Early Generation Research Articles

Oil shale enrichment mechanisms in the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation from the Ludong sag, Songliao Basin, Northeast China

In order to investigate the oil shale enrichment mechanisms and the relationship among gravity flows, volcanism, and oil shale deposition, detailed petrological, sedimentological, and organic geochemical research have been carried out on the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in the Ludong sag, Songliao Basin, Northeast China. Seven facies were recognized and were grouped into three facies associations, namely hyperpycnites and intrabasinal turbidites, delta, and lacustrine facies associations. During the deposition of the lower Jiufotang Formation, hyperpycnites were developed during catastrophic flooding events that caused an abrupt increase in the discharge of water and sediment into the deep lacustrine environments, and a delta persisted during normal river discharge intervals and prograded into lacustrine environments. During the deposition of the upper Jiufotang Formation, deep lacustrine facies further expanded, and the extent of hyperpycnites decreased. Four types of oil shales were recognized in the Ludong sag of which those in the lower and upper Jiufotang Formation were defined as medium-to good-quality and good-to best-quality source rocks, respectively, exerting an overall thermal maturity of early oil generation. The lacustrine redox conditions show oxic to dysoxic conditions in the lower Jiufotang Formation, and anoxic to dysoxic conditions in the upper Jiufotang Formation. Oil shales were poorly-developed in the lower Jiufotang Formation and were well-developed in the upper Jiufotang Formation. During the active rift stage of the lower Jiufotang Formation, frequent occurrences of gravity flows and water-carried re-sedimentation of tuffaceous materials were unfavorable for oil shale accumulation. During the waning rift phases of the upper Jiufotang Formation, minor wind-transport of volcanic ash input into the deep lacustrine environments fertilized the lake water and supported algae blooms, leading to reduced oxygen concentrations in the bottom lacustrine waters along with high bioproductivity that were favorable for organic matter preservation and oil shale formation.

Extension of the Eeigenvalue-Based Selection Index Method for Fixation of Multiple Trait-Transgressive Segregates in Mungbeans (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek)

The selection of the early generation is a viable strategy for the rapid development of new plant varieties. In mungbeans (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek), the selection process is carried out to obtain high seed yield, early maturity, and sufficiently large seed size. To enhance this process, the extension of the combined-eigenanalysis selection index method (CESIM) with transgressive segregation variables can be used to fix multiple-trait transgressive segregates. Therefore, this research aimed to (1) develop an eigenvalue-based selection index method in information from relatives analysis capable of fixing multiple-trait transgressive segregates in the early generation, (2) predict expected and realized multiple-trait selection responses, and (3) verify the presence of multiple-trait transgressive segregates in the early generation of mungbeans. The material used consisted of the F3 generation population and its selection outcomes in F4, originating from the crossbreeding of mungbean varieties Gelatik × Lasafu Lere Butsiw. The empirical breeding values (EBV) between and within families were obtained using the BLUP values of the F3 generation from the mixed linear model with a nested design and log-normal distribution. The EBV values between families and dummy variables of transgressive segregate families were used in the selection process with CESIM. Furthermore, analysis of variance in EBV values within families in the F4 generation was applied to verify the presence of multiple-trait transgressive segregates. The results showed that the selection from the best CESIM equation yielded index scores with a determination coefficient R2 = 97.76% and an expected selection response of 136.62. The verification process confirmed the presence of 9 families as multiple-trait transgressive segregate families in the early generation.

Multiplex PCR for Early Generation Identification of Tomato Segregants Carrying Ty-2, Ty-3 and Ph-3 Resistance Alleles Against Leaf Curl and Late Blight Diseases.

