Testcross Population Research Articles

A Novel Capsicum Gene Inhibits Host-Specific Disease Resistance to Phytophthora capsici

A novel disease resistance inhibitor gene (inhibitor of P. capsici resistance [Ipcr]), found in the chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) variety 'New Mexico Capsicum Accession 10399' (NMCA10399), inhibits resistance to Phytophthora capsici but not to other species of Phytophthora. When a highly P. capsici-resistant variety was hybridized with NMCA10399, the resultant F1 populations, when screened, were completely susceptible to P. capsici for root rot and foliar blight disease syndromes, despite the dominance inheritance of P. capsici resistance in chile pepper. The F2 population displayed a 3:13 resistant-to-susceptible (R:S) ratio. The testcross population displayed a 1:1 R:S ratio, and a backcross population to NMCA10399 displayed complete susceptibility. These results demonstrate the presence of a single dominant inhibitor gene affecting P. capsici resistance in chile pepper. Moreover, when lines carrying the Ipcr gene were challenged against six Phytophthora spp., the nonhost resistance was not overcome. Therefore, the Ipcr gene is interfering with host-specific resistance but not the pathogen- or microbe-associated molecular pattern nonhost responses.

A genetic map of an interspecific diploid pseudo testcross population of coffee

Coffee is globally one of the most important export crops and is a prominent part of the economy in more than 50 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. In Colombia, it has been the leading export commodity for more than a century. However, genetic research on coffee has been rather sparse and mainly focused on the two major cultivated species, Coffea arabica L. and C. canephora P., leaving unexplored the genetic potential in other species. In this study, an interspecific mapping population consisting of 101 F1 hybrid plants from a cross between the diploid species C. liberica and C. eugenioides was evaluated for genetic segregation at 618 molecular marker loci. Of these, 168 SSRs and two ESTs exhibited polymorphic patterns that allowed segregation analysis and genetic linkage estimations. A genetic map consisting of 146 co-dominant loci and 11 predicted linkage groups was constructed using the mapping software JoinMap 3.0. The conjoined maternal/paternal map length is 798.68 cM, has an average saturation density of 6.01 cM/interval, and covers an estimated 66–86 % of the diploid coffee genome. Approximately 24 % of loci had null alleles, and 23.5 % exhibited segregation distortion. Knowledge derived from this study has important applications for quantitative trait locus analysis and marker-assisted selection in Colombian coffee breeding programs.

Identification of quantitative trait loci across interspecific F2, F2:3 and testcross populations for agronomic and fiber traits in tetraploid cotton

The most widely grown tetraploid Gossypium hirsutum and G. barbadense differ greatly in yield potential and fiber quality and numerous quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been reported. However, correspondence of QTLs between experiments and populations is poor due to limited number of markers, small population size and inaccurate phenotyping. The purpose of the present study was to map QTLs for yield, yield components and fiber quality traits using testcross progenies between a large interspecific F2 population and a commercial cotton cultivar as the tester. The results were compared to these from its F2 and F2:3 progenies. Of the 177 QTLs identified from the three populations, 65 fiber QTLs and 51 yield QTLs were unique with an average of 8–12 QTLs per traits. All the 26 chromosomes carried QTLs, but differed in the number of QTLs and the number of QTLs between fiber and yield QTLs. The congruence of QTLs identified across populations was higher (20–60 %) for traits with higher heritabilities including fiber quality, seed index and lint percentage, but lower (10–25 %) for lower heritability traits-seedcotton and lint yields. Major QTLs, QTL clusters for the same traits and QTL ‘hotspots’ for different traits were also identified. This research represents the first report using a testcross population in QTL mapping in interspecific cotton crosses and provides useful information for further comparative analysis and marker-assisted selection.

