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The Ironwood tree (Casuarina equisetifolia) holds a significant ecological role in Guam where a decline in Ironwood trees was first documented in 2002. Studies have linked the Ironwood tree decline (IWTD) to bacteria from the Ralstonia solanacearum complex and wetwood bacteria, specifically Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella variicola. Presence of termites was first found to be associated with IWTD in 2010; however, the role of termites in IWTD is still not clear. The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) frequently attacks Ironwood trees. As workers of this soil-dwelling species of the lower termites harbor a diverse microbial community in their bodies, we examined whether C. gestroi workers carry IWTD-associated bacteria and could, therefore, act as vectors. We described the bacterial community in C. gestroi workers using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and tested the impact of factors related to the location and health of the Ironwood tree the termites were collected from on termite bacterial diversity. Feeding assays were performed to assess if workers show preference in consumption depending on the amount of Ralstonia and wetwood bacteria in the food source. Health of Ironwood trees and level of site management impacted the bacterial composition of C. gestroi termite workers attacking the trees. Although C. gestroi workers equally consumed food sources with high and low Ralstonia and wetwood bacteria load in lab experiments, Ralstonia and other IWTD-related bacteria were not detected in considerable amounts in termite workers collected from trees. Thus, C. gestroi workers are not a vector for bacteria associated with IWTD in Guam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the diversity and predict gene function of intestinal bacteria from captive black-capped capuchin in two wildlife parks. The results showed that the composition of intestinal gut bacterial diversity was significantly higher in black-capped capuchins monkeys from ES than HT. Moreover, high similarity of intestinal bacteria of black-capped capuchins at the same site was found by sample stratum clustering. Black-capped capuchins intestinal bacteria can be clustered into 2296 ASVs, belonging to 16 phyla, 99 families and 210 genera, respectively. The dominant phyla were Bacteroidota and Firmicutes in the intestinal bacteria of black-capped capuchins, but there were differences in the dominant bacterial families and dominant bacterial genera between ES and HT, and the bacterial families with significant differences had correspondence with bacterial genera. The results provide a basis for the study of intestinal bacteria in black-capped capuchins and the isolation and purification of dominant bacteria. The results of this study fill the gap in the study of intestinal bacterial diversity and its gene functions in black-capped capuchins, and provide a reference for the isolation of dominant bacteria in black-capped capuchins' intestinal microbes and the discovery and study of novel functional genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agro-morphological characterization of rice is vital for rice breeding programs, which help to document phenotypical differences. The research was conducted in Sundarbazar, Lamjung, during the spring season from February to August 2023, where the design was completely randomized with two replications. Twenty-five quantitative and thirty-nine qualitative traits were recorded according to the characterization descriptors of the International Rice Research Institute, Sixteen quantitative traits were observed for 16 landraces, and 11 showed high coefficient of variance (CV) values. In comparison, for the remaining nine traits, two traits showed a high CV value for all 20 landraces. Three principal components with an eigenvalue greater than one accounted for 88.2% variation. Furthermore, principal component analysis bolsters our results by clustering rice landraces into four clusters. The intra-cluster distance was most significant in cluster I (4.25) and the lowest in cluster IV (2.16), thereby indicating that genotype diversity was the greatest in cluster I and least diverse in cluster IV. Three of the four clusters did not follow geographic distribution, possibly indicating free exchange of landraces among the farmers and adaption of the landraces in both districts. Monomorphism was observed for leaf blade: lemma: anthocyanin in keel and lemma: anthocyanin of the area below apiculus, while high polymorphism was observed for lemma: the colour of apiculus (early observation) (1.542) according to Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H′). Even distribution was observed for traits ligule: colour (0.971), lemma: colour of apiculus: (late observation) (0.920), and sterile lemma: shape (0.908). The Simpson evenness index was maximum for lemma: colour of apiculus (0.783), indicating a higher probability of obtaining two characters for a trait under random selection. Thus, the present study is the preliminary depiction for characterization and diversity analysis in cultivated rice landraces with potential for further rice improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buckwheat is an important nutritional and nutraceutical crop; however, owing to its low yield and productivity, its potential has not been harnessed on account of its cultivation in low-input marginal farming systems, where its productivity is limited by various abiotic stresses, including water stress. Roots play a critical role in plant growth, development, and tolerance to drought stress. The present study was the first comprehensive attempt to understand the root system architecture (RSA) of buckwheat using root morphology and in-depth features of RSA through root scanning. A total of 117 diverse genotypes of buckwheat, comprising both common and Tartary buckwheat, were cultivated in polyvinyl chloride columns in the greenhouse. The study revealed substantial variability for all the root and shoot traits of buckwheat. Comparative analysis indicated that Tartary buckwheat has better root features compared to common buckwheat. The correlation analysis showed the surface area, medium root length, and medium root volume were positively correlated and branching frequency and root shoot ratio were negatively correlated. The study identified potential genotypes with robust RSA that can be used for the development of climate-resilient buckwheat varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: As living standards improve and consumption patterns shift, the market for goose meat continues to grow because of its exceptional dietary quality and distinctive flavor. The composition and content of amino acids are critical for determining the nutritional value and flavor of meat. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value and flavor of 10 Chinese native geese germplasms based on their amino acid content and composition. Materials and Methods: A total of 568 geese from 10 Chinese native geese germplasms reared under identical conditions were slaughtered at 10 weeks of age. The pectoralis and thigh muscles (thighs) were collected to determine the amino acid content using an amino acid analyzer. Subsequently, diversity, variance, cluster, and principal component analyses were performed to identify superior germplasm with improved nutrition and flavor. Results: The results revealed 17 amino acids in goose meat, with Glutamate and Aspartate being the most abundant. The amino acid scores of goose meat exceeded the values recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. The Shannon–Wiener Diversity Index (1.72–2.07) indicated a high degree of diversity in amino acid content among geese germplasms. The pectoralis exhibited significantly higher amino acid content (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) than the thigh, except for the essential amino acids to total amino acids ratio (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). The 10 germplasms were categorized into four clusters, with Wanxi (WX) and Taizhou (TZ) geese grouped in Cluster I, displaying significantly higher nutritional value and flavor (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) than other germplasms. Conclusion: Germplasms with superior nutritional value and flavor (WX and TZ) were identified among 10 Chinese native geese germplasms, providing valuable insights for the conservation of existing germplasms and the cultivation of new goose breeds with improved meat quality.

Abstract Buckwheat is an important nutritional and nutraceutical crop; however, owing to its low yield and productivity, its potential has not been harnessed on account of its cultivation in low-input marginal farming systems, where its productivity is limited by various abiotic stresses, including water stress. Roots play a critical role in plant growth, development, and tolerance to drought stress. The present study was the first comprehensive attempt to understand the root system architecture (RSA) of buckwheat using root morphology and in-depth features of RSA through root scanning. A total of 117 diverse genotypes of buckwheat, comprising both common and Tartary buckwheat, were cultivated in polyvinyl chloride columns in the greenhouse. The study revealed substantial variability for all the root and shoot traits of buckwheat. Comparative analysis indicated that Tartary buckwheat has better root features compared to common buckwheat. The correlation analysis showed the surface area, medium root length, and medium root volume were positively correlated and branching frequency and root shoot ratio were negatively correlated. The study identified potential genotypes with robust RSA that can be used for the development of climate-resilient buckwheat varieties.

