Collection Of Genetic Resources Research Articles

Evaluation of aluminum tolerance diversity in Avena sativa L. from the VIR collection

Background. Oat is an important food and feed cereal crop in Russia. The area under oats is 10 million ha worldwide, and 3 million ha in Russia. Acid soils with excessive content of exchangeable aluminum occupy almost every third hectare in the exUSSR territory. Oats are relatively resistant to unfavorable soil factors. Among cereal crops, oat is second only to rye and triticale in terms of resistance to exchangeable Al forms. Despite the crop’s high environmental plasticity, an important condition for obtaining sustainable oat yields is the development of new cultivars with resistance to adverse environmental factors, including metal toxicity and high soil acidity.The objective of this work was to search for oat cultivars resistant to soil stressors (excess of Н+ and Al3+) for use in breeding for edaphic resistance.Materials and methods. The research material included 687 oat accessions from the VIR global plant genetic resources collection. The accessions underwent laboratory evaluation of their aluminum tolerance at the initial growth and development stages using the method of measuring radicle growth after the exposure to aluminum stress. Reproducibility of the used modification of the method was mathematically proved.Results and discussion. Significant variation in the resistance to the studied stressor was observed among the accessions. The regions acting as sources of valuable aluminum resistance genes were identified for the crop. The accessions selected for their high resistance to exchangeable aluminum can be used in breeding programs to develop high-yielding oat cultivars with edaphic resistance.

Adventitious root formation confers waterlogging tolerance in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)

Crop adaptation to waterlogging stress necessitates alterations in their morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics. Cowpeas, which serve as a dual-purpose legume crop (food and fodder), are sensitive to waterlogging stress, especially when exposed to extended periods of water stagnation during the early growth stage. In this study, we subjected five distinct and superior cowpea varieties to 10 days of waterlogging stress at the early seedling stage (V2, 15 days post emergence for 10 days) under controlled conditions. The aim was to comprehend the response of these varieties and identify the ideal trait for screening a large collection of cowpea genetic resources for waterlogging tolerance. We measured and analyzed changes in morpho-physiological and root parameters to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanism underlying waterlogging tolerance. The treatment (waterlogging and control), genotype, and their interactions had a significant impact on the most studied traits (p < 0.05). The results indicated a significant reduction in morpho-physiological parameters such as plant height, leaf area, leaf number, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters under stress treatment than control conditions. However, root parameters like the number of adventitious roots (AR) and their length (ARL) significantly increased under waterlogging stress in tolerant cowpea varieties like DC15 and PL4. Correlation and PCA analyses further revealed a positive and significant association between cowpeas’ waterlogging tolerance and AR formation and its AR length. Therefore, the current study reveals that swift development of AR and ARL may serve as potential traits conferring waterlogging tolerance in cowpeas. Using suitable mapping populations, these traits could reveal genomic regions associated with waterlogging tolerance in cowpeas. The tolerant varieties and key traits identified in this study could be beneficial in breeding programs aimed at enhancing waterlogging tolerance in cowpeas.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ПРОЦЕССА ОСВЕТЛЕНИЯ ЯБЛОЧНОГО СУСЛА С ПРИМЕНЕНИЕМ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ВСПОМОГАТЕЛЬНЫХ СРЕДСТВ

The quality of clarification of apple must from various varieties of apples of domestic and foreign breeding, different ripening periods, growing at the Research and Breeding Collection of Genetic Resources of Horticultural Crops, located in the Central Joint Stock Company, Krasnodar, was studied. Sampling of apples was carried out at optimal ripeness from different sides of the tree crown in relation to the cardinal directions. Apple processing was carried out using a crusher-grinder, followed by pressing the pulp on a hydraulic press. The enzyme preparations SQzyme PCL, Grainzyme NL and Fructozyme R were used in the experiments. Apple must was clarified using bentonite (BENTOVIN), plant (pea) and animal (gelatin) protein. As a result of the studies, it was established that self-clarification of the must without the use of enzyme preparations was slow. Slow self-clarification with the formation of voluminous loose and mobile sediments was observed only in certain variants (Ekzotika, Orfey, Liberti, Renet Platona). The addition of enzyme preparations, especially SQzyme PCL, contributed to an increase in must yield by 12-17 % relative to the control. The most “responsive” to the use of enzyme preparations were apples of the varieties Dzhin, Ekzotica, Orfey, Margo, Prikubanskoe, Bagryanets Kubani, Liberti, Renet Platona, forms 12/1-20-16 and 12/1-20-33. With the addition of enzyme preparations in the pulp, the rate of must extraction increased. Gradual clarification was noted in the next 3-4 hours. The greatest increase in must yield was noted during the processing of apple varieties such as Enterprise, Margo, Ketni, Renet Platona – by 12-17 % compared to the control (without the use of enzyme preparations). The use of only one sorbent – bentonite, animal or vegetable protein – did not lead to high-quality clarification of the must at the given dosages. At the same time, complex processing made it possible to significantly improve the quality of clarification and reduce the turbidity of the must. The highest quality clarification of the must, regardless of the apple variety, was obtained by complex treatment of the pulp with enzyme preparations followed by dosing of proteins and bentonite. Key words: APPLE MUST, CLARIFICATION, ENZYME PREPARATIONS, BENTONITE, PROTEIN SORBENTS

