Utilization of Tomato Landraces to Improve Seedling Performance under Salt Stress

Salt stress is considered as one of the most frequent factors limiting plant growth and productivity of crops worldwide. The aim of the study was to evaluate physiological and biochemical responses of nine diverse tomato genotypes exposed to salt stress. In this regard, four-week-old seedlings of one modern variety, five landraces, the salt-sensitive accession of ‘Ailsa Craig’, the salt-tolerant wild accession of S. pimpinellifolium ‘LA1579’, as well as the vitamin C-rich S. pennellii introgression line ‘IL12-4’, were exposed to moderate salt stress (200 mM NaCl) for 10 days. At the end of the stress treatment, agronomical traits and stress indices were evaluated, while gas exchange-related parameters, root electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content and ascorbic acid were also determined. All parameters were significantly affected by salt stress, but to a different extent, verifying the diverse degree of tolerance within the selected genotypes, and further highlighting the different stress-induced mechanisms. The landrace originated from ‘Santorini’ island, as well as the modern variety, which originated from traditional cultivars, demonstrated a better performance and adaptivity under moderate salt stress, accompanied by reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced ascorbic acid content, indicating that they could be potential promising genetic material for breeding programs or as grafting rootstocks/scions.

Resistance to Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus in almond advanced selections and cultivars and its interaction with the aflatoxins biocontrol strategy

Aflatoxin contamination of almond kernels, caused by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, is a severe concern for growers due to its high toxicity. In California, the global leader of almond production, aflatoxin can be managed by applying the biological control strain AF36 of A. flavus and selecting resistant cultivars. Here, we classified the almond genotypes by K-Means cluster analysis into three groups [Susceptible (S), Moderately Susceptible (MS), or Resistant (R)] based on aflatoxin content of inoculated kernels. The protective effects of the shell and seedcoat in preventing aflatoxin contamination were also examined. The presence of intact shells reduced aflatoxin contamination over 100-fold. The seedcoat provided a layer of protection, but not complete. In kernel inoculation assays, none of the studied almond genotypes showed a total resistance to the pathogen. However, nine traditional cultivars and four advanced selections were classified as R. Because these advanced selections contained germplasm derived from peach, we compared the kernel resistance of three peach cultivars to that shown by kernels of a R (‘Sonora’) and a S (‘Carmel’) almond cultivar and five pistachio cultivars. Overall, peach kernels were significantly more resistant to the pathogen than almond kernels, which were more resistant than pistachio kernels. Finally, we studied the combined effect of the cultivar resistance and the biocontrol strain AF36 in limiting aflatoxin contamination. For this, we co-inoculated almond kernels of R ‘Sonora’ and S ‘Carmel’ with AF36 72 h before or 48 h after inoculating with an aflatoxin-producing strain of A. flavus. The percentage of aflatoxin reduction by AF36 strain was greater in kernels of ‘Carmel’ kernels (98%) than in those of ‘Sonora’ (83%). Cultivar resistance also affected the kernel colonization by the biological control strain. AF36 strain limited aflatoxin contamination in almond kernels even when applied 48 h after the aflatoxin-producing strain. Our results show that biocontrol combined with the use of cultivars with resistance to aflatoxin contamination can result in a more robust protection strategy than the use of either practices in isolation.

DArT-based evaluation of soybean germplasm from Polish Gene Bank

Objective Soybean is an important plant used for food, feed and many industrial purposes. Interest in soybean breeding is growing in Central Europe, including Poland. A very large number of soybean accessions are stored in gene banks, but less than 1% of them have been used for breeding. Here, we present genotypic data as well as phenotypic data on plant and seed performance, including seed chlorophyll fluorescence traits, and on yield components within a collection of soybean accessions that are conserved in the Polish Gene Bank at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute. Results The materials used consisted of sub-collections: 79 Polish genotypes, including old traditional cultivars, 24 Canadian, 21 American, 21 Swedish and 31 from Central and Eastern European Countries, 9 from France and 6 from Japan. In total, 9602 high quality SNPs were derived from DArTseq, a method utilising GBS technology. GWAS, performed with the BLINK model, revealed that a total of 41 significant SNPs were mapped for days to flowering, flower colour, plant height, days to pod formation, 100 seed weight, pod colour, seeds and hilum colour and steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence under light (Ft_Lss). This is the first report about the diversity of traditional old Polish soybean cultivars.

