It would be helpful to have genomewide selection schemes that not only increase genetic gains, but that also achieve such gains within the same cost and same time currently required in breeding programs. My objective was to assess if and how two‐cycle genomewide selection can increase maize (Zea mays L.) genetic gains in a cost‐neutral and time‐neutral manner. As per industry sources, per‐unit costs

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is an important warm‐season grass for livestock in the southern USA. To be productive bermudagrass requires supplementary nitrogen (N). This two‐year study assessed whether N fertilization could be halved by introducing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or rhizoma peanut (RP; Arachis glabrata Benth.) into ‘Tifton‐85’ bermudagrass monocultures without compromising productivity

The agricultural industry is severely affected by low temperature due to its wide range of adverse impacts. This work aimed to elucidate the changes in fatty acid composition during cotton seed germination and the relationship of that change and germination characteristics. Three temperatures, T12 (15°C during the day/12°C at night), T18 (21°C during the day/18°C at night) and T25 (28°C during the

Breeding for resistance to Fusarium ear rot (FER) and fumonisin (FUM) contamination in maize is labor‐intensive, time‐consuming, and expensive. The objective of this study is to explore three possible ‘shortcuts’ to improve the efficiency of breeding for resistance to FER and FUM: relying on natural instead of artificial inoculation of Fusarium verticillioides, selecting inbred lines per se instead

Embrapa leads a breeding program for rice (Oryza sativa L.) since 1977, focusing on the rainfed upland and irrigated lowland cropping systems. Since the beginning of the program, a large amount of pedigree and phenotypic data was generated and used for immediate purposes. However, there were no systematic standards for data‐recording nor long‐term data preservation strategies, limiting the data to

Gibberellins (GA) are important hormones in the regulation of plant growth and development, especially plant dwarfism. In the present study, the leaf length and active gibberellin content of a dwarf mutant were lower than that of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) wild type, and the plant height of the dwarf mutant increased following the application of GA3. To gain insights into the GA metabolism

In the upper Midwest US where growing seasons are short, establishing winter annual cover crops following corn (Zea mays L.) is challenging. Winter camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] shows promise as a winter annual cover crop that can be dual cropped with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to help diversify the corn‐soybean rotation. This two‐year field study in southern and western Minnesota evaluated

Understanding the effects of grazing management on tillering dynamics of forage grasses may help identify management practices that optimize pasture production, stability, and ultimately persistence. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of two grazing frequencies (regrowth interrupted when the canopy was 70 cm tall or at 95% canopy light interception – LI95%) and two grazing intensities

Open‐pollinated varieties provide a number of benefits for organic and smallholder farmers, allowing them to save seed, conduct on‐farm selection, and maintain on‐farm crop genetic diversity. Synthetic open‐pollinated varieties provide advantages over traditional open pollinated varieties for such farmers. The objective of this research was to determine the usefulness of marker‐based prediction models

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) has unrealized potential as an alternative crop in many semiarid regions including central Argentina. Our objective was to relate how temperature and precipitation conditions with fall (5 June 2012 and 23 April 2013) and winter sowing (13 August 2012 and 20 August 2013) affected phenology, yield, yield components, and oil percent in four winter and eight spring‐type

Prolonged seedling age (PS) caused by delayed transplanting frequently occurs in double‐season rice, leading to a significant grain yield loss. However, it is not clear whether optimizing the seeding rate in the nursery and planting density in the field could compensate for this yield loss. Field experiments with two seedling age, two planting density, and two seeding rate treatments were conducted

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a multi‐purpose crop widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Characterizing cowpea phenotypes in germplasm collections is a crucial step to ensure future breeding efforts in the species. In this study, we estimated variance components and calculated genetic parameters for eight traits in 292 accessions from the University of California

New maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines are commonly evaluated based on the performance of their progeny when crossed to a single tester line from a different heterotic group (testcross), making tester choice critical. An alternative progeny test is pairing new lines between heterotic groups such that every parent is observed in one hybrid combination. This approach requires half the number of hybrids

Exploitation of plant density tolerance in sweet corn, including the use of density‐tolerant hybrids at plant densities that optimize economic returns (hereafter called ‘economic optimum plant density’), has the potential to improve profitability. Multiple experimental approaches, including artificially created root lodging events in field trials and natural root lodging events in growers’ fields,

To respond to the high demand for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber, constant enhancements by breeding or management are required. The study of the genetic progress shows the changes in traits over the years, providing information about the real contribution and benefits of breeding and management efforts. In order to estimate the genetic progress of nine upland cotton cultivars for the lowlands

