Petal colour is considered as an important trait and major visual signal for insect‐pollinated plants and landscaping. In previous study, we isolated and identified two genes (BnPC1 and BnPC2) that control the orange petal colour (OPC) in rapeseed. To identify the molecular markers linked to the orange petal colour, we constructed a B. napus linkage map with four newly developed simple sequence repeat

Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth, especially for soybean. P deficiency results in a severe decline of soybean productivity worldwide. Biomass is an important index to measure the tolerance of plants to low P. In this study, SNPs significantly associated with four P deficiency tolerance‐related traits were identified by genome‐wide association study (GWAS) using a natural population comprised

Marker‐assisted selection (MAS) can speed up the plant breeding process and reduce the labour and field costs. The sequence‐characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker allows the elimination of the restriction digestion step. Hence, it is more efficient and reliable than the cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker in gel‐based screening. But we still only have CAPS marker for many tomato

Increasing soybean yield plays a key role in meeting the high demand for protein in Europe and other countries. The aim of this study was to dissect the genetic architecture underlying seed yield, plant height, protein yield and thousand‐seed weight in early‐maturing soybean. To this end, we performed QTL mapping based on 944 RILs derived from a half‐diallel crossing design of five parents. We identified

Our study aimed to assess the potential of indices, including grain protein deviation and protein yield, to simultaneously improve grain yield and protein content in triticale. Our analysis of 1.218 triticale genotypes revealed significant genotypic variation and high heritabilities for all traits. We analysed the suitability of the indices for phenotypic selection for both high grain yield and increased

Iron is one of the most important micronutrients for crop plants due to its use in important physiological processes such as photosynthesis, mitochondrial respiration, metal homeostasis, and chlorophyll synthesis. Crop plants have adapted different strategies for uptake, transport, accumulation, and storage of iron in tissues and organs which later can be consumed by humans. Estimates indicate that

The multilocular trait is generally considered as a desirable agricultural trait for the high‐yield breeding of Brassica crops and has attracted considerable attention. The siliques of multilocular plants contain more chambers and seeds than those of bilocular rapeseed varieties and, thus, have a higher yield. Furthermore, multilocular plants are precious germplasm resources for the breeding of Brassica

Iranian wheat landrace accessions (IWAs) were collected from country‐wide farm fields and market places in 1935 by a professor at the University of Tehran and shared with University of California at Davis, California. IWAs were further submitted to the genebank of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico. 2,403 IWAs from CIMMYT’s genebank were assayed by DArT‐seq technology

Leaf colour is an important agronomic trait for studying molecular mechanisms in chlorophyll biosynthesis and chloroplast development. Here, a novel mutant oil yellow leaf 2 (Oy2) with a typical yellow leaf phenotype at the seedling stage was identified from the mutant population derived from the maize inbred line RP125. Compared with wild type, Oy2 mutant displays decreased chlorophyll content, reduced

The meal value of Soybean for monogastric animals is determined partly by sucrose, raffinose and stachyose. Of these, sucrose is desirable, while raffinose and stachyose are indigestible, causing flatulence and abdominal discomfort. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling seed sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose in a set of 140 SoyNAM (Nested Association

Soybean seed includes various bioactive substances. Also, they contain a variety of antinutritional factors including lipoxygenase, Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI), lectin, and 7S α' subunit proteins. The genetic removal of these proteins will improve the nutritional value of soybean seed. The objective of this research was to breed new soybean with tetra recessive alleles (lox1lox2lox3/lox1lox2lox

Soil salinity, being world's gravest and increasing environmental threat, limits the growth and development in nearly all crop plants. The experiment was laid out to investigate the tomato local and exotic germplasm for morpho‐physiological and photosynthetic attributes under salinity stress (0 (control), 8 and 12 dS m−1). The phenotype data for morpho‐physiological traits were collected; meanwhile

Flower corolla colour is an important trait for the attraction of pollinators and for the horticultural industry. Gossypium arboreum (L.) accessions from the United States Department of Agriculture germplasm collection frequently show flowers with a yellow coloured corolla. Accession PI 529731 is unique in that the flowers have a red coloured corolla. Genetic characterization of corolla pigmentation

The objective of this work was to characterize and identify among the passion fruit hybrids of the second generation backcross (BC2: BC1 × P. edulis), resistance to passion fruit woodiness disease (CABMV) with desirable agronomic attributes. Ninety‐two progeny of BC2 hybrids were evaluated for severity of the virus in conditions of field, physical and chemical characterization of the fruits and precocity

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers play an important role in genetic and molecular breeding programs, especially for non‐model species. We identified SSRs from expressed sequence tags (EST‐SSRs) and whole genome sequences (gSSRs), by analysing the transcriptome and genome of the Mongolian sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. mongolica) cultivar ‘Sunny’. Using the same number of loci, EST‐SSRs

