Fulltext search in archive

Heading date determines rice seasonal and regional adaptation, while plant height is an important trait related to rice lodging resistance. In this study, a recombinant inbred line population was used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for both traits in long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) environments. Three and two QTLs for heading date were detected in LD and SD environments, respectively. Notably, qHD8 and qHD10 were commonly detected in both environments. Five and four QTLs for plant height were identified in LD and SD environments, respectively. Among them, qPH3, qPH5 and qPH6 showed no pleiotropic effects on heading date and were detected in both environments. These three QTLs are considered to be the primary targets for improving rice plant height. Additionally, two genomic regions exhibited pleiotropic effects on both heading date and plant height. The alleles delayed the heading date while simultaneously increasing plant height. This study indicated that most QTLs for heading date are sensitive to photoperiod and have pleiotropic effects on plant height, thereby complicating their application in breeding programs. These findings provide useful information for the breeding of rice varieties with desired heading dates and plant heights.

Barley is one of the world’s most important crops. Barley is used for both food and feed and is important for the production of malt. Malt quality is a complex function of barley genetics, environmental conditions during barley growth, and the technological aspects of the malting process. Due to the high heritability of more than half of the malting parameters, barley can be bred for malting quality. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is a good way to speed up the breeding process. In this study, nine molecular markers were used to screen 115 barley varieties and breeding lines over a four-year period. The results were compared with malting quality parameters. Multicomponent correlation analysis showed a good correlation (R = 0.63; P ≤ 0.01) between marker screening results and malting quality parameters. In 93 genotypes (80.9%), agreement was found between molecular marker prediction and malting quality determination. Differences between molecular marker screening and malt quality parameters and possible improvements are discussed. The use of molecular markers in MAS is highly appreciated by barley breeders.

Powdery mildew (PM) is a fungus that causes disease in both the field and the greenhouse. Utilizing resistant cultivars is the most effective approach of disease management. To develop insertion-deletion (InDel) markers associated to this trait, the whole genomes of the PM resistant line M17050 (P1) and the PM-susceptible line 28-1-1 (P2) were sequenced. A total of 1 200 InDels, with an average of 100 markers per chromosome, were arbitrarily chosen from the sequencing data for experimental validation. One hundred InDel markers were ultimately selected due to their informative genetic bands. Further, an F₂ segregating population of melons generated from these two parents was inoculated by the PM pathogen. Based on bulk segregant analysis (BSA) using these 100 InDel markers, the powdery mildew resistance was associated with the genomic region LVpm12.1 on the melon chromosome 12. This region overlapped the previously described quantitative trait locus (QTL)-hotspot area carrying multiple PM-resistance QTLs. Moreover, conventional QTL mapping analysis was done, which located LVpm12.1 in the region between 22.72 and 23.34 Mb, where three highly polymorphic InDel markers MInDel89, MInDel92, and MInDel93 were detected. Therefore, these markers could be used to track this resistance locus in melon while the lines carrying this locus could be employed in PM melon resistance breeding programs after validation tests.

Temperature is a key parameter that influences the uptake and subsequent utilization of nitrogen by plants. Both suboptimal and supraoptimal temperatures can impair nutrient uptake. The close relatives of bread wheat provide a possible source for breeders to increase stress tolerance. The effect of the increasing temperature (5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 °C) on nitrate uptake and metabolism in five modern spring cultivars of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and two cultivars of emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon Schrank), was monitored. Wheat plants were grown under controlled conditions in hydroponics. The parameters of Michaelis-Menten kinetics, maximum uptake rate (V_max), the Michaelis constant (K_m) and selected characteristics of nitrate metabolism, the activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and contents of nitrate in leaves were observed. The effect of temperature was significant for all studied traits except K_m, while the cultivar factor was significant for V_max, K_m, NR and root/shoot ratio (R/S). Emmer wheat cultivar Rudico had significantly higher V_max at 5, 15, 20 and 30 °C than all bread wheat cultivars, on average 7.07, in comparison with 4.09–4.43 μmol NO₃^–/g FW/h in bread wheat cultivars. Emmer wheat Rudico and Tapiruz had significantly higher K_m (on average, 41.59 and 47.22 μM NO₃^–) than bread wheat cultivars (27.59–33.44 μM NO₃^–). Differences in the studied kinetic parameters of nitrate uptake offer the possibility of using T. dicoccon genotypes in breeding for better nitrogen use efficiency.

