Flax Genotypes Research Articles

Valorization and Analysis of Flax Traits in Selected Accessions of Diversified Origin from the Linum usitatissimum L. Genetic Resources Collection

ABSTRACT Genetic resources of flax from different geographical regions have been gathered in Poland since the 1930s. The aim of the research was to evaluate morphological and agricultural traits of 20 flax accessions, to determine the ranges of variability, and to develop the results in the form required for International Flax Database (IFDB) development. Obtained data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA with post hoc tests (least significant differences), canonical correlations, and Mahalanobis distances. The results of the analysis (ANOVA) proved that five traits of flax varieties differ significantly: plant height, technical length, slenderness, 1000 seeds weight, and seed yield. The ranges of variability of flax genotypes: total plant length: 58.05 cm−92.8 cm; technical length: 44.7–78.6 cm; stem thickness: 1.42–2.18 mm; slenderness: 246–474; panicle length: 10.05–21.55 cm; number of panicle branches: 3.4–6.2; number of capsules per plant: 5.15–19.7; number of seeds in capsule: 6.24–7.86; 1000 seeds weight: 4.82 g − 7.72 g. The results of the investigation could provide an important step of initial material selection for breeding of new varieties as well as information for entrepreneurs and private consumers and by students and scientists for their research.

Investigation of Genetic Diversity and Relationships Among Agronomic Traits of Some Flax Genotypes

Received: 2022/01/16 | Revised: 2022/10/12 | Accepted: 2022/02/6 | Published: 2022/10/12

Impact of sulphur fertilization on yield and its components of three flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotypes

Impact of sulphur fertilization on yield and its components of three flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotypes

Application of colorimetry method for establishment of features of pink and red color of flax petals

Aim. Using the method of colorimetry, to investigate the features of the manifestation of pink color of the petals of the corolla in cultivated and wild species of flax. Methods. Colorimetric, descriptive, statistical. Results. Different colors of petals of a number of flax lines with the use of instrumental technologies are analyzed and their numerical characteristics in the channels of red, green and blue colors of the spectrum are established. The obtained numerical characteristics of color are characterized by rather small variation that allows to use this technology for reliable identification of the samples of flax differing in color of petals or other parts of a plant. Conclusions. It was found that in all genotypes of flax with pink color of the petals in numerical terms, the red color component has similar values and predominates over other color components. L. grandiflorum was found to have the highest percentage of color components, which differs significantly from other genotypes studied. A large proportion of red color was also found in the variety Rumyanets and L. pubescens. And in the pink-flowered lines of cultivated flax M-66 and LR-1-1 a uniform ratio of color components was found.

Genetic Architecture of Powdery Mildew Resistance Revealed by a Genome-Wide Association Study of a Worldwide Collection of Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Powdery mildew is one of the most important diseases of flax and is particularly prejudicial to its yield and oil or fiber quality. This disease, caused by the obligate biotrophic ascomycete Oïdium lini, is progressing in France. Genetic resistance of varieties is critical for the control of this disease, but very few resistance genes have been identified so far. It is therefore necessary to identify new resistance genes to powdery mildew suitable to the local context of pathogenicity. For this purpose, we studied a worldwide diversity panel composed of 311 flax genotypes both phenotyped for resistance to powdery mildew resistance over 2 years of field trials in France and resequenced. Sequence reads were mapped on the CDC Bethune reference genome revealing 1,693,910 high-quality SNPs, further used for both population structure analysis and genome-wide association studies (GWASs). A number of four major genetic groups were identified, separating oil flax accessions from America or Europe and those from Asia or Middle-East and fiber flax accessions originating from Eastern Europe and those from Western Europe. A number of eight QTLs were detected at the false discovery rate threshold of 5%, located on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 13, and 14. Taking advantage of the moderate linkage disequilibrium present in the flax panel, and using the available genome annotation, we identified potential candidate genes. Our study shows the existence of new resistance alleles against powdery mildew in our diversity panel, of high interest for flax breeding program.

Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) Markers for Characterization of the LuFAD3A Gene from Various Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) Cultivars

Depending on the variety, flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) provides an oil rich in omega-3 acids (especially 50% α-linolenic acid) with proven health properties, and is used as a raw industrial material. Alpha-linolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid easily subject to oxidative transformation. The auto-oxidation of α-linolenic acid is the main process contributing to off-flavor, color loss, and change in the nutritional value of flax oil. We used six flax genotypes differing in fatty acid content in our research. For all the DNA samples extracted from the leaf tissue of the studied flax, the new, cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) markers specific to the LuFAD3A desaturase gene were applied. A specific PCR product from the LuFAD3A flax gene comprising fragments of exon 5, exon 6, and the intron between these exons was digested using six various restriction enzymes. These experiments could differentiate between some of the studied varieties of flax. We also proved that the LuFAD3A gene mutation previously detected by other authors in the low-linolenic forms of flax (solin line 593–708) was absent in the low-linolenic forms of flax that we studied (Linola KLA and Linola KLB).

Valorisation of morphological and agricultural traits of 21 varieties of flaxLinum usitatissimumL.

SummaryIntroduction:Valorisation of the genetic resources of crop plants is related to the protection of biodiversity.Objective:The morphological and agricultural valorisation of 21 genotypes of flax (Linum usitatissimumL.) was carried out. Ten accessions of fibre flax were investigated: Fortuna, Izolda, Lazur, Swadzimski, Zwisły, Ariadna, Bryta, Waza, Milenium, Golęciński from Poland; Jordan, Tabor from Czech Republic; Argos, Venus from France; Baltuciai, Vega 2 from Lithuania: Irma, Persey from Ukraine; Rusicz from Russia and Alba from The Netherlands. The evaluation was also made for one linseed varieties from France, Drakkar.Methods:The studied genotypes of flax were the research material in two locations: in 2010 in Pętkowo and in 2011 in Wojciechów. The valorisation of the tested morphological and agricultural traits was carried out traditionally. Some of the valorised morphological features were also presented in the form of data for the International Flax Database.Results:Venus, Argos, Tabor and Jordan are varieties with a high fibre content in the stem. The highest fibre yield was found in Vega 2 in Pętkowo and Milenium in Wojciechów, and the lowest in Lazur in Pętkowo and Drakkar in Wojciechów. In both locations and years, the following cultivars were characterized by the highest seed yields: Lazur, Jordan, Argos, Vega 2, Golęciński and Persey. Cultivars Milenium in Pętkowo and Bryta in Wojciechów were the least valuable in terms of seed yield.Conclusions:Morphological and agricultural valorisation differed in both locations and years. The conducted experiment confirms the literature data that the valorisation results of flax accessions depend on agrometeorological conditions.

Evaluation of new Egyptian flaxseed genotypes and pasta fortified with flaxseeds

The present investigation was conducted to study yield, yield components and chemical composition of some flax genotypes (Sakha 3, 5 and 6, Giza 11, 12 and Strain 651). New flax strain 651 (S.651) recorded the highest value in technical length, while flax Giza 12 and 11 achieved the highest straw yields per plant and per hectare. Flax Giza 11 variety had the highest value of seed yield per hectare. With respect to chemical composition of flaxseed genotypes, flaxseed Sakha 5 variety had the lowest moisture content followed by Sakha 3, Sakha 6, Giza 12 and Giza 11. On the other hand, flaxseed S.651 genotype had the highest moisture and fiber contents. Flaxseed Sakha 5 had the highest oil content whereas; flaxseed Sakha 3 had the lowest oil content. Flaxseed Sakha 3 had the highest protein content followed by flaxseed S.651 and flaxseed Giza 12. Extracted oils from all genotypes had low values of physicochemical parameters. Main fatty acids of extracted flaxseed oil were linolenic, oleic, linoleic, stearic and palmitic fatty acids. Pasta was fortified with flaxseed at levels 5, 10 and 15% w w-1 to enhance the nutritional quality. Pasta samples were assessed for proximate analyses, minerals, cooking quality and sensory evaluation. Chemical composition of pasta fortified with flaxseed meal was reflective of the innate composition of flaxseed meal. There was no significant variance between control and flaxseed 5% in optimum cooking time. Sensory evaluation of pasta (control and flaxseed 5%) revealed no significant difference in terms of taste, color and overall acceptability

