In the 1950s, Alan Durrant of the University College Wales began a series of experiments to investigate the inheritance of environmental effects in plants, forging an unexpected connection to the controversial hereditary theories of Trofim Denisovich Lysenko. Durrant's work relied heavily on a specific fibre flax variety, Stormont Cirrus, developed in the interwar period in the UK for linen production. I investigate how the exigencies of the UK linen industry, along with Durrant's training and institutional setting, formed the milieu that generated an unexpected outlier in British genetic scholarship during the Cold War. I supplement my text-based historical analysis by conducting experiments to re-examine the genetic constitution of the original Stormont Cirrus cultivar. These findings suggest that Durrant's creation of alternative 'genotroph' derivatives by treating Stormont Cirrus plants with different soil nutrient regimes likely resulted from selection of pre-existing genetic variation present in the incompletely inbred parental strain, rather than being an example of inherited environmental effects. Inverting Durrant's intention to interpret his results in the context of Lysenko's work, my historical analysis of Durrant's flax genotroph findings informs a reappraisal of one of the key experimental claims supporting Lysenko's environmentalist concepts of inheritance.

Turmeric ( Curcuma longa L.), propagated vegetatively, harbors limited genetic variability for breeding, prompting exploration of rare seed-derived half-sib progenies to generate novel recombinants. The present study investigated 263 first-generation seedling-derived half-sib progenies from five maternal accessions alongside three checks in an augmented randomized complete block design over two years (2024–2025) at Kozhikode, India. Significant genotypic variation was observed across 17 vegetative, rhizome, yield, and percentage dry recovery, with high broad-sense heritability (60–97%) for most, including total yield per plant (80.73%), primary rhizome weight (64.3%), and dry recovery (95.73%). Genotypic coefficients of variation exceeded 20% for key yield components, indicating strong selection potential. Pearson correlations highlighted strong positive associations of total yield with primary rhizome weight (r = 0.81, p< 0.01), mother rhizome weight (r = 0.60), and primary rhizome number (r = 0.57), alongside a yield–dry recovery trade-off (r = -0.20). Stepwise regression identified primary rhizome weight as the strongest predictor (adjusted R² = 0.791). Structural equation modeling confirmed vegetative growth (measured by leaf width, leaf number, petiole length) strongly influences rhizome sink strength (β = 0.860, p = 0.027), mediating indirect effects on total yield per plant. Multi-trait indices—multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance (MGIDI), multi-trait stability (MTSI), Smith-Hazel (SH), and factor analysis-ideotype (FAI)—identified 53 superior progenies (20% intensity), with 14 common selections across methods, prioritizing balanced yield, sink capacity, and stability. These findings validate seedling progenies as a practicable resource for turmeric improvement, offering observable vegetative proxies for subterranean yield traits and ideotype-based frameworks to accelerate recombination breeding.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to pose a major global public health challenge despite substantial advances in antiretroviral therapy. A central obstacle to the development of an effective and durable HIV vaccine is the virus’s extraordinary capacity to evade host immune responses. HIV employs multiple molecular and cellular immune evasion strategies, including extensive genetic variability driven by error-prone reverse transcription, glycan shielding and conformational masking of envelope glycoproteins, rapid escape from cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, downregulation of major histocompatibility complex molecules, and the establishment of long-lived latent viral reservoirs. These mechanisms not only permit persistent infection but also undermine the induction of robust, broadly protective immune responses following vaccination. This narrative review synthesizes recent advances in understanding HIV immune evasion and critically examines how these mechanisms have constrained traditional and modern vaccine approaches. Emerging strategies, including broadly neutralizing antibody–based vaccines, mosaic and germline-targeting immunogens, mRNA platforms, and combination immunotherapeutic approaches, are discussed in the context of overcoming immune escape. A clearer understanding of HIV immune evasion remains essential for guiding next-generation vaccine design and advancing toward long-term immune control or functional cure of HIV infection.