The Karakılçık landrace is known for its quality traits, especially protein content. However, its high plant height causes lodging and yield loss, which limits the production area. A Levante × Karakılçık population developed by crossing the local Karakılçık wheat with the commercial variety Levante in order to eliminate the disadvantages of Karakılçık and adapt it to wider production areas. In the study, yield, quality, and some physiological traits were investigated in the population. The experiment was conducted in an augmented experimental design in the cropping seasons of 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. A total of 36 genotypes from Levante × Karakılçık population, parents and 2 controls were tested. The tested genotypes varied significantly for all investigated traits (P < 0.01). Principal component biplot analysis explained 69.3% of the variations and relationships between the traits and genotypes. Among the investigated traits, genotypes LK26, LK19 and LK3 outperformed their parents in 5 traits (spike length (SL), number of spikelets per spike (SNS), number of grain numbers per spike (GNS), protein content (PC) and wet gluten content (G)), 4 traits (SNS, grain weight per spike (GWS), GNS and PC) and 3 traits (grain yield (GY), GNS and test weight (TW)), respectively. The genotype LK3 for yield and the genotypes LK19 and LK26 for quality traits could be recommended to growers and breeders.

Several antimitotic agents were tested in three embryogenic doubled haploid (DH) lines of swede (Brassica napus ssp. napobrassica). No effect on embryogenesis was observed at the given concentrations of colchicine (5 μmol/L or 50 mg/L) and treatment time of 24 hours. Flow cytometric analysis of microspore embryos revealed a significant increase in the percentage of DH compared to the control for all substances: ethalfluralin, 62.2%; trifluralin, 58.3%; colchicine, 56.1%; amiprophos-methyl, 54.4%; pronamide, 35.0%; control, 13.3%. The occurrence of pure tetraploids was low (0–5%), mixoploids – especially n+2n – were high in all treatments, including the control (29.4–71.1%). Their presence can be explained as a consequence of spontaneous diploidisation and/or endoreduplication during embryogenesis or embryo germination.

Fungal pathogens Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Berl. & De Toni (downy mildew) and Erysiphe necator Schwein. (powdery mildew) represent the biggest threats for grape growers worldwide. Under suitable conditions, these pathogens can spread very quickly through vineyards and cause significant damage. The most ecological way to reduce the possibility of infection in vineyards is growing interspecific genotypes which are able to suppress these pathogens and stop the spread of infection. With this in mind, 9 international and 11 Czech grapevine genotypes were analysed in order to genotype the resistance loci present in them. As a tool a set of SSR markers linked to known loci of resistance to downy and powdery mildew was used. Namely, presence of four loci responsible for resistance to Plasmopara viticola (Rpv3, Rpv4, Rpv7, and Rpv10) and two for Erysiphe necator (Ren3 and Ren9) loci were analysed with respective SSR markers. By this way the degree of resistance gene pyramiding was newly assessed in all analysed cultivars and their perspectives in grapevine breeding are discussed.

Yellow rust (YR), caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is a global threat to wheat production. In this study the response of 46 wheat and triticale cultivars to Pst at the adult plant stage (APS) was evaluated during two successive growing seasons at Sulaimania, Iraq. Also, we used a molecular analysis to find the yellow rust resistance (Yr) genes present in the individual cultivars. The results revealed large differences in the response to Pst between the cultivars. Most of the cultivars were susceptible to YR; the mean coefficients of infection (CI) varied from 0.23 in cv. Sarah to 83.33 in Hsad. High resistance levels were found in Al-Wand, Kalar 1, Rezan, and Sarahat APS, while Al-Rashid, Charmo, Faris 1, Maaroof, Rabiea, and Iratom displayed moderate resistance. The level of Yellow rust infection was higher in 2023 than in 2022 in most tested cultivars. Molecular analysis revealed the highest number of Yr genes (Yr2, Yr5, Yr7, Yr9, Yrvav, Yr15, Yr24, Yr26, and Yr32) in the cv. Al-Wand, followed by Sulaimani 2 with eight Yr genes (Yr2, Yr5, Yr7, Yr9, Yr15, Yr24, Yr26, and Yr32). Only one Yr gene was found in Iratom and Tamuz 3. Yr2 was the most frequently identified gene, present in the majority of tested cultivars (87%), followed by Yr7 (76%) and Yr9 (74%), respectively.