Genomewide predictions from maize single-cross data

Maize (Zea mays L.) breeders evaluate many single-cross hybrids each year in multiple environments. Our objective was to determine the usefulness of genomewide predictions, based on marker effects from maize single-cross data, for identifying the best untested single crosses and the best inbreds within a biparental cross. We considered 479 experimental maize single crosses between 59 Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic (BSSS) inbreds and 44 non-BSSS inbreds. The single crosses were evaluated in multilocation experiments from 2001 to 2009 and the BSSS and non-BSSS inbreds had genotypic data for 669 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Single-cross performance was predicted by a previous best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) approach that utilized marker-based relatedness and information on relatives, and from genomewide marker effects calculated by ridge-regression BLUP (RR-BLUP). With BLUP, the mean prediction accuracy (r(MG)) of single-cross performance was 0.87 for grain yield, 0.90 for grain moisture, 0.69 for stalk lodging, and 0.84 for root lodging. The BLUP and RR-BLUP models did not lead to r(MG) values that differed significantly. We then used the RR-BLUP model, developed from single-cross data, to predict the performance of testcrosses within 14 biparental populations. The r(MG) values within each testcross population were generally low and were often negative. These results were obtained despite the above-average level of linkage disequilibrium, i.e., r(2) between adjacent markers of 0.35 in the BSSS inbreds and 0.26 in the non-BSSS inbreds. Overall, our results suggested that genomewide marker effects estimated from maize single crosses are not advantageous (cofmpared with BLUP) for predicting single-cross performance and have erratic usefulness for predicting testcross performance within a biparental cross.

QTL Mapping of Combining Ability and Heterosis of Agronomic Traits in Rice Backcross Recombinant Inbred Lines and Hybrid Crosses

BackgroundCombining ability effects are very effective genetic parameters in deciding the next phase of breeding programs. Although some breeding strategies on the basis of evaluating combining ability have been utilized extensively in hybrid breeding, little is known about the genetic basis of combining ability. Combining ability is a complex trait that is controlled by polygenes. With the advent and development of molecular markers, it is feasible to evaluate the genetic bases of combining ability and heterosis of elite rice hybrids through QTL analysis.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn the present study, we first developed a QTL-mapping method for dissecting combining ability and heterosis of agronomic traits. With three testcross populations and a BCRIL population in rice, biometric and QTL analyses were conducted for ten agronomic traits. The significance of general combining ability and special combining ability for most of the traits indicated the importance of both additive and non-additive effects on expression levels. A large number of additive effect QTLs associated with performance per se of BCRIL and general combining ability, and dominant effect QTLs associated with special combining ability and heterosis were identified for the ten traits.Conclusions/SignificanceThe combining ability of agronomic traits could be analyzed by the QTL mapping method. The characteristics revealed by the QTLs for combining ability of agronomic traits were similar with those by multitudinous QTLs for agronomic traits with performance per se of BCRIL. Several QTLs (1–6 in this study) were identified for each trait for combining ability. It demonstrated that some of the QTLs were pleiotropic or linked tightly with each other. The identification of QTLs responsible for combining ability and heterosis in the present study provides valuable information for dissecting genetic basis of combining ability.

Construction of a genetic linkage map with SSR, AFLP and morphological markers to locate QTLs controlling pathotype-specific powdery mildew resistance in diploid roses

Disease resistance is a sought-after trait in plant breeding programmes. One strategy to make resistance more durable is to increase the number of resistance genes, thereby increasing the number of pathotypes withstood. One of the most important diseases on roses is powdery mildew (PM) (Podosphaera pannosa). Recent studies show that pathotypes of PM and different types of resistances in roses exist. The results of this study aim to contribute to PM resistance in roses by the development of pathotype-specific markers on a genetic map. A diploid rose population (90 genotypes) derived from a cross between Rosa wichurana and Rosa ‘Yesterday’ was used to construct a genetic linkage map encompassing 20 AFLP primer combinations, 43 SSR, and 2 morphological markers. By applying the F1 pseudo test cross population strategy, two parental linkage maps were constructed (parent ‘Yesterday’ 536 cM; parent R. wichurana 526 cM). Both parental maps consisted of seven linkage groups with an average length of 70 cM (Kosambi) corresponding to the seven haploid rose chromosomes. These new maps were used to identify QTLs controlling disease resistance. The offspring population was screened for resistance to two PM pathotypes, R–E and R–P. QTLs for controlling pathotype-specific disease resistance were mapped by applying Kruskal–Wallis rank-sum tests and simple interval mapping. With two pathotypes analysed, nine QTL loci were detected on linkage groups 2, 3, 5 and 6, explaining 15–73% of the phenotypic variance for pathotype-specific disease response. The genetic maps developed here will be useful for future rose breeding, pathotype-specific resistance research and development of a consensus map for roses.

