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A rice hybrid is the product of a cross between two genetically distinct inbred lines. Owing to yield heterosis in rice hybrids, hybrid rice breeding has been developed and widely used in agriculture. In some cases, the hybrid F1 lines show extremely late flowering. However, the genetic basis of the phenomenon is not very clear. In this study, two hybrids were found to have heading date of ~ 130 days

The low seedling rate of rice caused by submergence in the process of rice direct seeding has always been an important factor limiting the popularization of rice direct seeding technology. Improving the tolerance of rice to submergence stress will benefit the production of rice and the promotion of direct seeding technology. In this study, we determined the submergence coleoptile length (SCL), submergence

Seed yield is one of the main limitations in hybrid rice production. The improvement of stigma exsertion rate (SER) of male sterility lines is essential for the higher seed yield in hybrid rice. Wild rice species are valuable germplasms with exserted stigma. It is worthy of mining-related genes for SER in wild rice species, as well as probing the way to use the beneficial genes in rice breeding. In

Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a wildly cultivated C4 cereal crop in many geographical regions and differs among germplasms in a number of important physiological traits. Lignin is a complex heteropolymer found in plant cell walls that adversely affects economic and environmental benefits of the crop. To understand the genetic basis, we re-sequenced the genomes of 206 sorghum accessions

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of plant-specific steroid hormones and play an essential role in plant growth and development. The DWARF4 (DWF4) gene encodes a C-22 hydroxylase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme in BR biosynthesis pathway. Here, the DWF4 (ZmDWF4) in maize (Zea mays L.), the ortholog of Arabidopsis DWF4 (CYP90B1), was transformed into elite inbred Q319 and driven maize ubiquitin promoter

Unfortunately, in the final version of this article the original Table 6 was not included in the proofing step and the Table 5 was duplicated.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) threatens soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) production and seed quality worldwide. Host plant resistance is the most environmentally friendly and economically effective method to deduce the damages of SMV. However, the use of limited resistant loci in SMV management will be conquered due to SMV strain shifts caused by evolutionary arms races. Thus, exploration of novel germplasms

Thousand grain weight (TGW) is one of the three crucial determinants of wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain yield. The identification of functional genes and development of closely linked markers are urgently needed for wheat yield improvements. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for TGW was carried out using one RIL population in four environments. A total of 8 QTL controlling TGW were

Kernel width (KW) is a key determinant of kernel weight and an important selection trait during the maize domestication and improvement. KW is a complex quantitative trait that is controlled by many quantitative trait loci (QTL) with minor effects, but the underlying genes for KW using natural variation remain rarely reported in maize. In this study, using advanced backcross populations from the cross

Three gene promoters from the model legume species Medicago truncatula and Medicago sativa (alfalfa) pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins (MtPR5, MtPR10, and MsPR10) were isolated and investigated using in silico and in situ approaches. For the functional analysis of these promoters, plant transformation vectors linking promoter sequences with the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene were constructed

To identify genes associated with genic male sterility (GMS) that are useful for hybrid breeding in Brassica crops, we analyzed the “ms77B” strain, which is a spontaneous turnip GMS mutant derived from a cv. 77B population. Previously, we reported that the GMS phenotype of ms77B is caused by a single gene with sterility as the recessive trait. To identify the causative gene of GMS in ms77B, we performed

The introduction of semi-dwarf cereal crop varieties in the 1960s enabled extensive increases in global food production. Semi-dwarf barley cultivars have shorter stature and improved stress resistance, grain yield and quality than tall varieties. The major semi-dwarf genes, sdw1 and ari-e, have been widely used in barley breeding programmes worldwide. In this study, we identified a novel sdw1 allele

Plant aquaporins (AQPs) are subdivided into eight groups: PIPs, NIPs, GIPs, HIPs, XIPs, LIPs, TIPs, and SIPs. However, the genetic function and physiological mechanisms of the SIP group in abiotic stress response in plants remains unknown. In this study, we cloned and characterized a banana SIP group AQP gene, designated MaSIP2-1. MaSIP2-1 showed upregulation after osmotic, salt, and cold treatments

Meloidogyne graminicola is one of the most important plant-parasitic nematodes in rice. Breeding for natural resistance and tolerance is considered one of the most economical and sustainable approaches to control this damaging pathogen. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was carried out in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between the Asian rice genotypes IR78877-208-B-1-2

Male sterile lines are important for hybrid seed production in Brassica rapa. In our previous study, we obtained a multiple-allele inherited male sterile line of Chinese cabbage. To identify the male sterile gene Ms in B. rapa, we used B. rapa L. var. chinensis (‘AB03’; MsMs) and B. rapa var. purpuraria (‘AB04’; MsfMsf) as parents to construct an F2 segregating population, and mapped the Ms gene on