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) accelerated floret opening in rice, crucial for addressing inconsistent floret opening in hybrid seed production of indica × japonica hybrids. However, indica and japonica rice exhibited notable differences in their sensitivity to MeJA’s impact on floret opening, with indica responding faster. To clarify the molecular basis of MeJA-induced floret opening sensitivity differences between indica and japonica rice, after 1 h of MeJA spraying, transcriptomes and endogenous floret opening regulators were compared between indica and japonica rice, with histology differences observed. The results showed that MeJA quickly activated plant hormones in indica and japonica rice, but JAZ genes in JA signalling pathway upregulation were greater in indica rice. Alpha-linolenic acid, starch and sucrose metabolism pathways responded faster in indica rice. MeJA boosted endogenous JA synthesis more in indica rice, which had 5–6 middle-layer cells, more than japonica’s 3–4 layers, resulting in thicker glumes. The metabolic pathways regulating floret opening, including plant hormone signal transduction, alpha-linolenic acid and starch and sucrose metabolism, along with endogenous JA and soluble sugars, could respond to exogenous MeJA. However, the more intense and rapid responses of these regulatory pathways and endogenous substances to MeJA in indica, resulted in the difference in sensitivity to MeJA between indica and japonica rice.

Sweet sorghum is a cereal crop that can potentially serve as a source for bioethanol production. This study aims to analyse the genetic diversity of promising genotypes of sweet sorghum at the molecular level. The genetic material consisted of 12 sweet sorghum genotypes. The genetic diversity estimated using 59 SSRs markers showed a polymorphism value of 0.48 and the coefficient of genetic diversity was classified as moderate. The unweighted pair group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis assigned the tested genotypes into three major clusters with a similarity coefficient level of 0.596. This indicates that the genetic similarity of the tested genotypes is moderate to high. Eight unique loci were identified with the SSRs markers in six genotypes, which are considered to control high sugar traits.

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are valuable genetic and genomic research tools and are extensively used in major crops. However, a paucity of available molecular markers in lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) has significantly hindered genomic studies in this vital legume crop. In this study, we developed 33 new SSR markers for lentils using an enriched genomic library and tested their polymorphism in 10 lentil cultivars. We found that 16 (48.5%) SSR markers were polymorphic. The expected heterozygosity values of the polymorphic SSR markers ranged from 0.095 to 0.820, while observed heterozygosity values varied between 0.100 and 1.00. In addition, we tested the transferability of 86 SSR markers, including the 33 newly developed ones, to other legume species. Transferability rates of lentil SSR markers to other species varied between 13.76% (Vicia sativa L.) and 2.58% (Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Trifolium pratense L.). These new SSR markers could be used in further molecular breeding, population genetics, and genetic mapping studies in lentils and other legume species.

Graphene-based materials (GBMs) have become potential soil pollutants due to their wide applications in agricultural environments. Although physiological mechanisms of plant responses to GBMs have been previously explored, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we analysed the physiological and transcriptomic changes of buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) roots exposed to 100 mg/L graphene oxide (GO) with different diameter. GO negatively affected root growth and higher diameters of GO caused more adverse effects on the root. In total 3 724 GO-responsive genes were identified in root by transcriptome analysis. 70 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in ROS detoxification, and 37 transporter-encoding genes were found to be involved in GO response. These transporters may regulate the uptake and transport of GO in buckwheat. The gene expression of 84 transcription factors (TFs) showed a response to GO stress in the root, which may regulate the transporters and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification-related genes. Finally, the difference in the transcriptomic response of the root to the three GO materials with different diameters was investigated. 49 GO-responsive genes may be involved in the difference in the toxicity of GO with different diameters. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of plant roots to GBMs.

