Response to Early Generation Genomic Selection for Yield in Wheat

We investigated increasing genetic gain for grain yield using early generation genomic selection (GS). A training set of 1,334 elite wheat breeding lines tested over three field seasons was used to generate Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBVs) for grain yield under irrigated conditions applying markers and three different prediction methods: (1) Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (GBLUP), (2) GBLUP with the imputation of missing genotypic data by Ridge Regression BLUP (rrGBLUP_imp), and (3) Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) a.k.a. Gaussian Kernel (GK). F2 GEBVs were generated for 1,924 individuals from 38 biparental cross populations between 21 parents selected from the training set. Results showed that F2 GEBVs from the different methods were not correlated. Experiment 1 consisted of selecting F2s with the highest average GEBVs and advancing them to form genomically selected bulks and make intercross populations aiming to combine favorable alleles for yield. F4:6 lines were derived from genomically selected bulks, intercrosses, and conventional breeding methods with similar numbers from each. Results of field-testing for Experiment 1 did not find any difference in yield with genomic compared to conventional selection. Experiment 2 compared the predictive ability of the different GEBV calculation methods in F2 using a set of single plant-derived F2:4 lines from randomly selected F2 plants. Grain yield results from Experiment 2 showed a significant positive correlation between observed yields of F2:4 lines and predicted yield GEBVs of F2 single plants from GK (the predictive ability of 0.248, P < 0.001) and GBLUP (0.195, P < 0.01) but no correlation with rrGBLUP_imp. Results demonstrate the potential for the application of GS in early generations of wheat breeding and the importance of using the appropriate statistical model for GEBV calculation, which may not be the same as the best model for inbreds.

Generation Mean Analysis for Yield and Drought Tolerant Traits under Rainfed and Irrigated Conditions in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Generation mean analysis was carried out using two crosses, involving a high yielding drought susceptible variety NDR 359 and drought tolerant rainfed cultivars Nagina 22 and Vandana. Six generations namely P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 were grown under both rainfed and irrigated environment to study the gene action for various yield and drought tolerance traits. Scaling test revealed the presence of epistasis for most of the yield and drought tolerance traits in both the crosses. Hence, six parameter model was adopted for these traits and for few traits where epistasis was absent, three parameter model was used. The results revealed that dominance gene effect along with non-allelic interactions had profound effect on the genetic control of majority of the yield traits. Therefore, early generation selection will be misleading for these traits. However, the drought tolerance related traits like proline content and stomatal conductance were governed by additive component as well. Duplicate epistasis was observed for majority of the traits. Hence, present study indicates that, epistasis has a key role in the expression of almost all the traits in both the environment.

GENEALOGY, DIASPORA, AND DA’WAH: The Religious Role of Sheikh Ibrahim al-Hadhrami in Pattani and Java

