Vital Traits Research Articles

Multivariate analysis based prediction of phenotypic diversity associated with yield and yield component traits in germplasm lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

An investigation was conducted with 217 germplasm lines of rice to estimate potential variation among rice genotypes. Multivariate analyses viz., PCA and cluster analysis to assess genetic diversity were performed on seven agronomic traits. For the evaluated traits in the lines of germplasm, box plots and normal probability plots displayed substantial estimates of variability. PCA showed that PC1 and PC2 represented 46.15 per cent of variation. PC1 was responsible for the most variance (24%) for four characters, followed by PC2 (22.15%) for three parameters. Filled grain number per panicle, single plant yield, plant height and thousand grain weight were identified as vital traits contributing to variability. Based on agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis, the germplasm lines were grouped into five clusters, which explained a lot of variation in the traits. The study identified that plant height and 1000 grain weight have the greatest impact on variation. The genotypes viz., WGL 1063, RNR 26085, OR 2511-3, Swarna, KNM 7123, WGL 1063, MGD-101, IVT MS-6130, IVT IM-4231, IVT IME-3948 and IVT NPT-6303 were found to be the best performing genotypes for the traits panicle length, plant height and single plant yield, which can be used in hybridisation programme to improve these traits. Keywords: Rice, Box plot, diversity, germplasm, principal components and variability

Optimization of UAV-Based Imaging and Image Processing Orthomosaic and Point Cloud Approaches for Estimating Biomass in a Forage Crop

Forage and field peas provide essential nutrients for livestock diets, and high-quality field peas can influence livestock health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Above-ground biomass (AGBM) is one of the vital traits and the primary component of yield in forage pea breeding programs. However, a standard method of AGBM measurement is a destructive and labor-intensive process. This study utilized an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a true-color RGB and a five-band multispectral camera to estimate the AGBM of winter pea in three breeding trials (two seed yields and one cover crop). Three processing techniques—vegetation index (VI), digital surface model (DSM), and 3D reconstruction model from point clouds—were used to extract the digital traits (height and volume) associated with AGBM. The digital traits were compared with the ground reference data (measured plant height and harvested AGBM). The results showed that the canopy volume estimated from the 3D model (alpha shape, α = 1.5) developed from UAV-based RGB imagery’s point clouds provided consistent and high correlation with fresh AGBM (r = 0.78–0.81, p < 0.001) and dry AGBM (r = 0.70–0.81, p < 0.001), compared with other techniques across the three trials. The DSM-based approach (height at 95th percentile) had consistent and high correlation (r = 0.71–0.95, p < 0.001) with canopy height estimation. Using the UAV imagery, the proposed approaches demonstrated the potential for estimating the crop AGBM across winter pea breeding trials.

Insight into the Candidate Genes and Enriched Pathways Associated with Height, Length, Length to Height Ratio and Body-Weight of Korean Indigenous Breed, Jindo Dog Using Gene Set Enrichment-Based GWAS Analysis.

Simple SummaryThe height, length and body-weight are the economic traits of Jindo dogs and it is necessary to study their underlying genetic basis. Thus, a post-genome-wide association enrichment study on four body-size traits of Jindo dog including height, length, length to height ratio and body-weight was carried out here. The results revealed several potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genes which were significantly associated with the traits of interest. Furthermore, we have found several pathways to be significantly associated with the traits of interest and these pathways are generally involved in the growth and development process. The findings of this study may help to use the identified SNPs and genes as possible biomarkers for Jindo breeding.As a companion and hunting dog, height, length, length to height ratio (LHR) and body-weight are the vital economic traits for Jindo dog. Human selection and targeted breeding have produced an extraordinary diversity in these traits. Therefore, the identification of causative markers, genes and pathways that help us to understand the genetic basis of this variability is essential for their selection purposes. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) combined with enrichment analysis on 757 dogs using 118,879 SNPs. The genomic heritability (h2) was 0.33 for height and 0.28 for weight trait in Jindo. At p-value < 5 × 10−5, ten, six, thirteen and eleven SNPs on different chromosomes were significantly associated with height, length, LHR and body-weight traits, respectively. Based on our results, HHIP, LCORL and NCAPG for height, IGFI and FGFR3 for length, DLK1 and EFEMP1 for LHR and PTPN2, IGFI and RASAL2 for weight can be the potential candidate genes because of the significant SNPs located in their intronic or upstream regions. The gene-set enrichment analysis highlighted here nine and seven overlapping significant (p < 0.05) gene ontology (GO) terms and pathways among traits. Interestingly, the highlighted pathways were related to hormone synthesis, secretion and signalling were generally involved in the metabolism, growth and development process. Our data provide an insight into the significant genes and pathways if verified further, which will have a significant effect on the breeding of the Jindo dog’s population.