Genetic characterization of Indonesian sorghum landraces (<i>Sorghum bicolor</i> (L.) Moench) for yield traits

<abstract> <p>Sorghum (<italic>Sorghum bicolor</italic> (L.) Moench) is the fifth most produced cereal crop in the world. The use of sorghum is very diverse and most parts of the plant, including stem, leaves, grain, panicles, stem juice, and bagasse, can be utilized as human food, animal feed, and material for industry and bioenergy production. The collection of local sorghum genetic resources should be explored to identify potential gene sources for the development of superior varieties. This study was conducted to evaluate the production potential of 40 Indonesian sorghum accessions and to further identify potentially useful accessions. Five accessions belonging to cluster 3 had high biomass productivity, including Coley, Keler, Lao, Lokal Kaltim, and Super 1. In particular, Lokal Kaltim and Lao combined high biomass yield with grain yield. Accessions with high biomass has potential for use as feedstock for biomass energy production and forage.</p> </abstract>

The application of Vavilov's approaches to the phylogeny and evolution of cultivated species of the genus Avena L.

The central problem that Vavilov was investigating was the overall concept of global plant genetic resources. The theoretical basis of this concept consisted of the law of homologous series in variation, research on the problem of species as a system, botanical and geographical bases of plant breeding, and the key theory of the centers of origin of cultivated plants. The VIR global collection of plant genetic resources collected by Vavilov and his associates from all over the world reflects the fullness of botanical, morphological and genetic diversity, and can be used for historical, evolutionary, phylogenetic and applied breeding research aimed at unlocking the potential of all the collection material. The whole diversity of cultivated oats, as was proved by Vavilov, had originated from segetal weeds. This process can be clearly traced in Spain on the example of the cultivated diploid species A. strigosa, A. abyssinica in Ethiopia, A. byzantina in Turkey and Iran, and on segetal forms of A. sativa. The studies of the morphological features as a whole do not yield a complete picture of the evolutionary and systematic status of some oat species and forms. The methods and approaches that use DNA markers and genomic technologies, and are promising for the study of oat polymorphism and phylogeny have been actively researched recently. A number of works devoted to the molecular aspects of the evolution and phylogeny of the genus Avena have recently appeared. The research uses various markers of genes, gene regions, intergenic spacers (internal and external), both nuclear and chloroplast and mitochondrial, genomic approaches and other modern methods. On the basis of a comprehensive study of the complete intraspecific diversity from different zones of the distribution range of cultivated oat species as well as on the basis of an analysis of data on the geography of forms and species distribution ranges, it was established that the process of hexaploid species formation also took place in the western part of the Mediterranean, and subsequently, when moving eastward, these forms started occupying all the vast spaces in the region of the Southwest Asian center, forming a large intraspecific diversity of wild forms and weedy ones in transit to cultivated hexaploid oat species. An analysis of the intraspecific diversity of landraces has specified the centers of morphogenesis of all cultivated oat species. The phylogenetic analysis of the representative intraspecific diversity of cultivated and wild Avena species carried out using next generation sequencing (NGS) showed that diploid species with A-genome variants are in fact not primary diploids, but a peculiar Mediterranean introgressive hybridization complex of species that sporadically enter into interspecific hybridization. It was established that the tetraploid cultivated species A. abyssinica had most likely originated from the wild A. vaviloviana. An analysis of the ways of A. sativa and A. byzantina domestication showed that the most widespread ribotype of the A. sativa hexaploid was inherited from A. ludoviciana, and the second most widespread one, from A. magna, while A. byzantina has two unique ribotype families, most likely inherited from an extinct oat species or a still undiscovered cryptospecies.

