High Gene Diversity Research Articles

Genetic diversity, population structure, and a genome-wide association study of sorghum lines assembled for breeding in Uganda.

Sorghum is an important source of food and feed worldwide. Developing sorghum core germplasm collections improves our understanding of the evolution and exploitation of genetic diversity in breeding programs. Despite its significance, the characterization of the genetic diversity of local germplasm pools and the identification of genomic loci underlying the variation of critical agronomic traits in sorghum remains limited in most African countries, including Uganda. In this study, we evaluated a collection of 543 sorghum accessions actively used in Ugandan breeding program across two cropping seasons at NaSARRI, Uganda, under natural field conditions. Phenotypic data analysis revealed significant (p<0.01) variation among accessions for days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle exsertion, and grain yield, with broad-sense heritability (H²) estimates of 0.54, 0.9, 0.81, and 0.48, respectively, indicating a high genetic variability for these traits. We used a newly developed genomic resource of 7,156 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to characterize the genetic diversity and population structure of this collection. On average, the SNP markers exhibited moderately high polymorphic information content (PIC = 0.3) and gene diversity (He = 0.3), while observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.07) was low, typical for self-pollinating crops like sorghum. Admixture-based models, PCA, and cluster analysis all grouped the accessions into two subpopulations with relatively low genetic differentiation. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified candidate genes linked to key agronomic traits using a breeding diversity panel from Uganda. GWAS analysis using three different mixed models identified 12 genomic regions associated with days to flowering, plant height, panicle exsertion, grain yield, and glume coverage. Five core candidate genes were co-localized with these significant SNPs. The SNP markers and candidate genes discovered provide valuable insights into the genetic regulation of key agronomic traits and, upon validation, hold promise for genomics-driven breeding strategies in Uganda.

Genetic diversity among Ethiopian sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] accessions using simple sequence repeat markers

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the only grain and stalk crop that can be used for multipurpose. Despite its global significance and potential, it faced genetic erosion. These are due to low productivity and lower farmers' preferences, which is not considered one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia. To utilize and popularize these crops, understanding the genetic diversity and population structure is a pre-request. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of selected 82 Ethiopian sweet sorghum accessions using 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that represent seven geographic regions of Ethiopia. The study revealed a total of 116 alleles with a mean of 11.6 alleles per locus. All used microsatellite loci were highly polymorphic with polymorphic information content (PIC) ranging from 0.75 to 0.90 with an average of 0.82. They showed high gene diversity ranging from 0.59 to 0.81 with an overall mean of 0.70. There was a moderate genetic differentiation (FST = 0.21) showing the presence of high gene flow (Nm = 5.033) where 91 % of the total variation was accounted for within populations genetic variability. The clustering, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and population structure did not cluster the studied populations into a separate group according to their geographical origin. In conclusion, the highest intra-population diversity was observed among populations of North Wollo (He = 0.81) and South Wollo (He = 0.79), and hence these areas can be considered as hot spots for the identification of novel traits. Therefore, the present study has generated baseline information for breeders to improve Ethiopian sweet sorghum through breeding, management, and conservation of the available genetic resources.

SSR-based genetic analysis depicted high gene diversity with subtle population genetic structure in Myrica esculenta, a high-valued edible fruit tree of the Western Himalayas

SSR-based genetic analysis depicted high gene diversity with subtle population genetic structure in Myrica esculenta, a high-valued edible fruit tree of the Western Himalayas

Genetic landscape of the people of Bangladesh depicted with 17 Y-Chromosome-Specific microsatellites