It was observed that the seedling biomass was correlated with final seed yield in many crops. It is helpful to dissect the genetic architecture of seedling biomass‐related traits for high yield breeding of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). To date, the genetic architecture of seedling biomass‐related traits is still unclear in B. napus. To identify candidate genes associated with high seedling biomass

The use of rutabaga for increasing the level of heterosis in spring canola was investigated. For this, test hybrids were produced by crossing four inbred populations, derived from F2 and BC1 of two rutabaga × spring canola crosses, to their spring canola parent, and were tested in field‐plots for agronomic and seed quality traits. Average mid‐parent heterosis (MPH) in these test hybrid populations

The identification and development of new cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) lines in higher plants are important for the preservation of grain security and the prevention of the homogenisation of hybrid rice. Molecular markers‐assisted selection (MAS) based on CMS‐associated genes or mitochondrial‐specific chimeric sequences are important for rapid and effective breeding of new CMS lines and hybrids

This study aimed to track the inheritance and identify the expressed sequence tag (EST) ‐ simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker (s) associated with the anthocyanin pigments in barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.). The F1 and F2 generations were developed using the anthocyanin pigmented genotype ACM 331 (purple inflorescence) and three non‐pigmented genotypes, ACM 333, ACM 335 and MA 10 (green inflorescence)

Host plant resistance is an effective means of managing aphid pests in safflower but its genetic basis is not known. In this study, F1 and F6‐recombinant inbred lines (RILs) produced from the CO‐1 × EC‐523368‐2 cross were phenotyped for tolerance to the aphid, Uroleucon compositae based on days‐to‐wilt (DW) after infestation. The F1 plants showed the dominance effect and RILs exhibited quantitative

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is a major source of fibre for the textile industry and naturally coloured cotton fibre does not require the use of synthetic dyes making it an eco‐friendly option for textile production. Coloured cotton cultivars are however associated with lower fibre yields and reduced lint quality. A greater understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying fibre colouration will aid in

The recessive shrunken2‐Reference (sh2‐Ref) allele is traditionally used in sweet corn cultivar development worldwide. However, non‐availability of suitable gene‐based marker(s) for sh2‐Ref has considerably delayed its utilization in molecular breeding. Here, 7,320 bp sequence of Sh2 gene among five wild‐ and six sh2‐Ref‐based inbreds was analysed by employing 13 overlapping primers. SNP583 (A in wild

DREB transcription factors regulate the expression of stress‐responsive genes, and thus play an important role in plant stress response to abiotic stresses. To obtain a global expression profile of soybean DREB genes under drought stress, we first explored the soybean genome to identify DREB family genes, and then analysed a set of transcriptome data of drought stress to verify their involvement in

Quinoa offers a promising alternative for staple food, considering its outstanding nutritional value and tolerance to abiotic stresses. To develop breeding programmes in quinoa, a reliable crossing method for increasing the genetic variation is required. In the following study, we aimed to develop segregating populations in quinoa. We tested the efficiency of three different crossing methods (hand

The Expansin protein is known for its multifaceted roles in plant growth, especially cell walls. However, very few studies have been done so far to assess the effects of expansin genes on Cotton fibre development. The present study is a successful effort to fill this gap, where the α‐EXPA1 gene transformed into a local cotton variety, Gossypium hirsutum, through Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation

Salt tolerance is a physiologically and genetically complex trait controlled by multiple genes. To analyze the genetic basis of salt tolerance we evaluated 18 F1 along with their nine parents under three salt stress levels i.e. control, 10 dS m−1 and 15 dS m−1 in the summer of 2017 and 2018. Data were recorded for the number of bolls, seed cotton yield, boll weight, Na+, K+, K+/Na+ ratio, H2O2, SOD

Fonio production is generally in polyvarietal mixture and no improved varieties are available yet. This work proposed a pathway for homogenization and mass selection from 19 accessions previously collected in Benin, to sort best genotypes. From 2015 to 2017, accessions were submitted to homogenization followed by separated conduct of different phenotypes appeared each year. Each material was evaluated

Flowering time is important in the adaptation of crop plants to different environments and impacts the economic value of agricultural crops. Wheatgrass is a perennial Triticeae species and one of the most important grasses for pasture and forage in temperate regions of the world. Late heading is of interest in forage crop breeding programmes. Increasing the time to heading by molecular means may be

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world. The wild species of rice are expected to have novel beneficial alleles that have been lost from cultivated rice during the process of domestication. Therefore, wild species could be the potential source to induce lost genetic diversity in cultivated rice. Serving as an important reservoir of novel genes/QTLs, wild species, in general, are better