The Exploration and Utilization of Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Genetic Resource in Its Center of Origin

Coffee, which is the most popular soft drink in the world, belongs to the genus Coffea in the Rubiaceae family. About 124 species are known in this genus, whereas Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora are the two most widely cultivated species worldwide. Coffea arabica is the only tetraploid species in the genus coffea and is self-fertile, while other species are diploid and generally self-incompatible. Ethiopia is the center of origin and diversity for arabica coffee, which is the only species cultivated in the country. The availability of wide genetic variability among the indigenous coffee and the diverse agro-ecologies in the country provided immense possibilities to improve the crop for desirable agronomic and breeding interest traits. Cognizant of this and the occurrence of coffee berry disease (CBD) in Ethiopia for the first time, a coffee breeding program was initiated in the 1970’s aiming at exploiting the available genetic diversity and developing productive varieties combining disease resistance, best quality, and other desirable characteristics. Coffee genetic resource collection, characterization, evaluation, conservation and genetic studies are among the major breeding activities undertaken so far by designing and implementing different breeding strategies following the conventional breeding approach. So far, outstanding achievements have been recorded in collecting 7130 germplasm accessions, generating basic information on the genetics aspects, and developing 44 improved varieties of which seven are F1 hybrids and identifying 149 elite promising genotypes for further evaluation to develop and release a new varieties. Extensive collection of coffee genetic resources from unaddressed areas, and application of molecular breeding techniques such as marker-assisted selection and breeding for stress tolerance, among others, would be the main focus areas of future coffee breeding programs.

Comprehensive approach to replenishing the English walnut gene pool through the study of local seed populations in Krasnodar Region

promising genotypes in the areas where this species grows. The identification of the valuable breeding forms of English walnut among local seed populations facilitates the solution of breeding problems and replenishes the collections of genetic resources with valuable specimens. In this work, we aim to assess the prospects of using new forms to solve breeding problems by means of phenotypic evaluation and molecular genetic analysis. The search for promising forms was carried out in 2022–2023 on the territory of settlements in the different districts of Krasnodar Krai. Economically valuable traits were recorded according to the “Program and Procedure for the Studying the Varieties of Fruit, Berry, and Nut Crops.” In order to assess the level of genetic diversity in the sample of new, promising forms of English walnut, SSR genotyping was carried out using seven microsatellite DNA markers: WGA001, WGA376, WGA069, WGA276, WGA009, WGA202, WGA089. The heterogeneous group of varieties and elite breeding forms of the North Caucasus Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, and Winemaking, representing the overall diversity of the collection, was also included in the studied sample. The comparison of the polymorphism level in the studied specimens for both individual markers and the entire sample of markers suggests a relatively high heterogeneity of the new, promising forms included in the study. The use of UPGMA, PCoA, and analysis in STRUCTURE software allowed genetic relationships to be established between the new, promising forms and specimens from the genetic collection of the North Caucasus Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, and Winemaking. The new forms were found not to form a separate cluster and to generally have an intermediate position between the three genotype groups in the gene pool collection. For the new forms, the effect of the Central Asian geneplasm was established, which determines the presence of several valuable breeding traits. Given the data on the genetic diversity of new, promising forms of English walnut relative to the genetically contrasting sample of breeding forms from the collection of the North Caucasus Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, and Winemaking, it is reasonable to involve new forms in breeding in order to enrich the local English walnut gene pool.

Genetic Collections of St. Petersburg University

Bioresource collections represent a unique source of biological diversity for research in genetics and related disciplines. The Department of Genetics and Biotechnology of St. Petersburg State University is the oldest department of genetics in Russia, founded in 1919. Throughout the entire period of development, the geneticists of St. Petersburg University have collected unique forms of plants, animals and microorganisms, on which their research was based. Many of these studies including regulation of translation termination in yeast, amyloids and prions of different organisms, genetic mapping of valuable morphological and biochemical traits to create first rye chromosome maps, and several aspects of transcription regulation in plants, had a significant novelty. The most active accumulation of collections of genetic resources at St. Petersburg State University started in the 1950-1970s when important scientific directions in the genetics of microorganisms, plants and animals, many of which continue today, were established at the department. Genetic collections are actively used in educational work for teaching dozens of educational courses. Currently, the interdisciplinary genetic collections of St. Petersburg State University consist of seven sections including genetic collections of rye, radish, garden pea, Chlamydomonas algae, Saccharomyces yeast and plasmids, Komagataella yeast, Drosophila fly. This review describes in detail the collections of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology of St. Petersburg State University and discusses their current state, application and development prospects.