Sudan is one of the few African countries reporting increasing Plasmodium vivax infections despite the high prevalence of the Duffy-negative phenotype, historically considered protective against this parasite. Emerging molecular evidence challenges this paradigm. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize evidence on the prevalence and geographic distribution of P. vivax infection, Duffy antigen polymorphisms, parasite genetic adaptations, and diagnostic limitations in Sudan. This review followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025127714). The reports of P. vivax infection in Sudan focusing on host Duffy status and the parasite genetic variability from 2005 to 2025 were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE with predefined Boolean search operators. To determine the risk of bias, the Joanna Briggs Institute prevalence study checklist was employed. To obtain a pooled prevalence estimate in Duffy-negative individuals, a random-effects meta-analysis (DerSimonian-Laird estimator) was conducted. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistic, while publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's regression test. A total of sixteen studies conducted between 2005 and 2025, including 5,753 participants from various regions of Sudan, were included. P. vivax infection was reported in both Duffy-positive and Duffy-negative individuals. Meta-analysis of five studies reporting host Duffy antigen status showed a pooled prevalence of P. vivax infection of 11.7% (95% CI 7.2-17.3%) among Duffy-negative individuals. The studies showed moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 56%). Substantial genetic diversity was observed in the P. vivax Duffy Binding Protein (PvDBP), including multiple haplotypes and both Malagasy-type and Cambodian-type gene duplications. Most studies were assessed as having low to moderate risk of bias, and funnel plot inspection did not suggest substantial publication bias, although interpretation is limited by the small number of studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence that P. vivax infection occurs among Duffy-negative individuals in Sudan, challenging the long-standing assumption of complete Duffy-mediated protection. The observed parasite genetic diversity highlights adaptive mechanisms that may facilitate infection in Duffy-negative hosts. Strengthening molecular surveillance and integrating host-parasite genomic data into national malaria control programs will be critical to inform malaria elimination strategies and vaccine development in Africa.

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a commercially significant vegetable and spice crop cultivated worldwide. The present investigation aimed to study the evaluation of genetic variability among onion genotypes for further utilisation in onion crop improvement. The present investigation was undertaken in the Vegetable Research Farm of the Division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST Chatha, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, with the specific objectives to estimate genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis of 25 onion genotypes. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications during the rabi season (2024–2025). The results indicated that PCV values were consistently higher than GCV values for all traits under study, which signified the presence of environmental influence on the expression of traits. Perusal of genetic variability parameters revealed high heritability coupled with high genetic gain for seven traits, viz., bolting percentage, bulb neck thickness, bulb yield per plot, total bulb yield, bulb polar diameter, bulb shape index and average bulb weight, exhibiting the preponderance of additive gene action on the traits and thus may be useful for selection. Analysis of the correlation matrix revealed positive and significant correlation of total bulb yield with 8 traits, i.e., plant height, pseudostem length, bulb neck thickness, bulb polar diameter, bulb equatorial diameter, average bulb weight, days to bolting and bulb yield per plot and negative and significant correlation with days to maturity. The path coefficient analysis revealed that bulb yield per plot exhibited the highest positive direct effect on total bulb yield, followed by average bulb weight, days to maturity, bulb shape index, pseudostem length, plant height, number of leaves per plant and ascorbic acid content. The findings of the study suggested that the identified traits can be considered as reliable selection indices for yield improvement in onion.

The microbiome is a key determinant of organismal health, yet inter-individual variability and heterogeneous responses to environmental conditions complicates the understanding of its effects on hosts. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis using the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) to investigate how the interplay between host genetic variation and diet influences microbiome composition, and to assess whether microbiome features in young flies can be used to predict lifespan and age-related traits. Our findings show that adult flies reared on a nutritionally rich control diet exhibited higher microbial richness but lower evenness compared to those on a nutritionally poor restricted diet. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted substantial diversity among lines reared on the same diet, and this variation was evidenced by high heritability estimates for all measured α-diversity metrics, including Unique OTU counts, Shannon and Simpson indices, as well as the relative abundances of genera and species with relative abundances exceeding 1%. These results underscore the critical roles of both environmental factors and genetic variation in shaping microbiome composition under different dietary conditions. Moreover, we identified widespread genotype-by-diet interactions, suggesting that the genetic regulation of the microbiome is highly complex. Finally, we found that the microbiome features of young flies including diversity indices, taxonomic abundances, or ordination scores cannot predict age-associated phenotypes (lifespan, locomotor activity, dry weight, and heat knockdown time). Our findings offer valuable insights into the genetic architecture that governs microbiome composition, dietary responses, and aging in Drosophila melanogaster.

