New insights into the range, morphology, and natural hybridization of wild Lactuca aculeata in Israel

In recent years we initiated extensive studies on the characterization of the population structure of wild Lactuca relatives (WLRs) originating from their center of origin and diversity in Southwest Asia. The objectives of our research program are related to the identification, collection, distribution, conservation and sustainable use of these unique plant genetic resources (PGR) for breeding. Natural populations of Lactuca aculeata Boiss., a wild lettuce, closely related and fully inter-fertile with cultivated lettuce, sativa L., were identified throughout northeastern Israel. The collection includes 485 seed samples, which is likely the largest and most diverse collection of this important WLR. Seeds were collected from 46 locations, representing its ecogeographic distribution in northeastern Israel. Together with 14 additional observed localities, we recorded our observations from a total of 60 native locations of L. aculeata. Thus, we assume that northeastern Israel is an ecological domain where natural L. aculeata populations can be found. The analyzed data allowed us to specify the borders of the growing area in the region, as well as to describe the ecological features of the habitats and altitude distribution of natural L. aculeata within the studied area. Notably, our data included new findings of native locations of L. aculeata on the western side of the watershed in Israel. Selected morphological characteristics, from the regeneration of 185 samples, verified the identity of all except one as L. aculeata. Some progenies (0.27%) of the original collected plants were identified as hybrids of L. aculeata x L. serriola.

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Characteristic of morphological traits and biochemical indicators in Linum pubescens

Scientific and Technical Bulletin of the Institute of Oilseed Crops NAAS ◽

10.36710/ioc-2021-30-06 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 55-64

Keyword(s):

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Flowering Plant ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Bright Pink ◽

Long Time ◽

Bright Color ◽

One Year

The article describes the morphological characteristics and biochemical parameters of a very little studied wild species Linum pubescens (downy flax). This representative of the genus Linum naturally grows in the eastern Mediterranean: Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Iraq, Greece, Cyprus, Albania. There are brief references to it in the description of the flora of these regions. In Israel, on natural populations of L. pubescens, studies of dimorphic heterostyly, anatomical features of the flower, mechanisms of pollination and incompatibility were carried out. However, other signs, including economically valuable ones, are not described in him. We were the first to study the species ex-situ in a field bank. It was found that in the arid conditions of the southeastern Steppe of Ukraine L. pubescens has a one-year development cycle, a height of 30 cm, 1.2 flowering stems, a bright pink flower with a diameter of 25 mm, a small slightly elongated box with a diameter of 2.7 mm, weight 1000 seeds is 0.6 g, and the leaf area is 218.9 mm2. Plants bloom in mid-July- September. Taking into account the rather large size, the bright color of the flower and the flowering period, we believe that the L. pubescens species has prospects of use as an ornamental flowering plant. In the resulting artificial population of L. pubescens, dimorphic heterostyly is clearly traced. Long and short pest morphs are clearly identified. L. pubescens seeds contain 24% protein and 35% oil. The fatty acid composition of the oil belongs to the "linum-type", like most other types of flax. With a low content of saturated acids (palmitic 6.7% and stearic 2.8%) and a significant predominance of unsaturated acids, especially linolenic up to 64%. It was revealed that this species has a dense non-cracking capsule. This trait is unusual for other flax varieties. Most annual and perennial species are characterized by moderate to severe cracking. Cultivated flax has a non-cracking boll, but not a hard one that breaks easily. It was found that less organic matter and more ash elements accumulate in the capsules and seeds of L. pubescens than in other species of the genus Linum. Probably, this feature, together with non-cracking, helps to better preserve fruits in difficult natural conditions and preserves seed germination for a long time. According to A.A. Zhuchenko, plant genetic resources are divided into six groups. At this stage, L. pubescen is classified as a wild weed relative. It was proposed to include L. pubescens in breeding work to create ornamental varieties in order to transfer it to the improved germplasm group in the future.

