Genetic analyses of agronomic and seed quality traits of doubled haploid population in Brassica napus through microspore culture

Summary The results showed that the F1 genotype from the cross (Brassica napus cv. Zheshuang 758 × cv. Z-4115) had good response to embryogenesis, and their embryo yield and rate of plant regeneration reached 69.8 embryo/bud and 46.9%, respectively. Characters from the doubled haploid (DH) populations in B. napus were analyzed and it was showed that the means of each agronomic trait were between their parents, but they were nearer to the paternal in 6 agronomic traits (plant height, branch position, number of pods in the main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant and number of seeds/pod). The number of genes controlling each agronomic trait was analyzed based on the DH populations. The results showed that the number of genes controlling number of pods in the main raceme was the highest (15.6), and the least number of genes was involved for stem width (only 7.9). According to estimated coefficients of skewness and kurtosis of the traits tested, gene interaction was found to be absent for stem width, plant height, length of main raceme, number of primary and secondary branches, pod density in the main raceme and seed weight/plant. Complementary interaction was also observed in five agronomic traits (number of pods in the main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod and 1000-seed weight). A significantly positive correlation was observed between seed yield/plant and four agronomic traits (length of main raceme, length of pod, number of pods/plant and 1000-seed weight). The experiment also showed that the erucic acid, glucosinolate, oil and protein contents of DH populations were 34.23%, 87.09 μmol/g, 44.09% and 42.67%, respectively. The numbers of genes controlling each quality trait were 7.8, 9.7, 9.4 and 8.7, respectively. Partial correlations between the seed quality traits and the agronomic characters of DH populations were analyzed. In this experiment, the partial correlations among seed quality traits were also analyzed and it was found that the oil content had a negative correlation with the other three seed quality traits.     

RAPD variation within and among populations of globe artichoke cultivar 'Spinoso sardo'

Globe artichoke is a vegetable native to the Mediterranean basin. Its commercial production is mainly based on perennial cultivation of vegetatively propagated clones, which are highly heterozygous and segregate widely when progeny‐tested. The aim of this study was to measure genetic variation using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) in five populations of ‘Spinoso sardo’, the most widely grown and economically important cultivar in Sardinia (Italy). Analysis of molecular variance (amova ) gave highly significant differences between populations (28.1% of the total genetic diversity); substantial within‐population variation was detected (71.8% of total genetic diversity). The RAPD results show the need to apply clonal selection to narrow the broad genetic variability within the cultivar and to address important questions on the most suitable strategies for germplasm preservation.     

A genetic map of macadamia based on randomly amplified DNA fingerprinting (RAF) markers

The first genetic linkage map of macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia and M. tetraphylla) is presented. The map is based on 56 F₁ progeny of cultivars ‘Keauhou’ and ‘A16’. Eighty-four percent of the 382 markers analysed segregated as Mendelian loci. The two-way pseudo-testcross mapping strategy allowed construction of separate parental cultivar maps. Ninety bridging loci enabled merging of these maps to produce a detailed genetic map of macadamia, 1100 cm in length and spanning 70–80% of the genome. The combined map comprised 24 linkage groups with 265 framework markers: 259 markers from randomly amplified DNA fingerprinting (RAF), five random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and one sequence-tagged microsatellite site (STMS). The RAF marker system unexpectedly revealed 16 codominant markers, one of them a putative microsatellite locus and exhibiting four distinct alleles in the cross. This molecular study is the most comprehensive examination to date of genetic loci of macadamia, and is a major step towards developing marker-assisted selection for this crop. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Heritability and genetic advance in recombinant inbred lines of tef (Eragrostis tef)

Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of the tef cross Kaye Murri × Fesho were evaluated for nine quantitative traits at three locations in the central highlands of Ethiopia during the 1998/99 main season in order to estimate the genetic coefficient of variation (GCV), heritability and genetic advance expected from selection. Highly significant differences were obtained among the RILs for all traits studied. Grain yield, panicle weight and yield per panicle showed a relatively high GCV (12–16%). A comparatively high heritability was obtained from days to heading (31%) followed by panicle length (25%) and grain yield (23%). Moderate amounts of heritability values were obtained for panicle weight and yield per panicle. High genetic advance as percent of the mean were obtained from grain yield (16%), yield per panicle (12%) and panicle weight (10%) at5% selection intensity, which indicated the possibility of improving these traits. Several RILs were identified that have exceeded the better yielding parent at all locations. Grain yield showed a strong positive association (r = 0.26–0.70) with shoot biomass, lodging index, panicle length, plant height, panicle weight and yield per panicle. Overall, the present results showed a) the availability of genetic variance for some useful traits in the RILs for exploitation through selection, b) the existence of significant genotype × location interaction that indicated the need to test inbred populations in more environments, and c)the availability of superior inbred lines for further breeding work. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Intraspecific olive diversity assessed with AFLP

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to study diversity within and among Spanish olive varieties. A high degree of diversity was found among the varieties present in each growing region. Olive oil production and quality relies on appropriate cultivar selection as well as good orchard management. Production based only on a few superior cultivars would result in improved yield, oil quality, and production management. Amplified fragment length polymorphism were evaluated as a tool to identify the intraspecific and intravarietal diversity of olive. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of 38 accessions belonging to 10 cultivars using six primer combinations produced 106 polymorphic bands. Results were analyzed for similarity among accessions via unweighted pair‐group means cluster analysis, resulting in 10 clusters corresponding to named variety designations. Similarity among varieties ranged from 0.60 to 0.72. Diversity within varieties was identified. Similarity within named varieties (accessions with the same varietal name) ranged from 0.75 to 0.96. Differences in several markers were found among 34 accessions. Intravarietal diversity was shown to exist within the Spanish olive varieties grown in the region surrounding Valencia.     

