Cultivars Research Articles

Study of potato variety numbers in the breeding process in the northern regions of Russia

In the conditions of the Arkhangelsk region in the nurseries of the breeding process the study of potato hybrids was carried out and the varieties with high yield, resistance to pathogens and various environmental factors were selected. In 2019, 759 hybrid samples of 9 populations were received from the breeding department of the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Farming by A.G.Lorh with further study and selection of the best of them in the nurseries of the breeding process: hybrids of the 1st and 2nd year, preliminary and main trials of the 1st year. As a result of research and complex evaluation in the nursery of the main trial of the 1st year in the first dynamic digging (60 days after planting) in the group "medium early" hybrid 2553/1 stood out on the total and marketable yield exceeding the standard variety Kholmogorsky by 2.4 times, in the main harvest – only by 11%. In the group "medium early" in the main harvesting hybrid 2553/4 stood out exceeding the standard variety Elizaveta on the total yield by 7.4 t / ha, on marketable – by 3.2 t / ha. High total and marketable potato yields in the main harvest were obtained in sample 2462/3 (44.3 and 42.5 t/ha, respectively). Observations of potato plants during vegetation periods showed that no clone was affected by rhizoctoniose, microsporiosis and viral diseases. High resistance to late blight of potato hybrids in the first observation period and decrease of its resistance to the end of the vegetation period, before removal of haulm, was also revealed. This is probably due to low air temperature and significant precipitation during this period. Selection samples that showed high productivity and resistance to major diseases will be studied in further breeding process in order to create new varieties for cultivation in the conditions of northern regions of Russia.

Exploring tolerable and sensitive canola varieties for cultivation with Pb contaminated municipal wastewater by using irrigation dilution technique

Exploring tolerable and sensitive canola varieties for cultivation with Pb contaminated municipal wastewater by using irrigation dilution technique

Variations of salt stress responses and functional identification of TgPYR1-like8 in Tulipa gesneriana

Tulip cut flowers are mainly produced through hydroponic cultivation. The accumulation of nutrient substances in hydroponic solution generally resulted in ion stress and osmotic stress, which in turn affected the growth and ornamental characteristics of tulip plants. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the salt stress sensitivities of tulip cultivated varieties. The results indicated that most of tulip cultivars showed relatively high sensitivity to low concentrations of NaCl treatment, while the root growth and floral stalk elongation were significantly inhibited by 15 mM NaCl and flowering opening was completely prevented under 75 mM NaCl conditions. Salt stress caused differential accumulations of osmotic regulators including proline, soluble sugars and ions concentrations between two contrasting varieties. We further identified the function of TgPYR1-like8 which showed differential expression patterns among tulip cultivars and displayed the most expression abundance in flower petals. TgPYR1-like8 over expressed Arabidopsis lines showed hypersensitivity to salt treatment during seed germination and young seedlings growth when compared with wild-type plant. Transient silencing of endogenous TgPYR1-like8 in tulip petal discs decreased salt sensitivity and delayed salt-induced petal senescence. These findings provide evidences for revealing the function of TgPYR1-like8 in tulip salt stress responses and more clues on how to improve the hydroponic cultivation of different tulip varieties.

Field Performance of Sesame Varieties under Rainfed Ecosystem in Southern Tamil Nadu, India

In Pudukottai district, sesame is cultivated in 3,000 ha and farmers are predominantly growing very old sesame variety TMV 3. This variety is more susceptible to pest and diseases which leads to increased cultivation cost towards plant protection measures as well as reduced yield and income. To overcome this problem, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pudukkottai conducted On Farm Testing (OFT) in sesame varieties for promoting the high yielding varieties. Fifteen farmers were selected in different locations of Thiruvarankulam block, Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu. Critical inputs of seeds of sesame varieties like TMV 7 and G.Til 10 were distributed to the farmers. The plant physiological and yield parametersviz., plant height (cm), No. of branches, No. of capsules/ branch, capsule length (cm), seeds per capsule, Yield (q/ha) and BC ratio were recorded. The results revealed that, Among the sesame varieties tested, TMV 7 was recorded the maximum plant height (125 cm), number of branches (6.6), number of capsules per plant (43.5), capsules length ( 3.3 cm), No of seeds per capsule ( 57) which resulting in the highest yield of 7.8 q/ha followed by sesame G.Til 10 which recorded more plant height (120 cm), number of branches (6.0), number of capsules per plant (38.2) capsules length ( 3.1 cm), No of seeds per capsule ( 51) and yield of 7.3 q/ha compared to farmers variety cultivating variety TMV 3 which registered the lowest plant physiological parameters and yield (6.4 q/ha). The maximum B:C ratio was recorded in sesame variety TMV 7 (3.12) followed by G.Til 10 ( 2.92) over the variety TMV 3 (2.84). From this trial, it was concluded that, farmers are satisfied with the sesame TMV 7 variety for cultivation due to its low pest and disease incidence, higher yield and BC ratio.