Deployment of different natural disease resistance alleles is the most sustainable and eco-friendly way for multiple disease management in tomato. Diagnostic molecular markers are indispensible in this effort as they offer early generation identification of resistance alleles in an environment-independent manner. Moreover, optimized multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting different disease resistance alleles in a single reaction can speed-up the selection process with cost and labour-effectiveness. Here we report the optimized multiplex detection and stacking of leaf curl disease resistance alleles Ty-2 and Ty-3 along with late blight disease resistance allele Ph-3 in tomato genotypes and F2 segregants. The triplex assay could be replaced by a duplex assay (for Ty-2 and Ty-3 resistance alleles) followed by analysis at Ph-3 locus to achieve further cost-effectiveness. We identified two plants in F2 populations derived from the Arka Samrat (F1) x Kashi Chayan combination to carry the Ty-2, Ty-3 and Ph-3 resistance alleles in homozygous condition. Early generation genotyping also allowed us to identify a few morphologically better segregants, where further marker assisted selection (MAS) should identify superior multiple disease resistant lines. Thus we advocate the utility of multiplex PCR in MAS to address multiple disease resistance breeding in tomato.

Distinct biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells separated from different components of human placenta

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have tremendous potential in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. The placenta-derived MSCs (PMSCs) are becoming favorable sources as they are ethically preferable and rich in MSCs. Although several subgroups of PMSCs have been identified from human term placenta, optimal sources for specific clinical applications remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to isolate MSCs from various components of the placenta, and compare their biological characteristics, including morphology, proliferation, immunophenotype, differentiation potential, growth factor and cytokine secretion, and immunomodulatory properties. Finally, four distinct groups of PMSCs were isolated from the placenta: amniotic membrane-derived MSCs (AM-MSCs), chorionic membrane-derived MSCs (CM-MSCs), chorionic plate-derived MSCs (CP-MSCs), and chorionic villi-derived MSCs (CV-MSCs). The results showed that CV-MSCs had good proliferation ability, and were easier to induce osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation; CP-MSCs exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the proliferation of activated T cells, secreted high levels of EGF and IL-6, and could well differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondroblasts; AM-MSCs showed good growth dynamics in the early generations, were able to grow at high density, and tended to induce differentiation into osteogenic and neural lineages. These findings may provide novel evidence for the selection of seed cells in clinical application.

Improving Moral Posture

A common narrative in the discourse on modern transnational yoga concerns its secularization, i.e. the assumption that posture-based yoga can be separated from its soteriological background. This aspect is particularly pronounced in yoga manuals which, from the 1950s onwards, address a largely female audience. This article highlights a slightly different historical move: the promotion of yoga in line with a faith-based mindset. It presents a case study of two German sisters, who from 1952 onwards instructed an early generation of yoga teachers, referencing harmonious gymnastics, the Christian Indian Yesudian and the American legacy of Yogananda. I argue that in this sociohistorical context yoga practice was seen as a multi-religious method to increase and revive ethical rules and behaviour—regardless of the functional secular tone favoured in yoga manuals. This particular way of framing posture practice and its curative power was highly influenced by the aftermath of the war, and hence differed from what might be called New Age religion or today’s popular self-identification as ‘spiritual, but not religious’. The paper thus contributes to the entangled history of modern yoga and illustrates the impact of women for initiating the spread of respective posture practice. It adds theoretically to reconsidering religious narratives for positioning and rationalizing posture-based yoga.

Generational differences in the identification of Europeans: the role of the great recession

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on analyzing European identification through the exploration of generational differences. The idea that young people are more pro-European than older people is widely accepted in both academia and popular discourse. However, this paper goes further and explores whether such differences exist in both affective and cognitive dimensions of European identification. It is argued that while young people broadly take the European Union (EU) as a given and identify as Europeans, earlier generations who lived through the Second World War and the post-war period, define the European project in a more idealistic way, which could result in greater emotional attachment. Additionally, this article aims to test whether the Great Recession has had an impact on young people’s identification, as this cohort was most negatively impacted by the crisis. Using survey data from the Eurobarometer, the results highlight the contextual variation in European identification and the relevance of distinguishing between affective and cognitive dimensions when we explore the life-cycle and generational effects.