Heritable Effect of Plant Water Availability Conditions on Restoration of Male Fertility in the “9E” CMS-Inducing Cytoplasm of Sorghum

Heritable changes of phenotype arising in plant ontogenesis by the influence of environmental factors belong to the most intriguing genetic phenomena. An unusual inheritance pattern was detected during examination of male fertility restoration in the CMS-inducing “9E” type cytoplasm of sorghum: Rf-genes were functional in self-pollinated progeny of F1 hybrids yet were either not expressed or poorly expressed in backcrosses of these hybrids to CMS-lines with the same cytoplasm type. In experiments on parallel growing of the same F1 hybrid combinations in the “dry plot” and in the “irrigated plot,” it was found that high level of plant water availability during panicle and pollen developmental stages significantly increased male fertility of F1 and test-cross hybrid populations, in which fertility-restoring genes were in heterozygote state, whereas in F2 populations the influences of water availability conditions cause less pronounce effects. Similarly, male-sterile F1 plants, being transferred from the “dry plot” to greenhouse, produced male-fertile panicles. In addition, male-sterile plants from F2 families, which segregated-out as recessives, being transferred to greenhouse also produced male-fertile panicles. In the progenies of these revertants that were grown in field conditions and in the “dry plot,” stable inheritance of male fertility for three cycles of self-pollination was observed, and a number of stable fertile lines in the “9E” cytoplasm were obtained. However, in test-crosses of these fertile lines to CMS-lines with the “9E” cytoplasm restoration of male fertility was not observed, except the progeny of one revertant that behaved as fertility-restorer line. These data suggest that the functional state of fertility-restoring genes for the “9E” sorghum cytoplasm is epigenetically regulated trait established by the influence of environmental factors and is transmitted to sexual generations.

Genetic architecture of complex agronomic traits examined in two testcross populations of rye (Secale cereale L.)

BackgroundRye is an important European crop used for food, feed, and bioenergy. Several quality and yield-related traits are of agronomic relevance for rye breeding programs. Profound knowledge of the genetic architecture of these traits is needed to successfully implement marker-assisted selection programs. Nevertheless, little is known on quantitative loci underlying important agronomic traits in rye.ResultsWe used 440 F3:4 inbred lines from two biparental populations (Pop-A, Pop-B) fingerprinted with about 800 to 900 SNP, SSR and/or DArT markers and outcrossed them to a tester for phenotyping. The resulting hybrids and their parents were evaluated for grain yield, single-ear weight, test weight, plant height, thousand-kernel weight, falling number, protein, starch, soluble and total pentosan contents in up to ten environments in Central Europe. The quality of the phenotypic data was high reflected by moderate to high heritability estimates. QTL analyses revealed a total of 31 QTL for Pop-A and 52 for Pop-B. QTL x environment interactions were significant (P < 0.01) in most cases but variance of QTL main effect was more prominent.ConclusionsQTL mapping was successfully applied based on two segregating rye populations. QTL underlying grain yield and several quality traits had small effects. In contrast, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, falling number and starch content were affected by several major QTL with a high frequency of occurrence in cross validation. These QTL explaining a large proportion of the genotypic variance can be exploited in marker-assisted selection programs and are candidates for further genetic dissection.

Multiple‐Line Cross Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping in European Elite Maize

ABSTRACTMultiple‐line cross quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is considered a promising tool to detect QTL with high power and substantial accuracy. The main goal of this study was to investigate the benefits of combined QTL analysis by applying two biometrical models compared to single‐population analyses. For the combined QTL analysis we used a biometrical model that assumes allele substitution effects specific for every biparental population (disconnected model). We also applied a biometrical model that assumes allele substitution effects specific for every parent (connected model). Six testcross populations of maize (Zea mays L.) derived from a diallel cross of four parents were tested in 10 Italian environments in 2007 for grain yield and grain moisture. The 788 genotypes were fingerprinted with 857 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Our findings clearly underline the potential to improve the power to detect QTL and the resolution to localize the QTL in the genome by switching from single population QTL mapping toward joint QTL analysis across populations. The disconnected model outperformed the connected model with regard to the power to detect QTL. Consequently, our results suggest that the disconnected model is the model of choice for multiple‐line cross QTL mapping in elite maize germplasm.

