Overcoming Hybridization Barriers Research Articles

Biotechnological approaches to overcome hybridization barriers and use of micropropagation tool for further improvement in Heliconia: a review

Biotechnological approaches to overcome hybridization barriers and use of micropropagation tool for further improvement in Heliconia: a review

Fertile allohexaploid Brassica hybrids obtained from crosses between B. oleracea and B. juncea via ovule rescue and colchicine treatment of cuttings

An allohexaploid Brassica crop (2n = AABBCC) does not exist naturally, but is of interest for its potential to combine useful traits found in the six cultivated Brassica species which share combinations of the A, B and C genomes with additional allelic heterosis. In this study, we aimed to produce 2n = AABBCC hybrids by crosses between B. juncea and a number of Brassica C genome species. We used ovule rescue to overcome hybridization barriers and different colchicine treatment methods to induce chromosome doubling of ABC hybrids to AABBCC allohexaploids, thus restoring fertility. Only the cross B. oleracea × B. juncea was successful, with six triploid hybrids produced from one genotype combination. Colchicine-containing regeneration media was unsuccessful in doubling chromosome number in these hybrids, but treatment of cuttings with 0.05 to 0.25% colchicine successfully produced ~ 200 S1 allohexaploid seeds. The S1 plants produced 7–84% viable pollen and set 0–390 seeds per plant, with 23–27 bivalents and 0–3 univalents during metaphase I of meiosis. Our results highlight the difficulties in working with the wild C genome species, but showed that our methods have utility for producing euploid, chromosome-doubled progeny in this cross combination. Further, Brassica oleracea × B. juncea allohexaploid hybrids may contain useful genetic factors for improved meiotic stability and fertility in allohexaploid germplasm pools. Ovule rescue followed by 0.05–0.25% colchicine treatment of cuttings successfully produces fertile, partially stable allohexaploid Brassica from the cross B. juncea × B. oleracea.

Storage of cassava pollen for conservation of nuclear genetic diversity and overcoming hybridization barriers

Storage of cassava pollen for conservation of nuclear genetic diversity and overcoming hybridization barriers

Towards development of new ornamental plants: status and progress in wide hybridization.

The present review provides insights into the key findings of the hybridization process, crucial factors affecting the adaptation of new technologies within wide hybridization of ornamental plants and presents perspectives of further development of this strategy. Wide hybridization is one of the oldest breeding techniques that contributed enormously to the development of modern plant cultivars. Within ornamental breeding, it represents the main source of genetic variation. During the long history of wide hybridization, a number of methods were implemented allowing the evolution from a conventional breeding tool into a modern methodology. Nowadays, the research on model plants and crop species increases our understanding of reproductive isolation among distant species and partly explains the background of the traditional approaches previously used for overcoming hybridization barriers. Characterization of parental plants and hybrids is performed using molecular and cytological techniques that strongly facilitate breeding processes. Molecular markers and sequencing technologies are used for the assessment of genetic relationships among plants, as the genetic distance is typically depicted as one of the most important factors influencing cross-compatibility in hybridization processes. Furthermore, molecular marker systems are frequently applied for verification of hybrid state of the progeny. The flow cytometry and genomic in situ hybridization are used in the assessment of hybridization partners and characterization of hybrid progeny in relation to genome stabilization as well as genome recombination and introgression. In the future, new research and technologies are likely to provide more detailed information about genes and pathways responsible for interspecific reproductive isolation. Ultimately, this knowledge will enable development of strategies for obtaining compatible lines for hybrid production. Recent development in sequencing technologies and availability of sequence data will also facilitate creation of new molecular markers that will advance marker-assisted selection in hybridization process.

Overcoming Hybridization Barriers by the Secretion of the Maize Pollen Tube Attractant ZmEA1 from Arabidopsis Ovules

A major goal of plant reproduction research is to understand and overcome hybridization barriers so that the gene pool of crop plants can be increased and improved upon. After successful pollen germination on a receptive stigma, the nonmotile sperm cells of flowering plants are transported via the pollen tube (PT) to the egg apparatus for the achievement of double fertilization. The PT path is controlled by various hybridization mechanisms probably involving a larger number of species-specific molecular interactions. The egg-apparatus-secreted polymorphic peptides ZmEA1 in maize and LURE1 and LURE2 in Torenia fournieri as well as TcCRP1 in T. concolor were shown to be required for micropylar PT guidance, the last step of the PT journey. We report here that ZmEA1 attracts maize PTs in vitro and arrests their growth at higher concentrations. Furthermore, it binds to the subapical region of maize PT tips in a species-preferential manner. To overcome hybridization barriers at the level of gametophytic PT guidance, we expressed ZmEA1 in Arabidopsis synergid cells. Secreted ZmEA1 enabled Arabidopsis ovules to guide maize PT in vitro in a species-preferential manner to the micropylar opening of the ovule. These results demonstrate that the egg-apparatus-controlled reproductive-isolation barrier of PT guidance can be overcome even between unrelated plant families.

