Research Progress on Genetic Breeding of Sweet Sorghum Related to Sugar Traits

Sweet sorghum is a crop with good application prospects, and the research on sweet sorghum breeding people should be strengthened. Based on this, the genetic content of QTLs(quantitative trait loci) for sugar traits in sweet sorghum was introduced, and the analysis content of the genetic breeding of sweet sorghum related to sugar traits was expounded, providing support for the cultivation of sweet sorghum with higher quality and the promotion of agricultural development in China.

Creating large EMS populations for functional genomics and breeding in wheat

Wheat germplasm is a fundamental resource for basic research,applied studies,and wheat breeding,which can be enriched normally by several paths,such as collecting natural lines,accumulating breeding lines,and introducing mutagenesis materials.Ethyl methane sulfonate(EMS)is an alkylating agent that can effectively introduce genetic variations in a wide variety of plant species.In this study,we created a million-scale EMS population(MEP)that started with the Chinese wheat cultivars‘Luyan 128’,‘Jimai 38’,‘Jimai 44’,and‘Shannong 30’.In the M1 generation,the MEP had numerous phenotypical variations,such as>3,000 chlorophyll-deficient mutants,2,519 compact spikes,and 1,692 male sterile spikes.There were also rare mutations,including 30 independent tillers each with double heads.Some M1 variations of chlorophyll-deficiency and compact spikes were inheritable,appearing in the M2 or M3 generations.To advance the entire MEP to higher generations,we adopted a single-seed descendent(SSD)approach.All other seed composites of M2 were used to screen other agronomically important traits,such as the tolerance to herbicide quizalofop-P-methyl.The MEP is available for collaborative projects,and provides a valuable toolbox for wheat genetics and breeding for sustainable agriculture.

Genomics and genetic breeding in aquatic animals:progress and prospects

Genomics focuses on dissection of genome structure and function to provide a molecular basis for understanding the genetic background. In a pivotal step,the expense of whole genome sequencing has been largely eliminated by the rapid updating of sequencing technology,leading to increasing numbers of decoded genomes of aquatic organisms, driving the aquaculture industry into the genomic era. Multiple aquatic areas have been influenced by these findings, such as accelerated generation shift in the seed industry and the process of breeding improved lines. In this article, we have summarized the latest domestic and international progress of aquatic animals in nine aspects, including WGS and fine mapping,construction of high density genetic/physical maps, traitrelated marker/genes screening, as well as sex control,genome editing, and other molecular breeding technologies. Finally, the existing problems in this field have been discussed and five future counter measures have been proposed accordingly.

Report on the Breeding of Dahen 799 Broilers

[Objectives]This study was conducted to improve the production efficiency of dark-shank partridge-like plumage high-quality broilers and ensure animal welfare,so as to meet the development needs of China’s yellow-feather broiler industry.[Methods]Sichuan Animal Science Academy and Sichuan Dahen Poultry Breeding Co.,Ltd.formed a joint breeding research team.The team bred Dahen 799 broiler complete set line with local chicken breeds as the main material and improving production efficiency,stabilizing meat quality and flavor and achieving autosexing of chicks as the main breeding goals by modern poultry breeding technologies,after 10 years and 8 generations.[Results]The Dahen 799 broiler complete set line was approved by National Commission of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources in December 2020.The 66-week-old egg production of the breed reached 189 eggs.For the commercial generation,cocks and hens showed 10-week-old weights of 2668 and 2269 g,respectively;the feed conversion ratio was 2.26-2.35;the survivability was 96.7%-97.2%;and the average intramuscular fat contents of cocks and hens were in the range of 1.8%-2.1%,and the inosinic acid contents were in the range of 2.3-3.2 mg/g.The production performance and meat flavor of Dahen 799 broilers were better than Dahen 699 broilers,Sichuan mountainous bone-black chickens and two other social breeds.Compared with Sichuan mountainous bone-black chickens,the egg production at the age of 66 weeks increased by 47 eggs;the average weight of cocks and hens of the commercial generation at 10 weeks increased by 45.21%;and the autosexing rate of chicks of the commercial generation reached 99.3%.[Conclusions]Dahen 799 broilers have the advantages of good production performance,high feed conversion ratio and excellent meat flavor and the characteristic of autosexing which other breeds do not have,and can fully meet the industrial development needs of dark shanks and partridge-like plumage broilers.

