Association mapping reveals loci associated with multiple traits that affect grain yield and adaptation in soft winter wheat

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are useful to facilitate crop improvement via enhanced knowledge of marker-trait associations (MTA). A GWAS for grain yield (GY), yield components, and agronomic traits was conducted using a diverse panel of 239 soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes evaluated across two growing seasons and eight site-years. Analysis of variance showed significant environment, genotype, and genotype-by-environment effects for GY and yield components. Narrow sense heritability of GY (h ²  = 0.48) was moderate compared to other traits including plant height (h ²  = 0.81) and kernel weight (h ²  = 0.77). There were 112 significant MTA (p < 0.0005) detected for eight measured traits using compressed mixed linear models and 5715 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. MTA for GY and agronomic traits coincided with previously reported QTL for winter and spring wheat. Highly significant MTA for GY showed an overall negative allelic effect for the minor allele, indicating selection against these alleles by breeders. Markers associated with multiple traits observed on chromosomes 1A, 2D, 3B, and 4B with positive minor effects serve as potential targets for marker assisted breeding to select for improvement of GY and related traits. Following marker validation, these multi-trait loci have the potential to be utilized for MAS to improve GY and adaptation of soft red winter wheat.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of kepone residues in finfish, shellfish, and crustaceans.

Finfish, shellfish, and crustacean samples are extracted with isopropanol and benzene; the extract is filtered and then concentrated. The extract, dissolved in hexane, is treated with oleum and extracted with aqueous alkali. The aqueous phase is acidified and extracted with petroleum ether-ethyl ether (1 + 1). The Kepone residue is determined by electron capture gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). Recoveries obtained by 8 laboratories from 15 species of finfish fortified at 0.02-0.23 ppm ranged from 37 to 107% with a mean +/- relative standard deviation of 79.4 +/- 14.5%. For oysters fortified at 0.01-0.10 ppm, recoveries range from 63 to 129% with a mean of 78.8 +/- 20.8%. For crustaceans fortified at 0.05-0.26 ppm, recoveries ranged from 52 to 110% with a mean of 78 +/- 16.4%. The approximate limits of quantitation for finfish and for shellfish and crustaceans are 0.02 and 0.05 ppm, respectively, under the GLC conditions used in this study.     

Effects of poult source on turkey production parameters

Flock records from a commercial turkey company were analyzed to determine if poult source affected flock performance. Comparisons were made between flocks supplied by two hatcheries (X and Y) reared on the same farms and among flocks reared on different farms. Flocks from hatchery X had significantly better livability and feed-conversion ratios than flocks from hatchery Y. Although not statistically significant, flocks from hatchery X tended to grade better at processing (percent grade A) and have lower condemnations than flocks from hatchery Y. Season significantly affected livability and feed conversion of all flocks regardless of hatchery source.     

Relationship between relative water content during reproductive development and winter wheat grain yield

Summary Water is often the most limiting factor to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the southern Great Plains of the U.S.A., yet the lack of reliable screening criteria has precluded direct selection for drought resistance in breeding programs. Previous work showed that leaf relative water content (RWC) was highly heritable when measured under field-drought conditions, but its adoption as a screening tool for yield improvement requires further investigation of the genetic relationship between grain yield and RWC. Plants representing high and low yield potential under drought stress, and a random group of plants, were selected from an F₂ population having the pedigree, TAM W-101/Sturdy. Two sets of entries, each comprised of the two parents and 24 F₂-derived lines, were evaluated under a rainshelter in the F₃ (1986) and F₄ (1987) generations to determine differences in leaf RWC during reproductive development. One set of entries did not receive any water after the jointing stage, and the other set was grown under well-watered conditions. A positive relationship was observed between grain yield and RWC measured during anthesis and mid-grain fill, as the high-yield selections maintained a significantly higher RWC than the low-yield selections. Grain yield and RWC were also positively associated among random selections segregating for both traits. Subsequent adjustment of genotype means for differences in reproductive development at time of sampling underscored the need to consider differences in maturity when RWC is the selection criterion.     