Phytohormone and energy metabolism of rice germination and coleoptile growth during submergence by RNA-seq and LC-MS/MS analysis

Rice is one of the main food crops to guarantee the world's food security. Although rice is a semi-aquatic crop, long-term flooding stress can also inhibit growth and reduce yield and quality. Especially during the germination period, the germination rate of rice was inhibited by flooding stress, which resulted in the low emergence rate. Therefore, in this study, rice lines or cultivars with flood tolerance (C11) and flood sensitivity (KY60) were screened, and analyzed the response mechanisms during seed germination at different time points of waterlogging stress through transcriptome and metabolome sequencing. Compared with C11, waterlogging stress significantly inhibited the germination and coleoptile growth of KY60. Certain pathways, including plant hormones, energy metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism, were identified as significantly involved in the flooding stress response in rice. The plant hormone-related DEGs (IAA, SAUR, ARF, LOX) and metabolites (IAA, JA, GA, and SA) were identified to up-regulate gene expression levels and significantly up-accumulate phytohormone content in C11 to resist waterlogging stress. However, the ABA signaling pathway-related genes (ZHD, PLY) and ABA content were decreased in C11 under submerged conditions. It is beneficial for C11 to promote seed germination and coleoptile elongation under flooding conditions. A total of 150 DEGs (AMY, PGLR) and 58 related compounds were identified as involved in the energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism of rice after flooding stress. Candidate key genes and metabolite compounds were identified by combined RNA-Seq and LC-MS/MS correlation network analysis. This study provided insights to explore the flood-tolerance mechanism of rice and laid the foundation for the cultivation of new varieties of flood-tolerance rice.

Evaluation of the Phenolic Content and the Nutraceutical Potential of Ancestor and Cultivated Artichokes.

Wild cardoon (Cynara cardunculus var. sylvestris) is the ancestor of many cultivated forms, including globe artichoke (C. cardunculus var. scolymus). Four organs (receptacles, bracts, leaves and stems) of wild and cultivated artichokes (organic and conventional) were assessed considering their individual phenolic constituents (HPLC-DAD), total phenol-flavonoid content, and pharmaceutical potentials (antibacterial and antioxidant). All three sources of artichokes had the highest concentration of 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid (cynarin) in their receptacles and cultivated artichoke receptacles had more cynarin than wild one. On the other hand, receptacles of wild cardoon had the highest 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and caffeic acid than the cultivated ones. Generally, receptacles, stems and leaves of wild cardoon were superior to both cultivated artichokes on antioxidant potential, and total phenol-flavonoid content. The rise in total phenolic content can be attributed to an increase in antioxidant capacity in all artichoke organs. Only the leaves of all different artichokes showed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The investigated wild cardoon was believed to be a true ancestor since a comparison of wild and cultivated varieties revealed similar trends in terms of phenolic profile and biological properties. The nutraceutical industry can profit from this invasive wild cardoon due to their strong antioxidant potential and phenolic content.

Evaluation of cultivated gladiolus varieties of Bangladesh and radio sensitivity test for varietal improvement

