Crop Improvement Research Research Articles

Selection of stable housekeeping genes for qPCR in biotic and abiotic stressed jute and their application in lignin pathway analysis

This is a comprehensive examination of housekeeping gene (HKG) expression in jute (Corchorus sp.), essential for reliable qRT-PCR studies. Jute is the most abundant and vital source of bast (phloem) fibres that have diverse domestic and industrial applications. The functional analysis of genes in jute is crucial for enhancing its commercial potential and value. We specifically focused on 24 HKGs, including nine previously recommended HKGs for jute. We focused the investigation on the only two commercially cultivated species of jute—C. capsularis and C. olitorius. The jute plants were subjected to nine abiotic stresses: osmotic, salinity, low temperature, high temperature, waterlogging, ABA stress hormone, glyphosate herbicide, and heavy metals (copper and cadmium), along with a biotic stress condition—Macrophomina phaseolina (fungal) infection. After rigorous analyses using the ΔCt method, BestKeeper, geNorm, NormFinder, and RefFinder, we identified ubiquitin1 (UBI) and beta-tubulin (BTUB) as the most stable HKGs for both the jute species under various stress conditions. The gene stability of UBI and BTUB was assessed in different jute cultivars, tissues, at different developmental stages, and PCR conditions. As a case study, we investigated eight genes involved in the jute lignin pathway in a low-lignin fibre-producing white jute mutant cultivar—dlpf—compared to its control cultivar, JRC212. Our findings revealed low expression of the three genes- CcCCoAoMT2, CcC4H1, and CcCAD7 in the dlpf cultivar, promising a potential for developing low-lignin jute varieties to meet long-standing industrial demands. The jute HKG expressions under various stress conditions establish a foundation for future research for crop improvement.

Genome-Wide Computational Analysis of Dirrigent Proteins in Solanum Tuberosum

Dirrigent proteins are required for the synthesis of lignans, a distinct and widely distributed class of plant-derived secondary metabolites with promising pharmacologic characteristics and a potential role in plant defense. However, no detailed data on the Dirrigent family of Solanum tuberosum is known. Comparatively, 33 DIR sequences were explored in Solanum tuberosum in this research study. There are no introns in the majority of StDIR genes. A single Dirigent domain is found in all StDIR proteins. The abundance of amino acids, sequence similarity analysis, phylogenetic analysis, genomic location, gene structure, conserved domain analysis, evolutionary analysis, and gene promoter assessment are all studied. This study lays a foundation for potential plant genetic engineering and crop improvement research by providing an in-depth and thorough explanation of the detailed molecular mechanism and structural characterization of StDIR proteins in the genome of Solanum tuberosum. This work will provide useful data for enabling the proper selection of dirrigent proteins in higher plants and will support future studies on the DIR gene family.

MethSemble-6mA: an ensemble-based 6mA prediction server and its application on promoter region of LBD gene family in Poaceae.

The Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain (LBD) containing genes are a set of plant-specific transcription factors and are crucial for controlling both organ development and defense mechanisms as well as anthocyanin synthesis and nitrogen metabolism. It is imperative to understand how methylation regulates gene expression, through predicting methylation sites of their promoters particularly in major crop species. In this study, we developed a user-friendly prediction server for accurate prediction of 6mA sites by incorporating a robust feature set, viz., Binary Encoding of Mono-nucleotide DNA. Our model,MethSemble-6mA, outperformed other state-of-the-art tools in terms of accuracy (93.12%). Furthermore, we investigated the pattern of probable 6mA sites at the upstream promoter regions of the LBD-containing genes in Triticum aestivum and its allied species using the developed tool. On average, each selected species had four 6mA sites, and it was found that with speciation and due course of evolution in wheat, the frequency of methylation have reduced, and a few sites remain conserved. This obviously cues gene birth and gene expression alteration through methylation over time in a species and reflects functional conservation throughout evolution. Since DNA methylation is a vital event in almost all plant developmental processes (e.g., genomic imprinting and gametogenesis) along with other life processes, our findings on epigenetic regulation of LBD-containing genes have dynamic implications in basic and applied research. Additionally, MethSemble-6mA (http://cabgrid.res.in:5799/) will serve as a useful resource for a plant breeders who are interested to pursue epigenetic-based crop improvement research.

Recalcitrance to transformation, a hindrance for genome editing of legumes.