Haplotype analysis of SCM2 loci for identification of donor for lodging resistance in rice

Lodging resistance is one of the vital traits in improving the yield and sustainability of production in rice (Oryza sativa L.). A quantitative trait loci (QTL), SCM2 for enhancing the culm strength and increased spikelet number has been reported. In the present study, a diverse collection of 150 accessions from the rice 3K-RG panel were assembled and evaluated for the STRONG CULM2 locus. All the accessions under study showed a normal phenotypic distribution for culm diameter and the allelic diversity analysis for SCM2 resulted in four INDEL’s and 17 SNP’s in both coding and non-coding regions of the genome. Haplotype analysis grouped the entire population into three significant haplotype groups with 114 accessions in H1, 19 accessions in H2 and 17 accessions in H3. Haplotypes were formed using two significant SNP sites viz., 27480778 and 27481339. Dunnett’s test disclosed a significant variation between H1-H2 and H1-H3 haplotypes. Phenotypic evaluation for culm diameter in all the three haplotype groups revealed that the genotypes BR IRGA and PERUNEL in H1, CICA 9 and MOSHI in H2 and KITRANA in H3 possess a maximum culm diameter. H2 and H3 were found to be superior to H1 hence can be utilized for lodging resistance in further breeding programs. Key words: Lodging resistance, SCM2, culm strength, allelic diversity and haplotype analysis.

Multivariate analysis of wild rice MAGIC population under sodic soil condition

A study was conducted with 98 wild rice MAGIC lines under sodic soil conditions to estimate potential variation among rice genotypes. Observations on 12 morphometric traits were subjected to multivariate analyses viz., PCA and cluster analysis to assess genetic diversity. A correlogram was generated to depict the association among the traits. Results of ANOVA suggested the existence of significant variability among the lines. PCA showed that PC1 and PC2 represented 54 per cent of variation. PC1 accounted for the highest variance (38 %) for six characters followed by PC2 which accounted for (15 %) for four characters. Flag leaf area, plant height, panicle length, flag leaf length, flag leaf breadth and panicle breadth were identified as vital traits contributing to variability. Based on hierarchical cluster analysis, the genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. Correlation analysis suggested that the traits viz., number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle, panicle length and 100 grain weight had a significant correlation with grain yield. Based on per se performance and correlation, the genotypes WRM 6, WRM 10, WRM 22, WRM 29 and WRM 105 were identified as superior and could be exploited as genetic stocks for rice improvement under sodic soil conditions. Key words: Rice, MAGIC, principal components, cluster analysis, correlation

How to cope with drought and not die trying: Drought acclimation across tree species with contrasting niche breadth

Abstract Worldwide drought events have been reported to cause tree growth decline and mortality, thus altering the carbon (C) balance of forest ecosystems. While most of the attention has been focused on the physiological mechanisms associated with drought‐induced tree responses of a few species at specific locations, the ecological attributes of these species, like their niche breadth, may be also important in determining species’ sensitivity or resilience to drought. We postulated that wide‐niche breadth tree species should be more drought‐resilient than narrow‐niche breadth species. Using the most severe 2015–2016 El Niño drought event in the last 70 years in Patagonia, we determined pre‐ and post‐drought growth (BAI, basal area increment), C reserves in the form of non‐structural carbohydrate concentrations (NSCs = starch and soluble sugars), wood isotope (δ13C, iWUE and δ18O) signalling and xylem anatomy (mean vessel diameter, mvd) in eight angiosperm tree species of contrasting niche breadth across a sharp precipitation gradient in southern Chile. All species responded in unison after the drought with a non‐water‐conservative response, maintaining BAI and NSCs, decreasing δ13C, and increasing both mvd and the soluble sugars:NSCs ratio relative to pre‐drought time. Contrary to previous results reporting species‐specific drought responses, our results show unequivocally a functional coordination of organisms’ vital traits associated with a non‐water‐conservative strategy, and a drought‐induced acclimation based on starch conversion into soluble sugars in all of the tree species we examined, regardless of their niche breadth and habitat preference. We state that abiotic drivers such as drought may have selected similar interspecific responses provided that they operate at the community level rather than at the species level. These findings mark the need to revise current views about the ultimate interspecific functional coordination of organisms’ vital traits when facing more frequent and intensive drought events. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Chromosome Level Assembly of Homozygous Inbred Line ‘Wongyo 3115’ Facilitates the Construction of a High-Density Linkage Map and Identification of QTLs Associated With Fruit Firmness in Octoploid Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)