The genetic base for soybean cultivars is narrow compared to most other crop species. Twenty‐seven wild perennial Glycine species comprise the tertiary gene pool to soybean that may contain many genes of economic importance for soybean improvement. We evaluated 16 accessions of G. argyrea, G. clandestina, G. dolichocarpa, and G. tomentella for resistance to Heterodera glycines (HG), also known as the

Development of durable resistance to soybean rust (SBR) is challenging due to the pathogenic diversity of Phakopsora pachyrhizi populations. The objective of this research was to investigate and confirm the genomic locations of Rpp genes in the Ugandan line UG‐5 that confer resistance to different SBR pathotypes. Bulked segregant analysis revealed two genomic regions associated with resistance in a

Bananas are typical to tropical and subtropical climate regions, where they have better conditions due to high air humidity and soil water availability. The production of drought‐tolerant varieties is an alternative to expand the cultivation sites to drier areas. In this work, we present a hydroponic system for the genotype selection of Musa sp. (AA) subjected to water stress. A total of 14 banana

Atmospheric CO2 levels on Earth have risen steeply over the last 60 years and will continue to do so in future. CO2 traps heat from earth's surface, which causes an increase in temperature and leads to other climatic changes. Crop plants are currently challenged by climate change. In general, elevated CO2 increases photosynthetic rates, plant growth and the ability of plants to counteract stress. However

The aim of this study was to reduce the length of the breeding cycle for faba bean by accelerating seed setting. We examined the mode and time of exogenous 6‐benzylaminopurine (BAP) (cytokinin) application, and cold treatments and their combinations in two faba bean genotypes. Acropetal node number of pod and seed set and pollen viability were recorded during the experiments. Application of BAP improved

Breeding efforts in West and Central Africa (WCA) have focused on the development of Low‐N‐tolerant (LNT) maize inbreds and their classification into heterotic groups. This study was conducted to classify LNT maize lines into heterotic groups using testcross performance, morphological and SNP markers and to compare the consistency of groupings by the three methods. Thirty‐six LNT inbreds were crossed

Pigeonpea is an important food legume crop of semi‐arid tropical regions. Plateauing of pigeonpea yield has been worrying breeders for the past 6–7 decades. Serious breeding efforts made during this period resulted in various high‐yielding and disease resistant cultivars. However, the gains in pigeonpea productivity have been modest. The authors, while reviewing this situation, conclude that long generation

Rice production is severely constrained by the moisture stress. The present study was undertaken to transfer two important QTLs viz., (qDTY2.2 and qDTY4.1), which controls yield under moisture stress (DTY) into two elite varieties, that is, MTU1010 and NLR34449 through marker‐assisted breeding. Foreground and background selections of backcross generations, that is, BC1F1, BC2F1 and BC2F2 identified

Columnar growth in apples can have considerable positive consequences for orchard maintenance, but the lack of columnar cultivars producing fruits with desired market quality prevents their broader utilization in orchards. New crossings focused on their breeding are therefore conducted throughout the world every year. Unfortunately, the reliable discrimination between columnar growth and normal phenotype

In arid or semi‐arid regions, deep‐sowing is an effective treasure to ensure seeds absorbing water from deep soil layer at present. However, the existing maize varieties have poor tolerance to deep‐sowing, which is attributed to that few genes are explored and utilised. In this study, 243 IBM Syn4 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) constructed with B73 and Mo17 as parents and 1,339 DNA markers evenly distributed

Pollen sterility (PS) in mother lines is crucial for hybrid crossings in plant breeding. 21 di‐ (2x) and tetraploid (4x) accessions of the hermaphroditic chamomile were screened for spontaneous, thermic or gametocide induced PS. Two crossing trials with the diploid accessions 'Bona' (BON) and 'Hungary 2' (HUN2) should specify maternally inherited cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). Progeny thereof showed

The yield and fibre quality of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) cultivars are very difficult to improve simultaneously. Attempts to breed upland cotton cultivars with high‐quality fibre that can spin more than 40 yarn count (Ne) and present yields equal to those of commercial cultivars have not been successful. The seeds of the high‐yield upland cotton line Tai 8033 were mutagenized in a Chinese

Rice yield is frequently impaired by abiotic adverse conditions in several parts of the globe. One of these constraints is soil iron toxicity. Plants respond to adverse conditions by activating different mechanisms, some of which have already been elucidated. Recently, autophagy has been associated with plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, however, the involvement of this mechanism in the response

Training populations for pedigree and genomic prediction in plant breeding programmes are largely updated with superior genotypes from multi‐environment trials, where they are tested with the goal of variety development. Such a selective phenotyping has, however, a negative impact on prediction abilities, especially when only a subset of breeding lines can be tested, as for laborious and costly to

