High Heritability Research Articles

Variability Studies in Soybean Genotypes under Different Water Regimes

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is economically one of the most important oilseed crop worldwide which have high protein and oil content. Its productivity is frequently affected due to drought occurrence in India. Variability for root shoot traits under early seedling stage under drought stress may be important selection criteria for development of drought tolerant genotypes. The present investigation was carried out at Net house of Experimental Farm, Mandsaur University, Mandsaur. Sixty genotypes, procured from ICAR-IISR, were used to know the extent of genetic variability under different water regimes [normal, 100 ml (100%), S1, 50 ml (50%), S2, 25 ml (25%) and S3,0 ml (0%)] for root-soot traits and relative leaf water content under early seedling stage. Significant genetic variability was recorded for all the traits among genotypes studied under normal and water stress conditions respectively which showed the presence of ample variability in studied material. High Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation than their corresponding Genotypic Coefficient of Variation for the entire trait under different water regimes denoted influence of environment on these traits. The large genetic variation found in these genotypes may be used to develop varieties with better drought tolerance behavior and used as drought donor lines in drought breeding programs. We measured high heritability for selected characters under non water stress condition (75.05% to 100%) and water stress conditions S1 (81.40% to 100%), S2 (85.69% to 100%) and S3 (92.60% to 99.26%) respectively. Additive gene action interacted to control characters under different water regimes because high broad sense heritability along with high genetic advance as percentage of mean were recorded for most of traits. It is indicating that simple phenotypic selection would be effective for these traits under water stress condition.

Assessing the genetic landscape of Kapok (Ceiba pentandra L. Gaertn) progeny trial: a cluster analysis for sustainable natural fibre resources

Ceiba pentandra, commonly known as the kapok tree or silk-cotton tree, exhibits diverse ecological roles, medicinal properties, economic value, and cultural significance. In this context, thirty-plus C. pentandra (kapok) trees were selected from various locations in the Theni and Dindigul districts of Southern Tamil Nadu based on superior traits by using the comparison tree method. Harvested pods provided seeds for establishing a progeny trial to evaluate seed source variation and other associated studies. Eleven traits were examined, including pod length, pod diameter, pod weight, shell weight, lint weight, floss weight, seed weight, number of seeds, tree height, girth at breast height, and number of branches. After two years and seven months, significant variations were observed among the genotypes in terms of biometric parameters and pod attributes of C. pentandra. Most characters, including pod weight, pod length, pod diameter, and floss weight, exhibited high heritability values and substantial genetic advances as a percentage of the mean. Cluster analysis categorized the thirty genotypes into four clusters. Notably, considering floss weight as a pivotal trait due to its significance as an alternate source of natural fibres, genotypes g28, g29, and g30 (originating from Sirumalai, Dindigul) were identified as superior to other genotypes. These genotypes can be utilized for further research programs to study genetic diversity at the genome level using advanced molecular tools.

Genetic analyses of advanced breeding lines of rice for yield-attributing traits and salinity stress tolerance