Pod number is an important component of yield in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), and pods are unevenly distributed in the upper, middle and lower parts of the plant. Here, linkage analysis combined with genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify 20 pod number-related traits in four-way recombinant inbred lines (FW-RILs) derived from crosses between the four soybean varieties (Kenfeng

Gray leaf spot (GLS), caused by the fungal pathogen Cercospora zeae-maydis, is one of the most serious foliar diseases of maize worldwide. In the present study, a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a gray leaf spot–resistant inbred line Qi319 and a susceptible line Ye478 was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for GLS resistance. For initial QTL analysis, genetic maps

Flag leaf traits influence wheat yield by affecting photosynthetic capacity and plant architecture. In this study, flag leaf traits over 4 years in Chinese common wheat were investigated for genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis using the wheat 90 K SNP array. A total of 618 significant SNPs were identified in 9 environments and 36 of them are significant in at least three environments and

In peach, pollen sterility, expressed as absence of pollen in the anthers, segregates as an undesired trait in breeding programs. Pollen fertility screening in progenies is not a common practice mainly because it does not affect fruit set since cross-pollination is frequent. It is also a time-consuming activity that coincides with the busy pollination season. Segregation for this trait could be avoided

Development of functional pollen grains in plants is regulated through complex genetic networks and environmental clues. The ubiquitin-26S proteasome system is important in the post-translational modification of intracellular proteins, and the system includes the ubiquitin activating (E1), ubiquitin conjugating (E2), and ubiquitin ligase (E3) enzymes. Here, a novel plant U-box-containing cDNA was isolated

Root system architecture (RSA) has positive effects on wheat growth and its yield performance. As root features are difficult to manipulate through conventional breeding strategies, marker-trait association (MTA) could be helpful for the improvement of RSA. In the present study, 112 durum wheat genotypes were investigated for several root system features as well as some agronomic traits. The population

Pythium sylvaticum is one of the most prevalent and aggressive Pythium species causing seedling and root rot of soybean. In this study, two recombinant inbred line populations (POP1 and POP2) and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) panel were used for mapping loci conferring partial resistance to P. sylvaticum in soybean using a greenhouse assay. POP1 (“E09014” × “E05226-T”) and POP2 (“E05226-T” × ‘E09088”)

Phakopsora pachyrhizi is an obligatory biotrophic fungus that causes Asian soybean rust (ASR) disease. ASR control primarily involves chemical control and the use of resistant soybean cultivars carrying an Rpp (resistance to P. pachyrhizi) gene. This study aimed to characterize the ASR resistance of three soybean Asian landraces. By screening the world core collection (WC) of soybean, which consists

Flowering time is an important agronomic trait, which is of great significance to the plant growth process. Salicylic acid (SA) is a key hormone that regulates plant growth and development. It can be converted into methyl salicylate (MeSA) catalyzed by SA carboxymethyl transferase (SAMT). Previous studies showed that SA was related to the regulation of plant flowering; however, the specific mechanism

The panicle erectness (PE) japonica cultivars have been widely planted in China. However, the relatively low yield level per plant and inferior eating and cooking quality of PE japonica cultivars are needed to improve further. In present study, a typical PE japonica cultivar, Nanjing 46, was selected as target for improving yield and grain quality by the way of introgression of Gn1a, qPC-1, and sd1

Grain size and shape are important for grain yield and quality in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Grain thickness (GT) is one of the constituent characteristics of grain shape and has a strong influence on grain weight in rice. In this study, a japonica cultivar (02428) with a thick grain phenotype was crossed with an indica cultivar (YZX) with a thin grain phenotype to construct a set of 192 recombinant inbred

In common wheat, genes/QTL for a number of traits including grain quality and resistance against all the three rusts were pyramided in the background of an erstwhile elite Indian wheat cv. PBW343. For this purpose, two improved lines (P1 and P2) each in the background of PBW343 were crossed; these two lines were earlier developed using marker-assisted selection (MAS). The genes carried by line “P1”

Plant morphogenetic regulation is an important part of plant development biology. An ideal plant architecture can be created to allow plant to fully capture and use solar energy and maximize rice yields per unit area. The TCP (THEOSINTE BRANCHCHED1-CYCLOIDEA-PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR1) family transcription factors participate in plant developmental processes associated with cell proliferation and growth

Soil salinity is widespread in rice-producing areas globally, restricting both vegetative growth and grain yield. Improving salt tolerance of rice is a promising approach to meet the increasing food demand. An extensive literature survey indicates that maintaining proper Na+/K+ ratio and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content is the key issues for rice adaption to salt stress. In this review, distinctive