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Descriptors for on-farm conservation and use of Butia odorata natural populations

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

10.1017/s1479262115000040 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 35-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Claudete Clarice Mistura ◽

Rosa Lía Barbieri ◽

Caroline Marques Castro ◽

Stefano Padulosi ◽

Adriana Alercia

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Use ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Standard Format ◽

On Farm Conservation ◽

Germplasm Collections ◽

Severe Erosion ◽

User Groups

This paper aims to propose an international list of descriptors for Butia odorata (jelly palm), using scientific documentation methods and farmers' knowledge to allow the germplasm characterization for conservation and sustainable use. It is an attempt to promote the development of new approaches to documenting crop genetic resources using a blend of these two sources of knowledge, frequently perceived as conflicting. This long-lived and useful palm is a neglected and subutilized species, and its genetic diversity and associated knowledge are under severe erosion. A list of 11 morphological descriptors is proposed based on observations, literature review and discussions with farmers who know and use the plant. These descriptors were used to characterize 303 adult jelly palms conserved in situ. Descriptive results are presented. Only five morphological characteristics were reported by farmers as important to discriminate individual plants, indicating that farmers have simpler and more rapid ways to differentiate diversity than do the scientists based on their uses. Standard list of descriptors developed by ex situ conservationists are widely used by breeders, but they rarely reach out to farmers and other user groups, a fact that limits the full use of germplasm collections around the world. Conversely, farmer-based descriptors, which are the expression of deep knowledge of diversity and its deployment by traditional communities, are rarely considered by breeders, mainly because they are not available. In this paper, we support the idea that a blend of these two methods – in a standard format – is highly strategic to promote an effective in situ conservation-through-use approach.

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Dealing with farmers’ Ethnolinguistic differences when collecting crop diversity on-farm

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

10.1017/s147926211600006x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 400-408

Author(s):

Joseph Ireri Kamau ◽

Vanesse Labeyrie ◽

Grace Njeri Njoroge ◽

Anthony Kibira Wanjoya ◽

Peterson Weru Wambugu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

A Priori ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Morphological Differentiation ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

Crop Diversity ◽

Intraspecific Diversity ◽

Ex Situ

AbstractIdentification and characterization of the farmers’ named crop varieties cultivated around the world is a major issue for conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources. Intraspecific diversity is strongly determined by farmers’ socio-cultural environment, but this has little been documented. In this paper, we tested, on a contact zone among three ethnolinguistic groups located on the Mount Kenya region, whether farmers’ socio-cultural differences have an impact on the morphological characteristics of the farmers’ named sorghum varieties. Eighteen qualitative morphological traits of the panicles were measured. We first compared the morphological diversity of the named varieties among ethnolinguistic groups using multivariate analysis of homogeneity of groups’ dispersion and tested their differentiation using permutational multivariate analysis of variance. Discriminant analysis of principal components was then used to categorize the morphological diversity withouta priori, and this classification was compared with farmers’ local taxonomy (vernacular names) in the three ethnolinguistic groups. Our results show that some morphotypes are peculiar to some ethnolinguistic groups and that a morphotype can bear different variety names while the same variety name can be used to identify different morphotypes. Morphological differentiation that was explained by ethnolinguistic groups was higher for local landraces than for improved varieties. Our findings imply that socio-cultural diversity of farmers and the criteria they use to identify and maintain landraces need to be considered in studying and sampling crop diversity forin situas well as forex situconservation.

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New autochthonous vines of Campania under evaluation for inclusion in productive sector

BIO Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/bioconf/20191501022 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 01022

Author(s):

A.R. Caputo ◽

V. Alba ◽

C. Bergamini ◽

M. Gasparro ◽

G. Masi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Resources ◽

Action Plan ◽

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Point Of View ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Campania Region ◽

Food And Agriculture ◽

Global Action

The drastic reduction of agrobiodiversity has induced all countries in the world to implement numerous initiatives to safeguard genetic resources. The biodiversity issue is also one of the priority objectives of the global action plan for the conservation and sustainable use of FAO's cytogenetic resources and of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. In Italy, the primary competence on genetic resources of agricultural interest is entrusted to the Ministry of Agricultural. In 2004, the Ministry entrusted the coordination of the RGV/FAO Project to CREA. The main objectives of the project, in addition to the inventory of accessions present in the collections of the structures involved, are their morphological, agronomic and molecular characterization and the productive enhancement with particular reference to the autochthonous varieties at risk of extinction. The project in question includes the activities of recovery and characterization of the viticultural germplasm illustrated in the present work. The 12 vines described here, like others yet to be rediscovered, are strongly linked to small winegrowers and indissolubly characterial of a territory in Campania Region that from the socio-cultural (rather fragmented agricultural system) and environmental orography point of view, like the national one, is very diversified.