Microsatellite Markers: A Tool to Assess the Genetic Diversity of Yellow Mustard (Sinapis alba L.)

Microsatellite markers were used for the assessment of genetic diversity and genetic structure in a germplasm collection of yellow mustard, Sinapis alba L. The comprehensive collection of genetic resources represented 187 registered varieties, landraces, and breeding materials. Microsatellites generated 44 polymorphic alleles in 15 loci. Eleven of them were medium to highly polymorphic, and the high levels of observed heterozygosity (0.12–0.83) and Nei’s gene diversity index (0.11–0.68) indicated a high level of polymorphism. Based on PCoA and neighbor joining analyses, the genetic resources were divided into two groups. The range of genetic dissimilarity in the analysed collection was in the range of 0.00–1.00. The high level of dissimilarity between the accessions was documented by the high WAM value (33.82%). Bayesian clustering algorithms were performed in the STRUCTURE 2.3.4 software. The number of clusters was estimated at K = 2. The accessions were classified according to Q1/Q2 values. The low average values of the parameters Fst_1 (0.3482), Fst_2 (0.1916), and parameter alpha (0.0602) indicated substantial mating barriers between varieties and reproductive isolation due to the limited exchange of genetic resources between breeders. These results demonstrated the importance of extensive collections of genetic resources for the maintenance of genetic diversity and indicated considerable genetic differentiation among accessions.

Variability of the Moroccan sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.): Contribution of the morphological parameters and qualitative descriptors of the nut

The areas occupied by the common chestnut tree, Castanea sativa Mill. are continuously declining on an international scale. In Morocco, the chestnut trees are present in a restricted geographical area in the North and remains relatively unknown in the rest of the kingdom. This study represents the first contribution to the characterization and the evaluation of phenotypic similarities among Moroccan populations of Castanea sativa Mill. through univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of quantitative parameters and qualitative descriptors of fruits. The analysis was conducted on 13,455 fruits from 299 trees distributed across 31 populations from three regions. Ten qualitative descriptors were evaluated: nut shape (NSh), nut size (NSz), area of pubescence on upper part (AP), area of hilum (AH), shape of border line of hilum and pericarp (BSh), color of skin (CSk), glossiness (Gl), kernel color (CKr), coat adherence to kernel (CoA), and kernel inner-cavity (KC). In addition, the number of fruits/cupule (N/B), the number of fruits/kilo (N/K), and the average weight of fruits (W) were measured along with 11 quantitative parameters: nut length (NL), nut width (NW), nut thickness (NT), hilum length (HL), hilum width (HW), NL/NW, NT/NL, NT/NW, NW/HL, HW/NT, and HW/HL. The results of statistical analysis conducted on the 24 quantitative and qualitative parameters studied (ANOVA and SNK mean comparison test) demonstrated a very highly significant intra and inter-population variability for all the studied parameters. The correlation matrix analysis of the 12 quantitative parameters reveals a strong correlation between the fruit and hilum measurements, specifically NL, NW, NT, HW, and HL. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and UPGMA analyses have shown the structuring of the 31 populations subdivided into two groups with subgroups, indicating significant diversity. The overall results highlighted a high genotypic variability of Moroccan populations of the chestnut trees and can be used to develop programs that aim to preserve the existing genetic variability of the chestnut tree and establish an in-situ collection of genetic resources in a geographically restricted area in the North of Morocco.