Seventeen microsatellite loci from the non-recombining region of the human Y chromosome were typed using AmpFlSTR® Yfiler® PCR amplification systems in 404 male subjects belonging to the three largest ethnic groups in Bangladesh. A total of 150 haplotypes from the Chakma, 144 from the Tripura, and 110 from the Khasia were detected with a corresponding discrimination capacity of 73.885%, 65.563%, and 81.250%, respectively. The highest allele frequency of 0.828 was detected in DYS391 locus in the Tripuras, while the lowest allele frequency of 0.009 was detected at the same locus for the Chakma population. The highest gene diversity (0.964) was observed at DYS385a/b locus in the Khasias, while the lowest gene diversity (0.301) was detected at DYS391 locus in Tripuras population. The overall haplotype diversity for the studied populations was 0.986141. Both the Neighbour-Joining tree and pairwise genetic distances showed that Chakma lies closer to a clade consisting of Tripuras (Khagrachari, Bangladesh) and Tripuri (Tripura, India). In contrast, the Khasias demonstrated a close affinity with the Oraon (Chhattisgarh, India), followed by the Santals. The Y-STR haplotype matching probabilities within and between populations demonstrated that the Chakma, Tripura, and Khasia were 100% genetically distinct. The studied ethnic populations exhibited higher frequency for haplogroups L and Q as opposed to haplogroups R1a, H, and L found in the mainstream Bengali population. The Median-joining networking showed haplogroups L and R1a have the most compact clustering within populations, followed by haplogroups Q and H. The presence of haplogroup R1a suggests that Bengali may have originated through west-to-east migration, whereas haplogroups L and Q distribution in the studied tribes reveal a very significant affinity with the South-East Asian populations and may have shared a common ancestral origin with the Mongoloid stock populations. Bioresearch Commu. 10(2): 1482-1488, 2024 (July)

High mitochondrial gene diversity of Pediculus humanus capitis among children in northern Iran.

The head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is an obligate ectoparasite and its infestation remains a major public health issue worldwide. Determining the genetic characteristics of the existing clades is essential to identify the population structure and to develop head lice-control programs. Hence, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of head lice among infested individuals in northern Iran. Adult head lice were collected from 100 infested individuals referring to the health centers throughout five geographical regions in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Partial fragments of the mitochondrial cytb gene were amplified by PCR, then consequently sequenced. The results of the phylogenetic tree of collected head lice confirmed the existence of two clades, A and B, in the studied areas. Thirteen haplotypes were detected in the studied populations, of which 11 were novel haplotypes. Clade A was the dominant form and accounted for 75% of samples, while clade B included the rest. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity were 0.999 and 0.0411, respectively. Clade A and B of Pediculus humanus capitis exist among the human populations of northern Iran. We observed high genotypic diversity of this head lice.

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

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

Genetic diversity, spatial connectivity, and population structure of Asian silurid catfish Wallago attu (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) in the Ganga River System: insights from mitochondrial DNA analysis.

The Ganga River System (GRS) is a biodiversity hotspot, its ecological richness is shaped by a complex geological history. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity, spatial connectivity, and population structure of the Asian Silurid catfish, Wallago attu, across seven tributaries of the GRS. We employed three mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions: cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COXI), cytochrome b (Cyt b), and control region (CR). Our comprehensive dataset encompassed 2420bp of mtDNA, derived from 176 W. attu individuals across 19 sampling sites within the seven rivers of GRS. Our findings revealed high gene diversity (Hd:0.99) within W. attu populations. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) highlighted that maximum genetic variations were attributed within the populations, and the observed genetic differentiation among the seven populations of W. attu ranged from low to moderate. Network analysis uncovered the presence of three distinct genetic clades, showing no specific association with seven studied rivers. Bayesian skyline plots provided insights into the demographic history of W. attu, suggesting a recent population expansion estimated to have occurred approximately 0.04million years ago (mya) during the Pleistocene epoch. These results significantly enhance our understanding of the genetic diversity and spatial connectivity of W. attu, serving as a vital foundation for developing informed conservation strategies and the sustainable management of this economically valuable resource within the Ganga River System.

Population structure and genetic differentiation analyses reveal high level of diversity and allelic richness in crop wild relatives of AA genome species of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in India.

