Characterization of Elite Genotypes for Fusarium Wilt Resistance in Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh]

Background: The development of Fusarium wilt resistant varieties is a major challenge in pigeonpea breeding and need to be addressed on priority basis. In this study, efforts had been made to characterize the elite pigeonpea genotypes for Fusarium wilt resistance at morphological and molecular level. Methods: The present study was undertaken during kharif season of year 2018-19 at NEB, Crop Research Centre, G.B.P.U.A and T, Pantnagar. The experimental materials for present study consisted of 15 elite pigeonpea genotypes and three commercially grown popular varieties as checks. The molecular analysis was conducted during year 2019-20 and a susceptible variety BAHAR was used as check. The nine yield based indices were used for morphological analysis. The molecular analysis was carried out by using five already reported Fusarium wilt linked SSR markers. Result: The results revealed that the marker ASSR 363, ASSR 366, ASSR 1, ASSR 23 and ASSR 148 were highly effective in differentiating the resistant and susceptible genotypes of pigeonpea for wilt disease. On the basis of morphological and molecular studies, it was concluded that the genotype PA 626 was the most superior genotype as it not only yielded higher than all the three checks but also shown resistance against wilt at both phenotypic and genotypic level.

Genetic Evaluation and Screening of Diverse Wheat Genotypes for Spot Blotch Resistance

Production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) the main food source of South Asian countries including India faces several constraints including spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana resulting in yield loss of 25–43 % depending upon the stage of infection. Fifty genotypes were evaluated for nine quantitative characters and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) to identify superior genotype with spot blotch resistance. High heritability coupled with moderate to high genetic advance as percent of mean was registered for grains per spike, tillers per square meter, days to 50% heading and days to 50% flowering indicating the characters to be governed by additive genes. Correlation and path coefficient analysis favored days to 50% heading, days to 50% flowering and grains per spike since they had significant positive correlation with yield and simultaneous negative correlation with AUDPC and also conferring highest positive direct effect towards yield. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis indicated days to 50% heading to be most sensitive with negative influence on AUDPC. D2 analysis grouped the 50 genotypes into 10 clusters suggesting presence of diversity among the genotypes. Frequency distribution of AUDPC among the genotypes showed more or less normal distribution of the character. Low AUDPC score with acceptable level of yield performance were recorded for the genotypes 29882, 29610, 29473, 29940, 29477, 29748 and 30081. Identification of high yielding and less susceptible genotypes for spot blotch disease in the present investigation offered an opportunity for wheat improvement through selective breeding.

Dual-Purpose of the Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.), the Neglected Tropical Legume, Based on Pod and Tuber Yields

Winged beans (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) are grown as a vegetable legume crop in Thailand. All parts of the plant, including pods, seeds, leaves, flowers, and tubers are edible and are rich in protein and nutrients. Although the major consumption of winged bean is based on pod and tuber yields, only the people of Myanmar and Indonesia utilize winged bean tubers as food materials. The usefulness of the winged bean as an alternative crop for staple food and feed can shed some light on the impact of winged bean. Therefore, the evaluation of the dual purpose of the winged bean based on pod tuber yields is the objective of this study. In this study, ten-winged bean accessions—six accessions obtained from introduced sources and four accessions obtained from local Thai varieties—were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the Agronomy Field Crop Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand from September 2019 to April 2020 and from October 2020 to April 2021. Data, including total pod weight, number of pods, pod length, 10-pod weight, and tuber weight were recorded, and the proximate nutrient and mineral contents in the tubers were also determined. The results revealed that the principal effects of year (Y) and genotype (G) were significant for total pod weight and the number of pods. Moreover, the Y*G interactions were principal effects upon the total pod weights and tuber weights. The results indicated that superior genotype and appropriate environmental conditions are key elements in successful winged bean production for both pod and tuber yields. The winged bean accessions W099 and W018 were consistent in both experimental years for pod and tuber yields at 23.6 and 18.36 T/ha and 15.20 and 15.5 T/ha, respectively. Each accession also proved high in tuber protein content at 20.92% and 21.04%, respectively, as well as significant in fiber, energy, and minerals. The results suggest that the winged bean accessions W099 and W018 can be used for dual-purpose winged bean production in Thailand.

Producing a superior genotype from agria potato cultivar using somaclonal variation

This study was performed to produce a superior genotype from Agria potato cultivar using somaclonal variation. Two leaf and meristem explants in combination with four doses of 2,4-D (0, 2, 3 and 4 mg / l) were used for callus induction in a factorial model based on a completely randomized design with 3 replications. Results showed that the meristem explant, along with 3 mg 2,4-D produced the most suitable calluses. In the mentioned regeneration media, the best calluses were regenerated and one of the regenerated genotypes, which was very different from the parent cultivar was selected. The regenerated genotype, was compared with the maternal genotype (Agria) and a control cultivar (Sante), in a field experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The results showed that in terms of most of the studied traits such as tuber weight per plant, stolon length, percentage of dry matter and percentage of starch, the new genotype was superior, compared to the parent cultivar and in terms of peel percentage and maturity date, the parental cultivar was superior. The results of the molecular comparison also showed that based on CBDP marker, both in terms of band number and band size, there were differences between the new genotype and the parental cultivar. In general, results showed that somaclonal variation can be an effective method to generate new genotypes with superior characteristics.

