Natural variations and geographical distributions of seed carotenoids and chlorophylls in 1167 Chinese soybean accessions

Understanding the composition and contents of carotenoids in various soybean seed accessions is important for their nutritional assessment.This study investigated the variability in the concentrations of carotenoids and chlorophylls and revealed their associations with other nutritional quality traits in a genetically diverse set of Chinese soybean accessions comprised of cultivars and landraces.Genotype,planting year,accession type,seed cotyledon color,and ecoregion of origin significantly influenced the accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophylls.The mean total carotenoid content was in the range of 8.15–14.72μg g–1 across the ecoregions.The total carotenoid content was 1.2-fold higher in the landraces than in the cultivars.Soybeans with green cotyledons had higher contents of carotenoids and chlorophylls than those with yellow cotyledons.Remarkably,lutein was the most abundant carotenoid in all the germplasms,ranging from 1.35–37.44μg g–1.Carotenoids and chlorophylls showed significant correlations with other quality traits,which will help to set breeding strategies for enhancing soybean carotenoids without affecting the other components.Collectively,our results demonstrate that carotenoids are adequately accumulated in soybean seeds,however,they are strongly influenced by genetic factors,accession type,and germplasm origin.We identified novel germplasms with the highest total carotenoid contents across the various ecoregions of China that could serve as the genetic materials for soybean carotenoid breeding programs,and thereby as the raw materials for food sectors,pharmaceuticals,and the cosmetic industry.

Agro-Morphological Characterization of a Collection of Fonio [Digitaria exilis (Kippist.) Stapf.] Accessions from Burkina Faso

Considered as the oldest cereal, fonio (Digitaria exilis Stapf.) is grown in West Africa for its therapeutic virtues, its nutritional and organoleptic qualities. It plays an important socio-cultural and economic role for the populations of western Burkina Faso. However, very few studies on the genetic diversity of fonio have been carried out. This study aims to contribute to a better knowledge of the diversity of Digitaria exilis in Burkina Faso using agro-morphological descriptors. Thus, 60 accessions of fonio collected from western Burkina Faso were characterized using 21 agro-morphological characters according to an Alpha Latice design with three replications. The study showed morphological variability for most of the qualitative and quantitative characters studied. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 56.07% of the variability. Hierarchical cluster analysis splits the accessions of the collection into four clusters using seven characters. These characters can constitute basic criteria for differentiating fonio accessions in Burkina Faso. The accessions of Group II have a long cycle and high production of grain, while the accessions of Group IV have a short cycle and low production of grain. The groups identified can serve as a starting point for fonio breeding in Burkina Faso.

Screening and evaluation for antibiosis resistance of the spring wheat accessions to the grain aphid,Sitobion miscanthi(Takahashi)(Hemiptera:Aphididae)

Resistant cultivar deployment is an effective method for cereal aphid management.Under greenhouse conditions,preliminary antibiosis resistance screening was conducted on 114 Ethiopian and 22 Chinese spring wheat accessions.After performing a bioassay to determine antibiosis resistance,aphid feeding behaviour and phenolic acid content analyses were performed on the aphid resistant wheat accessions by electrical penetration graph(EPG)and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),respectively.Among the wheat accessions,two high resistances,27moderate-resistances,and 35 low-resistances to Sitobion miscanthi were identified.The antibiosis resistance test showed prolonged pre-adult and pre-reproductive periods,shorter reproductive periods,lower fecundity,an intrinsic rate(rm)of increase,and a finite rate(λ)of increase of S.miscanthi on Lunxuan 145,Wane,Lunxuan 6,204511,Lunxuan 103and 5215 than those on the aphid-susceptible accession Beijing 837.The changes for the parameters of aphid feeding behaviour,including spending a longer time in the penetration and phloem salivation phases and less time in the phloem sap-feeding phase on the resistant wheat accessions,indicated that the aphid resistance may occur during the phloem phase and may be due to difficulties in the mechanical probing of the mesophyll cells.Additionally,the HPLC analysis showed higher contents of:1)ferulic acid in Lunxuan 145,Lunxuan 103 and Lunxuan 6;2)p-coumaric acid in Lunxuan145;3)vanillic acid in Lunxuan 145,Wane and Lunxuan 6;4)syringic acid in Lunxuan 103;and 5)caffeic acid in 5215.The contents of some phenolic acids within wheat leaves,such as p-courmaric acid and vanillic acid showed significant positive correlation with the duration of aphid development,but negative correlation with the aphid fecundity.The concentrations of these acids may be the causes of antibiosis resistance to S.miscanthi.The identification of grain aphid-resistant wheat accessions in our study will be helpful in future breeding program for pest control.