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Characterization of a new natural fiber extracted from Corypha taliera fruit

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87128-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Taslima Ahmed Tamanna ◽

Shah Alimuzzaman Belal ◽

Mohammad Abul Hasan Shibly ◽

Ayub Nabi Khan

Keyword(s):

Tensile Strength ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Natural Fibers ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Synthetic Fiber ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Reinforced Composite ◽

Potential Alternative

AbstractThis study deals with the determination of new natural fibers extracted from the Corypha taliera fruit (CTF) and its characteristics were reported for the potential alternative of harmful synthetic fiber. The physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics were investigated for CTF fibers. X-ray diffraction and chemical composition characterization ensured a higher amount of cellulose (55.1 wt%) content and crystallinity (62.5%) in the CTF fiber. The FTIR analysis ensured the different functional groups of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin present in the fiber. The Scherrer’s equation was used to determine crystallite size 1.45 nm. The mean diameter, specific density, and linear density of the CTF fiber were found (average) 131 μm, 0.86 g/cc, and 43 Tex, respectively. The maximum tensile strength was obtained 53.55 MPa for GL 20 mm and Young’s modulus 572.21 MPa for GL 30 mm. The required energy at break was recorded during the tensile strength experiment from the tensile strength tester and the average values for GL 20 mm and GL 30 mm are 0.05381 J and 0.08968 J, respectively. The thermal analysis ensured the thermal sustainability of CTF fiber up to 230 °C. Entirely the aforementioned outcomes ensured that the new CTF fiber is the expected reinforcement to the fiber-reinforced composite materials.

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Hybridisation of Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. with Malus × domestica Borkh. and Implications for the Production of Forest Reproductive Material

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12030367 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 367

Author(s):

Mateja Kišek ◽

Kristjan Jarni ◽

Robert Brus

Keyword(s):

Malus Domestica ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Apple Trees ◽

Genetic Characteristics ◽

Malus Domestica Borkh ◽

Malus Sylvestris ◽

Forest Reproductive Material ◽

Reproductive Material ◽

Crab Apple

This study focuses on the morphological and genetic characteristics of European crab apple (Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill.) and the occurrence of hybrids in its populations. We analyzed a total of 107 putative European crab apple trees in Slovenia: 92 from nine natural populations, five from a seed stand and 10 from a stand of unnatural origin. We also included 18 domesticated apple trees (Malus × domestica Borkh.) and two Japanese flowering crab apple trees (Malusfloribunda van Houtte) as outliers. The trees were classified into groups of European crab apples, hybrids and domesticated apples according to their morphological and genetic characteristics. Classification based on morphological traits produced different results (58.75% European crab apple, 37.11% hybrids and 4.14% domesticated apple) compared to those based on genetic analysis (70.10% European crab apple, 21.64% hybrids and 8.26% domesticated apple). When genetic and morphological characteristics were combined, only 40.20% of the trees were classified as European crab apple, and an additional group of feral cultivars of domesticated apples (6.18%) was identified. The analysis revealed that hybridization with domesticated apple is taking place in all studied natural European crab apple populations; however, hybrids and feral cultivars only occur to a limited extent. When introducing European crab apple into forests in the future, only genetically verified forest reproductive material obtained exclusively from suitable seed stands should be used.

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Genetic characterization of novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for Epilobium nankotaizanense (Onagraceae), an endemic and threatened herb in Taiwan

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

10.1017/s1479262121000289 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Yu-Wei Tseng ◽

Chi-Chun Huang ◽

Chih-Chiang Wang ◽

Chiuan-Yu Li ◽

Kuo-Hsiang Hung

Keyword(s):

Microsatellite Markers ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Conservation Strategy ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Germplasm Collections ◽

The Family ◽

Conservation Genetic ◽

Population Sizes ◽

Polymorphic Microsatellite

Abstract Epilobium belongs to the family Onagraceae, which consists of approximately 200 species distributed worldwide, and some species have been used as medicinal plants. Epilobium nankotaizanense is an endemic and endangered herb that grows in the high mountains in Taiwan at an elevation of more than 3300 m. Alpine herbs are severely threatened by climate change, which leads to a reduction in their habitats and population sizes. However, only a few studies have addressed genetic diversity and population genetics. In the present study, we developed a new set of microsatellite markers for E. nankotaizanense using high-throughput genome sequencing data. Twenty polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed and tested on 30 individuals collected from three natural populations. These loci were successfully amplified, and polymorphisms were observed in E. nankotaizanense. The number of alleles per locus (A) ranged from 2.000 to 3.000, and the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.929 and from 0.034 to 0.631, respectively. The developed polymorphic microsatellite markers will be useful in future conservation genetic studies of E. nankotaizanense as well as for developing an effective conservation strategy for this species and facilitating germplasm collections and sustainable utilization of other Epilobium species.

