Nomenclature standards and DNA barcoding of apple varieties originated by VIR Crimean Experimental Breeding Station

Current pace of breeding technologies relies on a tighter control of quality and identity of breeding achievements. Thereby, standardised variety nomenclature becomes of particular relevance to store original genetic information and warrant authenticity of the breeding product. A nomenclature standard regulates the variety’s name and habitus. A herbarium specimen is most appropriate for standardisation, since it defines a set of strongly inherited morphological characters for a variety. Nomenclature standards must be permanently stored in a scientific herbarium collection. The N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) in alliance with national plant breeders initiated a first nomenclature standard collection of national-breeding cultivars. Aside to classical herbarising, the collection utilises molecular genetic techniques, particularly genotyping, to enable extended variety verification. The VIR team has developed the nomenclature standards of six apple varieties originated by the Crimean Experimental Breeding Station, a VIR Branch (Beloe Solntse, Zolotoy Potok, Kubanochka, Leto Krasnoe, Luchistoe and Shchedrost). The standards are supplemented with DNA barcodes obtained jointly with the N. I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics. Fifteen microsatellite markers were used for barcoding. The herbarium nomenclature specimens adhered to the VIR-developed protocol in accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). The specimens are registered in the VIR Herbarium database and deposited in the World Crop Wild and Weed Relatives (WIR) Herbarium type collection.

Breeding-oriented evaluation of the progeny of cv. ‘Papirovka tetraploidnaya’ in the Middle Urals

One of the most promising trends in apple breeding is polyploidy. Triploid cultivars show higher fruiting stability and increased self-fertility. The easiest way to obtain triploids is to cross diploid and tetraploid cultivars among themselves. The main limiting factor in this case is a restricted number of initial tetraploid forms whose characteristics affect the quality and prospects of the resulting hybrid progeny.The staff of Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station in the Middle Urals produced and analyzed 5 hybrid families using cv. ‘Papirovka tetraploidnaya’ as the paternal source; the latter’s pollen was supplied by Acad. E. N. Sedov from the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding. Ninety hybrid seedlings were studied.The study showed that ‘Papirovka tetraploidnaya’ with a high degree of probability conveyed the following traits to its progeny: large fruit size, fruit ripening in early summer, midsummer and autumn, loose or medium density of coarse fruit flesh, and nonoutstanding fruit taste (scoring 3.8–4.2 points).

Nomenclatural standards of apple cultivars developed at Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station. Part I

Researchers of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) and Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station developed nomenclatural standards for 18 apple cultivars released at the said station: ‘Aksyona’ (WIR-53949), ‘Blagaya Vest’ (WIR-53950), ‘Danila’ (WIR-53952), ‘Isetskoye Pozdneye’ (WIR-53953), ‘Iset Belaya’ (WIR-53954), ‘Krasa Sverdlovska’ (WIR-53955), ‘Papiroyantarnoye’ (WIR-53956), ‘Pervouralskaya’ (WIR-53957), ‘Rodnikovaya’ (WIR-53958), ‘Rumyanka Sverdlovskaya’ (WIR-53959), ‘Sverdlovchanin’ (WIR-53960), ‘Serebryanoye Kopyttse’ (WIR-53961), ‘Sokovoye 3’ (WIR-53962), ‘Tavatuy’ (WIR-53963), ‘Uralets’ (WIR-53964), ‘Fakel’ (WIR-53965), ‘Fermer’ (WIR-53966), and ‘Ekrannoye’ (WIR-53967). Nomenclatural standards serve to confirm the authenticity of a cultivar and its name. They should be kept perpetually in the scientific herbarium collection. Herbarium specimens of nomenclatural standards are formatted in accordance with the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), registered in the VIR Herbarium Database and included in the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, Their Wild Relatives, and Weeds (WIR).

