Volume 5 Number 2 2011

CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS

A. K. M. Aminul Islam, Nurina Anuar, Zahira Yaakob, Mohamad Osman (Malaysia) Heterosis for Seed Yield and its Components in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) (pp 74-79)

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Original Research Paper: Heterosis was determined in a population obtained from a 6 × 6 half diallel cross of jatropha genotypes for seed yield per plant and its components traits at the experimental station of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia during February 2010 to April, 2011. Results showed that variations for days to flowering, days to fruit maturity, number of primary branches per plant, seed yield per plant and its component characters was significant. Both positive and negative heterosis was found for seed yield per plant. High mid-parent heterosis (254.13%) and better parent heterosis (202.36%) were found for seed yield per plant in the cross P₂ × P₅ and P₁ × P₃, respectively. Small heterosis over mid-parent was also found for days to flowering and days to fruit maturity. The parents P₁, P₂, P₃ and P₅ were found to be superior for seed yield and its components when used in crosses. Considering earliness and seed yield per plant the hybrid combinations P₁ × P₂, P₁ × P₃, P₂ × P₅ and P₄ × P₆ were promising. These combinations could be selected for the development of hybrid varieties in Jatropha curcas.

Ezatollah Farshadfar (Iran) Chromosomal Localization of the Genes Controlling Adaptation in Agropyron elongatum Using a New AMMI-Based Simultaneous Selection Index of Yield and Yield Stability (pp 80-83)

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Original Research Paper: Identification of the genetic architecture of phenotypic stability and management of adaptational genes is a prerequisite for the improvement of adaptation. To locate the genes controlling yield and yield stability in a wild relative of wheat (Agropyron elongatum), disomic addition lines of Agropyron into the genetic background of Chinese Spring were used in a randomized complete block design with three replications for three years under two different conditions (rainfed and irrigated). Combined analysis of variance showed highly significant differences for genotypes, environments and genotype – environment (GE) interaction indicating variability between genotypes, environments and their effect in the GE interaction and possible localization of the genes monitoring yield and yield stability. The results of regression analysis displayed that linear GE interaction accounted for 41% of the variability in the GE interaction, while additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) AMMI1 and AMMI2 accounted for 92.4% of GE interaction. Yield stability index (YSI) which incorporate AMMI stability value (ASV) and mean yield in a single non- parametric index indicated that most of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) involved in controlling phenotypic stability and yield in Agropyron are located on the chromosome 7E.

N. Rajashekhar Reddy, M. Sujatha, A. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, V. Prathap Reddy (India) Inheritance and Molecular Mapping of Wilt Resistance Gene(s) in Castor (Ricinus communis L.) (pp 84-87)

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Original Research Paper: The inheritance of resistance to castor wilt derived from ‘Haritha’ and ‘48-1’ conferring resistance to race 1 of the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum F.sp. ricini has been determined. The F₂ individuals and backcross F₁ families of two crosses Haritha and ‘48-1’ (resistant) × ‘Kranthi’ (susceptible) were screened against Fusarium wilt in combined tests which indicated dominant control by single locus of tightly linked gene(s). Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was carried out on F₂ and BC₁F₁ individuals with 186 RAPD primers that resulted in the identification of two RAPD markers linked to resistance that distinguished the bulks. Of these, the RAPD markers OPH-12₄₉₇₃ and OPJ-15₄₂₆₈ were tightly linked to ‘Haritha’ and ‘48-1’ at a distance of 5.0 cM and 7.0 cM to wilt resistance. These closely linked markers to the wilt resistance gene(s) provide a valuable basis for marker-assisted selection in castor breeding programs.

Arup Chattopadhyay, Subrata Dutta, Priyanka Dutta, Pranab Hazra (India) Studies on Heterobeltiosis, Combining Ability and Gene Action in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) (pp 88-93)

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Original Research Paper: In this investigation, a 4 ´ 2 line ´ tester mating design was followed to record heterosis over better parent for 11 characters. Crosses showing high specific combining ability (SCA) and yield may be ascribed to their high general combining ability (GCA) for fruit number per plant or fruit weight or polar diameter of fruit. Two promising hybrids (CLN2777G x BCT-59 and CLN2777A x BCT-82P) were selected on the basis of their performance per se: heterosis was manifested in them and the SCA effects are relevant since they can be used commercially because of high yield, better quality traits, and low percent disease index (PDI) values for tomato leaf curl disease (ToLCV) disease. Predominance of additive gene action was evident in the control of characters like days to 50% flowering, and PDI. Both additive and non-additive gene action were important for polar diameter, pericarp thickness, and fruit acidity whereas fruit weight, fruit number per plant, locules per fruit, total soluble solids (TSS), and fruit yield per plant were governed by non-additive gene action.