The study was conducted at the research field of Nalitabari Sub-station, BINA, Sherpur during the period November 2019 to May 2020 to characterize, evaluate and select promising gladiolus varieties suitable for Bangladesh and to determine the optimum dose of radiation for LD50 for varietal improvement. The parameters studies were plant height, days to 1st flowering, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf breadth, length of spike, length of rachis, number of flower per spike, flower diameter, number of corms per plant, weight of single corm, vase life, per cent germination, per cent survivability, shoot length and root length. The longest plant (154.2 cm) was observed in White Prosperity, while the shortest plant (101.7 cm) was in Regency. The longest leaf (70.3 cm) was found in Red Cascade and the shortest leaf (48.0 cm) was found in Her Majesty. The highest number of floret per spike was produced by Red Cascade (17.3) followed by White Prosperity (17.0). The Regency produced the lowest number (8.0) of floret per spike. The longest vase life (9.3 days) was observed in American Beauty followed by (8.7 days) Red Cascade, while the shortest vase life (5.7 days) was recorded in Wine and Roses. In radio sensitivity test, 30-40 Gy of gamma irradiation would be the optimal dose for inducing useful mutation in gladiolus. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric, 37(2): 43-56, 2023

OLEAtool: An open-source software for morphopalynological research in Olea europaea L. pollen

In this paper we present OLEAtool, a new software tool for palynological research to facilitate morphological analysis and measurements of Olea pollen. OLEAtool is a macro extension for use with ImageJ, an open-access and freely available image analysis software, and was developed as a component of the OLEA-project. This larger project examines olive tree expansion and mosaic landscape formation on the Balearic Islands. Pollen analysis of both fossil and modern grains has been proven useful for characterizing cultivars and therefore an important method for studying olive tree cultivation in the Mediterranean. However, these methods still struggle with distinguishing between wild and cultivated varieties. Traditional morphological analysis of pollen grains can be a difficult and time-consuming task. However, OLEAtool dramatically increases the speed of collecting data on pollen grains, expands the number of variables an analyst can measure, and greatly enhances the replicability of morphological analysis.

Physiological Investigation and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanisms of Setaria italica's Yield Formation under Heat Stress.

Setaria italica is an important crop in China that plays a vital role in the Chinese dietary structure. In the last several decades, high temperature has become the most severe climate issue in the world, which causes great harm to the yield and quality formation of millet. In this study, two main cultivated varieties (ZG2 and AI88) were used to explore the photosynthesis and yield index of the whole plant under heat stress. Results implied that photosynthesis was not inhibited during the heat stress, and that the imbalance in sugar transport between different tissues may be the main factor that affects yield formation. In addition, the expression levels of seven SiSUT and twenty-four SiSWEET members were explored. Sugar transporters were heavily affected during the heat stress. The expression of SiSWEET13a was inhibited by heat stress in the stems, which may play a vital role in sugar transport between different tissues. These results provide new insights into the yield formation of crops under heat stress, which will provide guidance to crop breeding and cultivation.

Determinants of pesticides use among tomato farmers in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana

Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households in the forest savanna transitional belt of Ghana. However, the success of tomato cultivation is hindered by the presence of insect pests and diseases, necessitating the use of agricultural inputs. This study aimed to identify the pesticides used in tomato farming, assess their World Health Organization (WHO) active ingredient hazard class, determine the precautionary behaviour associated with pesticide use by tomato farmers, and elucidate the socio-economic factors influencing pesticide usage in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 1009 respondents, who were administered a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyse the collected data. The results revealed that tomato farmers utilized 15 types of insecticides (e.g., lambda and chlorpyrifos ethyl based), 8 types of fungicides (e.g., mancozeb and sulphur + copper based), and 6 types of weedicides (mostly glyphosate based) on their crops. Notably, four insecticides and two fungicides types were found to be unregistered products. Lambda-cyhalothrin-based insecticides and mancozeb-based fungicides were predominantly used by the farmers. The assessed pesticides exhibited varying levels of hazard, ranging from slight to moderate. The study found that farmer training was a significant driver influencing insecticide use, while the educational level of farmers and average yield played important roles in determining fungicide use. Socio-economic factors such as being the head of the household, employing farm workers, the cultivated tomato variety, and farmer training influenced weedicide use. The type of tomato variety cultivated emerged as the primary socio-economic driver of pesticide use. The study recommended the establishment and implementation of a systematic monitoring regime for pesticide product marketing and use, with the aim of reducing the utilization of unregistered products by farmers. Implementing these measures supports sustainable tomato farming in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana.

