Search

Low molecular weight carbohydrates of seeds of 10 species of Vicia, namely: V. angustifolia, V. articulata, V. cordata, V. ervilia, V. johannis, V. macrocarpa, V. monantha, V. narbonensis, V. pannonica and V. sativa were analyzed by the high resolution gas chromatography method. Seeds of the investigated species contain common (glucose, fructose, myo-inositol, sucrose, galactinol, di-galactosyl myo-inositol and raffinose family oligosaccharides—RFOs) and species-specific carbohydrates (d-pinitol and its α-d-galactosides—in V. articulata, V. monantha and V. pannonica or d-ononitol and its galactoside—in V. ervilia). Among the species containing in seeds RFOs as the main α-d-galactosides (V. angustifolia, V. cordata, V. johanensis, V. macrocarpa, V. narbonensis and V. sativa), an additional subgroup can be separated, which contains a set of unknown compounds (found in V. angustifolia, V. cordata and V. macrocarpa). Moreover, several other unidentified carbohydrate-containing compounds were detected exclusively in seeds of V. ervilia. The concentrations of total soluble carbohydrates (TSCs), including sugars, RFOs, cyclitols and galactosyl cyclitols and unknown compounds, in seeds differ significantly (P

The paper assess the variability of fat content and fatty acids profiles in seeds of a white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) domestic collection. The initial material comprised 371 accessions originated from 30 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, North- and South America and Australia. According to data given by accession donors the material is divided into four classes of origin: wild lines, landraces, lines created by man and cultivars. Variability of fat content and fatty acids composition were estimated in seeds of each accession. The average fat content for analyzed collection is 9.81%. The broadest range of fat content was noticed for landraces and cultivars as compared to narrowest represented by lines created by man. Fat content ranged from 6.9% (induced mutant Wt 95497) to 14.1% (Polish cultivar Wt 95420 and the landrace Wt 95212 from Jordan). From a dietetic point of view, oil quality is more important than oil quantity in lupin seeds. On average the fatty acid (FA) in examined accessions ranked in following order of abundance: oleic acid (C18:1) > linoleic acid (C18:2) > linolenic acid (C18:3) > palmitic acid (C16:0) > eicosenoic acid (C20:1) > stearic acid (C18:0) ≈ erucic acid (C22:1). In respect to unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), monounsaturated oleic acid in each of estimated classes of accessions was predominant and most abundant (55.7%) in broad range of minimum–maximum values from 41.2 to 66.2%. The second examined monounsaturated fatty acid was erucic acid (1.74%) found in seeds of almost all studied accessions. An exception were four accessions defined similarly to rapeseeds as “zero erucic” forms. In seeds of few accessions a content of erucic acid exceeded 3%. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic FA (ω−6) dominated followed by linolenic FA (ω−3). Both FA were in the range 13.7–33.2% and 5.6–12.8% with mean values on the level 19.6 and 10.1%, respectively. As a consequence, the examined white lupin seeds showed a very favourable ω−3/ω−6 FA ratio (0.51), ranging from 0.21 to 0.87, much higher than that of most vegetable oils. Fat content was positively correlated with stearic and oleic fatty acids and negatively with palmitic, linoleic, linolenic and erucic acid.

Interspecific hybridization and polyploidization are the characteristic processes of evolution in the world of plants. The allopolyploid genomes undergo numerous structural rearrangements associated with the adaptation of separate genomes to each other. An important issue is to establish which part of the total diversity of genes characteristic of the ancestral forms have been preserved and manifested in the complex genomes. The aim of this work was to compare the diversity of the adaptive morphological trait-leaf pubescence among the relatives and the ancestors of hexaploid wheats to establish the variability of its phenotypic manifestation as a result of evolution and domestication. This was achieved through the study of quantitative characteristics of leaf pubescence among 47 representatives of di-, tetra- and hexaploid species of genera Triticum and Aegilops, the donors of the individual genomes of the allopolyploid Triticum species. Quantification of leaf pubescence was based on automated counting of the trichome number (N) and trichome length (L) estimation on a leaf fold and calculation of the pubescence index H (L/N). The species with different sets of elementary genomes differed for the type of pubescence. The ploidy level affected only the trichome length and the index of pubescence H L/N . The density of the hairs was affected by the individual genomes A and B, whereas genome D significantly influenced all of the studied pubescence parameters. The diploid species showed the largest variability while the cultivated durum wheats lacked pubescence. Bread wheat demonstrated pubescence characterized by a close correlation between N and L.

Climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances can lead to the loss of genetic variation and thereby affect evolutionary potential and survival of plant populations in the wild. We examined these predictions in the primary wild relative of barley, Hordeum vulgare L. subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., within its center of diversity, in Jordan. Changes in genotypic and phenotypic diversity were assessed using seed samples collected in 1981 and 2012 from the same 18 sites across Jordan. The overall population structure was conserved, but we observed an increase of within population genetic diversity and a reduction in population differentiation. Phenotypic variation differed among years and sites but the magnitude and direction of change variated among sites. While the sampled region became significantly hotter and drier during this period, simple correlation models did not support association between measures of climate change and the observed genetic and phenotypic changes. Agricultural activities that promote disturbance and demographic fluctuations may affect crop wild relatives that grow in agricultural landscapes, in unexpected ways. The observed increase in genetic diversity within populations might be explained by increased migration or by an advantage of increased genetic variation in the face of variable environmental conditions. This study provides a new perspective on the range of possible responses of crop wild relatives to environmental pressures.