The effect of the herbicide Magnum on the yield and quality of flax products

The aim of the research was to study the response of various flax genotypes to the treatment of plants with a sulfonylurea herbicide – Magnum (active ingredient is metsulfuron-methyl) and to identify resistant forms for use in breeding programs for herbicide resistance. In 2018-2020 an assessment of 24 varieties and promising lines of fiber flax of domestic and foreign selection for resistance to this herbicide was carried out, the treatment of crops with the preparation was carried out at the recommended consumption rate of 0.01 kg/ha in the “herringbone” phase. It has been proved that the use of this herbicide leads to uneven plant growth during the “herringbone – flowering” period, which negatively affects the yield and quality of flax fiber. The decrease in the main indicators of the productivity and quality of the fiber in the variant with the use of the herbicide in comparison with the control, depending on the genotype was: in plant height – up to 44.4 %, in the weight of the technical part – 71.1 %, in the fiber mass – 74.8 %, in «myklost» (the ratio of the technical length of stem to its diameter)– 46.3 %, in the length of the elementary fiber – 27.7 %. A high level of resistance (over 80 %) to the herbicide Magnum for all analyzed traits was shown by the varieties Atlant (Russia) and Mogilevsky (Belarus). It was shown that when treating fiber flax plants with the herbicide, as a rule, an increase in inflorescence occurs due to a decrease in the technical length of the stem. It results in rise of the main indicators of seed productivity in most of genotypes under the influence of the Magnum preparation – the number of bolls and seeds per plant (up to 3.2 times). The exception was the variety Vega 2 (Lithuania), which had a decrease in the number of bolls per plant in the variant with herbicide treatment compared with the control by 1.8 times, and in the number of seeds by 5.3 times. This varietywasalso the most sensitive to the effect of Magnum in all parameters of productivity and fiber quality. The results are consistent with the data obtained whentreating various collection samples of fiber flax with a tank mixture Magnum + Herbitox L + Miura at the recommended consumption rates (0.007 + 0.6 + 1.0 kg(l)/ha).

Variation and genetic analysis of fatty acid composition in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important source of oil rich in omega–3 fatty acids (especially α-linolenic acid accounting for > 50%), which is proven to have health benefits and utilized as an industrial raw material. α-Linolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that readily undergoes oxidative transformation. Autoxidation of α-linolenic acid is the principal process contributing to the development of off-flavors, loss of color, and alteration in the nutritional value of linseed oil. However, there is huge a demand on the market for oils having different compositions of fatty acids, including the linseed oil characterized by improved stability. For this purpose, a complete diallel cross was performed in this study using six flax genotypes varying in the fatty acid content to estimate the genetic parameters. The analysis of variances carried out for the studied traits (content of oleic, linoleic and α-linolenic acid) indicated large differences among the genotypes. Variances due to GCA were much higher in magnitude than those related to SCA for the content of linoleic and α-linolenic acid, which indicated the superiority of additive gene effects in determining the inheritance of these traits. The nonadditive gene action played an important role for oleic acid content, since the magnitude of SCA effect was almost two times higher than GCA effect. The parental lines of linola (Linola KLA and Linola KLB) exhibited the highest concentration of favorable alleles for the two traits (high content of linoleic acid and low content of α-linolenic acid) and were thus found suitable for a continuous improvement program. On the basis of the SCA effect, five cross combinations, were found to be promising F1 hybrids for use as a source population for further selection, in order to achieve fatty acid changes in linseed. These combinations allow selecting varieties with 1:1 and 2:1 ratio of omega–6:omega–3 fatty acids for producing oil with an extended shelf life for food products.