Breeding Potential of Semidwarf Corn for Grain and Forage in the Northern U.S. Corn Belt

ABSTRACTConventional, nondwarf corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids grown in the northern U.S. Corn Belt are typically &gt;2 m tall and have a 75‐ to 100‐d relative maturity (RM). Our objectives were to assess the potential of open‐pollinated COPOP1 semidwarf corn for grain and forage production, estimate genetic variances and heritability in COPOP1, and develop COPOP1 subpopulations that exhibit heterosis. In 2005 and 2006, we evaluated COPOP1 with four commercial, nondwarf hybrids at three plant population densities. Grain yield of open‐pollinated COPOP1 was about half of the mean yield of the conventional hybrids. However, COPOP1 had lower grain moisture (equivalent to 62 d RM) and better forage quality than the commercial hybrids. In 2007, COPOP1 was evaluated for performance when crossed to two divergent inbred testers, LH227 and LH295. Heritability was significant for grain moisture, plant height, and ear height in testcrosses to both testers but was significant for grain yield only in testcrosses to LH227. In 2009, bulk Cycle 0 (i.e., original COPOP1) and Cycle 1 testcrosses, nine semidwarf hybrids, COPOP1, and three commercial hybrids were evaluated at two plant population densities. Grain yield and most agronomic and forage traits did not improve between Cycle 0 and Cycle 1 in either testcross population. None of the semidwarf hybrids had higher grain yields than COPOP1. While semidwarf COPOP1 can serve as a source of useful variation for improving elite germplasm in the northern U.S. Corn Belt, further selection in COPOP1 must be done to develop improved semidwarf populations.

Identification of heterotic loci associated with yield-related traits in Chinese common wild rice ( Oryza rufipogon Griff.)

Many rice breeding programs have currently reached yield plateaus as a result of limited genetic variability in parental strains. Dongxiang common wild rice ( Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is the progenitor of cultivated rice ( Oryza sativa L.) and serves as an important gene pool for the genetic improvement of rice cultivars. In this study, heterotic loci (HLs) associated with six yield-related traits were identified in wild and cultivated rice and investigated using a set of 265 introgression lines (ILs) of O. rufipogon Griff. in the background of the Indica high-yielding cultivar Guichao 2 ( O. sativa L.). Forty-two HLs were detected by a single point analysis of mid-parent heterosis values from test cross F 1 offspring, and 30 (71.5%) of these HLs showed significantly positive effects, consistent with the superiority shown by the F 1 test cross population in the six yield-related traits under study. Genetic mapping of hsp11, a locus responsible for the number of spikelets per panicle, confirmed the utility of these HLs. The results indicate that favorable HLs capable of improving agronomic traits are available. The identification of HLs between wild rice and cultivated rice could lead to a new strategy for the application of heterosis in rice breeding.

An Extended Genetic Linkage Map for Watermelon Based on a Testcross and a BC&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;F&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; Population