Aims: This study evaluated millet germplasms in Liaoning Province to support the collection, preservation and innovation of millet germplasm resources. Methods: The study was conducted from 2018 to 2020, involved the selection of 105 millet germplasm resources from the Germplasm Bank of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences (LAAS), the observation and recording of 31 traits, and the application of multivariate analysis methods to assess phenotypic diversity. Results: From the diversity analysis and correlation analysis, it was found that the tested traits had abundant diversity and complex correlations among them. Principal component analysis (PCA) comprehensively analyzed all quantitative traits and extracted seven principal components. Grey relational analysis (GRA) highlighted the varied contributions of different traits to yield. Through systematic cluster analysis (SCA), the resources were categorized into six groups at Euclidean distance of 17.09. K-mean cluster analysis determined the distribution interval and central value of each trait, then identified resources with desirable traits. Conclusion: The results revealed resources that possess characteristics such as upthrow seedling leaves, more tillers and branches, larger and well-formed ears, and lodging resistance prefer to higher grain yield. It was also discovered that the subear internode length (SIL) could be an indicator for maturity selection. Four specific resources, namely, Dungu No. 1, Xiao-li-xiang, Basen Shengu, and Yuhuanggu No. 1, were identified for further breeding and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthworms are essential components in temperate forest ecosystems, yet the patterns of change in earthworm-associated microbial communities across different temperate forests remain unclear. This study employed high-throughput sequencing technology to compare bacterial community composition and structure in three earthworm-associated microhabitats (skin, gut, and habitat soil) across three typical temperate forests in China, and investigated the influence of environmental factors on these differential patterns. The results indicate that: (1) From warm temperate forests to cold temperate forests, the soil pH of the habitat decreased significantly. In contrast, the physicochemical properties of earthworm skin mucus exhibited different trends compared to those of the habitat soil. (2) Alpha diversity analysis revealed a declining trend in Shannon indices across all three microhabitats. (3) Beta diversity analysis revealed that the transition from warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest to cold temperate coniferous forest exerted the most significant impact on the gut bacterial communities of earthworms, while its influence on the skin bacterial communities was comparatively less pronounced. (4) Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the predominant phyla in earthworm skin, gut, and habitat soil, but the trends in bacterial community composition differed among the three microhabitats. (5) Mantel tests revealed significant correlations between bacterial community structures and climatic factors, physicochemical properties of earthworm habitat soil, and physicochemical properties of earthworm skin mucus. The findings of this study offer novel perspectives on the interplay between earthworms, microorganisms, and the environment within forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Sugarcane is a key crop for sugar and energy production, and understanding the diversity of its associated microbes is crucial for optimizing its growth and health. However, there is a lack of thorough investigation and use of microbial resources in sugarcane. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of culturable microbes and their functional features in different tissues and rhizosphere soil of four diverse sugarcane species using metagenomics techniques. The results revealed significant microbial diversity in sugarcane’s tissues and rhizosphere soil, including several important biomarker bacterial taxa identified, which are reported to engage in several processes that support plant growth, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and the production of plant hormones. The Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) studies identified unique microbial communities in different parts of the same sugarcane species, particularly Burkholderia, which exhibited significant variations across the sugarcane species. Microbial analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) indicated that genes related to sucrose metabolism were mostly present in specific bacterial taxa, including Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, Paraburkholderia, and Chryseobacterium. This study improves understanding of the diversities and functions of endophytes and rhizosphere soil microbes in sugarcane. Moreover, the approaches and findings of this study provide valuable insights for microbiome research and the use of comparable technologies in other agricultural fields.IMPORTANCEThis work utilized metagenomics techniques for conducting a comprehensive examination of culturable microbes and their functional characteristics in various tissues and rhizosphere soil of four distinct sugarcane species. This study enhances comprehension of the diversity and functions of endophytes and rhizosphere soil microbes in sugarcane. Furthermore, the methodologies and discoveries of this work offer new perspectives for microbiome investigation and the use of similar technologies in other agricultural fields.

The Ironwood tree (Casuarina equisetifolia) holds a significant ecological role in Guam where a decline in Ironwood trees was first documented in 2002. Studies have linked the Ironwood tree decline (IWTD) to bacteria from the Ralstonia solanacearum complex and wetwood bacteria, specifically Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella variicola. Presence of termites was first found to be associated with IWTD in 2010; however, the role of termites in IWTD is still not clear. The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) frequently attacks Ironwood trees. As workers of this soil-dwelling species of the lower termites harbor a diverse microbial community in their bodies, we examined whether C. gestroi workers carry IWTD-associated bacteria and could, therefore, act as vectors. We described the bacterial community in C. gestroi workers using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and tested the impact of factors related to the location and health of the Ironwood tree the termites were collected from on termite bacterial diversity. Feeding assays were performed to assess if workers show preference in consumption depending on the amount of Ralstonia and wetwood bacteria in the food source. Health of Ironwood trees and level of site management impacted the bacterial composition of C. gestroi termite workers attacking the trees. Although C. gestroi workers equally consumed food sources with high and low Ralstonia and wetwood bacteria load in lab experiments, Ralstonia and other IWTD-related bacteria were not detected in considerable amounts in termite workers collected from trees. Thus, C. gestroi workers are not a vector for bacteria associated with IWTD in Guam.

In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the diversity and predict gene function of intestinal bacteria from captive black-capped capuchin in two wildlife parks. The results showed that the composition of intestinal gut bacterial diversity was significantly higher in black-capped capuchins monkeys from ES than HT. Moreover, high similarity of intestinal bacteria of black-capped capuchins at the same site was found by sample stratum clustering. Black-capped capuchins intestinal bacteria can be clustered into 2296 ASVs, belonging to 16 phyla, 99 families and 210 genera, respectively. The dominant phyla were Bacteroidota and Firmicutes in the intestinal bacteria of black-capped capuchins, but there were differences in the dominant bacterial families and dominant bacterial genera between ES and HT, and the bacterial families with significant differences had correspondence with bacterial genera. The results provide a basis for the study of intestinal bacteria in black-capped capuchins and the isolation and purification of dominant bacteria. The results of this study fill the gap in the study of intestinal bacterial diversity and its gene functions in black-capped capuchins, and provide a reference for the isolation of dominant bacteria in black-capped capuchins’ intestinal microbes and the discovery and study of novel functional genes.