Genetic diversity was investigated in a set of thirty-three hexaploid wheat genotypes originated from Egypt, using 17 wheat microsatellites, representatives of fifteen wheat chromosomes. In total, ninety-five alleles were detected among Egyptian wheats. For 17 polymorphic microsatellite markers, the number of alleles per locus varied from 3 for Xgwm261-2DS, Xgwm3-3DL and Xgwm631-7AS to 11 for Xgwm437-7DL, with a mean of 5.59 alleles per locus. The highest average number of alleles per locus was detected in the B genome with 6.00, compared to 5.67 and 5.00 for genomes D and A, respectively. The highest and the lowest average number of alleles per locus among the wheat homoeologous groups were observed in group 7 and 3 with 7.00 and 4.00, respectively. Gene diversity for 17 microsatellites loci varied from 0.339 for Xgwm631-7AS to 0.845 for Xtaglgap-1BS with an average of 0.653. However, the gene diversity for three genomes A, B and D was 0.549, 0.718 and 0.674, respectively. A significant correlation coefficient between gene diversity and the number of alleles per locus, genomes and homoeologous groups was high, r = 0.649, 0.988 and 0.272 (P

A collection of 220 accessions of parsley (Petroselinum crispum [Mill.] Nyman) was evaluated at two experimental stations (Gatersleben and Quedlinburg, Germany) under natural infection. Widespread origins of tested accessions provide the opportunity for first-time characterization of existence, spreading and level of resistance/susceptibility to the economically important pathogens Septoria petroselini Desm., Plasmopara petroselini Savul. et O. Savul. and Erysiphe heraclei DC. ex Saint-Aman causing Septoria blight, downy mildew and powdery mildew respectively throughout the species P. crispum. For each pathogen, accessions free or nearly free of symptoms were found: S. petroselini: free 1, nearly free 25, P. petroselini: free 51, nearly free 22 and E. heraclei: free 166. Eight accessions are free or nearly free of symptoms for all three pathogens: PET36, PET169, PET172, PET177, PET178, PET192, PET212 and PET214. The accession PET16 is free of symptoms for both S. petroselini and P. petroselini. Most of the resistant material comes from Southern and Eastern Europe. There could be a centre for resistances of parsley.

Genetic diversity was investigated in a set of 27 barley genotypes, originated from Egypt, using 23 expressed sequence tag (EST)-derived simple sequence repeats (eSSRs), representatives of the seven barley chromosomes. Ninety-five alleles were detected among all the barley accessions. For 22 polymorphic eSSRs, the number of alleles per locus varied from 2 to 12, with a mean of 4.318 alleles per locus. The lowest and the largest number of alleles per locus among the seven homeologous groups was observed in homeologous group 5H and 4H with 3.00 and 6.33, respectively. The gene diversity increased as the number of alleles increased. Gene diversity for 22 ESTs loci varied from 0.137 for GBM1404 to 0.896 for GBM1015 with an average of 0.563. A significant correlation coefficient between gene diversity and the number of alleles was high, r = 0.741 (P < 0.01). Cluster analysis was conducted based on eSSRs data to group the barley genotypes and to construct a dendrogram. Four groups can be distinguished by truncating the dendrogram at gs value of 0.77.

Bread wheat Triticum aestivum L. possesses a genetic variation for the ability to survive and reproduce under salt stress conditions. Durum wheat (T. durum Desf.) is in general more sensitive in comparison to bread wheat, however, exceptions can be found showing the same extent of salt tolerance. Endemic wheats in general are characterised by a high adaptability to their environment. The level and variability of salt tolerance were assessed in a germplasm collection of 144 winter and spring wheat accessions from Georgia comprising Triticum aestivum L., T. durum Desf., T. dicoccon Schrank, T. polonicum L. and Georgian endemics: T. carthlicum Nevski, T. karamyschevii Nevski, T. macha Dekapr. et Menabde, T. timopheevii (Zhuk.) Zhuk. and T. zhukovskyi Menabde et Ericzjan. The accessions were tested for salt tolerance at the germination stage. Large variability in salt tolerance within the Georgian germplasm was found among the different wheat species. The endemic hexaploid winter wheat T. macha and the endemic tetraploid wheat T. timopheevii were among the most tolerant materials, thus presenting promising donors for salt tolerant traits in future breeding efforts for salinity tolerance in wheat.