Reza Mohammadi, Ahmed Amri (Iran), Miloudi Nachit (Syria) Evaluation and Characterization of International Durum Wheat Nurseries under Rainfed Conditions in Iran (pp 94-100)

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Original Research Paper: Information on international nurseries for different plant attributes can be effective and useful in national breeding programs to improve crop productivity under rainfed conditions. An international durum wheat nursery consisting of 228 breeding lines and five check cultivars, received from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), along with a local landrace were evaluated under rainfed conditions in the 2006-07 cropping season in the West of Iran. Several main traits i.e., days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield were recorded for preliminarily evaluation of the germplasm. Several simple univariate methods and genotype-by-trait (GT) biplot analysis were used to examine the variation within the nursery and to provide information to enable better germplasm utilization in the national durum breeding program. Wide variation was observed for the genotypes based on the studied traits. It was found that the genotypes with the highest grain yield were tall and early in flowering and maturity, suggesting it is possible to find genotypes with good agronomic performance which warrant further evaluation to select elite lines for commercial release. The comparison of genotypes based on multiple traits confirmed the possibility of finding contrasting groups. The high heritability for the traits (except for 1000-kernel weight) is encouraging from a standpoint of increasing the selection efficiency. In conclusion, the GT-biplot offers a useful analytic tool for examining the variation among large sets of lines, for exploring multiple trait data and for aiding in multi-trait selection.

Ayed Sourour, Slama-Ayed Olfa, Slim-Amara Hajer (Tunisia) Effect of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid and Nitrate Silver on the Efficiency of Haploid Production in Durum Wheat × Maize Crosses (pp 101-105)

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Original Research Paper: In order to develop an efficient method of haploid production via interspecific cross between durum wheat and maize genotypes, the effect of different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 and 175 mg/l) of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and nitrate silver (AgNO₃) in sucrose solution and the combination of these two treatments (100 mg/l of 2,4-D and 75 mg/l of AgNO₃) were tested. Four Tunisian durum wheat genotypes (female parent): two local cultivars (‘Jenah khotifa’ and ‘Biskri’) and two improved varieties (‘Karim’ and ‘Razzek’) were crossed with a maize genotype (‘Pioneer 37Y15’) (male parent). The best results of embryo formation and haploid plants were obtained when the concentration of 2,4-D was 100 mg/l in combination with 75 mg/l of AgNO₃. Embryogenesis and the regeneration rates reached 26.01 and 22.22%, respectively. Significant differences in the frequencies of developed ovaries, embryos and haploid plant production were observed for all durum wheat genotypes used. The local genotypes ‘Jenah khotifa’ and ‘Biskri’ showed the highest frequency of developed ovaries, formed embryos and haploid plant. A total of 877 haploid plants were regenerated with the method outlined in the present study.

Benedict C. Oyiga, Michael I. Uguru (Nigeria) Interrelationships among Pod and Seed Yield Traits in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) in the Derived Savanna Agro-Ecology of South–Eastern Nigeria under Two Planting Dates (pp 106-111)

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Original Research Paper: Two field experiments were conducted in cropping seasons at the Department of Crop Science Research Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to investigate the relationships between seed yield and its component traits using correlation and path analyses. The first experiment (early planting) was in April and the second (late planting) was in August 2007. The values of the correlations and path coefficient analyses obtained in the early planting responded differently from those of the late planting in most of the traits. This could be attributed to different in the growing conditions associated with the planting dates. The correlation coefficients of seed weight per plant with number of flowers per plant and number of pods per plant was significantly positive in both early and late planting dates. In the late planting date, traits such as number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of flowers per plant, days to 50% flowering and number of pods per plant correlated strong and positive with the seed weight per plant. The number of flowers and pods per plant had maximum positive direct contribution to seed weight per plant in early planting dates while number of pods per plant and days to 50% flowering were the main contributor to seed weight per plant in the late planting. Therefore, the results indicates that number of pods plant per plant and number of flowers per plant should be emphasis during selection in the early planting dates while number of pods plant per plant and days to 50% flowering would be emphasis in late planting dates.