This study examined genetic diversity and growth performance of thirty Terminalia chebula genotypes from various regions of India. Seedlings were evaluated for growth attributes over 180 days after transplanting (DAT). Significant variations were observed across accessions for traits like shoot length, root length, collar diameter and volume. MHTC 04 showed superior performance, with maximum shoot length (36.23 cm) and root length (38.47 cm) at 180 DAT. KETC 05 exhibited the highest collar diameter (1.08 cm) and volume index (39.35) at 180 DAT. The genetic analysis revealed low to moderate PCV and GCV for most traits. Volume index showed the highest PCV (47.31 %) and GCV (47.23 %). High heritability (>95 %) was observed for several traits viz., root length, collar diameter and volume index. Path coefficient analysis identified collar diameter and shoot fresh weight as having the strongest positive direct effects on quality index. Cluster analysis grouped 30 genotypes into 10 clusters with cluster II being the largest (8 progenies). Quality index contributed the maximum (59.30 %) towards divergence followed by shoot dry weight (13.94 %) and volume index (8.28 %). This study identified promising genotypes and important traits for T. chebula improvement programmes, highlighting the potential for selective breeding to enhance the seedling quality and growth performance.

【Objective】The study was conducted to clarify the microbial community structure in soil with continuous cropping of Curcuma wenyujin and fumigation treatment, aiming to lay a foundation for alleviating continuous cropping obstacles in C. wenyujin cultivation.【Method】The soil under a continuous cropping of C. wenyujin for 3 years was selected and fumigated with dazomet one month before planting C. wenyujin. After 7-month cultivation of C. wenyujin, we collected soil samples from three types of plots: continuous cropping, fumigated and uncultivated. Total soil DNA was extracted, and the population and diversity of microbial communities (fungi and bacteria) were analyzed by using PacBio Sequel thirdgeneration sequencing.【Result】The results showed that C. wenyujin plants in the fumigated soil exhibited good growth and minimal disease incidence, while those in the continuous cropping soil had poor growth and severe seedling death. Analysis of bacterial communities at the phylum level revealed that the abundance of AD3, TK10 and WPS-2 decreased in rhizosphere soil after continuous cropping compared with those in uncultivated soil. Fumigation of continuous cropping soil increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria with biocontrol functions such as Bacillus and Sphingomonas. Among the three soil types, 5 fungal phyla were abundant, including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mortierellomycota, and unclassified_k_ Fungi. Ascomycota had the lowest abundance in uncultivated C. wenyujin soil, but continuous cropping significantly increased its abundance, while Basidiomycota showed a significant decrease. Several beneficial fungal genera, including Chaetomium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Myrothecium, Thielavia, Humicola, Rhizophlyctis, Microdochium, Ramicandelaber, Albifi mbria, Curvularia, Gigaspora, Nigrospora, Neocosmospora, Talaromyces, Roussoella, Rhytidhysteron, Boothiomyces, Apiotrichum, Ochroconis, Saitozyma, Trichosporon and Phoma, had higher abundance in fumigated soil than that in continuous cropping soil. In contrast, continuous cropping soil had a higher accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms.【Conclusion】Continuous cropping of C. wenyujin leads to the accumulation of harmful soil microorganism, resulting in continuous cropping obstacles. Fumigation with dazomet can reduce the number of soil-borne pathogens and increase the abundance of beneficial microbial populations, thereby mitigating continuous cropping obstacles in C. wenyujin cultivation.

Dalam tiga tahun terakhir produksi melon mengalami penurunan. Oleh sebab itu, perlu dilakukan peningkatan produksi dengan melakukan pengembangan varietas unggul berdaya hasil tinggi. Karakterisasi merupakan langkah awal dalam perakitan varietas tanaman. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakteristik 21 genotipe buah melon. Penelitian telah dilakukan pada Januari hingga Maret 2024. Penelitian dilakukan di kebun percobaan di Desa Lubuk Saung Kabupaten Bengkulu Utara Provinsi Bengkulu. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan kelompok lengkap teracak (RKLT) faktor tunggul dan diulang sebanyak tiga kali. Faktor yang digunakan adalah 21 genotipe melon. Hasil penelitian menujukkan bahwa analisis cluster dengan kemiripian 33,33 menghasilkan 5 kelompok melon dan G15 adalah genotipe paling berbeda diantara genotipe lainnya. Ukuran daun sedang dan warna daun hijau sedang adalah ukuran dan warna paling dominan. Panjang cuping daun kategori sedang dan perkembangan cuping daun kategori lemah adalah yang paling dominan. Bentuk dasar buah berbentuk bulat adalah bentuk dasar buah yang paling banyak. Kulit buah sebelum matang paling banyak adalah berwarna hijau dan warna daging buah saat matang paling banyak adalah warna putih. Buah tidak memiliki alur adalah paling dominan dan keriputan permukaan buah kategori sangat lemah adalah paling dominan.

Over the last decades, the analysis of complex microbial communities by high-throughput sequencing of marker gene amplicons has become routine work for many research groups. However, the main challenges faced by scientists who want to make use of the generated sequencing datasets are the lack of expertise to select a suitable pipeline and the need for bioinformatics or programming skills to apply it. Here, we present MetaXplore, an interactive, user-friendly platform that enables the discovery and visualization of amplicon sequencing data. Currently, it provides a set of well-documented choices for downstream analysis, including alpha and beta diversity analysis, taxonomic composition, differential abundance analysis, identification of the core microbiome within a population, and biomarker analysis. These features are presented in a user-friendly format that facilitates easy customization and the generation of publication-quality graphics. MetaXplore is implemented entirely in the R language using the Shiny framework. It can be easily used locally on any system with R installed, including Windows, Mac OS, and most Linux distributions, or remotely via a web server without bioinformatic expertise. It can also be used as a framework for advanced users who can modify and expand the tool.