Strawberry is an allo-octoploid crop with high genome heterozygosity and complexity, which hinders the sequencing and the assembly of the genome. However, in the present study, we have generated a chromosome level assembly of octoploid strawberry sourced from a highly homozygous inbred line ‘Wongyo 3115’, using long- and short-read sequencing technologies. The assembly of ‘Wongyo 3115’ produced 805.6 Mb of the genome with 323 contigs scaffolded into 208 scaffolds with an N50 of 27.3 Mb after further gap filling. The whole genome annotation resulted in 151,892 genes with a gene density of 188.52 (genes/Mb) and validation of a genome, using BUSCO analysis resulted in 94.10% complete BUSCOs. Firmness is one of the vital traits in strawberry, which facilitate the postharvest shelf-life qualities. The molecular and genetic mechanisms that contribute the firmness in strawberry remain unclear. We have constructed a high-density genetic map based on the ‘Wongyo 3115’ reference genome to identify loci associated with firmness in the present study. For the quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification, the ‘BS F2’ populations developed from two inbred lines were genotyped, using an Axiom 35K strawberry chip, and marker positions were analyzed based on the ‘Wongyo 3115’ genome. Genetic maps were constructed with 1,049 bin markers, spanning the 3,861 cM. Using firmness data of ‘BS F2’ obtained from 2 consecutive years, five QTLs were identified on chromosomes 3-3, 5-1, 6-1, and 6-4. Furthermore, we predicted the candidate genes associated with firmness in strawberries by utilizing transcriptome data and QTL information. Overall, we present the chromosome-level assembly and annotation of a homozygous octoploid strawberry inbred line and a linkage map constructed to identify QTLs associated with fruit firmness.

Impact of Teachers’ Empathy towards Adult Learners’ Struggles in Acquiring EFL

This paper focuses on the role of empathy, one of the vital traits teachers are expected to possess, in the language acquisition process of Bangladeshi adult learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). It tries to assess if the presence of empathy in teachers’ approach has any significant impact on the pace of EFL acquisition of learners. This also investigates if the effect of empathy and associated emotions—such as sympathy and patience towards the struggle of learners—add positive and substantial speed to the learners’ progress. The study also tries to find out if the absence of a significant amount of empathy or complete absence of empathy slows down the acquisition process. A qualitative research conducted by applying multiple methodologies established the idea that the presence of empathy in teachers positively affects the performance of learners. The results also show that empathy in teachers may not always be very apparent while observing classes, but can be measured by considering the presence of other aspects that are crucial for effective teaching.

Adaptive variation and plasticity in non‐structural carbohydrate storage in a temperate tree species

Trees' total amount of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) stores and the proportion of these stores residing as insoluble starch are vital traits for individuals living in variable environments. However, our understanding of how stores vary in response to environmental stress is poorly understood as the genetic component of storage is rarely accounted for in studies. Here, we quantified variation in NSC traits in branch samples taken from over 600 clonally transplanted black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) trees grown in two common gardens. We found heritable variation in both total NSC stores and the proportion of stores in starch (H2 TNC = 0.19, H2 PropStarch = 0.31), indicating a substantial genetic component of variation. In addition, we found high amounts of plasticity in both traits in response to cold temperatures and significant genotype-by-environment (GxE) interactions in the total amount of NSC stored (54% of P is GxE). This finding of high GxE indicates extensive variation across trees in their response to environment, which may explain why previous studies of carbohydrate stores' responses to stress have failed to converge on a consistent pattern. Overall, we found high amounts of environmental and genetic variation in NSC storage concentrations, which may bolster species against future climate change.

