Well-known Cultivars Research Articles

Revealing the Diversity and Complex Relationships of Croatian Olive Germplasm.

Olive growing in Croatia has a long tradition and is of great economic and social impact. The present study includes a set of 108 tree samples (88 samples corresponding to 60 presumed cultivars and 20 trees of unnamed ones) collected from 27 groves in the entire olive growing area, and is the most comprehensive survey to be conducted in Croatia. The genetic diversity, relationships, and structures of olive plants were studied using eight microsatellite loci. All loci were polymorphic and revealed a total of 90 alleles. A total of 74 different genotypes were detected that were subjected to further diversity and genetic relationship studies. The Fitch-Margoliash tree and Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed a complex relationship between the identified olive genotypes, which were clustered into three gene pools, indicating different origins of Croatian olive germplasms. Excluding the redundant germplasms, 44 different genotypes among the sampled trees of well-known cultivars and 16 new local germplasms were identified. In addition, we provide the etymology of 46 vernacular names, which confirms that the vast majority of traditional Croatian cultivars have common and widespread names. The results presented herein underline the importance of safeguarding local cultivars and conducting continuous surveys.

Chemical composition and antioxidant/antibacterial depictions of Zahidi date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) kernel Oil

Date palm “Phoenix dactylifera” variety Zahidi is a unique well-known cultivar. Mature fruits are semi-dry, medium size, cylindrically shaped and golden brown. However, there are three stages to harvesting the dates soft, hard or semi-soft. In this research, the oil processed from the seed/kernel of the date palm Zahidi is chemically analysed for its composition, antioxidant capacity and its antibacterial properties were investigated. Date seeds were ground and extracted for the oil. Wet chemical analyses were implemented on the extracted oil via various analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Oil fractions of ethanol, methanol and acetone were tested for antibacterial activity, which was evaluated employing the Kirby–Bauer disc-diffusion method. Antibacterial action was examined for four bacterial strains; two of them representing Gram-positive such as Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus, and the other two for Gram-negative such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The antibiotics tetracycline, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, gentamycin and vancomycin were used as positive standards. The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the bacterial strains were tested and evaluated. The antioxidant activity was evaluated as free-radical scavenging capacity (RSC) towards 2,2 - diphenyl -1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals for the methanol fraction (MF), remaining lipid fraction (LF) and non-fractioned oil, i.e., the total fraction (TF). The RSCs for the MF, LF and TF were 42.5, 9.1 and 68.3, respectively. Zahidi seed/kernel oil extract inhibited all of the test microorganisms, with MICs that ranged from 10 to 42 mg/mL and MBCs were found to be ranged between 21 and 167 mg/mL. These outcomes suggest that the extracts could be developed as a foundation of expected antimicrobial complexes to fight unwanted bacteria in foods. Overall, the results showed that the oil is suitable for food, cosmetics, personal care products and pharmaceuticals.

Identity of Kalanchoe ‘Fang’ and K. ‘Rose Leaf’, two cultivars derived from K. ×edwardii (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae), with notes on aspects of interspecific hybridisation in the genus

The nothospecies name Kalanchoe ×edwardii (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) was published for the hybrid between the arborescent K. beharensis and the shrubby K. tomentosa, two Malagasy species. Two well-known cultivars, K. ×edwardii ‘Fang’ and K. ×edwardii ‘Rose Leaf’, or simply K. ‘Fang’ and K. ‘Rose Leaf’, have been selected and named from K. ×edwardii. To facilitate distinguishing between these two cultivars, differences between them are tabulated and discussed. A general discussion of aspects of interspecific hybridisation in Kalanchoe is provided.

Identifying mutations in sd1, Pi54 and Pi-ta, and positively selected genes of TN1, the first semidwarf rice in Green Revolution