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are vital sources of variation for genetic improvement, but their populations are few in genebanks, eroded in natural habitats and inadequately characterized. With a view to explore genetic diversity in CWRs of AA genome rice (Oryza sativa L.) species in India, we analyzed 96 accessions of 10 Oryza species by using 17 quantitative traits and 45 microsatellite markers. The morpho-quantitative traits revealed a high extent of phenotypic variation in the germplasm. Diversity index (H') revealed a high level of within-species variability in O. nivara (H' = 1.09) and O. rufipogon (H' = 1.12). Principal component (PC) analysis explained 79.22% variance with five PCs. Among the traits related to phenology, morphology, and yield, days to heading showed strong positive association with days to 50% flowering (r = 0.99). However, filled grains per panicle revealed positive association with spikelet fertility (0.71) but negative with awn length (- 0.58) and panicle bearing tillers (- 0.39). Cluster analysis grouped all the accessions into three major clusters. Microsatellite analysis revealed 676 alleles with 15.02 alleles per locus. High polymorphism information content (PIC = 0.83) and Shannon's information index (I = 2.31) indicated a high level of genetic variation in the CWRs. Structure analysis revealed four subpopulations; first and second subpopulations comprised only of O. nivara accessions, while the third subpopulation included both O. nivara and O. rufipogon accessions. Population statistics revealed a moderate level of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.14), high gene diversity (HE = 0.87), and high gene flow (Nm = 1.53) among the subpopulations. We found a high level of molecular variance among the genotypes (70%) and low among populations (11%) and within genotypes (19%). The high level of molecular and morphological variability detected in the germplasm of CWRs could be utilized for the improvement of cultivated rice.

Comparative genomics of Lactobacillus johnsonii reveals extensive intraspecific genetic variation

Lactobacillus johnsonii, as a microorganism widely presenting in the intestinal tract of mammals, dairy products, and poultry, possesses various probiotic characteristics. Currently, many research focused on the probiotic functions and industrial applications of L. johnsonii. In this study, 98 strains of L. johnsonii were subjected to comparative genomic analyses to explore its genetic diversity. The results indicated that based on ANI values, d-DDH values, phylogenetic analysis, and whole-genome comparison, the 98 strains of L. johnsonii were classified into two phylogenetic clusters. The carbohydrate utilization genes, bacteriocin operon, extracellular polysaccharide gene cluster, and bile salt hydrolase encoding genes in L. johnsonii shared common features and exhibited systematic differences based on phylogenetic clustering. The main reason for the high intra-species gene diversity of L. johnsonii might be differences in phages and other mobile genetic elements. This study provides new insights into the genomic features and functional genes of L. johnsonii.

Traces of Human-Mediated Selection in the Gene Pool of Red Deer Populations.

In this study, we analysed the effect of human-mediated selection on the gene pool of wild and farmed red deer populations based on genotyping-by-sequencing data. The farmed red deer sample covered populations spread across seven countries and two continents (France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, New Zealand, Poland, and Slovakia). The Slovak and Spain wild red deer populations (the latter one in a large game estate) were used as control outgroups. The gene flow intensity, relationship and admixture among populations were tested by the Bayesian approach and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC). The highest gene diversity (He = 0.19) and the lowest genomic inbreeding (FHOM = 0.04) found in Slovak wild population confirmed our hypothesis that artificial selection accompanied by bottlenecks has led to the increase in overall genomic homozygosity. The Bayesian approach and DAPC consistently identified three separate genetic groups. As expected, the farmed populations were clustered together, while the Slovak and Spanish populations formed two separate clusters. Identified traces of genetic admixture in the gene pool of farmed populations reflected a strong contemporary migration rate between them. This study suggests that even if the history of deer farming has been shorter than traditional livestock species, it may leave significant traces in the genome structure.

