Genetical relationships between reactions to bacterial leaf spot,yellow mosaic and Cercospora leaf spot diseases in mungbean (Vigna radiata)

Summary Studies on the inheritance pattern of bacterial leaf spot (BLS), yellow mosaic (YM) and Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) reactions in crosses of BLS and YM resistant/tolerant but CLS susceptible × CLS resistant but BLS and YM susceptible parents indicated that resistances to BLS and CLS were governed by single dominant genes, whereas YM tolerance was a monogenic recessive character. The studies also indicated that these three genes were inherited independently. The simple inheritance pattern and independent assortment of the genes governing resistance/tolerance to these diseases suggest that the usual breeding methods will be adequate to develop multi-disease resistant mungbean cultivars.Paper XII in the series Studies on resistance in crops to bacterial diseases in India.     

Symbiotic variability in Vicia faba. 1. Genetic variation in the Rhizobium leguminosarum population

Summary Twenty isolates taken at random from indigenous populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum sampled near Aberystwyth were each inoculated into plants of a standard Vicia faba variety grown aseptically under conditions free of combined nitrogen. Plants in association with the individual rhizobium isolates exhibited large differences in dry matter yield, nitrogen content, efficiency of nitrogen utilization and date of first flower. The implications of these differences to the productivity and reliability of varieties of field beans are discussed.     

Genetic interpretations of the effects of bulk breeding on four populations of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Summary The effects of bulk breeding on yield and its components in two high-yeilding and two low-yielding bean populations when grown at crop densities are interpreted in terms of gene action and selection. There was considerable additive variation in the crosses, dominance effects were variable but tended to be negative. The results were compared with results obtained at low density by another worker with the same populations, and this showed that interpretations of gene action in hybrid vigour depend on the test environment used. The interpretations were also compared with plant breeding interpretations made on the same material (Hamblin, 1977), and it was found that a single pattern of response to natural selection, in plant breeding terms, may be explained by more than one genetic interpretation and, conversely, a single genetic interpretation may result in different patterns of response in plant breeding terms. The value of composite crosses in plant breeding are discussed and it is concluded that there is a greater chance of producing improved lines from a large number of simple crosses than from a smaller number of composite crosses.     

Root zone temperature alters storage root formation and growth of sweetpotato

Large mounds amended with plant residues are a common cultivation method for sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) in the western parts of the Papua New Guinea highlands, with a suggested benefit of elevated root zone temperature (RZT) from decomposition. This study aimed to evaluate whether RZT affects the formation and growth of sweetpotato storage roots. Experiments evaluated the effects of a constant elevated RZT on the Beauregard cultivar and of a short‐term increase in RZT on the Beauregard and Northern Star cultivars. Plants were grown in 18‐L pots divided into a control compartment (constant RZT at 20°C) and a treated compartment (RZT at 30, 40 or 50°C). Constant elevated RZT was maintained until harvest, while short‐term increase in RZT occurred in weeks 2 and 3 only. Constant elevated RZT did not affect the total number of storage roots, but RZT of 30°C and above reduced the dry‐biomass of storage roots. The short‐term increase in RZT did not alter the total number or dry‐biomass of storage roots in Beauregard, while both of these attributes were reduced at RZT of 40°C or above in Northern Star. Elevated RZT inhibited dry‐biomass accumulation of storage root, with a more pronounced impact at constant elevated RZT. These results demonstrate that any benefits of the mound culture on sweetpotato yield production do not arise through the influence of temperature elevation.