Selective list of VIR’s methodological recommendations (guidelines) for 2000–2022

The N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) releases almost all types of publications traditional for research institutions. Since the 1920s, VIR has been regularly publishing methodological recommendations, or guidelines.This kind of publications has won its own specialized audience and retained it for over a hundred years. All recommendations (guidelines) are an assemblage of documents dedicated to the study, conservation, and replenishment of the unique global plant genetic resources collection held by VIR; plant breeding; seed production; cultivation; resistance of individual crops to diseases and pests; herbarization; long-term seed storage; biochemical, mycological, phytopathological, genetic, and biotechnological research methods; and many other issues. Such publications are widely used by the staff of VIR and the network of its branches in their practical work, and are also in demand with various scientists, experts, lecturers and teachers, postgraduate and undergraduate students all over Russia.Keeping in mind the ever increasing interest in such information, the Editorial Board of the journal Proceedings on Applied Botany, Genetics and Breeding decided to publish a selective list of VIR’s methodological recommendations (guidelines) for 2000–2022. For the sake of convenience, the material is arranged in chronological order. This list partially includes recommendations and guidelines published by other research institutions where VIR’s staff members were among the authors. It is our hope that the list will be found useful by our readers and authors of scientific publications. The list was compiled by the staff of the Library and Publishing Department of VIR.

Influence of weather conditions on yield and protein content in winter wheat grain

The results of three-year studies (2020–2022) conducted in the forest-steppe zone of the Samara region in the agrocenosis of winter wheat are presented. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of natural and climatic conditions of the research area on the formation of yield indicators, protein content in winter wheat grain. The material was 10 varieties from the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) collection and 5 varieties of selection of the Povolzhsky Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov. Yield, grain protein content and protein yield per hectare were determined. Varieties characterized by high yield and high amount of protein in grain, showing maximum protein yield in different weather conditions of the years were identified. Over the years of research, the year 2022 was the most favorable for the formation of high yields (between 6 and 8.5 t/ha were harvested in the indicated year), where a large amount of precipitation was observed in May – the first ten-day period of June. The protein content in grain was the highest in 2021 (14–19%), when high temperatures were observed during the grain filling period in the absence of precipitation. For each variety, the correlation dependence of the sum of active temperatures and the amount of precipitation during the spring-summer vegetation period with the studied indicators was established. There was a negative correlation between the sum of active temperatures and yield (from –0.553 to –0.981) and a positive correlation with the protein content indicator (from 0.605 to 0.984) depending on the variety. The amount of precipitation was in a positive correlation with the yield index, the dependence on the protein content in the grain was ambiguous and depended on the variety. The studied indicators were influenced not only by natural and climatic conditions, but also by the genotypic features of the studied varieties, which explains the diverse correlation dependence.

The Content of Anthocyanins in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Seeds and Contribution of the MYB Gene Cluster to Their Coloration Pattern.

The intensively pigmented legumes belonging to Phaseolus and Vigna spp. are valued as an essential component of healthy nutrition due to their high content of flavonoids. In this context, we used the accessions of Vigna unguiculata with different colors of seed coats from the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources collection as the main object of this research. We applied confocal laser scanning microscopy, biochemical analysis, and wide in silico and molecular genetic analyses to study the main candidate genes for anthocyanin pigmentation within the MYB cluster on chromosome 5. We performed statistical data processing. The anthocyanin content ranged from 2.96 mg/100 g DW in reddish-brown-seeded cowpea accessions to 175.16 mg/100 g DW in black-seeded ones. Laser microscopy showed that the autofluorescence in cowpea seeds was mainly caused by phenolic compounds. The maximum fluorescence was observed in the seed coat, while its dark color, due to the highest level of red fluorescence, pointed to the presence of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Genes of the MYB cluster on chromosome 5 demonstrated a high homology and were segregated into a separate clade. However, amplification products were not obtained for all genes because of the truncation of some genes. Statistical analysis showed a clear correlation between the high content of anthocyanins in cowpea seeds and the presence of PCR products with primers Vigun05g0393-300-1.

SNP discovery by exome capture and resequencing in a pea genetic resource collection

SNP discovery by exome capture and resequencing in a pea genetic resource collection

Nomenclature standards for raspberry breeding varieties of the Federal Scientifi c Breeding and Technological Center for Horticulture and Plant Nursery

