Harmfulness of Alternaria leaf spot on various genotypes of grape varieties

The aim of the research was to assess the harmfulness of alternariosis on various genotypes of grape varieties. The difference in the intensity of development and spread of alternariosis in intra- and interspecific hybrids of grapes was 78.7 and 75.4 % at the end of the growing season. No harmful effect of alternariosis on the yield and quality of grapes of intraspecific hybrid (‘Sauvignon Blanc’ variety) was detected. Strong development on an interspecific hybrid (‘Bianca’ variety) led to the yield decrease by 48.6 %, and sugar content reduction – by 7.7 %.

Herbage accumulation of bahiagrass hybrids in two different environments in southern Brazil

The native grasslands of southern Brazil have sustained livestock farming for many years; however, decline in pasture areas has led to the loss of genetic diversity of forage species. The development of forage grass cultivars adapted to different environments, will contribute to forming new cultivated pastures or recovering degraded areas. The aim of this study was to assess the herbage accumulation of selected intraspecific hybrid progenies of bahiagrass (P. notatum Flügge) in two different environments (Depressão Central and Campanha region) to estimate their agronomic value. The results indicated variability for the main forage traits studied (leaf dry mass, stem dry mass, inflorescence dry mass, total dry mass, leaf: stem ratio, plant height and population density of tillers). All the hybrids producing more forage mass than the ‘Pensacola’ cultivar in the municipality of Eldorado do Sul and the majority also superior in the municipality of São Gabriel. The production of leaves in the forage was correlated with total dry mass (84%), suggesting that genotype selection for forage mass also selected for production of leaves. The selected hybrids should be indicated for new steps of assessment within the P. notatum breeding program.

Prevalence of tool behaviour is associated with pelage phenotype in intraspecific hybrid long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea × M. f. fascicularis)

Stone-hammering behaviour customarily occurs in Burmese long-tailed macaques, Macaca fascicularis aurea, and in some Burmese-common longtail hybrids, M. f. aurea × M. f. fascicularis; however, it is not observed in common longtails. Facial pelage discriminates these subspecies, and hybrids express variable patterns. It was tested if stone hammering related to facial pelage in 48 hybrid longtails, across two phenotypes — hybrid-like () and common-like (). In both phenotypes, tool users showed similar frequency and proficiency of stone hammering; however, common-like phenotypes showed significantly fewer tool users (42%) than hybrid-like phenotypes (76%). 111 Burmese longtails showed the highest prevalence of tool users (88%). Hybrid longtails living together in a shared social and ecological environment showed a significant difference in tool user prevalence based on facial pelage phenotype. This is consistent with inherited factors accounting for the difference, and thus could indicate Burmese longtails carry developmental biases for their tool behaviour.

Assessment of genetic diversity in advanced breeding lines derived from intraspecific crosses of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.)

An intraspecific hybrid breeding program involving six crosses, Palam Sumool (PS) × Palam Priya, PS × Pb-89, PS × Azad P-1, PS × Palam Triloki and VRPMR10 × Sugar Giant, Green Pearl × DPP-9411 was initiated in 2006 onwards followed by pedigree selection, resulted in isolation of 45 genotypes with desirable attributes. These progenies along with five recommended varieties were evaluated during 2014-15 to assess degree of divergence. A considerable genetic diversity was observed among genotypes, dispersed in 18 diverse clusters. Of these, 17 were monogenotypic while cluster I had maximum genotypes. Internodal length contributed maximum towards total genetic divergence followed by nodes per plant, protein content and average pod weight. Superior performing genotypes viz., ‘DPP-2011-SP-7’, ‘DPP-2011-SP-17’, and ‘DPP-2011-SP-24’ from cluster I and ‘DPP-2011-SP-6’, ‘DPP-2011-SP-22’ ‘DPPMR-09-1’, ‘DPPMR-09-2’, ‘DPP-2011-SN-5’ and ‘Palam Triloki’ from monogenotypic clusters offer promise for their direct use as varieties and as potential parents in future breeding programmes.

Preliminary results of intraspecific sterlet hybrid (Siberian sterlet × sterlet) rearing under intensive conditions

Due to early maturation and a small size, sterlet (Acipenserrut-henus) is a very advantageous fish for intensive sturgeon farming with regard to caviar production. According to our previous observations, the growth potential of Siberian sterlet (A.ruthenusmarsiglii) is higher than that of the European one. In our experiment, sterlet and an intraspecific hybrid (Siberian sterlet × sterlet) were tested under intensive tank conditions. During the 8 weeks of the experiment, survival, growth and size heterogeneity were investigated. According to the results, there were no significant differences in survival and growth but the size heterogeneity was higher in the hybrid. It is supposed that, in our trial, the applied water temperature range (24.0–25.5 °C) was optimal for sterlet, but was probably above the optimal range for the hybrid.

Segregation distortion and linkage analysis in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

An anther-derived doubled haploid (DH) population and an F2 mapping population were developed from an intraspecific hybrid between the eggplant breeding lines 305E40 and 67/3. The former incorporates an introgressed segment from Solanum aethiopicum Gilo Group carrying the gene Rfo-sa1, which confers resistance to Fusarium oxysporum ; the latter is a selection from an intraspecific cross involving two conventional eggplant varieties and lacks Rfo-sa1. Initially, 28 AFLP primer combinations (PCs) were applied to a sample of 93 F2 individuals and 93 DH individuals, from which 170 polymorphic AFLP fragments were identified. In the DH population, the segregation of 117 of these AFLPs as well as markers closely linked to Rfo-sa1 was substantially distorted, while in the F2 population, segregation distortion was restricted to just 10 markers, and thus the latter was chosen for map development. A set of 141 F2 individuals was genotyped with 73 AFLP PCs (generating 406 informative markers), 32 SSRs, 4 tomato RFLPs, and 3 CAPS markers linked to Rfo-sa1. This resulted in the assignment of 348 markers to 12 major linkage groups. The framework map covered 718.7 cM, comprising 238 markers (212 AFLPs, 22 SSRs, 1 RFLP, and the Rfo-sa1 CAPS). Marker order and inter-marker distances in this eggplant map were largely consistent with those reported in a recently published SSR-based map. From an eggplant breeding perspective, DH populations produced by anther culture appear to be subject to massive segregation distortion and thus may not be very efficient in capturing the full range of genetic variation present in the parental lines.