Distinct taxonomic and functional profiles of high Arctic and alpine permafrost-affected soil microbiomes

BackgroundGlobal warming is affecting all cold environments, including the European Alps and Arctic regions. Here, permafrost may be considered a unique ecosystem harboring a distinct microbiome. The frequent freeze–thaw cycles occurring in permafrost-affected soils, and mainly in the seasonally active top layers, modify microbial communities and consequently ecosystem processes. Although taxonomic responses of the microbiomes in permafrost-affected soils have been widely documented, studies about how the microbial genetic potential, especially pathways involved in C and N cycling, changes between active-layer soils and permafrost soils are rare. Here, we used shotgun metagenomics to analyze the microbial and functional diversity and the metabolic potential of permafrost-affected soil collected from an alpine site (Val Lavirun, Engadin area, Switzerland) and a High Arctic site (Station Nord, Villum Research Station, Greenland). The main goal was to discover the key genes abundant in the active-layer and permafrost soils, with the purpose to highlight the potential role of the functional genes found.ResultsWe observed differences between the alpine and High Arctic sites in alpha- and beta-diversity, and in EggNOG, CAZy, and NCyc datasets. In the High Arctic site, the metagenome in permafrost soil had an overrepresentation (relative to that in active-layer soil) of genes involved in lipid transport by fatty acid desaturate and ABC transporters, i.e. genes that are useful in preventing microorganisms from freezing by increasing membrane fluidity, and genes involved in cell defense mechanisms. The majority of CAZy and NCyc genes were overrepresented in permafrost soils relative to active-layer soils in both localities, with genes involved in the degradation of carbon substrates and in the degradation of N compounds indicating high microbial activity in permafrost in response to climate warming.ConclusionsOur study on the functional characteristics of permafrost microbiomes underlines the remarkably high functional gene diversity of the High Arctic and temperate mountain permafrost, including a broad range of C- and N-cycling genes, and multiple survival and energetic metabolisms. Their metabolic versatility in using organic materials from ancient soils undergoing microbial degradation determine organic matter decomposition and greenhouse gas emissions upon permafrost thawing. Attention to their functional genes is therefore essential to predict potential soil-climate feedbacks to the future warmer climate.

Phytochemical and genetic marker (SCoT and CBDP) based study of genetic diversity and population structure in natural populations of Cannabis sativa L.: A high-value sustainable biodiversity of North-Indian Himalaya

Cannabis sativa is a versatile, sustainable cash crop grown in vast agro-climatic zones of India. The present study used comprehensive datasets involving phytochemical and molecular genotyping to characterize forty-two wild cannabis accessions collected from fourteen geographical locations of the North Indian Himalayas. Two gene-targeted dominant molecular markers, i.e., start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT-box derived polymorphism (CBDP), were used for molecular genotyping to evaluate genetic assortment and interrelatedness among and within wild inhabitants of C.sativa. Multiple t-tests indicated significant differences among the studied cannabis populations for the phytochemical traits. Five major cannabinoids were identified in Indian Cannabis sativa germplasm, and most of the populations were of drug/marijuana types. The considerable diversity in drug types was observed at the chemical and genetic levels. Twenty-six SCoT and twenty-one CBDP markers generated a sum of 134, and 80 alleles averaged with 3.08 and 6.65 alleles per primer, respectively. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) and resolving power per primer indicated both SCoT and CBDP as ideal markers system for genetic diversity study in Cannabis sativa. The population diversity analysis based on SCoT, CBDP, and cumulative marker dataset revealed a high genetic differentiation (Gst>0.15), and a low estimated gene flow (Nm<1.0) between the studied populations. The highest gene diversity (H) and Shannon diversity Index (I) were observed for the population of Matiyal location (Pop3) using SCoT and cumulative marker dataset. However, Population 7 (Pop7) of location Kanatal was found to be highly diverse using the CBDP marker dataset. The multivariate analyses, i.e., Neighbour-joining tree based phenetic analysis, Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA), and Structure, revealed that there was no individual geographical location based grouping among the cannabis populations using both markers data set individually and their cumulative datasets. However, the allocation of accessions in common groups corresponding to their geographical locations was maximum in the case of Analysis with a cumulative marker data set. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) also demonstrated a maximum percentage of molecular variation at the intra-population level (77–86%) rather than the inter-population level (14–23%). Altogether, our data suggest that both SCoT and CBDP markers are the ideal markers to study the genetic relationship among geographically different populations of C.sativa, and populations identified as highly diverse can be utilized as parents in Indian cannabis breeding programs.