The evolving role of Fourier-transform midinfrared spectroscopy in genetic improvement of dairy cattle

Over the last 100 years,significant advances have been made in the characterisation of milk composition for dairy cattle improvement programs.Technological progress has enabled a shift from labour intensive,on-farm collection and processing of samples that assess yield and fat levels in milk,to large-scale processing of samples through centralised laboratories,with the scope extended to include quantification of other traits.Fourier-transform midinfrared(FT-MIR)spectroscopy has had a significant role in the transformation of milk composition phenotyping,with spectral-based predictions of major milk components already being widely used in milk payment and animal evaluation systems globally.Increasingly,there is interest in analysing the individual FT-MIR wavenumbers,and in utilising the FT-MIR data to predict other novel traits of importance to breeding programs.This includes traits related to the nutritional value of milk,the processability of milk into products such as cheese,and traits relevant to animal health and the environment.The ability to successfully incorporate these traits into breeding programs is dependent on the heritability of the FT-MIR predicted traits,and the genetic correlations between the FT-MIR predicted and actual trait values.Linking FT-MIR predicted traits to the underlying mutations responsible for their variation can be difficult because the phenotypic expression of these traits are a function of a diverse range of molecular and biological mechanisms that can obscure their genetic basis.The individual FT-MIR wavenumbers give insights into the chemical composition of milk and provide an additional layer of granularity that may assist with establishing causal links between the genome and observed phenotypes.Additionally,there are other molecular phenotypes such as those related to the metabolome,chromatin accessibility,and RNA editing that could improve our understanding of the underlying biological systems controlling traits of interest.Here we review topics of importance to phenotyping and genetic applications of FT-MIR spectra datasets,and discuss opportunities for consolidating FT-MIR datasets with other genomic and molecular data sources to improve future dairy cattle breeding programs.

单细胞转录组测序技术畜牧业标准化现状分析

Single-cell RNA sequencing technology(scRNA-seq)is an emerging,high-throughput,high-resolution big data production and analysis technology,which has helped some pioneering research and discoveries in the field of animal husbandry in recent years.This technology provides an essential basis for the early selection of livestock and poultry and the selection of excellent characters,showing that it has great application potential and broad prospects in animal husbandry research and production.Although scRNA-seq technology has established a wide range of commercial production services at home and abroad,the standardization status of this technology in animal husbandry needs further exploration,as it can provide clues and foundations for the application of scRNA-seq technology in animal husbandry.

Production of functional sperm from in vitro-cultured premeiotic spermatogonia in a marine fish

In vitro production of functional gametes can revolutionize reproduction by reducing generation intervals and accelerating genetic breeding in aquaculture,especially in fish with relatively long generations.Nevertheless,functional sperm production from in vitro-cultured spermatogonia remains a challenge in most aquaculture fish.In this study,we isolated and characterized premeiotic spermatogonia from marine four-eyed sleepers(Bostrychus sinensis),which are prone to ovotesticular or sterile testicular development,and induced the differentiation of the spermatogonia into flagellated sperm in a three-dimensional(3D)culture system.Artificial insemination indicated that the in vitro-derived sperm were capable of fertilizing mature oocytes to develop into normal larvae.Furthermore,melatonin significantly promoted spermatogonia proliferation and differentiation through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway,and thus increased the efficiency in functional sperm production.The 3D culture system and resulting functional sperm hold great promise for improving the genetic breeding of aquaculture fish.

A Preliminary Study on Systems Engineering-Based Method for the Evaluation of Allelopathic Potential in Crops and Its Application

The objective of this study was to develop a method to assess and analyze the total allelopathic potential of crop germplasm and to test this method on four winter wheat accessions commonly planted in the Loess Plateau. A systems engineering model was developed and used to evaluate the total allelopathic potential of crop cultivars. In addition, a method for quantifying the total allelopathic potential in crop accessions was presented. Total allelopathic potential of four winter wheat accessions from the Loess Plateau was estimated and compared using a systems theory approach. The model assessed allelopathic potential in different parts of the plants from the time wheat turned green in spring until maturity. Results from these models indicated that the four wheat accessions had very weak allelopathic potential. Allelopathic potential declined in the order Xiaoyan 22 〉 Ningdong 1 〉 Fengchan 3 〉 Bima 1. This system engineering evaluation method allows for the assessment of allelopathic potential among crop varieties. It will help plant breeders to select and develop allelopathic crop accessions that combine weed suppression properties with agronomic traits related to yield and quality.