УРОЖАЙНОСТЬ СРЕДНЕСПЕЛЫХ СОРТОВ ЯРОВОЙ МЯГКОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ В РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ПРИРОДНО-КЛИМАТИЧЕСКИХ ЗОНАХ КРАСНОЯРСКОГО КРАЯ

The objective of the study is to investigate the yield of mid-season varieties for the period 1999–2000 in different natural and climatic zones of the Krasnoyarsk Region, to identify its relationship with meteorological factors. The yield of 44 mid-season varieties of spring soft wheat was analyzed for the period 1999–2020 on variety plots of the Krasnoyarsk Region in 6 natural and climatic zones: III – lowland sub-taiga (Kazachinsky variety plot), IV – foothill sub-taiga (Dzerzhinsky, Sayansky), V – Kansk-Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe (Sukhobuzimsky, Uyarsky), VI – Prichulymye forest-steppe (Nazarovsky, Uzhursky), VII – southern forest-steppe (Karatuzsky), VIII – foothill steppe on ordinary and southern chernozems (Minusinsky, Krasnoturansky). Only in zone VI, over this period of years, a trend of yield growth was noted from 3.83 (1999–2003) to 4.30 t/ha (2016–2020). Yield fluctuations in the study period were observed in the Kansk-Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe (zone V), with a sharp increase in 2016–2020 (4.80 t/ha) from 2.38 t/ha (2013–2015). The increase in yield here can be explained by the cultivation of intensive varieties in compliance with all technology elements. Instability of yield without a significant increase is typical of the foothill subtaiga (zone IV). Yield growth occurred in natural zone III (lowland subtaiga) from 2008–2012 to 2016–2020 from 1.25 to 2.22 t/ha. Natural zones make the greatest contribution to yield variability – 59.0–74.8 %, while the “years” factor is much less – 1.0–15.0 % and the “genotype” factor is 1.5–5.8 %. A correlation between yield and plant height (r = 0.462–0.552), and 1000-grain weight (r = 0.435–0.650) (Kazachinsky, Karatuzsky, Nazarovsky, Sukhobuzimsky, Uyarsky) was revealed on many variety plots of the region (Kazachinsky, Sayansky, Karatuzsky, Minusinsky, Uzhursky, Sukhobuzimsky). An unequal dependence of the yield of the studied variety plots by ten-day period of the vegetation period on the average daily air temperature, precipitation amount, and relative air humidity was revealed.

APPLICATION OF BIOLOGICAL GROWTH STIMULATOR IZABION AND INSECTICIDE LUX MAXI IN ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY OF GROWING AND PROTECTING TOBACCO

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to develop the elements of the adaptive technology of cultivation and protection of new varieties of tobacco of Ukrainian selection and to carry out the economic substantiation of the obtained results. Methodology of research. General scientific and special methods were used in the work: bibliographic and method of theoretical analysis of scientific literary sources – for studying and processing of scientific works related to the technology of tobacco cultivation; agronomic, field and biometric – to study the norms of introduction of experimental drugs, measurement of biometric indicators of tobacco plants in experimental plots; computational and constructive, mathematical and statistical, method of comparative analysis and economic method – when processing the results of scientific research for 2021-2023 and for evaluating the economic effectiveness of elements of adaptive technology of tobacco cultivation. Findings. An economic evaluation of the adaptive technology of growing and protecting tobacco from diseases and pests with elements of the use of new chemical preparations has been developed and carried out: Izabion growth biostimulator and Lux Maxi insecticide, as effective preparations for increasing the yield and quality of tobacco raw materials of the new variety of Ukrainian selection tobacco Berley 46 in the agro-climatic conditions of Transnistria of Ukraine. Their use significantly increases the level of profitability of the process of growing tobacco raw materials by improving the resistance of plants to adverse environmental factors and contributes to the growth of the competitiveness of the tobacco industry of our country on the world market. Originality. New elements of the adaptive technology of growing and protecting tobacco from diseases and pests have been developed using new environmentally safe drugs – the growth stimulator Izabion and the insecticide Lux Maxi on tobacco fields of the Berley 46 variety in the Transnistrian region of Ukraine. Indicators of economic efficiency of new elements of technology are substantiated. Practical value. The scope of application – agricultural enterprises of Transnistria of Ukraine of all organizational and legal forms, engaged in tobacco cultivation. Key words: tobacco, sort, technology, immunity, diseases, pests, growth stimulants, insecticides, cost, price, profit, profitability level, economic efficiency.