The plasma proteome provides a molecular bridge between genetic variation and disease risk, yet its contribution to breast cancer susceptibility across ancestries remains unclear. We conducted a proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) study of 2,923 plasma proteins using cis -protein quantitative trait loci from 34,557 European participants in the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, integrated with genome-wide association studies of 156,901 breast cancer cases and 204,634 controls of European, East Asian, and African ancestries. Cross-ancestry meta-analysis identified 12 candidate proteins associated with breast cancer risk ( P < 2.5×10 -5 ), including six previously reported and six newly implicated in MR studies. DNPH1 showed cross-ancestry heterogeneity, with a risk-increasing association in European populations and a nominally inverse association in East Asian populations. CASP8, RALB, and USP28 displayed subtype-differentiated associations. Orthogonal validation provided variable support: six demonstrated strong evidence of statistical colocalization; four replicated in an independent European proteomic dataset (deCODE, n = 35,559); two replicated in an independent East Asian proteomic dataset (JCTF, n = 1,384); and four were supported by polygenic-score analyses in the ancestrally diverse All of Us cohort (9,250 cases, 214,857 controls). These findings prioritize a high-confidence subset of plasma proteins, including LRRC25, PARK7, and LRRC37A2, for future mechanistic and translational investigation.

The form of phenotypic plasticity in traits that are repeatedly and potentially reversibly expressed multiple times throughout an individual's lifetime is labile plasticity. Yet, little is known about selection on, and genetic variation and inheritance in, such plasticity. Herein I embedded dynamic growth phenology traits into empirical understanding of the variability, inheritance, and predictability of their labile plasticity using a Populus common-garden experiment. I found no single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) peak associated at P < 1e-4 with labile plasticity in phenological traits, overlapping in its two populations and no such plasticity-associated SNPs identified across study traits in single populations. Higher plasticity and more plasticity SNPs were identified in the population from climatically harsher conditions. While 6% of phenology peak-associated SNPs underwent adaptive selection, 95% of the identified plasticity SNPs were also peak associated with a given phenology, but none of them were found under selection. Plasticity SNP-containing genes highlighted environmental responsiveness functions for phenology plasticity. Projections for labile plasticity in phenology consistently showed that plasticity or trait peak-associated SNPs generated a higher predictive accuracy than non-associative counterparts. Altogether, the study elucidates the idiosyncratic characteristics of labile plasticity in growth phenology and deepens our understanding of its genetic modulation and evolution.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was the first metazoan to have its genome completely sequenced and assembled. Since that time, researchers have continuously updated the reference genome and manually curated its approximately 20,000 genes. The closely related species, Caenorhabditis briggsae , has served as a comparative model because of its similar morphology, mode of reproduction, and patterns of intra-species genetic variation. However, the genomic resources for C. briggsae lag behind C. elegans , hindering comparative genomics studies between the species. Decades of experimentation have been performed in the AF16 reference strain genetic background, so we obtained high-coverage long-read sequencing and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture data to create an updated reference genome for an isogenic derivative of AF16, named CGC2. The CGC2 genome is vastly improved relative to the existing AF16 assemblies, with no unplaced sequence, no gaps, and telomere-to-telomere contiguity. To provide genomic resources for CGC2, we exploited deep RNA-seq libraries from all developmental stages to predict protein-coding gene annotations comparable in accuracy and completeness to the existing AF16 gene models. We also performed lift-over of 108 validated insertion-deletion variants to the updated coordinate system of the CGC2 genome to facilitate future mappings of mutations. In summary, we present an updated reference genome for the canonical AF16 reference strain with improved genomic resources to enable high-quality intra- and inter-species comparative studies.

As part of the research, an assessment of the genetic diversity of the Polesskaya horse population was carried out based on multiplex genotyping of DNA samples for 17 STR loci. The number of identified alleles (Na), observed (Ho), and expected (He) heterozygosity, the effective allele number (polymorphism level, Ae), and the Fis fixation index were analyzed. A relatively high genetic identity (0.91) was found between the subpopulations of Polesskaya horses of OJSC “Polesskaya Niva” in the Stolin District and the “Gorodoksky” Collective Farming Unitary Enterprise in the Luninets District, indicating their close genetic relationship and common origin. Based on the studied features of STR loci genetic polymorphism, rare and unique genotypes were identified, defining the value of the gene pool for stud breeding and biodiversity conservation. Overall, the results of the conducted studies show the preservation of genetic diversity with moderate manifestations of inbreeding, which is an important factor for the further development of programs to stabilize the reserves of plasticity of the Polesskaya horse population bred in the Republic of Belarus.