BackgroundTaichung Native 1 (TN1) is the first semidwarf rice cultivar that initiated the Green Revolution. As TN1 is a direct descendant of the Dee-geo-woo-gen cultivar, the source of the sd1 semidwarf gene, the sd1 gene can be defined through TN1. Also, TN1 is susceptible to the blast disease and is described as being drought-tolerant. However, genes related to these characteristics of TN1 are unknown. Our aim was to identify and characterize TN1 genes related to these traits.ResultsAligning the sd1 of TN1 to Nipponbare sd1, we found a 382-bp deletion including a frameshift mutation. Sanger sequencing validated this deleted region in sd1, and we proposed a model of the sd1 gene that corrects errors in the literature. We also predicted the blast disease resistant (R) genes of TN1. Orthologues of the R genes in Tetep, a well-known resistant cultivar that is commonly used as a donor for breeding new blast resistant cultivars, were then sought in TN1, and if they were present, we looked for mutations. The absence of Pi54, a well-known R gene, in TN1 partially explains why TN1 is more susceptible to blast than Tetep. We also scanned the TN1 genome using the PosiGene software and identified 11 genes deemed to have undergone positive selection. Some of them are associated with drought-resistance and stress response.ConclusionsWe have redefined the deletion of the sd1 gene in TN1, a direct descendant of the Dee-geo-woo-gen cultivar, and have corrected some literature errors. Moreover, we have identified blast resistant genes and positively selected genes, including genes that characterize TN1’s blast susceptibility and abiotic stress response. These new findings increase the potential of using TN1 to breed new rice cultivars.

Corylus L. specimen’s conservation and reproduction in the botanic gardens and dendrological parks: an example of Corylus chinensis Franch.

Aim. Value of cultivated Corylus L. as a fruit, ornamental and oilseed crop with prospects for use in the food industry, feed production and pharmacy are grown under the hazelnut name, makes it necessary to improve the methods of conservation and reproduction of Corylus spp., which can be valuable sources of initial material for breeding. Involvement in a hybridization of the well-known cultivars of hazelnuts with Chinese hazel (C. chinensis Franch.) contributed to the cre- ation of several new cultivars, in particular ‘Sofiyivsky 1’ (‘Ukraine-50’×C. chinensis), Sofiyivsky 2’ (‘Dar Pavlenka’×C. chinensis), and ’Sofiyivsky 15’ (‘Garibaldi’×C. chinensis). However, in the process of studying the morphological features
 
 of C. chinensis from the collection of NDP “Sofiyivka” and analysis of the effectiveness of its interspecific interbreeding with other Corylus revealed their differences from the data given in the literature sources, which initiated our research. Materials and methods. Study of species-specific features of C. chinensis, hybridization, progeny analysis, clonal selection, propagation of selected seedlings, and generalization of the observations were performed using commonly used methods. Results and discussion. Comparison of morphological features of the C. chinensis imported from the Berlin Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Berlin-Dahlem) and its vegetative descendants with descriptions and photos given in the online database founded by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (Great Britain), showed the similarity of features of leaves, bark, and trunk with incomplete similarity of the infructescence, its shape, and downiness. It may indicate a hybrid origin of the introduced plant (Corylus…, 2017). The obtained data related to the value of C. сhinensis in hybridization with hazelnut cultivars using its male parent contradict the literature data that report on successful hybridization in direct combinations of C. chinensis×C. avellana and the incompatibility of these species in reciprocal crossing. Conclusions. It was found that the studied C. chinensis plants of generative age generally correspond to the descriptions of the species given in scientific sources and the electronic databases “Plants of the world Online” and “World Flora Online” in their morphological characteristics. However, the identified certain discrepancies indicate the need to continue their study, and the study of the others obtained from native sources of C. chinensis representatives, cultivars, and numerous interspecific hybrids using molecular and genetic DNA analysis methods.

Physiological and Biochemical Response of Wild Olive (Olea europaea Subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) to Salinity.

