Multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) populations have recently been developed to allow the high‐resolution mapping of complex quantitative traits. This article describes the development of one MAGIC population and verifies its potential application for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in Brassica juncea. A total of 170 RILs were genotyped using 346 intron length polymorphism (ILP)

One of the most important diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare) is powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Spring barley line 173‐1‐2 was selected from a Moroccan landrace and revealed broad‐spectrum resistance to powdery mildew. The objective of this study was to map and characterize the gene for seedling powdery mildew resistance in this line. After crossing with the susceptible

Production and health traits are central in cattle breeding. Advances in next-generation sequencing technologies and genotype imputation have increased the resolution of gene mapping based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Thus, numerous candidate genes that affect milk yield, milk composition, and mastitis resistance in dairy cattle are reported in the literature. Effect-bearing variants

The coupling of appropriate sequencing strategies and imputation methods is critical for assembling large whole-genome sequence datasets from livestock populations for research and breeding. In this paper, we describe and validate the coupling of a sequencing strategy with the imputation method hybrid peeling in real animal breeding settings. We used data from four pig populations of different size

For assembling large whole-genome sequence datasets for routine use in research and breeding, the sequencing strategy should be adapted to the methods that will be used later for variant discovery and imputation. In this study, we used simulation to explore the impact that the sequencing strategy and level of sequencing investment have on the overall accuracy of imputation using hybrid peeling, a pedigree-based

Accurate hybrid prediction and knowledge about the relative contribution of general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) are of utmost importance for efficient hybrid breeding. We therefore evaluated 91 triticale single‐cross hybrids in field trials at seven environments for plant height, heading time, fresh biomass, dry matter content and dry biomass. Fresh and dry biomass showed the highest

Transgenic technologies have emerged as a powerful tool for crop improvement in terms of yield, quality, and quantity in many countries of the world. However, concerns also exist about the possible risks involved in transgenic crop cultivation. In this review, literature is analyzed to gauge the real intensity of the issues caused by environmental stresses in Pakistan. In addition, the research work

The cumulative weight of the evidence demonstrates the safety and equivalence of genetically engineered (GE) crops compared to the conventional varieties from which they have been derived. Confirmatory toxicology and animal nutrition studies have nevertheless become an expected/mandated component of GE crop safety assessments, despite the lack of additional value these studies provide for product safety

The impact of genetically modified plants on plant-associated and surrounding soil microorganisms is an uninvestigated area of environmental risk assessment. Biological markers such as lysine racemase, phosphomannose isomerase, and sulfadiazine are in use or suggested for use in plant genetic transformation technologies to confirm that the uptake of DNA has occurred. Similar to the effects of antibiotic-resistance

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a medicinal and industrial plant from the Asteraceae family that produces a variety of sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), most importantly bitter guaianolides: lactucin, lactucopicrin and 8-deoxylactucin as well as their modified forms such as oxalates. These compounds have medicinal properties; however, they also hamper the extraction of inulin - a very important food

Determining the gene actions governing the inheritance of traits of interest has paramount importance in designing a breeding approach to improve the progeny populations. This study was undertaken to determine the combining ability of nine selected parental lines in the F2/F3 segregating populations for low P tolerance. The experiment was laid out in an alpha lattice design in two locations, that is

Bovine paratuberculosis is a contagious disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), with adverse effects on animal welfare and serious economic consequences. Published results on host genetic resistance to MAP are inconsistent, mainly because of difficulties in characterizing the infection status of cows. The objectives of this study were to identify quantitative trait loci

Polyploidy is widespread in animals and especially in plants. Different kinds of ploidies exist, for example, hexaploidy in wheat, octaploidy in strawberries, and diploidy, triploidy, tetraploidy, and pseudo-tetraploidy (partly tetraploid) in fish. Triploid offspring from diploid parents occur frequently in the wild in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and, as with triploidy in general, the triploid individuals

Genomic selection in tea plant (Camellia sinensis) breeding has the potential to accelerate efficiency of choosing parents with desirable traits at the seedling stage. The study evaluated different genome‐enabled prediction models for black tea quality and drought tolerance traits in discovery and validation populations. The discovery population comprised of two segregating tea populations (TRFK St

Iron deficiency chlorosis is an important abiotic stress affecting groundnut production worldwide in calcareous and alkaline soils with a pH of 7.5–8.5. To identify genomic regions controlling iron deficiency chlorosis resistance in groundnut, the recombinant inbred line population from the cross TAG 24 × ICGV 86031 was evaluated for associated traits like visual chlorosis rating and SPAD chlorophyll

Plant height (PH) plays a very important role for plant breeding and also serves as a model trait to dynamic development study. The dynamic quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for PH of Agropyron Gaertn. was carried out in a cross‐pollination (CP) hybrid population of A. Gaertn. based on the phenotypic data of PH at different developmental stages in four year‐sites and the constructed single‐nucleotide