A total of 3,860 accessions from the global in trust clonal potato germplasm collection w3ere genotyped with the Illumina Infinium SolCAP V2 12K potato SNP array to evaluate genetic diversity and population structure within the potato germplasm collection. Diploid, triploid, tetraploid, and pentaploid accessions were included representing the cultivated potato taxa. Heterozygosity ranged from 9.7% to 66.6% increasing with ploidy level with an average heterozygosity of 33.5%. Identity, relatedness, and ancestry were evaluated using hierarchal clustering and model-based Bayesian admixture analyses. Errors in genetic identity were revealed in a side-by-side comparison of in vitro clonal material with the original mother plants revealing mistakes putatively occurring during decades of processing and handling. A phylogeny was constructed to evaluate inter- and intraspecific relationships which together with a STRUCTURE analysis supported both commonly used treatments of potato taxonomy. Accessions generally clustered based on taxonomic and ploidy classifications with some exceptions but did not consistently cluster by geographic origin. STRUCTURE analysis identified putative hybrids and suggested six genetic clusters in the cultivated potato collection with extensive gene flow occurring among the potato populations, implying most populations readily shared alleles and that introgression is common in potato. Solanum tuberosum subsp. andigena (ADG) and S. curtilobum (CUR) displayed significant admixture. ADG likely has extensive admixture due to its broad geographic distribution. Solanum phureja (PHU), Solanum chaucha (CHA)/Solanum stenotomum subsp. stenotomum (STN), and Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum (TBR) populations had less admixture from an accession/population perspective relative to the species evaluated. A core and mini core subset from the genebank material was also constructed. SNP genotyping was also carried out on 745 accessions from the Seed Savers potato collection which confirmed no genetic duplication between the two potato collections, suggesting that the collections hold very different genetic resources of potato. The Infinium SNP Potato Array is a powerful tool that can provide diversity assessments, fingerprint genebank accessions for quality management programs, use in research and breeding, and provide insights into the complex genetic structure and hybrid origin of the diversity present in potato genetic resource collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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[Objective] The study was conducted to clarify the microbial community structure in soil with continuous cropping of Curcuma wenyujin and fumigation treatment, aiming to lay a foundation for alleviating continuous cropping obstacles in C. wenyujin cultivation. [Method] The soil under a continuous cropping of C. wenyujin for 3 years was selected and fumigated with dazomet one month before planting C. wenyujin. After 7-month cultivation of C. wenyujin, we collected soil samples from three types of plots: continuous cropping, fumigated and uncultivated. Total soil DNA was extracted, and the population and diversity of microbial communities (fungi and bacteria) were analyzed by using PacBio Sequel third-generation sequencing. [Result] The results showed that C. wenyujin plants in the fumigated soil exhibited good growth and minimal disease incidence, while those in the continuous cropping soil had poor growth and severe seedling death. Analysis of bacterial communities at the phylum level revealed that the abundance of AD3, TK10 and WPS-2 decreased in rhizosphere soil after continuous cropping compared with those in uncultivated soil. Fumigation of continuous cropping soil increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria with biocontrol functions such as Bacillus and Sphingomonas. Among the three soil types, 5 fungal phyla were abundant, including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mortierellomycota, and unclassified_k_ Fungi. Ascomycota had the lowest abundance in uncultivated C. wenyujin soil, but continuous cropping significantly increased its abundance, while Basidiomycota showed a significant decrease. Several beneficial fungal genera, including Chaetomium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Myrothecium, Thielavia, Humicola, Rhizophlyctis, Microdochium, Ramicandelaber, Albifi mbria, Curvularia, Gigaspora, Nigrospora, Neocosmospora, Talaromyces, Roussoella, Rhytidhysteron, Boothiomyces, Apiotrichum, Ochroconis, Saitozyma, Trichosporon and Phoma, had higher abundance in fumigated soil than that in continuous cropping soil. In contrast, continuous cropping soil had a higher accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms. [Conclusion] Continuous cropping of C. wenyujin leads to the accumulation of harmful soil microorganism, resulting in continuous cropping obstacles. Fumigation with dazomet can reduce the number of soil-borne pathogens and increase the abundance of beneficial microbial populations, thereby mitigating continuous cropping obstacles in C. wenyujin cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anisakis are globally distributed, marine parasitic nematodes that can cause human health problems, including symptoms such as vomiting, acute diarrhea, and allergic reactions. As parasitic nematodes that primarily affect the patient's digestive tract, intestinal helminths can interact directly with the host microbiota through physical contact, chemicals, or nutrient competition. It is widely accepted that the host microbiota plays a crucial role in the regulation of immunity. Materials and methods: Nematodes collected from the abdominal cavity of marine fish were identified by molecular biology and live worms were artificially infected in rats. Infection was determined by indirect ELISA based on rat serum and worm extraction. Feces were collected for 16S rDNA-based analysis of microbiota diversity. Results: Molecular biology identification based on ITS sequences identified the collected nematodes as A. pegreffii. The success of the artificial infection was determined by indirect ELISA based on serum and worm extraction from artificially infected rats. Microbiota diversity analysis showed that a total of 773 ASVs were generated, and PCoA showed that the infected group was differentiated from the control group. The control group contained five characterized genera (Prevotellaceae NK3B31 group, Turicibacter, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Candidatus Stoquefichus, Lachnospira) and the infected group contained nine characterized genera (Rodentibacter, Christensenella, Dubosiella, Streptococcus, Anaeroplasma, Lactococcus, Papillibacter, Desulfovibrio, Roseburia). Based on the Wilcoxon test, four processes were found to be significant: bacterial secretion system, bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, bacterial chemotaxis, and ABC transporters. Conclusion: This study is the first to analyze the diversity of the intestinal microbiota of rats infected with A. pegreffii and to determine the damage and regulation of metabolism and immunity caused by the infection in the rat gut. The findings provide a basis for further research on host-helminth-microbe correlationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study evaluated millet germplasms in Liaoning Province to support the collection, preservation and innovation of millet germplasm resources. Methods The study was conducted from 2018 to 2020, involved the selection of 105 millet germplasm resources from the Germplasm Bank of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences (LAAS), the observation and recording of 31 traits, and the application of multivariate analysis methods to assess phenotypic diversity. Results From the diversity analysis and correlation analysis, it was found that the tested traits had abundant diversity and complex correlations among them. Principal component analysis (PCA) comprehensively analyzed all quantitative traits and extracted seven principal components. Grey relational analysis (GRA) highlighted the varied contributions of different traits to yield. Through systematic cluster analysis (SCA), the resources were categorized into six groups at Euclidean distance of 17.09. K-mean cluster analysis determined the distribution interval and central value of each trait, then identified resources with desirable traits. Conclusion The results revealed resources that possess characteristics such as upthrow seedling leaves, more tillers and branches, larger and well-formed ears, and lodging resistance prefer to higher grain yield. It was also discovered that the subear internode length (SIL) could be an indicator for maturity selection. Four specific resources, namely, Dungu No. 1, Xiao-li-xiang, Basen Shengu, and Yuhuanggu No. 1, were identified for further breeding and practical applications.

The diversity, composition, and abundance of soil fungi from three sacred groves in Kerala, namely Iringole kavu of Ernakulam District, Kollakal Thapovanam of Alappuzha District, and Poyilkavu of Kozhikode District were analysed using Metagenomics analysis and Illumina sequencing. A total of 30,584, 78,323, and 55,640 reads were obtained from these groves, respectively. Ascomycota constitutes over 96% of the total fungi, making it the most abundant phylum, followed by Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Rozellomycota. These phyla were subdivided into 20 classes, 40 orders, 83 families, 119 genera, and 135 species, while 1269 OTUs remained unidentified at the species level. Eurotiomycetes predominates the class, while the genus Talaromyces from the family Trichomaceae dominates the genera. Neocarmospora falciformis, Trichoderma lixii, and Candida ethanolic are the most abundant fungal species. Diversity analysis shows that Kollakal Thapovanam is rich in fungal species, while Poyilkavu is rich in biodiversity, with a high degree of dominance. Several species were found only in a particular grove and were absent in others and vice-versa, indicating high fungal specificity. Therefore, fungi have to be preserved in their original habitat. The Principal Coordinate Analysis revealed that each grove is distinct highlighting the importance of preserving the unique diversity of each sacred grove. In conclusion, this research provides valuable information about the soil fungal genera in their natural habitat. It emphasizes the need for more systematic research to understand the actual diversity and ecological role of fungi in sacred groves. This study is the first of its kind to analyse and compare soil fungal diversity in sacred groves using the metagenomics approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 3,860 accessions from the global in trust clonal potato germplasm collection w3ere genotyped with the Illumina Infinium SolCAP V2 12K potato SNP array to evaluate genetic diversity and population structure within the potato germplasm collection. Diploid, triploid, tetraploid, and pentaploid accessions were included representing the cultivated potato taxa. Heterozygosity ranged from 9.7% to 66.6% increasing with ploidy level with an average heterozygosity of 33.5%. Identity, relatedness, and ancestry were evaluated using hierarchal clustering and model-based Bayesian admixture analyses. Errors in genetic identity were revealed in a side-by-side comparison of in vitro clonal material with the original mother plants revealing mistakes putatively occurring during decades of processing and handling. A phylogeny was constructed to evaluate inter- and intraspecific relationships which together with a STRUCTURE analysis supported both commonly used treatments of potato taxonomy. Accessions generally clustered based on taxonomic and ploidy classifications with some exceptions but did not consistently cluster by geographic origin. STRUCTURE analysis identified putative hybrids and suggested six genetic clusters in the cultivated potato collection with extensive gene flow occurring among the potato populations, implying most populations readily shared alleles and that introgression is common in potato. Solanum tuberosum subsp. andigena (ADG) and S. curtilobum (CUR) displayed significant admixture. ADG likely has extensive admixture due to its broad geographic distribution. Solanum phureja (PHU), Solanum chaucha (CHA)/Solanum stenotomum subsp. stenotomum (STN), and Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum (TBR) populations had less admixture from an accession/population perspective relative to the species evaluated. A core and mini core subset from the genebank material was also constructed. SNP genotyping was also carried out on 745 accessions from the Seed Savers potato collection which confirmed no genetic duplication between the two potato collections, suggesting that the collections hold very different genetic resources of potato. The Infinium SNP Potato Array is a powerful tool that can provide diversity assessments, fingerprint genebank accessions for quality management programs, use in research and breeding, and provide insights into the complex genetic structure and hybrid origin of the diversity present in potato genetic resource collections.

