Genetics of resistance to Aphis craccivora in cowpea

Summary Inheritance of aphid resistance and allelic relationships among sources of resistance was studied in the parents, F₁, F₂, F₃, and backcross populations of cowpea crosses. Each 4-day old seedling was infested with five fourthinstar aphids. Seedling reaction was recorded 14–16 days after infestation when the susceptible check was killed. The segregation data from eight crosses between resistant and susceptible cowpea cultivars indicated that aphid resistance was inherited as a monogenic dominant trait. Segregation data from crosses among eight resistant cultivars indicated that one or two loci and modifier(s) were involved in the expression of resistance to aphids. It was suggested that further studies on allelism among sources of resistance needed to be conducted in order to resolve this.     

Effects of homoeologous group 1 and 6 chromosomes of the Cappelle-Desprez (Bezostaya 1) substitution lines on aspects of bread-making quality of wheat

Summary The group 1 and 6 inter-varietal chromosome substitution lines of Cappelle-Desprez (Bezostaya 1) were intercrossed along with the donor and recipient varieties, Cappelle-Desprez and Bezostaya 1, to give 36 genetically different families. The analysis of the means of these families showed that variation in SDS-sedimentation volume fitted a predominantly additive model. There were no significant within or between chromosome interactions among the group 1 and 6 chromosomes. Nor was there any evidence for interactions between these chromosomes and those of the background. Significant dominance/within chromosome interactions amongst the background chromosomes were however detected. Some of the positive effects on SDS-sedimentation were associated with increased grain hardness. Chromosome effects on % grain protein were not correlated with SDS-sedimentation.     

Molecular mapping of an aluminum tolerance locus on chromosome 4D of Chinese Spring wheat

Summary The tolerance of aluminum (Al) of disomic substitution lines having the chromosomes of the D genome of Triticum aestivum L. cv. Chinese Spring individually substituted for their homoeologues in T. turgidum L. cv. Langdon was investigated by the hematoxylin method. The disomic substitution lines involving chromosome 4D were more Al tolerant than Langdon. The tolerance was found to be controlled by a single dominant gene, designated Alt2, that is in the proximal region of the long arm of chromosome 4D. The locus was mapped relative to molecular markers utilizing a population of recombinant chromosomes from homoeologous recombination between Chinese Spring chromosome 4D and T. turgidum chromosome 4B. Comparison of the location of Alt2 in this map with a consensus map of chromosomes 4B and 4D based on homologous recombination indicated that Alt2 is in a vicinity of a 4 cM interval delineated by markers Xpsr914 and Xpsr1051. The Alt2 locus is distal to marker Xpsr39 and proximal to XksuC2. The Altw locus is also proximal to the Knal locus on chromosome 4D that controls K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity and salt tolerance. In two lines, Alt 2 and Knal were transferred on a single 4D segment into the long arm of T. turgidum chromosome 4B.     

A Proposed Index for Assessment of Row-replacement Intercropping System

A new index has been proposed for assessing an intercropping system where the component crops are in row replacement senes. It determines the Actual Yield Loss or gain (AYL) in respect to a component crop in an intercropping situation Here the sown proportion of the component crops with regard to its sole one is to be considered. This index appears to be more appropriate than other established indices like land equivalent ratio, relative yield loss, etc., particularly when per plant yield is considered. Partial AYLs (which are the two components of this index) can be considered as indicators regarding the competition existing between the component intercrops.     

Associations between grain yield and carbon isotope discrimination in cowpea

Twenty cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genotypes, comprising Kenyan cultivars and Kenyan and introduced breedings lines, were grown in 15 replicated field trials carried out at three locations in semi-arid eastern Kenya over four seasons. Grain and straw yields and the carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) of this material were determined, and days to flowering and maturity observed.None of the seasons in which the trials were conducted was appreciably drier than the long term average for the sites, and some trials received excessive rain. Averaging the data for the 15 trials, one genotype yielded much less grain (77 g m⁻²) than the 19 others, whose yield ranged from 125 to 177 g m⁻² (average 148 g m⁻²). Trial mean yield trials had a high straw Δ (r = +0.567) and had received more rain between flowering and maturity (r = +0.428) than lower yielding ones. Among genotypes, averaging over trials, the correlation coefficient (r) between grain yield and grain Δ was +0.394, and between grain yield and straw Δ, +0.460. Early genotypes had the highest grain Δ and straw Δ. The correlation among genotypes between date of flowering and grain Δ was −0.632 and with straw Δ, −0.502. When comparisons were made among trials, there was no clear relationship between the strength of the correlations among genotypes between grain yield and straw Δ or grain Δ and the degree of stress experienced by a trial (as indicated by the rainfall it had received). It appeared that this was because the variances of grain Δ and straw Δ were greater in the most droughted trials, whereas the variance of yield was greatest in the least droughted trials.It is concluded that the genetic correlation between grain yield and either grain Δ or straw Δ is unlikely to be strong enough to make either Δ a useful surrogate or adjunct in selecting for high yield in the segregating generations of a breeding programme for semi-arid eastern Kenya, but that Δ may be of value in the selection of parent genotypes.     