Greenhouse and Field Evaluation of Selected Sweetpotato (<i>Ipomoea batatas</i>(L.) LAM) Accessions for Drought Tolerance in South Africa

Sweetpotato is a major staple food in the world. It is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamin A, vitamin C and protein. The maximum production potential of the crop is being hampered by severe drought which ravages most parts of Africa. The main aim of this study therefore was to screen accessions of sweetpotato for drought tolerance in a quick screening method, followed by field screening with a view to identify accessions that can perform well under water stress conditions. Fifty sweetpotato accessions consisting of cultivars and breeding lines collected from the ARC-VOPI gene bank were planted for drought screening in the glass house for six weeks during which water was withheld to induce stress. Observations were made on number of dead plants and days to wilting point. The results were analyzed and 12 best performing accessions were selected for field trials. The field trial was carried out in Lwamondo, Limpopo province, a drought prone area in South Africa, under rain-fed conditions. The best performing accessions were Zapallo, Tacna, Ejumula, 2004-9-2 and Ndou.

Analyses Using SSR and DArT Molecular Markers Reveal that Ethiopian Accessions of White Lupin (<i>Lupinus albus</i>L.) Represent a Unique Genepool

PCR-based genic and microarray-based Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTTM) markers were used to determine genetic diversity in 94 accessions of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) comprising Australian and foreign cultivars, landraces, and advanced breeding lines from Australian breeding programs. A total of 345 (50 PCR-based and 295 DArT-based) polymorphic fragments were identified, which were used to determine the genetic diversity among accessions. Both cluster analysis of bivariate marker data using UPGMA, and principal coordinate analysis, indicated a high level of genetic diversity in the germplasm. Our results showed that both types of markers used in this study are suitable for estimation of genetic diversity. Landrace accessions from Ethiopia formed a very distinct and separate grouping with both marker systems. Australian cultivars and breeding lines were clustered together and tended to be distinct from European landraces. These findings will allow breeders to select appropriate, diverse parents to broaden the genetic base of white lupin breeding populations.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Forty Pearl Millet (<i>Pennisetum glaucum</i>(L.) R. Br) Accessions from Sudan Using Agronomical Descriptors and DNA Molecular Markers

Morphological descriptors and Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique were used to assess the genetic variation among and within forty Pennesitum glaucum accessions from Sudan. Accessions were collected from 30 villages representing Darfur, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile states. 64 amplified fragments were distinguished using ten primers.? 63 bands were polymorphic among the forty accessions with an average of 6.3 polymorphic bands per primer. Low level of genetic similarity was observed (4% - 43%). The PhiPT (analogue of FST fixation index) value for genetic variability obtained over the four regions was 0.169 with high significance (P = 0.01). AMOVA analysis showed higher variance components within regions (80%) than among regions (20%). The two dendrograms obtained by Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data;and morphological data based on 26 descriptors did not fit together. PCA (Principal coordinate’s analysis) showed geographic structuring of pearl millet according to its growing regions in Sudan.