Earthworms are essential components in temperate forest ecosystems, yet the patterns of change in earthworm-associated microbial communities across different temperate forests remain unclear. This study employed high-throughput sequencing technology to compare bacterial community composition and structure in three earthworm-associated microhabitats (skin, gut, and habitat soil) across three typical temperate forests in China, and investigated the influence of environmental factors on these differential patterns. The results indicate that: (1) From warm temperate forests to cold temperate forests, the soil pH of the habitat decreased significantly. In contrast, the physicochemical properties of earthworm skin mucus exhibited different trends compared to those of the habitat soil. (2) Alpha diversity analysis revealed a declining trend in Shannon indices across all three microhabitats. (3) Beta diversity analysis revealed that the transition from warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest to cold temperate coniferous forest exerted the most significant impact on the gut bacterial communities of earthworms, while its influence on the skin bacterial communities was comparatively less pronounced. (4) Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the predominant phyla in earthworm skin, gut, and habitat soil, but the trends in bacterial community composition differed among the three microhabitats. (5) Mantel tests revealed significant correlations between bacterial community structures and climatic factors, physicochemical properties of earthworm habitat soil, and physicochemical properties of earthworm skin mucus. The findings of this study offer novel perspectives on the interplay between earthworms, microorganisms, and the environment within forest ecosystems.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignant neoplasia and leading cause of cancer mortality for women. A timely diagnosis of BC is crucial to ensure the best chances of survival. Among the various screening tools for BC, antibodies directed towards self-antigens or tumor-associated antigens (autoantibodies) have emerged as an alternative to image-based screening modalities. However, little attention has been paid to the global diversity of autoantibodies. This work aimed to analyze the diversity of autoantibodies reactive to antigens expressed by the BC cell line T47D in the sera of Mexican women with BC, benign breast pathology (BBP), or without breast pathology (WBP). We found that the diversity of antibodies in the sera was higher in the BC and BBP groups than in the WBP group. Likewise, the diversity changed with the progression of BC. Our results show and measure the complexity of the antibody response in breast health and disease.

ABSTRACTThe root-associated microbiota has a close relation to the life activities of plants, and its composition is affected by the rhizospheric environment and plant genotypes. Rice (Oryza sativa) was domesticated from the ancestor species Oryza rufipogon. Many important agricultural traits and adversity resistance of rice have changed during a long time of natural domestication and artificial selection. However, the influence of rice genotypes on root microbiota in important agricultural traits remains to be explained. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene amplicon sequencing to generate bacterial and fungal community profiles of O. rufipogon and O. sativa, both of which were planted in a farm in Guangzhou and had reached the reproductive stage. We compared their root microbiota in detail by alpha diversity, beta diversity, different species, core microbiota, and correlation analyses. We found that the relative abundance of bacteria was significantly higher in the cultivated rice than in the common wild rice, while the relative abundance of fungi was the opposite. Significant differences in agricultural traits between O. rufipogon and O. sativa showed a high correlation with core microorganisms in the two Oryza species, which only existed in either or had obviously different abundance in both two species, indicating that rice genotype/phenotype had a strong influence on recruiting specific microorganisms. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth understanding of rice root microbiota and the improvement of rice breeding from the perspective of the interaction between root microorganisms and plants.IMPORTANCEPlant root microorganisms play a vital role not only in plant growth and development but also in responding the biotic and abiotic stresses. Oryza sativa is domesticated from Oryza rufipogon which has many excellent agricultural traits especially containing resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. To improve the yield and resistance of cultivated rice, it is particularly important to deeply research on differences between O. sativa and O. rufipogon and find beneficial microorganisms to remodel the root microbiome of O. sativa.

