Pigeonpea improvement: An amalgam of breeding and genomic research

In the past five decades, constant research has been directed towards yield improvement in pigeonpea resulting in the deployment of several commercially acceptable cultivars in India. Though, the genesis of hybrid technology, the biggest breakthrough, enigma of stagnant productivity still remains unsolved. To sort this productivity disparity, genomic research along with conventional breeding was successfully initiated at ICRISAT. It endowed ample genomic resource providing insight in the pigeonpea genome combating production constraints in a precise and speedy manner. The availability of the draft genome sequence with a large‐scale marker resource, oriented the research towards trait mapping for flowering time, determinacy, fertility restoration, yield attributing traits and photo‐insensitivity. Defined core and mini‐core collection, still eased the pigeonpea breeding being accessible for existing genetic diversity and developing stress resistance. Modern genomic tools like next‐generation sequencing, genome‐wide selection helping in the appraisal of selection efficiency is leading towards next‐generation breeding, an awaited milestone in pigeonpea genetic enhancement. This paper emphasizes the ongoing genetic improvement in pigeonpea with an amalgam of conventional breeding as well as genomic research.     

纵横刀组协同式马铃薯种薯切块装置设计与试验

针对马铃薯种薯切块机械化程度低的问题,设计了一种纵横刀组协同式马铃薯种薯切块装置,对其关键部件进行设计,通过对马铃薯种薯切割过程的力学分析、运动学分析和能量学分析,建立了切种能量的数学模型,确定了影响马铃薯切种效果的主要因素。以切种效率、切种合格率为评价指标,以圆盘刀半径、输送辊与圆盘刀垂直中心距、圆盘刀轴转速和夹持辊轴转速为试验因素,进行了四因素四水平正交试验。对正交试验结果进行方差和极差分析,结果表明:当圆盘刀半径为180 mm、输送辊与圆盘刀垂直中心距为190 mm、圆盘刀轴转速为115 r/min、夹持辊轴转速为56 r/min时,切种效率为74.5 kg/min,切种合格率为98.8%,满足马铃薯切种作业要求。     

茶氨酸合成酶基因的SNP挖掘和遗传定位

茶氨酸合成酶(Theanine synthetase,TS)基因是茶树茶氨酸代谢过程中的关键酶基因。本研究以氨基酸含量差异明显的亲本及其杂交所得F_1子代为研究材料,克隆TS基因的c DNA序列,挖掘其SNPs位点,并成功将杂合SNP位点定位在遗传连锁群上。研究结果显示,通过序列比对在亲本间检测到3个SNPs,验证得到1个杂合的位点SNP735。将此位点成功转化为dCAPS标记,该标记在子代中的基因型分离比为1∶1,利用该群体已构建的茶树遗传图谱进行遗传定位,将dCAPS标记定位在连锁群LG03上,相邻标记为TM299和TM517。联合此标记及其相邻标记与游离氨基酸总含量和茶氨酸含量进行统计分析,表明具有显著的相关性。     

抗旱节水小麦分子遗传育种研究进展

干旱缺水等自然灾害会导致小麦产量年度间变幅较大,尤其在小麦主产区黄淮地区更为严重。小麦抗旱节水育种是应对干旱的重大措施。本综述对小麦抗旱节水常规育种、抗旱节水分子遗传育种相关性状QTL定位、抗旱相关功能基因克隆鉴定、转基因等方面的研究进展进行了综述。水旱亲本杂交与异地交叉选择是卓有成效的常规育种方法,通过分子标记鉴定了关于根重、根长、胚芽鞘、高水分利用效率等相关性状的大量QTL;42个抗旱相关基因被克隆并进行基因功能分析和验证,均从不同代谢通路上影响着小麦抗旱性;14个来自不同供体的抗旱相关基因被研究者导入小麦品种后,转基因小麦植株的抗旱能力均得到不同程度的提高,部分植株在产量和其它抗逆性方面也得到提高。以上研究进展为抗旱节水小麦分子设计育种提供了理论依据和发展方向。     

Acoustic evaluation of the vertical distribution of dwarf ayu Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis in Lake Biwa

SUMMARY: The vertical distribution of dwarf ayu Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis in the pelagic waters of Lake Biwa was evaluated from June to September in 1995–97 from eight acoustic surveys using a quantitative echosounder. In each survey, echoes from a depth range of 3 m to the sea bottom were collected at a station every 2.7 s for 24 h together with measurements of vertical profiles of water temperature and chlorophyll-a. The ayu's echoes were identified using an underwater video camera. The ayu were observed near the maximum chlorophyll-a depth and above the thermocline. Their density was highest at depths of 4–11 m with 2–4 individuals/m ³ and was almost zero below 20 m. Echo signs were recorded as having a frequent duration of more than 1 h at night, whereas were of a shorter duration in the day. The fish stay in the epilimnion during the day without any clear vertical migration, but are distributed more uniformly at night. The advantages of remaining in the epilimnion are discussed in terms of food availability and predator avoidance.     