For sustainable breeding in potato, a better understanding of genetic diversity within germplasm banks for sustainable breeding is needed. This study comprehensively characterised the molecular and phenotypic traits of 62 potato accessions, including advanced clones and indigenous potato varieties from Advanced Chemical Industries Limited (ACI Ltd.), Bangladesh, and 8 varieties from the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). By using 9 SSR markers and 13 morphological traits, including both quantitative and qualitative traits, we observed correlation coefficients ranging from –0.3 to 0.7 for 8 quantitative traits, and Pearson's chi-square (χ² value) ranging from 24.3 to 135.4 for 5 qualitative characteristics. Molecular analyses identified 46 unique alleles, with 93.5% polymorphism. The markers STM0031 and STM1016 had the highest PIC value of 0.9. Genetic parameters for SSR markers included effective number of alleles per locus (Ne) = 5.6, unbiased expected heterozygosity (uh) = 0.8, diversity (h) = 0.8 and Shannon’s information index (I) = 1.8. Jaccard’s similarity coefficients ranged from 0.2 to 0.8, representing significant diversity. Cluster analysis, using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA), grouped the accessions into five clusters based on SSR profiles. An association was foud between the marker STM0031 and two traits: the number of tubers per hill and the content of reducing sugars in the tubers. This study provides information on genetic diversity and marker efficacy. It will guide future breeding programmes towards the development of high-yielding and industrially valuable potato varieties.

Low temperatures are one of the major abiotic stresses that affect alfalfa’s development and yield. Enhancing frost resistance through resistance-related genes is one of the most effective ways to address this issue in alfalfa. Therefore, exploring cold-resistant gene resources and the cultivation of cold-resistant alfalfa cultivars is inevitable in order to achieve high yield and quality. In this study, we conducted transcriptome profiling of roots obtained from two alfalfa genotypes, i.e., Qingda No.1 for freeze tolerance and Gannong No.9 for freeze sensitivity. We observed that Qingda No.1 had more lateral roots and a more developed root system after overwintering, while Gannong No.9 had fewer lateral roots and an underdeveloped root system. After overwintering, Qingda No.1 exhibited higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity compared to Gannong No.9, while Gannong No.9 showed higher perosuperoxide dismutasexidase (POD) activity than Qingda No.1. We identified 25,935 differentially expressed genes, with 12 979 and 12 956 differential genes found in the freeze-tolerant variety Qingda No.1 group and the freeze-sensitive Gannong No.9 group, respectively. The enrichment of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways also differed between the two groups. We also discovered several gene family members, and the most frequent transcription factors were bHLH, B3, NAC, WRKY, and MYB_related. These findings provide comprehensive information to further understand the molecular mechanisms of adaptation to freezing stress in alfalfa and offer potential functional candidate genes for adaptation to abiotic stress.

The influence of the developmental stage of zygotic embryos and the composition and pH of the Gamborg induction medium B5 on the initiation and development of somatic embryos was investigated. The optimal medium was B5 medium with a pH value of 5.0 and without plant growth regulator, at which the highest frequency of somatic embryogenesis (56.67%) and the highest average number of somatic embryos per explant (3.35) were achieved. Somatic embryos appeared directly on the hypocotyls of the explants, without the callus stage. On zygotic embryos in the early cotyledonary phase, three times higher regeneration was achieved compared to larger embryos in the cotyledonary phase. The induction of somatic embryogenesis did not occur during the growth of explants on the medium containinig 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, nor on zygotic embryos in the late cotyledonary phase. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis showed the genetic stability of somatic embryo-derived plants, which makes this newly established protocol suitable for the regeneration and propagation of desirable broccoli genotypes.

Genetic diversity is referred to as any variation at the phenotypic, DNA or genomic level of an individual, population or species. The appraisal of diversity is important to understand its pattern and evolutionary relationships between germplasms or genotypes, which will aid in sampling the genetic resources in a more systematic manner for conservation and crop improvement. The present study employed 50 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to the yield and fibre quality/colour traits for estimating the genetic diversity in 33 cotton genotypes of diploid and tetraploid species differing in fibre colour. The diversity analysis was performed in GenAlEx (Ver. 6.41) and Powermarker (Ver. 3.25) while DARwin (Ver. 6.0.21) software was used to establish the phylogenetic relationships following neighbour-joining (NJ) and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic (UPGMA) mean method. Markers generated 186 polymorphic loci as genotypic data with an average of 3.72 alleles and an average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.59 per SSR locus. The NJ and UPGMA grouped 33 genotypes into three major clusters I, II and III consisting of 21 tetraploid Gossypium hirsutum, 10 G. arboreum coloured and 2 white cotton genotypes, respectively. In the PCA, the first two components (PC1 and PC2) explained 74.69% of the variation and the biplot plotted the 33 genotypes in three groups. The study established the diverse nature of 33 cotton genotypes based on their fibre colour and ploidy level. With confirmation of the prevalent genetic diversity, we suggest that hybridisation can be planned among diverse genotypes to unleash greater variation in the fibre colour or to derive superior cross combinations.