Estimation of The Combining Ability and The Gene Action for Several of Genotypes for Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

In this study, eight Flax genotypes ( Linum usitatissimum L.) and their half diallel crosses were used to estimate the combining ability and its general and specific effects for parents. The parents planted their twenty-eight hybrids at the research station of the Field Crops Department of the College of Agriculture - Tikrit University in the 2019-2020 season. In mid-November, the complete random sector design was used with three replications. to study the traits the duration to 50% flowering, plant height, number of vegetative branches, number of plant capsules, number of seeds per capsule, seeds yield by plant and weight 1000 seeds, average leaf weight, biological yield, leaf percentage, seed yield, and harvest index. The results showed by analyzing the second method of Griffing (b1956), the static model, That the percentage between the components of the combining ability general to the specific was greater than the correct one in the traits, duration to 50% flowering, plant height, duration to maturity, number of seeds per capsule, number of capsules per plant, weight of 1000 seeds and average weight of leaves, while the percentage was less than the correct one in the traits of the number of vegetative branches. Plant seed yield, leaf percentage, biological yield, seed yield, harvest index and that the best parents were significantly desirable due to the effect of their general combining ability to mix the parent (Sakha 2) and the traits of the number of vegetative branches, the number of capsules per plant, the seed yield per plant, the average leaf weight, the total seed yield, and the parent (Giza 8) for plant height, number of capsules per plant, average leaf weight, biological yield, and total seed yield and that the highest hybrids were significantly desirable for the effects of the special combining ability in the hybrid (Sakha 2 × Syrian), the trait of the number of capsules per plant, the number of seeds per capsule, the weight of 1000 seeds, the yield of seeds per plant, the total seed yield and the harvest index, The values of the dominant genetic variance were higher than the additional genetic variance in all traits except for plant height, duration to maturity, and number of seeds per plant, indicating the importance of the dominant gene action in controlling these traits. The values of the broad sense heritability were high in traits, duration to 50% flowering, number of capsules by plants, yield of seeds by plants, weight of 1000 seeds, seed yield and harvest index, The average for the traits was plant height, duration to maturity, average leaf weight and biological yield, and a narrow sense heritability was the average for the traits of the duration to 50% flowering, plant height, duration to maturity, number of capsules per plant, weight of 1000 seeds, average leaf weight. Regarding the average of the degree of dominance, it is noted that the duration to 50% flowering, the number of capsules by the plant, the yield of the seeds by the plant, the weight of 1000 seeds, the average leaf weight, the biological yield, the percentage of the leaves, the seed yield and the harvest index, were greater than the correct one, which indicates the existence of suppression segregates with the importance of the Dominant gene action. When estimating the genetic improvement as a percentage of the general average for each traits, it becomes clear that it was low for to most the studied traits except for the number of capsules in the plant. It was average.

Response of Three Flax Genotypes (Linum usitatissimum L.) to Foliar Spraying with Different Concentration of Zinc and Boron under the Dryland Conditions of Nineveh Governorate