The development of advanced rice breeding lines and their evaluation for yield-attributes and salinity stress tolerance offers a significant opportunity to identify high-yielding salt-tolerant genotypes exhibiting desired traits. The present study aimed to examine the morpho-genetic variability of thirty-six advanced breeding lines of rice, with a focus on features that contribute to yield and salinity stress tolerance. Three replications of a randomized complete block design were used in the first experiment. Significant variability was observed among the lines for the studied quantitative traits. Based on yield attributing traits, the advanced breeding lines viz., Line 10, Line 21, Line 22, Line 23, Line 24 and Line 25 showed better performances in terms of earliness and yield. In yield-related variables such as the number of effective tillers per plant, plant height, and grain yield per plant exhibited high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean. The results of PCA biplot showed that the PC1 and PC2 accounted for the greatest variability of advanced Line 10, Line 11, Line 18, Line 21, Line 22, Line 23, Line 24, Line 25, Nerica 10, Begunipata, and Binadhan-14 with significant influence of the studied traits. Cluster analysis reflected that the high-yielding genotypes were placed in cluster II and VI. Highest genetic distance was observed among the genotypes of cluster III and cluster VI. In the second experiment, four advanced breeding lines along with salt tolerant and susceptible checks were assessed for salinity tolerance at the reproductive stage. The plants were cultivated in a large plastic-tub filled with field soil. During the late booting stage, saline (EC=10 dS/m) irrigation water was applied to the plants and continued for three weeks. While Lines 10 and 12 demonstrated a reduced decline, salt stress caused a significant loss in yield and yield-attributing characteristics in all genotypes. Line 10 and Line 12 which showed a reasonable degree of salt tolerance as well as early maturity were placed in the respective quadrant of the biplot. Stress tolerance indices also reflecting the better salt tolerance phenomena of the advanced Line 10 and Line 12. Considering all of the traits, Line 10 and Line12 could be selected as desired advanced rice lines for the development of early, high-yielding and salt tolerant rice varieties.

Genetic Variability Studies in a Biparental RIL Population for Blast Disease in Pearl Millet

Aim: This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters within a pearl millet population comprising 288 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of the F7 generation along with two parental lines. The investigation focused on exploring the relationships among 13 quantitative traits and Blast disease score across two environments (ENV-I, ENV-II) as well as in pooled environments. Study Design: Alpha Lattice Design. Place and Duration of Study: Patancheru, Telangana and Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh during Kharif, 2023. Methodology: The RILs used for this current study developed through the single seed descent method at ICRISAT, Patancheru. The genotypes were assessed at ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad (ENV-I), and Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh (ENV-II). Combined Analysis of Variance, Heritability, Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV), Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV), Genetic Advance as percent of Mean (GAM), and Correlation studies were performed in R 4.4.0. Results: The analysis identified significant variation in both the quantitative traits and Blast disease scores among the RILs, highlighting the potential for genetic improvement and selection. High heritability coupled with substantial genetic advance was observed for traits such as Plant Height, Number of Tillers, Panicle Length, Thousand Seed Weight, Seed Yield, Harvest Index, and Blast Score across ENV-I, ENV-II and Pooled environments. PCV and GCV were notably high for the Number of Tillers, Number of Productive Tillers, Thousand Seed Weight, Seed Yield, and Blast Score across ENV-I, ENV-II, and Pooled Environments. Seed Yield showed positive and significant correlations with the Number of Productive Tillers, Harvest Index, Plant Height, and Number of Tillers in all environments. Conversely, Blast Score exhibited negative associations with all studied traits across the environments. Conclusion: High heritability coupled with high GAM, along with medium to high PCV and GCV for traits such as plant height, panicle length, seed yield, harvest index, and thousand seed weight, indicates that these traits are predominantly genetically controlled and can be improved significantly through selection, making them valuable for breeding. Blast disease was negatively correlated with seed yield, thousand seed weight, days to maturity, harvest index, number of leaves, number of productive tillers, plant height, and number of tillers, suggesting that increased susceptibility to blast disease negatively affects key agronomic traits. This implies that genotypes with higher blast disease scores tend to exhibit lower productivity, delayed maturity, and reduced overall plant vigor, making resistance to blast disease a critical factor for achieving optimal crop performance and yield stability.