Local cuisine image dimensions and its impact on foreign tourist’s perceived food contentment in Delhi

ABSTRACT This study intends to determine the dimensions of local cuisine image by classifying the vital cuisine traits that are used by foreign tourists for their local food assessment; and inspect any variances in the perceived local cuisine image of Eastern and Western tourists (based on their country’s geographical position from India). It applied multivariate and descriptive statistics for analysing the data of 419 foreign tourists in Delhi. 24 factor items were used to measure the tourist’s perceived image of local cuisine which were subjected to Exploratory Factor Analysis in order to reduce them into a smaller set of underlying constructs. Results indicated that all the foreign tourists were very much satisfied with their overall food experiences in Delhi. Further, they also positively evaluated four perceptual/cognitive dimensions of local cuisine, i.e. Food authenticity and culture; Emotional food image; Freshness & taste; and Nutritional value & digestibility. The dimension of Price & quality of food was found to be worst perceived amongst the foreign tourists. Overall, this study provided an improved knowledge about creating a destination cuisine image from the foreign tourists’ outlook, and how this notion can be used to efficiently market and envisage the exclusivity of a destination like India.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Rice Donor Germplasm Accessions in the Philippines

Genetic diversity is necessary to safeguard potentially vital traits for adaptation to environmental stresses and a proximate defense against a resurgence of pests and diseases amid climate change. The hybridization core germplasm of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) comprises local and foreign landraces, varieties, and elite breeding lines, which are various sources for diversification and creation of superior rice varieties. The objective of the study is to investigate the level of genetic diversity and population structure across 472 parental germplasm using 17 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers as assistance for rice breeders in the selection of unique parents for hybridization. Germplasm accessions showed high genetic diversity (71%) and formed a structure delineating indica, temperate japonica, and tropical japonica – with 32.8% admixtures identified through the distance-based neighbor-joining (NJ) method, model-based Bayesian structure, and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the majority of the variation (87.0%) was attributed to accession differences within a population, indicating regular seed movement limited to each subgroup rather than between population (8.7%), wherein the highest fixation index (FST) was observed between tropical and temperate japonica (FST = 0.13). The study established a PhilRice parental germplasm collection containing 306 genetically pure accessions retaining the majority of genetic diversity from the first collection, which offers a promising aid in generating favorable genetic gain through careful genotypic selection in rice breeding programs.

Why re-invent the wheel if you've run out of road?

The COVID-19 disruption to 'business as usual' presents an opportunity for a profound change in oral healthcare experience for our patients and our profession. While the prospect of change has dominated professional dialogue for years, the post-COVID-19 era offers choices with respect to pace, proximity, preparedness, protection and equity. There is potential for a determined revision of the current activity-driven clinical approach, with the adoption of the minimally invasive oral care philosophy into routine practice and use of technology to remotely support our patients. Throughout COVID-19, the whole of the dental profession has demonstrated adaptability in redeployment and compassion in delivering care in a variety of settings. These vital traits and bold clinical leadership, prepared to make timely choices and act fast, will underpin our successful transition towards the safe resumption of routine dental services. In making the right choices, we have at hand a future integrated dental team care model with time to concentrate on personalised prevention advice, as well as the provision of effective, highly skilled treatment.

Transcriptome profiles reveal that gibberellin-related genes regulate weeping traits in crape myrtle

Plant architecture includes vital traits that influence and benefit crops, and economically important trees. Different plant architectures provide natural beauty. Weeping ornamental plants are aesthetically appealing to people. The regulatory mechanism controlling the weeping trait is poorly understood in crape myrtle. To investigate the weeping trait mechanism, transcriptional profiling of different organs in weeping and upright crape myrtle was performed based on phenotype. Phenotypic and histological analyses demonstrated that endodermal cells were absent, and that new shoot phenotypes could be rescued by the GA3 treatment of weeping plants. The transcriptional analysis and coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) of differentially expressed genes indicated that GA synthesis and signal transduction pathways play a role in weeping traits. When the expression level of a negative element of GA signaling, LfiGRAS1, was reduced by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), new branches grew in infected plants in a negatively geotropic manner. An integrated analysis implied that GA had a strong influence on weeping crape myrtle by interacting with other factors. This study helps to elucidate the mechanism governing the weeping trait and can improve the efficiency of breeding in Lagerstroemia.

A genome-wide multiphenotypic association analysis identified common candidate genes for subjective well-being, depressive symptoms and neuroticism

