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Zinc deficiency prevails in one-third of the world’s population, which is mainly due to the intake of cereals grown on zinc-deficient soils. Biofortification is a top priority among different solutions to this condition and is an agricultural intervention suitable for farmers and consumers due to accessibility and cost-effectiveness. Maize (Zea mays L.) is a short-duration and high-yielding crop that can grow in two seasons per annum and is the most suitable cereal for biofortification. The present study investigated 150 genetically diverse maize inbred lines for grain-zinc contents, yield, and yield-contributing traits, employing an augmented field design. Significant genotypic diversity was prominent for the studied traits. The first four components of the principal component analysis (PCA) depicted an Eigen value of more than one, which explained 73.5% of the total variability. Among inbred lines, E102, E38, E92, E52, E91, E1, E93, E54, E28, E25, E72, E30, and E90 showed higher grain-zinc contents and average grain yields per plant in the PCA-based study. The grain-zinc contents were less than the desired level (33 mg kg-1 ) notified by HarvestPlus. Creating significant genetic diversity and exploiting its existing level for heterotic performance is a prerequisite to achieve the desired level of grain-zinc contents and yield. Correlation studies revealed a significant positive association of average grain yield per plant with the ear length, the number of grains per row, the number of rows per cob, and 1000-grain weight. Selection of inbred lines based on the standards of positive association with grain yield per plant could improve total yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding organic matter to soil proved an efficient strategy for restoring soil fertility and improving crop dry matter - an indicator of yield potential. In this regard, evaluating the sources of organic matter (OM) (control, poultry manure [PM], farmyard manure [FYM], compost, and mungbean residues [MR]) to provide 120 kg N ha-1 and effective microbes (EM) (0, 100, 200, and 300 L ton-1 of OM) as 2% solution proceeded in field conditions during 2017-2019. The sowing of wheat seeds (cv. Pirsabak 2015) at 120 kg ha-1 took place in the field using RCB design with four replications. Results showed that PM/FYM had delayed the phenology and improved the biomass-related parameters, dry matter (DM) accumulation, and crop growth rate (CGR) more than compost and MR. However, the results were more pronounced when applied with 300 L EM ton-1 of OM from the PM. The maximum DM (55%) accumulation in plant parts occurred beyond 100 days after sowing (DAS). A marked increase in DM and CGR beyond 60 DAS and a reduction in CGR beyond 120 DAS appeared irrespective of treatments. In the case of EM, the 300 L ton-1 revealed superior in terms of growth, DM accumulation, CGR, and delayed phenology. Structural equation modeling suggested that DM production gained a direct effect from crop phenology (46.1%) and crop stand (30.4%) but no indirect effect from crop growth (24.8%). In conclusion, the 300 L EM ton-1 of OM applied to PM or FYM had improved the crop stand, development, and DM production in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc deficiency is one of the major causes of malnutrition in the communities due to the consumption of zinc-deficient staple food. With accessibility and affordability, biofortification is an agricultural intervention beneficial for all the stakeholders involved as any actor. A total of 16 exotic zinc biofortified maize hybrids developed at different maize research stations of CIMMYT got introduced and evaluated across three separate locations in major maize growing areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), i.e., Faisalabad, Sahiwal, and Nowshera. The decision to introduce exotic zincenriched maize germplasm in Pakistan, in collaboration with CIMMYT, Mexico, came from the findings of a related research work--evaluation of diverse indigenous maize germplasm; however, none of the entry qualified for suggested biofortification standard, i.e., 33 mg/kg zinc. Introducing exotic material depends upon its yield stability in the new environment. Therefore, stability analysis is mandatory. Using genotype and genotype into environment (GGE) biplot analysis found the GEI (genotype × environment interaction). Exotic hybrids G16, G4, and G1 performed superior and stable in test environments for studied traits, especially for average grain yield per plant and grain zinc content. These three hybrids gained strong\recommendations for introduction