In the face of climate change, water deficit and increasing soil salinity pose an even greater challenge to olive cultivation in the Mediterranean basin. Due to its tolerance to abiotic stresses, wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) presents a good candidate in breeding climate-resilient olive varieties. In this study, the early response of the native Croatian wild olive genotype (WOG) to salinity was evaluated and compared with that of well-known cultivars (cv.) Leccino and Koroneiki. Potted olive plants were exposed either to 150 mM NaCl or 300 mM mannitol for 3 weeks to distinguish between the osmotic and ionic components of salt stress. To determine the impact of the plant age on salinity, 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old WOG plants were used in the study. The growth parameters of both the cultivars and WOG of different ages decreased in response to the mannitol treatment. In contrast to cv. Leccino, the NaCl treatment did not significantly affect the growth of cv. Koroneiki or WOG of any age. The contents of Na+ and Cl− were considerably higher in the salt-treated WOG, regardless of age, compared with the cultivars. However, while both treatments significantly reduced the K+ content of cv. Koroneiki, that nutrient was not significantly affected in either cv. Leccino or WOG. Unlike the cultivars and older WOG, the NaCl treatment caused a significant decline of photosynthetic pigments in the 1-year-old WOG. The cultivars and WOG of different ages experienced a similar drop in the chlorophyll a content under the isotonic mannitol treatment. The absence of lipid peroxidation, modulation of superoxide dismutase, and guaiacol peroxidase activity were noted in all WOG ages under both stressors. These data suggest that WOG resilience to salinity is associated with its large leaf capacity for Na+ and Cl− accumulation, K+ retention, and its adaptable antioxidative mechanisms. The results are promising with regard to obtaining a new olive cultivar with better resilience to soil salinity.

Variation of Morphological, Agronomic and Chemical Composition Traits of Local Hazelnuts Collected in Northern Spain.

Hazelnut is a traditional crop in northern Spain, where it grows wild as well as being cultivated. A field collection of 41 local and 17 non-local accessions, including 15 well-known cultivars, was established at SERIDA in Villaviciosa, Spain. Here, phenotypic variation was documented for phenological and morphological traits and chemical composition. A large degree of variation for most morphological and phenological traits, except nut maturity date, was revealed. Estimates of broad-sense heritability were high (>0.75) for most of the assessed characters, except for the first male bloom date (0.65), male and female flowering periods (0.40, 0.31), kernel weight (0.69), and kernel percentage (0.33). Local accessions produced smaller nuts and kernels than well-known cultivars but with higher kernel percentage. Limited overlapping between the male and female flowering periods (dychogamy) was observed, except for ‘Forcinas 1’, ‘Forcinas 2’, and ‘Morell’. The local accessions generally exhibited significantly later male and female flowering compared with the reference cultivars. The local materials showed similar nutritional values to those reported previously for hazelnut. Moreover, the local accessions presented average values similar to the non-local accessions for total fat, ash and carbohydrate contents, as well as energy value, but their protein contents were lower. Their oils were rich in functional compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids (average: 90.1%), tocopherols (514 mg/kg) and squalene (294.3 mg/kg). A hierarchical clustering on principal components analysis grouped the accessions and differentiated eight local accessions from the rest, including the landrace ‘Casina’. This finding provides potential new cultivars, as well as sources of desirable traits, for European hazelnut breeding programs.

The best zoned apple cultivars of VNIISPK breeding for different regions of Russia

Relevance. Large-scale purposeful selection work of the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding for 65 years has allowed to create about 80 fundamentally new apple cultivars, of which 55 cultivars are included in the State Register of breeding achievements allowed for use (zoned). The most valuable cultivars for production have already been tested and zoned in a number of regions of Russia. Material and results . This article contains a brief economic and biological description of the best cultivars that are included in four, three and two regions. In particular, a brief description of the cultivars is given, each of which is included in the zoning of four regions of the North-Western, Central, Central Chernozem and North Caucasus regions. These are Veniaminovskoye and Rozhdestvenskoye. In the North-Western, Central and Central Chernozem regions, the Sin-ap Orlovsky cultivaris has been zoned. In the Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Chernozem and Srednevolzhsky regions, the Veteran cultivar has been zoned. Kandil Orlovsky has been zoned in three regions: in the Central, Central Chernozem and North Caucasus regions. In three regions — the NorthWestern, Central and Central Chernozem regions, the well-known cultivar Orlik has been zoned. Orlovskoe Polosatoye has been also included in the State Register in three regions — Central, North-Caucasus and Srednevolzhsky regions. Bolotovskoye, Imrus and Yablochny Spas have been zoned in two regions — Central and Central Chernozem regions. Only in the State Register of one Central Chernozem region 29 apple cultivars have been included. This is due to the fact that many of these cultivars have recently been included in the State Register. Thus, the columnar cultivars Priokskoe, Poezia, Vostorg, Garlyanda and Orlovskaya Yesenia were included in the State Register in 2014–2019, and the valuable winter triploid cultivars Vavilovskoye, Ministr Kiselev and Patriot with high-quality and delicious fruits weighing 170–200 g were included in the State Register only in the last 7 years.