Nature and occurrence, geochemical characteristics, and families of the crude oils in Sirt Basin, Libya: Implication for super rift basin petroleum system

In this study, we investigated the nature and characteristics of petroleum fluids in a super-global basin situated in the central north of Libya. With over 100 discovered fields (comprising oil and gas), this study aimed to understand the basin's petroleum accumulation mechanism (PAM), thereby shedding light on the factors contributing to significant petroleum discoveries in North Africa (Libya). The primary objective of this study was to provide a detailed regional refined oil family distribution and new insights into the total petroleum system (TPS) of the basin. This analysis was based on the integration of regional geology and organic geochemistry. Additionally, we utilized the physical properties of petroleum, such as API and sulphur content (%S), to obtain a better understanding of the regional physical nature of petroleum types and properties. Organic geochemical data for the basin fields were compiled, focusing on key biological marker and carbon isotope (‰ δ13C) data for saturated and aromatic compounds. These data were used to understand the origin, depositional source, and thermal maturity of the generated, migrated, and accumulated petroleum fluids. The study established specific types of organofacies and their relationships with petroleum phase characteristics, including type and quality, categorized into known groups (e.g., B, C, and D/E). Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and map-based presentation approaches were used to determine the spatial types and distributions of oil and gas families in the basin. This was achieved by selecting the input parameters from various datasets and defining the significant parameters to characterize the distribution patterns. The findings indicate that the bulk fluid of the Sirt Basin primarily resembled Brent oil, which was characterized by a very low sulphur content (less than 1.4%). The API gravity ranged from 30 to 65, reflecting a diverse range of oil types within the basin. The crude oils in the basin were primarily derived from marine organofacies, predominantly from type B. This inference is supported by related biomarkers such as regular steranes and isoprenoids. Furthermore, the analysis of carbon isotopes provided a similar indication, with values ranging from −32 to −27 for ‰ δ13C for saturates and −31.2 to −25.4 ‰ δ13C for aromatic compounds. The thermal maturity biomarker ratio (Ts/Ts + Tm) of the Sirt Basin crude oils varied from 0.35 to 0.92, suggesting different levels of thermal maturity, typically ranging from the mid to late mature stages. This observation is consistent with the indication based on the 22S/22S + 22R ratio. The basin exhibited four dominant oil families and eight subfamilies with the same geochemical characteristics (HCA-based analysis), including early and later generations, relatively sulphurized oils, and condensate families.

Feedback-free starbursts at cosmic dawn. Observable predictions for JWST

We extend the analysis of a physical model within the standard cosmology that robustly predicts a high star-formation efficiency (SFE) in massive galaxies at cosmic dawn due to feedback-free starbursts (FFBs). This model implies an excess of bright galaxies at $z 10$ compared to the standard models based on the low SFE at later epochs, an excess that is indicated by JWST observations. Here we provide observable predictions of galaxy properties based on the analytic FFB scenario. These can be compared with simulations and JWST observations. We use the model to approximate the SFE as a function of redshift and mass, assuming a maximum SFE of $ max 1$ in the FFB regime. From this, we derive the evolution of the galaxy mass and luminosity functions as well as the cosmological evolution of stellar and star-formation densities. We then predict the star-formation history (SFH), galaxy sizes, outflows, gas fractions, metallicities, and dust attenuation, all as functions of mass and redshift in the FFB regime. The major distinguishing feature of the model is the occurrence of FFBs above a mass threshold that declines with redshift. The luminosities and star formation rates in bright galaxies are predicted to be in excess of extrapolations of standard empirical models and standard cosmological simulations, an excess that grows from $z 9$ to higher redshifts. The FFB phase of $ is predicted to show a characteristic SFH that fluctuates on a timescale of $ The stellar systems are compact ($ at $z 10$ and declining with $z$). The galactic gas consists of a steady wind driven by supernovae from earlier generations, with high outflow velocities FWHM low gas fractions ($<\!0.1$), low metallicities ($ and low dust attenuation UV 0.5$ at $z 10$ and declining with $z$). We make tentative comparisons with current JWST observations for initial insights, anticipating more complete and reliable datasets for detailed quantitative comparisons in the future. The FFB predictions are also offered in digital form.