This paper presents several novel findings from a comprehensive analysis of about 50,000 Tweets about online learning during COVID-19, posted on Twitter between 9 November 2021 and 13 July 2022. First, the results of sentiment analysis from VADER, Afinn, and TextBlob show that a higher percentage of these Tweets were positive. The results of gender-specific sentiment analysis indicate that for positive Tweets, negative Tweets, and neutral Tweets, between males and females, males posted a higher percentage of the Tweets. Second, the results from subjectivity analysis show that the percentage of least opinionated, neutral opinionated, and highly opinionated Tweets were 56.568%, 30.898%, and 12.534%, respectively. The gender-specific results for subjectivity analysis indicate that females posted a higher percentage of highly opinionated Tweets as compared to males. However, males posted a higher percentage of least opinionated and neutral opinionated Tweets as compared to females. Third, toxicity detection was performed on the Tweets to detect different categories of toxic content—toxicity, obscene, identity attack, insult, threat, and sexually explicit. The gender-specific analysis of the percentage of Tweets posted by each gender for each of these categories of toxic content revealed several novel insights related to the degree, type, variations, and trends of toxic content posted by males and females related to online learning. Fourth, the average activity of males and females per month in this context was calculated. The findings indicate that the average activity of females was higher in all months as compared to males other than March 2022. Finally, country-specific tweeting patterns of males and females were also performed which presented multiple novel insights, for instance, in India, a higher percentage of the Tweets about online learning during COVID-19 were posted by males as compared to females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignant neoplasia and leading cause of cancer mortality for women. A timely diagnosis of BC is crucial to ensure the best chances of survival. Among the various screening tools for BC, antibodies directed towards self-antigens or tumor-associated antigens (autoantibodies) have emerged as an alternative to image-based screening modalities. However, little attention has been paid to the global diversity of autoantibodies. This work aimed to analyze the diversity of autoantibodies reactive to antigens expressed by the BC cell line T47D in the sera of Mexican women with BC, benign breast pathology (BBP), or without breast pathology (WBP). We found that the diversity of antibodies in the sera was higher in the BC and BBP groups than in the WBP group. Likewise, the diversity changed with the progression of BC. Our results show and measure the complexity of the antibody response in breast health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) using the idle rice fields in Southern China and the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India in the winter season through the rice–potato rotation (RC) system could support future food security. However, the modulation capacity of the RC system on soilborne fungal pathogens is still unclear. In the current study, a pot experiment was designed and conducted to monitor the dynamics of soil fungal community composition between the potato monoculture (CC) system and the RC system, where the two systems were set with the same soil conditions: autoclaving with fertilization; autoclaving without fertilization; autoclave-free with fertilization; and autoclave-free without fertilization. Then, the uncultivated soil (CK) and root-zone soil samples of conditions under the two systems were collected, and then soil physiochemical properties and enzymatic activities were determined. Next, the high-variable region (V5–V7) of fungal 18S rRNA genes of the samples were amplified and sequenced through the PCR technique and the Illumina Miseq platform, respectively. Finally, the fungal species diversity and composition, as well as the relative abundance of fungal pathogens annotated against the Fungiuld database in soil samples, were also investigated. The results showed that the RC could significantly (p < 0.05) increase soil fungal species diversity and decrease the relative abundance of soil fungal pathogens, where the RC could suppress 23 soil fungal pathogens through cultivating the rice during the summer season and 93.75% of the remaining pathogens through winter-season cultivation. Seven-eighths of the conditions under RC have lower pathogenic MGIDI indices (6.38 to 7.82) than those of the CC (7.62 to 9.63). Notably, both rice cultivation and winter planting reduced the abundance of the pathogenic strain ASV24 under the Colletotrichum genus. The bipartite fungal network between the pathogens and the non-pathogens showed that the pathogenic members could be restricted through co-occurring with the non-pathogenic species and planting crops in the winter season. Finally, the redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that soil pH, electronic conductivity, available phosphorus content, and various enzyme activities (cellulase, urease, sucrase, acid phosphatase, catalase, polyphenol oxidase) could be the indicators of soil fungal pathogens. This experiment demonstrated that the rice–potato rotation system outperformed the potato monoculture on suppressing soilborne fungal pathogenic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, 60 rice genotypes were selected to evaluate the genetic divergence for 15 yield and yield attributing characters. Based on Mahalanobis D2 statistic, the 60 genotypes were grouped into nine clusters. On the basis of genetic distance and cluster means, clusters IV and IX, VI and IX, I and IX, were identified as clusters with high inter-cluster distance. Genotypes of these clusters could be used as parents in crop improvement programmes for generation of promising segregants. Days to maturity and thousand grain weight were observed to contribute highly towards divergence. Hybridisation between the genotypes SMB3 (cluster VIII) and Juma (cluster IV) could be recommended for recombination breeding to get superior transgressive segregants for earliness and desirable yield attributing characters.

Aiming at the problem that existing software diversity evaluation methods generally adopt single feature,a software diversity evaluation method based on multi-granularity feature is proposed.This method analyzes four granularity of program:instruction,function,basic block and binary file.First,different granularity are obtained by small prime product method and dyna-mic weight distribution algorithm.Then,the granularity is analyzed according to the effectiveness of diversification technology.In the experimental part,GNU coreutils is used to comprehensively evaluate 7 software diversification methods.The result is analyzed to verify the applicability of the evaluation algorithm.Experimental results show that this evaluation method can accurately evaluate the effectiveness of software diversification methods from both vertical and horizontal directions,which has reference value for the research direction of subsequent diversification technology.

Because of its excellent stress resistance and forage quality, the forage bermudagrass hybrid population had attracted the attention of scientific researchers in recent years. Studying its diversity could promote the breeding of desirable varieties. The variability in agronomic traits including fresh weight, dry weight, ash content, crude protein content, crude fat, phosphorus content, and relative feed value for 56 bermudagrass was investigated using Wrangler as an experimental reference. Grey correlation analysis and cluster analysis were employed to screen bermudagrass with high yield and superior quality. WCF-34 had the highest 2-year fresh weight (109,773.3 kg/ha), WCF-37 had the highest 2-year dry weight (31,951.6 kg/ha), WCF-24 had the lowest Ash content (7.46%), WCF-26 had the highest crude protein content (16.27%), WCF-27 had the highest curde fat content (3.58%), WCF-13 had the highest P content (0.45%), and WCF-42 had the highest relative feed value (95.32). Combining the results of grey relational analysis and cluster analysis, WCF-42, WCF-34, WCF-38, WCF-37, and WCF-40 were selected as high-quality bermudagrass. Through comprehensive analysis of the agronomic characters of bermudagrass, five bermudagrass were selected, the outcomes of this study would provide a theoretical basis for the breeding and genetic enhancement of bermudagrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The endosphere of a plant is an interface containing a thriving community of endobacteria that can affect plant growth and potential for bioremediation. Eichhornia crassipes is an aquatic macrophyte, adapted to estuarine and freshwater ecosystems, which harbors a diverse bacterial community. Despite this, we currently lack a predictive understanding of how E. crassipes taxonomically structure the endobacterial community assemblies across distinct habitats (root, stem, and leaf). Methods: In the present study, we assessed the endophytic bacteriome from different compartments using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis and verified the in vitro plant beneficial potential of isolated bacterial endophytes of E. crassipes. Results and discussion: Plant compartments displayed a significant impact on the endobacterial community structures. Stem and leaf tissues were more selective, and the community exhibited a lower richness and diversity than root tissue. The taxonomic analysis of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed that the major phyla belonged to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota (> 80% in total). The most abundant genera in the sampled endosphere was Delftia in both stem and leaf samples. Members of the family Rhizobiaceae, such as in both stem and leaf samples. Members of the family Rhizobiaceae, such as Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium were mainly associated with leaf tissue, whereas the genera Nannocystis and Nitrospira from the families Nannocystaceae and Nitrospiraceae, respectively, were statistically significantly associated with root tissue. Piscinibacter and Steroidobacter were putative keystone taxa of stem tissue. Most of the endophytic bacteria isolated from E. crassipes showed in vitro plant beneficial effects known to stimulate plant growth and induce plant resistance to stresses. This study provides new insights into the distribution and interaction of endobacteria across different compartments of E. crassipes Future study of endobacterial communities, using both culture-dependent and -independent techniques, will explore the mechanisms underlying the wide-spread adaptability of E. crassipesto various ecosystems and contribute to the development of efficient bacterial consortia for bioremediation and plant growth promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral-associated microbial communities play a vital role in underpinning the health and resilience of reef ecosystems. Previous studies have demonstrated that the microbial communities of corals are affected by multiple factors, mainly focusing on host species and geolocation. However, up-to-date, insight into how the coral microbiota is structured by vast geographic distance with rich taxa is deficient. In the present study, the coral microbiota in six stony coral species collected from the coastal area of three countries, including United States of America (USA), Australia and Fiji, was used for analysis. It was found that the geographic influence on the coral microbiota was stronger than the coral host influence, even though both were significant. Interestingly, the contribution of the deterministic process to bacterial community composition increased as geographical distance grew. A total of 65 differentially abundant features of functions in coral microbial communities were identified to be associated with three geolocations. While in the same coastal area of USA, the similar relationship of coral microbiota was consistent with the phylogenetic relationship of coral hosts. In contrast to the phylum Proteobacteria, which was most abundant in other coral species in USA, Cyanobacteria was the most abundant phylum in Orbicella faveolata. The above findings may help to better understand the multiple natural driving forces shaping the coral microbial community to contribute to defining the healthy baseline of the coral microbiome.