in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a globally dominant staple food and one of the highest-consumed products because of its taste, texture, and bread quality. Genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advancement are essential to learning about the yield potential of crops. Finding out wheat's heritability and genetic advance led to this study's design at the research area of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, in 2021-2022. The experiment began using 27 wheat genotypes comprising nine parents and 18 F3 populations evaluated in a random complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Highly significant variations observed came from analysis of variance among parents and F3 populations for days to heading, plant height, tillers plant-1, flag leaf area, spikelet's spike-1, the number of grains spike-1, a thousand-grain weight, and biomass yield. The highest heritability estimates of 0.82, 0.87, 0.88, 0.89, 0.86, 0.76, 0.88, 0.86, 0.89, 0.87, 0.86, and 0.84 emerged from Watan x Janbaz, Fakhr-e-Sarhad x AUP-5008, Pirsabak-2005 x AUP-5008, Barsat x Tatara, Fakhr-e- Sarhad x Tatara, Pirsabak-2005 x Tatara, Watan x Tatara, Watan x AUP-5008, AUP-4008 x Janbaz, Barsat x Tatara, Watan x AUP-5008, and Barsat x Janbaz, respectively, for productive traits. The highest values of genetic advance were 32.71, 20.33, 35.08, and 34.24 for Fakhr-e-Sarhad x AUP-5008, Fakhr-e-Sarhad x Janbaz, Pirsabak-2005 x Tatara, and Watan x Tatara, respectively. The parental genotypes Janbaz and AUP-5008 were the most promising genotypes recommended for further evaluation in upcoming breeding schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica rapa is an important oilseed crop in Pakistan. It is a rich source of oil and contains 40%-46% oil. In addition, its meal has 38%-40% protein. Given their high levels of erucic acid and glucosinolate, mustard and rapeseed oil is unhealthy as regular cooking oil. A dire need to exploit the genetic variability of rapeseed germplasm is necessary to improve the performance of cultivars. The line × tester analysis helped estimate various types of gene actions that are important to quantitative traits. The key to successful research is selecting suitable lines and testers and designing good mating patterns. Choosing and developing genotypes with high yield and fatty acid profiles are the major concern of rapeseed breeders. The current research on hybridization and evaluation of Brassica rapa accessions sought better harvest and its related traits from the selected germplasm. The combining ability effects determination used line × tester analysis in rapeseed. The accessions' variability analysis exhibited extremely significant differences in yield and related traits. Recorded data for different morphological and yield-related qualities provided days till 50% flowering, the number of major branches per plant, and the number of secondary branches per plant had positive and significant general combining ability estimates, and all yield-related variables had extremely notable specific combining ability estimates. All the yield-related characteristics displayed a favorable and substantial connection in the examined germplasm. Among the lines, 28244, 40980, and 40981 occurred to be the best general combiners showing the additive gene action. The cross combinations, 40977 × 26283, 40979 × 26283, and 40981 × 26283, indicated significant specific combining ability effects, which showed the non-additive genetic effects of total variance due to the dominance and/or epistasis. The results suggested that the research material used in the remarkable study can benefit by improving yield and fatty acids-related components and can further enhance upcoming breeding programs based on strong particular combining ability impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought tolerance is a quantitative trait that is exceedingly challenging to breed, especially for allotetraploids like cotton. The scenario of limited water resources necessitates developing droughttolerant cultivars that conserve significant irrigation water throughout the summer. Therefore, the presented study used a design to statistically analyze the morphological, physiological, and fiber quality parameters linked with drought tolerance, which is a comprehensive method for choosing better genotypes from the available cotton germplasm. Measuring these parameters ensued for plants grown under field conditions. The germplasm comprised 150 cotton genotypes studied at two water regimes, i.e., regular and water-stressed conditions for two consecutive seasons of 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Data recording ran for different morpho-physiological and fiber quality parameters. Significant differences occurred for all the treatments, genotypes, and Genotype × Environment interaction for all the morphological, physiological, and fiber quality parameters under study. Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) analysis and AMMI biplot analysis helped analyze the results, which revealed that the cotton genotypes FH-900, FH-901, FH-312, AS-1, AS-2, AS-3, RH-510, RH-627, AR-2, AR-9, BH-118, BH-175, SLH-74, CIM-1100, CIM-598, and MM-58 were drought tolerant and ranked highest concerning stress condition. Moreover, correlation studies distinguished the relationship between relevant traits concerning drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature seed shattering in canola causes massive losses in yield by up to 50% in adverse climatic conditions. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which belongs to the same family as canola, the Brassicaceae, eight genes participate in a shattering cascade. Phylogenetic reconstruction, syntenic relationships, genomics loci, promoter sequences, and identification of transcription factor-binding sites (TFBSs) faced shattering cascade genes' analysis. Among these, three genes, SHATTERPROOF1, SHATTERPROOF2, and FRUITFUL (SHP1, SHP2, FUL), belonged to a MADS-box family implicated in fruit dehiscence zone and valve margin constitute a core regulatory module. But, in Brassica, the exact number of genes involved in shattering remained obscure. Grouping BnSHP1-N, BnSHP2-N, and BnFUL-N into their respective clades was according to phylogenetic reconstruction of core regulatory modules (SHP1, SHP2, and FUL) and from other species homologs. The eight shattering cascade genes showed no conservation, indicating their involvement in crushing through separate pathways. The increased number of homologs/paralogs in Brassica was due to occurrences of genome duplication or a triplication event during evolution. Exonization and intronization could be responsible for a variable number and size of the exons and introns in gene structures. Comparative genome synteny analysis of SHP1, SHP2, and FUL revealed correlation and evolutionary insights into gene region relationships in all Brassicaceae. Study results provided basic information on cloning, phylogenetic reconstruction, genomics loci, and identifying transcription factor-binding sites (TFBSs) of core regulatory module genes that might be helpful for developing shattering-resistant genome-edited plants to prevent future yield losses in canola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Line × tester analysis is an efficient method to evaluate many entries for GCA (general combining ability) and SCA (specific combining ability) effects. Fifteen lines and three testers of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) gained evaluation for shattering, yield, and oil quality traits. Crossing selected tolerant and sensitive accessions in line × tester fashion ensued, with the resultant F1, parent material, and commercially cultivated varieties sown in the field to ascertain the genetic mechanisms to assess heterosis manifestation and generation turnover. Combining ability analysis exhibited variable direction and magnitude of GCA effects among line and testers and SCA effects among crosses. The lines SG-41, G-43, and SG-50 and testers SG-60 and SG-1 were the best general combiners. Crosses SG-44 × SG-60, SG-50 × SG-60, SG-103 × SG-14, SG-103 × SG-60, SG-110 × SG-14, SG-50 × SG-1, and SG-113 × SG-60 had a positive significant SCA effect for maximum yieldrelated traits. SG-39 × SG-60, SG-44 × SG-60, and SG-50 × SG-60 had positive significant SCA effects for maximum oil-related qualities. Crosses SG-41 × SG-1, SG-41 × SG-60, SG-43 × SG-60, SG-50 × SG-14, and SG-50 × SG-60 had positive and significant heterosis over the mid-parent, a better parent, and commercial hybrids for most of the traits. Conditioning on secondary branches, flower initiation, capsule length, and 1000-seed weight were by non-additive genetic effect, with all the other parameters under the control of additive gene action. The variance ratio of GCA to SCA showed less than unity; in contrast, the additive genetic variance was more than the dominant variance for all traits except for secondary branches, flower initiation, capsule length, and 1000-seed weight. The association of traits based on correlation and path analyses suggested that plant height, oil content, and 1000-seed weight can serve as criteria for selecting sesame for a future breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]