Th e great diversity of national and foreign raspberry varieties grown in nurseries poses great risks of variety confusion. Th e risks can be eliminated by introducing the standards of varieties. Th ese include nomenclature standards which are instrumental in comparing morphological characteristics, and, if necessary, genetic identifi cation that con- fi rms the identity of the selection product. To date, the nomenclature standards include seven raspberry varieties selected by the Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture for Siberia, ten varieties of raspberry selected by the Sverdlovsk Breeding Station of Horticulture and Novosibirsk Zonal Gardening Station. Th e breeders of the Federal Scientifi c Breed- ing and Technological Center for Horticulture and Plant Nursery in partnership with scientists of the Federal Research Center “N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources” have created nomenclature standards for fi ve raspberry breeding varieties under Contract No. 592-223-GR dated May 30, 2022 on the scientifi c project “National net- work collection of plant genetic resources for eff ective scientifi c and technological development of the Russian Federa- tion in the fi eld of genetic technologies.” Th e created varieties are represented by herbarium specimens consisting of four herbarium sheets of the Meteor (WIR-98342) and Peresvet (WIR-98349) varieties, three herbarium sheets of the Atlant (WIR-98341) and Podarok Kashinu (WIR-98400) varieties, as well as two herbarium sheets of the Poklon Kazakovu va- riety (WIR-98402). Th e herbarium sheets also include photographs of fl owers, fruits and canes. All nomenclature stand- ards are deposited in the Herbarium of cultivated plants of the world, their wild relatives and weed plants (WIR) of the Federal Research Center “N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources,” and registered in the database “VIR herbarium (WIR).” Th e paper contains descriptions of morpho-biological and economic features and properties of these varieties, as well as a brief history of raspberry breeding in the Federal Scientifi c Breeding and Technological Center for Horticulture and Plant Nursery.

Determination of Genetic Diversity of Some Upland and Sea Island Cotton Genotypes Using High-Resolution Capillary Electrophoresis Gel

Cotton is a major source of natural fibre for the global textile industry and is also an important oilseed crop. Cotton fibre is the main source of textiles, the seeds are used for oil and the remaining bagasse is used as high-protein animal feed. In addition, cotton’s so-called short fibre is used in more than 50 industries. Cotton breeding is generally based on crossing the best yielding and fibre quality genotypes. However, cotton breeding programmes are negatively affected by the narrow genetic diversity of varieties. It is for this reason that the identification of genetic resources and the disclosure of genetic diversity are so important. Here, the genetic diversity of G. hirsutum and G. barbadense genotypes was determined using high-resolution capillary gel electrophoresis. Using 19 EST-SSR markers, a total of 47 genotypes were screened. The PIC values of the markers used ranged from 0.268 to 0.889. The mean PIC value was calculated to be 0.603. In terms of clustering, PCoA and population structure analyses gave similar results, and the genotypes could be divided into three main groups. Genetic admixture with G. hirsutum was found in some genotypes of the G. barbadense species. We can conclude that (i) the EST-SSR markers used in this study are effective in the determination of genetic diversity, (ii) the genetic diversity should be increased through the collection of genetic resources and (iii) the genetic EST-SSR markers in this study should be considered in breeding programmes by using them in QTL studies.

Advancing the Conservation and Utilization of Barley Genetic Resources: Insights into Germplasm Management and Breeding for Sustainable Agriculture.

Barley is a very important crop particularly in marginal dry areas, where it often serves as the most viable option for farmers. Additionally, barley carries great significance in the Western world, serving not only as a fundamental crop for animal feed and malting but also as a nutritious food source. The broad adaptability of barley and its ability to withstand various biotic and abiotic stresses often make this species the sole cereal that can be cultivated in arid regions. The collection and utilization of barley genetic resources are crucial for identifying valuable traits to enhance productivity and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. This review aims to provide an overview of the management and exploitation of barley genetic resources. Furthermore, the review explores the relationship between gene banks and participatory breeding, offering insights into the diversity and utilization of barley genetic resources through some examples such as the initiatives undertaken by ICARDA. Finally, this contribution highlights the importance of these resources for boosting barley productivity, addressing climate change impacts, and meeting the growing food demands in a rapidly changing agriculture. The understanding and utilizing the rich genetic diversity of barley can contribute to sustainable agriculture and ensure the success of this vital crop for future generations globally.