Plant genome editing, a recently discovered method for targeted mutagenesis, has emerged as a promising tool for crop improvement and gene function research. Many genome-edited plants, such as rice, wheat, and tomato, have emerged over the last decade. As the preliminary steps in the procedure for genome editing involve genetic transformation, amenability to genome editing depends on the efficiency of genetic engineering. Hence, there are numerous reports on the aforementioned crops because they are transformed with relative ease. Legume crops are rich in protein and, thus, are a favored source of plant proteins for the human diet in most countries. However, legume cultivation often succumbs to various biotic/abiotic threats, thereby leading to high yield loss. Furthermore, certain legumes like peanuts possess allergens, and these need to be eliminated as these deprive many people from gaining the benefits of such crops. Further genetic variations are limited in certain legumes. Genome editing has the potential to offer solutions to not only combat biotic/abiotic stress but also generate desirable knock-outs and genetic variants. However, excluding soybean, alfalfa, and Lotus japonicus, reports obtained on genome editing of other legume crops are less. This is because, excluding the aforementioned three legume crops, the transformation efficiency of most legumes is found to be very low. Obtaining a higher number of genome-edited events is desirable as it offers the option to genotypically/phenotypically select the best candidate, without the baggage of off-target mutations. Eliminating the barriers to genetic engineering would directly help in increasing genome-editing rates. Thus, this review aims to compare various legumes for their transformation, editing, and regeneration efficiencies and discusses various solutions available for increasing transformation and genome-editing rates in legumes.

Adoption and impact of improved amaranth cultivars in Tanzania using DNA fingerprinting

Traditional vegetables are very important for food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa but have not received much attention in crop improvement research. One exception is amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) for which international breeding research began at the World Vegetable Center in Tanzania in 2004. This study is the first impact evaluation of this research program. It uses a representative sample of 1,355 amaranth-producing households from five agroecological zones of Tanzania to collect questionnaire-based data and plant material. The genetic identity of the amaranth cultivars used by the farmers was identified using DNA fingerprinting, while the impact on crop yield, production cost and sales was quantified using propensity score matching. The analysis shows that 66% of Tanzania’s cultivated area under amaranth uses cultivars derived from the amaranth breeding program. These cultivars had a mean vegetable yield that was 6.1 ton/ha higher (+ 48%; p = 0.002) than that of other cultivars, while there was no significant impact on the cost of production or quantity sold. This suggests tremendous impact of genetic improvement research in traditional vegetables.

Unclasping potentials of genomics and gene editing in chickpea to fight climate change and global hunger threat.

Genomics and genome editing promise enormous opportunities for crop improvement and elementary research. Precise modification in the specific targeted location of a genome has profited over the unplanned insertional events which are generally accomplished employing unadventurous means of genetic modifications. The advent of new genome editing procedures viz; zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), homing endonucleases, transcription activator like effector nucleases (TALENs), Base Editors (BEs), and Primer Editors (PEs) enable molecular scientists to modulate gene expressions or create novel genes with high precision and efficiency. However, all these techniques are exorbitant and tedious since their prerequisites are difficult processes that necessitate protein engineering. Contrary to first generation genome modifying methods, CRISPR/Cas9 is simple to construct, and clones can hypothetically target several locations in the genome with different guide RNAs. Following the model of the application in crop with the help of the CRISPR/Cas9 module, various customized Cas9 cassettes have been cast off to advance mark discrimination and diminish random cuts. The present study discusses the progression in genome editing apparatuses, and their applications in chickpea crop development, scientific limitations, and future perspectives for biofortifying cytokinin dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, superoxide dismutase to induce drought resistance, heat tolerance and higher yield in chickpea to encounter global climate change, hunger and nutritional threats.