Series of 10,348 accessions belonging to 21 species (hexaploid, tetraploid, diploid) of the genus Triticum and 489 accessions belonging to 20 species of the genus Aegilops were scored for disease resistance during a period of 60 years. Tests were performed at the seedling stage for powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis DC. f. sp. tritici March.), leaf rust (Puccinia recondita Rob. ex Desm. f. sp. tritici Erikss.), stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis West. f. sp. tritici Erikss.) and eyespot (Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (Fron.) Deight.) but also at the adult plant stage considering powdery mildew, leaf rust, stripe rust, eyespot and glume blotch (Septoria nodorum Berk.). About 150,000 disease scores recorded on index cards using different scoring scales were transferred to the computer, converted into a 1–9 scale and used to summarise the results. Within the genus Triticum 20% of the material analysed was classified as heterogeneous. For the accessions without detectable segregation a large variability for resistance/susceptibility was detected. At the adult plant stage resistant accessions without visible infections were identified for all diseases. The percentages of resistant accessions at that growth stage were always higher than the ones found in the material tested at the seedling stage. The probability for finding resistant material was shown to be highest in the diploid species ( > 50%) but decreased with increasing ploidy level to about 10% in the hexaploids. For Aegilops it was shown that most of the accessions were homogeneous and highly resistant against powdery mildew (seedling and adult plant stage), leaf rust (adult plant stage) and eyespot (seedling and adult plant stage/natural infection). The data obtained for the individual accessions are available via Internet (http://www.ipk-gatersleben.de).

The genetic diversity of a subset of the Ethiopian genebank collection maintained at the IPK Gatersleben was investigated applying 22 wheat microsatellites (WMS). The material consisted of 135 accessions belonging to the species T. aestivum L. (69 accessions), T. aethiopicum Jacubz. (54 accessions) and T. durum Desf. (12 accessions), obtained from different collection missions. In total 286 alleles were detected, ranging from 4 to 26 per WMS. For the three species T. aestivum, T. aethiopicum and T. durum on average 9.9, 7.9 and 7.9 alleles per locus, respectively, were observed. The average PIC values per locus were highly comparable for the three species analysed. Considering the genomes it was shown that the largest numbers of alleles per locus occurred in the B genome (18.4 alleles per locus) compared to A (10.1 alleles per locus) and D (8.2 alleles per locus) genomes. Genetic dissimilarity values between accessions were used to produce a dendrogram. All accessions could be distinguished, clustering in two large groups. Whereas T. aestivum formed a separate cluster, no clear discrimination between the two tetraploid species T. durum and T. aethiopicum was observed.

Twenty-four wheat microsatellites (WMS) wereused to estimate the extent of genetic diversity among 15 Libyanwheat genotypes. The WMS used determined 26 loci located on 20different chromosomes, and were capable of detecting 116 alleles withan average of 4.5 alleles per locus. Only two markers located on 2DSand 4DL, were monomorphic. The results indicated that the B genome(5.9 alleles per locus) was more variable than the A and Dgenomes (4.1 and 2.7 alleles per locus, respectively).Furthermore, the results obtained suggest that a relatively smallnumber of primers can be used to distinguish all genotypes used andto estimate their genetic diversity. Genetic dissimilarity valuesbetween genotypes, calculated by the WMS derived data, were used toproduce a dendrogram. The diversity within the analysed germplasm isdiscussed.

A long term seed storage experiment with rye was started in 1978 in the Gatersleben genebank. Seeds of 3.7 and 5.5% moisture content were kept at −15, 0 and 10 °C in hermetically sealed glasses filled with air, CO2, N2, and also evacuated. The initial germination was 72% and germination was tested after 1, 5, 15 and 17 years of storage. After 17 years at −15 °C the smallest losses in germination and smallest interactions with the gas atmosphere were observed. At 0 and 10 °C there were greater, but variable losses in germination and inconsistent interactions with the gas atmosphere. Generally, air promoted and N2 reduced germination loss.

The attempt was made to estimate the mechanical loads on seeds, taking into account their geometric properties and chemical composition. Material chosen for the study comprised 46 samples of common vetch representing collection accessions originated from Europe. Additionally, accessions of other legume species were involved. The study included determinations of seed thickness and weight of 1,000 seeds (TSW) followed by static loading tests. Moisture content of the seeds did not exceed 10 %, and TSW of vetch determined at that moisture was from 19.7 g for small seeded Polish lines VSAT 42 to 73 g for VSAT 24 obtained from Slovakia. Seed thickness value ranged for common vetch accessions from 2.5 to 4.4 mm and for the rest of species from 2.6 mm for lentil to 7.2 mm for chickpea. Apart from the obvious accessions-related differences among various seeds in terms of TSW and seed thickness, the study revealed a wide range of differentiation in the resistance of seeds to static loading expressed by: maximum load, deflation at max. load stress at max. load and work to max. load. Obtained result allowed to select vetch accessions with a high resistance of seed to static loading. Fat content is low at the level of pea, grass pea and lentil as compared with high values of Andean lupin species and white lupin. Fatty acids composition of vetch is different in comparison with remaining species characterized by lowest content of monounsaturated oleic acid (29 %) and relatively high content of polyunsaturated linoleic and linolenic acids (respectively 44 and 11.7 %).