Postharvest decay is an urgent problem that affects the storage of pears. Low temperature storage is one of the most important methods to reduce the prevalence of fruit diseases during storage. In this study, the microbial diversity of postharvest Yuluxiang pear (Pyrus × michauxii “Yu Lu Xiang”) fruits stored at low temperature for different lengths of times was analyzed. Illumina MiSeq highthroughput sequencing was used to analyze the composition and diversity of fungal communities. The results showed that the fungi within fruit were classified into 6 phyla, 18 classes, 40 orders, 72 families, and 92 genera based on the 97% sequence similarity level. They belonged to 6 phyla, 18 classes, 40 orders, 72 families, and 92 genera. The highest richness of fungi was obtained after 30 d of treatment. The β-diversity index showed that the fungal community composition of these fruit was significantly different at the beginning of storage compared with the different timepoints of samples at low temperature during storage. The comparison of fungal composition at the phylum level indicated that Ascomycota was dominant in the different timepoints of samples at low temperature, while Alternaria was the primary fungus at the genus level. A correlation analysis was used to further explore the correlation between fungi and fruit firmness, titratable acid, and solid soluble contents at low temperatures during storage. Aureobasidium and Didymella positively correlated with the soluble solids and hardness. Phoma positively correlated with the titratable acid, and Aspergillus positively correlated with titratable acid and hardness. This study can guide the industrial production of Yulu pear and also provide a theoretical basis to prevent and control diseases during the storage period of Yulu pear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop wild relatives are genetically related wild taxa of crops with unique resources for crop improvement through the transfer of novel and profitable genes. The in situ and ex situ conservation gap analyses for priority crop wild relatives from West Africa were evaluated using species distribution modelling, ecogeographic diversity, and complementary analyses. A total of 20, 125 unique occurrence records were used for the conservation gap analysis, however, 26 taxa had no occurrence data. 64 taxa (62.7%) occurred in protected areas, 56 taxa (55%) were conserved ex situ, while 76.7% (43) of the accessions are underrepresented with less than 50 accessions conserved ex situ. Areas of highest potential diversity were found in the Woroba and Montangnes districts in Cote d'Ivoire, Nzerekore, Faranah, Kindia, and Boke regions of Guinea, South-South, and North-East zones of Nigeria, and Kono and Koinadugu districts in Sierra Leone. Hotspots were found in Atlantique, Littoral, Mono, Kouffo, Atakora, Donga, and Colline provinces of Benin, Accra, and Volta regions of Ghana, North–Central Nigeria, and Lacs district of Cote d'Ivoire and Nzerekore region of Guinea. 29 reserve sites for active in situ conservation were identified, 11 occur in protected areas, while 18 are located outside protected areas. The establishment of the reserve sites will complement existing PAs and ensure long-term active in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable utilization of priority crop wild relative to underpin food security and mitigate climate change in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a worldwide forest disease caused by pine wood nematode (PWN). In this article, we investigated the composition, organization, correlation, and function of the endophytic microbial community in Pinus massoniana field with and without PWN. Samples were taken from branches, upper, middle, and lower trunks, as well as soil, from both healthy and infected trees. The results showed that the fungal diversity of healthy pines is around 1.1 times that of infected pines, while the bacterial diversity is about 0.75 times that of infected pines at the OTUs level. An increase of the abundance of pathogenic fungus such as Saitozyma, Graphilbum, Diplodia, Candida, Pseudoxanthomonas, Dyella and Pantoea was witnessed in infected pines according to the result of LEfSe. Furthermore, Ophiostoma and saprophytic fungus such as Entomocorticium, ganoderma, tomentella, entomocorticium were exclusively prominent in infected pines, which were substantially and highly connected with other species (p

Rice is one of the leading cereal crops that consumed over half of the world’s population. The number of grains per panicle is the main trait to decide grain yield potential of rice. Rice germplasm have rich diversity for panicle related trait. Hence, a study was undertaken to screen 77 diverse rice germplasm for grain number per panicle and its contributing traits. Mahalanobis’ D2 analysis was performed to study genetic diversity among the germplasm. Eight clusters were formed and cluster IV was found to be the largest cluster with 37 genotypes. Cluster V had 20 genotypes with the highest cluster mean value of 298 for the number of grains per panicle. Grain yield per plant and the number of spikelets per panicle were found to be the biggest contributor for total divergence. QTL linked markers were screened in diverse rice germplasm. Among the six QTLs screened, five QTLs were significantly associated with grain number per panicle and its relevant traits. For grain number per panicle the QTLs, Gn1a (0.1058), qGN 4.1 (0.117) and NGP 4 (0.062) recorded high R2 values. Among the markers, Gn1a indel 3 (GN1a), NKSSR 04-19 (q GN 4.1), RM 6314 (NGP 4) and RM1183 (NOG 1) were identified as the most informative markers for utilization in marker assisted breeding programme. From this study, genotypes viz., Kallukar, CO52, IET 29504, IET 29506, RP-5594-97-5-1, MTU1360, ADT 54 possess high mean value for grain number per panicle and grain yield, linked with functional markers could be used as a donor in marker assisted breeding programme.

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the commercially important cultivated fruit crops in India. Guava ranks fifth in production share of fruit crops in the country. During 2014-15, India produced 36.68 lakh tonnes of guava from an area of 2.68 lakh ha with 13.7 t/ha productivity. In the present investigation, a total 33 genotypes including 6 species of Psidium and 28 genotypes of Psidium guajava were characterized using 39 SSR markers. All accessions are being cultivated at IARI research farm, Pusa campus, New Delhi. Samples were collected from research farm to determine the overall diversity and to assess the similarity among genotypes using molecular markers. Out of 39 primers 26 were reproducible. A total of 64 alleles were produced by 26 primers and number of alleles per locus varied from 1 (mPgCIR01, mPgCIR18 and mPgCIR19) to 5 (mPgCIR256) with mean value of 2.34. Gene diversity ranged from 0.0377 to 0.6681 with a mean value of 0.2766. Highest gene diversity was observed for primer mPgCIR256 (0.6681) and lowest for primer mPgCIR24 (0.0377). SSR primer mPgCIR256 was most informative with high rate of polymorphism as well as number of alleles. Phenotypic correlation indicated the correlated traits with dependent yield trait. PCA and cluster analysis showed a significant phenotypic and genetic diversity among existing cultivars. All accessions were grouped into two major groups and under each group four sub groups. Maximum diversity was found in leaf traits, viz. leaf length, leaf breadth, petiole and petiole length. Genetic distance and the dissimilarity matrix showed three major clusters on the basis of genetic similarity. All these accessions were grouped in to three clusters, viz. A, B and C. While cluster A includes only cultivars, cluster B includes all species except P. friedrichsthalianum. This indicates that, the diversity among and between species is at cluster level. Genetic diversity analysis among Psidium species showed that P. guajava had more similarity with Psidium guienensis compared to other species. Present investigation indicated the presence of substantial diversity among guava species which can be utilized for future guava improvement programmes