إشكالية حديث الجارية: دراسةٌ حديثيةٌ نقديةٌ

The noble Islamic religion is the religion that Allah has chosen for His servants and commanded us to follow. There is no real contradiction in its definitive texts. This research, in fact, stems from the doctrinal problem caused by the hadith al-jariyah (Hadith of the Slave Girl). In the Islamic creed, as affirmed by the early generations and later scholars, and agreed upon by the Islamic nation, it is established that Allah, the Exalted, does not resemble His creations. He is the Creator of space, time, the heavens, and the earth, and therefore, He does not need space, time, or anything from His creations. It is impossible for Him, Glorified and Exalted, to be contained or confined in the heavens or any other place. However, the apparent meaning of the hadith al-jariyah is misleading, suggesting a resemblance between Allah and His creation. It implies that Allah, the Exalted, is contained in a place, namely the heavens. This contradicts the clear verses of the Quran and authentic Hadith, as well as the consensus established in the works of scholars and the rational evidence that Allah does not need anything from His creations. In this study, the researcher employed three methodologies: the inductive approach, analytical methodology, and critical methodology. The inductive approach was used to explore the foundational heritage for information related to the topic from available books. The analytical methodology was employed to scrutinize the extracted information from its sources, aiming to understand its elements and intricacies in order to place it in its proper context. The critical methodology involved reviewing the extracted information from its sources to verify the accuracy of its elements and the soundness of its content, integrating them into the overall analysis. From this research, it is found that the hadith al-jariyah cannot be relied upon to prove the concept of place or any limitation for Allah, as it reveals the extent of disturbance and complexities within it, preventing its use as evidence in doctrinal matters.

Overall survival (OS) in a u.s. Asian population with stage IV NSCLC with EGFR mutations treated with first-line (1L) osimertinib (Osi) compared to earlier generation (Gen) of TKIs or sequential treatment (Tx).

e20597 Background: Osi, a 3rd-gen EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), was approved as 1L tx for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations (ex19del or L858R) in 2018. This was based on the FLAURA trial, showing improved progression-free survival and OS of 1L osi compared to 1st-gen TKIs. Despite this, subgroup analyses revealed no OS difference in Asian or L858R patients (pts). Studies such as GioTag and UpSwinG showed better median OS in Asians with ex19del mutations on sequential afatinib and osi tx, prompting the question if sequencing of tx may also benefit L858R pts. We conducted this analysis of real-world outcomes in U.S. Asian pts with EGFR mutated NSCLC treated with 1L osi, 1st- or 2nd- gen TKIs (prior-TKIs-only), or sequential 1st- or 2nd- gen TKI followed by osi (sequential-TKI-osi). Methods: We conducted a single-institution IRB-approved retrospective study at NYU, including Asian pts diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC with EGFR ex19del or L858R, who received any gen of TKIs from 1/1/2010 to 1/13/2023. We compared 3-year (3y) OS based on tx and mutation subtypes, excluding pts with less than 3 years of follow-up. The analysis utilized the Cox proportional-hazards model to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and P values of OS. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank tests were used to assess survival differences between tx groups. Additionally, a multivariable Cox proportional-hazards model explored the association between pts' survival time and multiple predictor variables. Results: We analyzed 139 cases: 103 (74%) females, 68 (49%) L858R, 113 (81%) never smokers, and age 31-96 years. The 3y OS analysis revealed no significant difference in the OS in L858R pts who received prior-TKIs-only (p = 0.83) or sequential-TKI-osi (p = 0.90), compared to 1L osi (median OS not reached in all three groups). However, in ex19del pts, prior-TKIs-only (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.13-0.76) and sequential-TKI-osi (HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11-0.85) txs showed superior OS compared to 1L osi, with a median OS of 24.7 mo in 1L osi and not reached in other two txs. Among all predictor variables (tx, age, sex, EGFR subtypes, and smoking status), only age had a significant but small impact on OS (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06). Conclusions: Our real-world analysis revealed that Asian stage IV NSCLC pts with L858R treated with 1L osi had a similar 3y OS compared to those treated with prior-TKIs-only and sequential-TKI-osi. Whereas, 1L osi was inferior to both txs in OS for ex19del pts. This finding may be unique and significant in Asian ex19del pts, though our analysis is limited by the small cohort of a retrospective study. Larger cohorts from retrospective studies or prospective trials are needed to investigate the response of Asian ex19del pts to 1L osi, while underling the need for novel tx options for L858R pts.