Grain yield and its component traits are essential targets in maize breeding. These traits are genetically complex and controlled by a large number of quantitative trait loci (QTL). The aim of this study was to compile reported QTL and major genes for grain yield and its component traits in a QTL atlas, as a valuable resource for the maize community. To this end, 1,177 QTL related to maize yield were

Rye is a multi‐purpose cereal crop grown in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Western Canada. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the diseases that have a severe negative impact on rye, but knowledge about FHB resistance at the genomic level is totally missing in rye. The objective of this study was to elucidate the genetic architecture of FHB resistance in winter rye using genome‐wide association

Elderberry fruits are a good source of minerals and antioxidants; however, the presence of anti‐nutrients like oxalates may limit their utilization. The presented study which involves chemical evaluation of numerous interspecific hybrids is based on a hypothesis that interspecific genetic recombination may significantly improve the production and the nutritional quality of elderberry fruits. The aim

The photoperiod/temperature‐sensitive genic male sterile (P/TGMS) character is important for use of heterosis in hybrid wheat. In the present study, the fertility of 172 doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from the cross between a P/TGMS wheat line BS366 and a restorer wheat line Baiyu149 was investigated under both fertile and sterile environments during three cropping seasons. The phenotype was recorded

Drought is a major abiotic stress affecting banana production worldwide, leading to yield losses of up to 65%. Consequently, numerous efforts to understand and mitigate drought effects that include developing tolerant crop varieties are ongoing in several banana breeding programmes. The breeding efforts, however, have been greatly slowed down by inherent banana problems (polyploidy and male or female

BACKGROUND Transforming large amounts of genomic data into valuable knowledge for predicting complex traits has been an important challenge for animal and plant breeders. Prediction of complex traits has not escaped the current excitement on machine-learning, including interest in deep learning algorithms such as multilayer perceptrons (MLP) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). The aim of this

BACKGROUND Skeletal damage is a challenge for laying hens because the physiological adaptations required for egg laying make them susceptible to osteoporosis. Previously, we showed that genetic factors explain 40% of the variation in end of lay bone quality and we detected a quantitative trait locus (QTL) of large effect on chicken chromosome 1. The aim of this study was to combine data from the commercial

BACKGROUND Understanding genetic architecture is essential for determining how traits will change in response to evolutionary processes such as selection, genetic drift and/or gene flow. In Atlantic salmon, age at maturity is an important life history trait that affects factors such as survival, reproductive success, and growth. Furthermore, age at maturity can seriously impact aquaculture production

BACKGROUND Genomic prediction (GP) is a method whereby DNA polymorphism information is used to predict breeding values for complex traits. Although GP can significantly enhance predictive accuracy, it can be expensive and difficult to implement. To help design optimum breeding programs and experiments, including genome-wide association studies and genomic selection experiments, we have developed SeqBreed

BACKGROUND Physical removal of individuals from groups causes reductions in group sizes and changes in group composition, which may affect the predictive ability of estimates of indirect genetic effects of animals on phenotypes of group mates. We hypothesized that including indirect genetic effects of culled animals and of animals without phenotypes in the analysis affects estimates of genetic parameters

BACKGROUND In animal breeding, identification of causative genetic variants is of major importance and high economical value. Usually, the number of candidate variants exceeds the number of variants that can be validated. One way of prioritizing probable candidates is by evaluating their potential to have a deleterious effect, e.g. by predicting their consequence. Due to experimental difficulties to

BACKGROUND Most fish breeding programs aim at improving growth rate and include feed conversion ratio (FCR) neither in the breeding goal nor in the selection index, although decreasing FCR is known to increase farm profit and decrease environmental impacts. This is because FCR is difficult to measure in fish that live in groups and FCR is assumed to have a favourable (negative) genetic correlation

BACKGROUND Breeding genetically hornless, i.e. polled, cattle provides an animal welfare-friendly and non-invasive alternative to the dehorning of calves. However, the molecular regulation of the development of horns in cattle is still poorly understood. Studying genetic characters such as polledness and scurs, can provide valuable insights into this process. Scurs are hornlike formations that occur

Genomic selection has been adopted in many plant breeding programmes. In this paper, we cover some aspects of information necessary before starting genomic selection. Spring oat and barley breeding data sets from commercial breeding programmes were studied using single, multitrait and trait‐assisted models for predicting grain yield. Heritabilities were higher when estimated using multitrait models

This study assesses the economic and environmental impacts that have arisen from the adoption and use of genetically modified (GM) cotton and maize in Colombia in the fifteen years since GM cotton was first planted in Colombia in 2003. A total of 1.07 million hectares have been planted to cotton and maize containing GM traits since 2003, with farmers benefiting from an increase in income of US $301