Flavor and Texture Characteristics of 'Fuji' and Related Apple (Malus domestica L.) Cultivars, Focusing on the Rich Watercore.

Watercore is a so-called physiological disorder of apple (Malus domestica L.) that commonly occurs in several well-known cultivars. It is associated with a rapid softening of the flesh that causes a marked changed in flavor and texture. In Asia, apples with watercore are preferred and considered a delicacy because of their enhanced sweet flavor. The ‘Fuji’ cultivar, the first cultivar with rich watercore that is free from texture deterioration, has played a key role in the development of the market for desirable watercored apples. This review aimed to summarize and highlight recent studies related to the physiology of watercore in apples with special focus on ‘Fuji’ and related cultivars.

Yield and quality of new celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) cultivars in organic field management

In this study, carried out in 2017, the aim of the experiment was to compare new cultivars of celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) that were not yet registered on the EU list. Yield as well as chemical composition of tubers and leaves were determined. The yield of tubers ranged from 31.2 t ha(‑1) (‘Kompakt’) to 52.6 t ha(‑1) (‘Diamant’), and leaf biomass ranged from 26.3 t ha‑1 (‘NOV2231 AG’) to 54.7 t ha(‑1) (‘Phoenix’). The new cultivars – ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Kompakt’ – were characterized by the highest dry weight of tubers (15.5 and 14.0%, respectively) in relation to the well-known cultivars ‘Diamant’ and ‘Brilliant’ (10.3 and 10.6%, respectively). A significantly higher amount of essential oils was found in the leaves of the new cultivar ‘NOV2231 AG’ (0.95 cm3 100 g(‑1) DW) compared to ‘Diamant’, ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Phoenix’. The highest total phenolic content was determined in tubers of the new cultivars ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Kompakt’ (0.73 and 0.69 mg GAE g(‑1) FW, respectively). The lowest concentrations of Ca, S, Mn, and Sr, Cd and Ba were determined in the leaves of ‘NOV2231 AG’. In general, all the new cultivars tested (with the exception of ‘AG1101’) had a lower tuber weight but a significantly higher concentration of flavonoids and total phenols in the roots in relation to the well-known cultivars ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Diamant’. Except for ‘NOV2231 AG’, the tubers of the new cultivars were characterized by a higher dry mass compared to ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Diamant’. The leaves of the new cultivars were notable for the lowest Ca and Mg content in comparison with the well-known commercial cultivars.

Assessment of New Sweet Cherry Cultivars Released at RSFG Iaşi, Romania

The research concerning the improvement of the cherry assortment, the cultivars’ quality and the avoiding of market crowding with fresh cherries only on a short term are extremely important objectives for cherries’ breeding. To accomplish some of these objectives, during 1981-2017, hybridization and selection of hybrids were performed at the Research Station for Fruit Growing Iași (RSFG Iași), in the N-E part of Romania, concluding with a series of promising hybrid selections. They have been grafted, planted and studied in trial fields. Therefore, during 1994-2016, RSFG Iași released 28 sweet cherry cultivars with high quality fruits and different maturation stages. In the studies performed during 2014-2017, there were analysed three new sweet cherry cultivars (‘Elaiaşi’, ‘Muşatini’ and ‘Croma’), obtained through controlled hybridization. The comparison of these new cultivars was performed against ‘Van’, used as control, this being a well-known cultivar in the orchards from the study area. Observations and measurements concerning the main phenological stages, natural fertility, physical features, organoleptic, quality and chemical traits of fruit were registered. The cultivars with the biggest dimensions of the fruits were ‘Elaiaşi’ and ‘Croma’ (with a weight between 8.9 and 9.4 g and a fruits’ diameter between 25.2 and 26.6 mm), having significantly larger dimensions in comparison with ‘Van’. In the new investigated cherry cultivars, the values of soluble solids content were comprised between 17.0 and 20.2 °Brix, titratable acidity was between 0.46 - 0.57 mg of malic acid 100 mL-1 juice and the total polyphenols content was recorded between 382.87 - 780.25 mg GAE 100 mL-1 of fresh juice.
 