Ecological niche modelling and population genetic analysis of Indian temperate bamboo Drepanostachyum falcatum in the western Himalayas.

The present study was conducted to understand the key ecological and biological questions of conservation importance in Drepanostachyum falcatum which aimed to map potential distribution in the western Himalayas and decipher spatial genetic structure. Eco-distribution maps were generated through ecological niche modelling using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm implemented with 228 geocoordinates of species presence and 12 bioclimatic variables. Concomitantly, 26 natural populations in the western Himalayas were genetically analysed using ten genomic sequence-tagged microsatellite (STMS) markers. Model-derived distribution was adequately supported with appropriate statistical measures, such as area under the 'receiver operating characteristics (ROC)' curve (AUC; 0.917 ± 0.034)", Kappa (K; 0.418), normalized mutual information (NMI; 0.673) and true skill statistic (TSS; 0.715). Further, Jackknife test and response curves showed that the precipitation (pre- and post-monsoon) and temperature (average throughout the year and pre-monsoon) maximize the probabilistic distribution of D. falcatum. We recorded a wide and abundant (4096.86 km2) distribution of D. falcatum in the western Himalayas with maximum occurrence at 1500 to 2500m asl. Furthermore, marker analysis exemplified high gene diversity with low genetic differentiation in D. falcatum. Relatively, the populations of Uttarakhand are more genetically diverse than Himachal Pradesh, whereas within the Uttarakhand, the Garhwal region captured a higher allelic diversity than Kumaon. Clustering and structure analysis indicated two major gene pools, where genetic admixing appeared to be controlled by long-distance gene flow, horizontal geographical distance, aspect, and precipitation. Both the species distribution map and population genetic structure derived herein may serve as valuable resources for conservation and management of Himalayan hill bamboos.

Y-STR data of the Yfiler Plus panel in population of north-eastern Poland.

The use of new high-resolution and forensic identification capabilities for population studies offered by new multiplex methods (such as Yfiler Plus) is crucial in forensic genetics cases. The development of haplotype frequency databases is essential to take full advantage of the new Y chromosome determination capabilities. Development of the haplotype database of the Yfiler Plus kit for a population-based sample of 534 males from northeastern Poland and calculation of suitability parameters for forensic genetics studies. The study was conducted on a population sample of 534 unrelated males from the area of northeastern Poland using the Yfiler Plus panel of 27 markers located on the Y chromosome. Four haplotypes appeared twice. The Discrimination Capacity (DC) of the entire set was 0.9925. The highest Gene Diversity (GD) value was calculated for DYS518 (0.86) belonging to the fast-mutation markers, while the lowest GD was calculated for DYS392 (0.42). The results indicate the need for further research and observation of changes, both in different regions of Poland and across Europe.