Replacing portions of the fallow between sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) harvest and wheat (Triticum aestivum) planting with cover crops provides opportunity to increase productivity and profitability in dryland wheat‐sorghum‐fallow (W‐S‐F) cropping system. The objective of this study was to identify potential spring fallow replacement cover crops and management to optimize productivity and resource

Xinjiang is currently the most dominant cotton‐growing region in China, and it possesses abundant radiation resource. The cultivation techniques such as wide and narrow row‐spacing configuration, and high density are widely adopted to obtain high cotton yield in the region. However, the region is facing some problems including poor light transmittance in the field and low exploitation for light resources

Mepiquat chloride (MC) is essential to reduce shoot growth and improve cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. var. latifolium Hutch) harvest index, but the effect of high rates on cotton root growth is not known yet. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different rates of MC application on root and shoot growth of different cotton cultivars. Two studies were conducted in a greenhouse to

Grasses with desirable traits for agriculture and livestock production are continually being sought. The genus Urochloa comprises many species of good forage potential, although studies have mostly focused on commercial cultivars. Karyotype data can be used to characterize species, generate information for taxonomy, evolutionary studies, and contributes to breeding programs. The mode of reproduction

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) could serve as a cool‐season perennial in southeastern production systems, but often does not behave as a true perennial under high temperature stress conditions of the region. This work sought to develop heat‐tolerant orchardgrass germplasm through recurrent phenotypic selection (RPS) that would both reduce secondary seed dormancy caused by high soil temperatures

Rodrigo R. Amadeu, Luis Felipe V. Ferrão, Ivone de Bem Oliveira, Juliana Benevenuto, Jeffrey B. Endelman, Patricio R. Munoz. Crop Sci. 60:656‐665 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20075. Under the Materials and Methods section and Statistical Analyses subsection the mathematical notation has been corrected. Where it reads: Using a similar notation to Enciso‐Rodriguez et al. (2018), in the A‐BRR

Despite the ability of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] to withstand harsh environmental conditions, it is susceptible to water‐deficit stress during grain filling. To identify post‐flowering drought tolerant sorghum genotypes, parents of nested association mapping populations were evaluated under controlled and water‐deficit conditions in greenhouse and field conditions. In both experiments,

This article traces the 90‐year history and speculates on future applications of predictive breeding in maize (Zea mays L.). Predictive breeding started in the 1930s when superior double‐cross maize hybrids were identified based on the mean of the four nonparental single crosses. The advent of recurrent selection in the 1940s led to methods to predict the mean of the next cycle of selection. The shift

The continuous use of a water‐seeded cropping system for California rice (Oryza sativa L.), along with a limited palette of available herbicides, have selected for flood‐tolerant grasses, aquatic species, and herbicide‐resistant weed populations throughout the region. Alternative cropping methods such as stale‐seedbed and deeper drill seeding may be combined to allow novel herbicide modes of action

Angular leaf spot (ALS), a disease caused by the fungus P. griseola, can lead to yield losses of up to 70% in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) crop. Due to the quantitative character of ALS, a commercial cultivar depends on the presence of several loci to be highly resistant. In the present study, a marker‐assisted backcrossing (MAB) approach was used involving an Andean donor parent (AND 277)

Citrus is a major fruit crop with economic importance worldwide, with citriculture historically threatened at times by a diverse array of pathogens. As a leading producer and exporter, Argentina has been dealing with endemic and quarantine diseases of citrus by implementing conventional management strategies. In recent decades, the pursuit of pathogen‐resistant transgenic citrus has been explored in

The objective of this study was to determine drought tolerance, kernel (KY) and fodder yield and quality amongst diverse groundnut genotypes for direct production or breeding. Hundred genotypes were evaluated at ICRISAT, India during 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 under drought‐stressed (DS) and nonstressed (NS) conditions. Data were collected on KY; oil content (OC); oil yield (OY); protein content; palmitic

Genomic‐wide selection (GWS) consists of the use of a large number of molecular markers for the prediction of genetic values and has been shown to be highly relevant for genetic improvement. The objective of this work was to evaluate and compare the predictive performance of statistical (ridge regression‐best linear unbiased predictor [RR‐BLUP] and BayesB) and machine learning methods through GWS in

Drought stress is one of the most important factors limiting soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] productivity and reducing yield stability. Soybean breeders need phenotypic and genotypic tools to improve drought stress tolerance, but most of available strategies are expensive and unaffordable for small‐scale public breeding programs. In this study, elite germplasm of a locally adapted breeding population

Heading date is an important agronomic trait in rice. We previously fine‐mapped two complementary genes, LH1 and LH2, that control the late heading trait in rice. Here, we cloned and analyzed the function of LH2. LH2 was fine‐mapped to a 53‐kb genomic region and sequencing analysis revealed that there were differences in the coding sequence of LOC_Os08g07740 between the varieties Bo B and Yuefeng B