Food insecurity which has been a global threat, forces researchers to develop crops with increased productivity even under varying climatic conditions. Rice, being a significant staple and strategic crop, helps ensure economic stability, food, and nutritional security globally. It meets 20% of the calorie requirement of people residing all over the world. Lately, rice cultivation and research have been facing hitherto unprecedented difficulties in the context of climate-induced water scarcity and dwindling resources of manpower, arable land, etc. In this regard, direct seeded rice (DSR) as a resource conservation technique is gaining popularity as a potential alternative to conventional transplanting with reduced input requirement, reduced methane and CO₂ emission, increased adaptability to climate change, and increased economic returns. The weed menace in DSR prevents it from reaching its fruitful attainment to a significant level. DSR highly depends on herbicide for weed control as manual weeding and other cultural practices are labour intensive which again meets a setback of crop injury (non-selective herbicide) and resistant weeds (selective herbicides). Herbicide-tolerant (HT) rice could be an effective and long-term solution for weed management in DSR. Three HT rice systems, viz., imidazolinones, glyphosate, and glufosinate, have already been developed in this context. This review gives an insight into the need for HT rice in DSR, its production system, limitations, and stewardship guidelines for proper weed management in rice.

To investigate the role of the HvnAnt2 gene in the formation of different qingke barley grain colours, HvnAnt2 was isolated from the leaves of the White 91-97-3 (white), Blue qingke (blue), Kunlun 17 (black), and Purple qingke (purple). The HvnAnt2 gene encodes a hydrophilic unstable protein consisting of 561 amino acids, without a transmembrane structure and without a signal peptide, with one bHLH-MYC_N and one HLH domain at amino acids 22–204 and 387–436, respectively. The HvnAnt2 of qingke barley was most closely related to Hordeum vulgare and most distantly related to Triticum monococcum; it was mainly related to light responsiveness and methyl jasmonate responsiveness. The Ant2 gene was highly expressed in Kunlun 17 and Purple qingke barley grains during the later stage of development. The protein interaction prediction showed that flavonoid 3’-monooxygenase, anthocyanin biosynthesis gene regulators, and key enzymes in folate metabolism interacted with the Ant2 protein. This study provides a reference for further analysis of the Ant2 gene in the anthocyanin synthesis pathways of qingke barley with different grain colours.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a comparatively novel class of phytohormones that are involved in the maintenance of plant architecture with key regulation of lateral branching. They are also reported to play an important role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses. The potential of SLs to improve crop resilience and productivity needs to be effectively translated into agriculture. Therefore, both the endogenous biosynthesis of SLs and their exogenous application need to be thoroughly investigated to understand and exploit the mechanism underlying the alleviation of abiotic stress responses. Although several reviews have emphasised the biosynthesis of SLs in plants under abiotic stress, the mechanism underlying the alleviation of stress responses upon exogenous application has been less explored. Accordingly, in this review, although we have briefly discussed the beneficial effects of endogenous production of SLs in different sections, our main focus is to summarise the influence of exogenous SLs on the growth and development of different plant species grown under various abiotic stresses, including drought, nutrient, heavy metal, and salinity stress. Apart from providing an overview of the transcriptomic studies conducted to observe the alleviating effects of SLs on abiotic stress responses, the research gaps in this field were briefly discussed. The review provides insight for researchers to conduct further research on SLs and fill the gap so that they can be effectively used for sustainable agriculture.