Comparative analysis of 326 chloroplast genomes in Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba): Structural variations, horizontal gene transfer events, and evolutionary patterns impacting its domestication from wild jujube

AbstractJujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), renowned for its nutritional value and health benefits, is believed to have originated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China, where it underwent domestication from wild jujube. Nonetheless, the evolutionary trajectory and species differentiation between wild jujube and cultivated jujube still require further elucidation. The chloroplast genome (plastome), characterized by its relatively lower mutation rate compared to the nuclear genome, serves as an excellent model for evolutionary and comparative genomic research. In this study, we analyzed 326 nonredundant plastomes, encompassing 133 jujube cultivars and 193 wild jujube genotypes distributed throughout China. Noteworthy variations in the large single copy region primarily account for the size differences among these plastomes, impacting the evolution from wild jujube to cultivated varieties. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) unveiled a unique chloroplast‐to‐nucleus transfer event, with transferred fragments predominantly influencing the evolution of the nuclear genome while leaving the plastome relatively unaffected. Population genetics analysis revealed two distinct evolutionary pathways from wild jujube to cultivated jujube: one driven by natural selection with minimal human interference, and the other resulting from human domestication and cultivation. Molecular dating, based on phylogenetic analysis, supported the likelihood that wild jujube and cultivated jujube fall within the same taxonomic category, Z. jujuba. In summary, our study comprehensively examined jujube plastome structures and HGT events, simultaneously contributing novel insights into the intricate processes that govern the evolution and domestication of jujube species.

The Economic Values of Coffea Arabica Biodiversity in Ethiopia

Ethiopia possesses the most important and diversified genepool of Coffea arabica in wild populations, traditional landraces and cultivated varieties. The availability of high genetic diversity is fundamental for any crop improvement program for use by the plant breeders. This study presents economic valuation of Coffea arabica in terms of pest and disease resistance, increased productivity /yield, drought tolerance or climate change resilience, low caffeine content and higher cup quality. The wild Coffea arabica embedded in the natural forest has a wide range of benefits, including cultivated coffee genetic enhancement, provision of ecological services as well as an intrinsic value. This economic assessment estimated the values of Coffea arabica biodiversity in term of coffee genetic enhancement for increased yield, increased pest and disease resistance, low caffeine, high cup quality, drought and climate change resilience, and GHG reduction using indirect market-based of revealed preference techniques. Our assessment revealed enormous potential of Ethiopia’s Arabica coffee biodiversity to improve and sustainably produce coffee globally and in the country. If Ethiopia exploits its coffee genetic resources potential for coffee production in the country, it gets an additional benefit of USD 2.37-5.84 billion per year. Besides, if coffee producing countries use the genetic resources in Ethiopia to solve their coffee production problems, there is a potential economic benefit of USD7.6-8.1 billion per year. If users of these genetic resources are willing to pay 5% of their gain in economic benefit from the accessed Ethiopian coffee genetic resources to Ethiopia, the country can get additional income of about USD380-403 million per year.

Economic and Yield Gap Analysis of High Yielding Ragi Varieties Under Rainfed Situations of Tiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu, India

Ragi is an important millet crop cultivated in about 82919 ha in Tamil Nadu and accounts for 77% of the total millet cultivated area. It is rich in protein, dietary fibre, minerals like calcium and iron and has been recommended for diabetes and heart diseases. Ragi is being cultivated in an area of 350ha in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu and has a potential to be expanded in terms of cultivable area under this major rice growing district owing to the changing climatic situations. Farmers of the district could realize only low yields and gross returns due to cultivation of local varieties and non adoption of improved package of practices. Hence the present study was undertaken by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tiruvallur situated in Tirur village in order to assess the performance of high yielding ragi varieties and to perform the yield gap and economic analysis under improved management practices and to motivate the farmers in cultivating high yielding ragi varieties. The improved varieties ML 365 and CO (Ra) 15 performed better than the local cultivar Balamani and gave higher yields, net returns and BC ratio. However the technology gap noticed under the demonstration could be abridged by improving the soil nutrient status and following improved package of practices. ML 365 recorded higher yield and returns and has high effective gain in comparison to CO (Ra) 15 and hence could be recommended for cultivation in Tiruvallur district.