Little millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth. Ex. Roem. & Schult.), a member of the grass family Poaceae, is native to India. It is nutritionally superior to major cereals, can grow well on marginal lands, and can withstand drought and waterlogging conditions. Two‐hundred diverse little millet landraces were characterized to assess variability for agronomic and nutritional traits and identify promising accessions

ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) proteins are powerful transporters and involved in countless cellular processes of plant development. In the present study, 315, 169 and 170 ABC genes were identified in G. hirsutum, G. raimondii and G. arboreum, respectively. The ABC genes were clustered into 8 subfamilies based on their structural and phylogenetic features. ABC members within the same subfamily showed similar

A split‐plot experiment was conducted to alleviate that high yield and strong lodging resistance not coinciding with rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). The main plot was planting density (1.2 × 105 plants ha−1 and 4.5 × 105 plants ha−1), and the subplots were different intercropping ratios (1:0, 0:1, 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2) of Huayouza 62 (lodging resistance) and Fengyou 520 (lodging sensitive). Our results

Improving fiber quality and yield are major research objectives for cotton breeders in the U.S. Identifying broadly existing and stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to fiber quality is critical to properly utilizing genomic resources in cotton improvement programs. An F6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the cross of NC05AZ21 × TX‐2324 was used to develop linkage maps

Tissue strength of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) roots could be an interesting breeding target, as it is a possible indicator for storability and influences the manufacturing process. The objective of this study was to analyse the importance of genotype and environment and their interaction on three texture parameters (puncture resistance, tissue firmness, and compressive strength) and to investigate

On the bases of their vernalization requirement (VR) for flowering, a genetically‐conditioned trait, carrots are typically classified as annuals and biennials. A previous study using F2 populations derived from crosses among carrots from different geographical origins revealed a model of two genes and three alleles controlling VR, with dominance of annuality for both genes. The present work evaluated

Gray leaf spot (GLS) of maize (Zea mays L.), caused by Cercospora spp., inflicts serious yield losses. Four recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from the [(YML32×Q11) × Q11] backcross population. Two flanking markers, GZ204 and IDP5, defining quantitative trait locus (QTL) qRgls1 for resistance to GLS, were detected in three RILs (RL1_1, RL1_2, and RL2_1), but not in RL2_2. This QTL is located

Introgression of novel components of partial resistance to P. nicotianae can be used to increase the range, level, and durability of resistance to the black shank disease of tobacco. Here we describe the development and evaluation of BC9F3 sub‐sub‐NILs of elite flue‐cured tobacco cultivar ‘K326’ carrying a favorable allele(s) for resistance at the Phn15.1 quantitative trait locus derived from cigar

The environmental impact of genetically modified crops has been extensively investigated. However, few reports on the influence of transgenic traits on genetic structure were reported in the literature. It is unknown how or if transgenic cultivars have impacted genotypic variation in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) since its rise to dominance in cotton production. In this study, the genotypic

Agricultural land management may influence crop nutritional quality. However, few studies have explored potential connections between crop quality with different land management strategies. We analyzed mineral and crude protein concentrations in spring wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.) samples from a study in Mandan, ND conducted from 2006 to 2014. The study introduced a perennial forage phase into

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a food security crop in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Incidence of northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), caused by Exserohilum turcicum, in lowlands of SSA during the past decade has caused 30–70% reduction in maize yield. This study (a) examined the combining abilities of extra‐early maize (EEM) inbreds and classified them into heterotic groups; (b) elucidated gene action controlling

Development of perennial alternatives to annual crops can alleviate some of agriculture's challenges. Perennial sorghum has the potential of being a low maintenance, drought tolerant, high yielding forage or bioenergy crop. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (ATx623, CMS line) was crossed with S. propinquum (Kunth) Hitchc., and several diploid F1 hybrids were recovered. One hybrid was treated with colchicine

Maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield is assumed to be source limited during the flowering period but sink limited during grain growth; however, environmental restrictions during active grain filling may strongly affect final kernel weight (KW). In this study, we evaluated the effect of natural changes in photothermal conditions during lag phase (LP) and effective grain‐filling period (EGFP) on KW, its physiological

Widespread use of legume green manures is limited by a lack of reliable varieties that meet the needs of farmers. Improving symbiotic N fixation (SNF) in open‐pollinated legume species poses a challenge because normal methods used for assessing SNF conflict with breeding practices such as seed production and removing low‐quality sires. We investigated methods for measuring symbiotic N fixation that