Maxent Modeling for Predicting the Potential Geographical Distribution of Castanopsis carlesii under Various Climate Change Scenarios in China

Castanopsis carlesii (Hemsl.) Hayata. 1917 is an established subtropical evergreen broad-leaved tree species with rapid growth rates and a strong plasticity to environmental changes. It is widely distributed in East Asia; however, it is unclear how climate change influences the distribution of this tree species. Based on 210 valid occurrence records and 10 environmental variables, we used maximum entropy model (Maxent) to predict its potential geographical distribution under present and three future climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245 and SSP585) in both the 2050s and 2070s, and determined the influence of climate on the distribution of C. carlesii. The area under the curve (AUC) value of the simulated training and the test were 0.949 and 0.920, respectively, indicating an excellent forecast. The main climatic factors affecting the distribution of C. carlesii are mainly precipitation, especially that of the driest month (Bio14, 75.5%), and annual precipitation (Bio12, 14.3%); its total contribution rate is 89.8%. However, the impact of average mean temperature is lesser in comparison (Bio1, 5.7%). According to the present-day predictions, C. carlesii has a suitable habitat of 208.66 × 104 km2 across most of the tropical and subtropical regions south of the Yangtze River. The medium and high suitability areas are mainly in Taiwan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi Provinces. With the climate projected to warm in the future, the distribution area of C. carlesii exhibited a tendency of northward expansion along the Qinling–Huaihe line, mainly manifested as the increase in low and medium suitable areas. The area of high-suitable areas decreased significantly under the three climate scenarios both for the 2050s and 2070s, and only a few areas showed contraction of suitable areas. Therefore, expansion areas can be used for cultivation or introduction trials, while contraction areas require enhanced preservation and collection of genetic resources. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for formulating the adaptation and protection strategies to cope with future climate change as well as theoretical guidance for the introduction, cultivation and sustainable development of C. carlesii.

Genetic features of representatives of Malus Mill. for the formation of identified collections and breeding use

For the active mobilization of bioresources of the leading agricultural fruit plants, especially apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), and the inclusion of the best samples of the gene pool in the breeding, it is necessary to know their genetic characteristics according to the priority desired traits. The purpose of the study is to study the allelic polymorphism of the Md-PG1 in representatives of Malus Mill. to identify sources of long-term keeping of fruits and to form an identified collection of apple trees for breeding use. The studies were carried out in the Center for Collective Use «Research and Breeding Collection of Genetic Resources of Horticultural Crops»; generally accepted programs and methods of variety study and breeding of apple trees. Based on the data of molecular genetic analysis, carriers of the allelic combination AA for the Md-PG1 gene were identified - apple varieties: Smeralda, Egemen, Georgiya, hybrids 17/1-6-42 (Champion × Modi) and 17/2-5-15 (Renuartsiv × Carmen). The selected varieties and hybrid forms are promising in the process of creating domestic genetic resources with improved quality indicators, including a genetically determined increase in the shelf life of fruits.

Analysis of nucleotide sequences of the ABI3 gene coding region in pea varieties with different percentage of seed storage proteins

The main source of vegetable protein in the world are leguminous crops, among which peas are the most common in Russia. Dozens and even hundreds of genes are involved in the regulation of biological processes associated with the maturation of seeds and the accumulation of reserve nutrients in them, including proteins. The study conducted on legume species related to peas indicate that one of the genes at the highest hierarchical level in this regulatory chain is the ABI3 transcription factor gene; however, its role in the biosynthesis and accumulation of seed storage proteins remains poorly studied. The purpose of the current work is to identify high-protein pea genotypes and analyze the nucleotide sequences of the coding region of the ABI3 gene to search for possible DNA polymorphisms associated with protein percentage in their seeds. The study was carried out in 2020–2021. The objects of the study were 37 pea varieties from the collection of genetic resources of leguminous crops of VIR. Protein percentage in seeds was determined by the Bradford method. Selection of primers and comparative analysis of nucleotide sequences were performed using the PrimerSelect and MegAlign programs. Sequencing was performed according to the Sanger method. There were identified pea varieties with the highest (‘Aksaisky Usaty 55’, ‘Sakharny’) and low (‘K-8361’ (VIR), ‘Fregat’) seed protein percentage. In these variety samples, the coding region of the ABI3 gene was sequenced. Comparative analysis of their nucleotide sequences with the sequence of the ABI3 gene fragment annotated in the GenBank database revealed significant variability among them: nucleotide substitutions, deletion of 6 nucleotides. In the high protein variety ‘Sakharny’, there has been found a 9-nucleotide insertion, leading to the insertion of three additional amino acids, and in the low-protein variety Fregat, there has been found a single nucleotide insertion, causing a shift in the reading frame. The data obtained may indicate a correlation between mutations in the ABI3 gene and protein accumulation in pea seeds.