There is limited genetic mapping data useful for breeding programs of watermelon. Introgression lines should be a use-ful tool for genetic studies and genetic enhancement of watermelon cultivars. In this study, we used an advanced re-combinant population (BC2F2) to identify and map chromosomal segments of the wild watermelon Citrullus lanatus var. citroides that were incorporated in the genome of the watermelon cultivar Crimson Sweet (Citrullus lanatus var. lana-tus). An advanced recombinant population (BC2F2) was constructed using a United States Plant Introduction (PI) 494817 (C. lanatus var. citroides) (known to have moderate resistance to bacterial fruit blotch) as a donor parent, and the elite watermelon cultivar Crimson Sweet (C. lanatus var. lanatus) as the recurrent parent. The genetic linkage map consists of 272 markers, including 89 sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), 72 targeted region amplifica-tion polymorphism (TRAP), and 111 high frequency oligonucleotide-targeting active gene (HFO-TAG) markers. The 272 markers were assembled into 51 linkage groups, covering a total genetic distance of 2162 cM, with an average genetic distance of 7.9 cM between markers. Also, we expended the genetic linkage map for watermelon derived from a testcross population {Griffin 14113 [C. lanatus var. citroide (L.H. Bailey) Mansf.] x watermelon cultivar New Hamp-shire Midget (C. lanatus var. lanatus)} x PI 386015 [C. colocynthis (L.) Schrad.]. The genetic linkage map based on the test cross population consists of 558 markers that cover a genetic distance of 2760.8 cM. This linkage map consists of 41 linkage group, including 10 large linkage groups (ranging from102-240 cM), nine intermediate size linkage groups (ranging from 62-93 cM), and 22 small linkage groups (ranging from 2-56 cM). Comparative mapping between these two linkage maps identified high consensus in 25 HFO-TAG markers and one TRAP marker that represent 8 linkage groups in the BC2F2 population and 9 linkage groups in the testcross population. These results indicate that HFO-TAG markers should be useful in comparative mapping. The extended genetic maps and the genetic population in this study should be useful in breeding programs using marker assisted selection and should serve as a platform for further de-velopment of introgression lines for watermelon.

Genetic analysis of heterotic loci detected in a cross between indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The study on the genetic basis of heterosis has received significant attention in recent years. In this study, using a set of introgression lines (ILs) and corresponding testcross F1 populations, we investigated heterotic loci (HL) associated with six yield-related traits in both Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica and japonica. A total of 41 HL were detected on the basis of mid-parent heterosis values with single-point analysis. The F1 test-cross population showed superiority in most yield-related traits and was characterized by a high frequency of overdominant HL. Thirty-eight of the 41 HL were overdominant, and in the absence of epistasis, three HL were dominant, suggesting that heterotic effects at the single-locus level mainly appeared to be overdominant in rice. Twenty-four HL had a real positive effect, suggesting that they are viable candidates for the improvement of rice yield potential. Compared with the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) detected in the ILs, only six out of the 41 (14.6%) HL were detected in QTL analysis under the same statistical threshold, indicating that heterosis and trait performance may be conditioned by different sets of loci.

PATHOTYPE DEPENDENT RESISTANCE MAPPING FOR POWDERY MILDEW IN A DIPLOID ROSE POPULATION

On a diploid segregating rose population (90 plants) disease resistance towards two powdery mildew pathotypes, R-E and R-P, were mapped. Different mechanisms of resistance were studied according to the nature of the parents: R. wichurana showed partial resistance to the pathotypes R-E and R-P; also 'Yesterday' shows some resistance to R-P, but is immune to R-E. Offspring plants were fingerprinted with 20 AFLP primer combinations and 43 SSR primers. By applying the F1-pseudo test cross population strategy for genetic map calculation, two parental linkage maps were constructed. The parental maps comprised 7 linkage groups for each parent and 264 and 306 number of markers, and covered 525 and 522 cM (Kosambi), for R. wichurana and 'Yesterday' respectively. QTLs for pathotype specific resistance were calculated from the segregation patterns of resistance reactions in the offspring plants. The identification of QTLs in genomic regions involved in pathotype specific resistance can serve as a helpful tool for analyzing underlying mechanisms for disease resistance and finally for pyramiding QTLs with different resistance effects in roses.

Genetic map-based location of the red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) gametophytic self-incompatibility locus