Agricultural Sediment Reduction by Giant Cane and Forest Riparian Buffers

The sediment filtering capabilities of giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Chapm.) and forest riparian buffers were compared in a southern Illinois, USA non tile drained agricultural watershed. Giant cane, a bamboo species, serves as important wildlife habitat throughout its native range in the southeastern and lower midwestern United States. Overland flow samples were collected at the field edge and at 3.3 m, 6.6 m, and 10.0 m within the riparian buffers during 19 precipitation events over a 1-year period. On an annual basis, significant sediment reductions occurred by 3.3 m and 6.6 m in the cane and forest buffers, respectively. The giant cane buffer reduced incoming sediment mass by 94% within the first 3.3 m, while the forest buffer reduced sediment by 86% over 6.6 m. Within 10.0 m of the field edge, the cane and forest buffers reduced sediment mass by 100% and 76%, respectively. On a seasonal basis, the cane buffer outperformed the forest buffer. During each of the four seasons, the cane buffer reduced sediment masses within 3.3 m of the field edge, while the forest buffer showed initial reductions occurring at 6.6 m during the summer, fall, and winter. No detectable reductions occurred during the spring in the forested buffer. Reductions in sediment concentrations were less evident compared to mass basis, indicating that infiltration may be a more important sediment reduction mechanism than particle settling. Both the forest and giant cane buffers had relatively high measured soil infiltration rates. Study results indicate that giant cane is an appropriate species to include in riparian buffer restoration designs for sediment control.     

Vaccination of turkeys with cell-free culture filtrate of Pasteurella multocida: effects of dilution, iron chelation, and heterologous challenge.

Two experiments were done to further define cell-free culture filtrate (CCF) from Pasteurella multocida and its endotoxin content in protecting turkeys against challenge. In the first experiment, the greater-than-30,000-molecular-weight fraction of P. multocida strain R44/6 (serotype 3/4/9/12) CCF was used in 10-fold dilutions given by air-sac inoculation or aerosol to vaccinate turkeys, which were subsequently challenged with either homologous (P-1059, serotype 3) or heterologous (X-73, serotype 1) strains. Endotoxin content of the CCF fraction was high. Compared with positive controls given either live Clemson University vaccine or a commercial bacterin, homologous protection was provided by undiluted CCF and 1:10 dilutions of CCF, but there was no heterologous protection. In the second experiment, CCF of strain R44/6 in regular and iron-limiting media and CCF of strain FC127B (serotype 1/4) were used alone or in combination to vaccinate turkeys, which were challenged as in the first experiment. Homologous but not heterologous protection occurred, even though growth of strain R44/6 in iron-limiting media reduced endotoxin content of CCF by approximately 93%. These results indicate that endotoxin levels of less than 10% but greater than 1% of those in CCF from regular media are sufficient to induce protection in turkeys against homologous challenge but that CCF from either regular or iron-limiting medium does not provide protection against heterologous challenge.     

Identification of powdery mildew resistance loci in wheat by integrating genome-wide association study(GWAS) and linkage mapping

Wheat powdery mildew(Blumeria graminis f.sp.tritici, Bgt) is a disease of increasing importance globally due to the adoption of high yielding varieties and modern sustainable farming technologies.Growing resistant cultivars is a preferred approach to managing this disease, and novel powdery mildew resistance genes are urgently needed for new cultivar development.A genome-wide association study was performed on a panel of 1292 wheat landraces and historical cultivars using 5011 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)markers.The association panel was evaluated for reactions to three Bgt inoculants, OKS(14)-B-3-1, OKS(14)-C-2-1, and Bgt15.Linkage disequilibrum(LD) analysis indicated that genome-wide LD decayed to 0.1 at 23 Mb, and population structure analysis revealed seven subgroups in the panel.Association analysis using a mixed linear model(MLM) identified three loci for powdery mildew resistance on chromosome 2 B, designated QPm.stars-2BL1,QPm.stars-2BL2, and QPm.stars-2BL3.To evaluate the efficacy of GWAS in gene discovery,QPm.stars-2BL2 was validated using F2 and F2:3 populations derived from PI420646 × OK1059060-126135-3.Linkage analysis delimited the powdery mildew resistance gene in PI 420646 to an interval where QPm.stars-2BL2 was located, lending credence to the GWAS results.QPm.stars-2BL1 and QPm.stars-2BL3, which were associated with four SNPs located at 457.7–461.7 Mb and two SNPs located at 696.6–715.9 Mb in the Chinese Spring reference IWGSC RefSeq v1.0, respectively, are likely novel loci for powdery mildew resistance and can be used in wheat breeding to improve powdery mildew resistance.