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) plays an important role in personalized medicine by explaining genetic variability in drug response and enabling personalized therapy. Although global efforts have integrated PGx into pharmacy curriculum, in India structured education and training regarding PGx still remain limited. Understanding pharmacy students' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward PGx is essential for preparing the future workforce for clinical application in healthcare area. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students at the School of Pharmacy, Gujarat Technological University, Gandhinagar, India, in July 2025. Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling approach, and the survey was administered online via google form using a structured and validated questionnaire. The instrument assessed demographic characteristics, knowledge of pharmacogenomics, attitudes toward its clinical application, and sources of information. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. A total of 200 pharmacy students participated in the survey. Most students demonstrated good conceptual knowledge of pharmacogenomics, with 92.5% correctly identifying PGx as the study of gene-drug interactions and 82.5% recognizing its role in reducing adverse drug reactions. However, awareness of practical aspects was limited: only 38.5% were aware of pharmacogenomic guidelines such as CPIC, PharmGKB, FDA labelling, and 29% reported prior formal instruction on pharmacogenomics in their curriculum. Despite these knowledge gaps, students expressed highly positive attitudes toward pharmacogenomics. Correlation analysis showed a weak to moderate positive association between knowledge and attitude scores (r = 0.37, p < 0.01), indicating that higher knowledge levels were associated with more favourable attitudes toward pharmacogenomics. This study showed that pharmacy students of Gujarat has a strong conceptual understanding of pharmacogenomics and recognizing its role in gene-drug interactions and the reduction of adverse drug reactions. However, awareness was limited which strongly indicates a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Overall it highlights both existing knowledge of students and the need to enhance practical applicability of pharmacogenomics for the future integration of personalized medicine into clinical practice.

Hybrid rice technology offers a promising avenue for increasing productivity in Bangladesh, but the genetic potential of exotic hybrids and their segregating populations remains underexplored. This experiment aimed to evaluate the performance, level of inbreeding depression, relationships among different traits, and inheritance patterns of ten commercial hybrid rice varieties' F₃ generations through an augmented design with five blocks conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during July-December. Highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) genotypic variations were observed for plant height and five-panicle weight, while effects of the blocks were non-significant, indicating strong genetic variation. The differences in average performance were highly significant, with the tallest plant being Taj-2 (91.9 cm), the shortest Shurma (79.7 cm), the highest tiller number in ACI-2 (7.34), and the lowest in Hira-99-5 (4.52). The weight of five panicles was highest in Shonar Bangla (16.79 g) and lowest in Krishan-2 (13.03 g). Maximum inbreeding depression was seen in grain yield for Tia (48.36%) and in tillers for Hira-99-5 (45.07%), while inbreeding depression below 9.93% was recorded in ACI-2 and Shurma, which showed greater stability than other genotypes. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship between effective tillers and total tillers across all genotypes, whereas five-panicle weight showed both positive and negative correlations with other traits. Genetic inheritance studies indicated various types of genetic control, including monogenic, digenic, and polygenic influences on plant height, and monogenic control with partial and complementary gene action for five-panicle weight. Genetic variability was notably high in the F₃ generation. ACI-2 and Shurma emerged as the most promising genotypes for hybrid rice breeding in Bangladesh.