Molecular Characterization of Genetic Diversity in Apricot Cultivars: Current Situation and Future Perspectives

In the recent years, an important renewal of apricot cultivars is taking place worldwide with the introduction of a large number of new releases, which are replacing traditional and local cultivars in many situations. To study the current genetic diversity, a group of 202 apricot accessions, including landraces and releases from breeding programs in several countries, has been characterized using 13 microsatellite markers. The diversity parameters showed higher diversity in modern releases than in landraces, but also suggested a loss of diversity associated with recent breeding. Two main clusters according to the pedigree origin of the accessions were clearly differentiated in the phylogenetic analysis based on Nei’s genetic distance. The first group comprised mostly European and North American traditional cultivars, and the second group included the majority of recent and commercial releases from breeding programs. Further population analyses showed the same clustering trend on the distribution of individuals and clusters, confirming the results obtained in the molecular phylogenetic analysis. These results provide a sight of the erosion and the decrease of the genetic diversity in the currently grown apricot and highlight the importance of preserve traditional cultivars and local germplasm to assure genetic resources for further breeding.

Establishment of Alternative Season for Cultivation of Photoperiod-Sensitive Traditional Rice Cultivars

Aims: To find out the suitable time for cultivating the photoperiod-sensitive rice cultivars during off-season. Study Design: Randomized Block Design. Place and Duration of Study: University Research Farm, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736165, West Bengal, India. Experiments were conducted during Boro 2017 and Kharif 2018. Methodology: Forty nine cultivars were sown in seed beds on 28th November, 2017 for cultivation of the Boro crop and sowing was done on 30th June, 2018 for cultivation of Kharif crop. Seedlings were transplanted in randomized block design with two replications. Row to row spacing was 30 cm and plant to plant spacing was 20 cm. Standard agronomic practices compatible to the humid tropic of Terai Zone were practiced. Ten random plants from each plot were selected for recording data. Observations were recorded on yield and yield attributing parameters. Results: High significant variation was observed for all the characters under study indicating the presence of high variability among the selected cultivars. Only the test weight between the two seasons had insignificant difference representing that there was no effect of seasons on this character. Time of sowing was standardized for sowing of the traditional cultivars in alternative season- Boro. The yield ranged from 0.35 t/ha to 2.68 t/ha during Boro and from 2.67 t/ha to 8.48 t/ha during Kharif. Ronga Komal (2.68 t/ha), Kauka (2.65 t/ha), Jaldhyapa (2.54 t/ha), Chakhao Angangbi (2.07 t/ha), Kaloboichi (1.87 t/ha), Kalturey (1.85 t/ha), Chakhao-Selection-2 (1.59 t/ha), Chakhao-Selection-1 (1.46 t/ha), Chakhao Sempak (1.43 t/ha) and Chakhao-Selection-3 (1.42 t/ha) performed well during Boro season. Conclusion: Ronga Komal, Kauka, Jaldhyapa, Chakhao Angangbi, Kaloboichi, Kalturey, Chakhao-Selection-2, Chakhao-Selection-1, Chakhao Sempak and Chakhao-Selection-3 performed well during Boro season. Consequently, those above varieties may be recommended for cultivation during Boro season.

