Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

– This Minireview paper summarizes the views of the authors on the history and current status of golden rice – the highly promising concept of introducing new genes into existing rice strains to make them capable to accumulate beta carotene (the biochemical precursor of vitamin A) in the grain. Based on the questionable success of genetically modified organisms to achieve a significant increase in food and feed production we speculate on the possibility of a breakthrough in this area via the latest discoveries in molecular biological techniques.

With the aim to estimate the extent of genetic variability and traits association in maize, fifty five genotypes available at Department of Genetics and Plant breeding, SHIATS, Allahabad were tested during rabi 2013-14 under irrigated condition in randomized block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for 18 characters studied among the genotypes. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for grain yield/plant, biological yield/plant and cob weight coupled with high heritability and genetic advance. Strong positive associations were exhibited to grain yield per plant with plant height, ear height, leaf area index, cobs/plant, cob weight, cob length, cob girth, grains/row and biological yield/plant both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Thus, traits showing variability and strong positive correlation both at genotypic and phenotypic levels need to be paid attention while formulating breeding strategies for improvement of grain yield of maize.

In salinity affected areas, variation in salinity level is the major cause of yield fluctuations in rice during the dry season (boro season). To sustain food security in Bangladesh, plant breeders need to develop new rice varieties which are higher yielding, salinity tolerant and stable across different environments. We evaluated the yield performance and stability of 51 rice elite genotypes including two salinity tolerant rice varieties (BRRI dhan67 and BINA dhan-10) and the dominant boro rice variety (BRRI dhan28) in three locations, including a salinity "hotspot". Best linear unbiased predictions (BLUPs) were used to identify superior genotypes from multi-environment trials. Selection from a large set of candidates is required for evaluation and recommending a new variety for release. Estimated breeding values (EBVs) were used to select parents. Six parents with high EBVs (BR8982-5, IR 87870-6-1-1-1-1-B; BR8943-B-1-2-7, BR8940-B-17-4-7, A69-1 and BR8943-B-5-5-14) would be useful as parents to develop new breeding populations. To evaluate yield performance and stability across environments, we used additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model using a randomized complete block design with two replications. Genotype × environmental analysis was performed using GGE biplot analysis. Based on yield performance and stability, BR8982-5, IR 87870-6-1-1-1-1-B, BR8943-B-1-2-7, BR8940-B-17-4-7, A69-1 and BR8943-B-5-5-14 were promising across the tested environments, as they showed yield advantages over check varieties. The results in this study will be useful for selecting the elite lines suitable for salinity affected areas and parents for rapid breeding of salinity tolerance.

Essential for the conservation and sustainable use of a resource is having adequate and extensively recognized property regimes. Despite the widely accepted importance of genetic resources for future plant breeding and thus food security, there is still pervasive disagreement at the individual level on who should own genetic resources. Aim of the article is to provide conceptual clarification on the following concepts and their relation to agrobiodiversity: public good, open access, commons, private property, state property and common heritage of humankind. After presenting which rights each property regime recognizes, we will examine which moral responsibilities go a long with such privileges, particularly in regard to conserving and sharing genetic resources.

Biotechnology is an evolving research field that covers a broad range of topics. Here we aimed to evaluate the latest research literature, to identify prominent research themes, major contributors in terms of institutions, countries/re-gions, and journals. The Web of Science Core Collection online database was searched to retrieve biotechnology articles published since 2017. In total, 12,351 publications were identified and analyzed. Over 8500 institutions contributed to these biotechnology publications, with the top 5 most productive ones scattered over France, China, the United States of America, Spain, and Brazil. Over 140 countries/regions contributed to the biotechnology research literature, led by the United States of America, China, Germany, Brazil, and India. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineer-ing was the most productive journal in terms of number of publications. Metabolic engineering was among the most prevalent biotechnology study themes, and Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were frequently used in biotechnology investigations, including the biosynthesis of useful biomolecules, such as myo-inositol (vitamin B8), mono-terpenes, adipic acid, astaxanthin, and ethanol. Nanoparticles and nanotechnology were identified too as emerging biotechnology research themes of great significance. Biotechnology continues to evolve and will remain a major driver of societal innovation and development.