Corrigendum

Plant Biotechnology JournalEarly View CorrigendumOpen Access This article corrects the following: Genetic variation in CaTIFY4b contributes to drought adaptation in chickpea Rutwik Barmukh, Manish Roorkiwal, Vanika Garg, Aamir W. Khan, Liam German, Deepa Jaganathan, Annapurna Chitikineni, Jana Kholova, Himabindu Kudapa, Kaliamoorthy Sivasakthi, Srinivasan Samineni, Sandip M. Kale, Pooran M. Gaur, Someswar Rao Sagurthi, Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Rajeev K. Varshney, Volume 20Issue 9Plant Biotechnology Journal pages: 1701-1715 First Published online: May 21, 2022 First published: 11 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.14044AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat In the article “Genetic variation in CaTIFY4b contributes to drought adaptation in chickpea” by Barmukh et al. (2022), the authors wish to add a double affiliation to co-author Jana Kholova, and insert an additional funding grant in the Acknowledgements section. The affiliation of Jana Kholova is as follows: 1Crops Physiology & Modeling, Accelerated Crop Improvement Research Theme, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, 502324, Telangana, India 2Department of Information Technologies, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 165 00, Czech Republic In the Acknowledgements section, the additional funding grant is: The Internal grant agency of the Faculty of Economics and Management from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Life Sciences 4.0 Plus, grant no. 2022B0006. Reference Barmukh, R., Roorkiwal, M., Garg, V., Khan, A.W., German, L., Jaganathan, D., Chitikineni, A. et al. (2022) Genetic variation in CaTIFY4b contributes to drought adaptation in chickpea. Plant Biotechnol. J. 20, 1701– 1715. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Impact of Climate Change on Cassava Yield in Nigeria: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Bound Approach

Across the globe, climate change is threatening the environment, crop yield and food security. The key to ensuring a sustainable environment, crop yield increase and food security is to identify the long-term significant impact of climate change and the means of reducing the effect. This study examined the impacts of climate change on cassava yield in Nigeria. Data were sourced from the Climate Change Knowledge Portal and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations spanning from 1990 to 2019. The impact of climate change was analyzed using Autoregressive Distributed Lag Bound approach, Error Correction Model and Augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillips–Perron tests for stationarity test. The model was subjected to diagnostic tests such as stability tests, normality tests, serial correlation tests and heteroscedasticity tests. With the exception of temperature, the study revealed that arable land, rainfall and greenhouse gases such as C2O, nitrous oxide and methane had a long-term significant impact on cassava yield in Nigeria. The study also noted that methane causes long-term significant damage to cassava yield more than any other greenhouse gas and climatic variables in the study. We recommended policies and programs that facilitate the uptake of climate-smart agriculture that centers on greenhouse gas emission reduction and on crop improvement research by breeding crop varieties that will be resilient to climate shocks.

A cross-scale analysis to understand and quantify the effects of photosynthetic enhancement on crop growth and yield across environments.

Photosynthetic manipulation provides new opportunities for enhancing crop yield. However, understanding and quantifying the importance of individual and multiple manipulations on the seasonal biomass growth and yield performance of target crops across variable production environments is limited. Using a state-of-the-art cross-scale model in the APSIM platform we predicted the impact of altering photosynthesis on the enzyme-limited (Ac ) and electron transport-limited (Aj ) rates, seasonal dynamics in canopy photosynthesis, biomass growth, and yield formation via large multiyear-by-location crop growth simulations. A broad list of promising strategies to improve photosynthesis for C3 wheat and C4 sorghum were simulated. In the top decile of seasonal outcomes, yield gains were predicted to be modest, ranging between 0% and 8%, depending on the manipulation and crop type. We report how photosynthetic enhancement can affect the timing and severity of water and nitrogen stress on the growing crop, resulting in nonintuitive seasonal crop dynamics and yield outcomes. We predicted that strategies enhancing Ac alone generate more consistent but smaller yield gains across all water and nitrogen environments, Aj enhancement alone generates larger gains but is undesirable in more marginal environments. Large increases in both Ac and Aj generate the highest gains across all environments. Yield outcomes of the tested manipulation strategies were predicted and compared for realistic Australian wheat and sorghum production. This study uniquely unpacks complex cross-scale interactions between photosynthesis and seasonal crop dynamics and improves understanding and quantification of the potential impact of photosynthesis traits (or lack of it) for crop improvement research.