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season for the years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 successively to study the effect of foliar application of zinc and boron on growth traits, yield components and quality of three flax genotypes (Lithuania, Ariana and Linot). The experiment included three concentrations of zinc (0,5 and 10 mg zinc/L) and three concentrations of boron (0, 6 and 12 mg boron/L) implemented according to the factorial experiment in a Completely Random Block Design. The main findings could be summarized as follows:- The results indicate that the Lenot genotype gave the highest values ​​for the traits of plant height, stem diameter, number of fruiting branches, number of capsules/plant, number of seeds/capsule, weight of thousand seeds, total seed yield (tons/ha) and oil yield (tons/ha). for seasons 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 respectively.Foliar application with zinc on plant leaves at a concentration of 5 mg zinc/liter led to a significant increase in plant height, number of fruiting branches, number of capsules/plant, number of seeds/capsule, weight of thousand seeds, total seed yield (tons/ha), oil yield (tons/ha) in both growing seasons.Adding boron application on plant leaves at a concentration of 6 mg boron/liter led to a significant increase in plant height, stem diameter, number of fruiting branches, number of capsules/plant, number of seeds/capsule, weight of thousand seeds, total seed yield (tons/ha) and oil yield (tons/ha) for seasons 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, respectively.In general, it can be concluded that the highest total yield of seeds per unit area can be achieved by planting Lenot genotype and adding zinc on plant leaves at a concentration of 5 mg/L and boron at a concentration of 6 mg/L with in Dryland Conditions of this study.

Agronomic Assessment of Fibrous Flax and Linseed Advanced Breeding Lines as Potential New Varieties

The aim of the study was to determine the breeding value of advanced lines of fibrous flax and oilseed flax (linseed) on the basis of comparative experiments with reference varieties. In field experiments conducted in 2019–2020, the HDH line of fibrous flax and the R26 linseed line were assessed in terms of significant phenotypic traits and also traits affecting the yield structure. Due to the fundamentally different weather conditions in the growing seasons of 2019 and 2020, it was also possible to determine the susceptibility of the studied genotypes of flax to climatic stress factors. The obtained results showed the high breeding value of the HDH line as a potential new variety of fibrous flax. The R26 line did not exceed the reference varieties in terms of the traits essential for the oily form of the cultivated flax cultivars, but it was characterized by a favorable morphological and yield-forming structure for dual purpose varieties. Moreover, both assessed lines showed high resistance to unfavorable climatic conditions.

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Earliness, Growth and Biological Yield of Some Flax Genotypes at Normal-irrigation and Water-Shortage Environments

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Earliness, Growth and Biological Yield of Some Flax Genotypes at Normal-irrigation and Water-Shortage Environments

Susceptibility of some Flax Lines to Powdery Mildew and Effect of The Disease on Agronomic and Technological Traits. قابلية بعض سلالات الکتان للإصابة بالبياض الدقيقى و تأثير المرض على الصفات المحصولية و التکنولوجية.

A two-year field study was conducted at El-Giza Agricultural Research Station to (1) estimate heritability of powdery mildew (PM) resistance when disease incidence (DI) or disease severity (DS) was used as criterion for evaluating resistance, (2) assess PM resistance of ten flax genotypes (lines), (3) determine relationship between each of DI and DS ratings and agronomic or technological traits. Genotypes component of variance of DI and DS were highly significant each year indicating that extensive genetic variation for DI and DS were present within the tested genotypes. Heritability and genetic advance of DS were greater in both years than those of DI demonstrating that considerable progress in breeding for PM resistance could be expected in current breeding programs when DS is used as criterion for evaluating resistance. DI ratings ranged from 72 to 100 % in 2019 and from 51 to 93 % in 2020. DS ratings were also high and ranged from 65 to 98 % in 2019 and from 44 to 97 % in 2020. None of the tested genotypes were significantly less susceptible than genotypes no. 3, but the genotypes were either as susceptible as genotypes 3 or significantly more susceptible. Genotype 3 was a promising genotype for commercialization for the following reasons: firstly, it was the least susceptible genotype. Secondly, it showed environmently stable performance. Thirdly, it showed superiority in some traits compared to some of the tested genotypes. No significant correlations were observed between disease intensity variables ( DI and DS) and agronomic or technological traits. Correlations among agronomic or technological traits were sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Possible mechanisms of resistance to PM in flax were also discussed.