Research progress on plant tolerance to soil salinity and alkalinity in sorghum

Sorghum is an important source of food, feed and raw material for brewing, and is expected to be a promising bioenergy crop. Sorghum is well known for its strong resistance to abiotic stress and wide adaptability, and salt tolerance is one of its main characteristics. Increasing sorghum planting acreage on saline-alkalien land is one way to effectively use this kind of marginal soil. In this paper, domestic and overseas research on plant tolerance to soil salinity and alkalinity in sorghum, including salt-tolerant genetics and breeding, physiology, cultivation, and identification of tolerant germplasms, are reviewed. Suggestions for further studies on salinity and alkalinity tolerance in sorghum are given, and the prospects for sorghum production in saline-alkalien land are discussed.

Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding(TGMB)

Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding(ISSN 1927-5781)is an international,open access,peer reviewed journal,committed to serve for tree genetics and molecular breeding,particularly publishing innovative research findings in the basic and applied fields of tree molecular genetics and novel techniques for fruit/forest/ornamental/

Genetic study and molecular breeding for high phosphorus use efficiency in maize

Phosphorus is the second most important macronutrient after nitrogen and it has many vital functions in the life of plants.Most soils have a low available P content,which has become a key limiting factor for increasing crop production.Also,low P use efficiency(PUE)of crops in conjunction with excessive application of P fertilizers has resulted in serious environmental problems.Thus,dissecting the genetic architecture of crop PUE,mining related quantitative trait loci(QTL)and using molecular breeding methods to improve high PUE germplasm are of great significance and serve as an efficient approach for the development of sustainable agriculture.In this review,molecular and phenotypic characteristics of maize inbred lines with high PUE,related QTL and genes as well as low-P responses are summarized.Based on this,a breeding strategy applying genomic selection as the core,and integrating the existing genetic information and molecular breeding techniques is proposed for breeding high PUE maize inbred lines and hybrids.

Dissection of genetic network underlying important agronomic traits accelerates modern breeding in soybean

With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the'Strategic Priority Research Program'of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,a collaborative study by the research groups led by Professors Tian Zhixi(田志喜),Wang Guodong(王国栋),and Zhu Baoge(朱保葛)from the

A comprehensive overview of cotton genomics,biotechnology and molecular biological studies

Cotton is an irreplaceable economic crop currently domesticated in the human world for its extremely elongated fiber cells specialized in seed epidermis,which makes it of high research and application value.To date,numerous research on cotton has navigated various aspects,from multi-genome assembly,genome editing,mechanism of fiber development,metabolite biosynthesis,and analysis to genetic breeding.Genomic and 3D genomic studies reveal the origin of cotton species and the spatiotemporal asymmetric chromatin structure in fibers.Mature multiple genome editing systems,such as CRISPR/Cas9,Cas12(Cpf1)and cytidine base editing(CBE),have been widely used in the study of candidate genes affecting fiber development.Based on this,the cotton fiber cell development network has been preliminarily drawn.Among them,the MYB-b HLH-WDR(MBW)transcription factor complex and IAA and BR signaling pathway regulate the initiation;various plant hormones,including ethylene,mediated regulatory network and membrane protein overlap fine-regulate elongation.Multistage transcription factors targeting Ces A 4,7,and 8 specifically dominate the whole process of secondary cell wall thickening.And fluorescently labeled cytoskeletal proteins can observe real-time dynamic changes in fiber development.Furthermore,research on the synthesis of cotton secondary metabolite gossypol,resistance to diseases and insect pests,plant architecture regulation,and seed oil utilization are all conducive to finding more high-quality breeding-related genes and subsequently facilitating the cultivation of better cotton varieties.This review summarizes the paramount research achievements in cotton molecular biology over the last few decades from the above aspects,thereby enabling us to conduct a status review on the current studies of cotton and provide strong theoretical support for the future direction.