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L) is one of the four most important crops worldwide in production and consumption. It originated from South America along the Andes, where six hotspots of diversity known as subcenters of origin are described from Venezuela to Chiloe Island in Chile, and where the greatest diversity of potatoes in the world is found. Today, the use of ancestral genetic resources has gained significant relevance, recovering and producing foods with a greater nutrient content and beneficial to human health. Therefore, native potatoes possess a set of characteristics with great potential for use in potato breeding guided primarily to produce better feed, especially potatoes of the Chilotanum Group that are easily crossed with conventional varieties. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate 290 accessions of S. tuberosum subsp tuberosum belonging to the Chilotanum Group using a set of molecular markers and correlate them to its phenotypic traits for future use in breeding programs. For this purpose, 290 accessions were analysed through 22 specific microsatellites described previously, correlating them with flesh and skin colour, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content. A division into groups considering all the 290 accessions resulted in two clusters using STRUCTURE analysis and seven different genetic clusters using UPGMA. The latter exhibited common phenotypic characteristics as well as anthocyanin content, strongly supporting a correlation between phenotypic traits and the genetic fingerprint. These results will enable breeders to focus on the development of potatoes with high polyphenol and anthocyanin content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster bean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] is an important vegetable crop of industrial importance known as gaur, it is a self-pollinating and deep rooting crop, thus it is well adapted to semi-arid and arid rainfall areas. This legume crop is being grown for wider uses like human food, animal feed as well as fodder, and also for industrial uses for galactomannan gum extraction from a commercial perspective. In the crop genetic improvement is being limited, which could be due to insufficient diversity, or lack of exploitation of genetic resources. Therefore, we collected 70 gaur genotypes and were employed to estimate the genetic diversity along with four varieties using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The PIC value ranged from 0.05 to 0.62, with an average of 0.38, while SSR marker amplification with 23 polymorphic primers detected 99 alleles with a mean of 4.30 alleles per SSR marker. Three separate groups emerged from the clustering analysis. Furthermore, twenty-four morphological traits were studied for the analysis of morphological diversity, and the genotypes and varieties were divided into eight subgroups based on standardized morphological data based on Mahalanobis D2 statistics. Cluster IV had the greatest intracluster distance (D2 = 7698.63), and clusters IV and VIII had the greatest intercluster distance (D2 = 195,694.80). Thus, the study revealed that collected genotypes contain a wide range of diversity, and the molecular markers can be utilized in conjunction with morphological characterization for a better description of the level and pattern of genetic diversity, as well as for the cluster bean breeding and improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the diversity within and among cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L.), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) variants are essential for the development of healthy diets. However, most studies on them have been limited to a single species, with little integrated analysis between them. In this study, the diversity within and among these species and varieties is assessed by determining the contents of 15 major characteristic nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals in 12 varieties of cabbage, 9 varieties of cauliflower, and 12 varieties of Chinese cabbage cultivated under the same conditions. The results show that there are significant differences in the compositional distributions of cabbage, cauliflower, and Chinese cabbage. Cabbage has the highest contents of soluble sugars (27.73 mg·kg−1 FW), flavonoids (5.90 mg·g−1 FW), and Fe (46.90 mg·kg−1 DW). Cauliflower is an ideal source of soluble protein (603.04 mg·kg−1 FW), polyphenols (1.53 mg·g−1 FW), glucosinolates (25.27 μmol·g−1 FW), and Cu (4.25 mg·kg−1 DW). Chinese cabbage is rich in vitamin C (0.45 mg·g−1 FW) and minerals (K, Ca, Mg, P, Mn, and Zn, at 9206.67 mg·kg−1 DW, 3297.00 mg·kg−1 DW, 3322.79 mg·kg−1 DW, 5614.78 mg·kg−1 DW, 15.36 mg·kg−1 DW, and 21.87 mg·kg−1 DW, respectively). There is a correlation between the quality, antioxidant properties, and minerals of the three species. In principal component analysis, a wide distribution of cabbage varieties and a high degree of overlap with the confidence ellipse of cauliflower are observed, indicating that certain cabbage varieties share compositional characteristics with cauliflower. These findings provide a reference for selecting varieties with higher nutritional value and antioxidant properties, as well as breeding new varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The passion fruit genus (Passiflora) is comprised of more than 600 species with several species admired for their tropical fruit and ornate flowers. Passiflora edulis Sims is the most important species and includes yellow or purple fruit types. Major threats to commercial production include both abiotic and biotic stresses, and recent advances in passion fruit genomics are facilitating systematic plant improvement. Marker-assisted breeding of passionfruit enables parental selection, confirmation of hybrid parentage, correction of mis-identified accessions, and resolution of species assignments. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to characterize 59 accessions from 21 species that included native and naturalized Passiflora species found in Florida, USA. Over 2 million SNPs were identified and 26,191 were used for downstream analyses. Phylogenetic, STRUCTURE, and Principal Component Analyses separated species and identified mislabeled accessions. Passiflora edulis accessions including yellow and purple-fruited types were grouped by fruit type. Eight species found in Florida including P. biflora Lam., P. foetida L., P. incarnata L., P. lutea L., P. mulitiflora L., P. pallens Poepp. ex Mast., P. sexflora Juss., and P. pallida L. were well-separated from other species. Sequencing four naturally-pollinated P. laurifolia L. seedlings demonstrated that this accession is self-compatible. The results from this study could aid the genetic improvement of passion fruit in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum is a common landscape plant. Because of the preference for the 'red leaf' trait, the 'flower color' trait was ignored in breeding, and the genetic diversity of L. chinense var. rubrum was replaced by a few genotypes. Therefore, the potential value of flower color traits was affected, and the genetic diversity was not fully exploited. In this study, we utilized a cultivar with mosaic-colored flowers and leaves and observed 15 phenotypic traits in its flower organs and its progeny, as well as a total of 60 different flower color materials. We analyzed the variation characteristics and diversity of flower colors, and qualitatively described and preliminarily classified flower colors using the ISCC-NBS and CIELab systems to explore the correlation with the flower color phenotype from the distribution and content of anthocyanins. The phenotypic diversity of the flower organs was enriched, and genetic differences in flower color were significant for the L.chinense var. rubrum, with most of the 15 phenotypic traits showing significant positive correlations, and the most critical phenotypes are sepal, petal and nectary color, as well as petal length. According to the CIELab color system and anthocyanin content and distribution characteristics, it is considered more accurate and convenient to classify the color phenotypes of L. chinense var. rubrum flowers into five categories. In this study, for the first time, the flower organ phenotype of L. chinense var. rubrum has been systematically analyzed, and it is explored as a reference method for breeding new cultivars of a diverse range of colors in L. chinense var. rubrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]