Background and Aim: Non-typhoidal Salmonella remains a significant zoonotic pathogen with substantial implications for animal and public health, particularly in regions where domestic animals and wildlife share ecological interfaces. The invasion protein A (invA) gene is widely used as a molecular marker for detecting Salmonella; however, its sequence variability across host species in sub-Saharan Africa remains poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the invA gene among Salmonella isolates obtained from domestic animals and free-ranging wildlife in selected regions of Zambia. Materials and Methods: A total of 12 invA gene amplicons derived from previously confirmed Salmonella isolates from domestic animals (n = 10) and wildlife (n = 2) were selected for sequencing. Polymerase chain reaction products were purified and sequenced using BigDye terminator chemistry on a 3500 Genetic Analyzer. Sequence assembly and editing were performed using GENETYX software. Multiple sequence alignment was performed with ClustalW, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using maximum-likelihood with the Tamura–Nei model in MEGA7. Comparative analysis included eight reference sequences retrieved from GenBank. Results: The invA gene sequences demonstrated high nucleotide similarity (98.0%–100.0%) among isolates from domestic animals and wildlife, while showing broader variability (74.0%–100.0%) when compared with global reference strains. Six distinct sequence types were identified, with the majority originating from chicken isolates. Nucleotide substitutions were predominantly observed between positions 40 bp and 250 bp, indicating a potential hotspot for genetic variation. Some substitutions resulted in amino acid changes, suggesting possible structural and functional implications for the invasion protein. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Zambian isolates clustered within a single major lineage (Clade A), indicating close genetic relatedness across host species. Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence of invA gene sequence polymorphism among Salmonella isolates from domestic animals and wildlife in Zambia. The findings highlight the dynamic evolution of Salmonella at the wildlife–livestock interface and underscore the importance of molecular surveillance in understanding zoonotic transmission. The identified sequence variations may have implications for diagnostic accuracy and the development of region-specific detection tools, reinforcing the need for continuous genomic monitoring under a One Health framework. Keywords: domestic animals, invA gene, molecular diversity, non-typhoidal Salmonella, phylogenetic analysis, wildlife interface, Zambia, zoonotic transmission.

ABSTRACT Mycoplasma pneumonia (MP), as a global infectious disease in sheep, seriously affects the production performance of sheep and economic benefits of sheep industry. However, current research on sheep resistance to MP remains limited. To address this gap and explore the potential epigenetic regulation of sheep MP resistant, this study employed high-throughput sequencing techniques (ATAC-Seq and CUT&Tag) to analyze epigenetic modifications in lung tissue from healthy and MP-affected sheep and reveal differential epigenetic landscapes associated with disease resistance. Integrating transcriptome analysis related to MP and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), FOXF1 was identified as a candidate gene for MP-resistance in sheep. We established a Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MO)-infected sheep alveolar epithelial cell model and regulated FOXF1 expression in cells through interference and overexpression techniques to study MO’s adhesion and damage. The results showed that activation promoters or enhancer elements in FOXF1 introns of healthy lungs may enhance its transcription. FOXF1 overexpression reduced MO-mediated adhesion damage to cells, while knock-down increased it. Our work has enriched the gene pool for anti-pneumonia and studied the role of the FOXF1 gene in MO-infected cells, accumulating reliable genetic resources for sheep MP disease resistant breeding.

Bamboo is a rapidly renewable lignocellulosic resource widely used in construction, composites, and bio-based materials. However, its practical applications are often limited by high hygroscopicity, biological degradation, and dimensional instability under humid conditions. This review synthesizes current research on bamboo structure, microbial interactions, and material modification strategies to better understand how bamboo-associated microbiomes influence both deterioration and potential material enhancement. We summarize conventional chemical and thermal modification approaches that improve hydrophobicity, durability, and mechanical stability while also discussing their technical limitations. Emerging studies on bamboo-associated microbial communities reveal complex interactions between fungi, bacteria, and lignocellulosic substrates, including enzymatic degradation, nutrient cycling, and potential bioprotective functions. Advances in multi-omics technologies have further provided insights into the functional gene pools and metabolic pathways involved in bamboo–microbe interactions. Recent conceptual developments in microbiome engineering and engineered living materials (ELMs) suggest possible future directions for integrating microbial functionality into bamboo-based materials. However, direct experimental evidence for microbial enhancement of bamboo structural performance remains limited. Future interdisciplinary research integrating material science, microbial ecology, and synthetic biology will be essential to evaluate the feasibility and safety of such biohybrid systems.