Genetic and genomic resources of lentil: status, use and prospects

Extensive collections of lentil germplasm now exist in various genebanks around the world. This germplasm including wildLensspecies has been used in plant introduction strategies and in efforts to widen the potential sources of increasing genetic diversity in the breeding programmes of lentil. Improved techniques are emerging to overcome hybridization barriers between species and as a result, interspecific hybrids have been successfully obtained between species. Several interspecific recombinant inbred line populations have been developed. Selected and backcrossed lentil lines are currently in advanced yield trial stages, and desirable traits such as yield, disease resistance and agronomic traits have been incorporated into cultivated lentil especially fromLens ervoides, generating a wider spectrum of variability. Secondly, further expansion of the overall pool of germplasm and examination of allelic variation at the nucleotide level will benefit lentil-breeding programmes by augmenting phenotype-based variation to further advance cultivar development. Genomic resources for lentil are limited now, but this situation is changing rapidly as the cost of genotyping has declined. As a result, two successive expressed sequence tags (EST) projects were undertaken under the NAPGEN EST project initiative (http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/programs/pbi/plant-products/napgen/.htm) and an Agricultural Development Fund project initiative. We emphasize that creation of intraspecific and interspecific genetic populations, genetic maps, association maps, quantitative trait loci and marker-assisted selection technologies for implementation in the breeding programme will enhance deployment of genes responsible for traits of interest. The economical use of genomic technologies for use in germplasm resource management and genetic improvement is on the near horizon.

English

  Chickpea production is limited worldwide because of abiotic and biotic stresses. Efforts to overcome these production constraints through traditional breeding are difficult due to limited genetic variation. Novel regeneration is pre-requisite for genetic transformation offers the opportunity to overcome hybridization barriers and introduce novel genes for resistance. Although direct gene transfer via direct DNA transfer has been reported, Agrobacterium mediated transformation is the preferred method and standard protocols have been established for the production of transgenic plantlets derived from co-cultivation of embryonic axes. This was soon adopted due to difficulties associated with regeneration of whole plants from callus. Only few reports have been reported using genetic transformation/ transgene(s) against abiotic stress tolerance transgenic chickpea plants. Transgenic chickpea using bacterial codA gene tolerance against abiotic stresses have been developed. Chickpea improvement and application of genomics tools to the study of the chickpea genome will be enhanced through the use of genetic transformation.   Key words: Cicer arietinum L., TDZ, Indole butyric acid, (IBA), efficient rooting, aeration, transplantation, transformation.

Overcoming hybridization barriers in potato

AbstractThe cultivated potato is a major crop worldwide. It is a high input crop with complex quality requirements at harvest and during storage. Potato breeders are fortunate to have access to a very diverse and accessible germplasm resource. Wild Solanum relatives provide genetic diversity as well as genes for valuable production and quality traits. In most cases, crossing success can be predicted based on endosperm balance number (EBN), or effective ploidy, of the parents. Crossing barriers between most wild species and the cultivated potato are the consequence of differences in EBN and can be easily overcome using ploidy manipulations and bridge crosses. The most common ploidy manipulations include haploid extraction to reduce EBN and 2n gamete production to increase EBN. Additional methods to produce fertile interspecific hybrids include mentor pollination, embryo rescue, hormone treatments, reciprocal crosses, selection of cross‐compatible genotypes and somatic fusion. Knowledge of crossing barriers and mechanisms to overcome them allows potato breeders access to the rich gene pool in the genus Solanum.

Overcoming hybridization barriers between pea and some of its wild relatives

Pea would benefit from the plasticity and adaptability of its cross-incompatible relatives Pisum fulvum and Lathyrus sativus L., and we have tested reciprocal sexual crossings by manually cross-pollinating plants of genotypes of these three species. Studies of in situ germination of pollen grains on stigmata showed that pollen tubes were generally unable to germinate or could not reach the ovary. A few putative hybrid pods were nevertheless harvested, with one grain per pod germinated in vitro, then micropropagated for flow cytometry, isoenzyme, molecular (ribosomal ITS PCR-RFLP) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) studies. One such grain was recovered from an inter-generic cross of P. sativum x L. sativus and four from an inter-specific P. sativum x P. fulvumcross. A strong cross-incompatibility was shown between pea and grass pea, where the putative hybrid turned out to be pea. Conversely, with the interspecific, P. sativum x P. fulvum cross, flow cytometry and isoenzymes with leaf tissues strongly suggested hybridity, while molecular approaches and GISH confirmed the production of inter-specific hybrids, and without the need for a wild type P. sativum accession as a bridging cross.

Effects of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), environment, and genotype in overcoming hybridization barriers between Cucumis species

It was attempted to overcome crossing barriers between the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), the melon (C. melo L.) and two wild Cucumis spp. (C. metuliferusNaud. and C. zeyheri 2x Sond.) by application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and by limiting the amount of rooting substrate. The reciprocal crosses between both wild species were used as a model system.