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an important agronomic crop and model system for studies of plant-pathogen interactions. Black shank, caused by Phytophthora nicotianae, is an important disease affecting tobacco production worldwide. In this study, a mapping population of 177 F7:8-9 recombinant inbred lines was generated from a cross between the highly resistant cultivar ‘Yunyan 85’ and a susceptible

Rice false smut (RFS), caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, is one of the most destructive grain diseases in rice production worldwide. Hence, to increase the ability of rice resistance to U. virens is a major breeding goal of rice breeders. However, it is difficult to evaluate rice resistance to U. virens. Hence, to clarify the RFS-resistance genetic mechanism is of great significance. In this study,

Hybrid rice breeding offers an important strategy to improve rice production, and therefore is crucial for ensuring worldwide food security. Purity of hybrids is a key factor in keeping the high production of hybrid rice. While another important thing is mechanical weeding of hybrid rice, which could greatly release labor from laborious work and cut the production cost. Both of these two problems could

Cold stress is a major abiotic factor that inhibits soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) yield. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are prevalent endogenous gene regulators in eukaryotes that can cleave target messenger RNAs and play essential roles in soybean cold response. In this study, 105 genes, including 22 pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) genes and 4 growth-related genes, were predicted to be the target genes of

Leaf morphology varies significantly among Brassica juncea. However, little is known regarding the causal gene that controls lobed leaf shape in B. juncea. In our study, the BjRCO gene, which is associated with leaf morphological variation, was cloned from chromosome A10 in B. juncea via BSR-seq. Blast analysis suggested that the BjRCO encodes a HD-Zip I transcription factor, which may serve as a positive

Rice is one of most important crops in the world and is also the most advanced crop for breeding among cereal crops. Generally, rice is grown in lowland and flood-prone areas due to its ability to survive in semiaquatic environments. To adapt to excess water conditions, rice has developed specialized anatomical and morphological traits such as aerenchyma, radial oxygen loss barriers, adventitious roots

Pod dehiscence is a key trait in legumes due to its relevance for seed dispersal and yield losses. Although transcriptional networks controlling dehiscence have been well explored in cereal crops and models, such as Arabidopsis, our knowledge on molecular control of the trait in legumes is relatively limited. In chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), the identification of major and minor genes controlling

Molecular markers are efficient and essential genotyping tools for molecular breeding and genetic analysis of rice. We developed two 96-plex indica–japonica single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping sets for genetic analysis and molecular breeding in rice using the Fluidigm platform. Informative SNPs between indica and japonica were selected from SNP data of the Rice Diversity database, HapRice

High cane yield and commercially extractable sucrose (CCS) content are two of the key sugarcane commercial traits selected in sugarcane breeding programs. Advancements in genomic prediction may provide opportunities to speed up gains for these traits in breeding programs by combining accurate prediction of breeding values in candidate parent clones shortening generation intervals. Selection trials

Low temperature (LT) is a key environmental stress affecting the growth, development, yield, and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). To better understand the genetic basis of cold tolerance in wheat, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of low-temperature tolerance at the seedling stage. A total of 543 accessions were genotyped by high-density 90K Illumina iSelect single nucleotide

Plant height directly affects the lodging resistance and yield of rice, a staple food for almost half the world’s population. To investigate the molecular mechanism of plant height development, a dwarf and brittle mutant dbc1 was obtained from the progeny of Ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS) treated indica restorer line Jinhui10. Cultivated in the paddy field, the dbc1 had a decreased plant height from

Until now, no distinct heterotic groups have been established in many rapeseed-growing countries. Numerous modern breeding lines with desirable seed quality have been developed but the loss of genetic diversity would be problematic. Simple sequence repeat markers covering all 19 B. napus linkage groups were used to evaluate the genetic diversity and to classify the heterotic groups of 169 Chinese semi-winter

Exploitation of heterosis is an efficient strategy to increase crop production, improve quality, and enhance resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, heterosis shows significant genetic × environment effects. Nitrogen is an important nutrient that affects crop development and grain yield. Hybrid maize performs significantly and differently depending on the nitrogen conditions, but the genetic

Previous studies have indicated the potential role of a TIFY family gene, GsJAZ2, for its response to alkaline stress in Arabidopsis. Here, we transformed GsJAZ2 into an elite soybean (Glycine max) using particle bombardment-based genetic transformation system to assess whether overexpression of GsJAZ2 in soybean improved alkaline tolerance. Results revealed that transgenic soybean overexpressing GsJAZ2

The analysis of association between genotypic markers and phenotypic traits allows identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), which can be applied through marker-assisted selection in breeding programs to improve the quality of crops. However, success in these applications depends primarily on the stability and dominance of the QTL. We previously identified a significant fiber length (FL) QTL