There are several problems in the historiography of Islam Nusantara nowadays. One of them is the lack of written sources, especially during the XIV-XV centuries. It was a significant period when the early generation of preachers (Walisongo) played a significant role in spreading Islam in the archipelago. Because of the limitations of written sources, some scholars assume Walisongo as a myth. This article aims to reveal the genealogy, sanad, and religious roles of one of the early Walisongo, Shaykh Ibrahim al-Hadrami, in Pattani and Java. This study applied historical research methods. It relied on critical testing and analysis, including heuristics, verification, interpretation, and historiography. Besides, the findings showed the continuity of the genealogy and sanad of Shaykh Ibrahim al-Hadrami and his descendants. They formed a network of Ulama and da’wah centers in Pattani and Java. In Pattani, Islamic preaching centers built by Sheikh Ibrahim al-Hadrami were continued by his descendants, such as Sheikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fathani and Sheikh Daud al-Fathani. They developed in Kedah, Kelantan, and several areas in the Malay Peninsula. Meanwhile, in Java, the centers of Islamic da’wah built by Sheikh Ibrahim al-Hadrami were continued by his two sons, Raden Rahmat (Sunan Ampel) and Raden Ali Murtadla (Sunan Gresik) and their descendants. Therefore, Islam developed throughout Java.الملخص : بعض مشاكل التاريخ الإسلامي في الأرخبيل لا تزال تطفو على السطح حتى الآن. منها، أنّ المصادر المكتوبة غير متوفّرة. خاصّة في القرن XV-XIV رغم أنّ تلك الفترة، فترة مهمّة حيث يلجأ الجيل المبكّر من الدواعي (والي سونغو) دوراً هامّاً في نشر الإسلام في الأرخبيل. بعض العلماء يعتبرون والي سونغو أسطورة، لأنّ المصادر المكتوبة محدودة. للمساهمة في الدراسة القائمة، تهدف هذه المادّة إلى الكشف عن الأنساب والسند والدور الديني من أحد الجيل الأوّل من والي سونغو – الشيخ إبراهيم الحضرمي- في باتاني وجاوى. تستخدم هذه الدراسة طرق البحث التاريخية التي تعتمد على الاختبار والتحليل النقدي بما في ذلك الاستدلال والتحقّق والتفسير والتأريخ. تظهر هذه الدراسة استمرارية أنساب وسند الشيخ إبراهيم الحضرمي وذريته الذين يشكلون شبكة من مراكز العلماء والدعوة في باتاني وجاوى. في باتاني، استمرّت مراكز الدعوة الإسلامية التي بناها الشيخ إبراهيم الحضرمي من قبل ذريته مثل الشيخ أحمد بن محمّد زين الفتحاني والشيخ داوود الفتحاني الذي تطوّر في كيدا وكلنتان وعدّة مناطق في شبه جزيرة الملايو. وفي نفس الوقت، استمرّت مراكز الدعوة الإسلامية في جاوى التي بناها الشيخ إبراهيم الحضرمي من قبل ولديه، رادين رحمة (سونان أمبل) ورادين عليّ مرتضى (سونان جريسيك) وذريتهم، حتى تطوّر الإسلام في جميع أنحاء جاوى.Abstrak: Beberapa permasalahan dalam historiografi Islam Nusantara sampai saat ini masih terus mengemuka, salah satunya adalah kurangnya sumber tertulis, khususnya masa abad XIV-XV. Padahal masa tersebut merupakan masa yang sangat penting dimana generasi awal para pendakwah (Walisongo) memainkan peranan signifikan dalam menyebarkan Islam di Nusantara. Keterbatasan sumber tertulis menjadikan sebagian cendekiawan menganggap Walisongo sebagai mitos. Untuk berkontribusi pada studi yang ada, artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap silsilah, sanad dan peran keagamaan salah satu Walisongo generasi awal, yakni Syaikh Ibrahim al-Hadrami di Pattani dan Jawa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian sejarah yang bertumpu pada pengujian dan analisis kritis meliputi heuristik, verifikasi, interpretasi, dan historiografi. Kajian ini menunjukkan ketersambungan silsilah dan sanad Syaikh Ibrahim al Hadrami serta keturunannya yang membentuk jejaring Ulama dan sentra-sentra dakwah di Pattani dan Jawa. Di Pattani, sentra-sentra dakwah Islam yang dibangun Syaikh Ibrahim al-Hadrami dilanjutkan oleh keturunannya, seperti Syaikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fathani and Syaikh Daud al-Fathani yang berkembang di Kedah, Kelantan dan beberapa kawasan di Semenanjung Melayu. Sedangkan di Jawa, sentra-sentra dakwah Islam yang dibangun Syaikh Ibrahim al-Hadrami dilanjutkan oleh kedua putranya, Raden Rahmat (Sunan Ampel) dan Raden Ali Murtadla (Sunan Gresik) beserta keturunannya sehingga Islam berkembang diseluruh wilayah tanah Jawa.

Africa's “Seed” Revolution and Value Chain Constraints to Early Generation Seeds Commercialization and Adoption in Ghana