Diversity analysis of guava (Psidium guajava) germplasm collection

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the commercially important cultivated fruit crops in India. Guava ranks fifthin production share of fruit crops in the country. During 2014-15, India produced 36.68 lakh tonnes of guava from anarea of 2.68 lakh ha with 13.7 t/ha productivity. In the present investigation, a total 33 genotypes including 6 speciesof Psidium and 28 genotypes of Psidium guajava were characterized using 39 SSR markers. All accessions are beingcultivated at IARI research farm, Pusa campus, New Delhi. Samples were collected from research farm to determinethe overall diversity and to assess the similarity among genotypes using molecular markers. Out of 39 primers 26were reproducible. A total of 64 alleles were produced by 26 primers and number of alleles per locus variedfrom 1 (mPgCIR01, mPgCIR18 and mPgCIR19) to 5 (mPgCIR256) with mean value of 2.34. Gene diversity rangedfrom 0.0377 to 0.6681 with a mean value of 0.2766. Highest gene diversity was observed for primer mPgCIR256(0.6681) and lowest for primer mPgCIR24 (0.0377). SSR primer mPgCIR256 was most informative with high rateof polymorphism as well as number of alleles. Phenotypic correlation indicated the correlated traits with dependentyield trait. PCA and cluster analysis showed a significant phenotypic and genetic diversity among existing cultivars.All accessions were grouped into two major groups and under each group four sub groups. Maximum diversity wasfound in leaf traits, viz. leaf length, leaf breadth, petiole and petiole length. Genetic distance and the dissimilarity matrixshowed three major clusters on the basis of genetic similarity. All these accessions were grouped in to three clusters,viz. A, B and C. While cluster A includes only cultivars, cluster B includes all species except P. friedrichsthalianum.This indicates that, the diversity among and between species is at cluster level. Genetic diversity analysis amongPsidium species showed that P. guajava had more similarity with Psidium guienensis compared to other species.Present investigation indicated the presence of substantial diversity among guava species which can be utilized forfuture guava improvement programmes

Polymorphism and Mutation Rate of 20 Rapidly Mutating Y-Chromosomal Short Tandem Repeats in Chinese Han Population of Sichuan Province

To explore the applicability of 20 rapidly mutating Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (RM Y-STRs) in Chinese Han population of Sichuan province. Two RM Y-STR multiple amplification systems (RM1, including DYF404S1, DYF399S1, DYS547, DYS526a/b, DYS626, DYF403S1a/b, and DYS612, and RM2, including DYS1003, DYS1007, DYR88, DYS712, DYS711, DYS724, and DYF1002, with 14 RM Y-STR loci in total) and Y41SE-V1.2 (including 6 RM Y-STR loci of DYS627, DYS576, DYF387S1, DYS518, DYS570, and DYS449, 30 ordinary Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats [Y-STR] loci, and 1 Indel locus) were used for the amplification and typing of 200 unrelated males and 260 father-son pairs. The polymorphisms and mutation rates of 20 RM Y-STRs and 30 ordinary Y-STRs in Chinese Han population of Sichuan province were investigated and compared. In the 200 unrelated males, the gene diversity (GD) of 20 RM Y-STR loci ranged from 0.7910 to 0.9975, and there were 200 haplotypes. Haplotype diversity (HD) was 1 and the discriminative capacity (DC) was 1. A total of 198 haplotypes were found in Y41se-v1.2 (the 30 Y-STRs), with 4 cases sharing two haplotypes, the haplotype diversity being 0.9999, and the discriminative capacity being 0.99. A total of 68 mutations were found at the 20 RM Y-STRs loci in the 260 father-son pairs, and there was slightly more increase than decrease of allele repeats (1.19∶1), with the mutation rate ranging from <3.85×10 -3 (95% C I: 0.00-1.41×10 -2) to 2.69×10 -2 (95% CI: 1.09×10 -2-5.47×10 -2), and the average mutation rate being 1.19×10 -2 (95% CI: 9.20×10 -3-1.51×10 -2). The 20 RM Y-STRs and the Y41SE-V1.2 (the 30 Y-STRs) could be used to distinguish 22.3% and 13.8% father-son pairs, respectively. The 20 RM Y-STRs have high gene and haplotype diversity and paternal lineage differentiation rate in Chinese Han population of Sichuan province, showing great potential for application in Chinese Han population of Sichuan province.