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 In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.
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Nickel Effect on Pomegranate Cracking, Nutrient Concentrations, and Biochemical Parameters of Pomegranate Peel

A field experiment was conducted in a pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) orchard of the well-known cultivars Wonderful and Acco, located in the farm of Aristotle University. The trees were sprayed, every 15 days from flowering (April) to fruit maturation (September), with solutions containing 0, 25, 50, 100 μm Ni, and 100 μm Ni + 100 μm B prepared with Ni(NO3)2·6H2O and boric acid. Leaves and fully ripe fruits were initially sorted into cracked and uncracked ones, then further separated into peel and seeds, sampled, and analyzed. Nickel sprays were effective in controlling fruit splitting as well as Ca and Mg concentration of fruit peels. The correlation between cracking level and Ni concentration in solution was linear and negative. Cracking percentage with 50 μm Ni was lower in ‘Wonderful’, whereas no difference was recorded between the cultivars in the remaining treatments. Leaves had the smallest Ni concentration compared with fruit peel and seeds. Calcium concentration of pomegranate peels was higher than that of control peel at 50 μm Ni in ‘Wonderful’. Concerning ‘Acco’, the treatments 25 μm Ni, 50 μm Ni, and 100 μm Ni + 100 μm B reduced Ca concentration, compared with control. ‘Wonderful’ fruit peel contained more phenolics than ‘Acco’. The treatments 25, 50, and 100 μm Ni increased significantly the flavonoid concentration of fruit peels. The antioxidant capacity ferric-reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) was linearly increased with Ni concentration in solution in ‘Wonderful’, whereas in ‘Acco’ it decreased at 25 and 50 μm Ni. Our data indicates that improving Ni nutrition of pomegranate can potentially reduce crop loss due to cracking and modified phenol and flavonoid concentration and FRAP value of fruit peel.

The value of alien representatives of Prunus L. genus for flowering cherries breeding

Aim. The necessity to search for sources and donors of deficit features for east cherry tree breeding (sakura) and to classify the collection of this promising woody ornamental plant for domestic horticulture determined the conduction of our research. Methods. The availability of some representatives of sakura collection of NDP «Sofiyivka» for breeding was studied with conventional methods, namely, flower color, intensity and duration of flowering, fruit attractiveness, form of a tree crown, vigor and other traits, which determine plant attractiveness for gardens, parks and street plantations, were estimated. Results. Among sakura cultivars which present interest for breeding and are characterized by high ornamental nature along with their adaptability to the conditions of most of the regions in Ukraine, such well-known cultivars as ‘Ama-no-gawa’, ‘Kanzan’, ‘Kiku-shidare-zakura’ and ‘Royal Burgundy’ are to be mentioned. Despite the information concerning the feasibility of spontaneous and the success of artificial intercultivar and interspecific hybridization of Prunus serrulata with other cultivars and other Prunus s. l. genera, at present we have not received P. serrulata hybrids. Conclusions. To enhance the breeding productivity of flowering cherry tree, namely hybridization efficiency of P. serrulata with donors and sources of ornamental traits, it is advisable to involve new initial material on a wide genetic basis not only by economic-valuable features, but also considering the cases of S-genes genetic incompatibility.
 Keywords: Amygdaloideae Arn., Prunus sensu lato, initial material for breeding, gametophytic self-incompatibility, oriental flowering cherries (sakura).

Volatile compounds from different fruit parts of two cultivars of Cydonia oblonga

Quince is characterized as a fragrant fruit which, unlike other pomes (apple, pear), is not used for fresh consumption due to its astringency and compactness, but only in its processed form (jams, jelly, distillery products, and nutraceutical compounds). As a consequence, there is little knowledge currently available concerning the characteristics of the fruit, and in particular its aromatic and chemotaxonomic patterns. In this work, carpometric, chemometric and spectrophotometric measurements were performed on quince fruits. VOCs emitted by different tissues or parts of the fruit were studied to describe its aromatic profile. The study was carried out on the fruits of an old, well-known cultivar (‘Gigante di Wranja’, commonly called ‘Wranja’) and a new Tuscan accession. Intact, halved and solely pulp (cubed) samples were evaluated for each individual fruit. Data obtained from VOC analysis through Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) were evaluated by multivariate statistical analysis. The spectra obtained from the intact fruit samples showed a higher amount of masses corresponding to terpenes or terpenoid compounds, which fundamentally characterize the aroma of this type of fruit; these substances were found to be much less present in the VOCs emitted by the pulp, where high values of masses linked to the maturation processes were instead found.