Nomenclatural standards of black currant cultivars bred by Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station. Part I

In the herbarium of cultivated plants of the world, their wild relatives and weeds (WIR) a collection of nomenclatural standards for cultivars of domestic breeding is being created. Nomenclatural standards are carriers of the authenticity of the genetic information of the breeding achievements and should be kept indefinitely in the scientific herbarium collection. A herbarium sample collected with the direct participation of an expert, which can be the author of the cultivar or official representative of the author's breeding organization, is designated as the nomenclature standard. The nomenclatural standard confirms the originality of the cultivar, protects the copyright of its creators. The article publishes the nomenclature standards of 10 black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars, bred at Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station from 1983 to 1997 and included into the State Register of Breeding Achievements: Akkord (WIR-54112), Vasilisa (WIR-54115), Vympel (WIR-54118), Globus (WIR-54119), Dobry Dzhinn (WIR-54121), Pilot (WIR-54127), Slavyanka (WIR-54129), Udalets (WIR-54132), Fortuna (WIR-54133), Shaman (WIR-54134). In addition to the description of the nomenclature standards, the distinctive taxonomic and economically valuable traits of each cultivar are given. Herbarium samples of nomenclature standards are made in accordance with the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), registered in the database "VIR Herbarium" and included in the Herbarium of cultivated plants of the world, their wild relatives and weeds (WIR).

One- and multivariable characteristics of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars breed at the Nagradowice Plant Breeding Station of the Poznańska Hodowla Roślin, studied in experiments in 2017-2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield variability of spring barley families grown at the Nagradowice Plant Breeding Station of Poznan Plant Breeding against other families studied in years 2017‒2018 in Team Breeding Experiments. Research material included 250 spring barley families cultivated in 2017 and 2018 in 6 locations. Selection of spring barley families for preliminary experiments was based on synthesis of results obtained in inter-plant experiments established in 2016 and 2017 in 5 locations. Combined (due to location) analysis of variance for experimental data was performed for each year and each series of experiments separately. Best Weighted Linear Unbiased Estimators (BWLUE) for the effects of individual sources of variation were included in ANOVA model. Significant effect of location on mean yield was observed in each research year and each series of experiments. Crucial differences were also observed between tested varieties and breeding lines. Moreover, significant interaction between locations and varieties or breeding families was also observed. Self-organising map (SOM) was applied to develop multivariable characteristic of tested families and cultivars of spring barley. Analyses results, i.e. ranking of BWLUE effects as well as SOM segmentation revealed seven breading lines from Breeding Station Nagradowice, which may be considered for further breeding process.

Particular qualities of formation of sensory characteristics of jam made from the fruits from musky squash

The goal of the research is to study particular qualities of formation of sensory characteristics of jam made from the fruits from musky squash (synthetic varieties of Tsukatnaya and Moskovskaya aromatnaya produced by LLC «N.N. Timofeev plant breeding station»). The authors conducted biometrical observation and identified descriptors that described technological properties of fruits and maturation dynamics. The jam was made with the addition of fruit raw materials and the replacement part of the water in the sugar syrups with apple juice and a sensory assessment of the quality of the finished product was carried out. The studied varieties of musky squash during the growing seasons of different weather conditions showed high stability in the formation of the yield of the raw material, leveled by the maturity degree. Storing the fruits of the studied varieties of musky squash after harvesting for at least 2-3 months improves the technological properties of the raw material, which has a positive effect on the formation of the sensory characteristics of the finished product. The bright orange pulp of the studied pumpkin varieties with an average carotene content from 10.13 (Moskovskaya aromatnaya) to 13.3 mg% (Tsukatnaya variety) has a pronounced sweet taste and a pleasant aroma. This allows getting the highest quality jam by replacing 25% of the water in the sugar syrup with apple juice or adding 25% apples to the squash fruit. The fruits of musky squash varieties of Tsukatnaya and Moskovskaya aromatnaya produced by LLC «N.N. Timofeev plant breeding station» used in the jam production were grown in the Moscow region. This results in the formation of sensory characteristics representative of a high-quality product.

