April 1996     

Odontoclastic resorptive lesions in a dog

We found odontoclastic resorptive lesions on premolars and molars in a 4- year-old miniature dachshund. The teeth had been extracted because the dentin was resorbed. In some teeth, the roots had been replaced by hard tissue, and so we amputated the crowns and curetted roots and alveolar bone. Histopathological examination revealed that the dentin was resorbed by odontoclasts and was replaced with bony tissue. Ten months later we found resorptive lesions in other teeth, and we treated them along with the first treatment. At the time of writing, since this is the first report of a dog with the same lesion in other teeth after the first treatment, we hope to establish better treatment and prevention methods.     

Successful induction of lactation in a barren thoroughbred mare: growth of a foal raised on induced lactation and the corresponding maternal hormone profiles

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a barren parous Thoroughbred mare with lactation induced by hormonal treatment can be introduced to an orphan foal at the same farm and that the mare can become pregnant after the end of the hormonal treatment. An additional purpose was to investigate the changes in the plasma concentrations of prolactin, estradiol-17β, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone before, during, and after hormonal treatment. The difference in body weight between the adopted foal and the control foals, which were at the same farm and raised by their natural mothers, was 17 kg at 24 weeks old, when the foals were weaned. However, the adopted foal and the control foals had almost the same weight at 35 weeks old and later. The first ovulation after hormonal treatment was confirmed 10 days after the end of hormonal treatment and then the normal estrous cycle resumed. Furthermore, the changes in plasma progesterone, estradiol-17β, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone showed regular patterns after the first ovulation. Conception was confirmed in the fifth ovulation. Meanwhile, another study demonstrated that conception was confirmed in the first ovulation after hormonal treatment. The present study is the first to demonstrate the hormonal profiles during and after induction of lactation in a Thoroughbred mare. This approach is useful for solving the economic and epidemic problems of introducing a nurse mare to an orphan foal.