Maize is the most important staple cereal crop grown by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and is one of the dominant cereals grown in most other African countries. Maize has been in the diet of Nigerian’s for centuries. It started as a subsistent crop and has gradually become a very important crop. Maize has risen to the status of a commercial crop on which many agro-based industries depend on for the supply of raw materials until the matching invasion of an army of worms called the Fall Army Worm (FAW).
Fall Army worm (FAW) attack on maize in Africa has the potential to cause yield losses in a range from 8.3 to 20.6 million tonnes per annum, in the absence of any control measure. This is a nightmare to maize farmers and poses a major threat to food security and agricultural trade. Thus this review focuses on the biology and impact of Fall Army Worm on maize production and prospectively provides eminent and prioritized control measures to curb FAW.

Green leafy vegetables are high in nutrients, dietary fibers, photochemical, and vitamins, and they help to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Lack of micro-nutrients and vitamins cause several diseases and disorders to millions of people all around the world and mostly in developing countries. There is a need for some new dimensions of understanding and research in some Nobel areas. It is time for scientists and scholars to pay attention to comprehend the possibility of using natural phenomena to modify specific crops to meet the demand for green leafy vegetables. Phyllody refers to the unusual development of the floral parts into vegetative leafy structures. Mostly they are caused by pathogens like phytoplasmas, viruses, fungi, Environment, and Hormone imbalance. This physiology can be induced artificially in the desired Plant for profuse vegetative flush by the application of different Plant Growth Regulators (PGR). The profuse vegetative flush can be induced by the use of growth regulators in existing Leafy vegetables. This phenomenon will help in extending the juvenile (economic) period of the green leafy vegetables which will be important for commercial vegetable growers as well as the consumers. Moreover, this can enhance the quality of green leafy vegetables and multiple harvesting can be done at the tender stage which is generally preferred by consumers. Also, some non-leafy consumable plants can be converted to leafy vegetables by using the

Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Disease are the most devastating diseases of Arabica coffee in Africa. The importance of coffee in economies of many African countries like Uganda, presents urgent need for cost-effective disease control strategies. In this study, 192 coffee farms were surveyed and their corresponding incidence and severity recorded. Nebbi district had the highest CLR incidence (90.2%) and severity (2.2%) followed by Sironko (67.9% and 1.9%) and least in Kapchorwa (20.4% and 1.3%) respectively. CBD incidence was highest in Kapchorwa (6.0%) followed by Nebbi (1.7%).There was no CBD incidence observed in Sironko. There was a significant (pd"0.05) interaction between altitude and disease severity. Thin and medium shade intensity had highest CLR incidence followed by thick and no-shade levels. CLR was highest in farms under mono-shade followed by farms under mixed-shade and least in open-farms. CLR severity was found to be highest at very steep slopes and medium slopes and least on gentle slopes. In conclusion, CLR was present in all surveyed districts while CBDoccurred in Kapchorwa and Nebbi districts at intensity levels enough to trigger economic losses.

This article describes public, free software that provides efficient exploratory analysis of high-resolution spectral reflectance data. Spectral reflectance data can suffer from problems such as poor signal to noise ratios in various wavebands or invalid measurements due to changes in incoming solar radiation or operator fatigue leading to poor orientation of sensors. Thus, exploratory data analysis is essential to identify appropriate data for further analyses. This software overcomes the problem that analysis tools such as Excel are cumbersome to use for the high number of wavelengths and samples typically acquired in these studies. The software, Spectral Knowledge (SK-UTALCA), was initially developed for plant breeding, but it is also suitable for other studies such as precision agriculture, crop protection, ecophysiology plant nutrition, and soil fertility. Various spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) are often used to relate crop characteristics to spectral data and the software is loaded with 255 SRIs which can be applied quickly to the data. This article describes the architecture and functions of SK-UTALCA and the features of the data that led to the development of each of its modules.

Current global population of 7.5 billion is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 AD, most of which resides in the rice growing regions of Asia and Africa. Ninety percent of rice is produced and consumed in Asia. Large-scale food shortages were experienced in India and in several neighboring countries in Asia during the 50s and early 60s. During this grim scenario, the semi-dwarf, fertilizer responsive, high yielding genotypes of rice were introduced, which lead to a phenomenal increase in production and productivity of these crops. Rice breeding programs based on introducing semi-dwarf and non-lodging plant types, Taichung Native I and the subsequent variety IR8, revolutionized the rice yields. Varieties like Jaya and Padma were released in India that marked the ushering of Green Revolution. The conventional breeding methodologies led to self-sufficiency by mid-eighties in the region. The chapter discusses the various conventional approaches used for rice improvement.