Impact of Extraction Process in Non-Compliant ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apples towards the Development of Natural Antioxidant Extracts

The ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ apple (BE) is rich in antioxidants and represents one of the most important traditional cultivars in Portugal. A large amount of non-compliant BE, with no market value, it is generated every year. Thus, an effort to find value-added solutions is of utmost importance. For the first time, green extraction (microwave-assisted-extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted-extraction (UAE)) were compared against conventional extraction (with (CET) and without temperature (CE)) to select the most efficient process to produce a natural antioxidant extract from non-compliant BE. The results showed that MAE and CET are good methodologies for developing a BE antioxidant extract. However, MAE is more sustainable than CET, requiring less time to reach high temperatures. The MAE-extract showed great antioxidant activity (14.80 ± 0.70 mg TE/g DE by ORAC, 3.92 ± 0.25 mg AAE/g DE by ABTS, and 5.11 ± 0.13 mg TE/g DE by DPPH). This extract revealed high amount of chlorogenic acid (0.48 ± 0.07 mg/g DE), (-)-epicatechin (0.30 ± 0.02 mg/g DE) and phloridzin (0.13 ± 0.01 mg/g DE). This study shows that non-compliant BE is a useful source of antioxidants, being a sustainable way for the recovery of value-added compounds from the rejected fruit in line with sustainable and circular bioeconomy principles.

Evaluation of Scab and Mildew Resistance in the Gene Bank Collection of Apples in Dresden-Pillnitz

A set of 680 apple cultivars from the Fruit Gene bank in Dresden Pillnitz was evaluated for the incidence of powdery mildew and scab in two consecutive years. The incidence of both scab and powdery mildew increased significantly in the second year. Sixty and 43 cultivars with very low incidence in both years of scab and powdery mildew, respectively, were analysed with molecular markers linked to known resistance genes. Thirty-five cultivars were identified to express alleles or combinations of alleles linked to Rvi2, Rvi4, Rvi6, Rvi13, Rvi14, or Rvi17. Twenty of them, modern as well as a few traditional cultivars known before the introduction or Rvi6 from Malus floribunda 821, amplified the 159 bp fragment of marker CH_Vf1 that is linked to Rvi6. Alleles linked to Pl1, Pld, or Plm were expressed from five cultivars resistant to powdery mildew. Eleven cultivars were identified to have very low susceptibility to both powdery mildew and scab. The information on resistance/susceptibility of fruit genetic resources towards economically important diseases is important for breeding and for replanting traditional cultivars. Furthermore, our work provides a well-defined basis for the discovery of undescribed, new scab, and powdery mildew resistance.

Watercore in Apple Landraces (Malus domestica Borkh.) as a quality indicator

Watercore is the presence of a vitrified texture intruded in the pulp of the fruit. It is found in fruits from different genus and families; and it has been studied in apples. Watercore was described, in apples, as a texture with differential sensorial characteristics in relationship with the ordinary pulp, and its presence is currently considered a defect in apple production, causing economic losses. In this study, it is described as a dichotomous descriptor. We analysed 641 apples from a region belonging to Central Spain (Guadarrama mountain range and the close Tagus Basin River); it was found that around 30% of those apples shown this characteristic, being practically all of them from landraces. Studies related to traditional cultivars do not analyze such characteristic, considered up today as a defect. Nevertheless, we discuss that watercore can have some potential as it gives to apple a distinct appearance and aroma, all of them of value in differential quality and international seal protection. As a result, we conclude our preliminary analysis that it is highly recommended to take into consideration watercore as a descriptor in apple characterizations.

Artocarpus altilis (breadfruit).

