Euphytica最新文献

Drought is a major constraint for maize production in sub-Saharan Africa. Developing high-yielding drought-tolerant maize germplasm will safeguard maize yields in the ever-increasing fluctuating rainfall conditions. This study aimed to identify high-yielding inbred lines with stable performance for utilization in hybrid production. One hundred eighty-two (182) maize inbred lines were evaluated under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions at Ukulinga, Makhathini, and Cedara research stations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The experiments were carried out in a 13 × 14 alpha lattice design with two replications. The inbred lines exhibited significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) for grain yield and yield-related traits under well-watered and drought-stressed environments. The GGE biplot identified three mega-environments, clearly separating drought-stressed from well-watered environments. Inbred lines TZISTR1190, TZISTR1231, TZISTR1261 and CML540 were superior under well-watered conditions, while TZISTR1164 and CML390 performed well under drought condition. TZISTR1190 displayed both high average yield and stability across environments. Inbred lines combining stable high yielding performance in optimum and stress conditions such as TZISTR1190 and TZISTR1231, can be incorporated into local maize breeding pipelines to develop stable high yielding resilient hybrids.

Persimmon is classified as either pollination-constant non-astringent (PCNA) or non-PCNA on the basis of the loss of astringency in fruit. PCNA trait of persimmon has attracted much research attention owing to its economical merit, as there is no cost in removing astringency. To efficiently develop new PCNA cultivars in crossbreeding, marker-assisted selection plays a crucial role. Here, we describe a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker that can be used to select PCNA persimmon. A sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker used to screen for PCNA offspring is unsuitable for populations recently derived from two non-PCNA parents (‘Yoshidagosho’ and ‘Toyoichi’), resulting in the selection of non-PCNA offspring as PCNA. To detect specific polymorphisms for these non-PCNA offspring, we analyzed fragment sizes of SCAR marker products by capillary DNA sequencing. A slightly lower-molecular-weight fragment at 353 bp was specifically detected in non-PCNA offspring but not in PCNA offspring. We treated the SCAR marker products with the StuI restriction enzyme and demonstrated that the smaller 353-bp fragment corresponded to allele a^353-1, one of four previously identified sequence polymorphisms at the 353-bp peak, and a^353-1 is linked to non-PCNA trait. Comprehensive analysis of 130 germplasms by the CAPS marker, detecting the truncated fragment after StuI treatment, indicated the presence of a^353-1 in 38 non-PCNA cultivars. Our findings suggest the potential use of the CAPS marker for selecting PCNA offspring derived from these 38 non-PCNA cultivars.

Amaranthus (Amaranthus spp.) is one of the crops considered superfoods, given that this grain is enriched for minerals, protein, and vitamins. Most cultivars of this species exhibit seed-shattering, resulting in a reduction in seed yield, but it is expected that this undesirable trait can be improved by further breeding. However, the genetic mechanism of seed-shattering in this organism remains largely unknown. In the present study, we compared two amaranthus isolates, the A. cruentus grain cultivar ‘New Aztec’ (NA) (which exhibits seed-shattering) and Amaranthus spp. Accession DB9350 (DB) (which lacks seed-shattering). In initial experiments, we conducted morphological observations of the spikelets and utricles in these two strains. NA, and not DB, showed a horizontal dehiscence line on the utricle, resulting in easy detachment of the upper part of the pericarp and seed release. Next, we investigated the presence or absence of seed-shattering in the F₁ and F₂ progeny of an NA×DB cross. Notably, all F₁ plants (n=10) showed shattering traits. In contrast, F₂ plants (n = 106) exhibited segregation, yielding 82 and 24 plants showing shattering and non-shattering traits (respectively), consistent with the segregation ratio expected for Mendelian inheritance (3:1, χ²= 0.314, p = 0.575). To elucidate the genetics of this trait, we performed bulked segregant analysis and linkage analysis in the F₂ progeny. This analysis identified a locus, designated Acsh, in the 15.2–16.0 Mbp range of Chromosome 2B; the genotype at this locus co-segregated with the seed-shattering phenotype. Together, these data demonstrated that the seed-shattering trait in A. cruentus is a dominant, single-gene, qualitative trait regulated by Acsh. These results are expected to facilitate the breeding of non-shattering cultivars in grain amaranthus.