Transcription factor encoding gene OsC1 regulates leaf sheath color through anthocyanidin metabolism in Oryza rufipogon and Oryza sativa

Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins are nutrient substances commonly seen in rice grains, but anthocyanidin, with benefit for plant growth and animal health, exists mainly in the common wild rice but hardly in the cultivated rice. To screen the rice germplasm with high intensity of anthocyanidins and identify the variations, we used metabolomics technique and detected significant different accumulation of anthocyanidins in common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon, with purple leaf sheath) and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa, with green leaf sheath). In this study, we identified and characterized a well-known MYB transcription factor, OsC1, through phenotypic (leaf sheath color) and metabolic (metabolite profiling) genome-wide association studies (pGWAS and mGWAS) in 160 common wild rice (O. rufipogon) and 151 cultivated (O. sativa) rice varieties. Transgenic experiments demonstrated that biosynthesis and accumulation of cyanidin-3-Galc, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside and cyanidin O-syringic acid, as well as purple pigmentation in leaf sheath were regulated by OsC1. A total of 25 sequence variations of OsC1 constructed 16 functional haplotypes (higher accumulation of the three anthocyanidin types within purple leaf sheath) and 9 non-functional haplotypes (less accumulation of anthocyanidins within green leaf sheath). Three haplotypes of OsC1 were newly identified in our germplasm, which have potential values in functional genomics and molecular breeding of rice. Gene-to-metabolite analysis by mGWAS and pGWAS provides a useful and efficient tool for functional gene identification and omics-based crop genetic improvement.

Dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma modifies the multiscale structure and functional properties of banana starch

Banana starch has attracted significant attention due to its abundant content of resistant starch. This study aims to compare the multiscale structure and functional properties of banana starch obtained from five cultivated varieties and investigate the impact of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (DBD) treatment on these starch characteristics. All five types of natural banana starch exhibited an elliptical and irregular shape, conforming to the CB crystal structure, with a bimodal distribution of branch chain lengths. The resistant starch content ranged from 88.9 % to 94.1 %. Variations in the amylose content, amylopectin branch chain length distribution, and structural characteristics resulted in differences in properties such as gelatinization behavior and sensitivity to DBD treatment. The DBD treatment inflicted surface damage on starch granules, reduced the amylose content, shortened the amylopectin branch chain length, and changed the relative crystallinity to varying degrees. The DBD treatment significantly increased starch solubility and light transmittance. Simultaneously, it resulted in a noteworthy decrease in peak viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy of starch paste. The in vitro digestibility test showed that 76.2 %–86.5 % of resistant starch was retained after DBD treatment. The DBD treatment renders banana starch with reduced viscosity, increased paste transparency, enhanced solubility, and broadens its potential application.

Development of Submergence Tolerant Rice Variety BRRI dhan79 for Flash Flood Ecosystem of Bangladesh

Tolerance to submergence stress is an important breeding objective for the areas where rice cultivars are subjected to complete inundation for a week or more. Submergence tolerance is an important trait for rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the flash flood-prone ecosystem. The trait is largely controlled by a major gene designated as Sub1 located on chromosome 9. Submergence of rice (Oryza sativa) by flash flooding is a major constraint to rice production in Bangladesh. Quantitative trait loci analyses have revealed that a large portion of this variation in submergence tolerance can be explained by Sub1. A newly released submergence tolerant rice variety namely BRRI dhan79 was developed by hybridization between BRRI dhan49*6/BRRI dhan52 through Marker Assisted Backcrossing and selection method where BRRI dhan52 (submergence tolerant mega variety in Bangladesh) used as Sub1 donor. It can tolerate upto three weeks complete submergence at vegetative stage whereas Sub1 donor mega variety BRRI dhan52 can tolerate on an average two weeks complete submergence condition. It can also tolerate 50-60 cm water stagnation for 15-20 days after de-submergence. The variety has satisfactorily been passed in the proposed variety trial conducted in flash flood prone farmers' field in Bangladesh. As a result, the National Seed Board (NSB) of Bangladesh approved this rice variety for commercial cultivation for the flash flood affected rainfed lowland ecosystem (Transplanted Aman season) in 2017. It meet up all the trait of modern plant likely medium plant heihght (112 cm), strong and stature culm structure, erect flag leaf with stay green leaf at maturity stage and high yield potential with 140 days growth duration (in case of three weeks submergence mature by 160 days). It can produce 5.5 t/ha grain yield under non-stress condition and 4.0-4.5 t/ha yield under three weeks submergence condition. The grain shape of the variety is medium bold. The rice production scenario in flash flood affected region of Bangladesh has been remarkably improved after releasing this rice variety. It has not only change the socio-economic status of farmers but also sustaining food security.