Arabidopsis AN3 and OLIGOCELLULA genes link telomere maintenance mechanisms with cell division and expansion control.

Telomeres are conserved chromosomal structures necessary for continued cell division and proliferation. In addition to the classical telomerase pathway, multiple other genes including those involved in ribosome metabolism and chromatin modification contribute to telomere length maintenance. We previously reported that Arabidopsis thaliana ribosome biogenesis genes OLI2/NOP2A, OLI5/RPL5A and OLI7/RPL5B have critical roles in telomere length regulation. These three OLIGOCELLULA genes were also shown to function in cell proliferation and expansion control and to genetically interact with the transcriptional co-activator ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3). Here we show that AN3-deficient plants progressively lose telomeric DNA in early homozygous mutant generations, but ultimately establish a new shorter telomere length setpoint by the fifth mutant generation with a telomere length similar to oli2/nop2a -deficient plants. Analysis of double an3 oli2 mutants indicates that the two genes are epistatic for telomere length control. Telomere shortening in an3 and oli mutants is not caused by telomerase inhibition; wild type levels of telomerase activity are detected in all analyzed mutants in vitro. Late generations of an3 and oli mutants are prone to stem cell damage in the root apical meristem, implying that genes regulating telomere length may have conserved functional roles in stem cell maintenance mechanisms. Multiple instances of anaphase fusions in late generations of oli5 and oli7 mutants were observed, highlighting an unexpected effect of ribosome biogenesis factors on chromosome integrity. Overall, our data implicate AN3 transcription coactivator and OLIGOCELLULA proteins in the establishment of telomere length set point in plants and further suggest that multiple regulators with pleiotropic functions can connect telomere biology with cell proliferation and cell expansion pathways.

Optimising Educational Outcomes: Data and Process Analysis Approaches with Attention to Self-Directed Learning

The swift advancements in technology and the corresponding job market impose increasingly challenging and dynamic requirements on workers. This is a significant obstacle for higher education institutions in adequately preparing their students for contemporary expectations and equipping them to tackle future difficulties. Today's students are "digital natives", and they distinctly absorb knowledge and employ new strategies to learn compared to earlier generations. Hence, it is of utmost significance for higher education institutions to comprehend the student learning process. Learning management systems (LMS) can offer substantial assistance in this endeavor, as they facilitate comprehension of students' learning process, while log files also offer unbiased insights into individual adaptation. This study aims to investigate the learning mechanisms of Business Informatics students at Corvinus University of Budapest by analyzing Moodle's educational data. The objective of the study was to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the learning patterns exhibited by students in higher education through the utilization of an extensive collection of log files. The central idea revolved around examining the behavioral, motivational, and interest-related dimensions of learning as indicators of self-directed learning. These were examined using two primary methodologies: data analysis and process analysis. The findings indicate that distinct learning patterns exist regarding data and learning processes. Additionally, there are variations in time management and information consumption habits. The results of this study have practical implications for identifying learning patterns and developing tailored interventions to enhance educational achievements.