Genotype–Environment Interactions for Tree Growth and Leaf Phytochemical Content of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja, as a woody tree species, has various health-promoting phytochemicals and is commonly used in tea production in China. A field trial for C. paliurus was conducted at two typical sites to evaluate genotype × environmental interaction (GEI) effects and identify the stability and adaptability of 13 families. The genotype main effects and genotype × environment interaction effects (GGE) were used to analyze the GEI effects for tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and leaf flavonoid and triterpenoid contents. Two-way analysis of variance indicated that the tree growth and leaf phytochemical contents were mainly affected by genotype and GEI. Based on the results of GGE, the JH1 family had high mean values and high stability in total flavonoid and total triterpenoid accumulations, while the KM4 family exhibited high means and high stability in tree height and DBH growth, as well as high means and medium stability in total triterpenoid content. Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated that the annual mean DBH was significantly and positively correlated with leaf phytochemical content in C. paliurus when all data for the 13 families at the two sites were used. Our results suggest that JH1 should be mainly extended as a superior genotype for the production of flavonoids and triterpenoids in the leaves, while KM4 could be spread for timber production or leaf triterpenoid production. This study provides useful information on the selection of C. paliurus genotypes in target sites and cultivation strategies for establishing oriented plantations.

Physiological, biochemical and molecular responses of durum wheat under salt stress

The yield of durum wheat extremely reduces in response to salinity stress because of several variations in biochemical, physiological and molecular traits in this unfavorable condition. According to the agro-physiological traits under salinity stress, the most resistant and sensitive cultivars were selected from 10 genotypes of durum wheat over a period of 2 years. Afterwards, the molecular, biochemical, and physiological traits in these two genotypes were evaluated. The seedlings (3–4 leaves) were exposed to salinity through irrigating with 0.5 × Hoagland solution containing 200 mM NaCl until physiological maturity. Principal components analysis for the agronomy characteristics and stress resistance index led to identifying Behrang and Arya as the most tolerant and sensitive genotypes, respectively. In these two genotypes in response to salinity stress, osmolyte contents (proline, total soluble carbohydrates and total soluble proteins) and enzymatic antioxidant defence system activities (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and guaiacol peroxidase) were much higher in the most tolerant genotype than those of the sensitive cultivar. Moreover, the most tolerant genotype showed less amount of oxidative stress parameters (hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde and other aldehydes) than the sensitive one. Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) and delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) genes expression increased under salinity stress (considering much higher increase in the most tolerant cultivar). Also, proline content was shown to have a significant positive correlation with P5CS and P5CR genes expression levels. Our result not only identified Behrang cultivar as a superior genotype for durum wheat breeding programs, but also represented several efficient mechanisms involved in salt tolerance.

Agronomic Characteristics Enhancement on Genotypes of Chrysanthemum Polyploidy with Different Planting Media

Since variations in chrysanthemums are still limited, Indonesia still imports. An effort to expand the variation can be done through polyploidy techniques using colchicine. Pasopati varieties of the chrysanthemum were propagated in vitro and treated with colchicine and planted in different media compositions to observe performance and obtain superior genotype. Experiment with a factorial pattern that consist of two factors: the composition of the planting medium ( m1 = top soil, m2 = cocopeat, m3 = husk charcoal, m4 = top soil + cocopeat m5 = top soil + husk charcoal, m6 = cocopeat + chaff charcoal) and polyploidy chrysanthemum genotypes (g1 = KAR0, g2 = KAR1, g3 = KAR2, g4 = KAR3, and g5 = KAR4) with two replications was designed. The results showed there were variations in plant height, stem diameter, number of nodes, number of floret, and stalk length on polyploidy Chrysanthemum genotypes due to different planting media. The m4 = top soil + cocopeat can increase plant height, stem diameter, number of nodes, stalk length and number of floret KAR4 genotype.

Myostatin Gene as a Genetic Marker for Growth and Carcass Traits in Beef Cattle

<p>Growth and carcass traits are of economic importances in livestock breeding, because they affect the profitability of animal production. The phenotypic expression of these traits is controlled by multiple genes (polygenes), such as myostatin (MSTN) gene. This paper aims to discuss the expression, polymorphism and potential application of MSTN gene as a marker-assisted selection (MAS) for growth and carcass traits in beef cattle based on data from published studies. MSTN gene or known as growth and differentiation factor 8 (GDF8) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily, which acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass deposition. Several published studies showed that mutations in the MSTN gene can inhibit the activation of myostatin, which leads to an increased muscle mass (hypertrophy). Several <em>MSTN</em> gene polymorphisms were reported to be associated with growth and carcass traits in local cattle in several countries, including Indonesia, namely Bali cattle. Based on several assumptions: 1) there is MTSN gene polymorphisms in a population, 2) there is a significant association between MSTN gene polymorphisms and growth and carcass traits, as reported in several beef cattle populations and 3) those cattle with superior genotype have better growth performances, we expect that there will be improvement in growth performances in the future if those cattle are selected. Understanding MSTN gene polymorphisms would be useful to make strategies for the genetic improvement for growth and carcass traits of local cattle.</p>