Red clover is a hermaphroditic allogamous diploid (2n = 2x = 14) with a homomorphic gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system (Trifolium pratense L.). Red clover GSI has long been studied, and it is thought that the genetic control of GSI constitutes a single locus. Although GSI genes have been identified in other species, the genomic location of the red clover GSI-locus remains unknown. The objective of this study was to use a mapping-based approach to identify simple sequence repeats (SSR) that were closely linked to the GSI-locus. Previously published SSR markers were used in this effort (Sato et al. in DNA Res 12:301-364, 2005). A bi-parental cross was initiated in which the parents were known to have one self-incompatibility allele (S-allele) in common. S-allele genotypes of 100 progeny were determined through test crosses and pollen compatibility. Pseudo F(1) linkage analysis isolated the GSI-locus on red clover linkage-group one within 2.5 cM of markers RCS5615, RCS0810, and RCS3161. A second 256 progeny mapping testcross population of a heterozygous self-compatible mutant revealed that this specific self-compatible mutant mapped to the same location as the GSI-locus. Finally, 82 genotypes were identified whose parents putatively shared one S-allele in common from maternal halfsib families derived from two random mating populations in which paternal identity was determined using molecular markers. Unique S-allele identity in the two random mating populations was tentatively inferred based on haplotypes of two highly allelic linkage-group one SSR (RCS0810 and RCS4956), which were closely linked to each other and the GSI-locus. Paternally derived pollen haplotype linkage analysis of RCS0810 and RCS4956 SSR and the GSI-locus again revealed tight linkage at 2.5 and 4.7 cM between the GSI-locus and RCS0810 and RCS4956, respectively. The map-based location of the GSI-locus in red clover has many immediate applications to red clover plant breeding and could be useful in helping to sequence the GSI-locus.

Powdery Mildew Resistance in the Peach Cultivar Pamirskij 5 Is Genetically Linked with the Gr Gene for Leaf Color

Peach powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa var. persicae) is a major disease of peach trees [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. Various studies on powdery mildew resistance have been conducted in peach. The present study was initiated to determine the inheritance of powdery mildew resistance found in the green leaf peach rootstock ‘Pamirskij 5’. Crosses were carried out between ‘Pamirskij 5’ and the susceptible red leaf peach rootstock ‘Rubira’®. Segregation analysis performed in F1 (1:0), F2 (3:1), and test cross (1:1) progenies indicated single dominant gene control of peach powdery mildew resistance in ‘Pamirskij 5’. Cosegregation analysis provided clear evidence that the loci for powdery mildew resistance and the leaf color trait are very closely linked in ‘Pamirskij 5’. The estimated distance between these loci was 0 ± 3.26 cM for the F2 and 0 ± 0.00 cM for the test cross populations.

Inheritance of Restorer Gene for CMS-FA Hybrid Rice

发掘水稻新型雄性不育细胞质源CMS-FA，育成系列优质米不育系和系列新质源恢复系，组配成强优势杂交稻组合的基础上研究新质源雄性不育恢复系的恢复基因遗传。采用新质源(CMS-FA)不育系金农1A与恢复系金恢3号杂交获得杂交F 1 代种子，种植F 1 代，收获自交F 2 代种子。用F 1 分别与不育系或保持系回交，获得(不育系//不育系/恢复系和不育系/恢复系//保持系)2个测交群体。同时种植P 1 、P 2 、F 1 、F 2 、B 1 F 1 和B 2 F 1 等群体，考察花粉染色率、套袋结实率和自然结实率，卡平方测验遗传分离适合度。结果表明，不育系与恢复系杂交F 1 代正常可育，育性恢复(可育)基因为显性遗传。F 2 代分离出可育︰不育适合3︰1，育性恢复(可育)基因为1对显性基因控制。B 1 F 1 和B 2 F 1 代2个测交群体的可育︰不育都适合1︰1分离规律，验证了F 2 代育性恢复(可育)单基因的遗传模式。暂时确定新质源(CMS-FA)核质互作三系的基因型为不育系S(SS)、保持系F(SS)和恢复系S(FF)。

Transfer of anthracnose resistance and pod coiling traits from Medicago arborea to M. sativa by sexual reproduction