In situ radiometric mapping of soil erosion and field-moist bulk density on cultivated fields

Abstract. Recent developments in in situγ ray spectrometry offer a new approach to measuring the activity of radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K in soils, and thus estimating erosion or deposition rates and field moist bulk density (ρ_m). Such estimates would be rapid and involve minimal site disturbance, especially important where archaeological remains are present. This paper presents the results of a pilot investigation of an eroded field in Scotland in which a portable hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector was used to measure γ ray spectra in situ. The gamma (γ) photon flux observed at the soil surface is a function of the ¹³⁷Cs inventory, its depth distribution characteristics and ρ_m. A coefficient, Q_Cs, derived from the forward scattering of ¹³⁷Cs γ ray photons within the soil profile relative to the ¹³⁷Cs full energy peak (662 keV), was used to correct the in situ calibration for changes in the ¹³⁷Cs vertical distribution in the ploughed field, a function of tillage, soil accumulation and ρ_m. Based on only 8 measurements, the agreement between in situγ ray spectrometry and soil sample measurements of ¹³⁷Cs inventories improved from a non significant r²=0.05 to a significant r²=0.62 (P<0.05). Erosion and deposition rates calculated from the corrected in situ¹³⁷Cs measurements had a similarly good agreement with those calculated from soil cores. Mean soil bulk density was also calculated using a separate coefficient, Q_K, derived from the forward scattering γ photons from ⁴⁰K within the soil relative to the ⁴⁰K full energy peak (1460 keV). Again there was good agreement with soil core measurements (r²=0.64; P<0.05). The precision of the in situ¹³⁷Cs measurement was limited by the precision with which Q_Cs can be estimated, a function of the low ¹³⁷Cs deposition levels associated with the weapons testing fallout and relatively low detector efficiency (35%). In contrast, the precision of the in situ ρ_m determination was only limited by the spatial variability associated with soil sampling.     

Genetic Engineering Approaches to Pig Production*

Modern biotechnology promises a number of new applications in animal breeding and production. Although conventional pig breeding has achieved a high level of efficiency and productivity numerous problems have been encountered with animal health and the loss of meat quality. Selection based on phenotypic performance data of individual animals does not take into account the importance of specific genes and their relevance within a complex regulatory system. In most cases it is therefore difficult to trace back the genetic origins of clinically important disorders. The application of genetic engineering techniques in pig production will facilitate diagnosis, improvement of productivity, and animal health by allowing direct genetic manipulation. Attention must be focussed on the physical and genetic analysis of the procine genome. The isolation and characterisation of genes, DNA-markers, polymorphic DNA-fragments, and their chromosomal assignment will be important prerequisites and tools for the elucidation of genetic disorders. Especially the detection of heterozygous carriers of recessive disorders and their elimination from the breeding stock will increase selection accuracy and decrease the generation intervals. But also the rapid and simple detection of infectious diseases, which is sometimes difficult if not impossible at present, will improve animal health and welfare. Although the production of transgenic animals either by DNA-microinjection into zygotes or the use of embryonal stem cells manipulated in vitro is less straightforward than DNA-based diagnosis it will play an important role in the direct manipulation of the porcine genome and genes. Breeding programmes including the use of transgenic livestock have already been developed. There is no doubt that genetic engineering has reached a degree of practical feasibility, allowing it to play an important role in pig breeding in particular and animal production in general.     

An investigation of uncertainty in field habitat mapping and the implications for detecting land cover change

Land cover data for landscape ecological studies are frequently obtained by field survey. In the United Kingdom, temporally separated field surveys have been used to identify the locations and magnitudes of recent changes in land cover. However, such map data contain errors which may seriously hinder the identification of land cover change and the extent and locations of rare landscape features. This paper investigates the extent of the differences between two sets of maps derived from field surveys within the Northumberland National Park in 1991 and 1992. The method used in each survey was the Phase 1 approach of the Nature Conservancy Council of Great Britain. Differences between maps were greatest for the land cover types with the smallest areas. Overall spatial correspondence between maps was found to be only 44.4%. A maximum of 14.4% of the total area surveyed was found to have undergone genuine land cover change. The remaining discrepancies, equivalent to 41.2% of the total survey area, were attributed primarily to differences of land cover interpretation between surveyors (classification error). Differences in boundary locations (positional error) were also noted, but were found to be a relatively minor source of error. The implications for the detection of land cover change and habitat mapping are discussed.