Natural and artificial polyploids in aquaculture

Genome polyploidy has been revealed to result in evolutionary advantages and novelties,and therefore,polyploid aquatic animals may possess excellent traits of economic interest including rapid growth,extensive adaptability and disease resistance.For this reason,numerous species of natural polyploid fishes,such as common carp,gibel carp,crucian carp,salmon,and sturgeon,were chosen as important target species for aquaculture.Many artificial polyploids have been commercially utilized for aquaculture and most of them were created from natural polyploid fishes of the Cyprinidae and Salmonidae.Thanks to the easy mass production and better economic traits in growth and flesh quality,the synthetized autopolyploids or allopolyploids from natural polyploid species in cyprinid fishes have been extensively applied to aquaculture throughout China.This review outlines polyploidy advantages and innovative opportunities,lists natural polyploid species used in aquaculture,and summarizes artificial polyploids that have been induced or synthetized,and used in aquaculture.Moreover,some main research trends on polyploid utilization and ploidy manipulation of aquaculture animals are also introduced and discussed in the review.

Rethinking fish biology and biotechnologies in the challenge era for burgeoning genome resources and strengthening food security

Fish biology has been developed for more than 100 years,but some important breakthroughs have been made in the last decade.Early studies commonly concentrated on morphology,phylogenetics,development,growth,reproduction manipulation,and disease control.Recent studies have mostly focused on genetics,molecular biology,genomics,and genome biotechnologies,which have provided a solid foundation for enhancing aquaculture to ensure food security and improving aquatic environments to sustain ecosystem health.Here,we review research advances in five major areas:(1)biological innovations and genomic evolution of four significant fish lineages including non-teleost ray-finned fishes,northern hemisphere sticklebacks,East African cichlid fishes,and East Asian cyprinid fishes;(2)evolutionary fates and consequences of natural polyploid fishes;(3)biological consequences of fish domestication and selection;(4)development and innovation of fish breeding biotechnologies;and(5)applicable approaches and potential of fish genetic breeding biotechnologies.Moreover,five precision breeding biotechniques are examined and discussed in detail including gene editing for the introgression or removal of beneficial or detrimental alleles,use of sex-specific markers for the production of mono-sex populations,controllable primordial germ cell on-off strategy for producing sterile offspring,surrogate broodstock-based strategies to accelerate breeding,and genome incorporation and sexual reproduction regainbased approach to create synthetic polyploids.Based on these scientific and technological advances,we propose a blueprint for genetic improvement and new breed creation for aquaculture species and analyze the potential of these new breeding strategies for improving aquaculture seed industry and strengthening food security.

Genomic polymorphisms at the crhr2 locus improve feed conversion efficiency through alleviation of hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis activity in gibel carp(Carassius gibelio)

Improvement in fish feed conversion efficiency(FCE)is beneficial for sustaining global food fish supplies.Here,we show that a set of polymorphisms at locus of the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2(crhr2),which is involved in hypothalamuspituitary-interrenal(HPI)axis signaling,is associated with improved FCE in farmed allogynogenetic gibel carp strain CAS Ⅲ compared with that in the wild gibel carp strain Dongting(DT).This set of polymorphisms downregulates the expression levels of crhr2 mRNA in the brain and pituitary tissues in gibel carp strain CAS Ⅲ compared with those in strain DT.Furthermore,compromised HPI axis signaling is observed in gibel carp strain CAS Ⅲ,such as decreased α-melanocyte stimulating hormone protein levels,plasma cortisol content,and stress responses.Moreover,enhanced activation of protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling observed in the muscle tissue of strain CAS Ⅲ in comparison to that in strain DT indicated elevated anabolic metabolism in strain CAS Ⅲ.Thus,these studies demonstrate that the genetic markers associated with compromised HPI axis signaling,such as crhr2,are potentially useful for genetic selection toward improvement in farmed fish growth and FCE,which would reduce fishmeal consumption and thereby indirectly facilitate sustainable fisheries.

Nuclear Technique and Agriculture in China

Nuclear technique is a powerful scientific tool in agricultural research, an area with fruitful achievements in China. Application of nuclear technique in agriculture (Nuclear Agricultural Sciences) based on the development of related science and technology is a high-tech area, and also a significant aspect of non-electrical power application of nuclear technique.……

Editorial Prerogative and the Plant Genome

In the coming decades,plant agriculture must produce the food needed to sustain the world＇s burgeoning population.This challenge is made more daunting in light of a changing climate,scarcity of inputs such as water and fertilizer,and the need to grow more crops on increasingly marginal land.To achieve food security,we will need to fully exploit plant genetics to develop new crop varieties that produce higher yields of healthier food.