Phenotypic Variability among Parental Lines and Progenies of Bread Wheat

Wheat is the second most important cereal staple food crop consumed nearly 35% of world population and provides 20% food calories. It’s a self-pollinating annual plant in the true grass family Gramineae (Poaceae) and genus Triticum, is the world’s most famous energy rich cereal crop. The wheat is a hexaploid (allohexaploid) species (2n =6x= 42) having AABBDD with A, B and D genome. The present research investigates fifty-six genotypes of bread wheat consisting of 33 F1s obtained by crossing eleven lines with three varieties in a line x tester mating design along with their parents and two well-known checks. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Results revealed considerable genetic variability among the genotypes. Traits like grain yield per plant and number of tillers per plant exhibited higher values of PCV with moderate GCV. High heritability with moderate values of genetic advance were recorded for grain weight per spike (17.688%) followed by number of grains per spike (17.4 %), biological yield per plant (14.7 %), 1000 grain weight (11.9 %) indicating involvement of additive gene action in the inheritance of these traits and hence selection along with progeny testing can be employed for improvement of these characters. According to correlation studies, there is a substantial positive link between the trait grain yield per plant and the number of tillers per plant, harvest index, and biological yield per plant. Selection for these qualities will therefore eventually contribute to the genotypes' increased total output. Early maturing cultivars should be chosen when breeding for a better yield because it was also shown that the number of days to maturity had a negative correlation with the yield.

HTBPPS: A high-throughput behavioral phenotyping platform for shrimp

In shrimp breeding, phenotypic measurement is crucial for identifying key traits. Meanwhile, behavioral traits typically exhibiting moderate to high heritability are gaining recognition as novel traits in aquatic species breeding. However, traditional shrimp behavioral phenotype measurement is unsuitable for large-scale evaluations as it relies primarily on time-consuming and error-prone manual observations. With advances in computer vision, various behavior recognition and tracking algorithms have effectively overcome these limitations. Yet, such algorithms often prove inadequate for long-duration behavioral video data. Inspired by high-throughput phenotyping platforms in plant research, this study designed specialized temporary housing and observation apparatus to track shrimp behavior and the shrimp.tracker software based on a boundary-constrained Kalman filter algorithm. Additionally, this study established an analysis system for shrimp behavioral phenotypic data and a framework for long-term high-throughput behavioral data acquisition. Ultimately, these hardware and software systems form a high-throughput behavioral phenotyping platform for shrimp. The platform's algorithm scored 92.4 in sMOTSA, 99.5 in MOTA, and 95.5 in MOTSP, with a detection accuracy of 99.79 %, surpassing the deep learning-based Track-RCNN algorithm. Case studies illustrated the platform's capability to track various shrimp species, multiple individuals over extended periods, and shrimp under high- temperature stress. The experimental results revealed significant behavioral phenotype differences among different types and sizes of shrimp. During long-term behavioral observations, shrimp behaviors exhibited 24-h cyclical rhythm changes. Different types of shrimp exhibited the same M-shaped trend in mobility during linear temperature increases, with the last peak of the M shape moderately correlating with shrimp heat tolerance. These findings emphasize the importance of behavioral phenotypes in shrimp breeding, serving as potential indicators for assessing heat tolerance in shrimp breeding. Thus, the proposed platform has significant potential for future applications in shrimp breeding.

Genetic variability in exotic cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) genotypes

Genetic variability plays a crucial role in hybridization and the development of crops with desirable traits. This study, conducted at the Regional Agricultural Research Station of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute in Chattogram, focused on assessing genetic diversity, correlations, and path coefficients related to yield and other traits in 31 cowpea genotypes. The experiment, designed as a randomized complete block with three replications, revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all traits measured, as confirmed by analysis of variance. While most traits showed minimal differences between phenotypic and genotypic variances, plant height and yield per plant were more significantly influenced by environmental factors. The coefficients of variation were low for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, and days to harvesting; moderate for seeds per plant; and high for other traits. Plant height, thousand-seed weight, and yield per plant exhibited high heritability and substantial genetic advance, suggesting that direct selection for these traits would be effective due to their additive genetic control. The correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships between yield per plant and several flowering and maturity traits at both the genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis identified plant height, days to 50% flowering, days to harvesting, seeds per plant, pods per plant, and thousand-seed weight as having positive direct effects on yield per plant, implying that selection for these traits could enhance cowpea yield. Among the evaluated genotypes, E25 stood out as the highest yielding with 533.33 g yield per plant, early maturity at 84 days after sowing, moderate thousand-seed weight (124.33 g), seeds per plant (13.87), and plant height (103.33 cm), making it a promising candidate for hybridization. This research provides valuable insights for cowpea breeding programs, highlighting the importance of selecting specific traits like plant height, flowering time, and thousand-seed weight to develop high-yielding, resilient cowpea varieties adaptable to diverse agricultural conditions. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2024, 10(4), 148-156