The study aims to deepen understanding of how Early Generation Seeds value chain constraints impede commercialization and adoption of High Yielding Varieties (HYV) or improved Maize seeds by smallholders in Ghana within the broader strategies of a “Green Revolution for Africa”. Using qualitative and quantitative information obtained through one-on-one interviews with 15 key informants, a household survey from 110 smallholder farmers and document reviews, we discuss constraints and bottlenecks engendered by value chain structures, processes and mechanisms in Ghana's formal seed distribution system. Seven main challenges were identified that undermine trust and hinder the expansion of HYVs: (1) the limited capacity of public institutions, (2) constrained capacity of the emerging private sector, (3) a lack of well-defined, fair and enforceable contracts between stakeholders in the delivery system, (4) land-tenure limitations, (5) poor forecasting of farmers' demands for seeds by research institutions and seed producers, (6) sparse marketing arrangements for improved maize seeds, and (7) concentration of power to control seed supply in the hands of few institutions. We argue these seven issues weaken power asymmetry within the maize seed value chain's governance mechanism to create nodal points that give prominence to key public institutions, NGOs, and research institutions who control the production and distribution of improved seeds. Ultimately, trust among actors and its value chain outputs is undermined, negatively affecting the commercialization, availability, and adoption of improved seeds. Moving forward, upgrading the maize seed value chain must be pursued through targeted public and private sector relationships that acknowledge diverse actors' critical roles in the value chain.

Single Seed-Based High-Throughput Genotyping and Rapid Generation Advancement for Accelerated Groundnut Genetics and Breeding Research

The groundnut breeding program at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics routinely performs marker-based early generation selection (MEGS) in thousands of segregating populations. The existing MEGS includes planting of segregating populations in fields or glasshouses, label tagging, and sample collection using leaf-punch from 20–25 day old plants followed by genotyping with 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms based early generation selection marker panels in a high throughput genotyping (HTPG) platform. The entire process is laborious, time consuming, and costly. Therefore, in order to save the time of the breeder and to reduce the cost during MEGS, we optimized a single seed chipping (SSC) process based MEGS protocol and deployed on large scale by genotyping >3000 samples from ongoing groundnut breeding program. In SSC-based MEGS, we used a small portion of cotyledon by slicing-off the posterior end of the single seed and transferred to the 96-deep well plate for DNA isolation and genotyping at HTPG platform. The chipped seeds were placed in 96-well seed-box in the same order of 96-well DNA sampling plate to enable tracking back to the selected individual seed. A high germination rate of 95–99% from the chipped seeds indicated that slicing of seeds from posterior end does not significantly affect germination percentage. In addition, we could successfully advance 3.5 generations in a year using a low-cost rapid generation turnover glass-house facility as compared to routine practice of two generations in field conditions. The integration of SSC based genotyping and rapid generation advancement (RGA) could significantly reduce the operational requirement of person-hours and expenses, and save a period of 6–8 months in groundnut genetics and breeding research.

A New Generation of Sustainability Governance: Potentials for 2030 Agenda Implementation in Swiss Cantons

Governments and administrations at all levels play a central role in shaping sustainable development. Over the past 30 years, many have developed differentiated sustainability governance arrangements (SGAs) to incorporate sustainability into their governing practice. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which the UN adopted in 2015, brings with it some significant conceptual shifts in sustainability thinking that, in turn, entail new governance requirements. Starting from practical calls for improved understanding of the requirements and conditions of 2030 Agenda implementation ‘on the ground,’ this article examines existing SGAs’ potential to deal with the generational shift that the 2030 Agenda implies. To this end, four ideal-typical SGAs representing an early generation of sustainability governance at the subnational level in Switzerland are related to five specific governance requirements emerging from the 2030 Agenda. The analysis highlights different possibilities and limitations of the four SGAs to meet 2030 Agenda requirements and points to the need for context-specific reforms of first-generation sustainability governance in the wake of the new Agenda.

A pebble accretion model for the formation of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System

Pebbles of millimeter sizes are abundant in protoplanetary discs around young stars. Chondrules inside primitive meteorites—formed by melting of dust aggregate pebbles or in impacts between planetesimals—have similar sizes. The role of pebble accretion for terrestrial planet formation is nevertheless unclear. Here, we present a model where inward-drifting pebbles feed the growth of terrestrial planets. The masses and orbits of Venus, Earth, Theia (which later collided with Earth to form the Moon), and Mars are all consistent with pebble accretion onto protoplanets that formed around Mars’ orbit and migrated to their final positions while growing. The isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are matched qualitatively by accretion of two generations of pebbles, carrying distinct isotopic signatures. Last, we show that the water and carbon budget of Earth can be delivered by pebbles from the early generation before the gas envelope became hot enough to vaporize volatiles.