Determining the level of genotypic variability of upland rice genotypes using cluster analysis

Determining the extent and degree of germplasm diversity and genetic relationships among breeding materials is an important aid in crop improvement research strategies with an understanding that genetic variability is the base for crop improvement providing an opportunity for plant breeders to develop new and improved cultivars with desirable traits and it is a key to reliable and sustainable production of crops through breeding. It has been also confirmed that measuring the available genetic diversity of crops is important for effective evaluation and utilization of germplasms to explore their variability so as to identify necessary agronomic traits. For eradicating the problem of rice production, the national rice breeding and genetics research program of Ethiopia is introducing and evaluating different rice germplasms for their environmental adaptability and agronomic performance with increasing the crops’ genetic diversity. Likely, 100 upland rice genotypes were introduced and evaluated with 3 nationally released upland rice varieties as standard checks using an augmented-RCBD experimental design. Each genotype was planted on a plot area of 2.5 m2 involving 4 rows per plot with 0.25m spacing between each row. The seeds were drilled in rows with a seed rate of 60 kgha-1. Nitrogen-phosphorus-sulfur (NPS) and Urea fertilizers were applied in the amount of 124 kg ha-1 and 100 kgha-1 respectively. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the introduced upland rice genotypes’ environmental adaptability and agronomic performance (their yield and yield related traits performance, and their reaction to different pests) to be used for further breeding. To be used in the next rice breeding research program, the extent of their genetic diversity needs to be estimated. Thus, the extent and pattern of genetic diversity of the tested upland rice genotypes based on their quantitative traits has been determined using cluster analysis. The quantitative traits such as days to 50% heading, days to 85% maturity, plant height, panicle length, number of filled grains per a panicle and number of unfilled grains per a panicle, grain yield and 1000 seed weight were measured and were subjected to clustering analysis using XLSTAT 5.03 statistical software. During clustering analysis, the genotypes were grouped into five different clusters with different Euclidian distances confirming the presence of genetic variability among the genotypes. The genotype with the highest grain (6298 kgha-1) yield was obtained and included under cluster-III.

Carica papaya L.: A Tropical Fruit with Benefits beyond the Tropics

Carica papaya L. (family: Caricaceae), also known as ‘papaya,’ is a tropical American fruit tree. Due to the bioactive components (carpaines, BITC, benzyl glucosinolates, latex, papain, zeaxanthin, choline, etc.) in its seeds, leaves, and fruits, it is revered for its excellent antioxidant, digestive, and nutraceutical benefits. Papayas are high in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, folate, pantothenic acid, zeaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, magnesium, copper, calcium, and potassium. Being rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, it lowers the cholesterol in the arteries; prevents arthritis; reduces aging, cancer, macular degradation, risk of cardiovascular diseases, and stress; increases platelet count; controls dengue fever; facilitates digestion, and lowers body weight. Papaya leaf extract, with many in vitro and case studies in combination therapies with modern medicine, especially for cancers and many other viral diseases, has been found to be an efficient cure. Humans have cultivated papaya cultivars for millions of years because of their significant commercial, medicinal, and agronomic value. Several reports have been published on the genetic modification of papaya for resistance to abiotic (herbicide, Al toxicity, etc.) and biotic stressors (PRSV, mites, Phytophthora, etc.), delaying ripening, and improving shelf life. However, most of these traits have not been introduced globally to all commercial papaya varieties. Unraveling the genetics of papaya has shed light on various domestication impacts, evolutionary patterns, and sex determination in fruit tree crops. It also serves as a potential step toward developing new cultivars to fight climate-oriented stress. Furthermore, extensive research on the stability of the ‘transgene’ across generations, and the ‘yield-penalty’ caused by the transgene, is required. Thus, meticulous crop improvement research on commercial papaya cultivars is necessary for long-term food and health security. This review article encompasses information on the traditional and modern medicinal uses, nutritional properties, phytochemistry, diseases and etiology, post-harvest measures, genomics, biotechnological strategies (for papaya improvement), and value-added products of papaya for food and health security.

RNA-Seq of Cyst Nematode Infestation of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.): A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Resistant and Susceptible Cultivars.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop worldwide, and potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) are among the most serious pests. The identification of disease resistance genes and molecular markers for PCN infestation can aid in crop improvement research programs against PCN infestation. In the present study, we used high-throughput RNA sequencing to investigate the comprehensive resistance mechanisms induced by PCN infestation in the resistant cultivar Kufri Swarna and the susceptible cultivar Kufri Jyoti. PCN infestation induced 791 differentially expressed genes in resistant cultivar Kufri Swarna, comprising 438 upregulated and 353 downregulated genes. In susceptible cultivar Kufri Jyoti, 2225 differentially expressed genes were induced, comprising 1247 upregulated and 978 downregulated genes. We identified several disease resistance genes (KIN) and transcription factors (WRKY, HMG, and MYB) that were upregulated in resistant Kufri Swarna. The differentially expressed genes from several enriched KEGG pathways, including MAPK signaling, contributed to the disease resistance in Kufri Swarna. Functional network analysis showed that several cell wall biogenesis genes were induced in Kufri Swarna in response to infestation. This is the first study to identify underlying resistance mechanisms against PCN and host interaction in Indian potato varieties.