Genetic Analysis of Key Traits for Sheath Blight Resistance and Yield Improvement in Rice (Oryza sativa)

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple crop for more than half of the global population, with significant production in India. However, rice production suffers yield losses of 25-30% due to diseases, particularly sheath blight (ShB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani. This study evaluated genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance in ShB resistance and yield-related traits in 360 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) across two seasons (dry season of 2022-23 and wet season of 2023) at ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad. Traits such as plant height, lesion height, relative lesion height, and panicle number showed high heritability (>80%) and genetic advance (>30%), indicating their strong genetic influence and responsiveness to selection. These traits, especially relative lesion height, were identified as key indicators for breeding ShB resistance. In contrast, grain yield under inoculated conditions showed lower heritability, reflecting environmental effects and suggesting that indirect selection through stable, heritable traits may be more effective. This research offers a foundation for breeding high-yielding, disease-resistant rice cultivars, advancing sustainability in ShB-prone regions by maintaining stable yields even under pathogen pressure.

Genetic Variability Studies in Dolichos Bean (Lablab purpureus L.) for Yield and Yield Traits

Aims: To study the genetic variability by phenotypic coefficient of variation, genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean in advanced breeding lines of Dolichos bean. Study Design: Augmented RCBD with six blocks. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Shivamogga, during Late Kharif 2023. Methodology: The experimental material consisted of 64 advanced breeding lines of Dolichos bean including four checks viz., Hebbal avere-1, Hebbal avere-3, Hebbal avere-4 and Arka Jaya. Results: Analysis of variance revealed that significant variation was observed among the genotypes for all the characters studied. A high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was observed for pods per plant (48.10%) followed by pod yield per plant, clusters per plant, pods per cluster, plant height and pod width, which indicates better scope for improvement of characters. A high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was observed for pod yield per plant (50%) followed by pods per plant, clusters per plant, pods per cluster, plant height and pod width. High heritability (>60%) was observed for all the traits studied. High heritability combined with high genetic advance as percent of mean was found for pods per plant (95.49%) followed by pod yield per plant, clusters per plant, pods per cluster, pod width and plant height which indicates that improvement of these charateristics through selection can be possible due to additive gene action. Conclusion: Yield can be increased by selecting the number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant, seed yield per plant number of cluster per pod, number of pods per plant and plant height.

Genotypic variation in nitrogen fixation characteristics in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) under contrasting phosphorus fertilizer regimes

AbstractAssessment of the genetic variability is an important step in improving nitrogen (N2) fixation potential of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes. The study was conducted to evaluate the genotypic variation for symbiotic N2 fixation traits of faba bean under contrasting phosphorus (P) fertilizer regimes. Twenty and 12 genotypes in the field and greenhouse, respectively, were planted under two P fertilizer regimes (P− and P+ corresponding to 0 and 46 kg/ha) using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance indicated highly significant (p < 0.01) variation among genotypes for all N2 fixation traits under both P regimes, indicating the availability of genotypic variation. Genotypes Obse, Dosha, Didea, Gebelcho, Gora, Moti, and Hachalu had better performance for N2 fixation traits and higher grain yield (GY) across all study conditions. Performances of all N2 fixation traits, except nitrogen harvest index, were better under P+ than under P−. P fertilizer application in the field resulted in 12.3, 12.9%, 18.9%, and 24.2% increase in the number of nodules per plant, nodule dry weight per plant (NDWP), N2 yield (NY), and the amount of N2 fixed (NF), respectively. In the greenhouse, 18.9%, 22.5%, and 27.2% increment was obtained for NDWP, NY, and NF, respectively, due to fertilizer application. Biplot analysis revealed that NF, NY, percentage of nitrogen derived from atmosphere (%Ndfa), shoot nitrogen concentration (ShN), and GY were the traits responsible for large genetic variation for N2 fixation. NF had higher heritability and formed a significant positive correlation with most nitrogen fixation traits, suggesting the potential of the trait to be improved through breeding.