饲料玉米的吸肥规律及其平衡施肥技术研究

为进一步提高饲料玉米的栽培水平及肥料利用率,以东陵白为试验材料,采用田间试验、室内化学分析和生物统计相结合的方法,研究了氮、磷、钾、锌肥对饲料玉米N、P、K养分吸收及产量形成的影响。主要结果是: (1)分析说明了饲料玉米在生育进程中全株N、P、K的浓度、吸收累积量、吸收速率等变化规律及与施肥的关系,提供了每1000kg干草需要吸收N、P、K、Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn的数量;(2)应用一元三次方程模拟了不同施肥条件下干物质和N、P、K养分吸收量与出苗后天数之间的回归关系,明确了干物质和N、P、K养分吸收的最快速率及出现时间;(3)氮、磷、钾化肥可显著提高饲料玉米鲜草产量,氮肥增产50.2%,磷肥增产36.4%,钾肥增产13.2%。     

Microspore culture is successful in most crop types of Brassica oleracea L.

Summary Microspore culture was shown to be applicable to a broad range of accessions belonging to six horticulturally important crop types of Brassica oleracea: broccoli, white cabbage, cauliflower, savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts and curly kale. Of 64 accessions tested 86% were responsive. Large genotypic differences were found in number of embryos produced per flower bud, and in frequency and mode of regeneration of plants from embryos. B. oleracea was characterized by a strong asynchrony of microspore development within single buds. Microspore populations optimal for culture contained a large proportion (10–40%) of binucleate pollen. An initial high temperature treatment was essential for microspore embryogenesis. Growth conditions of the donor plants during inflorescence formation were less critical.     

Genetic relationships between attributes in sugarcane clones closely related to Saccharum spontaneum

Summary Saccharum spontaneum is being used in sugarcane breeding programs in attempt to improve characteristics such as ratooning ability and stress tolerance. A population of F₁ (Saccharum officinarum or commercial variety x S. spontaneum) and F₁ x F₁ sugarcane clones was evaluated for sugar yield and a range of yield components in a plant and two ratoon crops. The aim was to determine genetic correlations between attributes in clones with a large component of S. spontaneum, that could be used to help derive appropriate selection indices in such populations.There were close associations between the same attributes measured in different crop-years and the associations between different attributes were generally similar across crop-years. Stalk number and fibre content were positively correlated, as were stalk weight and CCS. The latter two attributes (which are low in S. spontaneum but high in S. officinarum) were negatively correlated with the former two (high in S. spontaneum, low in S. officinarum). Sugar yield was more closely associated with stalk weight and CCS than with stalk number but became more closely associated with stalk number with successive ratoon crops.CCS was positively correlated (r_g=0.55) with cane yield in the plant crop but showed a small negative correlation with cane yield (r_g=–0.20) in the second ratoon crop. CCS (measured in any crop) also had a negative correlation with cane yield in the ratoon crops expressed as a percentage of plant cane yield. This suggests that CCS is negatively correlated with levels of traits contributing to ratooning ability. Intensive selection among such populations for CCS without consideration of ratooning performance may reduce the frequency of favourable specific ratooning characteristics.Abbreviations CCS commercial cane sugar     

Genetic improvement of legumes using somatic cell and molecular techniques

Summary The merits and limitations of somatic cell techniques involving Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, direct gene transfer and protoplast fusion, are discussed in relation to the genetic improvement of forage and grain legumes. Whilst progress with legumes is limited compared to that with plants of other families such as the Solanaceae, the fact that many legumes are readily amenable to tissue culture now permits somatic cell techniques to be targetted to these species. Future development of the subject will necessitate close collaboration between molecular biologists and plant breeders to enable novel plants generated by in vitro technologies to be incorporated into conventional breeding programmes.     

Genetics of Five Seed Esterase Isozymes in Pearl Millet

Inheritance and linkage relationships of pearl millet seed esterase isozymes were studied using; polyacrylamide dise: gel electrophoresis and α-naphthyl acetate as substrate. The Zone of enzyme activity was resolved into five bands. The presence of a band showed complete dominance over its absence. Each one of the bands (1 to 4) was under the control of a single gene. Band five was found to be controlled by three independent loci with duplicate gent action Loci for Est₁, Est₃ and Est₄ Were found to be linked. Est₂ Was independent of this linkage group.