Morphological Characterization of Mango （Mangifera indica） Accessions Based on Brazilian Adapted Descriptors

The aim of this study was to characterize 103 mango accessions of the field germplasm collection of Embrapa semi-arid region, located in Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil and to apply 50 morphological descriptors established by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, livestock and supply to help in the development of new mango cultivars for the Northeastern region of Brazil. Four trees were selected for each accession and eight adult leaves, eight flowers and 16 fruits were collected from each tree. Morphological characteristics ranging from plant size to seed embryo were evaluated. Simple percentages were estimated for all the descriptors. Only the descriptors for leaf symmetry and fruit waxiness did not show variability among the accessions. Eight accessions did not show fruits with fibers, while nine other accessions presented flesh firmness, which is an important characteristic to improve breeding. The soluble solids content was high, above 14 ~Brix for 95% of the accessions with Tommy Atkins showing the lowest value, 12.5 ~Brix. A great diversity was found in the color of the epidermis ranging from green to red. The accessions Amrapali and Salitre presented a dark orange flesh color. The obtained data set, are the most comprehensive so far in Brazil, it allows choosing the best parents to develop new cultivars and will also contribute to the protection of mango cultivars in Brazil.

Genetic Diversity in the Semi-Arid Grown Cowpea(<i>Vigna unguiculata</i>L. Walp)Accessions Using Morphological and Molecular Characterization

Assessment of genetic diversity of the indigenous crop accessions is extremely important for breeders to identify potential parents in cross-breeding programs. Fourteen cowpea accessions collected from different parts of Sudan were used for characterization at morphological and molecular levels. The seeds of the accessions were sown in the field using a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Sixteen morphological descriptors (9 qualitative and 7 quantitative) and 20 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used for characterization of the accessions. The results of morphological data revealed considerable variability within and between state’s accessions. Some morphological traits revealed similarity between accessions from different states. Among the 20 RAPD markers used, 18 were polymorphic. A total of 379 polymorphic patterns were generated;polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.63 to 0.98 with an average of 0.9. The number of fragment detected ranged from 2 for OPL-11 to 51 for OPY-2 with an average of 26.06/primer and 27.07/genotype. One to five (1 - 5) unique fragments of different sizes were detected for particular accessions, which may provide a valuable resource for breeding superior cowpea cultivars in Sudan and other semi-arid zones. Genetic similarity was ranged from 0.02 to 0.47 with an average of 0.25. Highest genetic similarity was between genotypes HSD-2966 and HSD-2967 and between genotypes HSD-5131 and HSD-5627 and the lowest was between HSD-5131 and HSD-5861 followed by that between HSD-2976 and HSD-29130 accessions. The study recommends the combination of morphological and molecular data for more efficient genetic diversity assessment and management.

Comparison of Proximate Composition and Nutritional Qualities of Fifty-Three Cashew Accessions from Burkina Faso

Cashew cultivation is growing in Burkina Faso, but nut production remains low. Identification of high-performance plant material with known varietal characteristics is essential for breeding. This study consisted of physical-chemical and nutritional characterization of almonds from a core selection of 53 cashew accessions from Burkina Faso. Proximate composition included contents in water, lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, ash, cellulose using standard methods. Major constituents were lipids with an average level of 50.71% ± 4.07%, followed by carbohydrates and proteins with average levels of 21.18% ± 3.81% and 20.62% ± 1.58%, respectively. Average water, ash and cellulose levels were 4.56% ± 0.39%, 2.87% ± 0.27% and 4.61% ± 2.52%, respectively. The analysis of variability within accessions, based on physical and chemical parameters, identified 3 groups that differ in lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, cellulose and energy value. The first group containing 17 accessions of fat-rich cashews, average protein levels and very high energy values is more interesting for tree improvement programs.

Biometric Analysis on Genetic Divergence between Parental and Regenerated Accessions in Tall Coconut Palms (Cocos nucifera L.) from International Genebank for Africa and the Indian Ocean

This study endeavour assesses agromorphological likeness between initial introductions and regenerated accessions at the International Coconut Genebank for Africa and the Indian Ocean (ICG-AIO) based in C?te d’Ivoire. Ten couples of parental (G0) and regenerated (G1) accessions of Tall coconut palms were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) from 26 agromorphological characters. The main results showed a relative decrease in the expression of the phenotypical traits concerning the component of the fruit, height and vigor of the stem and yield of bunches and fruits after one regeneration cycle. But, a high proportion (69%) of studied characters from leaf, inflorescence and nut components showed likeness between G0 and G1 accessions. After one regeneration cycle, the controlled pollination method guarantees significant conservation of the expression of the majority of agromorphological traits. Consequently, regenerated accessions of Tall coconut palms can be used to pursue research and development programs in C?te d’Ivoire.