Properties of New Strawberry Lines Compared with Well-Known Cultivars in Winter Planting System Conditions

In Southern Italy and Sicily, strawberry cultivation is dominated by international cultivars such as ‘Candonga Sabrosa’, ‘Florida Fortuna’, ‘Sabrina’ and ‘Sant Andreas’. The primary objective of our study was to compare the field performance of two experimental lines and four established cultivars in a Sicilian representative strawberry production area. The second objective was to compare the fruits physic-chemical nutraceutical characteristics of these genotypes in response to different postharvest fruit storage temperatures. A supporting genetic analysis, via SSR markers, was also performed in order to establish genotype correlations. Our study confirmed the high result of ‘Florida Fortuna’ in terms of earliness and productivity and the high performance of ‘Candonga Sabrosa’ in terms of total soluble content and fruit firmness. The new lines ‘PA1’ and ‘PA2’ showed satisfying results. However, the new line ‘PA2’, might deserve particular attention by growers involved in strawberry early fruit production in Mediterranean areas both for its yield performance and fruit quality characteristics. This study also showed that a 4 °C fruit storage temperature treatment for 36 hours positively affects the physical and chemical quality properties of strawberry fruits, whereas overall quality declines at 20 °C storage. According to the genetic characterization, ‘PA2’ was closely related to ‘Candonga Sabrosa’ and ‘Florida Fortuna’.

Evolutionary Insights Based on SNP Haplotypes of Red Pericarp, Grain Size and Starch Synthase Genes in Wild and Cultivated Rice.

The origin and domestication of rice has been a subject of considerable debate in the post-genomic era. Rice varieties have been categorized based on isozyme and DNA markers into two broad cultivar groups, Indica and Japonica. Among other well-known cultivar groups Aus varieties are closer to Indica and Aromatic varieties including Basmati are closer to Japonica, while deep-water rice varieties share kinship to both Indica and Japonica cultivar groups. Here, we analyzed haplotype networks and phylogenetic relationships in a diverse set of genotypes including Indian Oryza nivara/Oryza rufipogon wild rice accessions and representative varieties of four rice cultivar groups based on pericarp color (Rc), grain size (GS3) and eight different starch synthase genes (GBSSI, SSSI, SSIIa, SSIIb, SSIIIa, SSIIIb, SSIVa, and SSIVb). Aus cultivars appear to have the most ancient origin as they shared the maximum number of haplotypes with the wild rice populations, while Indica, Japonica and Aromatic cultivar groups showed varying phylogenetic origins of these genes. Starch synthase genes showed higher variability in cultivated rice than wild rice populations, suggesting diversified selection during and after domestication. O. nivara/O. rufipogon wild rice accessions belonging to different sub-populations shared common haplotypes for all the 10 genes analyzed. Our results support polyphyletic origin of cultivated rice with a complex pattern of migration of domestication alleles from wild to different rice cultivar groups. The findings provide novel insights into evolutionary and domestication history of rice and will help utilization of wild rice germplasm for genetic improvement of rice cultivars.

Innovational trends in apple breeding and fruit quality

The innovational trends in apple breeding include the development of triploid scab immune apple cultivars. The long-term phytopathological and biological studies made it possible to develop approximately 20 first home scab immune apple cultivars and include them in the State Register of Breeding Successes. For the first time in Russia and in the world, the biological and cytoembryological studies favored the development of a number of triploid cultivars that are characterized by high marketability and better biochemical composition of fruit in comparison with well-known old cultivars and diploid scab nonimmune cultivars of VNIISPK breeding.