Exploring genetic variability and trait relationships in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal L.) for improved yield

This study estimated genetic variability and interrelationship among traits in 50 genotypes of Indian Ashwagandha, with the objective of identifying superior genotypes for improvement. Significant differences (p < 0.01) among genotypes were observed for 12 morphological and yield-related traits. High heritability estimates (>90 %) were coupled with high genetic advance as % of the mean (>40 %) for most traits. The highest genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation (106.143 % and 106.548 % respectively) and a genetic advance as a % of the mean of 217.823 % were recorded for root dry weight per plant. Root dry weight was strongly positively correlated with root fresh weight, root diameter and root length. Seed yield was positively correlated with berry dry weight and traits related to branching, but negatively correlated to root dry weight, suggesting a trade-off between seed and root production. Root fresh weight is the primary contributor to root dry weight. Cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into four clusters, with Cluster 2 showing the maximum potential for improvement in Ashwagandha root yield. The first three principal components explained 85.58 % of the total variation; PC1 primarily explained root-related traits, while PC2 explained branching and reproductive traits. In the chemical quality analysis of eight genotypes in Cluster 2, the germplasm WS 2 (IC - 0604214-X) exhibited the highest withaferin A (0.318 %), alongside moderate biochemical characteristics such as fiber, carbohydrate and protein content. This study provides valuable insights in developing breeding strategies to enhance economically important traits in Ashwagandha but also calls highlights the challenges involved in simultaneously improving both root and seed yield.

Genetic Variation in Yield and Fruit Weight Among Strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) Cultivars and the Interaction With Year and Location Effect

ABSTRACTStrawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) is an important crop in the United States. In this study, we analysed strawberry trials established across 7 years and two locations. Our objective was to estimate genetic parameters and predict breeding values for yield. Linear mixed models were used for unbalanced data across years and locations and study the genotype by year and location interactions. The results suggested significant differences between cultivars for fruit weight but not for total and marketable yield. Fruit weight was controlled by genetic factors, shown by the high heritability of cultivar means (0.93), whereas marketable yield and total yield showed lower heritability estimates (0.48 and 0.63, respectively), indicating a substantial environmental influence. For fruit weight, cultivars exhibited stability across years and locations, supported by the high additive genetic correlations observed for cultivar‐by‐year (r = 0.90) and cultivar‐by‐location interactions (r = 0.98). Fruit weight and total yield were genetically independent as suggested near zero additive genetic correlation (−0.06 ± 0.416) between two traits, and they should be considered for an index selection in the strawberry breeding strategy.

Induced genetic variability for quantitative and biochemical traits of local landraces of rajmash (Phaseolus vulgaris) of north-western Himalayas