Banana is an important livelihood source for more than 12 million smallholder farmers in Uganda. Despite this contribution, its productivity continues to decline due to Banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW). Cultural practices have been deployed to effectively control BXW but require a continuous and timely application, thus, prompting scientists to develop genetically modified (GM) bananas which display BXW

BACKGROUND Linear type traits, which reflect the muscular characteristics of an animal, could provide insight into how, in some cases, morphologically very different animals can yield the same carcass weight. Such variability may contribute to differences in the overall value of the carcass since primal cuts vary greatly in price; such variability may also hinder successful genome-based association

BACKGROUND Microparasitic diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses. Genetic improvement of resistance to microparasitic diseases in breeding programs is desirable and should aim at reducing the basic reproduction ratio [Formula: see text]. Recently, we developed a method to derive the economic value of [Formula: see text] for macroparasitic diseases. In epidemiological models for microparasitic

Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is a relatively higher drought‐tolerant crop than common bean (P. vulgaris), serving as genetic resource for food and genetic enhancement of related legumes. Tepary bean production is hampered by cultivation of low yielding and abiotic stress‐susceptible cultivars. Targeted selection of agronomic, physiological and biochemical traits that maximizes yield

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide and is a model organism among cereal crops. Abiotic and biotic stresses are often present simultaneously and severely influence maize production, causing great yield losses worldwide. Therefore, the selection and cultivation of stress‐tolerant maize lines that adapt to various stresses is instrumental in addressing the problem of yield

To study the salt tolerance genetics of sorghum, 181 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were used to locate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying salt stress adaptability. Six traits, namely, plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), total biomass (TB), stem fresh weight (SFW), juice weight (JW) and Brix, were investigated under normal and salt stress conditions in two years. A total of 53 QTLs for the

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to the grain iron and zinc contents of brown rice were mapped by using a doubled haploid population derived from an intra‐japonica cross between 'Hwaseonchal' and 'Goami 2'. QTL–QTL, background–QTL, and background–background interactions and candidate genes that affect grain iron and zinc contents were preliminarily identified. Twenty‐one iron‐ and zinc‐related

BACKGROUND The availability of both pedigree and genomic sources of information for animal breeding and genetics has created new challenges in understanding how they can be best used and interpreted. This study estimated genetic variance components based on genomic information and compared these to the variance components estimated from pedigree alone in a population generated to estimate non-additive

Some sorghum cultivars are sensitive to organophosphate insecticides, which cause red to purple injury spots and, in severe cases, leaf death. Sensitivity to organophosphates is conditioned by a single locus on chromosome 5. We constructed a high‐density genetic map around the locus, termed osr, using DNA markers, and delimited osr to a 377‐kb region on the short arm of chromosome 5. Sequence analysis

High‐density marker‐based QTL mapping can serve as an effective strategy to identify novel genomic information to facilitate crop improvement. In this study, we genotyped an F2 population (KB12‐1 × PP12‐1) using a RAD‐seq approach and constructed a high‐density linkage map for radish. After a series of filtering procedures were performed, 17,124 SNPs and 3,336 indels with aa × bb genotyping were retained

Grain legumes being affordable sources of proteins, vitamins and essential micronutrients are key to human nutrition worldwide. However, frequent drought episodes present serious threat to grain legume production worldwide. Advances in legume omics in concert with evolving phenotyping and breeding techniques hold great promise to improve drought response of these crops. These resources could underpin

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are involved in regulation of gene expression in almost all plant and animal systems. In crop plants, a large number of miRNAs are now known, which regulate expression of genes controlling a variety of traits including yield and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Like protein‐coding genes, miRNA genes (MIRs) and their products (including

In recent years, plant molecular research on genetic mapping, gene tagging and cloning, and marker‐assisted selection (MAS) have gained importance in crop improvement programmes. In Capsicum, several inter‐ and intra‐specific genetic maps with wide distribution of markers covering the whole genome have been developed. Recently, whole genome of the hot pepper C. annuum, its wild progenitor C. annuum

Pvr4 locus, commonly associated with a co‐dominant CAPS marker, confers monogenic dominant resistance to potyvirus complex in Capsicum spp. Aiming to investigate whether the resistance found in resistant genotypes not bearing Pvr4 marker is due to allelism in the Pvr4 locus, or due to a new locus of the pvr series, segregation analyses of an F2 population obtained from a cross between two pepper lines

Rice is the most important cereal crop but is sensitive to salinity stress. Increased salinization is progressively reducing rice productivity, escalating calls for research to ensure sustainable food production. The genetic diversity available in cultivars provides a rich resource for discovering genes associated with salt tolerance which has not yet been sufficiently utilized. In this study, 54 QTLs