A. altilis (breadfruit) is a multipurpose tree that is primarily valued for its highly nutritious, high-carbohydrate fruit. The species is native to the Pacific and tropical Asia and is now widely planted throughout the humid tropics (Rajendran, 1991; Ragone 1997). Breadfruit likely originated and was first domesticated in New Guinea and associated islands, such as the Bismarck Archipelago (Ragone, 1991). Its food qualities and potential for food production in other parts of tropics were quickly appreciated by Europeans when they first ventured into the Pacific in the late 1600s. Trees are long-lived, providing nutritious fruits for human consumption, timber and feed for animals (Sasuke, 1953; Jensen, 1995; Peters and Wills, 1956; Streets, 1962; Gupta, 1993; Hearne, 1975; Ragone, 1997; Whistler, 1992; Whistler, 1996; Yen, 1974). The species is an important component of traditional agroforestry systems in the Pacific Islands and is one of the most important seasonal, staple food crops. A. altilis can be grown under a range of ecological conditions and production requires little input of labour or materials. The ripe syncarps can be boiled, baked, roasted, and eaten plain or combined with other ingredients into a great variety of dishes (Ragone, 1997; Smith, 1981; Wootton and Tumaalii, 1984; Lepofsky, 1992; Little and Skolmen, 1989; Rajendran, 1991; Yen, 1974; Purseglove, 1968; Ragone, 1990). The fruit is commonly harvested and consumed when mature, but still firm, and used as a starchy staple. A. altilis trees provide a range of useful materials: timber for buildings, canoes and carving; fibre for cordage and fabric; latex; and medicines. Different parts of the plant - its roots, leaves and bark - have various medicinal properties (Cambie and Ash, 1994; Jensen, 1995; Purseglove, 1968; Wootton and Tumaalii, 1984). A. altilis is also an important garden ornamental tree and its large, dissected leaves have become a Pacific icon. It is also used as a windbreak or shade tree for coffee (Jensen, 1995). The greatest diversity of seeded and few-seeded cultivars is found in the eastern Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, while the greatest diversity of seedless cultivars occurs in eastern Polynesia (Society Islands and Marquesas) and Pohnpei and Chuuk in Micronesia (Ragone, 1997). Hundreds of traditional cultivars have been selected which are adapted to various climates and soils and accommodate a wide range of horticultural needs. These traditional cultivars need to be conserved and evaluated to maximize their potential use (Ragone, 1997). Generally the produce of A. altilis has not been traded over long distances, but it is now being exported from the Caribbean. Commercial processing is limited to preserving the boiled, cut fruit in brine (Rajendran, 1991). Development of commercial products and research to extend shelf-life have to be focused on the mature fruit stage (Ragone, 1997). Little is known about yield levels, harvesting seasons and others factors which determine whether breadfruit can hold its own against competing staple foods and fruits. Other research needs include developing a framework to first characterize, describe and evaluate existing collections, especially in the Pacific Islands, and identifying future collecting priorities (Ragone, 1997). For South-East Asia, an improved knowledge of the phenology and yields of trees in humid and monsoon climates is needed as a prerequisite to substantiate the claims that the prospects for breadfruit are good (Rajendran, 1991). Little attention has been given to expanding the use of ripe fruits: a much greater proportion of the breadfruit crop could be utilized and marketed if food products incorporating ripe breadfruit, such as baby food, baked goods and desserts, are developed.

Sustainability of Traditional Rice Cultivation in Kerala, India—A Socio-Economic Analysis

Traditional rice cultivars and cultivation are on the decline in most rice-growing areas, mainly as a result of their low productivity. Packed with nutritionally, environmentally and locally superior qualities, traditional cultivars hold the key for sustainability in rice cultivation. This study explored the dynamics of traditional rice cultivation in Kerala, India. It examined the economic, institutional and socio demographic factors involved in the production and marketing of traditional rice. We employed a multinomial logit model and discriminant function analysis to extract the key factors governing farmers’ marketing behaviour, and various cost measures to study the economics of rice enterprises. The socio-demographic factors were analysed using descriptive statistical tools. Holding size and institutional support were the main factors governing the marketing behaviour of farmers. Even though traditional rice farming was not found to be cost-effective in implicit terms, it was remunerative when imputed personal labour and owned land costs were not considered. The study found that traditional farmers are ageing, have a lower education and use limited marketing channels. However, the majority of them were satisfied with their farm enterprise. By streamlining the market support mechanism and processing facilities, traditional rice would most likely gain momentum in key areas.