The present study was carried out during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2020 and 2021 at Regional Horticulture Research Station (Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir), Bhaderwah, Doda, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir to evaluate genetic variability for quantitative and biochemical traits of local landraces of rajmash (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) of north-western Himalayas. Twenty-two induced mutant lines of rajmash generated with gamma rays and ethyl methane sulphonate were screened for quantitative, qualitative and anthracnose reactions under natural and artificial conditions in the field during kharif 2020 (M3) and 2021 (M4). The highly significant differences imply that induced mutant lines for different traits exhibited substantial amount of genetic diversity. Zinc content (55.38) and grain yield/plant (33.24) both had high phenotypic coefficients of variation, while 1000-seed weight (10.14) and protein content had low values (9.83). Zinc content had highest genetic advance, measured as a percentage of the mean, and the highest heritability, followed by grain yield/plant, iron content, number of pods/plant, number of clusters/plant, days to flowering and number of seeds/pod, whereas days to maturity and 1000-seed weight were moderate. The number of pods/plant (0.774), number of seeds/pod (0.556), number of clusters/plant (0.729), length of pod (0.648) and 1000-seed weight (0.620) all exposed a highly significant relationship with grain yield/plant but the days to flowering (-0.636) and days to maturity showed negative correlation (-0.602). It is obvious that the 9 induced mutant lines of Bhaderwah local and Poonch local i.e. R-BL-M3-1, R-BL-M3-9, R-BL-M3-10, R-BL-M3-12, R-BL-M3-13, R-BL-M3-14, R-PL-M3-18, R-PL-M3-20 and R-PL-M3-22 showed the minimum anthracnose disease incidence along with early emergence and superiority in grain yield/plant compared to controls. These mutant lines may be carried forward for the development of mutant genetic stocks and varietal development programmes of rajmash for north-western Himalayan region.

Genetic Variability in Fusarium Wilt Resistant BC2F1 Lines of Yard Long Bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdcourt) Variety Githika for Yield and its Related Traits

Yardlong bean is a highly popular and profitable vegetable traditionally cultivated in the humid tropics of Kerala and is an inexpensive source of vegetable protein. Developing sustainable host plant resistance mechanisms, such as using the backcross method to introduce single-gene resistance into susceptible crop varieties, is crucial for reducing losses due to Fusarium wilt. In the present study Thirty-five resistant backcross progenies (BC2F1) of Yardlong Bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdcourt) variety Githika were evaluated for various genetic parameters for yield and its related traits using Completely Randomized Design at Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were observed for traits such as the number of pods per plant, pod weight, pod yield per plant, crude protein content. High Heritability(H) and High Genetic advance as percent mean (GAM) were observed for traits such as Number of pods per plant, Pod weight, Pod length, Number of seeds per pod, Pod Yield per plant, Crude fibre and Crude protein content. This significantly suggest that additive gene action is predominant in these traits and low reliance by environmental factors on these traits, making such character a good candidate for direct selection. The study helps in assessing genetic variability to identify traits as well as lines with maximum similarity with recurrent parent which could be used for further crop improvement program.

A multi-trait targeted genotype selection approach for screening drought tolerance in teosinte–maize hybrids

Drought tolerance is a complex characteristic and screening based on multiple traits rather than direct selection indices would result in more efficient selection. The study aims to select hybrids under optimal and water deficit conditions to achieve genetic gains in yield traits without compromising the other secondary traits viz., anthesis-silking interval, leaf chlorophyll content, delayed leaf rolling and leaf senescence, relative water content, and ROS scavenging using the multi-trait genotype ideotype distance index. The 30 teosinte-maize hybrids along with four checks were evaluated for two classes of traits: 16 morphometric and 14 physiological and biochemical traits, under well-watered (WW) and water-stress (WS) environments. Significant variations among the genotypes were observed for most traits and the presence of moderate to high heritability for most traits suggests direct selection for improvement of those traits. Significant correlation of the traits with yield and intercorrelations between traits indicate the advantage of indirect selection based on secondary traits. By assuming a selection intensity of 15% and equal weightage to all the traits, five genotypes were selected based on the MGIDI under each class of traits and in each environment. The genotypes viz. G19, G20, and G29 were commonly selected across both environments. The selection led to desired positive and negative selection gains for most of the traits studied and resulted in high positive gains for single plant yield of 35.6% under WW and 69.3% under WS. The strength and weakness plots effectively present the advantages and limitations of the selected genotypes under each environment. The multi-trait-based selection approach is an effective tool for selecting genotypes and designing breeding strategies for stress breeding.

