Analysis of genetic effects and correlations for nutrient quality traits of indica rice in different environments

Understanding the variation for the expressionof genes in different environments is one of themajor goals in qualitative genetics. In this pa-per, the genetic models for quantitative traitsof endosperm in cereal crops were used to eval-uate the seed, cytoplasm and maternal geneticeffects as well as the genotype × environment(GE) interaction effects, and to predict thebreeding value of parents and genotypic corre-lation for nutrient quality traits of indica rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Cytological Correlation Between Flower and Vegetative Shoot Development from Immature Embryo-Derived Calli in Wheat

In this paper, the traits of immature embryo culture from 45 genotypes of bread wheat were investigated in detail, and trait correlation analysis in combination with histomorphological examination was used to study the cytological origin of flower as well as the correlation between it and vegetative shoot development from the calli. The rate of floral development in the subculture was highly significantly and positively related to that of the differentiation culture, which reveals that the genetic system of floral development from immature embryo-derived calli in wheat was highly correspondent and stable. The rate of floral development was related neither to the traits in the dedifferentiation culture, nor to the vegetative shoot formation from the total induced calli, but significantly and positively related to that of the calli without leaf-like green spots in the differentiation culture. These findings indicate the partial correlation as well as differentiation between flower and vegetative shoot development. The floral development might only be associated with the genetic system controlling organ regeneration, while vegetative shoots formed from the two ways, including somatic embryogenesis and organ regeneration.

Joint Analysis Method for Major Genes Controlling Multiple Correlated Quantitative Traits

Based on the major gene and polygene mixed inheritance model for multiple correlated quantitative traits, the authors proposed a new joint segregation analysis method of major gene controlling multiple correlated quantitative traits, which include major gene detection and its effect and variation estimation. The effect and variation of major gene are estimated by the maximum likelihood method implemented via expectation-maximization （EM） algorithm. Major gene is tested with the likelihood ratio （LR） test statistic. Extensive simulation studies showed that joint analysis not only increases the statistical power of major gene detection but also improves the precision and accuracy of major gene effect estimates. An example of the plant height and the number of tiller of F2 population in rice cross Duonieai x Zhonghua 11 was used in the illustration. The results indicated that the genetic difference of these two traits in this cross refers to only one pleiotropic major gene. The additive effect and dominance effect of the major gene are estimated as -21.3 and 40.6 cm on plant height, and 22.7 and -25.3 on number of tiller, respectively. The major gene shows overdominance for plant height and close to complete dominance for number of tillers.

Covariance of Floral and Vegetative Traits in Four Species of Ranunculaceae:A Comparison between Specialized and Generalized Pollination Systems

Theory predicts that tighter correlation between floral traits and weaker relationship between floral and vegetative traits more likely occur in specialized flowers than generalized flowers, favoring by precise fit with pollinators. However, traits and trait correlations frequently vary under different environments. Through detecting spatiotemporal variation in phenotypic traits （floral organ size and vegetative size） and trait correlations in four Ranunculaceae species, we examined four predictions. Overall, our results supported these predictions to a certain degree. The mean coefficient of variation （CV） of floral traits in two specialized species （Delphinium kamaonense and Aconitum gymnandrum） was marginally significantly lower than that of another two generalized species （Trollius ranunculoides and Anemone obtusiloba）. The two specialized species also showed marginally significantly smaller CV in floral traits than vegetative size across the two species. The absolute mean correlation between floral and vegetative traits, or that between floral traits in species with specialized flowers was not significantly lower, or higher than that in generalized plants, weakly supporting the predictions. Furthermore, we documented a large variation in trait correlations of four species among different seasons and populations. Study of covariance of floral and vegetative traits will benefit from the contrast of results obtained from generalized and specialized pollination systems.

Pollen size strongly correlates with stigma depth among Pedicularis species

Summary Darwin proposed that pollen size should be positively correlated with stigma depth rather than style length among species given that pollen tubes first enter the stigma autotrophically, then grow through the style heterotrophically. However, studies often show a posi-tive relationship between pollen size and style length. Five floral traits were observed to be correlated among 42 bumblebee-pollinated Pedicularis species （Orobancha- ceae） in which stigmas are distinct from styles. The phylogenetic independent contrast analysis revealed that pollen grain volume was more strongly correlated with stigma depth than with style length, consistent with Darwin＇s functional hypothesis between pollen size and stigma depth.