In silico mining of EST-SSRs in Arachis hypogaea L. and their utilization for genetic structure and diversity analysis in cultivars/breeding lines in Odisha, India

A total of 26,685 unutilized public domain expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of Arachis hypogaea L. were analyzed to give a total of 4442 EST-SSRs, in which 517 ESTs contained more than one simple sequence repeat (SSR). Of these EST-SSRs, 2542 were mononucleotide repeats (MNRs), 803 were dinucleotide repeats (DNRs), 1043 were trinucleotide repeats (TNRs), 40 were tetranucleotide repeats (TtNRs), six were pentanucleotide repeats (PNRs) and eight were hexanucleotide repeats (HNRs). Out of these 4442 EST-SSRs, only 1160 were found to be successful in non-redundant primer design; 1060 were simple SSRs, while the remaining 100 were compound forms. Among all the motifs, MNRs were abundant, followed by TNRs and DNRs. The AAG/CTT motif was the most abundant (~33 %) TNR, while AG/CT was the most abundant DNR. For redundancy and novelty, a stringent criterion deploying three different strategies was used and a total of 782 novel EST-SSRs were added to the public domain of peanut. These novel EST-SSR markers will be useful for qualitative and quantitative trait mapping, marker-assisted selection and genetic diversity studies in cultivated peanut as well as related Arachis species. A subset of 30 novel EST-SSRs was further randomly selected for validation and genotyping studies with eight well-known cultivars and 32 advanced breeding lines (ADBX lines, ADBY lines and ADBZ lines) from Odisha state, India. The number of polymorphic markers among accessions of A. hypogaea was low; however, a set of informative EST-SSR markers detected considerable levels of genetic variability in peanut cultivars and uncharacterized breeding lines collected from Odisha. The 30 newly developed EST-SSRs from Arachis spp. showed ~97 % amplification in Cicer arientinum and 93 % in pigeon pea. Thus, the EST-SSRs developed in this study will be a very useful asset for genetic analysis, comparative genome mapping, population genetic structure and phylogenetic inferences among wild and allied species of Arachis.

Chilling Tolerance Modulates Low Temperature Induced Photosynthesis Changes in Zizania latifolia Turcz

Zizania latifolia Turcz is a delicious aquatic vegetable cultivated in southern and eastern Asian. This study aimed at providing the mechanisms underlying chilling tolerance in Zizania latifolia Turcz using two well-known cultivars: Longjiao 2 and 911, which are chilling tolerant and sensitive, respectively. Plants were harvested at different time points and analyzed by physiological methods. We found that severe cold stress induced photosynthesis inhibition (5 ℃) resulted from non-stomatal factors. However, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) of the cultivar Longjiao 2 were higher than that of 911 with more gradual variations. Six parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence including latent activity of PSII (Fv/F0), efficiency of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm), photochemical quenching (qP), non-photochemical quenching (qN), quantum yield of electric transport (Yield) and the ratio of electric transport at PSII (ERT) were analyzed in the two Zizania latifolia T. varieties. We found that Longjiao 2 had higher Fv/Fm and qN than “911” while qP values were only slightly different for the two lines. In our experiments, Yield and ERT changed in the same fashion in both Longjiao 2 and In addition, the ability of heat dissipation of Longjiao 2 was higher than that found in 911. These data suggest that Zizania latifolia Turcz induces chilling tolerance by modulating critical pathways including photosynthesis and energy dissipation.

Frost resistance of grapevine cultivars of different origin

The tests of resistance to low temperature which included a large number of grapevine cultivars showed that the cultivars bore sign of their ecological-geographical and genetic origins with respect to the resistance to low temperature. The tests, conducted over several years, consisted of exposing cuttings of annual shoots to low temperature in a cold chamber. The tests were repeated three times each winter, following the uniform method and time, in order to be able to distinguish relative differences in the degree of resistance between the cultivars tested. Most cultivars from Western Europe ( occidentalis NEGR., gallica NEM.) had a high degree of resistance to low temperature. They tended to reach the peak of the resistance in mid winter. The cultivars from the continental part of the Balkans ( pontica NEGR, balcanica NEGR.) were unanimously sensitive to low temperature. The cultivars from the warm Mediterranean climate of Southern Europe ( pontica NEGR., balcanica NEGR and occidentalis NEGR, iberica NEM.) were still more sensitive than the cultivars in the previously mentioned group. The wine cultivars developed from interspecific crosses of European grapevines and American species exhibited a high degree of resistance in the middle and at the end of winter while the hybrids vinifera x amurensis were highly resistant at the beginning and in the middle of winter. Both groups can be used as donors of resistance to low temperature in programs of breeding cold hardy grapevine cultivars. The tested table cultivars were found to be sensitive to low temperature, with the exception of the well-known cultivars Muscat Hamburg and Chasselas and the new cultivars Strugurash and Moldova.