Phenotypic Trait Analysis of Tomato (Solanum lysopersicum) Genotypes in Qatar and Indian Agro-climatic Conditions

Background: The study included four genotypes of tomato (EC620378, EC620380, EC620383, EC620534) which were cultivated to find out their similarities and differences based on phenotypic traits when they were grown under different soil zones of Doha (Qatar) and Meerut (India) to find out that which of the genotypes can be cultivated better in Qatar and India. Methods: The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBCD) with two replications. Statistical analysis for variation in quantitative characteristics among genotypes was done by collecting data in 15 qualitative and quantitative traits. Data showed great variation for almost all the traits. The principal component analysis involved plant height and days to marketable maturity as the most discriminating trait that accounted for greater variability in genotypes in both zones, and they should be considered in tomato improvement programs. The correlation analysis showed that fruit yield per plant was positively and significantly correlated with number of fruits per plant and fruit width. Present findings suggest that the identified superior genotypes may be utilized by different farms to further improve their breeding and cultivation strategies. Result: In Indian soil zone, genotype EC620534 performed extremely well in terms of maximum yield per plant. Similarly, in Qatar soil zone, EC620534 and EC620380 performed well. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than its corresponding genotypic counterpart (GCV) for all characters studied showing environmental influence. High broad-sense heritability were recorded for days to marketable maturity, fruit shape index and fruit weight in both agro-climatic zones, they were associated with low genetic advance indicating non-additive gene action and environmental influence, hence, heterosis breeding is recommended.

Genetic and QTL analysis of sugars and acids content in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.)

Abstract Sweet cherry is very appreciated by consumers because of its attractive appearance and taste, which is determined by the balanced sweet-sour flavor. In this work, the genetics of soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), sugars and organic acids was investigated in sweet cherry to facilitate breeding improvement for fruit quality. The fruits of five sweet cherry populations (N = 372), three F1 and two F2, were sampled over two years to evaluate SSC, TA, and the content of individual sugars (glucose, fructose, sorbitol, and sucrose) and organic acids (malic, quinic, oxalic, citric and shikimic) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Glucose, followed by fructose, was the most abundant sugar, while malic acid was the predominant acid. Sorbitol and malic acid were the most stable compounds between years, and had the highest heritability, being also the best correlated to SSC and TA respectively, revealing their relevance for breeding. Significantly positive correlations were observed among sugars and SSC, and acids and TA, but high interannual variability between years was observed for all traits. QTL mapping for SSC, sugars, TA, and organic acids was performed using a multi-family approach with FlexQTL™. Twenty QTLs were detected consistently during the two phenotyped years, and several relevant regions with overlapping QTLs for sugars and acids were also identified. The results confirmed major stable SSC and TA QTLs on the linkage groups 4 and 6, respectively. Within the main LG4 SSC QTL region, where maturity and fruit development time QTLs have been previously detected, three stable sugar (glucose, sorbitol, and sucrose) and two acid (quinic, shikimic) QTLs were also identified, suggesting a pleiotropic effect of ripening date on the content of these compounds. The major malic acid QTL overlapped with TA QTL on LG6, thus TA QTL mapping in LG6 may correspond to malic acid QTLs. Haplotype analyses of major SSC and sugars QTL in LG4, and TA and malic acid in LG6 revealed haplotypes of breeding interest. Several candidate genes previously identified in other Prunus fruit species, like peach, were found to collocate with the QTLs detected herein. This work reports QTLs regions and haplotypes of sugar and acid content in a Prunus non-climacteric stone fruit for the first time.