The present study was to determine the genotypic and environmental variability and stability in seed yield, oil content, oil yield, oleic and linoleic acid of 10 safflower lines derived from a cross of Dinçer 5-18-1 × Montola 2000 together with six cultivars under six environments at five locations. The effects of genotypes, environments and genotype × environment interactions were highly significant (P < 0.01) for seed yield and oil content. Averaged across all environments, the seed yield was lowest in the cultivar Olas (2 352 kg/ha), and highest in the line Bay-Er 5 (2 869 kg/ha). According to mean (x_i) and regression coefficient (b_i) values, the Bay-Er 16 was better adapted to unfavourable environmental conditions, whereas the Bay-Er 1, Bay-Er 5 and Bay-Er 14 were better adapted to favourable environmental conditions. The highest oil content across environments, over 35%, was recorded in the line Bay-Er 15 and the cultivars Olas and Linas. The best adaptability to the environments was observed in the cultivar Olas. The oleic acid content of genotypes increased and the linoleic acid contents decreased from the north to the south latitudes. The oil content of genotypes grown in Southeastern Anatolia was higher than in the other regions. Within the regions, seed yield and oil content was higher after autumn sowing than after spring sowing.

Despite all the complications that arise with root research, such as slow, laborious, and unclear genetics, roots are a promising object of interest for breeders because many root traits are compatible with high yield potential. It is a great challenge for further research that there is a wide demand for information on the “hidden half of plant metabolism” from many research fields. We have summarized the main obstacles in root system research and sketched a solution for breeding in field conditions so that the result was more meaningful to the farmer. (i) The most important challenge in root research is linking the functional identification of root system properties with the aboveground parts. (ii) Field breeding is irreplaceable, and methods allowing the evaluation of roots under field conditions are indispensable. (iii) Low heritability of root system trait discourages breeders. However, root properties show broad genotypic variability, allowing the efficient use of these traits as selection criteria. (iv) The root traits are variable, and many fluctuate under the influence of environmental factors, which complicates efforts to define ideotypes and explains the different conclusions obtained by researchers from different environments. The breeding programs targeting the root system are sporadic even in a global context. This is a great reserve for breeding progress in the era of climate change, water scarcity, a possible shift to extensive farming systems, and in the era of environmental programs.

Blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of rice in Malaysia. Utilisation of resistant varieties is the most efficient management approach towards reducing yield losses. The line IRTP21683 with the Pi9 gene has shown strong resistance against the isolate MPO988.3 of pathotype P_0.0, the most prevalent P. oryzae pathotype in Malaysia. Crossing of IRTP21683 was undertaken with the recurrent parent MR220, a susceptible elite Malaysian rice variety, using a marker assisted backcrossing technique with two simple sequence repeat markers, RM19776 and RM7311, as the tag for the Pi9 gene. Twenty BC₃F₄ lines with the Pi9 gene were resistant when challenged with MPO 988.3. The cluster analysis based on seven agronomic parameters showed that the resistant BC₃F₄ lines could be divided into four groups, of which the members in group 1 and 2 have shown comparable or better performance than MR220. Five lines in group 1, B220PI9-3-48, B220PI9-3-76, B220PI9-3-77, B220PI9-3-79 and B220PI9-3-82 showed outstanding yield performance with early maturation.

Rice is one of the frontline cereals in the world and the major cultivated crop in Bangladesh. A total of eleven simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and thirteen sequence-tagged site (STS) markers were used to characterize twenty-four rice cultivars in Bangladesh. Twenty-four markers generated 60 alleles with 2.5 alleles per locus. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) value was 0.40, while the mean value of heterozygosity, gene diversity, and major allele frequency were recorded as 0.10, 0.48 and 0.62, respectively. However, the SSR markers showed more specificity and a higher discrimination power than the STS markers. The cluster analysis displayed four major clusters with a genetic similarity coefficient value of 0.73. The morphological analyses of the grain identified that Binadhan-20 and BRRI dhan34 had the longest and the shortest seed size, respectively, with a variable correlation between the seed length, width and length/width ratio. The phenol reaction test distinguished seven cultivars as japonica and seventeen cultivars as indica or an intermediate type. All these results regarding the phenotypic data and marker information will be useful for parental selection in modern rice breeding programmes.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat globally. FHB causes an extensive reduction in yield and reduces the grain quality through its contamination with Fusarium toxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON), T2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, nivalenol, and zearalenone. This review provides an overview of updated progress of genetic studies on the resistance to FHB, with an emphasis on the sources of resistance to FHB, resistance gene/quantitative trait loci (QTL) mining, resistance gene cloning, major FHB resistance genes/QTL identification by molecular markers, and resistance mechanisms. The achievements of resistance breeding based on phenotype selection and molecular markers was also summarised. Based on the systematic analysis of breeding limitations and utilisation of FHB resistant materials, the authors put forward three suggestions: First, to toughen the resistance identification of wheat, testing traits such as Fusarium damaged kernel and DON need special attention as visual symptoms are less reliable, resistant varieties should be popularised, and the screening the resistant genes should be strengthened; The second is to use the additive effect of quantitative resistance genes accumulated from existing varieties to reduce the cost of resistance in order to create high yielding resistant varieties. Thirdly, to enhance research and utilization of new genes.