Deciphering genetic variability and trait associations in Nepalese finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) landraces for yield improvement

Monogenic forms of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) represent the two principal neurodegenerative disorders leading to early-onset dementia, primarily linked to mutations in key AD- and FTD-associated genes. The marked heterogeneity in age at onset and penetrance among carriers of pathogenic mutations suggests that monogenic variants act within a broader polygenic background. The combined impact of AD- and FTD-related genetic variation on disease incidence in monogenic forms remains largely unexplored. Herein, we investigate gene–gene interaction patterns in monogenic AD and FTD, with a focus on genetic variability in key AD (APP, PSEN1, PSEN2) and FTD (MAPT, GRN, C9orf72)-associated genes and their association with cumulative disease incidence. Within the GARDENIA Consortium, we studied 426 individuals from Italian pedigrees, including patients (n = 319) and presymptomatic (n = 107) carriers of causative variants in APP (n = 39), PSEN1 (n = 71), PSEN2 (n = 13), MAPT (n = 29), GRN (n = 188), and C9orf72 (n = 86). Age at symptoms onset, age at last follow-up and sex were recorded. Whole exome sequencing was performed, focusing on non-causative variants (n = 64) in the key AD (APP, PSEN1, PSEN2) and FTD genes (MAPT, GRN, C9orf72). Weighted genetic burden scores were derived using Fine–Gray competing risk models to estimate variant-specific effects on cumulative AD and FTD incidence, accounting for mutually exclusive outcomes and family clustering. Model fit was evaluated using Akaike Information Criterion. Higher AD-risk-weighted burden scores in AD-related genes were associated with a significantly increased cumulative incidence of AD, while higher FTD-risk-weighted scores in FTD-related genes showed a trend toward association with increased cumulative incidence of FTD. A significant interaction between burden scores was observed. AD and FTD burden scores showed a negative interaction for AD (~79% attenuation) but a modest synergistic effect for FTD (~6% increase). These findings could imply context-dependent pleiotropy rather than simple additive genetic effects. Our study suggests that even in carriers oh highly penetrant AD or FTD causative variants, genetic background could substantially modulate cumulative disease incidence. Integrating polygenic information with monogenic status may improve prognostic stratification and inform precision approaches in dementia research and clinical trials.

Understanding genotype × environment interaction is essential for developing stable, high-yielding onion cultivars under changing climatic conditions. This study evaluated 24 diverse onion (Allium cepa L.) germplasms across three different locations over 2 years following a randomized complete block design with three replications. Genetic variability, yield performance, and stability were assessed using an integrated analytical framework. Combined analysis of variance revealed significant effects of genotype, environment, and their interaction for yield and associated traits, indicating differential genotype responses. Substantial variability was observed; fresh yield showed strong positive associations with bulb diameter, individual bulb weight, and bulbing index. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis and the multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance index (MGIDI), identified genotypes with superior trait combinations. Stability analysis using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), genotype main effects plus genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplot, and complementary numerical parameters revealed consistent performance of a subset of genotypes across environments. Notably, Ac Bog 413, Ac Bog 415, Ac Bog 428, Ac Gaz 379, and BARI Piaz-4 were identified as high-yielding and stable across multiple analytical approaches. Although some genotypes exhibited moderate yield, their high stability indicates potential as donor parents for adaptive traits in breeding programs. The integration of yield performance, trait association, multivariate indices, and stability analyses provides a robust framework for selecting climate-resilient onion genotypes. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative molecular characterisation of myeloid cathelicidins reveals subspecies-level diversification in indigenous livestock.

Gyroviruses are widespread small DNA viruses infecting poultry and other hosts, yet their diversity and coinfection dynamics in backyard systems remained poorly understood. Tissue samples from 100 clinically healthy backyard chickens across five provinces in Türkiye, between 2020 and 2021, were screened using species-specific PCR assays targeting six gyroviruses. The Gyroviral DNA was detected in 90.0% of samples (90/100), with CAV identified in 71.0% (71/100), AGyV2 in 59.0% (59/100), GyV3 in 8.0% (8/100), GyV4 in 22.0% (22/100), GyVTu789 in 19.0% (19/100), and GyV7-SF in 18.0% (18/100) of samples. Co-infections were frequent, most notably between CAV and AGyV2, with a co occurrence rate of 25.6%. Phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 sequences revealed that circulating strains were largely consistent with global lineages, while also displaying detectable genetic variability, particularly within GyV4. Notably, GyVTu789 and GyV7-SF were identified for the first time in chickens in Türkiye, extending their known geographic range. The high rate of co-detection highlights the concurrent circulation of multiple gyroviruses in backyard poultry populations. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of gyrovirus diversity and circulation dynamics, pinpointing the need for continued surveillance to better understand their epidemiology and potential impact on poultry health.