Genome‐Wide Association Mapping and Genomic Prediction of Septoria nodorum Blotch Resistance in Central European Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

ABSTRACTSeptoria nodorum blotch (SNB) is a fungal disease of wheat caused by the necrotrophic fungus Parastagonospora nodorum (Berk.), considered as one of the most devastating fungal diseases affecting winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The complex inheritance of resistance to SNB poses significant challenges to breeding programmes. Improving selection precision and identifying novel resistance QTLs are crucial for enhancing SNB resistance. This study investigated strategies for crop genetic improvement, including genome‐wide association mapping (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP), within a practical breeding programme. A population of 1500 winter wheat breeding lines was phenotyped for SNB resistance over 5 years across 19 geographical locations under natural infection conditions. Despite highly unbalanced breeder's data, medium to high heritabilities for SNB resistance were achieved. GWAS identified 11 significant marker‐trait associations for SNB resistance across Chromosomes 2A, 2B, 4B, 4D, 5D and 7B. GP fivefold cross‐validation analysis revealed a predictive ability of 0.52 for SNB resistance. The resistant wheat genotypes and SNP markers identified in this study will be valuable assets for future breeding efforts to enhance SNB resistance in wheat.

Assessing temporal variability in durum wheat performance and stability through multi-trait mean performance selection in Mediterranean climate

Durum wheat, a staple crop in Italy, faces substantial challenges due to increasing droughts and rising temperatures. This study examines the grain yield, agronomic traits, and quality of 41 durum wheat varieties over ten growing seasons in Southern Italy, utilizing a randomized complete block design. Notably, most varieties were not repeated between trials and 45% of the data was missing. The results indicate that the interaction between genotype and environment (GEI) significantly impacted all traits. High temperatures, elevated vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and water deficits severely affected yield and quality during warm years, while cooler years with favorable water availability promoted better growth and higher yields. Broad-sense heritability (H²) was generally low, suggesting that environmental factors played a major role in the observed traits. However, some traits, such as grain yield, ears per square meter, plant height, bleached wheat, thousand-grain weight, and hectoliter weight exhibited moderate to high heritability of the mean genotype (h²mg), indicating their potential for effective selection in breeding programs. Correlation analyses revealed strong connections between certain traits, such as protein content, and gluten index as well as between grain yield, and spike per square meter. Using the Multi-Trait Mean Performance Selection (MTMPS) index, the study identified six top-performing varieties. Among these, Antalis (G4) and Core (G18) consistently demonstrated strong adaptability and stability across different environments, particularly in hotter, drier conditions. Furio Camillo (G31) also exhibited valuable traits. This study highlights the challenges and complexities of breeding durum wheat for improved yield and quality in the face of climate change.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Greengram (Vigna radiata L.) Using Metroglyph Analysis

Pulses like greengram are essential for sustainable agriculture and global food security due to their high protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, their genetic diversity is underexplored, with existing studies mainly focusing on conventional methods. This study aims to estimate the variability parameters for 16 quantitative characters of greengram to classify the genotypes using Metroglyph analysis and assess genetic divergence to identify divergent parents for future hybridization programs using 45 greengram genotypes using Randomized Block Design replicated thrice. Among 45 genotypes of greengram on the basis of mean performance MGG-351(12.959) followed by MGG-347(43.16 q/ha), VBN -2 (41.12 q/ha), GM-3(40.8 q/ha) and MGG-385(39.8 q/ha) were found superior for grain yield. High GCV and PCV is recorded for Harvest Index and Number of primary branches. High heritability coupled with genetic advance as percent of mean are recorded for number of primary branches, harvest index (%), number of seeds per pod, biological yield per plant, seed index, number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant. On the basis of Metroglyph analysis, the total index score was varied from 24 (SHAKTI) to 38 (SIKHA) with a mean of 31.84. Among the 45 germplasm lines, the genotypes GM-3, MGG-385, SML-1663 and MGG-371were observed as high yielder and identified for higher index score. Scatter diagram plotted with Plant Height and Harvest Index has revealed that 5 clusters could be distinguished on the basis of morphological variation. Cluster -1 was represented by 24 genotypes, Cluster -2 was represented by 10 genotypes, Cluster-3 was represented by 7 genotypes, Cluster-4 was represented by 3 genotype, Cluster -5 was represented by 1 genotype. From those complexes, the germplasm lines, SIKHA and MGG-371 recorded high index score and fell into different cluster, hence used as parents in hybridization for getting desirable transgressive segregants.