Almost all pineapple crops in Brazil are grown using the cultivar Perola. This scenario can be changed through the development of new cultivars with better fruit quality and resistance. The novel approach of the present study was to select pineapple clones that combine both resistance to fusariosis and characteristics related to plant and fruit quality as alternatives to the traditional cultivar Perola. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to estimate genetic parameters and select clones through the REML/BLUP methodology, based on morpho-agronomic characteristics and resistance to fusariosis. Thus, a selection index was used for quantitative characteristics and, later, for qualitative characteristics, such as fruit quality, presence or absence of leaf spines, and resistance to fusariosis. Significant differences were found for most variables, denoting genetic variability among the evaluated clones. Fruit weight with and without crown and D-leaf length presented the highest heritability estimates (above 50%); however, fruit length, mean fruit diameter, soluble solids, titratable acidity, plant height, and number of active leaves presented the lowest heritability estimates due to greater residual variances. Characteristics related to plant and fruit development are strongly affected by the environment and may result in phenotypic changes. Dominance variance was higher than additive variance, which enables the obtaining of heterosis through vegetative propagation. Eleven out of the 20 superior selected clones presented absence of leaf spines and multiple crowns, higher fruit weight and soluble solids content, and desirable fruit shape and pulp color; seven of them showed resistance to fusariosis, making them suitable for final testing for release as new cultivars.

The ‘Menglina Leddy’ lily cultivar was selected from the Lilium longiflorum Thunb. ‘White Fox’ γ-rays irradiation line. It produces much less pollen than ‘White Fox’ but has similar morphology traits. In order to reveal the effects of gamma irradiations on the chromosomes, mitosis, and meiosis in ‘Menglina Leddy’ cells were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization using rDNA and telomeric repeat probes. Although both ‘Menglina Leddy’ and ‘White Fox’ had 24 chromosomes, a considerable amount of chromosomal breaking and rejoining were detected in the former. A super long and two super small chromosomes appeared in all the ‘Menglina Leddy’ cells. Meiotic abnormalities occurred at each separation stage. Chromosomes pairing configuration showed that complex recombination had happened in ‘Menglina Leddy’. The super long chromosome was a Robertsonian translocation product composed of two non-homologous long arms. The chromosome deletions and recombinations did not affect the main ornamental traits, but allowed it to acquire the characteristic of less pollen.

Rice quality has a major impact on its economic value, necessitating the breeding of high-quality grain varieties. In addition, varieties with superior germination and growth at low temperatures are required for direct sowing, which enables the low-cost production of rice. We developed Akikei770, a near-isogenic line from the high-quality, good-tasting cultivar Akitakomachi, carrying the qLTG3-1 gene from the Maratelli cultivar, which enhances low-temperature germinability. Although Akikei770 exhibited improved low-temperature germinability, it was inferior to Akitakomachi in appearance quality of brown rice and in eating quality of cooked rice. In Akikei770, a short arm region of up to 222 kb on chromosome 3 from Maratelli was introgressed, and only the qLTG3-1 gene exhibited polymorphisms within the coding region compared to Akitakomachi. The qLTG3-1 genotype was significantly associated with brown rice quality in the F₂ population, which indicates that the qLTG3-1 gene was involved in this trait with no involvement of other chromosomal regions of Akikei770. The functional qLTG3-1 allele in Akikei770, encoding a hybrid glycine-rich protein (HyGRP) that is localized on the cell wall or membrane, enhanced the low-temperature germinability. Because a loss-of-function allele of qLTG3-1 increased the appearance quality of brown rice in a recessive manner, it was concluded that HyGRP, which enhances low-temperature germinability, has a pleiotropic effect that reduces the appearance quality of brown rice.