Variability Studies of Various Traits and Selection of Water Logging Tolerant Clones in Early Generation

An experiment was carried out in January, 2021–December, 22 at Sugarcane Research Institute, Dr. RPCAU, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India to screen the genotypes for tolerance to water-logging from July to September in the early clonal generation of sugarcane. The experimental design followed was augmented design, in which a total of 24 clones were planted together with 2 checks. The degree of genetic variability present in the base population and the heritability of the traits being improved will be key factors in any breeding programme success. For all of the observations, the analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences among the clones. The range of variation in mean value was comparatively wide for number of shoots at 120 DAP, plant height, number of millable canes and cane yield. The traits cane yield and sucrose content play a crucial role in selecting the appropriate clones. Thus, from the studies the clone CoX 20069 recorded the highest mean performance for cane yield. Whereas the genotype CoX 20068 showed the highest mean performance for HR Brix in November, December and January. Based on the brix value, cane yield and morphological performance eight clones namely CoX 20069, CoX 20068, CoX 20055, X 20030, X 20035, CoX 20054, CoX 20056, CoX 20246 can be selected for further utilization in breeding programme under water- logging condition. All the clones in the present study had non-flowering and non-lodging morphological behaviour.

Comparison of Customary Law and Islamic Law on the Tradition of Donation in Walimatul 'Urs: in Padukuhan Nepi, Kranggan Village, Galur Sub-district, Kulon Progo Regency

Marriage is a noble sunnah that has been carried out by the Prophets and Messengers and the early and late generations who followed their guidance. Walimah itself means a celebration, a banquet specifically for marriage and is not used for events outside of marriage. Walimah according to the custom in Padukuhan Nepi is very important so that to hold a walimah the community has its own way to create the event such as collecting donations with the tonjokan tradition, namely giving in the form of food or groceries given before the walimah takes place. The subject matter discussed in this thesis is how the practice of how customary law and Islamic law views the practice of giving donations walimatul 'urs? and how does the community respond to the practice of giving donations at walimatul 'urs itself? This research is a field research. Data collection techniques include observation and literature study conducted by documenting documents and literature related to the research material. This research is descriptive comparative with normative and sociological approaches. Then the analysis method used is comparative analysis to compare the two concepts and find the meeting point of the two concepts. The results of this study indicate that in understanding the practice of donations in walimatul 'urs, Islamic law provides more benefits and convenience compared to customary law. In Islamic law, giving a donation is not an obligation but a voluntary gift that is believed to be rewarded by Allah SWT, while in customary law, especially the custom in Nepi Padukuhan, giving a donation at walimatul 'urs is an obligation because if it is not implemented, it will get its own sanctions from the local community.

Innovation rate and population structure moderate the effect of population size on cumulative technological culture

Cumulative technological culture is defined as the increase in efficiency and complexity of tools and techniques over generations that allowed humans to conquer the whole Earth. While one part of the puzzling ability of humans to develop such a form of culture lies in their cognitive capacities giving rise to reliable transmission of information, another lies in the impact of demographic factors. Indeed, many studies have examined the impact of population size, innovation rate and population structure on cumulative technological culture. Here, we present a computational model based on a previous model of micro-society that we extended to study the impact of population size and the influence of innovations on cumulative technological culture. Our results showed that population size exhibits an influence on cumulative technological culture, principally in small-scale populations. Additionally, the model suggests that the innovation rate constrains cumulative technological culture and the importance of population size. Indeed, when innovations are frequent, the impact of population size is diminished. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that individuals rely more on themselves than on others to innovate in earlier generations as well as in small populations. However, when populations grow as well as in later stages of evolution, reliance on innovation from others increases. Overall, these results indicate that population size has a limited impact on cumulative technological culture and that other demographic factors such as innovation rate could offer a viable alternative explanation for archeological records.

Determining adaptability of farmer bred spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes to Canadian organic production using stability analysis

AbstractParticipatory plant breeding (PPB) is a collaborative process between farmers, plant breeders and researchers to create germplasm specifically bred for target environments. We sought to examine the yield performance and adaptability of genotypes from an organic PPB wheat programme under organic management across the Canadian prairies. We evaluated 25 farmer genotypes and 6 commercial cultivars in locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, totalling 12 organic environments. The top performers most responsive to higher yield environments were three farmer genotypes (BL34‐SW, BL43C‐TM and BJ13‐GW) and one check cultivar (Vesper). Genotype plus genotype by environment (GGE) biplot analysis indicated that one farmer genotype (BL23‐AS) and one check cultivar (Vesper) demonstrated high yield and greater organic adaptation than other genotypes tested. Two registered cultivars (AAC Brandon and Jake) had low yield and poor adaptation, as did one farmer genotype (PWA10B‐LD). Yield was positively and strongly correlated with height, anthesis and mature biomass and kernel number per unit area. The results provide evidence that early generation farmer selection is an effective breeding strategy for discovering wheat genotypes with high yield and excellent adaptability to organic production systems in Canada.