Stability analysis by TAI method for some genotypes in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

This research was conducted to estimating the stability of eight new genotypes of flax, which are Sakha 1, Sakha 2, Sakha 3, Sakha 5, Sakha 6, Giza 8, Syrian and Poloni . The genotypes were planted in the research station of the Field Crops Department, College of Agriculture - University of Tikrit during the season (2019/2020), It included six agriculture environments, which are the combination of two planting distances (5 and 10 cm) and three planting dates, and it was applied according to the split-plot system in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Plants were distributed in separate plots by four lines for each genotype in each environment, were the length of the line was (2 m) and the distance between the lines was (0.40 m). The main plots contained agricultural environments and the sub plot contained the genotypes. The study included thirteen traits, the duration to 50% flowering and plant height, the number of vegetative branches, and the number of capsules per plant , Number of seeds per capsule, seed yield per plant, The 1000 seed weight, average leaf weight, biological yield, leaf percentage, seed yield, and harvest index. The results showed that the genotypes that occurred in the α area , which were of moderate stability, were (Sakha 2) in the traits of plant height, (Syrian and Sakha 3) in the number of vegetative branches, (Sakha 2 and Sakha 5) in the number of seeds per capsule and (Sakha 1 ,Giza 8) in average the leaves weight and (Sakha 3 and Sakha 1) in the percentage of leaves and (Sakha 5 and Poloni) in the harvest index, The genotypes that are adapted to environments with high productivity were shown as (Sakha 5 and Poloni) in duration to 50% flowering, (Syrian) in plant height, (Giza 8) in the period to maturity, (Sakha 3, Giza 8) in the number of capsules and (Syrian and Sakha 3 and Sakha 1) in The number of seeds per capsule, (Syrian and Sakha 3) in the seed yield of the plant, (Sakha 6) in the weight of 1000 seeds, (Poloni) in the average leaf weight, (Sakha 3) in the biological yield, (Giza 8) in the leaf percentage, and (Syrian and Sakha 6) in the seed yield and (Syrian) in the Harvest index.

Ex-foliar application of glycine betaine and its impact on protein, carbohydrates and induction of ROS scavenging system during drought stress in flax (Linum usitatissimum)

Crop plants have an innate capacity to acclimatize and survive myriad stresses in field conditions. This acclimatization to stress enhances crop stand in field and productivity of plant. Inter alia field crops withstand drought stress (hydropenia) by inducing synthesis or accumulation of osmolytes such as (i) proline and other amino acids, (ii) glycine betaine (GB), (iii) soluble carbohydrates, and (iv) reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system as intrinsic drought antagonizing molecules. Precise in vivo induction of osmolytes and their effect on ROS scavenging system in flax/linseed has not been elucidated. The investigation was carried out to identify a tolerant and susceptible cultivar of flax from a core collection of 53 core accessions and evaluate the role of compatible osmolytes in Linum usitatissimum under hydropenia. We screened eight morphometrically diverse flax genotypes in field under irrigated and un-irrigated condition and classified them as tolerant and susceptible genotypes. Further, we examined the effect of ex-foliar glycine betaine application - a signature molecule involved in drought tolerance, on selected tolerant and susceptible varieties. Our results showed stimulatory impact of glycine betaine on accumulation of ROS scavenging antioxidants, total soluble protein and on its own accumulation. While the ex-foliar application had no inhibitory effect on the growth of plants; accumulation of free proline, amino acids and carbohydrates are inhibited par se in flax. Our findings reveal, flax is a non-accumulator of glycine betaine and exogenous application of glycine betaine enhances its own levels during drought stress.

Physiological and molecular responses of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) cultivars under a multicontaminated technosol amended with biochar.