Biochemical Responses Associated with Resistance to Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) in Wild Rice Accessions

Brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens(Stal),is a destructive insect pest of rice.It damages the plants by sucking the plant sap from the phloem tissues and results in wilting of plants due to reduced chlorophyll and protein contents.Severely attacked plants do not bear any grains and cause'hopper bum*condition(Catindig et al,2009).Both nymphae and adults suck sap primarily at the base of the tillers,and therefore their presence goes undetected.BPH is also responsible for transmitting various viral diseases like grassy stunt,ragged stunt and wilted stunt(Win et al,2011).The blanket use of insecticides to control this pest has resulted in natural enemy death,environmental pollution,insecticide resistance and population resurgence.Therefore,there is dare need to develop alternative management strategy for this pest,and host plant resistance can be the effective,economical and chemical-free approach to control BPH.

Selection of Sesame Accessions(Sesamum indicum L.)in Thua Thien Hue Province,Vietnam

The main objective of this study was to select the best accessions for use as potential breeding sources in Thua Thien Hue province.A total of 16 accessions were used in this study,of which three accessions from Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam,four accessions supplied by Japan,six accessions collected from China,two accessions provided by the United States and one MèVàng local accession(control)from Thua Thien Hue.The field experiment was conducted from August 2016 to November 2016 and laid out in a random complete block design(RCBD)for three replications at Huong Long ward,Hue city,Thua Thien Hue province.Each accession was observed 10 plants per replication.The size of each plot was 10 m2 and the spacing of 25 cm×10 cm was applied.The results showed that experiment accessions can grow under Thua Thien Hue conditions.Of those,the actual yield of VV12,VDM21,VH12,VDM50,VH01 and VDM45 were higher than the other accessions with 1.65,1.64,1.55,1.54,1.52 and 1.45 tons/ha,respectively.Oil content of these six accessions was above 50%.Therefore,VV12,VDM21,VH12,VDM50,VH01 and VDM45 can be used for breeding and cultivation under local condition.

Local Taxonomy and Diversity of Chadian Sorghum [<i>Sorghum bicolor</i>(L.) Moench] Accessions

The integration of local plant genetic resources into the breeding program is an asset for research. The objective of this study is to assess the diversity and analyze the management practices of cultivated sorghum. A questionnaire following a participatory approach was submitted to 675 producers in 45 villages. The cultivars collected were characterized using 9 qualitative descriptors. In total, 151 accessions and 191 names were inventoried. On average, 25.17 accessions per department and 3.36 accessions per village. Local taxonomy is based on many criteria expressed in different local languages. The most common method of naming is that to the word sorghum is added either the color of the grain, the precocity, or any element deemed relevant by the farmers. Significant variability in grain and panicle traits was observed within the collection, except the color of the endosperm. The rate of diversity loss is 11.52% and red grain sorghums are the most threatened with extinction. Five accessions groups are differentiated by the presence or absence of awns, the color of glumes, and amount of grain covered by glumes, grain plumpness, and form. Based on productivity, precocity, plant size, seed shape, and color, the farmers identified seven promising accessions. This potential will be preserved and developed in the sorghum varietal improvement program in Chad.