Genetic control and location of QTLs associated with phytochemical compounds and fruit quality in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] were evaluated using an F2 mapping population (ZC2) derived from cross between ‘Zin Dai’ × ‘Crimson Lady’. Antioxidant capacity, accumulation of phenolic compounds (total phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins), and fruit quality traits (fruit diameter, fruit weight

As a food consumed by more than half of the world’s population, rice (Oryza sativa) has always been a hot spot in plant science research. The three most important agronomic traits of rice, the yield, plant height, and flowering time, are controlled by many quantitative trait locus (QTLs). In this study, a newly identified QTL, qHD19, was found to be controlled by a single recessive gene. Using two

Phosphorus (P) is essential for the growth and development of plants, playing crucial roles in energy acquisition, storage and utilization, regulation of enzyme activities, and yield formation. Therefore, P deficiency in soil is a main factor restricting crop production. The main reason is that crop yields depend on photosynthesis which is vulnerable to low P stress. Thus, it is important to study

Crown rot of wheat and barley is a serious disease caused by the fungus Fusarium pseudograminearum, a stubble-borne pathogen common in no-till farming systems in water-limited grain growing regions. Marker assisted recurrent selection (MARS) was used to more effectively pyramid minor genes controlling plant response to crown rot disease. Two populations comprising 475 genotypes were phenotyped for

Heading date, a complex quantitative trait, determines regional adaptability and is associated with grain yield and quality in rice. In this study, we characterized qHd2-1, a minor-effect quantitative locus (QTL) for promoting heading date (by 3–4 days) under long-day (LD) conditions, but not short-day (SD) conditions. The qHd2-1 locus was detected in single segment substitution line (SSSL) N22-1,

Clubroot is a destructive soil-borne pathogen of Brassicaceae that causes significant recurrent reductions in yield of cruciferous crops. Although there is some resistance in oilseed rape (a crop type of the species Brassica napus), the genetic basis of that resistance is poorly understood. In this study, we used an associative transcriptomics approach to elucidate the genetic basis of resistance to

Annigeri 1 and JG 74 are elite high yielding desi cultivars of chickpea with medium maturity duration and extensively cultivated in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, respectively. Both cultivars, in recent years, have become susceptible to race 4 of Fusarium wilt (FW). To improve Annigeri 1 and JG 74, we introgressed a genomic region conferring resistance against FW race 4 (foc4) through marker-assisted

Selecting high-yielding wheat cultivars with more productive tillers per unit area (PTN) combined with more fertile spikelets per spike (fSNS) is difficult. QTL mapping of these traits may aid understanding of this bottleneck and accelerate precision breeding for high yield via marker-assisted selection. PTN and fSNS were assessed in four to five trials from 2015 to 2017 in a doubled haploid population

Species misclassification (misidentification) and handling errors have been frequently reported in various plant species conserved at diverse gene banks, which could restrict use of germplasm for correct purpose. The objectives of the present study were to (i) determine the extent of genotyping error (reproducibility) on DArTseq-based single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs); (ii) determine the proportion

The high content of carotenoids, sugars, dry matter, vitamins and minerals makes the fruit of winter squash (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) a valuable fresh-market vegetable and an interesting material for the food industry. Due to their nutritional value, long shelf-life and health protective properties, winter squash fruits have gained increased interest from researchers in recent years. Despite these

One of the most important cucumber diseases is bacterial angular leaf spot (ALS), whose increased occurrence in open-field production has been observed over the last years. To map ALS resistance genes, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population was developed from a narrow cross of cucumber line Gy14 carrying psl resistance gene and susceptible B10 line. Parental lines and RILs were tested under

Breeding for resistance against the destructive fire blight disease of apples is the most sustainable strategy to control the menace of this disease, and has become increasingly important in European apple breeding programs. Since most cultivars are susceptible, wild accessions have been explored for resistance with quantitative trait loci detected in a few wild species. Fire blight resistance of Malus

Adult plant resistance against plant pathogens is of interest as a means to achieve durable resistance. Prior to this research, the barley lines CLE210 (from Uruguay) and Denar (from the Czech Republic) had been reported to exhibit adult-plant resistance against powdery mildew. Here, populations of doubled haploid lines from crosses of these lines with the susceptible cultivar Baudin were evaluated

Cowpea is one of the most important crops in West Africa and is essential for the region's food and nutrition security and economic development. Consequently, improving its agronomic performance and yield is a desirable goal. Brown blotch disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum capsici, is an important constraint of cowpea productivity, and at present, only limited genetic resources are

Advances in molecular biology have improved crops through transferring genes from one organism to new hosts, and these efforts have raised concerns about potential unexpected outcomes. Here, we provide evidence that a gene with a specific function in one organism can yield completely different effects in a new host. CaRZFP1 is a C3HC4-type RING zinc finger protein gene previously isolated from a cDNA