Molecular Diversity and Combining Ability in Newly Developed Maize Inbred Lines under Low-Nitrogen Conditions.

Nitrogen is an essential element for maize growth, but excessive application can lead to various environmental and ecological issues, including water pollution, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. Hence, developing maize hybrids resilient to low-N conditions is vital for sustainable agriculture, particularly in nitrogen-deficient soils. Combining ability and genetic relationships among parental lines is crucial for breeding superior hybrids under diverse nitrogen levels. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of maize inbred lines using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and evaluate their combining ability to identify superior hybrids under low-N and recommended conditions. Local and exotic inbred lines were genotyped using SSR markers, revealing substantial genetic variation with high gene diversity (He = 0.60), moderate polymorphism information content (PIC = 0.54), and an average of 3.64 alleles per locus. Twenty-one F1 hybrids were generated through a diallel mating design using these diverse lines. These hybrids and a high yielding commercial check (SC-131) were field-tested under low-N and recommended N conditions. Significant variations (p < 0.01) were observed among nitrogen levels, hybrids, and their interaction for all recorded traits. Additive genetic variances predominated over non-additive genetic variances for grain yield and most traits. Inbred IL3 emerged as an effective combiner for developing early maturing genotypes with lower ear placement. Additionally, inbreds IL1, IL2, and IL3 showed promise as superior combiners for enhancing grain yield and related traits under both low-N and recommended conditions. Notably, hybrids IL1×IL4, IL2×IL5, IL2×IL6, and IL5×IL7 exhibited specific combining abilities for increasing grain yield and associated traits under low-N stress conditions. Furthermore, strong positive associations were identified between grain yield and specific traits like plant height, ear length, number of rows per ear, and number of kernels per row. Due to their straightforward measurability, these relationships underscore the potential of using these traits as proxies for indirect selection in early breeding generations, particularly under low-N stress. This research contributes to breeding nitrogen-efficient maize hybrids and advances our understanding of the genetic foundations for tolerance to nitrogen limitations.

A chromosome-scale assembly of Brassica carinata (BBCC) accession HC20 containing resistance to multiple pathogens and an early generation assessment of introgressions into B.juncea (AABB).

Brassica carinata (BBCC) commonly referred to as Ethiopian mustard is a natural allotetraploid containing the genomes of Brassica nigra (BB) and Brassica oleracea (CC). It is an oilseed crop endemic to the northeastern regions of Africa. Although it is under limited cultivation, B. carinata is valuable as it is resistant/highly tolerant to most of the pathogens affecting widely cultivated Brassica species of the U's triangle. We report a chromosome-scale genome assembly of B. carinata accession HC20 using long-read Oxford Nanopore sequencing and Bionano optical maps. The assembly has a scaffold N50 of ~39.8 Mb and covers ~1.11 Gb of the genome. We compared the long-read genome assemblies of the U's triangle species and found extensive gene collinearity between the diploids and allopolyploids with no evidence of major gene losses. Therefore, B. juncea (AABB), B. napus (AACC), and B. carinata can be regarded as strict allopolyploids. We cataloged the nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat immune receptor (NLR) repertoire of B.carinata and, identified 465 NLRs, and compared these with the NLRs in the other Brassica species. We investigated the extent and nature of early-generation genomic interactions between the constituent genomes of B. carinata and B. juncea in interspecific crosses between the two species. Besides the expected recombination between the constituent B genomes, extensive homoeologous exchanges were observed between the A and C genomes. Interspecific crosses, therefore, can be used for transferring disease resistance from B. carinata to B. juncea and broadening the genetic base of the two allotetraploid species.