As one of the main rice establishment methods, direct seeding has the advantages of saving labour and reducing costs for farmers. However, the expansion of direct seeding has been constrained by poorly levelled fields, heavy rainfall and poor drainage after sowing. The development of cultivars with anaerobic germination tolerance could improve or overcome these shortcomings of most rice under flooding

Yellow mosaic disease, caused by wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV), is one of the most serious diseases of winter wheat in Japan and China. A single major QTL for WYMV resistance in the Japanese wheat variety 'Yumechikara', designated Q.Ymym, has been mapped on a 43.6 cM linkage block between the two markers Xcfd233 and Xgwm349 on chromosome 2D. We were able to obtain two recombinants within the block

Leaf is the main organ of photosynthetic reaction of plants. Studying the genetic mechanism that affects the leaf shape is very important for the improvement of maize production. In this study, a RIL population, derived from a cross between Ye478 and Qi319, was planted in four different environments, and six leaf morphological traits were measured, including the leaf angle of first leaf above ear,

Sorghum has unique advantage in terms of its climate resilience and its grain composition with beneficial bioactive compounds. It is a very good source of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and antioxidants. Breeding efforts for end‐use identity‐specific genotypes are required for increased profitability to the farmers. In this study, total polyphenol content (TPC) and free radical scavenging

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is a prospective bioethanol feedstock source. Four high‐biomass and sweet sorghum male lines and three grain sorghum female lines were intercrossed using Design II mating. Parents and hybrids were evaluated to (a) identify genetic sources to improve biofuel traits, and (b) determine the inheritance of biofuel and morpho‐agronomic traits. Total soluble sugars

Fusarium graminearum could cause serious yield loss of soybean. Host resistance could offer an economical and effective way to control F. graminearum. The aims of this study were to identify and confirm quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying resistance to F. graminearum, and to analyse the genetic effects of pyramid resistance QTL on resistance level. A total of 140 F2:14 recombinant inbred lines

With an objective of developing the induced mutants for superior productivity and resistance to foliar diseases in peanut, two introgression lines (IL‐3 and IL‐4) derived from ABK genomes of peanut were subjected to gamma and sodium azide mutagenesis. Evaluation of M1, M2 and M3 generations could identify foliar disease resistant and productive mutants. Large‐scale evaluation of M4 mutants during the

Cowpea is an important grain legume crop in Africa. Cowpea flowers are capable of self‐fertilization, which might be the most frequent type of reproduction. Nevertheless, the rate of cross‐pollination could vary between 1% and 10%, depending on the populations of bumblebees or domestic bees that are present, the climate and the cultivar. The aim of this study was to identify and assess the efficiency

In Arabidopsis thaliana, AtMYB76 is an MYB transcription factor that has been shown to play multiple roles in the biosynthesis of aliphatic glucosinolates and fatty acids. However, in Brassica napus, the role of BnaA10.SOI.a, an AtMYB76 orthologue, in the accumulation of seed lipids remains unclear. In the present study, we obtained the BnaA10.SOI.a coding domain sequence from the Brassica napus cultivar

In cucumber, the genetic basis of traits under domestication and/or diversifying selection is not well understood. Here, we reported QTL mapping for flowering time and fruit size‐related traits with segregating populations derived from a cultivated × wild cross. Phenotypic data of flowering time (FT), fruit size (FS), fruit number (FN) and fruit weight per plant (FW) were collected in multiple environments

The improvement of sugar‐related factors is associated with root traits in sugar beet. The objectives of the present study were to assess variations of sugar‐ and root yield (RY)‐related traits and to estimate general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities of several lines, testers and hybrids under various environmental conditions. A line × tester mating design was used to develop 28 hybrids

A mutation causing self‐fertility (SF) in perennial ryegrass was studied at the tetraploid level. The aim of this work was to determine a) whether SF remains functional in a tetraploid population and b) whether the SF mutation expresses dominance in heterozygous pollen grains. A tetraploidized plant carrying SF alleles was self‐pollinated to create a segregating F2 population. In the F2 individuals

Besides its popular refreshing value, tea is globally consumed as a potential health beverage. Health benefit traits primarily rely on some regulatory networks of different metabolic pathways. In tea, the trait‐specific simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are still insufficient, which could be used for marker‐assisted breeding technique. MicroRNAs are endogenous, non‐coding, short RNAs directly involved

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) infections can cause significant reduction in soybean yield and seed quality. Identifying SMV resistance genes in soybean and accordingly breeding resistant soybean varieties is an important approach to control soybean loss caused by SMV. Here, whole genome resequencing was performed on a pair of near‐isogenic line (NIL), one resistant (R) line and one susceptible (S) line