Doubled haploids (DHs) are an important breeding tool for creating maize inbred lines. One bottleneck in the DH process is the manual separation of haploids from among the much larger pool of hybrid siblings in a haploid induction cross. Here, we demonstrate the ability of single‐kernel near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (skNIR) to identify haploid kernels. The skNIR is a high‐throughput device

Seed size is a major determinant of grain yield in soybean, however their genetic basis remains largely unknown. In order to delimit map‐based position of a major locus qSS3, we evaluated three mapping populations, including RILs, NILs and a sub‐F2 in three environments for six seed size‐related traits. For these traits, the kurtosis and skewness ranged between 0.0 and 1.16, while h2b ranged from 0

Since wheat and other annual cereal crops are often harvested for forage instead of grain in California, replacing them with perennial crops could save energy and reduce the release of heat‐trapping gases. To assess the potential for perennial crops based on wheat, biomass yield and stand persistence were studied for nine wheat×wheatgrass amphiploids (8x to 14x) and five wheatgrass species (2x to 10x)

Pythium root rot (PRR) caused by Pythium spp. is an important root rot disease affecting common bean productivity. The objective of this study was to conduct a genome‐wide association analysis of resistance to PRR in the common bean of Andean gene pool using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. About 260 genotypes of the Andean diversity panel (ADP) were evaluated under screen house conditions

Development of sorghum hybrids can immensely benefit from an enhanced anther culture protocol since the resultant doubled haploids would accelerate, as in other major cereal crops, the attainment of homozygosity and fixation of alleles. Production of the hybrids that have got high yielding, stress tolerance and other traits of industrial significance in a shorter time as compared to the current trend

Suwan germplasm plays important roles in maize breeding in tropical/subtropical regions, especially in southern China. To analyze the genetic characteristics of Suwan maize germplasm, one panel of 73 lines derived from the Suwan population and temperate resources were collected and genotyped using 56,110 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The results revealed four subgroups, namely, QR273

Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most destructive insects that impair rice productivity per year. Till to date, 38 BPH resistance loci have been mapped from cultivated and wild species of rice. Of 38 resistance genes, eight genes (Bph14, Bph3, Bph26, bph29, Bph18, Bph6, Bph32 and Bph9) were positionally cloned. Four genes (Bph14, Bph26, Bph18 and Bph9) encode a typical

The “100‐seed weight (100‐SW)” trait is an important component of soybean quality and yield. Phosphorus (P) deficiency induces a wide array of metabolic effects that limits plant growth, especially in soybean. In this study, the 100‐SW values of a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population constructed by a cross between “Zhongdou27” and “Jiunong20” were evaluated in three tested environments under regular

Tomato leaf mould disease is a serious foliar disease caused by Cladosporium fulvum, resulting in a significant reduction in yield and quality, especially under protected cultivation. Finding new resistant genes against leaf mould has become one of the important goals of tomato breeding. Cf‐12‐tomato showed good resistance to several C. fulvum races. The Cf‐12 was mapped using re‐sequencing and BSA

Preharvest sprouting (PHS) remains a severe agricultural problem in rice and other crops. This study investigated the exact effect of Rc gene on PHS resistance along with seed and milled rice quality using two sets of near‐isogenic line‐derived populations, and showed the advantages of the Rc gene over other dormancy‐associated genes in protecting against PHS. Rc gene has a significant effect on PHS

Leafy (Lfy1) is a typical late‐flowering mutant with locus being fine‐mapped, but its underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, two near‐isogenic lines, with and without the Lfy1 locus, were developed for phenotypic and transcriptional analysis of Lfy1‐mediated floral transition. Phenotypic observation showed that wild‐type (WT) plants transited into the tassel primordium at the V6

The consequences of recurrent drought events compared with a single drought, and drought's interaction with deliberate selfing compared with open‐pollination on postdrought recovery and persistence of smooth bromegrass, are not clear. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of recurrent drought stresses compared with a single drought on stress response, poststress recovery and persistence

The purpose of this study was to examine the genotypic variation in maize doubled haploid (DH) lines response to brassinosteroid and gibberellin inhibitors. Plant responses to hormone inhibitors were determined in growth chamber experiments using germination paper for three different seedling treatments: application of propiconazole (Pcz), uniconazole (Ucz) or water (control). Mesocotyl length (ML)

Online databases containing genetic information are crucial to extract new candidate genes from existing data and web‐based resources. The objective of this study was, therefore, to predict putative candidate genes associated with resistance to SBR in line UG‐5 and understand their functions using different bioinformatics tools from the online available databases. The physical positions for the flanking

A series of DNA markers for various agronomic traits may accelerate the success of marker‐assisted selection in practical plant breeding programmes. Here, we developed DNA markers for the blast resistance gene Pi‐cd. In this study, we examined the effects of the Pi‐cd locus on not only blast resistance but also agronomic traits in agriculture. We developed three pyramiding lines (PLs) coupling Pi‐cd