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Molecular and Pathogenicity Characterization of Sphaceloma manihoticola Isolates from South-Central Brazil

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.2003.87.11.1322 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 87 (11) ◽

pp. 1322-1328 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Elizabeth Alvarez ◽

Juan Fernando Mejia ◽

Teresa L. Valle

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Restriction Pattern ◽

Poly Merase Chain Reaction ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Host Interaction ◽

South Central ◽

Pcr Product ◽

Pathogenic Variation

Isolates of Sphaceloma manihoticola, the asexual stage of Elsinoe brasiliensis, were collected from several regions of south-central Brazil. The isolates were obtained from samples of leaves, stems, and petioles of cassava (Manihot esculenta) and the weedy Euphorbia heterophylla (“amendoim bravo”) by directly plating infected tissue onto acidified potato dextrose agar. For pathogenicity studies, 19 isolates were inoculated onto each of two cassava cultivars, MBRA 703 as a susceptible cultivar and MBRA 12 as a resistant cultivar to S. manihoticola. MBRA 703, with the greatest pathogenicity to 58% (11) of the isolates, showed an intermediate pathogenic reaction to 16% (3) of the isolates, and was less pathogenic to 26% (5) of the isolates. MBRA 12, with a less pathogenic reaction to 63% (12) of the isolates, showed an intermediate pathogenic reaction to 16% (3) of the isolates, and was highly pathogenic to 21% (4) of the isolates. The isolates were verified as belonging to the genus Sphaceloma based on their morphological characteristics, including conidia and hyphae of monoconidial isolate. Conidia of isolates were small, thin-walled, ellipsoid to (rarely) globose, commonly with one or two gut-tules. Conidiophores were phialides, hyaline to slightly pigmented 0-to-1 septate; conidiophores from the weedy specie were phialides, hyaline to brown 0-to-2 septate producing hyaline conidia. The isolates also were verified as belonging to the genus Sphaceloma by using a poly-merase chain reaction (PCR) assay, which detected a 645-bp band in all isolates except two (1 and 6) for which the PCR product had 600 bp. Digestion of the amplified product with the enzymes MspI and CfoI allowed differences to be detected in restriction patterns among isolates. A homogeneous banding pattern was obtained for 17 of the isolates but a different restriction pattern was obtained for isolates 1 and 6 of E. heterophylla. This suggests the possibility of another species within this group of isolates. The results indicate the presence of pathogenic variation among isolates of the fungus and an isolate-host interaction, because statistically significant differences were observed between the two cassava cultivars in response to inoculation with the isolates of S. manihoticola.

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Characterization of the Bull's Eye Rot of Apple in Chile

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-06-12-0606-re ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 97 (4) ◽

pp. 485-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Sylvana Soto-Alvear ◽

Mauricio Lolas ◽

Inés M. Rosales ◽

Eduardo R. Chávez ◽

Bernardo A. Latorre

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characteristics ◽

The United States ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Maritime Transportation ◽

Tubulin Genes ◽

Internal Transcribed Spacer Sequences ◽

Apple Production ◽

Species Specific ◽

Bull's Eye

Apple fruit in Chile are primarily produced for export to Asia, Europe, and the United States, which typically requires 15 to 40 days of maritime transportation. Therefore, Chilean apple production must fulfill the sanitization requirements imposed by the receiving countries. Under these circumstances, it was important to clarify the etiology of bull's eye rot that can severely affect ‘Cripps Pink’ apple and other late-harvest cultivars in Chile. Based on morphological characteristics and the partial sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer sequences and β-tubulin genes, Neofabraea alba was identified as the causal agent of the bull's eye rot of Chilean apple. These results were further corroborated using species-specific primers. The incidence of bull's eye rot varied considerably; for instance, in 2009, 0.0 to 58.7% in 38 Cripps Pink orchards surveyed in the relatively arid and humid apple-growing areas of Chile, respectively. There was no evidence for the presence of N. malicorticis or N. perennans, which are commonly identified as causal agents of bull's eye rot in other apple-producing countries. Altogether, these data suggest that N. alba might represent the predominant and possibly the only cause of bull's-eye rot of Chilean apple.

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