In guava (Psidium guajava), the impact of self-pollination on the quantitative traits of the fruits is not fully understood, necessitating further investigation. This study aimed to estimate the effects of selfing on fruit traits in S₁ and S₂ inbred families of guava and to explore potential impacts on genetic diversity. Eighteen S₁ families were generated through selfing of progenies from biparental crosses, and ten S₂ families were produced by selfing superior genotypes from S₁ families. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Station of Ilha Barra do Pomba, in the municipality of Itaocara-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It utilized a randomized complete block design, with three replications and ten plants per plot. Evaluated traits included fruit weight, length, diameter, length-diameter ratio, endocarp thickness, mesocarp thickness, pulp weight, and soluble solids content. The data underwent individual analysis of variance, yielding predicted mean trait values for S₁ and S₂ generations, alongside correlation and homozygosity estimates. Genetic diversity was assessed using Mahalanobis distance and UPGMA cluster analysis, and comparative box plots between inbred populations were created for the evaluated traits. Box plot analysis revealed symmetry in most evaluated traits, suggesting uniformity in the data due to the selfing strategy. Analysis of variance indicated statistically significant differences in all traits, highlighting variability between populations S₁ and S₂. Fruit and pulp weights exhibited high homozygosity levels, with values of 90.86 and 102.59 respectively, linked to increased fruit traits in the S₂ population, indicating their importance in the fixation of favorable alleles. Fruit weight, length, and diameter, endocarp thickness, and mesocarp thickness showed strong correlations, exceeding 0.70. Genetic diversity assessment via Mahalanobis distance indicated a decrease in genetic variability, evidenced by fewer groups in S₂ compared to the S₁ population. However, this reduction did not noticeably affect the average performance of the S₂ population. The results indicate that the two generations of self-pollination did not negatively affect the phenotypic values of the evaluated traits.

Black soybeans with green cotyledon have long been widely consumed in the East due to their high content of health-promoting anthocyanins and lutein. However, major anti-nutritional and allergenic components such as lectin, Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI), P34, lipoxygenase, and stachyose are contained in mature seed. The objective of this research is to breed a soybean line with a black seed coat, a green cotyledon, and the penta null genotype (lele-titi-p34p34-lox1lox1lox2lox2lox3lox3-rs2rs2) for all five components. The F₂ plant strain with penta null genotype for lectin, KTI, P34, lipoxygenase, and stachyose components was developed. The breeding line has purple flower, determinate growth habit, brown pod, black seed coat and green cotyledon. The stem height of the breeding line was 57.0 cm and 100 seed weight was 31.5 g. This is the first soybean breeding line with black seed coat, green cotyledon and penta null genotypes for lectin, KTI, P34, lipoxygenase, and stachyose factors. This line will be used as parent to improve a black soybean cultivar with green cotyledon that have significantly reduced anti-nutritional and allergenic traits.

Agronomical traits of crop plants exhibit quantitative variation that is controlled by multiple genes and is dependent on environmental conditions. The main objective of this study was to decipher the genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) for six yield-related traits of 25 winter oilseed rape (WOSR) genotypes using the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model. The genotypes chosen included canola cultivars, our newly developed WOSR breeding lines, yellow-seeded, semi-resynthesized and mutant genotypes, together with ogu-INRA F1 hybrids and their parental lines. These were tested in field trials at two locations over three growing seasons. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized block design with four replicates. We recorded the beginning of flowering, seed yield (SY) and SY components, the number of siliques per plant, the length of siliques, the number of seeds per silique, and the weight of 1000 seeds. The average SY in six environments varied from 16.55 to 41.64 dt·ha⁻¹. The AMMI analysis showed significant effects of both G and E, as well as GEI, for the above traits. In this study, we observed that the climate condition, especially precipitation in addition to the soil type were the most influential factors on the SY and SY-trait value. Seed yield was positively correlated with: the number of siliques per plant, the length of siliques, the number of seeds per silique and the weight of 1000 seeds. We also found that our new ogu-INRA F1 hybrids, as well as cultivars Monolit, Mendel, Starter and Sherlock, showed stability for the analyzed traits.

The breeding of improved varieties of root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops has led to the release of several varieties with excellent agronomic performances, such as high yield and disease resistance. However, farmers and end users have hampered the adoption of these improved varieties of RTB crops over the years due to their processing capacity and final product quality. Across the RTB crops, the key quality and adoption criteria differ for different products. The vital quality traits that can enhance the adoption of these improved varieties have been identified for cassava, yam, and banana/plantain. Some significant traits cassava farmers and consumers prefer are early-bulking, non-bitter roots, in-ground storability, drought tolerance, good pounding capabilities, and excellent cooking and sensory qualities. The acceptance of improved yam varieties is driven by good yield, resistance to pests, good cooking quality, and admirable textural attributes for both boiled and pounded yams. Also, for banana/plantain Musa spp., farmers and end users prefer varieties with appealing sensory properties and good agronomic attributes. Farmers’ and end-users’ most desired traits are high yields, good cooking qualities, and climate resilience. Though the quantification of some of these quality traits is challenging, the synergized work of breeders and food scientists with the use of standardized protocols during the breeding, selection, and evaluation stages will enhance the production of cultivars that will meet the preferences of all stakeholders along the food product value chain of the RTB crops.