225 Genomic diversity of Katahdin sheep and impacts on genomic prediction

Abstract In the late 1950s, Katahdin hair sheep were developed as a composite breed of medium size and moderate prolificacy, with potential to express resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes. With its increasing popularity and the recent adoption of genomic prediction in the Katahdin breeding program, evaluating the genetic diversity in this breed is necessary. Prediction accuracies rely on the strength of genetic relationships. That strength often increases with selection using genomically-enhanced estimated breeding values; however, it carries the risk of decreasing diversity. We aim to characterize the genetic diversity present in the breed and the subsequent impact on the accuracies of genomic predictions. Genotypes on Katahdin sheep from member flocks in the National Sheep Improvement Program were used. Data from two medium density 50k bead chips and one high density 600k bead chip were merged and limited to shared autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). After quality control, there were 9,705 animals and 31,984 SNP remaining. Only for analyses of inbreeding and heterozygosity, linkage disequilibrium (LD) pruning was performed; variants with an LD score exceeding 0.8 were removed with 29,904 SNP remaining. To determine the extent of population structure, principal component (PC) analysis was conducted with PC one and PC two explaining 4.9% and 3.8% of the variation in the population, respectively. When examining subpopulations, a single ancestral population explained 99.9% of the genetic variation among animals. When clustered by identity-by-state, all animals were placed in a single cluster. Inbreeding coefficients were estimated with four methods: method of moments, variance-standardized relationship minus one, excess homozygosity, and correlation between uniting gametes. Across methods, average inbreeding coefficients ranged from 1.14% to 1.20% with Pearson and Spearman correlations ranging from -0.51 to 0.91 (Table 1). Historical effective population sizes (Ne) were estimated for earlier generations, and a linear regression fit to predict more recent Ne. At the founding of the breed, historical Ne was estimated to be 310, and the current Ne was estimated to be 150. Effects of Ne on the accuracy of genomic predictions were examined for reference population sizes ranging from 1k to 25k for traits of low (0.1), moderate (0.3), and high (0.5) heritabilities. The corresponding number of effective chromosomal segments were 2NeL, where L was the length of the genome in morgans (26M). Accuracies of genomic predictions increased as the reference population size grew, with only marginal gains once the population exceeded 15k. Overall, there were no detectable genetic subpopulations in the Katahdin breed. Current levels of inbreeding were low. With a small Ne the breed can achieve high accuracy for genomic predictions by aiming for a reference population of 15k animals. Negative impacts on genetic diversity due to genomic selection are not of immediate concern.

Identification of novel genes associated with herbicide tolerance in Lentil (Lens culinaris ssp. culinaris Medik.)

Weeds pose a major constraint in lentil cultivation, leading to decrease farmers’ revenues by reducing the yield and increasing the management costs. The development of herbicide tolerant cultivars is essential to increase lentil yield. Even though herbicide tolerant lines have been identified in lentils, breeding efforts are still limited and lack proper validation. Marker assisted selection (MAS) can increase selection accuracy at early generations. Total 292 lentil accessions were evaluated under different dosages of two herbicides, metribuzin and imazethapyr, during two seasons at Marchouch, Morocco and Terbol, Lebanon. Highly significant differences among accessions were observed for days to flowering (DF) and maturity (DM), plant height (PH), biological yield (BY), seed yield (SY), number of pods per plant (NP), as well as the reduction indices (RI) for PH, BY, SY and NP. A total of 10,271 SNPs markers uniformly distributed along the lentil genome were assayed using Multispecies Pulse SNP chip developed at Agriculture Victoria, Melbourne. Meta-GWAS analysis was used to detect marker-trait associations, which detected 125 SNPs markers associated with different traits and clustered in 85 unique quantitative trait loci. These findings provide valuable insights for initiating MAS programs aiming to enhance herbicide tolerance in lentil crop.