The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh

BackgroundOne of the less known benefits of the CGIAR is the facilitation of international agricultural research for crop improvement by providing a continuous supply of breeding materials for the development of disease resistant varieties. The Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) of the CGIAR are phytosanitary mechanisms put in place to help ensure safe (from pests and diseases) and efficient international transfer of germplasm among genebanks and breeding programs around the world. To date, there is no systematic documentation of the pathways and extent to which GHUs contribute to economic impact in recipient countries.MethodsWe conducted interviews with key experts and reviewed secondary literature and data to trace the pathways through which the GHU of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) contributes to the impact of breeding for rice blast. We applied an ex ante economic surplus framework to the case of rice blast in Bangladesh, considering productivity maintenance and time saving factors from GHU facilitation. Data were drawn from a national panel dataset of farm households (from 2013 to 2016 with about 4490 households) and field surveys of blast incidence and severity (from 2011 to 2012 in 10 agroecological zones). We augmented our model with Monte Carlo sampling to simulate distributions of parameters.ResultsOur model predicts that, in the most probable scenario (modal values), the IRRI GHU contributed about US$ 5.9 million of the total US$ 295 million net benefits over a 20-year time frame of continuous blast resistance breeding and deployment. In the most optimistic conditions (maximum), the IRRI GHU contributed as much as US$ 62 million of the US$ 1.46 billion benefits. The modal benefit–cost ratio of the GHU in this breeding program alone was estimated at 112. The results are sensitive to the rate of yield savings, which is contingent on yield levels, timing of deployment, effectiveness of resistance, and lifespan of resistance to blast.ConclusionsThe study reinforces the important, and often overlooked, role of the GHUs in the international agricultural research that aims to enhance genetic gains in crops through efficient and timely access to clean and healthy germplasm.

Three decades of organic wheat improvement: Assessing the impact and returns on investment

Abstract A changing regulatory environment and growing awareness are driving the need for crop improvement in organic agriculture. Contrary to conventional breeding, evidence on the economic effects of research and development in organic breeding is lacking. This study assesses adoption, economic impact, and rates of return to organic crop improvement research. The economic surplus method is used to quantify the impact of the Wiwa winter wheat variety. The standard model is enhanced by considering the economic benefits of improvements in crop nutrient and processing quality as well as resilience gains. Results show substantial economic returns of 18.6 per cent for the period from 1988 to 2019. The reduced downside risk of the organic cultivar is a key distinguishing factor in the analysis as organic breeding aims at providing farmers with resilient cultivars. Further investment in organic breeding appears as a promising element in the strategy for resilient and sustainable food systems.

CottonGen: The Community Database for Cotton Genomics, Genetics, and Breeding Research.

Over the last eight years, the volume of whole genome, gene expression, SNP genotyping, and phenotype data generated by the cotton research community has exponentially increased. The efficient utilization/re-utilization of these complex and large datasets for knowledge discovery, translation, and application in crop improvement requires them to be curated, integrated with other types of data, and made available for access and analysis through efficient online search tools. Initiated in 2012, CottonGen is an online community database providing access to integrated peer-reviewed cotton genomic, genetic, and breeding data, and analysis tools. Used by cotton researchers worldwide, and managed by experts with crop-specific knowledge, it continuous to be the logical choice to integrate new data and provide necessary interfaces for information retrieval. The repository in CottonGen contains colleague, gene, genome, genotype, germplasm, map, marker, metabolite, phenotype, publication, QTL, species, transcriptome, and trait data curated by the CottonGen team. The number of data entries housed in CottonGen has increased dramatically, for example, since 2014 there has been an 18-fold increase in genes/mRNAs, a 23-fold increase in whole genomes, and a 372-fold increase in genotype data. New tools include a genetic map viewer, a genome browser, a synteny viewer, a metabolite pathways browser, sequence retrieval, BLAST, and a breeding information management system (BIMS), as well as various search pages for new data types. CottonGen serves as the home to the International Cotton Genome Initiative, managing its elections and serving as a communication and coordination hub for the community. With its extensive curation and integration of data and online tools, CottonGen will continue to facilitate utilization of its critical resources to empower research for cotton crop improvement.