Arpita Srivastava, Pallavi Pawar, Harikrishna, C. S. Police Patil, Sowmya Halasahalli Chikkasiddaiah (India) Correlation of Drought Resistance Traits and Agronomic Traits with Yield in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (pp 112-117)

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Original Research Paper: The productivity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in arid and semi-arid regions is constrained due to terminal drought. Chickpea genotypes with prolific and deep rooting have been shown to be more adapted to drought. The genetic variability for root morphological traits and various yield and yield components was assessed on 50 chickpea genotypes grown under field conditions laid out in a randomised complete block design with two replications. Considerable variability for various root traits like root length, root volume, root dry weight and root to shoot dry weight and yield components like days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, pods per plant, 100-seed weight and grain yield per plant was observed. Correlation studies indicated a positive association of grain yield per plant with root length, root to shoot ratio, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches and pods per plant both at phenotypic and genotypic levels.

Ayed Sourour, Slama-Ayed Olfa (Tunisia), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Slim-Amara Hajer (Tunisia) Effect of Different Factors on Haploid Production through Embryo Rescue in Durum Wheat × Maize Crosses (pp 118-121)

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Original Research Paper: Even though bread wheat haploids are being routinely produced by wheat × maize crosses, an efficient protocol for haploid production has been difficult to achieve in durum wheat. The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of various experimental factors on the production of embryos and haploid plants in durum wheat crossed with maize. Four Tunisian durum wheat genotypes (female parent), consisting of two local cultivars (‘Jenah khotifa’ and ‘Biskri’) and two improved varieties (‘Karim’ and ‘Razzek’), were crossed with a maize genotype (Pioneer 37Y15) (male parent). After pollination, plant stems were either maintained in situ or cut 2-3 days after pollination near the base and kept in a solution of 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (100 mg/l), sucrose (40 g/l) and sulphurous acid (8 ml/l). Twelve, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 days after pollination, embryos were excised from developed ovaries and cultured on either Murashige and Skoog (MS), MS/2 or Gamborg’s (B5) media. By cutting the plant stems after pollination, better results in terms of developed ovaries (65.55%), embryos (13.62%) and regenerated haploid plants (10.50%) were obtained than if in situ plants (46.65, 10.85 and 7.71%) were used. The optimal stage for embryo rescue was 18 days for haploid plant formation (14.4%) while B5 medium resulted in significantly better haploid plant (13.17%) production than MS and MS/2 (6.92, 10.87%) following embryo culture.

Sabry A. M. Khattab, Essam A. H. Mostafa, Magda A. M. El-Enany (Egypt), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan) Combining Ability for Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.) Using Line x Tester Analysis (pp 122-127)

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Original Research Paper: Seven white maize inbred lines (L₂, L₅, L₁₀, L₂₀, L₄₆, L₅₁ and L₅₂) derived during an inbreeding program by the Genetics and Plant Breeding Group, Genetics and Cytology Department, National Research Center (NRC) were crossed with five testers (Tri hybrid variety TWC310, T1; double cross variety Taba, T2; drought-tolerant synthetic variety Giza 2, T3; single crosses S.C. 10, T4; a local open-pollinated cultivar Nab El Gamal, T5)  to estimate combining ability and type of gene action under normal and drought stress to identify the desirable lines that could be used in a hybrid breeding program for future utilization and studies. The selection index revealed that the best desirable crosses for grain yield and most agronomic characters were the crosses 'TWC310' × L₂, 'TWC310' × L₂₀, 'Taba' × L₅₁ and 'Taba' × L₄₆ under normal and drought environments. Significance of mean squares of genotypes, crosses, parents, parents vs. crosses, lines, tester, and the line × tester interaction for most studied traits under both conditions indicated that the crosses performed significantly better than their respective parents and therefore heterotic effects were present. Results of general combing ability (GCA) effects indicated that the lines L₂, L₂₀, L₅₁, and L₅₂ under normal and drought stress conditions seem to be good general combiners for increasing yield and yield components of hybrids. On the other hand, the testers 'TWC310' and 'Taba' displayed highly significant positive GCA effects, which has interest in breeding programs for developing high grain yield/plant and one or more of the remaining traits under normal and drought environments. The best hybrids 'TWC310' × L₅, 'Taba' ×L₅, 'Nab El Gamal' × L₅₂, and 'SC10' × L₂ showed significantly high positive specific combining ability effects for yield/plant and most yield components under drought. Thus, we recommend further testing of these new inbred lines for use in a crossing program so as to combine major yield components with high yield under drought conditions.