The relationship between the early ground cover and the grain yield in winter wheat is not yet fully understood. In a winter wheat breeding programme, selection for early ground cover is traditionally made using visual scoring. Although visual scoring is preferred as a phenotypic screening tool by wheat breeders, its output may not be reliable, as it requires experience. A smartphone camera-based digital image technique can be recommended as a feasible, reliable, repeatable, affordable, and fast selection tool for early ground cover in wheat as an alternative to visual scoring. For this purpose, two wheat trials were conducted in the 2017-2018 and 2019-2020 seasons. In both seasons, 215 wheat genotypes in total, together with three checks from spring wheat, were tested under rain-fed conditions in the spring wheat zone in Turkey. All the tested wheat genotypes were grouped into spring, facultative, and winter growth habit using visual scoring. Simultaneously, photos were taken from each plot with a smartphone camera, and the early ground cover (%) was estimated using the smartphone camera-based digital image technique. The relationships between grain yield, visual scoring, and early ground cover could so be estimated. In both seasons, significant negative correlation between grain yield and visual scoring (r = -0.679** and r = -0.704**, respectively) and significant positive correlation between the grain yield and the early ground cover (r = 0.745** and r = 0.747**, respectively) were observed. The correlation between visual scoring and early ground cover were negative (r = -0.862** and r = -0.926**, respectively). The broad sense heritability estimates in both seasons were 0.51 and 0.85, respectively, for early ground cover, 0.91 and 0.94 for visual scoring, and 0.86 and 0.69 for grain yield. In this study, we revealed that testing winter wheat genotypes in the spring wheat zone rather than in the winter wheat zone could be a more effective way to unveil the positive relationship between the early ground cover and the grain yield. We have shown that the smartphone-based digital image technique is a useful selection tool for early ground cover in winter wheat.

We used two chloroplast gene regions (matK and rbcL) as a tool for the identification of 33 local conifer species. All 136 sequences, 101 newly generated (14 species for gene matK; 16 species for gene rbcL) and 35 retrieved from the GenBank, were used in the analysis. The highest genetic distance (matK region) was recorded between the species in Cupressaceae with an average of 5% (0.1-8.5), Podocarpaceae with an average of 6% (0-8.5), Taxaceae with an average of 5% (0.2-0.5) and Pinaceae with an average of 20.4% (0.8-54.1). The rbcL region showed a low genetic distance between the species in Cupressaceae 2% (0-3.3), Podocarpaceae 3% (0.6-3.4), Taxaceae 1% (0-2.1) and Pinaceae 1.2% (0-5.82). The phylogenetic analyses using the Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) bootstrap values obtained at the branching nodes of each species ranged from 62 to 100% (Maximum likelihood bootstrap - MLBS and Bayesian posterior probabilities - BPP) for the matK gene; from 66 to 100% (MLBS) and 60 to 100% (BPP) for the rbcL region. The rbcL region was not identified between the species of Taxaceae and Cephalotaxaceae. The matK gene region was very clear in the different species among the families (Cupressaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Cephalotaxaceae) and unsuitable for identifying closely related species in Amentotaxus (Taxaceae) and Pinus (Pinaceae). The gene (matK) is a useful tool as a barcode in the identification of conifer species of Cupressaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Cephalotaxaceae in Vietnam.