Nitrogen efficiency components of winter cereals

A model to describe the importance of different physiological processes to explain grain yield differences (ΔG_w) between cropping systems (Huggins and Pan, 1993) was modified to evaluate the nitrogen use efficiency of different cereals. The method uses measurements of grain yield (G_w), grain N (N_g), above-ground plant biomass (B), above-ground plant N (N_t), applied fertilizer N (N_f), and post-harvest inorganic soil N in control plots without fertilizer (N_h). The components are N supply (N_s), N uptake efficiency (N_t/N_s), assimilation efficiency (B/N_t), harvest index (G_w/B) and N harvest index (N_g/N_t). For a first verification of the model different winter cereal species, i.e., one genotype of winter wheat, one of winter rye and one of spelt wheat, were compared in a 2-year field experiments at two sites with different soil fertility and climate. The modified nitrogen efficiency component analysis provided a good understanding of yield differences at different levels of applied N and soil fertility. The method could be useful for selection of genotypes with a high N use efficiency in breeding programmes.     

Distribution and allelic expressivity of genes for hybrid necrosis in some elite winter and spring wheat ecotypes

The distribution and allelic expressivity of hybrid necrosis genes (Ne ₁ and Ne ₂) were studied in 21 winter (mostly exotic) and 43 spring type elite wheat genotypes, by crossing them with two known testers, C 306 (Ne ₁-carrier) and HD 2380 (Ne ₂-carrier).Ne ₁ gene was present in one north-west Himalayan winter wheat landrace, Shoure Local, but absent in the other winter as well as spring wheats. Ne ₂ gene was prevalent to a much lower extent in the exotic winter wheat germplasm (31.57%) as compared to the recently developed Indian and Mexican spring wheat semidwarfs (69.80%). This may suggest that breeders have tried to preclude hybrid necrosis by selecting for non-carrier genotypes in the development of exotic winter wheats in contrast to the situation in spring wheats. Based on the degree of expression of hybrid necrosis genes in the F₁ hybrids, the carrier genotypes were characterized with respect to the allelic strength of the hybrid necrosis genes. The 27 non-carrier genotypes of the two ecotypes identified in the present study have a greater potential use in future hybridization programmes so as to overcome the problem of hybrid necrosis. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Increased grain protein content and its association with agronomic and end-use quality in two hard red spring wheat populations derived from Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides

Suitability of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for many food products depends on its unique protein. Elevated grain protein content (GPC) and its quality influences the bread making properties of wheat. The objective of this study was to examine the association of elevated GPC with agronomic and end-use quality in two hard red spring wheat recombinant inbred (RI) populations derived from wild emmer (Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides). The two hard red spring populations (ND683/Bergen and Glupro/Bergen) were developed using a single-seed-descent method. ND683 and ‘Glupro’ are high in GPC (180 g kg^-1), presumably due to the introgression of gene(s) from Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides and ‘Bergen’ is low in GPC (145 g kg^-1). From each of the two populations 12 high- and 12 low-GPC RI lines (F_5:7) were selected for replicated testing at two North Dakota (ND) locations in 1995. In both populations, the high-GPC lines had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values compared to the low-GPC lines for mean GPC and water absorption. Mean grain yield of the high-GPC lines was not significantly different from the low-GPC lines in both populations. In the ND683/Bergen population, the high-GPC lines had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values than the low-GPC lines for mean plant height, days to heading, and flour extraction. GPC was significantly (p < 0.05)and negatively associated with test weight and also significantly (p < 0.01) and positively associated with water absorption in the Glupro/Bergen population. In these populations, results suggested that it may be possible to select lines that combine higher GPC and acceptable yield level, but later in maturity and taller in plant height. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic analysis of β-amylase thermostability to develop a DNA marker for malt fermentability improvement in barley, Hordeum vulgare

β‐Amylase thermostability is one of the major factors affecting fermentability in the brewing process; consequently, it could be used as a selection marker for the trait. In order to clarify what controls its thermostability, the linkage analysis of β‐amylase thermostability and its genotype as restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns was performed in three cross populations. Then, β‐amylase cDNAs cloned from the three varieties which had a different thermostability type were expressed in Escherichia coli. According to the results of the linkage analysis and gene expression test, it was concluded that β‐amylase thermostability resulted from a difference in its structural gene. Furthermore, to construct an STS marker for the gene, the gDNA sequences of β‐amylase were compared among the three varieties, which had different thermostabilities. Although there were many differences in the intron sequence, few nucleotides differed in the exon region. Based on the variation in the intron region, a sequence‐tagged‐site marker was constructed to detect β‐amylase genotypes in breeding material.     

Regeneration of fertile doubled haploid plants from colchicine-supplemented media in wheat anther culture

The effect of colchicine added to induction medium for the production of fertile doubled haploid plants after in‐vitro anther culture was studied in wheat, Triticum aestivum L. For this, one winter and two spring wheat varieties were used. Anther cultures of the three genotypes were treated with 0.03% colchicine for 3 days at the beginning of microspore induction. Colchicine had no significant effect on anther response and embryoid production of the genotypes examined. However, in the winter wheat genotype ‘Mv Szigma’, colchicine caused a significant reduction in microspore‐derived structures. A significant decrease was also observed in plant regeneration ability of two genotypes (‘Vergina’ and ‘Acheloos’) after colchicine treatment. In addition, a significant reduction of the albinos produced was observed in all genotypes after olchicine treatment. In contrast, the regenerants obtained from the colchicine‐supplemented induction media produced significantly higher percentages of fertile plants in all genotypes. However, the level of fertility, was significantly different among the fertile plants obtained. This, together with the observation that in the case of the winter wheat variety the colchicine treatment resulted in 100% completely fertile plants with a high seed‐setting ability indicate that there is space for further improvement of the method when it is applied to spring cultivars. Finally, the increased number of seeds per 100 plated anthers obtained from all three genotypes after colchicine treatment, clearly demonstrates that the addition of colchicine to induction medium was superior to the conventional anther culture method and it could therefore be introduced into wheat breeding programmes.