Genetic variability, association and diversity analysis in upland Rice (Oryza sativa L)

High heritability coupled with high to moderate phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation and genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for grain yield per plant, plant height, test weight, fertile spikelet per panicle, total grains per panicle and number of effective tillers per plant. Positive and significant association were observed for days to 50 per cent flowering, days to maturity, plant height, panicle length, fertile spikelet per panicle, total grains per panicle and spikelet fertility with grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level, while highest positive direct effect on grain yield was recorded by fertile spikelet per panicle, total number of grains per panicle, plant height and days to 50% flowering. Based on ten quantitative traits the accessions were clustered into seven groups, the cluster III contained highest 14 accessions, followed by clusters I comprised 11 accessions and cluster VI, VII, V, IV and II have 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 accessions, respectively. The first four principal components accounted for 77.13% of total variation of all the traits. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v12i2.21915 SAARC J. Agri., 12(2): 40-51 (2014)

Vascular system of the fertile spikelet of Sorghum (Gramineae: Panicoideae)

The vascular system of the sessile, fertile spikelet of Sorghum was reconstructed from serial transverse sections. The vascular system is a composite of the basipetal extensions of the traces from the appendages on the rachilla. The rachilla immediately above the glumes consists of an outer and an inner series of these vascular extensions. The basipetal continuations of the median traces of the sterile and fertile lemmas, and of the traces from the stamens comprise the inner series. The outer series consists of the continuations of the many lodicule traces and of vascular bundles descending from the posterior of the pistil. The component of the vascular system related to the pistil is a plexus of xylem and phloem in the form of a hollow cylinder traversed by a large vascular bundle that is the basipetal continuation of the stylar bundles. Bundles from the anterior of the pistil merge with the hollow cylinder at its anterior. Several collateral bundles from the placenta merge with the hollow cylinder at its posterior. Distal portions of these placental bundles supply the short chalaza of the ovule but do not enter it. The vascular system of the fertile spikelet of Sorghum is typical of the Panicoideae, and is useful in distinguishing the Panicoideae from the other subfamilies of grasses. Key words: Sorghum, spikelet, floret, vascular system.

Ear formation and grain yield of winter wheat as affected by time of nitrogen supply.

Winter wheat cv. Caribo (1979) or Arminda and Okapi (1980) was provided with an additional N dressing at different stages between tillering and ear emergence after a basal N dose applied at the onset of tillering. The effect of N on ear formation depended greatly on the growth stage at the time of N application. Max. effects on tiller formation and spikelet initiation were achieved when additional N was supplied at the beginning of tillering; on ear number when N was supplied at the onset of stem elongation; on the numbers of fertile spikelets, grains/fertile spikelet and grains/ear when N was applied during stem elongation until flag leaf emergence and on single grain wt. when N was applied at ear emergence. Variations in 1000-grain wt. were small, therefore grain yield/ear as well as yield/unit area was largely determined by grain number. Main shoots outyielded ear-bearing tillers because of a higher grain number. In ear-bearing tillers, grain yield largely depended on grain number, being highest in the older tillers. Grain formation of ear-bearing tillers was more strongly affected by the time of additional N application than that of main shoots. Top-dressings of N applied during stem elongation increased the grain number of ear-bearing tillers considerably, because both the number of fertile spikelets and the grain number/fertile spikelet were higher. In the young late-appeared tillers, the opt. time to apply additional N for grain set shifted to later stages of development. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

Effect of Tiller Removal and Shading on Spikelet Development and Yield Components of the Main Shoot of Wheat and on the Sugar Concentration of the Ear and Flag Leaf

Continuous removal of tillers from wheat plants (cv. Gamenya) in an irrigated field crop resulted in an 86% increase in grain yield of the ear on the main shoot due, principally, to more kernels per fertile spikelet. On detillered plants 99% of spikelets were fertile with an average of 3.8 kernels per fertile spikelet compared with 91% and 2.4 for the control. Tiller removal increased spikelet numbers by 1 to a mean of 21.4 but did not affect the rate of production of spikelet primordia. The concentration of sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) in leaf bases at terminal spikelet formation and in leaf bases and ears just before ear emergence were the same in control and detillered plants. It was considered unlikely that tillers compete with the main shoot for carbohydrates thus limiting ear development and grain yields of the main shoot; instead, competition for reduced nitrogen may be involved. Shading plants to 20% of full sunlight, especially during floret development, reduced grain yields per ear by 50% due to fewer kernels per fertile spikelet (2.2) plus a 32% decline in kernel weight. Tiller numbers and shoot size were reduced by shading while spikelet numbers were reduced by two compared with controls due to a reduced rate of production of spikelet primordia. Shading also reduced sugar concentrations relative to controls in leaf bases at terminal spikelet formation and in ears just prior to emergence. The supply of carbohydrates under shading was limited, affecting growth and grain yields.