Grapevine is a worldwide crop and it is also subject to global trade in wine, berries and grape vine plants. Various countries, including the countries of the European Union, emphasize the role of product origin designation and suitable methods are sought, able to capture distinct origins. One of the biological matrices that can theoretically be driven by individual vineyards' conditions represents DNA methylation. Despite this interesting hypothesis, there is a lack of respective information. The aim of this work is to examine whether DNA methylation can be used to relate a sample to a given vineyard and to access a relationship between a DNA methylation pattern and different geographical origin of analysed samples. For this purpose, DNA methylation landscapes of samples from completely different climatic conditions presented by the Czech Republic (Central Europe) and Armenia (Southern Caucasus) were compared. Results of the Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism method confirm uniqueness of DNA methylation landscape for individual vineyards. Factually, DNA methylation diversity within vineyards of Merlot and Pinot Noir cultivars represent only 16% and 14% of the overall diversity registered for individual cultivars. On the contrary, different geographical location of the Czech and Armenian vineyards was identified as the strongest factor affecting diversity in DNA methylation landscapes (79.9% and 70.7% for Merlot and Pinot Noir plants, respectively).

The heading date and growth habit are key factors that regulate the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive stage in barley. In this study, we used PCR based markers to identify the allelic variations in the Vrn-H1 (HvMB5) and Vrn-H2 (HvSNF2) genes and to predict the heading date and growth habit of a collection of Tunisian barley assessed under a semi-arid climate. The allelic variation at HvBM5 revealed two PCR fragments at 830 and 344 bp. Primer sets used to amplify the HvSNF2 gene have resulted in different alleles size of 543, 623, and 700 bp. Different allelic combinations of HVBM5 and HvSNF2 were associated with the heading date and growth habit. The spring and early heading accessions were only characterised by the amplification of the HvSNF2 fragment at 700 bp. All the winter accessions yielded the PCR product HvBM5 at 830 bp, but the variation in the heading date was determined by the HvSNF2 alleles. These DNA markers will be a powerful tool to predict the heading date and growth habit and can be used as markers for the assisted selection to speed up the national breeding programme.

Changes in the gene pool and homogeneity of red clover cultivars occur over time. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly renew the breeding material and foundation seed. Moreover, the market also prescribes a new demand. Based on the Natura 2000 habitats profile, we collected seeds from 39 locations across Lithuania in 2016. The phenotypic traits that affect the seed yield of red clover were analysed in 2018. The homogeneity of the populations with reference to the seed yield and 1 000 seed weight (TSW) were determined as well. Also, the possibility of obtaining two seed yields per season under drought conditions from wild genotypes of red clover was analysed. We found that the final seed yield mostly depends on the seed number per flower head (SN/FH), which strongly correlated with 1^st component of PCA during first (r = 0.91) and second (0.92) harvest. Meanwhile, the cluster analysis showed that the typical wild red clover has a lower seed weight than the cultivars and could be clustered on the basis of seed homogeneity. Finally, based on the seed phenotype and harvest components, there were five prospective accessions (2177, 2871, 2876, 2898 and 2899) for a new cultivar prototype.

In vitro meristem cultures have been used for the production of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) virus-free rootstocks worldwide, because multipropagation is considered to preserve the genetic stability of the produced plantlet. Nevertheless, in vitro tissue cultures can cause genetic and epigenetic changes. Therefore, we studied the genetic and epigenetic variability of Saaz Osvald's clones, Sládek and Premiant cultivars on the DNA methylation level by methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP). In vitro propagated plants, acclimatised glasshouse rootstocks as well as derived mericlones and control plants under field conditions were used for the analyses. A total of 346 clearly and highly reproducible amplified products were detected in the MSAP analyses within the studied hop plants. We found 16 polymorphic products (4.6% of products) and 64 products with methylation changes (18.5% of products) in the analyses. The demethylation events were comparable to the de novo methylation events. Most demethylation changes were found in the in vitro plants, but only a few of them were found in the derived mericlones under field conditions. In contrast, the de novo methylation changes persisted in the acclimatised plants under glasshouse or field conditions. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used for the evaluation of the molecular genetic variability within the individual samples. The dendrogram showed that the individual samples of the same variety, more or less, clustered together. Because the methylation status varied during the virus-free rootstock production process, we suppose that de/methylation process is a natural tool of epigenetics and evolution in vegetatively propagated plants.