Twenty two genotypes of quality protein maize (QPM) and two local checks were assessed for their lysine and tryptophan levels, as well as grain yield characteristics at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority station, Oke-Oyi, Ilorin, Nigeria for three years (2009-2011). The results showed that the QPM genotypes and the standard checks varied from one another, with respect to crude protein, zein dry matter, zein crude, lysine and tryptophan. The best QPM hybrids for grain yield (Dada-ba, ART98-SW5-OB, ART98-SW4-OB and TZPB-OB had percentage lysine and tryptophan advantage of 34% compared with the local checks. These hybrids also out-yielded other genotypes with yield advantage of 10, 24 and 26% over the best inbred, open pollinated variety and the standard check respectively. However, grain yield showed positive association with all the characteristics except crude protein content. Kernel number per cob had maximum correlation with grain yield followed by kernel rows per cob, cob diameter and cob weight. The direct effect for crude protein was positive but the correlation was negative. Conclusively, the QPM hybrids that combined high yield with the essential amino acids could be tested in different savanna agro-ecologies to identify those that could be released to farmers, while the superior inbreds could be introgressed for further breeding programs.

In order to investigate the effect of planting and densities pattern on quantitative and qualitative
characteristics Virginia tobacco, an experiment was performed in the form strip plot in randomized
complete block design with 12 treatments and three replications in a farm where tobacco was cultivated in
the past years in 2012. Factor (A) was intervals between rows 80, 100 and 120 cm as the tapes were tested
and factor (B) was considered intervals between plants in the rows at four levels 30, 50, 70 and 90 cm.
Seedlings were planted in the second half of May. Traits such as final height of plant, leaf dry weight, and
leaf length, leaflet length, dry leaf yield per hectare and number of leaves per plant were examined.
Results showed there were significant differences between plants intervals in the row in terms of final
height of plant and leaf dry weight at 5% level and in terms of traits such as low back length of the leaf,
leaflet length and dry leaf yield per ha at 1% level. The effect of row distance per dry leaf yield was
significant at 5% level. Interaction (the effect of row distance × distance on the row) or planting pattern
was significant in terms of traits such as final height plant, number of plant leaves, leaf dry weight, leaflet
length and dry leaf yield on 1 acre at 1% level. Planting patterns 70 × 100 and densities of (14285) plant
per ha is advisable for Virginia Coker 347 cultivar in the study area.

Aims:  Twenty  nine  (29)  local  and  exotic  lines  (accessions),  of okra  (Abelmoschus spp  L.)  were evaluated for variation in phenotypic traits.
Study  Design: They  were  laid  out  in  a  Randomised Complete  Block  Design  (RCBD)  with  four replications and evaluated based on 13 quantitative characters.
Place  and  Duration  of  Study: Research  farm  of  the  Biotechnology  and  Nuclear  Agriculture Research  Institute  (BNARI),  Ghana  Atomic  Energy  Commission  (GAEC),  Department  of  Nuclear Agriculture and Radiation Processing, Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University
of Ghana, between June 2011 and July 2012.
Methodology: The accessions were grown in the field, each on a subplot measuring 3.5 m x 2.5 m, with seeds sown at a spacing of 0.70 m x 0.50 m. Data were collected using the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) Descriptor List for okra.
Results:  The  accessions  exhibited  significant  variation  in  all  quantitative  traits  studied.  Block coefficients  of  variation  were  extremely  low,  implying that  results  obtained  are  reliable  and repeatable  over  replications.  Cluster  analysis  based  on  Canberra,  Furthest  Neighbour  Similarity
Matrix grouped the accessions into two major clusters and subsequently into four sub-clusters, with no  duplications,  based  on  the  characters  studied.  Seven  pairs  of quantitative  traits  were  positive and  significantly correlated (P  ≤0.05) while three were highly significantly associated (P  ≤0.01). The  highest  correlation  (r  =  0.95)  was  between  number of  days  to  50%  flowering  (NDFl)  and number of days to 50% fruiting (NDFr).
Conclusion: The  pattern  of  clustering  showed  some  degree  of  association  between  quantitative characters and geographic origin of the collections. Five Principal Components (PCs) accounted for 78.51% of the total  variance, with PC1 recording 32.44%. Different traits contributed differently to
total genetic variance.