Genetic diversity of wild stone fruit species: specific aspects of ex situ conservation

Background. One of the most important tasks faced by the scientists of Krymsk Experiment Breeding Station of VIR is the long-term preservation of the stone fruit gene pools (over 1,000 genotypes of 44 species) collected during plant explorations. It is much more difficult to preserve representatives of the wild flora than cultivars, due to their ecological specialization to specific environments and the need to create conditions for their successful development. This aspect concerns, first of all, such species as Louiseania pedunculata (Pall.) Pachom., L. ulmifolia (Franch.) Pachom., Prunus cocomilia Ten., P. brigantiaca Vill., Armeniaca sibirica (L.) Lam., Padus ssiori (F. Schmidt) C.K. Schneid., and some others.Methods. The studies were carried out in the collection plantations of the field genebank at Krymsk Experiment Breeding Station of VIR according to VIR’s guidelines. Accessions of wild stone fruit species were the objects of the studies.Results. Many years of field research into ex situ conservation of introduced wild species proved the efficiency of stone fruit cultivation in tub culture and a modified technique of dense planting with crown formation according to the “border-hedge” pattern. It takes into account biological characteristics of genotypes shaped in natural areas, the use of own-root or grafted plants on clonal rootstocks of various growth rates depending on their life form (tree or shrub), resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors, soil and terrain requirements, and the tasks posed before researchers. The recommended planting schemes (2.5–4.0 × 0.5–1.0 m) significantly reduce the area occupied by the same number of plants in conventional cultivation patterns and cut down power and labor inputs into technological practices.

Molecular screening of potato varieties bred by Falenki Breeding station for resistance to phytopathogens

The genotypes of potatoes bred by Falenki Breeding station were studied for the presence of resistance genes markers to the following pathogens: Globodera rostochiensis, Globodera pallidа, Synchytrium endobioticum, potato virus X (PVХ) and potato virus Y (PVY). The method of multiplex PCR analysis was used. The varieties Shurminsky 2, Alisa, Viza, Chayka, Ognivo, Darik, Gloriya, Golubka, Virazh and a promising variety sample 56-09 were studied. In most (8 out of 10) genotypes, marker linked to the Sen1 gene of resistance to S. endobioticum was identified. DNA marker of the G. rostochiensis resistance gene (H1) and the G. pallida resistance gene marker (Gpa2) were found in six genotypes. The marker of the PVX resistance gene (Rx1) was detected in the varieties Shurminsky 2, Alisa, Chayka, Golubka, and Virazh. It has been established that none of the studied potato genotypes carries markers RYSC3, Ry186, YES3-3A linked to the PVY resistance genes. Although in the field, resistance was detected in the samples Chayka, Darik, Virazh, Alisa. Molecular markers linked to the largest number of resistance genes studied (H1, Gpa2, Sen1, and Rx1) were identified in the varieties Shurminsky 2, Golubka, and Virazh. Among the DNA markers used in the work, the data of potato genotype assessment using markers of virus resistance genes (PVX, RYSC3, Ry186, YES3-3A) were less consistent with field observations. The use of molecular markers makes it possible to determine the presence of resistance genes and assess the prospects of a sample in a short period of time, but, at the same time, requires careful choice of a DNA marker that is highly correlated with the manifestation of the trait.

An investigation of the effects of <i>BMPR1B</i>, <i>BMP15</i>, and <i>GDF9</i> genes on litter size in Ramlıç and Dağlıç sheep

This study was carried out to determine the presence of polymorphisms in genes affecting litter size. The SNPs in bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1B (BMPR1B), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) genes were detected in 60 uniparous and 60 multiparous ewes from Ramlıç and Dağlıç breeds. The ewes are maintained in nine public herds at the breeding station of the Afyonkarahisar Sheep and Goats Breeders' Association and lambed in two consecutive breeding seasons. PCR and DNA sequencing analyses were conducted, and 36, 4, and 11 SNPs in Ramlıç and 40, 3, and 11 SNPs in Dağlıç were detected in BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 genes, respectively. A total of 16 SNPs in Ramlıç and 10 SNPs in Dağlıç breeds for three genes were found to be significant (P<0.05). The resulting analyses showed that four SNPs (g.49496G>A, c.1658A>C, c.2037C>T, c.2053C>T) of the BMPR1B gene and one deletion mutation (c.28_30delCTT) in the BMP15 gene of the Ramlıç breed as well as five SNPs (c.1487C>A, c.2492C>T, c.2523G>A, c.2880A>G, and c.2763G>A) of the BMPR1B gene of the Dağlıç breed have significant positive regression coefficients in the desired direction of the rare allele. The observed mutations have potential to be used as genetic markers in the selection of prolific animals for both breeds.