Subjective well-being (SWB), depressive symptoms, and neuroticism are common and vital traits of mental disorders. Genetic mechanisms of SWB, depressive symptoms and neuroticism remain elusive now. The large-scale GWAS summary datasets of SWB (n = 229,883), depressive symptoms (n = 180,866), and neuroticism (n = 170,911) were obtained from published studies. MASH tool was applied to the GWAS datasets for identifying candidate SNPs shared by SWB, depressive symptoms and neuroticism. SNPs detected by MASH, were then mapped to target genes considering regulatory SNP (rSNP), methylated quantitative trait locus (MeQTL) and the SNPs near to known genes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted by the FUMA platform. A total of 122 candidate SNPs were detected by MASH analysis, mapping to 29 target genes, such as CLDN23, MSRA and XKR6. GO enrichment analysis identified multiple immune related gene sets for SWB, depressive symptoms and neuroticism, such as GSE2770_UNTREATED_VS_IL4_TREATED_ACT_CD4_TCELL_48H_DN (P = 7.32 × 10−3), GSE6259_FLT3L_INDUCED_DEC205_POS_DC_VS_CD4_TCELL_DN (P = 2.52 × 10−2). We also found some mental disorders related gene sets were associated with three phenotypes, such as mood instability (P = 1.15 × 10−6) and neuroticism (P = 1.72 × 10−6). We identified multiple candidate genes and GO terms shared by SWB, depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Our results support the overlapping genetic mechanisms, and suggest a functional correlation between immunity and SWB, depressive symptoms and neuroticism.

Design Thinking in STEM Education: A Review

Design thinking plays an important role in grooming creative and innovative ideas. Design and design thinking are attributed as vital traits in STEM education. Design ability is important in shaping students’ mindsets for future challenges and advancements in technology. STEM education will strengthen learning and will help to foster creativity, critical thinking, design thinking ability, problem solving and innovative skills. In this research, we try to focus on different factors and theories regarding design thinking and role of STEM education in inducing design thinking and innovative ideas. Design is not confined to just few academic and professional subjects. Design thinking ability helps in about each and every discipline of life. In this review, different research studies and their findings regarding importance of design thinking in STEM education have been explained.

The retrospection of Ukrainian human geography: attempt of the development periodization

The study is devoted to thorough justification of a new periodization model of human geography development in Ukraine on the base of objective functioning regularities of science. The topicality and relevance of the given research for the national science were reasoned in the context of absence of accredited development periodization of Ukrainian human geography. The diversity of views on the problem has been logically unified. All the internal factors of the human geography development were successfully taken into account with crucial attention, making the further possibility to ascertain the stages and periods of its formation in Ukraine in the streamline of core concepts, determining the methodological status of science at a certain stage. Actually, the human geography was under the deep analysis within the science forming process in Ukraine. It was proved the origin of human geography in Ukraine goes back to the last quarter of the XIX c., while its eventual arrangement is stated at the first quarter of the XX c. As for the process of institutionalization of geography as a separate branch of knowledge, integrating natural-geographical, demogeographical, ethno-geographical, political-geographical, and economic-geographical knowledge about the area of Ukraine, it took place at the beginning of the last century. The activity of S. Rudnytskyi was of a key role at that time. It is he who is considered the founder of the modern Ukrainian geography in general and of human geography in particular, taking into account European traditions as well as own intellectual potential. As a result of the author’s own approach, there were three stages differentiated with corresponding periods: stage 1: the end of the XIX c. – the beginning of the XX c.: 1873–1904; 1905–1917; 1918–1921. Stage 2 corresponds to mid XX c.: 1922–1933; 1934–1963; 1964–1990. Stage 3 stands for the end of the XX c. – the beginning of the XIX c. scilicet 1991–2020. The vital traits of each stage and period were clarified in succession; namely, all the theoretical achievements likewise scientific-educational centres and scientific schools were under all-embracing investigation. The specific focus laid upon the traits of scientific trends, concepts, and theories of foreign geography. Peculiarities of their impact on the development of Ukrainian human geography were the matter of entire estimation. In terms of analysis of trends and concepts of the foreign human geography development of the XIX – the beginning of the XXI c., the significance of the latter on the research human-geographical issues’ formation in Ukraine has been revealed in succession. The professionalization degree of the human-geographical science in Ukraine was deeply shown, primarily confirming the objectivity of the given periodization.

Adaptive thermal plasticity enhances sperm and egg performance in a model insect.

Rising and more variable global temperatures pose a challenge for biodiversity, with reproduction and fertility being especially sensitive to heat. Here, we assessed the potential for thermal adaptation in sperm and egg function using Tribolium flour beetles, a warm-temperate-tropical insect model. Following temperature increases through adult development, we found opposing gamete responses, with males producing shorter sperm and females laying larger eggs. Importantly, this gamete phenotypic plasticity was adaptive: thermal translocation experiments showed that both sperm and eggs produced in warmer conditions had superior reproductive performance in warmer environments, and vice versa for cooler production conditions and reproductive environments. In warmer environments, gamete plasticity enabled males to double their reproductive success, and females could increase offspring production by one-third. Our results reveal exciting potential for sensitive but vital traits within reproduction to handle increasing and more variable thermal regimes in the natural environment.