Five asymmetric hybrid plants were obtained between Medicago sativa (2n = 4x = 32) and Medicago arborea (2n = 4x = 32) through sexual reproduction and the use of a cytoplasmically male sterile M. sativa genotype. Over 2,000 pollinations were made to obtain these hybrids. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis showed that in the most studied hybrid (WA2273), 4% of the bands unique to the M. arborea parent were present, versus 72% for the unique M. sativa bands. This suggests that only a single M. arborea chromosome or chromosome parts has been transferred. WA2273 had 7% of AFLP bands which were not present in either parent, which is suggestive of chromosome rearrangements as would be expected if only chromosome parts or a single part had been transferred from M. arborea. Phenotypic evidence for hybridity was obtained for pod coiling (1.4 coils in WA2273 versus three coils in the M. sativa parent and its self and testcross populations, and one coil in M. arborea), and Colletotrichum trifolii race 2 resistance (transferred from the resistant M. arborea parent, as the M. sativa parent and the self populations were highly susceptible). The hybrids were self sterile, but were female fertile to a high level when crossed with 4x, but not 2x, M. sativa, indicating they were at or near 4x. Both the pod coiling trait and anthracnose resistance segregated in the progeny of testcrosses between WA2273 and M. sativa. The work demonstrates that agronomically useful traits can be introgressed into M. sativa from M. arborea by use of male sterile M. sativa and sexual reproduction.

A transgressive segregation factor (RKN2) in Gossypium barbadense for nematode resistance clusters with gene rkn1 in G. hirsutum

Host plant resistance is an important strategy for managing root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in cotton (Gossypium L.). Here we report evidence for enhanced resistance in interspecific crosses resulting from transgressive segregation of clustered gene loci. Recently, a major gene, rkn1, on chromosome 11 for resistance to M. incognita in cv. Acala NemX was identified using an intraspecific G. hirsutum cross with susceptible cv. Acala SJ-2. Using interspecific crosses of Acala NemXxsusceptible G. barbadense cv. Pima S-7, F1, F2, F2:3, backcross, and testcross Acala NemXxF1 (Pima S-7xSJ-2), parental entries and populations were inoculated in greenhouse tests with M. incognita. Genetic analyses based on nematode-induced root galling and nematode egg production on roots, and molecular marker analysis of the segregating interspecific populations revealed that gene rkn1 interacted with a gene (designated as RKN2) in susceptible Pima S-7 to produce a highly resistant phenotype. RKN2 did not confer resistance in Pima S-7, but when combined with rkn1 (genotype Aa or aa), high levels of resistance were produced in the F1 and segregating F2, F3, and BC1F1 populations. One SSR marker MUCS088 was identified tightly linked to RKN2 within 4.4 cM in a NemXxF1 (Pima S-7xSJ-2) testcross population. Using mapped SSR markers and interspecific segregating populations, MUCS088 linked to the transgressive gene from the susceptible parent and was located in the vicinity of rkn1 on chromosome 11. Diverse genome analyses among A and D genome diploid and tetraploid cottons revealed that marker MUCS088 (165 and 167 bp) is derived from G. arboreum, A2 diploid genome. These results demonstrated that a highly susceptible parent contributed to nematode resistance via transgressive segregation. Derived highly resistant lines can be used as improved resistance sources in cotton breeding, and MUCS088 can be used to monitor RKN2 introgression in diverse populations. The close genomic location of the transgressive resistance determinants provides an important model system for studying transgressive segregation and epistasis in plants.

Classical genetic and quantitative trait loci analyses of heterosis in a maize hybrid between two elite inbred lines.

The exploitation of heterosis is one of the most outstanding advancements in plant breeding, although its genetic basis is not well understood yet. This research was conducted on the materials arising from the maize single cross B73 x H99 to study heterosis by procedures of classical genetic and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses. Materials were the basic generations, the derived 142 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), and the three testcross populations obtained by crossing the 142 RILs to each parent and their F(1). For seedling weight (SW), number of kernels per plant (NK), and grain yield (GY), heterosis was >100% and the average degree of dominance was >1. Epistasis was significant for SW and NK but not for GY. Several QTL were identified and in most cases they were in the additive-dominance range for traits with low heterosis and mostly in the dominance-overdominance range for plant height (PH), SW, NK, and GY. Only a few QTL with digenic epistasis were identified. The importance of dominance effects was confirmed by highly significant correlations between heterozygosity level and phenotypic performance, especially for GY. Some chromosome regions presented overlaps of overdominant QTL for SW, PH, NK, and GY, suggesting pleiotropic effects on overall plant vigor.