Studies assessing phenotypes of plant populations traditionally place the primary focus on increasing measurement precision and improving accuracy. Phenotyping methods using imaging, remote sensing, and spectroscopy, continue to increase throughput capacity, but information has been unavailable to assess the tradeoffs between an increased throughput and any potential decreases in measurement accuracy

A common problem in the analysis of data from multi‐environment trials is imbalance caused by missing observations. To get around this problem, Yan proposed a method for imputing the missing values based on the singular‐value ​​decomposition (SVD) of a matrix. However, this SVD can be affected by outliers and produce low quality imputations. In this article, we propose four extensions of the Yan method

Shade is a major problem facing turf managers worldwide. Availability of low‐cost devices and methods for quantifying daily light integral (DLI) offer the turf manager the ability to more precisely determine DLI levels in shade, yet minimal DLI requirements for acceptable turf quality (DLIm) for many commonly used warm‐season turf cultivars grown under longer‐term chronic shade stress have not been

Quantifying the genetic variability present in plant populations is crucial for the success of selection plans. The partitioning of genetic variance into its components allows inferences about the inheritance of quantitative traits and prediction of the gain from selection. The present study aimed to present an alternative method to estimate components of genetic variance with applications in recurrent

Cold plasma seed treatment has the potential for improving seed germination and seedling growth. However, the effects of cold plasma on seed germination and plant growth of perennial plants are unknown. Centipedegrass was used to study the effect of cold plasma on seed germination, plant growth and the physiological mechanisms. Seeds were treated with different doses (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 and

An herbicide resistance weed control system that utilizes naturally occurring mutations to ACCase inhibiting herbicides could provide herbicide selectivity and improve control of grassy weeds in turf. Knowledge regarding the presence of these mutations in grasses is needed to guide development of this type of system. This research subjected 24 species of warm‐season, cool‐season, and grassy weed species

Two elite varieties of peanut, GPBD 4 and G 2–52, with high productivity, oil content, resistance to late leaf spot (LLS) and rust diseases were improved for oleic acid content using marker‐assisted backcrossing. Since both the recurrent parents already possessed the mutant allele at AhFAD2A, only mutant allele at AhFAD2B was transferred from the donor SunOleic 95R (oleate of 80.6%). Three rounds of

Weed suppression has been observed in the fine fescues, a group of low‐input turfgrasses. Of the fine fescues, Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin; CH) and strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. rubra Gaudin; ST) displayed the strongest weed suppression ability in previous research while hard fescue (F. brevipila Tracey; HF) did not appear to have the same level of suppression

Dollar spot (caused by Clarireedia jacksonii) susceptibility varies among bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.). This trial assessed the ability of five action thresholds of the risk index (RI) of a logistic regression model to forecast dollar spot incidence on bentgrass fairway turf grown on a sandy loam in North Brunswick NJ. Dollar spot incidence was assessed over 128 observation periods (May to November

The effect of soil environment on cultivars compatibility was evaluated in a cutting field experiment during two growing seasons. A factorial combination of four perennial ryegrass (PR) and three white clover (WC) cultivars were grown on deep (DSS) and shallow (SSS) soils under irrigated condition. Measurements included herbage accumulation (HA), root attributes, leaf chlorophyll content, and interception

Over 40,000 discrete samples of soybeans were obtained from locations around the United States grown during the years 2013–2018. The samples were ground and scanned on near infrared spectrometer (NIRS). The carbohydrate composition: sucrose, raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO), total soluble sugar composition, total insoluble sugars, and total uronic acids was determined by prediction using NIRS

Commercial production of Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) in the US is currently limited to the western US and West Texas. Prior to the 1930s, pima cotton was produced in coastal regions of the southeast US. However, in an effort to escape yield and economic losses due to the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis grandis Boh.) which invaded the US in the 1920s, production of long‐season pima cotton

Interseeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) into silage corn (Zea mays L.) can improve forage yield, farm profitability, and soil conservation, but unreliable alfalfa establishment hampers on‐farm adoption. This study evaluated seedling survival and growth of 36 alfalfa varieties differing in reported plant traits when interseeded at two Wisconsin sites in 2015 and at single sites in Wisconsin, Michigan

The supply of high‐quality forage is fundamental to the development of ruminant animal production in drought areas where irrigation provides strong support to the forage production. The objective was to explore the response of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth and radiation use to deficit irrigation in a 2‐yr field study. Two deficit‐irrigation treatments and a full‐irrigation control (CK) were established

Fusarium wilt, caused by the soil‐borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) race 4 (FOV4), is one of the most destructive diseases in cotton (Gossypium spp.) in the southwestern and western Cotton Belt. However, the virulence of FOV4 is currently unknown. In this study, 17 FOV isolates collected in the Fabens, TX, area were determined to be FOV4 based on FOV4‐specific polymerase chain