Stability and Molecular Characterization of Heat Tolerant Genotypes of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Twenty eight diverse genotypes sown in three different dates were screened using thirty three SSR primers. Twelve morphological characters recorded. The current study was conducted at all India Coordinated Research Project on Chickpea at R.A.K., College of Agriculture, Sehore (M.P.) during Rabi 2020-21, and 2021-22. The molecular work was carried out at Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (M.P.). The component G×E interaction were found significant for flower initiation, days to 50% flowering, days to pod initiation, plant height, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of empty pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, biological yield per plant, harvest index, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant. The highest gene diversity was found in TA-135 (0.7474) followed by GAA-44 (0.7219), GAA-40 (0.7015), STMS-2 (0.6939), TA-71 (0.6709), NCPGR-1 (0.6403) and TA-18 (0.3648). Based on a dendrogram all the 28 genotypes were grouped into three major clusters, in which cluster I contained 2 genotypes, cluster II contained 5 genotypes and cluster III encompassed remaining 21 genotypes. Genotypes RVG 204, JG-14, and RVSSG-61 were found stable for favourable and unfavourable sowing conditions, while ICC-4958, JG-11, JG-12, RVG-203, RVG-204, RVSSG-52, JG-74, RVSSG-71 showed consistent performance during unfavourable sowing conditions for seed yield per plant. The important traits and marker based diversity and stability has been discussed in this research paper.

Genetic Diversity of Oxytropis Species from the Center of the Genus Origin: Insight from Molecular Studies

The genus Oxytropis (Fabaceae) was formed from the ancient species of Astragalus presumably approximately 5.6 Ma ago in Southern Siberia. Our study summarized data on the genetic diversity of 69 populations of 31 Oxytropis species in the center of origin of the genus based on the sequencing of plastid genome markers. Most of the populations (82.6%) are characterized by high gene diversity (0.600–1.000), which indicates a relatively stable state. Phylogenetic relationships between most Oxytropis species remain unresolved. Three genetic complexes and four phyletic lineages have been identified. Some species form weakly differentiated complexes, which is probably caused by their relatively recent divergence and the demography processes, as well as interspecific hybridization and polyploidy characteristic of Oxytropis species.

Population genetic analysis illustrated a high gene diversity and genetic heterogeneity in Himalayacalamus falconeri: a socio-economically important Indian temperate woody bamboo taxon

Population genetic analysis illustrated a high gene diversity and genetic heterogeneity in Himalayacalamus falconeri: a socio-economically important Indian temperate woody bamboo taxon

Characterization of Sri Lankan maize accessions using SSR markers associated with insect-resistant traits

Maize genetic diversity is utmost to develop new varieties conferred with favorable agronomic traits. Landraces are priceless resources that can serve to strengthen crop breeding programs. Hence, this study aimed to characterize 19 Sri Lankan maize landraces and one elite commercial variety Bhadra using SSR markers linked with insect-resistant traits. Using established procedures, genomic DNA extraction was done from immature maize leaves and PCR was performed utilizing bnlg1017, bnlg339, umc1021, umc1187, bnlg1346, bnlg1588, bnlg1556, umc1178, nc134, umc1688 and umc1045 primers. GenAlex and DARwin software were used for the data analysis. According to the results, a sum of 77 alleles was amplified with the maximum number of observed (13) and effective (11.28) alleles for bnlg1588. The highest gene diversity and PIC values were recorded in bnlg1588 (0.911 and 0.904 respectively), while the lowest was in umc1045 (0.640 and 0.581 respectively). Out of the total SSR primers used, bnlg1588, bnlg339, bnlg1346, and bnlg1017 linked with FAW-resistant traits were found to be more informative based on their genetic diversity parameters. The accessions SEU7, SEU11, SEU16, and SEU20 showed more genetic diversity compared to Bhadra, whereas SEU17 showed the lowest diversity. The dendrogram divided the 20 maize accessions into two main clusters with the mean similarity of 0.752. Similarly, the principle coordinate analysis explained 40.63 % of the genetic variation and grouped the maize accessions into two. Considering the genetic diversity parameters, the accessions SEU6 and SEU7 from cluster I and SEU9, SEU11, SEU16, and SEU20 from cluster II could be utilized for strategic maize breeding programs in Sri Lanka.