Agromophological Characterisation of Amaranth Accessions from Malawi

Five amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) accessions from central and southern region of Malawi were characterised at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources using agro-morphological traits. A total of thirteen descriptors, defined by Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), were used to characterise the amaranth accessions under study. Field experiments were carried out for two seasons in August to November, 2018 and January to March, 2019. The experiments were laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD), which was replicated four times. The qualitative (plant growth habit, leaf colour, inflorescence colour, stem colour, inflorescence spininess, seed colour) and quantitative traits (plant height, stem girth, leaf length, leaf width, inflorescence length, days to 80% flowering, grain yield, leaf yield, and days to 80% maturity) evaluated were significant in defining the uniqueness of different amaranth accessions evaluated. Significant differences (P < 0.05) obtained from analysis of variance were observed in all the parameters studied. Correlation analysis was conducted using Genstat statistical package version 18 while cluster analysis was done using R statistical software. The agro-morphological characterisation results showed a wide range of variation for most of the qualitative characters. Wide variability was present in all the qualitative characters except for plant growth habit where all the accessions exhibited erect plant growth habit. These results point to high possibility of genetic diversity of amaranth accessions in Malawi, it could be exploited in future breeding purposes and deserving conservation.

Weed-Suppressing Effect and Mechanism of Allelopathic Rice Accessions

Two allelopathic rice accessions, PI312777 and Allelopathy1, significantly suppressedthe growth of associated weeds in the field. Moreover, their weed-suppressing effectswere correlated with the cultivation patterns. The weed-suppressing effects of throwingand transplanting were more effective than that of direct seeding. Furthermore, theamounts of allelochemicals (resorcinols, flavones and hydroxamic acids) produced andreleased from two allelopathic rice accessions were much higher than that from a non-allelopathic rice variety Hua-Jing-Xian1, and reached the maximum concentration at the6th leaf stage. Differences in the weed-suppressing effects of rice accessions appear toresult from the accessions producing and releasing different amounts of allelochemicalsin the field. Further research confirmed that in PI312777 plants, allelochemicals weresynthesized by the above-ground parts, and then secreted through the root tissues. Roottissues of PI312777 plants never produced the allelochemicals. Root exudates fromPI312777 could significantly inhibit the growth of E. crus-galli surrounding rice plantsin water culture. However, when activated carbon was added to the culture solution, whichcould absorb allelochemicals from root exudates, the growth of E. crus-galli was nolonger significantly inhibited. Weed-suppressing effects of rice accessions depended onallelopathy, cultivation patterns and other factors in rice fields, while allelopathywas one of important factors. Interestingly, the amounts of allelochemicals produced andreleased from allelopathic rice plants may be induced by the presence of E. crus-galli.This suggests that there is a possible chemical recognition between rice and E. crus-galli.

Genetics of biochemical attributes regulating morpho-physiology of upland cotton under high temperature conditions

Background Cotton is a strategically important fibre crop for global textile industry.It profoundly impacts several countries’industrial and agricultural sectors.Sustainable cotton production is continuously threatened by the unpre-dictable changes in climate,specifically high temperatures.Breeding heat-tolerant,high-yielding cotton cultivars with wide adaptability to be grown in the regions with rising temperatures is one of the primary objectives of modern cotton breeding programmes.Therefore,the main objective of the current study is to figure out the effective breed-ing approach to imparting heat tolerance as well as the judicious utilization of commercially significant and stress-tolerant attributes in cotton breeding.Initially,the two most notable heat-susceptible(FH-115 and NIAB Kiran)and tolerant(IUB-13 and GH-Mubarak)cotton cultivars were spotted to develop filial and backcross populations to accom-plish the preceding study objectives.The heat tolerant cultivars were screened on the basis of various morphological(seed cotton yield per plant,ginning turnout percentage),physiological(pollen viability,cell membrane thermostabil-ity)and biochemical(peroxidase activity,proline content,hydrogen peroxide content)parameters.Results The results clearly exhibited that heat stress consequently had a detrimental impact on every studied plant trait,as revealed by the ability of crossing and their backcross populations to tolerate high temperatures.However,when considering overall yield,biochemical,and physiological traits,the IUB-13×FH-115 cross went over particularly well at both normal and high temperature conditions.Moreover,overall seed cotton yield per plant exhibited a posi-tive correlation with both pollen viability and antioxidant levels(POD activity and proline content).Conclusions Selection from segregation population and criteria involving pollen viability and antioxidant levels concluded to be an effective strategy for the screening of heat-tolerant cotton germplasms.Therefore,understanding acquired from this study can assist breeders identifying traits that should be prioritized in order to develop climate resilient cotton cultivars.