Stories from the Greenhouse-A Brief on Cotton Seed Germination.

Seed germination is the basis for the proliferation of sexual-reproducing plants, efficient crop production, and a successful crop improvement research program. Cotton (Gossypium spp.), the subject of this review, can be often sensitive to germination conditions. The hardness of the cotton seed coat, storage, extreme temperatures, and dormancy are some of the factors that can influence cotton seed germination. Research programs conducting studies on exotic and wild cotton species are especially affected by those hurdles. Here, we briefly review the challenges of cotton seed germination and some of the approaches our cotton breeding program explored throughout the years.

Legume Breeding for the Agroecological Transition of Global Agri-Food Systems: A European Perspective.

Wider and more profitable legume crop cultivation is an indispensable step for the agroecological transition of global agri-food systems but represents a challenge especially in Europe. Plant breeding is pivotal in this context. Research areas of key interest are represented by innovative phenotypic and genome-based selection procedures for crop yield, tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses enhanced by the changing climate, intercropping, and emerging crop quality traits. We see outmost priority in the exploration of genomic selection (GS) opportunities and limitations, to ease genetic gains and to limit the costs of multi-trait selection. Reducing the profitability gap of legumes relative to major cereals will not be possible in Europe without public funding devoted to crop improvement research, pre-breeding, and, in various circumstances, public breeding. While most of these activities may profit of significant public-private partnerships, all of them can provide substantial benefits to seed companies. A favorable institutional context may comprise some changes to variety registration tests and procedures.

Seed germination of Leersia perrieri (Poaceae), a rare crop wild relative from Madagascar

Madagascar is home to a diversity of aquatic grasses. One of these is a rare rice relative, Leersia perrieri (known as Ahitsiriry or Tsingirifiry in the Malagasy language), which is found in a restricted area around the Mahajanga wetlands. A germination test was carried out on two types of local substrate and a control with randomised selected seeds. Seed germination on the control and clay substrates reached 50% while on the organic substrate germination failed to reach 40% during 22 days of observation. The GLM analysis of the final germination showed significant differences between the three treatments. The germination percentage (GP%) was higher in the control and significantly decreased on the clay and organic substrates. Our results help explains our field observations where L. perrieri tends to form monodominant stands on clay substrate, and dispersed multispecies assemblages with fewer individuals on organic soils. This work will be of direct benefit to our panned conservation activities and eventually germplasm availability for crop improvement research.

35years in plant lectin research: a journey from basic science to applicationsin agriculture and medicine.

Plants contain an extended group of lectins differing from each other in their molecular structures, biochemical properties and carbohydrate-binding specificities. The heterogeneous group of plant lectins can be classified in several families based on the primary structure of the lectin domain. All proteins composed of one or more lectin domains, or having a domain architecture including one or more lectin domains in combination with other protein domains can be defined as lectins. Plant lectins reside in different cell compartments, and depending on their location will encounter a large variety carbohydrate structures, allowing them to be involved in multiple biological functions. Over the years lectins have been studied intensively for their carbohydrate-binding properties and biological activities, which also resulted in diverse applications. The present overview on plant lectins especially focuses on the structural and functional characteristics of plant lectins and their applications for crop improvement, glycobiology and biomedical research.

Are continued public sector and CGIAR investments on wheat crop improvement research justifiable? A Moroccan case

In Morocco, the adoption of recent improved wheat varieties is low, casting doubt on whether investments in wheat research are paying off. This paper generates estimates of the returns to the national and international investment in wheat research for Morocco. The benefits are estimated by applying the endogenous switching regression model to data from a nationally representative sample survey of 2,296 wheat fields, whereas costs were estimated using data on public and CGIAR (INRA-CG) investments on wheat research in Morocco. Considering all the benefits and costs of wheat research investment in Morocco, we estimated a conservative benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 19.64 with 623 thousand tons (14.8%) of additional wheat supply from domestic production and net economic benefit of US$355 million. We also estimated that institutional problems in the seed system identified by past research are causing the country to lose at least 746.6 thousand tons (17.7%) wheat production and net economic benefit of US$75.2 million. These results show that despite the institutional challenges, wheat research in Morocco is still paying off and the country has sufficient incentives to address the problems in the seed sector that prevent the development and uptake of recent varieties.