Functional diversification of miR172 isoforms in tomato under abiotic stress

Plant gene families have expanded many folds as opposed to animals to compensate for being sessile as well as having unique features like ability to photosynthesise. While different protein families are well characterised in plants, similar knowledge on miRNA families is still in its infancy. The MIR172 family plays important role in various plant development processes including vegetative to reproductive phase change, floral patterning, nodulation, and fruit ripening as well as also in response to different environmental cues. However, in-depth analysis of this family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is limited. In this study, we identified four new MIR172 loci (Sly-MIR172a1/a2/e/f) and two new isoforms, other than those reported at the miRBase repository. The MIR172 family has expanded by segmental duplication events and is conserved between the wild (S. pennellii and S. pimpinellifolium) and the cultivated tomato varieties. However, phylogenetic analysis showed that S. pennellii formed the most divergent member within each clade and S. pimpinellifolium is closer to the cultivated varieties. Additionally, investigations in 42 plant species highlighted that miR172a/b is the most abundant form in the plant kingdom. In addition to the classical target Apetala2 (AP2), degradome analysis identified SEC14p-like phosphatidylinositol transfer family protein (SEC14p) as a novel target of Sly-miR172 that was validated using precursor:effector and target:reporter transient assays. Further, we report dual mode of Sly-miR172-mediated silencing of targets Sly-AP2 and Sly-SEC14p by post-transcriptional transcript cleavage as well as translational repression. Different members of Sly-MIR172s:Sly-AP2s and Sly-MIR172s:Sly-SEC14p exhibit inverse expression correlation in response to different abiotic stresses, suggesting their role in stress response. Functional investigation of MIR172 showed that tomato plants performed better in different abiotic stresses (heat, drought, and salt) upon MIR172 overexpression or target knock-down by virus-induced-gene-silencing. Conversely, when miRNA is chelated using short-tandem-target-mimic, the plants exhibit sensitivity to these stresses. Thus, Sly-miR172 acts as a positive regulator while its targets Sly-AP2a and Sly-SEC14p as negative regulators of different abiotic stresses.

Application of flash GC e-nose and FT-NIR combined with deep learning algorithm in preventing age fraud and quality evaluation of pericarpium citri reticulatae

Pericarpium citri reticulatae (PCR) is the dried mature fruit peel of Citrus reticulata Blanco and its cultivated varieties in the Brassicaceae family. It can be used as both food and medicine, and has the effect of relieving cough and phlegm, and promoting digestion. The smell and medicinal properties of PCR are aged over the years; only varieties with aging value can be called “Chenpi”. That is to say, the storage year of PCR has a great influence on its quality. As the color and smell of PCR of different storage years are similar, some unscrupulous merchants often use PCRs of low years to pretend to be PCRs of high years, and make huge profits. Therefore, we did this study with the aim of establishing a rapid and nondestructive method to identify the counterfeiting of PCR storage year, so as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. In this study, a classification model of PCR was established by e-eye, flash GC e-nose, and Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) combined with machine learning algorithms, which can quickly and accurately distinguish PCRs of different storage years. DFA and PLS-DA models were established by flash GC e-nose to distinguish PCRs of different ages, and 8 odor components were identified, among which (+)-limonene and γ-terpinene were the key components to distinguish PCRs of different ages. In addition, the classification and calibration model of PCRs were established by the combination of FT-NIR and machine learning algorithms. The classification models included SVM, KNN, LSTM, and CNN-LSTM, while the calibration models included PLSR, LSTM, and CNN-LSTM. Among them, the CNN-LSTM model built by internal capsule had significantly better classification and calibration performance than the other models. The accuracy of the classification model was 98.21 %. The R2P of age, (+)-limonene and γ-terpinene was 0.9912, 0.9875 and 0.9891, respectively. These results showed that the combination of flash GC e-nose and FT-NIR combined with deep learning algorithm could quickly and accurately distinguish PCRs of different ages. It also provided an effective and reliable method to monitor the quality of PCR in the market.