Soil pollution is a worldwide issue and has a strong impact on ecosystems. Metal(loid)s have toxic effects on plants and affect various plant life traits. That is why metal(loid) polluted soils need to be remediated. As a remediation solution, phytoremediation, which uses plants to reduce the toxicity and risk of polluted soils, has been proposed. Moreover, flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) has been suggested as a potential phytoremediation plant, due to its antioxidant systems, which can lower the production of reactive oxygen species and can also chelate metal(loid)s. However, the high metal(loid) toxicity associated with the low fertility of the polluted soils render vegetation difficult to establish. Therefore, amendments, such as biochar, need to be applied to improve soil conditions and immobilize metal(loid)s. Here, we analyzed the growth parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers (ROS production, membrane lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and 8-oxoGuanine formation) of five different flax cultivars when grown on a real contaminated soil condition, and in the presence of a biochar amendment. Significant correlations were observed between plant growth, tolerance to oxidative stress, and reprogramming of phytochemical accumulation. A clear genotype-dependent response to metal(loid) stress was observed. It was demonstrated that some phenylpropanoids such as benzoic acid, caffeic acid, lariciresinol, and kaempferol played a key role in the tolerance to the metal(loid)-induced oxidative stress. According to these results, it appeared that some flax genotypes, i.e., Angora and Baikal, could be well adapted for the phytoremediation of metal(loid) polluted soils as a consequence of their adaptation to oxidative stress.

Study of culture filtrates of anthracnose pathogen strains for use in in vitro flax breeding for pathogen resistance

The studies were carried out on the basis of the laboratory of breeding technologies of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Center for Bast Crops” (Tver region) in 2018–2020. The aim of the research is to create in vitro new flax genotypes, resistant to anthracnose, one of the most harmful fungal diseases. As a result of the research, the composition of the culture filtrate of the anthracnose causative agent was clarified. It was revealed that the toxicity of the culture filtrates did not depend on the virulence of the strains used in the present studies — the cultural filtrates of strains 784 (highly virulent) and 780 (medium virulent) were more toxic (decay and death of primary roots on day 5 was observed in 67–88% grown seeds), strains 793 (strongly virulent) and 788 (weakly virulent) are less toxic (on the 5th day, decay and death of primary roots was noted in 9–15% of germinated seeds). It was found that morphogenic foci were formed more actively in genotypes, the morphogenic callus of which was transferred to a medium with a higher concentration of the culture filtrate; it was shown that in the second passage, when transferring morphogenic callus from a selective medium containing 40 ml/l of culture filtrate to a selective medium, containing also 40 ml/l of culture filtrate, as well as when transferring morphogenic callus from a selective medium containing 40 ml/l of culture filtrate, on a selective medium, containing 44 ml/l of culture filtrate, on the 14th day the number of formed morphogenic callus and green buds is significantly greater than when transferred from a selective medium, containing 40 ml/l of culture filtrate to a selective medium, containing 36 ml/l of culture filtrate. Viable regenerant plants were obtained and genotypes were isolated, which for three generations retained resistance to anthracnose at a level of 50–60%: NO-78 x Lenok, HJI-103-2 x Lenok, NL-40-1 x Lenok, NE -38 x Rosinka, NE-36 x Lenok, NE-17 x Lenok, HE-16-2 x Rosinka.

Genetic characterization of global collection of flax (L. Usitatissimum L.) utilizing molecular marker

In assess the sufficient knowledge of genetic diversity, population structure and linkage disequilibrium were estimated among the three representative sub-population: Pop 1 (Indian accessions), Pop 2 (different species of Linum genus) and Pop 3 (exotic accessions) of flax using ISSR marker systems. A total of 118 number of alleles were amplified by eleven primers, with an average of 10.64 alleles per primer (100 bp −2072 bp). The maximum PIC value (0.25) was observed in the primer combination UBC808, which indicated that it as the most informative primer among the eleven primers to study genetic diversity among flax genotypes. The results of the AMOVA indicated that genetic variation within sub-populations (92%) was significantly higher than the variation among the sub-population (8%). According to the results of split network tree analysis, population structure and PCA, the total 264 flax accessions were distinctly clustered into eight genetic groups. Overall the mean LD value was less than the threshold level (r2 < 0.1) explaining that the population has a high level of outcrossing or gene flow. The knowledge generated through ISSR fingerprinting in this study has enhanced our conception of population structure and LD of the flax population, which has high implications for genetic improvement and association mapping.