Mahmoud Hussien Abou-Deif, Mohamed Abdel-Salam Rashed, Ayman Hanafy Atta, Fatma Elsaid Mahmoud (Egypt) Molecular Genetic Characterization of Eighteen Maize Inbred Lines by RAPD-PCR Markers (pp 128-132)

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Original Research Paper: Nine random primers were used to identify and characterize 18 maize inbred lines by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) analysis. The results indicated distinct differences can be used for identification of maize inbred lines. A total of 106 amplified DNA fragments ranging in size from 1529 to 163 base pairs were present, whereas 83 fragments were polymorphic and 23 fragments were monomorphic. The primer OP-B11 gave the highest number of polymorphic fragments in the 18 inbred lines (14 fragments) with 93% polymorphism. Six primers OP-A05, OP-A06, OP-A09, OP-B08, OP-B09 and OP-C15 produced eight specific DNA fragments identified six inbred lines. The similarity values showed substantial differences among the maize inbred lines. The genetic similarity ranged from 36 to 91%, with an average of 63.5%. The dendrogram resulting from the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) cluster analysis showed that the 18 maize inbred lines could be divided into two main clusters. The primers used in this study succeeded in distinguishing most of the studied inbred lines of maize in unique banding patterns when each primer is used alone. The number of DNA fragments for each primer varied from 8 (OP-B09) to 17 (OP-A05). The primer OP-A05 was the best one in distinguishing the maize inbred lines because it identified 15 inbreds, but to identify all inbreds we have to use more than one primer such as a combination of the three primers OP-A05, OP-A06 and OP-B08.

Rahul Kapoor, R. K. Bajaj, Navjot Sidhu, Simarjit Kaur (India) Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis in Oat (Avena sativa L.) (pp 133-136)

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Original Research Paper: The present study was conducted during winter season of 2009-2010 with 90 diverse genotypes selected from wide range of germplasm being maintained at Forage Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The genotypes were analysed for genetic variability, correlation and path coefficients. Most of the traits had high mean values. High heritability along with high genetic advance (GA) was recorded for internode length (cm), number of tillers/plant, flag leaf length (cm), plant height (cm), axis length (cm), axis branch number, number of seeds/panicle and seed yield (g)/plant. High estimates of genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation (GCV and PCV) were observed for internode length, number of tillers/plant, axis branch number, number of seeds/plant and seed yield/plant, suggesting that selection based on these characters would facilitate successful isolation of desirable types. Traits like number of leaves, internode length (cm), flag leaf width (cm), axis length (cm), axis branch number and number of seeds/panicle had positive and significant correlation at genotypic as well as phenotypic level with seed yield and the selection based on these traits will result in improving the seed yield in oat. Traits like number of leaves, internode length, flag leaf width, axis length, axis branch number and number of spikelets/panicle showed high direct effect on seed yield/plant. Selection for more number of leaves, axis branches and number of seeds per panicle along with broader flag leaf will be significant for the improvement of seed yield in oat.

Thirupathi Reddy Medagam, Hari Babu Kadiyala, Ganesh Mutyala, Hameedunnisa Begum (India) Relationship between Combining Ability and per se Performance for Yield and Yield Components in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) (pp 137-140)

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Original Research Paper: Correlation coefficient analysis using mean values of parents and hybrids revealed that the characters plant height, number of branches/plant, first flowering and fruiting node, fruit length and weight, total number of fruits and number of marketable fruits/plant and fruit and shoot borer (Earias vitella) infestation on fruits were identified as yield components in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench). Significance of correlation coefficients between per se values and general combining ability (GCA) effects indicated a strong association (P = 0.05) between GCA effects and per se values, suggesting that the combining ability of parents can be predicted based on their per se performance for number of branches/plant, internodal length, days to 50% flowering, first flowering and fruiting nodes, fruit length, width and weight, total and marketable yield/plant, FSB infestation on fruits and shoots and Yellow vein mosaic virus infestation on fruits and plants. Significance of correlation coefficients between mean values and specific combining ability (SCA) effects indicated a strong association (P = 0.05) between combining ability effects and mean values, suggesting that combining ability of crosses can be predicted based on their per se performance for all growth, earliness and yield parameters under study in okra.

Khalil Khamassi, Sahari Khoufi, Ramzi, Chaabane (Tunisia), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), M’barek Ben Naceur (Tunisia) Optimization of Conditions for Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Using SSR Markers (pp 141-145)

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Research Note: The present study was carried out to optimize SSR-PCR conditions for assessment of genetic diversity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) through the use of microsatellite markers. Parameters optimized for 16 SSR markers included template DNA concentration, Taq polymerase, primers and MgCl₂ concentration. Optimal template DNA concentration with consistent results was 50 ng/μL, which corresponds to 100 ng for a 25-μL reaction volume. Optimal concentrations for primers, MgCl₂ and Taq polymerase were 2.5 mM and 1.5 mM, 1 U/μL respectively.