The Role of Literature in Enhancing Quality Leadership and Promoting National Security.

This paper is to explore the possible ways of using literature to enhance quality leadership and promote national security. Literature enhances quality leadership and promote national security because it ex-rays human vices such as corruption, cultism, kidnapping, religious crises, unemployment and their impact in nation building. It also ex-rays some elements of good leadership such as patriotism, endurance, tolerance etc which are vital traits to quality leadership. Literature has not effectively played its role of enhancing quality leadership and has not effectively promoted national security because many Nigerians do not make out time to read especially literary works. Secondly, literature is not a compulsory subject in secondary schools and is not taught in many schools by literature specialists or English specialists. In addition to the above factors affecting the use of literature to enhance quality leadership and national security, many schools do not have good literary textbooks in their library. This makes it difficult for many people especially students to have access to many literary textbooks. For literature to achieve its objective of enhancing quality leadership and national security, people should develop interest in reading especially literary textbooks. Literature should be taught in schools by literature specialists or English specialists to enable students develop interest in reading. Literary textbooks in literature should be stocked in school library to enable people especially students have access to many literary textbooks.

Identification of a novel seed size associated locus SW9-1 in soybean

Seed size is one of the vital traits determining seed appearance, quality, and yield. Untangling the genetic mechanisms regulating soybean 100-seed weight (100-SW), seed length and seed width across environments may provide a theoretical basis for improving seed yield. However, there are few reports related to QTL mapping of 100-SW across multiple ecological regions. In this study, 21 loci associated with seed size traits were identified using a genome-wide association of 5361 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across three ecoregions in China, which could explain 8.12%–14.25% of the phenotypic variance respectively. A new locus, named as SW9-1 on chromosome 9 that explained 10.05%–10.93% of the seed weight variance was found significantly related to seed size traits, and was not previously reported. The selection effect analysis showed that SW9-1 locus has a relatively high phenotypic effect (13.67) on 100-SW, with a greater contribution by the accessions with bigger seeds (3.69) than the accessions with small seeds (1.66). Increases in seed weight were accompanied by increases in the frequency of SW9-1T allele, with >90% of the bred varieties with a 100-SW >30 g carrying SW9-1T. Analysis of SW9-1 allelic variation in additional soybean accessions showed that SW9-1T allele accounting for 13.83% of the wild accessions, while in 46.55% and 51.57% of the landraces and bred accessions, respectively, this results indicating that the SW9-1 locus has been subjected to artificial selection during the early stages of soybean breeding, especially the utilization of SW9-1T in edamame for big seed. These results suggest that SW9-1 is a novel and reliable locus associated with seed size traits, and might have an important implication for increasing soybean seed weight in molecular design breeding. Cloning this locus in future may provide new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying soybean seed size traits.

Drosophila melanogaster inhabiting northern regions of European Russia are infected with Wolbachia which adversely affects their life span

Wolbachia is a genus of bacteria causing intracellular infection in the natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster on all continents. In D. melanogaster , Wolbachia affects various life history traits, behaviour, sensitivity to stress and viral infection. The phenotypic effects of Wolbachia might evolve to promote its further spreading, increasing the interest in exploring the spread of Wolbachia , in particular, at the boundar­ies of the D. melanogaster habitat, in association with the effects on vital traits of host species. In this paper, we present data on the level of Wolbachia infection in two D. melanogaster populations from the northern regions of European Russia: Alexandrov (56.41° N, 38.72° E) and Valday (58.02° N, 33.24° E). The flies were collected in private apple gardens located in two small hamlets without supermarkets or fruit markets, from 2010 to 2015. The both populations demonstrated the same level of infection: in average, 69.7 % of the inbred lines (ILs) obtained from single females of the Alexan­drov population and 68.4 % of ILs obtained from single females of the Valday population. The infection rate varied from year to year showing a tendency to reduc­tion, its overall level being within the range previously observed in other habitats. Life spans were compared in sub-lines of the same IL, one infected with Wolbachia and the other treated with tetracycline healing this infection. In four out of five ILs, the lifespan of both males and females was severely affected by Wolbachia ; in different ILs, the mean life spans reduced from 1.8 to 5.4 times and from 1.4 to 2.4 times, respectively. Our results confirm that, despite D. melanogaster widespread distribution, the Wolbachia effect on their life span has been mostly negative.