Genetic Diversity in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) under Two Growing Conditions*

This study explores the use of genetic variability for advancing the genetic improvement of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp), particularly in response to insect infestation stress. Over a period spanning 2015 to 2017, forty accessions of cowpeas were evaluated to determine their variability under both insecticide spray and no insecticide spray conditions at the Teachings and Research Farms, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in three replicates. The accessions were evaluated for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of days of 50% flowering, number of pods per plant, pod length, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, and seed yield. Data collected were subjected to principal component and single linkage cluster analyses. Principal axis I (PCA1) accounted for 39% and 35% under insecticide spray and no insecticide spray respectively to the total variation in the accessions. Plant height with a factor score of 0.38, leaf length (0.41), number of leaves (0.37), and 100-seed, weight (0.30) was related to PCAI under insecticide spray while leaf width (0.32). Pod length (0.37) and number of seeds/plant (0.38) were significant to PCA1 under no insecticide spray. Notably, accessions such as SAMPEA6, SAMPEA10, IFE-Brown, and IFE-BPE exhibited consistent performance across both conditions, while others displayed condition-specific attributes. For instance, NGB1063, NGB1152, and NGB1093 demonstrated distinct traits under insecticide spray, while NGB1146 and NGB1124 exhibited notable characteristics under no insecticide spray conditions. Therefore, identifying these forty accessions with desirable traits hold promise for future genetic improvement efforts of cowpea cultivation in Nigeria and beyond.

基于C#的微波器件自动校准系统的设计与实现

针对校准时,微波器件存在人工操作量大、存在读数误差等问题,本文采用C#面向对象语言,设计了一款模块化自动校准软件。该软件采用SCPI命令控制仪器;基于ACCESS数据库,实现基本信息和数据的处理存储;将图形数据转化成二进制流实现测量图形导出。同时,运用Word文档自动生成原始记录和校准证书。试验表明:该软件运行稳定、数据处理准确,满足使用要求,可实现微波器件的自动校准,提高工作效率。

The impact of Internet access on household dietary quality:Evidence from rural China

Over the past few decades,the Internet has rapidly diffused across China.The spread of the Internet has had a profound economic and social impact on Chinese rural areas.Existing research shows that Internet access significantly impacts agricultural production and improves smallholder farmers’income.Beyond these,the Internet can affect other dimensions of social welfare.However,research about the impact of Internet access on dietary quality in rural China remains scarce.This study utilizes multi-period panel data from Fixed Observation Point in rural China from 2009 to 2015 to estimate the impact of Internet access on dietary quality and food consumption of rural households and conducts a causal analysis.Regression models with time and household fixed effects allow robust estimation while reducing potential issues of unobserved heterogeneity.The estimates show that Internet access has significantly increased rural household dietary quality(measured by the Chinese Diet Balance Index).Further research finds that Internet access has increased the consumption of animal products,such as aquatic and dairy products.We also examine the underlying mechanisms.Internet access improves dietary quality and food consumption mainly through increasing household income and food expenditure.These results encourage the promotion of Internet access as a valuable tool for nutritional improvements,especially in rural areas.

A Blockchain-Based Access Control Scheme for Reputation Value Attributes of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things(IoT)access controlmechanism may encounter security issues such as single point of failure and data tampering.To address these issues,a blockchain-based IoT reputation value attribute access control scheme is proposed.Firstly,writing the reputation value as an attribute into the access control policy,and then deploying the access control policy in the smart contract of the blockchain system can enable the system to provide more fine-grained access control;Secondly,storing a large amount of resources fromthe Internet of Things in Inter Planetary File System(IPFS)to improve system throughput;Finally,map resource access operations to qualification tokens to improve the performance of the access control system.Complete simulation experiments based on the Hyperledger Fabric platform.Fromthe simulation experimental results,it can be seen that the access control system can achieve more fine-grained and dynamic access control while maintaining high throughput and low time delay,providing sufficient reliability and security for access control of IoT devices.